Awesome As I Wanna Be

Chapter 23: Equestrian Magic

Canterlot High was an interesting school. That was one thought that occured to Pearl Gradient as she stood at the front of it. It was Monday now which was extremely annoying as the girls had to attend school. On the outside and inside, it was a fairly normal school. Brick building, windows, drawers, doors, floors. The list goes on. However the students behind its doors were nothing short of extraordinary. Surely someone would find it strange that every little bit of magic in this town came from students at this school. Or maybe people were happy to not question it as the magic conveniences them.

The statue with the Wondercolts mascot at the front of the school was different than what it should be. Windy and Bow informed her that at the Friendship Games, when Midnight Sparkle took over, she broke the statue as it led to Equestria. The pony world where Sunset and the Magic of Friendship came from. Madam Gradient was curious to see what happened now if she tried to make her way to that world. Walking over to the statue, she tentivley held out her hand to the smooth, cold glass and waited. Nothing happened. Pushing harder on it slightly, nothing changed around her. "I guess the games broke the portal for good." It was a shame, for the pony world interested her a great deal.

On top of the marble slab however, where the rearing pony used to be, there was a reasonably long crack that spread across the top. Bright little lights shone out from it in colours that were very nearly the rainbow. A few were added or missing. 'That must be the way Equestrian magic gets into the world.' Pearl thought to herself as she stood before the gateway, transfixed by the magic before her. It was fascinating, much like the Iridescent people the first time she'd met them. A tribe and way if life so different from her own in so many ways. A glinting blue object rested on top of it, near the crack. The blue was a deep ocean blue and it seemed to shimmer in the light. Curious, Madam Gradient hoisted herself up onto the top of it and held the object in her hand. It was a geo, emblazoned with the signature of Rainbow's powers: A lightning bolt. It must've been restored after she'd destroyed it.

Collecting it and putting the geo in her pocket, Pearl was careful as she made her way down. The last thing she wanted was to be infused with Equestrian magic. She would hold onto the geo until she next saw Rainbow, the girl deserved to have her speed back. It wasn't fair otherwise. Madam Gradient also considered the possibility that neither of them had been particularly fair to each other this morning. Rainbow had tried very hard in training to prove she could still do it and all she had done was tell her off for being suspicious of her loyalty. Granted, Pearl had taught her student a valuable lesson but there were more professional ways of teaching then just to yell at her pupil.

Loyalty would be important to Rainbow so she did understand. It was what gave Rainbow her Equestrian magic and was a part of who she was. It would be foolish of Madam Gradient to assume she would put that part of her aside as she used her Iridescent magic to fight a Goddess from her past. In all honesty, Pearl was getting rather impatient for the big showdown between the two however she could control herself. Obsidia had spent many years planning and preparing should any remaining remnants of Colour resurface. It might actually give Rainbow the upper hand to have her friends and Equestrian magic beside her when facing Obsidia. Pearl was struck by the feeling that the Spirit of Darkness didn't actually have the joy and gift of friends.

Madam Gradient surprised herself by laughing aloud at that thought. She didn't actually have that many friends either. Sure, she was well liked and respected around the village but there was a fear surrounding her. Pearl would always be the person from the outside, the one who educated their children to control their powers and dictate their future. They didn't understand all she did was see it, not create it. Some of the parents and fellow teachers had been close to her, but Madam Gradient wasn't sure if she would actually call them her friends.

"Madam Gradient?" A curious voice rang out across the area from the school. Looking up towards the steps, Pearl could see Rainbow making her way towards her. 'She really should be in lessons.' She considered but knew better than to simply turn her away. Rainbow approached her whilst frowning slightly. "What are you doing here?" There was still an undercurrent of anger in her voice.

Pearl sighed for she strongly disliked small conflict. "I have been curious recently with this statue."  She gestured to the stone and marble cube beside them. "This is where you get your Equestrian magic from, right? The portal to the pony world." She frowned at Rainbow as she sniggered. "What?"

