//------------------------------// // S1E4: "Mutation and Merriment" // Story: Dragonfire // by Indigo Steel //------------------------------// “NGHFFF!” Twilight grunted in discomfort as she quickly left the soni-clean chamber, holding her ears, sighing in relief when the ultrasonic noise finally subsided along with the minor pain resounding both in her ears and throughout her body. When complaining about the soni-clean previously, Vinyl Scratch herself checked it, swearing up and down that there was absolutely nothing wrong with it; and yet, the ultrasonic waves were not only still hurting her ears, but even causing her body pain as well! Twilight felt a new sympathy for Crystallo Equestrians, who would likewise feel minor pain throughout their bodies if they ever used soni-clean chambers. As before, Twilight took a regular shower instead. The water cascading down her body felt so much better than usual, her skin having been unusually dry lately. She even allowed some of the purified water to fall into her mouth, reminding her of how incredibly thirsty she was for some reason. She idly thought that this must be how Equestrians of the Hippocampus species feel. As she chose her breakfast, she found herself having an odd craving for synthesized Ringo Beetles, an Equestrian insectoid delicacy that she knew that Unuscornu like her shouldn’t even like the taste of, let alone be able to digest properly. In fact, the only ones who could were the Vespertilio, a chiropteroid variant of Equestrian. Choosing a more suitable meal, she resolved to see Doctor Fluttershy later, realizing that something was most definitely wrong with her. ************** Twilight lie upon the examination bed while Spike initialized the full body scan. “Ringo Beetles?” He asked with an inquisitive look. Twilight shrugged. “Have you always had a curiosity about such things?” Fluttershy asked. “Not since I was a kid, and even then, it was academic.” Twilight replied. “I can attest to that.” Spike replied, “I remember her freaking out over a Star Spider once.” Twilight gave her brother a deadpan look, to which be responded, “What? I’m providing valuable medical history.” Twilight gave Spike a wry smile. “Inaccurate history. As I recall, YOU were the one freaking out.” Before Spike could retort further, Fluttershy suddenly shouted, “Great Elysium!!” “What?” Both Spike and Twilight asked in earnest. Fluttershy shouting anything was a rare thing, reserved only for truly grievous or shocking medical developments. “I…wh…” Fluttershy spoke, utterly flabbergasted, “Th-This can't be right!” She walked over to the console where Spike worked, looking over the settings and calibrations he'd entered. When she called up the scan results, Spike’s eyes widened. “Woah.” He said, “How bad did I screw up?” Fluttershy shook her head. “You didn't. Everything’s calibrated properly!” “What's the problem?” Twilight finally inquired, propping herself up onto her elbows on the medical bed. Spike shook his head. “I...don't have a clue.” He typed out a series of commands on the console. “Can you make anything out of this? I'm sending a link to your Uni-Comp.” Twilight activated the device on her wrist to reveal a holographic representation of the medical scanner’s current readout in real-time. Upon reading the results, her eyes widened in shock. She opened a channel on her communicator. “Chief Scratch?” *********************** Vinyl closed the box of tools she brought with her after completing her check of the medical bed. “Everything checks out, Captain.” The female voice of her Aurophone spoke, “No damage, no malfunctioning parts, no bad programming...it’s working perfectly.” “Thank you once again, Chief.” Twilight responded with a nod, “You’re dismissed.” Vinyl nodded and left the Infirmary. Meanwhile, Fluttershy and Spike had begun multiple new scans of Twilight on a different bed and scanner, making sure the calibrations and commands entered were checked and re-checked. The results were identical. Fluttershy sighed. “There’s no doubt about it, Captain...your entire body has undergone multiple spontaneous changes and mutations...your skin, your ears, your digestive system...I’ll need to do a full physical on you and then compare the results to previous scans and your overall medical history to determine all the changes that have occurred.” Twilight sighed and nodded. For a minute or so, silence dominated the room, the gravity of the situation crystallizing; Twilight had somehow undergone significant physical transformations. How would this affect her? Could she call herself an Unuscornu anymore? Could she even call herself an Equestrian? Would she change even more? She trembled