Growthby Mister EChaptersPrologueChapter-0 In the White Room...Chapter-1 I'll wait in this place, where the sun never shines...Chapter-2 Black Roof CountryChapter-3 Tired StarlingsChapter-4 Silver Horses, Ran Down Moonbeams...Chapter 5 You Said No Strings, Could Secure You...Chapter 6 In the Dark Where the Shadows Run From Themselves...Prologue“Twilight?” Somepony was speaking my name. Unless, I am hearing things now as well. Very possible considering how loud that dry raspy whisper of cloth decaying right next to my ear has gotten. “Twilight!” No, that was definitely somepony speaking my name. I had been trying to blot everything out. Trying to focus on the darkness. Darkness induced by the rotting cloth tied over my eyes. Tied in desperation to shield me from the truth of the world. I was finally beginning to calm myself, my tears slowing to a trickle. “TWILIGHT SPARKLE YOU WILL GIVE ME YOUR ATTENTION THIS INSTANT!” Oh my Goddess that was loud. Wait, that WAS my Goddess. Celestia was here. And she didn’t sound at all pleased with me. I had a feeling that was going to get worse. “S-sorry Princess.” I managed miserably to say, my throat still sore from puking so much earlier. “Twilight,” she said once more, her voice softer and filled with concern. “Tell me what happened. All that Spike’s letter said was to come as quickly as I could, that something was wrong with you. When I arrived, I saw neither he, nor your student Starlight Glimmer, and then I found you on the floor with your eyes covered up, and tears running down your cheeks. Twilight, you need to tell me what happened. I can’t help you if I don’t know what’s wrong.” I wasn’t up to this. My body was shaking, my head pounded, my nerves were frayed, and my throat was raw. But I had to tell her. I decided the simplest truth would be the best place to start. “Discord did me a favor.” As it turns out, that was the wrong thing to say. “DISCOOOOORRRRRRD!!!” Her shout rang through the entire castle. Literally. It was so loud the crystals of the castle itself began to vibrate. I can only hope that none of them cracked. “Well you don’t have to SHOUT Celestia, I’m right here. I have been the whole time.” “Wha-?” I managed. “Well you don’t think I’m going to just leave you alone do you? Whole new set of powers potentially at your disposal, new way of seeing the world. What? You think I’m the kind of being would would give a baby a beaker full of azidoazide azide, and then a good tickle? I’m surprised at you… (and that only happened once).” “Wh-” I began, but was cut off. “DISCORD! Undo whatever it is that you have done to Twilight, RIGHT THIS INSTANT!”. Celestia orders, her voice holds more anger that I have ever heard before, even with that strange dying off effect that sound does now. “Well, there’s just a few little problems with that Celly. First, and most importantly, you can’t make me. Second, but still high on the list, Twilight wanted this, so even if I were foolish enough to TRY and undo what I did, SHE is the one that gets to ask me, not YOU. And number three… I don’t actually think I could. Well… not with any guarantee of success that is. I mean it’s VERY difficult to modify perceptions and get it right. Altering them to my way of viewing the universe is sightly easier, because I can use myself as a template. But how you ponies normally see the world? I haven’t a clue. I mean, I can deduce from inference that it must be horribly dull and boring, but how does one tune an eyeball to ‘boring’? You really should put dials on those things.” “Modify percept- No! Discord you didn’t! Not again! You wouldn’t!” Celestia sounded horrified. “Hey, SHE wanted to know. I TRIED to talk her out of it, just ask her. Besides, I think we all learned quite a bit, since the last time. I’m sure if we all just calm down, maybe have a drink, perhaps a snack...” {Uuuurp!} “Or not, or not. Deep breaths Twilight, deep breaths… My point is Celly, that what’s done is done. We just need to make the best of it and move on.” “I shall wrest the Elements from the Tree, turn you back into stone, and cast you into the deepest pit in Tartarus!” Celestia says in fury. I can feel her next to me, she’s crackling with power. It’s getting warmer, I can feel her solar fury on my coat. I couldn’t stop her if I wanted to. Did I want to? Did I not? “Aaaand if you DO all of that, then I won’t be around to help Twilight adjust to her altered state. I mean, I’m sure you’ll do the best you can without me… oh, but then we both know how well THAT worked out last time. “S-stop. Please. Both of you.” I manage to say. “Discord may not have given me all the details, but I asked for this. I wanted to know, I WANTED to understand. And… I still do. Please Celestia, don’t hurt him.” “Twilight,” she says quietly. “Oh Twilight, such compassion,” Discord says in a tone I can’t identify. Gratitude? From him? “Not that she could have hurt me anyway, but the gesture IS appreciated. All right Celestia, obviously things have gotten off on the wrong hoof here, let’s just adjourn to someplace more comfortable and we can talk this all out.” “Fine.” Celestia replies, her voice filled with steel. No, she is not pleased, not pleased at all. I hear Discord snap his claw. I can tell we are somewhere else. For one thing, the whisper of rot is gone, as is any lingering scent of it. “It’s alright Twilight, you can open your eyes here.” He says, cheerily. I reach up to remove the scarf, but it isn’t there. Slowly, I open my eyes. Although blurry from the tears that had filled my eyes, my vision quickly clears. I’m in… white. No, I’m not dressed in white, everything around me is white. I can’t tell if I am in a room or in a void. Everything is completely white. I see Discord and Celestia, neither of them show any sign of rot, although Celestia isn’t wearing her armor or her crown. “Welcome,” Discord says grandly, his arms thrown wide, “to the White Room.” Chapter-0 In the White Room...Author's Note Rot (noun)- The process of decaying. Growth (noun)- A stage or condition in increasing, developing, or maturing. Chapter-0 In the White Room... Journal entry number 1 One year, eleven months, twenty-nine days since my transformation. I have decided to begin a journal to record what is happening to me. It may seem odd to do so at this late a date, instead of from the beginning, but I feel that now is the appropriate time. Things have begun to change. To say that my life has been difficult for me since Discord has altered me, would be a gross understatement. In the beginning it was one fresh horror after another. Eating, drinking, seeing, hearing, each was a nightmare. Fortunately, I had the support not only of my friends and family, but also that of the princesses, and of Discord himself. Ironically, it has been Discord who has proven to be the most helpful, having been through the same Hell himself. His advice on how to come to grips with my new perceptions have been invaluable. At first I had to use special ear and nose plugs, as well as enchanted glasses that Discord created, just to function outside of the 'White Room'. Oh yes, the White Room. It's were I live now. It's a room outside of space and time. It's also a room completely devoid of matter. A room filled with nothing but pure energy. It's called the White Room, because that is all that can be perceived once you enter. It's like pure light that hasn't been refracted by coming in contact with anything. Imagine being inside a spherical mirror but having no body, then suddenly a light appears, that is what you would see, the White Room. Gradually, over time, I became used to the sound of the Rot. It faded in the background. Like ponies that live by the sea getting used to the sound of the ocean all the time. The smell took longer. Truth to tell I'm still not completely immune to it. Mainly because different things rot in different ways. There is no one 'smell' to the Rot to get used to. But I've managed to become tolerant of certain foods, drinks, and the smell of my friends. The fact that I can even write in this journal is proof of that. The sound of the paper as it rots, the smell of the ink, reminiscent of rotting fish, it's becoming easier, in some cases almost… pleasant? What I haven't gotten used to however, is the unfiltered sight of my friends. My brain refuses to equate what I am seeing now, with my memories of them. I know intellectually that they have always looked like this. That I am just seeing them in a different way. A more 'accurate' way. But that doesn't stop me from recoiling in horror, every time that I try to remove my glasses around them. I should mention that it hasn't been much easier for them either. I don't go out much these days. I leave the day to day business of the castle of friendship, as well as the school to Starlight. She has really come into her own during my absence, despite her inexplicable friendship with Trixie Lulamoon. The others come visit from time to time, coxing me out of my room. Forcing me to don my glasses, and offer up wain smiles and benign conversations. Don't get me wrong. I love my friends, and it's always good to see them, but I need to focus on my studies. Now more than ever. You see, I'm close to a breakthrough. Discord gave me what I asked for. I wanted to understand how his powers worked. He gave me that understanding in the simplest of ways, he made me, to a certain extent, like he is. Up until recently however, I have only been able to deal with these new perceptions with the understanding of my 'old' self. That is, I have been trying to deal with them in the terms of Twilight Sparkle the 'pony'. But, over time, I came to realize that if I