Celestial Academy

by RhetCon

Chapter 6- I want to be a dancer!

Author's Note:

So this was just a nice break in the story that I hope you'll enjoy. As you may infer, the story is coming down to it's last chapters, so stay tuned for those. Leave a comment if you feel that something is wrong. I don't think most know how helpful it is to a writer like me. Anywho, enjoy reading!

There are a few locations I was surprised to wake up in. One was in a hospital after a seemingly good night’s sleep. Another was on the floor of a Chuck E Cheese with a cup of Pepsi with tickets mixed in spilled in my hand. This, however, was the one that really got me.
I was in a floating ball of writhing gray mass. It was making oddly making no sound. I was sitting down, the floor nowhere to be seen. I rubbed my eyes and tried to make sense of the situation. I touched the surface of the ball, my hand vibration uncontrollably being the consequence. After trying option number 1, I tried my only other option.
“Hello?!” I yelled. I tried to stand, but the top of the ball was too short. “Twilight? Lyra?”
“Oh, you’re alive?” said a warped voice. “I was beginning to think that you were dead.”
“Who are you?” I asked. “You’re voice is all gargle-y.”

“It’s not important who I am. The thing that matters is what I’m telling you,” said the voice. “Your time here is becoming a problem. You’re pulling the strings of the universe, and it needs to stop soon, lest this entire world collides with another.”
“W-what are you talking about?” I said. “What, or who, are you? What is this about colliding worlds?”
“I’ve already told you what I needed to. You will soon have to find a way to leave this world behind.”
“Wait, hold on!” I said. “I don’t understand. What am I supposed to do?” The person made a moaning sound before slowly coming into view.
“Listen, I will only say this one more time,” she said. She was tall, taller than anyone I’d ever seen. Her hair was a shade of burgundy and her coat was white. Her eyes were a piercing baby blue. “You and your friends who brought you here must put you back where you belong. To have brought you here, they must’ve used a trans-dimensional portal. To send you back, you need another. The only problem is, they’ll need to concentrate it to send you back to your dimension.”
“Okay, I think that kinda makes sense,” I said. “I’m still kinda wrapping my head around all this, but I have a question.”
“Speak,” she said.
“Will we be able to muster enough magic to send me back to my right dimension? If I’m sent to the wrong dimension, am I just screwed?”
“That came to my mind. So, against all my morals, I have played with your inner magic,” she reported. “Your human magic is special. Instead of our dimension’s magic, which is controlled purely by skill and knowledge, you humans have a potential much greater than ours. Your emotions flex and change the power of your magic.”
“Wait… I have magic?”
“I hate to repeat myself, but yes,” she said. “Both rage and love affect your magic the most. Cassandra, who you sent to me, was able to part with all her enraged feelings because of the appearance of love. Even so, a loving relationship between two friends can be destroyed with the power of rage. You must be careful.”
“I… thank you, um…”
“My name is Faustia,” she said turning away. “Never forget it, Aj.” My surroundings warped in and out for a few seconds before I returned to Twilight and Lyra’s room. I fell from a few feet up, landing in the middle of the room on my back.
“Ow,” I said in pain. “Thanks, Faustia.” I sat up and looked around. No one was in the room. I was a bit skeptical at first, but it soon made way for my primary objective: finding Twilight. After re-adjusting to the room’s familiar atmosphere, I opened the door into the hallway. I found no one, which was preferred. After walking around a corner, however, I found that I wasn’t alone.
“Oh,” said Fleur in disappointment. “It’s you.”
“Me it is,” I said. “Do you know where I can find Twilight?”
“No, and even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you.” She walked around me. “Besides, I’ve got my own problems.”
“If I help you with your problem, will you help me with mine?” I asked. “It’s super important.”
