The Stink Bug

by Some1Else

Chapter 2

When Twilight turned around to head back to Ponyville, she noticed something had changed while she had been busy talking. The path the bug had taken had been altered. Green grass was starting to turn blue and the soil had gotten muddier. Weeds in varying shades of purple, red, and yellow were beginning to grow at an accelerated rate.

“That’s new,” Applejack remarked.

“See anything familiar?” Twilight asked.

“Sandbur and thistle. Watch your step. Do you think that weevil did this?”

“I’ll check. Hang on.”

Applejack grinned. “To what?”

Twilight shook her head. “Oh, you.”

Twilight directed a diagnostic spell at the ground, studying the nature of the magic that had been scattered across it. The magic that the bug carried was potent and served a single purpose, which was the creation of a specific type of environment. It did not require any upkeep and would remain active without drawing any additional energy from the caster for an amount of time that Twilight could not immediately determine. The magic could move a few hoofs from the spot it had been laid on. Some of the magic was also in the air around them, which explained the sudden increase in humidity.

A hint of concern crept into Applejack’s voice. “Is this somethin’ you can fix with magic?”

Twilight could tell that she was worried about her farm. “Yes. This isn’t permanent. I want to have a closer look at that beetle before we go back to the castle. There are a few things that I need to be sure of.”

They changed their pace to a gallop, avoiding the path the bug had taken to evade stickers. Twilight cast the barrier spell she had used earlier. Some of the smell had clung to her coat and managed to find its way into her bubble. She endured it. All the ponies who had been lying unconscious in the streets earlier had regained their senses while Twilight had been gone and had managed to get away. To see the town empty so early in the morning was unsettling. The birds that usually hung out around town had cleared out way ahead of the ponies. Twilight only heard herself and Applejack as she made her way forward.

Unusual plants were springing up around where the bug had sequestered itself. Turquoise vines with strange orange flowers were beginning to overtake the exterior of the library. The nearby houses hadn’t fared any better. Thatch roofs were covered in pink moss.

Twilight came to a stop within twenty hoofs of the bug, which remained motionless. She could not tell if she was approaching it from the front or back. Clear ooze continued running down the pores on the shell. There was no end to it. Twilight crept closer to the bug, hoping she would not agitate it. The shell teetered for a moment, bringing her to a full stop.

“Be careful,” Applejack said.

“It’s okay,” Twilight said. “It’s just scared.”

Twilight cast the spell she had in mind. Her aura hugged the body of the beetle and she was given basic understanding of her target, which came with an immediate surprise. “She’s scared.”

Mud erupted from the ground, coming right at her. Twilight dodged, avoiding all but a few stray specs of the wave that had been thrown at her. The front of the bug was now visible. Eight red eyes looked down at her as the bug roared in fury, emitting a noise that reminded Twilight of a cicada.

“She isn’t scared anymore!” Applejack said. “She’s madder than a wet hornet!”

A sucking sound came from its mouth. Twilight knew what it was doing. And she was too late. Green fluid shot from its mouth and hit Twilight square in her muzzle. Twilight’s head snapped back at the force of the impact and the rest of her body followed. She tumbled twice in the warm mud before coming to a stop. The force of the blow had taken her concentration along with it, but she was far more concerned with the mucus hardening on her face. Twilight pulled the goo off before it could suffocate her, yanking out tufts of the hair around her muzzle. Having exhaled the moment she had been struck, her lungs were now petitioning her to take a nice, deep breath. Twilight could not stop herself. It was only a little one and she cut it short the second she realized she was doing it, but the damage had already been done.

It had been bad before. Twilight had not imagined it could get any worse. She had never been so ignorant.

She looked up at the sky and gasped, trying to get in air through her mouth so she could avoid smelling it. She could taste it. Her back molars tried to jump out of her mouth. Tears streamed down her face. She was on the verge of fainting, but to do so would not be acceptable. Celestia wouldn’t be brought down by the bug and neither would she. Twilight stumbled away from the bug as it continued shrieking. She tried to retreat to the safety of her bubble, but the glue on her face smelled like Spike’s breath after he had gone a week without brushing his tongue, which had ended when Twilight had told him Rarity would never kiss him if she could taste what he had eaten for breakfast three days ago. A quick spell wiped every bit of it off her body.

