The Great Conspiracy

by YoungQuillMaster

The Background Papers: Part 1

The ship rocked gently as in continued its course to the Equestrian shore. Its passenger had been released from their pain earlier after passing the barrier a few minutes before the reflection had been destroyed. Octavius and his friend, Disk Jockey, sat at the edge of the ship, looking at the passing waves as they waited for their journey to finish.

“Well, this certainly is a fine trip now that we have gotten over those pains.” Octavius commented, the breeze making his mane flow directly into his friend’s face, though DJ Pon3 didn’t make any effort to alert his friend to this fact.

“Yeah, a whole ton better now that we can actually enjoy it.” He said, turning his head from the strands of mane that tickled his snout. “I wonder what will be there when we land. Maybe it will be ponies, or gryphons, or maybe other creatures that we’ve never seen before now?” DJ Pon3 wondered aloud.

“Well, we’ll just have to wait and see, won’t we? Though, whatever it may be, I hope they enjoy a good classical piece now and again.” Octavius stated while looking down at his cello case that was leaning against the wall. “This trip cost more than I’d like to remember, but it wouldn’t be worth it if I might make up the money once again, if not a bit extra.”

“Maybe I can help too. I brought my portable setup with me,” Disk Jockey commented, putting a hoof on a thick black case beside him, “I’ll ramp up the tunes and we’ll have the residents of the place begging for more. There’ll be no end to the stream of bits poured at our hooves.”

“I appreciate your confidence, Disk,” Octavius said, “But I doubt it will be that easy. I suspect we’ll actually put some effort into any performance we do if we want a single bit out of it.”

“Come on, you know I put effort in all my gigs. Promotions plastered on every street corner and they come galloping for the show.” Disk replied. “I could just pass the word to one pony, and soon the whole nation would hear of it.” Octavius shook his head at his friends over whelming confidence.

“Professor, what do you think this place is going to be?” A gray pegasus stallion asked a female earth pony beside her. “Have you ever gone to this side?” The Professor shook her head.

“No, Blunder, I always assumed that since your town’s library said that the sun and moon orbited around the planet that it must be equivalent to ancient Earth beliefs including being flat… I actually never thought of going around the planet to make sure, but I guess now is as good as ever.” The Professor replied.

“What about the Tardis? Shouldn’t we have brought it along just in case?” Blunder Hooves asked with one eye on the Professor and the other looking at the waves.

“No, I believe we’ll be fine this time. Besides, she needed a rest from our last adventure. We’ll be back in no time at all and then we’ll hop right back in and go off again.” The Professor stated. “Besides, you always were asking for a ‘normal everyday’ adventure, so here you go, Mr. Hooves.”

“Alright… if you say so,” Blunder replied, “But I can’t help but feel you might have wanted to go get it. You could’ve used you psycho paper to make the sailor ponies think it was necessary cargo or something.”

“First,” The Professor began, “It’s psychic paper, secondly, I considered it as a possibility, but that disturbance I was feeling demanded more attention than getting the Tardis when we’re only going to be gone a short while.”

“What was that anyway?” Blunder asked, “It hurt a lot, like, more than a lot.” The Professor scratched her chin in thought for a few second, thinking back to what she had felt.

“I’m… not entirely sure, but it was some trans-dimensional disturbance to say in the very least, though its source is still a mystery.” She stated nonchalantly.

“Trance did what now? Professor, you’re not making sense again.” Blunder stated. The Professor looked to her companion, thinking how best to describe it in simple terms.

“Hmm… well, basically it’s a disruption in the balance of the multiverse, such events cause ripples through space and time such as we felt.” The Professor explained.

“Um… that doesn’t really help me, Professor.” Blunder replied. “Can you say it… a bit… simpler?” He asked hopefully. The Professor sighed and rolled her eyes as she though again before settling on an explanation.

“Imagine that the worlds are represented by a body of water.” The Professor began, Blunder nodding, signaling he understood so far. “Well, this event that we felt was like somepony throwing a pebble into the water. What happens when you throw a rock into water?” She asked.

