Conception

-Letter to Alica: Segment 1-

Dear Alica,

I’m so, so sorry… by the time you are reading this, you must be wondering why you are surrounded by an endless white span of space once again. This is not your fault. None of it is. If anypony is to be blamed, it is me. There was just no other way, and so to us, you are our hero.

Read carefully, because I want to tell you the truth. Please, I hope you understand.

You must of course remember your visions. I suppose they might have made you seem crazy, but there was a reason behind it. Just look back to your past, and then with what we have recently gone through together and you will understand. After you had looked deeper, I saw how you had started to come to terms with it all, mystery or not, and empowered yourself with it. It helped you grow and get where you are now... but now, I truly don’t know how I can say sorry.…

Chapter 3: Emotions of Fate

Alica, after rejoicing the fact that she was in a dream by spinning and jumping up and down, squee’d in utmost delight. “Yes-yes-yes-yes-yes! It’s even better than I imagined!”

The pink pony, known as The Wanderer, waited patiently, and then simply smiled to see her happy.

Alica then stopped, and realized that the world was getting a bit blurry. She decided that it would be best to make sure she wouldn’t wake up. After she finished grounding herself into the dream by rubbing her hooves together, the world appeared infinitely more vivid. “heh heh….” She blushed slightly from almost forgetting one of the most important parts to lucid dreaming, which was not to get to excited. “Wait, now that I’m dreaming…. I don’t know what I’m going to do! Uh….”

The Wanderer spoke up, “Well, maybe we can talk.”

Alica looked at her, remembering that she was the reason that she realized she was lucid. She’s… she’s just a projection of my subconscious. Funny she hasn’t disappeared with all of my excitement messing up everything… Alica thought, and then replied to this dream character. “Well, if it will keep me from waking up, sure!”

“Sweet! So how has everything been? I haven’t had the chance of meeting you in Equestria to ask, but now that we got you into a dream, you can fill me in with some things!” The Wanderer smiled happily as she waited for Alica to respond.

Alica simply stared, and then started. “But, you are just a projection. Why-“

The Wanderer interjected before Alica could finish asking her question. “Call me that if you want. In a very very VERY complicated way, it’s pretty much true. Now if you don’t mind, can you answer the question I asked? I’d like to see how you’ve grown.” She smiled again, urging for her to respond.

"Uh… I’ve been doing… good?” Alica had a completely dazed look on her face.

The pink pony bounced up. "That’s good! Met up with Vinyl yet? I bet she’s an awesome pony! I can sense a butt-load of feelings inside you!”

Alica blinked. "What the… what?!” She shook her head as she giggled. "Oh, wait I remember, you are a part of me..."

“Sure. Anyways, I’m guessing it’s a ‘yes,’ so I wish the bestest of luck to you two!” She beamed brightly, and in response, Alica smiled.

“I guess we can always hope…” Alica stated, looking down as she lost her smile.

“Well, it’s your destiny, and actually you are right where you need to be.” The pink pony walked up to Alica, and put a hoof on her as a gesture of support. “Just keep doing what you are doing, and everything will be fine…” She looked down as well, trying to hide her feelings.

Alica looked up at her, and out of reaction, she asked, “what’s wrong? I'm sorry if you're feeling the same thing I'm feeling... It would make sense. I'm sorry.” With that said, she went to her and hugged. Alica could feel a lot of tension loosen up from both herself and the projection.

After a moment, The Wanderer looked up, making eye contact with a forced smile. “Yeah, it would make sense, wouldn’t it? And things would be so much more simpler….” She now had a blank look on her face. “So much simpler…” She looked down again, and then continued. “Listen, you might not believe everything I say, so I will say this. Meet up with Twilight, and look into your dreams. Go deeper, and then after that, go even deeper and deeper. When you think you’re deep enough, go deeper again. After that, things will start to make sense. Trust me, please?” She looked at Alica, smiling once again.

“Um…. I…. Okay.” Wow this is ridiculous. I just want to get to something fun in this dream… Alica thought to herself.

“Good, and stay strong, no matter what you find. …Oh! And one more thing – You might meet the spirit of chaos, Discord, soon. I would tell you to tell him that I said hi, but… we’ve had some ‘history’ together, so never mind.” The pink pony said as Alica was sitting there trying to figure out why she was saying all of this. “-And you might be waking up soon.“

“-Wait, WHAT?!” Alica looked around, and tried to ground herself again in the dream as she noticed everything starting to blur again. Out in the distance, echos called Alica’s name.

