89 — Reflections
Castor was impressed and worried by the Embassy Ballroom. It was a magnificent piece of work, with marble walls and a light-coloured wooden floor, with dark wood trim fittings and furnishing to offer a contrast. The lighting could not be seen, but it was as if the ceiling itself were glowing with light. Nothing too bright to look at, but the only shadows were beneath the tables and chairs. The large windows that were one wall looked out over the well-lit courtyard enclosed by part of the building, with the portal-dome and another building further behind it.
What worried him was that he could plainly see that it was bigger than it should have been. The ceiling was higher than a mere second floor extension, which he knew was as tall as it was. It appeared to be much higher than the bottom of the second floor that he knew was above it, reaching to the bottom of the third floor. The gap between the balcony around the room and the ceiling was certainly much larger than the distance from the ground floor to the balcony!
The wall to the back was much deeper, too. It easily doubled the depth room to make it appear as a square thirty meters on a side, instead of the thirty by ten meters that he knew it was.
He hoped no one else knew the dimensions of the room well-enough to detect the differences.
In one corner of the room stood their cancer-cure machine.
It was a horizontal plastic tube, much like the old iron-lungs used in the fifties when polio had been a scourge of the land. There was a bed that slid out for the patient, but the semi-clear plastic was too hazy for details to be seen. The “ON” button just tested the crystals hidden inside a battery case. If they were sufficiently charged, the button lit-up, with a scale for power level on a display above it. The “STAGE ONE” lever completed a set of calming runes. The “STAGE TWO” lever then completed a set of sleeping runes. After a brief pause of five minutes, with a countdown display, the “THIRD STAGE” lever caused a ring of light to surround the patient and coast from their feet to their head. The levers were attached to complicated devices that masked the spell-runes in a system of circuit boards and electronic pieces.
The runes ordered the cancer cells to cease growing everywhere inside the tube. And to die. The cancer was dead in less than a second. Then the cancerous tissue was removed with a spell. All that remained was for the proper blood cells to attack and remove any debris left behind, moving it to the appropriate waste areas of the body.
It only took ten minutes for the entire operation.
However, they needed to maintain the illusion that technology was at work. To that end, the patient remained inside the tube while the light-ring coasted back and forth the length of their body for fifty minutes.
It also gave time for the crystals to recharge, if they needed it, in a magic poor area. There was a small detachable motor for generating electricity for the electronics, or a power cord to the wall could be used.
The final spell, triggered to start one hour after the STAGE ONE lever was flipped, woke the patient and cast a mild cheering charm on them.
The pony scientists had been quite disgusted, and intrigued, at the British solution to protecting the secret of magic. The first at needing to hide what was a simple series of spells, the second at how well the machine worked at doing that.
If anyone took apart the machine, they would find real working parts. And the electronics that drove them. But unless they exactly copied the design, right down to the logo, it wouldn’t do anything.
Beside it was a cancer-detecting device that was a simple platform with a large metal ring that surrounded the patient as it moved up and down. A single light glowed green until it detected living cancer cells. It, too, could use either a small generator or wall plug.
It was quite the popular attraction. And discovered three people who didn’t know they had cancer. All three were told that once they had confirmed the cancer with their own doctors, that the Embassy would be more than happy to schedule them for treatment at no cost, at their earliest convenience.
It was a wonderful coincidence to prove that what the Equestrians were offering really worked. Even if only to prove they could detect the cancer.
And there was a small sign stating that they had solutions to other diseases, such as ALS and Muscular Dystrophy, but they weren’t ready for release, yet.
The Equestrians and British had considered having a few “cured” amputees in attendance, but felt that that had the probability of becoming demeaning for the former patients. Instead, they provided a pamphlet showing before-and-after pictures of some of the volunteers.
The true attractions for the politically motivated were, of course, the Equestrians. The women all wore backless dresses so the pegasi could show off their wing-tattoos. The unicorns were occasionally showing off the concentric circle tattoos hidden just inside their hairlines to interested parties.
Prince Blueblood was in his element and working hard to preserve their secrets while making profitable contacts with the world-movers and shakers. Watching the Yanks trying to monopolize his time was humorous, as they kept trying to fend off, and disparage, those that they felt were competition. The Soviet Union, China, Japan, and Germany were their main foes. But India, Canada, and Australia, as members of the Commonwealth were rather smug at their close ties to the U.K. They spent more than a little time discussing with the British Ambassador, and his aides, when they would get their hands on the foreign technology. And what it would cost. And making arrangements to supplement British industry with outsourcing.
