Celestia woke up again. The first thing that reminded her she was not in Equestria was the fact that her room smelled like oatmeal. She opened her eyes to see a new woman sitting at the table, flipping through a book with her legs propped up next to a covered tray. She didn’t seem to fit the powder blue scrubs she was wearing. They covered her and weren’t too loose or tight, but they just didn’t seem to suit her. This woman’s full lips were locked in a scowl that shifted back and forth under a small nose and haunting green eyes.
Those eyes suddenly darted to Celestia.
“It’s about time you woke up.”
Celestia raised herself despite the heavy feeling in her head. Her eyes burned to be closed again. So Discord had two mares working with him. Or were they just two humans? What did they have against her? Were they perhaps... under his influence? Celestia’s eyes went back to the tray.
“Am I ever going to leave this room?”
“The bathroom’s through that door,” the woman said irritably. Her right hand gestured towards the doorway. Her eyes remained glued on the book she read.
“I’m aware of that... Is that the only other time I leave the room?”
“Basically.”
“You have to be kidding me.”
“Nope,” she said with a pop of her lips.
“I can’t go outside?”
“Are you kidding me? You’d be dead in minutes.”
“What?”
“We’re in the middle of the city! There’s not a nice ‘outside’ for you to walk around in.”
Celestia went to the window. Last night she had kept to her bed, hiding under the blankets like a filly. For the first time since she had woken up in this place she saw the metropolis that surrounded her. The world outside bustled and crashed without a pause. People walked around beneath her gaze with their coats pulled close. Any view of the distance was walled off by skyscrapers. Cars and truck swerved around each other haphazardly when not locked in a standstill. Through the thick glass Celestia could almost hear the horns and the shouts. So this is the world that Chaos would run. Her eyes rose and stared directly in the face of a ghost in the wire-infused windowpane.
The light illuminated her fingers in the glass as she touched her face slowly. She had felt her hair was cut short; she hadn’t realized just how short it was. The hairs were long only enough to show that she had strawberry blonde hair. Celestia couldn’t distinguish the color of her eyes. She turned around again to look at the woman.
“Can I leave my room?”
“You know better than that.”
“Who are you?”
“I’m just a nurse here,” she said, pulling her long ponytail tighter.
“What’s your name?”
“Alice. You might want to start eating. This has been sitting here for almost half an hour now.”
Celestia glanced at the covered tray with apprehension. Discord had talked with the woman and the girl about drugs. He said it was part of her "treatment".
“I’m not really hungry—“
“When does that make a difference? You still have to eat.”
Celestia’s throat tensed as she felt her hair bristle. “I don’t feel like it,” she said through a locked jaw.
“Either you are going to eat or I’m going to have to make you eat,” she snapped. Celestia strode to the table and looked at the woman until she responded with a scornful glare.
The tray clattered sharply on the floor, the covered bowl rolled around like a top as the containers of water and orange juice smashed, leaking their contents onto the concrete floor. Those green eyes didn’t scare Celestia. Even if she was going to remain kidnapped she was not going to be a victim. She kept her own eyes level with those of the woman.
“I said I don’t feel like eating,” she reminded her through an air of calm. She needed to take a step back. Something in her head hurt.
“Are you okay?” the nurse asked Celestia.
There was a scent behind Celestia’s eyes. She had smelled this once before. It was a scent that carried a warning. It was the scent of blood and something sweet, like vanilla sugar or honey. Every time she had smelled it before, the same thing happened. The black always came.
Two people knelt on either side of her. Something cold and wet pressed against her head while she felt fingers on her wrist. The floor pushed against her shoulder blades and hip bones as she lay there, dead relaxed.
“I think she’s coming out,” the girl’s voice said to Celestia’s right.
“She’s still feverish,” Discord said after Celestia felt a hand touch her face. She blinked her eyes open and saw the two human forms arching over her. She had fainted for no reason whatsoever.
“You said she just fainted?”
“Yeah, after knocking the tray over.” The voice came from her feet.
“Her pulse is fast,” the girl said and the finger around Celestia’s wrist released. She could feel that her feet were propped up on something.
“Open this. I’ll help her up.” Celestia heard something tear and felt a strong arm sneak under her shoulders. She blinked her eyes open to the ceiling as Discord raised her to sit. Her skin burned as she shivered from the sweat.
