Twilight: The Mind Swapper
Twilight Sparkle stood between Fluttershy and Rarity holding a dusty blue tome, skimming through the pages rapidly. They had interrupted her during lunchtime to ask for assistance concerning a very unorthodox spell request. It had taken her some digging to find the proper spellbook in her big library and Twilight was not happy about having her meal getting cold.
“Run this by me again why I need to do this spell right now?” she asked impatiently flipping through the book.
“Well the thing is darling is that I’ve been working nonstop nearly all week and I need a little bit of a break,” said Rarity flipping her lovely purple hair aside “and when Fluttershy here requested my help I just couldn’t say no. She could at least make use of my skills while I relax.”
Fluttershy nodded meekly, “It’s this birthday party I’m throwing for sweet little Angel bunny tomorrow. I want to stitch together some little gowns and hats for all my animal friends to wear but it’s something I could really use extra help with, especially since I’m working with such small amounts of fabric.”
Twilight stared back at the book, the enchantment she found was complicated enough and although she didn’t believe such a thing as a “talent swap” spell even existed it was sitting right there on the page in front of her, with all the instructions she’d need to pull it off.
“This should work for 24 hours. As long as you’re both ready I’m going to start.” Twilight said a bit more nervously than she’d like. “Stand facing each other and close your eyes please.”
She lowered her horn as it began to glow with energy. Magical light began surrounding Fluttershy and Rarity, enclosing them both in yellow and white radiance. Twilight concentrated harder, maintaining the magical bond, and with a final surge of power the enveloped magic disappeared in a flash of light around her two friends.
Twilight opened her eyes warily and looked at them ‘They both look…ok, and no singed manes or coat.’
“Did it work, how do you feel?”
Rarity gasped “Um...Twilight how am I over there? Where is Rarity?”
“Huh?” blinked Twilight.
“What ever happened to my wonderful mane, darling!?” said Fluttershy touching her hair.
Twilights face paled “Uh...what do you mean?” Twilight said flipping open the book back to the page. “I did everything here by the numbers, what’s going on?”
“What happened when you did that spell?” said Fluttershy rigidly rocking back and forth on her hooves.
“Ohh I feel…not so good” murmered Rarity putting a hoof to her brow. A second later and she had fainted.
“RARITY!” shouted Twilight running over to the unconscious unicorn.
A yelp came from the yellow Pegasus as she also fell over on her side “Twilight! Help me! I can’t move my legs!”
“I’m coming! I’m coming!” she backpedaled to her fallen friend “You didn’t get hurt did you Fluttershy?”
“Why are you calling me Fluttershy?” she asked as Twilight helped her up.
“You...are Fluttershy? Aren’t you? Oh no you didn’t lose your memory did you!?” said Twilight looking concerned.
“I didn’t lose my memory. You just cast that spell on us...”
“So how come you forgot who you were?
“I didn’t forget darling, I’m Rarity.”
Twilight frowned as the situation dawned on her “I’m talking to you...Rarity, but you’re Fluttershy”
Twilight watched as Fluttershy put a hoof to her hair, moving it down her neck until she reached her wing.
“You’ve turned me into Fluttershy!” she gasped lifting up a wing
“I couldn’t possibly have, there would be two of you, and Rarity is over there still passed out.”
“...if I’m over here, as Fluttershy, then that means...”
Twilight walked across the room and stood anxiously over Raritys body “So, you’re there Rarity,” she pointed a hoof at her friend, “and this is Fluttershy here on the floor.”
“So it would seem dear,” she said briskly. “I’m just wondering why she fainted and I didn’t.”
Twilight felt she knew this answer “Apparently, considering what happened, I actually did a mind swap, why it was called “talent” I have no clue. Simply put it must be Fluttershys mind in your body and vice-versa. When you get really shocked or scared what happens to you?”
“I start to feel faint….and usually do.”
“That’s exactly what happened, Fluttershy got shocked and Rarity fainted. You reacted the same way, but in Fluttershys usual response which is having her legs lock up like that.”
