Equestria Quest

by Iwano Imagination

Chapter 19: The Wheel of Colors

Applejack was fine now. Or so she thought.

She couldn’t believe the Flim Flam Brothers’ Crystal Clear Water cured her headache after she had that nightmare. The twins were very untrustworthy, but why did their new product worked? She was still skeptical.

Ah still don’t think that water is special, Applejack thought disdainfully. And when did Iwano get that water? Did he meet those slimy varmints?

Just like Twilight, Applejack still didn’t trust Iwano despite his good demeanor. That Alicorn’s misdeeds were enough for Applejack to apple buck him until his brain fell out. But the mare knew it was Dissonance’s fault, that dark side within Iwano. And that she wanted to save him no matter what.

As the Element of Honesty, it was her part to be honest and find the truth.

That nightmare made Applejack doubt Iwano even more, but she didn’t get why she cared for him. They didn’t hang out yet as friends or get to know each other. I wanna get to know him very soon. Apple Bloom told me he’s sorta busy with his new job, so maybe we’ll hang later once I’m done with my chores—starting with this order.

Big Mac told her to rest being relieved from her bad dreams and headache, but she insisted of continuing. Applejack actually wanted to do chores so she could relax from the dangers she and her friends had faced involving that Alicorn.

She thought Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash’s parts to influence with their elements were done. Applejack planned to be the next to help. However, she couldn’t see anything dishonest about Iwano yet. It sounded like he was true enough since he was a good pony and that he was seeking help from the Elements of Harmony, but it bothered her that the newcomer was hiding something. Was she crazy? No, she was weary.

Dissonance might not the only threat comin’ to Equestria.

Filthy Rich, father of Diamond Tiara and owner of Barnyard Bargains, ordered a cart-load of apples from the Apple Family last week. Applejack was pulling the rich pony asked for through town while she greeted the townsfolk.

“Just a good day working, Applejack,” she told herself. “There’s nothing but normality.”

In truth, with Iwano around, the Earth pony was uncertain things were normal. Me and my friends have been in crazier things before Iwano came. I bet they were all just like him, if only we have the Elements.

Applejack met up with Filthy Rich in Ponyville’s Flee Market. She wondered why there were less ponies here than usual, but immediately focused on her client.

“Howdy there, Mr. Rich,” Applejack greeted as they both shook hooves.

“It’s a pleasure meeting with you again,” the grayish amber stallion said. His dark gray mane was waxed which little shined the lighter highlights. Noticing his drowsy light azure eyes, Applejack figured that Filthy Rich had been very busy with his job as a director of his own company. His cutie mark showed three sacks of money.

“I reckon you ordered a huge bushel of apples.” She unhooked herself from the cart and tapped it. “Well, here it is.”

“And as promised, I’ll pay seven hundred bits.” That money was beside him in a briefcase.“Thank you for the delivery.”

Filthy Rich held out his hoof. When Applejack held out hers and shook with him, nerves from her head felt like they were about to pop out. But she kept her cool despite the pang.

The owner of Barnyard Bargains noticed and stopped shaking with her. “Are you fine, Applejack?”

Her widened eyes stared down to the ground. She processed what that twinge in her head was. She finally understood. Wait a sec, she thought. Seven hundred bits he say?

“I’m afraid to tell you but you don’t have seven hundred bits inside that case of yours.”

Filthy gasped. “What’re you saying?”

“Don’t play dumb, Filthy.”

His nostrils flared. “Don’t dare call me that—”

“I won’t call you that again, but I wanna count how many bits are inside that case. If you’re honest, then let me count. Otherwise you’re lying.”

Applejack saw his eyes filled with nervousness. He was definitely lying. To backup her assumption, Filthy Rich was sweating.

“Fine, I lied,” the middle-aged stallion admitted. “Inside this briefcase is just only one hundred.”

The mare scanned Filthy. He was telling the truth. Applejack arched her brows. “Why is it one hundred anyway?”

“My daughter spent the money I was supposed to pay to you yesterday because she was whining and crying all day, saying she wanted her own personal carriage.”

Now I found a reason to hate Diamond Tiara a little with Apple Bloom.

Filthy Rich promised he’d pay them the exact amount tomorrow, but he wouldn’t get his apples yet from the Apple Family. After they departed each other, Applejack questioned to herself, “Now how did I know he wasn’t the telling the truth? That was mighty odd.”

Nervous-filled eyes and sweat, Applejack could identify a liar, but she wondered how she was able to find out before those signs kicked in. It was mighty odd indeed.

Applejack wasn’t like Twilight or Rarity who could use magic, or Iwano who could read minds. As she hooked back the cart’s pulley unto her, she kept thinking and thinking until she reached home. The day’s clear blue sky with its puffy clouds set by the Pegasi would ease her mind, but now not, she thought.

Tired, Applejack leaned on an apple tree and took off her hat unto her stomach. She placed her hooves under her head as pillows and she sighed.

“Was it all because of that dream I had that I was able to see a liar?” she asked herself. “Maybe Twilight would help. She knows a lot of strange doohickeys.”

To clear that thought away for her to rest easy, she thought of plans to hang out with the green Alicorn. We can talk about each other’s lives. Maybe he can help around the barn and apple buck with me. He’s kinda slim but a little buff, but I think he can buck.

There was nothing interesting about Iwano to Applejack yet. She wanted to get along with him the best she could. She wanted to believe he was finding help. She wanted to save him. Save him, save him from Dissonance, in any little or big things possibly, even if it meant enduring Iwano’s misdeeds and chatting with him about apples.

A thought crossed her mind, as if a buffalo herd rammed out of her brain. Her eyes lit, she stood up, and wasn’t relaxed anymore but rather excited as she slapped on her hat.

“Hey! I’ve an idea!” Applejack exclaimed. “If I can now sense truth and lies, maybe Twilight and we— and more importantly Princess Celestia—can finally see Iwano’s true identity! That way, we can help him better. Oh boy! I gotta tell Twi about this—my own new ability!”

Applejack galloped away to Twilight Sparkle, with plans and a new ability to show her.

“Today, we’re supposed to bring somepony important or special in Ponyville for presentation today,” Apple Bloom said as I walked with the Cutie Mark Crusaders on the way to their school. “That pony will be explaining how they got their cutie mark. All our classmates are participating in it, and we can do it as a group. It’s kinda like a special activity or project set by Ms. Cheerilee. Oh, and thanks for healing my sister.”

“We asked Twilight and her friends,” Scootaloo said. “But they’re all busy and most ponies in town are unavailable. That’s why we choose you ’cause you’re very special and awesome. I mean, you can do many great things.”

