The equine looks down and sees the man. For some time, she has been studying him, observing his movements among the hellish terrain of this world. She lets out a low sigh and bows her head, considering whether she should approach or not. This hellish terrain’s guardian, a bespectacled bovine, returns her glance, eyebrow raised over the left lens.
She descends towards the hellish terrain.
The last thing the man remembered seeing before this hellish terrain was a dark palm clasped over his eyes. Alchemical energy surged through his mind, splitting his brain apart from the insane as the lingering strains of life left him. But how could he be cut off now when he reached the threshold of newfound knowledge?
The man climbs up the rock formation ahead of him, silently cursing himself for not being in all that great of shape.
“I only did it for knowledge! Surely, that was enough! You would have done the same! You all would have! How could you not when you’re at the threshold of an incredible alchemical discovery?!”
One damned soul dragged his legs down, slashing into his shin. The man kept one hand to maintain his glasses over his eyes. Not that there was much to see anyway, except the red sky raining down in a Biblical torrent of blood. Like a child’s blood staining his glasses. His feet suddenly felt very warm.
“I did it for knowledge! Surely there has to be someone who understands me!” the man yells to the red sky once more.
The damned souls around him don’t respond, aside from a few growls and swears. The man knelt to clean the blood from his shin wound. His head was still ringing from the shot of alchemical energy that had surged through his brain and sent him to this place. He clasped the sides of his face, trying to soothe the headache.
Something broke the red sky.
The man looked up, wiping the blood smears on his glasses to get a better view. Something as gold as the sun pierced through the red.
“I understand.”
The man tensed at the godly voice as the other damned souls around him shuffled away. A face emerged from the golden light blossom. But not human, what? A horse?
“I understand your plight. I can help you. I can offer you a second chance.”
The man wiped his glasses again, noting how the brilliant radiance of the goddess horse managed to retain the golden color even through filtered red. “Second chance?”
“Second chance?! I want a second chance!” another damned soul yells.
“Me too! I want a second chance! Gimme!”
The man kicked away two damned souls reaching at his legs. Not long, a golden aura forms around him, encasing his body in a protective shield when the damned souls threw themselves. The shin wound sealed up and the blood dissolved into a fine red mist that shattered with a thick copper smell. The man coughed as the aches and pains left his head.
“I can offer you a second chance.”
The man covered his eyes as he passes through the red sky and is pulled into some bizarre open space. Torrents of damned souls coursed and raged below, flashing abyss-mouthed screams like a Philosopher’s Stone’s flow. He fell to his knees in the gold energy orb, gazing at the disappearing hellish terrain below.
“So, you are human.”
The man looked up, finding himself in the presence of a bizarre giant horse with a teal and pink mane and a horn protruding above purple-pink eyes. He leaned to the wall of the orb, his hands and face pressed against the energy field. Such a magnificent creature. Was she some kind of alchemical force? What kind of alchemist managed to create such a being?
“I have observed these souls and I feel a great pity for all of you,” the magnificent creature tells him. “I particularly hear your cries, of how you sought to pursue knowledge. I do understand your desire.”
“You do?” the man asks.
The magnificent creature pulls back a bit as another figure manifests above. This time, it takes on a bovine shape, oddly with glasses like his own. It shakes its arms angrily.
“Do you realize what you’re doing?!” the bovine calls out, approaching the magnificent horse. “Do you know what that monster has done?!”
The bespectacled bovine leans towards the majestic horse and whispers something to her. The man shakes his head. This had to be some terrible hallucination. Just some hallucination.
“So…that is your crime…” the horse bows her head.
The golden orb shrunk a bit, causing the man to fall back onto his ass. He threw out his hands in front of him to keep the energy field walls from compressing. “Crime?! I never committed any crime! I only did what had to be done!”
The walls of the energy field shrunk further, tightening around the man.
“What you did was reprehensible,” the horse snarled. “I should cast you back into the hellish pit and let you burn. But I have observed you and, even with your actions, I have felt a great pity.”
The golden orb grows a little, allowing the man to lower his hands. He faces her, fearing what she might do next.
“I am willing to give you a second chance. I can give you a new start in my world.”
“But what good would I do in your world?” the man questions. “I’m an alchemist! I can’t be shoveling hay and shitting in stalls!”
The golden orb shrinks, throwing his head back.
“My world may be different from yours but we are not beasts. We have our own magic, and if you truly wish to learn, I can help you. If you accept this second chance I am offering.”
The man takes off his glasses for a moment and rubs his eyes.
“But!” the horse comes right at the golden orb, her eyes directed toward the man’s. “If you should cross me and attempt to recreate your crime, I will end you.”
“Is that so?” the man calmly places his glasses back before his eyes. Returning her gaze, he smiles. “Very well then, I accept your offer.”
A flash of light cracks in his field of vision. The man covers his eyes and gets a good, clear view of his fingers melding together into a single hoof.
“What is this?” the man panics, eyes widening at the sight of his hands becoming hooves and back bending forward. His forehead stings as a bump develops, splitting out of his temple in a small horn.
Becoming a chimera of sorts. What irony.
Twilight Sparkle looks over the estate ahead of her with a sense of awe, recalling how it seemed to have been built within a day or so. Spike travels by her side and lets out a low whistle.
“Man, this Bucker guy must be rich or something to have a house that big.”
The purple unicorn nods. “The Princess’ letter mentioned that Show Bucker is a researcher of The Canterlot Institute. I think I might have read an article by him once. Perhaps the one on biology and fusion.”
“Thrilling. So why would he have it built near the Everfree Forest?”
“I’m not sure. I think he’s a biologist of some sort,” Twilight answers, glancing over the letter from the Princess once more. I request that you make him feel welcome in Ponyville. Show Bucker has been on the verge of working through new magic. “Well, I guess it can’t hurt to ask him when we get there.”
In the estate itself, Show Bucker readies for another day. Winedark energy collects around his glasses atop the nightstand as a cloth joins it in another aura’s hold. The same old morning routine goes on as he brushes back his light brown mane and his magic cleans the lenses. Finished, he places them atop the bridge of his snout and climbs out of bed.
His ears perk up with the knocks at the door.
Outside, Twilight knocks twice, wondering if she might have rudely awakened the occupant, even at Celestia’s request. Spike looks around for a second and then glances at his wrist. A yellow Pegasus walks up the steps behind them with a saddlebag over her back, humming a little tune.
“Maybe he’s not home,” Spike suggests.
“Spike, the Princess asked us to make him feel welcome in Ponyville,” Twilight says matter-of-factly. “And that’s just what we’re going to do. Besides, if he is a researcher of the Canterlot Institute, I have some questions I’d want to ask. I’m curious about his work.”
The little dragon shrugs. “If you say so, Twi.”
“I’m sure Mr. Bucker is home,” Fluttershy notes, stopping between them. “He’s usually just really busy with his research, so I come around to help him.” The yellow Pegasus walks inside, holding the door open for Twilight and Spike. The little dragon enters first.
The foyer shows signs of the unfinished mover with tables and packages of food still half-covered by white sheets. Some cardboard boxes stack up in towers, slit corners revealing various texts and composition journals. Two bookshelves bear more of these texts, including some Twilight recognizes from her studies like The Canterlot Scientist’s Handbook to Equestrian Fauna and Birds and Beasts of the Everfree Forest.
“I think Mr. Bucker is in the next room. He might have just waken up,” Fluttershy gestures. “Mr. Bucker?”
“I’ll be right down, Miss Shy. Please, come in,” a voice calls from within.
“You know him?” Twilight asks.
Her friend nods. “Yes, I met Mr. Bucker a couple days ago when he came to Ponyville asking for somepony’s help in animal care. I’ve just been taking care of his animals since then.”
Twilight raises an eyebrow. “Animals?”
Fluttershy ushers the two into the next room. Around them, medical charts showing the skeletal, circulatory, digestive, and muscular systems of various animals present themselves. Another chart showing a rabbit alongside a snake with tiny scribble notes between them. Graphite circles line the middle areas of the two animals and link themselves. The word CHIMERA? drifts in one corner.
“This place gives me the creeps,” Spike notes, yet not being able to take his eyes off the samples and charts. “It’s like something out of a mad scientist’s lair.”
“They’re simple biology charts, Spike. Mr. Bucker is a researcher,” Fluttershy answers as she collects a fallen chart and stacks it atop some more boxes.
“Still, I wouldn’t want to run into that at night,” Spike points a claw at a chart showing the dental structure and mandible of a manticore-like creature.
“You’ll have to excuse the mess. I still haven’t been able to clean everything since I arrived.”
Twilight and Spike look up towards the tan unicorn descending the staircase. His glasses briefly reflect with a soft glow before revealing his chestnut-colored eyes beneath. She gets a good look at his Cutie Mark showing a sewing needle lining a trio of sutures atop his flank.
“Mr. Bucker, correct?” Twilight puts on her welcome wagon smile. “My name is Twilight Sparkle.”
“Ah, so you are the Princess’ student,” Bucker bows his head. “Miss Shy has told me about you and your accomplishments. I must say, I’m quite impressed, especially with the accounts of how you managed to best the beasts Nightmare Moon and Discord.”
