//------------------------------// // Chapter 76 // Story: Don't Bug Me // by Starscribe //------------------------------// Rick looked away from her, hiding his fear. That might have helped him if she was a pony, or something remotely similar. Unfortunately for the bug, Amie could still see his emotions. She could see his thoughts too, if she pushed hard enough. She didn't though—probing into someone's mind without their permission felt like a violation. Her loyal bugs deserved better. "Where is Wes?" she repeated. "It's not like him to run off for no reason. Did he go out for groceries?" "No." Rick hurried across the room, over to the only bed. Amie recognized that smell instantly—her brother. That made sense, considering the other two were bugs who didn't sleep. He lifted something in his magic, holding it out for Amie to inspect. A newspaper. "Not sure what set him off. He was reading this one minute—then he took most of the money and ran. We would've had to fight him to keep him from leaving!" Amie took the newspaper, opening up each page and flipping through it. "When did this happen?" "This morning. Beth and I were expecting you to call days ago. We thought something must be wrong, but... we weren't sure what to do. The intranet would never work this far away. There are some radios that might, but only Albrecht has those." He doesn't even know about camp. But Amie didn't tell him, because she saw what Wes must've. On the second page, a large headline next to the photo of a frightened pony. "Fears of Changeling Infiltration Rock the Crystal Palace" Amie skimmed the article in silence, but found nothing more suggestive. The “crystal empire” had just enjoyed a monumental and somewhat frightening birth, leading to a new heir.  The article was vague on details, only hinted at inconsistencies in the court records. Little things went missing, names that couldn't be found in the city kept showing up on sign-in sheets. None of the murders Sweetie Drops suggested would follow a true changeling infiltration.  The article's writer was clear in their suspicions, though. They blamed “lax” security in the Changeling Isolation Zone for potential escapes, arguing for a more definitive "solution" to the changeling problem. "He went... here," Amie said, gesturing at the map. "Somewhere called the Crystal Empire. Why does the article write like they're part of Equestria?" Rick shrugged. "That sounds familiar. Wes wanted to go there. I... assume we're going to follow him? Beth and I, I mean." "Yes. You can catch the evening express. I'll meet Ivy tonight, and Beth can catch the morning train tomorrow." "No," Rick said, without hesitation. "No chance. Amie—I know you're the... queen... but this is dangerous territory. We already split up once. If Beth and I get separated, I might never see her again. I won't do that." She should've expected more resistance. It was the only reason Rick was here at all. She needed his skills working with the mine's intranet, or hunting glamour. Instead, he chased a diplomatic mission. "Alright. But you can't go with me to Ivy. She's only expecting me. If I bring someone else, it might set off their security. Her father is the general keeping Stella Lacus trapped, remember." He nodded. "I could still... be in the same general area. There are gardens on rooftops and stuff, I could just hang out in one of those. Be close in case Beth needs me." He moved closer, touching one hoof against her chest. "Can she... hear me? Are you two people right now, or..." "Sorta," Amie said. "I think if I was better at this, I could make suggestions to her, instead of taking over. But I haven't practiced that much. The bugs I usually do this to don't have... minds... anymore. It's new to me too." Rick pushed harder. "I know I don't have to tell you, counselor. But I will anyway. Don't take Beth into danger. That isn't right. She's not just a glove for you to wear, even if she lets you do it." Amie pushed his hoof away with magic, firm. "I know, Rick. I'm not. Ivy is my friend. If I smell trouble, I'll run. But her letter—she thinks she has a way to get us home! I may not understand my powers that much, but I can feel that Beth agrees with me. That's why she insisted you two wait here, instead of following Wes. She knows that getting everyone home is more important than chasing one bug. Even if that bug is my brother." That worked. Rick's anger eased, and he nodded. "I'm glad she's still in there. Beth—if you're not comfortable with this, kick her out. I know you're strong enough." "I called her, idiot!" The words didn't come from Amie—but they came anyway, from her mouth. From Beth's mouth that she borrowed. "If I thought I could do this without her, I would've gone to meet her friend already. The queen knows what she's doing." It took Amie another few seconds to reestablish... control? That wasn't quite right. First there were two of them, then just one again. This is how Kaya can look through the eyes of many bugs at once. She only uses a tiny bit of her concentration, splitting it between them all. Even considering that made Amie's head hurt, and she dismissed the possibility instantly. With luck, they would be back on Earth before that mattered. An hour later, and they were in the right place—uptown Canterlot where magical light shone in every window, and the ponies walked with a delicate poise that Amie could never hope to imitate. But that didn't matter—she wasn't supposed to be a posh, well-bred mare from a place like this. Rain Fly never would've made friends with Ivy that way. "Don't come in unless it sounds like an emergency," Amie said. "I'll reach for you, you'll know. Otherwise, just keep your head down. If I stay the night, you can come back in the morning. Not sure what she'll offer." Rick nodded. Thanks to her powers, she didn't have to wonder if he would obey. Rick knew that she thought it was safe, and in turn radiated his willingness to obey her instructions. She couldn't expect more. "Be careful, both of you." Amie continued along the street, separating from him at the stop sign, then turning up the lane. She compared the numbers with her memorized address, and finally selected one home among many. She didn't need the numbers to find this place. The Path estate looked a little like a military fortification itself. Instead of fine statues and beautiful gardens, there was only a single straight path, under the watchful eyes of a dozen different windows. She saw at least one armored pony watching from above, though their armor wasn't the gold she was used to. No traps sprung on her at least, though she did feel a general pressure of suspicion on her. Those were some paranoid house-guards for a residential property.  