Touch of Madness
Giegue floated carefully around the stacks of books, being careful not to touch anything. The last thing he wanted to do was to disturb this Magicant before he fully understood it. He couldn't recognize any of the titles on the books stacked to the heavens - in point of fact, he couldn't even read the titles, they were in a language he knew not - so he began to search for a way out from amongst the stacks. It didn't take him long to find it, and when he did he stepped out into a city that had no place on Earth. In fact, it looked more like part of the false world that Maria and George had raised him in, with drawings of castles and clear blue skies.
He held the infant Moondancer in his arms, and yet there walking away from him was an adult Moondancer, dressed in the turtleneck and glasses which were no longer so badly fitting, her flank marked by a dark blue swirl and star. The meaning escaped Giegue, but he knew details like that were always important. As such, he followed the adult Moondancer through the Magicant, seeking to make sense of what he was seeing.
The mare walked past a school, pausing at a window to stare at a filly Moondancer, not yet wearing glasses, who was sitting beside a purple filly with a two-tone mane like Moondancer's own. Neither were showing much emotion as they spoke to each other in words Giegue did not understand, but he had no trouble interpreting the scene. It was not the way of the Geeg to show much emotion, or even to admit to having it anywhere but in the most private corner of their Magicants and sharing only with the one with whom they would declare 'We are'. Of all the Geeg, only Cerue knew the turmoil of Giegue's own emotions and now she was-
Giegue forced his mind back to the present perceptions, unwilling to damage the Magicant he was exploring by letting the turmoil of his own leak out. He could tell by the positioning of lights and other things within the memory that it was a happy one...and yet the dark tones of the world around the classroom indicated it was a painful recollection. This was curious. As the adult Moondancer turned to leave, Giegue followed, keeping the foal in his arms from fussing by gently running one tendril through her mane.
The adult Moondancer continued to pause to observe memories of her younger self and that purple filly. It didn't take long for Giegue to recognize what was happening there, or why he so rapidly compared it to...her. The emotions were different, but the sense of bond was the same. The purple pony had been Moondancer's gateway to beyond her own mind and private world, and she had anchored a great deal of her self-esteem and ambitions to the purple filly's regard. He found he no longer wanted to see why those memories were tinged with darkness, but knew he would have to see all of it. He was a scientist, and this was the key to saving humans from humanity.
It didn't take long to see the cause, though it was worryingly close to the Sea of Eden, the dark side of Magicant that contained the darkness and nightmares of the mind, the destructive, instinctive portion. Here he saw the adult Moondancer standing in front of a rather childish party filled with cake, balloons, a pinata...it was rather like the parties George and Maria threw for Giegue's 'birthdays', a human tradition he still did not understand. How could a measure of time based on a planet orbiting a star have meaning aboard a ship that did not move?
The mare seemed eager, hopeful...but the purple pony moved into view. "Sorry, Moondancer!" she called out dismissively. "I'm much too busy being special and important and Celestia's personal student to have time for your stupid party. I don't even have time to meet you face to face or send you a note about it, so I'll just let those other mares we hang out with tell you I'm not going. You just don't matter!" With that message delivered, the mare trotted cheerily off into shadows, the mental constructs of the party slowly collapsing behind the adult Moondancer.
He recognized that this memory was perception, not truth...but that was easy for an outsider to see. Such distinctions were difficult to perceive in one's own Magicant, he knew that quite well. But of greater concern was seeing the entire Magicant slowly crumbling inward, as the Sea of Eden opened its maw around the adult Moondancer, slowly drawing the rest of the Magicant into the darkness.
As the darkness spread, Giegue withdrew to the library...where he found another adult Moondancer huddled amongst the books, weeping. She stared up at the stars...and her power began to gather. As the power flowed over her, she began to fade and vanish...only for a surge of PSI to make the library vanish, leaving behind only a statue of himself.
So that's it, Giegue thought to himself. When I made the wish...my PSI connected to her. My desire to find a way to be whole connected with her desire to no longer be a part of the world that caused her such pain...and our shared strength brought her to me.
