“Look, are you sure you’re okay?” Chill Beat asks as I struggle against her magic grip. “I can take you to the infirmary if you’re not. That’s totally within my power, you know.”

I look at the unicorn in disbelief. Even if she wasn’t guiltily flicking her eyes back and forth between me and Blossom, my disbelief stands. She has the nerve to pick me up with a levitation spell, and then ask me if I’m alright just because I’m squirming uncomfortably. Excuse me for disliking being held against my will, even if my captor is being much gentler than that lout Blueblood.

“Yes, I’m fine. I’ve been blown up, stabbed, crushed in a gravitational spell, fallen down a flight of stairs, nearly drowned, self-defenestrated, flown through a fireworks display, and torn from my own universe; it’ll take more than being hit with a bass cannon to put me down,” I say through clenched teeth. “Speaking of which, I would very much like it if you let me go. Gently.”

Instead of doing as I ask, Beat—I refuse to think of her as Chill because reasons—just stares at me in confusion. “Huh? You’re free to go any time!”

“Onee-chan!” Blossom’s voice draws both of our attentions. I may not be well versed in Japanese or Neighponese or what have you, but even I’ve read enough manga to recognize big sister when I hear it. “You are still holding her with your magic!”

“Wait, you’re sisters?” I can’t help but blurt as the unicorn in the room realizes her mistake and drops me. Of course, she seems to have forgotten my request for her to put me down gently, and I hit the floor with a yelp. “Ow! I said gentle damn it!”

Embarrassed at her crass treatment of me, she rushes over to my side to help me up. “Sorry, that’s my bad!” she exclaims. Once she’s got me on my own hooves again, she gives me a not too subtle once-over, checking for any more injuries she might have inflicted. “More to the point, we’re half-sisters. We share the same mother, but we have different sires.”

Watching the two stand side-by-side, I can’t deny that the two are clearly related. Their coats and manes are fairly similar in hue. The most striking and obvious difference between the two is obviously the fact that Chill Beat is a unicorn while Ice Blossom is an earth pony, but there are several other differences, as well. Beat has a bichrome mane styled after the infamous Vinyl Scratch, while Blossom’s pretty monochrome mane reminds me most of dear Fluttershy. Then of course, having different fathers, it would seem Beat didn’t inherit the heterochromia; her eyes are a solid gold.

I suppose it’s no great surprise that the racial stereotypes seen in the fan depictions of Neighponese are somewhat accurate. Both girls bear eyes that are remarkably narrower than any I’ve seen thus far, and they’re remarkably lithe—even the earth pony sibling. That’s about as far as it goes though; Beat’s horn isn’t curved, nor does it bear different pattern fluting. It may be a bit pointier than most, but it’s in no way as sharp looking as that of Princess Luna.

Strangely enough, something that I don’t think fans have gotten right—not that they could have predicted it—is their ears. Take a regular capital A and bow it out, and you essentially have standard Equestrian ears. The ears on Blossom and Beat, however, are more like the ears you’d see on an elf... or a Vulcan. They’re naturally angled back a bit, and far pointier. I think I can go so far as to say if I slapped a bowl on Blossom’s head and cut the mane jutting out beneath, she would be Equestria’s best Vulcan pony.

“I wouldn’t have thought having different dads would have broken her,” the unicorn sibling observes, jarring me out of my thought. “What’s up with that?”

Crap, did I really just space out to a noticeable degree while I had my internal monologue? “No, you didn’t break me. I think I’m just a bit tired,” I mumble shaking my head. “Being assaulted by two unicorns and flying through a fireworks display—”

“That was you?” Beat interjects with a laugh. “Didn’t you know about the New Moon Fireworks celebration?”

“—will do that to you,” I finish my sentence, glaring at the unicorn for her interruption. “One last question before I head back to my room.”

“Shoot,” Beat says, walking over to a desk on the far side of the room. “What’cha wanna ask?”

I give Ice Blossom a guilty look before turning back to her sister. “How come you don’t speak like your sister?” I ask with earnest curiosity. “You’re both Neighponese, but I don’t hear an ounce of accent from you. Why is that?”

