//------------------------------// // Missing Shade of Red 2.4: The Flower District (Revised) // Story: The Pony Dialogues // by Knowledge //------------------------------// Chapter Context: 2.2: Evening Glimmer tasks Lyra with finding out who is responsible for mass mental magic over the town. -----------------------------------Ponyville Square--------------------------------------- The mint-colored unicorn trotted out of town hall, avoiding the anonymous earth pony painting by the door. She knew where she would begin her investigation: Ponyville Flower District. She cast an air filtration spell so that she wouldn't be affected by tainted air of the district. For unprotected ponies, by the time you knew you were in the Flower District (a.k.a. the Red Rose District) it was too late as the air became so thick with the scents of flowers that one became too high to even think straight. The bottom of the bottom of ponykind like Rose Luck and Daisy smelled their senses away here. They were so unused to the common problems of the world that the smallest things could cause them to faint. While being weak to fright is common to Ponyville due to Evening Glimmer's efforts to keep everypony happy all the time ("big smiles in our village, see Dusk Shine"), those in the Flower District were extremely vulnerable to trauma. For a deputy of magic and science law, the Flower District was the best place get leads on investigations. Rumors gathered in the well-lit dens of frivolous florists and small-change merchants. While the historian didn't have any experience in such places in Canterlot, her job forced her to make 'friends' with the ponies in the district in Ponyville. One of those 'friends' was Bon Bon (formerly known as Sweetie Drops), a small candies merchant, who had use her neighbor's flowers to sweeten her confections. Bon Bon was also a valued test subject for the side effects of the Mind Torch along with Derpy Hooves (formerly known as Ditzy Doo) and Bulk Biceps (formerly known as Snowflake). These ponies had suffered some mental deformation while having their personalities remade but it had shown the potential of the Mind Torch to do more than just reset the minds of ponies. (1) When Lyra found the mare of malignancy, she was high as a kite on a breezing Spring day, literally. Pinkie Pie was on a tight rope talking to Bon Bon who had climbed up onto her roof. The deputy rang the bell on the stall counter. "I will be down in like one moment, girl," Bon Bon called in a valley accent common to Earth ponies who lived in said valleys. (AN: This is a reference to the voice Bon Bon has in "Green Isn't Your Color.") Lyra adjusted her red tie while she waited. The two earth ponies were talking about Starswirl knows what and not following any logic known to unicorn logic. Finally, Bon Bon started laughing at something Pinkie Pie said and the two mares on the roof separated in mutual abundant mirth. The laughter caught Lyra off-guard. Interesting, it seems that the abundance of flowers about this area is protecting the ponies from the green sun emotional numbing affect, Lyra noted on a spare piece of paper attached to her Disharmony report book. "Did Pinkie ever tell you the one about the buffalo, the changeling, and the filly who walk into Ponyville?" Bon Bon asked. "No," Lyra said curtly, not interested in jokes that had nothing to do with her investigation. Before the candy pony could say any more pleasantries, Lyra continued. "I came here to ask you some questions." Bon Bon tilted her head a bit. "Do I like, uh, know you? You are Lyra, right?" Lyra remained stoic as she pulled out a badge from her pocket with the image of Canterlot Mountain standing tall over all of Equestria. "I am Lyra Heartstrings with the Ponyville branch of the Magistracy of Magic and Science. Again, I need to just ask you a few questions." "Oh, anything I can like help you with? Girl, I swear I know you from somewhere," Bon Bon said. "Yes, do you know anything about that," the assistant said pointing to the flaming sphere overhead. Bon Bon looked at it. She opened her mouth and closed it several times, having difficulty figuring out what was on her mind. Something finally distracted her from the horrid job of thinking about the past. "Uh, was that green thing like always there? I never noticed it before." The mint unicorn stood patiently as she asked her next question. "Has Rarity said anything to you about Twilight doing more experiments with mass mental magic?" Bon Bon blinked a few times before seemed to click for her. "Rarity, that's that nice dressing unicorn pony, right. She says she's my friend. I don't, like, remember her. We talked some yesterday, and she talked about everypony. I couldn't remember most of it. She did mention Twilight though. It didn't make much sense , cause how do you, like, make barrel measurements for a time of day?" Lyra stifled a sigh at the mare confusing Twilight with a time of day. "Thank you very much for your answers, Bon Bon. Now I only have one more thing to ask you, but before I do, I need you to look carefully at this." Lyra levitated the Mind Torch from her front suit pocket. adjusting it to narrow focus and medium power. When Bon Bon had finally focused her attention on the device in front of her, Lyra activated the Mind Torch and asked the earth pony her last question. "Bon Bon, do you remember who I am?" Bon Bon stared for a moment before responding. "How would I know? I never seen you before in my life," she said a completely new voice. It was as if she had swallowed gravel. (Author's Note: This is a reference to The Super Speedy Cider Squeezy 6000 where Bon Bon has a different voice and complains to have had cider with rocks in it.) Lyra smirked as Mind Torch successfully created a new pony personality with no memory of Lyra or any of the MMS's experiments. If the mental deformations became bad enough, Lyra would just send Bon Bon to hospital to be institutionalized like Screw Loose and the other former test subjects. It wasn't necessarily permanent as Derpy had recovered enough to be