slightly, before calling on years of military discipline and leadership experience to keep herself still and calm. Eventually, Twilight concluded, “This has to be an effect of the Element of Magic. Nothing else significant has occurred in the few days since we became Avatars of Harmony. The question is...why?” “Maybe the physical will shed some light on this.” Fluttershy offered, before turning to Spike, “Mister Dragonfire, If you’ll step out, please?” “Yes, ma’am.” Spike said, giving a nod to Twilight before leaving the Infirmary. *************************** “Captain’s Log, #3672…” Twilight spoke two hours later, “Following the event of myself and six other members of my crew becoming the new Avatars of Harmony, the Equestrian Federation has requested that the Celestia return to the Lunar Colonies for debriefing. In addition to the debriefing, we will also be taking the opportunity for any repairs and resource restocking that is required, as well as shore leave for the crew.” She sighed before continuing, “It should also be noted that I appear to have undergone some kind of unprecedented transformation, possibly due to the Element of Magic that is now a part of me. The details are included in the attached medical file.” Upon completion of the log, Spike stowed the logpad away as usual. In the viewscreen, the moon of Equestria could be seen in the distance, although it looked far different now than what it would have looked like a millennium ago… The humble moon was almost entirely covered in interconnected infrastructure and colonial urban sprawl. In addition, three ring-like mechanical structures surrounded the moon, containing everything from docks to defensive weaponry. The rings were connected to anchor points via massive cables and transit tubes. These were the Lunar Colonies, the last bastion of the Equestrian people; standing as a both a sad reminder of their past, and a beacon of hope for their future. With the exception of the twenty-three Equestrian ships that still made their way through space, this was all that remained of the Equestrian people, a population of hundreds of billions now reduced to tens of millions. Once the Celestia moved closer into range, Rarity opened a communications channel. “Lunar Central, this is the Celestia Solara, requesting permission to dock.” A voice responded, “This is Lunar Central. Permission granted, Celestia Solara; please proceed to Dock Fifteen.” “Acknowledged.” Rarity replied. She then turned in her chair to speak to Rainbow Dash, who sat at her usual navigation console,  “Dock Fifteen if you please, Miss Dash.” “Dock Fifteen, aye.” Rainbow spoke without looking from her console, plotting coordinates and steering the ship accordingly. It didn't take long for the Celestia to approach and enter one of the many docks to be found in the Second Lunar Ring. Twilight smiled as her keen and attentive eyes observed all the activity that could be seen in the view screen, taking note of multiple people moving about and machines great and small in operation all simultaneously; seemingly chaotic, but in actuality moving as a complex orchestra of efficiency and balance. Twilight’s smile faded somewhat as a realization dawned that she could, in fact, see and hear things far better than usual, yet another effect of her newly discovered condition. She could only imagine what the government would say and do; it occurred to her that she and the other Avatars might be reassigned or kept on the Lunar Colonies. She tried not to consider that she, her brother and her friends might be taken out of service entirely or even subjected to experimentation. “Permission to speak freely, ma’am?” Spike asked quietly. “Granted.” Twilight said automatically, still a bit lost in thought. “You have that look.” Twilight looked the young Cadet with a raised eyebrow. “What look?” Spike smiled sympathetically, “That look you get when you’re trying very hard not to panic about something that’s totally unlikely to happen.” Twilight was about to retort, but then sighed softly. “Is it that obvious?” Spike shook his head a bit. “Nah...you've gotten really good at hiding it over the years; but i’m your brother, and a Draconian to boot, so I can tell.” He looked his sister and Captain in the eyes, “Everything’s going to be alright...you’ll see.” Twilight gave a smile and nod. As they were practically inseparable as children, Spike was usually there for most of Twilight’s moments of worry and neuroses, often acting as a calming voice of reason and optimism. Twilight speculated that her overall confidence was at least partially inspired by her younger brother...one more reason that he earned the mantle of the Element of