Applejack was suddenly at her side since it was safer to breathe right next to her. “Holy moly. You could knock a full-grown dragon over if you threw that thing at it.”

“We’re going to need to take that bug back with us,” Twilight said. “It’s an indispensable part of the ecosystem of the swamp.”

“Say what, now?”

“That bug is naturally enchanted with earth magic. It’s a little like what earth ponies have, only it’s much more amped up. If we don’t return it, the swamp will perish once the magic wears off.”

“I’m sure there’s more than one of them, Twi.”

“Can you till a field all by yourself?”

“Ah, I see what you’re sayin’. We’re going to need a lot of scented candles for this trip. By the way, can you give me back my own bubble?”

Twilight conjured Applejack’s apple scented bubble back into existence. Behind her, Big Mac and Spike seemed to materialize in the distance. Twilight rubbed the tears out of her eyes and confirmed that they were heading towards them. Big Mac was carrying a saddlebag bulging with disposable respirators. Spike already had two of them in his hands, which he displayed by waving them around in the air. Twilight accepted hers and lowered her bubble. The respirator did not completely filter the odor, but it helped and would allow her to save her energy. Applejack took the other one and Twilight stopped maintaining her shield.

Twilight gave Spike a brief nuzzle. “Thanks for coming back.”

His chest swelled a little with pride. “No problem. I’m glad we found you. We’ve been looking all over for you.”

“Sorry.” Twilight adjusted her mask to make sure the filter was perfectly centered. “We were outside the town for a few minutes. Have you been leading ponies back to the castle?”

“Yup. The main hall is packed. It’s easier to breath in there than it is outside.”

“I need you to get a letter to Princess Celestia immediately. Do you have a scroll and a quill with you?”

Spike reached behind his back. Twilight held her breath in anticipation. A touch of concern crossed Spike’s face. Spike didn’t bother trying to hide his failure and showed her his empty claws.

“I guess I need to brush up on that trick since I haven’t had to do it for a while,” Spike said.

“It’s fine. We’ll stop by the print shop. Climb up on my back, I’ll carry you.”

Spike did as he was told. Twilight turned to address Big Mac, but he had already gone down the road in search of survivors. Twilight nodded in approval. He would make a great adventurer. Twilight would have to ask him about it some time. She took off towards the print shop with Spike clinging to her back and Applejack a step behind. She could feel Spike’s heart beating fast against her back as they neared their destination.

Once they were inside the shop, Spike dismounted. The front of the store was a bit of a mess as several customers had dropped what they were doing to get to a spot where they could breathe without throwing up. Twilight and Spike went further into the store while Applejack stayed behind to watch the entrance. They wandered over to the section selling stationary, a spot they were so familiar with that they would dream about it often, sometimes together in the same evening if Luna was particularly bored.

Spike pointed at the various designs on display and let his claw wander in the air. “Which one of these do you think really captures the essence of Ponyville being in danger?”

“It doesn’t matter, just pick one.”

Spike grabbed a sheet of paper with a crimson back. The front had a white face with a red border that matched the back. The seal was white with a red ribbon.

Twilight winced at the thought of sending something so ugly to Celestia. “Why did you pick that one?”

“It’ll really grab her attention,” Spike replied.

“Any letter I send will grab her attention. Get that soft, white one there with the red seal and the golden ribbon.”

“Okay, but I think it lacks a certain sense of urgency.” Spike added the piece of paper Twilight wanted to his inventory.

Before they had a brief debate on what pen should be used, Twilight picked a ballpoint pen loaded with black ink and gave it to Spike. She went behind the counter and found the store ledger under the cash register next to a notepad. She made a brief note of the transaction and instructed the owner to send her the bill. Twilight placed the note under the tray inside the register and shut the drawer tight.

Spike jumped up on the counter and held his pen an inch above the paper, mentally preparing his wrist to write straight without the help of lines. “Ready when you are.”

