Chapter 50: Magibabble
Ranger
Chapter 50: Magibabble
By Wanderer D
Twilight left her office, closing it behind her. Celestia's letter was long, from what little she had seen, and Sunset would need some privacy and time to take it in.
She shifted a little guiltily. Was this the proper time to give that to Sunset? She was probably mentally and emotionally exhausted. She sighed. There was little point in dwelling on it now. Maybe it would take Sunset's mind away from the current problems for a little while, but… well, Celestia and Sunset had much to catch up on.
She turned and walked to Tygan's location. He had probably taken Jane to an isolated room to make sure noone overheard something they shouldn't, and that left a few places where that could be.
Of course, that brought back memories of her own blunder.
o.0.o Two Days Ago o.0.o
Twilight shifted uncomfortably in the seat across from Bradford. On his desk was Sunset's diary.
"Princess," Bradford finally said. "You understand why you're here?"
Twilight nodded sheepishly.
"While I have no doubts that your intentions to Lt. Dash were nothing but good, using artifacts like this one without care in a spaceship full of soldiers that are willing to blow aliens to pieces at the slightest provocation is perhaps not the smartest move."
Twilight felt like she was sinking in her seat. Getting berated by Bradford, even if he wasn't being mean or angry, felt like she was back in magic kindergarten.
"Fortunately, only Lt. Dash found out about this…" he trailed off. "Who else knows?"
"Outside of you and, um, I suppose the commander?" Twilight asked. "Well… just Sunset and I. But… Mr. Bradford…"
"Bradford or Central will be fine."
"Um… Cen—Bradford, sir, Lieutenant Dash was drinking herself away for something she had no control over," Twilight said. "I… know that people here are afraid of unexpected things like these, with good reason, but she needed some closure, and she wasn't getting it with just counselling."
She looked down at the diary. "Back home… Rainbow Dash is one of my best friends. We've saved the world together… she taught me to fly when I gained my wings. Seeing her just… drinking herself into unconsciousness hurt. She might not look the same, or even be the same exactly… but my friend's essence is in there, and I couldn't fail her here and face her when I go back home."
Bradford studied her. "I had to read the diary."
Twilight's eyes went wide. "Oh."
They remained silent for a moment, letting that sink in. "I'm not prone to discussions like these," Bradford said. "But my good friend Dr. Shen once said that I was acting like Sunset's father. I disagree. But I do care about her… and it has been my pleasure and honor to see her grow from the arrogant kid she was just three years ago into the woman she is today… and it will continue to be both to see her succeed further."
He took the diary in his hands. "Reading this… felt disrespectful, but it was necessary. The Commander trusts me to inform her of anything questionable that might affect XCOM... but neither your letters nor her own betray any information that could be used against us."
He placed it on the table, his fingers tapping it. "One thing that confuses me is… if I open this diary, and step away from it… when I'm not touching it, the words are not in English. They're lines and circles, all but cryptographic to me. Yet, when I picked it up, it was in English."
Twilight nodded. "The diary was created by Princess Celestia for Sunset… being a personal diary, it was made in a way that would be unreadable to anyone that Sunset wouldn't want to be able to read… the fact that you were able to read the words inside…" She gulped. "That means that Sunset trusts you with her innermost thoughts."
Bradford's eyes went wide for a brief moment, and even as quick as he was to return to the stoic command of his appearance, Twilight could tell that the information had moved him.
"That means that not anyone can look into it?"
Twilight nodded. "If say, an engineer she knows, but is not close to were to pick up the diary? They would only see garbled lines and nonsensical words. Nothing readable." She smiled at the book. "I can only imagine what spells she cast on it! Over here I can't really study it, but was it Starswirl's Limerick Gimmick?! Or, or maybe a modified version of the "hypnotic-manifest" spell with a "selective reader" twist to it? But how does the diary know who to trust? Does it have an "Empirical Empathic Enunciator" spell added to it? Is it an effect on the pages alone? But then there's also the "Remote Redaction Reflector" spell that clearly is a main component," Twilight waved her hand in an obviously self-demeaning way. "How silly of me to forget that. But still, what I'd like to know is ho—"
"So the fact that Lt. Dash was able to read this…" Bradford asked, interrupting Twilight, who blinked and giggled.
"Um… sorry, tend to get carried away." Twilight took a slow breath. "Dash told me how she and Jane were the first people here that Sunset made friends with. Probably because of their competitive streak. Their trust has been building up for some time. The only reason I can read it… and why it was such a big deal for her to let me use it, is that in my case, she overrode the protection by willingly granting me access. She can't protect only her own writings… it's all access or nothing, so it was a huge sign of trust."
