Chapter Three
The Dresden Fillies: False Masks
Written by: psychicscubadiver
Edited by: frieD195 and Silentcarto
Story Image by: wyrmlover
Beta-reader: SA
Disclaimer: I don’t own The Dresden Files or My Little Pony, that is Jim Butcher and Hasbro, respectively. This is a fanfiction only. This story takes place before Discord’s return in MLP and between books six and seven in the Dresden Files.
Chapter Three
Learning to rely on the telekinesis from my horn instead of using my hands was the most difficult part of becoming a pony.
That is not a sentence any sane man should ever think, but I’d given up hope on sanity when we reached the lecture titled, ‘Cutie Marks and You: A Special Guide to your Special Talent’.
The lessons had taken the whole afternoon and most of the evening, starting after we finally got Spike back to camp. Finding him hadn’t been that hard; Mouse had kept him pretty close to the campsite, but convincing him that Bob was not a ghost and that we were not haunted took a while. Then, of course, Bob thought it would be funny to scream ‘boo’ in Spike’s face once he finally worked up the courage to approach the skull. In the end, Twilight had teleported Spike to the library so he could start preparing dinner.
The smartass skull was currently stuffed deep inside my bag, underneath my discarded clothes. I had told him on no uncertain terms that if he spoke again before I gave him permission I would drop him in Winter’s territory and call for Mab. Normally he would have called my bluff − I wouldn’t wish a pissed off Fae queen on my worst enemy (well, most of them, anyway) – but I think the way my left eye was twitching when I said it convinced him.
Now I was following Twilight back to Ponyville through the Everfree Forest. It felt weird and more than a little embarrassing to just walk around in the nude, but none of my old clothing fit my new body. I’d put my silver pentacle back on and slipped my force rings over my horn, but the rest of my outfit was packed away. The first chance I got though; I was going to Rarity’s for a set of proper clothes.
“You know, I could carry your pack for you if you get tired,” Twilight suggested from further up the trail. It was late evening, and the sun was almost at the horizon. She evidently wanted to get home before dusk fell. Given the kind of creatures that lived in the forest, I wasn’t eager to go for a nighttime stroll out here either.
Well, if she was in a hurry, she could have gone through some of the lessons a little faster. Twilight was a brilliant practitioner, no doubt about that, but she was also ridiculously verbose when it came to teaching. I know that we had a lot to cover – hell, just learning to walk on four legs took almost an hour – but she could have hurried things along. I didn’t need the entire life story of what’s-his-name, Starsquirrel the Bearded, just to hear about his theories on magic.
I snorted, and stared at the enormous pile of equipment she was already levitating. “All your camping gear has got to weigh twice as much as my stuff. Let me hang on to at least a little of my pride.” My pack wobbled a little as I fought to keep focus on it while talking.
She gave me a worried frown. “Sorry, Dres− er, Blackstone. I wasn’t trying to say you were weak or anything. I mean, you’ve been a pony for less than a day, and you can already lift as well as an adult unicorn! I just thought you might be worn out after all that practice.” I couldn’t tell whether she was telling the truth or trying to spare my feelings. It didn’t help that the only yardstick I had for my abilities thus far was a unicorn skilled enough to be apprenticed to an immortal sorceress.
I shook my head, still not used to the extra weight of the horn. “Thanks, but I got it.”
Despite the transformation, my magic seemed to have stayed pretty much the same. At first I thought I’d have to start from scratch, because none of my spells were working. Fortunately, once I stopped trying to use my hands – forehooves, now – to channel energy and started getting a feel for my horn (a line Bob would have jumped on,) everything came easily. It still felt strange to use, but I was too relieved that I wouldn’t have to relearn everything to really care.
One thing that had changed, though, was the built-in telekinesis. On the surface, it was pretty much like any levitation I’d done before: focus on the target, wrap some magic around it, and it floats. Ta-da! There wasn’t even much difference in the amount of weight I could lift, but the newfound endurance and control were unreal. I could manipulate objects longer and with a hell of lot more finesse than I ever had before. Normally, I used cushions of air to move things around; my control was better with wind than pure force. But apparently the whole ‘unicorn’ thing trumped my native skill. Back home, I’d have struggled to keep my pack airborne for five minutes, but I had been carrying it for the past twenty without any more stress than if I’d carried it on my back. It almost didn’t feel like I was using a spell; it was more like having an extra arm.
Which was damned handy (heh-heh), because my hooves were the next best thing to useless. Seriously, I’d gained a new appreciation for my hands after toasting one of them. But having one hand is so much better than having none that it isn’t even funny. I don’t know how the normal ponies or the pegasi manage.
There was one silver lining to losing my hands, though. My burned foreleg wasn’t pretty looking, but it was actually functional. Instead of having to hobble along on three legs, I could walk steadily on all four. The pain had dulled to nothing more than a small ache, so my new form of locomotion wasn’t the nightmare I had thought it would be.
