Three Strikes, You're Out

by Jaycren


Penalty on the Play

Mis opened her eyes to the smell of cooked dragon. Groaning she began to shift, only to be assaulted by a pink maned Pegasai.

"Fluttershy, I'm fine. Can you please let me up?" Mis asked.

Fluttershy stared at her cousin for a moment, then shook her head. "Mis, you were inside a dragon's mouth and slammed into the ground. You should really get checked out."

"Nah, my fat protected me." Mis groused. "To much padding to actually get hurt."

"I really wish you wouldn't talk like that Mis, you're a wonderful Mare."

"Flutters, honey, so not in the mood right now. Where’s my special Somepony? Or has he already started running?"

"I'm right here Mis, figured you'd catch me anyway."

"You're a very brave Mare." Princess Twilight interrupted. "You organized the evacuation, then pushed Fluttershy out of the way, taking the blow entirely yourself. A blow that would’ve killed anypony else. Dis and you saved a whole lot of lives today."

"Huh, Princess, would you excuse me for a moment? I have to talk to my Special Somepony about what spell he used to save a whole lot of lives."

"I’d like to know how he managed it too." Twilight, lost in the need to learn about new magic, failed to notice Dis using every non verbal cue he could to get the oblivious purple mare to stop talking. "He set up three shields that converted Kinetic energy into electrical, focused it into a central point and then was triggered by a final blast of energy. Even I’d be hard pressed to cast something like that, without risking Overdraw, Backlash or even Magical Exhaustion."

Mis turned to Dis, a stern look upon her face. Dis lowered his head, ears down, he whined, "Please don't be mad."

"Mad," Mis interjected, "Why would I be Mad, I have a dead Dragon laying in a heap, a gigantic hole that needs to be filled and my partner saw fit to drop a Ground Zero in the middle of Ponyvile."

"That's not completely accurate," Dis defended, "we're nowhere near the Middle of Ponyvile."

"Do you think that technicality will make me less upset?" She turned to the shocked princess at her side. "Princess Twilight, would you kindly explain, for the benefit of the non-unicorns, and anyone not currently sleeping in the same bed as Dis, the concepts of Backlash, Overdraw and Magical Exhaustion."

"C'mom Mis we don't have to...." Dis's mouth realized something his brain had yet to catch up to, Mis was mad, she was mad with Dis, Dis was making things worse, and it was time for the patchwork pony to shut up, so it glued itself shut in mid sentence, on protest of not wanting to die. Immediately, all the other systems in Dis's body joined in his mouth's rebellion, refusing to take orders, until the brain stopped being suicidal. Dis's brain relented and Dis remained silent.

"Oh Okay." Never missing a chance to educate others, but completely missing the interplay between Mis and Dis, the purple Alicorn began. "Well, Everyone knows that Unicorns draw in and store Mana in a gland at the base of their horn, just outside of the braincase. However, a Unicorn can also pull directly from the environment, but there is a risk. Overdraw happens when too much Mana is drawn into the Unicorn's body. All Unicorn's have a different limit and there are certain techniques that can increase this limit, but the consequences are the same. The Mana is not safely controlled and begins to strain the Alicor System that was meant to control it, causing a tremendous amount of pain. Which if the Unicorn loses control of the Mana then it vents back into the environment through the quickest channel possible, namely the one casting the failed spell. This is called Backlash. Both Overdraw and Backlash can cause Magical Exhaustion, which means that you are unable to cast magic until the damage heals."

"What would happen if a Unicorn could ignore the pain, or not feel it, and focus so that no Backlash happened?" Mis asked.

Twilight's answer was instantaneous. "Then they would not only be able to use their internal store of energy but the energy of the surrounding environment. But the only Type of Unicorn that could manage that would be one with Ghoul Syndrome........"

Twilight's eyes narrowed. "You're right, Mis. That spell was an incredibly stupid thing for Dis to do."

Applejack stared at Twilight. "I'm sorry Twi, but what is Ghoul Syndrome?"

It was Dis that answered. "Ghoul Syndrome occurs when either a Unicorn is effected by necromantic energy or has the bad luck to be descended from those who had. It can skip many generations, even showing up in one sibling over another, such was my case. This magical syndrome causes a Pony to suffer various effects. One, is a complete immunity to pain. For someone with Ghoul Syndrome pain doesn't register as important, though they still feel it. Two, individuals suffering from Ghoul Syndrome have a different way of handling recovery. My entire body is inclusive. Which means that a foreign body in my system is incorporated into the whole, becoming a part of my body. Even healing with the rest of my body, should I get hurt. My nervous and Alicorn systems will propagate through these additions as well. I was able to defeat the dragon because I was not only able to use Overdraw without backlash or Magical Exhaustion, but also with the conductive material in my body I could channel Mana more efficiently and thus pull of that Ground Zero."

