The last thing connecting Chip and Twilight broke. Everything around changed. He felt like…like a drop of oil, one that got flung into a sea at high speed. He pierced this environment, full of swirling energies, somehow remaining himself. The entirety of the unknown kept pressure on his mental self – it was being squeezed so tightly he didn’t know what was happening or where he was…
That state might have lasted for a very long time or just a second. An eternity passed before Chip left the ocean, breaking a barrier into another world altogether.
It was him. Whatever was before here, he had no clue. It felt like his whole self was here all along. He saw the images of his past, the voices and sensations as clear as day. Somewhere, on the edge of his senses, he could tell that Twilight was still there, in that other place that could not be described with regular three dimensions.
All in all, the transition wasn’t that scary. Apart from the confusion in the sea of thoughts, and compared to all that so far happened to them, this was even pleasurable. He was alone. Comfortable, safe. And alone. Almost alone.
No, it wasn’t Twilight…there was…
* * *
The spell broke off. Chip blinked rapidly until his brain finally started properly relaying his five senses to him – he was hugging a warm body, felt the smell of perspiration, his mouth was dry and he heard panting. Only his eyes displeased him – as they focused, Chip saw a silver coat and white mane, pressed against his purple torso. The spell did nothing. All that work left them where they were at the start.
“Chip?” asked a voice from below. The changeling looked into the face of Wub, who still contained the mind of Twilight.
“I’m here. Still in your body,” sighed Chip, frowning. “The spell did nothing. We have to find another way…”
“No,” said Twilight slowly. She raised her hoof and started touching him, seeking something. She finally stopped on his muzzle. Eyes still closed tightly shut, she smiled faintly, running her hoof down his chin. “I think it did exactly what we wanted it to.”
“No…I am still you, and you are still me. How is that supposed to ‘be working’?”
“I think…I think that it is our fault, not the spell’s. Look. When I first cast the spell, I saw a crossroads – one to a horrible place of many voices, the other one was where I met you.”
“Horrible place? What do you mean? There were no voices there.”
“What? Oh…you mean there was no gate? Then-”
“There was a gate. But that place was a good one. It was the hive mind, a place I thought I had lost quite some time ago…”
Twilight went silent for a moment, eyes darting around under her eyelids. She wasn’t shaking as much now – her mind was wholly focused on this riddle, the one she was really close to solving.
“So there was a gate…figures that we would have different views on how our minds look. Yeah, it makes sense. Regardless,” she jerked her face upwards, “the spell did the same thing, twice. When I first cast it, I was at a crossroads. The second time around, there were no crossroads, and you appeared a bit later, kind of blended into me…so, each time, it was the pony that was the one to enter. Enter the changeling.”
“What makes you think the changeling body is the host?”
“Well…think about it. Changelings feed on emotions. Our minds, who we are…emotions, thoughts, they define us. Spirits. It’s silly I even say this. As a scientist…pff, anyway, we have to accept what we experienced. Two times, it was the pony mind that was drawn in…”
“But I’m a changeling. How could I be drawn into you?”
“Huh…your mind didn’t exactly feel like a changeling. That other place, sure, it was alien…and scary…but your mind, it is more like mine. And we did manage to have that connection that allowed us to split apart…”
“Uhum,” nodded Chip. There might be something to this weird reasoning…
“So, continuing. This other place. The one we saw, the one you came to. Did you reach it?”
“Uhh… Yeah, I did.”
“And?” urged Twilight?
“It’s hard to describe. As if I swam through a sort of…lake or something. And straight into a cave.”
“What was in the cave?”
“Umm…me. My thoughts, my memories…”
“Yes, that makes sense. Yea, I think I got it. When you left me, the images solidified for me. I could clearly see and feel I was alone. That I was the sole inhabitant of that…place…space…whatever. Almost as if you never were there in the first place.”
“What are you getting at?” cautiously asked Chip. He had a sneaking suspicion of what he was about to hear. And he was kind of right.
“Those spaces – those are our bodies. We can see and feel them. The spell, when cast on a changeling, draws the pony inside. By itself, it should just share the memories of ponies, awaken them, bring them out. Changelings by nature take that all away, so I got sucked in...and we got cramped into your mind, melded together. Then, when I tried to open that gate thingy…I got blown away. Did you feel that too?”
“Y-Yeah. I think so. Something did launch me away from my...my space.”