And then, because I’d dared to be optimistic, my back right leg caught on a root and I damn near went down in a sprawling heap. Only a quick hop prevented me from going ass over teakettle, and the red-orange aura around my pack blinked out completely. I managed to catch it just before it hit the ground, and breathed a sigh of relief. I lifted the pack higher and hurried to catch up with Twilight. The downside of using telekinesis instead of hands was that I had to keep a constant mental focus on whatever I was lifting. Something which Mouse, who was even more underfoot than usual now that I had twice the number of feet to get under, was not helping with.
I gave him a short glare. “If you want someone—er, somepony to bother, go play with Twilight.” Mouse grinned at me, obviously enjoying my annoyance, but he obeyed and started tagging along just behind the purple unicorn.
Mouse turned on his doggish charms, and he had Twilight scratching under his chin and cooing over him inside a minute. I let her baby him for another minute before interrupting.
“Twilight, this is my dog Mouse. Mouse, that’s my friend Twilight.”
“Charmed.” She extended a hoof, which Mouse politely sniffed, then woofed softly in approval. Twilight chuckled at that. “Where did you get him? I don’t remember you mentioning a dog last time.”
I shrugged, which turns out to be a lot harder when you’re a quadruped. “He’s a souvenir from a case a few months ago. I rescued him and the rest of his litter, but Mouse decided to play stowaway when I took them to the client.”
Twilight gave me a bemused smile. “You were paid to find a basket of puppies? That doesn’t sound much like the dark, gritty wizard-for-hire you act like.”
I laughed. “Think again, kid. Mouse is a temple dog, which makes him all kinds of valuable.”
“What’s a temple dog?” she asked, scratching him under the chin with another glow of telekinetic power. All while she walked, talked, and maintained a perfectly undisturbed aura around her camping equipment. I grumbled a little to myself as my own load shifted.
“Well, supposedly, he’s the descendant of a divine guardian spirit called a Foo dog. The monk who hired me to get them back believed that Mouse’s bloodline has special powers.”
Twilight stared curiously at Mouse, and I could almost see the analytical gears in her head start turning. I think he could too, because Mouse suddenly became very interested in some of the bushes off to the side of the trail. Twilight considered him for a moment more. “Does he?”
“Hell if I know. I’m mostly the product of a European education in magic. Foo dogs are from the Far East, so I can’t tell you much.” Twilight tried not to show it, but her face fell in disappointment, her mouth curved in a slight frown. Inwardly, I sighed. “But, I can say this much, at least. Mouse seems able to sense danger – or evil, not really sure which – better than any wizard. And whoever took him and his siblings from the monastery thought they were worth setting half a dozen demons to guard them.”
“Really?” she asked, brightening. “Could you tell me a little more about that case? It sounds fascinating.” I nodded and launched into the story of how I got Mouse, pausing every now and then to keep my pack from drifting off. After that, she still seemed interested, so I told a few more stories, like when I saved a runaway little girl from a troll under a bridge, and the time I cleared the name of a gorilla who was accused of murdering a zoo guard.
We reached the end of the forest just as the sun vanished below the horizon. The golden light turned dull red over the forest, and the moon rose majestically into the sky ahead. We walked in silence, but I had trouble keeping my eyes on the path. The stars had begun to appear, shining softly beyond the gentle glow of a crescent moon. The more the light of day faded, the brighter and more numerous they became. Don’t get me wrong, I love living in the city. But if there’s anything I miss about Ebenezer McCoy’s farm, it’s the stargazing. There was a well-lit city in the distant mountains – Canterlot, I think – and Ponyville had a few lights of its own, but here on the edge of the wilderness, the sky was beautifully clear and the stars shone with a breathtaking glow.
I’d done a little astronomy with an old telescope in the loft, so I knew most of the constellations. Here in Equestria, a few were obviously missing, but there were dozens of unfamiliar stars to replace them. It was as if an artist had seen the night sky and decided that, while nice, it could use some work. The Milky Way was a bright river of light stretching across the heavens, and the North Star shone as though it was illuminated by neon. I let my imagination run wild through the strange formations of new stars, trying to envision the shapes they made. As I invented new constellations, a shooting star sailed sedately across the sky, leaving a glimmering trail like no meteor I’d ever seen. A few stars gleamed red or even blue instead of the usual white. I wondered idly if they were planets, or maybe some type of celestial body that didn’t even exist in my world. I stumbled twice and nearly dropped my pack three times, but the view was worth every bump I took. This place was beautiful.
Even as I was awed by the otherworldly view, Twilight was busy puzzling more earthly matters. I missed her question the first time and had to ask her to repeat it.
“I asked why magic isn’t public knowledge on Earth. You’d think everyone would notice after everything you’ve done. It certainly seems to be common enough to attract attention.”
“Well, for that, you need to understand two things about humanity. One: we’re very good at destroying anything we’re afraid of. And two: we’re very good at ignoring anything we don’t want to be true.”
“What?” Twilight barked. She glared over her shoulder at me, her expression lit by the soft glow of her horn. “That doesn’t explain anything!”