Twilight blushes a little, rubbing the back of her head with her front left hoof. “Well thanks. But I definitely couldn’t have accomplished either without my friends like Fluttershy here.”
Fluttershy replies with a supportive smile. “Still, don’t disregard yourself, Twilight. But yes, I’ve told Mr. Bucker about some of the things you’ve accomplished since you arrived in Ponyville. I hope you don’t mind.”
Spike glances around, as if expecting one of the medical charts to gain sentience and attack him. “So, uh, why do you have so many creepy animal charts around?”
“Spike,” Twilight scolds him.
“Oh it’s alright, Miss Sparkle,” Bucker answers. “My field of study is in biomagic, particularly focusing on animal subjects. I’m sure Miss Shy might have mentioned something about it earlier. That’s why I had my estate built outside the Everfree Forest.”
“Sounds very interesting,” Spike fiddles with his fingers.
Twilight rolls her eyes. “You’ll have to excuse Spike. But this biomagic work of yours does sound intriguing.”
Bucker nods and turns to Fluttershy who readies her saddlebag, revealing a feed scoop in one of the pockets. “Thank you again for tending to the chimeras, Miss Shy. I know they can be a hoofful at times.”
Fluttershy shakes her head and nods. “It’s quite alright, Mr. Bucker. I’m good with animals.”
“Chimerwhats?” Spike muses.
“Pardon us, Miss Sparkle,” Bucker apologizes. “Miss Shy and I have some business to attend to. I’ll be right back if there are further questions and pleasantries.”
Bucker and Fluttershy pass them into the hallway, still conversing about specifics of these “chimeras”. Something about a “LASE-49” and a “MOCH-51”. Fluttershy giggles and asks if “MOCH-51” is doing better now. All of this flies over Twilight’s head and horn as she raises a hoof to her mouth.
Curious as ever, Spike follows, determined to find out what a “chimerwhat” is. The little dragon steps quickly along the hallway floor as Bucker and Fluttershy disappear through a now-unlocked door. The little dragon chuckles a bit and steps ahead.
“Spike.”
“Aww, c’mon, Twilight,” Spike turns to her with raised hands. “I just wanna see what a chimerwhat is.”
“We shouldn’t be putting our noses into another pony’s business,” Twilight raises her left forehoof towards him.
“Don’t tell me you’re not just a little bit curious,” Spike crosses his arms. “You said so yourself that you’re curious about his work.”
Twilight pauses and lowers her hoof. “Well, yes, but-”
“Then, let’s find out!” Spike runs over the threshold of the locked door.
After an expected facehoof, Twilight follows suit and looks about her as she passes through. The hallway is barely lit by two strands of emergency lights trailing along the walls. Ahead, she sees Spike making his way down and disappearing around a corner at the end. One of the emergency lights flickers next to her, struggling to function. Her chest tenses a bit, wondering if they’re walking into trouble.
Spike stops a ways ahead of her, taking no notice of the ambiance until he turns around to see if Twilight has caught up. A triumphant grin forms on his face when she appears. “I knew it.”
“We really shouldn’t be following them,” Twilight tells him. “Whatever they’re doing, it’s Mr. Bucker and Fluttershy’s business, not ours.”
“Aww, what harm is going to do? After all, you said you were interested in finding out more about his research, right?” Spike says to her. The little dragon makes a few more steps before stopping at the base of a curtained door. “Aha, what have we here?”
He leans forward and starts to take a peek inside when Bucker appears beside him. The dragon turns and jumps a bit. “It was Twilight’s idea!” he points an accusatory claw at the purple unicorn who returns an annoyed glance.
“I figured you two might be curious,” Bucker playfully chides. “So why not show you some of my work?”
Twilight and Spike cautiously approach as Bucker’s winedark aura lifts the curtain for them. As they step inside the dimly lit room, sounds of multiple creatures snarling and chirping and hissing ring through their ears. Still, they venture further into the room, taking mental note of all the cages and tanks filled with unusual creatures. And Fluttershy in the corner among them.
“Don’t worry, Twilight, Spike. They won’t bite,” Fluttershy waves a hoof before turning her attention back to a bird…thing in the corner. “There, everything’s just fine. You eat up. Good.”
“You’ll have to excuse them,” Bucker walks alongside her, magically lifting a chunk of tan meat from a pocket in Fluttershy’s feedbag over towards a particular tank marked LASE-49. “It’s just feeding time and we’ve got their attention.”
Spike’s eyes trace over the various creatures fighting for Bucker and Fluttershy’s attention. “Wow, it’s a total freakshow in here. I just hope there’s no cockatrice in this mess. Last time Twilight ran into one, she got turned into a lawn ornament.”
Bucker notices Twilight’s glare at the little dragon and chuckles. “You can reassure your friend that there aren’t any cockatrices in my collection.”
He opens the lid and drops the meat inside. Under the tank’s dull sky blue lighting, something’s nose emerges and sniffs. Leaning forward, the something reveals itself to be a white rabbit, perhaps one of Angel’s cousins. It gives Twilight and Spike a forlorn look as it seems drawn to the meat.
Twilight ponders for a moment until the rabbit reveals its lower half, causing Spike to pull back in shock and disgust. Past its two front paws, scales start lining its body. It drags itself towards the meat and, with a disgusted look, opens its mouth, revealing reptilian fangs. LASE-49’s maw wraps around the chunk and it swallows, just as a snake might do with some poor mouse. LASE-49 closes its eyes in disgust but nonetheless finishes its food. Its eyes reopen and it glances at Twilight.
“Incredible,” Twilight notes, her gaze meeting with the rabbit-snake’s small black eyes. “Where did you find this creature?
“I crafted LASE-49, as well as the rest in this room.”
Twilight pauses. “What?” She trots past another cage where a clawed hand grabs at her mane. The purple unicorn and dragon jump back as the clawed hand flails.
“Sorry about that. That one is a grabber,” Bucker apologizes as he trots over to the darkened cage and slams his front right hoof atop its roof. The clawed hand retreats into the darkness of the cage, reflecting dull yellow eyes in their direction.
Twilight shakes her head. “Mr. Bucker, what are these things?”
“They’re a product of biomagic. These are chimeras, bound together using biomagical techniques. Pardon me, Miss Shy,” Bucker answers, drawing a scoop from a pocket of Fluttershy’s saddlebag filled with seeds. He tilts it through a slot in another cage where bird-bat creatures feast upon the pile. With the same smooth gesture, Bucker draws out some insect corpses from the same pocket and sprinkles them into the pile. “I’ve been busy the last couple of days making up for lost time and it’s really been stressful, but I manage. And I reassure you, the process is completely painless.”
“But that rabbit...snake thing didn’t look too happy,” Spike notes.
“Naturally. The rabbit and snake used in the process to create LASE-49 have quite different diets as you and Miss Sparkle would surely know. But given that they now share the same digestive system as well as the same body, they will adjust. The snake portion reacts the same way when the rabbit head eats at a carrot. But in time, they’ll adjust fine. My biomagical fusion techniques have assured successful adaptation in the past.”
Twilight glances back to the tank where LASE-49 curls itself and rests its head against the grass lain out at the bottom. Spike notices the worried look on her face. “Still, they seem unhappy. They weren’t like, somepony’s pets that you abducted in the middle of the night, are they?”
The purple unicorn facehooves, embarrassed where Spike’s imagination led this time.
“They aren’t anypony’s pets, I can assure you of that. They have been collected during my trips into the Everfree Forest, with the help of Miss Shy and Miss Zecora.” Bucker brushes the back of a smaller chimera that appears to be a large mouse with chicken talons scraping against the marked floor.
Fluttershy moves in and soothes the creature when it falls back at Twilight’s approach. “It’s alright, little one. Everything’s just fine.” The yellow Pegasus draws from the feedbag and places some grains before it.
Bucker chuckles. “Miss Shy is quite partial to MOCH-51.”
The yellow Pegasus smiles. “He’s like the hens I raise back at home.” She continues stroking MOCH-51’s fur as it brushes against her.
“I’ve heard of chimeras but didn’t think such experiments were real.”
“Oh they’re quite real,” Bucker notes. “Let me put it this way, Miss Sparkle. We in the biomagical field can work out better and smoother ways of fusing together living organisms to gain more medical insight. So we could perhaps work our way towards new methods of performing surgery without having to utilize surgical magic that could potentially endanger the subject at any time. Perfect fusion.”
Twilight nods, understanding although the image of the depressed rabbit-snake doesn’t leave her mind. “It does sound promising, but testing on animals?”
“Progress has to begin somewhere,” Bucker gets down next to the large mouse with chicken talons. “In the meantime, I’ve been working to ease the process so it’s less and less traumatic on the subjects.” He brushes MOCH-51’s back again, hearing a small squeaking noise in return. “Again, I assure you that the process is painless.”
“So you can split them up again, right?”
