[Blazing's Entry]
I really wish I could write about some great change or success but truth is that after my arrival in the Crystal Empire I just recieved a short briefing and was told to take over Rainbow Dash's and Applejack's duties in watching over Ponyville. Funnily enough, all that involves is dealing with tons of paperwork from Mayor Mare's office. It's not that bad though, most decisions are already done and all the job takes from me is to sign up the decisions with king's name and make things super official. The real reason of course is to make sure no rebellion or anything similar happens but Ponyville is the last place where such thing could happen which suits a newbie like me just fine.
I almost forgot, Twilight Sparkle wants to kill me but Sombra's orders and my blackmailing her is enough to make her do what I want which is teaching me magic theory. Thankfully, some things are exactly the same as at home and she always forgets her bloodlust as soon as our lessons begin. None of this would have been possible without the help of the Element because for whatever reason my killing three of her friends wasn't overly useful in persuading her to help me. I mean she did almost kill me back home so at least we should be even, or not?
All that said, I'm terrible at magic anyway. Remembering the symbols, the feel of power and everything is easy but my actual ability to use it is comparable to a year-old unicorn foal. Well, maybe not that bad but close. On the other hoof, my ability to counter magic is growing at an incredible pace. The Element was right, all it takes to fight magic is knowledge which gives you the chance to strike at the right spot.
All THAT said, my telekinesis is back but it's barely strong enough to hold a pen or something similar. Better stick to kicks and punches then. If things go like this then I'll never be able to use swords, or even one, again.
My study of magic will be delayed, maybe indefinitely, though. The invasion is coming and Twilight was recalled back north few days ago to make it possible. I don't really understand it myself but when she began using long words like 'transmorphogenic' and 'marmelade' I asked her to dumb the explanation down and she just said that despite the difficulty of teleporting between both Equestrias there are points where dimensional overlap is possible causing the worlds to join indefinitely under certain circumstances.
Ehm, I think she actually told me those but I was asleep at the time. Damn, I'm yawning even while recounting the events.
The most amusing thing, as the Element never fails to remind me, is the amount of paranoia everywhere around. I think Sombra knows, or suspects, that I'm not one of his minions but is willing to risk the chance of me not lying. He has no idea Twilight isn't working for him. She herself thinks I'm a traitor who now IS serving Sombra for the promise of, I don't know, power in my world when they rule it or whatever. And I... I don't know much. With the decision of not giving a damn about the future I'm just going with the flow and doing what I feel like doing. There are of course the bureaucratic duties of being an evil overlord, albeit on much smaller scale than the main bad guy, and my goal serving to amuse me which is somehow saving my world but those are things that can't be solved immediately.
When Twilight told me she was going back north and that I'd have to go as well later, curiosity began rising inside me until it was impossible to ignore so I asked all I could about a certain pony and was surprised to find out that there might be something more interesting than saving the world. I mean I still had enough time before having to go north so I decided to take a detour.
I'm going to Canterlot to see the commander of the local branch of Royal Guard, a unicorn with a very ambitious name - Blazing Light.
[End Entry]
"That's pretty swagtastic crib," says the voice of Betrayal.
"Sweet Celestia, what did you just say?" I turn my head to what is supposed to be an ancient being.
"Ehm sorry about that. Three years around Rainbow Dash certainly left a mark and it comes back from time to time."
The Element began using a different form upon my request shortly after our first ride north. Seriously, I look like a patchwork of things and I really didn't need a huge, golden necklace on my neck so I was very happy to find out that physical form is something the Elements can freely ignore. Now he floats around me as a silver longsword to make me feel at home.
"But yeah. It looks like the me from this world is much more successful than me me."
"Dunno. Being an Element bearer, transcending your mortal form and marginally succeeding in a mission to save the world sounds pretty good compared to being some stuck-up noble Royal Guard commander."
"We'll see," I say and ring the doorbell of one of the bigger mansions in Canterlot.
I have no clue what I'm going to see but out of sheer curiosity I want to know how I would look if, well, I wasn't a failure.
When the door opens, we get ushered inside and after a short while of me presenting my credentials as a personal guard of king Sombra the responsible servants leave us sitting in a comfortable leather armchair. The mansion isn't filled with excess but all of its equipment is functional, stylish and, fine, just a bit flaunting. All combined it gives the impression that while the owner of this place is more practical in his heart, he also enjoys the perks of wealthy living.
"Welcome in my humble home, mister?" comes from behind me. Apparently the layout of the room also allows the host to enter without his guests seeing him. Paranoia at its finest, I'm beginning to feel at home here.
Looking into what seems to be a mirror to the past, although a bit cracked, scratched and scarred in places, I give another of my selves an impish grin.
"My name is Blazing Light and, correct me if I'm wrong, so is yours."
"From the future?" he says without batting an eyelid. Damn, his level of caring is about the same as mine.
"Some mirror part of Equestria. It's supposed to be an alternate reality or something, I don't really know how it works."
"What are you doing here then?" he asks.
"Welll it all began when I got turned into half-changeling, then killed, revived and other fun things so I just wanted to know how my other self is. So... how are things?"
He snorts.
"Can't complain. No really, I can't complain or the secret police will have me beheaded. Just kidding, want some wine? I've got enough time so we can have a chat."
I nod and he sits down in an armchair opposite me and pushes a button on the table between us. There is nothing happening for a while and then a voice from the door chills me to the bone.
"Your drink, master."
I slowly turn, trying to control every movement and not give anything away. When the pony sees me, she trips and drops the platter with a wine bottle and two glasses she was carrying. Swinging her hooves, she tries to catch the falling glassware but it stops in midair surrounded by orange glow.
