Land of Friendship and Magic

by Archmage Ansrit

The Greatest and Most Powerful lllusion of all

(Border of what will become the Forest of Illusion. Past)

"Alright, look, I didn't want to hurt any of you, but you just started hunting me!" I said, keeping the yellow changeling in a headlock. I could tell she was royalty, since she had double-ringed eyes, while the others, after dropping their magic levels, only had 'normal' slitted eyes.

And she was wearing a different style of armor, though the helmet was lost after she tried to hit me in the head with it.

"You became a danger the moment you saw through our illusions!" She hissed, her fin rising from under her mane (which is silky, probably actual silk).

"Look, I don't want to be a danger... why can't we be friends instead?" I said, while the whites looked at their leader expectantly. The yellows were scattered, but did not move.

"Ha!" The yellow scoffed, interrupting whatever the white leader (princess?) was about to say. "Why would we consider such a thing, after all that has happened today?"

"I can show you the greatest secrets of illusions; strength is meaningless against them." I said. "I will grant you that in exchange of an alliance."

I held Truth inside of me; I knew what I was talking about. I could see. Things like 'ultimate power', or 'true power' or variations of the same were just illusions, waiting for the weak to stumble upon like a mirage oasis does to the thirsty, and ensnaring the obsessed in ways far worse than any drug addiction.

I held no such delusions. I could see beyond them.

She actually stopped testing my grip at that.

"We are already great weavers of illusion." She replied, and I knew that the deal would hinge on anything I said next.

"True; many of them would have fooled even me, if it were not for The Breeze." I started with an acknowledgement; no sense in denying it or trying to put them down. "But there are greater; I know the secret behind the greatest, most sublime of all illusions - I can show you, teach it to you - all of you! If you just come to this clearing for a week, and listen to what I have to say."

*****

(Phantasma's wake. Present)

"I could tell that he was being honest." Flitter said, swirling her glass. "And said as much - not that it was necessary, since he was in contact with her, and he wasn't bothering with hiding his emotions. Since the Four were also in agreement of the plan, their emotions were aligned, so I couldn't tell they even existed."

"I heard that story." Fleur, now Glimmer Silk, said. "Mother said it was the first of many good decisions she ever made."

"Well, she still wasn't very happy when he said that he would tell two ponies to come over, although revealing that he could be in two places at once made Phantasma and her whole entourage agree anyways."

"By that time, he had already trained himself to have both of his selves awake at the same time." Prosperity added. "He said it was hard, but rewarding. He had done so soon after arriving, actually, but the overlap was really short, disorienting, and tiring."

"He had proven he could take them, but was never hostile, and actively prevented causing us harm; his offer of an alliance had come at a good time, as well... the political ambiance wasn't very nice, what with Discord's remnants making the countries work extra just to keep themselves from unraveling at the seams. It was the reason Phantasma's hive was being so wary of everything. My own mother had considered having to ally ourselves with the yellows, but through Phantasma instead, given how her mother was going crazy - needless to say, my parents gave me their blessing to meet potential allies to prevent a crisis. Of course, the standard promises of terrible vengeance that would befall him should he harm me were issued; father's sense of drama was what had attracted my mother."

"Windstorm and Wind Whistler. He introduced them as such the next day." Flitter chuckled. "The first day of training, we both arrived with spears and armor, swords and scrolls!"

Prosperity laughed quietly.

"Ah, yes; I heard their story, and I still had a hard time believing all of it." Fancy said. "Yet, this time is for other stories."

Flitter nodded.

"Phantasma was a genius when it came to handling her mother, or just about anything. She presented the deal as a way to strengthen the hive, and 'keeping an eye on potential threats'. She left out the part where she got his freakishly strong arms around her neck. She made extra emphasis on the part that said that he did not have much of a... 'positive rapport' with the princesses of Equestria."

*****

And so, the first day...

We had two ponies, both pegasi, in front of us. About six dozen changelings, two of them princesses, and the others some of the best soldiers and mages we had, and yet the ponies were just smiling as Typhon fiddled with his devices. He had made a small cabin in the woods, where they would stay for the week.

"Would you care to look at the butterflies with us?" Whistler said, prompting us whites to look around until we found out that, indeed, the clearing had plenty of flowers with butterflies in them. The yellows were already aware of them, as per the basic instructions of their teachers - illusion needs attention to detail, after all.

They, however, had not seen them seen them.

We were told to look at them, how they fluttered by without a care beyond having an easy flight on the breezes. Or how the flowers danced in the wind.