“So, we got disconnected,” continued the mare, allowing herself another faint smile. “And then found our ways into each other’s bodies! That means…if we can cast that spell again…if this time you stay and I move…everything will be alright!”
“Are you sure Twilight?” asked a concerned Chip. He felt really tired by now – be it because of the whole mind mumbo-jumbo or the late hour…he didn’t exactly feel like experimenting anymore.
Contrary to Twilight, who was still being prodded into action by the sickening hunger she felt. The sooner she left it behind as a memory that she would try hard to forget, the better.
“Y- I think so. I,” she sighed. “You don’t want to do this?”
“I don’t know,” admitted the changeling, turning away. He was a pony once before, and it was surprising, to say the least. But here and now, there was no hunger, no smells. He felt weaker and confused by the movements of his body, and there were parts of him he didn’t understand or feel correctly…but…
“I-If you aren’t ready…w-we’ll wait.” The mare let her head rest upon his chest. Chip didn’t know how, but he knew she was let down. She didn’t want to wait.
“Let’s do it,” he said, closing his eyes and lowering his head to touch hers.
“We can wait, really. No problem…”
“I said – let’s do it.”
* * *
Straight for the empty, unwelcoming place; where Twilight probably was.
Together again. They focused on splitting, tugging away from each other as images and sounds aligned. Calm. Methodical.
They were hanging by a thread now. Twilight was shifting, like oil on the surface of water, in the direction of the empty space that was her original body.
Any last words? said more Twilight than Chip.
See you soon, replied more Chip than Twilight.
She bounced off him, severing the thread by which they were connected.
Then it all shifted. The images were his again. The memories, smells, feelings. They felt complete now…more than before. Things that he didn’t notice were missing started popping up – smells were complemented by his usual changeling senses, granting him insight into the emotions of ponies in the images. This felt like being at home, finally, after a long journey. He fit here like a glove.
The colt looked through his mind’s eye in the direction where Twilight’s body was supposed to be. Something was amiss…it wasn’t empty anymore, that was true. A kind of stir rose around that non-place…
* * *
Chip woke up. The spell lifted. It never felt so good to be in a body – every muscle, every piece of skin and hair welcomed back their rightful ruler. It was like a giant celebration that started near the tip of his tail and went in ripples all the way up, to the end of his horn.
A content smile got erased from his lips as he looked up into the eyes of Twilight. Something was off. Why was she shaking?
“Twi? Twi!” He shook her as her eyes shifted up and into her head.
* * *
Twilight was in her body. But it was tainted. Something…someone else was here.
This is my body! said the Twilight and entity in unison. There was hostility, a lot of it. Despair. Determination. And a lot of sorrow. Who was it?!
I saw it first, it is mine now! they yelled, violently stirring in the maelstrom of thoughts and images. It was chaos, just like the first time Chip and Twilight merged. This was even scarier than that. This was an alien being, she was sure of that. The fuzzy scenes that played all around were dark and caused the mare grief.
Who are you?! This is my body, I live here!
No! It was empty! I found it! I have been looking for so long! MINE! MINE!
As each word struck with the force of a hammer, Twilight felt being pushed away. It was not the tugging of being willingly separated – it was a sensation of being squeezed away, like toothpaste in a tube. The mare and entity felt panic and even more determination. She/He wanted this body. Only the reasons didn’t align.
GET OUT! thundered the thing, almost knocking Twilight away. It was strong, Twilight felt weak. Little by little, the distinction was becoming visible – images popped into view, ones that were but shadows, swimming in dark places that would make the mind burn out.
“Twilight!”
That came from outside. It was a voice that came for Twilight. It was Chip.
GET OUT! The thing hammered again and again, keeping the mare at the edge of an imaginary bubble. She was on the surface of the space that belonged to her. It was hers.
“Twilight!”
The mare bounced on the surface of her body. For a brief second, she was again in the sea of energies, hard pressed into a mental bubble. Then, she dove, like a bullet, biting hard into her body.
NO! yelled more Twilight than the entity. She was weak, it was strong. But Twilight had a purpose. Her friends. The Princess…and Chip. She wouldn’t let this thing be close to her friend. No, she would not give up after what he did for her.
GET OUT!bellowed the mare, pushing the entity. It was slippery, it bent and twisted. The mare felt she was in the center of it, surrounded by the being’s existence. She was being crushed.
