Junebug - 18th of Lunar Dawn, 4 EoH
Mane Street - Evergreen Falls
June flew low over Evergreen Falls, taking in the sights through long, slow, lazy loops. The sort of near-glide a pegasus uses when they don’t mind somepony on the ground flagging them down or are trying to spot a fish below the water to snack on.
Her flight didn’t go unnoticed; plenty of ponies on the ground waved to her as she flew overhead. A few even called up to her with a friendly “Hi, Sam!” prompting June to dive a little lower and call back, “Not Sam, sorry!”
What the heck is with this town? How many pegasi do they have? It feels like I could totally pull off that cliche where the infiltrator didn’t even try to infiltrate.
June found the first two times odd. Very few pegasi were pink, so it would make sense for a grounded pony to look up, see a pegasi silhouetted by the morning sun, and say “hi” to a presumed friend. However, by the third loop, she knew something was up when a weirdly tall stallion who'd called out to her frowned ever so slightly and stammered out an apology.
“Oh! Sorry, didn’t know there was somepony visiting. Thought you were our maintenance mare.”
The town had one pegasus. Or at least one adult female pegasus. Nothing else made sense.
This town is weird, June noted to herself. But I think I like it.
Other weird features of Evergreen Falls: the streets were laid out in an arcane circle. Most ponies wouldn’t have noticed it. It was subtle but very obviously there to anypony with knowledge of basic enchanting. Really basic and enchanting.
June wasn't even an enchanter but recalled seeing an identical circle in her Intro to Arcane class back in Primary School. A simple protection charm designed to ward the entire town from physical and thaumaturgic threats. Albeit huge and supported by the full might of nature rather than whatever a unicorn could spare that day.
Canterlot has similar protections built into it. So do most older cities in Equestria. But this level of protection for a small rural town is pretty weird… June thought to herself as she pulled up slightly to take another loop around town.
Something glittering in the river caught her eye. She looked down on instinct, her brain demanding she at least check to see if it were a trout. June squinted, compensating for the shimmering sunlight on the surface of the flowing water as best she could until…
Is that, crystal? June mused, dropping altitude to get a better angle on her find.
It was indeed a small patch of tiny silver-yellow crystal shards scattered across the gravel riverbed like a deposit of gold nuggets. Such gems were commonplace in Equestria. Earth ponies even grew them from scratch on industrial or even family farms. Nopony harvested such stones from nature anymore, hence, a potentially valuable magical stone was just left to decorate a river.
Except… The color… Something’s important about that color, June noted while thinking back through history class.
June smiled as the answer came to her. Her tail swished as the ancient secret internalized.
Silver-yellow. Nothing natural came in that hue. These gems were synthetic, the color and rough geographic region, and their small, obviously crushed and water polished state… They were very, very old indeed. Dating back to the First Thaumaturgic War over seventeen thousand years ago.
June folded her wings and entered a dive. She raced towards the water, spreading her wings and thrusting one hoof out at the last instant, snatching one of the crystals from the riverbed while pulling out of her dive like one of her ancestors plucking a salmon from the sea. She raced over the river, her belly growing damp from the spray her wings threw before she flapped hard, pulling up and returning to her lazy loops to examine her prize.
A single, nearly perfectly rounded, tiny shard of ancient crystal. Nearly the size of a pea.
What were you used for? June mused as she turned the crystal in her hoof. Some ancient warrior’s weapon? The power source for a stove? An ancient home’s cleaning charm?
She tucked the stone into her saddlebags as a souvenir.
In any case, the circle is probably something the modern town inherited. Ponies preserve basic street layouts when we move into older settlements, after all. I wish sociology class had explained why we do that. It's kind of interesting. June noted, enjoying the opportunity to use her training in the field for a change.
Analyzing paperwork and photographs simply didn’t feel the same.
“Hey!” A mare called up from the street.
June sighed and adjusted her wings to dive lower. “Hi! Not Sam, though,” she called down as she dove toward an azure blue mare, snapping her wings open to hover a few meters over her head.
June’s eyes narrowed as she drew closer. Wait a minute. Pale blue, cornflower blue mane, wand, and star cutie— Wait.
“I know! Did a few ponies mistake you for her? I guess your wing shape is kinda like a thestrals, and you do fly like one, but… Maybe they should go get their eyes checked. You’re like an 8. She’s a 10.” The mare said with a pleasant smile. “What’s your name?”
“Junebug,” June replied, narrowing her eyes slightly before deciding the only pony who would rate anyone a ten had to have a severe crush and thus wasn’t calling her ugly. “Are you the—”
The mare’s ears perked when June said, ‘Are you’. She reared up, miming sweeping a hat from her head, and proclaimed, “The Great and Powerful Trixie, at your service!” Before settling back down. “Always nice to meet a fan, but I’m not on stage, so mind if I don’t do the bit? It’s not fun to be an egoist without the stage lights.”
June dropped to the cobblestone street with a soft click and folded her wings. “I don’t mind at all. Can I get an autograph, though? I loved your cups and balls with clear cups! That was mind-blowing.”
“Sure,” Trixie said with a polite nod, ”and thanks. I worked hard on that routine. Hey, so this might sound a bit odd, but are you moving here, visiting, or did you get hired by the town? I was told a new hire was coming in, and while I do have my traveling show, I have a side gig with the town. I wasn’t planning on heading out again this year, so they stuck me with showing the new girl around.”
June twisted to reach into her saddlebag, searching for anything Trixie could sign. “I haven't signed any paperwork yet, but I’m taking a research job here. Dusk hired me.”
Trixie nodded once. Dusk hired her. More than satisfactory and enough of a guarantee for her to let the paperwork wait.
“Great! What’s your clearance?” Trixie said calmly.
June’s hoof finally found her diary. She flipped it open to the current day’s entry and held it out to Trixie, who quickly but elegantly wrote, “BEHOLD! This page has been marked by the GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE!” in an extra flourishy script, while leaving enough room for June to write a short diary entry on the page.
June closed her diary and put it back in her bag. “I’m not sure? Dusk said I’d be in charge of the Observatory and a study project on some artifacts uncovered last year. She was a little vague, but I get it.”