ever wanted to come to terms with my new state of being if I ever wanted to have any semblance of a normal life, then I would have to cast away my old limited 'self', and expand my way of thinking. I needed to quit recoiling from the horror of my condition, and finally come to terms with it. To embrace it… End entry 1 Chapter-1 I'll wait in this place, where the sun never shines...It's coming to me, I can feel it. I can almost make the connection. Discord gave me the clue himself on his last visit. Rock, lava, gas. Ice, water, steam. He said that the different states of matter was the analogy that I needed to use to understand how to control the nature of his powers. An analogy… “Twilight, you’re just not getting it!” Discord says in exasperation. “I thought you were supposed to be the SMART one.” “I AM smart!” I fire back. “But smart doesn’t work on CRAZY, and that’s what your explanation is!” “No, no, no.” Discord replies, somewhat more calmly. “It only SEEMS crazy because it doesn’t fit into your tiny pony worldview. Your expanded perceptions should be indication enough for you to realize that there is more to the universe than you are currently able to comprehend. I’m trying to make this as simple as possible for you. Now let’s try again.” "Simple? There is nothing simple about ANY of this. You have no idea how many times I’ve wished that I had NEVER asked to understand your powers! I’m tired of this! Tired of living in this room! Tired of my friends looking like monsters! I just… I just want this all to be over with!” “Twilight,” Discord says gently, coming over to stand before her. “I’m truly sorry that you have to suffer like this. But the only way that you’ll ever be able to be your ‘normal’ self again, is if you master the powers of the Rot, and fix yourself. I’m been trying my best to put abstract concepts into tiny little digestible bites for you, but maybe that was a mistake. Maybe we should just dive right into the deep end.” “W-what do you mean?” I say, wiping the beginnings of tears from the corners of my eyes. "I’m going to leave you alone for a bit to think about something. I want you to consider the relationship between order and chaos. Take your time and consider the following: How are order and chaos, like the different states of matter?” “That’s it?” I ask, bewildered. “That’s it.” Discord replies, and then snapping his claw, he vanishes. “Order and chaos… and the states of matter. Matter becomes energy. It rots. It releases energy as it decays. It breaks down, or is consumed. Energy becomes matter. Photons collide at high speed becoming electrons and positrons. Order imposes structure upon the universe, but is it's own contradiction, because perfect order is stillness, void, and emptiness. Chaos is pure randomness, but is it's own contradiction because without chaos there would be no life, and life contains the structure of order. Life brings forth both chaos and order to the universe. But all living things die… and rot. So life… life combines both chaos and order. Both matter and energy. But matter and energy are the same thing, just in two different states. Like ice and gas. One becomes the other, becomes the other, becomes the other. And water would represent what? The transition in between? I'm missing something. I'm so close I can feel it. What is it? One little thing… but what? Water, ice, gas, water, ice, gas, Liquid, solid, gas. If ice represents pure order, and gas represents pure chaos, is water supposed to represent the transition between the two? It seems simple enough, but why does seem… incomplete? I’m missing something. Something important, but what? Solid, liquid, gas. Solid, liquid, gas. Wait! Wait, wait, wait! Solid, liquid, gas. That’s only three states of matter. There is a fourth state. Plasma! And plasma is a powerful conductor of energy! Discord said that he used the analogy of the various states of matter, as the key to understanding the use of the Rot. Is the fourth state in his example the REAL clue? If so, that must mean… that must mean...” {KRAKKKATHOOOM!!!} Chapter-2 Black Roof CountryIn the House of Discord, a rather one sided conversation is taking place… {Blurb} “Why thank you, they were Fluttershy's recipe, I'm glad you like them,” Discord responds. {Glorp} “Yes, she is. And that’s only one of the nearly infinite things that I love about her.” {Hurrp} “I keep telling you, it's too soon for that. Right now we are just good friends.” {Braaap} “I am NOT afraid of commitment! I just don't want to rush things… it's… it's complicated okay?” Discord adds lamely. {Fruuup} “Fine! Believe whatever you want! But you'll see. I know what I'm doing Smoozy. When it comes to being charming, I am second to none.” {Pbbbt!} “Oh what do you know! You said the same thing about Twilight Sparkle, and look how that turned out.” {Glooop?} “I’m afraid not. I knew her path would bring her to this, it was unavoidable I’m afraid. Still, I’m doing my best to help her along.” {Frooop} “No, not exactly my ‘pupil’, more like my ‘pupa’. Consider her 'White Room' as a kind of cocoon. Soon she will emerge as a beautiful creature of chaos.” {Glurg?} “No, probably not like me. That's the wonderful thing about chaos, it's just so… chaotic. She will be her own being. Provided of course, that she manages to understand the fourth state. If not, she'll end up like the other two I suppose.” {Plabt} “Yes, I imagine that they will become aware of their new… sister. Nothing I can do about that. I suppose that will have to be her first test. If she succeeds in-” {KRAKKKATHOOOM!!!} {Splat} “Yes, yes, yes! I KNEW she could do it! Sorry Smoozy, I have to go see a pony about a party. Also, I am NOT cleaning that up.” Several leagues, and dimensions away… “Cold.” A voice mutters to itself. “Always so cold. And white. I HATE white. The color of chaos it is. It mocks me, yes, yes it does. But soon it won't matter. I'm nearly complete. Nearly restored to my former self. Soon I will be free of this place, free to return to my kingdom. Then there shall be a reckoning. Oh my yes. Blood will fill the streets, and the crystals of my kingdom shall ring with the screams and lamentations of the ponies who dared to usurp me! There will fire, there will be darkness, there wi-” {KRAKKKATHOOOM!!!} “What? WHAT?!? NO! No, he wouldn't! He wouldn't dare! Not again, not after the last time. But that sound... It's unmistakable. I have no choice, I must leave, ready or not. I cannot allow him to create another.” And with that the figure slowly begins to transform into smoke, and rise into the morning sky, flying south. Elsewhere, in another cave, this one deep in the Badlands… “I'm tired of digging,” drone Twenty-four says, for the third time in the last half hour. “You keep SAYING that, and yet you still keep DOING it,” drone Twenty-one replies, as he fills yet another wheelbarrow full of debris. “Well of course I keep DOING it,” Twenty-four says in exasperation. “You KNOW what would happen to us if we stopped.” Suddenly a voice booms out from above, as Chrysalis, former queen of the changelings descends. “Are you two STILL bickering?!?” Why have I not ended this foolishness by removing your heads yet?” “Because my queen,” Twenty-one says, in a less than respectful tone,“Twenty-four and I are the only drones you have left. If you slay us, then who will you have left to rebuild your hive?” “HSSSSS!” Chrysalis replies. “That is NOT helping your case,” Twenty-four adds. “We've been hounded and chased across half of the Badlands, all the other drones have defected to join Thorax, Twenty-one and I are the only ones who have remained loyal to you, do you really want to threaten us?” Chrysalis's expression unexpectedly softens. She looks at the two drones, then down at the cavern floor. “I… I” she begins, “I'm sor-” {KRAKKKATHOOOM!!!} “Was that… NO! The fool! How dare he! How DARE he!!!” And with that, the former queen flies off at full speed, leaving two bewildered drones in her wake. Chapter-3 Tired StarlingsCastle of Friendship, the throne room. Twenty minutes ago. “Is she coming out today?” Applejack asks, sliding into her chair, the last to arrive. “Um, well, we haven’t heard anything.” Fluttershy says, her eyes downcast. “Of course you haven’t heard anything.” Rainbow Dash huffs in frustration. “All she ever does anymore is stay holed up in her little ‘White Room’. I say we smash our way in and just drag her out. She’s never gonna get any better by avoiding the problem.” “Well, if you ask me,” Pinkie interjects, “there’s only one thing we can do that will set her straight.” “Let me guess,” Spike says, rolling his eyes, “a party?” {Gasp!