Chapter 0
Hallways and Corridors
The noisy and the quiet are always at odds with each other in the depths of night. A pony remains ever still at the introduction of the cicadas' chirps.
This filly with her turquoise fur and frilly white mane stands in the grand foyer of what seems to be a palace, and yet no guards stand by. There is an everpresent cold that seeps through the room.
The filly wants to speak but something stops her. Her mouth opens but no sound comes out. The questions in her mind roll around like a bunch of foals at a playground.
"Why am I here?"
"Where is here?"
"What is going on?"
"Where is everypony?"
"Why can't I speak?"
...
"Why am I here?"
Ponies often try to rectify something wrong in their world with logic, and yet they live in an illogical world. In a world like this, sometimes things just happen.
Still pondering these questions she finally decided to make a step forward.
And then another.
And then another.
The walls are flat and blank, no grand display of stained glass or paintings. Just dull white walls.
She keeps walking forward however she quickly comes to a fork in the path. One leading to a straight hall and one to a hall that veered to ever so slightly upwards. Something you wouldn't see in architecture like this. The uphill hallway unnerved her and just didn't seem right.
The straight path seemed the most reasonable and so she moved forward.
Despite having plenty of room in the space, the hall felt rather cramped for her.
"Heya! Got the stuff on Lotus Petal?"
"As if I'd show you even if I did! It's gotta be a surprise for him."
The filly reminisces on old memories, memories that keeps her mind away from this oppressive, cold castle. Even bad memories feel better than this place. A rather intrusive thought had invaded her head.
"Did I do something wrong?"
"I deserve this?"
In her stupor she veers towards the walls.
Her eyes were never open. They were closed when she was born. Now they stay shut as if she couldn't bear to look into them anymore.
The chiseled walls lay down cool beams of hopelessness. She stops and she sits along the wall.
A small door at the end of the hall opened up. A light breeze blew inside. The wind blows in her face and makes it hard to breathe. Her mane falls over her eyes as she trudges onward.
She feels herself on the other side of the door. It's dark, but not the dark that she is familiar with. As she approaches she finds herself re-evaluating this... Place. Within mere feet of the door her legs stop. The Illusion breaks.
The cold breeze, a sharp contrast to the warmth she longed for, brushed against her turquoise fur, bringing with it a sense of foreboding. Her hooves, seemingly of their own accord, halted just short of the threshold. The filly's heart raced, a symphony of anxiety and intrigue playing in her chest.
"Is this a test?" she wondered, her thoughts a whirlwind of confusion and curiosity.
She took a deep breath, the frigid air filling her lungs. Determination flickered within her. Despite the overwhelming sense of unease, she couldn't deny the pull of the unknown. Slowly, cautiously, she nudged the door open with her nose.
The world beyond was nothing like the blank, suffocating hallways she had left behind. She stepped into what seemed to be an immense library, the walls lined with ancient tomes and manuscripts, reaching so high they disappeared into shadows. The air here was still, heavy with the scent of old paper and ink. The only light came from flickering candles placed haphazardly around the room, casting long, dancing shadows.
As her eyes adjusted to the dim light, she noticed something peculiar. The room seemed to shift subtly, as if the walls were breathing, the shelves gently swaying. A wave of dizziness washed over her, but she steadied herself against a nearby table.
"This can't be real," she whispered, her voice finally finding its way out.
But there it was, as real as the fear that gripped her heart. She took a few hesitant steps forward, her hooves echoing softly on the wooden floor. She ran a hoof along the spines of the books, the letters on their covers undecipherable, yet strangely familiar.
A sudden noise startled her. It was a soft, almost melodic sound, like a faint whisper carried on the wind. She turned towards the source, her heart pounding in her ears. In the far corner of the library, a figure stood, shrouded in darkness.
"Who's there?" she called out, her voice stronger now, laced with a mix of fear and defiance.
The figure stepped forward, revealing itself in the candlelight. It was a pony, but unlike any she had ever seen. Its coat shimmered with an ethereal glow, and its eyes were deep pools of knowledge and wisdom. The presence of this otherworldly pony filled the room with a sense of calm, easing the filly's fears.
"I am the Keeper of the Castle of the Everything," the mysterious pony said, its voice echoing around the room. "And you, brave filly, have been chosen for a journey unlike any other."
The filly's mind raced with questions. Why her? What was this place? What journey was the Keeper speaking of?
"The answers you seek lie within these walls, and within you," the Keeper continued. "Your journey begins here, in the heart of knowledge, where every corridor leads to a new realm of possibility."
As the Keeper spoke, the room seemed to expand, the walls stretching into infinity, revealing doorways that led to other worlds, other realities.
"You must choose your path," the Keeper said, gesturing towards the myriad doors. "Each one holds a different story, a different challenge. Your heart will guide you."
The filly took a deep breath, feeling a newfound courage welling up inside her. She was no longer just a lost filly in a mysterious castle. She was an adventurer, a seeker of truths in a world of endless possibilities.
With a determined nod, she approached the doors, ready to embark on a journey that would reveal the secrets of the Castle of the Everything, and perhaps, the secrets within herself.
Author's Note
I love the show. Not the show in it's decayed corpse state, but when the show thrived in it's writing. I haven't actively watched the show since Season 3, I have watched bits and pieces of the rest of the show, an episode here or there. I used to be quite the aficionado of MLP Fanfic. Even now the existential dread of Background Pony haunts my heart and inspires me in my writing and filmmaking. Looking back is a good way to get lost. I'm not good with direction.
