5: Element Backlash...
It had been a couple of days since the celebration. Oblivion woke up at dawn with the rest of the Apple family. He wore his cloak which covered his wings and swords and went downstairs. He reached the large kitchen table and, when he saw nopony else was there he went leave the kitchen. He heard the drum of hooves and looked over his shoulder to see Apple Bloom stumbling down the stairs with her sister on her heels. He noticed that the aura he could see from the orange farmer was fluctuating heavily and appeared either angry or conflicted. Apple Bloom veered to the side and ran into Oblivion's right hind leg. It was the weekend so she didn’t have school today.
“Sorry, Oblivion I didn’t mean to run into ya. I know ah shouldn’t run but am in a hurry. Ah’m helping Applejack in the orchard today. Since you were gonna run errands.” The filly looked up at him as she explained her behavior.
“I am?” Oblivion looked to the orange mare and his head gave a slight tilt.
Applejack glared at the filly for a moment before turning to Oblivion. “Ah was gonna ask ya to run errands for us today. Mac and I are in the west orchard checking on the trees that we let go dormant last year. Makin’ sure they will be ready this time around. Ah’ll write down the items and the locations of the items we need. If ya need breakfast..” She started but paused when Oblivion shook his head.
“No thank you Applejack. I’m fine.” Truth be told he felt a little unlike himself and didn’t wish to upset his body further. He was also getting a headache and he didn’t wish to make it worse. He knew the difference between a food headache and a regular one. What he was getting was a regular headache. He waited for Applejack to rattle off the items he needed as he used a quill to write it all down. He still could not read their language so he wrote it down in the common tongue so he could understand it. The orange mare also gave him two small bags with the coin in them. One was for Rarity and the other for the Cakes. Big Mac came down the stairs and Oblivion looked past him. He looked back and moved to go up the stairs. He stopped and looked back at the mare. “I assume I will need my saddlebags for this errand?”
Applejack nodded but then stopped. “Hey, Mac? Can he use your saddlebags? The items are kinda heavy and it might not fit in his saddlebags.” Mac nodded and motioned for the Unicorn to follow him.
“Righ’ over here.” He picked up his saddlebags and laid them on Oblivion's back and reached under him to buckle them in place. “Ya’ll are too thin for my bags. It's okay ah can punch a new hole in the strap and make it so they can be used by ya. Just give me a few minutes.” Mac took the bags off him and laid them on the tool bench.
Oblivion watched as Mac punched a hole in the girth strap and then laid it back on Oblivion's body after he moved the cloak to the side, strapped it in place and gave a tug to the saddlebag to make sure they would not slide on him. The Unicorn nodded to the red farmer and walked back to the farmhouse door. He looked inside and levitated the list to him. He almost dropped it when a sharp pain went through his skull. He gave a low groan and put the list into one of the saddlebags. A low sigh escaped him and he started the walk into town.
He walked slowly due to the quiet throbbing in his mind. Looking ahead of him he saw ponies moving around in town. He looked back to the saddlebag and used magic to pull the list out of it, even as pain once more throbbed through his mind. He ignored it and looked at the list. He needed to pick up sprinkler parts from the hardware store. He looked around, got his bearings, and walked to the store once he knew where exactly he stood in the town. He put the list in the bag and started walking through town. He wasn't paying attention to the ponies around so he missed Twilight waving at him from the library door. He failed to see her start following him as well. He was working on trying to filter out the myriad of colors he was seeing from every pony around him.
“Oblivion!”
He jumped and spun around, wincing at the fast movement. He looked at the purple-eyed Unicorn and waited.
“Are you alright?” She asked him, clear concern in her voice. “You seem to be in some pain.”
He shook his head and looked to her. “It’s fine, Miss Twilight. Nothing more than a headache.”
She nodded in understanding. “I’m glad it's not serious. You also don’t need to be so formal. Just Twilight is fine.” She waited as he nodded and then went on. “I was wondering if I might have some of your time this evening? I wanted to ask some questions about where you are from. Applejack said that you aren’t from around here and that the map you had with you showed places that she had never seen before. I’m sorry if I seem forward but an area outside of Equestria's borders is very interesting to me.”
He shook his head at her to quiet her. “I have no problem meeting up with you and answering a few questions. I need to finish picking things up for Applejack then I can meet up with you afterward if it is all right with you.”
“That’s fine. I look forward to it, thank you Oblivion. Meet you at the library this evening?”
“That is fine Twilight, I will see you then.” He replied and turned slowly to walk toward the hardware store.
He missed the look of concern on her face as he walked away from her. His head was lowered to avoid looking directly at any of the ponies in his path. He could sense them so he was able to move around them easily. He reached the hardware store after a few minutes of walking. He pushed the door open with a hoof and walked inside. The inside smelled strongly of cut wood, stain, and paint. Oblivion paused and blinked as the scents assaulted him. Breathing through his mouth didn’t help much as he forced himself to walk deeper into the store. He walked up to the counter and saw a light gray pony hunched over a block of wood. He had carving tools on his flank. A chisel and a piece of sandpaper, Oblivion had seen those before. His aura was a gentle gray with hints of black. It was calm and quiet and showed no apprehension.
Oblivion waited for the pony to notice him. When nothing happened for close to a minute he put a hoof on the counter and tapped his hoof against it. He was surprised to find that his hoof was as quiet on wood as it was on dirt and leaves. He turned his hoof to the side and rapped it heavily on the counter. The pony jumped and fell off the small chair he was using.
“Goodness!” He yelped when he landed on the floor. Oblivion looked down at him and waited for him to regain his composure. The gray pony stood up and shook himself to remove the sawdust. “I’m sorry I didn’t hear you come in. For somepony so tall you walk pretty quietly. Anyway, how can I help you?”
Oblivion levitated the list to be in front of him. “I’m here to pick up an order for the Apple family.”
“Ah, I know what you're talking about. The parts for their sprinkler system. Wait right there.”
He walked into the back through a narrow doorway to his left and disappeared. Oblivion laid the list on the counter and rubbed his right temple. He closed his eyes as pain lanced through his head at every movement. Normally he would ignore this but his vision was blurred along the edges. After a couple of minutes of keeping his eyes closed the pain lessened. He reopened them when he heard the pony coming back. He looked back up as the pony placed the parts on the counter. Oblivion looked up as his horn lit up and he deposited the items into one of the saddlebags.
“That was pre-paid so you are good to go, my friend.” He said with a smile.