Rainbow stood up straighter and looked her in the eye. "So that's why your here." Patting the cold glass beside her, Rainbow shook her head. "You know I can save you the trouble of trying to get in. The portal's closed. The only way your getting into Equestria is by shrinking yourself small enough to fit through that crack." She glared at her teacher and made a shooing motion with her eyes, in some way. "You can go back now." Rainbow folded her eyes and continued to glare.

Madam Gradient sighed for her answer and apparent lack of hostility didn't seem to appease what Rainbow perceived as a betrayal. "Fine, I'm going. I was merely curious. Relax. Bye." She started to turn away when something of a significant mass knocked against her pocket. 'The geo.' She sighed and turned back to Rainbow's retreating form. "Rainbow, wait!" Pearl called out and groaned when she didn't turn around. Breaking into a jog, the woman caught up to her student and was surprised by how easy it was. "I thought you were super fast." That sentence was all it took for Rainbow to snap.

"YOU'RE RIGHT, I WAS FAST! I SHOULD BE FAST! INSTEAD, I'M SLOW! DO YOU WANT YOU KNOW WHY?" Madam Gradient knew better than to interrupt her or be sarcastic. Rainbow was really shouting and glaring at her. "BECAUSE YOU DESTROYED MY GEO! I'M NO LONGER FAST! NO LONGER IMBUED WITH EQUESTRIAN MAGIC! BECAUSE OF YOU! BECAUSE OF YOU I HAVE TO FACE A MAD GODDESS WHO COULD PROBABLY KILL ME WITH A GLANCE! SO NO, DON'T TELL ME TO WAIT! I WOULDN'T CARE IF WAITING WOULD SAVE MY LIFE! ALL WAITING HAS EVER DONE IS PROLONG THE PAIN! SO PLEASE, GO AWAY!" Her screams and shouts were causing a crowd to form, Rainbow could clearly be heard from a mile away. Her hair was pulsating red and the temperature was climbing rapidly. Flames licked along her arms, to her hand and fingers. They curled into a ball in her palm, growing in mass. A fireball.

Madam Gradient noticed this new development and started to feel a little bit afraid. "Okay Rainbow, I get that your really flipping annoyed with me, but I have a peace offering."

"I DON'T WANT WHATEVER YOU HAVE THAT YOU THINK CAN SUBDUE ME!"

"Look at your hands then calm down." Madam Gradient refused to have a flaming girl in front of her, ready to watch the world burn with her.

As angrily as humanely possible, Rainbow followed the request and looked at her hands. She saw the growing, roaring flames in her palm. Rainbow smirked. "What's wrong? Afraid of a little fire?" She teasingly held her hand up and watched it roll around her fingers. Pearl took a few steps back. "I thought you said I was rusty." Rainbow gave her a death glare and then turned to the large crowd of her classmates watching her. "WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?! GO ON, SCRAM!" She yelled at them and they did what she commanded without hesitation. Turning to the portal, Rainbow's face took on a strange expression. It wasn't quite thoughtful, or quite right either. There was something dark growing in the depths of her eyes. "Let's try and get you back up to speed, shall we?"

Then she pulled her arm back, rearing up to throw. Her eyes narrowed and lips curled. With all of her might, Rainbow flung her hand forward and watched the fireball be released from it. Madam Gradient had tried to stop her but was too slow. Everything seemed to go in slow-motion for Rainbow as she watched the burning orb fly towards the portal. Like everything else in her life. Then it crashed into the glass with a resounding boom! A tremendous earthquake shook the ground in all directions for many miles. The cube began to crack and crumple upon impact and dust engulfed the air. When it cleared, all that was left was a massive crater. Filled with Equestrian magic.

I hope you enjoyed this rather dramatic chapter. Rainbow's destroyed the Equestrian portal! Madam Gradient has a geo which would give Rainbow her speed back. What's going to happen next? I probably won't update tomorrow as I have creative writing club so that either means a double update today or wait until Wednesday. We'll see. Until either update though, it is goodbye from me. Bye, bye.