The Sun, The Moon, and The Starsby TheTraxicEndChaptersThe Prologue... [REVISED]The Encounter... [REVISED]The Interrogations....The Realizations...The Prologue... [REVISED]The Sun was setting and the moon was rising; those heavenly moon-light rays pounded down on the crust of the solid Earth, sending waves of shock throughout the ground. As it continued its barrage, a man walked towards the light. That light of the night shrouded him, it's rays engulfing him with a sense of empowerment. He reached out and touched the moon. He, the man who felt the moon's power, finally felt at peace. He relaxed and hummed a tune that reminded him of a certain someone he wanted to meet... The Night I, Princess Luna, created, shined on. This beautiful night was one I controlled with a mighty hoof. While I have control over the night and ponies' dreams, my sister has control of the sun shining on for a new day. Together, we rule in perfect harmony. As I thought of this, I felt a sudden surge of sadness envelope my soul. This wasn't any normal one I could ignore; instead, it was one that made me want to seek its source. But this source was unique; it hummed music, inviting me. How could something so melancholy be so inviting? With all the magic I could muster, I tried to track this sadness. I located it with ease; however, the sadness was unworldly. I still had to try, I'm among the most sincere ponies of the land. So I began my trek through the night skies... Once he finished his tune, he took one more look at the moon he held so dear. With just a subtle tear to tell the tale, the man turned and headed back to his imprisonment. He sat down on his cold couch and turned on the television. He quickly flipped through the channels as if his life depended on it. When he reached the channel of his desire, he set the remote down and watched the television with intense focus. He took in every single aspect of the show he watched: characters of the show, the portrayed scenery, and the messages stated at the end of almost every episode. All of these aspects filtered through the ends of his mind. The man sat there almost motionless as if he entered a dark void. When the show ended, he grasped the remote and quickly shut off the television. He sat there and finally released his emotions in the atmosphere surrounding him.The void he entered was the one harnessing his sadness, and it created a living nightmare that could only be cured by that show. As he contemplated over his emotions, he heard a sudden noise that halted his focus. It seemed like some rattling, as if someone was trying to break into his 'home'. It then ceased, only to be replaced by a roaring crashing sound. The man jumped and sprang into action, directed to where he heard the sound coming from. As he bolted outside, he attempted to hum the same tune he commemorated to his favorite character on the show. About half way through his song, he heard a rustling in the bushes next to his house. Not knowing whether or not it was a intruder, he headed towards them. Once he arrived at those very bushes, the man stopped and contemplated over his next move. He then slowly pulled away the branches of the bush so that he could discover what was creating those noises. This discovery, however, would change his life forever. The Encounter... [REVISED]Chapter 1: The Encounter I finally entered the world of the emotion that was conveyed to me. I was utterly astonished at how advanced this world was compared to Equestria. Huge buildings, towering up to the skies; radiant lights, covering the busy roads in the city; unknown carriages, racing through the chilly night; and large billboards, showing what these species do for 'fun'. While I was in a trance-like state, I noticed a sudden surge of sadness envelope me again. This one was even stronger, which only meant that I was close to the source. I quickly regained my composure and headed towards the source... I felt it almost clinging to me as if I was its only hope. Its unshakable aura, surrounding me almost uncontrollably. As I approached it further, the surge encompassed me and eventually forced my wings to close. Once I realized this, I had to quickly decide where to land. Unfortunately, there wasn't a open field at my current position, so I settled for the next best thing: a tree. At first, I thought that the tree would have helped me break my fall so that I wouldn't have hurt myself in the process. As I crashed into the tree, I immediately realized I was wrong. The impact made me cringe in pain. I tried not to whimper, but my lack of energy made that whimper a reality. As I crashed to the earth below me, I heard sounds of several voices emanating from a nearby building. They were soft, female; I almost could recognize them. Is that Twilig- This was all I could think of before the darkness entered my midst and shrouded me... Man do I love watching my favorite show at night! This show is formally known as My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Why was this such a good show? Well, I could list you so many reasons as to why it is great, but for now let's cut to the chase. My name is Calvin E. Hartman, you can just call me "The Man". I got my nickname from a fight I participated in. It was in high school, I was just a freshman... I was getting bullied by a couple of juniors; they felt they were upper class man. They didn't know I was the best fighter in the whole freshman class. These two juniors were such jocks, but after the fight, they were referred to as 'losers of the junior class' because they weren't able to lay a punch on me. The fight I'm describing lasted only twenty seconds; I only punched the two once, respectively. In this case, when two fists connected to the two bullies, they collapsed into unconsciousness immediately. The other freshmen looked at me with shocked looks on their faces. I just turned to them and said, "Well someone has to do something to these bullies. I guess I'm the man for the job." When I said that, my class cheered and supported me for my valiant effort to fight off bullying. It was a good day... Sorry, I tend to space out sometimes. Anyway, I was currently watching the latest episode of the show when I suddenly heard a few faint whimpers. I disregarded them immediately, but I decided to take them seriously when I heard a loud THUD, which caused me to jump at the sudden crash. "What the heck was that noise?" I ran over to the door and before exiting my home, I quickly put on my emergency jacket. This jacket was such a lifesaver, I didn't have to worry about grabbing a flashlight, a first-aid kit, or anything of that sort. This jacket had all of that in a nice complete package and more. Once I had that on, I rushed out the door to where I thought the sound came from. Utilizing my flashlight, I tried to look for any sort of tracks or unprecedented figures in my shrubs. Note to self: get those shrubs trimmed before they turn into massive hedges. I prowled around for about five minutes when suddenly, I heard a faint whimpering sound. I tried to approach it, but it felt like it was changing direction. Eventually, I decided to return to my humble abode. As I was moving, I noticed a shrub shaking. This can be one of two things. It could be a thief trying to find an unique way to complete a breaking and entering, or it's a defenseless animal. I approached the bush, and very gently pulled back on the twigs surrounding the bush. It wasn't an intruder; to be exact... it was a horse. It looked like it had seen better days. It had a blue purplish coat color; its mane was a nice light purple with little specs of white in it. This horse also had jewelry on its hooves and on its head, glistening in the night. And for some reason... this horse looked strangely familiar. The realization hit me like a train. This can't be happening...It's....Luna. I- I was interrupted in my thought process when I realized she was waking up. She looked at me and yelped in fright. I knew she was afraid so I gave her some space. She noticed this and stood up on her hooves. I immediately took the wheel on this one. "Are you okay?" "We...I-I'm fine," she replied in a sensitive tone. "You sure don't sound fine," I answered. I noticed that she was favoring her left wing and her right forehoof appeared to be hurt. "Looks to me like you have wing and hoof problems there, miss...?" I asked. She relaxed a bit and then answered, "Luna; and yes, I'm hurt." "Well let's just assume this isn't a 'Tis but a scratch!' moment. Let's get you in my home so we can inspect your injuries." She remained there, paralyzed with fear. "I'm not here to hurt you, Luna. I'm only here to help," I answered in the most serious tone I could muster. "Art thou sure? We..I mean, I, have never seen a creature of such height and sincerity before. I've only had this treatment when I was back in m-my world," she stammered. She really is afraid of me. I have to think of something so that I can gain her trust... I looked back over at her and pulled out my first-aid kit. She looked at it with intense concentration. She then looked back at me and said, "What in Celestia's mane is that?" "Well, this case is a first-aid kit. I carry these around in case someone gets injured or is in need of urgent care." She looked at me with a confused look on her face. "Let's put it this way, does your wing hurt when you try to move it?" She tried to move her wing, immediately wincing in pain. She then whimpered and cried, "YES!" "On a scale of one to ten how much pain do you sense when you move it?" "TEENNN!" She squealed as she yelped in pain. I looked down at her hoof. I then motioned for her to lift it so I could examine it further. She looked at me and slowly but surely raised it up enough for me to see it. I then asked her, "How about your hoof? Does it hurt the same when you try to put pressure on it?" She shrugged in a pony-fashioned way. So that's how they shrug. She attempted to put some pressure on the injured hoof and immediately yelped in pain. I swear if I had any neighbors around here, they would have been calling the police right now. "YES!" She exclaimed as she continued to whimper. "Well I hate to point out the obvious, but you need to stay off