//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: The Truth // Story: She Still Hurts (Cancelled) // by Fluskie //------------------------------// Months later after Princess Luna and Flusk first met.. "I..Told you..I'm fine!" "Yeah, collapsing on a hill out of nowhere is 'fine'. Whatever you say, Luna." Flusk was currently galloping through a tall field of grass with a particularly heavy alicorn on her back. They weren't too far from Canterlot Castle and would reach it in a few minutes where Flusk could safely rest her on a bed without having to strain her back anymore. She could see the castle right before her as relief began to wash over her and her sore back. "You there! What are you doing with the princess?" A guard shouted at the entrance, raising his spear at Flusk. "Important and life-threatening, let me through please!" "D-Don't tell him that..H-He'll actually call..A..D-Doctor..I don't need..A doctor!" Luna weakly said. "Is the princess hurt?" "I'm not sure. She just collapsed while we were out having a picnic. She sounds like she's struggling though." Flusk explained. "Alright, I'll call a doctor to give her a check-up. Please take the princess to her room and rest her there for now." "Yes, sir!" Luna only groaned on Flusk's back as she took her into the castle and to her bedroom. While escorting her there, she got some very odd glances from other ponies who worked in the castle such as maids, cooks, and even some tourists who were visiting. A few opened their mouths to ask questions but instantly stopped as if the ability to speak was no longer an option and they physically couldn't. It basically looked like Flusk was kidnapping Luna into her own home to put it simply. But what was the problem with that? Was it even considered kidnapping if you were 'kidnapping' them into their own home? "O-Oh my goodness! U-Um, excuse me! What are you doing with Princess Luna, miss?" A nervous voice asked behind her. Flusk looked over her shoulder to see a white mare with a dark brown mane hurrying behind her to match her pace. She looked bewildered to see Luna on her back like this. And then, Flusk had a sudden realization this pony was Raven Inkwell. To put it shortly, she did basically all the paperwork for Luna's sister and was usually seen at her side discussing 'boring topics'. She had seen her before when visiting the castle to see Luna. She looked a little more frazzled today though. Flusk sighed in annoyance. "I'm not kidnapping her, I'm taking her to her room!" "But she has guards here to assist her if she needs to be carried." "I don't CARE! Just let me do what I need to do!" Raven seemed taken aback as she stopped following Flusk, watching her disappear around the corner silently to Luna's chambers. Well, her job wasn't to tend to Princess Luna. Her job was to tend to Princess Celestia. As selfish of a thought that was, nowhere did it say she had to care for the both of them. Raven simply brushed a strand of mane out of her face and turned away, trotting back where she came from. If she was questioned, she'd only answer she had seen nothing or had no clue what was going on. *** "There, are you comfy?" "Does it r-really..M-Matter?" "Of course it does, you're sick." "I'm not sick, Flusk! Y-You called a-a doctor for..N-No reason! W-What's a d-doctor g-going..T-To do for me?" Flusk was just fluffing up Luna's pillows when she heard a knock on the door. She trotted over to it and opened it. Outside was a unicorn stallion studying a clipboard who gave a simple nod to Flusk and invited himself in. She shut the door behind him, a little confused by the silent greeting but going with it as she joined him beside Luna's bed. "Hm..From the information that was gathered by this young mare who brought you in, you collapsed on a hill and are..'Struggling'? Do you have breathing problems and weakness?" The doctor asked, adjusting his glasses and staring for once elsewhere from his clipboard. "D-Don't even b-bother..Y-You won't be able..T-To diagnose me. I-I've been t-trying to say that..B-But nopony listens.." "Hmm, stuttering and pauses between speech." The doctor muttered, writing something down on the clipboard. "Has this happened before?" "ENOUGH!" A strong wind exploded from Luna which blew both Flusk and the doctor back. The doctor shielded his face with his arm as he fought with the wind to stay firmly standing on the ground. Meanwhile, Flusk had gone flying and smacked her back into the wall, releasing a groan of pain from her as she crumpled to the ground. The winds abruptly stopped as the doctor regained his composure. “F-Flusk? A-are you..O-Okay?” Luna asked, staring worriedly at Flusk on the floor. The doctor rushed to Flusk as soon as he had recovered from the harsh winds. He gently placed a hoof on her side. "Miss? Miss, are you there?" Her eyes suddenly fluttered open, looking to the doctor and then to the bed in front of her. "H-Huh?..Yeah..I'm okay." "Are you sure? You're not hurt or anything?" "Yeah, I'm okay." "Alright." The doctor removed his hoof, allowing the mare to get up on to her hooves again. She brushed herself off and turned her gaze to Luna who looked rather relieved to see she was okay. Flusk could only frown at her, quickly turning her attention to a window in the room which was letting a bit of sunlight in. A tiny bird was sitting on the window sill flapping its wings a little and pecking on the ledge it stood on minding its own business. She..She couldn't look at Luna right now. "Miss, I don't mean to offend but maybe perhaps it would be best if you left for now. I'll deal with the princess for now." The doctor said. "Fine.." Flusk lowered her head and folded her ears, trotting out of the bedroom. All she could feel was sadness and a little bit of betrayal. All she wanted to do was help..But..Luna hurt her for trying. Even though she couldn't see behind her, she knew Luna was watching and that Luna was definitely feeling pretty bad right now..Sort of how Flusk wanted her to feel. *** Flusk leaned over a balcony railing with her head on her hooves. She was on one of the towers that the sisters used to stand and raise