We Found Your Hat

-In the present-

That was a lot easier than I figured it would be. Doesn't the Princess protect her valuables? I suppose in a world where thievery barely exists, I shouldn't be surprised. Well, I have the crown, and now I have to figure out how to make it work. Rarity could help me again; she fell for my disguise last time. Though, I'll need to study more advanced magic, and Rarity certainly does not qualify for that. Twilight's brother, perhaps? To the archives it shall be.

Hm. This crown has a star on it. What does that mean? Princess Celestia has the sun, Princess Luna has the moon, and Princess Twilight has the stars.

Bleh, I hate it. What? Where did that come from? Stop it. Shut up! I hate it, I hate it. Why does that keep coming into my head? I don't have a conscience! Leave me alone, you voice. You know, I had to steal the crown in order to stay alive. I will survive. I will survive.

The messengers stand about you. Huh? The adversaries want your soul. Messengers, adversaries? Angels and demons? Yuck, I still have all that useless Bible knowledge that Hatless does. Ugh, why do I even call him that? That's not his name. You're living a lie, why won't you wake up? R-right, he doesn't have a name. So why did everyone call him Sephar? It was like his namelessness had become his name. Why am I even thinking about this?

You can't ignore the truth. Yes, I can. You know why? Because it's not the truth. You can't run away from yourself, Sephar. I am not him! That's it, I'm losing my mind. I am not Sephar. I have a name. I am somebody. Ignore the voice. Ignore the voice! No messengers, no adversaries, no nothing.

Can you let go? Can you lose yourself? Mr. No Name? Mr. Nothing? Mr. Nobody? Mr. No One?

The crown! It's the crown! Wait... it's the crown? How can this thing have a voice? There... I put it away. It's quiet! Hahah, praise the L-.... whoa. I still have Hatless' old habits. I guess I am him. Gah! No I'm not! Geez, it's been several weeks already, and I still can't get across in my mind that I'm a different person than him.

On the bright side, it's quiet now. I can even hear myself think. Yup... nothing. Huh?! No, I am something. The voice is gone, though it won't stop. Grrr... I'm just going to march to the Canterlot Archives and find everything I need on magic.  I'll even get a demonstration from Shining Armor. Oh right, I'm going to need lock pick to get inside. Hahah! I got it. I'll make a sonic screwdriver. Oh! Wouldn't that be fitting? See, I can enjoy my life without you, Hatless.

On that note, what have you been up to, Hatless? You're lying out under the stars pondering, but why? You should know that I'm watching you, but you haven't reacted yet. Luna stopped hiding you, but you don't seem to care about that either. It's like you're playing with me. Hah, whatever. I'll outsmart you. Tomorrow, you'll be dead, and I'll be free.