Oblivion's horn dimmed and faded out as he closed the saddlebag. He ignored the throbbing pain and smiled at the gray pony. “Thank you for your time.” He took the list in his teeth and turned to leave.
The Unicorn left the store and then held the list in as little magic as he could manage and looked at the list closely. Next on the list was going to Rarity's boutique to pick up some fabric that Applejack had ordered. He put the list back inside the bag and walked toward the boutique. His vision blurred at the sides again and he narrowed his cat eyes and used that skill to focus his vision and remove the blurred edges. Though his eyes would now give off a faint glow it would only be noticeable in low light. His magic opened the door to the boutique and he closed it behind him. The bell on the door shrilled and he groaned at the sound.
“Welcome! How may I be of...? Oh, Oblivion, darling welcome please come in.” The white mare walked up to him, a smile on her muzzle. “What can I do for you?”
He sighed and looked at her. “I’m here to pick up Applejack's order.” He stated and waited for the mare to respond.
“Oh of course darling. One moment.” She replied and turned back to a tall shelf. Her own magic glowed a gentle blue and illuminated a small folded fabric and brought it over to him. “Here you are, dear. Tell Applejack that I would like some of the first apples of the season in exchange.” She waved off any attempt to pay.
Oblivion conjured a quill and wrote in the note for Applejack. “I will let her know. Thank you Rarity.” He turned to leave but was stopped by the mare's hoof on his shoulder.
“Are you all right?”
“Yes, I’m fine. Nothing more than a headache. It will pass. But thank you for your concern.” He replied and left the mare behind in her shop. He went outside and lifted the list once more. “Speak to Rainbow Dash about clouds over the orchard tomorrow afternoon. Wonderful.” He grumbled under his breath.
He looked up and saw no sign of the light blue mare. He closed his eyes and flicked his ears to try to find her that way. His ears finally found her out by the border of the forest. He broke into a trot for a few steps before the throbbing got the better of him. “Damn.” He cursed under his breath and walked toward the sound.
After close to a half hour he reached a cottage on the edge of the forest. He could see two lights in the cottage. He could tell by the colors that one was Rainbow Dash and the other was Fluttershy. He went up to the door and knocked on the thick wood. He waited and stepped back when the door opened to reveal Fluttershy. “Oh Oblivion, its nice to see you.” The Pegasus spoke quietly to him.
“Pleasure is mine Fluttershy. I need to have a word with both you and Rainbow Dash if I might impose a moment.” He replied.
“Oh, of course, please come in. Rainbow Dash came over to help me with a couple of my animals but we were just finishing up.” The meek pony opened the door and the stallion walked in. Rainbow was in the corner watching him. “What can we help you with? Oh, or is it something that should be private? I’ll just go to the other..”
Oblivion placed a hoof gently over the pony’s mouth before he continued. “It’s nothing like that Fluttershy. I am simply doing a list of tasks that Applejack had requested. Rainbow Dash, is it possible to rain on the main orchard tomorrow afternoon?” He looked to the mare who put a hoof to her chin in thought.
“How many clouds?” She asked.
Oblivion levitated the list and fought not to groan in pain. “Just enough to cover the main orchard and water it before harvest.” He read off the note. The mare nodded and Oblivion wrote it down on the list. He turned his head to Fluttershy. “Fluttershy if you wouldn't mind checking on a badger in a northern section of the orchard and seeing if you can move it to a new area.”
The Pegasus smiled and nodded in response. Oblivion checked off both on the list and put the list back in the saddle bag. He turned to leave and used his magic to open the door. Pain tore through his mind and his magic faded with the door half open. He used a hoof to open it the normal way and turned to see Fluttershy hovering close by him. He straightened up and looked at her.
“I’m alright. Just a mild headache, nothing more.” He assured her before walking away from the door.
He used his right hind leg to push the door closed as gently as he could. He could tell that both mares had not been near the door when he closed it and he kept his eyes narrowed since it helped with the pain. He knew that last on the list was picking up snacks from Sugar cube corner. Though certainly not his favorite stop he was required to go there by his current employer. He groaned aloud and walked back into town. He hadn’t been paying attention to the order of the list or he would have picked it up earlier. He picked up his pace and lengthened his stride to try to get this done by early afternoon.
He got back into town and the headache was slowly worsening. He focused his pace and walked briskly to the sweet shop. He stood outside the open door for a moment before walking inside. He immediately saw Mrs. Cake and walked up to the counter to greet her.
“Good afternoon Mrs. Cake.” He gave her a polite greeting as he neared the counter.
The mare turned around and smiled widely at the approaching Unicorn. “Oblivion dear how you today?” The mare paused. “Are you alright?”
‘Gods below how can they all tell?’ He looked up at her. “I’m alright thank you for your concern. I am here to pick up Applejack's order.”
The blue mare shrugged and after giving him a concerned look she went into the kitchen to get the order. He stood in silence and waited. When she came back out she walked around the counter and, after moving the box into her hooves and placed it onto his back. Oblivion gave a thin smile and laid a small pouch of bits on the counter. He had no idea how coin worked in this world so Applejack had counted it out and sent it with him. The one that had been meant for Rarity was still in his saddle bag. He thanked them and walked for the door. A pink blur went past him and he started as he stopped in his tracks. He looked back to ensure the treats on his back were not moved. Pinkie opened the door with a flourished bow and grinned maniacally at him. Oblivion nodded to her as he went out the open door and into the street. The black Unicorn walked with his head lowered to his shoulders as he made his way back to the farm. He stopped and closed his eyes for a moment as he tried to get the pain to fade. He opened his eyes and moved forward. He walked slowly back to the farm and through the gate. He saw Applejack and Apple Bloom working on a section of the bleachers that he had created four days ago.
He went inside and found Big Mac in the kitchen. The red stallion turned around and saw the black Unicorn come inside. He went over to him and pulled the box off his back, setting it on the table. The red farm pony looked at him and saw the faint glow from the other stallions eyes.
“Are ya alright? Ya look exhausted.”
“I’m fine. Just a headache. But thank you for asking.” He turned to leave when Mac reached out and used his hoof to grab hold of the saddle bag. “Damn it!” Oblivion stumbled back and fell onto his rump on the floor. He looked back at Mac and his eyes narrowed into a glare. Mac came up next to him and pulled the tall stallion up off the floor.