your injured hoof for a while." She nodded slightly and asked, "What about my wing?" "Considering the pain is the exact same, I suggest you stay off the wing as well." She looked down as I said this. I got down to her level and said, "Look at me, Luna." She slowly brought her head up to my level and stared at me with tears streaking down her face. "You'll be fine. Like I said before, I'm not here to hurt you. I only want to help you get better. Can you trust me?" Still shaking, she sighed. "Well... I guess s-so," she stammered. She slowly approached my side and nuzzled it. I decide to return the favor and hug her back. She got scared for a second but returned the hug anyway. We stayed there for a few seconds before breaking the hug. I looked at her and wiped her face with a cloth from my jacket. "Feeling better now?" I asked. "Yes, thank you." She continued to nuzzle me as we sat there admiring the night. I felt a sudden sense of despair pinch my sides. I haven't felt this since the night of my...abandonment. I remember it as if it happened yesterday... I was six when that cold breezy night arrived. The night was beautiful yet so distinct it glowed. I would always gaze at that beautiful night sky and wonder if I could be able to create my own version. I didn't know that this night was also the one my parents would go out drinking. At the time, I didn't know what my mother meant when 'Your father and I are going out to get some groceries'. After the incident, I understood it vividly. My parents never shopped for groceries, they were on government welfare checks and food stamps. Anyway, my parents were leaving to go get some 'groceries' and they decided to leave me at home with my babysitter. Her name was Lauren, she was fourteen years old. She loved me. I don't know why she did, but I'm glad she was there for me. Before they left, my father said something to Lauren. With that, they left. There wasn't a single goodbye or an 'I love you'; instead, my reward was a door slammed in my face. Lauren turned to me and said, "Well, They're gone kiddo. Here," she handed me the remote, "take this and go watch some TV. I'll be in the kitchen if you need me." I nodded and playfully ran over to the TV. I sat down on the couch and turned it on. Since this one was slightly older, it had the old antennas you had to adjust in order for the channel to come in clear. It took me a good forty-five minutes to finally get it to work. As I sat down, I was frightened at what I saw. The channel was on news and apparently, there had been a shooting at the local bar. I listened closely to what the newswoman had to say. "It appears to be some new information coming in about the case...There...Oh my God..." She gulped at what was on the paper. She began to read: "T-two people were killed in the shooting. Their bodies have been identified as thirty-two year old Ashley Hartman and thirty-three year old Jarrett Hartman." The screen showed two pictures of my dead parents. I screamed on the top of my lungs and started to cry. Lauren rushed in to see what was happening and gasped at the TV screen. She came over to me and kept me close. Even though I was abandoned by my parents, I missed them greatly... I snapped back to reality and realized we were still outside. Luna saw how strange I was acting and asked, "Are you okay?" I wish I was... "Yeah...I'm fine. Let's get in the house. It's getting a bit chilly." She nodded and hopped over to my side. She winced in pain as her injured hoof accidentally came in contact with the hard, frozen soil. I immediately put my arm around her and told her to lean on me so she would be off her injured hoof. She did as I told her and we entered my abode. I have a lot of questions to ask her, but it looks like she may have some for me as well. Why would this creature help me out? This isn't a loyal subject of mine, but as I cling to the creature for comfort; I sense a feeling of sadness lodged in the depths of its heart. Is that the source I was looking for? My mind started to come up with questions to ask. I hope it doesn't recoil at me when I ask him. I quickly dismissed the thoughts and entered the creature's home. The Interrogations....Luna's presence has mesmerized me to the point of uncertainty. I feel this whole experience is just a dream and I would wake from it soon, however, I don't want to wake up from it! She's real and she's in my home! I quickly dismissed my fan boy antics so I could care for this poor mare. I say to her, "Here, lie down on this couch with your wings to your side. I'll be right back with a better first-aid kit, apparently I forgot to restock the bandages in this one." "Thank you for your hospitality but I didn't catch your name..." I interrupted her, "It's Calvin. I'm sorry I didn't mention it before, I was caught up in caring for you that I didn't introduce myself." "Don't worry. Now are you going to get those bandages?" "Oh, Yes I'll be back." She giggled and then laid herself down onto the couch. When I started to walk away, I heard her sigh. She was probably glad that I didn't hurt her. I'll tell her my motives later on. She needs to know the truth and nothing but the truth... Calvin presented his home to me. He seemed to be a very sophisticated and knowledgeable individual. The home he lives in is like the homes in Equestria, expect his house is more advanced. I don't even know what the vent-like box is. Due to curiosity, managed to get off the couch and walk over to the strange device. It seemed that when I pressed the button, it brought out cool, refreshing air. When the air hit me, I sighed loudly. Calvin heard this and shouted from the hallway, "Are you okay in there Luna?" "I'm doing great, thanks." He probably thought I hurt myself again. I quickly dismissed the thought when he said okay back to me. I returned to my seat on the couch and started to relax. This felt so much better than the royal treatment that I had at the castle. I do miss my sister though, she's probably worried sick about me. Not to mention, Twilight is probably preparing a search party for me. That pony needs to take a rest for a while... When I heard that Luna was okay, I returned to the kitchen. Upon entering, I immediately opened the fridge. Great, I just realized that she's a hor....I mean pony. Ponies don't eat meat! Well, time to figure out something to cook for her. At that very moment, I realized what to cook for her. I began to collect the ingredients I needed in order to create the common household delicacy: a grilled cheese. These babies are like heaven on toast. Once you bite into the sandwich, it immediately fills you with the pleasure of cheesy goodness. While I cooked our meals, I began to think of questions to ask her. I need to ask her questions that wouldn't portray me as a walking pedophile. The first few questions I need to ask are embedded in the rule of the six w's. This rule helps me plan the rest of my 'interrogation'. No this doesn't mean I'm part of the FBI. Truth is....I experienced one... A bright light flashed in the room that I was in. It was a cold, disheartened, and clearly unkempt as it smelled like the boy's locker room when I was in high school. I looked over to my right and saw a shiny metal door. This appears to be the door I entered thru... To my despair, the door was bolted shut. I looked to my left and saw the rest of the room. In the left corner was a desk that seemed to be rotting from within its oak panels. Next to it was a picture depicting a prisoner who was being forced upon a platform. Around this platform was a large crowd; each member of the crowd was holding a pitchfork. Underneath the picture was a caption and it read: Death is Amongst You Least of Mine When Will YOU Learn? After seeing my surroundings, I paid attention to what was restraining me. I was tied to a old oak chair. I was facing a similar chair with a table separating the two of us apart. I slowly examined the table. It was oak and it reached just above the chairs, so that it didn't act as a footrest. Above the table was the light, shining on my eyes like I was when I woke up. The light was swaying back and forth as if it was from one of those bleak questioning scenes...wait a second... "This is the interrogation room..Why am I here?" I mumbled under my own breath. Suddenly I heard a slamming of a door and two pairs of footsteps approaching the entrance of the room. As the bolts were activated, I immediately panicked. Are they going take me away and kill me? Am I going to ever see the light of day again? The door then flew open and the two muscle-bound figures entered my midst. The two seemed to be guards, but their attire deemed it to be unlikely. At that moment, I heard a third pair of footsteps emerge from the hallway. The two figures looked at me intently and smiled with evil grins plastered on their faces. Terror enveloped me and sadness engulfed my senses. In approximately ten seconds, the figure emerged from the darkness. Like the two other figures, he had the evil grin plastered on his face. This figure seemed to fit the attire of a prison guard, but why was he holding a notepad? I quickly dismissed the thought of the pad of paper and held my gaze with the guard. He walked up to me and asked me, "Are you ready to cough up the information, Mr. Hartman?" "Wait what? W-Why am I here?" I asked in fright. "You are the primary target. After we captured you, we sent you here to this abandoned prison. Now, Where is the family treasure? " the interrogator questioned. "I don't know," I replied. "Don't make me ask this again." "I don't know sir...." One of the guards walked up to me and slapped me in the face. "WHERE IS THE TREASURE!?" "I DON'T KNOW!" "YES YOU DO!" the interrogator yelled. He then motioned for the two guards to take both of my arms. "What are you going to do to m-me." "When you don't tell me the truth, I hurt you. When you tell me you don't know, I hurt you. Do you understand this?" "YES!" I shouted. "Then tell me...WHERE IS THE TREASURE?" " I don't know what you're talking about!" I exclaimed. The interrogator tapped the two other men on the shoulders. They both forced me down to the ground, pinning me in the arms and legs. I shrieked at the sudden