Twilight opened her sleepy eyes, rising on the bed and letting out a long yawn. She pushed aside the curls of tumbled hair and glanced around the room in the sunlight. It was a quiet, peaceful morning, promising to be an equally peaceful afternoon. From below came the pleasant smell of the oatmeal porridge that the unicorn's faithful helper made on Mondays - neither of them remembered when this strictly enforced tradition came into being. But that didn't make it any less pleasant. Stretching, the filly jumped off the bed, opening the window and doing a simple exercise. Shaking her head, she shook the bizarre dream out of her head and walked as if nothing had happened down the steps to the kitchen, where Spike, wearing his chef's hat, was placing the delicious substance on the white plates with an important look.
''Oh, Twylie. Good morning.''
''Hi, Spike...'' the filly nodded to the dragon.
''How did you sleep?'' her protégé asked with obvious interest.
''So-so...'' the pony answered honestly ''I've been having some crazy dreams lately.''
''Like what?''
''It's hard to describe..." the filly went on sitting down at the table "You know, like I'm looking at myself from the outside. But it's not me.''
''It's strange, really.''
''It is" the spoon, hovering with magic, plunged into the porridge, scooped up a piece of it and brought it to the mare's open mouth.
''I think I read about it in a magazine'' Spike said after a short pause ''It's called a prophetic dream. Or something like that. Like you could see the future... or the past of one of your old reincarnations.''
''Eh, Spike, you should read less isoteric. Or you'll start defining ponies by their zodiac signs.''
''It's hard to believe that you FORBID me to read...''
''You see, my dear friend, not everything written on paper automatically turns into useful information. It is not the book itself that is important, but the content.''
''It's like a cover-up..." said the frowning dragon "What else am I going to learn today?
Twilight grinned with a kindly smile on her face.
''That simple truth of life is enough for now. By the way, you wanted to visit Rarity, didn't you?''
Spike looked away.
''Well...maybe. Why the interest?''
''She asked me to get her a book on historical costumes. For some Canterlot play.''
The little dragon whistled.
''Oh, yes. Well, it's easier to be a messenger than to make you porridge.''
Hoof patted the dragon's scaly head.
''Don't be angry. You know I appreciate your concern for me...''
Spike rolled his eyes, sighing heavily.
''Okay, okay. Just give me your book.''
Summer was in full swing. The sky was clear. The birds were singing, the ponies were enjoying themselves. Derpy was no exception to that. The leather bag slung over her shoulder, stuffed with letters, jerked hysterically from side to side, adding to the frantic breathing of her owner, whose hooves raised dust columns on the country road.
An intrusive thought did not leave the mare alone - she had overslept. Seriously asleep. So asleep that this frivolity might cost her her life's work. But hope still lingered in the postmare's pounding heart, guiding her to her duty.
In the very center of the dimly lit room stood a strange machine. An ornate web of wires spread out from it in all directions, covering both walls and floor. Between them cautiously crawled a faintly discernible figure, keeping a wrench in its grimly brooding mouth. The many lights that adorned the mechanism threw a dull scarlet shine upon the figure, but its brown fur and the hourglass mark upon its side were plain to see.
From time to time Hooves used the tool for its intended purpose, tightening the bolts that connected the wire adapters to the floor, and then tapping the keys on them, a distinctive humming sound to check that the circuit was working. Suddenly, there was a persistent knock on the door. With an angry snort, Hooves shook his hoof toward the ceiling, muttering something like "Why does everyone start distracting me at the most important moment?!''
Continuing to grunt, the stallion walked up from the dark basement into the hallway, where he opened the door to two aggressive-looking mares, one of whom was an earth pony while the other was a unicorn. Lyra clucked her tongue, tapping her front hoof on the ground. Bon-Bon glared at the hapless scholar with a stern look. Both friends looked rather unhappy, to say the least, with huge bruises under their eyes.
''How can I help you?'' Hooves asked grudgingly.
''What's going on here?!'' the beige earth pony barked out of the blue "We've been up all night with that noise!''
The stallion staggered back a little, scratching the back of his head.
''Alas, science demands sacrifice.''
''Look, smart-ass" the green unicorn shoved her friend aside, coming within a few centimeters of the scientist "Either you stop it, or I will. With this very horn!''
''Take it easy, ladies! The experiment is in full swing - even if I wanted to, I couldn't stop it!''
''How long is this "experiment" of yours going to disturb the civilians of Ponyville?''
''Not for long. The main thing is not to interfere, because the consequences can be truly unpredictable...''
