Chapter 5 – Moonlight / Mondlicht
There was silence. It grew, until it was rather awkward. Spell Pact blinked, then started to rummage around in his bag, pulling out a number of charts, sheets of paper, and a few odd looking medical instruments.
“Umm, did you not hear me? I said…” Princess Celestia began, but the Unicorn held up a hand to forestall her.
“I heard, and I want to get some things out before we continue.” Spell Pact removed a tape measure and a small portable voice recorder, and turned to the pair of Alicorns with a glint of mania in his eyes. Celestia had seen it enough times in her student that she knew what it was, and where it would lead. He clicked a button on the side of the recorder, turning it on, and proceeded to clip it to his shirt.
“You’re handling the reveal of my sister surprisingly well.” Princess Celestia was impressed. A number of her guards and officers had been, well, vocal in their shock and surprise. Namely one Captain of the Guard who’d fainted after hearing what his sister had been part of.
“I suppose better than most. But to be fair, it answers a number of questions I’ve had.” Confused, the sisters share a glance before turning back to the doctor. He walked over to Luna and lifted her up, like a parent might to a child.
“What art thou?!”
“Hush, I need to take some measurements.”
“Why?!”
“Well, this is the closest I’ll ever get to a juvenile Alicorn, and I want as many stats as I can get.”
Luna was flabbergasted at this stallion’s audacity, and she stiffened as he put her on the ground so she was standing before him, and he began to wrap the measuring tape around her body. It only lasted a moment, and he was soon scribbling notes down onto a clipboard he’d removed.
“While your appearance and proportions are that of a child from the age range of 6 to 8, your physical measurements are more along the lines of a teenager. From this I assume Alicorns are naturally bigger than the other Pony races,” Spell Pact muttered to himself. Luna and Celestia gawked at him as he repeated the data.
“Horn appears to be about an inch longer than most other adolescent Unicorns, with a sharper, more pointed tip. The wingspan is also an inch greater than that of an average adolescent Pegasus.”
“Doctor, do you mind getting back on track? As fascinating as this is for you, we need your help with a very specific…” Celestia began, but she soon choked on her words as Spell Pact bent Luna over and pulled down her skirt! Instantly, Luna’s bare flank was exposed, her Cutie Mark visible and her face bright red.
“Her Cutie Mark is manifested, depicting a moon on a dark sky. I can only assume her talent lies with raising the moon. As her alleged sister, Celestia, can raise the sun and her Mark is that of a sun, I believe my hypothesis is sound…”
Anything more was cut off as Luna screamed loudly and lashed out with both her back hoof and magic, blasting Spell Pact into the wall. She was blushing furiously, and even Celestia was flushed with embarrassment.
“…Physical strength and magical power seem to be above average, though it might have just been emotional discharge fueling them,” Spell continued, staggering up from the indent in the plaster.
“Please, Doctor Pact, no more games. I, we, really need your expertise,” Celestia pleaded, while Luna pulled her skirt back up.
“Why doth we require this… pervert’s skill? Surely another could do the job!”
“Luna, Doctor Spell Pact is one of the leading authorities on the consequences of magical phenomena and their causes. He knows more about magical, um, misfires, than any other Pony alive. It helps that the field is rather small, but the point stands. He can help us figure out why you’ve reverted back to foalhood.”
“Indeed, Princess. I am likely the best choice. I can tell that this is unexpected.” Spell brushed the dust off his clothes, and looked up at the pair of royals.
“Another thing. I can only assume that your current state has to do with the two magical explosions I felt last night. That intrigues me.” Luna and Celestia flinched back as they saw Spell Pact’s eyes. Pain, madness, and a burning lust to do whatever it took to uncover all the secrets that hid in the world. They blinked, and it was gone as fast as it appeared.
“Yes, you’re right about that,” Celestia said, jumping into the explanation of what had happened during the Summer Sun Celebration.
When she was finished, Spell Pact was stroking his chin in thought.
“I’ll need to do some tests. Physical, mental, and Thaumatic. I probably won’t need blood and urine samples, but it couldn’t hurt to have them.” He reached into his bag and removed two small plastic pouches.
“Fill one up with blood, the other with urine. I want them full when I return tomorrow.” Spell placed them on Luna’s bed, next to her.
“Tomorrow?” Celestia exclaimed, while Luna stared in mute horror at the two bags.
“Yes, tomorrow. I am tired from a nine hour train ride, plus I was just nearly thrown threw a solid wall. I need to sleep it all off. If you could, I’d like the following items to be provided.” Johan ripped some paper out of a notebook, and hastily jotted down a list of materials, tools, and various paraphernalia of his trade. He handed the note over to Princess Celestia, who took it, and gave it a quick look over. Some of the items he requested were not easy to come by, but she could obtain them quickly enough. Being the ruler of a nation had its perks if you wanted something.
“Of course, I’ll see to it right away.” Spell nodded his head in thanks. The door to the room swung open as Celestia used her magic to open them. Sky Bastion was waiting on the other side, standing in the exact same spot.
“Commander Bastion, could you please escort Doctor Pact to his room? He has earned some rest. Also, have somepony look at his injuries. And send up a maid, I need the items on this list gathered as soon as possible.”
“Right away, Princess,” Sky said, saluting, before leading the limping Unicorn away.
“I doth not like him, sister. He is far too improper and doth not respect our personal space,” Luna complained once the door was closed again.
“I’ll admit, I did not expect him to do… any of what he did, but he really is the best at what he does. Please, sister, put up with him till we figure this all out.”
Luna huffed, but nodded.
“He better not touch my flank again, though.”