//------------------------------//
// Prelude 
// Story: Fallen-Song 
// by Chicago Ted 
//------------------------------//

In days of old, when still remain’d the two,
Celestia pull’d her golden sun from blue,
Then Luna hurl’d her moon into the sky –
And thus begun the cyclic night anew.

As ’twas each eve, the ponies did comply
With this heavenly curfew, said goodbye
To daylight, as they shutter’d in their home
(Well, save for those who thought themselv’s so sly).

The solar sister lookt, and saw them roam
And scurry out of sight of lunar chrome.
“See they such light as omen ill?” she askt
Aloud. “’Tis but a motion of the dome.”

Yet Luna paid no mind, but simply baskt
In glory hers, her true delight unmaskt
For all the world to see. She said, “Forsooth,
Despite these petty fears, I am yet taskt

With taking over for your court of truth,
For anyone who dares to see my couth.”
She sigh’d, and stood. “How bored I often get.
O how I wish we still were in our youth,

To frolick in some verdant field sans fret,
Or maybe hike through Everfree, I’ll bet.
Equestria’s rulers ought to get a lull –
But for our powers so great, such is our debt.

For ev’ry night’s the same, such drear so dull,
With all my thoughts it leav’s me time to mull.
How I desire for one to come and talk
And interrupt the speech inside my skull.”

“But soft! my sister, know that one shall knock
And ask for audience with you.” Luna’s shock
At Sister’s talking did Celestia note.
“Perhaps not on this night, but be no rock.

A guard may come for Your Grace to promote,
Or else the Council may send f’ you to vote,
Or any other thing may happen still –
But I beg, on these thoughts you must not quote.

You see such duties as mere time to kill,
Since likely you should rest your ink and quill
In utter boredom, awaiting something more.
And yet, this is worth more than any thrill:

I’ve sat through my share of ennui before,
Yet then to see a pony come – therefore,
Whichever might pass through the castle hall,
I ask – nay, pray – stray not from this our shore.”

Thus Luna said, “And yet, why serve at all
When most dear subjects are in a cozy stall,
Asleep, and waiting for th’ dawn you shall bring.
Still nought to do, if rightly you recall!

You speak of court as such a precious thing.
From where, I ask, does this rationale spring?
I often wonder why we host at night.”
But even so, she put away her wing.

“If nothing else, I could refine my sight
Into the dreams of subjects mine, to smite
Whatever dreams of ill that plague them now,
And pacify until the dawn’s first light.

I’ll start at once, if kindly you allow.”
At hearing this, Celestia plung’d her brow
In thought, and then concluded, “You may fare
Upon this effort, but I ask you vow

That, sister, you would not induce a scare.
The last thing we want are crowds in the square
All crying for your head upon a pike.
I speak this unto you – because I care.”

“So be it,” she concurred. “Such frights I’ll strike;
Whatever woes they have I’ll be the shrike,
And any pleasures I will guide along,
But otherwise I’ll leave their dreams alike.”

Celestia said, “If so, this shan’t go wrong,
Not with your wisdom, nor your power strong.
It should prove worthy of attention yours,
If, granted, this does not last all night long.

You need your sleep as well, besides your chores.
A lack of nightly rest your self abhors –
For what, I ask you Luna, would occur
Should somepony walk through the palace doors?”

But Luna roll’d her eyes and scoft. “O sure,
I shall maintain my duties as it were.
But you fret far too much, my sister dear –
Why so much so, your sight must be a blur.

Your woes are meritless, as is your fear.
Now come to bed. Let sleep bring you some cheer.”
Celestia wearily conceded then.
“May Fortune smile upon you, sister-seeër.”

As Luna saw her sister to her den,
She laid her down beside the fire, and when
Celestia sought some further friendliness.
“N’at all,” said Luna, “’tis already ten

At night. Trust me, you do not need this stress.
I’ll be just fine in my pursuit, unless
It proves unsafe for me or dreamer too –
And yes, whome’er seeks me I shall address.”

“Fair winds,” said sister. “I believe in you.”
These ramblings Luna did find to be true.
Hence, Luna took her place upon the throne –
A princess white, replact with one dark blue.

Expectedly, this time she was alone,
Save for two guards who kept her regal tone.
A minute past, another three sans tide.
Of course she’d be alone – she should have known!

