//------------------------------// // Bliss // Story: Lucid Dreams // by Jumping Jack //------------------------------// Pepper sat back in his chair, his forelegs crossed and his eyes closed in thought. The sound of the rain tapping against his window left a soothing ambiance that actually helped the colt to finish a few chapters of his book. His jaw and neck numb from the writing left the colt feeling a bit peppy. He had a good train of thought going. Brisket County had fought off bandits with a hoof sling shot that his father had invented when he was a colt. He had changed up a few things from his previous ideas and now it was just fleshing out Brisket’s motivation and ambitions properly before he would save his next companion. He had taken some inspiration with their little fight with his nightmare, adding in some magic into his story. He even thought that at some point, he would implement the idea that River gave him then. Pepper had to admit, the more he thought about the idea, the more he wished they would have gone with it. The sound of a violin began to play, signaling that Alabaster was going all out to get everypony adopted. The colt’s went back to this morning’s event. “You don’t want to get adopted?!” Merriweather balked as Alabaster stood in the center with the gathered kids. Alabaster held up a hoof in dismissal. “I do. But everypony else comes first.” She stated. Torque looked at her dumbfounded. “But Allie, what if you end up getting adopted before anypony else? Have you’ve been turning down every interview?” She asked. Alabaster didn’t answer, but she motioned to the rest in the room. "It doesn't matter to me. I want to have everypony a good home to go to just as much as Mother Wisp." She said. "That includes you too, Torque. You should have been adopted ages ago. Regardless of you being late to them or not. A brilliant mind such as yours needs to be cared for!" Torque blushed and shrunk back at her words. Alabaster wasn't wrong about Torque, but the filly still felt Alabaster wasn't treating herself properly. Alabaster turned to Echo Heart. "And you, Echo. You have a natural gift of taking care of plants! Ponies shouldn't freak out at your wicken hobbies! We are in a world of magic and they don't care to look at the beauty you bring to life!" Echo Heart bowed her head and looked sadly at her hooves. She turned to Macaroni. "Mac, you need to stop procrastinating about your choice of parents. We don't have the luxury to pick and choose! Ponies should accept you for who you are. We may not care to believe in your interest in the paranormal, but you still belong to a good home!" Mac frowned slightly but gave a slight, sad nod. She looked to the others. "That goes for everypony here. You all have such amazing talents! And we are going to show the ponies of Ponyville that we can shine brighter! If we can't get adopted there, then we keep trying." Her eyes fell onto Ghost Pepper who was sitting in the corner, writing in his book. Pallet was next to him, drawing into his sketchbook. However, Pallet sensed the looks and he looked up, balking and nudging Pepper. The colt looked up from his book and shrunk a little at the stare of Alabaster. "Including you, Pepper. We may not know exactly what you are gifted at, but I will not give up until you have found your purpose or gotten adopted." She then hummed and rubbed her chin in thought. "What about getting you adopted to Princess Luna?" Pepper's eyes widened. "She's personally taken an interest in you. It only seems right she's interested in adopting. Plus, you've already made friends outside of the orphanage. Maybe they can take you in as an adopted sibling?" Pepper felt so overwhelmed by the suggestion. Being adopted to one such as Princess Luna?? That is farfetched for anypony. Pepper knows he has no chance of getting adopted by Luna. She's only seemed to treat him like a student if anything. Princess Luna is far too busy to even manage a child he would assume, what with all the princess duties. Alabaster narrowed her eyes at the panicking colt. "You need to have a bit more confidence in yourself, Pepper. The world isn't that scary. We even have the Elements of Harmony and the princesses keeping watch." "U-umm... Alabaster?" A meek voice replied. They looked to see Merriweather rub her foreleg nervously. "I-I understand where you are coming from. B-but the Elements of Harmony can't handle everypony... N-not even the princesses." Alabaster arched a brow, studying the shy filly. As much as she tried to keep the spirits high, she agreed with Merriweather. Alabaster sighed and nodded. "Okay, maybe not the entire world. But you don't find danger unless you go looking for it. Which is what I've been trying to prevent you from doing, Pepper. You need to focus on your talents and helping out rather than going off into dream land or somewhere you aren't supposed to be. I only want to help." Pepper slumped and looked sadly at his book. "The fair is around the corner and we need to show the world out there that we are more than just orphans. We are ponies who can use their gifts for the good of Equestria! Just like the Elements of Harmony." The kids remained quiet. Everypony knew Alabaster was right. Every child here has been