Chapters The Adventures of Twiblight Sparkle
'Twilight' groaned, sitting upward. She looked down, and saw she was on the forest floor. Greenery surrounded her, but there was not an animal in sight. She was in a clearing, within a forest by the looks of it. She growled. Where the heck am I..? She thought, The clone must've been a real fool if she didn't know where she was, or who she was, for that matter.
All she remembered, by the looks of it, was a blazing sensation in her horn that was extremely agonizing to deal with. imbecile... She thought. Getting up and sitting on her flank, she saw that it was day. Though, it was raining particularly hard. She seemed to be in the center of it, which made her even more frustrated. She looked down, and saw a set of stairs. Tracing their path with her vision, she saw a certain crystalline tree.
Memories came flooding back to her immediately, of her... well... she wouldn't call them sisters, but, they were created alongside her. For now, she would call them associates. They were acquaintances, not sisters. Paranoia jolted her upwards, onto her hooves. Memories of her creator fizzled through her brain, which burst once reaching the surface. Her mind was currently in a frenzy, thoughts racing at an unknown pace.
What if Chrysalis comes back for her..? What if she brings somepony else with her, and that somepony is her counterpart..? What if... her counterpart hated her....? What would she do, then..?
The thoughts racing through her head frustrated 'Twilight' immensely. She wanted them to stop, but could do nothing about it. Growling, her horn lit up without her even realizing it. Screaming in rage, 'Twilight' pounded her front hooves on the ground. Dust sprang into the air, and she coughed uncontrollably. She slammed her eyes shut, running over to a nearby tree. There, her coughing subsided.
Fool.. She thought. Looking at her hooves, she saw that they were, for the most part, coated in dirt.
'Twilight' sighed, trotting over to a pond. Her heart beat in her chest rapidly, and she sighed. She, for the most part, was trying to stay calm. She didn't know what she was going to do once she was outside the forest. Her counterpart was a princess, and most princesses were rulers.
Rulers were well-known, so she was going to have a hard time staying hidden. What if she was killed for being a clone..? What if 'Twilight' was interrogated..? What if she was tortured...? Her breathing quickened. The thoughts continued, and the clone shivered. What if 'Twilight' was sentenced to life in a dungeon..? What would happen then..? Why was she so angry...? Why were these thoughts clouding her rational judgement..?
Laying down on the grass, 'Twilight' began to sob in frustration. Why was she so stupid..? She was going to be sentenced to life in the dungeons, simply for existing..!
Before she recognized what she was doing, "Twilight's" horn lit up. In a flash, she was teleported to a small hill. 'Twilight' bucked the hill, her back hooved slamming into the mound of material. Immediately, the portion of the hill she had kicked shot outwards, a loud bang emanating from it. She ran over to a tree, which was planted alone, near the hill. 'Twilight' ripped the plant from the ground, the roots seeming to extend beyond the trunk.
She hurled it at the nearby forest with her magic, the sprout crashing into a nearby cliff. 'Twilight' collapsed in exhaustion, one last tear running down her muzzle. She panted, attempting to stand up, to which she just fell back down again. 'Twilight' was completely and utterly drained. She yawned, reflecting on her past actions.
If her comrades hadn't attacked the tree, she wouldn't be in this mess. They would've been alive, and happy.
Okay, maybe not happy, but still. How dare they go off and attack an all-powerful sapling..? That could've been the key to their salvation..! Though she didn't want to admit it, a part of her blamed herself.
Maybe she was wrong all along, or maybe she just wasn't trying hard enough. The answer was alien to her. She had a perfect plan, and it would've been the perfect execution if it weren't for those... imbeciles. It was their fault she had failed. It was their fault she was where she was now. It was their fau-
'Twilight' took a deep breath in, exhaling softly. If she were to form a new plan, she would need allies. Powerful ones.
But, where would she get them..? She knew hardly anything about the world she had landed in, which was bad enough on it's own. If she were to find an ally, she would need to improve herself as a pony. 'Twilight' couldn't be going around blaming others for what she had a part in. Still...
