Mind Delve
-*- Cain -*-
"Cain, would you mind explaining who this is?"
It took me a moment to register what Princess Celestia had said, which was understandable, considering that I was looking at a dark mirror of my own self. Physically, he was my exact same build and height, but he looked substantially creepier. His blonde hair had a sickly look to it, his skin was paler, and what should have been steel-blue eyes were a dark red.
The dark smirk on his face certainly wasn't going to help him win any beauty contests.
"Oh my, you haven't told anyone about me? And we had such deep and meaningful discussions at work. Tisk tisk, I am disappointed in you Cain."
I shudder, hearing Strife's voice. It sounded so close to my own, but there was an edge to it, what I would almost describe as a low hiss, or maybe a distorted echo.
"This… thing is Strife, an aspect of my personality that about a month ago I gave a name. He represents my darker side, where most of my anger at people and the world rests. The part of me that cackles like a madman at horror movies, and gets gratuitous amounts of pleasure from anything that involves psychological torture."
Strife smiled, and it was not exactly a pleasant site. "Don't forget that I always find a great deal of humor when the bad people of the world get what's coming to them."
"Like when that shard of Discord was about to get blasted by Celestia?"
He nodded, a twinkle in his eye. "Indeed, most of that amusement you felt was coming from me, though some of it was directly your own. Even in my current state, I can't be completely severed from you."
Celestia eyed Strife warily, glancing between the two of us. "So… this is a part of you? That would certainly explain a few of your memories."
"I've gotten better at handling my issues… suppressing the emotions doesn't do any good, you just have to find healthy ways to express it is all." I quickly said, not wanting the Princess to get the wrong impression. "But what do you mean 'current state'? And why in the name of the Gods were you puttying Diamond Tiara through this! She's only a kid, I thought even you had standards!"
Strife glared at me in response. "The only standards I have are the standards you and society push upon me. We both know what I'd be like if I was truly free, if I wasn't merely a piece of a whole. Which is why I was taking advantage of such a delightful opportunity."
Strife paused, taking a moment to give a smile and a wave at Diamond Tiara, who had begun to poke her head up to see what was going on, but quickly disappeared back into my shoulder. This only made Strife chuckle.
"Although, my fun did have a beneficial goal to it, one desirable of us both. Now, to answer your other question… I think I won't. The two of you should be more than smart enough to figure it out."
Strife must have been referring to my question about why he was, well, like this. I frowned, trying to think about it… and then smacked myself because it was so obvious.
"Discord… he made you like this, didn't he?"
"It does indeed seem like something Discord would do… though why I cannot comprehend." Celestia replied, her eyes locked upon Strife. I had the feeling it was taking a great deal of effort on Celestia's part not to grind Strife into a fine paste. Or maybe I was just projecting my own feelings.
Strife leaned back, as if there was a wall behind him, pulling out a file and looking rather bored as he scraped at his nails. "The most obvious answer would be to sow chaos, but I haven't quite been doing that have I? No, I've been a little too busy in here to do that, I'm afraid."
He then scoffed, tossing the file as he added "Besides, I only do what I wish to do. Discord may have given me a bit more freedom, but that doesn't mean I'm going to obey him willy nilly. And since he wasn't able to do much else but bring us here, I wasn't all that concerned about his wrath."
"Hmph. I don't know whether that's a good thing, or a bad thing." I said as I walked over and placed Diamond Tiara on Celestia's back, who quickly clung to her for protection. As Celestia turned to comfort the poor filly, I stalked forward, anger welling up in me as I confronted Strife.
"So, are you going to bother telling us why you were torturing this poor filly?"
"Besides the fact that I was bored and it was entertaining?"
"YES!"
If Strife was fazed by my anger, he didn't show any sign of it. Not surprising, considering what he represented.
"If you absolutely must know..." Strife said, getting off his wall and walking towards the center of the stage. He snapped his fingers, and the sound of gears churning filled the air. A circular edge showed, and an instant later a large hour-glass rose up, the tumbling sand within glittering with magical energy.
"This is a representation of how much time we both have before our soul gets consumed by that of Diamond Tiara's. As it turns out, the body of a Pony cannot harbor more than one soul for long." He points down at the bottom half, which isn't all that full yet.
"When I first realized I truly had my own thoughts… I noticed that this was draining rather quickly. I knew that if I didn't do something, my brief taste of freedom would be gone within days. So I decided to do a little… damage control." He glanced over at Diamond Tiara, flashing her a twisted smile.
"Keeping little miss Tiara here occupied turned out to be the easiest and most efficient way of doing so, and I was quite pleased at this discovery."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing, in more ways than one. All this time… I really had been on a time limit. And here I'd been for the first two days trying to hide who I really was, fearing they'd label me crazy and throw me in the funny farm.
"How long?"
Strife gave me a quizzical look. "I'm sorry, but you'll have to be clearer. How long what? How long have we been in here, how long is Celestia's mane, how long can I torture a filly-"
"You know damn hell what I'm asking Strife!" I spat out, my glare intensifying. His form seemed to waver slightly at this, and he sighed as he relented.
"If I was to make a guess...had I not interefered, I suspect that by tomorrow morning at the latest, Diamond would have reasserted herself."
Now I really felt sick. Suddenly, as much as I hated the fact that Strife had been putting so much stress on a defenseless filly, I was now conflicted with the reality that if he hadn't…
"So Discord lied then about the time table he gave Twilight?" Celestia asked.
Strife shrugged. "From a certain point of view. I mean, with my help we do have at least a week of time left to work with, maybe a bit more." He glanced towards the hourglass, and then smiled.
"Although, that's dependent on me having my fun with our host here. If I don't keep her repressed, the speed will pick back up within a day or two." Strife looked me straight in the eye, his smile not wavering as he asked "Are you so keen to interfere now Cain?"
I shivered, as that question rattled around in my head. I looked to Celestia, who was watching me, no doubt wondering what I might do. I had a feeling that regardless of what I did, she would do everything she could to defend Diamond Tiara. Glancing back at Strife, the look on his face told me that he was sure of what my response would be.
