Time for a Change of Pace: New Beginnings

by Radoran

Rating: everyone
Tags: Adventure, Alternate Universe, Twilight Sparkle, Changelings, Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 6940

The two ponies' lives have been swapped. "Can they figure out why?", is the question.

Terminal has awoken as a... changeling? Lyda is a... pony now? The two lives have been swapped with each other and neither of them remember why. It's up to them to find out. Lyda, with the help of Twilight, are in an endless search for the memory of Lyda. Terminal only has a small book with him, which has been doing things with his memories. At the same time they ask one question, "What happened?" Who knows if their paths meet again?!

It's back in progress baby!

-Radoran

Published 2014-01-04 02:00:03 UTC
Last updated 2014-04-05 01:35:53 UTC

Chapter 1T: New starts

Terminal was passed out on the floor after a long day of working.

"Ugh," he groaned. "I probably shouldn't -hiccup- have drank that much cider in one hour." There were loads of cups with cider spilled out of them around him and his friend. "Sync. Get up. It's morning. I think." He shook him over.

"I don' wanna." he mumbled keeping his eyes shut. "Too tired and loaded." He rolled over facing away from him. There was a knock on the door. "Go get it, will ya?"

"Fine." Terminal walked over to the door to see the Queen. "Oh hi," he slurred. "I didn't expect to see you-ou-ou here. How ya doin'?" He slumped against the wall.

"I'm… fine. I guess," she responded. "Why are you-"

"Cider mess. Too much last night," he interrupted. "So what brings you here?"

"Your past, Terminal." There was a long moment of silence.

"Did she just say your past?" asked Sync.

"Yes I did. That was the point. To persuade him to listen to me."

"All of my past is being born, going through school, working, and drinking large quantities of cider every night."

"Well there's nothing to tell me because I have no past except for that book I found." He gestured towards his desk of which the book what lying on. "This is basically all I have. Nothing about a past or anything. Besides, there's nothing written in it anything."

"Nothing? Check again. Maybe something happened." He looked at her with a puzzled, half-drunk look. He walked over to the book and opened it. Just as he said, there was nothing written on the pages. He showed her the book.

"See? Nothing in it. Just blank, meaningless pages." He flipped through every page to show her there was nothing on them. He set the book back down on the desk. "So what about my past? Why are you so concerned about it?"

"You are familiar with this hive for longer than you can remember." And with that, she flew off, leaving his house. He turned around and shut the door.

"What was that about?" Sync asked, now a little more awake.

"I don't know. Although, now that I think about it, she does seem a little more familiar." He looked over at the book. What are you supposed to do? Why was she interested in you?

"I can hear that, you know. That first remark better not be about me." He heard no response. "Are you still there Termi-" he stopped when he found him on the couch, asleep... or passed out. Either way, he was on the couch, drooling.

A few hours later, he was looking around Ponyville in his daily routine. Travel around Ponyville with a disguise on. Sync had told him that changelings weren't treated as fairly after Chrysalis launched an assault on Canterlot some time ago. Eventually there was a big war between their hive and Chrysalis's as punishment for revealing them to Equestria.

Disguises. That's what changelings were suspected of. Each one had their own disguise, that way they couldn't be accused of replacement and/or murder. The disguise Terminal had chosen was a white pegasus. Stallion of course. He couldn't stand being a mare. The cutie mark was a lock and key. He had a yellow and orange striped mane. He didn't know why, but he felt pretty comfortable with that disguise.

He had always passed by a house that had been left neat and tidy every day. He never saw anyone go in, except Pinkie, or out. No one ever interacted with the pony who lives inside. No one ever minded the house. No one paid attention to the house.
He saw a chair that looked vaguely familiar. He sat in it, and boy, was it comfy.

Earlier, Terminal had felt suspicious of the home, and snuck in. Somehow, he had the keys to the place. He went in and had a look around. He had an immense sense of deja vu when he entered. He saw a chair that looked vaguely familiar. He sat in it, and boy, was it comfy. When he left, he took it back to the hive with him.

