Epilogue
So, that’s my story and yours, Lyle. There are probably still a lot of unanswered questions in your mind. I bet you’re wondering why it is that I’m writing this to you or, in fact, how I can be writing this to you since I (Lyle Hartman) am you. Or you probably think that you’re trapped in my (Lyra’s) body and I’m off somewhere else.
The answer is, it was Twilight Sparkle’s idea. Twilight’s been incredibly helpful explaining the whole situation. It seems like I can’t really be forced out of a delusion, but at least it can be managed until my stress levels drop enough that it goes away on its own. I definitely owe a lot to that mare, convincing Bon Bon to go along with the plan and arranging things to help me through that first big concert the way she did.
My musical career has picked up in a big way since the Running of the Leaves Concert, so really stressful situations—and therefore, further ‘episodes’—might start happening more often now. Better safe than sorry… And besides, I feel like I owe it to Bon Bon to do everything I can to help her out dealing with the crazy mare she loves. That would be me. And by extension, you.
So please: work with Bon Bon and don’t worry about whatever stressful situation you’re dealing with. It can be tempting to throw in the towel, but Bon Bon’s an amazing pony; she’ll see you through. And don’t make it too hard on her or I’ll fight my way back to the forefront of our brain and find a way to give you two hooves to the face.
I guess I’m kind of rambling at this point so I’ll go ahead and wrap this up. Lyle, please listen to Twilight and Bon Bon; they want to help you. Me. Us. Oh, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, ha ha ha.
Crazily yours,
Lyra Heartstrings / Lyle Hartman
I looked up from the small yet sloppy script of the letter. Reading it through the green haze of this weird magic stuff was giving me a headache, anyway. The two horses in front of me looked at each other, then back at me. The purple one with the horn on her face said, “…Well?”
“Let me run this by you to see if I’ve got it right… So you say Lyle Hartman is actually a little green unicorn chick who goes off her rocker every once in a while when she gets her panties in a twist over something, right?” I drawled.
“Er… yes?” the purple one agreed.
“Great. So then explain to me why I’m the one stuck in his body!” I gestured pointedly with one of the flat little hooves that now tipped my arms. God, this was ridiculous. I could really have gone for a drink right about now.
“You mean you aren’t Lyle?” asked the other horse, a cute little broad with a sort of ice cream sundae look going for her—white body, blue and pink hair. Not bad.
“Please. That nerd? You’re looking at ‘The Stan.’ Bam.” I tried to do finger guns, but it’s a bit hard to do when you’ve been disarmed. Stupid horse body.
“The… Oh. Stanley Winkowski,” the purple one groaned. What was her name? Some sort of stripper name. Twilust? That sounded pretty close.
“So you’ve heard of me? Awesome.” I would have said more, but a little purple lizard dude skidded to a stop in front of me, green eyes shining.
“Y-y-you’re ‘The Stan?!’” the lizard exclaimed.
“Uh, yeah. Bam,” I said, a little taken aback as a piece of paper and a quill pen appeared in his hands as if by magic.
The little guy just about exploded with glee. “C-can I have your autograph?!”
“Spike…” growled Twilust… Twilight. Whatever.
“What? I may not get a chance like this again!” Spike whined.
I took this as my cue for a quick getaway. “Well anyway, I’ll see you lovelies later. Anybody know where a guy can get a good margarita around here? I—Whoops!”
A glowing field of purple energy suddenly scooped me up and held me immobile. The purple unicorn chick turned to the cute one beside her. “Well, Bon Bon?”
“All right,” the white one sighed. “You win, Twilight. We’ll try the thaumic shock therapy…”
A/N: Bwuahahahahaha…
So like I said, yes-- This is precisely what I had planned out the entire time. Frankly it was difficult to keep it going this way; some of you guys were really tempting me to play it straight with the human in Equestria thing just so I could do the story of Lyra wandering around in Lyle's body...
Alternatively, I was tempted to do an epilogue where you have what is very clearly Lyra back on Earth, thinking she's gotten better from imagining herself to be a little female unicorn pony-- i.e. Twilight and Bon Bon managed to drive Lyle into thinking that he's Lyra, and the psychiatrists on Earth did the same thing in reverse to Lyra.
