Neither Of Them Mind

by DaeCat

Rating: teen
Tags: Adventure, Dark, Alternate Universe
Length: 9054

I don't mind, really I don't.

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2015-01-25 05:00:02 UTC

Let the Spell Bind

Twinlinked looked at Twilight. She looked disappointed at something for a moment, but now that had passed. She handed him the book he was after, so he thanked her and turned to leave. Before he had gone two paces he heard Twilight call after him.

“Is your store open today?”

He turned back around and answered, “No, do you want to come sometime?”

She looked like somepony caught out in a mistake, “It’s not really my thing. Sorry.”

Twinlinked gave her a face, “It’s everypony’s thing. Trust me.”

“That’s not why I asked,” Twilight amended, still looking sheepish, “I wondered if you are free today.”

“That’s pretty forward of you, Twilight Sparkle.”

“No, ohnonono.”

Twinlinked laughed. He put the book on a nearby table and moved around it so he could sit down.

“I was joking. What do you need?”

Twilight sat down opposite him and put a jar with a cloth over it on the table. Twinlinked was intrigued. It was very cloak-and-dagger. Twilight pulled the small black cloth covering off the jar, revealing it to be full of small bugs. They were brown, larger than cockroaches, and had seven segments along their round bodies. He had never seen anything like them in Equestria before.

“What under Celestia’s sun are those?” he asked. They reminded him of those bugs you find under Everfree Oak logs. Except these were much bigger, and they were crawling over each other and around the jar quite quickly.

“They are Hive Cockroaches. Larger than Equestrian ones, and also magical. They have a literal hive mind, each bug has the same mind as the rest, and they think the same thoughts,” Twilight explained.

“So, why are you showing me them?” inquired Twinlinked, still mildly puzzled.

“More as an example than anything else,” Twilight answered, but she looked more sheepish as she continued, “I have been looking through Starswirl the Bearded’s spellbook, and I came across a spell designed to take over a ponies mind for five minutes. He intended it to help him get rid of the Sirens from Equestria, but the effects didn’t last long enough. I started testing it on the bugs.”

“And I suppose that no-pony else really wanted to have their mind taken over,” Twinlinked finished. He was beginning to understand why Twilight wanted him. He was a test subject.

He wasn’t precisely sure how he felt about that. Was he offended that the Princess of Friendship thought of him as nothing more than a guinea pig? He couldn’t say he was, he was more excited about the whole thing than anything else, if he was being fully honest.

“Yeah,” Twilight said, rubbing her head with a hoof nervously. Twinlinked decided that, since he had nothing else planned for the day, he’d give it a shot.

“Sure,” he said, grinning like a mad pony. To her credit, Twilight laughed with a mixture of nervousness and relief.

***

“And there’s nothing in there you want to keep hidden?” asked Twilight, warming up to Twinlinked as she got to know him better.

“Not so far as I know,” Twinlinked coyly replied. His answer reminded Twilight somewhat of Discord, who always seemed to answer in the most roundabout way possible.

According to Starswirl’s notes, the spell required time and no small amount of effort, so they had best be starting.

“We had best be starting then.”

***

Twinlinked stood up from the chair and faced Twilight. He wasn’t sure what she would do next, but assumed that it would be something bright and loud. He was a unicorn, but he didn’t have nearly the amount of experience with magic as Twilight did. He resolved to ask her to teach him teleportation and some of the other spells he had seen her using afterwards.

“According to Starswirl, I have to take over your mind by force, so I want you to put up as much fight as you can. Then I can see how hard the spell is to master,” she told him.

“I’m not sure that this is a good idea. Starswirl didn’t tell anyone the spell, right?”

“Yes, why?”

“Well, some things are secret for a reason.”

Twilight looked thoughtful for a moment, then reached a decision.

“We may as well experiment. I would have brought a notepad and quill, but I don’t think I will be able to use them.”

“Fair enough. Do you need me to help with the spell casting?”

“I shouldn’t think so.” There was a brief pause. “Okay let’s begin,” Twilight affirmed.

Thousand links, becoming two,

Let the minds align anew,

One, who casts, worms inside,

The other cannot run or hide,

Let the spell bind,

Two of one mind!

As Twilight spoke the final words, her eyes opened and revealed solid white light, which poured through the whole room. Twinlinked covered his eyes, but lowered his hoof in time to see a million tiny purple sparks cascade from Twilight’s horns. Some fell towards him, and when they reached him, he felt a tug on his horn, and saw his blue magic flowing like a molten river, flooding their corner of the room. The purple and blue magic fog swirled around them, blowing the winds of magic everywhere. A few books were thrown around, but he didn’t see them. The cyclonic spell contracted in, until it touched them.

Then there was white.

***

A few rows away, Lyra was also looking for a book. Octavia had invited her to form a duet, but she needed a music book, to match the one Octavia already owned. She was politely perusing the shelves under ‘T’ when a bright flash caught her attention. She walked slowly towards it, and it grew brighter. The light looked like a purple sky at sundown. Lyra peered around the corner at the light, protecting her body by hiding behind the shelf. A book was pulled off the shelf and flew towards her. She shut her eyes reflexively, and when she opened them again, Lyra saw Twilight Sparkle lying on the floor, out cold. Around five paces away, a stallion was likewise unconscious. He was a tan-coloured unicorn, and had a book-shaped cutie mark, but Lyra didn’t recognise him. She galloped from the library, and went looking for a doctor.

Back to The Library

Where am I? queried an inquisitive voice. There was still only white, but the voice found it could speak.

A communication point in both our minds. The voice was very surprised to hear another through deaf ears. Was another Voice talking? Then the other voice spoke again.

Which one of us am I? The first voice felt confused, and the second did too.

I am... Twinlinked, the voice decided finally. Now there was division.

Twilight Sparkle, came the other voice, which gained inflection and distinctive tone as it spoke.