When he got hungry, he went to Sugarcube Corner and order a few cupcakes. Occasionally he got a glance from Pinkie as if she knew him. As he was eating one of his cupcakes, Pinkie was at the door, waiting for him. He didn't know this because he wasn't familiar with her, nor did he know what she normally does when she spies on ponies, but he was constantly being watched by her. She came up to him, and spoke to him.

"Hi," she said.

"Hellooo," he responded. "Why have you been watching me from a distance? I haven't done anything at all."

"Well, a few months ago, I said goodbye to you because you were going back to the war that you fought in at the time. And you said I could throw you a party when you came back."

"Uhh. No I didn't," he chuckled. "I would've remembered if I did say something like that. Then again, I did lose my memory. I think. I don't know. With amnesia, you can't tell if you did something or didn't."

"Well, you're back. So, I'll set up the party!"

"What?! Listen Pinkie, I don't know what you talking about but-" he was cut short when Twilight entered, looking for Pinkie. Uh oh. This can't be good. If she finds out, who knows what'll happen to me.

"Hey Pinkie. What are you doing here?"

"Well, duh. I work here. And I'm talking to Terminal here. He says he doesn't remember telling me if he said I could throw a party when he returns. I even told you. Didn't I tell you he did?"

"Oh yeah you did. Terminal, I can't help you with your memory, but you did tell her she could throw a party when you came back."

"Sorry girls, but I just can't remember what I did before. So, I would like to finish my cupcake."

"Maybe there's a memory spell? Huh, Twilight? Is there?! I really want to start a party for him," she pleaded.

"I think there is. I never bothered with a memory spell before." He stared at her, with a cupcake chunk in his mouth. "Come to think of it, Lyda can't remember anything either. When was your first memory that you can remember?"

"Ten months ago. Or could it be two years? I don't know. I drank too much cider the following day. Wait, Lyd-"

"That's the same time period that Lyda first showed up in front of me. She just exploded into existence!"

"Twilight, this 'Lyda' seems very familiar to me. Oh no." He turned to Pinkie. "Pinkie, what did you say I was leaving for?"

"A war."

"Wait. Twilight."

"Yes?"

"What coat color did Lyda have?"

"Sort of a bright orange. Maybe just a normal orange."

"This 'Lyda', she died in front of me."

"No, she couldn't have. She's alive and well at her house."

"No no no. You don't understand. Look." He pulled a small book out of his bag. "Does this book seem any familiar to you at all?"

"Yeah. You carried it around for years after your one month disappearance."

"I found this book next to me when I woke up, and that was the first flashback i got from it!"

"That's not true. Books can't give you memories back."

"That's the thing. Regular books can't give you back memories, but this one gave me back that one particular memory. And I know. I was there. There was a glow from it. I also saw a dirt mound with a little sign saying 'Here lies Lyda' on it."

"Slow down!" yelled Pinkie. "Can't I get a chance to talk here?" There was a long pause between the three of them. "Thank you. So, how about that party?"

"Later, Pinkie. We can have when Terminal gets his memory back." She turned back to Terminal. "So that book, is there anything written inside it?"

"Last time I checked, no. I never wrote in it. Let's see." He opened the book and a bright yellow ray of light came out of the book. He slammed the book shut, ceasing the light. "OK, somehow words got in there."

"Really? Let me see." She walked over to the book and opened it. This time, here was no ray of light, but there were, in fact, words in it. She closed it, and a thought came up in Pinkie's head.

"Wait. Lyda was a close friend of yours now that I think about it. She told you she was a changeling before the wedding had even happened. How can you not remember that? And how did I not know?" She gasped "I could've thrown a party for that!"

"Listen, Twilight. Lyda died in that war."

"I'm starting to believe this less and less because ponies can't be resurrected from the dead. How do I know you're not a changeling and Terminal died?"

"I am Terminal! I just can't can't explain anything at all because of my amnesia!" They both stood there for a long moment of silence. He just scoffed, grabbed the book, and walked out of Sugarcube Corner. On his way out, he bumped into an orange pony, causing both of them to drop their things. "Sorry. Long day." They picked up their things and he continued on his way.

"Okay…" she said, still standing there.

