//------------------------------// // Chapter 16. Sisters of the Moon // Story: What Moonlight Made Her // by Storybelle //------------------------------// Moon Shadow sleeps, unaware of time passing by or the worries of those around her.  Sometimes she hears voices, sounding far away, little more than distant noise. Other times, she hears voices of her loved ones right over her head. She swears she can hear her mother’s voice, talking to her in a soothing tone. She can hear Celestia arguing with someone. There’s a mare talking in a soft voice that she doesn’t recognise.   Then the world falls away and she wakes up in a new one.   “Where am I, Kimono?” Moon Shadow asks, knowing full well where she is by now. She’s been dragged through too many Kimono-induced dreams to not recognise them. This time she’s in the castle, in a hallway in the south wing. Growing up around the castle means that she knows just about every inch of it.   “Canterlot,” Kimono replies immediately, sounding more distant than before.   “I know that,” replies Shadow, a little sharply. “Why am I here, Kimono? There’s only so much you can tell me.”   “But infinite things to show you,” says Kimono, calmly. “However, I’m afraid I don’t have the time. I can only show you the most vital things that you need to know.” Moon Shadow knows better than to waste time arguing the inevitable in Kimono’s voice. If there’s something she needs to see, they’d better move. Her sleep was likely drug-induced and it must have worn off enough for Kimono to get through. It makes Shadow wonder what else might get through and if so, how much time they have.   “Then let’s go,” Moon Shadow says, briskly walking off down the hall. But this time, Kimono doesn’t speak to direct her.   “Aren’t you going to tell me where to go?” Moon Shadow asks, at the end of the corridor where there’s a junction. Right will take her to the entrance hall. Left will eventually lead her to the kitchens.   “Don’t you hear it?” Kimono says instead. Moon Shadow pauses, confused.   “Hear what?” she asks, turning her head this way and that. But she doesn’t hear anything. The castle is strangely silent. Even when Shadow arrives after dawn for her meetings, these halls are never this still.   “Listen,” Kimono instructs, voice ringing with meaning. Clearly, she wants Shadow to use more than her ears. “Can’t you hear it?”  So Moon Shadow does as she asks, standing completely still and calming her breathing. For a minute, she concentrates on the beating of her heart, the soothing, constant thrumming. Finally, when that is so calm she can barely even hear her heartbeats anymore, does she notice another sound out of the silence.   “A bell?” Shadow asks, opening her eyes. There’s the faint sound of a bell, echoing within the stone walls. It’s deep, full, the sound of a large, solitary bell.   “Follow it,” says Kimono. For a moment, Shadow is frozen, indecisive. She can’t follow the sound: it seems to be all around her. Does she go left or right? Will this journey lead her deeper into the castle or out of Canterlot? Kimono is challenging her. She wants Shadow to be able to do this on her own.   This reeks of Celestia-style training again.   But Shadow stops and waits. And again, just breathes and listens. Tries to channel her inner-Sandmare. Celestia is always waffling on about using her instincts. Maybe now is the time to use them for something more than escaping cannibal clowns.   And her feet almost move by themselves, drawn to the ringing in the depths of the castle.   Kimono stays silent as they wind through grand rooms, make their way down corridors and end up at a very long set of stairs. Shadow stares into the darkness but she can tell the ringing is coming from down there. So that’s where she’s going to have to go.   The stairs are old. Really old. Over time the castle has been constantly renovated, kept modern and new as Equestria has moved forward. But these stairs are like the ones Shadow encountered in the old castle: large, uneven stone slabs that are perilous to walk down. But Shadow lights her horn and takes it one step at a time, as quickly as she dares.   She doesn’t know how long she descends. In the darkness and silence, with only her breathing and the echoing gong of a bell to keep her from going insane, it feels like hours. There’s no measure of time here, no pony to talk to – not even Kimono says a word.   