“Urgent. Immediate action required. An unexpected guest has arrived in Ponyville due to the misuse of magic. This visitor likely came from the swamp mentioned in the twenty sixth chapter of Beyond Equestria. It is a beetle bestowed with earth magic that has altered Ponyville’s environment. We’re going to need a ship to carry that bug across the ocean back to where it came from. We will probably need some members of the royal guard to go along with us since we will be visiting a continent outside of Equestria and searching for the pony responsible for this disaster. I’ll need at least three royal unicorn mages to take shifts keeping a barrier in place over the bug so the crew doesn’t jump ship to get away from the smell. They will also need to suppress the magic of the creature so that vegetation can’t overtake the vessel. Please meet me at the Castle of Friendship so we can continue planning this expedition. Are you making this sound professional?”

Spike stopped writing and began reading from the top of the page. “Princess Twilight Sparkle hereby formally requests the use of a fully crewed ship for the urgent purpose of ---”

Twilight held up a hoof to stop him. “Great work, as usual, Spike.”

“Do you really have to go through all that trouble?” Applejack asked. “Can’t you just teleport the creature back to where it came from once you find out where its home is?”

Twilight almost laughed at her. “I don’t mean to sound rude, but you do know how it works, right?”

“Maybe. Tell me anyway.”

“Alright. If you’re teleporting just yourself, that requires a lot less energy than if you are carrying passengers. I don’t know how many miles it is from here to that swamp, but I’m sure it exceeds the record for a single unicorn carrying one passenger. There are several reasons why teleportation is not a feasible means of traveling great distances. The main one is if a unicorn exceeds their own unique level of magical energy, they are going to severally hurt themselves and the spell might result in a miscast. When we apprehend the unicorn responsible for this mishap, I will be very interested in seeing their formula, because they had to have significantly upgraded the spell to do what they have done unless this was the result of a miscast since a miscast can still result in the desired effect at great cost to the unicorn.”

“Shucks howdy.”

“Indeed. Any questions?”

“Only one. When you say at great cost, do you mean what I think you mean?”

Twilight didn’t even want to consider that possibility. “I do.”

Applejack sighed. “Well, I sure do hope that ain’t the case.”

Spike finished the letter. He rolled it up, sealed it, and wrapped the golden tassel around the tube just the way Twilight liked, which had taken some practice to get right. After the usual burst of fire from his mouth, it was on its way to Celestia.

“All finished,” Spike said.

“Good. I’ll carry you again, so get on.”

A glint appeared in his eyes. Spike did a back-flip and landed squarely on Twilight’s back. Her spine popped, but it didn’t hurt enough to complain. She wasn’t impressed.

“Five outta ten,” Applejack said.

“I’m glad that’s out of your system,” Twilight said.

“Me too,” Spike replied.

Their next destination was the Castle of Friendship. From a distance, they could see Pinkie Pie had organized a game of Bingo on the front lawn of the castle to keep the displaced citizens occupied. Some of them weren’t wearing masks, which Twilight took as an indication that it was safe to breath around the castle. Twilight removed the mask hugging her muzzle and became thankful the wind was blowing south. Spike took her mask, Applejack’s, and his own and held on to them.

Waves and smiles were exchanged as they passed through the crowd. Some ponies cheered and whistled at the arrival of Twilight Sparkle. She could not have asked for better subjects. One front door had been left propped open to appear inviting. As Spike had mentioned, the main hall was full of visitors. Food had been brought out and some of them were receiving treatment for minor injuries. A murmur was in the air as the voices of those grateful to have gotten away from work for a little while mixed with other ponies who were wondering if Ponyville could ever hope to go a full month without seeing any excitement.

The pleasant aroma of wood burning in a fireplace accompanied by the distinct scent of a pine tree filled the area. Twilight recognized the scent. The Hearth’s Warming Eve candles she had hoarded were set up at specific intervals throughout the main hall.

Rarity stepped out from the talkative crowd. She was looking lovely, which was par for the course, but her mane was slightly out of place thanks to the humidity. “Am I ever glad to see you three. I trust some of us are in for another adventure?”