Twilight looked down. "I hope I didn't betray that trust."
Bradford remained silent, frowning at the diary before sliding it towards Twilight, who looked up in surprise.
"If that mechanism is active… I see no harm in you two keeping it. The things said inside…" He sighed. "Maybe one day I will get to meet this Princess Celestia of yours."
Twilight smiled. "I think she would like to meet Sunset's dad."
"Out."
"Hm, interesting," Dr. Tygan said, looking at the scans. "There appears to be no sign of blood contamination, or your body rejecting it… although by now we would know if that were the case."
Jane nodded.
"And you say that the shot went right through you?"
"Doctor, you can check my vital scans from the GREMLIN, I don't know how Sunset managed this, but she saved my life."
"It is… amazing," Tygan agreed. "If we could duplicate it…"
"That might not be a good idea," Twilight said, opening the door and approaching. For some reason she had a smirk on her face, which faded when she got close. She stood in front of Jane, and held her hand up.
Jane blinked in surprise when, slowly, purple-red energy seemed to seep from Twilight's hand and float above it, then float from there to her other hand and back. She followed it with her eyes and head. "How… what is that?"
"Were you able to scan that, Doctor?" Twilight asked.
Tygan blinked. "Scan what?"
"You didn't see that?!" Jane asked surprised, turning to see the confused look in the doctor's face.
"It is as I feared," Twilight sighed. "The reason this worked was that Sunset used actual Blood Magic in conjunction with everything else she did. Not only were the methods haphazard, they involved several factors that we cannot simply calculate… but they have definitely affected Jane."
Dr. Tygan frowned, and Jane looked at Twilight with some worry. "Am I… is this bad?"
Twilight shook her head. "I don't know…" she smiled. "Sunset saved your life, and I think that because of the bond of friendship she feels for you, the corrupting aspect of Blood Magic might not have been transferred to you. I do think, however, that she inadvertently made you sensitive to magic."
"So you're saying this is not something we can replicate?" Tygan asked.
"Not… as such," Twilight said carefully. "If this is what you want to focus on, I can try to adapt more… medically inclined spells to this world… but the ability to cast them will still be locked to Sunset and I, and without the desperation and personal investment that she had for Jane… it's not just a matter of wanting, in this world. We'd be killing ourselves by overdrawing our reserves."
Twilight started pacing. "You see… Sunset has had years here to evaluate the impact of using Blood Magic here and to fine-tune what she can, and cannot do. And keep in mind she's not just your run-of-the-mill unicorn either. Like me, she was taught personally by one of the highest authorities in magic our world has ever known. If she says she has a limit of power or effects with her magic… it's not just a guess. She would have come to that decision based on countless factors and direct experience.
"But even then, that's not the problem… the magic she uses is… for lack of a better word, visceral. It draws on connections, deep emotion, subconscious desire, and the innate symbolic, mystic and supernatural aspects of blood. It goes beyond a medical aspect or study of it, as the medical spells would. It's tied to body, mind and soul."
Twilight paused, looking outside of Tygan's office at the people working in the lab. "Our ancient history mentions Blood Witches and Blood Warlocks as ponies who would eventually succumb to the primal needs of blood in it's multifaceted… almost, anthropomorphic sense, if we could ascribe sapience to it. They would tear whole towns apart, indulge in orgies of blood and sex and horror and desperation and madness. Anything to feed the blood with power… the power to control… kill…" she grimaced.
"And this… maddening thaumic power… is what Sergeant Shimmer wields?" Tygan asked, his voice low. The whole thing sounded like out of a fantasy novel.
Twilight nodded. "In Equestria… she'd be down that road by now. It happened, a little, I think… when she visited last. I'm not sure what she did exactly, but she was… power hungry, overconfident to the point of arrogance."
She glanced at the other two. "I… understand that it is hard to put into perspective, without you having met them… but, when she escaped, she took on three of the most powerful beings in the world…" She hesitated. "Bear in mind… two of them can quite literally move the Sun and the Moon."
Tygan and Jane were quiet.
"And, of course she didn't stay to fight…" Twilight said, her voice wavering. "She would have been completely destroyed. But my point is… just… what state of mind do you have to be in, to think it's a good idea to break a baton in the face of somepony that can turn you into a splatter on the wall?"
Twilight sighed. "Sunset… told everyone—and I believe she also convinced herself—that it was the necessity to come back here that drove her to such a desperate act. I think… it was true, in part, but it was in reality the unnatural draw to get more power that the blood magic demands that gave her that… recklessness."
"But you don't think that's the case here?" Tygan asked.
