“Aarrgh, Rarity, you were doing so well,” Twilight groaned as she watched the events unfold in the orb of past and present. Her raw, dry throat protested, causing her to cough. She licked her lips, pushing gently on the dry and cracked flesh. “I need some water,” she croaked. Twilight quickly looked around but, predictably, she only saw books. Twilight sighed as she reluctantly looked at the orb. I guess I've got to stop watching, until I get some water at least. Twilight's stomach rumbled and a sharp pain reminded her that she hadn't eaten anything either. Twilight blushed even though nopony was around to hear her gut.
“From the top then.” Twilight said, closing her eyes as she imagined running down a list with Spike, “Problem: I am both dehydrated and starving. I need to find both a source of food and potable water soon. Step one, check my immediate surroundings,” Twilight looked around spotting only the orb and the many bookshelves that surrounded her. “No food or water as expected. Step two, go searching. Second problem: it will be very easy to get lost as there are no landmarks and everything looks the same. Solution; I'll leave a trail of books so I can find my way back. Time to begin searching.” Twilight said to herself. She proceeded to enact her plan, searching all around and periodically taking books off of the shelves whenever she turned. As she walked, she progressively became more thirsty and hungry.
“This isn't working,” Twilight whispered. “I need a better plan.” Twilight laid down on the hard ground and started thinking. The wilderness survival guides she had memorized weren't helpful at all as there was no sun to shield herself from, no wild tracks to follow, and no high ground to head towards. She couldn't even try digging her way down to the water bed as the ground was a hard and polished marble. Twilight's head lowered and her eyes began to close, her mind slowly slipping off into sleep.
“Well it was about time!” A familiar voice said, startling her and causing her to stand up. Twilight gasped, staring in awe at the scene around her. An entire galaxy flowed like a river beneath her hooves while a massive aurora borealis shined above her. Princess Luna stood before her and glared. “Do you know how long I was waiting?” she said.
“I'm sorry,” Twilight apologized reflexively as she bowed, “but what is this place? It's so beautiful.”
“This is my dream Twilight. I have been waiting for you to fall asleep for almost an entire day now. What's happening? Where are you?” Luna asked.
“Don't worry about me Princess, I'm alright,” Twilight reassured the Princess, “Paradox dropped me in, well, I don't know how to describe it. It's like a library, but apparently the books contain knowledge of every possible future. There's also a crystal orb that lets me see anything that is happening as well as what has happened.”
“I see. Such an obvious and useless trap. I'm sure you should be able to escape soon, and will be back at our side in no time,” Luna said. Twilight blushed in response, and looked at her hooves. “You've just been using the orb and reading haven't you?” Luna gave Twilight a disappointed look. “Why have your friends allowed you to behave thus?”
Twilight looked up, meeting the Princess's gaze, “They aren't with me. Paradox sent them to different places all around the world. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash are in the Northern Wastes, Applejack is imprisoned in Ponyville, Pinkie is...well, somewhere. I have no idea except that it's a tropical jungle that contains boars and sea serpents. Rarity was actually sent back in time to the rule of Princess Platinum and Starswirl the Bearded.”
“WHAT?” Luna shouted, “This is horrible news. Other than Applejack, I doubt that we can do anything to help any of the Elements with returning home. You, at least, can return with ease and should do so at once,” she added, toning her voice down.
“Yes, Princess,” Twilight said, bowing.
“No, wait! Actually, stay where you are,” Luna said suddenly.
“Princess?” Twilight asked, puzzled at the sudden change in orders.
“There is no point to you returning at this very moment. That would just give Paradox the opportunity to send you someplace that is much more dangerous. As is, not only are you safe, but you have access to much useful knowledge,” Luna said, “Now, I'm afraid that my time here is almost up. I've been asleep for far too long as is. Pleasant dreams Twilight Sparkle.” Luna faded away and the dreamscape blurred and shifted as Twilight's mind took control. She once again was a little filly, exploring the castle for the very first time. Twilight smiled as she enjoyed the dream her mind had spun for her.
Twilight's dream was interrupted by her aching throat and gut which refused to let her sleep for even one more moment. She tried to speak, coughed, and gave up. Alright, no more talking to myself. At least I'm thinking more clearly after that nap. A manual search was a bad idea, that orb could just show me where water and food is. Plus there has to be food and water around here somewhere, right? Paradox basically said he wants me to get trapped here, which means that he must have had something in mind, or else I'll be forced to escape from here, no matter how much I enjoy using that orb. Twilight thought as she made her way back towards the orb. Her trail of books was undisturbed and as she went to took care to place each book back exactly where it was before she used it as a trail marker. Overall her journey was uneventful but tiring. Show me where water is in this library. Twilight mentally commanded the orb. There was no response. Twilight frowned but repeated herself out loud. Again the orb did not respond. Is it broken? Perhaps something more basic. Show me water. Twilight thought, and the orb failed to respond. Again she repeated herself verbally and this time the orb shined with light revealing a water trough in Appeloosa. Alright, the orb still works. Apparently it only responds to verbal commands. Perhaps it didn't respond because this isn't a library? Twilight thought to herself. She quickly ran through all the synonyms and words that described her current location, but no matter what she said the orb stayed inert.
