This was the most pressure Quicksilver had ever been under. He felt like everything depended on the next few minutes. He’d spent weeks researching and testing prototypes. Building the final version of the device had taken several days. He really needed this to work.
Quicksilver used his magic to place the crushed source minerals in a tumbler cylinder inside a heating chamber, and sealed the opening. His horn glowed blue as he created a small plasma ball under it as a heat source. The chamber needed to be as hot as an oven for baking bread to create the needed reaction. With a second spell, he began to slowly rotate the cylinder to keep the contents mixed and evenly heated. There was a tube coming out of the top of the heating chamber to collect the vapor passing it through a spiral condenser. With a third spell, he ran water over it for cooling.
He waited. It seemed to be taking forever. A bead of sweat ran down the dark red hair on his face as he focused on the three spells. His hard work and concentration paid off as he spotted the beginnings of a small drop forming at the end of the condensing tube. Slowly, it grew in size until gravity had its way, and the drop fell into the collection container with a faint splat. He had successfully extracted a drop of mercury from raw cinnabar! He released a sigh he wasn’t aware he was holding before grinning from ear to ear and clopping his hooves together. He pranced in place when another drop splashed into the flask.
He spun around to face the judges. His smile faded, and his ears fell slightly at the sight of their neutral faces and quickly moving pens. Quicksilver gulped. A couple of them nodded to him as they scribbled notes on their clipboards. His muscles relaxed a little. The lead judge addressed him.
“Thank you for your demonstration, Mister Quicksilver. A very interesting display indeed, and an excellent complement to your printed project summary. Your control over multiple simultaneous spells was also very impressive. Yes, most impressive.”
“Thank you all for taking the time to see my project in action,” Quicksilver replied. For the first time since his demonstration started, his breathing and pulse began to slow.
The lead judge nodded, and they walked off to find the next project on their judging schedule. Quicksilver’s parents quickly trotted up to him from where they had been watching. Quicksilver broke into a big grin, prancing in place for a couple steps as he saw his parents approach.
“Did you see how well that went? It worked perfectly! You both helped me so much getting the report put together and testing out the prototypes. Thank you. Thank you!”
“Oh, son, you did such a great job,” his mom gushed.
“We’re both very proud of you,” his father added with an approving nod.
The large hall echoed with hushed conversations and the sounds of ponies walking around. Students flitted about their assigned tables spread throughout the room, setting up their display boards and, in some cases, a demonstration of the project. All this happened under the watchful eyes of their teachers.
Quicksilver was by himself at his table, making a final check of each connection on his extraction device to make sure there would be no leaks. His eyes shifted between his checklist and the device repeatedly. This had to work perfectly for the judging tomorrow.
“Hi!”
His focus broken, Quicksilver tensed and jumped slightly. He spun around to see who had spoken to him. He was greeted by the smiling faces of a sky-blue pegasus filly and a dark gray pegasus colt.
“Misty? Cloudy! Hey, it’s great to see you guys!”
They giggled and tackled each other in a hug, dancing around a bit. It was a miracle they didn’t knock over any of the nearby projects. Chuckling lightly, they let go.
“Yeah,” Cloudy said as he stepped back. “It’s been at least a couple months since we were last together.”
Misty added, “It’s not like when we all lived in Canterlot and could see each other every day.” She gave Quicksilver a playful shove with her hoof.
As he regained his footing and shook his head, Quicksilver continued, “Since this is the setup day, I guess you two are also in the fair?”
Misty jumped in, “Yes, we both are. I’ve got a project on nightshade genetics. Cloudy’s entry deals with various cloud types and their water content.”
“What have you got going on here?” Cloudy asked, stepping closer to inspect Quicksilver’s project.
“It’s a demonstration of the process of extracting mercury from mercury sulfide, also known as cinnabar. It’s really, really important to me. I can explain it all later.” He turned from the table to face his friends. “And I see you two both have your cutie marks! When did that happen?”
“Yes,” Misty said, “We both got them this year.”
Quicksilver glanced at Cloudy’s cutie mark -- a cloud with rain below it. “So Cloudy, a rain cloud?”
“Yup. I got it a couple of months ago…”
“Oh, oh, let me tell it. I love this story. I want to tell him,” Misty interrupted, prancing in place.
“Okay,” Cloudy sighed, “you can do it.” He smiled, shaking his head a little at her enthusiasm.
“Okay, okay, as you know, pegasi start flight training early, sometimes before they start school. Those that have an interest or are skilled in flying can keep training during regular school,” Misty started. Quicksilver nodded, and she continued, “So, one day, I had just finished my flying lesson and was hanging around to watch the other classes practice.
“As you know, Cloudy wants to work in weather, as a cloud wrangler as he calls it.” She giggled
“Yes, that’s right!” Cloudy exclaimed and stuck out his chest proudly.
“Right,” Misty cleared her throat, “so he was there that day too. They’d just finished the drills on wind sprints…”
Cloudy interjected, “We have to fly as hard as we can into a headwind, turn, and glide back to the starting point, then repeat. It’s really hard on the wings, but you have to master it if you wanna survive up there.” He flared his wings a little as he described it.
Misty nodded. “Anyway, when they finished, everyone was exhausted, sweaty, and standing around panting. Somepony joked about Cloudy needing a shower, and somepony else said he should make his own.
“So he took off, found a small cloud, and pushed it over to the practice field. He compressed it and then gave it a couple of kicks. And you know what? It actually started to rain!” Upon noticing Quicksilver quirking an eyebrow, she added, “Most adult pegasi can do that with ease, but given that Cloudy hadn’t had any weather training yet, it was pretty impressive. Takes at least a few weeks to learn how to do that.” Cloudy smiled proudly at that. “Anyway, it was just this little circle of water coming down onto the field. Cloudy glided down, gave the other students a smug look, and walked into his own private storm.
“While he was rinsing, one of the instructors yelled out, Hey, what’s going on over there? Everypony glanced over at him, and when they looked back, Cloudy’s flank was glowing. When the glow faded, ta-da!” Misty gestured towards his cutie mark with a hoof.
