The fight for Equestria

Twilight sighed after Celestia stepped through the door, “Luna, what’s going on with Princess Celestia?”

“She has much on her mind, and many concerns for the ponies of all of Equestria, you most of all.”

“What? Why me?”

“Because you are the closest to the source of the recent problems.”

“You both truly think Colt is responsible for what is going on?” Twilight pressed.

“It is difficult to answer-”

“We have the rest of the night.” Twilight pressed.

Luna closed her eyes, as she prepared herself. She could say her opinions only as to what she has been aware of, but beyond that she could only speculate. At this point, she feared upsetting Twilight. Neither sister could be sure, but the moment Twilight had made her decision to foster the foal, she had seemed irrefutable in this, as well as her attachment to him. Such a strong bond so very quickly, Luna was left to wonder what it was that made it so.

“Twilight, as I said, it is difficult,” Luna raised a hoof to stall Twilight, so she could explain further. “But, you must also understand the situation as it appears from our point of view. A foal, of unknown origin appears out of a portal, after that, this, Blackheart, appears; This child loses his memory of his past, and then on a field trip to Canterlot itself, he is attacked by a changeling? There are such things as destiny, fate, even coincidence, dear Twilight, but all of this happening in a span of mere days? As rulers of this land, we perceive a threat towards, not only our home, but to every pony that we hold dear to us. We have to move with caution, for we are uncertain of whom our enemy truly is.”

Luna took a moment to gather herself, prepared to go on, she had to choose her words carefully. She could see the hurt in Twilight’s face, “Keep in mind, it is not you we do not trust, it is the circumstances surrounding Colt. Until we can find this Blackheart, and resolve whatever is happening, we cannot lax our guard. It is, in fact our trust and respect for you, that Celestia has permitted Colt to remain under your care.”

“Then, at least trust in my judgment as well, I do not think Colt has anything to do with what is happening. We have a new enemy, and instead of trying to find him, you’re here trying to ease your mind by accusing a child that just happens to have been in the wrong place at the wrong time.” Luna looked to Twilight’s pleading eyes, the corners becoming moist as tears began to emerge.

“I am trying my best to keep an open mind,” Luna all but whispered.

The look on Twilight’s face seemed relieved, but then she frowned as she considered some things, “You never actually said if you think he is the cause in all of this.”

Luna walked over to a window and peered out into the cold wintry night, the light of her moon shining down over the fallen snow, making it appear as if the stars of the skies were spread over the ground. The slightest breeze shifted the snow, the effect as if millions of tiny stars were dancing on the ground.

“Twilight, if I were to make any decision without knowing the answer for sure, and not being able to see the bigger picture of things as they stand now; I am repeating the mistakes I made all those centuries ago, when I came to be Nightmare Moon. I would feel I were betraying everypony.” She said as she turned to look at Twilight.

“That only shows you are refusing to make a stand.”

“Be that as it may, you must understand, I have to find answers to questions before I make any kind of decision. You can see me as a coward for my hesitation, I, though, dare not make another mistake and hurt those I love.” Luna’s voice rose as they began to become upset with one another.

Twilight stomped her hoof into the floor, she knew she was getting upset, but she couldn’t think right now. Perhaps if she were to try and calm herself, she could see things with a clearer mind. She knew Luna had a point in what she said, but things were so confusing and hard right now. There was so much she did not understand.

“I-I’m going to go check and make sure the children are going home safely.” Twilight turned to leave.

Colt heaved a small sigh as he closed his eyes, ‘This is all because of me. Once again, I’m making those around me unhappy, making them hate me for just being here.’

Luna caught the movement from Colt, she lit her horn, and used a spell of sleep on the foal, hoping to help him. Once she was certain he was sleeping soundly, she walked over and settled down on one of the large and comfortable couches.

The space around her was dark, at least for now. There was no light, except what glowed from deep within Luna herself as she stood there among the true eternal night of the realm of dreams. She moved her front right hoof forward, and placed it down; the instant her hoof made contact with whatever suspended her, a path of lighted orbs appeared below and before her. As it moved on into the distance, the horizon about her lit up in a soft gray light.

Taking a second to look about her, Luna walked forward a few steps, after which, for every step she took, small silvery spheres of light began to appear around her. Upon further inspection, she could see through the hazy cloud of minds and into the dreams of ponies. These were the dreams of those within the land of Equestria, the children who were already settling down into slumber.

Here and there she came upon those that were filled with the simplest needs of the mind, variations of colors, shapes, and occasional figures. She smiled, newborns whose minds were still working things out. Others began to join the ethereal realm as she continued on her way, she could not help but to smile to see the happiness of the families as they slumbered. Their memories seeping into their dreams making them glow slightly brighter as happiness, true happiness, filled their being so much that the presence of this exuded from the orbs.

