• Published 1st Aug 2017
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Once More, with Feeling - Amaranthine Thought



The first chance was little more than a frail shadow. Now, she has a chance. Now, she can do it again. Ponies need to be saved and Twilight Sparkle is just the pony to do so.

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Chapter 11: Fever Dreams

A hunger like no other. It demanded satisfaction, ravaging body and mind, will broken down until it was soothed by the warmth.

An addiction. An addiction to the warmth, wearing away inhibitions. More makes it better. Power that came with it, stolen strength and life. Live forever from other’s life.

A curse, a pain in the blood. Urges uncontrollable, desires not your own. A mind that overpowers your own, urges that come with the hunger, and take control. You are the puppet, and waking in the act, the addiction keeps you there.

And the children. So many children. So precious. So beautiful. They are everything. Their smiles and laughs, they are the light. The light in the darkness, the purity in the blood.

Twilight saw it as if in a fever. So many children, every one dependent. Always hungry, so many mouths to feed, but it was done. They grew safe and strong, and they were taught.

Images, glittering eyes in the dark. Fangs snapping, the hiss of hunger. Dark places, large caves. Safe places.

Children growing up, and leaving. So sad, but impossible to prevent. Such is life. Seen off with as much could be spared.

Most images were foggy, but some were vivid. Some came with emotions.

Blood, blood everywhere, staining stone. Dead griffons.

A frightened colt, two frightened colts. Normal. Then happy, black, fanged, their eyes red, tiny wings on them. They are important.

More children, each image flashing past.

Princess Luna, roaring in armor, the children hanging off her, fangs snapping on her fur. Horror, fear of the alicorn, anger; she dared to harm them!

A bloated diamond dog, eyes dull and unfeeling.

Caves everywhere, dug by large hands. Home, one of many.

The hate burning in red eyes.

A pony with a beard, and a starred hat.

He watched her. Blood, but he didn’t care.

He smiled at her.

Then he was laughing.

A series of images of the bearded pony, so perfect. Many of them, time passing by. Such affection, each image of him perfectly preserved. Not one detail forgotten…

He was helping. He didn’t care what she was. He put forth his all to protect and aid, and for nothing…

She loved him.

The bearded pony crying, the image bled of colors. Betrayal, but not. It was so bad, but born of kindness… Why did it have to be this way?

Darkness.

A cave, and confusion. The children, all sleeping, glimmering and peaceful. They were safe.

Bright tents in a wood.

A smiling pony, cocking her head.

A sudden shock of time. A horror; nothing was the same. Adrift in a time not her own.

Nopony remembered him. Nopony save her. Her heat bled, and not one could or would understand.

He was gone, and her heart was taken. She was in a time not hers. With nopony that knew her, not even a little.

She was alone.

A vampony, shocked. Others, shocked, and then bowing.

Adoration and worship.

A statue of her, in a secret place.

A vampony, shining with light. One of the colts from the first image.

She thought him dead, and he was alive. A surge of happiness came; she wasn't alone anymore. But it was not good yet.

The children slept still. Nopony knew him, and nopony could help like he had.

Not one. Were the children to sleep forever? Was she doomed to an eternity of nothing, forever watching the children sleep, forever hungering?

She would see them freed. See them pure again.

No matter how many ponies she had to hurt.

Twilight groaned, the fugue finally leaving her. So much, pressed together. Leaving her mind a muddled mess of emotion and images. For a few moments, she was confused as to who she even was before she righted herself.

She opened her eyes, and found her vision near worthless. A blurred mess of green and a faint touch of something else.

She closed them, and shook her head. She hurt, but it wasn't so bad. The images had held worse pain. She blinked, images coming into focus. The gardens. She was in the castle gardens.

She turned, and spotted Night, nearby, and realized that she was hearing Night groan.

A single purple eye opened, and blinked at her.

“Night?” Twilight asked, her voice rasping and harsh. Like she had been crying, or even sobbing.

Maybe she had been.

Night closed her eye, and held her head, grimacing.

“...That… Hurt.”

Twilight forced herself up, at least somewhat. Her head swam, and she felt off balance despite not standing up. She stayed that way, and saw Night stand, her legs wobbling.

“…What happened?” Twilight asked.

“I bit you… and… and it was perfect and normal…”

“It hurt, really bad.” Twilight said, recalling. The aches in her seemed to be fading to numbness. She was happy to stay still for the time being, her mind working ahead.

“And your blood kicked me or something.”

“What?”

