In Twilight

by Kentavritsa


Going Under: 4

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I had been enjoying, the time I had been sitting in the sofa, and why not?  Despite the peculiar design, it is more than comfortable enough, to me.

Since I had not been particularly interested, in the TV, or the options it offers, I had left it alone.  Nothing stops me, from exploring what it is, or what I could use it for; later, when I have nothing better to do.  When I have explored my new home, from top to bottom.

I had started on the second floor, working my way downwards; only making a stop, at the garden and my breakfast.  I intend to continue down. At least, a few more levels; if there are indeed, that many floors down below my hooves now.

This time, I actually do close the door behind me; as I trot out of the room, just as I close the other doors as I trot by the room in the hall.

I continue down the flight of stairs, curious and eager to see what is waiting for me, to discover.
Wooden floor, coated in rubber.  I have the squeaks accompanying me, as I continue down.

“Oh!  Ooh!” I mumble, in delight of the friend, following me towards where I am going.

Just as before, I reach the end of the flight of stairs.  I find myself in a small hall. There is a door on the other side, and I open it with practiced ease.  Horn alight, magic surging forth, reaching for the handle and the door swings up. Quietly, silent. The hinges are new, well-oiled.

I step over the threshold and enters the hall.  I have doors to my right and left.

The floor is light beach-wood, and still coated with the same clear rubber.  I hear the squeaks as I trot forwards.

The walls are laid with pinch cherry-wood.  Naturally, it had been coated with clear rubber, only slightly tainted in pink.

A stainless steel door, clad in dark oak-wood.  Why does this not surprise me, as I notice the glossy surface of clear rubber coating that as well?  The same door-handle, in human style. I recognize it, but have yet to figure out who made it and placed it in my home.

I am a Pony, not a Human.  Why then, is everything built to Human specifications and standards?

Maybe I am lucky, to be a Unicorn wielding magic.  I can open each door, with ease. In my case, practiced ease; almost as if I had used these doors, my entire life.

There is one peculiar detail in the architecture of this hall, I have a star-skape.  The ceiling is coated with black, mate rubber; only scattered LED lights spread out, forming the constellations of an unfamiliar night-sky.

I will be enjoying studying these stars, when I get up to a window, or step out in my yard.  I just need to wait, until the sun goes down, so that the stars can come to life.

The day does not belong to Princess Celestia, just as the night is not belonging to Princess Luna.  What a strange world?

I have never watched the stars, on a truly alien world before!” I realize.

While I had been outside, that was in daytime; and I never really looked up, even then.

Of course, I did not know I had an alien sky back then.  Nothing suggesting the sky did not belong to the Princesses of Day and Night.  The sky is blue; and the sun is warm, yellow. Everything looks quite normal, so why bother looking up?

Maybe I should make the effort, to be up so I can see the stars tonight!” I ponder.

All assuming, I will still be awake.  Who knows how long the day is, on an alien world?  This is after all not Equestria.

Since it is still day, and the sun is up; I can as well explore the rooms, I have before me.  I will still have to go up, in order to make myself some lunch; but after that, I can return to my exploration once more.

“Lunch, not launch!” I giggle.

This is a house, a building; not a vehicle, or a ship of any kind.

I open the door on my right, only to find a room identical to the hall within which I am standing.  It is fifteen by twenty feet. Not very large, but it is consistent with what I have seen from outside.

Of course the floor is identical to that of the hall.  The walls are also the same. Leaving the ceiling naturally flowing in from outside, the hall.  Seamlessly, as if the door had not even been there.

The ceiling is just eight feet from the floor, perfectly fine for human standards.  Just a bit far up, for me as a Pony. Good thing, I am not likely to need to reach the ceiling.  Though I guess I could levitate, I am after all a Unicorn. No lamps to swap, and nothing else in the room.  Makes it feel barren. Should have been fine, had this been outdoors.

I feel, as if I had been experiencing Nightmare Moon’s eternal Night, aside from the light being quite sufficient.  It is almost, as if I had had full daylight. Indoors.

Strange!” I ponder.

Could I get used to it, but I need to see the rest of this floor before lunch!” I continue.

Should I leave the door open, or close it?” I ponder, as I step out of the curious room.

“Naeh, I guess I leave it, for now!” I mumble, as response to my question.

