Silver trotted up to Trixie after they had finished their celery casserole. He hadn't expected it to be very good, but it proved tasty enough on his herbivorous tongue and his belly was pleasantly full. "Trixie?"
Trixie looked down at him, "Yes? Is Rough still playing that game?"
Silver glanced over to see Rough playing at the computer, looking quite engrossed. "Yes. But that's not why I'm here."
Trixie tilted her head, "What brings you before Trixie?"
Silver gave a smile, "Can I learn some more magic from you? Real magic."
Trixie poked him in the chest, "You are already learning 'real' magic."
Silver shook his head, "I mean spells. Lifting and glowing, those aren't spells. I know it's different."
Trixie tapped her chin, "Before you can learn spells, you have to learn how to read spells, and how to think spells. But before we even consider that, show Trixie your channeling."
Silver gave a soft huff of impatience, but sat himself on his haunches and began to focus. He made his horn glow first, then pulled the magic out, then back in, and out again. He flip-flopped between the two states until Trixie nudged him on the shoulder. "Good. Not perfect, but you are improving. How is your precision?"
Silver reached with a silver hand and gently plucked off Trixie's hat before bringing it over and placing it on his own head. Trixie huffed and snatched it back quickly. "Funny." She raised a hoof to point at the dirty dishes, "Clean those and maybe Trixie will be convinced. Break even one dish and you have to wait a week to try again."
No pressure... Silver approached the sink and reared up on his hind legs. With his forehooves resting on the counter, he could easily see the matter at hand, or hoof. He began slowly working each dish one at a time. No hurry. Hurry leads to broken dishes. Broken dishes would lead to no learning magic for a week. He didn't want that, and decided a few extra minutes cleaning the dishes was well worth avoiding it. Using these mental hands was becoming a second nature. So long as he kept himself to two hands at most, he could just use them as he would have his missing hands, and everything seemed to work. His forearms even twitched a little, moving as if the hands were attached.
"Finished!" he announced, looking around for Trixie, but not seeing her. He went back to all fours and trotted through the house, to find her laying on her side in the den. Silver approached her slowly, unsure what the expression she wore meant. "All done. Everything OK?"
Trixie nodded, "Trixie didn't hear any falling dishes, so she will begin the lesson. Sit." She pointed to a cushion, and Silver hurried to place himself on it. "Magic is complicated from here out. Many unicorns never move past lifting and glowing. If you don't understand, Trixie will forgive you. Not everyone can be as amazing as she is." She pulled over a book bound in light cyan. It read 'A Foal's Introduction to Practical Spell Reading'. Trixie flipped it open and skimmed through the pages quickly, seeming to skip through the first few chapters. She turned the book around and slid it before Silver. "Read."
Silver looked down at the book curiously. The book was covered with diagrams showing different amounts of internal and external channeling, durations, and meanings. There appeared to be about twenty-five in total. "What are they?"
Trixie pointed at the book, "Think of them like the magic version of the alphabet. Most spells are made of combinations of those. Most also require you channel both ways in a very precise fashion. You can see magic, can you not? Behold!" She held up the book as her horn shone in demonstration. She went through the magical alphabet slowly but precisely. Each specific concentration seemed to create a different pattern around her horn. "If you do it too slowly, it does nothing of consequence. When you do them close together, magic. Will is also important." She performed a faster pattern, and fireworks exploded around herself in a dazzling display.
Silver immediately tried to copy the pattern, imagining his own fireworks. A single jet of light popped into the air, then fell to the carpet, not even exploding. It soon vanished.
Trixie looked all-too-amused. She shook her head, "An excellent attempt for your first spell." She leaned in, "Trixie will tell you a secret if you promise secrecy." When Silver nodded, she continued, "Trixie's first spell almost set her house on fire. Compared to that, you are doing well."
Silver blinked, "Should we be doing this somewhere less flammable?"
Trixie scoffed, "You are practicing in the presence of a magnificent and skilled wizard. If your spell goes awry, she will fix it before anything can be harmed. Now study." She tapped the book.
There was nothing for it. He started reading and copying, trying to learn the feel of each pattern in the book. Trixie suddenly interrupted him, "Quickly, show me the first pattern."
