/Chapter 16: Isolation/
Story: Lolmaster
Editor: Fillyphil
“DAD, PLEASE, HELP US! DAD, PLEASE!” I heard Luna shout as she and her sister were being dragged away from me by black, featureless figures. I was completely paralyzed, unable to move or do anything as I helplessly watched my two daughters being bound and taken.
Their eyes were filled with pure horror as they gazed upon me, begging me to help them--to not let these shadowy creature take them away from me.
Tears filled their eyes as they struggled in vain.
They kept on calling my name, begging me to help them and I couldn't do anything. Inside my mind, I was screaming at myself to fight back at the numbness--to get over there and save my precious daughters, but I couldn't.
An unknown force was keeping me from moving or even saying anything, keeping me from doing utterly anything besides just standing there and watching them being dragged away in front of me. ¨I desperately wanted to help them with every fiber of my being, to rush over there and free them from these shadowy beings, but all my struggles were in complete vain as the strange force bounding me was far, far stronger than my will.
“DAD…PLEASE HELP US. DAD…please…we…can’t do this alone…please, dad, help us,” Celestia cried out desperately before she drowned herself out in her own tears.
“You didn't really think that you could protect them forever, did you?” something or someone suddenly whispered to me from behind me.
Everything quickly went silent and black as I felt a strange sensation began on the back of my head as I fell down onto the floor.
I suddenly woke up, drenched in sweat and breathing heavily.
I was glad to know that it was just another nightmare but also extremely concerned to know that these nightmares could actually be a prediction of the future.
Since for a year now a while after Celly started her college things were starting to get from bad to worse in a matter of months.
I thought that the incident that happened in the forest 4 years ago was the worst I would ever see for me and my two precious daughters. But Instead of finally leaving me and my two fillies alone to have a normal and somewhat peaceful life, more and more incidents have happened over the last couple of months towards them. I even tried reporting this to the local police, talked to lawyers and even to our government to put a stop to all of this, but so far no real progress has been reached.
But it’s not only me. Both Luna and Celly have also begun to be more scared and paranoid of the outside world, sometimes even refusing to go back to school for a few days, which hurt their grades. But grades are really the least of our problems right now.
At this point I was really out of ideas and all I could do now was keep them safe and happy within our home, which sadly has now been transformed into a prison for them.
“Better start the day before I get too depressed with all of those thoughts and problems,” I thought to myself bitterly as I slowly crawled myself out of bed, preparing myself for another long and stressed day.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...
Celestia’s POV
“Huh, yet again another nightmare…typical,” I thought to myself as I was sitting on my bed after having woke up.
I could see from the mirror across the room that I looked absolutely awful: my mane was a complete and utter mess, My eyes were bloodshot from all those nightmares and lack of good sleep and my face…my face was just void of any emotion, a look of utter depression.
Life for me and lulu has been really hard for the last couple of months as we continuously barely escaped from being captured by a bunch of strangers multiple times. I can’t remember how many times me and lulu had to run and hide holding each other in fear as we were simply making our way back home to school and vice versa.
In the end it got so bad…that dad was pretty much forced to daily drive personally back and forth from home to school and back.
But even that soon was no longer a valuable option as we quickly found out that we were even stalked and spied on while in school as well. Which quickly took out the joy of going to school and hanging out with friends with fear and paranoia.
At the end of it all both me and lulu simply started to get way too afraid of ever stepping back out into the outside world and simply just spend most of our time now here in our room…doing whatever to kill some time while the days passed by us.
As I was sitting there on my bed looking at my horrible self on a mirror on the other side of the room I eventually started to look to my right to see if Lulu was already up as well. At not surprising at all she already was, laying there on her bed facing away from me and playing around a bit with her plushies.
Since our lives have been shrunken to only the insides of our own rooms lulu has been up much earlier than me for some reason. I always kept asking her why since I found out but the only answer I get every time I do so was a ”its not very important” response, I tried my best to peruse her to tell her but she simply wasn't budging.
Even dad once tried to ask her personally to only end up with the same results.
I feel so very sad and sorry for her, since the two of us have been pretty much isolated ourselves from the rest of the world Lulu has never ever even done some of the things that she would normally do and love to do. Like playing video games or drawing and painting. She even sometimes refused to exit our room and simply stay here all day long until the end of the day.
“Poor Luna,” was all I could think as I watched her playing around with her plush toys in a far less cheerful manner than you would normally expect.