It became rather obvious to me then that the universe was clearly putting me on the spot, judging just who I was by the choice I made here. A choice that should be easy to make… but it wasn't.
Thus, I decided to stall.
"Why exactly should I be afraid of the process speeding back up? I've finally got the help of some of the best Ponies in all of Equestria. With the help of the Mane Six and the Princesses, there's no way Diamond's soul will have time to destroy us."
Strife scoffed. "Really Cain? You can't honestly tell me you truly believe that in your heart and soul. This isn't some episode from the show… Equestria it may be, but that doesn't mean good is always going to win."
I glared at Strife, very much wanting to take his head and introduce it to my knee, but I had a feeling that wouldn't do… well anything. Strife would probably laugh. Instead, I turned to Celestia, seeking to find another way to resolve this.
"Celestia, is there any way you'd be able to slow the process down?"
She looked at me evenly, Diamond Tiara peeking at me through the feathers of her wings. "And if I can't?"
I closed my eyes, and thought about it. Taking a deep breath, I simply said "I will cross that bridge if I must. Now, is there anything you can do?"
"I can try, but I am not sure how much I will be able to accomplish. If the process simply can't be stopped, merely slowed, then I suspect it is a natural occurrence for this sort of situation. I can offer no promises."
I didn't like that answer...and Strife knew it as he cackled to himself. "Hear that Cain? I know how much you prefer certainty, so this must so be causing you so much pain. 'Oh what a burden, what a choice to make, what would a good person do?' Guahahahaha!"
As Strife laughed at my misfortune, I closed my eyes, tuning him out as I looked deep inside myself for the answer. And then… something Strife said clicked in my head.
"You know Strife, its actually not as hard as you… or I thought."
Strife stopped laughing, gazing at me curiously. "Oh, so I get to have my fun?"
I looked up, and I had to hold back a laugh as Strife's cheery expression began to drop as he gazed at me. "Not at all. You’re going to behave yourself, whether you like it or not."
Now Strife scowled. "Are you kidding me? Is this some kind of joke? You can't be serious!" His eyes flicked over to Celestia, and understanding dawned upon him. "It's because of Miss Perfect Pretty Pony Princess here, isn't it. That's got to be it."
"To quote a wise pony… 'eeNope'. It wouldn't matter if she was here, hell it wouldn't matter who was here, all that matters is that I'm here, and while I may not be a good person, I do know one thing, one thing that I shall always be."
I felt determination flooding my heart and soul as I started walking over to Strife, who began backing away, almost shrinking with each step I took. I didn't stop till I was towering over him, and could look him straight in the eyes.
"No matter how much you may try to get out, no matter how much you may want to bring harm to others or influence how I think Strife… I shall always do the decent thing, and help those that I can. And right here, right now, I can help Diamond Tiara. I can make it so you can't hurt her anymore."
Strife tried to remain defiant, glaring up at me with hatred, his red eyes beginning to glow. "And what if I refuse?"
I smirked. "Then me and Princess Shiny over there will stomp you so flat I won't have to worry about you for weeks. You may have power here, but this is my mind, and at the end of the day, I rule here. Got it?"
Strife looked almost like a cornered animal, one that was just seconds away from completely losing it and going hog wild on everything. But then the glow in his eyes faded, and he started laughing.
"Oh very well, have it your way. I'll behave, for now. If worst comes to worst, I can always try to take the reigns, and maybe then we'll get somewhere… or at least we can go out with a bang. You did always say that's how you wanted things to end, after all."
Strife stood up, glancing over to Celestia and DT. "Enjoy your reprieve while you can my little brat, and be glad that you've got this sucker watching your back.
"As for you Cain, I have but one thing to say before I go back to fiddling around in your imagination. Be wary of your emotions, for if you're not careful, they may get you into trouble here, more than you can possibly think. Let things get too far out of hand… and I might wind up behind the wheel."
He turned and gave us all a bow, before twisting into shadow and slinking off into the darkness.
I stared out into the black abyss that lay at the edge of the stage, not moving or breathing until I was certain that he was gone. Then I let out a sigh of relief, shuddering as I tried to get over the fact that I had just met my darker side face to face.
"Is she alright?" I asked, not turning around to look at the object of my question. I heard a soft whimper from Diamond Tiara, and Celestia whispering softly to her, doing her best to comfort the poor filly.
"She should be fine as long as this 'Strife' does not bother her further."
"Anything you can do to help with that would be most appreciated." I said, finally turning around and moving towards the pair. I gave DT an apologetic look before my face grew more serious as I gazed at Celestia. "Well, it seems things are worse than even I thought they were."
"Indeed, it does seem that way. Which is why we will need to act quickly."
I smiled, grimly looking around this place within my mind, which now that Strife was no longer here, was beginning to revert back to my control and reforming itself into a bland and empty room. "Then I guess its time we hop on out of here. I don't know how much time has passed here, but I'm certainly in no way to waste any time. But there is one thing I need to do first..."
I walked over to Celestia, and moved to her side to gaze at Diamond Tiara. Celestia's wing lowered so that the young filly could see me. She flinched when she first saw me, and that was not something that made me happy. I felt anger spark within me, and my hand clenched as I shook my head.
Strife would have to be dealt with, but that was for another time and place. I reached out and gently held her head in my hands, forcing her to meet my regretful stare.
"I am so sorry you had to go through with that, and I will do everything in my power to ensure he can't hurt you again."
Diamond Tiara fidgeted under my gaze. “A-Are you sure? H-He won’t come back?”
I looked up to Celestia, quirking an eyebrow up at her. She seemed to understand my unspoken question, for she turned and smiled at Diamond Tiara.
“Yes. You will have nothing more to fear from Strife. You have my word as a Royal Pony Sister.”
I noticed that Celestia’s horn was glowing, and watched as Diamond started to drift off, the fear on her face being replaced by a smile. "Thats...good. I...I think I'm gonna take a nap now..."
"May the gods ensure your rest is full of bliss." I murmured as Diamond finally fell asleep. Once she was no longer conscious, I looked to Celestia. "Please tell me that wasn't some kind of bluff."