“That’s really cool,” Quicksilver exclaimed, staring at the mark. “I’d have loved to have seen that when it happened.”
“It was really fun,” Misty said. “Everyone was excited, and they all gathered around Cloudy to see his new cutie mark.”
“So, what about you, Misty? If I had to guess, I’d say your cutie mark is a nightshade?” It was a five-petal flower, light pink with a core of darker red.
“You know about flowers?” Cloudy questioned, tilting his head a bit, obviously surprised.
“Yeah, I understand a little about plants, especially those few that can also be used in alchemy along with the normal minerals and ores.”
“Wow, I had no idea,” Misty said. “But I guess it makes sense you’d know that kind of stuff given that your parents are alchemy researchers. I bet you pick up a lot of cool facts from them. You know how my parents own a greenhouse here in Canterlot?”
Quicksilver nodded.
“They sell to two types of customers. The first purchase plants and flowers for medical use, like for potions. This is what they love to work on.
“The other customers are the status-obsessed Canterlot elite who buy rare plants and flowers for their homes. They’re always looking for the latest thing that no one else has, and they expect it to be expensive. These customers pay the bills.
“My parents understand enough about plant genetics to make sure they have the highest potency for medical use. But that’s not enough for me. I want to know more about genetics, I want to really understand it. I’ve studied Mendale’s analytical approach to plant genetics, and I find it fascinating. I wanted to actually try the techniques that he wrote about. So after doing an analysis of the nightshade varieties we had, I did some cross-breeding and generated my own new variety.
“My parents documented everything and sent it off to, well, I’m not sure just who they sent it to. Some official place. A few weeks later we got an official letter that acknowledged the new variety naming me as the creator. When I read that letter, POW! My cutie mark appeared. So I think the study of botany and plant genetics is where I’m headed. And I love it.”
“That’s a great story too,” Quicksilver said, shaking his head just a bit. “I never really took you for the science type.”
Misty laughed. “I know, right? Especially given how much I love to fly. Though while flying is fun, it’s not what I want to do. I’m so intrigued by the whole field of botany, as it’s just so interesting. I love to figure it all out. That’s my special talent, and what I want to do.”
Cloudy cut in, “Okay, okay, enough of this science stuff. I get it, you two could babble on about that for hours. You know all that goes over my head pretty fast.”
Quicksilver and Misty looked at each other and broke into laughter. Cloudy chuckled along with them, but with less enthusiasm.
The hall buzzed in anticipation of the award ceremony. The participants with their families and guests shuffled on their chairs and talked amongst themselves, creating a low, but deafening din that permeated the air. The judges were already sitting on-stage right next to a three-tiered platform for the winners. They’d occasionally flipped through their notes and conversed quietly with each other. Next to them stood a table with the various ribbons and trophies. Also on the table was the big trophy which the winner’s school would keep for a year. The winner’s name would be added to the list from previous years inscribed on the trophy.
The lead judge stood and slowly walked to the podium to begin the ceremony. He tapped the microphone a few times. The crowd fell silent. He started with some opening remarks about the value of science, how hard everyone had worked, and the like.
The judge spoke in a slow deliberate manner, and showed the same level of enthusiasm he had during the judging. Ribbons were presented to the six honorable mentions. Then after a few more remarks, the judge was ready to announce the top three winners of the fair.
“In third place, for an in-depth study of botanical genetics and the creation of a new variety of nightshade, we have…” He paused and looked up from his papers. “Mist Skimmer!”
There was a lot of cheering and hoof stomping as Misty pranced on-stage and stood on the third-place tier.
“In second place, for an analysis of water content in various cloud types, we have… Cloud Walker!”
More cheers and stomping echoed through the hall as Cloudy took his place. Quicksilver clapped his hooves together at seeing his two friends win awards. He stopped as he realized he was down to an all-or-nothing final opportunity. His breathing quickened, and he could feel his heart thumping in his chest.
“And finally, our first place winner, for the practical demonstration using hoof-built equipment for the extraction of mercury from cinnabar, we have…” The judge paused for a little longer and swept his gaze over the audience. “Quicksilver!”
He stood up, his head swimming from the roar of the crowd. He glanced at his parents. His dad was sitting up straight and proud, his mom wiping a tear of happiness from her eye. His heart thundered in his chest. As he walked on stage to shake hooves with the judge, the crowd suddenly fell totally quiet. Quicksilver looked around, confused. He noticed Misty pointing at his flank. He turned one way, and then the other trying to see, when his eyes caught the bright glow coming from his flank. As it glow subsided, there was his brand new cutie mark: the alchemical symbol for the element Mercury. It was light blue and stood out against his dark red coat. The resulting pandemonium was deafening.
Quicksilver climbed up to the first-place platform. Misty was looking up at him with a huge grin as she clapped her hooves. He smiled back and then turned to look at Cloudy who was also smiling, but it seemed a little forced. He wondered about that for a moment. The judge raised a foreleg to silence the crowd, to no effect. After he tapped the mic a couple times, the room finally went quiet.
“Well, that was certainly unexpected and special,” the judge chuckled. Quicksilver spotted his parents in the audience smiling up at him. He waved at them. “That’s the only time I’m aware of when a winner has received their cutie mark on-stage like that, and I have been presiding over this fair for a couple dozen years now!” Quicksilver beamed as he glanced back at his new cutie mark. “What a fine ending to a successful all-school science fair. Thank you for coming here today. It’s always great to see so many young bright minds. Please, everypony, one final applause for all the participants. Oh, and be careful as you exit the building, and have a wonderful day.” Quicksilver rocked on his legs, antsy to get down and be with his friends as the hall erupted in cheers once more.
With the ceremony complete, the three friends scampered down from the platform. They smiled and pranced as they gathered together. Misty gave Quicksilver a big hug. “That was amazing,” she said. “I think that’s better than either of our stories.” Quicksilver spun around once as he tried once again to get a good look at his new cutie mark.
He then turned toward Cloudy, who just said, “Good job,” and gave him a half-hearted hoof-bump. Cloudy’s parents reached the stage right then and called him over.
After saying goodbye, Quicksilver turned to Misty and asked, “Did you notice something off about Cloudy just now? He looked like something was bothering him.”
