The Alter Accords

Chapter Twenty One: The Diaries Part Two.

It had been a month and a half nearly since Velox had been hospitalized, and despite what some of her subjects would say, Celestia always had time for personal things such as friends and the concerns of specific ponies, even if that time wasn’t very often. Stepping to a march she had long since perfected as her regal march she felt the bows of most ponies before catching them out of the corners of her eyes. Finding the doctor she was looking for she smiled to him and found as before he told her everything she wanted to know based on the last few visits she had made.

“Hello Princess Celestia, I take it you are here to check on the patient?” she simple smiled to the doctor as he started to speak some more. “He is recovering rather quickly, we are surprised. Even with the healing spells we give him his body is still recovering at a remarkable pace…even with his diminished constitution.”

She blinked at that, she had often read the reports these last few weeks about his numerous injuries, even ones he sustained from places beyond their boarders and they all seemed to say the same things. “How quickly would you say he is recovering?”

Doctor Suture looked down at the charts and seemed to be making a few calculations. “About I would say three to four times the normal rate of a normal pony. Then again from a lot of the reports I have looked over about his physiology his shape changing properties as well as his fine manipulation of mana it almost makes sense.” Celestia knew the theory as well but had her doubts even as the doc explained it to her. “Its cause his body is being saturated at a higher rate than normal ponies even ones that do more than him or have stronger wells.”

‘That is where the problem lies; his well is barely producing any healthy mana from his pool now thanks to the curse that has embedded itself inside of his well.’ Celestia let the doctor go on about how it was a testament to pony fortitude before she smiled and dismissed him. Walking into the room she felt herself choke up at the sight of the pony before her. While his stomach wound no longer bled on a daily basis it still had to be changed regularly from the fluids that often seeped out staining the bandages yellow.

Luckily all the other surgeries he had to go through were a lot minor then the one that had repaired his belly, the one on his eye being the most extensive having to clean it out, make sure certain nerve endings weren’t exposed and cutting back on bits of ‘dangling’ flesh. She had nearly slapped the pony who said that off hoofed remark though from the looks she gave and his quick departure she figured that she got the message through to the mare.

The other surgery on his wing stubs was the ones with least problems; it was just rounding off various parts that were roughly removed from his body from the explosion. Even now looking at his back she didn’t see the need for bandages. Mostly cause she was not seeing the stubs at all.

“Huh?” Moving closer to the pony she still seen no stubs at all and instead started to notice small differences. “Taller seemingly more built then the other no horn, is this Lego?” Running a quick scan over the pony she found it was an earth pony before her, even if the gray of the sickly coat said this pony wasn’t getting enough mana in his system it was definitely him, after all his cutie mark said it- “Wait where is his cutie mark?” For a moment she thought she may have entered the wrong room but looking over the injuries she noticed that they matched up scar for scar and stitch for stitch…there was even two long visible scars along the ponies back where wings would have grown out.

A cold feeling washed over her as she lit up her horn and her eyes grew wide at what she was looking at and sent a magical signal to her sister hoping it would wake her up. A tale tell pop of teleportation and the familiar presence of her sister soon filled the room.

“What is it my sister I was having a peaceful dream.” Luna said with a yawn and holding up a hoof to her muzzle. Celestia said nothing as she kept her horn glowing and just pointed to what she was looking at. “What is it Celly I do not see the prob-.” She knew her sister seen it now as she felt her magic rising and pushed herself into the mind of the comatose stallion. A few minutes later Luna returned with a worried look. “I can’t find Velox.”

Princess Pupa, or rather Queen Pupa as she was sitting on the Queen’s throne, smiled as another subject had come to visit her this day bringing her gifts that it had found during its mining. While normally she wouldn’t care about such things she made it a point to show she would let all of her subjects be able to visit sometimes on a whim. She loved when they prostrated themselves for her though she supposed to herself that this has been enough for today.

“Leave us, we are tired and will be off to our own amusements this day.” She would smile as the drone was taken away as she got up and headed to her chambers. It wasn’t particularly late but she wanted to admire herself some more before having to speak with her scientists.

