Literally Snails

@dragon4111@Dynamo Pad Four figures were standing in the trees, crouching stealthily on branches high above Frostflame. All four of them were cloaked in dark green robes. "If the Ice mage strays too far, we'll have to start now. But we should wait as long as we can." One of them whispered. They were as silent and still as the trees themselves observing Draco and Frostflame for unknown reasons. @reader8363 "And when I asked you if there was ever a reason that you shouldn't improve yourself to protect the ones you care about, do you still believe in the answer you gave me?" She asked, glancing up at Rose in the trees. She knew she was watching them, but didn't acknowledge her until now.

@reader8363 Tricis stayed silent while her students tried to focus their energy. They weren't perfecting the technique but both of them started to get a more stable balance as they practiced. "Jade, do you remember the question I asked you yesterday?"

@dragon4111 I don't mean to goad the rp right now, but I really need one of you to make the first strike. Tricis didn't tell you to have a secluded conversation, and there's a reason that I can't tell you yet that I can't advance the rp until your fight starts.

@Dynamo Pad @Unicorncob "Concentrate," Tricis instructed. "If you're doing this right, it shouldn't exert you." Tricis' ball was marble sized at the tip of her hoof, while Jade and Pad were both balancing on larger balls with inconsistent shapes. It was difficult to concentrate on what Tricis was saying while they tried to balance. "This is about honing your skills, I'm not trying to tire you out before your fight."

I'm waiting for Frost and Draco to fight just a little bit. That's when we'll progress the story.

@Dynamo Pad @Unicorncob Tricis nodded in approval at Pads ability to balance himself. Though she wasn't going to congratulate him yet. "Good. Now we'll hold this position for two hours." She said in a matter of fact tone.

@Snow Frostflame @dragon4111 The wind took Draco to the same Quiet grove where Snow was waiting. @Dynamo Pad "Good, keep your focus," Tricis instructed before turning to Dynamo. She shot him a glare as she effortlessly kept her balance. "I'm not here to help you figure out your life, and quite frankly I don't care if you feel fulfilled." She shot. Tricis had an odd way of showing sympathy. Tough love would be an understatement. "Don't have everything figured out? Tough. You're out of time. Ponies who you barely had anything to do with have decided to put you in a situation where you need to figure this out or die. You're not fighting for yourself any longer. No. If you lose in there, you arent the only pony who's going to be killed. Do you understand that? And if you still don't think that sounds important, then by all means, spend your time complaining about it instead of working to fix it. You're going to have to find what motivates you and focus on that to bring out your potential. You don't have time to ask questions anymore. You need to act. I know this doesn't seem fair, but this isn't designed to be easy on you. It's time you bit the bullet and started working toward something with all of your heart and energy. If you can't handle that, then you're going to die today and there's nothing I can do to help you. Now stand on this spike!"

@Unicorncob @reader8363 You guys can both reply now. Jade, Tricis was asking you to make an attempt. I'm waiting for you before I reply to Pad @dragon4111 Snow is also waiting for you to start the fight with him.

@dragon4111 @Snow Frostflame Hey, you two should kiss fight

"Now balance on the spike," Tricis ordered, still concentrating on her own balance. "And you, get back up and try not to cry. We aren't stopping until both of you have this. Form the ball before attempting to stand on it."

Tricis blinked slowly and waited for Dynamo to finish asking his question. "One thing you're going to have to understand is that I'm a very crotchety old lady and getting asked a hundred questions at once doesn't do wonders for my mood," she explained. Pad had been asking a lot of questions lately, usually related to things Tricis would have explained on her own. "Still, it's great that you want to learn," The pink unicorn said as a light breeze rolled over the three of them. "Today will be a simple exercise in manifesting your energy." She closed her eyes and a light blue glow swelled around her, then she opened them again as the aura stabilized. "You've seen this before. What I'm doing right now is channeling my magic through my entire body instead of just my horn. This energy was within me already, I didn't create it. Your aura comes from your magical well, and with the proper aptitude, you can train it to do incredible things. Magical energy is what makes the strong strong and the fast fast. Acrobats use it to jump. Performers use it to emote. Fighters can use it for all manner of things." Tricis stopped and brought up her right front hoof. The blue energy around her culminated into a tiny, marble-sized ball at the tip of her hoof, so bright it was almost white. "Concentrating it into a single point can give you precise control over its effects. Observe." She placed the tip of her hoof on one of the metal spikes, then lifted her entire body up until she was doing a hoof-stand on one hoof. Her hind legs were up in the air and her left front hoof was folded to her chest. She stared down at the metal spike. Her hoof wasn't touching the spike at all, she was balancing on the tiny ball of light. "Don't be shy. You two can try it as well."

