Through the Mist

by Misty Spell

Chapter 5. Teaching Misty: The Art of Magic.

The small library in which they sat was awash in a magical glow, individual dust particles all being pulled together into a spinning ball in mid air. Almost immediately the air around the three of them became significantly more breathable. Silver Cog smiled as the ball of dust lowered down through the air, the slow descent guiding the dust to the table between the three of them. "Telekinesis is the most basic of spells you shall likely ever encounter. Every colt and filly starts with this basic spell. However, you will need to learn to channel magic into your horn if you are to cast any form of magic," Silver Cog said, clearly used to lecturing ponies.

Rolling her eyes, Fire Flare leaned forward. "Nah, tk's cool and a- errr telekinesis," Fire Flare explained to Misty, whose face had contorted a little with confusion. "Anyway, tk's cool and all but beams are where it's at!" she said, firing off a beam from her horn that burst through the dust ball and scattering it, coating both Misty Spell and Silver Cog in dust. The beam then ricocheted off of the shelf, up off of a chandelier and out the door. Across the hall a hole was shot through the stone wall.

"Trixie's not impressed! She can do that too!" Trixie called from out in the hall.

Silver Cog rubbed her temples for a moment before lighting up her horn. "Go home Trixie!" she called out, a poofing sound coming from the direction Trixies voice had. "As for you, Miss Flare, must you behave in such a barbaric fashion?!" Silver Cog demanded, glancing over to the guild master, who'd recovered enough from the shock to cough, a little cloud of dust bursting out of her mouth.

Rolling her eyes, Fire Flare lifted the book in her magical aura and began flipping through it casually. "Duh, I'm a fighter! Of course I'm gonna gravitate towards combat spells! Geez, don't worry Mist, she's kinda uptight but she's a total sweetheart underneath," Fire Flare said, winking in Silvers direction. "Anyway, while Miss Teacher over here reboots, read this," Fire Flare shifted the book across the table to Misty Spell.

Misty glanced over, the bespectacled unicorn was staring into space, a bit of a blush on her face and glasses sliding down her muzzle. Reaching over, Misty slid the glasses back up before turning her attention back to the book. Flipping it open, Misty was greeted with a very simplistic font and a brief explanation as to how to channel magical energy.

Do you want to learn how to cast spells? Why of course you do little guy or girl! Spells are any effect caused with magical energy! What's magical energy you ask? Why that's a good question! It's the life energy that flows through every pony! It's what lets Pegasi fly, connects Earth Ponies to the land, and even lets Princess Celestia raise the sun and moon!

If you want to cast a spell first clear your mind! Cluttered thoughts do not a mage make! Clear mind and calm heart are vital.
Focus upon your horn and let your energy flow there. Let it fill your horn and then focus on what you want to happen.
Shape the energy into the spell as described in later parts of this book and release the energy!

Looking up from the book, Misty Spell glanced between the two of them. "So, that's all I have to do huh?" she asked, pointing at the first page. After receiving a nod she flipped through the book to the section on basic telekinesis. To the pony who knew nothing of magic this foals book might as well have been an advanced physics book. Upon reading the passage she stood up and brought her forehoof to her horn, feeling it again and sighing. "Alright, here goes nothing" she said, closing her eyes and focusing on directing energy to her horn. Misty felt something akin to a flowing sensation reaching up into the horn, though it was incredibly hard to maintain. After a few seconds she heard sparks crackling through the air before the sensation completely dispersed.

Silver Cog and Fire Flare both released a breath that neither of them knew they'd been holding onto, their eyes meeting across the table. "Well, that was far from the worst possible attempt. It takes most beginners much longer to get their magic to their horn!" Silver Cog said, clearly in an attempt to encourage the new guild master.

"Sure, I mean sure they're small foals without even a tiny bit of your magical energy but hey, who's counting right?" Fire Flare added with a grin. With her eyes on Misty she didn't notice Silver Cog trotting up to her until she felt a thwack upside the back of her head. "Owww!" she said, holding the back of her skull with both forehooves. "What was that for?!" she demanded to know, glaring over at Silver Cog with narrowed eyes.

Ignoring the antics of both of them Misty Spell decided to try again. She clenched her eyes shut tight and focused on her horn. "C'mon...nnng c'mon!" she urged through her teeth, feeling the flow of magical energy once again. This time she put her all into gathering that energy into her horn. When she felt she had enough energy contained, she began to direct her focus onto the book in an attempt to lift it.