Good. So we can only talk?

I- I don’t know. I need to take some measurements, but with what?

The second voice, Twilight, finished and suddenly, with a large explosion of light that opened Twinlinked’s blind eyes. He was in the old Library. Everything was identical to the departed building. All the books were on the shelves, and if he looked up, he could see the telescope he once used still leaning against the wall where he left it. He looked around some more, and jumped when he saw Twilight right next to him, similarly wide-eyed.

“Wow,” she said, “This is my library. How can we be seeing this?”

Twinlinked didn’t know, but he hazarded a guess to answer the question.

“Maybe we are seeing it the way we remember it. We’re giving shape to our combined thoughts.

Twilight nodded.

“That seems right,” she agreed. She continued looking, and Twinlinked could tell, somehow, how sad she was.

“There was a bee hive,” she said finally. Twinlinked felt sorry for her. His house had escaped the destruction caused by Tirek.

“Don’t feel sorry for me. Things need a changeup every now and then,” said Twilight, and Twinlinked realised their minds were experiencing the same emotions, regardless of the thinker.

He suddenly got the strong sense that something was wrong. He looked around and saw Twilight moving a quill across her desk. When she was finished, he had a great sense of relief.

Twilight started writing notes on parchment. Without looking, Twinlinked could tell they were her observations of the dreamworld.

“So what will we call it?” he asked.

“Call the mindscape?” Twilight answered with a question, still writing, “Well, it’s a sort of mindscape or dreamworld that we can see, but to others it appears that we are in a –

magic induced coma,” said Mentally Sound, a doctor at the Ponyville Public Hospital.

“PPH!” Rarity spat out her drink.

Applejack walked over to Twilight’s bed, and looked down at her friend through the drip tubes that went under the covers.

“Will she be alright?” Applejack asked.

Mentally Sound scratched his head, with a hoof that also held a clipboard.

“My expertise is in pony psychology, so all I can tell you is that her brain at least, might recover. But that is only judging by our current observations. Her condition may change at any time,” answered the doctor, out of his depth.

“If that stallion had anything to do with this…” threatened Rainbow loyally. The other ponies moved up to the bedside. Pinkie Pie bounced around the bed, until Mentally Sound gave her a stern glare. She quieted down for her sleeping friend.

Lyra spoke from behind them, quietly, and with deep regret.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t give Twilight a hand – I mean hoof,” she began, stammering, “By the time I got there, they were like this.”

Mentally Sound beckoned a nurse to look after them, saying, “I have another patient to see. If anything changes, ring the buzzer next to the bed.”

He bent down to the shorter nurse and said quietly, “And you can do the same for –

Twinlinked?” called Twilight. He shook his mane and looked up.

“Sorry!” he yelled back, then in a lower voice said, “I zoned out.”

She walked up next to him in the mindscape.

“I said, I am going to start trying to get into your mind now.”

“Like you already haven’t,” he replied, and he knew the joke would be understood. Twilight started concentrating, pushing her hoofs away from her body as she tensed up. She pointed her horn and closed her eyes. After a few moments, she gave up, dream-panting.

“What were you trying to do?” he asked politely.

“I was trying to believe I could take over your mind. If I believe it, it will happen.”

“No, that’s not right. That would never work. Don’t believe it, but will it. There’s no room for half measures or maybes.”

It mildly amused him that he was giving the most powerful pony in Ponyville advice on her own spell, but he stopped dream-chortling when he felt Twilight giving him a dream-glare into his mind.

“Fine,” Twilight said, “I will take over your mind.”

“No you won’t.”

As soon as those small words slipped out of Twinlinked’s small mouth, meant to be his defence against her mind-attack, the landscape changed. This time there was no bright flash of darkness, or a visible flick of change. One moment, they were in the library, the next, they were both standing on a dusty landscape. The dirt under their hoofs kicked up into dust devils in the distance, which spun over small hills and around the small, prickly bushes, which seemed to bear small, dry berries. The air seemed moist, and small thunderclouds stood still in the sky above their heads. But there were no pegasi to move them, so they were fixed in place. Also in the sky were no insects, but birds with curved beaks and small, black eyes. They were around the same size as Owlowiscious, but were much meaner looking.

“This looks like the Dustbowl Badlands,” commented Twilight. Twinlinked agreed, he had seen photos of the deserted, but not desert place in some books. He was an avid reader, and had formed a vivid picture of the place with Twilight, who had probably been here before.

“This is a good enough place for a battle,” they both said, “Let’s –

begin,” confirmed Rainbow Dash.

“Are you sure about this, Rarity?” asked Fluttershy politely, “I mean, it is pretty dangerous.”

Rarity didn’t answer, she was too focussed on her magic. So far they had tried alarm clocks, smelling salts and Pinkie’s confetti cannon, but the paper-covered Twilight still hadn’t woken up. Now Rarity was trying to wake her up using magic.

The nurse had called over Mentally Sound again, who was standing at a safe distance. He clearly wasn’t happy with the whole situation, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to stop them. In any case, it would give Twilight’s friends something to do.

Rarity’s horn glowed, but the magic discharge did nothing but turn the bedside light off.

“Could I ask that you do nothing more to try and wake up your friend? She will wake up in due –

The Battle

time to battle!” yelled Twinlinked to the troops he had willed into battle. He had four main groups of hoof soldiers, each with a commander. He also had two small squads of snipers and various other squadrons that would take too much time to name. He held high his sword so that it caught the sun and charged headlong. Tucking it back in its sheath by his side, he crested the hill that separated his forces and Twilight’s. He was going to give her a fight she wouldn’t quickly forget. He knew she would be ill-prepared, so first sent a hail of arrows down on her main force. Some of her ponies scattered, but the ones who were hit by arrows disintegrated into what Twinlinked and Twilight referred to as dream-cloud.

