Chapter 33: Awake
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Carousel Boutique
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The day of Azusa’s visit coincided with the departure of both the resident kaiju and the Ponyville Element bearers to all meet up back in Canterlot. There was much to be discussed, ranging from updates on all the kaiju refugees’ settlement status, to a magical survey conducted by Princess Twilight Sparkle involving the Elements themselves, to recent revelations about Xenilla that would all go easier if all or at least most of both groups were present. At the moment, it was the latter option as Juliet Rarity Belle was home sick when Flash Sentry escorted the Cutiemark Crusaders to her doorstep as per Sweetie Belle’s directions to the gentlecolt. Considering Applejack was heading for Canterlot on the same train the likes of Destroyah and Anguirus were on and the Crusaders wishing to be around should she get sicker, the fillies were all very keen on a sleep-over at the boutique. One Rarity wasn’t so enthusiastic about, but agreed to.
It helped that with Applebloom and Scootaloo around, it meant someone other than Sweetie Belle would be offering her their home cooked toast or soup and it would actually look like what they said it was. How exactly her little sister managed to make toast into soot-black liquid mush was a mystery beyond her grasp still to this day.
Thankfully though the three staying over wasn’t a risk to spread anything. Rarity knew well why she was feeling under the weather. The airshow was within the next few days and she was still toiling away at Rainbow Dash’s and Rodan’s flight uniforms. Normally she’d have this sort of thing done long ago, but restless sleep over the past few days had left her mind very dulled and she couldn’t focus no matter how much she tried for it. Ignoring the Crusader’s offers for help or relaxation, Rarity toiled fruitlessly at the outfits for hours clear into the night. She’d just managed to get the basic suit done when the rest deprivation caused her endurance to give in and she passed out at her desk.
Through her overdue slumber, neither Rarity nor the Crusaders in the other room swapping GooseLumps stories could see or hear the work room window creak open. Pushed open by a tendril of darkness, the window’s void was soon filled by a black presence that entered the room. Totally lacking in substance and instead composed of dark magic given form, the spectre’s outline bore the facsimile of a pony wearing a cloak that concealed all but its glowing yellow eyes. Upon closer inspection however, one could definitely tell it wasn’t a flesh and blood being due to the fact the window frame and boutique walls and decor behind it was visible through it; the transparency getting more noticeable at its fringes. The last fragment of the Nightmare, born of Princess Luna’s darker aspects to her subconscious and the alicorn’s immense potential, known by modern myth as the Pony of Shadows; had returned again. And she or it, the matter of which was more accurate being up for debate, was scowling at their former host while striding up to them. With a glint from where the wraith’s horn would be, it touched it to Rarity’s own conical protuberance and invaded the unicorn’s dreams.
The surroundings Rarity found herself in were as bleak as they were dark. The only discernible feature around her was an eerie, unnerving fog that seemed to riddle this dreamscape in all directions. Lacking any other options despite not being able to see more than a few meters ahead of her, she walked forward. There was a strange feeling to this realm. While she met nothing by flat, firm terrain where she tread; it almost seemed like her movement was only in effect at certain points. She could feel like she’d been walking for almost an hour only to turn around and see the fog not disturbed in the slightest, almost like she’d been walking in place the whole time. Other times she’d take a mere step or two ahead and look back to see a trail of cut fog her body had apparently sliced into, and the cut was nearly far as the eye could see like she’d jogged a kilometer. Attempts to double back resulted in discovering she’d apparently been moving in the same direction the whole time. Seemingly straight paths could result in odd bends and turns she didn’t even notice until checking her progress with the fog disturbance. And deliberately, if not just flat out desperately, rushing off in a random direction only left her skidding to a stop once she found herself intersecting a path already taken.
Hours felt like they’d passed and Rarity was left in a cold sweat, aimlessly trudging along through the darkness. A break in the otherwise featureless horizon left her sore legs sprinting towards it. As if by providence, direction actually seemed to function properly this time and she was soon upon it. The object looming over her had vague features, obscured by a black cloak. At first she reached for it, tempted to investigate after being trapped for so long in this mind numbing wasteland that lacked detail. But she managed to stop herself at the last moment, pulling away as some instinct deep within her subconscious screamed of danger.
The caution however did nothing to stop fate. A gust of screeching wind shot out from behind Rarity, ripping the cloth off of what it concealed to reveal an old styled dressing mirror. While Rarity would at first notice how the back of the mirror was gushing the same mist and fog that veils this dream realm, she was too distracted by the pair of bright eyes upon a dark body staring back at her. The evil reflection of herself towered over her, the demoness’ flowing mane slowly moving as if in a water veil. Instantly Rarity attempted to backpedal, but the mist surrounding her strangled her limbs and kept the unicorn in place. Wisps of fog slithered up her shoulder and anchored her head to face forward into Nightmare’s glaring visage.
“Do you think I am nothing?! Do you think I am to be ignored?!”
The demon sneered, lurching forward to practically push up against the other side of the mirror. Rarity’s jaw and mind quivered in fear and guilt due to literally seeing the Element’s darker echo.
“You were destroyed!”
Nightmare’s eyebrow twitched and her voice dropped several tones while raising in maleficent fury.
“Do I look destroyed to you?! I am part of you! I’ve been part of you since you accepted me and I shaped myself to this!... You are me, and I am you. I exist in this form because you desired yourself to be. We forged this body, you and I, molded by mutual desires. A favor, I intend to remind you of as I return it. After all, do you really think everypony has forgiven you if I can still exist?…”
Nightmare hissed as the mists around Rarity swirled. A black, tar-like pitch began to gush out of the mirror’s base, race across the floor, and climb its way up Rarity’s hooves even as she struggled and screamed to free herself.
Out of the dream, the poor mare began to fidget and cry in her sleep as the Pony of Shadows watched on, the black from the latter’s horn beginning to seep onto Rarity’s.
Back in the night terror, the liquid shade had begun to stretch across Rarity’s throat in a vein-like pattern.
“We need notice. Fear is always noticeable, and everypony fears a Nightmare-”
But new sounds soon joined the dreamscape, echoing in with a tonal distortion from the transition of the real world to the mental one.
“Mis-Mis-Miss Rarity-ty-ty?”
-Scootaloo.-
“Ra-a-a-a-arity ma’am, are you okay-ay-ay-ay?”
-Apple Bloom.-
“Sis-s-s-s-s-s-s-s?”
-Sweetie...-
Rarity’s eyes snapped back open just as the tendrils of blackness started to creep up to them. She emit a spaced out stare for a moment before looking upon Nightmare with the realization of salvation stretched across her face.
“This is just a nightmare… Fear, you need me to be afraid of you so you can return. So you can run wild.”
She whispered in disbelief both to herself and to her attacker. Nightmare recoiled a bit, cocking her head back with a confused sneer. The tar-like strands of dark magic began to recede from Rarity’s form.
“What?!”
“Th-That’s why you plagued me with those awful nightmares with a kaiju, because I was afraid of them then. You need to get me to give into despair so you can take over…”
“No… No! You are a fool!”
Rarity wasn’t having any of the demon’s hissing. She broke free of her restraints and stomped her hoof, throwing off another shower of blackness with her action as she took a defiant step towards the mirror.
“Well I've got something to tell you, you plod! I met kaiju! I am friends with two kaiju. I taught a kaiju a full etiquette class to get him to understand a hoof kiss! I am not afraid of kaiju. Sure there's some out there that mean us harm, but with the ones we've got helping us their days are numbered-”
She roared, stomping closer to the mirror and literally staring down her darker side.
“And yours already expired... You can be here all you like! You’re all alone! My friends have forgiven me, Equestria has forgiven me just like both forgave Princess Luna! I am not guilty and I am not afraid of you. … You hear me?...”
She got right up to the mirror with a sneer on her face. Right now it almost looked like Nightmare was the smaller of the two as the Element of Generosity loomed over it. Rarity snorted for breath, grumbling in a low tone.
“Whatever corner of my mind you represent, manifest from whatever fear I had, I am NOT afraid of you.”
Nightmare’s breath quickened, sucking gusts in between her fangs before she lunged up towards the edge of the mirror in a frantic rage; her form growing so unstable and out of control it seemed to constantly shift back and forth between the visage of a corrupted Rarity, a corrupted Luna; and the Pony of Shadows.
“I. Need. Our. BODY!”
Rarity however refused to recoil from this, even if her primal fear and instinct were driving stressed tears through her eyes. She scowled and put a hoof to the mirror frame.
“And you’re never getting it! Good-DAY madam!”
She shouted, snapping her hoof over and knocking the mirror off and face-down. The moment it hit the ground, the unicorn found herself jostled awake back into the real world. Her heart was still going ten kilometers a minute and half dried tears stained her muzzle, but she was alone in her workspace and she’d won.
Standing up on shaking hooves, Rarity limped over to the knocking door as a familiar voice called out from behind it.
“Sis? Are you okay? We heard noises.”
Rarity opened the door to find the Crusaders all standing behind it, still clad in their sleepwear. The instant they saw the stressed and partially disheveled Rarity, concern flashed across all their faces and Sweetie Belle walked up to her big sister.
“Rarity, why are you crying?”
As the fillies would learn in years to come, adults have a lot of reasons to cry. And when Rarity saw the still living, unharmed visage of her beloved baby sister’s face; she had another reason to cry that night as she scooped up all three fillies into a bear hug. A worried frown crossed Sweetie Belle’s face even as she hugged back, the little unicorn closing her eyes and rubbing her cheek up against Rarity’s affectionately.
“It’s nothing Dearies, nothing at all. Only a bad dream.”
Rarity whispered while burying her face into the gaggle of fillies. Already she’d planned ahead. They’d enjoy the night if sleep came as an option, but it seemed like she was going to Canterlot after all; if only a bit fashionably late. There was someone there she wanted to talk to.