I snorted derisively. “Not if you don’t let me explain. It’s my turn to lecture.” She fell silent and turned away. Knowing her, she was probably blushing. “The first point is the more important one. About ninety percent of the supernatural world views humans as pawns, playthings or food. A few centuries ago, humanity finally became strong enough to strike back. And they struck hard. Inquisitions, wars, and witch trials that history remembers as pointless bloodshed were all aimed at suppressing anything magical. Humans outnumber just about everything by at least a hundred to one, so most supernatural creatures went into hiding, wizards included.”
“But why?” Twilight interrupted. “You’re a human too, aren’t you?”
I shrugged. “Sure, but remember that magic’s a rare talent. Wizards were mysterious shadowy figures, and not all of them used their powers for good. People feared them, and most believed they got their abilities from the very creatures that preyed upon humanity. So everyone with even a scrap of talent hid it. After a couple centuries and a rise in the power of science and technology, magic and the occult became stories and rumor. Eventually, people started to believe the supernatural was just a myth. That’s were the second point comes in.” I paused to check on my gear and keep it from dragging on the ground.
“Nobody wants the world to be a scary place full of powerful monsters that like to eat humans, so just about any evidence that suggests otherwise is ignored or rationalized away. The supernatural stays in the shadows and humanity tries very hard not to see them. That way everyone is happy.” I injected as much sarcasm into the last line as I could. A sentiment Twilight seemed to share.
“That’s just stupid!”
“Yeah, but ignorance is bliss.” She had a few things to say about that particular aphorism, which made me laugh. After venting her spleen she calmed down, and I gave her the good news. “It’s not true for everyone, though. I know more than a few people who opened their eyes and dealt with a world that’s much more terrifying than they had ever believed. Most of them are my friends.”
I smiled, thinking of Murphy, the Alphas, Waldo Butters, and a few others willing to look past what they always been told. “It takes a lotta guts when most people think you’re crazy, but that doesn’t stop them. After all, somebody’s got to save the city.” I chuckled, but there was only silence from ahead.
We were drawing close to Ponyville, so I could see Twilight better in the light of the street lamps. She paused as if in thought, then peered over her shoulder at me, staring with a mix of curiosity, admiration and some emotion I couldn’t identify. After a few seconds I coughed awkwardly, and she snapped out of it. Twilight’s face immediately colored bright red and she spun around. She set off at a much faster pace, speaking a little too quickly.
“Our destination draws decidedly less distant, and discussion of such delicate and doubtlessly dangerous data doesn’t seem desirable in this district. We’d do well to use discretion, or some discerning denizens may develop dark deductions about you, Dresden. Er, Blackstone.” She forged ahead without pausing to see if I would follow.
I hurried to catch up, trying not to lose control over my telekinesis. I didn’t ask what was up with Twilight. She obviously wasn’t in the mood to talk, and I doubt I would have understood the answer anyway. Human women still confused me, so how the hell would I figure out what was bothering a girl from a dimension populated by ponies?
The pace Twilight set was hard, but I still had a little time to look at the houses we passed. The town hadn’t changed much since the last time I was here, but given that only two months had gone by for them, it wasn’t that shocking. The streets were almost deserted, but the few ponies that were still out waved and smiled. I waved back, surprised at the welcome. Most places this small were pretty insular and distrusted anyone who wasn’t native. I guess being so near to the capital had made Ponyville used to strangers, though I was abruptly glad I’d stashed Bob safely away. I doubt anypony openly carrying an exotic skull would have been greeted with open arms no matter how accepting the community.
Eventually we reached the tree house. House tree? Tree library? The place where Twilight lived, anyway. There was some commotion going on inside as we approached. One voice was Spike’s, but the other I didn’t recognize. When we reached the door their conversation finally became audible.
“When will she be back? I need to speak with her, the sooner the better.” That was the unfamiliar pony, and this time I could tell that it belonged to a woman. I mean mare.
Spike sighed. “She’ll be back soon, but that’s all I can promise. I don’t know when exactly.”
Twilight opened the door, and broke into the conversation. “Are you talking about me?”
The pony she’d addressed was a light blue unicorn with a silver and darker blue mane. Her tail matched, and her flank was marked with an hourglass. She saw Twilight and broke into a relieved smile.
A smile that evaporated the instant she spotted me over Twilight’s shoulder. Her face paled, almost turning gray. It would have been funny if she hadn’t been staring at me like I’d just grown devil horns. Her reaction wasn’t lost on Twilight.
“Is something wrong, Colgate?” The blue unicorn breathed deeply and visibly calmed herself. In the meantime I entered the library and finally set down my pack. I heaved a sigh of relief, rubbing gingerly at my horn. Increased endurance or not that hadn’t been an easy feat.
By the time I turned back, Colgate had herself under control. She offered me a hoof, and a nervous smile. “Sorry, you just gave me a scare. I’m Colgate.”
I arched an eyebrow at that, but shook her hoof. “I didn’t mean to, but sorry that I did. You can call me Blackstone.”
