Want Me, Need Me, Love Me
Chapter One: Denial
Spike's entire body shook as a bust of magical energy suddenly appeared nearby. He staggered briefly before grabbing hold of the ladder like a cat to a tree. His head snapped around to find the source of the pulse and found a purple unicorn standing stock still in the middle of the floor.
"Twilight!" Spike said uneasily, "How was the..." But Twilight turned away, hastily trotting towards the opposite bookshelf. "...spa?" he finished inquisitively. Curiosity taking hold, Spike slid down the ladder and hastily stepped towards his friend. "Twilight?" He inquired as Twilight began sorting through the books on the shelf.
Twilight turned around, apparently noticing him for the first time. From up close, Twilight looked even more insane than she acted. Her coat was soaking wet as well as her tail and most of her mane. Warm water droplets hit the wood floor of the library, forming a slick puddle. The front of Twilight's mane stuck up, individual hairs poking out chaotically. Twilight's eyes had retracted to pinpricks and even though she was clearly looking at Spike, her eyes showed that the unicorn was not all there.
"No." Twilight numbly stated before sweeping sideways and trotting over to another shelf of books.
"Not again." Spike muttered fearfully. Hastily, he ran to the broom cupboard and grabbed out a mop and bucket. "Twilight, whatever it is you're worrying about," Spike called out encouragingly as he began to mop out Twilight's trail of water, "it's not as bad as it seems."
"No." Twilight repeated, examining a series of books she had levitated into the air.
"Remember to take deep breaths," Spike continued, squeezing out the mop into the bucket, "relax, and think about the problem or potential problem from a different angle."
"No." Twilight continued to search through the thick tomes along the back wall.
"Above all," Spike said, raising a claw into the air, "remember to rely on your friends."
Twilight paused, holding a massive reference book in the air. Thoughtfully, she stared at the ceiling. "Wait," she said, dropping the book to the ground, causing the whole library to shake, "yes. Yes!"
"Yes?" Spike cocked his head.
"A mirror-morphic illusion!" Twilight cried, smiling broadly. She spun around and stared at Spike, practically glowing with triumph. "Using visual thauma-technical pathways interacting with memory-coded imagers. It makes perfect sense!"
Spike blinked briefly before saying, "Yes. Whatever you just said is a rational answer."
Twilight's smile suddenly snapped back into a worried frown. Anxiously, she peered into Spike's eyes. "Of course," she continued, "that would be reliant upon a proximity-based reaction to the mirrored target. So what if...?" Twilight leaned back and stared at her two front hooves with mad concentration. Moments later, Spike dropped the mop in shock as Twilight was consumed by a wave of amethyst fire. Twilight was completely consumed, replaced by a very focused Fluttershy.
Fluttershy blinked at her legs briefly before wincing in displeasure and turning away. "No." She said as purple flames consumed her too. "Nooooo no no no no no." Twilight whined as she continued from exactly where Fluttershy had vanished. Terrified, she levitated a book off of the highest shelf and began flipping through it rapidly.
Spike stood still, jaw practically reaching the floor. Fear and confusion wracked his face as he stared at his best friend in the world. Meanwhile Twilight completely ignored him, continuing to search through her books. After a minute, Spike stepped forward gingerly. Carefully, he reached out a finger and poked Twilight in the side, feeling the familiar texture of pony hide.
Twilight spun around, causing Spike to leap into the air and retract his claw. Twilight, panicked and fearful, asserted, "I'm not a changeling."
"I... didn't say you were." Spike replied carefully as Twilight resumed searching through the bookshelves.
"Then why did I just transform into Fluttershy?" Twilight countered, pulling down a titanic leather-bound volume. "Why did I turn into Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Applejack back at the spa? Because I'm certainly not a changeling," Twilight shook her head violently, flipping through ancient pages of lore, "I can't be. I'm Twilight Sparkle, I've never been a changeling, never. I don't care that I can physically feel their friendship feeding me and giving me strength. I don't care that I transform in the same, exact method I learned in my dream. I don't care-" Twilight suddenly turned to Spike and asked, "Do we have any books on changelings?"
