//------------------------------// // Ch. 19 Window of Oppurtunity // Story: Dash of Humanity 3: Live, Fly, Reboot. // by Kaidan //------------------------------// After the explosion in the map room, I hurried over to check on Minuette and then Starlight the next morning. Minuette seemed fine, having no recollection of what had happened. Starlight was less fine, and appeared to be focusing on taking deep breaths when I found her just outside the map room. She’d been vaporized by raw magic when the spell had gone bad. I wasn’t sure what that felt like, but I’d died enough stupid ways to hazard a guess. I went over and put a wing across her back. “Hey, are you going to be okay?” “That was awful, Dawn. I told her it would overload!” Starlight complained. “Yeah, you did. I checked on her and she’s fine. It seems like it’s just us who get death hangovers. I wonder if it’s got something to do with the fact that we can remember it happening?” I asked. “I don’t want to experience that again. It was like time slowed down as it happened.” Starlight shuddered, and looked at me. “You said you’ve died a lot and… I’m sorry, Dawn. For hurting you.” I waved a hoof dismissively. “Nah, no big deal, water under the bridge that is space-time. Besides, we’ve got to try some new spells today to fix it.” She shook her head. “It’ll just explode again.” “Really? And given that you have foreknowledge that it’ll explode, you don’t know any spells that could stop it?” I asked. Starlight thought for a moment. “Well, I guess I could make a containment spell.” “Perfect! So let’s give it the old college try. If anything like that happens again, I promise we’ll take a few days off together.” “Days off? What do you mean?” Starlight looked at me, puzzled. I grinned. “Oh, it’ll be fun, you’ll see. Give me a few loops to come up with some ideas, and you just worry about fixing the spell.” Perhaps it shouldn’t have surprised me that we didn’t make much progress that week. Starlight and Minuette were able to come up with dozens of new spell combinations to try. Some of those spells had exploded, yes, but the table was exploding in interesting new ways. One loop turned into a sticky web-like substance and plastered us all to the walls. Another loop the table shot up through the ceiling, and we assume, into outer space. The last loop it had detonated again, and not in a fun way. So true to my word, I’d revealed to Starlight the kind of things I liked to do for fun in Ponyville when my actions had no consequences. I held the golf club in my mouth, a bit of drool running down the uncomfortable grip, and then took a swing. It hit the golf ball and a large patch of grass into the air, where it was quickly consumed by a burst of Spike’s emerald green flames. I stuck the club back in the golf bag. “Not very comfortable,” I said. Starlight nodded. “I’m surprised you wanted to learn to golf, it’s mainly a sport for rich unicorn nobles.” She levitated a ball onto a tee, then took a nine iron out. Starlight waited for Spike to nod that he was ready, and then took a swing with her magic. She hit the golf ball perfectly, and Spike’s flame barely caught it in time. “Still, this has got to be a world record for longest drive, right?” I asked. Spike shrugged. “I’m sending ‘em to the Crystal Empire, so that’s an awful long way.” “About six hundred miles, I think,” Starlight observed. “Definitely a record.” She reset a ball onto a tee for me to hit. “Cadence must be so confused right now as golf balls start pinging out at max speed in the air around her.” I laughed, and then took the nine iron from Starlight, gripping it in my mouth. “You know,” I mumbled around the club, “it’d be easier if I flew and used my legs maybe?” “Hovering isn’t level enough, you keep rising and falling. Honestly, you’re doing pretty good. Just try to keep your knees bent, neck straight, and use one smooth motion.” I nodded, fixing my posture and lining the golf club up. Then I turned my head back, bringing the club up in a beautiful arc. “Dawn! Look out! That’s Starlight!” A pony yelled. My club came back down, burying itself in the grass. I spit it out and turned to see Applejack running right towards us. “Really? In the middle of my backswing?!” Spike and Starlight fell to the ground laughing, as I tried to explain to Applejack that Starlight wasn’t here to cause trouble. Well, any further trouble. “There’s no way,” I said incredulously, taking a bite of my