Twilight concentrated and teleported to a point directly above one of the RVs. She didn’t move. “Why can’t I teleport?”
The other two had no answer, not that Twilight expected them to have one.
“I’ve teleported before, so I know it’s allowed here,” she pointed out to the universe at large.
Meg asked, “In and out of our office?”
“Right.” She had done so several times, in both directions. So what was different about— she face-hoofed.
“I was close to the doll,” she said, having figured it out. “Our bubbles had collapsed, not that I knew it the first time I teleported in.”
“You can’t teleport to a point outside your bubble,” Meg deduced.
“Which means you have to become visible before you can teleport,” Rainbow Dash added, frowning.
Twilight looked down. No humans were outside. She would still be high up when she became visible, and it would only take a second to teleport. They’d have no reason to look up anyway. The risk was minimal.
She slowly descended over the RVs, keeping an eye on the pegasi above her. Once they turned invisible, she would know that her own bubble had collapsed and thus be able to teleport. To make sure the coast remained clear, she also periodically looked below.
As she descended, she reviewed in her mind the sequence of events around that first magic containment bubble collapse. It was unlikely their bubbles collapsed simultaneously, the first time they had approached the doll. She couldn’t remember who had been in front, but if the one in front had been looking at the other and had noticed a brief invisibility… well, maybe it would have made a difference or, given Meg’s destiny, maybe it wouldn’t have.
Meg and Rainbow Dash vanished. Twilight immediately concentrated and teleported. This time it worked. She was hovering right above an RV. She pulled up her legs and got as low as possible, so she couldn’t be seen from the ground.
She got out the probe and took a reading. I’m right on top of it! Must be her lucky day. She was overdue for one. Several more readings along the length of the vehicle placed it towards the back.
So now what? Were there any humans inside? How could she find out without revealing herself? And what if it was occupied? She drifted from one end to the other, focusing her ears to catch any sounds from below, and heard nothing. Not conclusive, unfortunately.
There wasn’t much choice. Thankfully, there was no need to cover her tracks; once the doll was safely elsewhere, she was going to introduce herself anyway. Twilight prepared a knock-out spell for quick deployment, then drifted over the side and down to the windows facing the empty desert, away from the other vehicles. Some were completely covered with curtains, but the few that were mostly uncovered were enough to see nearly all of the interior.
Her luck continued to hold. The Pinkie Pie doll was just sitting there on a table, happily smiling at nothing, and no humans were visible. Still not conclusive, but getting there. The windows on the other side were the same, some covered and others not so much. She choose a location next to a covered window and teleported inside. A quick scan in all directions showed she was alone.
The alicorn took a deep breath and exhaled, attempting to calm her nerves. Meg warned they might have put some kind of tracking device on it. There did appear to be a collar with some kind of device attached to it. She had to assume that was it.
Meg had also warned that cutting the collar could trigger an alarm. Fortunately, she had other options. Concentrating, she touched her horn to the collar and teleported it off the doll and on to the table.
There was no reason to think that act would set off an alarm, but better safe than sorry. The sooner she got that doll outside and far away from here, the better.
Teleporting the doll was too risky. Meg explained that the RV was probably locked if unoccupied, and that opening the door might cause an alarm to go off. Even worse, that door was facing the other vehicles. Nor did she know how to determine if there even was an alarm, never mind how to deactivate it.
She examined the windows. It did appear they could be opened. That might set off an alarm too, but as the door was on the other side, clearly visible and obviously closed, they wouldn’t be sure what was going on and that would give her precious seconds.
She grabbed the doll with her magic and brought it over to one of the smaller windows. It was too small for her to go through, but that was irrelevant. It’s smallness also made it less likely it would trigger an alarm.
“Here goes nothing…” she said to herself. With her telekinesis, she unlatched the window and pushed it open, then immediately sent the doll though and down to the ground. Next she teleported outside and picked up the doll.
Only now did she let herself notice there was only silence. Not that she knew what the alarm would sound like, but surely it would be loud and obnoxious. She allowed herself the luxury of closing the window and re-latching it. No need to make it obvious how I did it.