But I thought this was actually a little less dark than that, although it would also have been funny to me. So I went with this.
Once again, thanks to all my pre-readers / editors: Rated-R PonyStar, SapphireStarlightPony, CaseterMK, and Little Napoleon. You guys rock.
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It was a great story. Glad to be of help!
I didn't expect this though.
OK
THIS is funny!
lol
Man, that's kind of cruel to poor Lyle, isn't it?
(Although really, I shouldn't have expected anything else, coming from you.)
I have no idea how to react to this ending.
So... good job, I guess?
I'm gonna go think for a while.
I have... mixed feelings about the romantic ending. It fits, and makes sense, but it feels like Lyle died somehow. Through the whole story, it was narrated by Lyle, so I recognize the style and character as Lyle. When it it revealed that it is Lyra, I can't stop thinking of the totally unchanged narrative style as Lyle. It doesn't feel like Lyra because my mind says it's Lyle.
Don't get me wrong, I love the story. I just can't tell if I like the ending. Lyle is an established character, and it feels like they only got renamed to me. I don't know, great story, good ending, I just feel weird about it.
I have... mixed feelings about the romantic ending. It fits, and makes sense, but it feels like Lyle died somehow. Through the whole story, it was narrated by Lyle, so I recognize the style and character as Lyle. When it it revealed that it is Lyra, I can't stop thinking of the totally unchanged narrative style as Lyle. It doesn't feel like Lyra because my mind says it's Lyle.
Don't get me wrong, I love the story. I just can't tell if I like the ending. Lyle is an established character, and it feels like they only got renamed to me. I don't know, great story, good ending, I just feel weird about it.
this chapter confused me so much
someone, elaborate.
This ending...confuses me somewhat. I'm not sure if it's a good ending, or a bad ending. On one hand Lyra is back, but on the other hand Lyle was never really there. Either that or Lyle was there in a sense of a split personality (Or worse, an actual Human that didn't end up returning home) and just killed off mentally in a sense, or perhaps a merge between the two? Doesn't seem likely, still, awesome story.
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The character did get renamed: she went from Lyra to Lyle, and then from Lyle back to Lyra. I simply didn't let the reader see the first change because then it would have been obvious from the get-go. Admittedly that would have advantages as well (for instance, the line "I'm just as sane as the next man!" from Lyle becomes as humorous to the reader as it is to me, the author), but that wasn't what I was shooting for. I considered changing the narrative voice after she realized the truth, but believed that would lead to confusion: i.e. changing the narrative voice would cause the reader to think that Lyle really had been a separate individual.
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"U mad, bro?"
Sure! Your elaboration is:
Serious answer: Twilight, Bon Bon, and Lyra incorrectly assumed that Lyra would always believe herself to be Lyle Hartman during her bouts of delusion. Instead, however, Lyra's brain picked another character from My Little Person. You remember way back in the first chapter when Lyle mentioned some of his friends by name and reputation? 'The Stan' was one of them.
This was definitely an interesting story. While I didn't exactly see that ending coming, I wasn't surprised either when it came. Maybe I was unconsciously prepared for Lyle to be really be Lyra? In a way, this has a few parallells to the story I'm writing, though I won't elaborate on what and how. Regardless, what I did find a little surprising was Lyle's smooth transition back to Lyra. To speculate, I say it was because Lyle, once the memories popped up, learned he truly was Lyra, and recalling more of Lyra's past, furthermore deduced the flip in character wasn't the first time it had occurred. Previously, when Lyra didn't recall her past as a unicorn mare, she was in firm denial and thus fought to preserve 'himself'. The memories that ultimately reverted Lyle to Lyra were fond and warm, convincing 'him' to step aside with grace and permit Lyra to take her rightful place once again.
Well, that was my quick and feeble analysis that undoubtly has a million holes in it, but eh... that was my meager twenty millimeters.
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well yeah, i do remember all that
i just didn't understand this chapter all that well
thanks
As I was following this story, I found myself daydreaming about a scenario that sort of split the difference between reality and craziness. I mean something where Lyra figures out (or can be convinced) that she isn't really Lyle, but she's still going to be stuck with his memories and personality for a while anyhow.