The ball itself was a tremendous success. All 180 nations with an Embassy or High Commission in London were in evidence. And Castor knew his wife would be in teas and meeting with friends for weeks, all of whom would want a blow-by-blow description of the ball and who she had met and seen. What had both his daughter’s and his wife’s eyes glowing was to meet, in person, Prince Charles and Princess Diana. And the Prime Minister and his wife.
Castor’s wife wasn’t a social butterfly, interested in people only because of their social standing. Quite the contrary, she was very down-to-earth. Still, very few commoners ever got to meet members of the Royal Family. And thanked for their husband’s help in looking after the Equestrians.
Blueblood even gave him an invite to visit Equestria for a short vacation before the new year.
Several dozen high-ranking diplomats were taken on a quick trip through the portal to set to rest any rumours that it was all a hoax. Pictures of them on the other side were provided for their home governments to pore over.
The visitors all noticed the massive walls and the soldiers around the portal on the other side. A few noticed the soldiers on the walls and that they were watching both sides, not just the portal. And, even though Castor remained on the Earth side of the portal, he was sure they noticed the Earth side of the portal seemed to be designed to keep something in while the Equestrian side seemed to be designed to keep something out.
Of special interest to the American, Russian, and Chinese Ambassadors were the weapons held by the guards. Seeing guards carrying spears and swords certainly threw all their calculations for a loop, Castor knew, as they tried to understand how a people that had such primitive weapons could also have such advanced medical technology.
And be considered the dominant species with such primitive weapons.
Not to mention why the U.K. was so interested in currying their favour.
The post-mortem on the Ball would be long and detailed for all participants.
۸-_-۸
Harry and the fillies were very relieved that Bonbon and Lyra were keeping their distance. They saw the two in the corridors and their classes occasionally, and sometimes they saw them at meal times, but only rarely. The four students did notice that the two adults had wands, but they never saw the adult Equestrians using them.
A few jaunts through the portraits had revealed that the two adult ponies were keeping a discrete eye on them. And practicing with their new wands. Seeing the two using the wall-walking spell had been a surprise.
Harry and the fillies, as well as Hermione, had forgotten all about that spell. The excitement of finding the lost Chamber of Secrets and then the battle with the basilisk had pushed it out of their minds. And then they were too caught up in learning magic.
Hermione had immediately started checking their books for the spell — Harry’s explanations had not been that helpful. Unfortunately, the school’s library books had nothing helpful. However, Harry had tried the spell before and this time, with so many watching him keenly, he still walked into the wall instead.
Hermione had been the one to conquer the spell first. Harry had cast it on both of them and walked into the wall. Hermione had continued on through it. Harry had merely bruised his nose — again.
The two of them had finally succeeded, with her leading him and not telling him where the wall was. “Harry,” she had said. “close your eyes.”
He had. Then she had spun him around several times.
“Is this really necessary?” he had asked, swaying slightly, dizzy.
“Yes. Now hold my hand and follow me!”
She had pulled on his hand, not allowing him to hesitate in his steps.
Then she had said. “Open your eyes!”
When he had, he saw he was part way through the wall. Which meant he had succeeded. With that breakthrough they soon were all walking through the walls.
That Bonbon and Lyra were learning how to use the wands wasn’t really a surprise — the young Equestrians had sort of expected it. What else were the two adults supposed to do all day? Especially considering how wands made magic possible for non-unicorns.
What did surprise them was that the two adults were learning much faster than the students. The two Equestrians had an advantage, however, in that they weren’t taking History of Magic, Astronomy, or other classes. That freed up some time for the other subjects they were taking. And didn’t split their concentration.
The announcement of the Embassy, which Harry and the Fillies knew was big news in the muggle world, barely made a ripple in the wizarding world. Bonbon and Lyra had warned them it was coming up so they wouldn’t be surprised if any of their fellow students approached them. The only ones who noticed were a few of the half-bloods, whose parents had owled them the news. The muggle-born had no real communication with their parents. They would probably learn of the situation when they went home for Christmas.
Naturally, the other half- and pure-blood wizards and witches ignored anything that the muggles did as irrelevant to wizardkind.
Harry couldn’t help but wonder what the Ministry thought of all this.