She flew into the desert, hugging the ground for a few thousand feet before climbing high into the sky. Rainbow Dash and Meg were paying attention and soon joined her, becoming visible as their bubbles collapsed.
“Did they spot you?” asked Rainbow Dash.
“No,” answered Twilight, shaking her head. “I can’t believe how easy it was.”
“Maybe they wanted you to get it? A trap, maybe?”
Meg shook her head. “That’s silly. If they expected anyone to come after that doll, they expected it to be someone, not somepony, and they already have their most likely candidate in custody. They certainly didn’t expect an alicorn who can fly and teleport.”
Twilight positioned the doll in front of her, looking into Pinkie’s eyes. “First things first: let’s take care of their main concern.” Out of her saddlebag came a collar. It wrapped itself around the neck of the doll and fastened itself.
The collar was studded with magicked crystals that should perturb the magic flowing out of the doll in such a fashion as to prevent the emission of electromagnetic radiation when it underwent its phase change. As far as humans were concerned, the doll had just been rendered harmless and nearly impossible to find.
Theoretically.
She had to trust the computer simulation for now, but soon she would be talking to those who could verify it. But first, she needed the doll to be far away from here.
She next got a canvas bag out of her saddlebag and put the doll in it, then secured the bag to the top of Rainbow Dash’s saddle.
“Fly over to the top of that hill over there and hide the doll, then come back here and stay out of sight.”
The pegasus lost no time in departing.
Twilight looked at Meg. “Now all I have to do is figure out in which of the other two RVs they’re keeping him.”
“I didn’t tamper with it. I didn’t even know it was there.”
This was the third time that question had been asked. If he was disappointed Steve kept giving the same answer, Holmes did not show it, nor did it stop him from repeating his response.
“There is no evidence it malfunctioned.”
“Nor is there evidence it was tampered with, right?”
Special Agent Holmes merely looked at him with that poker face, a face Steve was becoming all too familiar with. That handcuff attaching him to the pole next to the table had also become too familiar. Surely the others must be here by now! Not that he had a clue what they would—even could—do.
Holmes never answered that question.
Steve once again asked, “If I had tampered with it, why would I un-tamper it right in your backyard?”
He never answered that question either.
The air conditioner turned on, filling the RV with its loud drone.
This time, he did. “So I would find you and bring you here, where the doll is,” he replied in an even voice, changing his tactics. “Your wife then gets a GPS fix on your phone.” He let a small smile grace his face. “Your phone is still here and broadcasting.”
Wow, he thinks he has it all figured out. He was tempted to tell him the whole truth just to see what it would do to that poker face, Pinkie Promise be damned. “Yeah, and question marks, then profit,” Steve sarcastically replied. “What’s she supposed to do once she gets here? Get captured too?”
Holmes leaned against a cabinet, crossing his arms. “You tell me.”
I wish I knew. At least Twilight had options that the FBI could never conceive of.
Agent Holmes picked up the magic probe from the kitchenette counter, where it had been next to Steve’s car keys, and examined it. “Rather odd design. Did you make this?”
“No.” At least it was a new line of questioning, but how to answer the inevitable followup question?
“What does it do?”
Steve decided a half-truth was better than a non-answer. Twilight would take it back anyway. “Helps locate the doll.”
His eyebrows went up at that. “How does it work?”
“For all I know, magic.”
“Who gave it to you.”
“You wouldn’t believe me.”
“Try me.”
Where are they? he screamed inside. But what do I expect her to do, just knock on the door? He looked the agent in the eyes. “You wouldn’t believe me,” he said slowly and clearly. “I’m better off not telling you. Really.”
There was a knock at the door. “Special Agent Holmes?”
You have got to be kidding me. “She gave it to me,” he said with resignation, pointing with his free hand to the door.
Holmes put the probe back where it was. Getting out his phone, he made a call. “Fowler, I need back up.”
“Coming.”
Steve could barely make out the voice.
A few seconds passed. “I’m locked inside, somehow.” Loud, banging sounds could be heard. “I’ll, uh, have to get back to you.”
Twilight had been a busy mare, apparently.
