Let the infection take its course 72%

There was no doubt in Twilight’s mind that this was the right course—as she watched Fluttershy’s scanners, more and more she realized that they were completely out of their league. Trying to teleport the infection out might have made for a daring last-second-save, but more likely it would’ve just made Apple Bloom bleed to death on the operating table. Twilight had not studied medical magic, she couldn’t close thousands of little capillaries and veins at the same time. That took years of training she would never receive.

Even knowing they had made the right choice; the process was terrible to watch. She could only imagine how horrifying it might’ve been to watch this same process happen to her own brother, sitting on the sidelines and powerless to do anything. Fluttershy administered painkillers and kept her unconscious, but even so she twitched and fidgeted as the mechanical growth worked. Not just on her—the thin fibers began to spin her a cocoon of sorts, eating the operating table and any sensors that Fluttershy didn’t get away from them in time.

It was more than Applejack could take. After watching for twenty minutes or so, Twilight could see the change in Applejack’s face. The pony marched straight across the room, intent on the semitransparent cocoon around her sister.

Does Twilight stop her without incident? Yes

But Twilight was ready for her. The voices of her friends hadn’t gone quiet while they watched, and Applejack’s was the loudest of all. Twilight listened silently as she plotted her brave “rescue”, watching as long as she could before she finally decided she was going to defy Twilight’s orders and attack.

Twilight might not know incredibly-complex last ditch cancer treatments, but she knew how to stun a pony who wasn’t expecting it. Twilight aimed her horn carefully, and blasted Applejack in the back with a simple mind spell. She fell limply to the floor, a few inches from her sister’s cocoon. “I’m sorry, Applejack,” she muttered. “If you interrupted her now, she’d probably die.”

They could’ve left her in stasis, until they discovered what the infection was and found a way to treat it. But Applejack had demanded they release her. Now they paid the price.

“Restrain her,” Twilight ordered, gesturing towards an empty table. “Fluttershy, make sure she doesn’t wake up.”

“Okay, captain,” she whispered, voice doubtful. “But if her sister dies while she’s asleep, she’ll never forgive you.”

“I know,” Twilight said. “But if she wakes up, she might be the reason her sister dies. And she still won’t forgive us.” She was going to be a leader. If that meant consequences… she had done her best. “I’m going for a walk. Radio me if anything changes.” Twilight needed to get away from the voices.

She wandered down the halls almost at random, though she kept careful track of where she had gone and what turns she’d taken. She wouldn’t get lost in the upper floors of this building, as badly explored as they were. The voices just don’t stop. Some part of her, perhaps one that she wanted to stay buried, knew that they weren’t really voices. Rainbow Dash had realized it almost immediately, even if she hadn’t. I’m seeing their thoughts.

It’s okay, Twilight. Deep breaths. Don’t try to process everything at once. What do you know? I have mind magic that doesn’t seem to take any energy and never shuts off. I can’t teleport safely anymore. Those two things were probably connected, somehow. She would have to figure out how. There’s probably a way to turn this off. A pony who had to hear the thoughts of everypony around them would go completely insane.

Something tapped her on the shoulder, so suddenly that she actually jumped into the air. She spun around, horn glowing to defend herself, but there was no new defense of the Memorial. It was Node. The one creature whose thoughts she couldn’t hear.

“Captain. Are you functional?”

Twilight slumped onto her haunches, lowering her head. “I’m asking myself that right now, Node. I don’t know anymore.”

“You appear damaged. I advise consulting the medical representative as soon as you have a free moment. But this is not the reason for my visit.” She lowered her voice leaning in close. “I believe I have remembered something that is immediately relevant to the situation at hand.”

Twilight looked up. “And by that do you mean ‘Remembered’, or do you mean that you’ve just changed your mind about keeping it secret from us?”

Node withdrew a little, almost like her words had hurt it. “I am beginning to suspect that my creators restricted my knowledge. As I am exposed to various triggers, my internal storage becomes more accessible.”

“So what do you remember?” she asked.

“I believe your crewman experienced the same process my creators did. Organic life is untenable. Conversion must take place, or…” it shuddered. “Or it will end.”

The radio on Twilight’s breast squeaked with Fluttershy’s voice. “Umm, captain? You should… probably come back here, if you want.”

Does Apple Bloom survive? Critical yes.

Does Apple Bloom wake up? Yes.

“She’s awake.”

Twilight rose to her hooves, enjoying a few more blissful seconds of silence. I’m going to have to think of a spell to keep their thoughts out. There’s got to be some variation of mind magic I can use. But for now, she would have to go back into the maelstrom. “On my way. Revive Applejack,” she said to the radio. Then she let go of the transmission button. “You’re saying this process is safe.”

“Reasonably,” Node said. “Casualties among healthy individuals were… not unreasonable given the circumstances.”

Twilight galloped back the way she’d come, down the dark hallways of an extinct civilization. She found her way back to the lab. The cocoon of spun metal had opened down the middle, with Apple Bloom the insect hatching from within.

The metamorphosis was no less complete. Apple Bloom’s body still looked very much like a pony, at least in shape. But her coat was some kind of smooth, metallic layer . When she moved one of her legs, Twilight could see bundles of fiber there, more like industrial machinery than muscle. At least she didn’t have the uncanny-valley appearance of Node’s plastic shell, she still had something like a coat and skin. Her eyes were unblinking, even if they looked a little like eyes. She had no cutie mark.

The ground all around the half-digested table was covered with thick black sludge, that smelled vaguely like someone had dumped out the contents of a biodigester and then vomited all over it. Sweet Celestia that’s not what I think it is…

Twilight strode into the room, doing her best to ignore the smell. She was surrounded with voices—except for two. Node’s thoughts remained her own. And now, Apple Bloom’s were as well. “I’m… alive,” she said, her voice almost what Twilight remembered. But maybe it was just deeper with age. She held out one leg, staring down at it with confused eyes. “It didn’t kill me.”

[Cyber-Bloom joins the party]

“Sis!” Applejack called from her cot, stumbling forward half-groggy from the drugs.

Twilight would have only a second to react.

1. Absolutely no one make contact with her. This might be contagious. It might be meant to spread. We should get her into a biohazard suit right now until Fluttershy can study it carefully.

2. If we’re going to get infected, it already got us anyway. Interrogate Apple Bloom for what she knows.

3. Time to wake up Sunset. Our work here isn’t done. Applejack can get her sister back, but she’s not the captain. We’ll give Apple Bloom some time to recover before we ask her questions.

4. The voices won’t stop they just keep getting louder Celestia I need to get away…

(Certainty 220 required)

Author's Notes:

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What you’re reading is a CYOA-style adventure story, fully driven by its user feedback. This story is written using a system called Mythic, a GM-simulator that allows me to be fully in the driver’s seat for the prose, without actually knowing what will happen next. Success or failure in this story is fully governed by the fickle hand of fate, as well as the wisdom of those who chose to vote on it.

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