//------------------------------// // 17: Paranoia. // Story: Interviewing Mr. Disc // by CrackedInkWell //------------------------------// “Okay, so let’s go over this again,” my other boss told me. “I told you, I honestly have no idea where he went,” I retorted back. By now, we’ve decided to move away from the auditorium to go about the school to see how everyone else is doing with their duplicates. At the moment, we’ve just gone back inside to see what was happening with the pegasi population at the back of the school. Of course, we found that the Equestrians have already figured out how to fly while their counterparts were trying to grasp with some of the basics. In my opinion, they need work… lots of it. The slapstick became exhausting after a while. At this point, the Princess Celestia had brought up the topic of where the other me had gone to. I added, “I keep telling you, the last time I saw him, he was sleeping on my couch, I went to bed, woke up the next morning, and he was gone. Besides, even I did know, he would have at least had left a hint as to where he was headed, I know I would.” “But are you sure?” my boss questioned, “After all, this alternative you do sound a bit unstable, so where do you think he could have gone to?” “Anywhere in the world by now, besides, he was curious about what this place would look like, and the fact that he could teleport as I can, that tells me that he could be anywhere.” “Wait a moment,” the other Celestia thought out loud, “How do you know he even left?” I stopped, my boss and I looked over to the other Celestia and inquired what she meant by it. “You were right on one thing; the Discord I know would leave some calling card to give a hint as to where he’s going. But what if he didn’t leave one because he wasn’t going anywhere too far?” “You mean that he could be still here?” Principal Celestia asked. “Who’s still here?” we turned to find that the Vice Principal walking up to us with one of those CIA Agents in a stiff black suit. “Good morning,” the agents greeted us, “So would you tell me where I could find a certain Princess Celestia?” “That would be me,” the other Celestia said stepping forward. The agent took a bit of a bow and introduced himself on behalf of all humanity as Agent M. While both Celestias were talking and Luna joining in the conversation, I leaned back against the lockers and thought for a moment about Equestrian Celestia’s comment and wonder what she could have meant. She did have taken my point about leaving a calling card thing, but what if he’d never left. What does this mean? Is he still around? Frankly it’s about time you’ve thought of that. I looked around in shock. That was his voice alright. I heard it as clear as glass, yet there is something odd about it. By the sound of it, he sounded like he was right next to me, but I don’t see him anywhere. It was as if he were coming from everywhere and nowhere at once. Yeah I know, it does sound like a Zen riddle at first doesn’t it? “Where are you?” I asked aloud, getting the attention of the more serious adults in the hallway. “What was that?” Luna questioned. And while you’re at it, stop looking around, I’m much closer than you think. “Julius?” my boss asked, “Is something wrong?” Is something wrong? Of course, there’s something wrong. “Am I the only one that’s hearing this?” I asked them, “Can you seriously not hear him talking right now?” “Who, me?” the agent asked. “No, not you, the other me, Discord, he’s talking right now.” I would rather quit while ahead if I were you, otherwise, they’ll think you’ve gone cuckoo again. “See! Right there! Didn’t any of you hear… you’re not hearing this, aren’t you?” They shook their confused heads. “Uh, excuse me then,” I started to pace myself some distance while grabbing out my cellphone to put it against my ear. “Okay, seriously, where on this bloody earth are you!?” Two things, what are you doing? “I’m putting my cell against my ear so to make it look like I’m not talking to myself.” Well, you technically are. But anyway, onto my second thing, I uh… I really need some help here. I stopped, “Help? What do you need help for? You’re practically the God of Random aren’t you?” My, my, we’re asking a ton of questions here aren’t we? Just listen okay. Last night, when you’ve mentioned that you have some mental illness, and concerning the stupid things I’ve done to you since we’ve met, I’ve thought of something, to your eyes, to redeem myself. Some symbol to show you that I’m not the bigger jerk here. “What did you do?” I said sternly. He heard him sigh, That’s the thing, and trust me, in my current situation, you’re not going to like it one little bit. “Try me.” Alright. Julius, it’s true, I’ve never left by your side. In fact… you may say that I’ve learned quite a bit from you when you get lost in your copy’s own mind. I stopped. What did I just hear? He did he just say what I think he just said? I felt a familiar sense of dread dumped on me like a bucket of water that had rock salt and ice that had been soaked for a while. “What?” He-he, yeah… I thought I could try to find the source of your problem and maybe get you well enough that you didn’t have to take those dreadful pills. Yet, by doing so… I realized that I’ve done something incredibly stupid. I’ve forgotten to leave a trail of breadcrumbs so to speak. “But… Couldn’t you just, I don’t know, teleport out of my head?!” Don’t you think I’ve already tried!? Look, being inside somepony’s mind is one thing, but I’ve never attempted to navigate my way through a being that’s, well, me. So, of course, I tried getting out the easy way, but every time I did, I end up in some other part of your mind that I’m not familiar with. Not that makes any difference here. I honestly have no idea where I am in here; the maze in Canterlot’s royal garden is less confusing than this place. ‘This is bad,’ I thought. Tell me about it, he retorted. “This is bad,” I said aloud, “This is bad. This is bad, this is bad, this is bad, thisisbad…” I keep saying over and over as I started to head down the halls into a full gallop. “Julius! Where’re you going?” I heard Luna behind me, but I just ignored her. By now, I ran past everyone. I need to get out! I need to leave! There’s no telling what he has been doing in there for… I don’t know how long! This is bad because now, not even my medicine can help me! I need to get away, what if I start hallucinating and I use my powers again? The last thing I need is a repeat in what happened in Ponyville. Bursting through the doors, I ran for the direction of my car. I snapped my fingers for the keys to appear in my hands. I’m almost there! “Julius! Stop!” I heard one of Celestias voices before I was suddenly tripped and landed face first in the grass. Before I could start to crawl, I was lifted upside down in the air to find that one of my boss’s head’s aglow, soon enough, the other Celestia, Luna, and the CIA agent caught up to her. “Mr. Disc,” she said, “What has gotten into you?” “I know where he is,” I told them, “and I really need to get out of here!” “Why?” she demanded, “Where is Discord?” “He’s in my head,” I confessed, “Discord has gotten lost inside my mind.”