Patrick’s Story.

Vision returned to me as I awoke to a strange sounding voice.

“Lord Chronos! LORD CHRONOS! You have to get up! Are still alive?” I opened my eyes. To see the eyes of the Doctor in front of me.

“Thank you for your consideration, Doctor. I am fine. I just did not expect Discord to use that attack on us. He has become reckless,” I replied, without a thought of what was leaving my mouth. “Where is your family, Time Lord?” I asked now.

“If we distract ourselves now, my lord, then none will survive. We must consider the current situation before dealing with collateral,” he said with closed eyes. Dodging a little bit of shrapnel flying over his head.

Queen Chrysalis arrived quickly at the scene. Disrobing her illusion to speak to us. Her eyes were stained with tears, as much as she could have in her form.

“Chrysalis!” I yelled. “Where are the others of the league?”

Chrysalis broke down slightly as the Doctor comforted her. She looked away at the everfree forest to the south. “I… I… Discord attacked us. It was too quick for us to take him out by hand.”

“Where are the others?”

“Elizabeth managed to escape with Hope. Trixie and I went after Discord.”

There was a pause as both the Doctor and my own eyes widened. There was something off putting about what she said.

“Where. Is. Trixie?” I asked, noticing the significant lack of the boastful blue unicorn. Chrysalis sighed and held back tears as she lowered her head, but no significant response ordered me to say much more clearly now. “Where. Is. Trixie?”

“I only managed to escape thanks to her! Discord was too powerful. Even with the amulet… Her… Spine…” She stared catatonically at the ground; she was going through the images in her head. Even for a Changeling Queen who had to lay thousands of eggs every day, I couldn’t imagine what Discord had done that would make her react like that.

But some part of me became angry… Very quickly.

“And you just left her there? You left your leaguer to die to save your own insectoid backside?”

She then scowled at me. “My FRIEND sacrificed herself for me! There wasn’t any way I could make it any different! Discord took off as soon as he’d… Finished her.”

I chirped in an inaudible language, feeling muscles in my side act out to create the clicking noise. And an angry clicking if I may say so, only to have her reply almost telepathically.

“And remember, Lord Chronos. It is I to whom you have to thank for also gifting you with royal Changeling heritage,” I scowled back. Pulling a face of disgust at the black queen.

The Doctor took out his sonic screwdriver and began to scan the changeling with the small device. His face cringed, but he remained calm. “You have no real medical damage, but you are weak from a starvation of love. There’s something odd though.”

He stared at the sonic probe as we both stared at him. “If you’re saying, Doc., that I’m already dead. I’m going to kill you,” she blurted, eyes burning furiously red.

The Doctor jumped back and shook his head. “NO, NO! You’re not dying Chrysalis! I’m saying, that if Discord was doing as I expected, You WOULD be.”

I rolled my eyes at the Doctor’s remark. Knowing Discord, “He’s the god of Chaos, Doctor. He’s unpredictable like that. He could turn her into toast and you would have the same reaction. You don’t know him like I do. Th”

He scowled while pointing a hoof at the Queen. “I know Discord differently to you, Chronos! He wouldn’t just pass up on an opportunity to end the life of a pony that could cause him problems later.” My eyebrows lifted as I realised something.

“Chrysalis! Before Discord fled, did he… Do anything to you?” I asked, running up to her with a panicked expression.

She looked nervously from side to side. As did her head shake. “He didn’t do anything to me, Chronos. If he did, I would know!”

I sighed in relief and began to walk away from her to plan my next action. But my calm demeanour was broken by another word from the queen. “Although, there was something… I couldn’t stop thinking about something while he was nearby.”

I stopped. I felt terrified. It was like the greatest impending doom was given to me in my head. I physically shuddered and turned slowly to her. “What… Did… You… Think…”

Her eyes widened as the same doom came upon her. Her lip shuddered as she looked to me with despair. “The location of… The Oghma Infinium…”

I bit my lip and my eye twitched.

“AAGH!” I yelled in pure anger, as my body became that of Nightmare Moon once again. I breathed heavily as I turned to the Doctor.

“Our world… Is doomed…” I said through my Nightmarish demeanor. “We have lost…”

I began to walk off into the forest before I was stopped by the Doctor. “Do not attempt to stop me… Time Lord. You must fight for yourselves. But you will not survive.” I spat in the voice of the moon empress.

“What can we do? What about my family?” He asked, stopping me dead in my tracks.

I could not lie to him… He had to protect them… Even if it were useless.

Nightmare Moon retracted back into my head as I walked towards the Doctor with an empathetic smile.

“Doctor… Not even your Tardis can help them… If we are to die in this world… I can give you the power to ensure that they are safe… No matter what happens to them.”

The Doctor broke into tears of joy, embracing me with his hooves. “My King… I would be in debt to you if you did this for me… Would you be willing to do this… For a minor… Subject… Like me?”

I took his hooves away from me and smiled. “Ten years ago, Doctor, I would have had you killed for giving me physical contact without my permission. But today, Doctor, I will lend you a secret that I would take to the grave because of the companionship you gave to me.”

I turned to the forest again, thinking of the small, blue haired pony who put me into this business. “And a special mortal who taught me how to give it back.”

The Doctor smiled. And I smiled back. “Do you… Trust me?” He asked, raising his head in hope. I nodded and made my horn glow.

I tapped the Doctor on the shoulders and then on the head. As I spoke in a voice, practically song like. “From this day, you are a member of the League Of Darkness. May you bring darkness to the unjust, may you bring light to the weak and use darkness as your ally to bring order from chaos. May you be sung in the hall of heroes. And may our shields be raised in battle with you. In this life… And the next.”

We bowed to each other as I now spoke new words directly into his ear.

“To save your family, you must trust me, for the curse I utter to leave your lips is dark magic indeed. It is not completed, but even in its incomplete state, it can serve a different purpose. The consequences to save a life can break a heart dear. Utter the curse wrong and you will never reunite. Utter the curse to yourself and you will only be apart for a time. Is that a risk you will take for me? For your family?”

He nodded with determination. And took out his sonic screwdriver… For what I assume… Would be the last time in a good. Long. Time. “I am ready, Lord Chronos. Teach me the curse to save my family.”

I finally spoke to him the curse. Closing my eyes and speaking indirectly, in order for the curse not to affect him or myself.

“Five Score… Divided By Four.

Your memories removed, your body confused.

While I send you away.

Cast off to live for another day.

Your banishment. Shall act as punishment.

Your mind shall be weak. But let it not be bleak.

Forgetting everything, to live life again.

May returning to love help shield your pain.”

I blinked softly as a tear rolled down the Doctor’s eyes. “Thank you… My friend,” he whimpered.

I smiled and bowed respectfully. Knowing of what he would do, I turned away from my friend; and walked into the forest. Becoming Nightmare Moon again, I heard Chrysalis once more.

“Is that what Discord wanted?” She asked.

“Yes, and I worry that he plans to use it for his own evil deeds.”

She came up to me and hugged me once more. As I felt she did several times. As a mother would to a son.

“Take care, Chronos… I will fight to make sure he never uses it. But I hope that one day… We will fight together again.”

“I wish that too, Chrysalis. But now… I must see Elizabeth…” I released her from the hug. And finally entered the forest. “There is now something I must now know.”

“DAH NAA NAA! DAH NAH NA NAHHH!”
“FUCKFUCKSHITCUNT!” I yelled, forgetting that I still had that stupid song on my iPhone that could potentially be my ringtone. And even at… 25… It is the most horrible thing to hear at 7:20 in the morning. I nearly banged my head on the ceiling due to the sheer shock of being forced out of a dream with that level of Metroid soundtrack jumpscare.

The first thing that hit me was… Night Fury? No… not that… But the fact that I was back at home, as the last thing I remembered from last night was being at the Lutece’s; someone must have driven me back home.

And then light came through the curtains… The late spring sun still was a blinding sting even when the blinds were covering the majority of it. Never had day been more annoying to me than today. It was my birthday, but the fucking school reunion that I usually dread every year I left that school.

I looked over to see my clothes from last night were perfectly laid out, with a selection of clothes for today also there.

There was also something on my mantlepiece next to my iPhone and alarm clock plugged into it, a small jar marked.

“Morphine, for the eye- Lutece.”

Eye? What did they mean eye? Was there something…

I then felt it on my head, a small strap. With a small object fitted onto my eye. Wanting to check, I immediately jumped from my bed and ran to the mirror on the inside of my bedroom door. And my curiosity was confirmed in a small, black eyepatch covering my right (if you were looking at me, the eye to the left) eye. With small scarring of the flesh around it, and a large clean scar tore through in a diagonal pattern from the centre of my forehead to my cheek.

What the fuck did I do last night? Did I actually-

I saw something glimmer on the table next to my clothes; a small and blood-soaked knife. I had to confirm in one way or another, so I rushed into my bathroom for a second opinion. The eyepatch was still there, with the large scar looming upon the flesh itself.

I remained silent, staring catatonically at my reflection, who stared back with the equal amount of horror and shock. His other eye twitched, his lip jutting down and his pupil becoming so small you would barely be able to see it in the iris. Everything about this stranger in the mirror was the epitome of absolute horror, a stranger I remain.

It seemed like for hours I was staring at myself, before the heavens themselves came fourth and everything I seemed to have for breakfast this entire week seemed to fall down into the sink from my mouth.

“What did you do?” I asked myself, practically crying with the rage I had at the drunken version of myself.

“What DID YOU DO?” I screamed even louder. I bashed my fist against the mirror, cracking it violently, and causing a shard to stab into my hand. The dull pain became a sharp agony as I quickly removed the reflective glass shard from the palm of my hand to fall into the sink under a wash of tinted-red water.

