Ponyfinder: The Lost Flowers

by David Silver

9 - Bright Spark

"They are outsiders. I mean that in the most literal sense possible." Tree clopped a hoof down on the wood beneath her. "They approach magic in a way completely alien to us."

The druid Tree was speaking to nodded faintly. "They learned the art swiftly. How goes your own learning?"

Tree colored at that. "I have it almost down... A little more practice is all I need. This is my first--"

The druid set a hoof on Tree's shoulder. "It's not a race. If you are close, then you have done well for your first spell. I imagine you will finish it soon. If it helps, the first is always the hardest. The second will come to you far more quickly."

"Thanks." Tree sat on her haunches. "But I'm not joking! They cast a spell together. I wasn't even aware you could do that outside of very specific rituals. They just... did it. They weren't even trying to do it."

That got the butterfly's antennae to bob upwards. "What did they cast together?"

"The same spell I'm learning, produce flames?" She went through the steps, speaking the words of power. A small puff of flames appeared at the tip of her horn, as if her horn were a candle. "Oh! Oh oh oh!"

The druid smiled at the excited new druid. "You did it. You realize, this means you have taken a step into the primal, and it has accepted you. Congratulations, young druid, for that is a title you now have."

Tree fanned herself with her forehooves, hyperventilating just a little. "I did it!" It was then that she realized she was just a little on fire. "Where do I put this safely?"

The druid pointed to an empty pottery nearby. "That is safe. Now, that spell, cast together?"

Tree thrust her horn into the pot, coming back out without any fire. "Phew, alright. Alright! Yes... That spell, together! Is that supposed to work?"

"It is not." A thoughtful hum came. "I will share this news with the head druid and see what she thinks."

"Thank you." Tree turned to head back. "I should tell them I got it working, so we can move on."

"Keep practicing." They lifted on wings. "Once is not mastery." And off they went.

"True..." Tree looked up at her horn. "Be good."

---

"Congratulations!" Rose was applauding, hooves clapping eagerly. "Look at you go!"

"Gonna name it?" Daisy leaned in with a big smile.

Lily rolled her eyes at that. "Only you do that."

"Only you," agreed Tree, wagging her horn, the fire fading away. "Thank you, for your instruction. Sorry, if...it took longer than you wanted." It had taken Tree almost a month to completely get the spell understood. "But I am officially a druid now. One in training still, but a druid."

All three flower mares inclined their head to the left. Rose waved at herself and the others. "We already know a spell, does that makes us druids too?"

Tree shook her head quickly. "You don't know the language. Besides... it's not up to me. When you become one, you will be told by one of your teachers. That is how one raises through most of the ranks there are." She shrugged softly. "Not that many druids focus very heavily on the ranks involved besides the first few." She pointed at herself. "Student. Being a pupil of a druid has very specific meanings, and I will carry that title until I can show I deserve better, and wield first circle magic competently. After that... It's mostly between a druid and themselves."

Daisy waved wildly. "Unless you're head druid."

"You aren't wrong." Tree inclined her head softly. "That is a rank of significance. But none of us should be too worried about that. We don't even report to her, let alone have dreams of taking that title ourselves. We are so unprepared."

Rose nodded. "Right, right. Besides, we want to go home, not become bosses around here."

Lily leaned against Rose gently. "If one of us did become leader, it'd be you."

Rose groaned at the thought. "Again, only because you two would say no. Anyway! Now that you have the spell working, we could call back that bee teacher, Purple Auspex, and get to our second spell!"

"What kind of spell?" Daisy inclined her head. "Think it'll be another fire one?"

Lily shook her head. "Doubt it. Besides, there are more elements than fire that druids, right?" She was looking to Tree for that answer.

"Correct." Tree nodded firmly. "Fire, Ice, Lightning, Acid... Those are the basics, to say nothing of physically tearing and puncturing and smashing. If you want to be violent, they cannot be ignored. I hope the second spell is none of those things. I would learn a peaceful song next."

Rose clapped her hooves together. "Now you're talking! Yeah, let's learn something nice."

They went as one to the home of their teacher, to find the door was already open. Inside, their teacher was talking with the head druid. They were spotted quickly. The Head druid smiling at them. "Speak of them, and here they are. You are quite the curious students." She approached at a calm walk. "You've shaken up the hive." Perhaps literally, considering the insect-like nature of their hosts. "I would like to see it for myself, if you'd allow me?"

Tree blinked with wide eyes. "M-me?!"

"Congratulations." The druid nodded at Tree. "But I meant their group casting. Can you demonstrate it?"

The flower mares shared a look before Daisy shrugged. "Show 'em, Rose."

"Always me first." Despite her complaint, she began the song, dancing to the beat, only to stop the words so quickly. Her dance continued despite that.

Daisy picked up on the words, joining the motion, the two of them glimmering with the power they were creating. Lily finished it, their hooves meeting with a clop as a bright ball of flame appeared above it.

"Remarkable." The mayor that was also the head druid considered the pooled magic. "And so quickly." No ritual there. It had been cast as quickly as any one pony, just in sync. "And reliably. Have you ever failed in casting this spell?" All three shook their heads. "Hm... Hm. And where you're from, if I have learned correctly, you did not cast magic?"

"But we did sing," noted Daisy.

"Whenever the mood hit." Lily shrugged. "But it could sweep the entire town if it was a good one."

"A musical world..." The head druid sat back with a soft 'huh'. She looked to Purple Auspex. "I would see where this leads. Show them what I feel sure they came to know."

