//------------------------------// // From Weird to Worse // Story: Universe 63 // by CarmenColor //------------------------------// Twilight found no solutions to her problem in the next seven jumps. By the eighth, she was getting a little frustrated. This Twilight was just like her in every aspect, except for one little thing. She wasn't Celestia's student. She was Luna's. Apparently, the Celestia of this universe had been the corrupted one. And despite that, this Twilight was still one of the ones most similar to our Twilight. She had the same friends, they had just united against Nightmare Flare instead of Nightmare Moon. "I'm sorry that I can't help you." #61 Twilight said apologetically. Control Twilight shrugged. "It's not your fault." She took a step towards the other her. "What's it like? What does Luna teach you?" #61 Twilight laughed and refused to tell her. Maybe another time, after she was over the idea of herself being taught by Celestia. "I should keep going. I need to find a way to get back. I hope my friends aren't too worried about me." Another Twilight to come back to. As long as she could get back, Control Twilight was going to have a lot to tell her mentor about this spell. Another jump found our Twilight in a dark place. A very dark place. She found that she was sitting inside what seemed to just be the empty hollow of a rather large tree. Why was there no library here? It had obviously never been built. She looked out of a crack in the aged wood. Ponyville was there, but it wasn't as colorful. This was a dark, dreary place. "Hello?" "Who are you?" The voice startled her. It came from behind. She whirled around, coming face to face with herself. #62 Twilight stared at her with one eye. The other was covered by an eyepatch. Her hair was unkempt and ragged, and her eyes showed of an unpeaceful existence. "A-are you...me?" The nod that our Twilight gave her seemed inadequate. "What are you doing in here? Why is everything so...dark?" The one-eyed unicorn looked at her, slightly surprised. "You don't know? H-how can you not know about the...the timberwolves..." Control Twilight cocked her head, confused. "I know what they are. Why? Are they roaming free in Ponyville? Hasn't somepony contacted the princess yet?" #62 Twilight stared at her blankly. "So, I take it, Princess Celestia doesn't know about this?" One-eyed Twilight looked down at the ground. "I don't know where you're from, but P-Princess Celestia hasn't ruled Equestria since Nightmare Moon. We defeated Luna's evil self, but the timberwolves had already invaded by the time Celestia returned from the s-s-sun. They used some form of black magic to l-lower Celestia and Luna's powers. They both wander from town to town, not wanting to stay in one place too long or the t-timberwolves will target it." Control Twilight sat back on her haunches, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "I am so sorry. I didn't know." The thought of a timberwolf run Equestria made her shiver. "I'm from another universe where nothing ended this way. I wish I could help you, but I don't know how. I really wish--" #62 Twilight shoved a hoof in her mouth. "Sh-sh-shut up!" she whispered, "They're here. They'll hear you." Both Twilights looked out the crack in the tree's bark. A whole squadron of timberwolves filled the street that they could see. Control Twilight nearly screamed. "Be as quiet as y-you can. In a moment, they'll be close enough to hear even w-w-whispers." Control Twilight nodded, wondering for a moment about her other self's speech impediment. They sat in silence for a minute. Suddenly, Control Twilight tapped the messy-maned Twilight on the shoulder. #62 shook her head vigorously, indicating for her to wait a minute. Control Twilight pressed a hoof against her nose. #62 Twilight seemed to realize what was going on and her eyes widened. With a silent flash, a tissue appeared, and Control Twilight tried to press it against her snout. #62 Twilight watched as the other Twilight's breath hitched dangerously, knowing that there was nothing she could do. "HaaaaaTCHOO!" The howl of the timberwolves was far too close for comfort. As the universe hopping Twilight prepared to jump herself to safety, she looked over at the other her. There was very little chance of her not getting caught. Grabbing the other her's hoof, she teleported back to universe 1. The dense magic sphere encompassed them both. She hoped the other Twilight wouldn't mind going to the other universe, though she figured that was better than staying here. Universe 1's Twilight was dusting the bookshelves. "Ah!" She cried as a flash produced two more of herself. #62 Twilight jumped up instantly, taking note of the library and the additional Twilight. "Twilight? What's this then? Another me? What am I supposed to do with two more of me?" Our Twilight started to explain. "Sorry, I blew her hiding place and...an-...ah...haaTCHOO! sniff! I couldn't leave her there." Universe 1's Twilight was concerned for her sniffly alternate self. "Are you alright? "Fine, it was just some musty air and d-d---ah-....ah-....dust. HaTCHOO!" The thoroughly sneezy Twilight rubbed her snout. "Ugh...excuse me. Do you mind if she stays, if she wants to, that is. I kinda didn't ask." The one-eyed Twilight said that she was glad to be here, instead of being torn apart by timberwolves. The curly haired Twilight shivered at the thought and considered the raggedy Twilight for a moment. "It's fine with me. I don't know how exactly Celestia will react to having another student, but I'm sure she'd allow it." She took the one-eyed Twilight towards the door. "A little corrective healing spell should do wonders for your eye, Twilight. Hmm...do you think you would mind changing your name to something less...exactly like mine?" Our Twilight watched them go and prepped for her spell, hoping that the next jump would be much more pleasant. "Number 63, here I come. Oh, please have some answers for me." She powered up her spell, calculating in her head that she should have plenty of magic left for a few more jumps and the jump back here, if she needed it. As she appeared in universe 63, she could see nothing. It was pitch black. She felt boxes stacked up around her in the dark area. She was scared that this might be another evil ruler universe until she realized that she could hear laughter and singing. So, not evil, probably. She found a door and let her eyes adjust to the darkness for a minute. She was in a tiny storage room full of boxes of...books! Smiling a little, she fondly patted one of the boxes. "No, Spines. I need to study. Solaris is expecting me to be at my best." That sounded like a stallion... Who's Spines? Twilight never knew anyone like that. In what universe-- A feeling hit Twilight. It was reminiscent of pain at first. She almost cried out. As that part of it passed, she was left with the feeling of being magically drained. Her eyes widened in panic. She knew this feeling. Celestia had done this to her once so she could recognize it. If she tried to overexert herself, she would probably not only fail the spell, but end up feeling physically ill as well. She couldn't use her spell! She was stuck. But who had attacked her magic? And why? What this universe hostile? Was Spines some sort of secret agent who'd attacked her magic to weaken her and then-- Well! That certainly was not going to happen! She would just lay low here in the closet until she could figure out a way to get her magic to full strength again. "Spines, I'm going to be in the library tonight. I have some stuff that I need to look at." Ponyfeathers. Twilight was going to have to be really quiet if she didn't want to get caught. She could read books, she figured. It would pass that time, and it was quiet. She picked one up and blew the dust off of the cover. A tingly sensation assaulted her nose. If she hadn't already had a problem with sneezes today, this wouldn't be happening, but naturally, she had had trouble with sneezing already today... "HaaaaaTCHMPH! HaaaaTCHMPH!!" She tried to soften the explosive sound of her sneezes, but it didn't really help. Curse it! Curse it! Curse it! There was no way that she was going undetected. And, not to her surprise, the door to the storage room opened. The magenta shade that was often associated with Twilight's own magic surrounded it, but the pony on the other side was not Twilight. Well, she knew that it was, but... It was a colt.