//------------------------------// // To Rise So High... // Story: Moonlight // by Ocean Heart //------------------------------// Three weeks later... Luna stood looking out at the nothingness of the void. Comforting silence, dark but easily visible still; a glow to the path she walks. Stars shine to light her way as she walks deeper into the darkness, fear does not ebb into her step, for she has ventured into this realm many times before. Soon she found a star blocking her path, its light growing until it blinded her, and sent a flash of memories echoing into the void. "Tis my blanket!" A small voice shouted in the darkness, echoing into nothingness. Childhood memories...Luna shook off the thoughts and continued on; for something was amiss. Days pass quickly, nights trickle on like sand in an hourglass...yet she found herself having moments of...sickness...both physical and mental. Something was growing in her mind, it felt foreign, unhealthy...something felt different. Another star blocked her path, the emotion hitting her hard this time. "I love you..both of you so much..." The memory stirred up tears, Luna fighting them back easily while continuing on. It felt like hours until she found the source of her strange feeling. It was a door...a door that existed only in her mind, wrapped in dark and elegant patterns, the heavy looking handles bared by thorny chains. The door was all but consumed by thorns and overgrowth, spawned by shadow and darkness. Star light began to dim around her...a heaviness in the air made the princess rigid with anxiety... "What is this..." she asked herself quietly.. Pain in her stomach suddenly grew, the door nearly flew open when something on the other side pushed against it. Straining on the vines and growth, it howled like a beast, Luna stumbled back in pure shock...turning to defiance. "This is my mind! I will not stand for a dream taking such grotesque root!" "Ah but tis a dream of yours, not mine..." a voice said..it came from behind the door, muffled but still sending a chill down Luna's spine.. "A wanton dream born of ire....a reflection of your...our innermost desire." The voice laughed, cool and full of malevolence. "Cute..." Luna said, annoyed that she let this fester as it has. Poisonous, but it was still a dream. Merely an idea given tangent form, a form she would soon destroy. Luna's horn lit up, power flowing though it and breaking the frame...the pain in her stomach got worse. The entity laughed from behind the door, suddenly the vines constricted over it, hiding it from her power. Luna glared and extended more of herself, the vines building faster than she could tear them away...soon the corruption was twice its size...and she realized; the pain forced her to stop, tears welling up when the acid in her mouth got unbearable, were this real, she would've emptied the contents of her stomach right there.... She panted when she regained her focus...glaring up at the door that slid from the vines once again. "...Wha...what have ye done to me?" She demand. "Nothing...it is what have ye done to thyself. All love bears its boons, even a love of hatred." "Sister?" Luna shot awake, the pain only minor now and the acid in her mouth making it uncomfortable to talk. Scanning the room quickly..she was in the grand hall...it had been another slow afternoon, the sister often found time to chat between meetings. Though with Luna's late night adventures with Acrylic, she had fallen behind on sleep. Today she actually fell asleep sitting on her throne... "That is...unsettling. I must retire early, sister dear...I had a very troublesome vision..." Luna had no energy to lie, thankfully though, the situation and its ominous meaning called for truth. Luna felt the cold dagger of fear working into her heart; she needed to know what was behind that door... Luna got up slowly and felt the world spin... Celestia looked more worried than ever, things around her were changing all too fast. First with the joined court, the attitude of her sister...and this Evenfall..the stallion had Luna on a leash practically. Everywhere Luna was after court, he was there. They laughed until they noticed her, then they avoided speaking to each other... "T-tia.." Luna said just as she collapsed. _ _ Luna sat weakly in her washroom..panting..sweating and wishing dearly for the bitter taste in her mouth to leave. Suddenly her stomach rolled over again and threatened to lose control yet again. It felt like the worst misery she had ever endured...her head was throbbing and body weak beyond anything she ever felt. Luna felt her eyes unfocused without her permission and her stomach give a threatening gurgle. "Oh no-!" Was all she was able to get out... _ _ With a last flush, Luna found enough strength returning to stand and walk carefully to the mirror. The reflection...a destroyed mane, fur sticking up randomly and eyes heavy with dark rings under them. Out stretching a hoof, she turned on the water and began washing her face, drinking a little to get the acids out of her mouth. It was a hour after her collapse that she exited the washroom, mane fixed as best she could and using a slight amount of makeup to draw attention away from different areas... The moment Luna closed her bathroom door,her bedroom door opened; the grim looking and scholar dressed...Starswirl... The serious look sending a wave of bitter annoyance into her already foul mood. "What is it, wizard?" She asked scornfully. Starswirl gave her a glare that cut down any childish defiance or moody anger and replaced it with guilt and depression. Luna held her ground for a moment..until she sat down again and began crying, tears falling freely and every emotion pouring out at once in a deep and sorrowful stream. Starswirl let out a cool sigh and walked over to the princess, discarding his hat on her bed and doing the only thing he could...he wrapped his arms around her and found the gesture returned swiftly, Luna's tears rolling down his back