“That’s probably a safe bet,” Twilight replied.

“Fabulous. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash are waiting to speak with you in the map room. By the way, I know the candles I have used were limited editions. I have some of them myself. I’ll give you the number I have used out of my own collection later this week.”

“Thanks.”

“Think nothing of it. If you need me, I’ll be out here socializing and keeping spirits high.”

Rarity left and effortlessly slid into a conversation a group of ponies were having. They were trying to figure out at what point a beloved long running franchise became a parody of itself.

“Spike, could you pull the fifth edition of Beyond Equestria and have it open to the twenty sixth chapter for me?” Twilight asked.

“No,” Spike said defiantly as he began heading towards the library.

Twilight decided to play along. “I thought we were friends.”

“Shows how much you know, nerd.”

Twilight smirked and shook her head. Finished with the dramatic exchange, she made her way to the map room with Applejack. DJ-Pon 3 was standing outside the door to the map room and held it open for her and Applejack. Respectful nods were exchanged. Pon 3 shut the door after them.

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were at their respective seats, ready for the meeting.

“Hey, girls,” Twilight said as she made her way to her seat.

Dash muttered an intelligible reply. She had one hoof on the table and another underneath her chin while a cloud of disappointment hung above her. “I think you’ve got a message waiting for you.”

When Twilight took her seat, she noticed an impression of her hoof had appeared on the map. It was blinking and urging her with a bouncing arrow to slide the symbol to the right. Twilight put her hoof on the map and pulled the symbol in the direction it had requested, not knowing what to expect. A red circle appeared over Ponyville. Red hyphens began forming on top of the map. They were an inch apart and marked a path stretching far to the southwest region of Equestria. It began crossing the ocean. Upon approaching the edge of the magical hologram, the map zoomed out and revealed the tip of a continent that had yet to earn an official name. Twilight knew this was coming, but could not stifle a small gasp now that it had happened. She would really be leaving Equestria.

Another red circle appeared over a spot Twilight guessed was around thirty miles from the coast. It was going to be quite a walk, but Twilight wasn’t deterred. Mohu, the home of the Salamanders, appeared above the circle. The map adjusted itself to center the path it was currently displaying, sending the rest of the world into shadow. Geological coordinates appeared beneath Twilight. They were easy enough for her to memorize on the spot.

“Where are our Cutie Marks?” Fluttershy asked. “Don’t they usually appear by now?”

“This must not be a friendship problem,” Twilight replied. “I guess I’m free to pick whoever I want to go along with me on this one.”

“Don’t even ask me if I can help,” Dash said. “I’ve got to be in Canterlot early tomorrow morning. Some kids stuck in the magical therapy ward at the Hope hospital wanna meet a real life Wonderbolt and I wouldn’t miss that for anything.”

Twilight couldn’t dream of asking her to cancel her appointment. “There’s always next time. That’s not what has you so upset, is it?”

“What? No way.” Dash sighed and lowered her head. “I was the first one to see that thing and I flew away from it before I could think of helping.”

Applejack waved dismissively. “Don’t be so hard on yourself, Dash. If you had figured it posed a real threat, I think you would have reacted differently.”

Dash fell forward on the table, scraping her hoofs across its surface. “Yeah, well, if they write a book about this I don’t wanna go down as the pony who flew away like a huge coward.”

Twilight chuckled. “Is that all? That is the last thing you would ever go down as in a book. Trust me.”

Dash straightened up, her confidence restored.

“Could you tell me what happened?” Twilight asked.

“Sure,” Dash replied. “I was doing some cloud maintenance in the meadow right before I was supposed to meet you at the library. I was really getting into it since this cloud was in sore need of attention. All of a sudden there was this popping noise. Like when you take a needle to a balloon. Just pow!” Dash hit her front hoofs together. “Like that. I looked down and saw that a section of the meadow I see nearly every day had miraculously become completely different. I also caught a glimpse of who I’m sure is destined to become our new best friend.” Dash sighed and grimaced. “And then the smell hit me. I shoved my face into the cloud I was fixing to try and get away from it. A bolt of lightning came out of the cloud and struck the ground next to the bug. That caused it to freak out and it started heading right for Ponyville. I tried my best to stop it, but I couldn’t get very close without dry heaving. That’s when I decided to fly through town and try to warn everyone.”

