Aboard the Cosmic Lotus, 21.973 light-years from destination (plus or minus a few meters)
Periodic maintenance is a mainstay aboard the Cosmic Lotus, ensuring all systems are in peak operating condition at all times, even systems that are hardly ever used. Operating Procedure Six-Two is a breaker check of every major and minor breaker on board, a procedure that keeps the engineering department busy for the better part of a month. This shift, Purple Point was forward, checking the breakers on Shroud Eight.
“CONN, check function of breaker Sierra Delta Eight Oscar Papa Two,” he ordered.
“Operating breaker Sierra Delta Eight Oscar Papa Two.” CONN replied, operating the breaker. Point observed the breaker operate remotely.
“Positive function breaker Sierra Delta Eight Oscar Papa Two confirmed.” Point moved his probes to the next breaker in line, the main output breaker from the transformer that powered Shroud Eight’s deployment system. “Conn, check function of breaker Sierra Delta Eight Oscar Papa One.”
This is where a problem cropped up. During programming of CONN, someone had become careless, and confused two breakers. While CONN thought it was operating SD8OP1, in actuality it was operating SD8IP1, the input breaker to the transformer. When the input breaker shut, a surge of power went through the transformer into the output lines, where Point’s probes were waiting to monitor OP1’s action. The tester was not designed to handle high voltages, and it sparked and blew. The spark caught Point on the horn, electricity coursing through his body and out his hooves. All Point could do was let out a grunt before falling to the floor.
CONN sensed the change of status of Point, and sounded an alarm. “Code Blue, Code Blue. G deck, frame eighteen, starboard side. Code Blue, Code Blue, G deck, frame eighteen, starboard side. Medical casualty assistance team, respond.” CONN reported in its calm, pleasant female voice.
It took exactly twenty-three seconds for Doctor Zubon to respond with the crash cart. She found Point on the floor, out cold. Initial check found Point to be more than out cold, his heart having gone into fibrillation. Immediately, Zubon applied countermeasures. It took three countershocks to stabilize Point’s heartbeat. As Zubon worked on Point, other members of the medical team arrived. Loading him on a cart, Point was brought to Medical for a more detailed examination.
An hour later, Zubon reported to Captain Path. “Point has suffered a severe electrical shock, his heart going into fibrillation. I’ve restored that, but he took the shock to his horn and through his body. His magic system took a severe jolt, as has his brain. Brain activity is much higher than I would expect from such a shock.”
“Prognosis?”
“Honestly, I do not know. He’s stable, but I don’t know what’s going to happen next. I’ll have to do some research on the matter. It’s not something that is commonplace. Let’s hope for the best and plan for the worst.”
# # #
Just after the shock:
Point came to in a strange place. The area was greyish white, a flat plane, somewhat lit, stretching into the distance as he looked around. His horn and head ached as did the rest of him. Groggily, he looked around. “Where in Tartarus am I?” he muttered as he tried to get up.
“You’re not in Tartarus, but you might as well be, dear brother of mine,” came a voice. Looking around, Point beheld his alter ego, Radiance Glow, a chestnut unicorn with a red and white mane, a green tail, and white hooves and horn. “Welcome to my world. Won’t you come on in?”
Point made it to his hooves. “I’m here already, you rotten ego. What am I doing here?”
Glow smiled evilly. “Why, dear brother, you’re dead. When you wake up, I will take over the body and set it to rights. You’ve kept me down for too long, brother. Now, it’s my turn to live while you stay here in the fog.”
“You don’t think I’m just going to let you take me over, will you? I’ve dominated you now ever since the wreck, and I have no plans on inflicting you on my shipmates!” Point snapped.
Radiance stepped up until he was horn to horn with Point. “Brother, you don’t have a choice. You got zapped, and you’re dead. When you wake up, I’ll kick you aside like a used cleaning wipe and live again! You owe me that much!”
“I don’t owe you anything! You stepped in when Father abused me one too many times! He’s been crippled ever since, living in a hospital for years!” Point yelled back.
“He deserved nothing less for what he did to me! Making me feel I was worth nothing, despite my achievements!” Radiance screamed.
