Run

by MonkeyNinja

Secrets

"Okay, you can take it out now".

Immediately, I ripped my arm out of the burning lavender solution. Thankfully the wound was now replaced with a thin scar, though the rest of my arm looked like one giant tomato.

"Alright mister," Fluttershy said flapping over to my shoulder, "now hold still and this won't hurt a bit!".

"No no! That can wait! Really, it's fi-". Without warning, the butter pegasus smacked the joint back into place.

"Oww!"

"Oh I'm so sorry! Just a little to the left..."

"GAHHHH!!!"

"There! Now doesn't that feel better?"

"Oh God, why?"

Twilight trotted over and gave a satisfied snort at the appendage.

"Now, it's time for phase two of data collection!". Humming a little tune, she skipped out the door and returned a minute later with a metal square.

"A picture frame?", I asked stupidly. The mare chuckled and leapt over to my seat.

"It's made of divining silver. I'm going to project your thoughts into this square, is that ok with you Jack?". I took a look at the group of anticipating ponies and nodded.
"Jack, I'm going to need you to hold very still. In theory, this shouldn't damage any of your brain cells". I jumped back in horror and tripped over the chair in the process.

"Whoa, whoa, WHOA! What the hell do you mean by in theory!?". My brain was scrambled enough as it was, without magical interference.

“Well… It’s not that I haven’t tested it out before…”

“Go on,” I prodded.

“It’s just that the spell’s instructions kinda… sorta… call for a pony host…”. The next thing I knew, the mare had me pinned to the floor.

“But what’s a little discrepancy when we’re talking about a major scientific breakthrough?!”. Her grin would've been terrifying enough without the ominously glowing horn just inches above it. As gently as before, she lowered her horn onto my forehead. Thoughts poured from my mind, and this time, nothing was held back. Everything I knew about anything was dumped out of my mind and into the amethyst spike in the blink of an eye. I could see everything! My childhood, growing up with Dave, my first loose tooth, trying to hunt, going to school, Mom and Dad, the new house, getting sprayed by that damn skunk, the shadow, the woods, the castle, and then…

Everything faded into darkness…

---

“Jack…? Jack…?”

The pleasant, familiar voice danced around my head like an old friend.

“Mom?” I called out into the vast expanse. Everything had gone white for some reason, but it felt somehow comforting.

With a glow of color, my mother was suddenly standing before me in a white dress. Her face seemed blurred, but I really didn't care.

“MOM!”

“Jack, It’s time to wake up.” It was just like old times, and she sounded like she hadn't aged a day! I had to tell someone! Where was Emily? Where was Dave?! Mom was back and they needed to know!

“Wake up Jack.”

But… her words… Was I asleep? The realization struck my heart like a knife. That only made her face harder to look at.

“Jack, wake up!”, she said, reeling back. Any questions I could’ve asked her were lost to me, as the ghost of my mother punched me square in the face.

I awoke screaming into the crystalline room.

“Rainbow Dash! You didn't have to hit him!”

“You said to wake him up!”

“I meant gently!”

"Well you're the one who knocked him out in the first place!"

"I was planning on apologizing as soon as he woke up!"

I rubbed my eyes and got my bearings. The now familiar array of colored equines surrounded me, each wearing an expression of shock. Twilight gave me a sheepish look.

"I'm so sorry! I really thought it'd work flawlessly!". I groaned.

"That's the second time you've said that after reading my mind." I said grumpily, "Did it even do anything?". With a smile, she nodded over to the corner of the room. There sat the square, now glowing magenta and humming loudly.

“Um…” Was the best I could manage. I made a mental note to improve my vocabulary in confusing situations.

Out of nowhere, the square rocketed off the ground and shot forward in the blink of an eye, stopping just inches away from my face. At this point, I was so jaded that this didn't even register as bizarre.

“Cerebral identification complete,” Twilight said with a hum, “Host located”. The square made a loud mechanical noise that sounded suspiciously similar to a giggle as it bounced up and down in the air.

“What now?” I asked, “Is it supposed to do something, or-”

“Think” was all I got in reply. Instantly, I thought of my mom’s face, the same thing that always popped into my head when I was confused. The square rippled, then it hummed, then it shook, and finally, exploded into a colorful blur. Before I could say anything, the glowing image of my mother shimmered into existence for all to see. A hushed ‘wow’ escaped the surrounding equines watching the display. I reached out to touch her, but my hand passed right through like smoke.

