Chris stood in place with the most intense, focused grimace on his face. His eyebrows were knit together as tightly as he could manage, his nostrils were flared, his eyes held wide open in a mixture of shock and intensity, and his mouth was drawn into a thin line which was neither a smile nor a frown. If Luna was being honest, she found it to be an absolutely ridiculous expression.
"Calm yourself Christopher. You look as though you are constipated and bearing down." she managed to say with a straight face, "Relax your body and try again. You cannot use such force when trying to intentionally cast a spell. Catalyst corrected me on that. Humans cannot force the magic the way we do, you have to... coordinate the magic instead. For Kavim, we learn specific spells through rote practice. The spells we use perform specific actions and have a single, if occasionally flexible purpose. With you Humans there are no 'spells' as we know them; there is only your flexed muscles that must match your will. You can change what a spell does by... well quite directly by changing your mind and flexing the correct muscles. Catalyst has begun using the phrase, 'Spontaneous Casting' in regard to Human magic. Your species does not seem to have any limits on what your spells can do because you do not have to learn spells through practice."
Chris had relaxed by that point, but something Luna said caught his attention,
"So we don't learn and use spells the way Kavim do? Does that mean that we can just spontaneously think up and cast dangerous spells on the fly?" Chris pursed his lips, "Well at least if somebody panics, they won't have enough coordination to use magic. Kind of a nice safety mechanism."
Luna reluctantly nodded,
"You are correct. This is a problem which has been plaguing Catalyst, her staff, and myself for some days now. We have given the matter a great deal of thought, but a solution has not been forthcoming. We cannot possibly consider using any sort of magic restraints," she shot Chris an amused look, "We already know how THAT will turn out."
Chris chuckled,
"Yeah, with more Ponies wearing such charming fashion accessories." his shit-eating grin was not lost on the lunar Alicorn.
Luna, caught up in the moment, playfully stuck out her tongue at Chris before she realized how she was acting and schooled her expression into neutrality,
"Ahem, yes. As I was saying, it has caused us no end of concern."
Chris tried to create another tiny portal again while he replied,
"Seems the only thing you can do about it is either establish laws for the use of certain types of magic, or take time to really, really emphasize responsibility. Show them how dangerous magic can be, scare them enough and you might be surprised at the outcome."
Luna sighed lightly while she monitored Chris's magic usage,
"We have come to the same conclusion it seems, but we do not wish to frighten your people into never using their magic. It is a gift and they have every right to use it."
A sudden surge of magic caught her attention,
"There..." she looked around for any sign of the portal he made, "I... I do not espy it. Where have you formed your Portal Christopher?"
Chris scratched his chin,
"Um... I think maybe it was somewhere behind me, but I'm afraid to look." he guessed.
Luna shrugged it off,
"Worry not, it will dissipate in a few moments if you are not concentrating on it. Have you any notion of where the other end has formed?"
Chris shook his head,
"Nope, but it should be somewhere within this ward, right?" he gestured to the chalk circle drawn around him in a two Fathom radius.
Luna nodded,
"I am certain it is. I had to convince Discord to help me enchant a containment ward into a crystal matrix spell so I could hold this ward. That was a feat for the ages. He made me promise not to stifle your mischief and I agreed with the provision that Discord himself would stop you if any pranks became even remotely dangerous." Luna smiled, "I have pulled the proverbial wool over his eyes, there is little mischief in you. You are insincere and silly to a fault and no mistake, but mischief?" she shook her head, "Nay, you can be serious when the situation calls for it."
Chris's face slowly morphed into a deep Grinch-grin,
"Oh really?" he asked sweetly, "So you won't stop me from playing pranks with my magic?"
Luna shook her head,
"No, not so long as there is actual harm done to bodies, minds, or feelings."
"You know, I just thought of something. If Humans can control and alter what the spells do... would it be possible for me to make my portals with rounded, non-dangerous edges just by thinking about it when I cast?" Chris asked.
Luna cocked her head to the side,
"That is an exquisite query Christopher. I believe your idea warrants some thought. Before we become too sidetracked though, let us work on having you just make portals where you want them. If you please, try again when you are ready."
Chris continued practicing making his portals and before their session finished for the day. By the end of the week he could make a portal anywhere he wanted within his sight range. Chris was a remarkably quick learner. Luna felt confident enough with his precision in making portals where he wanted, that she gave him a practicing license and told him to work on his precision using a little ball to juggle into one portal and out of another.