“Keep me informed,” Holmes stoically replied and put the phone away. He pulled out a gun, and started off for the front of the vehicle.
“Just don’t shoot first and ask questions later,” Steve said a bit more loudly than needed. “It will only annoy her.”
Holmes looked back at him, his poker face intact.
We’ll see how long that lasts.
He continued to the front, stopping a few feet behind the driver’s seat. “The door is unlocked. Open slowly and enter, keeping your hands up where I can see them.” His gun was aimed at the door.
The door opened slowly as instructed. “Just so you know, I don’t have hands,” a friendly voice said. “I assure you I’m only here to talk.”
Something jumped onto the steps leading up from the door.
“My appearance may shock you, but I mean you no harm.” A lavender pony walked into view, bearing the friendliest of smiles. Her horn was softly glowing, powering a shield if she had any sense. The door closed behind her.
Holmes did not shoot, but he also didn’t do much of anything else for a few seconds. “What the hell are you?”
Not a brony then. Steve could not see his face, but Holmes’ voice was only moderately stressed. He seemed to be handling it fairly well. Well enough to aim a gun at Twilight’s head.
Twilight did not seem to care. “I suggest you take a picture and send it to Agent Fowler,” she said, maintaining her smile.
He didn’t know what to make of that. “Did you trap her in the other RV?” he asked, as he got out his phone.
“I did; and we’ve never met, if that’s what you’re thinking.” She cocked her head. “You might say she knows me by reputation.”
The phone made a fake shutter release sound. After a few seconds of tapping, he waited. He didn’t have to wait long. He accepted the call.
“This really isn’t the time for a tardy April Fools’ joke,” Fowler said, trying to keep a lid on her frustration. “I’m getting out through a window. I’ll be there in a second.” The sounds of her climbing through the window and hitting the ground came through.
“It’s no joke; it’s standing right in front of me.”
Rapid footsteps on the rocky dirt were heard. “Then kindly tell Twilight Sparkle that she’s impossible,” she said sarcastically.
“Princess Twilight Sparkle,” the alicorn loudly said.
The footsteps stopped. “That… voice.”
Holmes sighed. “Just get over here,” he said, and ended the call.
The gun remained pointed at Twilight, and a friendly smile remained on her muzzle.
“I’m a pony, by the way.”
“What?”
“You asked what I was; I’m telling you.”
The standoff continued in silence for a little bit longer, until the door opened and Agent Fowler entered. Twilight turned her head to look back at her stunned expression.
“Am I still ‘best pony?’” she casually asked Fowler.
“How could you…” she started to say, then she put two and two together. “Meg told you that.”
Twilight nodded. “I consider Meg and Steve to be my friends, and I am here, as a representative of Equestria, to set things straight.” She turned back to look at the gun. “Would you please put your weapon away?”
The gun did not move.
“You’re not going to win a fight with an alicorn,” Steve helpfully pointed out.
Fowler looked at Steve, then back at Twilight. “Your horn is glowing,” she observed. “He’s right,” she conceded. “I doubt a bullet could touch her.”
“You can’t be serious.” The gun still pointed at the alicorn.
Fowler looked at Holmes, exasperated. “Look, I know how crazy this is. She’s a character from a cartoon! But we both see her, and if she’s even a tenth as powerful as she’s portrayed, she can effortlessly take out an entire SWAT team.”
Holmes looked back and forth between Fowler’s grim face and Twilight’s friendly face. “This isn’t a cartoon. That just isn’t physically possible.”
“Neither is she,” she retorted, pointing at the pony.
He stared at Twilight for a few seconds. “Fine,” he conceded, as he slowly holstered his gun. “I’ll play along… for now.” Addressing Twilight, he asked, “I take it you’re connected to that doll?”
Twilight bore a proud smile, as she said, “You’ll be pleased to hear that I’ve just taken measures to prevent the electromagnetic radiation you find objectionable. The doll is no longer your concern.”
“I suppose I am glad to hear that,” he facetiously replied, “but that doesn’t mean I’m handing the doll over to you.”
“Rainbow Dash is hiding it someplace far away from here as we speak.”
Holmes and Fowler were too stunned to immediately reply, though for different reasons.
