Inkwell - Part 9

Inkwell - Part 9- Made of Reflections and Friendship.

Guard Captain's account of events

I get it now, Cadence.

'Shining' bucking Armor finally 'gets it'.

Oh, I understood before, Princess Celestia herself told me about it. But now I 'get it'.

A cutie mark is just the participation ribbon, the little signal on the road that tells you a general direction based on what you like. With a little cleverness, you could get your talent to apply in many, many more things.

I still vividly remember her lecture, even after all this time. Celestia expanded on her connection with the sun, making her talent powerful magic, glorious arcane feats, soft and kind applications of her power… but also her ability to nurture, her warm personality.

My little sister too, even if she isn't yet doing what the princess is doing. Her talent is 'magic', and her cutie mark is a starburst.

Her talent involves great displays of power, as evidenced by the large, pink star… but also the smaller, delicate aspects, as seen by the small white stars; their numbers represent her ability to perform multiple-weave spells or even multiple spells altogether at once – three-weave spells are considered very advanced in the eyes of the average unicorn and she only has to study them for a couple of weeks at most; she also has quite the ability to understand and manipulate the sub-components of spells, as symbolized by the large white star underneath the pink one…

How destiny has marked my sister… everything is significant! The six stars, one for every Element of Harmony, with Magic itself as her! The central element, which represents the synthesis of the others and holds them together! And it doesn't stop there; even the number of points in her stars means something!

And she found everything out just by looking at Twilight - well, this goes much further than just looking, but the fact still stands that they had met only hours before she discovered the elements on her own.

And she made me 'get' that to make something special, you just have to 'want' it. She made me 'get' it, and now I can see how you can make even a cutie mark about a 'special talent' of one apparently-specific thing apply to a wide variety of applications.

All she had to do was demonstrate the reverse - how a cutie mark with many meanings can have all of them used for a single purpose, with a focus so intense it blows everything out of the water; this particular goal being 'become absolutely devastating in a fight'.

I couldn't help but stare, like a moron, at the dent that she made on a wall using the body of Stalwart 'idiotic zealot number two' Wall. I know, I know, I should respect him, being a fellow guard, and I being Captain… but time and time again he shows us that he doesn't deserve it – he has the second-highest rate of civilian injuries on record, so he's stuck in the position of 'guard' even if he is one of the best when it comes to stopping dangerous animals. He can't keep himself from accusing everyone he sees from 'being in league with the monsters/criminals/whatnot' and rough them up.

We always knew he would find a way to get his sorry hide in such hot water with his overzealous attitude that his ability with magic wouldn't be able to save him.

We never expected that situation to come from the hooves of a half-dead filly half his weight. Even if she is… yeah…

To be fair, I didn't expect that 'Wing Blade' plus 'Firm Stand' plus 'spell-weaving' plus 'Essence manipulation' plus 'fierce determination' would equal to a ranged attack with the tackling force of a large stallion. That, and with her weakening spell, makes it so that I can now believe she took down a dragon.

She was scared half to death of him, after all. He just doesn't know how to handle these situations with subtlety, or tact, or even basic common sense.

He's just lucky she's kind enough to find the idea of hurting somepony repulsive unless there's no other choice, or she could have killed him. Him, and a couple of others too, even if she would have died herself from her injury – take them down with her, as it were. I believe it was her who said say that subduing a target is at least thrice as difficult as killing it.

Lucky for her, the princesses and me arrived before the idiots could get their act back together and overwhelm her and cause her to die. Iron 'idiotic zealot number one' Wing earned himself a dressing-down from Princess Luna. Twilight looked like she was about to ignite and turn him to cinders, as well.

Ah… I feel useless, dear. Fluttershy was stunned into silence and quite obviously in shock, as was Spike, Pinkamina Pie wasn't far from that either, Rainbow Dash was struggling to work her own head and forced herself to take things one thing at a time, with Twilight in a similar state of confusion… only Rarity and Applejack held them together.

Ugh. If it weren't for those two overeager stallions, the energy stored on that strange mana battery she uses on that… odd weapon would have gone entirely to healing herself, the poison and infection wouldn't have spread through her body, and she wouldn't have wasted any energy on literally holding her body together.

I swear, once Stalwart and the others get out of the hospital, I'm having a long, serious talk with those two.

And don't get me started on the mess that Rainbow Dash and that other pony left- yes, the transformed one.