"Let me touch your Horn." Twilight ordered.

"Twilight, Darling, Mis is right here I hardly think that's appropriate." Rarity said scandalized, Twilight just stood firm.

Mis glared at Dis. "Do it Dis, she's already figured it out, so you might as well confirm it."

Dis stepped forward and lowered his head to the Purple Alicorn. Clasping her hand around the broken horn, she quickly jumped back. "By Celestia's Flaming Tits!"

Shaking her hand, Twilight berated Dis, "Just because the pain doesn't effect you doesn't mean your immune to the damage. You need to take this seriously, or your could drive your body to break."

Dis narrowed his eyes, "Did I fail to mention that I’m also the undertaker."

Twilight's eyes went to pinpricks. "That's Immoral and unethical!!!!!"

Dis smirked, "Not so, I include it as an option in the contract between myself and the relatives of the dead. That same option has a non-disclosure agreement and any that don't wish to sign don't have too. Although quite a few ponies do, simply because that particular clause removes 50% of the cost of the preparations, all of which is taken off the final funeral bill." He bared clenched teeth to the Mane 6. "After all, its not like the dead have any need and my duties tend to mean I do need replace parts every so often."

"Stop it Dis." Mis stepped in front of the much larger Unicorn, "You're going to say something you'll regret." turning to the Princess she leveled a stern glare unto Twilight. "And with all do respect, Princess, he's the one that gives up his Tuesdays during the Timberwolves mating season so that the damn things don't leave the Everfree. So no judgments."

Mis turned to the problem before her. "Pinkie, get in touch with The Home for Special Needs Orphans, I just found an answer to their meat problem, provided they can slaughter it." The Pink mare stood tall a moment and shot Mis a salute, then was gone, a cloud the only thing remaining.

Returning her gaze to Twilight she said, with a twinkle in her eye. "The water drainage that was to expensive this quarter, well 100% of the excavation is done, and since you can get most of the labor and materials at a discount, costs are now done enough to afford this expansion."

Princess Twilight did some quick figuring in her head, "Indeed it does, but how'd you do that?"

"Do What?"

"Just start giving orders and being obeyed. Even I was hard pressed to realize what was going on."

"I just have a knack for it."

"Alright calling you on that." Dis stated. "Do you want to tell her or do I?"

Mis's ears flattened as she answered the Princess. "I have Perseus Disorder."

Twilight looked from Mis to Dis and then backed away slowly.

"Darling for those of us without Doctorates, would you care to explain what has you spooked."

"Yeah, what the hell Twi, your acting like the two of them are gonna just start rampaging."

"AJ, Rares, I know why Twi is scared." Rainbow Dash uttered. She herself was eyeing the tall Unicorn, as well as the smaller, plump Pegasai.

"Perseus Disorder is when a Pegasus is born with the magic systems of an Alicorn. Most die young since all that energy burns you from the inside out. However, on rare occasions, some learn to expel the energy on a continual basis. Which puts stress on the body, leading to a round, stocky pegasai. Since the magic and nervous systems are close to those of our rulers, those with Perseus Syndrome can use a version of the Royal voice that, although not as powerful, can make ponies listen for a few moments, and in extreme cases have them obey minor orders. They are also deceptively fast. The downside is that since magical doesn't fit the physical, Somepegasi with Alicorn Disorder are prone to being nutz'"

Rainbow approached Mis and Dis. "But, Twi you're being dumb. If these two had wanted Ponyville it would’ve been their's, despite anything we could’ve done. However they seem content to keep doing what they’re doing. So stop being a wuss."

Twilight shook her head a moment, then bowed her head in shame, "I apologize, Rainbow is right. You have done a great service to Ponyville this day. One the will not be......"

"Sugarcube, they already done walked away."

"What?!"

"Indeed, Darling they walked off as soon as you bowed your head."

The Conversation was interrupted by Fluttershy squeeing, as, led by Pinkie, young predatory children began making their way over to the dragon corpse. Soon they had butchered and removed the entire thing, making the most adorably grizly march back to their home, all while Fluttershy got herself bloody hugging them They where followed by construction crews, that after a well choreographed musical number, had the entire drainage system in place. Mis and Dis did not show again, and soon any sign of the damage that had so recently wrecked Ponyville had disappeared.

Twilight snorted, then shouted out, "Mis and Dis, I expect the two of you to report to me once a week now!" Having exerted her authority, she turned to the rest of her friends.

"All of us are going to the spa. Yes, you too discord. Shut up rainbow, don't care. I'll explain to the cakes later Pinkie. Spa!!!!! All of you now!!!!!"

With that, all of the mane 6, plus one Draconiques made their way to the spa, while in Ponyville the world moved on.