I try so desperately to be the more cheerful and positive minded one of the two of us in hope that it would rub off on her, but it slowly seems that it actually has a more negative effect…ON ME as I to start to feel myself sinking into my own created loneliness and fear.
Finally sighing and crawling out of bed I quickly trot over to the bathroom to at least try to look more presentable and quickly got back out as I was making my way over to the door.
“Luna…I am heading over to the kitchen for breakfast…do you want me to bring you something?” I asked her after I opened the door.
“Just toast” She simply answered with a very low and depressing tone in her voice.
I wanted to desperately say something encouraging something that would at least help her…but nothing I had already tried so far came up in mind…except for just one thing which was very obvious and simple.
“Luna…always remember…with dad around there is nothing for us to afraid or to worry about…you know that,” I told her as I continued to look at her.
“…i know,” she simply answered as she continued to throw around her soft animal friends.
I sighed again as I trot out the door and made my way over to the kitchen.
As I did so I noticed that the door towards the library was wide open. The fact that they were even though nobody hasn’t been inside that particular section of our home for quite a while was somewhat troublesome to me.
Right then and there fearful though and paranoia began to once again creep inside my mind as I began to think and imagine that someone other than our dad was in this mansion as well. Despite all of these ideas a sense of curiosity also began to makes its why into my conscious as I began to slowly and carefully trot over to the entrance to see if anyone was there, and to my utter relief and joy it was just Dad.
“Funny when was the last time I ever seen dad in here…must have been when me and Luna were still little fillies as far as I can remember,” I thought to myself as I watched dad looking around some very old looking books that I have never ever seen before the last time I was here.
“He…hey dad,” I called out to him front the entrance to get his attention.
Dad quickly turned his head around and smiled the moment he saw me.
“Oh hello there Celly…nice to see you looking less…of a mess,” Dad greeted me with a smile and a small chuckle at the end.
I simply giggled. “Thanks dad…same for you,” I thanked him as I moved closer to him.
“So…uhm…what are you doing here dad?” I asked him curiously as I sat myself down next to him on the floor.
Dad simply scratch his head a little bit before looking back at me and showing me a very old looking book. “This here…is my granddad's old diary,
I found this just yesterday here in the library behind a stack of books from the last century…and I have spent allot of time reading through it and learning more about my family and this mansions past since he was the one who build it in the first place,” Dad explained to me while he began flipping through the pages.
I began to scotch closer to take a look at the books contents as well and just noticed in how old the book really looked like the pages looked withered off on the edges and the paper was colored and dirty. Pretty much looked the same as well, barely holding on the rest of the diary.
“Sounds interesting…did you found something interesting about your Granddad…dad?” I asked him curiously with a little giggle at the end.
“Well yes I actually did...something big actually…here take a look at this entry,” Dad answered me while showing me the book on a very specific page.
I began to read. “Entry 84: It is finally done the construction of the new secret chamber right next to the cellar under the mansion is finally done.
Now I have a much better and more proper place to store away all of my treasures and artifact that I have gather together through my travels and expeditions around the world. Once that all of my treasures are safely stored in there I will than personally wall of the entrance myself to keep it hidden and un-accessible from any craving eyes except for my own family and future generation to come. The main reason for my action to keep these artifacts away is because…well…some of them are not yet ready for humanity to see and witness especially with today’s scientific driven age. I will pass this diary over to my son when the time is right…for now I will go to bed and tomorrow I will personally start moving all of these artifacts over to the new underground chamber.”
I was both surprised, curious and also somewhat shocked after I was done reading the entry, the idea that they was a secret walled of chamber with huge amount of treasures and artifacts right under home was thrilling and somewhat mysterious to me.
“Well…my dad once told me that our home was far more worth than peoples realized…now I know what he meant by that,” Dad suddenly commented and interrupted my train of thoughts.
“Well…do you know perhaps where this secret chamber is?” I asked her while looking at him.
“No…sadly not…this diary never specifically mention which section of the cellar it is…and the underground cellar are huge too,” Dad answered me while closing the book.
I slowly began to drift back into my own thoughts until I suddenly hear dad sigh.
“I am so sorry that I can’t stop bad things from happening to you and help you get…well your freedom back,” Dad commented to me with a sad look on his face and tone.
In all honesty I have always hated seeing dad so sad especially when it was because of us.
“Its ok dad, I know that you would do anything to protect me and Luna from any danger…and you always have…and for that I am very thankful to you, dad,” I told him with all honestly while I hugged and nuzzled him.
