With Good Intentions

by Hustlin Tom

Chapter 15

Three months passed as if days were like minutes. Bunsen and Punnett had remained in close contact with each other during that time, as was to be expected by others of very close colleagues. As the results from the geneticist’s testing came to him, the earth pony began to realize that his friend’s theory appeared to be plausible, at least until it could be validated by his peers. The designs of their transmutative inducer were complete, and the construction was finished. It would be a few days before they were shipped, but not straight to their final destination. Bunsen made certain they would first be shipped to a private laboratory in Trottingham, and then wired a private shipping company to take them to Manehattan. From there they would finally arrive at the Square household. He could not afford questions or prying eyes; neither of them could.

“I was able to slip out as much as I could,” Bunsen said as they watched Bolera’s struggle to teach Cadence how to fly, “But the Arcanium is locked up tight. Without a report and an acquisition form explaining why it was being used, I couldn’t move more than two pounds of it without being noticed.”

Wearily Punnett glanced at his friend momentarily before shifting his footing slightly, “Well, you tried at least. You shouldn’t worry too much about it, Bunsen. What matters is that we have the inducer ready.”

“But if we have no Arcanium there’s no point to even attempting this procedure. With no stored magic available to us it could take hundreds of unicorns at their peak to even try to power this machine.”

“So long as we can hit the mutation threshold the process will cascade, and the cure will succeed.”

They quietly watched another attempt by Cadence to get enough lift to leave the ground, but her wings simply weren’t strong enough. She strained as hard as she could, flapping her wings with all her feeble might. Her hooves began to leave the earth, but after only a few seconds she was spent. Her breathing was heavy as she returned to the ground.

“That was a good attempt, Mi Amore,” Bolera declared gently, “Let’s try working on your gliding skills, yeah?”

“Yeah!” she blurted before coughing a little as she took in a deep breath and looked to her father, “Daddy look! Mommy’s going to let me sky-dance again!”

“That’s wonderful Cadence,” he replied enthusiastically despite his tiredness, “We’ll be watching you from down here!”

Bunsen scrutinized his friend more thoroughly now. His calmness about the near absence of probably the most vital component in their designs had confused him. He now noticed his friend’s eyes were baggy, and his legs were spasming slightly at random intervals, and his barrel was now much leaner than he had ever seen it. He could almost swear he could see the beginnings of his ribs peeking through his skin. These were all expected behavioral markers given the situation; stress related fasting, chemical imbalances, insomnia, anxiety. His friend’s cavalier attitude made Bunsen rethink his assessment. It was something more extraordaniary.

“What have you done,” he quietly asked.

“What do you mean,” his friend replied without taking his eyes off his daughter as his wife flew her through the air. Flying upside down, Bolera matched her daughter’s hooves to her own, and began to slowly descend, allowing the wind to flutter under the young pegasi’s feathers, helping her to understand how to control her wings better.

Bunsen’s eyes flashed in warning, “Don’t play coy with me. You’re suffering from magic exhaustion; where have you been sinking all of your energy?”

“I had the help of a generous soul in Materials, that’s all you need to know.”

Bunsen’s eyes widened a little, but his neutral expression did not change as Punnett continued, “I’ve been charging up the plates every chance I had, making sure they’d be ready. By the time the rest of the components are here, they’ll all be ready to go.”

“I have the excuse of helping you without using my government position, but you’ve created a security leak in the RSD,” Bunsen quietly hissed, “If you are discovered, or if your contact finds a way to blow the whistle on you without consequence you will be imprisoned!”

Punnett finally turned to look at him, and his attitude was one of veiled grief and frustration, “I’ve crossed many lines Bunsen; they don’t have much meaning to me anymore.”

“It does Cadence no good, cured or not if you put yourself behind bars. You’d be charged with unlawful purchase of government property at the least; you could be given worse for violating your Exclusive Operations Agreement.”

“If the procedure succeeds that won’t matter,” Punnett said, unswayed by his friend’s warnings, “Of all the ponies I know, I would have thought you would understand my struggle most of all. I have watched my daughter waste away for almost all of her entire life. Now that she has mere months to live I will stop at nothing to see her cured. If you had the chance again, wouldn’t you do the same for Lily?”

Bunsen’s eyes sparked with anger, and his nostrils flared meaningfully as he looked the unicorn straight in the eye. “Do not presume to use my wife against me,” he growled, “There is no equating what happened to her and what is happening to your daughter.”

