Tempest sat back in thought as the experiments and tending continued, thinking Barry's offer over. She had to admit the offer of becoming the Minions' 'Queen' was tempting, but at the same time her worry of leading them down the wrong path plagued her minds. She was not a good leader, that was true. ...okay, no, that wasn't quite accurate. In terms of capability, she was an excellent leader, and she'd showed that under the Storm King...when she'd led his troops against her homeland and crushed all opposition, consigning them all to slavery as she sought to destroy the very balance of the world in the vain hope the Storm King would restore her horn so she could belong in the society that would no longer exist afterwards.
Okay, she was a good leader with really bad taste in commanding officers. Still, that didn't mean she was the right choice for the Minions. Sure, she may be perfectly suited as far as their requirements stood, but would that be good for them? Would being anchored to her change them? Would the change be good? And the offer to take the memories from her, so she could live cleanly...
When she'd first arrived and found she'd been turned into an infant, she'd railed against it, consumed with fury as she swore the horrible things she'd find a way to do to Discord for doing this to her. But when the possibility of getting her horn back was raised...
A child, whole once more. Accepted, welcomed...loved. Was it...was it really so selfish to want that for herself with a clean slate? To enjoy being a child without the adult responsibilities and awareness? To...to just be happy again?
She still hadn't come to a firm conclusion on all this when Gru returned with the stolen quantum computer, which Nefario promptly hooked up to read the energy from her horn. As it scanned and finally gave information in a form that could be read, Nefario's jaw dropped. "Well blow me down..." he murmured in awe.
"What?" Gru demanded sourly. "I can't read any of this. What does it mean?" He gestured derisively at the readouts.
"This crystal quantum computer that you stole?" Nefario began. "300 atoms total. A standard computer system - even at the level of miniaturization that's been developed nowadays - would need to be the size of the entire universe to match the computational power."
"That's...impressive..." Gru murmured thoughtfully, looking at the stolen computer in a new light.
"And the crystal in the base of Tempest's horn is also a crystal quantum computing system, just like this one," Nefario continued, struggling to lift his arm to gesture against the awe. "But purely biological, naturally grown, gives every sign that it will grow with her...and is presently one inch across in diameter."
"Well...that is...impressive," Gru allowed, plainly not getting it. "I mean, it's not that big-"
"It's about four billion times the size of the one you stole, give or take," Nefario pointed out acidly. "And the computing power of crystal quantum computers grows quadratically with size, rather than linearly."
Gru blinked as he took that in. "So...if the Infinite Worlds multiverse theory were true, and the entire multiverse were a standard super computer..."
"The crystal in Tempest's forehead could still give it a run for its money in terms of computing scale, and certainly in computing speed," Nefario explained calmly. "And it's the key to her ability to channel energy to do things like shoot lightning from her horn stump-"
"Wait, she can do what?" Gru interrupted in confusion.
"It's the energy/matter equation," Nefario explained quickly. "There's ambient energy, ambient matter, and the energy and matter of the universe. In theory, one could alter that balance by sheer will if you could calculate exactly how, but no brain or computer in existence could compute every factor of the chaotic system of reality to the degree that would require...but that biological crystal quantum computer can, and does so automatically!"
"Then...with the right focusing apparatus - like a fixed horn - she could...shoot lasers?" Gru asked excitedly.
"Pedestrian!" Nefario snapped. "With the right formulas and focusing apparatus, she could completely reconfigure an apple's molecular structure and turn it into an orange! Or perform complete molecular breakdown without energy loss, ignoring the Laws of Thermodynamics! The power she could bring to bear if it works the way I think it does once her horn is whole again...she could turn the world inside out or shatter it with the right thought!" A huge grin crossed his face as he considered such monumental power.
Huh, Tempest thought to herself. That...sounds a lot like magic, though I'd never put it in those terms. Is...is that how it works? Does that mean Pegasi have smaller crystals like this in the bones of their wings, and Earth ponies in their limbs? ...that would explain quite a bit, actually. Especially if something similar were in Changeling carapace to enable the shapeshifting...and that would mean the Changeling throne that negated all magic that wasn't Changeling was a crystalline structure encoded to cause any non-changeling crystal computing to shut down. ...puts a whole new light on why Sombra was obsessed with crystals, too...and the Crystal Empire, for that matter...
Seeing the look on Gru's face, Nefario hesitated. "So, uh, given that...still want me to fix her horn?"
"Think she'll behave herself and not try to destroy the world?" Gru inquired carefully.
"Behave? ...eh." He shook one hand back and forth in a so-so motion. "I mean, she's a little girl."
Gru closed his eyes and sighed. "Right...Edith..."
"Not try to destroy the world, on the other hand?" Nefario offered readily. "I think I can guarantee that. The Minions sure seem to like her."
"That's...not exactly the best recommendation as far as 'safety' is concerned," Gru pointed out carefully.
"Radbad?" the Minions all chorused in a pleading tone, looking up at Gru with teary, soulful eyes.
I almost feel sorry for him, Tempest mused silently as Gru quailed. They've weaponized cuteness.
"Alright, alright!" Gru called out, waving his hands as though warding off the gazes. "Just cut that out, I'm not as young as I once was! And I was going to say yes anyway..." At that point, Gru found himself dog-piled by happy Minions clinging to him.
Tempest sighed happily. So she would be getting her horn back...somehow. But then again, that left her with Barry's offer...
The last 'test' Nefario had engaged in had involved some sort of sonic device aimed into her horn, leaving her with a ringing headache as though a song was trying to echo up and down her horn. And now she could see Nefario approaching with an odd shaped crystal, concave at the base and tapering to a point in a cone. It only took a moment after she saw the size to realize what it was. This was her prosthetic horn...the concave base shaped to the crystal in her horn.
<It's time,> Barry pointed out softly. <Once he puts that into place and energy makes it attach, your mind will open entirely. If you want me to hold the memory for you, it will have to be then.>
Tempest opened her mouth to respond...and hesitated. More than anything, she wanted to say yes, to live as a child, to be a child and grow up happy and whole...only for the echoes in her horn to suddenly give rise to a voice, her own voice.
Open Up Your Eyes
Give up your sweet fantasy land
It's time to grow up and get wise
Come now little one, open up your eyes
She winced at the words, remembering just how cruelly she'd said them to Princess Twilight and the message the song had carried...only to see a new meaning here for herself. She may be a child, she may even grow up from a child and live as a child for the time...but for important decisions as this, she could not be a child. Not wanting to accept adult responsibilities and yearning for the whole childhood is what blinded her to the Storm King's true nature. If she was to help the Minions or even make the best of this fresh start...she had to face the truth with open eyes.
<No,> she said calmly. <They're my memories, and my responsibility. I...will grow with them.>
To her surprise, Barry...smiled. <Thank you, My Queen, for proving you are the right choice.>
Before she could respond, Nefario started to slip the crystal horn into hers, sliding gingerly along the breaks as it fitted perfectly. "This may sting," he commented dryly as the base of the crystal horn settled perfectly against the crystal in the base of her horn.
And all Tempest knew was pain, whiteness, and bliss...