Chip woke up quite early that day. He risked a short trip upstairs to make sure Twilight was still asleep and would not disturb him while he read his latest story from Celestia’s collection. The cover was quite pleasant to look at – a rose garden with two colts looking at each other in a friendly way.
As the changeling suspected, it was about two pairs of colts and mares, each having their own lives. There was some complaining involved, fights and bitter words…then a very teary break up that Chip did not understand…followed by the two colts meeting for the very first time, hanging out together…
And it was then and there, around a quarter into the book that things started getting confusing. The writer must have clearly made some mistakes, as it was impossible for a colt to…
Oh wait…
Did he just?
What?!
“Ponies do that?” said Chip to himself, eyeing his hind suspiciously.
This was certainly a new way to look at things. Half-way into the book, the colts seemed to have established an emotional relationship, spending lots of time together, having fun, caring for each other and performing fun facts 31 and 60 without a mare involved. Some of the descriptions were too much for Chip’s taste, but he was determined to force himself through the lecture – research was research after all. And he had a feeling that if he asked Twilight about it, the sturdiness of the walls around him would be unnecessarily put to the test.
Near the end of the book another conflict rose – a third colt engaged in a romance with one of the main heroes. There was some confusion and talk of priorities and cheating…Chip liked that part more. Deceit was his thing, and there seemed to be a lot of it in this love thing he only knew as a tasty snack. The descriptions of emotions were very informative and the changeling was all in all happy he picked up the book.
As he closed it, his head was filled with strange images he wasn’t sure what to think of. This colt-colt relation possibility gave love a whole new dimension – he had to explore the possibility of mare-mare relationships at some point.
* * *
Twilight arrived right on time, knocking on the door and obediently going through the question/answer ritual Chip so liked. She was smiling from ear to ear, chatting the changeling up with mundane questions such as “How do you feel today?” or “Had any nice dreams?”
Eventually her good mood made its way to the changeling who by now came to terms with what he read about earlier in the morning – come to think of it, it was exciting. Maybe colts weren’t as touchy about the subject and asking one about love would not end up with him sprawled on the floor, wall or ceiling?
“What should be focus on today, Chip?” asked Twilight, sipping a coffee Spike brought her from upstairs.
“Well, we already know one way of downing a changeling. But it obviously doesn’t work on me when I’m my normal self. I suspect our bodies are too well prepared for such tricks – so it is the mind we have to focus on.”
“Hmm, interesting idea…but that won’t benefit earth ponies or Pegasus.”
“We have to start with something,” shrugged Chip.
“Alright, fair enough. Developing a magically charged trinket later on should be a piece of cake. I’ve done literally hundreds of those before…oh, never mind. You were saying?”
“Changeling mentality. I can only guess you never shared your eyes or ears with anypony else, did you?”
“Well, no, not exactly…I mean,” reflected Twilight, thinking back to the days she fought Discord, “There was that time that I used a spell to make my friends remember our friendship…but I’m not sure that counts…”
“Show it to me. Let’s see what it does,” said Chip, changing into his changeling self. Twilight was thankful he did it normally, instead of doing that awkward slow changing that made his…
“Are you alright Twilight? Your face is all red,” commented the changeling, cocking his head.
“O-Oh, no, it’s nothing! Um, the spell, yes…but we don’t have any memories we can share. I think. I mean, I guess we can try remembering the things we did yesterday. That should work! At least, if this spell will work at all on you…”
“Let’s try it. What do I have to do?”
“Just stand still…”
* * *
Twilight jumped back, as if struck by lightning; Chip did the same. They both panted heavily, looking at each other confused.
“What just happened?!” they asked in unison.
“That was…weird” said the librarian, shaking her head violently.
“You…you can say that again,” replied Chip, rubbing his forehead.
Together they had the strangest experience yet. Twilight Sparkle cast her spell and tried to look for a memory in Chip’s mind – what she got instead was a mental image of a crossroad. Well, it wasn’t exactly that; it was hard to describe something as metaphysical as being in somepony else’s mind. Because that is what the purple mare was certain what happened. Instead of recalling a memory, she found herself in Chip’s head.
There were two paths she could follow – one was dark, damp and scary, while the other felt empty, kind of lonely and…similar to her own. She obviously took the more desirable road. Twilight didn’t know if she was moving, floating or whatever – after a short while that could have been an eternity, she felt it. She felt the presence of another…it wasn’t inside her head. She wasn’t inside her body anymore. It was a limbo, a space without volume or time, no dimensions at all. The other presence was all there was for her, and she knew it was Chip. At the same time, she felt her own existence – the recognizable memories, thoughts, opinions…it smelled and felt like her.
