Chapter 4
Three days had passed, and there was so little to show for it. On the first day after Princess Luna’s arrival, Twilight Sparkle had found nothing, but had continued to tinker with the mirror, hoping for something to change. While Twilight worked in the waking world, Luna had begun to teach Maeve lucid dreaming. On the second day, Twilight had found something, but was unable to determine what it was that she had found. For Luna, each of her excursions into the dreaming world brought frustration, grief, and sorrow. Luna had discovered that time seemed to pass at different speeds for both her and Maeve. On the third day, Twilight had discovered a way to lock on to the magical signature, but was unable to do anything but tell that it was there. Luna’s condition had taken a turn for the worse on the third day. Luna was losing her control over the moon and weakening.
This was becoming the worst sort of nightmare and Luna had sent a worrisome message to her sister, informing Princess Celestia of the news.
There was so very little to work with. Twilight Sparkle’s face collapsed into worried wrinkles, the sort of wrinkles that would leave Rarity in hysterics, complaining in a high pitched squeal about crows feet and worry lines. No doubt, Rarity would be hauling Twilight off to the spa right about now, trying to undo the damage being done, with long soaks in a tub, mud baths, and clay facial masks to soften the skin.
There was the possibility that this was an attack; the thought would not leave Twilight Sparkle’s thoughts. Some insidious force, worming its way into Princess Luna’s mind, gaining a feel for her empathy, her sympathy, her pity, exploiting her need to protect, and then wearing her down, weakening her, hitting Luna when and where she was weakest. And Luna was growing weaker with each passing day.
The thought caused no end of terror for Twilight and now she was losing sleep as well.
The only thing Twilight had to go on was a tiny spark of magic that was so alien to her that she could not even begin to comprehend it. It was like opening a book and discovering a whole new language that had never been seen before. Twilight Sparkle wasn’t certain she had the time to study this magic, to gain understanding, to find some means of making a connection or blocking it out and preventing it from reaching Luna.
For a time, Twilight Sparkle entertained the notion that some extra-dimensional version of Nightmare Moon might be trying to awaken Luna’s inner rage and feelings of isolation. Everything that Luna had said about her encounters was just that horrible. Twilight Sparkle doubted she was strong enough to keep facing that sort of soul crushing darkness, and yet, somehow, Luna endured.
Rubbing her jaw, Twilight Sparkle tried to figure out what to do.
“Here you go, I brought you some tea.” Spike smiled and held up a tray. On the tray was two mugs of steaming tea, a small plate with a blackcurrant muffin, and several sugarcubes. Spike waddled over and placed the tray upon the small table that had been placed by the bed in the mirror chamber. Standing near the table, Spike turned to Luna, clutched his tail, and began to fret.
Turning her head, Luna’s dull, vacant stare fell upon one of the mugs. On the side, the words ‘#2 Researcher’ had been printed. It has to be the sleep deprivation, Luna thought to herself as she felt the corners of her mouth turn upwards as she entertained a very juvenile thought.
“The muffin is yours, I already ate,” Spike said as he let go of his tail and took one of the mugs, his mug, from the tray. He sauntered off, climbed up into the overstuffed chair without spilling any of his tea, and got comfortable.
“Thank you, Spike,” Luna said as she looked at the dragon sitting in the chair.
“So you are working under the assumption that all of this is real.” Spike settled back into his chair, holding his mug in both hands. “Twilight tells me that you are trying to teach the girl how to control her dreams.”
Nodding in reply, Luna drew in a deep breath, lifted up her mug, and inhaled the fragrant steam of the tea. She eyed the muffin for a moment, but felt no desire to eat. Lifting one of the sugarcubes, Luna placed it in her mouth, crunched it between her teeth, and savoured the sweetness as it spread over her tongue.
“I guess you aren’t feeling very well.” Spike slumped in his seat, and his ear frills drooped.
“I am sorry, Spike… I fear I am not a very conversational companion at the moment. But I do so very much appreciate you and the effort you have made to make me feel better.” Luna leaned back into her pillow, propping her body against the headboard of the bed.
“Princess Luna, can you die?” Spike asked in a low worried voice as he clutched his teacup in his trembling hands.
Spike’s question was at first met with silence as Luna stared down into her teacup. She took a deep breath, sighed, took a sip of tea, and then looking up from her cup, she turned her gaze upon Spike. “I do not know. If my connection to the moon was completely severed, I do not know what might happen. I can feel my power weakening, and it concerns me a great deal.”
“Twilight will find a way. Twilight always finds a way. She doesn’t know how to quit.” Spike’s tail twitched beside him and thumped against the arm of the chair.
The silver sleeve over Luna’s horn had a strange heaviness. It felt warm, but not in an uncomfortable sort of way. A cable of silver and crystalline fibres ran from the sleeve to the mirror, where it was anchored into a collection of crystals that glowed with flashing, pulsating internal brilliance.
“Since I can’t seem to track the magical signature from its source, I figured I would track you. If this works like I think it will, it should allow the mirror to lock on to wherever it is you're going. If you are in the mind of an eleven year old girl that lives in the country known as the Sovereign Unified States of East Sylvania, then I should be able to lock on to your location… but possibly not on the first try.” Twilight Sparkle reached out her hoof and tapped on the horn sleeve. “Once I can lock on to where you are going, we’ll figure out the next step. I still don’t know what that is just yet.”
“Twilight Sparkle, you are amazing,” Princess Luna said as she snuggled beneath the blankets. “You will be remembered as one of the great minds of this age.”
“Pshaw…” Twilight took a step backwards from the bed. “I’m just doing what I can for a friend. You’re in trouble and I am going to find some way to help you.”