The girl held a plastic container of water in her right hand with the foil cover pulled back. She took Celestia's hand in her own and guided it to the container. She helped Celestia drink without spilling everything by her trembling. The water tasted like plastic but it was also cold and refreshing to her dry lips and throat. She finished the container in two gulps.
“Alice, could you please get us some more water?” Alice sat at Celestia’s feet, which she had propped up on her own legs. The book was still in her hand.
“Just a minute.”
“Now,” Discord said more firmly. The woman rolled her eyes and close the book after dog-earing the page. She didn’t open or close the door. Her footsteps just disappeared down a hallway. The door is open.
Play weak. Celestia thought. Make a run for it when they don’t think you’re strong enough.
“Can you stand?” Discord asked. Celestia silently shrugged. “All right, let me help you.”
As he helped her stand she kept her trembling at minimal and clung to him for support. Her feet slid a few shaky steps when prompted but her eyes glanced at the open door momentarily. She would try to outrun them. Once by herself she could figure out exactly what was going on and how far this illusion went.
How long did she have until the woman came back?
Celestia’s heart choked her as she lunged towards the door, shoving the girl towards the bed as she flew past. Her head began to pound after the first few strides. She kept her breath steady while her heart beat sharply in her chest. She didn’t dare look back. Which direction had the woman gone? Would she try to stop her?
Celestia turned left outside the door as Discord shouted after her. The tiles shined underneath her racing, bare feet. A set of doors stood in front and they became her goal as footstep advanced behind. Her footfalls echoed her heartbeat in the hall. With a few more leaping bound she pressed her hands against the gray bar in the middle of one of the doors.
The metal met her face with the full force that she had run at it. It was locked. Before she had a chance to orient herself, her arms were locked behind her back and she was on the ground again with her cheek smashed against the tile.
Celestia smelled blood and honey behind her eyes.
The story updated as I clicked on the story o_0
Anyway, liking the story :D
Chapta Two= Epic.
Came a bit early, though... Warning here. Don't rush updates. You may end up speeding up the pacing, and ruin the flow. Make sure to keep the quality.
710489 ok and thanks. I just had trouble sleeping last night after writing the Prologue so I wrote the first chapter. Second chapter...hasn't been started yet so I'll be working on that.
710519 If chapter one is the prologue, name it prologue... Yeah. Makes a bit of confusion, otherwise, of you refer to it as the Prologue.
710533 I think the number might be confusing. Prologue name is going to be changed to chapter 1 name and Waking will be chapter 2 and chapter 3 has not been started yet. I'm trying to think of a name for the Dr. and I want to figure out which direction the chapter should go in. Hopefully that will be less confusing.
710558 don't use you fancy matematick anyhow!
710612 lol Ee-Yup
710641 ....wow...you had an awesome childhood... lol
SEVEN SPOTS TILL FEATURED! COME ON!
Reminds me of a similar episode of Buffy, though in that one Buffy switched between the 2 realities, choosing to die in the "normal" world. I wonder how this will play out.
Dr. Sid Cord
Dr. Rodd Isc
Dr. Ric Odds
Dr. Cid Dors
Dr. Cris Dod
Dr. Sircodd
Dr. Docis (Hey the Dr in doctor can actualy be part of the anagram... whoa... )
Dr. Codis
Dr. Ocsid (Look at that, Discord in reverse)
Dr. Cosid
Dr. Doisc
Dr. Driscod
I hope that this helps you with a name and possibly, if you choose to go there, a plot device for Celestia to make some connection, real or self-pervieved.
im really liking thios tory, cant wait for teh next chapter
710707 Thanks for the ideas. I'm reminded of Count Olaf from "A Series of Unfortunate Events" I see a few in there that definitely help.
I've read that everyone seems a bit put-off by the doctor calling his daughter "Screwball"
however, I know for a fact that parents with adorkable children tend to give weird nicknames to them.
I, for one, have been called Dork Knobbum (faux latin for Door Knob), That Whiteboard Eraser (whenever I cut my hair really short), and even by my little sister's name by my own parents many times.
As such, I don't think it too wierd for the nickname Screwball to show up.
>> TypewriterError
There we go, you got the reference
Have some 'staches, on the house
*gasp*
His daughter is Sarah Crueble.
S. Crueble
Scrueble sounds fuzzily like Screwball
It's a conspiracy...
710887 Perfect!
Need any other subtle or convenient plot devices or story seasonings?
