Fracturing Reality

by FaelaArts

Chapter 7

The travel was long, tiring, and very boring even for Twilight. Give her a study assignment and she would work tirelessly for hours, maybe even days. However, even she had to thank Rosé for filling the voice with useless facts and stories of her childhood and myths of old.

“I mean literally! It was this HUGE monkey with one eye and no tail, and it stopped the ponies from escaping. However one pony managed to coax the eyeball to talk with him and the Giant asked for his name and he replied ‘nopony.’ So yeah after they’re escaping, the Giant is blinded somehow and his other gianty friends ask what’s wrong and all he can reply is ‘nopony blinded me and is escaping’ so the adventure ponies manage to escape, however they’re not home yet so-“Twilight had to admit, if not for her stories the trip would have been very boring. Stuttershy even put in the occasional question.

“Um, d-do they make it home ok?” Rosé nodded enthusiastically, and Stuttershy was relieved. As they rounded a bend, they all paused and blinked in surprise to see their goal not a few dozen steps in front of them.

“Welcome, to Earth” Rosé spoke, introducing the city with a flourish of her arm. Twilight gazed upon the simple homes and felt some stirring of emotions swell into her mind. It was almost like she had been here before, and she had missed this place greatly.

“Hey Twilight, you do know where to go right?” Twilight turned and threw a shake in the direction of Rosé, no she didn’t know. Smarty Pants was the one with the directions, she was the one with the questions. Rosé mused for a few moments, and then nodded once to herself.

“Well, I know a good mare that can give you a roof and may know where ya need ta go for a good howdy slamming time” her voice took on a very obvious attempt at a country accent that Twilight had to face-hoof at how obvious the pony’s background was going to be. Stuttershy seemed to be gazing around the wooden buildings, and shrinking from any ponies passing. Twilight knew she wasn’t going to be heading off anywhere soon, she was in an unknown place and it would be bad of her to assume that even if she had wanted it.

“Here we are~” Rosé sung as she lightly trotted to a house painted differently to the others. Whole they were all wooden colours, due to them not being painted at all, this one had an old red colour that was flaking off in places but still held an unnatural brightness in this world. Knocking rapidly, and loudly, Rosé began calling through the hoof-made door.

“HEEY, are you in there? Come on out I got someone I want you to meet” Rosé swung forward and fell face down as the door opened inward. With an oof, she stood up and began introducing the pony in front of her.

“Twilight, Stuttershy, Smartie Pants, meet Dapplejack. Dapplejack meet Twilight Sparkle, Smartie Pants, and Stuttershy.” Pointing to each of them in turn, Twilight was surprised she had introduced the still unconscious Smarty, but discarded it in favour of looking over the familiar, and expected form of Dapplejack. Finally able to take her in fully, she was mildly surprised to see a horn protruding out of the head along with the green hair that, coupled with her dull red body that was splattered with brown, she couldn’t help but think Dapplejack looked slightly like an apple in appearance, which was strange because she was a pony.

“Well, Howdy Twilight, Stuttershy, and Smartie Pants” spoke the mare, dipping her head in greeting. The three returned the nod, Smartie Pants too unconscious to nod herself.

“Think you could help Twilight out? She doesn’t know her way around and her guide of where she needs ta go is currently off the face of the planet.” Rosé giggled as she nudged Smartie and got no response. Twilight could see she was planning devious pranks to play on the pony, and a small smile crept onto her face and she had to laugh slightly too.

“Welp, Ah dun know if I can help you find wha cha be looking for, but any friend of Rosé is ah friend of mine.” Twilight smile warmly, glad to find another friendly pony in this place she could rely on for help. So far all ponies she had met had been helpful to some extent. As they were led inside the sparsely decorated home, Twilight was led to a small room where she could lay Smartie down. After joining the other three downstairs at a table, she was treated to a light brunch and some water to drink.

“So Twilight, what can ah help you with?” Twilight nearly choked her drink up as she realised she would have to try and explain her situation. The other two turned their gazes on her curiously, and she knew she would have to ‘fess up’ in a way.

“Well…You know the flower Hearts Desire right?” Twilight decided to start simple, and as they all gave a nod she began telling them what Smartie had told her.

“Now, I don’t know if any of this is true yet, but from what the pony who is currently unconscious told me, I ate an entire flower and got put into some kind of coma. Apparently it removed most of my old memories and planted a false world into my head. She also told me most of my questions could be answered here about my false life, so that is why we travelled here but now she’s unconscious and I have no way of knowing where I will get my answers.” Twilight’s voice grew more and more flustered as she explained her predicament, her eyes on her water and not seeing the looks the three ponies shared.

“Twilight” the serious tone as Rosé spoke was enough for Twilight to turn her gaze toward her and realise that something was up. They glanced between themselves, and Twilight began to frown.

“Did you by any chance, in that false world, happen to be a different species?” Twilight blinked in shock, and gave a taunt nod. How did they know, she began to grow hopeful.

“Um, did you also dream of…meeting us before it actually happened?” Twilight’s mouth flew open in shock, and she managed a nod.

“Yes b-but how did you-“she was cut off and they looked once again at each other and Rosé finished speaking.

“Y-You see Twilight, I don’t know how long back it was, only that it was a few years ago we woke up. Anyways, whenever it was, five ponies decided to purposely overdose on Hearts Desire. We’re still not sure why exactly, but when we woke up well…” She trailed off, but Twilight got the message.

“You experienced the same thing I did” she spoke, amazement clear in her voice. A few years, her hope grew as these three continued speaking.

“We…We may know where tha answers you seek are. But ah am afraid you may not like tha truth darling.” Twilight frowned as Dapplejack spoke, and then discarded it. What truth would make the honest one warn against knowing the truth?

“Thanks for the warning Dapplejack, but I must know.” They all gave a smile that suggested they knew she would say that. And she wasn’t surprised if they knew where she was coming from, possibly who.

“Alright darling, but ah aint warning you again. You may not like what ya hear.”