Twilight Sparkle stood, frozen, her mind reeling from the recent import.
"WHAT!?" She screamed. "WHAT!? Are you... Ponygood what the heck is wrong with you! How on- That can't be! There's no, no way, not at all... But it makes sense... Nickel and Josh commented on it, and it they disagreed... But... No can't be - but they were all dancing around something... They all talked like it was through the Interent... Lots of creating worlds... What Key was saying makes sense now... Heh... Hehehheh...." She started laughing. "This is crazy. This is just stupid. But it makes so much sense! Why would all of you want to torment me? Cause I'm a story! Why would you keep things from me? Why would you lie? Why would you do all those things that made no sense and talk about FOOD and make SOUND EFFECTS? Story! I'm nothing to you, just some escape for entertainment..." She twitched, trying to walk out of the platform, but it kept her in, demanding to know who she wished to talk to.
She was about to cast an explosion spell on the area when she got an idea. "I want to talk to Ponygood. Now. Bring him here."
>Out of Range<
Twilight twitched. "Zen?"
>Out of Range<
Twilight glowered. "G. M. Blackjack."
>Out of Range<
She groaned, putting her hooves over her head. "Why... Why does this all happen... Why..." She shivered, trying to regain control of herself. There was just too much - and the more she thought, the more Ponygood's explanation didn't answer everything. If she was nothing but a fictional character, why did she feel so real? Was it all an illusion - or were their stories really glances into another universe? Or was the imagination a powerful tool? The line between fiction and reality could be blurred with the correct spells... She rubbed her temples - she couldn't think this deeply. She suspected there wasn't an answer... Ponygood seemed to insist he still cared about her, Josh was worried about her mental state, and Nickel had offered some help on the issue... And then there was Key - or, well, Shutter now she guessed. This was all just too much to take in...
She needed a place to think about it.
...She needed somepony she could talk too.
Who could she contact? ...If Zen was right, and she was in the past, she didn't know anypony - or, at least, they didn't know her. Calling Celestia or Luna or any being alive right now wouldn't help... But, she could try to contact one of her friends. They'd know her. Or the machine would say 'out of range' and she'd know all she needed to know. She thought. It was hard to think right now.
"...My friends."
>Singular Entities Only<
Twilight twitched. "Only one!? Come on! I..." She sighed. Okay... Who did she want to talk to right now? Who could help her? Starlight knew the most about magic and time... Spike could help her organize her thoughts... So could Rarity... Shining was worried... ...Twilight didn't really want to talk to Pinkie right now...
...Fluttershy. That... She'd be the best to talk to right now.
"Fluttershy." Twilight said.
The magic field around the platform vanished for an instant, and suddenly Fluttershy was there, blinking, and a little confused. Twilight had hardly noticed any magic sparking at all. "...Huh?" the buttery yellow pegasus said, looking around confused. "Where- Twilight!?"
Twilight started crying with a smile on her face. "...Fluttershy. Hi."
Fluttershy gasped. "We've been so worried about you!" She rushed her into a hug.
"I... I... Fluttershy I... Everything's going wrong..." She buried her face in Fluttershy's mane.
"Shhhh.... I'm here now. Don't worry. I, uh, don't really understand what's going on right now, but I'll do what I can. What... What happened?"
"I... I woke up in a room after the ceremony... And this... EYE fixed itself to my chest... And it's kept pumping things... voices... into my mind... They all think I'm some sort of... Of story! And... I destroyed something... I... I don't know anymore..." She hugged Fluttershy tighter. "I... Wait."
"...What is it?"
"How am I touching you?"
"...Cause I'm here?"
"...This is just supposed to be a communication thing, you're not actually supposed to be here." Twilight bit her lip, looking around. The ancient technology had dulled its glow - as if it was done. "No..." Twilight said, panicking. She flew up to one of the outer spires, flooding it with her magic, trying to activate it - and getting nothing. "No..." She rushed to another pillar, then another, then the platform itself.
Fluttershy grabbed her. "Twilight! Stop! Just stop!"
"I... I've gotten you stuck here with me..."
Fluttershy hugged her closer. "You needed me. I... I'll be fine. Okay?"
Twilight collapsed into tears again, unable to take it. Fluttershy just held her close, "Shh... Shh..."