Author's Note

Every time I write this, one name keeps going through my head. The name is not Lyda's, nor Pinkie's. It is not Terminal's or Twilight's. But the name is, "duhduhduhduhduhduhduhduhduhduhduhduhduhduhduhduhduhduhduh" Swag McTwerkster the Third!!!! Lawl. I was playing an adventure map on Minecraft with a friend of mine and my name was asked. Two options: my username or that name. We chose Swag McTwerkster the Third for the lawlz. Haha! Caused that guy to throw up where he sat!

Chapter 1L: New Life

Twilight was walking to get some supplies when a bright flash of light appeared a few paces in front of her. As the light faded, the was a small, white orb floating in the air. It started to descend to the ground, and also formed the shape of a pony. When it reached the ground, the color began to set in, leaving an orange mare with a purple mane. The cutie mark was a hammer and saw, so she assumed she was good at building things.

"What?" she muttered to herself. "Is that Lyda? What kind of spell was that?" She ran over to the pony lying on the ground. The pony began to stir and started coughing in the middle of it.

"Ugh. Where am I?" asked the pony weakly. "Who are you?"

"My name's Twilight Sparkle. You're in Ponyville. What's your name? You look like a pony I once knew."

"My name. That's something I have trouble remembering."

"So you don't remember your name. Thats strange. Eh, magic can screw up with your… memory…" She noticed she wasn't a unicorn. Instead, she was a pegasus.

"I do remember my name. I just had trouble remembering it at the moment when you asked. My name's Lyda."

"That explains the familiarity. You're a friend of a pony I know." She helped her up on her hooves. She stood up like she never stood up before.

"What was his name? Sounds like something I want to know."

"His name was Terminal. He used to be in the Royal Guard."

"Terminal." She repeated the name to let it roll over her tongue. "He does sound familiar. Don't know why."

"So what happened?"

"I don't know. I just showed up here meeting you." She looked around to grater her bearings of where she was.

"Come on. I'll take you to the library."

TEN UNIMPORTANT MONTHS LATER

Spike was organizing books while Twilight was writing a letter to one of her friends. He was at the last bookshelf when Lyda burst in through the door, crashing into a bookshelf, and making all the books pile out.

"Aw come on!" Spike exclaimed. "I just organized that shelf!"

"Calm down Spike," Twilight replied. She used her magic to pick up the books and placed them back orderly. Although she felt a little dizzy and struggled getting herself up, she manged to speak to Twilight. "Are you alright, Lyda? You just ran in here and crashed into a bookshelf."

"Yeah. I'm alright," she responded. "So, I might've found something regarding my past. I think." She held up a small book in front of Twilight. She stared at it, puzzeled as to how she got it.

"That's Terminal's. He carried it around all the time before he disappeared. He never wrote in it. How did you get that?"

"I found it in an alley next to Sugarcube Corner. I thought it would be of some use." She looked over at Spike, who fell from the ladder after organizing the last bookshelf.

"I'm OK. Just hurt my leg," he groaned. He got up on his feet and walked over to his bed. "I think I deserve a break." And with that, he fell asleep. Twilight pulled out a sheet with her magic and tucked him in.

"Yeah you do, Spike," she said. "Yes you do."

"So," Lyda said, "now what do we do?"

"So," Twilight continued, "you need to put that back. He's going to need it someday." She watched Lyda walk out the door with the book. Why did she think that would be of any help to her? That's Terminal's book. She turned back to her letter and continued to write it.

Meanwhile, Lyda was walking back to the alley which she found the book in. When she got there, she place the book down in the exact spot as she found it. She walked out of the alley and walked back towards the library to talk to Twilight some more. When she arrived at the library, she knocked on the door and there was no response. She opened the door and looked inside to see only Spike sleeping in his bed. She closed the door and went around Ponyville looking for her.

She went everywhere. She went to the Carousel Boutique, Sweet Apple Acres, and several other areas just to talk to her. She searched for her like Pinkie Pie does when she looks for something.

She went towards Sugarcube Corner, that last place to look for her, and looked in the alley to see the book wasn't there. She continued walking towards the sweets shop and she wasn't looking, causing her to bump into a white pegasus stallion with a yellow and orange stripe mane storming out causing both of them to drop their things.

