Cursed Eclipse - Across Equestria

by AImostpure

Lost History Part 3c

The world around Eclipse became a haze. A hallucination overtaking her brain sweeping visuals across her eyes. What was once the boutique became a stone walled room with book cases, open windows, and a blazing fire lit in the hearth. It wasn't the scenery that surprised Eclipse. She had seen it before when these mirages occurred. Now across from her, Prim's teal eyes were no longer there. They were replaced with a vibrant light green. Something about them made stirred emotions in Eclipse causing her breath to shorten and her heart race. Eclipse did not return the soft touch of the lips, yet a beckoning in her heart left her puzzled why she hadn't. A sound, it came across as distant, shattered the images of her mind returning her to the state she was in before.

“Now this is fantastic!” Open Heart exclaimed loudly from his place besides Trixie. “Isn't it? Isn't it?” He grinned nodding his head towards the showmare besides him. Rapidly, he clopped his front hooves to the ground. “Encore! Encore!” His voice rang out with a slight malicious accent.

Rose panicked both from her actions and the rude gestures her best friend dared to make. A glare was shot in the direction of Trixie and Open, one that would have them both taking steps back to create a safe distance. Close to hyperventilating, Prim twisted her head returning proper attentions to Eclipse. “Eclipse, please forgive my rude behavior.” Her mind spun working to formulate an excuse that would be believable. When nothing beyond 'I tripped' or 'I was applying lipstick directly' stunted her brain, Prim stood paralyzed.

Eclipse felt her head grow into a daze. The hallucinations never lasted past a few moments, but this felt different and far more intense on Eclipse's razzled brain. Voices shared by the three ponies around her started to grow faint. Each display table and mannequin became blurs just like when she watched the settings changed on the train ride from Manehatten to Appleloosa. Bit by bit the colors vanished leaving her alone in never ending darkness.

Somewhere in the distance a scream echoed, but it was too faint to tell where it originated. Eclipse cowered down shaking from her head to her hooves. Even the glow radiating from her eyes did little to banish the darkness that encased her. Cold air swept across her hooves sending shivers that trembled her spin. How long she would be lost in this place, she hadn't the clue. Something caused he rears to perk. It was a rendition of 'Here Comes the Bride' played on an orchestra of stringed instruments. Bright light brought focus to a vertical line of white appearing in front of her. It widened, inch by inch, splitting the darkness until it released her into a new world.

This hallucination no longer felt to be a memory, but the foreboding of a premonition. With her world illuminated Eclipse found herself inside a large chapel. She looked around her for some sign of familiarity. Finding none, she took next to look upon herself. Eclipse wore not the garments picked out by Prim Rose. Instead, a pristine white wedding gown adorned her slender frame. It covered her form from ankle to ankle only to rise up revealing her cutie mark on each side of her flank. A thin, white veil partially obstructed her vision, but what she could see would be enough.

A crowd of ponies congregated on the chapel floor split by a long red carpet. Each pony was chained at hoof and neck to the next. They had been defeated and brought into bondage to serve as witness to the events still to come.

Eclipse felt her body go stiff. The music had long stalled, but initiated once more signaling for her to begin the slow march down the red walkway. As she passed each imprisoned pony, they lowered their heads in feared respect. She looked forward to find, in wait, an alter with a masked pony standing behind it. It was here that she found that the smells brought on in this dream state were as horrible as the sights.

It was a stench. The kind of stench that clung to everything that came in contact with it. It drifted creating a putrid fog of revulsion. It was the smell of rotting flesh set out in the heat of Celestia's sun to decay. Eclipse bit her lip fighting back the urge to vomit at the horrible sensations such a smell brought. Staggering back, Eclipse sought the source of the pungent smell and quickly wished she had left herself to gaze at the floors.

A large window was carved into the wall behind the masked pony. Outside, an eclipsed sun radiated black light. Beside each space to the side of the window was the source of the foul stench. To the right, suspended high, a pony of white with a pink mane and to the left a pony of midnight blue with a mane of blue gray. Their wings had been stretched to their lengths and thick nails, hammered through the upper mass of each wing, pinned them to the walls. The fragments of unicorn horns remained in a broken stub on their foreheads.