She shrugged. “It’s not your fault. You just look a lot like an ex-coltfriend I never thought I’d see again.” She grimaced, and turned to address Twilight. “Sorry, I hope I didn’t freak anypony out.”
I chuckled darkly. “I can empathize with that.” Both of my major break-ups had been a special kind of messy, but it was surprising to see that heartbreaking relationships could happen in a sugar bowl like Ponyville. Still, I wouldn’t have thought a black unicorn with a burned hoof was all that common. I wanted to ask more about it, but Colgate had already turned away.
“Twilight, I needed to ask if I could change your dental appointment from next Friday to tomorrow. Something has come up next week and this is the only time I can fit you in.”
Spike’s jaw fell, and he sputtered in anger. “That’s what you’ve been bothering me about for the past hour?! You couldn’t have just left a message?”
Colgate frowned. “I had to get her answer as soon as possible, Spike. Proper dental health isn’t anything to take lightly.”
Twilight levitated two planners and a binder over to her and flipped through them quickly. She bit her lip and sighed as she examined them. “I’ll have to reorganize my schedule, but if there’s no helping it, I guess I’ll have to.”
“Sorry for the trouble.” Colgate replied. “Is nine thirty all right?” Twilight nodded, marking the date in all three organizers with a quickly summoned quill and inkpot.
“I’ll be off then. See you tomorrow.” She turned to leave, but Mouse was in her way, wagging his tail and obviously trying to cadge a quick scratch or tummy rub. Colgate was just as vulnerable to him as any girl, and she bent down to nuzzle him. “Awww, this little guy is adorable! I didn’t know you had a dog, Twilight.”
“I don’t. Mouse belongs to Blackstone.” Colgate froze, her entire body going utterly still. It was only for a second, and I doubt Twilight or Spike noticed, but something made her hesitate. She was facing the door so I couldn’t see her expression, but even when she started moving again there was an undercurrent of tension in her body language.
I watched her, wondering what that meant. There was something odd about Colgate that I couldn’t quite pin down. Mouse seemed to like her, which was a vote in her favor, but she obviously feared me and I wasn’t entirely buying the ex-boyfriend story. Was it my looks? Granted, I was the only battle-scarred pony I’d ever seen, but my gut told me that wasn’t it. I stared into the night outside, scowling faintly as I tried to puzzle out Colgate’s problem with me.
“Blackstone. Equestria to Blackstone. Hello?”
I blinked, and found Spike waving a hand in my face. He hopped off the footstool he’d needed to reach high enough, and hooked a thumb at the back of the library. “C’mon, we’re having pasta for dinner and you don’t want it to get cold.” He paused and a worried frown crossed his face. “That is something you’d like, right? Twilight says you ate some at the palace, but I wasn’t sure.”
I smiled and nodded, turning to follow him into the kitchen. “Pasta sounds great.” I shoved my paranoid thoughts about Twilight’s dentist to the wayside. Come on, Harry, I chided myself. This is Equestria. No one’s out to get you here.
………
I ascended the stairs to Twilight’s guest room drowsily, hauling an already sleeping Mouse via wobbly telekinesis. I’d had a long day of travel, then been turned into a pony and walked here from the far reaches of the forest. I was ready to go to bed. The three pounds of rotini resting in my stomach wasn’t doing much to keep me awake either.
Dinner had been delicious. It was darned impressive that Spike could cook so well at such a young age. When I said as much, he’d laughed and claimed that he’d only learned how so he didn’t have to eat anything Twilight made. Or attempted to make, if his descriptions were accurate. I would have expected Twilight to get angry at him for that, but at the table she’d only seemed embarrassed. Maybe she didn’t want to seem harsh in front of a guest, but I’d be willing to bet that if Spike hadn’t already gotten an earful, he would soon.
Those stairs looked shorter from the bottom, but I finally reached the room. I levitated Mouse onto the foot of the bed and made a beeline for it myself, but some angry, muffled sounds from my pack made me pause. I considered leaving Bob in there for the rest of the night, but with a sigh I began to dig my laundry out of the bag to find him. He’d been in there long enough for his shenanigans today. Though, if he couldn’t keep his damn mouth shut, he’d soon get much better acquainted with the inside of my pack.
I stifled a yawn and set him on a dresser. “So Bob, have you learned your lesson?” I asked, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
He muttered darkly for a moment before responding. “Fine. I’ll leave the kid alone.” He brightened and chuckled slightly. “But you’ve got to admit that was pretty damn funny.”
I rolled my eyes. “You only think that because you didn’t have to deal with all of the hysterics afterwards. Twilight was all for sinking you in a well.”
“Oh yeah,” he said, a smarmy grin coloring his words. “Speaking of Twilight, is that a large phallic object on your forehead, or were you just happy to see her?”
I glared at the skull, and sighed. “You’ve got thirty seconds to get those jokes out of your system, and after that you’re done. Got it?”
