"What?!"
The shadows obscuring the entity dispersed, and Emerl found himself looking at... himself. The same parted, dark jade mane. The same light gray coat. This pony, however, had eyes that glowed with the same brilliant emerald light as Emerl's own magic aura, and its flank was barren of any Cutie Mark.
"Heh, don't remember me?" it asked in his voice, closing its luminous eyes for a moment as suddenly thousands of familiar images swirled around him. It mused aloud, "How long has it been? Ten years? Yeah, almost exactly ten years since I first came to be. You shoved me away into the darkness of your mind, where I had been sleeping. Looks like something woke me up though."
Suddenly, from all around, something else was called forth, the verse Emerl had heard before the pain hit him.
"From all of us together, together we are friends. With the marks of our destinies made one, there's magic without end!"
Opening its eyes, the doppleganger directed a curious look upward into the abyss, wondering aloud, "Hm, well that is interesting. I wonder what the meaning behind that could be?"
The words lost on him, Emerl was nevertheless frustrated by the aloof attitude of the intruder. Stamping his hoof on the indiscernable blackness he stood upon, he shouted, "What are you talking about? And where did that voice and those images come from?"
It looked straight at him, the luminous glow swirling in its eyes like a hurricane as it smiled softly at him. "I am just catching up on some of our memories. I have been asleep ever since you rejected me, after all," it explained calmly. Eyes turning away again, several images surrounded it once more, flickering and changing from one scene to another.
Memories?! "No!" Emerl shouted, his anger lashing out as his usually calm demeanor broke completely. His emotions surged of their own accord inside him and the images around the duplicate were swept away, receding into the darkness. "Those are my memories! I won't let you take them! Now tell me; just what the hell are you?"
The other Emerl rolled its eyes in mild exasperation before calmly explaining itself once more, "I already told you, I am you. To be specific, I am the part of you that you rejected with every fiber of our being," it replied. Its gaze bored back into him with surprising intensity, but there was no malice in its gaze. "And I'm not taking your memories away from you, idiot. I couldn't do so even if I wanted to. Still, they are just as much my memories as they are yours, and I have every right to see them."
What the hell? What was this thing talking about? With his memories pushed aside, Emerl felt his anger ebb, but his confusion grow. "How in Tartarus can their be another me?" he asked, still suspicious.
Sighing, the supposed other-Emerl shook his head, "What, did you dump your basic grasp of psychology into me too? I am your second personality. A division of every memory you wished to expel. You created me when you almost got our Cutie Mark ten years ago."
Almost?
"To put it more elloquently; 'I am thou, and thou art I. Parts of a whole. Sides on a card'," it continued explaining. "I was always going to come back sooner or later."
"No... No, you're not me. There's only one me," Emerl shook his head. He didn't know what to think or feel right now, except for one thing. He didn't want it. It didn't feel right. It just felt wrong. He didn't know why, but every part of his mind denied the spectre's words. The feeling welled up in him, and rekindled his anger once more. He refused to accept what this intruder in his soul said, and screamed out, "Get the hell out of my head!"
A sharp ripple shot from Emerl, traveling across the mental plain and slammed into his twin. The wave pushed it back, hooves dragging against the unseen floor, but a glowing translucent sphere formed around its body. Whatever that strange wave was supposed to do, it seemed to be ineffective.
He expected the being to turn on him in anger at the assault, but it only gave him a wistful look and sighed, "Guess I should be thankful that you can't suppress me anymore. Dunno why, but it seems I'm protected now. I don't blame you for trying though, it is your nature."
The darkness around them shook softly, different from the previous wave. The 'second personality' stepped towards him, each clack of its hooves sending another ripple through the area. "Looks like we are about to wake up," it spoke matter-of-factly. "Look, I don't expect you to trust or like me right away, since every instinct in you must be screaming against me. Still, we are going to live as one now, for the rest of our lives, so I hope you can work past that someday."
Emerl didn't respond, a wary glare his only answer as he watched it walk up to and past him. It stopped behind him and glanced back, a playful smile on its face it added, "Besides, I have some ideas for how we can reunite with our little crush."
"C-c-crush?!" Emerl stammered.
A knowing smile spread across its face as they began to fade with the empty world around them, "As if you don't know who I mean. I look forward to finally living life alongside you, soulmate."
A moment later, everything was gone.
~*~*~*~*~*~
"The doctor said he was just fine, Applebloom. Only odd thing was that his headache made his magic go out of wack. Redheart said it happens rarely when a unicorn gets the worst sort of migrane."
"Alright, Big Mac. I was just a might worried when you brought him in."
