GIFTED
It’s been a week
Rover’s log
May 14 1034, AD
3:12 PM
Eastern Tunnel 34-F
It’s been a week since we found that unbelievable, giant amethyst crystal. I still drool just thinking about it. It was like an an angelic gift from the gods themselves. We found it perfectly preserved under 34-D. It reached about forty meters high.Its pulsing white glow and the the purple sparkles that floated around it, everything about it was unbelievable. Then that idiot Max made that stupid crack in its side when we tried to move it. I decided to just leave it where it is. No one else is taking it any time soon.
Darn, I’ve been spending every day since finding that thing just babbling on about it in these pages. I need to write about the more important business. We’ve had a few of the dogs acting up after finding that godly gem. At first I thought they were just excited; I know I was, but now I’m starting to think something is wrong. Scratch that, something is wrong. Rex started telling everyone in the caves he was invincible. Now I know that sounds like standard boasting to try to be the alpha male (like anyone would ever beat me), but he wasn’t lying. We started with punching him, his bruises healed a second later. We threw rocks at him, his cuts patched themselves together. One dog went at him with a blade, same result. We kept going farther and farther. As a leader I should have made them stop. The next day they started crushing and ripping off his limbs for fun. He kept screaming and begging, but they would all just say, “You’ll get better”. He did of course. Each limb would reattach. Then, they dropped a boulder on his head.
He didn’t get better. That and we’re still cleaning the blood.
6:54 PM
I’m getting more and more worried about Fido. He seems to be going a bit crazy. I know plenty of dogs had a crazy week from being in the caves so long, but Fido has been at this for fourteen years, there’s no way that can be getting him. He’s just shouting at other dogs. Random accusations, defending himself from unsaid insults, and crying a lot. I tried to talk to him today about a simple ruby and he screamed, “I’m not an idiot, stop talking about me!” He started crying and ran away. He also claimed Renton stole a stash of sapphires out of absolutely nowhere. Everyone was silent and then he just blurts it out. Maybe I’ll check Renton tomorrow. I want to have some faith in the little guy, he’s my best friend. I think I’ll need to check with the other alphas in the other tunnel systems. Maybe they’re having the same problem.
Alpha 3, Rover.
Celestia
Canterlot, Royal Castle
May 14th 8:00 AM
“Wonderful, it’s been a week without any incidents. That’s probably a record since Luna has been free.” The grand, alicorn princess of Equestria lay across her scarlet-sheeted bed. She sipped on warm orange tea as she read over her recent crisis report list. A new disaster seemed to be going on somewhere in the kingdom all the time. This weeks report was completely void of any immediate issues.“I think I should hold a party. That would be most wonderful. I’ll invite Twilight and we’d finally get a nice chance to talk. Actually,that may make my crisis for the week. At least I’d be there.”
Bang, bang, bang. “Your majesty! Your majesty, you need to see something immediately.” The guards rarely interrupted the princess when she was in her bed. It had been one of the few things to anger her over the years. The guard continued to pound on her doors. “Seriously urgent! Code red urgent! Explosively urgent!” Celestia’s magic opened the doors allowing the unicorn guard to tumble into the the room. Her chamber was not much else aside from her bed. A red carpet and a scarlet mattress covered the decor. “Please princess, look at this. We’re having troubles from-”
Celestia’s hoof covered the guards lips. “Oh, let me guess, Ponyville! It’s Ponyville isn’t it?” She snickered a bit before removing her hoof.
“No, well yes, but not just Ponyville. We’ve got a few reports of odd behavior from several cities. The oldest one is dated back seven days ago in Fillydalphia. Mayor Mustang swears he saw a young filly by the name of Feather Duster flying.”
The princess took a light, quiet sip from her cup. She put on her characteristic mysterious smile. “Fillies fly all the time, Fillydalphia has a high number of pegasi for a ground city. She even has a pegasus name, Feather Duster.”
“No, no princess, Feather Duster is definitely an earth pony. I checked the girl’s birth records. He says that he saw her flying near a cliff while using his hot air ballon. According to him, she floated there for about ten minutes before she flew away, Another report from Manehatten points at a pegasus named Motor Pipe who melted a bike she was working on. In Ponyville, a young filly was seen standing on water. The list goes on princess. There are about ten more claims and reports about ponies with peculiar abilities.” The guard began to sweat bullets as he continued to read the different reports. “Something is happening to these ponies.”
Celestia took another sip of tea. She no longer wore her smile. It had changed to somewhat flat expression. “There wouldn’t be this many reports at once if they were all simple mistakes. Anything particularly scary in those reports, Knightly?” She magically poured him a cup of warm tea. Knightly took the tea with his own field of levitation and took long, loud slurps till the cup had emptied. She poured him another.
He took a slower sip this time and paused. He rearranged the stack of papers and took a second calming sip. “No reports, but we believe one may be connected to Miss Spitfire. You see, her house caught on fire four days ago. Soarin’ and Rapidfire were with her at the time of the fire. Both of them are still in the hospital with burns covering most of their bodies, but Miss Spitfire is completely unharmed. No signs of injury at all.”
“That sounds rather lucky for her.” Celestia took sip, when she lowered the cup she was wearing her smile of mystery again. “Knightly, I want you to organize several groups of psychiatrists and doctors. Issue each group to every town and city. I’ll read over the reports myself. There will be a list of what they need to check for tomorrow. They’ll have to examine every single pony.” She levitated the the papers away from Knightly. The guard pony left with his orders for the day and closed the wooden doors behind him. Celestia put on a pair of reading glasses. She quickly shuffled through each paper just glancing through the words. “Please don’t let Twilight and her friends be any part of this.” She mumbled to herself over and over. “Oh darn.” Her eyes locked on Ponyville report number three.
Mayor Mare
This is a report taken directly from our town’s finest educator, Cheerilee. “My students were playing in the playground as usual today. I watched the boys fool around near the trees as they always do. Snails and Snips found some rocks and decided to play with them. I didn’t pay them much mind; scrapes and bruises from rocks and sticks are normal for kids their age. The parents are far too overprotective. So instead, I directed my attention to poor Apple Bloom. She was getting teased again. I was prepared to stop the children when a rock shot straight into her flank. String Shot, our little class marksman, had taken Snips and Snail’s rocksand used them as ammo for his slingshot. He’s suspended of course. We can’t really expel him with nowhere else to go. Anyway,I took Apple Bloom away before any pony could see her wound. It had gone a lot deeper into her body than I imagined. I was trying to figure out what to do when the stick had suddenly just started pushing itself out. Then I watched the hole in her flank just repair itself . It was sort of like watching her deteriorate in reverse. I’m really not sure what to do.” We have decided to keep this incident a secret for now, until I can get a response from the castle.
Apple Bloom
Ponyville
May 17th 9:14
“Hello there, little Apple Bloom. You’re the first pony we get to check out today. Doesn’t that make you feel special?” Apple Bloom sat restlessly on a red exam table. An iris coated unicorn mare with curly locked mane levitated a clipboard and quill. This wasn’t her usual pediatrician. Despite the cheery, colorful paintings that decorated the room, it was still a hospital and it was still scary.
“N-now, why is the princess makin’ us all get check ups today? And why can’t Applejack be here with me; she’s always here when I get my check ups.” Apple Bloom clung to her seat as hard as a pony could with hooves. Applejack was waiting right outside, but that did little to ease any of her worry.
“It’s just part of a new free health-care plan for Equestria. We’re giving annual physical and mental check ups to every pony for free. I’m Dr. Rosemary. Dr. Inkblot will be here in a bit. He’s a psychiatrist, just in case there's anything to work out.” She glanced over her clipboard, mumbling while making occasional glances at her patient. “You look fine for young girl your age, but most have their cutie mark by now.”