contact and winced in pain. The interrogator stood up and moved towards a cooler they brought in. He took a bucket, concealed behind the desk in the corner and quickly pulled some water out of the cooler. He walked over to me and jiggled the bucket. "See this?" He asked. "Yes, why are you-" I was interrupted by one of the guards shoving a ski mask over my head. "Now you don't, Mr. Hartman," he answered. "See, I know all about you and your kind. You scum try to burn down our way of life and with that in my conscience; I cannot tolerate it. So without further or do, I will end this facade now. Any last words Mr. Hartman?" "What are you going to do to m-" Those were the last words I could manage before being drowned out by the water... I snapped back to reality and realized I was still cooking the grilled cheeses. I continued to cook the grilled cheeses and prepared the drinks for Luna and I. In less than 5 minutes, I finished preparing the meal and returned to the couch that she resided in... I was so engulfed by the everlasting comfort of the couch; I didn't realize the aura of sadness returning. When I felt its presence, I was shocked. The aura was definitely coming from Calvin. Now I have to figure out what is wrong with him. Could it be having sudden spurts of sadness or is he just a bearer of sadness? As I thought of this, I heard Calvin returning to the room; carrying some food and some new bandages. He took notice of me and sat down. He said in a saddened tone, "Luna, take this. It's our meal." Now I know there is something wrong with it. The creature didn't command me to do something before. I have to investigate. "Thank you, but I can't help but notice something bothering you. Are you alright?" Calvin looked at me with a confused look and then he responded, "I'm...Oh who am I to fool! I'm having horrific flashbacks of my past! I can't seem to shake them off either, I can't take it Luna! I....can't," he sighed and looked down at the ground... I can't believe she figured me out. I need to settle this once and for all. Damn straight. What? Who said that? Well you said my name so I responded. No I didn't. Yes you did. No I did not. Look can we just say you did and end our childish games? Nope. Okay, We'll do this the hard way then, I'm your brain you stubborn idiot. That was the hard way?! No, I just felt like saying that. How am I talking to my own brain like this... Stop thinking about me and get back to Luna you dunce. Shit, thanks brain. No problem, I have to return to my show, so please take your time. No comment. Luna looked at me like I was responsible for the invasion of Canterlot. She then snapped out of her trance-like glare and blushed at me. Wait did I just notice her blush? I discarded the thought of her blushing and returned to reality. She said in a shallow tone, "The reason for your nightmares is because you are engulfed by a certain sadness that I cannot seem to comprehend. It makes me sad to see you like this and we...I want to help you get through it." She really just say that? Well... It wouldn't hurt to get advice from the alicorn of the Night; however, I had to get my facts straight if I'm able to succeed in finding the causes of my horrific flashbacks. I decided to go for it. I looked into her eyes and said, "Sure Luna, but I have to ask a few questions about you first." She put her hoof to her face and started rubbing her chin. After rubbing her chin for more than a minute, she looked back at me and said, "Sure, I don't mind; but let's finish our food first." "Okay but promise me that you won't think of me any differently than I am now. My past isn't normal like everyone else..." "I promise. I'm here to return the favor for helping me heal. We will get through this..." she scoots closer to me and then whispers in my ear, "...together." I shuddered as her hot breath trailed down my neck. She then pulled away from me and returned to her sandwich. What was that for? Am I starting to develop feelings for a pony? I immediately dismissed the thought. I can't...it's against the law and well, I don't want to be known as Calvin the Beastie Boy. I chuckled at the nickname I gave myself. Luna looked over and saw me giggling. She shrugged and returned to eating her sandwich. I looked at my grilled cheese and dove right in. I'm glad I made some comfort food for this occasion. If I prepared something more formal, I think it would've ruined the mood. When we finished eating our food, I took our plates and cups and threw them in the sink. Once I did this, I started my way back to the living room. On my way there, I was getting increasingly anxious. I feel like I'm Twilight when she gets anxious over writing a report to Celestia about her friendship. As I returned to the room, Luna motioned for me to sit next to her. I complied with her demands and sat next to her. She scooted closer and nuzzled me. She then said, "So what do you want to talk about?" A lot of thoughts raged through my brain. Let's start with the generic questions then go from there... "Well let's start by getting to know each other. So where are you from, Luna?" She paused for a moment but then let out a sigh. She looked over at me and then answered, "I come from Equestria, the land that my sister and I rule together in harmony." "I've never heard of Equestria here on Earth..." "I think I know the reason why. I think we are from two different dimensions." I was shocked at this latest development. So technically, She is a alien to my dimension and I would be a alien of her dimension. Then a random thought appeared in my mind. How in the heck did she get here then? As the thought crossed my mind, I decided to utilize it and ask, "How did you get here then? I don't see any portals or any supernatural transporter..." "Well...I was flying when I felt your aura of sadness. At first, I ignored the aura; but I heard a voice along with it. I heard...your song." "So you're telling me...that you are able to break into another dimension by hearing a song?!" I questioned. "No, I tracked your sadness and then felt where your location was. It was easy to track since we're on the same planet." "True, but how are you able to cross a dimension with feeling a location?" Luna pondered for a moment. She responded, "To be honest, I have no idea; however, I remember that I had this same feeling until I was freed from my imprisonment." "Your imprisonment?" "Yes, I was imprisoned just like you were. The difference is that I was a completely different pony; controlled by my avatar. Her name is Nightmare Moon." "Your avatar? Are you a bender of the elements?" I asked and giggled. She probably didn't know that show. "What do you mean 'bender of the elements'?" She asked with a puzzled look. "It's a joke, Luna. I was referring to a show here on Earth called Avatar: The Last Air Bender. He can bend not only the air, but also the earth, fire, and water. It's a very interesting adventure cartoon." I look over to her again as she was beaming me down. I then look down and say, "I'm sorry for getting off-topic. Anyway, How long were you imprisoned?" "For a thousand years," she replied. I wasn't too shocked at this because of the show, however, I didn't want her to know about it; so I pretended to be shocked. After re-cooperating from the fake shock, I ask, "Where were you imprisoned at?" "Well since I was Nightmare Moon, my sister had banished me to the moon. After a thousand years of lonesome, I returned and vowed to turn the day into ruins. I wanted the Night to be the only sight that anypony would see. Now, I see that I was wrong. I was freed so I could be with my sister once again." I tried not to tear up at her story. When she finished, I looked up to her and said, "Your imprisonment seems very rough, but you made me realize how horrible mine is." She looked up at me and gazed into my eyes. I could tell she was very concerned and her eyes spelled it out to me... I looked over at Calvin when he said those words. I couldn't help but think: What is worse than a thousand years of lonesome on the moon? Curiosity was getting the best of me, so I asked him, "What was your imprisonment like?" "This imprisonment hasn't stopped...It's just the beginning. The imprisonment refers to some of the flashbacks I've had. It started when I was six years old. My parents were going out to get some groceries, so they left me with a babysitter. Her name was Lauren and she always took care of me while they went to go have their fun." "What do you mean their 'fun'?" He looked down and then shed a tear. I scooted even closer to him and nuzzled him; offering my comfort as a sign of concern. He glanced at me and hugged me. I returned the embrace and then nuzzled him on his cheek. After a few seconds of this, I broke the embrace and asked, "Feeling better?" He nods very subtly and returns to his story. "When I said they were going to have fun, they would always go to the bar." I gasped at this. "Why would your parents leave you just so they could go to a bar!?" I questioned. "They didn't really like me. They thought I was just a mistake and I was the cause of their marriage. They would sometimes beat me if I got out of line." "It seems that they weren't the best parents for you." He looked at me with a saddened gaze. "They're my parents and I miss them. I can't stand being alone like this. I don't have a family anymore." "What about relatives?" I asked puzzled by this new development. "They're all dead. Not a single one left." "What about siblings?" "Dead as well." I gasped at this, I have to investigate. "Well, If this hurts too much to ask, then you don't have to answer. How did your siblings die?" "Luna, I gave myself a oath to tell you the truth and nothing but the truth. Come closer to me, I need your comfort." I came close to him and nuzzled him again. "Are you ready to answer?" I asked. He nods and as he is about to speak, a bright light flashes before us... "Calvin! Calvin? Where are you?" I shout. "I'm right beside you, Luna," he replies. I turn to see him, looking down at me with concerned eyes. I hug him, holding him tight. "Don't you scare me like that..." I said as my voice trails off. "I won't. Wait...Where are we?" he asks as we view our