Bob chuckled. “Geez, Harry. Just because Twilight made you all horny doesn’t mean you should take it out on me.”
“Twenty-two, twenty-one.”
“At least now when you tell the girls you’re hung like a horse you won’t be lying.”
I groaned and resisted the urge to smash the literally priceless skull into fine powder. “I am running dangerously short on patience, Bob.”
“You may not want to toot your own horn, but I bet a certain unicorn would be willing to.”
“And we’re done.” I said, wondering what the hell possessed me to actually bring Bob.
Bob sighed theatrically. “Fine. Spoil my fun, but seriously. When are you going to finally get it on with her? You’re a pony, she’s a pony. You like her, she’s got the hots for you. And now you can’t use the whole ‘different species’ excuse.”
“No, Bob I’m still not sleeping with her. Besides, I don’t know where you got the idea she’s attracted to me.”
“Harry, I’ve forgotten more about women, human or otherwise, than you’ve ever learned.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Please, Bob. We both know you don’t forget anything.”
His voice turned smug and I’d swear the skull was smirking somehow. “Exactly.” Damn it. I walked right into that one. “You didn’t see her face after you first turned into a pony. I’m surprised she wasn’t drooling, the way she was checking you out. She was being less subtle than me. The way she blushes, she’s probably too inhibited to act on it, but if you came on to her, that would be a whole different story.” He turned the leer up to eleven. “Hopefully an X-rated one.”
I glared at Bob. “Regardless of my species, I’m not sleeping with Twilight, end of story. The only reason I’m like this anyway is because she’s mucking around with transformations.” I glanced down at my new hooves with a grimace. “I hope this doesn’t leave any kind of bad vibes on me. The last thing I need is to piss off the Council again.”
Not to mention what effects this magic could have on Twilight. Magic comes from within; you can’t do something without truly believing in it. If she started to believe it was okay to transform others, to change people into what she wanted … well, that could be the start of a slippery slope. She may have the best of intentions, but the road to Hell is paved in those. I’m sure Luna only wanted ponies to appreciate her nights more, at first.
“You know, boss,” Bob replied his tone thoughtful. “I’ve been looking over the spell Twilight worked on you, and it actually doesn’t violate the Second Law. Only on a technicality, but you should be used to those.”
I held back a sigh of relief. One of the few things that can drag Bob’s mind out of the gutter is shop talk. “Really?” I asked doubtfully. “How so?”
Bob switched to lecture mode, but didn’t lose his usual arrogance. “You know why the Second Law exists, right?”
I grunted and nodded. Transformation didn’t just twist the person who cast the spell. Transforming someone else inevitably destroys the person you change. Their mind is changed just as much as the body. Turn someone into an animal, and they’ll start thinking like one, losing their sense of self. Unless they’re turned back quickly, and I mean within hours in most cases, there’s no hope of recovery. Their mind is already gone. Within minutes of donning a hexenwulf belt, I nearly lost myself in the rush of bloodlust and adrenaline. Part of that had been due to the demonic nature of the belt, but just as much had come from the sensations and instincts of the new body. When I realized what it was doing to me, I ripped it off then and there and swore I would never touch anything like it again.
Werewolves – the regular kind, not the super-powered movie-monster version – and other shapeshifters were a different matter. Self-transformation instinctively protects the mind, essentially putting a human brain into an unfamiliar body. They had to learn all the ins and outs of being a different creature by themselves, but since it didn’t wreck the personality or memories it wasn’t as invasive or destructive as transformation from an outside force. But not even the most skilled neuromancer could understand someone else well enough to keep their mind intact while transforming them.
I raised an eyebrow and gave Bob a skeptic glance. “So are you trying to tell me that since Twilight transformed me into another sentient being it won’t destroy my mind? Or is it that she understands me so well from the Soulgaze that she could keep me intact during the transformation?” Frankly, I had a problem buying either of those.
Bob made a sound like the incorrect buzzer from a game show. “Wrong and wrong, sahib. You’re still thinking like a White Council wizard.” He paused like the grandstanding little bastard he is before continuing. “She didn’t actually transform you – not the way the law means it, at least. She just twisted your body into a new, more pony-friendly shape.”
I pondered that for a moment. “I fail to see the difference.”
Bob nodded as though he’d expected that response. “That’s because you don’t understand magic the way I do. Transformations actually destroy the original body. Even with self-transformation, the human body is destroyed and a new form is built from it, though part of that magic retains a blueprint of their proper shape so they can turn back. That’s also how shapeshifters get around the whole ‘conservation of mass’ problem. They either grab some ectoplasm from the Nevernever to serve as extra flesh, or if they’re turning smaller, exile some of their own mass when they’re rebuilding. Twilight didn’t destroy your body, she just changed it.”
Interesting, but … “That still seems like a pretty academic distinction. If the end result is the same why would the process matter?”
Bob sighed and rotated in place, then beat his skull against the wall a couple times. “The end result isn’t the same. Think about it, one of the first things Twilight told you was that this spell would only last a week.”
