My Little Priestess - Worship is Magic

by Georg

Chapter The Third - Persistence through Difficulties

The Book of Harmony
Chapter the Third - Persistence through Difficulties

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Having achieved the Fourth Task with a little bit of scheduled time to spare, the Faithful Disciple and the Blessed Hatchling did travel to the hamlet of Ponyville, which was within a short walk, in order to begin work upon the Fifth and most difficult Task. For the recognition⁽*⁾ of Art is a skill which few Followers of the Light truly possess, and those who bring forth beauty from simple cloth or paper are the most Blessed of ponies.
(*) It is written that recognition of your devotion to the Divine Radiance can be enhanced by the deposit of no fewer than fifty bits within the coffers of the Office of Divine Publication, PO Box 785, Canterlot, EQ, 00021

Once there in the humble hamlet, which was filled with the tumult of preparation, the Faithful Disciple and the Blessed Hatchling sought out the Keeper of Holy Garments, who awaited their arrival with great anticipation. Unfortunately, there was a small accident on the route…

~ ~ ☥ ~ ~

“Watch where you’re going, you… blockhead!” shouted Twilight at the wagon which had just nearly run them down. “May your… body part gain… something terrible like boils or stinky hoof odor!”

“That’s telling them, Twilight.” Spike shook the empty tin cup, which Twilight deposited two bits, then after a little bit more of rattling by Spike, one additional bit. “Cursing is against the teaching of the Divine Radiance,” said Spike, tucking the coins away into his Sacred Satchel.

“I know,” grumbled Twilight. “It’s just—”

A brisk breeze blew by, cutting off Twilight Sparkle’s explanation of her error, most likely because the breeze also contained a pegasus moving at a high rate of speed, which somewhat slowed when she collided with Twilight.

“Whoops! Excuse me.” declared the pegasus, hovering over the muddy puddle where Her Divine Radiance’s Faithful Disciple was currently resting in meditative repose. Or at least it seemed to be some sort of mental exercise, because Twilight was holding very still and grinding her teeth. “My bad,” declared the pegasus in total violation of the Divine Radiance’s Guide to Good Grammar, Seventh Edition. “Let me help you.”

Spike held out the Offering Can of Curse Indulgences and awaited the donation which was sure to follow. To his disappointment, Twilight merely yelped in surprise when the cloud the pegasus retrieved began to pour ice-cold rain all over her, then she staggered around in little circles after the ‘Rainbow-Blow-Dry’ was complete.

Giving a quick, caustic glance at her dragon companion, Twilight Sparkle dug out a large gem and dropped it into his can. “Paying in advance,” she grumbled, then turned her attention skyward.

~ ~ ☥ ~ ~

And lo, the Divine Radiance’s Faithful Disciple did chastise the negligent Skyborn for her carelessness using words most powerful until even the sky trembled at her wrath and the whole world did know of her displeasure.

~ ~ ☥ ~ ~

“I’m going to need a bigger cup,” said Spike, holding out the Offering Can of Curse Indulgences and giving it a shake.

“Since I said it all at once, it only counts for one,” said Twilight, looking around the empty sky which had likewise become vacant of any guilty bystanders. “And as for you.” Initiate Sparkle turned on the dragon, who was dashing away at his top speed.

“Come back with my checklist!” she called out to no avail. Thankfully, the Blessed Hatchling was as out of shape as the Faithful Disciple, and the resulting race was more of a slow jog across the town until it ended in the next chapter.

Well, stanza.

Okay, I suppose stanzas are for singing. Just keep reading the Holy Scripture and reflect upon your transgressions of doubt regarding the Inscriber of History. Now scoot. Go on. Down the page.

~ ~ ☥ ~ ~

“Well, I suppose we can go look at the Sanctum of Glory, the Holy Temple of Garments For Her Divine Radiance and how it is prepared for the ceremony first,” she grumbled, following in his clawed footprints. “Too bad we don’t have draconic sacrifices any more. I wonder if she’d like them brought back. We could call it Worship Classic. Naa, the little lizard is too useful.”

~ ~ ☥ ~ ~

Thus did the Divine Radiance’s Faithful Disciple come to the end of her Day’s tasks by visiting the inner sanctum of Creator Rarity, the Keeper of Sacred Garments. Great was the stress placed upon the Faithful Disciple, for the worshipers of this small city had taxed her patience to the end with their demands requests and behavior, so great that she neglected her most faithful Divine Hatchling sorely⁽¹⁾.
(1) That means a lot.
—

Thankfully, the most beautiful, glorious, graceful of unicorns did bring the Faithful Disciple into her care, adorning her body with the finest of cloth in the most current fashion as dictated by the Divine Radiance and the Supplicants of Knowledge who divine her intent by way of arcane and mystical rites most secret. This font of beauty did devote a great deal of her precious time in the forlorn attempt to make the Initiate acquire even a faint shadow of the Glory that surrounds the Divine Radiance, but no matter how she tried, Initiate Sparkle remained unchanged. Many garments were tried, but despite their inherent beauty brought out by the inestimable skill of the Creator of Sacred Garments, it was a lost cause, and great was the lamenting afterward.