“Sorry, bout tha pardner. Didn’t think ya'll tumble over that easily. Are ya sure it’s just a headache?”
Oblivion stopped glaring before pulling his head up. “I’m fine Mac. I was surprised nothing more. Thank you for the concern.”
“Where are ya headed now?”
“I need to give the other items to Applejack, then I told Twilight I would drop by the library. She requested that I answer some questions about where I am from.” He opened the door with magic and wasn’t able to hide his wince. Mac grabbed the door and pushed it the rest of the way open as Oblivion recovered from the stab of pain. He nodded to him and went through the open door.
Oblivion approached Applejack and Apple Bloom as they tried to pull apart the bleachers. He drew up a few feet from them, his ears flicked back and he found Mac standing by his hip.
“Applejack.” He spoke aloud. When the mare didn’t turn he scowled before trying again. “AJ.” He shouted and then cringed at his own volume.
She spun around and grinned at him. It was that moment that his pained mind realized that he had been fooled. He shook his head slowly and looked to her. “Welcome back Oblivion. Ya get everything on the list?”
He scowled at her for a moment before nodding. His magic started to pull the parts out of the saddlebags and he set them as gently as he could onto the ground. Applejack walked over and checked the items as he set them down. He held the fabric up and held it out to her. She took it from him and looked it over. “Did Rarity give ya a hard time?”
He shook his head slowly. “No, she was fine. She refused payment instead saying that she expected some of the first apples from the harvest.”
Applejack laughed. “Tha’ sounds about right. What about Rainbow and Fluttershy?”
“They also agreed to help. I assume Fluttershy will be by before the harvest to ask about taking care of the badger and Rainbow will provide the clouds.” He reported back to her. He looked at the sun and figured that he had a little while before he should head over to the library to meet with Twilight. He looked over and saw Apple Bloom pulling on a beam that she had no hope of pulling apart. She had her fore and hind legs on the beam and was pulling for all she was worth. Oblivion walked over to her and tapped her mane. She looked up at him and smiled. Oblivion looked back at Applejack who shrugged.
“Not ta worry. We’ll get this thing taken apart in no time. Thought ah have ta say ya did a good job Oblivion. Almost too good, we haven’t gotten very far in pulling it apart. Ah, wanna keep the engraved parts so we are trying ta be careful.” She said as she went back to it.
Mac poked Oblivion’s shoulder earning him the other stallions attention. “Don’ even thin’ about it. Y'all are wobbly as is. Ah don’t think taking tha’ apart will help ya.”
Oblivion looked thoughtful for a moment. “I see your point. While I would like to just take it apart myself I understand why you would say that. In this case, I am liable to agree. So I will remove the engraved parts and nothing more.” Oblivion bargained with the other stallion.
Mac considered it and finally nodded. Oblivion's magic reached out and held onto the carved pieces of the bleachers. Applejack looked over as Mac grabbed Apple Bloom and the three of them moved to stand by the Unicorn. Oblivion gave a magical yank and the wood that held the pieces he wanted, splintered and gave way. He pulled the engraved wood away from the structure and set it off to the side. His magic faded and he was left panting in its wake. Apple Bloom got away from Big Mac and went to Oblivion as he let himself sit down and then slide to the ground.
Apple Bloom was by Oblivion's head as he breathed heavily. “Are ya alright? Oblivion talk ta me!” She yelled, her voice higher than normal. She began circling around his head and hooves as she worried over the Unicorn who remained silent as he recovered. Mac reached a hoof over and set it on his shoulder in comfort. Applejack sat down on his other side and watched as he let his eyes close.
Pain tore at him and all he could do was lay down and close his eyes. He could hear Apple Bloom as she paced and spoke to him, pleading with him to speak. As much as he wanted to he didn’t have the strength at that moment. His vision had faded to pinpricks and he closed his eyes to stop himself from seeing the frantic and worried colors leeching off the Apple siblings. He remained silent for several minutes while he got his breathing back under control and gathered his strength back. His ears had pinned preventing him from hearing Apple Blooms frantic cries. When he started to let them listen in once more he could hear Big Mac and Applejack consoling the filly. Telling her that he was simply tired and that he would be fine. He let his eyes open a slit and saw that Apple Bloom was sitting in front of him waiting, her eyes wide and… they held an emotion he knew but was surprised to see on the little ones face. She was scared… for him. He forced his right eye open and he looked at her. ‘Not sure how I can help but I should let her know it’s okay.’ He looked at her and gave a quiet snort at her. Her face lit up and she reached out a hoof and, to his surprise, she gently patted his muzzle.
He blinked and slowly raised his head. He opened his other eye and looked down at the filly. “I’m all right little one.” Before he could finish talking to her she jumped at him and nuzzled into his shoulder and neck. Her hooves held onto his fur as she clutched at him. He blinked and looked down at her as she huddled against him. He felt a hoof go over his mane and saw Granny Smith by his side as well. ‘When did she get here? By the Gods how long have I been laying here?’ He looked up and saw that the sun had moved a bit but it was not dark out yet. Maybe a half-hour had passed.
Mac gave a gentle push to his shoulder. “Ah told ya not ta overdo it. Ya scared Apple Bloom ta death. Even Granny came outta check on ya.” The red stallion scolded him. But his scolding was half-hearted. He wasn’t invested in admonishing the stallion on the ground.
“Ya should’a said ya weren’t feeling well. Ah, would have done mah errands mahself.” Applejack told him. Her aura was like the others, churning and making his head ring from the constant shifting.
He looked at the Apple’s and snorted as he looked away from them. “I apologize for everypony. I did not think it would take that much effort to pull it apart. Thankfully all Twilight wants is to talk and I can do that with no effort.” He said as he rubbed Apple Blooms back as he waited for her to let go of his fur. “I just won’t use magic as that seems to aggravate this headache.” He told them and they all seemed to relax at his words. Apple Bloom finally calmed enough to let go of his fur and he slowly stood up. Granny began brushing off his fur with Applejack's help. Soon he didn’t have any dirt left on him and he nodded his thanks to them.
“Make sure ya come home safe and git some rest, youngin.” Granny admonished him as she walked slowly back to the house.
Oblivion nodded. “Very well, Granny Smith.” The Unicorn nodded to the others who went back to their own tasks now that they were certain he could stand on his own hooves. He straightened his cloak with his hooves, which took a while since he did not know how to grasp with them, and using his claws was out of the question. He started walking slowly toward town and back to the library to keep his word to Twilight. It was becoming dark when he rapped a hoof on the library door. It opened to reveal Spike looking up at the black stallion.
