The Strange Case of Dr. Sparkle and Miss Hyde

by Midnight Calm

Chapter 3: What is Reality?

Chapter 3
What is Reality?

Twilight realised that she was herself again. Being Luna was odd. She could reflect on the experience later, however, there were more pressing issues at hoof. Issues like Nightmare Moon. Opening her eyes, Twilight clumsily tried to stand. Her legs were shorter than she remembered and she had trouble getting her balance.

Nightmare Moon watched on stoically, waiting until Twilight regained her bearings. Seemingly unperturbed by her sudden lack of coordination. Eventually deciding that Twilight had had enough time to compose herself, Nightmare Moon started to address her.

"Do you see now? That is Celestia's care for me, care for the night. I tried to be peaceful and I asked her sincerely, but she rebuffed me and mocked my attempts. I had no other option. I shan't be ignored or play second fiddle to the whims of the sun."

Nightmare Moon flared her regal wings aggressively.

"I was, and still am, justified in my actions and I will not be refused. Now it is time, Twilight Sparkle, you will join with me, or you shall come to regret it."

Twilight remained silent for sometime while she contemplated the Nightmare's offer.

'What am I supposed to say?' She thought, 'Do I accept her offer and deceive her later? Could I do that, acquiesce to her whims with the full intent being disloyal? Can I consciously betray somepony else? No, no I can't. If I do, everything I've learned so far will have been for nothing. Even if this situation becomes dangerous, I have to stay true to my convictions.'

"If what you showed me was real," she began carefully, "Then it's true that Princess Celestia may have handled that situation badly. That being said, plunging the world into eternal darkness was certainly not a proper response. If you insist on this path of revenge, I cannot join you, Nightmare Moon."

"Then you abandon me like the rest, unfortunate but not unexpected. This will be the last time we meet. Goodbye, Twilight Sparkle."

Nightmare Moon abruptly leaped into the air, advancing quickly upon Twilight. Turning to run, Twilight stumbled in her attempts to flee, still unused to her own body after her recent reliving of Luna's memory. Twilight felt the Nightmare's fangs pierce her neck and vision started to fade.

---

Twilight shot up with a gasp.

She rose to her hooves with a promptness more befitting of a pegasus. Whirling her head around, Twilight's eyes scanned in every direction for her once defeated adversary. Nightmare Moon was nowhere to be seen.

There was seemingly nothing out of the ordinary in the clearing - that is, nothing too outlandish for the naturally lawless state of the Everfree forest. Wasn't she just assaulted, and bitten, by a goddess hellbent on a starry vengeance? This situation was unsettling. Not quite as unsettling as feeling her fangs puncture her skin but still reasonably bad. What had happened when Nightmare Moon bit her and, more importantly, where had she gone? Was it was possible that the Nightmare was still here, watching her? Instantly coming suspicious of everything in the near vicinity, Twilight scrutinised all she could see with a meticulous eye. Twilight knew that Nightmare Moon was able to transform into a 'tacky' cloud of purple smoke and even other ponies. A transmogrification into other objects certainly seemed well within the Nightmare's abilities. Wanting nothing more to run away and not look back, Twilight stayed her ground. Her eyes flicked towards the flowers, she couldn't leave yet, not without her spoils. Being the diligent student that she was, even this incident didn't dissuade her from gathering the object of her dangerous excursion, the Moonflower. Twilight slowly creeped up to her flowery quarry, weary of any impending ambushes. Unwilling to use magic to harvest the Moonflowers after her last attempt had seemingly invoked the vengeful wrath of an ancient evil, Twilight cautiously picked roughly a dozen flowers with her mouth and placed them in her saddlebags, pausing every few seconds to scan her environment.

After the last one was organised within her bags compartments, she took one last glance around the glade for any abnormalities. Walking over to the spot where she had spoken with Nightmare Moon, she was surprised to see only her hoofprints, as if the Nightmare was never there at all.

'This can't be right,' She thought.