Getting into her room, the former queen had decorated it to her taste…that was changed five minutes after her ascension. The room was now decorated in a violet and purple coloration to complement her mane and wings, after all she was a queen class Changeling and had been born with her mane this color, a color which started out as a deep purple and became a gradient into that bright violet at the tips of her mane and tail. She had always known other nymphs in the hive were jealous of her looks being so drastically different than the normal and she smiled looking into her reflections Pink eyes.

Sighing she puckered her muzzle and winked at her reflection. “Only a Queen can look as perfect as you my reflection. I was destined for greatness such as this.”

Her eyes however caught something in the dim light of her room that had been set on her desk. She knew it was the reports from the scientists, though she secretly hoped it was a love letter from her favorite scientist. She started to read it though she got somewhat through it before she sighed and started to skim the report. “Adapt why is it you only tell me your feelings when we are together. I do not care if the study of the horn is progressing, I just wish for you to tell me your feelings.” Sighing once more she decided to alleviate her crushed hopes of a love letter by calling in her maid.

Said maid was scared and bruised missing parts of her wings other than the normal and the holes in her legs were more rough than normal. “Y-your majesty?”

Pupa could feel the terror coming off the female drone and she loved it, while she couldn’t feed off it like love she did enjoy it in other ways. “Its time to play my maid, so what shall we do today? Shall we work on your tail, maybe clip it a few inches, I have to say though I am dreadful with scissors so I may nick something here or there.”

The terror of the maid increased as Pupa started to pull out her ‘toys’ followed by a few whimpers of helplessness that excited Pupa in a way that she only felt for a certain Changeling scientist.

Adapt licked his lip as he looked at the results of the test that was just completed. “It had taken quiet a lot of time but the results are fascinating wouldn’t you say?” The question went unanswered. “Yes yes, of course. Sombra the fool, delved too deep into the darkness and it corrupted him, but the effects it scarred him with are beyond incredible. It absorbs mana from the very air empowering its former owner to levels beyond what a normal unicorn would be able to wield, I would say even to a lesser extent an Alicorn if presented with a mana rich environment, what is more it turns that same mana it absorbed into a corrupted form able to change it to its own for better manipulation, astounding wouldn’t you say?”

The lab coat of the scientist shuffled as he moved from the read out to the horn and stared at it. For a moment he just looked and looked before smiling. His unruly black mane would sweep in front of his glasses as he went over to a nearby black board and started to draw on it.

“Oh that is a brilliant idea, what if we cannot only increase its efficiency but somehow channel it into a non pony source, maybe a changeling…no no wait that would corrupt them, we would need, need something, something like, OH yes a machine a machine would do it wonderfully, I must start designing it now. Thank you for the idea, I will be sure to credit you in my memoirs.” Licking his lips once more, Adapt started to erase some of what he drew and started to redraw the calculations on it. Still no one was there.

Egnach was upset, the princess had thought he was some kind of mining drone and had just turned him away after he presented his work to her. It was a combination of metals that he had found if melted together just right were even stronger then steel, he tried to show the results to Adapt but the crazy old jackass was still just as insane as ever once he started getting involved in a project, he would even kick all others out and start talking to himself. What was more during some of the initial tests the Professor even choose others to help with the experiment. Egnach may not have been the toughest drone in the hive but he was one of the smartest, even the other scientist had told him so. So when he found out others were helping the professor on a project that should have been shared with him, he hated it.

‘Sure the ones chosen to help him came back charred messes but that doesn’t excuse the secrecy that he keeps-’ a few of the gofers were running around carrying copies of the professor’s latest ideas here and there. Using his magic he took hold of one of the drones and took the copy he had from him. “Go get another copy, this one is mine.” The drone quickly left as Egnach looked over the notes of the latest batpony-shit crazy design the old coot had concocted this time. ‘Let’s see, conversion ratios, storage buffers, that crazy bastard. But then again if it works in small scale testing it would mean a lot of things for the hive…better keep a better eye on him just in case though.’

The air was getting colder and colder and the days shorter and shorter in Equestria and thus it meant the time for tricks was getting less and less for Rainbow Dash. She was currently sweating off her daily routine of her stunts, both refining a couple but not quiet reinventing them, and getting the stunts more accurate and quicker. She was now onto her next bit of her training, it had helped her calm down in the last month to really devote herself to learning and refining what ‘he’ taught her.