I did not cry, I would not cry. I refused to give into such meaningless things as the human emotion of sad- oh fuck it-

*sob* I broke down in tears looking at myself in the cracked mirror, seeing myself the night before. Pictures of me drunkenly rambling, before stabbing myself in the eye while laughing maniacally. I thought and thought as the image was embedded right into my brain. I had lost my honor. I had done a foolish deed. I was a moron- You’re always a moron- well, I did something more moronic than usual.

I couldn’t help it. If I had done damage to myself, I might as well have seen what I had to fix.

I lifted my hand to the eyepatch and gently gripped the base, with horrible images of what I would see if I lifted the patch in mind. Best case scenario, small scarring around the eye. Worse case, when I lift up the eyepatch, I would see to the back of the socket itself, the veins themselves cut, with the very blood they held slowly draining away onto the base of the empty socket my eye once held, never again to ever occupy that space. Left sightless and a cyclops for the rest of my living days! Oh I couldn’t take it! I DIDN’T WANT TO KNOW

I lowered my hand, leaving the eyepatch still resting upon my face, left a mystery to me until I could comprehend why I had done this… Or if it were me who did this at all.

No matter, I had a day planned still. And no sodding eyepatch was going to stop me from doing that… Even if I did feel horrible having it in the first place.

I stared again at myself, forcing my own mental image to stop panicking and calm down. But as long as I didn’t remove the eyepatch, I might as well assess any other peculiarities before I decided to go out into town. So I ‘opened the hangar’ and took off any clothing I had on to achieve a full body scan. As a scientist, I went into my bedroom quickly and pulled out a small pen and notepad I had prepared for ‘morning after’ situations quite like this one and began to assess myself while writing in a similar fashion to earlier entries.

“Damage report on Physical Body…

Date: 01/05/2020 (1st of May 2020)

Possible Causes:

Detecting signs of strong alcohol; stains on clothing and high potency of fragrance suggests delusion by innebreation. Possible hallucinogenic drug slipped into drinks. Further studies required.

Physical Damage:

Small bruising caused by physical trauma. Possible falling and injury. Small glass foreign bodies in right bicep muscle; little risk of infection if removed quickly…”

A quick realisation struck me, and with some modifications to my being I made a different note.

“little risk of infection if removed quickly. Glass foreign bodies removed from right bicep muscle. Small scarring caused by removed shrapnel. Possible causes: passing out onto glass object. Large scarring on right eye, no sign of medical infection or risk of bleeding. Wound has taken on form of scarring. Further study is required into scarring and eye… No further study is required, as migraine or mental damage would be possible result of diagnosis.

Piercings:

None found.

Tattoos-”

It was at this moment, I saw them… I dreaded ever getting Tattoos, but my drunken rampage had caused me to get some. And in my opinion; it was in an absolutely horrible place… On both sides of my… flank. Going all the way around and meeting at my… Behind. Admittedly, it looked cool. But I hated tattoos nethertheless. It almost looked… Cutie mark. In appearance. An odd mixture of something that was Shadow The Hedgehog’s symbol back in 2005, and Luna’s cutie mark from My Little Pony. It was difficult to describe; so I even drew a little coloured picture in the report.

“Large tattoo covering both left and right flank circulating round to cover buttoks. Ink markings seem thick in appearance and rich in colour. Detailed illustration of Left side have been enclosed below:

"

I would probably book an appointment with the John Radcliffe for a laser-based tattoo removal. I didn’t care too much that it was there as long as it remained out of sight. But it still had to go. If I were to make ‘woohoo’ with anyone with that on my flank, they wouldn’t take me seriously.

Even if it did look cool.

I put some of the clothes laid out for today that was laid out on the table. Finally calming down after the whole eye debacle and trying my best to cover the Cutie Mark Tattoo with my pants and trousers. And with some success, I diverted my attention to some of the presents on the table as well. Including some of the strange books that nutjob gave me, the sword Josh sliced his hand open on, the ‘Pony Armor’ that Hannah gave me and finally, the large; fist sized, emerald that seemed to give off a cold green glow even now.

I realised in the armor, there was a large groove in it. It was shaped octagonally, with fine lines going to a inverse pointed end. I looked at it and then at the emerald… It didn’t take me long for me to get curious enough to put two and two together… And literally put ‘two’ and ‘two’ together, slotting the emerald directly into the chest piece.

Nothing happened really, it didn’t explode or cause an even brighter light. But instead; it just sat in the necklace as if it was made to be in there. It looked quite pretty to be honest. And with a small tug; it was confirmed that it wasn’t going to come OUT very easily. Thus sparking the question on how Hannah managed to find a necklace that…

“Hypnosis,” I spat, rolling my eyes in annoyance at the fact I might have encouraged Hannah THAT too without me knowing. So I put down the necklace and put on my shoes for the school reunion.

I then directed my attention to the little knife on the table... It scared me even with its appearance... With possibility alone. I picked it up and examined it while straightening my tie. I glared at the way it cruelly reflected my injury through my own blood. I wanted to throw it out the window. I saw it cutting into me, and dark images of using it to cut into my enemies. The dark images prevented me from seeing that it had already made its way into one of my pockets again.

A thought struck me. Dark images of blood, and significantly, my own blood.

And that really... Was just the thing… While the rest of the memories from last night were more of a mental blur than recognisable memories… Heck; even that fucked up dream I had about Shadow Ponies and strange mantras remained more dominant in my memories… But there was still some complex information that stuck in my head significantly.

School Reunion
Night Fury
Phone Call
Night Fury
4 - 849,514,996
Night Fury
Do not see Darius Jem
Night Fury
Do not lift up the eyepatch
Night Fury
Do not follow your peers
Night Fury
Night Fury
Night Fury

Dear lord did THAT stick in my head. I thought for a moment that this would be another side effect of the hypnosis. But if it were, I would do those orders unintentionally and I would not know about it, because otherwise the hypnosis wouldn’t have been good.

And it was far too brash than anything I’d seen Derren Brown do.

Unless that’s what was planned for me to think-

Unless that’s what was planned for me to think-

Unless that’s what was planned for me to think-

Unless- GOD, MY BRAIN HURTS!

I broke into hysterical laughter until I heard a loud thump from downstairs. It seemed Mr and Mrs hater had woken up…

I would ask them about either the eyepatch or the tattoo, but due to the fact I had woken up in my own bed and not the hospital, and that I received a bottle of morphine 'for the eye', I would guess that they had little to do with it. (Or have everything to do with it, but trying not to be involved if anyone wondered what had happened.)

I decided not to disturb them for these reasons… But realisation, again, came down on me like a ton of bricks. Time had flown over my head without me realising and it was 8:50 already. If I were to socialise with the two downstairs, I would be late for the 9:30 Waynefleet’s open morning Chapel Service. I wouldn’t usually care; but I felt it had been a while since I met some of my old friends from that School, so I put on my Sherlock-inspired jacket and decided to head out the door.

Putting on my wrap around shades, or course.

As I walked down the quiet road to the school. A small amount of cars passed by; but I rarely paid attention to them. But I could tell some people were paying attention to me.

A tall man with an eyepatch is definitely a one eye opener (ha ha). As I saw many people on the street giving me odd glances. From the mother driving her pram’s ‘ok?’ glance. To the Dragon parent dropping his jowls to form the biggest arch I had ever seen. As if to say ‘that is most unorthodox!’ in the poshest growl imaginable. I couldn’t care less. Since I decided that my only regret today from now in is not finding a way to be any more awesome.

I walked down the street, gently smiling to myself as I hummed ‘He’s A Pirate’ from the Disney film, yet not humming to a point that it would become stuck in my head… The further I thought about it, the more I liked the idea of having an eyepatch! It made me look like a mixture of Nick Fury and a classic pirate. It was a little childish giggle that escaped my lips that caused a walking mother to give me a confused look. I shut up immediately and directed my attention to the rest of my body… GOD I hate people here.

I felt my phone buzz, but I decided not to check it… Either something about last night, spam text or something from Darius, wishing me Happy Birthday.

I gave in and checked the phone; seeing a little message pop up from Darius Jem, reading; "Happy Birthday LOL! Want to meet up sometime today?"

I considered it in my head; but I thought it would be best if I didn't see him. After the open morning; I was going to go to the John Radcliffe and have some Doctors poke around my eye (possibly) and the tattoo. I wouldn't have any of the day LEFT to see him.

I crossed the bridge over to thePlain Roundabout. The place I used to take the bus to, to get to the large school that was the bane of both my time and existence… And yet, here I was! Walking once more to enter those gates at a time that least suited me to suit the officials higher up… And even worse, on my birthday… And I looked like a modern day stereotypical pirate.

Oh… I was going to be milked by the school bullies even today.

I arrived at one of the School gates, with a large yellow banner suspended upon it, and annoyingly ‘MCS Open Morning; 9:30-12:00 Noon’ In blasphemous COMIC SANS. I cringed at the sight of this banner, but I turned to the gate where I was let in by a smaller pupil; who looked up at me with fear. Roughly 12 years old and still in the junior school.

I was relatively tall compared to him, so I towered over him. But I saw that something was unnerving him about him, so I kneeled down slightly, allowing him to talk a bit more clearly. “If you wish to receive a tour; you can go to the Lunch Hall and a pupil can guide you around if you like.”

I chuckled at his high pitched voice and shaky sentence structure. I could tell he was still nervous as he couldn’t take his eyes off the scar on my face. I ignored this lack of restraint of politeness and talked politely. “Actually, I’m here as a Waynefleet. Do you know where that’s taking place?”

He sighed, obviously slightly relieved. And spoke with a looser breath as his hand strayed to the direction of the big school. Where my view was slightly distracted by a small crowd of people gathering around something out of my field of vision. “The Waynefleet meeting is currently in Big School’s Chapel. You’ll be handed timetables for the day while you’re there.”