Did I have to answer myself, vocally?  I had done so. Maybe I had felt an urge to banish the silence? Speaking up, momentarily had the desired effect; since the walls do grant acoustics to enjoy.

I leave the door as I had left it.  Grabbing the handle to the next door, on the right; pulling the door open, only to find an identical room.  Just one more room, identical to the previous.

I leave the door open, focusing on the next as I continue down the hall.

What were these rooms for?  What had they intended the rooms to be?” I ponder, but no response or answer forthcoming.

Maybe I had had better luck with that, had I pronounced the question in words?  There is none here, so who would answer my questions and prayers? None. I remain quiet.

I enjoy the sounds of the squeaks my hooves grant me with each step.  At least, I am here, alive. I have air to breathe, air to accommodate the sounds to travel through the room.

I open another door, to the next room; then I open another door, to the fourth room.  Another and another. The hall seems to go on forever.

"How many doors are there?” I ponder.

On second thought, it seems as if the night-sky in one room continues seamlessly into the next; only a thin wall separating the two.

Each room, identical to the previous.  The only difference being the night-sky overhead.  The sky is not the same in each room, the constellations are clearly different.

Aside from the walls, I am clearly looking at a single, continuous sky.  The walls only carrying the weight, of the ceiling that is the floor on the floor above me.  Above my head, is an entirely new world.

I only need to turn back, and trot up the flight of stairs to the world where my reasoning still does make sense.  Could I teleport, up there? I dare not sneak up on the room, just in case I am repeating the incident I experienced in my garage.  I did not like that experience then, and I fear I am not going to enjoy it anymore now. Or, ever.

I had stumbled upon a facsimile, falsarium.  Everything being cheap, plastic versions of what should have been there.

I had learned something, never to sneak up on the next room.  Only when I open the door to the room and permits my magic to flood the entire space, can I see the real items, intended to be in the room.

It had been scary, now as I am thinking back.  I do not want to think of it; or experience it, ever again.

I guess, I could make due, trotting from door to door, carefully opening each door in turn.

Counter to my expectation, there isn’t four doors on each side; but rather seven doors, which seems to be more than the space should admit.  I am confused.

Once I had opened the last door on the right; I trot back and open the first door on the left.  As expected, the room is identical to all the rooms on the right side. Not exactly identical, but rather mirrored; but the ceiling is a continuation of the night-sky, I had seen in both the hall and in each of the previous rooms.

Once I had opened the first door, I trot inside to examine the details; before I step out, leaving the door open.  From there, I continue to the next door; pulling it up, before I step in to confirm my expectations.

“Curious!” I exclaim.

One door, after the other; I pull up each door, before I turn back and leave it open.  The room is permitted, to be saturated with my magic. Is this excessive, on my part?

With each door I am opening, I am expanding my sky and my perspective.  As the realization is dawning upon me, I find myself growing excited. Why not, I love the night-sky.  I just need my telescope, so that I can study it properly. But alas, I can’t seem to find my telescope anywhere.  Of course I know why, it failed to turn up on the transfer. The fact changes nothing. Then again, maybe I don’t need it, this time.

I am missing Luna, tight now!” I ponder, considering the new discovery.

As I open the last door on the left side, I soon find myself facing the door at the very end of the hall.  While I had left all the doors open; that is soon to change, despite my best efforts.

I reach out for the door, turning the handle and open the final door before me; ready to peak into the next room before me.

As I step in, I feel a powerful gust of wind blowing through the hall and into the room; past me as I enter the room.  The wind slams the doors behind me shut. I see the originally plastic grass bend in the strong wing as it turns into real, luscious, green grass before my very eyes.

Of course; this room is huge.  Much larger, than I could have been expecting.  The room is simply too large, for the building within which I am currently standing.

While I had not yet realized, that this is a doll-house; this latest segment is mismatched, to the rest of the house, so far as I have seen.  It may be the basement, but still.

As opposed to the night-sky, I have seen in the rest of the floor; this is clearly day.  My sky is clear, nitrogen-blue. Not a single cloud on the sky, as if my friend Rainbow Dash had enlisted the entire Wonder-bolt team, in this effort.  Naturally, they are nowhere to be seen. Not a single Pony, as far as my eyes could see; even if I had had my telescope with me, which I do not have. Unfortunately.