Trixie hummed, thinking for a moment. “Okay, so at minimum level 2 clearance,” she mused, looking distant for a split second before smiling again and gesturing for June to look around. “Welcome to Evergreen Falls! Did Dusk give you the whole pitch or just do that spooky psychopomp thing and be all, ‘ooooOOoooo, I have a thing for you…’ because that’s how she got me to be a Field Agent.”
June blushed shyly and scratched the back of her head nervously. “To be honest, she just gave me the job description, and that’s all I needed.”
Trixie sighed and shook her head. “Seriously?” She asked, arching an eyebrow.
June bit her lip, let her ears droop apologetically, then nodded. “I’m in kind of a shit situation. I can take this job or live with my dad in the woods over there while he personally digs a doomsday bunker. So, either work a job I’m qualified for that some miracle presented me with, or sleep in a dirt hole and wipe with leaves for years. How much would you have asked?”
Trixie raised a hoof to an object, then lowered it. “Mmm, fair point. But that was still really stupid.”
June sighed and nodded. “I know, okay? But Dusk seemed like the kind of pony with good leads, if also the type to be real cryptic. I just felt I could trust her, you know?”
Trixie’s ears perked back up at the mention of Dusk. “That’s right, Dusk recruited you. That does make things better, but you should still have pushed her a bit. She’s cryptic, but…” Trixie paused for a moment and then shook her head slowly. “You’d think somepony that old would know to give people at least the back of the book blurb.”
“Yeah, she’s what, early middle-aged? Looks great for her 120s, though,” June commented.
Trixie giggled. “I hope I’ll look that good when I hit her age,” she joked, knowing how old Dusk actually was. “Anyways, this is Evergreen Falls, a planned community managed by CARE. Who you’ll be working for. In case Dusk didn’t mention, that’s Celestia's Advanced Research Enterprises.”
June shook her head once. “She didn’t mention that… I uh… I’m just eager to get anything in my field. Maybe a little too eager. Should have asked for the company name at least.”
Trixie flinched. “Yea… It’s okay, though; we all do dumb things like that at your age.” She cleared her throat and continued. “The town is a safe haven and research community for individuals and objects with unknown and/or anomalous magical properties. A lot of the breakthroughs in arcana come from studying the people and things we have here.”
June’s eyes lit up with recognition. “Oh! Like how Hollow Shades is a haven for vampires and werewolves? Only we’re studying their powers to replicate them?”
“Exactly that!” Trixie said before her eyes moved down to June’s neck for a moment. “Oh, you don’t have… So there are these little amulets we have new ponies wear for a few days. There’s a large-scale illusion over town that keeps the strange things from being noticed by visitors. The amulet will slowly put you on a whitelist to see things as they are. Since you don't have yours on, uh… Just take my word for it that a lot of the ponies here are, well, weird. Some in very obvious visual ways. It’s all safe, though. CARE doesn't put you here if you’re aggressive or unintentionally dangerous. There are other places for that.”
June nodded twice, silently waiting for Trixie to continue.
“Priority two of Evergreen Falls is the safety and comfort of its citizens. Priority one is the research…” She cleared her throat. “Uh, a lot of us staff think it should be the other way around. Most people here just want to be treated like people. Even if they are the mutant changeling who looks like a slug and can’t help but read your mind to shapeshift into your heart’s desire.”
June blinked twice. “The what?”
“His name is Chirp. He works at the hardware store,” Trixie said as if that explained anything.
Amazingly, to June, it did. “Oh. Well… Everypony needs a job. Or at least something to do.”
“Exactly!” Trixie agreed with a firm nod.
June paused for a moment, shyly shuffling her hooves. “Uh, can… Can you just go on in to see what he turns into for you? Is that rude?”
Trixie giggled and shook her head. “You can! You have to have seen or imagined what you want, though. If you have even a subconscious idea, he plays matchmaker via shapeshifting. I stay away as much as I can, though. I creep him out a little.”
“Really? Who did he become for you then?” June asked before wincing. “I’m sorry, that was automati—”
Trixie snorted and waved a hoof to let June know it was alright. “He becomes your idealized version of what or who you like. I like some things he finds squicky so that bucks with his head a bit. No offense to less sexually liberated people, but if you don’t get there’s at least one person out there who's into literally anything you can think of, you haven’t been paying attention to people at all. Everyone’s weird somehow.”
“None taken,” June said, letting out a nervous breath. That went better than expected.
“Everyone here is weird, well, mostly. Some staff are boring normal ponies,” Trixie continued, clearly not remotely bothered by talking about that side of herself. “Just think of everyone, no matter how strange, as a pony first and an anomaly second, and you’ll get along great and have way fewer problems than senior staff. Like Apple Brandy, who is not only a colossal prick who I am convinced has an actual stick up his ass but also treats everyone like a piece of meat. So guess who never gets any kind of cooperation at all?”
“I know the type…” June groaned. “I won’t have to work with him, will I?”
“You’re kind of stealing his pet project,” Trixie informed.
June winced. “Oh no…”
“Yea… So be nice to everypony! Get the whole town on your side, and they’ll help you deal with the jerk as well as anything else that might come up,” Trixie said as she started to walk down the street, gesturing for June to follow her. “Let’s get you that amulet and sign the papers. I’ll bet you want to start moving in and stuff, right?”
June sighed in relief, smiling more than she had in days. “You have no idea! My dad kind of relocated us to the Deep Woods over there. I was going to sleep in a tent tonight, but then bam! Dusk with a job.”
Trixie flinched again. “Oh… Yeah, I heard somepony sold some land over that way. That’s… That’s going to involve a lot of lawyers and will be a huge mess. The Deep Woods are kind of in ownership dispute. The exact border of that property… Well, let’s just say the argument will be bad.”
“How bad?”
“Like, the county Lordship title and accompanying land has been in dispute since CARE was founded in the third year of the Solar Era,” Trixie explained, her face scrunched to emphasize just how bad a ball of red tape she was talking about.
June sucked in a breath through her teeth. Dad isn’t going to like dealing with an actual thousand-year-old property rights issue…
“Mmm, maybe I should fly over and let him know about this…” June mused. “I’d rather not. We just had a fight.”
Trixie hummed, squinted at June as if examining her extremely closely, then nodded as if she had understood the meaning of a work of art. “Give me five minutes to study how you speak and your mannerisms, and I could do it for you.”
June blinked, turning to look over the unicorn mare from head to hoof. “Wait, you’re a changeling?”