Everything was the same as it was when she had arrived. The glistening of the grass, the trees softly swaying in the slight wind, the haunting beauty of the Moonflowers as they discharged their cosmic produce. It was too... perfect. Disconcerted by her discoveries, Twilight departed from the flowerbed and began her trek back to the Ancient Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters, giving the 'Weeping Tree' as wide a berth as she could manage.

---

As Twilight retraced her steps back to the road leading to Ponyville, she stayed vigilant against the possible threat of Nightmare Moon. In spite of her encounter with the legendary mare, the more she pondered the issue of Nightmare Moon's return, the less sure of her self she became. 'How could Nightmare Moon be here? I know that we cleansed her from Princess Luna. How could she have come back, and if she is back, where is she now?'

As Twilight walked, she become so engrossed with her train of thought that she stopped paying attention to her surroundings and her gaze became focused on the ground in front of her. She was so distracted that she didn't even realise that she was already nearing the edge of the Everfree River. Twilight was suddenly broken out of her contemplations as a she walked directly into a purple wall. She recoiled at the impact, shaking her head.

"This wasn't here before," Twilight grumbled.

She looked up at the colossal purple barrier that had hindered her progress towards Ponyville, and it looked right back. In her way lay a gigantic sea serpent with a perfectly styled orange mane.

"Oh my, if it isn't one of my little pony friends! It's been too long, far too long! How are you, my dear?"

"Oh, hello! I've been doing well, Mr—" Twilight paused trying to recall the serpents name, "How embarrassing, I don't think I learned your name the first time we met."

"Introductions? I love introductions! Well then, I'll begin!" exclaimed the Serpent happily. The slight trill in his voice made Twilight giggle. Taking an exaggerated bow he said;

"I am Stephano Thaddeus Magnet. Though you can just call me Steven, 'Mr. Magnet' makes me sound so old. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss…"

It took a moment for Twilight to realise that he was waiting for her to supply her name.

"Huh? Oh! My name is Twilight Sparkle."

"Miss Sparkle."

"Please, call me Twilight."

"Of course, of course! Not out with your friends today, Twilight?"

Twilight raised an eyebrow, "Not today, why?"

"Now, please don't take this the wrong way, but I did very much want to meet that gorgeous little fashion mare again. She did me such a great favour and I feel perfectly dreadful about it. The poor dear cut of her beautiful tail to mend my moustache. It was such a generous thing to do, it brings a tear to my eye."

"Rarity is the most generous mare I know, she always lends a hoof to those in need. Especially in the name of fashion," Twilight chuckled lightly.

"I know, I know! I saw her, the brave little soul, give her very own tail to me! I'll feel just awful if I don't pay her back somehow. Could you please tell her, when you see her next, that I want to help her somehow. If she has any issues I might be able to help with, tell her to come to Steven here and he'll fix them right up!"

"I'll make sure to hell her, Steven. I'm sure Rarity will he happy to know that you still remember her."

"Thank you ever so much!"

"I'll introduce you to the rest of my friends that you saw during out brief encounter next time we have an expedition out this way," Offered Twilight, "I'm sure that they would be interested to meet you."

"That would be marvelous, I do love meeting new people!" Steven said cheerily.

Thinking back to her friends, Twilight started think back to the times when they used the Elements of Harmony. She began to wonder if the Elements of Harmony were more complicated than she had originally anticipated. They didn't seem to work in the manner she had thought they would or else this whole Nightmare Moon fiasco would have never happened. She had assumed that the magic of friendship created harmony through peace but now she wasn't so sure.

"You seem distracted dearie, is something the matter?"

Noticing that she had zoned out of the conversation, Twilight apologised, "I'm sorry," She said," It's just…" Twilight looked up at Steven, "…*sigh*. It's nothing. Don't worry about it, just a silly thought."

Steven dramatically raised his hand to his chest, clutching his heart like an old wound.
"My dear Miss Sparkle, just because we have only been formerly introduced, it doesn't mean we aren't friends, does it? Now don't be shy, you can tell little old me all about it."

