Chapter six. I hope I'm keeping a good pace, though it does feel like I am. Regardless, here we are. I hope you all like it. Please leave a review. I don't know how I'm doing if no one tells me. Honestly, how could an artist get better if no one told them how they could improve, or at least 'keep working toward this general area that you seem to be strong in'. I accept flames happily. After all, what's the point in buying marshmallows if you don't toast them over flames? At that point, they're at their tastiest. *Very small Kiwi bird holds up a stick with a marshmallow with his foot* Now, onto the part that always comes after me voicing random things, sometimes including Peewee, the highly epic miniature Demon Kiwi. *Peewee waves the marshmallow before biting the stick and walking toward a lit candle*
Disclaimer: I, Lord Genesis Shadow, do hereby state that I do not own the rights to My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Thank you, and have a nice day.
…
"Okay…" Specs said. "Measurements, complete, except for your wings."
"And those aren't needed." I said.
"Just in case." She said. "A serious tailor would want to know everything that could affect how comfortable it is."
"I close the clasp in front of my neck, it drapes over my back." I said.
"If it's too heavy to pull your wings out when you need to fly though…" She said. I sighed. "Open 'em." I opened my wings and she made the measuring tape go from tip to tip. "Is that your full wingspan?" I sighed and opened them completely, and she whistled. "Wow. Big wings." I was silent as she wrote the measurements. "Okay. I'll take these in to the Carousel Boutique to get it started. You just want it simple and black? Nothing special?"
"I can't think of anything special I want done." I said. "I'm just replacing the old cloak because it's, starting to get to where I'll have to fix it often, and eventually it'll be more stitching than cloak." I closed my wings and moved them under said cloak as she put the notes in her saddlebag.
"Thanks for asking me for this." She said. "Did you know that the boutique is owned by one of the ponies that saved Equestria?"
"Seriously?" I asked. She nodded.
"Her name is Rarity, and she's the bearer of Generosity." She said. "She charges just enough to keep the Carousel Boutique open and to cover personal costs. Since she lives there, she doesn't have as many bills. Makes things pretty easy I bet." She giggled. "She's also a Unicorn, and her eye for fashion is pretty good, if the rumors around town are true." I laughed quietly.
"Well then, I guess I'm getting a top quality cloak." I said. We both laughed as she made her saddlebag settle onto her back.
"See you later." She said. "I'll pick the cloak up if you want." I thought for a moment.
"N-no, I can do it." I said. She looked at me curiously. "Sky wouldn't stop bugging me to, start going outside of the grounds, so if it'll keep her out of my mane, then, I guess I'll start doing my own errands." She smiled. 'In most towns at least.' She nodded and walked away while I walked over to my travel trunk, but as I went to open it, I stopped and looked at the mirror. I walked over and looked at my face. 'Be more confident… Sky keeps telling me that. I guess, I should try. Even if it takes, a long time…' I smiled a little. 'I guess, I don't look, too bad. Kind of, calm looking. Friendly, and just, a little bit…' I sighed. "Unnoticeable." I laughed after a moment, lowering my voice so that only I would hear it, in case anypony was close enough to overhear anything else. "A good trick to have when I need it." After a moment of looking at my reflection, I turned back, smiling a little, and pulled out the key and unlocked the chest. "A little light reading should help pass the time."
…
"Hello, I'm, here to pick up my order?" I said to the empty room. I looked around and saw a large number of mannequins, no two adorned with the same dress, suit, or hat. "Wow… This is good work." I looked around as I slowly walked in.
"Just a moment." A female voice called from nearby. It was most likely Rarity, since I had heard that she worked alone. "I'm putting on the finishing touches for a very special order… What is your name?" I swallowed nervously.
"Ace Stormrider." I said.
"Ah, you're just in time." She called. "I just need a few minutes to finish your new cloak. There is some fresh tea and some cookies if you'd like." I looked to see a tray with said items on it. I slowly walked over and poured two cups, in case she was thirsty, and I took a sip from the closer cup. It was, different, but very good. "I hope you like the tea. It's Darjeeling." I nodded, mostly to myself.