“I know. I’ve been tryin’ to get that thing to appear for about a year now.” The little farm-girl gave her flank an aggravated stare. “Darn thing just won’t show up, even got cutiepox once just tryin’ to get it!”
“Sounds like you go through an awful lot to get that mark. A lot of kids harm themselves in a lot of crazy ways trying to get their marks, but getting cutiepox takes the cake.” Rosemary readied her quill. “So, do you get hurt very often in these attempts?”
“Well yeah me and my friends get hurt all the time ... and covered in sap.” Apple Bloom blushed a bit as she licked a small speck of sap off her leg. “We’re out of school all the time for gettin’ better so it’s not that bad. There’s nothin’ wrong with me right now though. Last time I got hurt crusadin’ was last month. Broke my left fore hoof.” She flailed the hoof a bit. “Yep, fine.”
“Nothing too out of the usual. Most kids break a leg at least once.” Rosemary had started looking through the cabinets. “I’m real sorry, I just don’t know where everything is in this hospital. I need to find the needles.” Apple Bloom’s eyes dilated then darted to the door. She could make a run for it; if she was lucky she’d be able to outrun Appplejack and never have to take a needle. Then the door opened. “Oh, Dr. Inkblot, you’re here. We’re checking up on little Apple Bloom here first.” The doctor was a white earth pony with a cutie mark that reflected his name. He wore a labcoat and had a slightly cracked pair of glasses.
“Apple Bloom?” Inkblot produced a document from his coat. He examined it for just a second and then looked back towards Apple Bloom. “We already know about her.” He kicked the door behind him shut. “This one regenerates if the reports are to be believed. She heals to put it simply. Based on the report, any wound and presumably any form of injury or sickness will repair itself immediately.”
Rosemary tapped her hoof to her chin “Hmm, I’d assume some sort of accelerated cell reproduction. Of course it’s not like I have anything to examine.” She shrugged with a light chuckle.
A grin crept across Inkblot’s face. “Oh don’t worry about that. We’ve generously been given permission to take samples and tests when necessary. Part of our job is to help figure out how these work.”
“Umm,” the filly gulped and shook in her seat. Nervous sweat started rolling down her face. “What are y’all two talkin’ about and what y’all need a sample for?”
Inkblot passed Rosemary the document. Apple Bloom kept careful watch on the psychiatrist as he shuffled through the cabinets and drawers. “Apple Bloom, do you remember getting shot with a rock during school?” The filly nodded, “And the rock pierced your flank correct?” Apple Bloom nodded again, but more slowly. Her suspicious eyes were watching the other doctor who seemed be pulling out some awfully sharp objects. “Well according to this paper your body expelled the stick and completely repaired the wound.”
“I don’t know how I did it; it just happened,” Apple Bloom blurted. She looked back at her flank. “It felt all weird like worms were crawlin’ around in me till they fixed everything. Is there something wrong with that? Is something wrong with me?”
“No, no, no.” Rosemary extended her warm open hooves towards Apple Bloom. The filly trembled and inched back against the wall. Rosemary’s forelegs wrapped around the little girl’s shaking body. “There’s nothing wrong with you. You’re a fine healthy girl. You’ve just been blessed with a little gift.” Her soft voice was like hug that relaxed Apple Bloom’s body “Not everypony can just heal from something. You’re a very lucky pony to be gifted with something so wonderful.”
“It’s ... a gift? Then who sent it to me? I couldn't always do that. I just told ya how many times I have to stay home to recover from crusadin’. Why can I do this now?”
Dr.Rosemary placed a sympathetic hoof on Apple Bloom’s shoulder. “We don’t know. But don’t get worried okay. We just want a little sample of your blood. It might help us understand something. I’ll get a needle. You’re not afraid of needles, right?”
Apple Bloom looked down at her hoof that clenched to the seat for dear life. “No. I’m a big girl! What should I be afraid of a stupid ol’ needle for? It can’t hurt me anyway.”
“All we need is that you try your best to keep your gift a secret. Ponies have a tendency to panic.” Rosemary turned back to her partner. The snow coated psychiatrist held a lustrous scalpel in his mouth. “What are you doing with that? I need a needle, Dr. Inkblot.”
Dr. Inkblot spat the scalpel onto the counter before clearing his throat. “ If you bothered at all to read our briefing papers you would know that we have to test the ones we know about. Which means we have to examine her healing ability. What it looks like, how long it takes. Details such as that.” A smug, smarmy grin covered his face. He suggestively pushed the scalpel in Rosemary’s direction. “Now I’m a psychiatrist, so I’m not exactly qualified for this.”
“Qualified for what!?” Apple Bloom jumped in her seat, “What’s he got? You’re just usin’ a needle right!”
Rosemary’s horn glowed faintly as she turned back towards Apple Bloom. “Dear, I’m afraid there’s been a slight change in plans. I think this will probably be a bit easier if you close your eyes.”
The filly started scooting back towards the wall again. Her eyes darting between the two “What are you levitatin’? I thought I saw something metal. You just needed a bit of blood, didn’t you?”
“Please just close your eyes while I do this and it will be a lot easier. I promise it will be short, just like the needle. It’s only going to sting a little bit.” Rosemary took hold of Apple Bloom’s foreleg. The filly’s eyes widened as she saw a glint of light reflect off the scalpel. “Bear with me. I have to do this. If you’ll be a big girl and try to stay calm, I’ll give you four lollipops, ‘kay?”
Apple Bloom immediately cringed and snapped her eyes shut after getting another glimpse of metal. “Just make it quick!” Her eyelids twitched as she began to whimper and shake. She visualised the sharp, menacing blade floating closer and closer to her leg. A quick, icy sting pierced through her leg and left just as swiftly. She yanked her arm back to her chest. Her eyes cracked open; the cut was tiny like an average scratch. Apple Bloom’s heart pounded as both doctors stared at her new wound. Not a single drop of blood came. The skin pulled itself back together sewing together a rip in fabric. “It just like that last time.”
Both doctors continued to stare blankly. “Insane. . .”
“If that’s all y’all wanted can I go now?” Apple Bloom moved her other hoof over where the cut used to be. “I really just want to go back home.”
Dr. Rosemary snapped out of her shock induced trance. “Oh! Sure, just after we get a few simple samples of blood, urine. That stuff. You’ll be out of here real soon. Inkblot get me a needle.”
Gilda Auld
Munfinch, Knossopia
9:40 PM Knossan time
“Man, check out what Gilda’s doing! It’s sick! Really freakin’ sick!” A call was shouted in Knossan language from the basement of house in the east side of Munfinch commercial district. “Really, you gotta come down here. You will never believe this.”
The gryphon upstairs tossed her book aside. “Shut up,Orich! I’m on my way. It better be worth it I’m going to tear you a new one.” She wore black eyeshadow and had her forelegs covered in dark, metal studded bands. The basement was a thrashed mess of clothes, food, and things all over the floor. Orich and Gilda sat on a couch in front of a coffee table. One grimey glass cup sat alone on the table.
“Great you finally came down, just sit there by the wall and watch this!” Orich kept hs talons wrapped around each other, shaking with anticipation. The dark gray feathers on his head were ruffled from his own excitement, and a spiked collar hung loosely off his neck.
“Fine Gilda, what are you doing that I just have to see?”
“Okay, okay, Sterling check this.” Gilda extended her open talon toward the cup. She turned turned her wrist as her eyes concentrated on it.