With that, Steven slithered into a much lower position, he coiled his body loosely and brought down his head to the riverbank to get a better view of his conversational partner. Propping his head up with his hands and gazing patiently at Twilight with his pony sized eyes, he waited silently for her to begin divulge her latest worry.

Caving in to his offer, Twilight sat down and collected her thoughts. 'Where do I begin...?'

"Do you remember how you lost your moustache Steven?"

"Remember? How could I forget?! It was horrible, positively awful!"

"Well, that cloud of smoke that sliced your moustache was actually Nightmare Moon in disguise, if you know who that is. She was the reason that we were in the Everfree forest that day. She wanted to make the night indefinite, so my friends and I came into the Everfree Forest to find some ancient artefacts that could stop her. We did manage to stop her and used those artefacts to… umm… purge her I suppose? Regardless of wording, we won and stopped her for good. Or, at least, I thought we did. Nightmare Moon may have come back somehow. I saw her again today, well, at least I think I did. I don't know what I saw."

Steven remained unspeaking while he contemplated what Twilight had told him.

"So you are sad because this meanie mare has come back?"

"I'm not sure. If she was back, I imagine she would have forcibly swapped the sun with the moon, like the first time she returned. I came into the forest today because I investigating a magical plant, a flower specifically."

Twilight's horn glowed lightly and one of the Moonflowers emerged from her saddlebags, a thin cloth was tightly wrapped around the stem so that her magic wouldn't directly touch the flower as she levitated it. Coerced by her magic, it floated gently upward until Steven softly plucked it from the air.

Twilight continued, "I believe that Nightmare Moon is connected to these flowers but I don't know how. Have you seen them before?"

Steven brought the flower level with his face and gazed at it with a critical eye.

"I'm afraid I haven't but they are absolutely gorgeous!" exclaimed Steven. "Do you know how it glimmers like that? It makes for the most charming display."

"I'm sorry, I don't understand how they do it. It was one of the things I was hoping to find that out when I got back home to study them, among other things. I don't even know what is going on anymore," Twilight let out a deep sigh, "It's all confusing and I'm not sure what I should do."

Steven stooped down in front of Twilight and gingerly slid the Moonflower into her hair, resting just next to her ear. Twilight's face flushed with embarrassment as she awkwardly shuffled her front hooves.

"My dear, you can do what ever you want to. Sometimes you just need to do something, whatever that may be. You seem like a strong young mare, you should learn to trust yourself more. You just need to have a little self confidence."

"I'll try," Twilight replied.

Twilight turned her head towards the horizon and noticed the sun was much lower than the last time she had looked. She had been talking to Steven for longer than realised.

"It's getting late, I should get going. The Everfree forest isn't a safe place for ponies at night."

"Such a pity! I was very much enjoying out little chat. Oh, I know! If it's getting too dark out for you, you are welcome at my house until morning. I haven't had a sleepover in such a long time."

"I'm sorry Steven. I'd love to I'm afraid I have to get home. I left my baby dragon alone at home for the whole day today. I trust him implicitly but he is still just a baby, so I worry about him."

"What a shame, I best not keep you then. Have a pleasant journey home, my dear!"

Giving a small wave, Steven spun around and began to sink into the river until Twilight called after him.

"Steven!"

Steven turned his head back towards Twilight.

"Umm, thank you for listening."

"It was my pleasure. Anytime you are in the area come and see me, my dear! I do so rarely get guests. Ta ta now!"

With that, Steven sank into the water and started gliding swiftly along the surface, his perfectly styled orange hair easily visible against the tree line as he left.

With her confidant disappearing beyond the bends in the river, Twilight decided that she had lingered in the forest long enough and started along the relatively easy path back to Ponyville.

---

The sun was just beginning to set as Twilight walked through the door of the town library, her home.

"Spike! Spike!" she called out, dropping her saddlebags near the front door. Unpacking could wait until tomorrow. "Where is that dragon?"

Spike popped his head out from the kitchen.

"Hey Twilight! You were out for aaages. I made dinner for you but I didn't know when you were getting back so I have it cooling. Did you want me to heat it for you?"

