Chapter XLVII: Imprint
"What you are?" Luna asked in confusion.
"Yup, what I am. If you can figure that out, then I'll let Aether go, otherwise she's all mine," the creature said, its eerie grin never once flattering.
As simple as the game sounds, I highly doubt that this creature would be something I'm familiar with. However, it needs Aether for some reason, so that may be a hint to its very nature, Luna thought to herself, before she finally spoke. "Are you a spirit?"
"Nope!"
"Are you a projection of somepony's, or someone's, mind?"
"Nope again!" the creature said as it laid down on its back, but kept its gaze and eerie smile at Luna.
"Are you perhaps a draconequus?"
"Funny, but nope once more!" the creature answered with mocking joy, causing Luna to narrow her eyes at it.
"Are you even answering me truthfully?"
"Well, duh I'm answering you truthfully. Otherwise it wouldn't be fair and hence it wouldn't be fun!"
"But why would you even play this game if it could result in you losing?"
"Simple, I can just wait for my next chance. So even if I lose, that just means I have to wait a bit before I can try again," the creature explained before sticking out a tongue at Luna.
As I suspected, Luna thought, though now I know that with certainty, it would help with figuring out its nature. There is no enchantment on Aether, so the creature wasn't created by a spell, at least directly. Nor is it a mental projection, hence it is most likely acting alone in this matter instead of being sent by another. Hmm... perhaps I should look upon why it would want Aether. Even though she is a filly, her past means she's more strong-willed than other fillies her age. So it must have targeted her due to her position... or her nature itself... Wait! The creature has the same eyes and smile as the one that Aether saw in the mirror! It might have came from another world, which means the possibilities of its nature only grows even more.
Still, it is obvious that this creature is tormenting Aether, but I don't know why it choose now of all times. Yet it wants Aether, and her nature might explain why she's the target. Hmm... Aether's suffering would weaken her mentally, which may allow the creature to assume control of her body if she is sufficiently weakened. If I'm cor— Luna thought to herself before she was mentally interrupted when the creature said, "Tick tock, tick tock. You don't have forever, duchess. Unless you're giving up already."
"I was simply contemplating on your nature, so leave me to my thoughts," Luna replied as she tried to remain calm. It was hard for her to control her temper when Aether was in danger along with the creature's attempts to provoke her.
"But that's boring. Wouldn't it be better to keep guessing every five seconds?" the creature asked.
"It would be a waste of breath," Luna shot back as she finally thought up of a plan. "However, I will continue with my 'guesses'. Are you a demon?"
"Nope! Though I think you will call me that eventually."
Frowning at that snide comment, Luna responded, "I believe that I have figured you out then."
"Oh really?"
"Indeed. Prior to entering Aether's dreamscape, I detected no sign of an enchantment. Along with your confirmations, this means that the odds of you being sent by an outside force is unlikely. However, by your statement that you want Aether, that means you need her for something. While there are a few reasons for you to attempt to take her, giving that Aether had told me about what she saw when she encountered the magical mirror in the Crystal Empire, it seems to me that you are the creature she saw in it. That eliminates further possibilities, narrowing the most likely answers. Given that you came to Aether due to her unique nature, then it is likely that you seek to possess her body for your own use."
"Wow, you're actually smart, or spouting off nonsense. I'm going with the latter," the creature replied, causing Luna's frown to turn into a scowl. "But that's not a guess on what I am."
"I'm simply making sure that my guesses aren't random and are instead based on the evidence I have. Are you a split personality?"
"Wrong again Count Bluey!"
"Then perhaps you are a mental imprint of another's mind, from another dimension?" Luna asked.
"Wrong ag—wait, what did you say?" the creature replied, getting onto its hooves as its smile faltered for a moment.
"I said, are you a mental imprint of another's mind, from another dimension?" Luna repeated.
"...Darn, I was hoping that you never came to that," the creature answered as it sat down, folding its forehooves across its chest while it pouted at the princess. "How did you figure that out so soon?"
"Like I said, I simply thought about your nature carefully. Your attempts to torment Aether could be out of simply amusement, or as an effort to weaken her mentally until you can take control. Along with my other conclusions, that narrows my choices to just a few that included that answer. Now, since I won this little game of yours, will you be setting Aether free, or were you just lying for your own pleasure?"
"Eh, I'm a... imprint of my word," the creature said with a shrug before clapping its hooves together. Luna suddenly felt a weight dropping onto her back, where, upon turning her head around to look, she saw that a dazed Aether has be deposited onto her. Using her magic, she scan Aether to find that she is indeed her dream self instead of a false copy.
"I'm pleasantly surprised that you actually kept your word, considering your nature," Luna replied as she returned her attention to the creature.
"You won the game, and it wouldn't be fun if I cheated all the time. Besides, you are only delaying the inevitable."
"Is that so?" Luna asked, though her horn remain alight with her magic.
