BiE 55: Magic and Messages


                                            =BiE 55=


                                            >You examined the crystal under your microscope.

                                            >"Hey, Twilight! Have you seen the number of facets these crystals have? It's insane!" you called out.

                                            >Most of the gems you examined had enough facets that you could count them and guess the conversion rate, but these crystals from under Canterlot had so many that you couldn't even begin to count them all.

                                            >Twilight nudges you away from the microscope to get a view of the latticework herself. "Wow, I was shocked at how violently the crystals exploded when they were hit with magic. I guess now I know."

                                            >Explode? That didn't sound good. "So, these things are unstable?"

                                            >Twilight brought her hoof to her chin. "Hmm...maybe we should test these outside?" she says.

                                            >You couldn't agree more. You scope the crystals into a bag as Twilight grabs the mana batteries and focusing lens.

                                            >Bout time you didn't have to carry it...


                                            >You head back to the lake that you use for all of your experiments.

                                            >You set up the focusing lens and secure a crystal in front of it. "What do you think we should try?" Twilight asks.

                                            >Hmmm. "How bout an ice spell?"

                                            >Twilight nods and aims her horn at the focusing lens. A cold blue light shoots through the lens and strikes the crystal.

                                            >The crystal adopts a small pulsating light at its core, a chill passes into your hand when you grab it. "Well, that promising..." you say.

                                            >You wind up and toss the crystal into the center of the lake.

                                            >The crystal shatters on the water surface and erupts into a howling blast of arctic wind.

                                            >"Damn!" you shout as the wind knocks the two of you over. Although, you admit that the blast felt good in the summer heat.

                                            >You and Twilight right yourselves after the blast dies down and gaze at the lake. "Whoa..."

                                            >Where you were expecting a small chunk of ice, you saw a completely frozen lake.

                                            >The grass at the edge of the lake, the grass was covered in frost. A nearby tree was minus leaves on the side facing the lake.

                                            >"Did..." Twilight said "Did all this happen from the crystal?" she asked.

                                            >You took a step onto the frozen lake. It was completely frozen, right down to the bottom. "We did say the conversion rate would be high..." you think out loud.

                                            >Your little magic show is causing a crowd to gather. "Hey, what happened to the lake?" you here somep0ny ask.

                                            >You turn back to Twilight. "Maybe we should clean this mess up and get out of here before they get mad?"

                                            >Twilight looks around at the gathering crowd sheepishly before she casts an enchantment on the ice.

                                            >The crowd continues to stare at the rapidly breaking ice as the two of you slink back to the lab.


                                            >You and Twilight set up your instruments as soon as you got back.

                                            >Twilight casted a weak spell on the crystal and you immediately threw it under the microscope.

                                            >"Twilight, are you sure this spell was weak? This thing looks like it could give mustaches to the entire town..."

                                            >Twilight was pacing around her study. "That makes no sense! The spell I applied to that should have barely given a mustache to somep0ny! How is the spell getting intensified?"

                                            >What was it about these crystals? All that was special about them was a crap ton of lattices and that they had absorbed some latent magic.

                                            >An idea forms in your head. "Twilight, can you try and detect magical energies in an empty crystal?"

                                            >Twilight turns to you. "Of course I can, but what would that do?" she asks.

                                            >"Maybe help solve our problem." you say as you fish a crystal out and hold it to Twilight.

                                            >Twilight's horn glows as she points it at the crystal for a moment before she opens reels back in surprise. "These crystals have almost as much magical energy in them as a small mana battery. Is that what you think is effecting the spells?"

                                            >"It might be part of it." you say as you hook the crystal up under the microscope.

                                            >You switch to the highest zoom lens, one that would look deep inside the crystal.

                                            >What you see inside reminds you of a video you saw about the neurons in the brain.

                                            >You can see the spell flying around through the lattices, but the spell was getting bigger as it passed through them.


                                            >"Twilight, could the spell absorb magical energy?" you ask.

                                            >Twilight puts a hoof to her chin and thinks. "Well...arcane magic is applicable to every kind of magic. If these crystals had absorbed enough of it into them..."

                                            >"...then they could amplify the spells inside of them to an Nth degree."

                                            >Well, that's one mystery taken care of. "But how do we fix it? We can't have them turning entire lakes into popsicles whenever we use them..."

                                            >Twilight puts her head on the table in front of her and groans.

                                            >You were just bashing your heads against a wall here. "Wanna take a break?"

                                            >Twilight lifts her head from the desk with a frown, clearly not happy about having to stop her research.

                                            >"So, how's the wedding planning working out?" she grumbles.

                                            >"Good." you say, trying to raise her spirits. "We thought of having it in Canterlot, but that's a bit out of our price range, ya know?"

                                            >Twilight lifts her head a bit and a smile grows on her lips. "You know, you -did- help save all of Canterlot from a Changeling invasion. I'm sure Celestia wouldn't mind letting you use the chapel."

                                            >You look at Twilight disbelieving. "Really?" Twilight silently nods.

                                            >Well, shit. That would be perfect.


                                            >Spike bursts in through the door. "Twilight! Ya gotta come quick!"

                                            >"Spike? What's wrong? Is the lake not melting?"

                                            >He looks panicked. "No! It's..." he turns and looks back outside as he bites his claw. "Twilight, it'll take too long, come on!" he says as he runs out of the room.

                                            >You and Twilight follow him and bound down the street.

                                            >A large crowd of ponies were standing in the middle of town, you could spot Mous standing amongst them.

                                            >You saw Applejack and Rarity standing near the center. "Girls, what happened?" Twilight shouts as she runs up.

                                            >Applejack takes her hat off, but it's Rarity who speaks up. "Oh Twilight, it's awful. I just..." Rarity's words catch in her throat.

                                            >Applejack steps up for her. "We just got this note...Applebloom n' Sweetie Belle's class was goin' on a field trip today and..."

                                            >Applejack's words die just like Rarity's did as Twilight picks up a note. Underneath the note is a large collection of hair, in every color.

                                            >"Ponies. We have little ponies. You give gems or you never see them again. - Southpaw Diamond Dogs." She says.

                                            >No...

                                            >You crouch down and examine the hair...Red and pink strands catch you eye.

                                            >You spot Mous out of the corner of your eye. He was hugging a tearful Derpy.

                                            >Oh no...

                                            >You walk over to him as he lets Derpy go. "Did they...?"

                                            >You're taken aback when he looks you in the eye. His eyes spoke of barely concealed outrage.

                                            >He pushes past you. "Get your things and meet me at the house. If you're not there in fifteen minutes, I'm leaving without you."

                                            >You can imagine where he's headed with that look... "You're gonna go-

                                            >"Yes." Was the answer you got as Mous stomped out of town.