“That’s because I’m an Alicorn,” I said. “However I actually want to be like every other pony in town.”

“I bet you’re just modest, Mr. Imagination,” Babs Seed guessed. “You’re totally amazing.”

I was quite flattered as usual, but just like Twilight, I was no better than any other pony. I did want to show off once in awhile like Rainbow Dash and in a stylish way like Rarity, but I had a self-conscious side like Fluttershy. What mattered to me was that everypony around me and me happy, like Pinkie Pie. Of course, I stayed true to myself like Applejack.

“Thanks for the compliment, Babs,” I said.

“We’re really excited to listen to how those important and special ponies like you in how they got their cutie marks,” Sweetie Belle said. “I’m dying to know how!”

I chuckled. “You silly fillies as usual are always trying to find your talents.”

“Duh, we’re crusaders, Mr. Imagination,” Scootaloo reminded with a snort. “We’ll never stop finding our cutie marks, even if it’ll take us until we’re old as Granny Smith.”

I laughed, which offended Apple Bloom. “That’s not nice, and Granny actually found her cutie mark before she even knew how to talk when she was a foal.”

“Forgive me,” I apologized, “it’s funny, really.”

Apple Bloom smiled. “I understand, Mr. Imagination.”

“And please, call me Iwano.”

I was actually excited to share to the ponies in the Ponyville Schoolhouse about how I’d obtained my cutie mark.

“By the way,” Sweetie Belle, “you can be a big bonus to us since you’re cutie mark is extra special and we never ever seen like it before!”

“You will all know how I got it once we get to your school.” I levitated out a notebook from my saddlebag. I’d almost forgotten I had it with me.

“What’s that?” Babs asked.

“It’s my journal. In one of its entries has the story in how I’d gotten my cutie mark. When I look at this, it made me remember my past.” I stowed it away. “I know you want to read it, Apple Bloom, but it’s classified.”

“How do you know what I was thinking?” Applejack’s little sister asked in marvel.

“I sometimes read minds.”

Babs snorted. “I knew you’re amazing. You don’t need to be modest.”

“And I can tell you’re not the modest type. In Manehattan, you usually show off your skills and achievements just to—”

“Just being boastful, get more friends,” Sweetie Belle guessed.

“No, silly filly, Babs just want to show off just to inspire others.”

“I should really tell more about myself to you crusaders, since I think I’m still fresh,” Babs said.

I patted her head caringly. “You’ll have the chance, little one.”

The Cutie Mark Crusaders were first formed during Diamond Tiara’s cute-ceañera in the season one episode Call of The Cutie whereas Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo intervened to defend Apple Bloom about blank flanks. Their only goal in life was to find their cutie marks—no matter how many crazy stunts they’d do to get one. In season three’s episode Babs Seed, the crusaders had gained a fourth member who was Apple Bloom’s cousin.

These cute fillies staying close to me reminded me of when I was a little kid, trying to find my talent. They also reminded me of my sister.

I suddenly missed Lentae. It was too bad she didn’t come along. She wasn’t a fan yet, though I made her OC form—Lentae Skyblade. If Lentae were with me right now, she’d be nagging and annoying me, and at the same time protecting her big brother as the team we were. In IW, we were famously known together as the “Dynamic Duo of Reality” because of our impressive teamwork and unbreakable bond as siblings.

When we were watching the show’s episode A Canterlot Wedding Part 1, I’d said, “That’s you and me, Mae. I’m Shining Armor and you’re my smart Twilly~!”

“But I’m not smart,” Mae protested. Mae was her Reality name. “In fact, those two are you while I’m nothing.”

“Mae, I don’t care. Besides when I called you my smart ‘Twilly’, I meant that you’re clever enough to care for your bro and be awesome and know how to save the day, like Rainbow Dash—you idolize her, by the way, I know.”

“Yeah, ha-ha, I guess I am smart.”

“No you’re not.”

“Hey!”

“Just joking.”

“Diego!”

“Don’t call me by that name. Call me Iwano.”

“Bleh, fine.”

“Uh…Iwano?”

I was so busy reminiscing that past that I didn’t realize we were by the threshold of the schoolhouse.

“Why do you look zoned out?” Scootaloo asked.

I shook. “Sometimes I’m like that when I’m remembering something.”

“So what were you remembering, Iwano?” Apple Bloom asked.

Before I could answer, the door in front of us was opened by their teacher.

“Oh, Iwano Imagination, welcome!” Ms. Cheerilee greeted with her smile and blinking grayish harlequin eyes. When I sniffed the air, I smelled the scent of poinsettia from the teacher’s pale, light grayish rose and light ceriseish gray mane.

“Please do come in,” Cheerilee said as she went to her table and the crusaders went to theirs. Was Babs a transfer or temporary student here? “Alright class, today, the Cutie Mark Crusaders have chosen—”

“My name is Iwano Imagination,” I introduced myself to the class. “It’s a pleasure to meet ya’ll.”

This wasn’t the first time I’d be presenting myself to bunch of school kids, thus I had experience. In fact, I was a public speaker myself.

I could see some foals I knew here, especially those two bullies of the CMCs, Diamond Tiara and Silverspoon.

“Now, Iwano, would you like to begin?” Cheerilee asked.

“Why of course!” I replied. I cleared my throat. The Cutie Mark Crusaders’ eyes were a lit with curiosity and enthusiasm, which made me grin. This class was just full of kids. Luckily the Mane Six weren’t here to listen.

I had begun by pointing at my cutie mark. “The story behind this colorful wheel is kinda, uh, I couldn’t describe it. Perhaps it’s best for me to tell ya’ll now…”

Two months ago…

“Come on, Cynthia!” I cried out from the ground to my assistant, who was a black Pegasus. “Just like what I told you! Lower the angle of your wings slowly if you wish to land!”

“You know what?!” Cynthia struggled to follow my instruction. “I think I prefer being a Unicorn—”

A sudden draft of wind blew her down. Inhaled sharply, I dashed as a streak and swept her away unto my hooves. Afterwards, we landed.

“You didn’t scream,” I said.

“I knew you were going to save me from that, you know?” Cynthia stroked her long blonde mane which blocked her left eye. She still wore her black Champion attire. Her coat and clothing together was enough for her to camouflage in the dark. “After all, you are who you are.”

She gave me a small smile and I returned with a bigger one. Cynthia’s austere but beautiful almond-shaped eyes were enough for me to “pounce” at her. Her black wings were like swords and she was almost at my height. I was about four-eight as a pony while she was probably fifteen inches taller than Twilight.

