//------------------------------// // Chapter 10: Mind Palace // Story: One Thousand Years Ago, Book 2 // by Scroll //------------------------------// Flinging the door open, Cozy Glow leaps onto her bed and squishes her pillow between her forehooves. As she does so, she nuzzles her pillow with her face while tears of joy sink into it. Giddy and affectionate feelings overwhelm her as she thinks about the simple party she had in her honor in the mess hall. As Sunset had promised, it was such a small thing, but it felt so meaningful to her to know that some of the friends she made so far were all there to support and cheer her on. Cheese Pie made a delicious strawberry cheesecake which, incidentally, was the favorite of her human twin sister. That's why she got so into it as well, and there it was. It impressed Flapjack enough to land Cheese a job as an assistant chef on this ship, too. Bonus. Cozy did not expect to be so moved during the celebration, but when the lights were off on the second deck of the ship except for a few candles on her cake, Cozy recalled looking around at those gathered to celebrate her and she thought, They are here for me! They are actually here for me! Hooray! Cozy is sniffling when she feels a warm pulse emanate on her chest as well as within herself. She pulls the pillow back enough to check what it is. She's only half surprised to notice that her geode is giving off a warm, pulsing red glow. “Knock-knock,” Sunset greets Cozy at the entrance of her room. “Oh! Sunset!” Cozy says excitedly as she sits up. “Come in! Come in!” “Thank you,” Sunset says with a warm smile as she enters. “So what brings you here?” Cozy asks quickly in an effort to divert the subject away from her exposed feelings. “Uhhhhh,” Sunset pauses as she blinks at Cozy. “You invited me here. Remember? Back at the party, you said to meet you in your room after the party. So . . . here I am.” “I did?” Cozy asks, feeling perplexed. “Yes, you did,” Sombra inwardly reminds, “because I asked you to.” “Oh, right!” Cozy exclaims in realization. “Now I recall.” She focuses on Sunset. “The truth is, I wasn't the one who really invited you here. Sombra was.” “Oh?” Sunset looks taken aback. “Okay, so . . . what does he want?” Cozy's eyes glaze as she listens to his response, then focuses back on Sunset as she answers, “He says he wants you to touch me and we all join together in something he calls a 'Mind Palace'.” Cozy tilts her head in confusion at Sunset. “Do you know what he's talking about?” “I think I do,” Sunset responds. “Basically, I think it means he wants the three of us to talk face to face.” “That sounds about right,” Cozy figures. “I think I have some idea what this conversation will be about, too. There is some tricks he wanted to teach you.” Sunset sighs as she shakes her head, then says, “Let's stop guessing and find out for sure.” Sunset approaches and touches Cozy on the shoulder, then asks, “You ready?” Cozy nods as she says, “Sure,” before closing her eyes and accepting her fate. Moments later, she can feel magic wash over her. The next time she opens her eyes, both Sunset and her are standing in a dark void on top of some transparent, circular, glowing platform along with Sombra standing nearby. Also, noteably, Sunset regained her human form while here. Sunset sweeps a gaze across this empty surroundings with a frown, then she asks, “Couldn't you invite us to someplace less drab, Sombra?” “Our surroundings are irrelevant to this conversation, at least to me,” Sombra answers. “You two are the guests here.” He bows to them a little. “So I will defer to your creative judgment. If you wish to change our surroundings, then be my guest.” Sunset taps the bottom of her chin with a hand for a moment as she gives a thoughtful look, then she smiles as she says, “Okay. I think I can cover that.” Sunset closes her eyes and concentrates. Their surroundings quickly change to some kind of grassy park. When Cozy sees her new surroundings, it quickly becomes familiar to her. Apparently she isn't the only one. Sombra, too, seems overcome by a wave of nostalgia. Only after seeing that did Cozy realize where she had seen this herself. “Oh, I recognize where we are!” Cozy exclaims. “This is the same park that you and Rainbow Dash . . .” “. . . took me to play some sports,” Sombra and Cozy finish simultaneously which prompts a curious look to each other. “Oh yeah!” Sunset exclaims in remembrance. “I keep forgetting that both of you have human Cozy's memories.” Sombra's thoughtful look transfers from Cozy to Sunset, then he looks across the park with a glazed look. “I . . . or rather human Cozy had lots of picnics here, too. One of them was with her mother as the two of them gazed up at the stars.” “Another was a time when she came here with Diamond Tiara and the Belle family,” Cozy also recalls. “She was still scheming against Diamond at the time, but since Diamond was already depressed, she allowed her to recover some so that it would hurt her more to tear her down later.” “Instead she ended up her beloved adopted sister,” Sunset points out rather insistently. “Plans can