“No, MY achievements! I was the one in charge then!” Point riposted.
“You did nothing to stop him or defend yourself! For years, all you did was sit there and take all the abuse he handed out. I’m all that rage that built up inside of you, rage that finally found a release when he sneered at your application for Canterlot University being accepted, when he wanted you to go to college in Baltimare!” Radiance yelled.
“You didn’t have to break all his legs doing so, Glow!” Point snapped back. “We had to go on the run, signing on to the Gowanus as an oiler before the City Guard caught up with us!”
“The Gowanus was the best escape we had, Point! I did good there, didn’t I?” Radiance said smugly.
“You didn’t, I did! You were constantly summoning me for advice on how to do things. Now, I’m going to beat you back into submission again!” Point snarled, rearing back to start striking with his forehooves.
Another voice broke in to the argument. “Purple Point! Radiance Glow! Behave! You’re causing a scene!” the voice shouted in upset tones.
The two unicorns stopped in mid shout and looked toward the source of the voice. “Mama?” they said simultaneously.
Forming out of the mists was a pegasus, with white fur, blue wings, and a blue striped mane and tail. “Yes. I’m your mother, Cyan Flight. You two had best stop arguing and listen up!”
The two unicorns immediately sat down in front of their mother. Cyan Flight had died in an accident when Radiance was only six, leaving him in the tender mercies of his father, Radiance Shine. “Yes, Mama.”
Cyan walked around the two. “Now, Radiance Glow, you are the original,” she said, tapping Point with a wing. “You were the first born.”
Cyan then tapped Radiance with her other wing. The image of Radiance Glow faded, morphing into a female red-orange pegasus with white wings, mane and tail, the orange encompassing her head, the red shading in as one looked down her body and legs, her hooves being a bright red in color. “You, Sunrise Flight, were the second born. You, however, suffered complications and died shortly after birth. Your soul leaped to your brother, and became intertwined with his. After I died, your father became a shell of his prior self, becoming quite abusive to you, Radiance.
“Sunrise, you saw how abusive your father was to your brother, and finally, you erupted to protect him. However, you did not know who or what you were supposed to be, so you became his ‘alter ego’. So determined were you to protect Radiance, you changed his personality so radically, no one knew who you, and he, really were, especially after going aboard that ship.”
“Mama, it was necessary! The authorities were looking for us after I beat Father to a pulp. No one could connect the quiet, scholarly Radiance Glow with anyone who could do that to his own father, yes?” Sunrise said plaintively.
“Sunrise, your ‘help’ has led to your brother’s soul being damaged. The accident aboard the ship locked the two of you apart again, with the former Radiance Glow soul changing so radically, it also changed his physical appearance and shattered his mind.” Cyan Flight told her daughter. “You believed you were simply part of his mind, which you were, but you didn’t have a chance to form your own identity. Now, what should we do with you, eh?”
Point spoke up, “Mama, don’t harm my sister. I would like to get to know her. How could we manage things so she won’t constantly be trying to take over my body? Now that I know more than I did, I can’t hate her.”
Sunrise looked shocked. “What? You’ve been trying to either repress or get rid of me for years! Why would you not hate me anymore?” she said in a surprised squeak.
Point went to his sister and hugged her close. “Because now I know the truth, Sunrise. So do you. You know what you have done, as do I. Shall we try to learn how to get along? I can’t let you fully out, it will confuse many on the ship, but I will be more willing to share experiences with you. I accept you for what you are, not what you were. Can we try to be the brother and sister we never had the chance to be?” he said quietly. Sunrise just hugged back, wrapping her brother in her wings, crying uncontrollably.
Cyan Flight came up to the two and wrapped her wings around the pair of them. “Don’t ever change, Radiance. I’m so proud of all you have done, are doing, and will do” she told Point. “There is also a way for you to help your sister have a real life.”
“Oh? How?” the two siblings said at the same time.
“Radiance, your first daughter, whatever she may be, will have Sunrise Flight’s soul. She will not remember this life, as we never remember our past lives, but you will know, and she will know, that the two of you share something special.”
