//------------------------------// // If Tails; I'll Roll The Dice // Story: A Chance Flip By Life. // by kento124 //------------------------------// Silence fell over the library as Twilight tried process what was happening. A strange and possibly crazed stallion sat just a few paces from her, babbling something about a wish. He knocked Spike out and was now staring at her, waiting for some kind of answer. Okay Twilight, we can handle this. He's just some nutcase who can cast a sleep spell within a second and maybe whatever else...Right, time to panic, Twilight's eyes darting around the room looking for something to defend herself with. “Hm, usually they already have some idea as to what they want by now,” the stallion said. she hoped he was distracted, as her eyes came upon a lamp that sat by the stairs. It was a lamp Rarity got her in hope of “brightening up this old place”. I'm sorry, Rarity, but it's an emergency, she thought as she quickly levitated the lamp. Before he could react, she swung, aiming for the stallion’s head. The lamp passed straight through his head which didn’t even didn't even faze him, as he seemed to still be lost in thought. Every joint in Twilight's body locked in place as her mind was now in overdrive, trying to understand what just happened. It went right through him. Astral projection? No, did he not see that! Was there no felling? Oh Celestia, if he knows...then why hasn't done anything? Could he be a...no, that's not possible right? It can't be, lost in her thoughts, not noticing that the stallion approached her. “Um, miss, are you all ri—" He was abruptly cut off by her scream. As loud as it was, Ponyville was accustomed to such noise from her home that her neighbors paid it any mind. “Please don't hurt me, Mister Ghost! I'm sorry I took something of yours, just don't hunt me! I—” A striking pain came across her face. Did he just slapped me?! “Okay, quick pause. Can a ghost physically slap you?” Twilight being in her state of mind could only Shake her head. “Good, cause I'm not a ghost and before we go any further down the coo-coo train, how long ago did Luna get banished to the moon?” “A thousand years ago, but how—” she tried to ask as her heart seemed to calmed down. “Do you have no idea who I am?” “No.” “Right, so how about we start over then. I'm know as Bale Wind or you can call me Shadow. I'm not a ghost, but I've lived longer than most ponies.” He paused slightly to let the information sink in and he gave Twilight a slight bow as well. “And the coin is yours. The coin is what seals the contract to the wish you're entitled to unless you don't want it. in which case you'll have to return the coin to me and I'll be gone.” “So all I need to do is give you the coin and you'll be gone?” Twilight asked, hoping it was that easy, which, to her relief it, was confirmed with a nod. A small thought crossed her mind as she tried to remember where it was. “No, no, no, no, I... lost it on the way back home.” “Yeah, he has a tendency to do that, tricky thing he is. He just loves to run.” Even with the feeling of being stuck with a crazed stallion, she just couldn't help but notice what he said. “He?” Twilight questioned. “Yes, he, or Jack as he's named.” Bale noticed the confused look which made him smile to. “Yes, I know it might sound crazy, but when you give an object a name, you give it power to its name. I could explain it more, but we have a slight problem, now, don't we? You lost Jack, so you’re stuck with me till you die or you make a wish. I do warn you though, it comes at a cost.” The change in his tone caused a queasy feeling to form in her stomach. She didn't have any idea as who this stallion was or what he meant by “the cost.” “Why me? How can you grant wishes.” Those few simple words seemed to brighten up his demeanor quite a bit. “Let's start with why. Unlike what most would believe, I just like giving some ponies a choice that could change their lives. I find it fascinating as what they do with what I give them. It's like getting a cutie mark again or something like that. As to the how, I'm a great old arch mage with lost knowledge, with an age that puts Celestia to shame.” How can he be older than Celestia? She’s been around since the three tribes. “But how...” Twilight paused, searching for the right words to ask. “...can you be older than Celestia? Nopony can live that long.” “Ah, good question. Well, you see, I hate politics or more within ruling over ponies. I also hate being a part of public affairs. I just like watching from a distance as the world turns. So by the time I was Twenty-one, I sent myself into a limbo-like state. The coin, being the link between the two plane of existence. The spell also made the thing indestructible, too. So I continued my studies while messing about with what a story would call side characters. But still we have time for that later. So what do you love the most? Not who, but what.” “Um, knowledge? But that's impossible! No spell can work like that and I should know! I'm the Element of Magic!” Her disbelief just caused him to laugh. He's laughing? why is he laughing at what I just said? Twilight thought with a bit of