//------------------------------// // Palace // Story: (Not) Black and White: A Displaced Fic // by Masterweaver //------------------------------// So, funny story, the palace doesn't actually have a name. See, Twilight opened it up for a vote, there was an initial suggestion period, and then this big paperwork kerfluffle.... I don't understand all the details, but I've heard it variously referred to as Twilight's Palace, the Castle of Harmony, the Fortress of Friendship, the Rainbow Power Monument, and the Eyesore. It's a big blue-purple crystal tree. And I mean big. Like ten stories. Not counting the upper spire. It's not what it looks like that matters though. I mean, it's a big fantasy... thing, there are plenty of those around. But the thing is, the palace was apparently the magically generated offspring of a magical tree--trees are kind of important in the whole... work of magic that is going on in this world. Look, the point is that the whole palace is inundated with harmony magic. Or, well, technically it causes co-resonation with pre-existing magic to an exponential effect, thereby promoting the magical balance of harmony--- Okay, this isn't explaining anything. Um. The point is, because of how the palace works, and because of what happened to me, it's not.... it's a very odd place for me to be. It's a side effect of... the whole... ...Okay, you know what, I'm... It's technical. Very technical. Look, it's freaky, alright? Freaky shit happens to me in that tree palace thing. It's nothing bad, just weird. Which really sucks because it's also Twilight's home and the place with the biggest magical library and, you know, a freakin' palace. If I had any idea what was going to happen when I stepped in the first time... well... ...I mean, I might have anyway, but... It's... it's just weird. Let me say that. It's all very weird. "So..." I glanced around at the stares I was getting. "I take it that this place isn't exactly used to newcomers?" "Actually we are," Fluttershy assured me. "It's just that the newcomers tend to be a touch... um..." Her wings fluttered for a couple of seconds. "...rambunctious! You know." Zecora snorted. "Rambunctious is certainly one way to describe the chaos that can come to stay. The threats this village has faced down--the parasprites alone consumed the town!" "They were just following their instincts," Fluttershy mumbled. "And it was Twilight that rewrote their dietary methods, so they can't entirely be blamed..." "Nightmare Moon, the Ursai, Discord too, Tirek and Trixie to name a few--" "But they all came around! Except Tirek. And the Ursa Minor was just a baby anyway." "When Twilight panicked or Spike succumbed to greed--to say much more, there is little need." I rubbed the back of my head. "I'm not going to lie, this is... not sounding like the safest place in the world right now..." "Oh, it's not like that. Zecora's exaggerating." Fluttershy chuckled awkwardly. "Ponyville just happens to... you know... go through a little trouble every now and again, what with being next to the Everfree and having a few powerful artifacts here and there... really, we've got handling odd situations down pat." "That much is true, I will admit; they recover so fast and the town's so fit, you would never be able to tell how many times near ruin it fell." "Still... having experience with quick recovery doesn't exactly give me the best image of, you know, the whole.... safety thing." I paused. "I'm not going to have to fight off an invading army of shadow monsters, am I?" "No, no," Fluttershy assured me, "town defense is strictly voluntary." "...ooooookay then..." I continued walking between them, trying to ignore the frightened or confused glances by every colorful equine we passed. It wasn't exactly easy--their faces were large and expressive, broadcasting their emotions pretty clearly. There didn't seem to be any panic, yet, but... At the time, I could only judge by what I saw, and what I saw was essentially a race of living plushes judging my every footstep. The idea that something so... innocent could give off such a wary vibe... but then again, they did live next to a forest where things, apparently, fell in from other worlds. With manticores and wooden wolves and who knows what else... I think I can be forgiven for remaining a touch tense, even with Zecora beside me. "So, uh..." I cleared my throat awkwardly. "This Twilight person we're going to meet... what is she like?" "She's very friendly," Fluttershy assured me quickly. "And she's very smart... although, she can be a bit, um, fastidious." "What?" "Checklists. She has checklists. She has checklists for checklists. She... she's gotten better, but, um, if she goes off on a tangent it might be best to calm her down quickly." "She's not OCD, is she?" The pony gave me a blank look. "....Obsessive Compulsive Disorder," I clarified. "I just want to know, because I don't want to trigger... anything, or anything." "I've... never heard of obsessive compulsive disorder before..." "Ah. Um." I glanced away. "Just... forget I said anything then. I guess I'll figure it out on my own time." Zecora gave me a reassuring pat. "Whatever