MLP:FiM ~ Purity Corruption: ch 6

Chapter 6
In Like a Lion



Altruise was just preparing to leave the house the following morning with her parents seeing her out of the door.

"Altruise, you be careful." Her mother suggested.

"I will, Mom." Altruise rolled her eyes with a grin, "I'm pretty sure Princess Celestia knows what she's doing."

"Ehh you'll be fine." The father let out a chuckle and patted her shoulder, "The Princess is a great pony to be around. She is very kind, and very wise."

Altruise smiled and looked up to him, "Dad, what was it like to work for her?"

"Hmm…" The pegasus put his hoof to his chin to think about that one. "I can't really describe the honour I felt when she first hired me. Before I worked for her, I was searching for jobs everywhere else in Canterlot. But nopony would hire me because of my mangled wing." He put his hoof down and smiled, "The Princess saw right through my broken wing and gave me a chance to work for her on the spot. She could see how strong I was, and gave me a guard position in the higher part of the castle where pegasi work." He grinned at the thought, "At first, the other guards didn't approve of the Princess' judgment toward me, but they soon could see that I was capable of handling the job and accepted me there like anypony else." The pegasus smiled down at her again, "Never judge a pony by their cover. The Princess never does."

"Wow, that's pretty cool, Dad." Altruise beamed.

"Well, you'd better run along." The pegasus scooted her toward the door, "Don't wanna be late meeting the Princess!"

Altruise giggled and skipped out the door, "Yeah, I'll see you later. Bye Mom, bye Dad!"

*          *          *          *          *

Passing through the southern forest, Altruise arrived at the open field of rubble and craters. As Celestia had said she would be, she was there waiting for her.

"Good morning, Altruise." She greeted her with a smile, "Sleep well?"

"Yeah, I think so." Altruise exclaimed, "Did you?"

"Oh, I don't sleep." Celestia giggled, "Never have."

Altruise blinked a few times at that. "Oh. Interesting…" She raised a brow, "And you don't get tired?"

The princess giggled some more, "I'm the alicorn goddess of the sun. I don't need to sleep."

"Huh…"

"So are you ready to begin your training?" Celestia asked the filly at her hooves.

"I um, I think so." Altruise shrugged, "I'm a little worried about what could happen though…"

"Understandable. But I assure you that you'll be fine."

"How difficult do you think this is going to be?"

The princess shrugged, "I don't know. Every pony is different to train." She glanced down at a stone in the ground and pointed a hoof at it. "Can you show me what happens when you try to levitate this rock?"

Altruise gulped, and looked up at her to see if she was serious. Celestia looked back at her; this wasn't a joking matter. "Uh… What if I hurt you?" The filly whimpered.

"Don't worry about that. It'll be fine."

"Uh…" Altruise leaned down toward the rock, then she looked back up to the princess. "You're sure about this?"

"I wouldn't tell you to do it if I wasn't sure about it." The princess exclaimed, "Take your time. I'm not going to rush you; I know this is hard for you to go through."

Altruise glanced back down at the rock, took a deep breath, and leaned down to point her horn at it. She hesitated, and at first didn't concentrate on casting a spell. After a few breathing moments, Altruise went for it, and tried to push the magic from her horn to levitate the rock. At first, nothing was happening.

"Just by the way you're trying to push your horn to cast a spell, I can already see a little bit of what's going on." Celestia exclaimed, and Altruise stopped herself to look up at the princess with a raised brow.

"What do you mean?" The filly questioned.

"It's like a shaken soda bottle with a tightly sealed cap." The princess explained the situation for the filly to understand, "Takes a lot of effort to open, then when you do, it erupts." She pointed at the rock in the ground, "Try again."

The little unicorn sighed, thinking this was an absurd idea, but she didn't question the princess and went back to trying to cast her spell. She pushed for a few moments, and gritted her teeth as she grunted.

Celestia watched the expressions on the filly. "Does it hurt when you try this?"