"Sorry. long day," was all he said before getting down to pick up his pastries and book. While he said that, Lyda did the same. Then he got up and flew off.

"Okay..." she said still standing there. That was weird. He looked familiar. That could've been Terminal because he had that book. She turned around to look at him but he was out of her sight. She look back at Sugarcube Corner and procceded to walk inside. When she walked in, she saw Twilight talking to Pinkie.

"Hi Lyda!" Pinkie greeted her. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine, Pinkie. Was that Terminal, Twilight?" He had that book."

"Yes it was, Lyda," she responded.

Author's Note

Yay the sequel! It's finally here! *Squee* Jokes. I don't go that far. I'm a guy. I'm 925 years old, and I come from Gallifrey. OK, now I'm going over the top with David's Doctor Who quotes. I like quoting TV shows, but i just go over the top with David's quotes. I need to do other quotes from other characters. Now, are any of you named Alonso?

Chapter 2T: Introducing, Twilight 'Stalker' Sparkle

*Brother walks into room as I'm writing this*

What are you doing?

HOLY- don't sneak up on me like that!

Sorry. I just want to know what you're doing.

If you must know that bad, I'm writing a fanfic to feed the masses' hunger for pony stories.

Okaaaay… I'm going to leave now so I can continue mine.

Thank you. Now leave. Shoo. *He walks out* Alright now where was I? DAMMIT ALAN! YOU MADE ME LOSE MY PLACE!

Shut up! I didn't do nothin'!

BACK TO THE STORY

As Terminal was flying off, he constantly got hit with déjà vu just because of the mare he bumped into as he was leaving Sugarcube Corner. He wondered who exactly that was and felt like he should go back to ask her or Twilight, but how would he ask it? He thought that turning around and entering asking, 'Hi, I'm back. Who are you and why do you feel so familiar?' was too rushed and stupid. Still, he considered actually doing that but instead he kept flying off back to his home/rock/cave thing.

Sync's probably still there passed out on the ground next to a cup of water. He awaited for a response from him, but nothing came back. "Yep. He's passed out," he muttered to himself as he kept flying. He reverted to his changeling form after he made sure no one was around to notice him. He was near the hive so it didn't matter much that no one was around, but if a pony is around, then he would have to worry about that. For one thing, why would a pony be out that far from the rest unless if said pony was following him?

He thought he was alone, until a pony jumped out of some bushes nearby. "Aha!"

"Woah sweet mother of - what are you doing here?!" he screamed? He turned around to see Twilight pointing a hoof at him with a smile. "Wait a minute. What? You were just - how are you - What?!"

"Cloning spell," she said. "I knew something was wrong when you were acting strangely when you came back. Plus you aren't around every day."

"OK that explains that. Why are you here? And why now of all times? It would've been just fine if you startled me just yesterday."

"Yesterday was a pretty busy day for me. I explained to you why I'm here. And as for why now, I was bored and I had to do something different from what I normally do today." She pulled a fake checklist out of nowhere and put it up to his face. The only thing written on it was "Do something different" with a checked box to the left.

He pulled the list down with a hoof and began speaking. "Well, you did something different today, now please leave." He made a "shoo" motion.

"Well, if you notice it's not a full check mark." She pulled the list back up and he noticed that it was more like a "v" rather than a check mark.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked as he pulled down the list again. "I mean, it's just a half-check. A 'v' is all it is."

"Well, basically, it's half finished. I still have to do a little more about you."

"Well can you do it sometime else?" he pleaded. He turned around to walk into the hive but instead of moving an inch closer, Twilight popped out from under him.

"Well, no! I'm too excited to do this!" she exclaimed. She began bouncing up and down much like Pinkie.

I'm not. Something's going to go wrong in the middle of this.

What are you talking abou-

None of your business, Sync, so stay out of it!

OK. Fine. I'll leave you to your… outside world… stuff. Go on. Go ahead. I'm not stopping you.

Thank you. He breathed a sigh of relief only to get a glare from a confused Twilight.

"Why were you just acting that way?" she asked. He had been making strange motions that you would see peo-I mean, ponies make in arguments.

"Oh. Right. Sorry. I can communicate through telepathy."