''Listen, Professor. Here's what we'll do. We'll stay with you and make sure you end this once and for all.''
''I object!'' Hooves waved his hooves ''This is no place for amateurs.''
''Remember the horn" hissed the passing unicorn, whose friend followed behind her.
Shaking his head disappointedly, the scientist decided not to waste time on the cheeky girls and returned to the device. The insistent ladies were already standing below, gazing at the spawn of scientific genius.
''I'm embarrassed to ask, what is the purpose of this thing?'' asked the slightly alarmed Lyra.
''So much for asking questions...yeah. At this rate, I'll never finish the job. It's a hadron collider. A mechanism for dealing with particles of matter. I'm studying what our world is made of - in particular, how magic works in it.''
The unicorn chuckled.
''Even little colts know that magic is a chaotic force emanating from ourselves. It...''
''Defies logic and comprehension, yes, yes, I've heard that song before. And what, you're satisfied with that answer?''
Lyra shrugged her shoulders.
"If it works, why should we load our brains with unnecessary information?''
''It's because of pony like you that progress is stalled'' replied Hooves angrily as he resumed his hard work.
Rarity, who was measuring the length of her dress, did not immediately notice the dragon stomping from foot to foot behind her with an embarrassed expression.
''Spike! It's good to see you, darling. Are you from Twilight?'' looking at the book in his clutches, said the dressmaker.
''Of course...'' the dragon handed the book to the mare ''Wow. What interesting costumes you have.''
''Yeah. Special order.''
Indeed, a number of ornate robes and togas of mostly scarlet and purple lined up in front of them.
''A production based on the classic play 'The Fisherman's Story' recounting the journey of an ancient pony through an ancient land. According to historians, these are the clothes our distant ancestors wore'' continued the unicorn.
"They look great!" blurted out the dragon cub admiringly.
"Hmm...you know, I should try them on. I'll be right back" after picking up the robes with magic, the filly went into her room, a few minutes later presenting herself to her admirer as an ancient aristocrat, which head was crowned with a laurel wreath "Well, how do I look?" said the unicorn, with the beauty and grace of a goddess.
But Spike didn't have time to respond. The mare's legs buckled and she collapsed on the floor, senseless.
The gray pegasus flew into town like lightning and barely dodged the darting passersby, crashed into the wall of a small farmhouse, bouncing back like a rubber toy and landing on the croup. She shook her eyes from side to side, shook herself off, stood on all four legs, and was about to knock on the door when she noticed it was wide open.
''E-eh?" filly bewailed as she cautiously stepped inside. Her ears perked up with a distant woofing noise coming from somewhere below. Overcoming her initial fear, the mare dared to approach the cellar door "Is anyone here?" she questioned, receiving no answer. Bravely stepping up the steps into the semi-darkness, the filly approached the source of the noise, which turned out to be a strange wired broad pillar with an open space in the center. Three figures stood by the mechanism - two mares and one stallion. The noise here was so intense that the pegasus couldn't even hear her own words. Stunned by what she saw, she didn't notice the wires under her hoofs, suddenly tripping over them and involuntarily stumbling backward in an attempt to keep her balance. But this only caused the pegasus to fall with her back to the cable, ripping it from the socket with a crack.
A faint light flickered in a heart of machine and began to expand rapidly, taking the form of a sparkling sphere of lightning. The light reverberated on the retreating figures, revealing the savage horror that appeared on their faces. Muffled voices were heard.
''Turn it off! TURN IT OFF!'' the unicorn shouted.
But it was too late, for the piercing white fire had already consumed the mechanism, taking the room with it.
A sharp pain hit Twilight's temple. With a low groan, she lowered her head to the surface of the table, where a stream of scarlet water trickled down. Her eyes went black. But soon, the darkness dissipated, giving way to a silhouette in a silver cloak that held a golden staff with a rounded cross on top with both hooves thrown upward.
''Ap pta sha la psatio sh la no pta si tsha o!'' he cried to the stormy sky in the voice of a filly. A deafening peal of thunder heralded the downpour that fell from the heavens onto the stone carved altar. The moisture collected in a deep vessel located in the center of the shrine. With one hoof, he thrust the staff into the ground, and with the other, the silhouette brought the dish to his lips and began to drink greedily the gift of nature. The hood fell off from tilted back head. When it straightened, she saw her own face, with black ink darting from her eyes in sharp lines.