It was tempting, almost unnaturally so. To just.. pin all her troubles on another being. To hate somepony with every fiber of her being. No. If she were to put a plan into action, she would need a clear head. Where would she find an ally, though..?
Looking forward, 'Twilight' saw a snowy mountain range that was frigid cold. She could feel a very faint scent of dark magic, and she focused on it. The magic seemed to come from somewhere in the mountains before her, and she had a long search ahead of her. Getting up to her hooves, her legs trembled from the weight they were now upholding. It was nothing a little exercise couldn't fix.
Shoving herself off the ground, she walked towards the snowy hills. 'Twilight' thought of where the magic could be coming from.
Ponies weren't the only ones with magic, as she had been taught. The warmth of the forest seemed to evaporate as she went along, but 'Twilight' didn't care. It was a nuisance, sure, but it wasn't that bad. For now. Something inside of her told 'Twilight' that she wouldn't be able to withstand the cold forever, and that she would have to find shelter. But that was a distant while away.
For now, she had a creature to find.
Author's Note
Editied to make seem more understandable.
The Adventures of Twiblight Sparkle
Tracking the magical signature was harder than expected, but ‘Twilight’ had managed to complete the task. By then, she was freezing her flank off. Why wasn't she born with a jacket..? From her knowledge, one of her associates was born with a hat.
Looking around the area, she didn't see anything at first. But, eventually, she saw a small red point poking out from the snow. Not having enough energy for telekinesis, she picked it up with her hoof. Shivering, she tucked it under her wing firmly.
As she trotted over to a nearby town, the snow seemed to tug at her body. It made her want to stop and curl into a fetal position. 'Twilight' shivered, struggling to stay conscious. Her body trembled and shook, but she didn't care. Looking forward, she saw that there was a cave a distance away from her. 'Twilight' grinned. It may have been far, but it was way closer than the village.
If I fall unconscious, I risk being found with the artifact. Or dying, for that matter.
Having frigid winds blow at you from all directions is pretty uncomfortable, so 'Twilight' decided to distract herself. Why did she and her comrades know basic things such as language, and basic societal functions without being told...? She hadn't been among society in all her life, and yet she knew that murder was wrong..? That stealing was unethical..? That clones were unintelligent..?
'Twilight' laughed at that last part. Though, she felt shameful when thinking about it. It was her fault that her comrades were deceased. It was her fault that her mother was on the run. It was her fault, all her fault. She was just an unresponsive, unintelligent clone, without a right to live a normal life.
Her sisters... they were-
Without thinking, 'Twilight' slapped herself across the face.
No... It's... it's not my fault. Since when did my family care about me..? Why am I even calling them family..? They don't love me. They hate me, just like everypony else. Besides, I have much better things to do than play the role of a victim. There are other ponies suffering way worse than me.
As she walked into the cave, 'Twilight' glanced at her surroundings. Colossal, spotted mushrooms grew from the earth, as well as a few plants. Dull, red grass coated the dirt, flowers popping up every now and then. Smoky crystals sprung from the floor, walls, and ceiling, illuminating the cavern. A small lake of water covered a decent portion of the cave, and underneath, glowing coral illuminated the depths. Looking around, 'she saw that blades of grass only grew in the spots illuminated by the crystals. Snow from the surface, warmed by the dirt, dripped down onto the soil. The cavern looked unstable at first glance, but the more she looked at it, the more 'Twilight' felt that it was safe.
Hmm.. This must be some sort of strange cave plant. Oh, and is that a fish in the water...? I have to observe my surroundings..! I am so amazed! I have to- ...
Wow. I get distracted very easily.
Still wearing her apathetic mask as though somepony was watching her, Twilight drunk some of the water. Though she knew most societal and bodily functions, 'Twilight' didn’t have any experience with the things she knew. So, when she felt the cool, soothing water ran down her dry, dehydrated throat, she continued to drink. And drink. And drink some more.Gasping for air, she scowled.
Ugh. What was I thinking..!?