sundae. Starlight and I sat outside an ice cream shop in Ponyville. “Almost nopony uses transformation magic, it’s got too much potential to mess up. I heard about a thing with the breezies once, but I bet there’s no way you could just wing it and transform somepony.” “Witches used to do it all the time to create familiars before it was banned. I’ve got a pretty good memory, I think I remember the necessary spells to combine.” Starlight shrugged and floated up a spoon full of mint ice cream covered in fudge. “Prove it,” I dared her. “Really, Dawn?” Starlight asked. “You want me to prove I can turn somepony into an animal?” “Yeah, it’s our day off, isn’t it?” “Fine, are you done with your ice cream?” I took a final bite of it and a drink of water. “Alright, twenty bits says you can’t do it without having to look up the spells.” Starlight smirked and shot me a look that made me a lot less confident. “Alright, just remember you asked for this.” I was already looking around for a pony to have her test the spell on, when I realized she was talking to me. “Wait, wha—” An aura of magic surrounded me, causing an intense tingling sensation. My body felt like it was submerged in water as the pressure slowly built, and the world around me got larger. I flailed my wings and legs as soon as I could to try and stop the spell, but it was too little too late. I wasn’t sure what had happened. The sun seemed ten times brighter, and I tried to shield my eyes. I still had my wings, though the feathers had changed shape and their blue color had faded a bit. I felt my hooves curl on reflex, and small sharp nails claw against the table. “Who?” I asked. It didn’t sound right; I’d meant to ask what she’d done. Starlight giggled. “You make an adorable owl, and you owe me twenty bits. Never challenge a dubious unicorn to prove it, Dawn.” “Who!” I screeched. “Okay, okay. I’m not gonna rub it in,” Starlight stated. “I’ll turn you back.” Her aura of magic surrounded me, causing a familiar tingle, but nothing happened. She squinted and tried again, the magic feeling slightly warmer than last time. “Hmm, okay.” Starlight chuckled nervously. “So, uh, I might have just slightly forgotten the spell to turn you back to normal. Maybe somepony should, I dunno, restrict this school of magic so accidents don’t happen?” “Who, who!” I did my best to groan, but I just didn’t have the right vocal chords anymore. I couldn’t even cross my wings and look properly upset. “It’s not so bad, you’ll be fine in the morning. I could probably find you some tasty beetles or field mice,” Starlight added. “Oh, how adorable!” I heard somepony say. I rotated my head until I was staring directly behind myself, which only got disorienting after I realized I’d done it. My head was some sort of super-swivel now. Fluttershy was rapidly approaching, and reached out to pet me when she noticed Starlight. “Oh, um… hi,” she said. “Are you here because you’re still upset with us?” “Who!” I answered. “Oh, you’re fixing a time loop with Dawn’s help, and you’ve been reformed?” Fluttershy translated for me. “Uh, yeah, that about sums it up,” Starlight said. “Who?” “Well, of course I can understand you. It’s my special talent.” Fluttershy patted me on the head, and gave a little scratch behind an ear. It felt amazing. “Who…” I returned my head forward and flapped a couple times. My flight was unsteady, but I was used to flying, so being in a new form didn’t hinder me too much. I landed on Fluttershy’s back and glared at Starlight. “Who!” Fluttershy nodded. “Oh, dear, that was a silly bet to make, Dawn. So now you’re stuck like this until tomorrow?” “Yeah,” Starlight said. “I’m not sure how to fix it, and by the time I figured it out, the time loop will have reset anyway. The important thing is to make sure nothing bad happens to Dawn.” “Why’s that?” Fluttershy asked. “Dying in the time loop is taking a toll on us, and he’s uh… there have been accidents,” Starlight hedged. “I don’t want him to get hurt again.” “Oh, say no more! I’ll keep little Dawn here as safe as can be back at my cottage. You’re welcome to come too, if he vouches for you.” “Who.” Fluttershy smiles. “He says I can trust you, and that, um.” She lowered her voice and blushed a bit. “He thinks you like mares.” Starlight smirked, and I saw a wicked glint in her eyes. “Does he, now? Quite an observant little owl. We’d better make sure to keep him safe.” Her horn glowed and a bird cage appeared floating