“Dash is here too?” Fowler asked.
“We’ll have no trouble finding it,” Holmes assuredly said.
Twilight shook her head. “I teleported the collar off the doll. You will never find it.”
“Teleported?” Holmes scoffed.
Fowler put a hand to her forehead. “Yeah, she can do that.”
“Seriously?”
She nodded.
“Fine,” he exhaled, and turned his attention back to Twilight. “This is your definition of ‘setting things straight?’” Holmes obviously did not think that had been accomplished.
That unexpected attitude cracked Twilight’s armor of friendliness. “I just got rid of a problem you’ve been having, so, yes, actually.” She was a bit uncertain how to proceed, so she fell back to something generic and always appropriate. “I’m here to talk.”
“That might mean more if you weren’t responsible for the problem in the first place—and you are, correct?”
Her armor shattered, replaced by a frown. “Not intentionally,” she admitted. “It’s an even bigger problem for us, and I’m doing my best to fix it.” Looking back again at Fowler, she said, lecturing, “In the real world, not every problem can be fixed with a spell or two.” Fowler’s face turned red from embarrassment.
Holmes walked a short distance up the aisle and back again, pondering what to do. “Looks like we have a long talk ahead of us, so you might as well come in and get comfortable.” He went to a sofa and sat down.
Twilight hesitantly followed. “I want to talk to Steve first, to make sure he’s okay.”
Holmes waved a hand. “Be my guest.”
Twilight flew to the table, in front of which Steve was seated, and laid down upon it, so she could be eye level with him.
“You can fly,” Holmes muttered.
Twilight ignored him and addressed Steve. “Are you okay?”
“As well as can be expected,” he replied, holding up a cuffed hand.
The alicorn princess addressed the FBI agent. “Release him,” she commanded.
“You don’t give orders here,” he barked.
His refusal infuriated her. “Fine. I’ll set him free.” Her horn brightened.
“Twilight, don’t!”
She looked at Steve with confusion, but her horn dimmed.
“This isn’t helping me,” he explained. “Go down this road, and eventually I’ll become a fugitive requesting asylum in Equestria.”
Holmes found that amusing. “A person having to spend the rest of his life amongst ponies? I can imagine fitting in would be a problem.”
“You’d be surprised how well I can fit in, but that’s beside the point. I’m not interested in throwing away my life.”
“I suggest cooperating, then. Perhaps start by explaining that doll?”
“Twilight, I think you should let me talk to Agent Holmes privately for a bit. Why don’t you move my car back to your castle. My keys are on the counter there, along with your device.”
Twilight looked at Holmes. He was silent. “That might be a good idea,” she said, weakly.
She levitated the keys and magic probe into her saddlebag as the agent watched dumbfounded. The alicorn then position herself next to and parallel to the window overlooking the table. “Rainbow Dash is keeping watch,” she said before teleporting to the other side of the glass. Letting gravity do its thing, she dropped to the ground, and wearily walked over to the car, her tail drooping. Holmes got to a window just in time to see the car glow lavender and disappear.
“I’m listening, Mr. Coleman,” Holmes said. “Please make it good.” He continued staring at where the car used to be.
If Steve didn’t know better, he could have sworn he heard a trace of pleading in his voice. “You have to understand she doesn’t know much about us; she didn’t even know our world existed a month ago. And she’s still new at the whole princess thing.” He shrugged. “It would really help if you could cut her some slack.”
Holmes sighed. “I’ll try to keep that in mind. The doll?”
“Yes, the doll…”
Holmes expectantly stared at him.
“It really is just a doll. We bought it in a store a few years ago. It’s just that, somehow—I don’t know how, and I don’t think Twilight does either—Equestria’s magic is draining into our universe through that doll. It’s sorta like a wormhole connecting our universes, and one end is anchored inside that doll.”
Holmes stared back blankly for too long before speaking. “I guess that’s not the craziest thing I’ve learned today.”
“Mr. Coleman,” Fowler said, “how much of it is real? The cartoon, I mean…”
“All of it, with minor exceptions. And, yes, we’ve been there.”
