A Pegasus Horn

by Ignimbrite

Cleared Up in No Time

"Are you sure this was a good idea?"

Mud Slinger paced around the room while his partner sorted stories to send to the editing room for compilation.

"Relax, will you? We have our jobs in the press again, and the idiot who made us lose them in the first place got what he deserved."

"And the princesses?"

"Shouldn't have messed around with common ponies."

"And the colt?"

"Collateral damage." Muck Raker sighed and looked up at his partner. "Look, our story probably upended most of the ponies' view of the royal elite, but it was going to break sooner or later. Not the kind of thing you can hide forever. Besides, it's not like anypony's gonna die because of our report."

He went back to the task at hoof and looked at the next story to be sent in for compilation.

Mare Trampled to Death Outside News Stand
A unicorn, later identified as Red Shirt, was found waiting in line for...

He quietly placed the story in the rejection bin.

---

"Please don't tell us you believe those stories too."

Both investigators facehooved in perfect sync.

"Considering the events of the story would have occurred while Princess Luna was banished..."

"And since I know for certain that Celestia doesn't have a foal, I think we have good reasons to not believe the story."

As the entire household sighed in relief, Obsidian looked up. "So, what happens now?"

"We have already asked them to print another retraction." Moonlit Night stated. "Why they haven't yet is beyond us."

"Well," Sunny said, "given the paper's reaction to the last time we corrected them, we may have to prove that they were wrong instead of only telling them."

Quartz snorted. "Well, if these 'anonymous, reliable sources' are who I think they are, it will probably take a bit more effort to get them to print a retraction than just talking to them. They've got more pride between them than anypony I've ever met."

Moonlit Night nodded in agreement. "The entire publishing company is like that. Besides, the fact that his appearance is real and not merely a hoax may make it harder. We need to demonstrate that another explanation is possible."

Out of nowhere, there was a flash in the room.

"SorryI'mlateIv'ebeenteleportjumpingthewholewayheresinceIgotyourletterand..."

"Twilight, slow down."

Twilight took a deep breath.

"Sorry about that Ce... er... Sunny. When I saw your letter, I checked the papers, and when I saw those, I started looking for you to see what had happened. I checked the palace, the gardens, the bakery, the guards, and then I found out that you had come here..."

Sunny Skies placed a hoof over Twilight's mouth. "Just start with the beginning. You mentioned meeting him in your letter. Try starting there."

As soon as Sunny removed her hoof, Twilight took another deep breath and started again. "He claimed to be a chimera, and the patterns of his eyes support the claim.

"I also gave him a simple magic test at his and his sister's request, and the results matched some of the current theories on pony chimerism. I was going to run some more tests, but I never got a chance to ask for permission."

She turned to Quartz and Gneiss- "if that's okay with you, of course. Is it okay? If these theories are correct, they could lead to major improvements in our understanding of medicine and..."

Twilight caught the look in Sunny's eye.

"Oh, right... Sorry. Anyway, everything I've seen does indicate that he is exactly what he said, nothing more."

As the two investigators sighed in relief, Twilight looked around.

"Where did he go anyway?"

The others finally noticed that the two foals had both left the conversation. Gneiss stepped in. "I think I have an idea."

---

Up on the roof, Obsidian and Feldspar watched the atmosphere above them. The sun would be setting soon, provided the princesses would remember to lower it in the middle of their PR problem. Some clouds were drifting around in the distance, and a couple off to the right were being pushed into place by a few pegasi to water somepony's crops.

At least the skies offered more peace than the grownups did.

Almost on cue, the flapping of wings behind them interrupted that peace.

"There you two are."

They both looked to the source of the sound as she landed. "Hi mom."

She stepped over to them, flapping her wings a bit to keep balance as she was not nearly as accustomed to walking around on the roof as they were.

"Is something the matter?"

Obsidian looked away and crossed his forelegs. "No. Should there be anything wrong?"

"You two always fly up to the roof when something's up. Now what is it?"

He looked into her eyes, then back at the sunset. "I don't know. I just wish I could be normal. Then this whole thing wouldn't have happened in the first place."

She sighed. "There's nothing wrong with... Obsidian look at me." She waited for him to look back up into her eyes. "There's nothing wrong with you. Your father and I love you as you are, and nothing can change that.

"Besides, those ponies would have found something to lie about anyway. You being any different wouldn't have changed that, so please don't blame yourself for what they did. Okay?"

Obsidian nodded. As he did, Gneiss wrapped him and his sister in her wings.

"Good. Now could you please come back inside?" She turned to Feldspar. "Both of you?"

Obsidian glided down while Feldspar rode down on her mother's back. Quartz, Twilight, Sunny, and Moonlit were waiting for them on the ground.

Sunny addressed them.

"Don't worry, my little ponies, after everything Twilight told us, I'm sure we'll have everything cleared up in no time."

It was then that another letter materialized and dropped to the ground. Sunny looked at the top, then gave it to Twilight.

"This one's for you."

Twilight took the letter in her magic and opened it.

Dear Twilight,
I think you forgot something when you left.
Sincerely,
Spike

Comments

[Sudrian Engineer]

Uh oh... what could she have forgotten?

[Ace98]

Most ponies are clearly one race, but occasionally, a pony is born into two at a time.

Obsidian Crystal, the horned pegasus, is one such pony.

It probably doesn't help that there happens to be another pony species that looks just like him.

I haven't read the story yet, but I do want a explanation on something...How are the other 2 possible 'chimeras' identified? Given Earth ponies don't have any outstanding characteristics besides being sturdy and good with plants, wouldn't the other two be assumed to be a Pegasus or unicorn?

This is just a curiosity and not a criticism of the story because as stated, I haven't read it yet.

[Ignimbrite]

11646388
Theoretically, there would be six possible chimeras: earth-earth, pegasus-pegasus, unicorn-unicorn, earth-unicorn, earth-pegasus, and pegasus-unicorn. Of these, only the last one would be easily visibly identifiable. The other cross-species chimeras may potentially display hybridized magic, and others in general may have unusual coat or eye patterns, but otherwise, they would likely grow up completely unaware of their condition. Only a genetic test would indicate for certain whether or not they are.

The use of chimerism originated as an excuse to make him resemble an alicorn without actually being one. Everything that came afterwards, like the eye colors, magic traits, and ponies assuming his condition refers to being the monster of the same name, was all extrapolated from what that might be like.

[Ignimbrite]

11646328
It probably has something to do with how the letter got to her in the first place.

[Sudrian Engineer]

11646409
Haha, it just clicked, poor Spike

[Ignimbrite]

11646388
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand now I'm tempted to make up characters who are the other two types of cross-species chimeras just to see what life would be like for them. Not sure what the stories for them would be about though.

[Georg]

Spike is Best Troll.

[tsaukpaetra]

Wonder if his magic inefficiency is due to inadvertent misuse? Like how Scootaloo has trouble flying because she's supposed to be using unicorn magic?

[Ignimbrite]

11652193
That is a really cool idea.