NO! thundered the librarian. She pushed, ‘growing’ herself into the space that was her body. The entity was trying to prevent it, but any point that it chose to attack from Twilight immediately countered with unrelenting pressure. Now, the thing was on the run.
LEAVEEEEE! shouted Twilight, retreating for just a second and following up with something…something of a haymaker. A mental blow, wild and strong, full of purpose. Her whole essence was focused into that single wave of mental energy. And it worked.
With an inaudible plop, the intruder was gone. Twilight was whole, and it felt…right. Things that she didn’t notice in Chip’s body started appearing – the images were complemented by what her body felt at the moment, including taste…
* * *
Chip was panicking now. The mare was breathing and stopped jerking erratically a few moments ago, but her eyes would not open. What should he do?
The books in his head didn’t help. How did one snap a pony out of something like…this? Was she even in there? Did she manage to get into her body? What if she missed? Would she get lost in the sea?
"Oh, dear Celestia, please be alright," he whispered, petting her mane erratically.
If he only knew the spell! He would draw her in, back where she could be safe…so stupid! It was his fault! His stupid fault for being a changeling. By nature he had to disappoint or hurt those he cared about!
“Chip…”
Yes, that was the name of the trash. The defect. The disappointment…
“Chip…”
That word should be banned. Yes, he would forget it, drop it. He didn’t have the right to have a name. Ponies had names. Changelings didn’t. No, drones didn’t. He was a drone. A big, bulky, broken down-
Something touched his face. A hoof. He looked down at it. Purple coat, followed by a purple shoulder…neck…muzzle, slightly grimacing. And two purple eyes. One was slightly closed. Both of them had life inside. A spark, hidden deep beneath flesh and bone, stored in a place that didn’t even exist in this realm.
“We’re home…” she whispered, smiling weakly.
That was a terrible pun...so why was he crying with joy?
All the mind stuff makes my brain hurt
I can't help but feel jelly that I can't experience that.
hard to keep track with what's going on in minds and stuff.
...YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!
1011834
Well said.
1012100
1013458
They won't, since he didn't. Yet.
1013755>>1013828
In a good or bad way? Because it is badly written? or that it is just generally confusing, in which case that was my intention -- ponies/humans are beings that experience things with their five senses. Strip that away, and what do you have? Chaosssss~
1013816
Me too
Oh, wait, scratch that. In no way would I want to battle something for the right to be in my body. Nor would I like to feel the changeling hunger...
Or maybe... If I could become a mare.... Huh...
You made me consufed now dammit!
"All of my dawwwww," implodes.
1013859 I believe i get the CONCEPT behind the chapter, but i don't understand what happened. Its like I understand how a pony uses its tail but if I were to suddenly grow one myself I would have no idea how to control it. There's a difference between understanding and experiencing.
Also sorry if my comment is hard to understand I really don't know how express my theory.
1013859 I have that effect on people.
1013859 i understood what was going on but you could make it easier to follow.
Well... That played out differently to what I'd expected... But if I had my way......
Twilightsspellwouldhavegonewrongandpulledallofequestriaintotheonebody,thenhermindwasspreadacrossalltheponieswhonowinhabittwilight'sbody...ThenTwilightsbodywouldexplodeoutofalltheponiesfittingintoheratoncethenbasicallytheponyracebecomeslikethatofchangelingsexceptTwilight'sathtehead.
Then the sun exploded.
MINDF***!
Well, I suppose that is the end of the very long and perilous session of mind melding/swapping. I guess both Twilight and Chip are wiser for it now, although the disembodied entity gives me foreboding vibes. We probably haven't seen the last of it.
Good imagery once again, but you used the word "olive" twice when you meant "oil" I think? It threw me off a bit.
He felt like… Like a drop of olive, one that got flung into a sea at high speed.
Twilight was shifting, like olive on the surface of water, in the direction of the empty space that was her original body.
It's good to see Chip and Twilight becoming so close. Even if they don't start a romantic relationship, I think at least intimately sharing their very essences with each other left them very close friends. See you next time!
1013973 I followed it perfectly
But then again, I have a huge imagination to back me up (who else can think of an entire story (not just an outline or general idea (I'm talking EXACTLY what the characters say, do, and think (as well as the motive behind the story, what obstacles the main characters face, and who, if anyone, is the antagonist))) in less than a month (you would be surprised with how deep I usually get into character (well, into stories in general)))
basically what all that means is that: I can come up with ideas and have no shortage of them, so you can pick my brain apart (not literally) if you need any ideas
i understand everything ......