She moved a hoof to her cheek “This is an awfully odd turn of events Twilight, I-I don’t feel comfortable in here.”
“You don’t have to worry Flut- Rarity because the spell was cast incorrectly, it’s only half as effective and you’ll magically swap back to your old self a little bit after midnight. No harm done!”
“Well that’s tremendous news then, when I wanted to take a break I could have never guessed this is where it would take me,” Rarity glanced at her still body on the floor “I suppose no harm would come if I just go on my way then? My shop is her shop as of this moment. Let Fluttershy here know that I’ll be at her place napping for a bit and I’ll take care of her animal friends too, it’s the least I could do.”
Twilight turned to Spike who had been watching the event from above “Fetch me a bucket please,” she said quickly, turning back to Rarity with a smile “Well I suppose she wouldn’t care. Just keep in mind that you’re in Fluttershys body right now, and it’s going to react differently compared to yours when you perform certain actions or thoughts.”
Rarity turned and made for the exit, momentarily forgetting to open the door with her hooves and not her missing horn, and strolled into the mid-day sun.
***
Spike toddled over with the bucket to the sink and filled it with cool water. “Twilight this is your funniest mess-up yet, I don’t think you’ll ever top it!” he goaded as the water rapidly filled the bucket.
Twilight frowned skimming her book “Very funny Spike, I’m just lucky that I did cast this spell wrong or it would have been permanent. I don’t want to think about how close I was to making that happen. Don’t fill that bucket to the top either; we just need a little bit of water.”
“Twilight, if they’re swapped in each others’ bodies then how come they still sound the same? Shouldn’t their voices have changed too?” he asked curiously while walking over with the bucket.
While Twilight didn’t particularly love stating the obvious she had to come to terms that Spike was still just a baby and that some things needed extra explanation.
“The way the switch worked was that it swapped their minds, their beings, their selves. Not their vocal cords, not their brains. Whatever comes out of their mouths are still being translated as that bodies own voice. Fluttershy here is going to act through Rarity, but it’s still going to be Fluttershy on the inside. Do you follow Spike?”
“I….think so?” he said scratching his head.
Twilight rolled her eyes and levitated the bucket, carefully dumping some water on her friends face.
“AAAAAH! I’M DROWNIIIIING! OH! Oh wait…Twilight….am I dreaming?”
Twilight looked at Spike who had his hands over his mouth laughing “No, well, maybe you were, but you’re awake now.”
She watched as Fluttershy looked at her hooves, then her hair “I wasn’t dreaming, you really DID switch our bodies over,” she looked around the room quickly “Where did I go? Rarity left already! Oh my gosh I need to find her an-“
“STOP!” Twilight put a hoof over her mouth “If you get all worked up you’re just going to faint again!”
“Um, I don’t faint, I get really shocked sometimes but that never happens to me…”
“It does happen to Rarity, and until midnight tonight it’s going to keep happening unless you calm down.”
Fluttershy stopped fidgeting, letting her body relax “Well...okay, but where did Rarity run off to in my body?”
“She went to your place to loosen up; she promised to feed your animals for you and then take a nap. Also she wanted me to let you know that you have full access to her shop for the rest of the day. I really don’t think there’s anything for you to worry about.”
Twilight could tell she remained unconvinced “I’m sure that being able to use magic now will be a lot of help.”
“But I can’t use magic Twilight, I don’t know the first thing about it…”
“The beauty of this strange turn of events is that now you can through Rarity, and Rarity’s a very competent user of magic. All you really need is proper instruction on magic manipulation and you’ll be all set!”
Twilight trotted over and excitedly tugged her old copy of Beginners Magic: Tips and Tricks off her shelf, “I used this volume when I was just a filly and it covers all the fundamentals on how to use magic, but because you technically know how all you need is proper form and you’ll be good to go in no time!”
Fluttershy tapped the horn on her head hesitantly, “Alright, I suppose I can try, magic would speed my stitching along.”
