//------------------------------//
// Solution 
// Story: Brown Note: An Off-Color Love Story 
// by Starlitomega 
//------------------------------//

Normalcy had returned.

Following the failed siege of Canterlot, the changeling army vanished to whatever hole it came from. Several changelings in disguise were discovered in minor positions of power and summarily given a swift kick in the behind to send them back into the wild. With new and stronger security measures put into place, the idea that Clockwork could wake up and be snuggling an imposter Twilight became a lot less realistic, though she still quizzed the flustered alicorn about their first date from time to time.

If she was honest with herself, she would admit she just liked the way Twilight described their first date together and the snuggles that inevitably followed.

And so, life returned to its not-quite-normal version of normal. 

This return to normality made Clockwork’s daily ruminations on her life and those around her come back with a vengeance. On this day in particular, she was currently contemplating the differences between her and Twilight. Sure, they got along just fine, but sometimes it still intrigued her how different they could be.

One of the better examples of their differences was how they worked. Clockwork preferred to work in a neat and orderly fashion. Being an earth pony, she had trouble sorting through parts while she was working, so she kept her own organization method, mentally giving numbers or names to pieces or piles of parts so she knew what they were or where they were meant to go. Once she was done with the job, she didn’t really care what happened next, sometimes even going so far as to sweep the unused parts into a drawer or plastic container to be grumbled over and sorted at a later date.

Twilight, on the other hand, worked like a tornado. If she was busy with a task, she would place her equipment, books, debris, you name it, anywhere she could. Only once the studious alicorn finished a task would she enter non-stop infinite ocd mode. 

Staring at Twilight’s lab, Clockwork let out a sigh accompanied by a sleepy smile. It was clear from the state of said lab, that Twilight was in the midst of some sort of scientific crusade. Something to do with potion making, if the plants and cauldron were any indication.

Maybe she won’t mind if I clean a little bit of this up...

Reaching down, she started to gather up some of the trash and equipment when the door slammed open behind her. Clockwork dropped what she was holding with a mechanized yelp and spun around. 

“Sparkles! You nearly gave me a heart attack,” she whined with a ferocious pout.

Twilight stood in the doorway with a comically large grin, and standing beside her was another pony. An older, grey stallion with a suit and a briefcase. Behind his glasses he wore a set of kind eyes, and a gentle smile. Twilight stepped forward, leading the older pony inside.

“There you are, Clockwork! I brought someone to meet you. His name is Dr. Decibel. He’s an expert from Germane who has spent years studying the science of sound frequencies. Doctor? This is Clockwork.” 

The older pony looked like he’d seen his share of experiments himself. He walked with a slight limp, but if it bothered him, he didn’t let it show. Extending his hoof, he smiled widely, wrinkles forming on his forehead. It was another testament to his age, and maybe a youth spent without a proper set of glasses.  “Princess Twilight has told me all about you in ze letters she has sent. You seem to possess a unique phenomenon, is zat so?” 

Clockwork shook his hoof gently. “Nothing like meeting a living stereotype.”

Twilight nudged her forcefully in the side, causing Clockwork to wince. Her smile returned immediately as if nothing had happened. 

“Uhhh vat vas zat?” Decibel asked, tilting his head to hear better.

Clockwork grinned around her mask. “Oh, I was asking if you think I should start living with Twilight.”

The doctor chuckled, oblivious to the blush spreading across Twilight’s cheeks. “Oh ho ho! I’m afraid matters of the heart are not my specialty. I am a pony of science! I am told you have a voice which is capable of very unique phenomena. Vould you mind if I performed a quick examination?”

Clockwork shrugged. “Go right ahead.” 

Decibel slowly walked around Clockwork, his eyes scrutinizing every inch of her body. Despite a foalhood of being inspected hundreds of times by doctors, she never got used to the awkward feeling of being examined. “Let’s see, earth mare of smaller than average stature, fine coat, smooth mane…”

Nearing her neck, his eyes widened. “Zis bump on your neck, how long have you had it, fraulein Clockverk?”

Clockwork fought to keep from rolling her eyes. “That thing? I know what you’re thinking, but the answer is no. I’ve had it ever since I was a filly. The doctors have examined and poked and prodded it before. It has no effect on my voice.”