The reality that had been previously absorbed by the light returned in the form of sand dunes stretching far beyond the horizon. He was standing on the edge of a bare rock, being drenched by the cold rain. He overcame initial stupor and met the surprised gaze of a strangely painted Twilight Sparkle clad in a silver cloak. Behind them stood a huge crowd of ragamuffin-clad ponies of all races and colors, huddled on the ground in religious ecstasy. As soon as they noticed the stallion appearing out of nowhere, they roared in awe.
Quickly assessing what was happening and realizing that he had been transported to a gathering of some sectarians, the scientist decided to take advantage of his position.
"Mortals!" he bellowed, not in his own voice "I have come to your world as a messenger of the gods! Bow before my will...''
''Gods?'' hissed the frowning unicorn ''Those who were cast into darkness by the true mistresses of this world?''
Hooves swallowed, silently watching the joy in the eyes of the common people change to righteous anger.
The mare turned toward the crowd.
''The pharaohs foretold the arrival of the chosen one of evil on a stormy night, when a downpour would pour down on the lifeless earth! Let him face their judgment!''
Sickles and spears went up over the ponies, and two copper-clad guards burst out of the raging crowd, circling the unicorn and grabbing the dazed Hooves by the shoulders. He tried to wriggle free, but the blow of cudgel to his head cooled his ardor.
Twilight struggled to get her blood-soaked snout off the table, accompanying the ringing in the ears with convulsive breathing. A shaky voice echoed in the silence.
''There must be an explanation for everything. Exceptions...are not acceptable.''
Derpy walked across the hot sand of the vast desert, whose dunes stretched far beyond the scarlet dawn horizon. How many hours had the filly spent in that strange place? She couldn't give an answer. And she didn't want to find one, because the only thing she cared about at the moment was thirst. A violent, debilitating thirst. The fireball was only just approaching its zenith, but it was already casting the burning heat into an endless expanse. As she shifted her legs uneasily, the pegasus realized the mistake she'd made in wasting energy on futile flight. Trying to create shadows with her own wings, the mare was only more convinced of her own helplessness, for her feathers were ragged and withered, letting the merciless light through. At some point creepy thoughts began to visit Derpy. Was there any point in going any further? Why delay the inevitable? With a shake of her head, the pegasus shook them off, ready for any kind of trouble in her line of work. She wasn't called the best (though she was the only) postmare of Ponyville for nothing.
She had never seen places like this before. Her homeland was full of flood meadows and impenetrable forests, where cold days replaced warm ones on schedule, because the weather was entirely under the control of the ponies' hooves. Here it was as if the world had frozen. Died before it could blossom. It was as if some force had pulled all the life out of it, leaving only the crumbs of its former splendor intact. Sand, nothing but sand...there weren't even any shrubs to chew on. Truly, the madpony who live here must be harsh personalities. Perhaps it's for the best that she hasn't met a single living soul yet...
Black dots appeared in the distance, in stark contrast to the surrounding terrain. Derpy stopped, squinting her tired eyes. She had heard of such a thing - a mirage, so strange, so dangerous. But the approaching silhouettes quickly convinced her otherwise. Several figures, tightly wrapped in rags, were leading two strange creatures on four legs and with two humps on their backs.
The strength finally left the pegasus. She fell to her knees, resting her head in the sand. The dots were getting closer and closer. Soon enough, the mare, who was rapidly losing consciousness, heard a cryptic conversation in a mysterious language. Nevertheless, Derpy stopped resisting the oncoming darkness, surrendering completely to oblivion.
"Wake up! Wake up, damn you!''
A slap on the cheek instantly brought the scientist to his senses. He found huge eyes over him, squinting viciously, staring into the stallion's very soul. He curved his mouth into a crooked grin and glanced around the darkness of the cell that surrounded him - dirty, tiny, and totally out of line with the norms of ponykind treatment of prisoners.
"Finally!" exhaled Lyra, who recoiled to the side, "I thought you were dead already. How fortunate that the honour of strangling you fell to me after all.''
''You clearly should have learned some manners...'' stretched out the stallion rubbing his cheek, ''Where the hell are we?!''
''As you can see - in prison!" the unicorn angrily hissed.
''Have we already broken some sort of law?''
''Apparently all the possible ones and the ones that haven't been invented yet.''
''Magnificent'' whistled the stallion, who didn't seem to be quite sure of the reality of what was happening.
''How much longer are you two going to coo in there, huh?" muttered Bon-Bon, sawing the bars with a stone that had broken off the wall, ''If I understood anything from the heresy that was pouring from the mouths of these antiquity lovers, it was that we were going to be executed at dawn.''