Punnett looked back at him, his calmness finding some way to infuriate Bunsen even more. “You have a point,” Punnett replied coolly, “Lily was taken from you far too quickly, and it was beyond your control. We both trusted in Celestia, and that belief failed us both. Even so, look at what we have accomplished! Cadence has a chance at life now because of your generosity. Regardless of what I’ve done, doesn’t she deserve that?”

The both of them noticed that Bolera and Cadence were touching down in the front lawn, and that they would not be alone for much longer.

Turning to Bunsen, Punnett offered up one last plea, “I know you’ve changed since you were released, but deep down I believe you are still the same caring soul I’ve known for over ten years. I’m begging you, help me save Cadence. Nopony else can.”

Bunsen didn’t know how to respond; his emotions all boiled deep inside, but he didn’t understand them all.

“Hello Uncle Bunsen,” Cadence chirped as she and her mother approached.

“Hello Cadence,” Bunsen declared as he reshuffled his mind, putting his feelings aside for the moment, “Did you enjoy your flight today?”

“I did,” she nodded enthusiastically, “I can’t wait until I can do it for real after I’m cured!”

Bunsen couldn’t help but smile faintly to himself; even though her doctors had given her months to live, her optimism never wavered. He couldn’t tell if it was simply the ignorance of youth, or if she had inherited this brightness of personality from her father.

“I’m going to do so much,” she continued, not waiting for a reply from him, “I can’t wait to finally be able to go to school and make friends, and I can’t wait to get my Cutie Mark!”

Her dreams of the future penetrated deep into his mind, reaching down even into the glass vault behind which his closest memories were held; against this innocent assault, the walls around his past life cracked, and something of the pony he had once been seeped through. He had been going to have a child, before the world was robbed of her. Seeing the unrestrained hope his goddaughter had, her untamed love of life, despite the hand fate had dealt her, his sense of duty called him out.

“But what I can’t wait to end most of all is the nasty medicine I have to take,” Cadence finished, her face scrunching up in memory of the revolting concoction, “Eech!”

“You shouldn’t have to worry about that much longer sweetheart,” Punnett declared.

“Yes, my dear,” Bolera interjected, “You’ll only have to suffer it for a few more days. Then you’ll never have to take it again.”

She then ushered her daughter inside, while Punnett hung back to talk to Bunsen, “We will send you a telegram once the parts arrive. I suppose you can either help then or have me arrested afterward.”

Bunsen thought a few seconds more, before he looked at his friend, “I have a contact on the board of Weather Regulation: I’ll have a message sent as soon as you’re ready, and a lightning storm will be available for that night.”

Punnett’s eyes widened as he realized what his friend meant, and he put a hoof on his shoulder, “Thank you.”

Bunsen nodded, and softly declared, “For Cadence, and a bright future.”

---

Lightning arced across the sky, while the thrumming boom came only a second or two behind it. The valley below Canterlot was darkened beneath a boiling night sky; rain had not yet fallen, so all that could be felt outside was an ominous wind, flashing lights, and the roars that came shortly after. Out of this darkness walked Bunsen Burner, a raincoat wrapped tightly around him, and a hat on his head to shield him from the untimely rain. Punnett’s home was not far away now. The future before them: him, Punnett, Bolera, and Cadence, was murky. Whatever came of this night would have life altering repercussions, no matter which way they looked.

Another bolt sizzled through the air, striking a large rod atop the Square household, channeling the energy down into the room they had set up for the procedure. The immediacy of the strike caused the hairs on the back of Punnett’s mane to stand on end, despite his own mental reassurances that everything was fine. As they waited for Bunsen, he and Bolera held each other a little closer, not out of fear of the storm but for their own thoughts on the uncertain hours ahead. For all the certainty and hope that he had shown his friend a few days ago, and for all her desire to see her baby girl be able to have a healthy life, they were scared. While being near, holding, and gently stroking each other didn’t remove their fear for their daughter, it did comfort them both, calming their nerves for what they intended to do.

They both heard the faint knock at the door, and they stiffened. It was time; ready or not.

Bolera went to wake Cadence, while Punnett ushered Bunsen in.

“Let’s begin final checks,” Punnett declared, alert but physically tired. He had drained a great deal of magic off himself to ensure that the Arcanium cells they were using were fully charged.

Bunsen quickly took readouts across them all, ensuring that they were all working and ready.

“Arcanium’s at peak: ready for output.”

Punnett went to check on the electric transformer. Fueled by the lightning, it would power the transmutation chamber itself, beginning the process until the magic was ready.

“Readout’s in the green. Capacitors are holding steady.”

They both came together to check the transmutation chamber. Electric and magical power was being transmitted without issue. Nothing was wrong with the grounding lines. The chamber’s seal was good. They were ready.