۸-_-۸
Malfoy slowly returned to his old habits and was as unpleasant as ever after the Quidditch match. Offended that the Slytherins had lost, he said that the Gryffindor’s Seeker, Harry, would be replaced by a wide-mouthed tree frog. No one but himself found this funny as they were impressed at the way Harry had managed to stay on his bucking broomstick. Jealous and angry, Malfoy had gone to taunting Harry about having no proper family.
However, the three fillies quickly disabused the Slytherin of the thought that this was somehow a hardship. They had swiftly countered with how big and beautiful Princess Sparkle’s castle was at home. Not to mention that he was on a first name basis with both of the kingdom’s rulers. And that the five of them were all the family he needed.
Plus, when you included the rest of the animagi, he had a very large family of friends, indeed. Much larger than Draco’s pitiful two boyfriends. They tactfully ignored Pansy.
They didn’t understand why Draco got upset at the mention of his boyfriends. Wasn’t he happy with them?
The fillies were amazed to see that the weather here on Earth managed itself. Oh, they had seen storms and such while at the Weasleys and here at Hogwarts, but nothing had prepared them for the onset of a Scottish winter. There was no running of the leaves or helping birds fly south. The weather just got colder and colder until they woke one morning to find a yard of snow on the ground outside. They were equally amazed that the corridors in Hogwarts were so cold. These people had magic and yet had never used it to seal the many cracks and crevices that allowed heat to escape the castle? Or were they subtly making the students exercise their magic by staying warm? In either case, warming charms quickly became the Firsties’ favourite spells.
Professor McGonagall went around asking who would be staying over the Christmas hols. They discovered only the Weasleys — Ron, Ginny, Percy and the twins — would be left in the Gryffindor tower. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were going to Romania to visit Charlie.
Everyone else was going home.
Even Myrtle.
Her parents had passed on not long ago, according to Professor McGonagall. They had been in their eighties and thought their daughter had died in an automobile accident while just a child. Myrtle had a brother and sister, but they had been born shortly before and after she had gone to Hogwarts. So she knew little of them, and they knew even less of her. And while their grandchildren might have welcomed her as family, it would have made for a tense holiday for them all as she was a virtual stranger among muggles. And, unfortunately, none of the subsequent generations had had a magical child to ease the discovery.
Not to mention the problems in re-integrating her into their family as the older sister who was decades younger than her siblings. Even the muggles would notice something off about that.
It would be like fostering her with muggles that happened to have the same last name.
Myrtle, of course, was going with the Equestrians, the fillies assured their Head of House. They had promised to look after her before returning her to the land of the living.
Harry thought it was kind of eerie that the Christmas hols were almost at the same time as Equestria’s Hearth’s Warming hols. After his explanation of Christmas, again, the three fillies also thought it was rather odd timing. After some thought and discussion, the four went to Bonbon and Lyra.
Later that week, they met with the five Weasleys in the Common Room.
“We asked you here,” Harry said, after a quick reassuring look at the fillies, “To ask if you would like to go home with us this hols? There’s plenty of room at the castle and it won’t be a problem at all.” The four looked at the Weasleys hopefully.
“A castle?” said George.
“In Equestria?” said Fred.
Ginny was almost hopping in excitement. “Christmas with you?”
Percy blinked while Ron just stared at them.
Harry nodded. “And we could introduce you to all our families and friends.”
“It’ll be loads of fun,” added Scootaloo.
“Especially if we get to go to the Hearth’s Warming play in Canterlot,” said Sweetie. They all nodded. “It was loads of fun year before last, when our sisters all got a part in the play. And visiting Canterlot is definitely on the schedule!”
“And you did let us come over to your house for a whole month before we started school, so it’s only fair for us to invite you to visit us for the holidays,” said Apple Bloom.
It didn’t take much effort to get the Weasleys to agree.
They wanted to extend the invitation to Hermione. But she had already told them, quite enthusiastically, that she and her parents were going on a skiing holiday in Switzerland. And considering the lateness of the offer, there was no way the Grangers could change their plans. Perhaps they could plan something for the Easter Hols, instead?
In the meantime, the four told the Weasleys and Myrtle about Sweet Apple Acres, Ponyville, the Castle, Canterlot, and the Everfree Forest. And all their friends they would be seeing. The fillies wanted to see if they would get cutie marks as tour guides.