“Gilda, what in the world are you doing?”
“Just watch,darn it! I can do this.” Gilda twisted her wrist just a bit more. The glass trembled, tapping loudly on the tabletop. Trembling turned to fierce shaking. The glass inched towards her hand in jittered spastic twitches. She yanked back on her wrist. The cup flew into her talon as if it was tethered by a cord.
“Gilda...,” Sterling’s talons covered her face aside from her eyes.
Orich leapt from his seat. “Sterling, it’s amazing she just lifts things!”
“Orich shut up! Your pranks aren’t funny.” Sterling snapped, pointing a demanding, “What sort of crap did you just pull? Do you have one of those invisible wire things? I don’t have time for pranks when I have to study!”
“No, Sterling it’s for real!” Gilda stared at her talons in wonder, “I’ve started doing this like three days ago. I think, I think I have super powers! I mean just ... check this!” She whipped her arm towards a busted clock before pulling it back. The clock shook, before busting on the floor. “See, theres no way I could set that up.I have some sort of radical ability.”
“Sterling, come on she’s moving stuff with her freaking mind.It’s incredible!”
“No, no! It’s not incredible,” Sterling shouted. Orich softly descended back into his seat. “It’s not normal and you need to stop before anyone finds out.”
Gilda cracked a laugh, “Come on don’t be dweeb about it. If I can think of something to do with this, the three of use could be unstoppable.”
“Exactly, if other gryphons learn you can do this they will be afraid.” Sterling latched her talons on to Gilda shoulders and looked her straight in the eyes “What do people do when something scares them Gilda?” She closed her eyes. Her tone shifted to a stern, quiet voice. “They kill it. They capture it. They do anything they can to it to make them feel safe. The three of us need to keep this secret. I don’t want to see you do that again”.
Orich flapped over towards Sterling and placed a claw and her shoulder. “Come on, you’re overreacting. No one is going to kill her.”
“I’m not overreacting, you two are underreacting!” Sterling took her talons off Gilda before retreating towards the stairs. “Just, try not to get yourselves in trouble. I’m gonna fly home and just think. I don’t know.” The basement door slammed behind her.
Orich stared at the door before turning to face Gilda. “Do you really think people would try to kill you? I mean, it’s just telekinesis.Don’t those wimpy pony types do that?”
“Unicorns, unicorns do it.” Gilda stared blankly at her talons. “But those guys use magic with their horns. They always have this weird glow when they do anything. When I do it, it just happens. Orich.”
“Yeah?”
“I think you should go home while I practice.” Gilda sunk into the ragged couch. “And don’t tell anyone, got it? Sterling is right for a nerd. I’m going to have to think about this before I screw up.”
Spitfire
Wonderbolt Mansion, Upper Canterlot
3:45 PM
Spitfire’s room was decorated in serene pictures of fire. The walls were painted in warm shades and the furniture all had an earthy natural colour. Spitfire lay on her bed, her hooves reaching towards the sky. A detailed mural of the sun in lunar eclipse covered the ceiling. Fire engulfed her fore legs and then dissipated. Ignite ,extinguish. Ignite, extinguish. She stared at her legs, repeating the process over and over. Knock, knock, knock.
“Hey, Spitfire,” Soarin’s voice called softly from the other side of the door. “I’m not angry. Just let me in, please.”
Spitfire refrained from looking at the door. She sighed, closing her eyes. “It’s not locked.” Soarin’ slid the door open as little as he needed to inorder to get inside. His left side was covered in bandages. Patches of blue fur were darkened to indigo, especially around the hooves. He nudged the door shut with his tail and slunk over to the bedside.
“What are you doing here, just burning yourself?” He smiled. “You still have practice to do.”
“I am practicing,” Spitfire said as her for legs blazed. “I’m reminding myself I’m in control of this. Sixteen years. Since I was I kid I could handle this. The last time I lost control of it I was eight. Why the heck am I suddenly having emotional wildfires now?!” She slammed her hooves against the sheets, extinguishing them. “I’m more mature than that. I gained control over my emotions because of that.”
Soarin’s hooves wrapped Spitfire’s as he leaned over the bed. “You had an accident. Don’t get upset about it. I’ve stuck with you since you first sparked up the school in first grade. Your brother and I have stuck with you and kept it a secret all this time. We could never be mad at anything you do on accident. I even made sure everypony thinks I did it.”
“You did what?”
“Well, when your house lights up the media sort of jumps on it. I just told everypony that I’m a really bad cook. And that I should never be let in the kitchen if they want to keep their house.” He snickered a bit before letting go of Spitfire’s hooves. “So yeah, no harm done. We’re healing just fine.”
“Thanks, but I think I’m still going to work with my flames for a bit.” Spitfire breathed a ring of flame from her mouth that quickly faded away. “I’m not too sure, but I think my fire got stronger. I want to know why, but first I have to remaster it. I can’t let myself get angry and lose control again.”
“Well, it’s nice to see you’re determined, but remember to get to practice. I’m gonna rest, okay? They said my burns should be healed in three days if I stay still enough.” Soarin’ nuzzled his snout in Spitfire’s cheek. The stallion stopped himself halfway as he passed through the doorway. “Hey, Rapid says that he’s sorry for what he said about Mrs. Sparkle. See ya.” His tail lightly shut the door behind him on his way out.
“Dude, how is she?” Fleetfoot sat on the living room couch with a bowl of icecream. The blue coated mare wore a yellow shirt, and kept her white, windswept mane tied with a pair of goggles. “I’ve only seen her come out her room to eat, and all she did was mumble to herself. She’s gonna get fat.”
“Says, Miss Ice-Cream-Belly. You need to be heading to practice just like her.”
“I have a high metabolism Mister Eats-Pie-Off-The-Floor. Plus, there’s no training today. Everypony else is at some sort of city wide health checkups. I got out early. Spitfire was supposed to go too but whatever.” She shoved a spoonful into her mouth. “Now answer my question. How is she?”
“She’s better. I think we all just need to leave her alone for a while. She’s busy doing some thinking. She had a little falling out with Rapid and she’s feeling bad about it now that he’s injured. Tomorrow should be better.”
Fleetfoot put down her spoon. “What in the world did they argue about? Spitfire’s pretty much an emotional rock. Like, perpetual chillness.”
Soarin’ jumped into the long sofa back first next to Fleetfoot. “Just some personal stuff, sort of goes back too when the three of us were kids. You wouldn’t really understand unless I told you the whole story. It’s a pretty long story.”
“Then tell me.” Fleet dropped a spec of ice cream on the stallion’s nose. “I’m pretty much gonna be down here all day, eating out the snacks.”
“Sorry, can’t tell you. Too personal. I’m sure Spitfire will tell the rest of you one day, but until she and Rapid agree to tell, my lips are sealed.”
The Elements of Harmony
Library, Ponyville
9PM
Twilight and the others sat on pillows that corresponded to their colours. The library wasn’t as neat as it usually was. Books lay crooked, some chartres were not organized in perfect alphatbetical order, and the shelves weren’t dusted.
“This place is really horrible tonight,” Twilight said, grimacing at the shelves. “Spike and I were at the hospital all day. Can you believe Spike was last on the list of patients? I read at least every magazine there about hundred times.” She was met with the collective stares of her friends except Rarity.
Applejack said, “Twilight, that library has hundreds of magazines dating back to Nine twenty three. How in the hay did you read all that a hundred times.”
“I read fast.” She grinned. The girls snickered, except for Rarity.