The dream cloud floated up into the sky, and made a number which stayed there. 26. That meant Twinlinked forces had destroyed 26 mind-soldiers. He sent down his main battleforce, but by this time Twilight was ready. A further three squads, each with thirty fully armed soldiers appeared and charged.

The rest of the battle passed, with Twinlinked making heavy gains, but Twilight, who had less experience, still held back his troops from capturing the base. They had agreed before that whoever captured the other’s base won. The main part of the fighting was in the valley that bordered Twilight’s base, a gain of only ten or twenty paces was all Twinlinked needed to win. But Twilight was putting up a fierce battle. He could feel her mind strategizing and planning, and knew that he was up against a very tough opponent. Nothing he had ever done in his war gaming store back in Ponyville could ever match up to this. The sheer skill needed, not to mention the mental exhaustion was phenomenal. This was, after all, a battle to control his mind.

All of his efforts were focussed on either flanking Twilight’s soldiers, which looked suspiciously like her friends from Ponyville, or on pushing through them like a wedge. He really wished that he could have read that tactical book from the library before this, but he had little time to think about such things as his sword flew like a phoenix through the hordes.

That was the plan Twilight was leaning on. Bombarding him with hordes of enemies, but he was sure she had elite forces trying to slip past his own squad of seasoned soldiers. Of course, they weren’t seasoned in the sense that real soldiers were, but he gave them enough free will and intelligence to act out of their own judgement.

The score was 239-56 in Twinlinked’s favour when he noticed something worrying. He sent a message to Twilight via their mind-connection.

Where did all these roots come from?

He was talking about the green vines that had been growing over the Dustbowl Badlands during the battle. There were bright lime ones on his side, but a darker shade on Twilight’s side. He had ignored them, assuming they were a side effect of the mental connection. In the real world, ponies would be far more worried about giant vines growing from nowhere, but this wasn’t the real world, so Twinlinked hadn’t been so concerned. But now they were growing thicker, and the different shades were twinging themselves around each other. It was beginning to worry him.

I think they represent our minds.

Should we be worried that they are tangling around each other?

More worry added to his own. However, at this time, his forces were poised to take the base. He concentrated on that for a moment, before one of his commanders came up to him. The commander distracted Twinlinked for a moment, because something about him was wrong. Twinlinked couldn’t place it until he realised the commander had a cutie mark. That shouldn’t be right, these were mind-soldiers, not ponies. Had something happened, so they sent a pony in to get them out? He took a closer look at the cutie mark. It was a large aqua eye. Twinlinked hadn’t seen any cutie mark like it before.

“Hello?” he hazarded talking to this mysterious commander.

“Sir, we have experienced more casualties on the left flank,” said the commander, in the voice Twinlinked had given them. The comment was odd though, the left flank was a strange place to launch an assault. To get from there to the main force would be very hard. That flank was closer to the vines than Twilight’s base. Was it possible that the vines were responsible for the casualties?

Twinlinked!

Twilight’s voice broke him from his concentration.

What is it Twilight?

Look at the tally!

He did. Up in the sky, surrounded by the medium-sized birds of prey, was the cloud tally. As Twinlinked watched the floating numbers, more and more of his troops drifted up. Soon he was only a few in front of Twilight. Then, they were the same.

328-328

Now there was noise. The sounds of battle were replaced by clanking of armour, and Twinlinked tore his vision down to the armies. They were freezing in position. The fighting had ceased. He abandoned the commander and galloped towards the base. Around him, soldiers burst into flame, searing his flesh as he ran past them. They crumbled into smouldering piles of flaming dust onto the brown dirt of the mindscape. Across the plain, Twilight’s troops were doing the same. Soon there was nothing left but smoke and ashes. Twinlinked met Twilight in the middle.

“What in Equestria is going on?” Twilight asked seriously.

“I don’t know.”

The sun was to his back, so the shadow caught his eye. He turned, squinted, and saw the cutie-marked commander standing on top of the hill. Twilight saw him too, and asked who it was. So Twinlinked told her.

“Could it be another pony? Fascinating!”

The commander moved closer at impossible speed. Soon, they were face to face with this pony. Uneasy but still optimistic, Twinlinked extended a hoof. But instead of taking it, the commander disintegrated into dust without bursting into flames like the others. A disquieting feeling fell over both ponies, as the dust rose into the air again. It swirled around briefly, mimicking the dust devils in the distance. Then it grew into a tornado in a matter of seconds. The brunt of the winds blew Twinlinked and Twilight down and away. Dust blew in their eyes, so they kept them clenched closed.

Did we create this, or is this another pony?

I wish I had my notebook right now! This is amazing!

They stood up in the mindscape, and looked in amazement as the tornado changed from the brown dust to purple-and-blue streaked, then to flames, that danced in a fiery whirl. The solid fire twisted towards them, tearing up the ground and throwing embers like snowflakes.

They ran.

It followed.

Outrunning the wind is something that is impossible, but never doubt the power of a desperate mind. And that is what the ponies were, both feeling each other’s fear mixing with their own, like blind rats scampering away from the big street cat. If fear was a smell, it is very similar to the smell of burnt grass. Fiery, stiff, and dead.

They managed to run almost to Twinlinked’s base, where he had set up red and white tents and pavilions. But the rush of wind and burning heat behind them grew less, until they felt it safe to look behind. The cyclone had indeed stopped, and went upwards into the dream-sky like a demonic pillar. From the embers came the voice.

YOU CREATED ME.

YOU FORMED ME.

YOU WILL FALL BEFORE ME.

The flaming totem suddenly collapsed into itself, falling to the ground, then erupting outwards like a shockwave. In the centre stood a pony, but the features were unseeable because of the bright light.

“What do we do?” yelled Twinlinked over the crackle of the flames.

“I don’t know –

The Enemy Revealed

what to do!” said Mentally Sound to the other ponies, and of course, Spike the dragon. The two ponies had been moved into intensive care. The machines were giving out rapid bleeps, which did nothing to calm down anyone.