“Thanks- and you are?” I asked, tilting my head to see the Pupil’s name badge.

“Zack Formine the third,” he replied, with such gusto you could cut it with a knife.

“Thanks… Is your grandfather-” I began, recognising that name from somewhere.

He began to walk with me from the gate to big school as someone took his place at the school gate. “Yes… My grandfather; Zack Formine the first, is running against Darius Jem for Prime minister.”

I scowled slightly, thinking that this man’s grandfather in recent tabloids wrote allegations about Darius, nearly sending him to prison. He seemed nice from what I had heard from reports. Even at the age of 81; he still kept the fight going with his husband and was proud of everything he was. But his grouchy attitude in his articles, and almost unhealthy obsession with Darius drove me to have some qualms with him in general. But it seemed that my unease with his grandfather allowed the boy to see it through my expression.

“I can tell you have problems with him… The Formine family has problems due to my grandfather and I’m not proud of it… He’s even taken a hobby of stalking a young man…”

“Why are you telling me this?” I asked, questioning the expositional information he had been giving me. He stared back at me as our walking pace dropped to a snails rate. He shrugged his shoulders.
“You used to go to Magdalen- you’re used to information.”

“True,” I smirked. “But it isn’t an assumption that you should make with everyone,” I shuddered reflecting on my mother’s seemingly endless supply of lectures talking about me not giving information overloads to people. But I couldn’t help but think: “What do you mean by stalking a boy?”

“Oh yeah, every time I go by his office; it’s always- ‘the boy’ ‘the boy must be protected!’ ‘the original’ this and ‘the original’ that. He’s following him because he believes there’s something to do with some kind of order. And wants to protect him because he believes someone will try to kill him within the next month.”

My curiosity sparked. “Who wants to kill him?”

“Darius Jem…”

I laughed as we walked again, disbelieving what he was saying. “Well, Zack, either you are mislead, or this guy’s done something to really piss Darius off… Because if Darius were to try and KILL someone, it would be a national thing, not just one man… I mean; military stuff and closed borders. Don’t you remember last year? All of that Drug Dealer stuff with the governor?”

He nodded and rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, I couldn’t write to my pen friend without getting a friendly visit from our local police force! Gov’ gave up because he couldn’t do anything with the borders closed. Darius had to bust me out big time to avoid treason.”

He looked up with a little concern and a glimmer in his eyes. “Do you know Darius Jem?” He burst. So I knew what was going to happen next.

“Let me guess, Zack- You want me to tell him to stop being a jerk? Or stop with whatever political scheme he’s currently doing? Or stopping the Quadraxis Project, whatever the hell he wants to do with it-”

“Actually-” He interrupted, taking out a small piece of paper and handing it to me. “Could you get his autograph for me? I’m kinda a fan of his,” he awkwardly smiled as I put the note in my pocket.

“Thanks… Zack,” I replied, smiling at the nice gesture. “How could I get this back to you?”

He shrugged, but continued smiling. “You could head up to my house in London or send it through post if you like?”
“Sure,” I smirked, “When I’m next in London I’ll try to get it to you personally… Well, I’ll try.”

I started to head into big school as he remained behind. “See you around, kiddo!” I shouted when leaving. He waved back to me.

“See you, Patrick!”

What a nice boy.

“Patrick?”

Oh dear.

I turned reluctantly as I came into the main chapel; seeing the blonde hair and blue eyes of one of the school bullies of my youth. James fucking Pierce in the flesh.

“Don’t talk to me James,” I warned, walking further into the Chapel, while he stayed in close proximity, much to my disgust.

“You look like a twat with that eyepatch! Did you slip and fall on your own ego?”

I did not respond.

“You going to talk to me? Are you not talking to me because I is black? Are you a racist? You’re a fucking racist Patrick? You still into that Brony stuff? Or have you moved on from wanking off to Pinkie Pie to sucking your mum’s dick?”

I did not respond, but walked more briskly to shake him off my tail.

“How’s that university rubbish working out for you, Patty T? I bet you’re so jealous that I’m making a fortune while you’re still working at school for a load of nutjobs who don’t pay you a penny- still living in your parent’s basement Nerd?”

I groaned and turned around to him, refusing to raise my fist as I could tell that would get me into some trouble… But thankfully; my salvation came in the form of Vincent Graham.

He didn’t say anything snarky or witty; he just simply shoved James out of the way in order to talk to me.

“Hi, Patch!” he said in his slightly deep voice, while placing his hand on his shoulder in a friendly way, his friendly smile deteriorating as his eyes wandered to the odd bit of leather strapped to my right eye. “Eye… Patch?”

“It’s a long story, Vincent. I don’t know how it got there either.” I mumbled. Lifting my shoulders vaguely. I think I was going to be asked that a lot today judging by his reaction. But his cringe begged for some form of description.

“Would you believe me if I said I took a role as Long John Silver; and just testing out the eyepatch so I don’t fall over?”

“Yes I would. Despite the obvious fact you don’t like that book; and the scar?”

“Err,” I stammered, forgetting that I had that glaring red scar that I had around the eyepatch. It’s pain was so dull, surprisingly, that I’d forgotten entirely about it! So I thought up a rushed hasty explanation. “Slipped and fell on a knife?”

He looked disdainful and suspicious. “You FELL on a knife that was facing your face? Seriously? What were you doing? Slicing an upside-down union while rollerblading?”

I laughed at this assumption, picturing the strange action in my head and trying to keep a straight face is no easy feat.

“I don’t know what happened, Vincent. I was drunk last night and woke up with both of these. I think someone spiked my drink and did something with my face.”

Some people squeezed past as Vincent began to speak again; but was shortly interrupted with someone getting uncomfortably close to him as they shuffled past. He cleared his throat and began again; with a more solemn tone that he only used when he knew something was wrong.

“Have you seen the… Damage?” he questioned. I shook my head in response and dropped the sides of my mouth down slightly.

“I haven’t seen because I don’t want to see,” I explained, looking up solemnly as others around me chuckled. “And I don’t want to see a Doctor just yet. They might blame it on me instead of who actually did it!”

Vincent nodded as I saw three of my other old friends; Varna, Guy and Tom; enter in the same door that I came through. But Vincent had another question that I now had to consider.
“Then, Patrick,” he started, using his concerned voice again. “Why come to the school reunion, something you obviously hate, than see a Doctor that you will obviously need!”

I stopped, swallowed and blinked twice. He had a point… I could have used it to get out of going to this stupid reunion! Although spending a morning at school can be moderately better than spending your birthday in the hospital with your parents on your back. Asking questions, operations, spending most of the day in general anesthetic! That would be awful! But I couldn’t just let this mystery go unaddressed. As I kept thinking to myself; I only needed to see a Doctor. Perhaps I could go to my local private Doctor; Doctor Chivers, or maybe see a different kind of Doctor entirely? As for why I still came here- I guess it might be to consult a less professional Doctor at the school for a first opinion- no, that couldn’t be it- they’re decent here, but I doubt that they could deal with something like my eye. Or maybe it was nostalgia? Did I miss seeing my friends so long that I would take seeing them as a higher priority than my own health? Element of Loyalty maybe? (Aww, isn’t friendship magic?) But as something as stupid and unexplainable with me doing this; it seemed like the most logical explanation.

I realised I had said none of this verbally and would have to explain this all again to Vincent. Feeling slightly cross at myself for not doing so first-hand, I opened my mouth to speak as I felt a quick, sharp, pain in my head. And directly afterwards; it seemed the words that I felt I needed to say; almost rolled off my tongue.

“Let’s say… Intuition- my good sir,” I said with disastrous regality, causing Vincent to lean back slightly with a little shock looking directly at my good eye.

“What?” I unconsciously said- I mean, it must be natural instinct for that sort of thing.

“Nothing,” he stammered back, blinking twice in order to confirm something he must have seen just now. “How did you do that?”

“Do what?”

“It must have been my imagination… But I swear that your hair grew a bit just now.”

Despite the ridiculousness of his reactions; I felt my body acting in a motion of slight panic. Nervous tick maybe? My mouth opened to speak again without me wanting it to; and before I would speak again; I was interrupted.

“Patrick! How are you today!” Tom Woods burst with as much energy as when I first met him. Yet my behavior, rudely, was as if I had never seen him in my life. My eye darted back and forth as the name hung in my head strongly yet it was not forced out of my mouth. “What’s with the pirate getup?”

“Funny story-” I began without noticing.

“He doesn’t know Tom, I asked; he says he woke up like that.”

“Vincent, why isn’t he at the Doctors?” Tom asked, baffled.

Normally, I would have berated Vincent for giving such details to another good friend without my permission, but this time, I said something quite odd. “Vincent and Tom, respectively. That’ll make conversation a bit easier.”

They stared at me, and I smirked playfully.

“Anyway; Patch-” Tom started again awkwardly. Before perking up in his usual fashion. “It’s your birthday today and me and Richard W.R. are going to have a little Star Wars marathon at his house, would you like to come?”

I would jump at the opportunity usually; but then I remembered something on my mind; and before I could say it… I… Said it… “Sorry; Tom, I have to meet a Doctor… you see; I’ve developed a Cutie Mark overnight; and I need to check with him to see a similar case.”

Tom blinked twice at my odd behavior. “So… Do you want to meet up on a later date?”

“We’ll see, Tom. I’m planning on making some… Renovations… So, I might look a little… Odd compared to your normality. But… I’m sure I could make it the new normal with a bit of ‘DIY’.”

They half-laughed and Tom’s mouth cringed slightly. “I don’t get it. Was that meant to be a joke?”