With a rising panic, Silver produced a pattern. Trixie shook her head, "Trixie is not sure which pattern that is, but it is not the first, certainly. You must memorize them."
Ugh. Silver frowned at the book and started from the first pattern all over again. He loved learning... mechanics, systems. This wasn't a system, it was a language, and he hated languages. He didn't want to give up yet though. He wanted magic, real magic. He studied until his eyelids grew heavy. Soft clip-clops came from the living room before Rough Draft poked his head in, "Almost done in here?"
Trixie nodded, "Studying while half-asleep will not help anything." With a snap of her power, the book was closed. Silver rose to his feet and staggered towards bed, trying to remember the patterns desperately. As he walked past Rough, he was grabbed up and hugged. At first he wriggled in complaint, but the warmth of his guardian soon won him over and he relaxed against Rough.
Rough kissed the top of his head, "Good night."
Released, Silver trotted to his bed, "Night!"
The next day, at school, Silver's mind was filled with the patterns. He kept going over them, but felt frustration building. Was he even remembering any of them right? He wished Trixie had let him bring the book to school. The teacher was trying to teach... something, but Silver's mind was far away in a land of confusing horn diagrams.
When school was let out, Silver wandered home, still trying to get it all right. He stopped when he bumped face first into something. He looked up, then scampered backwards in fear. Tumble stood before him. "Hey," he said casually.
"Uh, hi." Smile and say hello. It didn't work the first time, but it didn't hurt either.
Tumble approached him. Silver's body felt like a tightly-coiled spring, it almost hurt to breath. "She dump you too?"
Silver let out an explosive exhale, "What?"
"Carrot," explained Tumble, "She dumped you too?"
Silver was baffled, "Sort of."
Tumble nodded, "Mares... right? We stallions should stick together."
Silver's confusion only grew. He thought back. Equestria seemed to follow certain rules. If you paid attention, everything made sense... "Yeah... So... no hard feelings?" He offered a hoof to Tumble.
Tumble bumped hooves, "Nah." Silver moved to walk around him, but Tumble started following him.
It suddenly dawned on Silver. He stopped and turned to Tumble, who stood right in front of him. "Tumble... I'm going to ask something, but before I do, I want you to know something."
"What?" asked Tumble with a raised brow.
"This isn't... an insult or anything. We're... cool, but." He leaned in a little, "Are you a colt cuddler? No offense!"
Tumble turned red quickly, "What! Why! I oughta..." But he didn't rush to maul Silver, or even deny the statement. He just looked ashamed, and uncertain.
Silver let out a slow breath, then smiled at Tumble, "It's cool, I said that. If you are, or if you aren't, it's cool."
Tumble looked around for other ponies close by before he moved in over Silver, looming intimidatingly, "So what of it?"
Silver scampered back a few steps, "Nothing. You can be one if you want. I don't have anything against colt cuddlers."
Tumble blinked at Silver, "You don't? Everyone does."
Silver tilted his head, "I admit I... really don't know. Is that... a thing? I'm new... to Canterlot."
"So where ya from?" asked Tumble. "Must be a weird place, ponies don't care about colt cuddlers."
Silver shook his head a little, "They care, but I don't. Who a person finds love with is none of my business. What's the harm?"
Tumble smiled a little, "You're a weird little colt."
Silver looked around a moment, then back at Tumble, "So..."
"So?" asked Tumble.
"No more bullying?" asked Silver.
Tumble shrugged softly, "You're off the hook."
Silver fidgeted a moment, "I'd rather you didn't pick on anypony."
Tumble gave a loud snort, "What are ya, an Element?" He shoved Silver back a step, "What's it to you if I pick on somepony else?"
Silver regained his stance and stepped towards Tumble carefully, "It wasn't fun when you were picked on. You don't need to be mean to others."
Tumble suddenly looked both angry and sad, "Nopony cares what I think! Why should I care what they think?"
Silver summoned his hand and softly scratched Tumble behind the ear, "I care. If you promise to try being nice, I'll introduce you to other nice ponies."
Tumble shied back almost violently when the scratching started, but when it didn't stop, he slowly began to relax, and settled on the ground, "You're crazy, colt. I should pound you one."
Silver flashed a bright smile, "But you won't."
