//------------------------------// // ~☾☽~ // Story: Gilded Sister // by Kind of Brony //------------------------------// Why am I here? Why can't I leave? I'm not wanted; it'd be better if I was gone somewhere dark. Darker than this place. So dark that no one would ever have to see me again. "Fake." I flinch, and my body suddenly feels larger. Alien and familiar all at once. "Liar." I curl in on myself, shrinking. "You're not my sister." "Not my daughter." "Not Pureblood." But I am. Please, I know I lied. I'm sorry, but you have to believe- A sharp slap sends me sprawling, fingers curling into the nothingness beneath me as I struggle to get up. 'Where is my granddaughter, beast." No, Grandpa Shield, please. I- "An actress, after all. She had us all fooled." Grampy? "To think, this thing was among us." I force an eye open, looking for Grammy, but see a little white colt instead. There's fire in his eyes, and on his horn. "Where is she?" Bluey, i-it's me- "Where is she!" Ah! P-please! Stop! He doesn't, striking me with wave after wave of fire, the force nearly matching his voice. "Where is she! Where is she! Where is Pure!" It's me! I'm her! Please, I'm sorry! I'm a foal with a busted horn, and the fires hurt even more. It always hurts. There's nothing. Nothing forever and ever. Then they're here from nothing, and the fire burns through my skull. They never believe me- don't want to believe the one they loved could lie to them. Don't want to believe she isn't even a pony. "Fake! Fake! Fake!" T-twinkleshine? Minuette? "Liar! Liar! Liar!" Lemon Hearts? Lyra? "How... how could you?" N-no, Moondancer, please, you have to understand. I didn't want to hurt you- any of you. Don't leave me. You're my best friend. The little filly's sad eyes are suddenly filled with disgust, and she turns away. She walks through the crowd of ponies, disappears behind the faces of my friends and family, of ponies I've betrayed, and they all glare. No, please, don't... don't look at me like that... I'm so, so sorry for what I am. Please... They're moving in, and I curl into a ball, trying to hide from their angry looks. Their eyes burn me however, and I shiver and shake. They keep getting closer though, and I'm afraid of what will happen when they're on top of me. Will I suffocate? Will I die again? A cool breeze rushes over my pained hide, and a sigh escapes involuntarily from my lips. "Begone, terrors!" a voice booms, unfamiliar. There's a flash of blue light, and then the nothingness is quiet once more. Quiet, save an almost inaudible panting. Despite myself, I chance a look up, and am surprised to see... something before me. It's mist, the faintest shade of blue, and almost invisible against the darkness. Then it's turning, and I can make out what look like legs, maybe even a head. "Are thou... alright... little one?" I blink up, not quite sure if I even heard the words, as incorporeal as this thing. It turns away, seemingly scanning it's surroundings. "This place... how did... thou findest thyself here?" What? I don't remember, and search my own memories fruitlessly. Why can't I remember? "A mystery... then...? This... is not... a natural slumber... Not... a dream." Of course it's not a dream, it's a... wait, what is this? The mist ignores me, speaking still, "This... is the deep... subconscious... Very few... reach... this place... I... myself... am imprisoned here..." It turns to me, and I can feel its eyes, despite not being able to see them. They do not burn. They feel sad. "Our... regrets... find us... in this place... What... little one... haunts thou?" My thoughts immediately turn to my friends and family, and the expressions of hatred. Liar. Monster. "Ah... These... I know well..." it breathes, sitting, it's stare returning to the distance. "I too... kept secrets... from the one... I loved... my only... family... and it... devoured me... I can do little now... to make amends... for what... my secrets... caused... Nothing... perhaps... but advice..." It looks down at me. "What... is thy... guilt? What truth... hidden?" The truth. At the thought, I feel it overtake me. The nothing feels more cold when I'm like this. When I don't have a lie covering my frail form. The mist tilts its head curiously. "Strange..." it whispers, then looks down at its leg. My gaze follows the gesture, and I see the mist dissipating, starting from the extremities and traveling up. "My strength... fades... To visit thou... from imprisonment... has taken... all... that I could muster... The Nightmare... sleeping... allowed me... this brief... respite." It stands and approaches and I resist the urge to crawl away. "With... the last... of my strength... I shall... lift thee... from this realm... Mine advice... tell them... the truth... or... the lie... will devour thee, too." Then, its once invisible eyes shine a radiant white that intensifies, spreading across the nothing, burning it away. I should want to shield my eyes, but I can't help but stare directly at it. I even feel my legs come under me, and I stumble forward, arms outstretched. It's not cold, or burning. It's warm. Like life.