Twilight Interlude Two
Twilight Sparkle was worried.
This was not new. Worry had been a constant companion throughout her life, more than even Spike could claim to be. Yet, over the past several years, Twilight had found it easier and easier to temper her anxieties about a situation and had eventually gotten to the point that she was not shaken to the core by every unforeseen event. It had required a lot of time and work and, perhaps most importantly, it had required a strong network of friends.
The friends that had fought beside her against increasingly more powerful opponents including, in no particular order: A god-like incarnation of chaos, an alicorn corrupted by the darkness within her heart, a warlord and his army that had managed to blitzkrieg the whole of Canterlot, and many others. In addition her and her friends had also managed to convince or redeem various creatures from that list.
She had been friends with some of the most caring most trustworthy ponies in the whole history of Equestria. She worried, still, but that worry no longer consumed her. She had, in short, managed to trust the fact that all bad things could be, if not beaten, at least endured to its end.
This was what she had assumed it would be like for Rainbow Dash.
Twilight Sparkle had finished reading through her ‘encyclopedias of mental unwellness’ as Pinkie had called them, hoping that within the small selection of tomes she would find some means of fixing Rainbow’s problem, that those collections of written insights might give her the means to help the friend that had helped her so many times before. Instead, she received an unfortunate declaration, the book simply telling her that there was very little that she could actually do to help Rainbow Dash.
She could not fix Rainbow’s trauma and it was not hers to endure, it had explained, nor was there any promise that it would end. It even went so far as to say that there was little she could do to help her friend at all, aside from remaining her friend and being supportive. Which seemed too little a deed to Twilight. Of course she was going to remain Rainbow’s friend, but surely there was more she could do for her. Surely she could do something beyond merely what she would’ve done anyway.
At the realization that this collection of books did not have any way to truly help Rainbow, Twilight had done the only logical thing. Well, the only logical thing to Twilight anyway. She delayed her meeting with Rainbow and Pinkie, that had only been minutes away, until the same time the day after. With this time freed up, Twilight delved fully into a complete understanding of the pony psyche. She did have an incredibly expansive library at her command after all, if there was ever a time to use it, it was now. Surely, somewhere within that vast collection of literature, there must be something that would tell her how she could help Rainbow.
Unfortunately this broad approach was quickly ended, Psychology as a whole proved to be simply too large a field of study even for her, and to learn it within the period of a single day was impossible. Because of this, Twilight decided to immediately narrow it down to something more manageable, choosing to focus specifically on mental trauma and any possible cures for it, though she did make herself a note to return to the field of study later for something to read in her free time.
As Twilight fished for the answers she wanted to hear, she instead only managed to net frustration. No matter how many books Twilight blazed through she could not find one that fought against what the first one had said. The best, or most actionable rather, role she found she could take in assisting Rainbow with her trauma would be to become a therapist, or at least to become trained in therapy. This was not an idea Twilight considered for long, she knew it wasn’t the field for her. Therapy relied heavily on patience and Twilight tended to… not. Not to mention that even if she did become trained in therapy Twilight knew that it would still likely be far better for Rainbow to go see someone with experience in the field, and not simply someone with book learning who was just starting out.
This of course, was not the absolute end of Twilight’s research. As an alicorn she had access to a vast well of magic that she could command. So she turned her attention to what applications she might find for such a skill, only to find that, once again, she was going to be useless on that front. Some of the books that had been written with unicorns in mind had very strictly worded warning of how dangerous attempting to use magic to fix the problem could be. Space and time, some said, were flexible and could be bent by magic, but a pony’s mind was like glass and could shatter at the slightest magical touch. Unsatisfied with that answer, Twilight delved into the older books that her newer ones had cited as sources, only to find that they told a similar story. These books, however, all cited one book in particular as a source. A book that Twilight didn’t so much as have passing familiarity with, though she knew the author’s work.
The book in question was ‘The Fragility of the Mind’ by Princess Celestia. Twilight, of course, knew that Celestia had written a, not insignificant, number of books in her long lifetime, Twilight herself had read a great deal of them while under her tutelage. Yet she couldn’t recall this one, not even in passing, and made a note to ask her mentor about it when the opportunity presented itself. Unfortunately, it was this final snippet of information that proved to be the unsatisfying end to her study session.
As Twilight abandoned her final book she sighed and stretched, working the tension out of her joints as she stood. She drew her eyes away from the words she had been reading and closed the covers that held them lightly with her magic. Her head was heavy with the weight of all she’d read, the ideas they’d presented still flitting through her mind, most of them saying the same thing in different ways. She felt tired, as she usually did after a particularly exhaustive study session, though having such a vast array of literature result in a dead end certainly carried its own added fatigue.
With her mind heavy with thoughts for the future Twilight turned her head to look out the nearby window, releasing a series of pops from her stiff neck as she did so, and tried to gauge the time of day. The sunlight streamed in lightly from almost directly above the castle and for a very brief moment Twilight believed that not that much time had passed from the start of her study session. After a moment of thought however she realized the horrible truth of it, that being that she’d once again stayed up all night.
