Silent Ponyville: Hellfire

It's cold. Freezing. The room was ice and her bare feet were frozen to the floor. She was freezing, the cold seeping into her bones, arms wrapped tight around herself, trying to get warm to no avail. She wanted to collapse. She dare not put more of her skin on the ice, to be frozen. She had to stand, even as she grew weaker.

All she could see was a window. A young Kiwi Lollipop talking to a young Lily Valley. "Zap was saying we should."

"And bring on the curse, are you kidding?"

"Help! Please, help!" She shouted, straining against the ice, trying to get their attention, anything to get free, get away, pulling harder and harder, even as she feels her skin giving in before the ice-

Her body ached, her side throbbing in pain. Yet the pain did nothing to stop her tears, to slow the racing of her heart. She could only be thankful the pain was enough to wake her from the nightmare she had been trapped in.

She groaned as she pushed herself up from the floor. She looked around in the dim moonlight to make sure she hadn't knocked anything over in her fall. It looked like at least she hadn't brought anything down the stairs with her. She then looked over herself. No serious signs of injury, at least as far as she could tell. She slowly stood up, wincing at the aches from newly forming bruises.

She stumbled to her bathroom, turning up the light with a hiss. She moved to the sink, turning on the water to splash water on her face, to get through the fog of medication and fading adrenaline. Feeling at least a little more refreshed, she looked herself over.

A scrape on her arm was bleeding, but nothing major. She cleaned it before checking herself in the mirror again, to see where else she was hurt. There was a nasty bruise forming on her hip and shoulder, but no more bleeding.

She headed to her mini fridge, walking around her home, illuminated in fairy lights. She opened it, looking at the small area that acted as a freezer, holding only a few instant meals and an icepack. She stared at the pack, dreading the thought of putting it on her body, but she knew it was best for the bruises. She takes a deep breath, holds it, and finally grabs it.

She'd lay down on the couch and turn on her television, connecting to the internet to watch some lets plays. She needed something with energy, and humor, and didn't require a lot of thinking. She knew she wouldn't get anymore sleep tonight and needed something to soothe her nerves. And distract from the cold of the ice pack.

She hadn't been sleeping well for the last few weeks. She had tried everything. She'd tried teas and yoga and ASMR. She watched funny and happy things before bed, read books, and funny comics. She changed her diet, as much as she could afford to do. Nothing worked. Night after night, she would be plagued by nightmares.

She had gone to a sleepover, and not even the presence of her friends seemed able to chase the dreams away. She had woken up and barely managed to reach Pinkie PIe's trash can to throw up. She could still remember the scent of various bits of candies mixed with bile. Everyone had worried about her and she just said she had accidentally taken a bite of a beef burger that day and just had a nightmare about it.

There had been a lot of comforting after that, which she appreciated. Even if that wasn't the actual problem, the love and affection from her friends, the understanding of her being upset, had helped a lot. She had thought about telling them the truth, but hadn't gotten the nerve to at the time.

She had declined sleepovers after that. She had carefully applied make up to hide the bags under her eyes, and drank a ton of coffee, doing her best to keep up appearances. She knew it wasn't working as well as she would like. The others would ask if she was fine, and she'd brush them off and she seemed to be doing well enough for them to fall for it.

Except Rarity. Rarity had realized just how thick her make up was.

She had given Sunset the medication.

"I'm not sure why you won't tell us, darling, but with how caked on that make up is, you need sleep. I took this when I was waiting for Prim Hemline to call me back after my interview. If you won't talk to us, please at least try to get a good night's sleep?" Rarity had asked, looking at her with such concern.

It always left Sunset feeling weird when Rarity showed such extreme kindness to her. Respecting Sunset's desire to not talk about it, but still trying to help. Sunset was always grateful, feeling such love for her friend. It just mixed with that bitter feeling that reminded her how it had been Rarity that caused her to target her group of friends, to hurt her chances to become princess for the Spring Fling. She didn't feel she deserved it, even though she loved it.

The fact the nightmares had only made what had once been a small bitterness into what it is now was just another reason to hate them.

She nodded her head, taking the offered medicine. "Okay," she said softly. "Thank you."

Rarity smiled, squeezing her hand. "Of course. This is what friends do."