The two sat and hugged in the center of a magitech altar...
~~~
Twilight didn't know how much time passed before she felt like she could talk. "Okay... I'm calm now."
Fluttershy nodded, looking at Twilight with her deep, wide eyes. "...Can you tell me what's happening now?"
"I... Think so." She told Fluttershy everything - from the moment she woke up in the room, to the stars at the edge of her vision, to the town, to the forest itself, the creature she had to kill, and the Witch's Eye - and the Influence themselves.
"This Influence told you that you were a fictional character?" Fluttershy said, frowning.
"Yeah... And... I think they believe what they're saying."
"They've been wrong before, haven't they? You said so."
"...Yeah. But this is different..." She sighed. "I guess I'll just have to live with it."
"Yeah..." Fluttershy smiled. "But you can still live with it, I think. Whether it's right or not, you still live your life. And understand them better."
"...Thank you Fluttershy," Twilight said. "I... I needed this."
Fluttershy nodded, hugging her again. "I know."
"If.... If I hadn't called you..."
"Don't think about it," Fluttershy said.
Twilight beamed, a bright smile coming to her face. "You know... despite this, I feel like everything's going to be fine now. It feels... bright."
Fluttershy smiled. "I'm glad."
"We should head to town. I've got some poines I want to introduce you too."
"Pebbleton? It sounds like a nice place. Though... that Prancey sounds odd."
"...Think I should get her that powder she wants?"
Fluttershy pondered this. "Might as well."
Twilight grabbed one of the flowers with her telekinesis and ground it into a powder. Then she took off into the sky, Fluttershy right behind her. "Town's over there."
"I can see it," Fluttershy said. She started lazily flying in that direction, humming to herself. Twilight smiled - Fluttershy was a lot stronger than Twilight gave her credit for. Though... Now everypony at home was now worried about two missing ponies... They'd just have to find a way back soon. If the machine found Fluttershy, there was definitely a way to get back. She just had to find it.
"...What are they like?" Fluttershy asked.
"Huh?"
"The voices. The Influence. You told me what they told you, what are they like?"
Twilight blinked. "...Well, let's see... Zen is the nicest, and most reasonable, he seems the most interested in my success. Then there's Key... who... I'm not sure what's going on with him. He seems terrified and angry of things nobody else is, and I keep thinking it seems... forced, like he's either exaggerating or not right in the head. Course, he's just been replaced by someone new, Shutter, and I don't know what to make of them. Akumakami is also nice, though a bit long winded and sometimes says odd things. I... Don't know what to make of Ponygood. He wants to tell me... A lot of weird things, and he seems convinced we're on an island. Then there's Duke, who's pretty reasonable, though doesn't show up as often. Josh is... Kinda just there. I should probably pay more attention to him... Oh! Afizah and Eris, sisters, both of whom are crazy. Afizah seems to speak random things and Eris seems to want me dead. Then..." She stopped flying forward, eyes widening. "...I heard someone that sounded a lot like... me last update... Hey! Other me! Uh... Sorry I didn't say anything yet. I'm Twilight as well, and... I really don't know what to say. Can you tell me how you're talking to me?"
"...They can all just hear you?" Fluttershy asked.
"Hear my thoughts as well," Twilight said.
"Do you have any privacy?"
"Nope. It's a bit... Annoying."
"I can imagine."
They landed in Pebbleton, drawing a few glances. The town itself had calmed down from the moment with the sun earlier that day. Prancey ran up to them. "Oh my gosh another new pony who are you how are you?"
"Fluttter-" Fluttershy began.
Twilight nudged her. "Flutter... Skii. Flutterskii. That's her name," Twilight said, blinking.
Prancey narrowed her eyes. "...Oooookay. Did you get the stuff!?"
"Yes. Though I want to know what you're going to use it for."
"To drug my boss, duh, what else would I use it for?"
Fluttershy blinked. "That not very nice."
"Oh, he likes it."
Twilight smirked. "...I'll give it to you if you can get me a cloak to hid my wings and Eye, and a map."
Prancey grinned, running off to get those things. Twilight blinked. "Well then..."
Fluttershy shrugged. "At least you'll get what you need."
Wound Dream ran up to Twilight. "You might want to make yourself discrete."
Twilight blinked. "Huh? Why?"
