1 - The Blank Slate
“Who am I?”
I don’t know. I can’t remember my name...or anything of who I was. It’s so hard to remember…but some of it’s coming back in bits and pieces.
I was with my friends, in that creepy steeple...gah, my head hurts so much...and then we found that crazy owner. They looked like some kind of ghost with a blue cone hat, and those piercing red eyes it had...they could see into my very soul.
That thing kept calling me “Slick” or something, like it was my name...IS that my name? I don’t know...but then it challenged me and my friends after we confronted it about what it was doing to the townsfolk! Turning them all into pigs out of boredom? What was this thing thinking?!
We had managed to give it a good fight, but then it stared at me...and those red eyes glinted for a moment before it vanished. Whatever it was, it placed some green glowy field around me...and then they morphed into me!
Well, it didn’t really look like me. It had my looks and my physical shape, but the color was all wrong. It looked like a dark purple shadow of me.
After it changed, the fight became much more difficult. Unlike a transformed changeling, it had all of my physical feats and abilities. That only seemed to delay the inevitable as we defeated it...but I can’t remember anything else. I just remembered crumpling to the floor, and when I awoke, I was alone in the bell tower.
I had to get out of that steeple. It hurt my head too much to remember, and being in there was only making things worse. I made my way down the tower, and opened the door into the main hall.
I remember this place. The giant stained-glass windows depicted that same ghostly creature my friends and I fought in the tower. The ends of the mirror depicted some plants I didn’t recognize. They looked like red bulbous plants with white dots and sharp teeth. It looked so foreign to me then...and it still does now. I don’t know any of these things, or where they came from.
I heard an eerie giggle behind me, and turned around to face a strange white rounded creature with fangs. It was laughing at me for a minute...and soon I heard more laughter as hundreds of these things materialized out of thin air.
My stomach churned at the sight of so many of these things staring at me. Then they started to spin around me. A whirling vortex of white swirled around me, and moved with me wherever I walked.
One of them touched my flank, and I jumped as a freezing chill crept down my spine. My leap took me from the balcony I was standing on down to the floor below, but the white creatures stayed with me the whole way.
Another grabbed at me, and I tried to shake them off, but to no avail. A third took hold, then a fourth and fifth. In a matter of seconds, ten of them had a firm grip on my body, and I felt lighter and lighter as I realized they were lifting me into the air.
As my hooves left the ground, the vortex of fanged creatures swirled faster and faster around me, making it impossible for me to see any of the steeple walls, even the one with the stained glass. My vision blurred into nothing as I sank into unconsciousness, my last visions being of the hundreds of black, beady eyes bearing down upon me.
I didn’t know how much time had passed since those white orbs with teeth surrounded me. But when I awoke, I found myself resting on the steps leading up to the steeple. Rising to my hooves, I took in the sights around me.
An old, bent iron fence acted as the main entrance for my friends and I. It looked like it could fall over at any moment, but it stood strong as it was held up by gray brick walls on either side of it. Hundreds of dead trees with no leaves upon them extended beyond the fence line, giving the gloomy impression that these woods haven’t seen life in them for decades. And then there was the steeple, in all its aged glory as it stood out against a blood-red sky, with a large yellow moon dimly lighting the world around me.
It was as I was refreshing my memory of the surroundings that a revelation struck me: I didn’t know where my home was. I struggled to recall something, anything of where my home was...and at last something came to me.
I remembered a town called Ponyville, the town we saved from that creature.
“Maybe that’s where my home is.”
I had nowhere better to go, anyway. Anywhere was better than this steeple. Being around it was hurting my head, and I didn’t want to go back inside to deal with those white things again.
I lost track of time as I wandered through the woods. I didn’t really know where I was going, so all I could do was follow the path worn through the trees and grass. The chill in the air left me shivering with every step I took.
Strange flowers with cheery faces on them skittered about the pathway, their feet shuffling faster than I had thought was possible. None of them seemed to pay any attention to me, which was very strange. When I came through here with my friends the first time, they kept getting in our way, and sang some strange tune that made all of us drowsy.
I remember one of my friends desperately moving around, trying to keep us all awake and alert. Falling asleep in the middle of the Everfree would only lead to disaster, and she was doing her best to prevent that from ever happening to us.
Thankfully, as I reached an open clearing just past the border of the forest, I took in a breath of relief. The pale yellow moon and red sky gave way to a deep blue sea littered with stars and a brilliant white sphere. Nighttime was upon me, and I could see lights stemming from houses in the nearby town that caught my eye.
“That must be Ponyville,” I thought. My target, my destination was now within trotting distance.
However, just as I took a few steps toward the sleeping town, a grating voice assaulted my ears.
“Hey there, Slick!”
My knees rattled as I realized it was the same voice that belonged to that crazy owner of the steeple.
“No! I thought we defeated him! How is he still here?! WHAT’S GOING ON?!”
My eyes darted around, desperately seeking the source of the voice.
“Where are you? How are you alive?!” I shouted into the darkness.
“How? Sheesh, you’re slow on the uptake, Slick. Have you looked in a mirror lately? You might want to do that first.”