Just as the wind reaches the middle of the room, I step into the room. I have entered the room, as I step over the threshold.  The grass is surprisingly comfortable, under my hooves. While I had been uneasy, as the gust of wind hit me from behind and all the doors slammed shut with a loud bang; the sensation of the soft grass underhoof suddenly made me relax.  I feel the tension let go, like water runs over the back of a goose.

There is a three foot tall cherry-wood panel along the wall, like a picket-fence around the yard.  For a moment, I can forget and ignore the fact that I am merely three inches tall. As I move out on the lawn, it feels as if I had been trotting over the grass on the yard of a regular cabin.

The ceiling in this room is a full nine feet above the floor or ground, making this space feeling more spacious than I could have imagined.  Am I really still inside my home, and indoors?

Entering this room, is an experience like in Alice in Wonderland.  It is utterly unreal. The surreal experience is just out there. It is too much.

This room has no windows, but does not need any.  Putting windows here, would just have ruined the experience.  Maybe Discord could have decorated this room? I guess, it is something he could have done; because there is none other, who could have created this room.

I continue trotting over the grass, just enjoying the wind in my mane.  Once the original gust of wind had reached the edge of the room, a more regular wind had started to pick up.  I like the wind.

As I look up, I can see a large stature.  It is in the shape of a Pony, like me. Almost.

Why is there a statue of me, in the style of a petrified Discord on the lawn?” I exclaim, in confusion and horror.

As I close up on the larger than life statue, I finally notice that it appears to have been carved out of an Amethyst.  Rarity would have pointed out, that this lavender crystal is in fact Sapphire. I could never have told the difference, and certainly not here.  Not without the assistance of Spike and my wealth of books.

Had it been important, this would have made me miss my dear Assistance and the comfort of my library. Now I really do not care.

Maybe I should have been caring more, for the smile of my life-like Statue.  At least; I still know my friend Pinkie Pie would have.

The mare before me is roughly my age, but is clearly an Alicorn.  The horn is slightly longer than mine, even with the scale clearly in mind; but it is more developed, and the spiral it considerably tighter and more pronounced.  She has her wings spread out in what is looking like a protective stance, in what is either a maternal position, or that of a royal.

In shock, I realize that her horn is lighting up; rapidly building up to an incandescent, blinding glow, making me want to avert my gaze.  Of course, this is when I realize that I can’t.

“Congratulations, Twilight; you found me!” she proclaims, in what could have been her Royal Canterlot voice.

“Whoa!” is all that escapes my mouth.

“You are me, and I am you!” she explains, smiling back at me.

“Wait, what?” I inquire, in hushed, reverent tones.

I almost bow, at my very own image; even if this clearly is not a Pony, but a statue of another me.

“Exactly!” she pronounces; “While you were snatched right out of your world, I am still very much in mine; a very different world, I am certain you know enough of this!” she points out.

”Since I am a mere Unicorn, and you are a full-fledged Alicorn already; that would indicate some significant differences, between our respective worlds!” I breathe.

”Very astute, my dear Twilight!” she points out.

”Thank you, I am Twiligth!” I respond.

”Twilight, in twilight? I guess there is a certain poetry, in that!” she suggests.

”In twilight?” I inquire; ”You mean?” I continue.

”Enjoy your stay!” she pronounces; ”This is twilight; the moment, between possibilities!” she explains; ”Do not worry, dear Twilight; I assure you, you most certainly are not dead!” she points out, matter of fact.

”Thank you, I certainly do not feel dead; and I can't recall dying, either!” I respond.

”As if, you would actually remember that?” she points out; ”I am here, but do not waste too much time, here; talking to yourself, or a statue?” she suggests.

I think it may be high time, for me to go back and grab myself something to eat!” I ponder, ”Since you are here, I guess I could get back and see you; if, and when I feel the urge or need to see you!” I inquire; ”Or, just need someone other than myself, to talk to?” I conclude.

”I am you, or more to the point; another you, just as the day you encountered your future self!” she explains.

”Guess I have a habit, of running into myself!” I mumble, as I turn around, slowly trotting over the grass.

How long had it been, since I had my last meal? Seems, as if I had lost track of time!” I ponder.

This latest encounter, certainly did not make anything easier on me.

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