Mentally Sound tried calming himself down and explaining again.

“Their heart rates are up, and their brains are giving responses similar to a nightmare,” he said, to soothe himself as well as everypony else. The remaining part of the Mane Six huddled together, with Lyra having gone home.

Applejack was the first to speak, “I just don’t understand how they got this way.”

“Maybe Twilight was in a magic duel with this Twinlinked guy,” said Rainbow Dash hotly, “but he wasn’t good enough to pull off the spell.”

“Maybe some ghastly villain came and has captured them in a nightmare,” suggested Rarity. Fluttershy shivered and put her hooves over her eyes.

“A monster! Ooh!” she murmured through chattering teeth.

“Or maybe three thousand tiny letters escaped from the books and flew around and around and around until they both fell asleep dizzy!” suggested Pinkie, who turned around several times before falling on the sanitized marble floor.

Spike seemed to be the only one taking it coolly. He waved a hand dismissively, then, with his other hand behind his back, he paced while talking, saying, “I’m sure Twilight knows what she’s doing. We never had to worry before.”

But then he added, in a lower tone, “She’s never been trapped in a nightmare before.”

Spike took his hand out from behind his back and started chewing it.

“What if we never see her again!”

“Nonsense!” shouted Mentally Sound over the top of them, “Our tests show that your friend-”

“That’s Princess of Friendship to you, stringbean!” said Applejack.

Mentally Sound sighed.

“Our tests show that the Princess of Friendship should recover.”

The five ponies spoke as one.

“Should!? Should –

we go closer?” asked Twinlinked. He looked apprehensively at the pony, bordered by a ring of thick fire.

“The fire shouldn’t burn us if we don’t believe in it,” answered Twilight, who Twinlinked thought it was fair to call a friend now. She cautiously put a hoof onto the coals, then removed it quickly, wincing.

“I was wrong!”

As it happened, they didn’t need to go closer. The pony stepped forward towards them, revealing herself to be Princess Celestia.

Well, if Celestia had flames for a mane and tail, glowing eyes, and a cutie mark resembling a large aqua eye, which blinked once as the Celestia-pony approached. Flames curled around its hoofs, and wound in thin strands up its legs

“Who are you?” they both called simultaneously at the creature.

I AM THE BEAST OF YOUR MIND. I WAS EACH AND EVERY FEAR AND BAD THOUGHT YOU EVER HAD, BUT NOW I AM FORMED. I CAN SEE YOU.

Twinlinked thought the same thing as Twilight:

What is your name?

I CAN SEE YOU.

Do you have a name?

I CAN SEE YOU.

There was a painfully long pause.

SIGHT.

Sight is your name?

I CAN SEE YOU.

Twinlinked/Twilight thought that was fair enough. Twilight tried to believe she was wearing impenetrable armour, and brandishing a sword.

Twinlinked yelled through the mind connection.

NO! Don’t believe it, know it!

There came a reply.

I have to believe in something!

Believe in yourself, for Celestia’s sake! I could believe I was in the ocean, but that wouldn’t make it true!

I NEED MEMORIES.

Twinlinked/Twilight thought as one again.

What do you mean?

I NEED MEMORIES. I WILL CORRUPT THEM, AND MAKE THEM FEAR AND HATRED. I HATE YOU.

Twilight realised something, and immediately spoke to Twinlinked.

It’s a child, she mind-spoke, a spiteful child. It has no experience, it needs to… mature.

`The revelation somehow shifted the current predicament out of proportion. In the same way you think differently about a cheese sandwich when someone tells you the cheese is mostly fat, the fact that Sight had a child’s mind threw everything into a new perspective.

I AM NOT A CHILD. I HATE YOU.

Sight swirled with black motes of magic before appearing two paces closer, in full black armour that was somehow transparent, but seemed powerful. Its horn gleamed with a corrupt light. It charged them with unearthly speed.

Will some armour! shouted Twinlinked, just as he did so. They both shone white radiance that seems to glow from inside, and found themselves wearing battle armour fit for the Sky Sisters, Celestia and Luna. Reaching down into the depths of his moral fibre, Twinlinked stood his ground as the beast approached them. He felt Twilight do the same, and felt comforted by the fact that she had done this many times before. She had defeated four villains, and reformed two. He knew they would defeat the galloping Sight. He grinned devilishly, the sort of daredevil grin given by the first pony to skydive. But before Sight reached them, it threw itself into a magical aura and teleported behind them. It twisted around, scuffing layers of dust and mud of the surface of the Dustbowl, before sliding to a stop. Before they turned to face it, it had already reached them.

Twilight threw herself into Twinlinked, and they both flew to the side, Twilight used her alicorn wings to propel them some distance before dropping Twinlinked to the ground. Sight snarled, eyes glowing with rage and the purest, most concentrated form of hatred. Instead of charging them again, it simply teleported closer in a dark flash, pulling a dagger streaked with red from its sheath. Twilight was clearly exhausted, so Twinlinked pulled his own sword, which was long and sharp. He swung with both hands, aiming for a gap in Sight’s armour. He hit his mark, and felt the blade slide through skin. But if he was expecting a gasp of pain, he was sorely disappointed as embers, not blood, flowed from the wound, which healed as if it had never been there.

The Wall Of Stone

Sight flicked up a hoof and kicked Twinlinked in the stomach. His armour took most of the hit, but it still hurt as he stood back to his shaky feet. Sight was nowhere to be seen. He stumbled back to Twilight.

“You okay?” she asked, genuinely concerned. She put a supporting hoof over his back to support him.

“Yeah,” he broke off coughing, “But my stomach says otherwise.”

“Why has Sight left? Probably to let us to stew for a bit.”

Twinlinked asked, “Why does she need to defeat us to get our memories? Why not just take them?”