"Yes, it's very good, thank you." I said. I waited for a few minutes and the door opened. A mannequin with a deep black cloak floated out, the hood drawn up and there was light silver threading along the hem and near the collar, and it was just like I'd described it, like a pair of wings too big to fully fold against the body, yet closed seamlessly. "Wow, that, that's, perfect."
"Well, it's only perfect if it fits." She said. "I understand your friend was precise in her measurements?"
"Y-yes, very." I said. She walked out and she looked at me before the other cup floated over to her while the mannequin was set down.
"Thank you." She said. I nodded as she sipped it and set it on a saucer that floated over, but she looked at me. "I suppose I finished none too soon." She walked over and her glasses adjusted as she looked me over. I suddenly found myself nervous. "Your current cloak is all but worn out… Though, you've had work done on it. Quite a lot."
"Well, I, I'm not much one for shopping, or, having new cloaks made." I said. "I've, had this one for a little over twelve years now… My, my mother made it for me as a colt, and…" She walked around me, looking at my stitch work closely. "I, I've since modified it to, fit properly…"
"Not the best work I've ever seen, but actually, quite impressive." She said. "Subtle threading, almost perfectly matched and faded with the original thread and material, lengthened, with very similar material for that matter… And almost identical thread count all throughout. You said you were the one to, modify it?" I nodded as she looked at me.
"Yes." I said. "I, do a lot of reading, so, one day, when it was starting to get too short, I, borrowed a book on sewing, and, made adjustments where I could to, lengthen it." She stepped back and seemed in thought for a moment.
"I think, I can save it." She said.
"I, think I'll just keep it in, in my travel trunk." I said.
"Oh, don't worry, it's no trouble." She said. "Just leave it here and I'll make it look as good, if not a little better, than when it was brand new… Well, apart from the size, of course." I looked at it for a moment and thought about it. "And don't worry about cost, a little restoration isn't any trouble at all." She went to grab the cloak with her magic when I stepped away. "Is something wrong?"
"W-well…" I started.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, I completely forgot." She said. "Your friend told me how nervous you are about your wings. Please, the back room is free, so change your cloak and I promise I will make it look brand new." I looked at the room for a moment before finishing my tea.
"Th-thank you." I said. She smiled as I walked over to the mannequin, which began floating to the room. I followed it in and the door closed just as it set down on the floor. I saw another mannequin so I removed my cloak and draped it over carefully. I felt nervous being without the cloak, even when I was alone in the room, but I stretched my wings anyway, out of habit. The room was full of clothes on mannequins. Dresses, suits, hats, bows, ties, so many different styles, each one beautiful, amazing in unique ways. 'Wow, she really is good at this. But her Cutie Mark, is three diamonds… What does that mean?' I shook my head and looked at the new cloak for a moment before undoing the clasp and putting it on with a quick flip. It felt, comfortable, and a quick look made me wonder, until I looked under it. 'Silk on the inside, but the outside, is… What is that?' I felt it for a moment and laughed. 'Wow, it's soft, but waterproofed, something. I don't know what it is, but I like it.' I walked to the door and opened it to see her talking to another pony, and I recognized, that it was Twilight Sparkle.
"Ace?" She asked. They both looked at me.
"Oh, you've met?" Rarity asked.
"He came to the library the other afternoon." Twilight said. "Interesting books, but to each their own." I walked out. "Is that the cloak you were working on earlier?"
"Yes, and it came out perfectly." Rarity said, somewhat proudly. I smiled.
"Yes, it did." I said. I looked at it. "It fits perfectly, and, it's comfortable. But, I didn't know you were going to use silk on the inside."
"It spoke to me." She said. "I had a choice between silk or satin, and I felt that silk was a better choice."
"It is, thank you." I said. "What's the outer layer though? I've never felt anything like it, but, it's familiar."
"Oh, it's an old material that's rarely used, but it's perfect for a travel cloak." She said. "It works for formal or casual events, even just for walking in the rain." A name came to mind, and I couldn't stop myself.
