Power is Knowledge

I just got back to the alleyway today, and a lot of things have happened.  I'm racking my brain here trying to figure out what to say first.

Perhaps I should go chronologically?  No, the sequence of events is all mixed up... by order or priority, maybe?  If I had my priorities straight, I could do that.  That means I can't.  So let's just go with the first thing that comes to mind.

It's been... four days since my last sighting from a pony in Ponyville; Rainbow Dash was the last pony to know where I was.  I have to say, I was really harsh on her with the whole full-body control.  It's one of those things you find nifty at first, but then regret using later.

Well, the counter has reset to zero after today's events.  Twilight had gone searching for me, and I don't know why.  She says she wants to discuss some things with me about... well, pretty much everything.  My power.  My life.  My multiple deaths.  Second Chance.  Third Charm.

I knew she must've gained some extra information when I disappeared.  From who or where, I could care less.  Rainbow Dash really got me thinking: Why do I do what I do?

I've convinced myself that I do this for peace, for harmony, for the betterment of ponykind, for every excuse I could possibly think of.  No, this is not for their betterment, and it is not for them at all.  It is all for the fated one.

Twilight reminded me of what notes I left over the hundreds of years, and then I realized I was working too slow!  A five hundred year gap in info?  That's hardly going to spark pony's attention!  Not that I am trying to after everything that has happened, but still, having a little recognition would be nice.  Honestly, it's like ponies didn't know that I was the son of the best unicorn in the history of Equestria!

My discussion with Twilight cleared a lot of things up in that regard.  Oh, right, I forgot to mention I met with her today!

This may seem a little... "wonky", but my decision on my stance in all of this yesterday really did help everypony, including myself.  I need to be open-minded.  I need to accept the fact that this secret is compromised.  I need to start telling the truth, and as soon as possible.  I don't know why, but I need to!

Maybe that's why my power got out of hand today? Crap, I'm getting way ahead of myself...

Organization of thoughts here... got it.  Everything that happened today can be summarized with one word.

Nonsense.

Now there's something I know well.

My day started off like any other.  Wake up, scrounge for food, and hide when necessary.  Simple.  Not a single pony saw me throughout the course of three hours.

Eventually, Twilight went out to search for me.  I hid, but kept an eye trained on her like hawk.  If she had any idea...

"Twilight!  I found him!"

And my hiding days were over.  I looked over my shoulder to see a pink pony jumping up and down, happily.  Why happily?  I cannot say...

When I realized it was Pinkie Pie, I threw myself at the ground and covered my head with my hooves.

"I'm sorry!  Please, don't hurt me!"  I yelled.  Two ponies had already beaten the living crap outta me; this happy disguise wasn't going to fool me into thinking she wasn't going to throw a punch.

I felt a hoof on my shoulder and opened one eye to see if it was just to aim a punch, but to my surprise, it was not.

"Everypony makes mistakes, Takey Wakey."

Oh Celestia, I forgot about that nickname.  Buck, this was going to be annoying.

"Good job, Pinkie!  How did you find him so quickly?  I mean, we only just got out to search for him."  Twilight said, walking over.

"Oh, it's just that he wasn't written about in forever!  Can't find him when he doesn't exist!"

I gave her a look, and saw Twilight was just as confused.

"Pinkie, what are you talking about?" I asked.

"Well, there hasn't been a new chapter in ages!  There was no way I could find you with the time lapse!"

Chapter?  Time lapse?  What the buck was she talking about? I had no idea.

"Oookaaaaaay....." Twilight said, returning her attention over to me. "Double, come with me.  We have a lot to talk about."

She didn't ask this time, she demanded it.  After all that's happened, I guess she deserves at least one good chat before I disappear for... I dunno, maybe a hundred years?  That sounds like a sufficient amount of time.

Maybe I felt closer to her.  Maybe I thought I could actually open up to somepony other than Second at that moment.  Or maybe fate knew where this was going from the beginning in a way I couldn't have guessed.

I entered her house.  Or at least, I think it counted as a house.  Do libraries count as houses?  I could think about that later.

I saw a little board with pictures of my face from the obituary pages in the newspaper.  All I could think was how they could waste so much ink on one pony.

"Have a seat over there," she instructed, pointing to the spot I should sit.  I sat down in the chair, and she sat to the chair adjacent.

"So, how are things?" she asked, as if she was thinking about breaking the to casual conversation.  I honestly could care less about small talk, but if this is what she wanted...