“You don’t get it do you?” I unconsciously spoke it becoming a slight pattern now as the rolling off the tongue somehow felt more and more natural as I went on. Perhaps I’ve stumbled upon a strange meditative trance that speaks the mind of the unconscious! If that’s the case, I better keep from thinking anything dirty. It still felt like me somehow, but a little more-

“Excuse me?” a voice rang out across the hall, silencing the crowd of rowdy Waynefleets. I rolled my eye and turned to the source of the voice as did the rest of us.

It was the headmaster we all had when we were at the school, Mr. T Hans. Speaking with enthusiasm, although with the obvious tone showing he was basically reading from a list of inspirational quotes.

“Well, isn’t it nice to see all of you again and after so long! It’s at times like these where I like to reflect on the past, and think about times we had made in this school and the things we have done to the world and beyond!”

There was an awkward silence, followed by a quiet cough from someone in the crowd. But as he spoke; I heard something odd in the back of my head… Like a dull drone. Something I couldn’t control in my subconscious. It was barely audible, but still left a questioning pattern of thoughts in my conscious noise, while it also concentrated on the speech itself.

“Now, this year, I plan to cut this speech a little short; as we-”

“Actually, Mortal. I plan to cut it even shorter.”

That wasn’t me… That wasn’t me saying that… Yet I did… It left my lips.

“Er… Patrick; I’m afraid you’ll have to wait until afterwards. That was quite rude of you to interrupt and call me such a strange title.”

There were people staring at me with anger and confusion; James Pierce in the corner was laughing his arse off quietly at my outburst. But I continued; despite forcing myself not to.

“I’m afraid, Headmaster, that I’ve been waiting a long time for this opportunity. I intend to make this as private and public as possible so those who are my allies… KNOW of my return.”

I heard general mumbling from the crowd; they began to stir as my voice boomed out. Things like; ‘what is he doing?’, ‘has he gone mental?’ and ‘this is going up on youtube!’. But I still continued.

“From now on, Mortals, things will change… Most of you shall never see me again… And today; I will demonstrate my power; even now.”

I turned sharply to another boy near me; Enzo Round. And with his shock, II sharply glared at him with venom in my smile… Except it wasn’t my smile… I had no control over my body! I couldn't stop. I wasn't... Me. Then who was I?

Without another word; I started to run briskly towards the front of the room and a little stage where the headmaster was. He flinched backwards as I leaped quickly onto the platform with such height I could've been at the Olympics.

I glared at the headmaster with a disastrous smirk, before turning around to face the crowd.

"I believe I have your full attention now, you pathetic mortal scum." I spat; in a tone looking down upon the students like they were vermin.

They stared back at me as if I had grown two heads... From what I'd done; I think it would be less shocking if I did.

"It seems you all think that I've just gone mad, I have not, I have been enlightened. Then... It seems I must give you a demonstration. Of my own RAW power" I emphasized the 'raw' in such a way that James Pierce burst out laughing at me.

"It seems we have a volunteer!" I yelled, holding down the poor headmaster lightly with the sole of my shoe. "Your informality is insulting to my very presence... No matter, it'll allow me to demonstrate. Would you come up onto the stage please; boy?"

"Nope," he put bluntly; in a way that only an idiot would use. I felt myself smirking.

"Even better then- you boy; what is your name?"

"James God Pierce, Mortal. If you need reminding about people's names then you're Gaylord Faggot." His use of the world 'mortal' mocked how I was using it at the moment, something about my instincts told me that he was quickly going to regret saying that.

My smile widened as I heard some others giggle immaturely around the room.

"Tut tut. Even at your age, James... Those insults could be worked upon; but no matter-" I now addressed the room again. "And now ladies and gentlemen of the mortal human race, for my opening act; I start with a joke: What do you get with a room full of disbelieving peasants, a god trying to prove their power and a very, VERY stupid little boy. Who needs to be taught a lesson?" I pouted on the last part. As others in the crowd looked even more confused.

I bared my teeth as I spoke again, with so much venom on my tongue I could poison people in front of me. "Well, you get this. Today in front of your eyes; I will make James come up onto the stage, spill his darkest secrets to all of us, and maybe, if we have the time; I'll stick his head up his own arse!"

The crowd erupted with awkward laughter; especially from the boy in question. I even heard my own laughter crack in there slightly; as I said slightly over the crowd; "That's exastly the behaviour I have come to expect from you humans! Laughing at something so trivial as a 'but joke'! But I want to see, if you'll remain laughing; when I do THIS!"

Silence.

Absolute silence.

On the last word; I gestured with my hand upwards quickly. For now, my hand was surrounded by a bright blue glow... And James was, wide eyed, levitated up into the air.

My eye I felt glowing brightly; while I received mixed reactions from the crowd. From; 'he's wearing a wire!' To 'Jesus Fucking Christ!' To 'I don't want to die a virgin!' To general laughter.

James of course, was laughing, although a bit nervously. I would if I could fly like that, but I could tell this wasn’t the expected level of terror that this entity controlling me wanted. He started to float towards me due to a hand action and levitation. But he was still annoyingly laughing to himself.

If I had magical powers (possibly I did, I had no control over myself) I would have probably done something a little more creative than basic levitation. I was a Harry Potter nerd; so going through my mind was several different spells of any kind; almost by force!
Colloportus; the locking charm.
Confundus; the confusion charm
Densaugeo; the teeth growing charm
Diffindo; interesting
Erecto; no way
Expelliarmus; useless
Finate Incantatum; destructive
Incarcerous

I felt compelled to speed up my thinking, something was dragging me on.
Confringo
Locomotor Mortis
Bombarda
Sectumsempra

Crucio? The torture spell?

“Now we’re talking, Patrick! Allow me to make the final preparations!” I heard a scarily feminine voice resonate in my head loudly.

Wait; was that the thing controlling me?

Does that mean it could read my thoughts?

If that’s so; then… Oh no!

I twisted my free hand up and looked to the doors around the assembly hall. And with a cruel smile the entity spoke again.

“Let’s make some final preparations- COLLOPORTUS!” It now blared to the school before an angry red flash blared out from my hand; followed by a loud; locking sound from every door. James was next to me as I saw his childish grin deteriorate into panic. As did many of the others. They moved their attention to each door, while my friend Benedict Mulcare forcefully tried the locks with no success.

It was horrible to see their reaction, but some little part of me seemed to burst with pleasure at seeing their reaction. It was pure, 100% joy! To see their chaos unfold by an idea.

An idea that would come to life in a matter of moments. The thing that’ll make them all cower before me… No. US! We are two entities in one body! And I was going to use our joint symbiosis and make them worship us; they WILL BOW DOWN TO US!

IN FEAR!

No… What was I thinking? What am I thinking? Was I- ENJOYING THIS?

I had to stop this! Whatever this thing was doing to me, it was messing up my HEAD too! But there was nothing I could do! I was a slave to my body and it was going to make someone suffer because of it!

I leant into the panicking head of James. And slithered in the most foul of tones. “I’m going to make you SQUEEEEEEEEAAAAAAL!”

His eyes widened in a way I had never seen him do before. And this time, it was terror.

I lifted up my other hand one more time, and with as much gusto as I could; “CRUCIO!”

Almost immediately; his body contorted in pain. I could hear the bones snapping as his shoulder shot up and arm was forced back by the magical force I was using upon him. I was laughing uncontrollably as the level of this curse rose under my (technical) control. There were people screaming, SCREAMING at this show of torture on stage.

“It appears that you are not scared enough by my display mortals. Perhaps If you all got a better angle!”

With another command, I started to rush James around the entire hall. As he screamed agonisingly. It was like a demonic phantom screaming as if they just rose from hell! It was like a really fucked up puppet show. It was agony for him and horror to the rest of them. Myself inclusive.

He was in more agony as I returned him to me. His eyes wet with tears and pain. I gave him one more foul grin before the entity gave one more venom-filled monologue to his ears alone.

“I’m not going to kill you, boy. But since you’ve entertained me with your pain; I’ll give the shoving head up arse thing a miss today. Instead; I’m going to break your back!”

I threw him up into the air using telekinesis and blasted my hand out to face him one last time. And the entity once again controlled my tongue, as it flowed off my mouth with almost a rhythmic fashion. “Crucio… Maxima.”

*snap*

I seemed to hold him in the air fixed for a few moments; just to prove a point! I could vomit looking upon it, but I could not. I couldn’t even turn my eyes away! I was completely under the control of this monster. Forcing me to stare at our combined handiwork. It seemed both a proud glance, but also a warning to whatever was left of myself as to what it could do.

James' entire body was contorted; both of his arms were broken, his legs were sprawling and his screams were silenced by his catatonic unconsciousness.

And his head was against the back of his feet.

“Do you still doubt me, mortal human race?” I challenged the crowd, who were screaming and panicking as the body (thankfully still alive) flopped to the floor with a distinct splat.

The crowd was in turmoil, running around and trying the locks. They were not paying full attention to me, and this thing didn’t like it. So it attempted once more to use me to gain attention.

I felt energy flow into me from my chest. It seemed to flow all through me, from my head to toes and everywhere else. I wondered what was going on at the moment; it was confusing and I was still terrified.

“Give us a moment Patch; I’ve been dead for 25 years; I’ll talk to you after doing something quickly, It’s one of my favorite spells!” The voice spoke energetically in my head.

I was forced to look down upon my body, where I saw MYSELF now being levitated up into the air, surrounded by small sparks of electricity. But as the energy in my body became stronger, so did the density of the electricity surrounding me.

I felt wild and alive. The energy coursing through my veins, I looked at the crowd.

"I do believe I am still TALKING, MORTALS!" I spoke with my voice amplified by this mysterious energy, causing their fear-stricken faces to turn back to me once more... I looked behind me at that moment to see the headmaster looking back with as much confusion and horror as I currently had.

My body was radiating with this energy, lifting me into the air Galadriel-style. With my voice empowered by it to near deafening volume! "Allow me to introduce myself to ALL OF YOU, HUMAN RACE!"

