Chapter 97
Her heart caught in her throat, her breath going in and out in almost overheated pants, Twilight Sparkle stood by, helpless as Princess Luna continued her examination. For the lack of anything better to do, Twilight pulled Trixie closer, and the two of them huddled together, worried, fearful, and impatient.
Pushing herself away from Twilight Velvet, huffing just a little, Dandelia moved forwards until she was inches away from Princess Luna. She stood there, hesitant, but also resolute. “Allow me.”
Eyebrow arching, Princess Luna stepped back, bowed her head, and got out of the way. As the princess retreated, Dandelia took over and right away she placed her ear upon Sumac’s barrel. She listened for a moment, her horn glowing, and the colour of her magic changed to match the ever-changing colour of her eyes, which could not make up their mind which colour they wanted to be at the moment.
“Give me room!” Dandelia snapped. “I’m feeling too pressured! I need space!”
Twilight, who understood, pulled Trixie back with her, but Trixie did not want to go, and it took some effort. Twilight felt immense magical power being brought to bear, mental magic, illusion magic, and much to her fear and surprise, mind control magic. Something tingled in the very air of Lulamoon Hollow, and then, Trixie screamed again.
Dandelia’s eyes blazed with the forbidden fires of dark magic. A dreadful purple-green mist drifted away from her eyes, which were still changing colour, hideous, unpleasant colours, like blood red, bruise green, and bile yellow. Much to Twilight’s surprise, Princess Luna remained impassive and did not seem concerned, or even surprised. The overall effect of the situation as a whole was disconcerting.
The dark magic vanished with a crackle and Dandelia lifted her head, her teeth gritted, and there was a fierce, ferocious gleam in her eyes as she engaged whatever held Sumac ensorceled. A container popped into existence near Dandelia’s head, which she opened, and began pouring the contents onto the grass around Sumac.
Twilight realised that it was salt, which left her curious and filled with a million questions, such as, ‘why salt?’ Just looking at Dandelia made Twilight’s eyes burn, and she realised that she was looking at what had to be forbidden magic of a questionable nature. How had Dandelia learned this? Where had she learned this?
Conjuring a pin, Dandelia pricked her own frog, drawing blood, and then she pricked Sumac’s frog to draw his blood. With fine, precise magical control, she collected both blood droplets, merged them together, and then flicked the blood onto the salt circle. A noxious green mist rose from where the blood splattered, and Princess Luna took another step backwards.
“What is she doing?” Twilight asked.
“What we’ve all done to hide our lies,” Twilight Velvet responded. “She’s trying to conceal Sumac and make him non-detectable. Or at least harder to detect.”
“I don’t understand.” Twilight looked at her mother with wide, pleading eyes.
“No, you wouldn’t.” Twilight Velvet turned away from her daughter, looking hurt. “You’re far too honest and lies do not come natural to you. Now hush, and let Dandy Lion do her work.”
With a nod, Twilight let the issue drop, but there would be questions later. She watched Dandelia with a keen eye as the canny older mare continued her task. Many spells flew and Twilight couldn’t tell what half of them were, they were new to her and unknown. Many made her skin crawl. This was powerful illusion magic, the magic of deceit, of lies.
“Fetch me a dusk apple, do it now! I can’t seem to conjure one of the slippery little things!”
Night Light darted off to fetch the apple that Dandelia needed, and the spells continued. Twilight looked over at Trixie, who was watching everything, fearful, panicked, and panting. Sitting down in the grass, Twilight pulled her friend down with her, and then wrapped a wing around her. The shadows all around them seemed like living things now, they moved in unnatural ways, dancing, flickering, animated in odd, peculiar ways. Twilight could see things moving in the corners of her eyes, but when she went to look at them, they were gone.
Coming to a skidding halt, Night Light returned with a dusk apple, which Dandelia snatched up in her telekinesis. The apple was crushed, the pulp and juice collected, held, and then some strange magic happened. The resulting liquid was poured into Sumac’s mouth, which caused a strange reaction; Sumac became transparent, see through, and had a strange, dusky glow to him.
Dandelia had turned him into a shade.
The curious reaction was temporary though, as Sumac became solid and real again. The dusky glow persisted though, and Twilight could feel all of the hair along her neck and spine standing up. The air around her was permeated with wrongness. Princess Luna lowered her head as Sumac began to stir, and the salt circle around Sumac ignited. It burned away with vile, sickly looking green flames that burned the eye to look at them.
Dandelia retreated, stumbled, and was caught by Night Light, who lowered her down into the grass. With her magic, Princess Luna lifted Sumac up into the air and held him, looking at his face, watching him for hopeful signs as he woke up.