Bucker shakes his head. “I’m afraid the fusion is permanent. I couldn’t split them apart without the risk of killing them in the process. But I take care of each of my subjects and nurse them to health. And if there’s something I can’t do, then Miss Shy can handle it for me. So you needn’t worry yourself, Miss Sparkle.”
Twilight ponders to herself with an uneasy expression as Spike steps closer to MOCH-51. The large mouse with chicken legs backs away with Spike easily falling back in startled fashion. The purple unicorn stifles a giggle.
“So those chimera don’t bother you at all?” Twilight inquires.
Fluttershy pauses then shakes her head. “Admittedly, they were a little scary at first, but really, Twilight, they’re very much like the animals I normally handle. And I do what I can to help.”
Twilight gives a worried smile. “So none of this strikes you as a bit…cruel?”
Fluttershy pauses again and bows her head a little. “It does at times, especially how sad LASE-49 looks. Or MOCH-51 when he’s not feeling very good.” She lifts her head and smiles. “But Mr. Bucker and I take good care of them, so they’ll be fine. That’s comfort for me.”
I guess I can always count on Fluttershy to find the best in everything, Twilight thinks. “If you say so, Fluttershy.”
The yellow Pegasus finishes feeding the various chimeras and nods at Bucker. The tan unicorn turns to them. “Well, I have some notes to compose fairly soon.”
MOCH-51 squeaks.
“Oh, sorry, didn’t mean to forget about you, friend,” Fluttershy gently lifts the large mouse with chicken feet and places it back in its pen. MOCH-51 blinks and nuzzles against her hoof once more. “Aww.”
The purple unicorn smiles at this scene.
“I must apologize for the poor lighting in this hall,” Bucker notes. “I probably should have some more fixtures installed.”
The four make their way down the hall with Bucker in the lead and Twilight taking up the rear. Fluttershy and Bucker reconvene their conversation from before about chimeras, LASE-49 and other acronym-number combos unfamiliar to her. Spike indulges in a little hypothesis.
“I wonder what that that chimerwhat in the cage was,” the little dragon thinks aloud. “I bet it was probably one of Rarity’s cat’s cousins. Definitely had a nasty temper and claws just like her.” Spike swipes his left hand in a melodramatic arc while uttering a mock hiss. “Heh, wouldn’t that be fitting, Twilight?”
Twilight thinks back to LASE-49 in its tank as the glow of each emergency light passes over her. True, such research could do wonders for the scientific community and really, who is she to challenge the placement of The Canterlot Institute? Still, something didn’t quite feel right about this.
“Hey, Twilight, you alright?”
“Sorry, Spike. Just thinking about stuff.”
The little dragon raises an eyebrow but doesn’t say much as Bucker opens the door for them.
“Well, I should be getting back to work, Miss Shy. It was good to make your acquaintance, Miss Sparkle,” Bucker nods. "I shall see you later when-"
Much to his surprise, a pink earth pony stands outside with the biggest smile of all, accompanied by a bow-wearing yellow filly. Bucker backs up a bit.
“Um, can I help you, Miss?”
Outside, the pink pony raises her forehooves and takes a deep breath. The yellow filly backs to the side.
Welcome to Ponyville, dear new friend!
May your good times here never end!
Hope you fit in just fine, Mr. Bucker!
I wish the best of luck-err!
So I see you’re friends with Twilight,
I’m her best friend too!
Perhaps we’ll all get along
And I’ll get to know you too!
Bucker just stares before a full blink occurs on his behalf. Twilight steps alongside him with an apologetic hoof raised.
“Yeah, I probably should have warned you about Pinkie Pie. She's really keen on making friends with everyone that settles here.”
“Well, I must admit she is quite energetic,” Bucker muses as Pinkie Pie flashes another of her various smiles. "It's good to make your acquaintance, Miss Pie."
“Yeah, she really does get a bit jumpy at times,” Apple Bloom notes. “Oh hey, Twilight and Fluttershy. Mah sister Applejack an’ I just wanted to welcome ya’ll to Ponyville, Mr. Bucker.” Apple Bloom takes the basket handle into her mouth and sets it before Bucker’s hooves.
“Well, thank you,” Bucker levitates an apple from the basket, briefly inspecting it. “Looks quite well. Better than the apples I've had in Canterlot facilities. Fresher too."
“Yer darn tootin’ it’s fresh! Freshest apples in all o’ Equestria!” Apple Bloom affirms, shooting her left forehoof into the air. "You can make sure o' that!"
“I hope I can be your friend, Mr. Bucker, just as you’ve become Twilight’s friend!” Pinkie Pie declares, jumping a bit as something comes to her. “Oh, that reminds me! I brought over a special cake, just for you! One of my Sugarcube Corner specials!”
Before Bucker can say anything, Pinkie Pie draws out a large cake box from her pack and places it before Bucker with her forehooves.
“Yep, it’s the most scrumptious thing I could make for such an occasion as this!” Pinkie still smiles, preparing to open the lid.
“Well, that’s nice of you, Miss Pie, but I don’t need-”
Pinkie opens the lid, revealing a chocolate pattern cake within the white box’s perimeters. A delicate sugar-rose sits in the corner topped with button chocolates in all the colors of a rainbow. Around the edges lie thick medium-brown chocolate frosting walls.
“Well, it does look rather enticing,” Bucker takes a closer look at the middle. “Pardon me, Miss Pie, but what is that supposed to be?” He gestures towards the frosting.
“Oh! Well, I didn’t know what you like and such-but I bet I’ll know soon-so I just thought it might be cute for me to whip out a doggie made of frosting! I admit though, I did mess up a little on it.”
“Oh it’s fine-”
Bucker freezes in place once he gets a closer look at the image. The doggie in question shows long strands of thin chocolate frosting hairs around its head and down its back. When he looks closer, in-between the strands are two vacant white eyes staring at him. Bucker’s mouth begins to quiver.
It looks up at him with vacant white eyes in a flashquick moment. The canine chimera murmurs something with a swish of its long brown tail. In this dimly-lit room, its eyes seem to glow like Luna’s moon as it whines. Its mouth opens and it says
“Mouthwatering, isn’t it?” Pinkie grins, unaware as usual. “I know you’ll just love-”
The tan unicorn slams the door in Pinkie’s face and holds his back to it, forehooves spread-eagled against the wood. His chest heaves in and out as sweat moves down his forehead. Twilight, Spike, and Fluttershy watch in confusion.
"Are you alright, Mr. Bucker?" Fluttershy moves next to him with a raised forehoof to his face.
“Ah, c’mon, Mr. Bucker. I didn’t screw up the frosting that bad, did I?” Pinkie asks from the other side. “I’ll fix it! I promise! Please don’t be mad!”
“Is Mr. Bucker afraid of cakes?” They hear Apple Bloom asking.
Bucker calms down and gets back on all hooves, breath and heartbeat catching back with him. Fluttershy continues her soothing "There, there" words as the tan unicorn shakes his head.
"Please don't be mad! I'm sorry! I can fix it all!" Pinkie continues on the other side.
"Ah, c'mon, Pinkie Pie, have some dignity," Apple Bloom says.
“Well, I guess I can’t blame him. Pinkie Pie is scary sometimes,” Spike muses.
Bucker lets out a nervous laugh. “Well, perhaps. Still, it’s rude of me.”
Twilight approaches him. “Are you alright, Mr. Bucker?”
“I’m sorry, Miss Sparkle. It just made me think of one of the nastier chimera,” Bucker brushes the back of his head with his left forehoof. “Pardon me for making a foal of myself.”
Bucker reopens the door, greeted by the sight of Pinkie fiddling with the cake in an attempt to correct her mistake. Instead, her hoof only smudges the doggie, giving it a roadkill look. She notices Bucker. “Oh, I’m sorry. I just thought I made you mad with my horrible frosting! I should have known better!”
Bucker raises his forehooves. “No, no, it’s quite alright, Miss Pie. I’m the one who owes you an apology. It looks delicious-”
Suddenly, a bark breaks the conversation as a brown Border Collie runs towards up the stairs and stops just in front of Bucker. With another happy bark, she begins to lick Bucker's face. The tan unicorn steps back, initially making his guests think he'll go into another panic attack. Fortunately, he just laughs.
“Winona! Sorry about that, Mister Bucker,” Apple Bloom apologizes as she approaches the dog. “Ah forgot fer a moment that Ah was watchin' her. Winona is just real friendly with ponies.”
Bucker chuckles, gently pushing Winona away. “Oh, it’s quite alright. I remember I had a dog once. I know the feeling.”
Winona barks twice, running around Bucker’s hooves before returning to Apple Bloom’s side. The filly laughs. "Yeah, dogs are quite nice."
Twilight smiles, forgetting about LASE-49 back in the tank as she steps out with Spike and Fluttershy. The Border Collie notices the dragon and, with another happy bark, gives chase. The little dragon shakes his hands into the air and flees, escaping when he gets onto Twilight's back. The Border Collie heeds her little owner's call and returns to her side. Apple Bloom lifts her right foreleg over the dog's side and laughs. Ah, what cuteness to-
Bucker's laugh dies in his throat. Instead of Apple Bloom and Winona, some…non-pony child hugs the neck of a large white dog that gazes up at him with black eyes. She stares too, as if expecting an answer. Bucker falters, stepping away from the two.
