Spike yawned as his consciousness slipped back to him, the usual cracks of his bones filling the air as he stretched and contorted his body to get the satisfying relief. It was then that he noticed Jade’s journal effectively draped over his face to which, he could only giggle in his realization. “Twilight’s curiosity sure is hard to shake, got so lost In Jade’s notes that don’t even know what time I fell asleep.” He peeled the book off his eyes and opened them for a second, stretching once again. “I’m not late, am I?” He peered at his alarm with a lingering nervousness then he cocked a scaly eyebrow. “It’s off?” He checked the plug, it was plugged in, odd considering how he dedicated himself to at least trying to get to work on time. “Maybe it’s broken.” He shrugged it off, wondering exactly how it could’ve broken overnight, but continued to pay it more attention as he made his black bed…wait. “My bed isn’t this color, where’s the purple and green, the cool gold design that usually compliments it?” He turned around. Now that he thought about it, everything seemed to be strangely colored for that matter, The walls were a blinding white with black shadows being cast over the corners and that’s about it, as was the same for half the items in his room. “What in the world is—” He blinked. The effect is gone. The walls were back to a normal dull white, the bed was now purple and green and with that gold design over it.

What in the world just happened?

8:30 AM

“Now you’re just making stuff up.” Smolder said as she leaned on an empty book cart, staring at Spike with an unpersuaded expression. “How’d you even get this supposed Journal?”

“Well… I was kind of at… look, it doesn’t matter, all I know is, I wasn’t hallucinating, at least I think I wasn’t. It was like someone took all the colors out of my room and topped off the saturation on the blacks and whites.”

“Like an unfinished drawing?” Ms. Peg chimed in from behind a bookshelf.

Smolder sighed. “I told you about doing that Ms. Peg, it’s creepy.”

“Am I not involved now? I did hand over the journal to Spike last night.”

“So that’s how you got the journal? Wait, what do you mean last night?”

Spike tripped over his words like a world champ. “W-well you see…I um, meant to tell you before I came in.”

“Spike helped me move around some heavy furniture in my house is all.” Ms. Peg interrupted.

Smolder’s cocked a suspicious scaly eyebrow to that response. “Moving furniture huh?”

“Yep, that’s all I was doing.” Spike quickly shot off like a speed round. “She needed some help, I helped her out simple as that.”

Smolder let a puff of smoke escape her nostrils as her annoyed eyes scanned Spike for any signs of guilt. “I’m just gonna say I believe you and get frustrated later. Anyway, the whole no color thing you just explained?”

“Oh, well yea, it was just like Ms. Peg said, like someone had drawn out the world detail for detail with no color. Shouldn’t be a surprise that the minute I checked the book, this phrase appeared on the first page.” He said as he removed the book from his person.

Both Smolder and Ms. Peg stared in curiosity as the book opened upon the first page, and then their expression widened. It’s…blank?” they said in unison.

“What do you mean blank? It’s clear as day right there on the first page.”

“Spike,” Peg said with a bit of concern. “Did you get enough sleep last night?”

“Come again?”

“I know Twilight’s curious nature is contagious sometimes, you may need to get some actual sleep before we can think about this.”

“What in Equestria are you talking about, I slept fine last night. I’m not crazy or hallucinating, it’s literally right here on the first page clear as day, ‘on the other side.’ ”

Smolder took her time humoring Spike, viewing the book from different angles as if the words would suddenly pop up. “On the other side of the page or what?”

Spike had to mentally review the page in his mind. He could see the words “on the other side” clearly depicted upon the paper. He was hallucinating nor was he just tired, they were there, they existed. So why can’t Smolder and Ms. Peg s—

“Spike, you’re late again.” Ms. Peg’s voice called from just beside him.

“Sorry sorry but something crazy happened, you’re not gonna believe what jus—” Wait wait wait, didn’t I already say this? Spike looked around in disbelief, he was at the entrance to the library again, but he was just standing next to Smolder and Ms. Peg in the isles, how did he get back here?

“Believe what dear?”

“U-um…” he stammered before scratching his head in confusion. “Where’s Smolder, you both need to hear this.”

“I believe she’s already begun organizing the books for today.”

“Now you’re just making stuff up.” Smolder said as she leaned on an empty book cart, staring at Spike with an unpersuaded expression. “How’d you even get this supposed Journal?”