The medicine had let her fall asleep easily, at least. Not filled with terror and anxiety like she had been the past week. But it hadn't chased away the dreams. Instead she had been stuck in the dreams, playing on and on even as fear consumed her. Until finally she had apparently tried to sleepwalk.

And fell right down the stairs from her loft bed. The pain had been enough to wake her despite the drugs in her system.

Sunset sighed, rubbing at her face. She was tired. She wanted nothing more than to sleep, but at this rate, her body would give before the nightmares. She had to do something.

Anything.

Over and over. The sound of eggs hitting the ground. Over and over. Eggs hit the ground.

The sound of crying creatures echo around.

She managed another half hour. She skips getting breakfast.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything important," Sunset said.

"Just paperwork, but Spike said I should take a break. I think he had just left to make me a snack to guilt me into it," Twilight said with a sheepish look as her levitation shuffled away her papers to make room on the desk. "Though I'm not sure how much free time I have today..."

"You are running a school. It looks really nice though. There were an awful lot of smiling faces when I came in," Sunset said.

Twilight beamed at that. "Isn't it amazing? I mean, I know I've always been good at the academic, but I never imagined I could make so many creatures genuinely happy, who want to be here, and care about this school," she said, positively glowing.

She looked so happy. So much more together than the pony who had doubted her ability when they first met, who struggled under the pressure to always have the answers. And if her emotional intelligence had started anywhere near the human Twilight's, it really was an amazing achievement.

She looked so happy, it made Sunset hesitate to tell her about her troubles.

"But what about you, Sunset? Why the visit?" Twilight asked as she settled in her chain again.

She knew Twilight would lose that smile if she told her. Tried to explain her troubles, but she hadn't been able to sleep for so long. She had to do something, anything.

"Well, I-" Sunset started.

"Twilight, you really should take a break before this tea over s-oh. Sunset Shimmer, hi!" Spike said, wheeling in a cart with tea and muffins on it. "Guess I don't have to trick you to take a break in the name of not ruining tea, huh?"

Twilight laughed shyly. "No, not this time," she said as he wheeled the cart over. "And I was thinking about taking a break anyway."

"Uh huh," Spike said with a disbelieving look and then looking at Sunset. "How's everyone back in the other world?" He asked.

Sunset smiled, trying to hold back the dread growing in the pit of her stomach. "They've been doing well. Nothing weird since the Time Twirler incident," she said. Except her nightmares.

"Can you get us a spare cup, Spike? We can catch up together," Twilight said. Spike nodded, scampering off as Twilight looked at Sunset again. "So no magical problem? Then why are you here?" She asked, looking curious.

Sunset wanted to tell the truth, but she felt the words stuck in her throat now. She couldn't get them out to explain. To ask for help. Because asking for help means explaining which means dashing the happiness radiating from Twilight.

"Hey, nothing wrong with wanting to see my friend in person, right?" She asked. "So tell me more about the school," she said with a smile, ignoring the gnawing feeling of guilt as Twilight accepted her words and began to gush about her school.

Twilight was a bust. But there was another option.

"Come in," Starlight called through the door.

Sunset slipped inside, making sure the door was shut tight as Starlight gasped behind her.

"Sunset Shimmer!" Starlight said, hurrying from around her desk to hug her friend. Sunset returned the hug, being careful to not overbalance. It was always hard to get reused to her hooves again.

Honestly, she doesn't know why she didn't come to Starlight first. The dread she felt approaching Twilight was so much less so with Starlight. Probably because if anyone would understand, it would be the other unicorn.

Starlight pulled back. And paused. She frowned, looking closer at her face, causing Sunset to lean back. "Uh....?"

"You're wearing make up," Starlight said. "Pretty heavy make up. Almost as good as when I had to hide my Cutie Mark from my village," she said.

"....you and Rarity know way too much about make up," Sunset said.

"Experience is a good teacher," Starlight said, leaning back. "What are you trying to hide?"

Sunset sighed, stepping around Starlight and grabbing a tissue from Starlight's desk with her magic, pulling it closer to wipe away as much as the make up as she could without water, turning to Starlight. She sat down as she gestured to her face.

"...when was the last time you slept?" Starlight asked, staring at the deep eyebags under the other pony's eyes.

