//------------------------------// // Ellipsis // Story: A minor variation // by notMurphy //------------------------------// Ellipsis noun \i-ˈlip-səs, e-\ 1. a :  the omission of one or more words that are obviously understood but that must be supplied to make a construction grammatically complete     b :  a sudden leap from one topic to another 2.    :  marks or a mark (as …) indicating an omission (as of words) or a pause Dot ...    Shining Armor shook his head, "No, that I understand, but when has Blueblood ever gotten anything meaningful right?" He knew there was no changing her mind. She was strong and independant, that was one of the things he loved about Cadence. Ok, he loved everything about her, but who was counting?    "He says he found something up past Stalliongrad. Honey, if there's any chance of finding…" Cadence paused her packing to nuzzle her stallion for a moment. "Honey, this is very important to me. You understand that right?"    "Of course I do." He said, "I just… I don't want you to get your hopes up and be disappointed again." He couldn't even imagine what it would be like if he showed up one day and Canterlot not only wasn't there, but there was no evidence it had ever existed.    "I know. But, I can't help it." She eyed her travel pack, "It will only be a couple of days. Then I'll be back and we can start writing the invitations."      Shining caught himself drifting into a goofy smile, and went with it. "Yeah, you go have your adventure, I'll just slave away here, writing the names of forty-third cousins on envelopes."    "Oh poor baby," Miamore Cadenza crooned, barely containing her laughter. "Have you written to Twilight yet?" She knew the answer from his guilty expression. "Sweetie, she's not going to have time to be your best mare if you don't let her know before-hoof."    The unicorn buried his face in the pillows, "I know, I know!" He rolled over, hooves flailing in the air. "Heh, if I hadn't been there when your aunt came back to Equestria, I bet her friends wouldn't even know I existed."    "So you've got two jobs while I'm gone." Cadence crooned, "Write that letter to your sister…"    Captain Armor looked up, "And?"    "And, work on relaxing a little. You are so high-strung lately."    "I can't help it, it just feels like we've been having it too easy lately. This would–" He caught the barest hint of a frown on her muzzle. "and… that's not a bad thing. OK, I'll work on relaxing a little." He got up to give her one last nuzle before escorting Princess Cadenza to the train station "I love you."    "I love you too. Nothing will ever change that." ... Dot ...    Every night for more than a thousand years, she had the same dream. Ivory stairs spiraling from a pit of utter blackness. Somewhere above she knew there was a silver doorway. Every night she climbed the steps, and yet she never reached the gate. Not since she had made a most terrible mistake.    In her heart, she knew that it would be possible to stop, to give up. Either to trudge back down, or throw herself off the sides. If she did so the dream would never come again, of that she was certain. Even if she were simply to try to fly up, her instincts told her that would violate the unspoken, unwritten rules of the dream.    For a long time it had been pride that had driven her. Then it had been a sense of penance. Neither of those seemed correct any longer, and yet she would not give up the dream. The conviction that someday she would regain the silver gate.    A dream unto a meditation, understanding why she had the dream was almost as important as reaching the end. Nay, more important. Her sister had accepted her. The ponies had welcomed her. She had friends once again. What was so important about a dream of climbing stairs now, when she had everything she had ever wanted?    Desire, that was her weakness. She had craved recognition and spurned the satisfaction of earning it. Of being purposeful. And so she had lost all purpose. And lost… something else. A sacred trust? She couldn't remember. In her dreams there was the ache of a lost memory.    There was one last pony she needed forgiveness from. To be complete, to be able to move forward once again. She had searched the waking world for this pony, and never seen a hint, never had any idea who it could be. And yet, there had to be something more, she knew there was something more.    Putting all the stars in the sky? Foal's play. They knew their business, and only the gentlest of nudges was ever needed. Bringing on the night, that period of rest and renewal? It was her calling, her duty, and yet history spoke of a time when no alicorn had been needed to bring either sun or shade.    Luna stopped. Was this all fruitless? Was she still punishing herself? If everypony else was willing to give her a second chance, perhaps she needed to forgive herself as well. 'Very well,' she said to herself and to nopony, 'I shall walk the next turn and then...'    It shone with a silver light, gentle as moonbeams. Beautiful in its simplicity, the Gate of Dreams stood open before the Night Mare. There was so much to do, but she was ready. Ready to once again take up the reins as the guardian of dreams, and she knew where she had to start... ... Dot    The pale yellow pegasus touched down, looking around until a tan stallion finally stepped out of the shadows. Another pegasus, he sported a mane of pastel blues, pinks, and greens in a motley – all cut to a regulation flat-top. The mare tossed her head, for all that her own short pink hair didn't move, it still expressed her impatience.    "I didn't think you'd actually show up." The stallion marvelled, not quite meeting the mare's eyes.    "Some of us have better things to  with our energy than to waste it on grudges."     He shook his head, "Sun and Moon, you are still such a fighter–    "I came because you said you had something important to tell me, Capt… Random."    "There are those who don't want you and your friends to succeed."    "Uh yeah, I'm kinda aware of that." The pink-maned pony glared openly.      "No," Random Sprinkles barked, "I don't mean individuals or even a small group. There is a conspiracy, stretching from the depths to the very top of Canterlot. They can buy, turn, or intimidate anypony – they get in and twist the very heart of a pony. Their soldiers are faceless, able to blend into any crowd, like perfect shadows."      The butter yellow mare nodded, "Alright, you have my attention. Do you have any proof?"      The stallion grinned, "They miscalculated, assumed that our 'history' meant I'd be up for betraying Equestria. I…" Sprinkles swallowed. "I've done a lot of things I'm not exactly proud of, but I'm no traitor." He began nosing into his saddlebags, producing photos, notebooks, letters, memos, diagrams…      "No, I suppose from your perspective you really believe that." She slid the goggles down over her eyes.      Random paused, "I can't ever possibly make up for the Tartarus I put you kids through, but I am proud of what you've accomplished, Fluttershy–      The yellow pony chuckled, "And I suppose you really believed that as well." Transparent green flame flickered around the pony's form as she stalked toward the elder pegasus. "I'd say it's a shame you couldn't stick to the deal, but I'd be lying if I said I'm not going to enjoy this."      "Oh no. No, no, no…" Random Sprinkles screamed, for all that he knew the building was abandoned and there was nopony in earshot...