Sky Dancer, the First Flying Unicorn

by Scroll

Chapter Two: Natural Magic

Star Breeze yawned a bit as she gazed off the cliff face somewhat tiredly.

“I can certainly understand mom's curiosity,” Star Breeze mentioned. “If I were in her place, I'd be curious too. Heck, I'm curious right now. I certainly hope what you found out wasn't a secret. Don't you dare tease me with information like this then suddenly hold back the rest. I'll never forgive you if you do.”

Her father pretended he wasn't aware of his daughter's yawn, but he was. He kept a mental note of it as it was a sign of when he should stop his story for the night.

“No, it's no secret,” her father said. “It's kind of the opposite of a secret, actually. What I'm about to tell you tonight is not something that's splashed all over the news or whispered in dark shadows all across Equestria. Rather, what I'm about to tell you tonight, your grand-uncle wanted me to explain to others, especially to somepony like you. You're family, and the history of our family is something he would have wanted you to know.

“Your grand uncle, Ramadon, discovered something in himself out there while living on that farm. Something he wanted to share with every pony he ever encountered.

“The word I can think of that best describes your grand uncle is 'enlightened'. He was wiser than almost any other pony I know because of his discoveries. He would be pleased that I'm sharing this information with you tonight because he thinks everypony should know the secrets that caused him to feel so fulfilled.”

“So spill it already!” Star Breeze demanded impatiently, irritably and a bit cranky due to her escalating fatigue.

“In due time,” her father said back. “Patience is a virtue. That's one of the things your grand uncle taught me and he also explained why it is true. To get the full story, however, we'd have to go back a little further than that.”

xoxo

While riding with my father in an enclosed carriage out to uncle Ramadon's farm, I mostly focused on my father who sat across from me during the trip. I kept thinking of your mother's questions for me back in my bedroom and it kept repeating in my head as I stared at my father, trying to get into his head as best I could. If I had the power to read minds back then, than I certainly would have used it at that moment. Judging purely on facial expressions, however, my father made my task quite challenging. He should have been a poker player, in my estimation. Between his astute math skills, detailed education and stoic facial expression devoid of all emotion nearly all the time, he would have made a great player of the game if he didn't consider it so far beneath him. My father was rigid, disciplined, stoic, and “proper” in all things. Staring at him was akin to staring at a statue. I even made a game out of counting the seconds between his eye blinks. By now I forgot what his record was. All I recall, at this point, was the fact I gradually grew more and more impressed with his record, and also kind of bored of the situation overall.

It was also a quiet trip, as our conversations usually are. Sometimes he pulls out a pocket watch from underneath his fine velvet cloak and checks for the time. Sometimes he looks wistfully out the window and stares at various trees, rocks, ponies or terrain as it passes.

Briefly, I caught him glancing in my direction several times which always made me feel self-conscious, like I'd been caught doing something naughty like sticking a hoof into the cookie jar. Every time he did that, I'd stare at something else for a few seconds but gradually my attention returned to him.

Sitting there in the carriage with just the two of us, there was little else I could do to occupy my time.

I have a feeling he knew what I was thinking and, if true, that made only one of us. My father was, by no means, a stupid pony. On the contrary, he was actually quite brilliant and well educated. He must have known that I was curious why he was sending me off to spend a week on his brother's farm, especially considering the turbulent history he had with his brother. Sending me there without being buried in homework was uncharacteristic for him. He must have known I would find that strange, but I never worked up the courage to just ask him directly.

Living with a pony you feel is constantly judging you would make any pony feel self-conscious. Certainly, I was no exception, but just because I didn't have the courage to ask him directly wouldn't stop me from wondering anyway. I just hoped that his brother had a more inviting attitude. Something to make him more approachable.

Speaking of which, it eventually occurred to me to ask myself when was the last time I saw my uncle? According to some of the butlers and maids I asked in our manor just before the start of our trip, most of them had no idea but there was one elderly maid in our house that indicated that the last time I saw my uncle in person, I was still a baby. If true, then that would explain why I had such trouble recalling him. Back then Ramadon was still a distinguished wizard. Even if I managed to recall him, I had the feeling he would be quite different now.

What an adventure this was likely to turn out to be. It was that sense of excitement that kept me from passing out of pure boredom and, if that happened, I would have never heard the end of it from my bitter father about how “improper” such behavior was while out in public.

Eventually, I spent my time looking out the window as well but, unlike my father, my attention grew far more dedicated to it, especially when things out there grew less and less familiar. My life, up to that point, was spent mostly staring out my window at various castle spires such as those in Canterlot between breaks in my studies. I know you've seen them before, my sweet, so I need not describe them in great detail at this time but, on that carriage ride, for the first time, I had my first taste of country life and, compared to where I came from, that was quite a culture shock for me back then.

Fertile land as far as the eye could see. Occasionally I would pass another pony working out on that farm. The sunset lit the sky with brilliant flaming light. I loved how the clouds just glowed out there in the sky.

Occasionally I passed swirled stacks of hay. Other times I saw young foals playing off on the sides of the dirt street.

I felt a brief but intense pang of jealousy at how much fun they seemed to have in life. It made me wonder if the important gap between the rich and poor is the happiness level and, if so, the poor seemed to draw the better end of the stick. More than likely they probably thought of us in a similar light, most likely because of some imagined benefit. Why does it seem so rare for ponies to simply be happy just where they are?

Eventually, we pulled up to Ramadon's farm. I swallowed a lump in my throat then stepped out of the carriage, not really knowing what to expect. Facing the unknown like that brought with it a lot of fear and excitement all at the same time.

Outside of the carriage, I was assailed by a swirl of unidentified senses. The sights, the sounds, the smells, the temperature in the air . . . it actually felt like I stepped into another world. I know that sounds strange to you since you've seen many sights all across Equestria in our airship but, back then, I was not accustomed to travel.

I saw a dog racing across the dirt road towards me. It was the only creature in the vicinity that had absolutely no sense of proper etiquette. Instead, the creature charged right at me and started licking me.

At first, I was quite startled, thinking I was being attacked, but seconds later I realized what it was up to and I was not actually being eaten.

Other older ponies catching up to the scene called the dog's name and said, “Get down”. At this point, I forgot the dog's name directly but I do recall their disapproval.

Disapproval, but not surprise. Apparently, this kind of behavior was common for dogs and it was actually the friendlier approach they could make. If they start barking at you harshly instead then watch out! That's actually a warning that they will attack if you get too close.

Eventually the dog did calm down and race back to those that called it. It was then that I first beheld my uncle after many years and, as I suspected, if I could have recalled his attire and face when I was an infant, I really doubt I would have recognized him since.

He trotted towards me and my father with most of his family in tow. Those who weren't with him were either working or playing out on the farm somewhere else.

He actually looked like an earth pony. That's the best way I could describe my first impression of him. In fact, I actually did mistake him for an earth pony until my father called out his name.

My eyes widened in shock as I secretly asked myself, “That's him?”

He was actually quite tall and brawny for a unicorn. He was a smoky, gray-colored pony with a bit lighter shade of gray around the face. He had a thin line of a beard tracing around the bottom edge of his jaw which extended from the right to the left edge of each side of his jaw. His mane, tail, and beard were deep brown. He wore jean overalls and suspenders strapped around his shoulders. He also wore a yellow straw hat which, I noticed, concealed his horn completely.

I was left with the shocked impression that he did that deliberately as if he was trying to hide the fact he was a unicorn entirely. It made me think, “Why? Was he ashamed to be a unicorn?

“Of course, I'm one to talk. Here I am, a fellow unicorn who sort of wished he was a pegasus. Oh, the irony of life sometimes.”

Uncle Ramadon and his family were far more welcoming than I expected.

They didn't insist to hug my father. If they did, I have a strong feeling he would have rejected it.

They did offer it to me, however.

I recall glancing up at my father as if silently asking for permission. Truth be told, there was a subtle hint of disapproval in his face and yet, oddly, he nodded yes.

Surprise crept up inside me due to the mixed messages my father conveyed but, before I had a chance to analyze it fully, I was suddenly yanked back and forth from pony to pony who took turns hugging me. I honestly could not recall, before that moment, when was the last time I was touched to that degree and frequency.

Instantly my mom came to my mind but, besides her, there really was no other prior experience like it in my life.

I learned, over time, that earth pony culture seemed to require a considerably larger degree of touching compared to most other breeds of ponies, especially compared to pure unicorn cultures. It was their way to establish a connection with whatever or whomever they were dealing with. It was as if they required that action to fully believe whatever they were interacting with was truly real.