Trixie rolled her eyes. “D— Duh? Come on, what pony would make a stage persona that’s all about being loved and worshiped while also making sure their fanbase is, like, everywhere, and also just happens to have an incredibly iconic and easily identifiable look?” She flashed June a huge smile which mixed with the light of genuine cunning in her eyes to create the look of a true genius. “I have genuine love and affection for me everywhere in Equestria. I haven't had to actively feed in decades.”
“That’s brilliant,” June commented, her wings slightly open with awe. “But… I should do it. I’m a big filly.”
Trixie blushed and put a hoof over her mouth. “Oh my gosh! I’m sorry, I thought you were FtM and just getting started. I can let everypony know you’re a mare if you like.”
June flinched. “W— Will that cause problems? Also, like, I finished my potions. How did you— Right, I’m not wearing my skirt.” she sighed and started to take off her bags to get dressed in more appropriate town clothes.
“It won't,” Trixie promised. “Everyone has their own rules and needs and wants, all of which are written down, cataloged, itemized, and referenceable. You’re trans. If they know, then you won't be trans to them; you’ll just be a mare.”
June’s ears perked up. “Oh! Well, cool! Go ahead then.”
Trixie nodded twice, only for June to cut her off.
“Hold on,” June asked, frowning as a thought came to mind. “Aren’t changelings kinda psychic when it comes to love and romance stuff? How come you didn’t, like, know? Can’t you sense—”
Trixie nodded, then shrugged apologetically. “It's a sense like any other. Sometimes you’re just wrong about what you see. Especially when first meeting someone. It can sometimes take hours to get the details perfect… For me, anyway. Others are better. Anyways, we should sign you in, get your ID, amulet, and house keys.”
June nodded eagerly, her wings twitching as she tried to shake sweat from her plumage. “Yeah. I’d like to shower. I’ve been walking for the last few days. Through terrible woods of awful.”
⁜ ⁜ ⁜
Samhain - 18th of Lunar Dawn, 4 EoH
Mayoral Estate - Evergreen Falls
Sam flew through the streets at the speed of a scared mom, knocking the occasional hat off taller ponies with her bow wave. Her eyes scanned the crowds, looking for Dew and only Dew.
Pegasus. Purple. Coral and turquoise two-tone mane. Rune brand. No cutiemark. Sam repeated to herself.
Evergreen Falls didn’t have many pegasi, but Dew was at that age where a filly just started to like boys while still loving a lot of kid stuff. Which meant not-that-small, but small enough to easily blend into a crowd. She could also easily get mistaken for a younger earth pony if her wings were obscured by something. It made her relatively easy to miss.
This was even bad, given that her anomaly kicked in when she felt lost, and nopony else knew where she was. Going directly on another adventure after coming back from a bad trip always played hell with the poor girl.
Sam raced along the quickest route from the Mayoral Estate to the observatory, hoping that her conversation with Dusk hadn’t taken too long and Dew wasn't halfway home. Preferably being escorted by somepony with a good head and a better heart.
I can’t believe I just blew her off like that. I know I had the dosage wrong, but lights above, I need to get off that stuff for a good bit.
Cursing herself, Sam put on another burst of speed. She shot out of Pine Lane and took a right hoof turn onto Mane Street, nearly breaking the aerial maneuverability record set by Rainbow Dash at the last Equestria games (albeit at a far lower speed). The Mayoral Estate came into view the moment she finished her turn. An old Renneighsaunce fortress, typical cut-stone-block construction with basic geometrical shapes created for defense first, then plastered over with the kind of decorations one could see in Canterlot, only without the gilding and quality workponyship.
A fortress for a noble to live in. Grayish, brownish, covered in ivy and lichen. Almost exactly what anypony would picture when told it was “an old fort”.
Pegasus. Purple. Coral and turquoise two-tone mane. Rune— Sam’s train of thought screeched to a halt as Dew came into view, being led along by a young stallion in a labcoat with freshly singed fur.
“— works very hard,” the young stallion said to Dew in a calming voice. “You shouldn’t be upset with her for getting exhausted. You’ve been exhausted, right?”
Dew’s face scrunched into a unique expression of annoyance. The kind only somepony far, far, far older than the person talking to them, yet far, far, younger looking than them can feel.
“Nope. Not once,” Dew said, her singsong voice dripping with sarcasm. “Hey, did you know that Princess Cadence hated history class when we were in school together? It’s true!”
The stallion frowned, clearly trying to process what the filly meant by her obvious sarcasm.
Sam closed her wings and dropped to the cobbles, her mech-gauntlets sending a shower of sparks flying as she killed her speed with her forelegs.
“She’s older than your granddad, kid. Don’t patronize her,” Sam explained before dropping down to pull Dew into a close hug. “I’m sorry. I was on pep pills, and auntie Dusk helped me out. I’ll take you home.”
Dew returned the hug, frowning. “Again?”
“Again,” Sam sighed.
The stallion stood still through the exchange, looking back and forth between himself and Dew. “Wait… You’re not like, sixteen?”
Sam rolled her eyes, fished the field manual from her saddlebag, and flipped to Dew’s page for him before holding it out. “Here’s her file.”
The stallion read through it quickly and then winced. “Oh… Uh, sorry, ma’am.”
Dew shrugged her wings.
“It’s fine. I’m used to it,” she muttered under her breath.
Sam bit her lip. It was very obviously not fine… But she was used to it.
The stallion scratched his mane awkwardly. “Right… Uh, well, since your mom’s here, I’ll just get back to lunch. Have a nice day, girls.”
Sam nodded once, then retrieved her copy of the manual and put it away.
“Enjoy your lunch,” she said before turning her attention back to Dew. “Will you get mad if I do it?”
Dew shook her head once.
In an entirely emotionless and flat tone, Sam inhaled and delivered a rapid-fire mom-lecture. “Dewey Decimal, what were you thinking? Wandering off without telling anypony. You know exactly what happens when yaddah yaddah blah blah yap yap dolphin noises.”
Required lecture thus delivered, Sam rolled her eyes and nodded to Dew. “Anyways, what happened?”
“It got foggy, and I took a wrong turn on the way to the library,” the eternal filly said with a sad sigh.
There was no need for her to explain she hadn't meant to get lost. Or forget to tell anypony where she was going.
