Legacy: Season One

Legacy

Episode Four: Mindscape of Chaos Part 1

Written By: Fluttashift

Something locked away, hidden deep within your heart. Some call them personal demons, others call them flaws, I call it redemption. No one is perfect, not even a superhero. We feel, we get hurt, we love, we die, but there comes a certain calling. A call of duty; of honor; of sacrifice. It serves to motivate us forward into the battle ahead. Why am I telling you this? Never lose faith in who you are, no matter your past sins. It may be the only way you can do the one thing we so desperately need: to deliver true justice.

LEGACY

Rain poured down every inch of my coat and mane, leaving me soaked. I remained stock still, staring straight ahead. A streak of lightning shot across the sky in the distance, followed by a cackle of thunder. My breathing was heavy, as I had been training for hours, but despite even my best efforts it seemed as if I could not do combat within this body; this form. I couldn’t help but contemplate my certain downfall. No matter what I tried, every attempt was a failure.

Just like me. I couldn’t save Phase. I can’t save anyone anymore, It’s as if fate is telling me to give up,

When it had started raining, I had stopped for a second to catch my breath. The rain was chilling; it was a good chill. After a while of standing there I started shivering, However, I ignored the storm, keeping my eyes trained forward, staring at nothing of importance, deep in thought.

The riddle. What could it mean? That name too. Discord.

That’s what I tried to think about, anyway. I tried to push Sarah’s voice to the back of my mind, yet it rang through as if she was still speaking to me.

I heard her voice. I’ll never hear it again. Only in dreams. How could I call myself a damn superhero? My eyes could not meet my own reflection’s as I formed a look of disgust upon my face, trying everything but to look down at the puddle in front of me. I’m nothing. I stomped my hoof in the puddle, splashing water upwards.

“Shift!” Twilight’s voice called from behind me.

I turned to see her standing inside her house with the door open. She had concern in her eyes, gesturing me inside with a hoof. “Come in! You’ve been training long enough! You’ll catch a cold in this storm! If you catch a cold your physical strength could be reduced up to 45%.” She yelled over the gusting wind swaying the branches of her house. “Thats not even taking into considerat-”

“-I have to push myself. I have to save them,” I said suddenly, cutting her off, bursting into tears not even thinking about the words spilling out of my mouth.

“Save who?” Twilight gave me a confused look, but changed the subject, “Nevermind,” she shook her head, “just come inside and we can talk about it!”

What does it matter? No matter how many I save, I still didn’t save her. I dropped to my knees. The one person I loved most. Might as well just stop for today. I let out a deep sigh, lowering my head.

Getting back up after a long pause, I trotted into Twilight’s house, head hanging as a towel was magicked over me. I heard the door shut and turned to Twilight. “Thanks,” I said curling the towel around my equine waist. Weird, still, being a pony and all.

“Of course,” Twilight smiled warmly. “Now, what was bothering you?” her expression changed to one of sincere concern.

“Well,” I paused, sighing. Might as well... I need her help, whether I like it or not. “I had a dream last night and Phase communicated with me. She’s done it before, but never to tell me something like this. She knows about Gadget too. Even from beyond the grave, she’s my guardian angel,” I stopped beginning to sob once again, my eyes closing while my head hung low to the ground.

I felt a hoof on my shoulder. My eyes shot open as I saw it was Twilight’s hoof, “W-what are you doing?” I asked wiping my eyes.

A warm smile formed upon her face. “Comforting a friend,” she said simply in a soft motherly voice.

Friend? Do these ponies really, sincerely think of me as a friend? “Thank you,” I said smiling back. I still need to be on guard. They can’t be trusted. Not yet.

“Now, what did Phase tell you?” Twilight asked, changing the subject.

“She gave me a message. A riddle. A name too. I was hoping you’d know who this person or pony was.”

“What’s the name?” A look of intrigue could be seen on Twilight’s face.

“Discord,” I answered causing her to gasp and then shake her head.

“Isn’t he always involved,” she muttered sarcastically. She seemed to be thinking out loud, speaking under her breath at a volume I could barely still make out.

I tilted my head. “You know him?”

“I do, in fact, he’s a friend. Why don’t we pay him a visit and maybe he can help with this riddle.”

I only nodded, and with that Twilight went to go and get her friends to join us. This only caused me massive amounts of confusion. Why do we need them, exactly?

“Twilight, why do we need your friends for this?” I asked trying my best not to sound rude.