Spike froze, still uncertain how to react. "Wh-why are you a changeling?"
Twilight shook her hoof. "No, no, no, weren't you listening? I just said that I'm not a changeling." Twilight gasped suddenly, a lightbulb figuratively lighting above her head. "Of course, I'm still dreaming. HIT ME SPIKE!"
"What?"
"Now!"
Spike, surprised, complied and slapped Twilight across the face. Twilight froze and blinked, a blank expression on her face. The little dragon winced and stepped forward. "Ohmygosh Twilight, I'm sorry. Are you okay?"
"No." Twilight repeated dully before shaking her head and going immediately back to searching through her books. "But I'm still not a changeling."
The door opened before Spike could reply. Quickly, both pony and dragon turned to the open door, where a panting blue pegasus flapped wearily. The rainbow-maned intruder locked eyes with Twilight briefly before looking over her shoulder and raising a hoof to her mouth. "I found her!" Rainbow shouted to a group of ponies no far away. Moments later, a stampede burst through the door, a bouncing pink pony leading the charge.
Twilight inhaled sharply, eyes fixed on the pony leading the charge. As if by instinct, a wave of purple washed over her, replacing the purple unicorn with a perturbed pink pony. Her friends recoiled, Fluttershy sinking lower in her hiding spot behind Rainbow Dash's flank. Twilight glanced down at her hooves, squealed, and immediately reverted back to her own self.
"Sugarcube, it's all right." Applejack said immediately after Twilight changed back.
Twilight looked away and resumed searching the bookshelves. "If fine, really, I am!" she replied unconvincingly. "I think I've got it all figured out now. This is all an elaborate dream, I simply haven't woken up yet!"
"But I thought you said-?" Spike started, raising a claw.
Twilight giggled. "Oh Spike, that just proved it! I'm stuck in a spiral of nightmares that I simply can't wake up from and I'll continue to move from nightmare to nightmare to nightmare for the rest of my life and there's nothing I can do and I'm not convincing myself!" Twilight's mad explanation spiraled out of control before finally crashing in a pile of rubble. The purple unicorn threw herself to the ground, placing her hooves over her head. "WHY?! I'm not a changeling. I can't be a changeling. Why am I acting like a changeling? I'm not-"
Twilight was suddenly lifted off the floor by two plush forelegs. Her eyes shot open as she was suddenly forced into a bear hug, forelegs trapped uselessly to her sides. An explosion of cotton-candy mane fell about her head as the attacking pony leaned her head over her shoulder and squeezed tightly.
"That better?" Pinkie asked from the depths of her bear hug.
Twilight was speechless for a moment. It wasn't the physical hug that shocked her but rather the sudden rush of energy that followed. It wasn't the typical warmth of a pony's body heat, but rather a strange, sparkling energy that flowed into her and calmed her down. Her body relaxed as tense muscles soaked in the warmth; it far more potent than the waters of the spa could ever hope to be. If someone could take a woolen blanket and distill it into a warming sunbeam with a dash of a kitten's fur, creating a raw, joyous force, this would be the creation.
Twilight's shoulders sagged as she finally replied, "Yes, much better."
Pinkie beamed and let go, the intense warmth receding into a faint glow. Twilight fell back onto her haunches, head hanging loosely from the end of her neck. Pinkie stepped back into the group of friends, which Twilight barely acknowledged. Applejack and Rainbow Dash stood just behind the beaming, bouncing, bubbly, pony, while Fluttershy and Rarity appeared to be hiding just behind them.
Pinkie giggled. "It looks like somepony really needed a hug."
"Yeah." Twilight nodded and sat down, still a little stunned by the abrupt embrace.
"Now Twilight," Applejack started, approaching Twilight cautiously, "we just want to talk with you about this without you running away again. We want to know what's happened just as much as you do."
"I'm not a changeling!" The purple unicorn suddenly cried out, leaping to her feet.
Applejack stumbled back and Rainbow Dash's wings shot out reflexively, but her friends stood their ground. "That's right, you're not, you're our friend." Applejack sat down in front of Twilight and smiled softly. "And as our friend, we can't stand to see you out of your mind about this. So, we've all come here so we can work this out together."
