11 - Sharing Fears
The restaurant they had picked had a lovely outdoor dining area and an intriguing aesthetic. The main reason they had went for it, though, was the positively wonderful smell that drew Tone Shift to a total stop on the sidewalk. His mouth watered and he approached with the complete intention of buying and devouring whatever was making the heavenly aroma.
He made a sound choice. The food, from his perspective was fantastic. Luster ordered something cheap and simple to save face but also to keep Tone Shift from running out of the bits he had allowed for the day. There was some soft and soothing piano music coming from the interior of the establishment, played live by a mare who clearly had a passion for the instrument.
Luster took a hesitant bite out of her dish, a simple enough plate with a small line of muffins on one side and a brick-shaped bundle of hay. She decided to tackle the hay first, as that would be the biggest thing her physical stomach would try to eject and if she were to throw up, she didn’t want to have too much stuff in there. The mess would be awful and the attention even more so.
Across the table from her, Tone was devouring his meal, a substantial double hayburger with cheese with a sizable amount of salad with apple slices on the side of the dish. He gave a pleased hum and delighted shudder as he ate good food for the first time in days. He had food at his home in Ponyville, but it was usually not very good when he was between contracts.
Luster forced herself to swallow the hay in her mouth, an audible ‘gulp’ sounding from her as her throat tried to evict the offending visitor, but it was too late. She gave a subtle gag before shaking her head. “Remind me to never blend in at a pony restaurant again.”
“It was your idea to do that, remember?” Tone quipped with a smile, pointing at her with a leaf of salad before eating that, too.
“Yes, and if I ever go insane enough to make the suggestion, break my spine.” Luster seethed through an involuntary twitch of her system. “Uuugh… the indigestion is going to be terrible.”
“Yeah, it will. Luckily, I’m here to make sure you don’t get to suffer through it alone.” Tone said, expecting a sarcastic remark as soon as he said it. When none came, he paused, his mouth open and the hayburger floating mere inches from it. Come on, give me the punch line so I can bite this burger, would ya? he thought to himself.
“...Thanks.”
Tone bit his own tongue in response, letting out a sharp hiss and sucking the appendage back into his mouth. “Ack! Whuth?” he asked with his tongue not quite working right.
“I said thanks. Having someone wanting to help is… comforting, if nothing else.” Luster said hesitantly, poking the table idly with her forehoof. Tone blinked, his agonized tongue forgotten for the moment.
“Wow… I wasn’t expecting that as a response.” Tone said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head before returning to his burger.
“...But it’s the sort of response you’ve been wanting on for a long while, isn’t it?” Luster guessed, causing Tone to glance at her before finishing his mouthful of burger.
“What?”
“Tone, don’t play dumb with me. I can see it in your posture, hear it in your voice and the way you talk to me. I can see it in the air for crying out loud. You care about me; see me as a friend...” Luster trailed off, turning her eyes down and flattening her ears against her head. “Even though you know who and what I truly am…”
Tone looked at her with a slightly surprised, but also thoughtful look on his face. He sighed and set his burger down before glancing around to make sure nopony was too close to eavesdrop before leaning over to Luster somewhat.
“Chrysalis… let me be clear, here. You are my friend. I like to think that it’s possible, at least. Because I don’t care how you look. Your face doesn’t matter. You do.” he said before poking her gently in the chest with his hoof. “And you needed my help. I gave it. And the more time I spent around you, the more I saw in you. You’ve been through a lot, Chrysalis, and you’ve done a lot. Almost none of it was good, but that doesn’t have to define who you are.” Tone sat back and gave a soft smile. “I’ll be honest, I want to help you turn things around. I want to see your face when you realize that there is such an amazing and beautiful being underneath that chitin, just waiting for you to set her free. I want to see you happy, just like I do for all of my friends.”
A silence fell between them as Chrysalis let his words sink in. She closed her eyes and sighed. “The sentiment is touching, Tone, even if I feel you are a fool for believing it.” For several minutes, she remained silent, allowing him to finally return to his food. Then, she opened her eyes and looked at him tentatively. “What was your nightmare about?”
Tone stiffened before slumping slightly, swallowing the last of his burger before making the salad front and center. “You noticed?”
“You were thrashing and panicking in your sleep. Pretty hard to miss for me, being a light sleeper and all.” Luster pointed out before nibbling on some more of the hay on her plate, doing her best to ignore the protests of her stomach.
