Nº 6
Cadance's eyes opened, her vision being filled with the moonlit ceiling of her quarters. She stretched, rolling onto her back as she realized Shining's embrace was no longer around her. She peered over; he lay facing away from her, his hooves sprawled out before him. She smiled, rolling back onto her side. Beyond the open door to her tower's balcony lay the beautiful Equestrian countryside, the full moon casting a wonderful glow across everything. She stretched again, letting out a little moan. Sleep, for some reason, didn't call back to her. She lay idle for a moment, feeling more awake than she did after a proper night's sleep.
A thought bounced into her mind; Auntie Luna was up right now. It was certainly late, so it was quite possible that she's finished a lot of her work by now. Now would be the perfect time to spend time with her; Cadance had always wondered what she does in the middle of the night, anyway.
With that thought, Cadance carefully slid out of bed, her actions not disturbing Shining in the slightest.
Curiously, no voices could be heard from Luna's study as she approached. As she neared the door, the reason was discovered; it was shut. From a distance it had been impossible to tell, that side of the hall had no windows, and the windows adjacent to that side were angled away from the low hanging moon. Without her natural sense of where everything was it would have been nearly impossible to navigate the halls without casting a torch spell or carrying a lantern.
Cadance stepped up to the door, knocking gently a few times and waiting. No response came from within. She tried again to only get the same result. She looked up, seeing Luna's guards weren't hanging on their perches. After waiting a fair bit of time she finally decided to open the door to the study; slowly and carefully. The well-crafted door didn't make a peep as it allowed her inside, and as she stepped in, she found herself to be alone. The nearly pitch black room was absent of its staff. Making a little 'hm', Cadance continued on, bringing light to her horn as she stood at her end of the table for a moment.
"The papers..." She whispered, feeling a little more awake.
She closed the door to the study and began towards Luna's end of the desk, the white light from her horn revealing many different documents spread out around the work space. One in particular caught her eye; it was the 'proposition', still rolled up and tied with twine. With a knot in her stomach, she brought forth the paper, undoing its bow and unfurling it.
It was confusing at first. It was an extremely well-drawn draft of a generic part of the castle hall, and in that hall stood one of her guards below a banner adorned with Luna's cutie mark. It was entirely in pencil, and the artistry behind it was impressive to say the least. If it had a splash of color, it would be almost life-like. At the top of the page, written not with pencil, but with an ink pen, was the text; 'fig. 2 Lunar Cycle'.
"Figure 2... so where's 1?"
Cadance looked around more, seeing no scroll of the same type lying within the room. She looked back to the document held in her magic, her mind suddenly dropping pieces into place. The moon-bearing banner and the guard below appearing as Luna's guards do. It was a plan for decorating the halls of the castle after she... takes over? There had to be more of a story behind this simple document. Cadance returned the paper back to its original arrangement and placed it back on the desk.
Her mind now turned to that cabinet below Luna's desk; the leftmost one. She stood beside Luna's chair at the head of the table, crouching and shining her light below to see the arrangement of the several free-standing cabinets. Her breath caught as she opened the hinged door to that leftmost cabinet, and as it swung open, a healthy stack of scrolls revealed themselves. They were organized as a bee's honeycomb would be, minus the hexagonal aspect.
As her magic was about to take the topmost scroll, she paused. Her mind conflicted with itself. This was a total and absolute invasion of the most cherished thing a pony can have; privacy. But, was it for the greater good? Was this invasion to reveal a plot, one she would have to assist in stopping?
She took a deep breath. Forcing herself, she took that top scroll, and it tingled against her magic in a strange fashion. It slid loosely from the top of the pile before simply falling through her spell, leaving a tinge in her horn.
A blue strobe broke the room, magic crackling as Luna materialized a mere hooflenght from Cadance.
"Words serve nay justice, and eyes are not to be brought upon it." she spoke somewhat calmly, her expression a scowl and her ears flat with her head.
Cadance stammered sounds that she hoped would eventually form a response, her heart pounding in her chest.
"Why seek our recordings? Simple curiosity?"
"I-I... I'm seeking an answer." Cadance returned firmly, standing up.
Luna cocked her head, her gently glowing eyes narrowing. "Your dreams never speak mystery that requires answers... what do you truly seek?"
Cadance shut her eyes, groaning in annoyance. She always talked about dreams.
"I'm not looking for answers about dreams! I'm looking for the answer to my question; is my Auntie going to turn on the ones who love her and try to take Equestria for herself again!"
Cadance felt bravado grow in her chest as she stared down Luna, steeling herself as she expected the worst. She waited for her to change form into Nightmare Moon; to start cackling, proclaiming her plans, and what she'll do to those who oppose her.