“Hooray! Let’s get started!” cried Twilight happily. She always wanted to try her hoof at teaching magic. “Now shut your eyes and find the magic within you, it should be a peculiar feeling of energy deep inside.”
Fluttershy closed her eyes, ‘Gosh Rarity feels so tired’ she thought idly as she searched for this power. All of a sudden she found the magic welling up inside her. “Twilight, I can feel it” she whispered timidly.
“Good, we all have that magic in us, but in varying strength and quantity. Unicorns are the only ponies that can properly channel that magic into something tangible because of their horn.”
Fluttershy opened one eye “So it’s the same magic that lets us Pegasus move clouds, but just used different?”
“Precisely! Now just will the magic to do what you wish, simple levitation for example, and it will happen.”
Fluttershy closed her eye and focused on the book, the magic warmly flowed through her neck up to her head, and she felt the horn in her skull buzzing a little.
“You did it!”
“Really!” she said opening her eyes wide to see the book falling to the floor “I messed it up…”
Twilight shook her head “No. You did good, it worked, but you broke your concentration. In an hour or so this’ll be second nature. So let’s get practicing!”
***
Rarity was happily prancing along the path to Fluttershys cottage. Despite being stuck in this odd situation she was determined to make the best of it, and found that she was enjoying herself quite a bit. Of course out of forced habit she had to go and collect her travel bag at her shop first. When she had walked into Twilights library she was dragging her hooves in exhaustion, Fluttershy however was brimming with energy. ‘There’s no way I’ll be able to take a nap now’ thought Rarity ‘I’ve just got to find a way to fill my time, I better go and take care of those critters…’
“AAAAH!” screamed Rarity, something just grabbed her sides causing her legs to lock up, and she fell over on her backside.
A familiar blue face blocked her view “Hiya Fluttershy!” said a complacent Rainbow Dash “Didn’t scare ya did I?”
Rarity blinked, she couldn’t forget who she was right now, and telling of her predicament would be too confusing “No, you just startled me is all,” whispered Rarity shakily getting upright “Playing those silly pranks is dreadfully childish of you.”
“Geez Fluttershy don’t be such a scaredy pony, it’s all in good fun!” scoffed Dash.
“Fun for you, it’s a real nuisance for me.” said Rarity a bit louder.
“Well do you want to do something we can both have fun with? How about a race…” said Dash nonchalantly. Everypony knew that Dash was one of the speediest racers around.
Rarity was about to decline when an idea formed in her head. ‘I have enough vigor in me to have a go at this, and maybe if I play my cards right I’ll be able to win too’ she smiled at Rainbow Dash, “Sure, you’re on!”
“Yeah I thought s-HUH?” said Dash in a surprised voice, the positive response throwing her off-guard.
“But on two conditions, only because you are just such a good racer”
Dash cocked her head back “I’m listening…”
“Firstly, I get to pick the course”
“Mhm, that’s fine.”
“Secondly, when I win you have to put on the prettiest dress you own, and walk around town in it.”
“WHAT?” exclaimed Dash. “Fluttershy you can’t be serious?!”
“Of course I’m serious, I assume you own at least one-“
“Nononono, about you winning, there’s no WAAAAAY you can beat me. That’s the funniest thing I heard all day,” snickered Dash.
Rarity felt a pit of doubt in Fluttershys stomach and ignored it, she’s seen Dash race before and although she was one high-speed pony there were some faults in her form. ‘Sometimes you’re too fast for your own good’ she thought with a grin ‘and this time I can capitalize on it’.
“We’ll see about that,” she said quietly.
She watched the smirk disappear from Dashs face. “You are SO on Fluttershy, and when I win you have to take on my weather duties for a week, got it?”
“Oh I got it, but it’s nothing I’m worried about,” she said with a small smile, her confidence was getting to her “I’ll go set up the course.”
She dug through her travel bag and pulled out some red dye and a brush, and flapped into the woods.