My arms pressed together, forming all the energy that I was surrounded by into a tight ball of bright blue light. And with another action, the ball was thrust into the air, exploding into a cloud of light.

The light quickly began to condense into colour and shape; first... A black background, fading off into darkness. Before a bright purple nebula shape formed strongly on top of it.

"No. It can't be! That's not possible!"

"You are familiar with MY mark, aren't you?"

It couldn't be, it was a bad dream and a lucid dream at the same time; I was fearful of this moment. It wasn't possible! There was no possible way that could be... I was fearful for all of us.

And my fears were confirmed...

Topping off the symbol.

Slap-bang in the middle.

A crescent moon.

"You're real," I thought loudly in my head, disbelieving everything as the concept of reality seemed to crumble in my hands.

"Yes... I am, Patrick. And I am in you... In this reality."

My fears were fully realised at that moment. Raising my arms in glory to the crowd. In front of the symbol that shone above me. And one last time, I spoke in that deafening tone.

"I AM NIGHTMARE MOON! And this world will bow to us, the Gods of reality and time!"

The crowd blinked and stared while most screamed in terror at the declaration of this unholy name. I bowed, dissipating the symbol above me, while unlocking the doors with a swift motion of my hand.

"Right!" She spoke through my lips, with more of a flustered tone and calm approach. "It was nice to have that little speech there. But right now; I must leave... Don't follow me, mortals have no right to, this is a special meeting I have planned with a-"

"Doctor..." I finished... Actual me, in control once more of my mouth.

I touched my chest; feeling in control again... I would be relieved. But I was terrified, I had caused pain and fear... And I liked it! They would have thought I had gone mad! I had Nightmare Moon in my head and I felt sick! Was I GOING mad, or did I ACTUALLY have Nightmare Moon in my head?

I felt like I was going to vomit! I had to get out!

I picked up a quick pace, jumping down from the podium and shoving people out of the way to reach the door.

Fear, anguish, tears. I felt like I was going to shatter like glass if anyone were to touch me! I slammed into the doors, dramatically sending them flying open before I started to sprint away from the hall and into one of the other buildings.

I dared not look back... I was a monster...

And it seemed like I was going to meet that monster when I went into the bathroom.

Another door burst open as I frantically hurtled into the Colin Sanders bathroom. I had metaphorical blood on my hands still; and I needed to wash my hands.

There was no-one else in the bathroom; so I ran up to the nearest sink I could find with a mirror, and turned it on to the most blisteringly hot temperature I could find, singing my hands under the boiling water that came out of the metal tap.

I looked up to myself; seeing the eyepatch and scar on my right eye. With my left becoming red underneath from tears and panic.

I tore at the eyepatch with my hand; furiously to get the leather object out of my reflection. And with a rip; it flew off into another sink. Allowing me, finally, to see what had been done to me.

I could vomit… I felt dizzy and sick as the bile rose up my throat to see the chasm that once was my eye, tearing deep into my head. Still stained blood-red by torn nerve endings, flesh jutting out to reach still-bare muscle, ripped away until only a few strands remained of my once-was iris. Leading into a black pit behind it, where I dared not think of.

I breathed heavily and quickly, falling into a panic attack. I now knew who was responsible. So, I inhaled to yell at the person in my head. “What the fuck did you do to me?!” I screamed dramatically.

At first, no response. But then I heard that voice penetrating my very soul once more. “If we are to talk, my dear, first I must ask you to close your eyes and allow me control of your right hand.”

She seemed trustworthy, but I doubted giving over again, knowing of the destruction she just did to someone who maybe even didn’t deserve that kind of treatment.

She could pick up on my negative vibes towards the notion and spoke in my head with a clear, orderly fashion. “I do not want to cause more destruction right now, Patrick. If you want answers… You have to do this.”

I sighed and released my breath, looking down in submission to this strange creature. And focused my strength to try to give my arm over to her.

It was actually quite easy! All I did was focus on my right arm like it were water. The dried up ocean of my mind compared to the empty jug of Nightmare Moon. And all I did was pour it into that jug as I closed my eyes.

I felt energy flowing through into my arm, like how I felt when she locked all the doors. She spoke another spell, clearly into my head. “Carcarus Indicabus!”

I heard a small flash and water rippling from in front of me. I wondered what was going on until I heard her say, “Open your eyes.” I did.

It was madness incarnate… The blight of my sanity staring at me in the face.

I could not fathom the fact that I saw what I saw. I almost smiled… Smiled uncontrollably. My remaining eye widened with disbelief. It was maddening and insane…

Instead of my reflection, Nightmare Moon stared back at me.

Leaving some time to recover myself, Nightmare Moon waited patiently. I looked at myself not in the reflection quickly, thankfully to confirm that I had not turned into the Dark Pony herself. It seemed that she was simply in my reflection.

She just… Stared back at me, almost mimicking my every move, as a reflection would. She seemed to move, however, with a beautiful elegance that I did not expect to see from a creature that controlled me to break someone’s back…

I would have run and hid from my own reflection knowing of IT, what IT did and the pure ridiculousness that I could even see it!

I raised my hand up and slapped myself hard in the face…

No sign of waking up, just a sharp pain in my head from where my palm impacted. It was at that second I realised that Nightmare Moon had done the same in my reflection.

I took this moment, finally, for what it was. I looked upon the reflection with now eyes of admiration of this rare sight.

I was looking upon… Nightmare Moon… The actual… Nightmare Moon.

I looked into the eyes, seeing the pupils dilate with a lifelike realism, keeping their draconic cyan as I stared directly into her soul. It seemed like she was also looking back at me from the reflection. Studying me as I did her… She must have never seen a human before.

We both opened our mouths for our dental inspection, allowing me to see the strange pointed maw of her, a subtle tongue lying in between her teeth. Unlike my teeth, hers were pure white, and glowing with an almost pearl effect. She was obviously not impressed by my own; as her eyes focused with disgust.

Closing our mouths, we directed our attention to our hair. My eyes glistened with glee, seeing this marvel that flowed inside the mirror.

It was just as I imagined it; flowing with an imaginary wind that gave this beautiful deep blue and purple mane such volume and length, without letting it dare touch the ground. It practically radiated magic through the vision alone. And throughout it; I saw the beautiful stars glistening with sparkling and beauty. At its roots; the head was hidden by a glorious silver-blue helmet, shining with light while the mane flowed through it like an ethereal force. And protruding through the helmet was a beautifully formed horn, it would be better described as a weapon than a limb, but was more beautiful than to describe with such harsh tone

Her skin was covered by a midnight-black coat of fur. A necklace of the same metal adorned her neck and chest, with her signature moon embedded in the middle and the fleur de lis like design created a strip of metal leading back to near metallic feathers, spread out to form large, intimidating wings, leading back to her flank where her trademark cutie mark was patterned with clear precision. It was magnificent, and frightening to behold, but I was so drawn in I couldn’t stop this inspection that any Brony would die for.

I looked down at the legs and hooves. The legs beautifully formed, yet standing with the elegance and stature of an empress, or even still, a god. And at the ends of each of the four legs, the fine hooves were covered by silver-blue horseshoes. Shining with the force of an iron fist, but being so beautiful it became like a hoof you would love to be held by with love.

My thoughts strayed to the more explicit, thinking of the possibilities of seeing the parts that any strange Brony would sell his soul for and maybe, I could show Nightmare Moon my own. This was an opportunity that I probably would not have any attempt at again. But these thoughts caused the Princess in the mirror to frown and slant her scowl in disbelief. “There won’t be any of that now, Patrick. Have you quite finished your admiration?” she ordered, now not in my head, but seeming to come from inside the mirror and sounding like the mirror was simply an obstruction in the same room, and Nightmare Moon was simply on the other side.

"You... You can TALK?" I screamed, causing a bit of a stir with her as she had not seen me talk in that volume before. She recovered her initial posture to address me, as I felt now was the time to be addressed.

"So then, Patrick... What do you want to know?" she asked politely, as I noticed now she was speaking differently to when she was talking to the students.

"Are you... Actually you?" I said with more fear than the childlike hope that I would have expected myself to give.

"That depends on your take of me being actually me. Normally I would be surprised on how you know OF me, but I imagine you are more surprised of me existing because of how you know."

She glanced at me and frowned with a smile. "But yes, your eyes do not deceive you... I am Nightmare Moon. THE Nightmare Moon. In the flesh, technically, and living... IN YOU!"

She exaggerated the last phrase, startling me as a fact just became clear once again.

She was inside me...

From what I know from the show, that could only mean that soon I was going to...

Become her...

Nightmare Moon mistook my reaction of thrill to absolute fear as a reaction to her previous statement. At least that's what I thought she took, until what she said next; "You're not going to BECOME me Patrick. In a way... But I believe we both know the process has already begun."

I looked at her, dead in the eyes (with one of my eyes out of commission, it must have looked very intimidating. "How did you know what I was thinking? This isn't just the case now- but you did it when you did... That."

She smiled as I now addressed a subject she must have wanted to talk about. "I do love this part," my theory proven, "You see, Patrick... We share the same body, but different consciousnesses, so the body has to compensate with having only one brain to work with by stuffing both of them into the brain. It isn't too bad... We won't have secrets... But... We won't have secrets."

"Then if you can hear mine, how come I can't hear yours?"

"Mental training, Patrick," she stated, placing a hoof against her helmet. "I've had thousands of years to control my thoughts while also delving into others. You've just started! And your rattling away like a chatterbox in your head... You CAN hear my thoughts though-"

The next bit was definitely from in my own head. "But only when I want you to hear me."

She leaned into the mirror slightly for the next part with a sly look on her mouth. "And frankly, I'm flattered, but until we work on your 'inner voice', keep the imagination from wandering off to images like, those thoughts."