"Not bad," I replied simply.  I really had nothing to say at this point.

"Write anything interesting?"

"So far, yes."

"Interesting... did you know that Canterlot has family history records?"

"No, I didn't."

"I found you there, Mr. Impression, and I have to say, you really don't mention your father a whole lot, do you?"

So she knew about him... I hesitated to answer.  She noticed my lack of response and kept on.

"You know, I studied his magic techniques for some time, but I never saw yours."

Was this true?  Her memory read as much.  With her being Celestia's student, I didn't doubt it for a second.

"My work was nothing special, really."

"No?  Especially not your mind reading spell?  What about your mind link spell?  Both are works of a magical genius."

"Both were written on bloodstained paper." I offered.  It was the only connection I could find.  She ignored my comment and kept speaking.

"You also wrote about the other side, didn't you?"

The old notes I had taken on the other side were hardly reliable.  That was when I had not perfected the technique of travelling over, and I was almost sucked into the white abyss a few times.  Close calls, they were, but nonetheless useless information.

"Yes.  I didn't know you knew that it existed."

"Well, now I do with that confirmation."

Oh, that was actually a question.  Huh.

"Anyway," she continued. "I'm curious how you found out about it.  Care to share the details?"

"Not really, but do I have a choice?" I asked.  She said nothing as she took a book out of one of the shelves.  "Death comes to all of us, Twilight.  I was just lucky when it came."

"Lucky?"

"I wasn't searching for it... it found me."

"Do tell."

"You saw the moment of the stabbing.  A few minutes after that, I woke up on the other side."

"But how? How did you get there?"

"Good question. Certain circumstances in both weather, temperature, and the general situation lead to my travelling over.  Why do you ask?"

"No reason, I suppose.  Star Swirl is on that side, right?"

That was correct.  My father, as well as the rest of my family, could be found living on the other side.  Interesting how some things work out.

The other side is nothing more than a reflection of this side, only with a few minor tweaks.  On the night of Second's death, my other side counterpart died, and my family was left in dismay.  My brother, instead of helping with my father's research, made a vow to find the true killer and bring him or her to justice.  However, when he did find him, justice was not served.  Glory couldn't bring himself to kill his own father.

The events that transpired that night have been made very clear.  My father, knowing of my counterpart's late-night excursions, planned to bring the relationship to an end.  On the other side, there was a rule of the family: the oldest must find his mate first before anypony younger, then the second does, and so on and so forth.  He didn't approve of my counterpart's meddling with the rules.  He decided to use the very magic I was studying on this side (the magic I researched after Second's death, that is, but he must've discovered it first on the other side) to change my counterpart's outlook on the world and change his feeling about Second.  However, the spell was far too powerful.  The spell made him hate Second, and hate everypony, including himself.  This self-hate is what lead to his suicide.

The situation on this side was no different, only it was a mistake for something that was supposed to be good, not bad.  My father went out in secret that night and cast a spell on Second.  He didn't want her to ever leave me, so that I would be happy until the day I die.  He cast a spell that was intended to make her love me more than anypony, and to never leave me.  It worked... too well.  She started to think that I was a god, and that I was too good for her, too far beyond her.  She couldn't live without me.  Thus, she hung herself that night, thinking she would never have the love of her life.

So, yes, my father was on the other side, despite his unforgivable actions.

"Yes, he is there." I replied.

"And so is the rest of your family?"

"Yes."

"Is it the afterlife?"

This part was something I had yet to find out.  Was it really the afterlife, or just another universe?  I go there when I die, but not everypony goes there when they die.  And besides, the one major difference I've noted is that the social structure of that world is vastly different from our own.  I do know one thing about that place, though: it is far better than this side.

"I'm not sure."

"But you go there when you die.  How could it not be?"

"True, but it isn't the afterlife.  It's not possible.  I see ponies form this side alive on the other side."

"But what if that's just the way you see it?  What if it appears different to each pony?"

I hadn't thought about that, but I doubted it was so.

"I wouldn't know what to think of it." I replied, trying to make it sound like it was remotely possible.

"Also, you left some pretty interesting notes over the last two thousand years.  Something about the fated one?"

My mind stopped.  My God, I had almost forgotten about her.  The fated one!  God dammit, my head has been spun around in circles for so long I almost couldn't stop it to focus on the main task!  The fated one would be... well, she'd be old enough to recognize her path, that's for sure.

