//------------------------------// // Part Two: A Long, Strange Journey Begins With A Single Misstep // Story: Wonderful // by JMac //------------------------------// Wonderful Part 2:  A Long, Strange Journey Begins With A Single Misstep         “We’re not angels, per se, Pansy,” said the mare dressed as Clover.         “I know, but that works for lack of a better word,” said Pansy.  “What would you say we were?”         Smart Cookie scratched her head.  “That’s a pretty good question.  I never gave it much thought before.  Spirits, maybe?”          “That’s not too bad, I guess.  It’s better than ghosts.” Pansy cringed.  “I don’t think I’m a ghost.  I don’t want to be a ghost.”         “Exalted personages?” suggested Clover.         “That’s a might pretentious, don’t you think?” said Cookie.         Pansy nodded.  “I think I prefer angels.”         “Girls, could we please focus?” asked Clover.  “Our official designation is not important.  Our mission is to help young Quiz here.  We should start by explaining… Quizzical?  What are you looking for?”         Quiz had been craning her neck to try and see all around the train car.  “A camera.  This is a ridiculously elaborate prank, and I cannot imagine that it is not being recorded.”         Cookie snorted.  “The smart ones are always the hardest to convince.  Mind you, healthy skepticism is a good trait to have.  But it sure makes the work harder.  You brainy types are all alike… oh, sorry.  No offense, Clover.”         “None taken,” said Clover.  “I actually anticipated this.  Come on, Girls, we’ve dealt with harder cases than young Quizzical…”         “I must say, I do admire your dedication to your parts,” said Quiz.  “You are all very entertaining.”         “...I think,” said Clover.         “Quiz, I’m sure you noticed that this car is empty,” said Pansy.  “Do you know anypony who could afford to buy an entire train car, just to trick you?  At holiday travel rates?”         They were, indeed, alone on the car.  Quiz made mental calculations.  “Diamond Tiara could do it, with many months advance on her allowance.  Many months…”         “I believe a demonstration is in order,” said Clover.  She held out a leg to Quiz.  “Please take my hoof, Quizzical.”         Quiz did as she was asked, and gently held Clover’s hoof with one of hers.         The whole world changed. #         There was no fading out or fading in.  There was no transition of any kind.  It didn’t happen in the blink of an eye.  Quiz hadn’t blinked.         Quiz was in Canterlot Castle.  From the view out the window it must have been a room near the Throne Room, but Quiz did not recognize it.  Princess Luna and Princess Celestia shared a small table near the window, and there was room for very little else.  In fact, there was no room for Quiz and Clover.  Quiz realized with a start that they were standing inside a wall.         “Steady, Quizzical,” said Clover.  “Nothing in this vision can harm you, not even this stonework bisecting you.”         “We are not really here?” asked Quiz.         “We are and we aren’t,” said Clover.  “It’s actually quite fascinating.  I’d love to discuss it at length with you.  There are implications that modern theoretical magicians would find earth shaking, and that’s nothing compared to how it would rattle multiple reality theorists.  So, I shouldn’t tell you about that.  Anyway, this demonstration is for you, so you should watch and listen.”         “What am I seeing?”  Quiz cocked an ear.  Princess Celestia was reading aloud what Quiz recognized as Twilight Sparkle’s most recent letter.         “This happened this very morning.  We’re in the Princesses private breakfast nook.  It’s behind a door in the back of the throne room, hidden by a tapestry.  Luna and Celestia are enjoying what they call ‘Shift Change.’”         “Shift Change?” asked Quiz.  “I have never heard of this.”         “That is because you are intimidated by the palace, and you never visit unless you’ve been summoned.  Twilight Sparkle has been to several of these little sit downs.  You, by contrast, have had a guest pass to the Castle since you were a first year at Princess Celestia’s School, which you have never used.”         “Is that a criticism?”  It was unclear if Quiz was being defensive or just confused.         Clover shrugged.  “You could be a bit better mixer.  You would be welcomed.  Anyway, Celestia waits until after sunrise, and she is confident the sun is well on it’s way, before pausing for breakfast.  Princess Luna waits to join her sister for a snack before retiring.  They take advantage of the time to brief each other on the night before and the day to come, but mostly they just chat.  They call it Shift Change.  Now hush, and listen to the Princesses.”         Quiz watched Princess Celestia butter a muffin.  “Enough about me and my student, Sister.  How are things with you and Bright Speck?”  Celestia began nibbling at the muffin.         Luna sighed.  “I fear Miss Speck is not a good fit as my student.  It is just not working out.”         Celestia swallowed carefully, to avoid spraying crumbs across the table.  “Oh, Luna!  Are you going to dismiss another one?  This makes four students in three years!”         “I only dismissed three of them,” corrected Luna.  “Dizzying Heights quit before I could send him away.  I do miss Dizzy, he was fun.  A complete airhead, but fun.  I don’t think he believed I was any fun at all.”         Quiz turned to Clover and whispered, “I do not understand.”         Clover chuckled.  “No need for hushed voices, Dear.  They can’t hear us.  But let me clear things up a bit.  This happened this morning, but it didn’t happen in our world.  This is the alternate reality you thought would be better.  You don’t exist here.  And in this alternate reality Luna can’t seem to find the perfect student.  Fancy that.”         Quiz didn’t answer.         A doughnut glowed and rose into the air.  Luna set it down again, untouched.  “No sprinkles.  I keep forgetting to request sprinkles.”         “Don’t change the subject, Luna,” said Celestia.  “Tell me what’s wrong.”         Luna hung her head.  “They don’t need me, Tia.  I can teach them, and the prestige of being my student advances their careers, but they don’t really need me.  It makes me question whether I really have anything special to offer a young unicorn.”         “How can she say that?” gasped Quiz.         The whole world changed. #         Quiz was back on the train.  Clover sat across from her, in the exact same position as before the vision began.         “You are ending there?” Quiz protested.  “But so much is left unanswered.  Is Princess Celestia able to comfort my Princess?  Will she ever find the student she is looking for?”         “We won’t be examining that tonight,” said Clover.  “That was meant just as a demonstration, we have other things we need to show you.  And, I must say, you are showing a great deal of concern for something you supposedly don’t believe is real.”         “Seeing Princess Luna in distress inspires strong feelings.  I admit that,” said Quiz.  “Even if it is an illusion.”         Pansy sighed, Clover rolled her eyes, and Cookie buried her face in her hoofs and grumbled “It’s going to be a long night.”         “Surely, you don’t still think this is a prank, Quiz?” asked Pansy.         “No, I have discarded that theory,” said Quiz.         “Oh, that’s good…”         “I am beginning to fear I am more gravely injured than I thought,” said Quiz.  “The blow to my head is causing hallucinations.”         “So, I’m just a symptom of brain damage?” asked Cookie.  “That’s a little insulting.”         “I don’t think that’s helping, Cookie,” said Pansy, gently.  She turned to Quiz.  “Don’t worry.  It wasn’t that bad a bump.  I’m sure your brain is getting enough oxygen.”         “It could be worse, Cookie,” said Clover.  “Remember the colt who thought we were a nightmare brought on by a badly cooked meal?”         “The one who compared us to an underdone potato?” asked Cookie.  “Yeah, that was an affront to my dignity.  But is that really what I’m reduced to?  I’m either brought on by head trauma or indigestion?”         “Hmm,” mused Quiz.  “I did eat lunch when I was feeling upset.  And breakfast was a bit hurried...”         “Oh, just don’t start,” said Cookie.           “I apologize if I have insulted you, Miss Smart Cookie,” said Quiz.         “I accept your apology,” said Cookie.  Then she grinned.  “I do have to commend your manners.  It’s nice of you to worry about the hurt feelings of a hallucination like me.”         “Um….”  Quiz trailed off, unable to respond that.         “You should try to work with us, Quiz,” said Pansy.  “Try thinking of it this way; it doesn’t matter if we are real or imaginary.  You can still learn from us either way.  Pay attention to what we are showing you.  I think our message is still valid even if you don’t believe in us.”         “I can do that,” said Quiz.         “That’s actually very profound, Pansy,” said Clover.         “Down right wise, I would call it,” said Cookie.  “We are going to have to use that again sometime.”         “Thank you, Girls,” said Pansy.         “And on that note, I think we should move on,” said Clover.  “We won’t be showing you the lives of the ponies closest to you.  We mustn’t show you your future, as that’s supposed to just happen without any interference.  We must be careful.  It’s surprising how much you can extrapolate about the future from changes in the present.”         “You’re smart and full of curiosity, and you’d just work too much out if we gave you too many clues,” said Cookie.  “It’s your nature.”         “You and the ponies closest to you will just have to make up your stories as you go along,” said Clover.         “Besides, these are things you don’t really want to see,” said Pansy.  “For instance, you wouldn’t want to know what happens to your friend Twist if you aren’t there to help her through her candy making contest.”         “Oh, surely the outcome is not that different without me,” said Quiz.         The three mares stared at each other for a moment, then they all shook their heads.         “You really, really, really need to stop understating your importance to your friends, Quiz,” said Pansy.         “I have been told this,” admitted Quiz.  “The point still eludes me.”         “No kidding,” said Cookie.  “But I know one even you should understand.  Imagine if, during the First Snow blizzard, Diamond Tiara is foalsitting for the Cakes instead of you.”         “Oh, dear.” Quiz began to tremble.  “Please do not show me that.”         “We wouldn’t dream of it,” said Clover.  “Luckily, your influence extends well outside your immediate circle of friends.  You have touched lives in ways you are unaware of.”         “Oh, I doubt that.”         “Of course you do, Quizzical,” said Clover.  “At any rate, our plan is to show you these pony’s lives.  You really have no knowledge of what you’ve done, and the benefits have not returned to you, yet.  So it should be safe.”         “We have a plan?” asked Pansy.  “I thought we were kind of going to wing it.”         “I always have a plan,” said Clover, proudly.         “That’s right,” said Cookie.  “Clover always has a plan.”         “Thank you, Cookie.”         “But we’re flexible, and we should be able to improvise when things don’t go the way she wants,” said Cookie.  This got her a furious glare from Clover.         Pansy sat up.  “I’m going to assume that you know how you’d like us to begin, and that you want to go first.”         “To show us how it’s done,” muttered Cookie.         Clover stuck out her chin, proudly, and stated, “Why, yes.  Yes I do.  The visions I have in mind are particularly appropriate.  Firstly, this involves the first pony whose life Quizzical changed…”         “Isn’t ‘changed their life’ a bit bombastic?” asked Quiz.  “You really should not exaggerate.”         “Clover doesn’t exaggerate, Quiz,” said Cookie.         “Oh, well, that is good,” said Quiz, taken aback.  “That is something I appreciate.”         “Yes, I know, Quizzical,” said Clover.  “Now, moving forward... that is, assuming I may move forward…”  Clover swept the other three ponies with a withering frown.         “Oh, please go on, Clover.”         “No more interruptions from us.”         “Yes, please do continue.”         “Good.”  Clover settled herself comfortably.  “Moving forward, this is also appropriate in light of Quizzical’s promising career in education, which recent events threaten to end before it can  formally begin…”         “I would hardly call it ‘promising’...” said Quiz         “Quizzical!”         “I apologize, Miss Clover.  I will not interrupt again.”         “Humph!” Clover looked skyward, trying to remember her place.  “Anyway, the subject was education.  We shall visit Quizzical’s very first student.  And, yes, I see you, there, squirming in your seat, just dying to correct me.  You consider Sweetie Belle your first student, and you know I couldn’t be talking about your best friend.”         Quiz remained silent and tried to look innocent.  She stopped squirming.         “No, the truth is you have been teaching your fellow students since you first entered school,” Clover continued.  “You just never formalized it.  You also never charged tutoring fees.  Actually, if we include Delight, you started teaching long before you entered school.  Stop squirming, Quizzical.  Your little sister counts; Delight learned much more from you than you believe.  You also have a habit of helping your classmates without being asked… but, forget that.  This is the pony who was your first student.”         Clover waved a foreleg about in a reasonable attempt at a flourish.  Then the world changed.         “I am amazed that you can do that without upsetting my stomach,” said Quiz.