Planeswalker Gothic
Part 2
Equestria
Eating as a magical pony was an interesting experience to say the least. I had no hands for gripping my food, and I'd never eaten a dandelion sandwich before, so I had no idea if my manner of eating offended anyone. Also I really wasn't looking forward to figuring out how to deal with the food coming out the other end. Thankfully Twilight's million plus questions made for a good distraction.
"So what's the difference between Mana and Magic?" she asked me.
This was easy to answer as Planeswalker had a good gasp of magic, as well as the ability to talk about it endlessly. However that didn't mean that my view of matters was the correct one as I still had much to learn.
"Well as you know, magic is a power that is all around us" I told the pony "Some lucky people can tap into that energy in different ways. There is internal magic, in which you store a certain amount of power inside yourself. Once that is used up you have to wait for it to recharge as new magic is drawn into you. The more you practice this kind of magic the more energy you can store inside yourself, and the quicker it will recharge".
That was only one way of using magic, and it was most likely how the unicorns did it. I could also do magic that way, but as of yet I didn't know any spells so it was kind of useless.
"Another way of using magic is call upon higher and lower powers via some sort of ritual" I went on to say "This can allow you do some impressive stuff, but if the being you are getting power from says no to your request then your pretty much stuck".
That was a kind of magic no Planeswalker would ever use. Mostly due to a total lack of need as we had Mana, but also because we were worshipped as gods on some planes of existence, so asking someone else for power would hurt our pride to much.
"Mana is different in that it comes not from inside a person or from another being, a place, or even an artefact, it comes from the land itself" I stated "There's a lot of magical power even on a small island so Planeswalkers can gather great amounts of energy, and we use that magic to empower some very impressive spells".
I waited a few moments to let Twilight Sparkle process all of that before speaking again. My explanation of two main different kinds of magic had been very simple, and there were other ways as well, but it was enough to illustrate the points I was trying to make.
"Now Mana comes in five colours" I then explained "White, Black, Red, Blue and, Green".
Currently I had a single green colour Mox Diamond so if I could find a card that only cost a little green mana to use I'd be able to show off a spell. Sadly sorting through cards was tricky when you lacked fingers.
"How are those colours different?" was Twilight's next question.
Before I answered I checked to see how Rarity was doing, and my opinion was that she wasn't actually listening at all, she was just pretending to listen so as to have an excuse to look at me.
I found this more flattering than unnerving. Which was odd for me as normally I didn't like to be the centre of attention, I guessed that dying and then coming back to life had changed me. That or it was part of my Planeswalker nature.
"Islands and oceans provide blue mana" I said "The strength of blue lies in trickery and manipulation, rather than brute force. Blue mages work best behind the scenes, scheming and stealing secrets. With the power of blue, a Planeswalker can call upon wizards, weird beasts of the air and oceans to serve him".
I had much more to say. This could take a while.
"For the most part, blue likes to take it slow" I told the ponies "It despises hasty actions and is also very big on deception, cloaking the truth and concealing its true motives. As the ruler of air and water, blue always finds a way to make its more creatures effective infiltrators through some form of evasion, or by flying. It also has a unique skill in the matters of time, usually reversing it by unsummoning things. Blue, as the colour of intelligence, takes great pride in never running out of options".
Or at least that was information that had been crammed into my head. As of yet I didn't understand everything I'd just said, but it sounded very intelligent, and Twilight Sparkle was transfixed by my words.
"Black mana comes from things like swamps, where things fester and rot" I was now saying "Selfishness, power at any cost - these are the twisted values of the darkness. Black magic is powerful and easy to wield, but it comes with a high price. Its spells and abilities can warp the mind, poison the land, and turn creatures into nothingness. Dark minions, undead creatures, and unspeakable horrors are as self-serving and treacherous as the mages who commanded them. It is not completely evil, though it is often portrayed to be".
No one interrupted so I decided to keep talking.
"Black is fairly simple to understand" I was now telling the magical ponies "It focuses on winning at all costs. It can be simple, or very abstract. Though it can be an aggressive, it focuses on manipulating the opponent at any cost. When a black Mana user gets aggressive, he does so by clearing the path for his creatures".
Which sounded like fun
"Black also cares about glory but instead of creating or enhancing, it selfishly takes. And it seeks unity only within itself, outsiders are to be killed or exploited" was what I said next, "Finally, black will do absolutely whatever it has to in order to gain the upper-hand. It is even willing to sacrifice part of itself in order to do what it does more efficiently".
These still weren't my words, but that didn't stop me from using them.
"Now Red mana comes from the mountains and the fiery heart of the world itself" I said "Red magic is filled with fire, frenzy, and storms of rock and lava. Its creatures are warlike and dangerous, ranging from mighty dragons to hordes of rampaging goblins. Mages who master red magic have no patience for talk or subtlety. They act quickly and recklessly. Red mages can channel their wild emotions to crush the ground you walk on or to wield flame like a living weapon".
Which sounded really cool.
