“Hey, Twilight. You got a few minutes?”

“Sure, Starlight, come on in. What's on your mind?”

“Well, I've been working on a fun little side project.”

“Oh?”

“Something that interested me. An idle curiosity.”

“Okay. I’m guessing it has something to do with magic?”

“Hehe, yeah, of course. I've been playing around with the idea of fusing magic with a mechanical device to make something that can move on its own.”

“That is interesting, although I’m not sure I immediately see the practical value. Have you made any progress?

“I have a prototype here in my saddlebag if you’d care to see it.”

“Yes, I’d love to!”

“This is my third prototype of a self-propelled mechanism.”

“Umm… Is that a creepy, hoof-sized ladybug?”

“Well, it’s not alive, but yes, it does look similar to one. That’s why I painted it red with black spots. Why? Is there something wrong with it?”

“I’m not really a fan of ladybugs. It… it can’t fly, can it?”

“No, just walk, although it can skitter along pretty quickly. Twilight, are you okay? You’re looking a bit green around the edges.”

“You’re grinning? You know! You did that on purpose!”

“Spike may have mentioned something about you and ladybugs when he first saw it. So when I picked colors…”

“I’m going to have to have a word with Spike later. So, how does it work?”

“Let me introduce you to Project Ladybug. Hmm, nice glare you have there.”

“I think your little practical joke is done now.”

“Aww, you’re no fun.”

“So you said this was your third prototype?”

“Yes. My first attempt was modeled after a praying mantis with four legs but it just wasn’t stable. I considered a spider model with eight legs but that was too many to animate. So I split the difference and used a beetle model with six legs.”

“You could have picked a different member of the beetle family to replicate.”

“Perhaps. But I agreed with Spike, it does look like a ladybug. Anyway… I have embedded a very basic levitation spell in a crystal at the base of each leg to provide movement. Using an alternating triangle gait keeps it stable as it walks. There’s a crystal in the body with a control spell that manages everything.”

“That’s… That’s amazing, Starlight! And it can walk right now?”

“Yes. Here, I’ll start it up. It can’t see, so don’t let it fall off the desk.”

“Look at it go! That’s incredible.”

“Whew! I’m so relieved.”

“Why? What were you worried about?”

“That you wouldn’t approve, Twilight. That you’d think it was silly or a waste of time.”

“You’re doing something with magic that I’ve never seen before. It’s not silly. On the contrary, it's a brilliant little project.”

“This prototype isn’t even half done. I still need to devise some sort of feedback for the control spell. With the antennae as feelers to identify an obstacle, it could back up, turn ninety degrees, and try again. Project Ladybug is complete when it can wander around a room without getting stuck in a corner.”

“And once your Ladybug is finished, then what?”

“The next project is to create an articulated ball joint like that found in a shoulder or hip. I need to solve the problem of providing more extensive feedback for the control spell about the appendage's position, direction, and speed so it can manage the movement without damaging it.”

“Starlight, I know you. You fly kites for fun. This is way beyond just a fun project. You clearly have some goal in mind, right?”

“Yes, though I’d rather not say until I’m more confident about my progress.”

“Okay, I understand, I was just–”

“But… I need help, Twilight. I can’t do this on my own, it’s too big.”

“Too big? Where are you going with this?”

“Current pony prosthetic limbs are little more than a crutch, providing some support while the pony struggles to walk. Imagine if we had a fully articulated prosthetic. Imagine it interfaced with a pony so they could control it just like a real leg. We could give them their mobility back! And that same technology could then be applied to ponies suffering from paralysis. Perhaps with implants, or even limb replacement.”

“Wow. When you start a side project, you don’t mess around!”

“I didn’t start with those goals, but as I made progress I could see the potential.”

“As do I, Starlight. How can I help?”

“First, I need space to work. My room is getting too cramped.”

“The Cutie Map room doesn’t get used much. Take that. As long as you don’t pile your stuff on the map or chairs, we’re good. The castle only has one portable table, so we’ll need to talk to Pinkie Pie. Perhaps she has a couple of party tables we could borrow.”

“Great, thanks. Second is access to current technology and medical research. I’ve read all the books and journals. I need to see what ponies are discovering today and tomorrow. I can’t wait for scientists to get peer reviews and then publish in some journal next year. I don’t want to steal their discoveries, just apply them to my own research.”

“Perhaps a princess could cut through some of the red tape and other barriers. You’ll surely get their attention with a prototype like this.”

“Finally, I need bits. I used most of my savings creating Project Ladybug.”

“I think I can find a little room in the royal budget to get you a stipend. But that won’t be enough by itself. We’ll also need private investors. For example, Filthy Rich is always watching for new discoveries that may become the next big business opportunity. I have no doubt he, and others, will want to get in on this.”

“Thanks, Twilight. This is only the beginning. If I can give ponies back their mobility and independence, who knows what other problems I could solve? The potential is limitless if I just have enough time.”

Author's Note

For those not familiar with Twilight and Ladybugs...