“Being a Pegasus suits you,” I said, hiding my admiration of her beauty. “It’s just that you need a lot of practice.”

“I still don’t see the point why I should have a pony form.”

“Someday you’d be in Equestria once my mission there is done…Or rather if I need any help. You could discover and do great things as a pony. Pegasus ponies are very popular as OCs in the Reality fandom.”

“Fine, but if I can’t master this body before your entrancing to the land of ponies, I’d definitely be a Unicorn.”

I rolled my eyes. “As you wish, Cynthia.”

“Now that we’re done with this session, let’s now discuss about you rejoicing your sense of Imagination.”

I frowned. “Oh, that.”

It was been five years since my Imagination was young and free. As I’d gotten older, it became limited for it was very powerful to use such ability. If I were to imagine anything, it would happen automatically, like imagining my house were a mansion or my enemies instantly in blaze. Now that I was a teenager, I had doubts that I was still creative as my sister.

“Your Imagination is an important part of you,” Cynthia said, beginning her lecture. I loved lectures. “It was because of your sadness, anger, and most of all creativity that made the world we all know as Imaginary World and its metropolis Imaginundia. With your Imagination, not only you can manipulate the laws of almost everything, but you can also keep your happiness and power to protect alive. Iwano, make every time count. Imagination is everything to you. As your assistant, it is one of my duties to do whatever it takes to keep my master as himself. Moreover, your life and Imagination is what keeps this world from tearing apart from both peril and nonexistence.”

Everything she said was all true. A few days ago, we were in the Dodecagon—a huge facility is which conferences, meetings, research, and other important activities were held, and where IW’s Geniuses—scientistists and other hight intellectuals—did their works. Every month, the Geniuses examined my Imagination potential. For the past few tests, as I matured and grew in Reality, my Imagination and happiness lowered.

“So what do you think we should do?” I asked as I gestured her to walk with and she followed.

“Maybe we could revisit your battlegrounds in which you had fought your old foes and friends in. I know you love ‘awesome battles’, so theoretically banging your head of the past should give your fighting creativity vigor.”

Cynthia looked up to the sky. “It’s simply beautiful up there,” she sighed. “When I flew in this form, it was like I was the one riding the wind instead on my Togekiss. To me, riding with your Pokémon to the skies and flying as a pony are two different things. Let your imagination take flight…That is indeed your favorite quote.”

What’re you talking about? I thought. Apparently Cynthia tried to make me smile, and it worked. She knew what to do and how to make me happy in any way possible.

I giggled.

“Is it something I said?” Cynthia asked.

“Nah, not at all, I just remembered something. I do often imagine a lot of thing when I was in Reality,” I said. But I guess that isn’t enough. Focusing on my studies as a student in that world is one of my top priorities, though it lessens my imaginativeness.”

“Manage your time,” Cynthia reminded. Every assistant mostly did that. “You can set up some schedules. I thought you can organize, by the way.”

“I can, Cynthia. It’s just that I have a lot gong and more tasks pop up than lately—confound my high school life—making me reschedule again and again. Actually, it’s not that bad sticking my nose into my Algebra books and maturing even better, although I do miss my old self…I was free-spirited and gay.”

Cynthia giggled. Oh, she thought of “gay” as something else. Ha-ha.

“Very funny, isn’t it?” I muttered.

“Don’t take it too seriously, Iwano.” My assistant rubbed my back, which made my wings cringe. “Yes, you were those qualities in the past. Your insecurity grew as you grow, I believe. You obstacles in both Reality and here must’ve restricted your actions as well. You’ve been through so much…”

“You know me too well for the past four years, Cynthia. In fact, you even watched over Lentae and I when we’re home, mostly my sis.”

That was because Lentae was her adopted daughter, and I was an exception. My adopted family was the Wattersons, while my sis was an adopted daughter to two other families, and I wasn’t definitely their son. Family stuff in IW was weirder than Reality.

“Anyway,” Cynthia said, “I know you’re still clinging to your old self. It’s a part of you. You can’t afford to lose your Imagination.”

Now I didn’t want to talk about it.

“Let’s have some fun, shall we?” I suggested, hoping we could deal with my Imagination problem later. We’d discussed that almost every day that I felt annoyed and at the same time sad. Growing up whilst my Imagination fading was like dying into a boring corpse.

I could tell from the Sinnoh Champion’s eyes that I was trying to ignore the subject matter, but she said, “Fine, Iwano. What kind of fun then?”

My iWatch10 beeped. Somepony was calling me. I tapped my watch and held it up to me and said, “Ayo, what’s up?”

On the hotline was Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus, saying, “Iwano, we found something about your Dissonance.”

Okay, now I wanted to deal with my Imagination problem instead. “So, did you guys find a cure or something?”

“Just get here to the Dodecagon and Kassias and us will explain—oh, and can we please turn back into humans? Running away from Laistrygonians with only for four hooves to use just to get information about your Dissonance…Ugh, just get your rump here. I have not time to complain anyway.”

After she hung up, I told Cynthia we were heading to where Thalia was about Dissonance. I couldn’t help but laugh because of the daughter of Zeus’s tone.

“Looks like I’m not the only one not used to being a pony yet,” Cynthia said.

I smiled. “Let’s fly.”

When we arrived and gone into the Dodecagon’s crystal entrance, guarded by centaurs, we were greeted by other ponies in lab coats and combat uniforms of various kinds. I’d ordered every human in Imaginundia to transform themselves into ponies for two weeks, just for fun.

Cynthia and I walked through a wide, air conditioned hall with marble flooring that reflected light from the fluorescent bulbs above us that brightened our path. The silver walls beside us had minimalistic paintings and they smelled like fruits (because fruits were used on them instead of actual paint).

We finally exited the hall and entered the Dodeca-Core, the center of the Dodecagon—a giant orbicular lobby with a dome roof of glass that shifted scenes of one of the greatest battle scenes of movies and shows from Reality and one of the most memorable events in Imaginundia history; despite there were other halls, portals popped randomly from time to time as exits or entrances; and a circular counter was in the middle of the lobby with a huge white glowing orb floating above with green and red dots appearing and disappearing.

“Welcome back to the Dodecagon, Iwano,” a light pink pony wearing only a red shirt greeted me.

“Ayo, Amy!” I exclaimed. “Why aren’t you in your post at the counter? And why are you only in—?”

“Don’t ask,” she growled. Maybe Jet the Hawk was playing around with her. “Anyway, what’re you two doing here?”

