Our Celestia Forgives
The equine looks down and sees the man. For some time, she has been studying him, observing his movements among the hellish terrain of this world. She lets out a low sigh and bows her head, considering whether she should approach or not. This hellish terrain’s guardian, a bespectacled bovine, returns her glance, eyebrow raised over the left lens.
She descends towards the hellish terrain.
The last thing the man remembered seeing before this hellish terrain was a dark palm clasped over his eyes. Alchemical energy surged through his mind, splitting his brain apart from the insane as the lingering strains of life left him. But how could he be cut off now when he reached the threshold of newfound knowledge?
The man climbs up the rock formation ahead of him, silently cursing himself for not being in all that great of shape.
“I only did it for knowledge! Surely, that was enough! You would have done the same! You all would have! How could you not when you’re at the threshold of an incredible alchemical discovery?!”
One damned soul dragged his legs down, slashing into his shin. The man kept one hand to maintain his glasses over his eyes. Not that there was much to see anyway, except the red sky raining down in a Biblical torrent of blood. Like a child’s blood staining his glasses. His feet suddenly felt very warm.
“I did it for knowledge! Surely there has to be someone who understands me!” the man yells to the red sky once more.
The damned souls around him don’t respond, aside from a few growls and swears. The man knelt to clean the blood from his shin wound. His head was still ringing from the shot of alchemical energy that had surged through his brain and sent him to this place. He clasped the sides of his face, trying to soothe the headache.
Something broke the red sky.
The man looked up, wiping the blood smears on his glasses to get a better view. Something as gold as the sun pierced through the red.
“I understand.”
The man tensed at the godly voice as the other damned souls around him shuffled away. A face emerged from the golden light blossom. But not human, what? A horse?
“I understand your plight. I can help you. I can offer you a second chance.”
The man wiped his glasses again, noting how the brilliant radiance of the goddess horse managed to retain the golden color even through filtered red. “Second chance?”
“Second chance?! I want a second chance!” another damned soul yells.
“Me too! I want a second chance! Gimme!”
The man kicked away two damned souls reaching at his legs. Not long, a golden aura forms around him, encasing his body in a protective shield when the damned souls threw themselves. The shin wound sealed up and the blood dissolved into a fine red mist that shattered with a thick copper smell. The man coughed as the aches and pains left his head.
“I can offer you a second chance.”
The man covered his eyes as he passes through the red sky and is pulled into some bizarre open space. Torrents of damned souls coursed and raged below, flashing abyss-mouthed screams like a Philosopher’s Stone’s flow. He fell to his knees in the gold energy orb, gazing at the disappearing hellish terrain below.
“So, you are human.”
The man looked up, finding himself in the presence of a bizarre giant horse with a teal and pink mane and a horn protruding above purple-pink eyes. He leaned to the wall of the orb, his hands and face pressed against the energy field. Such a magnificent creature. Was she some kind of alchemical force? What kind of alchemist managed to create such a being?
“I have observed these souls and I feel a great pity for all of you,” the magnificent creature tells him. “I particularly hear your cries, of how you sought to pursue knowledge. I do understand your desire.”
“You do?” the man asks.
The magnificent creature pulls back a bit as another figure manifests above. This time, it takes on a bovine shape, oddly with glasses like his own. It shakes its arms angrily.
“Do you realize what you’re doing?!” the bovine calls out, approaching the magnificent horse. “Do you know what that monster has done?!”
The bespectacled bovine leans towards the majestic horse and whispers something to her. The man shakes his head. This had to be some terrible hallucination. Just some hallucination.
“So…that is your crime…” the horse bows her head.
The golden orb shrunk a bit, causing the man to fall back onto his ass. He threw out his hands in front of him to keep the energy field walls from compressing. “Crime?! I never committed any crime! I only did what had to be done!”
The walls of the energy field shrunk further, tightening around the man.
“What you did was reprehensible,” the horse snarled. “I should cast you back into the hellish pit and let you burn. But I have observed you and, even with your actions, I have felt a great pity.”
The golden orb grows a little, allowing the man to lower his hands. He faces her, fearing what she might do next.
“I am willing to give you a second chance. I can give you a new start in my world.”
“But what good would I do in your world?” the man questions. “I’m an alchemist! I can’t be shoveling hay and shitting in stalls!”
The golden orb shrinks, throwing his head back.
“My world may be different from yours but we are not beasts. We have our own magic, and if you truly wish to learn, I can help you. If you accept this second chance I am offering.”
The man takes off his glasses for a moment and rubs his eyes.
“But!” the horse comes right at the golden orb, her eyes directed toward the man’s. “If you should cross me and attempt to recreate your crime, I will end you.”
“Is that so?” the man calmly places his glasses back before his eyes. Returning her gaze, he smiles. “Very well then, I accept your offer.”
