My Little Planets

by LittleAngelStocking

Chapter Two - Theology II

Twilight Sparkle focused her horn; she had done this before but never like this. She bit her lip in concentration, the glow in her horn creating an intense ball of white light that nearly blinded Spike and Rainbow Dash.

Twilight’s legs started to shake, her breathing quickened and sweat formed on her brow, as the effort weighed down upon her. Her eyes clenched shut tighter, and the blinding ball of light slowly expanded, pulsed, sparks of magic erupting from it.

And then it faded, flickering out like a candle. Twilight gasped, refusing to open her eyes. “No! I didn’t even progress! I have to try again.” She sucked in a deep breath, and before her companions could interject she strained once again, willing her magic to work and her fatigue to go away. Her horn slowly started to glow once again. Spike wanted to stop her, but wasn’t sure if it was safe while she was concentrating on a spell.

Twilight collapsed, a single spark falling from her horn. “Twilight!” Spike cried, running to her side. Dash flew next to her, and nudged her. “Twilight?”

“No!” Twilight gasped. “This has to work! I… I…” she tried one more time, holding her breath and focusing as hard as she possibly could.

Finally Twilight finally collapsed completely, her head throbbing. “Oh…” she murmured, eyes fluttering open. “Uh, you alright?” Rainbow Dash helped the wobbly-legged unicorn to her hooves.

“I’m fine, guys I just- ow!” a sharp stab of pain from her horn caught her off-guard, and she gasped.

“Twilight? I told you to practice first!” Spike said, stepping up to her side.

“I just… need a rest, a nap…” Twilight groaned, rubbing her throbbing head. Then, she collapsed on her side, unconscious.

“Twilight!”

~~~

Twilight hated waking up with a migraine. She drifted slowly into wakefulness, wishing she could fall back asleep so she could wake up later without a headache. The unicorn lifted her head, wincing at the wave of blinding pain it elicited. She gently stroked her aching horn with a hoof, waiting for the wave to pass. She surveyed her surroundings, discovering she’d been put on her bed in her room.

She forced herself to sit up, contemplating whether or not to go back to sleep or go downstairs. The sun was still up; there was a lot to do.

Like what?

…Practice, of course. “I failed because I need practice. Spike was right, I’m – ow! – I need practice.” She groaned, closing her eyes at the waves of pain in her head. It was like her entire brain was throbbing against the inside of her skull.

She felt it pathetic. The spell had barely taken effect and she was left unconscious with a ferocious migraine. She knew it was going to be difficult, but…

Perhaps I was too confident, too excited. She closed her eyes and lay back down, tugging the pillow up over her face.

“…After another nap, I’ll get back up and study, practice, and try to expand my magical energy.” She closed her eyes, relaxing, hoping sleep would wash the pain away.

Several minutes later, she rolled onto her side, one hoof holding the pillow over her head, trying to ignore the painful throb. “Why me,” she groaned after several more minutes. The hurt refused to let her sleep. A sleep spell was out of the question: that would only make it worse.

I wonder if I was able to pull off the spell… that could take years to master, I’ve only tried once and it’s left me like this and I barely even managed it! There has got to be some other way… practice, yes that’s one thing, but… could there be a shortcut? I wonder…

Twilight never finished the thought; the blackness of sleep finally pulled her under.

~~~

Twilight awoke later that afternoon feeling rested and headache free. She brushed her mane quickly, making herself presentable for… herself, and trotted down the steps. Spike and Rainbow Dash were eating lunch, various sandwiches on a plate between them in the kitchen, and both looked up when Twilight trotted in.

“You’re awake!” Spike said mouth full of sandwich. “Are you okay?”

“Gross! Don’t speak with your mouth full!” Twilight scolded. “But to answer your question, yes. I’m fine.”

“That’s good!” Rainbow Dash said with her mouth also full of sandwich. “Let me tell you, I had trouble taking you up those stairs! What do you weigh, like fifty hundred pounds?”

Twilight was going to scold Rainbow for talking with her mouth full, but now found herself self-consciously examining her sides. She wasn’t that fat was she? Maybe just a little pudgy… but she stayed inside reading books all the time! She managed to keep a decent weight for somepony who didn’t get out too much!

“So…” she started, “did anything happen? When I was doing the spell?”

“You mean other than an explosion of magical light? Not really,” Rainbow said, spraying Twilight with crumbs. Twilight wrinkled her nose in disgust, “Dash!”