We told her about that we were going to see Thalia and Kassias. Amy Rose was pink hedgehog from the Sonic world, Sonic’s “girlfriend”, and worked part time as a counterwoman in the Dodecagon and news reporter for IWNews Blast.

“I’m still on break,” Amy said, “but I can help you two out.”

She cleared her throat, held her left foreleg up, and said to her wristwatch, “Dodeca-Counterwoman 4: Amy Rose, on break speaking. Mr. Morgan and Ms. Draco would like to see Mr. Grandiel in the Dodeca-Lab now.”

Instantly, my assistant and I were teleported in a quick flash of blue.

We were transported into the Dodeca-Lab, which was simply just an enormous, circular laboratory. Surrounding three ponies at the middle in a semicircle were tables organized with textbooks and spellbooks, lab equipments and gaseous chemicals, computers and artifacts, and many more unusual items. On one side of this lab was the biggest and widest flat screen super computer—known as the “A.L.A.K.A.Z.A.P.” (I had no idea what its abbreviation stood for)—with a super long, wide keyboard with a lot of buttons.

When we walked towards the three ponies who were talking, tables automatically changed positions to clear path for me and Cynthia. The whole Dodecagon was enchanted and built with high-tech advancements beyond Reality’s technology. In fact, ours with magic were combined from other worlds.

“Good afternoon, Iwano,” Kassias Grandiel greeted. “I’m very glad you and Cynthia are here. Just like what Thalia has told you, we have something about your Dissonance.”

The peach-white coated Unicorn had a silky blonde mane, elfish ears, and critical icy eyes. He wore reading glasses, a blur runic robe, black pants, and violet boots violet boots on his hind legs. On his back was his brown saddlebag contained his spellbook, the Clare Bible. Though his flank was covered, I knew his cutie mark was his book.

“You have no idea how long it took us to seek this information,” Thalia Grace muttered. “But it was all worth it. After all, I need to have the IW experience since I’m still fresh here.”

The demigod was a zappy yellow Pegasus with startling electric blue eyes and spiky black mane like some punk chick. Her attire was a black T-shirt, black tattered jeans, and a leather jacket—she was to me a mix of Goth and punk. She was accessorized with piercing on her ears and a wrist chain on her left foreleg’s hoof, which could turn into her shield, Aegis. Her cutie mark was a round bronze shield with a lightning bolt across it. Her overall appearance reminded me of a song from Wiz Khalifa.

She was supposed to be with the Greek goddess Artemis for she was one of the Hunters who weren’t supposed to come in contact with males (kinda sexist much?), but IW was in the verge of chaos, we needed everypony’s help regardless of restrictions in the meantime.

“Ever since that Dissonance was first born,” Red said as he adjusted his red cap, “several worlds were in disorder more than lately; no doubt that thing inside you radiates huge bad luck on us. Kassias was able to find little connections to those with the answer.”

“I’m the IWM,” I said. “Thus Dissonance apparently took advantage of my aura since I’m connected to most worlds I’m very attached to, like the Pokémon world.”

The Kanto Champion knitted his brows, his vivid red eyes staring at the domed ceiling, as if anticipating a villain to crash down.

Red was a peach coated Earth stallion with a black mane, almost as spiky as Thalia’s, red running shoes on his hinds, black shirt and red coat over it, and a blue pants with a belt that had six small mechanical red-and-white orbs attached to it—Poké Balls. His cutie mark was a simply Poké Ball.

“Just tell me, Kassias,” I urged. As much as I hated my Dissonance, I was dying to find out for weeks. Every day, six to twelve perils occurred wherever I’d gone to. Staying in my home with its state-of-the-art Kounat security systems and protection spells casted upon me didn’t help.

“After Thalia gave me the recent reports regarding the disorders in the worlds, I realized that most of the dangers happening were all nearby the places particularly where you had your emotional outbursts,” Kassias explained.

“Talk about some issues,” Thalia commented with a chuckle.

I glared at her, and she immediately turned pale. When I first glared as a pony at Cynthia, she was frightened. Whenever I glared at somepony, they suddenly feared me. Funny that I thought I could call this the “Glare”, rhymed after Fluttershy’s Stare. I didn’t know about its origin but I loved it.

“Love Lake, which is,” Kassias continued,“in the Evergreen Forest, Imaginundia; Oracle’s Den in the Black Alps near its coal mines; Sea Clear Bridge, near Imaginundia’s Seagull Harbor; and Topaz Street to Sapphire Avenue, which covered a proportion of the city by two-thirds.”

“And those all happened here, in Imaginundia,” Red added. “Dangers were happening in the worlds you’re attached with, Iwano But the Dodecagon analyzed that your city has the most number—currently firty-seven.”

“Those five locations,” Cynthia mused, “Love Lake, Oracle’s Den, Sea Clear Bridge, Topaz Street, and Sapphire Avenue…”

My eyes lit. “I think I got it—losts.”

“What do you mean?” Red asked.

“Does anypony know ‘Lost Sacred Hill’?”

Kassias smiled in delight. “All those dangers lead to one source that would be the answer to your Dissonance, Iwano. All those dangers were all hints.”

“Why would Dissonance give out hints?” Thalia asked. “If he’s so evil and powerful by presence, why would he blindly reveal those to stop him or something?”

I was surprised the punk chick wasn’t too levelheaded and straightforward this time. Her friend Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon, must’ve hit something in her noggin when they had “capture the flag” last week. I heard Percy had accidentally hit her head with the hilt of his bronze sword, Riptide, probably enhanced her critical thinking.

“Whatever is in Lost Sacred could be a trap,” Red guessed. “Remember the last time we were there, Iwano?”

I grimly nodded. The last time Red and I’d ventured there, I had endured emotional stress and severe breakdown exigencies. “Full of traps and emotion problems for me there. I remember.”

“What’s wrong with you and your emotions anyway?” Thalia asked, annoyed.

“It’s complicated.” I exchanged looks with Cynthia. “Well?”

“I don’t want to see you in that state again,” my assistant disdainfully said. “But if it means putting a stop to Dissonance and IW’s chaos, then I’m with you.”

“Thanks for the information and reports, guys,” I thanked the three ponies. “Cynthia and I will be on our way to Lost Sacred Hill.”

“Do you need an extra companion?” Thalia asked, as if she wanted to tag along. “To us demigods, we usually go as a trio in a quest.”

Since Imaginundia was currently in disarray because of Dissonance, Hunters and Amazons from the Olympian world could stick with men in missions until everything cooled off, as long as they didn’t have any relationship with them. Personally I had a crush on Thalia, but it didn’t work out.