“Discord can be very dangerous, that, and I always bring my friends along for big adventures. You never know when an extra hoof can come in handy,” she replied teleporting away afterwards leaving me standing alone in the library.

______________________

“Twi, remind me again why you ain’t jus’ summonin’ Discord with that spell the Princess gave ya?” Applejack asked, looking rather confused as all five of Twilight's posse were now gathered in the library.

“Well, I could, but going to Discord’s home was Shift’s idea,” she replied pointing a hoof at me. Applejack turned her head in my direction and asked me the same question rephrased.

“I believe it would be best not to jeopardize Twilight’s home. The Mindscape can be a very dangerous thing,” I responded emotionlessly, without even looking at her.

“Minescape?” She raised her brow questioningly.

I shook my head. “Nevermind!” I snapped, “There’s no time to explain!”

I received a glare from her and Rainbow after speaking to them like that, I don’t blame them. “What is your problem?!” The cyan mare snorted, stomping her hoof on the ground looking like a raging bull ready to charge.

“I’m sorry. I just…” To my surprise, I heard Twilight’s voice interject.

“He’s not used to our world or our ways, Rainbow. He probably thinks you’re just as weird as you think he is. I know how he feels, because I felt the same way when I ended up in that other world, through the mirror,” She said in a sweet, but stern tone.

At first Dash looked angry, but she soon sighed, backing off. “You’re right, Twilight. He doesn't know about Equestria,” She agreed still shooting me a quick glare.

If only they knew the half of it. I can’t fight in this body. I can't walk on these four hooves much longer. I still faceplant when I get out of bed in the morning!

Without thinking about it, I stood upright on my hind legs. The other’s turned to catch a glimpse of what I was doing. It felt more natural to me as I stretched my two hooves out, a little off balance. Looks of shock crossed the ponies faces in a mix of utter confusion and speechlessness.

Rarity was the first to speak up, “Shift, dear, why are you standing that way?”

“Yeah, what gives?” Dash chimed in next with a glare and shrug as she hovered in the air.

“In my world, I’m bipedal, which means I stand on two legs. It’s more natural for me to stand this way,” I explained with a roll of my eyes, and then proceeded to fall flat on my ass.

Twilight nodded with a giggle, “I ran into a similar race in the other world when I went to look for the crown. Now, we should probably get to Discord’s. I’ll just teleport us there,” she smiled as the other’s just shrugged, exchanging glances.

Right, I’m the weird one.

Twilight’s horn lit up and once again the world began to swirl around me seeming to be a blur of colors and sounds. Soon, the world spun slower and things began to from seemingly out of nowhere. A wooden floor spread out under me, as the walls and ceiling began constructing themselves. The sensation stopped and my head began throbbing in pain. I clutched my stomach with a hoof as I got the same queasy feeling I had during the first travel. Blurriness turned to vivid image and I saw the strange house I now found myself a guest in.

Note to self. When I get out of this mess, never take any magic cases. Ever again!

Spinning, counterclockwise, a few feet above the ground, was what reminded me of a coffee table. The couch was an odd, long, misshapen, mess. The walls seemed to move up and down very slowly as eyes in the pictures of mythological creatures followed your every move.

“What is wrong with this place? Somebo--… er… pony take one too many shrooms?” I gazed around, my stomach growing significantly sicker every time the walls moved.

The ponies simply look confused at my comment as I found only myself chuckling. What an idiot. “This is Discord’s house. Things are always chaotic like this,” Twilight explained in a matter of fact tone of voice, as if everyone was supposed to know this.

Oh, yeah, sorry, I didn’t get the we’re visiting a mental case memo.

“Oh my, Fluttershy, it’s been too long!” came a rather ecstatic voice. “And you brought all your little friends along. How adorable!” A strange form appeared in front of me. He was long and serpentine with a horse like head and a body made up of a mishmash of various animals. Discord gazed upon the others and then his red eyes turned toward my direction. “And who is this?” He disappeared with a ‘pop’ and reappeared directly in front of me. I leapt back a bit in shock. “ I don’t believe we’ve met before. The names Discord, lord of chaos charmed I’m sure.” Discord said as a monocle appeared on his eye out of nowhere.

Narrowing my eyes to slits, I pressed my face against his. “I don’t care who you are, comedian. I need to know things, and I need to know them now!” I said to him a little louder than necessary.

Discord reared back as if he was about to attack me. He raised his fist in the air and then threw it back in a fit of laughter. “That is priceless!” He managed to say in between his chuckling.