} “How did you know?” Pinkie says in shock. “Darling really.” Rarity says looking skyward, “despite what you may believe, there are times when a party just isn’t the best idea.” “HERSHEY!” Pinkie shouts, pointing a hoof accusingly at Rarity. “Um, Pinkie, I think you mean ‘heresy’,” Spike says. “Yeah! That! Sorry, I was thinking about chocolate.” “Girls, I hate to interrupt this diatribe, but I think we are getting a little off track.” Starlight says from Twilight’s long vacant chair. “The reason I called you all over today is because I’m worried that something is happening to Twilight. She’s been… different lately. Surely you have all been noticing it?” “Oh, well you know she doesn’t come out to see us very often anymore.” Fluttershy begins softly. “But the last time I spoke with her, she did seem to be behaving differently.” “How so?” Starlight asks leaning forward. “Well, we were just talking, not about anything important, I was just catching her up on how my animals were doing. She started to say something back, and then she just… trailed off. A few seconds later she started giggling, as if she had heard something funny. Then she just resumed speaking to me from where she left off, just like nothing had ever happened.” “Oh dear, you don’t suppose her condition is worsening do you?” Rarity says. “Well, I don’t reckon it’s getting any better,” Applejack says tilting back her stetson. “She had me come by a week or so ago. Asked me if I would drop off some potatoes. GREEN potatoes. The kind of green ya get from digging them up way early, an letting them sit in the sun for awhile.” “Well, that doesn’t sound so bad.” Rainbow says. “Maybe she just likes them a little under done now.” “Rainbow, I’m gonna ignore that, on account of I’m sure it’s just cause you don’t know anything about farming. The thing is green potatoes are full of solanine.” “What’s solanine?” Rainbow asks. “Like some kind of distilled sunlight?” “No you flying feather duster! Solanine is a deadly poison! Potatoes come from the nightshade family, just like tomatoes. You should NEVER eat a green potato. Even if you try to cook it, a green potato can still be full of poison. Now Twilight asked me for a bushel of ‘em. An I know she’s too smart not ta know about solanine. So I figured they was for some kind of experiment or another. But as soon as I hoof ‘em over, she pulls one out, takes a good unfiltered wiff of it, and proceeds ta eat the whole darn thing right in front of me. Then she gets this big ole smile on her muzzle, giggles a bit, and starts in on the next one. So here I sat in front of her with my mouth hung open, expectin her ta keel over in front of me any second, as she just goes on, happily munching potatoes, and chatting about the weather an such. Then after a bit, she tells me that she really enjoyed our visit, but she felt like retiring to her room. She thanked me for the potatoes, said goodbye, an that was that.” Starlight looked shocked. “And this was a week ago?” Starlight asks. “I spent some time with her just yesterday, and she didn’t seem to show any signs of illness. Well, any signs of PHYSICAL illness. Actually, that’s why I called you all here.” Starlight hesitates, dreading to broach the subject. Finally after a deep breath, she begins. “I think that Twilight might be… well, she might be losing it.” Starlight admits. “Ooo, ooh, Not to worry Starlight,” Pinkie says excitedly, “I’m great at finding things! Just tell me what she lost and the last place she had it, and I’m sure I can find it for her!” “No, Pinkie, no. That’s not what I meant. What I’m trying to say is that I think that Twilight might be… might be-” {KRAKKKATHOOOM!!!} All eyes glance upwards toward the second floor at the sound of the explosion, toward where the white room is located. Then they look at each other, concern mirrored on every face. Finally, one mare breaks the silence. “Off her rocker? Crazy as a bedbug? Two pickles short of a sandwich? Cuckoo? Cracked? Bonkers? Insane in the membrane? Am I getting close?” A voice says, as a pony comes into view. “Trixie please!” Starlight says, rubbing her temples. “Indeed!” Rarity exclaims. “I realize that Twilight may not be your favorite person, but that’s no excuse for you to be so crass about it.” “Sheesh, sorry okay? The great and powerful Trixie was simply trying to lighten the mood. Soften the blow so to speak. Trixie would never even consider kicking a pony when she is down,” she says, attempting a look of contrition. “Keep up that kinda talk, an you won’t be able to,” Applejack says menacingly. “Girls please!” Starlight says in exasperation, “None of this is helping. We need to come together on this, for Twilight’s sake. It’s obvious that she needs us now, more than ever. We need to find some way to help her. And right now, I think that the best thing we can do for her is-” “Throw her a party!” All eyes turn angrily toward Pinkie Pie. “Don’t look at me, I didn’t say it. HE did!” She says pointing a hoof overhead. All eyes turn upwards. Starlight drops her head into both hooves, and let’s out a long suffering sigh. “Hello Discord.” Chapter-4 Silver Horses, Ran Down Moonbeams...Whiteness. Pure whiteness. A blank page, only contrasted by the thoughts imposed onto it, like an ink stain… Well… this is boring. Time to liven things up. {KRAKKKATHOOOM!!!} I explode. It’s remarkably refreshing! I can feel all the particles of myself expand to fill the inside of the white room completely. Then I feel it all being pulled back together, taking the whole room with it in some weird type of implosion drawing it all back inside me even as I reform. The white room is gone, in a sense Twilight Sparkle is gone as well, but aha, in a much grander sense, Twilight Sparkle has just been born! I hover in place, thoughts racing so fast I can barely understand myself. I feel completely unrestrained. Dangerous. Yes, I am dangerous. I should create myself some limits before I do something foolish. Fun though that would be. Nah! Let Discord do it. I am limitless! I NEED to be limitless! Dissy can keep the water in the tank, I’m going to make a splash! A moment’s thought and I appear above the meeting table in the Castle of Friendship. “Heeeeere’s Twily!” I shout as I appear, raining a mixture of autumn leaves, blueberry pie, and pickled eggs down on those gathered below. Odd, that was supposed to be confetti… oh well… meh! Well, I see Discord is his usual perceptive self. All my friends are here, and the room has been decked out for a party in my honor. A ‘Coming Out’ banner has been hung across the tree roots, and judging by the bewildered looks on many of the guests, I’d be willing to bet that half of them have just been poof’d here. Silly Discord. I gently float down to the center of the table. Looking around as all eyes are fixed on me, I feel the need to pontificate. “Hear me, hear me, the quart will now come to order!” I say holding a quart of milk in front of my eyes, glaring at it with scrutiny. I then realize that I am not wearing any of my special protection, and I am gazing unfiltered at the outside world for the first time in forever. Neat. I mean horrifying. Yes, that’s it, definitely the second thing. “Well, I’d like to say what a joy it is seeing you all! I’d LIKE to say that, but currently you all look like the bottom of a Manehatten compost bin.” I flare my horn briefly, and just like that, everything looks the way it should. “Ah, that’s better!” I say. Suddenly everyone is looking around at each other in disgust and horror. Oops, I think I did an inversion there… I flare my horn again. There we go, no lasting harm done. (Well, aside from mental trauma, but who counts that). “Ah Twilight,” Discord says, coming up to me and giving me a hug. “I see you’ve learned how to make an entrance.” “Ah yes, bit odd that, I was going for confetti,” I say holding up a hoofful of pie and leaves. “Aren’t we all?” Discord says enigmatically. “So, let me get a look at you eh?” He grabs me by my horn, and holds me up before him, turning me this way and that. “Black AND white? Well, that’s an improvement over the last two, and I do absolutely love the mane and tail. Yes, yes, I think you managed it. Congratulations! I declare you NOT to be an absolute failure!” He says, flinging me into the air with absolute abandon. “WHEE!” I yell as I cartwheel through the room, then the furniture, then the wall, then back in through the opposite wall, to end up hanging upside down behind him. “Good on you Pops!” I say, slamming him on the shoulder with enough force to send him through the floor and all the way to Tartarus. “Soooo, what’s to eat?” I ask. Freeoow! What is wrong with everypony? I mean look at them all just standing there. Most of them look scared, Fluttershy is crying, even Pinkie is looking sad. What is wrong with these ponies? This is a party! Is it something I said? Oh wait, I never finished my speech… silly me. “Ahem!” I reach up and slick my mane into a stylish pompadour, and poof up a light blue sports jacket with white T shirt that says ‘What do we want? Time Travel! When do we want it? Irrelevant!’ on it. “Wow, great crowd, great crowd. So did you hear the one about the chemist who got cooled to -273.15°C? Well, he's 0K now… {badum bum}. Hmm, nothing. “Uh, okay… So my friend the archaeologist asked a diamond out to dinner last week. Apparently she was into Carbon-Dating.” “Bwahahaaa!” Maud says, spraying punch everywhere, before regaining her composure. Before I can throw out another joke however, Discord rises from his crater. “For thousands of years I lay dormant, who dares… oh hey Twilight. Manage to explain yourself yet?” “Is that what I was doing?” I say rubbing my head. “Well they ARE your friends, and you ARE the princess of friendship. It seems like the POLITE thing to do at least.” Discord says crossing his arms, and glaring at me impatiently. “Enough!” Starlight yells, slamming us both into the far wall with a bolt of pure magic. Next thing I know I’m encased inside a bubble. Ugh, I don’t like it, it makes me feel… restricted. “Twilight Sparkle!” She yells, tears staining her face. “What in Tartarus are you doing? All of us here have been worried sick about you, and you just come bursting in, looking and acting like… like him!” She says pointing a hoof at Discord who is floating nearby trying to look all innocent. “What happened to you? Please, we love you, we just want you to be okay.” Oops. I dun goofed. I forgot about my friends. I’ve been wrapped up in my head for so long, attuning myself to the forces of the universe, that I forgot that there are other beings IN the universe other than myself. Beings that I matter to… that matter to me. I need to calm down. I need to slow down, even if just for a little while, and try to speak to them like I used to be. I flare my horn and the tacky clothes and hairstyle are gone. I calmly walk throw Starlight’s bubble as if it wasn’t there and hold out my hooves wide. Pinkie is the first to jump into the hug, but the others quickly join her. “I’m sorry.” I say, and I mean it. “I didn’t mean to worry you all. I’m alright now. Different, but all right.” “We missed you so much!” Fluttershy says, tears flowing freely. “Are… are you okay?” She asks, looking at my new form. Am I okay? Am I okay?!? Oh I’m WAY better than okay, Im- wait, wait. Wait a second, sloooow down Twilight, remember normal… behave in a normal fashion. Don’t freak out your friends. Be normal...