Chapter 42: Into the Light
Four months later
“We’re all very happy to have you here, Mr. Prime Minister,” stated the man, as he and his companion walked through a narrow concrete hallway. The passageway itself was spartan and grey, decorated only by a series of labels that no doubt held great meaning, but were utterly incomprehensible to the uninitiated. Which the Prime Minister of Canada most definitely was.
“After all the work that you and your team here at TRIUMF have put in, and how important this event is going to be, there wasn’t anyway that I couldn’t be here,” replied Justin Trudeau, ducking his head below a line of leaded glass labeled ‘Beam Path Six.’
“And it’s been a truly international effort. We’ve got several people here from CERN, some from that reactor that went hyperdimensional down in the US, high energy physicists from both China and Russia,” the facility director paused for a moment to chuckle, before adding, “we’ve even brought in a lapidary and gemologist from the De Beers diamond cartel.”
“Oh?” Trudeau asked, with a single raised eyebrow.
“In roughly an hour we’re going to be focusing several hundred million electron volts through three diamonds,” explained the director. “We needed to be sure that they could physically handle that level of energy passing through them.”
“And can they?” came the simple question.
“Under normal circumstances they shouldn’t interact at all with our Omega Beam. Crystallized carbon simply doesn’t have the density to provide a meaningful target for a stream of energy one proton wide. Or at least, it’s an extremely low probability event,” stated the director, frowning as he added, “the danger in today’s portal attempt is that we are going to be forcing an interaction between relativistic atomic particles and both the magical and subatomic energy fields that lie within the heart of Equestrian gemstones. And while we have a neophyte comprehension of interactions at that level with regards to the subatomic and quantum realms, we have barely begun to even start to comprehend magical energy fields.”
Politicians, especially those at Trudeau’s level, were skilled at absorbing massive information dumps and processing them into some form of action, but this was like getting clubbed in the side of the head by a mackerel. You knew that a fish had hit you, but what kind was more than you could figure out.
“I take it you aren’t happy I asked you to try this?” Trudeau asked, as the pair walked out of the austere corridor and into a control room whose walls were ninety percent covered in control systems and screens to monitor them with. “Oh, and… ‘Omega Beam’?”
The heads of two technicians in the room briefly turned away from their tasks to glance at the standing pair with knowing smirks before refocusing on their jobs.
“Our normal maximum output is approximately 520 million electron volts,” the director began, preferring to answer the last question first. “We generally direct the beam down one of four primary beam lines, each one of which has numerous branches that we can use for various research projects or medical uses; but we are capable of combining these beam paths back into a single coherent stream that one of our grad students nicknamed, ‘The Omega Beam.’ I’m afraid that the nomenclature became rather popular and as such became the term for that event.”
“Two billion electron volts?” Trudeau asked, allowing his surprise to show. “Isn’t TRIUMF already the second largest cyclotron in the world? Two billion, unless I’m mistaken, would put us head and shoulders above the rest of the world.”
“Not even close, Mister Prime Minister,” replied the director, with a dry chuckle. “CERN’s output is over a trillion electron volts, however they are a linear accelerator, and we are a cyclotron; and for what you’re having us rush into, cyclotrons seem to be the best.”
The director paused as Trudeau made a “go on” motion, and the man heaved a sigh as he realized he wasn’t going to be able to avoid complaining about something to the man primarily responsible for the lion’s share of the funding the facility received.
“Yes sir, we are rushing into this. Blundering our way into a subatomic china shop filled with possible pitfalls and catastrophes. We barely comprehend what we are about to try to do today, never mind understanding the physics behind it, or even being able to describe things mathematically,” the director stated, letting his frustrations out in a rush. “We are still at the ‘let’s poke this with a stick, and see what happens’ stage of experimentation with magic. The best analogy I can think of is giving Thomas Savery the parts, plans, and materials for a motorcycle engine, and then expecting him to build a functional device from them.”
The director paused for a moment, calming himself by taking a deep breath.
“He would recognize some of the parts, and engineering principles remain unchanged from the days the Egyptians started making the pyramids,” the director continued, in a calmer tone. “But much of it would be beyond him, and without understanding the principles of an internal combustion engine, the odds of him making something that simply would not work would be high.”