Seeing that no others were of immediate need or danger, Luna nodded to herself as she spread her wings, her hooves slightly lines, standing there regally in her own realm. It did not take long for her to gather her magic around her as she focused it and placed out feelers of magic seeking the one she came her for.

As the feelers of magic continued, she sighed in relief as the seconds ticked by as if they were hours before she was able to find him. Luna moved herself through the intricate web of magic she had spread forth, following the ticking course which led her to one silver bubble. This one glowed like many of the others, yet, Luna could not see what the dream was. She tilted her head, finding this strange, and raised a hoof to see if she could breach the dream before entering. What surprised her further was a sudden force stopping her hoof, before a ripple flowed out like water surrounding the orb.

“Strange, I have never seen one so guarded as this.” Luna gave the bubble another tentative tap, seeing the same effects ripple out.

‘Ask for permission, and it shall be granted.’ Came a voice from before Luna.

“Who is there? Identify thyself.” She commanded.

‘You seek entrance, ask permission and it shall be granted, Princess Luna.’ Luna pondered for a second, her eyes squinted as she felt she should not trust this voice that came from the orb. She took a few minutes to check and ensure that the magic had not led her astray.

“May I enter?” Luna carefully asked. At first it seemed that nothing happened, then she lifted her hoof and tentatively pushed it forward and found the orb no longer blocked.

‘Thank you kindly for asking permission. You may enter.’

“How do you know who I am?” Her question was met with silence. “I demand an answer, how do you know me?”

‘M’lady, when invited into the home of another, do you always remain at their door with mistrust and demands? There are rules one must abide by.’

Luna pulled her head back, blinking. She stepped forward and closed her eyes, allowing her magic to guide her when entering the dreams of another.

Once she felt something hard beneath her she opened her eyes and looked around to find something she was not expecting. Before her lay the strangest landscape she could ever perceive as there were multitudes of doorways, paths, walkway and stairways facing in any and every direction. Up down, vertical, horizontal, backwards, forwards, sideways, and even a few that seemed to spiral, and even one not far away that seemed to go up, before reaching a platform and then almost folding back in on itself as if to expect the one to walk it to begin to walk upside down. In the center of it all there was a massive empty space that fell away to darkness. Luna stepped back, a little uneasy on her legs as she shook her head trying to take in everything.

“Well, congratulations, you passed the Escher test.” Came a kind chuckling voice from behind her.

Luna nearly jumped and turned to find a familiar stallion behind her. She paused in her thoughts as she took him in, ‘Strange, he is a foal, so how can he be a stallion...’ Luna mentally facehoofed, ‘Of course, it is his dream world, this is how he perceives himself.’

“Hello Colt, can I safely assume it was you who spoke to me?”

The tall white stallion with red mane and tail chuckled again.

“What? What is so funny?”

“That you think I am Colt. Though I suppose that should not come as a surprise if you are not aware of the kind of per- sorry, pony, that we are.”

“We assure thee, if thy speakest with formality for but to jest with us, we shall see thee fallen.”

“Nay, Princess, Luna, we doth not seek to jest with thee. Thou art mistaken if thine thoughts are so narrow.”

Luna blushed as her eyes narrowed, “Art thou calling us dense?” She spat.

“Nay, we merely enjoy the singular occasion to enjoy words with thee,” Colt cleared his throat, before a smile split his face. “Princess Luna, you are correct to think I am Colt, as you are familiar, for I am, and yet I am not.”

“How canst- Erm, how can you mean this?” Luna gritted her teeth as she found it a little harder to return to the normal way of speaking she had been working hard to master. “My apologies, Colt. What I mean to ask, is how can you be Colt, and yet not be him, if that is what you are insinuating.”

Colt closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath before opening them to reveal a deep sorrow, “Have you not realized it yet, Luna, Oh Princess of the night, master of dreams, and witness to the intimacies of minds.”

“Surely now, you are making fun of me.” Luna accused.

“Surely not, I am merely attempting to see if I have my understanding of your abilities correct. You are princess Luna, the Mare of the night, who can use her powers to enter a realm overlaying your own like the softest of sheets that is a realm made by and for dreams. Which in turn, allows you to glimpse the minds of your subjects.”

Luna made to speak, but only found herself gaping. She snapped her mouth shut and eyed Colt suspiciously.

“Well, am I correct in my deductions?” Colt pressed.

“Well, I... I suppose since I can view dreams and memories I can indeed come to understand a ponies mind. But it is nothing like truly seeing their mind.”