“So all the broadcast interference, the suppression of radioactive decay, that’s all due to magic coming out of that doll.”
“Basically.”
After thinking about that for a moment, Fowler went over and sat across the table from Steve, “I can understand why Twilight is extremely protective of that doll, but is there anyway we can persuade her to let us hold on to it, so we can study this magic, figure out how it affects radioactivity, so we can do that ourselves.”
Being a scientist himself, Steve could certainly empathize, but there were better options. “That flow of magic will stop as soon as Twilight can figure out how to stop it—and trust me, she’s motivated to find a way. The doll will then be just a doll.”
“Then all the more reason to get it back now so we can study it while we can!”
Steve shook his head, smiling. “There are other ways of getting access to magic. The doll must be miles away by now, but that didn’t stop Twilight from using magic, now did it?”
“She brought some with her?”
“It’s not my place to provide the details.” He may have been breaking his Pinkie Promise as it was. He thought Twilight had given him permission. It seemed like she was going to say all this herself, anyway.
But now for the big carrot. “But maybe, if you play your cards right, you could even be allowed to study magic in Equestria itself. Twilight’s quite interested in the synergies between our technology and their magic.”
It had the desired effect on the pegasister. “Y-you think that’s possible?”
“It’s not impossible. Equestria’s not going anywhere. We both now know the other exists. So what’s next? Princess Celestia is trying to figure that out, and so must we.”
“That’s above our pay grade,” she said, fidgeting. “If this is a First Contact, it sure ain’t going very well.”
“Nobody planned for this to happen. But I promise you, Twilight will work with you, if you’d just meet her halfway.”
“And what would you suggest,” droned Holmes.
Steve held up his cuffed hand, jingling the chain.
Fowler looked at Holmes.
Holmes remained silent, struggling to maintain his poker face.
“Look, I’m not going anywhere. My car’s gone, remember?”
“Couldn’t she take you where she took your car?”
“She could do that with or without the handcuffs.”
Silence.
“What, exactly, am I guilty of?” Steve complained. “Are you going to argue in court that I harbored a doll pouring out magic from another universe full of cartoon ponies?”
Holmes frowned, his poker face finally demolished. “I suppose you’d call on Twilight as a witness for the defense?”
“Sure, why not?” Steve shrugged. He had no idea if Twilight would do that, but who knew where human/pony relations would be when the trial finally took place, a year or two in the future.
Holmes got up. “I don’t think the system is ready for that, yet,” he wearily said. He got out a set of keys, picked one, then removed the handcuffs.
Steve rubbed his freed wrist with his other hand.
Holmes sternly looked at him. “But you are to keep me in the loop,” he warned. “This case has attracted the attention of people with sufficiently high pay grades.”
Steve almost felt sorry for him. How was Holmes supposed to explain ponies and magic to them without losing his job? “I get the message,” he simply said.
And Twilight had better brush up on her diplomacy skills.
“At least the mystery of the GPS tracker has been solved.” The agent sighed. “She mentioned Rainbow Dash?”
“Yeah, she’s probably hovering above us somewhere.” And probably another pegasus that doesn’t need mentioning. “I doubt you can see her, but I think I can get her to come out of hiding.”
“Please do,” Holmes said. “Why don’t you go outside ahead of me. That might set her at ease.”
Steve walked to the front, opened the door, and stepped out into the desert heat. I sure hope that cooling potion is working for them. He looked up and around but of course did not see any flying ponies. Probably hovering above the RV listening in. Which meant they were watching him right now. Looking at his hypothetical equine watchers, he called out, “You can show yourself, Rainbow Dash.”
A few seconds passed before the cyan pegasus popped into view above the RV, just as he suspected. Rainbow Dash flew down to hover in front of him. “So you’re out of trouble?” she optimistically asked.
“For now,” Agent Holmes replied, as he and Fowler joined them. They both stared at Dash, if for somewhat different reasons.
The pegasus was about to say something no doubt unhelpful, so Steve preempted her. “Where’s the other pegasus?” Holmes raised on eyebrow at that, but said nothing.
Fowler, though, said, “Fluttershy’s here?”
Steve shook his head. “It isn’t Fluttershy. The vast majority of ponies have never appeared in the cartoon.”