“Are we in any danger?” Trudeau asked, concern showing on his face.
“I don’t know,” the director replied, with some heat in his voice. “500 million electron volts sounds like a lot, but a mosquito hitting a car windshield has more force. Then again, the reactor at Texas A&M shouldn’t have done what it did either. We simply can’t predict what will happen. Not when the beams are brought into coherency, not when they strike the Equestrian gems. Nothing. And as a scientist it maddens me not being able to make some sort of educated prediction.”
“I appreciate your concerns,” Trudeau said, placing a hand on the director’s shoulder and giving his most empathetic smile. “But over in the VIP lounge there are three young people who have been away from their families for far too long. I promised them that Canada would get them home. Can you do that? Can TRIUMF open the way home for them?”
The words put a stiffness into the man’s spine that Trudeau hadn’t seen before, a determination wholly at odds with his calculated scientific demeanor up until that point.
“I’m a grandfather, Sir,” replied the director, and glancing around Trudeau noticed the various technicians in the room had stopped what they were doing to pay close attention to the conversation. “Just because we don’t entirely understand what we are doing doesn't mean we aren’t willing to try. We may not like shooting in the dark, but that’s why we became scientists. To bring a light to the darkness, and by doing so, make the world a better place.”
“Thank you,” was all that Trudeau could think of replying with.
“Pre-energization in fifty-one minutes, Sir,” was the director’s response, gesturing up to a large countdown clock high up on one wall. “Synchronization and full energization will take place thirty seconds later. If all goes well, the portal to Equestria will open up moments later, and remain open for several minutes.”
“I’ll let our VIPs know,” Trudeau said with a smile, turning towards the exit to the control room.
While TRIUMF was itself a relatively large facility, most of its space was relegated to either the beamlines, the shielding around them, or the massive cyclotron at the core of the brobdingnagian engine of science. Precious little space was left over for the humans who laboured to understand the mysteries that lay in the smallest spaces of the universe, and so it took the Prime Minister barely thirty seconds to walk from the control room to a door marked ‘Observation Gallery.’
“Major Malinkski,” Trudeau said, warmly greeting the newly promoted member of Canada’s elite special forces, who was standing directly in Trudeau’s path. “Aren’t you a little high in rank to be guarding a door?”
“Just keeping a watchful eye over some friends,” the major replied. There was a twinkle in the soldier’s eye that was utterly at odds with the serious look on his face. “Lieutenant Ram is on actual guard duty inside.”
“Permission to enter?” Trudeau asked, noting with some amusement that the major hadn’t budged an inch from his self-assigned position of living barrier between the VIPs and the rest of the world.
“Oh, right sir,” replied Malinski, without a trace of irony in his voice as he stepped to one side. Trudeau was able to catch sight of a slight upward curl at the edges of the major’s mouth though. A ghost of a smile as the major told him, “Go right in.”
The Prime Minister gave a brief snort of amusement as he opened the door and let himself into the room where the true focus of today’s events were waiting in anticipation. Amusement that only grew as he was immediately confronted by a pegasus pony with autumn colours and an FN-P90 at parade rest.
“Lieutenant Ram, sir!” snapped out the pegasus, assuming a posture of attention before narrowing her eyes and adding, “Naples.”
Trudeau took the seeming non-sequitur in stride, noting that several pairs of eyes were watching him intently as he replied with, “Butterscotch.”
Everyone in the room visibly relaxed as he gave the proper countersign to the challenge, something that was becoming a standard around the world after most of the events of the Second Battle of Brightly had become known.
The seasoned politician took a moment to take in the mood of the room. Not a single human was present other than himself, and he noted that the ponies were arranged in what he had been briefed was an instinctive defensive posture, with an extremely pregnant earth pony mare at the center of a double ring of defenders.
On the outermost ring were Thunder and his wife Windweaver, along with Skylark and Darter. The secondary ring was held by Iron Heart, his son Iron Hoof, along with Shield Maiden and Seeker to either flank. At the core of the formation, and formation it was, were the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Medevac and the gravid mare that was her charge.
The snow white earth pony that was Foxfire.
“How is everypony doing?” Trudeau asked, ever the stickler for the right pronouns and terminology.
