Bathophobia

by Ice Star

Teleportation

Celestia smiled warmly at the little pink lesser alicorn filly sitting next to the great goddess' shadow. A soft bit of motherly laughter as she watched the teenager tap the horn she still had yet to get used to.

"I know that you still aren't familiar with all the rules of magic, Cadance, but that is why you have me to teach you. Nopony has ever become a lesser alicorn before, and that is why we're going to need to start with some basics. Now, what is one of the most basic spells that you have seen?"

"Levitation?"

"Yes, but today I wanted to talk about teleportation."

"But Auntie, can't I just fly to places I need to go? Princesses can still fly can't they?"

Celestia laughed again. Lightly. "Of course they can, but now that you have a horn, it would be wise to learn teleportation. What do you know about teleportation?"

"You wink out from one place to another? Uh, that's it really. I've never really been a unicorn before, but I have a really good theory that in-between teleporting is kind of like when you smoke a—"

"Cadance," Celestia said with a sterner aspect of her motherly side showing in her tone, "I would appreciate it if that particular... hobby... of yours could be kept out of all future magical discussions. Equestria having a second princess is already very big news, and that you are the first pony to be made in an Alicorn's image with such powerful magic is even bigger news. But the news that you are also... a, well, I'm not really sure how to put it, but it is going to be a little shocking to the Equestrian public to know that their newest ruler-to-be and such a sweet little filly... well..."

"Aww, okay Auntie. So, um, magic isn't like that? Uh, okay then. Oh, I have a question!"

Gently, Celestia used her magic to push the pink filly's outstretched forehoof back down with its twin so it was no longer waving wildly with a dangerously loose gold shoe.

"What is your question, Cadance? Please, tell me it is magic-related..."

"It is! I just wanted to know if me just suddenly growing a horn back home means I'll be bad at magic."

"Cadance!" Celestia said, tone worried and slightly scolding as she rested a gold-clad forehoof on the filly's wither. "What could make you say that? You are going to be a very powerful pony when you master magic and I don't want to hear you talk about yourself like that."

"No, Auntie, that's not what I meant. It's just that a unicorn has a horn the day they're born and a pegasus like me has their wings the day that they were born too. If somepony just suddenly grew wings to go with their horn—"

"Cadance, I assure you that ponies do not spontaneously grow wings. Look at me, do you think I just grew wings one day? I was born with both my wings and horn—"

"What about your super fantastic, super trippy mane, Auntie? Were you born with that?"

"No. Did you have anything else to say?"

"Yep, I was going to ask if this means that I'll be, like, magically stunted because I wasn't born with a horn. I feel really different since I got it but not like I'm skilled at magic... just really tingly and itchy sometimes."

"I would not use the word 'stunted' to describe the state that your magic is in, but yes, you will have a harder time mastering some very basic concepts in magic. Your love magic is a talent unique to you, but when it comes to unicorn magic... you may be slow in a few areas. Levitation is unlikely to be one of them. With enough practice, basic levitation is easy enough. But teleportation... it can be harder. Especially if you needed to teleport from a dangerous place — like ruins that were filled with magical traps."

"Auntie, are you saying that I'm going to suck at teleporting?"

"'Suck' is again, not the way I would put it. I would say that you would be able to properly teleport even in dire situations when your strength is down and you are unfocused once you are in your mid-twenties. Until then, your ability to do so is going to be very weak, which is why I would like to see if there is anything we can do to make up for that weakness."

Comments

[NorrisThePony]

"You wink out from one place to another? Uh, that's it really. I've never really been a unicorn before, but I have a really good theory that in between teleporting is kind of like when you smoke a-"

I approve of Cadance's theory.

[pokefreak13]

Oh Cadence.

[KVFFour]

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Yepperoni!

[PresentPerfect]

There's so many things that can be smoked, I wish I got that line c_c

[Ice Star]

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The real fun is in the guessing 🙏