-ish. “I’m fine Fluttershy. I’m all better now.” (Truth). “A little different than I was, but better.” (SO much truth). “We see that you have finally emerged from your seclusion.” Celestia says as she approaches, her sister a step behind her. “And if Discord is to be believed, you have succeeded in coming to terms with your new… identity?” She says more as a question than a statement. (Careful here Twily, start off on the wrong hoof here and it may be statue time in the near future.) “Oh yes princess. It was quite difficult, but I can assure you that not only have I come to my senses, uh, I mean restored my senses to normal, but I have completely(ish) mastered the powers of chaos.” I favor her with what I can only hope is a sincere and believable smile. She gazes at me thoughtfully for a moment. “Yes, well we are all grateful for that I’m sure.” She says, somewhat uncertainly. “Well, I’ll let you get back to your reunion with your friends, they have all been missing and worrying about you for quite a long time. We shall have time for a nice long chat, once this party is over. Now I believe there is a pastry table hereabouts?” She says before trotting away. Whew, that was a close one. “So Twilight, love the new mane, were you secretly jealous all this time?” Rainbow says, running her hoof through my locks. “I don’t think so,” I reply. (Maybe subconsciously?) “Also, what’s with the whole black and white thing? That just ain’t natural.” Applejack says examining my fur. “Wow. Don’t let Zecora hear you say that!” I reply with a smirk. I’ve missed this. My friends. But where they all always so… silly? No, that isn’t it. It isn’t them, it’s… well… everything. This place, this world, this whole universe, it’s all just so… “Hilarious isn’t it?” Discord says, appearing at my side. He’s reading my mind again. “Like what you see?” I ask batting my eyelashes. “Oh you flirt.” He says with a nudge of his shoulder. “Yes, the inside of your head is now a wonderfully attractive place, but you KNOW that I only have eyes for Fluttershy.” “Only eyes? But I’m sure that she’d be much more interested in your-” “Twilight PLEASE, rooting around in Fluttershy’s head is STRICTLY forbidden… unless of course you see anything flattering about me.” He adds sheepishly. “Oh, so you haven’t ever peeked? Not once?” I ask slyly. “Since we became friends? No. Not one time. Believe me Twilight, if you want your friends to stay your friends, it’s far better to just stay out of their heads. Of course, you and I are exceptions at this point. Still, I never dig past the surface thoughts of any creature. Going too deep could… taint… one’s thinking so to speak.” Hmm, that tidbit is worth remembering. Still, on another subject. “So, teacher. I’m assuming that you are aware of those two large blobs of chaos that have been flying towards us since the party started?” “Who them?” Discord replies off-hoofedly, “oh, yes, from the moment you emerged they became aware of your existence. Once that happened I knew that they would seek you out.” And you noticed no doubt that there is something wrong with them? They feel so… incomplete.” “Well, that’s only to be expected. They are in a sense your brother and sister in chaos, but unfortunately they were never able to finish their transformations. Their understanding of the Rot was too limited. Sadly, no matter how much chaos they possess, they will never be complete beings. Speaking of which, they are probably coming here to kill you… just saying.” “Ooooh. So pumping them full of chaos for the last ten minutes in an effort to fix them, would probably be a BAD thing then?” Suddenly the entire top half of the castle is ripped away, raining crystal shards down upon all the ponies in the main hall. “Discord you fool!” A voice shouts from on high. “Did you really think that we would allow you to create another abomination?!?” Another voice adds. Discord turns to me in exasperation, “filling two completely insane evil beings who are bent on your demise full of chaotic power a BAD thing?!? Yes. Yes, you could say that...” Chapter 5 You Said No Strings, Could Secure You...You Said No Strings, Could Secure You... Everything happened at once, so I stopped time. Okay, so technically both of those statements are false. The shortest amount of time that everything can happen is ALL of time. And I didn’t actually stop time, I just sped up my perception of it as much as I could. Now one zeptosecond seemed to last a little over a minute. At first I wondered why I had to actually put effort into to this, but then I realized it was because I wasted so much of the ambient Rot energies in the area foolishly pumping chaos into the two beings rapidly descending from above. Chrysalis and Sombra, filled near to bursting with raw chaos. And yet still incomplete to my enhanced senses. I glace over at Discord, he’s resting comfortably, eating popcorn. He sees me looking, and offers a friendly wave. To do this, he moves so fast that the molecules in the air around him catch fire. Show off. I’m having to pull in energy from further and further away, I need to come up with something quickly. First, shield everyone around me (except Discord, he can take care of himself). Okay good, but that used up a lot of energy. Second… what? Attack? Teleport to a more Rot filled area? Suddenly the decision is made for me as my perception snaps back to normal. “Twilight Sparkle?” Chrysalis says in surprise. “YOU are Discord’s new monster?” “Monster?” I say, playing for time, “I’m not the one who looks like a lotus root gone very, very, bad”. I perfectly refract light around me, rendering myself effectively invisible. She hits me with a piece of rubble, breaking my concentration. “Ignorant child, we can SENSE you! Enough foolishness, Sombra do it now!” She commands. Suddenly I am encased in crystal. It’s so black that it almost looks like I am inside a void. I reach out a hoof to touch the surface, and yank it back quickly. It burns! By the Sky Stallion it burns so bad! “And with that,” Sombra intones, “We take our leave!” The next thing I know, we are elsewhere. Meanwhile… “NO!” Discord says, leaping to his hooves, spilling popcorn everywhere. “That was NOT supposed to happen!” He lashes out with a clawed hand, casually destroying a pillar. “They were supposed to fight! This was supposed to be Twilight’s trial by fire! Those two have always been disappointments! Of course they couldn’t be counted on to do this One. Simple. Thing!” “Discord!” Fluttershy shouts, flying up before him. “What are you talking about? Did you PLAN this?!?” “Wha- Fluttershy! M-me? Plan this? Of course not!” He sputters. “I-I mean, I may have EXPECTED that something like this would happen, but I certainly didn’t cause it to… strictly speaking that is.” “DISCORD,” Fluttershy says menacingly. “Explain yourself right now!” “Fluttershy please! I’m telling you the truth! This was NOT supposed to happen!” Discord says, desperately trying to calm Fluttershy down. “I am so BEYOND mad at you right now!” Fluttershy says flying right up to Discord’s face. “But we can deal with this later! Tell me where they went! Right now!” “I don’t know,” Discord says backing away. Then the realization hits him. “Wait a minute… I really DON’T know! That’s impossible! How can I not sense where they are?!?” Discord frowns in concentration, straining his senses to the utmost. “This is impossible!” He says finally. “It’s like they fell off of the face of Equestria!” Elsewhere… “Are you SURE he cannot find us?” Chrysalis asks skeptically. “I’m certain.” Sombra states confidently. “We have literally fallen off of the face of Equestria. This is the last place he would think to look for us, and even if he did, there is no way he could reach us here. His very power prevents him from doing so.” Chrysalis looks around at the vast cavern they find themselves in. Around them Diamond Dogs, and Minotaurs continuously labor, digging and moving huge black crystals. “I must admit,” she says, “I find your efforts most impressive. These Minotaurs though, they seem different from the ones I have seen on the surface.” “Indeed,” Sombra intones. “They are the results of several lifetimes of selective breeding. I have, in effect, created my own sub-species. I call them Mineotaurs.” “A pun?” Chrysalis says, arching an eyebrow. “A double entendre,” the king replies. “They both mine, and belong to me. Mineotaurs.” “Quite,” the changeling queen replies. “Ah, our guest is stirring again, are you sure this plan is wise? We’ve had little time to confer.” “Twilight Sparkle presents a unique opportunity.” Sombra declares in response. “Depending upon the results of the next few minutes, she will either become a weapon, or a corpse!” Author's Note Has anyone figured out the chapter titles yet? Chapter 6 In the Dark Where the Shadows Run From Themselves...Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.
