Old memories

by TheSourceCode95

Chapter 5

"L... Luna?"

"Yes Rainbow Dash. Fear not, you are safe."

Rainbow could not understand it. One second she was falling, the next she was flying on the back of Princess Luna. Where had she come from? How did Luna know she was going to jump? Was this... "Luna, is this a dream?"

Luna did not answer. She flew back up to Rainbow's cloud house. There she kneeled so Rainbow could get off of her back. "Listen, Rainbow Dash, there is no time for me to explain. I will put you in a deep sleep. One without dreams. You will remain in that state for two days. Once you wake up you must go to Twilight Sparkle. I will tell her to prepare some food for you. She will explain everything to you. Now please lay down in your bed so I can let you sleep."

Rainbow wanted to ask Luna so many questions, but decided it would be better not to. So she laid down. Luna bent forwards and touched her head with her horn. "Good luck, Rainbow Dash."

Rainbow waited a couple seconds, but nothing happened. "Luna, I don't think it works." She opened her eyes, but Luna was gone. Instead, a letter laid in front of her hoof. She grabbed it and opened it.

Go to Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash.

-Princess Luna.

That was strange, I do feel a bit better though. Let's just visit Twilight." She jumped up in the air, and spread her wings. She caught an air current leading towards the center of Ponyville. There she dove down towards the ground, and landed on the balcony. The window was open. She jumped through it, and spread her wings to land softly on the ground.

Twilight sat behind her desk. She had not noticed Rainbow coming in. "Hey there Twilight!"

"Whaa! Rainbow! What did you do that for?" Twilight turned around. She looked tired.

"What? The window was open. I thought the doorbell might scare you so I came in through there." Rainbow nodded up towards the window.

"Next time please just use the door. Well, you must be hungry, you've slept for two days, after all."

Rainbow looked confused. "I thought it didn't work? It didn't feel like two days at all, more like two seconds."

Twilight sighed. She lowered her head and walked towards the kitchen. “Yeah, the spell we use is complicated. It does put the body in a physical state of deep sleep but since the mind uses dreams to process your thoughts, it might not have the full effect of a good night sleep.”

Rainbow raised an eyebrow. “English, Twi, heard of it?”

“The spell let’s your body sleep but not your mind.”

Rainbow looked up. That made a lot more sense. Twilight really needed to stop talking in riddles. “Hang on a second, Twilight, we? Do you use the spell as well?”

Twilight levitated a plate of sandwiches into the air and walked back towards Rainbow. She put the plate on the table and laid down on the couch. “Yes Rainbow. I use the spell as well. Let me tell you what is going on.” Twilight laid down her head and started to talk. “About two weeks ago I got a letter from the Princess. Not Princess Celestia this time though, it was a letter from Luna. She told me that we are under attack. An old myth turned out to be true. Let me tell you the myth.” She closed her eyes as she started to talk.

“A long time ago, when Celestia and Luna ruled together, an evil force slipped across the border. This force was the magic of and old unicorn, who had been banished out of equestria. His banishment had something to do with sleep poison in the water system, but the details are not known.”

“The unicorn lived in banishment for the rest of his life, but was filled with hatred against Luna, who had uncovered his plans. When an unicorn is filled with hatred, his magic will begin to form an life of it’s own. His hatred was so great that his magic became more powerful than anybody could have imagined. When the unicorn had passed away, the magic lived on. It became an invisible force. Hatred like this is known to be able to take over other ponies lives.”

Rainbow interrupted her. “Okay, old pony, hate, so what? What does that have to do with me?” She picked up a sandwich and began to eat.

“Please just be patient for a bit, Rainbow. His hatred was so big, that his magical abilities grew. It consumed the pony it had taken hold of, eventually driving this pony insane, often resulting in suicide. This went on for several decades, but nopony expected anything. Until that one fateful day. At that time both Luna and Celestia were known to take personal students. The magic still hated Luna, and was determined to wreck her. So it took hold of her student. There was nothing Luna and Celestia could do to save the student. he was lost.”

Rainbow looked at Twilight. “Lost? As in, lost lost? Or as in... you know?”

Twilight sighed. “Patience, Rainbow. They knew that the only way to stop magic was by the use of silver, and nopony could drive the magic out of her student, so he had to die. However, the magic was too strong and they could not end the students life. They decided to lock him in a silver cage, completely concealed from the outside world. There he would have to live the rest of his life, until he eventually passed away. To make things easier for him, Luna decided to put her student to sleep.”

