Can Time Stand Still?

by xXSheltieXx

Four: The Return

Neo looked from her mother to her father, very confused. "Um... what's going on?" She asked, blinking. Her mother and father hugged her tightly, her brother joining in. "Okay, I don't know what's happening, but you're making it hard to breathe."

They loosened their grip, Black Booth looking at her in the eyes. "You... twelve years ago, you ran away. You were gone. We thought..." He looked at Temperance and then Flash, and lastly Neo. "We thought you were dead."

Neo dropped the can of corn, looking at her dad and then her mom, and finally her brother. She realized what had happened, why she was outside, but none of it made any sense. "That... but...."

"You haven't aged a day," Temperance murmured, gently touching her cheek.

"I... the portal... I went..." Neo murmured, ignoring the growing pain in her head. "I saw a portal and fell through it... and there were clocks.... I thought I was dead, but I reached out and grabbed one of the hands on the clocks and... I woke up outside the portal." She shivered slightly. "It was like no time had passed at all."

"Neo, what's on your forehead?" Booth asked, gently touching the sore spot.

"I don't know. When I went through the portal, something hit me in the forehead, and... I..." She murmured, blinking before falling backwards and landing on the wooden floor heavily.

Black Booth quickly gathered her in his arms, Temperance checking her pulse, Flash calling 911. They all tried to wake her up, to get her back after she had been gone for so long. She clenched her teeth in pain as her forehead hurt and pulsed, sweat dribbling down her face. She opened her eyes slowly, looking around.

Everything was blue. She looked around, spinning, looking for something. She walked, and her feet seemed to walk on water or in a puddle, making the puddles shiver, but seeing nothing to find. Neo walked, looking around. She couldn't call out, it was like the words were stuck in her throat and she was choking on them.

She shook her head, rubbing her eyes and fell to her knees as her headache intensified. She whimpered, wishing her mother was there to make it better. She writhed on the puddles that weren't wet, trying to stop the pressure from gathering in her forehead, trying to make it stop, to feel relief.

Neo opened her eyes slowly, seeing her reflection, but it was wrong. That wasn't her. She didn't have a horn. She looked in the puddle, touching the water gently.

"Who are you?" Neo asked, seemingly forgetting the pain.

I am what you are going to become. The reflection spoke in an elegant voice, kind and gentle.

"What am I going to become?" Neo asked. "I want to be myself." The reflection reached out, pulling itself out of the mirrored puddle, standing up. It wore a long dress and its hair was mimicking Neo's, making her wonder what she was going to become, if it were true. "Am I going to lose my wings?"

The reflection shook its head, spreading two large wings open that resembled her own pair, except about 2 and a half times longer, probably even stronger than before. "I'm becoming an... Alicorn?" The reflection nodded. "How?"

When you went through the portal, you unlocked the heavy deadbolt inside all of us. The portal gave you the chance to unlock the door, and you opened it on your own. The thing that hit you in the forehead was a key made of light magic. It melded with your mind. The reflection helped Neo to her feet. You are going to become something amazing, Neo. You will be an Alicorn.

"I-I... I-I'm scared," Neo murmured, looking down.

The reflection only smiled. Do not be afraid of the light, Neo. I am your spirit, your soul. The reflection hugged her tight. I will protect you until the end of everything. We are one. We are Neon Feathers. We are strong. I will help you grow as an Alicorn, and I will guide you through the rest of our lives.

"Lives?"

Yes, lives. Being an Alicorn does not make you immortal. Being turned into an Alicorn does not make you immortal, but it does prolong your reincarnations lives. You will die, that is true, but you will be reborn to live again, and die, and live again, and over and over. You may recall everything, or you might forget, but I will always be with you. The reflection smiled, tucking a curl of hair behind Neo's ear. Experiences are frightening, but with time, we will become strong. The reflection entwined their fingers with a warm smile. Will we become one, will you allow me to become a part of you forever?

Neo studied its eyes, nodding with a smile. "Yes. Yes, I don't want to be alone."

The two seemed to meld into each other, becoming one body and two minds. Neo felt like she was being carried down a river, or maybe she was getting a back rub. Her throat felt like something was choking her, keeping her from breathing, but she somehow was able to keep breathing.

Her blue eyes opened slightly, hollow and dark as she caught glimpses of halls and rooms. They were white. They were as white as snow. She quickly closed her eyes as another wave of pain took over her head, sending her back to the blue ethereal place.

Neo looked around before looking down, everything shifting to make the mirror water face her without pushing the Pegasus away. She saw her reflection again, sighing.

"Why am I here again?" She asked, sounding hopeless.

I am afraid this is your first trial of many. The reflection murmured.

"Trial?" Neo echoed, the reflection nodding. "What's it like?"

The trials are coming to us quickly, Neo. We must prepare you for what lies ahead of us. We must make sure you can handle this new power properly. The reflection replied.

"But... I don't understand, you're... you're... me?" Neo asked, looking down.

My name is Echo. I am you, you are me. Echo replied quietly, looking back at Neo.

"You said 'we'... who are you with?"

We are your subconscious, we are the things that sleep deep inside of your mind. We will help you through the trials, but the other parts of us must also give the trials. Echo explained. I am a Guide, someone to help you. Another fragment, Copy, sets up the trials, they are the Teacher. There are only three. The Guide Echo, the Teacher Copy, and the Leader Neon.

"Leader..." She echoed again, licking her lips. "What am I supposed to do?"

Echo began to fade into dust, catching behind Neo, holding her from the neck gently. You will learn from Copy over what may seem like a long time, but it will only be a few minutes in the real world.

"What about my family?" Neo whispered, nearly choking on the words.

They will only feel as if it were minutes. The strength that is going to be given to you is too much for anyone's physical body. You had to faint to relieve the pressure. You are not in danger, they have taken you to the hospital. You are only sleeping to them, as you have been found stable. Although the doctors will be confused by your youthful experience, maybe even envious of you. Echo chuckled slightly. I will remain beside you so I can help guide you, but Copy is going to be testing you. Echo paused. Are you prepared?

Neo looked up, taking in a deep breath. "I'm ready."