I was just lonely ...

by Rune Caster the First

A Dream … or a Memory

A fly came buzzing into the library, and alighted on Applejack’s muzzle. She blew it away with a snort, an annoyed look. Chrysalis had ended up sleeping through the rest of the day. The effects of the poison joke wore off three hours after they finished breakfast, bringing her original appearance back. The ponies had to admit that they’d liked the fangless, sparkly, cuter version of Chrysalis better than this one.

While they were waiting for Chrysalis to wake up, the Mane Six, Starlight and Spike all read through the Flutterpony book, looking for references. Twilight was the one who suggested it: implying that the cause or causes of Flutter Valley’s destruction might be in this book. But so far, they’d spent hours and hours on researching it (for Rainbow, the words: hours and research didn’t belong together) and nothing had come up. It was evening now, and the ponies were getting very tired and cross.

“Urgh, this is hopeless!” Rainbow cried. “We’ve been searching for answers for the demise of Flutter Valley for several hours, and what have we found? Nothing, none, non-existent. What’s worse is that that changeling hasn’t woken up yet!” Applejack who’d fallen asleep on her chair, jerked awake at the blue pegasus’s shouting.

“Consarnit, Rainbow!” said the irritated farm mare. “We’re doing our best, and Chrysalis is probably extremely tired: no doubt that’s why she’s still asleep.” She yawned. “We should probably all go to bed, it’s night-time right about now. Chrysalis will be awake tomorrow, no doubt.” There were various other yawns and murmurs of agreement from the other ponies (and dragon) in the library. Even Twilight was no longer interested in research.

The group of friends trooped out of the library, and to their respective sleeping places. Starlight, Twilight and Spike went to their bedrooms, hoping for a nice restful sleep.

But you should know that sometimes, you don’t get what you want.

Instead of a good dream or a state of dreamless rest, the Mane 6, Starlight and Spike found themselves in an utter wasteland. It seemed to be what remained of a valley. A sky full of clouds looked down upon an expanse of dry, rock-strewn, waterless soil. Gusting winds blew past the ponies, and made them shiver.

“Where are we?” whispered Twilight. The purple alicorn looked at her friends, who seemed to be equally confused.

“I have no idea.” The voice came from behind them. Twilight spun around, and then smiled as she saw the owner of the voice.

“Celestia! It’s you!” The white alicorn nodded, and smiled back. Another figure walked into view.

“Thorax?” Starlight said in surprise.

“Hey Starlight”, said the changeling leader. As one, they all turned and looked at their surroundings. Applejack scooped up some soil with one hoof, which promptly blew away.

“What is this Celestia-forsaken place?” she muttered.

“This … is a dream”, a deep and familiar voice said. Blue light flashed into existence as the princess of the night appeared in front of them. “It’s Chrysalis’s dream”, she continued, “I thought that it might be easier to speak to her here.”

“But then, where is she?” asked a bemused Fluttershy. Pinkie Pie, who in the meantime had been looking into the distance, suddenly pointed to her right.

“Isn’t that her over there?” An almost-hidden black figure could be seen sitting on the ground several metres away.

The alicorns, other ponies, and their friends slowly approached the dark changeling. The closer they got to Chrysalis, the more they could hear a strange, high-pitched sniffling sound. Starlight and Twilight were the first ones to reach the dark changeling. They then realised what the sound was. Sobbing. Chrysalis was crying quietly, her face all forlorn and full of despair.

“Why are you sad, Chrysalis”, the purple alicorn asked softly. The dark changeling’s expression instantly changed from sad to scowling. She turned her head around and looked at the ponies, other changeling, and dragon. Chrysalis seemed to be very frustrated with their presence in her dream.

“Go away!” she snapped. The group stayed where they were. Chrysalis then sighed in annoyance, and turned back. For a moment, complete silence reigned.

“What is this place?” said Starlight, looking around her at the land and sky.

