Lost and Found

by Gliphid

2 - I Think Therefore I Am

Bustling and full of life. The city of Canterlot, capital of Equestria was business as usual. Though such a thing could not be said about the castle infirmary.

“Are you sure about this?” Princess Celestia asked her sister, her face a mask of concern as she looked at the sleeping minotaur.

His condition had been stabilized, but due to what Discord had to do, it had been decided that he should be kept asleep until a solution to his mental state could be found.

Her sister Princess Luna, on the other hoof, held a face of determination. She looked at her sister, “Discord warned that his alien mind my cause trouble, on top of that, this filter Discord placed on his mind might be a mind lock by a different name. Either way it needs to be checked, and while he sleeps would be the best time”.

Celestia held her look, then sighed, “your right, and this is more your expertise, I will leave you to it” Celestia backed up, and watched on.

After explaining the situation to her sister she almost immediately made her way to the infirmary. The next logical step clear to the Princess of the Night.

Princess Luna looked at her sister, trying to reassuring “don’t worry i will only be in for a moment to get a read of our friends mindset” Luna’s face took a joking tone “there is no reason for you to go all big sister, I’ll be safe”.

Celestia relaxed at the jab, then took a mock offended tone “I said alright already no reason to tease, you know how I worry”.

Luna giggled “I know, I know. Now I will spare you, and get this over with” she said, her horn beginning to light.

Luna cast her signature dream walking spell, entering the mind of the sleeping minotaur.

Confusion.

That was all that existed. Luna almost found herself washed away in it.

Grounding herself she attempted to flow deeper into the beings mind. Quickly finding resistance in the form of Discord’s filter.

If she had a face in this state she would have frowned. This was way too shallow for proper recollection. With a mask this enveloping this being at most will only have emotional memories.

With a thought a false copy of her sprang up, and after a pause drifted through the filter.

Only to be torn to shreds.

To say she was surprised would be to say she was blue.

Deciding she was done here she projected a sense of calm to the being, almost feeling sad at how desperately the sense was taken. As if taking anything to escape the confusion. Satisfied, she returned to the waking world.

“Are you okay?” came the worried tone of Luna’s sister.

Luna looked at her sister “ I am alright, but what I learned is troubling” she proceeded to explain what she found.

“So his mind is almost completely sealed” Celestia respond after the explanation.

Luna nodded “that is correct, he will essentially be a child. He might regain some aspect of himself as he learns concepts that can translate”.

Celestia looked thoughtful “we might need Discord for this. He has a better understanding of this being than we do”

“Oh ho-ho, I didn’t know you held my expertise in such high regard” came a voice from nowhere. Discord appeared before the princesses.

Celestia held a face, like she just ate something sour, but quickly schooled her expression. “More that you could help this being better than us. I highly doubt you could effectively leave someone in such a state. Especially somebeing that most certainly has such different perspectives on the world”

Discord looked like he had a quip for that, then stopped. He looked thoughtful for a moment, then broke into a grin.

The sisters did not like that grin.

He confirmed this with his next words. “I would be glad to help him” his grin grew “if you agree to not keep him a secret from the other lands”.

The sisters almost felt it coming, but still had to fight the wince. Luna spoke up, “We had no intention of keeping him a secret forever, but he is in a hospital the last thing we, or he, needs is diplomats fighting over him before he even knows what numbers are”.

Discord responded by making a salespony outfit appear on him, and began “well princess, with my patented extradimensional education package i can guarantee an appropriate level of understanding of the world by the end of the month or your money back. Order now and get this free novelty mug” Discord punctuated his statement by pulling a mug that says Best Princess, on the side.

Celestia really did not want this situation, but knew denying this being the chance to recover any amount of what he was would be unfair. Reluctantly she took the mug giving it to her sister, and told Discord as much. She finished by saying “could you at least start now. Hopefully we can learn something before we start getting swamped by dignitaries looking for answers”.

Discord saluted “sure thing princess” and vanished now that the situation was out of things to amuse him.

The sisters looked at each other and went their own ways the Princess of the Night going back to bed. The Princess of the Day going to write a press release, as well as send an update to her protege.

The entity found itself in a strange predicament, not that it understood it as such, or anything else for that matter.

Unbeknownst to him, all attempts at thought were being blocked, else his mind would shatter itself.

He did finally have a grapse on concepts relating to time, after a calming shift in his mind gave him a reference to look to.

Suddenly something was before him, his mind reeling as new connections were made. Some new, but a few providing vital links in is blocked mind.

Discord smiled,sensing the connections and glad a recovery was possible. He may be seen as mean to many, but hurting others was never a thing he liked. Hurting their potential most of all.

He my mess with ponies’ heads, but it’s usually temporary.

Seeing the being finally settle, Discord decided to move his education forward.

With a snap of his fingers, and a world came to be. The being taking his now real world form.

If Luna were to see this she would pester the life out of him. Considering the imagery of her dream magic is limited by the mind she is working in, it’s not surprising.

Seeing his charge begin to explore his expanded world he could not help but feel giddy.

The opportunity to teach a mind the world from his perspective was a rare one indeed.

There was work to do.

The next morning a certain purple princess finally awoke.

Shifting, she opened her eyes. Finding herself in her room. Squinting, she tried to remember something she felt was important.

It did not take her long.

Her eyes opened wide “The spell” she cried “Spike, Spike where are you!”.

Spike, who had been awake for a while, came into the room. His friend’s calls filling him with concern.

“Twilight!” spike cried in kind, “ what’s wrong?”

Twilight, hearing spike, quieted, but continued with worry in her voice “My spell, what happened?”

Hearing this Spike calmed “don’t worry Twilight. I know what happened, come down”.

Twilight complied, entering the main room, and listening to Spike’s explanation.

“The princess also sent this letter this morning” Spike wrapped up his explanation. Handing over the noted item.

Twilight took the letter and began reading, the weight of the situation finally settling.

Twilight had made a huge mistake, and if Discord had not stepped in it would of been much worse. Even then the true scope of what happened escaped her.

She shook her head redirecting her thoughts “how are the girls” she asked “they must be worried sick!”

“They were at first” Spike answered, “but Celestia, and Discord, calmed them down”

Twilight gave a sigh of relief over that, but could not get over a certain minotaur in Canterlot.

She wanted to go, but deep down knew that, until he woke up, nothing would be accomplished.

She just had to hope that the future turns out for the best.

Comments

[LordMentat]

An interesting read.

[An everfree rat]

well im happy to see a Minotaur character fic, but not sure where you are going with the 'alien mind, possibly like a child now' concept. Is it going to be about them mothering a large child, adapting 'the other' to become a local, a political issue with an under utilized race?

a complaint i have is how you just skip over potential dialog with dismissive 'so and so explained what happened,' statments. those are good for saving time but used this much its like you are just shoving us along and not letting us watch the story unfold. throw some dialog, its discord, let him snark!

outside that, seems readable and curious to see where it goes.

[Gliphid]

8746122
I agree i rushed this chapter their is no excuse for it, but when i realized it i had already posted it, and i am loathed to go down the re-editing road so it will stand as a lesson for me in the future.

As for the alien mind it is a half and half thing. Half being a product of its inception (it was far more cancerous before). The other half being a interesting way of introducing the concept. which is to explore the idea of Minotaur culture in the My Little Pony universe.

So i believe by bringing a character that is a member of the group, but at the same time is for the most part uncorrupted by his own perspective, helps in this endeavor. even if i come off a little heavy handed at times because i am not good at subtlety.

His origins play more a framing device to bring the characters into the story proper. It will come into play, but in not as involved a way as i might have unintentionally implied with its grandiose introduction.