Prologue“Twilight?” Somepony was speaking my name. Unless, I am hearing things now as well. Very possible considering how loud that dry raspy whisper of cloth decaying right next to my ear has gotten. “Twilight!” No, that was definitely somepony speaking my name. I had been trying to blot everything out. Trying to focus on the darkness. Darkness induced by the rotting cloth tied over my eyes. Tied in desperation to shield me from the truth of the world. I was finally beginning to calm myself, my tears slowing to a trickle. “TWILIGHT SPARKLE YOU WILL GIVE ME YOUR ATTENTION THIS INSTANT!” Oh my Goddess that was loud. Wait, that WAS my Goddess. Celestia was here. And she didn’t sound at all pleased with me. I had a feeling that was going to get worse. “S-sorry Princess.” I managed miserably to say, my throat still sore from puking so much earlier. “Twilight,” she said once more, her voice softer and filled with concern. “Tell me what happened. All that Spike’s letter said was to come as quickly as I could, that something was wrong with you. When I arrived, I saw neither he, nor your student Starlight Glimmer, and then I found you on the floor with your eyes covered up, and tears running down your cheeks. Twilight, you need to tell me what happened. I can’t help you if I don’t know what’s wrong.” I wasn’t up to this. My body was shaking, my head pounded, my nerves were frayed, and my throat was raw. But I had to tell her. I decided the simplest truth would be the best place to start. “Discord did me a favor.” As it turns out, that was the wrong thing to say. “DISCOOOOORRRRRRD!!!” Her shout rang through the entire castle. Literally. It was so loud the crystals of the castle itself began to vibrate. I can only hope that none of them cracked. “Well you don’t have to SHOUT Celestia, I’m right here. I have been the whole time.” “Wha-?” I managed. “Well you don’t think I’m going to just leave you alone do you? Whole new set of powers potentially at your disposal, new way of seeing the world. What? You think I’m the kind of being would would give a baby a beaker full of azidoazide azide, and then a good tickle? I’m surprised at you… (and that only happened once).” “Wh-” I began, but was cut off. “DISCORD! Undo whatever it is that you have done to Twilight, RIGHT THIS INSTANT!”. Celestia orders, her voice holds more anger that I have ever heard before, even with that strange dying off effect that sound does now. “Well, there’s just a few little problems with that Celly. First, and most importantly, you can’t make me. Second, but still high on the list, Twilight wanted this, so even if I were foolish enough to TRY and undo what I did, SHE is the one that gets to ask me, not YOU. And number three… I don’t actually think I could. Well… not with any guarantee of success that is. I mean it’s VERY difficult to modify perceptions and get it right. Altering them to my way of viewing the universe is sightly easier, because I can use myself as a template. But how you ponies normally see the world? I haven’t a clue. I mean, I can deduce from inference that it must be horribly dull and boring, but how does one tune an eyeball to ‘boring’? You really should put dials on those things.” “Modify percept- No! Discord you didn’t! Not again! You wouldn’t!” Celestia sounded horrified. “Hey, SHE wanted to know. I TRIED to talk her out of it, just ask her. Besides, I think we all learned quite a bit, since the last time. I’m sure if we all just calm down, maybe have a drink, perhaps a snack...” {Uuuurp!} “Or not, or not. Deep breaths Twilight, deep breaths… My point is Celly, that what’s done is done. We just need to make the best of it and move on.” “I shall wrest the Elements from the Tree, turn you back into stone, and cast you into the deepest pit in Tartarus!” Celestia says in fury. I can feel her next to me, she’s crackling with power. It’s getting warmer, I can feel her solar fury on my coat. I couldn’t stop her if I wanted to. Did I want to? Did I not? “Aaaand if you DO all of that, then I won’t be around to help Twilight adjust to her altered state. I mean, I’m sure you’ll do the best you can without me… oh, but then we both know how well THAT worked out last time. “S-stop. Please. Both of you.” I manage to say. “Discord may not have given me all the details, but I asked for this. I wanted to know, I WANTED to understand. And… I still do. Please Celestia, don’t hurt him.” “Twilight,” she says quietly. “Oh Twilight, such compassion,” Discord says in a tone I can’t identify. Gratitude? From him? “Not that she could have hurt me anyway, but the gesture IS appreciated. All right Celestia, obviously things have gotten off on the wrong hoof here, let’s just adjourn to someplace more comfortable and we can talk this all out.” “Fine.” Celestia replies, her voice filled with steel. No, she is not pleased, not pleased at all. I hear Discord snap his claw. I can tell we are somewhere else. For one thing, the whisper of rot is gone, as is any lingering scent of it. “It’s alright Twilight, you can open your eyes here.” He says, cheerily. I reach up to remove the scarf, but it isn’t there. Slowly, I open my eyes. Although blurry from the tears that had filled my eyes, my vision quickly clears. I’m in… white. No, I’m not dressed in white, everything around me is white. I can’t tell if I am in a room or in a void. Everything is completely white. I see Discord and Celestia, neither of them show any sign of rot, although Celestia isn’t wearing her armor or her crown. “Welcome,” Discord says grandly, his arms thrown wide, “to the White Room.”
Chapter-0 In the White Room...Author's Note Rot (noun)- The process of decaying. Growth (noun)- A stage or condition in increasing, developing, or maturing. Chapter-0 In the White Room... Journal entry number 1 One year, eleven months, twenty-nine days since my transformation. I have decided to begin a journal to record what is happening to me. It may seem odd to do so at this late a date, instead of from the beginning, but I feel that now is the appropriate time. Things have begun to change. To say that my life has been difficult for me since Discord has altered me, would be a gross understatement. In the beginning it was one fresh horror after another. Eating, drinking, seeing, hearing, each was a nightmare. Fortunately, I had the support not only of my friends and family, but also that of the princesses, and of Discord himself. Ironically, it has been Discord who has proven to be the most helpful, having been through the same Hell himself. His advice on how to come to grips with my new perceptions have been invaluable. At first I had to use special ear and nose plugs, as well as enchanted glasses that Discord created, just to function outside of the 'White Room'. Oh yes, the White Room. It's were I live now. It's a room outside of space and time. It's also a room completely devoid of matter. A room filled with nothing but pure energy. It's called the White Room, because that is all that can be perceived once you enter. It's like pure light that hasn't been refracted by coming in contact with anything. Imagine being inside a spherical mirror but having no body, then suddenly a light appears, that is what you would see, the White Room. Gradually, over time, I became used to the sound of the Rot. It faded in the background. Like ponies that live by the sea getting used to the sound of the ocean all the time. The smell took longer. Truth to tell I'm still not completely immune to it. Mainly because different things rot in different ways. There is no one 'smell' to the Rot to get used to. But I've managed to become tolerant of certain foods, drinks, and the smell of my friends. The fact that I can even write in this journal is proof of that. The sound of the paper as it rots, the smell of the ink, reminiscent of rotting fish, it's becoming easier, in some cases almost… pleasant? What I haven't gotten used to however, is the unfiltered sight of my friends. My brain refuses to equate what I am seeing now, with my memories of them. I know intellectually that they have always looked like this. That I am just seeing them in a different way. A more 'accurate' way. But that doesn't stop me from recoiling in horror, every time that I try to remove my glasses around them. I should mention that it hasn't been much easier for them either. I don't go out much these days. I leave the day to day business of the castle of friendship, as well as the school to Starlight. She has really come into her own during my absence, despite her inexplicable friendship with Trixie Lulamoon. The others come visit from time to time, coxing me out of my room. Forcing me to don my glasses, and offer up wain smiles and benign conversations. Don't get me wrong. I love my friends, and it's always good to see them, but I need to focus on my studies. Now more than ever. You see, I'm close to a breakthrough. Discord gave me what I asked for. I wanted to understand how his powers worked. He gave me that understanding in the simplest of ways, he made me, to a certain extent, like he is. Up until recently however, I have only been able to deal with these new perceptions with the understanding of my 'old' self. That is, I have been trying to deal with them in the terms of Twilight Sparkle the 'pony'. But, over time, I came to realize that if I ever wanted to come to terms with my new state of being if I ever wanted to have any semblance of a normal life, then I would have to cast away my old limited 'self', and expand my way of thinking. I needed to quit recoiling from the horror of my condition, and finally come to terms with it. To embrace it… End entry 1
