Memories Of The Flask

by WindigogoGadget

Innocence Lost

I could not fall asleep.

Well, no, that's a lie. I'm not able to sleep at all, even if I could I wouldn't get anything from it. I don't remember being able to dream, most people can say that they know they dream but for me, it's always just been a way to pass the time. I can't do that anymore.

Not like I'll mention it to anyone, it's not their problem.

I was certain Starswirl finally went to bed, and while this would be a perfect time to look at his notes, I could always just find the courage to ask. Instead of that, I just left my flask. It wasn't needed anymore technically, but it was the closest thing to a bed and I really didn't mind using it until we could find an arrangement for me properly later. I never really got the chance to sneak around at home, so I figured it'd be a nice experience.

Slinking around the room I could hear the bubbling of an experiment with vitriol oil hazardously left unattended, see a sparkle of light from a broken prism, and a black fragment that felt familiar. It even looked familiar. Being around it made me feel... Whole.

But of course, I just hurried off to another room, and I had two reasons for this, number one was that I felt like I was being watched. Starswirl was asleep obviously, and I didn't think his students to be the type to drop a surprise around midnight, so I chalked it up to me just being afraid of the dark. The second reason was that as interesting as it was, magic stuff, or anything involving what's part of a fantasy fairytale is REALLY not my element. Not yet anyway.

Growing up I loved science, hated magic, fantasy, bedtime stories, and any of that I didn't care for. I read medical textbooks and almanacs about what hid in the ocean as a kid. I'm rambling obviously but existing like this, in this state, with only strangers and every instinct drilled into me to not trust anyone, you get anxious.

So, I made myself invisible, I hid. I had the option so I took it and calmed down. Odds are a million to one that someone has... Broken in. I saw a single green fiber fall from the ceiling. A few of them actually. I was so weirded out by that feeling that I wasn't able to notice them, they were so thin and fine you could hardly see them unless the moonlight reflected just right off of it, showing a bright trail of emerald slivers on the wood floor coming from somewhere else, to my flask, and then to my right before I turned ethereal.

Finally looking up, I saw a pair of narrowed eyes slit like a cat and the color of sea foam. I moved around the room in silence, making my way back to my flask. I could try to play myself off as a regular experiment, or a security system! Security system! There has to be some magic that acts like that right?
My flowering form phased back into the small space and I tried to get a look at whatever I had seen. It was black, blending in fairly well with the ceiling, only visible because of the slight shimmer its shell would give off, and those eyes. They stared at my flask, and I felt so small under that gaze. The description of the eyes being cat-like was wrong, they were serpentine as if ripped from a lizard. There was a blade mounted to its head, and I was terrified. This thing was smart. It eyed my flask up and down before taking hold of my container in a magic grip, it was examining me. I felt nudges and prodding everywhere without any sort of interaction beyond the green light on that jagged pike. It tried to pull me apart, and I panicked.

"Curious. But as suspected." I heard it say. Two-toned voice. Feminine, I think? It was hard to say, it was like hearing things through a static-y speaker. "You won't fool me." The glass was shaken roughly, then raised as if I was about to be thrown-

I caught my container, too afraid to let them wake up Starswirl with a stunt like that, even though he could deal with this faster and better than I could. Where was my logic tonight?!

"You were the one that awakened the tree. Why?" It asked. I hadn't a clue what it was talking about. How do I play along?

"I don't know what you're talking about. Ma'am." Just act like she's in control, and it won't do anything hasty, right? It worked for other situations I've been in, even if the others weren't giant chitinous creatures.

"Do not lie to me. You are a match for the pattern that this form was given. I will ask again, template, and I want your name."

"My name is Alyosha Ma'am!" My response was short, nervous, and to the point. Then I felt something wrapping around me, pulling at me, tearing at something, clawing at me. I saw that little fragment that I wasn't caring too much about earlier in her in a green magical grip. I could see a hairline crack as it was brought up to my form, and I felt a sharp pain in what could best be described as my heart if I still had organs. "That is not your name. But it is what you go by. Acceptable answer."