Eclipse recoiled back. Her jaw dropping in abject horror at the sight. The two ponies were familiar to her. Feelings of loss and sorrow bubbling to her mind spilling forth tears from her eyes. Downwards she cast her sights away to find, beneath the two broken nailed forms, six more forms.

Each of them were lifeless. Slumped forward or over the one next. Six ponies laid unceremoniously beneath the morbid scene above. Eclipse recognized only one but the others were a mystery. The first was a cyan pegasus who's mane and tail were a myriad of colors. A pink pony leaned against her a chilling grin still curved on her lips. The pony she knew was next. It was Applejack that she met in Manehatten. Her trademark stetson hat displayed over her lap. A lavender unicorn pressed forward with her head slumped over her lap. Dark blue mane streaked with violet and pink swept out the stone before her. A canary yellow pegasus came after. She looked the saddest to depart the world of the living. Finally, a white unicorn with a metallic purple mane laid at the end. Her head dropped down onto the lap of the yellow pegasus besides her.

Wanting nothing more than to escape this scene, Eclipse stumbled back. Her clumsy escape came to a halt when her flank met the resistance of presence behind her. A tremor rushed down her spin causing her fur to stand on its ends. Eclipse dared not to look back not wanting to know what had come behind her. Near her right ear, the tickle of lips played at her lobe. Whispers danced on her ear drum beckoning her to listen.

“All for you. I did this all for you.”

All of a sudden, as if it had all been a dream, Eclipse sat upwards. Fevered glances were cast back and forth around her. Once more she was within the safety of the boutique. To her immediate sides, Color Copy and Open Heart stood with reassuring hooves touching her shoulders. Not far in front of her Spiral Flame and Prim Rose sat in silence. By the door, Trixie was solemnly standing guard.

Nothing was unusually out of place from when she went to the nightmarish place. She was laying away from where she was posing with a white sheet draped down over her. Color Copy and Spiral Flame had returned and Prim Rose was bandaged on her left foreleg and left side. Eclipse herself had been unclothed during the time she was unconscious. A group of five paper wrapped boxes stacked up close to her.

“Are you alright, Eclipse? When Spiral and I got back you were passed out. Prim said you just fainted from the heat.” Color Copy spoke up rubbing a hoof across Eclipse's back lightly between her wings.

“Wh-what happened?” Glowing pools moved about again. Eclipse wanted to make sure that what was witnessed was truly gone.

The doctor in the room moved his hoof in front of Eclipse's face. “Follow my hoof with your eyes,” he softly ordered moving it in various directions. Carefully, he watched her reaction and took in anything that maybe off. “We are not quite sure. You fainted suddenly and in a hurry to catch you, Prim ran right into a table like a klutz hurting herself.”

An inspection of Prim's injuries were made once Open had lowered his hoof. “I'm so-sorry for the acc-accident.” Eclipse mumbled not wanting to come into a direct gaze.

Open laughed out loud slapping Eclipse onto her back causing her to startle. “Don't apologize for that! It was hilarious actually. She said every swear word under Celestia's sun.”

Across the room, Prim nodded an assurance, at least after she glared at Open, that she was fine. Eclipse still lowered her head to stare at the sheet that covered her hind legs. Though it seemed to have been a dream, she could still recall the sights and smells of wherever her mind had taken her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

There was exhaustion written on Prim's face. Eclipse's fainting, the 'accident' after, and the bombardment of questions she received from Spiral Flame on her return caused her brow to tighten. She gained relief when Eclipse shot up but chose not to speak. Her mind returning back to the 'accident' and a paranoid look around her boutique.

“Hey, got a toilet in this place?”

Besides her the voice spoke. Prim gave a side long glance to its owner, Spiral. “Yes, go into the backroom and up the spiral staircase. First door you'll see on your left. Then first door on the left inside.”

“Thanks. We're going to have to head back soon and I'd rather not have my eyes swimming in yellow for the walk back, if ya get my drift.” Adding a saunter to each step, Spiral made her way to the backroom.

“Couldn't you say that with a bit more dignity.” Prim sighed trotting towards the three. “Well then. Miss Copy, if you and Miss Trixie would be so kind as to help Eclipse with the packages she earned tonight, I will go and finish some preparations with the film in the back and see you out. If you'll excuse me,” she finished bowing her head. A swift retreat brought her to the backroom.

