//------------------------------// // Chapter 18: A Drifter in a Starry Sea. // Story: Colonel Hooves and the Empire of Crystal // by KarmaSentinal //------------------------------// I found myself floating amongst the star lit void as I worriedly went over Luna’s teachings an eighth time with the hopes I might discover a way to ‘wake up’. Progress has been slow and had been setback on occasion when a strange creature of shadow had begun watching, and following me wherever I drifted in the realm of dreams, but so far had made no further effort to further reveal itself to me. This suited me well for I had no dream catcher to combat the manifestation of shadow that took the shape of an alicorn, and dreaded when it felt confident enough to approach me.  It was why I took to drifting among the Dream Realm rather than seeking the restful thoughts of dreaming ponies in the chance this manifestation of shadow needed my help in breaching a dream. The risk wasn’t worth it, and heeding Luna’s advice wound occasion drift close to one of the connecting ley lines and sever the dream’s connection which would force its owner to wake with a sudden jolt. They would fall asleep in time, but would do so long after myself and this strange creature had moved on.   “It still follows.” I told myself as I turned around to watch the strange shadow alicorn looking at me as it moved from one side of the void to the other, never straying too far to lose sight of me. The emotions oozing from it left me feeling weak as the negativity it radiated could be felt from this vast distance, but did that mean the creature was drawn to me because of the love I possessed? Changelings of course fed on love and had the ability to sense certain emotions in order to guide and help us direct our targets to a more positive result, yet even this wasn’t an exact process ponies believed it was. That was part of the illusion my race had constructed to deal with potential problem targets, and speaking with Cersus taught me just how different our knowledge about the hive differed when it came to dealing with other races.  I was never taught personal interactions, but the young nymph had casually mentioned ‘fear was a tool’ or so her instructor had said one time, but at the time she was too focused on why every nymph was seeing a different color than her. The logic held merit to an infiltrator, but did that also extend to other creatures like this shadow alicorn following me? The Dream Realm appeared unbothered by the strange creature as if it was a natural part of the dream walking process. Perhaps, I was the oddity and it was watching me out of an unknown duty or desire to protect the realm from interlopers masquerading as a pony? A possibility, but then why would Luna warn me to stay away from such creatures if they were acting in good faith? “I best keep my course, and hope it wanders off after a time.”  With my limited experience, this appeared to be the correct course as I severed the dreams of ponies in the chance this creature wasn’t friendly.  Time within the Dream Realm was non-existent, and at the mercy of the waking world’s schedule creating the paradox I found myself in; sleep wasn’t needed here, and this allowed me to practice the unknown art Luna felt was worth my understanding until I could ‘wake up’. It was often why I sought a dream out where my presence would be non-intrusive to the individual so I may gleam what day it was or of any important information I could use, but this had proven mostly unsuccessful, and even led me to saving a few ponies from their terrible dreams.  Assuming Luna’s role as dream guardian had passed the time and given me a more hooves on approach to practice what she had taught me, and with no arrogance I had improved enough to mildly accomplish her basic dream duties. Yet, her appearance had been lacking recently making the task all the more imposing. The shadow alicorn was still following me, but the negativity it proudly radiated had dimmed to what I would assume was annoyance mixed with mild wonderment as its movements cooled into a swimming action not unlike my own. The few glances we shared were never frightful or what I would call dangerous in any form, yet what I would call eyes held a deeper intelligence in them than what I had expected, and that made this creature the more dangerous. It was during one of my attempts to wake a pony, I had shaped shifted into another form that spooked, and interested the shadow. It made a lite screeching, and attempted to mimic my form. This intrigued me, and after a few simple transformations to test this creature’s abilities of understanding, it became a game of sorts.  