@dragon4111 @Snow Frostflame Snow and Draco found a secluded grove in the forest where they would be alone for the time being. @Dynamo Pad @Unicorncob @reader8363 Tricis lead Jade and Pad to a wooded section near the hotels. They were close to where Rose was training, but it was up to her if she wanted to join them. She reached into her saddlebag and placed three metal spikes on the forest ground that were slightly smaller than her hooves all set up in a row. Then she turned around to face the two ponies. "To answer your question, Dynamo, no, your aura can't help you dodge, but it can help you survive if you get hit. That question lets me know that you all have a lot to learn," she said.

Oh, you replied two hours ago and I never even saw it < 3>

Jus gotta get a reply from dragon and snow. o3o

@Snow Frostflame @dragon4111 Y'all just find a secluded place in the forest to spar. @Dynamo Pad and I will be checking up on you some time later.

@reader8363 @Snow Frostflame @Dynamo Pad @Unicorncob @dragon4111 Tricis noticed that Rose was missing. She would have to find her later. She was planning on working with her. "Good, all of you are awake," she said. "Here's the plan for today. I'm going to do some light exercises with Pad and Jade. Snow and Draco, you two should find somewhere secluded and far away to spar." She looked at Snow. "Before you go, I should clarify something for all of you, just in case the same happens to another one of you. Snow, your power loss was not done by Team Rokata, as I said before. Your powers are hibernating, so to speak." She tapped a hoof and looked over the four of them. "Here's your lecture for the day. In some spellcasters, your aura has a mind of its own and senses danger. If your body feels like its in a situation where it isn't strong enough to survive, your magical energy will be locked off for some time so it can grow stronger. The problem with this, of course, is that you're totally defenseless while your powers are dormant and there's no guarantee your new powers will be ready by the time danger comes." "Alright, Jade, Pad, come with me to find Rose so we can get started," Tricis said, walking past the group and heading into the woods toward Rose. When she passed Frostflame, she whispered, "Of course, if you were the pony you say you are, this would have already happened to you before." With a knowing grin.

@Dynamo Pad @dragon4111 @Unicorncob @reader8363 @Snow Frostflame ((I'm skipping us to the next day since Rose and Draco were the only people awake.)) After a rejuvenating but short night, the members of team Lotus managed to get back a lot of their energy. However, Rose was still gravely injured and Snow was still unable to cast magic. It was six AM, and Tricis was standing outside the hotel at sunrise waiting for the others to come out and meet with her. She wanted a chance to talk to Snow before he went to spar with Draco deeper in the forest. She had an explanation for his power loss that he would need to see. Meanwhile, she would be training Dynamo and Jade and helping Rose recover.

If you guys feel like you have an unfair advantage right now, just wait until you really find out how this next round is gonna go down.

Tricis nodded to Pad. "You have a lot of untapped potential. That might have helped you." She said. @Snow Frostflame @Unicorncob @Snow Frostflame "She may have to," Tricis explained mater of factly. "Unless we get a win from each of you, she'll need to enter the ring." She explained. She sat down on the couch next to Rose. "You must all be tired, but don't forget to get up early tomorrow. Snow and Draco, you know what you need to do. Also, Snow, you should talk to me before you go out to spar. As for the rest of you, My plans haven't changed. I plan to do some exercises with you before you have to fight Team Lockdown."

@reader8363 "I'm not healing her wounds for her." Tricis explained. "I'm giving her the energy to heal herself." @dragon4111 @Snow Frostflame "It's hard to say for sure. When a body goes through life threatening physical trauma, magical energy is converted to life energy until the pony's magic is depleted. Depleting your magic well in this way is actually a good way to get stronger if you can survive the injury because when her well refills, it will be strengthened after going though this much strain. Still, there's no guarantee she'll be stronger in time to help. This will likely take days to heal."

"I uh... Dynamo we've already told you he's the one who chose you all for the tournament." Tricis answered. "But that's the thing we're trying to figure out. Rail doesn't have a warrior's spirit. He wouldn't care about giving Rokata a good fight." @Unicorncob @Snow Frostflame @dragon4111 "No need to call a medic," Tricis said, bracing Rose's back with one of her hooves and then placing her other hoof on her chest. She made a blue light with her hoof that surged energy through her chest. "This will stop the pain and jump-start your healing, but it will be up to your body to do the real healing for yourself. With any luck, you'll be stronger for it."

Having Rose injured was part of my story plan though. .3. You maaaaaaaaay need to do one fight. You'll understand why later. The next round is going to be... special

I'm not so sure we should heal rose though. I wasn't expecting one of you to have some kind of healing talisman

I mentioned that. You can have her wake up if you want.