At the time I came to suspect that their more distant connection to magic forced them to adapt to, shall we say, lack of extra sense and make up for it by touching things more often. It was as if it was their desperate attempt to connect with magic in their own way. I found I pitied them for that and, in a way, I grew scared of it too. In my mind, I kept picturing them petting me and stroking me with a dead and livid look in their eyes while drooling ceaselessly and pawing at me like a pack of zombies, repeatedly groaning the word “Magic!” over and over again.

Heh-heh! Oh, the imagination of young foals!

The truth was a lot less scary than that, and gradually I saw the truth of it more and more. Not just then, but between many other encounters I made with their culture later in life. Each time taught its own lesson which built up to what I know today.

Earth pony culture actually had an intense sense of honesty and integrity to it. They lived a simple life and they were proud of it.

I couldn't argue about the fact that it was important. This was the breed of ponies that grew most of the food for all of Equestria. Where would we be without that? They knew that, too, and they were proud of their contribution.

Unlike my initial impression, they didn't see their own lives as a sense of what they lack, they saw their lives for what they had instead, and what they had was a lifestyle of honesty, integrity, hard-working and, generally speaking . . . happiness. The more I realized what they did have, the more I realized why Ramadon was attracted to this lifestyle.

As I suspected, though, Ramadon's interaction with his brother directly was brief and vice versa. Based on the impatient way my father kept glancing at his pocket watch, it suggested he couldn't wait to leave.

There were repeated attempts to invite him to dinner. He rejected it every time and kept mentioning how “busy” he was.

He wasn't lying either but, at the time, I suspected it was also just an empty excuse.

While I saw anger and resentment in my father's eyes towards his brother, in Ramadon I instead saw pity and some regret. It didn't change how Ramadon thought of his own life, but clearly, he had a desperate hope that his relationship with his brother would improve. I think he wanted to invite his brother to spend some time with his family as if that would help explain why he made his choice. He wanted to demonstrate the fact that there were advantages to his choice, but no . . . his brother rejected every attempt to be invited. It wasn't long before he got right back in the carriage and told the driver to direct the ponies pulling the carriage to drive on.

There was a stern look from my father as he glanced in my direction while the carriage drove off. It was a silent reminder of, “You behave,” the look seemed to say.

Sigh. What else would it be? Celestia forbid it to be a look of, “You have a good time out here with your family. You hear?”

Anyway. Getting a little off-topic here.

My uncle introduced me to a whole host of family members and some extended relatives, especially on his wife's side. They were all earth ponies, except for my uncle.

At first, I felt surrounded, even threatened a little, but the curiosity they had about my magic gradually relaxed me over time and even kind of delighted me to some extent. Out here I was an oddity but, in a curious way, that also made me feel kind of special.

And, of course, in exchange, they happily introduced me to everything they had as well. It was a very fair exchange of information. I found myself becoming more and more grateful for the opportunity as time went on.

By Celestia, don't even get me started on the food! Whole foods, puffy whole-grain loaves of bread, stacks of hay, steaming vegetables dripping with cheese!

At first, I was intimidated. That seems to be my first instinct when I encounter something dramatically new, but this was an experience that taught me the benefits of having an adventure. Sometimes you encounter really good things when you dare to take a chance in life, and this was certainly one of those cases.

I'm pretty sure you already know this, my sweet, but let me make something extra clear to you just in case: When you encounter something new, don't forget that it can be a threat so be on your guard just in case, but also remember to be open-minded. You also don't want to risk rejecting something that might make your life flourish instead.

Unlike many of my dinners back at the manor in Canterlot, this dining table was surrounded by lively activity and conversations. There was even some good-natured ribbing of each other. I had never seen anything like it before. I was just amazed, which was the principal reason I was quiet besides the fact that being quiet at the dinner table was also a habit.

An exception to this was the multitude of times questions were asked directly at me and they were asked in a very open and familial sort of way. Reacting to their questions with proper etiquette, I always managed to politely swallow my food, put down my plate and dab my lips with a napkin before answering. These were details that very likely went way over their heads, except for my uncle and, for his part, he seemed secretly amused. I was clearly the fish out of water in this situation and it was obvious enough for every pony at the dinner table to notice to some degree. Some noticed it more than others, that's all.

Everywhere I went in their house I was overcome by the rustic smell of old wood. I heard the creak of the floorboards as I trotted. The decor of the house was far more quaint than those of the manor I came from but nopony else seemed to notice or care. I was very much aware that this was normal for them. They grew up in a house like this all their lives. Most likely they had for many generations. That also gave the house a deep sense of history.

I could just imagine the ghosts of their ancestors roaming about all over the place but, based on the impression I got from those who currently lived there, I had the distinct impression that, if I could interact with their ancestors as ghosts, then they probably would be the friendliest ghosts I'd ever encounter. They'd likely all say, “Welcome! Stay as long as you like! For as long as you live here, you're part of the family!”

I kept thinking about that as I drifted off to sleep on one of the many guest beds of the household. It actually brought a few tears to my eyes to consider how warm and inviting these ponies had been to me. They gave me what I did not know I needed deep down and they did it so naturally, so automatically.

I found myself wishing I could stay there indefinitely.

On the first night, I hadn't even asked my uncle why he chose to stay here but I was already starting to get a vivid impression of his answer.

That, of course, didn't mean I had no intention to ask him anyway. Despite all that I learned so far, I was open-minded enough to accept the possibility that his answer might still surprise me and, in a way, that helped prepare me for the truth.

xoxo

It was on the third day of my stay with uncle Ramadon's family that I learned that he had a special ritual of his own that the other family members respected, except this time there was a twist. I learned that, once in a while, he went alone to go on a nature trot. From time to time he invited one or two of his many foals unless they didn't wish to go. This time it was decided that I should go, considering the fact that I wouldn't stay here long. No other pony was bitter on that point. Instead, they snickered to themselves secretly while I wasn't looking as if convinced that I was in for a treat and the surprise it was likely to evoke was what got them so amused.

For my part, I was glad for the opportunity. A chance to go on a nature trot with my uncle in privacy for several days was exactly the kind of opportunity I had hoped for.

“In that case, I'm curious about something,” Star Breeze mused. “Is that what we're doing now? Is what you and I are doing right now part of this 'nature trot' ritual that you learned from your uncle?”

“Exactly! Now you're catching on!” her father said cheerfully to his daughter. “My strategy is a bit different, however. Instead of nature trots, which I also do from time to time, I also typically go on nature flies. The sky is part of nature too.” Her father gestured to the sky with a grand wave of one hoof above him. “What I do is not much different from Uncle Ramadon's ritual, and the reason for it is the same as well.

“Now if you let me continue, I'll explain why he did it and, based on that, you can draw your own conclusions on the experience.”

“Deal!” Star Breeze agreed enthusiastically without any hesitation.

Now I told you earlier that earth pony culture involved a lot of rituals that I was previously unaccustomed to.

In my own way, I was accustomed to hard work, but not the sort that they had in mind.

It wouldn't surprise me if it turned out I was the only one on the farm who could read besides Uncle Ramadon.

As warm and inviting as these ponies had been to me, I learned the next day that there was a price for their hospitality after all. It was their own form of etiquette, in a way.

In their culture, it was downright rude to take part in their food and home without repaying them with some good old fashioned back-breaking labor. They had enough wisdom to realize that I wasn't prepared for the heaviest chores so they relegated me to lighter tasks and, at first, it required a lot of hoof holding since the chore was so new to me.

I wasn't stupid by any means but even a genius can seem like an idiot if such a pony is taught nothing. The same thing applies here. They were aware that I was very new to their ways so, accordingly, they were patient with me.

Her father grinned at his daughter as he said to her, “As I said before, patience is a virtue. You learn that well when you encounter others who are patient with you. I think then you'd realize the importance of extending the same hospitality, if only to be equally courteous.”

“You're probably right,” Star Breeze agreed with a dismissive wave of a hoof, “but, for now, let's get on with the story.”

The novelty of the experience intrigued me back then. I wanted a break from my studies and I got my wish. It was strange to think that the price of that wish was for it to be replaced with an entirely different challenge. Because it was so new, I couldn't call it boring. Not yet, at any rate.

For their part, they saw their chores as nothing special, but they didn't complain about it either unless they were in a special amount of pain. If they were then I was touched to hear that not only would the whole family stop and do whatever they could to heal the injured pony, but the whole extending town would offer the same if it helped.

As for the chores themselves, though, none of the ponies who worked on it considered it a burden because they understood how important the task was. If you want food on the table then you've got to work for it. Their philosophy was as simple as that. It was a refreshing take on life that I considered too novel to complain about.

