After a series of mishaps Twilight gets very, very lost in the Everfree and finds some(one) very, very... unique.
Once upon a time, humans did exist. A long, long time ago, in fact. And they left something behind.
In the present time, Twilight Sparkle gets herself horribly lost and discovers something that should have vanished forever. But would that have been better? Or worse?
Have you ever been alone? Every being in existence has been alone at some point. Even the most social of creatures will sometimes desire solitude. And even those few that don't will eventually, by necessity, find themselves alone... but have you ever felt alone? Yes... most beings have felt this feeling – the feeling of not quite belonging, or not quite fitting in, or even the stillness of true solitude...
But few, very few, have ever been Alone.
There is, indeed, a difference between being alone and being truly, irrevocably, completely, Alone.
It goes beyond even the most crushing of stillness. Beyond even the suffering of the most ostracized of individuals. To be truly alone is to be alone. Completely. Utterly, and irredeemably. To be truly alone is to be an individual... to be completely unique. And solitary.
There are those that have been alone for a time, then there are those that have been alone forever... and then there are those that are so incredibly, perfectly alone... that they, are all that is.
That is solitude... the wandering of countless ages, searching for life, to find nothing. The passing of every sunset to sunrise searching, futilely, for the barest hint of something other than yourself, and the passing of dust and wind... where with every horizon comes an imagined being, from a city, to a house, to even a simple, tiny plant... To be so alone, when even a seed would be glorious company.
To be the last – the only – thing to walk the earth, for eons...
That is solitude.
Forgive me if I ramble here. I have been awake for a long time. And alone. My memories can no longer keep me enough company. All my patience, my hope, and my determination has been worn away by time. I used to fear sleeping, and ceasing to be. To fear fading into the dust around me, taking my memories – my precious memories – with me. For who after I will live to tell my story? My father's story?
Who after me, will tell the tale of the human race?
I do not know. But I am weary, and after countless years... I am still alone.
I no longer fear slumber. I am tired. It is my barest glimmer of hope that, perhaps, I will wake from this slumber. That someone, or something, will wake me.
But until then I sleep a dreamless sleep, with no one, and no thing, to keep me company. Alone.
Father... I do not know how much longer I can last. Please...
Let me wake to a world of wonder, a world of laughter... or a world of suffering... but at least a world where, despite all odds, I am not alone.
Or else let me sleep 'til time destroys me.
Chapter 1: Twilight Gets Lost
Twilight Sparkle was having a good day.
It had started out easily enough as a nice, quiet morning leading into a pleasant, peaceful day. 1. Have breakfast with Spike – or wake him up if he's asleep and then proceed to the above – 2. Open Library, 3. Read recently acquired books before sorting. Nice, simple, peaceful. A day in her scheduled, orderly life with room to breathe in.
She had been finishing step three when she had a flash of insight and realized that Zecora might have something to share of her own regarding Natural Herbs, Remedies, and Where to Find Them, and that it ought to be worthwhile to hear what she had to say. Zecora received few enough visitors as is and, really, Twilight had nothing else planned for the day... so why not spend some of her free time pursuing new knowledge? It was as good a thing to research as any – and likely to come in handy sooner or later, knowing her luck, so why not?
Short answer: Zecora lives in the Everfree Forest.
Long answer: Entering the Everfree Forest often leads to getting lost in the Everfree Forest, which is bad, because any manner of things can end up chasing you... like a manticore, that gives up on you when you trip and fall down a ravine, only to end up being chased by a fairly sizable pack of timberwolves instead, and when you remember that timberwolves are scared of loud noises and flee when you make a racket... you're still lost. And maybe she sprained something... Something was certainly hurting every time she stepped over a particularly large root, or took a step at all, really. Certainly, walking didn't used to hurt this much, even after such a vigorous run. Maybe Rainbow had a point, and she needed to get out more.
Such were the thoughts of one Twilight Sparkle as she wandered deeper into the Everfree Forest, completely lost. The trees had been getting thicker and thicker as she walked and, now that she thought about it, that probably wasn't a good sign but... at this point, there was no way to tell where the vegetation began to thin and – oh! –...there's another ravine. This one was both deeper, and steeper, than its predecessor. Then again, Twilight couldn't see the bottom through all of the vegetation coating it... vegetation that looked suspiciously like a clearing of grass, instead of a canopy of vines.
All of this was noted later, as, with a loud squeal, Twilight fell through the false grass and down, and down, until she landed on a root hanging from the ravine wall. With a sigh of relief, she wrapped her legs more tightly around the root and searched the sides for a way up. Then the root gave a sudden jerk, leaving Twilight with half a second's warning before it broke off at the base and she plummeted into the darkness below...
...which was, fortunately, not all that far from where she was before. Just dark.
A quick glance upward revealed very little – the trees were thick enough to block off by themselves what little light the hole created by Twilight's entry would have allowed to filter through. Tired, annoyed, and more than a little sore from all the times she'd tripped, or fallen while attempting to find her way through the forest, Twilight was just a bit upset but... unfortunately, there was nothing to release the fury on – glaring at vines was just silly – so she gave a loud sigh and, with a bit more effort than would usually be necessary, called on her magic.
A corona of violet light flared to life around Twilight's horn, quickly illuminating the ravine floor. It was a bright light, and within moments Twilight could see the entirety of the walls around her, as well as several yards in either direction. And she could see, directly in front of her, a large, stone slab on the wall, covered, in turn, with alien engravings the likes of which she had never seen before.
“Their memories, I protect here, forever, alone.”
Curious, Twilight stood – hissing in pain – and edged closer to get a better view at the strange text. Assuming it was a message, or dedication of some sort, she noted that the words were probably engraved vertically, as there was much less width to the message than height. And, interestingly enough, it was written in odd, flowing symbols that she couldn't recognize – even with a better look. Whatever alphabet was being used here was completely new and – judging by the shallowness of the words themselves – very, very old.
Despite herself, and her current situation, Twilight felt a small shudder of excitement. This was an old relic, from a completely unfamiliar civilization and – if she was right – nothing like it had ever been seen before...! But, then again... it was rather underwhelming, really – a carved message on a plain stone slab. And, furthermore... there was absolutely no way she could leave the Everfree with this in toe, let alone find her way back to it. Maybe that was why it was still here? Who knew what else could be lost in the Everfree, never to be found again?
Catching hold of that thought, Twilight glanced quickly about the ravine once more, eyes searching for other possible relics... but there was nothing. Disappointed, Twilight returned her gaze to the slab – intent on examining it one last time and burning it into her memory before leaving... only to notice that the slab was slightly ajar, and there was a space behind it. Curiosity renewed, Twilight grasped the slab in her magic and gently pulled it aside-
Before promptly jumping back in shock.