Just when her legs feel like they’re going numb from exhaustion and the endless rhythm of ‘feel, step, step, feel, step, step’, her hooves make a different sound as they land on much thicker stone. Just to be sure she’s not going to plummet off the edge, Moon Shadow moves her horn’s glow in front of her. Rather than a perilous drop, there’s just a long corridor of cracked, dark stone. The air tastes old and stagnant, musty on her tongue when she breathes in. There’s not a lot of air flow down here. They’re too deep for fresh air or light here.   Taking a deep breath, with still no sound from her ghostly companion, Moon Shadow puts all four hooves firmly on the ground and determinedly follows the corridor all the way to the end. It initially looks like a dead end, a large stone wall in front of her. But as Shadow moves closer she can see the gaping hole in the dark stone slabs. Any debris there was has been taken away, leaving only an uneven opening. But beyond the hole is dark, with whatever lies within untouched by Shadow’s light. Shadow touches a section of the wall with a hoof, thinking carefully. She encountered that strange stallion with slabs of stone only a few days ago. He was transporting them away from the castle. And at the time she’d thought it was odd as she hadn’t known about any construction happening. But clearly it had, right under her nose. Somepony had ordered this wall to be brought down. But why? And why now? Kimono still hasn’t offered any help so Shadow takes another steadying breath and steps through the gap.   The cavern is huge. Moon Shadow never would have guessed that this is what would greet her once she’d taken a step into what seemed like endless darkness; a vast space with uneven floors and still, stale air.   Almost stale. As Moon Shadow cautiously steps further in, she can feel small breezes that must be coming from gaps and cracks in the walls. Walls that are continuous, solid stone: only a small section near where Shadow came in was made of large slabs and cement. Only when she takes a good look at the walls does she realise why they went so far down.   “This room was built out of the mountain!” she exclaims, brightening her horn as far as it can go. It doesn’t fill the whole cavern but it’s enough for Shadow to gauge the size of the space she’s in. It’s as long as the Castle ballroom and twice as wide. The roof is so high above her head she reckons that you could fit the Canterlot observatory in here and still have a few feet to spare.   “That’s right,” says Kimono, making Shadow jump. She’d almost forgotten the other Sandmare was there, Kimono has been quiet for so long. “Celestia had this room built back when the Castle was still in construction. We’re not quite as low down as the Crystal Caves though.”   Shadow takes a few tentative steps forward, hooves clacking on the rough floor. For a place that’s been long abandoned, it’s dry and clean and, with the exception of a few cracks in the walls, safe.   “Uh, this place wasn’t used to hold a pony-eating monster, was it?” Shadow checks, suddenly nervous. She may be asleep but she’s not up for running for her life, yet again. “Because that seems really impractical when Tartarus is a lot more secure…” Kimono chuckles.   “No. It was used to seal something up but nothing that is a danger to you, I promise.”   “But what was…?” Shadow starts to ask before Kimono cuts her off.   “Just keep walking. You’ll see it.” There’s an edge to Kimono’s voice now, something brimming with excitement. The binding spell is probably keeping her from saying anything more so Shadow quickly steps forward, searching.   It’s hard trying to find something when she doesn’t know what she’s looking for. All she can do is step over chunks of rock and keep her eyes open as she searches with her light. But then the light passes over something that isn’t a mere chunk of rock. “Can you feel it?” Kimono asks softly, almost reverently. Shadow is barely listening. She’s staring at the bell, the dark, rusted metal and all of the delicate carvings underneath layers of dirt and grime. Something in this bell is drawing her in, singing to her. Magic, she thinks, pressing a hoof gently against the cold surface. The bell has been made with magic. And strong magic too. Even all these years later, the energy in the bell is sending sparks along Shadow’s skin, and tremors up her spine.   “What?” Shadow says in amazement. She moves around the bell in a circle, admiring it from all sides. It doesn’t look complete though – the ringer is missing and it looks unpolished somehow. Rough. “How…?” “Celestia had it sealed up here, long ago,” Kimono says, as Shadow continues to admire the bell. “It wasn’t completed by it’s original maker before she died.”  