surroundings. "I don't know Calvin..." I look toward him and see his shocked expression. "Luna, we're in my old home. I lived here until I was five years old," he said. He then turned to me and continued, "Let's look around then shall we?" I grin up at him saying, "Right behind you, Calvin." We leisurely walked around the house, admiring the decor and the majestic sense of it all. I think he's forgotten how great his house was. Wonder what caused them to move away from this lovely abode? Did it have problems? What would've caused this? I stood there, dumbfounded at the questions I prepared. My train of thought was shattered as I heard a shifting noise at the front door. I immediately galloped towards Calvin and told him someone was coming in the house. He looked out from a window. He then turned to me and said, "Luna we need to find a hiding place." I was stunned at this. "Why do we need to find one?" "It's my family...they've returned..." The Realizations..."Your family is here?" I asked. "Yes Luna," he replied. "Now follow me, I have the perfect place for us to hide in." Stunned as it is, I couldn't muster anything to reply to him. All I could do was nod. We ran down the hallway to where the stairs were. Right underneath the stairs to the second floor was a closet. We entered this closet and hid underneath the items inside. For some reason, this closet was spacious even though it was filled with items. While he was panicking, I was looking through the contents of the closet. There was mostly clothing in this closet, however; a strange box caught my attention. The box was brown, with the words 'Initiation Day' written on it. I decided to open the box and was shocked at what I saw... I was panicking in the corner, wondering what would happen if my family discovered us. Would they kill us? Would they call the police? All I could do was hope for the best. I turned to Luna and saw her opening a strange brown box. Then I saw her face contort and then filled with anger. She pulled the item out of the container and showed it to me. The item was a gold plated Colt 45 with an insignia on it. On the back of the barrel was my father's name. Suddenly I realized that the insignia on the gun was from a highly targeted gang. The gang was always on the news. This particular gang specialized in drive-by shootings, bank robberies, and drug trafficking. They would wear gold and black because they felt gold showed your wealth and worth, while black showed fearlessness. They have several rivals, particularly the White Scorpions. The White Scorps would try to disrupt their trafficking, or even perform drive-bys on enemy gang members and their families. Why would they partake in this? Well, my father told me the White Scorps felt that White Supremacy was the true doctrine and anyone who resists or rejects their doctrine is an enemy. Snapping back into reality, I see Luna gazing at me, her eyes filled with tears. I decided to do what a friend would do. I brought my arms to her shoulders and hugged her tightly, telling her it would be okay. She sighed and continued the embrace. As we sat there in arms and hooves, I heard the front door swing open and the sounds of my family approaching our location. I knew we were screwed if they discovered us, but I didn't care. I have a friend to comfort. I hugged her even tighter and said, "Luna, it's okay. We'll get through this." She sighed once again and broke the embrace. She looked up to me and said, "It's fine, but I feel something approaching the closet.. Should we hide?" I move over to her again and resume the embrace. I say, "No, we're fine. If they find us then we will run like hell. Put the gun back in it's case, so we don't look like robbers." She complied and put the box in the corner where she originally found it. As she did this, I heard a voice that sounded very familiar, as if I should know it by heart. I started to listen to it with intent and I was shocked at what it said. It shouted, "Mom! Why does Sabrina get to go to the movies! I want to go with her!" A feminine voice replied to it with the same volume, "It's because Sabrina is older than you honey! I don't want to lose my only son!" Then I heard the voice ring out again whining, "But MOOOOMMM..!" "No buts Calvin McCay Hartman!" Wait WHAT!? The realization hit me like a thunderstorm. This was the day of the days... I look over at Calvin and noticed his unshaken expression. He looked over at me, tears starting to form in his eyes. He then collapsed into my mane and cried, which I allowed. As he was crying, I felt his aura gripping into me like a young boy grasps on his favorite toy. He started to whisper in low tones, "Tonight...murder...she'll...hate me." As I heard this, I felt deeply concerned. I ask, "Are you okay Calvin?" He stands up and replies, "Luna, we're in one of my flashbacks. I think if we leave this closet, we will not be seen by them." He motions for the door saying, "Let's leave this confinement." I was confused by his proclamation, so I ask, "How do you know for sure?" He replies, "Trust me. I need you to see this." Still utterly confused, I ask, "Why though? WE.. I want to know." He chuckles at your mishap. We will get you back for this... He then sighs and looks down to the ground. In a depressed tone, he states: "Luna, remember when I told you my imprisonment started when I was six?" I nodded slowly, trying to remember when he said it. "Well, I forgot about my birthday present for when I turned six. So technically, I was five when it first happened." I immediately responded, "Well, why does that matter? Does it relate to this flashback?" He answered with a defiant tone, "Yes. This is when I receive my present." I was shocked at the statement. What does he mean by present? I feel like he's not telling me something... I ask, "Can you tell me what happens?" He immediately responds, "No Luna, you need to see this to understand my pain..." I had no choice but to say, "Okay Calvin I trust you. Lead the way." He nodded and opened the door. We filed out of the closet and entered the living quarters... My family was currently watching TV and I couldn't help but smile at the scene. TV Night was the best thing my family did together. We would stay up late and watch cartoons like Looney Tunes. We had the best time, laughing at the cartoons we watched. I've certainly missed this, my heart warmed up at the sight. Then I heard Sabrina, my sister, tell my dad her ride for the movies had arrived. He nodded and told her to have fun. She grinned and walked out the door. I motioned for Luna to walk with me to the window. She complied and we watched my sister leave. Then, the unexpected happened. I heard the two screeching pistol shots ring out and gazed over at my sister. She heard the shots, but was too late to dodge them. The bullets impacted her, tearing through her skin. She flailed and hit the ground, all of the life drained from her. My father heard the cries of Sabrina and rushed out the door. Luna and I walked out with him. When we approached, I saw my father looking down at her, crying at his daughters lifeless form. Luna and I looked at my sister's body. The blood oozed out from her skull, where the first bullet impacted her. The second bullet impacted her in the heart. I looked into her eyes. The eyes were filled with tears and filled with death. Her facial expression was of pain, pain she didn't feel anymore. I turned my gaze to Luna. She looked up at me with tears filling her eyes. I hugged her and held her close. Luna continued to cry and I felt my shoulder becoming soaked. I whispered in her ear, "It's okay Luna, this is just the beginning. I've had to live with her death for the longest while. I still miss her and I want her to be back, but she'll be unable to come back." She looked back up at me and smiled slightly before frowning again. She said, "Are all your memories like this?" I looked at Luna and gripped her fore hooves tightly. I shrugged and said, "I don't know Luna, I don't know..." As we stayed in this embrace, I felt a surge of light enter our midst. We had no choice, but to embrace it's radiance. It's lights gave a flash, causing us both to fall to the ground. I looked up and noticed a dark figure standing before me. I couldn't make out the figures features, due to the light blinding my vision. It stated in a shady tone, "Welcome to your worst nightmares, Calvin. You will be unable to escape them..." "How do you know my -" That's all I could say before I was knocked out by the figure's spell... I looked over to Calvin, and saw him lying still with his eyes closed. I went over to embrace him. As I hugged him, I felt his heartbeat slowing. I started to panic and screamed in my Royal Canterlot voice, "CALVIN, WAKE UP! DON'T LEAVE ME!" I didn't get a response from him. I wept over his body and brought him close. I said in a shatter tone, "Calvin...I wanted to admit this to you later on, but I don't know if you'll survive..." I gulped and continued on, "I wanted to let you know...I...loved you with all my heart. When you helped me at your home, I felt drawn to you. I realized I never felt this way before and I wanted to explore it more. After seeing you break down in front of me, I felt the feeling grow stronger. I wanted you to stop crying and when you had no one left on this planet to love or care for, I wanted to fill in the gap..." I looked down and cried into his shoulder. The pain was stabbing me right in my heart. I wish he could be with me once more, holding me close like he done before. Unfortunately for me, someone or something took it from me. I felt a new feeling approach my senses; the feeling of revenge. I haven't felt this since my time as Nightmare Moon. This feeling, however; is able to be controlled; thanks to my training from Twilight Sparkle. My train of thought was shattered when I heard a voice come from below me. I looked down at my human and see him gazing up at me. He said, "Luna, I love you too." I was too shocked to reply or move. He took notice of this and decided to surprise me even more. He hugged me tightly and said, "Luna, remember the light that shrouded us?" I recovered from the shock and said, "Yes, Why? What happened?" He replied in a saddened tone, "We're stuck here...Until we see the rest of my nightmares..."
