//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: Archard // Story: The Other Life // by Illuminate Sparkle //------------------------------// "Did you see? He didn't even show up!" Bon Bon whispered towards the very light aquamarine unicorn. "Yeah... It's weird isn't it?" Lyra Heartstring whispered back with a low suffering voice. "If you loved somepony you should at least meet up at hers funeral. Maybe he's even the one who - " "Who what, exactly?" Twilight's annoyed voice disturbed the mares conversation. "Killed her, is that what you think?" The two mares quickly moved away from the somewhat angry unicorn. " - But then again why isn't he showing up?" Rainbow Dash talked with clenched teeth's while more tears began to overwhelm her. "You know what? I've had enough of him, I should never have trusted him!" The pegasus quickly flew away while the other from mane six quickly went home to themselves. No pony had the strength to argue and frankly, had they barely enough strength to enjoy the upcoming days. Twilight sighed while she looked towards the chest, over decorated with flowers - cakes and balloons. The chairs were adorned by the most beautiful gems Rarity could find, a choir of the most amazing birds Fluttershy had trained up and the most delicious apple pies somepony could eat after the long ceremony. Because they had a feeling that Pinkie Pie would have liked a little more lively funeral. However, only tears had almost overflooded the funeral. Even after the ceremony would barely somepony talk to each other. I know this is a funeral but I know you would have wanted a more... cheerful funeral. This may have been the funeral you deserved but obviously not the one you wanted. A claw grabbed Twilight's mane and a small dragon with sorrowful eyes met the unicorn's. "Can we go home now..?" Spike whispered hoarse. Twilight nodded and they slowly left the magnificent pink chest. I pinkie promise that... I will do my best to protect Cecilio, Pinkie Pie. Hooves and claws trampled in the damp grass. The weak sun glittered in the humid air which was filled with smoke created by warm alterations. Small droplets fell from the green - yellow trees who together created small puddles. When the small droplets in the air was illuminated by the weak sun was different colors created, eventually a rainbow. "Look how beautiful Spike" Twilight said out of a sudden while pointing one of her hooves towards the sky. The small dragon barely looked up while continuing walking home with his head looking down at the ground. I guess this mood will last for awhile for all of us. When they finally ended up at the front door, it opened. A human with dark tired eyes, dry lips, bony cheeks and too pale for his original light brown color, whispered quietly "I'm just going for a little walk" No eye contact. No hug. I doubt that you are just going out for a little walk, whatever you do just " - Be careful" Twilight expressed with a soft worried voice. While Spike entered the house, she continued to watch the human. He walked for himself with a rigid body. The same course Spike and her just walked on. ***** "I'm so sorry Pinkie Pie but soon enough will happiness be restored to Ponyville" Cecilio uttered while holding his cold hands on the drippy chest. His black thin trousers were wet due to him sitting on the knees on the wet grass. His forehead touched the chest while his last tears fell towards it. It was barely anypony left. Good. Instead of feeling the suspicious looks could he concentrate his final thoughts to Pinkie Pie. Everything he wanted to say, which he sadly, wasn't able to. Why did he wait? Afraid of her reaction? it's not until it's too late, one regrets what he haven't done during his life. " Ah knew you would, eventually, come." a deep voice hummed. Cecilio who got slightly startled looked behind him and as expected, was that stallion standing there. "Ah knows what kind of plan you have. I won't stop you but please reconsider it. You still 'ave ponies who cares about you in Ponyville" Big Macintosh continued A pleased face met Big Macintosh while Cecilio whispered as his last goodbye: "Sorry for not competing during the next years cider - festival." A tear were shed by the red stallion. A last friendly hug as a goodbye between the two of them. Maybe we just spent a day here and there together but still, it always felt like you somehow understood how I worked as a being. The human continued then towards his final path, while recollecting the letter he had left for Twilight. Dear Twilight. Do you remember the first time we met each other? That goofy atmosphere and curiosity we had towards each other? I sure do remember that. Ever since that day have you been one of my closest friends. You have learned me so much about this wonderful world and at the same time, I hope you learned something from me. Everytime I've had a dark cloud over my head you have done your best to understand my problem, while finding a resolution to it. Sadly, I wish I had contributed the same towards you. Even though you understand me so well, I think it's one thing your brilliant mind have simply