//------------------------------// // New Nightmare // Story: Let Me Dry Your Tears // by SteelyStrings32T //------------------------------// With weary hooves, Trixie trudged through Ponyville on her way to the Golden Oaks Library. It was very late and the only thing that Trixie wanted to do was to find Twilight. Looking around, Trixie noticed that something was off about Ponyville. The buildings around her resembled what they looked like, but they were made out of oily shadows that were going down and off of the structures. The sky above her did not look promising at all. Black and grey clouds were swirling around the entire town. Ponyville did not look warm and comforting like the last few times that Trixie visited, it all looked cold and threatening. Something's not right here, thought Trixie. The town looks, nightmarish, haunting. It looks like Nightmare Moon took over this town. I need to find Twilight, and fast! At that, Trixie took off into a full gallop. She didn't want to spend another second in the frightening, shadowy PonyVille. Trixie galloped through the blackened streets turning her head constantly in an attempt to find the library. All the while, Trixie kept thinking about this darker PonyVille. What's causing all these shadows, Trixie pondered to herself. Why does the sky look so ominous? This isn't another nightmare, is it? I really hope it isn't, I just can't take anymore. Finally, like a lighthouse in a storm, Trixie finally found the Golden Oaks Library. Like all the other building in PonyVille, the library had shadows rolling off of it as well. All that didn't matter to Trixie, she had finally found the home of Twilight Sparkle! She can help me out, she can tell me what's going on, thought Trixie. Without a second thought, Trixie raised her hoof and knocked on the door of the library. After a few seconds of waiting, Trixie was soon graced by the presence of Twilight who had a skeptical look on her face. "Twilight! Thank Celestia I found you! Trixie has been running through this horrifying town trying to find you. Trixie needs your help Twilight, you see-" "You want me to help you?! Even after all you've done?!" Twilight's harsh response caught Trixie off guard. She thought that she and Twilight were on decent terms. Everything that had happened was all water under the bridge between them. Why was she being so hostile all of a sudden? "T-Twilight, Trixie doesn't u-understand, after the duel I apologized and you forgave me, why are you acting like this?" "You've got some nerve showing your face here in PonyVille again, Trixie, and to say that you need my help is just plain laughable," replied Twilight with an evil look on her face. "P-please, Twilight, Trixie really needs your help, I-" "No Trixie, you don't deserve anything after what you did to me, my friends, and Ponyville. I don't care what you are suffering from because quite frankly, you deserve it. Now get out of my sight Trixie, leave and never come back again." At that, Twilght slammed the door of the library which dissolved into shadows, leaving Trixie screaming Twilight's name. "ARGHH, NO! TWILIGHT!" Shouted Trixie as she sat upright in her bed. Panting heavily, Trixie looked around the room she was in. Fortunately for her, she was still in Twilight's guest bedroom. The clock on the wall read 3:17 AM, way too early to get up for the day. The only thing that she could hear was the sound of the thunderstorm outside and her own breathing. The fact that she had another nightmare, however, caused her to break down into another fit of tears. Her nightmare felt so real, the sting of Twilight's words, the feeling of loneliness, it all felt real. As Trixie sat there crying, she heard the sound of the bedroom door being opened. "Trixie, are you okay? I heard you shouting my name," said Twilight as she trotted over to Trixie's bedside. "Twilight! Thank Celestia you're here. I had another nightmare, one that was far worse than all the other ones." At this point, Twilight had climbed onto the bed next Trixie and pulled her into a hug. Just the feeling of being hugged by Twilight helped to calm down Trixie a little. Her sobs turned into soft crying which eventually turned into faint whimpers and sniffles. Using a hoof, Twilight reached down to Trixie's face and dried up the river of tears on her cheeks. "It's okay, Trixie," said Twilight gently, "I'm here, just tell me what happened." Wiping her eyes one more time, Trixie lifted her head and looked Twilight in the eye. "W-well, in the nightmare that Trixie just had, I dreamt about coming back to Ponyville to ask for your help getting over my past." Without breaking eye contact, Twilight only nodded in understanding. She could already tell that Trixie's newest nightmare probably involved her. "So anyway, when I got to your door, I knocked on it and waited for you to come. When you finally opened the door, you had an evil look to you. When Trixie explained to you her plight, you interrupted me and told me that after all I've done, I deserved to suffer in life. It shocked me that even after I had apologized, you still had a grudge against me, even in my time of need. After all that was said and done, you slammed the door in my face and I was plunged into darkness. The worst part about it, is that it all felt real, the loneliness, the sting of your words, i-it all, felt, real. I didn't know what else to do so, I shouted out for your name. I'm sorry that I woke you." Upon hearing this, Twilight was struck with pure empathy for Trixie. She had a just had a nightmare that shook her to the core. Trixie was afraid of being lonely, she was afraid of being left behind, but most of all, she was afraid of being abandoned by somepony she trusted. It happened once before to Trixie and she thought that it was happening again. "Oh Trixie, I'm so sorry to hear that. If I had a horrible dream about losing somepony I trusted, I would be pretty shaken up too. Don't worry though Trixie, I'm here for you, I care for you, and I want to help you get better," said Twilight with a comforting voice. Trixie looked up at Twilight with a hopeful smile on her face. Twilight really did want to help her, her promise sounded genuine. "Thank you Twilight," said Trixie as she buried her head in Twilight's chest. "Just hearing you say that has made Trixie feel much better." As Trixie laid her head into Twilight's chest, she heard a familiar, biological sound: thump-thump, thump-thump. Trixie's ear was positioned close enough to Twilight's chest that she could hear Twilight's heartbeat. Thump-thump, thump-thump. Even though it was a simple bodily sound, Trixie found it quite comforting. It reminded her that Twilight was still there for her whenever she needed somepony. The beat of Twilight's heart, along with the sound of the rain outside created a very soothing environment for Trixie. Thump-thump. Thump-thump. For once in a long time, Trixie felt safe and secure. Being held by Twilight made her feel cared for, a feeling she had not felt ever since she left home. "Twilight?" Thump-thump. "Yes Trixie?" Thump-thump. Thump-thump. "Will you stay here with me, until I fall back asleep? I don't want to have another nightmare." Thump-thump. Thump-thump. "Absolutely, Trixie, anything to help you out." "Thank you, Twilight, Trixie," yawn, "appreciates it." With that, Trixie closed her eyes and kept her head pressed against Twilight's chest. The warmth of her fur and the sound of Twilight's heart made it easy for Trixie to nod off to sleep. The last thing that she heard before fully drifting off to sleep, was a gentle thump-thump. As Trixie started to fall asleep, Twilight couldn't help but to feel a sense of accomplishment. Here, she was able to comfort Trixie and calm her down enough to the point that she was able to settle down for the rest of the night. Yawning to herself, Twilight just remembered that she was jolted awake by Trixie and she was starting to feel the effects of an interrupted sleep. With the utmost care, Twilight lowered Trixie onto her bed and used her magic to put the covers over her. After making sure that Trixie was fully comfortable, Twilight headed for her room. Before she left, however, she took one more glance back at the sleeping mare. She looks so peaceful, thought Twilight to herself. I really hope that I can help her get over her past. Without thinking, Twilight went over to Trixie's side and gave her a comforting nuzzle which caused Trixie to let out a soft coo. After she was done, Twilight headed off to her own bed. "Sleep well Trixie, I'll see you in the morning." With that, Twilight softly closed the door and went off to bed once again.