“Well, that’s kinda two questions, but since they’re asking the same point, I won’t make a fuss,” she replies, her ear twitching slightly. “I was born in Neighpon just like my little sis here, true enough. Even spent most of my foalhood with Mom’s herd. They were happy times, those days I spent with Mom, Dad, and Ice Blossom. We were all really close.

“But there came a time when Dad yearned for greener pastures, so to speak.” Her voice is completely wistful and bearing regret. Watching her sister, her eyes even glisten a bit. “I was just barely a teen at the time, and I didn’t really understand why he wanted to leave the herd and cross the sea. At the same time, I thought the prospect of going to a new place and hearing new kinds of music so exciting that I couldn’t help but beg to come with him. I didn’t realize that in doing so, I’d be leaving Mom and Ice Blossom behind.”

She looks back at her younger sister. “Still, I went along with Dad, and spent my adolescence here in Equestria,” she says, smiling knowingly. “That’s why I have no accent and speak Common Equestrian so fluently.”

Her story leaves me wishing to ask more, but I really am tired, and I haven’t even started on my ‘What alchemy means to you’ essay yet. “Thank you for telling me your tale, Chill Beat,” I reply softly. “I’ve gotta head back to my own chamber right now, but I hope I’ll see you both again.”

As I trot toward the chamber’s door, I hear a rather mute, “You can count on it.” That brings a smile to my face. Mission accomplished!

The meaning of alchemy is by no means a simple question. For one to even answer the question of what alchemy means to them, they must first have some understanding of what alchemy is, and for what purposes it serves. Their answer is intrinsically based on their understanding.

Alchemy is, as defined byMagical Arts and Abilities the application of the knowledge of magical properties of ingredients—mundane or other—to produce an intended magical effect without the prerequisite of being a unicorn. There is, of course a question of how much of this is truly magic, and how much is purely chemical reaction. Is the explosive and irritant, Trichloramine, a result of the reaction between chlorine and ammonia, or is it entirely based on the alchemical properties accompanying the ingredients in which these compounds might be found? Perhaps it is both, or neither. As old as alchemy is, there has never been a consensus on where to draw the line between the two.

Dependent on the school of thought, alchemy has entirely different purposes. For those of medical mind, alchemy is a tool with which ponies may treat illness and injury without the presence of unicorns, be it by choice or circumstance. Formerly, alchemy was recorded as the preferred form of medicine in predominantly earth-pony and pegasus settlements, though with the medicinal magic boom of 1472 PH, alchemy quickly fell out of common practice in favor of the availability of unicorn doctors.

For those of a more combat-oriented mind, alchemy is a tool for destruction and domination of the battlefield, and a favorite of assassins. Of particular note, a minotaur ambassador visiting a den of dog men—more commonly known as diamond dogs—was killed with a poison that caused all of his flesh to crystalize. It is unfortunate that the use of alchemy instigated the short-lived War of the Diamond Bull—one of the only recorded wars of extermination in Equestria’s history—when the ambassador’s companion witnessed the ambassador’s crystalline form devoured by the den’s occupants.

Others argue that alchemy is a tool to allow ponies to exert an extended degree of control over their own lives. In all reality, this line of thought is often used to frivolously exploit alchemy in favor of convenience or to make up for one’s perceived inadequacies. There are so many variations of the teat and stallionhood engorgement recipes that this school is often mistaken for one of shallow cosmetics, thus overlooking more practical uses, such as giving a barren mare the milk to nurse her foals.

Personally, I believe that this last ‘miscellaneous’ school of thought has a lot of unrealized potential. So many of the ‘frivolous conveniences’ present can be put to far better use than simply changing a stallion’s coat color without dyes or giving a mare different colored irises. Cosmetics potions, given their low-toxicity and long-lasting effects, could be better put to use in the realms of espionage or witness protection.

It is for this reason that I believe alchemy can be used as a means to better ourselves. Through alchemy, we can push ourselves to create new solutions to problems that would otherwise require personnel that may not be present. Whereas today a high level unicorn would be required to cast a cloud-walking charm on earthbound ponies for a visit to a pegasus community, in a matter of decades a pony would only be required to drink a potion and climb into a hot-air balloon. As blasphemous as it may seem, alchemy is a doorway to transcending the mundane and a step toward better understanding the true power of our benevolent goddesses and leaders.

