Mirror: Book I - Mind

It was cast upon you.

What was…?

You must break it.

What…?

The spell…

The sun was shining, there was a gentle breeze. The birds sung, the critters crawled and the butterflies fluttered. The water lapped gently at the tiny grains of the small beach. It was peaceful.

The afternoon air tickled the boy's nose. He sniffed, snorted, and blinked awake. The sun slashed white through the slit of his eyes, and he blinked again and again to shut it away, only for it to remain. His left hand flexed and went to the sand that which he rested upon. It was warm, lush, and ran between his fingers in dusty, channeled courses, cupping it and watching it fall back to the beach he laid upon.

His right hand flexed, and met with an object. It was in the shape of a heart.

Wondering endlessly on his coming to be, the sand seeped and spread away into a vast pool of sunlight struck blue. Freshwater waves weakly lapped their way outwards as the entire expanse was sprawled out and surrounded by the grains of white, patches of soft brown and fuzzy green leading further outwards into flowers and foliage of all sorts. His eyes wandered to the right, the odd relic still in his hand, a faint reminder to the strange events now past. This heart shaped thing, this necklace…a locket? Just what was it?

The darkness, the ruins, the wolves…and that thing. What was that thing? It was bright, and colorful, and purple, and kind of cute, and purple, and it was standing right next to him, and kind of cute, and-

It was standing right next to him.

Glossy, white ovals, the size of dinner plates perhaps, with dazzling black and purple spectacles focused to the center, were what could only be described as its eyes. They were staring right at him, clicking subtly to and fro, as though in deep, quiet analysis of the human.

And then, it opened its mouth.

“Hello?”

It spoke. Not just sounds, but sounds formulated into words, conducting a real sense of communication! Not to mention, sounds formulated into words that represented a form of communication which the boy could actually understand. Had it given him enough reason to formulate a suitable response? Of course. Did he decide that screaming at the top of his lungs and bouncing ten meters backwards was the first thing he should do? Absolutely.

The purple pony was motionless, speechless even. The boy’s screaming came to a screeching halt when he tripped over his own feet. His rump met the rough, and the small pulses of pain reminded him that he was as conscious as ever in this moment, right here and right now. Though, the doubt doubled over him when he looked up to meet the creature’s gaze for a second time. It was still there. Standing, breathing, watching, waiting…had it even moved at all? Whatever this creature was, it was fearless in the presence of the boy, and that had given him reason enough to harbor a fear of his own.

Fear? He recalled. It was the first thing he could fully remember and understand.

Then, a sharp, harrowing sting coursed through his mind. It clicked and crackled and revealed unto him images that he couldn’t quite understand, and the questions arrived like a roaring, relentless ocean wave. Where am I? Where did I come from? Who am I…?

“Who am I…?” He muttered beneath his breath.

“Hey.” Came the soft hum of the creature’s voice.

He looked over, and there the pony was again. Much closer this time, much…smaller than he had remembered. It was little, in fact. Just a little thing.

“Are you okay?” A warm look ran over her eyes.

They were warm, they were tender, motherly even. Yet, no words found their way past his lips, whether he had become mesmerized by this colorful creature’s soothing gaze, or he simply decided not to speak. In a time like this, how could he? Why should he? Perhaps doing so would give him the answers he was looking for. Answers. He thought. That’s right, I need answers. I don’t know where I’m at, who I am, or even…anything really. What’s going on? Why can’t I remember anything?

“No.” It was the only word that could leave his mouth now. “No, no, no-”

“Just take it easy.” She attempted. “Everything is going to be okay.”

“How do you know that?” He was finally talking back to her. “Who are you? What are you?”

“Look at me.”

“W-What?”

“Look.” She instructed. Her hoof was raised, and her bright, fluffy chest was swelling. “I need you to listen to me very carefully, I want you to take a deep breath. Can you do that for me?”

“You…” He shuddered again. “You can talk?”

“I’m certain we’ve already established that.”

He was speechless yet again. A subtle nod and a timid stare told her everything she needed to know. A second later, that tender smile returned to her lips. The practice began, her instructions calm and clear, and soon enough the two were breathing together as though in unity.

His sights dropped down to the sand swallowing his toes, and with that he started a calm pace towards the pond. The waters lapped and whimpered at the pond's edge, calm enough to hold a reflection, yet the image rippled, shaken and distorted ever so slightly. His measly gander grew into a long, hard gaze, soon evolving into a full straight stare as the boy with golden, glinting eyes stared daggers back at himself. Suddenly he sheathed away the daggers, ceased his intimidating posture and leashed the grueling grip which dug his finger nails into his palms. With a slowly slipping inhale and a long leisurely blink into the waters below, in its reflection he found a new, calm and unquarreled figure to present to the strange being, whom very much to his disbelief was still standing there.

“I understand that you must be lost, frustrated, or even frightened, but that’s why I’m here.” She told him. “I’ve been in your place before, and there’s no better odds than having a friend who’s here to help you out.”

The boy paused, slowly turning to her. “A…friend?”

“That’s right.” Her smile grew

“You mean to tell me…” He put the dots together. “You’re my friend?”