Chapter-1 I'll wait in this place, where the sun never shines...It's coming to me, I can feel it. I can almost make the connection. Discord gave me the clue himself on his last visit. Rock, lava, gas. Ice, water, steam. He said that the different states of matter was the analogy that I needed to use to understand how to control the nature of his powers. An analogy… “Twilight, you’re just not getting it!” Discord says in exasperation. “I thought you were supposed to be the SMART one.” “I AM smart!” I fire back. “But smart doesn’t work on CRAZY, and that’s what your explanation is!” “No, no, no.” Discord replies, somewhat more calmly. “It only SEEMS crazy because it doesn’t fit into your tiny pony worldview. Your expanded perceptions should be indication enough for you to realize that there is more to the universe than you are currently able to comprehend. I’m trying to make this as simple as possible for you. Now let’s try again.” "Simple? There is nothing simple about ANY of this. You have no idea how many times I’ve wished that I had NEVER asked to understand your powers! I’m tired of this! Tired of living in this room! Tired of my friends looking like monsters! I just… I just want this all to be over with!” “Twilight,” Discord says gently, coming over to stand before her. “I’m truly sorry that you have to suffer like this. But the only way that you’ll ever be able to be your ‘normal’ self again, is if you master the powers of the Rot, and fix yourself. I’m been trying my best to put abstract concepts into tiny little digestible bites for you, but maybe that was a mistake. Maybe we should just dive right into the deep end.” “W-what do you mean?” I say, wiping the beginnings of tears from the corners of my eyes. "I’m going to leave you alone for a bit to think about something. I want you to consider the relationship between order and chaos. Take your time and consider the following: How are order and chaos, like the different states of matter?” “That’s it?” I ask, bewildered. “That’s it.” Discord replies, and then snapping his claw, he vanishes. “Order and chaos… and the states of matter. Matter becomes energy. It rots. It releases energy as it decays. It breaks down, or is consumed. Energy becomes matter. Photons collide at high speed becoming electrons and positrons. Order imposes structure upon the universe, but is it's own contradiction, because perfect order is stillness, void, and emptiness. Chaos is pure randomness, but is it's own contradiction because without chaos there would be no life, and life contains the structure of order. Life brings forth both chaos and order to the universe. But all living things die… and rot. So life… life combines both chaos and order. Both matter and energy. But matter and energy are the same thing, just in two different states. Like ice and gas. One becomes the other, becomes the other, becomes the other. And water would represent what? The transition in between? I'm missing something. I'm so close I can feel it. What is it? One little thing… but what? Water, ice, gas, water, ice, gas, Liquid, solid, gas. If ice represents pure order, and gas represents pure chaos, is water supposed to represent the transition between the two? It seems simple enough, but why does seem… incomplete? I’m missing something. Something important, but what? Solid, liquid, gas. Solid, liquid, gas. Wait! Wait, wait, wait! Solid, liquid, gas. That’s only three states of matter. There is a fourth state. Plasma! And plasma is a powerful conductor of energy! Discord said that he used the analogy of the various states of matter, as the key to understanding the use of the Rot. Is the fourth state in his example the REAL clue? If so, that must mean… that must mean...” {KRAKKKATHOOOM!!!}
Chapter-2 Black Roof CountryIn the House of Discord, a rather one sided conversation is taking place… {Blurb} “Why thank you, they were Fluttershy's recipe, I'm glad you like them,” Discord responds. {Glorp} “Yes, she is. And that’s only one of the nearly infinite things that I love about her.” {Hurrp} “I keep telling you, it's too soon for that. Right now we are just good friends.” {Braaap} “I am NOT afraid of commitment! I just don't want to rush things… it's… it's complicated okay?” Discord adds lamely. {Fruuup} “Fine! Believe whatever you want! But you'll see. I know what I'm doing Smoozy. When it comes to being charming, I am second to none.” {Pbbbt!} “Oh what do you know! You said the same thing about Twilight Sparkle, and look how that turned out.” {Glooop?} “I’m afraid not. I knew her path would bring her to this, it was unavoidable I’m afraid. Still, I’m doing my best to help her along.” {Frooop} “No, not exactly my ‘pupil’, more like my ‘pupa’. Consider her 'White Room' as a kind of cocoon. Soon she will emerge as a beautiful creature of chaos.” {Glurg?} “No, probably not like me. That's the wonderful thing about chaos, it's just so… chaotic. She will be her own being. Provided of course, that she manages to understand the fourth state. If not, she'll end up like the other two I suppose.” {Plabt} “Yes, I imagine that they will become aware of their new… sister. Nothing I can do about that. I suppose that will have to be her first test. If she succeeds in-” {KRAKKKATHOOOM!!!} {Splat} “Yes, yes, yes! I KNEW she could do it! Sorry Smoozy, I have to go see a pony about a party. Also, I am NOT cleaning that up.” Several leagues, and dimensions away… “Cold.” A voice mutters to itself. “Always so cold. And white. I HATE white. The color of chaos it is. It mocks me, yes, yes it does. But soon it won't matter. I'm nearly complete. Nearly restored to my former self. Soon I will be free of this place, free to return to my kingdom. Then there shall be a reckoning. Oh my yes. Blood will fill the streets, and the crystals of my kingdom shall ring with the screams and lamentations of the ponies who dared to usurp me! There will fire, there will be darkness, there wi-” {KRAKKKATHOOOM!!!} “What? WHAT?!? NO! No, he wouldn't! He wouldn't dare! Not again, not after the last time. But that sound... It's unmistakable. I have no choice, I must leave, ready or not. I cannot allow him to create another.” And with that the figure slowly begins to transform into smoke, and rise into the morning sky, flying south. Elsewhere, in another cave, this one deep in the Badlands… “I'm tired of digging,” drone Twenty-four says, for the third time in the last half hour. “You keep SAYING that, and yet you still keep DOING it,” drone Twenty-one replies, as he fills yet another wheelbarrow full of debris. “Well of course I keep DOING it,” Twenty-four says in exasperation. “You KNOW what would happen to us if we stopped.” Suddenly a voice booms out from above, as Chrysalis, former queen of the changelings descends. “Are you two STILL bickering?!?” Why have I not ended this foolishness by removing your heads yet?” “Because my queen,” Twenty-one says, in a less than respectful tone,“Twenty-four and I are the only drones you have left. If you slay us, then who will you have left to rebuild your hive?” “HSSSSS!” Chrysalis replies. “That is NOT helping your case,” Twenty-four adds. “We've been hounded and chased across half of the Badlands, all the other drones have defected to join Thorax, Twenty-one and I are the only ones who have remained loyal to you, do you really want to threaten us?” Chrysalis's expression unexpectedly softens. She looks at the two drones, then down at the cavern floor. “I… I” she begins, “I'm sor-” {KRAKKKATHOOOM!!!} “Was that… NO! The fool! How dare he! How DARE he!!!” And with that, the former queen flies off at full speed, leaving two bewildered drones in her wake.