Dash’s story was about what Twilight had expected it would be. Her attention turned to Fluttershy. While animals were her main forte, she had displayed some command over spiders and other insects in the past, which stamped her passport so hard the ink bled through two pages.

“What do you think, Fluttershy?” Twilight asked.

“That poor bug is probably really scared,” Fluttershy said. “I’ll come along and keep it company.”

“I’ll take care of your buddies when I get back while you’re away,” Dash said.

“That would be fine.” Fluttershy swallowed hard. “Umm, I don’t want to sound like I’m complaining or whining, but I’ve been wondering something.”

“Go ahead and ask,” Applejack said. “What’s on your mind?”

“Do you girls ever think that we naturally attract events like this?” Fluttershy asked.

Having had the same thought in the middle of the night on more than one evening, Twilight had an immediate answer for her. “If we do, it is a good thing all of us are here to deal with them together because it isn’t something we can change.”

Fluttershy nodded, satisfied with the reply.

“So, off the top of your head, why do you think that bug smells so bad?” Dash asked.

“It probably feels threatened,” Fluttershy replied. “The odor must ward off predators where it’s from.”

Excited murmuring drifted in from the hallway outside of the map room and diverted their attention to the door. The noise dropped off as quickly as it had begun. A moment later, the door opened. To no one’s surprise, Celestia and Luna had arrived from Canterlot as quickly as a combination of their wings and magic had allowed. Pon 3, who had removed her headphones at the sight of the two princesses, closed the door behind them after they stepped inside. The two princesses came to a stop a few hoofs from the table.

“Good afternoon, Twilight Sparkle,” Celestia said. “You have my condolences. It is a shame that the opening of your library has been interrupted by such an odd problem.”

“Your requests have been granted,” Luna said in a manner that left no doubt that the two sisters had rehearsed who was going to say what before they arrived. “However, there are a few things we should discuss before you leave.”

“Of course.” Twilight was glad she managed to stop herself from stammering. “By all means.”

“We would say pull up a chair,” Applejack said. “but the spare thrones we have on order from the Crystal Empire haven’t gotten done yet and Rarity would have a stroke if she knew there were aluminum foldin’ chairs anywhere in this castle. You’re welcome to what’s open, though.”

Celestia managed to keep herself from laughing for the sake of Rarity’s dignity, but Luna snorted and followed it up with an expression daring anyone to question if she had just lost her composure.

“We’re fine,” Celestia said. “Thank you.”

A section of the floor popped open. Pinkie Pie was beneath it, wearing a hat that was at least fifty pounds as if it were made of hay. She extended an arm to Luna and in the hoof of the limb she held a large thermos.

“Coffee?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“Certainly.” Luna accepted the thermos and began drinking from it. She kept it levitated in front of her.

Pinkie Pie vanished beneath the floor faster than the slab could fall. When it finally did collapse back into place, it did so with an audible grind that stabbed Twilight’s ears in the same manner metal scraping against metal did. No evidence that what had just happened could be accessible to any of them except Pinkie had been left behind.

“I’m afraid the details of this conversation are to remain a secret,” Luna said. “We have full faith in your discretion.”

Twilight’s horn lit up. A bolt clicked as she locked the door to the room. Only Pinkie Pie would be able to barge in unexpectedly.

“Our records indicate that no unicorns who have chosen to leave Equestria currently reside on the continent you will be visiting since the land is not considered tame,” Celestia said.

There were plenty of places still left in the world that did not enjoy the order Equestria did. Beasts, wraiths, and dangerous remnants of whatever had come before their age were topics that were saved for stormy summer nights.

Twilight could not think of one of them that could send a chill down her spine quite like the question she had to ask. “Does that mean the Salamanders have magic?”

“Perhaps,” Celestia replied. “You will be the first to know.”

