Twilight Sparkle once again traced a neon green grid of symbols and runes through Piercing Strike, now from a different axis. Like the first time, the bat shuddered and closed her eyes, even as she had nothing to fear — scanning spells were totally out of notice by anything except sight and the sense of magic.
The green of the enchantment faded into the dim daylight of the window; the sky was filled with dense gray clouds, slowly drizzling at the pavement below. Piercing Strike, like Twilight herself, barely stifled yawns, but the lavender Princess was used to not getting enough sleep in days recent.
Turning to Trixie, the Princess of Friendship said with a sigh, “I am sorry. This is really not changeling, as you have said. I can say that I see a fairly healthy specimen of batpony species, Canterlot’s subspecies. It will not be difficult to identify her closest relatives, including her parents, brothers and sisters. You are talking about the transfer of the mind, and it looks like you are right for this matter too, as I do not observe non-background activity in the echolocation and thermolocation areas of the brain. “
The bat blinked, ‘What do you mean?’
Twilight sighed, “You do not use your head as a natural-born batpony would. You are an invader, in a sense.”
“Hm!” was the only thing that Offended but Steadfastly Enduring Persecution Beatrix Lulamoon deigned to answer. She was staring at the wall, or rather, at a joint photograph of Starlight and Chrysalis hanging on it, made in a somewhat provoking manner.
“I didn’t doubt it though,“ Starlight remarked with a smile, and made a pointed look at Silent, so that he thought Except for the most reasonable suspicions, right? not for everypony but for Starlight only.
Twilight hugged Trixie briefly from behind — Trixie didn’t pull herself away, licked her lips and thawed a little — and turned to Starlight and Silent, tapping softly with her hoof.
“I don’t see the need for Cosmic-Majestic either,” the Princess said sternly, “Her request for knowledge hidden behind this barrier could be fulfilled just fine without it. Piercing Strike has a Mark—”
To Starlight’s surprise, the batpony was next to total calm despite the mention of the mark, peering intently at the tall and slender Princess, at the muted shine of stars and galaxies in her tricolor mane.
“—and therefore deserves a treatment befitting an adult pony. Starlight and Silent, I expect that you will consider Piercing Strike’s petition and correct her troubled state. Piercing Strike, “Twilight turned her head to the bat who squeaked softly, “I also expect responsibility from you in helping yourself. Do you understand? Friends are ready to support you, and you will find them wherever you even look, but you must take a step forward. Is there a vow saying that you should not talk about your Mark? Or do you think that you will no longer be considered a good pony because of how you got it?”
The bat quickly nodded, squeaked again, and only then answered aloud, “It really was terrible, Princess…”
Twilight sighed, “I saw a pony who got her Mark after burning the library. We spoke with her and she is still alive. If the topic is too difficult for you to talk about it out loud in front of everypony, I or Starlight will listen to you in private. And I will say right away that I do not condemn those who eat meat. Otherwise, I would have to quarrel with all the griffins. I saw a family in which necromancy was passed from the eldest filly to the eldest filly for dozens of generations, even when no one had heard of the Off-season. I have invited spirits who drink joy into my house and sacrificed my dreams. Starlight and Silent could tell you no less. Trixie is likely to tell even more, isn't it, Trix?
Trixie snorted, “No comment. Family secrets. But The Great and Powerful Trixie is glad that you dared, in a way and in part, to admit her superiority!”
Starlight raised her hoof, “Twi, with all due respect… you still have a long way to go to treat foals properly. You gave a lecture about how great you are,“ Starlight paused and enjoyed the embarrassed look of the Princess, “and the filly here needs something different.”
Starlight went up to the batpony and hugged her, “The only thing Twi is right about is that no pony here will scold you for the history of your Mark. Even if you drank the blood from the one who offended you.”
The bat stared at her with wide brown eyes and made a tiny nod.
Starlight went on all four but did not step away. She looked at the bat intently, appraisingly, “Yeah, even in this case. Not in front of everypony, then. Maybe later you will write me an essay, or show me on dolls what might have happened with you, or maybe with somepony else. With the heroes of your fairy tale,” and in a whisper, “I guessed right?”
“Likely,” the bat whispered back.
Twilight cleared her throat, “I hope you have not forgotten that I am still here. Because there are no complaints about Piercing Strike, I will be ready to consider her enrollment in Littlehorn, but four questions remain. The first is who provided her the bat body; the one who entered into this kind of agreement with a filly without a Mark. Find them and ask them what they were thinking. Beatrix, for reasons known to you, you are in a team with Phoenix in this direction. The second is the body itself. If the original owner of this body died or was irretrievably exiled, I want to read it in the report. This will be the line of inquiry for Midnight. Beatrix, you send all the data about this to Midnight as soon as you learn anything from— from a pony you likely know, okay?”
Trixie turned around and replied indignantly, “No! Why should I even consider this? She is mischievous and arrogant!”
Twilight answered instantly, “Why? For a gala concert behind the portal, with an inexperienced and unknowing audience, all expenses are paid by Diarchy.”
Trixie paused, “Experienced and Knowing her own Worth, Trixie will think about it. Slightly Interested Trixie then asks if she would have diplomatic immunity.”
Twilight winked at her and continued, “The third question: find out how ‘Lunar’ Piercing Strike is now and question her side of the story too. This is a mission for Scar. And the fourth is the meeting of the Queen with her acquaintance in Littlehorn. What time is it due, Trixie?” then without waiting for an answer, “The refrigerator with desserts in the lobby is at your disposal. On the bottom shelf there are desserts for Queen Chrysalis. You can take them too.”
Trixie smiled slyly, "The Princess's word remains law, yes?"
Twilight nodded.
Trixie smiled wider, “If the meeting has not yet taken place, then she can arrive at any time until tomorrow morning.”
“And how can I recognize the Queen without global enchantments?” Twilight inquired.
“What can the Princess offer in exchange for this information?”
Starlight, hugging the bat, crept up to Silent, who silently offered them both a bucket of popcorn.
The trade promised to be long, and Twilight, carried away with it, paid no mind for them anymore, as well as Trixie.