Author's Note

Yeah, short exposition chapter, but the Brain refused to not let this end simply with a creepy poem, or anything even slightly mysterious, so have a half-baked Exposition Chapter that doesn't explain everything, but does explain why Luna couldn't help Rainbow.

It's also a very soft way for me to set up potential sequels, as all good Grimdark MLP Fics have.

Epilogue: Understanding The Horror.

The Dreamscape was a strange thing. It was a mix of Cold and Boiling, bright yet dark, and was Luna’s paradise. But tonight, it was her curse once again. Tonight, she was here to save a life, something she’d not done in an Eon.

Within the Dreamscape stood a wall of doors, each leading to a different dream, and the one before Luna, one covered in cracks and rainbows, belonging to the Element Of Loyalty. With trembling breath, she reached out to shove open the door to Rainbow Dash’s dreams, but… It didn’t budge.

That was new.

With another shove, Luna’s confusion grew. It didn’t just not budge, the whole thing felt like a tooth about to fall out. If she breathed towards it in the wrong way, the doorway would probably topple over like a drunkard.

“What is this trickery?” The Lunar Princess growled. “The Dreamscape has never done this before!”

“Of course it hasn’t. That was before I was born.”

Luna turned hoof faster than a bolt of lightning, a sharp blast of Magic following in her wake towards the unknown target. It impacted a stallion behind her, which was quite concerning, as nopony else had the ability to enter the Dreamscape sans herself.

That stallion… it was an exact mimic of the scant few descriptions Rainbow Dash had given in her Journal. White patchy fur, mangled wings, ratty and tangled mane, and black tar like eyes, housing a white ring that served as an iris.

“I don’t think using magic will work on me.” The being spoke in a tone that was a front between Bored and Dead, sounding much like somepony under water. “Shame.”

“What in the blazes are you supposed to be?! Art thou the Demon terrorizing the Element of Loyalty?” Luna growled, forming another blast of pure magic. The being simply blinked, a few tears running down its cheek as a result.

“A Mistake.”

That made Luna pause for a moment, before regaining composure and releasing another spell, this time one made specifically for beings of the Spectral Nature. Once more, it did nothing but ruffle their mane.

“Please stop that. It won’t stop my suffering, so wasting your own strength is a pointless endeavor.” It grumbled, simply slumping down onto its flank. “I know you want to help her, but you can’t.”

“And what exactly is stopping me, foul being?”

“My Curse.” The absent-eyed being raised a look to the Moon Princesses eyes. “I was created by cruelty, pain, and the urge to Hurt. But it was the urge to hurt the guilty. Two Unicorns, their names no longer matter. They made me to make ponies confess.”

Its eyes rose higher, towards the eternal void that made a sky. “What became of Rainbow Dash was an accident. They hit her by sheer chance, through the bars of their window, from the Academy. And now Rainbow Dash’s sins are being laid bare, and I don’t want that.” It rose from its sitting position, now placing a hoof onto the doorframe of Rainbow Dash’s dream.

“She is an evil mare, truly, but she is not devoid of Good. Her sins within that Machine, the sins that led to me taking the form of this… ‘Flame Storm’, are numerous and disgusting. But… she had a lot of Good, somewhere in there. I guess we can blame a million things. Society, her Parents not simply leaving Cloudsdale and letting her gain her position, her overwhelming ego being fueled by the Factories old boss… It doesn’t matter. Nothing matters much anymore.”

To this point Luna had simply stood by, mental cogs slowly twisting in circles at this new information. It… didn’t feel like a lie. It felt too sincere, the sorrow in its voice so deep and raw, it felt like an Ocean.

“What- What in the name of Tartarus do you mean by Her Sins?! And what Machine?” Luna’s voice felt as wobbly as the door beside her and the Curse.

“Have you not read the journal? Oh well, not enough time to really care.” It mumbled. “I’d explain, but it’s not really worth it right now. Just ask your dear sister, I’m sure you’ll have a lot to talk about.” The Curse sounded almost sarcastic.

Almost.

But it’s gaze turned once more to the door, gazing at the latch as it suddenly cracked.

“She’s dying, Luna. One of your heroes is dying right before you, and you’re sitting here, talking to a sentient Curse that’s killing her, miles upon miles away from her.” It placed a hoof upon the latch as Luna began stepping back, eyes widening.

“Go. There is Nothing for you here.”

And so, she left. With nothing left, the Curse opened the door, the deafening sounds of screaming and machinery was heard for a moment, before the door fell close, Forever.