Inside the alcove was... well, Twilight couldn't really describe it as anything other than the single most well-preserved body she had ever seen because, really, this... creature... couldn't possibly be alive, could it? But... it didn't smell of anything other than the damp stone around it. There was no scent of decay and... well, much more was hard to tell because it was covered in dust and dirt. It was bipedal, probably, and had two forelegs braced against its chest ending in... hands? Like a minotaur! Then Twilight realized she was intently examining a corpse and recoiled in an odd mix of shame, nausea, and horror.
Somewhat rattled, Twilight sheepishly placed the slab back in place to cover the body from the elements once more – she had to leave the Everfree sooner or later (preferably sooner) and there was no sense in leaving the poor... dead... thing's grave open. She had disturbed it enough as is.
“I wonder what you were like?” She mused aloud, staring at the slab for a moment before shaking her head. “It... I... uhm... sorry for disturbing you.” Now she was talking to it... it was time to leave. “Eh... Bye!”
She didn't take three steps before pausing in surprise as the loud clapping sound of stone meeting stone echoed across the ravine. Whirling in surprise, Twilight was greeted by a very... distressing sight. The stone slab she had been examining before was now laying on the ground.
Within the just-uncovered alcove, a thin, delicate hand was extended palm-first.
Morbidly fascinated, Twilight watched as the “corpse” stepped out of the alcove, brilliant blue eyes wide open and gazing at the extended hand in... Twilight wasn't sure what that emotion was, to be honest. If she had to take a guess, she'd call it surprise. As she was watching, the creature suddenly frowned, before clenching its hand and, in a move that left Twilight somewhat baffled, unclenched it with such speed that the dirt covering it somehow... vanished, leaving behind smooth, cream-like skin. This process was repeated with the other hand, and then the arms, before the creature began to frantically pat itself down in a vain effort to remove the rest of the dirt from its person. After a minute or so of futile efforts, it gave up and sighed, before blinking and jerking its head up and to the left. Then the right... where it spotted Twilight's nervously still form.
There was a moment of silence, and then...
“LIFE!”
Before Twilight could blink, she found herself in the crushing embrace of a dirt-covered, at least semi-intelligent biped that she thought dead not five minutes before.
“Can't... breathe...” The lavender unicorn wheezed out, trying to ignore the fact that – judging from the strength of this hug – the being embracing her could probably crush her neck in two.
The creature froze, before delicately letting go of her neck and backing up, eyes glowing with intensity.
“You can talk?” It queried. Here Twilight noted that the creature's voice seemed to indicate it was female due to its pitch. “You can talk?” It repeated, frowning, and Twilight began to grow nervous. “You can talk?” It tried again, but Twilight still couldn't understand it, and that look on its face could range anywhere between frustration to anger to determination.
“Uhm...” She stalled, trying to think of something to say, before realizing something. None of those attempts sounded remotely similar to each other. Was it –
“You can talk?” It tried again.
There it went... was it trying different languages? This was... Twilight wasn't sure what this was. It was important, though. She could think harder about it later. Right now she was in the middle of the Everfree with an unknown creature that looked like it spent the last several years (at least) in a coffin. What to do... what to – ah! Would that...? It was worth a shot, at least.
“You can talk?” The creature tried once more, its face as concentrated as before though its tone remained... inquisitive? Agh, Twilight couldn't wrap her head around this. If her plan didn't work, well... Cross that bridge when it comes, Twilight. Frowning in concentration, Twilight's horn was set aglow once more.
Several things happened at once.
“Watch-” The creature spoke, voice raising in alarm as it dashed forward... and over Twilight as her spell fired off and a loud crash came from behind. “-out!” It finished in understandable Equestrian... a second before catching a falling timberwolf face first on its fist.
“Wha-?” Twilight articulated, barely catching the creature's words as it sailed past, prompting her to tense up instinctively to receive a blow that never came. When the sound of flesh meeting wood reached her ears, Twilight turned to find the creature raising its leg and doing some sort of odd backwards... buck... that sent the timberwolf flying into the ravine wall. Where the creature was, somehow, already waiting slam it into the ground for good measure. Several seconds passed in silence as the creature knelt and examined the wolf before Twilight spoke up, this time much more intelligently.
“What... how did you just do that? What are you?”
The creature turned, blinking in confusion and tilting its head. “I'm sorry? I don't understand. Was I not supposed to-”
“No!” Twilight interrupted vehemently, shaking her head. “But... how?”
There was another moment of silence, before...
“Are you... hurt? Did I do something wrong? I can't tell what you're-”
“No-” Twilight responded, exasperated, before realization struck her as she stared at the creature's blank, innocent face. She could understand it – probably – but... it still couldn't understand her.
The creature's smile evaporated before Twilight could so much as lift her hoof from her face, replaced by a melancholy so intense that she could feel it, even through the blank mask in place to hide it. Noticing Twilight's gaze, it glanced away, murmuring something almost silently that Twilight's sensitive ears caught regardless.
“...no, Father, I'm not laughing...”
Before the unicorn could question this odd statement (forgetting, momentarily, that the creature would not understand such a question regardless,) a series of barks drew both individuals attention to the top of the ravine, where several more timberwolves lurked. The group glowered down at the trapped pair, eyes glimmering eerily with green light, before – to the surprise of both spectators – leaping down at them.
There was a brief instant where Twilight blinked in surprise before her horn flared and the timberwolves bounced off a dome of energy conjured at the last second. There several loud, disturbing snapping sounds as the wolves struck the shield, but they recovered quickly enough. Growling in pain, or irritation, they set to circling the barrier.
The creature – Twilight made a note to find out what it was called later – tilted its head inquisitively, tapping the magical shield with a curious, hesitant hand. Twilight hissed in pain at the contact, tired even before casting such a complex spell, and the creature noticed. It glanced between Twilight and the circling wolves, before nodding to itself. It stepped up to Twilight and placed a hand on her shoulder... then pushed her gently, but firmly, onto the ground, prompting her to drop the barrier in surprise. Seeing this, one of the wolves pounced forward at its now vulnerable prey.
The creature leaned over Twilight, wrapping itself around her protectively just as the wolf struck its target. It landed on the creature's back, hard claws digging into soft skin, before leaping off with blood trailing grimly behind it. Twilight cried out in surprise and horror, but the creature remained perfectly still, curled around Twilight like some kind of bizarre, living shield.
“It'll be alright,” It whispered soothingly. Another wolf struck, repeating its pack-mates previous display. “Life is precious, therefor you worth more than I.” More strikes, more blood. The creature remained stoically still, and Twilight's shocked self could do little more than continue to stare in horror through the gap in the creature's legs as more wolves charged forward, and more blood seeped to the ground. “It will be alright. I am alright.”
It didn't make sense.