So there were two beings in the same place that didn’t have a single dimension. Science wasn’t even near the place where she got herself to. Neither could it explain the feeling she had, a rising pain that encompassed everything she ever was and will be. It wasn’t a hurting ankle or strained muscle – the radiating feeling was all around, in a place she could not find.
Twilight could also feel the agony of Chip – he experienced it too, the pain. It was scary, in a primal way. Mortifying. She felt that her whole existence was threatened, that her soul was being crushed and warped by forces unknown…
“We shouldn’t try this again,” whispered the purple mare, trying to calm her breath.
“We…we should,” said Chip with a stern face.
“What?! Are you crazy!? We could get hurt…in ways we can’t even understand!”
“That’s the point, right?” growled Chip, limping closer to the mare. “It is our duty to understand what just happened. Maybe we can use it, maybe not. That feeling, it was terrifying, I know…but maybe this way we could cause a backlash in the hive mind. Disable a drone or something. We have to try again.”
“Really?...” whimpered Twilight. “I’m scared.”
The colt was a bit lost – they both knew they were scared out of their sane minds and instinct told them not to meddle with forces that they just experienced. Under the spur of the moment, he did the only thing that came to mind – he embraced Twilight, pressing her softly against his hard plate.
“It’s going to be alright. This time we’ll know. We’ll be careful. Okay? Just try to understand something. I swear I saw some images, heard something, maybe even felt, but I was too panicked to pay attention to that. Please, can we try again? We’ll break off as soon as thing become too frightening.”
Twilight Sparkle was very silent. She didn’t struggle or try to hit him – no, she was shaking in his hooves. She wafted of fear, the kind he knew back from his den. She was afraid for her life. Afraid for her life…
Changeling’s lives were all expendable. One drone could easily replace another, so there was no need for preserving any of them. Part of that doctrine still remained in the colt’s mind – he didn’t fear death as much as he should, he felt. Maybe because he never understood what passing away meant?...
“Okay,” whispered Twilight. “Let’s…just, please, be careful. I-”
“It’ll be alright, Twilight Sparkle. Trust me, okay?”
Chip gave the pony one last hug before backing away and bracing for the spell.
* * *
There were lights and sounds. Twilight didn’t know where she began and where Chip ended. They were one entity, merged in the dimensionless place that wasn’t a place at all. The images were blurry and looked pretty much like two slides of a film being projected at the same time, one over the other. Were those their memories, combined into one inconsistent mish-mash? Could they separate them and make sense of those?
None of them knew which one invented the idea. Unison was their whole world – a world that started hurting, instilling that primal fear they barely recovered from. Just a little bit longer. There was some space. It wasn’t space, more like a point that didn’t have volume or mass – it felt similar to the thing they had here…maybe one of them could use it? Was it possible to shift just a little bit to…
* * *
The two woke up on the floor, stiff and aching. Their heads were pounding with a dull pain.
“Are you alright?” they asked in unison, trying to stand up.
“It felt better than the last try…ugh…” Chip groaned, helping the weaker Twilight to her feet.
“Yeah. All we need is…some more control. This time it…not bad…” managed the mare.
Their bodies noticed their masters came back from wherever they were and assaulted them with messages that were delayed for far too long …
Stomach ache, we need food!
Pressure between the legs, it’s time to go!
Muscle cramps, you were lying there for too long, time to move!
Weakly, they smiled at each other – bolting up the stairs immediately afterwards; Twilight locked herself in the toilet while Chip flung the fridge doors open and started consuming random things. Tomatoes, carrots, wasabi sauce, it didn’t matter, he was hungry…hold on? What was that prickling? On his tongue? It felt like…
* * *
Twilight gave out a sigh of relief, closing the door behind her. She strode into the kitchen only to see Chip in his Wub costume drowning in the kitchen sink.
“What the hay?!” she cried, swiftly pulling the colt’s head back.
The changeling fought for breath, his face soaking wet, mouth wide open and panting.
“What were you thinking?! What’s going on!?”
“I don’t know.” feebly whispered Chip, waving a hoof in front of his mouth.
“Alright, calm down. Tell me what happened.”
“I-I…” Chip couldn’t stop coughing, his tongue still burning like the fires of hell. “I came to eat…and ate…and then my tongue caught fire!”
“What?! How?! Did you eat something warm again? Wait, there can’t be anything hot in the fri-” She stopped. A half-empty wasabi paste tube lay on the ground, a bit of the green stuff dripping from the end.
“Did you eat this?” asked Twilight, levitating the paste to Chip’s eyes.
“Yes.”
“And you felt burning after eating it?”
“Uhum,” nodded the changeling, still trying to wipe his tongue against his hooves.