“I… I dreamt that you were found out. That for some reason your disguise failed in the middle of Ponyville. Everything went into chaos. Ponies either ran to hide or to get Princess Twilight, Starlight or the rest of their friends.” Tone closed his eyes and shivered at the memory. “I tried to convince anypony I could that you weren’t going to hurt them, but nopony would listen. Princess Twilight and her student showed up and… and they…”
Luster couldn’t help but wilt slightly at seeing how he was shaking at the memory of what was only a bad dream. Tone sucked in a breath before continuing. “They started to drag you away, sometimes hitting you with magic to keep you from fighting back… the crowds were holding me back, preventing me from trying to help you.”
“I… I’m sorry, Tone Shift. That must have been horrible.”
“It’s strange, though…” Tone continued with curiosity gradually slipping in to replace his fear and anxiety. “When it was at it’s worst, it seemed to suddenly go… calm? I guess? I don’t know. It was like everypony just went quiet and slowly retreated back to their homes. I remember that I began to feel pleasant… but I don’t remember what happened after that.”
“That must have been caused by a simple calming spell I cast on you. It seemed like a pretty nasty nightmare and, well, you came to this city to do a job. Hard for you to do that if you’re half asleep because a nightmare woke you up in the middle of the night.” Luster said almost casually before noticing the look Tone was giving her.
“I appreciate it, Luster. Thank you.” Tone said quietly and honestly, reaching a forehoof over to grab one of hers on the table. Luster flinched and jerked her hoof away at the contact, causing him to recoil with an apologetic look. “Sorry, sorry!”
Luster didn’t say anything, merely shooting him a mildly annoyed glare before looking away, her face hidden from him by her mane. With an awkward silence now hanging in the air, Tone went about finishing his meal. Luster ate what she could stomach of hers, which in the end was simply the muffins on the side and one more bite of hay. Once all was paid for, they began to make their way back towards the hotel.
* * * * * * *
Tone Shift shook his head slightly to cast away a fogginess that had come over his mind. He was back in Ponyville, out on the streets. Luster was by his side, an uncharacteristically warm smile on her face. Tone didn’t even bother to think about how they had gotten here, or why. It never even occurred to him that they weren’t in Baltimare anymore. For what felt like an eternity, he just enjoyed the feelings of being home with Luster by his side, walking through the streets and occasionally making small talk.
A breeze was starting to pick up. Tone looked around for the source but saw nothing. There wasn’t even a single cloud in the sky, let alone the weather teams putting any sort of wind front into motion. Suddenly, for only a second, the breeze turned into a powerful gust that almost ripped Tone Shift off of his hooves. He closed his eyes to shield them from the intensity of the wind, then cracked them open when it stopped.
“Gah! T-Tone Shift!” Luster wheezed from his side, her voice filled with pain and effort. Tone looked towards her and his eyes widened. Flickers of green fire were starting to appear on her body against her will, gradually dissolving the disguise to reveal Queen Chrysalis beneath. She let out an agonized gasp as the disguise was finally ripped away in it’s entirety, her legs giving out under her weight. She fell to the ground in a heap, gasping for breath.
“What the?! Chrysalis! Are you alright?!” Tone half shouted, kneeling next to her. She was clearly not okay. She was trembling violently and her eyes were bloodshot and dilated. Her breathing was uneven and ragged, coming in deep and desperate gasps. “What’s happening?!”
“Chrysalis!” Another voice came onto the scene, angry and bitter. Tone looked up to see Princess Twilight Sparkle, Princess Celestia, Princess Cadance and also Starlight Glimmer approaching, all of them wearing hardened expressions. It had been Starlight that had made the shout.
“No! Wait!” Tone pleaded desperately, putting himself between the advancing princesses and the weakened Chrysalis. “Please! Just hear me out!”
“Stand aside! I don’t intend to let this insect walk away a third time after everything she’s put me and my family through!” Cadance snarled, her horn lighting up and throwing Tone Shift off to one side with enough force to knock the wind out of him.
“Guards! She’s here!” Celestia announced loudly, her words echoing across all of Ponyville. The area was swarming with royal guards in only a matter of seconds, many of whom went for Chrysalis in order to detain her. No small amount of disgust could be seen in their advance, insults and strikes thrown at the former Queen en masse.
“Please, don’t hurt her!” Tone screamed in despair, getting to his hooves only to be knocked back to the ground by a guard tackling him.
“You have been housing and protecting an enemy of Equestria! You are under arrest!” The guard snarled at him, a horn on his head igniting with magic and pulling a set of hoof cuffs out, the chains rattling ominously in Tone’s ears.
“Please! Stop this! Don’t do this! Stop! PLEASE!!” Tone screamed at the top of his lungs, wanting nothing more than all of this to just stop!
