Tori Scarlenby HyoukaChaptersWait... What?This is...!Bow and Arrow, Crime and Punishment.Death at a FuneralDr. X-Acto BealeFatherWait... What?Transmutation. The most powerful of all the alchemical magics. If I could succeed in this venture, I could easily be the most powerful unicorn on Equestria. I prepared the toad eyes (Sorry, Fluttershy) and powdered phoenix feathers (Courtesy of Philomena) and placed them in their respective beakers. I am attempting to turn lead to gold. The highly volatile mixture was almost ready. The set bubbled, and my bunsen burner was fully powered. As the transmogrification serum boiled, I realized I made a mistake. I had no lead! But I remembered something that I learned recently. This was the best possible time to try my locate/teleport spell! I was still working out the kinks, but I was fairly sure I could do it this time. Fairly sure. I searched for a sizable chunk of lead, and found the largest in Ponyville. All I needed was to teleport it here... SHOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!! “Tori Scarlen, you wake up right now! You’re going to be late for school!” I woke up in a bed. I rubbed my face with my hoof, but there was no hoof there. A strange appendage greeted me instead, and strangely enough, it was a lot more comfortable rubbing my face with it than a hoof. “Tori! Wake up and get down here this instant! I don’t care if you were practicing witchcraft up there or what, but you, young lady, are about to be late!” I stared at the body I now understood to be mine, sorting through a mental checklist. The strange, hairless appendages, the lack of a tail, and the oversized, but still comfortingly similar, mane that flowed down my back. I guess that made me Tori Scarlen. I climbed out of the bed and tried to stand. It hurt. A lot. And, against my better judgment, I went downstairs. “Tori, get out of that ridiculous position and stand up straight like a normal human being! And what in God’s name did you do to your hair? I told you, no dying your hair or getting highlights until you get into college. And last I checked, your junior year averages aren’t even going to get you into a carnival!” “Huh?” I stared at the source of the commanding voice. She looked similar to me, and I only knew she was female by her dialect. I slowly straightened up, trying to copy her stance, and found that it was a lot easier on my back. “Well?” the mare asked. “What do you have to say for yourself?” I was still confused. “Wait...what?” “Oh, come on, big sis, you can’t be that stupid.” The voice came from the table next to what I assumed to be a kitchen. It was a male, young looking, and his face reminded me of someone I knew... “S-Spike?” “Oh, that’s a new one. No ‘brat’ or ‘twerp’ today? And, once again, if you weren’t paying attention the first hundred times, my name is Stephen.” “I have no clue what’s going on.” The woman looked like she was about to explode. “But I do. We are going to dye your hair back to blonde before anyone sees you like this.” She dragged me to what looked like a bathroom, and forced my head down into a sink. “Young lady, I’m feeling generous, so I have a proposition for you. If you can get your grades up, I won’t ground you, and you can go to one party a week. But that is only if you can keep a B average. Minimum, in every class. I swear, all this stress is going to put me in an early grave. And what possessed you to walk on all fours like that? You know what, I don’t even want to know. At least you for once aren’t talking back to me.” All this was being said as the putrid smell of chemicals filled the air, and when she was finished, my hair was an ugly shade of yellow, like it was dirty. I looked up, and her eyes had visibly softened. “You were such a good kid. What happened to you? The new semester starts today, and I want you to do your best. And if you ever need anything, come talk to me.” She kissed me on the head, at least, I was pretty sure it was my head, right where my horn used to be. “Now, let’s get you to school. Brandon will be waiting. Oh, by the way, you're still totally grounded. Get those grades up!” She arched her eyebrows. And amidst all this new information, the hope in her eyes kept me from saying a word. Now, who in the world was Brandon? Brandon was my boyfriend. That much was apparent when he full up kissed me as soon as I left the old mare’s motorized carriage. (I really would have to look into how that worked.) I still don’t know what “boy” meant, but it only applied to colts. And still I was speechless, still absorbing everything. We walked into a room filled with desks, and a tall “human being”, as the old mare said, was handing out sheets. I looked at the one he (I assumed it was a he) gave me, and I visibly perked up as a smile sprang onto my face. A schedule! Finally, something organized! Let’s see. Geometry 10, English, World History, Home Economics, Creative Writing, Chemistry. Easy enough, if this was a school. I wonder if there is magic here, but I doubt it. Besides, these new front hooves were as good as any telekinesis spell I’ve ever used. “Hey, Tori? You all right, babe? You’ve been acting kinda spacey.” Oh, Brandon. I started listen to him, then spaced into my own devices after like five minutes. He was shallow, bulky, and nothing like my type. He was brash, and probably the most annoying creature on this planet. If I had to stereotype him, it would be idiotic jock, and I guess I need to tell him that. “Look, Brandon, I don’t think I really like you, like, at all. I find you... brash. And I don’t like brash.” He stared, stunned at my statement of fact, until the bell rang. At the Academy for Gifted Unicorns, that meant get to first period or get turned into a toaster strudel. So I got to Geometry Ten. “Okay, class, welcome to the new semester. My name is Mrs. O’Neal, and this is Geometry Ten. Now, please write down the warm-up problem, and give the answer completely condensed.” I stared at my desk, and the pencil and paper sitting on it, numbly. Now, only one problem left to solve. How in Equestria do I pick up a pencil?! A/N: Hello, audience. Please enjoy my new story, Tori Scarlen. I’ve had this idea for a while, and I needed a break from “I Miss You” and the sequel for “The Strangest Things”, called “Contained Worlds”. I hope you enjoy it, and if it is well received, I think I will continue with this. KTHXBAI! This is...!Human math is much too easy. This is supposed to be “Senior Year”, right? Back at the Academy, seniors were doing math related to curves and subjective angles, called “calculus”. Not triangles. Triangles were too easy for seniors. And this class was called Geometry Ten, right? But seniors have done up to fifteen years, no less than twelve, back at the academy. Am I really that stupid? Well, maybe I am, because I had to stare at other humans for at least ten minutes before learning how to write. But after that, it came easily. I finish the last problem on the sheet, and wait. Ten minutes later, the teacher (for it was obviously a teacher) calls for the papers, and announces that it would be taken up as a quiz grade. “Every warm-up is either a quiz or a daily grade in this class, so do them or fail.” He picks up the papers, then starts the lesson on Pythagoras and his theorem on triangles. I ignore what he was saying, as it was deathly boring. As he finished, I had the entire theorem memorized, and wasted no paper. No need to take notes on something so trivial. After class, I am confronted by three humans, girls by the look of it, who immediately began asking questions in an aggressive manner. “What did you do this morning?” “Why were you not at cheer practice?” “What did you do to Brandon?” “I saw him sulking by the vending machines. Why was he sulking?” “Aren’t you his girlfriend?” “Why weren’t you there to comfort him?” “Why were you in class on the clique’s ditch day?” “How did you forget ditch day?” “First of the semester, every year since freshman year!” All the questions were hurting my brain, so I took the easy way out. “Excuse me, but I have to get to class.” I push one of them aside, and start walking to the map on the wall to find my geography class. But one of them cuts me off, and I am surrounded by all three of them. “Wait.. I know! You broke up with Brandon, didn’t you!” She slaps me in the face. “How could you do that to that poor boy! That’s just cruel!” “Unfortunately for my psychologist, I’m feeling rather cruel." I said. "And I also need to get to class.” “What is wrong with you today?” Took the words right out of my mouth. My personality isn't what it used to be. But I don’t care. “You’re acting like you actually like school! Recite the clique motto: Future models and celebrities don’t need school. All we need is cheer and cash.” Shallow, much? But the girls keep pestering me, and it got me all riled up. Without thinking, my anger flared. The tall one slams into the wall with a push of magic. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get to class.” And I walk calmly away, without a backward glance. Everyone is gawking at my nerve, or maybe at the ripple of violet that ran through my hair. “I saw that.” A tall, muscular boy with brown hair in a white shirt walks up to me. Thin, with a look about him that made me feel safe, it also seemed he had no lack in the brains department. He was actually kinda cute... no, Twilight. You are a pony, and you will return home. No time for relationships. It’s after geography, and the school is about to break for lunch. “You saw what?” “What you did in the hallway. I saw it, and I almost didn’t believe it. But it was real. I SAW it!” “What did you see?” I squinted at him suspiciously. “TK!” He was jumping around in excitement. “Telekinesis! Force fields, manipulation, whatever, but you pushed that girl with your mind! It was incredible!” “What?!” “You did. No point in denying it, so ha! I caught someone using TK in real life, before my dad did! Wait until I show him this!” He grabs my wrist in an iron lock, probably more out of excitement than force. “Come on, let’s go!” There is no one in the hallway, so I decided a bit of magic wouldn't hurt. He knew, after all. FLASH I teleport three feet away, and start running. “What?” He stands there for a moment, confused, then excitement fills his voice. “Teleportation! This is the best day ever!” And he faints on the spot. I hear his body hit the floor. Man, I blew my secret so fast? I’ll have to avoid him. Time for lunch. I look inside my backpack, find a paper sack and pull it out. There’s a sandwich inside, but I don’t really know what’s inside. But I eat it anyway. It was good! Lettuce, and a few discs of red things that were salty but tasty anyways. A slice of cake, and some juice finish the meal. Satisfactory, if not anything else. Afterward, I needed a quiet place to review this planet’s geography, so I went to my favorite place ever: the library. Oh, Celestia. The guy was there. The tall one screaming about TK. Luckily, he was the only one there, and in the back. Let’s see if I remember that invisibility spell... perfect. He was sitting at a desk, doing something on a big machine. I sneak up invisibly on him, and look at what he was doing. He was typing something. Equestria Daily... that seemed interesting...! Wait. Is that Cherrilee... Scootaloo... so many ponies! He went scrolling through the pictures. Almost everypony I knew was there, in picture or art form. This is a revelation for me, but unfortunately, I sorta squeaked a little. He looks behind him and sticks out his hand, and touches my stomach. “Eep!” I materialize in front of him, the purple still fading from my hair. “What else can you do?...” he whispered softly. His eyes were soft in wonder. I did what any sensible unicorn would have done. I teleported away. A/N: Chapter two is done. I took the opportunity to practice present tense, so tell me any mistakes you find. Note: all things in purple italics are magic related, just as an experiment. I hope you enjoy her first day of human high school... KTHXBAI! Bow and Arrow, Crime and Punishment.Right. What’s next on this list? ... Gym. I wonder what that is... I walked into the gym room, and I looked at the ones around me. HE was there, much to my displeasure. He stared at me, and I looked at the floor. A large man with a green hat with a feather in it walks into the room. He does NOT look good in green tights. Rarity would die if she saw that. “He looks like Peter Pan!” “What is he wearing?!” “Coach looks ridiculous!” “Alright, class. I am dressed as Robin Hood. And what does Robin Hood do?” “Steal!” “Give to the poor!” “No.” said the coach. “He shoots ARROWS. and this unit, we are going to go through a crash course on Olympic archery.” “Sweet!” “Cool!” “I’m gonna die...” The coach continued on his ramble. “When your parents signed the release forms, they let me have my way with this class. Although, I do have another motive. Our archery team blows this year, and I’m scouting for new recruits. So do your best, and you might win a shiny trophy for my cabinet one day! So everybody, partner up! Time to get shooting!” Me and HIM were the only ones left, so we were stuck with each other. We lined up in lane six, bows in our hands. “Hi, I’m Jordan Beale. I don’t think we were introduced properly.” He reached out his hand to shake. Wait, what do I call myself? That woman called me... “Tori. Tori Scarlen. A pleasure.” “Uh, can we talk later? I kinda wanted to ask you about...” he trailed off. “Uh, sure. After school. But later. I want to try this ‘archery’. It looks cool.” I picked up an arrow from the box, and tried to copy the stance that the coach showed me. I aimed for the target, adjusted for wind and air resistance, and let the arrow fly. Unfortunately, it missed, and I hit a tree fifty yards out. I tried again, and this time, I nicked the target. Most of the other girls were chatting or they couldn’t pull the string back far enough. Jordan went next. He raised the bow to his shoulder, and let his arrow fly. It hit the target dead center. “Good form, Beale!” yelled the coach. His arrows were all on target as well. Jordan rubbed the back of his neck. “My dad’s a big weapons fanatic. He taught me to use the bow, as well as machetes, knives, and even uzi sub machine guns. I’m a good shot.” “Can you help me then?” “Sure. First thing to do is...” ‘I. Am. Going. Insane. What am I doing? I need to find a way back to Equestria! Not socialize with Jordan and learn how to fire a bow! Although, I did get pretty good at it.’ Twilight shook her head. ‘Right now, the only way I can get home is to get answers from Jordan. Him and his dad seem to be interested in magic. I could really use some help.’ I sat down in the courtyard, and thought. I absentmindedly picked at my hair, and one strand came out. At the root tip, a small bit of purple shone. So my roots were showing. It’s after class, and I had no ideas except talking to Jordan. Luckily for me, Jordan was entering the courtyard. “Hey, Tori!” “Oh, hi Jordan.” “Are you okay, you seem down.” “No, no, just thinking. Is there anywhere more private we can talk? I don’t feel comfortable in this setting.” “Sure. How about the gym storage closet? I used to hide there all the time.” “Why not?” “You can do magic?:” Jordan and I were in the gym closet. I was sitting on a pile of old balls in ball bags, and he was sitting on the floor. “Um... yes. But I don’t really know if I can tell the truth about me yet. All I can tell you is that where I’m from, magic is pretty much commonplace.” I leaned forward. Just don’t tell any-” The closet door opened, and I was startled. I tumbled forward, and landed on Jordan. He caught me, and our lips met. “No. Fucking. Way. How is this possible?!” “How in the world did you get your hooks in Jordan motherfucking Beale! He’s a legend in this school! Untouchable! It’s impossible that a whore like you could ever get Jordan!” A brunette with WAY too much make-up pulled me out of the closet and rammed me up on a wall. “Jordan wouldn’t date ME, and I asked him dozens of times. How would YOU get him?” She punched me in the face. Again. Again. And again. I start bleeding. Again. Again. And again. She punches me again, and bones crunch. My nose is sunken into my face, and blood dripped from my chin. I slumped to the floor. “Let’s see if he wants you now, bitch.” And she walked away. I noticed Jordan staring at my face, him looking impressed, and I swelled with pride. I didn’t shed a single tear. A/N: I’m baaaaaaaack! How do you like my comeback chapter? Some mild swearing, but that’s okay. I hope I can stick to my plot this time. Death at a FuneralJordan was looking at me, and trying to re-set my broken nose. “Okay, question time,” I said, wiping away some of my blood, and flinching as my bones set. “Why in the WORLD is somepo- someone willing to beat me up over YOU? Are you like some sort of god, or something?” He sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, kind of. I never was great at socializing, and I don’t do sports. But girls find