Outside the boutique, the Pony of Shadows writhed in silent pain, hissing with a muted voice as it’s unstable form limped back to the Everfree to try and pull itself back together. It hadn’t expected the unicorn to be able to fight it off, especially after tormenting her for the past week. A lapse in judgement and a setback, but not the end. It would have it’s body eventually…
Unbeknownst to her visitor, Rarity merely repeated her mantra to calm her heart rate back down.
“It was only a bad dream.”
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Canterlot
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Early on the next morning, a mobile mass of cloak, scarf, face mask, and goggles trod through one of Canterlot’s less populous roads. Literally standing heads and shoulders over the other passersby, Godzilla Junior drew in more than a few odd glances while plodding around in the get-up Blueberry Frost threw together for him days earlier. Still, nopony was approaching him so that fortunately was to be appreciated. Either they were of the crowd who didn’t know about this disguise or they knew who he was and correctly assumed he didn’t want any interaction at the moment, evident as he hadn’t been stopped by a soul yet.
There was a destination in mind, but a notice out of his peripheral vision gave him pause. It was a glass store front, evidently a news distributor based off the newspapers, tabloid, and radios on sale; some of which were broadcasting. He turned to the store and listened.
“Hello fillies and colts, this is Horson Wells on Equestria Wide Radio. In light of our coming show tonight at ten, we at the station felt many of you listeners might like some background on our two guest speakers attending our follow up to the King Godzilla interview some days ago. For those of you returning after the break or just tuning in, we’ve just covered the career of Francis 'Fancy Pants' James Pantero; whom retired with an honorable discharge after serving as a rank 2 Sergeant medic during the Foal Mountain Dragon conflict. According to him the term of service was a family tradition in his nobility line and he is enjoying a less exciting retirement. Moving carriages to the next topic is our second guest, Doctor Moonbeam Alissa Glimmer. Born in the foothills of Foal Mountain and raised in Hollow Shades by Gale Burst and Evening Glow Burst along with her little sister Starlight Glimmer-”
Junior lowered his brow reflectively, frowning through his puzzling. He didn’t like thinking about that pegasus, on account of her incredibly stressful “interview” reminding him of everything about himself he was scared of; but he found himself doing just that. Pushing aside all thoughts about personal experience, he instead homed in on what this Horson Wells just said.
-Wait, why wouldn’t her parents have the same name as her? Shouldn’t it be Glimmer like her sister?-
Godzilla sat there for a time, more pondering than listening. With his mind still tinkering, the kaiju set off again to a new course and new goal in mind. He fortunately only needed to ask around once or twice to find out where he’d need to go to achieve it.
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Rarity nudged the door to her boutique open and gracefully kicked off her booties and studded poncho, glad she always packed both of them in her saddlebag as it started drizzling outside on her way back from the orchards. After the night terrors and incident last night, the mare had been resolute in canceling her planned opting out of joining the others in Canterlot. That left the Crusaders to tend to. Flash Sentry was a gentlecolt for escorting them to her; but after the first two boredom-born demolition derbies, she knew she couldn’t leave the Crusaders to host themselves at the boutique. So she’d walked them to Sweet Apple Acres to see if Big Mac or Granny Smith could keep an eye on them while she was going. Fortunately with the Zap Apples harvested, that turned out to be the case and the Crusaders were more than eager to join in on making the jam and having another sleepover.
Which left her with one other problem, mounted upon a set of mannequins. Rodan and Rainbow Dash’s flight uniforms were looking back at her, and in light of the days available to work on them Rarity couldn’t help but cringe at her current progress. Neither uniform was past the very plain chest and head pieces of the body suit, both of which were still unpainted and unaccented; and far from the respectful look a team hosted by the Princesses themselves and comprised of an Element of Harmony and allied kaiju demanded. Usually at this point she’d have had far more done.
Then again, usually she wasn’t having constant nightmares that resulted in restless sleep and untold amounts of stress during the day that destroyed her focus. While she managed to mentally beat them back for the first time last night, doing so left her feeling like she’d run a marathon through Whitetail Woods twice in a row; any sense of accomplishment marred by worry of just what these night terrors meant. And after what happened last night with a psychological plague in some corner of her subconscious? The possibilities only added up with her time-consuming pondering and left her only a fat chance at progress.
-You’re not staying silent Juliet Rarity Belle. You’re going to Canterlot and getting either Princess Luna or Twilight to see why you’re being treated to a horror movie when your eyes close before you go batty!-
A frown crossed her muzzled as the unicorn looked upon her unfinished work.
-Still, these need to be finished and leaving for a day would only set you back further!... Hmmm…-
A lightbulb lit up in her mind and Rarity trotted over to her antiques cabinet. Pulling out tea sets and setting statuettes aside, her blue magical aura wrapped itself around a cushioned lock box. Despite the elaborate number lock and pristine black wood casing, what she pulled out of the velvet cushioned interior was of dissonance to what one would expect. It was a seemingly mundane conch shell. While large, about the size of one of her father’s hoofballs, there was nothing remarkable about the item or anything seemingly out of the ordinary save for the odd coloring on the prongs, each one unique, coming off the pinkish pearl shell body. To the knowing or trained eye however, this was probably the rarest item in her storage. A mermare shell caller, one she knew how to work.
Taking in a breath, Rarity let her magic pour into the conch shell’s opening while she gently recited a simple, pleasant sounding melody. After a few seconds of singing to it, the conch shell buzzed with vibration and she stopped. Holding it in her magic, Rarity gently pushed down on the colored prongs in a specific order; each tap uttering a half muted bleep from the inside of the shell. After ten taps and bleeps, she put it to her ear and hummed idly while the dialing tone buzzed into her ear. A buzz signalled a connection and Rarity cast a smile upon hearing a familiar voice on the other end.
“Yes hello your ladyship! Oh thank you, I do try to mind my manners- Oh this is Juliet Belle-.. Um, Rarity? You know, “Your little diamond student”?”
She was barely able to get that last title out before her eardrum nearly ruptured from hearing-
“DAHLIIIIING! IT’S BEEN SO LONG!”
-come blasting out of the shell in a booming voice. The startled unicorn jumped a good meter in the air and had to juggle to keep hold of the shell. Awkwardly snickering, she swiped her mane out of her face and put the shell back up to, but now a few inches away from, her ear.
“Uh, yes yes yes! Lovely to hear from you again teacher!... The occasion? Well I figured you’d be near Ponyville after Rainbow told me she mailed you an invitation to her show and I was needing to take a brief reprieve from designing her flight team’s uniforms for the spectacle. You know me, worrywort; so I wanted these done and fitted soon as possible but I need to head over to the capital on Element Bearer business. Since I learned everything from you, I wanted to know if you’d mind jogging over to the boutique until we’re all back from Canterlot to give it your two bits? I hate to ask work from you but-”
“SEE YOU IN A MOMENT DEARY!”
The chipper tone yelled through the shell before there was a knocking on Rarity’s front door. The tone on the shell clicked off and hummed idly for a few seconds before turning off entirely. Rarity stood still, glancing back and forth between the door and then the shell a few times.
-She’s here already?... Huh, so that’s where Rainbow got her speed from.-
Rarity put the shellcaster back up in its case and trotted over to the doorway. After a quick peek into the eyehole, the white unicorn flashed a relieved smile and pulled the door open. To call the earth pony mare on the other side of the door “Fashionably decked out” would be a gross understatement. The enormous sun hat, bejeweled red glasses identical to the pair of sewing spectacles Rarity got as a hoof-me-down, and glimmering, iridescent gemstones studding her saddlebags in the manner of her namesake shown well in even the cloudy sky. The mare herself was shorter than average, having a cyan-turquoise body coat with a unique pink-magenta-green-orange striped mane and tail that hung down with a curl at the ends. She was the mentor to one Element of Harmony’s seamstry and mother to another, Rainbow “Radiance” Dash Senior.
And she was soon throwing her hooves in the air while squealing before putting said hooves around Rarity in a bear hug.
“Ah dahling! You’ve grown so big since I last saw you! And stunning as ever! Mix that mane and those cute eyes with one of those evening gowns I showed you how to make and you’ll be beating back stallions with a stick!”
She yelped with a grin, releasing the hug and walking inside soon as Rarity stepped out of her way. While she passed however, the retired track runner and now senior fashionista reached into her saddlebag and pulled out a thick, iron wood cane with so many metallic studs it might as well have been a mace. She nonchalantly passed it to her former student.
“Here’s a stick by the way deary should you find yourself in such an endeavor.”
She muttered offhandedly, popping off her enormous sun hat and plopping it onto a nearby hanger. Rarity looked at the cane, which had embedded, polished green stones that made it look very beautiful and yet also very painful if it was used to bonk anypony on the head. Ten years since her parents brought her to apprentice under the fashionista and she was still wondering if it was a case of like mother, like daughter with Radiance; or the opposite. Probably a bit of both. Brushing that thought aside, Rarity hung up the cane and trotted up beside her old teacher.
“It’s great to see you again too Mrs. Dash! You sure you don’t mind taking over for a bit? I know you’re still very busy and all.”
“Oh not a bother at all dahling, after all this is for my little flygirl! And a Rainbow Dash always dresses in style after all!”
Radiance quipped in a chipper tone that was infectious, leaving Rarity to raise an eyebrow and reply with a bit of playful snark.
“You or your daughter, Dashie?”
The older mare whirled around to face Rarity with a mile wide grin.
“YES!... Now, let me have a look see at this challenge you’ve set and you get yourself packed for your day trip now.”
“Thank you, so much. Next room over, corner to the left. Rainbow and her flight partner’s suit are on the mannequins.”
