//------------------------------// // Trading Places // Story: The Ash // by Raging Mouse //------------------------------// Chapter 13: Trading Places Consciousness returned slowly. Twilight became aware of her body and the fact that she was apparently walking, yet the impression was muted akin to being trapped in a well and hearing someone call your name. Her returning senses did not lend her any control either – her wish to stand still went unheeded like a cry for help aimed at a little patch of sky high above. Vision was switched on and she found herself looking at the creature. Her point of view was circling the slab: she appeared to be walking around the perimeter of the magic spell. Libram's voice suddenly spoke into her mind, sounding harsh. How are you feeling, Twilight? I can’t move! I can’t control my body! Calm down. I took the reins when what was supposed to be an instantaneous spell rendered you unconscious. It’s one of the protective measures allowed me. Since you are already awake enough to panic I suppose you are prepared to resume control. Here we go. Suddenly the ground below Twilight tilted and she was falling. Her instincts responded before she was able to formulate a thought and a hoof shot forward to stabilise her. She came to a teetering standstill and took a couple of panicked breaths. When she’d re-established her hold on reality she sat down on her haunches and inspected herself. Her entire body was trembling. What are you expecting to find, Twilight? She didn’t have to answer. Libram’s question had been enough to bring the memory of her melting fur into focus and set it replaying across her mind. Twilight could hear the shock in his voice when Libram spoke. Merciful moon! When Celestia incinerated my body I had the small fortune of it being already dead and therefore unfeeling. And by the way, that’s another parallel. History is repeating itself, Twilight. Don’t end up like me. The shivers running through Twilight’s body were weakening. Well in that case I hope we can save this creature without having to turn anypony undead. Ha, ha. Very funny. I can see that you are prepared to handle this responsibility like an adult. No, wait, what am I saying? An adult unicorn wouldn’t do the stupid mistake of casting a spell without paying careful attention to exactly how it works. Well, at least not any adult who’d passed magic kindergarten. Twilight cringed. Oh wow, you’ve actually managed to include that in your paranoias? Where do you hide this insanity when it’s not in use? I see no sign of it in here. Tears formed at the corner of Twilight’s eyes and started their trek across her cheeks while her lower lip trembled. She lay down on the floor and whispered. “I’m sorry, Libram.” All was silent for a couple of moments. Then she gasped as a new spell bloomed in her mind. She prodded at the spell mentally and found that she understood perfectly what it did – it was a very powerful healing spell – even though the actual magic being used was unfamiliar to her. But... Why would a healing spell be among the Embargoed Texts? I’ll have to be vague about this, I’m afraid. How it works, and why it works so well, is forbidden knowledge. If you try to figure it out then you risk abandoning Harmony. A frustrated huff escaped Twilight’s lips. That doesn’t make any sense at all. Trying to make sense of it all could very well be the biggest mistake of your life. Trust me on this. Anyway, this spell should work on the creature – even through the slowing of time. It works on the same level as the spirit contact spell you cast earlier. Should I cast it? I mean, we haven’t figured out how to prevent the violent reaction that happens when the alien matter is fed ordinary magic. The way I see it we should heal the creature right now. It is undoubtedly dying as we speak, albeit ever so slowly. There’s no point in gambling with that. Everything else depends on us being able to keep it alive so we can find a solution to the less pressing matters. You are right. Twilight frowned and stood up. For a moment she’d been tempted to suggest that letting the creature die was the best option and she couldn’t understand from where that impulse had come. She dismissed the thought and concentrated, gathering the magic for the spell in her horn. Trying to describe magic was always difficult: it was like trying to describe colour in a language developed by a nation of permanently blind ponies. Attempts had been made among unicorns to develop adjectives for the sensations of magic, but consensus could never be reached and most scholars were anyway used to borrowing concepts from the other senses. Thus Twilight mused, as she concentrated, that the spell she was shaping had a much more clearly defined outline than almost all other spells she’d ever cast – with the exceptions being the