James very carefully touched down, exhausted after the long flight. He'd carried Pegasus all the way here and it had been quite the flight. The sling he'd gotten the Collector had given him flashbacks every damn hour, making the flight all the more horrific.

He set Peggy down and tossed the stupid thing away, for he'd never need it again. He peered over at the house he'd made and built for his family, his wings drooping, ears down.

"We're finally here, baby," he said softly, "Stretch your legs and walk around, I'll bet you're stiff."

James breathed out and stretched, front legs stretching out in front of him like a dog, yawning widely and shaking his head out before lowering his head, sniffing at the cool grass. He took a bite and hummed happily, starting to graze eagerly, gorging himself on the sweet sweet grass beneath his hooves.

Pegasus could finally live in bliss here. It had taken a while, but he'd done it, and now he could relax. After his conversation with Pride, he just felt better. Like he could look at his son and not feel ashamed of himself anymore.

"Peggy?", he asked after a moment, head lifting, "We're here... that means that we're home and we can do all the things I told you about. Running across the fields and picking apples out of trees... and we can finally start practicing with your magic!"

Excitement filled James' chest, his wings lifting and fluffing up, energy renewed. Finally... he could be the father that Peggy deserved. He could teach him everything. Magic, how to have fun, where the best places were to graze. He was just so excited!!

@Pegasus

Pegasus was stuck within a sling made so he could be carried, it was a long flight, and Pegasus' limbs were screaming for him to get out and run. His feathers weren't ruffled, and his tail awkwardly sat within the sling, but none of it was an issue when they sat down on the ground for the first time in what felt like ages. The child could admit the sling was comfortable enough, but without a way to catch themselves if they fell, Pegasus didn't feel the safest even with their renny right there. The ground was close, and Pegasus stepped out, nearly tripping over themselves.

Yellow eyes turned to look at their parent, at how tired he was. If they'd been the one doing the flying they would be tired too, Pegasus would bet to themselves in their head.

"Are you tired?" The feathered horse-creature questioned. Maybe James would want to nap?

Either way, instead of looking behind themselves, Pegasus fully turned around - it was easier on their neck, they found. Their parent moved to munch on the grasses below, but the child was too focused on looking at the things around them. This place was absolutely beautiful! They could see the trees from here, along with.... Some kind of blue. Pegasus would have to ask Comet or James to explore with them, to help them find a quiet place to relax - though the kid was mostly always relaxed, except for when that deer had been around.

At the mention of all the things they could do, Pegasus visibly bounced on their feet. The magic was the most exciting - Pegasus had been waiting for a cycle to try it out!

"Really? I'm ready!" The feathered gembound exclaimed, the loudest they'd been since they hatched. Pegasus was naturally more quiet.

@James

James smiled gently and stepped forward, "Good! Now... have you tried out your magic before? Even if you haven't, try to reach into your gem and tap into it. Focus on it and try to see where it wants to go. If you can figure that out, you can cast a spell."

He breathed in, out, and then tried to do the same, drawing from his magic to try to cast a simple spell. He opened his eyes to see a flicker appear in the air, but a wisp didn't form, and the light quickly flickered out.

"Ah- I suppose this is a lesson to be learned," he said, "Magic is a fickle thing. You never try to control magic, you simply guide it. Sometimes it doesn't want to be guided, and that's fine, there are plenty of opportunities to try again."

He stepped back and puffed up his feathers, ears perked forward, "Now you try. If you don't get it on the first try, that's fine. The first thing to work on is to learn how to try and... hm. How to inspire your magic, is the best way I think I can explain it."

@Pegasus

Pegasus wasn't expecting for James to let him start practicing right away, but he was very excited when that was the case. His Alligator tail was swaying gently, though still stuck to the ground since it was so heavy. Watching closely, Pegasus was ready to figure out how they were going to try their first spell. Their parent's popped up for a short moment, before going away again.