A flash of light cracks in his field of vision. The man covers his eyes and gets a good, clear view of his fingers melding together into a single hoof.
“What is this?” the man panics, eyes widening at the sight of his hands becoming hooves and back bending forward. His forehead stings as a bump develops, splitting out of his temple in a small horn.
Becoming a chimera of sorts. What irony.
Twilight Sparkle looks over the estate ahead of her with a sense of awe, recalling how it seemed to have been built within a day or so. Spike travels by her side and lets out a low whistle.
“Man, this Bucker guy must be rich or something to have a house that big.”
The purple unicorn nods. “The Princess’ letter mentioned that Show Bucker is a researcher of The Canterlot Institute. I think I might have read an article by him once. Perhaps the one on biology and fusion.”
“Thrilling. So why would he have it built near the Everfree Forest?”
“I’m not sure. I think he’s a biologist of some sort,” Twilight answers, glancing over the letter from the Princess once more. I request that you make him feel welcome in Ponyville. Show Bucker has been on the verge of working through new magic. “Well, I guess it can’t hurt to ask him when we get there.”
In the estate itself, Show Bucker readies for another day. Winedark energy collects around his glasses atop the nightstand as a cloth joins it in another aura’s hold. The same old morning routine goes on as he brushes back his light brown mane and his magic cleans the lenses. Finished, he places them atop the bridge of his snout and climbs out of bed.
His ears perk up with the knocks at the door.
Outside, Twilight knocks twice, wondering if she might have rudely awakened the occupant, even at Celestia’s request. Spike looks around for a second and then glances at his wrist. A yellow Pegasus walks up the steps behind them with a saddlebag over her back, humming a little tune.
“Maybe he’s not home,” Spike suggests.
“Spike, the Princess asked us to make him feel welcome in Ponyville,” Twilight says matter-of-factly. “And that’s just what we’re going to do. Besides, if he is a researcher of the Canterlot Institute, I have some questions I’d want to ask. I’m curious about his work.”
The little dragon shrugs. “If you say so, Twi.”
“I’m sure Mr. Bucker is home,” Fluttershy notes, stopping between them. “He’s usually just really busy with his research, so I come around to help him.” The yellow Pegasus walks inside, holding the door open for Twilight and Spike. The little dragon enters first.
The foyer shows signs of the unfinished mover with tables and packages of food still half-covered by white sheets. Some cardboard boxes stack up in towers, slit corners revealing various texts and composition journals. Two bookshelves bear more of these texts, including some Twilight recognizes from her studies like The Canterlot Scientist’s Handbook to Equestrian Fauna and Birds and Beasts of the Everfree Forest.
“I think Mr. Bucker is in the next room. He might have just waken up,” Fluttershy gestures. “Mr. Bucker?”
“I’ll be right down, Miss Shy. Please, come in,” a voice calls from within.
“You know him?” Twilight asks.
Her friend nods. “Yes, I met Mr. Bucker a couple days ago when he came to Ponyville asking for somepony’s help in animal care. I’ve just been taking care of his animals since then.”
Twilight raises an eyebrow. “Animals?”
Fluttershy ushers the two into the next room. Around them, medical charts showing the skeletal, circulatory, digestive, and muscular systems of various animals present themselves. Another chart showing a rabbit alongside a snake with tiny scribble notes between them. Graphite circles line the middle areas of the two animals and link themselves. The word CHIMERA? drifts in one corner.
“This place gives me the creeps,” Spike notes, yet not being able to take his eyes off the samples and charts. “It’s like something out of a mad scientist’s lair.”
“They’re simple biology charts, Spike. Mr. Bucker is a researcher,” Fluttershy answers as she collects a fallen chart and stacks it atop some more boxes.
“Still, I wouldn’t want to run into that at night,” Spike points a claw at a chart showing the dental structure and mandible of a manticore-like creature.
“You’ll have to excuse the mess. I still haven’t been able to clean everything since I arrived.”
Twilight and Spike look up towards the tan unicorn descending the staircase. His glasses briefly reflect with a soft glow before revealing his chestnut-colored eyes beneath. She gets a good look at his Cutie Mark showing a sewing needle lining a trio of sutures atop his flank.
“Mr. Bucker, correct?” Twilight puts on her welcome wagon smile. “My name is Twilight Sparkle.”
“Ah, so you are the Princess’ student,” Bucker bows his head. “Miss Shy has told me about you and your accomplishments. I must say, I’m quite impressed, especially with the accounts of how you managed to best the beasts Nightmare Moon and Discord.”
Twilight blushes a little, rubbing the back of her head with her front left hoof. “Well thanks. But I definitely couldn’t have accomplished either without my friends like Fluttershy here.”
Fluttershy replies with a supportive smile. “Still, don’t disregard yourself, Twilight. But yes, I’ve told Mr. Bucker about some of the things you’ve accomplished since you arrived in Ponyville. I hope you don’t mind.”
