Author's Note

I usually try to let the writing speak for itself, but I feel compelled to say that this chapter was rough to get in a place that I'm all that happy with.
I hope it works, because I suffer from an issue where, if I spend too long adjusting, correcting and modifying a piece of writing, I begin to lose sight on how to really stop tweaking it, and eventually it becomes a mess that I can't really discern the good from the bad.
I hope it's enjoyable and doesn't break the narrative, though. If it does, and in a drastic way, I might end up taking it down and trying what would end up being probably the fifteenth rewrite.
So... enjoy. Hopefully.

Chapter 22: Volatile

Your work today is crucial, so everything needs to be working as best as it can. This also ties into hiding your contraband after Adagio's now pulled out of her ability to help, so both her and Aria's stones have to come out of your emitter. You stow them high on a bookshelf, out of sight. You then put the device back together, strap it around your neck and shoulder and leave your room to find Twilight.

You're guided out of the palace by a few of the guards, and even see the same ponies that intruded in your room waiting in one of the hallways, all huddled around the towering Adagio. They wave as you pass, the most enthusiastic being the still oddly chipper Adagio. You stop briefly to pay the courtesy back and notice they're now joined with two others who you know must be Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy.

Being similar to your world's versions, you can already hazard a guess that the blue coated, rainbow mane and tailed Dash is a lively, sporty show-off, while the pink maned and yellow bodied Fluttershy lives up to her name by being the quiet, shrinking violet type with an affinity for animals.

Irrelevant for now, but it's good to keep them in mind since they're going to be keeping an eye on your Addy.

You finish the long walk through the busy halls, with many so-called 'fancy folk' on the prowl, including other ponies with clothes (which makes you jealous), cat-bird hybrids (griffons), a pair of dragons, one with blue and one with orange scales, and other weird and wonderful things you can't even begin to identify, and reach the outdoors.

It's just as beautiful and vibrant as you saw from the window, barely diminished by being on the ground. The palace towers above and behind you, to beautiful blue skies that are staggeringly clear. Canterlot City's hardly a densely populated place, but it still has a degree of smog that gives a faint haze at all hours. Here? You can't wait to get a good look at the stars without all that light and actual pollution.

Speaking of stars, you see Twilight, who has a six pointed purple one surrounded by surrounded by smaller specks as a cutie mark, and she waves you over. “We'll take the scenic route, so I can show you around the city a bit before you get to work.”

She's being pretty cordial for someone who's apparently been told you and Adagio are up to something. You smirk. “And here I was expecting to just be shepherded straight to and from the place like a prisoner, or interrogated and searched.”

Twilight just smiles at you. “Why? Are you carrying something you shouldn't, and if you are, would you admit it?”

You don't answer. This feels like a trap.

“Anyway, you're just being dramatic,” Twilight giggles, “you're not prisoners. We're just being careful, that's all. The summit is important, as the many races of this land are all debating various, incredibly boring issues which I unfortunately have to be party to, and some of the dignitaries are easily offended, so that's why we don't want you wandering too far without escort. If all goes well, I'd like to hope you'll spend more time here, and by then, things should be a lot more relaxed.”

“I won't lie,” you say as you head through the city streets, “that's kind of what I've wanted ever since discovering magic and that this place was the origin, and it's only becoming more and more attractive a prospect the longer I spend here... well, besides Adagio feeling odd.”

Twilight nods. “There were all sorts of unknowns with a former siren returning as a pony, doubly so since she's technically been away from here for hundreds of years. I would ask her if she wants to be examined, but I suspect you'd rebuke my offer. Still, if you do want our help, you're welcome to it.”

Best to at least offer a platitude. “I'll consider it, but we have work to do.”

“Well, it's still some way before we reach the workshop. We have time to chat, and I understand you're quite the scientist! I'd love to hear your take on Equestrian magic. Each of the type of pony responds to it in a particular way. If I recall correctly, you've already seen that even us ponies differ considerably, and not just in appearance. I'm curious to hear your opinions. Consider it a test.”

“A test, huh?” You grin. “I have a list of theories.”

“You just can't beat a good list,” Twilight sighs, as if thinking of a lover. “Okay. Earth ponies.”