Feathers on the side of his head flared when his parent said that not every spell would work. But he could always try again. At least he knew that! Pegasus would feel disappointed if their spell didn't work, but maybe it meant they would have to work more. Hooves firmly placed on the ground, Pegasus had no idea how their spell they knew was supposed to work.

Whatever spell it was, it didn't work at all - Pegasus couldn't feel a lick of that magic they were told about.

"It didn't work." He huffed aloud.

@James

James smiled gently, "That's okay. Just try again."

He himself got ready to cast again, to see if they could demonstrate at least something to his child. Maybe a silly little spell would cheer him up!

A pumpkin appeared from out of thin air and landed on the ground, making James smile and shake his tail out, "There! I learned this from the festival we went to, do you remember?"

He didn't mind if Pegasus didn't but he just hoped the little trick could at least entertain. He stamped a foot on top of the pumpkin and nudged a piece closer.

"Here, have a piece," James said, reaching down to nibble on a piece as well, humming softly.

He loved pumpkin so much. It could use something more to make it even better, but until he realized what that was, he'd settle for this.

@Pegasus

Try again, Pegasus could do that. Would that make it easier to use magic? The gembound hoped, magic was cool and he wanted to learn as much of it as he could! Would James and Comet help? He hoped that was true, too! Or maybe they could practice alone. Either way they had to learn eventually right? Hopefully soon, Pegasus had so many things they wanted to try! After seeing others use their magic, anyway.

And then a pumpkin popped up, ending up on the ground in front of Pegasus and their parent. Oh!

"I remember!" That spell was cool - though Pegasus themselves didn't know it.

The hybrid lowered their head to take a chunk off and munch on it, it was sweet, but not like some of the other things they'd tried. It was good!

"How did you learn to do magic?"

@James

James lifted his head and contemplated such a question.

"I always knew," he said softly, "I always felt it, I suppose. I took to magic like a duck to water, but lately it's been... lazy, I suppose. It never seems to work when I need it."

He chuckled dryly and shrugged, "But that's magic, I suppose. If you wish too hard then you'll get nothing, wish too little and it's the same. There's this little area in between, I think, where you need to focus enough not to force it, but to coax it."

He'd yet to find it.

@Pegasus

Pegasus blinked up at their parent, so they always know their magic? They didn't quite understand... But maybe they would in the future. With practice - which meant they had to actually use their magic. Which would happen, in time, with James' help and Comet's too! Maybe. If Comet wanted to help. Pegasus would have to ask later, maybe.

They supposed it made sense, really. Having to find that in-between where you didn't ask for too much, or ask for too little. Perhaps Pegasus just needed to ask more gembound? On how they used their magic? The colt was curious, but the idea of talking to strangers was intimidating. Even if it was for something new. Something extrordinary. Pegasus could become something, and make their parent proud.

"Do you think i'll learn how to do that?" The gembound asked, quiet, curious, hopeful.

@James

James walked forward and nuzzled Pegasus gentle, sighing as he lovingly brushed his nose across the star on the child's forehead.

"All of us gembound have magic within," he said softly, "Big or small. We can all use magic, it's just a matter of practice."

James prepared his spell and watched it fizzle into existence before fizzling right out. Great.

"... Well," he said lamely, "I suppose we're in the same boat this time around, neither of our magics want to listen, huh?"

He puffed out his chest and planted his feet, "We'll just have to be more persuasive!"

@Pegasus

Pegasus nuzzled his parent back, he didn't quite understand their conversation, but he was sure he'd figure it out eventually. Feathers on his legs moved with him as he stepped a pace back to listen to what his parent was saying. Everyone had magic, and everyone could do anything no matter their size. That instantly made Pegasus wonder what a tiny mouse could do, but they'd never seen a mouse do magic before.

"You did the other spell before." They mentioned, so the magic wasn't all failing to work.

When James got confident, Pegasus excited stamped his front hooves to the ground. Yes! They just needed to work things out with the magic! Make it work! Or maybe Pegasus and James both needed more practice. That could be it too.

"Can you try again?" The child questioned. They wanted to see.

@James