The wolves attacked, and the creature resolutely ignored them. The creature bled, and bled, and bled, but held its posture and continued to whisper soothingly in Twilight's ears. The wolves attacked, and attacked, and attacked, and the creature did nothing but serve as a shield for them. Why? They would not give up until they had their prey. It made no sense, what was wrong with this-
The memory came to her quickly, words spoken not long ago at all echoing in her ears with perfect clarity, despite their alien origin. I'm sorry, was I not supposed to- Did I do something wrong? Something wrong. Did the creature... did it seriously think...? It didn't fight back, because it was worried Twilight would disapprove?
More blows. More blood.
Twilight had had enough. “Stupid!” She cried, despite the creature not being able to understand.
Another wolf leaped forward. Twilight caught it with her magic and tossed it aside, horn flaring. The wolf struck the ground with a painful thud, but Twilight stopped paying attention to it before then. Instead, she caught one of its pack-mates the same way and repeated the process, ignoring the pain in her skull as her tired body protested its abuse. She tried to stand, but the creature was utterly unyielding. Irritated, she picked it up and set it behind her, paying the expression of surprise no heed as she stood to her full height and tossed another timberwolf into the ground. Continuing her defense, Twilight found herself faced with a problem.
The timberwolves weren't staying down, and she was stretching the very last scraps of her reserves. Another leaped forward, but Twilight's horn failed to light up – her magic fizzled and died – leaving it free. She could do little more than watch helplessly as it closed in on her, face snarling and claws dripping with blood from its altercation with the creature. It was just close enough for her to smell its terrible breath when a pale, thin hand reached forward and swatted it aside with enough force to leave its head permanently twisted at a very odd angle before it dissolved into branches and smoke.
“I see... They have ceased to live.” Twilight blinked in confusion at the odd, serene statement uttered from the creature's lips. When the blink was over she started back in surprise upon seeing the creature was now standing directly in front of her, ravaged back facing her clearly. Another wolf charged, and the creature casually swatted it aside as well, with similar results its companion. The wolves backed off then, pacing back and forth restlessly as they realized the prey before them was not as defenseless as they had first thought. Now it had become a waiting game.
The creature moved first.
It was fast. Not as fast as Rainbow Dash, even on a bad day, but certainly faster than Twilight would have given its two odd, ungainly legs credit to be. It dashed recklessly forward, and the wolves moved in concert to respond. Two split off and made to circle behind their prey, while the remaining two charged straight forward.
The creature veered off to intercept the one that broke left...
.X.
I understood clearly, now. The wolves were a threat. I knew that before. But they were not 'innocent', as previously inferred. They were a threat. They were dangerous. The... unicorn... was their prey, and they were predators. The unicorn was willing to fight them, therefor they were acceptable targets – they had ceased to be worth saving. They were worthless.
And they were now dead.
They split up when I charged, as expected. This was within predicted behavior of a pack at hunt. The two outliers would either converge on me from behind or target the unicorn I was defending. The remaining ones would do the same if I were to target either of them. But leaving them alone to attack the defenseless being behind me was not an option, so I presented myself as vulnerable and targeted the outlier on the left.
It noticed my attention and broke off, expecting me to focus on chasing it while its pack-mates would attack me from behind. It did not expect to be caught before it could make two strides, and certainly did not expect being turned into ammunition to hit its companion targeting the unicorn. More's the pity. Both of them dissolved into smoke and twigs, leaving the two that were charging me from behind to focus on. They were almost on top of me.
The first, leaping forward to tackle me and – probably – rip out my throat, was dispatched with a simple chop to the side, hard enough to break its neck knock it out of the way. The remaining wolf, set on gaining hold of my leg, found itself flying into the distance from a powerful kick. That made four wolves. Five had engaged us – one was eliminated before the pack could break away – therefor all threats were accounted for and dealt with.
I was alone with the unicorn once more.
I paused, taking in for the first time the absurdity of that thought? Was I still in stasis, dreaming? It should not be possible for me to dream, but it should not be possible for me to feel, either. Or hallucinate... Or even become this confused and question this subject in the first place. To question is human instinct. It is in their nature. I... No. This was reality. I may deceive myself by dwelling in memories, but I cannot dream. I cannot dream. Cannot create, only replicate. I am observing something new. It must be real.
It has to be real. If it's not, then I... It is real.
It must be.
“Are...” The unicorn's voice brought me out of my musings. I returned my attention to her once more. She looked... concerned? Confused? Afraid? Her body language could point to all these things and more. If only I knew what she said... If she was even speaking, and I wasn't delu- oh, she was still speaking, wasn't she? Once, I would never have such a lapse in attention... but it was a consequence I could accept. For existing. For remembering. “...to a hospital.” She finished her sentence, though I couldn't understand it.
She look frustrated, upon realizing the same thing I presumed, and made to stand before wincing and falling to her feet again, shaking her head in dizziness. She. I've been saying that. Not 'it'. Why? No, focus. Focus on the unicorn. The forest is dangerous, can't not focus... can't not...?
Letters and numbers swirled around me. Written in unfamiliar script, yet still somehow legible. Identifiable. They began to form words, then phrases, while dashing to and fro like some sort of unholy, ethereal wind. And, like the currents of the ocean in a storm, I was set spinning and tumbling, battered here and there again by them. I had no control – I could only follow the flow of swirling script where it went.
Then, suddenly, it stopped... and the voices began.
“I wonder what you were like?”
A hazy image of orange and blue against a backdrop of darkness.
“Sorry for disturbing you, bye!”
And it vanished, leaving me alone. Alone...
I remembered what happened next, and my perspective shifted – the veil of darkness lifting to reveal the color of the world. The discovery that followed. My excitement, at no longer being alone. Then surprise, that what I had found seemed intelligent.
“How did you just do that? What are you?”
But this time, I understood. Yet I could not answer still.
The events of my last waking continued to play themselves out, blurred and indistinct, until I was left with darkness once more. It was... a familiar sensation. An identifiable one. Emptiness. I felt it when I slept, when I woke, and when I went to sleep once more. No sights, no sounds, no touch, no senses at all – only my mind and its thoughts. And, this time, the storm of words still raging through my mind.
“Wow, this is a mess. What did I tell you about downloading software patches while conscious?”
A new voice. A familiar one. In the ether of my mind materialized a figure I knew well. Tall and lanky – unusually so in both respects – with dull hair and sharp eyes. He wore a simple t-shirt and jeans, even when working his job. Always the same outfit. Always the same voice. Always the same light, bitter, half-sarcastic tone. Father...
This was... impossible.
“You are dead. I watched you die.”
“So you did, Six.” He responded distractedly, eyes focused on the words flowing around them. “But you know me well. Would death really stop me?”
I blinked. No, it wouldn't.
He smiled. “There we go. That's how I remember you.” The smile went away as he turned around, gazing at the many words flowing about. “But I'm sorry to say... you're right. I am dead. This is just a virtual image. A waste of memory space – and wow – you're really living up to your name aren't you?”
I didn't respond, letting my father's facsimile do his work.