Wherever the two of them lived before must be a dangerous place indeed for them to be so proficient at fighting.

*****

Sugarcube Corner – Day One

"Don't say that." Pinkie said, gently, for once.

Gemini chuckled, however. "Yeah, Aer said the same thing when I chose a day for my birthday."

"You chose your birthday!?" Pinkie spoke in a volume much more usual to her.

"Well, I only know my age as far back as the first day I remember, obviously." She said. "It's one of those holidays dedicated to goodwill, good behavior, and such things, you know the kind – every culture has one, I bet even yours."

*****

The first day she remembers happens to be Heartswarming Day in our calendar.

*****

"I remember the first I celebrated…" She said, with a far-off look in her eyes. "There was plenty of food, and I got a little medal for the things I did…"

She began to chuckle, but it wasn't out of happiness – it was one of those chuckles that were let out because the alternative was breaking down in tears. "O-of course, I had to gather the food, since I was alone in the middle of the forest. A-And it wasn't much of a m-medal, more like a rock that was carved into a smiley face. A-and instead of being awarded it, I made it myself."

Gem rested her head on the table, still chuckling like she had said a joke… one that had gone stale long ago. "I'm pathetic." She took her tail in a hoof, and then stroke it with the other.

"No, you're not." Twilight said, trying to console her. Pinkie pulled her in for a hug and Gem quickly nuzzled her.

Applejack gave Rainbow Dash a preemptive jab to the ribs, as to keep her quiet. Which she did, thankfully.

"That continued until about a year ago. Because then comes Aer, and says that I should have a special day for myself." The cherry-haired unicorn began to laugh more honestly, relishing in the sensation of Pinkie's soft, cuddly coat. "A whole day just for me. A day to celebrate me. I didn't know what to chose! There was the day we met, that day, or the first day I remembered."

"He said 'why not the three of them? We can celebrate you three times' just like that." She smiled broadly, giggling every now and then. "He said that everyone deserves a birthday. He said it's just another way of saying 'I'm glad you were born'."

She began to cry, but it wasn't out of out of sadness – those were the tears of a soul so overcome with emotion that they ran over. "He said he was glad!" She whispered. "He said he was glad I was alive! He was glad!"

"Of course he was!" Pinkie said, squeezing the sobbing filly in her embrace tighter. "I mean, if you weren't, we'd be short one friend! That just won't do."

"That's what he said, too. They all said it."

"Ah'm almost 'fraid to ask, but why think oth'rwise?" Applejack asked, biting her lips.

Gem looked at Twilight, who nodded and smiled in a warm, reassuring manner; even if Gem had two black streaks running down her face.

Gem just mouthed 'you do it'.

"Her family has a peculiar power." Twilight said. "She has shown us already, but she didn't say it was originated by chaos magic."

Pinkie gasped. "Can you make cotton candy clouds that rain chocolate milk? Can you? Can you?!"

"I can't do that kind of magic without… never mind." Gem wiped her cheeks, and then turned to look at Rarity. "Oh! I ruined my makeup! Sorry!"

"Don't worry, dear." Rarity said.

"I can fix it!" In a shower of red sparks and crackle of lightning, the ruined makeup disappeared.

"I can see how that could get you confused with a changeling." Rarity said, and with that, Lyra understood the reason behind the outburst at the street.

"She's been ostracized because of it." Twilight said. "She does many things that are different."

"Like that thing about the 'flame' and such?" Lyra asked. "What else can you see?"

"Things like alignment and such."

"What do you see in me?" Twilight asked, curious as to what would a pony who could see magic detect on a pony whose special talent was magic itself.

"Power." Gem answered.

There was a bit of silence.

"That's it?"

"I see power in its greatest expression, power with incredible warmth, power with great beauty." She said. "Your capacity for love is immense."

"What does love have to do with anything?" Dash asked.

"Strong love is strong magic, simple as that." Gem replied. "You need intelligence and ability to guide and manipulate powerful and complex spells for amazing feats, but it is through love that you put true strength in them."

Gem began to blush. "If you –ah- have purpose, even something as simple as making your friends smile…" She chuckled and mouthed the name 'Aer' once, before whispering. "'I only have to make my goal to make one little girl smile; I can take on any dangers just to keep her smile safe'. My smile…"

Twilight was blushing intensely as well, remembering what Gem had said about Essences…

*****

I can't help but wonder; princess, did you see something like that in me when we first met? About love and purpose? It's true that when I cast spells to help my friends I seem to have less trouble, but I can't stop thinking about it, did you see it?