"So you figured it out, then?"
That voice drew Giegue's eyes to where the adult Moondancer was visible, changed. Her mane and tail flowed freely, crimson spirals moving of their own accord through violet clouds. Her eyes shone crimson in pools of darkness. Her coat had become a putrid green-yellow, and her teeth now looked like half-rotten fangs. "So you aren't the old Moondancer," he concluded flatly. "You are her Nightmare. That is why the Sea of Eden opens for you."
"Indeed I am...and you aren't needed in here." The figure slowly started to step forward. "She gave into the darkness. She welcomed the end. If not for your interference, her pain - my pain - would be over now. You can leave now, and we'll get back to what we were doing."
The foal in his arms clung desperately to Giegue, weeping in terror. He gently stroked her mane...and heard his own voice echoing.
Take a melody...
Seeing the Nightmare flinch back from that sound, Giegue understood. "In the depths of her despair, she sought death...but she no longer seeks death now. I am her lifeline, a second chance."
"So you will 'keep her safe'?" the Nightmare sneered. "She may not see it, but I do! You care not for her, anymore than George or Maria cared for you!"
The sudden surge of rage in Giegue's mind actually sent the Nightmare staggering back, even if he didn't actually wield it. "...how curious," he murmured softly as he brought it back under control. "It appears even my own mind and heart are still beyond my comprehension...and this filly will help me understand them. Perhaps she is my key to becoming whole. And perhaps I will be hers."
"You'll have to escape this Magicant alive first!" the Nightmare roared, lunging for him.
"Take a melody..." Giegue gently sang.
The Nightmare was brought up short as a statue of Giegue erupted from the mental firmament, causing her to slam into it.
"Simple as can be..." Giegue continued.
A second statue rose, this one of a Geeg with a more human face and build, wearing a striped T-shirt and a baseball cap...Niiue. Giegue briefly wondered why he was here in Moondancer's mindscape, but then continued his song.
"Give it some words, and..."
A third statue arose, this one of...a bee rising out of a flying saucer? Giegue made a mental note to explore the significance of these at a later date if he could.
"Sweet Harmony..."
The fourth statue was a human child, male, wearing a striped shirt, shorts, baseball cap, and holding a baseball bat.
"Raise your voices..."
The fifth statue was another human child, this one a girl in a dress.
"All day long now, love grows strong now..."
Another human child, this one male wearing glasses.
"Sing a melody of..."
The seventh statue was a human child with a topknot.
"Love, of love..."
As the eighth statue rose, completing the circle, Giegue lost his voice. It was Cerue. Why would she play such an important role in the stability of Moondancer's mind? What did it mean?
The Nightmare tried to charge at the gaps between the statues, only to be brought up short by walls of song. She eventually settled for glowering at Giegue. "It won't hold forever," she growled, the barrier blocking most of the menace of her voice. "It will break eventually...and no matter how strong she becomes, she won't be able to beat me. The stronger she becomes, the stronger I become. Every skill, every spell, every PSI she masters, I will learn it too. And by the time the barrier breaks, your mind will have shattered. You know she stands no chance against me alone!"
Giegue's eyes widened as he glanced over the statues. Is that what they mean? Another prophecy? He turned back to the Nightmare. "I do not believe she will face you alone," he stated. Saying no more, he turned and floated back towards the rest of the Magicant.
To his surprise, it was almost completely blank. When he looked close, he could see the echoes of what was there before, now suppressed by the binding of the Nightmare. So she is now a blank slate? he thought to himself as he left the Magicant and returned to his cockpit. He looked down at the little filly. "I will take the time to learn what I can from you," he observed softly. "And I will shape you such that you will be able to overcome your Nightmare...as I believe it is your destiny as that shows for you to help me conquer my own."
"And I'll help you," Niiue promised from inside his mind, his voice filled with love.
Giegue said nothing, simply stroking the now peacefully sleeping infant in his arms.