“Mr. Bucker?” she asks.
The little girl flickers. “Hello, Daddy. What’s wrong?”
For a moment, Apple Bloom and Winona return to his line of vision with worried looks on their faces. But the tan unicorn freezes in place as the sight of Apple Bloom and Winona morphs into a twisted entity as the dog’s brown colors and muzzle overtakes the filly’s image.
Back to the room under the glow of Luna’s moon. The beast looks at him with vacant white eyes between the long strands of brown hairs along its head and face. A whine and a wheeze emerge from its mouth.
“I…just…wanted…to…help…you, Daddy…” it murmurs.
Bucker slumps before collapsing to the ground, winedark aura sparking around his horn. Twilight moves next to him, trying to prop him back up with Spike’s help. The tan unicorn’s eyes seem to lose all light in them.
“Oh my Celestia! Is he alright?!” Pinkie panics, shaking her hooves and running back and forth. "Should we call the hospital?! Something?!" She rushes up to Twilight.
"Pinkie, calm down!" Twilight tells her, brushing off the panicky pony's hooves.
Amidst everything, the tan unicorn comes to. His line of vision meets with the worried-looking filly and her panting dog.
Daddy.
Bucker gets to his hooves and stumbles over the stairs and runs back over the threshold, knocking over Spike and almost running into Fluttershy in the process.
“I must apologize,” the tan unicorn gives a worried smile. “It’s just that I should be getting back to work now. I’ll be seeing you later, Miss Shy. I must be going.” A winedark aura collects the cake and basket of apples and levitates them past the door. “See you all later perhaps.”
The doors slam shut, leaving the four ponies, dog, and dragon mystified.
"Alright, something is definitely wrong with that guy," Spike says.
Not himself. Somepony else. No…someone else…
“Nina, I want you to come over here for just a moment. Bring Alexander with you.”
Little footsteps traverse the hallway, followed quickly by the heavier footfalls of some other creature. For a moment, the little human girl peers around the door and, for the first time, she seems genuinely unnerved by the sight of her father in the darkened room. Or the image of the hallway light reflecting off his glasses.
“My evaluation is coming up,” the man says, shifting his glasses a little as he ponders for a moment about the possibilities. He turns his focus back to the little girl at the hallway entrance, now accompanied by a large white dog. The dog whines and steps back.
“What’s wrong, Alexandah?” the little girl asks, raising her hands to comfort the dog.
The man smirks, finding mild amusement with the family dog’s reaction. “I’m sure Alexander is just a little scared because he’s not used to seeing me in the dark like this.” He leans down, glancing at the floor once more. The edge of a massive sketched circle extends itself towards the entrance where the little girl and the dog stand.
“Nina? Could you and Alexander come in here please?” The man tents his fingers. “I know a way you two can help me with my evaluation.”
The little girl perks up. “Really, Daddy? Me and Alexandah can help you?”
The man chuckles. “Oh yes, you and Alexander can really help me.” He gets down to his knees and inspects the edge of the massive circle to ensure it’s done just right. “Tell me, Nina, do you remember how Daddy got his State Alchemist certification the first time?”
The little girl nods. “Yeah, I remembah, Daddy. You got your cer-tee-fi-cation because you made that animal that could talk! And the people thought it was so great!”
With that same smile, the man claps his hands together. “Yes, Nina. What an incredible memory you have! Now, tell me this. What do you think would help Daddy the most right now?”
The little girl thinks for a moment, then with a smile. “Making another talking animal?”
“My, aren’t you just the smartest little girl in all of Amestris?” the man carefully walks over the circle towards his daughter. He gets down to meet her at eye level. “And you can help make that happen.”
Such a bright enthusiasm in her eyes. “I can?!”
“Yes, you can. In fact, you and Alexander have exactly what I need to make it happen. I can’t do this without you.”
The little girl is about to approach her father when the large white dog begins to growl. She turns, uncertain as to why the dog would be growling at Daddy, especially now.
“Alexandah? Alexandah? What’s wrong?” she tugs on the dog’s neck. “Why are you growling at Daddy?”
The man hesitates for a moment, fearing that somehow, the damned dog sees right through him. “Now, Alexander. Calm down, boy. I’m not going to hurt you. I just want you and Nina to come with me. I need your help.”
The dog snaps, nearly sinking its teeth into the man’s knee.
“Alexandah! Bad dog!” the little girl pulls the dog back as best as she can. “You can’t hurt Daddy!”
The man steps back but retains the fatherly smile. “It’s alright, Nina. Alexander’s just a little scared. I don’t blame him. Whenever I’ve performed alchemy, he gets really scared. But now, Alexander, you must be brave. You too, Nina.”
The little girl nods and tugs on the dog’s neck. The dog pulls back, still growling. Annoyed, the man reaches forward for the dog-it snaps at his hand.
“Alexandah!”
The man chuckles. “It’s alright, Nina. Just bring him in with you.”
He steps back into the darkness as the little girl drags the dog behind her. It continues to fight her until they stop in the middle of the massive circle. Once there, the dog whines and huddles to the little girl.
“Alexandah?”
“He’ll be just fine, Nina,” the man says, the dull light from the hallway once again reflecting off his glasses. “Now, please lie down. Yes, right there in the middle.”
The little girl does as she is told, lying down next to the white dog that lets out another worried whine. The man moves to the other edge of the circle and gets to his knees with his hands flattened against the floor.
In an instant, the house falls silent as the glow builds around the dog struggling to get to its feet. It lets out a piercing howl as its right hind leg splits open and absorbs the little girl’s left leg lying next to it. Much to his surprise, the little girl does not scream. Her eyes stare towards the adjacent wall with a sort of…emptiness.
On the other hand, the dog continues to struggle, failing to get further than a few feet when all of its right leg immerses the child’s lower body. She turns slightly, raising a hand to the dog’s face. It pulls away from her, whimpering with eyes blinking rapidly against the heavy glow.
Maybe she mouths “Alexandah”.
The man keeps his focus on the energy circumventing within, although he steals the occasional glance at his progress. The little girl is partly fused into the dog, her face disappearing into the canine’s side. Blood puddles around the middle of the circle as the dog’s right foreleg splits open.
“Nina,” the man speaks. “If you can hear me, Nina, Daddy wants you to fight it! It’s going to feel like you should just quit! But you have to keep going on, alright, Nina?!”
The dog…thing lets out another howl before coughing up blood. Semblances of words crack, something like “Daddy”. He does not pick up on any sign of the little girl from inside the beast. No, can’t fail this now. Must create another talking chimera.
The glow dies down with the circle vanished. In the middle, a large canine creature struggles to stand, its forelegs horribly shaking. Long strands of bloodied brown hair, like the color of the little girl’s, hang from the creature’s head and along its back, seemingly connected to the long tail. It whimper-growls before slipping on a small puddle of blood.
Satisfied, the man gets to his feet and cautiously approaches the chimera. “There, there,” the man strokes the creature’s bloodied head. “Now then, do you understand me?”
With small white eyes, the chimera turns to him, peeking between bloodstained bangs.
“Just say “Yes”.”
The chimera’s mouth trembles with another whimper-growl. “…yes…” The creature’s voice is an odd mix, likely with the little girl’s vocal cords still adjusting to the dog’s. “…yes…”
“That’s very good,” the man strokes its head once more, not really noticing the strong copper smell or the sick warmth against his palm. “Now then, you’re going to help me get my Certification. You’re going to help me, Nina.”
The chimera returns a mournful look. “…I am?”
“Oh yes. Just like before, it was because of a talking chimera that I became a State Alchemist. You’re going to help me indeed.”
“…why does it hurt…Daddy?”
“You just need time to adjust to Alexander’s body, dear. Now, why don’t we get you cleaned up?”
Bucker screams into the room, falling and flailing out of his bed. His equine heart beats rapidly in his chest as he rattles awake. The mental images flow through his mind like the energy of that massive circle. He clutches his head and shakes. In the distance, some of the chimera bray and cry.
Why me? What did I ever do to deserve such horrific nightmares? I never hurt anypony.
The tan unicorn brushes away the tears as he gets to his hooves. “It’s just a nightmare, nothing more.” He lets out a low sigh.
Bucker considers retrieving his glasses but decides to just pace around the room for a few moments. The bloodied chimera rings through his mind, still trying to say more. Those vacant white eyes…
“No, I never hurt anypony. These are surely just some insecurities I must have. Yes, that must be it.”
Glasses atop his snout, Show Bucker steps outside the bedroom and looks over the railing. Down below, the numerous charts and study aides are bathed in the light of Luna’s moon, transforming the numerous animal illustrations into Rorschach blots. Bucker takes a deep breath and walks downstairs, taking care to not let his still somewhat-shaky hooves trip him up.
On the bottom floor, Bucker stands in the pale of the moonlight, trying to remove the mental image of the little girl and the dog from his mind. A winedark glow emits around his horn, as if to purge his mind of such thoughts with fire.
