From a Sparkle to a Spark

by Infernity Zero


Ignition

The sun was nearing its zenith on a new day at Canterlot High. And just like before, Twilight Sparks could feel the change in the air. She sniffed the air to confirm her suspicions and found that one particular scent overpowered all the others.

"Substance X."

Earlier, she'd tried to rummage up parts to make a scanner to help her search. But the flora she'd brought back with her lacked enough material to isolate. So, she went on instinct instead; a hazardous move for a scientist. But since logic and reason had already failed her once, she had nowhere else to turn to.

And I certainly don't have anyone to turn to. A twinge of bitterness tainted that thought.

Taking a deep breath, she transferred the sensation from her nose to her mouth. The substance tasted sweet; it reminded her of fresh, green grapes, appetizing to the mouth yet healthy for the stomach.

Let's see. I can feel it, smell it, and taste it. Can I hear it?

With her other senses suppressed, she stretched out her ears. Wrinkling her brow in concentration, she tried to isolate the other noises around her, straining for the slightest indication of...of....

What exactly am I listening for?

She couldn't find it if she didn't know what it was. Well, four out of five wasn't bad. She'd already seen what it could do. It made her nervous. And that nervousness only increased as she approached the school's door.

While her senses were practically screaming at her to investigate the statue first, the lack of other students outside offered little excuse if she got caught. Besides, her first class would be starting soon, and she didn't want to make a bad impression. It was a crash course in the study of--

"Chemistry." More memories began to seep back in.


"See Twilight, isn't it nice to just relax for a while?"

"All right, I admit it. I did need a break from studying."

"Then say it." Her companion gave a cheeky smile.

"Do I have to?" came the groan.

"Say it."

"Best friends always know best. They'll stand with you through time and test. They'll take that big load off your chest. Having a best friend is the best. You're my best friend."

"See, that wasn't so hard."

"Ugh, why did we ever come up with that stupid rhyme?"

"We were kids. So young and foolish. So, do you think you'll be ready for tomorrow?"

She felt herself over, her stress and concerns melting away in a confident smile. "Yes, I do. That test won't know what hit it."

"That's what I want to hear. And with that, I think we should call it a night. Thanks for coming with me."

"Thanks for inviting me. It's not everyday we find our own special place every from everyone. What do you want to call this place?"

"Hmm, we saw a family of peacocks on our way in so how about Peacock Grove?"

"Peacock Grove. I like the sound of that."

They spent a few minutes walking in silence before inevitably reaching the point of parting ways.

"Well, I guess this is it. See you tomorrow, Twilight."

Twilight gave her a hug before they parted ways. "See you tomorrow, Sunset."


"Okay class. You have your assignment for tomorrow. If there are no further questions, then you're dismissed."

The gaggle of students filed out of the room while Twilight lingered behind, utterly bored out of her skull. It was becoming quite clear that the adults of the school would be of no help. Her teachers' questions had been child's play, nothing she hadn't already seen at Crystal Prep. So with that over with, she turned her mind back towards her search.

Questioning the principals had gotten her nowhere; indeed, they seemed completely oblivious towards the school's previous events. Any information she could actually use would have to come from the students. And that was the first oddity.

Wherever she went, people kept giving her strange looks. While she was eating her lunch, she caught five girls staring at her with mouths agape.

Do more people besides Lyra think they know me?

Was Substance X to blame once again? Perhaps someone had used it to create an exact duplicate of her for impersonation. Though that seemed improbable even by its standards. What motive would anyone have to copy her?

Her eyes swept over the room again and found something of interest. At the farthest table, one girl was eating all by herself. Seemingly unaware of the chatter around her, she was bobbing her head to a pair of headphones. She wore purple shades and a baseball cap. She matched Lyra's earlier description perfectly.

Twilight moved quickly and took a seat next to her before anyone could notice. Now came the unpleasant part: more small talk.

"Um, excuse me."

The other girl took her headphones off but said nothing.

"I'm looking for someone named Vinyl Scratch. Would you happen to know where I could find her?"

As she'd suspected, the girl pointed at herself and nodded.

"You're her?"

Another nod.

"Not a very talkative person, are you?"

She'd intended that as a joke, but she could have sworn that the girl looked a little sad. Right after that, Vinyl pointed at her mouth and slowly shook her head.

"You can't speak?"

Again, a nod.

"Oh...I'm sorry."

Vinyl shrugged and motioned for her to keep going.

"I feel strange asking this, but do you know who I am?"

The response was a cocked head and a confused glance followed by a slow nod. Of course I know who you are. Everyone does.

"You do?"

Nod.

"But that doesn't make sense. This is my first day here."

Lifting her glasses, Vinyl rubbed the bridge of her nose, equally confused.

"When was the last time you saw...uh...me?"

Vinyl held up three fingers.

"Three days ago?"

Nod.

"That can't be right. What did I look like?"

Pulling away from her words, the DJ began scribbling through her phone. After a few seconds, she showed Twilight a video of herself. But this Twilight had wings and a horn on her head. Five other girls stood with her, each with their own transformations, and in front of them was--

"What in the world is THAT?"

Using a nearby napkin, Vinyl wrote the word demon.

"Demon?! Just what kind of school IS this?"

Now the white girl held up her arms, palms facing away from her. Calm down.

"Right. S-sorry." Twilight shook herself. "This is all just so strange to me. Flying girls? Another me? Horrible monsters? It's like something out of a fantasy novel."

Another shrug.

"Do you have any idea how this stuff is happening?"

With a wide grin, Vinyl reached up and pulled off her baseball cap revealing a white unicorn horn underneath.

"What the!--"

A purple glow appeared around the pen and napkin, and Twilight watched in amazement as the pen lowered to the paper and wrote another word all by itself. But another look at the horn was all it took for her to put two and two together.

Levitation.

Sparks just sat there staring into space, and she stayed like that long after the DJ had finished eating and left. Once again, she'd been thinking too small. Once again the rules of real and not real had changed. And once again, she was at a loss for words. Trying not to faint again, she turned her attention back to the napkin. The second word Vinyl had written was just as clear as the handwritten one. And that one word scared her even more. More than anything else she'd seen, that word was supposed to be impossible. Why, even acknowledging the concept would blow her mind into pieces. And at the same time, it was the only thing that made any sense. Even if sense made no sense.

Magic.