The Alicorn Book

by Nova Star Sparkle

Alicorns - Forgeing

---

* Chapter Three - Part 6 *

---

Setting her cup beside herself Luna looked around the room and raised her eyebrows.

As neither Twilight or Celestia further spoke up, Luna was assured that she could carry on.

"So, as the alicorn of magic, you have a special gift that none of the rest of us possess. Before you ask, we know all of this from fragments we are still able to remember from all this time before. Some of these aspects are still in the back of our minds, that we talked with the spirit of the alicorn of magic - namely you, about this."

"Therefore, I'm sorry if I can't answer everything you might want to know for you. As there are things, none of us can remember so far. Most likely you will be able to remember these parts it in the future, but what, when and how much I can't predict. That is beyond my reach to say."

Curiously, Twilight perked up her ears and listened. Pulling her wings neatly to her sides in the process.

"You can forge pure magic. And I don't mean magical items or magical trinkets, but real magic. You know, that kind that pours out of the secondary leylines at every second to be absorbed by the ponies. Pretty need I have to confess.

However, the most important part of this gift is probably the ability to safely extract the magic core of ponies from their bodies in order to strengthen or repair it if necessary." Leaning her head to the side, Luna proceeded. "I'm not certain, but do you know what the magic core is? It´s a topic not very often mentioned in books and even less in classes. A problem I've been meaning to tackle for months. After all ponies should know about the core, it's pretty much vital for their lives."

"By the way, if you want, you are free to take on this task on your own, after all, as the caretaker of magic, you will most likely soon know much more about the core than we do. The knowledge is innate to you, but you're still too young to remember everything - well at least a large part. After all, I don't think any of the three of us have recovered everything we once knew. But we're getting there, slowly and steady. And the things we already know are by far more far-reaching than any other resident of Equestria could clame. So, I wouldn't say it's that big of a disadvantage."

Twilight scratched her chin and fanned her wings about one fourth of the way, she was pretty excited. "Umm, yes I had heard of it. It´s obviously a mystery, so far, I only found it in a book once, that's by far less information than I'm used to. But nevertheless, I thought the magic core was metaphorical. Does it really exist? So far, no one has managed to find even a hint of a trace of it in a ponies' body. It's like there is nothing at all, but you wouldn't mention it if it wasn't the truth." The young, lavender alicorn didn't know further here, so she hoped for an answer of either Luna or Celestia. And obviously she got her answer pretty fast.

Nodding, Luna proceeded.

"Oh, yes. It exists with 100% certainty. After all, I can still remember it like it was yesterday. Seeing my own core get extracted from my chest and feeling your unique magic get shared with the other alicorns and me, for sure imprints into your mind. But before you might ask, you did it so that each of us had an equal share of magic to release the big bang. Unfortunately, I can't tell you much more than that. Not even what the core appeared to look like. I no longer retain that information, not even as fragments." Luna confessed with an embarrassed lowering of her head in front of Twilight. Her ears laid fully back against her skull.

Twilight wanted to comfort Luna and tell her that it wasn't all that bad and she couldn't be blamed, of course. She had also already stretched out her left front hoof to place it kindly on Luna's right shoulder. However, she was interrupted by Celestia.

"Sister! You may not remember what it looks like, but I do as clear as it could be - well and after all, Twilight will probably show us what our core looks like in a few minutes anyway."

Visibly shocked Twilight voiced her thoughts. "B-but I have no idea how to do that. I didn't even know the core was real until two minutes ago," Twilight excitedly spread her wings meanwhile. This time the gust of wind luckily not knocking over things like last time.

Soothing the nervous, lavender ball of fluff, resembling an alicorn Twilight, ahead of her with a front hoof, Celestia carried on.

"All in due time. First, let me tell you what the magic core looks like from what I know, and what else I remember about it - probably learned from you at one time in the past."

Calming visibly down, Twilight relaxed her posture back onto the white pillow and eagerly awaited Celestia's response.