The Prologue... [REVISED]The Sun was setting and the moon was rising; those heavenly moon-light rays pounded down on the crust of the solid Earth, sending waves of shock throughout the ground. As it continued its barrage, a man walked towards the light. That light of the night shrouded him, it's rays engulfing him with a sense of empowerment. He reached out and touched the moon. He, the man who felt the moon's power, finally felt at peace. He relaxed and hummed a tune that reminded him of a certain someone he wanted to meet... The Night I, Princess Luna, created, shined on. This beautiful night was one I controlled with a mighty hoof. While I have control over the night and ponies' dreams, my sister has control of the sun shining on for a new day. Together, we rule in perfect harmony. As I thought of this, I felt a sudden surge of sadness envelope my soul. This wasn't any normal one I could ignore; instead, it was one that made me want to seek its source. But this source was unique; it hummed music, inviting me. How could something so melancholy be so inviting? With all the magic I could muster, I tried to track this sadness. I located it with ease; however, the sadness was unworldly. I still had to try, I'm among the most sincere ponies of the land. So I began my trek through the night skies... Once he finished his tune, he took one more look at the moon he held so dear. With just a subtle tear to tell the tale, the man turned and headed back to his imprisonment. He sat down on his cold couch and turned on the television. He quickly flipped through the channels as if his life depended on it. When he reached the channel of his desire, he set the remote down and watched the television with intense focus. He took in every single aspect of the show he watched: characters of the show, the portrayed scenery, and the messages stated at the end of almost every episode. All of these aspects filtered through the ends of his mind. The man sat there almost motionless as if he entered a dark void. When the show ended, he grasped the remote and quickly shut off the television. He sat there and finally released his emotions in the atmosphere surrounding him.The void he entered was the one harnessing his sadness, and it created a living nightmare that could only be cured by that show. As he contemplated over his emotions, he heard a sudden noise that halted his focus. It seemed like some rattling, as if someone was trying to break into his 'home'. It then ceased, only to be replaced by a roaring crashing sound. The man jumped and sprang into action, directed to where he heard the sound coming from. As he bolted outside, he attempted to hum the same tune he commemorated to his favorite character on the show. About half way through his song, he heard a rustling in the bushes next to his house. Not knowing whether or not it was a intruder, he headed towards them. Once he arrived at those very bushes, the man stopped and contemplated over his next move. He then slowly pulled away the branches of the bush so that he could discover what was creating those noises. This discovery, however, would change his life forever.
The Encounter... [REVISED]Chapter 1: The Encounter I finally entered the world of the emotion that was conveyed to me. I was utterly astonished at how advanced this world was compared to Equestria. Huge buildings, towering up to the skies; radiant lights, covering the busy roads in the city; unknown carriages, racing through the chilly night; and large billboards, showing what these species do for 'fun'. While I was in a trance-like state, I noticed a sudden surge of sadness envelope me again. This one was even stronger, which only meant that I was close to the source. I quickly regained my composure and headed towards the source... I felt it almost clinging to me as if I was its only hope. Its unshakable aura, surrounding me almost uncontrollably. As I approached it further, the surge encompassed me and eventually forced my wings to close. Once I realized this, I had to quickly decide where to land. Unfortunately, there wasn't a open field at my current position, so I settled for the next best thing: a tree. At first, I thought that the tree would have helped me break my fall so that I wouldn't have hurt myself in the process. As I crashed into the tree, I immediately realized I was wrong. The impact made me cringe in pain. I tried not to whimper, but my lack of energy made that whimper a reality. As I crashed to the earth below me, I heard sounds of several voices emanating from a nearby building. They were soft, female; I almost could recognize them. Is that Twilig- This was all I could think of before the darkness entered my midst and shrouded me... Man do I love watching my favorite show at night! This show is formally known as My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Why was this such a good show? Well, I could list you so many reasons as to why it is great, but for now let's cut to the chase. My name is Calvin E. Hartman, you can just call me "The Man". I got my nickname from a fight I participated in. It was in high school, I was just a freshman... I was getting bullied by a couple of juniors; they felt they were upper class man. They didn't know I was the best fighter in the whole freshman class. These two juniors were such jocks, but after the fight, they were referred to as 'losers of the junior class' because they weren't able to lay a punch on me. The fight I'm describing lasted only twenty seconds; I only punched the two once, respectively. In this case, when two fists connected to the two bullies, they collapsed into unconsciousness immediately. The other freshmen looked at me with shocked looks on their faces. I just turned to them and said, "Well someone has to do something to these bullies. I guess I'm the man for the job." When I said that, my class cheered and supported me for my valiant effort to fight off bullying. It was a good day... Sorry, I tend to space out sometimes. Anyway, I was currently watching the latest episode of the show when I suddenly heard a few faint whimpers. I disregarded them immediately, but I decided to take them seriously when I heard a loud THUD, which caused me to jump at the sudden crash. "What the heck was that noise?" I ran over to the door and before exiting my home, I quickly put on my emergency jacket. This jacket was such a lifesaver, I didn't have to worry about grabbing a flashlight, a first-aid kit, or anything of that sort. This jacket had all of that in a nice complete package and more. Once I had that on, I rushed out the door to where I thought the sound came from. Utilizing my flashlight, I tried to look for any sort of tracks or unprecedented figures in my shrubs. Note to self: get those shrubs trimmed before they turn into massive hedges. I prowled around for about five minutes when suddenly, I heard a faint whimpering sound. I tried to approach it, but it felt like it was changing direction. Eventually, I decided to return to my humble abode. As I was moving, I noticed a shrub shaking. This can be one of two things. It could be a thief trying to find an unique way to complete a breaking and entering, or it's a defenseless animal. I approached the bush, and very gently pulled back on the twigs surrounding the bush. It wasn't an intruder; to be exact... it was a horse. It looked like it had seen better days. It had a blue purplish coat color; its mane was a nice light purple with little specs of white in it. This horse also had jewelry on its hooves and on its head, glistening in the night. And for some reason... this horse looked strangely familiar. The realization hit me like a train. This can't be happening...It's....Luna. I- I was interrupted in my thought process when I realized she was waking up. She looked at me and yelped in fright. I knew she was afraid so I gave her some space. She noticed this and stood up on her hooves. I immediately took the wheel on this one. "Are you okay?" "We...I-I'm fine," she replied in a sensitive tone. "You sure don't sound fine," I answered. I noticed that she was favoring her left wing and her right forehoof appeared to be hurt. "Looks to me like you have wing and hoof problems there, miss...?" I asked. She relaxed a bit and then answered, "Luna; and yes, I'm hurt." "Well let's just assume this isn't a 'Tis but a scratch!' moment. Let's get you in my home so we can inspect your injuries." She remained there, paralyzed with fear. "I'm not here to hurt you, Luna. I'm only here to help," I answered in the most serious tone I could muster. "Art thou sure? We..I mean, I, have never seen a creature of such height and sincerity before. I've only had this treatment when I was back in m-my world," she stammered. She really is afraid of me. I have to think of something so that I can gain her trust... I looked back over at her and pulled out my first-aid kit. She looked at it with intense concentration. She then looked back at me and said, "What in Celestia's mane is that?" "Well, this case is a first-aid kit. I carry these around in case someone gets injured or is in need of urgent care." She looked at me with a confused look on her face. "Let's put it this way, does your wing hurt when you try to move it?" She tried to move her wing, immediately wincing in pain. She then whimpered and cried, "YES!" "On a scale of one to ten how much pain do you sense when you move it?" "TEENNN!" She squealed as she yelped in pain. I looked down at her hoof. I then motioned for her to lift it so I could examine it further. She looked at me and slowly but surely raised it up enough for me to see it. I then asked her, "How about your hoof? Does it hurt the same when you try to put pressure on it?" She shrugged in a pony-fashioned way. So that's how they shrug. She attempted to put some pressure on the injured hoof and immediately yelped in pain. I swear if I had any neighbors around here, they would have been calling the police right now. "YES!" She exclaimed as she continued to whimper. "Well I hate to point out the obvious, but you need to stay off your injured hoof for a while." She nodded slightly and asked, "What about