To the stars and beyond

by punkrose

~Chapter 10~The Mossbeast

"Fluttershyyyy,they're going for my mane.Get them!Get them!"

"Don't worry,Rarity,"her reply carried on peace,and her wings carried her next to Rarity,running,"Fruit bats are not going for your mane,"and she had the nerve to giggle,"I should've prevented you of their presence but....you might want to take off your hat..."she pointed towards the fruit patterns decorating her chapeau.Consituing the origin of their chase.

The unicorn reluctantly levitated her cap and threw it out of the cavern,and out of sight.They came to a halt.The swarm of bats directed their attention towards their target.Moving in unisson to decapitate it to shreds,giving a sorrowfull picture.

"Goodbye fashion of forest camping."In last souvenir of her creation,she didn't aknowlegde what her friend just shared...until.

"Wait...did you say that you should've prevented me from their presence?"Rarity detached.And Fluttershy played it cool,as expected.

"Yes...yes,yes...I think?I mean you know me Rarity,"Fluttershy carried on her serene conduct,putting a hoof in front of the other,"Animals are my speciality."

"I know that,"the unicorn laughed,it made it easier now,"but even in a cavern nopony explored in a thousand years?And one you can't stop refering to as...what was it?"

"The Crystalfall cavern?"

"Yes!"

The pegasus shrank in place,well it was just its rightfull title!Shouldn't she keep on the tradition,the old time appelation?Even Maud confirmed it,a nod with her helmet bopping was enough.Before she went back on her meddling with the crystals.

At least,and not last,she had a trustfull guardian.Well,trusfull,she didn't know how much it could level to it in dreams but Princess Twilight's sources seemed accurate.The mention of this cavern triggered burried memories from her.

"Oh,you're going there?"her ears peaked at Fluttershy's confession,curious"...it had a name before,we'd call it the Crystalfall cavern,miners will extract the crystals there,going from azurite to malachite."Princess Twilight explained,sitting in a conjured construct of the cavern,"The most commun animals found there were fruit bats."

"Ooooh,like those who infest the harvests?"Fluttershy wondered,eyes twinkling with an unshared excitement.

Violet eyes at the opposite side,however,blinked with swaying doubt:"Yes,like those who infest the harvests and consume all the provisions for winter...for all winter."she cleared her throat before the pegasus could point one,"In anyways,the origin of this name held a special meaning,but you don't use it anymore."

The princess didn't formulate it as a question,but as a firm certainity.'It was special,but you don't know it anymore.'As if it was the tone she was going for,and stopped at the verge of a question,'Why don't you use it anymore?'For reality to catch up to her and cut her wonders into harsh facts.

"Oh,oh."Fluttershy exclaimed,reality splashing her face,"I would like to hear what makes it special your Highness!"she clutched a notebook,the light of crystals sent shadings dancing above her narrowed eyes,"Tell me everything."

The princess hardly hid her smile:

"Well,the crystals mined were meant for the high ranks.Mainly for the Crystal Empire,as asked by their governer..."

"Huh,"raising her eyes,Fluttershy giggled,nervously scribbling,"we don't have a Crystal Empire?"

"I know,"just like her half-question,her voice held the same certainity.And yet it wasn't form her part,as the princess raised her eyes upwards.Fluttershy followed it in hopes of answers,and found dangerous,sharp stalactites hanging from the cavity.

"Wait,"Fluttershy cut through the droppling silence,"does that mean you lived here?"

"That I was."

Rarity jolted her pegasus friend back from her trip down memory lane,waving a tired hoof.

"Uh...oh sorry,"Fluttershy faltered before answering,a smile in the most natural lies,"I could've found it in....a book?"

The unicorn blinked:

"Ah!A book,of course.That solves everything."The pegasus narrowed her eyes,clearly unimpressed,before her show of the obvious.But she was right.It didn't make sense.

The princess left her with more questions than answers,and she was the one asking questions!Needless to say,everytime they found themselves together,they got distracted by pretty landscapes.

What did it mean that she lived there?Did she move to another place?Or was Fluttershy meeting with a memorial of a once existing princess in dreams,considering they could've existed?