“What was up with those check ups anyway? I had a lot of parties planned today. I had a jam to organize and rave to bust moves at.” Pinkie revealed a ring of multi-coloured glow bracelets. “What am I supposed to do with these now? Just light ‘em up for no reason? Actually that sounds fun!” Crack, crack, crack. “Everypony take one!” Pinkie tossed each of her friends a shining glow bracelets. Applejack caught hers with her mouth, Twilight with magic, Rainbow and Fluttershy with their wings.
“Ouch.” A blue glow bracelet thumped against Rarity’s head. “What was that for? You should warn somepony before you throw stuff Pinkie.”
“Well maybe if you weren't so out of it, Rarity, you’d able to see it instead.” Rainbow taunted, taping her green stick against Rarity’s horn. “What’s with you anyway, you’ve been zoning out since we were in the waiting room.”
“Oh, have I really been distracted that long? I’m just looking at the dust.” Rarity’s eyes darted across the room. “There’s just so many of the little specs floating around it’s distracting.”
“Rarity, how in the hay can you see the dust? All the lights are on; I can’t see a darn single one.” Applejack said.
“I guess I just have superior eyesight darling.” Rarity boasted. Her eyes focused on Applejacks hat for a moment. “ Also you should wash your hat, there’s dirt in the fabric just about everywhere ... and your hair too.”
Applejack tilted her hat in attempt to hide her mane. “Let’s change the subject before you decide to get distracted with anything else tiny,” she grumbled. “Did anypony else find those check ups a mite bit queer?”
Fluttershy tapped her hoof at the floor. “Well, Dr. Cross Stitch did ask a lot more questions than usual. Like, if I’ve been feeling any unusual sensations, pain, or if anything different has happened.”
“Yeah, mine asked if I’ve done anything ‘magical’ recently. Do I look like I’ve got a horn up here?” Rainbow said tapping her forehead. “ He also said something about any ‘supernatural behavior’. Seriously, weirdest checkup ever.”
“Girls, please,” snapped Twilight, “You shouldn’t complain about a new free healthcare program. The castle has just given us free check ups, dental, and even some free treatment. I even wrote it one of my reports before: Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.”
“Well shoot. We ain’t complaining Twi. That’s a lot out of Granny’s expenses. All I’m saying is that that check up was downright strange. Never before have I been asked for a blood sample, hair sample, hoof sample, spit sample, and urine samples in one visit!”
Pinkie chuckled. “They never got to all of that with me. They asked me the first question and then they kicked me out after I talked long enough. Score: one point Pinkie Pie, zero points doctors.”
“Hmm,” Fluttershy looked at the spot on her hoof where the needle pricked her. “I’m still pretty scared of needles to be honest. I wonder what they’re going to do with that many samples though.”
Some road outside of Ponyville
10PM
“Why are we pulling these things all the way to Canterlot? Don’t we have trains for this sort of stuff? When I was assigned to protect this transport, I didn’t think this is what I’d be doing.” Two royal guards pulled a carriage full of vials and test tubes up a the steep Altai mountain that Canterlot rested on. The night left them with no visibility. The only light came from the unicorn guard’s horn.
The unicorn groaned. “Because the princess wants these delivered discreetly and securely. We aren't supposed to draw any attention to ourselves. It just has to look like a normal cake delivery. Everypony knows how much she likes cake. Hey, do you hear something?” They stopped in their tracks. The night was silent, except for the distinct sound of hoof steps. “Sounds like he’s coming towards us. Probably a bandit, get ready.”
A green unicorn with a black fedora walked into the guard’s light. His blue eyes glimmered in the and a shiny grin crept across his face. “Oh, I am so sorry to interrupt you gentlemen. I’m just on my way to make a little business trip.”
“Alone on the roads at this time of night? Very likely. Step aside, we have freedom to take down any bandits we see.” The unicorn flashed a bit of his sword from its sheath. “So I’d suggest you follow orders.”
“No can do, sir. You see, my business trip is to meet up with you guys.” The fedora wearing unicorn’s grin grew into a full smile. Rocks began to tremble at their feet, accompanied by an intense roaring rumble.
“What is this?!” The two guards fully drew their swords. “What are you doing.”
“It’s a business trip. I’m a geologist.”
Gifted
Making Plans
Ponyville- Whitetail Woods
8:43 AM
Scenery rushed by as Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle weaved through the dense Whitetail Woods. Stray beams of light struck their faces in the dark, roofed forest as they blitzed through the small cracks between the looming trees . The dense myriad of trees opened up to a ring in the center of the forest. Scootaloo skidded to halt, the wagon bumping against the back of the scooter. “Apple Bloom wanted us to meet her here, right? I don’t see her anywhere.”
“Maybe she isn’t here yet.” Sweetie Belle responded as she pulled a video camera out of the scooter wagon. “I wonder why she wanted me to bring my camera though. I’ve never used it before.”
“Look up!” The two fillies directed their attention to the source of the call. Roughly thirty feet above them Apple Bloom sat atop a wide, sturdy branch. Stray pieces of leaf littered her red hair, and her bow had a large tear in it. “Sweetie Belle, start up the camera! There’s somethin’ I really ought to show ya.”
Sweetie held the camera with both hooves and did her best to keep the camera steady on Apple Bloom, “But how in the world did you get up there? You look terrible.”
“Trial an’ error!” Apple Bloom shouted as she inched towards the branch’s edge.
“We’ve already tried daredevil cutie marks, Apple Bloom! It was my idea. It didn’t work! How’d you even set up a safety net by yourself anyway?” Scootaloo questioned, shouting much louder than Apple Bloom or Sweetie.
“There’s no net and this ain’t about our cutie marks! This is ‘bout me, as a pony. I have a gift, somethin’ special! Sweetie Belle, just keep the camera rollin’ an’ don’t miss anythin’!” Apple Bloom’s front hooves were now only half on the tree.
“Okay... just be careful” Sweetie Belle’s voice and camera work became increasingly shaky. Apple Bloom closed her eyes. She froze her muscles and let herself be victim to gravity’s influence. Her hooves tilted forward until they slipped over the branch’s edge.
“Apple Bloom!” both girls screamed as the farm girl fell face first towards the ground. A heavy, yellow dust cloud rose the moment she collided with the ground, and the sound of her impact was composed of a loud collection of snaps and cracks.
Apple Bloom lay spread on her back, coughing as the dust settled. Her yellow coat patterned with various cuts and bruises; three of her legs bent in awkward, unnatural directions; her bloody snout caved in towards her skull.
The camera fell to the ground. Sweetie stood frozen, staring blankly at her friend’s mangled body, only manage to make short, broken breaths. Scootaloo rushed past her screaming Apple Bloom’s name. Scootaloo fell to her haunches before the young farm girl, tears begining to roll from her eyes
“A-appple B-b-blooom are you—” Scootaloo’s voice cut off. With a loud pained cough Apple Bloom’s eyes forced themselves open. She took a brief examination of herself, cringing at the way her legs looked. “You’re alive!” Scootaloo screamed to the whole forest, her hoof sitting close to her heart.
“Yup!” Apple Bloom said with a smile as she used her good foreleg to force her other one back into place, making an incredibly loud crack. Her snout made quiet squelchy noises as it was pushed outward. Her cuts mended themselves and her bruises faded away like mist.
Apple Bloom sat up, her face still bloody. “So,” she grunted as she straightened one of her hind legs, “cool or not cool?” The leg made another unnervingly loud cracking sound.
Sweetie Belle crept over to her friends, her legs still stiff, “Did you just?”
“Yup.” Apple Bloom grunted as she pushed her last leg into its socket. “ I fell ‘bout three times tryin’ to get up there.” Scootaloo helped her up onto all fours. She winced a bit as she used her hind legs getting up. “It is cool, right? Y’all don’t think I’m freaky or anything?”
