Dream Shadows of Revolutionby Handsome Masquerade 1990ChaptersChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 1As you slowly regain consciousness, you find yourself in a dark and unfamiliar room. The stone floor beneath you feels cold as ice on your stomach. The room has a smell of old urine and possibly vomit while another smell that you can't quite place lingers in the air. Your eyes strain to glimpse your surroundings. The outline of a door is barely visible in the almost pitch-black room. Looking up, you take notice of what appears to be a light hanging from the ceiling. You determine the room is probably around fifteen feet along any given wall. But why am I here? What happened to me? Slowly you stand, trying to recall the events of the previous evening. Racking your brain for something... Anything that could help you piece together what happened. You remember nothing and are left with a painful headache instead. You find it odd that no memories come to you, as you have one of the best memories of any pony you know. That aside, it's about time you left this dreadful place. As you walk towards the door a sound other than your hooves reaches your ears. Metal clanging together. Turning round you see the sounds origin. Protruding from the wall is a thick iron chain. Snaking along the floor in front of you, it ends around your neck. The initial shock that you are chained quickly passes however, and you think of a way to escape from your shackles. Being a unicorn you attempt to teleport out of your chains, to no avail. Hours pass as you try everything to escape, nothing. The chain it seems has been enchanted, and with very powerful magic, for try as you might to destroy it, nothing works. Your attempts are soon interrupted by a startlingly loud click. The door swings open, allowing in a bright light that momentarily blinds you. "So, you are awake." The voice carries with it a coldness that chills the very air around it. Although, you can't shake the feeling that you've heard it before. As your eyes adjust to the new-found light you're stunned by the sight before you. The voice belongs to none other than Princess Celestia, etched in the doorway with a look of resentment on her face. "Celestia!? But... you... why am I... why are you..." is all you are able to stutter, as flabbergasted as you are by the princess standing before you. "Why you ask? The answer is simple really. Last night I sought a pleasure from you and was blatantly refused. What's worse is it was all because my dear sister" - Celestia rolls her eyes - "is your marefriend. I do not enjoy being denied what I want!" the princess stated, eyes flashing with anger. So something did happen. Your best guess is that both you and Celestia were drinking some Hard Apple Cider and with Luna gone on business, she thought she would sway you. From the few times she had been drunk around you, you could tell that she was somewhat of a frisky drunk. Probably why she didn't drink all too often. Most times she had someone there with her while she drank, be it one of the guards or somepony else you didn't know. A few instances you had caught her stealing subtle glances at you but had, up till now, thought nothing of it. However, it angered you to think she would go to such lengths at being turned down. I guess a part of her was the spoiled princess you had thought her to be. "I am committed to Luna and will have no pony else," standing firm, having regained some composure. "That won't change, and I refuse" - you stomp your hoof on the stone floor - "to be unfaithful." You look her in the eye and a small hint of a sneer begins to show, but is gone the next moment. Her eyes had shifted from anger to something else, what you could not be sure. Then it struck you, that look was one of glee. "Since you continue to refuse me, I will have to use other methods of persuasion," she said with a gleam in her eyes. "You should have taken me up on my offer." Suddenly Celestia's horn glows yellow as you are forced back and slammed into the stone wall behind you. Your head reels from the impact as her magic holds you to the wall. "You'll never... get away with this... Celestia," you say as you collect your thoughts, still trying to regain your breath that was abruptly knocked out of you. "Luna will be told -" you struggle to break free "- and when she hears of what you've done she'll..." "She will never know," she retorts, grinning wickedly. "I plan to cast a spell to augment your memory so you won't remember a thing." Your face fills with fear as you see a carving knife made of pure magic energy appear before your eyes. You follow the blade as it draws near, pressing itself against your flesh. Celestia starts foreword, closing the door, eyes filled with malicious intent. The only light that remains emanates from the dull bulb hanging from the ceiling. Only now do you realize what the final smell in the room is. The smell is blood. Terror grips you as the blade retreats slowly. You scream in agony as the blade impales your chest. You awake with a start, sitting bolt upright, sweat pouring from your body. Your heart is racing so fast you feel it could burst from your chest at any moment. This has been happening more and more often as of late. Waking from something you cannot remember. Your lips part slightly as you let slip a heavy sigh. Looking to your right you see a still sleeping Luna. You rub your hooves against your eyes and down your face and realize just how sweaty you are. Deciding to wash up you slowly slip out of bed, taking care not to wake your marefriend. As you make