Spike glances around, as if expecting one of the medical charts to gain sentience and attack him. “So, uh, why do you have so many creepy animal charts around?”
“Spike,” Twilight scolds him.
“Oh it’s alright, Miss Sparkle,” Bucker answers. “My field of study is in biomagic, particularly focusing on animal subjects. I’m sure Miss Shy might have mentioned something about it earlier. That’s why I had my estate built outside the Everfree Forest.”
“Sounds very interesting,” Spike fiddles with his fingers.
Twilight rolls her eyes. “You’ll have to excuse Spike. But this biomagic work of yours does sound intriguing.”
Bucker nods and turns to Fluttershy who readies her saddlebag, revealing a feed scoop in one of the pockets. “Thank you again for tending to the chimeras, Miss Shy. I know they can be a hoofful at times.”
Fluttershy shakes her head and nods. “It’s quite alright, Mr. Bucker. I’m good with animals.”
“Chimerwhats?” Spike muses.
“Pardon us, Miss Sparkle,” Bucker apologizes. “Miss Shy and I have some business to attend to. I’ll be right back if there are further questions and pleasantries.”
Bucker and Fluttershy pass them into the hallway, still conversing about specifics of these “chimeras”. Something about a “LASE-49” and a “MOCH-51”. Fluttershy giggles and asks if “MOCH-51” is doing better now. All of this flies over Twilight’s head and horn as she raises a hoof to her mouth.
Curious as ever, Spike follows, determined to find out what a “chimerwhat” is. The little dragon steps quickly along the hallway floor as Bucker and Fluttershy disappear through a now-unlocked door. The little dragon chuckles a bit and steps ahead.
“Spike.”
“Aww, c’mon, Twilight,” Spike turns to her with raised hands. “I just wanna see what a chimerwhat is.”
“We shouldn’t be putting our noses into another pony’s business,” Twilight raises her left forehoof towards him.
“Don’t tell me you’re not just a little bit curious,” Spike crosses his arms. “You said so yourself that you’re curious about his work.”
Twilight pauses and lowers her hoof. “Well, yes, but-”
“Then, let’s find out!” Spike runs over the threshold of the locked door.
After an expected facehoof, Twilight follows suit and looks about her as she passes through. The hallway is barely lit by two strands of emergency lights trailing along the walls. Ahead, she sees Spike making his way down and disappearing around a corner at the end. One of the emergency lights flickers next to her, struggling to function. Her chest tenses a bit, wondering if they’re walking into trouble.
Spike stops a ways ahead of her, taking no notice of the ambiance until he turns around to see if Twilight has caught up. A triumphant grin forms on his face when she appears. “I knew it.”
“We really shouldn’t be following them,” Twilight tells him. “Whatever they’re doing, it’s Mr. Bucker and Fluttershy’s business, not ours.”
“Aww, what harm is going to do? After all, you said you were interested in finding out more about his research, right?” Spike says to her. The little dragon makes a few more steps before stopping at the base of a curtained door. “Aha, what have we here?”
He leans forward and starts to take a peek inside when Bucker appears beside him. The dragon turns and jumps a bit. “It was Twilight’s idea!” he points an accusatory claw at the purple unicorn who returns an annoyed glance.
“I figured you two might be curious,” Bucker playfully chides. “So why not show you some of my work?”
Twilight and Spike cautiously approach as Bucker’s winedark aura lifts the curtain for them. As they step inside the dimly lit room, sounds of multiple creatures snarling and chirping and hissing ring through their ears. Still, they venture further into the room, taking mental note of all the cages and tanks filled with unusual creatures. And Fluttershy in the corner among them.
“Don’t worry, Twilight, Spike. They won’t bite,” Fluttershy waves a hoof before turning her attention back to a bird…thing in the corner. “There, everything’s just fine. You eat up. Good.”
“You’ll have to excuse them,” Bucker walks alongside her, magically lifting a chunk of tan meat from a pocket in Fluttershy’s feedbag over towards a particular tank marked LASE-49. “It’s just feeding time and we’ve got their attention.”
Spike’s eyes trace over the various creatures fighting for Bucker and Fluttershy’s attention. “Wow, it’s a total freakshow in here. I just hope there’s no cockatrice in this mess. Last time Twilight ran into one, she got turned into a lawn ornament.”
Bucker notices Twilight’s glare at the little dragon and chuckles. “You can reassure your friend that there aren’t any cockatrices in my collection.”
He opens the lid and drops the meat inside. Under the tank’s dull sky blue lighting, something’s nose emerges and sniffs. Leaning forward, the something reveals itself to be a white rabbit, perhaps one of Angel’s cousins. It gives Twilight and Spike a forlorn look as it seems drawn to the meat.
