There is an I in Generosity

by TundraStanza

Ch. 6: Mind Crush in Stereo

Chapter 6: Mind Crush in Stereo
---

"Argh... Ugh... Guh... Agh..." was all my mouth could utter. I thought the hangover was the worst migraine I had ever experienced. What I was experiencing now, however, made that alcohol-induced headache seem like a hot towel treatment. This was just... dreadful. I put my hooves up to try and massage the pain, but I might as well not have.

Ow... I... ergh... think I... guh... understand why... agh... Roxas and... ngh... Ventus had such... urgh... headaches, thought my pain-enduring mind. Who signed me up for this mess?

---
(Three hours earlier...)

The bell to Carousel Boutique's front door rang.

"Hey, Rarity!" called Spike as he ran in.

"Yes, Spike?" I responded.

"The Princess sent a letter specifically asking for you!" he exclaimed, "Here, look!"

I took a magical hold of the recently opened scroll he was showing to me. As he looked expectantly, I read through the message's context.

Dear Rarity,

I believe I may know something regarding your dilemma that Twilight Sparkle described to me. Please come meet me in Canterlot so that we may discuss further details. Don't worry about packing. You won't need to bring anything with you.

Sincerely,
Princess Celestia

"What does it mean by dilemma?" asked Spike. He still didn't know. I felt guilty leaving the guy out of the loop but it was too important to take the time that would be necessary to explain all of the details. So instead, I opted to use Rarity's charm. It involved me batting fake eyelashes and using an almost seductive tone. (I'd rather not relive the moment.) The trick was mean, but I convinced myself that it was for a good cause: making sure Spike didn't worry.

After that, I trotted the long way to the Ponyville train station. There were a few other passengers, but the overall atmosphere felt very empty. Even the noise of the train wheels clacking against the tracks didn't seem all that fulfilling. Despite the boredom that should have overcome me, I couldn't fall asleep. My anxiety was keeping my mind occupied with possibilities and hope for a feasible solution to my situation. I didn't know how much of that anxiety was my own and how much of it was Rarity's.

Either way, I was practically shaking in worry as the train arrived at the destination. How could Canterlot look so beautiful and yet so intimidating at the same time?

---

"Send her in," gently ordered a familiar voice. As the giant double-door opened, I was immediately greeted with the sight of... her majesty. She never ceased to inspire awe when I was in her presence. Every fiber that rode on that holy wind shimmered with reflected sunlight aura. Her tall figure didn't demand respect. It simply asked politely for respect in a way that no pony could ever say "no". But I digress.

"Hello, Princess," I greeted while bowing in respect.

"Please rise, Rarity," requested Princess Celestia. I did so without hesitation.

"Pardon my curtness," I began, "But your letter indicated that you know something about my dilemma. Might you be able to tell me what that something is?"

"Rather than telling you," replied Celestia as she started approaching me, "I think it would be better if I showed you."

"I'm afraid I don't-" but I never got to finish voicing my confusion as a shimmering golden horn made contact with my forehead. I actually felt my pupils dilate as my vision clouded over.

---

"What have I got to complain about? I've actually got a job, for crying out loud."

"I think you've had enough, buddy. Your tab was due last month and I'm still not seeing it."

"Find your center, clear your mind, and let your tensions go."

"Hyah!"

"Why are you so interested in that show? It's target demographic is little girls."

"Oh, all right. If it'll get you to quit bugging me, I'll take a look at it. But I make no promises."

"W...why am I watching this? Why... do I... like... this?"

"Is that a Star Wars reference? Oh my gosh! That is the Star Wars ending scene."

"Let's see... wow, that's a lot of tips for one night."

"Oh great, another punch-happy customer."

"Wait... what do you mean higher than black belt?"

"Uh, sure. I guess I'll give that training a whirl."

"D'aaaaw. Is there anything Fluttershy can do that isn't cute?"

"I'm telling you, man. There is undeniable proof that Pinkie Pie is best pony! Just look at her in this episode 'Baby Cakes'. She actually learned something beyond her usual crazy antics."

"Tom?! Dude... that's an inanimate object. By your logic I could validly say that Quills & Sofas is best pony. Get serious!"

"Uh... Master Li? What are you doing with that needle?"

"I... am..."

---

Who signed me up for this mess? All of these... visions... were they memories? Celestia had already stepped back and dimmed her horn but I was still sitting there holding my head like I was trying to prevent an explosion. I groaned and whimpered, but the pain just wouldn't leave me.

