//------------------------------// // Chapter 18 // Story: True Blue Hero // by totallynotabrony //------------------------------// Blueblood and Trudy sat reading quietly in their corner of the library. The muscular hulk of Twilight Sparkle sat at the other end of the room, going through books like a factory, pausing just a few seconds on each one. Between her arms and magic, books circulated past her eyes in an unbroken chain. Risking a glance at her broad, rippling back, Blueblood quickly ducked his nose back down into a book. He was incredibly grateful to not be on the receiving end of her wrath, but was still more than a little intimidated. He was also kind of annoyed that she seemed to have the situation so much better in hand than he did, and the fact that if he tried anything he might not live to regret it. It was incredibly humiliating being forced to work with your nemesis under threat of being killed to death. We don’t know if Twilight is that violent, Trudy reminded him. “Yeah, but she did just take out Steel Blast with one punch and admitted that there’s some sort of parasite in her mind trying to control her,” Blueblood whispered in reply. I really wish you’d stop using words like that. “Hey, I thought we’d already established that you’re different than the rest. The whole forged-from-hatred thing.” But think about this from my perspective: I’m trapped in you. I think we both agree that I’m my own personality and it’s incredibly frustrating to be stuck this way. They were both silent for a few seconds. Their collective mental forum started to swirl with an idea. It was kind of vague, but... “This is going to take some work,” Blueblood said. No doubt. It’ll be worth it, though. “So how are we going to do it?” I don’t even know where to start. Honestly, trying to figure out where you end and where I begin is going to be difficult enough. It’ll be worse trying to create an entirely separate body for me and figuring out how to get it detached while not damaging either of our minds. I don’t know; maybe practice would help? Blueblood held up a hoof. Trudy went to work. After studying Twilight’s transformation, it seemed like it would be relatively simple to recreate some of her modifications. Creating new body features from scratch would give Trudy a basis of study from which to work. It was still the freakiest thing Blueblood had ever experienced when his hoof grew fingers. He certainly didn’t know what to do with them. At first he thought they were wiggling on their own, but then realized Trudy must be controlling them, as the brand new body parts could well have been part of her instead of part of him. She giggled, apparently taking the sensation with quite a bit more glee than he did. However, the experimentation was short lived, as Twilight exclaimed “Aha!” and came crashing across the library. There was a maniacal grin on her face and she was holding a book out in front of her. “Blueblood! I found it!” Blueblood glanced at the cover of the book, which read Changeling Biology. “What does it say?” “Among the repertoire of Changeling reproduction, a queen can implant larva inside a living host. As the young mature, they emerge when ready.” “What does ‘emerge’ mean?” Blueblood asked. “It doesn’t say,” Twilight replied breezily. “Oh wait, there it is.” She squinted at the book. “Eww.” I promise to come out one of your nicer holes, Trudy said. If Blueblood could have glared at his brain, he would have. He asked Twilight, “What do we do?” “It doesn’t say how to stop it,” Twilight said, “although I don’t think I’ll have a problem. Roger’s a good boy, yes he is.” Blueblood grimaced slightly at the puppy-voice inflection she put on her last sentence, although it was encouraging that Twilight seemed in control. “What about everypony else?” Twilight frowned. “Hmm. I guess we’ll just have to find out.” “Do you have an idea where to start?” Blueblood asked. “Trial and error experimentation could work.” She glanced at him. “Would you like to volunteer to be first?” Blueblood laughed, using the happy, brainless laugh he used when a mare asked something and he needed time to think up a way to say no. However, he was saved by the library door flying off its hinges and Shining Armor bursting in. “Shining!” Twilight scolded. “I just finished fixing this place up.” “I’m here because of him,” Shining said, thrusting a hoof towards Blueblood. “It’s a matter of national security. Blueblood, I’m going to have to ask you to come with me.” Blueblood glanced at Twilight, who still stood on two legs and towered close to the ceiling, and back at Shining, who didn’t seem to notice. Blueblood cleared his throat and asked, “What sort of national security matters?” “We don’t have time for this,” Shining insisted. “If you don’t get moving, I’m going to have to use force.” Blueblood edged sideways, enough to put a sturdy bookcase at his back. He’d already formed a plan. Trudy said, I’m ready. “Then make me, Mr. Royalty-by-marriage,” Blueblood declared, turning up his nose. In the next instant, he was dodging sideways to avoid a sizzling bolt of magic. Shining’s spell crashed into the bookcase and instantly vaporized several hardbacks. Twilight screeched in consternation and her already contorted body seemed to stretch even further. Before she could attack her brother, the windows shattered as half a dozen ponies in various stages of transformation breached. Blueblood peeped over the edge of an overturned table, watching Twilight facing off against a room full of angry alicorn amalgamations. That was when the wall behind him exploded inward as a renewed Steel Blast charged in with a roar. Blueblood felt his butt involuntarily clench shut. “Trudy?” Yes? “Did you do that?” Nope, that was all you. “I was afraid of that.”