“I'll see if she needs any help. Wouldn't want her to fall again, right?” Open chuckled. With a wave of his hoof, he dismissed himself to go and join Prim in the backroom letting Trixie take his place.

“Trixie will warn you, Color Copy, that one of these happens to belong to Trixie and she will not have you ruining her precious garments.”

Hearing the door close a second time behind her, Prim took only a moment to ensure it was Open who followed her. She paced to the stairs gazing up wanting to make sure that a certain earth pony was still in the washroom. With certainty they were safe to talk, she turned back to her old friend.

“What in Luna's banishment happened out there tonight?!” Prim exclaimed stomping her front hooves down.

“Well, you kissed a mare and you liked it. Probably cause you like that sorta thing. And want to drag her upstairs and do so many unmentionable, but marketable, things t---,” Open was swiftly silenced when a red hoof thrust into his mouth.

“Not that, you fool. The other thing!” Prim hissed lowering her voice. A paranoid glance around, mainly at the staircase, then back to him. “What happened after. You can't explain that.”

Careful movements let Open come around the cluttered backroom. He was silent as he apprised the place he had been in so many times before. “So what? I told you we should have contacted the guards on the matter.”

With a blank look, Prim sucked in a breath to help with what she was to say, “Oh yes that would go over so well,” She placed a hoof to her chest, trying her best to mimic a hysterical mare, “Why yes, guardpony, I had just asked this possible alicorn with a broken horn to pose for pictures in my boutique with other questionable ponies who claimed to be her friends. After kissing her without her permission, and she passed out, we hear this voice that screams, 'Her lips are mine!', before cutting my leg and side and burning half of my undeveloped film. After, the pony named Trixie, who seems like she would have warrants out for her arrest, banished it away with her magic. Now, do you need me to repeat all that or do you want to take my to an asylum now?”

Consideration was given to Prim's explanation. Open placed a hoof to his chin, nodding in quiet contemplation. It was an unusual situation. “Well, at least nothing happened after. Eclipse woke up, my skill as a doctor bandaged you up without any severe blood loss, and Miss Trixie vanquished... whatever it was just fine!”

Prim felt tired seeing how happy and optimistic Open was. “Yes, everything is now just so wonderful, isn't it?”

“But there's something more bothering you. A pony can tell these things, especially a best friend to a pony.” Hooves set against Prim's withers, Open administrating a firm and accurate massage. “Did kissing her really bother you that much?”

She fell forward tossing her forelegs across her eyes and muzzle. A mixture of sobs and laughter created a distraught combination to her voice. “Yes it did! I'm always in control of myself, Open. I let out my aggressions when we go dancing, I focus on my work, and I stay in control. I don't go running out the door after some unknown mare and her mare friends and suddenly ask one to pose! And certainty not kiss her when in the middle of business!”

Stifling a chuckle, Open grinned broadly down at his friend. “At least you didn't ravish her when she fainted and then tied her in a basement somewhere!”

“Open Heart, my dearest friend, I swear by Luna's moon that next metal festival we attend, I am dressing you up as Sapphire Shores and throwing you flank first into the mosh pit if you dare continue that line of thinking.” Each word dripped with the stigma of hate. Open didn't have to see Prim's eyes to know the honestly of her threat.

It did not take an airship scientist to know when pushing with jokes was at its limit. Open Heart concluded that his normal approach wouldn't remedy his troubled friend. A hoof was thrust down to Prim, “Come on, let's talk about this, shall we?” He began. Feeling the tug of Prim's hold he began to hoist her back up to her hooves. “What do you normally get on me about? The difference between love and lust, right?” The lecture began much to Prim's lack of delight.

She nodded her head while moving over to a small box of hair accessories and ribbons. Magic lifted each piece, one by one, selecting the best ones. An extra gift for Eclipse wouldn't hurt. A thought crossed her mind, glancing to the stairs. Nothing was heard near the top of them this entire time. How long is that pony going to be in the bathroom anyway? Shaking it away, she returned her attentions to the box and Open. “Yes. You fall in love far too easily and always wind up getting hurt from it.”