“Besides, looking at the bright side of all of this, at least we get to spend some more time together as a family,” I quickly added with a cheeky smile. That automatically made dad smile as well as he began to scratch me behind the ear.
“I just love how you managed to still find some good cons in the most direst situations Celly,” Dad commented me with a smile which I gladly returned.
It was at that moment where both me and dad suddenly began to hear hoof steps coming from the hallway towards us. I quickly turned my head behind me and was glad to see that it was just Luna standing there at the entrance with her favourite plushy in her arm.
“I thought you were going to the kitchen sis,” Lulu casually questions.
“Uhm well…I was but then I…,” I began but stopped as Luna began to slowly trot over to me and dad.
She began to lay herself right next to dad opposite from me and gently rest her head onto dad’s sides and closed her eyes silently.
“uhm…are you ok sweetie?” Dad asked as he placed a hand onto her head and began to gently stroke her.
“…im fine dad,” Luna simply answered quietly.
“…Dad…can…can we maybe play something?” Luna suddenly asked and taking both me and dad completely by surprise.
“Play…something…what do you mean,” Dad asked confused by her sudden answer.
Truth be told I was completely confused and also surprised by her question as well simply because it really has been quiet a long time since Luna has ever uttered that question to him.
Since she ever reached her teen years I saw some major changes happening to her, one of which where the connection she and dad had…Luna over that time moving slowly further and further away from him…at one point even stopping calling him dad and even starting to arguing with him…allot, and even calling him names which resulted in me scolding her allot for her new and somewhat ugly behaviour.
Luckily though dad was mostly optimistic and understanding regarding
Luna’s behavior simple saying that she was going through her “period” that most teens girls get in there live time.
I once have read and seen such character changes in our classmates and old friends but for some lucky reason I was not one of them…as I did pretty much felt very much the same over my own teen years in comparison to my childhood.
I am 17 now so I guess that is an accomplishment on its own.
But still seeing Luna finally getting closer and more affectionate towards dad like how she normally was in the past was a very nice and refreshing change to see in her, it might just be the feeling of fear and isolation she must be feeling since these horrible few months but still it was something that automatically put a smile on my face too see her asking for his help and comfort again.
“Well…can we dad,” Luna asked again this time with a hopeful smile.
“uhm…sure Luna…I would love to,” Dad answered obviously still feeling a bit confused judging by his expression.
Luna only smile and hugged him while dropping her plushi.
“Hey wait…can I join in as well?” I asked with a smile.
“Wait…what? You too celly?” Dad asked being fully confused once more.
“I will take that as a yes,” I announced cheekily as I join the hug as well.
“Ok…wait hold on you two…you two want to PLAY with ME…like how you two wanted to when your where little fillies?” Dad asked us as he traced his gaze from me to lulu and back to me.
Lulu and I simply nodded while smiling up at him.
“But…you two are almost…or already full grown mares?” Dad asked this time smiling a bit.
I simply giggle at him. “Dad…were not mares…where fillies…and always will be on the inside,” I told him back while nuzzling him.
Dad smiles widen as he stood up.
“Well…for good time sake…what is it that you two had in mind?” Dad finally asked us.
Lulu and me simply looked and giggled to one another before finally showing him what we wanted to do.
“TAG!” Both me and Lulu happily shouted as we immediately dashed for the halls.
I quickly looked back to see if dad was following us but instate some him just standing there in the library scratching his head.
“Well come on dad are you going to try and catch us or not?” I called happily back after I stopped.
“You do know I can never catch you two in a fair race. You two are way too fast for me,” Dad called back obviously also sounding a bit lazy to actually run.
I giggled. “Don’t worry me and lulu won’t run that fast for you. So it’s going to be easier for you” I called back to him.
It was pretty obvious for the both of us that dad was far from being a dedicated sportsman but still back then when things were still pretty normal for us we would…or basically I would sometimes take in helping dad getting his bones moving in state of constantly sitting around his room or outside around the gardens.
But this was something more what me and lulu missed doing since we were still little fillies, running around our home and having fun together with dad as a family, and this was basically now the perfect opportunity for us to relive those fun times and to act less grown up and more like little girls again, just like how it used to be.
“Well ok…” Dad finally answered as he began to run towards us.
I smiled as I once again took off with lulu in the lead.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Luna’s POV
“Dad…could I perhaps have another refill?” I asked dad as me and big sis were enjoying a nice cup of hot chocolate after our fun and joyful game of chasey chasey around our home with dad.