The colt yawned, and Twilight had to restrain Trixie to keep her from lunging forwards.
“I heard a most wonderful song,” Sumac said as he stretched and then yawned once more. “It was like a lullaby. There was some creepy music at first, but then there was good music that made it go away. What happened?”
“You were dreaming… did you see who was singing to you?” Princess Luna asked.
“A shadow,” Sumac replied, “he was just a shadow. He had a nice voice, and he sang to me. His outline was like a goat. He made the other shadows go away and he was kind.”
Princess Luna’s lips puckered into a tight, pinched line.
“He sang so sweetly… it made me want to sleep. It felt good.” Sumac shook his head, yawned, and then looked Luna in the eye. “Was I dreaming?”
“Yes, Sumac, it was just a dream.” Princess Luna’s voice was a flat deadpan.
“I’m tired, and I want to go back to sleep. It’s late.”
Turning to look at Trixie for a moment, Princess Luna then returned her attention to Sumac and there was no trace of emotion or expression upon her face. “Come Trixie, and let us take this one to bed. I wish to sing to him a real lullaby, because I cannot be upstaged by some fantastical, bleating goat.”
Trixie was only all too happy to go.
Unsettled, uncertain, Twilight stared at her parents, who were fretting over Dandelia. The funny thing was, Dandelia looked older somehow, as if she had aged. She looked weary, tired, and exhausted. Black circles were visible beneath Dandelia’s eyes, which were also sunken.
“Drink this tea,” Twilight Velvet said to Dandelia, “it’ll help.”
Twilight wanted to know what was going on, but now didn’t seem to be the time for answers. Hearing the sound of hooves, Twilight turned to see Princess Luna entering the dining area, but Trixie was absent. Twilight knew where Trixie had to be. Of course, Luna looked cool as a cucumber, and something about her placid expression made Twilight furious.
“What did you do, Dandelia?” Princess Luna asked.
Night Light stepped forward and narrowed his eyes at Luna. “We’ve hid ourselves from the watchful eyes of alicorns and many others with a great degree of success, so hiding ourselves from an eldritch goat isn’t much different.”
“So you have,” Luna deadpanned. “Caper still found out though.”
With a sour expression, Night Light snorted, but said nothing in return.
“It was him, wasn’t it?” Twilight Velvet’s voice was worried and panicky. “The same dark force that attacked Tarnished Teapot—twice—and has sought to dominate the minds of many. He’s in the dream realm now?”
“He has been for quite some time.” Luna’s words held no trace of emotion or warmth.
“I suppose there is a plan of some sort in place?” Dandelia asked as she hunched over her teacup.
“There has been for a very long time,” Twilight replied. “I would say more, but you know, Crown secrets and all.”
“I’m guessing that Princess Celestia foresaw this coming, or at least had some precognitive foreknowledge about this situation.” Anger flashed in Dandelia’s exhausted eyes and she focused a hard, prideful stare upon Twilight. “This disgusting little goat has dared to lay magic upon my grandson… we Lulamoons have killed for less.”
“Mine sister did indeed, see this coming, along with Twilight Velvet, who has a canny knack for discerning the tangled weave of destiny.” Princess Luna sat down upon a low to the ground cushioned stool and made herself comfortable as Lemon Hearts fetched a cup of tea for her. She offered Lemon a nod of thanks and continued, “After much debate, it was determined that Trixie would be an ideal guardian and protector. There was much subterfuge and carefully chosen words said. We exploited the ruse that many might be angry with Sumac for the sins of his father and mother. Trixie’s travelling about allowed for a certain level of equine incognito.”
“Still, Sumac being a sorcerer was a surprise to us, and we weren’t expecting that.” Twilight watched as Lemon Hearts sat down beside her and set down two plates with slices of chocolate cake, one of which Twilight took. “Thanks, Lemon.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“The plan has held though, and Sumac has come to know his many protectors. He met Lemon Hearts early on, just as expected. She stepped in right after a confrontation with Olive, and exploited the situation to earn Sumac’s trust.”
“Don’t say exploit, I don’t like it, it makes me feel guilty.”
“Sorry, Lemon.”
“Look, I love Sumac. I love Trixie a great deal. I know what is expected of me, and a part of me feels bad for all of this high-level trickery. I don’t want to exploit Sumac or take advantage of him in any way. I have no desire to exploit him as a sorcerer. And when you carelessly say that I exploited the situation, it stabs me right in my heart, Twilight.”
“Look, Lemon, I said I was sorry, okay?” Twilight’s ears drooped. “It was a poor choice of words. There was an ideal situation and you did all of the right things during your first meeting to gain Sumac’s implicit trust in you.”