Point looked like he had just been slapped in the face while Sunrise went from uncontrolled tears to uncontrolled laughter. “Mister Straight-Lace has to bang a mare!” she managed to choke out before she fell to the ‘floor’, laughing. “This is too good!”
Cyan gave her son a Look that demanded an Explanation and fast. “I vowed to be the opposite of my other side in every way possible. He banged every mare that came aboard the Gowanus Herald! He could never get enough! I can’t be like he was!” Point said, horrified. “I won’t even try to detail all the ports where we were chased back to the ship!”
“You have time to get over that mental block, Radiance,” Cyan Flight told her son. “Now, you will be able to sleep without medication or exhaustion, because you will never have to fear your sister will try to take your body. Not if she knows what’s good for her.”
“You mean, I’ll be able to rest? Find some inner peace?” Point asked.
“Yes, son. You can start healing now. You can be whole. No more will you have to run from your past. Be who you are, not a shell to hide behind because you have been badly hurt. You have years to learn. Ixia and the others on the ship will help you. Follow their lead and you will begin to be your own unicorn. Know I am proud of you. I love you, son.” Cyan said as the landscape began to fade.
“I love you too, brother. Let me help you now. We can be friends.” Sunrise Flight said as her image faded, as well as Cyan Flight. Pain lanced through Point as the landscape faded to black. “Will we ever meet again?” Point yelled into the darkness.
“You’ll never be alone, Radiance. You have our love now. Don’t ever forget it.” Cyan’s voice said from the darkening void.
# # #
“I think he’s coming around.” Doctor Zubon said some hours later.
Point slowly opened his eyes, immediately regretting it as the light lanced into his head. Quickly, he shut them. “What in Tartarus happened?” he managed to groan.
“You got electrocuted by an overloaded breaker tester, Point. The shock went down your horn. You have been out cold for hours. I had to resuscitate you three times before you stabilized.”
“No wonder why I feel like I have been shoved through a recycling unit. Got any coffee?”
“I could give you an I.V. drip of your coffee, but I came up with something better. Coffee flavored pudding.” Zubon said with a laugh as she produced a cup of what looked like brownish black sludge, with the aroma of very strong coffee.
Point went to levitate a spoon with his glow, but he stopped with a yelp of pain. “Damn! That hurt!” he exclaimed, gently touching his horn.
“Looks like you will need that I.V. drip, Point! But, instead, how about a mug with a straw?”
“Please. I need to get some caffeine back into my bloodstream.”
“Don’t you mean blood in your caffeine stream, Point?”
“Yeah, that too.”
Zubon fetched the promised coffee. After a sip, Point asked, “How long before my horn heals?”
“Four to seven days, best guess. You took a heavy jolt through your horn while you were holding something up. Total rest of your magic is indicated. You’ll be staying here until I feel you can be released.” Zubon said with a smile.
“Great. You now have a captive audience of one,” Point groaned before sipping more coffee. “This tastes almost palatable.”
“I know your taste in coffee, Point. Everyone aboard does,” Zubon told him, hiding her surprise. The coffee was far from Point’s standards, which is like sipping coffee syrup. This was more like normal coffee.
“Good. Is there any way I can link to CONN from here? I want to know how OP-62 is going, then I have a story to tell. After that, work. Just because I was electrocuted is no reason to be lazy.”
“That’s the Purple Point we all know. I’ll get you an interface and you can get to work. Deal?”
“Deal. My sister wants to know how things work aboard, and what better way to learn than watch me work?” Point said as he settled more into the bed, twitching a little at the biomonitors he was wearing as they pulled a little.
“Sister?” Zubon asked in surprise.
Point tapped the side of his head. “Sister. Sunrise Flight has been dwelling up here all my life. Now we know each other for what we really are, there should be no more conflict. Mother will come in and spank us with her wings if we fought like we did.”
“Mother?”
“Mother,” Point said matter-of-factly. “How she found me all the way out here, I don’t know. I’m glad she did. She set Sunrise and me straight, and now we can get along instead of fighting.”
Zubon was getting quite confused at Point’s words. “I thought Radiance Glow was your other half.”