Typhon served tea to all of us, and small comments about how they were his favorite cups, or how he painted some of the teapots himself, made everyling stop and stare at theirs. Both simple and painted; tigers, dragons, birds, turtles, butterflies, and more, both in color and detail, and quick, surreal strokes of pure black ink; let us not forget the materials themselves! He had jade sets, clay, and metal pots.

We took it to be a stealth-lesson - no, not a lesson in stealth, but an activity hiding a lesson. Perhaps something about details? Or how much effort went into hoof-made things? Or that physical props were to be used whenever possible? And the first sip was taken to be a lesson in the senses.

Why? The tea was delicious, and quite soothing. The brews were varied, and abundant. Everyling kept to their groups, still wary of their surroundings, but still passed the time with fragrant tea, good wine, warm meals, and soft music.

The second day, we expected similar - disguising his lessons.

He brought plentiful outfits, of varying materials and styles; some looked like armor, others fanciful, and Windstorm and Whistler dressed each other. They complimented each other, and us, too. They showed us combs and hairpins, from fashions all over Typhon's previous world. They let us keep the ones we liked best - Phantasma chose a marvelous robe styled like a kimono, with a soft gradient of purples like those of the falling night, and a pattern of white vines and flowers with (what else) butterflies.

Whistler wore real kimonos, though with wing holes, and steadied herself with her wings and magic to prevent her sleeves from dragging on the floor, as they would if she walked on all fours. I settled for a white robe with a line of red triangles at the edges, with cat ears on the hood - A white mage's robe, fittingly enough. It was heavy, because it's meant to protect the wearer - it was even enchanted! Though I never knew until many days latter.

Come teatime, each 'ling paid more attention to the cups of the ones close to them, and one even asked for more, instead of waiting until Windstorm made the whole round back to them to offer. It was one of mine, but I still caught a wary look from Phantasma to the 'ling. She was still glad to get a cup with a bright blue butterfly on it, and 'politely asked' them to leave the pot that contained her favorite blend.

We talked to them, and had Typhon elaborate further about his encounters with the princesses of Equestria.

Tea, wine, and music.

The third day, they asked if we could sing, instead of allowing Typhon's devices to handle that. Typhon used instruments with strings, as did Windstorm, while Whistler used flutes and what I thought to be some sort of magical blue potato.

It was an ocarina, and I blushed really hard.

We sang, and Whistler coaxed the hesitant ones by saying that, even if they were not good, the trio did not want anyling to be left out. Letting go of hesitation, and just get right to it - or so we thought. Phantasma had a lovely voice, although she had to be maneuvered into singing - surely such a regal voice as hers was the envy of performers everywhere, and it would help morale, or increase the unity of the hive... dozens of excuses just to hear her sing, and, let me tell you, after hearing her, I would have come up with a dozen more if necessary.

They made tea again, and the changelings openly stared at the cups they liked, but that others had gotten instead. We sat as one group, although still divided in halves. Each changeling chatted with the one next to them, although the whites and the yellows didn't talk to the other color yet; Phantasma and I were an exception, though, talking about life, and what our respective alliances would do to benefit each other. She had managed to pick her favorite cup really early, and got served in it. I had yet to chose my favorite.

Tea, wine, food, and music.

Mother and father could tell I was in a good mood, so they took it to mean that everything was going well. Phantasma's mother drew similar conclusions, and, though her curiosity burned hotter than a volcano, she didn't pry 'for fear of compromising the operation'.

The fourth day was more of the same. The ponies were kissing and doing couple stuff, and offered free hugs. Changelings asked if they could learn to make tea like that, and they were glad to give them lessons.

We sat as one group, and Phantasma's and I's conversation from yesterday reminded them that we were meant to be a group to test the waters for an alliance, so they began to talk to members of the other hive.

After a... particularly enjoyable gesture, Whistler took Windstorm away to the cabin. He didn't complain at all, even though she was dragging him by the tail; he said that she was being cute.

Tea, wine, food, and music.

The fifth day, Phantasma asked Typhon about his ability to see through illusions. He said that he could feel the air, and even the magic within us. Changelings are almost the same as ponies, and disguising made us almost completely the same, but he could still tell.

They made us dance, and I didn't even bother to rationalize it as a disguised instruction. Whistler and Windstorm took several partners, exchanging them fluidly and creating pairs or even trios all by themselves. They knew a little of every changeling present, and, well, they didn't know the meaning of 'shame'.

That was the biggest difference, you know? One was a pony, the other a human; simple, no? Typhon, as a human, thought of things as a human with his education would. Windstorm, as a pony, thought of things as a pony with his education would. Typhon didn't think of us as anything other than 'cute' or 'pretty'; Windstorm was not afraid of kissing changelings.

