Author's Note
A/N: Awareness does not use an actual new character. Instead, it repurposes Elytra Necros, a changeling character of mine, as a weird sentient being named Mister Forbidden, who apparently knows things that no ordinary being should know. He teaches gypsy magic to Apple Bloom, reprograms Sweetie Bot to be aware of her condition but play coy, and takes in Scootaloo as a student. Be aware that I’m writing these people in WAY before they were introduced in the actual FiW. Oh, and the first thing you’re going to see in this is actually added on to Spike’s Big Day, remedying the destruction of Spike’s epic story, Diaspora Scales. Alright, let’s venture into this land of what-the-buck. Oh, and i’m ignoring CSA and probably episode 10, since that episode has no animation. And considering FiW’s naming conventions, Celestia will be Suh-lestia for the rest of the series. And Luna will be Muh-lestia, as I refuse to write the name of that monstrosity. And of course, I refuse to use the first name of Twilight Acorna Sparkle out of the fact that she is not anywhere near Twilight’s personality. I will forgive the smooze cultists and war veterans though. And Gypsy Pinkie.
And I can’t forget, Elytra has been appropriately flanderized to be a FiW character. And Spike may seem OOC, but there’s a reason for that in the same chapter.
Update: I fixed an error in the italics.
Maintenance
Spike was devastated.
His life’s work, Diaspora Scales: A Dragon Prophecy, had been destroyed via being sent to Suh-lestia, who probably assumed that it was another one of Acorna’s fanfics.
All while Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie laughed at his misfortune.
He was about to burn them in rage, never mind the consequences, when suddenly, he heard a voice from in front of him.
”Fortunately, before the reference frame, I managed to put all the pieces into a book.”
Wildly, Spike flipped through the pages of the book that had dropped in front of him. Every word was correct, every picture precise. The title was embossed in gold.
Then he hiccuped again and sent it to Suh-lestia.
”And I made spares,” the voice said.
He looked up to see an equine shape with a cloak that shrouded every part of him except his fanged black muzzle, and realized who it was that relieved his pain of losing his life’s work.
”Thank you, Mister Forbidden!,” he said as said figure walked slowly away, Pinkie and Rainbow Dash wondering once more who he was, how he knew, and what he was.
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“Like fire, hellfire, this fire in my skin...”
Fluttershy heard a noise, and quickly hopped away. Then the noise revealed itself to be the purr of a little blue parasprite. “Oh, hello, little demonspa-“
”Aaaaaaahhhhhhhhh-Oof!” Then something black and holey fell on it and squished it, to Fluttershy’s surprise.
Fluttershy poked the black holey thing, which looked like a horned bug pony with fangs, and suddenly, it opened a blue-tinted eye and got back to its hooves.
”Oh, hello, stranger,” Fluttershy said. “Were you sent here by Lord Smooze?”
The creature shook its head, biting into an apple, though Fluttershy noticed a pink mist and a distinct tired feeling before she slumped over.
”Geez,” the creature said, “did I end up in crazy world?”
And that’s how I got here.
AWARENESS
CHAPTER 1: ”MAINTENANCE”
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I walked into the library, hearing a distinct, “Hurry up, Spike! You need to finish the book fort. I’ve already started for you,” as I walked in.
Landing on a rock does not agree with your insides, even if you have chitin, so I sat down and summoned a little scorpion creature while Acorna (this could NOT be Twilight at that personality) and Spike debated the book fort, which had nothing but a pun and a crude sketch for a blueprint.
”Who are you, what are you, and why do you have that creature?,” Acorna said as she noticed me.
I waved a holey hoof and said, “This is my pet whatever-it-is. It has a tail sting that’s filled with a magic liquid that’s basically magic poison to others, but a potent elixir for me.” Yeah, that sounded about Shercloppy enough.
Acorna shook her head and went to think of better names and check the decorations while Spike cleaned. When she was gone, I turned to Spike and said, “Why do you take this from her? I heard of a proud dragon lady that ruled the dragons much better than her.”
Spike shrugged and said, “I’ve been a discriminated slave since I was born.”
My eyes blinked wide for a moment, then I said, “Alright that’s it, I’m kidnapping you, the dragon lady, and a green fairy beetle-looking pony, and you are going to BECOME SOMETHING MORE THAN A SLAVE.” I then grabbed Spike, Ember, and Thorax, and threw them into an air-conditioned metal box with a screen watching Twilight diss Spike together, where they will continue to be for the rest of the episode. Since there was nothing left to do, I decided to see if Rarity could polish my little crown on my head.
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Unfortunately, Rarity only works on giant hats, and she was busy with Rainbow Dash. Fortunately, I got something out of the deal by betting Rarity wouldn’t be able to do what I asked of her; three days with a robotic filly named Sweetie Belle, Rarity’s sister. After that, I stole a filly named Scootaloo from under a bridge and Applejack’s sister Apple Bloom from the farm while being fired upon by Applejack.