my wing?" "Considering the pain is the exact same, I suggest you stay off the wing as well." She looked down as I said this. I got down to her level and said, "Look at me, Luna." She slowly brought her head up to my level and stared at me with tears streaking down her face. "You'll be fine. Like I said before, I'm not here to hurt you. I only want to help you get better. Can you trust me?" Still shaking, she sighed. "Well... I guess s-so," she stammered. She slowly approached my side and nuzzled it. I decide to return the favor and hug her back. She got scared for a second but returned the hug anyway. We stayed there for a few seconds before breaking the hug. I looked at her and wiped her face with a cloth from my jacket. "Feeling better now?" I asked. "Yes, thank you." She continued to nuzzle me as we sat there admiring the night. I felt a sudden sense of despair pinch my sides. I haven't felt this since the night of my...abandonment. I remember it as if it happened yesterday... I was six when that cold breezy night arrived. The night was beautiful yet so distinct it glowed. I would always gaze at that beautiful night sky and wonder if I could be able to create my own version. I didn't know that this night was also the one my parents would go out drinking. At the time, I didn't know what my mother meant when 'Your father and I are going out to get some groceries'. After the incident, I understood it vividly. My parents never shopped for groceries, they were on government welfare checks and food stamps. Anyway, my parents were leaving to go get some 'groceries' and they decided to leave me at home with my babysitter. Her name was Lauren, she was fourteen years old. She loved me. I don't know why she did, but I'm glad she was there for me. Before they left, my father said something to Lauren. With that, they left. There wasn't a single goodbye or an 'I love you'; instead, my reward was a door slammed in my face. Lauren turned to me and said, "Well, They're gone kiddo. Here," she handed me the remote, "take this and go watch some TV. I'll be in the kitchen if you need me." I nodded and playfully ran over to the TV. I sat down on the couch and turned it on. Since this one was slightly older, it had the old antennas you had to adjust in order for the channel to come in clear. It took me a good forty-five minutes to finally get it to work. As I sat down, I was frightened at what I saw. The channel was on news and apparently, there had been a shooting at the local bar. I listened closely to what the newswoman had to say. "It appears to be some new information coming in about the case...There...Oh my God..." She gulped at what was on the paper. She began to read: "T-two people were killed in the shooting. Their bodies have been identified as thirty-two year old Ashley Hartman and thirty-three year old Jarrett Hartman." The screen showed two pictures of my dead parents. I screamed on the top of my lungs and started to cry. Lauren rushed in to see what was happening and gasped at the TV screen. She came over to me and kept me close. Even though I was abandoned by my parents, I missed them greatly... I snapped back to reality and realized we were still outside. Luna saw how strange I was acting and asked, "Are you okay?" I wish I was... "Yeah...I'm fine. Let's get in the house. It's getting a bit chilly." She nodded and hopped over to my side. She winced in pain as her injured hoof accidentally came in contact with the hard, frozen soil. I immediately put my arm around her and told her to lean on me so she would be off her injured hoof. She did as I told her and we entered my abode. I have a lot of questions to ask her, but it looks like she may have some for me as well. Why would this creature help me out? This isn't a loyal subject of mine, but as I cling to the creature for comfort; I sense a feeling of sadness lodged in the depths of its heart. Is that the source I was looking for? My mind started to come up with questions to ask. I hope it doesn't recoil at me when I ask him. I quickly dismissed the thoughts and entered the creature's home.
The Interrogations....Luna's presence has mesmerized me to the point of uncertainty. I feel this whole experience is just a dream and I would wake from it soon, however, I don't want to wake up from it! She's real and she's in my home! I quickly dismissed my fan boy antics so I could care for this poor mare. I say to her, "Here, lie down on this couch with your wings to your side. I'll be right back with a better first-aid kit, apparently I forgot to restock the bandages in this one." "Thank you for your hospitality but I didn't catch your name..." I interrupted her, "It's Calvin. I'm sorry I didn't mention it before, I was caught up in caring for you that I didn't introduce myself." "Don't worry. Now are you going to get those bandages?" "Oh, Yes I'll be back." She giggled and then laid herself down onto the couch. When I started to walk away, I heard her sigh. She was probably glad that I didn't hurt her. I'll tell her my motives later on. She needs to know the truth and nothing but the truth... Calvin presented his home to me. He seemed to be a very sophisticated and knowledgeable individual. The home he lives in is like the homes in Equestria, expect his house is more advanced. I don't even know what the vent-like box is. Due to curiosity, managed to get off the couch and walk over to the strange device. It seemed that when I pressed the button, it brought out cool, refreshing air. When the air hit me, I sighed loudly. Calvin heard this and shouted from the hallway, "Are you okay in there Luna?" "I'm doing great, thanks." He probably thought I hurt myself again. I quickly dismissed the thought when he said okay back to me. I returned to my seat on the couch and started to relax. This felt so much better than the royal treatment that I had at the castle. I do miss my sister though, she's probably worried sick about me. Not to mention, Twilight is probably preparing a search party for me. That pony needs to take a rest for a while... When I heard that Luna was okay, I returned to the kitchen. Upon entering, I immediately opened the fridge. Great, I just realized that she's a hor....I mean pony. Ponies don't eat meat! Well, time to figure out something to cook for her. At that very moment, I realized what to cook for her. I began to collect the ingredients I needed in order to create the common household delicacy: a grilled cheese. These babies are like heaven on toast. Once you bite into the sandwich, it immediately fills you with the pleasure of cheesy goodness. While I cooked our meals, I began to think of questions to ask her. I need to ask her questions that wouldn't portray me as a walking pedophile. The first few questions I need to ask are embedded in the rule of the six w's. This rule helps me plan the rest of my 'interrogation'. No this doesn't mean I'm part of the FBI. Truth is....I experienced one... A bright light flashed in the room that I was in. It was a cold, disheartened, and clearly unkempt as it smelled like the boy's locker room when I was in high school. I looked over to my right and saw a shiny metal door. This appears to be the door I entered thru... To my despair, the door was bolted shut. I looked to my left and saw the rest of the room. In the left corner was a desk that seemed to be rotting from within its oak panels. Next to it was a picture depicting a prisoner who was being forced upon a platform. Around this platform was a large crowd; each member of the crowd was holding a pitchfork. Underneath the picture was a caption and it read: Death is Amongst You Least of Mine When Will YOU Learn? After seeing my surroundings, I paid attention to what was restraining me. I was tied to a old oak chair. I was facing a similar chair with a table separating the two of us apart. I slowly examined the table. It was oak and it reached just above the chairs, so that it didn't act as a footrest. Above the table was the light, shining on my eyes like I was when I woke up. The light was swaying back and forth as if it was from one of those bleak questioning scenes...wait a second... "This is the interrogation room..Why am I here?" I mumbled under my own breath. Suddenly I heard a slamming of a door and two pairs of footsteps approaching the entrance of the room. As the bolts were activated, I immediately panicked. Are they going take me away and kill me? Am I going to ever see the light of day again? The door then flew open and the two muscle-bound figures entered my midst. The two seemed to be guards, but their attire deemed it to be unlikely. At that moment, I heard a third pair of footsteps emerge from the hallway. The two figures looked at me intently and smiled with evil grins plastered on their faces. Terror enveloped me and sadness engulfed my senses. In approximately ten seconds, the figure emerged from the darkness. Like the two other figures, he had the evil grin plastered on his face. This figure seemed to fit the attire of a prison guard, but why was he holding a notepad? I quickly dismissed the thought of the pad of paper and held my gaze with the guard. He walked up to me and asked me, "Are you ready to cough up the information, Mr. Hartman?" "Wait what? W-Why am I here?" I asked in fright. "You are the primary target. After we captured you, we sent you here to this abandoned prison. Now, Where is the family treasure? " the interrogator questioned. "I don't know," I replied. "Don't make me ask this again." "I don't know sir...." One of the guards walked up to me and slapped me in the face. "WHERE IS THE TREASURE!?" "I DON'T KNOW!" "YES YOU DO!" the interrogator yelled. He then motioned for the two guards to take both of my arms. "What are you going to do to m-me." "When you don't tell me the truth, I hurt you. When you tell me you don't know, I hurt you. Do you understand this?" "YES!" I shouted. "Then tell me...WHERE IS THE TREASURE?" " I don't know what you're talking about!" I exclaimed. The interrogator tapped the two other men on the shoulders. They both forced me down to the ground, pinning me in the arms and legs. I shrieked at the sudden contact and winced in pain. The interrogator stood up and moved towards a