“Pretty excited,” Iron Heart replied, nodding back to the Crusaders. “Some folks are real anxious to go home.”
“I have no doubt,” Trudeau responded, noting how the outer ring of pegasi dispersed slightly in unconscious acceptance of his presence. “I came in to let you know what the timeline of events is going to be.”
Trudeau paused, expecting the white mare at the group’s core to object, ask questions or make some sort of remark, but the pause remained empty as Foxfire simply sat there, ready to accept whatever he was about to say. The pony had changed, not just from unicorn to earth pony, but from a fiery, outspoken individual to a mare who listened much more than she spoke. More than one advisor to Trudeau had put the change in demeanor down to her near death experience, while others claimed that whatever had changed Foxfire had also broken her spirit. Whichever was the cause of Foxfire’s passivity, it was Thunder who broke the lengthening seconds of silence.
“So what’s the plan?” the stallion asked.
“First of all, I hear congratulations are in order, Mr. Mayor,” Trudeau said warmly.
“We were all surprised when Mayor Montcalm said he was stepping down in favor of a run at provincial politics,” Thunder responded, with a slight grimace as one ear laid back on his head. “Turns out he’d made a deal with former Premier Horgan to support his party in exchange for making sure Brightly got what it needed back when the portal first opened. I still can’t believe I won.”
“You’ll make a fine mayor,” Trudeau assured the pony, glancing up at a digital clock on the wall. “So, in about forty-five minutes from now TRIUMF is going to activate and try to open up the portal to Equestria. From what I understand from Captain Rios, the Equestrians will be coordinating as best they can with us to ‘catch’ the portal and permanently anchor it in place.”
“The moment we know the portal is stable, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom will be sent back home,” Trudeau continued, smiling at the trio. “At the same time, Princesses Luna and Twilight Sparkle will come to Earth, along with the Fox News reporter who was stranded in Equestria much like the Crusaders were here.”
“Do you all have your going away presents with you?” Windweaver asked, turning to the three young fillies who had been under her foster care for the past months.
“Yes Ma’am!” chirped all three at once, Scootaloo reflexively checking one of a pair of panniers she wore.
“Which also brings me to the gifts I have for you. I debated for quite awhile about what I could give to each of you to help you remember your time in Canada. I admit to having asked for some help with my eventual choices,” Trudeau said, before reaching into his pocket to pull out three small objects.
“For Applebloom, a package of over a hundred vacuum packaged apple seeds from a wide variety of cultivars. Equestria gave us their apple tree, so it seemed only right to return the favor,” continued the Prime Minister, passing over a thick packet of silver foil.
“For Scootaloo, a model of the Avro Arrow. An aircraft that still lives in the dreams of many Canadians,” Trudeau related, handing over a small metal model that had been securely mounted in a lucite carrying container.
“And finally for Sweetie Belle, a solar powered MP3 player holding several hundred songs from Canadian artists ranging from Shania Twain to Leonard Cohen and more,” Trudeau finished, as he passed over a slim white plastic stick.
“Wow! These are awesome!” declared Scootaloo, clutching her model close.
The rest of the younger ponies oohed and aahed over the gifts while Trudeau made his way over to the weary looking earth pony at the centre of the group, only to be barred at the last moment by Medevac.
“She’s very tired,” Medevac stated firmly, and with more than a little frustration lacing her words. “The latter stages of the pregnancy have taken a lot out of her. She shouldn’t even be here right now, but she insisted on seeing this through.”
“It’s okay, Medevac,” Foxfire said, in a soft voice that was utterly at odds with what Trudeau knew about the former unicorn. “I’m sure the PM didn’t come all this way just to steal my baby.”
Foxfire paused, and as she looked up into his eyes Trudeau spotted the sleeping embers of the pony’s fiery spirit. “You didn’t come here to steal my baby, right?” she asked, with a weary smirk.
“Hardly,” Trudeau replied with a small smile, before asking, “Are you okay for this though? We could pipe a live feed in here, or to whatever care facility you prefer.”
“Children’s Hospital would be preferred,” Medevac interjected, running one of her wings gently along Foxfire’s side. “And I’d prefer it too. This baby is coming any day now.”