released back into Ponyville proper for Princess Twilight's coronation. "Good, I am done here. For your help, here is a voucher for ten bits redeemable at Magic and Science store in Equestria," Lyra told the mentally-deteriorating mare. I guess I will now have to go to the probably source next, since Bon Bon proved to be a dud, literally, Lyra thought to herself as she trotted in her sweaty black suit to Golden Oaks Library, where Princess Twilight lived. -----------------------------------------Golden Oak's Library------------------------------------------ Bon Bon had proven to be quite useless in the investigation, but Lyra had expected as much since Sweetie Drops had become increasingly incompetent as she transitioned into the Bon Bon of today. Hopefully, Twilight will be able to clear up this mess, so that Evening Glimmer can relax, the mint unicorn thought. Lyra almost knocked on the library door before she remembered it was a public building. It seems I been infected by whatever causes earth ponies to not know that this building is more than where Twilight lives. It can't be helped, I guess. Earth ponies don't need to read more than what is necessary to make bits. Upon entering, Lyra examined for the pony she was looking for. She only saw Spike cleaning up some books that looked like they fell off of one of the shelves. "Familiar Spike, where is your master?" Spike looked up from his task at the Canterlot mare at the door. "It has been a long time since I have been called that. The title familiar makes me feel like a diamond dog's slave." "The position of familiar is way above even that of the diamond dog alpha. You should be proud. Here in an earth pony village, you among those of relatively equal caste." Spike went back to work. "Yep, you sound just like all the other Canterlot unicorns. They really need to get out of that castle. Nopony talks like that about others here." If Lyra understood Spike's comment, she made no indication. Taking a deep breadth, Spike changed subjects. "You are probably here because of the Green Sun outside." "Yes, young familiar, I am here for that. The magistracy has gotten really hectic because of whatever that thing is outside." "More like Evening Glimmer has gone a bit nutty," Spike said knowingly. "How did you know?" Lyra asked, being careful not to opine opening about her boss. "Twilight had a class from Evening when she was still teaching at the Gifted School ten years back. Twilight told me many stories of how Evening helped her prepare for Celestia's most stressful magic tests. It doesn't take a gifted to realize those two are basically identical ponies, just different ages." Lyra noted this information on the spare sheet in her Disharmony report book. Who knows? This might be useful when I write a memoir of Princess Evening Glimmer, the historian reasoned. "I am not sure I want you to remove the spell, honestly," Spike said. As he did this, he sighed and pulled out a picture of Rarity, a unicorn with a pure white coat, false eyelashes, and a purple coiffure. "See this pony?" Spike asked. Lyra nodded. "Yes, the valley unicorn, respected in Canterlot for contributions to aesthetics, part of the Belle family." Spike rolled his eyes. "Not what I meant. Now, what I meant is look at how pretty she is." "Yeah, she is definitely a prime specimen of unicorn beauty. I am sure this is a reflection of the idea of beauty her talent gives her knowledge of." "Before the spell, I might have agreed with you," Spike said in a way that betrayed the smallest trace of lament. "You see. I had fallen for this unicorn." This caused Lyra to pale. "That is wrong." "You are the only one to think so. The others including her and Twilight thought it was adorable," Spike countered. "They are a bad influence on you, then. One should never encouraged somepony to aspire beyond their station as it disrupts the harmony which everypony realizes through ones Cutie Mark." "Spare me the lecture," Spike said with a sigh. "You are still missing the point. I loved her, and now I don't. This has given me time to think about my feelings, and I have come to the conclusion that what she did to me while I was under her spell was morally wrong. Friends don't take advantage of each other. The point is that the green sun protects me from Rarity's magic." Lyra nodded. "I understand. Slavery is to be made less than one is, and thus the greatest affront to our harmony. You are not the first to be brought low by the spell of seduction for the selfish desires of the seductress. I have once seen Rarity use such magic to swindle an earth pony from his rightfully purchased vegetables. We didn't act on it because she did reimburse the poor stallion and the she is the Element of Generosity." (2) "Is there anything you can do?" Spike asked. "If I have time, I will see if Rarity cannot be harmonized into treating you in accordance of your caste. In the meantime, I can get you some sunglasses, though I doubt it will work on her kind of magic," she answered. Spike placed the picture upside down on a table which was presumably his own workstation. "Friends..." he said meditatively for a moment, then he slowly turned away from the table and to face Lyra. "You came here not to talk to me about my problems. You wanted Twilight. She left awhile ago in a hurry. I am sorry for delaying you." Lyra sighed. "It is okay. This is only an emergency. We can talk again when there isn't some oppressive magic at work in Ponyville." "There is always some emergency in Ponyville. You can take a break every once in awhile. Plus, usually Twilight solves these kind of problems, though I hope she doesn't this time," Spike said. With that insight, Lyra said goodbye and left. Closing the door, her stomach growled at her. I wish I had breakfast. I don't think Evening Glimmer will mind if I get a quick bite to eat. Lyra went looking for the sandwich shop. It was not to far from town hall, so if Twilight resolved everything again, she wouldn't have to go very far. I would just have to gallop up those stairs, Lyra reminded herself and moaned.