“This is wasabi, Wub. It’s the spiciest thing in the world. But…I thought that changelings didn’t feel…taste.”
They looked at each other in confusion.
“Taste? No I shouldn’t…wait. G-Give me that…that salad…”
Cautiously, Twilight picked a leaf from the vegetable lying on the counter and levitated it over to the open mouth. Slowly, Chip’s teeth sunk into it.
The changeling’s eyes got really large and he let go of the salad. Because it was juicy and delicious.
OK, something felt off about this chapter, like there wasn't enough detail or something. Still really good though.
THE JOY OF FOOD!
989038
Yeah, this one might feel a bit short compared to the last ones. I got hit by inspiration and started writing up a stand-alone story about something else and decided to get back to writing shorter chapters for this story.
It's the mindscape. The author ain't got to explain nothing.
I got no sleep last night.....and then you update..... *yawn* Well....time to read this really good story.....
Featured again btw.....
After the mind meld, they picked up traits of each other?
i dunno, just a guess...
dl.dropbox.com/u/12875849/reactions/1329486297775.png
TASTE!
989101
VulkanChangeling Mind Meld, ain't gonna explain shit.Quickly! To Gustav! To the Changelingmobile!
Also, "june" roses on a yaoi book. Oh you
You evil person just delayed my sleeping for 10 minutes.
Huh. I guess that spell caused them to pick-up traits from one another. Those are the dangers of melding your very essences together I suppose; it is very likely something will be exchanged in the process. I wonder if Twilight got anything from that exchange...
I am kinda curious why Twilight has wasabi in her fridge... I didn't know she was into sushi and the like. I also wouldn't say wasabi is the spiciest thing in the world, but yeah some wasabis can be really painful if eaten straight.
I enjoyed Chip and Twilight's bonding during this part; although the chapter was short, it shows that they are growing closer together as friends. Still, something tells me that we can expect more awkwardness and embarrassing situations come up in the near future haha.
I only saw one minor error in this chapter:
We’ll break off as soon as thing become too frightening.
"thing" should be "things"
I'm very curious to how this will affect them both in the future!
Thanks for the update!
Really good qualitly like the rest of them.....i think im going to put this as my third or forth favorite (that's an achievement).
989213
Probably Spike. Maybe dragons like/can tolerate spicy food more than most ponies?
989270
Well, seeing as how Spike can withstand lava... perhaps I suppose, seeing as spiciness is really pain/heat receptors activating.
I can relate with Chip here...
When I was a kid, I thought Wasabi was Green Tea ice cream...enough said.
New update! OMFG! *goes to bed this instant, just so that I can read it*
Okay... This is starting to go from beond weird right into spookytown. Great chapter. Now Chip have gained what he have longed for for so long, tastebuds.
I have to say, that last chapter was in quite good 'taste' mm yes. keep up the good work!
Whaaaaaaat?!
"This colt-colt relation possibility gave love a whole new dimension – he had to explore the possibility of mare-mare relationships at some point."
Here ya go, Chip! *gives Chip about 90% of the fanfics written by bronies*
Twilight put a hoof up to Chip's head, "Our thoughts are one..."
The unicorn mind-meld.
Either that or they started to form a Collective, and this will end with Twilight using her technology to adapt this new power and becoming the first Queen of the Changeborgs.
Chippy me lad. You have acquired taste.
Now it is only to wonder if Twilight could faintly taste it as well. If she can taste at all.
I usaualy go to bed at 12 A.M. And now that there isnt another chapter i have to find somthing todo for 2 hours.
When their minds melded, Twilight unwittingly shared the knowledge of the sense of taste, perhaps the same happened with chip.
Maybe twilight can communicate with the swarm now... That would be great.
989038
your feeble mortal mind could not possibly comprehend the swirling maelstrom of mental chaos that these two have just been subjected to. together, they have stepped into a frontier, a secluded place of unimaginable complexity. the mind is a deep realm, an ancient pocket of existence that is so baffling to our conscious that we can only live on the very edge of it's writhing form. Discord himself, God of Chaos and Disharmony, is a mere agent, a physical manifestation, of this infinite dimension.
there is a reason that the line between genius and insanity is as thin as a razor's edge, why the two states of mind are often one and the same. to descend into the inner spaces of your very soul and come back whole is a feat that few accomplish without being irreparably altered. stare long into the abyss, and the abyss shall stare into you.
we should all be glad that Zethariel has not subjected our minds to the true abject horror, the unfathomable terror of the mindscape.
Great fic ya wanna know what would make it better? *smirk* wink. wink. nudge. nudge.