I still couldn’t locate the voice, but my thoughts lingered on his question. I hadn’t checked my appearance since I woke up, but I didn’t understand why he was questioning it.
The sound of rushing water reached my ears as I located a nearby river. I figured that was the closest thing I had to a mirror, so I trotted over to it to decipher what he meant.
The scene before me was on a level of horror I could not describe. My entire body was covered in a dark purple shadow. I couldn’t see my eyes, my nose, or even make out my lips.
I was nothing but a dark outline of a pony filled with purple paint. I didn’t even have a mane or a tail. I shivered, but I couldn’t even feel my coat bristle. There was nothing I could use to identify myself, nothing I could use to tell me who I was before I became this...nothing at all.
“Finally figure it out, Slick?” The steeple owner asked in a mocking tone.
“WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?!” My voice grew hoarse as I emptied my lungs.
He chuckled, “That’s easy! I just stole your identity! And I gotta say, you ponies have quite the easygoing life here.”
“How...how did you do that?!”
“Slow down there, Slick. I was getting to that. You remember what I did about halfway through the battle, right? I leered at you with my devilish red eyes, vanished, and became a shadow of you. Remember?”
I hazily recalled the moment he described to me, and everything happened exactly the way he stated it. “I do.”
I still couldn’t see him, but I could feel his eyes boring into me as he continued. “Well, when I finally went down, I decided to throw in a change-up where I swapped you with my shadow duplicate. Now you’re the shadow, and I’m you!”
“That still doesn’t explain how you did it.”
“Come on, Slick! Do I need to spell it out for you? I used MAGIC to do it, that’s how!”
The world froze in an instant upon hearing that word. Magic...the word sounded so familiar to me. I faintly recalled other ponies like me that could use magic, and they needed...something on their head to do it, some kind of protrusion sticking out like an antenna of some kind. I rubbed my temple with a hoof as the stinging pain came back to my head again from trying to remember it.
The steeple owner sneered, “Having trouble remembering things, Slick? Don’t worry, that’s totally part of the spell I used. You’ll be able to remember common things in time, but good luck trying to remember things that tell you who you are.
“You won’t be able to remember your name, your hobbies, or even what you looked like in any way...but if by some chance you do, you won’t be able to say it to anyone. You’re a nobody now, and that’s how you’ll remain for the rest of your miserable life!”
Sorrow tugged at my heartstrings as the steeple owner’s words tore through my soul. I didn’t want to believe a single word he was saying...but I saw my reflection in that river. I saw what he did to me, and visions came to life in my mind in intricate detail of many other horrors he could inflict on me even now.
I wasn’t just scared of him. I feared him. I felt like running, but somehow I knew he would find me anyway. It seemed like that was an easy feat for him to accomplish, so all I’d be doing is delaying the inevitable.
“He’s clearly very capable, and could even kill me if he wanted to...so why is he just talking to me now?”
I summoned what little courage I had within me to ask him a question. “Then why not just do away with me then? You’ve already taken my identity, so what more do you want from me?”
He chuckled, “Funny thing you asked me that, Slick. See, the whole reason I started messing with this town was because I was bored. Not that I’m saying being you is boring, though. In fact, it’s a pretty sweet gig! But I’m not done having fun with you yet.
“See, in order for me to become you forever, I need to kill you. Nothing personal, that’s the deal with this magic I used. However, you were pretty fun to fight back there, so I’ve decided to offer you a chance to earn your identity back by playing a little game with me. How does that sound? Do you accept?”
“Do I accept? Why wouldn’t I accept? This guy is hanging my identity over my head like it’s some prize to be won! How arrogant is this guy?!
“But...this is probably also my only chance to get my body and life back. It’s either that or he’ll kill me, so what choice do I have but to play his game?”
“...I accept.”
2 - The Start of the Game
“Awesome, Slick! I knew you would do it! After all, it is your only chance to get your life back.”
I decided to refrain from speaking and kept quiet, waiting for him to continue. Maybe the silent treatment would get him to hurry things along.
“Now, I suppose you want to know what this game is, right? It’s very simple. All you need to do is figure out which pony you are in that nice little town over there!”
Shock set in as I realized there were likely hundreds of ponies living in that town. How could he possibly expect me to figure out which one I am out of all of them?!
I voiced my concerns. “What? But there has to be hundreds of ponies in there! This is impossible!”
“Not impossible, but highly improbable. Still, I don’t like those odds either, so I’m going to be a bit fairer with you. You are one of six possible ponies. These six, in fact.”
I could feel an immense pressure building within my mind as the steeple owner forced an image into my head that I could not remove.
It was a view of the inside of the bell tower at the steeple I just left. In front of me were six ponies, and I immediately recognized them as my friends...at least, I think they were.
Some looked like me but with a mane and tail. Others bore wings, and two had...HORNS! That was the name of the object that’s used for magic!
However, as soon as the images of these six ponies registered in my head, the intense pressure vanished, and the steeple owner spoke once again.