"Last night, but I haven't gotten a full night's sleep since the festival where we found the Time Twirler," Sunset said.

"And with the time dilation....oh, wow, that's been a while. No wonder you're wearing so much make up," Starlight said, guiding Sunset to a seat to slump down in. "Do you know why?"

"Nightmares. Pretty constant, persistent ones," Sunset said, accepting the blanket that Starlight had draped over her. She had a feeling this isn't the first time she's tried to just ready someone for sleep because they didn't know how to quit. She even accepted the stuffed bear being gently pressed into her arms. Front legs. Whatever.

"I'm guessing you tried all the solo ways to help? Change of diet, exercise, relaxation?" Starlight asked, holding up the tea kettle in question. Sunset pondered a moment and nodded her head. At least the tea helps her nerves.

"Yeah. Even tried medication humans have, a lot more potent than what ponies have without being magically induced. Just made it so I couldn't wake up from the nightmare," Sunset said.

Starlight grimaced at that. "That sounds horrible."

"It is. Only woke up when I tried to sleepwalk down my stairs," Sunset said, holding the bear closer. "Fine, obviously, even if I got a nasty bruise from it."

"So is this you're trying counseling visit or hope Princess Luna can do something when you sleep here visit?" Starlight asked. "Because you should probably try to talk to her in Canterlot first, so she knows to check on you."

The thought of Princess Luna doing anything in her dreams nearly causes her to strangle the stuffing out of the bear. "No! No, I wasn't....I wasn't looking for Princess Luna," Sunset said, swallowing hard. "And I'm...I'm not sure if counseling can help."

"Why not?" Starlight asked, sorting through her tea options.

Sunset looked down at the floor. "Because....because it's not like....I don't shy away from....from what I've done," she said. "I don't. I know I was wrong, and I did bad things, I've made peace with all that-"

"Have you?" Starlight said questioningly.

"Of course I have!" Sunset said, raising a hoof in the air. Starlight just gave her a searching look and Sunset sighed. "And even if there was some hang up, I don't....I don't think it'd result in these kind of nightmares..." she said, slumping back.

"Then what were you thinking?" Starlight asked.

"....there's a spell I remember. From my studies," Sunset said. "There's a few dream spells, but it was one that was said to help particularly bad cases. If you couldn't find a cause and would help quicken the recovery time."

"Are you sure that's wise? This kind of thing takes time, doesn't it?" Starlight asked.

"I mean, it's basically what my powers do. They let me understand someone's problem completely so I can help them. This problem just...let's me do it for myself," Sunset said.

Starlight hummed, tapping a hoof to her chin in thought as the kettle whistled and she poured the tea. "Do you remember the spell?"

"It's called the Mind Delve. As long as I'm remembering right, the book is ‘Dreams: A Psychological Understanding.' It's something like that," Sunset said.

Starlight paused at that. "You remember that after all these years?" She asked, hovering the tea over to Sunset.

Sunset shrugged. "I've always been good at memorizing things. That's how I got through the time loop, just memorized everything I thought was important, and spells were important," she said. "Not to mention learn everything I needed to pass for a regular High School Student. Cut it real close with History."

Starlight whistled. "That's a good point," she said and shook her head with a sigh. "You know, it's a real shame you, Twilight, and me didn't know each other as foals. We probably could have made magical history. Well, more than we have already. If Earth ever records your magical findings," she said.

Sunset chuckled. "Let's be fair, we would have torn each other apart," she said.

"Yeah, probably," Starlight said. "Are you sure about this?"

Sunset nodded. "The problem is, I can't see the sources for the dreams, not exactly. If I could get a clear picture, then maybe I can find something that does help. But I can't exactly use my geode on myself," she said.

Starlight still looked uncertain, but sighed. "All right. I'll go retrieve the book. You try and relax here, okay? You look like you're about to fall over."

Sunset nodded. "I will," she said, bringing the tea closer to take a sip. Starlight left to head to the library and Sunset waited, curled up in the chair. Warm and rather cozy, relieved that maybe, maybe something will work.

Laughter ripped from burning lungs as the world burned around her. The world was full of noise, from her mania, the crackle of flames, and the screams of the burning buildings around her.