“Cadence,” Bolera murmured softly as she opened her daughter’s room, “It’s time.”

The little pegasus filly’s eyes softly opened, and she gently stretched before letting out a soft sigh. “Is it okay if I’m a little scared, Mommy,” she asked as she softly stepped down out of her bed.

“Of course, my dear,” she said as she slowly offered her hoof out to steady her daughter’s trot, who took it gladly.

“Mommy, why are you shaking,” little Cadence asked as they entered the hallway slowly.

“Because I’m worried for you,” she said as she looked down to her daughter, “But your father and I will always love you, no matter what happens.”

“You know, no matter how certain I am that my theory will work, or that we’ll succeed,” Punnett exclaimed as he shook his head, “The parent in me is almost too afraid to go through with this.”

Bunsen solemnly put his hoof on his friend’s shoulder as they stared into the transmutation chamber. “I’ll be here to help you both,” he said softly.

“I know,” he replied, before a small, sad smile appeared on his face, “It’s funny, but that same feeling is what is also causing me to press on. That’s what it means to be good parent I guess: wanting the best for your child, even in spite of your fears and misgivings. Sacrificing everything to give them a better future.”

Bolera and Cadence entered the makeshift lab, their pace steady. Cadence looked up at the mysterious machinery, wondering what each partial system did, before her father approached.

“Are you ready, Cadence,” he asked.

The little filly nodded.

Another round of thunder pealed out across the valley, and Cadence took in a quick breath in surprise. Instinctively she reached forward and hugged her father tightly, who reached down and held her too. Bolera reached down, embracing them with both her forelegs and her wings.

Bunsen watched them from a few feet away, a trickle of sadness flowing into his heart. That things had come to this dangerous juncture: that they had to jump into the unknown headlong with no choice but to do so. All this made him think about was his teacher’s inaction. He would have thought he would be angry at her for this, even so far as hating her for it. He then realized that you can only hate those you know, and he’d have to say he didn’t know who she was anymore.

“Will it hurt,” Cadence asked softly.

Punnett glanced at Bolera, and they shared a look before turning their gaze back to her, “We don’t know. Just be strong for us, sweetie.” He then brought a syringe towards them with his magic; even this simple act was difficult given Punnett’s fatigue. “I’m going to give you something to put you to sleep for the operation,” he told her gently, “When you wake up, you’ll be better.”

“Can I sky-dance tomorrow,” she asked, never letting go her embrace of her parents.

“We’ll see,” Bolera said softly as Punnett began the injection, “We love you so much.”

“I love you too,” she whispered as she began to fall asleep, before she breathed, “Ciao.”

“Ciao,” Bolera replied softly as her tears welled up. Punnett silently sobbed as they brought their daughter in a little closer to their hug.

The thunder called again, reminding them why they were all there. Bunsen turned to look up to the ceiling, imagining the raging skies above, before turning to look back at his friend and nodding, “It’s time.”

Gently they settled her into the chamber, her body so much tinier than they remembered it being. Bunsen took up his position near the console readout, monitoring all data coming in. Bolera and Punnett slowly closed the door to the transmutation chamber, locking it into place. They both took one last look through the portcullis at their daughter, before they too took their positions. Punnett walked unsteadily toward the Arcanium cells, blinking heavily as he examined them one last time. Bolera flew gently to the electric transformer, landing just in front of it.

“Begin fluid injection,” Punnett called out.

Bunsen took hold of the lever on the farthest left of the console and locked it in the upward position, “Alchemical reservoir open; flooding to chamber.”

Pink fluid began to flow from its storage tank into the dome shaped chamber, surrounding the diminutive pony inside. Slowly she began to rise from where she had been laid. The chamber continued to fill until it reached half capacity, and flow was cut to it.

Punnett now gestured to his wife, “Extend the lightning rod. Open up the circuits to the chamber…now.”

Bolera flicked every switch on the transformer to the open position and then turned a wheel on its readout. Outside the lightning rod rose higher, a knife piercing the black skies. The coils of the transformer began to hum as they stepped the stored energy down to the voltage needed. Power coursed through the cables leading into the transmutation chamber. The energy began to react with the alchemical blend therein, and a faint pink glow appeared through the glass window. The compounds that Cadence had been given over the past few months began to interact with both the energy and the chemicals.

“All readings within range,” Bunsen called out, and then looked to the far right of the console. There was a pattern of diodes shaped along an inverse exponential curve, with the target running along a line that read ‘transmutative threshold’. The first light at the very bottom left lit up, then the one just above and to the right lit up as well, “Alchemical reaction is beginning.”

