“Yeah. And?”the cyan pegasus barked.
Rainbow Dash tossed her hooves up into the air. “Come on, Twilight! You’ve been freaking out about this box all weekend.” She landed directly in front of Twilight, who nearly dropped the box she had been holding. Rainbow promptly took the box from Twilight and began hovering just out of her friend’s hoof’s reach. “What’s in this stupid thing that’s so important, anyway?”
“I don’t know, Rainbow. If you’d just-” Twilight weakly swung out to reach it “-give it back, I could tell you.”
The cyan pegasus, who had been digging through the object in question, stared at it in confusion before retorting, “Not ‘till you tell me why this has been making you worry. This stuff doesn’t even make sense…”
Twilight groaned in frustration. “Because Princess Celestia herself sent it! All she said was that she thought its contents would be of dire importance to me! Well, maybe not ‘dire’, but still essential.” She held out a hoof expectantly. “Will you give it back to me, now?”
Rainbow rolled her eyes and carelessly dropped the box back on the floor. “Sure, egghead. It’s just a bunch of funny-looking books, anyway.”
“Those are pretty important. I thought you finally understood that,” Twilight mumbled as she glimpsed inside the box. She audibly gasped and pulled a flat object that was in fact not a book out of the box. “No way!” she shouted excitedly as she pulled more of the flat objects out of her box.
Without hesitation, Rainbow was peeking over her friend’s shoulder. “What? What is it?!”
“Some of my old stuff I must have left behind in Canterlot Castle! I must have forgotten it, I’m surprised Celestia even found it.” She grinned nostalgically and levitated one of the flat boxes up. “This is my old copy of The Elder Scrolls I: Equestria. This was my first ever video game, very difficult at the time. Ooh! And here’s my copy of Quiet Dunes 2! I was so obsessed, I got the director’s cut and everything.”
On the verge of being bored out of her mind, Rainbow Dash made to leave the room. It wasn’t until an even louder and more dramatic gasp escaped Twilight that she came back.
“The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowhinny.”
“Huh?” Rainbow Dash took the game case from Twilight’s hooves and turned it over to read the back. “I’ve never even heard of this one. What is it?”
“Are you serious?!” Twilight nearly screeched as she snatched the game out of her friend’s hooves. She held it up reverently, as if to praise it. “This, dearest Rainbow Dash, is the holy grail of gaming. A perfect combination of complex story, unique characters, and deep lore that has been amalgamated into one single role-playing experience. It’s about this hero that starts off as a prisoner on a boat on its way to…”
As Twilight rambled, Rainbow Dash quickly lost interest. She yawned and lifted herself off the ground, hovering but a few feet in the air. “That’s cool, I guess. So now that you know what this stuff is, are you going to come have lunch with the girls and I?”
Twilight ceased her babbling and turned to Rainbow. “No, thanks. I think I’m going to sort out all of this stuff.” She gave Rainbow Dash a small wave and watched as her pegasus friend left.
As soon as Rainbow was gone, Twilight held up her case of Morrowhinny. “Maybe after just a couple minutes of this baby right here.
0~
Twilight woke with a start, bumping her head on the small overhang above her. She looked up to see the edge of the silt strider shell that she had been sleeping under. A small groan escaped her as she reached up to soothe the spot on her head she had hit.
“Finally awake?” Twilight turned to see the silt strider caravaneer, Darvame, staring at her intently. “You’ve been out almost the whole trip. We’re almost to Balmora.”
The Altmare simply nodded and laid herself back down. Bits and pieces of her dream came gradually back to her, and she tried to fit them all together. It feels like none of that happened too long ago, she thought. I think that happened earlier today. Well, the day I got trapped in the game, anyway.
A moan from the great, hulking arthropod pulled Twilight out of her thoughts. Her earlier giddiness about being able to interact with the great creature in person came bubbling back up, and she couldn’t help but affectionately stroke the thick chitin. As she did so, she heard the ambient build up of “The Road Most Travelled” begin, and her smile only widened. The beautiful song of the orchestral instruments, the gentle moans and bumps from the silt strider, an occasional distant squawk of some creature or another-if Twilight had not been forced into the world with no clue how she had gotten there, she would have been content to enjoy that moment forever.