***
‘This magic stuff sure is neat’ thought Fluttershy as she trotted over to Raritys shop. She had spent the last hour practicing magic with Twilight and was astonished at just how easily she had gotten the hang of it. A piece of string floated in front of her and manipulated itself into various shapes. ‘It’s a good thing I took measurements before coming over but…wow am I tired’. Fluttershy knew that she wasn’t tired, it was just Raritys body that felt sluggish, but she would push through and maybe make some tea in the meantime to wake her up.
She finally got to Raritys shop, magically turning on the lights and starting the sewing machine.
“Hmm, I wonder where Opal is…” she said aloud looking for the fluffy white cat. Fluttershy spotted her on the windowsill. “Come over here you lovable thing, would you like to help me try on clothes?” she requested in the sweetest voice possible.
Her response was an angry hiss and Opal jumped off the windowsill skittering under the table. “Oh my, I forgot how cranky you are, and that Rarity isn’t the best with small animals like I am,” she said recoiling from the cat “Well, that’s ok, my measurements should be more than enough to go on.”
Fluttershy looked around and magically collected some tools. Fabric, lace and various other sewing supplies flew off the shelves and hung in front of her. She glanced out the window and sighed ‘It’s not like I have anything better to do today anyway. At least tomorrow will be fun’.
***
“I’m baaaack and the course is all set and marked, you should have no trouble spotting the red arrows,” said Rarity as she glided over to Rainbow Dash “Oh you brought spectators!”
Applebloom, Scootaloo and Sweetiebelle had shown up, and were running around just behind Dash.
“Yeah, they were walking by and I thought how COOL it would be to have these three watching me winning by a landslide…and maybe give Scoots here some inspiration in the process.”
Fluttershys stomach was doing backflips, but Rarity forced a smile “That’s wonderful, I can’t wait to see the looks on their faces.”
Dash ruffled her feathers, “Yeah well, let’s get started then.” She flapped over to the starting line and dug her hooves into the ground.
Rarity stood next to Dash trying to make the impression of not being worried. Reverse-psychology didn’t always tend to work, but it was undeniably having the desired effect on her rival. She faked a little yawn. “Crusaders! Let’s get this show on the road!”
The Crusaders were huddled at the starting line arguing, but at her command they all snapped to attention.
“On yer marks!”
Dash tensed, leaning forward.
“GET SET!”
Rarity let her wings open.
“GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
Rainbow Dash rocketed away, a multi-colored missile, while Rarity was not far behind she was steadily losing distance from her on the opening stretch with the first turn up ahead. Clenching her teeth, she felt just as nervous as Fluttershy did and in a few seconds she’d know for sure whether her plan would work or not.
Dash was gaining speed faster and faster furiously pumping her wings. ‘There’s no way I’m losing this race’ she thought glancing behind her. Dash didn’t know what had gotten into that pony, but she didn’t like it, especially now that there were spectators. ‘No race markers yet, just this one long stretch here...’ Suddenly she spotted a flash of red pass her by and instinctively turned.
‘Gotcha!’ thought Rarity cheerfully. Rainbow Dash had just swerved into a bush up ahead, completely missing the next path. Rarity opened her wings like a parachute; slowing her down slightly and kicking off a tree to maintain momentum. While flying was nothing new to her the difference in strength compared to the delicate butterfly wings she once wore was wild. She turned around in time to see Dash stumbling out of the bushes and gave her a casual little wave.
Dash’s head was spinning from the crash. She was just in the lead and was now losing to Fluttershy. It had happened so fast, she had completely missed the turnoff. She righted herself and with a running start took back to the air.
Bouncing off of tree after tree on the winding course Rarity was making good time, furiously kicking her back legs into each trunk. There were only a few straight-aways on the path and every time Dash had sped up and overtaken her she’d subsequently missed the next sharp turn either too late or too soon. Rarity felt the heart in her chest going a mile a minute and her wings were beginning to tire. She looked ahead knowing the next turn would lead to the ending sprint. Gulping, she rounded the next corner and sprang down the path.
Rainbow Dash was still trailing Fluttershy, hair a mess with twigs and leaves with some small scrapes around her legs.