me attractive, and my grades are top-notch. Apparently, it’s appealing to people. But I distance myself. I just don’t want a relationship, unless the girl can, well, connect with me. And I don’t see that happening with the shallow, stuck up rich girls in this school. But,” he added, “that’s not important now. We need to get you to the nurse, and report Jenny for assault.” A man in a suit walked in, and saw my broken face. He gasped in surprise. Jordan turned. “Vice Principal Vogt!” “What happened here?!?” asked Vogt in an incredulous voice. “Jenny Milligan. She beat Tori’s face here to a pulp.” “And where is she now?” “I don’t know. Make an announcement.” “Very well. But first, young lady, let us get you to the infirmary.” In the Hospital I lay in a cot, with a nurse wiping away the blood and putting a thick piece of metal on my nose, propping it back in place. Jordan was there, sitting at the bedside, worrying. Good thing for him, it’s after school. “Are you feeling any better?” he asked. “I can’t feel my face.” “Har har har. Very funny.” “No, seriously, I can’t feel my face.” ‘I suppose I wouldn’t be here if it were the REAL Tori, would I?’ he muttered to himself. I secretly used a hearing magnification spell to eavesdrop so I could hear him. ‘She pushed herself onto me, even when she was dating Brandon...’ He paused, and as an afterthought, added, to me this time, “The girl whose body you’re inhabiting is a complete bitch, you know. Tori Scarlen.” He mulled over the name. “Blond, stupid, a stuck up bitch. Wears way too much makeup. Been dating Brandon Shan since tenth grade. He’s a stereotypical jock, picks on the nerds. Tried to get me to play football, but not my thing. I prefer archery, skeeting, other things. I wonder where the real Tori’s consciousness is now...” Ponyville Library Rainbow Dash noticed the curtains were closed. The lights were out. Spike was at Rarity’s, and didn’t come out (for obvious reasons *shudder*). Normally, Twilight would be at Sugarcube Corner, or with Spike at Rarity’s. That was her normal routine. But not today. All Rainbow heared was an explosion, and tha’t what sent her jetting to Twi’s. She cautiously opened the door. Something wasn’t right. Was it a spy? She wasn’t sure. As the door opened, Rainbow Dash was faced with something she never expected to see. In the center of the room, a table was on fire. And more importantly, standing with a hoof covering squinting eyes, was a solid gold unicorn, the details where the eyes and mouth should have been were smoothed over. Rainbow approached, and poked the gold statue with a gentle hoof. The gold crumbled like a shell. Rainbow stepped back in alarm. “Wh-what is that?” she muttered nervously. A pony skeleton was not something you would normally find in Twilight’s house, let alone a pony skeleton coated in a thick gold shell. Gemstones may have been comonplace, but the gold scattered on the floor must be woth millions of bits... Rainbow squinted at one of the many chunks of gold pony on the floor. “What is that?” she said for the second time in so many minutes. The piece she was looking at was depressed with something disturbingly familiar. She brought it into the light, and her eyes grew wide. There was only one thing, at least in her mind, of what the emboss could mean. Twilight Sparke’s cutie mark lay on the ground, forever trapped in precious metal. “Sugar, what in tarnation are you talking about?” Rainbow Dash was dragging her friends, the other Elements of Harmony, to Twilight’s tree. “You really need to see this! I think something’s wrong with Twilight! There’s- well you just have to see!” Spike was among the ponies following Dash. “I haven’t seen Twilight all day! She was working on some experiment, or something. Alchemy, thigs like that. I swear, she’s crazy if she thinks she can make gold. Starswirl couldn’t even manage it. At least, that’s what Twilight told me.” “No time for that, Spike, you guys really need to see this!” “All right, jeez.” Flutershy was flustered, as usual. “Is Twilight okay?” “No she’s not! That’s why we need to go now!” The Mane Six, bar one, and Spike stared at the peculiar sight in Twilight’s library. A pile of bones and scattered gold? Not your usual pony decor. “Look at this!” said Rainbow Dash as she held a piece of gold to the light. All the ponies gasped. All of them knew what happened immediately. “Ah can’t belive she’d get herself killed like that...” said Applejack as she took off her Stetson. Pinkie, unusually quiet, said nothing. Rainbow Dash looked stricken, and Fluttershy was crying with Rarity. Spike was speechless. Spike composed himself. He got out a piece of parchment and began to write. “Dear Princess Celestia...” “Magi scientists have been doing research on the bones and gold.” Princess Celestia was explaining the identification process to the stricken ponies and baby dragon. “So far, we know that the gold was created not by natural forces, but throught magic. The bones... tested positive. These bones are indeed Twilight Sparke.” Princess Celestia was struggling to maintain composure. After all Twilight was her student... no. No. She was more thatn that, much more. Twilight was a daughter she never had, and meant the world to Celestia. Losing a daughter had its side effects, of course. While the cycle of the sun and moon was relatively constant, stirring emotions may cause certain celestial events to happen. The warmth of the sun reduced, slowly reaching the ponies below as a chill went through the air. The light dimmed, and the sun’s yellow light faded to a dull gray. The five ponies and the dragon noticed this change emmidiately, and started to ask about it. But Celestia did not let them finish. “The funeral will be held tonight at dusk. I think that this time would be respectful and symbolic. Please, please... leave me be.” Ponies with black clothing and umbrellas walked with the casket to the burial site as rain poured down. For some reason, pegasai could never control the vicious and malevolent storm clouds around graveyards. They ran on the same principle as the Everfree. Dark magic of lost souls tainted the very air, it said. Regardless, it set the mood perfectly for the dreary task set ahead of the crowd of ponies. The funeral was not to be large, but there were dozens in attendance. Princess Celestia’s presence was a key factor to that. No matter how much she interacted with her subjects, and how much she showed that the court of the sun could not be flattered, noble ponies puffed with haughty importance and a supposed deep respect for Twilight Sparkle (whoever that was) showed up and sent their condolences in the most extravagant way possible, as close to the Princesses as possible, and as loudly and remorsefully as possible. Few were there to actually mourn. Big Mac, Granny Smith, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, both of the Princesses, Twilight’s parents, Shining Armor, Candace, and the Cakes were all present. The funeral was quiet. Most of the ponies came up and gave long and eloquent (if not exactly heatfelt) speeches about how they feel about the pony that lay in the closed casket. The only one not involved in the proceedings was Rainbow Dash. She had never really felt emotional turmoil like this. Pinkie lived on the rock farm, Fluttershy was bullied as a filly, and beaten by the older colts. Rarity managed to hold her composure in the presence of so many nobles as was her manners, and Applejack was as tough as nails. But Dash had never had any tragady other than ridicule during flight school. The gold cutie mark weighed heavily in the pocket of her saddlebag. She pulled it out, and stared at the symbol for the longest time. A single tear fell on the piece of gold and mixed with the gentle rain, and lightning filled the night sky. A/N: Sup, readers? This chappter is longer than I planned, but that’s okay. I need to learn how to elaborate anyways. This chapter is a big one for the storyline. We get to see what happened on the other side, and it needed moar pony anyways. I think my writing is developing nicely, now that I can focus more. Africa can do that to a person, pony, whatever. I hope you like the story. Thanks, and keep following Twilight as Tori going through all the terrors of hight school. KTHXBAI! Dr. X-Acto BealePrincess Celestia was fuming as she made her way through the Magic and Science wing of the castle. Luckily for her, there was no one in that particular wing. At least, no one who wasn’t hiding in the beaker closet. The Princess