۸-_-۸
Having lived her entire life in the hive, which was underground and in a desert, the appearance of snow was a spectacular event. Oh, her instructors had mentioned it, but only as a minor inconvenience that they could simply fly over while it hindered most ponies. The snow around the castle, however, was not a minor problem when you didn’t have wings, she discovered. Especially when you were in a situation where an audience could see you if you did manifest wings! Meaning she was stuck being ground-bound.
She could not fathom how any creature managed to survive when the snow was so deep it would have completely buried her — even covering her horn! And every step outside caused her to sink to her waist, or deeper, in this new form. Thank Mother that the older students cleared paths through the snow!
Only the stories of the Great Frozen North could compare to what she now saw. And experienced.
She finally understood why some creatures would want to hibernate during winter.
Watching the Weasley twins charming snowballs to chase professors had been amazing. She never would have dared prank one of her instructors in such a manner — that would have been a quick one-way trip to the hive’s love reserves. Of course, as a ling she couldn’t have cast such a spell, anyway. Cut, blast, levitate, propel, sure. Enchant something to follow someone? Not at all. None of them had that kind of magical power. Except Queen Mother. May she rest in peace with her hive, as befit a great leader.
But now, with a wand . . . she could do anything that anyone else could do. All she had to do was study. She had to giggle at the thought.
In any case, here, they merely received detentions for their assaults.
It took a lot of coaxing before her fellow Hufflepuffs could convince her to join them in a snowball fight.
Her aim when throwing snowballs was terrible. Well, her throwing anything with her hands would probably result in terrible aim. She was just as likely to hit one of her team-mates as the “enemy.” Using magic to banish the snowballs at them instead was a quickly mastered skill for her and the Hufflepuffs. Making new snowballs was a hand-intensive effort. Elly found that after a short while her hands actually hurt from the cold. And casting warming charms tended to melt the snow. The Hufflepuffs rapidly developed a strategy of two-thirds of a team making the snowballs and the others banishing them at the enemy, and then rotating positions to let their hands warm up.
When the Gryffindors joined in, she didn’t know what to think. They were play fighting, sure, but how did that foster emotions of love between the participants? The Equestrians seemed to fit right in place, though, and watching them pelt their clueless mate was quite entertaining — and supplied a good dose of food in the aftermath when they all headed inside for hot chocolate and snacks.
To her surprise, she received many offers of a place to stay over the holidays. The amazing part was how many of them were sincere — they truly did not want her to stay alone in the castle. Susan Bones was the first, quickly followed by Hannah Abbott, Sally-Anne Perks, and many others.
She wasn’t sure what to make of it. She was just a ling worker. She wasn’t even in disguise as someone they knew and liked. At first she was worried that this was a trap, but then she could tell from their emotions that they were sincere. Except for a few who were inviting her only because they felt that doing so was a good political manoeuvre. That she would, somehow, be beholden to them for the favour. Their cold emotions gave them away, and she politely declined.
After much consideration, she decided that Hannah Abbott would be the best choice. She had a full family and would provide the most opportunities for nourishment. And it would provide her with a wealth of information on human families and how they interacted. An area she was sorely lacking information about at the moment.
And Hannah’s personality would make any of Elly’s mistakes easier to counter by claiming Hannah had misunderstood or misremembered whatever the problem was. From what she had observed of the Hufflepuff witches, so far, Hannah was easily flustered and appeared to lack self-confidence. She made frequent claims of being stupid. And when under pressure she was prone to making mistakes. A perfect tool for infiltration. Any mistakes Elly made would not be noticed or could be waved off, either if she replaced the witch or merely accompanied her. Not that she planned to replace her. That had many ways it could go very wrong.
She was cultivating that friendship by helping the witch in her studies — but not too much. She didn’t want to draw attention to them.
It was late Saturday and she was exploring the castle for hidden passages, alcoves, and rooms. An infiltrator always searched out small places for hiding, should anything go wrong in the future. And with a castle that liked to shuffle things around, it was an ongoing project. Just keeping track of safe havens was a weekly chore.
Currently, she was in the Astronomy Tower, carefully studying the walls and ceiling for secrets when she almost walked right past the closed door. It was a disused classroom, of course, but something made her want to look inside. A quick alohomora — such a simple wand spell, far better than the love-consuming bursts of magic the lings used to open locks — and she was inside.
The bright light from the windows revealed dust-covered desks and chairs piled against the walls, and an upturned wastepaper bin in the corner. But what drew her attention was something that didn’t look as if it belonged there. It seemed as if someone had just put it there to keep it out of the way. The trails in the dust certainly made it seem so.
