3. Mystagogical Mishaps
Mystagogical Mishaps
Sunset Shimmer
The parasite and I settled into an uneasy silence. With it shooting glances toward me and I pretend not to catch them. Allowing your opponent to believe they are gaining the upper hoof would allow you to in the future buck them down ever further. While pretending that the gazes went unnoticed, I instead focused on the food that it had brought for me. We ate in silence ignoring each other and ignoring the reasons why we should never have ended up in this situation.
After I finished my salad I pulled once more out the tome I had acquired this morning, reviewing some of the points I had wanted to start with. I managed to get the majority of them done before the parasite's patience wore thin enough to break the silence.
“What do you have there?” I slipped my eyes from the ancient tome towards the Alicorn that was in the room. Once more it seems that the parasite accompanied its questions with a tilt of its head. Its mane dropped over and nearly hit the floor. I paused considering my answer.
“While I am a master in almost every field known to Unicorn magic I am far less knowledgeable about the innate magics of the two other pony races. I have seen to correct this short-sightedness. As I made mentioned earlier today this will not impact your lessons.” I said as I closed the tome.
“That didn’t answer my question.” The parasite, if I am recognizing this tone correctly, teasingly stated. Why would the parasite attempt to tease me? There is no pony else in this room. Could this be a show of dominance? In my confusion, I responded without thinking.
“Ah, this, in particular, is the ‘Faithful Battle Tome’. It has had numerous earth ponies of renown that have added their techniques and training. I believed that this would be appropriate to use in conjecture with my knowledge of Unicorn mysticism.” The parasite nodded along with what I said. In agreement? Perhaps it knew of a better way to learn about innate earth pony magics, as this tome so far had made no mention of ‘Strange’ magic. Unlikely an outcome like that would be, however it would be one of the more useful ones.
I continued to watch the pink Alicorn before me, in particular its face, as several expressions ran through it. It would behoove it to keep tighter control over its emotions as it would provide an avenue of easy attack for its enemies within Canterlot to strike at it. Wait. That didn’t make sense. Why was I concerned about the parasite’s future? Especially when it had confirmed the end of my own. It didn’t matter I wouldn’t mess up in the future, I had to teach the parasite magic and that was the extent of our relationship.
While I was dealing with my internal difficulties the parasite managed to deal with whatever was giving it pause. As it opened its mouth and said one of the last things I had expected to hear.
“Thank you Sunset.” the parasite said with a small smile. I felt a warmth ripple through my body in a way that I had not experienced for years as I stared at the being in front of me. I knew not what foul magics it had managed to entrap me with but for a singular moment, I thought that it was genuine. The thanks that it gave me were easy to explain, my teaching it magic would allow it to defend itself in the future. The smile I was less able to explain. Setting the matter aside for now as I had magic to teach. The warmth I would enjoy for as long as I could. No matter where I had received it.
Taking a singular moment more to wrap myself in the warmth that had suffused my being. Before I nodded toward the Alicorn and asked.
“Is there anything else or are we able to get started?” Receiving a negatory shaking of its head. I began my career as a teacher. Parasite or not it was an Alicorn, I could only imagine the stories that would possibly be told of such an occurrence. The Alicorn and the Unicorn that tale had indeed already been told. Now the positions had been reversed. I smiled at the thought.
“All right to begin with, why don’t we start by getting a baseline before we move into the various schools of Unicorn magic,” I say while conjuring various weights, ranging from a singular pound to 100 pounds. “I can already tell that your telekinetic fine control is at an acceptable level, we will have to figure out later if that will prevent you from using your telekinesis to shatter.” upon seeing the confused face of the Alicorn in front of me I continued. “Often Unicorns can't bring themselves to bring harm to any pony so they stop themselves from using their full power. It is something that the guards need to be taught otherwise.”
“Why would I want to shatter any pony?” she questioned with a terrified look in her eyes. “If I do to them what you did to that chunk of rock…” She trailed off not wanting to finish the statement. I shrugged before answering.
“I am not saying that you would want to, or even need to. What I am going to try to figure out is if you are unconsciously holding back to not hurt any pony. If that is the case when you need to harm some pony you would be severely hampered.”
“Why in Celestia’s name would I want to harm any pony?” She cried out, her pink coat paling. I couldn’t help but tilt my head. Did she not know what becoming an Alicorn involved? That for all of Princess Celestia’s toting of peace and friendship, the ruler of Equestria was often on the forefront of whatever dangers threatened her ponies? Of course, as her faithful student, I had accompanied her in those dangerous events. Helping in any way that I could. More than often providing torrent after torrent of flames.