can be terrifying when angry. Divination, the sign read. All in all, she wouldn’t rather have to talk to him, but if what she saw was true, then something must be done. And the Princess was absolutely sure of who “killed” her student. She stepped up to the crystal ball in the center of the room. Her horn glowed with her magic, and a face appeared. He was a stout, middle aged man. His face was plump, and his body even more so. His robes shimmered with gold, and a golden laurel wreath shone on his head. His mustache quivered as he spoke. “Princess Celestia,” said the man in the crystal ball. “What would you have me do for you? Surely not more gold. You know it will cost you. But I’m always open for renovations. I don’t see why you won’t let me touch those hideous statues in the garden, they’re simply horrendous. A little shine here and there never hurt anyone.” He waved a hand in the air. “In other news, the last batch of guards you sent me were wonderful! Their corpses will line my entryway for generations to come!” His laugh was scratchy, but booming and baritone. It was rather unsettling. And his rant was getting annoying. “ENOUGH!” said Princess Celestia. “I need to ask you something, King Midas.” “Alright, geez.” Midas shrugged. He leaned into his end of the crystal ball. “What do you need to know?” Celestia was still contemplating the gold, turned to rotting flesh. “What have you done to my student, Midas? She is currently a heap of bones covered in a Midas Brand Gold shell!” “Now, now, Celestia. You know I don’t have the power to kill anything living across the dimensional planes. I can’t even communicate across dimensions. I rely on you for that. And you know that there is only one universe with no restrictions applied access to the void.” Celestia squinted, racking her brain for any being that could possibly do something of that caliber. Her mind drew a blank, until a deep foreboding came across her. There were those who could achieve such a feat. And they did it thousands, nay, even millions of times a day. “The Summoners...” “Yes, my dear Celestia. The Summoners did this, working her to the destination desired. It’s not instantaneous, you know. She will stop in four, maybe five more worlds before coming back to you, hopefully alive, certainly not unchanged. And guess what, my dear? I can see her right now...” His baritone laugh rang through the halls long after the face in the glass faded away. Woodlands Hospital, Emergency Care Dr. Monterey Beale was having a headache. Ever since he was charged with this girl, the sensation was overwhelming. He turned away from the feeling of overwhelming raw power. Not looking at her helped a little, but not much. The power coming from this girl was incredible to overwhelm someone of his caliber... “Doctor, is there something wrong?” “I-I don’t know...” He said in a thick German accent. “Whaddaya mean ‘I don’t know?’” “I’ve never seen such an influ-” The doctor quickly shut his mouth. “Influx?” said the nurse. “Nothing. It's nothing.” The nurse turned to the monitors. “Doctor, something’s going wrong, er, right!” “What? What is it?” “Her readings are going back to normal. Even the heart rate is rising to standard.” “Wh- how?” The doctor peeked under the mask on the patient’s face. The blood had dried since she broke her nose, but the stupid nurse left during the resetting and the bone tore through some skin. Now the girl’s nose was half off, and her face was a bloody mess. At least, that’s what it was supposed to be. But the nose was perfectly fine. But wait... Since when did she have purple hair? As the pieces clicked together in the powerful brain of Dr. Beale, he facepalmed. The signs were obvious. Of course, this was obviously some sort of magic. But the nurses didn’t need to know why he was such a good surgeon. Dr. X-Acto, he was called. He used to be a professor, a long, long time ago. And even more miraculously, he found his way home a while back, with the help of some molecular physicists and a good astronomer. But this was his place now. He could always invite the poor thing lying on his cot to go back from whence she came. But that would be compromising. Transfers are loud, and there is room for error. She could end up in unpleasant places. But he couldn’t let anyone slip by without a chance back. After all, there was only one power under the sun (he giggled at the joke) that gave out such a strong aura, unique and loud. A power he only felt once near entrance exams about ten years ago. This could only be Lady Sparkle. Jordan loved watching his dad work. Being a surgeon, his family never really had too much monetary problems. But Tori was perfectly fine when she got up. No surgery needed whatsoever. And while this was somewhat disappointing that he no longer had a reason to stay, the fact that she was perfectly alright and walked out the door a mere ten minutes after entering, was a feat that he wished he could see. He turned from the bench he was sitting on to see Tori come into the lobby, her face unharmed. And still, she looked like she was in pain. “Tori, what’s wrong?” he asked, leaning forward. “I- I don’t know. A headache, maybe. The doctor in there, it’s like- like we’ve met before. Deja vu, I guess.” She rubbed her temples. “I just don’t feel... good, right now..” “The doctor?” he asked, surprise on his face. “That’s my father! How could you have met? Did you live in Germany or something? My dad’s German.” “No...” “Then how do you know him?” “The voice, his voice... he’s hiding something.” The last words came out with finality. “Can I talk to him?” “Sure.” As they walked, Jordan felt a sense of dread at the kind of talk awaiting them. FatherDad... jeez. Why does there have to be a connection with Dad? I can’t honestly say I know much about him, but he’s from Germany. At least I think so. He never talked much about his past. The doctors and nurses he works with love him. A hearty man at 6’5”, he’s a drinker, a laugher, and a hospitable guy. His giant bushy eyebrows hide the squinty blue eyes that sparkled with interest and precision, and his beard couldn’t be matched by anything on this Earth. He looks more like an old bartender or a baker that has been doing it for generations, rather than a surgeon who’s fresh off the exams, but he’s great at what he does. Still brazen and outspoken at 53, he’s a great guy, tough as nails, and his mind is sharp as the German zweihänder he has hanging on the mantle. Dad loves his ancient weaponry, wherever it came from. His huge collection of bows, arrows, swords, maces, shields, axes, and poles, bladed or otherwise, could outfit an army, albeit an army the size of the community’s German population. There are plenty of Germans here. But his favorite weapon, the only weapon he has never shown to anyone outside of the family, is a spear. Much longer than your average spear, the shaft is a pearly wood that never seemed to rot or need shining. The shaft is tipped in an intricate gold inlay at the base, and a similar swirling pattern in the setting of the spearhead. The spearhead itself was about six inches long, an inch thick, and three inches wide, and appeared to be made of a gold alloy that was a sharp as steel. He never used it, and the only thing I ever see him do with it is stare for long periods of time, like he missed what it represented. “Hello.” The girl walking in was almost definitely not whoever she claimed she was. I bent over and put my hands across my chest, raising my eyebrows to get a better look. “Tori Scarlen, yes? Vhat is it you wanted?” The thick cultivated accent came out naturally after years of practice. “I need to ask, sir. Who are you, really?” I look at my son in the back of the room, as confused as the last time I showed him how a flintlock pistol worked. He didn’t understand gunpowder at all, really. I took the girl to the side and said over her shoulder “Son, leave and close the door. This is private. Patient confidentiality and all zat.” He closed the door as he left, and I turned my attention back to the girl, dropping the ridiculous accent. “I don’t know if you remember me or not, girl, but I remember you.” She looked startled. “You know me?” “Yes. I will never forget you, because I cannot. You see, I know what your problem is.” I place a hopefully reassuring hand on her shoulder, my massive palm wrapping around it easily. “And I can fix it, Twilight Sparkle.” I heft the body easily and walk out the room, with my son and the nurses staring in horror, of course, dumping it in the car. As I drive off, I wonder what in Tartarus I’m supposed to do with her.
