Ponid-19

Clean Bill smirked. So Starlight had not lost her intense power of perception, after all. The spikes on this particular spore were indeed askew. When the picture was blown up, it became incredibly noticeable, and everypony gasped at just how badly awkward the forms were. They jutted up from their blue base, and then curled and whipped their way through jagged turns in order to reach their peak. The summits were bent as well, with tiny tails curling away into the thin atmosphere of nothingness that surrounded the germ.

“You’re absolutely right, my dear Starlight,” the scientist said, “they’re bent, which means they’ve been tampered with magically.”

“But why would somepony want to mess with something so terrible?” Kite String asked.

“Power and control, my little filly,” Clean said matter-of-factly, “although I do not know the villain whom has taken it upon themselves to mass produce something like this, I do know the reasons behind it. They are silent in the shadows, watching and waiting for the right moment to pounce. When all of Equestria has this terrible illness, when everything is at its peak, and perhaps even Celestia and Luna have succumbed…then, they shall strike. I’m just sure of it. This is no natural disease, it is one of magic.

Years ago, even before Starlight came to rule our village, I knew a love unlike any other. Her name was Rosy Cheeks, and she was the most amazing mare I’ve ever met. We did everything together, and shared a curiosity for the scientific and magical that was completely unquenchable. We thirsted for knowledge, and it was that thirst that killed her. Somehow, she contracted the current strain of the disease, and she was gone within three weeks’ time. It was…the most awful, painful, terrifying experience of my entire life.”

Starlight saw the old pony wipe a tear from his eye, and she had to force herself to keep the tears in. She remembered him mentioning Rosy when she first came to the village, but her quest to hurt other ponies kept her from finding out more about the situation. Her cheeks burned as she realized that her purposeful ignorance probably dashed Clean’s heart. She had faked being his friend in order to perpetuate her own rise to power, and she’d never forgiven herself for the way she treated him. Now, the old demons made themselves known again, and she gritted her teeth in anguish.

“Starlight,” Clean Bill said kindly, noticing the pony’s pain, “are you alright?”

“I just…can’t believe I didn’t take the time to get to know you better when I was first here. You mentioned Rosy on multiple occasions, but I would always interrupt you or cause you to lose your train of thought. I was a worthless excuse for a pony…”

“I forgave you for everything a long time ago,” the doctor said, “now, you just need to forgive yourself.”

Starlight’s eyes opened wide as she realized that he was absolutely right. The strains of harmony had been plucked on the harp of her life, and the musician weaving the beautiful melody was Twilight Sparkle. Now, she just needed to take that tune and spread it throughout this small rough patch of her past life. She smiled and instantly felt warm inside all over again as her mind allowed itself to break free of the mistakes she had made. She turned and nodded at Clean Bill, silently proclaiming that she had managed to forgive herself and return to the ways that Twilight had taught her.

“Good,” he said, “now, as I was saying, Rosy did crystallize from the inside out. One day, when I went to check on her, she was nothing more than a statue! It must be an awful way to go. From what I’m told of the ponies who’ve watched this death occur, the victim freezes until there’s nothing left.”

Starlight’s mind filled with images of the ponies she loved and held dear, lying in bed without any hope of warmth or relief until their bodies crystallized. The dark magic that lay within each spore of this dreadful disease carried notes of death until it became a symphony of devastation. She smelled the foul odor of a terrible conspiracy, and she knew that she would not rest until she figured out which of Equestria’s enemies had taken themselves to the task of creating this biological and magical weapon. It violated the general consciousness of the population, which always tended to lean towards friendship and care. It had to have been one of their most dangerous foes…but who?

Tirek, Cozy, and Chrysalis are the main suspects, she reasoned, Discord’s a good guy now…or…is he? No, no, he is. Plus, he wouldn’t have the power to think logically and make a disease such as this. He’s more into creating chaotic fun with his friends now. But who? Tirek wouldn’t have the power to control his magic long enough. Plus, he’s weak without usurping the auras of other creatures. Cozy’s much too small and wouldn’t have the intelligence to pull it off, not to mention she’s a Pegasus pony so she doesn’t have any magic flowing through her. That leaves Queen Chrysalis…but she feeds on the love that ponies share with each other, so wouldn’t she want to keep them alive?

She racked her mind, but could not come up with an explanation. Then, a lightbulb went off. She knew exactly who might hold the answers they sought, and it had been right in front of her nose all the time. At first, she had not wanted to get royalty involved, but now that Clean Bill had explained the virus and just how bad it was, it became time to bring the message to Princess Celestia herself. In Canterlot, Starlight and the others might just find the answers they were looking for.

So, she told the others and they bade farewell to Clean Bill and Starlight’s old village. He wished them luck, and gave Starlight a special pendant to keep in honor of their newfound friendship. She smiled and kissed his cheek before they left on the train bound for the royal capital. This is it! Starlight thought as the train bounced along its tracks, soon, friendly distancing and this whole virus will be obliterated! Once we tell Celestia of the true nature of the sickness, then she’ll know what to do! We’ll soon be free to be ourselves once again!