An ornate oval mirror that nearly touched the ceiling stood there. It had a fancy gold frame and stood on two clawed feet. It had something carved into the wood at the top: Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.
Curious, she stepped closer, walking around the object — and almost screamed when she finally looked into the mirror. In the reflection, she saw not only herself, but a whole crowd of lings standing right beside her. All of her friends from the hive. The workers, drone, and even her Queen Mother.
That was impossible, as she knew they were all dead.
She spun around immediately. The room was empty. Slowly she turned and looked back at the mirror.
This time she saw only herself in the mirror, but gradually lings began to appear until a there was a crowd standing around her. As she watched, she slowly morphed from a person and became a true ling. Only, she was taller, bigger, and on her head was the bony crest of a queen. And all the lings around her had a slight similarity — their shells and legs a bit more blue than solid black — which meant they were her workers and drones. They were proudly looking out at her in the classroom, and glancing up to the side at their queen, with love and devotion. And she was looking down at them with the same expression, nuzzling affectionately several of those around her.
She again looked behind her, but the room was still empty.
As she gazed again at the sight in wonder, she saw that there were dozens of nymphs gathered at her feet, and climbing her legs with the cute intensity only the little ones ever displayed.
The mirror was not reflecting what was real in the classroom, that much was clear. Nor was it merely adding things to what it reflected, for it did not show her as the human child she appeared.
“Is that really me?” she asked in wonder. She stepped closer. Was the mirror a window, a portal, to another world? She slowly pressed a hand against the cool surface. She could feel a very faint tingle of magic in the cold glass, but nothing else.
She stepped back and studied the frame. The clawed feet held it upright and stable, but did nothing more. The frame around it was sturdy, more than a match to keeping the mirror intact and protected. The words across the top, however, were puzzling, in no language she knew.
Was this a vision of the future? No, it had shown her friends to her first — all dead, she knew. And that was in the past. She felt a wave of depression crash through her, and tears began to leak from her eyes. The mirror shimmered and blurred, and once more she could see her friends. She collapsed to the floor, crying.
Later, she sat back up and rubbed her eyes. This wasn’t helping. She took a shaky breath and studied the mirror once more. Once more, it showed her in a crowd of lings with her as a Queen ling.
So, the mirror didn’t show the true past. She had never stood with lings and the Queen Mother, and they certainly had never waved at anyone. It couldn’t be showing the future, either, as the lings appeared to see her, here and now, and respond, as well. Moreover, it had shown her in her new default-form, too, at first, before showing her as a true ling. “Is this a possible future?” she muttered. “Or a trap?” She narrowed her eyes and stared.
The figures in the mirror didn’t answer her, they merely smiled at her and whispered to themselves. And the longer she watched the more details that began to emerge. Slowly, people began to appear in the background, smiling and nudging the lings, some held young lings in their arms. Several lings changed back and forth between their forms, draping an arm over the person beside them as they did so. There were even children.
And she stood proudly smiling at them all.
Elly barely made it back to the dorm before curfew. She did remember to relock the door behind her as she left. And gently blow the dust on the floor to cover her tracks.
She didn’t know what to expect tomorrow. Each House had a party planned, she knew. And with only the train to board on Monday, the students expected the parties to last easily until curfew. There would be many sleepy students on the train home, she expected.
She wondered if she could get into the Gryffindor party — several cross-House couples were planning on attending the other’s House party — and do bit of stockpiling love. She would have to use the excuse that she wanted to pet a pony. Would it be worth the risk?
And maybe another visit to the mirror was in order.
۸-~-۸
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Elly finds the Mirror? There's a switch, and one that works very well.
And we are officially having some wizards over to Equestria! I think we were all waiting for this, yes?
Aw. Poor little 'ling.
9408788
I hope Dumbledore catches her and explains the nature of the Mirror it will be nice reenactment of that scene from book. Also I hope that he will pay a visit to Equestria as well.
Awesome chapter. I can't wait to read about the Weasley stay in Equestria. Especially when they find out that the CMC are really ponies instead of just animagi who coincidentally share their basic forms.
Addendum:
I'd love to see a scene where the Equestrian envoys meet the British Royal family for tea.
Hugs. Elly needs all the hugs. Now.
I have to say I'm liking Elly so far. Having her be the one to find the Mirror of Erised is a nice touch, as well as pretty freakin' sad, considering the scene.