We sat as a mixed group, and changelings were asking for their favorite cups. I chose mine, a simple one with colorful bands, and we were served our favorite blends straight off the bat.

Tea, wine, food, and music... and a little more.

The sixth day, we were pretty confident in this alliance business. Phantasma and some of her mages tried to convince Typhon to tell them more about illusions, but he just told them to be patient and wait the whole week.

He made flower arrangements, and taught us how to care for flowers and diverse plants. Some of mine already knew, but they had exotic breeds, and many vegetables. Typhon said that 'a friend of his' was really good with plants.

Yes, Seiryu. You know, Seiryu spends most of his time as a guy, mostly because Pros-

HMMMH!! MMPH!

HMMHMH!!! UMMMH!

UUHHMMM!

HMMMUUH!!

PROSPERITY IS DATING SEIRYU!

Huff!!! Huff! Puahh!!

There! I- I said it! Huufff!!!

Jus-just give me a minute...

Phew!!

What- do you think- happens to a 'blank' duplicate that is wearing one of the Four? Yeah, that's how. Huff. Huff.

Also, Room magic is completely broken in absurdly stupidly ludicrously powerful ways. Clover knew that.

Ignore her - she's just sulking.

Anyways, the two ponies in our midst were really affectionate.

We sat as a group, and talked about ourselves. I did not know much about Conch, not until that day, and look at that! One of my most trusted advisors came out of it.

Tea, wine, food, and music. The 'little more' was repeated.

The seventh day was a reprise of all others. We dressed, danced, and sang; we watched butterflies, birds, and took care of flowers; we made tea, food, and ate and drank it all; we allowed love to flow through our group.

It became very potent - more than what it had been when each one of us kept it to themselves.

They loved like the warm breezes of spring love you; all of those soft scents and gentle caresses are facts. They didn't chose to love you, they just did.

Well, yes, of course things turned stormy at times - that whole 'arranged marriage' debacle was the perfect example of what happened when they chose otherwise.

Tea, wine, food, music, and love.

The next day, after the week was done, Phantasma approached Typhon, asking about the secrets of illusion that he knew of.

He smiled, and poked her nose with a finger as he said 'boop'.

He got a cuff on the arm for that (neither of us was tall enough to bop his head then). The changelings gasped and stood stock still.

"Come on, surely you can hit harder." He said, chuckling.

She gave him another, slightly harder.

"Come on, are you afraid that you'll hurt me?" He laughed.

She drew back a hoof, ready to punch him. I didn't know what I was doing, but I was already about to shout before she shook. Her hoof lowered slightly, then drew back - along with my extended foreleg in warning. Then she lowered her hoof again.

I realized it, and so did she.

"Yes." She confessed, returning her hoof to the ground in sadness and shame. "I'm afraid I'll hurt you."

He smiled, pulled both of us closer into a hug, and spoke for all to hear.

"That is the grandest of illusions, and its secret. All we truly own are those things which make us what we are, and that which we are given is an illusion that none of us dare fight - after all, friends also make us what we are, even if indirectly. For all of my powers, spells, and weapons, I cannot do anything against my friends - that is the Truth of it."

Comments

[nighters]

that was cute~

[Baraka Obama]

BOOP

[candyman20XX]

this chapter...

winesurprises.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/diabeetus-wilford-brimley.jpg

well played good sir

[tylerlego623]

[DanteRevolution]

90% of what I got was music,tea,wine and love. The other 10 was the lesson at the end.

[Archmage Ansrit]

4350838

Is that in a good way, or a 'WTH did I just read' way?

'Cuz if it's the latter, it was that they endeared themselves to them, to the point that they would feel bad about hurting them.

Then told them that, although friends aren't truly 'yours' as they must have their own trials through life, the memories made with them truly are yours. You won't fight the first notion, however.

Also, congratulations on comment #300.

[DanteRevolution]

No, it was in a good way. I have Rush to take care of the latter. Also WOOO! I unintentionally got the 300th comment!!!

[shinigamisparda]

Now that was unexpected. Good show.

[_CheckMate_]

Huh, I was expecting them to find themselves in dark cave with nothing nearby; with the activities all being illusions.

[XEN0KID]

4349527 talking about the story, not homestuck
I can see how you misinterpreted it though
just not how you misinterpreted it

[Archmage Ansrit]

4382264

So very, very true.

Inventory shenanigans, deadline shenanigans, emotional shenanigans, alien shenanigans, time shenanigans, grimdark sehnanigans...

[satnapillowpants]

4383554
God shenanigans, quadrent shenanigans, Sopor (or lasck thereof) shenanigans, etc.

[Ink Sword]

4407626 SHENANIGANS!!!!