//------------------------------//
// Paradoxial 
// Story: One Ugly Grub 
// by Sgt GobSmacker 
//------------------------------//

"What?" I asked, incredulous at the fact that he called Luna, 'Woona'

"Isn't that what she's called?" Mark deadpanned, like he was trying to hide something from me.

"Uh...no. It's Luna. Princess Luna." I stated. A devious thought graced itself in my mind's eye. "Are you a brony, Mark?..." I trailed on, smiling, prepared to use this against him in the future. If I could see within his helmet, I bet his current emotion was shock.

"What?! N-no!" He shouted in defiance. I sighed happily. 'Denial, the first sign.'

"Then had do you kn-" Mark got up in a flash. I could feel his eyes pentrating that visor of his and giving me 'Luigi's death glare'.

"I need to be alone for a while." He took a chip out of the back of his helmet. "Take Cortana, I'll be back shortly."  Mark proceeded to throw me the chip of which his A.I. Cortana was trapped within. I caught it with lightning speed, cupping my hands over it. Mark walked further into the forest.

"What's got his jimmies rustled?" I mumbled softly to myself, exposing the chip I had in my hand.

"He's confused." I screamed in fright, shuffling backwards. Cortana had to pop out at the most unexpected of times didn't she?! I quickly regained my composure. 

"What do you mean?" I asked heatedly, mad at the fact Cortana had to scare the living daylights out of me. 

"He's going through different phases of two lives." She looked up at me, a somber expression on her face. 

"Explain."

Cortana sighed. "He's going through what is called 'Paradoxial Rift', Mark is trying to cope with his sudden surge of John's memories. The Merchant wants him to go crazy. Mark won't be able to control all this pressure that has been placed on his mind. I might be able to re-route those memories into my database. Only then will he be safe."

"What about me?"  The A.I looked up at me expectantly. "I have the memories of Skorge and I'm getting along fine."

"How did you recieve them?"

I huffed out some air. "That Princess 'Celestia' checked my memories to see if I could be 'trusted'." I mimicked Celestia's voice, only to fail horribly.

"She went through them?" I nodded. "That explains it then." Cortana concluded.

"It does." I was surprised to hear it.

"Yes. There was the two of you together going through them, you both got half of each, that way your mind will be able to handle the sudden appearance of these memories."

I nodded slowly, pouting out my lower lip. "That's good to hear. Hard to say though... she actually did me a favor." A curious expression was plastered on her face.

"Why's that?"

"Because I would have become a rampaging beast." We both chuckled at the thought. "Seriously though." My expression turned dead serious. "I would have."

Silence reigned over the duo once more.