My evil self sighs.
"You almost broke the priceless bottle of Appleloosan apple and cherry blend wine. Go make us a snack and we'll talk about this later."
With how annoyed and momentarily angry his voice is, I have hard time keeping mine steady.
"Don't be too hard on her. I have this effect on most ponies."
"I can imagine but she's been like this since day one. I mean we get a lot of strange looking visitors and she still can't use her hooves properly. Makes really good sandwiches though, just wait for it."
"What is she to you anyway?" I ask after a brief pause filled by enjoying the wine. His taste in wines is similar to mine apparently but I like them a bit stronger to get wasted quicker and not burn through the bottle too fast.
"The thestral?"
"The batpony."
"Come on. Ponies like us should call things the right names and not some village slang."
"Never heard the term thestral before. I'm more of a changeling expert rather than pony one."
"Nice. I've got few of them serving here, without horns of course. But even when they can't change forms they are fantastic in bed, especially if you threaten to give them to the public. No offense," he grins and then waves his hoof when he looks at me again.
"None taken. I get that they are about as liked here as they are at my world."
"They make for excellent pets, whorses, servants and such like. They are cheap and know that if something bad happens thanks to them they can get executed immediately. That's what I like about them, they don't talk back. Not like the damn thestral. Oh right... thestral is the same term as unicorn or pegasus. You wouldn't want them to call you a hornpony or wingpony right?"
That makes sense.
"What about earthponies, how do you call them?"
"Get the haul here by sundown or I'll have you whipped," he answers and begins laughing.
I snort, it's evil, racist and disgusting... but still funny.
"Why do you keep the... thestral here then if she's so bad?"
"Don't say you didn't feel your blood boil when you saw her. If you're the least bit like me then I don't need to answer that."
Yea... my blood did boil but for one very different reason.
"Got hots for her?" I ask.
"I used to when I joined the guard but after the changeling invasion ponies started looking funny at the bats and griffons so with me promoted for stopping the invasion I took her in when she and her thestral friends were kicked out of the guard for giving out information to the changelings."
Hmmm... a lot of Nightguards disappeared, abducted by Chrysalis at the time but I don't think that would lead to too much suspicion.
Unless the negative reaction was much stronger here.
"By the way, how come you aren't a part-changeling?"
"Why should I be?"
"I got cursed by Chrysalis at a party few weeks after arriving in Canterlot and working in the castle."
"Oooh I remember that one. There was a white pegasus I wanted to bang but the bitch wouldn't budge."
"Hmmmm. What about Valiant Charge?"
"Her ex? I think he had an 'accident' recently. After all I couldn't leave him around when I wanted Choking to myself. You understand, don't you?"
"Oh... so she's been with him until the invasion?"
"Yea, he was a bastard but a pretty dumb one so I just brown-nosed him a bit and when I got promoted I swiped his marefriend."
Something doesn't sound right.
Yea... I think I'm getting the idea who this guy is.
You?
Exactly.
"So you got promoted after the invasion and blamed her and other batponies for giving out information," I bluff.
"Good guess. You know what you're talking about then?"
"Pretty much."
The black batpony servant comes with a tray of sandwiches and I gather all my strength not to look in the red eyes I once thought to be the most beautiful thing to ever grace the world.
She puts the tray down and stays here, standing at attention and looking at her hooves.
"So how did YOU get her?" he begins again.
"Hmm?"
"Come on. We're pretty similar and there has ever been only one mare good enough to make me go crazy."
"Wellll... she killed me."
"WHAT?"
"And now that I see you I know she did the right thing."
Before he can react I swipe at his front hooves with my claw and watch them and the glass of wine drop on the carpet. My other self just stares at me and the two bloody stumps where his forelegs used to be.
"GUAR-!"
My next swipe takes the unicorn's head off.
"Bring me the deed to this mansion and some official stationery," I command and Choking immediately leaves the room.
"Murderer," sneers the voice of the Element at me.
"Don't say you didn't like it."
"I loved every second of the situation, especially how you ignored the bruises on the batpony's face, the whip marks and the fact she can't walk properly with repeatedly broken and healed left back knee."
"You're pretty good at paying attention."
"I just know where to look. So what now? To be honest, I expected you to take this guy's place and keep her around."
"No. Me and this... thing are similar enough so I'll just forge his signature, slap Sombra's seal on it and make her the owner of this place."
"Why not? I don't know what happened between you and your version of the bat girl but you can have her here and have complete control of her life."
"From the moment I first met her I knew I wasn't good enough to even kiss her hooves and right now - three damn years later - I'm sure I was right all the time. There was no way for me to take care of her and make her happy because even if that's the only thing I really wanted I would have messed up somehow and ended like this. The best thing I can do is making sure no version of an abomination like me is anywhere near her."
A hoof pokes my side.
Damn batponies and their sneakiness.
"Did I forget something?" I ask Choking when I finish writing the will and signing some makeshift paperwork in hope no lawyer would ever examine it too carefully with Sombra's seal on it.
"Nothing, sir," she says meekly, still not believing the turn of fortune.
"Got any friends to help you with all this?" I wave my hoof around.
"I can manage."
I smile at her.
"I know you can, you always could."
Turning to leave, I hear her say:
"You're not him, sir."
I wish I could believe that.
"Goodbye, Chokey," I tell her.
"Goodbye, mister Ligh- Blaze."
Leaving the mansion behind me and in good hooves I know there's only one thing left.
Time to head north, waste some more time by practicing magic and find a way to end this.