change.” “Indeed,” Sombra agrees with a reminiscing look. They are silent for a moment until Sunset asks Sombra, “So . . . what is it you wanted to talk to me about?” Asking that question drew Sombra's attention back to Sunset. For a moment, there is a distant look in his eyes that reminds both Cozy and Sunset of Cozy's human counterpart, but it vanishes after he closes his eyes, shakes his head, and opens his eyes again with regathered composure. “Right. Well . . . I have multiple subjects to address to you both,” Sombra begins as he faces the two women more fully, then he focuses on Cozy in particular. “Let's start with you,” he decides. He nods to her in respect as he says, “I applaud your efforts and determination to get stronger for the sake of others. However, it seems I need to remind you to play to your strengths rather than your weaknesses.” “Huh?” Cozy asks, perplexed. Sombra waves a hoof across the air as he says, “Don't get me wrong. Working on your strength and stamina will ultimately work in your favor. If you want to become a better flier, this is likely a good path to take. “On the other hoof, I don't think it is realistic that you'll get strong enough any time soon to lift the others on this ship. You're not working with significant equipment here, at least on the brawn front.” “Oh!” Cozy blinks in realization. “You're saying I should stop working on making my physical muscles stronger and instead continue focusing on my magic? “But, Sombra, I can't even turn a doorknob using my magic, let alone pick up anypony else.” Sombra half shrugs as he says, “Be that as it may, I still think you have far greater magical potential rather than physical, especially since you're further augmented by your magic geode. As you continue your relationships and deepen your social bonds, that gem will only get stronger and stronger. In the long gallop, it is the more likely path for you to achieve this particular goal. Moreover, it can do it more efficiently. Using your magic to manipulate others has far better reach and potential precision.” “I suppose you have a point,” Cozy accepts as she looks off to her side. “That would further my magic training, too, which is something else I wanted to work on.” She looks back at Sombra. “This latest development only gives me more incentive to train harder in this route.” Sombra points at Cozy as he announces, “To that end, I would like to draw your attention to this place.” The same hoof that originally points to Cozy now waves around them. “You can withdraw your mind into the crystal you wear at any time. When you do, time outside of the crystal becomes relative. Depending on your will, you can make it move as fast or as slow as you wish. The only thing you can't do is make it run in reverse.” He looks to his side. “Of course, there are other tricks to hoofle that aspect.” “So I can use this place as a location for a training montage,” Cozy realizes, “and time can be frozen outside of the gem.” “Yes, but this only applies to mostly mental affairs,” Sombra points out. “If you practiced martial arts here, you'd know it out there.” He waves outwardly. “Strangely enough, this even applies to muscle memory because the mind is part of reflexes. If you master a physical skill here, you can master it out there to some extent. “However, if you build a machine here, it won't be built out there. Use this place to practice the profession, but out there is the only place you do it for real. “Also, just like the environment can be customized to your will,” he makes a brown brick suddenly materialize in the air which he floats using his magic, “you can also materialize mental facsimiles of objects here. They are not real, however. They are just a mental projections which is similar to dream stuff. Some effort may be required to simulate them realistically, but I know one trick that could help you both gather some authenticity on that account.” He looks at Sunset as he says to her, “Which brings me to you. There are several tricks that I'd like to teach you and you have an interesting spell to help you learn them fast. In particular, I want to teach you the 'Scan' spell, and I also want to teach you crystal science as well as the enchanting process thereof.” “Scan spell?” Sunset asks. Sombra nods as he announces, “I know a spell that will analyze the properties of an object you scan. Once you've done that, the information the spell gathers can be stored here.” He waves outwardly, then causes a book to suddenly materialize which replaces the brick. This, too, he also floats. “If you imagine a book like this, one will materialize in here and be remembered by the crystal. As you will, the information you gained from the 'scan' spell can be imprinted in this imaginary book which can have as many pages as you want. It, in turn, has perfect memory, though I won't say unlimited memory capacity.” He looks around. “Crystals can store a great deal of information. Even your tiny little geodes could hold the text of all of Equestria's great libraries.” He looks back at Sunset. “But that said, mediums like this do eventually have their