"I don´t know what kind of book you have read, but nethertheless the chances should be high that you already know the first fact. Every pony has such a core, there's no exception. Well, if other creatures got also one, I can't say for sure. But I think so, at least they have to have some kind of magic storage, as every being on Equus has a unique magic. Like the dragon breath of your friend and faithful assistant Spike, or the changing abilities of changelings - but you already knew that, so let me state facts you didn't know. You can imagine the core as a kind of glowing ball of magic about Volleyball size. The core itself is located square in the chest and stores all the magic that is absorbed from the surroundings - mostly from the leylines or magical boosts trough spells. It can be removed if one knows how. However, there must be a very advanced knowledge and a powerful, active source of magic. As matter of factly it is not easy to extract and furthermore inevitably lethal within a few minutes if extracted improperly - oh, but don't worry, you are probably the only being who is able to extract such a core at all flawlessly at first try. Even if you don´t know how, I´m confident you got an innate knowledge for the process. After all, the expertise and progress originally descended from you as well. So, you should have no trouble removing a pony's magic core without complications."

Celestia made a short pause and let the knowledge sink in. Twilight didn't look fully convinced, that she could manage to extract a magic core from a pony without killing them. Nevertheless, it was true that she was by far the most skilled and powerful, when it came to magic and she trusted her old mentor and dear friend so far either way. Therefore, she also briefly looked down at her front hooves once or twice, slightly squinting her eyes. Likely in thoughts and considering if she wanted to ask Celestia and Luna some questions. But decided after a short while against it and looked once more delighted to the two mares. Her wings still slightly opened.

Celestia proceeded. "Furthermore, the core will wear out with the years and increasing age, forfeiting in capacity by some fractions of a percent with the decades. It can also be damaged, if one overworks their magic to the extreme. It may show then only slight cracks. If the damage is severe, a spider web of many small cracks over the entire surface. Or in the very worst case, almost a completely break in half. Whether the core can be completely destroyed or broken in half, however, I don't know, sorry."

"In the case that the core is damaged, may it be lightly or severe, it usually heals itself over time completely. Given some days to months. However, it can also be so severely damaged that it can't regenerate on its own. That's also where I think you'll come in. I'm sure if you offered your help for really bad cases, our ponies would be more than grateful. And knowing you, you've already toyed with the idea. Am I right?" Celestia smiled knowingly in Twilight's direction and the latter laughed back, delighted.

"You are so right. Should I figure out how the extracting and healing works. Then I will also offer my help for everypony that needs it, obviously for free." Shrugging, Twilight continued. "Well, nevertheless, I believe though, most ponies won't be dissuaded to give me something for my doing - considering how rarely a pony will let me pay my bills in restaurants", the young princess giggled.

"I would never dare to charge someone for something, that probably will be a piece of cake for me. As I´m assuming, for once, the healing process won't be much different than treating an overexertion from a pony's internal magic lines. Therefore, I probably will re-donate the leftover money for charity or something closely related in my government Arena, back to our ponies. After all, we princesses aren't exactly known for poverty, even for Equestria in its prosperous state."

Nodding, Celestia finished her speech. She had thought, Twilight would respond that way. Her sister and she, did something similar once a year at Canterlot's largest fundraiser - also Equestria's largest, to boot. Every bit accumulated in a year through donations to the regents of the kingdom was carefully documented and divided equally among the projects.

"I can only remember one more thing, and I'm surprised my sister can't recall it. For that memory is by far one of the clearest for me. Most likely due to the fact that the information was associated with a surprisingly lively procedure. As, the alicorn of magic - sorry that I'm constantly talking about you in third person, every time I refer to one of your titles. But, it's so strange to tell you something, about which you had by far the most knowledge. So please, pardon me - Where was I? Ah yes, she gave me an EXPRESS warning that sacred/pure magic was needed for the regeneration process - alicorn magic that is. "Unpure" magic would have a high chance of not working at all and even more damaging the core in retrospect. But that's all I know for myself. And it doesn't look like Luna has thought of anything else, either."

Luna shook her head vehemently, denying her older sister's side question. "Unfortunately, no. If my sister doesn´t know anything more, than that´s all we got." Thinking for two seconds, then smiling mischievously and spreading her, since it was almost midnight, deepest dark blue wings that were even black at the tips, and gave away one of her ideas.

"So, I suggest we cover the room with the strongest of our protection spells and just get to work. I'm sure there won't be more than collateral damage in the worst case. Alicorn´s are pretty durable as you already know and experienced . If we can survive an almost crash of our known space-time, we won´t be violated by something so trivial as a magical process, with protentional backslash, we don´t know much about", Luna joked.