Glaring at the bump, Decibel gave it a firm, but gentle prod. “Hmmm, you’re probably right. Zis is nowhere near your trachea so it vould have minimal effect at best. However, zis does mean one very important thing.” 

Twilight, who had been listening very intently, poked her head over Clockwork’s back. “And that is?”

“Ven dealing with abnormalities, sometimes ven you find one, you find more. It is quite possible zere may be more problems with ze formations in fraulein Clockverk’s throat. Perhaps I should move onto ze next step of diagnostics. I brought a very special device with me.” 

Tossing his bag onto a nearby table, the doctor opened it and pulled out a metal case. Opening the clasps, he flipped the lid up and removed a long silver cylindrical tube encased in foam from inside. 

Clockwork’s eyes widened. “Oh! That’s ummm... I don’t know what you ponies in Germane do, but here, things are a little-”  

Another nudge from Twilight brought Clockwork’s ramblings to a halt. 

With a smile, Decibel pushed a button on the end of the tube and held onto the device as the end split open. From the middle popped out a metal ring with a black diaphragm like a speaker. 

“Impressive, is it not?” 

“Ehhhhh?” Clockwork shrugged.

The doctor nodded. “I suppose an explanation is in order. Zis device is the culmination of decades of research. Many devices can simply repeat a sound, but ze result is never accurate. Zis device is made to copy and replay any sound within 99% accuracy. If you wish to replicate the unique phenomenon your voice is capable of, zis device is may very well be the only way to do it. Do ve have a chamber for testing?” 

Twilight nodded and pointed to the plexiglass chamber. “It’s completely soundproof, but it has an intercom so we can talk to her through it.”

“Vundabar! In zat case, let’s get started shall ve?” 

The doctor grabbed Clockwork’s hoof and pushed the device into it. “Here you go. All you have to do is remove ze mask and speak into it like you vould a microphone.”

The cold metal device in her hoof gave Clockwork pause. A familiar tingle ran down her back and an odd sense of deja vu flooded her senses. She felt like this once before, when Twilight first offered her the blessed mask which gave her the chance to speak normally. Her eyes traveled upward to Twilight who simply grinned like a foal and motioned for her to step inside. 

With a resolute gleam in her eyes, she stepped into the plexiglass chamber and pulled the door shut. Sitting down on the lone stool, she undid the clasps on her mask and pulled it out. 

Twilight led the doctor to the control panel and gave him a quick lesson on it’s operation. Unsurprisingly, he was a quick learner. The speaker on the wall of the chamber crackled to life. “Okay, fraulein Clockverk. Press ze button, and speak into ze device.” 

Taking a deep breath, Clockwork eyed the machine like some sort of treasure which promised to change her life. Letting go of the breath she had been holding, she finally parted her lips. 

“My name is Clockwork.” 

A loud, high pitch squeal filled the chamber. The doctor and Twilight both hissed and held their headphones at hooves length to avoid the feedback. Clockwork herself almost dropped the device in shock, but managed to keep a grip on it. The machine started spouting random noises in all sorts of tones and pitches until finally it formed words.

“My name- my name- name- name - my name-my name is-my name-my name is- my name-” 

The phrase repeated itself over and over again, changing wildly each time until the variances began to grow less and less dramatic. 

“My name is cl- my name is- my name is clock- my name is clock-my name is Clockwork. My name is Clockwork.”

Suddenly, the device closed itself in Clockwork’s hoof. A small green light pulsed on the end.

Decible pushed the bridge of his glasses back up his muzzle. “Remarkable. Zat is ze longest calibration I’ve ever seen by at least seven seconds,” the doctor noted over the intercom. “Nonetheless, it appears to have captured your voice. Now, zere’s only one thing to do.”

“And that is?” Clockwork asked, holding the device as if it were a stick of dynamite.

“Testing, of course! Princess Twilight, if you will?” 

Twilight’s head shot up in surprise. “Me? Really?!” 

The doctor looked up from the control panel matter of factly. “Why of course. Is zere anypony else here you would nominate? Clockverk herself is immune, and I have to monitor ze panel. You are ze natural choice.” 

Twilight let out a groan and took her headphones off. “Okay, fine.” 

Marching over to the chamber, she opened the door and crowded in, pushing Clockwork into the corner. 

“Oh no. Fraulein Clockverk, I must ask you to leave ze chamber. With you in zere, I’m afraid any test results we get would be invalid. It must be Princess Twilight, and ze device.” 