“It seems like Sight needs to take over our minds by force, like I was going to with yours.”

There was a deep pause. The silence, broken only by the sound of coughing, was deafening. Twilight spoke just to break the wall of quiet.

“Twinlinked? I’m scared,” she said, and once Twilight had started, she couldn’t stop, “I mean, I reformed Nightmare Moon, Discord and defeated King Sombra and Tirek, but Sight is different. How do you defeat someone who is part of you?”

Twinlinked said darkly, “Sight isn’t part of us. It violated that right by trying to kill us.”

Twilight laughed, and Twinlinked joined in. For Twilight, it was like having Pinkie Pie back again, albeit a Pinkie Pie with a darker sense of humour. But she would take that over no pony. For Twinlinked, it was a good way to relieve tension, plus, it was true.

They eventually ran out of breath, which gave them enough time to see the wall in the distance.

Calling it a wall is an inaccurate description. It was more like a wave, a wave made of tumbling grey rocks. Rocks large enough to stopper the bottle of the universe. More like mountains than boulders, and all tumbling in a stone tsunami. In between the towering stones, was a bordering of red lava, boiling and spitting as the wave drew closer. Twilight turned to sprint, but Twinlinked grabbed her shoulder. He was still staring headlong at the wave.

“We’re staying,” he said with finality.

“My alicorn magic doesn’t work here,” Twilight said, “We can’t hurt Sight, we don’t even have the Elements of Harmony!”

Twinlinked looked at her.

“Twilight, this is our minds. We will be fine.”

Twilight took deep breaths, extending a hoof slowly with each one.

“Your right,” she finally said, “I was just worried that I might have let Celestia down.”

She trotted closer to the incoming tower of stone.

I DON’T BELIEVE IN YOU! she mind-yelled.

No Twilight! Will Sight to be gone! Twinlinked answered.

I told you earlier, she said in reply, I have to believe in something! Something outside my own power!

Then believe in me!

The wall reached them, and collapsed. Mountains of rock fell all around them, cutting off Twinlinked and Twilight. He heard her scream, and galloped towards the noise. A grey boulder crunched to his left, and another was falling in front of him. Just before the stone hit the ground, Twinlinked jumped. As he leapt over the massive rock, he yelled to anyone who was listening.

“I won’t let her –

stay in this coma forever,” said Celestia, “She is my prized student.”

She had come straight from Canterlot once she had heard the news. The first thing she did was go back to the library. She searched the place from top to bottom, and found the jar with beetles in it. Of course, she knew what Hive Cockroaches were, but she had little idea what they were doing there.

“It seems Twilight and Twinlinked have both fallen to some sort of spell,” she told the worried friends.

“Is there anything you can do to help her?” asked Fluttershy politely.

“All I can do is tell you who the caster was. My magic only extends so far, even in Equestria.”

“So who was the horrid pony that did this to our friend, your Highness?” asked Rarity, reverentially speaking. Rarity was honoured to speak with Equestria’s ruler, so she wasn’t going back on ceremony now.

“Twinlinked,” Celestia said, then added quickly, “And Twilight. There are traces of both their magic.”

Celestia was, for one time in her life, at a loss. She had consulted star charts, spell books, and even tea leaves, but nothing. She had even resorted to speaking to ponies who had dabbled with time, letting them see the future, but also driving them frothing insane. They had only replied by laughing, or frowning deeply. Either way, it was bad.

“What is it, sister?” asked Luna, always a guiding light on dark nights like this one.

“I’m concerned for Twilight,” Celestia said, “What if… What if it wasn’t true? Just a lie.”

“A lie which has been true up until now?” the Princess of Night said critically, “A lie which came from truthful lips?”

“Your right, of course. But Twilight, wherever she is now, is on her own.”

Luna took her sister’s hoof, and said comfortingly, “Let’s go.”

Suddenly a gasp and yells came from the hospital room. Celestia ran back to see Twilight’s friends embracing her lovingly. Twilight was sitting up in her bed, holding onto a smile for a moment, then slipping back into a face of concern. She got up, despite the protests of Mentally Sound, and trotted over to Twinlinked’s bed.

“He’s still unconscious,” she said. Celestia came over to her and, in her most soothing voice said, “When you’re ready, could you tell us what happened before you went in the coma.”

“She will be ready later!” said Mentally Sound, trying to regain control over his own patients. And his patience.

“She has just woken up! The last thing she would remember would be before the accident!”

“No,” said Twilight, thinking drowsily, “That’s not right. None of it. Accident?”

Then she giggled, as if remembering a funny joke. That did not make anyone any less worried.

“Why am I awake? What happened to Twinlinked?”

“Twilight,” spoke Celestia, “I think you need a -

Teasing Death

rest,” said Twinlinked as he lay Twilight on the ground. She was unconscious. What did that mean for the mindscape? Would it fall apart?

I CAN SEE YOU. I HATE YOU.

The voice of Sight came again. The boulders disappeared into wispy black smoke.

SHE HAS BEEN FREED.

What did you do to Twilight?

SHE CAN SEE HER FRIENDS. YOU SHOULD BE THANKFUL.

What will you do to me?

YOU CAN SEE YOUR FRIEND HATE.

“Oh yes,” Twinlinked drawled sarcastically, “I’m so –

thankful you’re okay, sugar cube!” said Applejack truthfully. Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie all nodded in excited agreement.

“I just hope that Twinlinked is too,” Twilight said. Then, shadows passed over her face.

“Wait,” she said, “Fluttershy, why did you do that to me?”

“Sorry, Twilight, for whatever it was. What was it?”

“And Rainbow Dash,” Twilight Sparkle continued, “You abandoned me.”

“PPH! As if I would do that!” Rainbow contradicted.

Rarity asked kindly, “Are you alright?”

Twilight yelled at her.

“Don’t speak to me like –

that!” Twilight said. Twinlinked could see out of her eyes, and hear from her ears. He could see her turning on her friends.