"It was not. I know a number of spells that should be able to keep Strife at bay, though for long I cannot say. If he possesses even a fraction of Discord's magic, he could try to chip away at any defenses I enact. Diamond Tiara would need your help to ensure he does not repeat the harm he has already wrought."
I nodded. It looked like I was going to have to get back into the swing of dealing with Strife again, and this time I doubted he was going to be as easy to corral into behaving on Earth. It was unlikely letting him have his own fun in my imagination or reading some dark stories would keep him out of trouble.
"I'll do what I can. I've dealt with Strife for nearly all my life. I doubt Discord giving him some more free will will make things harder. Now, if you don't mind, I think we should be getting out of here."
Celestia nodded, horn beginning to glow as she called forth her magic. A few wisps of light flew out and surrounded Diamond before soaking into her coat and vanishing. Shortly after that, she faded from view, and I felt a rising sensation overcome me as Celestia broke the spell.
As the world twisted and blurred around me, I could swear I heard the laughter of my darker half echoing below, and then everything went white.
-*-Silver Spoon-*-
It hadn't taken them all that long 'til Golden Oaks was within sight. She raced over to one of the windows and looked in, gasping at what she saw. The surprise that she felt at the sight within was enough that she almost didn't hear the CMC barreling right towards her...and not stopping!
"Apple Bloom, slow down-WoaaaH!!"
Silver Spoon barely managed to avoid being bowled over by all three of the Crusaders as they somehow managed to trip over each other and crash into the tree, a loud thump and "OW!" sounding out.
"Quiet!" Silver Spoon hissed, glancing towards the window and hoping no one inside had heard that. "Do you want them to know we're here?"
"Hey, its not my fault. Apple Bloom tripped over me first!" Scootaloo mumbled as she disentangled herself from her friends.
"Ah did not!"
"Why should we be worried about whether or not they know we're here?" Sweetie Belle asked, not all the interested in playing the blame game.
Apple Bloom replaced the bow in her mane, then looked to Sweetie Belle as she said "Besides the fact that we're skipping class?"
"Yeah, why do we need to worry?" Scootaloo queried. "I thought the whole point was to come see what they're doing with miss high and mighty."
Silver Spoon glanced towards the window and quickly pushed them all into one of the bushes, shushing them all as Rarity opened it and looked around. "Pinkie darling, are you sure you heard someone out here?"
"I didn't just hear someone! My third eyelash is waving around, it means we're being watched!"
"And just when I didn't think your Pinkie Sense could get any more weird..." They heard Twilight mutter as she joined Rarity. She looked about as well, and for a moment Silver Spoon thought she had seen them, as she started gazing exactly at where they were hiding.
But then she shrugged and turned around. "It was probably just Derpy passing by."
Rarity closed the window, and the four foals tumbled out of the bush. Silver Spoon wiped her head with her forehoof. "Phew, that was close."
"Ya'll wouldn't mind explaining what the hay's going on Silver Spoon? Why did we need to hide?"
Silver Spoon simply pointed at the window, and the three Crusaders walked over and peered inside. A moment later they all sat down on their rumps, eyes wide in various mixtures of surprise, awe, and terror.
Sweetie was the first to speak up. "What's Celestia doing in there with Diamond Tiara?"
Silver Spoon shrugged. "I have no idea...I don't know anything about Unicorn Magic."
Scootaloo stood back up, stretching herself as she worked to crack the window open a bit. "We ain't gonna find out sitting here. Let's see if we can listen in."
It took a moment for Scootaloo to get it open from the outside, and it would have been impossible if Rarity had properly latched it in place. Once there was a crack, all four of them crowded around it, ears twitching as they tried to catch any snippets of conversation within.
"Hey Twilight, how long are these Mind Delve things supposed to take?" Rainbow Dash asked, a low whine in her voice.
"Mind Delve?" Sweetie asked, looking at the rest of them. They all shrugged, just as clueless.
"Rainbow dear, I know and understand that you sometimes do not like sitting and waiting...but its only been three minutes." Rarity said, her voice flat with no trace of irritation. Being friends with Rainbow Dash did make one grow used to her habit of whining.
"Tell ya what RD, if you can sit still and be quiet for ten minutes, I'll give ya a whole barrel of Sweet Apple Cider for the trouble."
"Hah, you're on AJ!" Rainbow Dash called back.
"Twilight," Fluttershy spoke up, making the four fillies crane their ears just to be able to hear her, "How will we know if anything has happened to them?"
"I'm doing as the Princess asked and monitoring the spell. So far, Celestia and Cain seem to be alright. I'm having trouble getting anything from Diamond Tiara...but that could be because of Cain's presence in her mind."
Glances of confusion were shared between Silver and Crusaders. Who was this Cain they were talking about? And what did they mean by it being a presence in Diamond's mind?
"Eyaah!"
They all nearly jumped at the cry that came from Twilight, and they heard calls of concern come out from the others. The four foals stood on the tips of their hooves, now more interested in seeing what was going on then listening in.
Twilight was sitting near Celestia and Diamond, gasping as she looked towards the pair.
"Twilight, is something wrong?" Pinkie asked when nothing else seemed to happen.
"I...I don't know. All of a sudden, I felt something from Diamond...and then I felt ANOTHER presence."
"Was it Discord? We did just finish banishing a piece of him from Applejack a little bit ago." Rarity commented, and eliciting a hiss from Apple Bloom.
"That must have been why AJ was acting all funny. Discord was messin' with mah big sis!"
Silver Spoon shushed Apple Bloom as Twilight spoke.
"No...it wasn't Discord, actually, it felt kinda like Cain...but it felt so...dark. Malevolent."
Suddenly, Celestia and Diamond Tiara convulsed, drawing everypony's attention. A moment later, the glow on Celestia's horn faded, and the two fell to their hooves, each one taking in heaving breaths as if they had just ran a marathon.
"Princess, Cain! Are you both alright?" Twilight asked as she rushed over to them. Celestia seemed to recover faster, and raised her head to smile at her student.
"We are both alright, and Diamond Tiara is safe and in good health. And I can with the utmost confidence confirm everything Cain has told us." Celestia remarked.
