Seafoam Wake

May 21, 2024 8:52 pm

~~Very lengthy post. Press "Read More" at your own risk~~

Bermuda Triangle

Chapter 1
Part 4

Departing with Seafoam meant one destination: Home. We did not even discuss it. We watched each other’s sense of direction, and the further we flew, the more assured we became of the other’s legitimacy. It is a small thing to note, as we already recited those names from long ago. Names in an order no other pony would recognize. A Seafoam will always adapt to the situation, and I have no doubt she would be just as ready as I to reject a genuine replica if her observations overruled it. Our flight will end soon, and we've spent much of it in content silence, simply marveling at the impossibility of our encounter. I feel quite honored to be in her presence. I’ll cherish this night, no matter the unknown mechanism which brought her. We're saving that conversation for when we meet Sway, for he’s clever in these ways. Still, I have considered the question privately. She may have been sent here by somepony else, though I fail to see the motive for this. Even if I could think of one, there’s nopony I imagine having it. If our universes are so identical, doesn’t that mean nopony in her universe would do this to her? This could have something to do with the Stars. While no scenario like this has ever occurred in records I've read, they could be testing me in some novel way... I find this unlikely, and I have no way of communicating with the Stars to learn their intent. But I am small compared to whatever their real nature is. This could be an incredibly elaborate trap by my old mentors. They did not appreciate my evasion the last time we spoke, and could be trying to coax information of my vampirism from me. The issue is that Seafoam was the first pony to find and fight the Warped tonight. It is through our Huntress’ Compass we locate Warped, and if anypony else held this ability my literature would say as much. Further, not even the my mentors know of the names we shared. Nopony. Even the nameholders themselves. I’ve finally grown… uneasy about the silence. I’ve started to wonder if it’s possible for us to have a conversation at all given our personalities. To reiterate: we know everything possible to know of each other. There is no question we could ask without knowing the answer. And engaging in small talk would only confirm to each other how little we appreciate its performance. Are we imprisoned in our understanding of each other? Even if I know her, I’d like to speak with her. Initially my approach was to formulate the perfect question to make her respond. Something she would think about, but not recognize why I’ve asked... To my amusement I conclude she’ll always know my reason. Merely asking a perfect question at this time would give away my true motive. It’d make her feel isolated and tested upon for my own curiosity, then draw a fine line of distrust betwixt us. I eventually conclude to take the opposite approach, and just say whatever next thought appears. She probably senses the same unease I do, and would take the spontaneous question as an invitation to respond freely. “Keeping the feathers was that important to you?” She paused for a moment, and I knew without looking that she was smiling and shaking her head gently. “Of course. We fly best with our feathers. We'd be forced to relearn everything with Rosa’s webbing.” It was a good answer. That was my concern a couple months ago. “And, I’m embarrassed to admit… our feathers sound more impressive for takeoff and approach.” With that we each hum in amusement of ourselves, and a more comfortable atmosphere fell between us.

"Sway? Lemon? I need you in the living room right away." Rarely do I ask my family's attention in the Lunar hours. No matter the extent of my boredom or my thoughts, they all need their rest. Embarrassingly, the first time I did cause alarm at night was an attempt at Shadow Walking out of the house unnoticed. My hind leg had caught a chair before I attempted to walk under the doorway, and upon reforming myself, the the two objects collided. I'll never forget the violent rending of both objects at once, attempting to violate physics due to my mistake. If there were only one positive of the experience, it was in seeing how quickly Sway was out of his room and into a combative stance, horn at the ready. All to protect me. Amidst my embarrassment, I held pride at his readiness. Knocking again caused Shenandoah to stir. Not my intention, but she could help. "Shen dear? Can you wake mom and dad for me?" After I let a couple moments pass, I heard Shen respond in her usual slur. "Ooo-- ooook grraaaaannnddmmaaaaa..." After some shuffling Sway awoke, and deciphered the slow, groggy message from Shen. Finally he turned to the door and spoke. "Uh.. Um, y-yeah Seafoam?" "Sway, I need you and Lemon in the living room. Come out please." "Oh." Sleep was finally leaving his voice, and I perceived him sitting upright. "We'll be right there Seafoam."

