//------------------------------// // Why Would I Lyra to You? // Story: Requiem for a Clone // by FictionaryThought //------------------------------// Ponyville. Located in the Everfree Province, and founded after the discovery of Zap Apples, which led to the making of what is now Sweet Apple Acres. This town has a lot of history, both good and bad. And that’s mainly because it’s located next to a deadly forest. Who in their right mind would choose to live here? Crazy people with good tastes. You don’t have to be crazy to live here, but from what Twilight’s told me, it helps. Looking at it, the town already seemed peaceful. Not a sleepy borough like Twilight Town, but not too busy like Hollow Bastion. The town didn’t have a particular color scheme to it, housing buildings of all colors, and all hues. I felt like I was looking at rainbow incarnate. Like something out of a child’s storybook. One thing that never gets old about seeing new worlds, is that you never know what to expect. “Man-” I said. “I think I’m gonna like this place.” Twilight made an unsure look. “Let’s wait and see.” … “I’m telling you Bon Bon, it could be a plausible theory!” In the Ponyville Sweats Shop “Not to be confused with Sugar Cube Corner” Lyra Heartstrings was having another discussion on humans with her mare-friend, Bon Bon. Bon Bon was the owner of the Sweats Shop, and Lyra worked part-time as a waiter. “Sweetie-” Bon Bon started. “It made a good idea for a child’s story book, got published, and is now being read by little colts and fillies everywhere. But it just doesn’t seem likely enough to be a theory.” “Think about it!” Lyra implored. “The human race was capable of incredibly advanced technology. They created bowling before they even knew what a volcano was! If they could be so far ahead of themselves with technology, then space travel, or at least space intervention, could have been possible.” She set some candy on table five. “Happy Birthday Button Mash!” She said to the young colt in a propeller beanie. “There might be a chance they mated, or even cross bread with aliens.” She stopped herself. “Ok, that may be a bit far fetched, but still. They may not have been extinct, but instead moved to another planet to avoid a foretold disaster!” Bon Bon rolled her eyes. “If that were true, then why hasn’t there been any change in Equestrian mapping compared to the maps made by human hands? A natural disaster that big would have at least reshaped the continent.” Her eyes widened a bit. “Oh sweet Celestia, I’m turning into you!” Lyra giggled. “Is that a bad thing?” Bon Bon thought for a moment. “I guess not. I’m definitely smarter for it.” Lyra smile grew. “Aw, that’s my girl!” She attempted giving her mare-friend a kiss on the cheek. Bon Bon quickly dodged the incoming affection. “Lyra please! Not during business hours!” She stopped, but frowned, and stuck her tongue out. “Fine. But you owe me later.” Het watch started beeping. “Oh! My shift’s over!” She took off her apron, and put on her saddle bag, which had Bon Bon’s cutie mark. “Meet you later sweetie!” She headed out the doors to begin her day in Ponyville. “Goodbye!” She replied. Than she looked under the counter. “Ok Derpy, nap time is over. Carrot Top wants some chocolate truffles at table six.” Derpy got up from under the counter, yawned, and smiled. “Derp!” She said, ready to start her shift. … I was the center of attention when I came walking into town. Everyone, or rather, everypony was hiding in whatever place they could, while still trying to get a look at me. “Well-” Twilight started. “At least they aren’t avoiding you completely. You should’ve seen how the town reacted when Zecora first came here.” She giggled a bit. “Ponies assumed she was some kind of evil enchantress, just because she lived in the Everfree.” I raised an eyebrow underneath my hood. “Is the town always this paranoid?” Twilight hummed in thought. “Well…yes. But you can’t blame them. Crazy stuff happens in this town a lot, and they never know what to expect. One time the town was invaded by a swarm of Parasprites, and they nearly ate the entire town.” “And mah barn house.” Applejack interrupted. “It took days to get a new one raised.” Zexion was visible. “Highway to the danger zone.” I looked his way. “Since when do you listen music like that?” Zexion grunted. “Since I’ve been forced to listen to Demyx’s CDs. He listens to far too much music.” Twilight looked confused. “What’s a CD?” “Compact Disc.” Zexion explained. “It’s a small disc, that