"Because-"
"AHA!" A high-pitched voice rang out. "FOUND YOU!" Fluttershy and Twilight turned to see a white unicorn with a red and pink mane running at them. She stopped right next to Twilight, lighting her horn, and lifting up her wing. "They're real alright..."
Twilight pulled her wing back. "Uh... Who are you?"
"Infinity. I run the library." She grinned. "I must say you're absolutely fascinating! Want to come with me to do some tests!?"
"Uh... No thanks," Twilight said, backing up.
It was at this moment Prancey returned, throwing a deep purple cloak on Twilight, covering everything but her face. Annoyed, Twilight took off the hood, but left the rest on. She looked to her sides, examining it closely - she couldn't see her wings unless she moved them. Good.
Infinity gasped. "Oh that's a brilliant idea! Hide the wings! Nopony would be the wiser!"
"Here's a map!" Prancey said, shoving a piece of paper in front of Twilight. It was labeled 'The Known World' and showed a continent she didn't recognize. They were inside the largest nation sown, Peran, towards the northern border. To the southeast, on a peninsula jutting out into the ocean, was Peran's capital, marked as Chalak. To the south, there was a large swath of land called the Ice Shelf, and a small archipelago called Troisha. The southern oceans were labeled with iceberg icons. The east ocean was marked as Kraken Territory. To the northwest was another nation, Moissan, along with mountains that spilled off until the edge of the map. "Here be savage dragons" was written on the northern edge of Moissan. To the northeast was an area called the Lost Desert.
Twilight blinked. "...Huh. This... Helps, and at the same time it doesn't."
"How so?" Infinity insisted, grinning.
It was at this moment Twilight felt the Witch's Eye activate again. "...Great."
What?! That voice the wanted me to say Starswirl and oranges and crystals and butt the cloud was another me?!
What the hay?! Ah thought you were just spouting a bunch o' hooey bout that communication thingy Twilight.
Spike found it the other day when we were looking in the library of the castle of the two sisters while you and the others were scaring yourselves silly. Hey, other me the way I'm talking to you right now is this weird eye thing spike found. Strangely though when he handed it to me, he looked like somepony told him something wrong.
I am very sorry for dumping that explanation on you, Twilight. I realize now it wasn't the best idea I've ever had, and likely wasn't even a good one. I hope you can forgive me.
...anyway, we don't know everything about what happens beyond our method of viewing you. I would like to think these stories are just windows to other universes, but that's about as provable as the existence of God.
And I do recall Akuma wanting to warn you about the machine, but our comments were already being compiled at that time. He might be willing to repeat himself, since his advice could be useful for more then just that machine.
And as for the map? There isn't enough information for me to determine anything. Although, now that Fluttershy is with you, you might be able to find that mysterious lake that apparently you can only find once in your whole life. Maybe it'll have something useful.
I feel that Infinity was very much like you when you weren't as educated in friendship. You could get along very well, if you want. However, it might not be a good idea to stay very long in any town, for fear of inspiring the shadow creatures to do unpleasant things to them.
And speaking of the shadow creatures, watch out for them. I don't know much about them, but I must assume the very worst, being that they want to see all life extinguished and can use your power to escape from this piece of land.
Also, I have some advice for Fluttershy. DON'T BE AS TIMID! This island is potentially very dangerous, and if you see something suspicious, communicate it immediately. That is all.
Josh here - good to know that i'm leaving so little impact on you, i'd sigh if i could. anyway if I had known that thing was going send the pony to you I would have warned you. as for where to go next Chalak may have whatever Peran has for a leader, so talk to him or her might be a good idea.
edit - I just had a thought if pictures don't work who's to say if videos do or don't; if you see this just know i picked it at random
Because you seem to be a bit...slower than the other Props, let me just spoil the surprise now, Not all of us are from the same universe, in fact I'd wager that each of us are from separate universes, which would explain why 'Ponygood' has been spouting nonsense about you being a television character, you're as real as any of us are. And for your reference, I happen to view you as a live feed. Much like any of the previous Props I've been assigned.