Twilight ponders for a moment until the rabbit reveals its lower half, causing Spike to pull back in shock and disgust. Past its two front paws, scales start lining its body. It drags itself towards the meat and, with a disgusted look, opens its mouth, revealing reptilian fangs. LASE-49’s maw wraps around the chunk and it swallows, just as a snake might do with some poor mouse. LASE-49 closes its eyes in disgust but nonetheless finishes its food. Its eyes reopen and it glances at Twilight.
“Incredible,” Twilight notes, her gaze meeting with the rabbit-snake’s small black eyes. “Where did you find this creature?
“I crafted LASE-49, as well as the rest in this room.”
Twilight pauses. “What?” She trots past another cage where a clawed hand grabs at her mane. The purple unicorn and dragon jump back as the clawed hand flails.
“Sorry about that. That one is a grabber,” Bucker apologizes as he trots over to the darkened cage and slams his front right hoof atop its roof. The clawed hand retreats into the darkness of the cage, reflecting dull yellow eyes in their direction.
Twilight shakes her head. “Mr. Bucker, what are these things?”
“They’re a product of biomagic. These are chimeras, bound together using biomagical techniques. Pardon me, Miss Shy,” Bucker answers, drawing a scoop from a pocket of Fluttershy’s saddlebag filled with seeds. He tilts it through a slot in another cage where bird-bat creatures feast upon the pile. With the same smooth gesture, Bucker draws out some insect corpses from the same pocket and sprinkles them into the pile. “I’ve been busy the last couple of days making up for lost time and it’s really been stressful, but I manage. And I reassure you, the process is completely painless.”
“But that rabbit...snake thing didn’t look too happy,” Spike notes.
“Naturally. The rabbit and snake used in the process to create LASE-49 have quite different diets as you and Miss Sparkle would surely know. But given that they now share the same digestive system as well as the same body, they will adjust. The snake portion reacts the same way when the rabbit head eats at a carrot. But in time, they’ll adjust fine. My biomagical fusion techniques have assured successful adaptation in the past.”
Twilight glances back to the tank where LASE-49 curls itself and rests its head against the grass lain out at the bottom. Spike notices the worried look on her face. “Still, they seem unhappy. They weren’t like, somepony’s pets that you abducted in the middle of the night, are they?”
The purple unicorn facehooves, embarrassed where Spike’s imagination led this time.
“They aren’t anypony’s pets, I can assure you of that. They have been collected during my trips into the Everfree Forest, with the help of Miss Shy and Miss Zecora.” Bucker brushes the back of a smaller chimera that appears to be a large mouse with chicken talons scraping against the marked floor.
Fluttershy moves in and soothes the creature when it falls back at Twilight’s approach. “It’s alright, little one. Everything’s just fine.” The yellow Pegasus draws from the feedbag and places some grains before it.
Bucker chuckles. “Miss Shy is quite partial to MOCH-51.”
The yellow Pegasus smiles. “He’s like the hens I raise back at home.” She continues stroking MOCH-51’s fur as it brushes against her.
“I’ve heard of chimeras but didn’t think such experiments were real.”
“Oh they’re quite real,” Bucker notes. “Let me put it this way, Miss Sparkle. We in the biomagical field can work out better and smoother ways of fusing together living organisms to gain more medical insight. So we could perhaps work our way towards new methods of performing surgery without having to utilize surgical magic that could potentially endanger the subject at any time. Perfect fusion.”
Twilight nods, understanding although the image of the depressed rabbit-snake doesn’t leave her mind. “It does sound promising, but testing on animals?”
“Progress has to begin somewhere,” Bucker gets down next to the large mouse with chicken talons. “In the meantime, I’ve been working to ease the process so it’s less and less traumatic on the subjects.” He brushes MOCH-51’s back again, hearing a small squeaking noise in return. “Again, I assure you that the process is painless.”
“So you can split them up again, right?”
Bucker shakes his head. “I’m afraid the fusion is permanent. I couldn’t split them apart without the risk of killing them in the process. But I take care of each of my subjects and nurse them to health. And if there’s something I can’t do, then Miss Shy can handle it for me. So you needn’t worry yourself, Miss Sparkle.”
Twilight ponders to herself with an uneasy expression as Spike steps closer to MOCH-51. The large mouse with chicken legs backs away with Spike easily falling back in startled fashion. The purple unicorn stifles a giggle.
“So those chimera don’t bother you at all?” Twilight inquires.
Fluttershy pauses then shakes her head. “Admittedly, they were a little scary at first, but really, Twilight, they’re very much like the animals I normally handle. And I do what I can to help.”
Twilight gives a worried smile. “So none of this strikes you as a bit…cruel?”
Fluttershy pauses again and bows her head a little. “It does at times, especially how sad LASE-49 looks. Or MOCH-51 when he’s not feeling very good.” She lifts her head and smiles. “But Mr. Bucker and I take good care of them, so they’ll be fine. That’s comfort for me.”
