//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3 - The Rediscovery 
// Story: Against The Crowd: Opal Gemstone 
// by RowanSkie 
//------------------------------//

The Journal of Opal Gemstone:

Entry 4:

So, it's been a day since that accident in the Castle of Two Sisters. Got half of my memories through hitting my head. The only thing left is why I don't use magic. And why do I act like an earth pony. That's somehow good stuff, right? I don't know.

Anyway, we got ourselves a house near the Golden Oak Library. Sweet Celestia we didn't expect that! We expected more of a punishment, until the "punishment" was more of a gift for us.

She did told me a little while yesterday the she was corrupted and two harmony hits was a key. The red gem... she couldn't explain. Maybe because of the corruption, perhaps? I don't know. 
I hope it all returns into normal. Normal life, normal everything.

Except that Ruby is snooping at my journal again while I'm writing this. Speaking of snooping, I have a slight feeling Princess Celestia is also...

Wait. She's here. Got to greet-

Ruby has a parasprite.

This isn't normal.







Opal looked at the bug Ruby has.

"A parasprite. Seriously," Opal Gemstone looked at Princess Celestia who, coincidentally, had a parasprite locked in a cage, "Where'd ya'll get those?"

All the ponies gave Opal one answer. "Fluttershy!"

Pinkie, Rarity, Twilight Sparkle, and Opal Gemstone facehoof as they get their instruments and head to Sugarcube Corner which is heavily guarded by the Cakes. Applejack and her family is guarding the Sweet Apple Acres. 

Then he woke up with a gasp.

Remind me that I'm hallucinating, Opal thought to himself, more like memories repeating out.

Opal realised that everypony was looking at him. He was having nightmares, and checked his journal. A pack of scribbles is seen in the supposedly Entry no. 4. He also found his quill lying on the floor. He also found Twilight Sparkle and Princess Celestia looking at him.

"Umm... nice to meet you, Princess Celestia," Opal nervously said, "Why... you both looking at me?"

"Something's wrong with you, Opal," Princess Celestia replied, "and I think my faithful student can help you with this."

"How?" Opal asked.

"A mind share spell!" Ruby shouted from the outside.

"Seems like someone just 'read' my mind," Princess Celestia, giggling.

As Princess Celestia fired a spell, Opal find himself in darkness, with Twilight Sparkle.

"Oh, God. If this is my head," Opal looked around, "Must be very empty."

"Well, the spell's still warming up..."

"I... I actually don't want to do this," Opal confessed, "Really."

"Why?" Twilight took a step closer, but Opal stepped back.

"Please, not this time... please," Opal said, "Please..."

"Let us help," Twilight requested, "Let us."

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Opal shouted, trying to push Twilight out of his mind.

"No, stop!" Twilight lit up her horn, "Stop! Listen! Everypony's worried! I'm worried!"

"You won't know EVERYTHING!" Opal tried harder.

Then, a flash of light.

Opal found himself in the wasteland. With Twilight Sparkle. He looked at her with tears flowing from his face.

"The... the wasteland!?"  Twilight looked around. "You... how?"

"I... played here when I was little," Opal said while slowly crying and sits, "It... with the changelings... it-it was fine..."

"Changelings? Are you saying that," Twilight walked closer, "are you saying that YOU were banished by Princess Celestia?"

"No, no... I was rather the wandering type," Opal replied, stopping himself from crying, "Sorry. It was... a very long time."

"Long time from this?" Twilight walked even closer to Opal.

"Yes..."






"That doesn't add up," Twilight said after an explanation and the spell ending, "How come your cutie mark is a red gem over a pickaxe while YOU'RE afraid of red gems?"

"I don't know, maybe because red flashes well with my color." Opal looked at Princess Celestia, "I'd rather have said that sometime later."

Celestia chuckled a bit. "Well then. Twilight Sparkle, I'm always ready for anything new for the friends of yours."

As she flew off, Opal kissed her in the cheek before looking at her. 

"Ok, explain why in such midst operation?"

"We saw you acting all weird ever since that day," Twilight replied, "You've been asleep for... 2 weeks."

"What!?" Opal is highly surprised, "Did Ruby try her 'borrow a changeling' techniques?"

"She borrows changelings?" Twilight was lost. "She borrows changelings from the Changeling Queen?"

"Apparently my great grandfather was a friend of the hive," Opal said, "there, descendants can borrow one changeling who is willing."

"And Ruby used one to replace you, right?" 

Opal nodded.

"You know, you're weird." Twilight looked at the window, "well, mostly."

"Mostly?" Opal made a raised an eyebrow, "What do you me..."

Opal stopped talking after noticing a changeling sneak past them. 

"Ruby, you're grounded," Opal shouted.

"A changeling?!" Twilight looked at the changeling as it is engulfed by green smoke and turned into Twilight Sparkle.

"And... I still don't know why I don't use magic." Twilight nodded to his statement. "Probably because I broke my horn...?"

The changeling suddenly run up to Opal and kicked him in the face, and disappears. Opal's horn start to lit up then it flickers from various horns, from a completely normal, to a broken, and then a twisted one, then back to normal. Twilight's jaw hung open. Opal closes it with his hoof, before remembering a set of memories.

"Ouch," Opal said, "I think that kick gave me 1/8 of the missing ones. I now remember... being somepony else?"

"Who?" Twilight asked.

"A featherbrain named Blank Kick," Opal answered. "How did I even made up that name...?"

"Let's ask Ditzy, maybe she knows."

"Good idea."






Sure Opal's memories gave him knowledge of being somepony, so much for his surprise. Opal also passed the old location of his house and ignored a twinkling light from the foundations of it. Then, they passed by Ditzy's house.

Surely enough, Ditzy passed by and crashed to them.

Standing up, Twilight greeted first, "Hey Ditzy, how's Dinky?"

"Little muffin's fine, my landing," Ditzy stood, "not fine. So, why coming by?"

"Do you know anypony named Blank Kick?" Opal asked, then Ditzy froze in place.

"I'm pretty sure he's right beside Twilight Sparkle right now, hmm?" Ditzy smiled.

"Oh..." Opal looked at himself, "I'm not really Blank Kick, you know."

Ditzy suddenly laughed, "You ARE the most famous two-personalitied Blank Kick!"

Opal shrugged. Now he understands it. Blank Kick was a name for a multiple personality he had before. Why didn't he think of that? He could only respond in a very crazy way.

"Did he smashed his horn while trying to impress the royal unicorns while looking at Twilight and Princess Celestia?"

Or maybe surprising that Ditzy fainted and Twilight let out a loud what.