She glanced in the direction Cloudy had gone. “He was a little quiet. Perhaps he was just disappointed to come in second.” She turned back towards Quicksilver. “But for a non-science type, coming in second was a huge accomplishment. It’s not like he’s all about science like we are.”
Quicksilver’s ears drooped a bit. “Perhaps. I don’t know. Maybe he feels a little left out since we have science in common and that’s not his thing.”
“So, why was this fair so important to you?” Misty asked, moving a little closer. “It feels like there’s more going on here than just winning a prize.”
“You’re right. I guess you can read me pretty well. Should I be worried?” He grinned slightly.
Misty gave him a playful shove with her hoof.
“My parents have encouraged me to apply to Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns for next year. It’s pretty competitive.” He pawed at the floor nervously. “Winning this competition is a great thing to add to the application as it’ll help me stand out a bit more. Any little advantage can make the difference.”
“I get it. So, being in the fair was more about planning for the future than about just winning a trophy today.” Her smile faded a bit as she spoke more softly, “I really like how you’re always thinking ahead to what you want, and how to get there.”
Nodding, he replied, “My parents have always emphasized that the big picture is just as important as the little details.”
“You know, I think I might be getting some ideas about what I want long-term too,” Misty said to herself.
“What?”
“Hmm?” Her focus returned to Quicksilver. “Oh, nothing. I was just thinking too loudly,” she responded, smiling a bit broader.
"It's sure nice to be able to get away from school for a while and meet you for lunch," Quicksilver said. He looked out the window of the café and at the streets of Canterlot with ponies milling about. They’d tried a bunch of good cafes over the months, but this was the most pleasant one with its nice views and cozy private booths.
"Absolutely. I love our lunches together," Misty replied with a smile that Quicksilver returned.
"Hey, remember how I told you about that new professor and how he was always belittling students in class? Well, when Princess Celestia heard it, she came personally to kick him out. Said she wouldn't tolerate such behavior in her school."
"Wow, really? How did he ever get hired if that’s what he was like? But I guess being smart doesn’t guarantee you can teach."
“Yeah, that’s true,” he said glancing down. “I just don’t like all the drama when I’m trying to focus on my studies.”
“I wouldn’t mind a bit more drama over at Canterlot Academy. It gets so boring sometimes.” She dramatically rolled her eyes.
Quicksilver snickered, then cleared his throat. “Have you heard anything about how Cloudy is doing in flight and weather school?” Quicksilver asked.
“Not really. With him in Cloudsdale and us in Canterlot, I don’t get much chance to talk with him.”
Quicksilver paused a moment before looking up and continuing, "I wish Cloudy could join us more often, though it's such a long trip from Cloudsdale for just a lunch." His ears dropped just a bit.
Misty patted his hoof reassuringly. "At least he's able to meet us on weekends or occasionally for dinner.” Pulling her hoof back, she added, “And we usually have some time to hang out before he has to get back."
"Have you noticed anything lately about the way he acts when we're all together?" Quicksilver asked.
Misty tilted her head a bit to the side. "Not really. Why? What have you seen?"
He looked down at the table. "I'm not sure. It's like he's annoyed with me all the time, or doesn’t want me around. When I'm the last one to get where we're meeting, he looks at me as if he's upset that I showed up at all."
Misty paused a moment, staring out the window, thinking back to other times the three of them had been together. "I'm not sure I've really noticed anything. Maybe I should pay more attention."
"I don't think he acts any different with you. But with me... It’s like he’s, I don’t know, jealous? I don’t get it.”
"We've been friends too long. He doesn't have any reason to be jealous. I just think it’s because he’s too far away to join us all the time.” Her gaze returned to Quicksilver. “And, we do sometimes monopolize the conversation with science stuff. He just can’t relate. Both of those probably just make him feel a little left out.”
“Perhaps.” He rubbed the back of his head with his hoof. “I hope that’s all it is.”
Quicksilver hummed quietly to himself as he looked out the window. He watched a few ponies milling about around the sun-lit campus of the Canterlot Academy of Science for a few seconds, then turned back into the empty lab.
A happy tune still on his lips, he trotted past the many tables in the middle of the room to the cabinets at the end of the room. He grabbed a few containers of chemicals in his magic and brought them over to his assigned table shielded with a fume hood.
Quicksilver carefully unscrewed one of the bottles in his grip and poured a small heap of white powder from therein on the pan of his prepared scale. He groaned a little when the pan swung down far faster than he expected. “Too much, again. Dad wouldn’t be happy.” He groaned, grabbed a small spatula, and started gingerly removing the excess substance. Suddenly, his ears perked.
“Hi!”
His body stiffened a bit, although it was hardly noticeable. “I think after all these years, I’m starting to get used to you doing that,” Quicksilver remarked without turning around.
“Ahh, you’re no fun,” Misty replied with a fake pout. After a pause, she added, “I hate to point this out, but aren’t you in the wrong school?”
“I imagine it does appear that way to the casual observer, but actually no, I’m in the correct location.”
“Empirical evidence suggests otherwise,” Misty countered.
Quicksilver chuckled. “I’ve got a big project I’m working on for graduation, and I need a lot of lab time. The magic school isn’t set up for this type of practical lab work, so I got permission to come over here.”
“How often are you here?” Misty asked with a grin.
“Right now, three days a week. Though if I have any delays or start to fall behind schedule, I may have to come over every day after school for a while to catch up.”
Taking a couple steps closer, she asked, “Would you like some help?”
Quicksilver’s eyes lit up as he beamed. “That would be fantastic.”
“What can I do?”
“You can be my second set of hooves and eyes. See my notebook right there on the table?” He nodded and tapped it with a hoof. Misty looked at the open pages. After a moment she looked back at Quicksilver. “Every experiment is fully documented with check-lists for the prep work and places to record results. If you can read me the items from the check-lists, double-check all my measurements, and write the notes, that would save me a bunch of time.” He sighed. “I feel like I’m spending more time switching back and forth to check the notebook than getting actual work done.”
“I can do that, no problem. It’ll be fun to learn more about alchemy.”
