Memoir of Misery

by Silvak

Chapter VI: Dream

"So Fluttershy actually stared down a cockatrice without turning into stone?"

"Indeed darling. While I knew about the potency of her 'stare', I'll admit I'm quite surprised that it was strong enough to overwhelm that fiend," Rarity said as she took a sip of her tea. It was a few days after Twilight's cloud experiment, where she had chosen to leave Sapphire to her own devices. This was mainly due to the concern that after being terrorized by her nephophobia three times already, there was the fear of the possibility it might have lasting health effects if she was pushed any further.

"As amazing as that was, I'm more amazed that the Crusaders thought about going into the Everfree Forest just to find a chicken. They do know it's dangerous, right?" Sapphire asked as she ate her eleventh biscuit. She was visiting Rarity's place for the evening, having a nostalgic desire to visit her close friend.

"Remember when they assembled that dreadful trebuchet, dear?" Rarity countered as she quirked her eyebrow.

"...Point taken," Sapphire replied as she took a sip of her tea.

"Now, enough about Fluttershy. How have you been dear, since the last time we talked?" Rarity asked.

"Well, things been fine, making progress with my studies... oh! I received a letter from Photo Finish, requesting me to go to Fillydelphia for a photo shoot and another fashion show. She said that I'm becoming a hit with the fashion crowd, to the point that a couple of fashion lines want to see me in their latest 'thin mare' style line," Sapphire answered, doing air hooves when she said the words 'thin mare', which caused Rarity to frown.

"Sapphire, dear, why did you have to do... those 'air hooves' there?" Rarity asked, placing emphasis on the word air hooves by raising her voice a bit.

"Umm... well... Rainbow does it wh—" Sapphire started to answer before Rarity placed a hoof on her lips.

"That's all I needed to hear dear, and let me tell you that it wouldn't be proper for you to pick up Rainbow's mannerisms. It is simply... impolite to do such things," Rarity explained before removing her hoof from Sapphire's frowning muzzle.

"But if it's impolite to do that, why then does Rainbow do it?"

"Well, let's just say that Rainbow doesn't have the same social standards as those of the upper class do," Rarity replied, causing Sapphire to tilt her head in confusion.

"But wait, since I'm of a wild pony background, doesn't that mean that I shouldn’t be acting like the upper class then?" Sapphire countered.

"Well, that is just your background dear. You're part of the fashion industry now, so you should learn to act like a prim and proper mare. It will help you get endorsements from the nobility, which could lead you to having fashion shows in Canterlot itself," Rarity answered. "On the topic of your career, has Photo sent any word on allowing you to wear some of my finest works?"

Shaking her head solemnly, Sapphire responded, "Sadly, she said that isn't an option right now. This photo shoot and the later fashion show will be featuring dresses from a very specific fashion line and there won't be an opportunity for me to wear a dress from another party." Seeing Rarity's dipping down in disappointment, Sapphire added, "But... she hasn't seen some of your dresses yet, and she is interested in coming to Ponyville someday in order to, as she would say, 'inspect the home of ze new upstart!' So maybe when she comes over, you might be able to show off something that catches her eye?"

Letting out a sigh, Rarity replied, "I suppose that's better than nothing. Shame that I couldn't get at least one of my dresses photographed, but it is what it is," before she placed both of her hooves on the table, raising herself up as she continued, "But when Photo Finish comes to Ponyville, I will wow her with my designs to where she can't resist the urge to take pictures of my work!"

Giving Rarity a bit of a forced smile, Sapphire said, "Alright Rarity... but can we return to having tea?" as she added ten more biscuits to her plate, causing Rarity to cock an eyebrow at her. "...What?"

"Nothing dear, nothing at all," Rarity answered as she returned to her seat before calmly taking another sip of her tea, to Sapphire's confusion of her sudden change in mood.

---

"Fare thee well, Sapphire. Until our next session," Luna declared as she took flight, flying through a door that suddenly appeared in mid-air, closing after the alicorn went through.

Watching the door vanish before her, Sapphire lit her horn up, changing the scenery from the memory hall to her home. Smiling to herself as she turned around, she shrieked in fright as she beheld the greenish monster's head, staring at her once more as fumes were pouring out of it’s maw. On instinct, Sapphire ran to the nearest table, only to stop when a voice cried out, "Oh for the love of... are you really that much of an utter disappointment?"

Jerking her head up, Sapphire squeaked out, "What? Who said that?" Rotating her head around rapidly, she couldn't spot anything. However, she did notice that the monster's head was frozen.

"The more important question you should be asking is why you're such a coward," the voice said, one that Sapphire recognized to be the one that spoke to her prior to the mysterious message appearing in her text. The voice sounded like several mares speaking at once, yet Sapphire could practically feel the disdain in each of their voices.

Looking about still, Sapphire responded, "Wait... you're the voice th—"

"Yes yes, I spoke to you when you were sitting on your rump, reading that book," the voice interrupted, echoing all around Sapphire, preventing her from pinpointing its source. "Talk about calling out the obvious."

"W-Who are you? Why are you doing this?" Sapphire cried out, still backing towards the table behind her in case she needed to use it for cover.

"...Really? Are you really stuttering and about to hide behind that table like a chicken? Grow a backbone already, jeeze."