“It was just a dream. A terrible dream, but nothing more. I shouldn’t get so worked up about all this.” Bucker lies down within the moonlight, keeping his focus on the celestial body above. “Just a dream.”
The little girl and the white dog manifest in the corner, looking at him with worried eyes.
The tan unicorn freezes in place as he spots them from the corner of his eye. They exchange a long stare with the dog building a growl in its throat. Bucker backs away, raising his front left hoof in a feeble attempt to ward them away.
Luna’s moon casts its light through the window over his form. With the curve of the giant window, it forms a magnificent circle around him. In an instant, they meld into that hairy monstrosity he sees in the dream, gazing upon him with vacant white eyes.
It steps towards him, whining a little with a growl building in its throat.
“What do you want from me?! I didn’t commit such an atrocity!” the tan unicorn backs against the stairway, falling onto his plot as his hind legs trip over the first step. He raises his forehooves again as the chimera nears him. “Please. What do you want from me?”
The chimera opens its mouth. “I…just wanted…to…help you…Daddy…”
Bucker wastes no time in getting back onto his hooves and ascending the stairs while the chimera follows. In the shadows, its vacant white eyes glow as it follows.
“Daddy…I just…wanted to help…you said I could help…”
Bucker passes into his bedroom and shuts the door behind him. Sweat crawls down his face with the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. Heartbeat calms and breath catches. The tan unicorn feels sleep coming back to him.
“Just a nightmare. All it is. A nightmare. Nothing more.”
Sleep…
The tan unicorn crawls back into his bed. In his mind, a warning sign takes off, threatening to flash another image of the chimera. Nevertheless, he falls asleep.
“Just…a dream…”
“That’s your friend Edward…”
Celestia’s sun shines overhead as Fluttershy approaches the estate with her own feedbag strapped over her back. She places her left forehoof against the door and finds it gently shifting open under its weight. The yellow Pegasus trots in, gently closing the door behind her.
“Mr. Bucker?” she calls. “Mr. Bucker? I’m here to feed your chimeras, Mr. Bucker. Mr. Bucker?”
No reply. Strange.
Yesterday, she saw Mr. Bucker overlooking some books and equipment with a strand of parchment listing various numbers when she came in to feed the chimeras. He hadn’t said anything to her despite her attempts at sympathy.
“Just panic”, he told her. “I just panicked a bit with all the new things going on. I’m just fine, Miss Shy.”
“Are you sure, Mr. Bucker?” she asked then.
Bucker waved a dismissive hoof. And that was the last time she had seen him.
Yet no sign of him now. The books remain where they were yesterday, scattered and open across the tables and floors. The equipment is absent, save for a test tube lying at the table’s edge like a dusty obelisk. Nevertheless, Fluttershy steps forward, remembering the chimeras. Thankfully, the door leading into their hallway is ajar.
I hope Mr. Bucker doesn’t mind me going in without him around. I just want to make sure his animals are getting the food they need.
The yellow Pegasus trots down the hallway lit up by the series of emergency lights watching her every hoofstep. Ahead, several of them flicker and shudder, dipping the hall repeatedly in darkness and dull gray light. Fluttershy calms herself with a hoof to her chest as she adjusts to the scene. There’s nothing to be scared of. Just a technical failure is all.
The line connecting the emergency lights severs about halfway down the hall, leaving a thick patch of unlit wall. Fluttershy pauses as she approaches a torn emergency light shattered and scattered across the floor. She glances towards the wall, noticing embedded glass dust and a blackened impact mark on a closer inspection.
“Oh my,” she murmurs as she carefully steps over the glass shards. “I should take care of that before Mr. Bucker gets glass in his hooves-”
Fluttershy jumps a bit as another emergency light sparks and dies, her wings clinging to her sides. Checking her hind hooves to ensure she didn’t step in any glass, she leans closer to inspect the damage. The bulb manages to hold itself together despite the lining cracks along its edges. The light inside the remnants of the bulb weakly blinks again before succumbing to its injuries. She carefully pushes it aside and continues, adding another mental note to remind Mr. Bucker.
As she moves around the corner, the twin strings of emergency lights are out with the only light being a dull red glow from behind the curtain ahead. Taking a deep breath, she makes her way to the light. Fluttershy pulls back the curtain and is greeted by the sounds of awakening chimeras anticipating her arrival. First, to the tank with LASE-49 awaiting her. Unlike with Twilight and Bucker, the rabbit-snake chimera seems to immediately want Fluttershy’s attention, its remaining white paws pressed against the glass.
She smiles. “Hello, little friend.” The yellow Pegasus draws back the feathers of her left wing to reach into her bag and pull out a fresh carrot. Orange dangles from her mouth over the tank. The rabbit-snake raises its paws to accept the offering of the carrot, which it begins to nibble on happily. The snake portion below shudders.
“I know your snake half doesn’t like this, but I really think you should get some nice carrots every once in a while,” Fluttershy stills offers the supportive smile. She lowers her hoof and brushes against the rabbit head. “Eat up.”
LASE-49 swallows the carrot bit by bit, tearing into the vegetable with its snake fangs. Scrolls of orange flesh drift into the blades of grass along the bottom of its tank. As it finishes swallowing, it opens its eyes and glances up at her.
“If you have a tummy ache, I can give you a nice massage, or maybe some herbs if your snake body won’t reject it,” Fluttershy soothes as the rabbit head nuzzles against her hoof.
The nearby darkened cage lunges its clawed hand grabbing at whatever lurks outside. Fluttershy smiles and retrieves a cluster of cabbage leaves from her saddlebag. She holds the cabbage leaves before the clawed hand which pauses, as if to examine the offering. It runs a solitary claw along the top leaf and then seizes the cluster. The clawed hand retreats into the darkness of the cage with dull yellow eyes glowing as it begins to eat.
“There, that’s better,” Fluttershy says, trotting calmly past the mystery chimera’s cage. She leans down before MOCH-51 approaches her with a hushed squeak on its chicken feet.
“Here you go,” she places another handful of cabbage leaves before MOCH-51. It bows its head and chews into the leaves. MOCH-51 glances up at Fluttershy and then slowly chews, as if to remember its manners.
“That’s good,” Fluttershy brushes the mouse creature’s back. “Good to-”
The yellow Pegasus freezes as a choking sound echoes from the room next door. MOCH-51 looks at her in confusion as she turns and runs past the curtained entrance. The chimera cry in unison, panicking against their cages and tanks. Fluttershy runs back into the room and tries to calm them to no avail.
“No, no, please, don’t worry. Everything’s alright,” the Pegasus raises her hooves reassuringly. “Please, don’t cry.”
Fluttershy moves again when picks up on the sound of shuffling hooves.
The girl-dog chimera returns as he trots down the hallway to check on the chimeras. It stares at him with those vacant white eyes and asks why. The tan unicorn backs against the wall, tilting an emergency light to shine directly over the creature’s head.
“I just wanted to help you. Why does it hurt?”
A rope hangs from the ceiling in one of the research rooms nearby, swaying a little as a winedark aura adjusts it into place. Bucker slips his neck through it with tears staining his muzzle, carefully balancing himself on a desk with his hind legs.
The chimera approaches him, its brown fur highlighted by the glow. Bucker attempts to smash one of the emergency lights over its head, only to lose it in the collision against the wall.
His glasses remain sitting on the desk, watching with invisible eyes as he kicks his hind legs into the open space. Fluttershy walks by the open door and lets out a soft scream as she sees him.
The dog-girl chimera cries, tears flowing down its cheeks as it leans its chin atop its paws. It weakly yips.
“Mr. Bucker!” Fluttershy dives at him.
“Leave me alone!” Bucker screams at the beast as it follows, asking why. In the darkness, he almost trips over his own hooves several times before he makes it to the research room. With a bundle of rope in the corner.
Bucker kicks at her face and upper chest, the rope still hooking around his throat. What sounds like “Get back” emits from his mouth as the tan unicorn flails. Nevertheless, Fluttershy immediately bites into the loop around Bucker’s neck while forcefully pulling him out. The tan unicorn collapses to the floor with a few faded telltale markings etched against his neck.
“No…I can’t…let me go…” Bucker weakly tries to drag himself away as Fluttershy pins him to the ground.
“Mr. Bucker! Please!” Fluttershy holds him down as Bucker struggles. She ducks to the side as a winedark shot flies past her head. “Mr. Bucker, please stop!”
Bucker slaps his forehooves against the floor a few seconds longer before they clatter. His horn radiates a dull winedark aura that fizzles and snaps itself to death. The yellow Pegasus keeps him pinned for a few seconds more, just in case.
“I’m sorry to have hurt you if I did,” Fluttershy apologizes, stepping off Bucker’s back. He whimpers a little as she stands in front of him, lowering her gaze to meet with his. “Please, if something is wrong, you can tell me.”
Bucker does not look at her.
“Please, Mr. Bucker, I want to help you. Why did you just try to…” the yellow Pegasus can’t bring herself to mention that horrible S-word. “Please talk to me.”