Sam pulled Dew to her side with her wing and started to walk down the street toward the observatory. “And what happened? Some kind of nightmare monster?”
Dew bit her lip, trembling at memories she’d rather not dwell on at the moment. “I’m just scared it followed me home. I— I know that I’ve never brought back anything living… Despite trying. But, this was less alive and more magic.”
Sam nodded thoughtfully, her eyes narrowing slightly. “How can we know if it has? I’ll help any way I can.”
“W— Well, where I was, the changelings there could sense them if they’d attached to somepony. C— Can we find one to ask, please?” Dew asked, her wings twitching as she kept herself from flying away in search of the nearest bug pony.
Sam began to nod in response, only to spot the familiar blue and pale blue of Trixie through the crowd, walking her way while talking to a pink and pale blue young pegasus mare she hadn’t seen before.
Hey, she’s the trans pride colors, Sam thought automatically. I wonder if she used a potion dye to do that on purpose? If not, that’s pretty unfortunate. No way getting labeled as trans if you’re not is fun. Wait! She’s with Trixie!
“Yes, we can, and fortunately for us Trixie is right over there,” Sam said, pointing with one hoof. “I’m sure she won't mind a short interruption to make sure you’re safe.”
After all, the two had been friends since Trixie was in high school.
Dew nodded in agreement and began to zip through the crowded street toward Trixie and the mystery mare. Sam followed along as best she could, doing her best to keep an eye on Dew. A constant line of sight wasn’t needed to keep her anchored. Still, even a de facto mom’s worry occasionally exceeds rational thought.
“Trixie!” Dew called the tremor in her voice and emotional distress causing the changeling’s head to pivot instantly.
Trixie stopped and turned toward the filly. “Hey, Dew!” Trixie said with her usual friendly smile. “I was taking the new hire in to get her paperwork done, but we have a minute. What’s up?”
Sam caught up to Dew just as the pink pegasus turned around and put on a look of genuine worry, much to Sam’s surprise.
“Something’s wrong, isn’t it?” The mare asked.
Trixie nodded sharply, her full attention focused on the universe-hopping adventure filly. “Mhm. Dew’s scared and that’s really hard to do. Seriously, what’s up?”
“She just got back from a trip and is worried some kind of nightmare creature hitched a ride,” Sam explained.
“Can you see if anything’s stuck in my emotions?” Dew asked, her tail twitching worriedly.
Trixie bit her lip, squinted, then shook her head. “You’re fine. Just the usual pent-up frustration with boys, burning seed of rage from that author you liked dying before they finished that series, and mega-tier five-year-old style curiosity relating to if June here knows she’s the trans pride flag colors.”
Trixie turned to look at the suddenly deeply blushing June and giggled. “I’m curious too. That has to be intentional, right?”
June pawed the street with a hoof. “N— No… I spaced out on… They’re just my favorite colors.”
Dew let out a long slow breath, her wings finally resting easy at her sides. “Thank goodness. Those things were super scary!”
Sam smiled, her body visibly relaxing now that she knew Dew was safe, and, more importantly, felt safe. For all the rest of the horseapples she’s stuck with, I’m glad she can still just do that. If she’d been age locked just a year later…
“Come on, Dew. We should let Trixie and her friend get back to work. I’ve got the day off and I think I’d rather spend it with you than fixing up the observatory. We can hang out in the break room and you can show me that game you like,” Sam said as she nodded towards the sky to indicate Dew should take off with her.
June frowned and turned to Trixie. “Wait, people live there? I’m not the landlord of the place too, am I?”
Sam winced, her ears flattening. I knew this would happen… Calm down. She seems nice. You can be rational about it. I’m sure she’ll understand.
“Uh, no?” Trixie said, turning to look at Sam with confusion. Sam had a room at the local hotel when she’d left on business a few months ago. “Why would you be hanging out at the observatory? Don’t you have one of the long-term rooms at the Hayton?”
Sam shook her head slowly. Dew, on the other hoof, used her young brain powers to punch through the social bullshit and put an icepick into the heart of the matter.
“She had to start squatting there because the department hasn’t reimbursed her in forever so she couldn’t afford rent.” The little pegasus said in a way somepony her apparent age really shouldn’t.
June blinked, fully taken aback by the “filly” having that much venom in her voice relating to a rental agreement and an in-depth understanding of both squatting and finances.
“Woah, woah, woah, wait…” June said, waving one of her hooves. “Seriously?”
Sam nodded slowly. “Yeah… I’m the town’s only maintenance pony right now. The others left for Ponyville and bigger paychecks a while back. The Civics Department isn’t paying expenses right now, so I’m out of pocket on every job. I— The maintenance key lets me into most places, and it was abandoned. Besides, somepony left one of the apartments open. It’s just a studio, but it meant Dew could have a room, and I found an old futon mattress in the basement for me, so… Yeah.”
Sam cleared her throat and looked June in the eyes. “I promise you that I’m not, like, typical. In terms of getting bucked over, I mean. If you’re getting assigned to the observatory, you work for CARE directly. You’ll get paid properly. I’m contracted through the Civic’s Department for the town, not the company. The current head of that is an asshole. Who probably won't get reelected.”
Dew nodded sharply. “I’m hoping Silk eats him.”
Trixie snorted. June’s ears and tail stood up in alarm.
“Eats him?” she asked.
“She’s a vampire,” Trixie explained. “Harmless unless hungry. Which she is right now, because that asshole decided to stop maintaining her backup food supply for budget reasons.”
June’s look of horror melted into anger. “I’m sorry, so not only is this guy starving a vampire and putting Celestia knows how many ponies in danger with that, but he’s made a single mom have to go full squatter?”
“Yep,” Dew and Trixie said together.
“And he has a job, how?” June demanded, thumping her hoof against the cobbles with an enraged huff.
Trixie sighed and nodded toward the Mayoral Estate. “There was a huge political controversy, the mayor ceded the right to appoint town officials to the people, so every official is now elected. Asshole won the election, and an unintentional consequence of making those positions elected means he can’t be fired without a unanimous vote from the board he’s on. Obviously, he won’t vote to fire himself. Same thing is required to change that law too. So we’re stuck with him for another year.”
“That’s about the short of it,” Sam agreed with an irritated grunt.
June closed her eyes tightly and inhaled deeply. “How many apartments does the Observatory have?”
