//------------------------------// // Chapter 14: Revealed // Story: Secret Search // by computerneek //------------------------------// Boing!  Boing! Boing!  Boing! “Come ON!  Where is that thing?” “Um, Girls?  Perhaps they don’t want it found?” “Oh- Right!  Twilight!” Facehoof. The fourth entity present takes pause.  He had been walking next to dear Fluttershy, chatting amicably, when they’d spotted the combined Pinkie/Rainbow spectacle over here. Now, though, he can’t stop himself.  One airship. … Not there. Still one airship, though. Discord furrows his brow.  He’s never seen anything quite like this before. Ahh!  Looks like the crew is-  Erm… One, two, Pinkie’s in his way.  Aaand… Nope, not there. He really needs to find out how this was done; he knows at least one Princess that would get a kick out of it. Or a day’s exercise.  He’s not sure which. “Sir?” The Thestral behind the desk allows his forehead to come into contact with the furniture, albeit only moderately slowly.  “I’m starting to dread that tone.” The pegasus nearly lets out a chuckle, and does grin momentarily.  “Me too, Sir.” “Please don’t tell me Sweetie Drops and Hidden Light have…” “Disappeared?  No. Sweetie Drops is still alive and well in Ponyville, not sure where Hidden Light went two days ago, or what Candy Stripes even looks like.  Rather, it’s the Contact Agent assigned to them; she’s disappeared.” He raises his eyebrow.  “That’s just dandy. What’s the name?” He scowls at the floor.  “Contact Agent… Stinky Sludge.” He stiffens.  “That’s against the rules.” He nods.  “Six of them, yes.  I’ve already ordered it changed- her choice- as soon as she reappears…  if she does.” He drops his forehead back down on the desk.  “She may never resurface, with that kind of insult.  You find out who named her?” He shakes his head.  “Everypony’s being obstructionist over there.  I’ve flagged the whole lot of them for investigation- and discovered six more illegal names when I hunted the roster.  I’ve ordered every one of them- the missing one included- sent straight to me next time they come in.” He nods.  “How’s the…  Problem zone?”  He indicates a blank page on his desk. He understands the reference; Agent Sweetie Drops’ report was routed to the Princesses, and now resides in a top-security safe somewhere in the Palace.  “I’ve been digging… and I don’t think she realized just how deep they go.” He shakes his head. “I’m nowhere near done- but I’ve already found close to thirty percent of our Field Agents and ten percent of our Contact Agents to be suspect.” He raises his eyebrow.  “Why start with the Field Agents?” He smiles evilly.  “Tells me who I can trust with ratting out our Command personnel.  Or missions like that one.” He indicates the page as well, then frowns distinctively.  “Only problem is, all the trustworthy ones are virtually useless. Pretty sure the corrupt elements up here have been wearing them down.”  He shakes his head. “We may have to rely on Sweetie Drops and company for this whole thing.” He issues a sigh.  “Well, at least we have three-ish.  Here’s hoping they don’t bail on us…  Or die trying.” He bows his head. “Your private appointment, Princesses.  Strawberry Sundae.” Tight Schedule bows, motioning the light pink unicorn in and withdrawing. The unicorn gives her darker mane a gentle flick and bows to her diarchs.  “Princesses. You wanted to see me?” Her eyes stray to Princess Twilight, seated next to Celestia’s throne. “Ah, yes.  Some time ago, you recovered Starswirl’s Self-Projection Spell for us; we wish to reward…?” Strawberry Sundae finishes shaking her head.  “I neither want nor need any reward.” She turns her head slightly, drawing a scroll out of her saddlebag with her magic.  With her bright green magic, contrasting her coat in a rather unsettling manner. “It’s… Not one of Starswirl’s Lost, but home-baked.”  She smiles, offering it in her dark blue magic. “Might be handy- or destructive, in the wrong hooves.” Twilight’s jaw drops. Twilight’s eyes widen.  She, and the other two Princesses, are seated in Celestia’s private study, thanks to that self-projection spell.  “She just-! Her magic changed color!” Luna raises an eyebrow.  “Oh?” “Yes!  It was green a second ago- and now it’s blue!  But that’s a constant part of a pony’s magic signature!” Celestia chuckles gently.  “Maybe the scroll she’s offering will enlighten us?” Celestia accepts the scroll, unrolling and glancing over it before teleporting it elsewhere.  “This one does?” “Outwardly, it changes the magic color, temporarily.  Inwardly, it completely- but just as temporarily- modifies the caster’s magic signature.” Celestia nods slowly.  “You said it was homegrown?” Twilight receives the scroll when Celestia teleports it to the study.  She spends almost a full three seconds studying it, and listens to Strawberry Sundae’s explanation before she casts it.  Her magic turns blue. Then green, red, even white, before she releases it and goes back to purple. Hundreds of miles away, one Lyra Heartstrings pumps a hoof aboard an airship.  “Yes!” Agent Sweetie Drops looks at her.  “They take it?” She nods energetically.  “I can tell they’re all using projections.  Twilight must be trying it out; only Celestia is managing to keep a straight face in the throne room.”  She snickers. “Even then, she’s slipping.” “Nice!”  Agent Hidden Light smiles.  “Though, uh… Any chance we could talk in private sometime…?” “Huh?  Oh, sure.  Just a few.” Agent Sweetie Drops and Rain both tilt their heads, blink, and return to their food. “Yes, Princess.  It… Well, to be honest, I’m not the one that designed it- but I am the first living being to see it.”  She smirks. “The machine that thought it up for me seems to have no respect for what should or shouldn’t be possible.” Even Celestia loses her straight face this time.  “Machine?” all three ask simultaneously. “Yes…  I was only using it to store notes on all the spells I use, then when I asked it for a new cover for this meeting…”  She smirks. “I had a hard time keeping a straight face- er, voice- to finish that conversation.” Twilight blinks.  “What conversation?” Luna offers no time to answer.  “You have an airship that designs spells for you?” “Uh, yes, apparently.  Little disappointing it doesn’t speak Equestrian.” Twilight’s ears fly up.  “Can I see it?” Her answer is a headshake.  “Sorry, no. She’s a bit too…  Well, Secret.” Scowl.  “Worth a shot.” Celestia chuckles at the display.  “So, Strawberry Sundae… Does the name Lyra Heartstrings ring a bell?” Lyra facehooves. Rain raises her eyebrows. Hidden Light, fork suspended with her next bite, speaks up.  “Something happen?” “Pretty sure they’ve found me out.” “Uhh, maybe?” Celestia raises her eyebrow.  “So, if we want to reach you, we can go ask Lyra Heartstrings in Ponyville?” Strawberry Sundae hangs her head, all the red fading away, in favor of a mint-green coat and a blue-and-white-striped mane.  “Yes… But can I ask something?” “Oh?” “Whenever you do…  If you could come to Bonbon’s Candies and ask for Candy Stripes?” Twilight raises an eyebrow.  “Why?” “I’d rather not tell the world.” Celestia nods.  “We can do that.  Though…?” She raises an eyebrow, indicating the now light blue mare in front of them, with mint green highlights in her mane. “Huh?  … Oh, the changing appearance?”  She blinks, and closes her eyes for a few seconds, before a scroll appears in a flash of light in front of her.  She hoofs it to the Princesses. “It’s a modification I did to the self-projection spell… Lets me look like whatever I please- even different races.” The Princesses accept the scroll, teleporting it elsewhere as well. “Thank you.  You sure you don’t want any…?” She shakes her head.  “I’m sure.” Celestia sighs.  “Ahh… Then, I guess that will be- Oh?”  She looks at Twilight. Twilight stands up, blushing.  “Um…” She teleports down to the unicorn.  “You’re in form as Candy Stripes right now, right?” Nod. Her horn pulses.  “Then why are you even stronger than I am…?” “You’re talking through the projection, right?” “Yes.” “Um, practice, I guess?  I know I have always been a strong unicorn.” “Oh?  Weren’t you always weak?” Shake.  “That’s the image I chose to portray, far from the truth.” Twilight’s scowl speaks volumes. Hidden Light follows Lyra into another room of the ship.  This… Ahh, it’s the room with all the metal stuff in it. Lyra closes the door behind them, and raises her eyebrow.  “You wanted to talk?” She looks around.  “Is this…?” She looks at it.  “This is a bunch of strange technology,” she smiles.  “Not sure what half of it is supposed to do, but it’s the designer behind the signature spoofer.”  She glances at the Agent. “I can teach you how to talk to it, if you’d like.” “I would like, but…  Well, um…” She turns away from the interesting machinery, reaching a hoof up into her mane.  “I kinda have to ask…” She draws her hoof back out, pulling a mint-green feather with it.  She gazes at it for a second, and raises her eyebrow. Lyra tilts her head.  “Hmm?” “Well, back when I was aboard this ship the first time, I found this.  Where…?” Lyra sighs.  “Please tell me nopony else knows.” She shakes her head.  “Just you and me.” She lets out a breath.  “Ahh…” She looks towards her back.  “They just… grew, after I built this ship.  Not sure why.” Hidden Light’s eyes stop widening at the size of dinner plates.