A light bulb went off above my head. “But transformations are a one-shot deal. Only continuous spells wear off over time.”
Bob nodded enthusiastically. “You got it. Your body is used to being a human, and that’s the shape it naturally ‘wants’ to be. Right now her spell is warping it into a new shape and holding it there, but when the magic gives out you’ll snap to being a human again.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course I’m sure.” He sounded offended that I could ever have doubted him. “Your aura is unchanged, which wouldn’t be the case if you were transformed, and your new form feels foreign instead of natural. You probably still feel like you should be walking on two legs and eating meat even though that body couldn’t handle either of those.”
I thought that over. I doubt the Council would have bought it as an excuse, but I wasn’t planning on telling them anyway. More importantly, I wondered if it would affect Twilight the same way as performing a real transformation spell. She was still twisting other people into what she wanted them to be, but if it was inherently temporary and non-destructive did that change the mental repercussions? Of course, she wasn’t human anyway, so who’s to say that her mind was even built with the same weaknesses as a normal wizard’s? I needed more info.
“So how does her spell work? It sounds like a pretty interesting piece of magic.”
Bob couldn’t shrug, but the way he shook his skull conveyed the same feeling. “Hell if I know.”
“Really?” I asked incredulously. “You can’t tell me anything? I thought you understood magic in a way I didn’t.” It wasn’t exactly nice to nettle him like that, but believe me, Bob had it coming.
“That’s not a fair comparison,” he complained petulantly. “Whatever magic she uses it’s completely foreign to me, and doesn’t follow most of the rules I’m familiar with.”
“Yeah, but they’re not incompatible. Her stuff runs off the same energy as mine.”
Bob rolled his eyes. “That’s like saying a flashlight and radio are the same thing just because they both use electricity. Give me some time, sahib. I may not have the answer just yet, but believe me, I’m working on it. This place is fascinating. No wonder you wanted to keep it to yourself!”
Before I could respond I heard a dull thump from outside. I held up a hoof to silence Bob and went to the open window. I stuck my head outside and looked around, pushing will into the pentacle to provide light. I didn’t see anypony, and the noise had sounded mostly innocuous. I Listened anyway, closing my eyes and focusing on sound alone. The wind whistled through the tree, an owl somewhere hooted and a few crickets in the front yard chirped. I shrugged and ducked back inside. The breeze had probably just knocked one of the branches into another, but I shut the window anyway. My paranoia has seldom disappointed me, and if it was wrong, I could live with a slightly stuffy room.
I turned back to Bob to continue the conversation. “It wasn’t that I wanted to keep this place for myself. I just don’t trust you much. You’d be dangerous if I wasn’t keeping an eye on you.”
Bob scoffed. “Dangerous? I’m not the one who killed a faerie queen, incinerated an entire mansion and brought down the King of the White Court. Not to mention that fact that you’re a devoted carnivore.”
“Hey,” I replied, glaring at him, “I don’t have to eat meat, I just prefer to.”
Bob sniggered. “So should we be worried you’ll get hungry enough to eat a horse?”
I rolled my eyes, disgusted at the new low he had reached, but chuckled anyway. “Don’t tempt me.”
“So jokes aside, how long are we gonna be here, boss? I wouldn’t mind a couple weeks away from the normal grind.”
I shook my head and considered the question. “I’m not sure, but definitely nothing longer than a week. I’d be amazed if my cover lasted even that long.”
Bob chuckled again. “Yeah, about that. ‘Blackstone’? That’s not exactly the most subtle alias.”
“Bite me,” I replied, making him laugh. I glanced at the small clock on the wall and was surprised to realize it was already past eleven. I yawned again; today had been tiring. “All right, it’s late, and I had a long day. It’s bedtime.”
“Fine. One last thing to say before you tune out, though. I still think you should seduce Twilight.” I fought back a sigh. He really did have a one track mind.
“You can think whatever you want. Me, though? I’m going to bed.” Mouse had somehow managed to scoot all the way to the top of the bed. I briefly considered putting him back down at the foot, but the bed was more than big enough for the both of us. I shrugged and just shoved him to one side. I hoped Twilight didn’t mind dog hair on her furniture.
I sank blissfully to sleep, enjoying the soft bed despite my unfamiliar shape. There was only time for one last thought before I fully lost consciousness. Huh, why’s that window open a crack? I could have sworn I shut it.
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First!
Epic chap with epic end!
I was almost getting worried for not having seen an update for so long. Glad to see it back if even for a moment.
Great chapter! I'm not sure if I feel bad for Dresden that he never gets things easy, or excited for the big adventure coming up. I have the feeling somepony was spying on him, and taking everything he and Bob said in the wrong (right?) context.
Seriously? "devoted carnivore"? "Don't tempt me"? Sounds like super-villain talk.
Oh Dresden you should know by now. There is always something out to get you.
Sweet sweet updates, I need more!