Focusing on her wings and the flow of her channels she could feel the current gathering. She had been practicing more and more to perfect this and she was proud to say she thought she had it down pat; just at this point it was speed of gathering that was slow for her. The water soon flowed all over her body, however as it was getting cooler and cooler it was becoming harder and harder to manipulate the water in the air as it was starting to become frost at times. What was more she could feel herself rapidly losing temperature when doing this.

‘I feel like there should be something I can do that makes it so I don’t frost over or catch hippothermia…hippo…no it was called hypno…wait no that is when you are being hypnotized. Hyperthermia, no that was when things are excited, ya if on…ly.’ For once in her life the result of her lack of education gave Rainbow Dash a brilliant idea. One she would pay for when she started to rapidly vibrating the water only for it to heat up to give her a few small burns. However she knew she was onto something even as Twilight was berating her for her carelessness.

Twilight watched Dash leave her library and while she was happy her friend wasn’t hurt, she found that feeling rise up inside her again and it spurred thoughts she felt she shouldn’t think. ‘Why am I jealous that Dash has something that he gave her even if it was technique while I have nothing?’ She had only come home to Ponyville cause of Spike and the others, that and Celestia ordered her to go home.

More and more she found herself worried about the three ponies that shared one body the part that made her guilty though was she found herself more and more just wishing one particular one was saved more than the others. Nearly every time as well she would come to hit her head against a solid surface to berate herself for thinking such a thing. That didn’t stop her from thinking about the times Lego came into the library to get a new book for himself or his brothers as well as catch him and discuss what he learned in them.

She found she liked his way of thinking, looking at the entire thing before even trying to look for a result or a conclusion, a kind of tempered version of what she herself did, except for the part about not thinking about conclusions before having all the information. She chuckled to herself when one of their conversations helped her solve a problem she was having learning a new spell.

‘He may not be the most knowledgeable about magic, but what he does know he knows thoroughly. I wish just once I could get him in my lab so we can really get into it.’ All at once her mind pictured something not what she intended and made herself flush bright red. ‘That is not what I meant not at all, even if I-NO, no buts.’

“What are you all red about Twi?” It was her number one assistant. “I mean the only time I seen any pony get that red was with Rainbow Dash and Novo, or Applejack and Velox that and then they started giggling weirdly….Hey Twilight you think he will get to come home soon? I mean he was really nice and I would like to get to know him better, I mean he was always nice to me, sometimes he would sneak me some gems he made. They were pretty good too even if they do have a weird taste.”

Twilight only really heard half of the question though as she went even more red then before. ‘No I am not like Rainbow or Applejack right? Sure I find Lego physically attractive as well as mentally stimulating. We get along nicely have similar interest in learning things. I could talk to him for hours on end about nothing really; hear him talk about what he knows for hours on end as well. Just stare at him and find myself calmer then before and…and I would miss him more than any of my friends if he was gone.’ Breathing deeply she knew she had her answer then, the one she said she would solve later, the one she said wasn’t really what it could be.

Without even meaning to she answered Spikes question. “I just have to hope he gets better so he can come home doesn’t matter when as Ponyville will always be his home.”

Applejack was having a great day, great week, great two weeks. The reason, a lot of big fancy smancy traders from all over were sending her positive reviews about her apples. From what Big Mac had told her about the letters he got about a month ago was that a few traders had been interested in shipping their apples everywhere around Equestria they just wanted a small sample batch.

Well two weeks ago the orders started coming back, first one or two, then a half dozen. Now investments were coming all in, Applejack and her family now had the money to improve the farm, hire more workers so they wouldn’t have to break their backs and work from dawn to dusk nearly every day, even add in more acres to the farm to produce more for all the shipments. Her dream of having Sweet Apple Acres apples everywhere in Equestria was coming true.

She had even sent out thank you letters to each of those that signed on to help trade and just got through reading the first one. The second one was even better saying how he would never be able to eat another apple from the local places again after tasting S.A.A. apples. She was now reading the third one in very high spirits.