NO not big mac and chip *bad thoughts*
A little more twichip ship fic. say that 5 times fast. twichip ship fic, twichip ship fic....
doesn't need to be big just maybe the promise of a romance tag in the future.
Also, for Celestia's sake man ADD PONIES (you know the little portrait thingies telling who shows up in the fic.) Twilight, Cestia, and Luna should all be in it.
Also, I OBJECT to the lifespan thing. Only having for years to live while everyone you care about lives 10-20 times longer. Not fun man and also kills any ship chance out of the water. It's making me depressed.
Just want to say that I went out of my way to create account, just so I could like and comment on this magnificent story.
989103
This story pops up into that box each time I update. All thanks to you guys
989134
Who knows
989194
I sincerely apologise
989213>>989320
I ate wasabi once. It was horrible. My dog on the other hand, my dog seems to be a changeling -- he gulped the thing down without even blinking. He eats everything, regardless of taste. Creepy O.o
Also, next chapter gonna explain some things.
And btw, over 2k words! Compared to the first chapters that's almost twice as many! You've grown greedy, my audience
989223
I'll ask Pinkie to throw a party for this occassion! Not just any party -- a paaarteeeey!
989470
I had no idea you guys wanted that
I sense Chip is going to pester Twilight about mind melding to the point when they...
989782
Why, thank you
990256
I'll show them to him once he finally quits Wikipedia. IF he finally quits Wikipedia...
990566
Sorry, I'll try harder next time
990809
I'm glad you likes!
990973
Read on, find out
991128
I love writing about such abstract things. It is hard to describe, but so easy to imagine!
991132
I can't promise, as I have no control over what is happening in the story! (Fun Fact (no, not that kind of fun fact) -- chapter 39 was originaly supposed to be about finding a way to disconnect changelings from their hive mind. Instead, this thing appeared See? No hands!)
But it would be nice if Chip understood and came together with Twilight. I can see there would be that species barrier though. I mean, he's a changeling, she's a pony -- even if they came to love each other, he would be a monster and she could be an involountary victim if Chip lets himself go...
Yeah, it sucks changelings live so short. Again, I can't guarantee, but I can tell you this much -- it's all going to end-
991169
Whoa, really?! Dude, you flatter me so much Thanks! I'm glad you liked the story
991132 who knows maybe because of his 'spark' he can live longer due to the fact that his body underwent dramatic transformations, and his intelligence earned him knowledge of natural dangers changelings might normally encounter.
991272
no matter how this all goes down, no matter how this glorious story finally ends, please promise me one thing:
that we will get at least three troll alternate endings that are absolutely as ridiculous and pointless as possible.
i must make myself absolutely clear, i'm talking every possible ending that could happen. how many endings, you ask?
all of them.
991360
Interesting proposition... I'll keep it in mind until the fic really ends. I'd like to belive that spoiling the ending with troll endings will be... We'll see.
Chip you are reading things that you should not be reading, also what would happen if Twilight went down the dark scary road in chips mind, the Hive mind essentially.
991396
Patience, patience... You will learn soon enough
991272 I ruined your plot device dinneye?
Well now, I wonder what Twi got out of the exchange?
And is that awkwardness between them going to go away, or turn into something more??
991444
Not exactly -- I think I still have a few ideas up my sleeve, although it is so hot right now I'm not even wearing my Applejack T-Shirt
991467
Read on, find out
991489 Lemme guess, It starts through nightmares...
991491
Try again
And you didn't exactly ruin anything... Its fun to read all your speculations about what will happen in the future. Your guess is as good as mine
I think that they will draw some valuable lessons from this mind-melding experience, though. Rememeber that the spell originaly didn't have such a dramatic effect on ponies -- would that mean that spells that took effect in the mind worked different for changelings?
991511
fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/603752_445224735517643_1695101765_n.jpg
991556 Oh dear, It seems Pinkie's sadness broke the comment...
991616
Oy, don't break my story! I don't have all the chapters written down on the HDD
Why does celestia have a collection of those kind of books? No one else seems to ask.
992044
Nopony knows that she has one.
And if you mean readers... Well, they all suspected she was a naughty, naughty Princess
More! MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEE
991128 *Alondro peers into Homer Simpson's mindscape* Meow meow meow, meow meow meow, meow meow meow meow meow meow meow meow...
992080
And yet there in twilights house. You would think she would keep them in a safer spot.
phew thank goodness
i thought they switched bodies for a minute thar
yep bokuno chipo just like i predicted....
nice chap i guess that right now twilight and chip have experimented that felling that goes beyond love, oneness that point where 2 are 1 and 1 is 2, it is dangerous they could lose what each of them is. So don't do this any more twilight could die