“Hence why I said, ‘glimpse’, but duly noted. I apologize for the way I am acting. It... I have not spoken to another being, aside from Colt, for a quarter of a century or so. I have not really even been able to speak with him for half of that time. That is, until recently. Maintaining a fragile mind as this, and working to help him see the better of things is not so easy a task. Which I must admit, I have great respect for the subconscious for being able to maintain this to a far greater extent.”

“Um, Colt, I am not following. The way you speak, it seems as if you are a whole separate entity than the Colt from out there, beyond this dream.”

“Ah, well, you see, erm... How can I put this? You are not in a dream, and yes, to a degree I am a separate entity from Colt.”

“What do you mean I am not in a dream?” Luna pressed, she looked around to see that everything around them had changed. Where there had once been a confusing and headache inducing place, there was now what felt like a large open space where everything at the edge held multiple colors and hues and more than she could even begin to consider. “This looks like a dream to me, since you have been able to alter the surroundings. I must admit, I did not expect one who has trouble sleeping to be capable of Lucid dreaming, especially since your mother spoke of your nightmare.”

She looked to see Colt shaking his head, “Again, you are not quite grasping the circumstances of this meeting. I have lived within my own mind since my split. Oh, wait, I apologize, I mispoke. Yes I have spoken with others, but I had to be careful so as to not disrupt our life to any major degree. Though, when confronted it has scared Colt, and then he began to slowly piece things together.” Colt looked to Luna who had a hoof up to her head with a grimace on her face, “I seem to be failing at making any sense. Luna, do you know what it means for a pony to have a split personality?”

“A what?”

“Split personality, multiple personality disorder? No, you don’t have that in this world? Well, this may prove to be a challenge.” At that, Colt’s eyes lit up, “Oh, a challenge, a chance to teach and share what I know.” He excitedly spoke in a near gush, jumping in place.

Luna tilted her head at Colt and his strange behavior.

“Here, let us see if we can settle in a better, more peaceful surroundings.” He said as he closed his eyes and let out a long breath. As Luna looked she began to notice everything fade out of focus, and then entirely leaving them in a state of semi-darkness. Then as she continued to watch, the darkness seemed to draw away, revealing a beautiful scenery in its place.

Luna stood on a well placed stone path, surrounded on both sides with the most vibrant and green grass she has ever seen. As she followed the stone path with her eyes, she could see that it went to a veranda with a elegantly made metal rail. There in the center was a table with two chairs with pillows for cushions placed on them. In the center of the table sat a silver platter with an elegant tea set. Luna walked up hearing a distant thundering noise and found several feet below a wide river lazily flowing past. To her right just barely seen beyond a copse of trees was a waterfall, the thundering sound was coming from.

“Care to join me for tea?” Colt asked before Luna turned.

“This must be a dream, a very vivid dream, since you are controlling everything as you are.”

“You know,” Colt stopped, tapping a hoof against his chin, “If it helps you to think this is a dream, then so be it.”

Luna carefully made her way to the opposite side of the table and settled in her seat. The pillow below her was certainly as comfortable as it looked. She could not feel any lumps, and it seemed that whatever made the stuffing seemed to cushion her without sending everything to the edges. She looked up to see Colt sitting and smiling, waiting for her.

“Well, this certainly feels better.” He said, as a small gentle breeze lifted up from the direction of the trees on the other side of the river. The sound of them rustling, and the higher branches waving lightly caught Luna’s attention, before something else did. It was the smell of a forest, damp earth, blooming wild flowers, and more. Luna’s eyes widened, this was shocking to find how distinct and specific everything seemed to flow. She could not find the normal intrusions or miscreations, or even the billowing effects to prove this was a dream.

“I must say, Colt, you have a very vivid imagination, and the detail is impressive.” Luna complimented turning back to him.

Colt, in response, merely gave a slight smile.

“So tell me, do you know what is going on out there?” Luna asked after the stretch of silence began to grow uncomfortable.

“Not really. Lack of information is something that would keep me from properly assessing anything. Now, I do know a couple of things from what has happened which directly involves us.”

Luna raised an eyebrow, “So, back to the matter of... I am sorry what exactly was the term you used previously?”

“Multiple personalty.”

“Well, yes. What is this exactly?”

“Hmm, well, I am quite a bit rusty, which is weird considering what we have known from mom, ourselves, and what we learned quite some time ago. However, I will give you the most understandable meaning I have been able to deduce more from experience. You see, in certain situations, a mind can become stressed, stretched, or in danger. Normally, it is the subconscious part of the mind that has to shut things down to be able to cope. In this one of the effects is a mind that is so far gone it begins to fracture. Think, of a mirror, that is cracked. When you look into it, what do you see?”