"That's so cool! OK, tell me what color I'm thinking of." She got down to the ground with her hooves covering her head, thinking she could block her thoughts from him.

Sighing, he said, "Orange," and facehoofed and just stared at her as she jumped up in excitement.

"Oh my Celestia! That's really fantastic!" She pulled a parchment and quill out of nowhere are started scribbling something that Terminal could care less about. "Man, there's so many things that book didn't tell me. Wait, you only told me one thing that the book didn't. Oh well. Still interesting to know. I'll keep that in mind the next time Chrysalis decides to invade. Now that I think about it."

"No I'm not a part of Chrysalis' hive. I'm pretty sure I'm not. I've been living here for as long as I can remember, and I-"

"You lived in Ponyville before. How come you don't remember that?"

"I just don't know. I don't remember anything past ten months ago."

"Well, was anything around you that could help jog your memory?" she asked, hoping that something would come up, preferring something foreign.

"Well," he began, "there was one thing that was shattered in pieces, and I managed to fix it." He pulled out a medallion in the shape of a changeling with a chain attached to it.

"What is it? It looks interesting." She picked it up in her magic and decided to put it on. Once she put it on, a white glow (the one you readers know) went across her entire body and turned her into a changeling (by looks of course. You guys know that). By that point, she inspected every inch of her body which looked like a normal changeling and made the "squee" sound over the technology (if you could call it that) of his.

"It's a perception filter. Makes you look like a changeling to all but the Queen of this hive," he explained. "I'm not sure about the others."

"This is awesome! I'm officially stalking you!" A wave of shock washed over him.

"Oh no."

Author's Note

I got bored and I wrote that little skit just to entertain you guys, and me. No, that is not the reason why I had writer's block on this. Well, Terminal now has a stalker. He's feeling a little uncomfortable right now. He knows he's gonna get bombarded with questions. Who knows what could happen?! I do! 'Cause I'm writing this! Actually, no. Not really. Still working on the storyline.

Chapter 2L: Finding Twilight

Lyda knew Twilight was known for sticking by her friends when they needed her help, although in the middle her conversation at Sugarcube Corner, she disappeared into thin air. They were talking about the stallion that Lyda had bumped into outside when she just faded out of existence, leaving Pinkie and Lyda in shock.

"Woah," she flatly said. "Does that normally happen to you?"

"Not really. She stays around with her friends and then leaves normally like everypony else!" Pinkie told her. "Besides! We can have a lot more fun with each other now!" Pinkie gasped in excitement, "I could throw a party for this!"

"Pinkie, not everything needs a party."

"But parties make everything much more fun!" She began to bounce up and down so quickly, that her legs went into hyperdrive and sent her flying across the room in every direction possible at the speed of a sonic rainboom.

"Pinkie calm down. It's just more fun and a party."

"Just fun and a party?!" She froze to a halt in mid-air while sideways.

"Yeah… why are y-"

"You should know that a party and fun means everything in the world! Don't be such a party pooper," the pink party pony began to scold her. "I am going to throw a party and you will like it!" She began staring at Lyda with a serious look for a while, and eventually turned aroun. "Now don't crush my party dreams with your 'It's just fun and a party,' type-thing-statements!"

"Okaaay… well, while you do that, I'm going to look for Twilight." She turned around and started her way out the door. The last thing she saw, was Pinkie bouncing around Sugarcube Corner doing several things that were party related.

She went all around Ponyville and even went on a trip to Canterlot just to find Twilight. She went to several other areas as well such as the Everfree Forest and Manehatten. She only felt like something was missing the whole time, and it was the last place she didn't check. She had decided to go to a changeling hive.

She didn't exactly know why, but she always felt like she had some sort of connection with them. Maybe by going to a few, she might find Twilight there, and maybe understand a little more about her "connection" with them. She looked all over Equestria to find some, and none of them showed any sign of the purple mare. Finally, she came upon the last hive in Equestria that she hadn't looked at, and found Twilight talking to a changeling.

She got in a closely as she could to them without being noticed by the two of them so she could listen in on them.

"OK,tell me what color I'm thinking of."

After sighing, he flatly said, "Orange," with absolutely no enthusiasm, and then facehoofed.

