The Mage's Brother

by NightShadow-z

Chapter 4

Author's Note:

Special thanks to thatboi for helping me finish this chapter. Honestly would've taken much longer to write if he hadn't helped me with ideas/feedback, so, thanks again, man, hope you enjoy!

And I'm trying to get back into a steady writing groove, but, no promises because of life.

"Tell me again, why are we playing this game?" Night asked?

He sat on the floor with his sister and her friends as the party went on behind them. They were formed in a circle around a glass bottle that had an enchantment cast upon it and etched into it. He had gotten used to the ponies around him once he knew they weren't as judgemental as the ponies in Canterlot.

"Because Spin the Bottle Truth or Dare is a great way to get to know my friends and get a better sense of their personalities," Twilight told him, a book on different types of magic in front of her as Rainbow Dash spun the bottle, looking more than a bit upset. He couldn't exactly blame her. So far she's had to drink spoiled milk, let Rarity give her pigtails, and lick the bottom of her hooves when the bottle landed on her, as she would stubbornly choose dare each time.

Night warily watched the bottle start to slow its rotations as the recently revealed Cutie Mark Crusaders - as they liked to call themselves - sat off to the side watching everything with wide-eyed excitement.

"I can understand that, but why did this game have to be the first one we play?" He asked. His eyes suddenly widened as the bottle stopped, pointing right at him.

"Hah! Looks like it's your turn, Night!" Rainbow shouted before groaning and laying back down on her stomach. "Truth or Dare." She finished sounding as upset as her stomach no doubt felt.

"Ah, uh, um…" He nervously stuttered for a few minutes, looking around before finally facing the cyan pegasus. "Truth."

“Have you ever seen the Wonderbolts put on a live show?” She asked, her eyes sparkling in excitement, suddenly leaning forwards toward him, which caused him to back up a bit in fear and uncertainty.

Taking a few deep breaths, he calmed himself down before relaxing and answering the pegasus in front of him.

“Yes, I have, but, only a couple of times when my older brother was off duty.” He told her, the bottle in front of him turning green, signaling to everyone that he was telling the truth.

Rainbow grinned, holding her cheeks as she squealed, “So cool.”

Sighing a bit in relief now that his turn was over, Night reached out and spun the bottle, watching it spin, hoping he didn’t show just how scared he was when he was spun.

“See?” He heard Twilight ask as she bumped into his left shoulder. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

He scowled a bit at her before playfully sticking his tongue out at her as the bottle slowly stopped to point at Rarity.

The pearly white unicorn smiled kindly at him before speaking. “Truth.”

He nodded before placing a hoof to his chin as he thought about it. After a few moments of thinking, he finally asked his question. “What do you think of the Canterlot Elite?”

Rarity’s eyes lit up before answering. “Why, they are the elite of the elite in Canterlot. Only those with either some form of connection to Princess Celestia or a famous business within Canterlot may join them! Oh, how I would love to attend one of their garden parties!”

He sighed a bit at her answer as the bottle glowed green.

“Was my answer not up to your satisfaction?” Rarity asked, sounding a bit worried.

Twilight shook her head before placing a hoof on Night’s shoulder, silently asking permission. He gave her a slight nod before she looked back at Rarity.

“Night has had some… less than pleasant encounters with the Canterlot Elite.” She told her as he levitated a soda over to himself before taking a sip from it. “Every time they were at the Castle and Night would accompany me to speak to Princess Celesia, they would verbally call out him not having a cutie mark and demand that he leave the courtyard.”

Rarity’s eyes widened in shock upon hearing the news, and she looked at Night who rotated the bottle to face him. “It’s true. It got to the point that whenever the Canterlot Elite were having a party in the castle courtyard, Princess Celestia would have my school notes and homework delivered to my dorm room.” He explained, the bottle once again glowing green.

“Uhm… Maybe we should continue playing the game so Night isn’t uncomfortable?” Fluttershy asked quietly before she lowered her head down. “I mean, if you want to, that is.”

He smiled at the butter-yellow pegasus before shaking his head. “It’s fine. I needed to get it off my chest sooner or later.” He told her before motioning to Rarity to spin the bottle.

The party lasted a few more hours before everyone started to head back to their homes. Rarity had tried to apologize profusely about the dare she had given him, and he assured her it was fine. He had learned quite a bit about Twilight’s friends, so it was worth it in the end.

Night was about to head up the stairs to start unpacking his things when a voice stopped him.

“Do ya have a minute, Night?” Applejack asked.

Wondering what Applejack wanted to talk about, he stepped away from the staircase so that Twilight could walk up with Spike on her back so she could put him to bed.

“Sure,” Night replied, facing the orange farm mare. “What do you want to talk about?”

She motioned for him to follow her to the couch before sitting on it herself. “Ah wanted ta ask ya about yer time in Canterlot.” She revealed once he was sitting on the couch as well. “Ah know ya said the Canterlot Elite treated ya unfairly, but, somethin’ tells me more than that went on up there.”