"Fire Salamander leather?" I asked. She smiled.
"Why yes, how did you know?" She asked. "Were it not for me having bought more than I needed, it would have been very expensive. Actually, it's mostly used, by noble ponies in Canterlot, if I am not mistaken."
"W-well…" I said quietly.
"Did you hear about it when you lived in Canterlot?" Twilight asked. I was silent. "You said you lived there for a few years." Rarity gasped.
"Oh, why didn't you say so?" She asked. "I would have had it finished much faster had I known you were nobility."
"I, I'm not." I said. "I just, work at the circus… While I lived there, I, was on the edge of town… My father, had a cloak made of Fire Salamander leather though, a, gift from a friend of the family…"
"I see." She said. "But, yes, it is in fact Fire Salamander leather, completely fireproof, waterproof, and very durable. It should feel like that for years to come, and if an adult dragon caught sight of you, all you'd have to do is lower your head with the hood on, kneel down, and he could breathe all the fire he wants, and it wouldn't even get the ground under you warm." I smiled a little.
"Thank you." I said. She smiled and they began talking, so I put some money on the counter, a lot more than she asked for. As I went to walk away, a few floated back in front of me.
"It's only twenty bits, not thirty." She said. I looked at her.
"It's, for the nostalgia." I said. "I haven't thought of my old life for a long time. Thank you." She slowly took the coins back as I smiled.
"You're welcome." She said.
"Oh, Ace, before you go, I just got some new books in." Twilight said. I looked at her. "Since you're interested in books on magic and spell tomes, I thought you'd be interested in, this." A book floated out of her bag, and my eyes widened. I walked over as she looked at the cover. "A compendium for spells related to Pegasi. I'd heard from your friend, Specs, that you'd be here, so I wondered if you'd want it."
"Y-yes, I would, actually." I said. I moved to my bag of coins and she set it in my saddlebag. As I pulled out the coins, she laughed quietly.
"I've heard of walking around money, but, how deep is that little bag?" She asked. I couldn't help but laugh.
"It's a bag of holding." I said. "Three week's pay well spent." She took the coins and put them away. "Thank you. I've, been looking for this book for a few years now. No one's ever had it in stock when I came by."
"Well, I'm just glad to get it to you." She said. "I only received two, and I just had a feeling." I put the bag away as she laughed. "I'm really looking forward to tomorrow night. I just know it'll be a lot of fun." I nodded as I looked at her.
"We've never had a bad show." I said. "Never a single complaint from a single stall or attraction." She smiled.
…
"Fire Salamander?" Horatio asked. "I had a hat made of that once. Lost it one day and I've missed it greatly… I wonder if I could commission one…" I laughed.
"I think she has some left." I said. "If you hurry, you might get it… Of course, it's a hard to get material and, not many of the ponies here might even realize she has it, or what it is." He laughed as he looked at the cloak, and Sky laughed.
"Well, it really is nice." She said. "If only we had the time, we could get new outfits for everyone."
"How much did the cloak set you back?" Horatio asked.
"Twenty bits, but, I gave her thirty, for, bringing back a few old memories." I said, laughing quietly. "Good times…" They laughed as I forced a smile. 'Not really, but, they'd just worry.'
"So, are you sure you don't want your name in the hat for tomorrow night?" He asked. "I'm sure you could do great if you were picked."
"I'd lock up." I said quietly. "I'll just watch."
"Well, it's your decision, but if you change your mind, I'll keep your name ready just in case." He said. I nodded as Sky looked at my cloak.
"Can I help you, Sky?" I asked. Horatio laughed as she smiled.
"It's awesome." She said. "I bet you'll really draw crowds now, and I bet Rarity would like it if you advertised for her. Or, if you wouldn't mind us making sure everyone knows."
"I guess, if you want." I said. "Not like I could stop you." They both laughed as Specs walked over.
