Little Lyra and You

Chapter Eight: Terms and Conditions

You snap awake on another long expanse of long green grass wit the biggest smile on your face. You could still feel her lips against yours, it was an amazing feeling.

“I see you’ve already figured the ‘walking in dreams’ part.” Said Luna who you hadn’t noticed was sitting next to you on a small chair. But she was no longer the fair skinned woman that she had been when you first came to the dream fields, but a tall, midnight blue coat, not unlike your new appearance just a bit darker, and a slightly lighter, flowing main that  appeared to be pulled by invisible currents of air.

“You and Lyra are quite cute I must say.” She said getting up from the small chair which disappeared leaving just empty space.

“Y-you were there?” You ask standing up and flicking a bit of dust out of your tail.

“No, but I was watching.” She said waving her hoof in the empty air and a disk of white light appeared. An image appeared on the disk showing Lyra and yourself, lost in each other's embrace. She waved her hoof through the disk and the image faded like the chair had done. “And you can do the same.” She said.

“How?” You ask picking up your hoof and looking at it like it was something else.

“Just think about her and you can see her as she is now, in your world or what she is thinking of.” She said. “Just like the rest of this,” She said motioning with her hoof to the rest of the dream fields. “It all works with the mind, your mind. If you think of it, then it can be a reality.” She said.

You brought Lyra back to the front of your mind and closed your eyes to concentrate better. From the shape of her body to the little dimples that appeared on her cheeks when she smiled. You built up a perfect image of her behind your eyes. You heard Luna gasp and your eyes snapped open.

Between you and Luna was Lyra, or what looked like Lyra. She was looking around like she was confused.

“L-Lyra.” You say extending a hoof, but it just passed through her, or the image of her.

“How did you manage a three dimensional mental projection?” Luna asked circling the image of Lyra.

“I-I don’t know I just..” He trailed off when Lyra turned her head to face you, like she knew you were there. And then she disappeared, or the image rather.

“I’ve never seen anything like it.” Luna said. “No one’s ever been able to project anything but a two dimensional projection.” Her eyes were wide with awe. “C-can you…” Luna trailed off as you closed your eyes again.

The image of Lyra reforming in your mind until it was just as before. But it felt different this time, like you were closer to her. The image in your mind seemed more real, like she was really there in your head. Then you felt something click into place in your mind. You feel your body go limp and land on the ground with a soft thud before you lost consciousness.

Lyra’s eyes snapped open to darkness. Her body ached as she tried to move. in most cases she would have worried about where she was and why she was in so much pain, but she couldn’t focus on anything but Michael.

‘How could he be dead?’ She asked herself. She ignored to pain and curled herself into a tight ball. Tears streamed down her face and her small body shook with her sobbing. ‘He’s dead, and now I’m alone.’ She thought to herself.

“But you’re not alone.” A voice whispered. Her sobbing stopped and her body froze. “You’ll never be alone.” The voice whispered She picked her head up and looked around, but there was nothing but darkness. She forced some of the little energy she had left into the tip of her horn and a small point of light appeared at the tip.

The light revealed that she was in a very small space. The walls no more than a few feet away from her. But she was alone.

‘Great, I’m alone and going mad.’ She thought extinguishing the light.

“You may not be able to see me, but I am here.” The voice whispered.

‘Can you hear my thoughts?’ She said in her mind.

“But of course my dear, how else would I know that your name is Lyra, you were born in Canterlot and moved to Ponyville with your family when you were only six years old. You’ve lived there ever since until you woke up in Michael's apartment and have been  living with him since then.” The voice said.

‘How do you know all that?’ She thought.

“I took the liberty of rooting around in your memories, I have to know something about my associates before I put them to work.” The voice said.

‘Associates?’ She asked in her mind.

“This is why I chose you,” The voice said. “You don’t ask why I’m in your head poking around, you just get straight to the point.”

‘Chose me, for what?’ She thought. She slowly uncurled her body.

“I have a proposition for you my dear.” The voice said. Lyra stayed silent to show she was listening. “A ‘You scratch my back, I scratch yours’ sort of thing.” The voice said.

‘And what could you possibly give or do for me?’ She asked.

“I can bring Michael back, make him live again.” The voice said. “I can take both of you back to your world and you can live the rest of your lives together and amongst your friends. All I ask is one teeny favor.”

‘I’m listening.’ Lyra said.

You slip back into consciousness to the smell of mildew and wood rot. You felt cold stones at your back but you weren’t lying on the ground. You were suspended on something, or at least it felt like it. You try to move your hooves but they wouldn’t budge as if you were bound to a wall.

Suddenly a door across from you bursts open flooding the dark room with bright light. You let your body hang limp to look like you’re still unconscious but keep one eye slightly open to see what was happening.

A tall figure, silhouetted  against the light walked into the room. It was obviously a pony by the body shape and the sound its hooves made against the ground but who it was was a totally different story. You didn’t notice until now that it had something slung over its shoulder. It walked over to the spot next to him on the wall and let his cargo slide off his back and onto the ground with a soft thud. It then reached up to the wall and undid a clasp and fit the cargo, which was another pony, hoof into it before closing it again with a snap. It did the same with the other three hooves and took a step back.

“The first to pawns fall.” He said admiring his handiwork. He then walked over to you and slugged you hard in your exposed stomach driving the air from your lungs. You begin coughing and gasping for breath.

“Had to make sure you were still alive.” He before turning and walking back to the door. “You two have fun in here.” He said before slamming the door and casting the room back into darkness.