A New Reality

by ThecynicalGingerpony

Maybe a Change of Pace

Twilight wiped the leftover tears away as she sat up. Her pillow was soaked and by the midday sun outside, she could tell she had been there a while. Her throat felt sore from the sobbing as she got up to look out the window once again.

Celestia...gone? How could this even be possible? Princess Celestia was the most powerful being she knew. She couldn't seem to wrap her head around the fact that Nightmare Moon was the one that killed her.

Not only that, Twilight was pretty much a tyrant here and Princes Luna was her enemy. How could things of gotten this far? Did this really all happen because the Sonic Rainboom didn't happen?

She recalled something that Onyx had said. He mentioned that it was like King Sombra's magic. She remembered back to that magic. The same magic that showed her her greatest fear. It made her feel cold and unlike herself or anyone she ever knew. She recalled the way it made her heart slow down in its beats.

As the magic came back into her mind, she felt a wind pick up. The breeze soared around her hooves, making her mane and tail whip around the unicorn's body. She watched as some strands of dark purple escaped the braid Rarity had made before closing to her eyes. It almost felt as if the soft but quick wind was going to lift her off the ground. Somehow, it made her feel peaceful.

So, this is how this magic feels?

Her thoughts were quickly interrupted by a dull roar. The unicorn's eyes widened as she saw that the wind was now accompanied by black flame. The flames danced around and caught her on her side, but she noticed the fire was cold. It was kind of calming.

"No!" Twilight screamed and pulled away, making the wind and the fire stop. She just couldn't do it. It was the same kind of magic that took Sweetie Bell away. The same magic that changed her and made her team up with Nightmare Moon. How could she use magic like that?

"Wait a minute. The first time I saw that magic..." Twilight started to pace as she thought about the situation, at least some things didn't change. She remembered seeing the beautiful white alicorn use the magic she just used. "Princess Celestia used that magic! That jerk of a unicorn said that I took the magic from the Canterlot archives. Not even sure I want to know how I did that in the first place. But does this mean the Princess knew this magic too? But it didn't corrupt her...yet I was..."

Twilight looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying. "What happened to the other me?" What exactly made her turn to dark magic and where was the other Twilight?

"If I am here and I'm from the Rainboom timeline, then where is the corrupt Twilight from this time? Is she in my head? And if so, does that mean I am in her body?"

She turned quickly as she heard a knock on the door. "C-come in." She let out a sigh of relief when it turned out to only be Rarity.

"I came to see if you needed anything, Milady." It left a sour taste in Twilight's mouth to be called that. She didn't deserve the title.

"I,uh...I was thinking of going into town, but I don't need to go out looking like this. I need a disguise and your help."

"Help from me? But Milady, why me? I've seen you disguise yourself before. It isn't really my forte." Rarity looked back and forth from Twilight and the ground. Twilight wasn't used to seeing her friend behave like this.

"Because I know that you can design something awesome. Trust me, I know. Or, are you not up for the task?" The unicorn smirked. She just knew that even in this world her friend couldn't pass up a challenge like that.

"Of course I can, Milady." A glimmer of confidence appeared in the designer's eyes. Twilight even noticed her chin go up as well. She looked so much like the Rarity she knew back home.

It was the first time she realized how much she missed her time. She missed waking up to the breakfast that Spike made. It was horrible, but he always did his best. She remembered it was Thursday. Today was the day that she would help Fluttershy with the animals. She realized she was drifting into the daydream and had to snap out of it.

Twilight smiled as she trotted over to Rarity. "You don't have to call me Milady, you know?"

Rarity's crystal eyes grew wide. "I-I don't?"

"Of course not. You're my friend, Rarity. Just call me Twilight." She watched as a soft smile danced across the white unicorn's muzzle.

"Yes, Mi-I mean, Twilight. Now, let's get you changed." She took a deep breath and cast the spell.

Twilight looked at her changed self in the mirror. She noticed she looked a lot like Octavia from her time, but without the bowtie. Plus, her cutiemark was an inkwell.

"I was thinking you could call yourself Inkwell if needed." Rarity looked quite proud of the work she had done.

The other unicorn nodded at her. "Thank you so much. I'll try to be back soon,okay? And don't tell Onyx that I left. None of his business anyway." Rarity replied with a simple nod as Twilight ran off.

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One thing was for sure, Ponyville was not the same at all. No one was happy like she had come to know them. She did see some happy ponies trying to be cheerful and livelier, but she could tell it was an act to try to brighten the spirits of other ponies around them.

She couldn't believe that she caused all of this sadness.

No! It wasn't me! It was corrupt Twilight! I didn't do anything!

As she tried to snap out of those thoughts, she bumped into somepony. "Oh, I'm sorry I-"

Twilight was shocked by the pony in front of her. Not only did the Earth pony seem more cheerful than the others, but her lily-pad green eyes had a certain sparkle to them. Her orange coat was a beautiful contrast to the duller colors around her. Her yellow mane was cut into a bob with longer bangs that framed her face. On her rump was a cutie mark of flowing green strings and a red music note that Twilight remembered to be a Semiquaver.

But even with these changes, she knew the mare in front of her.

"Ain't a problem, sugarcube." Applejack said as she helped her back up. As she did,Twilight noticed a guitar strapped to Applejack's back. "Ya looked a lil down. You okay?"

"Um,yes. Thank you. It is nice to meet you. I'm new in town. I'm Inkwell. And you are?" Twilight really hoped that that didn't sound too rehearsed.

"Name's Applejack. And before you ask, I don't live here. I'm just a traveling bard. I play my music where ever the wind takes me and I try to make other ponies happy." Twilight couldn't help but giggle in her head. It didn't look like Applejack changed much.

"You said you travel. Do you have any family or something?"

"Family? The other Apples moved years ago to get away from Queenie. Ain't quite sure where they went off to." Applejack just shrugged like she didn't have a care in the world, even with everything that was going on around her. "Anyway, best be on my way. Need any help before I go?"

"Actually, could you tell me which way the Everfree forest is?" The buildings and atmosphere were so different that she lost where she was. She thought it would help her get her footing back.

"I ain't even from here and I know that is a bad idea. Heard that even if you tried to go in there, you can't."

"Why not?" This definitely peaked Twilight's curiosity.

"I heard that if you try to go in, a yellow light or fairy or somethin' leads you away from the danger and out of the forest. Kinda spooky if you ask me. Well, I'll try to catch ya later, Inky. Hope to see ya before I leave." Applejack winked at her before going over to a group of sad looking ponies and strumming her guitar.

That is something interesting at least. Well, might as well check it out. Certainly didn't have a fairy or anything back home. Twilight smirked and went on her way to the forest.

Comments

[Changeling-Drone]

5 bits it's a yellow navi like fairy

[playnwin]

It's Fluttershy.