Did that make Princess Twilight a ghost?

Fluttershy couldn't shiver at the tought.Even if the princess turned out to be one,she wouldn't be the kind of Spike's Nightmare comic books. That she still didn't agree he could read!Thankfully his interest switched to a certain volume on dream-walking,constantly asking where he could find the previous three of the collection...

"Fluttershy,"began numbly Maud,a dusty helmet on her head from her exploration,"you might want to take a step back."

"Why so?"The pegasus asked as she complied.Right next,a stalactite fell on her previous spot as she recoiled further with a terrified yelp.

"And we might need leave now!"Rarity exclaimed.

"Not yet,"continued Maud,poking the rest of the stalactite,"The stalactites are dripping at at quicker rate.This isn't going to be the last one..."

To parallel her statement,the cavity of the cavern trembled,sending another round of clincking sounds echoing.More stalactites crashed on the ground.And before they could even think to escape.A brief earth-quack threw them off balance,and another,and another....manifesting in the cadance of hoofsteps.

They stood silently against the hollows of the cavern,listening carefully as the earth-quacks reached its crescendo.Meaning that whatever caused it was right besides.From the small slot composing the entrance,a mass crossed their path outside.The entire area shivered in fear.

Not very much distinguable,it ressembled a living hill,dirt and vegetation,brought to life.Shielding all source of light as it passed by,momentarely engulfing them into darkness.

If momentarely was a good half-hour.

They pressed themselves against the cavern's walls.In silence.Making their presence unknown and avoiding the stalactites sending a cacophony of shatering noises.Rarity's expression twisted into one of discomfort,and Fluttershy's as impassable as Maud's.

The earth-quacks furthered,furthered and furthered,leaving them behind.But not enough for them to be reassured,staying paralyzed until only the sound of droplets of water could be heard.Prickling against the crystals.

"Fluttershy,"Maud calmy called,"do you have any idea what that thing could be?"as if nothing happened.

"I...I don't recognize this creature,"she eyed the ground,washing her every term in warry,"and I've never seen it anywhere."she temptatively peeked trough the slot,recalling in her memory every feature that made up the giant.

"Drat!If even Fluttershy doesn't know what it is,then how would we know how dangerous it could be?"Rarity chocked in a murmrur,still affected by the encounter.

"Not yet,that is."The pegasus smirked confidently.The unicorn lit up in comprehension.

"Another one of your books,I presume?"she recalled,her expression matching Fluttershy's.

The latter eyesided the entrance of the cavern.The sun's rays brightly filtered trough the leaves of the trees as the forest embraced the calm again.Hiding her many secrets behind this peaceable sight.But she knew someone who would help her decipher them:

"Something like that..."

---

"Wow."

Her exclaimation didn't bear any amazement,it was simply plain and stated the dull evidence.The princess trotted around the hole dug in the ground,nearly having to fasten her pace to reach the yellow pegasus at the other side due to its vast size.

Her eyes widened as she gestured with a hoof at the impossible creation,her stunned expression asking a quiet question:how?

Fluttershy nodded gravely and mentioned to the round hole,besides a construct of the Crystalfall cavern from memories of it exploration:

"If this is only the size of its claw,we can only imagine how huge the rest is..."

"I can only imagine the damages left in the Everfree..."Princess Twilight murmured.Hoping the dreamer wouldn't catch it.She caught it.

Fluttershy turned to her in a compassionate smile,half-hiding behind her mane.She didn't like seeing her usual loosen self twisted from resentement.Instead,she ajusted into giving her positive informations:

"Well,this creature is probably from the Everfree forest so I'm sure it learned how to adapt."the princess arced a curious eyebrow,"And besides,when we got out of our hiding place they were only those steps left,okay maybe a few branches fel-..."

"Wait!Because you were near it?!"Princess Twilight pressed a hoof on the pegasus's shoulder,her tone filling in panic,"Are you all right?It didn't do anything to you,right?"

Good job,Fluttershy;she've just the opposite of reassuring her.

"Of course I'm all right.Then why am I here?"Fluttershy spoke the princess' language using logic.