your way to the bathroom you wonder why you are unable to recall your... whatever they are. Stepping into the shower the hot water flows over you, relaxing your somewhat tense muscles. Levitating the soap with your magic, you quickly run it over your body, making sure not to miss a spot. Why do I wake in a cold sweat every day? Is it nightmares? If so, why can't I remember them? These thoughts run through your head as you rinse and towel off. As you look at yourself in the mirror you remember when they first had started. Luna had just return from abroad, for which she had gone on royal business. For that matter, you can't seem to recall much of anything that had happened during her week long absence. Had something happened during that time that had caused this. Straining to remember, you are left only with a severe headache. Perhaps a certain mare might be able to help you discover what's going on. Hearing hoofsteps, you look into the mirror and see a very tired looking Luna. She yawns, rubbing her eyes a bit before looking at you. Her eyes soften as she sees a slightly grim look upon your face. "Is something wrong, my love?" her concern evident in her voice. "Luna, I need your help..." Author's Note This is my first ever serious writing attempt so I welcome any and all comments and criticisms. Chapter 2"Well," Luna says as you finish telling her everything that's been happening to you, "that certainly is strange." She looks down in thought for a moment before continuing. "And you cannot remember anything of the two weeks I was away in Saddle Arabia?" "I remember you leaving and the events of that day. When I try to recall anything after that I am left only with a severe headache." A subtle look of worry spread across her face. "That sounds like memory magic," she said as she shifted from one hoof to the other. "However, before we jump to any conclusions we need to discover what keeps waking you. Come morning when we retire, I will delve into your dream. Perhaps then we will learn something." You rub your cheek against her neck. "Thank you, my dear," you say, smiling. You retract your face from her neck and she smiles back at you. Her lips meet yours for a brief moment before you hear a knock upon the door. "Enter," Luna commands as she turns to face the door, quickly composing herself. The door opens and in walks one of Luna's personal guards. His helmet shines light purple with a ribbed fin where his mane would be. The breastplate is a deep purple and looks like a pair of wings held together on his chest with a radiant blue 'eye'. His eyes are a pure silver unlike the almost dingy gray of his coat. A pair of wings cling to his side that have always struck you as... odd. They appear to be bat wings, the same color as his breastplate. And lets not forget his ears. Longer than most ponies, they seem frayed at the tops. It's almost as if at one point there had been more to them, but had since been bitten off. There was no mistaking it. This was Nightblade, Luna's most loyal guard. The pegasus bowed as he entered, removing his helmet. His long jet black mane flow down his neck and back as he lifted his head and began to speak. "My sincerest apologies for disturbing you, Princess. Your sister requests your presence. She is convening the council to determine what should be done about the Dragon Kings' offer." "I see. Thank you, Nightblade. Please inform my sister that I shall be there momentarily." He bows his head again before speaking. "Yes milady." He retreats from the room, closing the door as he leaves. Luna returns her gaze to you, meeting you eyes. "Duty calls. Are you certain you will be alright?" she asks, that look of worry returning to her face. Smiling at her, you nod. "I'll be fine. Besides - " you glance up at the clock " - in a few short hours night will fall, and you know how I love using your beautiful night" - you run your hoof gently across her cheek - " as inspiration for my work." She smiles, blushing slightly at your words and touch. The two of you embrace for a moment before she turns, walking across the room to her walk in closet. Several seconds later she returns to the room. She adjusts her crown and neck piece, then turns towards you. You embrace once more, sharing a kiss, before she turns to leave. "This should not take long," she states as she exits the room. You stand around for a moment debating how to kill time till night falls. You could always visit the library and study more on historical pony painters. You could also go down to the garden for a nice stroll. May help clear your head. Deciding on the later, you slip into a casual t-shirt you won't mind getting dirty later. Using your magic to open the door you are quickly on your way. Having memorized the majority of the castle's layout, it takes you barely fifteen minutes to reach the castle grounds. As you make your way down the path to the garden you begin to take in the feeling all around you. The air is warm and smells of life. All around you can hear chirping birds and all assortments of animals running and frolicking. Spring is here. Only a few days prior had Canterlot still been in winter's grip. But, with the help of unicorns such as yourself, winter had been wrapped up with ease. As you enter the main garden you begin to take notice of the diverse plant life growing here. There are so many different types of plants. From elms to perennials and from climbing vines to simple ferns. The royal garden seems to have everything. Even still you can't keep your waking thoughts from resurfacing, putting you in a semi foul mood. It