"Hey, Ace, I have a question." She said. We looked at her. "I was just at the library, and I couldn't find some books I was looking for. A few advanced spell books, but there weren't any left for purchase, just borrowing. I borrowed them, but…" I felt a little nervous. "She said, you bought them."
"Ace, you read, spell books?" Sky asked. "You're a Pegasus, like me and dad. You can't use magic."
"So, I can't read about it, since I can't use it." I said.
"But why buy them?" Specs asked. I looked at her. "I mean, if you're getting them as a gift to me, you should have asked her not to tell me, but, you're a lot smarter than that." I moved my hoof.
"I like reading." I said. "Books on magic are actually great for that because, I can help any other Unicorns that join our circus, if they're, you know, young, like I was when I joined." She seemed to accept that, but Sky laughed.
"Geeze, when it come to adults, you lock up." She said. "But when you're dealing with foals, it's no big deal?" They all laughed and I blushed.
"What's so weird about that?" I asked. "Kids are easier to talk to." They kept laughing, and I sighed. "Well, now that you all know, I'm going to read a little. Now that I don't have to worry about that secret being exposed." Specs blushed, but I smirked. "I guess I can read a lot more often." She laughed as I walked away. "If you need me, obvious what I'll be doing."
…
'The focus should be on controlling the Mana behind the spell…' I read. 'Manipulating it through will is sufficient for low level spells, but mid-level spells or higher require greater control of both will and mental control.' I looked at the pictures to the side. 'Will alone is enough to project the Mana to gain the desired effect if the user visualizes it. Concentration on the spell increases the power of the spell itself, but with enough training and focus, a Unicorn could theoretically use high level spells with less effort than it initially required, such as using a 'Failsafe Spell', which would normally require hours of focus and concentration on the end result of what the spell was made to prevent. With sufficient training and control, less than twenty minutes can not only prevent, but reverse a dire situation already in progress.' I made a quiet impressed sound. "Cool…" I looked at a picture of a stampede stopping cold by a wave of light while Unicorns went about their business. 'If willpower, concentration, or focus are not maintained, a spell can fail. While not always a severe problem, a spell that fails can cause 'Backlash', a state of magic where the Mana that was to be used replicates only part of the spell. A half-completed fire-starting spell, for example, can become a wild conflagration spell, which is, in essence, the half completed version, and is far more dangerous.' I whistled quietly. 'A mild Backlash can be beneficial, in the sense that certain spells can be purposely Backlashed, such as using said conflagration spell as a means to fend off wild animals by aiming it into the air around the Unicorn. A more dangerous Backlash could be from the earlier mentioned Failsafe Spell, where it can actually magnify the problem it was meant to prevent. If focus is lost, a failure can either result in nothing happening, or a situation going from 'bad' to 'worse'. While not always dangerous, it is never wise to lose focus on nearly any spell. Only a scarce few spells are not affected at all, such as the most basic of all spells, Telekinesis. There are no ways for this spell to backfire, as it simply uses Mana to lift an object by covering it, and failure to focus simply causes the coating to vanish and the object to drop.' I nodded.
"Ace, got something for you." Sky said. I closed the book and looked over at her. "Two slices of cheesecake."
"What did I do to earn it?" I asked.
"Well, you left the grounds twice on your own." She said.
"I had to get my books and my cloak." I said. "At best, you owe me one because you had me get the cloak." She laughed.
"If you're sure." She said. She set down the plates on my dresser. "What do you think about tomorrow though? I mean, you've met two of the girls already. Are you sure you don't want to try?"
"Well, less sure than I was yesterday." I said after a few seconds. I walked over as she sat on one side. "But… I'm already doing a lot of things lately that are, well, outside my comfort zone. I don't want to step much further out of where I already am."
"I guess we, have asked you to do a lot more than usual." She said. "Sorry."
"I'll get used to it." I said after a moment. I sniffed the cheesecake.
"You just need motivation." She said. I laughed.
"No, after the cheesecake is gone, I, I'll try to do this on my own." I said. "I can't spend my whole life here." She smiled a little. "Might as well start in a friendly town like Ponyville, right?"