~ ~ ☥ ~ ~

“You done?” Twilight looked over Spike’s notes, took in the little doodles of unicorns in the margins, the page and a half of Rarity’s name written in loopy cursive, and a fairly good drawing of her, if one were to ignore the rays of light emitted from her face and the golden halo over her head. Then Twilight considered the way the little dragon continued to gaze in the direction that the Creator of Sacred Garments had vanished, undoubtedly on her way to bring back even more clothes for the Faithful Disciple to be sequentially stuffed into.

“Yep, you’re done. Come on, Stinky-Breath. Time is wasting. We’ve got one more place to visit.”

Spike jolted out of his stunned silence and dug his claws into the flooring. “No! Can’t I stay here? Twilight!”

It did not help a bit. Twilight Sparkle continued to tow the dragon by his tail, headed in the direction of a tall tree-building nearby.

~ ~ ☥ ~ ~

And Thus did the Divine Radiance’s Faithful Disciple arrive at the Ponyville Temple to Sacred Knowledge⁽¹⁾, prepared for the ceremony in all regards as it had been written.
(1) Open from 10AM to 5PM daily for Inspirational Visits, with services every evening during the weekends. Free foalcare and valet wagon parking provided.
—

And there was much rejoicing as the Hour of Evening approached, for all was prepared for the celebration and the Hour of the Divine Radiance’s revelation.

“I can’t help but think I’m missing something,” mused Initate Sparkle.

“At least you’re not moping about being banished,” said the Divine Hatchling.

~ ~ ☥ ~ ~

And lo, the Initiate did recall the revelation which drove her to this pilgrimage of faith, and retreated to a place of quiet to meditate upon the words of the Divine Radiance.

~ ~ ☥ ~ ~

“Me and my big mouth,” grumbled Spike as the library door slammed.

“It happens.”

“Wha!” The Divine Hatchling sprang into the air and looked at the new pony. “The Maneish Inquisition!”

The pink pony giggled. “Not them, silly. I’m Pinkie Pie, the Arranger of Unexpected Events. All celebrations, all of the time for the Faithful Worshipers of the Divine Radiance.” Her eyes narrowed, and a cold breeze swept across Spike’s bare scales. “You are a Faithful Worshiper, right?”

“Right!” Spike grabbed a cupcake and doused it with a good dose from the Elixir of Holy Fire next to the snacks. “Let’s party, fellow worshipers!”

Comments

[Georg]

Because nopony expects the Maneish Inquisition.

[Totally Not A Pony]

Poor Divine Radiance. No wonder we don’t see much of her in pony.

[DarkSnowGaming]

“That’s telling them, Twilight.” Spike shook the empty tin cup, which Twilight deposited two bits, then after a little bit more of rattling by Spike, one additional bit. “Cursing is against the teaching of the Divine Radiance,” said Spike, tucking the coins away into his Sacred Satchel.

... Seriously? And all she said was "blockhead". I fear what would happen if someone said an actual curse word.

And lo, the Divine Radiance’s Faithful Disciple did chastise the negligent Skyborn for her carelessness using words most powerful until even the sky trembled at her wrath and the whole world did know of her displeasure.

Would have loved to see it. Sadly the story is rated E and not T or M.

[Eroraf86]

12045165
Yeah, but I was expecting not to expect something, so it doesn't count.

[FanOfMostEverything]

Okay, I suppose stanzas are for singing. Just keep reading the Holy Scripture and reflect upon your transgressions of doubt regarding the Inscriber of History.

But is not the idiom "to give chapter and verse," o Honored Historian?

as dictated by the Divine Radiance and the Supplicants of Knowledge who divine her intent by way of arcane and mystical rites most secret.

Just asking her is dismissed as far too straightforward sacrilegious.

Given Pinkie's upbringing, I suppose it shouldn't be surprising that she's less than friendly towards enemies of the faith. Still, hopefully she won't take the heresy of walking out on your own welcome party too hard.

[SudokuBrony]

And there was much rejoicing as the Hour of Evening approached, for all was prepared for the celebration and the Hour of the Divine Radiance’s revelation.