The wizards and witches going to Equestria makes me wonder if it's possible for them to change forms while there the way they can on Earth. That said, looking forward to seeing the reactions of the witches and wizards upon finding out the truth.
No Dumbledore around, I wonder if the young changeling will discover the truth of the mirror of Eirsed
Interesting that Castors wife and daughter are mentioned meeting several English figures but not Equestrian ones.
Nice design on the cancer machine and some potential good will depending on how was found to have some.
So Harry's problem was he expected to hit the wall so he did hit the wall.
I like the Equestrian confusion over Draco not being happy with his boyfriends.
9408808
I'm looking forward to their reaction to turning into their pony forms on going through.
9408823
Wonder when she'll find out the other lings aren't dead.
9408802
Be especially interesting if he realises what she really is and gives her a chance.
So Dumbledore finds elly instead, maybe discovers her true nature, and steers her toward a good path instead of alerting the the ponies.
to be fair it might be a possible future, i mean she fully believes her hive to be dead and generally with most hive minds if the queen dies without a royal larva, a drone or worker can metamorph into a queen.
I will also be at Arisia. I will be the guy with a yellow labrador puppet.
A good bit of the time I'll be at the STARFLEET table or wandering around the Dealer's Room.
I am NOT liking the forecast for Saturday night into Sunday. But, there is ALWAYS precip during Arisia. One of the only constants of Boston weather: third weekend in January, there will be cold wet at some point.
9408838
I really wouldn't bet on it.
Without the proper information, he would make a mess.
Although the idea of her becoming a true changeling queen and a good one is interesting. She already have some doubts about what happened in Equestria.
It shows your hearts's desire?
Elly as a Changeling queen, leading a hive of Changelings, surrounded by people who care for them in their natural forms, where Changelings don't need to hide and stal affection.
Excellent chapter! All three sections were thoroughly engaging in their own ways, which if I'm being honest, hasn't always been the case for me. I'm especially interested in Elly now, though. I'm not one of the folks who imagined she'd start her own hive, but that mirror has definitely planted the seed today. I still kind if hope she either returns to Equestria somehow or at least hears news of the hive. Going on thinking her entire hive is dead is just terrible. Looking forward to more!
9408879
Which would be worse? Thinking everyone is dead, or knowing that they deliberately abandoned her?
Though I like Elly as character I really hate TKepner's "Some of the changelings were smashed by barrier". Seriously. Pokemon series are also for kids but have higher age rating, yet everyone is OK with Team Rocket surviving the same crap every single episode. My headcanon for Wedding ending always was since it is land of Harmony after all, that barrier was making changelings indestructible while carrying them, simply smashing them through walls in cartoonish way like you expect from the story where was no even slightest suggestion that changelings were hart by this. Even in "The Return of Queen Chrysalis" arc of comics that stars out just right after Wedding do not suggest that changelings suffered serious casualties. And you can't blame this comics in lack of guts, because in this story arc changelings brutally conquered friendly and defenseless kitten-people. Moreover, Chrysalis brutally murders one of those of screen in front of CMCs just to mock their ideals.
9408873
Or rather,
9408889
So that answered that question. But there is still room for some relative moral ambiguity in regards to why some changelings were seemingly left for dead, while others were not. Though now I assume that argument is also moot, given your response. Still, I'd say the truth is better than a lie. Both would hurt about equally, but Elly could know to stop reminiscing about Chrysalis and her old hivemates in a positive light, and just thoroughly move on to her own endeavors. Do things better herself, since she would know that the old ways were wrong.
Well, until this very moment that hasn't been definitively stated to be the case.
9408897 I know what the Mirror of Erised is, I was just commenting on what Elly's 'heart's desire' turned out to be.
Hopefully, she can realise her dream of peaceful co-existence ultinately.
9408909
Yes, that’s correct reasoning. But, remember, Chrysalis was a cold-hearted b*tch in both comics and the cartoon, so if/when Elly finds out that she was abandoned she will be truly heart-broken.
I saw a family reunited with a child that had been given up for adoption. Both sides were depressed by the reunion. The girl because she always thought that they had had to give her up (she was the result of an affair) and the family because they had always thought she had been adopted by someone better than them (in several ways).
Never mind that some of the children (all over 20) were jealous of the seventeen-year-old. (How dare she ruin their fantasy!)
9408897
Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi. is what it actually says in the book.