Rarity sighed, relieved, and pointed to the corner to her workspace. Rainbow Dash the elder trotted over to the room indicated while Rarity turned to her desk to begin filling her saddlebags for the trek to Canterlot. The only interlude in her packing was snickering at the ecstatic yell coming from the other end of the boutique.
“WwwwwWOW! Who is this chap flying with my little rainbow? Haven’t seen this sort of mannequin before.”
“Oh, I had to custom make it by putting together the stallion and gryphon kits. She’s flying with one of the kaiju!”
Rarity took a brief pause on account of a flash of worry. Before she could fret over the idea that her guest and one of the ponies she respected most would voice opposition, an ecstatic shout spoke the opposite.
“AHAHAAA! Even better than I could hope! Big designs are the best.”
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Godzilla Junior had no clue where he was supposed to check for what he was looking for. Thusly, he was in a spot pretty much any person at the GDF would burst out laughing knowing he was there. The front desk of a library. The librarian was writing away at a logbook when a low voice spoke up.
“Is this the library? I was told I could find writings here.”
“Yes, welcome to the Canterlot Library. Do you need something?”
“Do you have old newspapers?”
“Yes whyyyyyyyyyyyyyy-”
Her voice trailed as a tall shadow climbed over her desk. She adjusted her glasses and looked up, eyes widening to twice their normal scale as they looked upon the figure towering over her desk. Blinking a few times to cut short her stupor, she thankfully just seemed more excitedly surprised than shocked.
“WOW you’re a tall one!”
She spoke with a snicker. Glancing about a few times to her sides, she leaned over her desk with a hoof covering half her face to muffle a whisper.
“You’re him aren’t you? I was at the interview, you’re even taller up close! Thanks for the get-up your majesty, we don’t like excitement in here.”
Junior, still covered in wrappings, just nodded.
“I’ll keep that in mind. Title not needed though, sounds weird. Can a search be made to narrow down the stock? I’m looking for a certain year in particular from a specific place and I don’t know how to navigate this place.”
The librarian nodded with a smile, turning the sign at her help desk around from “Open” to “Assisting” and hopping out of her seat. With a waving motion, she trotted past Godzilla and to a specific part of the vast library.
“Indeed we can, I’ll get you them myself. Follow me.”
An hour later and Junior was still sitting in an empty spot in the back of the library, surrounded by the selection the librarian had pulled out and gone through for him despite the short length of the material. A three newspapers articles, chapter from biography of a “Captain Stalwart Sentry”, and a town record from a place called Hollow Shades. Despite the librarian helping to pick out relevant parts from each selection, it still took him quite some time to read through everything. Blueberry Frost’s tutelage on literacy was working and he understood well enough, but speed wasn’t a forte. Still, with the librarian helping him out he’d found what he was looking for. And when he did, Junior put down the last book and found himself going back up to the desk for one last question requested to the thankfully very patient librarian. A map and a set of directions.
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Ponyville Train Station
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“And are you certain you don’t mind taking over?”
Rarity muttered in a worried tone, flanked by Radiance Dash as the two stood side by side at the Ponyville train station. The earth pony mare grunted, waving her hoof nonchalantly as she looked over at the pieces of drawn-on paper in her other hoof.
“Pah! Not at all dahling. Your design sketches are a fantastic starting point. It’ll keep me pleasantly busy while you fillies are all in Canterlot.”
“Well, given timing you might need to bring the suits to the show if we’re not back beforehoof… I just hope the mannequins are accurate enough…”
Rarity mumbled that last portion with very slight frown she’d been wearing since they left the boutique. It grew enough to become visible as her mind thought back to the boutique and her eyes looked ahead to the distant face of Canterlot Mountain.
“Gah, not an issue of notice at’tall! I’ve made my little flygirl’s attire since she was a foal. And if I find need for refitting her companion, I’ll get to the capital myself.”
“Well, do plan ahead on that. With how long the train takes it might end up being a day trip.”
Radiance only snickered, shaking her hat-wearing head.
“Who said anything about me taking the train Deary? You think I took it to get here when you rang?”
She giggled, stamping her hoof to the ground a few times and cocking an eyebrow. In the distance the aforementioned train whistle blew through the air, all eyes reflexively looking to the steam-puffing locomotive coming over the hills. Rarity could hear a sigh come from Radiance and practically felt her mentor’s presence grow closer.
“Juliet, I can tell something is troubling my little diamond student beyond Element business. You always did get quiet when something was... I can also guess your trip to Canterlot might relate to it.”
Rarity listened to the half-whispers and let her head hang a bit, slowly nodding upon feeling the studious eyes of Dash the elder upon her. Olden stress was beginning to force her frown to grow and cause her to instinctively lean closer to Radiance.
"Oooh... I see, I see.”
The older mare muttered in a motherly fashion, putting a hoof around Rarity’s shoulders for a half hug. A silence passed between the two before Radiance whispered.
“... Do I need to hurt somepony?”
With every bit of seriousness in her accented voice. Rarity jolted up a bit, rapidly shaking her head.
“O-Oh?! No! Not at all! It’s… just…”
She stuttered before sighing and mumbling.
“Personal stuff.”
“Well then snap out of it! I can smell the anxiety in that tone dahling.”
Radiance deadpanned, pulling away from her student. Rarity reflexively shuddered and bit her lip in a wince.
“Sorry I-”
At this point exasperated didn’t even begin to describe Radiance demeanor.
“Whaaat is there to be sorry aboooout?!”
She moaned before jumping up and throwing her hooves out towards Rarity like she was presenting something.
“You are a rarity! The Rarity! My star pupil whom I myself learned from! We fashionistas have no room to be sorry to ourselves! You walk with your head up and let Equestria gaze upon you to set the example!”
She broke her demeanor, leaning in and whispering into Rarity’s ear with one hoof over her mouth and the other passing the unicorn another improvised mace.
“And do keep the sticks on hoof in case you get some less desirable gazes dahling-”
She muttered before jumping right back up into the benign shouting.
“-But as I was saying! Show the world how great you are and do not apologize for it as you spread that greatness to others! That’s why we’re seamstresses after all.”
She yelped with a grin. Huffing between her teeth for a few breaths, Radiance sighed and let her grin distill in happiness and selfless pride to mold itself into a warm, beaming smile. She took her sewing glasses off her nose and let them hang around her neck while putting a hoof under her former apprentice’s chin.
“And the great have no shame in seeking whatever help they need to show their greatness again. Even diamonds get blemished and sometimes need help buffing dahling.”
Rarity looked into the warm visage of her mentor, in many ways a second mother as beloved as her own, and let her mind race. It had been a full year since she and her friends voyage to the moon, where she let the despair get to her and she suddenly found her body running under a dark reflection of herself as the second Nightmare. She’d had plenty of night terrors over what happened for the first weeks after. Since then it had always been a memory that brought the sting of guilt and worry of relapse. How great could somepony be if they let themselves get controlled by something they knew was evil? And based off how the Nightmare worked, taking what was already there and exaggerating it to perversion; what did that say about the cut of a mare she was? What did it say about her mental well-being that she was having those night terrors again, throwing some dark corner of her subconscious at her in the form of her dark echo?
However that sting was dulled by her mentor. True, Radiance was probably thinking Rarity’s negativity was born of asking her to finish her work for her; but it was a pleasant irony that some advice had multiple applications. Sometimes being sorry for yourself and being sorry for others can be addressed in the same way. Rarity took in a deep breath and sighed it out her nose, feeling some levity come to her chest. She felt a gentle tap to her leg as the train rolled into the station. Looking over she saw Radiance Dash smirking at her.
“So don’t you worry about these flight suits deary, let me settle them out. You have bigger stitches to sew.”
Rarity chuckled lightly, stepping onto the train; her mind lighter and goal affirmed. It didn’t matter if she worried, if she had her blemishes, or was plagued with any doubts. She wasn’t alone in shouldering what she had to carry. Sometimes the first step to solving a problem is asking for help, and a friend won’t think less of your for it. And that felt like she was getting a full course spa treatment.
The Element of Generosity smiled and bowed to her mentor.
“So speaks the Great Radiance, one of the best?”
Rainbow Dash Senior laughed happily, shaking her head as she returned the kneeling bow.
“So speaks the proud teacher to one of the best.”
They waved goodbye and the train whistle blew before it set off for Canterlot. Rarity sat down in her window seat, pulling up the window to take in a breath of fresh air. She was still plenty nervous, but affirmed and determined. She’d probably get some shaky knees heading up the castle to talk to one of the Princesses, but nothing was stopping her now.
However her train of thought was stopped by loud, accented shouting coming through the open window. Rarity broke out of her meditation and peeked outside the train. Cyan-turquoise body, giant sunhat, pastel rainbow hued mane; yep it was her mentor again. Keeping pace with the train. Running backwards on three legs with one hoof holding her hat down.
She couldn’t help but get a bit wide eyed and impressed.
“Oh! Almost skimmed my mind! Do say hello to my little Dashie while you’re up there!”
“Will do-!! TREE!”
Rarity barked, pointing at the offending oak tree as the backwards sprinting blur of Radiance raced into it. Evidently Rainbow Dash’s penchant for crashing into things without injury also was genetic.
“I’m O-kay!”
====================
Canterlot Train Station
====================
Fancy Pants sat in the quiet of the largely empty train station, seated upon a bench inside the pavilion with his only company being the distant drizzle and damp air of coming rainclouds and his curled umbrella. That changed when a large form walked up beside him off the edge of the bench, one with hoofsteps so heavy the noblestallion could actually feel them through the bench.
Some seconds passed before the silence was broken by a familiar, low voice.
“Mr. Pantero.”
Fancy Pants chuckled quietly, letting a smile draw over his muzzle. He took his monocle off, casually polishing it while replying to his new guest.
“I’d say “Hello, your majesty”, but I have a feeling you don’t want too much attention given the disguise. Though, you must know there aren’t many ponies the size of an alicorn, I have a feeling I’m not the first to figure out it’s you under there.”