“So do you think this is real? Or am I dreaming?” Luna asked in a worried whisper.
Twilight Sparkle shrugged. “I don’t know yet. That’s what we need to find out. Could be that the magical signature originates from here in Equestria… and then we’ll need to figure out if something is attacking you. If it comes from somewhere else, then we can assume that there is something out there, but I wouldn’t want to say what it might be until I know more.”
The pillowcase crinkled as Luna nodded and a few blue hairs were left behind as Luna’s cheek passed over the soft cotton flannel fabric.
“Good luck, Luna. We’ll both be right here when you wake up,” Twilight said as she dimmed the lights.
Laying in bed, Luna waited for sleep.
The hallway was dim, almost dark. The wallpaper was yellowed, peeling somewhat, and the gas lamps in the hall had sooty glass that sheltered flickering pale blue flames. The runner rug that ran down the length of the hall was threadbare and had seen better days. At the end the hall there was a door, and from the crack beneath the door, pale light shone out over the hallway floor.
Behind Luna, stairs led downwards.
There were two other doors in the hallway, Luna, looked at both of them. The ornate brass knobs reflected the light from the gas lamps and looked almost ghostly. The wainscotting lining the walls was scuffed, its better days had been long ago, and now it seemed almost rotten. The plaster on the ceiling was crumbling, crackled and even missing one spot, revealing a wooden beam.
From behind the door at the end of the hall, Luna heard water splashing. And something else, something her ears had to strain to hear. She stood, still as a statue, her perfect alicorn ears perked forwards, her head cocked so that sound would first hit one ear, then the other, improving her hearing.
She heard sobbing.
Nervous, her throat feeling constricted, Luna took a step forwards. Dust puffed out from the hallway rug when she stepped on it, it had not been cleaned in a long time, it had not been dragged out and the trapped dirt beaten free.
Luna forced her legs to carry her forwards and she approached the door. The soft sounds of muffled sobbing grew louder. Luna heard a splash and smelled soap. Overcome with worry, Luna hurried forwards towards the door. It opened as she approached and Luna found herself in a small bathroom. There was a toilet, but it was strange, different, there was a sink, and there was a massive claw footed bathtub that could have been found in almost any bathroom in Equestria.
In the bathtub was Maeve. She sat with her knees hugged to her chest, squeezing herself, rocking back and forth in the water. Luna looked down. There was blood in the water, red droplets oozed from somewhere down in the depths, and strands of white stringy goo floated on the surface of the bathwater.
Maeve had her face pressed into her knobby, freckled knees as she sobbed.
“Maeve?” Luna lowered her head and placed her lips near Maeve’s ear.
There was no response. It was as if Luna wasn’t there. Luna pushed her muzzle forward, hoping to give Maeve a reassuring nuzzle, and Luna watched as her nose passed through Maeve’s head.
There was nothing Luna could do to comfort the girl as she rocked back and forth in a tub whose water was soiled with blood and her father’s semen. Angered, frustrated, Luna felt her heart breaking. She kicked the tub, but her hoof passed through. She was a phantom here.
“Maeve? Maeve? You almost done in there? Come out darlin’... daddy… he’s powerful lonesome and he needs you… so finish up and come on out… I won’t tell ya twice.”
Luna turned. The door was closed now, it had opened when she approached, and she had not heard it shut. Luna stood, frozen, she heard footsteps just outside the door. The doorknob rattled and turned.
“Maeve, what have I told you about locking this door? Now you come out of there and you do what I say! Open this door! Don’t make me get a hairpin again or you’ll get a whippin’!”
Gasping, Luna awoke, startled, kicking and thrashing about in the bed. After a moment, her body went still as her heart continued racing. She could hear the blood rushing through her long, slender neck and coursing through her own ears.
“Luna! Luna, it’s okay! You’re okay… this is real… I have a signal to work with, I was able to follow you! This worked! Now we just need to calibrate the mirror and figure out what to do next.”
Luna heaved a sigh relief and then, with the memory of the dream still fresh in her mind, Luna began to sob.
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0_0
On the one hand, I'd have liked to have seen that first section happen in greater detail. On the other, I'm just glad that this is almost over...
5982350
Short... this story must be short. It must be short and it must end.
I dont think Maeve can be saved.
I mean even if Luna can get her away from her father, the damage is already too deep, not to mention her mother's death too. She will be scarred forever because of what happened. Even if Luna find her (which is near impossible) the town's residents are going to lynch her for accusing something like that from one of their own people.
...
I have no words. What a powerful story.
There was so very little work with.
little to work
It was like opening a book and discovering a whole new language that had never seen before.
never been seen
Lifting one the sugarcubes, Luna placed it in her mouth,
one of the
it should allow the mirror to lock on to wherever it is your going.
you're
and there was a massive claw footed bathtub that could have been found in almost bathroom in Equestria.
almost any bathroom or every.
Loving it! Dark fics are like drugs sometimes. I like the hugbox fics and all but after reading a couple dozen they get old.
I'm like a druggy and you're like my drug dealer
I think he would love to meet luna and feel her wrath
...the suspense is killing me, Kudzu!
5991752
HANG ON!
i feel she is already, or is about to die...
One more chapter~
Sylvania, odd. *smacks face* name of area in Europe! And here I thought dustbowl. Nope, this are pre-Yugoslavakia. All the pieces clicking together. I still save my thoughts, for the end.
Luna ever gets her hands on that douche and Nightmare Moon will shriek in horror at what Luna is going to do to him. And I couldn't be more pleased with that thought.