"What'cha doooooin'?"

"AAAAAH!" Misty Spell shot up into the air, the sudden voice in her ear scaring her. She grasped onto the chandelier above her for dear life, but unfortunately lost control of the magic she'd summoned up. It fired off in a small, but uncontrolled beam of magic that severed the chandeliers connection to the ceiling and caused both herself and the chandelier to crash down towards the floor. Luckily she was caught in a mixture of green and orange auras before being lowered to the ground. Misty Spell glared over at the pony in question and saw the pinkest, bubbliest looking Earth Pony she'd ever seen. Letting out a gasp, she pointed a hoof. "P-P-Pinkie Pie?!" she gasped, shaking in awe.

Pinkie Pie let out an extremely exaggerated gasp. "How'd you know?! Was that a 'magically know ponies name' spell? Ohmigosh that's the bestest spell ever! I'm like the best pony planner in all of partyville! wait...party planner in ponyville! But partyville sounds like a superduperrific place!" the pink party pony rambled excitedly, bouncing up and down with glee apparently at the thought of a town named partyville.

Fire Flare trotted over with a big grin on her face. "Pinkie Piiiie, my mare! How's it goin'?" she asked, extending a hoof for a hoofbump which Pinkie happily reciprocated.

Pinkie Pie looked around conspiratorially briefly before pulling all three of the unicorns closer to her in a bit of a huddle. "Weeeeell, you see my pinkie senses were going off telling me there was a new pony in town! I mean, if there's a new pony I totally gotta be friends with them!" Pinkie Pie said, ignoring a groan from Silver Cog.

"Pinkie Pie, we've been over this time and time and time again. There's no such thing as Pinkie Sense!" Silver Cog said, glaring daggers at Pinkie Pie as though Pinkie had said the most offensive thing possible.

Reaching over Pinkie Pie pat Silvers head dismissively. "Whatever you say Doubty McDoubterson! So hiya, I'm Pinkie Pie, which you know 'cuz of that super duper spell of yours! What's your name?" she asked, blinking rapidly as she stared right at Misty.

"Can I have your autograph?" was all Misty Spell could say, still staring in awe at one of the future heroines of Equestria and soon to be bearer of the element of laughter.

Pinkie Pie tilted her head quizzically, smile faltering slightly but only by the tiniest of twitches. "That's an odd name, well it's nice to meet you Ms. Can-I-Have-Your-Autograph!" she said, taking Mistys hoof in hers and shaking it in greeting.

Shaking her head, Fire Flare watched as the two ponies shake began to blur from shear speed. "Naw, her name's Misty Spell, I think she was asking for an autograph," Fire Flare explained, trotting over to Silver Cog who had taken up a sudden interest in banging her head on the nearby table. Fire Flare patted her on the withers "there there, I'm sure she won't be here for too much longer" she whispered to her friend, rubbing her back a little.

Pinkie Pie seemed lost in thought for a moment before it finally clicked "ooooohhh, well why didn't you say so silly?" she asked, reaching into her mane and pulling out a clipboard and a pen. "We have got to throw you a super duper party! The guild was really mean and wouldn't let me join last night!" she pouted, ignoring a frustrated cry that the party was for guild members only from Silver Cog.

Misty nodded enthusiastically as she was handed a sheet of paper with Pinkies name written on it. Pinkies parties were legendary in Equestria, stories having even reached their backwaters neck of the woods up in Neighagara Falls. "That'd be amazing!" she said, looking down at the paper in her hooves then back up, blinking at the lack of Pinkie Pie. "Uhh where'd she go?" Misty asked, looking around perplexed. She knew all about the zaniness of Pinkie Pie, who didn't? But seeing it in pony was a horse of another color. When she didn't get a reply Misty trotted over to the two unicorns. "So...ah...mind filling me in on why you don't like her so much?" Misty Spell asked Silver Cog.

Even though Fire Flare was gesturing across her neck to cut that line of inquiry Silver was already ranting. "Because that pony is impossible! She doesn't make any sense at all! She does things that violate the laws of physics, and that Pinkie Sense violates every known law of magic!" Silver Cog stomped her hooves angrily. "I'm a super genius with technology thousands of years ahead of our time and yet she STILL eludes my understanding!" Silver Cog vented before sitting down with a huff. "Why is she so impossible?" she whispered to herself, resting her head in her forehooves and leaning on the table.