“Come on, sweetie,” Punnett growled under his breath, “You’re strong. Fight this through for just a little longer.”

The light coming from the transmutation chamber grew in intensity.

“33%” Bunsen called out.

The reagents in Cadence’s body triggered in conjunction with the potion surrounding her; the bright shining fluid began to flow inside of her, penetrating her frail body, preparing her for the magical transfusion she was about to receive.

“66% Threshold,” Bunsen exclaimed breathlessly.

Lightning struck, thunder roared.

Punnett looked at the chamber that held his daughter intensely murmuring, “Be strong,” while Bolera held her hooves to her mouth, pleading “Be safe.”

Finally the diode at the Threshold line lit up.

“100%!” Bunsen yelled, and his hoof hovered over the button that would introduce the magic charge.

Punnett threw open the circuit on the Arcanium power bank, and yelled, “Now!”

Bunsen slammed down on the Transmutation button, activating it. A sharp blue light illuminated the room before it channeled through the coils connecting the power bank to the chamber. The light seemed to burst out of it through the portcullis, but it quickly faded.

Punnett and Bolera rushed over to look into the chamber as soon as they could see inside.

Bunsen didn’t have a clear view so he leaned over the console before calling out, “Did it work?”

The sight Punnett was met with was amazing. Amongst the remaining liquid floated Cadence, her wings and body smeared with it. The strange thing was that there was an irradiated afterimage surrounding her head. The faintest outline of a horn seemed to appear to be attached to her head, but it swiftly faded from their sight as they watched.

Bolera’s eyes were filled with awe, and she looked to her husband, and he to her.

“It is possible,” she whispered.

“Did it work,” Bunsen asked again.

“No,” Punnett replied his expression a mix of excitement and worry, “but we’re close. The theory’s right, but I underestimated the Threshold’s value! How much magic do we have left?”

Bunsen checked the readout before calling back, “About 63% charge.”

Punnett ran back to the power bank, and opened up a panel on the side. The many plates were wired in parallel with each other, each glowing at varying strengths with their blue light. “Give her another hit,” he called out, and then pointed his horn at the plates. Blue tendrils creeped out of his horn and linked with the Arcanium plates, their light glowing slightly brighter as the seconds ticked by.

Bunsen hit the button again; once again power surged into the chamber. Bolera looked away and shielded her eyes, while Punnett threw everything he had into charging up the power bank. He was so tired, he could barely stand up as his legs wobbled.

The light faded from the transmutation chamber again, and he disconnected himself with a gasp. He was dizzy like he’d never been before. Red floaters appeared in his vision.

“Did it work,” he asked with a hint of pain in his voice.

Bolera looked into the chamber again. The horn afterimage was stronger, but it ultimately faded away.

“It’s still not enough,” she said with a Mustangian curse as she stamped her hoof and began to cry.

Bunsen looked down at the readout. Punnett had pumped everything he physically could into that blast of energy. They only had 19% power left.

Punnett glanced up at him, a strange look in his eye as he trembled and gasped for breath. He knew, without Bunsen even verbalizing it. He slowly walked closer to his wife, who realized what Bunsen’s silence meant, and she began to shake her head softly.

“There’s one last thing we can try,” Punnett declared softly. He met his wife and embraced her before he turned to look at the earth pony, “So long as we hit that Threshold, the rest of the process will cascade.”

“Punnett,” Bunsen replied quietly, “There’s nothing that can be done. There’s not enough power. We failed-“

“We will hit it,” Punnett yelled as he turned to Bolera and looked her straight in the eyes, “Together.”

Bunsen’s mind turned over as he slowly gained an inkling of what the unicorn meant to do, “You’ve never tried anything like this before! Synergetic magic isn’t something to be attempted on a whim!”

Punnett’s horn lit up as he closed his eyes, and he kissed Bolera. She leaned into it with him. His blue magic grew to an intensity Bunsen had never seen. Suddenly a purple and velvet light began to circle his horn. The earth pony looked in amazement as he realized the origin of the magic was Bolera, the light streaming from her chest. Punnett’s blue light was now emanating from both his horn and his chest, their magicks intertwining, meeting as one at his horn.

Bunsen looked on, helpless as he now realized the full extent of what they meant to do. As they broke their kiss, they looked down to him, a sad smile on their faces. They gestured to him. He looked down at his hoof and the switch, then back to them. They silently nodded, then wrapped their hooves around each other tighter, placing their heads on each other’s’ shoulders. Their conjoined light blossomed, and Bunsen slammed the button down, a grimace on his face and small beads in his eyes. A light and deafening ringing enveloped everything, and Bunsen was engulfed by it.