"Oh my Celestia! This is fantastic!" She pulled a parchment and quill from nowhere a scribbled something that the changeling looked like he didn't care about it. "Man, there's so many things that book didn't tell me. Wait, you only told me one thing that the book didn't. Oh well. Still interesting to know. I'll keep that in mind the next time Chrysalis decides to invade. Now that I think about it."

"No, I'm not part of Chrysalis' hive." When Lyda heard this, she thought this was the location of Chrysalis' hive. She continued to listen, "I've been living here for as long as I can remember, and I-"

"You lived in Ponyville before. How come you don't remember that?"

He lived in Ponyville? How come she never told me that?! Well, he is a changeling and I was told she and her friends didn't appreciate them a lot, so I guess it makes sense.

"I just don't know. I don't remember anything past ten months ago."

Wasn't that about the same time I showed up in front of Twilight?

"Well, was anything around you that could help jog your memory?" She looked as if she was waiting for him to bring out something that she wasn't familiar with as a pony.

"Well," he began to say, "there was one thing that was shattered in pieces, and I managed to fix it." He pulled out a medallion that was in the shape of a changeling with a chain attatched to the end.

"What is it? It looks interesting." She picked it up in her magic to examine it closer and eventually put it on. A white glow began to float across her body and made her a changeling by looks. Lyda's eyes widened in shock, horror, amusement, or all of the above.

What is that? Did she just become one, or is she just one by looks?

"It's a perception filter," the changeling began to explain. "It makes you look like a changeling to all except the Queen of this hive because she can see through them. I'm not sure about the others."

"This is awesome! I'm officially stalking you!" A wave of shock washed over Lyda, and maybe the changeling.

"She's going to stalk him?" she said quietly, "That's not something you see everyday. Not one pony have I seen stalk a changeling. Today's just weird."

"Oh no," she heard him say.

"Oh no is right." The changeling looked in her direction as if he had heard her and stared there for a while as Twilight continued to mess with the filter. All he did was grin as Lyda sat there in confusion.

"That was weird. Very weird."

Author's Note

Chapter 2 is finally out! It's about bloody time! And now, time for MORE writer's block on Chapter 3. Hopefully it won't be as long as it was with this chapter. For those of you wondering, T and L chapters will come out at the same time until it gets to the point where it's one chapter. That will be some time. Development for this vic will take some time because I have to juggle school, YouTube, and Tumblr at the same time. Not to mention I also read other fics and get my inspiration from some of them, although that's slow. Plus, I'm only 13. Yes. I run a YouTube channel at the age of 13. I've had it since I was 10, but I didn't actually upload until I was 11, but THAT'S NOT IMPORTANT!

Yes. There is a lack of fish in this chapter.

THERE'S the fish!

Chapter 3T: Twilight, Meet Sync, Sync, Meet Twilight

"Oh no is right," he heard someone say. Terminal turned and saw a pegasus hiding behind a bush. She looked like the pony he bumped into at Sugarcube Corner just earlier that day. He just stood there and stared and then eventually grinned. The pegasus kept her stance as she watched in confusion over what he was doing. He then turned back to Twilight who was messing with the filter.

"Having fun with that?" he asked her. "Knowing you, you would have fun with foreign objects."

"Oh," she was startled, "I guess I am. Other species' objects really interest me."

"I know that. I can read your mind, remember?"

"Oh yeah. Right. I forgot you can do that. Is it possible for all changelings can do that?"

"No. Only certain ones can do that. About one out of a hundred can read minds. Makes better Infiltrators. The other 99, well that's what the hive mind is for," he said while pointing to his head. "So, who's that over there? She's been watching us for a while." He darted his eyes in the direction of the pegasus.

"Her?" She looked in the direction he was looking towards. "I think that's Lyda. She probably came looking for me after my clone faded."

"Heh. Lyda LYDA?!" He stared at the mare in shock. "That's her?!" He stared back and forth between the two of them. "You're kidding. This has to be joke. Is it?"

"I don't think so. There's only one pegasus that looks like her, and that's her." She looked back at the mare. "Yep, that's definitely Lyda."

"But that's impossible. I saw her die in front of me." He was gritting his teeth. "There is no way she can be alive behind that bush."