"Red is like the hyperactive little brother of blue" I then informed "It likes to just rush right into things and be as aggressive as possible. It rules over the elements of earth and fire, along with anything else that may become mountain-related. This eventually resulted in being able to use ice, since mountains tend to be very cold locations. It does share electricity with its blue rival, however. Sometimes, it doesn't even know what it's doing itself, and introduces random effect. Red is based around impulse, fury and destroying things".
There was still more for me to say on this subject.
"Red Creatures are very aggressive but not too bright" I explained "No creatures prove this better than Goblins. They're small but fearless, and there are tons of them. Giants, Orcs, and Ogres are some other types of red Creatures. They're bigger and meaner than Goblins but just as stupid. Dragons are the exception among the red creatures. Dragons are huge, smart and cruel. Goblins are their popcorn. Clever red mages have both on their side".
I still wasn't finished yet.
"The there is Green" I said "The teeming forests overflow with green mana, the pulse of nature. Green magic is about growth, life, and brute force. When a green mage fights, massive creatures crash through the undergrowth, animals enlarge to gargantuan size, and wounds close before blood spills onto the ground. Strength, ferocity, and life: These are the values that sustain the green mage".
"Green mages understand that the world obeys the law of the jungle that everything is either predator or prey" I was now saying "Green mages do what they can to accelerate and protect nature: jungles expand, artifacts crumble, and creatures regenerate themselves. For green mages, even the plants become lethal weapons. At their best, green mages are instinctual and adaptive. At their worst, they are savage, unthinking, and predatory".
My mouth felt a little dry so I sipped my drink using a straw before speaking further.
"Green mages can summon a huge variety of creatures" I told the ponies "from forest-dwelling animals to territorial elves and awe-inspiring behemoths. Some green creatures are living wellsprings of mana; others overrun their foes in a mighty rush of ferocious power. From towering nature elementals to carnivorous wurms, green creatures are the biggest and mightiest around".
There was just one more to go.
"White is the colour of order, light, and healing" I explained "White Mages like to lay down the law and enforce it. Many white cards represent knights, castles and soldiers. Others represent creatures that live on the plains. Angels are powerful protectors in the sky, and clerics protect the weak and injured. It is not necessarily good, though white will often present itself in this way".
Mana wasn't good or evil, it was more complex than that so I was sure that Twilight would have a few follow up questions, but our attention was diverted when we noticed that pretty much everyone in town was gravitating to one spot, and naturally we went to find out what the heck was going on.
When we found out I merely stood, dumbfounded, next to an equally aghast Rarity and a somewhat upset Twilight, as a unicorn magician rattled off a long list of her positive virtues. Most of which were used as prefixes to her name, which was Trixie. The Great and Powerful Trixie,
For a moment I wondered if her insanity was merely part of the act, but I dismissed that when she pulled a bunny from a hat, she was nothing more than a stage performer with a massive ego.
"Roll up, roll up. Get in line for the most bedazzling, incredible show in all of pony history! Be part of a one in a life time phenomenon as the Great and Powerful Trixie shows her fabulous and unprecedented magical skill!"
I turned to Rarity,
"Well you can't say she's lacking in... showponyship?" I said.
Hopefully that was a word.
"Sure can't" said Applejack, who just walked over to us "Shame her attitude stinks more than a pile of old manure that's been set on fire".
I actually laughed upon hearing that.
"Yes thank you, Applejack," Rarity remarked "Burning manure is exactly what I want to be thinking about just after eating a lovely lunch!".
I laughed about that to.
"Not to mention she's been doing nothing but talking herself up for what feels like forever" Twilight commented "Is there even a show to watch?".
She did seem to have an endless amount of self-aggrandising talk, and while she had done one trick it didn't look as if she knew anymore.
"Perhaps this is the show" I wondered "Maybe she's a comedy act".
There were noises of agreement and faint nods from the three mares standing around me, and I spent a while amusing myself with ideas of what I would do once I figured out how to use my cards effectively.
Aside from visiting some worlds just for fun, and finding some cool magical items, there were other plans knocking around my head. One of my long term goals was to build my own plane of existence that I could not only rule, but also populate as I saw fit.
Creating life was beyond me, at least for now as summon creatures weren't actual real, but I was sure that sooner or later I'd find a way to make summoned or conjured creatures stick around for as long I wanted them to. It would most likely involve somehow binding them to my realm.
If that didn't work I'd have to figure out a way to move people to my realm without passing through the Void because that would kill anyone who didn't have the Spark. There was a way to get around that, but right I didn't know what it was. Possible it involved portals.
"Hey, everypony" greeted Rainbow Dash she landed next to us "has the show started yet?"
She was met with a collective sigh and a resounding round of 'no' from all of us present. Our lack of enthusiasm was self evident.
"Ah, I think she's finally finished with the sales pitch" Rarity then said.
Rather than do anything Trixie retreated backstage and we all sighed in annoyance for a second time.
"Or perhaps not" Rarity corrected herself.
