Twilight's Canterlot: RotE Episode 6

by Dream Volt

Questions and Answers

It hadn't been bugging me at first, but now here I was in Canterlot in the middle of the night. The night court was well lit but currently empty. Luna sat upon the throne and laughed. I blinked. Silent Sky was to the right of her and Firecracker the left.

"Twilight Sparkle. The sun is going to raise in scant few hours. You came in just as court ended. Sister told me you kept odd hours at times but ponies not in my service up at this hour are a true rarity."

"Oh." I looked down. "Sorry for bothering you it's just…"

"I am busy, but I will always have time for you Twilight Sparkle. What concern of yours could not wait until my sister awakes?"

I laughed, still not meeting her eyes. "Heh, that sorta was my first thought, but really when I teleported here I wanted to see you."

"Really?"

I looked up to see a smile and this hopeful look in her eyes. Sky and Firecracker both sighed. Sometimes I still forget how right Celestia was about her sister being even more clueless about friendship than I was. One of the main differences Luna seems to crave it to an extent I never did, and still don't. Of course the eager look was soon gone, but that didn't really change anything. I smiled.

"Of course. You're without a doubt the expert here. You realized the truth before we did and while your conclusion is still debatable, Celestia seems to be leaning the same way."

"That you are the elements. So something about that is keeping you awake?"

"Yes. Specifically that I haven't changed."

"What do you mean exactly? We are not sure."

"I mean that my friends have all changed. In Fluttershy's case a great deal, Raity in small ways but physically and magically, Pinkie both and neither at the same time, and AJ and Dash's magic has altered in major ways."

"And you think you haven't?"

"Yes. I didn't think much of it at the time but Rarity's magic clearly has expanded in a way I don't even understand. She knew and..."

"In short you're saying there is no pattern?"

I sighed and hung my head. "I am a silly pony, aren't I?"

Luna laughed. "In a way. However just because none of you are taking quite the same path doesn't mean you aren't all moving forward. I doubt that will happen to any of you as long as you remain by each others sides."

I raised my head. "What do you mean?"

"I mean Twilight, you are not your friends. But you have changed. I could try to simply tell you, but I would prefer you answer a question for me first."

"Of course." I smiled

"What have you learned about magic recently."

I froze. I immediately teleported in several of my journals from Ponyville. I can't mess this up. It's far too important. I quickly sped through the floating journals trying to find the right pages, but wasn't really sure what pages those were.

"Twilight. Calm thyself."

I looked up. "But you said that…"

"I do not need the details, you have already given those to me. Well formatted as well, and various possible conclusions for that matter. I am looking for something more basic."

"Huh?"

"A synopsis. An overview. This is not a test, it is meant to help illustrate an answer. So now tell me, what have you learned."

"I don't know where to begin."

"Emotions." Said Sky

"Hmm, yes, that will do I think."

"What?" Then I shook my head. "Wait I have this, I have this."

I was hyperventilating. Slowly I began counting prime numbers. Moonfire was right this did work better than just counting all integers in a row starting from one. Of course she used it when she was ready to hit a pony not panic attacks. I felt much more calm and focused. This is just like when Celestia asked me a question she already knew the answer to. It was a test, but more a teaching method. I took a deep breath.

"Okay. Emotion is generally taught as something to eliminate from spell casting. Focus and will, in that order. Pegasai magic seems fueled by it instead, but then I had an idea. Namely that emotion could drive all sorts of magic, even unicorn."

Luna nodded. "Go on."

"I tested this with my brother's shield. He was trained to restrict emotion as well since it can mess with proper spell casting, but when teaching me when thing he mentioned to me that I always thought was odd how thinking about who you're protecting helps."

"As in you and the rest of his family?" said Sky "Even if you were nowhere nearby."

I nodded and smiled. "Exactly. He was using emotion to strengthen his magic. It could do more than merely disrupt or cause loss of control. And I proved it. In fact…" I then paused. "But that isn't exactly about emotion and…."

"If it answers my question by all means continue."

"Well focus, will emotion, and…" I paused again. "Calm? I'm not really sure how to describe it. It's feeling the flow of magic in your own body. There might be another one or two factors as well but I'm not sure."

"Factors for what?" Asked Firecracker. "Spell casting?"

