All aboard the teaser train · 10:46pm Apr 30th, 2017
The train trundled down the tracks on its way to Shepherd’s Shore and Dim stared out the window with a blank stare hidden behind his goggles. Grief bloomed within his breast like a ravenous cancer, devouring him, consuming him, a thousand malignant, conquering tentacles that meandered through his body, leaving disease in their wake. In his head was another unwelcomed visitor, an unwelcomed lone voice that plagued him, spoke to him, remained with him, speaking words he had no desire to hear.
The voice had a distressing pinkness to it, and Dim loathed it.
After enduring yet another sour belch, Dim cursed his unicorn physiology and lamented the fact that even after drinking gallons of red wine, he wasn’t more than somewhat drowsy, and not the least bit drunk. Oh, some unicorns could drink to the point of drunkenness, but he was not one of the lucky ones. No, life had cursed him with unwelcomed, unwanted, undesired sobriety. A shower of pink and amber sparks spurted from his horn, which was the alcohol converted to magic within his body. As the sparks arced out, Dim felt his drowsy-state subsiding.
Come home, Dim, let us help you.
“No,” Dim grumbled, all too aware that he was talking to himself in public, and not caring. “Now shut up, before I have to dig my brain out with a spoon.”
Dim, please, let us help you. Your mother did something awful to you. Let us heal you.
His head resting against the glass window, Dim sighed and felt his innate curiousity get the better of him. So far, he had avoided the temptation, but the pink voice seemed to be wearing down his resolve. Even though he feared the answer, he wanted to know. Needed to know. How many ways had his mother poisoned him?
“What did my mother do to me?” Dim asked, mumbling out the words in a faint, somewhat slurred whisper. The opium coursing through his blood did much to numb the pain, the not enough. Not nearly enough. He felt the voice inside of his head perk, if it could be described as such, and the sensation of pink proliferating through his brain made him nauseous.
It’s complicated, Dim. We don’t know everything that was done to you. Princess Celestia is still trying to discern that. We’re fearful of the eventual outcome though.
Closing his eyes, he tried to broadcast as much of his disappointment as possible, not caring for this answer. It seemed vague, meaningless, a stream of bullshit being poured directly into his brain by some unknown, untrusted outside source. He didn’t know who was in his head, but he resented them and wished they would go. Sometimes, the voice vanished for a time, perhaps needing rest before tormenting him once more.
Dim, you had a great and glorious purpose… you did. Your talent wasn’t the corruption of light, but the creation of light. You were supposed to be able to shine a light in any darkness—there were prophecies yet unfulfilled and your coming was promised. You are one of Princess Luna’s heirs, and as such, you have a purpose, a destiny, there was much required of you.
Dim listened… and did not dismiss what he had been told.
Somehow, your mother knew you were coming. Like so many of Luna’s other heirs, you were supposed to be the redemption of your house—a light that shines in the darkness. Celestia has been waiting for you for a very long time… for a time, it seemed that the promised Element of Magic might come from House Dark, but she was mistaken. One of Luna’s distant heirs took up that mantel, as promised, as foretold.
Sighing, Dim couldn’t sense that he was being lied to, but that didn’t mean anything.
Like I said though, your mother knew you were coming. We don’t know how she knew, but we have found out that she’s been in contact with Catrina for a very long time. Who Catrina is isn’t important right now, but I promise I’ll tell you more later. For right now, what is important is, somehow, your mother corrupted your purpose, your destiny. Using magics that we don’t yet understand, she warped your very existence. She had enough knowledge of the future to know who you were and what you would be. What you would become.
That sounded an awful lot like the Dark Desire that he knew, and Dim continued to listen.
Using magics most foul and terrible, she corrupted you, corrupted your very core, and she somehow changed your purpose… your destiny. There are magics that we do not yet understand at work here. We know now that your mother trafficked with demons, trading knowledge with them—
“At what price?” Dim asked aloud, his numbed lips clinging to his teeth in an odd, uncomfortable way.
You were not Desire’s first foal… we broke the geas on a servant and this maid, also a midwife, said that there was a misshapen monster born from your mother. Some kind of demon-spawn, the maid said. It was a hideous thing, twisted with evil, and it was given back to the demon lord that spawned it within seconds of birth. Somehow, your mother gained the knowledge required to alter you into what you are now. Celestia is hopeful that she can reverse this… that she can heal you.
“While there is some truth in what you say, I think it is far more likely that you will imprison me or throw me into an asylum. I have no good reason to trust you. For all I know, you could be manipulating me with half-truths, just like my mother did. My whole family did. I am done being manipulated.”
Dim, please… come home! We have no desire to harm you, we only want to make the hurting stop!
The train lurched and began to slow as it rounded the final corner before Shepherd’s Shore. Ahead was a quaint little town by the seaside, with beam and block construction, thatched roofs, and the serene pastoral splendour that could only exist in such pre-industrial places. The beauty left Dim feeling both hopeful and sickened.
“You know, if I cannot be rid of this annoying voice in my head, perhaps it is high time I throw myself into the sea…”
There might be a quiz later. Dim has a sister that he doesn't know about. I wish I could tell you more, but I'm drawing a blank when I try to think about my notes. I think pony magic is affecting me.
Poor Dim it does seems like a lot of your stories have bad to indifferent parents. He will not escape the alicorn's readily and Luna ESPECIALLY has many reasons for not letting her decedent to fall to darkness
I forget what story is dim from
4515085
It's tagged to the bloody blog post!
While I haven't read this particular fic, the mother sounds like she may have a Similar gift to Twilight Velvet in discerning the flow of destiny or whatever. But instead of using it to do good like Twilight Velvet did, she did evil with it.
4515092
Eigengrau would be right up your alley.
4515094
Plan on reading it eventually.
4515087 made that comment on my phone witch did not have the link know with my laptop unpacked and on i can see it
4515101
Even on phone, link is visible. Down at the very bottom, you will see my user name, the story, the page views, and a report link. Eigengrau.
Edit, there is also the side tab button.
4515103 ok then i must have missed it
Ho-leee fuuuuck.
That's cruel beyond measure.
but
Uggh missed the Dogged post, too much sleep. Too many things kept busy me yesterday, not enough old person siesta time.