"First?  You okay there?" Twilight asked.  I simply stared.  How could I forget?  How?!

Let's see... magic, books, check... the name checks out... buck, what the hell?  I was running from the one thing that actually mattered!

"First?"

"Tell me, Twilight... have you heard of these things called the Relics of Unity?"

She was taken aback by the question. "No, not really... do you mean the Elements of Harmony?"

I knew it.  The name had changed over the years, but it was all the same.

"Tell me... did you receive the sixth piece?"

"Yeah, it appeared with the rest once I found them."

I put a hoof to the side of my head, shaking it side to side. "Twilight... it's time for you to know."

"Know what?  What are you talking about?"

"Oh, I should've seen it sooner!  Watched over by the sun... yes, that means... but what about...? Wait, then there's..."

I kept cutting myself off like that as I realized that the fated one was standing not more than a few feet away.  This pony, Twilight Sparkle, named from my line, will finally be able to bring peace to the world.

"First, are you going to explain yourself here or not?"

My thoughts shattered.

"You asked about my cutie mark, yes?"

"Well, yeah, but I don't see what relevance it has--"

"Then let me explain it to you.  It's a dot, nothing more and nothing less, as you can see.  It's the commonly known punctuation mark, the period.  Very simple."

"So your special talent is writing?"

"Not even close." I turned to her. "I'm the one who will end it all."

"End it all?  What, you're going to end the world?"

"You have no idea do you? You!  You are the fated one!"

"What?! Me?!"

***

Me? The fated one?  But how?

He began his explanation. "'And may the sun watch over the fated one, and let that pony be frank and true.  The fated one shall strive for perfection: finish what was left unfinished, redo what was undone, and arise the greatest light of them all: the light of the sun.  Praise be to the fated one, born upon this day.' Do you know when this was found?"

"January 1st.  I was born the next day.  It can't be me."

"No.  Do you remember precisely when this was found?"

"11:58... that was only two minutes before the second of January!  Wait, you mean they just found the note early?"

"Yes, but Celestia knew the true meaning, obviously."

"How?"

"'And may the sun watch over the fated one, and let that pony be frank and true.  The fated one shall strive for perfection: finish what was left unfinished, redo what was undone, and arise to the greatest light of them all: the light of the sun.' That was a metaphor.  Being watched over by the sun meant being watched over by Celestia.  While being frank and true is more or less your qualities, you strive for perfection.  I can see that.  Hopefully you understand the last part of the note, right?"

"You mean the part that says I 'arise to the greatest light of them all: the light of the sun'?  No clue.  I mean, don't we all awake to the light of the sun?"

"You misunderstand it?  I thought it'd be clear."

"No, I don't get it."

"Then I'm afraid I cannot tell you what I mean by that."

"Well, why not?"

"You have to find out on your own." I said.

And that's when my power got completely out of control.

The world around me started to bend and twist.  I felt my legs go numb and I fell to the ground.  A screeching noise resounded and I yelled my head off and covered my ears.  The sound only got louder.  Everything was twisting and screeching and I was screaming and everything just shattered.

I was surrounded by nothingness.  Suddenly, images started flashing before my eyes, and I realized something terrible.

I was jolted back into the real world.

"Twilight?" I asked, voice shaking.

"First!  Are you okay?"

"Run." I whispered as my throat closed in on itself

"What?"

"RUN!" I shouted.

***

"RUN!" he shouted, his eyes dilated beyond all belief.  He gave a shout of pain as his back began to stretch.

I jumped back at the sight.  It was terrible the screams he let out.  I saw as two bat-like wings grow out of his back, and his eyes glowed red.

I took his previous advice and got the buck out.

***

...

Unknowns are a product of science, as well as a product of magic.  Memories are by-products of experience, which is contained as a form of magic inside everypony's head.  Ideas are simply new magic.  Friendship is magic.  Love is magic.  Hate is magic.  Everything. Is. Magic.

First... you may never get used to your ascended form, but you must know you cannot escape what you are.  There is no escaping fate.

You are not an alicorn, mind you.  There would be no point in such endeavors leading to a lesser power.  No, you have ascended beyond them.

First, First, First... you fight me like I'm some sort of bad thing.  But what could I possibly do that is malicious?  I mean, it's not like you had the fated one run away for a reason, right?

Honestly, I don't know what's wrong with you!  You're just so paranoid!  You have no idea what you're doing, either!  Perhaps you'd like to know?  No?  You choose the side of ignorance?  So be it.