“Two suites, three one bedrooms, and three studios,” Sam answered reflexively, her wings idly rustling slightly.
“Okay, cool. And you’re not using one, why?” June asked as calmly as she could.
“My key only opens the maintenance areas and one of the studios, for whatever reason… And I can’t sleep in the studio because I don't get to have a sleep schedule and it gets too hot for me to sleep during the day because the building doesn't have AC or a comfort talisman. So I use the basement.”
“Also she thinks I won’t know if she drinks and smokes down there,” Dew added with a smirk. “But I do. Because you bring beer and stuff home but it never leaves, mom! Also, the weed smell. You can’t not know that.”
Sam coughed awkwardly into her hoof. “Just trying to set a good example, but still enjoy my vices…”
June raised an eyebrow and cast an eye over Dew. “You’re way older than you look.”
Dew nodded, her cheeks creasing as she smiled, happy to have been correctly identified for once.
“Mhm! But don’t let that fool you. I’m probably going to be unironically playing with dolls later. Then get mad that every boyfriend ever will outgrow me or get arrested for being a pedo. Then get all sad because they don’t make some random candy from last century anymore.”
Trixie nodded towards Dew. “She’s agelocked. She’ll act her age most of the time, but she’s been around longer than any of us.”
“No?” Dew said, frowning just a little because she was so obviously not older than everypony in town. “I’m half Silk’s age.”
“See?” Sam said with a genuine giggle.
June nodded. “Yep,” she agreed, smiling momentarily before the distressed and serious light came back to her eyes. “Right, so… Let's get me signed in, get my keys, and as the pony in charge of that observatory, we’re getting these two keys too. Nopony’s sleeping in a basement when I can help it. Especially not when they’re too dumb to pick a lock in an abandoned building to have a bedroom.”
Sam snorted, irritated at herself for just not thinking about breaking into an apartment. How the buck did I not think of that? BUCK! Ugh, act cool and mature about it Sam, you can do it!
“That would be a crime—” Sam began, only for Trixie to interrupt her.
“So is squatting!”
Sam shot Trixie a look. “See, technically, as I have a key, I’m not trespassing. Also, again, no climate control in there. The basement stays cool all day.” Sam said, her posture betraying her feeling like a featherbrain.
“Okay, so I'll call an HVAC mare I guess...” June trailed off, frowning slightly before looking down at Dew. “What is she to you? Also, what are your names?”
Dew pointed to herself. “Dewey Decimal, also known as the Adventure Filly, or 1839 if you’re an asshole. Uh, sorry. I mean an Apple,” Dew said, then pointed to Sam. “She’s my current mom, because I still need one of those. Her name’s Samhain. It’s Irbrish. If you translate it like you’re supposed to her name’s Autumn Twilight, but if you call her that, she goes all ire-brish, so don’t. She also hates being called my mom because it makes her feel old. But she is!”
June blinked twice, looking up from Dew towards Sam. “Why? You look great! Can’t be more than, what, eighty?”
Sam’s cheeks flushed. “Yes. Eighty. Let’s go with that.”
“She’s one-twenty-three,” Dew said, rolling her eyes before whipping around to face Sam and poke her in the barrel with her hoof tip. “Which is like, nothing. Have some sense of proportion.”
June giggled. Trixie snorted, holding in a real laugh.
Sam narrowed her eyes in the way moms do when a line has been crossed.
“Just for that, I will find a way to put all five hundred and seventy-six candles on your next birthday cake,” Sam promised, her voice like iron.
“That’s fine. I’ll invite the fire marshal for when the inevitable happens,” Dew retorted with a goofy grin.
June hummed, her tail flicking slightly. “Well, my point stands. You’re older than my mom but, like, I’m pretty sure you could pass for my older sister.”
“Hard work does a body good,” Trixie commented idly. “Of course, shapeshifting is even better for that.”
Sam looked up, locking eyes with Trixie for a moment. “Speaking of, something’s always bothered me. Mind if I ask something before we go in and get her signed in so I can have a real room? At least for showers and cooking?”
Trixie nodded and gestured for Sam to continue.
“I have, literally, never, seen you shapeshift. Ever,” Sam elaborated. “I know you’re a changeling. Everypony here does. But why don’t you do what the other bugs do and wear different shapes like the shirt of the day?”
Trixie gently bobbed her mane, batting her eyes at Sam. “Why change perfection?”
Sam mmmed then nodded. “I mean, it is a very cute look,” she was forced to agree. “It’s just, you know. Half the lings here wear a hat or something you can identify them with since they change that much. But you might as well be a pony… But you don’t have Kritt’s Syndrome because you know you’re a changeling, is that your anomaly? You have one shape you just love?”
“More like one pony,” Trixie admitted with the lightest blush. “Who thinks I look very cute like this.”
“Oh! Cool,” Sam said with a satisfied flick of her wings. “Anyways, I want to thank you for getting my hat back. The pin’s irreplaceable.”
Trixie’s ears drooped back slightly. Dew facehooved. June frowned for a moment as her brain tried to process why everypony else was distressed.
Sam remained oblivious.
“No problem, Sam,” Trixie said, letting a long slow breath out through her nose. “Let's go in and get the paperwork done.”
⁜ ⁜ ⁜
Junebug - 18th of Lunar Dawn, 4 EoH
Mayoral Estate - Evergreen Falls
After speaking with Mayor Violashade for an hour and a half, June knew one thing for certain. The poor mare was terrified of Dusk. The moment she’d arrived and Trixie had explained that Dusk had recruited her to reopen the observatory, the turquoise mare had gone from professionally tepid to incredibly helpful and low-key nervous.
Most of the meeting had been a long explanation of what CARE was and how it worked. Minus anything interesting since June didn’t have clearance to know any of the good bits yet.
The worst part was the entire lecture could have been condensed into a notecard. Celestia’s Advanced Research Enterprise was a small government-run company founded by Celestia personally to make use of Equestria’s oddities in the development of arcane science. Most of what they did was classified so they could keep a leg up on other pony nations by being the first to bring new magic to market. The rest was classified for the privacy of the many living people who were subjects of CARE’s R&D while also being within their care.
Evergreen Falls was a planned community that provided a safe and private living space for those people and secure storage for inanimate anomalies. Nothing brought to town was an active threat but could be dangerous in certain circumstances. Other places housed active threats. This town was a big open-air lab and home for easily contained or countered threats only, except for a few anomalies which seemed native to the area. Like the acid-spitting spiders that infested part of the sewer, the fog which sometimes shaped itself into foals to play with young ponies, and the rock lobsters in the river.