If the show was just this Trixie ranting on about how wonderful she was I would become very miffed.
"Come one, come all," said a voice belonging to the now-unseen blue unicorn. "Come and witness the amazing magic of the Great and All Powerful Trixie!"
There was a flash of light, a puff of smoke and in an instant the blue unicorn appeared triumphantly on stage, she beamed smugly as a chorus of 'ooooo's rose up from the gathered crowd.
"Gaze in awe and wonder as the Great and Powerful Trixie performs feats that have never before been witnessed by pony eyes!" the show off went on to say.
If I'd been able to sort through my cards, and if I had more than one Mana filled Mox Diamond I'd have shown everyone here what real magic was.
"My what boasting" Rarity said.
Spike then muttered something about Twilight and moustaches before sprinting off in the opposite direction. I had no idea what that was about. This was also when I noticed that Sparkle looked very concerned.
"There's nothing wrong with being talented is there?" she asked
I figured she now worrying about how people saw her when she performed magic in front of other people.
"She's a show-off and the ponies of Ponyville don't take too kindly to show-offs" Applejack stated.
Trixie then made a bouquet of flowers appear via magic, while looking all too pleased with herself.
"Exactly!" Rarity agreed as flipped her mane dramatically to the side. "Being able to do lots of silly magic does not make a pony better than the rest of us"
Those had not been good things to say in front of Twilight, because while none of her friends thought she was a show off, their words made Sparkle think otherwise.
"Well, it seems we have some neiiiigh-sayers in the audience!" Trixe then called out. "Do they not know that they are in the presence of the greatest magician in all of Equestria?!"
I cast a sidelong glance at the friends, who were all expressing either annoyance or outright anger
"Just who does she think she is?" Rarity said softly.
Spike, who had snuck back into the group mere moments ago, began to say something before being ushered away by Twilight, who spoke to him away from the crowd in hushed tones.
"What makes you think you're so great anyway?" Dash asked much more loudly than anyone else.
The showmare scoffed.
"It's very simple: only the Great and Powerful Trixie has magic enough to defeat the dreaded URSA MAJOR!" she replied.
A series of extra fireworks shot up into the sky and produced a crude outline of a bear that I fuigured was meant to look fearsome.
"When all hope was lost, the ponies of Hoofington had no one else to turn to" Trixie informed us "The Great and Powerful Trixie vanquished the dreaded Ursa Major with her awesome magic and sent it back to its cave deep within the Everfree Forest!"
The firework representing Trixie shot out purple lines, and the giant bear vanished with a sudden shot of sparks. Most present gasped in awe, loudly praising the magical abilities of the pony before them.
As for me I noticed that I now had two green coloured Mox diamonds. That would be enough to put Trixie in her place.
"Okay that's it!" I shouted out "Someone pick out all the green coloured cards from my deck I am going to show everyone some real magic!".
(Line Break)
It took a little work, and some help from Rarity, but I managed to get two green mana powered cards charged up and ready for use. I had to hold them in my hoof very carefully so that I could talk to everyone.
"Time for some real magic" I told the audience "And unlike her I'm not going to spend all my time bragging I'm just going to entertain you".
The ground waited with bated breathe.
Birds of Paradise!
As summoned creatures went a flock of brightly coloured birds were lousy in battle, but as entertainment they really were worth the Mana, the birds did whatever I wished so I made fly around above the audience for a while. As an add bonus I got some red Mana for my trouble I had no idea how that worked and I didn't worry about it. Once the wonder had started to wear off I dismissed the birds and the card vanished.
"Your turn Trixie!" I challenged.
She was dumbfounded for a while, but the unicorn was able to recover and perform her own trick. Which was to make a pony disappear after putting them behind a curtain. I had no doubt this involved a trap door, but it went down well so I knew I had to kick things up a notch.
"I too will need a volunteer from the audience!" I called out.
Pinkie Pie was up on the stage so fast she could have given The Flash a run for his money, and for a moment I considered that using this card on her might be a bad idea, but I really wanted to show off.
Giant Growth!
In the game of Magic: The Gathering, all this card did was vastly increase the attack and defence power of a creature for a single turn, but this was no game. The card was far more literal, it made Pinky Pie grow into a giant, and amazingly no one ran away while screaming.
At least not until Pinky started to sing and dance, and then the sheer terror came, thankfully I was able to end the spell, and soon the hyperactive Earth Pony shrank down to her normal size.
Once that happened the ponies returned the show and judging by their words I figured that they all thought what they'd see was an illusion rather than a massive Pinky Pie, which hopefully would cut down on the nightmares the foals would no doubt have.
"Can you beat that?" I asked Trixie.
It took her a while to remember how her mouth worked, and while she did that I looked around. Then I discovered something I'd either failed to notice or hadn't been able sense until now.
I knew the power of my own Spark, as I had called upon it, and now I was seeing it in someone else. It was dormant, but defiantly there.
Twilight Sparkle was a Planeswalker.