Tumble lashed out a hoof. Silver squeaked in sudden fear, flinching, but he was only dragged closer to Tumble. "Don't get cocky."
Silver wasn't sure how to feel at that moment. Tumble was being nice, mostly. He was also gay. He was also large enough to tear Silver in half if they did that kind of thing, and he didn't really want to do that kind of thing anyway. "So, want to play a videogame?"
Tumble rose to his hooves, "Nah. I played all the ones at the arcade."
Silver smiled, "You haven't played any of mine!" He took a cantering step back towards his house, "Come on! I have a driving game you could try."
Tumble ambled after him, "What kinda driving game?"
They trotted on, soon approaching Silver's house. Tumble asked, "So, is it true? They said you were playing a game with Carrot, a dirty game."
Silver flushed lightly, "It was her idea."
Tumble nodded, "I can believe that. She tried to get me to play stupid games. After I said no enough times, she stopped asking. You gotta put mares in their place."
Silver turned to look over his shoulder at Tumble, "You had better not say that around Trixie, or she might do something awful."
Tumble shuddered, "No thanks. That mare's dangerous." He trotted up beside Silver, "Is she your mom?"
Silver tilted his head, "Close enough. Magic tutor, but she lives with me."
Tumble snorted, "Your dad must be rich, affording her."
"Nah," said Silver as he opened the door and invited Tumble in. An evening playing games together sounded a lot better than the other ways Silver had spent time with Tumble.
Ya I suspected tumble's leanings but great chapter :3. I think this is where i let my fangirlness overtake me and start my shipping of Tumble X Silver from Crackship Space
5707188 If Tumble is on top, Silver will die. That would be a sad way to end this fic. Is that what you want?
5707226 Who said Tumble was top LOL, I must corrupt all
5707252 Oh my... Why can't Silver find a nice, not-insane, mare before he tried batting for the other team. Lyra'd do in a pinch. She's cute and mostly harmless.
Nah, he needs a filly his own age who he can't tell the real coat color of due to her blushing.
5707343 Peach Blush or Lily Jump?
5707348 I think Lily would be to much for him LOL, which makes her the best choice
Oooo... Magic alphabet... me likie...
Also; you cannot stop the OTP Silver Tumble from sailing the seven fandoms!
5707348
I have to go with the mathematician's answer: Yes.
I'm channeling my inner George Takei:
Oh my~
And now I'm back to myself: megusta.
ok I so called Silver and Tumble as friends, but you threw a wrench in the works colt cuddler I never saw that one good work.
your story is just picking up speed I cant what to see ware or how fast this is moving when you hit your stride.
I have a feeling that Silver and Tumble will end up vary close friends in the long run just a feeling on my end.
Harts Fire
5707474 Tis a pity my talent does not run with learning new languages at all.
5707704 I will hope you continue reading and enjoying then, but do let me know if I slip up. My ego is not so fragile that I would begrudge being called out.
5707477 Oh fine, underaged herds. Where does the depravity end?
I'd say that he reared up on his hind legs.
His spring is "tightly-coiled.
You either need to capitalize the "Want," or turn the preceding period into a comma.
Hm, far fewer errors this time around. Either I'm losing my touch, or you may not need me doing this for much longer!
5708314 All fixed, thanks for pointing it out. I'll always need you, hyphenator. Even if my typing improves, I would be sad without your perspective.
5708372 Thanks for saying so.
This chapter was a nice building-block for what's to come. The part about how spellcasting is constructed is interesting, though I'd tread lightly where using it in the future is concerned. A little bit about the intricacies of a completely fictitious system goes a long way.
The interaction between Tumble and Silver was much more interesting. I felt that there was enough foreshadowing to see this coming, mostly where Tumble practically outed himself by lifting his tail for Silver a few chapters back - that was pretty clearly a message about what he wanted to happen, rather than what he was afraid would happen. This also makes his character more tragic; something tells me that it's not just his cutie mark that his parents beat him for.
That's less tragic than what's going to happen later on, though. Simply put, at this point there's no way that Tumble won't fall head-over-hooves for Silver. Being that he's lonely and hurting, and Silver is the one pony who is not only friendly with him, but knows and accepts him regardless of his "terrible secret," it seems like a foregone conclusion that Tumble will develop feelings for Silver...and the longer that goes on, the deeper they'll be. You never get over your first love, after all. (And issues of size probably wouldn't be a problem, since it seemed clear that Tumble prefers to be the mare anyway - certainly, that puts his "tough stallion" act in context.)