Luna stepped forward and placed her thermos on the table “There is another possibility. The number we have for those who have decided to expatriate only includes those who followed the rules and let us know they were leaving. I am sure you can deduce what a unicorn desperate enough to completely disappear from Equestria without leaving a trace usually has on their mind.”

“Dark magic,” Twilight said.

“Precisely.”

Having seen a sample of the work of the unicorn she would be confronting, Twilight could not take the potential encounter very seriously. “I can assure you whoever cast that spell is a few years behind on their meditation and concentration exercises. They’re not going to get very far.”

Luna scoffed. “I would not be so quick to underestimate a hapless dunce with little regard for their own safety as they are usually always more dangerous than a regular idiot. Renegade unicorns know what awaits them if they are captured and the Salamanders might not be willing to listen to us if they have just discovered magic.”

“Do the Salamanders not like us?” Fluttershy asked.

Luna shook her head. “We have tried to set up a relationship with them for quite some time, but our efforts have not been successful. Every five years, my sister has taken it upon herself to venture into their land and see if they have changed their minds and each time they have chased her away. If they have magic, they no longer possess the luxury of having a choice. If they wish to keep it, they will need to accept our guidance. We do not need a bunch of stubborn, incompetent novices sending their problems our way or accidentally destroying themselves in a manner that renders their land completely uninhabitable for a few centuries.”

“What about the language barrier?” Applejack asked.

“I’m glad you asked,” Luna replied.

Luna’s horn lit up. A crimson scroll materialized in front of her. It flew gently across the table and landed in front of Twilight, who accepted the scroll and unrolled it. A matching border was on the front of the piece of paper. White was where the actual writing was to be done. Spike and Luna needed to hang out more often.

The spell Luna had given Twilight was high level. Sound had to be changed into recognizable words on the fly. It was an active spell, which meant it lingered for a few hours until it had to be refreshed. Essentially a high-level enchantment, it would not draw any additional energy from the caster after it had been invoked, but the cost to use the spell made an interpreter more practical in situations where one was available. The spell had been meant for one pony and one target, but the usual trick to getting it to work on multiple targets did not render the spell impotent.

An important note had been left at the bottom of the page. Since the spell worked by converting sound after it had left the mouth, their lips would not synchronize while they were talking, which would make them look a little funny. Twilight’s face scrunched up. She didn’t like that and she was certain she could tweak the spell to eliminate the problem. The targeted area was in front of the mouth. It seemed feasible to pad the entire thing with a haste spell to speed the whole process up. If it backfired, they would sound like they had inhaled helium and drool all over the place uncontrollably. The benefits outweighed the risks.

“Have you finished memorizing the spell?” Luna asked.

“I sure have,” Twilight replied.

A blue aura surrounded the red paper as Luna took control of it. She guided it away from Twilight and into the air. A brief burst of fire reduced it to ashes.

Twilight could hardly believe what she had just seen. Burning knowledge was more disgusting than grazing raw grass. “Why did you do that?”

Luna did not leave her in distress for too long. “In response to Starlight Glimmer’s temper tantrum, it is time for us to reconsider what spells we can allow to be commonly known. That formula is one such spell. We would prefer you keep it to yourself.”

“Isn’t that. . .” Twilight’s lips tingled as she worked out the word. “Censorship?”

Celestia nodded. “I understand how you feel, Twilight, but a certain degree of it is always necessary.”

“Especially if it means more stability, which we have been sorely lacking lately, as I’m sure you’ve noticed,” Luna added.

Dash scoffed. “If someone blew the lid off this the only ponies who would get upset about it would be the same ponies who go around telling everyone to put tinfoil on their hoofs to soak up the residue left behind on the ground by magic to keep from getting sick and nobody listens to them anyway.”

“That’s not true, is it?” Fluttershy asked, looking at Celestia. “I mean, since we’re talking about it. I always wondered.”

“It’s been proven to be false for years,” Celestia replied. “It’s just an ugly myth.”

“The only reason you still hear about it is because there are dishonest ponies out there who are looking to sell you useless garbage at an exorbitant price to alleviate your ignorance,” Luna said.