Altruise stopped briefly and sat on her flank. "Yeah, a bit…" She murmured, "And it's also kind of exhausting."

"Hmm…" Celestia put a hoof on her chin, squinting her eyes in thought. "And when you do cast your magic, does that hurt also?"

"A lot more…" Altruise sighed.

"I see…" The alicorn briefly paused, then pointed a hoof at the rock. "Try doing it again, but don't push so hard. If it hurts too much, calm yourself down."

"Uh… Alright…" Altruise murmured, and leaned over to try pushing her magic again. Steadily, taking her time, Altruise could feel the magic in her horn trying to burst forth, but not even a spark of it was being cast. "Ah…" She winced a little, which made Celestia twitch.

"Altruise, don't hurt yourself—WOAH!?"

Just then, the magic from her horn erupted in a loud crackle of lightning that struck to the sky from her horn. "AAHH!!" Altruise shrieked, and a black funneling cloud immediately began to take form in the sky, and the wind around them picked up at an exceeding rate.

Celestia's eyes were widened, and her jaw had dropped. She wasn't about to admit it, but this was the first time she has ever seen anything like this from a foal. "A-Altruise, calm down." She put a hoof on her shoulder, "You need to calm yourself. Altruise? Altr—AHH!" In a flash of lightning, the alicorn was shot back several meters, and she collapsed into the ground, and rolled to a stop.

The princess limped back up to her feet and stared at the unicorn exploding of electrical energy from her horn. Altruise was shaking her head, crying, and she collapsed into the ground with her hooves on her head.

"CelestiaaAAAA!!!" The foal shrieked loudly, sending panic chills down the princess' spine.

"Altruise!" The princess daringly approached the exploding foal, and the clouds above them were thickening, making everything darker. And not too soon after, it began to rain, and lightning was striking from the sky. "Altruise, calm down!" She yelled to the foal, trying to make her voice heard over the thunderous magic.

"H-help me!" Altruise sobbed, looking up at the princess, "I-I can't stop it!"

"Yes you can!" Celestia shouted at her with her royal voice, "You need to control yourself!"

"Celestia, it huuurts…" The foal whimpered in more tears, holding her head.

The princess panicked, trying to come up with something. Then she prepared herself, and leaned forward to point her horn at the foal. She clenched her teeth and winced, expecting a great deal of pain out of this.

As she had expected, a bolt of lightning was fired from Altruise's horn, and struck the princess in the horn like a lightning rod.

"Gha!!" Celestia buckled her knees, clenching her teeth tighter. The bolt of lightning that was channeling from each other's horns slowly died off, and like what had happened when she struck Twilight, Altruise's horn stopped exploding of magic, and she went back to normal.

Celestia immediately backed away from the foal, coughing black puffs of smoke. She collapsed onto her haunches, wheezing, her horn sparking of electrical static. The clouds in the sky slowly faded, and the rain and horrendous wind died off. The roars of the thunder all silenced as well.

"H-ow on E-Equesti-a c-can this be p-ossible?" The princess muttered in between coughs, and she glanced back up at Altruise, wide-eyed. Standing back to her hooves, she slowly approached the filly. "Altruise are you okay?"

Altruise was holding her aching head, looking up at the princess, nodding slowly. "I-I hurt you…" She whimpered, lowering her ears shamefully. "I'm sorry…"

"No, no." The princess shook her head, still in shock of what had just happened. "That was um… Well…" She blinked a few times, "I didn't expect that." A pause. "…At all."

"What? But I thought you said you've dealt with magic like mine before." Altruise lowered her ears, "How bad is it?"

"You just knocked an alicorn through the air." Celestia said in a joking tone, and rubbed it off like that it was no big deal and waved her hoof, "I'm sure we'll figure out how we can tame it."

"I could've killed you!" Altruise squinted at the thought, "Why are you risking your life over me?"

