//------------------------------//
// Twilight and the Teapot 
// Story: The Curiosity Machine 
// by ThunderChaserCreate 
//------------------------------//

	Who gave you the Curiosity Machine, Twilight?

The words echoed in my head long after the Doctor had said them. Who had given it to me? I couldn't seem to remember... it was like that bit of my memory was just... just missing.

"But-but what is a chameleon arch?" I demanded again.

"Twilight, this is so important... who gave you that teapot?" The Doctor kept asking.

"Not until you tell me about the chameleon arch." I folded my hooves across my chest.

"No-- Twilight--" He growled. "I don't want to scare you!"

"Why would it scare me?" I asked sincerely. 

"Twilight..." The Doctor's face continued to fall as I stared at him.

I felt a hoof on my shoulder. I jumped.

Derpy smiled down at me. "Look. I know it's hard at first, but you really just have to trust him."

I hung my head. "I'm just so... so confused. It's happening too fast. Pause, rewind, something! Just... just stop talking!" I yelled at him, shrugging Derpy's hoof away.

The Doctor looked shocked and defensive, but stood calmly. "Well," he said, "Only one thing to do in a situation like this."

I arched my eyebrows as a prompt.

"I'll brew us a pot of tea." He smiled a bit at his little joke. "Where do you keep the Curiosity Machine then, Twilight?"


~~~~~


The hot liquid steamed copiously as he poured it into a flared mug. The smell was enchantingly strong, and I couldn't wait to taste the Doctor's 'special brew.'

"Now, remember:" he said, "drink slow. The only reason I haven't just cracked open that watch is because you've spent a longer time than normal without your memories. I'm afraid it would hurt you in some way."

"Thanks for the consideration," I mumbled. I blew gently over the top of the mug, more steam spilling off it and flowing across the table.

"Sure you're okay with this?" Derpy asked.

"Yeah, sure. Why wouldn't I be?" I asked, swirling the liquid around.

"Well..." Derpy rubbed the back of her head. "It's just... it's all so experimental and unpredictable. You could get hurt. You know that, right?"

I shrugged. "To be honest, I think the worst it'll do is burn me or give me a headache!" I laughed. "This has been happening to me for a really long time. Almost as long as I can remember. It's not really dangerous to me."

"Just... be careful, please," The Doctor warned.

I took a sip.

This time, the memory came as an article I must have read long ago. 

Chameleon arch (n.): A relatively new technology allowing one species to modify its biology, so its cells identify as something entirely new. Consists of a headset and fob watch-appearing device used to store memories, previous biological information, and a perception filter. 

I opened my eyes. "There. See? Fine." I smiled to prove it. "Wait, wait..."

The Doctor began to look concerned.

I grabbed the watch. "You said this was mine, didn't you?"

"Well, not in so many words, but--"

"Then... then this is all fiction?" I asked. The question had barely even registered.

"No. Well, some things. Just from when you were very young. And... and your name. Any experiences you've had are genuine, Twilight. You needn't worry about that." He nodded to complete this thought.

I cleared my throat. "So then what was I?" I asked finally.

"That's hardly important," he said. "It's true," he added after an accusing glare from Derpy.

"Wh-" I choked. "Who was I, then?"

"That's too important. Not yet, dear, I'm sorry. We have to take things slowly." 

"Oh, 'that's too important,' 'that's not important...' why do you get to decide?" I spat. "Huh?"

"Look, I'm just--"

"No, really. I'm curious. Why you, Doctor? Why am I your responsibility?" I stood up, standing as tall as I could to meet him eye-to-eye. "What did you mean to me in the past? Something, obviously."

"Twilight, please, just--"

"I've had enough." I pushed past him. "No more games. No more tricks. No more lording it over me with your knowledge."

"Wait! Please, wait! You've no idea how long I've been looking for you!" He shouted after me.

I stopped.

"Just... just a few more sips. We need some more information before we can open the watch." 

I spun about.

"What?"

"Who gave you the Curiosity Machine?"

"You already asked me that." I stalked back towards him. "Why is that so important? But not too important?" I mocked.

"Because whoever gave it to you knows what you were. Knows who you used to be." He held the mug up to me. "Just another sip or two, please," he begged.

I sighed. "Oh... fine. Fine, fine. I'll finish the mug and then I'm out, okay?"

The Doctor smiled knowingly. "Great. Have at it."

I sat down hard in the little chair, holding the mug up to my muzzle and taking another swallow of tea.

"Welcome back!" I shouted, pulling her inside. "How was your trip?"

"Oh, splendid! Fillydelphia may not be as glamorous and famous as Manehatten, but that doesn't make it any less amazing. Oh, you should've seen it Twilight. So many ponies bustling around..." She made herself comfortable on a couch nearby.

"And the others? Did they have fun, too?" I pressed.

"Oh, yes! Even Fluttershy came out of her shell and tried some new things!" she replied happily.

I giggled. "That's great!"

"Yes, it's too bad you had to stick around and study for your exam... Oh, goodness! Nearly forgot! We bought you a little something while we were there!" She motioned for Spike to bring in her bags, then began meticulously rifling through them. "Hang on..."

"Oh, you shouldn't have. Really."

"Nonsense! We knew how much you wanted to be there! Aha!" She pulled out a gift bag and passed it to me. "From us to you!"

I smiled in thanks. "You're so sweet."

"Oh, no trouble at all. Just open it."

I did as she asked, pulling out several layers of silver tissue paper revealing a simple, brown teapot in the bottom.

"We saw it in this little ceramics shop and thought... well, it looked just like your old one, the one Pinkie broke, so..." She beamed. "Do you like it?"

"I love it!"

I was pulled out of the memory as the two of us went onto more boring trivia.

"Well?" The Doctor came at me very quickly. "Who was it? Who gave it you?"

I shook my head. "No. No, it can't be right. That's... that's not right."

"What isn't? Who gave it to you, do you know?"

I just kept shaking my head. "I just... that can't be right..."

"Stop saying that! Who gave it to you?"

"My... my friends..."