I gulped and shuddered, unaware I was subconsciously still thinking about that sort of stuff, her message was clear. So I left a mental note to stop myself from thinking so idly or... sexually when I knew Nightmare Moon was listening.

"I appreciate that," she responded with a villainous bow.

"I guess you must have had something to do while you were on the moon," I cracked, trying to make friendly banter with the being that should not have been there in the first place. But I only got a look of confusion and fast blinking from the Dark Moon Pony reflection.

"Moon? What about the moon? I've never been to the moon," She groaned, confused as was I after the statement. Since it was a well known fact that Celestia banished Nightmare Moon to the Moon. If Nightmare Moon was really before me, she would have writhed and raged at the mere mention of the event.

"But... Didn't Celestia banish you to the Moon when you first took control of Princess Luna?" I asked, trying to clear up that little inconsistency. She pondered on the thought before her eyes shot open.

"You seem to have no access to my memories, but you somehow know of a tainted version of my past. 'Celestia' could NOT banish me to the Moon. She tried, but the power of the elements overwhelmed her... And it lead to consequences I did not expect, but more importantly, the creation of a pony that once I shared a body with for thousands of years." She seemed to scan through as a significant memory was forced into my head, "Although, it seems for some reason, you know of this tainted past from... A play appearing on a moving picture box."

She seemed even more confused as I was aggravated. "Now I've heard of everything."

She addressed me again now, "And besides, after that day, 'Celestia' became the royal empress 'Solar Flare'."

Solar Flare? Where had I heard that name before? WAIT- It was a few nights ago! In fact, LAST NIGHT! In my-

"In your dreams, yes. It seems, as well as me. You get some of my memories in your dream... It's a, as you would call, a special edition bundle package!"

I realised I was taking this incredibly lightly, but I guess it was the fact I was having a conversation and I had some form of human decency that I wasn't flipping out. But something irked me even still.

"That... That's just too surreal! I can't believe that's even physically possible for you to do that!" I blurted, but she smiled wisely.

"But according to you, it's impossible that you're even talking to me! And yet, you slapped yourself in the face and there is no confirmation that you have woken up in your cozy bed ready to have another day of normality! Isn't that cute? But seriously, Patrick, you're going to need to start believing in the impossible, or whatever's going to happen next is going to fuck you up. BIG TIME."

I winced, sighing with my nostril flared and eye maniacally darting around as impossible memories flowed around my head like a swarm of bees, yet making as much sense as a chocolate teapot.

And there was another fact that came up.

"Lord Chronos"

"Nightmare Moon," I asked, shaking. Thinking random things in attempts to throw her off what I was thinking.

"Yes?"

"If my dream last night was some of your memories... How come one of them called you 'Lord Chronos'?"

She flinched in surprise. Blinking as if she had been hit in the head with a lead brick. If something confused her that much. She glared at me. "Patrick, a memory of this morning interests me... Tell me, that mark you received- does it look like this?"

She turned to show me her cutie mark once more. I studied it as closely as she allowed me to, thinking about the tattoo I woke up with. (Although, was it even a tattoo?) Noticing a strong difference, as in-

"There was no moon on it, instead, there's a swirl symbol. Red in appearance, but definitely is different from your Cutie Mark."

She smirked, with malicious intent. I knew she was my reflection, but I was still worried by that look. "What does that mean?" I asked.

"I'm delighted... It seems that I'm not the only thing that's transferred over. It seems that the scar has a purpose again!"

I gripped the side of my face as my former eye and scar began to burn. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY EYE?!" I yelled, as she had confirmed that she'd cut out my eye.

"Nothing that can't be fixed, my boy," she slithered, bearing some of her sharp fangs in her malicious smile. "You see, my former host gave me a special gift in my previous body. A scar. But not any normal scar... A genetic scar that has transferred through into your body."

She referred to a scar that appeared on her right eye, wincing as it seemed to cut into her skin. "It was going to remain under your skin, but I find that a Scar gives you a special BAD BOY look."

I raged in my head and voice, remembering that my eye was also missing (much to my stomach's disadvantage). "WHAT ABOUT MY EYE YOU FUCKING WITCH? YOU CUT OUT MY EYE!"

She smiled awkwardly, even though this was not the situation where that would be the best response. "I had no real experience with hands up until that point, Patrick. I can be a tad... Clumsy. But it doesn't matter, due to the process, you'll find that too."

She moved her head to show me to another mirror.

I, on prompt, moved to the mirror she referenced, it was not enchanted, so I saw my reflection. Except... This time... Where the gaping hole was...

My eye was back.

The skin was perfectly healed, bar for a large scar of hard red flesh, but everything had grown back. Except for one thing.

"Why the fuck is my eye red?" I asked loudly, she responded once more with a villainous smile.

"The process. Since the curse is lifted, it seems that you are turning INTO my host. Your cutie mark has appeared, and now... The eye has grown back red. I should stop calling you 'Patrick', and instead call you a name better fitting of what you will soon become; LORD CHRONOS!"

Nightmare Moon took a devilish grin at my disbelief of this statement. I looked to her once more with absolute terror.

"What about you? What will you do to me?"

"I will follow my natural desire... Absolute control... As you have no means of suppressing me, and my evident growing power, as you saw from my little display earlier. You will soon become him, and then... me."

I started breathing heavily. Trying to find any possible causes for this, trying to find some logical conclusion for this to be possible, but every single one betrayed me. I could not cope, I wouldn't become her! Any scientist would say that I COULDN'T become her. This was impossible, could it have been the meal last night, the alcohol, the emerald? My inner child was jumping up and down as my sense of logic and reason was torn to shreds. In this, everything I'd believed to be possible had been defied!

"I feel sick. I'm going to be sick!" I said, leaning forward slightly, holding back something that was coming up my throat.

"Then go to the loo. Someone's coming!"

I saw the door to my side creak open, so I sprinted back into a loo with a door open and locked the door.

I heard Nightmare Moon quietly say "Dispello" before my gut gave out once more.

"Hold back your scarf, you'll get it dirty." She demanded, but I didn't care. All I could focus on was how stupid this all was.

I stayed in the loo and sobbed to myself quietly, undisturbed by Nightmare Moon.

“Are you going to just sit there, boy? You’re physically quaking and you’re a nervous wreck,” Nightmare Moon shouted in my head. I spoke back through tears.

“Oh, I don’t know. It’s not like I’ve just been told that I have a rampaging Moon Empress in my head who wants to take over my body!”

“It’s natural law; I am born to take the body of my host. Your mind shall remain intact as I take the saddle.”

“Has it occured to you that maybe I don’t want this?”

Nightmare Moon took no consideration. “Well tough, I don’t know how the curse works. If I did, I probably would have resurrected myself in a more willing host. But because I DIDN’T; you’re stuck with me.”

This confused me, “Curse? What curse? I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

Nightmare Moon hummed inside my head trying to think about what it could be. "That's where you lose me, I'm afraid. I have no idea even what the curse is! I don't know what causes it. But somehow, my servant Elizabeth broke it. And now you are marked."

"Are there others?"

"There's bound to be, if I'm here, then others have got to be in this realm. If they are marked with a cutie mark. They will become the pony who also bares that mark."

I swallowed and held back tears. "Like me."

"Why are you unhappy? Surely this is something you wanted? I can tell this was something you wanted in the past, what changes it now?"

If she was in front of me, I would have looked at her dead in the eyes. But because she was in my head, I just looked awkwardly into the air. "I have plans, Nightmare Moon! I want to do things in the future! I want to make a family and live in peace! I don't want to return to my family as a pony. They wouldn't even recognise me! My life will end as will my humanity thanks to you!"

"Listen, Patrick; grow up. These are all problems that are easily overcome. If you want to avoid problems, speak to your family before you fully transform. Your friends can help you in this delicate time."

I thought for another moment. "Where can I find others? Could they help me too?"

Nightmare Moon groaned. "You do know that I can't use location magic for something so vague as humans with cutie marks... If you can find one for yourself, that's good. But right now, you must rely on your friends; they are the most important thing you can rely on at the moment."

Confusion drove me to anger once more. "Since when did you, Nightmare Moon, have any concept of Friendship? It's the whole thing with the moon again. There's something off about you."

"There's nothing ‘odd’ about me Patrick! What's wrong with you?!"

“Why am I starting to doubt my self; oh my god- GET OUT OF MY HEAD!”

"Patrick, the thing is-"

"You alright in there?" asked a new voice from outside the cubicle. "Bad night drinking?"

I regained little stature as I addressed this new voice through tears. "I have no idea what's going on any more!" I blurted.

"I know that feeling, mate. I have it all the time," it said with a now NOTICEABLE male scottish accent.

"Who are you? Are you with the school?" I asked, trying to find out who this person was.

"I'm no-one important. I'm just showing my kid around."

I took the time to give a good quote, might as well have in this time. "No-one important? In all my time, I've never met someone who wasn't important."

He only groaned, quietly. "You're one of those people? Great."

He slammed the door of the cubicle next to me and I heard a zipper sound.

I directed my attention back to my own situation, away from this mystery man.

I had no idea what was going to happen to me. Was I going to turn into a pony? Was I going to turn into Nightmare Moon? Was Nightmare Moon going to take over my body permanently? Was I going to change so much I mentally become Nightmare Moon?

Whatever happened to me... There was definitely something I could draw out of it.

I was alone in this.

"That's odd," I heard the other voice say from the other cubicle.

"What's odd?" I asked.

"Nothing- it's just something that's just appeared."

My eyes widened suddenly, at the possibility of it being what I thought it could have been.

"Is it, by chance, a tattoo?"

There was a moment of silence for a moment. Before Nightmare Moon kicked off in my head.