Suddenly, all went cold and quiet. A soft, soothing breeze passed over him, making him open his eyes, which he had closed in fear. Everypony was gone, night seeming to have abruptly replaced the afternoon. He slowly got to his hooves and took a deep breath. “What is going on… is this…?”
“A dream? Yes, it is, Tone Shift. And it’s contents raise a great many questions.” came the unmistakable voice of Princess Luna. Tone Shift felt his ears go flat against his head, the blood draining from his face. He slowly turned, praying he was wrong, but he wasn’t. Princess Luna stood maybe ten feet away with an unreadable look. She began to advance.
“There is a great deal of fear in this dream. Fear, tension and worry. The presence of Queen Chrysalis and your immediate decision to rush to her aid when she became weakened makes some interesting possibilities known. I, for one, would like to hear your explanation.” She said simply, trotting towards him and coming to a stop right in front of him, looking down with a scrutinizing gaze.
Tone wilted under her gaze before looking down. “...I doubt it would matter if I lied, would it? You’d be able to tell.”
“Correct.”
Tone blew out a puff of air before looking back up. “Then I’ll be blunt. Queen Chrysalis has been hiding in my home for a little while now, because I saved her life when she was on her last leg. I… I’ve come to see her as a friend in that time. I’m trying to think of a way to get the ponies of Equestria to give her a chance, but…” he trailed off, looking down.
“...But you are afraid that any efforts made will be meaningless if she is discovered before you can put the plan into motion, yes?” Luna guessed correctly, earning a solemn nod and sigh from Tone Shift.
“Please, don’t tell anypony she’s with me!” Tone pleaded, looking back up at Luna with his ears flat against his head. “I don’t want to see her suffer anymore. There’s a real chance here, a chance to make her happy and get her to coexist with us peacefully…But if she is discovered too soon, we’ll lose that chance forever.”
Luna looked at him with narrowed eyes and a thin frown, though she seemed to be contemplating what he said. Without a word, she turned her head slightly, her horn lighting up with blue magic. The world around them blurred and twisted before reforming. Tone looked around and realized that they were now in a forest somewhere. He did not recognize this location, but he did recognize the form of Chrysalis facing away from him not far off.
“What is-”
“The night you first met her. That’s what this is.” Luna interrupted him before the magic faded from her horn and the scene around them began to move. Chrysalis was peering through the treeline at something out of their sight, and it was now the middle of the day.
“But… I met Chrysalis at night in the everfree.” Tone said with confusion, looking back to Luna questioningly. “When was this?”
Luna merely motioned her head to Chrysalis, and Tone turned just in time to see her disappear in a flash of teleportation magic. For a second, there was silence. Then, she returned in another flash, carrying a stunned and panicking Tone Shift in her forelegs. The two came to a stop, Tone looking at her and opening his mouth to scream in terror.
He didn’t make a sound, however. Chrysalis cast a spell that seemed to still his vocal chords. All he could do was thrash and breath as Chrysalis pinned him down and opened her mouth. Tone widened as he saw Chrysalis drain his past self of love energy, forcefully pulling it right out of his chest and sucking it up in one continuous stream. He saw his past self thrashing and struggling, but steadily growing weaker.
Finally, Chrysalis let up, dropping her spells and stepping back from Tone Shift, who gasped and groaned dryly, rolling over weakly in an effort to crawl away. Chrysalis merely snarled at him. “I’m not through with you yet!” She snapped venomously, stamping a forehoof between his shoulders and pinning him there. Were he not so drained, he would have screamed. All that came out was a strangled whimper.
Chrysalis lit her horn up once more, a line of magic moving from the horn to Tone Shift’s head. He let out a sigh and fell still, the world starting to blur away as Chrysalis turned to look at something unseen.
The scene melted away and was soon replaced with the edge of the everfree forest on a cloudy night. Tone blinked as he realized this was the night he remembered finding Chrysalis, wounded and starving. He looked to Luna for answers.
“What we just saw was the very first time you met Chrysalis. She erased the memories as thoroughly as she was able, though your heart held traces enough for me to put together a rough recreation.” she explained, before nodding to the scene before them. “And this is the night you saved her…”
“Luna, why are you showing me these? I already know everything past this point.” Tone asked seriously, looking at the moon princess sincerely.
“Merely so that I can be properly informed of the situation. I may be able to see the images your mind and heart remember and infer the feelings and intentions attached to each, but nopony knows you like yourself. I am hoping you can provide some insight for me as I run through some key moments.” Luna answered before allowing the scene to play out before them, falling silent so they could observe.
“Oh my goodness, you’re hurt! You need help!”
“Stay away from me!”