I guess I can always count on Fluttershy to find the best in everything, Twilight thinks. “If you say so, Fluttershy.”
The yellow Pegasus finishes feeding the various chimeras and nods at Bucker. The tan unicorn turns to them. “Well, I have some notes to compose fairly soon.”
MOCH-51 squeaks.
“Oh, sorry, didn’t mean to forget about you, friend,” Fluttershy gently lifts the large mouse with chicken feet and places it back in its pen. MOCH-51 blinks and nuzzles against her hoof once more. “Aww.”
The purple unicorn smiles at this scene.
“I must apologize for the poor lighting in this hall,” Bucker notes. “I probably should have some more fixtures installed.”
The four make their way down the hall with Bucker in the lead and Twilight taking up the rear. Fluttershy and Bucker reconvene their conversation from before about chimeras, LASE-49 and other acronym-number combos unfamiliar to her. Spike indulges in a little hypothesis.
“I wonder what that that chimerwhat in the cage was,” the little dragon thinks aloud. “I bet it was probably one of Rarity’s cat’s cousins. Definitely had a nasty temper and claws just like her.” Spike swipes his left hand in a melodramatic arc while uttering a mock hiss. “Heh, wouldn’t that be fitting, Twilight?”
Twilight thinks back to LASE-49 in its tank as the glow of each emergency light passes over her. True, such research could do wonders for the scientific community and really, who is she to challenge the placement of The Canterlot Institute? Still, something didn’t quite feel right about this.
“Hey, Twilight, you alright?”
“Sorry, Spike. Just thinking about stuff.”
The little dragon raises an eyebrow but doesn’t say much as Bucker opens the door for them.
“Well, I should be getting back to work, Miss Shy. It was good to make your acquaintance, Miss Sparkle,” Bucker nods. "I shall see you later when-"
Much to his surprise, a pink earth pony stands outside with the biggest smile of all, accompanied by a bow-wearing yellow filly. Bucker backs up a bit.
“Um, can I help you, Miss?”
Outside, the pink pony raises her forehooves and takes a deep breath. The yellow filly backs to the side.
Welcome to Ponyville, dear new friend!
May your good times here never end!
Hope you fit in just fine, Mr. Bucker!
I wish the best of luck-err!
So I see you’re friends with Twilight,
I’m her best friend too!
Perhaps we’ll all get along
And I’ll get to know you too!
Bucker just stares before a full blink occurs on his behalf. Twilight steps alongside him with an apologetic hoof raised.
“Yeah, I probably should have warned you about Pinkie Pie. She's really keen on making friends with everyone that settles here.”
“Well, I must admit she is quite energetic,” Bucker muses as Pinkie Pie flashes another of her various smiles. "It's good to make your acquaintance, Miss Pie."
“Yeah, she really does get a bit jumpy at times,” Apple Bloom notes. “Oh hey, Twilight and Fluttershy. Mah sister Applejack an’ I just wanted to welcome ya’ll to Ponyville, Mr. Bucker.” Apple Bloom takes the basket handle into her mouth and sets it before Bucker’s hooves.
“Well, thank you,” Bucker levitates an apple from the basket, briefly inspecting it. “Looks quite well. Better than the apples I've had in Canterlot facilities. Fresher too."
“Yer darn tootin’ it’s fresh! Freshest apples in all o’ Equestria!” Apple Bloom affirms, shooting her left forehoof into the air. "You can make sure o' that!"
“I hope I can be your friend, Mr. Bucker, just as you’ve become Twilight’s friend!” Pinkie Pie declares, jumping a bit as something comes to her. “Oh, that reminds me! I brought over a special cake, just for you! One of my Sugarcube Corner specials!”
Before Bucker can say anything, Pinkie Pie draws out a large cake box from her pack and places it before Bucker with her forehooves.
“Yep, it’s the most scrumptious thing I could make for such an occasion as this!” Pinkie still smiles, preparing to open the lid.
“Well, that’s nice of you, Miss Pie, but I don’t need-”
Pinkie opens the lid, revealing a chocolate pattern cake within the white box’s perimeters. A delicate sugar-rose sits in the corner topped with button chocolates in all the colors of a rainbow. Around the edges lie thick medium-brown chocolate frosting walls.
“Well, it does look rather enticing,” Bucker takes a closer look at the middle. “Pardon me, Miss Pie, but what is that supposed to be?” He gestures towards the frosting.
“Oh! Well, I didn’t know what you like and such-but I bet I’ll know soon-so I just thought it might be cute for me to whip out a doggie made of frosting! I admit though, I did mess up a little on it.”