“Well done Jack!” the alicorn praised, “Now think of something from your home. Something about the humans!”. I didn't need to. The square shifted images like a strobe light, all on it’s own, conjuring pictures of every thought that entered my mind. Airplanes, rockets, trains, schools, communities, and cities all passed by in a flash. Twilight’s face was frozen in a manic grin, her quill flying across a stack of papers in an effort to keep up.

“Wonderful job!” clapped my pseudo-teacher once the flashing had stopped, “Now more directly. Focus on the humans themselves, particularly their behavior”. Like I had the choice. Before I could even open my mouth, a familiar laughter filled the room. Chris and I sat beside an upside-down Ben, who had recently decided that air-soft guns were more accurate when hanging from a tree.

The view suddenly shifted to myself as a child. A woman walked into the cramped little room and stepped over to the bunk bed. There, she gave the two boys a kiss on the forehead before tucking them in.

I managed to keep the tears from welling up for once.

The view shifted once more, this time to my old school. One kid walked up and knocked the books out of Chris’ hands, laughing. Immediately, three kids stepped out from behind an open door and surrounded him, spearheaded by Ben of course. Not a word needed to be said. The boy just picked the books, handed them back, and walked away. Once he had left, Ben let out a hearty chuckle and patted Chris on the head, clearly enjoying his new role as senior hall monitor.

“It’s amazing!” Twilight gawked, still taking notes at the speed of light, “So different, yet you act so similar!”. The view shifted again.

'Oh no…'

I knew this day. The twenty kids all crowded around a boy, crumpled on the ground. Hockey Sticks littered the gymnasium floor. The view was shifted toward the one kid not in the crowd of kids. Toward the boy who stood, teeth bore. Toward the boy whose eyes were that of an animal.

Toward me.

---

“Twilight, turn it off!” I shouted, rolling out of the bed. She just stared at me with a look of confusion.

“You’re the one in control here Jack,” She stated matter-of-factly, “not me”. That was a lie! I couldn't have been more helpless to this little square betraying my mind’s secrets. I tried everything! Thinking of my family, of running, even of being possessed! It was futile. The square continued its playback of me in stunning detail. The ponies watched in horror, as the phantom me ran forward and smashed the sticks into splinters. I dropped my head in defeat and was forced to relive one of my most terrible moments played all over again.

After kneeing the kid's face, I proceeded with two savage blows to the bully’s jaw. He stumbled backwards, dazed and moaning. That’s when I rocketed forward and leapt over his head, grabbing fistfuls of hair in the process. He headbutted me in the face, giving me a bloody lip. With one swift yank, the kid tumbled backwards like a log, his head connecting with the concrete floor with a sickening crack.

Even then, the poor bastard tried to stand back up and continue the fight. He let out an animalistic roar and charged me, arms flailing. The rest was all just reflexes.
Duck… Block… Jump and kick… Block…
Finally, the fool tripped over his own legs, falling onto one knee. That’s where the fight ended.
I watched myself walk up behind the boy, slowly, and reel back. With one devastating punch to the back of the head, the bully dropped to the ground unconscious. The fight was over.
A minute later, the screen faded out with me carrying my friend out the double doors.

Twilight shot me a cold stare.

“What…” She whispered through grated teeth, “was that…?”

---

-

Comments

[the Joyless1]

ohhhh snap shizzle, shiz just got serious doge

[Ponynator]

So, that guy he fought with was a bully?
If yes, there's no shame in what he did and he has a right to defend himself/attack the bully.
A bully won't listen to your words, the only think that gets through their skull is force.

[Jack Kellar]

Who the fuck let Purple showcase his memories for everyone?! This is such a disgusting invasion of privacy, I can't stand it.

[MonkeyNinja]

Aaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd... We're back. *Gulps*

[MonkeyNinja]

5868996

Fixed that!
:)

[MonkeyNinja]

5869007

Fixed that too!
:)

[gamer4COD]

Okay, I be murderous at that point. She thinks she's being intimidating, wait till I get pissed off over mind rape three. Damn, your guy is way nicer and calmer and.. well... prone to backing down than me. I'll revel in a good fight, he hates to look back at his.