Dispute not reading the dressing files, I'm loving the he'll out of harry, the way you portray him. I can't wait for more after reading the previous story.
i think colgate was listening in on him. also i sense the possibility of TwilightXDresden/Blackstone shipping despite what Dresden says...
Also i can tell Twilight has a crush on him due to the constant blushing. BOB:1 Dresden:0 Twilight:0 (keeping score on whos right from now on.)
The hourglass society seems to have some issue with Dresden. I can't wait to see Dr. Hooves.
497422 More like Twilight: 1, Bob: 1, Dresden: 0
SInce Bob noticed it and told Dresden about it and Twilight was displaying her interest, even if Dresden didn't notice.
Here's hoping Twilight and Dresden will hook up!
Well this was nice to wake up to. Why is colgate making me nervous? That just doesn't make sense
This Twilight Dresden thing is severely entertaining though, I can't wait to see what everyone else thinks.
Gah, typical Dresden, always saying things that make you seem evil.
"Come on, Harry, I chided myself. This is Equestria. No one’s out to get you here."... ohh Harry you never learn
Dig the reference to Welcome to the Jungle
Hmm... Colgate acts suspicious and Harry hears a sound from outside his window... I think I know how this is gonna end
Though as to why Colgate acted the way she did; (In Bob's famous words) "Hell if I know!"
-Glassed
Frankly, Harry, even if nopony was out to get you, a bit of paranoia isn't necessarily a bad thing in a world where magic is a lot more common than even you are really used to and even the most well-intentioned ponies still manage to simply misunderstand each other on a regular basis...
Looking forward to seeing where this is going next.
It's topology compared to reconstruction. A topoligist can't tell the differnce between a donut and coffee cup because one can be warped into the other. Its a object with one hole in it.
I so enjoy this line:
the only yardstick I had for my abilities thus far was a unicorn skilled enough to be apprenticed to an immortal sorceress.
Given who Harry ends up working for, this is more than a little funny. Hey, Harry, maybe you and Twilight can compare notes on how to keep immortal sorceress mentors happy?
Oh man, and if Harry ended up Celestia's apprentice? (Not that he will of course, but....) And Canterlot thought it had trouble with Discord and Chrysalis!
Hmm, that mention of Twi's potentially crossing the line with her transformation magic makes me wonder, what happens when and if Harry finds out about her use of the Want-It Need-It spell? Maybe that pony society is worried not because of Harry so much as because of what he might get up to with Twilight?
Harry, you need to stop telling yourself that nothing is out to get you. You're just beating a dead horse.
Kudos on more "awful" Bob.
Also "Come on, Harry, I chided myself. This is Equestria. No one’s out to get you here." Such a classic. I can't wait for this to heat up.
Yeah, Colgate's a cultist.
...Or whatever those ponies from the prologue were.
Yeah, we'll just call 'em cultists. They probably believe Harr- Blackstone's here to bring about the apocalypse for all ponykind.
Also, Bob?
You're amazing. After that talk, Dresden will probably keep an eye out for... "suspicious" activity from Twilight, like blushing, etc...
Then Dresden will know Bob's at the very least partially right, which can either lead to awkwardness or a "Sure, why not?" moment and he actually goes for it.
It's for stories like this that I wish there still was a difference between tracking and favorites.
I mean - right now I have +90 favorites, only about 20 of those are finished. Which means there's roughly 70 stories that I read which are NOT finished. and even though I like reading all of them only a small handful of them really deserves to belong under the label "favorite".
This is definitively one of those stories which deserves to be a favorite and to me this is rather impressive considering the story has barely started yet.
Good job on the writing, I can't wait to read the next chapter :D
Colgate is sus-pish-usss!
Acting suspicious, I mean. Or maybe she is suspicious. Or both.
I should be studying, but there's a new Dresden Fillies update, and one of these things is more important than the other. Here's a hint, it's the one involving ponies.
This chapter was definitely worth the wait, loved it!
Dammit Dresden, stop saying things that make you sound evil even when you think your, it never ends well!
Also, those horribly amazing Bob parts, good lord the horn puns hurt so much. *claps*
Looking forward to the invevitable awkwardness between Twilight and Dresden from no on. This is going to be adorable.
Well, now we definitely know that "Blackstone" is the most elidgible bachelor in Ponyville. I can't wait too see the what everypony else's reactions will be to Dresden's transformation, especially Rarity's, seeing as how she's a hopeless romantic who is still looking for her "true love"; our boy better watch himself.
And Twi is adorable when she uses alliteration.
Bob is having way too much fun with the horse puns; then again, the show's writers aren't any better.
Really interesting comparison of the two magic systems, which I'm sure is foreshadowing of some kind. I am now more convinced than ever that you, my good author, are really Jim Butcher writing under a pseudonymn, and you don't want to "out" yourself as a brony.
Excellent chapter, I hope the next one won't take as long.
Yay good update!
497464 touche...
you are right. but i still think there might be shipping
497882
That is a very elegant description!
The story is awesome and the conspiracy intriguing and all y'all can talk about is horse sex.
