My New Life
Chapter 55 - Dream State
Luna's POV
I was in a bright meadow with beautiful trees filled with blooming flowers and alive with the chirping of birds. The lush grass felt so soft under my bare feet as the sun warmed my skin making me feel at peace. I was in a flowing white sundress that barely touched the ground and had a white sunhat that provided just enough shade so that I could see well in the sunlight.
The song of the birds died down enough that I began to hear a guitar being played in the distance. It was a soft tune that carried through the trees. I picked up my dress and walked toward where I thought the source of the sound was coming from. As I got closer, the chords got softer as a voice began to sing.
When I look into your eyes
It's like watching the night sky
Or a beautiful sunrise
Well, there's so much they hold.
And just like them old stars
I see that you've come so far
To be right where you are
How old is your soul?
I determined that whoever was singing was a man.
Well, I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up.
I followed the music to a forest and as soon as I entered the sound seemed to come from every direction.
And when you're needing your space
To do some navigating
I'll be here patiently waiting
To see what you find.
The chords slowed down a bit making it harder to find the source, but then they started up again going faster and becoming louder as did the voice singing.
Cause even the stars they burn
Some even fall to the earth
We've got a lot to learn
God knows we're worth it
No, I won't give up.
The music got a little softer again but remained fast as I picked up my pace, my hat falling off my head as I ran, but not to the ground because of the strap that held it to my neck.
I don't wanna be someone who walks away so easily
I'm here to stay and make the difference that I can make
Our differences they do a lot to teach us how to use
The tools and gifts we got, yeah, we got a lot at stake
And in the end, you're still my friend at least we did intend
For us to work we didn't break, we didn't burn
We had to learn how to bend without the world caving in
I had to learn what I've got, and what I'm not, who I am.
I ran into a dead end of trees, so I turned around and ran the other way as he continued to sing.
I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up, I'm still looking up.
I ran into another dead end and retraced my steps back to the 4-way intersection of trees, taking the right path instead of left this time. As I did, more voices seemed to add to the music.
Well, I won't give up on us (no I'm not giving up)
God knows I'm tough enough (I am tough, I am loved)
We've got a lot to learn (we're alive, we are loved)
God knows we're worth it (and we're worth it).
After finding another dead end, I backtracked and went down the last path. The music began to fade as I ran faster for I thought for sure that this was the correct path. But my spirits wavered as I saw another dead end. I fell to my knees and buried my head in my hands, softly sobbing.
I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up.
I looked up from my hands and saw light begin to spill out from the trees directly in front of me. I wiped my eyes as the music ended and then got to my feet. I walked slowly toward this new path that had opened and shielded my eyes from the sunlight.
As my eyes adjusted to the light, I found that I had arrived in a glade. It turns out the light was actually from the moon, shining brightly in the sky with stars twinkling all around it. That light reflected on a large pond that was filled with water lilies that had awakened from a day of slumber, exposing their beautiful white blooms. Fireflies flashed and shimmered above the surface of the water, flying back and forth as if performing an intricate dance. Frogs croaked among the cattails and lily pads of the pond adding to the serene atmosphere.
Just then, a few chords played from a guitar causing me to look away from the spectacular scene. I looked across the pond and saw a figure sitting under a tree. I was unable to make out who it was, so I took a step forward but stopped as I felt somewhat different. I looked down and saw that I had hooves again then ran to the pond's edge and looked into the water.
I was my old self again, causing a wave of relief to wash over me. Then I remembered the figure and slowly trotted away from the edge and began to walk around the pond to the tree that they sat under, the dew covered grass collapsing under my hooves with each step.
A few more chords were played from the apparent guitar that the subject held and then a voice emanated as they began to sing, strumming the same chords over and over.
Do you hear me? I'm talking to you
Across the water across the deep blue ocean
Under the open sky, oh my, oh baby I'm trying.
I got closer to him but then something inside of me told me to sing a reply.
Boy I hear you in my dreams
I feel your whisper across the sea
I keep you with me in my heart
You make it easier when life gets hard.
I saw the figure look up and we both began to sing.
I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend
Lucky to have been where I have been
Lucky to be coming home again.
Ooh ooh ooh.
They don't know how long it takes
Waiting for a love like this
Every time we say goodbye
I wish we had one more kiss
I'll wait for you, I promise you. I will.
I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend
Lucky to have been where I have been
Lucky to be coming home again.
Lucky we're in love in every way
Lucky to have stayed where we have stayed
Lucky to be coming home someday.