interviewed in one way or another. But something always dissuades the parents from adopting. A certain habit. An unusual interest. Even just shyness. Those that had gotten adopted already had something normal about them. "Normal" being a word used loosely around the children currently in the orphanage. They were adopted for one reason or another. But what reason do the parents have for the unusual ones? Alabaster frowned. She has been interviewed multiple times out of popularity with the kids and the other potential parents. But she didn't want to be adopted for popularity. The price she vowed to pay for it was to ensure she would be the last one to get adopted. Alabaster sighed. "Whatever happens at the fair, we keep our heads held high and looking towards the next tomorrow. For better or worse, no matter what." The kids looked at each other with worried and concerned looks. Merrieweather shyly stepped forward and stood next to Alabaster. "I... A-as head activity monitor, I second Alabaster on this. I-if that is okay." She said. This caught the kids attention more than they thought. Their looks now filled with confident determination. Pallet looked to Pepper, who had a longing look to him. Pallet smiled softly. "Don't worry, Pepper. I'm sure you'll be at a great home. Even if the princess won't, there is always going to be somepony else." He said. He then tore a paper from his sketch book and passed it to Pepper. The colt blinked and studied it. It was a drawing of Brisket County. Almost like how he pictured in the dream. Pepper looked to Pallet quizzically, who rubbed the back of his head. "J-just something I thought would help you with your book. I-I kind of read some of it while you were drafting. I thought it was cool." Pepper studied the colt before looking back at the drawing. A strange feeling overcame him. He wasn't sure how to describe it, but whatever it was, it made the colt wonder. What if some of the kids didn't want to get adopted because they would have left the better part of themselves behind? Their friends? He looked over to the mingling children, Merriweather smiling as Alabaster smiled proudly and complimented her. Merriweather caught his glance and she gave a small wave and smile. Alabaster turned and her look became stoic. Tea Stout walked by them and over to the two. She waved happily. "Hey Pallet! Hey Pepper! Are you just as excited for the fair? I can't wait to show off my mane styles!" She placed down a magazine that was in her hoof and opened it, pointing to a select base styles of manes. "I figured I'd try some of the mane styles on some of the ponies here when we arrive at the fair! Alabaster was going to announce to the adopters who did their mane. Spoiler! Yours truly!" The stout filly put a hoof proudly to her chest. Pallet smiled and pointed at a style. "Oh, I like that one! I bet you'd look amazing in that!" Pallet said with a smile. Tea Stout blushed and twirled her straight mane. "Y-you think so? Because I think I have the perfect one for you, Pal!" She then looked to Pepper. "Oh, and I have one just for you too, Pepper!" Pepper felt a sudden dread overtake him. He saw her point to a strange, princely mane style. Pepper flushed and covered his head, shaking it furiously. Tea shrugged. "Aww, c'mon Pepper! It won't be so bad! Your mane always seems to go back to normal anyway no matter what happens! I can never know how some natural manes just bounce back. But I like a good challenge." As she said that, she twirled a comb in her hoof. Both the colts wondered where it came from, but the glint in Tea's eyes told Pepper to run. And he did. Tea chasing after him not far behind. The kids began laughing as they watched Pepper scurry about, avoiding a comb waving Tea Stout. "Why do you always gotta' be a mouse, Pepper! Just let me practice!" She exclaimed. Pepper batted at the comb before dashing around her. He booked it to the door, only to crash into it and tumble onto his back as it opened. Funnel peeked his head in, confused as to what he hit. When he saw Pepper shaking away his daze, his look became stoic. "Mother Wisp will be back soon. It's high time you kids attend reading. You'll be picking up where you all left off." He said. The kids groaned, much to his chagrin. As the kids filed out, Alabaster casting her sideways glance at him, Pepper stood up and quickly gathered his book. He was about to trot past Funnel when the stallion leaned against the door and eyed him. Pepper froze and looked up at him. Their eyes met. There was an uncaring look in the stallion's eyes. But Pepper saw desperation. It was as if he was pleading for the colt for help. Which Pepper found odd. Pepper opened his eyes back into his room. The rain had picked up. Pepper leaned forward, finding the bug to continue on for his writing. He lit the candle next to him when it got a bit dark than he'd like. The colt scribbled away, the violin playing a haunting melody. One he recognized when he had ended up in Alabaster's dream. The filly confused Pepper to no end. She started to call him out on everything and now she's saying she's trying to help? Whatever this price is, the colt felt a little annoyed. A price.... The colt froze in his writing, his eyes darting in thought. Was