This time it was Celestia who had the most terrified/worried look, while Twilight generally seemed quite composed. After all, she had noticed the glint in Luna's eyes.

Laughing at the generally unusual situation, Luna reassured her older sister. Heh, doesn't happen too often that my sister seems so out of it. "Sorry, sorry. It wasn't meant that way in the first place, we all three know that it will go smoothly.

Dismissing the thought outright, Celestia just shrugged as Twilight snickered quietly to herself in the background. But composed herself a few seconds later.

"Aaaanyway, are you sure about all of this Luna? As I mentioned, I still don't know how it would be possible for me to get a pony's magic core out of them. It could get live threatening dangerous." Twilight raised one of her eyebrows and looked back at Luna.

"Pffff, maybe for a mortal. We are alicorns, immortals blessed with powers non could possibly fully comprehend. I had more than one fight in which no mortal would have even stand a chance - well if it wasn´t for us, by the way. I'd trust you with my life every time - well that's mutual I guess, so that's not a problem for me. Accordingly, if you are as willing as I am, then we can start immediately. Hmm, although, if you don't want to, then I won't have a problem with that either. I will not - nor could I force you to do something you absolutely don't want to do."

In response, both princesses gazed deeply into each other's eyes, trying to guess the other mares emotions and thoughts.

"No! If you're willing to have it tested on you, then so am I", Twilight quoted back to Luna. A determined look in her eyes.

Rising from her pillow and indicating Luna with her hoof to come with her to the center of the room, Twilight pre-activated her horn in a flurry of several highly potent alicorn-magic symbols as she stood about broader as a precaution. Better to be too careful than to suffer the consequences.

Celestia in the meantime had already taken over the part with the protection spells. Presently, about a dozen alicorn-magic filled spells lay overhead, pulsing with divine magic. The spells probably enforced enough, to even intercept an Equus-destroying meteorite at full speed. Hopefully they would also be capable of shielding the potential backslash of a magic core removing spell. You never knew, even if alicorn magic generated spells were indestructible, there was the component ´alicorn of magic´. Plus, Celestia had seen what Twilight could do unfocused. She didn't want to know what kind of recoil a focused spell could generate from the young, lavender coated alicorn.

Nodding, she gestured to her two alicorn colleagues that she was ready as well. Looking into Luna's eyes one last time, and having completed her short vital scan of Luna, Twilight made sure that the dark blue alicorn was indeed confident. Luna confirmed once again by nodding that yes, she was totally serious.

Fully wrapping her horn in a blinding corona of raspberry-colored magic, Twilight embarked on the first idea that popped into her head, to get the magic core out of Luna's chest. By simply pulling with her magic where she thought the core was - namely the middle of the dark blue mares chest.

Her eyes and mouth widened in more than just surprise when she felt a roundish object in the chest of Luna with her magic.

Very carefully and deliberately pulling on the object, Twilight tried to move it towards her.

At first, it felt as if the until now unknown object didn't want to move, but after about two seconds she felt it start to inch forward.

Slowly but surely, Luna's chest began to glow brighter and brighter, and soon the bulge of a beachball-sized sphere could be seen flashing from inside her chest. The light was nearly as bright as the sun itself, but that was probably because the core of an alicorn contained much more magic than that of a normal pony.

Twilight was about to pull the core further out of the dark blue alicorn's chest, but in doing so saw that the colors in Luna's mane and coat were beginning to dim slightly, and her mane was also beginning to wave more slowly in the endless, invisible ethereal auras, each alicorn had around them.

Mildly shocked Twilight stopped her actions and voice her insecurities. "Oh no! Luna, your magic. It seems will lose it, if I remove the core from you. Nope, I can't do it in that case, and I also won´t." Her ears fully laid back. "AND before you start to try to change my mind, I´m not going to do it." Twilight started to push the magic core back into Luna's chest. But was energetically stopped by the same.

"NO! Please keep going. Even though my mane may be moving slower and my fur is losing some of its color, so far, I feel in perfect condition. It doesn't seem like I’m going to lose all of it, just a part. And besides, I don't think we'd have fragments of this knowledge, left, if it wasn't relevant."