is then that you hear an upbeat voice you would, at the moment, just as soon ignore. "Ah Spring. Such beauty. Such color. Such joy." As it speaks the voice slowly dulls down to a downright sarcastic tone. "Why it's almost enough to make one gag." Discord, Spirit of chaos and disharmony. Honestly, in your current state, those are the last things you need. Frustrated, you let loose a long sigh. "Hello, Discord," you say in a dull, almost monotone voice. "Don't you have anypony better to 'entertain'? I thought your friend from Ponyville was visiting today. What was her name?" His slight smirk is wiped from his face, quickly replaced by disappointment. "Fluttershy. Alas, she had to push her visit back till tomorrow. Something about an emergency involving bears," he says as he proceeds to hover upside-down above you. "But, look at the bright side. Now we get to spend more quality time together," his face turning up in a giant grin. "Lucky me." You can almost feel the sarcasm of your words as they roll off your tongue. "Honestly, Discord, I'm not really in the mood right now." Discord vanishes and you stop in your tracks at the sight before you. Discord suddenly reappears in front of you, now laying atop what appears to be a four post Victorian style bed. "Yes I'm not really 'in the mood' either," he states as he stands and kicks the bed clear into the sky. Your hoof firmly meets your face as you shake your head. "What I mean is that I've just got a lot on my mind. I actually came to the garden to clear my head," you state, giving Discord a stern look. "Well why didn't you say so?" he asks with a mischievous grin plastered on his already smug face. "If you need to clear your head - " He shoves his right arm into his own head and pulls out what appears to be his brain " - I could always lend a claw." Something inside you snaps. This is too much. "Knock it off!" you shout. At your sudden outburst Discord is taken aback. You had never shouted at Discord before. Any other day you would have found his humor quite funny, or at the very least amusing. But today, with all the questions and stress running through your mind, you don't think you could find anything humorous. Though it is still no reason to be rude. Ashamed at your own behavior, you take a breath and exhale slow and deep. You let your head drop slightly. "My apologies, Discord. I am under much stress as of late. However, that is still no excuse. I should not have snapped at you and for that I am sorry," you say with a sullen look on your face. "Oh it's quite alright, my friend. It will take more than a sharp tongue to sting me," he says. "Just know" - placing his claw on your shoulder - "that if you ever need an ear to listen, you know where to find me." With that he smiles, waves as he walks away, and vanishes into thin air. It was then that you realize just how long your shadow had become. Night is almost upon you. It is nearly time to work, to paint. You set off towards your destination, the tallest tower of the castle. By the time you reach the tower, night had completely descended upon Canterlot. As you enter the highest room you search through your various paints and choose to bring an assortment of blues, purples, blacks, and whites. Levitating them onto the balcony first you then grab a bucket of paint thinner, an assortment of brushes, a wipe cloth, and your easel. You post your station near the railing so you can sit at the center of the balcony, giving you a better view of the night sky. You sit and begin to watch your second favorite muse, waiting for inspiration to strike. Studying the night sky you take note of the different constellations you had learned about from both star charts and Luna herself. Seconds pass and then minutes. Soon almost an hour has passed. Then you see it. A shooting star quickly flashes through the sky. And so, with an image in mind, you set to work. Having already applied a layer of black gesso the day before, the canvas was a dry and ready for painting. Using your two inch scenery brush, you layer the entire canvas in a thin clear medium so the oil paints will flow onto it better. You begin to put a few colors on the palette. Ultramarine blue, ivory black, titanium white, and dioxazine purple. You'll add more colors later. Taking some of the blue and white, you begin a mixing spot on your palette. You add a dash of purple to the mix and begin to paint a skyline, fading it as you continue towards the top. Once satisfied you wipe your brush on the cloth and begin blending the sky to soften the transition. You decide to start adding the stars. Finishing, you choose a #3 fan brush and take some fast flow white medium and begin mixing it with a little of the paint thinner. Noticing your optimal consistency, you stand close to the easel and levitate the brush in front of you. Taking the edge of your hoof you drag it across the brush to spray some of the color onto the sky of your painting. Taking the cloth you clean off the white splatter that fell below your skyline. You then take the same cloth and clean a small circle in the sky. Your filbert brush comes next. The brush meets the titanium white on your palette as you make sure it keeps its edge. Holding the brush steady with your magic you begin painting your moon. Always making sure you keep the edge on the outside, you move from the outside in. Immersed in your work you don't even hear the hoofsteps behind you. Your concentration breaks when you hear a voice you have come to love listening to. "Such a beautiful painting," Luna whispers as she kisses your cheek. She stands