‘Dear Miss Applejack of the Apple clan and lead caretaker and owner of Sweet Apple Acres. I have to say I am very impressed with your product and what is more impressed with your attitude. You didn’t have to send a letter to me expressing your heart filled thanks at all but it shows that I was lead to the right mare to do trade with. Heck honestly when I got a letter from an old associate of mine I thought he was fibbing with how delicious your apples were.’ That was the first she heard of somepony recommending them but she was happy all the same and kept reading. ‘My father always told me the best things often come from unlikely sources, and just like the stallion’s work ethic and knack for getting things done, I find he comes through for me when I need him again without even him knowing, even if he also told many other traders about your orchard I can’t really blame him. So if you ever see my associate tell him he has my thanks once more for pulling my flank out of the fire. I suppose I should mention his name too so you know him, he is a blue Pegasus by the name of Velox Starshifter. Give him my best if you meet him and I look forward to working with you Miss Apple.’

The letter was shaking in her hoof grip till it fell with wet drops rapidly forming on it. “It was him that did this for us. Then again he was always sayin’ somethin’ like he would rather help us out more than help himself out.” She started to chuckle loudly at that more and more till they slowly turned into sobs and her head hit the table. ‘Why, why did ah treat him like that, there has never been a more true stallion then him. Please just get better, ah don’t think ah can lose another that means so much to me.’

Pinkie Pie was in a better mood than normal. She was walking Gummy her pet alligator, though by walk she really meant he was poking from her mane and looking off in two separate directions while absentmindedly chewing on the fluffy cotton candy looking curls. Gummy always had a way of making her better, especially after the last few times she had talked to him.

“You are such a wise alligator you know that Gummy?” Pinkie told him as she bounced through town, everypony ignoring the sight as they were so used to it. “I shouldn’t worry about things that I can’t control, my job is to just make sure to do my best every time. If that means my Pinkie sense helps, then yay, if not it means I will try to do my best so it doesn’t end up very badly. That is just a new Pinkie Promise I make to myself.” Making the motions with her hooves she smiled. “Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cup cake in my eye.” To most it was just Pinkie being Pinkie. To Pinkie though it was the start of a whole new chapter of helping her friends to make sure that she starts to recognize her Pinkie sense quicker, sharper, to make sure that when it does come on, she lets everypony know what it means right away. ‘I promise, there will not be another incident like the one with Star if I can help it.’

With the feeling of something wet on her head she looked up at Gummy. “If you were hungry Gummy you should have said so instead of drooling…at least I hope that is drool.” Reaching up to feel what it was she was happy to see her hoof come back with saliva.

Fluttershy was humming a wordless tune as she hovered from place to place dusting. Surprisingly all her animal friends were here helping, surprising why? Because this wasn’t her home is why. Since the incident with Rarity she silently said she would help out more to be more assertive, so she as loudly as she could, she asks the cakes in the loudest whisper she could if she could take care of Star’s home till he came back.

Thankfully before she could run off they agreed and let her have the keys knowing she would take good care of things. The first day had been horrible, all her animal friends had seen her come home covered from mane to tail in a layer of dust and coughing. From that day on all her animals even Angel-bunny came with, though the latter always seem to complain and slack off.

With all her friends cleaning the house never really took that long, though she looked around and would often realize it was because he didn’t own much. “Do you suppose we should help decorate things for him?” she asked some of her companions only for them to give various growls, tweets, grunts, and other sounds but to her translated to a positive noise. “Hmm how should we do things…oh I know, maybe I can invite everypony over for tea and we can talk about it. Make it a surprise for when Star comes home.”

She packed up all her cleaning supplies and made sure no feather or fur was left behind as she hummed all the way back to her cottage.

Business had been slow this past month then again after her ‘small’ breakdown she knew that it was little wonder why. Since then she had taken up Fluttershy’s advice and was seeing a professional about things. While over all she didn’t agree with the mare, Doctor Frontal Lobe had already helped out her.

Seems not only was Rarity suffering from a small form of P.T.S.D. from seeing Velox being injured to rescue them while she was unable to do anything, but she was also repressing a lot of her guilt about not only trying to force Star to do things like model for her, but also of her friends. The doctor had said she consciously wasn’t aware of it but deep down she knew, it was what caused her generosity to be so high towards complete strangers at times, and while that was a good thing, she could go overboard with it.

“Self control, awareness, and moderation. Those are the three things I must work on. I must not lose who I am but I must not let my guilt rule who I am, I will do what I want and give what I want.” Rarity said to herself as she heard a voice from nearby.