Shadow stops in her tracks, now certain of what this bell is...and does. This is Glory’s great bell, the one that banished Grogar and Tambelon to a dark corner of the dreamworld where he couldn’t hurt anyone. But it’s old and unfinished. It doesn’t look like the grand magical bell capable of defeating the necromancer. “Glory’s,” she says aloud, to say what Kimono can’t. “But this one looks unfinished. How could she have defeated Grogar with this?” “She didn’t,” Kimono says and then falls quiet, gripped by the curse that prevents her from telling Shadow what she needs to know. But it doesn’t matter. Shadow already understands. “She was making another one,” Shadow says, slowly. Clever Glory. Not happy that Grogar’s banishment was permanent, she was preparing another in case he returned. “Just in case. She was right. But where’s the first one?” “Lost,” Kimono says vaguely. “No one is quite sure of where it went after the battle. That’s why Glory was making another.” “Can we use it?” Shadow says, touching the bell once more. It’s like an addiction; the ripples of magic that flow over her when she comes into contact with it. It feels like warmth and comfort, a magical aura that is somehow familiar. It calls to something inside of her, as though the bell wants or needs her there.  “Hmm,” Kimono says thoughtfully. “You’ll find out soon enough.” Shadow merely rolls her eyes. She suspects that particular piece was more ‘do it yourself’ rather than the curse keeping Kimono’s mouth tied. “Alright, alright,” Shadow grumbles. “But why didn’t she finish it?” “She died before she could,” Kimono sounds mournful. “She tried...but it caught up with her in the end, like all Sandmares. She lived longer than any of us...Imagine what she could have done if she’d lived a full life!” Shadow swallows, wishing more than anything than some other pony was in her place. This incredible creation of dark and dream magic in front of her intimidates her as much as it awes her. Glory did something amazing in making it, and the one that came before. Maybe it would have been better if somepony else was the Sandmare. Better if Glory was the sandmare. She faced Grogar before, without drowning under any fears or doubts she might have had. She hadn’t let it because she must have known that ponies would suffer if she did. But Shadow isn’t that brave or that strong. Not even that clever. Glory was the mare with the sharp eyes and quick mind. She’d had a plan and stopped Grogar dead in his tracks. All Shadow has is a smart mouth and a decent knowledge of spells.  And she says ‘decent’ because she’s never grasped the most crucial of sandmare spells. “You can do this, Shadow,” Kimono says softly, as though she can read Shadow’s mind.  “What if I can’t?” Shadow says, allowing the smallest of cracks in her armor. Much like in the street in front of Ocean Soul, she lets her worries spill over. She’s so tired of carrying this all by herself. “Everypony is counting on me. Celestia thinks I can do this but...I just don’t know if I can. I’m not Glory.” “No,” Kimono says firmly. “You are Moon Shadow. That’s just as good. I know you feel too young and unprepared but you’re not entirely doing this alone. You’ll have help and you are more than strong enough for this.” Shadow shakes her head. “It should have been you,” she insists. If things were different, Kimono would be the perfect age to fight. Strong, experienced, with the right gift to face Grogar, and a wise, calm nature. “It should have been. Celestia told me about your gift and the bells...you’d be perfect for this!” “Grogar knew it too,” Kimono says, sounding distant, as she always does when discussing her death. “That’s why he killed me. But there is no Sandmare who can’t cope with this, Shadow. You and I and Glory and Galaxy were all chosen. Dancing Butterflies and Cosmos and Wind Whistler...every Sandmare was chosen for this for a reason. You were chosen because you can succeed where I failed.” Shadow drops her gaze down to the floor. She doesn’t know why Celestia and Kimono seem to believe in her so much. Sure, every Sandmare was probably capable of their destiny. But this particular destiny seems too huge. Watch after the ponies’ dreams...well, that’s one thing. Stopping ancient evil and protecting Equestria seems something meant for somepony greater. Not her. “I believe in you, Shadow,” Kimono says firmly. “I’ve watched you for years. I wouldn’t tell you you can do this, unless I was absolutely sure.” Shadow lifts her head, intending to ask Kimono what she means, when the world and the cave around them ripples. “It looks like our time is up,” Kimono says, ruefully. “Be strong, Shadow!  