“No, Radiance Glow is me. Sunrise Flight was my twin sister. She died immediately after birth, and her soul joined mine. Not knowing who she was supposed to be, she became my other side. When Father became too abusive, she erupted and became all the nastiness I repressed.” What worried Zubon was how calmly Point was speaking about this. Before, he would never talk about his family, except under duress, and then with high anxiety. “Purple Point, well, I am not sure how that came about.”
Zubon fetched the asked-for interface. “Here. Knock yourself out, Point. I have some reports to get filled out, then see about getting you some breakfast.”
Point took the tablet. “Settle down, Doctor. I’m not going to take your mane off with a razor cutter. I’m coming to grips with having my sister as an unwitting passenger. Best we get along, yes?”
“Sounds good, Point. Back in a while,” Zubon said as she left the room. “He really IS aware of all around him…”
Zubon called the Captain, asking for a personal visit to discuss Point, a request that was quickly granted. In the Captain’s cabin, Zubon gave a full report. “So, Point is now saying that he is Radiance Glow, and his alter ego is his twin sister? They are not hostile, but are getting along?” Wandering asked, trying to understand what was going on with his Engineer’s Mate.
“So he says, Captain. What surprised me is how calm he was when he told me. That’s not like him at all.”
“Family, to him, is a sore subject. He’s always felt his family has betrayed him, and he does not need a family. According to the House psychologists, anyway. When it comes to friends, even he admits he has a strange way of picking them. Look how he and Ortzi get along now, as compared to before.” Wandering said, trying to put the pieces together.
“I know they spend an hour a week together, practicing observational skills and mental drills. Their bantering does have an unusual tone to it, Ixia has told me. If you just listen, they are still hostile, but she feels a lot of mutual respect between them.”
“I want you to have Ixia look in on Point while he’s in medical. Has Point slipped a cog or two, or is he saner than ever? I know, with him, it’s hard to tell at times, but his madness has borne fruit. Back on Equus, his virtual vacation ideas are under development by Chrome Hive. His ideas for the fountain and pool in the Park have come through. Even the pegasus training idea is effective, just needs refinement.”
“I’ll do that, Captain. I know suffering an electrical shock has unusual effects on unicorns, but Point, well, I can write up a paper on my observations so far,” Zubon said, shaking her head some.
“I will release to you all the psychological reports of Point’s rehabilitation from years ago. Maybe that will help you. It’s baffling to Ixia, but this incident may provide some insight.”
“We can use it. He’s so open, yet so baffling at the same time. It’s like he’s deliberately making himself mysterious, just to keep everypony guessing about him.
“Would you believe, he called the Medical team’s coffee almost palatable?”
Wandering shook his head. “Right now, the more outrageous news is about Point, the more believable it would be.”
# # #
Ixia was given a full report, and started looking in on Point as he recovered. The first confusing point was how easily he acquiesced to being a patient in Medical, not even putting up a token resistance to Zubon’s orders. Next, he started talking to himself more, not swearing, but conversing, to somepony only he could hear. He displayed every sign of being more comfortable in his hide than he had ever shown.
Two days after he woke up, Ixia walked Point back to the spa, for a grooming and massage. Point readily agreed, because he did say he was getting a bit stiff being in bed. In the spa, during the grooming, Ixia made a discovery. Point’s cutie mark was that of a black staff with a purple spark at one end. Now, she saw the purple spark had gone white, on both sides. “Point, when did this happen?” she asked, indicating the white spark.
Point twisted around to look. “Hmm… must have been while I was shocked. Mama has said my soul will start healing. I like the thought of healing. When I was a colt, the spark was white. It didn’t turn purple until sometime before I came to in Ponyville, because I have been told it was purple when I arrived there,” he said calmly.
Ixia could feel emotions coming from Point, ones she did not expect. Pleasure at the fact his cutie mark had changed, calmness at the fact it had changed, and anticipation for something. What was even more surprising to Ixia was that the adamantine will Point possessed was not present, he was relaxed, calm, and open. Openness was something that had to be cajoled out of him, not something he easily gave. “Are you feeling all right, Point?”
“Yes, why? Do you think I shouldn’t?” Point asked back with an absolutely straight face.