But, on the third day, there was something new. I joined Uncle Ramadon on his nature trot when invited. It wasn't sprung on me suddenly, either. I was warned about it one day in advance which gave me far more time than I needed to consider the offer. I already had my own reasons for wanting privacy with my uncle.

My only concern was the fact that the physical exertion of the nature trot might exceed my capacity to keep up.

It also occurred to me, in the back of my mind, other threats that could exist during the trot too like being mauled by a bear or getting lost.

Whatever the threat could be, however, I felt really safe next to my uncle. I knew that traveling with the most powerful unicorn of our age was unlikely to be a bad thing if I knew he was on my side. Regardless of whether he actually did swear off of magic or not, it still occurred to me that he would at least be able to call upon such power in case of an emergency, and I had no doubt that he would use whatever power he had at his disposal to protect his beloved nephew if it became necessary so, despite any misgivings I had about the potential danger or inconvenience, I strangely felt quite calm during the trip. It was almost as if I had done it before many, many times.

Uncle Ramadon was, at first, quite quiet during the trip.

From the farm, we headed immediately west into forested mountains. The base of the mountains was hilly but not too steep. I was often in shadow even during the daylight thanks to all those tree leaves.

There really was something soothing about listening to the sound of the wind blowing through the tree leaves. Whenever I paused to absorb this, it took me a while to notice my uncle did too.

At first, I thought he did it for the same reason but, over time, another theory came to my head and that theory was that, somehow, he knew when I stopped even without looking at me. He stopped because I stopped to make sure he did not proceed too far ahead of me, but there was some gap between us so I started to wonder how he did that. Magic was my first theory and I never completely dismissed it. Keen sense of hearing was another theory that came to mind.

Whatever the case, I was grateful for his courtesy.

It was also clear to me that he greatly enjoyed this. He never seemed lost or anxious. He just picked a direction and proceeded on. It seemed like he perfectly knew where he was going, or at least that's how he acted.

The truth was he did not care where he headed. Any direction surrounded him in nature and he appreciated it on levels far beyond what I would have expected at the time. That is, until he explained himself to me later.

In the beginning of the trip it was like he was in a daze. It was as if he was meditating even while trotting, absorbing his spirit in the essence of nature.

As time went on, however, he acknowledged me more and more besides pausing whenever I did. At that point he turned more into a teacher. He talked about the earth, the trees, the mountains, the birds on high . . . just about anything and everything, especially if we encountered an example up close. He wanted to educate me in his own way, but his strategy involved less book learning and more hoof's on.

Eventually, though, I finally asked him the question that had been in my head and in my heart for so long.

“Finally!” Star Breeze exclaimed.

Her father ignored that comment as he spoke on and got back into character.

“Uncle,” Quill prompted.

As expected at that point, his uncle immediately paused and acknowledged his nephew.

Quill swallowed the lump in his throat and gathered his courage for what he was about to ask. Despite everything that Quill learned about his uncle by that time, it was still possible Ramadon might take great offense to Quill's next question and, considering their surroundings, offending this powerful unicorn seemed unwise, but Quill dove on anyway.

“Why did you leave our family?” Quill asked as bravely as he could. “Why did you abandon our ways? Why do you seem so ashamed of your heritage?”

“What gave you that impression?” Ramadon asked, but in his eyes and in his tone, he really didn't seem confused. He knew exactly why Quill asked. He probably wanted to test his nephew's resolve with this conversation.

“Everything,” Quill answered. “The fact you left our estate physically. The fact you moved in with and married an earth pony. The fact you trot, dress and act like them. You even wear that hat to hide your horn. It seems as if you are embarrassed and ashamed that you were born a unicorn.”

“What, this old thing?” Ramadon asked casually and, for the first time, Quill saw a tiny display of Ramadon's magic. The hat in question flew off Ramadon's head telekinetically. Quill knew perfectly well that Ramadon could have reached up and pulled off the hat by hoof but it seemed like he was making a point. He pulled off his hat using magic on purpose both to demonstrate the fact that he could and to show that he wasn't bothered in doing so.

Quill also noticed, to his fascination, that Ramadon's aura color of his magic was golden. That was actually noteworthy. Some studies in the past suggested that a unicorn's aura color had much to do with their personality and, if that color could be observed, then certain extrapolations could be made on it that heavily implied a certain kind of persona of each individual unicorn. Specific colors have an observable tendency to either favor or disfavor certain things and that pattern was pretty strong but not absolute.

Off the top of Quill's head, he forgot what each color suggested about the individual unicorn's personality, but he knew that research existed out there somewhere.

Since Quill's magic aura color was silver, it also occurred to him that he might be strangely both compatible and yet opposite to his uncle's personality. The fact that Ramadon embraced earth pony culture so much and yet Quill was attracted to the sky seemed to confirm that theory.

All of those thoughts occurred to Quill in less than a second, and it needed to since it didn't take Ramadon long to resume talking.

“I don't wear this hat to hide the fact that I'm a unicorn. Everypony in my family and the whole town at large knows that fact. Instead, I wear this hat because I like it. It was a gift to me by a friend of mine in town and I wear it both to show my appreciation for the gift and the fact that I simply like it.

“I've grown used to it. It comes in hoofy, too. It can help to absorb sweat, gives me shade to keep my head slightly cool whenever I exert myself, and also it shields my eyes from the glare of the sun. As the sun's angle in the sky changes, I can just tilt my head any which way to maintain the shade over my eyes. All of this convenience stored in one light, hoofy item. I can enjoy all of these conveniences without occupying either of my hooves as well. My head alone carries this thing.”

“Does it interfere with your magic?” Quill did not ask that question as a mockery. He was genuinely curious. He could think of reasons why it might be but he was not certain.

“It can at times, a little,” Ramadon answered as he spun the hat in mid-air using his magic before snapping it back on his head, “but, honestly, my concentration is so formidable that it hardly bothers me at all.

“Also, I can tell you that there are some hats out there in Equestria that can actually enhance your connection to magic. It all depends upon the hat's shape and material it's made from.

“For my part, I don't use my magic too often anymore anyway, so it's not really an inconvenience to me at all. Not compared to its benefits.”

“But why? Why do you choose not to use your magic anymore?” Quill pressed.

“I'm not avoiding it, if that's what you're asking,” Ramadon informed. “I simply choose not to exploit it too much.”

“But you're so good at it! Many would argue that it's a waste of precious talent. I even heard some say that you're ignoring the destiny of your cutie mark.”

“Ah!” Ramadon suddenly seemed quite interested in this conversation. “Now destiny is quite an interesting topic. It's subject to so many interpretations.

“Have you ever heard of a pony who got their cutie mark and then also subsequently a scroll materialized out of thin air that carefully explained exactly what they got their cutie mark for? A list of instructions of do's and don't's?

“Destiny is a tricky topic, and I believe it's that way on purpose. If all of us got a scroll that materialized out of thin air that had the details of our lives and destiny written out as if we were fictional characters in a script, would life continue to be as enjoyable as it is today?

“I think destiny is left to interpretation on purpose because sometimes that destiny can change. There is no true free will in a world without flexibility.”

“Huh.” Quill looked down. “I never thought of it that way before.”

“Then it's high time that you do,” Ramadon advised, then looked elsewhere.

“Life is amazing!” Ramadon said with a voice full of wonder. “It's full of adventure and mystery, and we are all fellow travelers on that path. I'll offer what guidance I can when I can but, in the end, it is you who must set your own path.”

Ramadon looked back at his nephew. “Don't let any other pony tell you who you are, and I do mean any pony,” he said with emphasis, and Quill realized he must be talking about his father, Author. “Suggestions are fine but, in the end, it is you who must choose your own path.

“My cutie mark is not even a suggestion, it is a symbol marking and commemorating the day I first started to realize my true potential. Notice I said start, my nephew. That is all a cutie mark really is. Whatever you choose to do in life, there is no way you'll be as good as your future self thirty years from now. A cutie mark does not mark the end of a path, it is the beginning of a journey of self-discovery and self-discovery is a never-ending path.

“Life would not be worth living if you suddenly had all the answers. Instead, life is a journey of progress between one day and the next and the next. It keeps going on, inviting you to discover many new things as you continue the path.”

“And how has abandoning or limiting your magic furthered your path?” Quill asked, to put the source of his curiosity back on topic.

Star Breeze also listened carefully to the answer to that question many years later.

Ramadon didn't answer right away. Instead, he paused to consider how he should phrase his answer so that it could be better understood by somepony much younger than himself. He knew his audience was only capable of understanding so much at a time based on previous life experiences, so he also knew he had to build the logic of his argument one clear step at a time.

At first, Ramadon looked down, then west at a large mountain. His gaze steadily rose up it, and still, he pondered.

While still looking in that direction, he eventually spoke.