Lifting his head, he pointed a hoof at her. “Hey, that’s my major. You already have botanics,” Quicksilver countered.
“Perhaps some knowledge of alchemy will come in handy in the future,” Misty said with a slight smile.
Quicksilver stepped forward to the scale, and Misty moved in right next to him so she could clearly see what he was doing. He felt his pulse quicken in response to how close she was. He found it a little distracting, but rather pleasant at the same time. Quicksilver had just finished weighing the next ingredient. It was now Misty’s turn to double-check the measurement. As she moved closer to see, she bumped into him.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Misty said.
“No, no, it was my fault. I should have moved out of your way.” He took a step back and rubbed his mane.
“Still, I need to watch where I’m stepping.” She turned to face him.
“It’s okay, I kind of enjoyed it.” Quicksilver thought to himself, What did I just say?!
“Oh, uh…” Misty stammered.
“I mean, uh, well…” Quicksilver struggled to salvage his dignity.
“I could just, or…”
“No, I didn’t mean to suggest…”
“Yeah, perhaps I should just check the scale so we can move on?” Misty said.
“Of course, sure, that would be the next step,” Quicksilver replied, stepping aside so she could get a better view of the scale.
Quicksilver was grateful for his dark red coat to hide his rather intense blush. His embarrassment passed as they focused on the work at hoof. There was a lot to get done, and Quicksilver noticed just how right it felt working together with Misty.
Some weeks later Quicksilver and Misty were sitting at a table in a small cafe waiting for Cloudy to join them. They'd been talking about their recent work in the lab.
“So, we’ve been working together in the lab for a while now. How do you think it’s been going?” Misty asked.
“I think it’s great. You’ve been really helpful, and the work’s been going a lot faster. I’m certainly ahead of schedule right now, all because of you.”
“Okay, yeah, but I mean how are you enjoying working together?”
“Oh, I see. I’ve enjoyed working with you. I enjoy you.” Realizing what he just said, he lowered his head a bit and stared at his forelegs resting on the table in front of him.
Misty reached out with one of her hooves and set it on top of his. “I enjoy you too.”
Just then Cloudy stepped out from behind a wall close to their table. “Hey guys, what’cha talkin’ about?”
Quicksilver and Misty quickly withdrew their hooves and looked down at the table. They briefly glanced at each other as if to ask “what now?”
“Oh, nothing,” Misty replied. “Just talking about the work in the lab.”
“Yeah, just, what she said,” Quicksilver added. He looked up at Cloudy. “Have a seat.”
Cloudy tilted his head back just a bit, looking down his muzzle at them. “Hmmm.” He sat down in an empty chair. “So, things are going well in the lab, it seems.”
“Yes,” Misty agreed. “It’s really fun to learn about alchemy, and I’m picking up a lot of new lab techniques that I wouldn’t normally use with the type of stuff I do.”
“I still say you’re trying to move into my area of alchemy,” Quicksilver said with a wink.
“Well, someone has to keep an eye on you and make sure you don’t blow yourself up.”
“And who’s watching over your shoulder to make sure you don’t create some genetically modified pony-eating nightshade?” He gently tapped Misty on the shoulder as he laughed.
Cloudy’s head shifted back and forth as he watched the exchange. Slowly his eyes narrowed. Then his ears fell dangerously as he blurted out, “Okay, enough!”
Both Quicksilver and Misty looked at him with wide eyes. They glanced at each other, and then back at Cloudy again.
“Look, I get it.” He scuffed his hoof on the table. “You’re getting all cozy with your science stuff.” He stretched both forelegs out towards them. “Can we give it a rest for a while?”
“I’m sorry, Cloudy,” Misty said, raising her legs defensively in front of her. “We’re just joking around. We don’t mean anything by it.”
“Well, I’m tired of the way you two… I’m just tired of all the science stuff.”
Quicksilver sat up in his chair and turned to face him. “So, Cloudy, how’s flight school going? What are you learning about weather management?”
“Yeah,” Misty joined in. “What’s been going on with you lately?”
Cloudy looked at each of them in turn lowering his forelegs. “I guess it’s going okay. I’m learning a lot, and it’s really fun. It’s hard to describe what it’s like to fly through the clouds.” Turning to Misty, he added, “I’m sure you get what I mean.”
Misty nodded in agreement. “I’ve never messed with clouds, but I’ve always loved to fly around them. There’s just nothing like having the entire sky to play in.”
Quicksilver glanced towards the sky. “Flying has always interested me. I just can’t imagine what it must feel like to be able to push clouds around.”
Looking a little smug, Cloudy added, “How does it feel to be the one left out of the conversation, science boy?”
They all laughed at Cloudy’s comment, although Quicksilver was a little less enthusiastic as he thought about being the odd pony out.
It was another nice day in Canterlot, but of course with pegasus weather management most days were. The trio had arranged to meet at a small outdoor café close to the Canterlot Science Academy.
Smiling broadly as he approached the table, Quicksilver said, “Hey, Cloudy. I’m glad you could make it to another of our dinners.”
Leaning back in his chair and looking down his muzzle at Quicksilver, Cloudy replied, “Hey. Where’s Misty?” There was a bit of an edge to his voice.
With a slight sigh, Quicksilver replied as he sat down, “there was some issue at the greenhouse, so she had to go home to help her parents.”
“I was expecting all three of us. I’m surprised you showed up if Misty couldn’t make it.” Cloudy said mockingly.
“I just figured we could catch up a bit. Misty and I get to talk a lot, but you aren’t around as much.” Quicksilver sat down at the table.
“Yeah, pretty convenient how that happens. I don’t like how much time you two spend together,” Cloudy said, his tone darkening.
Quicksilver raised his hooves in front of him. “It’s no big deal. She’s just helping me in the lab. Just boring science stuff.”
“Well, I think she’s spending too much time in the lab too. She should be doing more flight training with other pegasi.”
“She’s still doing her flight training three days a week. You know she loves to fly, but science is where her talent is. She loves that too.”
Placing both hooves on the table, Cloudy challenged, "Misty should be with her own kind. You need to back off."