"Of course saw it." Celestia said to nopony in particular. "It's been an honor and a privilege."

"I would like to meet this 'Aureolus'." Said Luna. "Anypony with such conviction and caring are magnificent allies, and I rest easy knowing there are ponies like them out there."

"Yes, but keep in mind that they 'are not ponies'." Celestia chuckled.

*****

"So… what can you do with your magic?" Dash asked. Truth be told, she'd be suspicious of something like 'chaos magic', but Twilight seemed OK with it and she was the smartest pony she knew of in all of Equestria.  Then there's the way she treats the little ones - one could think she was the mother! That earned her major brownie points. 'Hmm, brownies!'

Oh, and Gem struck a chord, since she has been pretty much abandoned by the world, but Dash would rather get the feather flu and be grounded for a week than let Applejack know.

"I told you, I duplicate anything." Gem picked up little Pumpkin Cake and hugged her close.

"Anything?" Lyra asked.

"Anything."

"Anything." Applejack deadpanned.

"Is there an echo here? Yes, I just need to know how it's made, and I can make it." Gemini said, a little miffed, but nuzzling the foal and receiving giggles in return filled her with a kind of warmth that won against any anger she might hold. "The starting point has to be touching something of mine, there are size limits, instruments are liable to be out of tune, if it reacts to ambient magic in some way there might be complications but it's nothing more than a time issue, some exotic materials are out of the question, and I can't duplicate separate enchantments right now; other than that, I can show you."

"Anything, you say?" Dash asked, but she knew what she wanted before she even knew of Gemini. "How about some apple cider?"

Applejack scoffed, and was about to say something before Gemini cut her off. "Freshly squeezed or hard?"

If the speedster's smile were any brighter, it would melt through her own sunglasses, and she had left them back home. "Fresh."

"I assume you have a specific kind of apple, from a specific place, already in mind."

"Sweet Apple Acres." The other mares replied in unison, since it was as obvious as Spike's crush on Rarity.

"I'd need one of their apples first, samples and whatnot." Gem said, only to be quickly presented with one such fruit.

"Ah'd like to see it bah mahself." Applejack said, raising an eyebrow.

"Where did you get that?" Twilight asked.

"Ah always hav' an apple on mah self, in case o' apple emergency." Applejack replied matter-of-factly.

Pinkie Pie gasped. "That's brilliant! I need to do something like that!"

'Pinkie, I found one of your eye patches in my sink.' Lyra thought, but held off on voicing it; Pinkie logic was too strange to follow, it was better to just go along with it and listen in case the odd tidbit of clear information made it through.

Gem took the apple in her hoof, holding little impatient Pumpkin in the other. "Great aroma, nice color, the land it grew on must be packed with vitality."

"Yah know it!" Applejack said, full of pride.

Gem took a dainty nibble of the apple.

*****

She eats in a manner reminiscent of Rarity's elegant table manners, however, she is perfectly capable of continuing to eat for as long as she is being fed; she can actually eat large quantities of food, it's just that her way of eating makes it seem like she's not a 'big eater' like Pinkie.

I still don't know where they put all of that food in their bodies.

*****

After the tasty treat, Gemini closed her eyes and searched deep, deep into her being. She turned all of her sight inwards to reach the world that existed within.

Somewhere, inside a small rustic cabin, in a plane not of material things, one of the rooms became a wide open meadow.

An apple appeared in this meadow, and another, and another, until a tree's worth of apples sat there in a pile. Then a stone rose from under the pile.

The apples were crushed by the finger of a stone giant. Where and when had her family found one of those that big, Gem didn't know, but at least that meant she had the info on them.

The juice flowed through trough the gaps in the stones into a glass.

Back outside, Gemini took of her hat and, after the lights faded, there was a glass of freshly squeezed apple cider resting on her head.

"Oooh!" Pinkie looked at the glass with awe, and then reached for it.

"No!" Dash yelled, shooting forward to swipe the glass, making Pumpkin wince. Dash took off too quickly, however, and hit her head on the rafters of Sugarcube Corner.

Thanks to her deft hooves and superior balance, not a drop was spilled.