Fire Flare trotted over to Misty and gestured for Misty to follow. Fire Flare lead Misty to the other side of the small library and turned to face the guild master. "Alright, so spill. How do you know Pinkie Pie, and why'd you ask for her autograph?" Fire Flare asked, leaning against a book shelf as she waited for an answer.

Looking around to make sure nopony was listening, Misty leaned in close to whisper. "You know how I got sucked out of my own world?" she asked, getting a nod from the red unicorn. "Well my universe is a few years ahead of this one and Pinkie Pie's totally a hero in the future" she informed the now slack jawed unicorn. She was about to explain when she found her entire line of sight consumed by red as Fire Flare shot up real close to her.

"You're joking right? I mean, Pinkie's cool and everything but a hero? She's not really the evil bucking type," Fire Flare said incredulously, looking Misty Spell right in the eyes "gonna need you to predict something if you want me to believe you," she suggested, face turning serious as she braced herself for whatever prediction Misty might make.

Misty thought about it for a moment, hoof stroking her chin contemplatively. After the moment passed she nodded. "Alright, can you keep a secret?" Fire Flare nodded vigorously. "Alright, during the Summer Sun Celebration an evil moon goddess will come to bring about eternal night! Oh and she's Celestias little sister!" Misty said boldly, a grin on her face as she revealed this to the unsuspecting unicorn before her.

Just then Silver Cog trotted over, having worked herself through her issues enough to come around. "I apologize for my less than mature behavior back there, so, what are we talking about?" Silver Cog asked curiously, looking back and forth between the two of them.

Fire Flare was opening her mouth and closing it over and over again, a thousand yard stare in her eyes. This only lasted a moment however before she attempted to speak. "E-e-evil moo-mmph" she was silenced by a brown hoof over her mouth.

"Heheh...heh she's just shocked that Evil Moon is my favorite errrr comic book villain! Yeah, you don't really care about comics right?" she asked weakly, a forced smile on her face. Before Silver Cog had a chance to respond, Misty wrapped a foreleg around Fire Flares neck and dragged her off. "What're you thinking?! If you tell everypony you'll start a panic!" she harshly whispered at the red unicorn through her teeth.

Having finally regained herself, Fire Flare pulled the foreleg off of her and narrowed her eyes at Misty "suuuure, don't tell the pony that probably has an army of giant robots that evil is coming. Dude, the actual hay?!" she responded, looking at Misty Spell as though she were a little crazy.

"I like comic books," Silver Cog said, having trotted up behind them, a small smile on her face. "If I am being honest, it is a relief to know that I share something in common with you. Perhaps you could introduce me to the Evil Moon character some time?" Silver asked hopefully, tail swishing a bit from excitement.

"This is your mess, you clean it up," Fire Flare whispered before trotting back to the table, shaking her head a bit as she tried to gather her thoughts.

Looking between the two of them for a moment, Misty decided to change the subject. "Ahahah yeah, maybe later, but don't you have to teach me magic first?" she asked, pointing to her horn for emphasis. Silver Cog missed the 'are you kidding me?!' expression on Fire Flares face, but Misty Spell saw it clear as day.

Silver Cog cleared her throat and nodded "right, yes. I do apologize for my enthusiasm. Very little aside from science and magic brings me joy. Comic books are one of those things. However, you are correct. We should continue with your studies and you are not leaving this room until you can levitate that book," she insisted.

They trotted back to the table and joined Fire Flare, who was staring deadpan at Misty Spell. "You know this is just going to blow up in your face right?" she asked, not even bothering to hide it from Silver any more.

Tsking a bit at Fire Flare, Silver levitated the book and guided it towards Misty. "Don't listen to her, she's just being a negative nancy today" Silver said, narrowing her eyes at Fire Flare, who rolled her eyes. "The chances of a spell actually exploding in your face grows exponentially with the difficulty of the spell. A simple telekinesis spell will not explode, simply fail to produce results," Silver Cog explained.

Resting her head on a hoof, Fire Flare stared off into space. "Yeah, that's exactly what I meant," she said to no one in particular before she was lost to the world.

Misty Spell sighed, "this is gonna be a long day isn't it?" she asked, receiving a nod from Silver Cog.