Twilight shook her head. "The moment we crossed… she calmed down. She was in control… she was the Sunset we all know and love. The only thing that has kept her sane is this world's magical field being different and much more minor.
"I don't think she would lose herself completely, but she hasn't mastered it to the point where she can dominate it more than it would dominate her if she ever found herself overflowing with magic again."
Jane sighed. "So… what does that mean for me? I can't cast spells, and I don't feel like I should be sucking the blood out of anyone either."
Twilight shrugged. "I don't know… I think, you might have gotten some benefits from certain spells Blood Mages use on allies… I'll have to consult with Sunset… I… don't want to read how those work. Most likely, Earth's lower magical field, would have limited unwanted effects from affecting you." She smiled encouragingly at Jane.
"So I'm not going to go mad and join any orgies…" Jane trailed off. "...of blood and murder?"
"Not unless you were predisposed to that?" Twilight said, completely missing the look Tygan gave Jane. "I don't think you're in any danger… in fact, you have been opened to completely new experiences! Who knows what could happen now? You can definitely see the magical—or thaumic—field now, which opens up new possibilities of research for me, and even skills for you!"
She patted Jane's shoulder confidently. "Once Sunset and I crunch the numbers, we'll know for sure the extent of how you were affected and if you have new, untapped potential."
Tygan nodded. "If Twilight says so… we will go with her prognosis. I will still appoint you regular meetings with our counselor for now," he said. "We'll keep track of this, and also your close encounter with death will probably need some professional assistance."
"Got it…" Jane said. "Anyway, if we're done… I'm really ready to pass out. These last twenty four hours have been nothing but stress and adrenaline."
"Of course," Tygan said. "You are free to head over to rest."
"Let us know if you experience any strange phenomena," Twilight quipped. "Randomly levitating objects, teleportation, sudden exhaustion and turning people into plants are known effects of unintended magical discharge."
"That sounds more like a poltergeist than magical aptitude," Jane muttered, "But you're the professional."
"Yes, yes I am," Twilight said, nodding. "And we both suggest you have a good long sleep. You need it."
Jane chuckled. "On that I think we all agree." She pushed herself up and fought (ineffectively) a large yawn. "Thank you both… I'm glad I'll be okay…"
"Just rest," Tygan said. "We're headed over to the Commander and the rest of your team. I'm sure she'll also want to talk to you and Sunset, so you'd better be ready."
Jane nodded sleepily. "Aye, aye…"
Tygan and Twilight watched her walk away, then looked at each other in silence for a few seconds.
"Turning people into plants?" Tygan asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Um… only once?" Twilight smiled sheepishly.
"Oh, this I've got to hear," Tygan said, motioning for Twilight to sit down. "And then you can explain to me why I seem to detect that they were not only turned into plants, but ended up being okay even after that."
o.0.o End Chapter 50 o.0.o
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Oh god. I'm not sure if Tygan is going to be laughing or having an aneurysm from Twilight's explanation!
Yup, that was some good magibabble. Exactly what it said on the tin.
Twi may need to work on her bedside manner.
That’s Twilight, talking and talking
.
Gotcha, Bradford.
And trust can be a great weapon, Sunset knows not to abuse it.
you know, pretty much everything twilight says sounds like your average propaganda 'have enough people write the same thing in a book and people well believe it' speech.
i really wish there was some mage in equestria who'd point out to twilight that she likes to read very opinionated literature.
8832250
Now we just need to set Celestia and Bradford up on a date.
8832268
To be fair, given the reaction Sunset did already have to said magic, it hardly sounds baseless in her views on it.
Ow man that was great. So should we be looking out for chants of blood for the blood god or anything.
8832297
oh dear
8832297
no but she's also refursing to look at all the facts, both she and celestia have used dark magic before, does this automaticaly make them evil?
8832304
To be fair, there may be a difference between the type of magics that each of them have used, and the blood magic Sunset is using now, we don't actually know enough to work with. Plus we had the first person perspectives of Celestia and Luna who have actually directly seen what happens with this type of magic before, and they seem to back up her view as well.
Not even a hour and 8 comments a few people are just staring into their feed all day waiting for when a new chapter come out it funny to me
Hmm...
Blood for the Blood Queen?
Anyone?
8832314
yes but there not omnipotent, it doesn't mean there haven't been blood mages who resist corruption, it just means they haven't seen them. every school of magic had a duality to it, even necromancy can be used for healing and life saving if applied correctly.
to make sure noone overheard something they shouldn't
Fortunately, on Lt. Dash found out about this
succumb to the primal needs of blood in it's multifaceted
1. Forgot your spacing.
2. Only.
3. Its.
Seems to me that that this chapter is a little heavier on the thaumatical side of things but hey, if Tygan can get Twilight to talk more magibabble then good for him.