cooler they brought in. He took a bucket, concealed behind the desk in the corner and quickly pulled some water out of the cooler. He walked over to me and jiggled the bucket. "See this?" He asked. "Yes, why are you-" I was interrupted by one of the guards shoving a ski mask over my head. "Now you don't, Mr. Hartman," he answered. "See, I know all about you and your kind. You scum try to burn down our way of life and with that in my conscience; I cannot tolerate it. So without further or do, I will end this facade now. Any last words Mr. Hartman?" "What are you going to do to m-" Those were the last words I could manage before being drowned out by the water... I snapped back to reality and realized I was still cooking the grilled cheeses. I continued to cook the grilled cheeses and prepared the drinks for Luna and I. In less than 5 minutes, I finished preparing the meal and returned to the couch that she resided in... I was so engulfed by the everlasting comfort of the couch; I didn't realize the aura of sadness returning. When I felt its presence, I was shocked. The aura was definitely coming from Calvin. Now I have to figure out what is wrong with him. Could it be having sudden spurts of sadness or is he just a bearer of sadness? As I thought of this, I heard Calvin returning to the room; carrying some food and some new bandages. He took notice of me and sat down. He said in a saddened tone, "Luna, take this. It's our meal." Now I know there is something wrong with it. The creature didn't command me to do something before. I have to investigate. "Thank you, but I can't help but notice something bothering you. Are you alright?" Calvin looked at me with a confused look and then he responded, "I'm...Oh who am I to fool! I'm having horrific flashbacks of my past! I can't seem to shake them off either, I can't take it Luna! I....can't," he sighed and looked down at the ground... I can't believe she figured me out. I need to settle this once and for all. Damn straight. What? Who said that? Well you said my name so I responded. No I didn't. Yes you did. No I did not. Look can we just say you did and end our childish games? Nope. Okay, We'll do this the hard way then, I'm your brain you stubborn idiot. That was the hard way?! No, I just felt like saying that. How am I talking to my own brain like this... Stop thinking about me and get back to Luna you dunce. Shit, thanks brain. No problem, I have to return to my show, so please take your time. No comment. Luna looked at me like I was responsible for the invasion of Canterlot. She then snapped out of her trance-like glare and blushed at me. Wait did I just notice her blush? I discarded the thought of her blushing and returned to reality. She said in a shallow tone, "The reason for your nightmares is because you are engulfed by a certain sadness that I cannot seem to comprehend. It makes me sad to see you like this and we...I want to help you get through it." She really just say that? Well... It wouldn't hurt to get advice from the alicorn of the Night; however, I had to get my facts straight if I'm able to succeed in finding the causes of my horrific flashbacks. I decided to go for it. I looked into her eyes and said, "Sure Luna, but I have to ask a few questions about you first." She put her hoof to her face and started rubbing her chin. After rubbing her chin for more than a minute, she looked back at me and said, "Sure, I don't mind; but let's finish our food first." "Okay but promise me that you won't think of me any differently than I am now. My past isn't normal like everyone else..." "I promise. I'm here to return the favor for helping me heal. We will get through this..." she scoots closer to me and then whispers in my ear, "...together." I shuddered as her hot breath trailed down my neck. She then pulled away from me and returned to her sandwich. What was that for? Am I starting to develop feelings for a pony? I immediately dismissed the thought. I can't...it's against the law and well, I don't want to be known as Calvin the Beastie Boy. I chuckled at the nickname I gave myself. Luna looked over and saw me giggling. She shrugged and returned to eating her sandwich. I looked at my grilled cheese and dove right in. I'm glad I made some comfort food for this occasion. If I prepared something more formal, I think it would've ruined the mood. When we finished eating our food, I took our plates and cups and threw them in the sink. Once I did this, I started my way back to the living room. On my way there, I was getting increasingly anxious. I feel like I'm Twilight when she gets anxious over writing a report to Celestia about her friendship. As I returned to the room, Luna motioned for me to sit next to her. I complied with her demands and sat next to her. She scooted closer and nuzzled me. She then said, "So what do you want to talk about?" A lot of thoughts raged through my brain. Let's start with the generic questions then go from there... "Well let's start by getting to know each other. So where are you from, Luna?" She paused for a moment but then let out a sigh. She looked over at me and then answered, "I come from Equestria, the land that my sister and I rule together in harmony." "I've never heard of Equestria here on Earth..." "I think I know the reason why. I think we are from two different dimensions." I was shocked at this latest development. So technically, She is a alien to my dimension and I would be a alien of her dimension. Then a random thought appeared in my mind. How in the heck did she get here then? As the thought crossed my mind, I decided to utilize it and ask, "How did you get here then? I don't see any portals or any supernatural transporter..." "Well...I was flying when I felt your aura of sadness. At first, I ignored the aura; but I heard a voice along with it. I heard...your song." "So you're telling me...that you are able to break into another dimension by hearing a song?!" I questioned. "No, I tracked your sadness and then felt where your location was. It was easy to track since we're on the same planet." "True, but how are you able to cross a dimension with feeling a location?" Luna pondered for a moment. She responded, "To be honest, I have no idea; however, I remember that I had this same feeling until I was freed from my imprisonment." "Your imprisonment?" "Yes, I was imprisoned just like you were. The difference is that I was a completely different pony; controlled by my avatar. Her name is Nightmare Moon." "Your avatar? Are you a bender of the elements?" I asked and giggled. She probably didn't know that show. "What do you mean 'bender of the elements'?" She asked with a puzzled look. "It's a joke, Luna. I was referring to a show here on Earth called Avatar: The Last Air Bender. He can bend not only the air, but also the earth, fire, and water. It's a very interesting adventure cartoon." I look over to her again as she was beaming me down. I then look down and say, "I'm sorry for getting off-topic. Anyway, How long were you imprisoned?" "For a thousand years," she replied. I wasn't too shocked at this because of the show, however, I didn't want her to know about it; so I pretended to be shocked. After re-cooperating from the fake shock, I ask, "Where were you imprisoned at?" "Well since I was Nightmare Moon, my sister had banished me to the moon. After a thousand years of lonesome, I returned and vowed to turn the day into ruins. I wanted the Night to be the only sight that anypony would see. Now, I see that I was wrong. I was freed so I could be with my sister once again." I tried not to tear up at her story. When she finished, I looked up to her and said, "Your imprisonment seems very rough, but you made me realize how horrible mine is." She looked up at me and gazed into my eyes. I could tell she was very concerned and her eyes spelled it out to me... I looked over at Calvin when he said those words. I couldn't help but think: What is worse than a thousand years of lonesome on the moon? Curiosity was getting the best of me, so I asked him, "What was your imprisonment like?" "This imprisonment hasn't stopped...It's just the beginning. The imprisonment refers to some of the flashbacks I've had. It started when I was six years old. My parents were going out to get some groceries, so they left me with a babysitter. Her name was Lauren and she always took care of me while they went to go have their fun." "What do you mean their 'fun'?" He looked down and then shed a tear. I scooted even closer to him and nuzzled him; offering my comfort as a sign of concern. He glanced at me and hugged me. I returned the embrace and then nuzzled him on his cheek. After a few seconds of this, I broke the embrace and asked, "Feeling better?" He nods very subtly and returns to his story. "When I said they were going to have fun, they would always go to the bar." I gasped at this. "Why would your parents leave you just so they could go to a bar!?" I questioned. "They didn't really like me. They thought I was just a mistake and I was the cause of their marriage. They would sometimes beat me if I got out of line." "It seems that they weren't the best parents for you." He looked at me with a saddened gaze. "They're my parents and I miss them. I can't stand being alone like this. I don't have a family anymore." "What about relatives?" I asked puzzled by this new development. "They're all dead. Not a single one left." "What about siblings?" "Dead as well." I gasped at this, I have to investigate. "Well, If this hurts too much to ask, then you don't have to answer. How did your siblings die?" "Luna, I gave myself a oath to tell you the truth and nothing but the truth. Come closer to me, I need your comfort." I came close to him and nuzzled him again. "Are you ready to answer?" I asked. He nods and as he is about to speak, a bright light flashes before us... "Calvin! Calvin? Where are you?" I shout. "I'm right beside you, Luna," he replies. I turn to see him, looking down at me with concerned eyes. I hug him, holding him tight. "Don't you scare me like that..." I said as my voice trails off. "I won't. Wait...Where are we?" he asks as we view our surroundings. "I don't know Calvin..." I look toward him and see his shocked expression. "Luna, we're in my old home. I lived here until I was five years old," he said. He then turned to me and continued, "Let's look around then shall we?" I grin up at him saying, "Right behind you, Calvin." We leisurely walked around the house, admiring the decor and the majestic sense of it all. I think he's forgotten how great his house was. Wonder what caused them to move away from this lovely abode? Did it have problems? What would've caused this? I stood there, dumbfounded at the questions I prepared. My train of thought was shattered as I heard a shifting noise at the front door. I immediately galloped towards Calvin and told him someone was coming in the house. He looked out from a window. He then turned to me and said, "Luna we need to find a hiding place." I was stunned at this. "Why do we need to find one?" "It's my family...they've returned..."