“Hey, Oblivion! Come on in, Twilight said you were coming by.” The baby dragon said as he opened the door to let the tall pony walk in. “Hey, you okay?”
Oblivion turned to look at the dragon. “I’m fine. Just a headache that has not relented all day. But I'll be fine.” He replied and walked slowly into the main room. Books lined the walls and he found himself wishing he could read them. He enjoyed reading but had not had the time recently to do much of it. He looked around the room and found that the light was actually painful to him. He ducked his head back down and for once let his forelock fall into his face to shield his eyes.
Spike walked up to him. “Are you sure? You look like your gonna keel over.”
“I’m going to what?”
“Keel over. Ya know, collapse.”
“Why not just say that then?”
“The other way is more fun.”
Oblivion rolled his eyes and groaned at the dragon. He looked toward the inner doorway and saw Twilight come around the corner. She smiled at him and her own magic picked up a scroll and quill. Oblivion glanced at Spike.
“Your funeral Oblivion. You agreed to answer her questions. She won’t relent till she knows everything.” Spike laughed and put a clawed hand on Oblivion's leg as he laughed at Oblivion's expression. “Twilight lives to learn.”
Oblivion didn’t say anything. Partially due to realizing that he had made an error, but mostly due to the room starting to spin. He closed his eyes and focused on standing. He cracked open an eye as Twilight sat down a couple of feet in front of him. She moved another pillow and motioned for him to sit on it. As much as he appreciated the gesture he didn’t move.
Spike chuckled at the stallion until he looked at his face. Oblivion's eyes were going from thin slits to being widened. Spike was about to talk to him when he decided to grab the pillow and move it to the black stallion. Spike stopped and watched him for a moment.
“Spike, what are you..?” Twilight started to ask when Spike yelped.
The baby dragon lunged forward and put the pillow onto the ground as Oblivion collapsed. His chin landed on the pillow as his mind shut down. Spike looked triumphant for a moment before he realized that Oblivion was unconscious. “Umm, Twilight?” He looked back at her and found her already moving. The mare looked to the downed stallion.
“Spike, get me an ice pack, a blanket, and dim the lights.” The mare ordered and Spike ran to accomplish his tasks. She moved his forelock away from his face. “I knew there was something wrong earlier. I should have insisted on speaking to you then.” She ran her hoof over his mane and sat down beside the stallion, hoping he would awaken soon so she would know that he was alright.
Oblivion heard something off to his side, sounded like Eskel was snoring. He groaned and shifted himself until he was facing the sound. “Eskel, if you don’t shut it I'm gonna throw you outside with that damned goat of yours.” He grumbled quietly, not needing to be loud due to the other being a Witcher as well. He waited a few moments and got no response. He reached out his arms and shoved the other Witcher. He didn’t have a lot of energy so the shove wasn’t very strong. The next thing he heard was definitely not Eskel. A low child-like yelp sounded as there was a thump next to him.
“Oblivion! That hurt. That was you, right?” A young voice called out to him. He opened his eyes and a bright light hit him in the face.
“Mother of the Gods! Damn!” He yelled at the light as it hit him. His head pounded as he pushed himself back and found himself falling off his bed and landing on the ground. He laid there for a moment and groaned. “Shit. What in the Hells?” He rolled over, lifted his head, and pushed the blanket back off his face and onto his back, his cloak followed suit. It took him a moment before his mind caught up with him. He opened his eyes slowly and found that he hadn’t been dreaming. He was a pony, with a horn, wings, and was now laying on somepony's floor. The door opened to a lavender Unicorn looking worried.
“Spike what...happened?” She said and her eyes landed on Oblivion who was laying on the floor looking more than a bit bewildered. Spike crawled around the bed and started to glare at the stallion but then stared.
Oblivion shook his forelock out of his face and sighed. He held his head with both hooves as he grumbled. “What happened? I haven't felt this bad since the last time I out drank Geralt. Gods below. My head is killing me.” He said and rubbed his temples with both hooves. Twilight walked up to him and sat down in front of him.
“You're okay?” She whispered to him. She reached a hoof out and laid it on his shoulder.
“I’ll be fine. But that doesn’t answer my question.” He replied.
“So this is you when you're not being formal.” The mare teased.
Oblivion blinked and then groaned. “Gods I thought...never mind.”
“Who’s eeskal?” Spike asked as he came up to Oblivion's shoulder.
“Eskel. He’s a Witcher like I am. We winter in the same place normally and he snores, loudly. It's not uncommon for him to wake everyone up at least once a night.” The stallion explained and then looked expectantly at the mare.
“You collapsed last night and wouldn’t wake up. Spike stayed with you while I went to let Applejack know what happened. She told me that you had been suffering from a headache all day and collapsed after taking apart some of the bleachers. At first, she seemed pretty mad until I told her you hadn’t used any magic. Why didn’t you say anything?”
Oblivion looked away from her and sighed. “How long have I been out?”
“Almost 24 hours.” The mare replied.
“Gods. And yes, when I’m not trying to be polite then yes this is what you get. I’ll make sure to go back to what everypony is used to as soon as...” He stopped when hoof went over his muzzle, silencing him.
“Just be yourself. You don’t have to be somepony your not with your friends.” Twilight said to him as she removed her hoof.
He looked at her and then sighed. “Therein lies the problem. I have never been one to have friends. Due to my profession, I do not make friends with others. I am a tool that ponies call upon when a monster threatens them. Then when that is done I, like the others, were thrown away or killed for them to regain what they have given to me. Maybe now you will see why myself and others like me use formality as a way to keep ourselves distant and it helps us keep others at arm's length. Friendship is a luxury we cannot afford if we wish to survive.” Oblivion explained. “Even those I consider brothers are kept at length. I can’t afford to have them used against me. The same is said for them and myself.”
Twilight looked sadly at him. Spike put a clawed hand on his shoulder and Oblivion looked to the young dragon. Spike stroked his fur in comfort. Oblivion sighed but showed no remorse or sorrow of his own. He looked back over his shoulder and was relieved to find his cloak still in place. That meant his wings and swords were still hidden. Twilight leaned forward and wrapped her forelegs around his neck.
“Even if you don’t think so. To me, you are one of my best friends.” Twilight whispered to him.
