• Published 19th Oct 2017
  • 4,767 Views, 92 Comments

A Glimmer of the Past - milesprower06



Twilight walks in on Starlight at the worst possible time, and one of the most awkward situations she's ever had with her student ensues.

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To Find A Foal

Princess Luna, the watcher of the dream realm, looked out at the countless orbs that floated, fell, or rose all around her. Most nights, ponies slept peacefully, or just needed a calming spell here or there; Luna only needed to directly intervene with a few severe nightmares, usually repeating ones throughout the night.

And tonight, a special task was asked of her.

Closing her eyes, the Princess of the Night whispered out "Starlight Glimmer", and one of the orbs in the distance became brighter. Her horn glowed, she fired a beam at it, then found herself in Starlight's dreamscape. But something was off. Normally, she'd appear next to the pony dreaming, but there was no one out here on this empty neighborhood street. It looked like a small, ordinary town. The reason she wouldn't have been able to find Starlight immediately, would be because the pony in question put mental barriers up. The only way forward would be to work through them.

The house she appeared closest to; the door was open. She stepped up to the patio, and walked inside. Looking around, she noticed that what was likely a den originally, was now decorated like a foal's nursery. A crib, changing table, playpen, and rocking chair were set around the room, all of which were unoccupied. There was a door frame in the right wall that went out to the hall. She heard the whispers of whimpering and weeping coming from the last door at the end of the hall. She cautiously walked down the dark hall, and pushed the door open.

What was here originally, she had to assume would be a stairway to a cellar. But now, it was something entirely foreign. There were hundreds of stairs winding down to a mammoth-size cavern. There was a volcano in the center, the throat of which was glowing orange. That would explain the numerous rivers of lava flowing out from it. But what was strangest about this monstrous cavern was the different colored paths, passing over the flows up to the volcano; yellow, blue, purple, and green.

Was this a... game board?

Luna made her way down the stairs and set foot on the yellow path. Suddenly, she saw them; three dragons on the other paths gave out roars, spread their wings and took to the air; all closing in on her.

"Volaan!" The one coming up the middle yelled before a fireball erupted out of it's mouth. Luna leaped up, spreading her wings and joined the dragons in the air. The fireball passed under her and impacted the tile she was standing on, causing it to fall into the abyss below. This dreamscape was all in Starlight's head, and there were dragons that knew their own ancient tongue; a language even ponies used several millennia ago before the old ponish and modern equestrian language was developed. The Thu'um was more than mere words; it was your emotion and spirit on a deeper level. Luna didn't have time to be impressed with the mare's insanely extensive knowledge. This trio had to be dealt with, and not in a particularly violent manner, lest Starlight be affected.

She turned as the trio of dragons tightened their formation, and came around for another pass. She drew in a breath, concentrated, and prepared to use what was far less formally known as her "Royal Canterlot Voice."

"Gol hah dov!!!" She yelled, a shockwave rushing forward from her throat. The dragons collided with the wave, and they arced their wings up and went into a hover, their attack halted, though they still eyed Luna with suspicion.

"Faas ni. Fin gein hi dein; Zu'u lost bo wah aak ek."

Luna's Thu'um echoed off the cave walls, and the dragons glanced at each other for a few moments. Roughly translated into modern equestrian, the Princess had just stated 'Don't be afraid, I am here to help the one you guard.'

"Rek qah." The center dragon replied, before all three of them ascended up into the black expanse of nothingness.

"'She is hiding'? Hiding where?" Luna said to herself, looking back down at the volcano which served as the cave's only light source.

"Laas yah nir." She said, below a whisper, soft enough where it didn't even reverberate off the cave walls this time.

Slowly, the glowing outline of a pony appeared, through the mountain; she was on the other side of the volcano.

Luna flew around the crater, and descended, to the end of the purple path, where a much younger version of Starlight was curled up against the wall of the mountain. She wore a white diaper, her hair was in pigtails, and she wore a pacifier around her neck.

"Starlight..."

The filly's eyes widened, and she tried, unsuccessfully, to run up the volcano, only to slide back down to the end of the purple tiles.

"Go away! Twilight told you what she saw! That's why you're here! She told you! She told everyone!" Starlight screamed, cowering between the mountain and Luna as she began to hyperventilate.

"Drem ov." Luna spoke softly. The soothing, calming words of the Thu'um washed over the traumatized filly, and her breathing started to ease. Luna took a couple steps forward, and sat down on the path, several feet from Starlight.

"Starlight, Twilight didn't tell me anything. She merely said that you panicked, teleported away from the castle, and she wanted to make sure you were alright. She's worried about you, that's all."

"No, I highly doubt that 'that's all'. Once I go back, she'll obviously want to know about what she saw me doing in my room!" Starlight argued back.

"No doubt it has to do with your current apparel. Do you really think you're the only adult who fantasizes about returning to the carefree innocence of foalhood?"

The filly looked up at the towering Princess.

"And with how long she has been your teacher, mentor, and friend, do you believe Twilight will judge you for something so innocent?"

Starlight looked the Princess in the eyes.

"Yeah, maybe."

"I believe that's your fear speaking, Starlight. Trust me. You're not the first pony with desires like these. I can make her understand."

"R... Really?"

Luna nodded. "I will try my very best. Now..." Luna said, picking the teary-eyed filly up, lighting up her horn, and teleported both of them back up to the den with the nursery furniture, setting her in the playpen. "Get some rest."

Starlight looked up at the princess and gave her a smile. Luna winked out leaving the unicorn in her dreamscape.

She had another princess to talk to.