“That’s better.” Lemon Hearts squinted at Twilight for a few seconds, then took a bite of chocolate cake. She licked chocolate frosting from her lips, and with a mouthful of cake, she added, “I’m too honest of a pony for all of this sneaky stuff.”
“I knew a sorceress once,” Luna said in a soft voice as she began to tell a story. “By the time I had come to meet her, life had been fantastically cruel to her. I understand that she was bright, some even said clever, but she wasn’t that way when I met her. The wizard that had come into her ownership did bad things to her, like so many others, but he didn’t need her mind, just her sorcerous talent.”
A funerary silence fell over the room.
“He was mad with power and he fought to keep her when I and my guard arrived to make him answer for his many crimes. We captured him, alive, and we put him through a very public trial. When everything was said and done, I collected his head with my axe. I struck with such force and such terrific anger that I clove the stump in two. In the end, the feeble minded mare was left with Clover the Clever, who was very kind and gentle with her.”
There was an audible gulp from Twilight.
“Sorcerers are powerful assets,” Luna continued. “While they typically have some power on their own, their real talent lies in making others stronger. Word about Sumac will spread, the secret is out, and more and more will rush to exploit him, as is always the case with sorcerers. Some will come with good intentions, and others, like Grogar, they will care nothing for Sumac’s mind, or his charm, or his great wit, they will only want the power he has to offer. His free will, it will be an obstacle to those who wish to control him, and many will seek to remove it so that he might be controlled.”
“I will do what I can from this place,” Dandelia said. “I have many resources here and I am now the Lady of Lulamoon Hollow. Give me free reign to use whatever magic I see fit, and I will aid the Crown in whatever way I can. We Lulamoons have always been loyal, always.”
Luna’s eyebrow arched. “We shall talk later, Dandelia.”
Shaking her head, Lemon Hearts licked her lips again and said, “I can’t help but feel that things are only going to get worse from here. I’m glad we have Twinkleshine now to help us. I just wish I wasn’t so useless in a fight.”
“Just keep Trixie and Sumac’s spirits up,” Twilight replied, “and keep doing whatever it is that you are doing to keep them happy, because I think it’s working.”
Stats
Page generated in 0.026 seconds
Total duration
660 users online
1,005,544 hits today, 2,561,572 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Stories within stories within stories. Oh what a tangled web you weave kudzu
f-lohmueller.de/pov_anim/engineering/Cog_Wheel_In_100_51c.gif
7760614 Way in the middle of the air.
Fun fact: The name for the flower known as a dandelion should actually be spelled dent du lion, meaning 'tooth of the lion'... so named for the shape of the petals. Apropos, no?
I'm really starting to feel like Twilight and her mother need to sit down and have a talk. Twilight's shown to be very upset about all this deception, and it won't get better by pretending it isn't a problem.
I'm not criticizing the way it's written, by the way. These feel like very believable reactions from believable individuals. I'm just hoping this gets sorted out before resentment and shouting start happening.
Well, this is a bit of a bombshell revelation. Sumac was known to be important before he was ever entrusted to Trixie's care and that was without them even knowing he was a sorcerer.
On that note Trixie is going to be pretty unhappy. Her mother using dark magic on her son isn't something I can see her being okay with even if it was for good reason. Sumac also has been touched by Groger and who knows what primordial more terrible thing as well. She doesn't know yet about all this plotting that has been going on from day one about Sumac and hard to say how she will react when she finds out though I feel particularly sorry for Lemon when she finds out.
7760640
Even though it isn't said, Dandelia wasn't using dark magic on Sumac, she was using it to break the hold that Grogar had on Sumac. Spellbreaking, dark magic style. Fight fire with fire.
Shadows to wrangle with a shadow, salt to form a barrier/pure-space, Dandy's blood for a spark of power/sympathy, Sumac's for the subject, Dusk Apple for sympathy/effect, and a union of blood and intent to seal the spell.
Sumac Apple, Thrice Claimed by the Court of Lions.
7760726
All done at the low, low cost of a few years of her life. A bargain!
7760631 Twenty bits says they start yelling before they talk.
7760729
So that spell was cast from lifespan. I thought that's what was implied, but wasn't sure. Such an irrevocable cost to save someone that she's been shown to think is beneath her... Maybe a sign of changing attitude, however slowly, or maybe I'm reading too much into an act of hurried panic.
Interesting to see something of how much has been done to conceal Sumac, and for more reason that the previously stated excuse.