Purple looked to them with a curious and nervous smile. "What did you come to know?"

"Glad you asked." Rose waved at the others, Tree included. "Now that Tree knows her first spell, we're hungry for the second. It should be a nice spell, if it can be?"

"A nice one... Nice... one. Ah! Least wish." He nodded firmly. "A favorite among spellcasters of every tradition, of most ability, from the least to the most grand. There is rarely a time that Least--"

"It's not called that," chastised the head druid, waving a hoof at Purple. "Prestidigitation is its name. 'Least Wish' is, at best, a local joke. Still, a fine spell. Yes, teach them that." Though she didn't say it, it wasn't that hard to imagine she was wondering what the group casting of that would produce. "This will be your first concentration spell. A valuable lesson, yes, a fine second spell. Now, since it is your second spell, you know how most of it works already. You just need to learn new words, and new movements. It would come all the faster." She lifted onto butterfly wings. "I will be off then. Purple, keep me apprised."

"Yes, mistress." He dipped his head until she was gone. "Shall we begin?"

No complaints came from any of the four students. As the head druid has promised, once one knew how to cast a spell, learning a second came so much more easily. It was the same process, with a little variation. The equestrian ponies learned it first, of course, but Tree was well on the way. Daisy squinted at a smudge on the ground.

The smudge was personal. She put it there when she walked in! But as she glared at it balefully, it began to fade with little squeaky sounds, fading from existence as if she had stared at it so hard, it died. "Ah ha!"

"You look chilly." Daisy wheeled around to glare at Lily, squinting at her with purpose.

Lily raised a brow. "That doesn't work on..." she trailed off, realizing she felt warm, but didn't understand... "How?"

Daisy burst into giggles. "I can't warm you up directly, but I can warm stuff in your pocket."

Lily quickly fished out a rock that was in her pocket, warm in her hooves. "Cheater!"

Rose laughed at their antics. "That rock looks a little plain." She waved a hoof at it as bright pink polka dots appeared across it. "There, that's more of a warm rock."

"No!" Daisy made it red with flame patterns. "Now that is a warm rock."

Lily stuffed her rock away. "Stop playing with my rock. It's mine!"

Tree inclined her head slowly. "Why do you have a rock?"

Lily began to color. "He's my pet."

Rose rolled her eyes at that. "She thinks having a living pet would be a betrayal, so a pet rock is what she has, and it works for her."

Purple rolled hoof over hoof. "Let Tree practice the spell. Are you three ready to try that... together?"

They shared a look. For once, Daisy began the spell, Lily following it up, and Rose bringing it home as they spread their hooves in a wide arc over themselves. A stand appeared, their flower stand, with flowers. The stand and the flower looked thin and glowing, clearly magical in origin.

Rose let out a soft sigh. "Still miss it."

Purple circled around it in a scamper. "That's quite a large object..." Larger than a person could normally make with that spell. "Is it any sturdier?" He reached out and pressed against it. A loud snap heralded the fact that it was not any more durable, collapsing into dust that faded away moments later. "Hm... Still remarkable. I cast Least Wish, but you cast 'Not-Quite-Least Wish." He laughed at his own humor. "I would love to see what else you can do with it."

Tree snorted softly. "Am I the only one bothered by natural magic being used in such an unnatural way? It feels like... just... wrong."

"What is natural for us is clearly not natural for them." Purple nodded at the girls. "But just as primal. Just because we are comfortable in our 'prime' plane doesn't make it the only one. Their magic does not appear to distort local magic or the living creatures here, so no real harm it done, that I can see."

Rose nodded at Purple, but was soon looking back at Tree. "Go on, go over the spell again. I'll throw out some corrections."

It was, in some ways, unnerving that they could hear those mistakes and give such clear advice without hesitation. "Only practiced ears can even tell what spells are being cast, but you not only know that, but can identify the mistakes." Tree threw her hooves wide. "That is amazing, and you don't even notice it."

"Not entirely true," chastised Purple. "Watch." He cast the first spell they learned.

Tree perked her ears. "Oh, that one. I know that one."

"And you have it ready," explained the teacher. "If you have the spell fresh in your mind, you can recognize it easily. That they can spot the mistakes so elegantly is nice, but to recognize it, not so odd. Please, continue practicing."

Tree let out a slow sigh. "Alright, what am I getting off?" She would keep practicing, with strange outsiders and at least one normal druid.

Author's Note:

Back to spellcraft! Congrats on becoming an official druid, even if she's pretty sure the flower ponies are walking typos.

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Comments

[badninja]

I see they learned a fun spell. That one can be used for all sorts of fun or practical jokes. I think Pinkie and Rainbow Dash had better watch out once the girls return because I think they may pull a few jokes on them as polite payback.

[Venerable Ro]

Prestidigitation is endlessly useful, good for everything from lighting candles to cleaning. Glad to see their education continues apace.

[Booster Spice]

Little things can cause real problems if just the wrong place and time.

[Chrome Masquerade]

"Remarkable." The mayor that was also the head druid considered the pooled magic. "And so quickly." No ritual there. It had been cast as quickly as any one pony, just in sync. "And reliably. Have you ever failed in casting this spell?" All three shook their heads. "Hm... Hm. And where you're from, if I have learned correctly, you did not cast magic?"

"But we did sing," noted Daisy.

To quote Eddie Riggs/Jack Black (in Brütal Legend)

"Lars, look. Where I come from, this makes music. Here, It blows stuff up!"