Two Unicorns walked down the royal hallway, on the way to Princess Celestia’s throne room. Both seemed to be in high spirits, having a carefree conversation and laughing in excitement.
The cornflower blue Unicorn mare spoke to her Lilac-furred counterpart; her words carrying a sense of smug, superior self-worth. The Unicorn’s deep purple eyes carried a fiery arrogance, while her walk was little more than a permanent strut. On her flank she boasted an icy crescent moon with a tilted wand going through it. From her perfectly coiffed silvery mane and tail with their vertical stripes of ice blue, to her perfectly manicured hooves; everything about her screamed ‘better than you will ever be’.
“So, what’s the assignment this time, Left?”
The Lilac Unicorn had a friendly smile on her face, her every movement gentle and graceful. Her flank had a beautiful scene of a falling star in a spiral. Everything from her violet mane and tail with their singular seafoam green, to the crystalline horseshoes that graced her hooves made her alluring to all those who gazed upon her. Everything about her screamed ‘friend’ and ‘trust me’. But that allure was only ever one-sided; for any creature gazing into her eyes could feel the malicious, devious, and manipulative snake gazing back at them, calculating exactly how and what to say, to bend every being around her to her will.
In front of the one called Left floated a parchment scroll that she was reading while walking down the long hallway.
“It says we need to attend a Centaur delegate’s plea. Let’s see-”
Her amethyst eyes scanned the document, before summarizing the details within.
“Something about our Queen’s annexation of their empire, it seems, Right.”
The Right Hoof of Celestia laughed, haughtily.
“She’ll lecture you for calling her that, you know.”
The Left Hoof of Celestia grinned, her face sprouting a lovely shade of red across her cheeks, as though she was having an embarrassing thought.
“I hope she does. My Queen can lecture me anytime she wants.”
Right grinned.
“You are incorrigible.”
Left nodded.
“Yeah, yeah, and of all ponies, you would know, wouldn’t you? Hmm…Do you think the Centaur will try anything?”
Right chuckled darkly, her eyes flashing a ruby red for merely an instant.
“I really hope they do. Been a while since I’ve had a challenge, after all.”
As the two laughed together, Right seemed to not notice or care that the soldiers they passed were suddenly stricken with strange behavior watching them; quivering in terror as Right passed them. When one was as great and powerful as her, why wouldn’t they be fearful of such overwhelming might? You are lucky to gaze upon my majesty.
Left, however, kept watching from the corners of her eyes, adjusting her movements to elicit a reaction from those watching her; slightly swaying her flanking with every step she took, making sure her tail followed suit. She suavely flipped her mane while sneaking winks in the guard's direction. They loved her and she knew it. The smile on her face was warm, and every movement was completely calculated. The guards were nothing more to her than mere amusement when she was bored, not that they would ever know that. Fools. Feel free to dance for me. That’s right, adore me, you simpletons.
Left's eyes cut to the right suddenly as Right seemed to miss a step of her signature strut. She’s nervous. Who could blame her? Centaurs are known for magic stealing practices. In raw power, I would put my faith in her abilities over even my own, but for that to happen she needs to be completely invested in herself. This will never do. Time for a boost.
“I don’t see why you still wear that amulet, when we both know you’ve surpassed its limits years ago.”
Right immediately sped up, her steps suddenly invigorated. Nothing made her feel better than those words of honey from her counterpart. The red in her eyes suddenly glowed in full force, while a wicked smile crossed her face.
“Naturally, we both know the great and powerful me doesn’t need any trinket like the Alicorn Amulet, but her majesty gave this to me, to throw it away would make me sad.”
Without missing a beat, Left spoke rather flirtatiously to her other half.
“Well, it does make you look stunning, after all. Then again, what doesn’t?”
Right glanced at Left, smirking.
“You are such a silvertongue, love. But even though I know you’re playing me, you’re right. I make everything look good. Now, let’s go kill a centaur.”
Left nodded, giving a little giggle before swiftly correcting her Partner.
“Observe a Centaur, Sugar. Observe.”
“Same thing.”
Together the two pushed open the massive, gilded double doors of solid gold; one crackling with an unholy might eager to show off her power, while the other was already memorizing every last inch of everything in the room, from the beings to objects, nothing escaping the mare’s ever-roaming gaze.
Twilight and Pinkie walked side-by-side on the pathway, heading towards Sweet Apple Acres, talking about Pinkie’s various experiences.
“And then I said, ‘And that’s how Equestria was made!’ You should have seen their- huh?”
Twilight turned to see Pinkie had stopped moving, staring upwards in silence, her eyes seemingly following something Twilight couldn’t see. Pinkie’s eyes moved along as she read the previous section above the page break, something peculiar about it catching her eye.
Curious about what she saw, Pinkie suddenly called out.
“Twilight?”
Twilight's reply was filled with a surprisingly friendly tone. Though she thought the pink Earthpony was as crazy as could be, she was actually enjoying her company. As far as Twilight was concerned, she too had her own insanity to contend with, so who was she to judge?
“What is it, Pinkie?”
Pinkie slowly read the words that held her interest.
“Who are…Left and Right?”
Twilight’s eyes dilated and a look of actual fear crossed her face. Tackling Pinkie to the ground, she shouted angrily in a blind panic.
“Where did you hear those names? What do you know?”
Pinkie cried out in pain.
“You’re hurting me, Twilight!”
“Tell me now, damn it! Are you in league with them?”
