A True "Rarity"

For once in my life I didn't know where the voices were coming from. They weren't my own thoughts, yet they came from me. I know not of what language I heard or the crude, cryptic poem that was recited in my mind. Numbers and letters. Combined they make words and phrases, and eventually sentences. In the end they are all the same.....and regardless of what happens, they all originate from thought. But where do thoughts originate from? Its a bit like asking which came first the phoenix, or the egg. If it is like that age old question (the phoenix or the egg) then everypony has their own response or belief. There is no "right" or "wrong" answer. Only opinions which, originate from words and phrases, and therefore from thoughts. Its an endless, paradoxical loop that drives me insane.

But, and this is quite a but, we know that the phoenix came to lay egg due to research, and it is a fact. With the confirmation of a fact, past beliefs fade away into lies because they have been proven to be untrue. Since everything has a reason and can be supported by some sort of fact, it's only a matter of time before we know where thoughts originate. It may seem like the end once we find that "final" fact, but the beauty is that it doesn't end there. Every answer that we have always leads to more questions, and one question in particular can never be extinguished.

Why.

Now do you understand?

I understand that by using my own thoughts you explain things pretty damn well.

Any other day I would laugh, and you would see me laughing even if you are blind. Hear my voice if you are deaf. But there is no time for that.

Are you an alicorn? Or some sort of mythical being?

Alicorn? Mythical? Ohoho! You make me feel like I'm a young colt like yourself. But I am in the "mythical" category.

If you're not an alicorn....just what are you? I don't feel any feelings of harming you. In fact....your voice is soothing.

Many others have said that about my voice. All of them were before you. Before a lot of creatures.

Well I suppose its more of my voice then yours. Afterall you are using my thoughts.

That is true. My time is limited you are aware of that correct?

Yes......I have one last question, are you the higher power?

...............I am higher yes. But not the highest. And I don't intend on becoming the highest either. You'll see what I mean sometime. Well....time isn't really important in my opinion.

I see.

You should have asked better questions.

Regardless of what I should have asked and failed to, I still understood the message he was telling me. Every end is but a beginning. Why he (or it rather) was telling me this was still beyond my grasp however.

Outside my generally chaotic mind things were even more confusing. Not being able to see wasn't as cumbersome as I previously believed, especially since I can't even move in this fucking bed. I can still understand whats going on around me. I've been bleeding and I somehow severely wounded somepony in the room. I could feel the blood streaming from his wound and from my own cuts as well. It's hard to fathom, but I truly can feel it, I know nothing is being imagined anymore. I inhaled the air of the room, taking in all the different scents from each of the ponies and objects that were there through my nostrils. It was a cacophony. Not of sound, but of blood, fur, sweat and vomit. Lots of vomit. I'll admit it, the smell wasn't as pleasant as pure terror or pure blood; but it was tolerable.

Hoofsteps. But whose? Can't be a guard or doctor. With all the armor and medical wear they can be heard a kilometer away. Unless it is actually a guard or doctor, and they think I'm asleep; attempting to assassinate me. Nopony is going to kill me anytime soon. I heard the ruffling of clothing, and felt the intruder place something on my head. It felt like a hat.

"Howdy partner." He whispered. (I knew it was a he by the very colt like voice. Not to mention, the very familiar voice.)

"Heh, sure didn't expect ya to end up liake this. Ah don't mind it of course." It was Braeburn, still chock full of "passion".

"Consider this mah one act of kindness for tha day." I sensed a smile, and just barely managed to hear the buckles and straps come loose, but I certainly did feel it. The warm sensation of my blood flowing back to my hooves was a feeling greater then any mare (or colt) could provide. Oddly enough, feeling better didn't feel any different. It simply felt natural more or less to lose those restrictions, even though I am still blind.

"Now, as much as ah would love to stay here I gotta scram. You can keep tha hat." As his voice trailed away, I heard the pitter patter of his hooves fade. Nice fellow. Far too touch oriented however.

And you're too thought oriented.

And thats a fucking beautiful thing.

Like Rarity.

Why do I still relate to her? Shes a pony not thought. A material desire. A pathetic lust that thrives on hormones and erotic stimulation. And I no longer need her. I'm stronger than that. Stronger then all of this. I can be the highest power! I can be immortal! She, they, everypony is bellow me. They haven't proven themselves. They haven't contributed in one way to society. Sure they stopped Discord, who wasn't even fucking interested in evil, only in chaos! Ha! Now that it's crossed my mind however.....there hasn't been a damned evil spirit at all. True harmony has both light and dark, and so far it has only been light. Thats what that message meant. It is time for there to be darkness once more. Through darkness comes harmony. Through death there is life. Heh, veritatem o tenebris. Truth in darkness.

As I accepted that fact, I felt my body change. Not a visible physical change, but internal. My vision returned. Slowly but surely. The clouds in my mind that blocked the truth fled like the dark curtain that blinded me. I don't think I'll ever find what caused my temporary blindness, but as long as its gone I don't have a care in all of Equestria. My sight wasn't the only thing that changed. It took me a while to notice it but my magic felt strange. Not so strange that it was completely incompatible with me, but it just slightly foreign enough for me to take notice. I lifted up my hooves, displacing the loose belt buckles. It was a lethargic motion at first but everything inside my body just came.....alive. I looked outside the window, and it was total darkness, simple and pure, fresh and clean. The overhead lights were too skimpy and lingerie like for me to appreciate. Raw darkness was now easy to embrace.