Unfortunately for her, it could not last. Twilight felt the silt strider begin slowing down. She sat up to see that sharply geometric city growing in the distance-Balmora. Despite her almost always choosing to join House Telvanni, something about this House Hlaalu territory would always feel a little like home to her. As the silt strider approached its port, Twilight felt her excitement grow. Just because I’m trapped here doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy it, she thought as the massive insect came to a stop. She stepped onto the port and gave Darvame a little wave before making her way into town. Without a second thought, she passed the Argponian wandering around the base of the port and made her way towards the Lucky Lockup. Her stomach rumbled harshly as she entered the tavern.
It wasn’t long before she was seated at a table, enjoying a small kwama egg, some bread, and a bottle of sujamma. So that’s what a kwama egg tastes like, Twilight mused merrily. She took another hearty bite and contained a small giggle. It didn’t taste all that good, but hay, it was a literal kwama egg of all things, and Twilight was content to enjoy the fact that she could experience these little things about the big, fictional world all around her. When the tavern bard began picking at the lute, the Altmare gently nodded her head along with the music, taking modest sips of her drink all the while. The warmth and nostalgia filling the atmosphere was so sweet that, for a few moments, Twilight truly forgot the troubles that left her worried and sleepless but a few hours ago.
Much like earlier, her moment of happiness could not last. Back to business, Twilight thought as she pulled her current quest’s most important object out of her satchel. It was the parcel she was to deliver to Caius Cosades, the one she received while in the Census and Excise Office in Seyda Neen. She was tempted to open the package, but she already knew the contents, and didn’t bother with it. To be delivered to Caius Cosades of Balmora, she read on the outside of the package. Though she didn’t want to admit it, even to herself, she was nervous about meeting Caius. It wasn’t until she found herself studying the slightly yellow parchment with a fierce gaze that she finally berated herself for putting off this meeting and slipping the parcel back into her satchel.
Why am I so nervous?, she asked herself as she made to leave the tavern. It’s not like I haven’t done this quest tons of times. Then again, I’ve never had to present myself to the Grand Spymaster of the Blades in person before. I wonder if he’s really as stern as he looks in the game.
Twilight stepped out into the streets, gleefully absorbing her surroundings as she made the brisk trot to Caius’ small home. These ponies do seem to have more diverse personalities than they did when I just played the game. Maybe whatever force brought me here changed that too? Now that she thought about it, a lot of things weren’t adding up. Not everyone has the same few voice actors anymore, either. They have unique voices and appearances. Not to mention, dialogue doesn’t bring up a small black window, but wanting to save my game does. Did the save game menu even look like that? She paused her pondering to pull out her journal and a quill, both of which she had started with in her inventory. The Altmare flipped to the back of the journal and, not wanting to just sit around in the middle of the street, jotted her questions down with the expeditiousness of a cliff racer plunging down towards its victim.
“Hem hem.”
She looked up to see a Hlaalu guard standing over her. “Sorry, serjo.”
They shared a moment of awkward silence before the guard burst out laughing. “Ha ha ha! ‘Serjo’? Heh, don’t kid yourself, outlander.”
Twilight blushed furiously. She had caught her mistake as soon as she made it, but had been to frozen in embarrassment to say anything. “No, I mean, er, sera.”
The guard stopped his chortling and tilted his head slightly to the side. “Hmph. Just stay out of trouble.” He waved a hoof around her area before adding on, “And off the middle of the road. Seriously, do your writing somewhere else.” With that, the brusque stallion left.