“Magic . . . as you have come to understand it so far . . . is based on structure.” Ramadon looked back at his nephew then resumed his speech. “Structured magic has its advantages because it is reliable, repeatable, and teachable. It is like a recipe for a cake. If you use the same ingredients in the same quantity, if you prepare those ingredients the same way according to that recipe then, more often than not, it will yield the same results every single time. As long as you follow the directions carefully, you will achieve predictable results.

“This is the structure of most unicorn academies when it comes to magic. What use is there in learning a spell if it relies on a system nopony else can replicate?

“Sure you can do it, at least one time, but even you might have trouble doing it again if the method of your spell casting does not use tried and true reliable structure. If you can't repeat your methods and nopony else can either, then why should any pony believe you when you say you did it once? Even if they observed you when you first did it, they could still dismiss it as a fluke.

“I need you to understand this because that's the environment you came from and where I originally came from. There are also very good reasons for that tried-and-true system. You with me so far?”

“Yes, so far,” Quill confirmed.

Star Breeze also agreed many years later.

“And that's the system that I'm sure my brother has been pounding into your head over and over again ever since I left,” Ramadon suspected. “After your mother died, I'm sure he became even more obsessed to drill this stuff into you.

“Please don't blame him for this. He honestly means well. That is because, in his eyes, it is the best way to ensure your future happiness and success.

“Powerful spellcasters can accomplish a lot no matter what obstacle is placed in front of them. Indeed, even the laws of physics, like gravity, are no barrier to even the simplest of unicorn magic. Case in point,” he flew his hat off his head for a second before replacing it on his head telekinetically. “I didn't reach to grab my hat by hoof so what I just accomplished defied the normal laws of gravity. Until I tilt my head so far down that up has become the new down, my hat should stay on my head where it belongs.

“With extra training, even more can be accomplished through magic.

“At the same time, he's probably also drilling all sorts of educational tidbits into you.

“Again, he means well. In his eyes, it is the means to discipline your powers so that you are better able to understand and control the power rather than the other way around. Undisciplined unicorn magic can indeed be very dangerous even to the owner of the horn.

“I think there are some diseases out there that can put a unicorn's horn on the fritz, temporarily or otherwise. If and when that happens, I have this advice to say to you . . . if you can't control your powers for some reason, then don't you dare try to use it. By defying this advice, you could make the problem worse and even get yourself, or any pony around you, killed. Get the disease or whatever it is that is blocking your control out of the way and then use your magic to your heart's content.”

Ramadon was quiet for a moment to give that advice time to sink in. He was satisfied to see his nephew looking down and doing precisely that.

Similarly, Star Breeze, as well, gave that advice some genuine thought. If she accomplished her goal somehow, then what her grand uncle said all those years ago was something worth considering.

Looking around for a moment, Ramadon spotted something adequate to his intent. After locating it, he looked back at his nephew and gestured for him to approach using a hoof. Seeing that, Quill cooperated.

He followed his uncle until Ramadon reached a small clearing and sat on a rock. He then gestured to the ground in front of him, indicating that his nephew should sit there.

Ramadon had a feeling this conversation would take a while since he knew he had to build his argument step by step and toss in some other life lessons along the way while he was at it.

“So now that we got that out of the way, let's recap in brief.

“I was a great wizard at the Silver Horn Academy in Canterlot, just like your father is now. I was both a gifted student and a gifted teacher. My power and control of magic were unmatched by most at the time.

“Considering the difference in degrees of talent between various unicorns, it is often considered to be entirely innate. Whatever magical potential you have and no matter how much you train, a common misconception is you can only go so far with magic until your potential plateaus.

“I tell you now that way of thinking is donkey dung. Great wizards of any age have gotten that way through many years of diligent study and practice, but all that they do is something any pony could potentially do if they have the same drive.

“Any feeble earth pony can exercise to get stronger.

“Any pegasus can practice flying more and get better.

“Any unicorn can practice his or her magic and get better.

“No pony's potential ever truly plateaus. The stronger you get at anything, the harder it is to improve even further, but that does not mean it can't be done. Keep at it and you can surpass any limit that others think you are imposed with. Prove them wrong and keep going. You'll never know how far you would have gotten until you try, and don't ever think that failure is a sign you've already reached your maximum potential. It does mean you've reached a wall of sorts but, in truth, those walls are just doors. All you have to do is find the doorknob, open it, then press on if you wish.

“Now, along with that educational training, there are other kinds of information the schools teach young ponies which I now regard as misconceptions.

“Barring an alicorn like Princess Celestia, and since she's the only one of her kind we'll just shove that category aside and call this a unique case. Beyond this, every pony knows there are three breeds of ponies.

“Earth ponies,” Ramadon suddenly levitated a small rock and held it up to his nephew as a symbolic representation of that breed of ponies, then he went on to say, “unicorns,” he then levitated a stick which probably represented the horn of a unicorn, then he said “and pegasus.” For some reason, he levitated a single leaf. Quill thought for a moment on that one until it occurred to him that leaves could easily be blown on the wind. One could also think of the leaf as representing a pegasus's wing or even a single feather of such a wing.

Once Ramadon levitated all three objects, he had them spiral around each other as he continued his lecture.

“Now, so far, I've listed something that's one of the most basic sciences in all of Equestria. Another thing young ponies learn at a very early age is the relationship between the three but, beyond that, the basic things can get quite complicated, so pay attention.

“Earth ponies,” he lifted the rock higher and closer to his nephew to give that object emphasis, “till the lands, grow our foods, and in general take care of any other task that's even remotely related to the earth.

“Second only to pegasi, they are also the most common explorers and they definitely are the most common sailors. Since earth ponies have no other way to cross the ocean, unlike the other two breeds, they have developed this technology to such a refined degree that the other two breeds have come to rely upon it as well.

“If you go far enough across the ocean, even a pegasus tires and needs to land but, if there is nowhere to land, they could be in trouble. If there is no cloud in the sky to land upon either then they are really up a creek without a paddle.

“Same thing with a unicorn. Maybe they can invent a spell to trot across the water or even teleport across the entire ocean but the general rule of magic is as follows; the greater the degree of magic is, the harder it is to cast and the greater amount of energy they have to expend to cast it. Eventually it exceeds their ability to pay for the power, at least temporarily.

“Unicorns tire too, in their own way, but old reliable sailing boats keep trekking on when all other methods eventually fail. The vessel can also be large enough to store food on it so that extends the range of their travel even further.

“No breed of pony is more underestimated than the earth ponies, but we'll get back to that point later.”

The rock flew back and the leaf flew forward and above the other two levitated objects.

“Pegasi are the undisputed masters of the sky. Like the earth, the air is a critical element to our mutual survival. They control the weather, and they can travel greater distances than most other breeds of ponies and they can do it in a fraction of the time.

“Unless their flying ability is really feeble or non-existent, pegasi can easily win any race imposed upon them when it comes to speed. These trees around us, for example, are not an obstacle to them. They can just fly above it as if nothing was in front of them. While an earth pony has to gallop along the ground and dodge every rock and tree and creature in front of them and they have to follow the ups and downs of the land's shape, pegasi can simply skip over all of that.

“This is why they are the most common mail carriers. If you need a letter delivered to the next town or across Equestria and you need it delivered fast, then you are a fool to give it to any other breed of pony unless a unicorn has the means to teleport it across Equestria.” Ramadon gave Quill a hoof salute. “Good luck finding some pony who can do that, especially if they've never been there before and cannot properly visualize the destination accordingly. Even if you do find a unicorn who can do it, then it must cost an exorbitant amount of magic to pull that off in great distances. They probably charge a lot for their services accordingly but, if your letter is an emergency, it might be worth the price.

“Getting back on topic, pegasi also have great spatial awareness and, generally speaking, they have better senses when it comes to distance. They experience a 3D world in its entirety at a very early age.

“When it comes to a scout, there is unlikely to be a better breed. Their vision is about three times sharper than the two other breeds and some seem to think their hearing is similarly enhanced but my observations suggest that honor actually belongs to the earth ponies. Again, the most underestimated breed.”

The leaf flew back and down and the stick took its place.

“Given the flexibility of magic, a unicorn's ultimate potential is the most difficult to define but one thing every pony can agree upon is that a distinct advantage of a unicorn is their connection to magic. They channel it far more directly than the other two breeds, especially when compared to earth ponies, but we'll get back to that point later.

“The horn, they say, channels and focuses the magic around them and especially within themselves.