I nodded. "Obviously. I'd guess six since mystically speaking that number comes up an awful lot, but I'm not sure. The point is all the factors matter. Some types of magic and possibly casting methods seem to lend themselves to certain factors, but the others can't be ignored. In fact I think…"

"Yes, all of them matter." Said Luna "Flow is the term the hippocampi use of the last for obvious reasons. Symbology is a fifth."

I smiled widely. "Oh, of course. Like runes. But it's more than that. Symbols make the ethereal concrete. Love is a vague concept, but with a heart you can sum up the entire idea simply and make others understand. Or use it in spellcraft."

"Whoa, you just blew my mind."

Sky shook her head. "You use that phrase so often it has become virtually meaningless."

"And it's in all magic somewhat isn't it? We don't even think about but…" Then I gasped. "Wait, words are symbols in this context too aren't they?"

"Wow, it exploded twice." Said Firecracker

Sky just sighed.

Luna nodded. "Of course. It's a simple concept, but one not often considered. Though conversely it rarely needs to be."

"But it's still important."

"If there is a sixth I don't know it, even if I may in fact make use of it. I have always strongly suspected there is, but cannot determine what it could possibly be. So, do you understand yet?"

I blinked. I wasn't sure what I was to understand. While this was all so fascinating it didn't seem to answer my question in any way. I hung my head.

"I'm sorry."

"Do not despair. I did not think that would be enough, so my next question is how many spells do you know?"

"Okay, just give me a moment."

I focused on the journal in question. I then realized the other journals were still floating in front of me and sent them back. A simple ID rune made bringing the right book easy. With a flash it was in front of me. I flipped though it looking over the various subtotals, and the big total at the back on the book.

"Hmmm, I remember now, I started having trouble figuring it out."

I looked up to see Luna smiling. "Really."

"Geesh, I can see why."

I fell over. Firecracker had been standing next to me reading over my shoulder. I briefly thought she must be spending even more time with Pinkie than I thought to learn her tricks, but then realized I was reading. One time a rogue spell demolished the wall in front of me and I didn't even notice until someone took my book away. I got a little angry and then there was another wall to fix, but in my defense it was a really good book.

"Uh, where was I again?"

"You couldn't figure it out." Said Firecracker, still invading my personal space. "I don't even get this notation. I mean you've got like a billion variants in here and some seem to be listed as variants of more than one spell."

"They are. Actually it's starting to seem like every spell is just a variant of every other."

Firecracker rolled her eyes. "Wow, you've really been hitting the books to hard haven't you. I mean that's just silly."

"NEIGH." Luna then smiled. "It is anything but."

"What?" Firecracker then scoffed and let out a little snort. "That's totally bonkers. Magic doesn’t work that way. Fire spells will never be variants of ice.

I smiled "Oh but they are. Sure the effects aren't remotely similar, but all magic doesn't just share the same source, but similarity in the patterns when the spell is cast. In the case of fire and ice they are mostly inverted versions of each other, fire is a chemical reaction and ice water with a lack of temperature so they aren't exactly opposites but…"

"So her cold spell may actually make sense in some way after all?" asked Sky

I nodded. "Obviously. In fact it almost seems like there is a better way to teach magic than individual spells, the language of the patterns themselves, but I can't quite figure out how a pony could even do that."

Luna clapped her front hooves together. "Very good Twilight. Extraordinary in fact. Do you know how long it took me to figure that out?"

"Uh, a few years? It seems really basic actually. I don't know why I didn't see it sooner I guess I'm just…"

"Somewhere between 600 and 800 years."

I fell down, sprawled over the floor. "What?"

"Mam sure you are exaggerating slightly and…"

"No Sky. I am not. Though as I have said before some things are a touch scrambled."

"What do you mean scrambled?" I asked

"Unimportant. What is important is I am at least about right. Granted this was nearer to the beginning of history so I had considerably less resources than you do."

"It's still impressive I'm sure." Added Sky

"So now I ask you Twilight, can you tell me what I think has changed?"

I stared forward. "I'm…"

I stopped. I had an answer, but it just sounded so ridiculous. Except I have made more progress in my magical studies in the last month or so than the last few, and since I used the elements even with all the distractions of having friends I've mastered countless more spell than the rest of my entire life. I'd have to double check my magic journals and spell books but I had a strong feeling what I'd see if I did. I slowly stood up.

"I'm getting better? I was always considered a prodigy, but somehow my natural aptitude is still increasing. Magic ability always increased in an exponential manner, the more spells you know the easier it is to learn even more, but there is usually a ceiling, or at least a road bump. But I won't have that problem, will I?"