limits, though it can be increased by either increasing the size of the crystal, or networking them to other crystals. If that is achieved, then that crystal matrix can accomplish something akin to the human world's internet.” “Wow. So we can store information here in any form we desire?” Cozy checks. Sombra nods at her as he explains, “A tablet, a computer, a book, a scroll . . . anything you want. Ultimately it does not matter what form the information takes as long as it is recognizable and usable to you. In truth, the crystal itself is where the information will be stored. You may add information here at your leisure up to the crystal's maximum capacity which is an achievement unlikely to be accomplished within either of your mortal lifetimes.” He looks back at Sunset as he adds, “Although the scan spell can be aimed at other books as well. If and when you do, a mental copy of the book could be stored within this crystal or yours, Sunset Shimmer.” He shrugs as he says, “Note, the book you scan will have the same spelling and grammar errors as the original book. It will also have the same writing style as the original author, though the mental copy can be very easily edited here with the mere act of will. If you don't do that, however, the information can be remembered here pretty much indefinitely, thus rendering it immune to the ravages of time.” He looks at Cozy as he tells her, “In the Red Crystal, I had a mental copy of every book in the Crystal Empire library. Over the centuries, Crystal Sage gradually added to that information by writing in other virtual books, or modifying the information of the copied books. I'm glad I had them, too. It gave me something to do across those many centuries. “My point is, both of you can do the same thing with your crystals. Information can be stored here permanently. After that, all you'd have to do is either mentally withdraw inside here, in which case time becomes relative outside, or you can summon a sort of hallucination of the mental book on the outside. If you do that, time flows normally. Also note that nobody else who isn't connected to this crystal will be able to perceive it at all unless they have some other ability that will allow them to gain access to this information. “So,” he looks back at Sunset, “I want you to touch me and use your crystal to absorb my memories. When you do, I'll offer very specific ones. In particular, I will offer the knowledge of the 'scan' spell. Once you have that knowledge, you can touch Cozy and pass this knowledge on to her.” Sunset looks uncomfortable as she asks, “Are you sure? Cozy is barely versed in spellcasting at all, and I am badly out of practice with it myself.” “Then the knowledge I offer you may help you catch up,” Sombra tells her. “I'm quite an accomplished wizard, if I do say so myself. I was trained by the great Star Swirl the Bearded back in my day, so it doesn't get much more top tier than that.” Sunset crosses her arms as she holds an uncomfortable look. “You do want to be magically prepared in this journey, do you not?” Sombra reminds. “You, too, can save passengers on this ship from a lethal fall. You had the knowledge of the teleportation spell. That is a spell that even I haven't mastered. With it, you can just teleport would-be victims from this ship straight to the ground or anywhere else that you like, though I'd advise doing it quickly before they build much momentum which could be carried with you as you teleport to your destination.” He nods at her as he adds in a lecturing tone, “Kinetic force is among the things that can be transferred along with whatever creature or object you teleport, though a very skilled wizard knows how to be more selective with what is included in the journey. You could teleport a subject without their clothes, for example, or without the built kinetic force of the falling subject. I warn you, however, a sudden halt of that built kinetic energy is very disorienting to the subject. There is rarely greater odds of teleportation sickness than the circumstance I just described.” “If a teleportation spell can be that selective, then it seems to me it could be used as a very lethal weapon,” Cozy realizes. “For instance, teleport a living subject anywhere else but don't include the subject’s heart. That person will arrive on the other side and die within mere moments.” “It can be worse than that,” Sombra warns Cozy. “Teleport a non-flier high into the sky, or deep under the ocean, or into lava, or worse yet . . . into solid rock. In that case, they'll fuse into the rock, creating near-instantaneous death.” He shakes his head. “Nasty way to go, but very few have mastered that spell, let alone learn to be that creative and precise with it.” “I do want to re-master my old gifts,” Sunset promises Sombra. “It's just that . . . something about this strategy rubs me the wrong way.” “Short cuts to power isn't inherently wrong,” Sombra lectures to Sunset. “It's how you use it that determines morality. Power, in the right hooves, can be used for great benefit.” Sunset pauses for a moment in silence as her eyes look down slightly, then