Godzilla Junior shrugged under his mask and cloak, sitting on the ground next to the bench and still managing to loom over Fancy Pants.
“If they figure it out or not, everyone at least has determined I don’t want to talk so they haven’t stopped me unless I asked them first.”
He mumbled.
“And since you spoke first, I’m no record breaker. Though not many ponies noticed me leaving early to get to here. I take it you knew of my presence here from Fleur?”
Fancy muttered with a head tilt, adjusting and putting his monocle back into place and playing at it with his eye socket to ensure it was in well enough.
“Yes, she directed me to here after saying you weren’t home. To be honest I mostly just followed the scent trail though. Still fresh when I got to your dwelling and there was something attached to it that was strong.”
“Ah! Pact cologne. You should try it sometime.”
The unicorn grunted with a snicker, still casually glancing about the train station without a hint of worry or concern about who it was he was talking to. Something Godzilla Junior picked up on and let him relax a tone or two in his voice as he shrugged his shoulders in retort.
“I think I’ll pass…”
Junior looked out past the station, off to the east of Canterlot. Even from here he could see it, that spire of dark, almost burnt looking rock with a snowy cap that jutted forth from the highlands ridge like masonwork. His expression flattened a bit under his attire.
“... I have some questions for you about what happened about two decades ago at a place called Foal Mountain.”
“Ah yeesss, my medic service days. Family tradition to serve for a few years you know. Then again under Celestia’s rule most of my predecessors had a peaceful eight years. That excursion was… certainly an outlier….”
Junior cast a glance over to Fancy Pants after that last sentence. The unicorn’s typically jovial, nonchalant, gentlemanly voice had dropped like a stone. He was still pleasant of sound, but clearly restraining himself. Replacing Fancy Pant’s typical pleasant, warm expression was a still-as-statue stare off into the distance that looked through anyone in front of it rather than at them. Junior shrugged, looking forward again and leaning back some.
“Newspaper from the library told me you were there. I take it you were there when Moonbeam and her sister were found?”
Fancy Pants slowly shook his head with an empty chuckle.
“My good gentlecolt, I’ve known Ms. Glimmer since she was a filly... I was the one who pulled them out of the well, being of the first on scene in the group; myself along with Captain Sentry.”
The screech of metallic wheels upon iron track followed by a huff of steam echoed through the station; the dulled colors of the Hollow Shades to Canterlot rail rolling to a stop before them.
“Heading for that radio show with Welles over near Hollow Shades. Fastest train in the station so it’s a quick ride there and back, only twenty minutes; you’re welcome to join me since I’m not much for mind of quiet.”
Fancy Pants muttered, gathering his belongings and heading to the train doors as they opened up. The heavy footsteps behind him told him it wouldn’t be another silent train ride despite being almost alone in the car.
“So give me twenty minutes of talk then.”
Fancy Pants nodded his head to the kaiju while getting into his seat, a mildly depressed expression crossing his sunken face and lowered eyes.
“You imply you need even ask.”
============================================
Canterlot to Hollow Shades station 1, Foal Mountain
============================================
It was early afternoon when Junior found himself trailing a nostalgic smell across town after he left the train station in the shadow of Foal Mountain. It would be a stop along the way to the place he was heading for now, which was a place a good ways outside of town as per the instruction Fancy Pants gave him before the two split away with Junior’s solemn thanks for the talk. The train ride was informative, but definitely not in an uplifting manner. Fancy Pants might be a jovial individual most of the time, but Junior remembered well Captain Frost’s words when she talked about old soldiers. For those who’ve seen the worst, there is nothing funny about when they get stone-faced or cry. He got that inclination when Fancy Pants took a pause to “adjust his monocle”. He paid mind to mimic the salute Captain Frost taught him, one that gave Fancy Pants a smile as he saluted in turn before departing. He left the kaiju with some departing words that still murmured through Junior’s mind even after they went separate ways.
-”Remember; The 1600th hour on the seventh day of the week, five kilometers out of town on the south road; take a right at a burned boulder. You have two hours to get there. Good luck to you.”-
On his way out of town, Godzilla came upon the scent so familiar to him when he caught sight of the flower stand. The Flower Sisters of Ponyville were doing some traveling at the time and were in Hollow Shades to pick up some stock. Having a surplus, they pulled in shop to sell off some before returning home. Roseluck, Lily Valley, and Flower Wishes were a bit perplexed at the tall walking pile of cloaks and cloth walking up to them; but gave service with a smile nonetheless. Junior paused in front of one of the flower stands, looking the flora over. Roseluck glanced about with a degree of awkwardness, speaking up after letting the customer browse for a few minutes in silence.
“Um, hello there. Can I help you with something?”
Godzilla glanced over at her, shrugging his shoulders.
“I know little about this sort of thing, but Fancy Pants mentioned to me one picks different flowers for different reasons.”
The florist mentally sighed with relief and beamed.
“Ah, yes of course! He didn’t lie. Fancy Pants is a regular customer when we’re in Canterlot or he’s traveling through.”
Her coworkers, Lily Valley and Flower Wishes joined in on the cheeriness; grinning as they popped up beside Roseluck with bouquets in hoof and recited their motto.
“Petals for every occasion! And Bouquets for every celebration!”
Roseluck snickered, pawing at a set of perfect dandelions.
“So what’s the happy circumstance?”
She chirped chipperly. Unfortunately what she got in response was a dull shrug and low, blunt mumble.
“Someone died.”
One could literally see the mares deflate some. Ears flopping down against their heads, tails curling in, and if one squinted it almost looked like the flowers wilted a bit. Lily Valley and Flower Wishes glanced at Roseluck, getting a nod from the latter that cued them to back up and go to their stalls in order to give the customer some privacy. Roseluck steeled herself, sighing and turning to her stall to dig into a selection she always felt melancholy just looking at.
“Oh… We, got something for that.”
The florist muttered, turning around and holding up a couple gorgeous, solid colored red and pink flowers.
“You’ll want these then. Carnations keep their scent for a long time and thus are good for more enduring arrangements and statements of time. You want red carnations for admiration to those passed or pink carnations for remembrance?”
Junior regarded the flowers with an odd eye. Giving away these sort of things still seemed weird to him and in all honesty he still didn’t quite understand it even after being told they weren’t treats after all. Least not as a primary meaning. Still, there was an odd beauty to them that told him it was the right pick.
“Two of each please. How many bits?”
He grunted, reaching for the coins Captain Frost had given him a few days back. Roseluck put a hoof on his and shook her head.
“For this sort of thing, take ‘em. My condolences by the way.”
Junior blinked a few times at the frowning mare, only moving after Roseluck gave him a nod and placing the four flowers in a pocket on his cloak.
“Thank you, I was in a rush anyways. You’re quite kind. I’ll repay this one day.”
“You’re him, aren’t you?”
Junior paused, turning his head back around to look at Roseluck with a confused expression. It was less shock and more he didn’t know where the quiet statement was coming from. Roseluck looked back at the kaiju blankly.
“Godzilla I mean.”
Junior slowly nodded. Roseluck looked off to the side, trailing her hoof on the ground back and forth as a frown stretched across her face.
“I, wanted to apologize. I don’t know if you read, but some paper interviewed me and I think what I said might have scared someponies because… I was scared. To be honest, I still didn’t know if I should be or not this morning.”
Roseluck whispered, chewing on her lip. She took in a deep breath and sighed, picking her head back up.
“I don’t know who the flowers are for, but the fact you’re trying even if you seem confused says enough. You can tell a lot about folks by the flowers they get, especially as a florist. And I didn't know what to think about you this morning, but I think I do now. And if those-”
She motioned to the petals sticking out of Godzilla’s pocket.
“-help clue in others to the same conclusion, then you owe me nothing.”
Godzilla Junior looked at the flowers for a time before glancing up at the floral stand to see the smiling faces of all three mares looking back at him. Roseluck nodded, Lily Valley waved, and Flower Wishes beamed. He let himself suck in his breath slowly through his nose, paying mind to what his mother had told him the night prior.
-“They thought I was going to be just like my father and grandfather, right? Sometimes I worry I am.”-
-”Then now’s your chance not to be.”-
He straightened his head and lowered his neck to the trio in a bow he saw humans at the institute do all the time; letting himself hope this crazy plan of his might actually work. At the very least, he seemed off to a good start and intended to see it through. His actions elicited some giggles from the mare before he turned and departed southward at a brisk pace.
===================================
Moonbeam Glimmer twitched and contorted in her rest. After a sleepless night, she’d tried to catch a power nap before her entry tonight on the radio show. But be it from her anxiety of being around Fancy Pants again or lingering dread from the disastrous interview, she only got the daylight hours equivalent to a night terror of the worst caliber. One born from truth.
It was years ago in the happiest place Moonbeam had ever known. A little house out in the country, under the almost watchful shade of Foal Mountain; the one place she’d ever call 'home'. A lower point of view was her vantage point as the memory of her almost twenty years ago played in her mind. She was a bouncy, seven year old filly again running through the house. The calm, sweet voice of her mother called down from the observatory room, chasing her down the hall.
“Be back soon for dinner, we’re having the neighbors over!”
“Okay momma!”
Moonbeam skittered through the kitchen, hooves skidding to a halt just before reaching the back door. Her little wings buzzed to take the pegasus filly up towards a colorful safety seat set up at the head of the oak wood kitchen table. Moonbeam grinned, kissing the little unicorn foal snuggled into the padding on the top of her head. Starlight Glimmer squealed happily, wriggling a bit from the ticklishness of the affectionate display. Moonbeam put a hoof around her baby sibling.
“I’ll bring you back some pretty pebbles or a poppy lil’ Sissy!”