The Realizations..."Your family is here?" I asked. "Yes Luna," he replied. "Now follow me, I have the perfect place for us to hide in." Stunned as it is, I couldn't muster anything to reply to him. All I could do was nod. We ran down the hallway to where the stairs were. Right underneath the stairs to the second floor was a closet. We entered this closet and hid underneath the items inside. For some reason, this closet was spacious even though it was filled with items. While he was panicking, I was looking through the contents of the closet. There was mostly clothing in this closet, however; a strange box caught my attention. The box was brown, with the words 'Initiation Day' written on it. I decided to open the box and was shocked at what I saw... I was panicking in the corner, wondering what would happen if my family discovered us. Would they kill us? Would they call the police? All I could do was hope for the best. I turned to Luna and saw her opening a strange brown box. Then I saw her face contort and then filled with anger. She pulled the item out of the container and showed it to me. The item was a gold plated Colt 45 with an insignia on it. On the back of the barrel was my father's name. Suddenly I realized that the insignia on the gun was from a highly targeted gang. The gang was always on the news. This particular gang specialized in drive-by shootings, bank robberies, and drug trafficking. They would wear gold and black because they felt gold showed your wealth and worth, while black showed fearlessness. They have several rivals, particularly the White Scorpions. The White Scorps would try to disrupt their trafficking, or even perform drive-bys on enemy gang members and their families. Why would they partake in this? Well, my father told me the White Scorps felt that White Supremacy was the true doctrine and anyone who resists or rejects their doctrine is an enemy. Snapping back into reality, I see Luna gazing at me, her eyes filled with tears. I decided to do what a friend would do. I brought my arms to her shoulders and hugged her tightly, telling her it would be okay. She sighed and continued the embrace. As we sat there in arms and hooves, I heard the front door swing open and the sounds of my family approaching our location. I knew we were screwed if they discovered us, but I didn't care. I have a friend to comfort. I hugged her even tighter and said, "Luna, it's okay. We'll get through this." She sighed once again and broke the embrace. She looked up to me and said, "It's fine, but I feel something approaching the closet.. Should we hide?" I move over to her again and resume the embrace. I say, "No, we're fine. If they find us then we will run like hell. Put the gun back in it's case, so we don't look like robbers." She complied and put the box in the corner where she originally found it. As she did this, I heard a voice that sounded very familiar, as if I should know it by heart. I started to listen to it with intent and I was shocked at what it said. It shouted, "Mom! Why does Sabrina get to go to the movies! I want to go with her!" A feminine voice replied to it with the same volume, "It's because Sabrina is older than you honey! I don't want to lose my only son!" Then I heard the voice ring out again whining, "But MOOOOMMM..!" "No buts Calvin McCay Hartman!" Wait WHAT!? The realization hit me like a thunderstorm. This was the day of the days... I look over at Calvin and noticed his unshaken expression. He looked over at me, tears starting to form in his eyes. He then collapsed into my mane and cried, which I allowed. As he was crying, I felt his aura gripping into me like a young boy grasps on his favorite toy. He started to whisper in low tones, "Tonight...murder...she'll...hate me." As I heard this, I felt deeply concerned. I ask, "Are you okay Calvin?" He stands up and replies, "Luna, we're in one of my flashbacks. I think if we leave this closet, we will not be seen by them." He motions for the door saying, "Let's leave this confinement." I was confused by his proclamation, so I ask, "How do you know for sure?" He replies, "Trust me. I need you to see this." Still utterly confused, I ask, "Why though? WE.. I want to know." He chuckles at your mishap. We will get you back for this... He then sighs and looks down to the ground. In a depressed tone, he states: "Luna, remember when I told you my imprisonment started when I was six?" I nodded slowly, trying to remember when he said it. "Well, I forgot about my birthday present for when I turned six. So technically, I was five when it first happened." I immediately responded, "Well, why does that matter? Does it relate to this flashback?" He answered with a defiant tone, "Yes. This is when I receive my present." I was shocked at the statement. What does he mean by present? I feel like he's not telling me something... I ask, "Can you tell me what happens?" He immediately responds, "No Luna, you need to see this to understand my pain..." I had no choice but to say, "Okay Calvin I trust you. Lead the way." He nodded and opened the door. We filed out of the closet and entered the living quarters... My family was currently watching TV and I couldn't help but smile at the scene. TV Night was the best thing my family did together. We would stay up late and watch cartoons like Looney Tunes. We had the best time, laughing at the cartoons we watched. I've certainly missed this, my heart warmed up at the sight. Then I heard Sabrina, my sister, tell my dad her ride for the movies had arrived. He nodded and told her to have fun. She grinned and walked out the door. I motioned for Luna to walk with me to the window. She complied and we watched my sister leave. Then, the unexpected happened. I heard the two screeching pistol shots ring out and gazed over at my sister. She heard the shots, but was too late to dodge them. The bullets impacted her, tearing through her skin. She flailed and hit the ground, all of the life drained from her. My father heard the cries of Sabrina and rushed out the door. Luna and I walked out with him. When we approached, I saw my father looking down at her, crying at his daughters lifeless form. Luna and I looked at my sister's body. The blood oozed out from her skull, where the first bullet impacted her. The second bullet impacted her in the heart. I looked into her eyes. The eyes were filled with tears and filled with death. Her facial expression was of pain, pain she didn't feel anymore. I turned my gaze to Luna. She looked up at me with tears filling her eyes. I hugged her and held her close. Luna continued to cry and I felt my shoulder becoming soaked. I whispered in her ear, "It's okay Luna, this is just the beginning. I've had to live with her death for the longest while. I still miss her and I want her to be back, but she'll be unable to come back." She looked back up at me and smiled slightly before frowning again. She said, "Are all your memories like this?" I looked at Luna and gripped her fore hooves tightly. I shrugged and said, "I don't know Luna, I don't know..." As we stayed in this embrace, I felt a surge of light enter our midst. We had no choice, but to embrace it's radiance. It's lights gave a flash, causing us both to fall to the ground. I looked up and noticed a dark figure standing before me. I couldn't make out the figures features, due to the light blinding my vision. It stated in a shady tone, "Welcome to your worst nightmares, Calvin. You will be unable to escape them..." "How do you know my -" That's all I could say before I was knocked out by the figure's spell... I looked over to Calvin, and saw him lying still with his eyes closed. I went over to embrace him. As I hugged him, I felt his heartbeat slowing. I started to panic and screamed in my Royal Canterlot voice, "CALVIN, WAKE UP! DON'T LEAVE ME!" I didn't get a response from him. I wept over his body and brought him close. I said in a shatter tone, "Calvin...I wanted to admit this to you later on, but I don't know if you'll survive..." I gulped and continued on, "I wanted to let you know...I...loved you with all my heart. When you helped me at your home, I felt drawn to you. I realized I never felt this way before and I wanted to explore it more. After seeing you break down in front of me, I felt the feeling grow stronger. I wanted you to stop crying and when you had no one left on this planet to love or care for, I wanted to fill in the gap..." I looked down and cried into his shoulder. The pain was stabbing me right in my heart. I wish he could be with me once more, holding me close like he done before. Unfortunately for me, someone or something took it from me. I felt a new feeling approach my senses; the feeling of revenge. I haven't felt this since my time as Nightmare Moon. This feeling, however; is able to be controlled; thanks to my training from Twilight Sparkle. My train of thought was shattered when I heard a voice come from below me. I looked down at my human and see him gazing up at me. He said, "Luna, I love you too." I was too shocked to reply or move. He took notice of this and decided to surprise me even more. He hugged me tightly and said, "Luna, remember the light that shrouded us?" I recovered from the shock and said, "Yes, Why? What happened?" He replied in a saddened tone, "We're stuck here...Until we see the rest of my nightmares..."