“You’re not usually this relaxed until after the massage, not during the grooming. Just what DID happen while you were unconscious?” Ixia asked as she started on his mane.
Point described the entire event as he remembered it, describing his mother and sister, what happened, and how it finished, leaving only one detail out. “Sunrise appeared to me last night while I slept, and we had a conversation. She apologized again for what she did. She was trying to protect me from our father. Looks like I needed the assertiveness, but not that much!”
Ixia paused in her brushing of Point’s mane. She could see red and white roots on some of his mane hairs. “You actually believe whatever happened, did happen…” she said in surprise.
“Of course, it did. I wish I could prove it to you, Ixia. You know I don’t like to lie. Especially not to you.”
“Either you are now saner than you have been, or you have completely flipped your nut. Come on, onto the massage table.”
Point obeyed the command, getting out of the chair before sprawling onto the table. “I can understand why you would feel that way, Ixie. Sunrise finds you interesting. She says hello, by the way.”
“Hello, Sunrise,” Ixia said as she started work. “My, you are relaxed today! Usually you are quite tense.”
“I don’t have to worry about my other half deciding to come out and shove me aside. My other half only wanted a chance to live. One day, she will.” Point said before shuddering some.
Ixia felt him tense up, then relax. “What brought that on?” she said as she continued her work.
“Nothing I’m ready to discuss just yet.” Point said quickly before relaxing into the massage.
“It involves bringing your sister back to life, right?”
“Yes.” Point said tersely, stiffening again. “She won’t remember anything, but we will share a bond. Now, please don’t ask about it anymore, okay?”
“Okay, Point.” Ixia could feel his distress at that line of questioning, as well as the root cause. The rest of the massage went on with casual chatter before Point let fly with the biggest surprise of the day, for Ixia at least.
“Ixie, how about a dip in the hot tub? Sunrise wants to see what it feels like. So long as my nose stays above water, I should be able to handle it.”
Ixia froze in position for a few seconds, taken completely off guard. Point’s phobia of the hot tub, okay, being immersed in water being more accurate, was a standing joke among the crew. Despite designing the relaxation pool in the Park, he never once entered it while there was water in it. Her emotion sense told her he was being completely casual about it, no fright apparent, unlike the other times she had suggested it. “Sure, Point. I’ll keep your head above water. Shall we?”
“Surely. Just don’t dump me in, okay?”
“For that crack, I ought to!” Ixia said as she wheeled the table in to the hot tub room, before turning it around and sliding him in tail first. That was when she noticed some green hairs at the base of his tail.
Point sighed in bliss as the warm water engulfed his body. “I knew what I was missing, but I didn’t want him to come out,” he said, resting his chin on the rim of the tub, letting the rest of his body go limp.
“Enjoying yourself?” Ixia asked.
“You tell me. I know Sunrise is.” Point murmured, relaxing.
Ixia was more than surprised to feel something she had not felt before- a second wash of emotions riding on top of Point’s relaxation. This one radiated joy, and the freedom it, no, she, felt, like flying or gliding should feel like. “Point, will you be all right for a few minutes? I have to check something.”
“Sure, Ixia. I’ll be fine. I won’t hurt him.” Point said, in a slightly different voice.
Ixia casually made her way back to her office. Shutting and sealing the door, she hurriedly called Wandering Path. “Captain, I can definitely say something about Purple Point. He is not insane. He’s currently in the hot tub, and I think I just felt and spoke with his sister!”
Wandering looked out of the comm unit at his hidden counselor, who was trembling with either surprise or shock. “You are not joking, are you?”
“Not at all, Captain. I can play you recordings later, but he is now in the hot tub by himself, at his own suggestion. He’s completely relaxed, and is enjoying the experience. I’m sure I have just spoke with his sister. She said she would not hurt him while they relaxed in the hot tub.”
“Keep him under observation, and pull him out when you feel he needs to. I’ll call Equus to see if anything like this has been documented. I’ll ask Mama Twilight to look.” Wandering ordered.
“You bet I will, Captain. I’ve never seen this before.”
“Go watch him. We will speak later. Captain out.”