that the price Tussle paid to keep towards his supposed best friend? Constance's words resonated within his mind. You've given' me a peace of mind. The pieces were beginning to connect for him. And there it was. The ambition. Brisket County's ambition. The price he vowed to pay doing what he does. The colt scribbled down into the book, the pencil never leaving the page until he had finished a chapter and a half of the next one. The night had gotten darker and darker. It was now hard to see anything out the window. Pepper leaned back and rolled his neck, rubbing it to ease the numbness. He thought back to Funnel's desperate, uncaring look. What was he trying to tell him? Should he even be concerned with a bad pony? He did leave when the kids were reading and it shocked them when a Canterlot guard had arrived with an injured Funnel. It was Echo Heart who had answered and was startled at the sight of the towering guard. Funnel had painfully told the kids to go to their rooms and handle their practices for the fair while he went to rest and recover. Pepper was curious as to what did that to him. But maybe he shouldn't be too concerned. Perhaps karma had finally caught up with the bad pony for ruining Mrs. Marigold's rest. Pepper sighed and closed his book. He had gotten a lot of writing done for today and it was high time he went to bed. Alabaster had stopped playing two hours ago. Pepper blew out his candle and got into his bed, throwing his blankets up to him. Getting into a comfy position, he faced the wall and closed his eyes, sleeping taking over him. Tomorrow is another day. The Cutie-Mark Crusaders had met up with each other in front of the Everfree. The dark, unkempt forest had matched the scheduled rain. The fillies had worn a modified version of their capes. Their hoods thrown over to cover them from the rain. Scootaloo held a lantern up and scanned the forest entrance. "Isn't this where Zecora was supposed to meet us?" She asked. Sweetie Bell scanned the dark area around them, her worry turning into panic. "I-I don't know. But let's hope she finds us soon. I don't think we should be this close to the Everfree at this time." She shivered a bit. Applebloom gulped and tried to look reassuringly to her friends. "M-Maybe we just wait a lil' longer." She said. There was a loud crash of thunder and a flash of lightning that caused the fillies to shriek and huddle together. They screamed even more when they saw a cloaked, hooded figure step out of the woods with a lantern held high on a walking stick, glowing eyes staring down at them. The pony held up a hoof and smiled reassuringly to them. Applebloom's eyes beamed in recognition. "Zecora! Thank Celestia! I thought we were in the wrong place." She said. Zecora chuckled and turned, waving her lantern stick towards the woods. "Follow me, you three. I have tea prepared. Don't worry, I've already given the nasties a scare." She said. The three followed Zecora into the woods, sticking close as a wild wind began howling through the trees. The fillies remained alert, caution and worry in their eyes. Yet, Zecora remained close to ensure their safety as they soon arrived at her hut. A fire already brewing inside along with a strange odor. Zecora opened the door and when the three stepped in, they gasped as they saw Princess Luna stirring the cauldron in the middle of the hut. Her cloak drenched from the rain. She looked up and smiled at the four. "Welcome, Cutie-Mark Crusaders. And welcome back, Zecora. No trouble, I presume." She asked. Zecora closed the door and hung her cloak and lantern. "Not at all." Zecora said simply. Luna nodded welcomingly to the three. "What is going on here?" Scootaloo asked as she placed her lantern at the ground. Luna hung the ladle over the bubbling cauldron and stepped towards the three. "Thou art aware of me mentioning a dark aura in the orphanage?" She asked. The three took a moment before remembering and nodded. "I hath wanted to cast a spell to dispel that aura. But having walked through the dreams with me, thou hath seen the terrors enshrouding the orphanage. A dark magic that has been brewing for a long while. The property is cursed and I hath discovered it hath been used as an old cultic gathering field." Luna stated. Sweetie Bell scratched her hooded mane. "A cultic gathering?" She asked. Luna nodded sadly. "Long ago, my sister and I have heard rumors of a cult in this area. Before Ponyville was founded, there was a small hamlet that doth not exist any longer nearby. Rotted with age and decay throughout the moons. That hamlet had a superstition. An evil entity that hath plagued them, casting many lives into death. It would visit them in the night, haunting their dreams and creating a psyche plague that caused many to have gone mad. It hath even been told to feast upon children." Luna turned back to the cauldron and began to stir it again, the fillies looking at each other in small terror. "This entity was called the Nightfeaster. A malformed figure that would prowl the hamlet, looking for food. Scholars have recorded through eyewitnesses that it hath believed to feed off of dreams to sustain long life, while feasting on the flesh of ponies to sate an unquenchable lust for power. The magic within