I couldn't see her ever accepting that the human world doesn't exist, but she might buy into some sort of psychic connection between the dimensions that imprints Lyle's personality into her from time to time. (Which might or might not be the actual explanation!)
Incidentally, I picked up the hints that this has happened before. Logically, it seems like Bon-Bon and Twilight would have told Lyra about those earlier episodes, but doing so would have more blatantly tipped off the readers too, darn it!
I think I have good idea. How about you will also write the dark ending with the possibility of it having a sequel? Since results of the spell were inconclusive and they may find a way to get back
I think that I kinda guessed this by one thing. Any guy, no matter what form, is going to worry about his junk. Only someone who never had such parts wouldn't worry about them.
As is while this is a bit of a mind screw, I do love this subversion of the "Human in Equestria/human as a pony" trope. When Lyra goes off the deep end, she doesn't take a snorkel and mask, she takes a damn bathysphere. Also I love the very Fonz-like The Stan persona. That was hilarious. Lan should've said Twilust out loud.
lyle is lyra and lyra is lyle who is now stan..... nice epilogue, explains quite a bit too.
Oh wow, this is a real gem; a HiE story actually done right! And what's more, it's in first person, which is incredibly hard to do if you want a HiE fic that people will actually read.
As a suggestion, this is definitely worth submitting to EqD..
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Oh yeah, and also, in regards to the choice of "first person", Kudos to you. I think it's appropriate to say that you've pulled off the impossible!
Faved
A bit of an anti-climatic story...
I feel like it was resolved too quickly.
Also I want to know what Lyra did as a human, if that happened, like you implied in Author's Notes.
Loved it.
If you removed the "t" in Hartman, it would be a Killer7 crossover.
Lyra as human would be hilarious. Also, Lyle didn't seem too freaked that he was female, I would think that would affect a guy.
Huh. It's like the delusions object being dealt with and contort themselves to keep being troublesome. Wow, Lyra, when you develop avoidance issues, you go all out.
I honestly did not expect this ending, but you made it work excellently. Personally, I kind of want Twilight to plumb the depths of the rabbit hole and try to get Lyle to write a treatise on electronics during one episode. If nothing else, it'll make for a great fantasy novel.
Hmm... Man, you've got my gears turning. Is it okay if I do some metafic for this? Not guaranteeing that I will, but I'd like to get your say-so.
Wait lyra--lyle--lyra--Stan??? BRAIN OVERLOAD!!!!! HEH AWSOME STORY DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING
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I, er... I accidentally deleted your final comment. I've been on duty for about 22 hours now so I suppose I have an excuse but... whoops, sorry.
Anyway for everybody else, here's what he said before I accidentally the entire post.
Posted by: DirigibleQuixote
I honestly didn't see this ending coming, though that's likely partly due to the fact that I'm just now finishing the story. I'm bad about reading stuff I have tracked.
To be truthful, though, I can't say I agree with the ending. It seems . . . hollow. I mean, with all the build-up to Lyle going home and everything, I kind of expected a more concrete ending than "it was all in her head lol". That was probably just me being the serious-minded bastard that I am, but still.
Also, the whole ending seems dark to me. Like, really dark. I mean, Lyra being mentally unstable enough about her career to have bouts of insanity just strikes me as kind of depressing, honestly. I think what happened is that you knew that you wanted to write a comedic twist ending from the get-go, so you always had that in mind, whilst I read this as I would any other story, so I sort of viewed it with a less delightfully mad perspective.
All in all, I think the problems I have with this fic (and there are only a few) stem from that difference in perspective. Good story, overall."
AND NOW MY RESPONSE!
Eh, I suppose. It really was tempting to take a different direction with it based on all the comments, but I ended up sticking with it. This is because I am a massive jerk to all my characters, always. Imagine a discord laughing evilly smilie here because that's pretty much what I would be sing if there was one.
I'm considering softening the blow somewhat with a sequel, but any sequel is going to be a long time in coming and somewhat stymied by the fact that Lyra and Lyle would have basically the same personality by virtue of being the same pony/person...
You know when you commented in Destination: Equestria a week ago, aside from being happy someone read D:E, I thought your screen name looked familiar.......