“Freaky? That was flipping amazing! I mean it was disgusting, but it was seven different kinds of awesome! You had me so scared! But this- this is- I don’t even know what to call it but it was cool.” Scootaloo threw her hooves around Apple Bloom despite the blood.
Sweetie Belle kept her distance, simply glaring at Apple Bloom “Don’t ever scare us like that again! You could have just told us instead of giving me the most terrifying moment of my life,” she said
“I’m sorry, I just wanted to make it big! Ever since, I was hit by that rock, I’v been healin’ from just about everythin’. I had to do somethin’ special for y’all!” Apple Bloom said, rubbing her back legs..
“Fine. I’m still angry though, but about the healing thing. You have no idea where it came from?” Sweetie Belle’s voice rang with concern through her frustrated tone, as closer to wipe the blood from Apple Bloom’s face. “Aren't you scared? I’d be, what if you try something and you don’t get better?”
“Nope, not at all. My body’s been fixin’ itself up from every single thing since then” Apple Bloom gently pushed aside her friend’s hoof. “I don’t think anypony knows why. And I thank ya should go pick up the camera. I wanna watch that later.”
End recording 7:45 AM.
“It’s off now. Why’d you want me to record in the first place?”
Apple Bloom shrugged, looking down at where she made impact.“I ain’t too sure really. I just thought it was somethin’ we need to keep. Like when ya take a picture to remember somethin’. I was thinkin’ we could tape some more stuff, just to see how much I can do. What y’all think?”
“I’m in! Watching you do more of the crazy mutant stuff will be awesome!” Scootaloo paused “... mutant in the most positive way ever.” The three shared a short laugh. Sweetie Belle took the camera as Scootaloo re-hooked the wagon up to the scooter. “So what do you got in mind?” she asked as they put on their safety helmets.
“ I don’t know yet.” The buzzing hum of Scootaloo’s wings forced Applebloom to speak a bit louder than before. The trees of the forest passed by like a blur. “But, I just want y’all to remember even though we’re recording stuff we ain’t showin’ ‘em to nopony unless I say so. Promise?”
Scootaloo shook her head. “That sounds pretty backwards to me. You get an awesome power and we aren't showing it off? If we aren't showing anypony why are we even gonna bother?”
“‘Cause I promised Doc Rosemary!” Apple Bloom snapped, “Big Macintosh taught me to never break a promise. Ever. I’m only telling y’all cause we’re bestest friends I got to. So ya have to promise not to spread a single breath of it, or what I’m ‘bout to tell you.”
“Promise!” the two fillies said, pointing a hoof to their eyes.
“Thanks,” Apple Bloom gave a relieved sigh, “Doc Rosemary called my healin’ thing a Gift, an’ said there’s other folk like me. All that fuss yesterday was just Princess Celestia lookin’ for special ponies. ”
“I knew there was something fishy about those doctors! ” Scootaloo pumped her hoof. “ I told mom it was weird, but she didn’t believe me.”
“An’ I figure if they’re really lookin’ that means they want to find us for somethin’!” Apple Bloom jumped, causing the wagon to shake and rumble.
“Us?” Sweetie said, desperately holding on to her seat.“You mean ponies like you?”
“Yeah, Celestia wants to find us because we have Gifts!”
The wagon ground to a halt as Scootaloo’s buzzing stopped. The wheels tore up the dirt before coming to a full a halt in behind Rarity’s boutique. Sweetie hopped off, leaving her helmet behind the wagon. “See ya, Sweetie Bell. We’ll talk more about Apple Bloom’s crazy cool power stuff later .I’ll swing by around twelve to go to Cooly’s, and don’t forget to pack for the New Yoke field trip tomorrow,” Scootaloo said. With a quick rev of her wings the scooter dashed off, kicking up the dirt yet again.
“Don’t worry, I won’t. See ya later,” Sweetie called as she wiped her hooves on the doormat. “Rarity, I’m here! Scootaloo messed up your dirt again!” Her hoof steps echoed through the empty hallway, without any response from her sister. “Rarity, are you home? I said I’d be coming today.” Yet again she was unanswered as she took increasingly cautious steps up the stairs. She crept over to Rarity’s door.
“Three thousand thirty-two, three thousand thirty-three...” Sweetie sighed in relief recognizing her sister’s voice. Rarity’s counting droned on like an emotionless machine. Sweetie nudged the door open as quietly as possible. Rarity sat on her bed, her back turned to the door. Her manikins were covered in half finished projects and assorted cloth. Tools were scattered across the room as if she was working on something and kept stopping.
“Rarity, hello? You okay?” Sweetie said slowly, as she tapped her sister’s back. Rarity’s ears sprang up in response. “What are you doing?”
Rarity turned to her sister. She gave her a blank empty stare for a moment before blinking a few times. “Oh, umm, terribly sorry. You were calling my name weren’t you?” Sweetie nodded. “Well, I was, uhh,” she chuckled, “sort of distracted with counting all these threads in my bed sheets.”
“The threads? How can you see that?” Sweetie dug her face into the red fabric. She held her eyes wide open directly against the fabric. After a few moments she let out a short groan and gave up. “There’s way too many of those to count! You’re not even wearing your glasses! There’s no way you can count them all.” She grumbled with a glare.
Rarity’s white face flushed with red. Her eyes darted to the floor as her hooves rubbed against each other. “Sweetie, would you believe me if I told you something a little... out of the ordinary?”
Sweetie’s glare immediately softened. She took a seat beside to her sister. “I saw something today that can make me believe anything. Shoot!”
“I think my eyes have some sort of, umm...” Her tone got quieter as her mouth continued to mumble. Her eyes darted about the floor before she forced herself to look at Sweetie Belle,“I think somepony put a curse on my eyes! L-like the threads. No other pony can see those, lately I’ve been able to look close enough to see every single one, a-and all the dust! The dust in the air, everywhere! I can see each one of those little specks individually. And I- I can...” Rarity snatched up Sweetie in her hooves, dragging her towards the window. “You see those windows all the way other side of town?” Sweetie nodded. “I can look into those!”
“Can you hear them too?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“Sweetie, don’t patronize me! I’m being serious.” Rarity's voice nearly breaking as she raised her volume.
“I am too.” Sweetie pointed towards an open window a few house lengths away. Two unicorns leaned over the window seal talking to each other about something “Those two over there. What are they talking about?”
Rarity’s ears twitched frantically before draping the sides of her face. “Nothing. It’s just my eyes, but the stallion is hiding a glorious engagment ring tail.” She let out a sigh before tossing herself back onto the bed. “You’re not just humouring me, right? You truly belive I’m cursed don’t you?” Rarity stared at her sister with desperate eyes.
“I believe you, but I don’t think it’s a curse.” Sweetie hopped on the bed beside her sister. She stroked her hoof through Rarity’s silky mane. “Apple Bloom and Scootaloo will be coming to pick me up later. I think they’ll have something great to show you.”
Princess Celestia & Princess Luna
Starlight Center, Canterlot
9:36 AM
Luna and Celestia’s shoes made light taps as they walked on the balcony that overlooked the biology laboratory. Celestia glanced over the labs below her. Plenty of black boxes with lit screens and tables laid with equipment were prepared across the room, but none of it was in use. The scientist ponies sat idle in their stations chattering amongst themselves. “Hmm, they’re getting restless. They’re going to start questioning what’s going on soon. Where is Knightly?” Celestia mumbled to herself.