the ponies was vast and bountiful. It was only right for the Nightfeaster to terrorize the hamlet. From this superstition, a cult was created. The Cult of the Feast. Every month, the villagers would dawn brown garbs to cover their features as to not be recognized by the Nightfeaster as they sacrificed young fillies and colts to please the creature from ever having to plague their dreams again, while keeping the beast well fed to prevent a slaughter." Luna looked over her shoulder and looked sternly at the fillies, a flash of lightning and crash of thunder resonated outside of the hut, causing the fillies to huddle together and shiver horrified at Luna. Luna's gaze softened and nodded to Zecora, who nodded in kind and trotted over to a stove. "But, tis a filly's tale to be told to bad children from wandering off at night alone. From what we've hath found, tis was a story to inspire fear into a village to do the bidding of a power-hungry tyrant. Which, my sister hath long since banished. No such creature has been accounted for in the realm of Equestria. We need not worry about it. No, for tonight, you three will be aiding me in a ritual." Zecora placed three tea cups in front of the fillies and took a sip of her own. The fillies eyed the tea before taking small sips of their own. Luna smiled as the contents within the cauldron have turned a different color. Zecora trotted over to a shelf and pulled out a couple of gourds. Luna dispelled her cloak, the bats flying off into an open window and out into the rainy dark. The fillies gasped as they saw strange markings on her coat. Zecora poured something thick onto her hoof and drew a sigil on the princess's forehead, just underneath her horn before marking her bottom lip and chin. Finishing with stripes across her cheek, Luna dawned several accessories of makeshift nature. "You three. Please stand exactly where Zecora will tell you to. You are to get on thine knees and bow your heads as if in the presence of my sister and I. When I hath finished the dance, you are to throw your hooves up into the air. Understand?" She explained. Zecora began leading Scootaloo to her spot while Applebloom rubbed her head. "Err... why are we doin' this again? This feels a little... taboo." Applebloom said as Zecora led her to a spot in the hut around the cauldron. Luna chuckled slightly. "Ritual casting is an old practice. Tis only taboo for necromancy. We won't be doing any of that. This is merely trying to dispel the dark aura from plaguing the orphanage. Your dear friend Pepper would be saved of the plight as well." She said. Sweetie Bell stood in the last spot, seeing her friends on both sides of the cauldron. Zecora took the other end and brushed a hoof under her. When she did, the floor began to glow under her as a rune began to flash into an intricate design that the three couldn't make heads or tails of. Yet, Princess Luna reared up, her wings unfurled, striking a readied pose to dance. Zecora nodded to the three fillies. "Just follow my lead. You little ones will see." Zecora then prostrated herself into a bow and began humming. The crusaders looked unsure of this but followed suite. With everything in place, Luna began tapping her hind hooves on the hut, the clacking of her hooves creating a tempo. She ruffled her wings, her body bouncing in a jitter before she turned and used her wings to bedazzle the glowing hue of the hut. Swishing her wings to and fro, pirouetting on her hind hooves as she danced around the hut. The boiling cauldron began to change color into a lighter purple hue. Luna spun and took the ladle in her magic, taking a small sip of the concoction. Her eyes opened and they dilated. A sign that the ritual was working as intended. Despite the concerns from the fillies, they continued to follow Zecora's lead. Luna began to see images of the orphanage. The history of it being built. The land being cultivated by the small village nearby. The images faded as Luna began to recite a prayer in old pone-ish. Dancing around the cauldron once more, the cauldron began to change to a green hue, Luna taking another sip. Visions once more. The orphanage being a nursing home during a war. The ponies that lived there after the war. The ritual continued and once more, the cauldron turned to a hue of pink. This time, Luna didn't take a sip. Instead, she threw her hooves out into the air, Zecora doing the same and letting the fillies follow suite. Zecora hummed an ancient dialect in her language while Luna began to recite a prayer once more in old pone-ish. Fog began to pour from the cauldron and creeped along the ground. The cauldron began to glow brightly and a hazy wisp began to flow out of the cauldron. IT swirled around Luna and her eyes began to glow. She could sense the connection. Many images flashed through her mind, causing her slight pain. Bearing through it, she weaved the connection and in a bright flash of light, the cauldron shone a beam of light through the hut. The light could be seen from the Everfree. And from further away from Ponyville in the Honeyfields, the sleeping children stirred and shifted over onto their opposite sides. The rainclouds above the orphanage began to swirl and form a small funnel. The dark presence from