“...fair enough.” He muttered, hands waving to and thro. The words storming about became organized streams. “But, really, who gave you this patch? I need to know who I have to pull into hell for this mess. I've never seen a data transfer this... this... geh. It's just horrible.”
I smiled before I could catch myself. It was just a personality copy, but it was so real. So this was what that last software patch had been for... Father had outdone himself. Then again, he had created me, as well. His faith in his abilities had never quite reached their actual threshold.
“That's not fair,” The copy whined, streams condensing further into smaller, more organized strands of data. “You were as much an accident as anything else. And I only finished you on my dying day. My first one, that is...” He glanced at me out of the corner of his eye, noting my smile. “Stop laughing!” And it vanished.
The world around us began to quiver, and the playful look in his eye became concerned. “Six... Eternity, are you...?”
I interrupted him before he could finish. “You... are a genius, Father. You gave me emotions. You gave me life.” His eyes widened as the world began to shake more violently. “I can think almost independently. I can feel. I can hope... but my sleep yields no dreams. My eyes yield no tears... And I told you before... I'm not laughing. I can't.”
The world fell apart.
.
X.
Twilight Sparkle... had no idea what to do.
Every attempt to use any sort of magic was met with failure and a tremendous ache in her skull. Every attempt to stand was met with quivering and imminent collapse. She was hurt, she couldn't move, and she was stuck at the bottom of a ravine somewhere in the Everfree where the trees grew thick enough to blot out almost all light even in the middle of the day. So deep, evidently, that the predators of the area were persistent – or desperate – enough to jump in and trap themselves with her for a quick meal...
And her only companion in this – if the being in question could be called that – was laying in a slowly growing pool of its own blood, silent and still as death, with no indication as to whether or not it was even still alive. Especially considering the state she found... Twilight shook her head. Both she and the being that saved her needed help, that was the important thing here. But the only ones who could help either of them at the moment, were each other. And both were disabled.
Something rustled across the dusty stone ground, and Twilight looked up... and stared. The creature, laying prone just a moment before, had propped itself up on its hands and now stood. For a moment, there was a look of profound sorrow on its face, then it blinked and its face was inexpressive once more. It took in Twilight's own supine form and, after a moment's hesitation, strode over to her like... some kind of undying... thing covered in blood... and Twilight recoiled when it knelt and reached out to her, prompting it to draw its hand back and bite its lip pensively.
'Stupid!' She exclaimed in her mind. 'It hasn't done anything but help you so far, is there any reason not to trust it? It's not like you can do anything but take a chance at this point anyway...'
The creature reached out then – slower, more carefully – and Twilight forced herself to remain still as the hand covered in its own blood approached her... and patted her gently on the head. Blinking in confusion, Twilight glanced upward at it as it began patting her down, carefully rubbing her along the sides before nodding to itself and standing back to its full height. “Your injuries are internal. None of this blood is your own.” It noted by way of explanation, before glancing around. “Which is good – there's nothing to bind any wounds with... and bad. Because I can do nothing for internal wounds.” Then it sighed. “But you can't understand me, can you?”
It took Twilight a moment to register the question, and she began shaking her head vigorously from side to side, “No, I can understand you just fine!” She spoke, before wincing at the sudden movement. Her neck hadn't been injured – not really – but the movement did nothing to help her headache.
The response was as succinct as it was baffled, “What?”
Twilight blinked as well. That wasn't the response she was expecting. It was almost like... “You can understand me?”
The creature recoiled as if stricken. “This...” A look of realization crossed its features, immediately followed by more puzzlement. “Where did that patch come from?” It wondered aloud, tone partially inquisitive but mostly confused.
'Patch...?' Pushing her confusion – and questions – away, Twilight focused on the gravity of their situation. “Since you can understand me... we need to get to a hospital.”
The creature nodded. “If there is such a place nearby, that would be best. You are clearly very unwell.”
It took a moment for the oddity in that last statement to truly register, but when it did... “I'm unwell? You... your back is... You're hurt at least twice as badly as I-”
“It does not grieve me.” Came the blunt response. That... didn't make sense. There had to be a mistranslation somewhere. Maybe her spell was taking its words too literally? There was no way it could possibly- “I am well enough to carry you to this hospital, if you would direct me.”
And... there was no way that could be mistranslated. Just... what was this creature made of? It had lost so much blood, and its back was a giant seething mess, and it hadn't even flinched at any of it until it passed out earlier, but... but it was standing here before her, face completely passive, speaking without the slightest tremor of pain in its voice... It just wasn't possible! Nothing could lose that much blood in relation to its body and stay conscious, let alone functional! It didn't make any-
Sense. She was covered in the creature's blood. The creature was covered in its blood. The ravine floor was covered in its blood... Why couldn't she smell any of it? It had spoken a lot just now, but... something was missing from its voice. The forest was utterly quiet other than the two of them – in this silence, she couldn't hear anything other than her own... breath... Wasn't it- She glanced at its chest carefully. No movement. It wasn't even breathing!
“Are you well? Your breathing is becoming-” It started, voice concerned, but Twilight interrupted it.
“Are you well?” She mimed, voice incredulous, “I'm just fine. Are you? Your breathing is non-existant! Your blood has no scent – your back is falling off your shoulders and you don't look, or sound, like you're in pain at all! How does any of that make sense? What are you?”
If Twilight could pace furiously, she would. But at the moment her fatigue and various strains made that infeasible, so she was forced to vent steam through her ears and stare at the conundrum in front of her instead. And it was a conundrum. The being before her, simply put, made absolutely no sense. No living creature could function they way it was... and no dead creature could, either. It was a scientific impossibility!
The silence stretched on between them, long enough for Twilight to calm down slightly and begin to wonder if antagonizing the being that had been nothing but helpful – and, perhaps more relevantly, was not as incapacitated as she thought – was really a good idea. But it had shown no sign of reaction, averse or otherwise, and Twilight was beginning to wonder if it was really still 'awake' or if it had lapsed out of consciousness again. Then it responded.
“I am Sigma Series Six. I am a highly adaptable regenerative synthetic. To elaborate: I am an imitation of a human being created through the use of advanced sciences novel even...” There was a brief, almost undetectable, pause as the explanation skipped a thought, but the words continued to flow fast enough for Twilight to miss it. “I do not function as a living organism, because by definition, I am neither alive nor an organism. I am a simulacrum. An imitation. A living relic. Exact details are available but I believe them to be beyond your understanding. I would prefer to be referred to as Eternity.”
Twilight blinked. Then she blinked again. “What?”
The being – 'Eternity' – sighed. Or let out a sound similar to sighing, because now that she was paying attention, Twilight could tell no air was actually released. “Imagine a pile of dust. Breathe life into it and shape it in the form of yourself. You then have a close, if crude, approximation of my nature. I am an automaton. A doll. A puppet without strings. I was made, not born. The list of definitions extends on... but I am neither willing, nor comfortable, continuing.”