beside you coming to rest her head upon the base of your neck. "You know as well as I that it is not yet finished, Luna," you voice carrying with it a playful tone. Standing there as you continue painting, with her head upon you, you can think of no place else you would rather be. "Darling," you whisper. "Yes, my love?" "Will you sing that lullaby? That one I love," you softly implore. "Of course." Music Link Chapter 3"Are you ready to begin?" Luna asks as she levitates a small sleeping pill towards you. You nod in response. Taking a sip of water from the glass on the bedside table, you swallow the pill. As you lay your head upon the pillows, Luna slips into bed beside you. Your gaze meets hers and you smile at the thought of finally being rid of these dreams/nightmares. "Thank you, my love," you say as your eyelids droop. Within moments you are fast asleep. Once again you find yourself awaking to the sound of the dungeon door unlocking. Squeaking as it opens, it reveals the familiar face of your tormentor. Celestia narrows her eyes at you, closing the door before opening her mouth to speak. "So, have you yet chosen to accept my offer?" she says with a gleam in her eyes. "By now you should know my answer. I have not yet wavered, nor do I intend to. I love Luna too much to betray her." You throw your words at her like poisoned daggers. "Do what you will to me, my mind will not be changed." Her face skews in anger as she summons forth her energy blade. "So be it!" she shouts as her magic slams and shackles you against the wall. the feeling of a thousand needles shoots through your back and up your spine. Your body shakes as you mentally prepare for the coming pain. Adrenaline pumps through your body as her blade draws near, swaying to and fro in the air. Sweat builds on your brow from apprehension as you feel the razor-sharp edge on against your cheek. Celestia laughs as she plunges the knife forward, slicing clean through your flesh. You cry out in pain, tears welling in your eyes, as you feel your blood seep from the wound and trail down your face. Its metallic taste greets your tongue as it flows into your mouth. A chain of coughs is forced from your lungs, some of the blood having reached your throat. Suddenly the chain that tethers you to the wall wraps around your neck, stifling your breathing. You desperately gasp for breath as Celestia makes her next incision, this time slowly dragging the blade up the front length of your right foreleg. The tears you have been holding back break though your mental dam and begin to flow freely from your eyes, cascading down your face. They wash over the wound on your cheek, igniting a stinging sensation. You tighten your neck muscles and clench your jaw, trying your best to ignore it. Celestia's eye's sparkle as she takes notice of your tears. "Are you ready to submit?" she asks as she gives you a look of pity. "Don't you wish for this pain to end?" You glare at her, eyes full of anger and pain. "This pain is nothing... compared to what she's been through," you choke out. Her face hardens again before you feel relief as the chain slips from your neck, only to be greeted by the sensation of her blade impaling your flank. Your eyes fly open and your mouth hangs agape from the shock. The knife remains embedded in you for a moment before being agonizingly dragged across your cutie mark, ripping the moon and paintbrush mark in two. Being one of the most sensitive parts of pony anatomy, the pain is almost unbearable as it is torn asunder. Your mouth moves as if to scream, but no sound escapes from you. You let your head drop, unable to keep it up any longer. Your legs hang limp almost completely numb. Blood drips from your coat and pools on the stone floor beneath you. Your breathing is ragged and your vision gradually begins to dim. The last thing you thing you hear is Celestia's crazed laughter as you slip from consciousness. Coming to, you find the cell dark and empty. Sprawled out on the floor laying in your own blood, your thoughts jump to your wounds. You sluggishly examine your flesh to find it has been completely healed again. Celestia must have used her magic to mend your wounds once more. Your muscles are stiff and your entire body aches from what feels like days of abuse. You forego attempting to stand knowing full well you are unable to do so. Your blood soaked fur clings tightly to your skin. A low grumbling sound reaches your ears, the sound of an empty stomach. You try and recall when the last time you ate even was. You remember Celestia had brought you some water. But how long ago had that been? Three, maybe four torture sessions ago? Time is hard to gauge when you can't see the sun or moon. It has all but lost its meaning. The only thing that makes time matter in the slightest is that someday soon Luna will return. Then this nightmare will be over. Your mind is drawn back to reality as it registers a barely audible noise. You strain your ears as you try and recognize the dull clunking. It sounds like wheels rolling on stone. As it grows louder you begin to wonder just what Celestia could possibly be bringing. Some food? Highly unlikely. A cart full of knives, saws, and other sharp implements? No, she can conjure blades composed of pure magical energy. A horrifying notion crosses your mind. Could she have found your sister and is now bringing her here to use as blackmail? You shake your head and quickly cast this thought aside. That would be impossible, your sister is living in the Griffon Nations. Besides, not enough time had passed for her to have been