After a joyful time with my parents, I was about to head into the living room to play with my cube.
*Knock, knock!* My parents went to greet whoever had arrived, and I followed them curiously, thinking I'd have a quiet Sunday before school.
"How quickly we're back together, friend! " Night Light gave my father a quick hug, while Twilight Velvet spoke to my mom, leaving me with Twilight.
"Hey, Wizbell! Do you have everything ready for school? What are you using to carry your books? I'm going with a purse and, if necessary, my trusty stroller!"
"Good morning. I chose a postman's bag —I have always liked the design," I replied as we headed into the living room.
The adults moved toward the kitchen, talking in hushed voices about something they didn't seem to want us to hear. Only informally, though, they didn't use magic to block the sound.
"Mya!" Stella meowed from beside Spike's cart. The tiny baby dragon had been chewing on his foot ever since I saw him in the driveway.
"He only ate gems all day. He's just a baby dragon... though sometimes he spits out little green flames." Twilight watched him, then pinched his cheeks, making him squeal with bubbly laughter.
"What a curious creature she is," Twilight said, pointing at Stella. "I can't find any books about an animal with her properties. She looks like a feline, but her magical attributes make her unlike any known breed. And exceptions don't hatch from eggs." She quickly turned her attention back to Stella, who was floating lazily above my head after losing interest in Spike.
"You won't find anything," I replied, catching Stella mid-float. "Her Mimic property makes identifying her breed nearly impossible. One moment she's a kitten, the next she's a rock and you wouldn't even notice. It's in her nature to camouflage. But since Stella is still small, she hasn't transformed yet."
"The princess gave me a bit of information about her species, but only regarding diet and behavior as she matures. In other words, she asked me to research Stella's species as much as possible." I gently stroked her, eliciting a soft purr that we both could hear. Although she has a feline form, that can't be considered her true one.
I kept chatting with Twilight while the adults' conversation grew louder and louder, until snippets began to reach us.
"...the people have arrived…" "...we need to give them their gifts... " "...Cutie Mark…" Their conversation piqued my curiosity, especially when I noticed the magic field surrounding the house, something I had been ignoring due to the earlier scolding and my half-asleep state.
"Kids, could you come to the backyard?" my mother called out with a smile.
"But you'll have to close your eyes first—it's a surprise!" Velvet added, smiling, as she approached with two scarves in hoof.
Our parents had already gone ahead to the backyard, taking advantage of the moment.
"A surprise? Quick show me, Mom! " Twilight ran to her mother. I followed suit.
-=————————=-
Blindfolded, was led by my mother. She not only covered my eyes but also blocked my spatial sense, leaving me completely blind as she slowly guided me into the backyard.
With a familiar pink glow, the scarf was whisked away, and I squinted under the bright sunlight. When my vision cleared, I saw a large group of adult ponies and a few foals gathered in my backyard beneath a banner that read:
"SURPRISE! CONGRATULATIONS ON GETTING GET ON YOUR CUTIE MARK!" everyone shouted, blowing streamers.
Lyra and Flash were among the crowd, a big surprise. They both quickly approached with proud, joyful expressions, it was easy to understand why.
Flash walked with his chest puffed out, showing off a purple scarf adorned with a lightning bolt shattering three clouds. Beside him, Lyra followed with excited little hops, proudly carrying a golden lyre.
"Here, son, your gift," my father said as he approached and handed me a small black box. "Open it so everyone can see."
Beside me, Twilight was in the same situation. Curiosity got the better of me, and I opened the box.
Inside were a necklace and a ring, both made of white gold with a shining yellow gem carved with my cutie mark.
"Let me help you put on the necklace," my mother said, lifting it gently with her hooves. She didn't use magic—just carefully placed it around my neck.
"The necklace is from your mother, and the ring is from me. It's for when you decide who you want to spend your life with. Give it to her as a token," my father said, raising an eyebrow with a small smile, glancing briefly at Twilight and Lyra.
*Snort.* I decided to keep my thoughts about whether or not ponies appealed to me to myself.
"What are you waiting for, sweetheart? Put the ring on, it will magically adjust," my mother said with hopeful eyes.
"Thank you so much. I'll treasure these gifts and make sure that when I give away the ring, it's to the right one." I hugged them, too overwhelmed for words.
"Just… keep being you. That's all we ask, my colt," my father said softly, just for the three of us. "Let the party begin!" he added, stepping back and raising his voice.
With his words, cheerful electronic music filled the yard. Everyone clapped and moved toward the snacks.
"Hey, Flash! I thought I wouldn't see you until next month!" I playfully punched his shoulder, and he quickly returned it.
"I got the weekend off to celebrate my cutie mark with my mom. I just got it yesterday."
"Hehehe, I got mine before all of you! Look at this beautiful lyre my parents gave me, it's an exact replica of my cutie mark!" Lyra beamed, posing proudly.
"What did you get, Twilight?" Lyra asked, calling out to her as she was still hugging her parents.