He startled but didn’t pull away. Spike ran his claws through Oblivion’s long mane as he stood by him. He allowed himself to relax a bit but not completely. She let go and sat back on her haunches and he tried to untangle his legs from the blanket. Spike stood back and pulled the quilt back to help him. His legs were freed and he lunged to his hooves. Spike pulled it away from his hooves and he helped Twilight to stand up. Spike tossed the blanket onto the bed and followed Twilight out the door. Oblivion followed behind her but hissed when he walked into the much brighter hallway. He backed up into the room he had been in and Spike ran forward to turn off the lights.
“Spike! I can’t see!” Twilight yelled at the dragon.
“He can.” The dragon retorted. Spike pointed to Oblivion as he came back out into the hallway.
Oblivion growled at the colors of the other two in the hallways. His head was starting to pound once more. He walked up to Twilight and used his shoulder to guide her down the hall. She picked up Spike and they walked into the front room. When they got near the front room Oblivion paused and Spike ran in to dim the lights. With that done they all walked into the room. Oblivion followed Twilight into the kitchen and sat down by the table. She started making a pot of coffee and then turned to look at him.
“Are you sure your okay? Still, have a headache?” She looked to him and watched as Spike poured juice for himself.
Oblivion shrugged. “It’ll pass.” He responded only to get a stern look from Twilight.
“Do you still have a headache?” She looked at him, a hardness to her features.
He chuckled lightly at her before he sighed. “Yes.”
“Okay, so we need to find out what is causing it. Any ideas?” She reasoned and used her magic to pour herself a cup of coffee and then looked to him.
He nodded and she poured one for him, then set it down in front of him. His horn lit up and almost immediately he hissed in pain and his horn dimmed. His eyes closed in pain and he rubbed the base of his horn. Twilight set her coffee down and was at his side within a moment, she placed a hoof on his shoulder as he groaned. He lowered his head till his horn tapped the table. His head snapped back up and he had one eye closed as he cringed. He looked to the side and found Twilight watching him intently.
“Okay, so what happened just now?” She inquired.
Oblivion growled in aggravation before answering. “I was going to pick up the coffee you gave me but as soon as I tried to pick it up… Well, you saw the result.” He deadpanned before looking over to her.
“Hmm. It sounds like magic exhaustion. But you seem to have slept that off already so that's not the solution.” The mare looked thoughtful. “Spike. Bring me magical ailments volume one.”
Spike saluted and took off running. Oblivion watched him leave and sighed. Twilight kept a hoof on his shoulder and waited with him. She suddenly chuckled at him as he stared at the cup in front of his snout. “You can pick it up with your hooves instead for now.”
His eyes looked up and he suddenly looked away and out a window. He suddenly felt a tug on his fur and he turned back to see Twilight looking at him intently. He looked down and gave a low snort. “That would work if I knew how to hold things with hooves.” He couldn’t help but think of using his claws but decided not to mention it. Though he considered telling her about his claws for a moment before holding back. He didn’t look at her but he could guess that she was staring at him. He chanced to look at her and saw that his guess was right. “I know it's ridiculous.” He commented and gave a dry laugh.
“By Celestia, your serious. Granted your always serious. But how have you never used your hooves?” She looked incredulously at him.
Oblivion looked away. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” He muttered then snapped his jaws shut. ‘By the Gods why did I say that?’ He looked over to Twilight to find the mare looking at him. ‘Way to go you fool now what will you tell her? She’s...damn. She’s to smart to ignore that comment. Hmm. She actually reminds me of Ciri. A spitfire when needed. But a good heart under it all’ Oblivion looked at her once more and he could see that she was waiting for him to continue. “Look ignore that comment for a moment. First off can you show me how to pick this cup up? I would like to drink this before it loses all its warmth.”
Twilight snapped out of it and nodded. She stood up and walked back into the front room. She returned a moment later carrying a quill. She set it down in front of him and stood by him. “Okay, we will work on this first. Spike is still searching for the book I wanted. So it's similar to how you pick up items with magic. Instead, you are focusing on using the magic in your own body. You focus it onto the item and use your hooves instead. Soon it will be as natural as using magic. But right now you aren’t allowed to use magic. I don’t want you to hurt anymore. Okay so try to use your hooves. Oh and don’t rush. There is plenty of time.” She assured him and then looked to him.
He picked up his hoof and brought it down on the quill. “If I break this I apologize and I will fix it.” Twilight shook her head and waited for him to continue. He focused on his hoof and then pulled it up. The quill stayed on the table. This process kept going for several minutes. He snorted at it in anger and was about to bring his hoof up then down on it when he raised it again and the quill went with it. “The Hells?” He looked at the quill now held by his hoof. He looked over to Twilight who was clapping her hooves together.
“That was actually faster than most. Well done. Now try the coffee. Oh, wait hang on.” She responded and her own magic surrounded the cup. After a moment it began to steam once more.
He looked at her as she finished heating the coffee. “Warmth spell. Now try it.”
“I drop this I am going to be so angry at you.” He quipped at her earning him a laugh from the mare. He reached out both his hooves and put them on both sides of the cup. He focused himself and used the same amount of force he had when picking up the quill and picked up the cup in his hooves. He looked at it and brought it to his muzzle. He drank a few gulps of the coffee and set it back down. Twilight clapped her hooves and then patted his shoulder.
“Sorry it took so long Twilight, this library has a different layout than the old one. But I got it.” Spike walked into the kitchen, Twilight flushed and turned to get the book.
Oblivion picked up the coffee once more and sipped at it, letting its warmth go through him. He watched as the mare put the books on the table and then began going through them. He tried not to look interested but she saw it. She moved one of the books to him and he moved his coffee out of the way. her magic faded as she dropped the book gently in front of him. She went back to what she was reading. He looked at the pages and found himself wanting nothing more than to read them. He thought about asking Twilight but was surprised when she suddenly shrieked.
“I got it!” She shrieked and startled Spike out of his chair. Oblivion started and glared at her. “Sorry. But I think I figured it out.”
He looked at her and waited for her explanation.
“Has there been any change in your magic?” She asked as she leaned a bit forward. Her hooves resting on the book.
Oblivion thought back and tried to think back to when he had first gotten his magic. That alone was a change for him. But it didn’t seem to have happened until… “By the Gods!” He yelped as he sat up straighter in his seat. His hooves hit the table top. He suddenly looked down to his medallion. He reached a hoof down and gripped it before he released the seal on his armor. The silver armor crawled over him and went into its place on his body. He looked at Twilight. “This is new. I didn’t have this before.”