"Well, she did just appear in front of me ten months ago. You said that was the furthest back you can remember. Wait a minute, doesn't that seem a little coincidental to you?" she began to question him. "Think about it. Your earliest memory is around the same time Lyda appeared."

"Yeah it does. Maybe we're supposed to get closer to each other since we both lost our memories."

"And maybe," she began saying.

"Just maybe," he continued.

"Maybe you can regain your memories," she began.

"By simply being close to each other for a certain amount of time!" he finished. "Holy sweet Celestia we are geniuses!"

"Or maybe you just read my mind."

"Yeah that too." They sat in silence for a very, very long time, and eventually they both entered the hive, with Twilight with her perception filter on of course.

When they approached his home, their silence was broken by Terminal. "And this is my home… rock… cave... type… thing." He stood there holding up a hoof towards his house and soon brought it down. "My, friend, is in there and had too much cider last night."

"You have cider over here?"

"We have our ways."

"And by ways, you mean coming out and then getting loads of it and bringing it back."

"No. Pinkie Pie."

"Oh. Pink–Pinkie?!" she exclaimed, not knowing that Pinkie actually did that. How long has she been doing that?

"Yeah. Why do you think she gets so much cider? She smuggles some of it."

"Good point." She turned her attention back to the rock he called his home. "You live in that?"

"Pretty much." He paused for a while. "Well, there is that house back over at Ponyville, but…"

"But what?"

"I dunno. I just… it just feels like I have some connection to it. I don't think anypony cares for it but me now."

"Well you used to live in it. Assuming you're still the you I know. I dunno. I always see you stop by it and then leave with some of your property." They then proceeded to enter the rock-cave only to find Sync was on the ground, taking his sober nap.

"I forgot that he takes his nap at this time of the day. He drinks too much and naps it off rather than drinking an actual drink." He looked over to Twilight then back at Sync. "Hold on, I have a solution to this." He backed off to the kitchen–is that what you would call it? A kitchen?–and came back levitating a fold-up chair next to him. He raised it up and dropped it right on to the back of Sync's head.

"Owwww… Okay I'm up. Whaddaya want?" he groaned. He saw Terminal standing next to Twilight. "What's a pony doing in our house?"

"You can-"

"I can see the perception filter. There's enough light in here to see it reflecting into my eyes." She stared at him with curiosity in her eyes. "Back to my question, what is she-"

"She's curious about the daily changeling life and now she's stalking me," he interrupted. "Yes. She's stalking me. I have no idea how long this is going to last."

"This has gotten really awkward, really fast," Sync said. He looked towards Twilight. "No offense."

"Are you saying that I made this awkward?"

"Yes I am. Deal with it." He shifted into Rainbow Dash wearing her shades.

"How did you-"

"I get enough info from your head, Twilight Sparkle. Any other questions? No? Good. I hope Terminal's informed you about me more than just drinking barrel-loads of cider."

"That's pretty much all there is to you," he explained.

"Touché." He turned back to Twilight. "Well. That'senoughinfoforyounowgoodbye," he rushed while pushing her out the door-hole-thing.

Author's Note

Yes. It's a long chapter title. I know. Well. Things could go a lot more wrong with these three.

On the other hand, uh… I dunno. I'll get back to you when something happens. Took me too long to publish this chapter.

Chapter 3L: Terminal?

Oh snap, he noticed me, Lyda thought to herself. Did he? I think he did. He probably did. I think that's why he's smiling. Is he smiling? No wait, that's a grin. Yep. He's grinning. Oh snap. She pulled back to hide herself behind the bush better. Once she thought she was safe to move out a little more, she heard him yell her name at the top of his lungs.

"LYDA?!" She had to cover her ears, even at the distance she was from him, which was about 10 meters or so. Once her ears stopped ringing from the immense volume of his voice–which she had no idea could go so loud–she returned to listening to their conversation.

"I saw her die in front of me. There is no way she can be alive behind that bush."

I'm not dead, I'm right here, alive and well.

"Well, she did just appear in front of me ten months ago,"she heard Twilight say, "You said that was the furthest back you can remember. Wait a minute, doesn't that seem a little coincidental to you? Think about it. Your earliest memory is around the same time Lyda appeared."