Chuckling through the throbbing pain in her skull, Dash looked at the cloudy amber liquid like it was distilled sunshine served in a gilded flagon.

"Not today Pinkie." She chuckled again, whispering, rose eyes fixed on the drink. "Year after year, you ruin it for me, not today!"

"Wha- ruin?" Pinkie asked, craning her neck to see Dash still up at the ceiling.

Dash smelled the cider – it was that same, delicious scent of the usual stuff. "Always buying it by the gallon, always taunting me, but now… now I've got it! My precious…" She trailed off, mesmerized by the opaque beverage.

"Taunt?! I don't taunt you!" Pinkie said, looking horrified.

There was an uneasy silence as the different residents of Ponyville looked at her; even Dash stopped visually drinking the cider to stare.

"Pinkie, what would you call it if not taunting?" Lyra said, holding Pound to prevent him from taking off.

"Yah're always rantin' 'bout how delicious the cider is and, while I 'preciate the compliment, Ah don't think Dash is very receptive of yer comments – what with her not gettin' any, you buyin' dozens, and all that." Applejack said to her pink friend.

"Dash looked ready to blow up last cider season, and you just kept talking." Lyra commented, getting dragged along the floor by Pound, though she didn't seem to mind. "Really, I know you are best friends and all, but you shouldn't push her like that."

Pinkie Pie stood there, mouth agape.

"Buh- I mean, wha- why didn't you tell me!? She exclaimed. "I'm not clueless, I can take a hint!"

Pinkie got stared at again, and huffed. "Alright! So I get confused sometimes, but you can speak with me!"

"I'll speak with you." Gem said, making the others realize she was lying down on the floor with Pumpkin Cake.

Dash finished the cider, savoring the delicate sweetness with that tartness that tickled her palate.

"Eeyup!"  She said, imitating a certain apple farmer, while gently touching her hooves back down to the floor. "Tastes juuust right! Whoa, hey Gem, are you alright?"

"Just… let me rest for a moment." She said, giving a little kiss to the foal in her embrace, making her giggle.

"What happened, sugarcube?"

"Well, the calories have to come from somewhere." Gem answered, making Twilight gasp and pulling Dash back down from her metaphorical cloud.

"Are you going to be OK?" Twilight asked.

"Yeah, it's just that the travel left me kinda drained; you see, I'm mostly magic, usually, anyways." She said in a hushed tone. "Also, this little filly is about to need a change."

Pinkie gasped yet again and quickly took the foals to another room.

"You should have told me." Dash said. "I wouldn't-"

"No." Gemini said, pulling herself back up. "You don't mind… this about me, and I could tell you really wanted it, so I decided to give it to you."

"How generous of you, darling." Rarity commented.

"Well… I just know how much it hurts when others are selfish." She said. "I may be a child at heart, but I know when you're trying to take advantage of me; if I'm using my ability, it's going to be on my terms, and if they mean I'm hurting myself for my friends, then that's what you're going to hear about it."

"I can just… I dunno, take energy from the ambient."

"Well, Pinkie left a cupcake and some coffee for you."

"Hey! I also have breakfast muffins!" The aforementioned mare said from behind the counter. Somehow.

"Food is even better!" Gem said, smiling broadly. "But you're going to have to cut me off, lest I keep eating forever."

Then a butter-yellow pegasus mare walked in. She had a sixth, powerful presence…

"Hello Pinkie! Hello Pound!" She said, about as loud as a stage whisper.

"Hello Fluttershy!" Pinkie waved back, and the presences with the six ponies began growing, and growing, and started getting progressively brighter.

"How is Angel bunny doing?" Lyra asked.

"Oh, he's getting better, thank you." Fluttershy said, and the additional essence became comforting. "And thank you, Rarity, for-"

"Nonsense, dear, I couldn't let you do it all alone." The white unicorn replied, and hers grew warmer.

"Oh… hello…" She whispered upon seeing a pony she hadn't seen before, shying back slightly, and said pony would have missed her greeting if it were not for her keen hearing.

"Uh… hello, my name is Gemini." She waved awkwardly, still trying to puzzle out the strange phenomenon she was witnessing. What was happening? Why?

The others made small talk, and something else was happening… even Lyra had a small effect! Everything around became happier; it all felt cozy, it felt safer.

The source remained a mystery, but the cause was evident… she was acquainted with the feeling, after all.

'This is happening because they are all friends!'