Celestia's Protege

by StormLuna

Starlight the Tutor

The rest of the weekend flew by as did all of my courses on Monday and before I knew it, it was time for me to head to the library to help a couple of struggling students out. Was I nervous? You bet I was. Now given how advanced I am in magic one would think that helping remedial magic students out would be easy. I wondered that with as advanced as I am, would I even understand their problems? As I entered the main library, I knew that I would soon find out.

I was immediately greeted by Celestia and their teacher and led to the back of the library. Once we arrived their teacher said to them, "Sunburst, Trixie Lulamoon, here is the filly I said might be able to help you, Starlight Glimmer."

I will admit, I wasn't surprised that Trixie would be struggling so much but Sunburst? I figured that he would be in some sort of advanced magic course after doing that trick with those books, not failing remedial magic. He was the first to say anything, "Starlight, is that really you?"

I replied, "Yes Sunburst, it is me."

Their teacher didn't pay any attention to how he knew me and interrupted, "Well I'll let you get to work." She leaned down and whispered, "Good luck Starlight but I want to warn you, Trixie will likely drive you up the wall."

I nodded and gave her a smile. Once she and Celestia left, I decided to get this started. I began, "Your teacher said that you two are having problems with your magic. What specifically are you having issues with?"

Being the narcissistic filly she was, Trixie had to answer first, "Well, The Great and Powerful Trixie doesn't think she is having any problems. The teacher simply doesn't like The Great and Powerful Trixie and is always stressing Trixie out."

Ugh, she still speaks in the third-pony. Well I decided that if I am going to try and help her, that that was going to stop. I ordered, "Trixie Lulamoon, if I am going to help you out you will speak like everypony else. How you speak on your own time is your business but I won't tolerate it while I'm trying to help you. Either you speak like the rest of us or you can just go ahead and fail."

Trixie began to say something but before she could I asked, "And Sunburst, what sort of problems are you having?"

Sunburst replied, "Well I am having trouble turning objects from one thing into another and I can't even teleport across a room." His voice began to break as he continued, "All of my classmates can do that and a few can even teleport out side of the room but I can't even teleport at all!"

What, he can't teleport at all? This really shocked me but I knew I had to be nice and caring with him and Trixie. After all, I did not want to be just like Flintheart and be unable to help them at all. I replied, "Well, let's take a look around. I'm sure we can find some books on basic teleportation." I turned to Trixie and asked, "What about you? How is your teleportation going?"

Trixie boasted, "Well The Great and Powerful Trixie is sure that she can teleport but Trixie's teacher puts so much stress on Trixie that she just can't!"

I knew it was a lie. I did speak some with their teacher on the way back here and she seems perfectly nice. I sighed, "Follow me, let's find some books and get to work on this."

Now had we been in the royal library, I could find the teleportation spells in my sleep but given that I have never even been in this library, I figured it would be best to ask somepony where they are. I saw one of the library's shelvers and asked, "Excuse me, but where are the basic teleportation books?"

He pointed his wing to the left and told me that they would be in the very back. I nodded and led my students, well if I could call them that, back with me. When we got there I noticed they were up on the very top shelf. The first one to say anything was Trixie, "Wow, those are really high, you'll have to get some help to get them!"

Seriously, Trixie thinks that I would need help getting those books? I easily levitated them down and carried them to a nearby table. Trixie asked, "How did you do that? How could you possibly do anything that The Great and Powerful Trixie can't?"

Before I could say anything Sunburst would come to my defense, "Look Trixie, Starlight has very advanced magic. That is why our teacher has her helping us."

It felt good to have the pony who simply up and left after doing that trick with those books admitting how advanced my magic is but that is not about to cause me to give him any preferential treatment. I sat the books down on a table. Since I grabbed two of each book, they would not have to sit together to study. I put the most basic books in front of them and ordered, "Alright, open the books to the first page."