Luna nodded. "And thus you have changed and not changed at all. You are advancing at a steady, if accelerating pace. While your friends bursts of advancement are more impressive, it doesn't mean you aren't different too."

I smiled. It was so simple. Then a stray thought started to bug me. That all sounded perfectly reasonable, but suddenly one piece didn't fit.

"But knowledge doesn't come from nowhere."

"Well yes, and it isn't knowledge but…"

"No, that still doesn't make sense." I shook my head, frowning. "Talent is not some measurable number it is a function of personality intellect and maybe some other factors but it can't just go up directly."

"But there are spells that…" Luna then paused. "Wait, no increasing intellect is possible which can help but you're right. What does…"

"I believe I know." Sky then blinked and turned to Luna. "Sorry for interrupting."

"No, go ahead my captain. I am interested in what you have to say."

"The elements are connected. This is obvious. As Luna is right, this means the elements are now six living ponies. The source of magic is living things, and magical power is generated by their interactions."

I gasped. "Omigosh, that's why the rainboom jump started my magic. We were already connected in some small way but it strengthened the bond." I smiled. "You know I used to be an unusually weak spellcaster. I didn't even have any magic surges when younger. Usually that means poor magic when older. Which means…"

I laughed out loud. My friends were essentially the source of my power, and maybe even most of my talent. I loved magic so much and my cutie mark leaves no doubt, but none of that meant I had to be powerful or as talented as I am. Then suddenly I figured out where she was going with this and stared.

"But that doesn't answer my question. It's them. I haven't suddenly gotten so much better at air and earth magic just because I've been studying it, but because Dash and AJ are understanding their own magic better."

"I believe so." Said Sky "Nature is much the same, correct?"

I looked down. "Nature can be tricky, but I have been having better luck. I'm still having trouble with water but it does seem a little more sensible somehow suddenly."

I looked up to see Luna and Firecracker staring at Silent Sky. Sky blinked. Then she let out a short laugh.

"You know I take my job very seriously. Magic relates to all the greatest threats to Equestria in one way or another. Of course I've studied it extensively, and think about its nature often. Know thy enemy, including their magic."

"Yes. We are sorry good captain. We forget sometimes to true extent of your talents."

"Yea, sorry bossmare, but usually lacking a horn means you can't really get…"

I stepped forward. "But that's just it, she can. Unicorns have a major edge since our horn is specifically designed to not just focus, but also analyze magic. Sometimes I don't even have to think about it. I just know how the magic is around something."

"I guess that happens sometimes, but only with fire and junk."

I smiled. "So in the end I owe my friends almost everything. Without them…"

"HOLD." Luna then smiled when I stopped "While there is some logic to that conclusion, we believe you are missing the point."

"Huh?"

"The rainboom awakened something in you, but trust that you were well and truly separated afterward again. You…"

"Wait, are you…" Then I gasped and hung my head. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. Just…"

"No, finish your thought. We think it may make our assurances pointless, if no less accurate. Some of your power is your own and your skill, but that doesn't worry you, does it."

I smiled "Of course not. It's just one more thing I owe my friends. I guess you could say I really did have some friends in Canterlot, but I don't think my family, my babysitter and my mentor really count, no matter how amazing they are."

"Or how much they act like your friends since you feel as if they have a sort of duty to you and dismiss that connection." Luna then sighed. "You should never dismiss such a thing Twilight Sparkle, no matter where it comes from."

Then she smiled and looked at her two guards. As a princess most of the ponies you interact with daily work for you directly, and those that don't are still your subjects. Celestia is always friends with everypony, regardless of position. Even if there is some obligation there, that doesn't make it any less real. I smiled up at Luna.

"You're right of course. Even if I classified them as some other category I suppose they all sorta were my friends even your sister in a strange way."

"A strange way? What does thou mean by that. Thou art mine sister's only true…" Luna then suddenly stopped and sighed. "Never mind Twilight. It is not our place to speak of such things."

"Huh?"

"We interrupted you. We believe you were about to make a point about your friends."

I was crying a little suddenly. "I almost lost them yesterday. Discord…" I sniffled and used a hoof to wipe away a few tears, then smiled. "But he didn't and that makes me happy. I don't mind owing them anything more, because it's like infinity. It doesn't matter how much more I owe them because everything is still everything."