spells she’d learned from Libram. The spell could almost be described as sitting uncomfortably in her mind, jagged edges, restless vibrato full of life and heat. The approaching sound of hooves on stone caused her concentration to falter. “Miss Twilight Sparkle? What are you doing?” The magic charge faded. She looked up and saw the green and gray pony approaching her. “Marble Chalice? What are you doing here this early?” The scholar stopped in front of Twilight and regarded her with curiosity. “It’s less than a quarter of an hour to Celestia’s reign. I wouldn’t call that early: most of the songbirds are up.” “Wow, I didn’t realise. Time flies” when you are unconscious. Chalice chuckled, though Twilight couldn’t escape from noticing that her gaze was nervously avoiding Twilight’s eyes. “I’ve heard rumours you’re something of a night owl. Have you been researching all through the night?” Don’t tell her about me. The less she knows, the better. If you must, you can allude to gaining access to a secret library. “Um. Yes. Um. I took a couple of rock samples in order to perform some experiments. I hope that won’t be a problem.” “No, not at all. Celestia knows, we managed to gather up tons of the more far-flung debris before falling ash made it too dangerous to venture near the impact site. There should be more than enough for our needs.” Chalice gave an encouraging nod to Twilight. “So did you find out anything helpful? It looks like you were casting a spell when I saw you.” “Actually, yes, I think I can heal the creature’s wounds.” Chalice’s eyes widened and she sat down. “Really? That’s wonderful! Don’t let me stop you!” Twilight nodded and turned back to the blackened form of the creature, again gathering the requisite magic for the spell. She could see through the corner of one eye that Chalice was apparently staring at her, but she decided to ignore it. She fired the spell, causing a stream of yellow sparks to shoot from her horn and impact the creature. Nothing happened. Chalice cleared her throat. “I haven’t seen many samples of magic that wasn’t colored by a pony’s personal aura, and I can’t recall anything about yellow effects. May I ask what that was?” Twilight was still staring at the creature in bewilderment as she mumbled her response. “That? It was spirit magic.” “Oh, like that which the zebras use? It doesn’t produce a reaction from the alien matter? Intriguing. Too bad it didn’t seem to work, though. Although, to be honest...” Chalice leaned towards Twilight as if she was confiding in her. “...I’ve sometimes thought it would be best if the creature would die. That way we could concentrate on the real problem.” She raised a hoof to halt Twilight’s disbelieving outburst. “I know, I know. Princess Celestia herself specifically tasked me to save this creature. And yet... I sometimes feel it’s distracting us from far more important matters.” Chalice gave an embarrassed cough before continuing. “Anyhow, do you have any idea why your spell didn’t work? Does the creature have a spirit at all?” “Yes, we – I checked. I am sure. I don’t know why it didn’t work.” “I haven’t read much about zebra magic, as it is a different system from harmonic magic, but I did read the exploration diaries of Dr. Living Stone. If I remember correctly, one of the zebra elders mentioned that some illnesses of the mind could render a zebra immune to some of their magics. If I remember correctly, the rhyme went ‘No harm from anger-cast spear, nor balm from a loved one so dear’. I guess that means healing and harming magics.” Oh of course! I’ve read Living Stone’s diaries and I should have thought of that! It’s true – and what’s more, it’s quite reasonable to assume that the creature’s mind might be injured by what it’s gone through. Twilight was still confused. But why did the communication spell work? Hmmm, we’re hitting the dangerous territories again I’m afraid. Trust me: though they are both spirit magic they couldn’t be any more different. Chalice was still staring at her. It unnerved Twilight somewhat, but she assumed she only appeared to be deep in thought rather than carrying out a conversation in her head. Still... “Thank you, I think you probably have found the explanation for why my spell didn’t work. I am only a laypony when it comes to psychiatry, but that should hopefully be enough, especially if I can get my friends to help when I talk to the creature.” Marble Chalice blinked slowly. “Um... Miss Sparkle, you speak as if actually communicating with the creature was something you’ve already accomplished.” “Oh! Um, yes. Well, we had a meeting... Spirit to spirit, actually.” “Fantastic news! What was it like? What did it say?!” “Um... it was a brief encounter. It was remembering the moment it entered our world, and... for a spirit that seems to be just as vivid as actually being