the sun and moon. She didn’t know which one but she didn’t really care of course. Behind her was a large blue telescope. Yeah, this was Luna’s tower...Hopefully, she didn’t find her here. A soft breeze swept by and carried Flusk’s mane with it, sending a bit of a chill down her back. She only sighed as she was lost in thought, thinking on why Luna would get mad at her for only trying to help. Never mind that, why hurt her? She didn’t care if it was just some overreaction, it hurt! Flusk sniffled a little as she noticed tears started to fall down her cheeks. Great, just great. She definitely needed somepony to see her crying. NOT! She took a few deep breaths as she tried to wipe a few tears away with her hooves. It didn’t really work though since she kept dwelling on the thought, thinking that Luna really wanted to hurt her and didn’t appreciate her. What happened to their friendship? What happened to the kind-hearted pony she met in Sugar Cube Corner a few months ago? More tears just fell from her eyes and she swore under her breath, trying to get her emotions in order. “Flusk?..” “AH! Oh..” From the corner of her eyes, she saw a large dark blue figure standing in the entryway to the balcony. She could already tell it was Luna by the flowing blue blur attached to the figure and the sound of her voice. She furiously rubbed at her eyes and her cheeks to get rid of any tears so she wouldn’t see her crying as she turned around, putting on a fake smile. “Hey, Luna. I see your check-up is over, how’d it go?” Flusk said, putting on a cheerful tone. “He didn’t find anything like I knew he wouldn’t.” Luna replied, sounding a little disappointed. “Really? That’s strange. Well, you’re not stuttering anymore or struggling to walk so that’s a good sign!” “Flusk, I know you were crying.” Flusk paused, her mouth sort of hanging open. She didn’t know what to say or what to think. Was she supposed to say something or think something? She didn’t want Luna to worry about her. Luna’s health was the most important right now. “W-What? What are you talking about? I was just-“ “You were. It doesn’t take a genius to see that. I should know, I use to be quite a crybaby in the past.” Flusk sighed. “It doesn’t matter right now, I want to know that you’re okay. You seem to know more about the reason you’re struggling and weak more than a doctor and everyoony else does.” “I do, that’s why I told you not to call a doctor.” “Well, I thought you were just being stubborn like always!” Luna’s face changed to one of concern as she saw Flusk starting to cry again. Though, Flusk looked more angry than sad. “You never tell anypony about how you’re feeling or if you’re hurt or anything! You just keep it all inside and expect to come out alright. I was playing guessing games with you the first time we met! I really thought I was getting somewhere with you after a while of being friends but I guess not. You’ll never let me in or let me help you!” “Maybe because I don’t want to hurt you!” “You already have!” There was a sudden silence as Flusk lowered her head, sort of covering her face with her short blue mane. She couldn’t look Luna in the eyes right now..She just couldn’t. “Fine, I’ll tell you what’s wrong with me. Maybe then if you know, it’ll give you time to run.” Luna said. “Time..To run?” Flusk asked, raising her head. Luna patted the ground in front of her, now seated as Flusk sat down. “You’ve heard about the story of Nightmare Moon, right?” “Of course. I’d assume everpony has heard it. It was a story usually told to the little ones. Although, it’s odd to have a story based off you, right?” “You knew Nightmare Moon was me?” Luna’s eyes widened. “Really. Do you really think that everypony wouldn’t know by now? I knew before it was confirmed that Nightmare Moon was you. It’s pretty obvious really. Besides, at Summer Sun Celebrations, your sister speaks of you returning from banishment.” “Oh, right,” Luna rubbed the back of her neck nervously. “Well, like the newly updated story goes, the Element’s of Harmony returned me back to my original self and that was it which isn’t correct.” Luna suddenly stood up, untucking her alicorn wing from her side and spreading it out of the way. Her cutie mark was now in full view. A crescent moon surrounded by splotches of what looked like black paint on her flank. They definitely weren’t paint splatters though. “It’s easy for these to blend in with my cutie mark and look like they’re apart of it,” Luna said, pointing at the little splotches. “But they aren’t. These are the aftermath of being controlled for a thousand years. They are permanently there and physically unremovable. They are also a symbol that her power still lives inside me. The elements weren’t able to remove everything therefore I still have a chance of becoming Nightmare again.” “What, but..Huh?” “This is why doctors can’t help me because it’s not a health issue. It’s a magic issue that can’t be helped. This is why I have been struggling and weak. It takes up my strength to keep myself from being controlled by the power that so badly wants to come out. But do not fear, once I feel that the power is too much, I will banish myself to the moon this time to keep everypony safe.” “WHAT?!” Flusk screamed. “It might seem unfair but it’s me over hundreds of ponies. It would be utterly selfish to leave them all in the way of harm. I would never do that.” “I get it but..Banishing yourself to the moon is too extreme! What would your sister think? I-I..What about me?” “My sister would accept it in a certain amount of time. She had to the first time anyways. And you..You would too. Since you’re a mortal, you wouldn’t ever get to see the day I returned from Nightmare Moon. You would be far dead by then.” Flusk softly blinked as she felt tears starting to form in her eyes when she suddenly shook them off. “No! You know what, I won’t let you do that. I’m going to find something that will help you and something that will banish her magic. I will not let you send yourself to the moon!” “Flusk, it doesn’t ma-“ But she was already gone. Her soft galloping was heard down the hallway until it vanished.