//------------------------------//
// Infinity 
// Story: Book 1 - The Behemoth came to Canterlot 
// by Equimorto 
//------------------------------//

Twilight sat on the edge of the chunk of rock suspended in the void, looking at the nothingness around her, taking slow deep breaths in and out. From somewhere behind her, she heard a click, then hoofsteps approaching.
Starlight sat next to Twilight. For a while, she was silent. Then, finally, she asked, "Nervous?"
"Nervous," Twilight agreed. "But that's normal. It's expected. It's okay as long as I don't freak out and do something stupid because of it."
Starlight nodded. She was quiet for a little while still, just looking around. "Why here?"
"I find it calming," Twilight replied. "With nothing to look at, it's easy to just let go of thoughts for a while. And I like the sound of the clocks."
"You do?" Starlight raised an eyebrow. "It all sounds a bit too messy for my tastes."
Twilight nodded. "I do, really. I like how regular it is. You can just pretend it's not there, but if you do focus on it it's so well organised." She chuckled. "It's kinda funny how time doesn't really pass here. Something ironic about it, I guess."
"I suppose," said Starlight. "Personally I just find all that noise makes me more nervous. Like it's constantly counting down to something, or counting up the time I'm wasting."
Twilight smiled. "I understand. I think I'll buy a clock from here, one day."
"Buy." Starlight gave a hint of a laugh, deliberately cut short. "I'm not sure if you can call it that, here."
"You can't stop me."
Starlight smiled too. "Is the spell ready?"
"As ready as it's ever going to get." Twilight looked a bit further up, though the patch of black nothingness she was staring at didn't show any particular differences from the one she'd been observing moments before. "At least without testing it. And I suppose that's what I'll be doing."
"Still not telling me why you're doing this?"
Twilight sighed. "How much time did you spend looking at the portal before you made up your mind about following me in here?"
Starlight bit her lower lip. "Enough for someone to ask me if I was okay," she admitted. "But hey, I got in eventually. I'm improving."
"Exactly." Twilight put a hoof on one of Starlight's. "And it's precisely because you're improving that I don't intend to bother you with more information than strictly necessary. Not while you're still working on getting better."
Starlight pouted in protest. "But I just want to be helpful."
"And you'll be more helpful in the long term if you take some time off now and then get back to things when you can give them your all," said Twilight. "It's the better solution overall, and you know it."
Starlight held up a vaguely accusatory hoof, blinking as she thought things through. "Curse you and your logic," she spat out, but not without her tone betraying the lack of seriousness behind her words. She sighed, looking into the distance. "I suppose all I can do then is wish you good luck, Twilight."
"Thank you," the other replied. "I'm going to need it."