Pinkie winced, as Twilight’s hooves pinned her to the ground. Desperately, she squeaked out.
“No! I…read…it in the section above!”
The panic faded from Twilight’s eyes, slowly removing her hooves and watching as Pinkie slowly and painfully rose to her hooves, Twilight’s horn glowed with a violet light. Pinkie gasped in surprise as her scrapes were instantly healed. She paused in her excitement, looking at her.
“Why were you scared? Are Left and Right really that scary?”
Twilight took a moment to conjure up a bottle of cider, popping the top as she considered how to respond as she calmed her nerves with a slow sip. Feeling a serene calm wash over her as the smooth liquid slid down her throat, Twilight looked Pinkie Pie in the eyes.
“Yes. They are.”
Pinkie quietly glanced at you, before turning back to Twilight, as the wingless ruler continued her explanation.
“All creatures fear the unknown. It’s natural. And magic itself can be an unknown, though there are simple concepts magic is usually based on. Those two though…”
Twilight paused to take another sip from the surprisingly ice-cold bottle.
“They are an anomaly, even when it comes to magic. Though only Unicorns, their magical abilities rival my own mother’s, though they have absolute devotion to my Aunt, heeding and obeying her every command. Those who know of them call them her Watch Dogs. Left is ridiculously analytical, not just surface level either. She sees into your very soul, preferring manipulation to actual combat; she can determine your strengths and weaknesses and how to exploit them in ways you would never see coming. And that’s where Right comes into play…”
Downing the rest of her bottle, Twilight felt the gentle numbing sensation she loved more than anything. All the screams in her head fell silent, and the hunger of the void within her quieted down; muted by the inebriating effect, if only for just a few minutes. She sighed in bliss, before continuing.
“Right’s ego is her main weapon. It ties directly to her magical strength; the more she believes she’s better than her opponent, the stronger than them she becomes. And when Left goads her on, Right’s power is completely immeasurable-”
Twilight continued talking, while Pinkie looked down at the paragraph below, her eyes following the scene depicting what she was reading.
In the throne room Right stood next to a large meteorite, still smoking; above her a large hole in the ceiling.
“I guess I overdid it. Sometimes I just can't contain my awesomeness.”
Right’s body was speckled with a splattering of blood and what remained of the once battle-ready form of the Centaur delegate. Cackling, Right looked at Left.
“Did you see that?”
Chortling, Left nodded.
“Of course I did. He really should have listened to my warnings. What a waste of life.”
Right shrugged, a horribly smug grin on her face.
“It’s his fault for underestimating my might.”
Left flinched, something was wrong. What was this feeling, like eyes upon her flesh. Something was watching them, watching her. But weren't they the only ones in throne room? Frantically, her gaze swept over the throne room. Where? Where were they? She saw nothing. Still, she couldn’t shake the sensation of her skin crawling from observation. Something was watching her without her knowledge. Her! She could not, would not stand for it. Right looked at Left as she freaked out.
“Is something wrong?”
“..........watched.”
“Left, are you okay? You’re muttering incoherently.”
Left ignored her as she furiously searched the throne room, before her eyes grew wide with sudden realization and she turned her gaze upwards towards the ceiling. She thought she saw a pink Earthpony staring down at her, but the instant she saw them, they had vanished.
“Who was that?”
Right followed her gaze, only to see nothing but the hole the meteor left in the ceiling.
“Honey, are you alright? No one’s there. Maybe you need a nap.”
Left shouted at her.
“Someone was watching us just now!”
Pinkie recoiled in shock as the gaze of Left fell on her. Leaping back out of the portal she had been looking, Pinkie watched as it closed in an instant. Twilight had noticed none of this, continuing her explanation of the two.
“-And nopony knows their real names, not even sure they do anymore, to be honest. They’ve referred to each other as Left and Right for longer than most remember-”
Pinkie sat on her haunches just staring at the spot. Was she crazy or had that Unicorn looked directly at her? This was something new. Twilight noticing her actions was one thing, but she was an Alicorn, and even Twilight with her frightening level of magic had only been able to see her gestures. This though, that Unicorn had seen through them; slicing the barrier between them and making contact in a mere instant.
Laying on her bed of red satin, Left stared up at the ceiling. Who was that? That pink Earthpony, who was she? And why couldn’t she see her face? The body had been a mare’s build, that much, she was sure. She had seen the color pink. A lot of pink. But nothing else. How was it possible? Had her vision failed her? Next to her, Right snuggled against her, completely asleep, twisting and muttering as she battled an invisible adversary.
“I am the great and powerful…behold my magic Twilight, you traitor. You will die by my hooves!”
Left giggled lightly at the sight. Perhaps she was mistaken, though something told her that she would see that pony again. Maybe even tomorrow at the ceremony. Maybe they would try that trick once more. A cold, sinister smile graced her face as she slowly closed her eyes and joined the realm of dreams.
I can’t wait to see it.
“She really is dangerous, isn’t she?”
None the wiser as to what had happened, Twilight nodded in agreement.
“Yeah, of Left and Right, Left is truly the more dangerous of the two. And her eyes never miss anything. Anyway, we need to get to my house. Mother’s homecoming party tomorrow is going to be so satisfying. And I have the perfect gift.”
Twilight grinned, her fangs sharp and her hunger immense. Within her, the void screamed to be fed, as it had for nearly two millennia. And this time, Twilight had no desire to hold it back.
“After all, I’m sure she’ll love this surprise so much, she’ll just die.”