I was released from the magical aura, finding myself being able to shift and twist around again. I was just happy to know I still had my mobility, but I had other things to worry about. Number One, that fragment shattering into dust is not something I want to know the consequences of. Two, either I'm worse at talking than I thought or she knows when someone tells the truth. I don't want to go through this again, I don't want to say the wrong things, I'm going to get, they're going to get hurt, what can I say? What can I say-

A minor jab broke me free, their glare just cut straight into me. I missed something important, a question. The pain, I can't keep calm-

"I will repeat myself one final time, What are you?"

Artificial life, technically. But I am alive. I am alive, I was real, I was born, and I was destined to die. And I just couldn't give up, could I? How do I put that into words? "...What- What's your name?" I asked. This is new territory. I can just try, try to learn something, dance around the question for a little, just stall and wake up already you bearded bastard!

The bug tilted its head, not expecting to have a response in the form of a question after proving itself capable of using force to get what it wanted, what was stopping it from just adding more pain and stress until he shattered? Its confused look turned into a bemused expression. "I have no name. I am but three days old." It looked away thoughtfully, and the glow from its horn intensified for a moment. "I was born from touch and a will. You. You carry the blood from that touch within you despite your appearance. So, what are you?" They asked again in that two-toned voice, it was a lot more menacing this time.

I tried at least. "I'm... I am artificial. I'm just an experiment. Just a homunculus. I, I think you've mistaken me for who woke you up. I'm not- I don't leave the tower." I said quietly. I didn't expect it to become annoyed at me, I was expecting pain again.

"...You lie to yourself only" It laughed at me, quietly, but it was still chuckling at me. "You cannot possibly hope to deceive me with just words. Only a pony could believe it to be true." She spoke, giving a bored look. "Though you have a truth, it is not the whole. If you were created, Little Shade, then where is your creator?"

"He is... Not here at the moment. They're busy." Bold move, a really bold move, which could totally screw this up.

"So it might be then. I may return another time. I have no point in rummaging when I've been spotted." The bug huffed and dropped the fragment, letting it fall with a faint chime when it hit the floor. "You. You still have my curiosity, little homunculus."

I suddenly felt very, very afraid of the eyes that were staring at me. I don't want any more questions. I don't want to do this again. "But first." Her face scrunched up, and she snorted at me. "Let's get rid of that fear, it's dangerous." The glass I was still holding on to was pulled from me and put back on the pillow Starswirl used as a rest for it, and I was confused. It just kept getting weirder when I was just suddenly slammed back into it. I- What? What do I do? "You're much less useful when frightened, so let's get to business. I'll... ask some things of you, and no pain will be involved either." The fragment tined faintly when it was flung at the glass, but not strong enough to break it at all.

This is. What? What in the heck? I... What?

"Alyosha. Why were you created?" Too fast! Too fast! Moving too fast here!

"I... Hold on just- just a minute. I... Why are you asking?" Deep breath. It isn't like someone broke into your home and is now acting like you and her or whatever the heck are just best buds. Absolutely insane.

"I ask because I am curious. Being hostile to you did not... give the best of results." There was something that sounded vaguely regretful, but if I was getting this right its just because pain and misery don't give the right answers right away. For a three-day-old , I think that's a good lesson to learn. I think I even remember something about confession over torture or something being an unreliable method. Frequently. "You show bravery in the face of fear, foolish and stupid bravery."

What were they talking about? "But I will ask again. Why were you made, little shade?"

Honesty. I am being coerced to be honest. "I don't know. I haven't asked yet."
"Why were you made?" I said quickly. I think I saw a smirk at that.

"My kind has existed for a long time. We were merely forgotten. You, are an experiment, created by the blood that made me. You're new."

"... That's a lot of things to know on the first chat." How did they figure that out? "

It's just simple logic. You are an artificial life, you follow a template similar to mine despite your appearance. Ergo, we are relatives in some small capacity. Besides, I've read the notes that we've scattered about."

"WE?!" Chrysalis just gave a smug expression and shushed me. Right, Starswirl is sleeping for once. Wait- Why do I care if he's sleeping, I care that he ISN'T awake right now! Damn that smug look, where is he? "Yes. We"

Paper fluttered about everywhere, that friggin bug just threw all those notes everywhere? How am I supposed to organize them later? I don't know what order they were in! "Why would you do this?!" I screamed in a whisper. What was she going to gain from doing all this?

"You like to read don't you? I've seen you try to read these papers, but they're always just out of sight, and you can't get the words right. How would you like to be able to read, hmm? Just look into my eyes for a moment, would you?"

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