Starlight giggled before being mesmerized by the beautiful sapphire necklace her seven year old sister was wearing, eyes dilating as she pawed at it.
“Agabaaaa!”
Moonbeam snickered, patting Starlight on the noggin before pulling the jewel away to keep it from getting gummed on.
“Don’t worry silly filly, Papa is making you one too to wear once you’re big like me!”
With Starlight bursting into a fit of happy giggling and clapping, Moonbeam flew away and headed out the door to see what sort of adventure she could have before dinner time. The memory flashed to white.
It was twenty minutes later and down a game trail when the whiteness of the memory flash subsided. The short vantage point of the filly-aged Moonbeam beheld a massive form sitting in a clearing just off to the side of the road. The dragon was young but already huge, easily as big as an elephant and two stories tall. Gray-black scales with an ash hued underbelly, burnt gold eyes, and an almost regal expression, in the manner of an eagle, looked down at the filly with a raised brow. And Moonbeam looked back up without a hint of fear, holding out her hoof to the drake with a smile upon her muzzle.
“You’re not really a scary meanie, you just look that way. Wanna be friends?”
The dragon’s eyes trailed to just below the point of view and locked onto Moonbeam’s necklace. Eyes widening momentarily, its muzzle contorted into a fang-filled grin. Another lapse of memory drowned the vision in white, the last thing to fade being the dragon’s cruel facsimile of a smile.
Now Moonbeam was back home later that night, passing down the hall to see her father hard at work at his jewelry set. She knew the emerald he just fit into the silvery charm was meant for her sister and couldn’t contain a squeal. Her father looked over at the filly, jeweler's glasses comically dilating his eyes to the size of dinner plates and eliciting a fit of laughter from his daughter. The stallion chuckled in response, putting a hoof over his lips in a shushing motion.
“Shhh, don’t tell Starly now.”
Moonbeam nodded rapidly. Her father perked up and looked out the window past his child, pulling his glasses up and squinting.
“Ah, think I see the neighbors coming from up the road. Beamy could you get the door for them?”
Moonbeam saluted while hopping up into the air and heading for the front door.
“Okay Papa!”
She unlatched the door and pulled the green painted wood open. But instead of Mr. Choir, Mrs. Melody, or Cadenza coming to visit; the form walking around the bend in the road and out of the forest was a dark hued reptilian. It was that dragon from before, sniffing at the ground as if it was tracking something. The something it was tracking was soon spotted standing in the doorway waving at it. The drake grinned, fires licking out of its fangs.
This time the fade was to blackness. The next memory was anything but cohesive, only flashes of sight and the rumbling of burning wood and crackling flames audible everywhere. The choking feeling of smoke stung Moonbeam’s lungs and the screams of her mother stung even deeper.
When coherent memory returned, it was no less nerve wracking. Moonbeam held the little form close to her, the silent Starlight squirming and clinging to her big sister’s chest and neck. Like darkness swallowing up the world above, the only thing Moonbeam could see was the frantic visage of her father operating the well crank after placing them in the dipping bucket. A deep, shrieking roar and the sound of crashing wood clashed with each other above, hot wind blowing embers and ash over the top of the well. The sisters' father, half choking on smoke, looked around frantically. Moonbeam was crying, but too choked to speak. Her father looked down at her, sobbing himself after managing to crank them down to the bottom and have them float in the still water.
“Take care of your sister and please, be quiet! No matter what you hear, be quiet!”
He begged in a half whisper, not waiting for Moonbeam to nod before he pulled away from sight. Then Moonbeam heard his voice and the sound of something banging on the metallic storm shutters.
“Hey hey! Over here! I’m over here!”
Her parent’s call was silenced by the dragon’s roar and earth shaking footsteps. They carried on, pounding the ground for a time in a frantic pace that told her the monster was chasing something. Then they stopped, a blue explosion of fire tearing into the air and flowing over the top of the well. At this point Starlight started crying, squirming and shaking in Moonbeam’s grasp with wet sobbing. Remembering her father’s plea, the pegasus tried to hold her sister close and shush her; but at this point she was fighting her own tears to stay in one piece.
A couple rocks dropping from above made the pegasus look upwards, right into the glowing eyes of the dragon. Wreathed in flames, the predator held onto the edges of the well, tearing parts of the masonwork aside with its claws as it loomed over the opening. Moonbeam followed the burning eyes' line of sight to her necklace. Cold, terrified, and shaking; the only action she could do was remove it and hold it up as some sort of offering; all while trying to shield her baby sister from the murderer. The dragon smirked, cutting through the air with its talons and snatching up the treasure. In doing so, one of its claws slashed Moonbeam across the forelimb and opened up a ribbon of redness.
In pain, mentally broken, and in shock; all the little Moonbeam Glimmer could do was huddle down, sob, and cradle her bleeding limb and crying sister close to her. The worst hour of her life turned into the worst afternoon of her life with no signs of stopping.
She lunged up from her bed, back in the present and covered in sweat. Cringing with stinging tears in the corners of her eyes, the messy-maned mare held up her hoof and looked at her old scar she’d gotten from the dragon’s claws. Even now, she could still feel the phantom pain from the worst day in her life with every pulse across the raw tissue. Moonbeam Glimmer sat in place for several minutes, breath gradually slowing and deepening back to normalcy before she got up. Eying the clock, her frown remained as she gathered her things to set out.
-Almost 2:30. Just enough time.-
She headed forth from her living room, past a fireplace and its mantle. Upon stepping one hoof past it however, she paused. She didn’t even need to look over to know of the picture frame placed upon the stony shelf, set face down so one could only see the dusty frame and not the image it bore. Moonbeam chewed her lips, reaching for the picture with enough caution that one would think she was about to touch a hot coal. Her hoof shook and she almost touched it, but Moonbeam snapped her limb back almost like it got bit by a snake. She looked at her limb with a dour expression, sighing and continuing on her way out her front door; feeling like a coward.
The guilt within her chilled her body and wings even more than the drizzling rain did.
A half hour later, Godzilla Junior passed the black stone Fancy Pants directed him to and headed off the road. After the story he’d been told, he knew why that rock was blackened and heat-cracked; even if the regrown forest masked the other signs from two decades prior. The setting was quiet in detail and in sound, not a building or paved road in sight. Had it not been for the faint smell of a pony and the fainter smell of charcoal, he’d have thought it was just another clearing in the woods. The directions given however matched up exactly to what he’d been told of and been read to about. This was where it all went down twenty years ago. Junior looked around the clearing, which was set upon a hill with only a couple shrubs and a single pine tree breaking it’s openness.
-That’s the place.-
Junior walked up to the pine tree on the far side of the clearing, heading downhill as the drizzling rain wept upon the ground. He could immediately tell someone had been through here repeatedly. The grass had been partially disturbed in a thin line leading to the tree’s shade and some shrubs looked like a game trail had inhibited their growth. And a familiar scent told him who’d come here over the months and years, confirming his assertion his was in the right space. When he got to the cloak of the tree, the two flat pads of stone underneath it were the final confirmation. He never was a good literate, but he knew what he was looking at before he even managed to make out what it said after a few seconds.
Forging Glimmer - Beloved husband and father, master jeweler
960 AF - 992 AF
Dr. Statos “Sphere” Glimmer - Beloved wife and mother, respected astronomer
959 AF - 992 AF
Pulling his drenched cloak up, he drew out the four flowers and set two upon each wet stone. Junior drew in breath and shrugged, already feeling the dour mood settling over him even before he looked up at the hill in the middle of the clearing and practically able to see where the house once was. If one squinted and had senses sharp enough, you could still see scattered masonwork from a dug well and smell bits of the buried charcoal that stunk up the rainy air. He didn’t know how long he’d been frowning when a familiar voice shouted at him from up the trail.
“Who are you?! What are you doing here!?”
Moonbeam Glimmer saw the figure move quickly to duck behind the pine tree and out of her sight. This was a special place, her special place; so she tended to react on reflex upon anyone trampsing around in it. Especially if they ducked under the tree and almost stepped on her parents headstones! Moonbeam Glimmer, face still wet with tears and rain drops, marched forward to confront the intruder. When she glanced at the headstones however to make sure they weren’t damaged, she was stopped in her tracks upon seeing the flowers set upon them. And with carnations not naturally growing here, she quickly figured out where they had come from since they weren’t the set she’d gotten from Roseluck on her way out.
Shame flashed over her form, causing her face and wings to wilt as droplets poured down her face.
“I’m… sorry. I just, don’t really get visitors here. Y-You can come out.”
Chewing her lip during the silence, she took the subtle sound of the newcomer shifting as a sign to approach. She walked over to the cover of the pine tree’s branches, setting her own flowers down upon the headstones. Godzilla Junior moved back to where he was and sat down beside her. A minute ticked by in raining silence before Moonbeam got the gumption to talk again.
“Did you… know them?”
She whispered, still not recognizing the newcomer. Not looking at them directly didn’t tip her off to his well above normal stature. All she could tell was that of the two ponies that knew of this place besides her, Fancy Pants and Stalwart Sentry; this was neither of them.
“... No. But, I’m sorry. I know they must have been good ponies.”
He muttered, the mask muffling and obscuring his voice just enough to throw Moonbeam off; looking back at the headstones through his goggles. Moonbeam hadn’t taken her eyes off the masonwork. She sniffed in her breath unevenly.
“The best… That dragon took so many that day. Papa, Momma, the neighbors, anypony who tried to be a good samaritan when they saw the smoke. My family and friends died because I trusted that thing… I was seven, thought anything in the world could be a friend. And then I lead it back home…”
Junior didn’t need any guesswork to see where this was going. Fancy Pants told him she had it, the scenario said she might have it; and he knew when to recognize survivor’s guilt besides his own.
“You blame yourself for their deaths?...”