you suspect is going to be, the best advice now is wait and see." "Right. Of course it is." I took a look around and noticed that the rustic houses were growing less dense. "Wait, I thought Twilight lived in Ponyville?" "Hmm?" Fluttershy looked at me, then around, and smiled faintly. "Oh, yes, she does. It's just her palace is a little ways out of the housing district." "Her palace," I repeated, my voice just barely level. "Yes, her... Zecora, didn't you tell Briar Twilight was a princess?" "The fact did not come up when we had our chat. And really, how important is knowing that?" Zecora asked. "Twilight has not let her wings change the way she treats others, known or strange. Power she has, and responsibility, but other then that she seems the same to me." "Is this normal?" I asked. "Just walking up to a royal and talking? Because that's not normal where I come from. Or I don't think it is... it might have been a few hundred years ago, but that was--" "It's okay, really. She used to live in the library... until Tirek, um, blew it up." I almost said something about that--almost--but I made the mistake of looking ahead. And I caught my first look at the building that would, in some ways, define everything about my future. "...Okay." I held up my hands, took a breath, and let it out. "Okay," I said again. "I'm trying not to apply my own cultural standards to this world--I'm trying not to cause a scene. But... You are colorful talking ponies, some of you have magic--" "All the tribes have magic, actually--" "--and you have a princess who lives in a palace that is, basically, a crystal tree plus a treehouse. And, I don't want to cause any issues, but I have to know--is there any reason. Any reason at all. Your world looks increasingly like something from a young girl's fantasy?" Fluttershy paused. "Um. Well. Princess Celestia is immortal, and she does call us her little ponies... I mean, it could be that maybe, um, we all sort of feel mothered by her? Or something?" She noticed my stare and fidgeted. "...I, um. I spend a lot of time thinking about how ponies think. Usually of me, but, um..." She kicked the ground. "I'm sorry. I'll be quiet now." "No, it's... it's fine. I'm just a little overwhelmed. This whole situation is entirely out of the blue for me." With a deep breath, I started forward again. "I just... have no idea what I'm supposed to even be doing here. What am I even asking this princess about? A way to go home? A reason behind my transformation? A quest? Basic citizenship?" "Twilight's study of arcane arts is well known throughout these parts," Zecora explained. "At the least, she could look you over and tell what sort of magic or strange spell has had this affect you suffer now, if not the why then at least the how." "So, basic wizard checkup. Great." I stopped at the foot of the small stairway leading up to the tall golden gates. "So... do we knock, or--?" Fluttershy flew up to the doors and pushed them open, knocking as an afterthought. "Twilight! Zecora brought somebody for you to meet!" "Or we could just walk in, I guess," I mumbled as I followed after her. "Because of course, we're all friends with the princess. No need to tell the guards anything." "Twilight doesn't have guards," Fluttershy said. "Oh, she's probably reading up in the library again. Um, Zecora? Could you take Briar to the map room while I go get her?" "If you think that would be best," Zecora agreed. "Come, let us find you a seat to rest." I followed her a short distance down the long, empty hall, taking in what few banners there were. "This morning I was in a tree. Now, I'm in a different tree." "Life can have many strange repeats... but yes, this is an odd sort of feat." The zebra stopped at one door, opening it casually. "And here, the heart of the castle lies; step in, my friend, and feast your eyes!" Her dramatic statement, admittedly, was warranted; the room I stepped into was pretty clearly only there to house the single round crystal table at its center. The wooden chandelier with dangling crystals, the six and a half thrones with marks at their tips, the circular golden... something embossed in the floor, all of it drew attention to this one structure--a table that was blank for the moment. I stepped in, looking around. "Well, this is a very... streamlined asthetic." I noticed a trio of butterflies on one of the thrones. "So... is Fluttershy a noble, or something?" "Kindness's chosen, it's safe to say, but no, not a noble in that sort of way." The look I gave Zecora was, perhaps, just a touch too exasperated. "Is this another magic thing?" "The magic of harmony, yes, it is true." She smiled faintly. "Is the arcane still something so strange to you?" "Look, where I'm from, magic is a story--not even that, it's a plot device! You make up some new rules, slap the word magic on it, and let the heroes bumble about with awesome powers that are impossible!" I sighed, reaching out to lean on the table. "And now it's real, and I have no idea what--" The moment my hand made contact with the cool surface, the table burst into light--a light that flew up my arm in a second--and then I blacked out.