"Because you are an innocent foal who has done nothing wrong, and it is my royal duty to protect you and everypony else." The princess leaned forward for emphasis, "I would give my life to ensure that Equestria remains at the peaceful balance that it is forever." She cleared her throat and stood back up, pointing at another rock in the ground. "Now, try it again."

"What?" Altruise went wide-eyed, "Again? You serious?"

"No I'm Celestia." The princess giggled, "Yes, I'm serious. At least I know what I'm dealing with now. Try it again."

Altruise groaned and rolled her eyes at the princess. "Fiiiiiine." She leaned down toward the rock and focused her horn for a spell. She tensed her legs, and continued pushing her magic like before.

It didn't take nearly as long as the last time, and her horn erupted of magic like before. An explosion of lightning burst forth from her horn in all directions. This time however, all of the lightning coming from her horn was all directing themselves straight into Celestia's horn. A matter of ten seconds, and the lighting all faded away, and Altruise was back to her normal state again.

Celestia put a hoof on her horn and coughed a few times. "Ok-ay, I thi-nk we can ma-ke this w-ork." She muttered between electrifying coughs.

"I don't wanna do this any more!" Altruise winced, lowering to the ground, "You keep getting hurt! It's not worth it. I'll just stop using my magic…"

"Don't be absurd." The princess rolled her eyes, "Did you notice how much easier it was for you to activate your magic this time?"

"Uh, yeah, but I—"

"And how quickly I was able to cancel it out?"

"At what cost though?" The filly groaned, "I don't want you to keep hurting yourself."

"Oh I'm fine." Celestia rubbed it off again, and coughed.

Altruise gave her a look of uncertainty.

"Altruise, when our training is finished, you will be able to properly activate and deactivate magic." The princess declared.

"Just why are you helping me, rather than sending another unicorn to train me?"

"I don't risk the safety of my unicorn guards or teachers." Celestia exclaimed with a noble posture, "Your first burst of magic that knocked me off my hooves could have been fatal to the average unicorn. I can not allow another pony risk their life; this is my royal duty."

"Heh, my father had always told me how kind you are." Altruise smiled, "I can certainly see that. You don't put yourself before anypony."

Celestia giggled at that, "Well thank you, I do my best." She pointed at another rock. "Try again?"

Altruise looked down at the rock, then glanced back up her with a more trusting nod. Stepping forward, she lowered her head to the rock and concentrated casting a spell on it again.

"Don't push the magic out." Celestia suggested, "Relax, let it flow naturally. Try to remain calm."

The filly wasn't sure how that was going to help, but she did as she was told, and continued concentrating on the rock, this time without trying to push as hard as she usually did. Bracing herself, she carried on with more determination now that she knew Celestia was here no matter what the outcome. The princess wasn't going to let her down.

At least three minutes had passed, and the filly sat on her flank and looked up at the princess with a sigh. "How am I supposed to cast a spell if I don't force it out?"

"With patience." Celestia gestured to the rock to signal the filly to keep trying.

Altruise sighed again and went back to focusing on the rock like before. Keeping herself calm didn't seem to be having any effect on casting a spell; it clearly wasn't working. She braced herself and buckled her knees, attempting to push it again.

"Altruise, calm." The princess reminded her.

The unicorn sat back on her flank with a grunt, "But it doesn't work."

"That's because you're not being patient with it." Celestia nobly explained with a smile, "Trust me. If you want your magic to be tamed, you need to focus more on the desired spell you are casting, and less about the dangerous outcome it could result. You're focusing on too much at a time when you push your magic so hard, and it makes you worry. And when you worry, there is more potential for a spell to go wrong." She pointed at the rock again, "Now, calmly."

Rolling her eyes, Altruise went back to focusing her horn on the rock, calmly like the princess said. She kept staring at it, concentrating, without attempting to force it. Nothing was happening still.

"Every time you casted your magic before, what was on your mind?" The princess questioned the filly.

Altruise paused briefly to think about an answer. "Uh… I don't really know." She squinted in thought, "Different things I guess."