Wait... What?Transmutation. The most powerful of all the alchemical magics. If I could succeed in this venture, I could easily be the most powerful unicorn on Equestria. I prepared the toad eyes (Sorry, Fluttershy) and powdered phoenix feathers (Courtesy of Philomena) and placed them in their respective beakers. I am attempting to turn lead to gold. The highly volatile mixture was almost ready. The set bubbled, and my bunsen burner was fully powered. As the transmogrification serum boiled, I realized I made a mistake. I had no lead! But I remembered something that I learned recently. This was the best possible time to try my locate/teleport spell! I was still working out the kinks, but I was fairly sure I could do it this time. Fairly sure. I searched for a sizable chunk of lead, and found the largest in Ponyville. All I needed was to teleport it here... SHOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!! “Tori Scarlen, you wake up right now! You’re going to be late for school!” I woke up in a bed. I rubbed my face with my hoof, but there was no hoof there. A strange appendage greeted me instead, and strangely enough, it was a lot more comfortable rubbing my face with it than a hoof. “Tori! Wake up and get down here this instant! I don’t care if you were practicing witchcraft up there or what, but you, young lady, are about to be late!” I stared at the body I now understood to be mine, sorting through a mental checklist. The strange, hairless appendages, the lack of a tail, and the oversized, but still comfortingly similar, mane that flowed down my back. I guess that made me Tori Scarlen. I climbed out of the bed and tried to stand. It hurt. A lot. And, against my better judgment, I went downstairs. “Tori, get out of that ridiculous position and stand up straight like a normal human being! And what in God’s name did you do to your hair? I told you, no dying your hair or getting highlights until you get into college. And last I checked, your junior year averages aren’t even going to get you into a carnival!” “Huh?” I stared at the source of the commanding voice. She looked similar to me, and I only knew she was female by her dialect. I slowly straightened up, trying to copy her stance, and found that it was a lot easier on my back. “Well?” the mare asked. “What do you have to say for yourself?” I was still confused. “Wait...what?” “Oh, come on, big sis, you can’t be that stupid.” The voice came from the table next to what I assumed to be a kitchen. It was a male, young looking, and his face reminded me of someone I knew... “S-Spike?” “Oh, that’s a new one. No ‘brat’ or ‘twerp’ today? And, once again, if you weren’t paying attention the first hundred times, my name is Stephen.” “I have no clue what’s going on.” The woman looked like she was about to explode. “But I do. We are going to dye your hair back to blonde before anyone sees you like this.” She dragged me to what looked like a bathroom, and forced my head down into a sink. “Young lady, I’m feeling generous, so I have a proposition for you. If you can get your grades up, I won’t ground you, and you can go to one party a week. But that is only if you can keep a B average. Minimum, in every class. I swear, all this stress is going to put me in an early grave. And what possessed you to walk on all fours like that? You know what, I don’t even want to know. At least you for once aren’t talking back to me.” All this was being said as the putrid smell of chemicals filled the air, and when she was finished, my hair was an ugly shade of yellow, like it was dirty. I looked up, and her eyes had visibly softened. “You were such a good kid. What happened to you? The new semester starts today, and I want you to do your best. And if you ever need anything, come talk to me.” She kissed me on the head, at least, I was pretty sure it was my head, right where my horn used to be. “Now, let’s get you to school. Brandon will be waiting. Oh, by the way, you're still totally grounded. Get those grades up!” She arched her eyebrows. And amidst all this new information, the hope in her eyes kept me from saying a word. Now, who in the world was Brandon? Brandon was my boyfriend. That much was apparent when he full up kissed me as soon as I left the old mare’s motorized carriage. (I really would have to look into how that worked.) I still don’t know what “boy” meant, but it only applied to colts. And still I was speechless, still absorbing everything. We walked into a room filled with desks, and a tall “human being”, as the old mare said, was handing out sheets. I looked at the one he (I assumed it was a he) gave me, and I visibly perked up as a smile sprang onto my face. A schedule! Finally, something organized! Let’s see. Geometry 10, English, World History, Home Economics, Creative Writing, Chemistry. Easy enough, if this was a school. I wonder if there is magic here, but I doubt it. Besides, these new front hooves were as good as any telekinesis spell I’ve ever used. “Hey, Tori? You all right, babe? You’ve been acting kinda spacey.” Oh, Brandon. I started listen to him, then spaced into my own devices after like five minutes. He was shallow, bulky, and nothing like my type. He was brash, and probably the most annoying creature on this planet. If I had to stereotype him, it would be idiotic jock, and I guess I need to tell him that. “Look, Brandon, I don’t think I really like you, like, at all. I find you... brash. And I don’t like brash.” He stared, stunned at my statement of fact, until the bell rang. At the Academy for Gifted Unicorns, that meant get to first period or get turned into a toaster strudel. So I got to Geometry Ten. “Okay, class, welcome to the new semester. My name is Mrs. O’Neal, and this is Geometry Ten. Now, please write down the warm-up problem, and give the answer completely condensed.” I stared at my desk, and the pencil and paper sitting on it, numbly. Now, only one problem left to solve. How in Equestria do I pick up a pencil?! A/N: Hello, audience. Please enjoy my new story, Tori Scarlen. I’ve had this idea for a while, and I needed a break from “I Miss You” and the sequel for “The Strangest Things”, called “Contained Worlds”. I hope you enjoy it, and if it is well received, I think I will continue with this. KTHXBAI!
This is...!Human math is much too easy. This is supposed to be “Senior Year”, right? Back at the Academy, seniors were doing math related to curves and subjective angles, called “calculus”. Not triangles. Triangles were too easy for seniors. And this class was called Geometry Ten, right? But seniors have done up to fifteen years, no less than twelve, back at the academy. Am I really that stupid? Well, maybe I am, because I had to stare at other humans for at least ten minutes before learning how to write. But after that, it came easily. I finish the last problem on the sheet, and wait. Ten minutes later, the teacher (for it was obviously a teacher) calls for the papers, and announces that it would be taken up as a quiz grade. “Every warm-up is either a quiz or a daily grade in this class, so do them or fail.” He picks up the papers, then starts the lesson on Pythagoras and his theorem on triangles. I ignore what he was saying, as it was deathly boring. As he finished, I had the entire theorem memorized, and wasted no paper. No need to take notes on something so trivial. After class, I am confronted by three humans, girls by the look of it, who immediately began asking questions in an aggressive manner. “What did you do this morning?” “Why were you not at cheer practice?” “What did you do to Brandon?” “I saw him sulking by the vending machines. Why was he sulking?” “Aren’t you his girlfriend?” “Why weren’t you there to comfort him?” “Why were you in class on the clique’s ditch day?” “How did you forget ditch day?” “First of the semester, every year since freshman year!” All the questions were hurting my brain, so I took the easy way out. “Excuse me, but I have to get to class.” I push one of them aside, and start walking to the map on the wall to find my geography class. But one of them cuts me off, and I am surrounded by all three of them. “Wait.. I know! You broke up with Brandon, didn’t you!” She slaps me in the face. “How could you do that to that poor boy! That’s just cruel!” “Unfortunately for my psychologist, I’m feeling rather cruel." I said. "And I also need to get to class.” “What is wrong with you today?” Took the words right out of my mouth. My personality isn't what it used to be. But I don’t care. “You’re acting like you actually like school! Recite the clique motto: Future models and celebrities don’t need school. All we need is cheer and cash.” Shallow, much? But the girls keep pestering me, and it got me all riled up. Without thinking, my anger flared. The tall one slams into the wall with a push of magic. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get to class.” And I walk calmly away, without a backward glance. Everyone is gawking at my nerve, or maybe at the ripple of violet that ran through my hair. “I saw that.” A tall, muscular boy with brown hair in a white shirt walks up to me. Thin, with a look about him that made me feel safe, it also seemed he had no lack in the brains department. He was actually kinda cute... no, Twilight. You are a pony, and you will return home. No time for relationships. It’s after geography, and the school is about to break for lunch. “You saw what?” “What you did in the hallway. I saw it, and I almost didn’t believe it. But it was real. I SAW it!” “What did you see?” I squinted at him suspiciously. “TK!” He was jumping around in excitement. “Telekinesis! Force fields, manipulation, whatever, but you pushed that girl with your mind! It was incredible!” “What?!” “You did. No point in denying it, so ha! I caught someone using TK in real life, before my dad did! Wait until I show him this!” He grabs my wrist in an iron lock, probably more out of excitement than force. “Come on, let’s go!” There is no one in the hallway, so I decided a bit of magic wouldn't hurt. He knew, after all. FLASH I teleport three feet away, and start running. “What?” He stands there for a moment, confused, then excitement fills his voice. “Teleportation! This is the best day ever!” And he faints on the spot. I hear his body hit the floor. Man, I blew my secret so fast? I’ll have to avoid him. Time for lunch. I look inside my backpack, find a paper sack and pull it out. There’s a sandwich inside, but I don’t really know what’s inside. But I eat it anyway. It was good! Lettuce, and a few discs of red things that were salty but tasty anyways. A slice of cake, and some juice finish the meal. Satisfactory, if not anything else. Afterward, I needed a quiet place to review this planet’s geography, so I went to my favorite place ever: the library. Oh, Celestia. The guy was there. The tall one screaming about TK. Luckily, he was the only one there, and in the back. Let’s see if I remember that invisibility spell... perfect. He was sitting at a desk, doing something on a big machine. I sneak up invisibly on him, and look at what he was doing. He was typing something. Equestria Daily... that seemed interesting...! Wait. Is that Cherrilee... Scootaloo... so many ponies! He went scrolling through the pictures. Almost everypony I knew was there, in picture or art form. This is a revelation for me, but unfortunately, I sorta squeaked a little. He looks behind him and sticks out his hand, and touches my stomach. “Eep!” I materialize in front of him, the purple still fading from my hair. “What else can you do?...” he whispered softly. His eyes were soft in wonder. I did what any sensible unicorn would have done. I teleported away. A/N: Chapter two is done. I took the opportunity to practice present tense, so tell me any mistakes you find. Note: all things in purple italics are magic related, just as an experiment. I hope you enjoy her first day of human high school... KTHXBAI!
Bow and Arrow, Crime and Punishment.Right. What’s next on this list? ... Gym. I wonder what that is... I walked into the gym room, and I looked at the ones around me. HE was there, much to my displeasure. He stared at me, and I looked at the floor. A large man with a green hat with a feather in it walks into the room. He does NOT look good in green tights. Rarity would die if she saw that. “He looks like Peter Pan!” “What is he wearing?!” “Coach looks ridiculous!” “Alright, class. I am dressed as Robin Hood. And what does Robin Hood do?” “Steal!” “Give to the poor!” “No.” said the coach. “He shoots ARROWS. and this unit, we are going to go through a crash course on Olympic archery.” “Sweet!” “Cool!” “I’m gonna die...” The coach continued on his ramble. “When your parents signed the release forms, they let me have my way with this class. Although, I do have another motive. Our archery team blows this year, and I’m scouting for new recruits. So do your best, and you might win a shiny trophy for my cabinet one day! So everybody, partner up! Time to get shooting!” Me and HIM were the only ones left, so we were stuck with each other. We lined up in lane six, bows in our hands. “Hi, I’m Jordan Beale. I don’t think we were introduced properly.” He reached out his hand to shake. Wait, what do I call myself? That woman called me... “Tori. Tori Scarlen. A pleasure.” “Uh, can we talk later? I kinda wanted to ask you about...” he trailed off. “Uh, sure. After school. But later. I want to try this ‘archery’. It looks cool.” I picked up an arrow from the box, and tried to copy the stance that the coach showed me. I aimed for the target, adjusted for wind and air resistance, and let the arrow fly. Unfortunately, it missed, and I hit a tree fifty yards out. I tried again, and this time, I nicked the target. Most of the other girls were chatting or they couldn’t pull the string back far enough. Jordan went next. He raised the bow to his shoulder, and let his arrow fly. It hit the target dead center. “Good form, Beale!” yelled the coach. His arrows were all on target as well. Jordan rubbed the back of his neck. “My dad’s a big weapons fanatic. He taught me to use the bow, as well as machetes, knives, and even uzi sub machine guns. I’m a good shot.” “Can you help me then?” “Sure. First thing to do is...” ‘I. Am. Going. Insane. What am I doing? I need to find a way back to Equestria! Not socialize with Jordan and learn how to fire a bow! Although, I did get pretty good at it.’ Twilight shook her head. ‘Right now, the only way I can get home is to get answers from Jordan. Him and his dad seem to be interested in magic. I could really use some help.’ I sat down in the courtyard, and thought. I absentmindedly picked at my hair, and one strand came out. At the root tip, a small bit of purple shone. So my roots were showing. It’s after class, and I had no ideas except talking to Jordan. Luckily for me, Jordan was entering the courtyard. “Hey, Tori!” “Oh, hi Jordan.” “Are you okay, you seem down.” “No, no, just thinking. Is there anywhere more private we can talk? I don’t feel comfortable in this setting.” “Sure. How about the gym storage closet? I used to hide there all the time.” “Why not?” “You can do magic?:” Jordan and I were in the gym closet. I was sitting on a pile of old balls in ball bags, and he was sitting on the floor. “Um... yes. But I don’t really know if I can tell the truth about me yet. All I can tell you is that where I’m from, magic is pretty much commonplace.” I leaned forward. Just don’t tell any-” The closet door opened, and I was startled. I tumbled forward, and landed on Jordan. He caught me, and our lips met. “No. Fucking. Way. How is this possible?!” “How in the world did you get your hooks in Jordan motherfucking Beale! He’s a legend in this school! Untouchable! It’s impossible that a whore like you could ever get Jordan!” A brunette with WAY too much make-up pulled me out of the closet and rammed me up on a wall. “Jordan wouldn’t date ME, and I asked him dozens of times. How would YOU get him?” She punched me in the face. Again. Again. And again. I start bleeding. Again. Again. And again. She punches me again, and bones crunch. My nose is sunken into my face, and blood dripped from my chin. I slumped to the floor. “Let’s see if he wants you now, bitch.” And she walked away. I noticed Jordan staring at my face, him looking impressed, and I swelled with pride. I didn’t shed a single tear. A/N: I’m baaaaaaaack! How do you like my comeback chapter? Some mild swearing, but that’s okay. I hope I can stick to my plot this time.