overseen. The fact that I'm a failed being. I had everything but my curiosity of my past have done so much damage to everypony, that I have only one way to go. Kill the ones who took my beloved away from everypony and thus, will peace be restored to the village. The reason I didn't tell you this personally is simply because you wouldn't let me, also because I can't let you, another friend, close to my heart - End like Pinkie Pie. - Cecilio "You idiot" Twilight said to herself while galloping." If my theory is right, your little mission will only hurt yourself." And if I'm right there is another reason I must stop you - Even though I love you. The owl, also called the Night Templar, found the tension very interesting. Even though it was day - time, it flew, towards its destination. ***** With the help of some wind magic cut Cecilio through the hard branches. Instead of gently avoiding trees and such he turned them into nothingness. Birds and insects quickly fled while the plant life itself had to suffer. Such trivial things wasn't on his mind, only the thirst of revenge. When finally reaching the flower meadow, the same one he had landed on that night, the same one he had met Pinkie Pie on, he saw an owl. The owl simply stood there, while looking towards him. Cecilio charged rapidly a weak lightning bolt and aimed it towards the owl. The owl smoothly transformed into a human while dodging the spell. "As expected, you can alter yourself into anything you wish, however, with some limitations if I'm not too wrong?" Cecilio began emotionless. The metamorphose simply looked towards Cecilio, a disgusted sight mixed with a turned - up face. "So then, the puzzle is slowly becoming complete? You also figured out that the timberwolf who appeared here for a few months ago, at this very place was me as well? "And you were probably the one who made the timberwolfs attack Ponyville?" Cecilio added. "The emotional little tool is beginning to understand more and more, almost a little interesting." "During the past few days have I been thinking, analyzing every tiny detail so in the end, I will be able to take down this time that is unlit." "Do you really th-" Another, much stronger lightning bolt flew towards the alterer who quickly evaded that attack as well by transforming his arms into wings and lift his body in the air. "-INK YOU CAN DEFEAT ME?" he yelled. With a beastly roar transformed he into a big, red - green lizard, with sharp a sharp tail and claws, with his very wings blotting out the sun. "Become ashes and never arise again!" Cecilio quickly conjured a small fireball and shot it towards the dragon's head, who swallowed the flame with ease. "You really think a spell, even worst, fire could harm me? No, not even the lightning of yours can harm the hardened shell which is covering my body. What he thought you could accomplish was merely a hope which is about to vanish very soon." "The preparations are finished, let us see how well the inside of your body can take my spell." Before the beast was able to react the spell within his stomach suddenly expanded and a storm of lightning got alive. While the dragon screamed it also quickly altered back to the human form. The human then grabbed his hand inside his throat and puked a massive energy of lightning which burnt through the beautiful meadow. "I didn't expect that however" Cecilio began. An inferno of lightning and black flames was created by little time and washed everything living in front of him into merely remains. Cecilio quickly absorbed it back to his very hands while looking at the destruction before him. " - That's all you could do? After been looking down towards me?" Cecilio continued arrogant while smiling mockingly towards his ashes. Several shadowy hands emerged from Cecilio's very shadow, grabbed him and tried to pull him down towards the soil. Cecilio summoned his lightning magic towards the shadow and as expected, his magic created a lot of light which illuminated the shadows. A clapping sound. "You have improved." the boy smiled towards Cecilio while walking out of the forest towards the destroyed meadow. With half of his face and arm hidden in bandages he still managed to smile. "No that's wrong. Last time had we simply better opportunities against you. Now I assume you have prepared well. I mean, you did after all defeat that boastful idiot." he ended the sentence with a laugh. "Not even you cared about your ally, that's sad..." "AT THE SAME TIME MAKES IT MUCH EASIER TO KILL YOU!" Cecilio roared towards the boy, the one who had attacked Pinkie Pie, the one who had killed her. Cecilio summoned another wall of fire and lightning towards the boy, however, a purple shield-force protected the kid. Cecilio looked furiously around him, trying to find the responsible for this. "I did it." Twilight looked with a serious face towards Cecilio. At her side walked the occult one, the person hiding behind his own shadows. "Twilight, at your right side! He is the leader over the ones who killed Pinkie Pie. RUN AWAY! Cecilio screamed hysterical while making wild gestures towards her. Twilight looked tormented towards