A Shadow of Myself

Preliminary report to United States Military Command at the Pentagon, United States President, Equestrian Monarchy, UN Security Council, and other authorized personnel.

Priority: Urgent

Classification: Top Secret

Author: Sunset Blessing

Content: Findings from initial study of the Intuit race.

Subjects of Study: Intuit, elephant class, Empathy Elephant the Ninth, living. Intuit, bear class, Cheer Bear (unknown number designation), deceased. Fourteen other intiits, bear class, names unknown, deceased.

Brief physical description of subjects: Intuits are bipedal, covered from in fur, lack any genitalia, mammaries, or anal spincter. Resemble various animals, but should not be mistaken for being such animals. Taxademic classification is unique. Have arms and hands. Hands have thumbs but are only four-fingered. Possess naturally occurring insignia on the stomach called a belly badge that resembles a cutie mark. Coloration of fur varies like ponies.

Advanced biological study: full report incoming, as I am not qualified to give a full biological review of organs and metabolic processes. Experts are currently studying cadavers.

Biological processes observed or gleaned from interrogation include that Intuits eat diets similar to ponies and have similar nutritional requirements. Intuits also gain emotional nourishment from 'serving' humans. The nature of the service varies from Intuit to Intuit– more information needed. Intuits do not have an anus. They expel waste in the form of gas released through various pores beneath the fur. Initial observation is this is done in large gas releases while sleeping and produces a flatulence sound and foul smell. Components of gas are still being analyzed– not believed to be harmful to humans or ponies.

Intuit reproduction is done through magical means, producing a perfect biological copy of the parent. While Intuits assign genders to themselves, there is no biological basis for this, as they all seem to be neuter. Gender exists only as a cultural idea within Intuits. Sexual intercourse consists entirely of kissing, cuddling, and rubbing bellies together. After a certain point in the life cycle, the parent will seek out a pre-assigned mate, engage in activities mentioned above, and a perfect copy of the intuit will come out of the belly badge, regardless of what gender the Intuit assigned themselves. This reproduction only happens once in an Intuit's life cycle, making population growth impossible, and any death of any Intuit before reproduction results in a permanent population decline. This species is extremely vulnerable as a result and should be considered endangered.

Intuits are capable of producing concussion magical blasts through their belly badges as well as producing small items. The extent of power of such blasts is still being studied, but is believed to be in line with a standard concussive blasts from a unicorn horn. Objects produced are temporary and vanish after a matter of a minute or so. Complexity of what kinds of items can be produced is still being observed, and it is unknown what the range of variable magical strength exists between Intuits. Has been confirmed that Earthling crystal ponies can counter Intuit magic. Physically, Intuits seem to be of similar range of strength as crystal ponies.

Numbers: The largest subcategory of Intuit are the bears, and those number less than a hundred. I was personally able to terminate fifteen of the said bears with little trouble, although the bears did present a greater challenge to standard power-level ponies and humans. Other Intuit subcategories combined are estimated to be less than five hundred put together, and non-bears are considered non-hostile at this time.

Technology: Intuits seem to lack any written script. Despite not having a written script, they have Hindi-Arabic numerals– not numerals similar to them, the exact same– see conjecture below in regards to this. They possess firearms that are in line with late-twentieth century armaments, and have extremely close designs to antique firearms from our universe. Other technology is unknown at this time.

Further considerations: Intuits are living, breathing, intelligent lifeforms, but do not appear to have a natural biological origin. They are simply reproducing golem constructs created by an unknown mage. The origin is still unknown. Empathy Elephant has given some vague references to an individual named the Cloud Keeper, but no concrete information about this individual is known at this time, including whether they are alive or dead, or if they are an ascended being such as Triss or the alicorns. The elephant only has the knowledge that a being called the Cloud Keeper made the intuits long ago. Since Intuit lifespans seem to be around sixty years, and Empathy is the ninth in his line at twenty-two years of age, we can estimate the entire Intuit species to be less than three centuries old.

Intuit's themselves present little military threat in terms of an armed invasion force; they are grossly outgunned, outmagiced, and outnumbered. However, the bears are backed by a mage (unknown humanoid species) named No Heart who has demonstrated magical skill and power surpassing myself and the other great mages of our era. He may possess alicorn level magic and should be considered a top-level threat. Full extent of magic and abilities are unknown at this time.

The Intuit universe has humans and parallels to ours too strong to ignore. The probability that certain things, such as the above mentioned written numerals, would develop exactly the same independently on another world defies reason. As a pure personal conjecture, that should not be taken as fact, I am assuming that this is not a different universe, but a different timeline of our universe, one where the magical awakening of humanity occurred much earlier. I could be wrong; in which case, that indicates a universe with an even stronger leak flow from our universe than Equestria has. If right, it would require there be no Devourers since the Devourers would have already reached that world in the timespan advanced magics have been demonstrated. In either case, it may make the location a suitable evacuation point if it can be neutralized.

I present this information for your decision making process and shall update when new information becomes available.

Sunset Blessing stood outside a closed door, gathering her nerve.

Just one more talk, then you can go to bed. Luna will help with the nightmares.