within the orphanage stirred and answered the connection. Luna gasped as she found herself looking at the cauldron. Whatever she was seeing, the others couldn't. The alicorn stared at a young colt. His pale, dark veined coat and black eyes looked up at her. A desperate expression for help on his face. Images of the child's family flashed through her mind. The mare she recognized as the nanny. Luna blinked and found herself standing in the middle of a wooded area. She looked around and her gaze fell onto a young colt humming happily to himself as he balanced on a fallen tree. Luna furrowed her look and began to follow the colt. He sang a small song to himself, hopping off the fallen tree and trotting through the trees. She observed the colt as he traversed further until he came to a stop and looked up at what looked to be a cave entrance. There were obscure constructed objects that resonated with dark magic. Luna's expression became aware and cautious, the colt's curiosity causing him to wander into the cave. Luna followed the colt, descending into the cave. How could a colt decide to brave such a place as this without a single care in the world? The cave opened up into a chamber. One she was not expecting. The chamber had strange markings drawn in chalk or rock scratches. Animal bones littered the floor and a stone table shrine rested at the far end of the chamber. A broken and rotted shelf and several baskets laid strewn about. The colt looked around in awe as he began to poke through the clutter. He found several strange trinkets that he put aside before his attention fell onto a book that tumbled out from the broken shelf. The colt coughed and waved away the dust before studying the book. A black, leather hard cover book with a sinister looking red design etched into what appeared to be writing in an unknown dialect and a slit eye on the spine. The colt tilted his head and opened it. The atmosphere changed drastically as a cold wind blew through the cave. The pages of the book flipped wildly before stopping onto a mishappen drawing of a creature. Elongated limbs, glowing eyes and a shadowy complex that looked similar to thin trees. The words scrawled onto the page was ancient pone-ish. But Luna knowingly shook her head in disbelief. Perhaps the rumors were true. But there was no accounts or sightings of a creature. Mayhaps, a book created to instill the fear that the cult had towards the village. Regardless, the presence and aura emanating off the book was all she needed to know. The images thought so too as she found herself being forcefully thrown back, the world melting around her. Luna gasped and was thrown back, crashing into a shelf of collective relics Zecora had gathered. The fillies sprang up and gasped. "Princess Luna! Are you alright!?" Sweetie Bell exclaimed. Luna quickly held up a hoof to the fillies. "Do not step out of the circle!" She shouted, her Equestrian voice booming. Sweetie Bell froze and remained still where she was. Luna stood up and shook her daze. "We must complete the ritual appropriately... Do not step out of the circle until the cauldron stills!" As if on cue, the ponies looked to see the cauldron glow brightly, boiling wildly inside. The ghostly image of the colt looked around in a panic before an elongated claw reached over the colt and pulled him under, the colt screams echoing before the cauldron rattled and stilled the boiling. The silence was deafening to the ponies in the room. Luna painfully pulled herself from the shelf and walked over to the cauldron. Zecora removed her hood, a look of concern clear across her expression. "I hope you have found what you need, princess." She said simply. Princess Luna nodded solemnly, returning a soft smile to the fillies. "You three did wonderful tonight. Pray, forgive the involvement of this activity. The ritual required four to pray and one to offer." She explained. Scootaloo threw her hood off and looked worriedly at her. "What even happened?" She asked. Luna shook her head. "An attempt to quell the darkness surrounding the orphanage. But instead, a lost soul has shown me something of importance that may help me in my endeavor." Luna sighed. "This is more than just dark magic now. I didn't think it would be possible. I must hurry. Time is of the essence." Luna levitated a towel over to herself and wiped the markings off, removing her accessories and returning them to Zecora before calling upon her cloak. Applebloom balked. "Where are ya' goin'?" She asked. Luna threw her hood over her head and nodded to Zecora. "Please, return the children home. They are needed for the morning in preparation for the fair. I must end this hunt." Luna nodded to the three. "Until the marrow, children. I will ensure pleasant dreams when I am finished with my task." And with that, Luna took off into the rainy night, leaving the Cutie-Mark Crusaders and Zecora exchanging glances. Applebloom frowned. "Whatever she saw, we have to help too. We can't just sit idly by while the orphanage is in danger." She said. Scootaloo rubbed her mane. "Then what do you suggest?" She asked. Applebloom rubbed her chin and beamed at an idea. "We'll meet at the clubhouse first thing in the mornin'. I'll explain everythin' there." She replied.