The blunt retort caused Moonbeam to stiffen up some and curl in. Had she been in a sound emotional state, she’d have told the speaker to back off on something so intrusive. But, time and context didn’t favor that outcome.
“You wouldn’t be lying…”
The whisper was met with a sigh from Junior.
“And this is why you disappear every week? Visit them?”
His muttering earned a nod and the two sat without a word between them for awhile, doing nothing but listening to the rain and watching the drops roll over the flowers and headstones. Eventually, Moonbeam felt the stab of guilt subside enough for her to look over at her guest.
“You sound pretty coherent for someone with a cough mask on… Who are you?”
“Someone with experience.”
Despite the drizzle of the storm, Moonbeam could have heard a pin drop when the mask, scarf, and goggles were pulled off. Godzilla kept a flat expression as distant thunder rolled. He reached over to her and for a moment, the past and present intermixed before Moonbeam’s eyes; the visage of Junior reaching to her atop her parents' graves mixing with the memory of the dragon reaching down the well while wreathed in her parents' ashes. The petrified mare braced. Only for a gentle pressure and heat to come over her shoulder, where Junior had placed his hoof and snapped her out of her fear.
Junior bit the inside of his cheek, mulling over a thought before managing to make it into a clear sentence. After the stuttering stupor this mare put him in last time they met, he had to take care to say what he meant this time. And what he said caught Moonbeam completely by surprise.
“I’m not too good at forgiveness, you’re my first real attempt. But it sounds more like you need to forgive yourself.”
He muttered, turning and starting to walk away after shaking his cloak off his shoulders. He never minded getting soaked then and he didn’t now, now that there was no need to keep the disguise on. He only stopped once, tilting his head back to throw his voice behind him so the frozen mare could hear him.
“But for what it’s worth, I guess I forgive you.. If you ever want to share stories, you know where to find me.”
Moonbeam Glimmer heard the words but couldn’t move, feeling almost like her mind had gone cold. She could only stare at the flowers upon the gravestones and bear the knowledge of who left them. It was like her mind was spun off record and groping at the air to try and reorganize itself.
==========================
It was night’s eve by the time Godzilla Junior got back to Canterlot, taking the barracks entrance to the castle to avoid too much notice. Captain Blueberry Frost was the only one in the barracks at the time, the solar guard having already retired and the lunar guard starting to fan out across the city. She had been waiting for him. She didn’t confront him forcefully, just a welcome back, and told him to suit up and head for the Solar Tower where the other kaiju were.
“And try not to break any walls down this time.”
“Yes, Captain.”
“And Junior?”
“Captain?”
Blueberry Frost sucked a breath in and looked him in the eye with the same studious gaze she’d given him at the pub.
“Are you going to be alright?”
Godzilla Junior looked back at her for a moment, before quietly putting on his helmet and giving her a slow nod. Captain Frost sighed, chancing a smile and punching him in the shoulder for good measure before retiring to her quarters. Geared up, Junior was just about to head for the Solar Tower when he spied a familiar form approaching the castle by way of the main road. Without much hesitation he poked his head out the gate and combed his memory to match the face to the name.
“Um… Hey, Rarity was it?”
He barked, throwing his voice to the unicorn and obviously getting her attention. After looking around to see where the voice was coming from, she locked eyes with him and trotted over with a tilted head.
“Oh, do pardon me. You’re Godzilla right?”
She muttered, thankfully knowing the face from the papers and their first encounter at Canterlot despite his helmet.
“I am. You heading inside?”
“Y-Yes, the other Element Bearers were called in by Twilight and I um… I, need to see Princess Luna about something.”
“About what?”
“It’s.. personal. Sorry, your majesty.”
Rarity, both from the topic and sheepishness of addressing what she saw as royalty, reclused back a bit. But any movement backwards was quickly countered by Junior hooking a limb over her back to pull her through the gate.
“Then I’ll take you to her. The Lunar Tower is closer to this entrance anyways and it’ll get you past the front gate guards.”
Rarity pursed her lips somewhat and stepped through as direction. Junior’s manner was a bit ungentlecoltly-like, but she kept a complaint restrained on logic that if Anguirus didn’t know etiquette; the other kaiju wouldn’t.
“Oh, thank you your majesty!”
“No need to call me that. It’s just a title.”
Junior grumbled, escorting Rarity into the castle walls.
“Sorry. Lady just trying to be polite you know, hehe.”
“Oh…”
He grunted, shrugging his shoulders.
“Sorry then… So, I take it this issue of your’s is pretty big to want to see Luna about it?”
Rarity let her head tilt down a bit to hide her frown, trying to force her mind not to remember the night terror it seemed dead-set on reliving through memory.
“You wouldn’t be wrong.”
They walked like that for some time, Rarity with her head hung low and Junior pacing beside her to lead the way through the long halls bathed in rising moon light. Over time, Godzilla started to notice a shift in Rarity’s motion. Whether she noticed it or not, likely the latter as the manner seemed as unconscious as breathing; she started to walk along with a smaller and smaller gap between herself and Godzilla. Junior heard a quiet sniffling and noticed how the unicorn seemed to be making an effort to keep her head up. Her eyes were forward, but her mind clearly wasn't. He puzzled.
-Something’s really got her spooked.-
Remembering how she seemed to be unknowingly wanting the opposite of isolation, he minded his strength in case they touched and shifted his walking direction as he stood closer to the mare; almost to the point where they were in contact. He hoped he’d figured it out properly and was reacting in the right way, for he really didn’t know if either was the case. Standing close together thankfully is a fairly universal bit of body language and translated as well between kaiju and archosaurs as it did equines and mammals. Sensing another’s presence next to you was a pretty surefire way to ensure you knew you weren’t alone. And nothing helps dampen fear like company. Junior glanced over at Rarity and shot her a smile. Normally Rarity would actually feel a bit sheepish being next to a form much larger than her own, but the gentle heat radiating off Godzilla and the surprisingly kindly smile the stallion gave was a reassurance of a gentle giant.
Her sense of isolation quelled, she returned the smile. By the time they reached Luna’s chamber, her mind was less a plague and her expression had lightened considerably; Rarity standing firm and holding her nerve. Steeling herself for a moment, Rarity got her nerve, adjusted her bangs, and knocked on the lunar symbol-bearing doorway. Distant hoofsteps on the other side grew less distant and soon a dark blue alicorn was looking back at the unicorn with a mildly perplexed expression. Rarity breathed in and sighed.
“Salutations, Princess.”
Princess Luna tilted her head at Rarity, not paying any attention at all to who she was with.
“Lady Rarity? Is thee in need of something to our person?”
Rarity chewed her lip for a moment before nodding slowly.
“I’ve been having… Nightmares.”
Princess Luna’s head shot up a bit at that last word due to Rarity accentuating it a tone, knowing what it meant and what was wrong. She leaned down, hovering in front of Rarity’s face with a hoof on her shoulder. The royal speech pattern dropped even faster.
“You haven’t had one since a week after the incident… You say you’re having them again?”
Rarity nodded again, earning a frown from Luna. It was at this point the alicorn noticed who was with her and added another problem to her checklist.
-One at a time then Luna…-
The Diarch of the Night side stepped, holding her chamber door open with a wing and gently nudging Rarity on the back to step forward.
“Come, step into my chamber. We shall be with thee shortly.”
“Thank you, Princess Luna.”
Rarity whispered upon her entry. Luna let the door close behind the Element of Generosity and turned her form in one fluid motion to face Godzilla Junior. Equal in height, Princess of the Night and King of the Monsters stared at each other in silence.
“Still worried I’m going to try and kill Xenilla?”
“On some level. You never did say anything last night after your mother left.”
Junior let a few seconds tick by, letting his head drift off to the side and throw his gaze out the window. If he let his vision set forth a trail around the bend in the mountain slope, he could almost see the entrance to Starswirls’ glade from here.
“Didn’t feel like I could really speak to be honest, but… thank you, for bringing my mother to me. She was probably the only one this stubborn idiot would listen to. You saved a life yesterday.”
“Xenilla’s?”
-Wouldn’t be wrong… but,-
"Maybe not just him."
Luna could see Junior’s mouth puzzle, like he was trying to think on how to articulate himself in a response. Having verbal wit was still apparently new to him so it seemed the kaiju gave up trying and instead shifted to the more direction approach. He walked up to the alicorn, stopping less than a head’s length away from her and interlocking his vision with hers. She could feel a hoof and limb brush up against hers gently, not even needing to glance down to confirm who it was visually as the radiating heat coming off the unicorn was a gentle heat she could clearly feel at such a close distance. Both of them could feel a momentary spike in heart rate when Luna tapped her horn against Godzilla’s, sharing a smile before pulling away from each other.
“Take care, Goji.”
“Yourself too, Lulu.”
They muttered and turned to an about-face. Despite what both of them faced ahead, both of the two were bearing a half hidden grin along with Luna’s wings sticking up and Junior’s tail wagging slowly. Challenges or not, they had the other at their back in a pleasant way.
And with that, Luna returned to her chamber and patient as Godzilla trod across the castle into a new hall and a new wing. He came upon a familiar door, identifiable by the smell of recently applied mortar and masonry work done to repair the damage he’d caused. Credit to the Canterlot staff, the build team as it seemed was already well adjusted to repairs to the capital castle long before even the kaiju showed up; and they worked fast. Familiar voices slipped out from under the door, their identity and the smells chasing them confirmed to the kaiju he was in the right spot. Reigning any bit of himself in that still protested, Junior opened and stepped through the door. Instantly the conversations fell off, having apparently been focused on some magic ordeals with Xenilla’s mind. It was an almost surreal sight seeing the likes of Lea, Rodan, and Anguirus sitting across from Destroyah and Xenilla in a peaceful, if tense manner that only increased when Godzilla showed up. With all eyes upon him, Junior shrugged and walked in. He passed the rim of the circle, going by Rodan, Anguirus, and even Destroyah without notice of action. When he got behind Xenilla however, he paused and all other kaiju present felt themselves on a hair trigger in case of the worst.