So let that answer you're unfortunately unasked questions related to what you've so affectionately dubbed the 'Influence'. As for your friend, it seems to be an extension of the Sweeper's power, note the clever use of conveniently placed words 'out of range'? Seeing as you're in the centre of what is essentially a simulation created by the Sweeper's whims, which, really, I thought you would have noticed by now, she can pull anyone from anywhere. Because they'd be about as real as the dirt underneath your hooves.
But because you don't actually know one way or another, no, your 'friend' isn't real, it's another thing the Sweeper created to enhance her story and make you stable. That said, you might be able to pull yourself together before you make another scene and probe it for information. It's likely it could be created without the regular failsafes found in these things.
Oh, and because you for some reason can't really tell the difference, this is Recursive employee 125, Shutter to you.
8153924 If Twilight is as real as any of us, then why do you refer to her as simply a prop? Twilight, don't listen to anything this person says; this so-called "Shutter" is in the same universe we are all in, and isn't in a company that assigned you to him; just as none of us are frogs, helicopters, or stormbirds. We are all humans, reading a story. Whether it's a window to your universe or not is undeterminable, as long as you think you exist. He has a point, though: this might not actually be Fluttershy. It's improbable, though, and you definitely shouldn't treat her as some thing.
-Ponygood
8153997 Funny how you call me out of all people, 'ponygood' for being fake when you yourself don't seem to be using a real name based on your explanation. But because you're a real waste of my time, I won't be indulging you. Enjoy your delusions now. buh-bye!
Akumakami is back! sorry for my absence, I waited too long before offering my reply.
Okay....I saw that little breakdown coming, but I'm sorry about it all the same. If I could, I'd give you a hug. And don't worry, I personally believe stories are just snapshots of some other place and time in the multiverse.....this is just more interactive then normal.
Also, do NOT listen to Key. As much as we'd like to say otherwise at times, we are all from the same universe. They're obsessed with depicting that entity from your mind as the sweeper for some reason. We're all just a bunch of people who either just read these universes or, like Blackjack, create/manage our owns as well.
The "other you" you're hearing is Afizah.....I'm not sure if they're faking that or if they are legitimately opening a link to another universe where another Twilight is hearing you. The answer to why, in either case, is because they can.
As for being long winded, I apologize about that. I'm like Blackjack, a primary- or author, to be blunt. I'm a bit too use to writing hundreds of words without stopping. Its part of why I was busy, I managing another one of my own universes. I have about twenty four depicting your setting or someone from it- ponies, Equestria, Discord, the elements, etc. One has you become the Alicorn of Harmony on your own during the Nightmare Moon thing- don't worry, Friendship is still your main thing. Though, I adopted that world from someone else. Yes, we do that sometimes.
Rambling, moving on.
Oi, I knew techno-magic meant trouble. Still, Fluttershy might be the best one to pick. Both because she's the calmest and most diplomatic(wait, is she going to be scared of Diorite?) but also because.....well, again, I'm not sure what your Discord is like exactly, but you and Fluttershy are two of his three "most likely to be a love interest" characters, Celestia being the third. Point being that this might light a fire under Discord to find a way help you two.
Still, I'm curious.....why did you think this was a communication thing, exactly? Because either it was misleading you on purpose, you misinterpreted the magic, or something over charged it.
.....Infinity? Sounds like some hybrid of you and Pinkie Pie. Still, I'm actually getting a bit suspicious here. Even if they haven't seen Alicorns and foreign relations/awareness is so bad that they never heard of a ponyland ruled by immortals.....they should at least have some myths or legends about such things.
That map does help some though. With the south being frozen, you're probably on the other side of the equator, meaning that Equestria is most likely north of you, in terms of latitudes. If you hear/read about a tropical jungle in any direction north, that's probably Equestria's Mysterious South- and seriously, you ponies need to explore more.
Back on the topics of names, the only thing I found on Chalak is it means either someone clever or a driver. Though, Lost Desert? I'm getting weird vibes there. That usually means either people get lost in there or there's a country that was once there and fell, thus being Lost.
Still, most immediate question is thing- where is this town on the map?
Oh, and since Fluttershy is the animal expert, ask her opinion Discord might be related to Lungs, ascended version or not. If nothing else, its something for you and her to prod Discord about one day.
Akuma out!
PS Is that Flutterskii as in skiing or that just a weird way of spelling sky?
PPS Huh, seems Blackjack is looking into my stories/universes.