“I can already hear your sister, bye-bye! I’ll see you later, don’t worry!” The Wanderer waved Alica off as she felt the world tumble and spin. Her surroundings continued distorting evermore; the white clouds and deep-blue ocean were seen in the distance, getting farther and farther away as the dream was collapsing.

“No! I just barely got in the dream!”Alica shouted, but had found it to be of no use, for the only thing she could see now was the distant pink pony and a dark, blurry background. With a final attempt of trying to reach out with her hooves to grab the dream, as if it were tangible, she awoke upright in her bed, breathing heavily.

~     ~     ~

“Alica! I am heading off to work! Can you even hear me?  We almost always say goodbye first, right?” Morning called out as if it were the third time in a row of knocking on the door.

Alica simply sighed, not caring to respond this time.

“Well, if you really aren’t going to answer me, then I will be off. Goodbye.” After hearing her sister walk down the steps and out the door, Alica was left staring at the ceiling above.

“Bleh!” Alica rolled over onto her side, a tad bit frustrated of how Morning was always so caring of her. She rolled over again in irritation, now on her back. She simply stared at that empty ceiling, pondering what memories she had of the dream. Well, I guess I was only good at day-dreaming anyway, heh… She thought back to the pink pony, The Wanderer. She continued thinking, deciding that she should choose to believe that it was her imagination. Just then, she remembered back to what The Wanderer had said about Twilight and respectively blurted out, “well, I guess now is a better time than any to go see Twilight.”

She started to get up, but failed and fell back onto the bed, ostensibly lazy.

“Ugh…”

She then started to roll sluggishly, and continued to do so until she was right at the edge of the bed. Not stopping, she rolled off of it, forcing her body to wake up from the jolt of the impact. After shaking herself off from all of the feathers gathered on her from her pillows, she started out the door off to Twilight’s castle.

=     =     =

'Meet up with Twilight, and look into your dreams-' Well, as if I was going to miss this chance… Alica walked down the dirt road, thinking to herself more upon the dream she had had. But…. Go deeper? Just… what can it mean?

She looked around at the scenery of the real world for a moment as she pondered, and simply marveled its beauty. Birds sang choruses high atop the treetops, the sun at high-noon shone brightly in the sky so high, and at any other extent nature was showing its elegance, it showed it right at that very moment for Alica. Though this world was so vast and so stressful, Alica could not help but sigh quietly at what marvels it brought to her heart. “I don’t care. The world is just so… so… vivid and magical.”

“Why of course, It's quite beautiful, isn’t it?” Said a voice from beside Alica.

“Yeah, sometimes I just wonder what more there is to see in this world …wait, who-“  Alica looked over, and then was startled as she saw someone floating alongside her as she walked. He had the head of a pony and all sorts of other parts from many different creatures. All-in-all, he looked most like a scrawny dragon dipped in chaos. He went by no other name but Discord, which was a rather fitting name for a draconequus that just so happened to be the spirit of chaos, himself.

“You!-“ Alica started, about to burst out in anger from what he had done to ponyville and to her sister, though a while ago.

“Hush hush.  You must know that I am very much reformed. Now, as to what you were saying, I can’t say that I haven’t thought the same as well.”

Alica, not knowing exactly what to say back, responded, “uh… yeah?” What the hay.

“Indeed! You don’t think I think this world is gorgeous? This world of mine…. Or, well, really it was ONCE mine. It was the only thing I loved for a long time. Then Fluttershy showed me a different way of living and… friendship.  Before I get all mushy, my point I’m trying to make is having my own world has helped me from being bored. I’m now restricted to what land Celestia gives me, but if you take a look inside my dimensional pocket universe, you’ll find it QUITE astonishing!  …eh, although she doesn’t allow me to add chocolate rain anymore. ‘It isn’t good for the environment’ she says! It’s not THAT big of a deal. It ONLY created a puddle with a radius of a single mile outside my territory.” Discord now tilted on his side, floating still, as he looked at Alica for a bit. Alica tried to ignore him for a minute, but then she couldn’t take it.

“What in the hay do you want?” Alica stopped, looking harshly at Discord.

Discord blinked, having a supposedly clueless expression. “Why, whatever do you mean? I’m just going over to Twilight’s place, just like you I presume.”

“How did you kno- Ugh, whatever, why in the hay are you staring at me?” They continued walking as she asked in a less threatening tone.

Discord stared a bit longer, but then said, “well, it just looks like… Wait for it-“ Alica’s face then ran into a miniature floating bubble of liquid cheese. “-A little bit of CHEESE was on your face. Here, allow me to wipe it off-“

“NO thankyou, very much,” Alica grunted, but then couldn’t help but giggle at how silly it was. She then wiped it off with a hoof and shook her head. Why am I even thinking he’s funny! It’s not like I’ll forgive him so easily from what he’s done before…. But, then again…

“Well, if you say so,” Discord said back, still floating beside her. He started to pick at his nails.