Cecilio and shook her head. "I-I don't k-know how t-to explain th-is. Just watch this t-through m-my memory" Twilight stammered. A sparkle was created by her horn and flashed before him. Suddenly was he somewhere else. ***** It was a bright small room. Placed within the big window was a bed placed, on the bed laid Pinkie Pie. She crawled further up on the bed when she saw me and gave me a weak smile. Poor soul. Her whole body wrapped with bandages. Except a small part of her face and the powerful disordered beautiful mane which still gleamed with joy. Why did she want to see alone out of the sudden? "Twilight... " she began weakly. "I have finally forced up some courage, but you must promise not to say anything, especially not mention it to Cecilio." I gulped while looking almost a little scared towards Pinkie Pie. Something she wants to tell only me? Something Cecilio must not know about? "The reason why I waited so long before saying this is because I still love Cecilio and I know he didn't want it to turn out like this. " I could feel how I began to sweat more while listening carefully. "You see the one who attacked me during that day was.... "NO OTHER THAN YOU..." Twilight said loudly while pointing her right front hoof towards Cecilio. He immediately awoke from the memory - spell as Pinkie Pie and Twilight had uttered those words. He trembled. "What..?" Cecilio stuttered dismissal. Twilight didn't say anything but simply nodded. "No.. wait a second here..." That was Twilight's memory and did it seemed so real but if that's true then "...Who are they?! That boy? That being standing next to you now! "Your imagination..." Twilight answered calmed. "What? No that's impossible! Open your eyes, can't you see - " Cecilio was suddenly not able to talk and saw how Twilight's horn glowed. Silencing magic? "Listen now carefully" she began. "Don't you think it was a bit weird of Applejack to ask you who you talked to, back then, when we had arrived after our mission? The reason she asked was simply because back then, we could actually see you in the distance, talking to yourself. You later that day explained your experienced and said they teleported away and I believed you. After all I had just seen you in the distance, maybe I wasn't able to see them in time before disappearing. Now then, remember back to the day when Pinkie Pie got attacked. The very same day had you written a letter to her saying you were training at my place during the day. That never happened because we have always had our discussions and practices at evening. That's true we always had that except on that day! If that's a lie how can I remember it? "The reason you can't comprehend the situation is because of your alter - ego." What? "Your other personality, the one who acted as the other human - The one who killed Pinkie Pie." No.... "Your alter ego had plenty of time that day, to prepare the notes, to lure Pinkie Pie to the clock tower, to lure you, the other personality, to the clock tower." This doesn't make sense... "Even Pinkie Pie herself said she saw you, after beating her almost senseless, fought yourself, almost killed yourself!" Twilight ended her sentence with a deep breath and removed the curse from Cecilio's lips. "...Who was that timberwolf who attacked me during that night, the one Pinkie herself defeated? What about the timberwolfs who attacked Ponyville!? Cecilio quickly spat the words out. "That have nothing to do with this Cecilio... The timberwolf who attacked Pinkie Pie and you that night really happened and one week later they attacked Ponyville. It could maybe be because of revenge? Still, Cecilio, you need help. I haven't told anypony about this... I can help you... I can cure you." "What about that gem that was originally with me? It turned into a black and white stone! You have seen it, it was created thanks to the boy wh-." Cecilio got silenced, he knew the answer. "You created the stone thanks to magic. That boy was you, is you..." Twilight ended the sentence while she gave Cecilio a worried glance. Cecilio saw before him the shrouded person merely standing there. Cecilio turned his head and saw the boy, standing there. The hot rage had for long ago ceased to be and instead was his mind discorded. Everything made suddenly so much more sense to him. The fact that these beings never had targeted anypony, only him. The fact that these beings knew so much about him, sometimes they knew more than himself. Everything makes perfect sense, which means... My hands. The same hands who have stroked her mane... The same voice which had laughed together with her also... Laughed at her. While standing on top of her, leaving her in a bloody mess!? He screamed. His voice, body and soul roared in despair through the dangerous Everfree forest. A beastly howl scaring every living being in the forest, a voice filled with so much torment only wishing - This would end "As I wish" the boy whispered in Cecilio's mind. A sudden magic mixed between shadow and light pierced through Cecilio's heart and stomach while he fell towards the burnt plants. "CECILIO!" Twilight screamed crazed as she