I finally got to the other side of the pond but found that I was still separated from the tree the figure sat under by a river. Luckily, there were stepping stones that lead across the river. I slowly stepped onto each stone as he began to sing again.
And so I'm sailing through the sea
To an island where we'll meet
You'll hear the music fill the air
I'll put a flower in your hair
I made it to the other side of the river without falling in thankfully and once across I slowly made my way toward the tree as I began to sing again.
Though the breezes through the trees
Move so pretty you're all I see
As the world keeps spinning 'round
You hold me, right here, right now
I finally made it to the tree and sat down for a moment to catch my breath, figuring that he wouldn't go anywhere. Soon though, we both began to sing again.
I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend
Lucky to have been where I have been
Lucky to be coming home again
I'm lucky we're in love in every way
Lucky to have stayed where we have stayed
Lucky to be coming home someday
Ooh ooh ooh.
Ooh ooh ooh, ooh.
Ooh ooh ooh, ooh.
He played a few more notes on the guitar and then let it fade. I heard grass crinkle under steps that came from behind me.
"Hello love." Said a voice.
I looked up and tears of joy began to well up. "Pure Heart." I whispered.
He smiled. "The one and only."
I jumped up and tackled him to the ground. We rolled out from under the tree and before I knew it, we had fallen into the pond.
"Luna, wake up." I heard someone say as my eyes fluttered opened. I sat up and looked around. I was in my bedroom in Black Heart's castle. "Luna, are you okay?" Chrysallis asked as she came into view.
I shook my head. "No. I had the dream again."
"The one where you are naked in public?" She asked with a giggle.
I hit her on the arm. "No! The one about the forest that I can't get out of. I got to the point where I'm at the last dead end."
She sat down on the bed next to me. Me and Chrysallis had become good friends over the past couple of weeks that I have been in this castle. Actually, she is my only friend here in the human world since I am not allowed to exit my room. Sure there is Kron who visits sometimes, but he never sticks around for very long. And of course there is Black Heart, but I don't want to have anything to do with him so I just don't talk when he visits. The only other person that comes up to my room is the servant that brings food and supplies and he doesn't talk at all. Chrysallis is the only one who is always there for me.
"That is the point that you usually wake up, isn't it?" She asked.
I nodded. "Only this time I looked up and a path opened up in the trees. It opened to a large pond at night. I looked across the water and saw a figure under a tree and went to it. He began to sing and soon I sang with him. When the song ended, I was sitting under the tree and the figure came over to me. You know who it was?"
"Discord?"
"No! It was Pure Heart!" I said with a smile.
"Really? What happened next?"
"I asked if it was him and he said it was. So I jumped on him and we rolled into the water of the pond. Then I woke up." I said sadly. I pulled my legs, still under the covers, up to my chest and held them there, setting my head on my knees.
Chrysallis put her arm around me and pulled me close. "It's okay. It was just a dream."
"It didn't feel like a dream. It felt like I actually was holding Pure Heart. I could feel his warm fur against mine and his soothing heartbeat in his chest, even if it was only for a second."
"Sweetie, you have to face the fact that he is gone. He won't be coming back and he never will."
"So you keep saying. But I just..." I sighed. "I don't know. Maybe your right."
"I am right, and the faster you realize this, the better you will feel." She gave me quick hug. "Now get up and get dressed. The wedding is only a few weeks away and you have so much to learn about this world."
I sighed again. "Alright. I'll be ready in thirty minutes."
"What a day!" I said as I jumped onto my bed face down, throwing my book bag onto the floor.
"Tell me about it." Chrysallis said as I heard her crack her back. "Those professors are very harsh. Not being able to chew gum is a travesty!"
"Not just that, but all the languages I have to learn is insane." I turned and sat up in the bed. I opened my bag and began pulling out books. "Chinese, Japanese, French, German, Arabic, Spanish, Russian, and Latin. Latin isn't even spoken in this day and age."
"At least you already speak English. I have heard English is one of the hardest languages to learn."
"But so is Mandarin Chinese." I said, holding up the proper textbook. "This would be so much simpler with magic." I put all the books back into the bag and then let myself fall backward onto my bed.
"Well, at least the day is over so you can get some well deserved rest."
"Right. I best get ready for bed then."
I opened my eyes and found myself under a beautiful tree. It appeared to be the same location that I fell into the pond in my dream the night before. I looked around but found no sign of Pure Heart.
"Pure Heart?" I said aloud as I stood up.
"Yes dear?" Said a voice from above.
I looked up and saw him sitting in the tree, tuning his guitar. "Pure Heart?"