Looking around, 'Twilight' saw a mushroom across the cavern. Trotting up to it, she bit into it. It was rather hard to chew, but she still managed to accomplish it. They really didn't have much of a taste, but 'Twilight' didn't care. After eating several more bites, she sat down. Her eyes felt droopy, and soon, the feeling of sleep overwhelmed her.
When 'Twilight' woke up, she was not in the cave she had laid down in. Instead, she was laid out across a mattress, a warm and comfortable feeling overwhelming her. Opening her eyes wearily, the scenery around her confirmed she was no longer in her cave. Instead she was in a small study, a fireplace across from her. 'Twilight' was about to grunt with distaste, until she noticed the bookshelves around her. The content of the shelves varied from magic to cooking, or weaving to leather-working. Books that were essentials if she wanted to survive.
Just as she sat up, a chair in the room turned to face her.
"Hello... clone." Said the pony. The equine in front of her had dark gray fur, and a flowing black mane. He had a horn that had been tinted red, and his eyes... his eyes.. were horrifying. He had red irises, and a green sclera. They gushed purple smoke, almost endlessly. If 'Twilight' hadn't already dealt with Chrysalis, she wouldn't have been able to control her fear.
"Where the hay am I..?! Did you do this to me..!?" 'Twilight' questioned. The pony turned around, gazing at her with thoughtfullness. She took a deep breath, then exhaled. 'Twilight' definitely wasn't awake, that was for sure. If she had been, she would've been able to leave the room. Her magic was also functioning, adding more evidence to the theory that she was still asleep.
Shaking the door with her magical grip, 'Twilight' growled. She attempted to buck the door, but missed entirely. When she looked back, she saw that the door had moved.
"You foolish imbecile..! let me go or I will destroy the artifact you currently reside in..!" She threatened, and the pony laughed. "What's so funny..!?"
Wiping a tear from his eye, the stallion sighed. "I can keep you in here for as long as I desire, clone. Do not test my patience."
Realizing that she was trapped, the clone sighed.
"What do you want from me..?" She asked defeatedly. Grinning, the pony clapped his hooves. He stood up, and stomped his hoof. In an instant, the room changed. Instead of a calming library, there was a city in the distance. It seemed to be entirely made of crystal, much to "Twilight's" confusion.
"Let's strike a deal, clone. You help me conquer the Crystal Empire, and I'll help improve your conditions of life."
Author's Note
Things are getting juicy..!
The Adventures of Twiblight Sparkle
Chapter 3 - Naming a Problem
“Let’s strike a deal, clone. You help me conquer the Crystal Empire, and I’ll help improve your conditions of life.”
‘Twilight’ blinked. She shook her head, frowning.
“You want me to help you conquer an empire..?” Questioned ‘Twilight’.
The pony grinned maliciously, and he chuckled slightly. ‘Twilight’ sighed.
“Yep. Isn’t that what I just said..?” Said the stallion jovially. Sighing exasperatedly, the clone facehooved.
“Okay, fine; but on one condition.” Spoke ‘Twilight’, a stern look on her face.
“And what could that possibly be..?” Said the pony.
“I require you to teach me magic. Your brand, specifically. I’m still confused as to how you entered my dreams.” She requested.
“I’d be completely willing to teach you my magic. Then, do we have a deal..?” Said the stallion, raising his hoof. ‘Twilight’ grabbed it, shaking it cautiously.
“Deal.” She replied.
“Nice to meet you. My name is Sombra, by the way.” He spoke. Sombra released her hoof, and cracked his neck. ‘Twilight’ cringed. Stomping his hoof on the ground once more, the scene zoomed in on the city. Everything blurred, as the ground whizzed by. When the scenery had completely changed, Sombra spoke up.
“The empire is a decent way away from where you are in the waking world.” He said, “You will need a disguise. Sadly, I can only manifest myself in your dreams. So, I have a plan.”