Alica looked at him, internally questioning why he is even caring to talk to her in the first place. She then looked away, shaking her head again. Maybe he’s got nothing better to do.

They walked, or for Discord, floated silently over the rest of the way to Twilight’s castle.

Once at Twilight’s, Alica opened the large front doors with her magic. As she did, Discord cut in, floating in front of her. “Why thank you kindly, my fair blue mare! No need to be so polite.”

Alica bit under her lip. “My name is Alica.” Why do I even care? She thought.

Discord stopped in his tracks, floating midair inside. “…Alica? How… how interesting.” He floated down to the ground, and walked on his two legs.

“Yeah, I know, it sounds pretty strange. Don’t bug me about it please…” Alica sighed.

“No, it’s not that. Quite the opposite, really,” Discord said, now walking beside her, upright.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Alica asked with a confused look on her face.

“Uh…” Discord stumbled, both physically and in speech. “You see… Ah! There’s Spike! I’ll ask him where that dear Twilight is-“ He then disappeared, leaving Alica with an even more puzzled face.

Up ahead, a small purple and green-spiked dragon stood sweeping down the hall with his back towards Alica. Discord teleported in front of him, making him yelp in alarm, but then when he realized who it was, he calmed down and picked up his broom. Because of the distance Alica was at from their conversation, she simply sat down at the end of the hallway waiting patiently.

Then, suddenly, he teleported right in front of her. “AH! …Oh, it’s only you.” She then calmed herself down from the abruptness of Discord's teleportation. “Please don’t do that,” she added.

“Hah! You said the same thing as ‘The Brave and Glorious’ Spike,” Discord said back. As Alica glared at him, he was forced to apologize.

“So do you know where Twilight is?” Alica then asked.

“Spike said she was doing some errands. You know what that means?” Discord asked back.

Alica shook her head. “That Twilight feels like doing errands? I don't know...”

“That MEANS that I get to wait with you, and that you will tell me ALL about you.” Discord answered.

Alica looked awkwardly at him. “What are you playing at? I don’t see any reason why you would want to get to know me…”

“Well, what kind of friend would I be if I didn’t care to know you?”

“But… why?!”

“Because friends care, right? I’m still learning, give me some slack.”

Alica felt a tinge of annoyance. “No, I mean, why do you care about me when we just barely met? And you’re DISCORD! Spirit of chaos and disharmony!”

“Now now, I said before that I’m reformed. Didn’t I tell you about how Fluttershy helped?” Alica hesitated as Discord asked this, but she nodded as she remembered, and Discord continued. “There is nothing wrong about meeting new friends. Seriously, tell me if I’m wrong, because for over a thousand years I have not known friendship.” He now had a serious look to himself, for once it seemed.

Alica looked towards him. “If you put it that way…” Alica closed her eyes for a second, thinking, and then opened them up. She looked back at the draconequus. “There is nothing wrong with it at all. It’s just that… it’s hard to trust you are telling the truth. It’s just a feeling, but I feel like you aren’t telling me something. Am I wrong?”

Discord made eye contact with her, and then saw that she really was onto something. “You are right…” He said, after a while, and looked down. “And with all of this time… I’ve never dared tell anypony. It’s best you don’t know... and now that I’ve told the truth, can you leave me alone for now? Forget that this conversation ever happened.” He looked at her intently, hoping she understood. With a simple nod, they sat in silence. Discord had lost all his intention of talking.

She didn’t understand. Although, as she looked at Discord, she wondered who he really was. Maybe he wasn’t evil after all, no, but rather had a fairly twisted perspective on life.

Colors started to blur the edges of her sight, and with that, she knew that she was about to have another vision. This one appeared powerful, for some reason, with the colors swirling so fast and with such contrast by which it had.

-     -     -

Eternal darkness endured in ubiquitical existence...

“NO! You don’t need to do this!” In the black abyss of an abstract landscape of a city, a feminine voice rang out in a wave of echos under the hundreds of moons that rested up in the sky. The world surely didn’t look like Equestria. On the ground lied a corpse shrouded in darkness, and shrouded in evermore darkness stood a strange-looking figure that surely wasn’t a pony.