“Zat is right dearie, zat is how all arteests live zere lives.” She had heard that voice before and as she turned Rarity was mentally squealing as she seen the pomp and posh Photo Finish in her doorway. “I have come to see ze illustrious Rarity for her glamour works of art.”

Giving a bow to the fellow artist she smiled and was giddy inside, though outside she was calm. “Of course, I would gladly show you anything I have.”

The next few hours came and went with Photo Finish taking in each piece that the mare showed her giving critic where needed and praises where it was true. However the overall theme that Photo gave off was that she wasn’t terribly impressed with all her works of art.

“Are you sure zere is nothing else to show? After all while all zis is nice and would get you featured, it vouldnt send you to ze stars and back in ze fashion world.” Looking at the pieces she had shown off Rarity knew she was right, these all were half finished works to make up for her lost line that she destroyed recently.

Smiling and nodding. “I have some things from last season I can show off but this season isn’t quite ready as I had a bit of a setback recently. Let me go find you something that will show off my skill better then these pieces.”

As the proper mare opened up the curtain to the back though she heard Photo Finish call out to her. “Vait, vhat is zat?”

Looking around she only saw one piece on a ponykin that wasn’t stored…it was the dress that Fluttershy had ran out with that day she broke down, a piece she hadn’t destroyed and now kept as a reminder of her promises to herself and her new dedication. “Sorry Miss Finish, but that piece is not for display or replication. It is a failure to myself and to others as I stole the design from something I saw.”

While not a lie, she couldn’t help but see the guilt hallucination Velox every time she gazed at the piece. “So vhat?”

“Excuse me?” Rarity asked in astonishment.

“I said so vhat?” Photo Finish said pulling down her glasses. “Ze little ponies are meant to help those truly great such as us to grow greater and greater for ze masses to admire and adore. If you stole the piece, so vhat, as long as you are not caught it doesn’t matter. I mean look at the pony who recommended me to you.” Photo went on as she looked around. “I had a studio similar to zis cause I was forced to downgrade after a failed run. So vhen a stallion shows up I learned he had a special trick, so I featured him in a lot of magazines and paid him subpar as he needed ze bits. I even got a bunch of ze candids for Playmare, zat bought me a nice carriage.”

Rarity looked at the mare with open shock on her face; she was describing somepony she was sure she knew. “Was his name Starshifter?”

With a pfft sound and a wave of a hoof the pompous mare shook off the name. “Who cares, he vas just a nice little piece of meat for me to use to step up. Though I must say I do keep some of his photos that I never published for…private uses hehe.”

Looking at the mare in front of her Rarity knew what she was looking at. It wasn’t a disgusting mare, nor was it a fashion idol…it was herself in a few years if she kept up like she was to her friends and everypony.

“So get out zat little outfit and strut its stuff, from what I can see its sure to be a vinner. So that pony that you stole it from should be inspired by zis.” Rarity watched as Photo looked at the piece with what she now recognized as greed. In front of her was a mare who had no generosity at all in her and not somepony she would ever trust with any of her work.

“I am sorry Miss Photo Finish, but as I said that piece isn’t for show, though I will have you know I do have it copyrighted so if I find any pieces similar to it even by a stitch you can bet your bottom bit I will come calling. Now as for any other work, I do not mind showing you, but I find that your lack of ethics a problem for me so I am afraid we will not be able to work out anything in the form of a business partnership. So I wish you adieu and I hope your new line is made by your hooves and not stolen from another’s.” Rarity had a moment of pleasure as she seen the look of incredibly on Finish’s face as she was just turned away that as the door closed on her she never uttered a peep.

Rarity never felt as great as she had that day than any other that she could remember in recent times.

Flipping to the next page in her studies, the showmare couldn’t believe what was happening. She should be in a dungeon or Tartarus not in the royal library studying magical techniques to increase ones power as the new student of Princess Luna. Trixie couldn’t even believe it when she was let out after many interviews and reports she had to give to guards and the Princesses themselves.

Was she grateful to not be locked up, yes and no. Trixie would be the first to admit that she often dreamed of something liked this happening, going to the castle in Canterlot and recognized for her gifts. Did she want it cause of the blood of another on her hooves, absolutely not. She dislikes Twilight Sparkle and hated having no home anymore cause of the Ursa Minor destroying it. Did she want to harm Sparkle over that not at all.