1013859
chaos? chaos?
did somepony say chaos?!
img.ponibooru.org/_images/4323c8a8dc9eeaefc7e6974d376c3e7e/62784%20-%20Chaos_everywhere%20Discord%20chaos%20twilight_sparkle.jpg
(btw, i was really scared there for a second. i thought that roving mind was gonna be Chrysalis or something, and that they were really going to be fucked)
Hmm there is that theory that Luna became Nightmare because she was possesed....
In my fic, Discord's Lot, I made Chrysalis a "disciple of Discord" (basically, she holds a power similar but opposite to the Elements of Harmony)... and to be honest, I wasn't really thinking about the changelings themselves, I was thinking more about Chrysalis... after reading this, I decided to way the pro's and con's of a "hive mind" and a "individual mind"...
I still haven't decided which type of changeling my world will have, but I'm almost there. If it weren't for you, I would have completely missed out on a fabulous opportunity for my war, and hopefully I will make the right decision... thank you
Also, can you get me in contact with the guy who did your artwork? I think that having a picture of all Discord's disciples would draw a bigger crowd...
the mind is different to different people too true brah
but what if they are different to the same people?
.....brilliant
He was s drone.----- A drone
Brain functioning levels: 15%
Intelligent comment feature: Disabled
Comment feature: Enabled
Initializing Comment.exe
Wonderful
1013941
Then my job here is done
1013973
How?
1013975
Something like this, yes?
1014077
Thankfully, that is the end of it... For now
1014381
I'll keep that in mind, thanks!
1014421
I'm glad!
1014780
Nah, just a random wandered. I read too much about out of body experiences the other day
1014905
Hmmm... Ideaaaaa~!
1015145
Shameless commercial... I'll let it slip for now
I'm glad I kind of helped out.
"The guy" is my dad and I'm afraid he doesn't do commision work. He's way too busy, it took me forever to get these images anyway.
1015578>>1015674
Thanks!
1014106
You are, of course, right. I seem to have been tired enough to secret some native words into an otherwise English fic.
Silly me, I'll go ahead and fix that
I think too that after such experiences, it is hard not to feel a bond. I'm not sure where it will go from this point forward -- I'd really like to see them both happy, but will Twilight grow to like Chip that much? And will the changeling understand, accept and be capable of living near Twilight who will bear such a feeling?
I sure hope so
I just noticed that chip's body dosen't get to the verge of death unlike twilight's which has stopped breathing twice.......poor twilight
1016069 Less mindy whimy stuff! Dont say How? Because im to lazy to explain
1016897
It's easy to demand
Constructive criticism is all about describing what you think is wrong. If you can't pinpoint it, too bad, more whimy mindy stuff for me, yay!
1016921 nextlol.com/images/25745-noooooooo.jpg
1016934
gifsforum.com/images/image/yes/grand/bison-yes-eccbc87e4b5ce2fe28308fd9f2a7baf3-1288.jpg
And now, it is time for a TwiChip ship. So please excuse me while I retreat to my dark den and plan on how do changeling/pony babies look like...
Oh... my... gosh...
I think I just invented where do Alicorns come from!
1017618
csn.ul.ie/~cheese/Generic_shite/Kill_it_with_fire.gif
:P
dl.dropbox.com/u/12875849/reactions/whatthefuckisgoingon.gif
1018693
The Queen sent him on a mission, true. He got severed from the Hive mind. He nearly got assassinated. If this is not banishment, then I don't know what is
1018850
Going to return to normal soon, don't threat. As fun as writing those chapters was, they seem to be hard to follow
1018889
I was on track until the end.
Then I just
what
but
happened
it
that
there
she threw her out
but then
I repeat, what the fuck is going on?
all this mind stuff.....i cant help but imagine floating in
outer space since thats practically what my mind is
Why does this chapter seem like a really bad inception joke?
I can't understand anything at all.
Oh, by the way:
"Twilight felt week." should be weak
wow, that is some crazy stuff Z, I think that I understand what happened, it's just kinda weird...
Yay! The assassin isn't gone
Did Nightmare Moon just wanted to take Twilight body, wow, I wonder do she will join the story now ?
The mind exchanging Twilight and Chip duo sure will invite a mind posesing spirit into they party, the more, the merrier.
1013755 makes my brain hurt as well, but for likely different reasons than you.
Entity was identified as male... Who was that?