“But the Element is a part of you and all of us. It shouldn’t hurt you.” Twilight pointed out.
Oblivion nodded in understanding. “I don't think the damage being done is intentional.” He paused. “Actually the pain is starting to fade slightly. So I think the additional magic is meant to be helpful and was at first but now I think the strain of its constant activity is becoming detrimental. Especially since I am not used to it and have no idea how to narrow its focus or stop it entirely yet.” He stopped and looked from Spike to Twilight. Both were staring at him. “Yes?”
“What do you mean constant use? Your element was only active right now?” Twilight leaned forward, her curiosity was obvious.
Oblivion looked down as he considered how to answer the inquisitive mare. “When I received the Element of Spirit I noticed that I was able to see the aura, or spirit if you will, of those around me. This ability is active at all times. I can tell the difference between emotions and how the pony or animal in question is feeling with respect to their actions.” He explained.
“So you have, what? Spirit Sight?” Spike said and leaned at Oblivion eagerly.
Oblivion looked at the baby dragon and sighed. “I suppose you could call it that.”
“That's awesome!” Spike balled his fists in excitement.
Oblivion shook his head and looked back to Twilight. The mare was staring at him in surprise. “This has been going on since you got your element?” Oblivion nodded to her and she went silent once more. “This is incredible. So how is the headache?”
Oblivion looked away from her. “It's fading slowly. It’s to the point where it is actually fairly easy to ignore.” He looked to his coffee cup and used his magic to levitate it. “There is no shooting pain and no change to the headache itself. It appears to be growing even duller instead. I will be continuing to wear the armor for now.”
Twilight came over to him and looked at the armor and the symbols on his cloak. She could see symbols along the collar around his shoulders and chest. “What do these symbols mean?” She pointed a hoof at the strange marks on the cloak.
“Those are runes. They are familiar to me since I use them frequently where I am from. Though I am surprised to see them on the armor itself since the armor does not originate from my land.” He replied and gazed at the markings as well.
Twilight looked at him for a moment in disbelief. “Runes? I have read about them but they haven't been used in over 1500 years. Since magic itself is simpler to use and the runes are very hard to make. Even before the banishment of Nightmare Moon. How do you know so much about them?”
“As I said. I have always used them. It depends on what kind I need for what type I will use. My armor appears to have glyph's that amplify my abilities and provide additional protection from damage. My swords always have ones that use an element of nature to strengthen their attack.” He looked at the collar around his body and he could see the glyph symbols in the collar itself. It appeared to have all of them from his set of armor that he wore. There were close to 12 of them all together that he could see. While he was curious about the runes in his blades he left them alone.
Twilight looked at them and a scroll appeared next to her. She began trying to sketch the runes, but she was awful at the art. He looked at the sketch and saw Spike holding his mouth as he tried not to laugh. Twilight caught the sound of his snort and looked over to him, glaring. “I know, I am a terrible artist. But you aren’t much better spike.” The mare retorted, going back to her drawings.
Oblivion groaned and took the paper and quill from her. He drew out a couple of the lesser runes/glyphs that he could use but instead he used the greater runes in the armor he used. He gave the rough sketches back to Twilight who gaped at them. Spike looked over at the sketches and stared as well.
“Wow. Who would have thought that you were also an artist? This is great Oblivion.” Spike gushed at the stallion who shrugged.
“He’s right. These are wonderful. What kind of runes are these?” Twilight asked.
He looked over and pointed to the one on the left hoof. “That is a lesser Dazhbog rune. Otherwise known as a lesser burning rune. Its a weapon rune that gives the blade a chance to burn the target should it connect.” He pointed to the one to the right. “This one is an armor glyph called a glyph of mending. Its purpose is to aid in healing. It can help one heal faster from injuries. I have only shown you 2 of the many that I have used. It's a start. The ones you see on my armor or my swords are greater runes and glyphs.”
Spike listened intently and Twilight was intensely focused on the drawings as she too listened. “So you use these regularly? I have never even seen one of these outsides of a museum. You're telling me that you can use them at any time?”
“Yes. I usually carry several of them with me. I can’t pull them out of a piece of armor or a weapon on my own. I have to take them to a blacksmith or a runewright to get that done. I don’t think these have any effect on my ability to see the spirits of others.” He amended.
Twilight nodded in agreement and set the drawing down. She contemplated what he had said and then walked back to the other side of the table where her book still sat. “While I’m glad that you are doing much better I’m still baffled by what you have told me. I need to find another book.” She stood up and Oblivion stood with her. Spike yawned as he got off his chair, catching Twilight’s attention. “You can go back to bed Spike. I can handle this. I have Oblivion helping as well.” Spike nodded and wandered up the stairs to go to sleep.
Twilight smiled after him and motioned with a hoof for Oblivion to follow her. He trailed after her in silence, the armor moved easily with him. He was glad that it didn’t feel stiff or cumbersome. The pieces moved with him just like his own wolf armor moved. Twilight looked back and found him looking at the shelves as she walked to the magic section of the library. “Okay I’ll look through the book on the elements and if you don’t mind would you look at the magic section for anything that seems like it might help?” She pointed her hoof at the section and then looked to her own research.
She said to him as the reference book landed in front of her. She opened it and began scanning it. Oblivion looked at the shelf and walked over to it. He looked grimly at the books and then to the ground. He looked back to the mare and started to open his mouth, but stopped and then looked back to the books. After several minutes he gave an angry snort and backed up a couple of steps.
“You okay?” Twilight's voice startled him and turned to her.
He looked at her and saw the concern in her eyes. He knew that she was worried due to the change in her aura. He sighed and lowered his head. “I’m fine.” He said, He looked to her and he could tell that she wasn’t convinced. “I can’t… Damn.” He looked away from her. He was well read and knew several languages. The fact that he was in this world and could speak the language just fine but could not read it was infuriating to him. It felt like a cruel joke someone played on him. He felt a hoof land gently on his shoulder. He looked over to see Twilight looking at him. Her purple eyes gazed at him and he sighed, letting his head drop to his hooves. “I can’t read any of this. I know many languages and can read, write all of them. But I can’t use this one.” He admitted.
Twilight looked at him for a moment before she smiled. “It’s okay. I’m impressed that you know other languages. I know bits and pieces of some but I'm not fluent. Maybe you could teach me one of them and I’ll teach you.” She reasoned.