“Well, I would see myself reflected back in each of the fractured pieces large enough to hold my image.”

“Exactly. Think of the mind as being as fragile as the glass of that mirror. Once it has reached a point of taking so much, it has become weak, and the resulting effect is it splits. Now from what I recall learning, which I have not had a chance to update my stored information, this is something the mind does as a way to cope with the stress, as well as to begin its course of healing. However, in my case, it has always seemed slightly different.” Colt paused as he brought a cup filled with tea to his lips with a hoof and took a sip, “Hmm, this is the only thing I do not enjoy with being trapped within my own mind, I cannot experience anything first hand, I have to find the freshest memories and try to manipulate things and try to pass that off as my own experience.” Colt grumbled out as he looked into the cup of tea with a displeased look. “It’s enough to drive one mad. Sorry for my tirade, but as I was saying. I was five years old, and had just attempted to end my own life-”

“What!?” Luna asked, thinking she had misheard him.

“Oh, yes... Probably not the best way to go about having a conversation...” Colt seemed to think for a few minutes, “Well there is no real proper way to say or explain any of this is there?” Colt was silent even longer as he worked to think of something to say.

Luna was concerned, she had never heard of a foal that would willing try to do what he had said, yet there was something that did not sit quite right with her. She was not sure what it was and wanted to hear more, so she sat there, waiting.

Colt heaved a sigh before he spoke up again, “No, there really is no way to explain this. All I can say, is after my experiences I withdrew into myself trying to block out the world around me. I no longer wanted any part of the cruelty I had suffered and was certain I would continue to suffer. It was during this time, that something happened, I am not sure what exactly, but I remained here, before all of this,” Colt said, raising a hoof to once again show the scenery before them, “came about, and Colt came to the front, sort to speak. The strangest part, from my understanding, when a mind splits, the two personalities are never aware of one another, yet here, wherever I came to I was aware of everything. Well, no that is not quite right. I was aware of things, going on. It just seemed, there was a delay...” He trailed off.

“How do you mean a delay?” Luna asked, curious now.

“Well, I’m not sure how to describe it, but, things that happened to him, he was aware of, and affected immediately. For me, it was a while before I was able to discern anything of what was going on, or at least it was this way at first. Time went by and we both grew, remaining separate, but I began to learn things he was not aware of. I became aware of us being two halves of the same mind. Though, I did not want to go back out into that world, it was... Frightening. I let Colt live our life, unaware of me. Yet, he was also affected by our life, but not directly through memory. That remained with me, until I was able to deal with it. Which, by deal with it, I mean try and separate myself from it and lock it away and shove it to the darkest coldest part of our mind. There were times when nightmares would take him, and on top of him and mother living alone trying to find shelter, it was not easy. He needed someone, so, after some time, I found I could reach out to him. I still have no idea how that was possible, but it happened, I began to speak to him from time to time.

“He, at first, thought I was God, since he had been going to church and trying to find peace, as well as answers. I was not sure what to say or do, for no mortal is God, nor could they ever claim to be such. Yet there, I saw what he needed, he needed guidance, of a sort, and someone or something to encourage him. So, I did, to my best ability. I saw things differently since I could look at things differently than he could, and understood things he had yet to realize. It went well, until he began to mature, that was where things began to become difficult for us both. Often things were difficult for us, I did what I could to keep from feeling the pain, but at some point, Colt began to endure things internally. It has not been easy, for as rough as things were for him out there, he made them even harder in here.”

Colt drifted off into silence as he stared at the tea set, Luna had been listening as intently, following everything he said, and trying to understand it. It had been confusing listening to him talk about himself as two entities in the same body.

“How can you say you are separate from Colt, and yet interact with him?” Luna ventured to ask.

“You know, I still don’t understand how it all works. Though rethinking the whole situation of a broken mirror, perhaps, one does not always find themselves completely fractured. Perhaps, Colt and I are still connected in some way, yet...” Colt shook his head, “Yep, no, I’m done.”

“Done with what?”

“I have spent so many years trying not to figure things out after Colt and I stopped speaking. I just, I don’t think it matters.”

“Is it possible, that with you withdrawn into your own mind, you began to became further separated from him?” Luna ventured a guess. Colt did not say anything he merely looked away and climbed out of the seat and walked away from the table.

“I think it’s time for you to go, Luna.”

Luna stood and walked over to Colt, “Colt, perhaps... Perhaps you can try to come out into this world here where you are now? It is not so bad, as you think.”