found. However, this still leaves you with the question of what in Equestria Celestia could be bringing. Your question is soon answered when the door opens and the princess rolls in what you can only describe as a box of torture. Its frame is made of steel and is four feet tall, three feet wide, and seven feet long. The top four corners of the frame have a set of pulleys mounted upon them. Ropes are threaded through each, trail down the sides to another set of pulleys, and disappear into the box. Ten rotating bars cross the top of the box, connecting the two longest sides of the frame. Each of the bars runs through a set of six semi smooth circular stones. They seem to still possess some rough and jagged edges. Three brown straps hang down from the two longest sides, presumably to hold somepony to the stones. The last feature you notice is a crank attached to the side. You can only assume it controls the ropes. As you stare at the contraption with a mixture of awe and terror a smile spreads across Celestia's face. "Do you like it? I built it myself. It doesn't have a name yet, seeing as how it has not been tested. But now" - she moves the box beside you - "is the time for its first trial run." Her yellow magic aura surrounds you as you are lifted up and your back is placed upon the stones. The ropes are tied tightly around your legs and the straps hold you down against the machine. The aura fades after Celestia inspects the restraints, ensuring they are taut. "Being its first practical application, I want you tell me exactly how it makes you feel. And please, be honest. After all I may want to make a few minor adjustments based on your testimony." Celestia looks you in the eyes and grins. "Let's begin with the ropes shall we." A clicking noise emanates from below you as the crank starts turning in a clockwise motion. You feel the ropes slowly pulling your legs in each direction. The joints in your legs pop and the feeling of stiffness steadily fades from your limbs. Now only your back remains uncomfortable. Just a little more and... there. You hear your spine pop. A quarter turn more and the crank comes to a halt. "So, how do you feel?" Celestia inquires. "Actually I feel pretty good. I thought I'd never get that tension out of my back," you remark. You look at her with a smug look across your face. She frowns in disappointment. "I see. That is unfortunate. But no matter, you will not feel so easy for much longer," she says as her mouth turns up in an evil grin. Once again the crank begins to rotate, pulling the ropes even further. You clench your jaw from the new strain on your muscles. You are starting to feel more than a little discomfort. The crank finishes another full rotation before halting. Celestia opens her mouth to speak but you quickly interrupt. "You are going to have to do better than this if you plan to break me, Celestia," you state, your growing contempt for her clearly evident in your voice. Pain. The stones have begun to spin. Their jagged edges dig into your back, cutting and tearing and slicing open your flesh. Bits and pieces of flesh and fur fly as they are ripped from your back. Your remaining fur pastes itself upon you as it soaks up most of the blood dripping from your new wounds, the rest no doubt painting the machine red. A scream builds in your throat, but you are temporarily able to hold it back. The crank spins round three times, causing the ropes to pull your shoulder and flank joints out of socket which forces the scream from your throat. Suddenly the bars cease their movement. Your heart pounds in your ears. Your back is partially shredded. Tears roll down to your mane and your entire body feels numb. You close your eyes, wishing it would all end. You awake to find Luna shaking you with all her might. "Please wake up!" she cries, tears pouring down her face. "I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!" Your eyes open wide. "What's wrong, Luna?" you ask in confusion as she wraps her forelegs around you, holding you tight. "I'm so sorry. If only I had known. I thought she had changed. I feel so horrible!" she sobbed. "What are you talking about? Known what? Who changed? What are you talking about?" You grab Luna's shoulders, moving her in front of you so you can look her in the eyes. "What is going on?" you inquire, still gripped by confusion. "What happened to me?" Author's Note I accidentally threw in a Fullmetal Alchemist reference in here and I didn't realize it till the end but for all those who have seen the show it is there. If you find it then Bravo.
Chapter 1As you slowly regain consciousness, you find yourself in a dark and unfamiliar room. The stone floor beneath you feels cold as ice on your stomach. The room has a smell of old urine and possibly vomit while another smell that you can't quite place lingers in the air. Your eyes strain to glimpse your surroundings. The outline of a door is barely visible in the almost pitch-black room. Looking up, you take notice of what appears to be a light hanging from the ceiling. You determine the room is probably around fifteen feet along any given wall. But why am I here? What happened to me? Slowly you stand, trying to recall the events of the previous evening. Racking your brain for something... Anything that could help you piece together what happened. You remember nothing and are left with a painful headache instead. You find it odd that no memories come to you, as you have one of the best memories of any pony you know. That aside, it's about time you left this dreadful place. As you walk towards the door a sound other