---

Sparks rained into Bunsen’s vision as his eyes readjusted. He had been tossed to the floor he realized, but not far from where he had been standing. He looked to his left as he slowly, painfully stood up. The Arcanium power bank had been melted to slag, the orangish metal plates sluggishly dripping to the wooden floorboards, burning right through them. The sparks were coming from the now demolished transformer, its coils damaged in the magical surge.

Using the console for support, he looked over it to see Punnett and Bolera lying there. Silently he cantered down to them. There were no wounds on their bodies, but they weren’t moving. They must have fallen as soon as the spell was complete, landing face to face, only a few inches apart. He checked Punnett first since he was closest, turning him over. His labcoat was in tatters, but there was a blissful smile on his face. His eyes were closed.

Bunsen checked his pulse. Nothing. He was gone.

He moved to Bolera. As he came around to her she took in a small breath and reached up to him. “Protect the love of my life,” she declared softly before slowly reclining back down. With her last breath she whispered, “Protect Mi Amore Cadenza.” She was gone then.

Bunsen gently put a hoof over her eyes, closing them. He wanted to cry. He wanted to weep for them then and there, but he felt as if something was physically keeping him from doing that. His feelings passed rapidly as they were drained from his consciousness and sealed away, locked behind a thick glass shell.

Then he heard something he had not expected. The last words were repeated back to him, but in a different voice, one which he didn’t recognize, “Protect the love of my life: Protect Mi Amore Cadenza.”

Bunsen’s eyes widened. He turned toward the transmutation chamber.

The door and a great portion of the front had been melted away, almost as if it had been dumped in acid. The interior was dark, but he could make out a shape inside.

“Impossible,” he whispered.

“Protect the love of my life: Protect Mi Amore Cadenza,” the voice repeated.

Bunsen stepped into the chamber, his eyes adjusting to the dimmed light, and was struck with awe.

It was not a pink filly that lay inside the chamber, but a full grown mare. She was sprawled on her side, her wings clasped to her barrel. Her legs began to shiver and she drew them close to herself. Her head bowed towards the light. She was in a cold sweat; feverish from the look of it, but more importantly there was a horn on her head. The operation seemed to be a success.

The groaning of the rafters and the crackling of the flames thrust him out of his dumbfounded stupor. He reached down, mustering his earth pony strength, and placed her on his back with a grunt. The house would soon be engulfed in flames. He stopped himself from leaving straight away: there was something he had to retrieve.

Cadence had quieted for the moment, but Bunsen could tell her fever was getting worse, and the fire wasn’t helping either. He kicked open Punnett’s study, and almost instantly found his little grey notebook. It wasn’t long after that he found the other book: Starswirl’s Journal. Putting the translation in his coat pocket, he had nowhere else to put the journal but in his mouth, and quickly trotted his way out of the burning home, leaving an entire life behind.

As soon as he was clear of the flames, now with cold rain pattering down on them, he began to check on his goddaughter, “Cadence, speak to me! Are you alright?”

Her eyes fluttered for a moment as she looked at him, then she closed them and lay her head back on the ground, “Who are you?”

Bunsen stopped. Perhaps it was the stress of the experience; perhaps it was the fever talking. Given the transmutation she’d just undergone, it could be her memories were jumbled or erased altogether.

He quickly thought over what he should do, before he sighed. This tragedy wasn’t worth a little filly’s spirit breaking, especially not hers. She needed somepony who could build her up and provide for her. He hated to admit it, but there was only one mare he could think of that could do the job.

“I’m just a firepony,” he lied, before he reached into his coat pocket and drew out a teleportation beacon, “Hold on tight. I’m getting you to someone who can help.”

He slipped the beacon around his neck and put a foreleg over her to draw her closer to inside the transmitter’s field. He snatched up Starswirl’s Journal in his mouth again and tapped the beacon with his hoof, and it glowed as it activated. With a bright flash and pop the both of them were whisked miles away in an instant. They now stood under the canopy of the private doorway into Canterlot Castle. He approached the doorway, Cadence’s foreleg now over his shoulder to support her, and opened it, ushering her inside.

Comments

[Emperor]

And so Cadence's (presumed) ascension starts. I guess all the years she was wasting away were made up for and then some in the process.

It would have made a nice bit of symmetry if Bolera herself was an Earth pony, or if Bunsen had contributed a little bit of his own (Earth pony) magic at the end for all three tribes to be represented in the process (with Cadence being a pegasus already), but ah well.

Someone's going to be furious no doubt even as Punnet's last thesis was proven true.