“Usually Lentae, Cynthia and I are together. However, my sister has to focus on her studies in Reality for she has exams this week. She must not be disturbed.”

“You sound like the Greek gods.”

Compliment or insult, I smiled. “Come on, Cynthia, let’s go.”

Lentae, Cynthia and I facing this challenge as a trio would’ve been great. We together were known as “Team Imagination”, and we had good teamwork and we displayed great combinations with our abilities linked. Cynthia was the brains, Lentae was the tanker, and I was of course the Leader.

Without our tanker around, we wouldn’t easily get through LSH’s traps. When Lentae and I were in Fuchsia City’s Gym, she was so furious from her loss against me in a warm-up Pokémon battle that she rammed through the facility’s invisible walls and arrogantly passed traps unscathed.

Lentae was simply the most amazing sister I could ever have.

Cynthia and I flew after we exited the Dodecagon. Lost Sacred Hill could be anywhere in IW because it always changed its place every sunrise and sunset of the day. Thanks to my Aura senses, it told me it had settled inside Mt. Inferagma, which was far northwest from Imaginundia’s Seagull Harbor.

I knew it was very weird for a hill to be “inside” a volcano, but IW was all weird so no further questions.

Heat immediately slapped me into sweating, and so was Cynthia, her clothing contributed her temperature.

Mt. Inferagma was a pointy volcano whose top was shaped like a newly sharpened pencil’s led snapped easily. It was half the size of Mt. Fuji. Its craters were spewing with heavy smoke, streaming lava all around the mountain by an area of five kilometers away from the harbor, like the whole place was an immense island of eternal summer.

“I’m taking this off,” Cynthia said.

“What do you mean—whoa—hey!”

I turned away before I could see my assistant undressing. Ponies were normally unclothed, but I wasn’t used to Cynthia like that which I thought of her as naked. I blushed as I saw her clothes flying down and burned into the lava below us. I’d faint if a black panty went along. I realized we were heading to Inferagma’s door.

The entrance was a U-arch with a narrow cliff as its tongue. Like everything about the volcano, the igneous rocks were cherry red, like we were in hell.

I had no problem sweating ’cause I needed to get fit for I’d ate seven burritos, two beef tacos, two chicken burgers and two Mountain Dews yesterday, although I didn’t get fat. Apparently my metabolism was high.

When I turned to face Cynthia with a word, I was agape. The black mare’s blonde long mane swayed as she shook her head, sweat sprinkled down.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Cynthia asked.

I shook out of my mesmerism. “Nothing.”

She giggled. “Same old Iwano.”

“What do you mean?” We walked together into the tunnel. “I am not—”

“That’s fine, Iwano. I must admit I’d still be mesmerized of your heroism and laugh at your clumsiness.”

“I am not clumsy anymore.”

I tripped over a rock. Cynthia laughed. I fumed. We continued forward.

“That reminds me,” the champion said. “Vetrix is still trying to open up access to Equestria. It’s progressing very well.”

“Oh that’s great…Wait, why did my trip reminded you of that?”

“No, it was your mesmerism that reminded me. Once you enter Equestria, make sure you only love one mare and only one.”

She had the right to be emphasizing that, albeit her tone was supposedly disrespectful to her master but I didn’t mind.

“Heartbreakagger’s curse is still with you,” she continued. “Fall in love with more than one in a certain world; those girls’ lives will be in jeopardy. Always keep in mind if the Heartbreak Curse, Iwano. Keep that in mind. Forever.”

“I don’t need a reminder of how I was called the Lady Killer,” I muttered. “But honestly it sounds cool. Yeah, I gotta control my infatuation and love towards other gals, got it.”

She frowned. “But I doubt you’d be able to control it this time once you enter Equestria. That world has a lot of cute ponies.”

“And non-ponies and Changelings, et cetera,” I dreamily added.

Her jaws clenched. “Just don’t fall in love with a lot of mares and don’t make them do the same. Understand?”

In truth, sometimes I wanted her to stop reminding me for a week or month, especially about that dreadful curse.

Expect tragedy once requital love occurs, Iwano, my demon’s pleasant but deadly voice—Heartbreakagger, the Forbidden of Lust—echoed in my head from the past. You can get to have only one lover in one world. Fall in love with another then you’re in trouble a little. Her doing the same before you…Ah, that’d be exciting.

That was how I was dubbed the Lady Killer.

When Cynthia started to remind me about not going head over heels again, I knew she was jealous. She used to have a crush on me and confessed during the Second Negative War. I wasn’t still over by the fact that a young woman would fall for a teen. I knew who I should love in Equestria.

The cave rumbled.

“Are we too late?” Cynthia asked.

“No, we are not,” I replied as I touched the walls. I closed my eyes and began sensing the earth. “Something is coming our way.”

Readying ourselves of what was about to come, I heard a whisper in my head.

Have another adventure…

Marching towards us were humanoids made entirely out of igneous rocks with lava streaming on them like veins. They were faceless, but they had mouths drooling lava, too. They had rocks for fists with no fingers and their legs were sturdy as the mantle of the earth.

“They reminded me of the Battlin’ Boxers,” I said. “I don’t know how many of them, but save me some Vulcan Boxers, okay?”

Cynthia spanned her wings. “Let’s just get this over with—‘Dragon Rush’!”

I knew the original color of that Dragon-type move, but for her, she blazed in a manta ray-like rush of black fire that she pulverized the first row of rock creatures before they could go into boxing stances. She deflected a Vulcan Boxer’s left jab with her left wing and used it to slash him into half, and soon she used both on whoever reached her even before a punch. Wincing due to the amount of force required to cut her opponent, I joined the fray with a ‘Wild Charge’—a “weak” version of ‘Volt Tackle’ that rushed into opponents with electrical discharge—before they could surround her. I went afloat and spun as I beamed them in a rapid-fire, shooting the boxers into backing away while they some turned into crumbs. I then settled in front of Cynthia like a territorial wolf.

“If they were Pokémon, I’d say they’re Fire and Rock-types,” I said with a grin, pumped up because of action. A Vulcan sprinted towards me and I just made him trip, falling beside Cynthia and she finished it up for me with a wing chop. “It’s been a long time since I’d faced these things. My Aura said there’re forty-seven of them left. You shoot, I pound.”

The Champion flexed her wings as her watch blinked light blue, wearing the same determination I had right now. “Yes, master.”