The room held its bated breath as both sons of the old king stood still within a foot of each other, neither looking each other in the eye as Xenilla closed his and stealthily braced himself. But it seemed such action was unneeded as Junior wordlessly resumed his route and walked past him, taking his helmet off and sitting down next to Mothra Lea.
Back in the Lunar Tower, Princess Luna ran the frightened unicorn through some deep breathing; telling her to focus on the nightmare plaguing her. The alicorn’s horn glimmered with a dull blue light and a whiteness overtook her eyes as a previously cast sleeping spell overtook Rarity, causing her to lay down on the mattress and lull into a slumber. The twitching of the unicorn’s eyes were proof the night terrors had replayed themselves, tugging at Luna’s heart with guilt. It must have taken a mountain of resolve to come this far with as much on one's mind as she could see poor Rarity going through; one could hardly blame her for quickly re-experiencing it. Luna had created the monster that hijacked the unicorn’s body and she felt it was her responsibility to tend to that mistake whenever it appeared; which was exactly what she was doing now. With a variant of her dream walking magic prepared, Luna stepped into Rarity’s mindscape and witnessed all the Element Bearer had gone through over the past few nights.
Kilometers away in the Everfree forest the last remnants of that mistake, the Pony of Shadows, turned itself towards the direction of Canterlot after licking its metaphorical wounds. While unable to see the mountain, it knew what was going on and who was onto it. Clearly more extreme measures would be required. It knew what was coming the moment she felt the power of the Alicorn Amulet, it’s creation, get drained away; and who’d done the draining. An angry god had come to this realm and none of these fools, not the Equestrians or these invaders; and especially that wretch Celestia or its idiotic progenitor, Luna, would know how to handle it. It needed a body. It would have a body back. By any means necessary.
As the radio tones were muted out, all eyes in Horson Well’s studio were soon upon Moonbeam Glimmer when she stepped into the room. The moment he got a look at her however, Fancy Pants knew something had happened. Moonbeam’s eyes were still wide but so unfocused within a stupor, one hours old she still hadn’t broken out of; that she obviously wasn’t looking at anything in front of them. The retired medic pursed his lips and sighed, knowing it meant she had to have encountered King Godzilla after he’d directed the latter to the old Glimmer homestead. He could only hope the flower idea and whatever the kaiju had said himself worked properly, as with the zoned out state Moonbeam was in at the moment; it was hard to tell. Horson was the first to break the silence, putting back on his professionalism and addressing the microphone in front of him.
“And joining us now for the counterpoint is returning guest, Doctor Moonbeam Glimmer. Miss Glimmer?”
Horson quipped, eyeing the pegasus to his right as the microphone in front of the mare went unused. Moonbeam sat herself down, but beyond that she only stayed in her seat completely still and unresponsive while blankly looking down. Horson Wells glanced over to Fancy Pants, seeing the noblestallion only shrug and look towards his would-be talking rival. Horson looked about a tad awkwardly, leaning over and putting a hoof on Moonbeam’s shoulder to try and rouse her to awareness.
“Ahem, Miss Glimmer?”
She sucked in her breath, eyes darting back and forth while pointing downwards as her mind raced around in circles.
“... I-”
She squeaked before cutting herself off. Horson Wells bit his lip with concern that showed through his whisper as he made sure to quiet it enough that the microphone and thus radio wouldn’t pick it up.
“Miss Glimmer, are you alright?”
She blinked a few times before swallowing a wad of spit and stale air. The pegasus closed her eyes and shook her head slowly before speaking directly into the microphone.
“... I think I’ve made an error in judgement. I forfeit this discussion. Goodnight Mr. Wells, goodnight Mr. Pantero.”
And with that she got up from her seat and left out the backdoor, ignoring the calls after her as she grabbed her umbrella and flew off into the storm with speed only surpassed by her racing mind. Time seemed to blur as her body moved almost on its own upon a predetermined path. The wingbeats and steps only slowed when her home came into view. She didn’t become conscious of the world around her until she shot herself through the front door and stood in front of her mantle.
Finally breaking free of the lock of stillness, Moonbeam Glimmer let her hooves cautiously approach the downed picture frame. Her limbs stopped shaking upon contact with the dust-caked old wood. With as much effort as one would expect behind a pony lifting a carriage above their head, Moonbeam set the picture frame upright again. She shut her vision and held her breath, letting a hoof gently drag across the glass surface to wipe off the encrusted dust. The voice of something- of someone she couldn’t have ever expected returned to her mind’s eye and ear.
-”I’m sorry…”-
-“You blame yourself for their deaths, don’t you?...”-
-”Forgive yourself…”-
-”For what it’s worth, I forgive you.”-
Moonbeam Glimmer felt the yoke around her neck lift away as the minutes ticked by and she looked upon the picture frame when the guilt had finally left her. For the first time in years, she took in the sight of the past. One of a happy small family. A wise mother, inventive father; and a squealing, happy baby filly being held in her grinning big sister’s hooves.
A tear unlike any of its brethren tapped the floor and a tiny smile crossed the pegasus’ muzzle.
=================
Reader Shout Out
=================
Usually I plug the reader's artwork and stories here but in this case I feel a special notice is needed for some hardships in our little community. First is FallenAngel, a name many of you on the DeviantArt side I'm sure know of for her amazing and adorable artwork. Recently members of her family have found themselves under hospital stays and the entire experience is an emotional rollercoaster for all involved. Some good news has thankfully arrived, but I felt this wonderful member of our posse I'm happy to call a friend deserved notice.
Next is Corona Blaze, co-writer of Bridge's Spin-Off Humanity's Stand which recently celebrated it's 18th chapter. He is awaiting a hospital visit due to a bad bone infection in his jaw that's been causing him a lot of pain. He's getting his treatment thank god, but special prayer or hopeful thought (if prayer is disaggreeable to you) for him as well please.
Lastly is a wishes for good health to DarthSonic one of our main commentators. I won't divulge any details unless he does himself but he too has had to recently go through a medical issue that he thankfully is passed the worst of it. Special thoughts for a speedy recovery if you can manage for him there.
If you all could, drop this trio and anyone else a line or a message to give your regards or best wishes. Humans are a bunch of weird, naked apes but apes nonetheless and primates are social creatures. Just being around others to talk can lift someone's day in more ways than you'd think. If you're a religious person, than we are all siblings and companions in a distinct creation. If you're an atheist, than remember how evolution promotes altruism and socialization in the species; which lead to the first sapient creature the world has ever seen. Either way, you are never alone.
On happier trails, here is some love works done by you guys and gals. Enjoy!
Chaos Ax
Spawnzilla
Kahnc
Bagan's Hellfire Song Fic
There is so much more these generous, skilled folks have done. Please do check out their other works!
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..... now I feel bad for being angry at Moonlight.... DAMMIT TARB!
7533983
My trowe genes manifest yet again. It was all building to this~
Okay is it just me or is VampDash the first commentator on a good 80% of the chapters? Seriously, get this Brony a medal!
7533987 I just love Godzilla. He's one of my big heroes.
Again, feels like a Gundam anime. The complicated plot and the constant viewing and reviewing of morality, it feels like a Gundam anime... Or, more accurately, any good, well known anime like Attack on Titan, Fullmetal Alchemist, Bleach, Naruto, One Piece
Okay, loved this chapter due to how quiet it was and how it focused on character development. Watching Rarity overcome her fears from the Night,are was amazing and her warm interaction with her mentor RD Sr. was heartwarming. Fancy Pants being a soldier and an old friend of Moonbeam was a pleasant surprise, especially with how he helped Junior find her. I feel bad for Moonbeam's past as her first friendship attempt with someone outside her village ended in a tragic disaster that left her physically and emotionally scarred. Junior's chat with Moonbeam about their parents brought a tear to my eyes due to how sweet and empathic Junior was and how his advice helped Moonbeam in the long run. Finally, Junior and Luna's interaction in the chapter was very sweet, especially how secretly happy they were when the other used their nicknames. Furthermore, it seems Azusa was right as Junior making peace with Moonbeam helped him develop a tolerance for Xenilla (also seems like Rodan got back from his side adventure in the Shimmerverse). Overall, this was an amazing chapter with lots of character development and a pleasant surprise as I expected the chapter to appear in another week.
P.S: The fanart is amazing and the Evehly art commissioned for IceStormy by Evehly is by far my favorite. Hope that one day there could be Evehly art about the other Bridge shipping couples (Blade/Xen, Anguirus/Seong, X/Blaze).
P.P.S: Hope that DarthSonic, Corona-Blaze and FallenAngel manage to overcome their adversities and get a speedy/safe recovery for themselves and their families.
Holy Faust this was awesome Tarb you need to be awarded the best writer award in the history of forever this was that good
Why am I seeing parallels between Moonbeam Glimmer and Samus Aran from Metroid
A little girl who tries to befriend a Dragon, and said dragon ends up killing her parents and razing her home?
;)
Most impressive. You have a knack for making seemingly despicable characters likable.
Maybe the Pony of Shadows should have just said Bagan is coming instead of using nightmares and riddles.
Are we to assume failing to save Moombeam and Starlight's parents was the event that traumatized Stalwart Sentry?
7534014 Tarb said somewhere that A Shimmer in the Dark starts sometime after the Canterlot meeting, so Rodan hasn't been taken to the Shimmerverse yet.
Here we are again, you impress me with another chapter and I want to know what happens next. It seems that the Nightmare wants to be a player in this game involving Bagan, Grogar, and the pony's and Kaiju. we also gain new information about the Sirens in your latest blog post. So many things happening including Moonbeam forgiving herself and Big G while also pretty much sealing the deal with Big G and Lulu.