“Oh shush, both of you,” Foxfire responded, making a gentle shoo’ing motion with one delicate forehoof. “I just need to see the Crusaders off and apologize to Princess Luna when she arrives. After that, you can wrap me up in all the bubble wrap you want. Okay?”
“Fine,” huffed the medical pony, constantly running her diagnostic feathers over the pony under her care. “But I even think something is going twitchy and I’m calling the ambulance to get you over to Children’s. Got it?”
“Yes Ma’am,” Foxfire meekly replied. Only the fact that it was said with a smile kept the Prime Minister from becoming truly worried. Considering all the strangeness that seemed to be part and parcel when it came to ponies and magic he had enough things to worry about.
“I’ll see you all on the main floor in about twenty minutes,” Trudeau stated, turning toward the door. “Major Malinski knows the way, and will see you there.”
At the center of TRIUMF there is a large central area completely enclosed by massive concrete blocks meant to act as shielding from any exotic particles the facility’s various experiments might create. Most of the time this area is taken up with extra pathways for proton beams, containments for the various materials the beams are smashed into, and a kaleidoscope of esoteric devices capable of measuring the often subatomic results of the collisions.
TRIUMF was an engine of capital ‘S’ Science, whose experiments weren’t just on the leading edge of humanity’s knowledge, but on bleeding edge where deep thoughts on the nature of reality itself were put to the test. As such, those present were no strangers to tension or stress, but rarely was there a strain in the air like there was today, as if the whole world was watching the universe itself turn around this relatively small room.
“All systems nominal,” came from a loudspeaker, drawing everyone present’s attention. “Pre-energization sequence in sixty seconds.”
“I’m surprised you’re here,” Thunder said to the Prime Minister, standing with the rest of the group in a shielded area of the test chamber. “Magic and science don’t exactly have the best track record of working well together.”
“My last head on encounter with magic involved getting blown out of the sky by a thirty meter tall avatar of ice and snow,” Trudeau replied, his face unreadable as memory took him back to the first time Brightly had battled beings of ice and hate. “This time the area is surrounded by a full battalion of the Princess Patricia infantry, not to mention Major Malinksi and his troops. I think I’m balancing my political safety as much as I can with my physical safety.”
“Pre-energization in thirty seconds. Safety interlocks off, vacuum chamber evacuated. Shifting to computer control,” said the announcer, from overhead.
“A leader must sometimes dare parlous things,” Thunder sagely commented. “Glad to have you with us, Sir.”
“Newton was right,” Trudeau said, to no one in particular. “If I have seen further than others, it is because I have stood on the shoulders of giants.”
“Pre-energization in five seconds. Four. Three. Two. One,” counted the announcer, adding, “Pre-energization start, all systems nominal. Power levels rising. Hydrogen ion injection positive. All beam pathways clear. Capacitors approaching maximum charge levels. Cyclotron engaging. System energization in ten seconds.”
“Goddess, watch over us all,” Foxfire prayed aloud, her voice echoing off the walls.
“System energization… NOW!” declared the announcer.
Several things happened in quick succession as the world's second largest cyclotron accelerated four streams of positive hydrogen ions up to 75% of the speed of light. The four radiant beams could neither be slowed down nor be created simultaneously, but all had to arrive at their targets in the exact same nanosecond of time. The solution to this problem was simple, elegant, and extreme, all at once.
Each beam of protons had its path to its respective Equestrian gem target artificially lengthened by a precise amount via truly massive amounts of cabling, so that even though the first beam of protons was created a full twenty seconds before the last, it would arrive on target exactly when it was needed to. A further difficulty had been in ensuring that the four streams of elemental particles retained their full relativistic energies on impact.
A hundred thousand things could go wrong in such a process. The tiniest imperfection at any point could have had consequences ranging from mundane to dire, and although Murphy and all his minions did their level best to introduce chaos into the highly complex system, there were no flaws for them to exploit.
Four coruscating beams of protons each struck their target at the exactly correct moment. Each beam then traveled through that prism of mystic material, bending into the needed direction and taking on the necessary characteristics it needed to make everything work. The four beams, now changed into something that humanity was only beginning to grasp at, converged, and in that convergence merged into a single beam of energy that bored into the curvature of space-time itself.