teleported towards him. "What... happened...?" he mumbled while coughing up blood. "You just stabbed yourself with both of your hands enchanted with lightning and black flames. Please stay with me! I will first stop that bleeding and then teleport you back to Ponyville. We can lie to the others, even Celestia! You just defeated the enemy! Okay? Just survive, please, I will do more research. I will cure that split personality! His eyes slowly began to slip from the reality. "CECILIO!" It's so cold... Why is it so cold? "I" The colors and sounds are slowly vanishing. "...Always loved you!!!" A bloody hand reached towards Twilight. As the mortal summoned his final spell in his palm, creating with his last strength a heart by flames. ***** "Where am I?" Cecilio mumbled while looking carefully around. He was standing in an endless universe made of this very strange white space. He could hear nothing, smell nothing, feel nothing nor see anything else than this white realm. For a few minutes ago was he in Equestria, with Twilight, dying. "But now this?" Cecilio asked himself once again. "You chose yet again a rather pathetic path, don't you think?" "You... That shadowy person? No wait, you are just a part of my mind! I'm supposed to be dead! Where am I ?" Cecilio asked confused. "You have been here before. You had a free ticket to your paradise and you failed. However, since you are here I will tell you the final truth. The truth about your past." His voice echoed mightily. Cecilio looked intensive towards the mysterious figure. "Now then... Become one with your past and present, thus a new person!" Cecilio fell towards his knees when the painful memories intruded his mind. "STOP THIS!!!" This is what you sought for. This is why you should have lived in denial in your new paradise. Never remember what you once was, simply living in the present. You know, knowledge can sometimes be a dangerous apple." Cecilio panted heavily while holding his hands against his head. Everything... I remember everything! Please, stop this! Jamelia. Archard... "By now you may also understand the different representations? Hmm? Well, let me enlighten you... Pinkie Pie: Represented the core of your happiness, something you had lost for a long time ago. Twilight Sparkle: Was simply a mirror of your quest to find your past and knowledge. Remember, when you at one point wasn't sure if you wanted to continuing searching for your past she was the sparkle which made you continuing... The boy was the once pure child which lived inside you. However, who just like you - Eventually got corrupted by his own reality. His duality, the man in rage, your rage... In the end a pathetic being who had to alter himself. Simply too scared to show his true face towards others." "So... When Pinkie died?" Cecilio asked while forcing his mind to concentrate. "Was the same time as you killed your own happiness by seeking knowledge. When you killed the man who was corrupted by his own anger was the same time you killed your own anger through hate - Thus moving on the next level." "This illusion was destined to such an outcome?" "Of course not, you could have had a happy ending. In an illusion which was your other life." Suddenly felt Cecilio how his body got lighter, saw how he slowly was beginning to dematerialize. "Wait, please, I have more questions! Why did I have an alter ego? Who are you? I want to come back to Equestria, give me a second chance, PLEASE!" Cecilio cried while he crawled towards the more - knowing creature. " You and I... Archard, created all these persons inside your mind! Every character you have met in Equestria have you created, new empty persons, ready to become one with you!" Archard's voice clanged through the white space while looking down on the soon vanished human. "Father... Please don't take me back to that place" Cecilio sobbed while he looked towards his master. "This is the whole purpose of your journey: THIS VERY MOMENT!" His eyes opened! The human was strapped to a white bed in a colorful room. Several doctors were around him, smiling friendly towards him. One of them, him with the short white beard, looked pleased towards Cecilio. "F-father-r?" Cecilio stammered while he peered into that loving face. "Why does my body hurt? Why are you -" "Shush, my child. You have started to forget about your painful past, that's very good. Soon you will forget everything" he spoke civil which calmed Cecilio. "When this lobotomy is done correctly, this time, you will soon be cleaned as an empty paper. Such a strong mind you posses is perfect. Will become the perfect monarch mind victim. Just like your mother Jamelia, will you too go over the rainbow." THE END Now then, please think a little about this fanfiction. Was it a cheap ending or maybe I wrote it for a reason? Was there any symbolism which hinted towards a tragic ending, was there any symbolism at all? Thomas Bergersen - Illusions Illusions... a fitting title, listen to it if you wish. I listened to it while I wrote this fanfiction. Ps: Author's note will soon come as well, f.ex: Explaining the reason why I chose to write such a fanfiction.