The Altmare stood up and brushed herself off before once again making her way towards Caius Cosades’ home. I think I will befriend him. Hay, having the help of possibly the most expansive spy group in Equestria-this false Equestria, anyway-could definitely be useful. I don’t know how the Great Houses or the Ashlander tribes are going to feel about this, though. Twilight’s brow furrowed as she continued thinking, paying no mind to the world around her as she crossed the bridge. I’m certainly not going to enlist their help then just not tell anyone else. Sure, keeping some personal secrets from your friends is alright, but having an entire secret group of friends? Gods, they’d abandon me in seconds. She threw back her head and groaned loudly, catching the attention of a few Dunmares in her general vicinity. This is going to be way harder than I thought.
It wasn’t too long before Twilight found herself standing outside of Caius’ doorway. She lifted her hoof up, letting it hover around the door knob, before losing her confidence and bringing it back down. Damnit, I can’t give up now!, the angrily reprimanded herself. She tried again, but felt a heavy weight in her stomach and once again lost the will to let herself in. Come on, you’re already here! Just… Do it! She grumbled and did a little stomp with her front hoof before turning around to leave.
I can’t do this. Who am I kidding? Sweet Celestia, if I can’t even meet Caius, who’s probably too high on skooma to even realize I’m there, then who’s to say I can handle facing the Sharmat? I’d be a failure. She choked back a single sob as the memory of the ghosts in the Cavern of the Incarnate came rushing back to her. A failed incarnate.
No, Twilight thought, once again having to force herself to have the strength to do her task. I will save Morrowhinny. That has to be what I’m here for in the first place. She turned to face Caius Cosades’ small house. I’m doing this quest, and I can’t keep letting little things stop me. This is just getting ridiculous. With a newfound confidence, and a little eye roll, Twilight strode up to the door and swung it open without hesitation. “Greetings, Caius, I have brought your… Your… Package?”
Twilight’s jaw dropped the floor, and words failed her. Of all the things she had expected to see, it had not been the pony hovering in the room at that moment. The pegasus in question twisted to see the nonplussed Altmare frozen in her own confusion.
“What package?”
“You… But, you’re…” Twilight shook her head to make sure she wasn’t imaging things.
“But what, newbie? Spit it out.”
“Rainbow Dash?!”
“Yeah. And?”the cyan pegasus barked.
Twilight let out a small, relieved laugh. “I can’t believe it! My friends are already in the game with me. This should make everything so much easier,” she jovially announced as she ran to embrace her friend in a hug.
The pegasus immediately flew back, avoiding Twilight’s grip. “Woah, woah, newbie. What are you talking about?”
“I… Rainbow, do you not recognize me?” Twilight queried worriedly.
“Ah, no. Now what’s this about, you said you had a package?”
“Uh…” Twilight furrowed her brow as she reached to pull the parcel out of her satchel. “Here.” When she pulled it out, she let out a small gasp as she noticed the words on the parchment had changed: To be delivered to Rainbow Dash of Balmora. More confused than ever, she hoofed the parchment over to Rainbow.
Rainbow swiftly scanned the documents, occasionally nodding her head or glancing up at Twilight. “Alright, I think I got it. So here’s the scoop newbie: I’m gonna have to make you a Novice of the Blades, and I can’t work with someone as scrawny-lookin’ as you..” She turned around for a moment, took something off of the desk behind her, and turned back to Twilight with a bag of gold in her hooves. “Here, it’s about 200; go get yourself some training. Or join a guild. You need it.”
Twilight, who hadn’t really been paying attention, was still racking through her brain for answers. How is she here? How is this possible? Does she realize that she doesn’t belong here…?
“Uh, newbie? Hello? Nirn to Twilight?”
Hearing her name snapped Twilight out of her reverie. “So you do know me? Why are you acting so strange?”
The pegasus made a disgruntled noise before deadpanning, “No, I don’t know you. The paper just had your name on it. What’s going on, didn’t they tell you why you’re here?”
“No, I just…” Twilight sat herself down and cocked her head to the side. “I just thought, maybe since my friends are here, I could beat the game easier. Rainbow, do you really not know that you’re not a part of the game?”