One last deep breath, then she knocked.

"Amicus, may I come in?"

There was no answer.

She knocked again, then laid her head against the door. "Ami? Are you there okay? Please, answer. Don't make me worry."

The door opened to reveal her sister, eyes red from crying.

"What do you want, Sunset?" Amicus asked, sounding weary.

"How about I be your baby sister Charlotte for tonight?" Sunset asked with a flick of her ear.

Amicus sighed. "You haven't been called Charlotte in thirty-five years."

Sunset walked by her, brushing against her as she went into the room. It was rude, but she wasn't going to have this conversation in the doorway. Amicus didn't call her out on it, and shut the door behind her.

"Technically, my legal name is Charlotte when I am wearing my necklace, and I have worn it quite a bit over the last few decades," Sunset reminded her.

"You aren't wearing it now," Amicus replied.

Sunset shook her head. "No, but it felt like a good time to brush off the name, since you seem intent on viewing yourself as Kristin; a designation you haven't used at all in thirty-five years."

Amicus hung her head. "That's low, Sunset. Bringing up my other self like that is cruel. Why are you here, Sunset?"

Sunset sat down. "The elephant said you were talking more. I'm glad to see he was telling the truth."

"Is that all you came by to do? See if I was talking?" Amicus asked. "There, you heard it. Satisfied?"

Sunset frowned. "I've just been worried sick about you. I don't know what to do with you, Ami. I don't know a thing I can say to comfort you. If you still weren't talking, I thought maybe I could try to piss you off."

"Because making me mad makes everything better?" Amicus asked with displeasure.

"Because feeling angry at least reminds you that you're alive," Sunset whispered. "You'd be surprised how effective a tactic it is to anger someone to get them out of a funk. I use the tactic for a variety of purposes. It is one of my most commonly chosen tactics."

"You have strange ideas," Amicus said, sitting down. "I'm still in a funk. I'm not sure if I can get out of it."

She looked her sister in the face, and considered how to keep her talking. "Ami, did you ever hear about the whole Harmonist thing where they try to assign you a primary element?"

Her sister nodded. "I have. I was surprised that my primary element was loyalty. I don't mind sharing my primary element with you, if you buy into that stuff. It is like sharing an astrological sign."

"I didn't get loyalty."

"Generosity, then?"

Sunset shook her head. "No, kindness."

Amicus looked at her in disbelief. "No offense, little sis, but I think someone made a mistake if they said that was your element."

Sunset let out a quick dry laugh. "I'm pretty bad at showing kindness, aren't I?"

"You're no Fluttershy, that's for sure," Amicus muttered. "You're bad-tempered, snappy, authoritarian, rude, vengeful, overbearing, violent, and you mentioned just now that you walked into your grieving big sister's room with an intent to make me angry. None of that strikes me as kind."

"Not pulling any kicks, are you?" Sunset chuckled.

The old unicorn got up and walked to her sister's window, looking out it. There wasn't much to see at this hour. A few guards on patrol, a pair of humans returning to a neighboring hotel from a day of sightseeing. It was calm and peaceful.

"The primary element is more about what guides our judgment. What is most important to us. If I had to make a decision that required me to prioritize being loyal, honest, generous, upbeat, or kind, and could only be one of those things, I choose doing the kind thing. That is what most impacts my thought process. What I would abandon the others for," Sunset said as she turned back around. "For you, loyalty wins out over the others. It doesn't mean those other options don't matter to us, only that we value our primary trait more."

"And coming here and trying to make me mad is driven by kindness?"

"Yes."

Amicus shook her head. "You're a strange mare."

"You still being with me after all the insanity and danger I put everyone through is certainly a sign of loyalty."

"Perhaps," Amicus confessed. "If you consider love to be loyalty. I'd still believe that to be your element instead of kindness. Not saying you're a bad person, just not a very nice-"

Sunset cut her off by catching her sister off-guard with a two-legged hug.

"You don't know how good it is to hear you talking to me again, more than you have in weeks; having a conversation. I told you. I'm worried about you. You're the only sister I have left, and I don't want you wasting away in depression."

That took the stiffness out of her sister. Amicus carefully wrapped a leg around her and leaned into her, laying her head up against the scar on Sunset's neck. She then started crying.

"It's s-so hard…" Amicus wept, gripping tighter. "We've lost so much."

"You still have so much," Sunset replied, not flinching away from her sister, even though the earth pony grip was a little too tight. "I'm still here, Ami. I know young Andrea isn't the same sister we grew old with, but she's still Andrea in her heart. We still have an Andrea. I lost one Kristin, I don't want to lose the other."

"I feel like I lost part of myself…she might have been taking different paths than me, but she was so like me," Amicus cried. "And Méng…I watched him grow up into a fine young stallion from an adorable little colt. He might have been adopted, but he was my closest nephew to me…closer than most of my grandkids. He was my friend."