SHE CAN SEE.

What have you done? Twinlinked knew he mustn’t lose his temper, for the sake of Twilight.

Suddenly, the scene shifted. Instead of being in Twilight’s head, he was now in her memories. He saw when she had first met her friends, at the Summer Sun Celebrations.

Even I know this. I was there, remember?

Indeed, Twinlinked could see fleeting glimpses of him during some parts of the memory. Forty minutes passed, in no time at all, there was no time. The memory was over. Then Twinlinked saw the Summer Sun Celebrations again.

Applejack let go of her friend, all the time insisting she would be fine, but knowing Rainbow Dash wasn’t there.

THE ELEMENT OF MISTRUST

Fluttershy enraged the Manticore deliberately.

THE ELEMENT OF CREULTY

Pinkie Pie cried in terror at the sight of the trees.

THE ELEMENT OF FEAR

Rarity stole the scale from the serpent.

THE ELEMENT OF THEFT

Rainbow Dash abandoned Twilight on the rope bridge.

THE ELEMENT OF TREACHERY

Twilight lacked the magic to activate to elements.

THE ELEMENT OF NORMALITY

Sight commented on every warped memory. Twinlinked was forced to watch on in terror. Growing revulsion pushed up his throat, which was hoarse and dry. The final scene brought tears to his eyes.

Twilight and her friends were arguing in Everfree Forest, each one with the flames of hate in their eyes. Some left, some fought each other, and no-one came to help them. Sight’s voice came again, deeper, more feminine. It now had memories, and was becoming more like Twilight’s voice.

THE ELEMENTS OF HATRED

Twinlinked was finally thrown out of the nightmare. Back in the Dustbowl Badlands, cracks were appearing in the ground, and through the cracks was the hot magma of hatred. Twinlinked finally came to a decision. He strode purposefully towards the green vines. If he was right, this should draw out Sight. He was right.

Sight appeared again, and a deep red had soaked into its hoofs. Looking less like Celestia, and more like Twilight now, Sight stood in his way.

I CAN SEE YOU.

I can see you too Sight.

I WILL CORRUPT YOU

No, I will join you.

Twinlinked was hoping Sight had enough of Twilight’s memories to be able to ask questions. He was really lucky he was correct.

REALLY?

No.

Twinlinked burst into dark laughter. He used the same trick back in Ponyville. Sight fell back a few paces from the surety his answer.

Could you get out of the way? I’m trying to get through.

I WILL NOT LET YOU. I HATE YOU.

Twinlinked shook his head in mock sadness.

I blame the father.

I HAVE NO PARENTS. YOU MADE ME.

Laughing hysterically, Twinlinked walked forward. Sight tried to stand in his way.

I WILL STOP YOU.

Darn, I was going to say that to you.

Sight pulled out its dagger again and thrust it at Twinlinked. He dodged with skill that would have taken years of practice in the real world. Becoming serious and quiet, he walked slowly but confidently away Sight, towards the vines. This time when Sight stabbed him, he let it. The pain – there was no pain. He kept walking. Sight threw boulders at him, but he kept walking forward. None of the boulders seemed to hit him. Sight teleported in front of him, but Twinlinked didn’t stop walking.

The force of his will made Sight walk backwards in order to stop Twinlinked from walking into it.

STOP.

No.

I WILL STOP YOU.

No you won’t.

Twinlinked didn’t believe he was going to make it to the mind-vines. He knew it. There was no doubt, and that was hurting Sight. With each sure step he took, he saw Sight wince.

YOU CANNOT WIN.

Prove it.

Sight made am army out of the dust to stop Twinlinked. He made himself armour and a guard unit.

Sight formed a massive wall. Twinlinked got a grappling hook and sturdy boots.

Sight grew a river of lava between him and the vines. Twinlinked formed a thick stone boat.

Sight arose a mountain for him to climb. Twinlinked made Pegasus wings.

Finally, Sight seemed to give up and disappeared. Twinlinked kept walking towards the vines. Slowly, he was making progress. Almost 50 paces from the vines now. 49 paces. 48 paces. 47. 46. 45

Twinlinked felt bile rise in his throat as he was spun around in a rapid circle. When he regained control of his stomach, he looked up

Instead of the Dustbowl Badlands, he was in a black chamber. There were no visible landmarks at all, just black. Seeking stimulation, he looked at himself, but found that even that was impossible. It was different to the connection Twilight and Twinlinked had first had, that had no sight at all. You could see the blackness here, even if that was all you could see.

Twinlinked knew he must not waver in his resolve. He started trotting slowly towards nowhere. He knew it was the act of moving wasn’t what was powerful. It was the will to move that was injuring Sight.

STOP MOVING. STOP THINKING.

This I getting tedious. Knock knock.

Twinlinked again relied on the fact that Sight had absorbed Twilight’s memories.

I KNOW WHO YOU ARE.

Oh come on. Humour me. Alright, if you answer the joke correctly I will stop moving.

WHO’S THERE?

The only reason this tactic worked is because Twinlinked meant it. He would stop if Sight answered the joke in the appropriate manner. The trick was that only Twinlinked knew the right answer.

Erma

ERMA WHO?

Erma coming through!

I WILL STOP YOU.

Wrong answer.

With the tables fully turned, Twinlinked simply walked out of his own brain. It was a little bit more complex than that, obviously, but that was how it was done. He found a vine, grabbed onto it and jumped.

Then there was white.

Hindsight

Twinlinked woke up in the white hospital bed. His heart was pumping faster than he thought possible, so he gave himself time to relax. Strangely enough, there was nopony there. That suited Twinlinked just fine. When he had rested for a bit, he pulled out the IV needle from his leg and stood up. It was so nice to be back in reality again. But there was still the problem of Twilight. She was somewhere in the hospital, with Sight controlling her. He walked down the lone, well lit corridor towards the centre of the hospital. He heard a loud crash to his left, and went towards it.