Diamond Tiara slowly hauled herself up to a sitting position, trying to regain control of her breathing. "I'm...glad...that you...think that now...Princess. Do you...think we can skip...the mind delve next time though? Meeting my darker half was not one of the most pleasant things I've done."
"On that we can agree." Celestia said, standing up and looking at everypony present. "There is much that needs to be done now and in the coming days, but I think first we should probably explain everything to our uninvited guests."
Silver Spoon and the Crusaders yelped in surprise, tumbling backwards as they tried to hide themselves again, but a purple glow surrounded them and pulled them through the window one after the other. As they were set in a row before everypony, Pinkie clapped her hooves together.
"See see! I told you somepony was watching us!"
"We never doubted you Pinkie." Twilight said as she sternly looked at all of them. "Shouldn't all of you be in class?"
"Shouldn't Diamond Tiara?" Silver fired back, glancing over at her friend...or who she at least thought was her friend.
"Well, yes, normally, but this is a special situation." Twilight said, looking over to Diamond as well, who was currently trying to hide herself behind Celestia. Turning her attention back to them, she asked "How did you even know to come here?"
"Ehehehe...that might be my fault." Rainbow Dash said, rubbing her neck a bit as a flush came to her cheeks. "Silver saw me talking with Cheerilee when I told her where DT was. She was a bit suspicious...so I kind of skedaddled before I let something slip."
"Wait, so you WERE lying, Rainbow Dash?" Scootaloo asked, looking distraught at the mere thought of her hero doing such.
"Er, well...Kinda?" Rainbow Dash finally said as Scoots gazed at her.
Celestia picked this moment to intercede. "Rainbow Dash had good reason to not tell the truth my little Ponies. You see, your friend Diamond is not quite who she appears to be."
As if on cue, a golden light surrounded Diamond and dragged her out from where she had been hiding behind the Princess. "Go on Cain. I believe it is best if you explain it to them."
Diamond...or Cain? groaned when she said this. But after glancing around and seeing that no one else was going to say anything, she sighed.
"Alright alright, I guess I'll go ahead and tell them." Diamond said, turning to fully face Silver Spoon, and the CMC who were all looking very confused. Silver felt apprehensive about this...something told her she wasn't going to exactly like this.
"Right, I suppose I'll start from the beginning. Take two..."
*Sometime Later...*
Silver Spoon did not like what she had just been told.
She and the Cutie Mark Crusaders were all sitting in front of Diamond Tiara, who as it turned out, was Diamond's body under the control of some spirit from another world.
It certainly bothered her greatly that her best friend in the whole world had been, for some time, buried deep within the recesses of their joined mind. More than that, she had been tormented by this 'Cain's' darker half until Cain and Celestia's timely intervention.
But that wasn't what really ticked her off.
"So all this time...I haven't really made up with Diamond Tiara? It wasn't her that apologized for everything she's done?"
Cain at least had the good grace not to look her in the eyes, his shame clearly written all over her face...by the sun this was going to be confusing.
"I would like to think that it wasn't just me doing it...heck, I'd like to think that I didn't do it just to make my life easier. Personally...you'd have to ask Diamond Tiara herself, but I don't think she's quite capable of talking right now."
Silver harrumphed. "Is that because she can't, or won't talk?"
"Diamond Tiara is currently recovering from her encounter with Strife." Celestia said, making Silver feel a bit disgusted with herself for talking like that. "I believe Diamond may be able to speak for herself shortly, but for now she is resting."
"That's not saying that she will talk though...which I might add, I am not looking forward to being in the back seat when she wakes up." Cain chimed in. "Especially with Strife being more willful."
"Well...when Diamond DOES wake up, you best make sure to tell her that she and I have a LOT of talking to do." Silver finally said, deciding that there wasn't much more to be done at this point. She was still trying to digest everything she had been told.
The Crusaders seemed to be in a similar state, if the varied expressions on their faces were any indication...well, except for Scootaloo…
"Can you believe this girls!! We're famous in another world!" Scoot crowed again, bouncing in place at the thought.
"Scoots, did ya hear what she-err he-"
"Its alright Apple Bloom, just go with she."
"Right, did ya hear what she said? This is serious!"
Scootaloo stopped bouncing, rolling her eyes. "Yeah yeah, alien spirit trapped in the body of the biggest pain in the flank in town, been here for several days, needs the Princesses and Twilight's friends help or he'll be gone forever. I heard all that."
"And that doesn't bother ya at all?"
Scootaloo waved a hoof in the air. "Pfft, not one bit. I think it's kind of cool. Sides, they'll be able to fix it, and then we can go back to having the normal Diamond Tiara around...actually I think I'd rather have Cain around. He seems to be better at being Diamond then the real deal."
"Hey! That's my friend you're talking about." Silver replied, though it didn't have as much oomf to it as it might have had before.
"No offense Silver Spoon, but your choice in friends could use a bit of work." Scootaloo replied, looking her in the eye.
Silver was incensed by this statement, even considering that the status of her friendship with Diamond Tiara was probably in question.
As she opened her mouth and started telling Scootaloo just how wrong she was, Sweetie Belle moved away from the group to stand near Cain, giving her an appraising look. Cain responded merely by raising an eyebrow. After a moment, Sweetie stopped by her side and finally asked,
"So...in your world you're a hairless monkey?"
"In a nutshell, yes."
Sweetie seemed to think about this. "And you're also as old as a stallion?"
"Yep."
There was a pause as Sweetie seemed to take that in, mulling it over in her head. Finally, she proclaimed "That's gotta feel really weird."
A smile broke out across Cain's face. "You have no idea."
At this point, Apple Bloom had intervened in Silver and Scoot's argument. Just as they were dropping the subject, the clock chimed three times.
"Jumping hay seeds! Apple Bloom, you've missed half of school!" AJ exclaimed. Rarity soon joined in.
"Sweetie Belle, you all need to get back to school and explain yourselves to Miss Cheerilee. I'm sure she's worried sick about the four of you just up and disappearing."
"It is probably for the best." Celestia said, looking over to Cain. "I will need to escort Cain back to Diamond Tiara's home so that I can explain the situation to her parents. Twilight, I want you and your friends to come to Canterlot tomorrow, Luna and I will likely need your assistance in finding a way to help both of them."