Clockwork grabbed her mask, gave Twilight a sympathetic smile and squeezed out past her, closing the door as she went. 

Decibel pushed the intercom button and his voice filled the tiny chamber. “I must warn you ahead of time, Princess Twilight, zis device is not subtle, nor does it “pull its punches,” as you might say. If ze device does replicate fraulein Clockverk’s voice, it will be quite powerful.”

This knowledge didn’t seem to help Twilight’s nerves any as she held the device aloft in her magic. She managed a shaky nod anyway.

“And now, Princess Twilight, when you are ready, press ze red button on ze bottom of ze device.”

Clockwork found herself in a most peculiar situation. Part of her wanted nothing to happen. She wanted Twilight to be fine. To simply have her press the button and shrug as if it meant nothing. 

A far greater part of her wanted Twilight to blast ass across the backside of the chamber. 

Clockwork was sure this wasn’t healthy, but she was also sure that ship set sail, caught fire, hit an iceberg, and sank to the depths years ago. Such was life in Ponyville.

“Okay… here goes.” 

Twilight cringed as she held the device in her aura like a firework about to explode. She finally grazed the button with her nervous twitching. 

“My name is Clockwork,” the device announced helpfully.

“Eyyyaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

Twilight’s scream was partly drowned out in a concerto of intestinal distress. The doctor’s glasses fell off the bridge of his nose as he lept to his hooves. 

“My verd! Such power! It is remarkable!” 

Looking down at the control panel, the doctor started twiddling with knobs and adjusting sliders. His eyes danced across the readouts until he finally let out a surprised gasp. 

“Two frequencies! This is unheard of! Fraulein Clockverk! We must assist Princess Twilight and leave immediately for ze hospital! I have unlocked ze secret to your voice!”

“Really?” Clockwork asked, leaning closer to the panel. “What is it?!”

The doctor shook his head as he tossed off his headphones. “Zere is no time! I will get ze bleach, you help ze princess to the restroom, and then we go to the hospital to confirm my theory!” 

Clockwork nodded and dashed over to the chamber. She opened the door and almost instantly regretted it. 

Ewwww. 

Trying her best to ignore the mess on the far wall, Clockwork reached down and pulled Twilight to her hooves. 

“Twilight! The doctor thinks he knows what’s wrong with me! Isn’t that great?” 

Through a pained moan, Twilight belched. “Ugh, wonderful. Unnnngh. I think I need to go to the little fillies room.” 

Wrapping Twilight’s hoof across her back, Clockwork dragged the ill alicorn out of the chamber. 

“I’m surprised you have anything left in you after that.” 

“Less talk, more drag,” pleaded Twilight. 





Clockwork sat on a stool dressed in a paper thin gown, kicking her legs nervously as Dr. Decibel and another pony walked in. The other pony, a heavyset stallion with a pudgy face slapped two x-rays onto the lightbox and flipped it on. Both doctors exchanged knowing smiles as they studied the film. 

Decibel turned and grinned at the earth pony. “It is just as I thought, Miss Clockverk. On the equipment back at ze castle I saw what you might think of as an echo, another frequency shadowing ze larger wave. Zis is quite difficult to see on an x-ray unless one knows exactly what zey are looking for, but my colleague here saw it as clear as day. You have two voice boxes, however one seems, shall we say, underdeveloped?”

Instinctively, Clockwork reached up and touched her neck. “What?”

“How is that possible?” Twilight asked, touching Clockwork’s other hoof with her own. 

The pony pointed to the x-ray on the left. “Here we have a normal larynx.” He then turned and pointed to the other sheet. The doctor circled a larger structure on the x-ray. “This is your larynx. As you can see, it’s longer.”

“What in Equestria would cause something like that?” Clockwork asked.  

“Birth defect. It’s rare to be sure, but not impossible,” explained the heavyset pony. “By the way, my name is Dr Graft. I’ll be in charge of your care,” he said, offering his hoof. 

Clockwork gave it a limp shake and turned back to the x-ray. “So, can you fix it?” 

Dr. Graft gave a deep belly laugh which seemed to rattle the walls. “Of course I can! Ponies say I’m the best surgeon here. Not too sure I believe it myself, but I’m confident in my abilities. The procedure is a simple laryngectomy. Simple may not seem the best word for a major surgery, but I’ve done similar surgeries countless times now. We’ll just remove the extra underdeveloped larynx and then connect your throat with synthetic tissue. You’ll be right as rain.”

