“It’s simple…” Twilight huffed to Socks. “There is a teethgaurd bit you bite down onto, and the lamp goes on the ring at the end.”

“I know, why can’t I use my magic?” he asked, hovering it above his head to show her.

“No, you have to use the bit. Magic can become unsteady and cast shadows when I read.”

“This is stupid,” Socks muttered.

“Hey, you wanted to come out on the deck with me. Might as well do something other than complain.” Twilight growled in annoyance.

Socks huffed and placed the rubber coated bit between his teeth and bit down, Twilight giggling in delight as she hung the lamp on the ring.

“There!” she exclaimed and laid down on the outdoor sofa, played out on her stomach and a book levitating nearby as she began to read.

Socks was sent to adjust a set of armor for the princess, Luna’s old set, having outgrown it now. He had adjusted the plates, cut them smaller as need be and re-blued it in a color Twilight found acceptable. The set was being cleaned and was to be enchanted soon. Though that took several days and he was still around to make sure it fit. Spells can warp some of the armor if they are too powerful.

So now he was holding a lamp, in the inner courtyard of the Castle of harmony. Twilight gave a stern cough when he was slouching, taking light away from her pages. Soon he was beginning to nod off to sleep, though was awakened by Twilight shouting.

“Now you dropped it! Please pay attention.” She snarled. Something was bothering her deeply, Socks thought it best to head for bed. Let her sleep on this problem and possibly be more polite tomorrow. He lowered the latern and sighed. Before he could speak, Twilight had his body in an magical grasp.

“Twilight, what…” His muzzle was stuffed full of the bit carrier and clamped shut.

“I need you to old still…” Twilight lit up her horn on the posed unicorn, casting a spell.

Socks felts his body become lead, everything became a real effort to move. He tried to shift from the seated position, but his hooves no longer responded. They felt tight, cold and heavy. He couldn’t peer down to see what was happening, as he was being held with the pink aura of the Alicorn’s magic.

“FNNMMMM!” he grunted, eyes darting around for an answer.

The stallion tried to move, but was met with a deep gravely sound, as if somepony was dragging a stone on the street. There was a line of pink washing over him, casting a warm glow ahead of it and warm grey behind it’s line.

Slowly he felt his hooves, stomach and chest became frozen. His lungs stopped working as it continued. Throaty pops and light snaps surged through the air, the sounds growing ever louder as the magic reached his neck.

Everything was stuck, everything squeezed tightly over his body. He yearned to move, but the cascade of noise approached is ears, soon it stopped, all sound. He watched in silent horror as his muzzle turned grey, creeping in a pink line to his eyes.

“This is how still you need to be.” Twilight grinned.

Socks shut his eyes as the color crept over them, making the world black. The noise had become a deep rumble in his form, echoing deep inside. Soon his horn-tip was slowly changed.

He tried shouting, but with no real lungs, nothing happened. When he tried moving with all his might, the stone just stood still. Noting responded to his command. But yet he was still here. He could still feel his body, a tiny bit smaller and stone, but it was there.

“Feel this, feel the calm. Feel the serenity and silence.” Twilight said, the aura cast around the statue’s head letting him know what was said. “Whenever my armor comes back, I will release you. But for now you are my very, very still reading light.”

She could feel him yell, feel his thoughts wander into why this happened. Some ponies can be told how to do something, Socks had to be shown. And she couldn’t think of a better way to instill this virtue into him than being a nice pony statue for a few days. Maybe more…

Princess Celestia was away for a week and wouldn’t have a chance to enchant her armor. She was sure the package was still sitting in the post office in Ponyville, bound for the train in the morning. Wait, they were working on the line further down… Oh well, plenty of time to read then…