“Sister, those caravans were supposed to be here at least two hours ago, were they not? What could possibly postpone so many guards for so long?” Luna stared at the screens as she spoke. Here eyes were fixated on the lights and bars displayed on the small squares. “Sister, what are those?”
“Computers. They’re a new technology we discovered a few years ago. They do many things, but these are for exclusively science. They should help the scientists look at the research samples once they arrive. I left Twilight with a special one. I doubt she’s gotten the opportunity to actually use it.”
“I’d like to learn more about them later. Now sister, please explain again exactly what you believe is going on with our subjects?”
Celestia rest her for legs atop the cold guardrail. “I’m not quite sure, but it seems as though ponies are having strange changes that give them unnatural gifts and abilities. We have sightings of flying earth ponies and foals who’ve spontaneously healed from injuries. That’s why I’m sparing no expense in arranging this study as secretly as we can. We’re going to find these ponies and find out what is wrong with them. With any luck we can discover a cure.”
“Hmm, so strange magics?” Luna asked as her gaze switched over to the research equipment. “If we are to collect these ponies, what shall we do with ones whose magic is too dangerous?”
“Keep them secret and locked down as best we can. As much as I’d hate to do something like that to our citizens, it’s the only solution I have come to so far. And besides sister,” Celestia rubbed her hoof against sister’s head, “It’s too early to assume it’s just magic. We’re more advanced now. Science and magic are more linked than you’d think. That’s why this installation is called the Starlight Center of Science and Magic research.”
“Princess Celestia, I’ve been looking for you!” The loud clopping of Knightly’s hooves grew closer. He kneeled before Celestia, gasping for breath. “Princess—urgent—news.” He continued to pant as he stood up.
“You really like that word. Do you know that?” Celestia smirked for just a moment then quickly replaced it with a flat expression. “What is it that you have to report?”
Knightly beat a hoof against his chest and took a few moments to breath. Once he was standing straight with composure regained he took a deep breath. “It’s about the caravans.” He said with a heavy weight of grief. “I’ve just learned why they’re late. Some pegasi guards came to me with reports on what they saw. Many of them are drastically different from each other, but they all have one thing in common. The caravans they found were completely destroyed. The samples either destroyed as well or stolen depending on which one.”
“How many reports of this exactly?” Luna asked shifting her attention away from the odd technology.
“There were fifty-two caravans. I have reports on roughly thirty-seven of them. I’m not sure about the rest, they’re either from the farther away cities, or they haven’t been found. If it’s the former then they are likely in danger Your Highness.”
“Hmm,” Celestia’s eyes glanced back over towards the scientists. Her hoof tapped gently against her lip. “That means some one else knows about this. They’re organized and have subordinates at their disposal. Even worse they’re likely based somewhere here in Equestria if they were able to dispatch units so quickly.” She looked back towards Knightly, who’s eyes pointed to the ground. “What of the caravan guards?”
“Out of the thirty-seven discovered caravans, twenty-nine of them were found with dead guards. The remaining are either completely unharmed or injured. Also based on what I’ve been told about the different ways the caravans were found and some of the bodies. I have reason to believe that the agents that carried this out had” He coughed “Gifts. Your Highness, if I may give my own opinion to the matter. I believe this may have been an issue for longer than we’ve known.”
“You’re probably right, but I think this new shadow organization may be a bigger issue than Gifts are. Luna.” The dark alicorn’s ears snapped to attention,“Luna,I’m leaving you in charge of handling the study of Gifts from now on. I shall take care of our new issue.”
Luna’s eyes opened completely. Her mouth hung open as she tried to take in the sudden request. “Sister, I have not been part of many royal duties since I’ve returned to my proper self. Are you sure you want me to manage such a paramount operation? I don’t know if I am prepared for such a responsibility.”
“I have faith in you. If you’re handling this I can put my full attention into protecting our citizens from hostile threats. Knightly and the Starlight center are at your full disposal.” Celestia planted a hoof on her sister’s shoulder. “I’ll be here if you need help.”
A loud cough erupted from Knightly. “I’d hate to interrupt a sister moment, but I need to know. Princess Luna, Your Highness, we still have the Canterlot hospital samples. Since there's reason to doubt anymore will make it here I’d suggest we have the scientist start their studies while it’s available.”
A faint blush pierced through Luna’s Dark fur. “Right, o-of course. Have them commence immediately.
Spitfire & Star Sparkle
Lower Canterlot
11AM
“I’m glad you could make it Spitfire. I was starting to think you’d never take up my offer. I’ve heard you’ve been locked up in your room for a while,” said Star’s soft, contemplating voice. She sat in a ornate wooden chair across from the fiery coloured Wonderbolt. Two empty porcelain teacups sat on table. The walls were decorated with dozens of framed family photos.
“I guess I was having my own personal pity party for a bit. Soarin’ helped me snap back to normal,” Spitfire said idly tapping at her cup. “But after all that thinking I figured I might as well help your research. I mean how many other ponies have pyrogenesis? I never have any use for it anyway.” She smirked as she lit a small fire in the cup, which quickly petered out.
“Actually I don’t need to study your powers. I need you to be an assistant of sorts. Just somepony to help around and do some jobs for me. Jobs other ponies couldn’t do.” Star’s ears flicked at the sound of a wailing whistle. “Finally the tea is done. Just a moment, I’ll be right back.”
“Fine, I can wait.” Spitfire watched her host leave the table, before staring back to her awkward empty cup. “Jobs, eh? Thats nice and vague.” She chuckled as she lit another short lived flame in the cup. “Any excuse to use my Gift for something I guess.” Her eyes wandered around the room and across the wall of pictures. The sound of hoof steps snapped her out of her bored glancing. Star slid back into her seat levitating a steaming tea pot with her.
Star poured a gentle stream of tea into Spitfire’s cup as she started talking, “It’s nice to see you never grew out of talking to yourself. Mine didn’t either.”
Spitfire reclined in her seat. “Which one? Twilight Sparkle or Shining Armour?” The tea stopped flowing as Star merely blinked for a moment.
She had a short laugh as she started filling her own cup. “You know, in all the years I’ve helped you I don’t remember ever once telling you the names of my children.”
Spitifire leaned in and took her whole cup of steaming tea in one go. “I just recognized them in the pictures. I’ve seen them both before, I just never noticed they look so much like you. Me and Soarin’ went to Shining’s wedding. And I’ve seen Twilight a couple times near a pony named Rainbow Dash. You heard of her?
“I’ve seen her before in the newspaper before.” Star took a quiet sip of her tea. She wore a simple pleased grin on her face. “It’s pretty convenient that you know who Shine is already. I sort of use his position as captain to help make what I do easier,” The grin shrunk down to an emotionless expression, “Only problem is somepony has started following him. All I want from you right now is for you to find whoever is stalking my boy and handle it.”
Spitfire poured herself another cup of hot tea. “That sounds simple enough. Stalk a cute guy to find out who’s stalking him. I get a show and a job, what’s not to love about this? One question, what do you want me to do with his stalker?”
“Just rough him up a bit, get some information out of him, and make sure he never follows my son again. I can’t possibly ask a celebrity to kill now, can I?”
“If you ask really nicely I’ll consider it,” Spitfire flashed a devilish grin, “cremation absolutely free. Okay, enough joking. I’m game for handling whatever you want, but I want to know about your research. Did you find out anything yet?”
“I knew you’d be interested in that.” A short sigh escaped Star’s mouth. “Honestly, I don’t really know too much. My friends and I don’t have the money for the sort of research breakthroughs we’re famous for. All the serious tech I need belongs to the Starlight Center. The prices are way out of our league.”