8154022 Says the person saying his name is "Shutter," while the name he is known as is "Keywii_Cookies55." Also, it's the Internet! Who uses their real name on the Internet?
8154039 Oh how naive you are. Not only are you under the impression that we're from the same world, but you also think I'm Key, that's adorable, you get a gold star! But before you go ahead and write me off for being 'obsessed' let me ask you a question, are you aware that the 'entity' you call Blackjack has been tormenting different ponies for several years now? I won't confuse your simple mind with the details, but this is hardly the first 'Twilight' I've encountered.
You and Key are of the same idealistic ilk, you hope that everything will get better without really doing anything to fix the problem. It's children like the two of you that keep the worlds from spinning.
8154047 As for you, 'Ponygood' didn't I tell you I wouldn't be indulging in your delusions?
nickel again. on the topic of the you being fictional, i have to ask. does it matter? does it matter where your world came from if its real to you? we've already admitted that we don't know what happens when the story ends, how could we? but i would think that it continues to go on its own broken free of the constraints of the narrative following its own path afterward, creating different branches of worlds as it moves forward based on your choices, there are certainly enough future variants of supposedly finished stories here to support the idea. isn't everything a story if you look at it from an outside perspective? my last point for this entry, is it even possible to tell if we are influencing you or you are influencing us? that our perspective might only exists as viewers of yours? everything is relative, even states of existence, that is my take on this.
This is Zen.
Ponygood, "Shutter," shut up. Both of you. We congest her mind enough without you two bickering.
Twilight, you're thinking about it from our perspective, but think about it from your own. What is more likely, that you, with your thoughts and feelings, are fictional, or that We are fictional. It would make for elaborate illusion, and I will deny that it is the case, but suspecting us of being fiction is far more reasonable than doubting what you actively percieve.
Also, I find the idea that Fluttershy is some sort of arcane fabrication suspect at best. If you were already translocated, why not another? Key and his "replacement" have failed to produce anything to support their elaborate claims. I would disregard them until such a time that they do so.
8154950 Zen, you're telling me that the fact that "Blackjack" created the entire world, and the ponies inside it, that it isn't unreasonable to conclude that Fluttershy was created just as easily using knowledge drawn from Twilight's memories? That it's easier to trick the senses than to actually steal away a second Prop? Do you even know what you're talking about? Have you been following the Sweeper's progress for almost a decade now?
Yeah, I didn't think so.
8154993 I have delusions? You're the delusional one here, mr. delusionface.
Strom crow
I have to be brief as you face no new danger my time is limited. 1right I am human not a bird that is a title I was given. 2 twilight be calm I they want to help 3 I can't help act or advise until
Light here, I managed to fix what Dark did. Okay first you should wait for a day and see if the machine is working again because it might need time to power up if not keep an eye out for others or othe ways to bring your friends here. When you do bring Discord.
Dark here, it's unfortunate that I won't be able to corrupt you now that one of your so called friends is here. Oh well guess I'll just put some mental strain on you to get you to do what I want.
KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL
8160092 *Soundproof bubble surrounds dark, preventing all forms of communication for the time being* Whew, That was annoying. Sorry, you had to hear that Twilight.
Oh, by the way, my name is Eternus. Your Father. Or, well, another version's father. You see I have been searching for some time trying to find 'my' Twilight that when I heard of the many different dimensional beings finding you that I assumed they found mine. I'm just glad that I came when I did or that being named Dark may have made you snap and lash out at the one pony that could protect your mind and your sanity. And this is a message for Fluttershy. Protect her from the dangers of that world to the best of your abilities. Both physical...and mental. I have already lost one daughter; I don't want to lose another, even if they're from another dimension.
Twilight, I have traced through your previous travels, and I am here now. My name is Giginss.
Fiction, reality, all of these are labels. Names. If you are a story, written by an author, what is to say we are not a story, written by another author? Each of us considers ourselves real, yet somewhere in the wide multiverse, there is a combination of symbols that holds meaning to the one reading it, telling the story about us?
The point is: Don't worry. Continue with your adventure, see where it takes you. We are spectators, watching, unable to do anything normally, but something changed. We can communicate with you, share our ideas and perspectives, but our thoughts do not shape your reality. You are the one capable of shaping your own reality.
You will find a way. You always do.