“Well,” Blunder thought, “The water gets all dirty and yucky and nopony wants to drink it anymore unless they are really, REALLY thirsty.” The Professor hit her face with a hoof, only to regret the distinct difference in sensation between the bludgeons of a hoof against the curved surface of a snout against the slap of a hand on a rather flat face.

“No, no, besides that. What happens to the surface of the water when anything hits the surface?” She asked again in an exasperated tone.

“Well,” The stallion began again, “The water ripples around it and maybe even splashes over the edge.” He replied, gaining a satisfied smile and nod from The Professor

“Exactly, so somepony or somebody did something that was like throwing a big rock at the pond of the multiverse which sent out ripples which came to us as extreme amount of pain.” Professor stated. “Do you understand?”

“Yeah, I guess.” Blunder replied.

“Good, because it’s nothing like that at all.” The Professor stated before turning back towards the waves. “We should be arriving soon at any rate.” Blunder looked at the Professor with a confused glance before gazing off towards the waves as well.

The ship slowly pulled in towards port, the ponies aboard quite eager to get off and back to dry land to explore the great expanse of what they assumed was a brand new world of possibilities. A pony wearing the same cloak walked up towards the two ships with his cowl lowered.

“Welcome,” She began, looking over everypony present, “To the other half of the world, welcome, to you reflection.” Each of the new arrivals looked at each other with questioning glances.

“Um, excuse me,” Octavius interjected, “What exactly do you mean by ‘your reflection’?” Everypony around him nodded in agreement to the question. “You said that this was a new world, a separate world.”

“I’m sorry, but we did not. That, my good ponies, was what you believed. But what we said was simply that this was the other side, nary a word about a new world or separation, save by means of the wall of reflection.” The pony replied. “Nay, you will find that this side shares many aspects of your side. Please, enjoy your stay, for you are but the first colonists of your realm to transfer to this side to reside with the rest of the world.”

“Colonists? Excuse me, but I only came as a short R and R, nothing more.” Disk Jockey retorted angrily. “Come on Octavius, let’s get back to the ship, I’m not wearing any dopey hat or over coat.” Octavius nodded with a snort while turning to go with his friends. When they turned, however, they noticed the boats already leaving port, returning the way they came.

“Hey, what’s the big idea?” One of the ponies cried out, “I have thing that need to be attended to back home. I only came to entertain some vain curiosity, not to stay for the rest of my life!” They complained, several others around them expressing their agreement loudly.

“I am sorry, but even if you did not know, those ship only take the sailor back and forth, no pony else.” The mare explained. “And when there is nopony left from whence you came, they too shall stay here on shore.”

“Well, what’s stopping us from crossing on another ship?” Blunder asked curiously. “Can’t we just ask another ship to take us back; it isn’t like you own every ship in port.” He pointed out.

“Of course, you may contract another ship to take you back to your homes.” The mare admitted. “Who among you has two hundred bits?” She asked, scanning over the crowd. “Nopony? Well then, I think your stay shall be quite long indeed. That price is the cheapest fair, mind you all, meaning it will provide you a snug spot by the sacks of corn and hay on a small, uncomfortable ship that might head there after traveling to the zebras and maybe even the gryphons.” The ponies in the crowd looked at each other, quickly asking how many bits the other, attempting to gain sufficient between them to hire a vessel.

“This is extortion!” Octavius exclaimed. “I demand my money back!” The other ponies around him shouted in agreement.

“Unfortunately all the bits you paid left with those ships and cannot be returned for another couple of days at the very least. Besides,” The pony continued, “You paid to be brought to these lands, and thusly it was dealt with you all. I see no extortion. If you really wanted to return to your homes at any point you should have paid for a round trip, otherwise, you have no reason to want your money back since every comfort available was given to you during the voyage.” The crowd of ponies murmured between themselves, the gravity of the situation truly coming down on them.

“What do you expect us to do then?” The Professor asked, “To do you suggest we just… accept all of this convoluted mess?” She pressed.

“Indeed, we suggest you accept your new surroundings to be your new home for at least the time being. Enjoy your new life in the new lands.” The mare replied before walking off, spreading her wings and flying off, leaving the ponies behind in utter confusion.