“Oh it’s fine-”
Bucker freezes in place once he gets a closer look at the image. The doggie in question shows long strands of thin chocolate frosting hairs around its head and down its back. When he looks closer, in-between the strands are two vacant white eyes staring at him. Bucker’s mouth begins to quiver.
It looks up at him with vacant white eyes in a flashquick moment. The canine chimera murmurs something with a swish of its long brown tail. In this dimly-lit room, its eyes seem to glow like Luna’s moon as it whines. Its mouth opens and it says
“Mouthwatering, isn’t it?” Pinkie grins, unaware as usual. “I know you’ll just love-”
The tan unicorn slams the door in Pinkie’s face and holds his back to it, forehooves spread-eagled against the wood. His chest heaves in and out as sweat moves down his forehead. Twilight, Spike, and Fluttershy watch in confusion.
"Are you alright, Mr. Bucker?" Fluttershy moves next to him with a raised forehoof to his face.
“Ah, c’mon, Mr. Bucker. I didn’t screw up the frosting that bad, did I?” Pinkie asks from the other side. “I’ll fix it! I promise! Please don’t be mad!”
“Is Mr. Bucker afraid of cakes?” They hear Apple Bloom asking.
Bucker calms down and gets back on all hooves, breath and heartbeat catching back with him. Fluttershy continues her soothing "There, there" words as the tan unicorn shakes his head.
"Please don't be mad! I'm sorry! I can fix it all!" Pinkie continues on the other side.
"Ah, c'mon, Pinkie Pie, have some dignity," Apple Bloom says.
“Well, I guess I can’t blame him. Pinkie Pie is scary sometimes,” Spike muses.
Bucker lets out a nervous laugh. “Well, perhaps. Still, it’s rude of me.”
Twilight approaches him. “Are you alright, Mr. Bucker?”
“I’m sorry, Miss Sparkle. It just made me think of one of the nastier chimera,” Bucker brushes the back of his head with his left forehoof. “Pardon me for making a foal of myself.”
Bucker reopens the door, greeted by the sight of Pinkie fiddling with the cake in an attempt to correct her mistake. Instead, her hoof only smudges the doggie, giving it a roadkill look. She notices Bucker. “Oh, I’m sorry. I just thought I made you mad with my horrible frosting! I should have known better!”
Bucker raises his forehooves. “No, no, it’s quite alright, Miss Pie. I’m the one who owes you an apology. It looks delicious-”
Suddenly, a bark breaks the conversation as a brown Border Collie runs towards up the stairs and stops just in front of Bucker. With another happy bark, she begins to lick Bucker's face. The tan unicorn steps back, initially making his guests think he'll go into another panic attack. Fortunately, he just laughs.
“Winona! Sorry about that, Mister Bucker,” Apple Bloom apologizes as she approaches the dog. “Ah forgot fer a moment that Ah was watchin' her. Winona is just real friendly with ponies.”
Bucker chuckles, gently pushing Winona away. “Oh, it’s quite alright. I remember I had a dog once. I know the feeling.”
Winona barks twice, running around Bucker’s hooves before returning to Apple Bloom’s side. The filly laughs. "Yeah, dogs are quite nice."
Twilight smiles, forgetting about LASE-49 back in the tank as she steps out with Spike and Fluttershy. The Border Collie notices the dragon and, with another happy bark, gives chase. The little dragon shakes his hands into the air and flees, escaping when he gets onto Twilight's back. The Border Collie heeds her little owner's call and returns to her side. Apple Bloom lifts her right foreleg over the dog's side and laughs. Ah, what cuteness to-
Bucker's laugh dies in his throat. Instead of Apple Bloom and Winona, some…non-pony child hugs the neck of a large white dog that gazes up at him with black eyes. She stares too, as if expecting an answer. Bucker falters, stepping away from the two.
“Mr. Bucker?” she asks.
The little girl flickers. “Hello, Daddy. What’s wrong?”
For a moment, Apple Bloom and Winona return to his line of vision with worried looks on their faces. But the tan unicorn freezes in place as the sight of Apple Bloom and Winona morphs into a twisted entity as the dog’s brown colors and muzzle overtakes the filly’s image.
Back to the room under the glow of Luna’s moon. The beast looks at him with vacant white eyes between the long strands of brown hairs along its head and face. A whine and a wheeze emerge from its mouth.
“I…just…wanted…to…help…you, Daddy…” it murmurs.
Bucker slumps before collapsing to the ground, winedark aura sparking around his horn. Twilight moves next to him, trying to prop him back up with Spike’s help. The tan unicorn’s eyes seem to lose all light in them.
“Oh my Celestia! Is he alright?!” Pinkie panics, shaking her hooves and running back and forth. "Should we call the hospital?! Something?!" She rushes up to Twilight.
"Pinkie, calm down!" Twilight tells her, brushing off the panicky pony's hooves.
Amidst everything, the tan unicorn comes to. His line of vision meets with the worried-looking filly and her panting dog.