Bored into, and then through, emerging from Earth’s gravity to blast across the cosmos like the shining beam of a lighthouse. An outpost of light and life shining against the eternal darkness of the cosmos with a shout of, “Here we are!” On and on the hand of humanity reached out across the vast, unimaginable gulfs of space and dimension, until it was firmly clasped by the answering hoof of Equestria.
Clasped, drawn in, and welcomed.
“LOOK!” yelled Applebloom, pointing to the far wall where a growing circle of rainbow light appeared and began to expand until it reached a full six meters, or almost twenty feet across. Within that circle of light lay not the concrete blocks that formed the shielding of the test chamber, but a view into another room, another world.
A world populated by small magical equines that were moving quickly around the edges of the circle of light on their side of the newborn portal.
“Starlight! Get the thaumic stabilizers in place on that side! I’ll get the ones here,” a small lavender alicorn called out to a unicorn. The pair, along with several other ponies, could be moving with deliberate haste as they set up a golden ring of something around the edges of the portal. Behind the team of ponies there could be seen the anxiously watching forms of Luna, Celestia and a grey earth pony with a speckled tail.
“Stable!” the unicorn who had been called Starlight called out.
“Confirm stable portal!” Twilight Sparkle called back, as she practically bounced up and down with pure joy. “Applebloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle! Come on home!”
“Time to go,” Windweaver said to the Crusaders, as the entire Harding family, new and old, shared a last hug. “I’ll miss you.”
“Come visit?” Scootaloo asked, from somewhere in the mass of fur and feathers.
“Soon as we can,” Thunder replied, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. “Now get going, you’ve got folks waiting for you.”
“Yeah, you need to show me your farm, Applebloom,” Darter added. “And Mom and Rarity really need to get together too.”
“Bye,” Skylark simply said, though she said nothing else, it was her wings that by far had the strongest grip on the ponies she had called “sister” these past few months.
“The door is open now,” Foxfire advised, in her gentle yet carrying voice. “And the Power Ponies will help make sure it stays that way. We’ll all meet again.”
With one last squeeze of the group hug, the Cutie Mark Crusaders bounded toward and through the portal, where their departing hug was repeated as an arriving hug by a white unicorn with a violet mane and tail, a prismatically maned blue pegasus, and a solidly built orange earth pony, who was wearing a stetson of all things.
The Crusaders were quickly moved out of the field of view by their relatives as Princesses Luna and Twilight Sparkle took their place, the two of them flanking a grey coloured earth pony wearing some sort of gold medallion. Another breath later and the three stepped through as one, piercing the barrier between worlds as easily as one would pass through a bead curtain.
As with other times Earth and Equestria had shared items via a portal a wave of magic burst forth from the gateway, enhancing the colouration of every visible surface but otherwise leaving everyone present untouched, except for a strange increase of the tension in the air. As if something was being stretched to its breaking point.
“Uh… Why haven’t I changed back?” asked the grey earth pony, holding one end of her white speckled grey mane. “You said I’d change back when you got me home.”
“A moment Jessica,” cautioned Luna. “Something is—”
A deep feminine groan followed by the sound of water splattering on a hard surface swiveled everyone’s attention to the herd of ponies waiting to greet the Equestrians. At the center of the group Foxfire was holding her belly, her equine face a mask of pain.
“Dammit!” Medevac grumbled, her wings nearly a blur as they gently flowed over her patient. “I was afraid of this.”
“Is that?” Iron Heart asked, eyes very, very wide.
“Her water just broke,” Medevac confirmed, before shouting. “I need blankets and my kit. STAT!”
Medical practitioners the world around cultivate what is called their “doctor voice.” When they use that voice, as Medevac just had, people move and move right now.
“We’ll get her to the ambulance, and then to the hospital,” Trudeau stated, already waving in his security and medical detail to assist.
“No Time,” hissed Medevac. “I don’t know what that burst of magic did, but this baby is coming right now. I’d much rather Foxfire give birth on a nice, stable floor than in the back of a moving ambulance.”
“The UBC Emergency Department is only ten minutes away,” Thunder protested.
“And this baby will be here in five,” Medevac stated, pointing out to the in-rushing ambulance attendants where she wanted them to lay their blankets.
