//------------------------------// // III: Breathing // Story: Pohjola // by Professional Horse //------------------------------// Twilight was pulled deeper into the cold alien womb. She had swallowed some water and had only managed to store some air within her body. Already, her lungs were begging for her to breathe in, but she knew it would end badly. The stale and mushy water in her mouth was certainly not drinkable, like typical pond water. What had she been thinking? Had thirst and fatigue pushed away all sense and reason? "It is so lonely in here..." Did the whispering come from the beast that wished for her death? "...but no longer. At last I have a friend in the darkness." She could feel more and more water pushing her body together as she was pulled deeper. The lanky hand firmly held her hoof, refusing to let her go. "I am not your friend," she wanted to say. If only she could. Besides, wasn't it her task to help those who were alone? Those who hadn't embraced the magic of friendship? Was it? Her body stopped moving downward. Now the creature pulled her sideways. Her lungs were screaming, begging her to open her mouth. She mustered her willpower and kept it shut, just for a little longer. Maybe she could cast some spell to save herself, like she had so many times before. It's always a spell that saves her, isn't it? Always a convenient spell. "I will show you my home and my toys! Come, I have prepared food for a visitor such as yourself!" Her body dragged on the bottom of the pond, slimy weed licking her underbelly. Every part of her body wanted to swim, to escape, but the water crushed her and pushed her together while her lungs did everything they could to open her mouth. Struggling against these forces was exhausting. "Watch out, a former friend of mine is sleeping here. He hasn't awakened in ages. How rude of him, isn't it?" Her body stopped as it hit something solid lying on the bottom of the pond. Was it a body? "Oh dear, didn't you hear my warning? Let me help you." The creature swam upward and pulled her away from the body. Her hoof touched a leathery and rectangular object lying on top of the body in the cold grasp of the being sleeping there. A book! She struggled again in the beast's grasp and her mouth opened in excitement. Before she could close it, she swallowed a handful of water and let out the last remaining air from he lungs. She gasped, letting more water in. The rapid beats of her heart echoed in her ears filled with water. "Woah, friend, what are you doing?" Her horn glowed, and she disappeared. "No! Where did you go? Please don't leave!" "I am still here," said the book. The creature remained silent. "Come closer. See this brown thing lying on your friend? Take it and open it." A moment of stillness. Reluctantly, the beast swam closer, grabbed the book and opened it. Its pages were faded, covered in algae and mushy, but they were sufficient. A small moving image of Twilight had appeared inside. "Can you see me?" she asked. The beast gasped and almost dropped the book. "What is this sorcery?" "A spell I learned a long time ago. Calm down, I want to talk." "I don't want a picture to be my friend. I want a real one, like Jakko here," it said and patted the head of the body with its hand. "Just less sleepy, hehe." "He's not sleeping," Twilight said. "He can't breathe water, I'm afraid." If there had been something resembling a smile on the creature's malformed face, it would've disappeared. "What do you mean?" it asked like a child who had been told that no one would come to their birthday party. "He's dead, and you have killed him," she sternly said. "Do you realize what you've done?" "I..." it said before remaining silent. Twilight saw an image of young Spike admitting he had eaten ice cream. "I'm sorry," she said, her tone no longer stern. "But he can't live here with you. No one can." "No!" it screamed. "You're lying! No one wants to be friends with me because no one likes Kallervo!" "No, listen," Twilight said, "it's not because of that! I am telling you the truth!" She could hear it sobbing. For a moment, she wanted to leave the book and comfort the monster. But instead she waited for a while, the only sound in the deep pond coming from the crying creature. "Jakko is gone, Kallervo," she said. "Can you hear him breathing? Can you feel his heart beating?" The creature sniffed and touched the body lying on the bottom of the pond. It didn't say a thing. "See? You can't bring friends here. I'm so sorry." "But will you be my friend?" it asked. As princess, I believe I have the power to spread the magic of friendship across Equestria. That is the role I am meant to have in our world! The role I choose to have! Was it the role she wanted to have? "Sorry," she said. ""But this spell is temporary and I can't breathe water. I'll have to leave." Kallervo cried again. She saw an image of Celestia glaring at her in disapproval. "No, please don't cry, we can sort things out!" "How?" it said and sniffed. "Uh... I can come up with something! Wait a moment..." And a moment it waited. You are now Twilight Sparkle, the princess of friendship. But what is the princess of friendship without her friends? What indeed? "Can you breathe air?" Twilight asked, fairly certain of what the answer would be. "No," it said. "Not since I fell into this pond. But I don't breathe water either." "Are you... dead?" There was a moment of silence. Was it checking its own pulse for the first time? "I... am." "Oh," Twilight said. "I, uh, think that... I think your soul is cursed to be alone in this pond for the rest of eternity. This must be a magical pond." "Alone? I don't want to be alone! I want to see mother again!" "I... maybe I can take you to her." It was silent for a moment. "What do you mean?" "Put your soul to rest. You're stuck between the realm of the living and the dead." "And what can you do about it? Do you know some spell?" "Yes. I have an offer: Take me to the surface, and I'll take you to your mother. Alright?" "...Alright." Twilight appeared as an alicorn again and winced as cold water greeted her. There was no air or water in her lungs, but she held her mouth and nose shut. She could feel Kallervo grasping her front hoof and pulling her up. Slowly, her consciousness began to fade as her body received no air... The trees above sighed as the stranger burst out of the water and swam to the edge of the pond. She lied on the ground and panted heavily. Moonlight illuminated a pale head peeking out of the surface, black eyes staring at her. She had used spell she wanted to cast before: She had banished the ghost of the Castle of the Two Sisters with it. She sighed, stood up and closed her eyes. "I have no idea if this will hurt. Brace yourself." Her horn was engulfed in a purple haze and purple mist flowed from her eyes. A blast of darkness was unleashed and it hit the water. A scream could be heard. Twilight opened her eyes, and the head had disappeared. Thank you, she could hear in her mind. A thought that was not her own. "You're... welcome," she said. She shivered as cold wind howled. "Now only I remain stuck between the realm of the living and the dead."