Strength. **************** As the Celestia docked with the Second Lunar Ring, a link was established between the ship’s AI and the AI for all the Lunar Colonies. Celestia’s avatar appeared in front of the colonial AI avatar, Luna. She was a beautiful middle-aged woman, though slightly younger looking than Celestia. She wore an all dark blue uniform with the initials H-1 on the left chest portion, signifying the Home Guard Division. Her Mark was a white crescent moon superimposed over a splotch of black. She wore a dark blue cape with a star field adorning it, her hair likewise a dark blue with twinkling stars. The two constructs smiled brightly and embraced, their virtual contact permitting a rapid exchanging and sharing of data. “I missed you so much, Tia!” Luna said. “Me too, Lulu!” Celestia replied, “It’s good to see you again!” Luna was silent momentarily, the data exchange continuing despite their separation from the embrace. “Amazing! Harmony is found at last!” Celestia beamed. “Indeed! This will be a time of great joy and change for all Equestrian civilization!” “A change for the better, I hope.” Luna responded. She then raised an eyebrow, giving a slight smirk. “So...you encountered the Nocturnal Shadow? Care to share any...details?” Celestia held up her chin slightly, a look of minor indignation. “I can’t imagine what you’d find interesting about a simple data and supply exchange.” “What I find interesting is anything ELSE you and Sombra shared...you’re certainly encrypting it well.” Luna replied. Celestia finally smirked back. “I’ve been docked for one minute thirty-seven seconds now...don’t you have a moon to run?” Luna rolled her eyes and the two chuckled. The Lunar Colonial AI walked away, vanishing into the virtual ether. “Bye, Tia. Let’s talk tonight when I have more processing power to spare, okay?” Celestia nodded, “Of course, Lulu.” ******************** “I’m gonna hit the Crazy Horse tonight and tear up the dance floor! Anypony wanna come with?” Rainbow asked the others joining her on the teleporter. “Thank you for the offer, darling…” Rarity replied, “If it’s all the same to you, though, I’ll be seeking more...refined entertainment.”  Rainbow rolled her eyes. “I wouldn’t mind tossin’ back a few ciders with ya.” Applejack responded with a fist bump. “I’ll be a little late, though...I wanna make absolutely sure Granny’s gonna be alright ‘til me or mah brother or sister can see ‘er next.” Rainbow shook her head. “You worry too much, AJ. She lives in one of the best-protected areas of the Lunar Colonies, surrounded by able-bodied people...I think she’s okay.” “Can I come with?” Spike asked, walking onto the teleport area. Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Ain't you a little young to be drinkin’?” “By Equestrian standards, yes…” Spike explained, “Draconians, however, mature slightly faster, so I’m permitted. Besides, alcohol has a diminished effect on me.” He motioned to both Applejack and Rainbow, “I could drink more than the both of you combined, and feel maybe half the buzz.” Rainbow smirked. “Sounds like a challenge to me.” “Yep.” Applejack smirked, crossing her arms. Rarity spoke up, then. “Does Twilight approve of you carousing like this?” Spike looked at Rarity with minor indignation. “Twilight and I may be close, but we’re not joined at the hip. We have many differing interests.” “She couldn't make whatever y’all were plannin’ to do, could she?” Applejack suggested with a smile. Spike cleared his throat. “Maybe.” Rainbow snorted. Applejack looked smug. “Don't need mah new Element ta tell yer a bad liar.” Spike sighed. “Okay, we were planning on going to the Music Hall to see the concert tonight, but…” Rarity’s eyes lit up. “The Dazzlings? How did Twilight get tickets, they've been sold out for months!” Spike shrugged, trying to suppress the pride in his voice. “Well, she IS a starship Captain.” “So why can't she make it all of a sudden?” Applejack asked, curious. “Her official medical examination had to be rescheduled for right after the debriefing.” Spike replied, his expression sullen. “Are they serious?” Rainbow said, “She JUST got here, and they're gonna poke and prod at her right after grilling her like a trout?” “It ain't as bad as all that, Rainbow.” Applejack said. Rainbow scoffed. “Yeah, if you say so.” “She says it’ll be alright, that she’ll still be able to enjoy some downtime after.” Spike informed, “Still, I would have liked to go to that concert, and I’d rather not go by myself.” “I’LL GO!” Rarity blurted out. When all eyes turned to her, she regained her composure, “That is to say, it would be absolutely deplorable for those tickets to go to waste, so I would ADORE going to that concert with you, Spike…” She bat her eyelashes a bit at him, “If you’ll have me?” Spike’s heart fluttered like Rarity’s eyelashes. “Absolutely!” He said, a little too excitedly. AJ and Rainbow looked at one another; AJ shook her head and rolled her eyes, Rainbow crooked her finger to pull at the side of her mouth to imitate a fish on a hook. ************ Twilight sat within a sterile medical room not unlike the one onboard the Celestia, though this one had more space and a couple more complex pieces of equipment. “No doubt about it…” The Terra Onager Doctor examining Twilight spoke. He was bald, save for some black hair on the sides, the color portions of his uniform blue, his Mark a stethoscope. “Our examinations match the ones taken on the Celestia. Do you concur, Luna?” Luna’s hologram nodded. “Yes, Doctor, there is no deviation. Captain Sparkle has indeed undergone a total metamorphosis.” Twilight sighed. “Is it...permanent?” The Doctor sighed, “It’s too early to say, Captain...but I strongly believe that these changes are permanent.” “So...I can’t really call myself an Unuscornu anymore...can I?” Twilight mused. Luna interjected, “If I may, Captain...you're still an Equestrian. In fact, if these scans are correct; you're the epitome of an Equestrian...your new biology includes all the best aspects of every species of our race, working in harmony in one body...yours.” The Doctor smiled warmly. “She’s right...in fact, I daresay you deserve a brand new classification. I hereby dub you...Equestrius Alicornus.” Twilight smiled at this; “Alicornus” was a nod to ancient legends of the fabled race from which all Equestrian species came from, their visual concepts the chosen form for all AI avatars. “On another note…” Luna said, “You also theoretically have access to all forms of magic now...you might want to test this at some point and record the results for posterity.” “Indeed!” The Doctor said, “As for here and now, I believe you have some shore leave to catch up on.” **************** Vinyl was making some final checks on her Uni-Comp’s real-time connection to the ship before she left for shore leave...when suddenly a familiar voice with a deep accent spoke, “What ‘ave ye done to mah ship, lassie!?” Vinyl smiled and turned to see a Pegasos with bright red hair and a bright smile to match. He wore civilian clothing, the patch on his jacket representing his Mark: A whisky bottle and a wrench crossed over each other like an X. “Cause she's a beauty!” Scotch MacColt was the former Chief Engineer of the Celestia, having been briefly re-assigned to work on the Lunar Colonies. He shook hands vigorously with Vinyl. “Aye, ye’ve done a fine job, lass!” “I did my best.” She replied, “I’m not quite as good as you yet, though.” “Oh, yer sellin’ yerself short, lass! Ye’re an engineer after my own heart!” Scotch replied. “So what are you doing here?” Vinyl asked. “Well, I’m happy tae report tha’ they finally saw fit tae return me to the Celestia to be her Chief Engineer again!” Scotch replied. Even while wearing her shades, a scan device remotely connected to her Uni-Comp, one could see Vinyl’s eyes brighten. “That’s great! I guess that means I'm low on the totem pole again; not that’s it’s a big deal, there were days I wished you were still the Chief instead of me!” Scotch laughed. “Aye! Aye, I’ve no doubts ye’ve had to be a miracle worker ta get this beauty to do ‘er job proper...but any good engineer’ll tell ye, treat yer ship right, and she’ll never fail ye!” “I have.” Vinyl said, “And she hasn't.” They shook hands. “Welcome back, Scotch.” Vinyl said. “Good tae be back, lass.” Scotch replied. ***************** The Music Hall was a beautiful building found in the Lunar Colony called New Canterlot. As the name suggested, it was a place reserved for high-profile concerts, plays, and other live events involving music or performance. Spike wore a dapper black tuxedo, whilst Rarity wore a stunning white silk dress, a lavender flower in her hair, which was styled slightly differently and even better coiffed than usual. When Spike first saw her, Rarity had to gently close his mouth with a sweet smile to bring him back to reality. The two of them ate at a nice restaurant before finally arriving at the concert. Their arms were linked, and Spike couldn't have been happier; neither one of them said it officially, but Spike was fairly certain that this was a date. They made their way through the gorgeous and ornate lobby, noting several dignitaries, officials, and other such important people. Spike and Rarity both couldn't help but feel like a part of high society. They found their seats, and awaited the performance… The curtains