“Yup!” She chirped.

“And so that would mean I’m your friend, too?”

And her smile grew all the more brighter. “Together, you and I can-”

Suddenly, she flinched and flattened her ears against her head, timidly backing away. A great, boisterous laugh sprung up from the boy’s lungs, throwing his head over onto his back as he cackled wildly unto the big, blue, open sky.

“Oh, oh boy.” He began to settle down, wiping a tear from his eye. “You sure got me.”

She stood idle, blinking and waiting.

“I get it now.” A snicker and a shake of his head. “I see what’s going on here.”

“Y-You do?” She almost seemed hopeful.

“Oh, absolutely.” The boy triumphed. “This is a dream!”

“I…sure do hope you mean that metaphorically.”

“I appreciate the concern, but I think I’ve figured it out now.” He shook his head again, letting another snicker go.

The creature then was dreadfully worried over how haphazardly confident he seemed on his conclusions. Apologetic was how she intended to appear, but also ready for any more retorts or questions coming her way. Instead it was the boy who made his way to her, one wary step after the other, his sand tattered heel digging into his sand-dusted rump as he took a knee to meet her eye level.

“Well, it’s been a good ride.” He nodded and smiled. “Short as it was, you won’t have to worry about me anymore. I can take it from here.”

“Wait, what?” She started.

“Goodbye, little purple horsey thing.” He patted her mane. “I’ll send you a post card, if you want. Got an address?”

“Um…”

“Ponyland, at Dream Valley? Something girly and sparkly like that, I imagine?” He stood and began walking away. “Got it? Good. Goodbye!”

“Now wait a minute.” She started again. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“Home, of course.” He nodded and muttered. “Where ever…that might be.”

“And how do you intend to get there?” She quested, eyes brimming with the hopes that some flying saucer or another would appear out of nowhere.

“By doing…” He raised a single hand, brought his index and thumb into a tiny pinch, and forced onto the other arm. “This!”

The boy pinched himself. He blinked, and waited. When nothing seemed to happen, he pinched himself again, harder. Something impelled him that trying with the other hand would make a difference.

“Hm?” He began scratching his head. “I suppose that’s only used to check if you’re dreaming.”

“Oh dear…” The little horse looked downcast. “I’ve caused you some head trauma, haven’t I?”

“Say…” He blinked, looking back up to the creature. “If I’m supposed to be dreaming right now, then why did that pinch just hurt?”

Her only answer was an apologetic gaze.

“Why did that hurt?” He asked again, looking at his arm in horror.

His head shook and swiveled over and over in a fit of denial as he went to clutch the tufts of grain and dust at his knees, muttering gibbers and yammers about how he was finally going insane, making a rather detailed analogy of how the sand seeping from his fingers resembled the current state of his mind. The mare hadn't any idea what to do with the boy or what to tell him now, only to lay out the space which she believed he needed to adjust.

“Now wait a moment.” He shot up, feeling as though he were on to something. “That other place, those ruins, we were there just a moment ago.” His head swerved in the direction of a collection of thick, sickly green trees lying in the distance.

“I must apologize,” her pose became solid and formal. “I hadn't noticed before, but you’re much more fragile than I had anticipated.”

“Huh?”

“I didn't think it'd take so much energy out of you to heal your wound, but the next thing I knew you had lost consciousness. So, I had to stop.” Her hoof brushed hesitantly over the sand. “Otherwise, I would've...”

His eyes sank back to his torso, focusing on the enlarged spot of crimson which shone like a splotch of chalky rust on iron. In its near center was the torn and curled cut of the cloth where its opening faced inward to the half healed wound. It felt as though the sting it came along with had left long ago, but suddenly returned in a pinching tense as he stroked a finger or two over the open gash. It feels real. He tensed again. Too real.

“I wasn't sure for how long you'd be unconscious, so I brought you here and out of harms way.” Her voice hummed a little low as she eyed the boy with a patient gaze, lending him more time to adjust to his surroundings and the happenings upon his body. Peering from the slash and back to the pony, golden grateful eyes met with disquieted and distressed saucers of velvet, and he nearly thanked the mare all over had he still not been doubting her very existence.

He nodded timidly, letting his stare sink in like the daggers from before, and recoiled as soon as he thought of just how rude or uncanny he might of appeared. “Right,” he smiled brightly and spun himself away. “I'll be off then.” And pushed a few glances to the mare as he hasted together an imaginary set of luggage as if he were racing to run himself out an open doorway.

“Where are you going?” She called again.

“Home.” Nodding back.

“Not this again…” She growled beneath her breath. “Hey, wait up!”

Her hooves pressed forward, skidding into the sandy dirt as she lent a glance to glint of light lying in the sand. She hoisted it with the aura from her horn, and quickly trotted after her company. By then the boy had already partially rounded the lake and led a stretch up upon the hill, a walk far too distanced by the likes of the pony. Not in the slightest of ideas did he know where he was going or what he was doing. The pony herself had been through such trials before.

“Ahem.” She trotted up, floating the relic in front of his face. “I think you’re forgetting something.”

