//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2 
// Story: Time and Void 
// by TheDragonHugger 
//------------------------------//



There was nothing. No light nor noise nor scent, nor could Twilight feel a single sensation- If was as If she were floating in a void.
The void! she thought, stone cold certainty sending a chill down her-
“Can ponies in the Void even feel cold?” she spoke, and then gasped when she heard the sound of her own voice.
“Okay, not the Void then- I’m feeling too much sensation for this to be the complete absence of everything- what, then?”
There was silence.
“Am I… dead?”
There was no answer, for a time, until she felt a stiff breeze from the direction that she decided to call “down”, form simplicity’s sake.
“Wha-?”
She let out a sharp cry as she recognized the sensation not as a simple wind- but, rather as the very distinct feeling of falling at speeds she really didn’t want to guess at. Her wings snapped out and she tried desperately to slow her breakneck fall, certain that at any moment she would smash into the ground fast enough to spread her remains around a square mile area- which would no doubt be quite an interesting experience, whether she was dead or not.
Despite her efforts, however, the fall gave no sign of abating. Then it happened. Her shriek was ripped out of her throat by the sheer force of the wind as her eyes were gouged out by the sheer force of the light.
After a moment, the pain faded, and she was able to see again. Not that what she saw was all that reassuring. Stretching up to where she had presumably been moments ago, and down to a point too far down for her to see, (assuming that there was an end to it) was a strip of white light, still bright enough to hurt her eyes, about twice as wide as her full wingspan.
Well, at least I’ll be able to get a nice view of the ground just before I redecorate it.
Cynicism aside, she was actually beginning to get bored- the constant terror of creating a fine, red mist when she hit the ground, or falling for all eternity, was only enough distraction for so long. Ponies weren’t meant to be in constant fear of imminent death, and that was beginning to tell.
Perhaps I could use my magic to conjure up a-
She proved to herself that she still retained a Pegasus’s agility by facehoofing mid fall. Twilight’s horn was bathed in a familiar glow as she readied a simple featherfall spell, reaching out towards her natural pool of magical energy- which wasn’t there.
Suddenly, her now-familiar rate of descent went from break-neck speeds to burn-up-upon-reentry speed. 
Calm down Twilight, It’s not like the end is about to come into view.
The end came into view.
Typical.
At the very edge of her vision, and quickly approaching, was an orb of white light, not unlike that of the strip that had been her only companion thus far.
Well, at least it’s not like I can’t alter my course of descent so that I miss it.
Twilight tried, but couldn’t adjust her course even the tiniest bit.
I really need to stop doing that was Twilight’s last thought before she collided with the bright white orb of certain doom.

Pain. That was the short description of the positively delightful sensations that ran through her body at that moment. The long version? First, she felt herself slamming against what felt remarkably like a spike-studded stone floor with enough force to leave a dent. This was swiftly followed by the pleasant feelings associated with being torn apart into individual molecules, having those torn apart into individual atoms, which were then shocked with lighting, dipped in acid, and put back together by a drunken gorilla with an oversized hammer. Meanwhile, her eyes were left behind in the orb of light.
Then she felt it, a gentle, warm and soft object lightly touching her back she spun around, trying to see past the bright light. Then, it faded, and she found herself staring at the most beautiful sight she had ever seen. A pair of purple orbs, seeming to hold kindness and wisdom unmatched, gazed out from a pure white face, crowned with a golden tiara that could not hope to match her multi-hued hair, blowing always in the solar wind. Princess Celestia.
“Twilight Sparkle.”
Twilight just stared, her mind uncomprehending.
You have a very special gift. I don't think I've ever come across a unicorn with your raw abilities.
“Huh?” Twilight managed to choke out, her mind still back with the gorilla.
“But you need to learn to tame these abilities through focused study.”
“Huh?!” She replied again, her mind now caught up, and trying desperately to make sense of her surroundings.
“Twilight Sparkle, I'd like to make you my own personal protégé here at the school.”
“Well?”
Not needing parental approval this time around, she leapt into action.
“YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!” Came the perfectly measured and reasonable response, which caused the other ponies and dragon in the room to wince.
The princess, however, was more concerned with the lavender missile, which had gone from standing to fast enough to make Rainbow Dash proud, impacted the white Alicorn with sufficient force to break an elephant’s neck, (she was, naturally, unharmed) and was now latched on to the elder pony’s neck with a death grip.
Celestia balked for a moment, then paused, smiled, and brought forward one wing to cradle her newest student.