At some point, I think Trixie is going to lose it and I think that there will be a few ponies and alicorns in the cross hairs. And it will not be pretty when it happens. Regardless that she loves Sumac and he loves her, they have both been pawns (even if the intentions were good) and neither have been granted free reign over their lives. And while Trixie is no idiot and should realize that she needs them just as they need her she's not going to blast them with magic, but, oh, I think the verbal blasting will tear out off some hide and feathers when it's all said and done. I think she's going to lay down the "how dare you" followed by "no more secrets - give it all up, now!"
I've got popcorn ready!
7760644 Well that answers that question. Also you're doing an Excellent job.
7760771 Sumac might be beneath her but Dandelia know EVERYONE is threatened by Grogar. She is also in shock from Luna's actions beneath her or not Sumac is could be asset to many people
7760729
To keep her family together? Fair trade.
Oh dear. This is all rather alarming.
I am now officially waiting for the point where Grogar makes the mistake of going after Pebble to hurt Tarnish and control Sumac. Amplified Poison Joke magic...
7760784
And if that happens I hope rather than being cowed before her due to already hurting emotionally about her situation before being yelled at - thus compounding that emotional pain, they shut her tirade down right as it starts with the cold, hard logic of the fact.
"It needed to be done, and due to the plan your life is now so much better than it was, and had we approached you with this nothing would have gone as planned - as it had to have happened, and you might very well be dead and Sumac with an inferior mother and guardian instead of the life spent with you becoming the unique and wonderful colt he is, to say nothing of your own positive improvements. Do you expect now is any different? Believe me, Trixie, if there was anything we believed we could share with you without affecting safety and plans put into place long before the current day that many other plans are based on for Equestria to have its fighting chance against the perils of tomorrow - you will know. I realize you do not want to feel as if you are not in control of your life, but this is something we are all bound to, the Crown even moreso than you."
There's no righteousness in attacking them for doing their duty in protecting Equestria. No righteousness slamming them when, because of them, her life is amazing and wonderful and full of love. As part of the solution she's actually in less danger now than as a hapless and even less-informed civilian, too. The point of benevolent plotting royals is that what must be done is done, almost always in secrecy, to secure a good future for everyone, and without those well-intentioned plots and plans, there is NO future for everyone past a certain point. In cases with characters like we have in the Crown, they aren't even happy about it, but they recognize how important it is that things be done this way. They have more wisdom and experience than almost any character who could potentially complain about these practices. Which would be pointless anyway, because no doubt the other governments do worse and for less selfless reasons. Complaining when you've already got the best setup is absolutely silly. Like, seriously, first-world problems.
I really, really hope things don't go that way, and inarguable reason is brought to bear immediately. It's more than a little cliche to have the ones who can't possibly know better shout their heads off at the ones who do, backing them into a corner and demanding to have more than they should - usually getting their way. Frustrating when that's all I see in such situations. I mean, can you see it from that perspective of mine? I'm starting to hate when things go that way.
7761033
You have very valid points. However, I'm still expecting to see Trixie explode at least to some level. A) It's Trixie, she's still got a temper and she's still learning on controlling it, and B) she's been under a lot of stress. (And, yes, I know they all have, but if I was in Trixie's horseshoes I know I'd be blowing up whether they deserved it or not, but that's just me.)
However, it's all up to Kudzu now.
7761044
True, all we can do is lay down on the tracks and wait for the feels train.
7758799 In the beginning it was dark...then there was light....
I'm wondering if Grogar will step up his game now that his potential sorcerer is hidden from him. Perhaps Luna will safe guard Sumac's dreams from that old goat, and that the nightmares will happen less often. I just worry that Grogar will attempt to appear benevolent in his dreams, and Sumac will fall for it and not tell anyone. Your doing the fandom a service with your writing style, Kudz, and I eagerly await what the future holds for our gavorite equines.
Wait, so he was important... BEFORE they knew he was a sorcerer? There better be a good explanation for this!
7761775
Signs and portents pointed to Sumac being something interesting, but no one knew why, exactly.
Sort of like how the signs and portents showed that Twilight Velvet might have been the one, she was clearly important, but it was Twilight who ended up being The One.
7759576 Oh yeah? Well I am the eggman! I AM THE WALRUS!
COO COO K'CHOO!
Also I'm kinda now somehow picturing Grogar singing something like:
Just because of "Hush, child. The darkness will rise from the deep and carry you down into sleep."
The depths of space do teem with fine music
As Things outside and between sing and dance
Their song is terrible, Their dance violent
They watch Their dark pawn with rapt attention
And wait for him to claim power untold
Grogar, his name, the Goat of Vile Shadow
Student of the Outer Ones beyond us
His power is death, as is his reward
His shadow is with depth and grows from all
The pawn become King, sorcerer most high
Hi SPN. Nice to see you.