Ixia went back to the tub to find Point limp in the water, sound asleep, head propped up on the edge of the tub, legs moving slowly. “Having fun, Sunrise?” she asked.
“Oh, yes! This is like resting on a cloud, except for the rim under my chin.” Point said in Sunrise’s voice.
“Glad you like it. How is he?”
“Sound asleep. He needs it. I’ll watch over him now, not take him over. He won’t need medication to sleep anymore.”
“Why won’t he talk about how he could bring you back to life?” Ixia asked, genuinely curious.
Point giggled, his eyes coming open. His eyes were not purple like before, they were orange. “He has to knock up a mare! Mama told him so, and I’ll become his first daughter!”
Ixia started giggling as well. Purple Point was so shy when it came to sex, or sexual relations in general, he would either lock up and stutter, or just walk away from the conversation. When cornered, he would say that if others wanted to, that was fine, but he didn’t want to. “No wonder he clammed up! Can I be your friend as well, Sunrise?”
“Sure! But only when he’s asleep. I can’t talk until he’s not awake. He likes you a lot. He cares about you, and everypony else on board.”
Ixia sat down next to the tub, where she could be eye to eye with Point/Sunrise. “He does care, but he has unusual ways to show how much he does.”
“He’s such a nerd… always has, always will! It took me to break through and get out from under Father’s abusive hooves. He’s so reluctant to fight.”
“But that won’t stop him when he needs to.”
“It’s why he’s so vicious. He hates fighting so much, he gets it over with fast.” Sunrise said before giggling girlishly. “He took my lessons well, yes?”
“You showed him how to fight? No wonder he has such an odd fighting style… he fights like a pegasus, not a unicorn!”
“but then, I thought I was a unicorn, not a pegasus.” Sunrise said. “I just did what felt right.”
“You did good. Why do I see different color hairs growing in, and why did his cutie mark change color?”
Sunrise paused before answering, looking thoughtful. “Because his soul is changing, going back towards Radiance Glow’s soul. It won’t go all the way back, but he will get a red and white stripe in his mane, and a green stripe in his tail. Other than that, he won’t look any different.”
“How could two souls inhabit the same body at the same time?” Ixia asked, curious.
“I don’t know, Ixia. Mama says I had trouble being born, so my soul jumped to Radiance’s body. How I did that, I could not tell you. I just wish he would have listened to me much sooner, but I didn’t know how to communicate with him.” Sunrise said plaintively. “Uh oh… he’s waking up. Gotta go, Ixia!”
“See you later, Sunrise.” Ixia said as Point shut his eyes, then re-opened them, the color back to purple.
“Think you can help me out of the pool, Ixie? I feel like I’m turning into a stewed prune!” Point said in his normal voice.
“Okay, Point.” Ixia got Point out of the hot tub. A difficult chore, because he was limp as a wet noodle. She got him dried off and hefted him onto a gurney. “Try this again in a couple of days?”
“Sounds good to me. I can tell, she liked floating in the water.”
‘She did. I assure you, she did.”
“I believe you, Ixie. Until I can use my magic again, I’m sort of next to useless, so, back to Zubon’s tender mercies and back to my researches.”
# # #
Later that night, Ixia went to Wandering Path’s cabin to give her report. After listening to her, Wandering pulled up a crystal. “Everything matches with what Mama Twilight managed to find out about phenomena like this. Apparently, it is quite rare, even among twins. Maybe one in a million manage the feat. When it happens, the souls usually wind up battling, causing insanity in the survivor as the two souls conflict. It’s also very hard to find, unless you even suspect there is a soul issue.
“When he was examined years ago, the soul problem was masked by the magical trauma he had undergone. Now, having had a similar form of trauma, it, well, jarred things loose. Next time Destined comes out here, he will examine Point, after getting some pointers on what to look for. No rush in this, seeing as he’s not going anywhere.”
Ixia took the crystal and tucked it in a pouch. “I’ll study this closely before his next appointment. Maybe I can prize more information out of Sunrise. She sounds like a good soul to know.”
“You do your job, Ixia, I’ll do mine. Get him healthy.”
“Will do, Captain!”