9408933
I... don't think that comparison really plays, here. Elly was effectively a casualty of a war her people started under Chrysalis. She wasn't given up for adoption by or to anyone. But right now she is mistakenly pining for someone who we now know didn't care enough to even reach out to her via the hive link, before severing it. That's a pretty big difference next to an adopted child reuniting with her birth parents and discovering that they were extremely flawed individuals but had still hoped for the best for her.
beware the doom mirror! DOOOOOOM
India is not part of the commonwealth they got full independence from Britain, New Zealand is though.
If only Elly knew the truth about Chrysalis.
While Elly's reflection improved towards the end Hopefully it will change to something at least a little more colorful.
What would Elly's reformed changeling form look like anyway?
9408952
Are you sure? Because my sources say India is a member of the Commonwealth.
9408850
It just seems that certain events are destined to happen, if not with the same details/participants. Since harry has a family now, he's not 'searching', although he hasn't gotten his cloak gift yet. Elly is searching for a family, whether she believes it's for food or something more. This puts her uniquely in the role of seeking out the mirror, which is part of the stone's defense, and thus is monitored by Dumbledore. The very least there will be an encounter. Whether this goes the way I suggested or not is on the author, but yes, that would be a neat turnout, considering the irony of ponies promoting love and peace and cooperation, oh hey just kill those changelings when you detect 'em. With dumbledore's many failings, turning a conquering fledgling queen into possibly one of his greatest allies for good (who happens to set up residency in the forest now that the spiders have left a vacuum for dominance...and possibly a ready made hive).....maybe i'm pissing in the wind or i'm divulging all the author's secrets. Would still like to see it written, and not a tall order to ask since this writer is far better than I.
9408961
Sorry I was wrong the list I was looking at appeared to be in alphabetical order but India was strangely placed elsewhere on the list.
I hope we get to see the Weasley's adventures in Equestria in detail as it would be a fun short arc and is different from the standard stuff we have been getting, I look forward to seeing how they and Myrtle react to what they will learn and how they will deal with having to be ponies for the entire deration of their stay, this would be Myrtle's first time as a pony and as I said before with Ginny if she wants to be with Harry long term she would have to be willing to not only share him but live in Equestria full time as a pony excluding the occasional family visit to Earth and would have to effectively give up her humanity, both she and Hermione will eventually have to decide if that is a price they are willing to pay for love.
And about Elly she should definitely learn the truth and sooner rather then later as it would help break her of her psychological programing and could easily lead her to discover what happens when a changeling learns to share love which would also reveal that Chrysalis was intentionally starving her subjects by telling them to do the opposite just to maintain power and would further break her out of her conditioning. Breaking someone of a lifetime of twisted psychological programing is never easy and is far from painless but it grants them the power to think for themselves and with it comes the ability (though not a guarantee) to become better individuals and live a more fulfilling life. Knowing Elly she would have a very bright future if she was completely free from Chrysalis's influence.
Considering that Harry will be spending the holidays in Equestria (assuming they don't already know the Weasleys are in for a surprise when they learn that they don't celebrate Christmas in Equestria) how will Dumbledore give Harry the cloak? Will he give it to Twilight to give to Harry or owl mail it to Equestria?
I hate that bloody mirror. As far as plot points go it fails in a few specific ways. First there is no indication that the mirror can physically interact with the world, but all of a sudden at the end of the book/movie it let's Potter summon the stone and put's it in his pocket. Second, it clearly says's "I show not your face," but it does! It surrounds you with your heart's desire, when it accoring to it's own text it should only show your hearts desire.
9409055
It's poetry. Poets lie all the time.
First, Soviet Union. Russia doesn't yet exists. And NO you can't equavivocate Russia and Soviet Union, as person from former USSR republic I can say that this equivocation piss off everyone including actual Russians.
Second, I am am not sure, but why reunified Germany and Japanese
totally not USA puppetEmpire are foes to USA in early 90s?You know what's really going to be interesting here?
Percy.
This little trip is going to be enlightening yes? And Percy's the one who'll notice it. Ron and Ginny are a bit young yet, and the lackadaisical twins are mainly focused on their own interests. But Percy, Percy's got ambitions he does. And that means that he pays attention to his father's doings and the workings of the ministry. He knows how government works, or at least has a general idea.
So unless Discord simply poofs the group to Equestria, they'll be heading through the portal.
Which is in the Equestrian embassy.