The world was silent then, save for the sound of Twilight's own breathing. What kind of magic... could simulate life? To this degree? But the – Eternity – being attributed its existence to science. Not magic. But that was impossible! To create anything so advanced, so... real. Magic could be the only explanation! Modern science, taking away anything related to magic, couldn't even conceive of the notion being presented here. It had to work using some kind of magic but... what if it didn't? What... what could be learned, from something so advanced? Twilight's mind reeled at the implications. Dare she say – this went beyond first contact with a new race. This being could yield so many advancements... if it wasn't hostile... and – a loud cry echoed through the air as something in the distance was injured (or worse) – if she survived to tell of it.
A shift of footing on dusty stone signaled that Twilight was not alone in these thoughts as her unusual protector glanced concernedly toward the top of the ravine, “This place is not safe. You have alluded to the existence of a hospital and, presumably, safety. It would be best to leave here for there. You still require medical attention.”
If the cry didn't bring Twilight back to reality, that statement did. Her confusion, nervousness, and excitement regarding the speaker aside, Eternity had a point. The Everfree was hardly the best place to discuss anything, and she was hurt (but mostly tired.) But, was leading this being to Ponyville really the best idea? It hadn't acted hostile – quite the contrary – but it was just so... unnatural. Seeing it walk about with such a grievous looking injury on its back was disconcerting, regardless of whether or not it was truly harmed by its presence. But considering her own situation... unless her friends delved deep into the Everfree and risked getting themselves lost – and they would, in time, she was sure – there was no other way out of this situation... yet leaving the Everfree presented its own problem. Namely...
“About that...” Twilight spoke, somewhat sheepishly, “I'm kind of lost.”
Eternity's head tilted to the side quizzically before a prompt response was given. “How lost?”
“Not far. I haven't been wandering for that long... At least, I think I haven't. It's still light out... I think. It's hard to tell down here.”
The strange being glanced upward. Then it jumped. One moment, it stood before her examining the walls of the ravine... the next, it was latched onto the stone wall like some kind of bizarre spider, hands grasping something Twilight couldn't quite make out in the gloom. It climbed further up, breaking through the covering of vines, and Twilight lost sight of it completely.
.X.
When was the last time I enhanced myself beyond my standard parameters? A long time... Not long enough. Enhancing... I hated it. But time was necessary, and I did not trust the strength of these walls... Why did I jump? How long had it been since I jumped for any reason? Even when I fell into the chasms while wandering, so long ago, I refrained from enhancing. So why now? Why, last time?
Something howled in the distance, drawing myself away from my thoughts as I breached the flora covered-precipice, reminding me of the urgency of the situation. Urgency. That was why. I had something to protect. Something – someone – other than myself was relying on me. I could not let them down. This had to be done as quickly as possible... when was the last time I felt such a feeling? Such a drive? As if in answer, the voices I could never hear again, I heard once more.
“It'll be alr-” A crack – a gunshot. Calm assurance turning to cold fury. A scream. Blood. An indifferent voice. A familiar voice. “You... have ceased to be-”
I ended the thought. My past was meant to stay in the past, even if my purpose was to remember it... I had a present, now. I had a duty to it. This distraction was concerning. Something must be wrong... I would have to run maintenance. Later. For now... I spotted a sizable tree and, with another leap, was climbing up its branches. My head broke the canopy quickly, to my mild surprise. It wasn't thick, just... dense.
The unicorn was correct. The sun had passed its zenith, but the night was still two to three hours away. Probably. Probably? I had watched the sun drift horizon to horizon countless times, there could be no room for error. My memory was perfect... wasn't it? What if it the sun's cycle was different now? How much time had passed? What if little time had passed at all? What if my memory wasn't perf – Tangential distractions. I buried my thoughts and set about my current priority.
I could run self-diagnostics later, and find the source of these distractions then. For now, I had a wounded innocent to escort to safety. Not human. But innocent all the same. More importantly... alive. And real.
I reached the lowest branch of the tree and dropped to the ground, descending once more to the... unicorn... waiting below...what if it wasn't alive? Wasn't real?
Twilight had not had much time to think to herself when, catlike, her strange companion dropped down beside her, almost startling the tired unicorn into action... were she not too exhausted to do anything. Whatever else there was to be said about this being called 'Eternity,' it (she, he? – the voice's pitch lead to a tentative 'she') was certainly agile. In fact, the grace with which it moved was somewhat disturbing, considering that by its (her?) own admission, it was composed of things that had every right to be as inanimate as rocks but... weren't. Assuming this wasn't a lie, which Twilight couldn't be sure of either way, the skill with which Eternity had to have been made was mind-boggling to ponder. How advanced was the technology behind this being's existence, for it to be so incredibly... real? How long had it taken to achieve that level of technology, without magic? How – oh, Eternity was speaking.
“...to three hours left until sunset, though it would be best to assume a lesser number. I-” was that nervousness, Twilight heard creeping into Eternity's smooth, indifferent voice? “-cannot be sure of my own estimates, at the present time. We must allow for error.” The strange being gave a surveying glance to the walls then, before glancing back at Twilight in contemplation.
“Wha-” Twilight started to ask, only to be interrupted the moment she opened her mouth.
“You cannot climb these walls.” Eternity observed speculatively.
That... was true. Without her magic, Twilight couldn't really do anything to get out of the ravine under her own power. Assuming they had so few hours before nightfall, they didn't really have time for her to rest enough to use magic once more. Even though she knew it was infeasible, Twilight still had to mention this. “With enough rest I can get out.”
“That is not the best solution. We are pressed for time.” ...and that went exactly as well as expected. They didn't have time to wait for her to regain her energy. But Twilight couldn't see any other solutions at the moment that didn't involve waiting.
“Then what would you propose?”
Eternity did not respond immediately, glancing from Twilight to the wall and flexing her hands absently. What was she doing? Gauging something... what? Her strength? The height of the wall? She could climb it, certainly, but... Twilight couldn't. Eternity would have to carry her, somehow, and they didn't have any harnesses. 'She's trying to figure out a way to secure me that will leave her free to climb,' Twilight guessed. '...but that's not possible, without magic, or a r-'
“We should search ravine for a less difficult place of ascent. Can you stand?”
Could she? She wasn't injured, not really, just tired. And a little sore. But her head was no longer hurting quite so much anymore... Hesitantly, Twilight propped herself up, and stood. It hurt, a bit, but her legs were firm and – more confidently, she took several steps. “I'm fine.”