That was it. Mayor Violashade had taken an hour and a half to say that. June sat stone-faced through the lecture, having pieced that much together from Dusk and Trixie.
This is just like every other job interview ever, June lamented. Why can’t they just say “We want a pony to do this thing. We will pay this much for it. Do you want to do the thing?” She’s going to give me a big packet to read anywa—
“— as for your role within CARE,” Mayor Violashade said, shifting gears without pause while also opening a desk drawer to remove a large manilla envelope and place it on the desk in front of June. “All of the information relating to the observatory’s project is in this envelope. I’m not allowed to read it to you or speak to you on the subject by company policy. So once you’ve signed the paperwork it will be up to you to brief yourself, then take the digitized test to prove you know the material before you can begin working.”
June nodded once, very slowly. Yep. Packet.
The mayor reached into the drawer again, removed a stack of forms attached to a clipboard with a ballpoint pen in a little holder, and passed it to June as well. “These are the intake forms. Suppose you do not wish to work for us. In that case, you must sign the top form, a non-disclosure agreement, and a formal legal acknowledgment that while CARE's existence is public knowledge, the specifics of its operations are not. This includes the fact we run this community. If you leak any knowledge of our operational specifics, you will be arrested for leaking classified intelligence under charges of espionage. Basically, if you don’t want to work here, just sign the top one and pretend you were never here.”
June cleared her throat, happy to speak for the first time in the last hour and a half. “I want the job. So, what do—”
The mayor ripped the first page from the stack of papers and tossed it into the trash can behind her with a throw so well-practiced June knew she had to shoot trash hoops for fun during slow work days.
“Then please read and sign the rest of these forms. The first one here details the specifics of your job. You get one of the observatory’s personnel suites for personal use, and may assign the other living spaces to individuals of your choosing, though if they are not CARE employees, they must go through my office to get formal permission and will pay rent to the town—”
Sam cleared her throat from the back of the room where she’d been quietly reading a book to Dew. “Uh, she promised me a room. I can’t afford rent.”
The mayor groaned and closed her eyes. “I’m so sorry about everything going on right now, Sam. I’ll make sure you and Dew legally get a room on us. I can do that much… Is that why you are tagging along with Ms. Junebug?”
Sam nodded sharply. “Yep.”
“Then you’ll have your keys before you four leave my office. I promise,” she said before turning her attention back to June. “Your salary is thirty-four thousand a year, it would be more if you had a doctorate, but your master's does qualify you for the position.”
June’s ears perked. “I’m actually set up for a remote graduate program. A job like this will count towards credits, actually. I should have a proper doctorate in two years if I have enough free time to finish my thesis.”
Mayor Violashade smiled brightly. “Oh, excellent! I’ll put a note on your employee file to ensure you have free time for your studies. Once you have the degree, come see me, and we can get you a raise. As for your benefits, you get eight thousand a year in food expenses through a special card you use at stores. That includes stores anywhere in Equestria, just so you know. Utilities of all kinds are included with your room, but if you go over a… Sadly floating but relatively high margin, you’ll be warned once, then billed the additional amount. You’ll get full medical, and as a government employee, that includes any gender-affirming potions, spells, or surgeries you may desire. This includes purely cosmetic procedures starting next month. You can thank Princess Cadence for expanding those benefits.”
June nodded twice, wiggling in her seat slightly, happy to have her specific needs addressed. “I’m quite happy as I am now, but thank you.”
“You seem like it, but I’m legally required to inform you,” Mayor Violashade admitted with an embarrassed ear twitch. “To continue, you’ll have one month of paid vacation per year, two weeks of sick days to use at your discretion and as much additional time as you need if you can provide doctor’s notes, one and a half years of parental leave, and any work-related expenses you accrue on your own bit will be reimbursed.”
The turquoise mare turned her attention to Sam again. “By the way, I’m working on a plan to rehire you as a full employee so we can bypass Sandstone’s budget veto. There was a lot of red tape, and I didn’t think it was possible, but I’m finalizing the plans now. Please see me next Moonsday, okay?”
Sam’s ears perked. “Okay!”
June cleared her throat. “If I may, what are my job responsibilities?”
“You’ll be given tasks relevant to the observatory’s project and a deadline. Do your best to accomplish them within the deadline,” Mayor Violashade answered immediately. “This isn’t an hourly job. Frankly, we would have to pay you more if it was, but the benefits would be far worse. Put in the time you need. I cannot legally tell you more than that without you having clearance.”
June nodded, picked up the pen, and started to sign her way through the papers. It took her only a few minutes to go through all twenty pages due to her being used to reading dull and dense documents from school.
“Welcome to CARE, Ms. Junebug,” the mayor said, sounding a little relieved to be done. “I am legally required to inform you that while you can tell your friends and family you are employed, you are not allowed to disclose the specifics of your job. While you are allowed to mention working for us, you are highly discouraged from doing so as we prefer it when our agents are not publicly known."
June raised an eyebrow. "So... If I go to tell my mom I got a job, what should I say?"
Trixie cleared her throat. "Just tell him you got a job working for a remote observatory. It's true, and keeps security happy."
The mayor nodded her head in agreement. "That sort of simplicity is the best. As I was saying, you have one week to familiarize yourself with the contents of your orientation packet slash briefing documents before being tested. Your ID and clearance will be completed by the end of the week. In the meantime, please wear this amulet openly. It will serve as a provisional ID while adding you to the town’s illusion whitelist.”
Mayor Violashade then took two sets of keys and a small silver amulet in the shape of an open eye from her desk drawer. She placed them on her desk next to June and nodded towards it.
June picked up the amulet with a hoof, inspected it, then slipped it on. She felt a cool spark of magic tingle through her chest to her eyes, nose, and ears, which quickly faded into background nothingness. “Hey, so, Trixie mentioned these things… What can I expect to see? I don’t want to scream and upset some poor pony who just… I don’t know, has a flower pot for a head or something.”