growing rage. “That's because you and most of today's unicorns—and that includes Alicorns as well— make it too complicated to cast. You never just let things flow, you botch it up with formulas. That's why. Here let me show you something.” Before she could protest, he lit his horn and a large gust came through the room, sending some loose papers to scattered about. Twilight braced herself against the wind as large wooden objects seem to rush into the library, zipping past her at breathtaking speed. By the time it stopped, the sheer sight astonished her. What was once her home, the library had become what looked like endless rows of book cases. The amount of books here was beyond anything she had ever seen. There were more than the Canterlot Royal library and all the libraries combined. “It looks like I surprised you a bit. Now think, how did I bring you here if I didn't use a transportation spell?” Twilight tried to slowly regain her composure from the sheer volumes of books to think. “A dimension spell? But how could that be possible? We didn't go through any doorway or any kind of portal?” The stallion gave Twilight a small laugh. “Yes, because you haven't figured out how to apply it to thought yet. This you could say exists in a pocket dimension within a thought which I can conjure up at any time. Sounds impossible but it’s just as easy with growth spells. You see Twilight, I can give you this knowledge, but the cost would be quite high for all these volumes in here. Most have been lost to time itself as well some of my personally-written ones as well.” This is impossible and its a strange unicorn who you don't know or should trust. But the amount I can learn here is unbelievable. He could be some crazed blood ritual pony asking for your heart or this just a delusional dream. If it is a dream then there's no hurt to asking what the price is, then? The rational part of her mind gave into her curiosity, silencing her rational part. “Um, if what you been saying was true, and that's a big if, what would the price be?” “One sec on that.” The answer stumped her. He turned to her with a hoof raised and just sitting there. Is he thinking? she thought as his head was tilt down but soon shot up, “Yes, sorry about that.” He let his hoof fall to his side, looking straight at her with his full attention. “So what is the price?” She asked again with a bit more announce than before. “Well it's quite big, had to take a sec to figure out would be the appropriate price for all this and what I came to is a four-step payment.” “Four-step payment?” “Yes. As you can see this is a lot of knowledge,” he said, wave his other hoof in a slight swaying motion. “One wouldn’t do because it would be too much, and since the payments are what I want, they can be tricky.” “What you want? There's no standard in payment?” “Um no, think like a merchant. You had no big things, but you do have four little things you can sell.” “And what would they be?” “You know, you’re fun. The sarcasm and the rational fighting your curiosity for the thirst of knowledge makes you a load of fun. But, yes, back on track, they are your love for a particular somepony, your time, your mind and your freedom.” “You see, that's what I'm buying in a broad sense. What I'm asking for is a contract for you to complete a particular spell, you’ll become my student,” As he started to explain, the thought of having all these books to study slowly filled her joy. Well, for a nightmare, it’s kind of nice. “By the way this isn't a dream.” “W-what?” She asked' “No and yes. No, I'm not in your mind, but, yes, I can glimpse at the last ten or so seconds of your thoughts. It’s a neat spell, by the way. Still, this is not a dream, it’s real. As to the last two payments. One is to tell Princess Celestia that you wish to resign from being her student and accept a ten-year contract to work for me.” “Wait, what?” “That and give up your love for her as well.” His last few words chilled her to the bone. Give up my love for Celestia. The thought echoed throughout her mind. “It's not like you're going to hate her. There's different kinds of love. The one I'm talking about is the mother-daughter type. You'll still love her for being your princess, but that's all, and the other was so you don't get distracted. So to sum it up, apprentice to work for me ten years minimum while finishing a spell, giving up being the princess student and you give me the motherly love you have for her.” Twilight's mind was in jumbles. Stuck between two choices, two impossible things. One, a library of unknown knowledge. The other was her love for the Princess. He just sat there waiting for Twilight's answer, for her to accept or decline his deal. The thoughts raged in her head, back and forth in a endless debate. Her gut seemed to twist at the answer she came to. It almost left her sick. “What would I think of Celestia after if I made the deal?” “The same way you do now, just the thought of her being like a mother would strange to you and yes you will still be her friend without being her student.” She swallowed the large lump that formed in her throat as she cleared her mouth to speak. “I accept your deal.”