"Hey babe, what's shakin'?" He said in a very coy manner as he jumped out of the tree, landing on his hooves.
"We haven't seen each other in months and the first thing you say to me is 'what's shakin'?" I said with a scowl.
"Oh, sorry. Um, I missed you."
I jumped on him, making sure to not head for the water this time. "I missed you, too." I kissed him tenderly on the lips but he didn't seem to kiss me back. I backed off a bit and looked at him. "What's wrong?"
He sighed as he stood up. "It's just... I wish this was real."
"But this feels plenty real to me."
"It may feel real, but the truth of the matter is that I'm gone."
"But you are right here."
"Yes, in your dream. I will always be in your dreams. But that isn't enough, Luna."
"What is it that you are trying to say?"
"...That it may be time for you to move on." He said as he turned away.
"No!" I ran in front of him. "I will not! You are my true love and I will not give that up!" Tears began to form in my eyes.
He grabbed me by the shoulders and looked me in the eyes. "Luna! You need to let me go! You will never be happy again unless you do!"
"I can't." I said, lowering my head.
"Luna, I love you too much to see you suffer like this." He brought me into a hug.
I closed my eyes and buried my head into his chest. We stayed like that for a few minutes and then I broke the silence. "If you are only in my dreams, how can I feel your heartbeat?"
"It's just your memories, love. And you will always have them. But it would make your life much better to just forget me."
I continued to cry. "But... Pure Heart. I don't want to. If I do, then Black Heart will win."
"Luna, he already has won. He is the most powerful being in the universe and he will soon be the supreme ruler. No one can stop him." He said, running his hoof through my hair.
"How do you know about Black Heart?" I asked, looking into his eyes.
"I'm just a memory, Luna. All that I am telling you are things that you already know."
"So, you're saying that there is no hope and I already know it."
"Well, yes and no. There is always hope Luna. You just have to figure out where that hope lies. Once you do, the answer will become clear."
"But where does it lie?"
"The tree."
A sudden rush of wind stirred up dust causing me to close my eyes.
"It's time that I go." I heard him say.
"What? No! Stay with me a bit longer." I gripped his warm fur in an attempt to keep him with me.
"I'm sorry, but it is time for you to wake up."
I felt his fur change to a rough texture as his personage faded from my embrace. I opened my eyes and found I was hugging a tree. The wind had died down and pink petals floated around me. "Pure Heart?"
I looked around but found he was nowhere to be seen. He was gone.
"PURE HEART!"
I awoke in my bed as usual and saw that Chrysallis was by my side.
"You saw him, didn't you?"
I sat up and nodded.
"What did he say?"
I sniffed and wiped away the tears in my eyes. "He said that he was gone and that I should move on with my life."
She placed her hand on my shoulder. "So you finally have accepted the truth."
I shook her hand off and looked at her. "What are you talking about?"
"Come on Luna. You of all people should know that dreams show us what we truly want in life."
"But I don't want to move on. He may have said that he was gone, but I know in my heart that he is still alive."
She rolled her eyes. "Here we go again."
"Don't give me that. Even though he said he was just a memory, I have had my fair share of dreams with him in it. And this is the first time I have felt the soothing beat of his heart."
"Come now, it was merely a memory."
"But he told me something I have no memory of."
"Which is?"
"That there was hope."
"Hope of what?"
"That is the thing I am not totally sure of. He said that the hope was a tree."
"Well that narrows things down. There are only billions of trees both in this world and our own."
"I know it is not much to go on, but at least it's something."
She sighed. "You know that you are confined to your room in a castle that is located in the middle of a frozen wasteland where there is nothing that sustains any plant life of any kind except on the very outer reaches of the continent, right?"
"I know, but I am sure I will figure something out."
She looked down and raised her brow. "What are you holding?"
"What?" I looked down and found that my hand was balled up in a fist. I held up my hand and opened it. What I held caused me to gasp. "I knew it. I knew it wasn't just a dream."
"This proves nothing." Chrysallis said, shaking her head.
"What other proof do you need? As you said, we are in a frozen wasteland. One that is devoid of plant life."
"But it is just not possible."
"Nothing is impossible. You and I both know that." Suddenly an idea came to my mind. "Chrysi, we need to get a message to my sister. I know what tree Pure Heart was talking about."
"I'll get a pen and paper." She stood up and walked over to the desk.
I once again looked down at my outstretched hand and reveled at the pink petal that lay there.
???
"So you got through to her?"
"I did. It's all up to her now."