"But how did you feel?" Celestia asked.

The filly looked up at the princess with a curious look. "What do you mean, how did I feel?"

"Any particular emotions?"

"Uh…" She thought about the other times she was casting magic. Every time she'd force it out, her mind was set on one specific mood. "…Frustration?"

"Frustration, or anger?" The princess looked down at the filly, who looked back up at her now even more confused.

"Um… Would being angry about something have an effect on it?"

"When a unicorn uses magic while they are angry, it can come out as something much less predictable." The princess explained, "An angry unicorn is a dangerous one."

Altruise murmured at that. "I guess, yeah… It could've been anger." She admitted when she realized, "The first time it happened, I was just mad at myself because I was unable to cast magic at all… The second time, at school, I was angry at another student for teasing me about being unable to cast a spell."

"Okay, and after those two, you've been casting your magic here with me." Celestia pointed out, "What is angering you right now?"

The filly put that to thought. "Uh, well I'm not sure, I…" She paused to think about it further. "Every time I cast a spell, I'm angry because it hurts a lot." This epiphany was beginning to make sense to her, "Whenever I push my magic out so hard, it hurts. And I feel anger from the pain once I can't handle it. And that's when it goes off."

"I see." Celestia gestured back to the rock again, "In that case, start off trying to cast a spell like you normally do. Push your magic, but only a little bit. If you feel it hurting, don't push as hard. If you begin to feel angry, stop yourself before it gets out of hand."

Altruise nodded, and went back to focusing on the rock. She pointed her horn at it, and concentrated her magic. She pushed a little harder, bit by bit, and she eventually felt a sharp pain in her horn. This made her wince, and as she was directed, she calmed herself a little.

Several minutes had passed, and Altruise was beginning to get impatient with it. She frowned, and began to grumble. "Stupid, dumb, rock, why don't you move…"

"Altruise." Celestia called to her, as a reminder that she was beginning to feel anger again.

With a sigh, Altruise calmed down and continued concentrating, relieving her angers with a few gentle breaths through her snout.

Another couple of minutes had passed. "Dumb… Dumb, rock…"

"Altruise."

"What?" The unicorn twitched.

"Calm."

"Ugh…" Altruise rolled her eyes and then went back to focusing on the rock in the ground, trying to feel less frustrated.

"Just focus on what you're trying to do. Don't focus on not being able to, or you'll make it more difficult for yourself." The princess suggested.

With a deep breath, Altruise allowed her tensions to relax, and she tried concentrating on her magic with less on her mind. Determined, she focused on the one goal ahead of her; moving the rock.

Several more minutes had passed, but this time Altruise wasn't pushing any harder, or any less. Eventually, Altruise felt an energy that was trying to escape from her horn.

"C-Celestia?" Altruise panicked when she felt that familiar sensation that she now feared, as it always came up with a bad result to follow.

"Altruise, be calm." The princess instructed, "Keep focusing on what you're doing, don't panic."

The filly gulped, and went back to concentrating, but that feeling in her horn was growing. She was concerned, but not like she normally was; the princess was here to ensure she was okay, so there was no sense in panicking. Taking a deep breath, she tried not to think about the energy she felt, and went back to focus on the rock.

A quick flash of electricity sparked from her horn, which made her flinch; but this time, it was not to an extreme level. There was about a meter radius of electricity around her horn, which made her clench her teeth.

"I-it hurts…" Altrusie whimpered, but immediately shook it off, and tried to keep focusing on what she was doing. "I… I can…" She looked at the rock, and the electricity formed around her horn lessened. Celestia watched the filly's progress, and smiled.

The rock had a golden aura around it. Altruise noticed this and she gasped. "I-I'm doing it!" She beamed, her smile brighter than ever. She concentrated a little harder. Though electricity was still surrounding her horn, she tried her best to ignore it, and with as much determination as she could muster, she moved the rock, slowly, gracefully up into the air.