The next day when she retrieved him for practice he seemed leery of making his portals and Luna immediately took notice,
"Pray tell Christopher, why do you fear your own magic?"
Chris looked sheepish as he rubbed his back,
"Last night I was practicing with my portals like you said but I accidentally stepped back into one and it sliced me open like a razor blade."
Luna shivered and closed her eyes in sympathy,
"I assume you have recovered then?" she asked quietly.
Chris nodded,
"Yeah, Catalyst was nearby and she healed me." he crossed his arms, "I want to try to alter my portals. I knew their edges were sharp, but that thing could have killed me."
Luna opened her eyes and regarded Chris,
"I have been saying something to that effect, have I not? Portals are dangerous and I agree with you, trying to figure out how to make 'safe' portals would be very much preferable to the alternative."
Chris frowned,
"No need to be snide about it. Sheesh. What do you want me to practice today?"
"I believe your idea for attempting to create 'safe' portals would be a good exercise." Luna suggested, "Your studies have progressed much more swiftly than I could have anticipated. It should be safe for you to do some limited experimentation on your own now." Luna stepped back as Chris entered the circle ward drawn out on her floor, "Begin when you feel ready."
Chris opened his screfula and imagined a portal which had its edges folded over to make it safe,
"I was thinking the other day and I wanted to ask you, how could I have made those spinning portals during the battle if our magic has to be so coordinated for us to actually cast anything?"
Luna readied several pieces of paper for testing out the edges of Chris's attempts at 'safe' portals,
"I have pondered that event myself. Unfortunately I cannot seem to come to any solid conclusions. I believe there are two or three possibilities. One possibility is that the Natural Magic of our world reached out to protect you and somehow instilled in you how to make portals on some instinctual level. The second possibility is that somehow you simply understood what you wished to do and your developing magerium managed to coerce your body into following through with an action which would suit your need. The final possibility is that it was mere chance, which I strongly doubt. I believe the Natural Magic was involved and assisted you when your need was great. It has happened before and it has happened recently."
She had been thinking about the same answer for her own questions for several days prior and had an answer ready,
"In times of peace, the Natural Magic is almost dormant, but in times of change or war it becomes much more active. Celestia and I have watched and cataloged every occurrence we could find. The greatest number of instances we have ever seen and cataloged have been since your group landed here in Equestria. Before then it was only a maximum of three instances in reference to a single time or event. There have been four instances involving Humans. The first was just after the massacre, your voices mixed with those of the surviving Unicorns who attacked you. The second instance was when one of those Unicorns, Beacon, was run through with his own sword and the blade missed every vital organ and major artery and vein. The third was the very next day when you all were holed up in Town Hall, and it involves you directly. You walked out of safety, threw down your weapons, walked right up to Celestia, and spit-polished one of the gems on her torc. You probably never realized it, but Celestia sensed it in you. The fourth time was during the funeral for those who fell during the Battle For New Humansville. Somebody started singing and everybody joined in in perfect harmony."
Luna paused for a breath,
"Four instances Christopher, one of which directly involved you. It is not so difficult to believe if you put it into perspective."
Chris pinched his lower lip in thought,
"Thank you for fighting with us during the battle by the way. You saved our lives."
Luna waved her left hoof absently,
"Twas nothing more than my calling as an Alicorn." she said humbly.
Chris threw out his hand and a fist sized portal appeared two feet from his hand, with its counterpart right next to it,
"See if this one is safe."
Luna levitated the paper over and slid it over the edge of one of the portals. The paper came back whole and undamaged and Luna's jaw dropped open. She slid the paper back and forth over every inch of the portals. Back and forth, examine. Back and forth, examine. Back and forth, examine.
"Can it be that a mere thought, a simple change of will, can alter the effects of a casting for Humans?" she slowly walked a circle around the portal, "Do not be alarmed," she said to Chris as she raised her left forehoof, "I am simply going to touch it to ensure it is safe."
She gently pressed her hoof against the side and nothing happened. Feeling emboldened, she wrapped the tiny hairs on the bottom of her hoof, around the side and pulled on it, to no effect. With a smile adorning her face, she plunged her entire leg into the one end of the portal and watched as it emerged out of the other one right next to it. She waved her leg back and forth then rubbed the side all around the inside of the portal. Her leg came back uninjured. She reached back through then turned her body to the side and proceeded to scratch her own back in a way that would normally be completely impossible.