“So... nothing?”
“No, we’ve found a bit. It’s just that without those exclusive machines my work is stuck, but I’ve managed to find out that Gifts are in the blood. There's traces of magic in it. Probably in the DNA as well. While normal ponies do have magic in their bodies, it’s not part of blood or DNA. We’re trying to analyse the magic, but we don’t have the tech to get proper images of the magic particles. Then we will be able to compare it to normal magic particles and then we can probably learn something.” Star took a loud, long sip of tea followed by another disappointed sigh. “You understood all that, right? I have some papers in my room, but I don’t think they’ll tell you anymore than what I already said.”
“I understand just fine. Magical blood, no idea where it comes from yet. Pretty simple. So when do you want me to start the job?”
“Tomorrow.”
Gilda, Sterling, & and Orich
5PM Knossan time
“Okay, my serve!” Orich stood at the end of a pingpong table positioned in the center of Gilda’s cluttered basement. Gilda sat on a wrinkled couch that sat against the wall. Drops of sweat rolled across her beak. Her eyes hyper-focused on the paddle floating opposite of Orich. The paddle floated just above the table with a few spastic shakes and short dips. Gilda’s open claw commanded the paddle, quaking just as much as the paddle itself.“Ready to get served!”
“Make that pun one more time tonight,and I swear I will throw something sharp at you!” The paddle swung like a sword as Gilda yelled.
“Fine, fine. Don’t get your feathers ruffled.” Orich tossed the ball skyward, his paddle ready. Thump, thump, thump. The ball dropped to the floor. “What was that? Because whatever it is it totally messed up the best serve ever.”
“It’s just the door stupid. Go let Sterling in.”
“Tch, fine.” After a few moments Orich returned to the basment with Sterling in tow. She carried a thick white book. Orich leaned against the tennis table while Sterling took a seat next to Gilda.
“What’s up with the book?” Gilda said as she yanked the book with a pull of her wrist. It flew straight into her open talon. Sterling simply glared as Gilda examined the book’s exterior. The back was blank, the binding was bare, and the cover only had a set of purple stars. “Heck kind of book is this? Theres no title or anything.”
Sterling snatached the book out of Gilda’s claws. “I got it from my professor and if you snatch something from me like that again I’ll get you in the gut! Anyway, I think it’s the answer to your little telekinetic problem”
“Sterling,” Orich interrupted with a beat of his claw against the table, “seriously, it’s not a problem. Gilda’s powers have been pretty awesome. She beat me three to one today. Course we had to stop when she got that nosebleed.”
“Nosebleed? Why’d you get a nose bleed?”
Gilda pointed to a (insert number and weight) dumb-bell sitting against the wall.“We knocked over one of Orich’s weights and I tried to pick it up. It was just... heavy. My head hurt, I dropped it, and my nose started bleeding. I guess I overworked or something.”
“So it’s like a muscle then?” Sterling paused for a moment as she stared at the dumb-bell. “I’ll make sure to tell that to Dr.Sparkle.”
“Who?”
“This book is a collection of research on studies by the Equestrian scientist Twilight Sparkle. She’s made breakthroughs in the science of magic and biology. The ponies she used to work for don’t fund her research anymore so there’s nothing too recent, so I asked Pr. Nickel, and he told me about her visit here last month. He said she started a brand new world changing project. So-” Sterling’s voice was muffled as Gilda’s claw clamped her beak shut.
“Okay I’m already getting tired of listening.” Gilda released the grip and wiped her claw against her feathers. “What’s the dang point?”
“Well I think we should go to see Dr. Sparkle. If anyone can help it would be her, plus your telekinesis won’t be too strange over there.” Sterling pulled three tickets from the book’s pages. “Pr. Nickel already paid for us. Come on, you both get a month out of classes for free!”
A grin lit up Orich’s face “Free? I’m in!”
Gilda snorted as she plucked out one of the tickets. “You’re really lucky I hate class, you know that?”
Rarity and the C.M.C.
Carousel Boutique
12PM
The spring sun hung in the middle of the sky without a single cloud to dampen its rays. Ponies trotted about the town with hats and levitated fans. Rarity and Sweetie Belle relaxed in front of the boutique on a set of lawnchairs; each had a pair of sunglasses sitting over their eyes. The umbrella between them cast an artistic, red tinted light over their faces through the radial designs in the red fabric.
“So can you see them yet? Scootaloo should be heading from straight head. At least she said she’d come at twelve,” Sweetie Belle said, not even bothering to turn towards her sister. She lay on her back, letting her body take the full warmth of the sun’s rays as the umbrella kept her face cool.
Rarity tilted her neck forward, lowering her sunglasses. Narrowing her eyes, she focused her vision straight ahead. After a few seconds of staring she once again reclined her head against the seat. “She’s close, you should see her in just a moment.” Rarity let out a soft yawn and folded her hooves over her chest. Sweetie Belle glanced over at her sister’s pleased smile, then looked forwards herself. She saw nothing but indistinct pony-shaped blurs for about a minute. In the center of her vision one of the blurs become larger and more defined. She could see the orange colour fade in as Scootaloo became more recognizable.
“Nice work sis!” Sweetie Belle said as she pulled herself upright.
“What, you doubted me?” Rarity said with a glare, lowering one her shades just so Sweetie could see the disappointment in her eyes. “You promised you believed me!”
“Relax, it’s only a compliment, sheesh. You are such a drama queen,” the filly chuckled as she hopped from her seat and set aside her glasses. “So about what I said earlier. I recorded something with Apple Bloom this morning. If she’s okay with it then you can see it.” Sweetie checked her backpack that sat against her lawn chair. “Yep thats everything but the camera. That’s still in the wagon.”
Scootaloo’s wheels dug up the earth in Rarity’s yard for the second time leaving a new tire trail in the dirt. Apple Bloom sat in the wagon with the camcorder already in her hooves. “Hey Sweetie Bell!” they both called.
“Just sit here Rarity.” Sweetie said, putting a hoof on Rarity’s chair before rushing towards her friends.
“I didn’t plan on moving to be honest.”
The little unicorn greeted her friends with the most excited smile on her face.“Hey girls! Listen I have just got to tell you something.”
Scootaloo removed her helmet and shook her mane back into place as Sweetie talked. “Sure what is it. Cooly’s can wait. Just not for long.”
“I think it might have to do with Apple Bloom’s gift thing... you know earlier today.” The words stumbled out her mouth as she tried to figure out exactly what she was saying. “What we recorded!”
“Huh,” Apple Bloom’s eyes lit up with anticipation, “Whaddya mean? Did you find somethin’!? A clue, or anythin’!?” Apple Bloom’s voice raised in excitement. She was nearly jumping out of the wagon, at the mention of her gift and the possibility of news.
“It’s my sister. I’m pretty sure Rarity has some kind of seeing gift. She told me earlier that she can see stuff from super far away, and things that are super tiny. She even saw you two before I could even see anything.”
“Ohmygosh, ohmygosh ohmygosh.” Apple Bloom bounded out the wagon, leaving behind the camera. She rushed towards Rarity as soon as she touched her hooves to the ground, still repeating, “Ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh!”
“Okay... I wasn’t expecting her to be that excited.” Sweetie stared at Apple Bloom as she began to jump on Rarity’s chair. “So anyway, Rarity thinks she’s cursed or something silly like that. I was thinking maybe if we show her Apple Bloom’s tape, then she’d feel better. Maybe she’d even help. Although I think she’s already getting over it...”
“I don’t know.” Scootaloo tossed her helmet into the wagon, and stepped down from her scooter. She looked back at Sweetie then glanced over to Rarity. “How am I really supposed to believe her? I mean I saw what Apple Bloom could do.”