opened and the theater darkened. A trio of haunting yet heavenly voices filled the acoustically perfect stage and auditorium, as the lights on the stage brightened to show three humanoids resembling Equestrians on the stage. They were beautiful women all, each wearing the same design of dress, but with different colors. The one on the right wore green, the one on the left wore blue, and the one in the center wore orange. As they sang, the entirety of the auditorium sat and watched, enthralled in the music, Spike and Rarity included. As the concert progressed, a green mist began to accumulate and spread from the stage. ************ The Lunar Colony known as Sweet Acres was the largest of all the colonial domes, and one of the most well-defended, second only to the Fleet Dome, which was the very core of the Equestrian military. The entire colony was thick with fields, groves, hydroponic farms, livestock pens, and lakes for saltwater and freshwater edibles. Any and all workers either commuted from other colonies, or lived in the small urban area right at the entrance to the dome. Among the residents there was one Smithereena Apple, or Granny Smith, as her grandchildren called her. Such naming trends were commonplace in the Apple family...the eldest grandson was named Macintosh, Big Mac for short. The youngest granddaughter was named Bloomingdale, also known as Apple Bloom. The granddaughter who currently visited was Jaqueline, also called Applejack. Granny Smith was always glad to have a visit from one of her grandchildren; she rarely saw them anymore, with Applejack and Big Mac each serving on a starship, and Apple Bloom at the Academy. Her living space was a quaint domicile, the collection of antiques to be found here and there amongst the high-tech appliances and terminals made it a cozy hybrid of the ancient and the cutting edge. “So are ya sure ya don't need anythin’?” Applejack pressed, “They treatin’ ya alright in Hydroponics?” Granny Smith rolled her eyes, smiling. Applejack was always so concerned for her family, especially where she was concerned; it had been one of the hardest decisions of AJ’s life to join the military like her big brother had; as much as she cared for her family, she also felt like the Equestrian people needed her just as much or more. Granny Smith had convinced her finally to follow her heart to where she was needed most; that Sweet Acres, and in fact all the Lunar Colonies, were like an extended family...her grandmother would be fine, supported and protected even at her ripe old age of 95. In fact, Granny was convinced that with today's medicine, she'd live another 95 years if she played her cards right! Even still, AJ would always worry, and Granny would always have to reassure her. The old woman chuckled, holding her granddaughter's hand, “They're treatin’ me just as fine as frog hair, Applejack. You jest keep on doin’ what yer doin’, and keep comin’ home safe. From what ya told me about that last mission y'all were on, I should be the one worried sick!” She chuckled a bit, and Applejack smiled as they both shared a hug. “I love you, and I'm proud of you, Applejack.” Granny Smith said. “I love you too, Granny.” Applejack replied. *************** Rainbow finished her second hard cider of the evening when Applejack sat next to her. “Great timing, AJ, I got us two ciders to start off.” Applejack raised an eyebrow at the second mug, which was empty. “Did ya drink mine?” “Uh huh.” Rainbow said with a grin. “That's why your timing's perfect...five minute rule, unclaimed drinks are fair game!” Applejack rolled her eyes and ordered another cider for herself. The Crazy Horse was a popular bar and dance club, complete with neon lights and a DJ stereo setup with complex holographic displays and videos. The place was bustling, half of the patrons tonight being from the Celestia for shore leave. “Looks kinda rowdy tonight.” Applejack commented, taking a swig of her cider. “Just the way I like it!” Rainbow replied. Imitating Rarity's voice, she continued, “I prefer MY entertainment more boisterous!” Applejack rolled her eyes. “Ain’t no wrong way ta enjoy yerself, Dashie. I bet they're havin’ a great time.” *************** Spike tossed his attacker easily into a wall, while Rarity went into a smooth sweeping kick to take down her own assailant. Spike kicked open a nearby exit, just as Lunar Security began to rush in. The two of them ran outside, then to the end of the block, where they both finally took a moment to get their bearings. “Sweet Elysium!” Rarity said, running a hand through her hair. “What the Hades happened back there!?” Spike asked. “It was like everyone just...exploded into savagery!” Rarity