I charged the other Vulcans and yelled, “‘Close Combat’!” Even in four legs, I could give them a pound on their faceless heads and a kick on the rocky crotch. I stood on my hind legs, standing and boxing just like them. A Fighting-type move like ‘Close Combat’ was super effective against Rock-types like these.

I sidestepped before being tackled. A boxer hugged my left wing, but suddenly frozen. I pulled my wing into freedom which destroyed the icy Vulcan and fanned away three on my left. Cynthia shot feathers at any living rock she could target with her calm but merciless eyes with such accuracy that made her almost an equal to either Merida or Katniss Everdeen.

One punched her rump from behind. Big mistake.

Cynthia gasped and kicked the boxer to the walls into rubble. “Buck off,” she sharply warned.

They were all coming in an onslaught mostly on me. They were stupid.

I didn’t know how long before all of them were destroyed. Igneous rubble littered the ground as we swept them away to the side. I ordered Cynthia to clean with me and she teased that I could sometimes be a cleaning freak like Edel Frost.

After that, we advanced.

Vulcan Boxers were the locals of this volcano. They were white blood cells with zero intelligence and packed a punch enough to give anypony amnesia on the head. Whenever to intruders were around, they’d blend in. Besides Battlin’ Boxers, they also reminded me of Regirock. As a brony, they reminded me of Maud Pie of season four’s show.

I realized we didn’t look tired at all. Actually, that was odd.

We came into a temple not part of Inferagma. Instead of igneous rocks, the whole place was built with green cinder blocks that smelled of moss. Pillars were randomly positioned, with flambeaus hanging on them as the only light sources. In the end of this temple was a six foot long tablet with inscriptions of an unknown language in which only a few would understand—Imanuage, the code-language of IW.

I scanned the area as we walked a few more steps. “Something is amiss,” I said. “Why aren’t the traps activated?”

“I don’t know,” Cynthia answered as she placed her hand on a nearby pillar. “But it’s much better that way. We don’t want to get poisoned by darts, right?”

I nodded. Red and I had been here. Moving spiked-pillars, blasting torches, and strangulating vines were the traps we’d encountered in this room. Cynthia used to be here as well, with her saying “poisoned by darts” proved it.

Lost Sacred Hill was a big mystery to IW. I theorized that the temple was born from my esoteric personality from Reality. It could go anywhere in any world, as if it had a mind of its own, which was how it was called “lost”. Its original form was a hill, and whoever ventured here would not only face traps but also their fears and emotional conflicts in life, the worst kinds unimaginable. I wouldn’t believe in a lifetime that this place was called “sacred” just for that. The only expected rewards here were either self-improvement or—most likely—emotional insanity. However, just like what I said, Lost Sacred was a big mystery despite all that. It contained more than what we’d known of it.

And Cynthia and I were looking at one of its “bonuses” right now.

Usually visitors would read the inscriptions on the tablet first before anything. But instead of doing that, we cautiously watched oily-looking black mist produced out of the Imanuages. As we prepped ourselves, I said, “That’s no doubt him.”

“How could you tell?” Cynthia asked, her wings spanned and feathers sharpened themselves as knives—one of her special abilities as a Pegasus. “We never know what he looks like.”

“…I just feel it.”

As it materialized, I could feel the mist’s aura radiate such powerful negative energies that my heart could identify what they were—Malevolence, Deception, Faithlessness, Greed, Sadness, and Illusion.

You’re lucky I am not complete yet, the black mist hissed.

Just like what he said, he wasn’t complete yet. He wasn’t solid, but made out of pure black puff blacker than the smokes spewed out of the volcano. His whole appearance vaguely looked just like me as an Alicorn. His red glowed and it was as if they were filled with fresh blood.

“Dissonance,” I said.

“I don’t count this as our official meeting since I’m not whole yet,” Dissonance said. His voice was just like mine, but his were full of cynicism and made my ears felt like frozen knives placing their blades on my ears.

“Now that you’re here,” Cynthia said, “would you kindly fill us in?”

Dissonance sort of had one of my characteristics, because he answered, “I’m trying to catch all your attentions by creating chaos all over your worlds. You’d all figure it out eventually.”

“So why do you want us here?” I demanded.

My Aura senses tingled, and I turned back. The exit was gone.

Cynthia looked, too. “Mother of Arceus, this isn’t good,” she whispered. “I should’ve seen this coming.”

“But the chaos in IW distracted you, Cynthia,” I guessed. I turned to Dissonance. “You want to kill us, obviously.”

Dissonance chuckled. “No.”

He lunged, and instantly became smoke. Dissonance was heading towards me, but my assistant intercepted and flapped her wings, blowing the puff away. It disappeared.

“That was it?” Cynthia tossed her head around.

Aura senses kicked in, my nerves tightened. “Look out!”

Supposedly I was faster than Sonic the Hedgehog, but I dashingly pushed Cynthia away and let the smoke hit me instead. Before I could even blow it away, my vision blared, I smelled burning wood, and my ears rung. I couldn’t feel my body as I stumbled, including my restrained wings.

Cynthia grabbed me and shook me desperately, the calmness in her eyes quickly replaced with panic. In situations like these whereas a villain attempted to possess me or I were in a horrible trance, the black Pegasus just went crazy. I was deaf, but I could make out the words from her mouth: Iwano! Snap out of it! Fight it! I’ll do something!

It was too late for her to do anything. I dropped headfirst to the floor.

Everything wasn’t black, but red. I was like trapped in a room of blood. At first I was confused, and then Dissonance laughter boomed.

“Where am I?!” I demanded. “Dissonance!”

Suddenly, I heard a voice—no, not one, but two, three, four…

I was hearing the voices of the people I’d met in Reality with all their insults, ridicules, mockery, teasing, and curses upon me. No…This couldn’t be…

Authistic! the voice of a bully named Gabriel Gonzalez said. I felt my heart stabbed.

Booger face! my former arch enemy Darwin Caiga mocked. I covered my ears, but I could still hear them.

Laughter of students filled everywhere. I hyperventilated; my eyes were about to pop out from widening.

“Stop it!” I yelled, however I only made it worse when their voices rose higher and higher.

He’s the one who stole it!

Hey, watch where you’re going!

What’s that? Eww!

Judas, Judas, Judas!

Give me space, will ya? Geez.

His Tagalog is broken! He ain’t cut out for the part.

My ears were boiling. My heart raced a dangerous marathon in a warzone of WWII. Anger filled my heart, roaring from humiliation.

I screamed, “Stop it! Stop it! FREAKIN’ STOP IT!!!”

