Surviving Secrets

by Aetaes Wolf

Distant Memories

Eclipse’s hooves slap against the stone street as she dodges an oncoming changeling. It was disguised as a pink pony, but it was still a changeling.

Thoughts swam around in the black mare’s head. How did this happen? Why is it happening? Is everyone alright? Is the princess safe?

Eclipse pauses. The princess...

Panic takes hold at the thought of the white alicorn. Is she alright? Is she injured? What if she’s captured? What if-

“Don’t let fear control you.”

Eclipse blinks as a familiar voice echoes through her head.

“If fear takes hold, then it will fester, soon controlling your thoughts and emotions.”

“Like the Nightmare did with Luna?”

“...Just like with Luna.”

Eclipse closes her eyes, letting the memory take hold.

A black filly looks expectantly to her teacher, the white alicorn watching her warily. “Are you ready?”

The filly nods. “Yes, Celestia.”

The alicorn nods, her horn glowing in a golden light. “Be careful, Eclipse. Do not be afraid to tell me when to stop.”

The filly doesn’t respond, just watches as the area is covered in shadow. Her golden yellow eyes scan the darkness surrounding her as she begins to wander, searching for something, but what is unknown.

“Cr...l.......se....”

Eclipse’s eyes widen at the voice, her ears flattening against her head. “That’s not my name...”

“Cr....al...ose...”

“THAT’S NOT MY NAME!” Eclipse screams into the darkness, what appears to be blood red smoke starts to seep from her eyes.

She whips around when she spots a flash of silver. Her breathing comes out ragged as she begins to panic. Turning on her heel, she starts to run, only to crash into something, causing her to fall onto the floor.

Groaning slightly, Eclipse rubs her head, her eyes widening in fear when she looks up. A silver colt with a dark grey mane stands before her, his midnight blue bat-like wings spread wide as his piercing red eyes boring into Eclipse’s golden yellow eyes, black smoke seeping out of his eyes.

No words form in Eclipse’s mouth as she scrambles backwards, the colt following her with every step. “Rose.”

“T-that’s not my name...” Eclipse whispers.

“It is your name, whether you like it or not!” The colt snaps. “You are what you are, there is no denying it!”

“No... No... I was a pony once... THEN YOU RUINED IT!”

Eclipse gasps as shadows wrap around her throat, lifting her up into the air as she attempts to claw it away, as it is cutting off her oxygen. The colt snarls. “I SAVED you! If it were not for my actions, you would have died!”

“DEATH WOULD HAVE BEEN A BETTER ALTERNATIVE THAN THIS!”

Eclipse yelps as she is slammed against the ground, blood dripping from a cut that has opened up on her head. “Your ungratefulness I find offensive.”

“I find... your actions offensive... father...”

The colts eyes narrow. “I will teach you better respect!”

“NO!” Shadows shoot from Eclipse, latching onto the colt as her eyes glow blood red. The colt screams as the shadows rip him apart, their hollow white eyes empty and emotionless. Eclipse closes her eyes as she begins to cry, shaking as sobs wrack through her body.

Arms quickly wrap around Eclipse’s small form, she doesn’t have to open her eyes to know that those arms belonged to Celestia. “I think our lesson is finished for today.”

Eclipse doesn’t respond, she just clings to Celestia as she sobs. The sound of a door opening and closing echoes through the room, hooves silently walking across the floor. “Aunt Celestia?”

Celestia looks to the pink alicorn that had entered the room. “Cadance. I think Eclipse needs some time to calm down. Would you look after her today?”

Cadance nods. “Of course.”

Celestia smiles, nudging Eclipse over to Cadance, whom scoops the young filly into her arms, holding her close as her sobs quiet down, though her body still shakes. Cadance hesitates slightly. “I’m foalsitting Twilight today. Would it be alright-?”

Celestia nods. “No pony is to know of her true nature. But perhaps a friend will be helpful to her studies.”

Cadance nods, looking down to the terrified black unicorn. “How should I introduce her?”

“Tell Twilight that she’s your sister. It’s better to hide what she is then it is for everypony to know.”

Eclipse opens her eyes, blinking slightly at the sight before her. Changelings lay knocked out in front of her, red static emanating from their bodies.

“Don’t let fear control you...”

“But let only a little slip through if you have no other alternative...” Eclipse mumbles the rest of the sentence. She closes her eyes. “I remember a time, long ago...” Opening her eyes, determination washes over Eclipse as she starts running toward the castle. “I’m coming! Please be alright!”

Her horns glows red as she shoots beams of magic at the changelings, having now entered the bulk of the fight, most of the changelings now disguised as rainbow-coloured ponies.

Though through all the fighting, through all the chaos, Eclipse finds her thoughts wandering back to the strange changeling she had met earlier. She looks up to the sky, “Please let him be safe...”

Comments

[Aetaes Wolf]

6169742 Yet she also said she was asleep for those ten thousand years. Answers will come in later chapters!