Ah, I had almost forgotten about this little fic. Harry, how many times have we been over this? No matter what, there is always, always, someone out to get you. And Bob, remember, Harry's the badass battle-scarred wizard from a different dimension, I'm sure Twi's not the only one that's crushing on him. So, make sure to keep an eye out for any pegasi "looking" at Harry, it'll open up a whole myriad of new puns for you. Well, see ya next chapter.
-Zero
Wonderful chapter. Kudos for reference to Side Jobs and Welcome to the Jungle.
And damn it Bob! Have you no sense of decency? Wait this is Bob we are talking about, decency is not part of his perverted, intelligent vocab here.
Come on, Harry, I chided myself. This is Equestria. No one’s out to get you here.
You've been tackling the forces of evil for how long and you say this? You dun jinxed yerself thar, Harry.
fooey almost nothing happened in this chapter. I need more MEAT in the story.
Colgate is a fraidy pants! :)
An excellent chapter as always, and I must say Bob's personality is spot on.
I did notice a minor typo: "I chuckled darkly. “I can emphasize with that.”" Shouldn't that be empathize, or is Dresden excuse me Blackstone saying the wrong word?
Dear lord, anyone trying to kidnap dresden doesn't know what they are up against. He a power focus fused to his forhead, and, if necessarily, the power to draw on hellfire. Not to mention the shade of a fallen angel living in his head. He also has mouse, who has the whole earthshaking bark thing.
that colgate is a spy!
497426
Oh you meen me
Also I want more of this because this is awesome
Sincerely the Doctor
499693
Ah, but you forget, Harry is powerless against the energies of Narrativium.
Part of me wants this to end without Obsidian actually showing up, just as a subversion.
The REST of me wants to see an all out, three way war between "Blackstone", the Cultists, and Obsidian by the end of this story.
499693
He only has random access to Hellfire right now. Not all that useful just yet. Also, Mouse is still a puppy right now. He might not have access to his more flashy abilities yet.
I keep hearing Bob's voice as sounding like Andy the bomb from Red vs. Blue, and I have no idea why
498135
Not likely. He didn't hook up with anybody after Susan until Lucio. Established canon by Butcher indirectly stated in the books.
499173
Actually, that was Restoration of Faith which can be found at the end of the Welcome to the Jungle graphic novel.
500230
He didn't start using Hellfire until Dead Beat. That was the first time he ever got access to it. I think Mouse didn't get access to those fancy glowing abilities until he was a few years old.
Dude...
Take all my money!
These chapters are so well written!
They're AMAZING
Can't wait for the next one
Bob and unicorn puns...
but it brings us much lol
MOAR
I need more of this asap why is thare not more keep up the good work and pleas update soon
An update to my most favorite fanfic! Yes *starts bouncing around like Twilight after a huge acomplishment* Yes Yes Yes Yes!
A couple of small things I noticed though: I injected as much sarcasm into the last line as I could. A sentiment Twilight seemed to share.
and I believe you meant silver instead of sliver when describing Colgate's mane
On another note, I wonder if she snuck in and pony-napped Dresden(unlikely), Skull-napped Bob to interrogate Blackstones 'demon' familiar, or
puppy-napped Mouse 
*Dead Beat Spoiler*
hehe speaking of Skull-napping Bob I wonder what type of personality he'll have with whoever has him next, though there may be a more involved way of changing possession
One word to describe this chapter: Amazing. Bob's little comments really brought this chapter to life. (Yes, they made me LOL, literally) Foreshadowing was obviously obvious. In some ways I wish it was more subtle, but that looks like your intention.
Spotted a rather distracting fragment. Hopefully you will consider fixing it:
Seriously, I’d gained a new appreciation for my hands after toasting one of them, but having one hand is so much better than none it isn’t funny.
Thanks for the update!
I agree with bob.
Every Dresden fic I've read here was good. Glad to see that none of them have been abandoned!
500842
He mentioned clearing a gorilla's name, which was a reference to "Jungle".
Anyway, they all appeared in Side Jobs, so what Zeryurijin said was accurate.
As for Harry's canon relationships, one, do you really think he would tell anyone? And two, that'd fall less under the heading of "relationship" and more under "one-night stand", all things considered.
And three, the moment he decides to go for it is the moment Obsidian starts shaking the ground. Just sayin'.
503521
The reply to the comment that mentioned Side Jobs, yes was accurate, but the part where he mentioned the troll and kid was the story Restoration of Faith that can also be found at the end of Welcome to the Jungle's graphic novel version.
And I actually just remembered this earlier and it clearly means nothing can come of it unless it's true love: at the end of the White Night case file, what's-her-name, Thomas's sister, realizes it was five years since he last got any.
Bob is best pony.
503605
O...kay? I was just making the point that his statement was correct because Restoration did appear in Side Jobs.
Regarding timing -- You're right, Lara discovered he was still protected by True Love even though Susan had been in South America for four years (not five).
Sorry, Harry! ...not that I thought it was going to happen anyway.