“What’s so funny?!” I rebuked, seething.

“You don’t even know who I am or what I am capable of, yet you still get in my face and challenge me. On closer inspection,” He rose upward and peered through a large magnifying glass, which poofed out of thin air, down on me, “I can see we aren’t quite the pony now are we? Is that the symbol for H.E.R.O I see? My goodness, dear Celestia, I think it is!” He remarked mockingly, raising a finger, as if he had made a new discovery, but kept a chaotic mix of insult and intrigue to his comment.

“That’s right, Discord!” Twilight said in confident manner, “He isn’t from this world, so you don’t know what he’s capable of either,” she stared at him as she spoke, keeping a certain empowering seriousness to her tone of voice.

She’s trying to outsmart him? Get him to do what she wants with some kind of blind threat? No she seems too smart for that.

Another ‘pop’ and Discord was suddenly smaller in size and sitting on Twilight’s back. “I know more about H.E.R.O and it’s wonderful boss,” he shot me a glance as he said this, “Elliot,” his gaze returned to Twilight’s who had reared her head around to look at him, “then any of you possibly could. There’s things out there that even Celestia and her little princess pals don’t know about.”

I smirked. “You’re sadly mistaken, Discord. Celestia knows about H.E.R.O,” a confidence had returned to my voice as I shook my head, eyes close, still grinning.

Twilight turned her head to face me. “She does?” Twilight asked sounding confused.

A third ‘pop’, now Discord hovered in front of Twilight’s face at the same small stature, staring into her eyes. “And there’s things she doesn’t tell her little ponies either. And here I thought you were her prize pupil,” the mashup monstrosity muttered menacingly.

Twilight shot him a glare as she stomped her hoof. “Enough! Discord we need your help, well,” she pointed her hoof at me, lowering her voice, “he needs your help.”

Discord appeared, normal size, standing on the ground. “Awful way to ask for somepony’s help.” He folded his arms.

Fluttershy trotted up to him and he looked down at her. “Discord, can you please help him? If you don’t mind of course. You don’t have to if you don’t want to, though I’d really appreciate-”

“Oh, come on!” Dash facehoofed, cutting her off

Discord sighed. “Fine,” ‘pop’ and he was hovering in front of my face, “Whatever could a pony from another dimension want with little old me?” He shrunk as he spoke.

“I received a vision from the Mindscape.”

“The Mindscape? That place collapsed didn’t it? A desolate wasteland filled with chaos? Am I getting warmer?” Discord held a smirk on his face.

“So, you know of it. How?” I asked cocking a brow.

This guy’s a real freakin’ winner. He’s like the unholy lovechild of Charlie Sheen and the Chesire Cat.

“The same way I know about your place of employment.”

“And how exactly do you know about that, smartass?” I broke my serious look, gritting my teeth, and stomping a hoof.

“You’re no fun! It’s all ‘serious business’ with you. Even I say lighten up, and I used to be solid stone.” He folded his arms. “H.E.R.O has been here before. It’s heroes have dealt with me in the past. It’s as simple as that,” he pointed to Twilight, “of course, they would tell you not to trust me. The Mindscape is here in Equestria as well. Not many ponies have the ability to enter it. But it just so happens that I can.”

My jaw dropped as I stared at him in disbelief. “You can get me in there?” I shook my head, “Wait, I also recieved a message. It’s a riddle.”

Discord clapped, “My favorite!”

I closed my eyes, trying not to focus on the soothing sound of Phase’s voice. I tried to focus on the riddle. Just the words that were spoken and not who they were spoken by. I recited,

“ To unlock the truth, chaos you must provoke

A world of the mind will undo all

Utter the words the guardian spoke

All will return where the snow falls.”

With that I opened my eyes.

“Brava!” He clapped mockingly, “Wonderful performance. Your delivery could be better of course,” ‘pop’ and he was in the middle of the room, “I can tell what the first two lines meant. ‘Come to Discord’ and ‘the Mindscape is out on the prowl.’ The last part, I couldn’t possibly know, you see,” he suddenly had on a winter jacket and scarf, “I hate the cold.”

“Is that supposed to be funny?!” I growled at him.

“I am telling you the truth, Shift,” he suddenly appeared next to me wrapping an arm around me, “I didn’t give the message, did I?”

He has a point. I hate him, but he has a point.

“Then, I need to go to the Mindscape,” I nodded at my decision.

“What?” A look of shock spread across Twilight’s face, “Why?”