"Actually in dreams,you project your ideal image so I might no even know if you were really injured..."Princess Twilight explained matter-of-factly,a way to control her emotions arising.

"I am perfectly fine,if you want to be sure..."Fluttershy smiled soflty,instinctively pressing her own hoof on the princess',the latter allowing herself a releived smile to fill her.

"Good,I...,"she rested her head on top of the pegasus',forgetting herself,"I was just worried,nothing much."

"m,"Fluttershy tried to contain a suprised giggle,secretly chastising herself for her cheeks flushed pink,"Princess?"

The designed's eyes widened in realisation at the contact of rose wicks brushing her chin.And immediatly let go,taking a few steps away for good measure.Gathering her nerve,she positioned herself in front of Fluttershy.And whispered with the straightest face:

"This is all a dreeaam,"she waved a hoof in front of her very eyes,"you're going to wake up and forget everythiiiing..."

"Well,this is a dream."the pegasus raised a hoof,"It doesn't make you any less real,doesn't it?"she smirked contently at the pout the princess formed.

"You've got me,"she relented,a sigh escaping her.

"But,"she giggled,nervous,"if this is my 'projection',then how does it explain that you can walk freely in dreams?"

"Oh,this is not my physical form,"the princess replied all naturally.Fluttershy set a great deal on keeping her smile natural in turn,apprehading the following.Well...it made sense,she guessed...

"I'm projecting as much as much as you.The Dream Realm is purely made out of pony's dreams so a physical matter couldn't be incorporated into it,"Princess Twilight pursued before a clearing of throat caught her,she faced clearly a pegasus awaiting to ask a question.Her stiff posture gave away its importance.

"In that case,uh where...where is your physical form?"

Adding 'if you have one overtook all her will power.She just needed to know.For once and for all.Not that she could not have one...can the answer be a straight 'No'?

No.That would be impossible,right?That she couldn't be...

Alive?

"It's really far away actually,"the princess wondered,a hoof on her chin,"nearly hundreds of light-years away,but right now I'm kind of stuck in the middle."

"Huh?"Fluttershy didn't know what this meant,but at least it killed her previous worries on the matter.She contented herself with it...almost.

What could there be in the middle?Beyond space and astroid belts unknown to the explored cosmos...Oh.

"That makes sense actually!It would explain why nopony saw alicorns nowadays,you were just in another dimension...or space?"

"You don't believe in alicorns in your 'dimension'?"Princess Twilight asked in an amused tone;despite already knowing the answer.

"We don't have any proof of your existence,Princess,"Fluttershy tried to defend while the latter snickered at her attempt,"if you would call 'proof' just unreliable writings and maybe the legend of Nightmare Moon..."

And then,the princess's previous careless behavior ceased.

Completly.

Time seemed to have come to a stop as she looked away,the air dropping to colder matter.And before she could even ask what was wrong...

"So!If you were near this supposed creature,"Princess Twilight turned around,hurriedly gesturing to the hole,"I guess that you saw what it ressembled,right?"

The yellow pegasus let an understanding smile cross her lips.A twinkle of anticipation spread in sight of the much awaited moment.

---

Fluttershy made a big show as to position herself on the nearby clearest space of the forest.

Framed between trees shaped like deer antlers,she stood.Tall and ready before the princess' stare.In clear evidence,royal matter could reflect a cherished concept of showmanship.

"Ladies and gentlemen..."Princess Twilight recited solemnly.

"...prepare."Fluttershy finished for her,unable to restrain a giggle.

Right then,the entire ground beneath her hoofs rose,and rose,and rose...until the princess almost fell on her hindlegs trying to follow the pegasus by sight.

The forest creature drowned her under its shadow.Darkness just held a stronger meaning.The pegasus appeared in the image of a yellow dot over its head.Its back heavied under the dirt and vegetation it bore,wild herbs and mushrooms all the like.

The only caracteristic predicting a living underneath being its piercing green eyes.

"Wow."This time,she was amazed.

Princess Twilight flew up to reach the pegaus.The latter,unfortunatelty,captivated by a much different sight.