than your hooves reaches your ears. Metal clanging together. Turning round you see the sounds origin. Protruding from the wall is a thick iron chain. Snaking along the floor in front of you, it ends around your neck. The initial shock that you are chained quickly passes however, and you think of a way to escape from your shackles. Being a unicorn you attempt to teleport out of your chains, to no avail. Hours pass as you try everything to escape, nothing. The chain it seems has been enchanted, and with very powerful magic, for try as you might to destroy it, nothing works. Your attempts are soon interrupted by a startlingly loud click. The door swings open, allowing in a bright light that momentarily blinds you. "So, you are awake." The voice carries with it a coldness that chills the very air around it. Although, you can't shake the feeling that you've heard it before. As your eyes adjust to the new-found light you're stunned by the sight before you. The voice belongs to none other than Princess Celestia, etched in the doorway with a look of resentment on her face. "Celestia!? But... you... why am I... why are you..." is all you are able to stutter, as flabbergasted as you are by the princess standing before you. "Why you ask? The answer is simple really. Last night I sought a pleasure from you and was blatantly refused. What's worse is it was all because my dear sister" - Celestia rolls her eyes - "is your marefriend. I do not enjoy being denied what I want!" the princess stated, eyes flashing with anger. So something did happen. Your best guess is that both you and Celestia were drinking some Hard Apple Cider and with Luna gone on business, she thought she would sway you. From the few times she had been drunk around you, you could tell that she was somewhat of a frisky drunk. Probably why she didn't drink all too often. Most times she had someone there with her while she drank, be it one of the guards or somepony else you didn't know. A few instances you had caught her stealing subtle glances at you but had, up till now, thought nothing of it. However, it angered you to think she would go to such lengths at being turned down. I guess a part of her was the spoiled princess you had thought her to be. "I am committed to Luna and will have no pony else," standing firm, having regained some composure. "That won't change, and I refuse" - you stomp your hoof on the stone floor - "to be unfaithful." You look her in the eye and a small hint of a sneer begins to show, but is gone the next moment. Her eyes had shifted from anger to something else, what you could not be sure. Then it struck you, that look was one of glee. "Since you continue to refuse me, I will have to use other methods of persuasion," she said with a gleam in her eyes. "You should have taken me up on my offer." Suddenly Celestia's horn glows yellow as you are forced back and slammed into the stone wall behind you. Your head reels from the impact as her magic holds you to the wall. "You'll never... get away with this... Celestia," you say as you collect your thoughts, still trying to regain your breath that was abruptly knocked out of you. "Luna will be told -" you struggle to break free "- and when she hears of what you've done she'll..." "She will never know," she retorts, grinning wickedly. "I plan to cast a spell to augment your memory so you won't remember a thing." Your face fills with fear as you see a carving knife made of pure magic energy appear before your eyes. You follow the blade as it draws near, pressing itself against your flesh. Celestia starts foreword, closing the door, eyes filled with malicious intent. The only light that remains emanates from the dull bulb hanging from the ceiling. Only now do you realize what the final smell in the room is. The smell is blood. Terror grips you as the blade retreats slowly. You scream in agony as the blade impales your chest. You awake with a start, sitting bolt upright, sweat pouring from your body. Your heart is racing so fast you feel it could burst from your chest at any moment. This has been happening more and more often as of late. Waking from something you cannot remember. Your lips part slightly as you let slip a heavy sigh. Looking to your right you see a still sleeping Luna. You rub your hooves against your eyes and down your face and realize just how sweaty you are. Deciding to wash up you slowly slip out of bed, taking care not to wake your marefriend. As you make your way to the bathroom you wonder why you are unable to recall your... whatever they are. Stepping into the shower the hot water flows over you, relaxing your somewhat tense muscles. Levitating the soap with your magic, you quickly run it over your body, making sure not to miss a spot. Why do I wake in a cold sweat every day? Is it nightmares? If so, why can't I remember them? These thoughts run through your head as you rinse and towel off. As you look at yourself in the mirror you remember when they first had started. Luna had just return from abroad, for which she had gone on royal business. For that matter, you can't seem to recall much of anything that had happened during her week long absence. Had something happened during that time that had caused this. Straining to remember, you are left only with a severe headache. Perhaps a certain mare might be able to help you discover what's going on. Hearing hoofsteps, you look into the mirror and see a very tired looking Luna. She yawns, rubbing her eyes a bit before looking at you. Her eyes soften as she sees a slightly grim look upon your face. "Is something wrong, my love?" her concern evident in her voice. "Luna, I need your help..." Author's Note This is my first ever serious writing attempt so I welcome any and all comments and criticisms.