"Here," offered Celestia. A glass of water floated into view. I didn't know where she got it from, but my head was pounding too much for me to give drinking a second thought. I carefully held it with both hooves pressed against the glass. I didn't trust my magic due to where the pain was. I kind of forgot my proper manners in the moment and basically chugged the liquid down.

"Ah," I sighed as I finished the last drop. Oddly enough, my headache was alleviated. Now, there was just an annoying sting in that area.

"Desmond Edward," gently spoke Celestia.

Desmond Edward, echoed my thoughts, That...that's my name. It sounds and feels right. That must be my real name.

"How did you...?" I asked, "What did you...?"

"I should have known that this day would come," sighed Celestia sadly, "and yet I kept ignoring the fact."

"What are you talking about?" I inquired more confused than ever.

"I'll try to explain it as best as I can," replied Celestia (heh, funny. I couldn't think of her as "Princess" anymore), "There was an encounter Luna and I had about six months following the first defeat of Discord. This new entity had no name except the wish to be called 'The Oracle'."

"Isn't that the name of a future-seer?" I asked, "Oh, sorry. Please continue."

"'The Oracle' told of a prophecy that there would be a time that the Elements of Harmony would lose their connection to the new princesses. It said that all six would rise again, but not from the birth of new ponies. Instead, they would rise from a split world. An alternate Earth would offer six of its deceased souls and grant them refuge in ours. I didn't realize its meaning at the time being so young. Now, I think I'm beginning to understand."

"I'm afraid I don't follow, Celestia," I voiced my slow uptake.

"Desmond Edward," she spoke solemnly, "This... is your second life. Rarity is your reincarnate."

Needless to say, I raised an eyebrow at that, "Beg pardon?"

"You haven't swapped minds with her," responded Celestia, "You've become her. It's only now after your battle with the Elements' use that you're remembering your past life's experiences."

I think a number of sound effects sputtered from my mouth for the next minute. I couldn't form any coherent sentence. This was just... I don't know... impossible. Did I walk into the limbo world of Inception or something? No, that wasn't possible either. Realizing it's a dream would have woken me up from the dream. Then what was all of this?

"B-but," I stammered, "I watched events of Rarity's life before I even woke up here! How could I have lived through all of that if I wasn't even in that life yet?"

"Watched events of...?" Celestia trailed off before a look of distant realization hit her, "Oracle, you sly spirit."

"Princess-say-what-now?" I stumbled.

"The Oracle was able to send its visions to the people of your past life," smiled Celestia, "albeit subconsciously and somewhat filtered."

"Wait..." I looked at a spot on the wall with spaced out interest, "You mean to tell me... that the television show taking place in Equestria was a foreshadowing of events that had yet to come?"

I looked back at Celestia directly while saying, "And it was all because of this 'Oracle' that they were able to envision it at all?"

"That would be my guess," nodded Celestia.

I'm not entirely sure what happened after that. I vaguely recall grinding my teeth in confused frustration, my face felt like it was burning up, and I quickly opened my eyes wide with a huge disarming smile.

"Excuse me while I lie down for a while, Princess," I politely requested. My head fell backward while I somehow remembered one thought:

Pull up the red sofa.

My sense of the world faded to black.

---

"Man, Miles. How did you get into this mess?" I shook my head.

I was playing Assassin's Creed: Revelations for the umpteenth time in my life. Right then, I had just gotten through a few parts of the first-person optional story that, while confusing, did explain a lot about the guy other than being a former assassin and a prisoner of Abstergo. I guess I kind of related to him being a bartender like he had chosen to be. Sure, my occupation wasn't to run away from a family history of murders, but somehow... I could understand what it was like. A life destiny was set for you and you had to follow its path willingly and obediently.

It didn't help that my destiny involved watching some guys turning into drunken fools. There were some girls that turned into fools too, but at least most of them still remembered to leave a tip. Happiness was supposed to be its own reward. If that were true, I wouldn't have felt disgusted at the occasional punch-happy guys that had one too many. I was satisfied standing behind the counter while the bouncer took care of the harder yet less frequent work.

But as far as excitement went, Miles definitely had more in his ancestors' lives than my own. He didn't just knock out the guys that were roughing it. He flat out pursued his targets and ran across rooftops for some awe-inspiring, one-stab kills. But it wasn't the killing that excited me about the AC series. That was just a side benefit. The deeper significance beyond their own lives: Altair, Ezio, and Desmond... their roles paved larger paths to the eventual conclusion that still made the player yearn for more.