Don’t be afraid. We will never leave you alone.” And with that, her sister Sandmare, the cave and the bell all fade away and Shadow opens her eyes in the bright light of the castle infirmary.  When Shadow opens her eyes, the first thing that she sees is her mother’s worried face crowded over her own. The moment Tea Leaf sees her daughter’s eyes open she gives a loud sob and buries her face against Shadow’s cheek. “Mom?” Shadow asks weakly but her voice comes out croaky. It sounds as though she hasn’t used it for days. She blinks against the harsh lights above her head. She’s definitely in the castle infirmary, tucked up in the crisp white sheets of the beds there. This is not her first time here; growing up around the castle meant that she had many trips here as a filly. She turns her head a fraction, so she can see past the bits of her mother’s mane stuck in her face, and sees the other ponies standing nearby. “Princess?” Shadow asks, hoping she might get more reason out of somepony else. “What happened?” “You fainted,” says the nurse briskly. Shadow winces. Oh no. It’s Nurse Needles. “Don’t make that face at me, young lady! Honestly, I had to patch up enough bruises and scrapes when you were a filly and now I’m still not rid of you!”  Shadow scowls. The grumpy old mare has her grey mane pulled up into a tight bun and her nurses’ outfit is as perfectly pressed and stark white as Shadow remembers. She’d rather been hoping that Nurse Needles had retired by now. No such luck. “Several good Samaritans assisted you,” Celestia says calmly, even though there’s a tension in her brow that’s not often seen. “Luckily, you were able to tell them the name of your friend’s shop before you passed out. Ocean Soul knew to bring you to the castle.”  It’s slowly coming back to Shadow. Of course. She’d collapsed on Bridle Street. She’d been going to the apothecary, which actually wasn’t far from Sacred Page. She vaguely remembers the concerned faces in front of her before she fell, the clamour of shouting. She was lucky that Ocean knew where to take her. Tea Leaf finally pulls her head up and sniffles. Her eyes are red from weeping and Shadow can see how pale and tired her mother looks. “What were you doing?” Tea Leaf bursts out, face`creased in anger. “How could you be so stupid? You should have told one of us!” “I’m sorry,” Shadow tries, ashamed and confused. She doesn’t know what she’s done to upset her mother and worry Celestia so. Because even the princess has a tight line to her mouth and the relief in her eyes is obvious. She scared them both...badly. “You’ve been asleep for a while,” Celestia explains, seeing Shadow’s face. “Shadow, you collapsed a few days ago.” Shadow gawps at her but she sees no joke in any of their faces. No wonder Nurse Needles looks so pinchy, if she’s had Shadow under her care for a few days. “A few days?” she yelps, Celestia’s words finally sinking in. She can’t have lost a few days! There’s no time! Grogar is coming and she already doesn’t have enough time as it is. “Exhaustion, some dehydration and magical burn out,” Nurse Needles says bluntly. “If you don’t sleep or recharge properly and keep using magic...well, you can see for yourself what happened.” Shadow struggles to pull herself up. Her mother rushes to fluff up the pillows behind her, which only makes Shadow’s guilt worse. She doesn’t deserve fluffed pillows after what she’s put them through. There’s a faint tug and a sting on her right foreleg and she turns to see a large IV drip behind her mother. The other end is unfortunately in her limb. Wincing, she looks away again. She was never very good with needles. “You’ll need that for a while,” Nurse Needles says sternly. “You need to re-hydrate properly. Not coffee or whatever it is you young kids are drinking these days!” She looks as though she could go on but Celestia rests a hoof on her shoulder, causing the nurse to swallow whatever it was she might have been about to say. “May we have a moment alone with Shadow?” she says, and Nurse Needles frowns. But she’s unable to deny the princess completely. “A few moments,” she allows. “But then I must check her. She’s been asleep for two days!” Celestia steps forward once the nurse has left