“AAARRGH! What is Paradox doing?” Twilight shouted in frustration. In response the orb shined and revealed Paradox standing in what appeared to be a colour swapped room in the palace. Strangely he was carving something out of a block of ice with what looked to be a spoon crossed with a knife. “That's not what I meant,” Twilight said wearily. Paradox stopped what he was doing and looked directly into Twilight's viewpoint.
“Hey Twilight, I didn't expect you to look in on me so early,” Paradox said cheerfully, “I think I've got some time to talk. Just give me a second.” He twirled his spoon-knife, transforming it into a bright blue pigeon that start pecking at the ice. Paradox reached towards Twilight and to her surprise his hand came out of the orb and tried to grab her.
“Ah!” Twilight yelped, scrambling backwards.
“Mind giving me a hoof? It's hard enough pulling myself through here,” Paradox joked, “No? Alright then!” Paradox's hand bent around, reaching back into the orb. It grabbed onto his hair, which grabbed back coiling around his wrist like an octopus around it's prey, and somersaulted Paradox through the orb. He managed to land on his feet for all of one second, as his hand pulled again causing him to land right on his face. “Not even a giggle,” Paradox shook his head sadly as Twilight stared at him in a combination of shock and horror. “Fine then,” he added as he casually shook the hair-octopus off his hand, which promptly crawled away into the darkness, and snapped his fingers. His now bald head quickly began sprouting leaves and branches. “Now what did you want?”
“Um, I wanted water and food. Right,” Twilight shook her head, trying to focus, “I require food and water! If you are expecting me to stay in this trap then you have to provide me with my base necessities! Otherwise I'll be forced to escape no matter how much I enjoy observing events in the orb,” Twilight complained. Paradox just stared at her.
“Really? That's it? That's why you contacted me? I'm disappointed. I am seriously and honestly disappointed at your sheer lack of creativity,” Paradox said, snapping his fingers. With a flash, his appearance had entirely returned to normal, and a glass of water and an apple appeared in front of Twilight. She hesitantly took a sip of the water and a bite of the apple. To her surprise they were both perfectly normal. She quickly polished them off while Paradox waited patiently.
“Um, thank you. I mean, why are you so upset that I summoned you? If you didn't want to be bothered, then you should have put some food and water somewhere in here,” Twilight said, wiping her mouth with the back of her hoof.
“I don't care about that. What upsets me is that you couldn't solve such a simple problem on your own! I only gave you access to literally infinite knowledge,” Paradox pouted.
“Sure, but you didn't give any instructions on any of it! This library is an unorganized mess, and none of the books are labelled and your stupid orb will only respond to certain commands!” Twilight shouted.
“Well excuuuuuse me Twilight! I figured that Celestia's personal student would be able to solve such a simple problem,” Paradox sneered, “but if you can't think of a solution, I suppose I'll have to hold your hoof and walk you through the solution one step at a time.” With that Paradox plopped a dunce hat on Twilight's head and pointed at the orb. “This orb lets you see everything that exists and everything that has existed. It responds to simple verbal commands, or in simple terms, just tell it what you want to see.”
“I know that already,” Twilight said with a glare as she tried and failed to get the dunce cap off.
“Then how come you need my help? Anyways, moving on. The books record every possible future that exists. Between the orbs and the books you have access to literally all potential information that exists,” Paradox said.
“But you can't use the books, they aren't labelled or organized,” Twilight argued.
“The books exist Twilight. Therefore the orb works on them. Here budge over, I'll show you.” Paradox moved in front of the orb, “show me which book contains the future in which Twilight invents a spell to create drinkable water.” The orb flashed and showed one of the books. Paradox nodded, “Now split the screen and show me both that book, as well as it's position relative to my own.” The orb did as he said, now showing a map to the book as well as it's current location. “Now you just do this,” Paradox summoned up a unicorn horn on top his head which glowed a light green. The orb showed the book levitating and slowly moving along the map, until it arrived several minutes later. Twilight eagerly opened the book and started reading. A few moments later she looked back up to Paradox.
“This is just going through my daily life, there's nothing about me creating a water spell here. Oh wait, I get it,” Twilight nudged Paradox to the side, “Orb show me which page of the book I am holding contains the spell to create water. Instead of showing a page, the orb merely glowed with a number. Twilight flipped to that page and smiled with satisfaction.
“See? Simple. Just rinse and repeat. By the way, what have you been watching so far? I know you haven't looked in on me until now, so I'm curious,” Paradox said.
“I've just been watching my friends,” Twilight said as she conjured up another glass of water.
“That's it? Sure, that's interesting, but why don't you get some answers to some really cool questions?” Paradox said.
“You mean like how to defeat you?” Twilight snarked.
“Heh, good one. But I'm talking about things like ‘Luna's history’ or ‘how to become immortal’. Even the big questions like ‘how the world was made’ or ‘where Chrysalis and the Changlings are now’,” Paradox said. Twilight fell into thought, thinking about all the possible questions she could ask and trying to figure out which one she would ask first. Paradox watched her quietly for a little while fidgeting as he sat cross legged. Finally he stood up with a sigh, “Well it's been fun Twilight, but I've got to get back to work.” Paradox raised his hand as a blue light spilled from it and flowed down his body. Once the light reached his feet he disappeared in a flash. Twilight thought for a few moments more before her stomach growled loudly.
“Right, that's a good place to start. Orb, show me which book contains a future in which I invent a spell to create hay fries,” Twilight paused for a second, “thank you Paradox,” she whispered before getting back to her studies.