Transparent Living

by PinoyPony


Chapter 10: Chasing Dreams

Nothing warmed Luna's heart more than sweet dreams. The main reason why is that she hadn't had them in a long time with the Tantabus around. The corrupted dream aura would penetrate and poison other dreams quickly. Whenever a sweet dream would come along, it would attract the Tantabus like a moth to the light.

Thankfully, the Tantabus was gone. She thanked Twilight and her friends for showing her the light at the end of her mistakes. She thanked them for showing her that she can be truly forgiven.

Because of them, she basked in her masterpiece; a gentle tapestry of sweet dreams stretching across Equestria. That included her. She was no longer ostracized for her misdeeds long ago. And finally, she had friends.

Sometimes, all you could do was watch.


“Diamond, I want to tell you something.” Her father said.

“Yes, Daddy?” She answered, rolling towards her father. She nuzzled her head in the crook of his neck.

“I want to tell you a secret” He whispered in her ear. “But first- I want you to close your eyes and think of your happiest memory.”

She closed her eyes and searched her mind. Her mind raced back to the days before her school days. She was a little filly, without a care in the world, racing through the sprinklers.

You got it?” He asked.

“Yes.” she answered.

“Now, describe what you see.” She felt his weight shift off the picnic blanket. She fought the temptation to take a peek. She feared he would bolt away and abandon her, but still, she trusted him. He was her father, after all.

“I see a little filly, acting like a lion, chasing gazelle daddy through the sprinkler savanna.” She said.

With her eyes still closed, she could feel the warmth of the evening sun on her face. She smiled.

“Now, open your eyes.” He said.

She opened them.

In front of her, lined up like a runway, were sprinklers. They twirled as they sprayed diamond droplets everywhere.

She turned to her father. He no longer had a horn and wings. In place of it, he was dressed with curvy antlers and a short tail. He lifted his beautifully striped hooves out, ready to prance down the lane.

As if on instinct, she growled deeply. The growl like a grumble of thunder in her throat. She covered her throat. She would’ve gasped, but it came out as a confused growl. She caught a glimpse of her mane. It was wrapped around her head like a lion. Like a finishing touch, her snout bristled with whiskers as the wind rushed by.

“Well, what are you waiting for? Come with me to dinner!” He said, bounding down the path.

“Oh no you don’t!” She charged down the path, feeling the droplets brush across her fur.

...She charged further and further down the path. Her hooves squelched under the wet grass. Normally, her mother would tell her to stop so she didn't track mud into the mansion, but at this point, nothing else mattered. Just her and her dad, charging down the lane in paradise as the caramel light of dusk brushed upon her pink coat. If the light was truly caramel, she could almost taste it.

...As she chased him down the path, three lions came out to join her. Two charged with her at her side.

“Let's get him!” One of them shouted. She recognized the voice, sweet and smooth. She glanced over to her right.

She froze.

Three fillies up ahead halted in their tracks. Only, like her, their manes wrapped around their necks, and they had claws on their hooves. One of them smiled, flashing a row of sharp teeth.

Diamond shuddered.

“C'mon Diamond! He's getting away!” Applebloom roared.

Diamond mouth gaped open, lost for words. Why were they here? Why did they join her? And how did become lions like her? She decided the last question was the best to start with.

“King Rich's magic transformed us.” Scoots explained. She motioned her head down the trail, obviously impatient to continue the chase. “The more we wait, the less food we are going to get!”

“Always thinking about your stomach,” Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes.

Scootaloo kicked.

“Ow! Remember you have claws?!”

Diamond snickered. She ran towards them. The three fillies gathered around her. After they traded glances in acknowledgement that they were all in this together, they blazed the trail.

Her father happily pranced about in the fields. He pounced up, snapping his teeth onto low hanging apples like a dog leaping to snatch a treat.

“He's going to pay for that!” Applebloom growled.

Once he spotted the four of them, he laughed jovially and bounded down the path a little more.

Down and down they went, dodging cattails, tail grass, and trees. Finally, Diamond broke through the foliage, finding herself at the edge of a town.

Diamond noticed something peculiar about the town- all the houses were made out of glass, some plain- some modern. She passed what she recognized to be familiar landmarks, like Twilight’s castle, or Sugarcube Corner.

Some looking like the stained glass from Canterlot palace. Some glass was opaque or a different color, adding variety as she meandered down the stone streets.

Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she saw her Dad darting nonsensically from one street to another. She chose not to gawk too long. Back to the task at hand.

Wait a minute… where were the other three?

“Nah! Nah!” Her father teased as he brushed past her.

She shook off the daze and started to chase him down the streets.

Inch by inch, she got closer and closer. However, he wouldn’t allow her to get any closer than a full pony length from him. As she locked onto him, she figured she take the risk.

She leapt towards him. He skittered to the right suddenly. Her claws found no purchase as she barreled into a nearby building.

She clenched her teeth. Glass flew everywhere around her. She curled up, trying to protect herself from the jagged tiny daggers.

As she tumbled, her stomach burned warm. Then it froze cold. The mixture of dizziness and fear nauseated her. Neither could she place or get a handle on. This is what it must've felt like to be in shock.

When she dared to open her eyes, she saw the glass flying around her. However, not at huge shards, but as fine as sand. The grains were suspended in air like dust particles on a sunny day.

Suddenly, the sand flew back into the wall, and pieced the glass wall back together.

“Nifty, huh? Princess Sparkle placed a spell on it. She calls it- Living Transparent” Her father stood in front of her and tapped on the glass.

She looked in amazement as the last of the sand trickled like an upside-down waterfall back into the glass without any sign of a scratch. Not even a hoof print.

She looked around. Desks, Chalkboard, Crayons… How could she not recognize the building? This was the schoolhouse!

He galloped towards the exit of the building and waved his gazelle tail. “You going to chase me or not?”

She smiled and rolled her eyes. “You're forgetting something…”

“What?” He asked, mimicking the same mischievous smile. He glanced over his shoulder. As soon as he noticed, his eyes widened as he skittered inside. In pursuit, the three lion crusaders stormed after him.

This was her chance. She took the opportunity and lunged towards him.



Her claws hit him square in the back. She rolled, taking him with her.

She slowly got up. As she tried to brush the rubble off, she found none on her fur. Upon closer inspection, she also couldn't find any cuts or bruises.

Her father got up and brushed himself off. “You got me.” He chuckled.

The three fillies surrounded her and raised her up in the air. Applebloom cheered. “Nice! You got him!”

Diamond smiled. A warmth enveloped her heart. If felt so distant, so alien, but at the same time, familiar. Like she was finally where she needed to be. That she belonged.

Suddenly, a flash of light threaded out of her flank. She smiled, but with a little skepticism, “My Cutie Mark?” Again?

Her father pushed through the fillies with a grim look of worry on his face. His horn gleamed.

Suddenly, the light flew out of the flank. At the same time, with expert craft, a glass jar formed out from the glass pane. The lid was made out of glass also.

The jar popped open. He stuffed the light inside. Diamond found it wonderous that the light had the consistency of a cloth.

Diamond looked back at her flank. Her ears drooped.

It was blank. She noticed next that her lion tail vanished. The lion mane on her head disappeared with the tail, back to her boring braid. She glanced back at her Dad, who had his wings and horn back.

Her dad put the jar in his saddlebags. “That was a close one.” He smiled at the four and pointed, “To sugarcube corner!”


Something awakened. Originally, that something clung to the light with all of her heart. Created for the benefit that future generations wouldn't know of the destructive power of a nightmare. It originally used its powers for good, for defense, but with taint of evil desires, selfishness and hate clung to that pure being. The creator tried to keep it at bay, but that light she created struggled for expansion as dreams bridged reality, and reality bridged nightmare.

Poisonous Light.



A lantern gleamed in the darkness. The stallion clenched his teeth on the handle carefully as it swayed in the cold wind. “Easy now.” he reprimanded the lantern quietly. “Don’t want you going out on me.”

He glanced up at the sky. He sighed as nothing but the dark clouds of winter blotted out the stars.

“Hope she's doing alright.” he said.

...It had been about month since she left. Since then… nothing has been the same. He only hoped that things weren't tough for her in the big city.

He trotted down the empty streets, the smell of dead leaves hung in the air. The cold wind whipped around the houses, dark and cold. He had the eerie feeling that he was being watched. Yet, at the same time, he felt alone, his lantern as the solitary light in the darkness.

He shook off the feeling, as he noticed he was lingering too long. He continued forth, with his destination in mind.

As he continued, the train whistle blew. A long, baleful call, shrieking in the darkness. He looked over, just in time to see it the lights climb the hill, and recede into the mist of night. That line raced to Mane-hattan. It would arrive around noon tomorrow.

