//------------------------------//
// Part One: I Felt His Pain 
// Story: Absence Of Life 
// by AnnEldest 
//------------------------------//

It was close to nightfall when I went back to Shredder's bar. Normally, I only saw him once a week but tonight I needed answers. Shredder seemed surprised by my presents though he still let me into his office. I took a seat in front of his desk as he poured a glass of wine for himself. 

"What brings you here, princess?" He asked. 

I kept thinking about Timber Hall and his friends. The vision I saw was still fresh in my mind.

"I had another vision..." I simply said. 

"Oh, I see," he smiled.

I scoffed at him. "It wasn't good. I saw a poor man and his friends get attacked by something! Now they've all been missing for 2 months."

He nodded his head a little. "I'm assuming you don't know what attacked them."

"I didn't see it. He didn't see it," I recalled.

"He?"

"TImber Hall." I pulled out the newspaper from my bag and laid it on the table. He leaned over he looked down at it. "That was his name. He keeps coming to me, wanting my help. It was as if I was him. I felt his fear, his pain...I-I even hear his last thoughts."

He grabbed the newspaper and read over it.

"Shredder, I don't know what that was. I mean, I had visions before but never like that." My voice was shaky as I lightly tap the table with my hoof over and over again.

"Maximo dolore."

"What?" I tilted my head to the side.

"Great di-"

"I know what it means," I snapped. "What's the relevance of it?!"

"You saw the visions when they were at their most distress. You saw what caused them to end up to that point." He took another sip of his wine. 

I blinked. "Is that is?!"

"It's not that complex, princess," He said with a chuckled. "Though I will warn you to be careful. Going too far into someone's mind could cause damage to your own. But you most likely could come up with that conclusion from your dream ability." 

"I can't forget the fear he felt just knowing that he was going to die." My eyes laid on the ground trying so hard to not cry. "How do I move on from that?"

He signed sadly and frowned. "You don't for your mind will never let you."

That was what I was afraid of. 

"It d-didn't e-even happen to me so w-why does this hurt so much?" I could feel tears forming in my eyes. Shredder got up from his seat and went next to me. He put a claw on my arm. 

"Don't hold in your tears. It will only make it harder for you."

I immediately started crying, not even knowing why I was. Shredder gave me a small hug as I ended up crying into his arms. 

"This is what he is feeling. This why you must be careful. You are no longer just feeling your own pain but his as well," he explained. "You made not be able to get over it but you can make the pain easier to deal with."

I looked up at him desperately. 

"What do I do?" I whispered.

"Make it easier..." 

I left shortly after and headed back to the castle. I needed to think about everything over. Maybe Discord, Misty Spike was right. Maybe I needed to relax and stop worrying so much. The stress was overwhelming and it was starting to consume me. 

Just as I got back to the castle, my horn lit up and a scroll appeared in front of me. I opened it up quickly read over it. It was from Spike.

Dear Princess Luna,

I thought about what you told me and Discord and did a little digging myself. And well, I found out a few things I think you would like to know. Mainly about the poket watch. I could write it out and tell you but it might be better to talk about it face to face. I'll be at the school with Twilight all day tomorrow. It doesn't matter to me. 

Also, I know you have been feeling down lately and I have a pretty good idea why. I know things have been hard between Celestia and you. You know how I feel about you keeping your secret from her but that doesn't mean you can't tell her how you feel. Just know you can always come to me or Discord if you need to talk. 

From, Spike  


I folded up the note and went into my bedroom. It was almost time to raise the moon. I sat the note on my nightstand. I would worry about that later. I opened my window and lit up my horn and began to bring forth the night. I smiled at the sight of stars glimmering across the sky.

After a few moments, I laid down on the bed. I knew what I needed to do and tomorrow I planned on speaking to her finally. I wasn't going to avoid her anymore. All I hoped for was that she would listen to me but most importantly that I would be able to listen to her.





"I was searching all over for Smolder. We were supposed to meet at the library during lunch but I didn't find her there. I assumed she either forgot or something came up. So I went looking for her. That's when I saw you and Spike talking to her. I didn't want to interrupt so I waited until she was done. I needed to make sure that everything was still going to plan. It seemed all was well. Now, all we needed was to wait till it was night." 

"She said she needed to talk to you about something," I remembered Smolder saying something like that. 

"Yeah, she did. We were planning a little sleepover with our friends. We were planning in meeting in my room," she explained herself.

"Twilight allowed that?" I asked.

"We had permission. She said as long as we didn't leave the school pass curfew, it would be fine." She put her head down in shame. "I really wish we listened to her now." 

"Pardon me but what I don't understand is how did a slumber party turn-" I started to say.

"Into one of us going to the hospital," Cozy Glow finished with a guilty smirk. 

"Yes." I gave her a stern look. 

"Welllll....."