"Hehe, so this is that whipper-snapper? My, he's a handsome one, but why is he like that at his age?"
"Dunno. It was there before."
"Nnngh." The sharp grunt got the attention of the speakers as Emerl gradually dragged himself out of the haze of sleep, his head throbbing faintly. He wondered if all that stuff with the other him had just been a strange and stressful dream.
Whew! I had forgotten what a pain actual pain was. Our head is killing me.
... Of course it hadn't been.
"Looks like he's waking up. I'll go down and whip this colt up some warm cider and a tart. Poor dear is probably starving," the warm voice of an elderly woman said, followed by the sound of slow hoofsteps moving away.
The mention of food brought a rumble to Emerl's stomach as he cracked open his eyes. His gaze met only the dull brown of a wooden roof, and tilting his head towards the voices he'd heard, he saw Big Macintosh and Applebloom standing beside him. Looking down, he saw he was lying in a bed with covers pulled up to his neck, wrapping him in toasty warmth.
Well this is nice. I wonder how we ended up at Sweet Apple Acres? the same voice in his head echoed out, causing a tiny frown to pass over his muzzle.
I was hoping you were just a figment of my imagination, Emerl snapped at the unwanted one.
It replied with a soft mental chuckle, Haha, well depending on how you look at it, I kind of am, aren't I?
"Y'all okay, Mister Emerl?" Applebloom asked, lightly poking his side and turning his attention to her. "A doctor came by our house this morning to tell us ya'd passed out in the middle of the street last night."
Before he could answer, Emerl's train of thought was derailed by a snarky comment, We would probably be better if it didn't feel like a hundred tiny parasprites were buzzing around in our brain.
Emerl put a hoof to his temple and shook his head, trying to make it look like he was getting his mind clear as he inwardly grumbled, Would you please keep to yourself for a bit so I can think straight?
I don't know if it works that way. You might just have to get used to it.
Great, Emerl quipped sarcastically before giving Applebloom a smile. "I'm okay, thank you. I think I was just worn out. I hadn't slept for nearly two days," he calmly elaborated, crafting a small falsehood so he didn't have to explain that it was all because a second mind now shared brain space with him. No, that would certainly get him put in a mental ward or something. "How did I end up here though?"
"The doc said that when ya passed out it was near dusk, so he just kept ya in a bed at the hospital," Applebloom chimed cheerily. "When ya didn't wake up in the morning he asked around and found out that ya brought me and mah friends here, so when he came by and explained what happened, we offered ta keep ya here!"
Big Macintosh cleared his throat and added, "Figured that this would be a good way to pay y'all back. We Apples never leave a debt unpaid; even more for what ya did for Applejack."
Emerl's cheeks flushed at the mention of that little bit of history, scratching the back of his head with a hoof. "I-it was nothing, r-really." So she had talked about him before? He was happy to hear that, but he felt a bit more self-conscious now too.
How cute. One mention of her name and you're already flustered, the other him chuckled.
Sh-shut up, he thought in aside to it.
"Nothing or not, we would still like to show our thanks by lettin ya stay here 'til ya get yerself settled," Big Mac beamed, giving a strong pat to Emerl's back, causing his whole body, bed included, to shake from the blow.
"Thanks Big Macintosh," Emerl smiled genuinely. He felt a bit uncertain and awkward at the idea of accepting their hospitality, but grateful nonetheless.
"T'weren't nothin young stallion," the aged voice from before rang out from outside the room. Hoofsteps soon followed, and an elderly green mare with a tied-up white mane and a pie Cutie Mark emerged from the doorway off to the side of the bed. On the mare's back she balanced a tray set with a mug of frothy liquid and a large tart - apple, if he had to guess...
Probably a safe assumption. Oh, it smells so good!
For Luna's sake, some quiet in the peanut gallery would be appreciated.
What? I'm as hungry as you are! It feels like we could pick a whole tree clean of apples!
Ignoring the mental exagerations, Emerl nodded respectfully to the old mare, recalling - he hoped - the name he had heard years back.
You've got it right, it's Granny Smith, it assured him in the back of his head.
I thought I told you to stay away from my memories, you spectre! he lashed back.
This time it was the other's turn to be irritated, replying with a growl, I have my own memories from before I was put to sleep, you know. That's how I remember Applejack and all of her stories.
"Here, take some of this deary," Granny Smith smiled as she slid the tray off of her back and over his lap. "I guarantee our family recipes will have you feeling right as rain in no time."