Politicians love to talk, but the best ones know when it’s time to shut up. Wisely, the Prime Minister closed his mouth and turned his attention to helping Thunder and Windweaver shepherd the scared and fascinated children off to one side of the large room so that the birthing mother and her attendants could accomplish their goal.
“Foxfire, Jean, stay with me honey,” the medical pony said, putting her face directly into her friend’s, even as she laid the earth pony back onto the thick warm blankets.
“I… I’m here. Just hurts,” Foxfire replied, moaning through another contraction. “Why is the baby… coming so fast?”
“You don’t worry about that just now,” Medevac said, running another wing over her friend. “You just concentrate on bringing in another wonderful child into the world.”
“Arn?” Foxfire asked, and a moment later the black pony was at her side, tenderly taking one delicate hoof in his own.
“I’m here,” was all he needed to say.
“You… you do the naming,” Foxfire gasped, her belly visibly rippling from the strength of the contraction. “Like we talked about.”
“Hooves!” called out one of the attendants, smoothly falling into a support role to Medevac’s lead. “I’ve got two hooves.”
“Wouldst thou desire any assistance?” Luna asked, carefully approaching while Twilight began to take notes with frantic speed. “I have delivered or assisted with the delivery of a great many foals in my time.”
“Just keep an eye out in case we’re about to do something wrong,” Medevac replied, her attention fully on Foxfire now. “I’ve been studying up on equine births ever since Jean told me she was pregnant, so we should be fine, but it’s good to have a pro in the room.”
“Sorry LunAAAAAA…” Foxfire cried out, as another contraction hit. “Just in case… I want you to—”
“We have already been through this,” Luna answered, her voice full of warmth and reassurance. “There is nothing to forgive.”
“Right, we’ve got a nose,” Medevac stated, nodding in satisfaction as one of the attendants carefully brushed aside a bit of membrane on one nostril. “You’re doing great Jean. Baby is almost here.”
“Gently pull on the foal’s forelegs,” Luna advised. “Do not yank or use any real strength.”
“You heard the princess,” Medevac added. “The idea is to keep the kid from sliding back in, that’s all.”
“There’s the head!” someone called out.
“LOOK!” Jessica yelled, pointing up to the room’s high ceiling where storm clouds were gathering. Indoor storm clouds.
“Darter?” Thunder asked, looking at his son, who had a talent for weather manipulation.
“Uh uh,” replied the pony, shaking his head. “Those clouds don’t wanna get bucked.”
“Shoulders!” Medevac stated, as a smokey black head and shoulders emerged. The foal’s head was blazoned with a white star, with a stubby horn coming out of it.
“A unicorn,” Luna said, quickly weaving a set of basic wards around the area to ensure her friend’s foal would not be prey, no matter what the child’s strength would be. “Thou hast given birth to a uni—”
Luna’s congratulation stopped, and her heart leaped into her throat as with a final push, Foxfire delivered her child, revealing a small set of white tipped, smokey black wings along the foal’s back.
“Wha—what’s wrong?” Foxfire asked, hearing Luna’s hesitation and feeling a sudden pricking sensation along her fur.
“Nothing,” Medevac smoothly replied, ignoring how her fur was standing on end. “You’ve delivered a fine little stallion into the world.”
“Colour looks good. Breathing and heart rate is good,” confirmed the ambulance attendant.
“Arn… Can Iron Heart do a thing?” Foxfire asked, even as Medevac gently moved the newborn alicorn to where it could begin to nurse.
“Cut the cord?” Medevac asked, to which Foxfire nodded, shifting her hips a bit to give her son access.
Medevac quickly assessed the child, and after receiving confirming nods from the two ambulance attendants that all seemed well, waved Iron Heart into position.
“Luna? What’s wrong?” Medevac asked, finally noticing that Luna looked like she had been hit by a truck, as Iron Heart drew a pair of bronze scissors he had purpose-made for this moment.
“This… this is only the second live alicorn birth… ever,” Luna managed to choke out.
“Welcome to the world, Son,” Iron Heart stated, the tears of joy in his eyes almost preventing him from directing the shears between two strips of tape against the now quiescent placenta. “Our son, Robinton Apollo Pedersen Kye.”