“You being an Alicorn that alone puts you at the top of the totem pole in regards to raw power. Ponies will expect you to use that power to protect them from all the enemies of Equestria. Princess Celestia has been at the forefront of any danger that would threaten her realm. Being the aegis to all her subjects.” I paused, collecting my thoughts before continuing, “In truth, I don’t see why you would need anything other than personal protection if you weren’t planning to defend Equestria.” Nice way to say that Sunset.
Watching both the ears and face of my companion fall as I finished my previous statement. I could have worded that better but it would be something that the common pony would expect from the newest Alicorn. It would be best that she would be defining what her responsibilities were with Cel-. Princess Celestia.
“That sounded worse than I meant, what I meant to say is that since Princess Celestia took her throne nearly a thousand years ago she has always been the stalwart protector of her ponies. If you don’t want to protect anyone but yourself, that is up to you.” I say shrugging. It truly was, as if she wanted to flee the castle to a dark cave to further hone her powers away from the watchful eye of the solar goddess. That was no pony's concern but her own. “Look I don’t know what you have planned for your future but I would recommend talking to Princess Celestia about it. She is not known for forcing ponies to do something they don’t want to.” Unless you were her faithful student, then you would be constantly forced to act only in the ways that the celestial monarch wanted.
The pink Alicorn didn’t completely perk up, but she did look better than before. She shook herself, which caused her mane to bounce freely once more, as she stood up. “Alright talk about the future aside. Why don’t you try to lift these weights.” I said while gesturing with a hoof towards the previously summoned weights. I then proceeded to watch the Alicorn easily the one-pound weight before setting it down and lifting the rest in short order. “Did you feel anything off at the base of your horn while you were lifting the weights?”
The pink Alicorn shrugged before responding.
“Not really should I have?”
“I was expecting you to start feeling something, as most beginners will psychometrically link the weight of the object they are attempting to lift.” Seeing the confounded look on the pony in front of me I used a less scientific response. “Maybe, but it is good that you didn’t as I would have had to break that habit of yours before you attempted to lift anything heavy. Less experienced Unicorns, or Alicorns in your case, often have a bad habit of “feeling” the weight of the object through their magic. Even though they should be physically unable to in most scenarios.” I concluded as I summoned the weights towards me.
That is at least one bad habit I wouldn't have to break the Alicorn out of. “Moving onto more than just using basic telekinesis. Have you managed to do anything else with your magic?” I asked as the weights glowed red and quickly melted. The Alicorn's eyes widened as the pink iris swirled in what I could only describe as fascination. Without acknowledging the watching pony before me I whirled the molten metal together into a singular burning orb, before banishing it with a second thought.
“Not much in truth. I have tried to follow in your and Princess Celestia's hoof steps and tried to light something ablaze.” At this point, the pink Alicorn begins to blush as she doesn’t continue, instead looking away from me.
“And?” This could give me an insight into how she can deal with one of the more basic yet still volatile elements of magic. Fire doesn’t want to be corralled; it wishes to grow and consume all before it. It is the great teacher to many Unicorns that their magic may be great, yet if they strive for too much they will be burned. I however learned my lesson and am now fireproof.
“… Well I nearly burned down my room.” I stared at the newly ascended Alicorn. The Alicorn in question blush had proceeded to cover the entirety of her muzzle. She had yet to look at me during her confession.
“If it makes you feel any better Princess Celestia has plenty of experience with ponies burning down her castle’s rooms.” I offer as a peace offering to the embarrassed newborn goddess. In my time in the castle I burned down many different rooms. Not even considering the number of times that I had torched my room. Much like my temper, my flames raged hotly. “What did playing with flames tell you?” I asked to see if I would need to explain the lesson.
“Always have a fire extinguisher nearby?”
“While a good idea when practicing magics, no. This is a prime example of not giving your magic appropriate respect. You even more so than many ponies are capable of grand and amazing acts with the power you have at your hoof tips. However just like the potential for greatness the further you push the harder the impact of the fall. Burning yourself would simply be the first occurrence of that.”
“Oh like freezing yourself in a block of ice?” The pony in front of me asks as she turns to face me with a questioning tilt of her head. I decided to ignore that question for both its sake and my own. Catching my frown the parasite continues “So if I am understanding you correctly the more powerful the act I am performing the harsher the consequences if I fail.”