''Executed?!" the stallion exclaimed in surprise, ''Hmm...how strange, I've never seen dungeons like this before.''
''You have a lot of experience, don't you?'' said Lyra, who sat down on the floor in some completely unimaginable design for pony physiology, throwing her one leg over another.
''In our wild times, breakthroughs in science are equated with serious crimes!'' doctor proudly raised his chin.
There was the clatter of approaching hooves. The prisoners stirred, stopping their idle talk at once.
A guard in ornate copper armor approached them, clearly not holding out hope for meaningful dialogue. So he merely shook his hoof in the scientist's direction, letting him know that the real trouble was just beginning. Hooves hesitantly approached the grate that opened, realizing very quickly that he had no control over his own body, engulfed in a greenish glow that echoed the light that enveloped the guard's horn. Looking helplessly at the viciously giggling mares, the doctor flew off somewhere around the corner.
She felt a pleasant coolness on her lips that began to slowly travel down her throat, infusing moisture into her parched body. The world began to clear slowly, revealing to Durpy's writhing muzzle a soft blue sky. Beside the mare sat three figures crouched over a faintly crackling fire, wrapped in thick brown robes that hid their snorts, leaving only the glowing yellow lights in place of their eyes visible. The fourth stranger held in his claws a burden from which poured crystal-clear water.
''W-what..." Durpy whispered quietly.
''Must rest. Get strength back. Araheok is no place for loners'' a squeaky voice from beneath robes, reminiscent of a crow cawing, answered her.
''How long...have I been lying here?''
''Long enough to die. Not enough to avoid being discovered'' said a crow's voice.
''Who are you?'' the pegasus tried to rise, but weakness prevented her from moving.
''Wanderers. Seekers. Merchants'' the creature set the burlap aside, rising up on clawed paws covered in black feathers, ''Marble City is two days' journey north. You're lucky that's where we're going''.
The filly sighed heavily. The anxiety that had been plaguing her heart began to recede slowly.
Civilization.
Finally.
After passing through many winding corridors decorated with sandy bas-reliefs depicting scenes of hunting unknown creatures, the guard and the levitating doctor reached a small, dingy room. From the instruments piled in the corner and the blood-soaked table, Hooves knew without a doubt that he was about to be in a lot of pain. Roughly tossing the scientist onto the unpleasant surface, the guardian began to secure his limbs with sturdy straps with a casual look. When he finished, the stallion grinned and winked at the trembling Hooves as he leisurely walked away.
After spending a few anxious minutes in silence, the doctor heard tapping on the floor again. A moment later, a familiar priestess with black mascara eyes appeared before him.
''Mrs. Sparkle?'' Hooves muttered in genuine bewilderment as he looked at the molded replica of Ponyville's biggest celebrity.
''Why do you speak in a dead language, heretic?" the filly asked with undisguised disgust, keeping her gaze fixed on the stallion in utter contempt.
''Well...it's spoken in Equestria...''
''It was spoken a thousand years ago.''
Hooves was at a loss for words, blinking in surprise.
''You don't look like an aristocrat or a cult servant to know it'' the pony continued ''You don't even look like a commoner, because you are too skinny and pure for someone who spends most of his life in the mines'' the pony's muzzle came close to the stallion's snout ''So who are you for real?''.
''A scientist!" replied Hooves without a backward thought.
''No...'' the filly angrily thundered, ''You are a spy sent by the Enemy from beyond the Mountains of Sorrow. A vile servant of Anubior, the Lord of Death. Only he is capable of giving hidden knowledge to his servants, demanding their souls in return...''
''I assure you, I don't want to hurt anyone!" the stallion nervously protested.
''I do,'' the unicorn replied with a maniacal grin, with a magic-assisted scalpel at her side, ''Before you accept death, you must experience the viciousness of your aspirations. Believe me, I will make you regret the cursed day you were born into this light blessed by the Pharaohs.''
The instrument began to descend downward - to a place not commonly mentioned in decent society. Hooves squeezed his eyes shut, wishing it would just end. Suddenly, the scalpel fell to the floor with a loud clang. The mare froze, staring into the void. A scarlet trickle dripped from her nose. A moment later, she collapsed senseless.
Overpowering the pain buzzing in her head, Twilight pulled an ice pack from the fridge and put it to her forehead. Her floating gaze stopped on the rushing point of an agitated dragoness approaching the house. In that second, something changed in her eyes.
''Nasty creature...spawn of the lord of death...'' independently of her will sounded in the filly's mind ''But where...where am I?''
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTWiw392FAw