Fortunately, by squishing the parasprite at the start, I became the main focus of the episode. Checking in on Spike, Ember, and Thorax, I could see Spike’s anger was boiling, thanks to Ember, and Thorax was mad too.
Meanwhile, Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, and Scootaloo were progressing admirably in their respective challenges. Apple Bloom had created a gypsy potion that temporarily made someone highly rich with magic energy to stuff into a contraption I was making, Sweetie Belle was sparking up in her attempt to find some way to hit the target, and Scootaloo already finished her first lesson in impersonating someone. Soon I was going to inject her with my magic poison elixir and turn her into a shapeshifting bug pony.
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The next day, Acorna got worried for Spike, and Applejack brought the concern of Apple Bloom’s kidnapping to the forefront. Rarity, of course, was confident Sweetie Belle would be returned, but she was still worried at what I had done.
They accused Pinkie of using her Gypsy magic to create a creature to kidnap them, and Pinkie said in retaliation, “Me? Gypsy? I’m not a gypsy, I’m a pastry chef! Those aren’t even similar...or are they?” That, of course, was when Pinkie would get the idea to consult the witch doctor and create the time rifts.
I then flew over to get them to follow me, then looked like I was trying to shake them, then returned to my chamber after I teleported away.
Applebloom had created a magical brew that could show events in other universes, Sweetie had finally connected to the gauss rifle I found in her diagnostics, and Scootaloo had successfully imitated Fluttershy’s behaviour and voice.
Spike, on the other hand, had been taught to properly harness Greedgrowth and breathe regular fire by Ember, as well as getting a voice coaching from Thorax along with proper size shifting training.
I smiled. If nothing happened, Scootaloo would graduate from changeling school, Sweetie Belle would learn the truth about her nature on her own, Spike would hopefully become a better dragon, and Apple Bloom would be a certified gypsy; three ways to stick it to the world.
Suh-lestia fortunately didn’t get involved. I didn’t want to pull a Chrysalis and toss her in a weird cocoon.
Of course, the next day, they accused Pinkie in front of Suh-lestia, which would have been a problem.
Fortunately, I presented Spike, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo unharmed.
Sweetie Belle in particular had orders she hardcoded herself not to reveal that she knew of her own robotic nature to anyone she couldn’t trust, which excluded the Cutie Mark Crusaders and eventually me, since I fixed some things about her, such as her waterproofing issue.
I put the voice box on a switch, though, because it gave her some character.
When Spike was accosted with quips about laziness, I smiled to see that he had become much more assertive about his nature.
”So you were kidnapped because you were too submissive to me and now you’re back and more independent?,” Acorna asked.
”Yeah, the blue dragon lady and the green bug guy were nice, supportive, nonabusive, and best of all, they taught me ways to deal with bullies,” Spike replied.
Acorna simply said, “Just don’t start a revolutionary war.”
Applejack talked to Apple Bloom about her new potions.
For her graduation, Apple Bloom had made and bottled a portal potion that allowed nonliving objects to pass through dimensions, and sent a healing potion to a kid named Draco.
Sweetie Belle had become adept with using her gauss rifle to shoot after she shot the target.
Scootaloo showed off her new changeling nature by shifting into a flawless duplicate of Rainbow Dash, minus the astigmatism, though she did get the speech patterns.
The two of them spent the rest of this episode smurf-talking to each other, except replace “smurf” with “rainbow,” “dash,” or “Rainbow Dash.”
The three of them pointed at me as the kidnapper, but I had already drank 2 hours worth of my magic magenta nutritious knockout liquid. (Only nutritious to me and Scootaloo, though.)
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“Why is that rascal Mister Forbidden suddenly dead?,” Applejack asked.
Suh-lestia picked up Mister Forbidden’s flask and caught a whiff. “This is an amateur potion even a non-gypsy could make if they could procure the right ingredients. Ordinarily, it kills you and someone else by having them stare uncontrollably and lovingly into each other’s eyes until they starve. However, it appears this creature metabolizes it as a source of nutrition, and as a consequence, he’s rendered unconscious.”
”Of course!,” Fluttershy said. “I felt a form of affection for it when it was injured and it sucked that out of me and knocked me out for a bit!”
Scootaloo drank a small drop of the liquid left in the flask and felt a little wobbly. “Whoa, that potion packs a punch. Judging from the amount, I’d say he’ll be out for two hours.”
”Don’t care,” Rainbow Dash said. “Double Dash, double Rainbow all the way, twinning winning.”
”YOUR THOUGHT PROCESSES ARE LOW-EFFICIENCY BUT YOU ARE AT LEAST SOMEWHAT OBSERVANT TO MAKE UP FOR YOUR FAULTY OPTICS,” Sweetie Bot cut in. “CEASE DISCUSSION... MISTER FORBIDDEN IS HOLDING A NOTE.”