The mayor laughed and leaned back in her chair. “Oh, I’m sure Fern wouldn’t mind,” she said, shaking her head slowly. “The weirdest thing is probably Enox. She’s… Either a mutant who fully believes she’s an alien enough to pass truth spells, or an actual alien. Looks mostly like a pony but smaller, green, no fur, and antennae instead of ears… Look, she’s a stereotypical little green mare, we leaked her appearance to pop culture just in case she is an alien and her people show up one day. That way nopony panics if slash when they do. She wears a fishbowl that’s full of liquid. It’s supposed to be pure ethanol since that’s what she breathes, but it’s usually full of beer because… Well, it’s sort of like smoking for her.”
June blinked twice and tilted her head. “Wait… But—”
Trixie cleared her throat. “She built a non-magical energy weapon from garbage once because she thought a raccoon was a dire threat to public safety. She’s absolutely an alien. I don’t care what anypony says.”
Dew stood up and raised her hoof. “Miss Mayor?”
“Yes, Dew?” Mayor Violashade said as she shifted her attention.
“It’s totally above June’s clearance, but shouldn’t she know about 1941? Just so she can avoid... you know.” Dew said slowly, looking at June to make sure the younger mare knew this was a crucial thing to be aware of.
“Ah,” the mayor, Sam, and Trixie said together. “Right…”
June raised an eyebrow.
Mayor Violashade coughed into her hoof. “I can’t disclose anything more than this but… If you’re walking alone one night, and the world around you has become a nightmarish reflection of itself at some point, and you can see… Let’s call them oily tendrils in the shadows… Just calmly but firmly say no. They will go away and leave you alone.”
June blinked once. “I’m sorry, but… What?”
Sam sighed and shook her head. “Okay, so… One of the things CARE has here is some kind of eldritch entity. They're creepy but friendly. Too friendly. They seem to think that making everything generally spooky is flirting. You’re not in danger. Just tell them no politely, and they'll go away. No harm, no foul. And uh, no… None of us have seen their full body. Just the occasional group of tentacles waving hi, poking out of portals to buy stuff, that kind of thing. They're kind of just… Around. Sometimes. Not sure how they're contained or if they even are. I don't have clearance for that. They tried to pick me up once, though. Turned a back room I was working on into a way too dark, seemingly infinite void filled with eerily lit mist and a maze-like series of pipes. I almost said yes, though, because it offered me some beer and chocolates... But I didn't because I don't know what happens if you go with them.”
The mayor coughed awkwardly into her hoof. “Uh… Dusk sort of, makes sure she stays here. But you didn’t hear it from me.”
June put her hoof to her chin and did her best to ignore memories of certain neighponese animations she’d seen in college after dark, and failed. “Uh, w— What if someone says yes? Do we know what happens?”
Trixie snorted and flicked her tail with amusement. “One guy claims to have said yes and just went on a date. Like a normal date. To a movie in another dimension. He says they didn't click though so now they're just friends. But he’s a compulsive liar so nopony believes him.”
The mayor cleared her throat again. “It’s generally advised you say no. You’re in no danger regardless, but… I’m not allowed to talk about the test subjects. Though I will say if you go with 1941, when you return, you’ll be a changeling magnet for at least six months. Also, that stallion did go on a date with them, and they are friends now. Just for the record.”
Trixie blinked several times. "Wait... We play poker. Is the weird mute mare he brings with--"
The mayor straightened up in her seat, interrupting and ignoring Trixie. “Like I said, Ms. Junebug, everything here is harmless unless provoked or mishandled. Even the elder thing. It just… Seems to want the occasional pony’s company. Now if you don’t mind, I have to prepare for a meeting, and you should tell your father you’ve taken this position, and make peace from your argument this morning. If you can. But do remember security protocols. Do not talk about the job in detail.”
June's jaw dropped. “How do you know about that?”
“I can read ponies' surface thoughts if they cause enough emotion. And no, I am not a changeling,” Mayor Violashade reapplied simply. “It’s why I live here.”
June took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “So then… this town is just plain old weird?”
“Yep!” Dew proclaimed happily.
“I think I can deal with that,” June said, shaking her head as she smiled. “I was always the odd one out in school… Thanks for the job, ma’am.”
“Don’t thank me,” the mayor said as she flipped a panel on her desk open to look down at the computer terminal built into her desk. “Thank Dusk. No offense, but I wouldn’t have hired you with only a masters without her recommendation.”
June made a mental note to do exactly that and picked up her and Sam’s keys, tossing the second set to the older mare, who caught them expertly in her gauntlets.
“Will do. But still, thanks,” she said as she began to walk out of the office. “Sam? Why don’t you and Dew go home. I’ll meet you there after I let my family know I—”
June opened the office door and froze in place. Standing in the doorway, one hoof raised to knock, was Dusk, and another mare. A green-eyed mare wrapped in a gray silicone body glove wearing a cute outfit consisting of a baggy green hoodie with white socks and boots.
Though June focused foremost on the mare’s face. The family resemblance was uncanny. Her mother’s cheekbones, her nose, her biological father’s broad-based ears (which she shared), her stepdad’s eye shape.
June’s brain shifted without a clutch, searching for any information about the synthetic mare to tell her she wasn’t related to her. She smelled of metal, oil, and silicone. So pheromones were not there to help. Logic provided the sheer impossibility of them being related, but June’s heart flipped logic the double bird and continued to insist they were related.
Okay… This is creepy. June said, her hackles raised as she tried to process everything.
“Uh… Is this some kind of WIP stand-in for my home life?” June asked hesitantly.
The mayor shook her head. “No. We don’t do anything like that. Dusk, explain, please.”
Dusk cleared her throat. “This is a sapient android created by a friend of mine. I’m here to get her a job and a home since her creator has passed. The resemblance is not intended to be distressing to you, June. I assure you that her creator only wanted to shape her as a pony and had no reference other than your family to use.”
June blinked, her head tilting to the left seemingly on its own. “I’m sorry, what?”
June stared into the gray mare’s eyes for several long moments, making the other mare shift from hoof to hoof nervously before extending a shiny metal hoof for June to shake and saying in a noticeably artificial but quite pleasant and chipper voice. “Hi, I’m Ultra Violet.”
"No, you're gray," Dew commented before fachooving. "Wait, that's your name... Sorry!"
June remained still for another long moment, then slowly shook the mare’s hoof. “Junebug.” June introduced, her face taking on a suspicious look.