“What?” the Pegasus swallowed, wiping her mouth with a hoof. “Oh,” she realized when Twilight wiped herself down. Rainbow smiled sheepishly, “Sorry!”

Twilight seated herself next to the two, and picked up a daffodil sandwich off the plate. “That’s it? Huh,” she bit into her sandwich, staring off into space thoughtfully.

“Why?” Spike asked. “Was something else supposed to happen?”

“No, I just thought it would have been more… ‘The entire town comes to check on us’ sort of magical explosion.” She shrugged, “I will need to practice smaller for a bit.” She nodded towards Spike, who nodded in an ‘I told you so’ sort of way.

“Once I’m done eating I’m going to start researching again,” she said after taking and swallowing another bite. “I want to be able to do this as soon as possible!”

“Really?” Spike groaned. “You were absorbed in studies all week! Why don’t you take a break?”

“Oh Spike, you know I don’t have time for that!”

“But… you assigned this test to yourself; it’s not something Princess Celestia’s having you study. You can do it whenever.”

“Yes, but I want to perfect it as soon as possible, which will take lots of time, dedication and study. This isn’t turning apples into oranges or looking into pony’s thoughts; it’s putting my mind out as far into the sky as I possibly can and looking into planets! That will take a lot of energy!”

“Why do you need to do that?” Rainbow Dash cut in, prompting Twilight to explain everything from observing mars in her telescope to studying the planets and so forth. Rainbow Dash nodded slowly, looking more than a little bored.

“Oookay, but why not just ask the Princesses?” Dash scratched her head.

“That’s exactly what I said!” Spike cried.

“I want to study it myself!” Twilight said, “It’s something I want to learn for myself, not ask the Princesses!” she finished her sandwich in one last quick bite and hopped off the seat. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have more studying to get to. Dash, could you take Spike and do something outside? I would like some solitude while I work.”

Rainbow shrugged. “Eh.”

“…I’ll take that as a yes?” Twilight half-asked.

“Sure!” Rainbow Dash rose into the air, grabbing Spike in a hoof. “I got some aerial stuff to do, Wonderbolt Practice – but I can take Spike! C’mon, let’s see how fast I can fly with a dragon on my back!”

“Oh! Uh... okay!” Spike replied enthusiastically, silently wishing he had wings. “See you, Twilight!”

Twilight waved as Rainbow Dash flew through an open window. What’s so hard about using doors? She wondered, mildly annoyed by Dash’s choice of exits and entrances. Don’t be like that; at least she’s not crashing through your ceiling! She thought with a chuckle, trotting into the main library room. She picked up her scrolls which she had written down more important spells and strategies in the past, and levitated several magical books down towards her. She didn’t even need to look to know where they were – she knew their location by heart.

“Let’s see…” she scanned the titles, which one would be more likely to have what she needed?

“…The Mysteries of Magic, Magical Anomalies, A Guide to Magical Conservation and Energy, Aegis Shield’s Scrap File – wait.” That last one made her pause and blink. “…Why do I even have that?” She tossed it aside, and searched through the rest.

“Riiight… Ah! Here we go!” she levitated the book titled ‘Magic: How to use the Magic within our surroundings to our Advantage’, and neatly stacked the other books in a pile next to her desk. She settled down on her floor-pillow, placing the book on the desk. She curled her tail around herself and put her cheeks in her hooves, magically opening the book.

Comments

[Ms_Fruit_Bat]

That refrence, I got.

[LittleAngelStocking]

1878886 The Aegis Shield one?

[Ms_Fruit_Bat]

1878915 Si senor.

[Nebula1701]

haha interesting...

[LittleAngelStocking]

1833833 OH. I forgot to mention in my other reply: Cadance IS the goddess of love, but she's sort of like Cupid.

Cupid is the son of Venus, and while I'm not going to say too much yet, Cadance is sort of the same thing.

Love and sex/fertility and stuff are different, wink wink.

[ultra1437]

What you did there, i have witnessed it. Aegis Shield's Scrap File, that was a good one.

[Derpy_Dragon]

Had a amusing thought involving that spell of Twilight's. She should try using it on the planet they are living on instead of the planets that are far away. Would probably make the spell easier to do and the results could be very interesting.

[NoGoodUsrNames99]

OOOOOOOh a cliff hanger...

now i'll be on pins and needles to find out what happens next