Fluttershy grabbed the note and began to read.
As you guessed, I kidnapped Spike and Applebloom.
However, Scootaloo was under a bridge (If she is to be believed, then Rainbow Dash is neglectful, but Scoots still loves her) and Sweetie Belle’s tenure in a metal box was the result of a bet I made with Rarity.
But I did notice some things.
Hellfire: a song about an evil religious leader being conflicted about his love for a gypsy. Fluttershy, the leader of a cult around the Hydian Smooze, you sang a few bars of this, and at some point, you’re probably going to say Pinkie has the “voluminous hair of a temptress.” No guarantees.
Also, I prefer the Discordian Smooze. He knows how to chill. Just ask Tree Hugger.
Speaking of Discord, he’s one of the statues in the Canterlot garden. My money would be on the... dragonoctolopultus? Am I saying that right? Usually it’s “draconequus.” But it usually is the draconequus statue.
And Celly, this whole “Sun therefore Suh-lestia and Moon therefore Muh-lestia” thing could probably be misinterpreted to mean your sister is a sexual predator version of Celestia. I’d just stick with Luna or Woona. I’m pretty sure she agrees with me.
Rarity, you should spend time with your sister. I know that the eclipse is coming for that big ritual for Fluttershy’s cult, but there’s nothing wrong with taking Sweetie Belle to the Sentient Social on that day.
Acorna, you’re a self-centered fanfic-writing flank. I wish I knew where Queen Chrysalis is so I could stop something bad from happening. I can’t tell you what that is, though I can say it happens after your secret ambitions to take a throne in Equestria and get alicorn wings may come to bear fruit.
“Her what?!,” Celly exclaimed.
And also an adoptive sibling. And Princess Cadance Notevil Goodpony.
The most I can say is this: the plan was to drop some plan about a changeling invasion, slip Chrysalis in before a pink barrier from said sibling goes up (he had that talent in most worlds,) replace Cadance with Chrysalis, then when you do the bad thing, Cadance locks you up and marries said adoptive sibling. (You were biological in the original plan. Plus it had you sent to a magical northern empire as a test shortly after.)
“Of course... princesses are expected to attend weddings,” Celly said.
If you’re thinking a wedding, then I’ve said too much. Horseapples.
If you aren’t, disregard the above line.
Onto another world. There is a girl named Twilight Sparkle in a human high school called Canterlot High wearing a leather jacket. She is a bully. I still trust her more than Acorna. I also call her Sunset Shimmer.
“Hey!”
There’s also a duplicate of Acorna that goes to another, more prestigious, less cheery high school called Crystal Prep. I pray she is not like this one.
Oh yes, and do the Sirens exist here?
“Yes,” Celly said.
If not, still read the immediately-below stuff.
If so, there are most likely three girls with ruby necklaces that hypnotize people and feed on their fighting. I’m pretty sure that’s them.
Do you have a book with a sun symbol on it? I think Sunset has a corresponding one. With a contraption and that book (If Sunset has the other one, and I have no reason to doubt constants,) maybe one could eliminate the short time limit on the sporadic, rapidly opening mirror portal in your bathroom.
Also, my favourite flavour of ice cream is egg nog.
I had to fill three days’ worth of nothing thanks to getting rid of a parasprite, which would have multiplied, a big ball of them would have killed eight ponies in a Molestopia bowling alley and knocked down all the pins, (again, work on the names. Lunaria, maybe?) and then Acorna was accidentally going to make them ravage the town, all while Pinkie tried to get you to help her get instruments for the Parasprite Polka, but you just didn’t listen and blamed her for using gypsy magic.
You most likely gave her an idea that’s going to cause some temporal things here and there in three episodes.
For one, Cookie Crumbles and Hondo Flanks are going to have another carriage crash a week before the eclipse going for a vacation.
Second, Rainbow Dash is probably going to drown in a fountain at the Grand Galloping Gala and then be revived by the timely thing.
Then there’s a bird, Granny Smith, and Fluttershy’s dragon father.
And yes, Fluttershy is half dragon.
Oh yeah, and Pinkamena Diane Pie’s (in-universe) parents as infants. Apparently in this world they’re Pound and Pumpkin... Cake. Neither of which are an earth pony like Pinkie. (Pound is a pegasus, and Pumpkin is a unicorn.) (Usually, Pinkie's parents are alive, and I enclosed pictures of her usual family. The gray mare with glasses is Cloudy Quartz, the light gray mare is little sister Marble, the bluish-gray mare is Limestone, the gray mare with the purple hair is Maudileena Daisy, and the orange stallion is Igneous. They're rock farmers.)