Daddy.
Bucker gets to his hooves and stumbles over the stairs and runs back over the threshold, knocking over Spike and almost running into Fluttershy in the process.
“I must apologize,” the tan unicorn gives a worried smile. “It’s just that I should be getting back to work now. I’ll be seeing you later, Miss Shy. I must be going.” A winedark aura collects the cake and basket of apples and levitates them past the door. “See you all later perhaps.”
The doors slam shut, leaving the four ponies, dog, and dragon mystified.
"Alright, something is definitely wrong with that guy," Spike says.
Not himself. Somepony else. No…someone else…
“Nina, I want you to come over here for just a moment. Bring Alexander with you.”
Little footsteps traverse the hallway, followed quickly by the heavier footfalls of some other creature. For a moment, the little human girl peers around the door and, for the first time, she seems genuinely unnerved by the sight of her father in the darkened room. Or the image of the hallway light reflecting off his glasses.
“My evaluation is coming up,” the man says, shifting his glasses a little as he ponders for a moment about the possibilities. He turns his focus back to the little girl at the hallway entrance, now accompanied by a large white dog. The dog whines and steps back.
“What’s wrong, Alexandah?” the little girl asks, raising her hands to comfort the dog.
The man smirks, finding mild amusement with the family dog’s reaction. “I’m sure Alexander is just a little scared because he’s not used to seeing me in the dark like this.” He leans down, glancing at the floor once more. The edge of a massive sketched circle extends itself towards the entrance where the little girl and the dog stand.
“Nina? Could you and Alexander come in here please?” The man tents his fingers. “I know a way you two can help me with my evaluation.”
The little girl perks up. “Really, Daddy? Me and Alexandah can help you?”
The man chuckles. “Oh yes, you and Alexander can really help me.” He gets down to his knees and inspects the edge of the massive circle to ensure it’s done just right. “Tell me, Nina, do you remember how Daddy got his State Alchemist certification the first time?”
The little girl nods. “Yeah, I remembah, Daddy. You got your cer-tee-fi-cation because you made that animal that could talk! And the people thought it was so great!”
With that same smile, the man claps his hands together. “Yes, Nina. What an incredible memory you have! Now, tell me this. What do you think would help Daddy the most right now?”
The little girl thinks for a moment, then with a smile. “Making another talking animal?”
“My, aren’t you just the smartest little girl in all of Amestris?” the man carefully walks over the circle towards his daughter. He gets down to meet her at eye level. “And you can help make that happen.”
Such a bright enthusiasm in her eyes. “I can?!”
“Yes, you can. In fact, you and Alexander have exactly what I need to make it happen. I can’t do this without you.”
The little girl is about to approach her father when the large white dog begins to growl. She turns, uncertain as to why the dog would be growling at Daddy, especially now.
“Alexandah? Alexandah? What’s wrong?” she tugs on the dog’s neck. “Why are you growling at Daddy?”
The man hesitates for a moment, fearing that somehow, the damned dog sees right through him. “Now, Alexander. Calm down, boy. I’m not going to hurt you. I just want you and Nina to come with me. I need your help.”
The dog snaps, nearly sinking its teeth into the man’s knee.
“Alexandah! Bad dog!” the little girl pulls the dog back as best as she can. “You can’t hurt Daddy!”
The man steps back but retains the fatherly smile. “It’s alright, Nina. Alexander’s just a little scared. I don’t blame him. Whenever I’ve performed alchemy, he gets really scared. But now, Alexander, you must be brave. You too, Nina.”
The little girl nods and tugs on the dog’s neck. The dog pulls back, still growling. Annoyed, the man reaches forward for the dog-it snaps at his hand.
“Alexandah!”
The man chuckles. “It’s alright, Nina. Just bring him in with you.”
He steps back into the darkness as the little girl drags the dog behind her. It continues to fight her until they stop in the middle of the massive circle. Once there, the dog whines and huddles to the little girl.
“Alexandah?”
“He’ll be just fine, Nina,” the man says, the dull light from the hallway once again reflecting off his glasses. “Now, please lie down. Yes, right there in the middle.”
The little girl does as she is told, lying down next to the white dog that lets out another worried whine. The man moves to the other edge of the circle and gets to his knees with his hands flattened against the floor.
In an instant, the house falls silent as the glow builds around the dog struggling to get to its feet. It lets out a piercing howl as its right hind leg splits open and absorbs the little girl’s left leg lying next to it. Much to his surprise, the little girl does not scream. Her eyes stare towards the adjacent wall with a sort of…emptiness.
On the other hand, the dog continues to struggle, failing to get further than a few feet when all of its right leg immerses the child’s lower body. She turns slightly, raising a hand to the dog’s face. It pulls away from her, whimpering with eyes blinking rapidly against the heavy glow.