Chris laughed at her antics and his merriment reminded her that he was still present,
"Ahem, yes it seems as though you have successfully altered the edges of your portals. Before we continue learning about magic, I would like you to practice making one thousand 'safe' portals so that you get into the habit of doing so."
Chris shrugged,
"Sure no problem."
He closed his screfula then opened it again and began to make his 'safe' portals,
"Hey Luna, may I ask you something personal?"
Luna arched an eyebrow at his question,
"You may ask, there is no harm in that. Whether or not I answer depends on if it is offensive or invasive."
Chris shrugged as he conjured up another portal,
"Fair enough. What did you mean when you said it was your 'calling as an Alicorn' to help us defend against the Diamond Dogs?"
"Ah, tis not too personal a question I suppose. I meant exactly what I said, 'it is our calling'. Alicorns are rare, extremely rare. Celestia and I are the last two who were born as Alicorns. Our mother died shortly after I was born. Twas a disease which took her, a rare ailment which she protected Celestia and I from with a spell which made us permanently immune to disease. For all intents and purposes Celestia raised me. Cadence and Twilight were both born as normal Ponies and eventually 'ascended' into being Alicorns. Celestia and I developed very complex spells to 'elevate' them to Alicorn status. The most difficult part is that the spells will not work unless the Natural Magic is present to power them. Cadence ascended from a Pegasus at an early age before I returned and Celestia cast the spells. Celestia also elevated Twilight from a Unicorn, but I confirmed the elevation. Long ago I elevated a Unicorn but apparently during my... exile he decided that after 400 years he was tired of life and chose to pass on. His name was Star Swirl."
Chris stopped casting and looked to Luna sadly,
"I'm sorry. How did he die?"
Luna sighed,
"He simply decided to pass on. With elevated Alicorns, they can chose to pass on if they wish. He went peacefully. He chose to fall asleep and never wake up. Celestia and I do not have such an option and we do not suffer from boredom as he did. We are eternal."
Chris tilted his head,
"Your mother wasn't eternal. I'm assuming she was more powerful than either you or Celestia."
Luna nodded,
"She was, but there is nothing to bring us down. Mother made sure of that and we are happy with it. We are not deities, as we are fallible, but there are few things which could ever do us harm. Even if I had been bitten by one of the Diamond Dogs, it would have been merely uncomfortable, not lethal."
Chris scratched his head,
"But that doesn't make any sense. What if one of them had bit into your neck and ripped out your throat?"
Luna turned to him with a troubled expression,
"It would have been painful and it would have taken time to heal, but our bodies have suffered terrible damage before. It is extremely unpleasant, but we are directly linked to the Sun and Moon. Unless they are destroyed, neither are we."
"So... you're mortal, just very resilient." Chris ventured.
Luna shook out her mane,
"What is thy point Christopher? Thy questions begin to vex me."
Chris shrugged,
"Just thinking. The sun is burning right? It's a huge ball of gas that is perpetually burning, right?"
Luna quirked an eyebrow,
"You are correct."
"What happens once the sun runs out of gas to burn?" Chris quipped, "Furthermore, if you want more Alicorns you and Celestia could just get pregnant."
Luna snorted dismissively,
"Ha! We are above such base desires and compulsions! Besides tis impossible unless one of us were to become mortal. Our bodies do not age and our eggs, though fertile, would never drop or attach to our womb even if they were fertilized. Nay tis no need and no purpose for us to use our... 'filly bits'."
"What about that amulet hidden behind your fireplace? You said it makes you mortal, wouldn't it allow you to have babies too?" Chris asked.
Luna's patience wore thin under such searching questions,
"Today's lesson has ended." she said suddenly, "We will retrieve you tomorrow." she teleported Chris back to New Humansville before he could say anything.
Luna grumbled and paced around in circles trying to get her mind off what her student had said. Try as she might, she could not stop thinking about it and spent the entire rest of the day and night in solitude and quiet contemplation. More days followed, all full of deep contemplation. Eventually the truth came to her like a beam of divine moonlight and clarity was revealed to her. She needed to talk to her sister, it couldn't wait.