"Yes please, Spike, that would be lovely."

"No problem, Twi, one slice of spicy sweet potato frittata coming up!"

"Not too spicy I hope," Twilight said worriedly, "You know how I am around really spicy food these days. Pinkie's special, super-dooper, extra hot sauce has had me on high alert whenever the word 'spicy' is mentioned ever since we moved into Ponyville. Perhaps doubly so because I know you enjoy it."

"Naw, I made it a normal spicy. Medium-spicy? Yeah, a medium spicy."

Spike ducked his head back into the kitchen with the accompaniment of clattering pots and pans. Twilight giggled, Spike may be a good chef but he was still a bit uncoordinated.

"Oh yeah," Spike's head emerged from the kitchen once more, "I like your flower Twilight, it suits you!"

"My flower...?"

Twilight's hoof went up to search her head and she felt the Moonflower that Steven had put in her hair still sitting there proudly. Her face reddened, had she really walked through all of Ponyville with this flower in her hair?

Twilight buried her face underneath her front hooves, 'That's so embarrasing!'

Grabbing the flower's stem in her telekinetic grasp, Twilight floated the flower on top of her saddlebags, making sure it didn't drain any of her magic. That would need to be done under rigorous test conditions considering what happened last time.

Spike brought out Twilight's meal, clutching a large sapphire in his free hand. Twilight sat in her usual seat just as Spike delivered her food to her.

"Here you go, Twilight. Warmed to perfection! And you said that cooking with dragon fire sounded like a bad idea. Hmph!"

There was a loud crunch as Spike took a sizable bite out of his gem.

"Ok, Spike, I'll admit, you did a better job than I thought you would at cooking."

"Just a 'better job'?" Spike prodded.

Twilight laughed, "A really good job, Thank you, Spike."

"Ahh, it's okay. I'm gonna go off to bed now, Twi, I had a long day. I had to watch the Library while you were out so I didn't get my lunch time nap."

"I completely forgot, I'm so sorry Spike!"

"I don't mind, but uhhh, I sorta had to have a few snacks to make up for it."

Twilight gave him a disbelieving look.

"You know, to get me through the day?" He added hastily.

"That's okay, Spike, I'll go and see if Rarity has any spare gems that you can have tomorrow."

Spike jumped into the air with a little fist pump, "Yes! Umm, I mean.. Thanks Twilight. Well, goodnight."

"Goodnight, Spike," replied Twilight.

With Spike now in bed, Twilight made short work of her meal. Sneaking into the kitchen, she cut her self another slice. She would never tell Spike to his face but he was one of the best chefs that Twilight knows. She complemented him frequently about his culinary arts but if he knew that he was a top class chef, well, Twilight had a feeling that Spike would actually become Rainbow Dash in more ways than one.

Snickering to herself, Twilight crept upstairs, making sure she didn't wake up Spike. Spike was an extremely heavy sleeper but; 'better to err on the side of caution' as they say. Climbing into her bed, as Twilight drifted of to sleep, she had one last thought stuck in her mind.

'Tomorrow, I have a lot of research to do...'

---

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A/N

Yeah I was a little bit a lot lazy and didn't get this chapter out as fast as I wanted to. Sorry. I'm not sure how the "weekly release" authors can do it. I need better time management I suppose -.-

On Steven: I see Steven as a bit of a drama queen, a social butterfly and a romantic at heart, a lot like Rarity in a way but more vocal and less reserved. I hope his personality / character seemed alright....

Not much happening this chapter, just setting foundations. Next chapter should be a bit more exciting I hope.

Comments

[Ferdon10]

Please continue! I whant to see Twilights bad side!

[Clocklike]

After seeing these, I started searching for a Jekyll/Hyde story.
Finally found a good one, it seems!

[Unimpressive Chaos Lord]

I see this fanfic is kind death. Stinky, in fact. Because of the putrefaction, I´m not implying that it is bad. Anyway, I was wondering if you would mind that I used your cover for a fanfic with the same idea. Pretty please