“Considering their greater than average strength, toughness and affinity with agriculture, I suppose earth ponies contain their magic inside themselves to some extent, and their longer time spent tending crops means there's some degree of transfer.”

Twilight grins. “Go on.”

“I assume unicorns are as straight forward as drawing and projecting magic with their horns. Not dissimilar to how I've harnessed magic; a sensitive antennae that can draw magic from without and within and channel it into other purposes. I assume it's possibly tied to the nervous system in some way as well.”

Her smile widens. “And?”

“I have the least experience with pegasi and I'm no expert on aerodynamics, but it seems to me that their flight shouldn't be possible on such small wings, and they manipulate clouds, correct? So I suppose their magic extends to their immediate vicinity, empowering the air in some form to grant more lift and solidifies vapour when it's pressed against them. Basically, the magic emits from them in a sort of induction loop-style field. Uh... sorry, I should explain-”

“I know what an induction loop is. That's a surprisingly apt simile. Very impressive, Radian, those are close enough to how most scholars depict arcane flow with ponies. Of course, absolute answers are fleeting. I'd like to see you attempt to explain something Pinkie Pie and her sisters can do sometimes. It borders on precognition, yet it's not something they can either do consistently, nor willingly. It just happens.”

“I'll take your word for that, but... wait,” you scoff, “how do you know what an induction loop is? I know you've been to my world, but to understand the mechanics behind wireless power seems a little far-fetched”

Twilight hops up and down a little, her wings fluttering. “Oh, Sunset and my human counterpart send me books from your world on occasion. Science journals, novels, all sorts of things!” She takes a deep breath. “It's fascinating to see how a world without naturally occurring magic substantially diverges from what should, theoretically and based on the principle that our worlds have shared dimensional borders for thousands of years, be a similar degree of scientific progress. Yet some aspects of life here are substantially behind yours, while comparable in others! Like how music and sound systems are surprisingly similar, yet we haven't created complicated computers, readily accessible internal combustion engines such as in automobiles and so many other modern conveniences that I'm sure you consider prosaic, but to us would be considered technological wonders!”

And your jaw goes slack.

Twilight continues, “speaking of technological wonders, I've been fascinated by that emitter of yours! Would you mind telling me about it?”

Okay, she's smart, but it's time to flex. You clear your throat, brandish your emitter and say, “it's a custom designed, hand constructed and personally programmed broad spectrum radiation transmission, emission and reception apparatus, with an on-board amplifying, converting and detection computer system. Of which it can replicate and broadcast such frequencies in a style not dissimilar in form, but in a fine-tuned repurposing of the orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing coding method commonly used to transfer data, but naturally used with biologically receptive energy transfer. The reception and redistribution of energy also has minimal yield loss, to whit I approximate it runs at 97.49% efficiency on average.”

Twilight's eyes go wide and her jaw just as slack as yours went, as she stares between the device and you.

“Well, with a variable of about 0.03%,” you say, smugly. “My own energy conversion algorithm. I earned my doctorate with it.”

“Ooh!” Twilight bounces on her hooves even quicker. “Impressive, and in such a small device!? The fact that you can collect and convert energy from all the many types of native flora and fauna from this world, piece it together through portals, both the manufactured, common-supernatural collection points and potentially even anomalous arcane-well format varieties, and repurpose the yield with such efficiency!? That's genius! There's so many ways that could go wrong! Or lose so much through interference that the exercise becomes pointless!”

Oh, she's practically singing to you with her understanding! “Right!? Nobody seems to care about how hard it is to work these details out! You can't just grab energy and throw it back! You need to 'scrub' it, project a carrier field and only then can you let it loose, so that it can travel without losing its potency or clarity! There're so many steps!”

People are staring as you both geek out. You both start rambling in theories, countering each other with your respective knowledges of magic and technology.

You can't deny it, as you continue walking along and lose track of time 'talking shop,' but Twilight Sparkle's hot. And not just because of your recently discovered fetish for tall, powerful mares... women... whatever. She gets you and what you say in a way that you've never felt before. Even Adagio's had to learn your craft, and has become interested over time, and mom was super supportive but you knew she just believed you, not necessarily understood you. Twilight just is, and you respect that tremendously.