"So...what does she eat?" Niiue asked curiously.
Giegue blinked for a time. "...that is an important consideration, is it not?" he murmured, the slightest hint of worry entering his voice.
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How interesting, this makes me wish I had the time to spare to play it and the other Mother games that were not translated to English.
WOW!
8028592 I've been looking foreward to both these stories the most as well.
My greatest hope for this fic, is that Porky gets his due. At all. Little blighter kept getting a happy ending for his vile self for far too long!
Please put me down for Moondancer becoming an alicorn. It is just a hunch but I just see it happening for some reason.
8029422 that would be lovely
8029281 Actually the only one not translated officially right now is the 3rd one. Mother one is on the Eshop as Earthbound Beginnings now.
I really should play the games, shouldn't I?
8029422
Agreed. Even getting trapped in an inescapable hamster ball was more of a permanent inconvenience than a punishment.
8029457
You mean, aside from her being a palette swap physical manifestation of the road not traveled?
I'm not an Earthbound fan, but I have to admit, this story's piqued my interest. I look forward to seeing where this goes. ^_^
8034069
Reference nothing.
In Mother canon, the origin of that song - and the reason it has such a strong effect on Giegue - is that it's the lullaby Maria (the one Giegue saw as mother) sang to him as a baby.
A very interesting and original approach to your PWNY stories. I look forward to reading more.
I think I understand Magicant now. It's like Kingdom Hearts's "Dive to The Heart" but instead of a stained glass window floor describing your past and present or multiple princesses window floors hinting your near future while testing your worth... well, it's a literal walk into a person's psyche and a glimpse of a person's history.
8038831
Yup, that's Magicant. A metaphysical manifestation of your psyche derived from your imagination and experiences.
I think this might be the earliest Nightmare manifestation in a PWNY story. And I think it's the Smart Ponies like Twilight, Sunset, and Moondancer that have the scariest Nightmare forms just because the Nightmare has more to draw on.
8039878
And keep in mind Giegue plans to teach Moondancer PSI to better understand how it's affected by emotions.
Fear Moongiygas.
I have to say, I find this rather intriguing. It's sort of like we can see his madness ebb, and it's taking everything he can do to save himself...
Ah, this seems... refreshing somehow.
Oh no, it's Twilight from Letters From a Disgruntled Friendship Student! TRULY the epitome of darkness in her heart!!
{Nightmare:... I'm ignoring.
Why everything's so frightening.
I'm never hungry
:-)
Think of something beautiful really hard, and maybe you will see it tomorrow.
Geigue: Who are you?
Nightmare: Like a beautiful day, for example.
With a huge baby.
A frightening one.
Geigue: What are you doing here?
Nightmare: Let's not lose
any time
to useless introductions.
Let's dance, my dear friend.
:-) }
Not that I have a problem with this, but if you overuse the song, then it kinda loses its impact. Instead of a beautiful song formed from the enduring love of a mother, it's just a plot device.
What's this? A tangible threat in a Tatsurou story that's taken seriously, realistically? What parallel dimension am I in?!
EDIT:
Huh, I always pictured him as the dubbed version of Near. And guess who he's played by?
That's right, Cathy Weseluck, the voice of Spike! Do you know what this means?!?!?!... Eh, I dunno. See ya!
*sigh* guess i'll have to hold off on this story/fic until i finish playing all the mother games :<
Looks like I'll be getting a crash course in the Mother game series
The cancellation of Mother 4 kinda ruined my taste for any Mother fangame.
An interesting twist on the premise that also sets up for a future confrontation. Good show, old chap, I'm looking forward to seeing where this goes.
Kind of hoping you don't shortcut this one like you did with Samus in Another Hatchling, especially since you're foreshadowing this one from chapter two instead of making a Naruto shout-out in what amounted to a filler chapter. Nightmare Moondancer (Nightdancer? or is that already somepony's name?) deserves at least a good showing to gloat over before Moondancer brings out the Power of Love.