Glancing around Twilight noted the scattered plates, still stained from various meals that she had eaten her way through while lost in her usual study-induced haze. She also noticed the slumbering form of the small dragon who had brought them for her. Smiling, Twilight levitated Spike from the haphazard pile of books he had collapsed on and placed him carefully onto the bed that rested near the door to try and avoid waking him. He did not sleep in the library very often, but it was often enough that Twilight had bought a second bed for him to use. Though, unfortunately, he looked to have been too tired to have found it the previous night.
As her gaze drifted from Spike and back to the large piles of books that lay scattered around the floor, so too did her mind drift from her number one assistant to a close friend. Twilight sighed, an exhale that carried the weight of everything that rested on her heart, a sigh of defeat. In resignation, Twilight set to work. Beginning to clean the mess that she’d caused or that, more accurately, had formed around her as messes so often did. As she set to work on what had become a simple, lengthy task her mind began work all its own.
Rainbow Dash would be here soon, Pinkie in tow, and Twilight was no closer to an answer. What she’d hoped would be a happy meeting now seemed to be a gathering storm. As she shelved the books, she practiced the unfortunate message she would have to deliver. On a better day she might’ve been able to simply mass reshelf all of these books at once, but she was running on a second day without sleep, not to mention the weight of the topic at hand, so the work went slowly. Which was fine enough for her purposes. She’d wanted to tell Rainbow the truth, it was just that now she knew the truth was not a happy announcement. So, she believed, it needed to be couched in optimism and delivered carefully.
“Greetings Rainbow Dash,” Twilight began before shaking her head, slightly annoyed at how formal it sounded even when she was just talking to the empty air as she replaced the books.
“Hi Rainbow,” Twilight tried again. “I just got done reading my books and it looks like I can’t do anything.” No, that wouldn’t work, it seemed too pessimistic. Too hopeless.
“Hey Rainbow. It turns out that it's a lot more complicated than I thought it would be, if you just give me another delay-” Another delay? That wasn’t right. Another day is what she’d meant to say, not that there was too big a difference between the two. It didn’t seem any more likely that Twilight would find some new answer to the problem in the span of a day, she hadn’t had any luck so far after all. There was Celestia’s book but it was cited by the books she’d already read and so it seemed more likely to support what she’d already read than to oppose it. Not to mention that the title didn’t seem to encourage a cure for Rainbow’s trauma. ‘The Fragility of the Mind’ indeed.
So Twilight tried once more to come up with an appropriate starting statement. And she failed, again. And again. And again. With each new attempt hoping that this one might be better, that through this trial and error she might find some vague approach that sounded right. Yet, each time she realized she couldn’t even decide on a greeting to start with. Words and phrases were picked up, put together, and then dismantled as Twilight ran her way through all manner of words, trying to find something, anything, that sounded right from her lexicon of words.
The sun had passed its zenith and slid partway down the sky unnoticed as Twilight tried to think of what to say. Until, at last, she reached the end of her chore. With her last unsorted book held aloft in her magic, Twilight sighed. She slid the book into its place on the shelf and abandoned all her couching of bad news, all her sweet words and kind build-ups and said, simply, “Sorry, Rainbow.”
“It’s okay.”
Twilight spun to view the speaker and saw Rainbow, sheepish almost, with Pinkie standing a few steps behind. “How long have you been there?” Twilight breathed, trying to remember if she’d heard someone come in or some other disturbance that should’ve clued her in to her company, but failed to remember any.
“For about fifteen ‘Hi Rainbows’” Said Pinkie with a half-hearted grin.
Twilight turned a questioning gaze to Rainbow Dash, who shrugged noncommittally with a guilty look on her face. Twilight shook her head and stared at the floor for a few moments before she spoke. “So how much did you hear?”
“Umm, well that you didn’t actually find a way to cure Rainbow flat out.” Offered Pinkie Pie, sitting on her hindquarters to think.
“Yea, we were there for a couple of those. Uh, we learned that I should probably get a therapist?” Rainbow said, looking to Pinkie who nodded in confirmation.
“That you read a lot of books that didn’t really help much at all.” Twilight nodded once in response to Pinkie's statement, eyes still gazing emptily at the soft purple floor.
“That you were sorry.” Twilight raised her gaze to Rainbow who was trying to look nonchalant and failing. “Not that you did anything wrong, though, so you shouldn’t be sorry.” Rainbow’s eyes went wide as she continued to speak. “Not that I- I mean- I know that’s what you said to me about... me... but I wasn’t trying to- you know, like, get back at you or anything. I just, uh, accidentally-.” As Twilight offered a small smile Rainbow took the cue to clam up.
Then, after a short stretch of sudden silence for all parties to gather their thoughts, Twilight and Rainbow Dash spoke in unison.
"Are you going to be okay?"
This was followed again by a pause and that pause was followed by a short game of charades where both mares tried to indicate that the other one should speak first. PInkie, an expert on charades, officiated the game and decided that Twilight was the winner, though she decided not the bring this up at the time.