What she got caused her bravado to fade. Luna's head lowered a bit, her ears remaining flat with her head and her angry scowl turning to what could only be described as a look of terror.
"W-what?" She muttered.
Cadance felt her heart hit the bottom of her chest. She was wrong in some way. That look told her that much. Luna's horn came alive in that eerie aura, her ears perking back up as she stared at Cadance.
"Thy thoughts see us as her again... why? w-we are not... her anymore! I-I never was, and shall not be again!"
Cadance stammered. "Y-You can see what I'm thinking!?"
"So loudly, and so clearly, do we hear thy mind's images! Tell us, please, niece; w-why doth thee see us as bad?!"
Panic took her mind from correcting her speech. Desperation and fear of herself and what she had been resonated through the glow of her eyes. Tears were beginning to well up.
"L-Luna..."
"We... I work hard to be good again."
"Luna, I'm sorry... I-I misunderstood you horribly-"
"What doth... do you not understand!? P-Please... you see me as the thing I detest the most... tell me why! History must not repeat! I-I do not feel like her again..." Luna stepped close to Cadance, her teary eyes glaring into Cadance's. "Why do you see me as her?!"
"I thought you were trying to take over again because I misunderstood what you've been doing! I looked at your proposition, and it made me think it was plans for once you've taken over, and I saw you transform that guard, and I thought you were going to build an army! You and Frolicsome Meadowlark kept saying how I should be nocturnal, and kept hinting at the future!" Cadance paused to gather her breath, Luna's expression a little calmer. "I... I don't know what you're doing... but I thought it was bad."
"My proposition... sister told me I should work on ways to make the night my own again... that is what my proposition is!"
Luna's magic called the paper forth, quickly opening it. "At night, banners will fall from the heights, and my own guards can stand beneath them! The guard stands below the moon, and that lets those who pass by see in the night I am watching over them! I weaved spells that, once sister's sun passes, make our Royal guard appear as my two do! My two guards stand for the night in their appearance, a-and I wanted our Royal guard to do the same!"
The paper was rolled back up, and Luna's pained eyes bore back at Cadance. "Evil lives not within me. Sister says so; and I am showing my ponies I am no longer here to bring fear."
Luna grunted as Cadance came forward and pulled her into a strong hug. "Luna, I'm so sorry... I-I assumed too many things. The way you kept hinting with the nocturnal thing... I thought-"
"We wished for your nocturnalility so you could ask me more questions."
Those words drove a dagger into Cadance's heart. She hugged Luna tighter.
"You ask me questions... nopony asks me questions."
"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to hurt you, Luna."
Luna whimpered, Cadance feeling her relax in her embrace.
"I... still don't understand a lot of things, Luna. These strange scrolls under your desk... what are they?" inquired Cadance as she released her auntie, stepping back and letting Luna compose herself.
"Recordings... if I understand my ponies, then they understand me. Sister says that."
Her voice was strangely quiet and soft. Seeing somepony she loved in so much distress hurt Cadance to no end.
"Recordings of what, though?"
"Dreams."
Cadance cocked her head back. "You... can see what ponies dream?"
"You did not know such things?"
"N-No, I had no clue! Auntie Celestia hasn't ever mentioned that to me!"
Luna walked past Cadance towards her chair, sitting down. "When I sleep, frames of the mind show themselves to me. I protect them from nightmares... and when I do, I record them."
Cadance looked to the scrolls inside the cabinet, now wishing a little less to actually see one.
"I understand nightmares."
"Well... what about that weird black aurora your magic sometimes makes?"
"Passage. I enter sleep while waking. Therefore, while in the distance, I see what nightmares I remember. I can record them with accuracy."
Cadance held her gaze with Luna's for a second before looking away, her mind still processing this information.
"Thoughts and dreams are one together. They are no different. As I see dreams, I hear thoughts."
"I had no clue you had the ability to do all of this..."
"Many don't."
Cadance looked down to the cabinet. "So... when I asked about these the first time around, why'd you say that you couldn't explain, and that I couldn't see them?"
"Words serve nay justice, and still do not. You know but the surface. Layers upon layers to this exist, and words express nothing of how beautiful it all is. These recordings; I am trusted with them. They are not mine to behold, neither yours. They belong to who's mind created them."
"Do you have any... recordings of my dreams?"
Luna chuckled. "Thou- you are too happy for nightmares. No paper in this room holds the frames of your mind."
"What about Shining Armor?"
"Aye." Luna held up a hoof, anticipating Cadance's next words. "He may see it if he so chooses, and he may tell you of it. You may not behold it. Understand; the recordings are more than private. They are sacred."
Cadance huffed. "This is all just... so strange."
"Words serve nay justice."