she looks back at Sombra as she realizes, “Yeah. That's it. That is why I'm uncomfortable with this strategy. Power can definitely corrupt when it is used and abused in the hands of those who did not take the time and effort to earn it fairly. That lack of wisdom creates the seeds for greater mistakes later.” Sombra looks slightly offended at that response as he says, “That is, of course, your prerogative . . . but would it still be that easy to morally justify that opinion when it costs you the life of your friends, I wonder? There is definitely value in being prepared for danger.” He lowers his head slightly as he peers at her sharply. “Look . . . I agree that wisdom takes time. That will always be true, but learning while having the tools in your hands can be a lot faster than learning how to build those tools in the first place. Both strategies have their own value, but one of them leads you to be more prepared to defend your friends in a more timely manner. “Look,” he gestures to his chest then waves off at Sunset, “the method I'm offering isn't much different than if you stand here and I teach you in person the long way. Considering this place’s potentially timeless environment, that really is a valid option, but gathering my memories may include the wisdom I've learned in the process.” He cuts a hoof across the air. “It shouldn't corrupt your personality because it's a very small part of my memories. Once you have it, use it as you see fit. I just want to give you the tools you need to be prepared for your future.” He stomps a hoof in the grass below him. “This is my way of expressing care and concern for you. Do you deny me this?” Sunset gives a pushing motion towards Sombra as she says, “Look, I thank you for your concern and your offer. I might even take it, but I'm uncomfortable making a habit out of this.” She crosses her arms again. “I remember a time in my life . . . actually, several in fact . . . where I attempted to use certain short cuts to great power. Magic is very mysterious and sacred . . . and it can do so much damage to those who are not prepared for it.” Sunset's eyes shift to look at Cozy as she adds, “Just ask her. She siphoned magic from Grogar's Bell to jump-start an evolution to an alicorn, but the one she became is very different from the ones that came before her.” Cozy looks down with a slight frown as she still recalls that memory with strong appeal, but what came afterwards still makes her shudder. “It isn't your knowledge that I fear directly,” Sunset says as she looks back at Sombra. “Instead, I fear what I might become when something like this is thrust upon me too suddenly.” “The method might be sudden at first, but further development continues to occur over time,” Sombra offers. “I'm trying to teach you a method to gather yet more knowledge faster and more precisely. This is the same as hoofing you a microscope. Once you have the tool, you are the one who must choose to use it. Once you scan a book, you are the one who needs to come in here and read it. All you've done is store a mental copy of it here. Regardless if there is relative time outside of this crystal, you are the one who must spend your time and effort learning the knowledge the book has to offer.” “I guess,” Sunset relents a little. “Okay, how about this . . . teach me just the scan spell. I'll pass that on to Cozy.” She nods to Cozy as she adds, “With her permission, of course.” She looks back at Sombra. “However, I draw the line there. I'm willing to learn crystal science from you, but teach me using more normal methods. I want to learn this myself, not suddenly inherit it from you.” Sombra frowns at her and shakes his head slightly as he says, “What a waste. You're the only one I know who has a power like this. You could use it to gather more knowledge so much faster.” “I do to some extent, but I've learned to be very careful with my abilities,” Sunset says. “Gathering the wrong kind of knowledge can do a lot of damage, even unintentionally. I've stumbled upon secrets that I'll go to my grave regretting the fact that I've gathered them. Secrets that are very personal to the subject in question. It's also possible I can 'inherit' nasty habits like a craving for smoking or something like that. “The mind is a very complicated place, and it can be treacherous to explore without the wisdom to do it cautiously. That's another reason I've been studying psychology recently. Knowing how and why people think and feel the way that they do helps me to navigate hidden hazards when I explore within. I've come to respect the dangers this kind of power offers. It is not to be taken lightly. “In fact, I have the same philosophy when it comes to magic in general. It is a wondrous gift and it can offer many chances for deepened understanding and learning, but it can also offer horrors and misunderstanding. By respecting the power, I also learned not to abuse it. It's important to know when to use it, and when not to.” Sunset tilts her head at Sombra as she asks somewhat emphatically, “Tell me, Sombra, if you had this philosophy a long time ago, do you think it's