Death at a FuneralJordan was looking at me, and trying to re-set my broken nose. “Okay, question time,” I said, wiping away some of my blood, and flinching as my bones set. “Why in the WORLD is somepo- someone willing to beat me up over YOU? Are you like some sort of god, or something?” He sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, kind of. I never was great at socializing, and I don’t do sports. But girls find me attractive, and my grades are top-notch. Apparently, it’s appealing to people. But I distance myself. I just don’t want a relationship, unless the girl can, well, connect with me. And I don’t see that happening with the shallow, stuck up rich girls in this school. But,” he added, “that’s not important now. We need to get you to the nurse, and report Jenny for assault.” A man in a suit walked in, and saw my broken face. He gasped in surprise. Jordan turned. “Vice Principal Vogt!” “What happened here?!?” asked Vogt in an incredulous voice. “Jenny Milligan. She beat Tori’s face here to a pulp.” “And where is she now?” “I don’t know. Make an announcement.” “Very well. But first, young lady, let us get you to the infirmary.” In the Hospital I lay in a cot, with a nurse wiping away the blood and putting a thick piece of metal on my nose, propping it back in place. Jordan was there, sitting at the bedside, worrying. Good thing for him, it’s after school. “Are you feeling any better?” he asked. “I can’t feel my face.” “Har har har. Very funny.” “No, seriously, I can’t feel my face.” ‘I suppose I wouldn’t be here if it were the REAL Tori, would I?’ he muttered to himself. I secretly used a hearing magnification spell to eavesdrop so I could hear him. ‘She pushed herself onto me, even when she was dating Brandon...’ He paused, and as an afterthought, added, to me this time, “The girl whose body you’re inhabiting is a complete bitch, you know. Tori Scarlen.” He mulled over the name. “Blond, stupid, a stuck up bitch. Wears way too much makeup. Been dating Brandon Shan since tenth grade. He’s a stereotypical jock, picks on the nerds. Tried to get me to play football, but not my thing. I prefer archery, skeeting, other things. I wonder where the real Tori’s consciousness is now...” Ponyville Library Rainbow Dash noticed the curtains were closed. The lights were out. Spike was at Rarity’s, and didn’t come out (for obvious reasons *shudder*). Normally, Twilight would be at Sugarcube Corner, or with Spike at Rarity’s. That was her normal routine. But not today. All Rainbow heared was an explosion, and tha’t what sent her jetting to Twi’s. She cautiously opened the door. Something wasn’t right. Was it a spy? She wasn’t sure. As the door opened, Rainbow Dash was faced with something she never expected to see. In the center of the room, a table was on fire. And more importantly, standing with a hoof covering squinting eyes, was a solid gold unicorn, the details where the eyes and mouth should have been were smoothed over. Rainbow approached, and poked the gold statue with a gentle hoof. The gold crumbled like a shell. Rainbow stepped back in alarm. “Wh-what is that?” she muttered nervously. A pony skeleton was not something you would normally find in Twilight’s house, let alone a pony skeleton coated in a thick gold shell. Gemstones may have been comonplace, but the gold scattered on the floor must be woth millions of bits... Rainbow squinted at one of the many chunks of gold pony on the floor. “What is that?” she said for the second time in so many minutes. The piece she was looking at was depressed with something disturbingly familiar. She brought it into the light, and her eyes grew wide. There was only one thing, at least in her mind, of what the emboss could mean. Twilight Sparke’s cutie mark lay on the ground, forever trapped in precious metal. “Sugar, what in tarnation are you talking about?” Rainbow Dash was dragging her friends, the other Elements of Harmony, to Twilight’s tree. “You really need to see this! I think something’s wrong with Twilight! There’s- well you just have to see!” Spike was among the ponies following Dash. “I haven’t seen Twilight all day! She was working on some experiment, or something. Alchemy, thigs like that. I swear, she’s crazy if she thinks she can make gold. Starswirl couldn’t even manage it. At least, that’s what Twilight told me.” “No time for that, Spike, you guys really need to see this!” “All right, jeez.” Flutershy was flustered, as usual. “Is Twilight okay?” “No she’s not! That’s why we need to go now!” The Mane Six, bar one, and Spike stared at the peculiar sight in Twilight’s library. A pile of bones and scattered gold? Not your usual pony decor. “Look at this!” said Rainbow Dash as she held a piece of gold to the light. All the ponies gasped. All of them knew what happened immediately. “Ah can’t belive she’d get herself killed like that...” said Applejack as she took off her Stetson. Pinkie, unusually quiet, said nothing. Rainbow Dash looked stricken, and Fluttershy was crying with Rarity. Spike was speechless. Spike composed himself. He got out a piece of parchment and began to write. “Dear Princess Celestia...” “Magi scientists have been doing research on the bones and gold.” Princess Celestia was explaining the identification process to the stricken ponies and baby dragon. “So far, we know that the gold was created not by natural forces, but throught magic. The bones... tested positive. These bones are indeed Twilight Sparke.” Princess Celestia was struggling to maintain composure. After all Twilight was her student... no. No. She was more thatn that, much more. Twilight was a daughter she never had, and meant the world to Celestia. Losing a daughter had its side effects, of course. While the cycle of the sun and moon was relatively constant, stirring emotions may cause certain celestial events to happen. The warmth of the sun reduced, slowly reaching the ponies below as a chill went through the air. The light dimmed, and the sun’s yellow light faded to a dull gray. The five ponies and the dragon noticed this change emmidiately, and started to ask about it. But Celestia did not let them finish. “The funeral will be held tonight at dusk. I think that this time would be respectful and symbolic. Please, please... leave me be.” Ponies with black clothing and umbrellas walked with the casket to the burial site as rain poured down. For some reason, pegasai could never control the vicious and malevolent storm clouds around graveyards. They ran on the same principle as the Everfree. Dark magic of lost souls tainted the very air, it said. Regardless, it set the mood perfectly for the dreary task set ahead of the crowd of ponies. The funeral was not to be large, but there were dozens in attendance. Princess Celestia’s presence was a key factor to that. No matter how much she interacted with her subjects, and how much she showed that the court of the sun could not be flattered, noble ponies puffed with haughty importance and a supposed deep respect for Twilight Sparkle (whoever that was) showed up and sent their condolences in the most extravagant way possible, as close to the Princesses as possible, and as loudly and remorsefully as possible. Few were there to actually mourn. Big Mac, Granny Smith, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, both of the Princesses, Twilight’s parents, Shining Armor, Candace, and the Cakes were all present. The funeral was quiet. Most of the ponies came up and gave long and eloquent (if not exactly heatfelt) speeches about how they feel about the pony that lay in the closed casket. The only one not involved in the proceedings was Rainbow Dash. She had never really felt emotional turmoil like this. Pinkie lived on the rock farm, Fluttershy was bullied as a filly, and beaten by the older colts. Rarity managed to hold her composure in the presence of so many nobles as was her manners, and Applejack was as tough as nails. But Dash had never had any tragady other than ridicule during flight school. The gold cutie mark weighed heavily in the pocket of her saddlebag. She pulled it out, and stared at the symbol for the longest time. A single tear fell on the piece of gold and mixed with the gentle rain, and lightning filled the night sky. A/N: Sup, readers? This chappter is longer than I planned, but that’s okay. I need to learn how to elaborate anyways. This chapter is a big one for the storyline. We get to see what happened on the other side, and it needed moar pony anyways. I think my writing is developing nicely, now that I can focus more. Africa can do that to a person, pony, whatever. I hope you like the story. Thanks, and keep following Twilight as Tori going through all the terrors of hight school. KTHXBAI!