But Luna was not one to conjure snide,
Nor think her sister to her merely lied.
She thought it apt to see to her spell now,
So Luna pull’d a royal guard aside.

“A power great I thus leave in your dow:
To interrupt my focus you shan’t allow.
What I’m about to do needs utmost care –
Thus, keep them out out here! I care not how!”

The guard saluted. With his partner there,
They flankt the door, maintaining their cold stare.
And with a smile so slight did Luna light
Her horn, and forct an opening in th’ air.

Soon Luna did surround herself with quite
A number of æthereal doors. Despite
Their layout, Luna knew her sister’s well.
She lookt to see what dream she had tonight.

Indeed, ’twas pleasant, Luna could quite tell –
And more, she knew she had finisht her spell.
Her sister’s dream was verdant, free to drift;
No threat nor shadow she had had to quell.

She stayed in hiding, watching from the rift.
Celestia, yet, in spotting her was swift.
“O Sister!” called she. “There you are at last!
I knew you’d try abandoning your shift.

I see your spell works wonders, and quite fast
To boot. But pay your mind to time that’s past;
Such wondrous visions you can clearly see
Within a realm that’s æthereal and vast,

But still, take care which dream you spy with glee!
Some ponies might not like it, unlike me.
Now fare thee well, dear Luna, and again,
Neglect not regal duties,” added she.

“I understand,” said Luna. “I’ll maintain
My vigil in the court.” She clos’d the strain
In dream-fabric, and turn’d t’ another one.
Decided she on what was once her bane.

“Crab Apple,” said she. “Let’s see what you’ve spun.”
With gentle care, she made her entry done.
Her host was merely rocking to and fro –
Indeed, she found, this dream was not much fun.

She found herself quite charm’d to add a show,
But knew that she would not enjoy it – so
She wisht her silently well, went away,
And searcht for ’nother whose sight she’d bestow.

“Hm, Newly Rich,” she found. “How much to pay?”
She jokt herself. “But then, I’d have to stay
For him to spot me. That won’t happen here!”
She tore another gap, and made it splay.

Unlike what she expected, it seem’d mere
Laboring on his part – ’twas quite severe,
She found. She thought she’d stop to help him out,
But she knew better than to interfere.

In any case, his mirth she did not doubt,
And thus her help he did remain without.
She then felt tugging on her wing. A call
Told her to quit her magic-dreaming bout.

When she came to, she found she had a sprawl
Across the floor. “Your Highness, what’s this gall?”
Her secretary askt. “Such attitude!
’Tis not becoming of the Crown at all!”

“Apologies,” she said. “That was quite rude –
But then I figur’d not a soul be view’d,
So I chose to spend dreamwalking instead.”
But this did not make her remarks subdued.

“If you kept courtly matters in your head,
Then you’d’ve heard the knocking!” She turn’d red
From shame. “I’d hate to mind affairs for you,
But I can’t see another way, I dread.”

She sigh’d. “Perhaps we can try this anew.
A colt has askt for your heed – at once, too;
He has been barr’d from entry in the room,
So I suggest you let him in. Adieu!”

At Luna’s wordless order, guards gave room.
Said colt walkt in, face heavy from a gloom
So great, e’en Luna felt it from her seat.
“Well met,” she greeted. “Troubl’d, I presume?”

“Indeed,” the colt said. “Father’s ill-replete
With good health. There are rumors on the street
You are able to interfere with dream.
If this be true, I ask, then, that you meet

With him and comfort with your healing-gleam.
We’ve nothing working – not a single cream,
Nor plant nor potion, eases th’ affliction.
I beg, would you enter into his stream?”

“I shall,” said Luna. With diction
So careful, she remov’d the restriction
Betwixt her and the realm of nightly thought.
To him, it must have seem’d as high fiction,

But he still watcht as Luna’s magic wrought
A way into his father’s mind. “This ought
To fix his problem, or at least assuage
his illness and his anguish – but if not,

Take pride that you decided to engage
With night court, which not e’en the eldest mage
Would do.” She winkt at him, and dove inside.
For once, she did encounter quite a rage –

A powerful storm occluded her outside
What dream he had made so that it would hide
From Luna’s tamp’ring – but she did not stop.
She found a seam, and tore it open wide.