8832323
That might be true in some settings, but certainly not in all of them. We don't know enough about how it works here in this fic to make a blanket statement like that.
ah i needed a good read like this after the disgusting cringefest that was todays episode. Next chapter soon pls, i wanna see sunny's reaction to her letter
A chapter on our favourite adorkable nerd.
Best line ever.
Aww damn it. Now i have a new ship to sail.
CelestiaXBradford.
Dammit D!
8832243
I know, it's almost like Twilight is giving him chance to be "human" and not the near emotionless creature he comes off as.
8832705
...we're talking about Tygen, not Vahlen. Tygen shows far more emotion than Vahlen ever did.
8832323
I think you missed a line from Twilight:
You forgot Luna here... It's not about automatically being evil but about the extreme risk of becoming evil. A better analogy would be driving while drunk, you can do it, you're not automatically destroying property or people, but the risk is high and there are other ways of reaching your destination while drunk.
8832705
8832723
Yes, Vahlen was cold and proffessional but often blind to moral implications. Tygan on the other hand is proffessional but also an incredible nerd.
I mean his defining meme is his love of ADVENT burgers and his catch-phrase is "The science is eager to begin".
Meanwhile Vahlen's meme is her 'exercise restraint" speech were she complains that you're damaging the alien corpses she needs for science when you use explosives that are required to save your rookies early on.
8832981
Like I said, Tygan shows far more emotion than Vahlen ever did.
Tygan's had it with the bullshit sparkle magic i take it.
Cross dimensional shipping starts, and then intensifies.
Yeah, I've been thinking for a while now that the low-power magic field on Earth is what is keeping Sunset's blood magic usage from going out of control. That's a good point about how aggressive she was during the brief visit to Equestria.
8832304
"Dark Magic" doesn’t automatically equal "Drives You Insane" magic. Besides, they've only used it sparingly while Sunset has been using it regularly, so the idea that it would have corrupted her by now had she stayed in Equestria is not farfetched, and the discussion in-story has been about general outcomes, not the outlier of somepony mastering the dark magic to do good.
"Fortunately, on Lt. Dash found out about this"
"Fortunately, only Lt. Dash found out about this"?
Bradford and Twilight's discussion was the BEST. POSSIBLE. THING. ...Seriously, hilarious, and the end of that scene? That was art.
I see we get a bit on why blood magic is bad here. That's good, and not just because I sorta called it last chapter. All too often we side so hard with the protagonist that everyone who gainsays that protagonist just seems stupid. All the 'conventional wisdom' becomes an informed attribute to the story, because the protagonist breaks all the rules and wins. Stupid rules must just be wrong, yeah? No. The protagonist isn't who she is because the rules are dumb. She beats the odds, that's why she's the protagonist (and on the rare occasion she doesn't, we're ready with a round of 'That's XCOM, baby!').
You want examples of dark magic making shit go bad? K. Sombra. Pony of Shadows. Nightmare Moon. You want some examples of dark magic working for good? ........*crickets* We got nothing, not in this continuity, not in this universe. ... Okay, Twilight used it to open a door.. once. But it didn't even work! Spike had to save her from the trap it triggered. Dark magic would have corrupted or killed her, right there on her first bucking use. Sure, the history of Equestria as we know it fits on a pretty small wiki page, but if the characters with all the book smarts say it's historically very bad... who are we to say they're full of it? What the hell do we know about it? Use the text, not stuff from other fantasy realms and wishful thinking.
Still no word on why Sunset is called Bloody Unicorn now... And I'm mighty curious about that
Adorkable and cute, all in all. And Jane becomes the first human Magi Operative
That was both adorable and hilarious!
I have a problem. My first thought was how awesome it would be to have the gruff but intelligent Central meet the serene and wide Celestia.
That’s not the problem though.
The problem is my SECOND thought was to ship them...
This doesn’t read like something g the good doctor would say. It’s just a bit to... casual for him. Honestly, I’m okay with that though. It means being exposed to Twilight and her new branch of ‘science’ (and the subsequent migraines they induce), has made him more casual.
Oh, Twilight. The state of mind of XCOM! That's what!
Now grab an arc thrower, rookie! We're gonna go bag ourselves a live Ethereal!
8846212
i've done that! it almost never ends well. Stupid rook usually ends up fleeing >.<
Lmao
Ok, at this point this story end up in my favorits, if i had not already. Your storys are beautyful pieces of art Wanderer D ♡
The comical aspect us through the roof, piercing through time and space, magnificent
👍