Memoir of Misery

by Silvak

Chapter LVII: Reflections (unedited)

”What... What is this place?” Sapphire muttered out, as she stood in the middle of a massive stone hallway, where one end leads to a massive steel door, while the other just disappeared off into darkness. There wasn’t any doors or windows inbetween the two, with the hallway barren of any decorations or furniture, just stone walls and floor.

Looking directly at the empty darkness side of the hallway, Sapphire felt nothing from something she thought would look ominous in nature. However, upon looking at the steel door, Sapphire felt a shiver going down her spine. “Okay... that might be the thing that Veritas didn’t want me to see... but what could be in my head that would warrant that in the first place after what I already seen so far?”

Walking up to the door, Sapphire felt a feeling of dread from it that grew with every step she took. Eventually, Sapphire reach the door, where she placed a hoof on it, only to be startled when the door started to glow as runes inscribed on the door lit up fiercely. Letting out a shriek, Sapphire jumper back as the runes on the door continued to glow, first glowing red before shifting onto orange, then yellow and onto other colors like it was following the colors of the rainbow, before shifting back to red where it started all over again.

“What is this? What is going on?” Sapphire muttered out as she looked at he runes to see if she recalled any of them, only for all of them to appear completely unfamiliar to her. Letting out a sigh, Sapphire turned to her right only to be startled by a mirror standing right before her.

“By the moons, these mirrors are starting to... get...” Sapphire started to say to her reflection until she saw that its mouth wasn’t moving. Staring at her reflection in surprise, Sapphire moved her hoof towards the mirror to touch it, only to jump back when her reflection gave her a wicked smile.

“What the buck...” Sapphire croaked out as she continued to stare at her reflection, only to step back again when its form started to shift. Growing larger as its coat darken, it’s eyes shifting from Sapphire’s aquamarine to a dark green; with even her teeth sharpening to that of a predator’s.

“Sapphire, you’re just seeing things, this is just a nightmare or something like that. Nothing more than a figme-“ Sapphire started to say until her words were trapped in her throat as the reflection suddenly stepped out of the mirror.

Eyes widening in horror, Sapphire lit her horn up as she started to search for any water when the reflection said, “Oh, how cute. You’re acting like a scared little filly, when deep down, you’re far more than you give yourself credit for.” The reflection’s voice sounded like a Sapphire’s own voice but with a deeper tone, and some underling trait that was making Sapphire blush a bit, which only served to confuse her a bit.

“What... what are you? Are you something like Veritas?” Sapphire asked, backing away every time the other alicorn stepped towards her. All the while, Sapphire kept her horn lit as she eyed the alicorn with a mix look of fear and caution.

“Well, the answer to that is a mix between yes and no, but I’ll explain to you what I really am. I’m Tsunami, and I am what you could be if you decide to take control from Equestria from the two fools known as the Royal Sisters,” the alicorn answered, scowling at the end when she mentioned the two sisters.

“W-w-what? Take over? Why would I even want that?” Sapphire replied, before shaking her head at even considering Tsunami’s words. “Why am I even listening to you!”

Letting out a cold chuckle, Tsunami replied, “Cause deep down, you know that you could become me. And just think about it, the two sisters trust you, so you could use that trust to isolate then somewhere, where you would strike Luna down, leaving Celestia in dismay and unable to overcome your water magic wi—“

“No, this is crazy talk, you’re insane!” Sapphire interjected as she pointed a hoof at Tsunami.

Laughing as she started to step towards Sapphire, Tsunami stated, “It’s not crazy, and you know it. Celestia’s magic is linked to the sun, so she’s likely to use fire magic, which you can beat with your water magic. Just imagine it, Equestria under your rule, you would have the power to remove the nobles and place you kin, the three clans, in their stead. You could use Equestria’s magic and knowledge to connect to your home, to help your own clan and restore both them and your world to glorious heights beyond imagination! All you have to do is take over, and deep down, you know you can do it.”

Looking at the alicorn with a mix of skepticism and fear, Sapphire kept her silence due to not finding a drop of water in the area for her to use. Glancing at the mirror behind Tsunami, who was getting closer with each passing second, Sapphire gulped as she shouted, “I won’t do it! You’re not who I am or who I’ll be!” before rushing towards the mirror. Ducking beneath a wing that Tsunami swiped at her while roaring in anger, Sapphire leaped towards the mirror, smashing her forehooves into it.

“No! You fool!” Tsunami cried out as both her form and the mirror shattered into fragments that faded before Sapphire’s eyes.

“So... this is why Veritas warned me about mirrors,” Sapphire muttered to herself as she returned her gaze to the door, seeing that it hasn’t changed. Stepping towards the door, Sapphire commented, “I guess whatever is behind that door, is link to all this mirror business that Veritas was talking about.”

“But do you really need to do this? All this effort when you don’t need to?” said a voice to Sapphire’s left, causing her to jerk her head in the direction of the voice to see another mirror. In the mirror, Sapphire could a reflection of herself draped with a gold trim red cape and a silver crown, who was sitting on some massive throne where a pair of servants were carry long on their backs trays stacked with a mountain of food. As Sapphire stared in surprise at the sight, her reflection said, “Come on dear, you’re putting too much effort into something that you don’t even need to do. All you have to do is sit back on your throne and enjoy the life of being a princess.”

Frowning, Sapphire replied, “Let me guess, you’re me if I choose to focus on being a princess.”

Letting out a laugh, the reflection responded, “Close, but not close enough. I’m a version of you that simply had assign a regent to do all the work for me, while all the ponies of Vanhoover worship my mere presence.”

Tilting her head as she gave the reflection a skeptical look, Sapphire stated, “That is one of the most ridiculous thing I ever heard. Who would worship me in the first place?”