Wait, she said sapient. That means this is a person, not a machine, despite her body. June realized. She closed her eyes for a moment, centering herself. “Is Dusk telling the truth about your creator using my family as a reference?”
Violet’s eyes brightened, figuratively and literally. “Oh! Yes. Sorry, I wasn't booted up for that. I had to check my database. You’re one of the four ponies my mom scanned to create this body for me. There’s a note here on the rebuild file about it. She was upset she couldn’t get a bigger sample size to make me more unique looking. Sorry, I didn’t mean to creep you out or anything.”
The last piece of a puzzle clicked in June’s mind. She held up one hoof to Violet and said, “Just a moment,” before turning to look at Dusk with as much irritation as she could muster towards the ‘changeling’ who saved her life.
“Why the buck didn’t you just tell me your friend who died made a robot pony who looks like she could be my sister? Furless mare my plot! Okay, well, technically yes, but…” June shook her head slowly. “Come on! You should tell a girl when something like this happens and involves her directly!”
“She’s terrible at being direct,” Sam, Trixie, Dew, and Mayor Violashade said together without any hint of emotion.
Dusk cleared her throat and nodded into the room towards the trio. “What they said… Sorry. I have to be a little cryptic. It’s a rule.”
June rolled her eyes and then pointed to Violet with one hoof. “Well, you know what I’m gonna do about this?”
Dusk frowned slightly, but June continued before she could say anything.
She looked Violet in the eyes and, with all the sincerity and casualness she could muster, said, “Hey, so, I can feel my neurons going ‘Wait, you’re related to her!’ right now, and holy crap, that’s too loud to ignore. Especially since I actually wanted a sister since I was little. Dusk wanted me to hire you as a personal assistant so… I think the only way I can have any kind of relationship with you is to just agree with my brain and pretend you’re my sister. So, when you’re done with whatever you’re here for, just drop by the observatory, okay, sis?”
Violet paused for a notable moment as she did her best to determine what a sister was before answering. “Uh, so… Do you mean sister as in a linked system, or as in a family member?”
June tilted her head, confused as to how anypony could have taken her statement wrong.
“It’s her first day,” Dusk explained. “Literally.”
“I mean that you look too much like you’re my actual sister for me to entirely ignore,” June explained slowly. “Like, you’re poking those herd instincts in the back of my brain. The ones that make ponies do dumb things because that’s what evolution says we do when those bits get poked.”
“Yeah,” Sam agreed. “Color difference aside, I also feel like you two are related. Your inventor probably didn’t know how much appearance affects herd behaviors. Heck, few ponies do. Most of them think it's all scent based.”
“Oh,” Violet said, shrugging slightly within her loose hoodie. “In that case, since it will be hard for you to see me otherwise, and we are in a way related…”
The android looked unfocused for a moment, then said, “Database update complete,” before suddenly smiling at June with genuine happiness. “Hi, sis!”
June blinked twice. “Did… Did you just tell yourself we’re sisters and, like, instantly totally believe that?”
“Yeah,” Violet reapplied, rolling her eyes. “It’s almost like I’m a computer and can just tweak my own code because my uncle was an idiot with programming.”
Everypony flinched.
“What? It’s not like I’ll go Skynet or anything,” Violet muttered. “I have the same risk of being malicious as anyone else. Besides, if her brain is going to scream at her that we’re siblings too loud for her to ignore, it’s only fair that I have mine do the same.”
June raised a hoof to object, then lowered it. “Actually, that is fair. I guess I have an adopted robot sister now! Buck me, this town is a weirdness magnet… But I think I like it. We’ll chat later, Vi. I have to go talk to my parents.”
“Well, that was easy,” Dusk mused to herself. “Probably could have just said an alien computer made a robot that looks like you’re related…”
“Yeah! You super could have because my inner filly would have just squeed and thought that was awesome! Because my inner current age is doing the same bucking thing, because robots are cool!” June snapped irritably. “For the love of Luna, I know changelings are supposed to be secretive but don’t be that cryptic with me in the future, please.”
The mayor blinked. Trixie’s ears perked as an amused grin parted her lips. Dew and Sam snickered. Dusk’s eyes widened with a look of mischief.
“Sorry, June. You know how we changelings can be,” Dusk said with a playful wink. Not at June, but rather everypony else.
The others nodded behind June’s back. The joke would be legendary.
The mayor sighed and slumped down in her chair. “Ms. June, can you please go? I suddenly have to squeeze in an intake meeting before the afternoon’s budget meeting… I don’t have any more time I can afford to waste.”
June nodded and walked out into the hall, followed quickly by Sam, Trixie and Dew. Once the door to the mayor’s office closed behind them June turned to look over her shoulder and asked, “So… Is this a normal day around here?”
“Normal first day,” Sam said with a smirk. “It… It hits hard but then that’s just the new normal.”
Trixie nodded in agreement. “Yeah. I swear this town itself is anomalous. You move here, you get something weird as a new part of your life right away.”
“Okay but… I’m not likely to suddenly find out my dad’s the count of this fiefdom by some weird law and suddenly BAM I’m part of local politics, or anything else bizarre and seemingly impossible?” June asked just to be sure.
Dew giggled. “Nah… But it’s weird that’s where you went when ‘suddenly robot sister’ is the bar that just got set.”
June shook her head. “Oh no it’s not. I’m looking for other adjacent bars of weirdness, because today is so not clearing anything higher than the suddenly robot sister bar.”
“Fair,” Trixie mused. “You really should go talk to your folks, though, and do remember they’re not cleared to know about things like Violet. Also, want me to go with you for support?”
June thought for a moment then shook her head. “Nah, I want to fly over. I’ve been gone long enough.”
Trixie rolled her eyes, transforming with a flash of pale yellow flame into a pegasus version of herself.
“Oh! Right,” June said, blushing and rubbing the back of her head. “Let’s get going then.”
“One second,” Trixie said before moving in front of Sam and spreading her wings slightly while batting her eyes. “What do you think? Better than a unicorn?”
Sam hummed then shrugged. “I don’t know? Tribe doesn't really matter much to me for looks.”
Trixie’s ears drooped. “Right… June let's fly out to your folks.” She said before quickly taking to the air.
Sam and June both frowned, trying to work out what had made the changeling suddenly and mysteriously sad.
“Oh no, there’s two of them now…” Dew muttered into the hoof pressed firmly against her muzzle.