Chapter 2"Well," Luna says as you finish telling her everything that's been happening to you, "that certainly is strange." She looks down in thought for a moment before continuing. "And you cannot remember anything of the two weeks I was away in Saddle Arabia?" "I remember you leaving and the events of that day. When I try to recall anything after that I am left only with a severe headache." A subtle look of worry spread across her face. "That sounds like memory magic," she said as she shifted from one hoof to the other. "However, before we jump to any conclusions we need to discover what keeps waking you. Come morning when we retire, I will delve into your dream. Perhaps then we will learn something." You rub your cheek against her neck. "Thank you, my dear," you say, smiling. You retract your face from her neck and she smiles back at you. Her lips meet yours for a brief moment before you hear a knock upon the door. "Enter," Luna commands as she turns to face the door, quickly composing herself. The door opens and in walks one of Luna's personal guards. His helmet shines light purple with a ribbed fin where his mane would be. The breastplate is a deep purple and looks like a pair of wings held together on his chest with a radiant blue 'eye'. His eyes are a pure silver unlike the almost dingy gray of his coat. A pair of wings cling to his side that have always struck you as... odd. They appear to be bat wings, the same color as his breastplate. And lets not forget his ears. Longer than most ponies, they seem frayed at the tops. It's almost as if at one point there had been more to them, but had since been bitten off. There was no mistaking it. This was Nightblade, Luna's most loyal guard. The pegasus bowed as he entered, removing his helmet. His long jet black mane flow down his neck and back as he lifted his head and began to speak. "My sincerest apologies for disturbing you, Princess. Your sister requests your presence. She is convening the council to determine what should be done about the Dragon Kings' offer." "I see. Thank you, Nightblade. Please inform my sister that I shall be there momentarily." He bows his head again before speaking. "Yes milady." He retreats from the room, closing the door as he leaves. Luna returns her gaze to you, meeting you eyes. "Duty calls. Are you certain you will be alright?" she asks, that look of worry returning to her face. Smiling at her, you nod. "I'll be fine. Besides - " you glance up at the clock " - in a few short hours night will fall, and you know how I love using your beautiful night" - you run your hoof gently across her cheek - " as inspiration for my work." She smiles, blushing slightly at your words and touch. The two of you embrace for a moment before she turns, walking across the room to her walk in closet. Several seconds later she returns to the room. She adjusts her crown and neck piece, then turns towards you. You embrace once more, sharing a kiss, before she turns to leave. "This should not take long," she states as she exits the room. You stand around for a moment debating how to kill time till night falls. You could always visit the library and study more on historical pony painters. You could also go down to the garden for a nice stroll. May help clear your head. Deciding on the later, you slip into a casual t-shirt you won't mind getting dirty later. Using your magic to open the door you are quickly on your way. Having memorized the majority of the castle's layout, it takes you barely fifteen minutes to reach the castle grounds. As you make your way down the path to the garden you begin to take in the feeling all around you. The air is warm and smells of life. All around you can hear chirping birds and all assortments of animals running and frolicking. Spring is here. Only a few days prior had Canterlot still been in winter's grip. But, with the help of unicorns such as yourself, winter had been wrapped up with ease. As you enter the main garden you begin to take notice of the diverse plant life growing here. There are so many different types of plants. From elms to perennials and from climbing vines to simple ferns. The royal garden seems to have everything. Even still you can't keep your waking thoughts from resurfacing, putting you in a semi foul mood. It is then that you hear an upbeat voice you would, at the moment, just as soon ignore. "Ah Spring. Such beauty. Such color. Such joy." As it speaks the voice slowly dulls down to a downright sarcastic tone. "Why it's almost enough to make one gag." Discord, Spirit of chaos and disharmony. Honestly, in your current state, those are the last things you need. Frustrated, you let loose a long sigh. "Hello, Discord," you say in a dull, almost monotone voice. "Don't you have anypony better to 'entertain'? I thought your friend from Ponyville was visiting today. What was her name?" His slight smirk is wiped from his face, quickly replaced by disappointment. "Fluttershy. Alas, she had to push her visit back till tomorrow. Something about an emergency involving bears," he says as he proceeds to hover upside-down above you. "But, look at the bright side. Now we get to spend more quality time together," his face turning up in a giant grin. "Lucky me." You can almost feel the sarcasm of your words as they roll off your tongue. "Honestly, Discord, I'm not really in the mood right now." Discord vanishes and you stop in your tracks at the sight