“So what?! We already talked, there is no use. Ahah, AhahaHAHAHA!” The dark figure broke down into a fit of chaotic laughs. “There is absolutely NO use, don’t you SEE?! HA! And this is just the start of my master plan. There is no turning back for him! He will see, and then he won’t see. Oh, who CARES what happens, I just know that I am going to have SO much fun messing with his world! With MY world! AHAHAHA! And NO ONE can stop me, that’s the FUN part!” His laugh then split the air around him and made the ground rumble, forming an earthquake.

“Please, think logically for a second. Remember those peaceful little times we had together?” The voice called out in an opposite direction from before.

The tall figure turned around to where the voice moved to. “Ah, yes, those I could never forget. Be my queen again. We shall rule our world together. I said I have BIG plans, come on!” With a big nostalgic grin upon his face, he kept looking around trying to find her.

“Don’t hurt yourself like this, please,” the voice called out in another random spot. “What happened to who you used to be?”

The tall figure responded, “ah, yes, yes, I’ve finally gotten the chance to change. How about you call me… hm….” He looked up with a claw stroking his white goatee, pondering. “Discord! Ahaha! The spirit of chaos and disharmony, how about that! You really would be a perfect queen, come on! You’ve got to make a name too!” He beamed in ruptured joy, still trying to find her.

“No,” came an answer from behind him.

The supposed smile shattered off of his face as his voice cried out with a translucent “what?”

“No,” this time having come from right in front of him, although he saw nothing. It was clear that heat was rising off of the top of his head in contempt and hatred of what she had just said to him.

“Why?!” He shouted crazily at the top of his lungs in vain.

“If you won’t think logically about this, then I will have to fade away. Don’t make me do it.”

He scowled and kicked at a nearby, deteriorated wall. “Fine! Who cares about you!? I would only care LESS if you disappeared and got out of my life! It’s more chaotic alone anyway, and didn’t I say I was the spirit of chaos now? It ALL just fits SO nicely! Muahahaha!”

As he laughed up a storm, quite literally a storm came rushing in around him with lightning flashing in all directions with a wild fury of noises.

“I’m sorry…” Her voice was quiet, yet not at all muffled by the chaos Discord was making.

“Uhuehuehue, so be it, my little pony. More fun for me!”

With the sound of a baffling explosion, Discord engulfed the world with magic so chaotic that it created a whole new world of its own in such a bright disorienting light. All, then, that existed in his universe was a quiet darkness.

-     -     -

Alica came-to, and shook her head abruptly to get back to her senses. She looked over to Discord, who was practically rolling on the ground in boredom.

...Well, I guess that vision wasn’t really random, for once, Alica thought to herself. I feel…. Almost bad for him….No true friend, except maybe Fluttershy… but then again, that vision was super scary... She looked down and pondered for a bit more. Was it... in the past then?She thought, trying to recall who the female voice was that was talking to Discord. Why does she sound so familiar….

“Ok, this is ridiculous!” Discord blurted out, stopping Alica’s train of thought. “When will Miss Smarty-Pants get here?! She promised me she-“

As if on-cue, Twilight Sparkle came in through the door, levitating countless books stacked upon themselves. “My apologies, I got caught up in another fan group… I barely managed to get out of there.” Starting to trot off towards the door leading to her library, she added to them, “give me one minute while I put away these books. I’ll be back for you two.” With that said, she disappeared temporarily around the corner after twisting the door open with her magic.

Discord chuckled. “Looks like she had another busy day.”

After a minute of Alica hearing Discord tap his claw impatiently on the seat, Twilight appeared back, now empty-hooved and ready.

“You lied, you were gone for 1.0167 minutes,” Discord said to her flatly.

“I’d prefer to think of it as a minute and a one second. Again though, my apologies…” Twilight responded

“What? No-no-no, you seriously thought it was a big deal? Haha, well, ok, let’s just get to business.” With that said, he teleported a set of professional glasses and a tie. He stood up. “So, you said you’d hear what I have to say about my personal situation? Much business, yes.” Throwing away his meaningless glasses and tie, he continued with an infirm tone in his voice, “I’ve been trying to find peace with myself…”

“Why of course. Part of the reforming process, I suppose?” Twilight asked.

“Well, in a way you can say that.” He looked over to Alica for a moment, smiled, then turned back to Twilight. “And actually, I want Alica to join us. I had some time to think after we talked for a bit, and I have a feeling that… she might… eh, help. I’ve never had this feeling before.” They then both looked to Alica for a response.

“Wait, huh?” Alica had been looking down at her hooves until then, but now looked up with what was said. “Um… sure. I won’t be doing much, though…”

Twilight added, “well, with whatever help we can get, it will help save a lot of time. How about you two follow me? I have a nice set of chairs already set up in the library. Although, Discord, you’ll have to materialize your own. You know how hard it is to sit in pony-designed seats with your-” Twilight looked over Discord up and down for a moment trying to think of a way to describe him. “...non-pony body.”