I couldn’t do anything. I was so mad I blasted magic beams from my horn in random directions, as if I hoped to kill those mockers and bullies. Where did he take me? Where was Dissonance? My mind wasn’t straight to think for my heart was swelled with rage. No control over this emotion would result of another Forbidden demon within me—Anger—to be unleashed. But why hadn’t my ace demon came out yet?

Calmness absolutely wasn’t with me. I stopped screaming when my throat went dry. And next I broke down. Being one of the most powerful and at the same time most sensitive being in IW, I would cause an outburst that might bring disasters to a few worlds—and I wished it didn’t happen right now.

Curling up in fetal position, I remembered all the evil faces of every student I’d met in Reality and villains’ too. I always had a bad temper. I was too sensitive and often took things seriously. I was stupid.

I didn’t know how long it was over, but I was suddenly in a blue room.

Wiping my tears as I carefully stood up, my Aura senses told me this place radiated sadness and coldness. When the room was red, it had radiated hatred and bewilderment.

Due to my asthma and sinuses clogged up my nose, I opened my mouth to breath. I conjured a tissue box and began blowing my mucous with them. I was supposed to be healthy right now, but this whole thing must’ve exposed my Reality sicknesses. My asthma and sinuses rarely occurred in my IW life.

White mist swirled out of nowhere and formed me as a colt and three others.

“Let’s play tag,” the Fist Mist Colt decided.

“But we’re just three,” the second said.

“We can just find someone else to join then,” the third suggested.

Colt Iwano got excited and asked, “Can I join?”

The colts saw me and without answer, they ran away. When I was freshman in an all-boys school in Reality, whenever I tried to get along with a friendly company, they’d do what the three colts did to colt Iwano. They did that because I was too weird, like I’d follow them creepily, hold chairs with my head, and a lot more. I loved being weird, but mostly students treated me like an outcast.

Outcast. I sadly pondered to that.

With all those depressing thoughts and gloomy memories flooding my head, my heart weighted as an anvil. My legs shook and made me sit in sadness. I tried hard to push them back with my optimism, but it was too overwhelming. Negative multiplied with positive was equal to negative, after all.

I realized I broke down again. My head throbbed and my wail was louder than my earlier scream. The sudden purity of sorrowfulness was enough to give me a heart attack.

So this was what Dissonance planned to do to me? He was toying with corrupting my emotions stronger than how Lost Sacred could do. According to my calculations, the additional power of Lost Sacred to what Dissonance was doing might be able penetrate something within me—but what?

The room abruptly shifted yellow. Depression faded. Joy substituted gloom. Radiating happiness and gaiety, tears trickled on my face immediately dried as if Groudon was partying here—I had experiences “partying” with the Land Pokémon, which ended with a bang of Solar Beam.

One’s sight would get hurt of the yellow neon, but not me. Yellow was my favorite color, besides green and blue. I smiled wickedly at everything I saw: holographic images flew around of my happy times in both Reality and IW.

I saw a picture of me and Lentae running away from an alligator made out of chocolate.

I saw one of me and my old friend from Reality named Kyle Rojo wrestling in our classroom (he was shorter and younger than me, but he was crafty and surprisingly strong).

There was a scene of Mari Ming Onette and me kissing in a bridge below the moonlight in Grand Chase world.

Those were happy times indeed and I wished I could stay here for a few hours. Unfortunately, I couldn’t still think straight for my emotions were boisterous.

Love the whole place? Dissonance asked. Where was he? I was unable to concentrate on my magic with my eyes locked on a picture of me meeting Lorenzo Maningas for the first time—the one who made me a brony. it gets better and better…

I didn’t like the sound of that, but hay, I was enjoying myself.

The room now changed into black.

I felt like I was in the Underworld in the Olympians world. But instead of sorrow in the blue room, this place radiated…fear and horror.

Barking noises made my heart race even faster than before.

Dogs.

Different types of them up ahead ran towards me with bloodshot eyes and their fangs. I finally realized that this was all an illusion. I’d faced many of those; unfortunately I kept forgetting they weren’t real. Thus, I reluctantly blasted them, but they’d split into two. What the?

Probably due to the previous rooms, my wings became numb. So I ran away from them. I couldn’t muster my magic properly with absolute panic within me.

I tripped.

As I struggled to get on my hooves, the sound of barking came closer and closer. Was this all of Dissonance’s work?

I hopelessly thought I didn’t stand a chance with just physical combat. Judging by their bulk and sizes as washing machines, I couldn’t defend them myself.

Screaming was the only thing I could do as I shut my eyes tight and braced myself.

I waited.

“Huh?”

I wobblingly stood up and opened my eyes. The dogs were gone.

“What’s the big deal, Dissonance?” I demanded. “Face me or…”

From a few feet away, I saw Cynthia. Initially I was relieved as I ran to her. But as I got closer, my neck stiffened and slowly stopped. I gulped.

That was Cynthia—no, she wasn’t a shriveled corpse with dead gray coat and hollow eyes and frizzed blonde mane. Parasitic worms wriggled out of her hanging mouth as she creakily spanned her featherless wings. Her groan might make me faint at any time.

Hesitant, I blasted the zombie. I expected an easy kill, but it still stood up and started running towards me. Holy cheese!

All I could do was run away. Dissonance laughter filled the air, which wasn’t enough to anger me because of this Cynthia zombie. I felt like I was in a horror-comedy movie.

The shriveled zombie was surprisingly fast as Cynthia. My assistant had a running record of five point seventy-six seconds in a basketball court.

This black room was an endless void, which reminded me of Ramona Flower’s subspace travelling. Ugh, I was getting sick of voids. I faced them a lot.

I kept running, but whenever I blinked, I saw bloodier zombies that made Resident Evil and the Walking Dead altogether look like a Barney show. As much as I was horrified of zombies, I was also sick of facing many of them in my adventures. And again, also black voids.

Zombie Cynthia made a shrill cry that sounded like my name. My heart raced faster than me for a few minutes now that I might die any time. Hooves felt like jelly that I finally gave up.

Too late for a quick defend, she finally got me and held me down. What was worst was that my magic wasn’t responding…Why?

Despite fake, there were mere illusions that could actually kill. Often like any other, illusions felt so real—

SLAP!

That wasn’t an illusion.

Suddenly, I was held down by my assistant.

“Are you okay?” she exasperatingly asked as she shook me.

I blinked. “Draco?”

Cynthia hugged me tight, the way she always did after my life was saved, and the bear-crushing hug kind. “Thank Arceus, you survived, Iwano!”