5708400 Your words are full of the accuracy I have come to enjoy and anticipate. On the positive side, well, Silver's pretty lonely, romantically speaking. Everyone he's tried to get close to, that way, went poorly in the end, or they try to grab him in the most scarily aggressive fashions.
Of course, Tumble may also overplay his cards and scare Silver off, or not? It will be interesting to see where it goes, but it does follow the trend of their household. Welcome to the Silver House. No pony that is socially well-adjusted is allowed within. Maybe the most awkward of romances will bloom, or it will all go down in embarassed flames.
Have him play Slender. THAT will mess with his mind a bit. Or Five Nights at Freddies.
Also:
This is a little confusing at first glance and if you don't read the entire sentence. It made my inner Grammar Nazi scream,"NIEN!"
hadn't
up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, Start
5710431 Fixed, thanks!
5710431 up down up down up down up down... <grunt> maaaggggiiiic <sigh>
I love the "magic alphabet" notion. Nox (computer game) had a neat one, complete wih attendant gestures. I'm also certain that it gives out past about circle 5 in terms of completing spells; that is, you'll need to move into custom "letters"/channel patterns to make truly-big spells.
Giving the action tags a break this chapter. They're still there, but I'm not at a keyboard so it takes like a minute rather than five seconds to prep each error for posting.
5710431
You, good sir/madam, have won three internets for that reference.
Omg yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When Tumble became a Filly-Colt I was like, "THIS NEEDS TO BE A SHIP" but did not say anything because this story, is already complete!
But FUCK YES THE SHIP SAILED ITSELF! PLEASE LET IT HAPPEN!!!!
*HONK HONK*
[two_ships_crashing_into_each_other.jpg]
7235069 This story has many ships, and many of them crash into each other.
s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/52/46/00/524600136b05699bf3abced13c4149ab.jpg
but cookie
I wonder what a batch of typo cookies would taste like if they were mixed into the batter where raisins/chocolate chips would go?
Question of the day. What does a typo taste like?
You'll have to find them to find out.
(You could so use that if you want)
7350537 it taste liek any other cookies.i personaly like it very lot :)
(Side effects include a +5 chance of a typo occurring per word after consumption)
7406013
I dislike rasin cookies because I was tricked to think it was chocolate chip and I never expected raisins and oatmeal
But every language is a system, is it not?!
?! ?? Wh... why would you do that?
9590431
Tumble did that. If you think I planned it that way, you have not read enough of my writing.
9590434
He did that? So your characters write themselves?
...Well... Not every author can pull that off . And that's a sign of certain mastery, isn't it? To make a character come alive... The world of literature does know of great writers, who couldn't control their creations. (Does my Pinkie qualify too ?)
Yep. It's a cost to pay: to let them live and cease control -- or to make them pale, but be the god of one's world.
But still why did you let him do that?? Haven't we seen enough of that already?! The Internet is literally poisoned with this: wherever you go, whatever you lay your eyes upon -- this happens. Did you lose your resolve to resist?
The only thought to keep me sane is, that some people just have nothing better to do. Your story had better be fascinating! Only my being fascinated makes me let things like that slide. I'm telling the truth, certain works had this happen to their characters, but I was too enthralled to make a fuss.
So... yeah.
9590525
I'm still a bit fuzzy on what I am resisting?
The thing that puzzles me the most about that whole trial is the lack of magic. Celestia, I think, would be extremely against putting her subjects in jail accidentally. So why was not one truth spell used?
Been reading this story... Had to go back and check, couldn't find the relevant section, so...
Carrot? Who the heck are they talking about?
As far as I can see there is no part of this story in which a Carrot named character was introduced.
11387509
It was in a section that was removed due to people complaining about it, still, about a decade later. Unpublished.
11387514
That would explain all the other sections relating the matter further on that I have read so far. Any plans to remove those other section? They really disrupt the story without a source.
11387516
I will never know peace. Published or not. Published, there. Enjoy.