Rainbow Dash nervously looked from Steve to Holmes and back. “Uh… I think she’s with Twilight right now.”
“Can you contact Twilight?” asked Holmes.
“No?” she said sheepishly.
“There’s a good chance they’re where Meg is,” Steve said. “My phone?”
Without hesitation, Holmes pulled Steve’s phone from a pocket and handed it over. Steve unlocked it and called his wife.
“Steve?”
“You’re with Twilight?” he asked, getting down to business.
“Yes, she’s right here.”
“Good. Tell her Agent Holmes is ready to talk to her.”
“I’ll do that. We’ll be there shortly.”
“Okay, I’ll let him know.” He ended the call. “Twilight will be here soon.”
Meg had been hovering with Rainbow Dash, listening in above the RV in which Steve was being held, as Twilight tried get him released. Her hopes quickly dwindled and were finally crushed when Twilight teleported outside to reclaim their car. She was torn between staying and continuing to eavesdrop, or leaving and talking to Twilight. After listening for a little while longer, she decided Twilight needed her more; there was nothing she could do here anyway. “I’m going to talk to Twilight,” she told Dash as she invoked the return spell.
Back at the balcony, she saw their car, but no alicorn. Where did she go off to? It had better be somewhere inside the castle, or she’d never find her. She checked her private library and residence. Not here. She flew downstairs and checked the main library. Nope. Throne room? She flew down the hall and through the open double doors. There you are. The princess was not on her throne, but on the floor in front of it, her mane a mess from the stress. Spike was by her side.
Twilight took notice of her. “You have every right to be upset with me.”
Meg sighed as she landed. Twilight wasn’t going to make this easy. At least she wasn’t as bad as she was in Lesson Zero. “I’m not upset with you. You did your best.”
“My best may have ruined your lives.”
“Our lives were probably ruined when the doll turned into an illegal broadcaster,” Meg said, trying to alleviate her guilt. “The authorities had to pin it on someone and we’re the only candidates.”
Twilight wasn’t having it. “It’s still my fault they know about it. If I had taken the possibility seriously, I could have… done something.”
“So you’re not infallible.”
Twilight looked away. “I have never failed a test.”
I know, there was even a song about it. Over the years there had been several times Meg wished she could have reached through the screen and talk some sense into that lavender mare. Now that she needed to talk some sense into her, she wished this was again just a cartoon. The irony was not lost on her.
“Twilight, this isn’t a test,” she forcefully said. “You’re done with tests. You won’t find the answer to this situation in some book. You’ll just have to apply what you’ve learned, and if you screw up then you shall learn from your mistakes.”
“You’re starting to sound like Princess Celestia.”
How did her mentor deal with her moods? One would think that Twilight was even worse as a young filly. There must be some way to snap her out of this.
“Maybe she speaks from experience? She sent Discord after Tirek instead of you. How did that work out?”
The alicorn looked back at her. With a flat voice she replied, “Discord is now truly reformed, I have this castle, and my friends and I have Rainbow Powers. Oh, and Tirek was defeated.”
You have got to be kidding me.
Twilight was prone to overthinking herself into… well, an unhealthy state of mind, but this takes the cake.
Great, all I need to do is to out-think Twilight Sparkle.
Meg was about to say something along the lines of “Celestia could not possibly have known all that would happen”—yeah, like that’s really out-thinking her—but then she remembered how that very episode began with Celestia waking up with a vision.
Maybe Celestia could know. And maybe Twilight saw that whole affair as yet another test, one that she passed and for which she was duly rewarded.
And yet in some sense it had been undeniably a test, if not from Celestia then from the Tree of Harmony itself—and it did undeniably reward her for passing. Was this really doing Twilight any favors, reducing everything to mere tests, tests that it was her destiny to pass? But then, that was the key word, wasn’t it? Destiny. Meg couldn’t help but wonder if she was being tested, too, for the sake of her destiny.
“Okay, for the sake of argument, let’s assume Celestia knew all that would happen. Then maybe she also knew what would happen by assigning you this task: that you would encounter severe difficulties, overcome them, eventually succeed, and that you’d be much better off for the experience.”