“As great as their potential is, ponies raised isolated from the other two breeds rarely realize that a unicorn masters their potential the latest. That is because it's more difficult for them to master their magic in comparison to a pegasus who can fly almost by instinct or an earth pony who can pick up a rock . . . or any object, basically. A unicorn would sooner learn to pick up a rock by hoof than master their ability to levitate it magically, but let me give some information about the science of horn magic and what's really going on when a unicorn channels their magic.

“If the magic is channeled from within, like most schools of magic teach, then there are two things one must pay attention to. Between these two things, the one thing that's understood the most is concentration. Easy to conceive but difficult to master.

“Try to picture as many bricks in your mind as you can, then hold that image for as long as you can without allowing it to change.”

Seeing Quill almost do it, Ramadon interrupted it. “Not now. You can do it later.”

Quill opened his eyes again.

“That's good practice for you, though,” Ramadon said encouragingly. “Do indeed try it later.

“Yes. Pretty much every pony, even those who are not unicorns, know that concentration is essential to spellcasting. The clarity of the vision also affects the degree and strength of the spell. If your concentration is fuzzy, the spell might not work at all. If it's crystal sharp, then you could be working with some serious power but, what many ponies don't know, even many unicorns sadly, is that there is a second component to spellcasting that is absolutely essential but rarely understood.”

Ramadon placed a hoof over his heart and said, “The heart or, more specifically, a unicorn's emotions.

“The mind gives a spell direction and focus. Without that, a spell is unlikely to happen at all and, if it does anyway, it will be wild, uncontrolled and probably dangerous. That actually happens sometimes too so pay attention and be careful.

“But, as I said, if the mind gives a spell direction, then the heart is the fuel that powers the magic in the first place. Without emotions, there is no fuel for the fire for magic. At that point, I don't care how strong you can concentrate. That spell will not happen if you don't really care about the results. There is just no way.

“Well, actually,” Ramadon glanced up for a moment as he thought more on that then looked down, “there is another way to cast spells.

“Actually, several other ways, but we'll get to them later.

“Point is, for a unicorn, emotions are the primary drive for spellcasting. The stronger the feeling, the stronger the magic, but concentration is another filter that the spell will have to pass through before the spell fully manifests from our mind and into our reality.

“If the emotions are intense but the concentration is weak, the spell, while powerful, will likely misfire and perform something the pony did not intend. That, or more likely fizzle into non-existence.

“If concentration is strong but emotions are weak the spell will do exactly what you intend it to do but to a very weak degree, if at all.

“The best spellcasters in all of Equestria all know the secret, at least instinctually. They know that they will have to master both the mind and the heart. Making both of them very strong and in perfect sync with each other is very difficult and it's the primary reason why this science takes a great deal of time and effort to master. It's a slippery slope and there are many pitfalls that can go wrong with it.

“In theory, with the right spell, a unicorn can accomplish almost anything the other two breeds can and more.

“Furthermore, nothing is stopping a unicorn from tilling the land and farming by hoof if they wanted to . . . like me, for example. Just like we can pick up a rock, we can till the land or sail on a ship. Magic could also enhance the effort, perhaps even in unexpected ways.

“As a result of all of this, it does not surprise me when I see some signs of distrust in the other two breeds who might fear that they could become obsolete but, no matter how you look at it, the total population of unicorns is, at best, fully one-third of all of Equestria. It is inefficient to rely upon them for everything when one of the other two breeds can accomplish the same thing to the same degree or better.

“Flying, for example, is quite difficult for a unicorn.”

Quill looked downcast upon hearing that.

“But still possible,” Ramadon quickly amended upon seeing that look.

Saying that cheered Quill up a bit and he resumed looking back at his uncle.

When Quill did so, Ramadon spun the stick.

“Levitation,” Ramadon went on, “or telekinesis, in other words, is one of the most basic spells a unicorn ever learns. It's so simple they could master it without a teacher entirely. By instinct alone, they can master this spell with concentration and practice. The only reason a unicorn ever doesn't learn a spell-like this is either because there is something wrong with their horn, they can't focus for some reason, or they are very unemotional . . . or possibly because they never realized that they could. If no pony was around to even show that they could do it, then why would a young foal even realize that they could? If the idea never got planted in their heads in the first place then it's possible they won't master even this spell but, assuming that they do . . . the only real limitations to it are your own concentration, emotional fuel you draw upon, and your imagination.

“In theory, you could levitate yourself. Difficult to concentrate with all that shifting weight. It's slow, clumsy and inefficient but, to a degree, at least it's effective. That's often more than an earth pony could hope for but, with enough determination and drive, anything is possible.”

Ramadon lowered all three objects back to the ground as he paused long enough to gather his own thoughts and to give his student time to digest what he already said, then he looked back at his nephew and spoke on.

“Largely because of our flexible potential, a lot of times the other two breeds can feel jealous of us. I'm not saying it's right but, given the facts, it's at least understandable and it can, therefore, be important for us not to overstep certain social bounds. If you do anyway then be prepared for the backlash but, depending on what it is, sometimes it still might be worth it.

“Sometimes it's a good thing for a society to get a wake-up call and realize the boundaries of their perceived reality can be pushed a lot further than they originally thought. When society catches up to that idea, it might result in a better world in the long gallop but, in the meantime, those initial few pioneers of a new idea might have to suffer the consequences of challenging other ponies perceived ideas of reality until they later adjust. After that, they might be celebrated as a hero and be remembered in history as the first pony to accomplish whatever thing that got them noticed for in the first place.”

“Maybe that's how my father feels. That you defied social expectations by embracing earth pony culture,” Quill realized aloud.

Ramadon looked down quietly for a moment, then looked back at his nephew and he nodded. “Yeah. Your father is one of those figures who has a certain perception of reality and does not appreciate it when it gets challenged, especially if it's somepony he greatly respected before and he feels personally close to. By overstepping those social bounds I am, unfortunately, suffering some expected backlash.

“Fortunately for me, I have new friends and family to help me cope. When it comes time for you to make your own discoveries I hope you, too, will have your own social network to fall back upon and give you emotional support.”

Quill shook his head as he asked, “But what does all of this have to do with why you embraced earth pony ways?”

Ramadon was silent for a moment as he grinned at his nephew, then he looked around wistfully. “When you look upon your surroundings now, what do you see?”

Quill looked around, then answered, “All kinds of things. Rocks, trees, birds, bugs, mountains. I think I hear a stream nearby somewhere.”

“Aye,” Ramadon agreed. “What else?”

“Earth. Sky,” Quill listed. “Um . . . you.”

At that point Quill shrugged, indicating it would be challenging for him to continue the list.

Ramadon grinned further as he asked, “Now tell me, dear nephew, what don't you see?”

“Ah . . .” Quill paused for a while, then answered, “Everything else I didn't already list.”

Personally, at first, I thought that was a clever answer. As I soon realized, however, it wasn't the one he was looking for.

“Close your eyes,” Ramadon instructed. Quill obeyed. “Now concentrate. Stretch out your senses. Pay attention to your surroundings with every sense that's still available to you.

“Now, since you closed your eyes, I know that the 'sight' option is closed to you, but everything else is still there. What do you notice?”

“Well, you asked me before what I couldn't see. At this point I'd have to amend that answer to absolutely everything except the back of my eyelids,” came Quill's snarky reply.

“We've already established that. Since your eyes are closed, we needn't cover the fact you can't see anything anymore. I asked you to pay attention to whatever you still do notice. Stretch out the rest of your senses. What do you notice?”

“The earth under me,” Quill answered more seriously. “Perhaps some bugs crawling over me. It's kind of irritating, actually.”

“Ignore them for now, and keep going. What's currently on you will not harm you. I promise.”

Quill took a deep breath then expelled it. “The smell of the air. I smell wood and leaves . . . and again, the earth. I hear the stream somewhere close by, as I previously mentioned.”

“Yes, and . . .?” Ramadon prompted.

Quill was quiet for a while before he answered, “Myself. I can hear my own breathing. I can feel my own heartbeat, and I feel . . .” Quill paused again for a while.

“Yes?”

“I don't know. Energy, I think. It's similar to when I cast my spells. Sort of a pulse and vibration,” Quill answered.

“That's it! You can open your eyes now,” Ramadon said triumphantly.

Quill did.

“Very good, my nephew. You just experienced the reason I came here.”

“Which is?” Quill asked as he tilted his head slightly.

“Magic.” Ramadon's eyes wandered the environment almost aimlessly. “The magic of the environment. It's everywhere . . . all around us . . . but here we can feel it better because it's further from the noise and distractions of city life, but what you just felt here exists in a city too, only there it's harder to notice.

“Magic exists in all ponies as we previously established, but it's in the earth too. It's in the sky, the grass, the trees, in the food you eat, in the mountains in the distance, in the stars beyond the sky, in the sun and the moon.

“Magic . . . is everywhere!