“Hah, I never like how small they are,” Discord replied.

After another minute, everypony was settled in. Alica, who was resting her head on the table, sluggishly asked, “so who is going to go first?”

Twilight then answered, “whoever wants to. I’d like to ask, though, why do you look so tired? Not enough sleep?”

Alica had a sluggish, monotone voice. “More-over a lack there-of, for I was immersed in an extravagant lucid dream approximately thirty minutes ago.” If Alica had a cup of coffee, she would have sprayed it everywhere out of her mouth, wide-eyed. “Wait, why in Equestria am I sounding so sophisticated?!” She then put her hooves on the back of her head, face-down on the table. I guess this is what happens when I’m tired…. She thought to herself in distress.

“Uh…. Well, likely your sleep cycle was interrupted during stage four. Wait, how long was your nap for?"

"Three hours? Then I was woken up by my sister." Alica mumbled with her head still face-down on the table.

"...Well... that explains it." Now looking to Discord, she continued on with the topic. “How about you go first, Discord."

Although hesitant, he started. “Sure thing, let me think, first…” For a moment, he thought of what he needed to talk about. Alica lifted her head at this time, now attentive.

“Okay, I’ll start by saying that in the past, long long ago, there was a time I was… happy. I took it for granted, and eventually everything around me fell apart. I lost my sanity, go figure. I still don’t have it, and it’s not like I’m getting any closer to getting it back. You two know me, I was encased in stone.

“Anyway, perhaps you can call me reformed, I know what you’re thinking, but you said it yourself Twilight, I’m not ready for a throne. I still see this as my world, you see, and I feel it still is. But then again, I know I can lose control, like you saw with the time with Tirek.” Discord sighed. “It was useless coming here. This is the last time I trust my intuition.”

Alica blinked. “Wait, what?! No, no-no-no-, there was a reason for coming here, because I can understand what you mean... Please, go on.” With that said, she smiled.

Then was Discord’s time to blink. “Wow…. No one has ever even cared to understand me before…”

Twilight then added, “well, I wouldn’t be listening to you right now if I didn’t care to. Since arriving at Ponyville, I’ve learned that it’s simply what friends do.” At this time, they both were smiling at the draconequus, supporting him.

Discord chuckled. “It feels stranger than you can imagine to be treated this way. Oh well, I’ll continue. So, you must know, I have feelings like anypony else. I guess I cover it up with my chaotic spirit, but that is the only thing I feel like I can do anyway. It’s no use to express feelings. Somehow, today is different. Funny, I actually feel better just by asking for help, for once.

“So, what I don’t understand, why does it feel like I am going nowhere in my reforming? I can’t tell you any more details on what is going on in my head, because I’m trying to figure things out for myself. Perhaps you two mare have some input?”

After Discord finished speaking, leaving the question yet to be answered, Twilight gave her response. “If you really don’t want to tell us more, then I won’t question further. Although, it would in fact help you if you didn’t keep secrets from friends. Now, on to how I can answer your question-“ After shifting spots in her chair for a second, she continued. “First off, you will likely go nowhere if you believe you are going nowhere. Now, second off…” She looked up at the ceiling to think for a moment. “-Second, I say that you should trust yourself and your friends. Take baby steps, but make sure to keep the intention of actually getting ‘somewhere,’ and you won’t stray off the path.”

Alica then blurted out, “oh! Hope!”

They both looked at her, making her blush slightly. “I mean… heheh, just that you should keep hoping. Um… recently it’s helped me, kinda…”

Twilight nodded in agreement. “Exactly, what I say can also be considered hope.”

Discord sighed. “Well, perhaps I’ll at least hope to hope. It’s rather difficult to control chaos, you must know.”

After a second of silence, Alica started. “So um… can I begin talking about my side of things?”

Twilight responded, “of course! Oh, and by the way, Discord, you can leave if you are done, unless you have anything else you want to say.”

Discord shook his head, “Nah, I’ll stay to listen.”

Alica then continued. “Um… so, basically I had told you about how I haven’t been able to dream, right, Twilight?”

At this, Discord perked his ears up in interest.

Twilight responded, “I believe you might have mentioned something last night, but technically everypony dreams. Most don’t remember them and make the assumption that they just simply do not dream.”

“Yeah, well, I know that from my studies a long time ago… I was just saying it like that because it seemed like it. Although, just this morning I had a lucid dream. Well… a lucid day-dream, really.” Alica said with a smile.