‘This is insane, what is wrong with me today? I shouldn’t even be breaking a sweat’ she thought frantically. Dash made the last turn and saw the finish line where the crusaders were waiting. Fluttershy was already halfway there. “I’m winning this one!” she said aloud, and pushed herself forwards.
The ending loomed up ahead, Rarity was almost there. “Victory’s in sight! I knew you could do it!” she exclaimed to herself. She looked back to see Rainbow Dash closing in on her. Rarity propelled herself onward working her wings as hard as she could. The finish line was drawing closer and closer. They were nearly neck and neck now. Rarity gave her wings a final powerful thrust and-
“RAAAAAAAAAAACE OVEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRR!” screamed the Crusaders in unison.
“YOU DID IT YOU DID IT!” yelled Sweetiebelle hopping in the air.
“YA WERE GOING SO FAST YA WAS LIKE A BLUR!” Applebloom shrieked as she clapped her hooves together.
“THAT WAS THE MOST AMAZING RACE EVER!” gushed Scootaloo, as all three ran over to the two racers.
“Thank you thank you, I’m glad you-“all three crusaders galloped right past Dash “-enjoyed the show?”
“I can’t believe it, how did you learn to go so fast Fluttershy?” said Scootaloo in awe “I never would have taken you for a racer.”
Rarity was taken aback, she could have sworn she had lost by a hair “It’s all in the technique girls, in a race you can’t just go all out and expect a clear cut victory.”
Dash was floored, she had lost to Fluttershy, and in front of the three loudmouth Crusaders no less. How was she going to live this down? She was at a complete loss for words, jaw comically hanging open.
“Oh Daaaaaash, I believe we had an accord?” Rarity said breathlessly.
“Mmmm, naaah, I’ve got some stuff to do. Besides we didn’t even shake on it. Later!” Dash sped straight upwards into the sky, leaving a rainbow wake behind her.
“Why you lazy…” Rarity seethed “You are NOT weaseling out of this bet, not on MY watch!” She took to the sky again, slowly following the path Dash took.
***
Up in the sky on a small fluffy piece of nimbus Rainbow Dash was fuming to herself and angrily kicking the defenseless cloud to pieces.
“HOW could I lose to Fluttershy of ALL ponies? This is unbelievable. Completely insane. Impossible. I don’t believe it. Did she cheat? She must have cheated or something. I didn’t cheat. I should’ve won that fair and square. She’s got a lotta nerve…”
“You should be one to talk!”
Rainbow turned her head so fast she almost hurt her neck. “What are you doing up here?!”
“I want you to make good on your bet. I didn’t win that race for nothing.” Glared Rarity hovering above Dash.
“I already told ya we didn’t shake on it. Doesn’t count and you-”
“-you gave me your WORD and that’s just as cementing as a shake of the hoof.” She said narrowing her eyes at her blue friend.
“Y-yeah well, I didn’t-“
“-didn’t care for ONE second how I felt when you just flew away from your promise, knowing full well I would’ve kept mine” she said though gritted teeth “what do you have to say for yourself?”
“B-b-but Fluttershy I-I”
Dash was shrinking, she remembered telling Fluttershy to be more assertive but this was extreme. Nopony had ever talked to her like this and got away without a black eye, but under Fluttershys intense stare and her own growing guilt she finally broke.
“I-I’m sorry Fluttershy” she whimpered “I’ll g-go and get dressed...”
“Goody! See you in an hour Dash!” said Rarity as the intense look on her face vanished. She jumped from the cloud, leaving Rainbow Dash a quivering, nervous mess.
***
Rarity glided breathlessly towards Fluttershys cottage; she had beaten Dash in the race and gotten her to own up to her bet when she had tried to slip out of it.
“I must have used the stare on her…and it worked too,” she mused skimming the treetops. “What an invigorating feeling...”
She landed at the front of Fluttershys little cottage and opened the door. Rarity looked around the house; it had tons of nooks and crannies for her little animal friends to run about and carried a decidedly earthy scent. Books littered the shelves and upon closer inspection Rarity realized they were all romance novels. “Fluttershy I didn’t know you also had a pension for the romantic.” she said looking at some of the titles, a few she had remembered reading herself on lazy summer evenings.