“It's in life itself. It's built in the wonder of countless possible moments evolving into one single reality. It's built in the decisions we make and how we treat others.

“There's nowhere you can go where you won't find magic, only greater or lesser degrees of it.”

Ramadon took a deep breath, held it, then released it, then he said, “Have you ever heard of the theory if one of your senses closes, the others sharpen?”

“Yes. I read on that and it's also been scientifically proven to be true,” Quill stated.

“And that's why I reduced my usage of magic,” Ramadon said.

Quill thought about that.

“I stopped using magic so I can use it better when I do,” Ramadan explained. “Restraint, I've learned, was the key for me in unlocking something greater.

“Remember when I said earlier that emotion was the primary power source for unicorn magic?”

“Yeah,” Quill confirmed with a nod.

“Well check this out.” Ramadon looked at and focused on the rock he used earlier to symbolize earth ponies. That rock floated upward again.

At first, Quill thought nothing of it. He looked upon it and it still seemed like an ordinary rock, so he eventually looked beyond it at his uncle with a questioning shrug.

“Pay close attention to the rock,” Ramadon instructed. “What's missing in this picture?”

Quill focused on the rock again harder this time. He continued to study it for several moments before he realized, with a start, what was missing. He then looked at his uncle in astonishment.

“It's not glowing!” Quill said in shock. “Your aura color . . . it's not there! How are you doing this?”

Ramadon gave a wise grin. “The reason it's not glowing is because I'm not drawing upon an inward source to accomplish this power. I'm not drawing upon my emotions, I'm drawing upon the magic of nature all around us. That is the power source, in this case, not my emotions. I am still using concentration, however.”

“This is incredible!” Quill exclaimed in astonishment. “You have to tell the world about this discovery! It could revolutionize our society and the way we think of magic!”

“In due time.” Ramadon let go of his concentration of the rock and it fell down accordingly. “I'm still learning the essence of this new science myself, and I prefer to more fully explore it before sharing it with others.”

“Does that include me? Do you want me to keep this a secret too?” Quill checked.

“No.” Ramadon shook his head. “If that was my intent, I would have sworn you to secrecy in advance.

“Rather I'll leave you with the choice and responsibility to do with this discovery whatever you wish. It's your life. You set your own path but, as I said before . . . if you dare to challenge other ponies' perceptions of reality, then be prepared for the backlash. That always happens whenever you demonstrate something radically new.”

“Wait a second.” Quill pondered this, then asked, “If you accomplished this task without drawing upon your inward stores of magic then . . . in theory . . . can any pony accomplish what you just did?”

Star Breeze became especially interested in the answer to that question.

“In theory, absolutely,” Ramadon answered. “As I said before, anything is possible. You just need to train your mind to let your imagination gallop wild and stop pretending you have limits. That's an illusion that I'm training myself to break. That's a hard habit to break but I'm doing it a bit at a time.”

“Bah-bah-bah!” Star Breeze's father quickly spouted in anticipation of his daughter's impending interruption. “Listen to the whole story before you interrupt. I know you're excited at this discovery, but hear me out before you jump to conclusions. You'll want to hear the rest of what my uncle told me before you start your own experiments. Perhaps later he told me a little more about how he did it.

“For instance, at this moment, do you know why he moved in with the other earth ponies?”

Star Breeze sighed. “No, Father,” she replied irritably.

Because you haven't told me yet. Duh! Star Breeze thought in her head.

“Then just listen,” her father advised. As he said that, he noticed how his daughter's fatigue temporarily abated, pretty much as he expected. If he was tired back then when he spoke to his uncle, he was pretty sure his discoveries back then would have woken him up as well.

“Again, what does any of this have to do with the earth ponies?” Quill queried again. “You still haven't told me. Setting aside your own magic is one thing, but moving in with them entirely is a big step. I can at least understand why my father might feel abandoned.”

Ramadon tapped his forehooves together three times.

“To answer that question, first I must explain to you that I didn't just cast spells all my life, I also asked myself, 'What is the nature of magic itself? What is the true power source?'

“I felt that, by understanding that better, I might be able to cast spells better.

“Most other ponies would shrug and dismiss the notion. They would say, 'So what if we don't really understand how magic itself works? Who cares? It works anyway regardless of our understanding of it.'

“But I was not satisfied with that answer. I became convinced that magic had a deeper potential if it was understood better. Who knows what the ramifications of that discovery could be if it was led to its ultimate conclusion?

“In my attempt to decipher this answer, I paid close attention to the three breeds of ponies and this, my friend, is why I brought up the subject earlier in my lecture.

“What is it that the three breeds do and how do they do it? What is the science and psychology behind each path?

“Everything has a reason, even if it's not immediately understood. It had something to do with not just the capabilities of each breed, but also their limitations and, in time, I learned that some of those limitations do not have to do with our physical limitations but rather our mental and perceptual limitations.” Ramadon tapped his head twice in the emphasis on the words “mental” and “perceptual.”

“As I stated earlier,” Ramadon went on, “almost all unicorns can telekinetically lift objects unless their heart is not in it, or their concentration is not sharp enough, or something is wrong with their horn, but what about a unicorn raised in the wilds away from any other pony society? To that pony, they've never even seen any other pony do that trick. If that ability was never in their perception in the first place, then maybe it would never even occur to them to try it.

“Expanding on that logic, I realized that the spells we, as a society, have never cast yet are only because the idea never snuck into our heads in the first place.

“For any spell you can possibly imagine, also imagine that there is already a secret society of unicorns out there who have already mastered that spell. You can never dismiss that theory no matter how hard you try.

“That, in turn, got me to realize that the true potential of magic is limitless.

“If we have the power to move the sun and the moon then why not the planet itself instead?

“Or how about this concept . . . that is, in fact, all Celestia has ever done. Maybe the sun or the moon is not moving and it never did, we are instead. Maybe Celestia is moving the planet so that it seems like she's moving the moon or the sun when, in fact, it never moved in the first place. All she did was change our perspective relative to it. It could even be the truth without even her realizing it.

“The science of magic, then, is based on perception. The idea has to come first before we even have a chance to put it into practice. My point is . . .”

Ramadon paused for a moment as he placed a hoof to his lips. He also paused long enough to clear a bubble in this throat, burping slightly to get rid of the excess air.

Meanwhile, Quill waited on the edge of his seat eagerly, feeling like he was discovering the secrets of the universe for the first time.

“Clearly,” Ramadon lectured on when he finally spoke again, “there is an important distinction between perception and reality. One affects the other, and it might have been doing this all along and for all time.

“Looking at this from an eternal perspective, one also has to realize that for every spell that has not been invented yet, it's only a matter of time before it gets invented. With infinite time comes infinite possibilities. Whatever doesn't exist yet will exist. It's inevitable. It's only a matter of time.

“You can go the other way too. It's not just in the future. Perhaps the past is infinite as well. Whatever doesn't exist now might have once existed before. Maybe the only reason we don't know about it is because the art got lost and forgotten.

“Expanding upon this hypothesis, I started to realize the true scope of not just magic itself, but reality as well.

“I realized, also, how they are interconnected. If magic can affect reality then perhaps it always has. Maybe magic is reality and never was anything else.

“So that started to get me thinking about the three breeds of ponies again and I looked at the earth ponies as well as the perception that they were the weakest breed when it comes to tapping into magic. That also implied that they had the weakest hold over reality. As I looked upon that perception, I started to squint in suspicion as I asked myself, 'Is it true? Do earth ponies indeed have the weakest hold overall Equestrian reality?'

“Well, to answer that question, I figured I would have to study their ways and their culture better.

“I had already suspected and, deep in my heart, I knew the answer but only experience brought that feeling to the forefront of my mind. I always felt earth ponies were deeply underestimated but, even with that feeling, I still wanted to know, 'To what degree were they underestimated? How far would I have to explore this question before I finally got my answer in full?'”

Ramadon chuckled when he recalled something which made him look down. He took a few moments to recover before he resumed.

“I tell ya . . . earth ponies have a bluntness to them which hides a treasure trove full of wisdom. I love how they can cut right to the heart of the problem almost immediately.

“On the FIRST DAY of my arrival to this town, I asked all the earth ponies around me what importance did they have on Equestria and how they affected reality as a whole, and I remember there was this old pony named Cobblestone who returned my question with this question, 'How important is the earth to Equestria? Where would we be without it?'”

Ramadon paused again to look upon his nephew's expression. He was pleased to see Quill's stunned look and figured he got his point across, so he went on. “Yeah. That's pretty much how I felt.

“His answer got me thinking about something else as well, and I kicked myself for not realizing it sooner.