Twilight looked at her questioningly. “The same one you told me about?”

“Pretty much.”

“Huh. This is definitely a huge development in your lucid dreaming studies, I bet. Although, something I haven't addressed was that it might not be the best to take extremely long naps in the day. There are studies that show that those who regularly take naps longer than an hour are more likely to have a shorter life-span than those who don't. If you are going to be practicing lucid dreaming, I recommend you give yourself more time in the night-time.”

Discord chuckled slightly. Following it, they both looked at him.

"What is so funny?" Twilight asked, slightly annoyed.

Discord put his paw and claw up defensively. “Hey, hey, I just thought it was funny because of the irony.”

Alica tilted her head, staring blankly with confusion, annoyance, and wonder. Twilight looked at him, puzzled and confounded.

"Do you even know what irony is?" Twilight asked.

Discord face-pawed, stretched his face down in stress, then let it flop back into place. He looked to Alica. “How about you just continue?”

“Uh… oh, yeah, I don’t know, I was just feeling really emotional and decided to take a nap, I guess….” Alica said, continuing as Discord had asked.

Twilight shook her head, “We’ll talk about that later. I do find it interesting that got into a lucid dream. By memory, what do you remember?”

Alica paused for a second, trying to remember where it started. She began explaining as many details as possible. The foals, the wide-open sea, the spanning mountain range, and the big red button that did nothing were all mentioned. Although, not The Wanderer, for Alica had stopped wide-eyed from what she remembered she had told her.

She had… she had said I would meet Discord soon… Is this really a coincidence? What is happening? Alica looked down to her hooves as she thought. She started to look around of the room, doing a reality check. Nothing seems off… so I’m not dreaming. Or… “UGH! I don’t know!” With that blurted out in utter confusion, Alica started crying in her hooves, resting her head, tense, on the table. Already, tears were showing. The emotional buildup of the morning finally got around to cracking.

Shocked, Twilight went to comfort her. “What’s wrong? It wasn't a nightmare, I hope? Or is it too hard to remember?”

“I don’t know! I don’t know!” Alica started shaking as she continued to cry. “Just… Just let me figure this out!” She got up suddenly with her mane all messy and damp with tears, and then ran off. In the process of frantically trying to find an isolated spot, she found a broom closet. She slumped to the floor inside and closed the door with her magic.

After about a minute, Alica started to sink deeper into a forlorn mood as the crying started to die down into a mere shiver.

“Why?...” She asked herself, unknowing of why she was asking the question in the first place.

A small knock came onto the door as Discord’s voice called out, “Alica… may I come in?”

Alica shivered a tad bit more, “I- I don’t c-care…”

A second later, the draconequus materialized inside through his wacky magic, and then put his paw on her hesitantly in an effort to try to support her. He, himself, started to slump to the floor too. They both sat together as Alica got all of her trembling and crying out, and at the same time, it was almost as if Discord was forming his own forsaken tears.

Eventually, Alica sighed, asking, “what is reality?”

Discord simply looked at her, and then looked down to the ground. After a bit, he finally responded in a hoarse voice. “Good question. ...It is what we make it to be...”

Alica started seeing small flashes of light in the corner of her vision as she knew she was going into another trance state begging to come to life. Mostly, it was memories of her childhood.

“Don’t call me crazy, no, don’t call me crazy, NO! n-n-no…” She started shaking in a fit as more colors and memories started to swirl into her being.

“I… I’m sorry…” He looked down, not knowing what else to say or even do.

For another minute, her emotions continued pouring out. Then, she started to calm down again as the visions started to die down.

Alica then realized her position. “Wait…. What?” She tried to remember what he had said to her.

In response, Discord repeated coarsely, “look, I don’t know what to do … I’m sorry.”

Alica looked at him, bewildered. “Um… but why?”

“…Because…. Somehow, this is all my fault.” Discord slumped further onto the floor. He chuckled desolately. “Why do I even try…”

Alica put a hoof on Discord’s back. “Don’t….. Don’t worry. The past is the past.... I don’t even feel like it’s your fault at all.” She then thought back to the conversation with Twilight. “And… we can both hope to hope together, right? I have my own problems, as you just saw… but… for now, let’s just hope for the best.”

Discord chuckled sadly. “You shouldn’t be this sweet. I was expecting you to smack me a while ago… I am Discord, ‘spirit of chaos and disharmony.’ Even if you find harmony, there’s no hope for me… you, but not me...”

Alica looked confused. “I.. I don’t smack ponies... It would be really mean.”