“It threw me. And it… I don’t know. You?”

“…I saw things I didn’t know, and felt feelings not mine.” Twilight said, and saw Night nod slowly.

“…Yeah… you too?”

“…What did you see?”

“I saw… ponies. Like flickering images of moments. A white unicorn, a purple unicorn, others. Celestia showed up often. So did books. So many books. And a little scaled thing on two legs. He was purple, and… important somehow?”

Twilight stared, suspecting something. But maybe it was just coincidence?

“Anything else? Tell me all of it.”

“It was weird… like… like I cared about things I never cared about, but I did care about them… And then five other ponies kept showing up. Others did too, but those five were… important. Precious. A library in a tree... I… liked it for some reason.”

“I… I saw the Everfree, and a dark pony in armor. I feared her, but I didn’t… I saw shining gems, each one a different color, and I saw Princess Luna in a ruined palace. I think I saw changelings, but those images were rushed, and… and bad. Really, really bad.”

“I saw… darkness too. Felt an agony of the heart. I saw… a burning crater. A shining pony like a male Celestia. I saw Celestia and Luna staring at me…”

Night trailed off as Twilight understood, and feared.

“…Did you see something?” Night asked.

“…I felt more than I saw.”

“Like what?”

“Hunger. Urges. Helplessness to those urges and hunger. Addiction to what the hunger brought.”

“…Really?”

“I saw children.”

Night froze, eyes huge.

“Colts… a red earth pony, and a brown earth pony, normal, and then vamponies. There were others too.”

“I felt loss and pain… I saw Luna, fighting children. I saw diamond dogs, their eyes dull and staring.”

“…It can’t be…” Night breathed.

“I saw a pony I knew as well.”

Night hesitated. “…You knew somepony?”

“I saw Starswirl.”

Night gaped.

“I kept seeing Starswirl. He… was smiling, and happy. Laughing. He was important…”

“No… it can’t… you can’t…”

“There were lots of images of him.”

“Stop.” Night said, hanging her head. “I… I don’t want to hear that…”

“With his stared hat and cloak… he seemed… majestic somehow.”

“Stop it!” Night snapped, glaring. Her eyes seemed emotional, though Night did her best to contain them.

“And I… I lo,”

STOP!” Night screamed, and Twilight did so, seeing her desperation. Her eyes were wet. “Stop it! Stop!”

“…I think I know what we saw.” Twilight said softly as Night sat down, breathing hard.

“…Yeah.” Night said after a moment, rubbing at her eyes.

“Memories.”

“Images of the past.” Night said. “And a few feelings.”

“…How much..?”

“…If you fear that, I only know you are bound from speaking your real name.” Night said. “Do you know mine?”

“…No.”

Night sighed. “…I’d… appreciate it if you never brought… Anything up again.”

“…I think we should talk more later.”

“…I already know you won’t stop trying.” Night sighed. “So… fine. If you have to.”

Twilight nodded, and looked Night over. She seemed recovered; healthier.

“How are you feeling?” she asked, checking if her legs wanted to work yet. They weren’t, still numb. Getting better, but her balance was in jeopardy yet.

“Better. Your blood was really, really wonderful by the way.”

Twilight shuddered, only for Night to frown abruptly, and shake her head.

“…What?”

“What’s wrong?” Twilight asked, staring. Night looked sick suddenly.

“It… it’s moving… and… hot… I…”

Night shook her head again, and then abruptly threw up a massive amount of blood.

Twilight stared, turning green as Night panted, her eyes nearly panicked.

“It’s hot… too hot, it,”

She threw up again, and Twilight turned away, unable to stand looking anymore, and fearing for Night. What was happening?!

“It burns!” Night screamed. “It hurts! Burning ho.. ho…”

Twilight suddenly felt something warm and wet touch her. She did her very best to pretend it wasn't what she knew it was, and struggled to stand. No longer caring about her sense of balance.

“Help me! Make it stop!”

Night was sick again, and Twilight felt very warm and wet all over her back. Dripping off her wings.

She closed her eyes, and shoved up, using her magic to help her stand. She wobbled as she did so, and kept her eyes shut, unable to even imagine the mess that was there without being ill.

Another splash made her flinch, and swallow heavily.

“Night?”

“…It… it’s gone now…” Night panted. “Oh… ancestors, look at this…I should be dry as sand…”

“Princess Rest!?” came a distant call, and Twilight winced.

“Night, go hide.”

“…What about the,”

“Go.”