Dr. X-Acto BealePrincess Celestia was fuming as she made her way through the Magic and Science wing of the castle. Luckily for her, there was no one in that particular wing. At least, no one who wasn’t hiding in the beaker closet. The Princess can be terrifying when angry. Divination, the sign read. All in all, she wouldn’t rather have to talk to him, but if what she saw was true, then something must be done. And the Princess was absolutely sure of who “killed” her student. She stepped up to the crystal ball in the center of the room. Her horn glowed with her magic, and a face appeared. He was a stout, middle aged man. His face was plump, and his body even more so. His robes shimmered with gold, and a golden laurel wreath shone on his head. His mustache quivered as he spoke. “Princess Celestia,” said the man in the crystal ball. “What would you have me do for you? Surely not more gold. You know it will cost you. But I’m always open for renovations. I don’t see why you won’t let me touch those hideous statues in the garden, they’re simply horrendous. A little shine here and there never hurt anyone.” He waved a hand in the air. “In other news, the last batch of guards you sent me were wonderful! Their corpses will line my entryway for generations to come!” His laugh was scratchy, but booming and baritone. It was rather unsettling. And his rant was getting annoying. “ENOUGH!” said Princess Celestia. “I need to ask you something, King Midas.” “Alright, geez.” Midas shrugged. He leaned into his end of the crystal ball. “What do you need to know?” Celestia was still contemplating the gold, turned to rotting flesh. “What have you done to my student, Midas? She is currently a heap of bones covered in a Midas Brand Gold shell!” “Now, now, Celestia. You know I don’t have the power to kill anything living across the dimensional planes. I can’t even communicate across dimensions. I rely on you for that. And you know that there is only one universe with no restrictions applied access to the void.” Celestia squinted, racking her brain for any being that could possibly do something of that caliber. Her mind drew a blank, until a deep foreboding came across her. There were those who could achieve such a feat. And they did it thousands, nay, even millions of times a day. “The Summoners...” “Yes, my dear Celestia. The Summoners did this, working her to the destination desired. It’s not instantaneous, you know. She will stop in four, maybe five more worlds before coming back to you, hopefully alive, certainly not unchanged. And guess what, my dear? I can see her right now...” His baritone laugh rang through the halls long after the face in the glass faded away. Woodlands Hospital, Emergency Care Dr. Monterey Beale was having a headache. Ever since he was charged with this girl, the sensation was overwhelming. He turned away from the feeling of overwhelming raw power. Not looking at her helped a little, but not much. The power coming from this girl was incredible to overwhelm someone of his caliber... “Doctor, is there something wrong?” “I-I don’t know...” He said in a thick German accent. “Whaddaya mean ‘I don’t know?’” “I’ve never seen such an influ-” The doctor quickly shut his mouth. “Influx?” said the nurse. “Nothing. It's nothing.” The nurse turned to the monitors. “Doctor, something’s going wrong, er, right!” “What? What is it?” “Her readings are going back to normal. Even the heart rate is rising to standard.” “Wh- how?” The doctor peeked under the mask on the patient’s face. The blood had dried since she broke her nose, but the stupid nurse left during the resetting and the bone tore through some skin. Now the girl’s nose was half off, and her face was a bloody mess. At least, that’s what it was supposed to be. But the nose was perfectly fine. But wait... Since when did she have purple hair? As the pieces clicked together in the powerful brain of Dr. Beale, he facepalmed. The signs were obvious. Of course, this was obviously some sort of magic. But the nurses didn’t need to know why he was such a good surgeon. Dr. X-Acto, he was called. He used to be a professor, a long, long time ago. And even more miraculously, he found his way home a while back, with the help of some molecular physicists and a good astronomer. But this was his place now. He could always invite the poor thing lying on his cot to go back from whence she came. But that would be compromising. Transfers are loud, and there is room for error. She could end up in unpleasant places. But he couldn’t let anyone slip by without a chance back. After all, there was only one power under the sun (he giggled at the joke) that gave out such a strong aura, unique and loud. A power he only felt once near entrance exams about ten years ago. This could only be Lady Sparkle. Jordan loved watching his dad work. Being a surgeon, his family never really had too much monetary problems. But Tori was perfectly fine when she got up. No surgery needed whatsoever. And while this was somewhat disappointing that he no longer had a reason to stay, the fact that she was perfectly alright and walked out the door a mere ten minutes after entering, was a feat that he wished he could see. He turned from the bench he was sitting on to see Tori come into the lobby, her face unharmed. And still, she looked like she was in pain. “Tori, what’s wrong?” he asked, leaning forward. “I- I don’t know. A headache, maybe. The doctor in there, it’s like- like we’ve met before. Deja vu, I guess.” She rubbed her temples. “I just don’t feel... good, right now..” “The doctor?” he asked, surprise on his face. “That’s my father! How could you have met? Did you live in Germany or something? My dad’s German.” “No...” “Then how do you know him?” “The voice, his voice... he’s hiding something.” The last words came out with finality. “Can I talk to him?” “Sure.” As they walked, Jordan felt a sense of dread at the kind of talk awaiting them.
FatherDad... jeez. Why does there have to be a connection with Dad? I can’t honestly say I know much about him, but he’s from Germany. At least I think so. He never talked much about his past. The doctors and nurses he works with love him. A hearty man at 6’5”, he’s a drinker, a laugher, and a hospitable guy. His giant bushy eyebrows hide the squinty blue eyes that sparkled with interest and precision, and his beard couldn’t be matched by anything on this Earth. He looks more like an old bartender or a baker that has been doing it for generations, rather than a surgeon who’s fresh off the exams, but he’s great at what he does. Still brazen and outspoken at 53, he’s a great guy, tough as nails, and his mind is sharp as the German zweihänder he has hanging on the mantle. Dad loves his ancient weaponry, wherever it came from. His huge collection of bows, arrows, swords, maces, shields, axes, and poles, bladed or otherwise, could outfit an army, albeit an army the size of the community’s German population. There are plenty of Germans here. But his favorite weapon, the only weapon he has never shown to anyone outside of the family, is a spear. Much longer than your average spear, the shaft is a pearly wood that never seemed to rot or need shining. The shaft is tipped in an intricate gold inlay at the base, and a similar swirling pattern in the setting of the spearhead. The spearhead itself was about six inches long, an inch thick, and three inches wide, and appeared to be made of a gold alloy that was a sharp as steel. He never used it, and the only thing I ever see him do with it is stare for long periods of time, like he missed what it represented. “Hello.” The girl walking in was almost definitely not whoever she claimed she was. I bent over and put my hands across my chest, raising my eyebrows to get a better look. “Tori Scarlen, yes? Vhat is it you wanted?” The thick cultivated accent came out naturally after years of practice. “I need to ask, sir. Who are you, really?” I look at my son in the back of the room, as confused as the last time I showed him how a flintlock pistol worked. He didn’t understand gunpowder at all, really. I took the girl to the side and said over her shoulder “Son, leave and close the door. This is private. Patient confidentiality and all zat.” He closed the door as he left, and I turned my attention back to the girl, dropping the ridiculous accent. “I don’t know if you remember me or not, girl, but I remember you.” She looked startled. “You know me?” “Yes. I will never forget you, because I cannot. You see, I know what your problem is.” I place a hopefully reassuring hand on her shoulder, my massive palm wrapping around it easily. “And I can fix it, Twilight Sparkle.” I heft the body easily and walk out the room, with my son and the nurses staring in horror, of course, dumping it in the car. As I drive off, I wonder what in Tartarus I’m supposed to do with her.