“What do you mean by her own kind?” Quicksilver countered as his ears shot back. “We’re all just ponies.”
Cloudy pointed a hoof at him. “Stop being dense. You know what I mean.”
“No, I really don’t. Science says that all ponies have genes for all races. The only difference is which set is activated at birth. We’re all the same on the inside.”
"You and your science.” Cloudy slammed his hoof down on the table. “The science is wrong. You’re wrong."
Quicksilver opened his mouth to speak, then shut it again. He remembered an old saying of his father’s, "Arguing with a stubborn mule is like hitting your hoof with a hammer; the only benefit gained is the knowledge to never do that again."
Cloudy continued, "Besides, why would a pegasus like Misty ever limit herself to the ground like a common earth pony?"
"Well, you do realize she's living in the dorms now and going to school in Canterlot, right? She seems pretty happy down here with the rest of us common ponies." Quicksilver could feel his pulse speeding up as his frustration grew.
“Still, I want you to stop seeing her.” There was anger in Cloudy’s voice now. His eyes had narrowed, and his ears fell back as he sneered at Quicksilver.
“Cloud Walker, that’s not your call to make.” He pointed at Cloudy with his foreleg. “I have permission to work in the lab, and if Misty wants to help, that’s her choice.”
“That doesn’t bucking matter. She’s my filly, and you will stop seeing her.” He emphasized his words with several stomps on the table.
Quicksilver’s eyes went wide in stunned silence. He could hardly believe what he just heard. After a moment, his gaze narrowed.
“Well, first off, Misty doesn’t belong to anypony, especially not you. And I don’t think she’d take kindly to you claiming her as your property. Second, we’re all free ponies, and we can do as we please. You’re our friend, not our overseer.”
Cloudy shot back, “Listen, you little road apple, you just stay away from her, or you’ll be sorry. You’ll both be sorry.”
And with that Cloudy jumped up, knocking over his chair. It slid back into a decorative potted plant, almost tipping it over. He turned, stormed out of the café, and took to the air. Quicksilver watched him leave and then stared at the table.
Quicksilver shook his head. Where did that come from? How had it escalated to so much anger so quickly? They’d only been talking for a few moments.
He was hurt, angry, and in no mood for dinner, so he left the café without ordering. Several ponies who had witnessed the exchange watched him walk out, whispering among themselves. Quicksilver felt sick to his stomach. His breathing was rapid and shallow. Cloudy was his friend. They were all friends and had been for years.
He decided he’d just let it go for now. Perhaps Cloudy just had a really bad day. He considered telling Misty about it, but he didn’t want to worry her, so he decided to drop it. It would blow over, right?
Quicksilver was already hard at work when Misty arrived at the lab. “So, what are we working on today?”
He glanced back at her as she walked up. “Hi, Misty. I have to make a bunch of this mixture for use in the next few experiments. It’s a little volatile, which is why I’m mixing under the fume hood today. It’s all documented in my notebook.” He pointed with a hoof.
She trotted over and looked at the open page. “I see you’re down to the last two ingredients?”
Picking up some containers from the table in his magic, he walked towards the supply cabinet. “Yes. I’ll put these away and grab the last two.”
After they were measured, Misty read the next step from the notebook, “It says these last two have to be added at the same time.”
“Yup. Ready to do that now.” He picked up the containers with the ingredients and dumped them in. “We should get a bit of a reaction at this point.” He stirred the ingredients in with a small mixing spoon.
Since the sides of the enclosure were opaque, Misty stepped around behind Quicksilver so she could see better. As expected, some fumes started to rise out of the container to be drawn away by the fume hood.
Tilting his head a little, Quicksilver noted, “That’s weird…”
The mixture started to bubble with a rolling boil. Quicksilver dropped the spoon and took a step back. He bit his lip, and, without thinking, moved between Misty and the fume hood. The contents started to splash over the side of the mixing container.
“Misty, run!” Quicksilver yelled. Before she could react, he dropped his head a little and his horn flared with magic. He tried to cast a shield spell. There was a bright flash and an explosion. The windows blew out, sending glass into the courtyard. The force of the blast hit the partly-formed shield, throwing Quicksilver across the room and into the far wall. He clipped Misty, knocking her down and back.
Misty came to a stop in the middle of the room. A lance of pain shot through her as she raised her head. She squinted, willing her vision to stop swimming. A smoky haze covered most of the room, and debris littered the floor all around her. Her nose scrunched at the acrid smell of sulfur hanging in the air. She turned slowly and gasped. There, sprawled across an overturned table, lay Quicksilver, caked in dust, splinters, and plaster from the wall he slammed into. He wasn’t moving.
She heard yelling and turned to see several students and a couple of teachers rush into the room. Their eyes went wide as they looked at the damage. As a teacher ran towards her, she noticed her vision narrow like she was looking through a tube. She blinked once, twice, and then everything went dark.
Quicksilver tried to open his eyes. Too bright, he thought as he closed them again. He let out a groan. He slowly opened his eyes ever so slightly and tried to focus on the blue face that was now right in front of him.
“Hi.”
“Misty?” he whispered, barely able to speak.
Her face shifted from one of concern and worry to more relaxed with a hint of a smile. Her ears which had been down shot up directed at him.
“Oh, thank Celestia. I was so worried. How are you feeling?” She leaned over the bed, resting her hooves on the edge.
Quicksilver tried to take a deep breath which he immediately regretted. His entire barrel exploded in pain.
“Oww. Everything hurts. It hurts to move. It hurts to breathe. I think even my eyelashes hurt.” He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them and looked at Misty, “What happened?”
Softly, she said, “There was an explosion in the lab.”
Quicksilver looked at the ceiling, trying to focus. There was an explosion, he thought to himself trying to remember. There was an explosion? There was an explosion!
He turned back at Misty, his eyes wide in panic. “Misty, there was an explosion! Are you okay?”
Misty raised her legs in a calming gesture. She spoke softly, “Yes, I’m fine. I’m really fine. You and your shield were between me and the explosion. I was only knocked to the ground, but you were thrown all the way into the opposite wall.