I ran out of dreams while moving through the void, and felt compelled to attempt communications with the strange creature; my observation had been correct as the creature demonstrated a basic understanding of speech, and gestures. “Alright Mr. Shadow, let us try this.” I announced as I shifted my form to resemble another thestral, but with minute differences in the frame and nicked ears. The Shadow alicorn shimmered before taking on a near exact shadow of the thestral with the ears appearing too puffy for my liking, and after pointing this out the shadow corrected the misgiving.  Mimicry had been the next progression where I shifted into a wide range of creatures for the shadow to try its hoof, before I tried my hoof in guessing its own shape.  My biggest source of shock came from its sudden infusion of detail into its shadow shape allowing it to appear more like a pony covered in ink. Based on its appearance, she appeared like a young mare older than Lady Twilight, but younger than Topaz if I were to judge the lack of developed fat deposits that formed around the cheeks, stomach, and rump.  I waved to the shadow mare, and watched as she lifted her right hoof and returned the friendly gesture. Nodding, I repeated the action with the other hoof while saying hello- she did the same thing.  “Your hostility seems mostly gone. So far you appear friendly enough for a wandering shadow even if I can’t throw you.” The strange mare took a long look at me and then herself before that mist that followed her wrapped itself around her frame and compressed until she was the size of a filly no bigger than Cersus. She peered up with an expectation that I had to put down with a simple explanation when the shape of a question mark appeared over its head.    “It’s an expression I don’t completely understand nor I like to use in daily conversation for the absurdity of its implication.”  Following this display, the shadow mare began moving her mouth eliciting a high pitched mumbling that sounded like nonsense. Paused, and then a string of shadow whipped out of her body and began forming words right above her as she repeated the high pitched mumbling.  “Ponies weird all time? How words true? Not?”  Her speech was severely underdeveloped, and took me a moment to process her words enough for me to properly answer her back.   “Practice. My years living in the pony capital of Canterlot has exposed me to a variety of odd sayings and habits that, while odd, somehow come together to reinforce their motions. For example, when a pony says they’re dead tired, they are near total exhaustion and not in need of a cemetery plot. The phrase alerts others of their restfulness, so they may allow the pony all the rest they require to function.”  “Odd. Pony dream simple. Pleasures and milkshakes.” The words shifted fast enough for her moving mouth unable to keep up. “Duties keep we. Mother return often.” “Oh. I was unaware you had a mother, and for that I must apologize. I was under the impression you were created out of the very void we’re currently swimming in.” “We was.” The shadow mare giggled as she lazily swam upside down in a circle. “Mother made we. Took Dream Realm, and create we. Gave star eyes, see?” Squinting at the flickering lights in her head turned out to be her blinking, and in fact her eyes were two little stars that had been pressed into her form like buttons on a foal’s doll.  “Your mother is very skilled to have created your likeness, for many ponies can only perform simple spells at the least.”  “Mother yes. Watches ponies sleep and fight monsters. Like mother.” The filly sized shadow became covered in her strange darkness, and grew larger than a normal pony to reveal the alicorn form that had pursued me. “ No pony like her. Many wear pieces of her. One wears wings, one wears a horn.  One wears none at all!” It was by this time I noticed a gradual shift in her sentence formation and deemed she was learning the longer we spoke about whatever it was we were talking about. Changelings were forced to adapt quickly to survive, but to possess her speed would have elevated our hive to new heights none but the queen could have suggested possible.  “You’re a quick learner… I never asked, but what is your name if I could ask? I’m known as Idol Hooves of Canterlot, and serve her highnesses.”  The Alicorn size shadow had another question mark appear over her head, and after repeating my name several times and gesturing to myself did the question mark straighten out into an exclamation mark.  The Shadow alicorn began ‘talking’ once more, copying my gestures on herself.  “We Tantabus. Mother calls and we answer…” The alicorn lowered her head and began kicking up imaginary rocks as her earlier excitement mellowed into a cool acceptance  with a thin layer of self loathing. I spoke up, feeling a need to help.  “Ponies would help their parents without resorting to bribes of encouragement to return years of previously rendered assistance. I have yet to experience this future assistance, but I’m not completely unaware how a foal should view their mother. Does she hurt you?”  “By her request. We are required to inflict torment upon Mother’s dreams. Mother claims sentence for crimes, but we know not.”   It was the way she spoke that finally alerted me to what I had been missing since  laying eyes on the mysterious shadow alicorn…  “Is your mother Princess Luna?” The coincidences were very close to ignoring, and by all accounts the princess has a right to certain privacies as a normal pony is entitled, even so, to leave a child alone in the Dream Realm was unacceptable.   The name appeared to hold some meaning, as the Tantabus titled its head quizzingly before her body became dark with shadow; her features became more detailed and her shape was altered to reflect a smaller alicorn that strongly resembled Princess Luna.  I will be talking to the princess next time I see her.  “This is mother. “ The Tantabus quickly shifted back to its original alicorn shape after word. “We try not be mother, but take form for love.” “The pony expression, ‘mimicry, is the highest form of flattery’ comes to mind Miss. Your love for the princess is strong and you express yourself by trying to copy her example.” The mare seemed to consider my words, and nodded.  “Mother is love. Mother is life. We are both. Mother makes difficult request, and hurts us.”  “Ah yes. I believe I know what you’re referring to Tantabus for having taken care of the princess over a year ago when she fell ill.” The Shadow’s exclamation mark appeared over its head, but didn’t probe further. “The princess and I became comfortable enough with each other for her to reveal some of her past grievances. Her guilt drives her to seek reparations for a crime I’m afraid might never be fully forgiven. She shouldn't have involved you Tantabus.”  “We owe mother for creation, we must repay.  If not us then who will help mother, you?“ “My duties stretch me thin, but if Princess Luna requires my assistance she will have it. Scheduling provided, I shall start with our next encounter once I manage to wake up, or chance upon her in the Dream Realm .” “Wake up? Are you not like mother?” The shadow Alicorn asked as she spun in place, her starry eyes dimming against the backdrop.  “We rest with a dream. Eyes go dark, and dream.” “I can’t use any dream, but my own per Luna’s instructions. This has proven difficult for I know I sleep, yet I don’t dream in the conventional sense and sought the comfort of other pony’s dreams. Your Mother has not visited me in…” Idol blinked when he couldn't recall how long he had been drifting through the sea of stars as the landscape never changed.  “Mother has been absent.”  The alicorn’s  body wilted at the statement, but bolted upright when a much happier thought came up“We are lonely, but happy to not follow mothers call. Her requests fill we..us… with sorrow, but us must or mother be angry.” “At the continued depletion of your mental health? I think not, for no considerate parent would willingly put their foal into that predicament in the first place, so I propose a solution. You protect your mother by not following her orders.”  The shadow flatline as the mare processed my words until the shadow began forming pictures in a set sequence. I watched the moving pictures with rapid attention as they differed between several line drawings of an alicorn with a crown waving her hooves and yelling with the last one being a crying Tantabus. I nodded to the first few, but shook my head no at the final picture.  “ The princess’s temper is well known, especially from experience.” I fought the urge to feel my neck as the memory of her interrogation came back. “Her highness feels her punishment had been inadequate, and thus has you distributing punishment on her behalf as a penance for a crime long paid for. You refuse. Luna will be unable to punish herself, and you, Tantabus, would be spared the heartache of hurting your own mother.”  “We think on Idol’s word. Mother seeks help, and only us help. We talk again later?” The tantabus spoke, and this time I mean spoke. Her words were less jumbled and full of grinding sparks, but distorted words that could be understood with a little patience. I nodded.  “My duty requires me to be available to listen and offer advice as needed, and that extends to my personal life as well. As I previously mentioned, if you can not find me, than I’ll ask Luna to deliver a message.”  The Shadow Alicorn raised a hoof and began shaking it left and right- not the whole foreleg mind you, but just the hoof itself. The words  “Goodbye Non Mother.” formed above her head, and then she faded into the starry backdrop of the Dream Realm.  “Goodbye Tantabus.” I waved at the spot she had just departed, and with a lighter heart continued traversing the Dram Realm in search of a way to ‘wake up’. This time I left any dreams I discovered intact. The threat had proven non-existent, and because I could not wake doesn’t mean those ponies had to.