Twilight spun around. "Thanks, but I really should take care of this myself. I really don't want to get you involved in this." Twilight's voice started rising in pitch and volume as her rational mind slowly slid off the track again, "Besides, if you're all figments of my imagination, I can't get anything else from talking to you that I don't already know...."
"Somepony needs another hu-ug!" Pinkie sang brightly and bounced over to Twilight. She flung her arms around Twilight's neck once again, causing Twilight to stop in her tracks. The burst of warmth returned in force and brought her mind back into focus.
"All right Pinkie," Applejack said, rolling her eyes, "I think that's enough."
"No," Twilight replied calmly, "It's all right. It..." she sat down in front of Applejack, "...I mean... I don't mind."
Applejack stared at Twilight briefly as Pinkie Pie closed her eyes and sat down next to the unicorn, still holding her neck. For a brief moment, Applejack seemed like she was going to protest, but rather she nodded and motioned for the others to sit down.
"You're right," Twilight said, glancing around at her friends as they cautiously approached, "we need to think about this calmly and rationally, talk it over."
"That's the spirit!" Applejack started as the rest of her friends sat down, Spike taking a seat next to Twilight, "Now, do you have any idea about what's going on other than this being a dream?"
"Because frankly darling," Rarity interjected, tossing her mane back, "I'd rather not be a figment of your imagination." Applejack shot a glare at Rarity who grinned half-heartedly and explained, "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that."
Twilight sighed and started rubbing her forehooves together. "I don't know, I really don't know how this is possible. I'm not a changeling, that doesn't even make sense. It's not like I'm a changeling sent to replace Twilight who suddenly developed amnesia." Twilight stared directly into Applejack's eyes. "It doesn't make sense."
"Now, none of us suspect that." Applejack reassured Twilight, though she cast a quick glance towards Rainbow Dash, who pointedly ignored her.
"I mean," Twilight continued, "there's so many other reasons this is happening... like... like an illusion or a curse or...."
Rarity coughed suddenly, an obvious gesture that caused interrupted Twilight. "Twilight, I think we can both agree that what you did was not magic."
Rainbow Dash stared at the white unicorn, head tilted. "What do you mean that wasn't magic?"
"Well," Rarity explained, shuffling her hooves, "I meant it wasn't unicorn magic."
"And why do you say that?" Applejack prodded.
"Mana Frequencies." Twilight answered glumly. "It's...how do I put it? There's different types of magic. Unicorns can sense and manipulate the different frequencies of magic, some more strongly than others, some less so. The magic unicorn horns can use fall into a certain set of frequencies, the same with dragons, alicorns, and others. While some of these overlap-"
"We get it," Rainbow Dash interrupted, "so your freaky transformations were...?"
Twilight slumped, pulling against Pinkie's encircling legs. Her head attempted to retract into her neck like a tortoise's, while her legs buckled slightly. She glanced away, blushing in a remarkable imitation of Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash's eyes raised in realization. "Oh."
"I'm not a changeling." Twilight muttered, her voice barely audible.
"We ain't saying that, Twilight." Applejack repeated, her voice calming and certain. "We don't know if you're a changeling or not. Heck, we don't know anything about what's going on. For all we know, this is some sort of trick by that changeling queen to try and break us apart, to turn against you." Applejack straightened up and grinned. "And I'll tell you something, Twi, we ain't going to do that."
"Absolutely not."
"No way."
"Of course we won't."
Spike grinned cockily, "You don't even have to ask me."
Twilight smiled softly at her friends' responses, feeling a reinvigorating wave of warmth wash over her. It added to the energy flowing from Pinkie Pie, prompting the purple unicorn to relax.
Applejack smiled. "Now, what do we need to do to make things right?
Twilight nodded. "Write Princess Celestia and tell her about the situation; if there's anypony that knows what to do, it's either her or Cadence. Seeing as I can't reach the latter, the Princess is the best choice."
Applejack rapped the floor triumphantly. "There you go, Twi. Sounds like a great plan. We can work out the rest after the Princess knows."
"Pinkie, you've been awfully silent, what do you think?" There was a pause as Rarity waited for an answer. "Pinkie?"