and tugs the dividing curtain around the three of them. “Now,” Celestia says, with an edge to her tone. “The truth this time, please, Shadow.” So Shadow with some reluctance and a large glass of water to help her throat, tells her mother and Celesta everything. The visit from the bogey mare - all of it. Her being unable to sleep, the fear...and then with a trembling voice she tells Celestia about Kimono. “You...you’ve seen her?” Celestia asks, breathlessly. She looks truly thrown by the news that Shadow has been visited by the former Sandmare. It must make it worse with how Celestia had loved Kimono and lost her. It was one thing to have a friend die but to have her brutally murdered before her time was another. Kimono’s death must weigh on Celestia like lead. “Not seen,” Shadow amends. “But heard. She only speaks to me. She never has a body. I don’t think she’s strong enough for her body to come through from...wherever she is.”  “She’s dead?” Tea Leaf checks. She’s stopped crying but Shadow’s story has only made her look more weary. “This mare, isn’t she dead?” “She is,” Celestia says solemnly, a dark expression passing over her face like a cloud. “I found her body myself. She’s buried in the memorial garden in the castle gardens.” “But then how is she coming to Shadow?” Tea Leaf pushes, a different kind of concern ringing in her tone now. Magic occasionally confuses her mother. As an Earth pony, Tea Leaf only knows the kind she can pull through her hooves. The kind that makes fruit ripen, or that knows when something is perfectly baked. Love, cherish, nurture. That’s the kind of magic Tea Leaf knows. Not this: the wild, uncertain magic that fizzles like electricity in a storm and requires every bit of strength and control that you have, just so you can avoid being a lightning rod.   “How do we know that this isn’t a trick? Grogar trying to lead Shadow astray or hurt her somehow?” Tea Leaf continues, with the faintest hint of hysteria. The dread in Celestia’s eyes suggests that she’s already thought of this but that doesn’t dim the glimmer of hope. Hope that Kimono is coming to Shadow, hope that maybe she can make things right. The smallest chance that she can apologise for failing her. “What do you think, Shadow?” Celestia asks gently. Shadow swallows, aware of what she’s about to be asked. “Do you think it could possibly be a trick?” Shadow looks down at her hooves as she thinks. Honestly, she’s never once thought that Kimono wasn’t who she said she was. Nothing she’s ever said or done has made Shadow think she was in danger from her or even caused her to suspect the other sandmare. And that first dream she had…well, who knows what would have happened had Kimono not shown up to save her from Grogar. In her gut, she knows what she believes.  “I think she’s real,” Shadow says finally. “I don’t know how she’s in my dreams or what Grogar is doing to her but she’s saved me and helped me too many times for me to believe that she’s not trying to help us.” Celestia visibly breathes a sigh of relief. If Shadow had thought Kimono was only a cruel trick, designed by Grogar to break them, it would have hurt Celestia deeply.  “Well, tread with caution and do let us know should something make you suspect things aren’t right,” Celestia advises. She looks over her shoulder, as though she expects Nurse Needles to come through it at any moment. They’ve had more than enough time and the nurse will probably want to pounce on Shadow to poke and prod at her. “We should leave you for today,” Celestia says. Tea Leaf’s mouth turns down into a terrifying look that Shadow is used to seeing on her mother’s face when she misbehaved as a filly. The tears have dried from her face and the worry is gone now that Shadow is alright. However it left another emotion entirely, born out of the fear that her daughter will suffer a fate much, much worse than a fainting spell. “We should,” Tea Leaf says, with a dangerous edge to her voice. “If I might have a word with you though, Princess?” “Of course,” Celestia says demurely. Shadow winces. She briefly pities Celestia facing Tea Leaf’s wrath but not enough to stop it. Her mother has always known what being a Sandmare involved. But this was not on the job description. Her mother embraces her goodbye, mindful of the needle stuck into Shadow’s leg and vanishes out of the white curtain, only to be replaced by a grim-faced Nurse Needles. Shadow gulps and tries to restrain the urge to call her mommy back. She’s a grown mare after all.