A hand grabs at her skirt and she looked down to see Juniper, looking no older than ten, half her body burned. "H....help....help..." She begged.

She reached down to take Juniper's hand, lifting her up. "Don't worry," she cooed. "Your suffering ends now," she said, her other clawed hand lashing out and slitting her neck. She felt the blood spray against her skin.

Then things were dark. Cold. There was crying. "Why....?" A weak voice called. "Why did you do all this?"

Rarity was in the corner, clothes shredded, bruised and bleeding, looking at Sunset with wide, wet eyes.

"Oh, Rarity. It's simple," Sunset said, reaching out to touch her cheek with gentleness. "It's because I can. You see, you're weak. The only time you have power is when you have others with you. As soon as they're gone, you're nothing," she said.

Rarity sobbed. "J-just because you can doesn't mean you should! They were important to you! How could-how could you-to them-to me?"

"Because this is how it was always going to be, but don't worry, Rarity. I'm not a monster. I'll make it quick."

Sunset awoke with a jolt as the door slammed open.

"If you want to talk about future career options, please schedule an appointment in advance! I'm with someone!" Starlight called before quickly shutting the door behind her with a sigh. "Seriously, you'd think if they were that worried, they wouldn't schedule last minute," she said with a huff as she moved over towards Sunset.

Pausing as she saw her on the ground. "Uh. You okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine," Sunset said, quickly sitting up.

"You're crying," Starlight pointed out.

Sunset quickly wiped at her face. "I just...I fell asleep," she said.

"Oh. Wow, that is serious, I was only gone twenty minutes," Starlight said, offering up her tissues to let Sunset wipe her face.

"Yeah. Yeah, they are," she muttered.

"Well, I found the spell. Are you sure you don't want to try anything else first? Some of these spells can let me see nightmares, maybe I could do what you do?" Starlight asked.

The very thought made Sunset want to throw up. Murder amongst ponies was a rare thing. Even Sunset, in all her megalomania, never had an actual bloodthirst, not until she had put on Twilight's crown. Hadn't wanted to burn anyone alive like she had in her dreams. Exposing Starlight to that impulse was the last thing she wanted to do.

"No. I think the Mind Delve is our best best."

Starlight huffed, but nodded. "If you think this will help, then we'll give it a shot. What's the worse that can happen?" She said, opening the book. "You're right. It's recommended for patients whose nightmares that are persistent with no obvious root cause and can help accelerate recovery in extreme cases. And it's pretty simple to cast. Are you ready?"

Sunset nodded. "Yeah. As ready as I'll ever be," she said.

"Okay," Starlight said, reading over the spell again and gathering the magic in her horn, before tapping Sunset's forehead.

It's a sensation somewhat akin to when Sunset sees someone's memory. The feeling of being thrown into another time and place, seeing things through anothers eyes, minus the feelings, and far more disorientating. Instead of going from point A to point B, it feels she's been jerked this way and that, hitting points L D F Z until she's finally at B.

She stumbles several steps, falling to her knees. Her human knees. Looking up and finding herself in Canterlot High School's library. Everything seemed fine, just dark. Thanks to the thick fog she could see outside the window, more than likely.

She slowly got to her feet, looking around. "Hello?" She called, listening for any response. She hadn't been sure what she was expecting. Maybe something much like her powers, leading her through whatever memories she needed to understand what her issues was, much like it did for others.

Perhaps a visit into her mindscape, but that....didn't feel quite like this was it. Usually a mindscape should have things that represent her and while she could see CHS being part, she didn't think it'd be this....simple. At least a fusion with Canterlot's library instead of just the school's. Something pony and human.

She walked around, looking for signs of movement or anything strange when she spots it on the table. Her tote bag. She moved to it quickly, opening it, expecting her usual items. Instead, all she sees is a flashlight and a portable radio, much like one she had won in a bet her first week on Earth. Listening to the radio to try and learn more about the place she had found herself in.

Odd as it was, she decided it was best to keep her bag with her, heading out of the library to see if she could find anyone else. Walking the deserted halls, starting to notice a few oddities. Lockers were left open, posters peeling from the wall, not quite up to standard. Odd. But nothing too noteworthy.

Then she reached the main hall.

Seeing a large, wrought iron gate over the front doors, blocking her way out.