“Quicksilver, you saved my life. If you and your shield hadn’t taken the majority of the force, I wouldn’t have survived. Thank you isn’t enough, but it’s all I have.” She reached out and gently touched one of his forelegs with her hoof, then withdrew it again.
Quicksilver visibly relaxed. “I’m glad you’re okay. Do you know what happened? You were double-checking everything.” He raised his hoof to his forehead and closed his eyes for a moment in concentration. “I know the measurements were correct.”
“It was intentional. The ingredients were altered.” She paused to pull a chair closer to the bed and sat down. “Something was added that caused the mixture to be explosive rather than just mildly exothermic.”
Quicksilver tensed up and then winced as he was reminded how much it hurt. “Someone did that on purpose? Who? Why?”
Misty didn’t answer, but Quicksilver’s anxious look caused her to continue.
“I didn’t see any of the following events. The last thing I remember before passing out was other ponies rushing into the lab. I woke up a little later as we were being taken to the hospital. I learned about all this later.
“One of the professors did some magic probing and realized something was wrong. They found the last two containers we’d used and figured out that the contents of one of them was modified.” Misty bit her lip before continuing, “Another chemical had been mixed in. The Canterlot police were called. Also, as soon as your school was notified of the accident, Princess Luna herself showed up with a squad of the Royal Guard.”
“Princess Luna came to the school?”
“Yes. In a trash can outside they found the bag used to bring the chemical to the lab. After talking with me and doing some other interviews,” she paused to wipe her eyes with a foreleg, “they went to search somepony’s home and found more of the chemical the pony had purchased. Then they found the shop where it had been purchased and confirmed the identity of the pony with the owner. They arrested the pony who confessed after all the evidence was shown to them. He’s in prison awaiting trial.”
“So, you know who it was? Who would do this?” His eyes were wide and pleading.
Misty paused again. She cast her gaze to the floor and bit her lip before rubbing the back of her head. She looked back at him. “Quicksilver, I’m so sorry, but it was Cloudy.”
Quicksilver’s eyes widened in disbelief. He couldn’t breathe. This isn’t possible, he thought. Cloudy was our friend, and had been for years. He would never do such a thing. Then he remembered their last conversation. “You’ll both be sorry.” The implication of those words sunk in. Quicksilver closed his eyes as a couple of tears dripped onto his pillow.
“No. It can’t be. He was our… Please, it has to be a mistake,” he pleaded.
Misty gently placed a hoof on his shoulder. “I’m sorry, but there’s no doubt. I’ve been thinking about this all night, and I still can’t get my head around it. Oh, Quicksilver, it hurts so much.”
“How did he even know what to do?”
“You and I would talk a lot about the research when we were all together. I remember Cloudy was bored to tears when we’d get going. All I can figure is that he picked up enough information to act on. Perhaps did some extra library research. He may not be into science, but he’s smart.”
“He’s always been smarter than ponies gave him credit for,” Quicksilver added.
“Exactly. He must have figured out what we were working on, and with a little of his own research, found a way to sabotage it.”
“Wait a second.” Quicksilver paused. “You were thinking about this overnight? So, the explosion was yesterday?”
She nodded. “Yes. You’ve been out for about eighteen hours.”
Quicksilver thought about that. “Don’t take this wrong, but how are you in here? The hospital is usually all fixated on relatives only.”
Misty blushed just a bit which showed through her sky-blue coat. She glanced down at the floor. “Well, I told them I was your special filly. Your parents stood up for me, so the staff had to agree.”
“My parents! They must be so worried. Where are they?”
Looking at Quicksilver again, she continued, “They were here with you all night. They didn’t sleep at all. I got a few hours of sleep and told them to go home and rest. I promised to let them know if anything changed.”
“All night? They didn’t need to do that.” He paused for a moment. “How... how am I doing?”
“The doctor said you have multiple cracked ribs. And you have several cuts on the right side of your body and legs where you were hit by the glass and stuff that made it through the shield spell. They got all that out and gave you an impressive number of stitches.” She paused and glanced down at his body before continuing, “ Your entire left side is one big bruise from hitting the wall. However, they were optimistic that you would wake up within a day, and that you’ll recover.”
“Okay, that makes me feel better.” He smiled. “So… My special filly, huh? I kind of like the sound of that.” He started to chuckle and winced from the pain. “Ow, I’ve got to stop, well, everything. It all hurts.” He paused, thinking for a few moments. “Did you happen to have anypony in mind for a special colt?”
Misty gently rested a hoof on his and smiled.
Once Quicksilver had recovered, he and Misty returned to the laboratory at the Canterlot Academy of Science to pick up where they had left off. There were a couple of professors and some students in the lab to observe. Quicksilver was ready to add the last two ingredients to the mixture. He was frozen in place, his ears down, and trembling ever so slightly.
“It’s okay, Quicksilver,” Misty started, “everything has been checked and cleared by the professors. We’ve triple-checked the formula and all the measurements. Everything is just as it should be. You’ve got to get past this next step.”
Quicksilver took a deep breath and let it out slowly. His heart was racing. Using his magic, he poured the last two ingredients into the large flask, picked up the stirring spoon, and began to mix them in. The mixture started to bubble, and smoke rose up to be drawn away by the fume hood.
Suddenly, Quicksilver dropped the spoon, stepped back next to Misty, and threw up a shield spell with his eyes closed. His horn crackled and threw off sparks. The shield spell was sizzling like frying vegetables.
In a soft voice, Misty addressed him, “It’s okay, Quicksilver. Nothing’s wrong. Please relax. It’s fine.”
Quicksilver opened his eyes and looked at her.
Misty continued just above a whisper, “You’ve got to go finish mixing. Every bit has to be mixed in to react so there are no impurities left. Then you can move on to the next steps getting it ready to use. I know you can do this. This isn’t like last time. Really, it’s okay.”
Quicksilver turned to look at the fume hood again. He dropped his spell and let the glow fade from his horn. Stepping forward, he took up the mixing spoon with his magic and continued to stir the solution. Misty moved forward, leaning against him slightly.