Pushing through spring-hinged double doors, he found himself in a small kitchen. Along the wall closest to him were Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie and Spike. Celestia and Luna were closer to the other side of the room. Twilight was nowhere to be found. Twinlinked ignored the looks of distrust from Twilight’s friends and approached Celestia. He whispered to her privately.

“Could you take me to the library?”

Two minutes later, he was ready.

“Ooh, I wouldn’t normally go anywhere near these Roaches, but for Twilight,” groaned Rarity as she slipped on her Element.

“Are you sure we can trust him, Celestia,” said Rainbow as she put hers on mid-air.

“I’m sure, Rainbow Dash,” answered Celestia.

“These cockroaches are quite friendly,” commented Fluttershy, who was cuddling three of them. She eventually let them go and gave one to each pony.

Twinlinked hoped this plan would work. They would each take over one of the roaches, then use the Elements of Harmony to remember Twilight before Sight. Hopefully his would work. The trouble was it needed Twilight to be wearing her element.

Probably a combination of the friend’s mistrust of him, and his own willingness, Twinlinked was in charge of that aspect. Finding Twilight wasn’t hard, Celestia had found her in the crater of the Golden Oak Library. Catching her was the tricky bit.

As soon as he caught sight of her in the wreckage, Twinlinked ran. He felt that a battlecry was nesseccary at this point, so he yelled, “Erma coming through!”

Behind him Pinkie-bug giggled.

Twilight saw and heard him from a long way off, but took some time to react. Then, she ran.

Twinlinked had hoped she wouldn’t run too fast, banking that Sight wouldn’t be used to a real body. Clearly he was wrong.

He tried to remember what Celestia had said.

“Imagine the location, then imagine being there. Let magic do the rest.”

He did imagine the location, Sugarcube Corner, right in front of TwiSight. He saw himself standing there, and felt the magic flow through the spirals of his horn. It grew and built, then it released.

He was standing near Sugarcube Corner, right in front of Sight. Before it could react, he jumped over Twilight, and shoved the final Element on her head. Then he sent a beam of blue magic into the sky, the agreed signal. He slid to a stop and waited. Nothing seemed to happen for a very long time. And then…

That’s the signal girls! called Apple-bug.

Let’s save our friend, replied Rainbow-bug loyally.

Twinlinked didn’t hear that, and didn’t see the friends activate their Elements of Harmony. All he saw was one colour erupt from each pony. Rainbow Dash was red, Applejack had an orange stream and Pinkie’s magic caused a blue beam. They were joined by Fluttershy’s pink and Rarity’s purple. The colours joined in the air, and made a rainbow. Of course, Twinlinked had seen the magic rainbow of death from the many events in Ponyville, but this one was different. The rainbow was slightly transparent, lacking depth. It twisted and turned in the air, then it straightened. The rainbow turned once more, slowly and fell. Crashing into Twilight, it formed a white orb around her. Remembering what happened in the library, he shielded his eyes just in time. He saw Twilight’s eyes flash with Alicorn light, in the white, true memories rocketed through her vision. Then, Twilight’s eyes returned to normal, not fire-filled. Behind him, Twinlinked could very faintly hear the sounds of the Mane Six returning to their bodies, and saw the Hive Cockroaches scuttling off to find shelter in the Everfree forest. He looked back, and saw Twilight, dreary eyed and slack-jawed. She stumbled, off-balance, so he put out a hoof to lean against. Twilight took it.

A few days later, in the palace at Canterlot, Celestia sat on her throne in front of Twinlinked at Twilight. A large crowd was separated by a thick purple and blue carpet that ran right up to the throne. Twinlinked was honoured to be here. This official ceremony was only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. There was going to be a large party later, rumour had it Pinkie had organised the whole thing.

Celestia stood up regally and hushed the crowd. Then she looked down at the two ponies, who bowed in respect at the ruler of Equestria. Following ceremony, Celestia took Twilight’s hoof first, as befitted the Princess of Friendship. She pulled Twilight to her feet, then did the same for Twinlinked.

“This day,” she began, “we celebrate the actions of two ponies, who not only solved another of Starswirl the Bearded’s final spells, but also averted catastrophe and saved Equestria from a terrible fate.”

A loud cheer erupted from the crowd. Twinlinked didn’t feel as if he deserved that, because he and Twilight did cause the near-catastrophe in the first place.

Celestia continued in royal Canterlock, “They also learned a valuable lesson in Friendship.  Together they have shown that you should never doubt with a trusted friend by your side.”

After the ceremony, when Twinlinked and Twilight were enjoying a long deserved, dreamless (thanks to Luna), sleep, Celestia paced. Her gold-clad hoofs made no sound; she used her magic to mask the noise so that it wouldn’t rouse the sleeping ponies. The high marble walls rose above her head, holding fabulous stained glass windows. In each frame was a depiction of one of the influential events that built Equestria. As she walked, Celestia looked at each one in turn. The first, three ponies, a unicorn, a pegasi and an earth pony all stood together. The next one forwarded in time, to the coronation of the Sky Sisters. Then followed a period of around a thousand years, filled with turning points for the empire. The most recent depiction was of Tirek being defeated by Twilight and her friends.

T he celestial pony smiled. Her prodigy, already much further advanced in magic than Celestia. The Princess of the Sun could only go so far in the magic of friendship, as she had few. Luna, Cadence and Twilight were the only ones truly close to her. There were many other empty windows, filled with white glass. Celestia had never told Twilight that the glass windows were magical. They reflected the emotions and histories of the ponies of Equestria, so no glass makers ever had to get their hands dirty, except for repairs. The pane Celestia was looking at was just a blank slate. Empty, but as Celestia moved closer, she found a small impurity in the glass. She tried rubbing it with a hoof, but it stayed. The Sky Sister leant in closer. The smudge was no bigger than one of her teeth, but if you looked at it for long enough, it could almost look like a tan-coloured pony standing next to a purple one. Celestia smiled.

