Author's Note

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Information.

Card rubbed her eyes a couple of times to make sure she was seeing the two Melody’s before her correctly. One gave a loving smile and nodded to Melody. Melody was speechless, staring at Card as she had just seen a ghost. Card muttered uncomfortably and shuffled her hooves as she stumbled out of bed.

“Well.. uh... good morning..?” Card mustered, waving a hoof in front of Melody's face. One chuckled a bit.

“I think she needs a moment.” One said quickly, nudging Card and gesturing for her to join her and Lily for breakfast. Card shrugged and trotted after One into the kitchen. She sat down on the cozy chair in the living room with her plate, flicking on the TV. One and Lily took the love seat.

“So. Did you clone yourself or something?” Card asked, taking a quick bite of her pancakes. She spooned a couple more bites into her face hungrily once the taste impacted her mouth. One opened her mouth and then stopped. She thought for a moment.

“Kind of. She's like… me from another timeline. Imagine hundreds of melo-” One started to explain before Card cut her off with a wave.

“Nnffo morrfe. I gfet it.” Card said with a full mouth, Lily giving her a Stern glare. Card swallowed. “It's way too early to be explaining the universe to me, mother.” Card sighed and set her plate aside. “But why is she here?”

One thought for a moment once again.

“She’s visiting. It’s pretty complicated, darling. I don’t think you’d be able to understand it if you tried. At least definitely not right now.” One said, shaking her head. “I should go see how she is.”

One trotted out of the room and down the hallway to where Melody was standing in confusion.

“A lot to take in, huh?” One teased, giving her shoulder a thump. Melody just muttered to herself and turned to One, still adjusting to everything she was witnessing.

“I… I don’t understand. There must be some mistake. How is this even possible?” Melody said softly, confusion clouding her mind like pea soup. One nodded for Melody to follow her down the hallway. She entered the last door along the wall, opening it to reveal One and Lily’s room. It was relatively clean, with a glass door leading to a balcony on the other side of the room. Melody followed One out onto the balcony.

“Time has a way of being like that, huh?” One pondered, staring out at the bustling city of Manehatten. The two identical mares watched the ponies below them for a while, staring as they bustled from place to place, bumped into each other, beeped their car horns, hurried along through life like slowing down for just a moment would invoke death upon them.

“Eternal life is such a gift, isn’t it?” Melody asked, shaking her head uncomfortably. “They move around constantly, and never slow down until they realize their time is over. They never realize what they have until they don’t have it anymore.” She said with a solemn expression.

One nodded silently in agreement.

“I can’t tell you how. What you need to know. What you want to know.” One said quickly, staring ahead. “She’s watching. I feel her. I always do.” One hurried out.

Melody gave a baffled expression.

“She isn’t DEAD!?” Melody shouted, quickly restraining herself. “Then how are you able to live here like this?”

One was silent for a couple moments.

“The city works as a bubble of protection. All of these ponies around, living their lives, they prevent her from being able to find us. She knows we’re here, but has no idea where.” One finally spat out. “I’m sorry Melody, but you can’t stay here. This is my life, and I’m willing to die defending it.” One said with a harsh glare to her. “And I know you would do the same in my position.”

Melody nodded once again in response, just looking out over the city. An intriguing piece of information, being able to use the place as a kind of shield.

“Is she… okay?” Melody asked One. She made sure to word her questions so that anyone watching would have no idea what they were talking about.

“Yes. And it’s possible to keep her that way.” One said, turning to Melody. “Remember: Time isn’t as linear as you think it is. Remove the limitations on it you have in your mind. Think like…” One said, trotting into her bedroom and gesturing for Melody to follow.

One opened her bedside drawer and grabbed a pair of golden scissors.

“Think like her.”

Melody widened her eyes and nodded.

“But we can’t use them. Only ponies like her can.” Melody replied, tilting her head in confusion.

“Has that literally ever stopped us?” One replied, setting the scissors on the bed and plopping down next to them. “Take a good look around, Melody. Nothing is here forever, except us. The devil has laid her hoof on us, and this is our curse. Just remember that nothing good comes without sacrifice.”

Melody considered her words for a while, then sat down next to her in silence.

“I guess it’s time for me to go,” Melody said with a slightly sad tone. “I’ll go get my robe.” Melody stopped before she got up. “Wait- where’s my Lily?” She gasped out with an uncomfortable flutter of her wings.

“Relax, she’s in good hooves.” One replied. “She’s with Nick. I dropped her off before taking you here. He’s working on the amulet. I’ll cut open one of those holes for you so that you can get back there. He’ll help you with a couple of things.” One informed, giving her a reassuring pat. “Good luck.”

Melody nodded and trotted out the door and down the hallway. She gave Lily and Card a longing look, before grabbing her robe off the rack in the room where she had been sleeping, returning to One and straightening out the robe around her body.

One smiled and closed her eyes, then cut open a hole in space-time with the golden scissors. It was pure black, so Melody just had to trust her. One gave her a reassuring smile.

“Alright. Stay safe out there, Melody. I know you’ll do fine.” One said.

Melody took a breath and jumped into the portal.