“I had…a horrible dream…” the tan unicorn manages to choke out. “I had…performed a biomagical spell on some child…some child and a dog…I don’t know why but I feel immensely guilty…I’ve never done anything like that…nothing…” Bucker begins to sob. “It…won’t leave me alone…”
Fluttershy brushes his back and whispers into his ear. “It’s going to be alright, Mr. Bucker. I understand. Please don’t worry about it. It was all just a bad dream. I know you would never do that.”
The tan unicorn looks at her for a moment, seeing if the girl-dog chimera has returned. Thankfully, all he sees is the yellow Pegasus offering a reassuring smile.
“You’re a good pony, Mr. Bucker.”
After a couple minutes or so, the chimeras’ cries in the other room quell as Bucker ceases to cry himself. Fluttershy keeps watch over him for another couple minutes before the tan unicorn raises himself to his hooves. He looks in the direction where the chimeras’ room.
“See? They’re worried about you, Mr. Bucker,” Fluttershy reassures. “Your chimeras wouldn’t like it if you just…went out on them.”
“Yes, I suppose you’re right,” Bucker murmurs as he struggles to get to his hooves. Fluttershy offers a supportive wing against his side as he regains his stance. The tan unicorn brushes back the wild hairs of his mane and levitates the glasses from the table. He inspects them for a moment before placing them atop his snout. “My apologies, Miss Shy. I guess I got a little carried away. I’ve just never had such a horrific nightmare before.”
Fluttershy gives an awkward laugh and smile combination. “Yes, I’m sure you did. Well, I made sure that your chimeras were fed. But I can’t make it this afternoon. Is that going to be a problem? Sorry.”
Bucker shakes his head. “I’ll be just fine, Miss Shy. Don’t worry about it. I’ll tend to the chimeras from this point on. Thanks again.”
Fluttershy watches over the tan unicorn as he dusts himself off once more. “Oh, and there was some broken glass in the hallway. It looks like somepony smashed some of your lights.”
Bucker brushes the back of his head. “Um, yes, I’ll see to that, Miss Shy. Thanks again.”
Fluttershy still tries to offer that smile although her eyes gravitate towards Bucker’s hoof-covered throat. “And, um, I’m sorry, I don’t want to be rude or anything, but are you sure you’ll be alright? Are you sure you don’t need
“I said I’m just fine!” Bucker throws his hooves at her, making the Pegasus jump back a bit. He relents, taking deep breaths. “I’m sorry, Miss Shy. But I don’t want to cause more trouble than I already have. So I’m asking you to keep this between us. Can I ask you to do that?”
The Pegasus bows her head a little. “Well…”
Bucker grunts as the pain returns to his throat. “I’ll be fine. No harm was done, right? But I don’t want to cause any trouble onto anypony. That’s understandable, right?”
Fluttershy nods. “I suppose so…okay, Mr. Bucker. I promise I won’t tell anypony.” For a second, she looks around the room. Bucker eyes her in confusion. “Sorry, Mr. Bucker. Pinkie Pie sometimes manages to show up out of nowhere and make ponies swear on keeping their secrets and promises.”
“I see. Miss Pie does seem quite energetic. I suppose that’ll just take some getting used to. But thank you, Miss Shy. And don't worry about the chimeras. I'll see to them.”
Fluttershy tries to smile but the thought of the hanging rope keeps it down. "Yes."
A few minutes after Fluttershy leaves, Bucker returns to the hallway and readjusts several of the emergency lights back into place. Using the winedark glow of his horn, he carefully navigates down the darkened corner until he sees the shards of glass sparkling like a sea of winedark stars. Drawing a dustpan from his pack, he pushes the shards in with a scoop-shaped aura.
I really need to control myself, Bucker chides. I could have really hurt myself last night. Really? Throwing one of the lights at an imaginary creature? And then snapping at Miss Shy like that? You should know better, Show Bucker.
After removing the glass shards on the floor, Bucker moves to inspect the impact mark on the wall and sighs. Something to handle later.
Emptying the dustpan in a trashcan, Bucker returns to the foyer with its numerous tables and books scattered over them. The tan unicorn sits himself before a particular olive-colored text marked CHIEMRA JOURNAL. Time to pick up where he left off.
“Chimera LASE-49, part-field rabbit, part-garden snake, still shows signs of irritation upon being fed samples befitting the other’s diet, such as in the instance of the herbivore rejecting the avian meat and the carnivore rejecting a full-grown carrot. LASE-49 is still a fresh chimera, brought in three weeks prior. I may consider changing its diet in order to satisfy both needs. Perhaps some kind of grain product. Should consult Miss Shy or one of her associates over the matter.”
Bucker looks over his notes, quill scrawling the words as he dictates them. The winedark aura moves quickly, leaving a few notes within the margins. The image of the little girl and the dog hover in his mind, flashquick appearances in the corner of the room. Not wanting to see that nightmare again, the tan unicorn continues focus on his notes.
“Chimera MOCH-51, part-field mouse, part-domestic chicken, has made more progress compared to LASE-49 in terms of its development. Peculiarly, the biomagical fusion, or a side-effect of the process, has stimulated further growth of the subject. Possible stimulation of glands or simply an aftereffect of the procedure? I have observed a similar effect with a previous subject CABA-34, part-canary, part-bat, which seemed to react with further stimulated growth following the biomagical process compared to the other CABA subjects, 29-33. Should continue observing their growth process and investigate the biological structure of both upon the subjects’ respective passing.”
It takes a few seconds for Bucker to register the hoofsteps nearby. It appears Miss Shy didn’t lock the door on her way out. Ah well. He tilts his head.
“Ah, Miss Sparkle. Is there something I can help you with?”
Twilight shakes her head. “No, I just stopped by to see how you were doing. I apologize if I’m interrupting anything.”
“Not at all, just working on some basic study notes,” Bucker laughs, stopping when a slight pain etches around his throat. He raises a hoof to the attempted suicide’s indentation but quickly lowers it. “I reassure you, as I reassured Miss Shy, that I’m quite alright.”
“Are you sure? What’s wrong with your throat?”
She’s the observant one, isn’t she? “Nothing, just had a sore throat earlier today. I’ll be fine.”
Twilight shrugs and steps next to one of the nearby tables, her attention seized by the various texts piled there. Her eyes peruse one of the open pages, showing a chart depicting a rabbit’s skeletal and muscle systems. In the margins, a scrawled note pointing to the middle area reads “for LASE, consider melding around this point”.
“I must admit, I’m intrigued. Do you mind if I borrow some of these?” Twilight asks, gesturing to the pile of biomagical texts. “I mean, if not’s going to be a problem.”
“By all means. I’m glad somepony is interested in my work,” Bucker says while keeping his eyes over the course of the quill in its winedark hold. He utters a curse under his breath when he notices he’s been writing “CABA-32” when he’s returned to making further notes about MOCH-51’s growth.
Twilight levitates the noted pile of texts into her saddlebag. Amidst them is a small, beaten olive journal reading CHIMERA LOG that disappears into the pocket. “Well, I probably should let you get back to your work. Thanks again for loaning me these texts, Mr. Bucker.”
“Anytime.”
Twilight makes her way to the door and takes one look back. For a moment, she wonders about Bucker rubbing his throat. Something didn’t seem right about it.
Well, it’s not my place to pry. Mr. Bucker seems alright. I should get back to the library.
Shortly after the purple unicorn disappears back into Ponyville, another figure approaches the estate, this time not accompanied by her dog. Apple Bloom clears her throat and gently knocks on the door. Not hearing anypony tell her otherwise, she gently pushes the door open.
“Mr. Bucker?”
Apple Bloom steps into the foyer. Bucker watch as the filly approaches, a despondent look on her face.
“Look, Ah just wanted t’ apologize abou what happened yesterday,” the filly shuffles her forehooves. “Ah didn’ mean t’ scare ya. Ah mean-”
Bucker smiles and steps forward, placing his right forehoof on her shoulder. “It’s alright. As I’ve reassured everypony around here, I’m fine. I just simply was reminded of a bad time. That’s all. Everything’s fine now.”
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Well, then maybe ya could come on over to Sweet Apple Acres for a bit?" Apple Bloom asks, brushing her forehooves against the floor. "Ah really wanna show Ah'm sorry, so Ah thought ya might like to come over for brunch?" The filly looks up at him with big eyes.
“Well, I suppose I can’t say no then, can I?” Bucker laughs. “I suppose it would do me some good to get out of the estate for a bit.”
Apple Bloom perks up. “Ah promise it’ll be great!”
“Never seen anythin’ like this before?” Apple Bloom asks, noticing Bucker's gazing at the surrounding trees.
Bucker shakes his head. “Not really. I’ve spent a good chunk of my life in various cities. I’ve been through the Everfree Forest on one occasion but haven’t really been out to see more of the Ponyville area for myself.”
“Well, Ah really like Ponyville mahself. Lotsa good ponies and friends,” Apple Bloom responds as they near the gate leading into Sweet Apple Acres. “Anyway, Ah’m sure yer gonna like the brunch!”