The Persuasive Power Of Confetti Sprinkles

The castle shone with an iridescent gleam, flaring in Twinlinked’s vision as he approached it. He found it quite novel that the Friendship Castle, as folk had begun calling it, worked more or less as a library. He walked up to the front door, much unlike the gates of Celestia’s and Luna’s palace, or the Crystal Empire. There were no guards, with the exception of Pinkie Pie, who had taken to wearing oversized armour and was brandishing a small maypole as a spear. Twinlinked tried to enter, but a flash of multi-coloured streamers flew right in front of him.

“No entry without a permit,” giggled Pinkie Pie, pushing the helmet higher on her head.

Twinlinked pulled out a few flakes of confetti from his mane; Bon Bon had a birthday party that morning. Presenting them to Pinkie, he asked as solemnly as he could, “Will this do?”

“Don’t be silly, those are confetti sprinkles. Very well made though,” said Pinkie, and sticking her muzzle in closer, added, “Quite fresh, too, by the smell of things.”

Twinlinked wasn’t sure whether this conversation was the best use of his time, but his fun side kept him in it, so he answered by explaining.

“I was at Bon Bon’s party this morning.”

“Technically you were watching from the balcony.”

Twinlinked guessed that she had seen him up there, because it was true. She did have a surprising memory for these things.

“Only 179 days until your birthday, Twinlinked!” called Pinkie, skipping inside. Twinlinked briefly wondered what to do with the confetti, but he decided to put them back in his blue and brown mane. Then he followed Pinkie inside. They went through a short tunnel, lit by the many reflections of the sun in the faceted walls. At the exit to the tunnel, Twinlinked found Rainbow Dash, lying on top of a sapphire pillar. She had her front hoofs crossed in a display of extreme relaxation, because the sun shone a heavy beam through one of the high windows right on top of her. She roused himself enough to open one eye down at Pinkie.

“Lieutenant Pinkie Pie reporting for duty!” Pinkie yelled gleefully as she bounced in that classic-Pinkie way. Rainbow rolled over so she was upside down and opened both eyes.

“Lieutenant?” she asked, confused and drowsy.

“Sure,” answered Pinkie loudly, enough to properly wake up Rainbow Dash, “I even have a lute.”

She pulled out said lute and began playing a quick tune. Rainbow just rolled her eyes. She looked at Twinlinked.

“So, what are you here for?”

“I want to borrow a book.”

“Sure thing. Third door on your left.”

Twinlinked thanked Rainbow and trotted in that direction.

“So what’s the book about,” asked Rainbow, flying after him before slowing to an upside-down swim, “Is it Daring Do and the Eternal Flower? Or maybe it’s Daring Do and the Sapphire Statue. Or maybe-”

Twinlinked looked at her, saying, “Sorry, Rainbow Dash, it’s a book on war tactics.”

“Phh! Egghead stuff. I’ll go see what Fluttershy’s up to.”

With that, Rainbow lost interest and flew away. Reaching the third door on his left, Twinlinked entered the library. It was quite similar to the Golden Oak Library, but much bigger. There were rows and rows of shelves, each one full with books. As he looked around, Twinlinked noticed movement behind a far-off row. He hoped it was someone who could help him find his book, so he went towards the shadow.

Losing the silhouette in the maze-like library was so easy that Twinlinked managed to lose and find the pony twice before finally catching up. It was Princess Twilight Sparkle, which didn’t terribly surprise Twinlinked. She looked him up and down, not recognising him. He didn’t mind, he had a very forgettable face.

“Hi,” he started, “I’m Twinlinked and I’m looking for a book.”

***

Twilight was somewhat surprised that Twinlinked hadn’t bowed or shaken hoofs or something. She couldn’t remember where, but she was sure she had seen him around before, and she was glad he was treating her as a normal pony. Well, a normal Alicorn, anyway.

Maybe he will once he recognises you.

Don’t be silly, he clearly recognises me. He is in my castle, looking for one of my books.

Fine then, introduce yourself. See how he treats you then.

“Hello. I am Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship.”

She extended a hoof politely. Twinlinked took it and shook fairly vigorously, but with Applejack as a friend, Twilight was used to much worse. She breathed an inward sigh of relief that he hadn’t bowed or reverently lowered his head or anything of that nature.

“Should I bow or something?” Twinlinked asked.

Told you so, said Twilight’s constant fears.

Oh be quiet, you.

Twilight laughed.

“No. What book are you after?”

“The Four-Pony Sleight and Other Tacts. I think it’s by Weary O’Battledan. Do you have it?”

“Hmmm. There are certainly some of his later books, like Practicalities of the Battleground,” Twilight answered, “I’ll go and have a look. It should be under ‘W’.”

After a few minutes of searching, Twilight eventually pulled the book from the wooden shelving and gave it to Twinlinked. She wondered why he wanted it, as it was an unusual request, so she asked.

“Oh, I run a war gaming store near Sugarcube Corner,” came the puzzling reply. Twilight had no idea what that meant. She hadn’t been to every store in Ponyville, but it surprised her that such a combination of words even passed as an occupation.

“War…gaming…store?” she asked, thinking intensely about what such a shop would sell. Perhaps some form of weapon that was harmless but was used in mock fighting. It could shoot a form of magic that would freeze the opponent or mark them somehow. It might be called Lazer Hoof, or Magic Tag or something. That would be a fun game. You might take it to certain locations, and play using the cover of bushes, buildings and the like. Perhaps there could even be different types of weapon, some being better than others.

“We sell small figurines that ponies can make into armies, which they then battle against other mare’s and stallion’s armies. The rules are a bit complex, but that’s the general idea of it all,” Twinlinked answered.

Oh.