“Sometimes, when we explore complex questions, we ignore simple answers, thinking instead that somehow the answer to a complex question demands an equally complex answer.

“In truth, sometimes it is, and sometimes it isn't. It depends on the nature of the question.

“Anyway, as I was saying, since I was trying to explore magic and its relationship to all of reality, I also had to take into account the various components of reality.

“The sky and the earth, both are essential components of reality. Earth ponies tend to one of them so that our system does not crash, so the larger realization is, if earth ponies did not exist, perhaps nothing else would either.

“They're a vital part of our cycle, yet they can't cast magic or stand on clouds. The concept seems unbalanced at first so I explored my question further.

“How much magic did earth ponies truly have? That's the question that haunted me and no earth pony could answer my question directly to my satisfaction.

“For the most part, the truth is they didn't know either but there was one suggestion that intrigued me and ultimately I decided to pursue it. One of them said, 'I'm sorry I could not answer your question to the level of your satisfaction. I'm not some fancy-schmancy educational folk who can instantly spout out all the answers, so how about you try us out for yourself? Do what we do. Maybe by doing that, you'll finally have the answer to your question.'

“Then I thought to myself, 'Why not?' Physically I was capable of what they could do for the most part.

“Genetically speaking, I'm sure that they have got the edge on me. Physical strength and stamina are supposed to be their best asset but, like a unicorn practicing magic, it's all a matter of diligence and practice. I knew that if I tried hard enough, I could become as strong as any earth pony eventually but, to pursue that goal, I would have to use the same methods that they did. For scientific reasons, I knew I had to anyway. I can't ruin the experiment by doing something different from them. If I did and I got different results then I'd always have to question if the one thing I did differently was the culprit behind the different results, so I knew then that this experiment would have to be legit.

“It was a major commitment but the potential reward was understanding the true nature of reality. The potential rewards of that realization could be astronomical, so I committed to the experiment.

“I got a job, rolled up my sleeves figuratively speaking, and got to work.

“In particular, I wanted a profession specifically relating to the earth. Perhaps a newspaper editor or a barber could have accomplished the same results but my question was about the relationship of earth ponies versus magic versus effect on all of reality. For that, I wanted a profession that tackled this issue as directly as possible. Based on the available options, farming seemed to be my best bet.

“But life is complicated. You start a project committed to one path and may end up accomplishing a dozen others. What you end up achieving can be even greater than what you originally intended and sometimes, even if you get the answers to your questions, it only begs more questions.

“Life is filled with twists and turns, zigs and zags.

“All I wanted was to find out how important earth ponies were and how much magic did they really have.

“While on the project, I also ended up discovering a much greater form of magic: love.

“Just by being here I was influencing all of reality in this town.

“I was, and maybe still am, one of the strongest spellcasters in all of Equestria. Of course rumors are going to spread about such things, especially in a small town with a close-knit society. Some did not like it, some were suspicious, some were confused, some were curious, some grew intrigued as to the nature of my project and wanted to know the answers for themselves, and some admired me up close or from a distance.

“The most important aspect to come out of all of this is love, however.

“My selfless dedication to my work is very attractive to earth ponies. They love and appreciate when somepony is honest about themselves and what they represent. They also value integrity and, for every day that I did not cast a spell despite my overwhelming potential, I was admired and, for some, a cause for deep concern.

“Since they valued honesty, they had to ask me if I was really being honest with myself. I was a unicorn, which meant I was not an earth pony. By ignoring my magic, perhaps I might also be ignoring an important aspect of myself.

“When I explained myself and the nature of my project as well as what I intended to achieve through it, I got mixed results but, in general, most could not understand the full scope of what I was trying to accomplish here. Instead, they'd eventually just dismiss me and say something like, 'Okay. You fancy city folk sure have a funny way of looking at things. Hoo-ey, ain't that a hoot!'”

Ramadon paused again as he regathered his thoughts, then asked as he resumed, “Remember when I said a unicorn's typical power source is tied to their emotions?”

Quill merely nodded numbly.

“Well . . . I realize that you may not fully understand what I'm about to tell you because . . . well, mostly because you might be too young and inexperienced to fully understand this but at least hear me out so you can understand the general concept.

“Love . . . is the most powerful emotion of all.

“Friendship, harmony, love . . . I have heard these emotions can accomplish miracles if that is the power source of a unicorn. I heard legends of ponies brought back from the dead due to the magic of love.

“This is seriously powerful stuff, and should not be underestimated but, to accomplish a power like that, the feeling must be genuine, and that also means you have to go through everything that leads up to that. You can't just write down on a spell scroll, 'Okay, for this spell we're going to need toad's legs, butterfly wings, and true love's kiss. Yeah. That should do it.'”

Ramadon chuckled as he lightly shook his head. “No. Life is not that simple. If that kiss is evoked by the power of true love, then it required everything that caused it, and there's no way you can write that down on a spell scroll.

“Every love is unique. It isn't reliable, repeatable or teachable, and yet it exists all around us all the time. It can be so common that many of us don't even realize how truly miraculous it really is. It's just a unique experience for every pony, and yet it can lead to some of the greatest magic of all.

“Despite our inability to write it down, its potential shouldn't be ignored either. It turns out life is too complicated sometimes to put a frame and structure around it all the time. To even try is too limiting and is the very height of arrogance. You can do it for some things in life, but not for everything, and one has to realize, while in pursuit of the true essence of magic, to be willing to look at the big picture. You have to be willing to include everything that magic is composed of to even get a glimmer of understanding it, but the rewards of the attempt are infinitely valuable.

“Through love, I have created life itself. That life will go on to forge their own destiny someday. Everything that that pony does is a ripple effect that can be traced back to me and even further back, if I were to be honest.

“By creating that life, I have affected reality in a very profound and in a lasting way.

“By affecting reality, I have affected magic that's tied to it.

“How, then, can any pony call earth ponies powerless? I would say to them it can be subtle, but it's there. Try it for yourself and you'll see.

“Eventually I also understood that, to understand the fundamental principles of the magic of the earth, I could not limit myself to just earth pony culture alone. There is a lot nature can do without ponies direct hoofing of it, so I also tried to explore nature itself, hence these sojourns.

“What I do now, here in these woods, is just as important, if not more so, than any studies I've done in a library in the past. Direct experience affects emotions very deeply and emotions, in turn, are tied to our magic.

“To do something is to know something.

“To read about something is to know what the author of the book claims to have experienced, whether it is true or not.

“Reading about how to swim does not grant you the skill if you never actually tried it before, although that information can still help. You do not really master the skill until you try it out for yourself.

“To shift topics a bit, let me ask you another question, and it's based on a concept so . . . um, common I think is the word, that ponies often overlook the true mystery of it, and the question is this.”

Ramadon bent over and picked up the stone he levitated earlier but this time he did it by hoof.

“Okay. Pay attention, because this is important.”

Quill nodded to signal his readiness and attention.

“My question to you is this . . . how am I holding this stone right now?”

Quill squinted in confusion. “You, ah . . . just picked it up. You're holding it with your hoof.”

“Yeah, but how?” Ramadon reflected. “Why is the stone suspended against my hoof? What's keeping it there?”

Quill thought about it, then shook his head. “I don't know. You just are. It's what we've always done.”

“Not exactly,” Ramadon warned with a tilt of his head. “Ponies were not always capable of this power and, to return to my wilderness concept again, a pony who never saw another pony do this cannot do this. For them, it never occurred to them to try.

“What I'm doing now, however, is one of the most common tricks ponies of any kind has ever done for thousands of years beyond recorded history, but how? Why does this rock not just fall off my hoof?”

Again Quill shook his head, mystified.

“Let me put it another way.”

Now Ramadon squashed the rock between two hooves, his right and left hoof.

“Okay. Now I repeat the question. Why does the rock not just fall to the ground?”

“Because it's squashed between two points, your right, and left hoof,” Quill quickly answered.

“Yeah. You're right,” Ramadon agreed. “Now it's logical, right? Any pony who sees this can understand that the reason the rock is not falling to the ground is because it can't. It has to squeeze out of the pressure I'm putting on the stone from two opposite sides. Maybe, if the stone was slippery, it could escape, but that's an entirely different circumstance.

“Let me put it another way.”

Ramadon resumed holding the stone with one hoof, the left in this case, except this time he aimed his hoof straight down.

“Okay. I repeat the question. Why is the stone not falling to the ground? At this point, gravity should assist it. I'm aiming the stone downwards, and yet it's not falling. Why?”

Quill almost gave a dismissive shake of his head again but this time he thought on the answer further. He searched his mind for any possibility that might explain this and eventually he came up with one.

“Magic,” Quill eventually answered.