possible you might have avoided some of the mistakes you made? Or are you going to stand there and tell me you have no regrets at all?” Sombra sighs, then admits, “Touché. You've made some excellent points, Sunset Shimmer. In some ways, you've demonstrated more wisdom now than I have learned in over a thousand years.” “It helps to be open-minded and willing to learn from your mistakes . . . and friends,” Sunset expresses. Sombra shrugs a bit as he says, “And I don't want to push anything upon you that you're unwilling to receive. If I did, that would be abuse, and I shudder to think to do that to a mare.” He looks her up, down, then up again as he corrects, “Or woman, I should say.” “That's one of the reasons I'm willing to accept your offer, at least to a limited point. It helps me to know you're unwilling to harm me,” says Sunset. “If I didn't know that about you, I wouldn't trust you with this method. As it stands, I'm willing to accept your offer as long as you are very specific with it. Teach me the scan spell. I'll learn the rest on my own.” “Very well.” He closes his eyes. “Proceed,” he invites. “I am concentrating on the knowledge of that spell. Target that, and you shall gain only that which you are willing to receive.” Cozy watches as Sunset vanishes and reappears next to Sombra in order to reach and touch him, but the pegasus knows that Sunset didn't really teleport in here. This is a dream reality. It works on a different set of rules. While it might be a mere cosmetic effect in here, Cozy nonetheless sees Sunset's geode glow brightly even right through her hand which clasps it. As in, the hand that isn't touching Sombra. When Sunset is done, she steps back and appears to need a second to adjust. During that time, she briefly seems a bit dizzy. When she recovers, both she and Sombra open their eyes simultaneously and look at each other. When their eyes meet, Sunset nods at Sombra as she says, “The formula is actually pretty simple. Much more simple than I expected.” “Simple to learn, but potentially complex in execution,” Sombra says. “The spell will reveal the truth of the item you scan, but you are not guaranteed to understand the information it presents. If you scan an unidentified substance, the mental copy of it will still be just as mysterious. If you scan a book written in a foreign language, the text will remain illegible to you. Keep that in mind as you use it. It preserves a copy of what you scanned in here. That's all. It's up to you to learn from it based on that.” Sunset nods in acceptance as she says, “Which makes it less overpowered than I thought. Still,” she puts her fingers to her lips, “it opens up interesting avenues of possibilities. By scanning a food I like, I can eat it in here over and over again without fear of getting fat. I can also scan and drink poison with no physical consequence in here.” Sunset appears to realize something, then she asks Sombra, “What if I scan a magical object? Will a copy of the magical functions be retained in here?” “Sort of,” Sombra answers. “A copy of its energy patterns can be scanned and preserved in here, but it’s important to understand that the only thing created here is merely a mental projection of that information. Thus, scanning a cursed magical item will not harm you in here, but it does give you a chance to study it under safer conditions.” “What if it's an intelligent magical item?” Sunset queries further. “Did I just create a new life in here?” This question makes Sombra pause. He even widens his eyes slightly as he thinks about that, then eventually admits, “I . . . don't know. The scan spell will give you an accurate mental facsimile, but mental energy is all that is required for conscious thought. Basically, that is what we are when we reside in here. I wouldn't call us a copy, but still . . . that's an interesting point. “Based on my previous observations, I would say it is possible you'd copy the mental faculties of the sentient magical item, thereby making a copy of its consciousness. “Well done, Sunset Shimmer. I honestly haven't thought of that before despite my very long period of existence.” “That's something to keep in mind, then,” Sunset realizes with a thoughtful look as she turns her head to the side. “If the object I scan happens to contain an evil consciousness, then I just created a dangerous opponent in here who is capable of its own free will.” Sombra shrugs as he says, “Think of it as a challenge. You did say you like to redeem former villains. Why should the consciousness of an evil magical item be any different?” “True, I could try that,” Sunset figures as she looks back at Sombra. “Still, it's wise to keep that danger in mind. To do otherwise is to be unprepared for the threat.” Sombra nods in respect to Sunset as he commends, “Once again, I bow in respect to your remarkable foresight. You are a credit to your wizardly profession, Sunset Shimmer. If all of our kind was as wise as you, we might have avoided many mistakes in the past . . . or future.” Sunset grins as she says, “Something to keep in 'mind', huh?” Sombra chuckles, then agrees, “Indeed.”