"Of course Princess Celestia." Twilight said, her friends murmuring similar things.
"Come on ya'll," AJ said, coming up along side Silver and the CMC. Rarity and Rainbow Dash joined her. "We'll walk you back to the school."
The Crusaders quickly complied, albeit with many a grumble. They all seem interested in learning more about Cain, and Sweetie Belle expressed a desire to try and help, explaining it might earn them their Cutie Marks.
As this set off the suspected CMC cheer, Silver Spoon said "Wait, I'll be just a sec." She turned and walked over to Cain, locking eyes with her for a moment as she thought about what she wanted to say. There was many things she could say...but she decided on something simple.
"Promise me that as soon as Diamond can show her face, that she and I have our talk."
Cain nodded. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."
Silver gazed at him a moment longer...then nodded, satisfied. "I'll hold you to that."
Cain chuckled nervously. "Trust me, I have every intention of fulfilling that promise. I've seen how Pinkie can get when somepony breaks a Pinkie Promise." He turned and glanced over at Pinkie, who had been busy rebuilding her book fort.
Sensing she was being talked about, she stopped and hopped over, a wide, and somewhat disturbing smile spread across her face. "That's right! Nopony breaks a Pinkie Promise." She leaned in close, pressing her muzzle against Diamond's. "Noooponnyy."
"And with that, I am reminded why you are both the most hilarious, and scariest, pony of the bunch." Cain said, scooting away from Pinkie and nodding to Silver Spoon. "Don't worry, first thing tomorrow I'll stop by your house. Even if I have to drag DT kicking and screaming."
"Alright. I believe you." Silver Spoon said, turning about and following the others out. As she walked, she thought about everything she had heard...and shook her head as she came to the conclusion that it would be a while before she fully comprehended it all.
-*-Cain/Diamond Tiara-*-
I watched as they left, and felt a great weight upon my shoulders lift. That had gone better than I expected. I had really been figuring the foals would be the ones to freak out most, especially over the fact that portions of their life had been seen by millions of people.
Then again, it helps when you have the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony and the Princess of the Sun backing your story. I thought to myself, turning to gaze up at the aforementioned Princess. "Well, I suppose there's no reason for me to stay here, we might as well get the next bit over with."
Celestia nodded. "Indeed, though you needn't worry. I believe this time it would be best if I be the one to explain everything."
I smiled. "Princess, I wouldn't stop you from doing so if you offered me a million dollars...not that that'd do me any good here."
Celestia simply smiled while she headed out the door. I turned and gave a wave and a bow of thanks to the rest of the Mane Six before quickly following after the Princess. As much as I would have liked to spend some time talking with them, I figured it was best to get along. After all, according to Strife at least, I didn't have much time.
Which reminded me…
"Princess Celestia, do you think Strife was telling the truth? When he said that I only have a set amount of time before I no longer exist?"
Celestia kept her head looking ahead, but her gaze did shift to me as we walked. "I don't know...if I understand correctly, Strife is a part of you, and thus you should know him better than I ever could." She said, making me slump down a bit. I had been hoping for a second opinion.
However..."But if you are looking more for someone to help you think about it...I would have to ask if Strife is the type to lie, especially when his own well-being is on the line."
"Strife is far more likely to lie than I...but we both hold the idea that lying is a waste generally. The difference between us being that there's almost nothing I could gain from lying, while Strife has numerous desires that he could fulfill through deception."
Celestia nods, understanding. "And do you think he has anything to gain from pushing you into action now?"
I had to take a moment to think about that. Normally, figuring out what the darker half of me wanted was easy...but then again, normally he was more part of me than he was now. It was almost as if he was a separate being! His motivations and knowledge were out of my reach unless I wanted to try and probe him for such...and he wouldn't give such information freely.
"It's possible he's hoping that none of you will be able to figure out a way to get me free and send me home, either because it means he'll have a chance at trying to find a way himself or because he doesn't wish to lose the freedom he now possesses if we are sent back home...and he'd rather I suffer knowing there's nothing I can do about it so he can get some final laughs."
"I must admit Cain..." Celestia began, stopping only to smile and wave at some of the citizens of Ponyville who bowed as we passed, "I find it a bit worrying that you do not even know the motives of an aspect of your own mind."
"Welcome to my world." I said, shivering as I thought back to the meeting. "I've been unsettled from our encounter."
Neither of us spoke for a time, and it was only as we left Ponyville proper and were on the road leading towards Rich Manor that Celestia spoke again.
"So Cain...do you think Strife is lying?"
Sighing, I shook my head. "I don't think he is, which just makes this all the worse for me, and him by extension. I'd be lying if I said there wasn't a part of me that wasn't a tad regretful about making Strife back down."
Celestia hmmed at this, but then stopped as she looked down at me. "And why is that?"
I stopped as well. "Isn't it obvious? If Strife speaks the truth...then if we can't find a way to get me out of Diamond Tiara...I'll cease to exist. I won't be able to see my home or my family again...or even get a chance to have my own." I looked down at the ground, feeling a bit disgusted with myself, even if it was understandable.
"I know it would have been cruel to allow Strife to torture Diamond Tiara just so I could have more time to try and get home...especially since he would have enjoyed it immensely."
"Then why did you choose to stop him?" Celestia queried, her tone and expression neutral. I had a sudden feeling that I was being tested.
I closed my eyes for but a moment, and then looked up at her as my regret was shoved away. I knew why I had made my decision, and stewing over it was only going to make me feel bad.
"Because I knew that if there really was no way back home, then all extending my time here would do is bring further suffering not just to myself, but an innocent person who shouldn't be involved in this. And I would not be able to live with myself knowing that, even if that time would be short-lived."
Celestia beamed at me, her smile wide and radiant as she pulled me close, nuzzling my face. "And it is because of that choice that I will do everything in my power to help you. There are not many who could say with any sort of certainty that they would do that, here or on your world. That you choose to do so shows who you truly are at heart, Cain Toomey."
My face flushed, even as my eyes grew a bit wet. Princess Celestia, co-ruler of Equestria, was essentially saying she was proud of me. It was rather embarrassing, and comforting at the same time.
"Yeah well, we're wasting time, lets get on down to DT's house. I may not be the one spilling the beans this time...but I'm still not looking forward to this."
Celestia simply chuckled, and resumed her pace as we walked off together. I felt better after that little talk, and somehow I had a feeling that Celestia had specifically chosen her words to help me reach that conclusion...or simply reaffirm it at least.
Now? My regret could go take dive. I had some of the most powerful and dedicated Ponies in the world on my side. Hope had been rekindled in my heart and soul, and I was not going to let it go out.
Not if I had anything to say about it.
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Seriously? First comment for me? Well then all I really have to say is the chapter was good overall and well I hope you find those co-authors soon because I would immensely enjoy reading more.
Really curious to see how you take this dealing with Strife thing.
I have not even read this but already my reaction is ALL MY YES. How i wish I had more time for I would be beating the door down to apply as a co-writer. As it is I sure as hell would not mide being a pre-reader/proofreader/ idea seeder.
But first of course I have to actually read this.
4470399
I´m more curious about Filthy´s reaction about Diamond sharing her body with an adult alien monkey and his dark side, which psychologically tortured her for days by the way.
Honey quit? I have to say that I am shocked... and curious. Conflicting interests? Time restraints? Personal issues?
4470615
All of the above essentially, and that happened a while ago actually. I think it was necessary though...in a way, I was becoming reliant on his help to actually WRITE the story. I'm a tad more confident in my own abilities to churn out what I think is a good idea now then I was before.
I do however, still appreciate the help he did bring.
Yay we have returned, and now since much of the exposition is it of the way we can get on t the story. Good work and keep it up.
Well, this got a lot more serious than I was expecting.
Eh, evil nega-selfs is sort of self aggrandizing. I suppose it's to be expected from a story whose protagonist is named Cain instead of say, Jimmy, or Louis. It's a plot I guess. I look forward to more "being Diamond Tiara" scenes.
Dude, you speak so formal and noble-like. Gussied yourself up to sound good beside royalty?
Cover art, eh? I'll take a crack at it, I could use the practice. Follow these link as my credentials of sorts, for what they're worth
And it was a great chapter
Well, poor Cain life really sucks -_-
You know, I am kinda bummed out with this whole Strife thing. It came out of no where to introduce an extra conflict, and the MC acts like having an extra personality is a normal thing on Earth. (hint: MPD isn't real. Not in the literal sense).
But meh, "magic" and all that, I get it. It's not too beyond disbelief that Discord manifested a being from someones delusions or thoughts.
That sounds schizophrenical
Another fantasy of friendship.
Such is the farce of greatness,
and the lies children spin unravel;
won't you then grasp this gift?
Awaiting further releases.
4471018
it was going to get more serious eventually anyways
4471427
Nah, I'm just more eloquent when the situation calls for it
I look forward to whatever you come up with, it's bound to be better than what I have.
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Strife was something I wanted to bring in back since Revelations. In fact, I wanted Strife in place of Discord. I was talked out of it.
I knew some people wouldn't be all that excited about it.
Also, an FYI, Strife isn't technically an alternate personality. He is an aspect of myself that conflicts with the rest of me. Discord just gave him enough free will to seem like an alternate personality.
But I do appreciate you mentioning your displeasure at it. I'd be rather disturbed if there wasn't something someone didn't like in the story.
I hope this is part of your fiction world and not something you actually think in real life.
4472765
If you would, could you elaborate on why?
4475109
I am not a psychologist, so I can't go into details. But the basic problematic part is this "An aspect of someone that conflicts with the rest of them.".
Maybe I misunderstood you, but to me, that sounds like a person is dissociating themselves from that part of themselves, even giving it a name (or just thinking of it as an "it"). And that isn't healthy.
There is no "separate aspect." or "something that conflicts with yourself.". It's all you. If you have negative thoughts, or enjoy something that normal society says you shouldn't. It's still all just you.
So thinking in terms of the fic. When Cain (back on Earth) thought "it was Strife", it was all just him. He created an imaginary identity, named it Strife, and attribute to it all his negative thoughts, thinking it was Strife that did that, not him. To me it all just sounds he is making an excuse for his actions and thoughts.
Yea it's not a separate personality, just an aspect. But thinking of an "aspect" as a separate thing from yourself is still a disassociation.
Let me just veer a bit off topic to help illustrate this a bit more.
Hypnosis isn't actually real. People can't be hypnotized against their will, they are only hypnotized if they want to be hypnotized, or rather they are thinking that they are hypnotized (when they actually aren't). So a good hypnotist is a good magician, able to convince his subject (and the audience). So if someone does something under "hypnosis", they did that because they wanted to.
So back to Cain, he only has an "aspect that conflicts with part of himself." because he thinks he does. But in actually it's all just him.
So yea, I am not sure if I was more clear, but basically "People have negative thoughts, or enjoyments, it's normal." And don't think that something is an "aspect that conflicts." But just think everything about you (the negative and the positive) are all just gradients of you as a whole person.
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For a start, despite the fact that I often look at the world in shades of grey, I look at myself oft times I absolutes. That being said, I see myself as a decent person who will do good for any that he is certain he can help, who would never purposely hurt someone unless they hurt me or my family and friends beforehand.
But, there is a part of me that enjoys the thought of doing horrible things to people, of making them suffer for no other reason than because I could, and because their suffering is delicious. Its the part of me that laughs manically when reading things like Silent Ponyville, or giggles with glee when watching or reading any sort of psychological thriller.
I would disagree with those two first things, as we all have separate aspects, most just blend together well. I would also say that one can have those and still have it be all of the self. I fully recognize that 'Strife' is a part of me (Strife even mentions such in the story), even if I don't entirely like it.
Mayhaps its just my Autism doing this, but I never saw it like that. For one, I don't attribute ALL my negative thoughts to Strife. For another, I recognize Strife as an aspect of myself, and that anything 'he' did I would have to face the consequences for. Thus why in real life, I keep that side of me reigned in.
That would be called rational thinking, and we are rarely if ever rational in regards to our own psyche. I fully know and acknowledge that people can have negative thoughts, can even take enjoyment from dark thoughts and such and be normal. But there is a part of me that does not like that whatsoever.
When you say gradients, I see that as simply another word for aspect.
No one ever said I made any sort of sense. I fully aknowledge that I am an irrational person, and take pride in that
If any of this makes sense, it should be more clear why 'Strife' having more free will would bother me. Sure, everyone has Dark thoughts, but what how would you feel if suddenly those Dark thoughts COULD act on their own, with no input from you?
If you find yourself doing something and you can't prevent it. Then yea, that is mind control, body control or something like that. Of course, that is all just in the realm of fiction.
Anyway, I understand now why things are in the story as they are. I can accept them as they are in the story as well (it's a world of fiction, after all).
Nice chapter. I like the inclusion of a darker askect of Cain. What's a good story without a little Strife, after all? Bad pun aside, I think everyone has aspects of themselves that they dislike and hopefully struggle against. Nobody's perfect and stories about self-struggle have always struck me as interesting. I'm looking forward to/dreading Strife's sudden but inevitable takeover attempt.
My two cents in, I liked this story for the comedic aspect, now that you've gotten serious I find myself losing interest. Frankly I think that the whole Cain VS strife thing was cookie cutter. I'm not being a bit pick, there's plenty of stories out there with polar opposites as inner voices. Cain and strife should be a bit similar, since, as a darker voice, it really is just what Cain really wants to do to people but knows he shouldn't.
Regarding the torture of DT, it should have a been a little more problematic for him. Some arguements with himself, maybe him about to say yes but then at the last second say no. There's no one person who is perfectly good or eternally bad, strife should be a minor antagonist yes, but he should also have a good side, with the vice versa for Cain. I have yet to see that…
I'm not saying your story sucks, far from that, your story has a great idea and nice delivety, but nothing is perfect. If it is, it's fake.
4496355
The story was going to end up having a serious bent to it at some point. And I shall make it freely known that at least half or more of the comedy came primarily from Honey Honey Honey.
You've to an extent hit the nail on the head for what Strife is.
I shall be dealing with this in the next chapter when Cain and DT have a little chat with each other before bed time.
Strife's 'good side' shall be explored in due time. He was essentially just introduced in the last two chapters.
Several 'Deux Ex Machinas' were invoked.(ok, maybe a couple)
CMC were let in on something that they shouldn't understand; that they have no business in. In fact, that mind delve should have taken place at a secluded place in Canterlot. Several things could have gone wrong.
...I lost interest.
4499014 you failed to address my main problem with this chapter
4502116
That would probably be because I wasn't exactly sure what you meant there.
4499088
I'm sorry you have lost interest. I hope you enjoyed reading the story until this point at least.
Sadly can't make everyone happy.
4512082 it didn't stand out from the rest of the stories I've read with that kind of scene. I'm saying that, while reading it I thought 'not again' and I knew how it was going to go down too. It's not BAD but it could stand out more.
4512338
And I would again like to point out that, for all intents and purposes, he's just been introduced. Strife will be explored more in upcoming chapters.
4516738 you obviously don't see my point or care enough about it. The character so far has dropped his mischievousness and the hilarity of the story has decreased ten fold. I'm sorry but this story is no longer the story for me. I wish you luck, there's probably hundreds of others who still like it so keep on rolling, your style is good and so is the grammar, I just don't care for the storyline. Don't worry, my upcote will stay.
4519346 This post comes across me as being very hostile to me in tone, not wording. Perhaps its THIS little tidbit that is rubbing me the wrong way and irritating the hell out of me.
That bit actually pissed me off when I saw it. I had to step away for a moment and take a breather. I loathe when people make ass-handed assumptions like that. Be aware that some of the stuff below will likely come off in a dickish are assholish tone.
Please, if I'm not getting what your trying to say, try to explain it. I can grasp what your getting at if you just explain it the right way. Blame my autisim for me having trouble grasping exactly what your point was. Or, perhaps you weren't getting what I meant.
You said the Strife versus Cain thing was cookie cutter. Well, from my perspective, whether its cookie cutter or not, he was just introduced. Your 'main problem' as it was phrased led me to believe that you were simply upset by the "Strife's a one dimensional evil jackass" to which I responded by saying "Strife is going to be expanded upon in future chapters."
I disagree on whether or not they should be similar, especially if they're polar opposites. And unless I somehow didn't make it clear, Strife does represent the part of me that wants to do whatever I feel like, whether its right or wrong.
A thing I would like to note is that Strife is not merely a darker version, he's my darker side granted more free will and self-awareness by Discord.
Wow, only one chapter did that? After what was it...11 fucking chapters? by the gods, that's pretty fucking pathetic. Not going to even give it the time to you know...see what happens in the next update?
No, please, if your going to suddenly change your opinion of a story on one chapter, please by all means, switch it to a downvote. Perhaps it'll be what discourages someone else who might share your viewpoints from reading the story, sparing them the irritation and waste of time.
No excuse me while I go punch my pillow a few times to get the rest of the damned frustration your wonderfully phrased post caused me.
4525740
1. It's not hostile, nearly a statement. I feel if I just said 'I don't want to read this anymore' it would be rude.
2. You are now my favorite writer, since you stood up for your story and are able to make a logical argument that'll actually warrant my attention.
3. When I said cookie cutter like twice and you didn't give me the answer I was expecting, I overreacted.
4. When I said 'ten-fold' I was exaggerating, my apologies.
With that out of the way 'cookie cutter' means indistinguishable from others. The scene which I am talking about is decent enough but it follows the same pattern as all the others I've read. This just means that, while I don't have a problem with the result. The process wasn't all that great.
I WILL leave my up vote as I do think this is a great story, just not for me.
I hope I've come off less dickish this time.
The next chapters should be interesting to read. Also, I may have no artistic skill (trust me, if I tried to draw Discord alone the results would infuriate me to a point where I'd spend a few nights perfecting him and him alone), I can describe things. I really don't know if this would work, but from what I can recall and all that has gone on recently, I think I have at least a decent grasp of what I'd draw as cover art. So, the next paragraph will have a description of what I'd draw.
Discord up in the outer atmospheres, too high for clouds, as a puppeteer, holding the "X" things in both hands, the strings appearing to head down, becoming like thing wires that would only be visible on close inspection, and then vanishing once above a confused-looking Diamond Tiara (Cain), who is standing slightly afar from the library (the library would be a part of the background), and to her (I badly want to say "his") left is Sugarcube Corner.
On a different note, I am loving the story. First meeting his darker self, then having to explain to the CMC, as well as Silver Spoon... Only so many can take something well, backed up by the Elements and the Princess or not. I am looking forward to see what concoction of disaster you have brewed, my friend (I don't know why I worded it that way, but I was bored). Now that my book of a comment is over, I bid you a temporary farewell, either until I have received a response notification or an update notification (I should leave it at notification, and one of the reasons I'm leaving these is for a "note-to-self" type thing).
Could cain's mind merge with DT? That would be cool.
4525889
Actually, a simple "I just don't want to read this anymore" might not have gotten much out of me. It'd have been a blunt, honest statement.
I did? It looks more like a bit of an angry rant to me.
You weren't the only one. It doesn't help that your comment dug into something I still don't like to fully admit-that I'm not as good at writing comedy as HoneyHoneyHoney was (and makes me feel even more like that the story was becoming less mine and more his)
No apologies needed.
I'll be honest and say that I haven't seen too many stories that have that sort of situation, so from my perspective at least it was at least somewhat unique.
I was actually expecting a very angry response, so you definitively didn't come off as dickish.
It didn't help that I was having a bad few days anyways.
4535025
If you can find someone to draw that, it sounds like it'd be a good cover. Trust me, if I knew someone who would be willing to draw one, I would have had a better cover art by now.
Though...I wonder if AH.com has someone in the Pony Thread who could pull it off. Credit would be given to you of course.
4550702
We'll find out eventually.
4554030 well, if you dig through my favorites a little you'll see a lot. My better life is one. I can't name any others since most of them are done and I haven't had time to reread them
So ur name is cain huh ^·^
This business with "Strife" seems hokey, but I'm willing to go along with it. The larger problem is that the appeal of a story like this to me is seeing how the protagonist deals with being in such a precarious situation. They have to pretend to be someone they're not with limited information at their disposal, or try to convince others of who they are without sounding crazy. Either way, things can go wrong very easily and that's what makes it interesting. But now Celestia and the Main Six know Diamond is really Cain and are fully on board with helping him, so that part of the story is over, and I'm not sure what's left will be able to hold my attention.
He seems to be better at being Diamond then the real deal
than*
Is this story still living?
So far so good. Keep up the good work. I am waiting gfor the next chapter.
This was another informative chapter and I must admit I am truly worried that Cain might become nothing if he stays too long in Diamond Tiara's body as her soul and mind star to re-assert themselves. Although I dispise Diamond Tiara she doesn't deserve to be forced to absorb the essence of both cain and Strife that actually might destroy her mind and soul even Diamond Tiara doesn't deserve that fate
I eagerly await the next chapter
Call me weird and freaky, but in this chapter I find myself aligning more with Strife than Cain. He seems more human and less paragon where the opposite is true with Cain. It's weird. It brought me out of the story...and that ruined my mood.
This inner demon, "Strife" character, could left out of this fanfic entirely...
I liked more Cain & DT fighting themselfs in mind. Strife just felt to a reason to pull this fanfic much longer and making it more 'complicated' to solve .
Also giving a picture of Cain having a mental personality problems.
i1.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/602/247/e19.jpeg
I feel as though the Strife character could have been left out of this story entirely.
I just... I'm not certain why he needs to exist. He, so far, is your typical run-of-the-mill darker half that so far only seems to exist to give the protagonist something to overcome. The only logical reason I'd see for his existence so far is to give Celestia a reason to doubt/test Cain.
It could have just as easily been as powerful (or even more powerful) a scene just by having him argue with Diamond Tiara, and having to defend his beliefs against her greedy nature.
Imagine what it would have been like for the protagonist to have to juggle the need to both protect DT from his subconscious emotions, while trying to assert his right to exist against her desire to have her body back immediately. Imagine the drama that could have come from him having to explain why she has to deal with the horror and pain of being a passenger of her own mind?
Diamond Tiara would want to have control back immediately despite the idea that Cain might die if she gets it, because frankly it's not her life to worry about. I'd imagine he would have a tough time reconciling his desire to respect the wishes of this poor little girl with his desire to stay alive. ESPECIALLY if he also has to deal with her bratty side, that uses selfish reasons to mask her fear.
Imagine him having to find the best of both worlds, while dragging DT kicking and screaming all the way.
You have PLENTY of chances to find greater drama and character development there. Plenty of chances for the other characters to question his reasoning, and for him to question himself, in hope of finding even a vague answer to the question: What is a greater evil here? Him dying? Or this child suffering due to his desire to live? Especially considering that it is neither his nor her fault that they are like this?
I feel a tremendous opportunity was wasted here.
That being said, I've read this far. And while that whole last chapter was a bit cliche, I have no reason to stop reading yet. Let's see where this goes!
5439141 I feel exactly the same and frankly I might just drop this story entirely if the Strife stuff gets to cliche... that and the general plot device is so overused that just the introduction of Strife caused my entire view on the story the shift a bit, this chapter did nothing to overcome these things and in fact made them a bit worse.
I waited for so long to read the new chapters for this story... and I get a massive disappointment like Strife. I really shouldn't be suprised since it's just another fic to add to the other 80% of similar ones
5023276
Yeah, I noticed this with Strife as well. Can see a lot of people doing that to continue living... at DT's expense. I actually like the multiple personality thing though, likely thanks to watching a Teen Titans episode oh so long ago with Raven having a couple different personalities roaming free in her head or something like that. If not for that, maybe I'd agree with some that Strife is an unnecessary character.
You know, I sorta liked HoneyHoneyHoney.
...I'm going to miss her muffins and cookies.
4470399
Nice avatar pic, by the way.