No soldiers rushed out to arrest her. She reached the oversized metal doors and knocked. Hoof steps echoed off a stone floor, galloping in from parts unknown. Finally, the door opened, and a figure appeared there. The unicorn was old, more bone than flesh, with a horn as sharp as her expression. "I venture that you are Rain Fly, is that correct?" The pony felt almost nothing, emotions so feeble that Amie barely even tasted them. Rather—there was only one feeling, so dominant it swallowed all others. Never before had she met a creature that knew such powerful disdain.  Amie stood up straight, meeting her eyes. Her body was too young and short to be anywhere close to this mare's height, though. "That's me. I'm here to see Ivy Path. I think she's expecting me." "Yes." The mare spoke with considerable disbelief, clearly not willing to accept that anyone in her house would want to meet a creature like Amie. "Follow me." It was not a request. Amie obeyed anyway, trailing after the stern mare. Inside, the Path residence was much of what she expected—suits of armor, ancient uniforms, and military-themed portraits and murals filled the space. Whoever arranged it all cared more about getting it all out on display than using any kind of unifying theme, let alone common sense. They sometimes had to weave a circuitous path, because a statue took up the center of the next hallway. They descended several flights of steps, until stone walls overtook narrow windows. Finally, they emerged in a library of sorts, packed with shelves and dusty tables. Her escort turned something on the wall, filling the room with a faint magical glow from overhead. It would've been more than enough for a changeling, though it wasn't much for a unicorn. "I believe she had a number of materials picked out for you to read on that table there. Make yourself... comfortable. I'll inquire if she is willing to entertain you at this late hour." The mare didn't wait for Amie's acknowledgement, just turned right back out the way she'd come, shutting the door behind her. If Albrecht wasn't already married, I'd tell him I found the perfect woman for him. Amie banished her anger, then lit her horn so she wouldn't trip on anything. The room had several desks, all empty except for one. That one had a mismatched assortment of books piled on it, from heavy textbooks to slim memoirs, all marked with a laminated library stamp. The titles weren’t exactly fascinating, many named after esoteric magical concepts that she couldn’t even begin to understand. She picked the first one, then flipped through it at random. She found a bookmark about halfway through, on a page that happened to have an illustration.  It looked a little like a mirror, with a strange metal rim in the shape of a horseshoe. That was exactly the kind of vain, silly thing she expected from Equestria’s ponies—she could believe they would make something like that. Thankfully, the text beside it was more interesting. It described its creator’s intentions to explore worlds beyond Equestria, and the realm of “two-legged monsters” he had found on the other side. “I do not believe meaningful exploration of this domain can serve any useful purpose. No magic extends to that realm, making all aspects of communication difficult. In the absence of magic, how could any beings understand kinship, compassion, or kindness? What few encounters I had with the itinerant monsters of this domain reinforces this fear. With regret, I terminate my research. Perhaps it might serve as the means of permanent banishment for capital criminals. Even so, I believe death would be a kinder sentence.” Clover’s writings were grim, but more importantly, they didn’t include anything about how they had built this portal. With so little concrete information about the other side, there was no telling if it was really Earth, or some other planet sharing the same basic body-plan. Considering how much Equestria had in common with her home, it felt entirely plausible. This is good, Ivy. You’re on the right track. The next volume was a set of old judicial records, chronicling those who had received the harshest sentences in Equestrian history. Including a number that were turned to stone, several particularly troublesome creatures were listed as “Banished through the Mirror to Thaumic Deadlands Beyond.” The account gave very little more, though a few of them did resemble some aspects of familiar folklore. But that wasn’t new to Amie—the Pegasus came from myth too, as did unicorns. She already knew there was some connection here. She was about to start on the third of the stacked volumes when hoof steps sounded from down the hall. Amie looked up, in time to see a beleaguered Ivy make her way inside. Life in Canterlot clearly did not suit her. Her mane was messy, and her eyes were red and puffy. She felt worse than either, weighed down with guilt and fear and anxiety. Doing all this for me—I asked too much. Ivy’s a kid too. Unlike the bugs, she wasn’t a kid who needed to work hard or get crushed by Equestrian violence. “Ivy! I’m sorry it took so long for me to get here… you wouldn’t believe everything that happened since you left.” The mare nodded weakly. “You’re right. I don’t think I would.”