Squinting tensely, Discord shuffled to get up. “Why am I even in here?!”

In the moment of his struggle to get up, Alica hurried to stop him and stated, “because it is meant to be.” She smiled, having found a feeling of peace. “Thank-you, Discord. I do feel a lot better now.”

Awkwardly, standing in the closet with Alica, Discord asked, “can we just get out?”

Blushing, Alica realized they were still crammed inside the dark room of brooms. “Uh… yeah.”

As she opened the door, something came to mind as she asked Discord, “just a random question, do you believe in fate?”

In response, Discord looked at her as he squeezed out, and said as he stroked his white goatee with his claw. “I can’t say I do, but I do believe in magic.”

Alica face-hoofed before walking out. “Well, of course. What I mean, I mean, just how we met… what really happened in the dream was that I was given… ‘signs,’ that I would meet you. Another thing, how would you explain cutie marks?.”

Discord responded, “magic. ...And what would my destiny be anyway? Everypony knows I don’t have a picture on my butt.”

Alica looked down as she thought, and then stated, “well, with no cutie mark, that means that you can be anything. Right?

As Alica looked over at him, she saw a giant, floating pie with a face on the end of it that replied with the voice of Discord. “Why of course!”

Alica giggled and looked ahead to where Twilight was sitting, reading a book. “Why is your magic so funny?”

Discord simply rephrased what was said. “With no cutie mark, I can be anything.” He then transformed back to his draconequus self before Twilght could see him. He knew that she had lectured him before on how he could make a ‘big mess’ if he turned into giant wads of food.

Twilight looked up, after hearing the two, and then immediately flew up to Alica to give her a hug. Alica embraced it, and with it, gave a simple “thank-you."

After a minute, Twilight asked, “What happened? Is it ok if I ask? I would’ve gone to you sooner, but Discord insisted that he should check on you. Did he help? Or do you not want to talk anymore? I understand if it’s too much for whatever reason-“

Discord interjected, “woah, woah! Hold your jimmies, there’s not a problem anymore. Right, Alica?”

“Well… I feel a whole lot better, so yeah. I’ve just been feeling super emotional I guess. A lot happened this morning, pretty much…” Alica answered.

Twilight then responded, “in that case, that makes sense given how your sleep cycle was messed with as you’ve told me before about. I’ve said it multiple times, but doing that can really affect your mood and overall stability.”

“Yeah, I know… Um, so anyway, can we sit down? There was something else I’d like to tell you.” Alica said.

“Yes.” As Twilight answered, they all sat in their previous spots. “So, what is it you’d like to tell me?”

“Well, you see… My visions have been getting more vivid.”

“Oh! You’ve mentioned it in the club. Please, go on!”

Alica smiled a bit, happy to finally be able to talk to somepony about the matter. “Ok, so, basically I have the visions in the past or the future, it seems.” She looked over to Discord. “Now that I think about it, many have been about you, Discord. Especially… recently.” As she looked back to Twilight, Discord looked at her curiously.

She continued. “It’s been getting intense enough to where colors come out on the world. I mean, probably nopony else sees them, but just me.”

“Wait, by any chance, have you been diagnosed with anything?”

“No! No I haven’t!” Alica stood flustered, but then blushed as she realized how rude she looked. “Sorry… I mean… I had it checked out, but I don’t have schizophrenia or anything. I’m sorry for yelling… I just have had bad experiences with ponies saying something is wrong with me…”

Twilight immediately looked at her apologetically. “No, no, of course, I’m sorry I brought it up… but I just needed to be sure so I can have a better scientific outlook. Please, continue.” With that said, she smiled, and urged her to go on.

“It’s ok, I understand…” Alica then began where she had left off. “So why I know this is all real is because I am shown things that happen in the future… or past. I mean, for instance, as I had told Discord already, in the dream it was predicted that I would meet him today. That was kind of why I ran off as you saw… it’s just hard to understand it.”

Alica smiled brightly, still explaining, “But I’ve found that it’s just how destiny works! It’s all meant to be, and it’s so beautiful. No matter how hard my emotions get, I still feel like this is the exact moment and the exact place I need to be.”

Twilight rolled her pencil back and forth on the desk, thinking, and then suddenly picked up a few blank pieces of paper next to her and started to write some notes. “Tell me more about how you were hinted of meeting Discord, in the dream.”

Alica thought about it for a bit, and then continued. “I was told so by a dream character.”

“Can you tell me some details on the character?” Twilight asked.

Alica looked over to Discord, who simply waved to her, as if saying ‘hello, I’m still here!’ As she looked back to Twilight, she decided to ask if she could just write it out and hand it to her. Twilight nodded, in response to the question.

