Chapter 2: Beacon into the Unknown
“Okay. I thought it would be smaller.” Twilight said, slightly awed.
“What? It too big for you?” Came the reply from Twilight’s guide, Star Light.
“Nope. I can handle anything it has to throw at me. It’s just that books don’t do its size any justice. I never thought it would be so amazing! How many telescopes does it hold?”
Star Light roller her eyes and sighed. “You didn’t even bother learning some basic information about the place before you came here and demanded to run the show?”
“Hey! I’m just taking the telescope that’s currently offline. I was told it was even being decommissioned for scrap next month. Is there a problem with reusing and recycling, Miss Light?” Twilight said, her voice growing slightly cold at the end.
“No, none at all. It’s just a shame that it’s being used for such... futile research.” Star said in a high and mighty tone.
“What do you mean by that?” Twilight said, her voice leaving no doubt as to her feelings.
“Oh, nothing. Just an idle thought.”
The pair of bickering ponies passed through a hallway. The walls were decorated with framed photographs and news clippings. Twilight admired the decorations, reading each one as she passed. ‘Canterlot Observatory Discovers New Planet’ one said. Another was a photograph of a far-off nebula in space, the subtitle underneath it proclaiming it as being discovered by the observatory.
The mares passed by doors as they walked, each one with different signs on them. “Oh, you can’t go in there. You’re not authorized.” Star Light said with a smirk when she noticed Twilight looking at a door marked ‘Meteorite samples’. “You can’t go in there. You might mess something up, and that room is only for the important ponies that are competent.”
Twilight huffed. “Okay Miss. Light. I’m sorry that the Princess gave me permission to use one of the radio telescopes that she herself gave the funding for. Sorry if I’ve messed up any of your important plans. I mean, come on. How much does it hurt the observatory if I use just one of them?
As the pair walked off, their bickering at each other increasing with every step, they were unaware of the pair of maintenance workers watching them.
“You know, we might have to keep an eye on those two, make sure they don’t kill each other.” One said with a smile in his voice. The other one just nodded, trying not to burst out laughing.
-\\DW//-
“Pass me that screwdriver, would you?” Twilight said, her voice muffled by machine on top of her.
Star looked at the wrench for a moment. “Which size?” She asked in a bored voice.
“There’s only one size! Just pass me the screwdriver.” Twilight’s voice came, and even muffled, Star could tell she was miffed.
“Really? Only bringing one size Twilight? That’s no way to be prepared.” She said condescendingly.
“The screws are all uniform, as you well know. Now, am I going to have to get out and get it myself?”
“Oh, no, Just took me a moment to find it. Here you go Twilight.” Star said in a voice as cold as ice. Picking it up in her yellow magical aura, she concentrated for a moment, willing it to shrink slightly. Only then did she pass it over to Twilight, their two auras mingling for a moment until Twilight had a secure grip on it. The screwdriver disappeared underneath the structure, where Twilight was getting access to the critical systems.
“Hey! Maybe I did bring two sizes... This one’s too small. Is there another one there?” Twilight asked.
“No. That was the only one. Really Twilight, you should be more prepared. Maybe you should let someone else do this?”
Twilight pulled herself out from underneath it, her face having a couple of grease splatters on it. “Like you?” Twilight scoffed. “Yeah. Maybe when pigs fly.”
“You know that they have, right? Check the Discord Era. Looks like somepony needs to read up on their history.”
“I-. Er.” Twilight gave up on trying to form a comeback, resorting to throwing her hooves in the air and making an irritated noise at Star Light.
“You really should use words, Twilight. Other people don’t speak your particular brand of gibberish. I don’t think anypony does, actually.” She said with a smile in her voice. It wasn’t often she got to tick off the personal student of the princess and get away with it.
Twilight glared. “Fine... Whatever. Did you at least pick up my coffee from Starbucks?”
“Yes. I’m perfectly capable of picking up coffee, which is below my pay-grade, by the way.” She said, gesturing to a styrofoam cup on the table.
“Okay. At least even you couldn’t screw this up.” Twilight said, picking it up and taking a drink. She immediately did a spit-take on Star Light. “Bleh! This is straight black. Did you even put any creamer in it?” She asked, aiming a look that could kill a dragon.
Star just glared daggers back at Twilight, coffee dripping off her muzzle. She was pissed. “No. You just asked for coffee. How the hell was I supposed to know what you wanted in it. If you wanted your way, you should’ve gotten it yourself!”
“You offered! I even gave you money to buy me a white mocha!” Twilight said, barely restraining her voice.
“Whatever. It’s not like you needed it anyway. Coffee and machines don’t mix. Oh, dear. I had forgotten that you’ve never actually had a job like this before. Sorry!” Star Light said sarcastically.
Somewhere in the distance, a bell rang.
“Ah! It looks like it’s lunchtime. Shall we meet back here, say... at the beginning of never?”
With those words, she just turned around and walked away, leaving Twilight there, absolutely steaming. She knew she had won this battle
“You smell like an amorphophallus rafflesia!” Twilight yelled.
“Thanks for the compliment.” Star said over her shoulder.
“By Celestia... Some ponies are just so... so... irritable! Damn it!” She shouted at the receding figure. Her hoof immediately rose to her mouth. She had just cussed! Oh, what would the princess think?
Across the hall, while Twilight was having a moral dilemma, two stallions watched in secret.
“Damn. I was seriously hoping for a cat fight. With what I’ve seen of Star and heard of Twilight...” He sighed. “It would’ve been the catfight of the century!”
His companion nodded. “Yeah, it would’ve been! Should we pit them against each other? See how long until we can get them at blows?”
“Ten bits it’s before sundown.”
“You’re on!”