As he reached the building, the only building with lights on, he approached the door and knocked softly.

Immediately, the door creaked open. “Come on in.” A pink mare spoke.

“Thank you, Miss Pie.” He offered a smile, then trotted in.

Pinkie bounded off to attend to her chores. Randolph wasn’t surprised Pinkie was still this giddy at this hour.

He took a seat at a booth, acknowledging another mare sitting there. Her horn protruding out of her white cloak.

He set down the lantern and bowed. “How do you do, Princess Twilight?”

“Good to see you, Randolph.” Twilight said, popping her hood off. “I'm glad you came to me; I have something I wanted to speak to you about.”

Randolph stretched, a few bones popping and his joints creaking. When he got himself situated, he said “What is your favor?”

“Actually, not so much of a favor, but a request to help you out.” Twilight said. “This meeting is about your matters after all.”

She waved a hoof in the air, motioning for Pinkie to come.

Pinkie trotted up to the table, clenching a hoof-kerchief in her mouth.

Pinkie set the bag down on the counter, letting the sides of the hoof-kerchief roll down and show what was inside.

Inside it was a cake, packaged nicely in a plastic container with a bow on top.

Pinkie zipped off to the kitchen. When she came back, there was a mug atop her head. She came to the table and set it down carefully.

“Thank you, Pinkie.” Twilight said, accepting the mug.

From the smell, Randolph inferred it was Hot Chocolate.

Pinkie smiled, squeaked quietly, and bounded back to the kitchen.

Twilight sipped her hot chocolate. She stared off into the nearby lantern. Her eyes blazed with the solemn reflection of the lantern’s firelight. “Need me to pay for postage?”

Randolph's mouth went dry. He shook his head and smiled. “News around Ponyville spreads quick, doesn't it?”

Twilight snickered. “Applebloom and her friends can't keep a secret.”

He paused.

“Still, there is something else you are here for.” Twilight pointed out. “I want to hear your side of the story.”

“Well, I need to know first what you have heard.” He started. “I bet you know about Zap-Zangs?”

“Indeed-dirino!” Pinkie shouted. She covered her mouth. “Whoops.”

Some crying was heard from upstairs. Pinkie groaned and facehoofed. “Well, gotta go take care of that.” She sighed as she trotted upstairs.

Twilight shook her head and smiled.

Randolph dug in his saddlebags. He pulled out a pile of letters and set them right next to the cake.

Twilight turned back to Randolph. “Had a sample yesterday.”

“Mmmm.” Randolph stroked his chin.

“Do you know about her new interests?” He asked, tapping on the pile of letters.

“I heard she wants to conduct research with Doctor Fuse.” She pressed a hoof to her muzzle, suppressing a giggle. “I didn't expect it. The little filly is an egghead.”

Randolph smirked. “Now, now. I would be very careful about saying that in front of her. She gets very defensive, you know.”

“I know.” Twilight smiled back. “Speaking of which, I might want to place a spell on my horn to protect me from any corrosion.”

Randolph raised an eyebrow. “Has it already has hit Ponyville?” He said with a slightly raised voice.

“No, its still contained in Mane-hattan. For now.” Twilight answered. She sighed. “I'm going up with Rarity to go see one of Coco's plays. By free postage. I can deliver personally...”

“Hmmm. I see,” Randolph said after thinking to himself. “She would enjoy that, but I must decline. She needs this package as soon as possible.”

“I can respect that.” Twilight said. She took another sip of her cocoa. “Funny you say Dr. Fuse has taken interest in Diamond. Knowing Boron, his zeal for finding the cure is as contagious as the disease he is trying to eradicate. Getting another earth pony involved on his team would be a strategic move.”

“Curious.” Randolph said. “He tried to get Coco on board first, but she declined. Then, Mistress Tiara asked him. Unfortunately, she isn't of age yet. So that negates that option.”

Twilight stared off into the distance. A smile crept on her face. “Comes to think of it, I have an idea.” The corners of her mouth twisted. “But first, I need to know how much time you have. I don't want to keep you from your duties.”

“All night.” Randolph answered. “I told the Rich's that I'll be out visiting the Apple’s as I usually do, but I let Granny Smith know I won't be stopping by tonight. They know that I had matters to attend to.”

“Good.” Twilight nodded. “Here's the idea.”