in the air. I took one look at it and let out a squawk, before trying to fly away. A field of magic surrounded me, gently pushing me into the cage before the door clicked shut. Fluttershy didn’t seem nearly alarmed enough at the fact I’d just been stuck in here like a pet. “Who! Who!” I protested. “Oh, that’s not very nice, Dawn. Besides, you will be safe there, especially since I’ll be busy taking care of my animals and my house guest.” Fluttershy smiled at me. “Come on, Starlight, I’ll show you the way to my cottage.” I fumed silently as they walked back to her cottage, perched on a wooden bar inside the cage. My talons curled tightly around it, keeping me from falling off. I calmed down a little on the way over. Fluttershy and Starlight seemed to be getting along just fine, and there really wasn’t much for me to do as an owl anyway. Plus, if I behaved and they let me out of the cage, maybe I could spend the rest of the loop terrorizing Angel Bunny. That would make it all worth it. The next loop, I took Starlight out to the hotel in Ponyville that catered to griffons. We sat down for breakfast in a corner booth for two. “Seriously, no hard feelings. I did ask you to prove you could pull off such a complex spell.” “Thanks, Dawn,” Starlight said. “Plus, it’s not like you were fooling around with Fluttershy, right?” I inquired. She blushed a bit. “Nothing like that, no. We just met, it wouldn’t be right.” “Good,” I stated. “Not that you can’t, you’re grown mares, but Dash and I are both a bit overprotective. If you’d like to fool around a little, however, I know the perfect pony.” The griffon came back and served our breakfast. Starlight had ordered a typical pony meal consisting of oatmeal and some fruit. I’d ordered my usual, all the eggs and bacon they could scrounge up. It’s no surprise which meal smelled and tasted better. “That’s a lot for one pony, and is that real bacon?” Starlight asked. I could see a bit of drool that she quickly wiped off her lips. “I know, right? It tastes even better than it smells. I figured to show you there’s no hard feelings, I’d let you try as much as you want.” “I’ve never eaten meat before,” Starlight said. “What’s it like?” “There’s nothing like it. I figure, what better time than when there are no consequences for you to try something taboo?” I explained. She took a fork and poked it through a piece, bringing it up to her muzzle tentatively. Starlight took a long sniff to smell it, before placing half in her mouth and biting down to chew. After a moment she swallowed. “Wow, that’s amazing.” “Dash thought so too. Not sure where the griffon’s get the stuff, but oddly it seems nopony can resist it.” Starlight began to dive into the bacon, and even took a few of the eggs. Eggs and fish were a more common pony meal, but within the borders of Equestria few would ever even consider eating a fellow animal with hooves. We enjoyed breakfast together, but I must have been grinning a little too widely near the end. “What is it, Dawn?” “Oh, well, bacon may taste great but ponies aren’t used to eating meat,” I said. “As good as it tasted, you’re gonna want to clear an hour or two from your schedule for a little trip to the porcelain throne.” “What now?” Starlight asked. “The head, the john, bathroom, washroom, privy, toilet, el baño, commode, outhouse, the porcelain trumpet, the—” “I get it.” Starlight groaned, and I thought I could hear her stomach rumbling. “You tricked me!” “It wouldn’t have been so bad if you hadn’t eaten so much, but yes. Now we’re even for the owl spell.” “I could turn you back into an owl today.” Starlight glared at me, then started to laugh. “But you know what, I’m not even mad. That was well played, Dawn. I can’t even remember just hanging out with a friend and having fun. Thank you.” Her stomach rumbled again, and I chuckled. “Unless you want to be camped out here,” I explained, “maybe we should head back to my house. Then you’ll at least have a little privacy.” “Good idea.” Starlight and I were walking towards the Sun’s Flank. “Trust me, if you want a little roll in the hay this is the place to go. Then we will try and fix the table again tomorrow. It could be weeks more of trying and failing to fix the time loop, so it’s important you enjoy yourself as much as possible and come at it with a fresh perspective tomorrow.” “And the best way to do that is to spend a loop getting laid?” Starlight asked. “Hey, don't knock it until you’ve tried