“Well… I was kind of at… look, it doesn’t matter, all I know is, I wasn’t hallucinating, at least I think I wasn’t. It was like someone took all the colors out of my room and topped off the saturation on the blacks and whites.”

“Like an unfinished drawing?” Ms. Peg chimed in from behind a bookshelf.

Smolder sighed. “I told you about doing that Ms. Peg, it’s creepy.”

“You already said that?” Spike added.

“What?”

“You called her creepy not even a few minutes ago.”

“No, I didn’t, I literally just thought of that.”

“No, you didn’t…or did you?”

“You ok Spike? Did you get enough sleep after all that research last night?”

“He was a bit shocked at something when he came in this morning?” Peg added with sudden concern.

“What do you mean this morning?” Spike asked.

“Finally!” Smolder exclaimed as she rushed Spike with a hug. “I was so worried, I thought you might be dying or something.”

Spike just sat in confusion. “W-what are you talking about, I’m fine see.”

“Spike, you haven’t moved in over an hour, and I’m not talking like in deep thought not moving, you were like a static picture the entire time, you didn’t even breath.”

“An hour? But it’s only 7:30 right? Opening time for the school and everything, I literally got in not even 5 minutes ago, told you guys about that crazy weird vision I had 10 minutes before that, and that’s literally what happened.”

Ms. Peg placed her hoof to Spike’s forehead causing spike to make questioning eye contact. “You must be getting a fever or something because it's 8:30, the time we usually open up the library. You came in and just stopped for a long time."

Spike was lost for words both mentally and verbally. Not once but twice had he suddenly been displaced in his judgment. He was sure he came in and told the girls about his experience, only to be just arriving at his job for the second time, then suddenly after revealing his experience once more, had been standing in place motionless, breathless, for a full hour. Smolder was crying into his shoulder as he moved his arms to comfort her. “Guys, something weird is going on here. I can’t figure it out, but I think—”

Snap!

“Spike? Spike?” Smolder’s voice came accompanied by loud snaps from her claws.

“W-what? What’s going on?”

“Am I going to have to drive you home because you just showed us a blank page then went completely silent for a few minutes.”

Spike looked around trying to gauge his placement now. The back isle, Ms. Peg and Smolder staring at him with concerned eyes as he held up the blank book to them. “I’m fine…I think. I just really need some more sleep is all cause I am apparently really out of it.”

“Is it ok If I take him home Ms. Peg?” Smolder asked.

“Please dear.”

Smolder and Spike walked out of the library together, Smolder doing her best to comfort Spike in his confused state. They stood within the doorway of Twilight’s office, her mature eyes looking up to greet them as she placed a pen down and stretched. “To what do I owe the pleasure you two?”

Smolder was about to explain, that is until Spike bolted to her desk and quickly shot out, “Something’s wrong.”

Twilight just sat in shock as her muzzle was only mere inches from Spike’s. “S-Spike, what’re you talking about?”

“Smolder, we have to let her in on it, everything.”

“You can’t be serious?” Smolder quickly shot back. “She’ll tell Ember for sure, then I’ll really be in trouble.”

“Smolder, this isn’t just about some weird book, something is happening.”

Smolder just ignored Spike for that moment, taking her spot by pushing Spike back into a chair. “Ms. Twilight, Spike here is a bit off his flame if you know what I mean, is it ok if I take him home?”

“H-hey!” Spike chimed in. “I’m am not crazy ok? I’m telling you, something is up here.”

“He’s just so tired, he can’t seem to—”

Twilight let her magic do the work as Smolder’s muzzle was suddenly closed. “Just hold you two before you turn this into something truly annoying. What is going on? Some pony and only one of you, tell me what exactly has got you in my office interrupting both mine and your work.

“Smolder trust me on this one.” Spike said taking Smolder’s hand and looking her deep in the eyes. “I’m not crazy, you have to trust me.”

Smolder stared back, seeing the desperation his eyes to be heard and believed. Spike could also feel the desperation he was showcasing, and so early too. But he had been pulled through two different instances in which his mind was put to the test, he was not backing down to figure this out. Smolder sighed, kissing Spike on the forehead and taking a step back. “Better be right about this hon.”

Spike nodded pulling out the book and placing it on the table. Twilight just stared at the book, her face more confused than anything. “What is this?”

“Twilight, you should know, I wasn’t in your library looking for griffon history.”

“Darn, and I thought you were truly interested in the griffons. I mean there was that one time you kissed Gilda in—” A large growl from Smolder caught her attention making her clear her throat in fear. “N-nevermind.”