Exploring more of the house she found her way upstairs to the bedroom. It was very neat and orderly with plain sheets decorating a mid-sized bed. An industrial full length mirror stood unobtrusively against the wall next to a rather bare closet holding a few modest dresses. The small chest at the foot of the bed contained some spare bedsheets and pillowcases.
“Oh my aren’t we the humble decorator,” sulked Rarity. Fluttershys home was really quite droll, after her exhausting race with Rainbow Dash she only wanted to rest up a bit. She was just about to collapse on the bed when she noticed something sticking out from underneath it. Without a moments thought she gingerly tugged a cardboard box out from under the bed. “Well well weeeell what do we have here?”
In the box was a bunch of balled up sheets of paper and a few novels, penned under Miss Rose Papillone. Scanning a few of the pages in each, she discovered that these were all works in progress. More shockingly they seemed to be written in a very familiar writing style.
“Dear me Fluttershy I didn’t know you were an author of romance too,” she pondered dreamily “I wonder how many exciting escapades you must have had to take this hobby up.”
She looked through the books a bit more, the intros were all very lovely but the stories ended halfway each time. Rarity felt quite giddy at this discovery, this was fascinating stuff nonetheless! Fluttershys body however was feeling distressed at these thoughts and she felt her heart sinking into her chest.
She dropped to her haunches and sat in front of the mirror, where an upset Fluttershy stared back. Rarity was having trouble understanding this change in emotion, ‘Why would Fluttershy feel so awful about having a talent like this…’
Rarity glanced at the floor next to the mirror, empty tissue boxes sat tucked behind a small wastebasket. She raised a hoof to her face, fresh tears welling in her eyes and suddenly the shocking realization hit her all at once. The constant obsessive attention to animals, the romance books, the unfinished novels, the tissue boxes.
“Oh Fluttershy, you poor girl, you’ve never had anyone in your life have you?” she said tenderly placing a tear soaked hoof to the mirror.
Rarity sat in that pose for a long while as sorrow gripped her, wondering how she of all ponies could miss something that should have been clear as day. Fluttershy was such a quiet little thing too, she would never divulge to anypony her empty love life and how much it wracked her thoughts.
Glowering at the gloomy face in the mirror, she forced it into a determined smile. “Not if Rarity can help it, as long as I’m in here darling I’ll conquer these worries and free you of your fears and uncertainties. This will be the makeover of a lifetime!”
She stood up with her heart beating fast in her chest. Rarity blew away some of Fluttershys hair that had fallen in her eyes and opened her satchel. She pulled out a pair of scissors, hair clips, brushes, and hair dye. Without her magic this would be a little more time consuming, but she had an hour and would definitely make the most of it. She looked at the mirror and beamed.
“LETS! GET! FABULOUS!”
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Oh, Oh no. I can just see this playing out in my head, the whole "Rarity 'helping' Fluttershy's love life". Oh. No.
Now I need to find out.
Appleblossom? Really?
Her name is Applebloom, not Appleblossom......
Pretty good story though.
This is a great start to a story! Your treatment for Rarity-as-Fluttershy is touching: both spot-on for Rarity, and deeply sympathetic to both characters' weaknesses.
I look forward to the rest of the story!
Very enjoyable to read!
This was finished elsewhere, wasn't it? Swear I remember reading and enjoying it to its completion...
its...nice
This looks like it could be fun. Looking forward to seeing what happens next.
oh god
Rarity trying to help Fluttershy's love life?
When Fluttershy gets back into her own body, she'll be PISSED
8708
Naw, she'll just faint like a goat as usual.
this..... this is not going to end well
“Fluttershy I didn’t know you also had a pension for the romantic.”
Penchant. Getting paid a pension for romance would just be silly ;)
Awesome
Rarity needs to calm down she's more excited than that lego when he had permission to build a space ship!