it.” I stopped walking. “Wait, you have tried it before. Right?” “What? Of course I have!” Starlight looked back at me, her tail swishing side to side. “It still counts if they’re mind controlled, right?” I raised an eyebrow as I tried to gauge her expression. “Dark humor? I like it. You had me going there.” She laughed nervously as we resumed walking towards the bar. “Yeah, it’s too easy when you’ve got a bad reputation.” “So have these days off given you any ideas on what the spell is missing?” I asked as we neared the bar. “I keep coming back to one thing, but there’s nothing I can do about it.” “What’s that?” “The inherent chaos of the spell matrix. I’m combining spells that are total opposites, like oil and water they don’t want to mix. The only way I pulled it off was to force them, but that leads to instability which leads to… boom.” “Alright, so chaos is bad?” I asked. “Yes, and no. If I knew chaos magic, I could easily stabilize them. Unfortunately, books on chaos magic are probably non-existent, I’ve never heard a confirmed report of one. The only other being who could have taught me went missing.” “Discord.” I shuddered at the thought. “He’d have turned you into a pair of slippers or something before he taught you anything.” “Yeah, thus my dilemma,” Starlight said. “The more I’ve tried everything, the more this one tiny little thing is nagging at me. If I just had some way to control and shape the chaos into something more manageable, maybe I could fix the spell. Or maybe it’s nothing, and it’s just the fact that I can’t rule it out that’s made me start to obsess about it.” I opened the door to the bar, letting her walk in first. “I can see why that’d bother you.” I followed inside, and pointed to a table across the room. “That’s her over there.” “Alright, a few hours of the loop to blow off some steam, then back to work in the map room tomorrow,” Starlight stated. “Yep, and I’m going to do a little recon on some relationship problems in town with the rest of my evening off. Just remember, consent is king.” “Don’t worry, I wouldn’t make anypony do anything they didn’t want to. I haven’t figured that spell out yet,” Starlight replied. “Plus they’re from a long-standing guard family and would likely snap you in half if you tried, but maybe you’re into that.” I laughed. Cloud looked up as we approached, having recognized me. When we got to the table I smiled and raised a hoof. “Have you met Starlight?” I asked, drawing out the first word. “Starlight Glimmer, eight of clubs,” Cloud answered. “Uh, what?” Starlight responded. “Our Town, cutie mark removal magic, wanted fugitive?” Cloud shifted in her seat. “The guard has a deck of cards with pictures of threats to Equestria, you made the cut during the last update.” “Slow down there,” I interjected. “There’s been a time loop spell that went wrong in town, trapping us all here. Starlight’s the only pony in town who has the knowledge to fix it, and we’ve been working on it for months. The fate of Equestria literally depends on you showing this mare a good time.” Cloud Kicker shot me a confused look. “I’m not sure if I should be impressed at your skills as a wingpony, or if I should be getting ready for the apocalypse. You’re serious?” “Yeah,” I answered. “And you’re reformed?” Cloud asked Starlight. “I’m working on it, the best I can.” “Well, I won’t promise anything but I’ll buy you a drink and we can chat,” Cloud replied. She looked at me. “Unless your stallion friend here is staying, then it’ll be two drinks.” I chuckled and looked at her. “You know I’m seeing Dash, and you’ve tried that line before.” Cloud Kicker nodded her head. “Right, time loop. So you can go up to anypony you want, any day, and try any pick up line until one works?” “I guess, technically yes,” I replied. “And you haven’t banged your way across town?” “I’m seeing Dash,” I repeated. “Wow, lucky mare.” Cloud Kicker grinned. “Still the biggest missed opportunity ever, but I respect it. As for your friend here…” She looked at Starlight. “Not too late for you to bang your way across Ponyville.” Starlight had already slid into the seat and blushed. I thought I saw a hoof nudging her leg under the table. “I think I’ll leave you two to it, then.” I turned around and trotted out of the bar. I needed to gather some intel on some of the friendship problems around town. We were getting closer to a solution and I wanted to be ready to fix them all in one pass when we did.