“And she’d still be able to talk?” Twilight asked, leaning forward in her seat. 

Dr. Graft nodded. “Of course, Your Highness. Her voice might sound slightly different after the surgery, though I have a feeling only she would really notice.” 

“How soon can you do it?” Clockwork’s grip on Twilight’s hoof tightened. 

Dr Graft stared at the x-ray once more for a few moments before turning back.

“I have to plan a surgery around your unique condition, but it shouldn’t take anymore than saaaaay, a week?”   

Twilight and Clockwork both grinned at each other. “Do it.”

With that final order, both of the doctors left the room and the two ponies clinging to one another by themselves. Together, they let out a breath they didn’t even realize they were holding.

“Twilight… It’s happening. It’s finally happening.”

Leaning over, Twilight gave Clockwork a peck on the cheek. “I know. I can’t wait!”





One week passed.

It seems unfair to boil down a week of anxiety and excitement into three words, but suffice to say, not much occurred between Clockwork and Twilight’s visit with the doctors to their current situation. After said week of anxiety and excitement, Twilight, Clockwork, and Page Turner were sitting in a pre-op room, awaiting the final call for surgery. 

Rubbing her tummy, Clockwork turned to Twilight with a fierce pout. “My stomach huuurrrts.” 

The alicorn wrapped a caring hoof around her shoulder. “I know, but you heard the doctor. No food until after the surgery. Actually, you won’t be eating much after the surgery either.” 

“Don’t worry,” Page Turner started. “You’ll be too busy sleeping to think about eating.

Clockwork’s brow furrowed in concentration for a moment, as if she were pondering some great truth of the universe. “When this is over, we’re getting pizza,” she declared. “No, we’re getting two pizzas. We’re stuffing our faces at the pizza place, then going back to the castle, and stuffing whatever is left of our faces there. Tummy aches for everypony!” Clockwork decreed, throwing her hooves up triumphantly.

A soft giggle escaped Twilight’s lips. “You want to get a stomach ache?”

Clockwork’s ears flipped back indignantly. “No! I just know that’s what’s gonna happen. But, we’ll have tummy aches together. Won’t that be fun?” Clockwork asked as she leaned into Twilight’s side. 

“They say misery loves company,” Twilight noted. 

“Sounds good to me,” Clockwork’s mom added.

Leaning into Twilight’s side, she nuzzled her neck. “And maybe a little stargazing when the sun goes down?”

“Only if you bring the cocoa again,” Twilight said. 

“Of course! Bon-bon told me her secret recipe. It’d be a waste if I didn’t get to use it.” 

Clockwork didn’t have the heart to tell Twilight that the secret to the cocoa was to buy store bought cocoa mix and use milk instead of water. Some secrets must be taken to the grave, as far as she was concerned. 

“You two don’t have to watch, you know,” Clockwork said. 

Twilight tilted her head. “Does it bother you that we are?”

“Kinda? I mean, I don’t know. Do you really wanna see all that gross stuff?”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “I’m a scientist. I don’t mind a little gross stuff.”

“Sometimes gross stuff is part of life,” Mrs. Turner pointed out with a sage nod.

“Even if it’s my gross stuff?” Clockwork asked, poking her squishy belly.

“Especially if it’s your gross stuff. What better way to get to know you inside and out?” 

Clockwork glared at Twilight who simply couldn’t keep a straight face any longer and fell into a laughing fit. “Somepony has been spending too much time with Pinkie Pie.” 

“Don’t be mean,” Twilight said, swatting her gently with a hoof. Once more, she pulled Clockwork to her side and worked her magic through the earth pony’s mane. 

The room fell deathly silent apart from a few beeping machines. A nagging thought had been eating away at Clockwork ever since surgery was laid at her hooves as an option. She had debated whether she should say anything about it at all, but if she were ever to say it, now would be the time. 

“Mom, I hate to ask, but can you leave me and Twilight alone for a moment please?” 

The older mare nodded. “Sure, sweetie. I’ll go ahead to the theatre. Be good for the doctors, okay?”