“What you just said is far more true than you will ever know.” The creature in front of me with both wings and horn would likely never realize that with those advantages it would soon leave us mortal ponies far behind. That we were forced to dive into forgotten depths to level the playing field. No matter how dark and deep the hole we searched for forbidden knowledge that threatened to destroy its wielder. That it was never enough to stand equal to those few ponies who ascended to an entirely different game entirely.
When put that way the answer is obvious. The answer to many of my problems would be answered with ascension into an Alicorn. From what I had picked up from my initial introductions with the parasite she started as a pegasus. Here in front of me is a prime test subject, it would be all too easy for me to rip the secrets from its flesh.
One could only hope that Princess Celestia would soon decide that the parasite would be more useful as a laboratory subject than as a subject. One could certainly hope yet based on the past infrequency of my hopes coming true it was best to shelve that for an impossibility. That meant instead of tearing the parasite apart piece by piece, I would need to needle the information out of it. I had a few mind-walking spells that wouldn't tear the victim's mind apart. However, based on my knowledge they would certainly give plenty of mental trauma.
Hmm. Would likely be best to leave that until Princess Celestia decided that I was finally too far gone. I would have to make sure I could find the parasite as I retreated from the castle. An added difficulty but not impossible. All I would need to do was tag the parasite with a hybridized marking and tracking spell. I would need to stick the parasite with one at the next available opportunity. No. Princess Celestia would surely notice as I doubted I could slip a spell of that design under her ever-watchful eye.
I would have to do it after the Princess makes up her mind but before she attempts to toss me into Tartarus’s depths. I would add it properly into my plans later tonight. That aside, ascension. I knew in the past many ponies had attempted it but they often failed for several reasons. Just like playing with flames, they were burned, however in this case they were playing with enough power to blast the Badlands into what it is today. That means there had to be more than just plentiful power, otherwise, King Sombra of the Crystal Empire would have become an Alicorn. Yet he faded with his kingdom as a Unicorn.
What could they be missing? A particular ritual? An item that Celestia has kept under her wing? I know that she keeps all matters of relics in her holds, separated from the treasury proper. When I had last questioned her about it she referred to them being too dangerous to simply be kept in the royal vaults. If there was a relic in one of her stashes that could transform a pony into a fellow god, and she was just as smart as I knew her to be. For if I were in her position I wouldn't want any jumped-up orphan to be able to turn themselves as powerful as an Alicorn.
It looks like an exploration around the castle for some of Celestia’s hidden relic stashes would be planned. Depending on the sophistication of the defenses I estimated about two weeks of thorough searching to find the relic holds. Then I would have to test and examine each relic I came across. That would prove to be a little dangerous, however-. My line of thought is knocked from my skull as I feel a soft touch on the tip of my muzzle.
Snapping back into reality my vision is half covered by pink feathers, yet I can still clearly see the tip of a wing wiggling a feather at the tip of my muzzle. I am half tempted to bite the offending appendage and hear the owner of the wing scream. I however am halted by the sly grin of the pink Alicorn before me. She removes the feathered appendage before the grin grows. I watch still as she begins to trot so that she is positioned right before me.
There is now less than an inch between our two muzzles. I can see every fine detail of the Alicorn in front of me, from the curve of her eyelashes to the way her mane cups her face, and the way her eyes sparkle. I can only watch with bated breath, as she begins to speak.
“Ah, finally back, are you Sunset? As a future ruler of Equestria, I should let you know that it is considered rather rude to ignore any pony. Nothing to say if you were to ignore an Alicorn.” She breathed out. I could only stare at her. She at this moment was something more. She, like Celestia, shows that they, no matter what room they are in are the center of it. That every pony revolved around them.
“My apologies” I responded calmly and clearly, not at all a stuttering mess. She once more smiled, and the room lit up with her eyes. Tearing my gaze from her form. I spun a short teleportation spell and as the space around me ripped as I was safely deposited 10 feet away. My tactful retreat left the pink Alicorn laughing.
“I didn’t realize that you were so easily spooked. You know for all the rumors about you, being easily startled was not one of them.” The pink Alicorn mused before allowing her laughter to die down. “So what’s next? Are you going to show me the proper way to cast a flame spell?” Running a quick temporal charm to check how long I had been out I answered.
“In truth, if all you want to do is light a few candles you don’t need a spell for that, just the ability to channel your magic in defined ways. But if you want to learn how to fight with fire I would be happy to help you.” After all, I was immune to fire. It would provide me a substantial hoof up in any ensuing conflict between us if the majority of her magical arsenal was fire based. Seeing the rapid bouncing of the Alicorn's mane, I smothered a smile before responding. “In that case why don’t you show me how you burned down your room.”