Damn. If you were looking to deflect attention and distance yourself from Twilight, then you've failed. You keep stealing glances at her, and as the conversation winds down, you notice her staring at you as well. You've bonded, and in a big way.

“Oh, we should get a move on,” Twilight says. “And we might as well make a lesson out of it! How about we teach you to trot?”

“Sounds good,” you answer. You walk everywhere back in your world, but never understood the joy some get in hiking, jogging or whatever. In a whole new body, though? New variables for an old action? Absolutely. For science!

Twilight moves beside you, and she says, “it's fairly simple, going back to the number convention. Let's start with a walk.”

You walk beside each other

“And then move up to one and four, two and three, alternating!”

Any concerns of losing balance fly out of your head as you begin bouncing in the 'angled' gait, essentially hopping between the two pairs of hooves, and find yourself moving at a light jogging pace! Walking was interesting, but a trot's actually fun. You chuckle as you settle into a good rhythm. “Anyone ever tell you you're a good teacher?”

“I try my best,” she says. “I've also had a lot of help along the way. Between my mentor, Princess Celestia, and my friends, with their varied and considerable experiences, and all the other wonderful ponies that have humbled me in how my preconceptions should be tested and expectations shattered. Someone as clever as you must have had some peers, right?”

“Yeah, I guess.” You force a smile, but Twilight's expression turns concerned as she reads you, so you confess, “okay, not really. I learned most of what I know through books, hard work and old fashioned trial and error. Until recently, I worked solo.”

“You're well adjusted, all things considered, but you must have had some friends. I know there were some smart students back in Canterlot High School. Oh, what was his name? Micro Chips? What about him?”

That's an old name, and like most things tied to school, they aren't great memories. “We got on to begin with, same with the rest of the 'techies,' but that just made us a bigger target from Sunset. Then she realised I was the weak link of the group since I'd respond the most to her crap. Even when she wasn't around, I just carried my anger and resentment more openly and lashed out over stupid stuff. Eventually, I just stopped hanging out with them and skipped school a lot when it got too much.”

“You must have had somepony to confide in, right? Even the brightest of us has to learn from others from time to time. In fact, the greater the individual, the more they must learn to appreciate others. I wouldn't be where I am today without my friends.” Twilight frustratingly pulls off that three-legged walk as she gestures forward with a foreleg, as she says, “the strongest of us must lean the heaviest, lest they fall the hardest. I believe there's a human expression in the same vein... ah, yes, 'no man is an island,' I think?”

You think on her words for a moment. “I have Adagio now, and her sisters, but before that I only had my mom, I guess. She always supported in me. She believed in me when I said I could harness magic. Even I would have thought myself insane if she didn't so flatly say believed me. That I should pursue it to the very ends of my abilities. I always regret never finishing and perfecting even my first device before she passed away, to prove that her faith wasn't wasted. She inspired me and was my source of strength, despite being frail.”

Twilight's ears flatten back and she looks torn up. “I'm so sorry to hear that, Radian. It's easy to forget how terrible Sunset once was. I know she did some horrible things to many people, but she's since tried to made amends and grew to be accepted by most. She told me you avoided her for the rest of your time in Canterlot High when she tried to apologise.”

You grimace and stop trotting as the anger boils over. “I don't want her apology! She cost me my mom. If she hadn't ruined my science fair project, maybe my parents wouldn't have split and put her under strain! Maybe she would still be alive!”

She's silent as she turns to face you, just the same sorrowful expression. You expect a rebuttal. It never comes.

“I'm guessing she's already told you about that?” you say to break the silence.

“Yes, she told me what she had done.” Twilight sits down and takes a deep breath. “I won't insult you by pretending to understand how that feels. But I do understand that, coming from a background with so few individuals on whom you could rely, the fact you have achieved happiness with Adagio, Sonata and Aria is phenomenal. I'm glad you've found your place.”

“And? No preaching about forgiving Sunset?”

“She's a close friend of mine, so normally I'd feel obligated to ask on her behalf, although I know she has already tried to assist you in her own way and has apologised. However, we have more pressing issues to discuss.”

That... was unexpected. “Wait, really? Like what?”

