//------------------------------// // Chapter 10 // Story: Mail Order Orphan // by kudzuhaiku //------------------------------// The past few days were a blur. Ivy seemed to be growing right before Fluttershy’s eyes, her tail growing longer, her body becoming somewhat more serpentine, her horns maybe becoming a tiny bit larger. She was developing a bit of pudge, a healthy layer of baby fat that she didn’t have before. Her feathers and scales were shiny, incandescent, her coat becoming more and more glossy. Her ears were beginning to sprout tufts of hair near the tips. Fluttershy yawned. It had been a hard night. New feathers were growing in, on both Ivy’s crest and wing. Ivy had been a bit grumpy at first, and then descended into total misery. Growing in feathers was awful, no matter how old you were. The new feathers carried even more hints of orange. Fluttershy was preparing breakfast. Oatmeal with apple butter for both of them. Ivy would no doubt find plenty of things to eat later, like rocks, sticks, bugs, and, if she was well behaved, perhaps some of the dwindling silverware that had been left by the door. Ivy was sitting on the rug, watching various animals scurry around the cottage. They were no longer scared of her and some of them were content to even play with her. At the moment, she wasn’t very playful, mostly just yawning and showing off a terrifying display of dental horror. As breakfast cooked, Fluttershy wondered how Ivy was able to chomp through almost anything. Or Spike for that matter. Magic teeth? How did she digest what she ate? It was a mystery. She scooped out a bowl of oatmeal and prepared to feed her foal. Ivy had eaten the spoon, and then the bowl, not content to lick the sweetness from it. Fluttershy watched the foal as she came in through the door, coming back in from taking care of her business outside. “Good Ivy!” Fluttershy praised. “Pony.” Said Ivy, pointing behind her with a claw. Fluttershy went to the door, looking out, and felt a twinge of panic. There was a flock of incoming ponies in the distance, and she could see sunlight glinting off of armor. “Come, Ivy, back outside. Let’s find out what they want.” Ivy was content to return outside, wiggle-waddling out and climbing up on a stump to sit down on her haunches. Fluttershy was close behind. A yellow wing wrapped around Ivy. Royal guard. And a flight of alicorns. Fluttershy felt a tight feeling in her throat and a twinge in her stomach. Why were they coming here? Ivy wasn’t dangerous, even though some of the townsponies seemed to think so. They were closer now, close enough for Fluttershy to make them out. No chariots, the Royal Pony Sisters were actually out flying, along with Twilight Sparkle. Celestia flew center, with Luna on her left, Twilight on her right. Two guards up front, two bringing up the rear. They were descending. The fliers cleared the trees, swooping in low, landing in a clearing a short distance away. Two lunar pegasi, a rare sight in the day, and two solar pegasi, all wearing armor. The solar pegasi came forward with Celestia and the others. And Ivy went crazy. She leapt from the stump and began to wiggle-waddle around in circles, shouting “Hi hi!” over and over, her voice rising in pitch as her excitement grew. As Celestia drew near, Ivy bolted, wiggle-waddling as fast as her legs would carry her to Celestia, shouting “hi hi!” the whole time. She tackled Celestia’s leg and squeezed mightily. “Oh hi hi!” Ivy stammered. “Hello again little one,” Celestia said in gentle tones, “I’m so glad to see you again.” Fluttershy bowed slightly, unsure of what to do next. She cleared her throat. “You know Ivy?” She asked, her voice small and weak. “Yes I do,” Celestia replied, “I helped to deliver her. She should have been hatched from an egg I think.” Celestia paused, looking sad for a moment, and then her face returned to its usual serene state. “But she was birthed. There were complications. I was called.” She sighed, and fell silent for a moment. “I have lived for a very long time, and I have helped to birth many creatures. Ivy was a challenge. I wish I could have done more.” Celestia looked down at Ivy, who was clinging to her leg and looking up. “I am so glad that Ivy has found a home. I was worried. I wanted her to be civilised. Civilisation would be good for her. I was afraid that she would never have a home that would give her the attention or conditioning that she needs, and that we would have to release her out into the wilds to live as a feral creature. It would have broken my heart.” “Why are you here?” Fluttershy asked. “Why the guard? Why are all of you here?” “It’s OK Fluttershy,” Twilight replied, “we just need to do a few simple tests, determine a few things, and make a few notes. Nothing bad, I promise.” “Will it hurt?” Fluttershy asked, the first faint notes of aggression entering her normally dulcet voice. “I… I… I wont allow this to happen if it hurts Ivy.” Fluttershy said defiantly. “She’s not some test subject.” “It might be uncomfortable,” Luna replied, “but I am hoping nothing will hurt. I want nothing to do with harming a foal. Any foal. Luna turned her gaze toward Twilight and Celestia. “No harm, right?” “Of course not Luna,” Celestia responded, “we are not here to do harm, but it might cause some mild panic and discomfort.” “We do need a blood test,” Twilight said, “and that might sting a little.” She looked guilty. “Blood tests are OK. Sometimes you have to draw a little blood.” Fluttershy’s feathers smoothed a bit from their ruffled state. Twilight’s head drooped down. “We also need to poke around her backside a bit,” she said in a low voice, “we need to figure out the method of ignition and if it can be controlled.” Twilight paused. “All external of course. Well, at first. If we can’t figure out what causes it, a trip to the hospital might be in order.” Fluttershy stood resolute, silent, and