Despite housing a family of four, our living room was not very large, and its furnishing sparse. One couch, one coffee table, and independently matching sets of sofas. It barely hosts more then two guests before somepony has to stand about. Seafoam and I stood and in wait between the sofa set, watching the hallway for our son with cautious optimism. We did not have to wait for long. "Ok Seafoam, what's up? Lem will be a se--" Sway stopped just as he crossed into the living room, seeing her and I waiting for him. He blinked and stared at us bewildered, as we expected, and we gave him time to process this sight. "Uhh, S-Seafoam? What's... going on?" "Sway," I spoke first, as planned "I know this will be hard to understand, but we are both your mother. She and I are the same, no changeling." "'No- no changeling'?" He repeated, not grasping my meaning. We watched as he rubbed a hoof against his forehead and closed his eyes. It was too early for this sort of thing. "Seafoam, it's too early for this sort of thing... What do you mean she's you? Did something happen? Is this a test?" Seafoam chuckled. We did not consider him taking this as a test. I found it curious she chuckled and I did not. Was it my focus on the conversation, or had she felt alienated in her own house and laughed as a stress response? I glanced her way to ensure she was not insulted, then turned my attention back to Sway. "No son, this is not a test, just Seafoam and I." Now I find myself stifling laughter, marveling at how easy it was to call her by my name. "She appeared at the location of my first Warped. Ah yes! The Warped! It was hardly a fight, a single swing by Rovina destroyed it." Seafoam noticed I had become distracted, and that I wasn't able to steer the conversation back in a timely manner. She spoke up without disturbing my cadence. "Our Huntress' Compass brought us to the Warped. Once destroyed, we confirmed ourselves identical mares." She gestured between us, then we waited for Sway to process the information. After some gentle pacing back and forth, he spoke again. "How do you know you're identical? Like, same-- same memories and questions only you would know?" I nodded, and Seafoam refrained from making the same gesture. It would unnerve him. More pacing. Muttering to himself about 'dimensions', and 'Seafoam'. But he slowly stopped and looked at us. "... Why... are you both looking at me like that? Is-- is this bad?" Quirking my eyebrow at this question, I turn to Seafoam for her interpretation. She gazes back at me with a mix of concern and confusion of her own. "That's... why we came to you." I spoke indirectly to Sway. Seafoam, I could tell, was still concerned about her home universe. If she couldn't get back... what would happen to it? I explained this problem to Sway, and that made his pacing more hurried. Seafoam decided to break the resulting silence. "There was no clear moment I crossed worlds. But I suspect it happened only two hours before the Warped entered Equestria. Judging by the distance of Seafoam and I to the Warped's location." Did she just call me 'Seafoam'? How is anypony to tell us apart? When I turned to question this she only shrugged casually. I knew her thoughts to be: 'We're both Seafoam. We shouldn't be different.' But I was of two minds on the issue. Yes, naturally I wanted her to feel completely at home in my Equestria. She is the same mare and this her same world, just in a different place. To alienate her in any way would be cruel, for we would take it personally. Still the others, I indicated with a subtle direction of my snout, need a way to distinguish us. New conversations with me would not translate to her. And if somepony discovered a way to send her home, she would be the pony to inform. To this line of reasoning Seafoam only entrenched her position with a soft scowl. She wanted to be referred to as 'Seafoam', and that I remained 'Seafoam'. Names were not going to be the distinction. I conceded the point just as Lemon Breeze emerged from the hallway. She looked alert, and worried. Yet it all washed away into surprise upon seeing us. "Aa!" Our daughter-in-law yelped softly, catching Sway's attention. He quickly turned to console her while explaining our situation. We did not mistake the look in her eyes: Fear. Fear of what? Of us? Standing like emotionless bodyguards would not make Lemon feel any better. Stifling most of a sigh, I made my way to the kitchen. "I'll brew some tea. Seafoam, could you deal with Shen, please?" Though she was behind me, I knew she liked my using her name. It just felt right, and washed the prior disagreement we had about its use. "Yes." She responded, heading for the shared bedroom of Sway, Lemon, and Shen. That filly was boundless with energy, better to introduce ourselves one at a time with her.

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Seafoam Wake

The Bermuda Triangle -- Where waves collide