The Other Elements (mlp:fim fanfic)

Chapter fourteen: Cutie mark study

AN: I don't own the picture above!

Also, I'm sorry I published then unpublished! I had to fix something.

"Look, can we please just stop talking about it, Tidal Wave? I just want to forget it all!" Blaze snapped, pulling out his train ticket with his magic.

Tidal Wave just let out a sigh before answering the red unicorn, "Alright, fine. I'll drop it if that's what you want, but if something becomes of this whole ordeal, we're doing something about it."

"Yeah, sure, whatever." Blaze rolled his eyes, but then softened his gaze. "I just, it was all so crazy. You saw it all! Everypony would just think we're out of our minds if we talk about earlier anyway."

"I'd just deal with those problems as they arise."

After Blaze changed the topic, the two friends talked normally while they waited for the train that would take Blaze to Ponyville. Eventually the train came, they said goodbye to each other, and Blaze and the other passengers made their way on board. The red unicorn sat down in a seat by himself and he stared out the window until the train station disappeared into the distance. He then pulled out a leather bound journal from his saddle bag and making it hover in front of him with his red-orange magic. Tucked in between the pages of his journal, he pulled out his letter from Princess Celestia again.

"I'll be answering a few of her questions?" Blaze muttered to himself quietly, looking at the line he just read. "Just what kind of study is this exactly?"

...

The sunny streets of Ponyville were much less populated than the ones in Canterlot and Blaze was grateful for that. He made his way throughout the town and to the Princess Twilight Sparkle's castle easily. The glimmering castle towered above all other structures in its place at the edge of town. Blaze knocked on the doors and soon Twilight Sparkle answered it with Spike at her side.

"Hello Princess Twilight Sparkle." Blaze greeted lowering his head as he raised a hoof in what everypony knew was a bow. "It's a pleasure."

Twilight shook her head a chuckled, "You don't have to be so formal, Blaze. For now, just Twilight will do."

Blaze was clearly a little uncomfortable with her request, but he said that if those were her orders, he would happily oblige. As she led him inside and into the library she mentioned with another chuckle that just the other day another colt had a very similar reaction to meeting her as well. Blaze figured that was a common reaction and expected to hear that, but he didn't expect was that the colt she mentioned was from the Crystal Empire. They talked for a little while before she told him to have a seat on a cushion by the table. Twilight then wasted no time in getting a quill and a scroll of paper.

"So Blaze, I'm just going to be asking a few questions about your magic and your cutie mark. Are you okay with that?" Twilight asked, her quill already hovering above the parchment at the ready.

"Oh yeah, that sounds fine." Blaze answered with a firm nod. "But before we start, Princess Celestia told me a little about your study, but I guess you could say I'm still curious. What exactly is this study? Is there some sort of reason behind it?"

After blurting out his questions so rashly Blaze hung his head and asked the princess for forgiveness. This was not a time for him to be impatient and he mentally smacked himself for how he reacted. Twilight Sparkle merely responded with a short laugh as a small bead of sweat dripped down her face.

Twilight forced a smile, "It's fine Blaze, I did say you can ask questions if you wanted to! Um, well I've been studying cute marks lately and even though its among the basic things learned as a filly, I thought I could benefit in knowing more."

"Oh I see. You're conducting this study to further ponykind's knowledge on the subject."

"Yes, something like that I suppose."

There was a few moments of silence in which Blaze contemplated asking more questions, but Twilight began asking her own before he could. She began scribbling things down as she asked him when he got into Princess Celestia's school, what his talent was, and even asked if she was permitted to sketch his cutie mark. Blaze answered all her questions and agreed to her sketching out his cutie mark. She was about almost finished with her notes when Spike opened one of the library doors.

Spike called into the room, "Twilight, you have a visitor."

"Oh, I wasn't expecting anypony... I'm kinda in the middle of my study too." Twilight said in an almost disappointed manner.

"So, do you want me to tell Winter to come back later?" Spike asked, jabbing his thumb claw at the hallway behind him.

"Wait, Winter's here? No, no I'll just talk to her for a moment!" Twilight exclaimed, shaking her head furiously. "Sorry Blaze, this won't take long."

Twilight Sparkle then exited the library with Spike in a hurry, leaving Blaze by himself. As he sat on the purple cushion he pulled out his leather bound journal and a quill before beginning to write on a blank page. Soon Twilight came back in with Winter, chatting as they walked. Blaze looked up from his journal to see the light blue alicorn and the princess in front of him. The two were smiling at each other as they talked.

"Blaze, I'd like you to meet Winter Frost, a friend of mine." Twilight introduced the two, gesturing with her hoof at Winter. "Winter, this is Blaze. He's helping me with a study."

"Um, hello." Blaze greeted nonchalantly, unsure of why he was being introduced to somepony, even if she was a personal friend of Princess Twilight's.

Winter looked at him a moment before casting her gaze on the floor, "H-hi... Nice to meet you."

After seeing Blaze's unenthusiastic response and Winter's shyness take over her, she quickly changed her course and asked Winter if she could help her with anything. Winter spoke to Twilight about needing some reading material for some research of hers and Twilight immediately said she was welcome to any book in her library. Twilight then returned to Blaze and her study while Winter walked around and put two books from some of the higher shelves in her saddle bag before her gaze drifted over to a desk that had quills, parchment, and beneath them all, a few books. The one that really got her interested was the book with tattered edges.

"Um, Twilight? Can I take one of the books on that desk?" Winter questioned.

"Oh yes, sure. Help yourself." Came Twilight's reply, followed by the sound of quick scribbles.

Winter then made her way over to the table and levitated the book into her saddlebag with the others. The silver design of a unicorn mare and colorful symbols on the cover glinted as she stashed it away to read as soon as she got home. She couldn't believe she was carrying out her plan that way, but Twilight did say she was welcome to any book...

"Alright, so just to be sure I wrote this down correctly... Your special talent revolves around fire magic and your cutie mark is a flame?"

Winter suddenly stood up straight and her ears stood up as well, ready to listen for the next thing that was said. She began taking her leave, but started toward the doors slowly.

"Yes. I can make and control any flame using my magic." Blaze answered.

"Alright. Just a few more questions." Said Twilight. "Would you say it is unheard of for anypony else to have element based powers?"

"No. In fact I know of somepony else."

With a steadying breath, Winter turned around to Twilight and the pony called Blaze, "I'm sorry for interrupting... But are you talking about cutie mark and magic correlation?"

"Well, yeah." Blaze responded slowly. "Princess Twilight is asking me a few questions at the moment."

"Can... can I ask you a few of my own?" Winter asked timidly, forcing herself to maintain eye contact with him. "Please?"

AN: Another chapter! You know the idea: Please vote if you liked it, comment so I can see reactions or any writing tips you may have, and of course, enjoy!