“It’s a place of lost dreams, a hell that has stuck in my mind for the past millennia”, the dark changeling answered. A single tear slid down her cheek. “This is Flutter Valley.”

“What?!” cried the rest of the dreamers. Rarity especially, was horrified.

“How in Equestria could such an ugly place like this, be the beautiful paradise of Flutter Valley?” she said.

“It wasn’t ugly to start with”, Chrysalis said quietly. The former queen closed her eyes, and then suddenly the entire dreamscape around them rippled and shuddered.

“Um, Princess Luna”, said Starlight nervously. “Are you doing this?” she asked, looking desperately at the night princess for affirmation.

“I’m afraid not, Starlight.” Luna’s calm disposition was momentarily missing, you could tell that from her voice. “I’m not causing this, she is.” The dark blue pony princess pointed with one hoof at the still figure of Chrysalis.

The ground beneath their hooves shook as tufts of grass and flowers shot out of it. Trees sprouted up: turning from seedlings, to saplings, then full-grown trees. The many rocks and boulders on the ground lifted up and fixed themselves to the sides of the valley, making it taller. Animals and insects appeared out of nowhere and gambolled around the ponies and their friends. The wild winds died down to a single breeze, and the clouds parted to reveal clear blue skies and a summer sun. Ugly was now beauty.

The wasteland had become a paradise.

This was the real Flutter Valley.

Everyone was awed by the splendour around them. Their jaws had metaphorically dropped. Well, almost everypony’s. Fluttershy’s face had lit up in a big, happy grin. She seemed to be delighted by the abundance of nature in Flutter Valley. The yellow pegasus ‘awwwed’ at the cute animals dancing around and sniffed at the flowers. Celestia and Luna were happy too: they were back in their old friend’s home.

It was Rarity who broke out of her trance of astonishment, to see Chrysalis getting up and walking further into the valley. The white unicorn beckoned to her friends, before following the former queen. The rest of the group trailed after her. Starlight and Twilight were very, very interested in the surroundings.

“This is incredible”, Starlight said, marvelling at the sights around her.

“You’ve said it”, agreed Twilight, “Chrysalis must know dream magic well enough to change her dreamscape. I thought that Luna was the only pony to be powerful enough to change the world of dream. Unless it’s …” Some rabbits came bounding towards the two mages, and went straight through them.

“Aah!” the pink unicorn said in surprise.

“Yes! That confirms it,” Twilight exclaimed. “This isn’t so much a dream as a memory!” Everypony glanced at the purple alicorn when they heard that. “The valley, the animals, the flora … even them!” said Twilight, looking above them and pointing.

The group of friends’ gazes followed the direction of the purple princess’s pointing hoof and all went “Awwww…”

A couple of normal-sized ponies were flying overhead; but they were not pegasi. Their wings were similar to those of butterflies, only transparent and shimmering and sparkling. Looking around, the ponies and their friends saw many more of these ponies: playing games, talking, laughing, and just having fun.

“Everypony, I give you … the Flutterponies of Flutter Valley”, murmured Starlight, feeling awed.

Author's Note:

Enter the Flutterponies! Now we are looking back into the past, and seeing what happened to Flutter Valley.

Comments

[GamePlayer64]

I bet ponies are responsible for its destruction. My reason is when in life had ponies ever destroy something or steal for themselves?

[Wilddog88]

9201773
I think the flutterponies asked for help but the others with their own threat

[hopelessromantic33]

9201773
I say it was a mixture of the ponys and the griffens

[GamePlayer64]

9201855
I think you mean ‘They had their own threat to deal with’ I agree, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t use it the threat to commit crimes to make them innocent.

[AlphaRidley]

Starlight: Let me guess, your home?

Chrysalis: it was... and it was beautiful.

All joking aside it was a good chapter. I continue to like where the story is going and you keep leaving me pleasently surprised.

[Razzy]

I blame Discord.