It reached about a foot off the ground, and Altruise suddenly felt a twitch of pain that immediately broke her concentration. The lighting from her horn escalated, and clashed loudly with thunder. "OW!" She winced, and the levitating rock in her golden aura cracked into pieces; the aura then vanished, and the pebbled remains of the rock fell into the ground in a pile of smoking rubble.

"AAhhH!..." Altruise's horn was emanating more lightning, which was slowly becoming less stable. "No…! S-stop…!" She grumbled to herself, and attempted to ease herself, and relax. "Stop." She murmured again, sitting on her flank with her eyes closed, calming her mind.

The electricity from her horn gradually began to lessen, little by little. It took a few moments, but eventually on her own, she canceled out her magic. The lightning had slowed to a stop, her horn had quit glowing, and there was a peaceful silence.

The filly opened her eyes, and released a deep sigh, slumping over in exhaustion. She glanced over at the princess, who was smiling at her.

"Very good, Altruise. Very good!" Celestia chanted with clapping hooves. "You've made so much progress today already."

Altruise stood up straight with a beaming smile. The result of her first levitation spell may have ended in a heap of pebbles, but she could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. "My aura's gold!" She squeaked enthusiastically, "I can't wait to tell Mom and Dad!"

Celestia giggled, "I'm sure they'll be very proud." She stood taller and leaned forward in a serious manner, "Altruise, for safety sake, I don't want you to use magic outside of our training until I give the word that it's okay."

"Yeah…" Altrusie glanced over to the pile of smoking rocks, "I understand."

"Good." The princess peered up at the sun, "Its noon, you should probably go home for lunch." She looked back at the filly at her feet, "Same time again tomorrow?"

Altruise nodded with a smile. "Yes, I'll be here."

Celestia smiled back at the filly, "Very good. I'll walk you home, and I'll talk to your parents about your progress."

The filly unicorn filly nodded and followed the princess back to town, wandering back home through the forest.

*          *          *          *          *

Altruise and Celestia returned to Trottingham, and let themselves into Altruise's home. Trotting inside, the filly's parents came to the door from the living room.

"You're back! How'd everything go?" The father asked, with a little bit of a concerned expression, "There was a quick thundershower that lasted a few minutes; assuming that was you. Are you okay?"

"I'm great!" The filly beamed, bounding in place like the old happy Altruise they all knew so well, "It went off to a rough start, and I'm still very rusty, but there was progress!" She hopped over to her parents and stood proudly, "My aura is gold!"

"That's wonderful!" Her mother cheered, and peered up to Celestia. "Thank you so much for all your help, Princess Celestia."

"It was my pleasure." Celestia smiled at Altruise's parents, "She did exceptionally well for her first day. However, needless to say, there is much work that is needed to be done." She turned back to the filly, "Now, Altruise, remember what we discussed. No magic outside of our training until I permit you to."

"Yes, Princess." Altruise nodded respectfully.

"Very good then." The princess looked up to her parents, "Quite the daughter you have here." She smiled, "You taught her to be very well-mannered."

"Heh, we do our best." The pegasus exclaimed modestly.

"Well, you're doing a marvelous job." Celestia smiled, "I must return to Canterlot now; royal duties." She turned to Altruise, "Enjoy the rest of your day, and sleep well tonight. I'll see you at the same time and place."

"Okay, thanks again Princess Celestia!" Altruise beamed, "You sleep well too."

Celestia giggled at that, "I don't sleep, remember?"

"Oh. Right." Altruise grinned, "Well have a good night anyway."

The princess turned and exit, "Alright, see you in the morning." She took a few trots out the door, spread her wings, and flew off into the sky. The other three waved her off and bid their goodbyes before closing the door.

For the first time in a few days, Altruise finally felt like her happy self again. With Celestia to help her, she was no longer afraid of her magic. Excitement filled the house; everything could only have potential to go uphill from here.

*          *          *          *          *