recounted, “You didn't feel anything strange beforehand, did you?” Spike shrugged. “Not a thing. I was having a good time, even! You?” Rarity shook her head. “Nothing...I was focused on the Dazzlings the whole time.” Spike sighed. Looking back, he saw more Lunar Security ships approaching the Music Hall. “Well, whatever happened, security's got things in hand.” He held out his hand to Rarity. “Shall I accompany you back to the Celestia, milady?” Rarity smiled, taking Spike’s hand. “Indeed, sir. Thank you.” As they walked, Rarity fixed her dress. “Ugh! I look atrocious.” “Funny…” Spike said, “You've never looked more attractive to me. Must be the way you handle yourself in a fight.” Rarity couldn't help but giggle. “Flatterer.” ***************** Fluttershy and Pinkie laughed at the joke told to them by the charming man they currently spoke with. The two of them had travelled together, planning to see their respective families. They decided to stop at a quaint diner in the Lunar Colony called Cloudsdale, where they were joined by the gentleman in question. He had black hair with grey streaks and a goatee. He wore a suit that was very nice, except perhaps for a wildly colorful and gaudy tie. Another oddity about him was that he had one green eye and one gold eye. Hours passed after, as Pinkie and Fluttershy engaged in one of the most pleasant conversations either of them had ever had. Finally, the gentleman stood up. “Well, my dear ladies, the hour grows late, and I have places to be. Both of you have a pleasant evening!” “Oh, yes, and you as well, Mister...um…” Fluttershy replied, her voice trailing off at the end. “Oh, wow!” Pinkie said, “We're REALLY sorry, we never actually got your name!” She chuckled. The gentleman chuckled as well. “Quite all right, ladies!” He gave a flourished bow and a wink, earning a giggle from both women. “My name is Discord.” ************* Sunset sighed, stopping in front of one gravestone among many. The gravestone read, “Commander Guiding Light; Devoted Husband, Beloved Father, Hero of Equestria.” Sunset doubted that the funeral would ever fade from her memory...her old friend and subordinate buried with full honors, her hand upon his casket...the looks of pain on his family's face. She remembered the slap in the face from his widow, the glares of anger from his daughter and son. She'd never felt more horrible than she did on that day, except perhaps the day he died...but she had owed it to him to be there. Ever since, she'd returned to his grave from time to time to pay her old friend respect once more. “Hey, Sunset.” Spoke a familiar voice. Sunset turned and smiled at a Pegasos man her age, his blue ethereal wings fading after he landed. “Hello, Flash.” She said, “It's been a while.” “Too long.” Lieutenant Commander Flash Sentry replied, the two of them embracing in a hug. Once they separated, he asked, “So...how have you been?” “Getting better every day.” She said, “But it's still one day at a time.” Flash nodded. “I heard about what happened to you... congratulations on becoming an Avatar of Harmony; believe it or not, it couldn't happen to a better person.” “Thanks, Flash.” Sunset replied, then grinned, “I hear you're getting on a ship, again...life in the Colonies getting too boring?” Flash grinned. “You know me, I'm not afraid to get in the thick of it! I'll be boarding the Amore Cadenza when it docks here in two weeks.” “Be careful out there, Flash.” She said. Flash put his arm around Sunset’s shoulder. “You too, Sunset.” With that, the two of them simply stood in front of the gravestone in silent contemplation. ************** “How do you get in a fight at a CONCERT!?” Rainbow said, chuckling at the absurd notion of people in tuxedos and evening gowns brawling. Spoke shrugged, likewise chuckling, “For the life of me, I don't know! I'm just glad Rarity and I got out of there before Security showed up!” Twilight entered the bridge, then, sitting in the command chair with a wince. Noticing this, Spike asked, “Are you all right?” Twilight gave a little smile before grimacing again. “I'll be fine...my back was only healed yesterday, so it'll be tender until tomorrow.” Spike raised an eyebrow. “May I ask what happened?” Twilight shrugged. “I, uhh, tried to fly.” Rainbow perked up, turning in her chair. “You can do that?” Twilight sighed. “Not well.” Rainbow smiled. “I'll show you some pointers if you like, Captain.” Twilight nodded. “That would be just fine, Lieutenant.” She crossed her legs. “Now...if we're ready... let's get back out there.” Rainbow turned back to her console. “Yes, ma'am!” Within minutes, the Celestia left the Lunar Colonies, back out into the vast expanse of space.