“So that gave you time, didn't it? Time enough to modify the spell—but you misjudged. You didn't want to leave Dale—you knew that Princess Celestia would get your report and not allow you back. So you—excuse me.” He turned and grabbed the notepad his assistant was scribbling on. “So you 'suddenly felt your muscles cramp, fell over, and the spell failed.' This, despite the mare—the Ka-th-rin being nowhere near you, and having shown no aptitude whatsoever for any kind of magic. Indeed, the doctor's own tests show that they haven't got the magical potential to sprout a single piece of dandelion fluff, but she could stun a grandmaster from that distance? And then you don't remember anything else until you woke up in the hospital, in the company of her and Dale? Isn't that convenient?”