I just wish one of them was the victim of that bad thing. From earlier, with the wedding? (No point hiding it anymore.) Yeah, it ended in Cadance’s death by starvation and brainwashed love. Between Acorna and her adopted brother Francis. (It was Shining Armor in most other worlds.)
That’s why I wanted Chrysalis. Not only would she be more powerful, but I’m pretty sure she can portal out of the caves after the plan is done.
Also, Raincloud. Applebloom’s midterm potion in Gypsy Magics can tell you that... well, Rainbow may get singed by a lightning bolt. In other worlds, that bolt came from a grey coated blonde mare named Derpy Hooves/Ditzy Doo/Muffins stomping on the nearby raincloud. Derpy never knows what went wrong. Also, Raincloud is going to save you by carrying away a bomb if Applejack is held hostage by Cherry Jubilee.
If anyone wants to learn things that are forbidden to learn, they can find me in the crystal tree castle I talked a magic crystal tree into making because you six definitely ain’t using no magic tree gems for nothing! (I also stole the six magic tree gems from the royal vault by disguising as Celestia. Or was it from the ruined castle above the cave? Or from the magic crystal tree in the cave?) If you confront me negatively, I’ll head to a quaint village, possibly with disturbing practices involving removing cutie marks, just south of Rainbow Falls, right next to the eastern Crystal Mountains. If you try to assault me, I’m going to move those services to an island southeast of the continent. If you come after me, I’ll set up in Yakyakistan in the northwest. If you go that far, I’ll find Breezewood Canyon and set up there. If you manage that, I’ll set up in the other world.
The point is, you try to antagonize me, I move my services somewhere more challenging to reach.
It probably took you two hours to read this letter, right? I’m off to the end of the rainbow.
Sure enough, a rainbow was shooting out of the forest, and at the other end of it, a crystal tree palace suddenly grew, Mister Forbidden getting up and fluttering off towards it.
With disdain and disappointment,
Mister Forbidden, whose name will most likely never be revealed to you.
P.S: I call the castle Amicitiae Cristallum.
P.P.S: Has Rainbow Dash ever heard of contact lenses or laser eye surgery?
P.P.P.S: Here are pictures of Tree Hugger, the parasprites, and Discord.
P.P.P.P.S: Scootaloo, how would you like to live in the castle with me?
Spike, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie, Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo, Sweetie Bot, Apple Bloom, Celly, and Acorna all blinked.
Fluttershy pointed out the parasprite picture as the creature she saw before Mister Forbidden crushed it, while Celestia compared the picture of Discord with her memory of the statue, realizing they were exactly the same. Fluttershy and Celly recognized Tree Hugger as the leader of the Discordian Cult of Chaos, an up-and-coming rival cult to the Hydian Apocalypse Cult of the Smooze, and realized that Mister Forbidden had just revealed to them the possible physical form and location of their patron deity, Discord.
Celly facehooved and said, "You've got to be kidding me," in a flat voice as Scootaloo squeed with delight and flew to the castle with all haste afforded to her by being Rainbow Dash.
As for me, I settled down in a bedroom in the labyrinthine castle.
The balcony to what would have been the map room was locked with a spell that only allowed those I trusted through, and the door had been enchanted to open to a certain deceptively happy song, with pictograms so I didn't forget.
Scootaloo fluttered into the throne room through the balcony, noticing the door marked in green slime with a symbol reminiscent of a pocket watch on a chain and opening it to find Mister Forbidden, who she then asked about the thrones, which were each inlaid with a magic tree gem.
"If that collection of one nimrod, two war vets, one of whom is one of the two cultists, one slave-driver, and one gypsy would get their act together," he replied, "then those would be THEIR chairs. But since they haven't, I'll take the one with the pink butterfly and you take the one with the red lightning bolt, which Rainbow would have had. Sweetie can have the one with the purple diamond that was Rarity's, Apple Bloom can have the one with the orange apple, Applejack's Honesty, Spike can have the one with the magenta star, and since I trust Pinkie, she can keep the Laughter throne, the one with the blue balloon."
"Why are you taking the pink butterfly? Isn't the magenta star supposed to be the leader's chair?"
Mister Forbidden shrugged. "Not the first time a changeling's been Kindness. Plus Spike needs the confidence boost, and he's near to Acorna."
"And the mini-throne next to it?" Sure enough, the Magic throne still had a smaller unmarked throne right next to it.
"You have a point. Spike can have the Magic chair... until either Cadance, her sister Candace, or Francis Sparkle steps up to take it. Then he gets the mini-throne, which we can hopefully engorge into a full throne."
At his words, the miniature throne next to the Magic chair began to swell to full size, adopting a red-and-yellow streaked sun symbol of pure magical crystal.
The response was unexpected. "Sweet! Empathy throne! Call up Celly and Luna and tell 'em to haul that mirror and the book with the sun symbol, I have a beautiful, lovely idea..."
