A lie can be a powerful thing. It can keep somepony from being hurt, or can cause them to break down in tears. But a lie is hard to maintain and the simplest slip can bring the truth to light, and when I lie is found out the lire’s entire life can be ruined. That’s something you really have to worry about, when lying is your special talent.
Bailen is a unicorn who came to Ponyville from Fillydelphia about two years ago. He lived with his mother and father there for as long as he could remember and came to Ponyville to ask to study with Twilight Sparkle —Princess Celestia’s personal student— and to get meet new ponies. His special talent would be —as he would say— finding the truth; shown by the silver key and door with a keyhole for his cutie mark that he says shows his desired to unlock the truth. But he is no detective, no; he thinks of himself as a researcher.
“GET AWAY!” screamed Bailen as he falls out of bed, slamming down onto the hard ground of his basement room. In the distance hoofsteps could be heard coming quickly down the stairs.
“Bailen what happened?” asked Twilight as she runs into the room to find Bailen lying on the floor; wide eyed and dashing his head back and forth.
“I… I don’t know. I don’t remember,” Bailen answered trying to understand what was happening himself. He took a deep breath and exhaled softly, calming himself down a bit, “I think it was just another bad dream… ya just a bad dream.”
Twilight calmed down a bit herself and reached down helping Bailen up off the ground.
“What was this one about?” She asked as she helped Bailen onto the bed.
Bailen though for a sec about what he was dreaming about, “…I don’t know what it was about. I can’t even remember anything that happened in it”. This was odd because for the longest time he knew all the dreams he had. He had been keeping a dream journal to try and understand his dream —Twilight had been helping him ever since the dreams had begun— and know why he is having these weird dreams for so long; stuff like shadows following him and an abnormal surrounding such as a twisted forest or a blizzard in the middle of nowhere; but recently something new has been occurring, a voice. After all that he was use to unusual dreams but he could always remember them for a bit after waking up, so not being able to remember this one might be a sign that things were changing again.
“Does this mean things are changing again, like when the voice came to your dream?” she asked both worried and curious about the change.
“I’m not sure,” said Bailen pondering the situation, “If this is a change then it will persist and tomorrow morning I won’t remember the dream I had as well. We’ll have to wait and see if this continues or if it was just a one-time thing.”
After they were done talking, they both decided to go upstairs to the library where Pinkie Pie was waiting.
Pinkie started talking quickly after seeing us, “There you guys are I’ve been waiting forever what were you doing down there where you making something or coming up an idea to make something or making a discovery or telling stories why didn’t you get me I love telling stories–“
“Pinkie,” said twilight trying to quit her so they can talk.
“–like I have this one story about how I made cupcakes with hot sauce and I thought they were ruined but then I tried them and I thought they were delicious, Mr. and Mrs. Cake didn’t like them very much but I thought they were good–“
“Pinkie Pie wha-“
“–and then there was another time when I saw a rea-“
“PINKIE!” yelled twilight.
Pinkie stopped talking and looked at twilight, “What is it Twilight?”
Twilight tilted her head down a bit and closed her eyes, “What did you come over for?”
“Oh ya I wanted to tell you that I’m throwing a party to celebrate Bailen being for officially two years today,” She runs over to Bailen after seeing we was there and gives him a hug. He flinches a bit but lets her hug him, “It’s been so great having you here and so I thought it would be fun to celebrate you being here for a full two years.”
“Sounds like fun Pinkie,” grunts Bailen as he tries to break himself free of Pinkie’s death hug that has gone on for long enough.
“I knew you would like the idea,” Pinkie squeals as she lets go of Bailen, “That’s why I already told everyone and they're all going to be down at Sugar Cube Corner later today.”
“Well,” said Bailen recovering from Pinkie’s hug, “that’s one way to have a surprise party.”
“That’s what I was thinking, I hope you were surprised, where you where you,” said Pinkie with her face close enough to Bailen’s that he could smell the cake on her breath.
“Yes Pinkie I was very surprised,” he reluctantly said knowing this party was going to happen no matter what.
Such an annoying pony; nice to know you can still lie without a care in the world though.
“What did you say?” asked Bailen toward Twilight and Pinkie walking to the door.
“We didn’t say anything,” said Twilight raising one eyebrow.
“Come on the parties gonna start soon, let’s get going,” yelled out Pinkie excited for the party.
Dismissing it as just hearing something, Bailen went with Pinkie and Twilight to Sugarcube Corner. Needless to say, it’s not good to ignore hearing voices.
When they got there every other pony was already there but not really doing much but once Pinkie stepped in the room she got the whole group into the party mood. I never really knew how she did it but the best way to put it is just by being Pinkie.