“You’re not fit to,”

“Hide.” Twilight ordered, and opened her eyes to spot Night retreat into the bushes. She had a bit of red on her, but thankfully, the real mess was behind and under Twilight. And on her.

She cursed the fact that she didn’t dare attempt to use magic to clean it off. She would only hurt herself.

Could things get much worse?

“Prince… Celestia’s glided hooves!”

The sound of somepony being sick only made Twilight wince.

“Get it together Private! Hang on Princess!”

“I’m alright.” She said, a guard moving into her line of sight, trying to see her face, and his gaze constantly drawn to something under her.

“…What happened Princess?” he asked relived at finding her unhurt.

“Just an accident.”

“…I’ve never seen this much blood, ever. Even counting all the individual times together, and I spent time in Balitmare, working on the homicide division.”

“Just… help me out of here. I feel a bit weak. And ill.”

“Understood Princess.”

“Sarge! We’re… Celestia’s spit!”

“No cursing Private!” the guard in front her snapped as he flew up. “And no being sick either Flurry! The Princess needs moving, and she can’t do it herself!”

It didn’t take long for a team of four to carefully pick her up and fly her as if she was the most delicate thing in the world.
Considering Twilight accidently spotted the massive mess as she went up, she felt more than a little delicate. And worn. Tired. Spent. The memories of Night seemed to have drained her.

I was almost unreal… but the growing cold on her back, combined with the horrible way it turned sticky and slowly hardened, said that it was all too real.

She was brought to the infirmary, just in case, and cleaned off, which relieved her greatly. She didn’t feel tired, but she felt… a touch uncaring. Her emotions were mostly spent, feeling another’s feelings.

Celestia came soon after, and Twilight had the treat of seeing her mentor fearful and more than a little upset. Not helpful in her current state.

Celestia stopped to speak with the doctor before heading over.

“I’m glad to see you are alright.” Celestia said.

“Thank you Princess.”

“You said it was an accident. What happened?”

Twilight hesitated. Telling her about Night Light seemed bad. Something she shouldn’t do, given that Night Light was weakened from her… episode.

And even then, how was she supposed to explain that somepony had thrown up all that?

You could tell Celestia that you accidently crushed a rabbit of some kind.

“Not helpful!” she snapped without really thinking, and blinked at Celestia’s stare.

“…It… just sort of… happened.” Twilight said weakly. “Normal and then… it was everywhere, all at once.”

Celestia didn’t say anything, and Twilight didn’t know the look in her mentor’s eyes. Then she nodded.

“…Rest until you are recovered Rest. I might want to speak with you later on, after you have a chance to calm down.”
Then she left, and Twilight huffed.

“Where were you earlier?” she muttered. She felt… upset. She had recently been through a surprisingly exhausting experience, and then she had been thrown up upon. With blood.

She had no patience left, and was looking for something to blame.

Your mind was befuddled. Your memories and Night’s own mixed as one, and you could not hear me through the dream state.

“You could have done something at least. Told me it was going to be alright or something.”

I did not know if it was going to be alright.

“What?” Twilight said, not really hearing Death’s whisper.

… Take care Twilight. Celestia is wondering.

“Of course she is.” Twilight muttered, glaring at nothing. “How could she not be? Me, suddenly covered in blood, standing in a massive puddle of it, and no explanation.”

My suggestion would have been,

“Horrible!” Twilight yelled, “I blew up a rabbit!? She would think that I’d gone…”

Twilight only then noted that about four ponies were staring at her.

“…insane...”

“…Princess?” the doctor said carefully, watching her.

“I’m not insane!”

“I didn’t say you were Princess. Please do get some rest.”

Twilight glared and flopped onto the bed.

“See what you did?” she hissed.

She heard Death sigh.

…Recover. I will watch for any effect, and tell you of anything you should know of. I will require your services soon as well.

Twilight huffed. “Fine. You could say sorry you know.”

“Sorry Princess.”

“Not you!” she yelled at the nearby nurse, who nearly leapt into the air.

“Sorry!”

“And stop listening to me! All of you!” she added, sitting up to indicate the others in the room. The other patients were suddenly very interested in the nearby walls, and the other nurse zipped out of the room.

Perhaps you should rest Twilight.

Twilight flopped back down and huffed. She felt Death’s magic shift, and cool her anger and annoyance, and she hesitated. A sudden clarity came to her mind thought the faint cold of Death.

Then she rolled over, put the pillow on her head, and wished that she could just fall in a hole and never be found again.