“She’s got you there, Twilight,” said Spike, making his presence known. Meg had practically forgotten he was there.
Twilight pensively rubbed for forelimbs together for a few seconds.
“Maybe you’re right. But I still don’t know how to fix the mess I made for you two.”
“Listen to me,” Meg said. “By introducing yourself, you did far more good than harm. Honest. Whatever case he had been building against us, you just blew up, even if he doesn’t know it yet. He can’t ignore your existence. Try to turn it into an official First Contact situation.”
Twilight was mulling that over, when Meg’s phone rang. Her heart missed a beat when she saw it was Steve—then grasped it might be someone else. “Steve?”
“You’re with Twilight?” It was to the point. Obviously, Holmes was close by.
“Yes, she’s right here.”
“Good. Tell her Agent Holmes is ready to talk to her.”
“I’ll do that. We’ll be there shortly.”
“Okay, I’ll let him know.” The call ended.
Twilight looked at her. “Holmes is ready to talk to you.”
“I guess I’m ready also.” Twilight got up on her hooves. “I think you’ve earned your salary today, Royal Advisor.”
The alicorn plodded out of the throne room and towards the stairs. Meg decided this would be a good opportunity to get some well-deserved answers.
“Twilight,” she said, as she flew alongside her, “there’s some stuff you haven’t volunteered—and we haven’t asked, because maybe it wasn’t any of our business—but things have changed, and I’m asking now.”
Twilight lowered her head, but kept on walking. “Ask your questions.”
“Well, for starters, where is the magic draining from? It doesn’t seem to be Ponyville or Canterlot.”
She halted, and glumly looked at her. “Crystal Empire. The Mirror is the center of it. It’s on the top floor of the castle. The zone of no magic will soon encroach upon the Crystal Heart on the ground.”
Meg felt like an idiot. Derpy had delivered anomaly data from Princess Cadance. Even so, that only narrowed it down to the Crystal Empire.
The words fully registered. The Mirror? As in Equestria Girls?? That raised so many questions, but now was not the time to ask them. One thing was certain: whatever the lack of magic would do to the Crystal Heart, it couldn’t possibly be good. “Can’t you move it?”
“How? Pegasi can’t fly near it, unicorns can’t levitate, earth ponies have no strength, hooves are nearly useless, even Discord is powerless. We can’t even take it down the stairs because that will take out the Crystal Heart!”
“I meant, can you move the Heart?”
Twilight sighed. “No, that isn’t practical either.”
“What about your hot air balloon?”
“It’s operated by magic.”
Oh, yeah… They’re so dependent on magic. They should have moved it before it got so bad—or maybe it already had by the time they noticed. But the solution is so obvious!
“Twilight, there do exist creatures that can get things done without the use of magic.”
Her eyes opened wide as she looked at Meg. “How could I be so stupid.”
“We’ll talk about it later.” Okay… that could have come out better. “First let’s take care of Steve and the doll.” Meg considered the alicorn’s frazzled mane. “You might want to comb your mane before we leave.”
Twilight’s eye moved all the way up. “Yeah…” Her horn flashed and her mane became perfectly groomed. Meg was suddenly very envious of unicorns.
Before long, the two mares were hovering high above the RVs. To Meg’s relief, Steve was standing outside, unrestrained, with Rainbow Dash hovering near him—was she visible? It was hard to say, given their height; she would see her regardless, but the agents seemed to be aware of her, even talking to her.
Aside from Agent Holmes and Fowler, there were two others she had never seen before. There was also another car there; they must have just arrived. Perhaps they were there to study the doll?
Twilight had also been taking in the situation. “Steve’s free; so far, so good. Now to keep him that way. So what now, my Advisor?”
“Well, Princess, just remember you are not sovereign here, and that he represents the law of this land. You’ll have to meet him halfway, somehow. Returning the doll will go a long way, I’m sure.”
She winced. “That’s a huge risk. When I figure out how to plug that hole, I don’t want them getting in the way.” She turned away from the gathering below and looked at Meg. “How would they react if I told them exactly what was at stake?”
It was now Meg’s turn to wince. “It’s… hard to say. Unfortunately, I can easily imagine a panic response that would be… unhelpful. Unless you can think of a way in which they actually can help… But if you ever do tell them, the longer you wait, the more damaging it could be to future relations.”
“Can you think of a way they can help?”
Meg looked back down the agents. “Not really… they know nothing about magic, and I can’t think of any technology that could possibly be of any use.” Looking back at Twilight, she said, “Maybe provide access to massive computing resources?”
“If we had something new to simulate.” Left unsaid was the lack of any progress on that front.
They continued hovering as Twilight worked through her indecision. Eventually, Meg said, “We really shouldn’t keep them waiting.”
“No, I suppose not,” she sighed, looking at the pegasus far below them. “Who knows what Rainbow Dash will blurt out. Let’s go visible and spiral down.”
It wasn’t long before they came in to land next to Rainbow Dash, who greeted them. “Hey, guys.”
The two newcomers gawked at them as they took video of their approach. Meg was beginning to understand how the real ponies must have felt. She wasn’t complaining; they didn’t know who she really was and that suited her just fine.
“You’re really a princess,” one of them said skeptically, a fellow wearing a wide brim hat to shield his pale skin from the desert sun. “Shouldn’t you be wearing a crown or something?” He kept his phone aimed at the mares.
“We’re not in Canterlot,” Twilight smoothly replied.
“That’s enough, Aaron,” Fowler reprimanded. “Your Highness,” she said, as she glanced at Aaron, “this time I believe we are all ready to have a constructive conversation.”
“I’m looking forward to that—and you may call me ‘Twilight.’”
“Of course,” she said, smiling. Now that the shock had past, Fowler was enjoying getting to meet her “best pony.”
Her attention shifted to the orchid pegasus. “I don’t believe I’ve ever seen you in the cartoon before.”
“This is one of my trusted advisors, Common Ground.”
Meg had to suppress a reaction to hearing her “name” for the first time. When did Twilight come up with that? It certainly sounded like an appropriate pony name.
Fowler took a look at her cutie mark. “Yes, I can see how the name fits.” She lowered herself so she didn’t have to look down at “Common Ground.” “Pleased to meet you. I’m Jessica Fowler.”
Meg suddenly regretted being there, or at least being visible. She couldn’t take the risk of having her voice recognized. She settled for nodding in response.
“She is a mare of few words,” Twilight said, covering for her.
Fowler stood up, thoughtfully putting a hand to her chin as she studied the orchid pegasus. “I’ve never seen that cutie mark before, on any pony in the cartoon, yet you seem familiar somehow. I can’t put my finger on it.”
Meg’s stomach started to sink. Her pony face bore a resemblance to her human face. She could only hope that the notion of her having been ponified was so out there that it wouldn’t occur to even a pegasister agent.
Steve came to the rescue, attempting to change the subject. “I told them the true nature of the doll, that Equestrian magic is draining into our universe through it.” There was a trace of nervousness to his voice; that could be considered a major breach of their Pinkie Promise. Being in a different universe might be the only reason Pinkie wasn’t already there.
Twilight took it in stride. “It’s okay. I’d planned on explaining that anyway.” The alicorn turned to look up at him. “As a matter of fact, I think that Pinkie Promise has outlived its usefulness, so I’m releasing you from it, Meg as well.”
“I-I’ll be sure to let her know,” he said, briefly making eye contact with his wife, as she forced her wings back to her side.
“Seriously?!” Fowler exclaimed, struggling to contain her inner brony. “You made an actual, for real Pinkie Promise?”
Steve looked askance at her. “You’d have a different perspective if you’d met Pinkie Pie yourself,” he said, as Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes.
Chastised, she said, “Uh… yeah… I guess so.” It then hit her. “That’s her autograph, isn’t it? On the doll.”
Before anyone could answer, Meg’s phone began ringing. She brought it up to her face and looked at it, turning pale. The call was not accepted. Putting her hoof back down on the ground, she apprehensively looked at Agent Holmes, who had gone off to the side and had his back turned to the group.
He turned around and put his phone away, putting an end to the ringing.