I then proceeded to watch a small flickering flame light at the tip of the pink ponies horn. It was a small thing so easily smothered. However, given proper care and time, it could easily have consumed Equestria. I gulped as I watched the Alicorn strain in concentration, her eyes closed and her teeth clenched. Struggling to keep the flame alight. At this moment I was unsure if I truly was in the presence of a manipulator capable of fooling Princess Celestia.
Seeing that she would soon lose control over the flame as it started to gain strength and sought out new fuel. I stepped in, just as Celestia had in the past, and took control of the flame. It flew from a pink horn to amber. The parasite opened its eyes, flickering from my form to the flame that rested above my horn. I didn’t answer the unsaid question, I simply shrugged and smothered the flame.
“Not too terrible. I would have assumed from your earlier telekinetic demonstration that you would be able to control it for longer, but aside from that fact. Why didn’t you smother the flame when you felt it growing outside of your ability to control it?” Even with the boosted constitution from her ascension, I doubted that she would enjoy being burned. Unless she was somehow flame retardant? That was something I needed to figure out. As I waited for the answer the pink Alicorn before I did an impressive show of turning red.
“I summoned a bit more flames than last time.” She finally answered, turning her gaze from mine and hiding her pink eyes under her mane. Well, that explained why she couldn’t smother it if it was a larger flame than what she was used to dealing with. Most pony's reaction to fire is to run away screaming, not to reach their hoof out and smother it. How physical that mental hoof is aside from the point, it still depends on the thoughts of the pony directing it. It seemed that Alicorns, this one at least, proved that uncontrollable flames are a fear to many.
On that dour thought, I couldn’t help but let my mind wander towards the other Alicorn in the castle. Once more looking through my past actions. To see the cause that would see my flame smothered. When Princess Celestia decided that my flame could no longer be controlled, so for the safety of her ponies must be stamped out.
Once more thinking of my-. Princess Celestia sent a shard of ice traveling down my spine, before being planted right at the base of my horn. The strange warm feeling that the creature before me gave, at this point just dying embers. I was of two minds at the moment, one to smother them myself, or to attempt to rekindle them. Before I could decide, the pink pony before me spoke up in a low voice.
“You know I didn’t think you would put more than a token amount of effort into teaching me.” The parasite said, meeting my eyes. “I mean I thought that you would put forward no effort, and force me off to study on my own.” The creature was giving a smile while it strangled what little warmth I had attained from it. I am rather impressed with myself that the creature in front of me continued to remain unburnt and unharmed. The parasite flicked its eyes over towards me, the smile gone. I stood up and ignored the rapidly rising temperature to properly respond.
“You thought that I would spurn Princess Celestia over teaching you?” I calmly stated while watching as the parasite began to scoot backward. Perhaps it forgot it had four hooves and a pair of wings? If it didn’t want the wings that adorned it so I would be all too happy to take them for myself. “I don’t like you, I won't pretend otherwise. But Princess Celestia has tasked me to teach you. In turn, even if I have to tear open your skull and drive the knowledge in, you will be brought up to an appropriate magical level for one of your status.” I started by ripping the doors out of the walls where they rested.
Reducing them to metallic slag and refashioning a new set of doors to replace the ones destroyed. “I don’t care what you thought was going to happen, but you will not drag me down any further.” I hissed out. Pausing a moment for the parasite to feel the heat in the room before dousing both the still glowing doors and myself with the cooling charm. The new suns that adorned the doors glowed for a but a moment longer than the rest of the rapidly heated and then cooled metal. “Do you understand?”
The room rapidly cooled thanks to the charm, but I doubt that was the reason that the parasite shivered. The parasite was nodding at a rapid pace, causing its mane to rapidly fly up and down. I watched as its gaze flicked back and forth between the doors and myself. Was it afraid I would do something to it? The thought brought a smile to my face and considering the circumstances I didn’t smother it. Princess Celestia had always taken a hoofs-on approach for my mystic studies, so who pony else would I copy? Then the greatest of all ponies herself.
“Class is dismissed,” I said, enjoying the way that the parasite before me gulped as I finished. I could see the parasite's mouth beginning to open. Not interested in hearing what it has to say, I spun the equation for a warping spell. Flames erupted around me and my vision was quickly consumed by the flames. The flames quickly began to peter out revealing my room before me.