Everyone was having a great time playing games, dancing, and eating baked goods. Pinkie even made a big chocolate cake with white frosting; she knew that was my favorite, but putting my picture on it seemed like a bit too much. It was a good job though; my black coat, dark blue and red mane, and even my silver key and door cutie mark where all drawn on and completely edible. Pinkie may be crazy but you have to admire her baking skills.
Hehehe, you’re not really one to talk about crazy.
“Who said that?” Bailen asked looking around; but no one was talking to him. He could swear that he recognized that voice but couldn’t remember who it belonged to.
As Bailen was thinking, Pinkie, Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy came up to him.
“Bailen you ok hun? you seem a bit outa it, “Applejack asked looking at you worriedly.
“…What; oh ya I’m fine, I’m fine. I guess I’m just feeling a bit tired,” said Bailen snapping himself back to the party.
“This party has been going on for quite a while; I don’t think you’re the only one getting tired,” said Twilight looking around the room at the other ponies; some starting to leave and some slowing down. The only pony still partying at full was Pinkie Pie. The party had been going on for hours and only Pinkie could keep parting for hours on end.
All that energy and nothing to show for it; Pity, so much potential for crazy with no ambition. Hehehe not like me.
“whose voice is that,” Bailen whispered to himself looking around for the source of the voice, but yet again finding nothing.
After the party Bailen and Twilight said goodbye to the others and headed back to the library. Everything seemed fine for the rest of the day. Bailen and Twilight talked and read books while spike fell asleep early after parting for so long. Nothing seemed odd and Bailen didn’t hear any voices talking to him. It was getting late and Bailen and Twilight went to bed a little early; both a little anxious to see if Bailen remembers have any dreams in the morning. Bailen laid his head down on the pillow and drifted off.
Bailen awakens in a room; with mirrors covering the walls, ceiling, and floor. One difference from usual was that he knew he was in a dream; that it was in his mind. He could hear a laugh echoing through the room. The voice wasn’t the same as the one he had previously heard in these dreams. It was the voice he had been hearing during the day.
“Who are you?” Bailen asked the voice. He was scared for what might happen here, but knowing this was a dream made him feel calmer, and think more clearly.
“I already answered that question last night, don’t you remember?” said the voice in that same calm, creepy, and yet familiar tone. It sent a shiver up his spine; but not because he was afraid of the voice, but of what it would say.
“I don’t remember the dream from last night,” I answered the voice.
“Aww that’s too bad. I don’t think you’ll have the same reaction this time; you seem calmer this time,” the voice calmly said. “Well I guess it can’t be helped. We are connected after all; and one must take responsibility for what they create.”
Confused by what the voice said, Bailen asked, “What do you mean; you’re a creation of my mind living in my head.”
The voice laughed that sinister laugh of his, “No my friend; you are a creation of my mind, living in my body.”
This accusation made Bailen’s legs go limp, and he fell to the ground, “That can’t be true; I have memories of my life in Fillydelphia, of my parents and my life. I haven’t even heard you before now so why should I believe you.”
The reflection of Bailen started moving on its own; it looked at Bailen and gave a sinister smile, “all your memories up to the day you arrived in Ponyville are a fabrication, a lie —one of many— that I have created.”
Bailen was speechless, he couldn’t believe what he was hearing; he wouldn’t believe it.
He finally regained himself a little and spoke to the voice once more, “Whether or not my memories are real or not they are still mine, and I am still real; who are you anyways to say I’m not real when you’re the voice in my head.”
The reflection disappeared and Bailen turned around to look for it, but he was no longer a reflection, he was standing in front of him and he was real, “I am the real you; I am Engano.
Engano’s parts are all going to be in bold italics from now on and Bailen will just get italics when they talk in there head.
Internal Conflict
Bailen shot up from his bed, sweat dripping from his body and soaking his bed. His body was shaking uncontrollably. He tried to scream but his voice was stuck in his throat and wouldn’t come out. He tried to get out of bed but his body wouldn’t move. He could only sit there shaking with that name running through his mind over and over, Engano. Who was he, what was he, and was he telling the truth? This was all he could think about while sitting there.
After about two hours of sitting in silence Bailen had finally calmed down enough to get up. There was no way it was real, he told himself, I am me and no matter what that voice tells me I have to remember that. He repeated this to himself over and over as he walked up the stairs to the library. He saw Twilight sitting at her desk, reading a book and eating a daisy sandwich. She looked up when she heard the basement door close and got up to walk over to him.
“Bailen how was your night?” she asked curiously,” did you remember your dream last night, do you think it was the same one from before?”
I should tell her about the dream. Maybe she could shed some light on that other me, “I can’t remember what it was, but I didn’t wake up screaming so it must not have been the same dream,” wait why didn’t I say what I wanted!
Because I don’t want you to tell them. It wouldn’t help me.
Thats not for you to decide. This is my body, you’re just a voice.
Think that all you want, it won’t change my plans.
“Are you sure? you seem a little out of it,” he jumped a little at Twilight's voice, snapping him back to their conversation.