Maybe she mouths “Alexandah”.
The man keeps his focus on the energy circumventing within, although he steals the occasional glance at his progress. The little girl is partly fused into the dog, her face disappearing into the canine’s side. Blood puddles around the middle of the circle as the dog’s right foreleg splits open.
“Nina,” the man speaks. “If you can hear me, Nina, Daddy wants you to fight it! It’s going to feel like you should just quit! But you have to keep going on, alright, Nina?!”
The dog…thing lets out another howl before coughing up blood. Semblances of words crack, something like “Daddy”. He does not pick up on any sign of the little girl from inside the beast. No, can’t fail this now. Must create another talking chimera.
The glow dies down with the circle vanished. In the middle, a large canine creature struggles to stand, its forelegs horribly shaking. Long strands of bloodied brown hair, like the color of the little girl’s, hang from the creature’s head and along its back, seemingly connected to the long tail. It whimper-growls before slipping on a small puddle of blood.
Satisfied, the man gets to his feet and cautiously approaches the chimera. “There, there,” the man strokes the creature’s bloodied head. “Now then, do you understand me?”
With small white eyes, the chimera turns to him, peeking between bloodstained bangs.
“Just say “Yes”.”
The chimera’s mouth trembles with another whimper-growl. “…yes…” The creature’s voice is an odd mix, likely with the little girl’s vocal cords still adjusting to the dog’s. “…yes…”
“That’s very good,” the man strokes its head once more, not really noticing the strong copper smell or the sick warmth against his palm. “Now then, you’re going to help me get my Certification. You’re going to help me, Nina.”
The chimera returns a mournful look. “…I am?”
“Oh yes. Just like before, it was because of a talking chimera that I became a State Alchemist. You’re going to help me indeed.”
“…why does it hurt…Daddy?”
“You just need time to adjust to Alexander’s body, dear. Now, why don’t we get you cleaned up?”
Bucker screams into the room, falling and flailing out of his bed. His equine heart beats rapidly in his chest as he rattles awake. The mental images flow through his mind like the energy of that massive circle. He clutches his head and shakes. In the distance, some of the chimera bray and cry.
Why me? What did I ever do to deserve such horrific nightmares? I never hurt anypony.
The tan unicorn brushes away the tears as he gets to his hooves. “It’s just a nightmare, nothing more.” He lets out a low sigh.
Bucker considers retrieving his glasses but decides to just pace around the room for a few moments. The bloodied chimera rings through his mind, still trying to say more. Those vacant white eyes…
“No, I never hurt anypony. These are surely just some insecurities I must have. Yes, that must be it.”
Glasses atop his snout, Show Bucker steps outside the bedroom and looks over the railing. Down below, the numerous charts and study aides are bathed in the light of Luna’s moon, transforming the numerous animal illustrations into Rorschach blots. Bucker takes a deep breath and walks downstairs, taking care to not let his still somewhat-shaky hooves trip him up.
On the bottom floor, Bucker stands in the pale of the moonlight, trying to remove the mental image of the little girl and the dog from his mind. A winedark glow emits around his horn, as if to purge his mind of such thoughts with fire.
“It was just a dream. A terrible dream, but nothing more. I shouldn’t get so worked up about all this.” Bucker lies down within the moonlight, keeping his focus on the celestial body above. “Just a dream.”
The little girl and the white dog manifest in the corner, looking at him with worried eyes.
The tan unicorn freezes in place as he spots them from the corner of his eye. They exchange a long stare with the dog building a growl in its throat. Bucker backs away, raising his front left hoof in a feeble attempt to ward them away.
Luna’s moon casts its light through the window over his form. With the curve of the giant window, it forms a magnificent circle around him. In an instant, they meld into that hairy monstrosity he sees in the dream, gazing upon him with vacant white eyes.
It steps towards him, whining a little with a growl building in its throat.
“What do you want from me?! I didn’t commit such an atrocity!” the tan unicorn backs against the stairway, falling onto his plot as his hind legs trip over the first step. He raises his forehooves again as the chimera nears him. “Please. What do you want from me?”
The chimera opens its mouth. “I…just wanted…to…help you…Daddy…”
Bucker wastes no time in getting back onto his hooves and ascending the stairs while the chimera follows. In the shadows, its vacant white eyes glow as it follows.
“Daddy…I just…wanted to help…you said I could help…”
Bucker passes into his bedroom and shuts the door behind him. Sweat crawls down his face with the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. Heartbeat calms and breath catches. The tan unicorn feels sleep coming back to him.
“Just a nightmare. All it is. A nightmare. Nothing more.”
Sleep…
The tan unicorn crawls back into his bed. In his mind, a warning sign takes off, threatening to flash another image of the chimera. Nevertheless, he falls asleep.
“Just…a dream…”
“That’s your friend Edward…”