“Could you maybe avoid getting me killed?” Spike uttered in a whisper. “(Cough) anyway, Smolder found this book—”

“In Ember’s secret library?”

“Wait, how did you guess that?" Smolder said with surprise in her voice.

“I’m not dumb, Ember informed me a long time ago about your secret adventures. She asked me to return anything I see you with as soon as you’re done reading it.”

“Oh buck… no wonder she’s never mad at me, she already knows.”

Twilight giggled as she placed a hoof on the book. “So what tale of time did you steal this time?”

“I have no idea.” Smolder uttered.

“No idea? Must be from her secret stash then. I’ll inform her that… wait… there’s no name on this book?” Flipping to the first page, her eyes widened. “It’s… blank. Are you sure it’s a book for reading and not some type of journal?”

Spike and Smolder looked to each other with curious glances. “I hadn’t thought of that?” Smolder confirmed. “It could be a magical journal for all we know.”

“How magical are we talking here?” Twilight asked as she placed a cup of tea to her lips.

“Oh yea, I never tell any pony that part, I found it in the back of her library floating and surrounded by some weird black wind.”

Twilight nearly spit out the tea in surprise to those words. “Black wind?”

“Yep, just kind of floating there nice and quietly.”

“Kids, this might be something completely out of your league, dark magic is usually associated with black wind and black themes.”

Smolder laughed at that. “I figured we can handle it if it came to down that, I mean you guys have handled worse, Tirek, Queen Chrysalis like three times, the storm king, etc.”

“But that was unavoidable kids, you can avoid this. Who knows what will spawn from this book if you were to uncover its secrets.”

Spike and Smolder nodded in unison. “We’re willing to take the risk, it’s an adventure of sorts after all.” Spike added.

Twilight looked at both of them with concerned eyes, then she sighed. “Just like the gold old days then. So what do you know so far?”

They both began to speak, then stopped, realizing at best, they knew near to zip about the book. “Nothing at all.” They said in unison.

“Wait really? Nothing at all? Not even a name?”

“Not a clue.” They both continued.

“But we have searching high and low to locate this symbol and figure out something. The only lead we have so far is a journal written by an adventurer named Jade Discover.” Spike said placing the journal alongside the book.

“Jade…Discover? Hmm, that name does not ring any bells for me.”

Smolder gasped. “The greatest mind of our society, Twilight Sparkle, hasn’t heard of Jade Discover?”

“H-hey!”

Smolder laughed. “Don’t beat yourself up Ms. Twilight, she wasn’t a popular discoverer if it makes you feel any better.”

“I still feel like I should know her, I mean I know everything there is to know about history, all those famous and low explorers, I’ve done my research.”

“Well, it should be noted that this is the only living evidence of Jade Discover ever existing, at least in this reality.” Spike added.

“Come again?”

“Just read it.”

Smolder was quick to join Twilight as she opened the journal to the first page. “Hey, I didn’t get a chance to read it either, scooch over Ms. Twilight.”

9:10 AM

Twilight had to readjust her entire mindset in the event any of this was actually true, both hers and Smolder’s expressions were confused, then surprised, then confused even more. “This Jade Discover may have discovered something truly interesting. In the event that this is true, could it be possible that some pony developed enough prowess to master time and space manipulation?” Twilight said still trying to process it all.

“Besides the princesses, I doubt it.” Smolder added it. “Maybe Star swirl figured out something?”

“But then why would he follow around some random pony and cause her grief. You read it correctly that she almost drowned in those underwater ruins thanks to the anomaly.”

“Far as we’re concerned, this Jade Discover is the only connection we have to the Book’s origins, and she’s super dead.”

Twilight rubbed her temples with her hooves trying to wrap her head around any logical idea, magical or not, but nothing came to mind. Teleportation is one thing, time magic is not uncommon thanks to Starlight, but the way Jade described them were as if they were effortless tasks. Concentration is needed to teleport things, a large bounty of magic is needed to open any portals of time, but to do them together, rapidly, in different areas and situations, and even affect the way in which a person sees the world. “I don’t think this phenomenon is of this world.” Twilight uttered.

Spike happily clapped as he gave a thumbs up. “You and me both Twilight.”

“Like, it sounds like magic, but it’s so much more fluid and mystical than anything any old pony could conjure up, at least I think.”