"Look!" Twilight turned, proudly showing off her gifts with a big smile and a few joyful tears she quickly wiped away.
She wore a small tiara with her cutie mark and two clips holding her mane neatly.
"How pretty!" Lyra leaned in to admire them with fascination.
The small, quiet party continued until two unicorns arrived, clearly Lyra's parents. A security team silently surrounded the area. Some even tasted the punch.
"Clean!" She said, then discreetly poured some into a thermos hidden in her suit.
The clearest sign, though, was Lyra's behavior. She straightened her posture and toned down her smile, as if suddenly remembering proper decorum.
She returned to her parents, greeting selected ponies with practiced poise. Afterward, she came back to us, looking a little freer, though she refrained from skipping under her mother's stern gaze.
The music took on a more elegant tone, but the mood remained light. Laughter, chatter, and the sound of foals running between tables filled the yard.
Stella floated lazily, observing everything. Spike had stopped chewing his tail and was now asleep in his stroller.
Flash left early, he had to prepare to return to camp.
"Let's go somewhere quieter, out of my mom's view," Lyra suggested, glancing at her parents deep in conversation with mine.
"We can go under that tree. It's shady and quiet," I said, pointing to the lone tree in the yard where some foals were playing.
Once there, we sat and continued chatting. The girls were excitedly discussing their cutie marks and gifts. I felt a little out of place, so I reached into my sweater and pulled out my magic cube.
At first glance, it looked like a normal cube—6 cm per side, with a polished metallic surface marked by faint lines that pulsed with a bluish magical glow, visible only to trained eyes. It seemed simple, almost discreet. But it took only a few seconds to see it was no ordinary toy.
"What's that?" Lyra asked, raising an eyebrow. She leaned in slightly but didn't get too close, more out of politeness than curiosity.
"It's a magic training cube. I use it to practice control, with telekinesis or my hands. The idea is to assemble it using only magic. It has a self-adjusting system and an enchanted core to prevent tampering."
As I spoke, one of the cube floated and disassembled until it stayed there waiting for me to take it. Twilight turned toward me instantly, as if she had just uncovered a hidden treasure.
"It's a magical control device! I can see the pulses on the edges! Where did you get it? Who did sell it to you? How much does it cost? I need it!"
"Cool, right? It's a gift from my dad. I don't know where to buy it, it's the first one I've seen," I said, manipulating it gently with my magic.
"It's incredible! The magical sensitivity! The floating stability! I want one too!" Twilight watched the cube with fascination as I tried to put it together, but it resisted.
Just then, Night Light approached with a glass of punch. He paused when he saw the cube, his expression shifting from casual to curios.
"That... is a WARD Tactical Model Training Cube?" he asked, almost incredulous. "I recognize the channeling pattern. These are private tools, used in field training or by specialized personnel."
Twilight blinked. "Dad?! You know about it?"
Night Light nodded. "I've worked in departments that collaborate with WARD. I've never held one, but I've seen them in field reports. These are tools for developing precision under pressure. They're only loaned to agencies or... in very special cases." He looked toward my dad.
My dad appeared behind us, as if on cue, half-smiling and holding a glass of punch.
"The WARD organization owes me a few favors," he said casually, settling into the shadows with us.
"Getting the cube was a small favor. A simple exchange." *Slurp.*
Twilight stared wide-eyed. "WARD? What kind of organization is that?"
"One you don't need to worry about. Just know they make good tools. That cube was gathering dust—I picked it up. There were others I wanted, but the Princess wouldn't let me."
"It's surprising you brought one out... but I see why," Night Light said, understanding.
"The moment I explained why I wanted it, they gave me instant authorization. No paperwork, no red tape."
While everyone processed that, I kept turning the cube until I fumbled. Twilight had tried to manipulate it with telekinesis at the same time.
"Oops! That was unintentional," Twilight said, ears perking up when she realized the cube had locked.
"Meh. I only have thirty minutes of use left today. You can have it," I said. "After that, it goes into sleep mode and won't activate until tomorrow. My mom blocked it magically."
"Really?! Thanks, Wizbell!" Twilight hugged me briefly, then focused on the cube.
Lyra, meanwhile, sat gracefully under the tree, legs twitching. "Magnerds~ It's just me and my lyre against the world!"
"A very you-like answer," I replied, while Twilight continued battling the cube, which resisted her every effort.
"And to think this is just for training," Twilight murmured.
"Believe me, you don't want to imagine how hard are the high levels," Willstone added cryptically as he walked away.
The conversation shifted, but Twilight didn't take her eyes off the cube, not for a second. She seemed determined to complete the cube before the time is gone.
"I'll see if I can get another one. This could be incredibly useful," Night Light said as he walked off, muttering thoughtfully to himself.
"I recommend you get a normal cube so you can learn the patterns to solve it or you'll waste your attempts," I said as I watched Twilight randomly move the different faces of the cube just to be able to.
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