//------------------------------//
// Something Not So Real 
// Story: Strands of Light 
// by OathOfCalm 
//------------------------------//


Chapter 7:  Something Not So Real


Little Shine was sitting down on the grass, gazing out at the school yard before him.  A fair distance away, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo were huddled together.  They were laughing and talking to each other, no doubt planning the ceremony for his joining into the Cutie Mark Crusaders.  

The sun was shining down on the land, and Little Shine felt quite comfortable in its glow.  A soft breeze had been passing through, and caused the grass beneath him to sway and tenderly stroke his legs and belly.  He looked up to the sky and stared at the puffy white clouds.  There was just enough of them to provide small pockets of shade, but few enough that a pony could enjoy the sun, as Little Shine was doing now.  He couldn't help but wonder what it felt like to lie in the clouds, like a pegasus.  Surely it was the softest substance known to ponykind.  

All around the school yard, ponies played.  Some were galloping and racing each other.  Some were skipping or playing hopscotch.  Others still, were just enjoying the company of their friends, laughing and conversing.  Recess was a glorious time for a young school pony, and although Little Shine was not currently engaging in activities with the other ponies, he felt a sense of peace and a sense that he wasn't alone.

"Little Shine?"

The entire world around Little Shine stopped.  All sound failed to reach Little Shine's ears.  It was a voice that he had heard a thousand times before.  It was a soft, but strong male voice.  It shattered all sense of reality, all sense of possibility.

Stone Pillar?  Little Shine turned his head around toward the source of the voice.

And there he was.

He stood not four feet away, and a smile spread across his face.  The white streaks in his mane glimmered in the golden rays of the sun, and the tan accents absorbed their glow.  His body was the color of the lightest grey rock in a cobblestone road, and his eyes were a golden hue.  The soft breeze gently blew his mane.  He looked like one of those old Equestrian heroes, so righteous and kind.

Little Shine ignored his screaming muscles as he bounded to his hooves, galloped at full speed, and launched himself at his brother.  He wrapped his hooves around Stone Pillar, and buried his face in his chest.  He squeezed his eyes shut and allowed all his sorrow to unload, and yet, filling himself with joy.  

Stone Pillar completed the embrace, slowly wrapping his own hooves around Little Shine's back and holding him close.  Several minutes passed before either one of them moved.  Finally, they drew apart, and Little Shine looked into his brother's eyes.  Tears of joy streamed down Little Shine's face, and he laughed.  He laughed so hard and jumped around, then cried again.  

Stone Pillar put his hoof on the side of Little Shine's face.  "I've missed you, Little Shine."  

He stroked his hoof down and curled it around Little Shine's neck.  He pulled him in tight once more.  Little Shine, exhausted from his outburst of physical exertion, leaned in and rested against Stone Pillar.  He tried to say something, but the words died in his throat.  

Scooping Little Shine up with his hooves, Stone Pillar extended his wings, and flew.  Little Shine snapped his head down to see the shrinking ground.  They flew higher and higher toward the sky, and then began to slow down.  A single cloud floated ahead, and grew as they approached.  Stone Pillar hovered for a second over the cloud, landed, and immediately rolled on to his back, cradling Little Shine like a foal.  

Little Shine was on his side.  He closed his eyes.  "I missed you too, Stone Pillar.  So much."  His voice was barely a whisper.  "I . . . I thought you were dead." 

Stone Pillar chuckled.  "No way.  No earthquake is gonna take me away from you, little bro."

Little Shine opened his eyes and rolled onto his belly.  If Stone Pillar is alive, then maybe. . . 

"Where's Mom?  Is she okay?  What about Dad?" he asked, his eyes widening.

Stone Pillar smiled.  "They're both okay.  They're just talking to the mayor.  Don't worry; they'll be here to see you soon."

It was as if the weight of all of Equestria faded from Little Shine's heart, and was filled with completeness.  Everything was as it was supposed to be.  His brother was alive.  His mom and dad were okay.  They would live in Ponyville and be a family again.  Everything would be as it was.  

Little Shine jumped up to his hooves, and Stone Pillar let out a grunt.  "Hey, I'm still here, remember."

"Come on, Stone Pillar!  I want to show you everything!"

"Hehehe, okay, okay.  Up you go."  

Stone Pillar cradled Little Shine once more and took off.  They glided gracefully to the ground and landed with a soft thud.  Little Shine hopped out of Stone Pillars arms and bounded off.  "Come on, Stone Pillar!"  

Little Shine looked behind and saw his brother trotting up beside him.  They stopped in front of the schoolhouse and Little Shine extended his hoof.  "This is my new school."

Stone Pillar nodded approvingly.  "That looks very nice.  How's your teacher?"

"Oh, she's really nice.  Her name is Miss Cheerilee.  She's a lot more exciting than Miss Holly."

"That's great, Shine," Stone Pillar said.  "Where have you been staying?"

"I've been staying with Fluttershy.  She's also really nice.  She's so calm and gentle.  All the animals are really cute, too."