She wanted to humiliate her like she herself felt, which is why she sought out the Alicorn Amulet in the first place. She was overconfident, she didn’t think a curse could affect her at all and without her even realizing it at all, humiliation lead to enslavement of another one she disliked, hated even. Starshifter was a pony she hated even if part of her knew her sister’s death wasn’t his fault, even less so when she learned the truth of her brother’s actions while in Canterlot.

While the Law stated that any who was under a curse was not responsible for their actions, it didn’t alleviate Trixie’s guilt at all. Even the excitement of a Princess recognizing her knowledge of magic as one of the greatest wasn’t high on her list from the guilt she felt from the reason her brilliance came to light. It was one of the reasons why now in her spare time Trixie was studying the books of healing, a subclass of magic she never got into before.

“Trixie Promises, no I promise, I will make it up to those whose blood is on my hooves, I will not become that…monster again. I will learn more and more to save others from monsters like that. Like what I once was, both before I put the amulet on, and after.” Trixie never saw Luna watching her from the shadows with a smile on her face, nor would she ever know it was for that determination as well as her knowledge that she was chosen as the newest Student of a Princess.

Trixie did however think she heard a voice tell her something. “You have so many more lessons to learn Trixie, but we are sure you will learn them.”

Luna smiled as she went back to her room and raised the moon while somewhere in the castle her sister was lowering the sun. Soon it would be time for night court and she needed to get ready. The proclamation of her newest student was tonight, even if the ponies at her night court were only the more dedicated to her and some of the least influential ponies in Canterlot.

Basically commoners, but that is exactly how Luna liked it. She was also learning of problems that Celestia would never learn of as she was being beset by her more…pompous subjects during her court. It would be these same subjects whom would represent the majority and be the most understanding of her choice of students.

“What better mare to understand the power of redemption them myself. It can be a powerful force for good if a willing soul wants to repent, thus I would be sourly lacking in my abilities if I didn’t recognize such a soul within reach.” While that part was true it wasn’t the sole reason Luna had made such a choice to take Trixie as her student. “Her knowledge in the arcane is vast, rivaling my sisters student and my friend Twilight Sparkle’s who was formally trained versus this mare who wasn’t. The promise and talent she shows can easily grow more and more if given the chance, for the Alicorn Amulet only supplies the boost in power, but not the knowledge of the spells. All that had come from Trixie herself.”

Yes, Luna knew this was the right choice, she knew, deep in her heart, that this would change something in the future, something important.

Celestia had retired to her room and was once more looking over the book an archeologist had recovered from an ancient ruin. It was a most valuable book from the little known Alicorn Era that only a few beings in Equestria even had knowledge of. In fact Celestia herself could name off all the beings she knew of that could even say they knew that it exists much less was around to see it.

Sadly she was only one of them that knew it existed as she was born nearly at the end of that era along with her sister a short time later. The only beings she could say with positive assurance that were alive during that time were Discord, Tirek, and Grogar. The first was incased in stone, the second was locked away in Tartarus, and the third had been banished long ago to the dark realms by the ancient Alicorns of Harmony.

“Or at least I think that is what this book is saying. I just wish I knew more of Ancient Equestrian to really say or not.” Closing the ancient text with a sigh she knew more knowledge of her race lay within but lost to her as she couldn’t understand even a tenth of what was being said. “Why did it have to be in a dead language. I am the foremost authority on Ancient Equestrian and even I can’t make heads or tails of this.”

Setting aside the painful and fruitless deciphering of the book she took up quill and parchment to draft a letter to send to her faithful student in the morning with some good news and some bad news. “Dear Twilight Sparkle, my most faithful student.”

“Dear Twilight Sparkle, my most faithful student.” Twilight read proudly at the mail that came that morning. “I trust you and all your friends are doing well, I know recent times have been hard on all of your spirits but I do write to bring you news both of the good and bad kind. It has been nearly two months now since Bright Star has been hospitalized and the doctors can safely say he will survive and recover somewhat. While it may not be to the form he once was it is still good news I believe. As such as of the day of this arrives, the Canterlot Hospital is preparing to move him to Ponyville to continue his treatment so that he may recover there.”

