Author's Note

idk lol "blit" (the common pronounciation of BLT, aka BLock Transfer) is a term most commonly associated with computer graphics, and it's the function that's commonly used for rendering image sprites over a background. More specifically, it's a process in which images can be moved as a block around in display memory, giving the appearance of it moving independently of the background layer.

so uhhhhhhhhhhhh something something block memory transfer but human memories instead you now have expanded ur computer science knowledge in a heccin mlp fanfic woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

absolutely not a fully-fleshed concept. no idea if this would even make it into the final fic.

Project Emphenom 19: "Blit"

Gadget stared at her hoof.

"Something up, Z?" Twilight walked past, setting a hunk of... something on the table. Its crystalline surface twinkled in the midday sun.

"Hm?" the filly blinked her eyes shooting up to match her mentor's. "Oh, nothing. I was just thinking about stuff."

That moment from before.

When Potato Zoey's hand brushed against her own.

What was that?

Slivers of a life she never lived drifted in and out of her mind. A test at school that she knew she aced being bombed. Hanging out with Sam and the rest instead of Lisa. Some sort of... shack? Shed?

"Sure looks like you're thinking hard," Twilight quipped. She tapped a chisel against the crystal. "Seriously though. Something on your mind? I know you like to slip away to somewhere at night. I've seen your bed empty when you should be sleeping. Did you get into some kind of trouble again?"

Oops.

"...No," Gadget mumbled, her gaze slowly drifting to the floor. "Not exactly."

"Explain."

"Well..." Gadget fumbled her hooves, momentarily forgetting her lack of fingers as they knocked together uselessly. "Y'know how you look like whoever this Twilight Sparkle pony is?"

"Yessss?" Twilight cocked her head.

"Well... uh, last night, I went back to that void place. The one we saw while we were being sucked through to here."

The sound of the chisel hitting the floor rung in her ears.

"You found a way to go back?" Twilight's face suddenly filled her view. "How? I've been researching all that I could since we got here on how to open freakin' portals, and you've found a way all on your own?"

Gadget forced a grin. "...Yes? Kinda? It's uh... a little more complicated than that."

Twilight slumped back. "Alright, let's hear it. Actually, lemme get a notebook first. I should be writing this down."

Without even turning, she lit her horn. Behind her at the desk, a drawer opened up to release a spiral notebook and a pen, both of which settled gently between the two ponies.

Sheesh, she was getting good at this magic thing. Did make her feel kinda bad about falling behind on it herself, though.

'Whenever you're ready."

"Okay. So."

Gadget blinked.

She was in a shed.

"Are you..." a familiar voice in front of her began. She squinted as her eyes refocused from the abrupt shift.

"--Eating a hot dog?" another voice finished the question. "But you're a vegetarian."

"Huh?" she glanced down at the... carved potato in her hands as her own voice rung out around her. "It's not a hot dog, it's a potato, silly."

The taste of sweetened baked potato abruptly filled her mouth.

"Gadget?"

Gadget choked, sputtering even as she felt herself swallow seemingly at the same time.

"Gadget!"

"Well anyway," a fourth voice--Caleb's voice, continued whatever conversation had been happening, as if her choking from the sudden influx of baked potato had gone completely unnoticed. "We did find it in the thrift store shortly after you recorded a massive, record-breaking burst of ener--"

A flicker.

She was back.

Twilight sat eye-level in front of her, worried lines etched into her face. "Gadget," she began slowly. "We can talk about your traveling later. What happened? Do you need a drink?"

Gadget smacked her lips. The ghostly aftertaste of baked potato with way too much powdered sugar heaped onto it still lingered at the tip of her tongue.

"Yes, please."

"On it," Twilight quickly fled the room.

...

...

What the heck was that? Those--she could tell by the potato weirdness alone--were Potato Zoey's memories! How did they just... just surface like that? And in such vivid detail, too!

It had to be that flicker that ran across her vision from one of the times they'd touched hands.

But then... why didn't it happen on the first touch? Why didn't she have Void Gadget's memories as well? Or that other Zoey that she interacted with a while back?

Why now?

Why her?

...And why potatoes?