“And that’s the truth? This isn’t a secret you have to keep?”

“I give you my word,” Celestia replied.

“That’s a relief.”

“Who told you that?” Applejack asked. “Does his name start and end with a D?”

Fluttershy started fiddling with her front hoofs. “It might.”

“He should get bucked for that,” Applejack said.

Twilight brought order back to their conversation. “How soon can we leave?”

Celestia and Luna looked at each and smiled. The gleam in their eyes was intriguing. They were sharing a secret.

Luna was still smiling when she looked at Twilight. “You will be able to leave in ninety minutes.”

That seemed a bit short to Twilight, but she didn’t argue.

“Did you two already take care of all the packing?” Fluttershy asked.

Luna nodded. “You’re welcome.”

“Twilight, it might not hurt to use this time to review the relevant chapter in Beyond Equestria with the companions you have chosen for this voyage,” Celestia said. “You should also pull any books you might like to read while you’re on the trip. My sister and I will be by the new library. Meet us there early. We were planning to take some samples of the vegetation for study before we repaired the area. Would you like to help us, Rainbow Dash?”

Dash was by Celestia’s side with a fast, blurry maneuver typically reserved for Pinkie Pie.

“I believe that’s a yes,” Luna said.

Applejack prepared to get out of her seat. “Is this meeting adjourned?”

Celestia gave her a nod.

“Since we’re all headed out, let’s walk out together,” Dash suggested. “They’ll love that.”

“I hope nobody takes any photos,” Fluttershy said. “My eyes always turn out red in them.”

Luna chugged the rest of her drink. Twilight couldn’t blame her. Pinkie’s espressos were the stuff of legend. Luna sent the thermos to the kitchen while Twilight left her seat and unlocked the door. When they were ready to depart, Twilight opened the door. As expected, the citizens of Ponyville were delighted to see their heroines and their leaders ready for work. Celestia parted with her company towards the front door while Twilight led her team towards the library. More displaced ponies lingered in the hallways, making the place as lively as it usually was during parties and formal events.

“The book we will be reviewing today was written before there were cameras, which drove Grizzle to take up drawing in addition to writing,” Twilight said. “There are a few nice illustrations of what we can expect.”

“This book sounds a little old.” Applejack paused for a moment to smile at two colts looking up at her with a stupefied expression.

The parents of the colts wore the same look. Twilight had seen it before. It revealed what they were. Tourists. They couldn’t have arrived at a better time since they were working on saving Ponyville again. A unicorn with hope clouding up his eyes levitated a pen and a piece of paper in front of Twilight suggestively.

Twilight gave him the autograph he desired without a second thought. “It is, but given what Princess Celestia has told us, they haven’t changed much.”

A pegasus mare and an earth stallion collaborated with a unicorn mare to get a picture of themselves in extravagant poses as Fluttershy walked by. She offered a smile with sad eyes that would undoubtedly come out red when the picture was processed.

“Would you like one with all three of us?” Fluttershy asked.

Their squeals served as an answer. Twilight grabbed the camera with her aura and every tourist they had encountered gathered around them for a group photo. She took three pictures to ensure that at least one would look good in a frame. That was more than enough to satisfy all of them. Twilight returned the camera to its owner and kept walking with her friends in tow.

The mesmerized tourists were kind enough to stop following them once the door to the library was closed. And locked.

“By the way, are you ever goin’ to staff this castle with some guards?” Applejack asked. “You know. Just in case some dastardly villain gets lucky and manages to catch you when you aren’t lookin’ like when Chrysalis punted Celestia?”

“That’s scheduled for next month.”

Spike had prepared the book Twilight had requested at the center of her reading area with a pen and a notebook. He had also taken the time to snag some strawberry fig rolls from the kitchen and had even made them each a cup of tea, which was flavored with jasmine judging by the sweet aroma.