Twilight says, “as a peer of the sciences, and since we are on the way to what is ostensibly a laboratory, I feel I should prepare and educate you.”

“I think I'm adequately prepared. I know a fair bit about the stones, and magic, what else do I need to know?”

Twilight smirks, “very well, then I'll test you; what artefact is known to cause a drastic increase of magical power in the wielder, cannot be removed once applied and induces a negative affectation on the mental acuity of the bearer?”

Is this a joke? “A siren stone. Sunset's already given me that speech, so yes, very funny, although there is no evidence of the stone having such an effect on the sirens themselves, when it could just have been an environmental factor, and I'd question the stone being 'wielded' or-”

“Incorrect,” she interjects. “I was describing the alicorn amulet. I respect your knowledge of magic as an outsider of this world a great deal, Radian, but we're going to a facility that deals in all sorts of unusual and abnormal items. How they work, both on the individual using it and those around them, is an important lesson of its own. I'd like to cite two examples.”

You chuckle. “Okay, that I can get behind. It reminds me of the health and safety tour back in the tech firm I worked for. Okay, lay it on me.”

“Well, the alicorn amulet was a curious case. A friend of mine named Trixie wielded it.”

You chuckle. “What, no titles? Great and Powerful or whatever? I'm a little disappointed.”

“She's at an interesting middle-ground where she's becoming a legitimately skilled magic wielder in her own right, and has lost enough of her ego to become personable without ever quite losing her quirks. She has more titles than I have, that's for sure.” Twilight giggles. “She's a good pony though, and I like her a lot these days, it's just a shame our first encounter was so messy. She bought the alicorn amulet in retaliation to being shamed and kicked out of Ponyville to get revenge on me. It amplified her powers, but made her paranoid, helplessly vain and extremely egotistical.”

Twilight stops and taps her chin with her hoof. “Scratch that, those last two are just kind of her thing, albeit amplified. Again, she's never been a bad pony. Just a braggart and a bit self-centred. The paranoia was definitely new.” She continues trotting. “Anyway, the artefact made her crave ever greater power, and thanks to her addled mind, I was able to trick her into removing the amulet by tempting her with a fake by using slight-of-hoof with the help of my friends.”

“Okay, so don't put on artefacts without due cause, and be wary of those that can afflict the mind.” You give her a sideways glance. “Also you're sneakier than you let on.”

“Guilty as charged,” Twilight titters. “Now, the second example is a little closer to home. I don't suppose you remember something called the memory stone?”

“I'm not trying to be cute, but no, I don't remember something called a memory stone.”

Twilight grins. “That's not surprising. What about Wallflower Blush?”

“I think so? I can't put the name to a face, though.”

“Also not surprising,” she says and nods. “Sunset did say you weren't always at school. Wallflower Blush found one of many roaming magical artefacts in the human world, since ponies of the past often removed especially dangerous ones foolishly in an 'out of sight, out of mind' way by using portals to this world before we truly understood the ramifications. The memory stone was one such case, and Wallflower used it to great effect in more or less becoming 'invisible'. She could do as she pleased, and use the stone to erase the memory of anyone who saw her. She also grew to dislike Sunset as she became popular with the rest of the students at CHS, yet would never remember her.”

“A shame we didn't meet,” you say with a huff. “A kindred spirit, although my problem was Sunset would always zero in instead of ignore me.”

“Hmm.” She analyses you for a moment, then continues, “well, her resentment at being ignored grew so great that she eventually made everyone forget Sunset's reformation. It worked, as even her closest friends still thought of her as the bully she used to be and refused to believe her attempts at apologising again. The way everyone treated Sunset, with fear and hatred, even made her revert to her old ways, becoming abusive and forceful once more. It was around this time she befriended another outcast of sorts in the form of your world's Trixie. They bonded; Sunset being hated, and Trixie generally being seen as self-centred, but they learned to like one another. So a small lesson you can learn here is that there's good in many people where there's common ground, but I digress.”

You squint at Twilight and wonder how much of this is about an artefact, and how much this is about Sunset.