"Heh," I shook my head again, "My life will never be that exciting."

---

"Believe it or not, Raven actually had a valid point. Meditation always starts at the center."

My instructor had moments where he mixed abstract thoughts with something from a slightly more comical source. Still, it never hurt me before to learn how to maintain breath control. If taking a quote from a raspy girl of the Teen Titans helped my training, I wasn't about to complain. The art of defense started with finding inner peace after all.

The wushu that my master focused on in his teachings involved several slow, fluid motions. I could practically see real-life waterbending, though these were much more difficult motions to perform before he considered me to be... "adequate". I couldn't immediately see what I was doing wrong, but I did need to practice patience. That much was certain.

"We are done for today," he bowed.

"Thank you, Master Li," I said my farewell and returned the bow.

---

"You can't be serious."

I stared unamused at my friends as if they had grown extra heads. They were trying to convince me that this new thing that they were interested in was more than just a childish cartoon. What was even more befuddling was the feeling of genuine enthusiasm behind their insistence.

"My little pony?" I asked, "I'm pretty sure that's a just a marketing ploy that targets little girls."

"No, no, no," one insisted, "It's a real breath of fresh air after all the other garbage that TV has forced on us over the years."

"Yeah," agreed the other, "You ought to give it a chance sometime, Edward! It actually puts effort into itself."

"So did the Warner Brothers when they made the Deadly Hallows two parter," I retorted, "That doesn't change the fact that they practically smudged up the vision of the book."

"Come on, Desmond," pleaded the first, "I Pinkie Promise that you'll like it."

"But... you didn't even raise your pinkie," I noticed the lack of finger motion to back up his swear.

"It goes like this," piped in the other, "Cross my heart and hope to fly; stick a cupcake in my eye."

I stared blankly at them before leaving my share for the lunch bill on the table.

"I'm out of here," I fared them well, "Have fun watching your daughters' 30 minute toy commercials."

"My Little Pony, honestly," I muttered as I walked away.

---

"The party cannon again? AH ha ha ha ha ha!"

I was still guffawing as I watched the main six fight off the montage of changelings. I mean really. When did it become official until just now that the party cannon could be legitimately used as a weapon in combat? Only Pinkie Pie could make that work so well. That... was why she was best pony.

Despite that, she wasn't my favorite. No, there was a distinct difference between my favorite and my best. The best pony was one that encompassed all sorts of incomparable qualities that the rest of the cast just couldn't touch. My favorite on the other hand, was one that I admired. For all the faults she had, she still pulled through when it counted. She even addressed the real life issues of external and internal conflicts.

Yes, my favorite pony could be no one else but Fluttershy.

---

The memories of Desmond Edward and the memories of Rarity.

This time, it wasn't so much a headache that I was feeling. Now, I just felt like I was swimming through the recollections like they were a fluid. They were from two separate lives, yet both of those lives were mine. I thought I would have felt angry or at least confused as to why this was happening to me. Instead it felt so...

...surreal.

Comments

[TundraStanza]

I sometimes wonder if I got high in a past life or something.

[The Scrap]

An interesting twist in the "Why am I X?" stories.

[Fierce Feline]

Yes! This story has updated again!

[Hilltopper2]

Here, Have a thumb

[Bigpokemonfan]

In this story. A brony should've been dead before his mind gets transported into Rarity. Not only that, he gains all of Rarity's memeries, but still has his own. A memory spell supposed not to work on him. And hitting his head against the wall supposed to make him realizes it wasn't a dream.

I'll do better than that. Only based after the two episodes of season three. I hope TundraStanza transfer this story to me, so I'll do a remake.

[TundraStanza]

5528963 , If you want to write a better story, then go ahead and write a better story. You don't have to transfer my work to your account to do that. Just write something of your own.

[Viper Pit]

can I ask a question? what made you stop working on the story? cause i love stories like this

[KvAT]

8393970
Maybe they moved on?

[Thranx]

"'The Oracle' told of a prophecy that there would be a time that the Elements of Harmony would lose their connection to the new princesses. It said that all six would rise again, but not from the birth of new ponies. Instead, they would rise from a split world. An alternate Earth would offer six of its deceased souls and grant them refuge in ours. I didn't realize its meaning at the time being so young. Now, I think I'm beginning to understand."

Hang on, deceased?