Page leaned over and gave Clockwork a kiss on her forehead. With a blush, Clockwork watched as her mother walked out the door, holding her breath until it finally clicked shut. The uneasiness that had been building up was almost ready to boil over. Drawing a deep breath, Clockwork finally spoke up. 

“Twilight, promise me something, please.”

Instantly, the gentle massage stopped. “Huh? Promise what?” 

Reaching over, Clockwork took one of Twilight’s hooves and squeezed it tight. Turning to Twilight, she stared deep into those purple eyes that captured her heart what felt like ages ago now. “If… something happens, I want you to stay with one of your friends for awhile, or my mother.”

Twilight narrowed her eyes. The slightest hint of anger rose behind them. “Clockwork, no. Don’t say that-” She stopped mid-sentence after seeing the dire look on her partner’s face.

“I’m serious, Twilight. You coop yourself up sometimes, and if something happens to me, that’s the last thing you need to do. Do some sleepovers, help Applejack at the farm, study with Rainbow Dash, cook with Pinkie Pie, I don’t care what you do, but, please don’t stay in that castle with just you and Spike.”

Clockwork stared at the alicorn, hoping her gaze would show just how important this was to her. After a few moments, Twilight finally nodded. 

“Okay, but let’s get one thing straight. You’re not allowed to leave me, got it? Thirteen hours from now, you’re gonna be sitting in a bed, and me and your mother are gonna be right there with you, got it?”

Clockwork’s lips curled up into a smile. “I’ll be there.”

Wrapping her hooves around Clockwork, Twilight finally let out a sigh of relief. “Good.”

Both ponies ears shot up as the door opened. A nurse peeked her head in with a clipboard. “Miss Clockwork? We’re here to take you in.” She pushed the door open letting a gurney and another pony in who simply motioned for her to get on. 

Clockwork hopped onto the gurney with a grunt. the nurse gently repositioned her until she lay lengthwise and then lowered her head with care. “Gotta go, Sparkles. See you soon.” 

Twilight smiled and ran her hoof through the earth pony’s unruly bangs one last time. “Yeah, see you soon.”

Just like that, the gurney took off, pushed by the two nurses guiding it. Nervousness and excitement bubbled up inside her as the fluorescent lights whizzed across her eyes. All her life, Clockwork never really felt that important. More or less an afterthought in all but her mom’s eyes. To have so many ponies focusing their attention on her seemed a bit unreal.

A slight bump snapped Clockwork out of her daydream as they entered the stark white operating room. She counted fifteen ponies in total loitering around, each dressed in medical scrubs. The primary surgeon, Dr. Graft stepped over to her gurney, his full cheeks hidden beneath a mask. 

“Got a full house here, huh doc?” Clockwork asked. 

The larger pony chuckled. “You noticed, huh? You’re not exactly a routine case. I brought a few colleagues along to see your extraordinary condition.” 

Clockwork narrowed her eyes playfully. “If you start charging admission, I’m taking forty percent.” 

Dr. Graft gave a loud belly laugh, his eyes glimmering in mirth. “Oh, no no no. This is purely for science. Now, we’re going to remove your mask. Anything else you’d like to say?” 

A flash of purple out the corner of Clockwork’s eye caught her attention. Looking up, she saw Twilight taking a seat in the observation deck, sequestered behind the thick glass. Raising her hoof, Clockwork smiled around her mask. 

“Thanks for being here, mom… and, I love you, Twilight.”

The alicorn looking down at her wiped away a tear and leaned forward, pressing a button on the intercom. 

“I love you too.” 

“We both do. You’ll be fine, sweetie.”

Satisfied she said everything she need to, Clockwork nodded to the doctor, who promptly unclasped and removed the mask from Clockwork’s mouth. She watched as the doctor put the piece of equipment on another table and motioned for a nurse to wheel it away. 

“Now, Clockwork,” Dr. Graft started. “I’ve got a different mask for you. This one has the extraordinary power to send you to a far off dream world.” Picking up a plastic mask connected to a length of tubing, he placed it on her muzzle. “Normally, I would ask you to count out loud from ten to one, but in the interest of our dignity and not sanitizing the room again, I’ll just ask you to count silently. When you’re ready.” 

Clockwork nodded. 

The doctor turned and motioned for another pony. A puff of gas filled the mask, which Clockwork inhaled deeply. 

Ten, nine, eight, seven, six…