“That enough of a hint for you, Slick? You need to figure out which of these six ponies you were...well, which one is actually me, anyway. I’m not going to make it easy for you, either. I’ve already got your personality down pat.”
“Then how am I supposed to figure out which one I am?” I asked.
“That’s your problem Slick, not mine! This is my game, andI get to make the rules for it...speaking of which, I’m not quite done telling you all the rules yet.
“While you’re in town, you will not be recognized by any of your friends. You’ll probably be seen as a new pony that’s passing through. You can tell them your identity’s stolen, but you can’t prove how or say who did it. None of the citizens will believe you, and they will think that you’re making outlandish claims.
“And no, they won’t recognize you as the shadowy steeple pony you are now. If they did, they might get violent and fight you, and I’m not that big on fights as soon in the game as this. I DO want to fight you though, but I want to give you some time before that happens. Oh, this is going to be so much fun!
“Now, it’s time to discuss the prize. If you successfully figure out who you are and call me out on it, I will admit my defeat. I’ll meet with you outside of town to reverse the curse I have set upon you. You’ll get your body back, and both of us return to normal.”
Elation flooded my body with an unnatural warmth at the mere thought of getting my identity back, but he wasn’t finished yet.
“But if you fail by calling out the wrong pony, I will know. At that point, you lose and I get to keep your identity. Forever.”
Whatever happiness I had garnered within me fled, leaving me with a hollow and empty feeling after processing his words. I only have one chance to figure out who I am, and if I fail…
“No! I can’t fail! I HAVE to win, it’s the only way!”
“Anyway, these are the rules, Slick. I may change them later, but for now they’re fine. So, are you ready to play?”
There was no hesitation in my response. “I’m ready.”
I could almost imagine the wicked smile he was making with my face, even though I still couldn’t see him. “Then let’s play.”
What little pressure I felt from his gaze vanished at last. I took in a deep breath of the evening air, enjoying the cold, tingling feeling as it entered my lungs.
For a moment, I felt free and liberated. The night was still young, and I trotted toward the town with a newly restored vigor.
My cheerful-looking demeanor did little to mar the internal conflict I beared upon accepting his challenge. Doubt lingered, and the chance for failure was high as I only had a one-in-six shot at guessing correctly.
However, he never stated I had to make my guess immediately, which means he wants me to take my time. He wants me to drag this game out as long as possible so he can have the most fun living MY life, as whoever I am.
Well, if he wants a long game, he’s going to be sorely disappointed. I’m going to play this game of his as quickly as I can. The sooner I figure out who I am, the less time he has to get to know my friends, and the less time he’ll have to be me. I don’t know how I’m going to do this, but that doesn’t matter. What matters is I have to do it, no matter the cost.
“Hee hee, she has no idea what she’s in for.”
I stepped out from behind one of the many trees making up the edge of the woods, watching as she made her way into the town.
I’ll admit, it was a bit difficult getting used to moving around on four legs. I was used to always moving around on two, even though I didn’t really move around much while I relaxed in my Creepy Steeple.
Yes, relaxed in a Creepy Steeple. No, I’m not joking. I had everything I needed set up in the bell tower: A fridge, rocking chair, small table, television, a bathtub with a stand-up shower head and a shower curtain! Don’t ask me about how running water gets up there, though. That took me weeks to set up, and even now I still don’t know how it works.
Anyway, you’ve probably figured out who I am by now, Slick. If so, I tip my hat to you. If not, it doesn’t matter. In any case, no one here can know my real name. That’s the true way to break the curse I cast.
I know what you’re thinking. “Why didn’t you tell the pony that?”
Well, I did say that I may change the rules later, right? That’ll just be one more rule I add to the game. I’ll get around to telling her that at some point; maybe when she gets close to figuring out who she is.
However, I’ve no reason to tell her this at present time. She’s already got a lot to worry about. I don’t want to make her task seem completely impossible, you know. I want her to think she still has some small chance of winning. That’s what will make this game really fun for me to play with her.
Still, I gave her a pretty good hint that cut down a lot of work for her. Isn’t that just kind of me? Isn’t that such a wonderful display of generosity? I’ll admit that I haven’t been entirely honest with her, but I did it just so I could get a good laugh or two out of it.
I still need a little bit of time to get used to her body, though. But once I do, I should be able to act out her life as if nothing had gone wrong. You know, prove my loyalty, and kindle her precious friendships and all.
There is one thing I need to ensure, however. I need to make sure that nobody enters my steeple again. I’m glad they didn’t find my Parrot...or the box with the other thing I stole to make sure my name can never be uttered.
That reminds me, I bet that bird’s starting to get hungry. He’s a crazy chatterbox when he isn’t fed. I better head off to go feed him, so it looks like I’m going to have to cut this conversation short.
But I’ve kinda grown to like you, Slick. You’re a real quiet listener, and I like that. So, I will leave you with another hint that the little pony didn’t get. Are you ready? Here’s your hint:
If you were a good listener, you would have picked up on it already.
What, you expected something a little more meaningful? I can’t spoil everything this quickly! That would ruin all the fun I’m having with you and her!
Now then, I really should get going. See you later, Slick!