I concentrated my slightly exotic magic, and teleported myself to the blackness. As I reappeared in the desert environment there was a large cracking sound, presumably from my magic. There was a large amount of magical residue from my spell, and I could see it in the air. I was astonished at the bold, accented deep black (with a tint of red) energy that barely lingered in the air. For the first time in my life, I felt empowered. I felt like a god. Looking back at the hospital, I could only presume it wouldn't be long before they started to search for me. Everypony in this town probably heard that noise, and it was a miracle my hat didn't burst into flame.

Out of the corner of my eye I noticed the small wooden town of Appleloosa was starting to glow. Not a supernatural glow but the glow of dozens of lamps and lanterns being light, so the townsfolk could see what woke them up and caused that cracking sound. It was obvious (to me) that they knew something was amiss. The few unicorns in the town probably had a basic knowledge of magic and would be able to sense my heightened energies.

Amazing. You don't even know how you got these abilities but you're damn proud of using them.

Why wouldn't I be?

Did you ever think that maybe, just maybe, you're being used? You've been put in situations that have changed you, and drastically so. You've barely moved a muscle, and have gotten exponentially better at magick.

And?

You haven't even bothered with your past. So much has happened to you in that "time". You've seen visions of supposedly dead ponies, and act as if they didn't exist. Memories aren't made, they are formed from experience you foal. You thought "normally" before, and now you have a second voice, with outside opinions! Influences, that are not coming from you, but from somewhere else.

So you aren't part of me?

How bucking clueless are you? Actually, HOW FUCKING CLUELESS ARE YOU!?

No need to shout.

Shout? In your thoughts? You really are.....regardless of that......outburst, no I am not part of you. I am Princess Celestia.

I know.

No you don't you arrogant colt. Otherwise you would have sensed me enter into your mind.

When did you do this? I'm not angry or trying to make you angry, I just don't comprehend the nature of what you are telling me.

I've lost my patience with you. Floor six, unicorn district. Remember that.

The ground around me started to shake and rumble, and the heavens above started to rip. I could see the stars in the night sky fly away, and fall to the ground. Everything was fleeting from existence. Then, it all went black.

I felt a change (more of a transfer really) in my body once again. Within seconds I realized the darkness around me was not from my surroundings, it was my eyes. It was astonishing. After I opened them, the things I saw, it was impossible to describe. But somehow.....I knew exactly what they were. I, I knew their functions, their purposes, even their names came back to me now. All of this technology, my technology, it was marvelous. Words can't even begin to describe the new world around me. Yet even though it was new, it was still familiar to me. The chrome walls, the electrical sockets, the laser lights of the machines around; and attached to me. They were the pinnacle of ponytech when I bought them. (My "real" memories were starting to return.) Ten bits for a seismic earmark. Lovely things. Tapped into your bio-electricity for energy and it could be used as an emulator for magic.

Tech-magick it was called. Allowed for the devices of the day to be easily accessed via this new magic, and it lead to an industry of tech-magick devices and spell books. Each of those things led to spell checkers. I was one of them. I worked at SCAALAR as a tech-pony. One of the best tech-magicians there.

Unicorn District.

Sixth floor. But what building? Thats irrelevant though isn't it? All of that was a dream. Unicorn District and the "sixth floor" don't exist. I looked at my slightly clean room. The feeling of chrome was comfort compared to that wasteland dream world. All of the screens that consumed the ceiling were on, and providing artificial light for the rest of the room. My retinal clock displayed the time in the lower right hoof corner of my eye. 14:30. Time for work.

By the time I had arrived at the Ministry of Magic it was still 14:30. Teleportation spells really are a convenience magick now. However, the inside of the chrome building was much like its outside. Both were coated in the mercury color, and not a pony was to be seen in either. No signs of life to be found. All I could hear was the high pitched ringing in my ears.

I started to ponder on the idea that what Princess Celestia told me was indeed very real. Turning my head to the right end of the hallway, the elevator doors looked so inviting. My need for time to think is what drew me to them, instead of instantaneously appearing right before her majesty. Trotting to the elevator doors, I realized the striking similarities between the room, and the prison hallway in my dream. They were both the same size and shape, the only differences being the chrome paint of this world, and the rusted nickel color of the dream. I pushed the open button with my hoof, and even the elevator reminded me of my wall-less cell. It was like the dream world was just the vision of an apocalyptic future. The doors closed, and I felt my hooves shake as the elevator jolted upwards. The slight vibrations shook my mane, and I knew I would have to make some slight adjustments to it.

Finally the elevator stopped with a thump, and I took a deep breath in. The time on my clock now said SIXTH FLOOR in large letters, and shortly returned to its humble 14:30 time. The sliding of the doors made a hiss, and as I walked out I saw the princess herself, gazing out the many windows of the floor. Her reflection could be seen in a few other windows, but she was dwarfed by the size of them. I tried to look my best as I approached her, making sure my mane was presentable, trying to walk with grace, and finally made it to her side.

"Look." She said. Her voice was calm and relaxing.

I saw my reflection in the window, but beyond that was the mass of skyscrapers and circuit like roads, and the large telescreens on each of the buildings. I could see the advertisements for SCAALAR and the seismic earmark 5.02, but no ponies.

The princess sighed, and with a little hope in her voice said "Welcome..............to machine."

End of Part Two