Twilight glanced over at the source of the warm feeling that enveloped her. The pink pony continued to wrap her front legs around Twilight's neck. Twilight pulled away slightly only to have Pinkie Pie readjust, pulling her tighter into her hold. Eyes closed, the pink pony sat still, oblivious to everypony around her.
"Pinks?" Rainbow Dash prodded. Stepping out of the circle, she waved a hoof in front of her closed eyes. "Helllooo-ooo? Anypony in there?"
Pinkie remained unresponsive, a soft smile on her face as she continued to hold Twilight like a big stuffed animal. Twilight frowned and prodded her. "Pinkie?"
"Mmm-hmm?" Pinkie mumbled and opened her eyes.
Twilight gasped with the rest of her friends as she saw Pinkie's eyes. A ring of purple filled her iris like an amethyst pool, strings of purple leaking into the whites of the eyes and even slightly into the pupil, giving Pinkie a strange, corrupted look. Even as they watched, the purple energy continued to expand, filling in every empty spot on her eye. Meanwhile Pinkie was relaxed, her eyelids drooping slightly as she stared at Twilight curiously.
"Pinkie!" Rainbow cried, her wings flaring uncontrollably in shock, "What the...?"
"Pinkie, let go of Twilight," Applejack said steadily, guessing the source of the corruption, "and back away."
Pinkie stared at Applejack, her smile quickly fading away. "No." She replied incredulously, shifting closer to Twilight.
"Pinkie, let go of me." Twilight gasped, pulling away from the pink embrace.
The pink pony turned her stare to Twilight. Hurt and confused, she pleaded, "Why, Twilight? What's wrong?"
Twilight gulped, still trying to pull from Pinkie's grip. "Your eyes, Pinkie. You're...."
Pinkie Pie redoubled her hold on Twilight as a pained expression crossed her face. "Twi," she groaned, "I don't feel so good."
Rainbow Dash swept over and grabbed Pinkie around the waist. "Then let go of her!"
Pinkie's face suddenly morphed into an animalistic snarl, the normally joyful pony kicking back at Rainbow Dash. The sudden buck sent Rainbow Dash crashing to the ground and the other ponies in the room to their hooves. Pinkie's head shot back to Twilight, her eyes twitched as they continued to fill with amethyst energy. "Twilight? H-help me... please."
Twilight shook her head, "Pinkie, I can't do anything if you won't...."
"Make it go away." Pinkie moaned, her front legs squeezing Twilight's throat in a death grip. "It...It's trying to make me let go. Make it stop."
Twilight continued to back away, but Pinkie's grip was too great. Twilight's breathing quickened as the warmth from Pinkie Pie's hug began to intensify. The energy seeping from her friend was building in strength and focus, shining all of its beautiful, delicious light onto her. "Twilight..." Pinkie repeated, leaning in, "...I...I want you...."
Applejack approached, but a quick kick from Pinkie Pie sent her tumbling like Rainbow Dash. Rarity tugged at the pink pony to no avail, her magic unable to pry her off of Twilight. Spike stood indecisively against the wall, unsure of what he could do, let alone should do. Meanwhile Twilight motionlessly stared into the pink pony's eyes as both Pinkie's love and the amethyst in her eyes grew to encompass everything.
"Pinkie..."
"I need you Twilight."
"...I'm sorry."
"I... I love-"
WHAM
The force of the blast from Twilight's horn wrenched Pinkie Pie's hooves from their death grip around Twilight's neck and threw the pink pony in the air where she back flipped twice before crashing into the far wall. Her body slipped to the ground as a torrent of biographies fell from the shelf and nearly buried her. Silence descended over the library as the books finished falling, everypony staring directly at the literary pile.
"I...I didn't mean for it to be that powerful," Twilight squeaked, "it just... I had more energy that I thought and... Pinkie?"
Silence continued to dampen the library for what felt like minutes before a pink head shot out of the pile, a copy of The Life of Hazy Visions perched on her head like a hat. She grinned and giggled brightly, the corrupting energy cleaned from her eyes. "Wow, that was weird!" she eventually managed to say, stepping out of the pile and shaking the book off of her head.