“Sunset tried to steal the stone back from Wallflower, lashing out with anger in response to being genuinely wronged by her, but Wallflower fought back with the memory stone. It was only when Sunset thought ahead to leave notes for herself to remind her of what was going on that she caught on, but also finally realised that it isn't enough to just notice and acknowledge someone else, but one has to reach out with kindness. Something I believe you know something about with Adagio. You could have just used her knowledge of magic and moved on, but you stayed and helped her. It's admirable.”

You sneer. “Since this is just a long winded tirade about my relationship with Sunset, just get it over with.”

“I shall,” Twilight says, undeterred. “So, Sunset attempted to apologise to Wallflower, but her grudge was too deeply rooted. However, Sunset's friends overheard that the memory erasure was true. In desperation, Wallflower tried to erase all their memories of high school as a whole out of spite against Sunset.”

“I'm guessing something stopped Wallflower?”

Twilight nods. “Sunset threw herself in the way. It stripped her of all her memories as a human. I can't even imagine how terrified she must have been, reverted to a pony in mind with no experience in a strange world and an unfamiliar body.”

Sunset's one thing, but hurting anyone like that sounds especially harsh... that would be devastating. Possibly even dangerous and traumatic. You can't help but remember what Adagio said about appearing in the human world, bereft of any of their memories. What you said about the environmental factor of the sirens hating humans because of how different they are also comes to mind.

Twilight continues, “but seeing Sunset's sacrifice awoke the deep connection her friends one another. Their combined magic destroyed the memory stone and, thankfully, released all their memories. Wallflower and Sunset apologised and reconciled, and that whole affair had a happy ending. Any insights from this story?”

You flinch but don't answer. Your emotional side is digging in its heels, but you can't help but see the nobility in what Sunset did. An entirely self-sacrificial action. Not to mention the flaws she showed as well, by reverting back to old habits when they did her no favours. Her nature laid bare and it's not pleasant. It's a volatile feeling, but one you can't ignore as it humanises your nemesis.

It's also not unlike Adagio, when she abandoned you to her sisters; just an abuser of people. And how by fighting against it, even dragging Aria along with her now, Adagio has proven how much better she can be. Fighting against their natures by trying to be better. Shit even you have done this. The introverted geek actually going and taking risks in fighting those old ways, making your life immeasurably better.

You say, “fine, I get it, Sunset has good qualities. She was still the catalyst in my mom passing away.”

“She was. Once. And she was an unwitting catalyst amongst many tragic circumstances. That fact anchors her back to her old self and stops her growing, as evidenced by how she disappointingly forced her powers on Adagio out of fear and paranoia. Just as I see you revert from an enthusiastic, good hearted and brilliant scientist to someone with a closed mind because of a grudge, which are dangerous things. They pin us, and others, to places from which we can never escape from unless we learn to move on and consider the facts for what they are, as well as the other side of things. They even wall in avenues through which we can grow.”

You bite your tongue. Your mind is split and you freeze up.

“Forgiveness isn't necessary, for I could say the same about Adagio and her sisters for trying to bend the world to their will and dismiss their needs, but the worst thing you can do is not at least explore the possibility of there being something more in others, if viewed with an open, empiric mind. Just as Adagio has explored her boundaries, I have decided to give her the chance to explore farther still, which is why we're here, helping your new family. I hope you can too, some day, because your potential is a marvel to witness.”

Twilight walks on without another word.

You want to yell at her. You want to say to not boil down your life experience into such simple terms, but... you have no argument to throw at her. She's technically correct. Why can't you drop the grudge? What does it achieve besides cloud your ability to just live your best life? Cause you irrational rage for something that can never be taken back? It's even caused Adagio trouble, when she wanted to enact her plan, and you couldn't even pretend to be friendly.

Your scientific side once more challenges your emotions, but this particular emotion has been with you for so long, you don't know how to break it down, to study the components of your grudge, to find a way through. Yes, Sunset wasn't the only factor. Yes, she didn't know about your home situation. She was a little, small minded bully who found a reactive victim. You still hate her.

It isn't about forgiveness, Twilight says, but can you ever treat Sunset analytically? Start from a blank slate, and if you still can't reach middle ground, at least say you've tried?

As you trot to follow and catch up, you aren't sure.

* * *