//------------------------------// // Section 2 // Story: Shining's Log // by wille179 //------------------------------// Shining’s Log: Entry 13 I managed to stop the bleeding with a Blood-Clotting spell. That's good. I'm so glad training teaches magical first-aid so early.  Now I just have to worry about infection. Who knows where those claws have been. At least I can still walk on this leg. At least I still have you and Corny, right? Corny hasn't let me down yet; her mystery fruit keeps me full and her juice keeps my thirst down. Have I mentioned corny yet? She's a talking can that gives me endless fruit! . I hope we get to Dawn soon Shining’s Log: Entry 14 All walk and no Twilight makes Shiny a dull colt. All walk and noo Twilight makes Shiny a dul colt. All malk and no Twilight makes Shiny a dull coolt. All wlk and no Twilight makes Shiny a Bull colt. All walk and no Twilight makes Shitty a dull colt. All walk and nooTwilight cakes Shiny a dull dull colt. All walk and no Twilight maes Shny a dull clt! All walk and n0 Twilight marakes Shjny a full colt. All wlk and noTwilight makes Shiny a ball calt. All walk and no Twilight Makes Shiny a dull filly. All walk ad noTwilight makes Mommy a dull colt. All walk and no Twilight makes Daddyy aa dull colt. Shining’s Log: Entry 15 Somehow, I woke up on a river. Actually sitting on the water, which was as smooth and hard as glass, yet still flowed beneath me. I have no idea what I'm doing here or how I got here. Your last entry wasn't very helpful, Log. I thought you were better than that, giving me that load of ponyfethers. At least I didn't get hurt this time, though the wound on my leg is stinging a bit more than usual. I would say that it's probably nothing, but that's what they always say. Then it kills 'em. Buck, I need a real doctor. At least Corny made it. Hey, and guess what? Corny changed her fruit! It's still a mystery, but it's a new and tasty mystery! Thank you, Corny! Isn't that sad? I'm distracting myself with fruit. I really miss having other ponies to talk to. The silence would be deafening if it was not for the constant whispering in my ear. I could swear I just saw somepony out of the corner of my eyes. S/he was really tall... Shining’s Log: Entry 22 Building are definitely NOT safe to go in. There are things in there... impossible things. They whisper and howl and scratch and claw and bite and sting and - anyway, they're not fun. Having Corny with us means that we don't have to look for food. And since the weather never changes, I can just sleep outside. But never in the shadows. They are alive, watching, waiting, scheming, planning, twisting, writhing, moving, hungry, thirsty, lonely... Shining’s Log: Entry 27 The weather changed today. Today being a relative term. There's fog now. It's cold... I hear them, the things. They’re outside now. Without the warm glow of the sun-that's-not-really-a-sun, I have no protection from them. I hope I come out alive. Log, this may be the last time I ever talk to you. If I don’t come back, and my family reads you, tell them I love them. And if anypony else reads you, wish them luck... Shining’s Log: Entry 28 I found a hiding spot. Those things are still out there, hunting. I hope not for me, but I doubt it. I can hear them in the mist. Don't want to look. The fog warps things. Buildings bend and straight streets run crooked. The shadows come alive and the faces... the faces... so many faces. I'm clutching Corny tightly as I write. My shield is up, reinforcing my makeshift barricade. I hope and pray that it will all be over soon. They're coming. THEY ARE COMING FOR ME! Goodbye. Shining’s Log: Entry 31 The symbol of IT is shining brightly in the distance. I've reached the edge of the world! Well, it's not really an edge. More of a steep, rounded curve. At first, I was worried that I would slide right off and fall into the abyss - it looks nothing like the actual sky. But no, with each step, gravity turned so that I felt like I was always standing on flat ground. That' fun, let me tell you. I'm at a mini Midnight here. There are still buildings here, lit from within. The not-sun's rays shine up from the sides of the world, but I am in its sha- Shadow! Must run! Shining’s Log: Entry 32 I made it to Dawn. I can still hear the whispers of the shadows even in the light. I want them to go. Corny offered me more of her fruit. I told her that I wasn't hungry, but I ate anyway. No sense in being rude. Shining’s Log: Entry 33 As I walk through the the thick forests of Dawn - such a contrast to the City of Dusk - I could swear I heard a song in the wind: I could while away the hours/ Conferring with the flowers/ Consulting with the rain. And my head I'd be a-scratchin'/ While my thoughts were busy hatchin'/ If I only... For the life of me, I can't remember the next few lines. I swear, this is going to drive me mad... Shining’s Log: Entry 35         I killed it. I killed that thing - a different thing than the things before. It’s blood is still dripping off my coat. It attacked me and I killed it.         I grabbed its head with my magic and squeezed and squeezed and flattened and squeezed and minced and squished and squeezed and squeezed and cracked and squeezed and squashed and squeezed and squeezed and crushed and... it popped.         That was fun. But I don’t think I want to try that again. It could have eaten me. Sure is big enough to eat me - probably in one or two bites, if I let it. Lots of sharp teeth. For some reason, a word comes to mind when I look at the beast. I don’t think that I’ve ever heard that word, but here it is: BANDERSNATCH. Oh dear, I’m bleeding again... and there's pus this time... Ok, Log, I’m back now. All patched up and ready to go! At least, I think I’m ready. That wound stinks! Some of the bandersnatch’s blood mixed with mine in the wound. That can’t be good... Shining’s Log: Entry 36          I’ve been heading in a Sun-Noon direction for several hours now. Navigating is exceptionally difficult here. Let me see if I can give you an accurate picture. You can make two right quarter-turns and end up going left . There’s still the invisible portals and weird gravity paths. Oh, and don’t forget the blue confusion smoke - that stuff makes your head spin - or the moving plants.         Sometimes, I think the forest is a maze. A moving maze... That tree was not there a second ago. I’m going to go now. I don’t like this place. Shining’s Log: Entry 37         The whispers are growing louder now. I’m not sure if they are in my head, or if they are real. They sound like ????????. As I listen, I swear I can understand what they are saying, but the moment I go and try to think about it...         ...I forgot.         These gaps in my memory are getting worse and worse and worse and worse and worse and worse and worse and worse and worse... I started looping again, didn’t I?         What’s that, Log? I’ve never told you about the looping? Not too sure about that myself. Is it my brain making me repeat? Or time itself? Both could be the right answer. If I really did write some of those earlier entries - WHICH I BUCKING DIDN’T - then maybe it’s all in my head. #14’s creepy enough. I don’t want to think about... What was I saying? I can’t remember. Probably wasn’t important. Anyway, sleep well, my precious Logbook. Sweet dreams, Corny! Shining’s Log: Entry 41         There’s this patch of blue flowers ahead of me. I think I remember something about this in guard training. It looks something like poison joke, but not quite. The roots and flowers move - the first plants that actually do move when I’m looking at them. I tried going back, but the way was closed behind me.         Stupid portals.         Stupid trees.         Stupid motherbucking world.         Stupid pus-filled leg wound.         There really is no other direction I can go at this point in time. Forwards it is. Wish me luck, Log and Corny! I just hope that whatever joke I get isn’t too painful. Well, here goes nothing!