~Silver Script

“It looks good—no spelling or grammar mistakes as far as I can see,” Gale says with an impressed tone, passing the roll of parchment back to me. “But...”

I look at her expectantly, feeling more than a bit irate that she’s not being a bit more forthright. “But what?”

She looks at me with a frank expression, and I can’t help but notice that the plumage around her neck looks a bit ruffled. “You’ve only had a single lecture in that class,” she answers flatly. “There’s no way in Tartarus all of this was covered in one day. You aren’t making things up in order to impress your professor, are you? I mean, if he’s cute, it doesn’t hurt to flirt but...”

Upon hearing me dry heaving, she quickly stops her line of thought. “Never, ever suggest that again,” I groan. “Firstly, I’m definitely not into stallions, and even if I was, I am not going to sleep my way to a good grade. Second, my professor is absolutely ancient. That’s disgusting.”

“Finally, I didn’t make up an ounce of that,” I say, unusually proud of the results of my pre-trimester studies. “I had a lot of time on my hooves last month, so I kinda read every source-material on the subject available at the Canterlot Public Library and Archives. It wouldn’t be lying to say that they had to chase me out with a stick at closing two days straight.”

The griffon just stares at me with those unblinking eagle-eyes, either stunned by my answer, or still processing it. “Wow,” she finally snickers. “If I didn’t already know you could be kinda badass, I might have teased you for being such a nerd. Seriously? You’re probably going to be so bored for this entire trimester.” She stops laughing long enough to look thoughtful. “How are you going to keep from going bored?”

I actually have to stop and think about this. What she said is entirely true; I probably have gone over a majority of this term’s coursework, so what does that leave me with? Aside from homework assignments and class-work, I’m going to have a lot of spare time on my hooves until Alchemy Fundamentals is complete and I move on to Safety, and then Introduction to Potions. Hell, this could be a particularly long trimester if that’s the case... And then there’s the Independent Research for the length of the trimester!

With a blushing grin, I look at her. “Hey, just because it’s university doesn’t mean I can’t live it up like a college student, right?” I snicker. “I’m making friends, so it would be stupid not to hang out with them. If that means more mess-hall concerts, so be it.”

“Wonderful.”

So it goes that my life once again falls into routine. Ponies love to say that routine is synonymous with boring, but honestly? None of them realize the meaning behind why they find it boring. It isn’t boring because nothing is happening. Instead, the boredom comes from the repetitiveness associated with a stable life—a sane life. They get used to the circumstances stemming from their way of life, and some yearn for change to come and make thing interesting.

For many, however, routine is a necessity in their lives. Hardworking ponies like Applejack use their routine as a gauge of their livelihood. Every morning, they set out on their prescribed path through the day, accomplishing what they need to in order for their lives to thrive. Certainly, all work and no play makes Homer something something, but more than adhering to their routines, they know how to shuffle them up to make time for friends.

For me, routine gives me purpose. If I have a place to be, I’m less likely to faff about with something unimportant. Thats how my life worked going to school before I entered Equestria, and it’s how it worked while I lived with Candy and studied under Twilight. There’s no reason to ever let that stop just because I’ve got a lot of free time on my hooves now, right?

Even if my days are cyclical, the fact that I have places to be and ponies to see is more than enough for me. It matters not if every morning consists of me waking up, attending my hygiene, acquiring bangers and mash—never was particularly fond of bacon on its own; sue me—and heading to class. That’s just part of life.

Thankfully, even as the days go by, I manage to not bore myself in class. Despite seeming old and tired in that first lecture, Professor Calcification is actually incredibly lively and enthusiastic about teaching his subject. The old chap is incredibly hooves-on about things, and entirely unique in his teaching methods. In a way, his methods remind me a lot of my father, in that he is the only stallion I know who could successfully use a crossbow, balloons, and marshmallows as visual aids in a lesson about the reactions between certain substances.