Oblivion didn’t raise his head. Even though he wasn’t too proud to ask for help this was pathetic to him. ' There has to be a faster way to learn this. I refuse to believe that since I have magic now that it can’t help with this. If only I could use Twilight's knowledge to learn… Wait.’ Oblivion’s head came back up and he looked to the mare beside him. “It’s worth a shot.” He mumbled to himself before his eyes fully connected to Twilights. “I have an idea. But I want to ask you a couple of things first.”
Twilight nodded and motioned for him to sit down across from her. They sat down and Twilight looked to him. “What do you need to know?”
“Is it possible that there is a spell that can share one's knowledge between ponies?”
“Not that I am aware of. But that is not something that I have studied if I'm being perfectly honest.” The mare responded.
Oblivion thought about her words for a moment before he looked to her again. “How long would it take to go through the books you have on magic here to find out if there is a spell for that?”
Twilight looked at the magic section and cringed. “At least a couple of days. Even with Spike, who I guess you would rather he not know, would still take time.” Oblivion nodded.
“Damn. I was afraid you would say that. Well if I made a spell that I could use, would you be willing to let me try to copy your memory of the language? I will hold nothing against you if you decline for the record.” He said to her. He was not about to force a spell on her if she did not agree to it. He did not want to upset the young mare. He was about to try bargaining with her when her eyes widened and her spirit glowed brightly to the point where he had to squint a bit.
“I would love to help! The fact that you could make a spell-like that is revolutionary. I have never heard of that kind of spell. I love this idea, Oblivion. So how do we do this?” Her enthusiasm was palpable.
Oblivion blinked at her enthusiasm and shook his head with a low laugh. “Here is my idea of how to accomplish this. Because I would be copying the information from you I would need you to focus on your knowledge of the needed subject, in this cause your knowledge of the language. By focusing on it I will try to tap into that.” He explained.
Twilight nodded her understanding. “This isn’t going to hurt you, is it?”
He stood up and looked to her in surprise. “It should be fine. I’ll keep my armor on just in case if that eases your mind.”
Twilight nodded. “That would make me feel better. I don’t want you to hurt more than you already do. How is the headache?’
Oblivion blinked at her before he answered. “It's actually gone. I’m wondering if I just need to wear my armor every now and then to keep it at bay until I figure out how to control it. But I am curious as to why I needed to wear it to...Gods below. That's it.”
Twilight looked at him. “What do you mean?”
“When it's wrapped around my medallion it’s not in contact with my body at all times. Whereas my armor is in direct contact with me at all times. I might have to wear the collar more frequently. But I can look into that another time.”
Twilight nodded with a smile, her excitement was almost blinding and trotted around to stand in front of him. “Okay so do I just stand still or what do I do?”
Oblivion considered before answering the excited mare. “Stand still and focus on the information that you have. I’ll take care of the rest. I’ll use our horns as a transfer. That might be both safest and easiest since those are used to having spells and magic go through them. Okay, let's see if I can figure out how to do this.”
Oblivion went silent and he nodded to Twilight who closed her eyes in focus. He focused on his own horn, watched as it lit up and then tapped it to Twilight's, waited for the flame to cover her horn and then started the spell, entering into a state of meditation his mind going blank. There was a slight surge of magic that flowed back into him and after a couple of minutes he felt something changes and he pulled away. The flame faded and Twilight blinked as she came around.
“You okay, Twilight?” He asked the purple mare.
She looked at him and nodded. “Is your flame always warm like that?”
He looked at her and shrugged. “I might not feel it due to temperatures not having much of an effect on me.”
“Well? Did it work?”
He looked over and picked up the book on the elements and opened it. He looked at the page and was glad to see that the symbols made perfect sense to him. He looked at her and nodded. Twilight stomped her hooves and gave a delighted squeal.
“This is incredible, Oblivion! You created your own magic. First the runes and your other abilities and now this! You are easily as powerful a Unicorn as I am. This is fantastic. Another Unicorn I can practice spells with.” Twilight danced on her hooves and then threw her forelegs around Oblivion's neck.
He started but relaxed and patted the excited mare on the back. “I am glad that it worked. Now I have something I can do besides my work and practice. It has been too long since I have been able to sit down and read a book.” He told her as she let go. His ear flicked to the side and he looked behind him. Spike was standing at the top of the stairs looking at them.
“What is going on? I can hear Twilight yelling all the way in our room.” Spike started to complain.
“Spike, take a letter!” Twilight shouted.
Oblivion cringed and looked back to the mare as she trotted toward Spike, who pulled a scroll out of the air behind his back. Oblivion stared before he shook his head and let it go.
“Dear Princess Celestia: Today one of my best friends, Oblivion, revealed that he...” She paused at the growl coming from the Black Unicorn. She waited then went on. “Needed some help. So after a few questions and other details. He came up with a new spell. Using his own magic he created a spell that allowed him to learn instantly, using magic. He did this by using our horns to transfer the information from one mind to his own. I’d have to get more details but there also appears to be no ill effects. My own mind is the same and only a select knowledge was given. He has created a new form of magic on his own! Your student Twilight Sparkle. Send it Spike.”
“I don’t know Twilight its kinda late...” Twilight looked at the dragon with a glare that would have scorched anyone else. “Sending it.” Spike breathed fire at the scroll and it was sent through the window.
Oblivion watched the scroll vanish and looked back to the dragon. “That's an interesting skill. So that flame can send a note to just her or to others?”
“Just the Princess.” The dragon explained and shrugged.
Oblivion looked at him for a moment. “Hmm. Interesting. Does it work the other way around?” Before he could ask more Spike burped and a scroll appeared from the flame. “Never mind.” The Unicorn replied.
Twilight held the scroll in her aura and unrolled it. She looked at it surprised and turned to Oblivion. “It's for you.” She told him.
He tilted his head before his flame took the scroll from her. He read over it quickly and his eyes narrowed. “Spike, can I use your quill?’
“Yeah sure. Here ya go.” Spike held it aloft and Oblivion took it from him.
Oblivion wrote a reply and his magic sparked as it vanished. Both of the others stared at him.
“Did you just?” Spike stared at him.
“I figured that the flame you use couldn’t be very different from my own so I should be able to replicate it. Though I am still wondering if it can send to anyone or if it’s exclusive to them or possibly just Unicorns. Though I..”
“How did you do that?” Twilight shouted interrupting him.