Stone Pillar tilled his head.  "Animals?"

"Oh ya.  She's the pony that takes care of all the animals in Ponyville.  She's so good at it.  She seems to understand them."

Stone Pillar nodded again.  "That sounds good.  We'll have to thank her very much for taking good care of you."  He paused for a moment.  "I heard that you spent some time in Canterlot."

"Yes, two days."  It was Little Shine's turn to pause.  He looked up, searching his mind.  "Princess Twilight said that you were all gone.  But you're here now?"

"Don't worry, Little Shine.  Even princesses can make mistakes."

"What happened after the earthquake, how did you survive?"

Stone Pillar put his hoof around Little Shine reassuringly.  "Don't worry about that right now, Little Shine.  There'll be time for that when we all get together.  In fact, we should head toward the mayor's office now."

Little Shine looked up in confusion.  "But, recess is going to be over soon.  I can't just leave school."  

"Hush, bro.  It's okay.  I'm sure Miss Cheerilee will understand."

Little Shine thought for a moment.  "I guess so."  

They walk away from the schoolhouse, across the field and onto the main road.  As they were walking, Little Shine noticed that there were no ponies playing anymore.  In fact, the field was completely empty.  The bell didn't go off did it?  I didn't hear it.  Oh. . . well maybe it went off when we were on the could.

They walked down the road toward the mayor's office.  The wind sent a shiver down Little Shine's spine.  He shuddered.  

Stone Pillar noticed the movement.  "You okay, Shine?"

"Ya.  It's just a lot colder all the sudden."

"It's okay.  You'll be fine."  

The office came in view, and Little Shine began to vibrate with excitement.  He was going to see his parents.  As they approached the door, he noticed that is was dark inside.  Not a light illuminated the building.  Reaching the door, Little Shine carefully entered and looked around.  

It was not a sight that he expected.  He squinted to see in the darkness.  Not a soul resided inside, and the chill of the air seeped into him.  He looked back at his brother.  "Where are they?"  

Stone Pillar's face grew serious.  "Not here, obviously.  Perhaps they went to Fluttershy's cottage?"

Little Shine hopped toward Stone Pillar and leaned on him.  "Let's get out of here.  I don't like this place."

They stepped out of the building and traveled the road that lead to Fluttershy's place.  There was a silver glow in the air, and Little Shine looked up to its source, the moon.  Tendrils of darkness settled all over the town.

Wait, wasn't it just recess about ten minutes ago.  How is it dark already?

Something was not right.  Not only was the chill settling through Little Shine's body, but it was creeping into his mind as well.  The shadows shifted menacingly around them.  Little Shine periodicity darted his eyes around, his body on full alert.  

"I wish Apple Bloom was here," he said.

"What was that now?"

"Apple Bloom.  She's a friend of mine.  She saved me from a bully on my first day of school."

Stone Pillar stopped walking.  He turned toward Little Shine and narrowed his eyes.  "Really."

"Yes.  She and her friends asked me if I could join their club.  I was going to do that today, sometime after school."

"What's this club about?" 

"Well, they call themselves the Cutie Mark Crusaders.  Basically, they go around and find different activities to try and get their cutie marks."

Stone Pillar snorted.  "Blank flanks, huh."

As the sound of the phrase, Little Shine snapped his eyes on Stone Pillar.  "Hey!  Don't call them that.  That's mean.  I don't have one either, remember?"

"I know.  You're my brother.  I'll always support you.  But it sounds like your 'friends' have a terrible idea about getting cutie marks.  Didn't you even listen to Mom?" 

Little Shine took a step back.  The venom in his brother's voice was so unlike him.  "I . . . I know that they're not going about it the best way, but they're my friends.  I just wanted to hang out with them."

"They sound like losers.  If you want your cutie mark, you best stay away from them."

Little Shine stomped his hoof.  "They're not losers!  Don't call them that.  What's wrong with you?"

A blinding pain shot through Little Shine's jaw.  He crumbled to the ground.  His mind couldn't comprehend what had just happened.  Did he just hit me?

"I will not tolerate that kind of tone, Little Shine.  Now, I don't want to hear any more about these friends of yours.  Besides, we're moving away tomorrow anyway, so you won't see them again."

Stone Pillars words hit Little Shine like a jackhammer.  He was too stunned to even talk back.  In all his life, Stone Pillar had never talked to Little Shine with such anger, let alone hit him.  Something was very wrong.

Tears began to roll down Little Shine's face, and these were not the joyful type.  "Why did you hit me?"

Stone Pillar rolled his eyes.  "Because you were being stupid, Little Shine.  It's my job as your big brother to protect you, painfully if necessary."

"Why are you being so mean!" Little Shine sobbed.

"Shut up, bro."

This was wrong, so very wrong.  The brother he knew would never act this way.  Questions flashed through Little Shine's mind, trying to comprehend what was happening.  Was he a changeling?

"Who are you?"

Stone Pillar stared in confusion.  "What do you mean?" 

