//------------------------------// // Pillow dreams // Story: Homecoming // by seeker9709 //------------------------------// 9 days remaining: 10:00 a.m. “You want me to do WHAT?” Rainbow Dash sat across from Shining Armor and stared at him, utter confusion etched into her features. Shining had come to her that morning with a request. She had listened to him as he explained the events that had occurred the previous day, and she was shocked. It had been a full day, and nopony had told her a thing. They probably didn't want her getting excited about it and following up, or doing anything 'rash'. The cyan pegasus absently rubbed at her eyes before speaking again. “You know, if you want to play games with me, fine. But could you at least wake me up later before you play a joke? I'm TRYING to catch up on all my sleep.” She said, stifling a yawn. “Do you think that I would joke about something like this?” Shining retorted. He stared back at Rainbow with annoyance. His eyes were bloodshot from a night of little sleep, and small bags hung under his eyes. “I found where it was. I'm absolutely positive I know where she's hiding.” Shining levitated a small file out of a bag lying in-between two beds, and tossed it onto Rainbow's bed. “Turns out, the info from the other changelings was good. I checked out the houses near where it happened. It took some searching, but I finally found the right one.” He lifted a small photograph from out of the bag and showed it Rainbow. It was of a flower marked onto the side of a house. “I know it's right, because it's the same flower that Cadence loves. I even bought one as a comparison.” Rainbow flipped through the file. It was for a very familiar musician who played at the Canterlot Theater. That was by no means a small task, but Rainbow wasn't a fan of the classical style and never paid much mind to those who were a part of it. Still though, even she had heard of this mare. Octavia had been the talk of Canterlot when she first showed up. She was practically a household name to some ponies in the city. “Where are Celestia, Luna, and your wife in all of this?” “Cadence is still with her changeling friend. Apparently he still hasn't woken up yet. Luna took a look inside his mind yesterday and said that he had gone through a memory wipe, but she isn't sure how much was erased. One night, a week, a month, maybe even a year of the changeling's life might be missing, just like that.” Rainbow Dash's eyes widened. Due to how delicate a mind is, manipulating one with magic was at best considered an extremely difficult undertaking, filled with danger. Just basic thought redirection was a challenge, as too much pressure could easily break any being's mind, sending their thoughts into chaotic spirals. Erasing memory was an even greater task. The slightest slip-up could completely unravel a mind, or cause a personality to fracture. That was the primary reason why mind manipulation had long been banned altogether. “Celestia is with Sweetie Belle.” Shining Armor continued. “Apparently she doesn't want her around in case it hits the fan. I think she's dropping hints for her sister Rarity to take Sweetie out of Canterlot for a few days. Luna's called a full military briefing. I guess she finally decided that this should no longer stay between the five of us. Technically, I'm supposed to be there right now.” Rainbow stared forward, taking in everything that Shining was telling her. After a moment she rubbed at her eyes, letting out a long groan. “Look Shining, could you at least give me a cigarette before you tell me something like this?” “Rainbow, you don't smoke.” “Yeah, well, this makes me want to start. I mean, Celestia almighty! Even with the evidence you have, this is still a leap. Besides, how do we know this mare isn't under a mind control spell or something? If anything happens to her, Twilight could wipe her memory just like that.” She gestured, clapping her hooves together. “Who's to say that Twilight is even there now? She could be smart, and might've already moved locations.” Shining tried to speak up, but found he couldn't. While he didn't want to admit it, she was right. There was no guarantee that Twilight would still be there. She could have just taken her things and moved to another location. Maybe she had already put a spell on another poor mare or stallion, and was hiding in THEIR home. No. He knew he had to try and find her. “I guess I don't.” He stared Rainbow in the eye, as the cyan pegasus cocked an eyebrow at the stallion. “But damn it, this is the best lead we've had this entire time. There is no way in Tartarus that I am going to let this opportunity fall right out of my hooves.” He sat up straighter, rolling his shoulders back as he challenged her with his eyes. “Now the question is: Will you help or not?” Rainbow broke his stare, flipping through the pages in the folder once again. She gently shook her head as she read. “Theoretically, say I agreed to your plan. When would this happen exactly?” Shining took a moment to think. “I want to act fast. If you're in, then we can go tonight. A few hours after sundown.” “Hmm.” Rainbow thought. “And you're telling me that not only do the Princesses not know about this idea of yours, but they do not know about the marker placed on the house, and you will definitely not be telling them about this?” Shining took a deep breath before responding. “As much as it pains me, no, I will not be telling them. I also instructed the changelings not to mention the marker at all, even if asked directly. If this goes badly, I will take