A Riddle by Nature

Chapter 7: Lost in my Mind

I suppose that “died” doesn't really describe what happened to me. My heart and other internal organs still functioned normally, but my brain was where the problem started. I woke up and found myself surrounded by complete darkness.

“Well this place is slightly disturbing and as for the dark it is slightly perturbing.” The next thing I noticed was that my body had changed, again, I looked like my old self but I was still rhyming. “My rhyming hex just will not end and where I am I can’t pretend, I've gone into my subconscious mind and Zecora I must go and find.” At that point I saw a light glowing in the distance. “I suppose I should go towards the light and find she who is locked in fright.”

I don’t know how long it took to reach the light as I had no way of telling time. When I finally reached the light I saw that it was emanating from a wooden cage that appeared to grow right out of the ground, and locked inside that cage was the sleeping form of the Zebra enchantress whom I had recently become. “Well Zecora I guess it’s time, for me to release you from Discord’s crime.”

When I saw a collection of keys to Zecora’s cage I began to think, if this key switches our minds then you will be the one who finds, a way to save the rest of your friends while I’ll be trapped here till the very end. I hesitated for a moment before saying, “But I have lived a very full life and I cannot keep you locked in strife.” Looking over the keys I picked up a plain key made of light and dark striped wood. I shoved the key in the hole and a flood of memories washed over me.

“Zecora for disobeying our customs I hereby banish you from Zebgypt…”

“Five score divide by four your memories removed your body confused…”

“Y-you keep your creepy mumbo-jumbo to yourself, ya hear?”

“The little enchantress with her little old dances, but now I’m the one who’s dealing out trances”

“Oh monster of so little size…”

“…now where is that little Apple Bloom?”

“A perfect question, my little friend for Nightmare Moon you must not offend”

“For your insolence you must pay, cast off to a land far far away…”

“Zecora we have to work together if we have any chance of stopping Discord”

“Forgetting everything and living like a fool you have all lost, now no one can stop my rule.”

"HA, HA, HA, HA!"

And as these memories settled into my mind I felt something settle into my heart.

That thing spoke to me and it said, “Greetings my new human host and don’t worry I’m not a ghost. For in your heart is where I belong not trapped inside your mind for so long. Together, as one we shall help stop the beast…” I felt a wave of hope, cheer...and anger wash over me. “And I shall cook him at the victory feast.”

Zecora

So long had I been locked away that I forgot the light of day, but when I had all but given up hope I found there was no reason to mope. For the man who I had been made into mixed up my famous memory brew, and with it he had sought to free, my friend Spitfire, and also me. But one thing he could not recall was that it wouldn’t erase him at all. The potion is of a milder sort usually used as a first resort. When the mixture broke the spell that kept, around my new heart my soul leapt. I knew then this pairing wasn't random and we were meant to work in tandem. And from the memories I obtained I saw he had expected much pain, so I explained as clear as I could that the potion could only be used for good. He and I were the exact same being and it was his lost half that he was freeing.

Ashley

When I saw that I was surrounded by darkness I said “David if you killed me I’m going to haunt you until the day you die!” I was starting to freak out when I noticed that I was human, I smiled and said, “Well that’s a pleasant surprise.” The next thing I noticed was the light in the distance. “Oh man, if that’s heaven I’m so going to have a talk with God about this pony thing.”

Thankfully the light wasn't from heaven, it was emanating from a tornado, and in the center of the twister was the unconscious form of Spitfire.

“Alright so this must be part of freeing you, but if you go free what will happen to me? Will I be trapped here or will I just fade?” I thought this over for a while and realized something, We're not the only ones who this is happening to; Rainbow Dash, Soarin, Lightning Dust and all the others are in danger and are counting on someone to save them. “And Spitfire is just that someone.” I said.

I picked up a lightning bolt key shaped key from a pile of keys and said.  “Well I guess this is goodbye.” I shoved the key into the tornado and was immediately flooded with memories that weren't mine.

“Spitfire, welcome to the Wonderbolts…”

“Five score divided by four…”

“So you’re the little pony who saved our lives…”

“Well solider enjoy your little trip, and remember a captain always goes down with her ship…”

“It is my honor to present to you the new captain of the Wonderbolts, Spitfire.”

“Rainbow Dash, welcome to the Wonderbolts...”

What happened next I really wasn't expecting, I thought I would be pulled into the tornado but instead I felt something fill my heart and then I heard a familiar voice say.

“Nice work solider, I thought I’d never get out of there.”

Spitfire

I had almost given up hope over ever being free again, but that all changed when Ashley agreed to set me free, even if it meant imprisoning herself. When she let me out we were both surprised as our souls intertwined. The only thing I said to her before we became one was, “Nice work solider, I though I’d never get out of there.”

Zecora

When I finally came to I realized that while I was still David I was also Zecora. There weren't two voices in my head but I was a little confused on what to call myself. That’s when Spitfire woke up.

“Zecora?” I turned to see Spitfire rubbing her head. “Is that you? I mean, are you awake?”

I smiled, “Yes Spitfire I have finally awoken and I apologize for past word mispoken for in your mind I placed the wrong notion, but I didn’t understand the memory potion.”

She sighed, “Don’t worry about it Zecora. Wait should I call you David?

“Call me Zecora for that is my name and for your pony self I will do the same,” I explained to her.

She smiled and began to search through the bags we had brought with us. “You know, now that I’m my old self again I think there’s something in here that I need.”

She pulled out the pair flight goggles I had bought for her and slipped them over her head. I smiled, “At first you did not want the goggles for flight but your mind has changed, I thought it might.”

She looked toward the sky and said in an authoritative voice, “Alright we need a plan; we know that the others are in this world somewhere and we need to figure out how to find them”.

I nodded my head, “Yes we need to find out our next move, once we do that our situation improves.”