“One hundred years passed, and the student neared the end of her life. However, the spell Luna had cast on her was not strong enough to hold. Just before her student breathed out her last breath, he woke up. Filled with hatred against Luna he kicked a hole in her silver cage. It was just a small hole though. Part of the magic managed to escape the cage before Luna’s student passed away.”

She just couldn’t sit still that long. Rainbow started flying around in the room. This seemed completely irrelevant to her.

“This magic had once again absorbed part of the magic of it’s host, but was badly weakened. It was unable to sustain itself in this realm, and had to hide in ponies dreams. That was over a thousand years ago. The magic kept switching host, regaining it’s magical powers bit by bit. Eventually, it grew strong enough to influence ponies dreams. It drove them insane. “

“Wait wait wait wait....” Twilight looked at Rainbow, annoyed for being interrupted again. “So you are telling me that a cloud of hating magic travels from one pony to another to appear in their dreams?”

“Yes, that is about right.”

Rainbow sat down looking sheepishly at Twilight. She had no idea what all this meant.

“This time the magic decided not to focus on one pony at a time, though. As soon as it regained enough magic, it split itself. This caused an outbreak of suicide. Eventually Luna managed to figure out what was going on. In utmost secrecy she and Celestia began to work on a spell that could purify the magic of a pony. This magic was taught to as many ponies as possible, and soon the outbreak died down.”

“They thought they had exterminated the hatred-filled magic. But recently they were proven wrong. The magic survived in the same way it did before. One pony at a time, gaining strenght death by death. And you, Rainbow Dash, are the one that proved them wrong.”

Rainbow stood there, trying to understand what Twilight had just told her. This sounded even stranger than Discord. “So I am possessed by some kind of strange magic that controls dreams to kill ponies to eventually take revenge on Luna?”

Twilight stood up and walked towards the window. She stared outside again. There was nothing to see there, though. “No, it is a little bit more complicated. The magic has grown, and now operates from several ponies appearing in other ponies dreams to weaken them before it really enters.”

It finally started to make sense to Rainbow. She had no idea how or why it was happening, but she got what Twilight was saying. “But if the magic needs to weaken somepony, then how did it get to me?”

“I don’t know Rainbow. It seems like it got you when you first crashed. Do you remember any nightmares since that first crash?”

Rainbow started thinking. There was nothing she could think of, except the one where Luna had to step in. Unless... No. There was no way that could count. That wasn’t a nightmare, it was a flashback, right? And if it was, she couldn’t tell Twilight!

Then Twilight spoke again. “I have. Since a day before your first crash, I’ve been having some minor nightmares. Nothing severe though. However, the nightmares became worse. That is why I informed the Princess, and she told me what she knew. Luna has visited to teach me her sleep spell. I have been using it on myself to make sure I did not dream.”

Rainbow was getting a bit worried now. She finally managed to understand what Twilight was saying. “So what do we do about it?”

Twilight walked back towards her desk. She opened up a drawer with her magic, looked through some papers and closed it again. Then she opened the next, and found what she was looking for. “Princess Luna has sent us this letter. It arrived yesterday.”

Rainbow grabbed the letter that was levitated in front of her, and started to read it.

Dear Twilight Sparkle, Element of Magic,

I am writing thou in response to our my visit the previous day. Our plans have been discussed with my sister, Princess Celestia, and she has agreed that we will let thou and thy friend Rainbow Dash, Element of Loyalty, have a stay in the Royal Canterlot Castle.

Due to recent developments I will be unable to help thou in thy investigation. We are needed to safeguard the dreams. Thou will have full aid of my sister, Princess Celestia, thou brother, Shining Armor, Captain of the Royal Guard, and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza.

We I have made notice to the Royal Guard, and thou hast full privilege in the Royal Canterlot Castle. Thou shall not be interrupted in thy investigation.

Thou Princess,

- Princess Luna.

Rainbow looked at the letter. “Wow, she still needs to adapt, doesn’t she? I can barely make sense of this.”

The paper was pulled out of her hooves, and put back in the drawer. “What she is saying is that we will continue our investigation at the Canterlot Castle. She came here right after she saved you. She told me everything that had happened.”

Rainbow looked at Twilight with an insulted look. “Everything? She just told you my dream?”

“No rainbow, she told me what had happened. She told me that you jumped, and that she could just barely catch you. Your dream is yours, and it is yours to tell, and only once and if you are ready to tell it.”

Rainbow looked away in shame. This dream had been a crazy one. She had been suspended for short periods of time before, that is a standard protocol after being taken into the hospital for more than a week. But this time it had been different. Her entire world had crumbled in front of her because of nothing. She could not tell that to Twilight.