Nodding slightly uncertainly, but trusting Luna, Twilight carried on.

"All right. But you tell me if you feel worse or weaker, though. Okay? I really don't want to hurt you", she inquired nethertheless.

"I'll tell you right away if I feel bad. Don't worry. Still, I don't think anything like that will happen at all. At least it looks to me like there is a reduction in the total amount of energy available, rather than a complete loss of it - even if it's only temporarily."

At Luna's assurance, Twilight proceeded to pull on the core with her magic. Whereby, to her startlement, she was a bit energetic with it and pulled the core right out two-thirds of the way.

"Easy, easy with the young horses. You were so reserved just now, why the sudden change of mind", laughed Luna, and Celestia needed one of her hooves to hold it in front of her muzzle, to not come off as rude.

Sticking her tongue out at Luna, in mocking joy, the lavender alicorn carried on.

Twilight took her time; she better was way too careful than getting complications. So, in the next minute, Twilight had completely pulled Luna's magic core out of the mare's chest, whereupon her colors darkened even more and her mane now blew noticeably slower in the ethereal wind. However, there were no further complications as far as could be foreseen.

"Phew, finally done. Man, that was one of a nerve-wracking experience, I got to tell you. But fortunately, everything seems to have gone well. It even was quiet easy to accomplish actually - well except for my fuss. Might have been a little bit to dramatic in the hindsight." Twilight now had to smirk to no one in particular.

"Oh wow! This is by far one of the most beautiful sights I've ever had," Twilight finished as she metaphorically ran her hoof over her forehead. Her eyes widened as she did so, gazing at the shimmering, pulsating magic core in her aura. The glow of the core was reflected in her eyes, making them shine even more than they already did.

The core was magnificent beautiful, nearly otherworldly. On top surprisingly mostly complete pure white, only innumerable small, dark blue lines could be seen wandering over the entire surface in a seemingly random pattern. The entire sphere pulsated with a strong, slowly constant rhythm. Most likely matching Luna's own heartbeat.

“Truly an overwhelming sight," Luna confirmed. "So powerful, yet so calm. Would you mind handing the core over to me for once? I would love to hold him in my own hooves, as I mentioned."

Reluctantly, Twilight pulled Luna's magic core a little further away from the indicated mare. Not so sure if Luna's idea was so necessarily wise. "Do you think that's a good idea? We don't know what will happen if one of us touches such a concentrated amount of magic. Well yes, I pulled the core from your chest, but that's the place it's originally supposed to be", Twilight interjected. Visibly concerned for Luna's health.

"We're Alicorns, we can take a lot. And besides, you just pulled that thing out of my breast, and nothing happens so far. So it can't be that harmful for pony’s - eh, at least for alicorns, that´s for sure," Luna deftly countered.

Having nothing to contradict said statement, Twilight slowly levitated the magic core into the spread hooves of Luna, who had meanwhile already sat down at her haunches.

When the orb touched the hooves of the dark blue alicorn and Twilight nullified the aura, it briefly flashed a little brighter. However, nothing else happened. Luna's fur, mane and everything else state exactly like it was before. There wasn't even a backslash or anything remotely - it just lay in the alicorns hooves, pulsing. Therefore, there was a short comment from Twilight, in an almost disappointed tone. "Huh...I actually did expect a little bit more than that. But can't complain about nothing bad happening either." So, she turned her eyes back from the core to Luna's, and awaited her response.

"It's pleasantly warm, it certainly feels a bit strange, but nothing I could directly deny." Tilting her head towards the other two, Luna raised her eyebrows. "Would either of you like to hold the core as well? Seems to be safe."

Celestia answered in the affirmative but Twilight shook her head briefly and turned away amiably.

While Luna handed the core to her sister, Twilight trotted off to the side slowly and looked around the room in search, for a secluded place to sort the process in her head. Alicorns were born with an indelible mind and never forgot anything they learned. As the knowledge stayed clear and sharp as on the first day they accessed the insight. Nevertheless, it was still best if she sorted her thoughts properly. As next time she had the desire to be less nervous and secure in her own doing.

"Wow! You're right Luna, the magic core is indeed really warm, unusual but not unpleasant."