full responsibility.” “I see.” Rainbow hummed to herself. A small smile crept onto her face. “A crazy idea, a shitty plan, no responsibility, and the Princesses have no idea.” The smile slowly grew into her customary daredevil grin as she looked Shining dead in the eye. “Captain Shining Armor, you have come to the right mare.” 9 days remaining: 9:55 p.m. For Twilight Sparkle, the darkness was both a comfort zone and a nightmare. Being raised by Chrysalis and her changelings, Twilight had grown accustomed to darkness, just as she had grown used to the snowy wastelands of the north. She always felt better about not being seen, as being hidden was to her advantage. She usually had the element of surprise, and that was the way she liked it. It kept her confident. It kept her alive. It made her nigh unbeatable, the equal of almost every pony alive. But the darkness was not completely her ally. Like all things, it carried a price for its power; it held above her head a constant threat, ready to lash out at a moment's notice. While few ponies could even hope to defeat her, there was one whom she knew for a fact could do so. Everypony's worst enemy is themselves. While some may be prideful, slothful, or greedy, Twilight waged a constant battle in her own mind. It was the only thing that she truly feared, but she could never escape it. She could never hope to be free from the dark depths of her own consciousness. As Twilight looked out of the small bedroom window in Octavia's home, she couldn't help but dwell on these thoughts. It was a terrifying thing, to not expect a conflict of any scale, but to also know that at any minute your vision, hearing, thinking, and even your dreams could be attacked. It affected a pony in many ways, none of them good. Paranoia, schizophrenia, nightmares, hallucinations. Fear of the dark, the same environment that she had grown to know so well. These were only SOME of the effects of her 'friend', the one that lurked in the corners of her eyes. Slowly, the purple mare turned to a clock hanging on the opposite wall. 9:58 p.m. Two minutes before she had to leave. Twilight sighed gently. She turned towards the empty bed now in front of her. The sheets were pulled tightly across the top as the bed simply sat there, waiting for somepony to come along and lose themselves in the world of dreams. She frowned at the empty sheets. Octavia was at a performance, playing her beautiful music for thousands of ponies to hear. Oh, how Twilight envied her. She would soon be departing for her own performance in the night, but hers would be less... magnificent. Instead of applause from a crowd, she would only hear the sounds of her own hoofsteps in the caverns below Canterlot. The purple mare sighed gently. It wouldn't last forever, though. She knew that she would come home later that night and feel Octavia's soft mane brushing against her face, feel the mare's strong grip surrounding her body. Octavia's beautiful violet eyes would stare back into hers as they lay together, and she would feel Octavia's kisses caress her lips ever so softly as they left the world outside, if only for a few hours. Truly it would be bliss. And Twilight had savored every minute of it, for every night as long as they had been together. The small clock chimed softly as it struck 10:00. In an instant, Twilight was pulled away from her fantasies and back to reality. She sighed to herself as she turned towards the door of the bedroom, quietly closing it behind herself before leaving the house as well. For now, for just a few hours, Octavia's kisses would have to wait. 9 days remaining: 10:49 p.m. Getting inside was a simple task, most likely the easiest of the night. The house was by no means grand, and lacked many of the strong, magic-resistant locks that he was accustomed to seeing. Shining actually found that he held some respect for the mare, knowing that despite her position, fame, and wealth she was secure enough to eschew having ten sets of locks on every door and window. Just a quick burst of magic into the keyhole, and they were in. Shining breathed a sigh of relief after a moment, when he didn't feel any magical alarms go off. Some houses were so laced with defenses that their owners were occasionally caught in their own security; he would never understand the logic of those particular ponies. Crime was minimal, and he doubted that the “riffraff” would come knocking at their doors with pitchforks and torches anytime soon. As he and Rainbow had entered the house, neither of them could help but be surprised at how small it was. It was decently sized, cozy even, but Shining noted that it was barely larger than his parent's home, which was only a few blocks away. For someone like Octavia, this was even more surprising. Musicians tended to be a high-strung bunch, and generally gave themselves plenty of space to roam and move. It seemed that the cellist didn't mind the small amount of living space. According to her home records, it was the home she had first moved into when she arrived in Canterlot; perhaps she had just grown used to it. Shining didn't know, and it was the farthest thing from his mind at that moment as he moved to conceal himself. Soon he was only focused on watching and waiting, while Rainbow stayed in another dark corner of the house, both soldiers shrouded in magic to blend in with the shadows. They had individually scouted out the home as soon as they were inside, checking every nook and cranny for anypony, but were unsuccessful in finding anything. They stayed inside the house for over an hour, neither