The human tensed and turned, staring daggers back into her eyes. “Stop.” He growled.

“What did you just say?” She squinted harshly.

“I said stop.”

“You don’t understand, I can’t stop.” She retorted. “Take a good look at yourself. You don’t know where you’re going and you can’t even tell me where you came from. As far as I’m concerned there’s a major problem going on with your memory that not even you can assess right now. What makes you think you’ll last a second out there? Especially considering what happened in those ruins-”

“I don’t wanna hear it.” He snorted.

“Please, just calm down and listen to me-”

“Why should I?”

“Because, I’m trying to help you.”

“And that is without a doubt the last thing I want you to do. As a matter of fact, you shouldn’t even be doing anything right now. You shouldn’t even exist!”

The pony’s eyes softened, shrinking and looking askew. She took a step or two back, looking downcast, gaze hovering back over to the pond. In the stretch of silence that followed, hollowed breaths escaped his lungs one after the other as he came into realization of what he had just said. Quickly, he shoved the emotions aside, hammering the quote into his head over and over again.

It’s not real. It’s not real. It’s not real…

He took another breath, and sank back to his knee.

“I’m…sorry.” He blurted involuntarily. “Look, little miss purple, pony person, I suppose I can tell you that you’re right about one thing. I don’t know who you are, what this place is, or what I’m going to do next. Even if I can’t remember where I come from, I know well enough that…this isn’t my home. I don’t belong here.”

The pony blinked, quietly looking back up into the boy’s eyes.

The stone gray heart locket laid alone and forgotten, a relic left behind in the past.

“You're going to have to trust me when I say this,” the mare let her aura take hold of the locket. “Everything your eyes and ears are telling you right now, it's only fake because you don't believe in it.”

He shot her a silent gaze.

“Even if you don't trust me, then trust yourself.” The locket on a string found its way above and around the boy's head. “Believe in yourself.”

Resting to his chest, he took a long sum of seconds staring and playing with the relic, letting his eyes search the mare's once more. That gaze of purple, that innocent twinkle to her eyes. He stared back down at the gray heart locket in his hand, slowly drawing his other over the seemingly unscathed surface. The pony couldn’t really imagine what was going on in his head at the moment, but she would not intrude upon it. Instead she slowly walked in the direction she knew to take, turning back to see and ensure that she had the human’s full and uninterrupted attention.

“I’m going to let you make your own choice.” She said bravely. “You can follow me and I’ll take you to my home, Ponyville, where we can figure things out together. Otherwise, if you sincerely do not trust me, then I will leave you alone.”

Once again he looked down at the gray heart locket and his expression scrunched as he looked back at the pony and tucked the locket beneath the front of his shirt. He stood up and looked the mare in the eyes. “I can make my own choices.” He said. “Who said I need your permission?”

“That’s the idea.” She told him.

“Well, I don’t.” He confirmed.

“Okay.” She nodded.

“Okay.” He mimicked.

The two stood silently staring at one another until their gazes decided to wander elsewhere, then he crouched over back towards the pond as he murmured to himself.

“Usually when I become aware that I’m dreaming I almost immediately wake up, but since that hasn’t happened yet…” He scratched his chin and pondered. “Maybe this is one of those dreams where within lies a certain objective. Whatever it is I need to accomplish, I need to fulfill that task, and only then can I wake up.”

The pony listened to his ramblings with the urge to interject, but she held her peace and let the boy continue his train of thinking. It was almost interesting to hear.

“I’ve heard of dreams like that before,” he said as he led his hand through the water, the ripples obscuring his reflection. “But, why now? And why here of all places?” Then, he stood up and turned to her. “Alright, little purple pony thing. I’ll follow you.”

She was caught off guard for a moment as her surprised face had to change to that of satisfaction. “You will? Great!” She smiled. “The road to Ponyville is just over that hill.”

“But…” He stopped. “I think we’re both forgetting something here.”

“Yes?” She waited.

“Tell me your name.”

The pony grinned, brushed her mane to the side and crossed her front legs in a cute, curtsy pose.

“My name is Twilight. Twilight Sparkle.”

And there it was again, that odd expression she observed from him as he wasn’t sure whether he should shake his head or nod in agreement exhaling sharply into an unsure chuckle.

“And what shall I call you?” She asked.

His eyes traveled downwards, to that gray, mysterious, stone-like heart locket lying in his palm. In that moment, there was a spark in his eye.

“Call me David.”

Twilight smiled. The boy was caught off guard by her expression as he noticed her lifting her hoof towards him. She was offering a hand shake, or rather a hoof shake. A hand to hoof signature of acquaintance. With hesitance aside he grasped her hoof and delivered the shake. And so it began, the first pony to befriend man, hoof in hand.

“…by star they align.” The unicorn read.

A great distance away from where Twilight and David stood, through the brush and over the cascading green hills, sitting beneath the shade of a tree was a magically talented unicorn. She sat there in the afternoon air reading her book, the texts describing one peculiar thing.

“The star, Regulus.” The unicorn looked up to the sky in wonder. “I know I’ve heard of it somewhere before, but where…?”