"Yeah, you're right about that."
Again, Cadance looked away from Luna. "I... I'm sorry I ever thought you'd be evil again. You're just a little... hard to understand sometimes, Auntie."
"My mind is not healthy, niece. Sister knows that. A mind doing such things as mine cannot be healthy." Luna smiled, her ear flicking.
Luna laughed at the uneasy expression now on Cadance's face. "Unhealthy does not mean insane, dear niece. I am far from insanity."
"I... never said you were insane."
"You do not know that you did."
"What, did you read my thoughts again?"
"I read your expression. Words are but a formality, niece. One speaks more with themselves than they do their tongue."
Cadance took a breath in, not quite knowing what to say next. "Uh, well... you aren't upset with me, are you?"
Luna chuckled. "I do not get upset. You did not understand my sayings... that is understandable. Sister does understand me well, for she is as I am."
"She... can see dreams, too?"
Luna smiled, her hoof coming up from her seat and resting idly on the table. "Nay; she is different minded! Age as deep as hers is something one cannot walk through and leave unscathed."
Cadance chuckled as she sat down at her usual place across from Luna. "I always thought Auntie Celestia was a little weird, as well."
"An age old affliction of the mind affects you, young niece." returned Luna, her eyes closed and her wings half-spread.
"And... that is?"
"Fear of the unknown. Mask it how you will; tis fear none the less. You proclaim our sister to be weird, and imply I too am weird. You have made assumptions about my actions on this token, and in those assumptions, assumed me to be 'evil'. Fear of the unknown."
Cadance stammered, feeling a little small in her seat. "W-Well, I mean, everything lined up real-"
Luna held up her hoof, her eyes still closed and her wings still spread.
"Fear of the unknown. You were afraid of me, aye?"
"In a way... I suppose so."
Luna nodded.
"I... see what you mean, but how do I... not fear what I don't know?"
Luna's eyes opened, her calm expression now a smile. "I am still yet to find out, dear niece."
Stats
Page generated in 0.016 seconds
Total duration
975 users online
61,678 hits today, 2,244,100 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.®
7912325
7912041
7909711
7909742
Just to inform you all, Chapter 6, which is essentially the end, is published. There's a small epilogue following within the next few hours.
This was a good chapter.
I figured that some of the scrolls were for a day to night transformation, but the other scrolls being nightmare recording surprised me. Pretty cool. Looking forward to the epilogue.
7914827 Now I gotta add a 'spoilers in comments' thing!
Also, thank you for your comments, and for reading! The Epilogue will be out tomorrow; around noon or so.
7914872 Yeah, she's a weirdo. Thanks for commenting, by the way. I look forward to seeing you finish things!
This was a great short story! I love how you portrayed Luna. I'll admit for a little while I suspected Luna was plotting something. I feel so guilty now XD
7915103 It's not over yet! The Epilogue will be out tomorrow! Also, thank you for saying so. I had fun writing it, and I'm glad you enjoyed it!
7915114 Oh, there's more? Awesome! I love your writing style. I'll be sure to come back tomorrow and read the rest!
7915122 Well, if you like my work, you should consider following my page. I've got more stories on the way soon!
7915153 Already did! Your "My Only Sunshine" story was actually the reason I made a FIMFiction account in the first place. I look forward to more stories! (Speaking of My Only Sunshine, I'm going to go back to reading that now... Chapter 7 Act 3 awaits!)
7915161 Really? I... had no clue. That's extremely flattering that you made an account just for that story! Well, I await a comment on your thoughts... and feelings, once you complete My Only Sunshine. If you're only on Act 3, you've got a ride before you.
Hehe, I'll be sure to start leaving comments now that I actually have an account! *grabs popcorn* this is gonna be good...
where is the epilogue?
7915521 Coming tomorrow.
This was a good story, I thoroughly enjoyed it for it felt as an episode of MLP: FiM
7915610 SOMEONE FINALLY GOT IT! That's how I've been writing my shorter stories, and someone noticed!
Also, thank you for reading and commenting! The Epilogue will be out tomorrow, so be sure to come back!
7914844 Fixed! i forgot about that.
Wow. That wss nice, how you managed to type everything together. I'm liking your version of Luna. Here's hoping that her plans come to fruition and the ponies see her as Celestia's equal.
Two errors, though:
It should say: "Why dost thou see us as bad?"
Homophone error and missing words:
"They belong to the one whose mind created them."
8407132
Thamk you much for reading, and thanks for spotting those errors! Still trying to hone that 'olde speak' with Luna. You'd think I'd have it down after a year of writing her, lol.
Also, consider following me, because the next story Im writing is a quasi-sequel to this, and will delve further into Luna as a character... Much further.