While everyone else relaxed, Twilight shook her head, shoulders trembling. "Pinkie, I'm so sorry."
"It's okay Twilight," Pinkie beamed, trotting towards her friend, "I'm all better now. Wow, what was with that...?"
But Twilight staggered backwards, lifting her head fearfully into the air. "Stay back."
Pinkie tilted her head in confusion. "What? I'm all right now."
Twilight still backed away, feeling the warmth emanating from Pinkie's smile. Even though her body reveled in this joyous energy, Twilight's mind rebelled, knowing what followed. She spun around, glancing at each friend in turn. Streams of friendship were all arrayed at her, though intermingled with colder beams of energy. Twilight spun, eye twitching, as her friends gave her space.
"Please," Twilight muttered, "for you sake, please, just... just go away, all of you."
"Sugarcube...."
"Please!" Twilight cried again, cutting Applejack off as she tried to approach.
Rarity leaned forward, practically begging, "Twilight, we only want to help you."
"No!" Twilight recoiled and charged her horn. "You can't! You'll... I...JUST GO!"
With that she vanished in a burst of amethyst energy, reappearing just upstairs. Quickly, she ran into her bedroom and slammed the door shut. An awkward silence fell over the friends below as they stared up at Twilight's closed door. Finally, Applejack sighed and motioned the others to leave.
Spike, however, ran up the stairs after Twilight and pushed through the door into the bedroom. Twilight, still shell-shocked, was trying to levitate a quill. Unfocused and drained, her magic failed to hold the quill steady and eventually Twilight just dropped it onto the parchment that lay on the desk.
"Twilight." Spike said, trying to catch her attention.
Twilight's head spun to face him, her eyes bulging in fear. She opened her mouth as if to protest, but no words came out. Eventually, she shook her head and trotted over to the far wall. "Spike," Twilight said anxiously, "take a letter."
Spike ran over to the desk and picked up the parchment and quill, promptly standing at attention. Twilight stood still for a moment, chewing on her lip, before pacing while dictating:
Dear Princess Celestia,
I'm writing to you about an urgent matter that has arisen. I cannot find any help from my books or my friends and have turn to your for guidance. This morning, after awaking from terrible dreams, I found that I have...
Twilight paused, her mouth moving silently. Spike waited patiently, quill poised. After a moment she resumed,
...that I have somehow adopted the characteristics of a changeling. I am able to transform into other ponies with a thought and I am able to not only feel their emotions towards me, including fear, friendship, and love, but also derive warmth from these emotions. While I cannot jump to conclusions and assume I am feeding on their love, the conclusion is seeming increasingly likely. I hope that you can come as soon as you can and help-
Twilight stopped in the middle of her sentence, prompting Spike to glance up at her. She had stopped pacing around the room and now stared at the mirror. Twilight stared back at her own reflection, jaw hanging slightly open in shock and realization. "She's right."
"What?"
"This is a disguise." Twilight murmured, "I... whenever I turn back into myself... it's the same way I turn into everypony else." Twilight pressed her forehead against the glass, horn scraping against it. "I don't know if this is really me."
Spike's claws squeezed around the parchment in shock. "Twilight, don't even think that! You're Twilight Sparkle, the best pony I know and my best-"
"NO!"
Twilight continued to glare at the mirror. Madly she stared into her own eyes and demanded, "I don't want to be anything. I don't want any disguises, no lies, no illusions, I just... I just want to be ME!"
There was a pause as everyone stood still. Moments later a wave of purple washed across Twilight.
Spike coughed in shock, a green flame erupting from his mouth and engulfing the letter. The quill dropped the ground, the claw holding it going limp. Meanwhile Twilight stared back at the reflection of her undisguised self. Her body stood lax, sagging slightly as her body seemed to be losing the battle with gravity. Her forehead pressed to the mirror, horn scratching its polished surface, seemed to be the only thing keeping her upright.
"Twilight?'
"Get out."
"But-?"
Silently, Twilight's horn glowed purple, a wave of concussive energy blasting Spike off of his feet and down the stairs.