While Fluttershy and Applejack sat down on the same sofa together and enjoyed the snacks, Twilight sat on a different sofa at the head of the group and held the book in front of her with levitation. Grizzle’s section on the swamp covered ten pages. Twilight’s eyes flew across the words, cutting out the chaff and highlighting the relevant bits most likely to appear on an exam. She didn’t find anything to add to their discussion until she reached the part containing Grizzle’s illustrations, which had been printed on photo paper and touched up for the edition she was reviewing. A drawing of a male Salamander greeted her.

The Salamander was a bipedal creature with a stocky build. Muscles were prominent due to their lifestyle, but not overly pronounced. Their snouts were short and sharply defined, giving their face a naturally fierce expression. A beautiful pattern of colors adorned the sleek black skin of the reptile. According to the note at the bottom of the page, the patterns and colors were random. Most of their torso was a muddy brown color. Much like ponies, they were above wearing clothing. Four fingers adorned their hands and just as many toes were on their feet. They had short, stubby tails. A random mare was drawn next to the Salamander for a comparison in size. The Salamander was larger, but not by too much.

A drawing of a female Salamander was on the accompanying page. They were smaller and less muscular, but bore the same glare their men had been given.

“Here we are.” Twilight held the book open and displayed it in front of her friends so they could get a good look at it.

“They look tough,” Applejack said.

“They have to be,” Fluttershy said.

Twilight took the book back and carefully flipped to the next page. Even with the aid of magic, books that mixed photo paper with regular paper tended to crease easily. There were few things Twilight thought less of than books with damaged spines that always wanted to open to the part where they had been wounded, which typically occurred in the least interesting section.

The next image was a drawing of what Grizzle had managed to see of their village. Their cabins were made of wood and constructed above the wet ground. The structures were simple and lacked variety. What differentiated them was the arrangement of flowers on each house. The Salamanders had an affinity for gardening. Seeds from flowers deep inside the swamp had been harvested and made to grow in the village. There was no shortage of variety. They also held trees in high regard.

“It looks like they use flowers to cover up the natural odor of their environment.” Twilight had paraphrased a bit of what she had read earlier as she held up the picture again. “I wonder how they got that idea?” She had to smile slightly at her own wit.

Applejack and Fluttershy were visibly intrigued now that they both had something in common with the Salamanders.

“Those look like azaleas,” Fluttershy said, pointing at the picture.

“In clay?” Applejack asked.

“Their plants have to be tough, too,” Fluttershy concluded. “I hope they will let us bring some home with us.”

Applejack nodded. “Maybe we’ll catch them in a good mood this time,”

Twilight took the book back and flipped to the last illustration. She was met with an image of a male Salamander wielding a spear, ready to fight. To his left was a female Salamander in the process of notching an arrow to the bow she held. A female child was also on the page. She held a ball of muck that one of the attached notes said was made from mud mixed with a powerful irritant. It went on to state that every Salamander had exceptionally good aim and that their pitch carried a lasting impression.

She showed her companions the illustration. “I’m sure they’re not entirely above reason.”

The chapter ended after the picture of the child carrying the ball.

Twilight closed the book and placed it where Spike had set it. “I guess that’s all we can learn without going there ourselves. You girls are dismissed for now.”

“I think I’ll stay here and have you help me get some books for the trip,” Applejack said.

Twilight was overjoyed to hear that. Applejack spent a great deal of her spare time filling it up with more work, so Twilight had a long list of potential titles she wanted Applejack to have a look at. “You’ve come to the right mare, Applejack,” Twilight said.

“I know. Just about everything you recommend is a good read.”

“Are you going to stay, too, Fluttershy?” Twilight asked.

Fluttershy nodded. “I’ll have you pick out some books for me, as well, if you don’t mind.”

“What? No way! I’d be thrilled to help you.”

A flurry of titles ran through Twilight’s head. She knew their tastes well. Applejack usually stayed at least fifty years in the past surrounded by classics when she wasn’t busy checking out biographies or the latest bestseller while Fluttershy always enjoyed a good mystery. However, there was one genre they could all agree on.

A smile of a different nature crossed Twilight’s lips. “I think I might have just the book for both of you.”

Applejack cocked an eyebrow, rising to the challenge in Twilight’s voice. “You think so?”

“Have either of you read Forty-Two Variations of Silver yet?”