"Yeah, cause I have all the time in the world. I can simply try again another time," the creature said with a grin as it leaned against a giant pear that suddenly appeared.
"Do you really think I would let you try again fiend?" Luna countered.
"Like you can get rid of me, you already tried, Mister Protector of Dreams."
"You forgot one thing creature," Luna shot back.
"Oh, and what is it, Miss Emo?" the creature asked, its grin taking on a mocking look.
"That dreams are a window to one's mind."
"And your point is?"
"You are a mental imprint, meaning that you reside in Aether's mind. Now that I know what you truly are, I finally have the means to put an end to you."
"Oh please, I'm not going to accept that blu—" the creature said before it felt odd. Looking upon itself, it saw that it was fading away. "What the buck‽ What are you doing‽"
"Purging your presence from Aether's mind," Luna calmly, as she held her head back high. "You will no longer torment anypony ever again."
It was at this point the creature finally dropped its smile, as it frowned at Luna before replying, "This isn't the end you know. Things just don't end all peachy like some fairy tale."
"Do not take me for a fool. Neither you nor the one that you're based upon shall not get to Aether again as long as I breath."
Letting out a chuckle as the creature is almost completely faded out of existence, it responded, "Then better hope nopony comes by and chokes you to death," before fading away. Luna then turned her heads towards Aether to carefully inspect her. Despite being in the dreamscape, Luna could see that Aether was a bit frazzled after her ordeal. While the creature annoyed Luna during her short time in the dreamscape, who knows how long Aether was with the mental imprint. Though it is time to finally end this dream, for Luna knows that Aether had her fill of dreaming for the day.
"Aether, you're alright!" Pinkie cheered when I finally started to open my eyes, as she engulfed me in another one of her bone-crushing hugs. Though this time, I was too mentally worn out from my ordeal to put up any fight.
"Indeed, Dame Aether is safe once more," Luna replied as she stood up after ending her spell.
"But what kept Aether from waking up, Princess Luna? Was it a nightmare or something caused by the Tantabus?" Twilight asked as she looked upon me in concern. I didn't know if it was concern over what happened to me, or the fact that Pinkie is getting really close to crushing my bones.
"It was neither Twilight, for it was a mental imprint that I believe may have originated from another dimension," Luna answered, while Pinkie finally ended her hug which let me put my two bits in.
"It... it might be... it hinted that it might be from another dimension... but I can't tell if it was serious or just messing with me," I said.
"Hmm... but did its eyes and smile resemble the one you saw in the magical mirror?"
"Umm... yeah, it did matched perfectly... though I hope I don't come across it again."
"There is one thing that worries me," Twilight said, as I rubbed my head to help clear my head. "If the creature is a mental imprint, who is it based on?"
"She has a point... though the odds of us figuring that out is nigh impossible considering that it could have came from so many other dimensions or even alternative dimensions. However, the weird thing about the mental imprint is that it took the form of a pony..." I added.
"It may be possible that over time as the imprint resided in your mind, it was beginning to adapt to your body structure, or even other elements of equinity. However, we can't be certain unless we finally meet the mind the imprint is based on," Luna answered.
"Yeah... though considering how insane it was, I rather not meet that person. Still, what did that thing want with me?"
"The imprint desired to take over your body, via weakening you until it either can possess your body, or get rid of you entirely," Luna explained, causing both Twilight and Pinkie to gasp in surprise. Though the latter also decided to pull me into a protective hug.
"That's... not a pleasant thing to hear, but at least there are worst ways to go." I idly commented, only for everyone, with the exception of Luna, to give me a skeptical stare. "What, there are worse ways to go. Like being infected by a Venanite: the Venanite virus causes incredible pain that it drives a person insane, leaving them a broken feral shell that runs on what most people assume to be the basic instincts a Venanite runs on. There has never been any record of anyone actually remaining sane through the infection."
"The more and more I hear about the nature of other dimensions, the more disturbed I get," Twilight commented as she shook her head at what she heard.
"Then be thankful that you're not her therapist," Luna added. "She has shown me enough things through our dream sessions that I have started to become accustomed to the potential horrors that exist beyond our world."
"Well, if no one minds, I think I would like to have a day off from thinking about all that stuff," I said. "So can we save this talk for another day?"
"What about your recruits? Are they getting a day off too?" Pinkie asked, surprising me since she was so silent throughout this conversation.
"Let me think for a second... no. I'll just have Silver put them through the usual exercises. It won't be long before I start tossing them into the Everfree anyway," I answered with a shrug. As bad as things was for me, I'm not going to lighten up on my recruits. I'm sure they would understand that I needed a day off, for medical reasons, anyway. That or they know what will happen if they cause me to completely lose my temper.
Stats
Page generated in 0.083 seconds
Total duration
1,078 users online
2,159,908 hits today, 2,571,732 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
WHO IS THE MYSTERIOUS IMPRINTER!?