Rolling her eyes, the reflection answered, “Please, you’re not that blind to those around you. Remember how much Copper, Silver, and Hallow want to please you? And don’t even forget about the power you have over the water in the city’s bay. Just a couple demonstrations of your magic, and you will have the city eating out of your hoof. Then say hello to the easy life of ponies feeding you all you want,” before she slouched in her chair as a servant used their magic to feed her some grapes.

“And what about my clan? Or my own world, or my past?” Sapphire stated, as she looked in disbelief at this reflection of herself.

“Like I said before, give the job to somepony else. Like Celestia would say, just delegate your duties and enjoy the privileges of being an alicorn princess. In fact, why not just come and join me here, it’s already a paradise here,” the reflection answered as she beckon Sapphire to come with a hoof.

Frowning at the copy of herself, Sapphire marched up to the mirror, causing the reflection to smile until Sapphire places a hoof on the mirror’s frame. “I might not be all that bright or as educated as other ponies my age, but I’m not that stupid to fall for this.”

“What are you doing‽ No!” the reflection cried out as Sapphire pushed the mirror, causing it to fall over and shatter when it hit the floor.

Staring at the broken mirror as it faded away, Sapphire muttered to herself, "The first twisted version of myself, I understand, but this? This is just too much," before she turned towards the door, only to see some kind of glowing yellow light in front of her. Backing up a bit, Sapphire's eyes widen as she saw that she was actually looking at a giant glowing pupil, before she heard some kind of monster roaring, prompting her to scream in terror as the dream shattered around her.

---

"...You can stop screaming now," Veritas stated as she was appearing in the from of an earth pony, with her hooves over her folded ears. Blinking for a bit as the screaming came to an end, Sapphire blinked as she looked around, where she found herself in sitting in a booth in Sugarcube Corner, with Veritas sitting on the other end of the booth. "So, found anything interesting?"

Narrowing her eyes at the mental construct, Sapphire said, "Interesting? I only found some kind of steel door in my mind, along with some mirrors that showed me some twisted versions of myself. Something that you could warned me about before sending me there!" as she slammed her hooves onto the table.

Rolling her eyes, Veritas countered, "Please, I don't know everything that is going on in your noggin. Most of my knowledge just comes from what you know, and some vague connections to some of your important memories. I might be able to nudge you in the right direction, but I can't figure out what you would find. Even more so in that part of your mind you went to."

Frowning, Sapphire asked, "Wait, that part of my mind? So you didn't send me into some memory linked to all this talking of mirrors and reflections?"

"No... otherwise we would have visited the memory hall first and piece things together. This is why I said Luna wouldn't be able to help you, for she wouldn't have thought of checking your mind thoroughly enough to locate that place in your head. But now that you know of that place, you can let her know about it when you next meet up with her. Maybe then she can bring you there,” Veritas explained.

Raising an eyebrow, Sapphire replied, “Couldn’t you just send me back there again? Or us back there?”

Letting out a snort, Veritas replied, “I could, but I doubt you can honestly last here on your own.”

Sapphire staredat Veritas for a moment, causing the mind construct to give her a bemused look until Sapphire cried out, “Then why the buck did you send me here in the first place‽”

Shrugging, Veritas replied, “I figured that for your first time in wherever you were, you’ll just be stuck somewhere until I fished you out. Besides, it would be a good experience for you, assuming you actually learned anything from your trip.”

“I learned that I have reflections in my mind that want me to be like them, or maybe pull me into their mirror so they can trap me there and take my place!” Sapphire yelled as she slammed a hoof down onto the table.

Twirling a hoof in the air, Veritas said, “Well, you’re here and you now know about that and what you might need to do. So I say that the results are worth it.” As Sapphire just growled at Veritas, the mind construct pointed a hoof at her, saying, “See! You’re growling at me, your backbone has developer some more! Give it a few more months, and you might be willing to slap ponies that get on your nerves too much!” causing Sapphire to let it a groan as she slammed her head onto the table.

Comments

[Admiral Q Ponyform]

All Hail Tsunami

[Knightwolf1875]

And the 'hits' keep on coming.

[Falx_of_Lume]

As much as Sapphire might hate it, Veritas made the right call in making her go through that. I've heard it mentioned several times in other stories, that alicorns all have darker shadows residing within themselves due to their larger reserves and closer connections to magic. Sapphire needs to know they exist within herself first, before being able to defend against them. Or more accurately, the temptation of the benefits that becoming them would grant her.

[Kevin Lee]

8978399
Tsunami: "NEVER, EVER call me 'Tidal Wave'! "

[Golden Fang Ryu Shenron]

Twirling a hoof in the air, Veritas said, “Well, you’re here and you now know about that and what you might need to do. So I say that the results are worth it.” As Sapphire just growled at Veritas, the mind construct pointed a hoof at her, saying, “See! You’re growling at me, your backbone has developer some more! Give it a few more months, and you might be willing to slap ponies that get on your nerves too much!” causing Sapphire to let it a groan as she slammed her head onto the table.

Oh boy...Sapphire is in for one wild ride.

[Greatazuredragon]

“I learned that I have reflections in my mind that want me to be like them, or maybe pull me into their mirror so they can trap me there and take my place!” Sapphire yelled as she slammed a hoof down onto the table.

Oh those, don't worry about it, every Alicorn has at least one of those somewhere in their subconscious.
What?!
Mine is called Day Breaker. Nice mare, kinda of a pyromaniac though.

[The Watcher Face]

Frowning at the copy of herself, Sapphire marched up to the mirror, causing the reflection to smile until Sapphire places a hoof on the mirror’s frame. “I might not be all hat bright or as educated as other ponies my age, but I’m not that stupid to fall for this.”

Hat bright. *breathes deeply* This was the worst and best typo I’ve ever found.