there. It was... very, very painful.” “You are telling me that the creature is reliving that moment while in a coma? Yes, that can’t be a good sign regarding its mind.” Chalice laughed suddenly. “Oh ponyfeathers – I have just delivered a report to Princess Celestia, yet what you’ve told me just now certainly warrants another one!” “I could deliver it – I’d love to visit her – but what did you report?” “Oh right! I have good news. The analysis came back: the material created by blasting the alien matter with the Elements of your five friends turns out to be common mineral crystals. Rock dust, basically – which is something very different from what our attempts to analyse the alien rock indicated. So it would seem that the Elements can normalise the matter, though not without disintegrating it in the process. Not so good for the creature, but it means your friends can be instrumental in cleansing the affected lands and curing the poisoned ponies. We’ll just need a way to spread the effect as wide as possible, preferably over all of the world at once.” Twilight laughed delightedly. “Finally the beacon of hope is lit! We must tell my friends immediately!” “That’s already being done.” Chalice sighed and ran a worried hoof through her mane. “I’m afraid this is probably going to be a very trying time for them. Until we find out how your combined Elements react to the alien matter we won’t dare use the massive area spells they can cast. A testing range is being specially constructed with all haste at the base of Mount Canterlot, but it’s still a couple of days from completion. In the mean time your friends will be asked to cure individual ponies, beginning with the most critical cases at Canterlot General Hospital. I’ve – I’ve been there. They are quite upsetting to look at.” Twilight digested this in silence. Chalice nodded at her and inspected her coin before moving to the testing area. In case you should ask: yes, the healing spell should cleanse a body of all poisons. No, I think it’s best if I stay here and try to help the creature. There must be a way to heal its mind. The spirit link should speed things up greatly, as mental illnesses are quite apparent there – though it does mean you expose yourself to a damaged mind. You’ve already experienced what that can mean. Twilight nodded and lay down facing the creature before casting the spell. She convulsed, and her head fell to the stone floor. Drat. Twilight’s mostly purple eyes blinked and turned gray. Her body stood. Her mane was shaken in frustration. Then her legs started walking, taking her around the magic circle. Her eyes regained some of its purple during her sixth lap. Unnnnngh. There you are. Ready to take over? Ohhhh. Not yet. I feel so weak. Tired. Twilight’s body slowed down for a bit before resuming its pace. Spiritual contact is dangerous and can lead to harm. I don’t think I specifically said it earlier. Still, you don’t have a choice if you wish to heal this creature. Resting between attempts is a good idea, though. It was just like last time. We were at the sun portal and the sun started burning again. I failed to get the creature to change the scene. But I don’t understand why it has such an effect on me: isn’t it all in our minds? What exactly happens to me? It’s not in your minds, but in your spirits. Your spirit could be said to contain a memory of your body, and it is this memory that manifests as you when you commune with other spirits. When your spirit experiences an event wherein the representation of your physical body is drastically altered it can’t tell that it’s only the manifestation and not your real body which is altered. The conflicting information causes your spirit to be partially dissociated with your material self. Reality reasserts itself over time as your physical body re-imprints on your spirit. On the other hand, repeated changes to your spiritual form within a short time span might completely sever the link between spirit and body, resulting in madness, coma or even death. A moment of mental silence let Twilight’s body complete another lap. Libram, why are you walking around in circles anyway? I don’t get to experience the luxury of having a body very often nowadays, so I tend to take every chance I get to just walk around and stretch some legs. In over seven hundred years my subconscious mind has stubbornly held on to the notion that I should have a body, so just walking is very relaxing for me. Um. I hope you don’t mind. I walk in circles because it would be impolite to move you somewhere else without your permission. Another lap of silence. No, actually, I don’t think I mind. Could you walk us to Princess Celestia while I rest a bit more? I need to talk to her and then find Fluttershy. It would be a pleasure! Twilight’s body leaped joyfully and headed towards the stairs.