“The only way to solve this riddle is to investigate that place. I have no leads and no idea. It might just be the push, the challenge I need to get in touch with this pony form,” I sighed, my head dropping. “You saw me training, Twilight. I can barely fight.”

“If this is something you need to do,” Twilight stopped letting out a sigh.

“He’s not doing it alone!” Dash stomped her hoof when she said this.

My jaw dropped as I turned my head to face her. “Why do you want to help me, of all ponies? I’ve been nothing but rude since I got here.”

“It doesn’t matter. You never abandon your friends.” Dash looked at me, not with anger, but for the first time, with deadly seriousness, “ No matter how much of a jerk they are,” she said with a smirk.

“Even friends with major trust issues!” Pinkie announced happily.

“That’s really sweet and all, but you ponies can’t enter the Mindscape. Only psychics and people connected to them can.” I explained.

Discord now curled on the couch which fit his serpentine shape, said, “He’s right, but I can always give you a view into it. You’ll love it! It’s like me, times ten.”

“Enough chat! Get to it!” I snapped at him.

“Ooh, so bossy, the nerve. Fine,” he ‘popped’ and then appeared on front of me. Snapping his fingers, a large sheet of glass levitated above my head. “Close your eyes.”

I shut my eyes tightly and he snapped his fingers once more. For a few seconds, I could not hear anything. Opening one eye, I peered around. The floor was a violet, rocky, cave-like structure. It stretched onward, zigzagging about, cracks visible on it’s surface. There was no sky; no sun; no moon; no stars, just an eerie blackness. It surrounded me, making me shift about uncomfortably. It had been so long since I had been here last.

I forgot how eerie this place is. So emotionless, colorless, lifeless.

I began to walk forward on my hind legs, noticing in an instant that I was still a pony even within the Mindscape. This confirmed that my form was indeed changed to a pony through interdimensional travel and not by some kind of trickery of the mind. I breathed a sigh of relief, realizing my mind was safe from harm at the moment.  As I walked forward the floor began to get narrower and narrower, no walls to the sides for me to put a hoof onto. My heart began to thud in my chest as I stopped, scanning the area ahead of me. My fears had manifested into reality. Ahead of me was a cliff, with a drop possibly endless. This was the Mindscape afterall. I shook my head and continued the trek until I came to the edge of the cliff, kicking pebbles off as I got closer. Peering down, I saw sand.

Sand? It’s not even that far down. I might be able to glide down there.

Breathing outward, I closed my eyes. The image of two, steel, plane propellers came into my mind. I had learned they were used for airships and the sort in Equestria. Dipping into the pool of my mind, I drew out the image. My mind was clear and the silence permeating the air allowed for me to only hear my calm breathing and my thudding heart. Suddenly, my hind legs began to transform. Once again the ever strange feeling of deformation and reformation washed over me. Opening my eyes, I looked down to see I was hovering above the ground, the propellers rotating ever fast. A confident smile spread across my face.

Just maybe...I can do this. I can be what I once was. Just maybe…

I began maneuvering forward at a steady speed and descending downward towards the sand. Almost instantly, the temperature began rising. Sweat began beading on my forehead as I got closer to the sand. The blackness in the sky began to morph into a blue. A blazing sun appeared nearly blinding me as I covered my eyes with a hoof shifting my view to the sand below. Heat and humidity began to fill the air. The propellers began to spin faster and faster, forcing me forward at an ever increasing speed. I flew through the air in an uncontrollable blur as I hit the ground, skidding across the hot sand. The ground gave way under me and I began to tumble down a hill. I hit the bottom with a meaty thud, pain searing through my body. My hooves had turned back into hooves as I struggled to them, brushing the sand off my coat with my free hooves.

Dammit! Another desert?! Of all the places I could of ended up, it had to be the damned desert?! I still can’t use my powers properly! What the hell should I even do?! I have no idea, no clue, and barely any powers! I kicked the sand in frustration.

Shrugging it off, I walked forward, holding a hoof up and bended to shield the sun out of my eyes. The heat was almost unbearable as I continued on through the scorching hot sand. No matter what, I still had to find answers. I still had to try and be the hero I always was.

What just happened. What was it called again? A… Morph? Yeah, the ripples of thoughts and ideas create a sudden change in the environment around you. Its completely random, uncontrollable, and chaotic. I guess after the collapse it got worse.