“What are you being like that for? She’s my sister, why would she lie to me?! She nearly cried!” Sweetie pressed her face snout to snout with Scootaloo.
Scootaloo put a hoof the Sweetie Belle’s forehead, pushing the unicorn out her personal bubble. “Calm. The hay. Down. I just want to see for myself. I’ve already got an idea, you got a pencil and paper?”
“Uhh sure, in my bag. What’s your plan?”
“You’ll see.” Scootaloo said with a smile of pure pride across her face. The two trotted towards Rarity, who was now completely blocking out Apple Bloom’s jumping. “Apple Bloom, get down! You’re being embarrassing.” Immediately the farm girl stopped with a deep blush on her face and a nervous laugh. “How did you ignore that?”
“Pinkie Pie practice.” Rarity responded plainly . She levitated the sunglasses off her face and turned on her side towards Scootaloo, who was rummaging through Sweetie’s backpack. “So um, Sweetie told me that you had something to show me on her camera.”
“Sure, I just want to see it in action first.” Scootaloo drew the utensils she wanted from the backpack. “Don’t you want to see it Apple Bloom?”
“Yeah, it’d be amazin’!” Apple Bloom squealed.
Scootaloo talked as she used her mouth to write on the paper. “Thisth, thesthh ish shimple. I’mth going tho wrife this, andmth, thenth youf read it.” As the filly wrote she covered the paper with her body. Her completion was punctuated with spitting the pencil to the ground, “got that?”
“I think so. You want me to read whatever you wrote from a distance, right darling?” Rarity, said as she pulled herself into upright position.
“Exactly!... And don’t call me darling!” Scootaloo’s wings sprung with anger as she shouted. “I already had to tell Applejack about the stupid sugarcube stuff.” Scootaloo took the paper under her wing and trotted back towards her scooter. The others watched as she scooted off into the distance till Apple Bloom and Sweetie Could hardly even see her. She had to be at least a hundred meters away by her own estimate. “Read it now!” she yelled, it was faint when it reached Rarity’s ears, but she snapped alert, concentrating on the paper.Rarity’s eyes went through minor dilation as she kept zooming her vision in until the paper was the only thing she could see. Scootaloo’s mouth-writing was crooked, and she had purposely written in tiny letters that most ponies could hardly read up close. Rarity mouthed the words as she read. She leapt back in her lawn chair with gasp, covering her mouth as she read the last bit. “Oh my.... I-I’m done.” Rarity looked down with a deep blush on her face.
Without much of a wait Scootaloo returned to the lawn chairs, skidding to a halt the second she realised the red covering Rarity’s cheeks. “Oh crud, I didn’t think you could read it!”
“Wait...” Apple Bloom raised a brow and turned towards Rarity. “What’d it say?”
“Well it said”—Rarity restlessly rubbed her hooves together —“I think Rarity is...” She looked away as the last word hung on the tip of her tongue.
“Is what?” Sweetie prompted with a gesture of her hoof.
“It doesn’t matter!” Scootaloo screamed loud enough to force each pony to recoil. “I mean, she passed!” She snatched up the camera under and tossed it to Apple Bloom. “Your call.”
Applebloom set the camera atop Rarity’s belly, setting it to the beginning of the recording. Rarity stared at the low quality video on the camcorder screen. The tape started with a ground view of Apple Bloom standing atop a tall tree branch. “Apple Bloom what were you doing up the- oh my gosh!” Rarity cringed and covered her mouth with a hoof on instinct. She stared at Apple Bloom, the smiling filly was perfectly fine now, but then back to the broken mess she was on tape.
“Apple Bloom you’re—” said Scootaloo’s recorded voice said moments before Rarity vomited on the ground. Her head hung over her chair as she took deep breaths. Hesitantly, she glanced back to the screen her lower mouth still smeared with bile. “Oh....” her voice shook like a light earthquake, “My... ho- how...?”
“I heal.” Apple Bloom said plainly. “It’s just what I do lately. I’ve got no clue where it came from, but nothin’ lasts anymore when I’m hurt. Your seein’ stuff is the same, right?”
Rarity looked away from the camcorder, the turning the video off where it was. “Correct. My curse started about three days ago while I was working on a client’s dress. I didn’t realise how closely I was seeing the threads and how much more magnificent my work was until after I’d already finished. I’ve been distracted by small specs of dust and really, puny details the whole time, but I think I have control of it now.”
“It ain't a curse!” Apple Bloom said with a firm, sure tone. “These are gifts. The doctors from yesterday said so! They want ponies like us for somethin’. Rarity, you should come with us to look for other ponies with their own gifts!” Apple Bloom gripped Rarity’s hoof like a vice. She wore the brightest, most hopeful smile on her face. “Come on, please! It’ll be like helpin’ the princess!”
“Well, working with children might be a tad strange, and I’m not even sure if we can do this, but... it sounds fun. And I must admit, I’m a bit curious to find out whether it’s a curse or a gift.”
“Hey Rarity, I’ve got an Idea!” Sweetie said as she tucked the the camera into her backpack. “You should chaperone for us on the New Yoke field trip!”
Rover
Center Den Tunnel 12-F
2 PM
Rover sat on the ground, legs crossed. All the eyes of his colleagues were on him, judging with their menacing, yellow glow. He fidgeted with his digits and glanced across the room several times. A dozen other alphas, some much bigger than him, sat around a deep depression in the floor. The depression was illuminated by the majestic, red glow of a fire ruby. Directly across from him was the alpha minister, who carried a scepter lined with various perfectly cut gems.
The Minister beat his scepter against the stone floor. The sound bounced several times off the walls bringing every dog to attention. “I, Minister Scoob, initiate this meeting of the alphas. This meeting has been Summoned by Rover, alpha of sector D.”
Rover gulped, his finger pads tapping against his toe pads in disjointed rhythm. “Well I have some great news,” he shouted with a wide, shakey grin across his face, “And I have bad news. The great part is that we found a giant gem. Big. Real big. You’ve never seen a gem that compares to this.” Rover cringed as the minister tapped his staff against the cold floor.
“I would like to take a look at this gem. You speak highly of it.” The minister tapped his staff a second time harder. “Now, bad news!” He shouted.
Rover’s tapping grew louder “My dogs have become strange. One became invinc-. No, believed he was invincible, and died trying to prove that he could survive decapitation. Fido is screaming at diggers, shouting accusations, and just acting strange for no reason. This started after we found the gem. I think it might be have some sort of insanity magic jumbo.”
Many floors below the other dogs of the F tunnel system continued their monotonous work. The treasured gem was guarded by two tall, muscular dogs adorned in steel armour plating. They blocked the only opening to the gem’s chamber.
“Hey, Arfer. I was wondering. You ever want to mark the gem? You know, as yours.”
Arfer looked at his partner, unamused. “No. Not at all. And I’m sure the boss would have your head if you even tried.”
The other guard began to backstep into the crystal chamber. “Oh come on. Just watch my back and I'll do it real quick. Then you have your turn, and it’ll be like the thing is ours.”
“Sure whatever go ahead. Thing will probably give cancer or something with that glow.” Arfer sidestepped into the center of the chamber opening. “Idiot.” Arfer turned around to see his partner standing before the towering monument of a gem. “I can’t believe you are actually doing thi-” A blinding white flash of light accompanied by a piercing whine forced him to cover his eyes and fall to the floor.
He lied on the ground, shaking and deafened. He opened his eyes. The gem had reverted back to normal, no light or noise, but his friend was gone.