“What happened to me?” I stood up. “Where is Dissonance?”

She stared at me, or was it behind me? I turned my back on her to see if she saw Dissonance, but there was none. Her eyes were firmly fixed on me as I faced her. And then coldness showered me.

“He’s inside me, isn’t he?” I asked. “Dissonance is completely within me…?”

Before Dissonance caused chaos in IW, I somehow knew something about him, a little. When he was born within me, he was incomplete, thus his small but influential manifestation was inside, causing dangers in IW. However, he couldn’t cause total chaos. According to Grandiel, another part of him was born coincidently somewhere hidden in other worlds.

That other part was in Lost Sacred, and now it was inside me. Inside me!

Cynthia then craned her head to the right, her now blank eyes staring at my flank. I looked at me left one. I was supposed to be overjoyed if it weren’t for that fiendish Dissonance’s unforgettable act.

My watch rung after several minutes of silence and I held it out. It then automatically projected a hologram message. I felt like my eyeballs were dipped in nitrogen.

EQUESTRIA has now been unlocked due to Virus 6D.
“Enjoy while you can, Iwano Morgan”—Dissonance

“We need to get to the Dodecagon now,” I prompted.

As if on cue before Cynthia could speak, her eyes filled with fear, Lost Sacred began to vibrate. I knew this would happen soon.

“We gotta get outta here!” I exclaimed. “This whole place is going to teleport!”

Together, we flew in a dash out of Mt. Inferagma before we got crush.

“Iwano,” Cynthia finally spoke. “If Dissonance is now complete inside you, he will consume you into total disharmony in due time, just like all your Forbiddens. But he’s different in terms of…himself.”

“My brain is now working Cynthia,” I told her.

Harmony and disharmony…

Dissonance and peace…

Ponies…

Cynthia and I returned to Imaginundia; however we weren’t in the Dodecagon. Instead, we settled down on a great oak tree’s branch in Evergreen Hill, which overlooked the whole utopia.

“What’s your plan?” Cynthia asked again.

I took a deep breath and said, “I will be going to Equestria. I will go solo this time, for real.”

“No.” Cynthia eyes were mixed with fear and severity. She placed a hoof unto mine. I could imagine we were holding hands, the kind she used to love me—was she still in love with me? That was ridiculous. Assistants normally care for their masters. “You are not doing this alone, Iwano.”

“Cynthia.” My face hardened as I pulled my hoof away. “You’re one of the most prominent and most skillful assistant in IW. I need you here to guide the others. “As your master, I’m ordering you to not follow me once I’m in Equestria. Is that clear?

My assistant grimaced. “Yes, as you wish, Iwano.”

Her eyes were fixated to Imaginundia. I didn’t know how long we were in Lost Sacred. The sky made me shudder as it hued as Dissonance’s coat, and the stars didn’t make it less scary.

Lentae couldn’t come with me because of her school. Nopony could come with me at all, not even my sister. Nopony would get hurt in my next adventure but me, and me alone.

“I might turn evil again,” I murmured.

I thought Cynthia would snap at that, but she just stared at the city lights, shining like fireflies. With that, I hummed a soft tone from Owl City’s song Fireflies.

With my mind reading, Cynthia thought: I’ve researched on Dissonance’s aura. It’s unbelievably massive than yours, wider than Asia’s. Theoretically, he would twist everyone’s fate only in Equestria. That’s lucky for us Imaginundians, vice versa for those Equestrians. Unless an unknown variable intercepts, the results vary. Not only that, you bear the Heartbreak Curse. I just hope…

The Champion never noticed I was staring at her tears. I’d turn evil a few times in my adventures that it became unbearable for her and a tiny thing on me. IW was created from my sadness and anger since childhood, thus darkness was a part of me. Cynthia was my assistant for the longest time that she seemed so attached to me and Lentae emotionally.

Cynthia was right about my curse, a plus to the future endangerment of Equestria.

“What other choices do we have, Cynthia?” I gently asked as I wiped her tears. “Dissonance is an equine darker than Sombra, colder than Nightmare Moon. Even without the Elements of Harmony with the six mares, they can actually help. I assure that absolutely no magic or tech can cure my Dissonance. I must also remind you that the Elementals are coming and that I planned to ‘have fun’ in Equestria before all this. I know you’re worried, but you have to trust me. Did you forget? I am IWM.”

Silence…

“…Okay,” Cynthia groaned. She sighed.

Launching into the night sky, a golf cart flew with a powered rocket engine was driven by a bird and a raccoon heading to the moon.

I chuckled, “Mordecai—”

“And Rigby,” Cynthia finished. We exchanged smiles.

“Those two apparently are drunk from Mint Beer.”

“So it’s settled then. We’ll be need a Dimension Guard to hold your connection from here to Equestria because of Virus 6D, but it will be limited, so you better be influenced by the six within seven days.”

We had a few Dimension Guards like Anna Dewitt, Palkia, Paradox—

“I choose Vetrix,”

“Your teacher? Okay.” She locked eyes with me. “Do you know what your cutie mark now means?”

I stared at my left flank. Because of that emotional distress I had in Lost Sacred, I had obtained my cutie mark, thanks to Dissonance.

I sighed. “I am an Alicorn who wheels through his journey with a rainbow of emotions as both his strength and weakness. His omnipotence does have limits, but his heart is limitless. For every time, he has a different color. He is unique, at the same time…a monster.”

“And that, fillies and colts, was how I got my cutie mark,” I finished.

Right now, I was in a classroom of widened eyes and hanging mouths. I scratched my head. What should I say next?

Yeah, it’s very unbelievable, I thought. Ya’ll can laugh now.

Sweetie Belle clapped her hooves rapidly, followed by her other three friends. The Cutie Mark Crusaders later led applause, especially from Cheerilee. I couldn’t help but grin and blush with a bow. I hoped everypony in here thought I made the whole thing up.

“What a thrilling true story you’ve told us, Iwano Imagination!” Cheerilee delightfully said. Eeyup, I was wrong. “Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Babs receive a perfect ten.”

“Just like that?!” Diamond Tiara complained. “My daddy’s story was…”

She cut off when her eyes met my glare. Diamond Tiara had to be just annoying, yet cute.

As foals started raising their hooves to ask a question, I could’ve sworn a saw a pair of green eyes from one of the windows.

Comments

[Alcatraz]

When I look at the view count and then the folders the story is in, I guarantee you'll get more attention from putting it in more folders than what it is in now.

[Iwano Imagination]

5195994 Perhaps I should start doing that. I just don't like it, sort of.