“Shift! Are you alright?” I heard Fluttershy speak up for the first time since I met her. She had concern in her voice. Her voice seemed to be ringing through my mind.

“Fluttershy?!” I exclaimed, my jaw now unhinged, “How are you talking to me?” I asked dumbfoundedly.

“Discord set up a mirror that let’s us see everything through your eyes and we can talk to you as well,” Twilight explained.

“He did take quite the fall, didn’t he?” Discord’s voice rang through my head next, of course, he was mocking me, “Instant replay! In slow motion! Encore!”

“I’m fine, Fluttershy. Thanks,” I said to her in a soft voice, then raised it at Discord, “And Discord, shut up!” I growled.

“What’s the plan, then, Shift?” Dash asked.

“Phase has a distinct strand of thought, which I can pinpoint now that I’m deeper within the Mindscape.”

The next couple of minutes felt like hours, as the sizzling sun heated the desert air. The sand was hot to the touch. Soon, a ghostly, white line appeared in front of me, stretching onward, leading farther into the desert.

Phase. She must know I’m here. This must be what she wanted me to do. Why? The very question that haunted me to this very day was one I found myself always asking.

Sweat streamed down my forehead, my mouth felt dry. The humid air was making it even harder to breath. Trekking over a hill, I saw the desert continued to stretch onward as far as the eye could see. The line led forward and with my limited options, I trotted and trotted. As more time passed, the heat began to nag at me, causing me to fall over on my side. Burning sand heated my coat as the land around me became a blur. Faintly, I could hear the ponies screaming my name, but I couldn’t move.

Am I going to die? Is this it? Where’s a damn Morph when you need one!

The world faded to blackness as I fell into unconsciousness. The cries of the ponies drowned out as everything became soundless; motionless.

_____________________________

“Shift!” Twilight’s voice rang throughout my head.

Groggy, I slowly opened my eyes. Struggling to my hooves, I blinked to clear my vision. Around me was a meadow, the very same meadow from my dream last night. The same tree stood tall casting it’s shadow over me.

How did I get here? This place… Phase’s favorite picnic spot. Her escape from the world. I must be in her Mindscape.

“Shift! Thank Celestia, you’re alright, darling!” Rarity sounded rather worried as she spoke.

“W-what happened? How did I end up here?” I asked as I walked through the meadow.

“Well, Discord here ain’t no help,” Applejack sounded infuriated.

“Don’t point the hoof Applejack. I couldn’t help him even if I wanted too,” Discord said, “Your little girlfriend came and scooped you away. How sweet!”

I shook my hoof in anger, my arm trembling, my right eye twitching. I felt like exploding, going off on this creature. “Who do you think you are! My girlfriend is dead! She was much more than that! She…” I couldn’t finish my sentence. Tears formed in the corner of my eyes, beginning to flow down my cheek like a waterfall.

I... I proposed to her. The day before the Merging Day. She said yes. I... I buried it; suppressed it.

“... she was my fiance,” I finished quietly, in between my sobbing.

“Your fiance?!” Rarity proclaimed with a gasp, “I-I’m so sorry, darling.”

I wiped my tears away, sniffling. I had stopped in the middle of the meadow. Suddenly, I heard hoofsteps behind me. Turning, I shifted my hoof into one made of stone, significantly bigger in size than a normal hoof. My jaw dropped as my eyes widened.

No... No... How? This... can’t... be...  real. It’s a trick of the Mindscape.

“It isn’t,” came a voice I recognized all too well.

In front of me was a mare, with a coat the color of the ocean. She had a long, flowing, golden mane and tail. Her eyes….

I’d recognize them anywhere.

The very same emerald green as Phase’s. I stared for a moment unable to speak, frozen in place. It was too unreal; too dreamlike; too vivid.

“Shift, it’s me,” she smiled warmly, “Or do you need a little more proof?” She said seductively, walking up and giving me a passionate kiss on the lips.

I melted into that kiss; savored every moment of it as if it were my last; after all, it could easily be.

“P-phase? H-how are you alive? W-why are you a pony?” I managed to say when we broke the kiss.

“Well, after that… bitch killed me, my soul was sent into the Mindscape. When psychics die, this is our afterlife, though those who aren’t dead can’t actually see those who are. I was reborn into Equestria and became a sort of Guardian here,” she explained, still holding her beautiful smile.

“Why didn’t you tell me? Contact me?” I tilted my head in confusion.