The old fellow is kind of growing on me, to tell the truth. I mean, yeah, it was awkward that first day when he chatted me up after class, but after he told me how much he enjoyed my report—that cloud-walking part really caught his eye—I kind of look forward to our talks after class. Particularly, he enjoys throwing scenarios at me, and tells me to think up a way to use alchemy to solve the problem. Granted, some of my methods are a bit bizarre or extreme—I think he’s still mad about the time I suggested using mustard gas in order to disperse a squirrel invasion—but he insists that it’s my lateral kind of thinking that leads to progress. I’ll miss the old bugger when we move on to the next course in the term.

Sure, sticking around with the professor leads to some nasty rumors, most originating from Aqua Regia’s inner circle, but nopony seems to be taking them very seriously, much to Regia’s chagrin. Somehow, I get the impression that she still can’t fathom why I wasn’t expelled, even today. Not only did I remain, but the Chancellor even stepped down, citing a family emergency. She was absolutely livid after that announcement. She still tries to get me with childish problems from time to time, but unless she uses magic I don’t even notice.

After class and my mental sparring sessions with the elderly unicorn, I usually head off to the cafetorium for a bit of lunch. From time to time, I even manage to get Blossom and Beat to join me with Gale, Gearalt, and Gaius—I jokingly called the group the GGs, short for the G Griffons, and it kind of just stuck—at our usual table at the cafeteria. It was a bit awkward the first time the ponies joined us, but after a promise that they wouldn’t be eaten, they’ve kind of just fit in. Beat gets along great with Gearalt, if you can believe that, though I can’t help but think that they’re conspiring on some big musical number.

Ice Blossom is probably the shining point in my life right now. There isn’t a minute that goes by where I’m not thinking about the next time the two of us can just hang out and talk. I dare say I might be the teensiest bit infatuated with her, but it’s not like I’d know it if bit me in the arse; maybe I just don’t understand the concept of love. All I know is that I really enjoy spending time with her, and she seems to enjoy it too. Our homelands are a particularly enjoyable topic for us both—just a little happy reminiscing for two mares far away from home.

As sure as clockwork, when Tuesdays roll around, I’m on the couch in front of Clear Conscience, working through my problems with him. I may not be the most competent or confident patient he’s ever had, but the damn guy just doesn’t give up. Surprisingly, in our last session he was observant enough to notice me flinching every time he’d levitate the tissue box over to me, and suggested that I am developing thaumaphobia—the fear of magic.

At first, I thought he was out to lunch, but when I think about it, is that so far out there? The longer I think about the way unicorn magic has affected my life, the more I can’t deny that I have a right to dislike it. Maybe I am a bit scared of magic. After all, if it can be used to delve into a person’s very mind and relive events, who is to say that it could not also be used to alter events in memory—to alter their very being? For every wonderful thing it can do... it can be twisted into a weapon. I think that’s part of the reason I’ve been spending so much time around ‘non-magical’ ponies—and griffons—lately.

“Just another thing to work on in my sessions with Clear,” I mutter, pushing my deck of playing cards to the side. What I really need to do right now is stop recapping the last month while playing solitaire, and spend more time studying for the exam on Monday. Just because I know most of the coursework from memory, it doesn’t mean I can slack off. Twilight—Sparkle and Velvet both—would be disappointed in me if I didn’t work hard.

Author's Notes:

Alright! So! This chapter, yeah! I really don't know what to say. This is the end of the first planned story arc. I was half tempted to simply leave off at "Wonderful," but I didn't really want to leave the chapter hanging like that. Even with the interlude chapter up next, it felt a bit obscene to just leave it at that. I wanted to express a passage of time while not simply going "This, this, and this happened. The end. Tune in next week for the clip show!" The ending segment felt as good a means as any.

That being said, the next interlude will probably seem a bit disjointed, being a combination of events and diary entries, but I hope you'll bear with me. After all, what good is an author if they don't try new things, right?

Thanks go to E3gner and NightmareKnight both for their editing/pre-reading work, and to all of you for following this story. I'm glad you guys are bearing with me.

Edits added by BleedingRaindrops, 12 July 2017