The shears came down, and as the physical connection between mother and child was broken the storm clouds in the ceiling let go with a single crack of thunder, breaking the waiting tension as the energies that had been building released with a sudden rush. Those energies poured forth in a literal magical deluge that transformed Trudeau, his security detail and the ambulance attendants into ponies.
It also poured out over the body of a small white earth pony, whose form began to glow, and the others watched in stunned surprise as the form of Foxfire grew, lengthening and expanding into a more human shape. Iron Heart protectively pulled his newborn son to his chest, watching in amazement as the very human face of Jean Pedersen returned into being, along with the rest of her body.
Most of her body, that is.
Jean’s body was for the most part as it had been, that of a well-built, fairly athletic woman in her early 30s, but her long period as a pony had apparently made permanent changes. Either that or a trio of Powers had been prophetic in their words of, “something new, to be seen.”
Jean’s hair was no longer the dark brown it had been, but was now the same snow white of her pony form’s mane. The mane flowed down her back in a silken wave, where it joined an equally snow white tail emerging from the base of her spine. A tail that was somewhat wet and soiled now from the spilled products of conception, but still flowing down to Jean’s knees.
Which is where her human body ended, for from that point on Jean’s body was composed of the cannons, fetlocks and hooves of a pony. All of which were covered in the soft white fur of her pony form.
Propping herself up on her forearms, Jean Pedersen took a moment to look at her body, eyes widening in shock. She looked at her husband and friends, who looked back in equal shock.
“WHAT THE HELL?” Jean demanded of the universe, and three meddling goddesses in particular.
“The story never ends,” came the whispered reply.
Also LikedSimilarAuthor
- Penalt · 182k words · 356 20 · 6k views
- computerneek · 18k words · 34 3 · 874 views
- Wind of the Skies · 2.6k words · 281 views
- Sir Mediocre · 158k words · 39 5 · 1.4k views
- Comma Typer · 76k words · 26 11 · 1.1k views
- Boopy Doopy · 78k words · 61 13 · 1.2k views
- Etyco Filly · 105k words · 25 3 · 413 views
- Kiper · 1.8k words · 31 1 · 896 views
Stats
Page generated in 0.153 seconds
Total duration
910 users online
1,122,299 hits today, 1,960,719 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
i think it's been... what, five or six years since i took over as your editor? all in all, it has been a joy to go over your work and help you put these stories out into the world.
A proper centaur instead of whatever Tirek was.
Damn, was hoping to see what adventures lay ahead, but this is good too
But... but the story never ends?
What a great series that you have written my friend! Wonderful job!!!
This reminds me of the best of '50s sci-fi: confident, skilled, optimistic people throwing science at the wall to see what sticks. I really like the tone of everyone's social interactions.
God FOX NEWS?! I literally shouted profanity in my car. Well done!
Great story, but we that the end or just a cliffhanger?
I liked the Etrigan reference near the end, as well as all the other pop culture references. Although the three at the end song they were the doctor was a bit of a stretch IMHO.
11809236
We are at the foreseeable end of my writing stories in this world. However, I have a pathological need to keep things open enough just in case the opportunity rises again.
11806900
I was very much influence in my youth by the Venus Equilateral stories. It would be hard to find those stories now, but they are filled with that sort of character. Brave, optimistic and smart people working in a field they love and throwing science at the wall to see what punches a hole through.
I wonder if anyone noted the references in the name of the newest Pedersen child...
11809242
Wait, you're done? As in DONE done? It's a sad 😔 world we live in when the best of us feels it's time to call it in.
Best of luck in the future, friend.
11809270
Not done done, just done in this particular fictional world. How Twilight Learned continues, as do my other in progress stories, and commissions are now a thing.
11809560
Ah, gotcha. I'm a fan and like reading your works. Obviously.
Oh that is mean to leave this world this way with the first confirmed Pony Satyr ever and the birth of an alicorn. I expect we'll see Brightly Lit 3 in a year or two. Or at least a proper epilogue/Denoument.
Amazing story. Thanks!
Congratulations on a nice fun story coming to its conclusion. It's always a bittersweet moment when a good tale ends. Thank you for sharing your talent with us, your story and time. I hope you're coping well with the loss of your friend and are still able to get the help and friendship you need.
What a wonderful story.