Her Eyes Reflect The Stars

by Lynwood

The Bargain

Rainbow Dash falls asleep not long after we get her fed. After she's asleep, Nothing insists on checking on me, even though I tell her that I'm perfectly fine. She lays her ear against my chest and listens to me breathe, and promptly prepares a strange, foul-tasting drink for me. Then she puts me to bed right next to the Element. I know better than to do anything but comply.

Then I am back in the nowhere place. The water around my hooves is frigid and there's nothing but the darkness. And then there isn't. I don't just smell the rotting flesh, I feel her behind me.

My legs tremble but I manage to turn around. The long-legged changeling mare is only a few steps away. Her limp, wet frill hides her face. I can see her raw flesh through the gaping cracks in her carapace.

I try to vomit, but nothing comes out. "Go away," I barely manage to croak, "leave me alone."

"I will not, I think," she hisses in ragged harmony. Her voice sounds melodic in a way that sends cold water flowing down my spine.

I step back. I can't keep my voice steady anymore. "W-what do you want? Tell me what you want."

"Oh, Membrane, my dear child," she says with a laugh. "Why, you are already coughing."

"C-child? I don't want to be..." My throat is painfully dry. "W-wait, I've heard stories of you."

She chuckles at me again. "I suspect you have, yes."

"This is just a dream." I try to steel my shivering voice and fail miserably. "You can't make me turn."

She laughs like she's agreeing. It's a jagged, awful noise. "So the rotted wood insists."

It's getting hard to breathe. "I— I don't understand this. I made sure to protect myself, my mask, my clothes— I did everything right, please!" I can't stifle my sob. "I didn't even get to make sure that she's safe."

Her head turns some more and she takes a step. My heart turns to stone. “Membrane, my dear, sweet child. I am no natural force. I have no expectation to pay tribute to rules or patterns or routines, oh no. When I decide something will be, then it will be. But… you’ll find that I am no deaf tyrant, either.”

My eyes grow even wider. "What... what do you mean?"

"I do so respect devotion... and I enjoy a bargain every now and then, yes?" I can hear her grin.

"A bargain... you mean you're willing to make a deal?"

She just hums an unnerving tune into the stifling darkness.

I push away my fear. "I want to make sure she gets to someplace safe. Someplace where she doesn't have to be so afraid anymore."

The mare's whole body shivers. I catch a glimpse of her muzzle, with its thinned lips pulled back in an almost warm, yet rotted smile. "For this price, your memories of Loyalty will be my claim, until I desire otherwise."

"Loyalty... won't I be dead?" I can't help but tilt my head to one side.

"Do we have a deal?"

The air is suddenly cold. "Yes, we have a deal."

She makes a sound somewhere between weeping and laughing and her head snaps around to me and her eyes her eyes her eyes her eyes

Comments

[Mr cold ghost]

The first time I think we’ve seen the long legged mare talk! Thanks for the update!

[dark_samus3]

Hmm. So the long legged mare is a changeling? "Her voice sounds melodic"... Like a certain changeling queen we know? So, stories of the long legged mare might be origin stories of the changelings? Or maybe she's only appearing that way due to Membrane? Super interesting, can't wait for more.

All that said, maybe its intentional, but I'm just really having a hard time following all of the different timelines; I know vague details about each, but it always takes me a bit to realize which I'm reading about (at least the ones that don't contain an element, those seem more vivid at least). I think it's more just because just as I'm getting calibrated to it and start regaining some context, the chapter ends soon after and I start again with the next. I don't hate the story or even the concept, just maybe the execution needs some polish? Either way, I *am* enjoying the story so far, just figured I'd give my perspective on this. Good luck :)

[FOXTrot2]

Well at least we know she's not a mindless force of nature

[Mrazi]

11107716
She talked alright with stolen children in the original pre event case 125.