Bucker nods and stops for a moment, brushing the sweat off his brow with the back of his left forehoof. Apple Bloom pauses for a moment and offers another smile. Bucker shudders as the image of the little girl returns, laughing along with the disembodied barks of the dog. He steps back, raising both forehooves to shield himself. The pain of the suicide attempt returns to his throat.
“Are ya alright, Mr. Bucker? Ah’m sorry,” Apple Bloom’s bow droops. “Ah don’ mean t’ scare ya.”
“No, it’s fine. I’ve just had a lot happen as of late,” Bucker lowers his forehooves and lets out a low breath. “Please don’t worry yourself on my account, Miss Bloom.”
Apple Bloom’s bow rises back as she cheers up instantly. “Well, Ah’m glad Ah’m not scarin’ ya again.” She turns for a moment and gestures for him to follow as they approach the house ahead.
Bucker observes as they pass a tree with tendril-like branches extended towards the sky. One jags and zigzags closer to the ground, scraping against the dirt as a big red colt with a yoke around his neck clenches a pruner between his teeth. The branch falls from its spot and lands, cradled partially in lower branches. Apple Bloom stops for a moment and waves to the big red colt as he drops the pruner and readies to grip the branch’s tip.
“Hey, Big Mac!” Apple Bloom calls out. “Ah want ya to meet Mr. Bucker!”
“Um, hello,” Bucker raises his left forehoof.
The big red colt nods a hello before returning to his job.
“Don’ mind Big Macintosh, Mr. Bucker. He’s just a hard worker an’ all.”
The tip breaks between the colt’s teeth, encouraging him to choose another spot further up the branch. Just as Big Macintosh pulls the branch out, the broken tip takes a sudden swing directly towards his flank. Before the colt can step out, the branch slides down his side, leaving a nasty slash in its wake. Being his usual stoic self, Big Macintosh does not wince or cry, though his lips quiver a bit as the slash stings and begins to bleed.
“Big Mac!” Apple Bloom runs towards her brother, raising her forehooves towards the wound.
“It’s nothin’. Ah’m fine, Apple Bloom,” Big Macintosh steps away from his youngest sibling. “It’s just a scratch. Ah’ll be fine.” The colt betrays himself with a small wince.
Bucker leans forward, propping a hoof against Big Macintosh’s side before the colt can step away. His horn glows in a winedark aura that concentrates itself over the wound. The big red colt is taken aback a little and watches curiously as the wound seals up. He stretches his side a bit and, relieved that the pain has vanished, turns to Bucker. “Well thank you.”
The tan unicorn smiles. “Oh, it’s no trouble.”
Big Macintosh nods again and resumes dragging the branch away with his teeth. His youngest sibling just stares. “Are you a doctor?”
Bucker shakes his head. “Oh no, I’m not a medical pony. I just know a little healing magic here and there. It comes with my profession.”
“Still, that’s mighty helpful if ya ask me,” Apple Bloom notes.
“What’s goin’ on over there?” another voice calls out.
“Nothin’, Applejack! Ah just brought Mr. Bucker over!”
“Oh well, what are ya’ll waiting for then?” Applejack replies.
Apple Bloom tilts her head towards a picnic table set out with the usual red-and-white checkered tablecloth. The tan unicorn nods and follows, taking more mental notes of the area. He pauses briefly when Winona's barking reaches his ears and the Border Collie runs to greet Apple Bloom. Like yesterday, the cute scene unfolds as the image of the girl and dog flash before Bucker's eyes. He rubs his eyes with his right forehoof, relieved to see the image is replaced by the smiling visage of the Stetson-wearing earth pony.
“So you mus be Mr. Bucker,” Applejack raises her right forehoof and shakes Bucker’s left forehoof as offered. “Ah’m sorry if mah little sis gave ya any problems.”
“It’s quite alright, Miss Jack. I've just had a hard time.”
“Well, Ah hope ya like apples,” Applejack notes, balancing a tin pan of a pie onto the table. “We still had some zap-apples leftover from the harvest. Figured we’d might share it with a special guest.”
“Oh, don’t make such a fuss over me,” Bucker positions himself near the table. In a winedark hold, a slice of zap-apple pie levitates towards his mouth. He takes a bite and swallows. “Mmm. This is quite delicious.”
“Thank ya kindly,” Applejack smiles, then frowns. "Are ya alright?
"Oh yes, quite fine, quite fine," Bucker takes another slice and chews, hoping it'll change the subject.
“So why were ya named Show Bucker?”
Bucker raises a hoof to his chin. “Well, my family did descend from apple orchard agriculturists like yourselves, though we went in a much different direction down the road. Due to the way I acted as a child, they thought I’d be a showcolt someday. Instead, I took up work in the biomagical field. Regardless, that name stuck.”
“So wha’s the deal wit yer cutie mark?” Apple Bloom gestures to it.
Bucker chuckles. “Well, I conduct experiments in the field of biomagic and found out as a young colt that I had a talent for healing magic, just like what I used for your brother. Granted, I can’t instantly cure a disease like our fair Princess could, but I can stop a pony from bleeding to death with a simple fusion spell. But of course, so can a lot of the healers around here. So I just stick to my research.”
“Well, Ah suppose such magic would still come in handy,” Applejack notes.
“That’s what Ah said!” Apple Bloom cuts in.
Bucker smirks, finishing off his next piece. "Well, I hate to cut things short, but I really should be getting back to my estate. It was good to meet all of you." He rubs his throat again for a moment as the pain comes back.
:"Well, Winona an Ah can walk ya back!" Apple Bloom offers as the Border Collie yips, trying to make its own amends.
Bucker turns to face them. The filly and the family dog meld before his eyes, twisting into a light mud-colored monstrosity like before. Instead of the girl-dog chimera from the nightmare, he sees a creature that looks like it can barely keep itself standing on its hooves. Long orange-yellow hairs trail along its face with hints of red. Blood splatters around its body, painting the grass with crimson.
It opens its mouth and lets out a shriek, throwing its forelegs into the air as blood courses down its chin like drool. Bucker winces as the creature nears, letting out another shriek and splattering his face with blood. Bucker wipes the gore from his face, but only sees sweat. The filly and her dog are separate once again.
She could be useful...
“Oh no. Mr. Bucker, it’s alright! Ya have no reason to be afraid o’ anypony!” Apple Bloom calls out, shaking him slightly.
Bucker’s horrified expression fades as a smile creeps up over his face. “Yes, I’m just fine, Apple Bloom. In fact, I wonder if perhaps you could help me with something?”
The filly nods. “Sure, Mr. Bucker. Ah can help if Ah can.”
“In fact, I think I might have a special job just for you,” Bucker gestures to Apple Bloom. “Do you think you could help me?”
When she finishes with a couple of residents consulting her about guides and maps of the area, which took a little longer than expected due to the many questions that followed, Twilight delves into the first biomagical text The Base of Biomagic. It mostly covers basic biology and chemistry as she had learned in her Canterlot studies, along with particular spells designed to react only to living tissue. Naturally, it brings back some pleasant memories of acing tests and study sessions before her time here.
A daydream forms as Twilight sees her younger self dabbling with various spells in shots of purple and magenta. The Princess watches over her, offering that same warm smile as she begins directing her pupil on the next technique apparently involving a mouse and a chicken. Younger Twilight’s horn begins to glow as the next spell comes into play, sparking and firing over the mouse and chicken, forming a creature like MOCH-51. Oddly, when she glances up, she sees the Princess wearing glasses similar to Mr. Bucker. Wait a minute.
Suddenly the spell goes awry. Suddenly the Princess finds herself with massive chicken legs and a mouse’s tail. Princess Celestia lets out a squeak. The younger Twilight catches a laugh in her throat before the fearfulness sets in. But before Princess Celestia can do much else, a squawk leaves her lips, driving the alicorn to place her divine hooves over her mouth.
Twilight rubs her forehead with her left forehoof while trying her hardest to swallow a chuckle at the mental image. “I really should stop daydreaming.”
She changes to another text, this time with a focus on fusion and its relation to each of the equine body systems. But as she levitates it out, another text falls and lands before her. It is a small green journal showing signs of age and frequent use with crinkled edges and tears. Across its cover, CHIMERA LOG is scrawled in thick black ink. She examines the cover closer, seeing the bizarre insignia atop it. What resembles an odd leonine creature within a circle, baring its tongue with paws raised. Strange.
“Odd. I must have accidently taken one of his chimera reports,” Twilight’s left hoof hangs over the cover. “Well, I shouldn’t…but I must admit, his research is intriguing. A small peek wouldn’t hurt.”
Twilight gently opens the research journal and narrows her eyes as the various diagrams and notes scribbled across the pages. Well-crafted in fine quill ink, they reflect different patterns, shifting from a triangle with three trailing circles to another circle with squares and triangles. Several are scratched out with various notes referring to things like “alchemy”.
Curious, Twilight turns the page.
Second Lieutenant Havoc has just reminded me of my upcoming assessment after picking up the boys. Of all the damned things to be reminded of-but I suppose it’s necessary unless I lose my State Certification. But I must improve from last year’s…presentation, if I could even be so charitable as to call it that. The chimera I attempted to bring forth then were utter failures. I should have figured. The beasts I had attempted to recreate only led to failure. In retrospect, I should have known. They were too old to adapt, just like the chimera from two years ago that earned my State Certification in the first place.