“My problem is not one so easily fixed,” she said. “Pray tell, what is your problem?”
“A god of this universe just told me that if I don’t leave this universe now, another universe will crash into this one, I assume killing everyone in each. I need Twilight to open a Trans-dimensional portal with me and send me back.” She looked at me in perplexion. “So, pray tell, what is your problem?”
“I must admit, in comparison to yours, mine seems to be the fits of a young child,” she admitted. “I’m worried about my parents and their upcoming visit in a few hours.”
“You have trouble with your parents?” I asked. “I know all too well. Tell me what’s wrong.”
“If you are truly interested in hearing my story, please follow me.” We continued to down the hall, soon reaching a door like all the others. She opened it and revealed what was inside.
The first thing I noticed is that there was no bed. It was replaced by a desk. The desk was pretty large, taking up most of the room’s space. She walked up to it and ran her hand past it, sitting down in the chair on one side. I sat down in the chair across the desk from it. Looking around, I could see many achievements in the forms of trophies, certificates, and medals.
“Nice room,” I complimented. “Made it yourself?”
“Yes, I did. You didn’t come here to compliment my interior design choices, did you?”
“No, I’m sorry,” I said. “Tell me what your problem is.”
“My parents… are not very compromising,” she began. “They want me… to be a high-class member of Celestia’s Council. I actually want to be a doctor, helping people. I secretly signed up for a medical class after hours, which, if found out by my parents, will be a very, very big problem. As I said before, they’re coming over in a few hours.”
“Why not just keep the class as it is: a secret?” I said. “Just list off your normal classes and drop the medical one.”
“That’s a problem for two reasons,” she said. “One is that my father can easily tell when I’m lying. The second is… I’ve become a little greedy with my medical class, I’m afraid.”
“What do you mean, greedy?” I asked. “You’re taking it more often?”
“Precisely,” she admitted. “Consequently, my other classes have suffered. I am even in danger of failing one of these classes. One check of my grades and they’ll know something is wrong.”
“Seems like a pretty hard problem to solve,” I said. “If I had a nickel for every time I said that. For me, though, I’ll have your problem solved in 45 minutes to an hour, give or take a few minutes depending on this school’s security.”
“What do you mean? What are you planning on doing?” I smirked slightly and pulled my phone out of my pocket.
“Do you know what this is?” I asked her.
“Of course I do. It’s a cell phone.”
“The cell phone. One of man, and apparently pony kind's greatest inventions. Able to do more and more by the day. Smart people know how to use their phones in a way that… isn’t intended.”
“I still don’t follow,” she admitted. “What does your phone have to do with anything?”
“I’m going to change your grades.” Her face changed to one of complete shock. “After that, I’ll teach you how to lie. Problem solved.”
“I… I’m not sure,” she said. “It is illegal to breach the school’s systems, but at the same time, it seems like the only way.”
“I admire your loyalty to this school. I also admire your ambition. Those are two qualities I wish for myself,” I complimented her. “Sometimes people need to set aside their good to make more good… if that makes sense.”
“I really, really, don’t want to lie to my parents. What if they find out?”
“I can only tell you to tell them the truth,” I advised. “I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but you don’t want to be tangled up in a large web of lies. Once the first one breaks, no matter how hard it may be, it’d be best to fess up.”
“Fine,” she said with a sigh. “I guess I should thank you. Not many are willing to stick their necks out for someone who’s treated them like I have you.”
“Well, you are helping me with something,” I said. “You’re helping me find Twilight. Thank you as well.”
“What should we do now?” she asked. “What do you have to do to… change the grade, as it were?” I chuckled a bit before smirking back maliciously.
“I have my secrets.”