“You need help. Please, let me take you to the clinic. It’s the least I can do-”
“Absolutely NOT! I’d sooner die here than be subjected to them! Or anymore of you! You should just turn around and forget you ever saw me! You need to… just…”
“Do you remember me…?”
* * * * * * *
It seemed to take hours, even though Luna only touched on what she considered to be events of particular note. She would play an event and when it was over she would spend a good while asking Tone various questions about why he did what he did, or why he acted the way he acted. He answered all of her questions completely and honestly, hoping with all of his heart that he could convince her to hold off on sending in a guard squad.
Finally, Luna played back the scene at the restaurant where Tone and Luster had spoken to each other of his nightmare and his growing affections towards her as a friend. She watched in intently, but said nothing when it finally ended. For a few moments, she wore a thoughtful expression.
Tone Shift blinked and found himself back where he was when Luna had first entered his dream. He rubbed his eyes with a foreleg and glanced around for her. Luna was standing where she had been before, now wearing a charmed smile.
“I must admit, Tone Shift, what I saw and heard tonight was… heart warming, in a way. You may yet have a chance to succeed in this endeavor of yours.”
“So, you won’t tell anypony about her?” Tone asked, perking up with hope in his voice.
“Your secret will be safe with me, unless events transpire in such a way that I am obligated to reveal it. I hope you won’t disappoint me on this. You have an enormous opportunity for not just yourself, but for Equestria…. And for Chrysalis.” Luna said with a her smile widening somewhat. She turned, the dream beginning to dispel around them.
“Thank you so much, your highness.” Tone sighed with relief and gave a deep bow. Luna came to a stop a few paces into her walk and looked back at him with a knowing smirk.
“You are welcome. Although, I must admit there is still one thing i am curious about…” She turned to face him more fully, earning a tilt of his head.
“What would that be?”
“Are you sure you see Chrysalis as a friend?” Luna asked, putting emphasis on the word ‘friend.’
Tone recoiled at her words as though offended. “What? Of course! I wouldn’t be doing any of this if I thought less of her than that!”
“Of course, Tone Shift. You misunderstand my question.” Luna said as the dream truly began to dissolve. She began flapping her wings and began to lift towards the full moon behind her. “I merely ask you if ‘friend’ is the right way to describe how you feel towards her. Give it some thought…”
She vanished into the moon, and the dream ended.
* * * * * * *
Tone Shift awoke with a start in his hotel bed. It was morning. He needed to start getting ready to head down to the recording studio, actually. He glanced over at Luster’s sleeping form on the bed across the room from his. Slowly and quietly, he moved on to the bathroom to use the facilities and shower for the day.
As he went about the routine, he couldn’t help but wonder about what Luna had said. While in the shower, he closed his eyes as the soap and shampoo gradually was rinsed out of his coat.
“What do I think of her…?” he pondered aloud before opening his eyes and shutting off the shower, the last of the suds having been washed away.
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Or, you know, tonight could be a good time to post the next chapter, I suppose.
A vary good chapter and at the same time the kind of chapter to just pause and think about.
I personally will not revel my thoughts about ware I think this is going as I will not give out a possible spoiler.
but I will say I love how this story feels and how it reads it flows really well.
8036176 Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
D'awwww ~ they're so cute together.
Ah, this is what I like, a sensible Luna.
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And the ship Luna all but pointed out is sailing right in front of his snout.
8037525 Indeed. Get all the facts in order to avoid jumping to the wrong conclusion.
This is slowly becoming my favorite chaingling story.
Mister Skijarama thank you for writing this and keep up the good work.
8040146 Sadly it is going to be a while before I can tackle this again. I have a computer I need to replace and need to prioritize getting paid for any work I can get.
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March 24th: "Sadly it is going to be a while before I can tackle this again."
March 26th: posts 2 new chaptes
If this is your definition for "a while" please take all the time in the world
But seriously, this is amazing and thank you for each and every word, sentence, paragraph, and chapter that you put out. Even if we have to wait longer than "a while" I'm sure it will be worth the wait
.
pinkie.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/rsz/mlfw10515_small.jpg
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If a massive object is moving right in front of your nose, you can often have a hard time seeing it for what it is. You often need the help of a new perspective to see it, or you're left to see what it was once it has finally passed by and has moved far enough away.
Hey, that almost sounded intelligent!
It's not really about what you think, it's about what you feel. Neither quite understand that fully yet...
oh B U C K
Bad Luna! That's Cadance's job.
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Eh, but Cadence was probably quite literally sleeping on that job, given the hour. And Luna's job is to take up the slack from the other princesses during the night...
Halfway through this chapter I imagined things going in several different directions...
Option 1:
Option 2: