Day 16

N0t wr1t- nov. Tred. Tr@ImiN9 SUCKS!

Day 19

Okay, so it’s my first day off since my training began. As my only mildly legible last entry attempted to say: training sucks. I remember days, even weeks of my magic lessons ending with me completely drained and my horn aching, but this? [...] This just hurts. It’s all just so [...] physical! I swear even earth ponies would still be miserable after these kinds of drills. If nothing else, I’ve gained a new respect for the guards I used to see out on the training grounds.

[A tired, heavy sigh sounded before writing resumed.]

Alright, enough of me complaining about how my entire me is sore. Though honestly I don’t have much more to talk about. I’m learning a lot but most of it is fairly basic and intuitive. I suspect that, besides the focus tailored to firearms and their tactics of course, that much of the general concepts are already known back home. Much of it is also simple demonstration, repetition and reaction honing. I’ll still try to relate what I can to writing here, but probably not until I’ve gotten the hang of it myself.

Most of the others are still away helping Manhatten. Apparently they left only a day before I woke up, explaining some of why they haven’t returned yet. As I understand it, the headquarters itself is mostly set up and the team is still there basically teaching by example by just working as if they were stationed there. I suppose it’s a decent way to test the system for any flaws but I’ve been seeing more and more how much their absence has put a strain on things here.

Though it could always be worse as I understand. Twilight said their our colleagues at the LA office claim they’re having it even worse. She did mention they work a lot more closely with the FBI there, considering it was the original facility they had set up. Apparently they’re taking advantage of the strained workforce to lean on them more heavily than usual. Guess we’re pretty lucky we just have Agent Armor looking over our shoulders, and that he’s pretty lax about things.

Yay for nepotism.

I have learned more about my co-workers, including some insights into those currently absent. That insight is second hand however, so I’ll be mindful to limit expectations. I’ll write some of my more detailed impressions at a later date. Today though, I just want to soak in the bath for as long as Fluttershy will let me and then sleep until my next session. Seriously, training sucks.

[Several accounts of Sunset’s training are written in small bursts over the next week; technical, informative and entirely unstimulating]

Day 27

I found this world’s Celestia.

[...]
[...]
[...]

It was [...] strange.

Turns out she’s the principal of the school I landed in front of, where my whole life changed. It was her, but also not. Like I said, strange. It was a very brief exchange, limited by the fact I was on assignment and my complete lack of anything to say. Not like she was the princess.

["Though I’m honestly not sure what I’ll say when that time finally comes either..."]

She said a couple things that frankly sent me for a loop. Things I still need to process properly.

[...]

But yes, I had my first field assignment today. I wasn’t supposed to, but our short handedness worked out in my favor. Seems like the NMCs weren’t quite done with the school yet and I was the only one available to back up Rupert. Thankfully it was mostly just some rats, though the bruise on my arm suggests that maybe I shouldn’t say ‘just’ so casually.

Part of my training is familiarizing myself with all the common variants of NMCs, rats being at the top of that list, as some of my previous notes will show. I made the suggestion to amend the record on the rodents after today though: “Larger than average” is not an accurate enough description for them. [...] Anyway Twilight had theorized that a rat must have eaten some dried up NMC goo left behind from the incident that changed my life and just grew from there. That was before she learned about the Stranger however.

We’re not entirely sure how it got down there. We partly suspected it may have been missed during the first incident but how it hadn’t starved to death or attacked anyone before we showed up conflicts with that idea. It could have been eating the rats but there would of had to have been a lot of them down there to sustain it’s perpetually hungry nature, even with how starved it was. Far more rats than a school would have tolerated. It also doesn’t explain why it never attacked any of the janitors.

Well however it got down there, it’s dead now, along with nine rats. [...] I suppose I should feel bad about that but from all I learned, putting these things down is more a mercy than anything else. Sucks it happened but we can’t turn back time. I admit it’s a bit callous, but it’s better to end things before more people can get hurt.

I also got to meet ‘The OC’ today, though I still don’t know what that stands for. While they were gone during all my time awake until now, they actually weren’t at the Manhattan branch! No, they were somewhere called ‘Missouri’ on an investigation. Canterlot might be a current hot bed for Neo-Mitochondria activity, but NMCs are apparently all around the country. They are thankfully found in far fewer numbers outside the three big hot zones, where we now have a branch in each.

Rupert said even after I properly start field work, that I still won’t be leaving the state much. Not for a long while at least. The abroad hunters are already pretty set for the moment, the OC among them. The FBI also handles a lot of the smaller cases. It makes sense, considering it was their responsibility in the first place and where MIST started. Current MIST is the creme de la creme through, the specialists, the Elites,[...] Exceptional as it were. We’re also who they look for to help train their own NM teams.

I’ll give some more details about the specifics of the assignment in my next entry, but for now I have some reloading drills to rest up for. [“yay....”]

Day 28

Apologies to my future self for the quality of the handwriting. Though I doubt I’ll forget just how much my wrists hurt after an entire day of reloading drills anytime soon. Still, I wanted to get this out before the specifics of the event start to blur anymore than they already have.

[A more detailed report of the events of and surrounding Sunset’s first assignment fill the rest of the entry]

Will write more on my next day off.

[“Fluttershy? Do we have any more ice packs?”]

Day 32

I have two days in a row off for the first time since I was recovering! I actually get a weekend! So, while I intend to enjoy it, I did figure this would be a good opportunity to finally give a proper assessment of what I’ve learned about my new co-workers. So, here we go.

• Rupert Broderick: Director of MIST, veteran Hunter, and my new boss.

Rupert seems well respected by virtually all of MIST, even among the other branches. Everyone at the Canterlot branch is also quite fond of him on a more personal level as well. I can understand the first quite easily; He’s an exceptional hunter and a competent leader. He takes care of those working below him yet still manages to maintain authority. He’s not put above them by simple fact he has more responsibility, but because he’s the best for the job. It reminds me of something Gilbert once taught me about the difference between a leader and a boss- Rupert certainly falls into the former.

The personal fondness part is what alludes me though. I don’t mean to suggest he’s a bad person, but he is a very gruff and exceedingly private individual. I may not put much stock into the concept of friendship but I’m sure I can still recognize the symptoms. But Rupert doesn’t hang out or laugh with the others, make jokes or point fun. Heck, he barely ever smiles. He maintains a respectable distance, as any proper leader in his position should. Yet everyone treats him like a big teddy bear whenever things don’t need to be professional. [...] I don’t get it.

• Dr. Cadenza Amore(-Armor): MIST counselor and mental health advisor.

I try not to let my previous relationship with Dr. Amore's counterpart cloud my opinion of her. I would judge that the effort has not been in vain. Cadence seems to be quite competent in her field, though I admittedly am not terribly knowledgeable with it. Before coming here I had never been to therapy before (Not officially at least. Celestia seemed to be trying to counsel me herself at times, particularly when I first became her pupil after my-) [the rough scratching of the pen sounds as Sunset shakes her head "Not relevant Shimmer"], and I still don’t require it. I do know the importance of a stable emotional state from my magical studies however, so I don’t dismiss her importance within MIST.

As mentioned in previous entries, she is older than her Equestrian double. She’s fairly mature but still seems to have a sense of playfulness I might compare to Celestia’s; she even asked if she could ‘play too’ when Twilight was helping me get a grip on my new extrasensory abilities. She’s married to our primary liaison to the FBI, which I would have assumed to cause a conflict of interests but I’m certainly not going to cause a fuss over it. I’m simply glad she has a much healthier respect for boundaries than the ‘princess of love’ does. While I don’t expect to require her services much, I believe we’ll work fine together.

• Dr. Twilight Sparkle: MIST’s Head Researcher, Doctor, Scientist, Biologist, some other ‘ist’s and apparently one of MIST’s Primary Financial Benefactors.

Twilight is a genius, no two ways about it. She’s a literal prodigy that achieved her first doctorate before she was out of her teens. As much as it stings my ego to say, it’s more than possible that she’s smarter than I am. [...] In the scholarly sense that is. For her all her expansive knowledge and technical expertise, she’s rather socially incompetent with anyone she hasn’t grown used to. She’s also rather excitable and easily distracted when not single mindedly chasing her latest theorem; then she has the opposite problem.

Still, I find her rather enjoyable to talk to. She’s actually able to keep up with me intellectually, even challenge me. Other than when she delves into the specific machinations of her specialties to the point I have no reference for, our conversations and occasional debates can be quite stimulating.

She’s also very fun to tease and has a positively adorable pout.

I also just learned she’s rather wealthy. It would appear she’s the inventor of at least a few very lucrative patents, and personally to thank for more than half of MIST’s non-government funding. Pretty much everything in her lab, as well as the station’s refit into its current state, came basically out of pocket from her. I feel it’s safe to say she’s in this for the long haul. Either that or she’s just that rich enough to not really care.

[“And here I thought I’d be the envy of the office when I got my gold back- oh yeah!”]

-Side note (So I don’t forget later): My stuff, including my gold, was cleared to be returned. Shining’s looking into having most of the amount converted into usable currency at a decent rate for me. (I did decide to keep a couple bits. I admit it’s for mostly sentimental reasons but, considering gold’s value here, it may prove useful incase this all goes wrong somehow.)

[“Maybe I can just sell it all to Twilight… probably not…”]

• Agent Shining Armor[-Sparkle]: FBI liaison to MIST.

After MIST separated from this country’s Federal Bureau of Investigation, they were then almost immediately contracted by the organization to help prevent them from making the details of Neo-Mitochondria public. Considering that fact, I suspect there may have been more coercion involved than simple funding. Still, if Agent Armor is any example, then they can’t be all that bad.

To be frank, I’m actually not entirely sure what Shining’s exact duties are, and that seems to be the way he likes it. He said the less I know, the better off I would be. Interestingly, Bonnie told me essentially the same thing when the topic came up. Still, he seems earnestly on our side of things, even looking the other way on many minor things his superiors might disagree with. The fact he’s Twilight’s brother and's Cadence's husband undoubtedly plays a part in that but I do get the feeling he understands that getting things done isn’t always the same as following the rules. I can respect that. It certainly makes our jobs easier and, I suspect, his as well.

• Jacquelyn Nicole Apple: Hunter.

Applejack is [...] I hesitate to say Applejack is simple. Doing so would suggest that she’s unintelligent. While many may take her cowgirl demeanor and accent as a sign as such, there’s a deeper understanding one can see as they observe her at work. She’s extremely competent at what she does and has a sharp intuition. Perhaps it would be better to say that she’s simply not an intellectual, and has no desire to be.

[...]

Uncomplicated might be the best way to describe her actually. Direct, honest and with a bullish stubbornness that runs in the family as I understand it. I suspect she would be a terrible liar, but I’ve not actually seen her try to lie yet. Beyond that however, I reserve the rest of her assessment until later, as I’ll soon be standing in as her support until her regular partner returns from Manhattan.

• Rainbow Professionalism (Yes, seriously) Dash: MIST Mechanic, Reserve Hunter, and Primary pilot if MIST ever gets its own helicopter.

Dash isn’t terribly complicated either. She wears her emotions on her sleeve and rarely fails to not say what one can’t find there. She’s brash and mischievous but I’ve yet to see in any malicious sort of way. She actually reminds me a little of Gilbert’s jovial manner, though not nearly as finely tempered from age. She’s also very observant; though again not an intellectual, and even less inclined to be one than Applejack. I suspect she doesn’t do well without some kind of stimulus. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen her not engaged with something to occupy her attention outside of when she’s sleeping.

She’s considerate but also rash, not always thinking before she speaks or acts. She is also easily the most crass of everyone I’ve met in this world so far, though honestly I find that refreshing. Everyone back in the other Canterlot were far too stuffy and prudish for my liking.

• Fluttershy Breeze: Head Medic and Nurse of MIST’s Canterlot branch.

Meek is the first word I think of to describe Fluttershy. Then quiet, caring, warm and trusting. In other words: she’s the type that’s easily exploitable. Eager to please but adverse to any praise from it. She neither demands nor desires attention. Honestly, I’m not sure how she and Dash are so close. Clearly growing up together is a large factor, but they have practically opposite personalities. I could understand if a kind of codependent support structure was at play but that codependency isn’t present; they just legitimately enjoy spending time with each other despite their radically different interests and mannerisms. I’ve of course heard the expression that opposites attract but this is the first real example I’ve come across. It’s a bit bewildering.

• Bonavire Drops and Lyra Heartstrings: MIST field hunters, specialising in investigation, often assigned out of state.

I’ve only had a few days interaction with “The Odd Couple”, so my full assessment is still pending. While their personalities seem fairly obvious upon first impressions, Ms. Drops has surprised me with her candidness more than once, so I hesitate to make too many more assumptions. I can say that she is exceptionally competent and appears to value at least an outward appearance of professionalism a great deal; in herself at least. Once again her partner (in both of the most common uses of the word) is a stark contrast; loud, brash and almost sloppy in her casualness. Even Bonnie herself has admitted the stark difference between them. Again, a bit bewildering.

• Pinkamena Diane Pie: Assistant Armory Attendant and Rangemaster.

[...]

Pinkie is [...]

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[...]

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[...........................................................................................] difficult to assess.

[Sunset unconsciously rolls her neck and shoulders, trying not to think too hard about the aftermath of her few attempts to observe the method behind some of Pinkie’s more... unique talents.]

Overall, there seems to be a strong sense of camaraderie within MIST. It would be very difficult to break those connections to weaken the whole. The relationship between Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash in particular is essentially unassailable. At one point it may have been possible for an outsider to cause a rift between them but they’ve grown past the point of such insecurities. To gain the ire of one would gain it from the other as a simple matter of fact.

However, that same rationale also works in reverse: Gaining the trust of one gains you the trust of both. A trait that should follow for the rest of MIST to a degree as well. I hadn’t considered the divide and conquer path viable for MIST anyway: the stronger they become, the more they can teach me after all. Whereas their bonds would only cause them to close ranks to even an attack from within (As that very thing has already happened so it’s something they’re quite vigilant about), anyone that actually manages to truly earn their confidence enjoys the support of the whole.

And if there’s anything I know for sure, it’s confidence.

Day 33

I received my first real paycheck today, so Dash took me to set up a bank account and do some shopping. I can’t afford a motor vehicle yet and even after getting my gold converted I was told I shouldn’t jump into a purchase. Rainbow said she would start ‘putting out some feelers’ for something that would be good for me at a decent price. While I would normally be wary of trusting such a large purchase to someone with such a reckless nature, I will defer to her judgement as MIST's mechanic.

I did purchase a bicycle though, so I am not completely bereft of personal transportation anymore. I will still probably be riding with the others for a while but I can get around on my own now. Thankfully human bicycles aren’t too terribly different to Equestrian designs and riding was fairly easy to pick back up. It’s also fortunate in that most everywhere I would need to go is within biking distance.

In fact, I just returned from picking up an order Fluttershy had placed at the butcher. I’m still a little surprised the animal lover isn’t a vegetarian, but I suppose her NMH diet would make meat a much simpler, not to mention affordable, option for her necessary proteins. (Good Vegan food is expensive!) The butcher is strictly cruelty-free though, and owned by one of Applejack’s cousins so we can trust that. Dash warned me to be mindful of just what I eat and where it comes from when meat is involved. I did manage to push the subject with Fluttershy slightly: it seems she tries to comfort herself with the fact carnivores are a thing and humans are no exception to it. She did sigh pretty heavily when she said it though. [...]

I personally have adjusted to eating meat better than I thought. I remember having it as a pony on the few occasions Gryphon dignitaries hosted the princess: I certainly hadn’t enjoyed it at the time. Neither did my digestion. It did introduce the concept of sapient carnivores to me at a young age though, so perhaps that’s why I lack any significant moral objection to the basic concept now. The fact our butcher being cruelty-free is considered an exception did give me pause, but Fluttershy told me not to follow that thought to the end if I didn’t want to cry. So far I’ve followed her advice; I’ve already got enough to research.

But yes, I don’t mind the taste anymore. I’ve even developed a particular fondness for hamburgers. It’s a good thing my new condition comes with a high metabolism, considering.

I also purchased a phone. It’s not activated yet; the salesman tried exceptionally hard to get me to sign up but MIST has its own company plan I fully intend to take advantage of. It was far from the most expensive model but will do most of the things I’ve seen from the others: More than a simple communication device, it can also access the internet and take pictures, among a dizzying number of other features. It’ll be interesting discovering them all.

More importantly, I won’t be forced to rely on everyone to deliver my messages second hand anymore. It’s probably still going to happen but hopefully not as much. I’ll have to be careful not to abuse it though: I still remember going overboard after Celestia first taught me how to send her notes with magic. I got quite the talking to that night. The last thing I want is to annoy Rupert just as I’m starting to earn his confidence.

I just made the pleasant discovery that I got an email. Two in fact.

I only set up the account at Rupert’s direction, so that I would be able to receive memos and the like. Everyone I know in this world so far works in the same building, and a third of them live in the same house as me. It would appear more people know me though.

The first letter was from Aya herself. It had gotten back to her that I was inclined towards the fire branch of mitochondrial abilities so she took the time to write me a brief bit of advice pertaining to its use. As well as precautions I should take while learning how to control it. I’ll share the information a little later, after having a better opportunity to put said advice to the test.

The second letter came from an NMH at the Manhattan branch, a hunter named Pyrrha. She’s taken on the challenge of developing her pyrokinesis despite not being naturally inclined to it. She suggested that a correspondence to share what we learn during our own attempts could be beneficial to us both. She also offered to share her experience with the 'Earth' branch and Neo-Mitochondria in general as well: She’s been a hunter for a year and a half herself and claims to be quite adept with manipulating magnetism.

I’ve decided to take her up on the offer and, while I’m sure she’s already learned it from Aya in person, sent a copy of the veteran hunter’s advice as a gesture. While she herself admitted my progress will most likely be more rapid than her own, I agree there could still be something to gain in the exchange. The head start on earth aligned abilities will be nice if nothing else.

That’s it for now. I’m back to training tomorrow, as well as my attempts to convince them I really am fine with what’s happened to me. I doubt they’ll listen and still make me have full appointments with Cadence everyday but whatever I guess.

Will write more when I have something worth commenting on.

Author's Note

For anyone that caught the inspiration for Sunny’s new pen-pal and grew worried, don’t: it’s not actually her: she’s just an homage. This is still just a two property crossover. I’m not even planning on her being a major character; just a contact for Sunset to have outside of the main group. Which is, yknow, a healthy thing to have. Plus I just like the character and was sad when she died so yeah, an homage.

Also for anyone that noticed, yes; I am planning on having these log chapters released together with a story chapter when I can. I realize they’re shorter and not everything is plot relevant so I’m trying to do that. So far they’ve proved to be a little easier to write too. That being said though, I can’t promise it will always be the case. I may write one to buy time to finish another story chapter after all. You’ve probably deduced they won’t be coming after every story chapter either. I think they might be a little too much if that were the case.

But with that said, as always: Thanks for reading and I hope to see you for the next chapter. Have a good one!