“What about—” Spike paused, his eyes seemingly stopped in their tracks as he stared around at the office. When did… not again? He turned, taking one step into the once colorful hallway and staring at the blankness he was now experiencing. Everything was once again stripped of its color; the portraits and awards were now an exhaustingly blank white with a black outline. The walls were now stripped of any character except for the white they now wore; the shadow’s being cast by anything now harsh and sitting there as if they were a void. “G-guys, you have to see this, this is what I was talking about.” No answer, only the sound of a strange technical sounding wind. It wasn’t a normal wind, it sounded distorted, strange and ominous. “Guys?” He repeated. “Twilight, Smolder?” He continued. “What’s going on with you two?” he said re-entering the office only to jump back in fear. “W-what the?” What the hell is going on? His eyes had to be playing tricks on him he thought because all he was staring at, was two black silhouettes. No color, no features, no eyes, mouth, anything, just black shadow’s standing there looking straight in his direction. It was then that he noticed, their attention was sort of following him. He couldn’t make out any eyes to track, but without a doubt, the shadow’s tracked his every movement with soul-crushing accuracy. “Ok, I’m officially freaked out, that is not cool. Guys? Guys come on? Are you playing some kind of prank because it’s working a little too well?”

Still there was no response from them, instead they seemed to completely ignore anything that wasn’t their non-existent eyes following him. He wasn’t crazy, this was real, this was happening. And he couldn’t turn it the hell off. It was creepy enough that the color suddenly disappeared from the room, but now these shadows of his closest friends, completely void of life are just watching him with extreme dedication. He had to at least figure out something. “Smolder, Twilight?” He uttered etching closer and closer as the top half of his body leaned back in preparation for anything. “You guys alright in there?” He reached the desk; the tips of fingers began to slide closer to touching the strange shadow’s and boy did he regret that decision. As soon as he made physical contact with Smolder’s shadow, his thoughts were instantly focused on running. Twilight’s shadow cried out in an almost blood-curdling scream that should’ve belonged to a demon of all things as it downright slammed the desk through the wall with fearful strength. Spike was quick to back up to just outside the door, his lungs literally rushing to compensate the lack of reaction at that moment. “W-what the hell?” The shadow’s stared at the desk for a moment, before turning their heads In the most jagged way possible towards Spike, cracking as if they hadn’t been turned in a while. “T-Twilight can you he—” With speed unlike anything Spike’s ever seen before, even from rainbow dash, Both Smolder and Twilight rushed the door at an illogical acceleration, Spike quick to close the door on his attackers. “What the hell, what the hell, what the hell…” He repeated over and over again. “This isn’t happening…this isn’t happening?”

“Enoemos sah deppils otni ruo dlrow niaga...” A voice whispered.

“H-hello, is anyone there?”

“Uoy nod’t gnoleb ereh, evael...” It continued.

“I don’t know what you’re saying, please can you help m—”

“Spike? Spike?!” Twilight’s voice drifted in as his vision suddenly faded to black. “Spike wake up, come on!”

Like a bullet, spike jumped back in his chair and instantly flew out of it, sliding himself to the wall as he hyperventilated. “W-wha, n-no…”

“Spike honey.” Smolder said as she approached him. “It’s ok, you’re ok, we’re here.”

“You…” He had to take a moment to compose himself. “You just tried to kill me… both of you.”

“What? Spike no, you literally zoned out again for like a full five minutes.”

“I was… it happened again. I was in that strange colorless world again, and you two, were like shadows or something.”

“Spike, I don’t think you’ve gotten enough rest today, you need to go home and clear your head.” Twilight suggested with a concerned voice.

“Twilight, Smolder, you don’t understand, this journal, this Jade Discover, she was onto something.”

“Who?” Twilight asked.

“What do you mean who, I just told you about her.”

“No, you walked into my office and Smolder asked if you could go home for the day, right Smolder?”

“Yea that’s about right.”

Spike was at a loss of words, his reasoning and understanding of the current situation was fading so badly, he was beginning to question reality in the smallest sense, then it hit him, look at the clock. 8:40 AM. It was ten minutes after nine when he was suddenly thrown into the strange vision of a world, he was beginning to understand only slightly, what was happening. He was being displaced in time and space as Jade was all those years ago. But why? He couldn’t think, he was all out of patience for this today, he had to get home. “Twilight, I’m going crazy, just let me go home alright.”

“If you say so Spike, but you’ll both have to make up the work on Monday after this weekend.”