Luna smiled. "I see. Still, they are not the only source of your power, even if it is more than significant."

"Also from what we know of the elements most likely you are also the source of their power, and this is true of all of you."

"All of us…"

My five best friends in the world are amazing, but they aren't the only friends I've made since coming to Ponyville. Lyra remembered me more than I remembered her, but since moving here we even taught each other a spell or two. Sugar Grape is the only really regular customer I get at the library and knows the fiction section better than I do. Derpy is a great mare to talk to and she finally seems to believe I accepted her apology. There are countless other friends too. Most I barely know more than their name, but we're still relatively pleasant to each other. I smiled.

"I bet just about anything if I had the data there would be a direct correlation to how many friends I have and my increase in ability. Furthermore I bet the more I know them the better the effect. Especially with the other elements."

Luna was staring wide eyed. "That, makes sense."

"Hmmm." Sky was looking up. I noticed lots of pegasai did that while thinking "You know your brother's shield spell correct?"

"Most variants of it even. Though he's probably figured out a few dozen more by now."

"And one of Cadence's spell's as well?"

"Her want it need it spell. She worries that I learned it, but it would only be really dangerous if it lasted longer or was more powerful. She mostly uses it to make the paparazzi fall in love with lamp posts and such so she can ditch them."

"And your mother and father?"

"Some basic stuff of course, but from dad I learned a night sky telemetry spell. From mom I learned a spell than changes the color of paint. She refuses to alter it when on the canvas though, which seems strange to me. I mean wouldn’t it be so much easier just to paint the canvas with whatever color and change it all to exactly the image you want?"

"That sounds really difficult." Said Firecracker.

"I believe that is missing the point." Added Sky

"Mom says the same thing. I still don't get it."

"So, what about Celestia?"

"Oh she's taught me so much I don't even know where I would begin. She's an amazing teacher. I can try a spell by myself countless times, but with her helping I get it pretty quickly." Then blinked. "Although…"

"It seems like she got even better with time?"

I nodded. "Yes. How did you guess?"

"An assumption."

I was trying to figure out exactly what that meant when I heard a clunk. Luna was still staring, and now sprawled on the floor halfway down the steps leading to her throne. She quickly stood, and walked back up, quickly sitting down and shifting about to get comfortable again. What was that about?"

"Putting aside the matter of stealing away recently resumed jobs for the moment."

"What?" I said, blinking

"Though I guess the possibility isn't all bad. It's a difficult spell, so merely being an acquaintance is not enough. Good friends, maybe even best friends."

"I still don't understand what you're talking about."

"It is of little concern. You have your answer. Now I shall spirit you home."

"Uh, okay."

With a flash of her horn I was back home standing next to my bed. I was still a little confused, about a few things actually but none of them seemed that important right now. I yawned. Well it looks like I can sleep now at least.

"Which is odd because there is so much to consider."

"Whu?" said weary voice from some distance

"Sorry Spike, just go back to bed."

I heard some inarticulate mumbling in reply. I then giggled, followed shortly by another yawn. It has been a hectic couple of days and it is really late. I can at least get a few hours of sleep then think about this more in the morning. I hadn't heard anything bad tonight, just strange, and mostly good. The second I hit the pillow I suddenly didn't have the energy to even pull up my blankets. I then realized I should just use my magic. I closed my eyes a few times before I got the blanket over me. That's comfy.

Comments

[musicluvr1974]

This is shaping up into something really good, I think. Like the old fable of the turtle and the rabbit, a slow start ceases to matter if you just hold steady.

[BenRG]

I wonder if Twilight is ready to realise the implications of this yet. She is Friendship, so her powers grow greater so long as she has more and truer friends. Being the avatar of Magic might also mean that she has no upper limit on her powers. Any kind of magic, even if a unicorn should not be biologically capable of wielding it, should be within her reach, so long as she can conquer her own doubts. Of course, courage is the thing that she gets from her friends, isn't it?

I've got a feeling that there will be no 'Lesson Zero' in this universe. Frankly, Twilight will be too busy and learning too much about Friendship (as an aspect of her own inherit nature) to descend into a panic.

If the Elements continue to increase in power at their current rate, I have a feeling that the Changeling 'invasion' will turn into a rather unpleasant ichor-splattered bug-hunt/massacre.

[Majk]

So if Twilight becomes even better friends with Luna and Celly, she'll gain the ability to raise the sun and moon?

Twilight! WHY u so OP?