Before ‘Twilight’ could comprehend what he was doing, Sombra raised his horn. As soon as it came into contact with hers, she felt knowledge flowing into her brain. She now knew how to enter the Crystal Empire, as well as a disguise spell. ‘Twilight’ assumed it was based off the one that Chrysalis used, because that was the only spell she knew that could enable a creature to change it’s form. Still, she wasn’t completely sure. She also had learnt a transfiguration spell, which would be useful for when she left the cave. As soon as the knowledge stopped infiltrating her mind, the clone jumped up with a start.
‘Twilight’ jumped upwards, gasping for breath. She looked around, and, once noticing she was in her cave, exhaled heavily. The dripping of water echoed throughout the cave, making it seem lonely and desolate. The cave was dark, suggesting it was nighttime. ‘Twilight’ trotted over to the entrance of the cave, and saw that it was indeed night. She assumed the sun had yet to rise, and that the pony controlling it hadn’t yet raised it. Just as she was about to retreat back into her cave, the sun shot up into the sky. ‘Twilight’ grinned. Checking to see if she still had the severed horn, ‘Twilight’ searched. Seeing that it was near where she had fallen asleep, the clone grabbed it.
‘Twilight’ didn’t want to make the repeated mistake of almost falling unconscious, so she materialized a saddlebag. Dropping the horn into the bag, she gathered food from the cave. She also materialized a coat, as she would need it. Materializing things while only having a vague image of the objects in your mind was hard. However, that was exactly what ‘Twilight’ had been doing. So, while looking at them, ‘Twilight’ thought that the objects looked... off . Though, she couldn’t quite put her hoof on what was wrong. Still, there were no holes in the bag, and the coat was warm, so she didn’t care. She may not have been used to that spell, but she’d most likely use it later. She would need to practice.
The clone strained to complete the disguise spell, but, in the end, she had done it. Taking a look at herself in the pond, she no longer looked like herself. She was a unicorn mare, with a messy black mane. She had a dull cyan coat, and green eyes. Though she could not see her cutie mark, she was the one who had formed the disguise. Her cutie mark had been a single green leaf, as she had visioned. After she had prepared for the cold, ‘Twilight’ was ready to enter the village.
The journey to the village had been long and uneventful, so she had tried to entertain herself. What would she call herself when she entered the village..? “Twilight Sparkle” wouldn’t sit well with the residents. She had a few ideas, but none of them seemed to be good enough. As she thought about her creation, ‘Twilight’ had started to feel bad. Her creator, Chrysalis, had been betrayed by her own creations. Sure, she had most likely planned to use them, but part of her felt bad nonetheless.
Why was her creator desperate enough to create the six of them..? Had Chrysalis actually felt bad when she and her comrades rejected her..? Why was ‘Twilight’ feeling so bad..? Chrysalis didn’t care about her or her sisters..! She hated them..! Why should she feel terrible when the feeling wasn’t mutual..? Rolling her eyes, ‘Twilight’ exhaled.
She shouldn’t have felt bad, and she knew it. ‘Twilight’ may have been an impulsive mare, but she’d never go as far as to forgive her creator. Chrysalis was unforgivable and evil. So, why did she feel so bad..? Maybe it was because she planned on doing evil acts, too. What was evil..? Was it something made up by society, or was it a tag given to the most heinous of beings. Was it a force, or an opinion..? ‘Twilight’ didn’t know.
Not that it mattered.
Walking into the village, ‘Twilight’ overheard some foals talking. They were chatting about what their teacher had taught them, and rather loudly at that. Sighing, ‘Twilight’ continued trotting onwards. She planned to stay here for the next couple of nights, mostly to formulate a plan.
I hope you’re not planning on going back on your word.
Sighing, the clone tried to respond; but to no avail. The alicorn-turned-unicorn saw a library in the distance, and smiled. If she were to improve her magical abilities, she planned to do it there. Walking into the library, ‘Twilight’ rang the bell.
“Hello, how may I help you..?” Said the librarian.
“I would like to check out a few books, lady.” Spoke the unicorn.
“What is your name, ma’am..?” The pony questioned.
“Twiblight Sparkle.”