***

This is why I do not come clean.  My memory jumped back to a time when I did.  I have to be subtle.  I have to be secretive, and I cannot let this happen again.

Perhaps there's an explanation to be had here.

I was put into a drug-induced coma by my friend in medical school, who was studying electric shock therapy and things of the sort.  He created the machine that kept me... mostly alive on this side while Second and I spent time on the other side.

When I awoke, however, that's when everything was set up just so for every plan to go to hell.  My vision was blurry, and I could hardly see.  However, what I heard was very, very clear.

"I'm telling you, he's not coming out of that coma!  There's no way!  It's been an entire... I don't even know how many months or years, but there's just no way!"

"I'm telling you, sir, he will!  I know First; he will make it out of this in one piece, mentally and physically!"

"No, Harmonizer, he won't.  We can no longer fund this project because we are focusing on another... if we could get some volunteers for it, it wouldn't cost so much, and you could continue your research."

"What if he comes out of the coma?"

"We don't have enough money to put into your project right now.  Unless, of course, you will allow him to be the volunteer in our project we're funding now.  Then, after some progress, we will be able to fund your own endeavors."

I heard my friend hesitate and then sigh.

"Do I have any other choice?"

"You could join the team working on the other project, but something tells me you don't want to at the moment."

"Of course, you're right.  I don't see the point in their experiment, anyway."

"Eternal life!  Think about that for one minute.  We're using everything we can to make it happen, and all we need is a few, or perhaps just one, test subject!  This is why we're funding that instead of your experiments."

"Sir, if you go through with that, all my work will have been in vain!"

"Not quite.  You see, ponies can still get wounded.  Your machine here could help in their recovery.  All I need to know is if that pony will wake up."

"Well, I'm not sure."

"Then I'm pulling the plug on this.  Take him out, conscious or not."

"Very well."

I heard the machine power down, and I felt as I was removed and placed onto a cart of some sort.

I wanted to move, to make a sound, to say something or do something so that they would know I was awake.  I made feeble attempt to speak.

"Where..."

That one whispered word reached the ears of my friend, and he stopped the cart.

"First!  My god, you're alive!" he said. "Can you stand?"

"I wish." I tried to say, but I'm not sure how it came out.

"One minute, First.  I have to take care of something with the administrator.  I'll be right back.  Don't move a muscle."

"As if I could."

He walked off and I heard a door close behind him.  I could see them discussing what must be my one way ticket to the lab.  I couldn't do anything.

They reentered the room where I was.

"First, we're going to take you somewhere where you can recover.  After that... well, you'll see."

I made a small nod, the first signs of motor control I've shown beyond mouth movements.

Fast forward a month later.  I'm being pushed down the hall in a wheelchair, and the labcolts are telling me that I will be one of the biggest contributions to science the world has ever known.

"We've been working with some very, very powerful magic.  Retrieved it from your house, actually, some time ago.  These... what are they called... Relics are going to grant you eternal life."

"So my father's work will finally be done?"

"Yes, First, your father's work will be done."

They strapped me into some restraints.

"What are these for?"

"We don't know how much the power will change you... we're taking only the necessary precautions."

"Alright," I said, "so long as nothing bad happens."

They didn't reply.

"All right, we're up and going.  Bring out the first Relic!"

This Relic was blue.  They placed it into a strange and loud machine, and some light focused in on it, "shooting" directly at me.  I felt a rush like no other, like I had just got shot up with twenty shots of adrenaline.  Not that I've ever had that happen to me, but that's what I'd imagine is the equivalent.

"Next one!"

They placed a purple on in front of the blue one.  This rush I was having... suddenly I wanted everypony to be feeling it.

"Third one!"

They placed an orange Relic in front of the other two.

"We're halfway there, First!  You think you can handle the rest?"

"Honestly, I'm gonna have to!" I shouted back over the sound of the machine.

"Next one!"

They placed a red Relic in, and I knew there was no turning back now.  We had come so far, and my father's work must be done.

"Last one, First!"

They put in a pink one, and I felt the power inside me course through my veins.  I needed to use this power for good, in my father's name!

"First!  How are you handling this?"

"I'm feel... amazing!  Hahaha!  You have no idea!"

"Alright!  We're gonna try something here!  This is a little farther than we intended to go, but it will be the final step towards immortality for all!"

They put in a black Relic, and suddenly I didn't feel that great.  No, that rush that happened before was more just.. energy, welling up inside me.