finally nodded. “I understand.” “So,” Luna asked, “who has this task?” The two sisters exchanged a glance with Twilight. “Oh no,” Twilight protested, “There’s a mostly hairless draconequus running around Equestria somewhere and I am NOT joining him. Besides, I am not the same sort of alicorn as you two. Both of you are far more durable than I am. You’ve had centuries to harden your selves to the abuses of the world.” Luna and Celestia exchanged glances this time. “I birthed her.” Celestia stated. “Fine,” said Luna, “I’ll do it. Fetch me some goggles.” Twilight levitated the protective eyewear from her saddlebags. “I have a theory,” Twilight offered, “that Ivy’s ignition works in a similar way to dragons. Dragons have two metallic organs in their throat that strike together, igniting the gas. I believe that Ivy’s scales are rubbing together during intense flatus and producing the needed spark, igniting the gasses. All dragons produce flammable gas due to their diets and unique body chemistry. Ivy’s scales are metallic in nature. Dragons are not carbon based lifeforms like ponies are. Well, not exactly. Silicon, boron, and sulfur with a touch of carbon make dragons what they are.” Celestia looked at Twilight with pride. “Twilight, I do believe that you have become Equestria’s most knowledgeable dragon expert after raising Spike.” Luna donned the goggles and then lifted Ivy with her magic. “Woah no!” Ivy exclaimed, her claws not finding anything to grasp. Nothing was holding her. She floated in the air, rapidly becoming terrified. Her tail lashed out and wrapped around Luna’s neck. “Interesting.” Luna commented. “Independent action, probably due to a separate hindbrain of some sort. She tickled Ivy with her magic, causing the foal to giggle. The tail loosened slightly. “Fine,” said Luna, “cling if it brings you comfort.” “Ooh, Discord did this once!” Fluttershy warned as Luna lifted Ivy’s hind end into view. “Interesting.” Luna repeated. “Scales along the insides of her cute little plot furrow, extending outward in a radius beneath her tail. Scales extend along her belly somewhat, down between her hind legs, and along her inner thighs, providing protection.” Luna pulled a set of tweezers from Twilight’s saddlebags. “Her whole tail is covered in scales. She has a soft pelt where a cutie mark could appear, if it does, with scales forming below her hips, completely covering every inch of her hind legs where they extend beyond her body.” Ivy turned her head and was looking at Luna, her eyes narrowed. “Fart?” Ivy asked, her tone threatening. “By the stars, no!” Luna begged. She lifted the tweezers. Luna positioned the tweezers against the extra armored scales directly under Ivy’s tail. She scraped lightly, producing a glowing shower of sparks. Ivy squirmed. “Looks like Twilight was correct,” Luna declared, “When the flatus exits, it causes the scales to rub and strike together, producing potent sparks. Which means that Ivy could probably relax her backside in such a way that it might be possible to release gas without ignition. We’ll have to wait and see.” Luna lowered the foal to the ground, Ivy’s tail relaxing its stranglehold. Ivy scurried away to a safe distance, turned, and farted, releasing a frightening cloud of fire. Luna shuddered. Ivy scuttled away from the blast zone. She turned and glared at Luna, plopping her backside into the grass. She stuck out her tongue and blew a loud raspberry. “Ivy!” Fluttershy scolded. “That’s not nice.” “I deserve it.” Luna said. “I went poking around in delicate places. Robbed her of her dignity. Draconic entities are proud creatures. I’m lucky that all I got was a raspberry. Wounded pride is not easily forgiven. Fluttershy, you must remember, she isn’t quite like us, although she is capable of living among us. At least, we all hope so.” “I am positive that she can.” Fluttershy responded. “I’ve made Discord behave. Mostly.” “None of us doubt your abilities Fluttershy.” Celestia tone was gentle, calming. Ivy wiggle-waddled over to her mother and clung to Fluttershy’s hind leg. She glared at Luna. Luna sighed. “She is going to remember this for a long time,” Luna said, “which reminds me, who is giving her the blood test? I’ve done my job and I still have all of my beautiful coat. I’m done.” “I’m too pretty of a pony.” Twilight said, backing away. “And too young. I’m not up for being incinerated today, as I’ve stated previously.” Luna laughed and looked at Celestia. “Nullfire, Celestia,” Luna warned. Celestia nodded. Her horn glowed for a moment, opening Twilight’s saddlebag, and pulling forth a large blue sapphire. She also grasped the syringe with her magic. Celestia extended the sapphire to Ivy, shaking it in the air. Ivy came out from behind Fluttershy, sniffing, her eyes wide and bright. A string of drool dribbled from the corner of her mouth. She sat a short distance away from the sapphire, eyeing it, licking her lips. Unseen, the syringe was levitated around behind her. Ivy’s tongue shot out to claim the sapphire, but it didn’t budge. It was held in the air by Celestia’s magic. A brief tug of war ensued. The syringe moved near Ivy’s foreleg, just under her shoulder. Celestia tugged back on the sapphire, causing Ivy to dig her talons into the earth for traction, her tongue trying to tug the sapphire free. Ivy growled. It was a low frequency rumbling, not something that could come from a pony. It was felt more than heard. Ivy squeaked for a moment, her eyes going wide with surprise, her ears folding against her head, her crest rising with agitation. The sapphire was suddenly free, and Ivy hauled it in and began crunching after sucking on it for a few moments. She was clearly confused and conflicted. Something had hurt… But she also had her prize, the sapphire. In the end, hunger had won out. Her momentary discomfort was mostly ignored. Celestia raised the vial of blood in triumph.