“I knew you could do it.” She smiled and he, a little tentatively, returned the smile. Misty’s touch felt good, and his heart rate slowed as he relaxed. There was a collective sigh of relief from the back of the room as everyone filed out, save for one professor who continued to observe.
Quicksilver and Misty were taking an after-dinner walk through one of the many parks in Canterlot. The sun was low in the sky, and the coolness of the evening was descending on the city. They were off the path, walking through the grass among the scattered trees. Birds were chirping as they flitted from branch to branch.
“So, Misty, what’s it like living with your parents and working at their greenhouse?”
She glanced at him before looking forward again. “It’s okay. My parents are fine with it, although it’s weird living at home again since graduation. I liked being on my own while in school.”
“Yeah, it was a bit weird for me too when I went back home a few months ago.”
Misty took a couple quick steps forward so she could turn to face him. They both stopped walking. “But it’s so cool now that you have your own house. And it was so nice of your dad to help you set up an alchemical lab in that back room.”
He gazed up at the sky for a moment before looking back at Misty. “You know, he paid for almost all the equipment I have. It’s a simplified version of his own lab. I have all the basics, and can add new gear based on what directions my research takes.”
“It’s a lot of fun helping you with your work.” She smirked. “And I’m learning a bunch about alchemy at the same time.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s hard to say how much I appreciate all the time you spend helping me.”
“It’s fine, and I enjoy it. It’s really a short flight from the greenhouse, so it’s convenient to pop over any time.”
Quicksilver cleared his throat and started, “We’ve gotten pretty close over the last few months.”
Misty glanced at him. “Yes, we have. You know how I feel about you.”
“I feel the same way about you.” He scuffed idly at the grass with his hoof.
Misty took a couple steps forward. She stood very close, looking directly into his eyes. “Is there something you want to say?”
“You know I love you, right?” he said.
“Almost as much as I love you,” she answered.
“I wanted to ask you something.” He looked down at the grass.
She leaned forward. “I’d very much like to answer you something.”
“I really like you. I can’t imagine not having you around all the time.”
“Yes…?”
Raising his head, he met her gaze. “Would you, uh, I mean, umm, I’d like you to be my partner both in the lab and in life. Would you perhaps want to get married? I mean, to me?” He winced a bit at how it came out, but didn’t break his gaze.
Misty smiled softly. “Yes. Oh absolutely, yes!” she answered.
They kissed and then came together in a hug. Misty flared her wings and wrapped them around Quicksilver too. Their eyes were closed and they rocked slightly almost as if they were dancing.
“Are you happy?” he whispered.
“You have no idea,” she replied.
After a bit, they stepped back, smiling at each other.
“So, uh, now what?” Quicksilver asked, tilting his head to the side.
“I guess head back to your house and do some planning about the future.”
“Do we tell our parents right away?” he asked.
“Of course, silly. Tomorrow. They’ll all be thrilled.”
It was common for an engaged couple and their parents to go to the city hall together the day before the wedding to get all the paperwork done. So, mid-morning, Quicksilver, Misty, and their parents went to do just that. As the six of them walked out, they noticed a dark gray pegasus standing by the road.
“That’s Cloudy,” Misty whispered to Quicksilver. They both stopped mid-stride.
“What’s he doing here?” Misty’s dad asked with a snort, stomping a hoof on the ground. “Shouldn’t he be in jail?”
Quicksilver’s dad muttered, “Not today.” He took a couple steps forward, his horn starting to glow. Quicksilver quickly trotted out and turned to face everypony.
“Hold on, it’s okay. Misty and I will go talk to him.”
“Are you sure that’s wise?” Misty’s mom asked. Her dad snorted in agreement.
“Just wait here. Misty…” he said, giving her a little nod.
Misty looked at her parents, “It’ll be okay.” She walked forward to where Quicksilver was waiting. As she approached, he turned and they headed towards Cloudy, who lowered his head, ears down. When they were close enough to talk, Quicksilver nodded to Misty to stop. He took one more step forward and angled himself slightly in a protective stance in front of Misty. The sunlight masked the soft glow coming from his horn.
They all just stood there for a few moments. Cloudy, still looking at the ground spoke, “I know you don’t want to see me, and I don’t blame you. But please, just let me say something.” He paused. Quicksilver and Misty didn’t move or say anything, so he continued, “I’m sorry. What I did was horrible. There’s no excuse, and nothing I can say could possibly explain or justify it. Looking back, I can’t believe I tried to hurt anypony. What’s worse is I drove away my two dearest friends in Equestria. I regret that every day.”
Quicksilver didn’t move or blink. He stared at Cloudy and in a tone devoid of emotion asked, “Is that it?”
Cloudy sighed. “I… I just wanted… I’m so sorry. I hope one day you can forgive me.” With his head still down, he turned to walk away.
“Wait,” Quicksilver said, “look at me.”
Cloudy stopped mid-stride. Slowly, he turned around to face Quicksilver again. Finally, after a pause, he lifted his head. Their eyes remained locked. Cloudy’s eyes glistened with tears he was holding back. Finally, Quicksilver broke the silence.
“A lesson my parents taught me at a young age was to not hold onto bitterness or anger. If somepony wronged you, it wasn’t okay, but you shouldn’t carry that hurt with you. You’d only be hurting yourself. If a pony honestly asks for forgiveness, you should grant it so you can move forward free from that weight.” He took a few steps forward to stand directly in front of Cloudy. “I don’t know if we can ever be friends again after what you did, but I forgive you.”
Quicksilver lifted a hoof, offering it to Cloudy. Cloudy was visibly trembling. He mouthed, “Thank you,” although the words didn’t come out. He raised a hoof and softly returned the bump.
Misty stepped forward and said, “I forgive you too.” Rather than give Cloudy a hug, she just touched her cheek to his, and then stepped back a couple of steps next to Quicksilver. She was close enough that their sides were touching.
Cloudy took a deep breath and let it out slowly. His muscles relaxed, and a hint of a smile crossed his face. “Thank you both,” speaking just loud enough to be heard.
“So, why did you make the effort to find us today?” Quicksilver asked.
“Once I was released from prison, they put me on a very strict probation, which I’m probably breaking by talking to you today. They’re also making me repay the school for all the damage I caused.”