"I still saw the little colt that came to me all those years ago whenever I looked at him. I felt so lost on how to care for him back then, now I feel lost without him," Sunset said slowly, trying to hold back the tears. She licked her lips and decided she couldn't talk more about him, not yet. "I understand how you feel about Kristin. Charlotte is so like me. She's temperamental, headstrong, always feels like she needs to prove herself. I felt I had to prove myself in other ways at her age, but dealing with me has moved the goalpost for her. And now…now I might be sending her and Andrea into danger, right after we just lost two of our own. I don't want to lose anymore, Ami. They say I could live to be near two-hundred, if I keep myself healthy, so I'll outlive almost all the family, but I don't want to lose them too soon."

Amicus broke from the hug suddenly and stepped back, staring in horror at her. "What do you mean? How might you be sending Charlotte and Andrea into danger?"

Sunset diverted her eyes. She was such a coward. She couldn't even look her sister in the face. "The elephant's world has been enslaved. Saving them is the right thing to do. Anyone going there and getting back needs Charlotte present; I can't replicate her magic. Andrea has decided that she's her sister's keeper. That means she'll follow; she'll fight me for the right to follow. Young or old, I know Andrea. You do too, and you know I'm right about that."

"You can't let them go traipsing off to yet another universe, and a dangerous one at that!" Amicus yelled.

Sunset quickly looked at the doors and windows, before throwing up a soundproofing spell. "Keep it down. I haven't told them yet!"

"So, you're going to order them?" Amicus asked wide-eyed. "How could you? After all your talk about worrying about fam-"

Sunset cut her off. "No, I'm going to ask Charlotte if she is willing to help. She is going to jump on it faster than I can get the words out of my mouth. She feels she has something to prove, and this is her chance to do her own adventure. I would have at her age."

"You were a foolish idiot at her age! You need to stop her! Put those years of wisdom to use! She's a foolish child; you aren't. You should know better!"

"That world needs liberty. She will go with the scout team, and I know she'll volunteer. I fear for her, but I will not stop her."

"You can talk her out of it!"

"And one of the princesses will give her an inspiring speech about how she'll be helping save a world and undo me talking her out of it. They have a long history of sending inexperienced young mares off to fight battles for them. I've read the stories. I've talked to Starlight and Twilight about their experiences. I know how this works," Sunset pointed out. "It's happening, Ami. I can't stop it."

Amicus started to pace. "Are you at least going with them to protect them?"

"No."

Her sister gaped at her. "Why not? There aren't many ponies that can match or surpass you in a fight; the element bearers, the princesses, Wild Growth, Josie, Sapphire Sky, Sunrise Storm, Starlight Glimmer, that Discord creature, maybe a few others I'm not thinking of, but it isn't a lot."

"I can think of a few more, but not many," Sunset conceded. "I can't go there, Ami. I'm too angry. I can't trust myself not to do something I'll end up regretting. I don't know who the princesses are sending on this team, but they're likely sending one or more of those you mentioned. Charlotte and Andrea will have someone powerful and experienced with them."

"I don't like this," Amicus bemoaned. "Why are you even telling me this?"

"To help brace you for it," Sunset answered. "I don't like it either, and I'm still working hard to figure out a way to replicate Charlotte's magic so she is unnecessary for this mission. I believe I can figure out anything, if given enough time, but sometimes enough time is a few days and other times it is more lifetime than I have. Duplicating non-pony magic has been an ongoing problematic venture for me that I only have had limited success with in the past. Given that, I don't think I have the time to solve this problem. I may have tried to play God in the past, but I am not God, and can't just make whatever I want happen."

Amicus stopped pacing and took a few deep breaths before looking at Sunset again. "I'm going to put this out of mind for the moment. I'm trying to get out of this depressive funk and brooding in this won't help. So, I'm changing the subject. Do you know anything about a crystal fair?"

Sunset nodded. "It is an important tradition to help restore the Crystal Heart's power every year. The Heart is powerful, but it requires recharging, and the fair ensures that it has a recharge no matter what every year."

"Does it really help with mood?" Amicus asked.

Sunset knew where her sister was going with this. "I can't confirm it, but I have heard many positive stories. I'm guessing you want to stay here long enough for the fair."

"I'm willing to try anything," Amicus confessed.

"Willing to try is a positive first step," Sunset said with a smile. "I will have to go down to Canterlot before then to start getting settled in at the school, but you don't have to come down with me. You, the girls, and the elephant can stay here to attend the fair and come to Canterlot after. I might be able to come back up for the fair, I'm not sure. I have a lot going on. I might have moved away from Earth, but this is no retirement."

"I'd like you to be here with me during the fair," Amicus said. It wasn't quite a request, but the request hung in the air.

Sunset nodded. "I'll do my best, but can't make a promise. I'm taking over that school with very little time before the school year begins, and I'm trying to figure out the stuff with Charlotte's magic and still trying to deal with another long-term project that I've been working on for years that is coming to a conclusion in a few months. Everything seems set with that last one, but I'm still hoping to find some way of making a better way of doing what I came up with, but time isn't on my side."

"Is that last one something else I should be worried about?" Amicus asked warily.

"No," Sunset lied with a straight face. "Anyway, I'll let you get your rest. I know I am very tired too. It really has been good talking to you, sis."