//------------------------------// // Chapter 10: Tangible Explanations // Story: The Bridge Between Worlds // by Artemis Orion //------------------------------// Tangible Explanations "Oh god, I can't believe I've passed out again!" The voice from the Iphone sounded exasperated. "How many times has this happened already? Like, what five?" Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy just stared in fear at the mysterious white rectangle. It didn't stop talking. It was definitely not a dream. "Umm... Artemis Orion?" "Just call me Aura for now. There is none other here anyway." "Right... Aura... What are you?" "I already told you girls! I'm Keith! Well.. sort of... in a way..." "But he's unconscious. Right there..." Twilight raised to hoof at the Human, who was being tended to by Fluttershy. "Oh, don't worry. I'll get him up! That way, I can explain everything to everyone. Just give me a second, I'll speak to him..." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Hey there buddy!" Gah! You again! "Of course 'me again'! I am you! Who else would I be!" So, I'm not dreaming am I? "Nope, just knocked out for about the fifth time." It's not so easy once you consider the circumstances! "I HAVE considered them! I experienced them with you!" You're gonna have to explain more clearly, man... "Alright, then get up, so that I can speak to everyone!" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I shot up, my head almost collided with Fluttershy's I was totally aware of the mental conversation I had with myself, or more likely, my Aura. "Keith! I'm so glad you're fine!" "Thanks Fluttershy, now I have to speak with a certain intangible being..." "Who're you calling intangible!" The screen of my Iphone was faced down. I reached for it and turned it over. The screen was on Siri, but there were no speech bubbles. Instead, the microphone's equalizer rose every time Artemis Orion spoke. "So let me get this straight, Artemis. You're..." "You. And please, call me Aura. I'm the only one that exists in this universe right now anyway." "Right... so how the hell is a part of me in my phone?!" "Oh, don't be so stupid! You know exactly why! You can feel it too!" I searched my entire being. It was easier to do since I had spoken to Aura. Inside, I found a certain... connection. It was a feeling, unexplainable. It was like a presence that was watching you, and is you at the same time. "You found me! Hehe, but I see you're having problems coming to terms with me." "You're... me..." "Finally! You accept it!" "Umm... Keith... this is all looking very strange to us." I had forgotten Twilight was standing right next to me. Her face smiled sheepishly, trying to avoid the awkwardness of the moment. Magically, the quill was scribbling away on the levitating parchment. Probably writing down how crazy I looked right now. "Oh don't worry! Twilight doesn't think you're crazy!" "Y'know how creepy it is knowing that something is uncontrollably reading my thoughts?!" "Not really! But you have to remember, my thoughts are yours as well!" "Umm... could someone explain what's going on?" Twilight was confused, but was listening intently to every word we spoke. All for the study of Magic... "And Science too, once everyone hears me out!" Could you just get out of my head for one moment?! "Alright Twilight," the voice that sounded extremely like mine emitted from the Phone. "You might want to write this down..." "In every human being, there exists an Aura, like me. We are born at the exact same time as the person, and we live and learn in the life in the same way. But, an Aura does not experience it first hand. We can however, communicate with our physical beings, but they cannot reply, and whether they respond is based fully on their will. Some may see us as the voice of conscience in one's mind, even though we can be good and evil. Others think of us as some form of a Guardian Angel, or the voice of Reason. But in reality, we are not much different from the person we are bestowed upon." "Ok, so how and why are you in my phone?" "Quite simple. All around the universe lies Natural Energy! I can harness this energy, and, unbeknownst to humans, they use it too. The Harmony Pendant amplified my voice, and made it easier for me to influence you. But even that wasn't enough. So, converting some of my being into Energy and transferring myself to the device, everyone can now hear me!" "Now being inside someone's body does not give us full control of them. This drives some Auras to corruption on Earth. And speaking to the beings in faint whispers has had mixed effects. Some go crazy and are accused of being a skitzo. Others may turn turn to depression, or mass murder, from the cause of our voice. All this time, we had no way to make our voices clearer. We needed an amplifier. So when I... I mean we... were back on Earth, I saw the Harmony Stone. I sensed its power and the potential of it. I was the one who urged Keith to pick it up. "Seriously?" I wasn't really surprsied at his explanations. They felt right... and the feeling inside him thought so to. "So what else have you made me do that wasn't my own?" "Quite a few things actually. Like when you first met the Mane Six. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have showed them the Harmony Stone. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have given it to Trotter. If it weren't for me, you'd be a fugitive from Canterlot!" "Seriously?!" "Well, I exaggerated the last one, but you get the point. And frankly, if it weren't for me, your phone wouldn't be charged, you wouldn't be drunk and I won't be talking to you right now!" "You got me drunk?" "Well... yeah I guess. But I couldn't remember much either. Any mental situation that you suffer from, I suffer to." "Umm... I still don't get it." Fluttershy stared at the ground, fiddling with dust. Now it was my turn to explain, from the point of the physical being. "Aura is my urges and hesitations. He's the voice that questions every decision I've made. Sure I may not have always listened to him. But more recently, I have. And look where I ended up." "Did you get all this down, Twilight?" She didn't respond. Her face showed the same expression as when she first met me. The quill was moving at a rapid pace, almost ripping the parchment from the writing. "This...is... AMAZING!" She began, the look disappeared and replaced with crazy nerdiness. "Do you know what this could do for our worlds?! I bet it could..." "Heh, nerdgasm..." So why're you still speaking in my head? "Not everything I say may want to be heard by these ponies." Can I block you out? "Well now that I made you aware of me, it's easier for you to do so. I wouldn't recommend it though, I'll still bother you in faint whispers if you do!" But I didn't feel like blocking him out. Somehow, we were either unanimously agreeing, or locked in argument with each other. He was a part of me, and I didn't want to block a part of me. Maybe that was his influence? "Uh.. I think this is enough for one day." I said, understanding how overwhelming it was for Twilight. Fluttershy had already accepted it, like the kind pony she was. "I agree, naturally." The mechanical voice that overtook Siri spoke. I picked it up and placed it back in my jacket pocket, where it was safe and could still be heard. "Well, it's about lunch time and I'm starving! Let's say we head for lunch?" "I... I'll catch up with you guys later. I have got to get this sent to Canterlot. See ya! SPIKE!" Twilight ran to the study to find her assistant. Leaving me, Fluttershy and... well... the other me. "So how 'bout lunch?" "I'm fine with it... if that's okay with you..." "What say you, Aura?" "What're you asking me for? I can't eat!" Me and Fluttershy snickered. It was going to take some getting used to, but I was enjoying the company of my Aura. A rapid knock sounded on the door. Before anyone could answer it, it burst open, revealing the familiar Rainbow-maned pegasus. "Hey everypony-and-Keith!" "'Afternoon, Rainbow." "'Sup, Dash." "Hi Rainbow Dash!" Aura's voice caught Rainbow Dash off guard. In a flash, she readied herself in a floating fighting position. "Who said that!? That isn't Twilight's voice! Come out!" "Umm... Rainbow Dash... that voice is somewhat mine..." I wanted to explain as best as I could. But I knew Rainbow Dash wasn't the best listener. "...Hey yeah... where's it coming from?" "I'm in the jacket pocket!" I took out the phone, and held the home and lock button for five seconds. It was more than enough for Aura to realise what I was doing. Oh, no! Don't you dare turn off the Iphone! Hey I'm talking to yo- It shut off, cutting off Aura's last few words. "I'll explain on the way..." I deposited the phone back into my pocket. "Care to join us for lunch?" "Sure! I'm starving!" "But... what are you planning to do for the rest of the day, Keith?" "Oh, I don't know. I never thought of that yet." "But I have!" Rainbow Dash launched into the air, performing a barrel roll in the library. "What?" "Don't you see? Two Pegasi, a nice sunny day, a whole afternoon to do nothing..." "Woah, woah, woah... are you saying you want to take me FLYING?!" "Heck, yeah!" It was a dream come true! I got to fly with the kindest pony in Ponyville, and the Fastest Flyer of Equestria! I could almost squeak. "Oh, I'm so excited! Let's go!" Fluttershy lifted slightly off the ground and floated out the door. Soon, we were all out of the Library and back to walking in Ponyville. "Hey why'd you cut me out?" I don't think it's such a good idea having you distract everyone. That's all. "Whatever you say... but I'm happy that at least we're going flying!" Correction, I'm going flying. "...You can be such a dick to yourself sometimes." I know!