“I wanted to, oh, you have no idea how much I wanted to. You don’t know how it pained me to see you so down, not believing in yourself, contemplating giving up being a superhero. The thing is I couldn’t. If I had, I would have risked melding Mindscapes. I’m sorry, so, so sorry,” She finished as tears welled up in her eyes.

I hugged her tightly as she cried. “I love you, Phase. Is this why you sent me the message? The riddle?” I asked.

Suddenly, she stopped crying. “Riddle?” She asked sounding confused. “Why would I send you a riddle? I hate riddles, you know that. It’s why I kick Quiz’s ass harder every time we face that creep.”

If she didn’t send me the riddle who did?

“A great question,” Discord spoke up. “Remember that question I asked before you entered the Mindscape?”

I nodded. “You asked if you gave me the mess--...” I paused, my eyes widening in sudden realization. “You sent me the riddle?! Then, what does the last part mean?”

Discord fell into a fit of laughter. “Oh, that was such a good prank! Sending you a message from your not-dead fiance, tricking you into entering the place, so you could see that she’s actually alive! And a pony at that! Priceless!” He continued his snickering.

“Discord!” I heard Twilight yell.

“What does the last part mean?!” I demanded an answer, stomping a hoof to further my point.

“The last part of the riddle was meant to be for Phase.” Discord answered.

“Me?” She asked in utter confusion.

“You can hear him too?!” I questioned in shock.

Phase nodded her head, smirking. “I’m a psychic, remember?” She teased, sticking out her tongue, “Now, weird voice, tell me the riddle.”

“They’re made for each other. Both so bossy. The nerve of someponies!” Discord sounded offended, but obviously was just being a sarcastic jerk, “The last part is simple. Utter the words the Guardian spoke, All will return where the snow falls.”

Phase tapped her chin with a hoof, deep in thought. “Guardian… guardian... wait!” Phase proclaimed, remembering something, “I am a Guardian. It’s a title given to certain psychics within the Mindscape. The Guardian is an old wise man and boss of the rest of us. Not that there are many of us, it’s just me here in Equestria, but I know how to get to him.”

“Great! Then, maybe we can get an answer to this snowfall thing,” I felt myself smiling. An expression I haven’t really enjoyed or truly felt in a long time.

Five years… I thought she was dead. She’s a Guardian, here, in Equestria. So, she’s been confined to the Mindscape and tasked with detecting anomalies from within.

“Phase,” I asked after breaking away from the confines of my thoughts, “How did you get reborn?” It was puzzling me ever since she had first mentioned it.

“Oh, rather boring question for a reunion, hero boy,” she teased, folding her arms, a soft smile upon her face. “It kinda happened fast. After I died, I wandered this shithole for what seemed like forever. Then, the wise man came to me, told me he was a Guardian, and offered my rebirth. I gladly accepted and I was sent here, to Equestria. It’s a very confined Mindscape compared to Earth. There’s only one pony here who can utilize psychic abilities and this pony isn’t even aware of these abilities,” She explained to me.

“Just curious. We should probably hurry and see this Guardian,” I said, newfound determination in my heart.

“Now, there’s the Shift I know. Always springing into action! Come on, then,” she turned and gestured me with a hoof, “First we have to get out of my this meadow and into the Mindscape. Follow me.”

“One problem, Phase,” I said in a rather low tone of voice, my head hung low, “I don’t know how to fight well in this body. I trained all day earlier and I failed. I crashed into the sand earlier when I first entered this place.”

I heard her giggle. She shook her head and said, “Sweetie, you don’t understand your powers well, do you?”

“You know I never understood my powers fully. It never made sense. None of us could ever figure it out. My shape shifting abilities only work on parts of my body.” I recited as if off a boring textbook.

Phase turned to face me. “What am I thinking?” She asked.

“What?!” I asked alarmed at her question. “I’m not psychic!”

She came closer and narrowed her eyes. “What am I thinking?”

“Phase, I’m not psychic. I can't read your thoughts.” I shook my head.

Then, she slapped me silly. Pain spread throughout my cheekbones; I guess it slipped her mind that hooves hurt a lot more than hands. “I’ll ask you one more time. Look me in the eyes, concentrate on only me. What am I thinking?”

I looked into her emerald eyes, becoming lost in them. The world around me seemed as if a blur, sound absent to the ear.

“You’re a psyshifter, my love.”

I heard her thought clearly in my head. My jaw became unhinged as a look of shock crossed my face. “I’m a ps-ps-psychic?”

“Finally!” Discord groaned.

To Be Continued...