I enjoy this kind of thing, so just ask for anything and Im on it
710907 ok. I'll PM you when I need some help then :)
Sweetness, it makes my heart warm when I realize that my influence is spreading through people everywhere
my wish was granted sooner than I expected
"no letter came that day"....poor Celeste(if that's her real name)
If you're not going with anagrams or plays on words, I think Discord would have a french-sounding name.
Dr. Belfonte
Dr. Bellemont
Dr. Beltram
Dr. Delancey (u c wat i did thar?)
Dr. Leblanc
Dr. Delacorde
Dr. Delaconte
Dr. Delacreux
I'd think that he'd have a cordial and benevolent-sounding name with an either negative or ironic undertone. The phrase "de l'accord" means "from the harmony". "de la conte" means "from the story".
And I can't help but imagine his first name would either be Henry, John, or Kevin.
Oh, yeah, and a great story. I love it.
711021 I like your suggestions too. I did base the Dr.'s description off of John De Lancie so his first name is definitely John. Thanks for your help!
Wow this is a amazing story
come on, come on, come on,come on!
FEATURE ALREADY!
Love this story, and since there is no need to comment the errors, I'll PM them.
Firstly, this is a marvelous story and as eveyone said already, you will probably get this up in the featured box soon enough. The idea is so original (at least to me) and honestly, really drove me into the same mood as most great stories do. Only a matter of time before you're a famous author before many others!
711039
Dr. John Ocsid.
If reduced to just his last name and title, it becomes Dr. Ocsid.
Flip it backwards.
disco . rD
As Celestia is an insane person, she might've read his name wrong and wound up getting Discord.
711396 Ok. I think I have the name thanks though!
Oh she is very confused, someone call the doctor.
711670 Unfortunately I did not make this a crossover or else The Dr. would be happily called upon! :)
my idea is that Discord got out again and is playing mind game on Celestia.
i'm not sure what to think... this could be all a trick by none other than Discord! or this could be a startling revelation for 'behind the scenes' My little pony. i am so confused! LOVE the story by the way.
I believe Equestria and this alternate universe are on a collision course in the multiverse and are slowly merging, causing the two spiritually same characters to merge in memories and bodies. Maybe it wont stop with Celeste and the doctor will be infused with discord and will lay waste to the world. Maybe the story will end in an epic race to save the two universes before they collide. Maybe I should stop rambling and let the author tell their own story.
Oh, darn. I missed an 'I liked this story before it was featured' chance. Oh well. Like and fave for you, can't wait to see where this goes.
712661
That sounds like something that would happen in Doctor Who, Mate.
This looks like that other one on EQD with Rainbow Dash... But it's dead.
Anyway, added to my reading list.
This... this is... SO AWESOME!
From the way discord told screwball to check in with her supervisor I'd say this seems real.
By the way, you use weird ellipsis. It kinda ruins the flow for me, but if that's how you wanna do em...
Listening to the Portal 2 menu song and reading this fic.... It fits so perfectly!
Incredible. That is all I really have to say.
I find this song appropriate.
I normally skip anything tagged with human, but this, this is something else. I know I'm in for a ride of awesomeness.
The fear.
The pain.
The confusion.
It makes for good story!
Spike agrees
711889 okay... well I still want to know how she will cope with all of this.
moarmoarmoarmoarmoarmoarmoarmoar!
DIS IDEA MAKE ME WANNA READ THE HELL OUT OF THIS FIC
why do i feel bad for enjoying an all powerful alicorn's spiral to insanity?
nevermind, my questioned answered itself.
Will Celeste have a sister like Luna?
Yay i got to be your 100th like! Cant wait for part 3 pal!
710842 Unless you want to make it obvious for everypony here (who doesn't read the comments) you oughtn't use a straight anagram. Add a title to it, like "Lord Discord" or "King Discord" or "Medic Discord" before you mix it up. I've read several stories where I figured out the identity of a character before the author intended because of that gaffe.
I just realized something. This is an "EIH" story "EQUESTRIA IN HUMAN" story. The first I have ever read! Maybe you started a new genera.dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/lolface_Celestia.png
Are these shades of "Normal Again" I see before me? No bad thing at all, but I am preparing myself for for some hefty wallops in the emotional bread-box.
Pummel away!
FEATURED SPOT NUMBER THREE! YEAH! CONGRATS!