“Do I really?” Came a chuckled reply. “Yet, I always bounce back after we spend the night at a concert, or eating ice cream, or spending a night just complaining. It's never a true heartbreak.” Prim gave him a bland, distrusting look. Either she didn't believe him or he faked much of his emotions well. “I am just attracted to them. Just because they call it 'love at first sight' doesn't always mean it's going to be that way. In my opinion, love is something you develop over time with somepony.” His best professor tone was taken up. “The start can be many things; pen pals, seeing a pony for the first time and feeling that ping, long time friends, or even hated enemies. And just because you feel a ping, doesn't mean it will end with a throb.”

“Is this going anywhere? It almost sounds like you keep stumbling over yourself.” Several accessories were taken out. Prim wanted to make sure that Eclipse didn't keep her hair over her face. She thought Eclipse far too pretty of a pony to do such a thing. A beeline path was taken guiding her towards where she kept her shipping boxes.

“Yes, I have something going,” he said sticking his tongue out. “Why did you kiss her? Because you felt a ping. Why do you feel bad about it? Because you think you did it because of how she looks, right?”

Prim flinched when the hammer hit the nail. She hung her head in shame. “Yes. I saw her, took her in by her appearance, and just that.”

“Well whoopie do!” The exclamation was made with Open tossing the ribbon skyward. “You're just like every other pony! Yes, I know you don't want to do that. You hate the idea because you were judged by your appearance for years because of your mother's infatuation with those pageants and modeling.” Open closed the space between them and once again set his hooves against her shoulders. “But the more you try to make sure that you never make certain mistakes, the more it will hound you if you do. Somethings just happen because it's how we are naturally. Instincts and what not. What you do after or what you do with those feelings is where it matters. Now, I could be wrong... but I like to think I'm right that.. well... Shit happens.”

There was a truth in Open's bluntness, even if Prim didn't agree with the entirety of his explanation. Different ponies would have different ideas to the matter and reasoning for love. His just followed a mixture of basic instinct and mild logic. Still, for what it was worth she did feel better hearing it. Maybe she had acted too hasty in creating an abhorrence for herself and her actions. “I suppose you maybe right on somethings. But last I checked, you do transplants, not psychology.”

Again with the chuckling, Open went back to the door back to the parlor of the boutique. “When it comes to you, I have to be many professions just to make a dent in your issues, darling. Now come on, you need her address if you plan to do anything else. She leaves tomorrow after all and you wouldn't want her to be out of your life for good, right?”

It was the knife that sunk into a heart. Open's final words were a focused blow on Prim. Mustering her magic, she placed the various articles into the parcel and trotted out behind him from the backroom into the parlor.

By this time, Trixie had raised three of the packages to rest on Color Copy's weak back. Copy's legs wobbling beneath the weight and tension of staying straight to keep balance. Eclipse had taken it upon herself to use her own magic to carry the remaining two.

“I see you're ready.” Prim spoke up coming to join the three. Her box levitated up coming to land squarely on Copy's flank. “Be a dear and carry this for Eclipse. It's not heavy.” She assured giving her best smile. “Now then,” Her mind began to work out a plan. She still needed Eclipse's address, and the night was becoming long. Prim didn't want to keep anypony past the time they wanted to sleep. “Why not, for doing this, I'll treat everypony to lunch as Ponneys tomorrow and escort you to the airship port?”

Trixie, Eclipse, and Color Copy looked to one another for approval, then gave Prim their agreeing nod. Something occurred to Eclipse then. Awareness to an overlooked detail dawned on her face. “Wh..where is Spiral?” She spoke up glancing quickly between each of them. “She left for th-the bathroom but it has be-been a while.”

Before anypony could speak further, and as if summoned by a magic word, the backroom door opened and Spiral stepped forth. A collective gasp came among all the ponies. What they saw confused each of them. Where Spiral stood, they saw an amber pony who was damp from the tip of her nose, to her hooves, and to the tip of her chestnut tail. “Since when did toilets spray water at you! There wasn't any paper when I finished, I got up and turned around. Then your toilet,” pointing a hoof at Prim, “Soaks me with water and tries to blow dry me. What in the world is that?”

Trixie and Open were perplexed. Neither could find the words to properly reply to the unusual story. Copy and Eclipse looked eager. Both wanting to find this mysteriously toilet that attacked it's user.

Prim, finally, simply stood hiding her mouth behind an upheld hoof. She giggled softly tears forming at the edge of her ducts. “Spiral, that is called a bidet.”

Comments

[Deathpony]

hahaha a bidet weirdest thing ever good chapter cant wait for the next