IS IT THE LEAER O THE XARTIK HUNTER!?
I do believe that Zerg infestation would be worse as you remain sane but you are no longer in control of your body, from what I remember hearing one say "Kill me."
What would happen if Aether lost her temper?
That or they know that they will have to hide all chairs.
That was fun, may I have another? Looking forward to more.
Keep up the good work. Deus tecum.
Awesome chapter well done!
Interesting... imprint...
I like
.
6722773
Simple... chairs will go flying.
everywhere...
like...
a hurricane of chairs.
Well, that was surprisingly easy.
6722835 isn't that what she does to annoying Nobles?
6722857 Yes, but this time, they go everywhere...
no one is safe.
6722796
6722835
Pinkie is her adoptive mother and has influenced her before... I wouldn't be surprised if she had Emergency chair deposits all over Ponyville by now... Or at least she would have learnt where Pinkie keeps her spares.
6722864 Like BlueBlood!
6722878
Ohohoho xD that would be funny to see.
6722888
Yes, exactly
6722892 Aether needs a new hobby. Beating up the Noble class can only release so much stress.
She should take up knitting!
6722903 I'd say she'd enjoy video games, and then probably request some of the research team to make a simulator for her troops...
6722903
Sure she could knit... some chairs together before throwing them
6722914 That would actually be something she would do
6722975
Indeed
Well, as fun as it might have been it seems my idea was entirely incorrect. Oh well, one of these days.
Somehow I can always imagine Aether as this when she gets pissed off.
dashie.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/img/mlfw6159-IWillMurderYourFamily.png
6723040 what's she gonna do on her day off?
6722975 Lets face it, she would start stabbing people with the knitting needles.
6723183 if she was pissed off, maybe
Instead of tossing them into the Everfree, why not have Luna pull them into Aether's head and taste a sample of the horrors they'd soon face
6723178 what 6723183 said
Great chapter as always. But I got hungry halfway through. 2/10
6723202 Aether said that she is taking a day off. What do you think she is going to do on that day off?
I think that she is going to break something.
6722773 not sure but when she was annoyed she assulted an immotal goddes who controls the sun with a taser. Do not piss off the filly!
6723193 while doable these are still only 1st year trainees. You just don't DO that to people in the first 6 months of training and expect them to be able to work things out
now second year tho all gloves are off
6723215 a teaser that she stores in her mane. Just like her new mother. And she once asked how to do the same thing. So Pinkie-ism IS contagious!
6723211
Oh she'll break something...
Ponies
6723232 is it wrong that I want to catch that?
Aether is te only person I can think of at this time who would order DU cored aluminium cased saboted hyperkinetic round knitting needles. Not only can she throw them with her magic, but the recruits can fire them from their new wide bore magic gem powered personal projectile weaponry.
Im wondering if Pinkie has a fast load array for firing a whole cluster from her Party Max Cannon?
6722773 pretty sure she lost it days or weeks ago, and just recently got it returned by that therapist. Not really certain, she might still not have it.
Well, just so long as the Taken Blight stays away...
6722975
Problem is anything knitted just doesn't have the hardness that makes chair throwing so satisfying.
6723902 what about knitting wood into things? Magic world right?
6723903
Oh yeah, knitting objects together with magic.... don't see how I missed that.
6723909 most people apply our version of physics and reality and because of that, we have a somewhat different mindset than that of the characters in the story. Different laws of physics and reality will only go so far before we are no longer thinking about our own reality. Thus we are then thinking about what we can do with the new set of physics.
It's all in the science behind dimensions
We need more explosive chairs!!!
6724620
No.
We need Lser chairs.
Each chair leg has a laser attached to it, set to shoot upon impact.
When it is thrown, and hits someone, the four lasers will fire, causing heavy brain damage to whoever it may hit... COUGH COUGH CELESTIA COUGH COUGH
I'm looking forward to when the recrutes are trained enough to take things to the next level (into Aether's mind!).
"Good Morning everyone! Or more like good night as you're all dreaming. In my head. Welcome to what I had to deal with. Try not to die too quickly. HIT IT LUNA!"
6725035 If that "imprint" will appear at the time of that happening then
6725035
Yes! Yes!!! YEEEEEEESSSS!!!!!!!!! I'd love for that to happen!!
"Better hope that nopony tries to come and choke you to death."
God, no!! DON'T CHOKE LUNA!!!
6731638 my brain has melted. I just saw all three of those icons as one. It was melted before but that proves it. Who needs drugs when you're me?
Well, that ended rather easily. No pewpewpew laser fights that end up with the imprint dead
I think this 'day off' will involve lots of chocolate.
6725035 yes
6724620 6723909 explosive chairs shot out of her newly knit orbital chair canon with pinpoint acuracy controls?