"It seems that voice is familiar to you, Patrick. If your instinct is correct, then this would happen to be the biggest coincidence I have ever encountered."

"Yes," He replied as everything around me became eerily quiet.

"Is it positioned on a strange part of the body?"

"How do you know-"

"-Patients can recognise the disease from another's symptoms."

I had one more question in the moment of silence that followed. “Have you had strange dreams recently?”

There was another moment of silence before I heard his zipper again. And his voice moved to the outside. "Tell me, do you know who I am?" he asked.

"No, sir." I don't.

He sighed again, and now spoke with a nervous tone to his scottish accent. "It seems we are in a similar case, though. I need to talk to you about what you could know about this. You could say, I need your help... But promise me... NOT TO FREAK OUT!"

"I promise!" I yelled back, startled by his sudden raise in voice. If this was the case.

"Oh boy, I'm going to regret this," he mumbled, with clear dread in his voice at my reaction. "Open the door," he ordered, and thus; I complied.

I opened the door slowly in order not to startle him, but when I saw the face on the other side, I knew why he didn't want me to freak out.

David Tennant.

"D-D-David T-T-Tennant!" I stuttered, eyes burning like fire with pure childlike joy. He put his palm against his eyes and rubbed them gently.

I was going to faint, I knew it. From one of the worst experiences in my life to one of the best that my mind could imagine! David Tennant was wondering if I could help HIM!

I held back froth from my mouth to prevent an Avatar like fangasm before starting to fall to the ground.

"Whoops! Don't want that!" he said, holding me by the shoulders to prevent me from collapsing. There was a brief moment that allowed me to recover. “What the hell is going on with your eye? Is that a contact lens?” he asked, referencing my now red right eye. I was surprised his reaction had nothing to do with the scar I had surrounding it. I shrugged, but I guessed he would’ve had thought that the eye stuff would have something to do with it.

“Will I have a scar?” he asked, confirming my guess, but I only shrugged once again, I had no idea what was going on.

"Funny," said Nightmare Moon in my head, being slightly interrupting. "Currently, you're thinking the same sort of things when you saw me. Who is this?" she asked. I paid little attention to her. My mind was too focused in convincing myself that I wasn't just having a really fucked up lucid dream.

"You still alive in there?" he said, poking me on the forehead. "Show me the mark you have."

"NO WAY! Not even to you, what if you see my doodle?"

"Time and a place, Patrick. This conversation to you is dire, do what he says and you'll do fine."

I sighed and rolled my eyes, before I embarrassingly started to pull down the back of my trousers, showing the mark that was placed on my side.

"Interesting," he said slowly with his accent, staring detailed at my cutie mark (might as well call it that, who am I kidding?). "Better show mine then-"

He showed me the theorized cutie mark on his own side... Make that confirmed cutie mark, it had the same, almost vector like qualities that gave it quite a smooth look.

But it was an hourglass. The Doctor's cutie mark. Isn't that ironic. Except, the sand inside the hourglass was stained red... Red, like blood.

I wondered if this was the cutie mark of another pony. And before I could think of the question, Nightmare Moon read my thoughts.

"That is the Cutie Mark of the Doctor, Patrick. Your eyes are not deceiving you."

That irony now became so massive it was almost poetic... Did that mean-

"Yes, Patrick. As you will become the Pony whose mark you bare. This man, that you recognise as 'The Doctor' is marked to become The Doctor of my realm."

"You've blanked out again, kid. You look like you've been shot, you OK?"

I wasn't sure what his reaction would be to the information that was just relayed to me. He'd probably think I was insane. But other than the whole turning into Ponies thing, there was no other explanation to what this could have been. But he needed some kind of explanation.

I was beginning, however, to think that this meeting couldn't have been a coincidence.

“David?” I asked.

“Yes?”

“Do you know about the show- ‘My Little Pony’?”

“Yes, I do. I’ve had several fans telling me I look like one of the characters.” He scrunched his mouth, thinking about the tattoo. “I remember the symbol currently tattooed on me seems to remind me of that… Pony.”

“Has it occured to you that maybe you tattooed it on yourself last night?”

He nodded, and rolled his eyes. “All I remember is going to bed, waking up this morning and finding this tattooed on me…” And then he looked around nervously. “And someone else.”

“Are you sure that you need my help with this? I know something; but you wouldn’t believe me! Are you sure that this isn’t just a man-made prank?”

“I don’t think tattoos appear over night without someone noticing it. And trust me- I would believe the Doctor did it. Give me your best shot on what you know.”

I tried to think for a moment, trying to find a way to stall him. I had no idea how to put what I had been listening to from my psychotic voice in my head.

Thankfully, his gaze was broken from mine as his phone began to ring loudly from his pocket. He rolled his eyes and reached into his pocket.

"Do you mind if I get this, I was expecting a call today. This might be important."

I nodded, and he promptly took out the small device and put it to his face.

"Hello?" he asked, and I heard a small voice from the other side.

"Oh, it's one of these... Wait... Password?"

He put the phone down slightly, giving a look into nothing. One that I recognised he did a lot on Doctor Who. He shook his head, and then stared out.

He continued to stare out as he put the phone up to his ear again, and muttered slowly. "Time Machine."

There was a moment of silence, before the other voice said something else. David hung up and gave a blank look and a shrug. “Funny,” he stammered, scrunching his face slightly like he was sucking on a lemon.

“What is it?”

“It’s just… I didn’t know I needed to say something. But I did… Like an instinct.”

“What did they say?”

He lifted his eyebrows up and sighed. “They didn’t say much, in fact. But when I said ‘time machine’, the person said; ‘Thank You, your number has been recorded, Subject Code Name: The Doctor, has been located.’ And then they hung up!” he addressed me now; “Do you think it’s just some fans messing around or something?”

He didn’t say much after that, but stared at me as if he were thinking. Nightmare Moon took the time of silence to talk as well.

“This is reminding you of something isn’t it?”

“Yes,” I responded in my head, now realising something that had been going through my head all of the morning. Just little snippets of memory;

If you have an accident, go to the bathroom and see a doctor

I went to the bathroom and found David Tennant

You will receive a call

Night Fury

“Convince a former client to do something”

Derren Brown

David Tennant once was on Derren Browns show?

Could Elizabeth have something to do with this?

“Mr Tennant?” I asked, being slightly nervous.

“Yes… Er-”

“Patrick. My name’s Patrick. Have you seen Derren Brown recently?”

He stepped back slightly and squinted with one eye. “Yes… I met him for lunch yesterday- how on earth did you know about that?”

I wouldn’t answer his question, I had to find something out. “Tell me EXACTLY what happened at the end of lunch. Every little detail.” He blinked, and looked up to remember.

“Well we got up, he paid for the sandwiches, then we got up, shook hands and-”

He facepalmed and sighed. “He did it again, didn’t he? He must have taken my wallet, read my mind or made me kill someone, didn’t he?”

My evidence was confirmed, Elizabeth must have gotten Derren Brown, in return for testing out audio-hypnosis, hypnotised David Tennant, who ironically bared the cutie mark of his Pony counterpart, to come here, at this time, to meet me, after I had discovered the existence of Nightmare Moon.

“Well done, I’m surprised you didn’t get that sooner.”

I took the remark as an insult and simply ignored it.

But I still had those other things going through my head, I had to find out another thing.

“David?” I asked, but he was staring at the ground in concentrated thinking. “DAVID!”

He shook his head and corrected his thinking to hear my next question: “Have you met anyone called ‘Elizabeth Comstock’?”

His eyes widened and the question caused him to stammer his position. “No… But the name does ring a bell.”

We’re going nowhere.
“-You’re going nowhere. I have an idea” interrupted Nightmare Moon.

My lips went numb, as did my tongue, jaw and throat. Before I could react to it; Nightmare Moon spoke in my voice as she did in the assembly earlier.

“David, look at me and tell me the first thing that comes into your head!” she shouted demandingly to the poor actor.

“Er… Kid, is this really going to help me find out about this tattoo? I think we went off topic a little.”

“Don’t argue! Just look at me and tell me the first thing that pops into your head.”

I really hate her now.

David looked puzzlingly at me, with a deep scowl before a spontaneous burst from him.

“Patient!”

“Patient?”

“Yes! THAT’S IT!”

“What’s it?”

“I remember something Derren must have told me; ‘The Doctor will catch the Patient’s symptoms and house call must be made!’, ooh! That was clever. Clever Derren.” his voice became shockingly questioning at the last moment, before he turned to me.

“Do you know,” he began, pointing to my eye. “If there’s going to be any other stuff that’s going to happen to me?”

“Unfortunately David, I know very little about this… ‘Stuff’ you refer to. And the rest of the things I know might be either weird of you, or beckon a restraining order.”

“OK. Can we keep to the non-weird stuff until I get a bit of a better grip on things?” he asked.

“I know that its effects will become full when the clock strikes twelve eve of the fourth of may.”

He looked stunned and confused. “And those being?”

“That’s where things get odd, David, and even then I don’t know much, unfortunately.”

I heard Nightmare Moon speak loudly in my head for a moment. ‘Good going with the lying, if he found out the truth now, we’d never get him to follow us.’

‘Why would you want him to follow me?’

‘The better question is why you don’t want him to follow us? You’ve been obsessing about him in your subconscious for ages! This is destiny coming up and KISSING YOU.’

“HELLO?” David shouted, waving his arms to get my attention.

I snapped to my senses as Nightmare Moon spoke through me once more. “But I know someone, David; an expert. I believe her to be the one who caused us both to be in this situation.”

“Would this person happen to be called Elizabeth?”

I nodded under my own free will.

“And I know where she will be today. I think she will be willing to tell what she knows to the both of us.”

David’s face lit up with a childish smile and he whipped out his phone and began to text something into his phone while I felt something flow from my mouth to my head.