Like maybe one of the authors of some of the stories I favorited. Fillies and Gentlecolts, my powers of observation at their finest. 
Loved it!
And as far as Lyra in Lyle's body, maybe just write a sort-of follow-up as if that were the way it happened?
Huh, I probably should have seen the ending coming, what with "Lyle" regaining some of Lyra's memories at the fountain in chapter seven, but I think reading this all in one go took away from the time to speculate. Even as Lyra was starting to come back during the concert I thought the two were just switching out and Lyle was going back off to HumanLand. So the ending of that was a little bittersweet – Lyra seems to go crazy rather easily and it sort of feels like Lyle died.
This epilogue however makes me see the humor in all of this though.
Anyways, good job with the story. I liked it. I'll have to check out some of your other work. I'd love to see any kind of sequel like you mentioned, but it would ultimately detract from this. So it'd probably be best to not do that.
(Also might want to fix that italicized thing.)
PLOT
! I did NOT see that one coming. Congratulations, now here, take a star.
I don't usually like HiE stories, unless they are funny light pieces (Dude, We're Ponies! comes to mind), but this one blended comedy, seriousness, and even touching in a very unique, interesting and enjoyable way. Not too long, not too short, no grammar mistakes, I didn't regret reading these 25k words. I found the ending affecting without being forced or overly emotional, which is kinda rare.
And by 'ending', I mean the end of the seventh chapter. I handle the epilogue merely as an alternate ending, albeit one that gave me a good laugh. "BAM!"
lyle do like Place Where the Nuts Hunt the Squirrel CAUSE IT BOTH WHO INSANE.You both Clearly have Full Blow Case Of schizophrenia.Maybe you need see Dr.psyche the Cut-rate Head Shrinker.Or They're be Comeing Take you alway haha.
You are UH-MAH-ZING!!!!
Well that was just plain amazing.
Great Job!
I loved the seven chapters, but this epilogue just comes across as... a little unnecessary. Chapter 7 tied the story up nicely, it would be nice to have seen the said "Lyra is Lyle" kind of ending as well where Lyra believes she is Lyle and has been all along, but you could have stopped at Chapter 7 without writing another word and this would all have gone along nicely. I'm not being negative for any reason other than I feel this epilogue is... well wrong. The actual story was great and you get two big thumbs up from me on that and I'm glad that JasonTheHuman directed me here to this fic which was an interesting read and had even me questioning my own reality. Hey, how are we all not to say that we are delusional and we aren't actually ponies having a dream or something? I could go on about multiverse theory and what not but I liked your angle on this right up to the Epilogue.
I'd recommend the story to others though so please don't get me wrong on that.
EDIT:
I've also put up a small review on my blog:
http://epiczen.net/blogs.php#blog-9
I have a few followers on that so maybe others will come by sometime.
You must do United States of Lyra. It has to be done.
You must do United States of Lyra. It has to be done.
Well I liked it, I just dislike being mislead by proxy of the starting description. The whole time I was rooting for a different ending.
In the end though very clever take on an old story. I really like that you didn't fall into the old tropes. But I gotta say I still prefer the old fanon material over this. Guess I'm just boring. >.>
-edit Lyra knowing human music makes me wonder and gives me hope though. x)
1719840
Oh dear...
Can i write a sequal about it being the mattix and lyle was right the whole time
Have you been inspiered by a youtub comic called "Heartstrings"? Becuse this kind of reminds me of it.
3545446
Never heard of it. Link?
3545503
Here you go! Link to part one:
3545521
Awesome, thanks!
3545535
no problem.
Okay, I'm not gonna lie. The ending disappointed me. I was hoping for some kind of magical mishap, or perhaps something more complex, but in the end, it was just Lyra going nuts. Or something. I didn't really get it anyway.
The story description and the Human tag don't help much, too.
Still though, have a fave and a thumb up.
I don't think the show you describe would be a children's show in Equestria. It sounds more like their equivalent of "The Simpsons".
I'M LATE AS ALWAYS!
Anyways, I just needed to share this thought; Is it morally right to 'cure' multiple personalities? After all, they may be part of the same mind and one may have been around longer than the others but they still operate as different people, so wouldn't a cure actually be like murder? just something to think on.