"That... that doesn't matter. Answer my questions!" Sapphire yelled, though her body was still quivering at the thought of confronting the owner of the voice.

"Wow, you're growing a spine, or this is a fluke?" the voice said, it’s echoing stopping as it sounded like it was coming from one direction, allowing Sapphire to turn her head towards it’s source, which shadowed a portion of the room. "Oh well, might as well give you a prize," the voice said as it came out of the shadows, revealing it to be some kind of glowing, blue cloud with dark blue spots drifting about. It’s two blue eyes centered in the cloud, glowing brighter than the rest of it’s body. Her pupils widening in fear, Sapphire started to back away again, before the eyes moved about as if it was rolling it’s eyes. "Seriously? I reveal myself and you act like that? How haven't you died from terror yet?"

"Well... w-why shouldn't I be afraid?" Sapphire shot back as she got behind the table, eliciting another eye roll from the creature.

"Cause this is a dream. So, the only real harm that I can do to you would just be in your mind, which I don't plan on doing," the being said as it drifted over to a sofa, appearing to take a seat in it.

"And why should I believe that? Especially after you messed with my head a couple weeks ago?"

"Simple, your cowardice will damage your mind for me if I ever want to mess with your noggin," the creature said, before looking at itself. "Though I will admit, looking like this isn't doing you any favors," it continued before the cloud shifted, changing shape until it took on the rough form of an alicorn similar in size to Luna. "Is this better now, or do you need something soft and cuddly like a bunny?"

"You don't have to be so mocking..." Sapphire muttered, causing the cloud being to quirk an eyebrow at her. "So... just what are you? Who are you?"

"What, I can't say, but who? You can call me Veritas for now," the being said as it lounged on the dream couch. Even though it was in the shape of a pony, it’s muzzle didn't move whenever it spoke.

"What do you mean you can't tell me what you are?" Sapphire asked, sticking her head a bit further out from the table.

"Cause you have to earn the privilege to know what I am. I'm not one for being an open book to a spineless pony," Veritas answered.

"'Earn the privilege'? Why do I need to do that for something that is tormenting me?!" Sapphire shot back as she pointed a hoof at Veritas. "I rather just get rid of you instead!"

"Oh, the little pony is starting to bite back, but I wonder if it's all bark instead of bite," Veritas casually said as she waved a hoof around in the air. "But how do you plan to get rid of me, hmm? Luna already scanned your mind once before, and found nothing out of the ordinary. So let me tell you a little secret. I was here before said scan."

Eyes widening, Sapphire could only utter out, "You-you're lying!"

"Whether you believe me or not, it's your call. Go ahead and have Luna check your mind again, you'll find out that I was telling the truth," Veritas countered as she laid back on the sofa, her forelegs right behind her head as she took a smug posture.

Staring at Veritas, Sapphire asked, "Then why are you doing all of this? If you're aren't out to harm me, at least answer that."

Shrugging, Veritas replied, "Sure, no harm in that. I'm just here to be a nuisance whenever I feel like it."

Giving the creature a deadpanned expression, Sapphire said in a neutral tone, "You're just here... to annoy me?"

"Eh, more or less. But that's cause you're a failure, or at least compared to what you once was."

Blinking, Sapphire exclaimed, "You knew who I was?"

"Yes and no. I just know what kind of pony you're meant to be. But your past? I don't have anything to give you, at least for now," Veritas replied before she shifted her head so that she could stare Sapphire down, causing her to back up a bit. "But I will tell you this much, I'm here to see if you could even become a faint shadow of the mare you were. I can tell you that the real Sapphire was a mare to be respected, and even if you're lacking her memories, a bit of who she was should still be present in you. Maybe that's why I'm here, to get you back on the right bucking path. Or maybe I'm here because you're just so messed up in the head that it's producing figments of your imagination that are strong enough to affect your mind in the waking world. Regardless, one thing that can be said for certain, I'm not going away anytime soon."

Comments

[The Watcher Face]

Yo, nice chapter.

[ppg1998]

I can't wait until that... "insert future explanation for blue thing sapphire's head here" gets too eat those words and is sapphire turns out better then the mare she use to be!

[Kevin Lee]

Sapphire: "Veritas...Veritas...I've heard that name before."
Veritas: "Of course you have, my dear."
Sapphire: "You wouldn't by any chance be related to a Queen, Teague, Swann, or Luthor?"
Veritas: "ohbuckme! sheknowstoomuch!"

[DerpyDucks]

Why is this a sequel? There was literally no reason to start a new story. Nothing was resolved in the last story, hell there wasn't even an ending it felt like just another chapter.

[Fabian Corcair]

7873877 It look like a cliffhanger to me

[Greatazuredragon]

"What, I can't say, but who? You can call me Veritas for now,"

Truth huh? I got the feeling he is part of her own subconscious given form.

"What do you mean you can't tell me what you are?" Sapphire asked, sticking her head a bit further out from the table.
"Cause you have to earn the privilege to know what I am. I'm not one for being an open book to a spineless pony," Veritas answered.

Either that, or her Zanpaktou!
a3.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/3/8fed878f59eb404a9a1f39dc0f5d44ab/l.jpg

Nice chapter.

[Golden Fang Ryu Shenron]

Who are those voices inside Sapphire’s head?