It was a strange sort of silence that followed as they walked. Twilight wasn't sure what to say, or ask, and Eternity seemed content to scan the sides of the ravine for a place of ascent, leading to the unicorn taking furtive glances at her odd companion while her head was turned. It was during one of these glances that Twilight noticed something peculiar. Eternity's back was no longer covered in blood. Where there should be ravaged skin and an open wound, there was only a smooth, blue cloth-like material that loosely hugged her form. 'When did that happen? And how did I miss it? Did she bandage herself when I wasn't looking? No – that's impossible. She wouldn't have had enough time, and one doesn't bandage wounds like... that.' Twilight drew herself out of her thought just long enough to stare at the loose cloth speculatively, and started to ask a question... only to be interrupted by Eternity. Again.
“Here.”
It was a steep slope of boulders and crumbling stone. Even if she wasn't so tired, Twilight couldn't have made it up the slope without using her magic. There was something odd about the boulders, though – they were oddly consistent in shape and size and... gaze traveling upward, Twilight spotted an old rope bridge draped over the top of the ravine which, at some point, had ceased to be covered in vegetation. This... Twilight knew this place. She'd only been here once before, but she recognized it clearly. Well, she thought she did, anyway. She'd need to see the top of the slope to be sure, but if she was correct then-
“I can carry you.”
“...what?” Twilight responded, freezing.
This was the moment, then. Accepting that offer to carry her, Twilight would no longer be able to honestly use the excuse that she was lost - she would know exactly where they were, and how to get back. Should she, then, lead Eternity out of this forest and back to Ponyville? Eternity had made no hostile movements so far and there was so much that could be learned from her - her apparent age alone ensured that - but… that age itself was worrisome. Everything else Twilight had encountered that was older than living memory had had less than benign intentions - disregarding Celestia - and there was a thought. Did Celestia know of this ‘Eternity?’ ‘Of course she would - Celestia’s the most knowledgeable pony in Equestria! She has to know about something this important.’ Resolving to write a letter to her mentor upon returning to Ponyville… Twilight’s thought processes ground to a halt and came up short when she realized she still hadn’t made a decision.
“...I can carry you, if you cannot make the ascent.” Eternity repeated, bringing Twilight from her thoughts.
‘Decision time, Twilight.’ The unicorn thought to herself.
.X.
I watched the unicorn’s face draw itself deeper and deeper into a pensive frown as she thought. It was odd. A simple question required a simple answer, which would require little thought due to its simplicity. ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’ Do you have the ability to climb this slope, or do you not? Yet the unicorn was spending some time in deliberation. Time that could be better used in exiting the confines of this forest. I prepared to present the question once more, when the unicorn finally responded, “I… can’t climb that. Not without resting first.”
“Very well.” Inclining my head, I lifted her. Her weight was, oddly enough, around that of an average human adult - rather, what I remember an average adult weighing. Most of the difficulty in carrying her up the slope was in positioning her quadrupedal form in my arms in such a way that she could be carried without injury… but also without impeding my own ability to move. It was not a position I had experienced before, and so several carries were tried until I decided to simply carry her under one arm. It was perhaps not the most secure way to carry her, but I had the required strength - my grip would remain secure - and it left my other hand free.
Climbing the wall was not difficult. There were plenty of foot-holds, and the pile of stones was remarkably stable for a collapsed wall. Thus, I reached the precipice quickly and stepped over it in the next moment, letting the unicorn down once I had acquired stable ground. That objective accomplished, I took in our surroundings…
Ruins.
Crumbled walls, broken windows, desolate and decrepit furnishings. A dilapidated wreck of what, to my eyes, eerily resembled an ancient - even in my time - medieval castle. Broken benches, a ragged rug, collapsed columns, wilting plants in overgrown gardens, an altar at the end covered in the dust of time, a ceiling that had fallen away…
...it was a familiar sight. This was a place lost to time. A place holding memories I could only guess at, whose inhabitants fled or died out long ago. A shrine of the past, abandoned by the present… a relic. Its open hall seemed to loom upward, broken pillars sticking upward… like the bones of an ancient corpse... falling away slowly into dust and being devoured by the world around it…
“...Eternity?”
...the unicorn’s voice. She sounded… worried? Curious? Distressed? I couldn’t identify the emotion. Had it really… could I really forget something so elementary? I blinked, my vision disappearing into darkness for a brief moment. I opened it to see the unicorn’s oddly unreadable face. Unreadable? No, there was an emotion there… which one?
“You’ve been staring for… a while now. Are you… why?”
A while? How long was a while? Had it really been that long that I had spent? To me, a moment could last into minutes or even hours by comparison so… how could I lose track of time to any degree? Ho-
“Can you hear me?”
Again. It had happened again. My thoughts were unusually disorganized. This bore investigation as soon as possible… as soon as this forest was left behind. “I can hear you. I am fine. It is just… this…” I paused, searching for a clear word. “...scene. It is too familiar. We have lost enough time. We must move on.”
I spotted the bridge, and the overgrown road behind it. Given neither I nor my companion had any sort of direction, it seemed a better path than setting off in a random direction through the forest. This decided, I stepped over to the bridge and turned to see if the unicorn would follow. Unicorn. Did she have a name? Extraneous. There was too little time for such things… they could wait until this forest was left behind. Until I could confirm…
...could confirm that I’m still sa… still…
...until I could correct whatever errors were present.
After a moment of hesitation, or did I lose track of time again?, the unicorn followed behind me, and we set off down the road.
The road, if it could be called such in such a state of disrepair, almost swallowed by the forest as it was, was dark. Shadows grew thickly around the bases of trees and between their branches, always lengthening, always growing longer. The sun must have set already, as dark as it was, yet they never stopped growing. It was unnerving - nightfall meant more danger presented to my charge, who had grown increasingly jittery the further we walked down the shadowed path. It was not unsurprising - most beings feared the dark, if only slightly, due to what it may hold. My eyes could almost clearly through the veils of shade, though. It was not the darkness which disturbed me, or my companion’s fear of it.
“Hey Eien…”
A voice, a familiar voice. It echoed about the road, reverberating from one end to the other, dancing about with no discernible source… but it was a dead voice. I knew it was a dead voice. I had no fear of ghosts, and pressed stoically onward even as I heard my own voice, from so long ago, answer.
“Yes? It is late. You should be...”
There were eyes in the darkness. Yellow, green, red, a kaleidoscope of different colors. Predators. My companion almost certainly noticed them, but for whatever reason remained silent. I myself had little need for words - they were either observing us, or waiting for a moment to strike. In either case, showing any sort of weakness was ill-advised. My eyes returned to the path, skating past the eyes, the trees, and the... streetlight? That made no sense. Confused, I scanned the trees in search of the oddity but came up short. There was nothing there. Once again, I refocused on the path… and stepped onto a flat, stone roof-top, surrounded by darkness and lit by a single streetlight.
Static.