The effect was the sound of something cracking, and Luna took a step back and saw the stone beneath Colt begin to crack under his hoof. She could feel something emanating off of him it felt as though it completely surrounded her. She took another frightful step back.

“Alone... That was the choice I made. I tried to get him to experience something more than loneliness. I helped him realize the fault in being alone, but cruelty sometimes never ends. Please, go away. I made a mistake at allowing another here.”

“Why? What have I done to you to deserve you to treat me like this?” Luna ventured a step forward, yet there seemed to be a force growing around Colt. It pushed her away several feet. Suddenly a sound as a giant stone cracking and tearing apart emanated through the air. She looked around to see a similar crack running through the sky above her, looking around more, she found the waterfall had stopped, the leaves of the trees fell away in a torrent of wind. It all blew past Luna, forcing her to turn her head and lift a hoof before using her magic to shield herself. This in fact failed her, to her immense surprise and concern.

It took a few moments as everything seemed to grow dark around her that she heard Colt speaking, quietly at first, then louder and louder.

“One who thinks we are the reason to whatever is happening out in this world, whatever it is. The way Celestia looks at me, Twilight and Luna cannot see it, but I do, I can see the hatred on her face, her distrust, and most of all the fear. I can see it all now. She fears what she does not understand, and because we cannot speak and provide our innocence we are immediately seen as guilty. Even you, Luna do not trust us. That is why you are here. To spy on us, and to see if we are truly evil, such as whatever this thing that is causing your grief.”

“What? No, Colt, that isn’t-”

“DO NOT LIE TO ME!” Colt screamed out, turning around and facing Luna, anger and rage in his eyes, all directed towards her.

“Colt, what is wrong?”

“Do you remember me saying that HE experiences things immediately, but it takes a little time for me to find it, well guess what just felt like a slap to the face. Celestia, your sister, does not trust us. The way she looks at us, like-like, some kind of MONSTER!?” Luna took a step back, her mouth wide, her head shaking back and forth trying to deny what he was saying, “You also don’t trust us. Yes, you are trying to stand back and ‘look at the big picture’ but you are no better. THERE, there, I see it in your eyes too. You fear us. For what? What have we done to deserve this? Do you even know what it is to live your entire life hearing the hatred from others just for being born differently, or being born period? Do you know what it’s like to be ignored or hated when you have done nothing to deserve it!?”

Luna gritted her teeth at the accusations, she could see it there before her, as tears fell down his face, the pain as well, and suddenly she could see herself, with her accusations at her own sister. She wanted nothing more than to be loved as well, only to find so many distrust her because she was different than others. Her rule was of night, and dreams, and so many found distrust in her so readily. As if fate were trying to show her what happened to her all that time ago, how she changed, her own internal grievances, her pain, anger, sorrow, all of it. She suddenly felt as if she were watching from the outside in, and in that moment she felt as if all that had happened was repeating itself. Her chest ached, and her breath was labored.

‘No, not again. No, oh dear sister, what have we done?’ As everything around her seem to crack and break, crumbling down into darkness Luna became truly afraid. Darkness was encroaching upon them swiftly now.

“STOP!” She wasn’t sure if she was the one who screamed, but she found herself running towards Colt and embracing him in her arms. She wrapped her hooves around him and began to cry, “I do, I do know what it is to be hated for being different. To be mistreated, loathed, and more. I do not see you as a monster. I will not ever see you as something like a monster, you are not. I am sorry you think you are, I am so sorry.” She sobbed into his shoulder. It took her seconds to realize everything had stopped and even changed about them. She looked up to no longer see things breaking or falling, or darkness ready to consume them, instead there was something like a fog all around them. Everything was gray and dull, she was not sure where any light was coming from, yet despite the fog, there did seem to be some sort of light around them.

Luna ventured to pull away, slowly, and look at Colt. As she did, she saw him in her hooves, eyes wide, tears halted, and a look of shock. Slowly, he looked at her and focused on her eyes before he fell forward embracing her as well.

“I-I’m sorry. I...” Colt became quiet.

Once Luna was able to calm him, she felt her magic waning. Through all of what happened she had lost track of time, though she felt it odd. Normally being in her own realm time moved differently since the mind could work faster and so made time stretch out. Luna needed to rest and continue her duties. Quietly, Luna excused herself.

“Will you be back?” Colt asked as she stood.

“I will try if I can.”

“Thank you.”

Luna opened her eyes and looked around the room. She felt tired and looked outside, it was still night, and yet she could not shake the feeling that more time than she thought had passed. She turned away from the window and looked to the bed, where the still sleeping form of Colt remained.