Chapter-3 Tired StarlingsCastle of Friendship, the throne room. Twenty minutes ago. “Is she coming out today?” Applejack asks, sliding into her chair, the last to arrive. “Um, well, we haven’t heard anything.” Fluttershy says, her eyes downcast. “Of course you haven’t heard anything.” Rainbow Dash huffs in frustration. “All she ever does anymore is stay holed up in her little ‘White Room’. I say we smash our way in and just drag her out. She’s never gonna get any better by avoiding the problem.” “Well, if you ask me,” Pinkie interjects, “there’s only one thing we can do that will set her straight.” “Let me guess,” Spike says, rolling his eyes, “a party?” {Gasp!} “How did you know?” Pinkie says in shock. “Darling really.” Rarity says looking skyward, “despite what you may believe, there are times when a party just isn’t the best idea.” “HERSHEY!” Pinkie shouts, pointing a hoof accusingly at Rarity. “Um, Pinkie, I think you mean ‘heresy’,” Spike says. “Yeah! That! Sorry, I was thinking about chocolate.” “Girls, I hate to interrupt this diatribe, but I think we are getting a little off track.” Starlight says from Twilight’s long vacant chair. “The reason I called you all over today is because I’m worried that something is happening to Twilight. She’s been… different lately. Surely you have all been noticing it?” “Oh, well you know she doesn’t come out to see us very often anymore.” Fluttershy begins softly. “But the last time I spoke with her, she did seem to be behaving differently.” “How so?” Starlight asks leaning forward. “Well, we were just talking, not about anything important, I was just catching her up on how my animals were doing. She started to say something back, and then she just… trailed off. A few seconds later she started giggling, as if she had heard something funny. Then she just resumed speaking to me from where she left off, just like nothing had ever happened.” “Oh dear, you don’t suppose her condition is worsening do you?” Rarity says. “Well, I don’t reckon it’s getting any better,” Applejack says tilting back her stetson. “She had me come by a week or so ago. Asked me if I would drop off some potatoes. GREEN potatoes. The kind of green ya get from digging them up way early, an letting them sit in the sun for awhile.” “Well, that doesn’t sound so bad.” Rainbow says. “Maybe she just likes them a little under done now.” “Rainbow, I’m gonna ignore that, on account of I’m sure it’s just cause you don’t know anything about farming. The thing is green potatoes are full of solanine.” “What’s solanine?” Rainbow asks. “Like some kind of distilled sunlight?” “No you flying feather duster! Solanine is a deadly poison! Potatoes come from the nightshade family, just like tomatoes. You should NEVER eat a green potato. Even if you try to cook it, a green potato can still be full of poison. Now Twilight asked me for a bushel of ‘em. An I know she’s too smart not ta know about solanine. So I figured they was for some kind of experiment or another. But as soon as I hoof ‘em over, she pulls one out, takes a good unfiltered wiff of it, and proceeds ta eat the whole darn thing right in front of me. Then she gets this big ole smile on her muzzle, giggles a bit, and starts in on the next one. So here I sat in front of her with my mouth hung open, expectin her ta keel over in front of me any second, as she just goes on, happily munching potatoes, and chatting about the weather an such. Then after a bit, she tells me that she really enjoyed our visit, but she felt like retiring to her room. She thanked me for the potatoes, said goodbye, an that was that.” Starlight looked shocked. “And this was a week ago?” Starlight asks. “I spent some time with her just yesterday, and she didn’t seem to show any signs of illness. Well, any signs of PHYSICAL illness. Actually, that’s why I called you all here.” Starlight hesitates, dreading to broach the subject. Finally after a deep breath, she begins. “I think that Twilight might be… well, she might be losing it.” Starlight admits. “Ooo, ooh, Not to worry Starlight,” Pinkie says excitedly, “I’m great at finding things! Just tell me what she lost and the last place she had it, and I’m sure I can find it for her!” “No, Pinkie, no. That’s not what I meant. What I’m trying to say is that I think that Twilight might be… might be-” {KRAKKKATHOOOM!!!} All eyes glance upwards toward the second floor at the sound of the explosion, toward where the white room is located. Then they look at each other, concern mirrored on every face. Finally, one mare breaks the silence. “Off her rocker? Crazy as a bedbug? Two pickles short of a sandwich? Cuckoo? Cracked? Bonkers? Insane in the membrane? Am I getting close?” A voice says, as a pony comes into view. “Trixie please!” Starlight says, rubbing her temples. “Indeed!” Rarity exclaims. “I realize that Twilight may not be your favorite person, but that’s no excuse for you to be so crass about it.” “Sheesh, sorry okay? The great and powerful Trixie was simply trying to lighten the mood. Soften the blow so to speak. Trixie would never even consider kicking a pony when she is down,” she says, attempting a look of contrition. “Keep up that kinda talk, an you won’t be able to,” Applejack says menacingly. “Girls please!” Starlight says in exasperation, “None of this is helping. We need to come together on this, for Twilight’s sake. It’s obvious that she needs us now, more than ever. We need to find some way to help her. And right now, I think that the best thing we can do for her is-” “Throw her a party!” All eyes turn angrily toward Pinkie Pie. “Don’t look at me, I didn’t say it. HE did!” She says pointing a hoof overhead. All eyes turn upwards. Starlight drops her head into both hooves, and let’s out a long suffering sigh. “Hello Discord.”
Chapter-4 Silver Horses, Ran Down Moonbeams...Whiteness. Pure whiteness. A blank page, only contrasted by the thoughts imposed onto it, like an ink stain… Well… this is boring. Time to liven things up. {KRAKKKATHOOOM!!!} I explode. It’s remarkably refreshing! I can feel all the particles of myself expand to fill the inside of the white room completely. Then I feel it all being pulled back together, taking the whole room with it in some weird type of implosion drawing it all back inside me even as I reform. The white room is gone, in a sense Twilight Sparkle is gone as well, but aha, in a much grander sense, Twilight Sparkle has just been born! I hover in place, thoughts racing so fast I can barely understand myself. I feel completely unrestrained. Dangerous. Yes, I am dangerous. I should create myself some limits before I do something foolish. Fun though that would be. Nah! Let Discord do it. I am limitless! I NEED to be limitless! Dissy can keep the water in the tank, I’m going to make a splash! A moment’s thought and I appear above the meeting table in the Castle of Friendship. “Heeeeere’s Twily!” I shout as I appear, raining a mixture of autumn leaves, blueberry pie, and pickled eggs down on those gathered below. Odd, that was supposed to be confetti… oh well… meh! Well, I see Discord is his usual perceptive self. All my friends are here, and the room has been decked out for a party in my honor. A ‘Coming Out’ banner has been hung across the tree roots, and judging by the bewildered looks on many of the guests, I’d be willing to bet that half of them have just been poof’d here. Silly Discord. I gently float down to the center of the table. Looking around as all eyes are fixed on me, I feel the need to pontificate. “Hear me, hear me, the quart will now come to order!” I say holding a quart of milk in front of my eyes, glaring at it with scrutiny. I then realize that I am not wearing any of my special protection, and I am gazing unfiltered at the outside world for the first time in forever. Neat. I mean horrifying. Yes, that’s it, definitely the second thing. “Well, I’d like to say what a joy it is seeing you all! I’d LIKE to say that, but currently you all look like the bottom of a Manehatten compost bin.” I flare my horn briefly, and just like that, everything looks the way it should. “Ah, that’s better!” I say. Suddenly everyone is looking around at each other in disgust and horror. Oops, I think I did an inversion there… I flare my horn again. There we go, no lasting harm done. (Well, aside from mental trauma, but who counts that). “Ah Twilight,” Discord says, coming up to me and giving me a hug. “I see you’ve learned how to make an entrance.” “Ah yes, bit odd that, I was going for confetti,” I say holding up a hoofful of pie and leaves. “Aren’t we all?” Discord says enigmatically. “So, let me get a look at you eh?” He grabs me by my horn, and holds me up before him, turning me this way and that. “Black AND white? Well, that’s an improvement over the last two, and I do absolutely love the mane and tail. Yes, yes, I think you managed it. Congratulations! I declare you NOT to be an absolute failure!” He says, flinging me into the air with absolute abandon. “WHEE!” I yell as I cartwheel through the room, then the furniture, then the wall, then back in through the opposite wall, to end up hanging upside down behind him. “Good on you Pops!” I say, slamming him on the shoulder with enough force to send him through the floor and all the way to Tartarus. “Soooo, what’s to eat?” I ask. Freeoow! What is wrong with everypony? I mean look at them all just standing there. Most of them look scared, Fluttershy is crying, even Pinkie is looking sad. What is wrong with these ponies? This is a party! Is it something I said? Oh wait, I never finished my speech… silly me. “Ahem!” I reach up and slick my mane into a stylish pompadour, and poof up a light blue sports jacket with white T shirt that says ‘What do we want? Time Travel! When do we want it? Irrelevant!’ on it. “Wow, great crowd, great crowd. So did you hear the one about the chemist who got cooled to -273.15°C? Well, he's 0K now… {badum bum}. Hmm, nothing. “Uh, okay… So my friend the archaeologist asked a diamond out to dinner last week. Apparently she was into Carbon-Dating.” “Bwahahaaa!” Maud says, spraying punch everywhere, before regaining her composure. Before I can throw out another joke however, Discord rises from his crater. “For thousands of years I lay dormant, who dares… oh hey Twilight. Manage to explain yourself yet?” “Is that what I was doing?” I say rubbing my head. “Well they ARE your friends, and you ARE the princess of friendship. It seems like the POLITE thing to do at least.” Discord says crossing his arms, and glaring at me impatiently. “Enough!” Starlight yells, slamming us both into the far wall with a bolt of pure magic. Next thing I know I’m encased inside a bubble. Ugh, I don’t like it, it makes me feel… restricted. “Twilight Sparkle!” She yells, tears staining her face. “What in Tartarus are you doing? All of us here have been worried sick about you, and you just come bursting in, looking and acting like… like him!” She says pointing a hoof at Discord who is floating nearby trying to look all innocent. “What happened to you? Please, we love you, we just want you to be okay.” Oops. I dun goofed. I forgot about my friends. I’ve been wrapped up in my head for so long, attuning myself to the forces of the universe, that I forgot that there are other beings IN the universe other than myself. Beings that I matter to… that matter to me. I need to calm down. I need to slow down, even if just for a little while, and try to speak to them like I used to be. I flare my horn and the tacky clothes and hairstyle are gone. I calmly walk throw Starlight’s bubble as if it wasn’t there and hold out my hooves wide. Pinkie is the first to jump into the hug, but the others quickly join her. “I’m sorry.” I say, and I mean it. “I didn’t mean to worry you all. I’m alright now. Different, but all right.” “We missed you so much!” Fluttershy says, tears flowing freely. “Are… are you okay?” She asks, looking at my new form. Am I okay? Am I okay?!? Oh I’m WAY better than okay, Im- wait, wait. Wait a second, sloooow down Twilight, remember normal… behave in a normal fashion. Don’t freak out your friends. Be normal...-ish. “I’m fine Fluttershy. I’m all better now.” (Truth). “A little different than I was, but better.” (SO much truth). “We see that you have finally emerged from your seclusion.” Celestia says as she approaches, her sister a step behind her. “And if Discord is to be believed, you have succeeded in coming to terms with your new… identity?” She says more as a question than a statement. (Careful here Twily, start off on the wrong hoof here and it may be statue time in the near future.) “Oh yes princess. It was quite difficult, but I can assure you that not only have I come to my senses, uh, I mean restored my senses to normal, but I have completely(ish) mastered the powers of chaos.” I favor her with what I can only hope is a sincere and believable smile. She gazes at me thoughtfully for a moment. “Yes, well we are all grateful for that I’m sure.” She says, somewhat uncertainly. “Well, I’ll let you get back to your reunion with your friends, they have all been missing and worrying about you for quite a long time. We shall have time for a nice long chat, once this party is over. Now I believe there is a pastry table hereabouts?” She says before trotting away. Whew, that was a close one. “So Twilight, love the new mane, were you secretly jealous all this time?” Rainbow says, running her hoof through my locks. “I don’t think so,” I reply. (Maybe subconsciously?) “Also, what’s with the whole black and white thing? That just ain’t natural.” Applejack says examining my fur. “Wow. Don’t let Zecora hear you say that!” I reply with a smirk. I’ve missed this. My friends. But where they all always so… silly? No, that isn’t it. It isn’t them, it’s… well… everything. This place, this world, this whole universe, it’s all just so… “Hilarious isn’t it?” Discord says, appearing at my side. He’s reading my mind again. “Like what you see?” I ask batting my eyelashes. “Oh you flirt.” He says with a nudge of his shoulder. “Yes, the inside of your head is now a wonderfully attractive place, but you KNOW that I only have eyes for Fluttershy.” “Only eyes? But I’m sure that she’d be much more interested in your-” “Twilight PLEASE, rooting around in Fluttershy’s head is STRICTLY forbidden… unless of course you see anything flattering about me.” He adds sheepishly. “Oh, so you haven’t ever peeked? Not once?” I ask slyly. “Since we became friends? No. Not one time. Believe me Twilight, if you want your friends to stay your friends, it’s far better to just stay out of their heads. Of course, you and I are exceptions at this point. Still, I never dig past the surface thoughts of any creature. Going too deep could… taint… one’s thinking so to speak.” Hmm, that tidbit is worth remembering. Still, on another subject. “So, teacher. I’m assuming that you are aware of those two large blobs of chaos that have been flying towards us since the party started?” “Who them?” Discord replies off-hoofedly, “oh, yes, from the moment you emerged they became aware of your existence. Once that happened I knew that they would seek you out.” And you noticed no doubt that there is something wrong with them? They feel so… incomplete.” “Well, that’s only to be expected. They are in a sense your brother and sister in chaos, but unfortunately they were never able to finish their transformations. Their understanding of the Rot was too limited. Sadly, no matter how much chaos they possess, they will never be complete beings. Speaking of which, they are probably coming here to kill you… just saying.” “Ooooh. So pumping them full of chaos for the last ten minutes in an effort to fix them, would probably be a BAD thing then?” Suddenly the entire top half of the castle is ripped away, raining crystal shards down upon all the ponies in the main hall. “Discord you fool!” A voice shouts from on high. “Did you really think that we would allow you to create another abomination?!?” Another voice adds. Discord turns to me in exasperation, “filling two completely insane evil beings who are bent on your demise full of chaotic power a BAD thing?!? Yes. Yes, you could say that...”
Chapter 5 You Said No Strings, Could Secure You...You Said No Strings, Could Secure You... Everything happened at once, so I stopped time. Okay, so technically both of those statements are false. The shortest amount of time that everything can happen is ALL of time. And I didn’t actually stop time, I just sped up my perception of it as much as I could. Now one zeptosecond seemed to last a little over a minute. At first I wondered why I had to actually put effort into to this, but then I realized it was because I wasted so much of the ambient Rot energies in the area foolishly pumping chaos into the two beings rapidly descending from above. Chrysalis and Sombra, filled near to bursting with raw chaos. And yet still incomplete to my enhanced senses. I glace over at Discord, he’s resting comfortably, eating popcorn. He sees me looking, and offers a friendly wave. To do this, he moves so fast that the molecules in the air around him catch fire. Show off. I’m having to pull in energy from further and further away, I need to come up with something quickly. First, shield everyone around me (except Discord, he can take care of himself). Okay good, but that used up a lot of energy. Second… what? Attack? Teleport to a more Rot filled area? Suddenly the decision is made for me as my perception snaps back to normal. “Twilight Sparkle?” Chrysalis says in surprise. “YOU are Discord’s new monster?” “Monster?” I say, playing for time, “I’m not the one who looks like a lotus root gone very, very, bad”. I perfectly refract light around me, rendering myself effectively invisible. She hits me with a piece of rubble, breaking my concentration. “Ignorant child, we can SENSE you! Enough foolishness, Sombra do it now!” She commands. Suddenly I am encased in crystal. It’s so black that it almost looks like I am inside a void. I reach out a hoof to touch the surface, and yank it back quickly. It burns! By the Sky Stallion it burns so bad! “And with that,” Sombra intones, “We take our leave!” The next thing I know, we are elsewhere. Meanwhile… “NO!” Discord says, leaping to his hooves, spilling popcorn everywhere. “That was NOT supposed to happen!” He lashes out with a clawed hand, casually destroying a pillar. “They were supposed to fight! This was supposed to be Twilight’s trial by fire! Those two have always been disappointments! Of course they couldn’t be counted on to do this One. Simple. Thing!” “Discord!” Fluttershy shouts, flying up before him. “What are you talking about? Did you PLAN this?!?” “Wha- Fluttershy! M-me? Plan this? Of course not!” He sputters. “I-I mean, I may have EXPECTED that something like this would happen, but I certainly didn’t cause it to… strictly speaking that is.” “DISCORD,” Fluttershy says menacingly. “Explain yourself right now!” “Fluttershy please! I’m telling you the truth! This was NOT supposed to happen!” Discord says, desperately trying to calm Fluttershy down. “I am so BEYOND mad at you right now!” Fluttershy says flying right up to Discord’s face. “But we can deal with this later! Tell me where they went! Right now!” “I don’t know,” Discord says backing away. Then the realization hits him. “Wait a minute… I really DON’T know! That’s impossible! How can I not sense where they are?!?” Discord frowns in concentration, straining his senses to the utmost. “This is impossible!” He says finally. “It’s like they fell off of the face of Equestria!” Elsewhere… “Are you SURE he cannot find us?” Chrysalis asks skeptically. “I’m certain.” Sombra states confidently. “We have literally fallen off of the face of Equestria. This is the last place he would think to look for us, and even if he did, there is no way he could reach us here. His very power prevents him from doing so.” Chrysalis looks around at the vast cavern they find themselves in. Around them Diamond Dogs, and Minotaurs continuously labor, digging and moving huge black crystals. “I must admit,” she says, “I find your efforts most impressive. These Minotaurs though, they seem different from the ones I have seen on the surface.” “Indeed,” Sombra intones. “They are the results of several lifetimes of selective breeding. I have, in effect, created my own sub-species. I call them Mineotaurs.” “A pun?” Chrysalis says, arching an eyebrow. “A double entendre,” the king replies. “They both mine, and belong to me. Mineotaurs.” “Quite,” the changeling queen replies. “Ah, our guest is stirring again, are you sure this plan is wise? We’ve had little time to confer.” “Twilight Sparkle presents a unique opportunity.” Sombra declares in response. “Depending upon the results of the next few minutes, she will either become a weapon, or a corpse!” Author's Note Has anyone figured out the chapter titles yet?
Chapter 6 In the Dark Where the Shadows Run From Themselves...Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.