Wait, what? I appeared at the same time he came? What? Wat?

"Yeah it does. Maybe we're supposed to get closer to each other since we both lost our memories."

Wait, what? What does he mean by closer? Does he mean distance-closer? I'll keep listening.

"And maybe," Twilight began.

"Just maybe," he continued.

"Maybe you can regain your memories," she began.

"By simply being close to each other for a certain amount of time!" he finished. "Holy sweet Celestia we are geniuses!"

"Or maybe you just read my mind."

"Yeah that too." She watched the two of them sit in silence and then walk into the hive. At that point, she decided that she wasn't going to die today and walked back to Ponyville.

When she got back to Ponyville, she was only about a second in the town limits until she was blindfolded and pushed in a direction she couldn't make out by some incredibly fast pony. When she arrived at her napper's destination, the blindfold was removed, revealing a decorated Sugarcube Corner with Pinkie Pie.

"I told I was going to make a party!" the party pony exclaimed. She was bouncing up and down and was close to hitting the ceiling. "So, did you find her?"

"I did, but she told me to come back," she lied. "She said she'll be back in a few moments. She doesn't know when exactly she'll be back, but she will." She looked around at the beautifully decorated Sugarcube Corner. "How long did it take you to make all this?"

"About 3 hours."

"I was gone for 3 hours?!"

"Actually you were gone for about 4 and a half." She felt like she was going to past out, but then again, traveling from place to place does take quite a while if their not within the same vicinity. She pushed the thought of time away into the far reaches of her head and decided to play with Pinkie, and she wasn't going to let her time to be wasted.

When she finished partying with Pinkie, she helped her take down the decorations for the night and went home to go to bed after enjoying themselves too much. Even though it was just the two of them, she had tired herself out too much and could collapse at any given point in time.

When she got home, she turned on the lights and made her way over to her bed and didn't bother with the sheets, she just fell right in, closed her eyes, and went to sleep. Of course, just like she did many times before, she had a dream, one that didn't make much sense to her, but had a familiar touch to it.

In her dream she saw a figure, who she thought could be herself, walking up to a wall with two buttons on it. She couldn't see what exactly was written above it, nor could she move closer to it. One of the buttons had an image of herself–the one watching–and she pressed the button. After the button was pressed, the wall sank into the ground and the figure began to dissolve and float downwards. Just before her head dissolved, she said only one thing, the words, "Terminal, find me," and almost immediately afterwards, she was nothing but particles floating down, to which she assumed was Equestria.

The dream then spun and shifted to Twilight walking through Ponyville. She was going about her average day when a light nearly blinded her and faded into a glowing orb which then proceeded to take the shape of a pony as it floated downwards. Soon, the pony-figure began to look more like herself and gained color. When it was finished, it revealed herself unconscious in front of Twilight, who then rushed up to her. At that point, her dream subsided, and she woke up in her bed, at 6:00 in the morning.

Terminal. That was what was on her mind at the moment. She felt like she needed to learn more about him, and she began to wonder if this Terminal was the changeling she saw Twilight talking to.

"I need to find him, and he needs to find me," she murmured, "but what do we need each other for? What's so important about him?" She got out of bed, brushed her mane, and set off for the Golden Oaks Library to see if Twilight had returned, which had a really low chance of being possible.

Author's Note

I just noticed, that as I'm writing this fanfic, Terminal and Lyra have a little bit of my personality in them. I just noticed that. FINALLY CHAPTER THREE IS OUT! THANK DING DANG GOODNESS! CHAPTER 3T WAS COMPLETED ON MARCH 29TH AND 3L WASN'T STARTED UNTIL MARCH 31ST! HOLY SHIT BUTTS! Yes I went that far. When you're an eighth grader surrounded by my classmates, you'll start using those words. YUSH! ALL THE YUSH!

Wait, what? I appeared at the same time he came? What? Wat?

I just ruined your jokes. How do you feel about that?

The majority of this was done while watching Spongebob and playing The World's Hardest Game. I HATE THAT GAME! I gave up a level 16. 756 deaths.