After Alica finished, she gave it to Twilight.

“Ahem, so, a pink ma-“

“No!” Alica interrupted.

Twilight looked at her curiously.

Alica blushed again. “I mean… I’ve read over it a bunch of times, and I’m sure I put in as much detail as I could.”

Twilight shrugged. “Well, if you insist. So, another thing, can you describe to me what it looks like when you are having your visions?”

Alica thought for a bit to come up with a way to describe it as best as possible, and then answered. “It is like different colors around the edges of my eyes. Sometimes it’s just one color, other times it’s many. I don’t know, I don’t pay too much attention, but basically the colors would swirl or take shape and make patterns. It kind of goes to different places, and sometimes I am in another pony’s body. It’s weird, and it’s just so random and happens whenever…”

Twilight shook her head. “I’d hate to have another Pinkie Sense situation, so can you tell me what each event has in common?”

Alica replied, “um… well, I guess it’s when I’m really emotional… or… deep in thought. But… Pinkie Sense? You mentioned it at the club, I think…”

Twilight responded, “not important right now. Right now, for your homework, I want you to try and catch as many details including the conditions and possible effects of the visions, whenever they come. Got it?”

Discord then gave an outburst. “Oooh, so this is school now. So what is my assignment princess demand-y-pants?”

Twilight looked at him. “Shush.”

“Oh come on! You’re the one who’s throwing stuff around!”

“You just failed your first assignment, Discord. Congratulations.”

Discord folded his arms and put on an angry pout.

Alica then commented, “it’s ok, Discord, I’m completely okay with having an assignment to do. I actually like it.”

Discord chuckled. “Nah, it’s not that, I was just messing with dear Twilight here.”

Twilight face-hoofed, trying to ignore him. “I have a few books you can read for now. I don’t think you’ve read them, because they were delivered recently with the new library. Read them whenever you wish, I don’t need them back anytime soon because not many ponies are interested in these sorts of things. I think they already started to collect dust in the past week… Oh, but please be careful with them, I do treasure the books that I have.”

“Of course, thankyou so much!” Alica said back after Twilight went to pass over the books she had stacked nearby. “So, what are they on, exactly?”

Discord blurted out his answer. “On the desk, duh!”

Twilight shook her head, getting evermore frustrated. Alica tried not to giggle before the alicorn answered properly. “The top two should be about the science and procedures, and then the third should deal with the superstitions. I’ve never fully understood the superstition, but maybe it might at least help give you insight.”

Alica nodded. “Okay. Again, thankyou. Um… hugs?”

“Of course.” With that said, they both got up and hugged each other gently. “For anything dealing with books or knowledge, just come to me. I am always willing to share.”

Discord materialized behind them and abruptly gave his way of giving hugs, which was by squeezing them high in the air with his arms. “Well now isn’t this just lovely?! We are all hugging like good old friends!” He closed his eyes, smiled ecstatically, and left Alica to wonder whether he was just messing around or actually feeling something inside. She decided not to question it, for he was Discord. Twilight thought the same as they both stayed silent, waiting for the moment to pass.

Eventually, Alica couldn’t breathe. “Um… Dis… Chord… I can’t… b- breathe.”

After a second, he dropped them gently onto the ground. “Fine, but only because we’re friends.”

Twilight said back, “we have a lot more reforming to do…”

“Hey! I’m trying!” He responded.

“I’m not going to argue this right now.” She looked back to Alica. “So, until we meet again? I’m free in a few days. I’m almost finished organizing.”

“Sounds good to me,“Alica responded and waved to her as she started walking out the door. “Bye-bye.”

“Bye, Alica.”

As Discord waved goodbye as well, he walked with Alica out of the castle and into the bright daylight. Alica stopped to sigh in emotion of the long day, and then continued through the town to her house. Discord walked with her in silence, but eventually he broke the air to ask, “so, what do you plan to do?”

“I don’t know…” Alica sighed again, but then smiled. “I guess I’ll just get started on reading the books as soon as I can. I do have today off from work, so I have a lot of time.” She looked over to Discord. “What about you?”

“Hm…. Well, I’m probably going to roam around and find something entertaining to do. I don’t have any job, so it’s not like I’m busy with business,” Discord answered.

“Wait… entertaining?”

“Oh! Look at that, there’s your house! I’ve got important business to attend to, bye!” As Discord teleported away, Alica stopped to scratch her head with her hoof. What the hay, Alica thought in confusion. Just then, she saw her house on the far side of the dirt road. Well, at least he didn’t lie about my house….