“I’m fine really, just a lot on my mind about these dreams,” He said trying to make sure he stayed in control of his own words.
“I’m sure we’ll find answers soon. How about we hook you up tonight to get readings on your dreams like we did when we started?”
Bailen could feel himself about to refuse Twilight but fought the control Engano seemed to have over him, “Lets try it.”
After our conversation Twilight left with spike, something about helping organize the next apple bucking season at Sweet Apple Acres. Bailen decided to look into some psychology books about hearing voices and multiple personalities, none of them helped. most cases of hearing voices weren’t as clear and precise as this voice, and multiple personality syndrome cases didn’t have the other personality as a voice and the subject didn’t have the awareness of the other personality that Bailen did. He was at a loss.
Sorry to disappoint but I’m no mental illness
“You have to be, the only explanation is that you’re a mental illness”
I already told you what I am, and once my power is all back, you won’t be anything but a name.
“Your explanation is nonsense there’s no wa....wait what do you mean once your power is back I won’t be anything,” Bailen said after the words he heard registered in his mind.
Oh did I say that, hehehe, guess I said a little more than I should.
“Tell me what you’re talking about!” yelled Bailen at Engano.
Hehe you don’t want to hear my explanations, they’re nonsense.
“Tell me what you’re gunna do NOW!” Bailen demanded to Engano. He could feel his anger building with more thoughts of his life not being his own. He waited for Engano’s response but he was met with silence, “Tell me!” but there was no response.
Bailen sat in silence for hours with no response from Engano. He decided to take a walk down to Sugar Cube Corner. He thought having something sweet to eat and seeing Pinkie Pies energetic attitude would make him feel better.
When he walked through the door he was greeted with the smell of fresh cakes and Pinkie walking out of the kitchen with tray of eleven cupcakes and a face covered in frosting.
“Hey Bailen, did you come here for a cupcake,” said Pinkie licking frosting from her face, “They’re fresh and really really yummy.”
“That sounds good Pinkie. How about a box of six,” said Bailen trying to give a smile.
“Okie dokie lokie,” Pinkie said as she boxed up six cupcakes and eating another one,” you feeling ok, you look down and you shouldn’t feel down since you have cupcakes now. Is it about that thing with your head.”
“Something Like that,” said Bailen as he took a bite of one the cupcakes; which actually was making him feel a bit better.
“Well I’m sure you’ll figure it out. You were always so depressed when you first got those dreams. I couldn’t even cheer you up when Twilight asked me to help you,” said Pinkie.
I had almost forgotten about that. I would give up and mope around for days after finding nothing out. I had gotten over that awhile ago tho, so why did I feel so depressed again.
You never did like finding out about what you really are.
After hours of silence Engano had finally said something, but it wasn’t a response to his question like Bailen had wanted.
Now must be the right time though because you haven’t started to forget everything this time.
What do you mean this time?
This isn’t the first time I’ve told you about what you are. You would get depressed and keep everyone away. Your friendships and trust where failing. So I went away for a bit more till the next time. You’re doing better than the last time. Hehe, have fun mulling that one over.
Wait, what do you mean? How many times have you started talking to me? What do you have to do with the friends I’ve made here?
“Answer me!” yelled out Bailen not realizing he was using his voice and not talking in his mind.
Pinkie jumped back and the sudden yell from Bailen, “AAAHHH! What’s wrong, what did you ask?” Pinkie panicked thinking something was wrong.
“Its nothing Pinkie don’t worry you didn’t do anything wrong. I was just yelling at myself,” said Bailen trying to calm Pinkie down.
“Oh...well ok. Where you yelling at yourself though. Was there something you wanted yourself to tell you?” asked Pinkie with a bit of a confused look on her face.
“Actually tha...not at all I was just a little out of it but these delicious cupcakes are making me feel alot better,” Thats not what I was gunna say!?
“Well thats good. If you ever feel bad again come by anytime for more,” said Pinkie smiling, “ you sure you feeling ok though?”
No I don’t!
“I’m feeling fine. I pinkie promise.”
Bailen left Sugar Cube Corner after saying goodbye to Pinkie. On the way home he started eating his cupcakes.
These are pretty good, until coming here I never got to try these.
Stop controlling my voice!
I’m just slowly taking back my body, the voice is the first thing I’m taking back. Have fun while you still exist.
You’re the one who will disappear, I’ll make sure of it.
You know with such a short life span you really are choosing a bad way to live it. Why not just not worry about me and do what you want. It’ll make things quicker. But don’t worry we can have a much more in depth conversation tonight, imagine the readings on Twilight’s machine. Hehehe, I’m actually looking forward to it.
Its something Bailen hadn't considered when he agreed to the testing. What would happen? What would the machine show? Most importantly, what did Engano have planned for their meeting tonight?