and sinking into his cloak. They were like this....for a long time....a friend comforting a dear and hurting friend. Eventually...Luna's sobs turned to silent sniffling, and Starswirl let her go gently. "Luna...I am deeply sorry....I was unaware." He said softly. Luna let him go, keeping her head low and trying to stop the still flowing tears. "I can't do this..." she said with cold hopelessness. The old unicorn put a hoof under the princesses chin and lifter her head up, she needed to see the truth in what he was about to say.. "...This does not hold such a darkness ye thinks. Understand, this is a beautiful...magical miracle. I shall not inquire nor speak of this to another soul as long as I live...but no matter what, I will help thee. This is something ye can do...it just takes the love of friends...all of us willing to stay by thee to the end." Luna felt the tears slow...she looked into the wise, grey eyes of the unicorn. Even though she still felt hopeless..she felt a little reassurance, though it opened up new ideas,like how can she tell Acrylic... Would he reject her? Would he expose her...? No...he didn't have to know. Not until the wedding, where she could be sure his love was as strong as hers. Luna wiped her face clean, the makeup useless at this point; so she took some time to wipe the remains of it off her face...it was foolish to try and hide this pain. As long as she could keep its source hidden, there was no need to worry. Though Acrylic would spend tonight alone, hopefully he would understand. "May ye...stay the night with us..." Luna said quietly, feeling more alone than those weeks ago, watching over the city as it sleeps. Starswirl nodded and smiled warmly, walking to the balcony doors and opening the curtains, the dusk sun still clung to the horizon. Soon Luna would have to turn her attention to her duties, but in such a state...the old unicorn had to do something to turn her attention to the moon. "Princess...it is time." He said as gently as he could. Luna looked over at the burning sun, the constant reminder that her life was on a timer. By day, a shadow, a second flute to her glorious and awe inspiring sister. By night, forgotten...simply left to rot alone in her chambers. No matter what time it was, though...she was alone....Until Acrylic found her on that day, ages ago. The way he bowed to hide his crimson face, it couldn't hide his burning red ear tips; she remembered every detail of their date. Dry white wine, the finest selection with a plate of pasta for them to share..he was such a hopeless romantic...but she loved that about him. It seemed nothing could cast a shadow on him, nothing could ever dampen his spirits. Luna took a deep breath and let thoughts of Acrylic fill her heart; his light shining away her doubts and fears..and with a slow stand, she took her place on the balcony and focused that light.. The sun's light was gone...emptiness took the sky...until the moon broke the horizon once again and chased away the darkness with its own light. Stars flickering back into the sky and letting the city wash in its pale glow; the moon rose higher and higher until it took its rightful place... _ _ "Wow..." Acrylic said quietly... Even though the moonrise was a little late, it was still just as stunning. When he had heard of Luna falling unconscious, Acrylic did everything he could to see her, everything short of begging on the ground to royal guard to let him in her room. That's why tonight's moonrise was special...it was the only sign he would get that his love was okay. With a long sigh, he returned to his room; closing shut the windows to the outside. It was everything he could ask for...the princess had accepted him as the Royal Craftsman, his only job to make breathtaking works of art to present as gifts to visiting dignitaries or simply because the Sister's wanted one. All for the simple things such as room, food and the company of his love. The captain of the guard approached him, though... Speaking of "How an artist might build a city." The guard wanted a fortress, towers looming with plenty of room for ballista mounts. Space in a new castle to hold weapons and armor...even where he can build if he wanted to build on the side of a mountain. Talking of...fresh opinions and a different idea...Acrylic could smell the greed. This captain stunk of greed and a lust for glory, Acrylic was hard pressed. but he presented a prototype to the guard after a week and trying to avoid the subject. In return, the guard gave him a very generous tip...it made Acrylic feel wrong to use a gift like his to fuel that stallions ideals..but he was in no position to argue. Bah..enough dwelling..the past is done, I must focus on the future. Acrylic refused to think of the past...lest it go too far and remind him. "Princess...I wish I could be with ye right now." He said quietly. "Please don't be hurt...please, please don't be hurt..." _ _ It was nearly time...it had been over a thousand years but it was finally nearly time... The time where it would finally be free...and would it be free... Hatred, dis-trust, loneliness....envy. Delicious envy... It would make her pay for trapping it in such a weak form. The pale prison, silent in the sky and leaving its screaming rage unheard...until a bond was formed. She opened herself to it, willingly let it inside her heart to perform her duties. But what name would it take..? It had been so long,its name was but a blurry half memory; left behind long ago to take on such a powerful form all those eons ago. It would never submit to taking such a pitiful name such as Luna... Even saying the name gave it a bad taste. The name was weak, subservient...it needed a strong name, one that strikes fear. One that everypony would praise and worship once its tyranny had overthrown the ditz of a sun god...soon it found a memory...an echoing thought that sent waves of hate and depression though the lunar princess's core... Nightmare Moon... ...It was perfect...