My lips were mine to control again.

“I’ve made arrangements with my wife and daughter. You’re coming with me now,” he instructed forcefully, with a twinge of happiness.

“Hold on, why do I need to come with you? I could just tell you where she’s going!”

He was nearly out of the room by that point, but he comedically poked his head through the door and spoke again. “That wasn’t a question, Patrick,” he waved his hand.

‘Follow him,” Nightmare Moon ordered, and thus; I followed obediently.

As I followed David closely, I began to worry if people would notice me easily and punish me for what I did to James at that assembly. I wondered if the police had been called in, or the army, or even worse; my parents.

I expected myself to be arrested as soon as I came out of the bathroom. But to my surprise, I received no such reception. Since any people I came across were more interested in, well, David.

Every person of the few still walking around was looking directly at David; ignoring me completely. This gave me some form of privacy. (Although, I had little idea at why I needed to be so private. Barely anyone I saw outside was there during the speech.)

I followed David to the gate; as I saw a car parked next to it.

He got into the car in the passenger seat; and I followed him into the rear passenger seat at his command of another hand wave.

My heart was racing for a moment after I shut the door. Paranoia mostly, but confusion in the rest of me. But my heart rate definitely jumped up for a moment when I heard a voice speak from my side.

“Dad, who’s this? Why has he gotten into the car?”

I turned to look at this new voice to see Olivia Moffett, Tennent’s nine-year-old daughter, staring back at me with some strange look in her eyes.

“He’s a friend Olive. He says he knows someone who can help us with our little problem.”

1. EEEEEE! David Tennant called me his friend.
   
2. OUR problem? Did she have it too?

Before I could open my mouth to speak; Tennant’s wife, Georgia, peered round the corner to look at me with a scowl.

“And you just decided to let him into the car? Weren’t you thinking if we’d be OK with this?”

David smiled, causing me to feel unnerved and happy at the same time. “I trust him and he, hopefully, trusts me. And besides, don’t you want to know what’s going on?”

I couldn’t decide whether this day has just been one massive dream, or one waking Nightmare.

‘Your reaction to me is a little stronger than this moment. I’d go with the waking nightmare description.’

‘Thanks, Nightmare.’

“So where to then, Patrick?”

“Why didn’t you tell me your family also have them?” I interrupted loudly, startling everyone else in the car.

“Well, would you reveal private information to someone you just met? While the tabloids are on a 24-hour search for every little bit of information that they can get on you?” I shook my head in response with clenched teeth. “Me neither, so I tried keeping it to a minimum until you told me that you know someone.”

“Point taken.”

“What’s with his eye?” Olivia asked, slightly rudely, interrupting something David was about to say.

“Don’t interrupt honey, your father was about to say something.”

“Thanks dear,” David said to her, before talking to me again. “So where’s your friend you talked about?”

“She’s in Costa Coffee, it’s not very far from here, Doctor. Just continue onwards and I’ll give you directions.”

“Thank you. And it’s David, not Doctor,” he said before his wife began to drive the car away from the school.

The car pulled into a stop next to the Coffee restaurant. At first, I was worried, since I wasn’t sure that the two would be in there! However, my fears were dispelled when I saw both Hannah and Elizabeth talking next to the window, with Hannah looking pissed at the strange woman.

While the strange woman caught my eyes with a casual glance before turning to her phone, which she took out of her pocket and my phone promptly buzzed at a received text.

“Is this the place?” Georgia asked, turning back to me after turning off the engine.

“Yes,” I said, taking out my phone and checking the text.

‘Leave the girls, you and David come into the café.’

“Shall we all go in?” David asked, almost on cue.

“No,” I responded, resulting in a flinch from the three family members. “She said for only me and David to go in.”

Olivia groaned, “Typical; Dad’s always getting the attention. Why do we need to stay?”

Nightmare Moon sparked up. ‘Tell them to fuck off.’

‘Language, Nightmare. I won’t say that.’

“My friend said that only me and your Dad can go into the café to meet her. If that makes you uncertain, I’m sure your dad can relay what he’s been told back to you.”

David nodded and brought his lower lip forward before opening the door to the car.

“You coming then?” he asked through my door of the car.

I saw the two girls quickly retreated to their phones (and possibly Facebook) before I opened my door and started to walk with David into the café.

“You staying long?” I asked, beckoning no response. “Are you staying long in Oxford, Mr. Tennant?” I asked louder than the last; drawing his attention.

“No, not really, Patrick. We’ll leave back to Scotland after we’ve met your friend. Unless we’re told it’s the end of the world or something.”

“That’s unlikely,” I retorted after scoffing to myself.

“Oh no-” he began. “Last night, there was significant seismic activities in England. There was no real damage, but the sodding Prime minister doesn’t know a thing! Says he was up all night ‘banging a hospital secretary until his bed’s legs went through the fucking floor’.”

I snorted and laughed, imagining him saying that to the press, and the journalist’s reactions to it. But as we were still walking, I had to ask just for clarity, “What do they have?”

David raised one eyebrow. “You need to be a little more specific; you could be referring to anything by your vagueness.”

“I mean, you say they have the same thing as you and I do. What do they have for the tattoos?”

He thought as he walked, “There isn’t any real connection between those on them and my own. Honestly, they’re both a bit random.”

“Well I have a nebula and a red swirl, topped with a red eye and scar. I doubt they can top that.”

“Point taken. But Georgie has some Bubbles, while Olive has some golden stars. Do they have any relevance to you?”

“No, not really.”

I lied, I knew that the cutie marks of Bubbles and Golden stars belonged to Derpy Hooves and Dinky Hooves respectively. But from what Nightmare Moon said, that meant… Oh dear, poor Georgia!

Although… I could be going mad, and this just happens to be a massive coincidence and/or a dream.

‘Unlikely, Patrick. But I like how you keep thinking academically about the fact that you’re all going to turn into ponies.’

‘Thanks for reminding me, Nightmare. I prefer when you’re a dominating evil mastermind than when you give comedic quips.’ Nightmare Moon laughed evilly in my head, giving me some form of fulfillment to what I just ‘said’.

The door was opened by me, and David followed me in. The door opening allowed me to catch the eye of Hannah. Whose expression changed from a countenance of happiness, to confusion, to disgust and to shock.

She stood up and walked towards me. And oddly; the other people in the restaurant couldn’t give a shit about who had just walked in behind me. Hannah, began the converse.

“You’re here! Elizabeth was just about to explain some things. Is that David Tennant?”

David waved to her; “You have mysterious tattoos too?”

“Tattoos? What tattoos? Oh, and nice to meet you Mr. Tennant.”

“We both woke up with ‘Tattoos’ on our flanks,” I said before Hannah could veer the conversation into talking to David. “We believe Elizabeth has something to do with it. As by the way you said, ‘explain some things’ I guess you’ve woken up with something.”

She nodded and directed all of our eyes to bandages on her hands. “It’s nothing compared to your eye. But it’s bad. I’m terrified and confused, and apparently Elizabeth is the only one who knows the full details of what’s happening to me.”

“Eye? Is that scar what she was talking about?” David asked. And before I could stop Hannah from scaring him; she burst with vigor.

“He cut out his eye last night! I saw him do it with a knife, last night! He was saying he was Nightmare Moon! I thought he’d gone mad! But for some reason it’s grown back overnight… RED! I was so scared. WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!” The last line was obviously addressing me.

David looked at me with a furrowed brow. “You cut out your eye?” he blurted unbelieving of that fact. And what happened next shocked me.

“HE CUT OUT HIS EYE!” said everyone else in the café. Much to mine and David’s surprise. A little old granny turned to face me.

“I know you cut out your eye dear. But this lovely girl here wouldn’t stop until she’d given us every detail! Delightful girl, but I doubt she’d be a very good spy… I do like your scar by the way. It gives a very ‘renegade’ look to you, dear,” she spoke in a northern accent.

Hannah then came close to me in a moment for comfort. And winced when she put her hands on mine briefly. "Sorry, it's just-" she whispered the next part into my ear; "I think I'm turning into a changeling."

Elizabeth, next to the window, sipping her tea, beckoned us all to where she was sitting. "Would you kindly come over here, please?" she asked, lowering the tiny cup.

We all followed Hannah to the table she was sitting at while she addressed a passing waiter. "Michael, dear. Another round of drinks and delicacies on me. And make sure that no one else enters."

She slipped a small check into his hand while the rest of the café gave a happy cheer at the suggestion of free foodstuffs.

"Nice to see you again, Patrick. Good night's sleep?" she asked me, almost mocking me.

"The sleep was fine, Elizabeth. I believe it was the morning that was not good. Although I believe you know all about my morning, his morning, and everything else that's going on right now."

She smiled and put down the teacup. "I can tell you're all a little confused, and a tad angry at the moment. But here we are, as I am ready to supply what you need, for the time being, and you have come to me."

David stirred in his seat. "I'm beginning to suspect that this isn't just some weirdo with a tattoo needle and a drill."

Elizabeth leant in to talk to us now, putting on a tone of seriousness. "That is exactly what I want you to stop believing as I impart this vital information to you."

She pointed a blaming finger at the three of us.“You must rule out every logical and scientific theory that your minds can think of, the facts I reveal will be so difficult to believe you will have to force yourself not to think otherwise."

We had no idea what she was talking about, but she continued.

"I can only impart so much, as the information I do not impart is for you, and you alone to find out. Do you accept this?"

We all nodded. And the café became quiet.

"Then let us begin-"

Author's Note

My longest chapter yet! Brought to you from my holiday in Bruges today. Again, thank you to Dusk Writer for the editing. This has been the chapter I've most enjoyed writing so far, sorry about the fake-out ending. I had to do that to allow for more character's stories before any explanation.

See you next time!