of them moving or talking to the other. They kept perfect silence as they dutifully watched the doors. Their bodies tensed with each light that flickered outside, every shadow that passed the window. Both of them had been on surveillance missions before, but never for something like this. Whoever came through that door was vital in capturing Twilight. Whether it be the dark unicorn herself or not, both were prepared to do whatever they had to do to capture the pony. A clock in the corner of the room ticked on as the pair kept their vigil. The minute hand rolled past 12 as the old device chimed its tone. It marched onwards, slowly progressing towards the halfway mark of the new hour. Suddenly, a large shadow passed by the window. However, instead of continuing on, this shadow moved closer and closer to the small door. Shining and Rainbow stood up straighter, believing their prey to be close. The shadow grew larger and more misshapen as its owner drew closer to the door. The pony seemed incredibly bulky and large, and its shadow seemed oddly shaped. Shining briefly wondered if this had been a good idea, before the door gently swung open and the pony casting the shadow stepped inside. Octavia strode through the doorway, her cello bouncing with every step as she walked across the floor. She quietly shut the door behind her and stepped deeper into her home, unaware of the two sets of eyes that watched from the shadows. She removed the large cloak she wore, placing it on top of a small coat rack beside the door. 'Shining?' Rainbow’s voice spoke in his mind. 'Should we go?' The stallion was silent for a moment before he closed his eyes and responded with his own thoughts. 'Not yet. Be patient.' Unbeknownst to the soldiers, a chill went up Octavia's spine. Her muscles tensed as she turned towards the far end of her home, where her room and bed awaited her. Something was wrong. There was something in the air of the house. Her slight hesitation went unnoticed by the pair who hid in the darkness as the earth pony made her way towards her bedroom. She glanced around the living room and kitchen uneasily. Twilight wasn't home and Vinyl was out doing Celestia knew what at some night club, most likely drinking and partying. But Octavia felt as if she was not alone. Her eyes suddenly felt heavy, and her steps faltered as she walked. Almost as if... there was a spell being cast onto the room. Her head moved up gently. Something was wrong. She turned towards a small bookshelf resting a few feet away from her fireplace. Gently she placed her prized instrument next to it, slipping a thin piece of metal from under one of the shelves into her hooves. She had seen something, as she turned; in the corner, the shadows had seemed darker. In a flash she whirled around, hurling the dagger towards the corner of the room before sprinting to her front door. A mare yelled in pain as the sharp blade found a home inside flesh. Shining let loose a bolt of magic from his horn, striking Octavia in the side. The spell should have knocked her unconscious instantly, but instead it only caused her to stumble. As she careened towards the door, Shining Armor gave up all hopes of keeping things quiet and slammed into her side. The pair rolled across the floor, kicking and punching at each other. As one hoof caught him in he jaw, Shining couldn't help but notice how strong the mare was. While she was small, she was still an earth pony, and gifted with exceptional strength. This could turn out badly for him. With another well-aimed kick at Shining's temple, she managed to get the dazed unicorn off of her, and scrambled for the door again. But before she could reach it, she was once again brought to the ground, this time by an injured and very angry pegasus. Octavia opened her mouth to scream, but was silenced by Rainbow's hoof. Slowly the cyan pegasus began dragging the desperate mare away from the door. Despite her reflexes, Rainbow nearly released her captive when Octavia's head whipped backwards, striking her in the nose. In another moment Shining piled onto the earth pony with Rainbow. Octavia tried to strike the unicorn again, but found her hooves trapped by Rainbow Dash's grip. The pair struggled until Shining Armor touched his horn to the earth pony's head, and released a steady flow of magic directly into Octavia's mind. Somehow, the mare continued to struggle for a few moments, before her movements grew sluggish and her eyelids grew heavy once again. Finally, her limbs went still as the magic shut down her mind, knocking the mare unconscious. Shining and Rainbow released their tight grip on the pony and collapsed in a heap on the floor. She had been surprisingly strong for her size, and had put up far more of a fight than either had thought possible. Despite their exhaustion, the pair quickly got back on their hooves. Shining picked up the still mare, placing her on his back. Rainbow hobbled past Shining Armor and back to the corner where she had waited. Blood drenched her right shoulder and wing, but she ignored it as she produced a large cloth and quickly went to work mopping up the puddle of blood that lay in the small corner. Small droplets and smears adorned the wooden floor where they had scuffled, and she dutifully went to work cleaning them as well. Within a few moments she had cleared away as much visible blood as possible. She collected the small dagger and returned to Shining Armor's side. Wordlessly, the stallion's horn glowed for a brief moment before the pair blinked out of existence, and the house went silent again.