Internally Chibi-Twilight was doing flips of joy and excitement to pass this good news on to everypony. However as Spike pointed out, as she stopped reading it out loud to both him and herself, there was more to read.

Giving a sheepish smile Twilight continued. “However the bad news is this, as you know if there is significant damage to a pony its possible for them to lose their special talents and to a more serious degree, their mark. Because of the damage done to his body, mind, and spirit, as well as his mana channels, he has lost his cutie mark. What that means, I do not know as I do not know for sure what his mark meant in the first place, but you and your friends should be aware of that. There is also the problem of his missing personality, when we scanned him we were unable to find the personality called Velox within his mind. That doesn’t mean he has vanished, it just means that he is missing as I can personally attest that most of his shadow of fate still remains. It should also be noted he is in his earth pony form as he somehow changed while unconscious and while in the hospital. The injuries remain so we are unsure how that came to be or why.”

Twilight wasn’t sure what that last bit meant but the rest of the letter described to her the list of things she would need to know in case she needed to help with his treatments or rehabilitation when he and if he woke up. “Well Spike it seems we have good news to deliver to everypony. We get to see Star everyday now and won’t have to make trips to Canterlot to see him.”

The baby dragon gave a fist pump with a yes as he heard that and started to go grab things to get ready, no doubt making a get well soon card if Twilight judged the glue and other craft supplies correctly.

Egnach couldn’t believe he had gotten pulled for this mission. A Canterlot mission so soon after the failure was unthinkable for most changelings…not Adapt. ‘Oh no not Professor Adapt, he absolutely needs something from Canterlot and just can’t get a proper sample himself. I know I wanted to be more involved in his project but this is beyond risky.’ Egnach was currently disguised as a pompous unicorn in a city full of them. ‘After all if you want to hide a tree, you go to the forest.’

Over and over again the changeling would try to figure out why he was sent here, but all he was given was the name of the sample he needed to acquire. Ducking into a nearby closet he changed once more with green fire coating him, coming out as an earth pony. He could have changed his gender but he never did that unless he had to.

Heading to the nearby station he waited till the ponies at the station were called away. Quickly ducking behind it he changed to look like one of them, this time he had to change to a mare to copy the looks of one of them. Looking to the nearby cabinet he started to rifle through them looking for the file that told him where to go.

“Hey there sweetie working hard as usually I see.” Egnach nearly jumped out of his disguise when the voice was right at his ear as well as an overly familiar hoof touching his flank. “You know, I know you get off on a break soon, so I was wondering if you would like to duck into the supply closet for some fun sweetie, after all we haven’t really had time at home cause of our work schedules.”

Egnach was not a strong drone by any stretch of the imagination, but the love the stallion was giving off for the mare he that he was disguised as currently gave him a great boost as he took all that the stallion gave. But then again it may have been a bad thing as he took too much causing the pony to faint away. Looking around quickly the drone opened a cupboard and stuffed the unconscious pony in as best he could before shivering at the feeling he got before.

‘That is why I hate changing genders, or any form not my own, you are susceptible to that forms instincts, emotions, and more. Just need to get this done then I can get home.’ Going back to his search he found that he was just one folder off when he got distracted.

Heading to the door he opened it to find a doctor there taking a sample of blood from a badly bandaged and unconscious gray earth pony stallion and smiling. “Ahh nurse just in time. Take this blood sample down to the lab so we can put it on record.”

The mare that Egnach was disguised as had a sweet smile it seemed as the doctor never suspected anything as she took sample with her hoof and put it away in her bags, or rather his bags. Heading quickly out of the room he would find a closet to change into disguise with and smile.

“Well, that was rather easy. Who said all Canterlot unicorns were snobs. That one certainly made my job a cinch. The blood of one Bright Star, formerly known as Starshifter acquired.” Egnach said as he made sure that the sample was properly in place in the special part of his bag that would preserve it. “And thanks to that loving stallion I have more than enough juice to last me a good while too though I won’t report that so I don’t have to give to the love reserves. Promotion here I come.”

Author's Notes:

Ahh part two of the start of the second arc. Feels good to get this out only problem is this is all I have written so far as I still haven't caught my muse. I think my net is too small.

Or it has as many holes in it as your brain does *flies off*

I WOULD MURDER YOU IF I DIDN'T NEED YOU, YOU STUPID MUSE!