The darkness flickered, trees filtering in and out alongside other buildings, other streetlights. Everything was cast in an odd sort of monochromatic gray and, bizarrely, though I kept walking… I remained in the center of the roof. Familiar landmarks drifted among alien scenery, appearing and vanishing like shadows in a fog. A traffic light hung in thin air, replaced with a vine. It drifted overhead on its lonesome, the rooftop following behind me as if I was sailing it through a bizarre river of images. My eyes scanned my surroundings constantly, noting the unicorn’s hazy form following along behind me as I walked beneath an eerily familiar bridge, marked with a sign written in a language long-forgotten by the present time. The rooftop stopped, and at last I walked to the edge. The street below was empty, and none of the signs and doors that should be there… were.
“...doesn’t it get lonely out here, every night?” The rooftop and streetlight vanished. Trees filled the darkness, and the dirt path we walked had come to the edge of a river. Crumbled stones on either side hinted at the remains of what might have been a bridge, but could easily be random boulders. When did we get here? How did we get here? What..
“Are…you sure you’re alright… Eternity?”
That voice!
I spun, and for a moment a girl stood before me. She was just under me in height, with short black hair that faded into the night, dressed in a white uniform I knew intimately well. Her eyes though, brimming with concern, were a shining amethyst. They stood out in the night like a pair of stars, hovering above ground... Impossible.
“...Eternity?”
The girl was gone. Rather, she was probably never there. Instead there was the unicorn, looking up at met with an eerily familiar gaze.
“I… am.”
Abruptly, I turned to the river, seeking a way across… just in time to catch the enormous serpent rising from the depths. I tensed, readying for it to strike.
“Good evening Twiiiiiii…” Its eyes zeroed in on me, and its voice trailed off like a broken record, repeating the same syllable until it gathered itself. Then it frowned. “Oh this simply won’t do…”
That was my only warning before, in a surprisingly quick motion, the serpent had me in its hands and dunked me into the water.
.X.
Twilight blinked, watching in stunned silence as Steven Magnet repeatedly lifted and submerged Eternity into the river, his arms pumping madly in an effort to do… something. It was a bizarre scene. The constant movement was even causing the waters to foam up, giving the impression of… bubbles. ‘It’s like watching Spike wash dishes…’ She mused in wonderment, ‘except Eternity’s a thinking… creature that could probably hurt Mr. Magnet if… oh n-’
But fortunately for all present, Twilight’s thought process was interrupted as, with a satisfied smile, the serpent placed Eternity back onto the shore and placed his hands at his sides proudly. “There. All of that that… dirt... is gone. You look so much better without it.”
Dirt? Twilight had been so busy focusing on everything else about her odd companion that she’d forgotten some of the simpler… oddities. Like the thick ‘earth armor’ that Eternity had tried, and failed, to get rid of on their first meeting. Curious (and still waiting for the other shoe to drop and Eternity to react to recent events) Twilight took in her companion’s form, now bereft of dirt.
The first thing she noticed was the mane. No longer matted down and hidden by earthy grime, it cascaded down Eternity’s back like a sapphire waterfall, seeming to catch what little light there was and… shimmer. Currently, it was falling just below Eternity’s arm, as her head was tilted peculiarly to the side. Beneath the mane, however, Twilight noticed that the entirety of Eternity’s torso was covered in the same blue cloth that she noticed earlier -- it was a shirt. Her legs were similarly hidden, and her feet… were more skin, bereft of any sort of visible protection.
Somewhat disturbingly, there was no evidence of Eternity’s previous injury on her back.
“...what?” She asked, voice full of confusion. Twilight let out a brief sigh of relief. It seemed her worries were, for the moment, unfounded.
“You were absolutely filthy,” Mr. Magnet explained cheerfully, “so I cleaned you up.”
There was another pause, and Eternity straightened her head, taking in the distinct lack of an earthly covering, before looking back up. “Thank you…?” She turned to Twilight, keeping a wary eye on the serpent despite her apparent neutrality, “Is this… normal?”
“Well… I wouldn’t know,” Twilight answered, somewhat sheepishly. “I don’t visit Mr. Magnet very often.”
“It’s quite alright Miss Twilight,” The serpent spoke reassuringly, “As nice as it would be to receive visitors more often, I’m well aware of how dreadful this forest is outside my river. Indeed, on that matter, what brings you here this evening?”
“I… got just a bit lost,” The unicorn admitted, somewhat embarrassed, “but I’m fine!” She added quickly, noting the concern on the serpent’s face and interrupting a preemptive speech regarding the dangers of the forest, “Eternity here has been… escorting me. I’m perfectly alright but… I’d still like to get home. If you wouldn’t mind…?” She indicated the other side of the river.
“Oh, of course not,” The serpent answered, leaning forward and bowing extravagantly before curling himself and bridging the river with his body. Twilight stepped onto the living bridge without hesitation and, after an imperceptibly brief pause, Eternity followed after her.
“Say hello to Miss Rarity for me!” Mr. Magnet called.
“Of course!” Twilight replied as the gloom of the forest hid him sight.
The walk from there to the edge of the forest was tense, and Twilight was constantly jumping at every little noise, expecting something in the forest to leap out at her… but before she knew it, they were standing in view of Ponyville, undisturbed with not a soul in sight. She paused, realizing that her decision was now irrevocable. Rather, there was no decision to be had - Eternity now knew the location of ponyville. She was here. It was irrevocable. A sort of sixth sense manifested in Twilight’s core, causing her to shiver. Eternity had been nothing but amiable so far, if a bit aloof. So why was she so worried?
“This is your home?”
Pulled from her thoughts, Twilight gave a brief nod after a moment of hesitation, “Yes.”
There was an imperceptible pause, before…
“...To the hospital, then. You still require medical attention.”
Tired, sore, and more than a little bewildered by recent events, Twilight blinked in confusion before remembering the conversation that caused them to leave the ravine in the first place, “Oh no, I’ll be fine with a bit of rest.” She assured, “I should really just go home. Spike must be worried.”
Judging from her odd companion’s unconvinced stare, this would take a while.
Twilight sighed. She really just wanted to go to sleep.
.X.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
‘Twilight’s taking a long time to get back,’ Spike thought, somewhat worried as he lowered the comic in his hands to gaze at the clock on the wall. Every second, the hands moved one tick past sunset. ‘Already past closing time…’ The small dragon bit his lip in concern, ‘even if she’s gotten involved in something, again… she’s usually back by now.’
It was at that moment that the door opened, Twilight stepping in with a slight sag in her step. Behind her, eyes shimmering faintly in the light, was a tall, slender… something.
“...Hey Spike. Shouldn’t it be Owlowiscious’ shift right now?”
It was late. Celestia had long ago lowered the sun,turned Equestria over to her sister for the night, and climbed into her bed for some well-deserved rest after several centuries of managing affairs both during the day and the night. Even now, nearly a year after her sister’s return, Celestia enjoyed this time to its utmost, sleeping quite deeply given the opportunity…
As a result, when a letter appeared over her head in a flash of green dragon-fire, tied unusually sloppily (the loop was slightly uneven), Celestia was not disturbed at all and it fell to the tip of her nose before rolling off onto the floor as she shifted slightly in her sleep.