"Stone Pillar would never treat me this way.  You're being such a bully.  Apple Bloom is much nicer than you!"

Stone Pillar didn't say anything for a while, only stared at him with a dark gaze.  Little Shine could hear the deep noise of breathing, and his feeling of confusion and anger slowly drained, and was slowly replaced by fear.

Stone Pillar finally spoke, and his words were like ice.  "Apple Bloom is much nicer than me, huh.  Is that how little you think of me?  Do you hate me so much, Little Shine?"

Little Shine shrunk back.  "I . . . I didn't-"

"Are you happy with her then?  Was it so easy for you to forget me?  Did you forget about Mom and Dad too?"

"No, I didn't-"

KABOOOOM!

Little Shine cowered beneath the thundering boom of the night sky.  He buried his face into the earth and covered his head with his hooves.  After several long seconds, he poked his eyes up, and beheld a nightmare.  

Stone Pillar's entire body drained of color and faded to pale.  Black tendrils festered along his skin, spreading like some twisted disease.  It was like watching black lightning in slow motion.  His main and tail blackened and grew, flowing around him like a cloak.  The bones in his body pressed outward against his stretching skin, creating a skeletal visage.  The last to change were his eyes.  The once golden irises shriveled and glistened like ink, soulless portals to the abyss.  The abomination glided toward Little Shine, its hooves not even touching the ground, riding a cold wind.

Its presence filled Little Shine with a feeling beyond that of fear, beyond terror.  It was a reaper, and when it spoke, it spoke with the emptiness of the grave that not only chilled Little Shine's ears, but his heart, and his soul.  

"Eleven days, Little Shine.  That's all it took for you to forget us."  

Little Shine squeezed his eyes and prayed for the monster to go away.  "Please-"

"Do you think that we wouldn't feel, even after death?  Did you think that we would just be gone, into nothingness?  We've been watching you, Little Shine, and we are displeased."

Little Shine covered his head.  "No!  I didn't forget!  I could never forget."

"And yet, here you are, acting like everything's alright, playing with your new friends as if we never existed.  Would you like to see Mother and Father?"

Little Shine opened his eyes and looked up.  The monster extended its hoof, and a grey mist swirled around them, blocking out all signs of Ponyville.  Two transparent apparitions appeared in front of Little Shine, a stallion earth pony and a mare pegasus, his parents.  

Little Shine shied away.  "No."

Brass Hoof looked at Little Shine, and glared.  Bale fire ignited and raged around him.  

"You pathetic son.  How dare you.  You pathetic creature!  I wish that I had never sired you, you ungrateful little beast!  We raised you!  We protected you!  And you just forget about us, just like that?"

Little Shine wailed.  "No!  Please Dad!  I never-"

"Look at your mother, Little Shine!  Look at what you've done to her!"

Radiant Wing was covering her face, sobbing.  Little Shine's heart sunk into his hooves.  

"Mom, I never forgot you.  I love you," he said, reaching a hoof out.

Radiant Wing uncovered her face and stared at his hoof.  Ghostly tears continued to stream down her face.  "Why, Little Shine.  How could you?"

"Mom, please!  I love you.  I love you all.  You know th-"

"Enough."

The abomination reached out both its hooves and a swirling black maelstrom formed.  A scythe materialized out of the mist, and the abomination grasped it.  

"You will know pain, Little Shine.  You will know suffering.  You will know fear, and you will know our wrath."

It advanced on Little Shine, scythe held up high.  Little Shine buried his face and quivered.

"You . . . will . . . pay."



* * *
  


The shriek pierced the walls of the cottage, and outside into night's veil.  Small animals scattered.  The chickens in the coop stirred.    

Fluttershy awoke in utter alarm.  She threw off her covers and bolted out of her room toward the source.  She opened the bedroom that Little Shine was sleeping in, the one where the Cutie Mark Crusaders has stayed in years ago.  She widened her eyes at the sight.  

Little Shine was quivering.  It was the same type of action when a pony was standing in the cold wind after being doused with freezing water on a chilly day.  Only Little Shine was underneath warm blankets.  His eyes were sewn shut, twitching, and he was sobbing the same word over and over.

"No, no, no, no."

Fluttershy rushed to his bedside and held him tight.  "It's okay, sweetie.  I'm here.  I'm here." 

Her attempts to comfort the colt failed.  He was still quivering and shaking, and a new symptom began to appear.  His usually deep green color was starting to pale into a faded green.  The blood in his body was retreating to the inside.

"No, no, no, no."

"Little Shine.  You need to wake up. . . Little Shine. . . You need to wake up now."  Fluttershy gave him a gentle nudge.  "Little Shine, sweetie, you really need to wake up now. . . Little Shine. . . Little Shine!"

She gave him a harder shake, but to no avail.  She could feel his body dropping rapidly in temperature.  The calm demeanor of a nurturing mother shifted to panic.  Something was wrong.

"Little Shine, please! Wake up! . . . TWILIGHT!"

A yellow streak bolted down the stairs of the cottage, out the door, and ascended to the night sky.