Smolder scoffed. “We stack books, what work could we possibly be missing out on.”

“Ms. Peg has informed me of a few different tasks actually that you’ve been neglecting.”

“Crap.” Smolder uttered.

“Now run along, you look like you need the rest bad.”

“Thank you…” Spike uttered before getting up and walking out.

As quick as walking could get him, he was at the parking lot in under a minute, Smolder hot on his tail. “H-hey, wait for me.”

“S-sorry, just in a hurry to clear my head is all.” Spike said with a slight frown.

“Hey, none of that frowning mister, we already get that enough from Ember. I’m gonna drive with you home, you’re gonna get some sleep, and I’m going to keep you company got it?”

“Yes mam, so bossy.”

“Ember is a great teacher…sometimes.”

The day went by in fast forward, Spike and Smolder made it to Spike’s apartment in record time, with Spike taking to his bed as fast as he could and Smolder watching quietly over him as she ruined his kill death ratio. Spike woke up in a surprised state, it was dark outside, and his body felt like he had worked out for an entire day. “Wow, I’m sore, I didn’t do anything did I? No no, I’ve been sleeping here, all day apparently.” He tried to move but realized wrapped around his chest were Smolder’s claws, her face pressed firmly into his chest. “Someone got tired.” He said caressing her gentle scales. As he caressed however, he could feel the grip of her arms suddenly tightening around his back. “Oh wow, she’s strong. Must be having a nightmare. Smolder? Hon wake up?” Again, her grip tightened. “Oh ok, that’s starting to hurt, um Smolder, wake up now.” Again, her grip became tighter. “S-Smolder.” he said beginning to shake her gently. “You’re hurting your drakefriend, please wake up. Oh god, she just keeps going. Smolder?! Smolder?!” With these words, he was now viciously shaking her as hard as he could, no response. He tried to slip out of the hold, contorting his body to worm his way through her arms but to no avail. He looked up praying to anything he could to wake her up, but when he looked back, there it was again. It wasn’t Smolder, it wasn’t the girl he’d grown up with since the friendship days, it was a black mass in the shape of Smolders following his eyes with that same extreme dedication and threatening to squeeze the very life the out of him. “S-Smolder! Let go!”

He tried to power through, flex whatever little physique he had to break her hold, but her arms felt like solid concrete against his back, never moving, never budging an inch and every second seemed to slip him closer to the inevitable. At this point, the strange mass had now made a complete cocoon of strength around him, she wasn’t some ten-ton bodybuilder, but man did it feel like it, and with every second, it was getting harder to breathe. Each breath was shorter and shorter until he felt his muzzle touch its black imitation of one. Then he realized, he couldn’t breathe anymore. Whatever it was had completely cut off his source of air, both by lungs, and by the black inky substance that was spreading over his face. “MMMMM!” He cried out, his eyes watering as no air passed through his lungs.

“Spike, Spike!”

He jumped up in a fit, heavy breathing with a tone so loud, it sounded like the loudest speaker system known to pony kind. Spike breathed and breathed until he couldn’t cherish that feeling anymore, then hugged Smolder with all the fear he could muster. “I don’t want to sleep anymore…”

“Spike, what happened?”

“I-I was sleeping…and I-I couldn’t breathe… you were... squeezing so tight and…I just don’t want to sleep… I just don’t.”

“Calm down Spike, I’m here, no shadows, no crazy alternate world, just me, you’re ok.”

"Just you... just... you."

"Er’uoy no eht rehto edis..." the whisper uttered directly into his ear.

Spike's eyes widened.

Author's Note

Eht rehtraf uoy og, eht erom uoy ezilaer tsuj woh tuo fo ecalp gnihtyreve smees huh? Evah uoy reve denoitseuq tahw's no eht rehto edis fo sgniht, erehw eht ralop etisoppo sediser ecno gnihtemos si detaerc. Ti's ton ekil I eveileb uoy'er yllautca trams hguone ot dneherpmoc hcus sgniht tub I'll evig uoy eht tifeneb fo eht tbuod, sediseb, uoy'er ton annog teg yna retrams tuohtiw ym pleh yawyna.
(The farther you go, the more you realize just how out of place everything seems huh? Have you ever questioned what's on the other side of things, where the polar opposite resides once something is created. It's not like I believe you're actually smart enough to comprehend such things but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, besides, you're not gonna get any smarter without my help anyway.)