Oblivion looked to the stunned mare. “I just explained.”
“That was musing not an explanation. So how did?” She paused when a letter made of deep blue stationary appeared. All of them stared at it as Spike looked it over.
The dragon looked to the black pony and held it out. “It's for you.”
Oblivion took it from him and opened it.
“Who is that from?” Spike asked.
“Luna.” He answered and Spikes jaw dropped.
“You mean Nightmare Moon?” Spike cringed away and looked as though he might run.
Oblivion shook his head. “No, Luna. Nightmare is gone Spike you know that. Don’t be foolish.”
Twilight walked forward a couple of steps. “What did Princess Celestia want?”
“She asked me to come over for tea.” He answered.
Twilight's eyes widened. “When are you going?”
“I’m not.” He replied, his voice flat.
Twilight stared and Spike tried not to laugh. “You...aren’t... Wait, you told the Princess no?”
“Yes. I do not care for tea and I do not appreciate that all she wanted to talk about was my creation of that spell. Such a trivial thing.” He scoffed. Spike walked up to his leg and tapped it. Oblivion looked down. “Luna has asked me to meet with her next week for a sparring match and coffee afterward. That is an activity that greatly interests me. Should be interesting to find out the differences in our fighting styles now that she has been purified.”
He looked over and Twilight was staring at him. He could see the shock on her face. Oblivion sighed and wrote a response to Luna and sent it off. He stomped a hoof and Twilight seemed to snap out of it.
“How could you say no to Princess Celestia and then yes to Princess Luna?” She yelped.
Oblivion looked down and watched as Spike ran behind Oblivion's tail. “Simple. Celestia was calling on me for no reason other than to waste my time. You had already explained the method I used for the spell. There is no reason to repeat myself. Luna offered something of great interest to me. Her desire is much simpler. And truth be told I am interested in her style of combat. It was similar to one I have seen before but it had subtle differences so I am curious as to who trained her. I think we could have an interesting conversation.”
Oblivion looked at Twilight, his voice calm and sounded interested. He started for the door and Spike was left standing with no place to hide. Twilight jumped in front of him and continued to gape at him. “But the Princess probably wanted to congratulate you on your accomplishment. It takes a very powerful Unicorn to do what you did.” She started, but Oblivion held up a hoof to silence her.
“As I said Twilight I have no interest in such things. I am trained for battle and sparring is something that I enjoy. Learning about other combat styles greatly interests me. Luna seems to have the same opinion, it is something I have in common with another pony. As nice as all of you are, with the exception of a couple, none of you can do battle with me. With a village this peaceful and while that is nice I would prefer to spar with another.” Oblivion explained and teleported around Twilight. He stopped and looked back. “Thank you for all that you have helped me with Twilight, Spike. I am grateful. None of the ponies that I know from where I am from would have lifted a hoof to help. So I am grateful to you for your kindness. I am sorry that I cannot answer more questions but I am going to head back to the farm and rest for work in the morning. If you like, once I get paid, I will treat you to tea or coffee at the cafe as a thank you. Good night to both of you.” Oblivion looked down to his armor and it crawled across his skin and back to its place on the medallion. He stopped it at the collar around his neck and left that in place. He opened the door and left the library with Spike yelling at him to be careful.
As he walked back it was dark and nearly completely silent. He stopped on the path and put his muzzle into the air, inhaling the scents of the night around him. He stopped when his medallion shook inside the collar. He looked back and saw Twilight galloping up to him. He turned around and waited. His medallion calmed and went dormant once more. She reached him and slowed to a stop. He wasn’t far from the library, just barely on the edge of town.
“Thank you for waiting.” Twilight panted as she tried to catch her breath. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have questioned your choice. It's not my place to criticize you. You can stay in the library and go to work in the morning. It's late out. While I know you can protect yourself I’m sure you are still tired.” He closed his eyes and shrugged.
“All right. I wasn’t angry at you, you know. Everyone has their own thoughts and opinions. I just happen to not share yours.” He explained.
“I know. I was just surprised. Come on. We can all go back to bed for the night.” She told him and turned back to town. She paused and waited to see what he decided.
He chuckled and walked up next to the mare. She walked back with him at her side and went back into the library.
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Good job keep working on it
8494422
Thanks! Glad your enjoying it!
How are you
9223627
I'm not coming across as rude or anything am I
Oooooh now you know never to try and outdrink The White Wolf again
I want a Witcher game that's purely about Ciri
9223628
Nah just be careful, constructive criticism can easily turn into hater comments especially on the internet.
I’m sceptical that it’d be that easy to copy knowledge like that, and it was super risky to do it too. Anything could’ve happened.
Also Twilight needs to stop flattering herself. It’s OOC for her to boast like that as being powerful. It’s also the fact that she isn’t that powerful. Pre-Alicorn Twilight wasn’t that powerful, especially in the first episode. Think of it like this. When Twilight lifted the Ursa Minor in the Trixie episode, she struggled. I don’t think Twilight from the first episode could’ve done that. At all. Twilight before ascension could’ve done it without struggling, but would’ve been exhausted afterward. Alicorn Twilight would’ve done it effortlessly. Hat I’m trying to say is, Twilight keeps comparing Oblivion to herself in this story saying he’s “almost as powerful/is as powerful as I am”. But he’s actually significantly more powerful than Twilight is. I mean, he knocked over Celestia after resisting her magic!
9944790
Twilight was always a powerhouse. Most unicorns only know basic levitation and can struggle with things like luggage at times. Even Rarity is considered powerful as she can focus on and lift dozens of things at a time. However, Twilight can learn most spells in multiple schools of magic with little practical training whilst the normal unicorn has to study for years. She managed an aging spell and transmutation spell simultaniously by accident as a foal during her entrance exams to Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. Spells that are quite high tier, and in the case of the aging spell, considered pretty much alicorn level magic due to the high mana cost. Based on that she always had power. However magic is typically based on understanding, will, and focus. In the case one is lacking, more mana is used to fill in the gaps. Wasting power for an inefficient method, similar to how we use Alternating Current in electronics while we used to use Direct Current which wasted a lot of energy as heat and thus reuired more power to reach the same distance. Celestia didn't wish for Twilight to grow in power so much as grow emotionally and mentally.
I think both of you are kind of right I think she knew more spell and couldn't cast them but her energy out put did not change it was her mana pool so yes she was always power just in her final form she has more mana to work with.