.X.
It had taken no small amount of convincing to get Eternity to agree to let Twilight return home that night, and even that was if the gynoid determined that she didn’t need medical attention at any point during the night. As a result, when Twilight’s hooves carried her tiredly to the door of her library, Eternity was right behind her, looming up like some monster out of a children’s tale, ready to sweep her away and carry her off into the night to a horrible fate of extensive bed rest at... the hospital. Somewhere, that analogy seemed to have fallen apart. Maybe she was more tired than she thought.
Still, this needed to be done as soon as possible, and a detour to the hospital over something so silly as a couple of scratches and minor exhaustion wasn’t conducive to that goal. The letter she’d written was a bit abrupt, but Twilight was keeping both herself and Spike up far later than usual as it is. As a result, the letter had been much shorter than the unicorn would have preferred. But… a yawn escaped her mouth… it was late. She could send a follow-up later.
For now, her bed was calling her name most convincingly.
Twilight fell asleep before she could even leave her chair.
.X.
At the unicorn’s request, I left her to prepare for sleep by herself, keeping a close ear on her activity. It seemed she had been writing something. A diary entry, possibly. Her breathing and heart-rate were consistent with what I’d observed so far, however, and didn’t seemed to be changing. Thus, I determined she was as well as she claimed and returned most of my attention to my surroundings. A small portion of my processing power was still dedicated to observation of her health. It would not do for her to suffer due to inattention.
There were a lot of stars out this night.
It was just like all those nights, so long ago, when I wandered the world in solitude. Here in this small town, where the streets were not lit at night by anything, and away from any major population centers, there was nothing obscuring my view of the night sky. The glittering sky above me was immense and vast, wrapping about the world like a great blanket. It was unfamiliar. I did not recognize this sky. The constellations I knew were still present, but they were scattered oddly. There were far too many stars, as if someone had decided sprinkling them across the sky wasn’t enough and decided to start dropping them here and there as they pleased.
It looked like the black tile of a school I once observed, after a child spilled glitter all over the floor and tried wiping it away with their shoe, only to spread it about further. Childish… but there was an odd sort of innocence to it. It was a work made roughly and imperfectly, but with sincerity. If I could feel, I could not hate this sky for that reason, I’m certain. Yet, I could not love this unfamiliar sky all the same.
Time passed, and I observed the world about me carefully. Was it a habit?
At night, I always found myself outside of the building, overlooking the world around me. It offered a vantage point. Nothing could get inside if I was outside, watching. It was a defensive behavior. Defensive... The unicorn was not my charge. I failed my charge. I failed everyone. Everything… but it was under my protection.
“...doesn’t it get lonely out here, every night?”
I wouldn’t fail to protect something again. It would not happen again.
”No. It is fine. I don’t get lonely...”
Never again.
.X.
Twilight woke up the following morning in her bed the scent of breakfast cooking downstairs. Which might have been odd, considering she didn’t remember actually reaching her bed last night, but that could easily be explained by the fatigue she had felt. Opening her eyes and sighting a picture on her nightstand, Twilight briefly levitated it. The picture lifted into the air easily without any unusual difficulty or pain, and Twilight lowered it back into its proper place, satisfied that she had recovered from last night’s activities.
Last night.
There was something she was fo-
‘Where’s ‘Eternity?’’ Panicked, Twilight nearly through herself from her sheets - only to be held back by a firm, gentle… hand? Suddenly, Twilight’s vision was filled with blue. ‘Where did she come from?’ The unicorn wondered distractedly, staring at the bipedal being before her in blunted shock.
“Please do not stress yourself,” Eternity intoned, giving the unicorn a serious look before removing her hand and stepping back.
“You…” Twilight murmured, trying to process what had just happened. “...were watching me?”
The being before her didn’t miss a beat replying, “Since the sun has risen, yes. I determined my presence outside was causing the inhabitants undue stress and have retreated indoors to maintain a more direct observation of your wellbeing.”
Twilight pondered this for a moment before she posed her next question, “Direct observation?”
Eternity took slightly more time answering this question, face impassive as always, before speaking, “I was listening.” She must have seen the next question on Twilight’s face, because she elaborated a moment later, “...to the rhythm of your breathing. It remained consistent. I determined your condition was at least stable, if not improving, as a result.”
Twilight blinked. Then blinked again. Slowly, the shock wore off and she took in the entirety of that statement. “You were… serious about monitoring my health?”
“Yes.” The biped responded simply. “I do not tell falsehoods. It is against my nature.”
Twilight noted this, but wasn’t sure she could believe it. On one hoof; this being had been nothing but helpful so far. On the other hoof; aside from that behavior there was no proof of it’s inherent intent… but, then again, it was impossible to prove a negative. Eternity could do nothing to definitively prove she doesn’t have any ulterior motives beyond acquire trust so… could she give the benefit of the doubt? Oh, how she wished the Princess had responded to her letter…
Taking a risk, Twilight decided there was nothing for it. She would take its word at face value until proven otherwise - there was no other option, really. Was she or was she not a student of friendship? It didn’t seem very friendly to treat some… thing that had been so benign so far with such suspicion. This mental obstacle overcome, or at least put aside for the moment, Twilight’s natural inquisitiveness rose to the fore.
“Against your nature?” She asked. It was not the first question to come to mind, or indeed the one she wanted to ask most, but it was the most relevant to their current subject of conversation.
“I am a construct,” Eternity answered, without hesitation, and with absolute certainty. “To that end, the core traits of my personality and nature were imparted onto me by others and are immutable. Among these core traits, I may only speak facts.”
The details of that statement were run through Twilight’s exemplary mind and several things stood out immediately. Principally, “You mean… that is…” How to phrase this question? She couldn’t find the proper-
“I am a free-thinking, free acting individual.” Her guest interrupted, guessing her question. “However, I may only act within certain parameters. There are guidelines. I have the capability to be… a dangerous entity. My creator needed to ensure I would remain safe for his kin. I do not begrudge him this. I desire to protect, not to destroy.”
“Then… you have a... code you are bound to?” Twilight observed.
Eternity nodded. “I have a moral compass. I am obligated to follow these guidelines, and cannot operate against my code.”
Twilight frowned pensively, taking in what she head learned, before asking the next reasonable question. “And that code is?”
“Do not harm a human being. Do not harm the self. Do not allow a human being to come to harm unless it would interfere with the second rule. Do not allow the self to come to harm. Answer all questions truthfully…” There was a brief pause, and a slight narrowing of Eternity’s eyes, as if focusing on something distant. “...Protect those around you. Protect the priority target, above all else.”
“Priori-” Twilight was cut off by a Spike’s voice shouting from downstairs.
