This story is a sequel to The Boy, The Sword, and The Stone
The Nature of Magic
By: Star Swirl the Bearded
Chapter 7: Emotional Response and Subconscious Reactions
Subsection 3: Consequences and other Phenomena
Tantabi
Incarnations of a powerful magic user's potent feelings, born and nourished by their regrets and anguish. Magical manifestations so strong, they gain a mind of their own, influenced by their original's darkest desires and most primal of instincts. Their ultimate goal is to fulfill their user's most heartfelt wish, unhindered by mental constructs like morality. Thankfully, or perhaps unfortunately, they are caged within the user's mind upon creation, and they can begin to influence and even overtake the user over time. Although cases of this happening have been incredibly rare since the magic needed to create one is far beyond the capabilities of normal creatures and ponies, there have been a few recorded cases of it in the distant past.
Ancient texts speak of a chilling theoretical possibility. From the very words of a pony who had been inflicted with one, translated to the best of my ability: "The magic mist had grown too strong. It rent the heavens of my dreams and nearly tore into the waking world. The damage it would have unleashed would have been catastrophic, had I not stopped it."
The scroll I took those words from is old, and unfortunately, the answer to stopping a Tantabus has been weathered by Father Time into illegibility, but all my research on them has given me one undeniable answer: I pray Equestria will never find itself facing even just one of them. The world would not have a hero big enough to save it then.
Cover Art was drawn for this story by DamayantiArts on Deviant Art. If you like her work, let her know!
Additional tags for involved characters: Luna and Celestia.
That caught me off guard. Chrys? Who's Chrys? Then i got hit by a frisbee. OOOOOOH, THAT CHRYS! Then I started grinning, Chrys is always welcome. Tis a good start, I await for more.
Pipsqueak and Chrys are about to go on dream adventures and I'm all for it!
Very uplifting, really loved the prose
Pip is very interesting to watch! He is small and curious. A perfect little hero-to-be
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Was honestly looking for the tiniest reason to use her more, since she's a joy to write and think about. And with my newly created extended universe, plus a lot of the details and plans going forward with Pip's story... she ended up being the most logical choice out of anyone else, even the canon cast.
AND SO I STARTED BLASTING away at my keyboard. Gosh darn it, if I can add her to a story, I will!
And I'll apologize beforehand, since I understand not everyone will want to read her stories to understand who she is, so now I have to characterize her from the start again and that might seem a little repetitious to those who know of her already. I now need to go take another lesson on How to naturally and organically introduce old characters to a new story.
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I'll be cheering for you on the sidelines!
And for Pip and Chrys ofc.
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I'm glad to see Chrys again! She's written fairly well, but so many 'Chrys' are written that the lore tends to blur. From another fiction I read Chrys could be a reincarnation or 'reverted to a child and lost her memories' Chrysalis. It does get a bit confusing sometimes but the fact is I didn't need specifics to understand her personality.
The Guardian on the other hand has specific back story from another of your fics, and could cause confusion to first readers if it becomes a focus. Just leave it as a passing, unimportant fact for the moment and it should be fine
I'm loving this series so far!
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That's definitely the plan, much as I would like to have him tag along for some exposition, but is not nessecary. I do feel like I managed to characterize him well in Pip's short, and this story is purposely tagged as a sequel, though I still run short of reasons to include him other than acting as another voice, so I won't.
And thank you for the wonderful comment and for choosing to tag along with this one!
For any misunderstandings concerning Chrys... those who know, know and this is acting as a bit of service for them and also for me, since I love writing about her. Those who don't are in for a treat as we learn a bit about her and what she has to do with the overarching plot. How is this changeling connected to Tantabi? Name sounds familiar, wonder what that's about. Unique characteristics, beyond the broken speech patterns. And she seems awfully close to the cast of the show... well! Lots to unpack for the uninitiated.
Into the dream realm we go 😴
Nothing nefarious here...
Wonder if Ogres & Oubliettes will play into it somehow
what is this? Time Traveling Diamond Tiara? mmm, curious.
I love how the narration switched to a more playful style near the end.
To those of you who are confused by Diamond Tiara's behavior and apparent history:
I recommend you read "I Will Be Your Villainess", as that explains a lot.
As for this chapter, OH BOY this was a trip and it's gonna get wilder from here!
Well, now I wonder how this encounter with what seems to be another Tantabus will go
Will it break 'convention' and proceeds to communicate? Since that was established here, it would be interesting to see. What a being such as this have to say?
Long game of waiting has begun.