Cloudy’s eyes drifted up to the perfect blue sky punctuated with scattered clouds. Just barely above a whisper, he added, “You don’t appreciate how beautiful the sky is, or how wondrous it is to fly through it, until it’s been taken away for a while.” Misty looked up too with a soft smile. Her wings fluttered ever so slightly. “Since my release, I try to get up into it every day, just for the pleasure of it...”
“Anyway, I heard from one of our old school mates about your wedding and figured you would be here the day before.” He paused and grinned, rubbing the back of his neck. “So, if anyone were to ask, it’s just a coincidence that I am here today.” He gave them a quick wink.
“No one ever said you weren’t clever,” Quicksilver noted with a slight grin.
“Do you have a job?” Misty asked.
“Yes. I got a job at the weather factory. When my probation is done, they’ll let me try out for weather management. I’m living with my parents until I’ve paid off my debt and saved enough to get my own place.”
“I remember you wanted to do weather,” Quicksilver said with a more earnest smile, “you called it a ‘cloud wrangler’ back in the day.”
“That’s it,” Cloudy continued. “I’ve also met somepony. A cute pegasus who works in the factory.” His eyes drifted towards the sky again. “She knows absolutely everything about what I’ve done, but seems to be interested in me anyway.” He looked down and scuffed the ground with a hoof. “I can’t believe how lucky I am. She’s the one who pushed me to come and talk to you today. She said I had to ask for forgiveness to move forward. I wasn’t sure if you would respond, but I’m so glad you did.”
“I’m honestly glad that you seem to be getting your life in order,” Misty said. “Despite everything, you were a friend for a long time, and I still want to see you happy.”
“I’m happier than I’ve been in a long time,” he replied with a grin. “Thank you. Thank you both for being so kind. And congratulations on your upcoming wedding.” He grew serious. “I wasn’t able to accept it for a long time, but it was obvious, even to me, that you two belong together. I’m happy for you both.” His smile returned, and he took a step backwards. “But I need to get going now. As I said, I really shouldn’t be here at all. But you know, total coincidence…” He turned and trotted away with his head held just a little higher than before.
Quicksilver watched him leave as their parents walked down to join them. They’d been close enough to hear most of the exchange.
“Everything okay, son?” Quicksilver’s father asked.
“Yeah. I followed what you’ve told me about forgiveness, and I do feel better.”
His dad gave him a knowing nod beaming with pride at his son.
“How about you, Misty?” her mother asked.
She looked at Quicksilver, then back at her mom. “I’m good, mom. I’m actually, really good. Let’s go get something to eat.”
The wedding was the next morning in the garden behind Misty’s parents’ house. The area was decorated with flowers from their greenhouse. Family and friends sat quietly on a few rows of chairs, waiting for the ceremony to begin.
Quicksilver and Misty walked up the aisle between the chairs and stood before a family friend who was officiating the ceremony. The officiant raised her hoof to silence everypony.
“Mares and gentlecolts, we are here today to witness the joining of these two ponies. Marriage in Equestria is always a joyous occasion as we see two ponies come together to start a new life. Much like two ponies harnessed together to pull a cart, these two will be stronger as a team than they ever were separately. It’s a strength that will see them through all their lives.” She glanced at the couple and smiled.”
“I could go on, but Quicksilver asked me to be brief today.”
The crowd chuckled at this.
“Quicksilver, Misty, please face each other. By the way, Quicksilver wrote the vows they are about to share.” She took a step closer to them.
“Do you, Quicksilver, take Mist Skimmer as your wedded mare, through the wonders of spring, and the hardship of winter, facing life together through whatever may come, until separated by death?”
He held out a hoof, and Misty took it. “I do.”
“Do you, Mist Skimmer, take Quicksilver as your wedded stallion, through the wonders of spring, and the hardship of winter, facing life together through whatever may come, until separated by death?”
Looking deep into his eyes, she nodded and said, “I do.”
“Then by the authority granted me by the office of Princess Celestia, I now pronounce you stallion and mare. All those present, please bear witness to the new couple, Quicksilver and Misty.” And in a whisper just to them, she added, “Congratulations, you two.”
The pair then shared a traditional kiss. As they walked back up the aisle to the sound of cheers and hoof stomping, Misty leaned into Quicksilver and whispered, “You know I love you, right?”
“Almost as much as I love you,” he responded.
After the reception was over, Quicksilver and Misty were sitting in chairs off to the side. They leaned together, her head on his shoulder, his foreleg around her. They softly chatted. Misty’s parents walked over to where they were sitting.
Looking up, Misty said, “Mom, dad, thanks so much for all this. It was wonderful.” Quicksilver nodded in agreement.
“You’re very welcome. Misty, your father and I wanted to give you this.” She hoofed her a deposit book for one of the Canterlot banks.
“What is it?” Misty asked.
Her mom replied, “You remember the nightshade variety you developed that earned you your cutie mark?”
“Of course I do.”
“The following year that nightshade became our best-selling flower. Since absolutely no one else in Equestria had one for sale, it was very rare, which means exclusive and expensive to the Canterlot elite. They sold well for several years, and we still sell a few each season even though there are other suppliers now.”
“I was always proud of how well it sold,” Misty added.
“Your father and I decided that since it was your nightshade variety, half the net profits were yours too. We opened an account in your name and deposited your share each season. It’s turned into a nice nest egg. Now that you’re married and starting your own life, it’s time for you to have it.”
Misty opened the book and let out a small gasp when she saw the total bits. Quicksilver’s eyes went a little wide.
“Thank you!” they both said simultaneously.
Quicksilver continued after a moment, “I know just what you can use the first part of this for.”
“What?” Misty asked.
“We’ll build you a greenhouse attached to the back of the house. It’ll be big enough and equipped so you can do any botanical research you want.”
“Oh, that sounds perfect,” she said.
Quicksilver stood up, extending a hoof to his new bride. She took it as he helped her up. “So, how about we get started on that Neighagra Falls honeymoon?”
Smiling, she leaned in close until they were cheek to cheek. “Let the adventure begin.”
-- The End --