Star Breeze nodded in agreement in the future. She came up with the same thought a while ago.

“Exactly,” Ramadon agreed with a shake of the stone towards Quill. “That's exactly it. Magic is the answer, but a lot of ponies don't realize that. This is something so common, an everyday kind of thing, that most ponies don't stop and think about it. They see other ponies do it so they just assume it's a logical process, but it's not. By all logical accounts, this should be impossible if you remove the magic factor. Magic has to be the explanation, and it is.

“While most ponies don't think about it, some do and some did.

“I actually read about this phenomenon before from philosophic authors centuries ago who pondered the same thing, but this leads to another conclusion. If magic is the correct answer then you can draw another conclusion from that.

“Let me ask you another question: Can earth ponies do this?”

“Yes,” Quill answered without thinking but, a second later, it occurred to him what the implications of that answer truly were.

Yes! Earth ponies could do this, but if magic was the only explanation for the act then it had to mean earth ponies had magic, and this time it wasn't subtle. It was so common it was often overlooked, but it was also a blatant practice of it.

“Okay,” said Ramadon. “So, if we both agree on the fact that magic is the best explanation for this and we both agree that all earth ponies can do this, and pegasi too for that matter, then we can also draw the conclusion that earth ponies have magic and a pretty obvious one at that.

“If they can do this, however, then what else can they do?

“Most of it is actually pretty subtle, but I just wanted to point out the most obvious one.

“This is a fundamental trait of our entire race, all three breeds included.

“If you think that rocks your noodle, however, then let me challenge your perception of reality again with another question.

“So,” he looked at the stone, “if magic is the explanation as to why I can hold this stone to my hoof, then let me expand upon that question; can I hold this stone with any other part of my body?”

“Um . . .” Quill shrugged, then said, “. . . no? At least, not that I've seen.”

Ramadon squinted at his nephew. “C'mon, nephew. Think this through. Has any other pony, ever, held something like this object in any other part of their body?”

Again Quill almost said no but then something occurred to him. “The mouth,” he answered.

Ramadon nodded. “Right. I could hold this stone in my mouth, though that is very likely unwise considering how dirty it is.

“If you think about it, though, that should technically apply to almost any other object.

“The mouth is actually a dangerous strategy but, with practice, it's quite capable of a fair bit of dexterity. For ponies who can't write things out with a magic horn, the mouth is often the alternative, albeit a less sanitary one and also a strategy with considerably less reach.

“The lesson here is be grateful for the gifts you have but I'm also trying to expand your mind here. When you explore the nature of magic and reality in general, you really have to pay attention and think about how things actually work in relationship with each other.

“Let's keep going with this. I'll forgive you if you hesitate on the answer to this question but I ask again: Is there anywhere else I can hold this stone besides my hoof and my mouth?”

“Maybe between your ears?” Quill guessed. “Between legs? Between any two points that can hold the stone up?”

“Right. For now, that's a fair and logical answer, but we established earlier that magic is the reason I can hold this stone with my hoof at all. Is that the only area, besides my horn, that magic will function? Why can't I hold this stone with my muzzle?”

“I, ah . . .” Quill shrugged. He was already surprised multiple times today so he decided to press forward. “I don't know. Can you?”

“Let's find out,” Ramadon decided then applied the stone to the tip of his muzzle.

To Quill's astonishment, sure enough, the stone held there.

“Amazing!” Quill exclaimed. “How are you doing this? What's your secret?”

“I've been explaining that to you this whole time,” Ramadon said back. “Our minds, belief, and perception are what shaped our limitations before. If that can change, then maybe our limits can change as well.

“Watch this.”

The stone on Ramadon's muzzle rolled away down his neck, up his right foreleg and spiraled around that leg before meeting with the tip of his right hoof. From there the stone spun. It spun left faster and faster then suddenly stopped. After a moment it spun in the right direction.

“Now here's something else that might blow your mind,” Ramadon warned before removing his hat with his left hoof. “Look at my horn. Notice it's not glowing.”

“Neither is the stone,” Quill observed.

“Exactly, which means,” Ramadon lifted his right hoof skyward with the stone aimed upwards, “that any pony can do this, earth ponies included.

“Now, one more thing I want to show you before I start digging into explanations and theories.

“Watch the stone.”

Quill did as requested.

A few seconds later the stone popped off his right hoof and flew away. Before it landed, it was caught in a glowing golden aura and floated back in front of Ramadon.

“Did you see that?” Ramadon asked his nephew.

“Yeah. The stone flew off your hoof,” Quill noticed.

“Right, but did you notice something else?” Ramadon challenged.

Quill shook his head.

“Then let me do it again. Watch, only this time pay attention to my leg here. See if it moves.”

Quill did. This time, when Ramadon repeated the trick, Quill was able to make another astonishing observation.

“No. Your leg didn't move. The rock just popped off on its own but, if you're not using your magic to do that-”

“Of course I'm using my magic to do it,” Ramadon interrupted and corrected. “Earlier we just established that magic is the only reason I can hold this stone to my hoof in the first place. If magic is the reason I can hold it, then magic is the reason I can fling it away too but without even using my muscles while I'm at it. My leg didn't move both times, as you have noticed. I used magic to move the stone and that alone.”

“Nature magic?” Quill guessed. “Like you used to levitate the stone without your horn magic in the first place?”

“Not exactly. I did not draw upon an external power source.”

Ramadon aimed both of his hooves at each other and shot the stone back and forth between his hooves without moving his legs. The aim had to be correct, but otherwise what he was doing was miraculous.

“But if you really stop and think about it, how can I ever draw upon anything else other than nature magic? Aren't I part of nature at all times? The land I stand on, the air I breathe, the food I eat . . . it all comes from nature. So to claim I tap into a power source separate from nature is a misnomer. That actually isn't true. You can think that way if you want to, but that limits your true possibilities.

“To master magic fully, you have to understand more about how it works and its relationship to all things. I was not kidding or being sarcastic when I said magic was in all things. That's exactly what all my conclusions are being drawn to, and I'm finding more and more evidence of it all the time.”

“Have you told any of your friends or family any of this?” Quill asked in amazement.

“Well you are a member of my family, aren't you? And I'm telling you.

“While we do have that in common without even trying, I hope we can call each other friends as well. Family does not guarantee that. Sometimes family can be your greatest enemy, but a friend is always a choice.”

“Does that mean yes? Have you told somepony besides me?” Quill drove on.

Ramadon dropped the rock onto the ground where it proceeded to roll away a short distance. While it did, he finally decided to be bluntly honest.

“Yes,” he answered. “Various members of my friends and family have been told this secret.

“Even with proof, however, some cannot accept even my hypothesis let alone my conclusions, and that's fine.” Ramadon shrugged. “Not every pony is prepared to accept the reality that I have discovered and there can be many reasons for that. I don't demand anypony to believe me, and you can tell any pony you wish as well. In fact, I welcome you to do so, but you do so at your own risk.”

xoxo

Star Breeze's father suddenly stopped his tale when he heard an unexpected plop beside him. He glanced to his left to find his daughter collapsed to the ground.

She had fallen asleep.

Despite how long she had been up, he did not expect her to fall asleep that suddenly and at this point of the story. Since it answered some of the questions she was desperately after, he thought that would hold her attention, but apparently, she met her limits.

Still a young pony, after all, he reminded himself.

He smiled at her fondly and lovingly for a moment, then realized this was something he needed to imprint into the stone. He grabbed the stone hanging about his neck for a moment and pushed the feelings he had deep inside him into the stone. Doing so did not drain him but it gave the stone a copy of that impression, preserved.

I guess we can take a break for now. We'll resume sometime in the morning.

Actually, something like that happened back then too. I kind of recall talking with my uncle for hours about my discoveries back then based on what he told me, but most of that conversation recycled the same idea except it explored it from different angles. Curious minds just had to know the answers to everything or, at least, try to seek those answers, but really, the next real chapter of my story started the next day. How appropriate that the present should echo that point as well.

Talk about synchronicity! Surely it is a sign of fate being on the right track.

Looking back at his daughter, he concentrated for a moment and summoned the wind. At the same time, he pressurized the air to squeeze moisture down to a single point. A cloud formed beneath his daughter which gently lifted her upwards.

Since she was a pegasus, that was solid enough to her.

He then formed the cloud into a makeshift blanket around her body and pillow that grew beneath her head which settled into the shape of her neck as well for perfect balance.

Good night, sleepyhead. May Luna's kiss guide you to pleasant dreams, he thought then trotted down the mountain.

The cloud supporting his sleeping daughter blew down with him yet the journey was very steady for her so as to not disturb her sleep.

At that point, he decided to find a good place to make camp for the remainder of the night.