Emerl smiled back sheepishly. He was feeling shy at the nearly overwhelming display of hospitality from ponies he barely knew. At the same time, he was struggling to keep his outer and inner discussions separate. Still, he had not been raised to be unappreciative, so despite both of the struggles, he replied, "I'm sure it will, Granny Smith. Applejack used to talk all the time about how delicious Apple Family food is."
Taking a small whiff of the steaming tart before him, he had to consciously stop himself from drooling. Picking it up in his magic, he brought it to his lips just as his other side spoke up.
By the way, how many times do I have to say it? I'm not some outside spectre... I'm... I... Mmm, by Celetia's sun-spangled behind, this is freaking delicious!
Emerl would have scolded it for speaking of Celestia in such a shameful way, but it was undeniably right. He'd definitely had his fair share of tarts in his lifetime, but this was incredible. Perfectly flaky, perfectly fruity flavor, and perfect balance of sweet and tarty accent. At the very least, it was the best apple tart he had ever tasted, and at the most it could very well be the best tart period. He didn't even care about the silly, wide-eyed, spellbound look he had on his face as he slowly chewed the bite he'd taken.
Gulping down the last bit, he smiled wide to his gracious hosts, saying excitedly, "No wonder she ranted and raved about the food back home! If all of it is as good as this, then I would have ran straight home too!"
Come on, take another bite. Take another bite! Oh how lucky I am that the first food I taste in ten years is Apple Family food! Hurry up! it cheered and begged, going on incessantly until Emerl shut it up with another bite of food.
He couldn't help but smile at the wave of appreciative emotion that came from it in his head. Sure, he was annoyed by the pestering presence, but at the very least... It was interesting. He still didn't see how it could be a part of him though.
"Much appreciated, Emerl," Granny Smith chuckled, "But don't expect it all to be free. Aside from this meal, we'll expect ya to help out at least a little bit while y'all are staying here with us. Take as much time as you need though, it'll probably take a while to deal with your condition."
Condition? it wondered.
"Condition?" Emerl parroted, concern replacing his enjoyment of the delicious food. "I thought the only problem was that I got a really bad headache from exhaustion."
Applebloom propped herself up on the side of the bed and said, "Don't worry too much, it ain't nothin bad about yer health. Y'all aren't sick, from what the doctor could see."
You know, it really won't do if you keep refering to me as a thing. I'm not an 'it'. I'm a he. Though it would be really confusing if you called me by our name... it suddenly started musing to itself, seemingly half listening while thinking.
Emerl had a feeling his new acquaintance knew something, but just put its ramblings aside as he focused on the Apples. "Well then what is wrong with me?"
How about... No, that would never work. That name just screams Mary Sue...
Big Mac broke it to him bluntly, "Yer Cutie Mark is gone, Emerl."
His Cutie Mark... gone?!
Emerl's horn flared with light as he lifted the tray and covers into the air, bolting onto his hooves. He turned around atop the matress, craning his neck back to look at the side of his flank. He expected.to.find the familiar murky green streaks that he always saw, but instead found only barren gray haunches. "But... But how?! How did I lose my mark?!" he panicked, mind racing to come up with some kind of answer.
I told you before, didn't I? an answer came from the other mind. You almost got our Cutie Mark all those years ago, but when you surpressed me, you wound up with only a piece of it. That mark was only a part of our whole identity, which we will have to rediscover together.
Well... That sort of made sense... If that was true, then it really meant that the other inside of him was another piece of him. Still, he couldn't go telling the Apples about this, going back to the point that he would be seen as crazy. He probably was anyway, but he didn't need others thinking so too. Not having his Cutie Mark though; it felt like he had lost a piece of his identity. It was pretty unnerving, but what was one more thing when he already had the clown in his head to deal with?
Hey! I am not a clown! Sarcastic and joking, yes, but not a clown... Those are creepy.
Well that we can agree on.
He was pulled out of his thoughts as Applebloom hopped up onto the bed and put a hoof on his.shoulder, "It'll be okay Emerl, you can join the Cutie Mark Crusaders! We can help ya get your mark back, however long it takes!"
Emerl had to force himself not to shudder as a wave of mutual dread passed between him and his mental tenant. He put on a brave smile though, and gave the politest answer he could, "Thanks for the offer. I'll figure out later if that's what I want to do."
Her enthusiasm undeterred, the filly bounced down from the bed and started skipping out the door, "We're gonna have to make a pretty big cape ta fit ya! We'll need ta work on it right away!"
Kid doesn't know when to quit. Cestia have mercy on our soul, a laugh echoed in the back of his head.
Hey, no copying me, Emerl shot back in good humor that surprised even himself.
By the way, I think I figured out a name you can call me by.
Oh yeah? What would that be?
Call me Jade. Jade Mist.