I felt confident as I walked into Fleur’s room. I had all the documents in my hand, as requested by Fleur and her parents. Passing as Fleur’s trained assistant in just a few minutes was harder than it seemed.
As I placed the files on the desk, I was reminded once again why Fleur never lied to her parents. Her father was large and burly, but still had an air of regality. Her mother was small and skinny, the opposite of her father. They both looked very agitated that it took me nearly twenty minutes longer than it should have to get her grades printed.
“Shabby assistant,” said her dad. “Anyway, what can I expect on this?”
“Nothing but straight A’s I assume,” she said glancing at me.
“You assume?” said her mother. “You say that like you’re not sure.”
“Oh, I am,” she said. Her father looked over her folder for a few seconds before closing it and putting it down on the table.
“These are acceptable but irrelevant,” said her father. “How does Celestia like you? I made sure to put an extra word in for you whenever I can, so you better not be wasting my time.” His voice was very commanding and slightly annoying. I kinda wanted him to get yelled at. It made me smile.
“We… haven’t talked in awhile, I’m afraid,” she admitted. “B-but I assure you it’s-”
“I will hear no excuses young lady!” yelled her father. I raised an eyebrow. “I’ve stuck my neck out for you in ways you don’t understand. I don’t appreciate a the lack of effort on your side.” He leaned back in his chair. “And if you don’t tell your assistant to stop eyeing me, I will have him ruined.”
“I’m sorry?” I asked. “Ruin me?”
“Aj, please-”
“Hold on, Fleur,” I said. “How do you plan to ruin me?” Her father laughed a hearty laugh.
“The hows are infinite!” he yelled. “To name one, I could break your body with this.” He pointed at his horn. “Another one is I could make your life here a living hell.”
“Meh,” I said releasing my composure. “Go ahead Fleur. You can talk with your parents now.”
“No, you don not dismiss me!” he yelled, standing up. “Fleur, control your assistant!”
“Aj, desist,” said Fleur. Her voice entailed fear. It was one I knew well. “May we please be civilized here?”
“We could be civilized here,” I said with a large smile. “He’d have to leave, though.”
“What do you plan to accomplish, Aj?!” she yell-whispered. “What about the thing?”
“Look, the thing was fine, but I think you should’ve asked me out first.” Her father slammed the desk once again while her mother gasped. The father’s magic was wrapped around my body and slammed me into the wall. “Whoa buddy. Trigger happy much?”
“I will not be disrespected. I am a member of Celestia’s Council, and I’m a master mage.” His face was basically radiating anger. “I warned you to hold your tongue. Fail to do so, and you will now face the consequences.”
“I have a question, actually,” I said.
“Aj, stop,” said Fleur. “There is no need to go on.”
“Wait, wait, hear me out,” I said. “Do horn’s grow back?”
“What?” she asked. “W-well, no, not naturally. You’d need multiple months of therapy and regular healing potions and spells, but-”
“That’s all I need to know,” I concentrated and changed the flow of the magic. Instead of a large force pushing against me, I changed it to a humongous force pushing against him. Without much warning, the magic around his horn was turned a dark gray and shattered immediately.
The room was silent for a minute. Both Fleur and her mother stood there shocked at what happened. I dropped to the floor and brushed myself off.
“Wha-what- what-” he said stuttering and touching his stump of a horn. “M-my horn…”
“Maybe your daughter can patch that up for you,” I said. “I hear she’s pretty good at healing magic.”
“A-Aj!” she said. “What happened? You weren’t supposed to-”
“I’m sorry, but you can’t keep running from your parents forever. I tried that once,” I said. “You gotta stand up and say, Dad! I want to be a dancer!”
“What are you talking about!?” she yelled. “I want to be a doctor, not a dancer! They’re two different things!”
“Doesn’t it feel better to say that out loud?” I asked. Her face changed from one of worry to one of realization. She looked at the floor.
“Dad,” she said quietly. “I want to be a doctor.”
“He can’t hear you with that attitude!” I said. “Come one, give your dream some oomph.”
“I want to be a doctor dad,” she said. “I am going to be a doctor, and there is nothing you do to stop me!”
“That’s the spirit,” I said. “And on behalf of all the people who want you to succeed: good luck. “ I made way for the exit, opening the door and stepping out.
“Wait, Aj!” called Fleur. She stepped out and closed the door behind her. “I… don’t actually know how to thank you. What do you want?”
“Seeing as though I’ll be leaving this world in a couple of days, I presume, I just want your word.” I nodded. “Tell me that you will do everything in your power to succeed.” I scrunched up my face. “Hanging out with you got me to say I presume,” she chuckled.
“Yes, I will try my hardest to succeed.” She nodded back. “And, as a doctor, you must give me your word that you will stay safe. It seems like something big is going on in your mind right now. You talked as if something was bugging you.”
“Hehe, yeah, I guess I did,” I took a deep breath. “I give you my word that I will be the safest I can be. I also promise that one day, you’ll have to deal with me as a patient.” She laughed, making me smile.
“Oh boy, can I wait for that day,” she said. “Well, I must be going. My dad’s probably having a freak-fest in there.” She scrunched up her face like I did. “Oh god, hanging out with you has made me say freak-fest” I chuckled back.
“Bye Fleur.”
“Bye Aj.” She closed the door behind her as she entered her room. I felt a huge burden leave my shoulders just then. I turned and looked into the courtyard where the sun was starting to set. It was then I started to think.
“Damnit Fleur,” I said to myself with a smile. “You didn’t help me find Twilight.”

Comments

[Literary]

I like my chapters well done with a side of awesomeness.

[RhetCon]

6821925 Thanks for calling them awesome! I look forward to continuing to putting out well done chapters with a hint of awesomeness just for you, buddy.

[Literary]

6823968 thank you. I hope that the end of the story will be "20% cooler" though