//------------------------------// // 49: Taking Inventory // Story: To Err is Equine // by RLYoshi //------------------------------// DATE: March 8th/9th (middle of the night) LOCATION: Alterspace [Perspective: Arrell] “...rewinds time by three days, rounding up to the nearest morning. Any attempt to use it before the three days is up will only bring it back to where it last brought the user back to. Only the user has any memory or knowledge of the fact that time has been turned back.” I spoke out loud as I levitated a pen and paper, writing down everything I said. Once I was finished, I attached the paper to the Ocarina of Time and let it loose to float around aimlessly, making sure to keep it from going through the rift I used to come here in the first place. Since I could manipulate Alterspace as much as I wanted, it was the best place to test what each article did. Obviously I already knew what Ryu’s Headband and Jeff the Killer’s Hoodie were for (and I didn’t want to even think about the latter), but there were still a few articles that the Royal Guard collected that I didn’t know about. I was about to start testing what looked like a DJ Hero turntable controller when a rift opened nearby and Celestia walked in. “Greetings, Arrell,” she said with a nod. “I take it you’re having difficulty sleeping?” I shrugged. “Didn’t even try yet. Just figured I’d get this done.” I poked the turntable. “Where did the guards even pick this up?” “A club in Stalliongrad. It didn’t seem to be causing any negative effects when they first picked it up, though the pony who had it didn’t seem very eager to get rid of it.” She walked over and sat down beside me. “I assume it produces music.” “Probably.” I slid it to the side, deciding talking was the more important matter here. “Why’d you come here, if you don’t mind me asking?” “I’ve managed to track down the original universe of the article you found in Appleloosa,” she answered. “I was going to send it back now.” Nodding, I willed Ryu’s Headband to travel over to us. “Sounds good to me. One down, millions to go.” She laughed a bit at my pessimism. “A little is better than nothing.” “True...” I stood up. “Mind if I watch?” “Watch? Arrell, you need to do more than just watch.” She stood up as well, taking the headband into her magical hold. “You need to help.” I blinked. “...pardon?” “The rift to the universe this article comes from can only be opened through Alterspace, and I don’t have the power required to open an interdimensional rift to anywhere other than your own world. And even then, that’s only because there’s already been ‘leaks’ - as in, our world being a television show in your world.” She shook her head. “The only dimensional contact Equestria has had with the universe this headband comes from was when it came here in the first place.” “What am I supposed to do? I can’t open rifts to anywhere other than Equestria.” She smiled. “That’s because you don’t know where the other universes are.” She leaned down, gently placing her horn against my forehead. “Hold still.” I tried to ask what she was doing, but before I could speak, my vision blurred. All sorts of strange shapes and locations flashed before my eyes for what could have only been half a second; maybe a full second at most. Yet it felt like several minutes. When she finally took her horn away, I stumbled slightly as my brain tried to force some kind of information to the front. I couldn’t even tell exactly what it was. All I knew was that I needed to do something. Now. Hissing, I focused on doing whatever this information was trying to make me do, and a giant rift opened not too far from myself and Celestia (I think; it’s hard to gauge distances in a black void). As if being pulled by a vacuum, Ryu’s Headband shot out of the princess’s magical hold and into the rift, where it disappeared. Finally, my brain calmed down, and the rift closed on its own. I gasped for air, having forgotten to breathe the entire time. I temporarily wondered how Alterspace could have air, but I quickly chalked it up to magic so I could move on from that topic and get to the fact that I was currently facedown on an invisible floor and it was not very comfortable. Celestia put a hoof on my shoulder. “Arrell? Are you alright?” I tried to stand up, but my legs were jelly. I couldn’t even muster up the brainpower to make Alterspace just give me energy. “...y-yeah...alright...” The princess used her magic to pick me up, setting me on my four hooves. “You should get back to Equestria and get some sleep.” I shook my head. “...taking inventory...” “The articles can wait. You need rest.” She nudged me towards the rift leading back to my room in Ponyville. “Go on.” I sighed and staggered towards the rift. She’s right...I need sleep. My eyes opened, and I found myself in a white expanse. For a moment I was confused; just a moment ago, I had been lying in bed with Asylum. It only took a few seconds for me to realize I was dreaming. “How fitting...you already know this is a dream.” I spun around to see Styx standing behind me. “How many times now have people started talking to me from behind rather than walking in front of me? ...and what do you mean by ‘fitting’?” She chose to only answer the second question. “Not everyone feels like calling you the ‘Master Chief of Equestria’. Really, that’s just a tacky nickname.” “Well excuse me, princess!” “Some gods have taken to calling you the Lucid Dreamer,” she continued. “You’re aware of just how ‘real’ everything is, as well as how to shape it to your desires...” I sighed. “You know, all it took was knowing about some weird fan fictions before being sent here. It’s really not that special. Any other human who explored the net more probably would’ve found it.” “Even so, they didn’t, and you did...and now here you are.” She looked me in the eye. “I hope you don’t think you’re anywhere close to being done.” “Trust me, I know I’m nowhere near,” I replied. “I’ll be rotting in Tartarus long before all these articles are taken care of, and even that’s a long time coming.” She nodded. “Though I can’t say this is what I planned on you doing when I brought you here, it may win me the game yet.” I chuckled. “Yeah, the game...just so you know, I’m not doing this to help you win.” “Oh, I know. You’re just doing what comes naturally to you...as in, you’re doing whatever you want.” She smirked. “Whatever you do, keep doing it. You’re definitely making a name for yourself, and that’s still scoring points for me, so I’m fine with it.” I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, yeah...it all comes back to you in the end. Well, don’t expect too much from me, lady.” I smirked back. “Things are finally calming down, and I like it that way.”