"Um...Fluttershy?"The yellow pegasus stopped studying the giant and giving it head pats before setting her eyes back on the princess,a concerned frown marring the latter's expression.

"Do you think I could meet it?"she asked before the princess could place one,"It's not harmfull,right?How can it be?Have you seen anything so adorable..."she cooed as she lowered her eyes to the beast.

Princess Twilight avoided answering that if she saw such creature she would bolt at the first given occasion.Faced with the pegasus returning to brush the leaves on its head as a way of petting.

"I...,"she shook her head,"No,it's not harmfull."

Now did she catch her attention.

"Do tell,"she encouraged.

"I haven't seen it myself,but in an interseting work in the 'Giants of the Everfree forest' section of the Canterlot Public Library...,"she began before frowning oncemore,"...or was it the 'Immoratl beats' section?"

To wich Fluttershy and the beast exchanged a suspicious glance between them.The alicorn resumed her trail of tought:"In anyways,it goes by the rough name of the Mossbeast,pratically due to..."

"Its main diet?"Fluttershy tempted,eager to participate."Why sould they name it after that?That's harsh..."

"Uh no?"Princess Twilight replied slowly,confusedly"It's due to its hibernation taking the duration of thousands of years and leaving the time for the moss and other plants to slowly grow on its body."a proud smile crossed her,"As for the name,its scientific appelation is more fitting:Muscus Bestia..."

Her smile dropped when a snort reached her ears,falling to a giggle.Fluttershy muffled her shameless demeanor behind a hoof,the Mossbeast waving her spot,leaves and petals hovering above her tear-stricken eyes.

"Sorry,"she didn't seem the least sorry,"but that's somehow even worse!"

"Are you done?"the princess cleared,the pegasus made an assuring motion,"against the name,"she pursued gravely,"it can adopt an aggressive behavior under certain conditions.That's why I was worried beforewards.After its hibernation,the amount of nutrition it needs is considerate otherwise being threatening,its main being Poison Joke."

Princess Twilight's horn flickered and an image of the aformentioned blue flower manifested.The yellow pegasus didn't even need a visual presentation of the plant,as she recognized it immediatly by name.

"Oh,I have a friend who works with this plant.Only she has access to it,now it's locked in a greenhouse due to the danger it holds for ponies to be near it..."

She stood up on her hoofs,reaching the princess at eye level to throw a ligering thought:"But considering the size of the Mossbeast,I would be suprised I've never heard any mention of it.I mean,at least in the recent works...even with the 'thousand years' thing,"she gestured with a hoof.

The princess shrugged lightly.This time,at loss for responses.

"What do I know?It could be due to the beast's easiness to camouflage itself within its environment,"the yellow pegasus let a smile spread on her lips at the irony,"and who am I to tell?I'm just a dream who's going to fade in a few seconds when you wake up..."

Ha!Sarcasm again,she would never cease to take her off hook.Only then,the thruth emerged.

"Wake up?"

"It's eight in the morning,"Princess Twilight plainly informed.

"Oh dear,"the pegasus paced around the head of the Mossbeast,with dread,"I'm going to be late,ain't I?"she turned to the alicorn,"I should probably at least try t-.."

A bright light cut trough the air and her words,a flotting ghost of a smile from the princess.The scenery faded before the pegasus' eyes and she opened them to find herself back in her bedroom.Covered in silky sheets.

The nerve that she has,her Highness...

Well,that was a merely lighthearted.Fluttershy couldn't even hold it against her.Not only did she wake her up just in time for sunrise but she also provided important informations for latter use.

She stole a glance trough the window to see the first rays peeking trough the heavy clouds,grasping the time left as to scribble every aspect of her dream in her journal.

Her alarm displayed:8 a.m.She was right.Once again.

And the sunrise.The sunrise was not the only celestial sight to behold.Brushed against the sky,the Alicorn constellation vanished as each star's sparkle died out until nothing was left of it and the sky's surface remained pristine and dull.

Two unusual events that probably had no semblance of a connection together.

Author's Note:

the mini hiatus is over.