“Yea. I think I’ll be okay.” Rainbow said at last.
“Me too.” Twilight offered.
“Do you think you can find me a, uh, therapist in Ponyville? Just, I don’t want anyone to think that I- you know- NEED a therapist. I just-”
Twilight had been nodding along to this explanation when the door to the library was opened so violently that Spike went from deep sleep to wide awake in the span of a few sparse seconds. Applejack burst into the room, already starting into her announcement before the other ponies had a chance to react beyond their initial flinching at the noise. “Twilight!” About to continue, Applejack paused, taking the span of a split second to process the presence of her other friends, then she continued. “Girls! You need to get on down to the center a' town, there’s some sorta hootenanny goin’ on! I don’t have all the details, but Rarity sent me to getcha, said it was important.”
Twilight’s mind stalled as it tried to shift gears from ‘Deep emotional conversation about mental health’ mode to ‘Catastrophe!’ mode. By the time she got her wits back Rainbow had already bolted to a nearby window and thrown it open. “Come on Twilight!” Rainbow shouted. “Let’s get a move on!”
Twilight was about to follow, her wings flaring wide, when she realized there was a faster way to travel. Instead of bolting into the air she instead began to gather her magic, focusing tightly on her surrounding friends, and simply teleported there.
In the breath of emptiness, a dragon stirred. “Well then.” Said Spike, disappointed at his exclusion from the trip. “Guess I’ll just-” Then, before he could finish the thought, was whisked away by Twilight's magic as she realized that she’d left him behind.
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As a wise old wizard once said,
There's never an easy way out.
cue
9091262
One day I'll internalize that it's cue.
One day.
Don't really have a lot to say about the chapter I guess. I do however think it's odd that you have this rainbow subplot and the plot about the human going on at the same time. They don't really seem to be connected in any way other than superficially. Are they all going to come together somehow?
9091270
You can take a cue to join a queue, but a queue probably won't lead to a cue.
9091736
Vaguely I guess?
This was me wrapping up the main part of the Rainbow subplot. It'll still exist but more in the background going forward. It's start is tied into the main plot as well as tying into this kind of 'true' subplot (or 'theme' would be a better way of phrasing it I guess) about mental illness that I've been trying to talk about without being super in-your-face.
It could probably have been done better but you never get better if you don't practice.
9091777
Personally I didn't have a problem with it. It makes a lot of sense really. Someone with Dashes personality type doesn't handle failure well. That personality type is very hard on themselves and can be hyper critical. The inability to save a life because of what she perceives as a failure on her part, would hit her very hard.
Personally I liked the subplot in this. I don't see a problem with it. As for everything having to be tied up at the close of a novel. Its not necessary. While it would be nice in a perfect textbook example of a novel. A good story should follow real life. In real life, some things don't get explained to you. In real life, subplots don't get finished. My wife has been asking me to finish painting the kitchen cabinets for the last two years, That subplot has kind of taken a hiatus in my personal story. Personally Im waiting for a new OC to show up and finish it, but that hasn't happened yet.
To the Author, This is a fun read and Im looking forward to more
The Monk
9091777
So I am wondering, are you writing these interludes in a pattern, (ex. 3 ghost boy, 1 twilight.) or just like, hmm, I feel like I'm done writing about Specter Mcgee over here. Twilight it is your turn.
On a separate note, I enjoy your story so much I reread it every time you release another chapter.
Huff, Spike’s left out... Again.
Aaaaand another cliffhanger. Aagh!..
So I may be a little obtuse here, but what exactly makes this a comedy? I started reading because I guess I was brought in by the short description... I guess I was expecting some black humor here, what with the CORPSE being the main focus of the title... but so far after binge reading it, it seems to be mostly a sad story about a ghost in Equestria.
Have I missed the comedy part? Is the comedy still coming up?
9092853
Originally it didn’t have the comedy tag, but after the release of Chapter Two I got a few comments saying it should be added. So I did.
I tend towards dry humor, instead of dark. Stuff like “Twilight had done the only logical thing, well the only logical thing to Twilight anyway.”
9092875
Hmm, that would make sense then, it certainly did not come off as humor being one of the prime components of the story. I will still be reading it, as it is somewhat interesting, though I think the comedy tag may frame some people's mindsets in a similar way to mine.
I'd say you were right in your initial decision to not have the comedy tag, but that is ultimately up to you, lol.
Will be interested to see where this goes.
9092296
I’m trying to keep it in a 3 and 1 pattern, but I can see that pattern breaking as the story continues on.
And thank you! I always enjoy hearing that people are enjoying the story.
9092431
Hype is real
MY GOD I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE CHAPTER!!! *fangirl scream *
9092296
lmfao "Specter McGee"
9134931 I'm glad that I was able to make you laugh. Thank you for telling me. :)
9135135
or maybe Jack can be resurrected? Oof
We are waiting... patiently.
Yes... patiently.
We want to know what happens... Please show us?
im happy for spike
That part with Twilight failing to find a "cure" for Rainbow was very well made. I like it.