Within his mind, she felt the poison-slop
Of Shade’s Corruption seep. She heard it plop
From high on up, then pool beneath her being.
She need resist, lest she would also drop.

But looking past, she found a verdant spring –
She asked, “Is this his way of comforting
Himself?” She had to seek him out in this
Great mess of slime. O what fiasco, this!

She hopt the colt would inform the princess
Of further matters to help, should she miss
Her goal. “Assist me!” cried she to the world.
Guide me through this mess, lest I run amiss!”

Alas, no answer came. The mass then swirl’d
And threaten’d Luna’s life. She then unfurl’d
Her wings, and flapt to keep afloat in here.
Said she, “I shall escape this netherworld!”

But soon her wings were tangl’d. Thus struck fear –
She was afraid that worse events were near,
That she may not escape from the dreamer’s hold.
She call’d again, and caref’lly tried to hear

For answers. Not one came. The slime tenfold
Increast its strength, and suddenly grew cold.
Poor Luna struggl’d ’gainst the stiffen’d tide,
Pushing and pulling all in toils untold,

In ev’ry way she could – O how she tried!
Yet out this mess she could not e’er be pried.
Such trials, Luna saw, she was advis’d
About – Celestia did not jest. She sigh’d.

“O how I wish I were not as surpris’d
As I am now by this mess,” she surmis’d.
“I must escape this fright from in the deep,
Or else I’d find this dream more compromis’d.”

Within this bitter interval of sleep,
She felt the Shade’s Corruption further seep
And poison her own mind. She was afraid
That she would ne’er escape back to her keep.

She shook its influence off her, and made
Her way to th’ seam that started then to fade,
Which would make her escape impossible –
“I must reach for that opening!” she praid.

But all was futile, for his mind was full
Of that dark illness. Long did she battle
Against the darkness. Luna nearly gave
Up when she heard a sound so norm’lly dull:

“Fear not the deep,” she told herself, “be brave,
For soon a pony me would see and save.
For that to happen, I just need to eke – ”
’Twas all she said before she saw a wave

Of vileness tumbling down. She gave a shriek
And tried to swim around, but it would wreak
Disaster. And behind, a drain open’d
From what she thought to be cerebral leak.

Thus, Luna knew if she staid on this trend,
Into this sudden vortex she would wend.
She tried to clamor, but her mouth was fill’d
With shadow-stuff. Was this for her the end?

She called upon her mage reserves, to build
A spell so powerful, it would have kill’d
Her normally. She cast it, watcht it while
It ate away the rot. Despite her skill’d

Craft, Luna found it did nought to the bile.
She was still trapt within the fluid. So vile
Was it that she soon struggl’d e’en to draw
Her breath. She soon realiz’d she had no wile,

No other spell to utter from her maw,
So all she could do was to shut her jaw
And push herself to break its stickiness.
Her plan seem’d perfect, save for just one flaw:

How, then, would she expel the damn’d sickness
From out his mind? She needed to address
His son’s concerns – how could she not do this?
She’d let her promise go unkept – unless

She fixt the malady, she’d be remiss,
A mark of shame befitting no princess –
And in the tempest, Luna saw a glint
Of hope. It was her rift! She could not miss

It now! So Luna took off in a sprint,
At least as best she could within the tint,
To close the space ’twixt her and liberty,
Leaving upon the slime many a print.

She came upon, and lit her horn to see
What could be done. Alas, ’twas not to be –
Despite her efforts, her tricks and her toil,
The rift had shut on Luna already.

She truly was now trapt in here. The oil
Kept pulling on her leg, and i’ th’ turmoil
She lost her grip, and slipt and fell within
The mess, which dragged her into the roil.

What malady had she found here? What sin
Would cause such turbulence? As she did spin
Around the drain, she couldn’t help but think
About the cause of this – where had he been?

And finally she plung’d into the ink –
Into the dark forever she would sink,
A starless night without a single trait,
To th’ point where she could not tell in a blink.

So down and down and down she went, a rate
That e’en she could not slow, but only wait
Until she hit the ground, ife’er that was –
So Luna praid this would not be her fate:

To fall forevermore without a pause,
Or wander lost amid the end – because
As far as she could see, there was no way
To break herself free from its grasping jaws.

There in the fall, Luna could only stay.
Had she another trick to try here? – Nay!
She simply baskt in falling evermore.
She ponder’d whether she would see the day.