I mustn’t worry Nina though. She’s too young. I see her out in the yard playing with Alexander and the boys when they are around. I see her so innocent and cheerful, completely unaware of how fragile our lives really are. She doesn’t fully understand my duty as a State Alchemist but her support is welcomed. I just have to…
No, I won’t have my daughter out on the street. No. I just can’t. I must avoid that at all costs.
But what can I do?
I’ve considered possibly creating another chimera like the one from two years before. But could I make another talking chimera from the subjects in my collection? And even then, can I make one that doesn’t desire to die quickly? After all, several of my chimera have adapted well to the fusion process. It should have been easy for her.
Should have been, yes. But then again, she was also not the best subject for it, looking at the whole thing in retrospect. Her health deteriorated horribly even before the military took her in and she started uttering the whole “I want to die” nonsense. Yet, she still managed to survive the process. That alone should have
Wait.
Perhaps she was too old to adapt? Yes, that’s something to consider. What if I tried with a younger subject? A younger subject would adapt much better to the process.
Maybe I could ask Nina to
All the questions shoot through her mind as she takes a closer look at the page and its abrupt cutoff. Oddly, the ink looks fairly fresh, as do the pages. But who is this Havoc? Or Nina? What’s a State Certification? Is it some program for researchers under Princess Celestia’s watch or at the Canterlot Institute? And who’s her? And what did he think he could ask Nina to do?
She turns the page and sees more of the scribble circles along with notes too tiny and chicken-scratchy to read. Now, the circles are far more intricate, showing more miniature words scrawled in elegant cursive and icons. For a moment, she thinks of the scribbled notes she had seen in Bucker’s texts.
The purple unicorn pauses as she sees more words. The writing is a little shakier but legible, as if written by an excited spell.
Just like her mother…heheheheheh…
I think I’ve cleaned up all the blood now. It’s tiring but bound to happen when you have two subjects undergo a transmutation this intense. She’s quite calm. I’m so proud of Nina. She did exactly as she was told. What a good girl.
And because of her, I have done it. I have created another talking chimera. Because of her! Oh, truly I have the greatest child!
I have to admit, Nina and Alexander were far more compliant than I anticipated. That damn dog doesn’t know when to shut up though. Bad dog, behaving like an utter mongrel, almost ruining it. Nevertheless, Nina calmed him down. What a good girl. What a fine specimen she made.
The chimera was messily constructed at first, as most of the skin tissue had not properly connected. But after two minutes, the tissues bound together and reshaped the subject’s skin, fusing her perfectly with the canine. Throughout, she did not resist, such a good girl. Such a good girl. Like her mother, heheheheheh…
Twilight moves her right hoof over her mouth as bile rises in her throat. The aura pelts the journal into the wall where it lands like a broken bird atop the floor.
“Twilight throwing books?” Spike glances over the fallen journal. “Never thought I’d see the day where you came across a book you didn’t like.” The little dragon chuckles. He pauses when he notices Twilight’s expression. “Are you okay? You know I was just joking right?”
Twilight remains in place, fighting the urge to vomit as the mental images of the little girl and the dog being forced together as a chimera flash through her mind. Some poor filly was subjected to such cruelty? But why? Why did this Nina have to be subjected to something so awful…
This journal was in Mr. Bucker’s collection, Twilight considers. And it looks similar to his hoofwriting. Does this mean Mr. Bucker…?
“Hello? Equestria to Twilight!” Spike waves his hand in front of Twilight’s face. The little dragon steps back. “You okay?”
The purple unicorn shakes her head, snapping back to reality. “Yeah, I’m fine, Spike. I just…it’s nothing. I just need to go see Mr. Bucker again.”
Spike scoffs. “Are you that interested in working with key-meh-whatsits?” Curious, he leans over to pick up the fallen journal.
The purple unicorn glares at him, making the dragon shrink back a bit. She calms herself. “Sorry, Spike.” Twilight levitates the thrown journal back from Spike’s hands into her saddlebag, along with the other biomagical texts. “I just need to return these to Mr. Bucker. I’ve lost
Spike raises an eyebrow. “Since when-”
“Just trust me on this, okay? Keep a watch on the library!”
Before Spike can say much else, Twilight is out the door but slows herself to a quick pace. It's probably nothing. It might just be some random thing he's picked up. But what if it isn't? I should get to the bottom of this. The purple unicorn brushes away some sweat from her forehead. Soon, the estate nears.
“Hey, Twilight! Where are you off to in a hurry?” a voice asks.
The purple unicorn stops and turns to see a small orange Pegasus and white unicorn approach her.
“Oh hello, girls. I just have to return some things. What are you up to?”
“Well, we were just on our way to meet up with Apple Bloom.”
“Oh? And where is Apple Bloom, girls?” Twilight asks, trying to ease herself.
“Oh, she went over to that Bucker guy’s house a while ago,” Sweetie Belle answers. “Said something about wanting to apologize about something. I think they might have went somewhere ‘cuz I saw them going back to his place. We were just going to go see if she was done yet.”
Twilight pauses, that sick feeling coming up in her chest.
“Twilight, are you alright?” Scootaloo asks.
Twilight recalls the passages. Just calm down, Twilight. You’re overreacting. But what if I’m not? “Sorry, girls. I guess I just got a little worried over nothing there.” She lets out a nervous laugh. “Well, I’m just going to handle some business with Mr. Bucker. I’ll see you girls later.”
Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle watch as Twilight makes her way to the estate, leaving them in metaphorical dust.
“I wonder what’s with her?” Sweetie Belle asks.
Twilight flings the front doors open and marches into the foyer. Much to her worry, nopony is around. She searches about the area, just in case if maybe Apple Bloom is buried under the books or something. No, that’s silly. She’s not like that. In the next room, she searches among the various medical charts and graphs strewn around, but sees no sign of-
Was that a shriek?
The purple unicorn turns her attention to the slightly open door leading into that hallway.
Is she in the chimera room? What is he doing to her?
Determined to get to the bottom of this, Twilight trots into the hallway and immediately casts an illumination spell when the darkness enshrouds her. She glances around, taking note of the missing and shaken emergency lights, intact ones all oddly off. He’s just probably having problems with his lights. Nothing to get all worried about. But what about that burn on the wall and-
Another shriek.
She steps back a bit, holding back a cry in her throat. The purple unicorn readies her horn for an offensive spell as she carefully and cautiously approaches the chimera room where the shriek emits once more. Twilight brushes back the curtain and walks into the room and-
“Hello, Miss Sparkle,” Bucker offers a smile as he calms the CABAs in their cage. The bird-bats settle down, the one stifling its next shriek. “Is there something I can help you with?”
Apple Bloom empties a scoop full of feed mixed with insects into the bird-bats’ cage. She drops it back in the pouch and turns to Twilight. “Oh, hi, Twilight!”
The purple unicorn shakes her head. “Huh?”
Fortunately, Bucker speaks up. “Apple Bloom came over to apologize about last night. She invited me to brunch over at her family’s farm and well, when we came back, it was about time to feed the chimeras.”
“Yeah,” Apple Bloom adds. “Fluttershy’s been busy, so Ah thought Ah could help Mr. Bucker with feedin’ his key-meh-rahs. An he’s payin’ me a few bits for feedin’ them in the afternoon and evening. The Cutie Mark Crusaders could always use some more bits in our savins!” She slips the feedpouch into the room next door and runs by Bucker. “Seeya, Mr. Bucker!”
“Yes, see you, Miss Bloom.” Bucker waves to her before he rubs the back of his head with his right forehoof. “Well, I guess it’s fortunate that I ended up here in Ponyville with so many helpful ponies around.” He turns and notices Twilight’s expression. “Is there a problem?”
The purple unicorn considers retrieving the journal from her saddlebag and shoving the incriminating pages into his face. However, she relents. “No, I just got a little panicked over something that wasn’t there. You know how it is with studies and all.”
Bucker nods. “Oh yes, I can understand. Things just have been a little rough as of late.” The tan unicorn cranes his neck a bit in a stretch, revealing a red line around his throat.
Twilight chokes back the sick feeling in her chest. “Well, I probably should be getting back to the library now. I’ll see you later, Mr. Bucker.”
“Same to you, Miss Sparkle.”
Twilight shakes her head. Why do I get so worked up over nothing? Mr. Bucker’s not a monster. He’d never do anything like-
As Twilight makes her way into the foyer, she stops by one of the tables and empties her saddlebag save for the journal. She considers for a moment that maybe she is just getting worked up over nothing after all. But what if she’s not?
The purple unicorn closes up her saddlebag with the journal still tucked away inside it. But just as she begins to walk away, a pile of books falls in front of her. In particular, several small journals just like the one of Nina and the chimera collapse before her forelegs. Ignoring the feeling of dread, she looks down at the pages open.
Second Lieutenant Havoc has just reminded me of my upcoming assessment after picking up the boys.