“Game? What game?” The pegasus quietly flew over to her bed before seating herself on the edge. “You’re kinda starting to scare me, newbie. And don’t call me just ‘Rainbow’- that’s ‘Spymaster Dash’ to you.”
Twilight snorted in frustration. “You don’t… Damn!” She furrowed her brow. “This is going to be even harder! How many of my other friends are here?! And if they don’t know that they don’t belong here, then how in the hay am I supposed to find them?!”
Then, it hit Twilight. Exactly what was wrong with Arrille at his tradehouse in Seyda Neen. She had been so used to the flow of the beginning of the game, so ready to just rush through her usual, that she had completely overlooked a glaringly obvious fact: the pony at the counter was not, in fact, Arrille... It was Rose from the flower shop in Ponyville.
"So its not just my friends..." Twilight lifted a hoof to her chin as she sunk deep into her thoughts. There's even others from Ponyville. Who else could be here? Surely not all of Equestria, otherwise I definitely would have noticed that. She sighed, oblivious to the growing look of concern on the Spymaster's face. Regardless, I need to find my other friends. They must play some part in this whole debacle.
"Does the name Applejack ring a bell?" Twilight queried all of a sudden.
"Not in the slightest," was the pegasus' reply.
"Damn." She looked back at the torn wrapping on the parcel, examining the words "To be delivered to Rainbow Dash of Balmora", before concluding, "Then I have to go manually find my friends, one by one, until I figure out where they are in this world. For some unknown reason, I can't find out who they are until I meet them face-to-face, so I'll have to scour this entire island. As if this wasn't difficult enough."
"As if what wasn't difficult enough?"
"This game!" Twilight groaned. "Sorry. I know you don't understand. Hay, I don't understand exactly what's going on here."
She turned to face Rainbow Dash, scrutinizing the cyan mare. "I mean, really, of all ponies to be Caius, they could have picked a much better one than you. He has such a high Speechcraft skill! And you... Oh Celestia, don't get me started."
Rainbow Dash snorted."Oh please, of all the ponies they could have picked to be a new member of the Blades, they picked you! A kwama forager could kick your sorry ass in seconds, and I'll have to be the one to clean up your messes."
Twilight balked at the sudden hostility. "Excuse me?!"
"I mean, look at you! An Altmare who probably couldn't even do a simple levitation spell is supposed to be the new big thing! Its pathetic," Rainbow ended with a snarl.
The unicorn bristled in anger. "Watch it, Rainbow-"
"Watch what? You try to hurt me? Come on, you couldn't hurt a scrib." Rainbow Dash ended her verbal assault with a sly, knowing grin.
This only serve to upset Twilight more. She instinctually put herself in a fight-ready stance, prepared to hit Rainbow with her best shot, but hesitated when she noticed the pegasus still had that snarky smirk. Why is... Oh. Aw, hay. The angered look fell from her face and was replaced with surprise.
The Spymaster noticed this immediately and reared back laughing. "Gotcha, newbie. Now what was that about me not being good with words?"
Twilight nodded approvingly. "I'll give it to you, you're certainly good at taunting ponies. Intimidating them, too, I bet. You know, I never really thought of it that way."
The pegasus shrugged. "What can I say? Free first lesson in diplomacy: Getting ponies to listen to you or like you isn't always smiles or handshakes. Sometimes, you just gotta find other ways around their emotions." She hovered over to the unicorn and pat her on her back. "You're a riot, Twilight Sparkle. Kinda weird, but who isn't nowadays?"
She flew back a bit and hovered a few feet away from Twilight. "Now seriously, go get yourself some training. Or, stay and train with me. Official Blades members get cheaper services." Rainbow ended the statement with a goofy wink.
Twilight couldn't control the smile that stretched across her face. Yeah, this is definitely the Rainbow Dash I know. "I'd like that," she stated as she set her satchel down next to the door and approached the pegasus. As they were training, Twilight couldn't help continuously thinking:
This is way better than training with the real Caius Cosades.