He sighed, lowering his head a bit in resignation. He would have to tell someone eventually. Might a well rip the bandaid off now.

“You’re right,” He soon replied, looking back up at her. “When I was seven years old I was able to enroll in Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns and pass the entrance exam. Though, mine was quite a bit different than Twilight’s, since she actually managed to hatch the only dragon egg the school had at the time.”

The two shared a small laugh as Twilight came back downstairs to listen to the conversation and help input pieces that Night wasn’t aware of.

“Anyway, the whole school, even my parents and Twilight, expected me to get my Cutie Mark in magic.” He continued. “Imagine their surprise when I passed the entrance exam easily and still no Cutie Mark appeared.”

“Surprise? That’s quite the understatement there.” Twilight told her little brother, ruffling his mane as she used to when they were younger. “I was completely shocked at the turn of events. My own little brother, who studied just as much as me for the upcoming exam, not gaining a Cutie Mark.”

He nodded and shook his head. “Honestly I thought I was going to fail right then and there because my special talent wasn’t magic. It took Princess Celestia herself to convince me that my special talent might still be in magic, just in a special type of magic.” He told Applejack before looking at his Cutie Mark. “I’m glad she was right.”

Applejack smiled and nodded at his words. “Ah’m glad that worked out fer ya. But, Ah think y’all are getting a bit sidetracked.” She replied with a playful smirk at the end.

“Oh, right, sorry.” He responded sheepishly, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. He honestly hated what he went through the first few weeks after the entrance exam and didn’t exactly want to relive them, but, he knew he had to talk about them at some point. “After I was officially accepted into the school, I arrived the next day with my saddlebags and a bit of my own personal belongings to settle into my dorm room. The first couple of days seemed fine. Then, the bullying started.”

He closed his eyes, trying not to think about it too much and only tell her what he was comfortable with. Which wasn’t much, to be honest, but, he had to tell her at least a little of what went on.

“For the first few weeks I was there, I was constantly called different names, like Blank Flank, Freak, and other names I don’t want to remember.” He continued after a small pause. “I’d find my saddlebags hung in one of the taller trees of the campus, my bedding pulled apart with either juice or soda poured onto the mattress and sheets, and I was physically pushed around and toyed with by several of the older students as well as my own classmates.”

“It didn’t help that he was having trouble with his levitation magic at the time,” Twilight revealed. “He learned new spells so fast, but, he would have trouble casting them at varying distances or degrees of potency. And I only know of these acts second hoof. I was told by Princess Celestia after a month of Night being enrolled in the school.”

He nodded before looking up to the ceiling to clear his thought before resuming the story. “Once Twilight was informed about what had been going on, she tried to stick up for me. But, that just made the bullying even worse. It got to a point where I just couldn’t stay there anymore. I sent a letter to my parents telling them about what had been going on and that I planned on coming home.”

Applejack scratched the side of her head in confusion. “But, Ah thought y’all came from the school when ya moved down here.” She asked.

Twilight nodded. “You see, once our parents had gotten his letter, they sent it to me with their own letter expressing their concern.” She explained. “I brought both letters to Princess Celestia and once she was made aware of how unwelcome Night was feeling, she gave him private classes with all his teachers, and they were more than willing to do so, having felt like they failed to notice what was going on with one of their students.”

“So, yer telling me that Night got private classes because he was constantly bullied by the other students?” Applejack asked, sounding a tad bit suspicious over it all.

“Not exactly.” Night corrected, giving Twilight a look that clearly said he wasn’t amused. “I did get my own private dorm. Princess Celestia just gave Twilight a new class assignment. Help me learn magic in place of the teachers.”

“So the teachers just gave up on ya?”

Twilight nodded, looking a bit angry over it all. “They said that if Night was being bullied by the other students, then he would have to get over it. They would stop eventually.”

“Those no-good inconsiderate varments. What were they thinkin’, leaving a seven-year-old colt to fend fer himself from bullies.”

“It was Canterlot. The mentality there is mostly all about status and old fashioned notions.” Night replied, shaking his head at the memories. “Anyway, I should go upstairs and unpack my stuff before I turn in for the night.” He excused himself, sliding off the couch and walking towards the stairs.

“Alright. Well, if ya ever need somepony ta rant to, you got Twilight and me. I’m more than happy ta help out a friend.” Applejack told him, causing him to freeze in his tracks.

“We’re friends?” He asked, confused, looking back at the farm mare. “But, we just met earlier today.”

Twilight and giggled before patting his shoulders. “And I became friends with her in about the same time, once I actually got to know her.” She revealed.

Night blinked a few times, looking between the two of them.

Forty-five minutes later, he was lying on his new bed, looking up at the ceiling of his new room. In less than a day, he had gotten his cutie mark, found out he was a shadow mage - which was so rare that they were only born every one thousand years - moved in with his older sister again, met her number one assistant - who happened to be a baby dragon - and her five closest friends, and then had a party thrown for him.

“What have I gotten myself into?” He asked himself before slowly closing his eyes and letting himself drift off into sleep.

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