A few minutes passed with the two older princesses quietly discussing how incredibly majestic Luna's magic core was. Until the two were interrupted by a kind exclamation from Twilight. Upon turning to the source of noise the two saw Twilight standing about 2 meters away with her ears slightly laid back and a sheepish smile on the muzzle.

"Excuse me. Would you mind if I did a test on the magic core? I'd like to test how it reacts to contact from anything other than an alicorn. As it seems, it doesn't have any effect on us - but don´t worry, I will be careful, even if I believe that thing is way more durable than it looks like."

Mindfully gesturing, Luna took the core back from her sister's hooves and handed it to Twilight, who gratefully accepted it.

Settling herself onto her hips with the core grasp in her magic, the young alicorn created an apple and a cup out of magic. Whereupon she sat the cup aside for the time being and first levitated the apple near the magic core.

With widened eyes and their muzzles slightly agape, all three alicorns watched as the apple began to disintegrate into nothingness about a foot away from the core. Cringing and obviously expecting the same with the cup, but still wanting to try it, Twilight lifted it off the ground and near the core as well. The result was precisely the same.

"FANTASTIC! From the looks of it, the magic core of us alicorns is so filled with raw mana, that any matter near it is almost instantly destroyed. Better not let that thing drop."

"Well, I guess that clears up the fact of whether it's possible for other ponies to hold or even steal our core from us - if we ever took it out of our chest; were not paying attention and would be completely distracted; as well as someone would really want and make it. The idea although impossible, but putting that matter aside once, purely theoretically seen - if anyone would be planning to do that at all, they obviously should dismiss the idea.", gave Twilight in an unexpressive manner. Now pointing with her left wing at the core and the empty space beside it, were the apple and cup had previously been, Twilight caried on. "THAT! Doesn´t actually looks like fun. Still, I have yet to run the test with 3 of my friends cores, who knows if the effect is occurring with alicorns solely, or possibly just gets diminished. I hope and strongly believe that this is not the matter. In any case, it would be much easier to treat a pony in distress later. Otherwise, regeneration or healing spells will be necessary, would be no problem, but I would definitely prefer it otherwise."

Twilight's thought was afterwards continued.

"At least we know now, though, that it is possible for you to safely extract a pony's magic core from its body, and certainly re-insert them as well. Though no one should get too close to an alicorn's magic core - except an alicorn. If the one doing it doesn't want to have unpleasant experiences, on a more than extreme scale", Luna finished with a mild wrinkle of her brow.

The other two just nodded in agreement, but said nothing further. The pictures were more than evident enough in their minds.

With her tests done and the new knowledge at hoof, Twilight grinned to herself as she spun Luna's magic ball of energy back and forth in her own. Searching for a beginning and end to the visibly endless tangle of blue lines. Such power in so little space, some would surely sell their lives for nothing more than getting their hooves, claws, whatever on one of them. Obviously, I´m no such mare, why should I even? It isn´t like I have an at least as strong core in my own possession. Well...and stealing that thing is off the course anyway for others.

Luna let her youngest alicorn colleague examine her magic core for a few more minutes, until she gestured to her lavender friend to please put the magic core back into her chest.

Twilight was only too happy to comply as she moved the core near Luna and slowly pushed it back into the mares chest. Whereupon the dark blue alicorn regained her characteristic color and flowing mane.

"Thank you, Twilight. Even though it was quite an impressive experience. Still, I feel better when all the magic is back where it belongs."

She thereupon turned to her sister, as said had begun to speak.

"I would say that we could extract the other two remaining cores to examine them, but I think it would be better to do that at another time. What do you think?"

Celestia's gaze was questioning to the other two mares, she seemed to have no problem with either option, but also wanted to issue what Luna and Twilight thought of it.

Both Twilight and Luna just gave silent nods at Celestia's idea, and in response Luna turned her attention back to the youngest member. She should decide whether to proceed or not.

"Next topic dear?"

~~~ End of Chapter Three - Part 6 ~~~

---

Author's Note:

"Alicorn" Counter Total: 327

Comments

[Frazikar]

Hmmmm, nice borrowing of kitsune lore there (cores) ...

[Nova Star Sparkle]

11470489
Didńt realise that and also didn't intend, but yes.