when scanned by a scanner, plays music.” “So it’s similar to a record?” Twilight asked. “Exactly. Only a CD is considerably smaller, and needs a laser scanner to play music; Unlike a record, which needs to be scratched by a needle to play it’s music.” “How many genres of music are you familiar with?” Twilight asked. “Most, considering I’ve had to listen to Demyx’s taste in music. Though I don’t know any rap, country, or religious music.” I grunted. “So what now? We’re in town. Which way to the library?” “Applejack.” Twilight started. “Guide Mr. Replica to the library. If anypony is brave enough to ask any questions, just have Riku answer them.” “Mr. Replica.” I repeated. “I sound like a cartoon character.” “That’s actually fitting, since you’re in a town filled with cartoony looking ponies.” Zexion said, matter-of-fact-ly. Applejack grunted. “Common ya’ll. Let’s try and make this quick.” … Meanwhile, Lyra was trotting through town, unsure as to why things seemed too quiet. She figured that another stranger like Zecora must have come to town, and these ponies just didn’t learn there lesson. Lyra, on the other hand, was more open minded now. Not only had she learned her lesson from last time, but she also figured that, should anyone new come to town, she could use it as a learning experience. Besides, what if it was a human? No, that would be ridiculous. Still though, it would be nice if that were true. Hearing the sound of trotting just around the corner, she decided to see just who this new town visitor was. … Applejack was now face to face with Mrs. Heartstrings. “Oh, hey there.” Lyra said. “Sorry for bumping into you like this. Just wanted to see who everyone was hiding from. Figured it would be a learning experience.” She looked passed Applejack. “Hi there, I’m Lyra Heartstrings, and you are?” Dead silence. Lyra’s eyes were wide, and her mouth was agape. Applejack could feel sweat going down her neck. She knew what was to come, and she didn’t like it. “Run.” She said under her breath. “What was that Applejack?” I asked. “Run.” Applejack said. “Don’t just stand there, run!” “What? Why would I-“ “Human.” Lyra said under her breath. “Oh, no.” Zexion said. “Riku, I think we found a human fanatic.” “Human.” Lyra repeated. “Here’s an idea.” Zexion said. “RUN!!” Following his advice, I quickly turned around and started running. The cape I was wearing, flew upwards, and my hood fell down, confirming the minty green unicorn’s suspicions. “HUMAN!!” She shouted, shoving Applejack out of the way, and galloping top speed trying to catch the so called “non-existant” specimen. Feeling the amount of drag I was getting from the cloak, against my better judgment, I took it off, and let my skin feel the coldness hanging in the air. This was risky. Snow was on the ground, and so were small patches of ice. One wrong move, and I’d slip, and end up caught by this crazy unicorn. Somehow, I felt like there was music playing in the background. Lyra tucked and rolled, avoiding the cloak, so she wouldn’t have anything blocking her vision. She just found, not one, but two humans in town, and she wasn’t about to let them escape without a fight. I grabbed a nearby pole, and used it to quickly turn around a corner, using the ice on the ground to slide my way down the next street. Lyra on the other hand, was one step ahead, and went down an ally way, ensuring that she’d be there before me. I saw her come out of the opening between the buildings after I made the next turn. Thinking quickly, I jumped over her, performing a front flip, and spinning 360 degrees in mid air as I did. I could see the world around me in slow motion, and watched the unicorn stare in awe at my skills. I just stuck out my tongue, as if to say, “Beat that!” She just kept watching, as I gripped a loose water shoot part, and used it as a board to slide down the street ahead of me. “Oh no you didn’t” She said, chasing after me once again. I was headed towards the market, and there were alot of things to crash into. “Perfect!” I said, jumping off of my makeshift board, making sure I was several feet ahead of it. I landed with my hands onto a food stand, and shoved as hard as I could with my arms, bringing me further forward, and landing with my feet onto another, repeating the process as I went through the market. Meanwhile, the makeshift board I was riding went through the market, destroying every stand in its way, and leaving behind a trail of broken wood, and fruit. The perfect obstacle course to slow down the crazy unicorn. Lyra was unfazed, and spun around using the ice beneath her hooves, while still moving forward. Just before reaching the 180 degree mark of her spin, she switched to her bipedal stance she’d developed over the course of her life. Once she hit 360 degrees, she crouched down, and jumped over the first set of debris, and did just as her human rival did, only landing on open spaces of ground, rather than food stands. Once she made it to the other side, not only had she not slowed down any, but she seemed to be even closer to catching me. “Oh, she’s good.” I pulled out my sword and turned around while crouching down, using my shoes to make enough friction to slow me down. “Hey! Crazy unicorn!” I go into my fighting stance. “Wanna catch me!? Beat me in a fight!” Lyra stopped in her tracks, following my lead, and going into a bipedal fighting stance of her own. “Bring it!” She said, with adrenaline pumping through her veins. Now it felt like some new music was playing. Ponies gathered around, coming out of their hiding places to watch the incoming fight. I made the first move. I used Quick Blitz, jumping into the air, and using the force of gravity to make the downward swing of my sword stronger. Lyra reacted quickly, covering her hooves in magic to create an armor around them. Putting both her hooves in front of her face, she blocked my attack, showing she was much tougher than she looked. She wore a boastful grin. “Beat that!” She shoved my sword back, and punched me in the gut, getting a pained yelp out of me, as I was launched away from her. I hit the ground hard, feeling an aching in my back, as I hit the cold hard ground. Damn this mare was good. Zexion stepped into the fight. “Magic? Well played. But try and beat this.” He vanished, and in his place came several other copies. Each copy was levitating, and circling Lyra. The world was distorting around them, as Zexion put his illusion magic to use. Lyra lit her horn, and started blasting at the clones, making them vanish with each hit. The world around her was spinning, but she didn’t care. All she wanted was answers, and this fight would ensure that she got them. Once she finished getting rid of them, she looked my direction. I was still getting up, but now she had no idea where to shoot. In her vision, my image kept moving from one place on the road to another. She wasn’t sure which one was real and which one wasn’t. She heard me laugh, and so did I. I wasn’t laughing on purpose though, Zexion was making me. I knew he’d protect me, but this was going a bit further than I’d expected. I laughed like a mad man, and had a smile a hyena would be proud to look at. Memories were flooding my mind, memories that I knew belonged to this mare. “Hey Lyra!” Zexion made me shout. Lyra was taken aback, wondering how this human boy could possibly know her name. She watched as I slowly lifted my arm above my head, spreading the fingers on my hand apart. “High five.” I said. Her pupils were pin pricks, as she remembered a recurring nightmare she had. Ponies mocking her for her obsession. Offering her a high five, which was a gesture she’d found when studying humans. It wasn’t possible for a pony to do it because they didn’t have the fingers for it. She once dreamed that everypony in town offered her the same gesture, to make fun of her obsession. This human was reading her mind. Not good. What the heck was I doing? I wanted to beat her in a fight, not torture her. How was I even getting these memories from her. I thought only Namine could do that Namine Lyra could feel tears coming from her eyes. This wasn’t happening, she said to herself. This couldn’t be happening. There’s no way the first human she ever met would be this cruel to her. This human. What about that other one? That human with the steel blue hair. Was this another illusion of his? An idea came to Lyra’s mind. She used her magic to summon her lyre. She knew a spell that could undo this illusion. She started to play a melody. Focusing on something she knew was real. Something that made her stop having those dreams to begin with. Something…Somepony who made things alright. She cast the spell, and things returned to normal. I could feel myself acting normal again. Whatever was making me act that way was gone. And now Lyra was running right towards me with an angry look on her…Oh sh*t. *crash* Lyra had pinned me to the ground, shoving her hoofs down on my arms so hard that they were aching. “I have one question.” She said. To be continued.