To be honest I am still pretty much surprised in how well dad still managed to keep us with us, but mostly because the big cheat, cheat was actually using shortcuts throughout our chase and then somehow always surprising as whenever he suddenly popped up from nowhere which always forced us to literally dash away from him to not lose against him so quickly.
But in the end both me and big sis still managed to get the upper hand on him as his own breath and legs where finally failing on him which in the end gave us the victory of the day, and to be honest it was ALLOT of fun especially seeing his somewhat annoyed look when we both danced and clapped hoofs together victoriously.
“Sure thing Lulu…you definitely need the sugar now after being so down and depressed lately…it’s really nice to finally see you back to your old self…really,” Dad answered me happily and bringing me out from my own thoughts.
I happily returned his enthusiasm by giving him a smile as I patiently wait for my second fill.
“I agree with dad on this little sis…it is really nice to see you back to your old self,” My big sis commented while smiling at me.
I simply nod as dad finally gave me another cup full of his delicious hot chocolate.
I quickly took a sip of it and relishing in its deliciousness before putting it back down onto the table as I switched my gaze back over to my big sister.
“So…uhm big sis…what was it again you told me just a few moments ago about you and dads discovery in the library?” I asked her.
“Well…uhm as I already said…me and dad…well more dad…find his grandfather’s old diary when he was casually looking around the old library…right dad?” Big sis explained while asking dad in the end.
“Yes…which was by complete accident by the way…I was just curiously digging through the top most shelves when I suddenly stumble upon my grandad's old diary…which was buried behind a whole stack of very old looking books…so it was actually a bit lucky for me that I even stabled on it at all,” Dad answered while he was standing near the stove and taking a sip from his own cup of chocolate.
I nod…as I returned my gaze back towards my big sister.
“So…and what exactly was so interesting about that old diary?” I asked big sis while taking a sip.
Big sis looks at me. “Well…to be honest not allot since I hadn't have much time to read the diary myself, but there was one particular entry inside the diary that was extremely interested looking,” Big sis answered.
I scratched my head a little bit. “How…what was written in it?” I curiously ask.
“Well...” She began. “Actually…I can’t really remember the details of the entry but according to the entry dads grandfather was a well known archaeologist and during his travels and expeditions he managed to gather allot of ancient long forgotten relics and artifacts from all across the world, and again according to the diary he had stored and hidden all of them here…right under our home…in a secret sealed off chamber right next to the cellars,” big sis explained with a small lust for adventure sparking I her eyes.
I simply shuttered at the mentioned of the underground cellars under our home, since I was a little filly I always avoided the dark, wet and overall creepy looking cellars that where under our home, back then I always imagined that ghosts and monsters roam around there, now of course since I am older all those old fantasies I had about the cellars are long gone but it still doesn't mean that I should like the idea of ever going down there since the place still gives me the creeps simply because I large, dark, and empty they are.
“So…uhm…are we now going to go down into the cellars to look for this…uhm…sealed off chamber?” I asked both big sis and dad as I switched my gaze between them.
“Well of course lulu…it’s going to be like and Indiana Jones movie…finding treasures and discovering lost and forgotten places…and besides it’s not like we all have anything better to do anyway, so let’s take this chance we have and see if the entries within that old diary are actually true or not,” Sis explained to me sounding and looking very excited with the idea.
I simply sighed and shrugged. “Well…I guess…but I still don’t like the cellars,” I responded in defeat.
“Ahh don’t worry Luna…at least you are not going alone down there this time …you got me and Celly here so no big bad monsters or ghost can get you,” Dad commented jokingly as big sis giggled after dad said that.
I simply huffed as big sis continued to giggle.
“Anyway…come one lets go you two,” Big sis suddenly announced as she got up from her chair and galloped out of the kitchen.
“Wait…what…NOW?” I asked in surprised at the direction where big sis run off.
“Sure…why not, as your big sister said it’s not like we have anything better to do…might as well have a little adventure within our own home…could be something interesting,” Dad commented as he came up behind me.
“Ok…I guess it could be fun,” I casually responded as hoped off from my chair and got back on all fours.
“Well ok then…I will go get the flashlight than,” Dad announced as he walked out from the kitchen as well and leaving me standing all alone.
I sighed. “Well…at least I can hope that we might find something down there that might solve our current problems…and maybe get us out from our isolation,” I thought to myself as I began to make my way back to our room to meet up with my big sister.