Both were able to do so but I will admit, I was shocked to see Trixie do it without any effort. I pointed towards the first page and ordered, "Ok, I want you to read the first five pages and focus on them intently. They will not only teach you about the process itself, but also the energy involved in it and how much you need to use for different distances."

Before they began to read Sunburst asked, "So Starlight, how did you learn to teleport?"

This is something that I certainly did not want to answer. I couldn't just tell him about the past life, my altering everypony's destiny, the portal, the time spell or anything else so I decided to lie. "Well I just woke up one day with the ability." He gave me one of those looks like he thought I was lying so I continued, "Now get reading. I'm sure your teacher wants you two to have this down by the end of the week."

Sunburst quickly got to reading which did not surprise me in the slightest while Trixie sighed in frustration staring blankly down at the book. Naturally I really wanted to get these two to learn this stuff so Celestia wouldn't view me as a failure but to be honest, I didn't think Trixie had the focus or the desire to learn this.

During the middle of their reading I realized something, that they need to focus extra hard on the material. I interrupted, "Ok you two, I know I said to focus but to truly grasp this, you will need to focus so hard that you will actually go into a trance."

They both gave me confused looks like they had no idea what I was talking about but once they got back to reading, I saw Sunburst's eyes begin to shine white as he stared more intently on the book. This is a very good sign and hopefully he will at least be able to teleport a few inches if not more. Trixie on the other hoof, all I'm going to expect out of her are a few sparks of magic and a whole lot of grunting.

After thirty minutes they both looked up and I took that as them saying they are done. I said, "Alright, do you two think you are ready for this?"

Both of them nodded but like she always does, Trixie boasted about how she would be able to do so much better than anypony else. I said, "Alright Sunburst, you go first."

Sunburst lit up his horn and I could tell he was trying hard. He had his teeth gritted and was grunting but all I saw were a few sparks of energy fly out of his horn. After that I told Trixie to give it her best shot and she got the same result. Both of them were frustrated that they couldn't get it but they had totally different attitudes.

Sunburst hung his head low and said, "I'm sorry Starlight, I just can't get it. I hope you're not disappointed in me."

I replied, "I'm not disappointed in you. I'm going to tell you the same thing I told one of my friends when she was having trouble, have confidence in yourself."

Trixie however was not so accepting of her failure, "The only reason The Great and Powerful Trixie couldn't do it is because Trixie feels pressured by you! Trixie knows you don't think The Great and Powerful Trixie can do anything!"

I grunted, "Trixie, with that attitude you'll wind up failing." I knew that if I was going to get through to her that I would have to be a lot nicer. I continued, "Trixie, like I told Sunburst, if you just have confidence in yourself you can do anything."

Trixie sighed, "Whatever. The Great and Powerful Trixie has to get home so that Trixie's mother does not worry about Trixie."

Sunburst sighed, "I better get going too. I have other things I have to study as well."

Before they left I asked, "See you tomorrow here at the same time?"

They both agreed although I could tell that Trixie was not overly thrilled about it but knew that if she wanted to have even the slightest chance of passing, that she would have to continue these study sessions. She wasn't the only one who had negative emotions running through her, I too had them. With me though it was a bit of frustration along with self doubt. I thought to myself, "If I can't help them, does that mean that I'm not as good with magic as Celestia thinks I am?"

Comments

[HeartfireFirebrand]

They both agreed although I could tell that Trixie was not overly thrilled about it but knew that if she wanted to have even the slightest chance of passing, that she would have to continue these study sessions. She wasn't the only one who had negative emotions running through her, I too had them. With me though it was a bit of frustration along with self doubt. I thought to myself, "If I can't help them, does that mean that I'm not as good with magic as Celestia thinks I am?"

Not everypony is master mage still Sunburst has more potential, he just needs a push. Trixie on the other hoof well if ego was a weapon she and Rainbow Dash would be the most powerful ponies of their respective races in Equestria.