Then they heard hooves outside the door. “Come, Rainbow. We need to go. Our chariot has arrived. I have already informed our friends that we would leave today. Pinkie wanted to throw a party, but I didn’t think that would be a good idea under these circumstances.”

Rainbow sighed. Her head felt like it was going to explode. Everything was just too much. How on earth were they going to investigate something that didn’t exist? Or at least not outside of her dreams? They walked out of the door.

Outside there was not one but three flying chariots. In front of each of them two pegasi, and on them three Royal Guards. One of them stepped off and walked towards Twilight. “Miss Twilight Sparkle? Your transport has arrived. We will guard over ponyville to make sure no incidents happen.”

Twilight was confused, but too tired to look up. “I think our friends can handle the situation here.”

Then all of a sudden Pinkie Pie came bouncing around the corner. In her mouth she had a bag. “We’re coming! We’re coming!” Following Pinkie were Rarity, Applejack and Fluttershy. They were all carrying a bag.

Rainbow looked at them. Twilight didn’t say they would all go. Of course it would be a lot of fun if the others came too, but this wasn’t exactly a fun visit to Canterlot. And what about their work? Rarity would be able to continue her work in Canterlot, but that would still leave Sweet Apple Acres, and of course Fluttershy’s cottage full of animals.

Rainbow started talking. “Look girls, I’d love it if you came along, but this isn’t exactly a fun visit to Canterlot. And what about your animals, Fluttershy? And the farm, Applejack?”

The guard that had spoken to Twilight started talking. “We have got that covered. Two of us will be at the apple farm, and two of us will take care of the animals. The other four will be guarding the rest of Ponyville. I will accompany you on your flight to Canterlot.

The guards that still stood on the chariots stepped off, and started walking to their destinations. Two headed for Sweet Apple Acres, two for Fluttershy’s cottage. The other four walked into directions that seemed random to Rainbow, but had obviously been pre-determined.

Twilight levitated two bags out of the house. Just as they flew through the door, she couldn’t hold it any more. She collapsed. The bags fell on the floor and opened up. One bag was filled with books, paper, ink and quills that flew all over the place. The other one was the one that Rainbow had used to take stuff home from the hospital. It was filled with everything Twilight thought Rainbow wanted to take along. That included the Daring Do series, her Wonderbolt lead pony badge and her flying suit.

They all ran towards Twilight, including the guard. He lowered his horn and said: “Stand back everypony.” They all did a step back as the guard’s horn touched Twilight’s head. Yellow sparks flew off his horn.

Rainbow looked concerned. “What are you doing?”

The guard’s magic stopped, and he raised his head again. “Dreamless sleep spell. It has been taught to all the Royal Guards. We need to get her to Canterlot as soon as possible though, your studies will have to start immediately. Only then can she truly rest.” He levitated the stuff that had flown out of the bags back in, and closed them. Then he levitated the bags onto the chariot, and Twilight with them. Rainbow flew onto the Chariot the guard had lowered Twilight on, and the guard stepped on it as well.

The other girls put their stuff on the other chariots. Rarities suitcase was so big that she needed a chariot of her own. The other three girls stepped on the other chariot, and they took off. Off towards Canterlot.

Comments

[TheSourceCode95]

2456811 No more guessing games for you...

[Rainbow87dash]

She will explain you everything

She will explain everything to you
Also you keep misspelling the word 'sighed'

[TheSourceCode95]

2461387 Thanks, I changed it.

[Daedisagar]

I'm worried, this has been updating too consistently and quickly, every time that happens a 2+ month gap appears in updates.

[TheSourceCode95]

2461404 Beginners rush I guess. And this is a story I have been thinking about for quite a while before writing. Also, my life is pretty inspirational, so to speak... Oh and I'm currently in my final year of school, so I've got loads of spare time.

[Flying-Claw]

Awesome Chapter, as always !

But I'm a little bit confused.. Where is the rapport between the story and the description
<blockquote>
A troublesome youth is something you 'd wish nopony should have, but unfortunately life doesn't always agree to that. This story is about the terrors of youth locked away deep inside Dash's mind. But no matter how deep you hide your memories, they will always find a way to get back to you when you expect them the least.
</blockquote>
?

[TheSourceCode95]

2462496 It will come, just be patient :P
(Just like the Story art btw, working on that now.)

[Flying-Claw]

2462529
Oh, okay ! Patience? I don't know this word ! Just kidding, its totally awesomehow fast you are :rainbowawesome:!