Which is thick with muggles.
Who are also using the portal.
And when their group has to stand aside to let the Chinese ambassador or whoever go past, Percy will notice. Whereas his siblings will simply grumble at the holdup.
It would be very interesting if Percy was the first to really get what's going on, and begin to consider the ramifications. For another thought, I would be surprised if Celestia didn't take the opportunity at some point to meet them, out of curiosity if nothing else. After all, I don't believe she's had the opportunity to meet any wizards before. I think Celestia would make for a much better role model for Percy than Cornelius Fudge.
She'd certainly make a better impression...
9409074 Germany and Japan were very close allies of the USA in the early 90's. So, I think a bit more study into recent world history is in order for the author.
9409055 That's why the spell Dumbledor used was so brilliant. The conditional desire requirement was a LAYERED tertiary spell laced across the mirror's thaumatic domain threshold, and united to a pocket holding charm in which the Stone was sealed until the condition satisfied by the tertiary spell was achieved!
(Alondro is totally a wizard... he's like, Gandaldorf or something..)
9409110
With the added benefit that it relied on the mirror's own enchantment to detect a worthy recipient. Thus providing a failsafe measure in that if the mirror was damaged or destroyed, only Dumbledore himself would be able to retrieve the stone. A vault that was truly immune to a brute-force approach.
Masterful indeed.
9409074
Germany and Japan were U.S. Allies in the 90s, but it appears to be more of a case of the U.S. trying to play catch up with Great Britain while also trying to one up their other allies by beating them to the punch, after having just won the Cold War the U.S. does not want to lose their status as a world superpower and now that a new one has shown up they want to ensure that they are allies.
9408936
I'm aware, that's what the italicized portions are, I adjusted the spacing to make it more readable.
Another good chapter. The interactions of human in the Embassy (and Caster's worrisome) are amusing and I like your take in concealing the magic with technology. Elly's character development is coming along nicely too. For the first time she has to decide everything by herself instead of the Hive. She would learn about friendship more than any of the Hive ever did. Hoping she could later teach it to her (ex) grumpy, bitter Queen.
One thing I concern is the fact that the Wesleys will come to Equestria. Having the CMCs, Pinkie Pie and the Twins in the same place would increase the insurance premium in Ponyville area by ten folds.
So her heart's desire isn't just for a hive/family, but for that hive/family to be accepted in this new world, rather than feared and reviled? And also for it to be unconditional, accepting them as they are instead of only after some contrived metamorphosis?
Eat your heart out Thorax. Elly is best bug-pone.
9409175
At the very least, Flim and Flam and Fred and George need to meet and compare notes. I will accept nothing less.
9409074
You are correct on the Soviet Union. As for being "allies", in business and tech you only have competition. And with someone dangling 'miraculous' tech like the Equestrians appear to be doing, it's a case of every man for himself, and 'devil take the hindmost'!
9409192
No, that certainly won't do. F&F are natural scammers with bad intention to others (anything for bits). On the contrary, the Twins definitely have their hearts in the right place despite being eccentric pranksters.
Ponyville already have Pinkie and Rainbow as their local master pranksters - and that says a lots in and off itself. I can clearly see that Tylenol is going to the be the most popular products in the upcoming Equestria's winter.
so what is the mirror showing Elly?
i have a pretty good idea and i am really hopping this works out to be true.
9409203
Flim and Flam are schemers, true, but they're also natural salesmen with a talent for showmanship. Fred and George could learn a lot from them to help improve their plans for the joke shop, while simultaneously teaching them a bit about how product quality and integrity are beneficial to any business.
It could be the start of a hilarious beautiful friendship.
The joke about Draco's boyfriends made me laugh. Then the details about Myrtles family made me sad. Then the whole scene of Elly and the mirror made me sad and wary. Why do you toy with my feelings thus?
9409110
Dunbalf Gandadore?
Am I the only one having trouble keeping the "life at hogwarts" part of this story and MSD separate in their minds?
9409278
No.
9409175
> One thing I concern is the fact that the Wesleys will come to Equestria. Having the CMCs, Pinkie Pie and the Twins in the same place would increase the insurance premium in Ponyville area by ten folds.
Don't worry. Pinkie + CMC is normal. You'd need not just the twins, but a real problem, like Discord, or a love triangle, or someone completely lacking any context that would cause massive misunderstandings, like someone from 40 or 50 years back with no modern up to date references. :-)