Throwing my satchel against a wall, and watching it fall with a thud against the floor. I could feel the air quickly becoming superheated. I ripped the heat from the air and compressed it into an orb the size of a ball. The room was lit up as if a new star was born. The flames continued to grow in brightness and heat as I further compressed them.
I felt the flames surge around me as my room heated. It wasn't warmth however that the compressed ball of flame and light gave off. I couldn’t feel anything from it. My blood fueling a far stronger flame. Preventing me from feeling any warmth that it could provide. I continued to feed it my magic allowing it to grow in strength. Before I compressed it more and more.
The corralled flame was altered from red to white. I smiled at my work. Not even the parasite would be able to easily do this. That blight of a creature was unable to replace me yet. I would prove to both Princess Celestia and that parasite that I was the second strongest in Equestria. With manic glee I let my control over the compressed flame falter. Allowing the ever-hungering flame free to consume.
I was quickly slammed into my wall by the force of the resulting explosion. Even as I struggled to get to my hooves, my stomach aching in pain. I laughed spitting up blood all the while, but that didn’t keep me from my joy. It had been so long since I had laughed so. I looked at my now burnt and scarred room and smiled.
I was certain if the parasite was to see this smile of mine it would collapse from fear. The poor thing had no control over its emotions. Making it all the easier to deal with in whatever fashion I so pleased. The only reason it was not a burned shell of a pony was due to Princess Celestia favoring it… Princess Celestia’s name gave me pause, as I once more took in my surroundings. The room was once scorched. Furniture and books were incinerated once again. A foalish Unicorn who has harmed itself reaching for something beyond its level.
Who had once more disappointed the one who took it in, despite the warnings and advice from all around her? I once more was proving those ponies correct. I knew I was a failure and what was worse Princess Celestia knew it too. I had tried every way to improve myself yet I still failed. I knew what the average pony thought of me, the princess's “evil” student. The nobles however more veiled thought little better as I was to them the Princesses pity. The orphan was a danger to every pony around her and herself. Princess Celestia had to step in to correct such a blight upon Equestria.
I had tried ever since I was informed of the peculiarities of my situation and yet at every corner I came up short. From the accursed friendship test to when I was brought to Griffonstone with Princess Celestia. I had managed to insult and degrade the host we were staying with when I pointed out that his plan to reform the griffin empire under his wing would fail. It was a wonder why I hadn't been ejected from the castle before. My time had come however and everyone knew it, except apparently the parasite itself. How it missed the maids and the guard's mutterings on the matter I wouldn't know, as I barely acknowledge them and can still hear them laughing at my demise.
It would eventually learn that not every pony within these walls was to be trusted. Of course from the previous showings I knew that I would be laughing as the parasite was tossed aside just like me. The thought of the parasite bloodied and beaten, tossed aside for the newest of the celestial Princess's fancies brought a smile once more to my face. When that happened I would be sure to greet the parasite properly, as it would no longer be one of Princess Celestia’s favored ponies.
After I finished my fantasizing for a moment longer I turned towards my once more burnt room and quickly began the all too familiar process of cleaning it. Incinerating fully what couldn’t be salvaged and making a list of what I would need to pick up the next time I was out of the castle. However far in the future, that would be as my schedule was to be filled with looking for the blazing monarchs' stash of relics.
Cleaning my room I was mentally going over the places where I knew that Princess Celestia wouldn’t dare to stash any relic worth stealing. It was unlikely to be in one of the public areas of the castle, that alone would cut down my search by about a third of the castle. I would of course need to check over those areas if I were not to find anything in the remaining two-thirds of the castle. Better to be thorough than miss out on a possible avenue. For I would prefer not to miss out on a possible avenue to Alicornhood by overlooking a spelled door.
I would prove to Princess Celestia that I was far more capable than she thought. That I didn’t need the celestial monarch to continue to treat me as a newborn foal. I was the strongest Unicorn in Equestria and I would show her. Once I ascended there would be no reason for me to be kicked out to make room for the parasite. If anything after my ascension the parasite would be the one removed from the castle. With those final warming thoughts, I ran through my teleportation spell once more, aiming towards the castle's depths where the dungeons lay.
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That was a good chapter. I wonder how much of Sunsets behavior and beliefs Celestia knows about.
11419988
Celestia knows more than Sunset would prefer and yet not nearly enough to to make a difference.
Sunset is just... wow. She's pretty fucked up. More than usual, too.