You know it occurs to me that we haven't heard from Hunters in some time.
7534032 I don't think she's interested in working with them and instead believes that she should be the one to do this alone.
Hope your 3 friends will get well soon
Well that was an interesting chapter in character development, you have the same knack as the MLP staff to make antagonistic characters likeable.
I thought the Nightmare wanted to warn everypony of the danger looming upon by reconnecting with Rarity, but it doesn't seem it's looking to work together.
This chapter really shows Godzilla that Moonlight's situation is very closer to him. It's brilliant in a way. Both are in grief over the lost of love ones and since his grandfather was resurrected by those from World War II, he instantly got the message.
So, the mistake in her past that kept Moonbeam from extending Godzilla any form of trust, was a childhood trauma where she trusted a dragon who then slaughtered her parents to get her neckless. I wonder how she would react upon meeting Spike?
More to the point, having now had a glimpse of Junior's true character, she seems to be changing her mind. Perhaps in the future, she will be less judgmental, particularly of those who actively try to help...
On a different topic, it seems the remains of the Nightmare may well be the only being in Equestria with even a hint of the threat that Bagan represents. One can only hope she can be persuaded to share this knowledge before long.
Daaaaaaamn dude, damn... you made me feel bad for Moonlight... thanks
You goob!
Awesome job however, good show!
And I do hope those three buds of yours get better soon, peace out till next time!
Damn... really pulled on the old heartstrings there!
Watch, people are now going to ship Moonbeam and Junior
Huh, I thought the Pony of Shadows was trying to warn Rarity about the dangers of Bagan. But it seems to have its own agenda.
Well, Radiance Rainbow Dash certainly shows where her daughter got her speed and resistance to crash damage from, as well as where Rarity got her skill at fashion designs from.
Nice work getting information about what happened to Moonbeam's family, Junior. Kinda wondering if he might have a future as a detective.
Speaking of Moonbeam, I believe this sums up her initial reaction to seeing that it was Junior who had left carnations for her parents: Fatal error. Moonbeam Glimmer.exe has crashed. System must now reboot.
And it's nice to see that after she had finally rebooted, she's starting to severely rethink her initial stance about Junior.
Also, nice to see a nice Lulu x Goji moment towards the end.
So, Junior has taken the first step. Now all that remains with him is to see if he can find it within himself to forgive his brother as well. As for Rarity, I suspect we will soon learn what Luna's verdict is about Rarity's Nightmare
It felt so wonderful for Godzilla to express forgiveness to Moonbeam Glimmer and how she started becoming less accusational of him.
"Good morning everyone and thank you all for the well-wishes and prayers. though i must clarify that the condition, while bad[and according to my local doctor, bordering on life-threatening due to how long it took me to finally get to a financial situation where I can actually do something about it] isn't as horrifyingly severe as a boe infection. It's an abscessed tooth that's run rampant."
[Pre proceeding phrase, due to swolen jaw muscles and a twisted, nearly-broken jawbone, instead sounds like: G'mrn efrun a fk yu aphlsa;aksfgDkhfvnv zjffghl;z Bxvgfshdcxljkcn;lm,.sas;djbhbblagadagalargashnarga.]
Everyone has already gone to town about Moonbeam and Nightmare, so I'll talk about the third aspect here.
I LOVE "Radiance" Dash, she's like a perfect fusion of her daughter, Sapphire Shores, and Photo Finish all in one, you can't go wrong with that level of ham!
And the constant giving Rarity a big stick to beat off colts, I'm gonna be chuckling at that for a while.
And of course, who could forget the "TREE" part, if there were any doubts she was Dashies mom before, they're gone now!
However did you come up with all that, she HAS to be based on something/one, so come on, spill!
7535539 Rainbow Dash Senior is based on the Generation 3 Rainbow Dash. There were two versions of her. They were both Earth Ponies, but the one from the cartoon was a fashionista (in fact, G4 Rarity was based on her). The one from the comics was obsessed with adventure, could run at super speed, and crash into things without getting hurt. Tarbtano combined the two depictions. He said so in a blog.
7535561 Note to self: READ THAT FREAKING BLOG!!!
Damn, well... I don't have much to say that hasn't already been said, but this was a much needed chapter after all the mom-feels of last chapter. You've definitely got me hooked to the various factions/entities machinations. I imagine something big will happen at the show, looking forward to it.
I love this mare. She is an awesome and I want to see her interact with the Crusaders and show off Rainbow's baby photos. Heck, I get the feeling she can cow a Kaiju by sheer force of personality.
So how far away was she when she got Rarity's call???
I get the feeling the Pony of Shadows might need to work with the heroes, so how will she go about getting a body? I'll suggest taking a filly form might help her more, ponies don't notice quiet foals as much as adult ponies.
Loved how the scene between Junior and Moonbeam in this chapter played out. Looking forward to seeing what she says next time she's on the radio now that her opinions about Junior have changed.
7532679 Goji, Xen, Lea, Zilla, Biolanti, Gamer. One big happy family, in the end fight kicking evil gojis butt.
Alllrighty, first batch of replies, more to come.
7536068
It was my honor to entertain you my friend
7536027
We'll see indeed, eventually.
7535976
I see Rainbow Momma is popular enough! As for how far was she? Well, I'll leave it up to you all to think that. I will only confirm she wasn't at the boutique when she got rung up on her shell-phone.
7534032
Yes, given the dragon ambushed any one who saw the smoke and came to help, not only was there a high body count but it wasn't gone when the guards got there.
7535825
Big thing at the show or not, big stuff is on the way~
7535539
Well mixing and matching traits from multiple sources is a talent of mine I guess. In this case as Ulti so studiously said, Rainbow "Radiance" Dash Senior is primarily based off the two main version of the Generation 3 Rainbow Dash. She's the adventure seeker speedster from the earlier G3 content and the accent bearing fashionista of the later G3 movies. Mix in a bit of Edna Mode from The Incedibles to give her distinct feel from her equally fashion savvy student Rarity, and presto!
7534824
Looks like I can't stop accidentally making ships. To answer your other observation, I did get the feeling I knew of something similar to the scene, but I couldn't put my finger on it until after the scene was done. Then I realized that I must have been subconsciously remembering the Metroid Manga. For those of your who don't know what I'm talking about, the Nintendo Sci-Fi series Metroid had a manga prequel showing a child aged flashback of the heroine, Samus. Samus' first encounter with her eventual nemesis, the draconic war leader Ridley, was the naive Samus walking up to Ridley and saying he might have been scary looking but they could still be friends. And then Ridley went full sociopath as per his default setting and lead an attack that orphaned Samus.
I guess the back of my brain realized it made a lot of sense way back when I was writing for Moonbeam, as it rationalized her trust issues and world view as well as explained her and her sister's circumstance.
Rainbow's mother is the Rainbow Dash from Gen 3 mixed with Edna Mode?
Why I'm I not more confused by this?
Nice! Another great chapter. Not only do we see the Nightmare come back, trying to FORCE somepony to let it take over - but Jr finally comes around to forgiving Moonbeam, and we see WHY she needlessly categorized the kaiju as she did. Guess if a dragon did something like that, i would hate everything like it, too. But now i see her mindset has been altered for the better, and now she may not have a persecution complex anymore. That is: assuming the nightmare isn't going in HER direction next.:( Anyway, now i can't wait to see what happens in the next chapter. Hopefully we might see some revelations come about. Can't wait to see it.:D
Did you base Radiance Dash off of Edna Mode from The Incredibles? If so, /)!
Great chapter. also the Luna x JR ship is setting sail and i have no problem's with that :)
Great Chapter, I think the Nightmare is going after Moonbeam.
Laughed out loud at that. Got some weird looks from my coworkers. Totally worth it
And at last the explanation for Moonbeam's antagonism. Tragic, and I understand why she felt the way she did. Hope to see more Moonbeam in the future.
Can't wait for the next one
Is there a chance of Shin (shin gojira) to make an appearance, cameo or otherwise, after his film comes state side?
Ha! Incredibles reference...I wanna watch that movie again all of a sudden.
Wait...why rainbow text?
...wait a minute-
OHHH GOD D***IT!
7556395
Umm.....sorry if i somehow confused you, whoever-you-are. But i was just taling about my appreciation for Moonbeam's development, and my thoughts on what might happen with The Nightmare.
7557579 Moonbeam is a character who appears in the later chapters. If you haven't caught up yet, you wouldn't have seen her yet.
As for the Nightmare debacle. Nightmare (singular and noun) is the name of the entity that can bond to someone to create a darker, more powerful form. Nightmare Moon is Nightmare bonded to Luna, Nightmarity/Nightmare Rarity is Nightmare bonded to Rarity.
I love this story. And I don't know why, but when I read this, I get this feeling that I want to roll round on the floor.
7557579
Have you actually READ this story?
7559683 I don't understand how you think that when i was talking about the story itself. The nightmare is the remains of Nightmare Moon, and in this stories universe: the thing that possessed rarity in IDW's "Nightmare Rarity" arc. It kept trying to get rarity afraid so it could possess her again, but she rejected it. Now it's off to find some other new vessel to possess. Moonbeam Glimmer is the pony in this story who was racist towards the kaiju, especially Godzilla. Because of what happened in her childhood involving a dragon, she saw him in the same light until their encounter in the cemetery. Now, she's rethinking her whole opinion on the kaiju, and understanding how wrong she was. So, with all due respect: explain to me HOW i am lost. Because that makes no sense.
I hate how you always leave me wanting more Tarb.
(I'd do a full chapter review, but it's late.)
Hey Tarb, just a general question. About how far in to the story are we? Just a rough estimate.
the feels are low but palitabile and moonbeam and starlight being sisters was a new twist. I dear say 6 out of 10 on this chapter my good boy bravo chap bravo