"First?  Talk to me!  What's going on?"

"I... I'm not sure!"  I shouted back.  I felt by back move in ways it should not be able to.  A surge of magic coursed through me, and the transformation began.

I don't know how long it was until the process was complete, but when it was, I was horrified.  The first thing I noticed was that I had broken out of the restraints. I was at least double my previous size, and I had wings on my back.  Everything looked more red than usual as well.  My hoofs had spikes covering the circumference of them, and I almost panicked.

But I didn't.  I wasn't in control anymore.

I turned to the scientists who were looking at me fearfully.  I couldn't stop the beast I was.

In minutes the room was painted crimson with their blood, and I went on a rampage through the place.  I killed eleven ponies, and when I got to the last one, she was trembling in fear.

"No!  Please, I just want to live! "  she shouted.  The beast, for some reason or another, stopped and looked at her for a second.  I smashed her into a wall and let her bleed.

Yes, I was corrupted by the power of the Relics.  But not all was lost.

A scientist survived my attack, hiding away until he had enough time to retrieve the Elements.  He used the machine and retrieved the power from me.  The beast began to recede into the depths of its home which was my head.  I shrank down to normal size, wings gone, and I felt exhausted.  I fell to the ground and wept silently.

"Kill me... Kill me... Kill me..."

***

I couldn't help but take a peek through the window to see what had become of First, or rather, what he had become.  My eyes widened as I saw the beast of evil standing in the library.  He looked around and I hid, breathing rapidly hoping it did not see me.  I didn't make a sound.

I heard the thing roar and the sound of bookshelves falling to the floor.  He went on like this for another hour or so, until I heard noting but silence.

I went back in to see First crying.  He was sideways, on the floor.  I was afraid that any action might trigger the effect again.  I didn't want that to happen.  First had trashed the place.  Had I still been in there, I would've died.  It's no wonder he told me to run.

"F-F-First?" I asked, stuttering due to my fear.

He got up and turned to face me.  When I saw the look in his eyes, I knew what he was going to say.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."

I walked up to him and put a hoof on his shoulder.  "First, it's alright--"

"No.  No, it's not.  Not okay.  Not at all," he said, sentences getting more fractured by the second. "Thought it was gone.  It's been three thousand years and it still hasn't left me.  Why won't it leave me alone?  Why?"

"First--"

"It has to end.  I have to go.  It has to end now.  Twilight, kill me.  Do it!  Kill me!  I don't want to live anymore!  Not like this!  Please, for the love of Luna, kill me!"

Holy mother of Celestia, this was getting out of hand.  "I'm not going to kill you."

"TWILIGHT!  THIS IS YOUR PURPOSE!  KILL ME!!!"

"FIRST!"  I shouted at him and he suddenly stopped everything and stared me in the eyes.

"I am going to end it all.  The world.  The universe.  Life itself.  And after all that, I will end myself.  Do you understand?  This is why you exist, Twilight Sparkle.  This is why you need to be the one to stop me, to bring an end to the end.  You are gifted with extremely powerful magic, and I warn you, if you do not use that magic to end my life now, the beast will return and destroy everything.  Is this truly what you want?"

"No... no I don't want that to happen..." I said. "But I'm not going to let you die.  There has to be another way.  Just give me some time and let me find it, okay?  You're going to get out of this in one piece, alright?"

He said nothing.  He slowly pushed my hoof off his shoulder and walked out the door, saying these last words:

"Don't let this all be for nothing, Twilight.  Find the solution.  Fix the problem.  Then we can all go back to our normal everyday lives. And if you cannot find a solution... make my death a quick one."

And with a blink of an eye, he was gone.  I dashed to the door and looked outside, but he was nowhere to be found.

I slowly went back inside, closing the door behind me.

***

The fated one will come, and she will vanquish all evil from this world.  She will stand among friends and she will stare straight into the heart of darkness with them.  WTAAO, soon.  May the dying light be a beacon of hope in these next few years.

~First Impression

I rip out this note and leave it around the outskirts of town, where hopefully somepony will find it before the end comes.  I don't doubt they will find it, nor do I doubt that they will be skeptical about its message, but Twilight will save us all.  I know it.

They will never stop searching.  They haven't yet.  They know that the harbinger of evil is upon them, and that he holds a sign of broken peace.  That is why they have kept track of every sighting of me, to make sure that bloodshed does not ravage the land like a plague.  When Twilight's Alicorn Ascension Occurs... soon...