before you. Discord suddenly reappears in front of you, now laying atop what appears to be a four post Victorian style bed. "Yes I'm not really 'in the mood' either," he states as he stands and kicks the bed clear into the sky. Your hoof firmly meets your face as you shake your head. "What I mean is that I've just got a lot on my mind. I actually came to the garden to clear my head," you state, giving Discord a stern look. "Well why didn't you say so?" he asks with a mischievous grin plastered on his already smug face. "If you need to clear your head - " He shoves his right arm into his own head and pulls out what appears to be his brain " - I could always lend a claw." Something inside you snaps. This is too much. "Knock it off!" you shout. At your sudden outburst Discord is taken aback. You had never shouted at Discord before. Any other day you would have found his humor quite funny, or at the very least amusing. But today, with all the questions and stress running through your mind, you don't think you could find anything humorous. Though it is still no reason to be rude. Ashamed at your own behavior, you take a breath and exhale slow and deep. You let your head drop slightly. "My apologies, Discord. I am under much stress as of late. However, that is still no excuse. I should not have snapped at you and for that I am sorry," you say with a sullen look on your face. "Oh it's quite alright, my friend. It will take more than a sharp tongue to sting me," he says. "Just know" - placing his claw on your shoulder - "that if you ever need an ear to listen, you know where to find me." With that he smiles, waves as he walks away, and vanishes into thin air. It was then that you realize just how long your shadow had become. Night is almost upon you. It is nearly time to work, to paint. You set off towards your destination, the tallest tower of the castle. By the time you reach the tower, night had completely descended upon Canterlot. As you enter the highest room you search through your various paints and choose to bring an assortment of blues, purples, blacks, and whites. Levitating them onto the balcony first you then grab a bucket of paint thinner, an assortment of brushes, a wipe cloth, and your easel. You post your station near the railing so you can sit at the center of the balcony, giving you a better view of the night sky. You sit and begin to watch your second favorite muse, waiting for inspiration to strike. Studying the night sky you take note of the different constellations you had learned about from both star charts and Luna herself. Seconds pass and then minutes. Soon almost an hour has passed. Then you see it. A shooting star quickly flashes through the sky. And so, with an image in mind, you set to work. Having already applied a layer of black gesso the day before, the canvas was a dry and ready for painting. Using your two inch scenery brush, you layer the entire canvas in a thin clear medium so the oil paints will flow onto it better. You begin to put a few colors on the palette. Ultramarine blue, ivory black, titanium white, and dioxazine purple. You'll add more colors later. Taking some of the blue and white, you begin a mixing spot on your palette. You add a dash of purple to the mix and begin to paint a skyline, fading it as you continue towards the top. Once satisfied you wipe your brush on the cloth and begin blending the sky to soften the transition. You decide to start adding the stars. Finishing, you choose a #3 fan brush and take some fast flow white medium and begin mixing it with a little of the paint thinner. Noticing your optimal consistency, you stand close to the easel and levitate the brush in front of you. Taking the edge of your hoof you drag it across the brush to spray some of the color onto the sky of your painting. Taking the cloth you clean off the white splatter that fell below your skyline. You then take the same cloth and clean a small circle in the sky. Your filbert brush comes next. The brush meets the titanium white on your palette as you make sure it keeps its edge. Holding the brush steady with your magic you begin painting your moon. Always making sure you keep the edge on the outside, you move from the outside in. Immersed in your work you don't even hear the hoofsteps behind you. Your concentration breaks when you hear a voice you have come to love listening to. "Such a beautiful painting," Luna whispers as she kisses your cheek. She stands beside you coming to rest her head upon the base of your neck. "You know as well as I that it is not yet finished, Luna," you voice carrying with it a playful tone. Standing there as you continue painting, with her head upon you, you can think of no place else you would rather be. "Darling," you whisper. "Yes, my love?" "Will you sing that lullaby? That one I love," you softly implore. "Of course." Music Link
Chapter 3"Are you ready to begin?" Luna asks as she levitates a small sleeping pill towards you. You nod in response. Taking a sip of water from the glass on the bedside table, you swallow the pill. As you lay your head upon the pillows, Luna slips into bed beside you. Your gaze meets hers and you smile at the thought of finally being rid of these dreams/nightmares. "Thank you, my love," you say as your eyelids droop. Within moments you are fast asleep. Once again you find yourself awaking to the sound of the dungeon door unlocking. Squeaking as it opens, it reveals the familiar face of your tormentor. Celestia narrows her eyes at you, closing the door before opening her mouth to speak. "So, have you yet chosen to accept my offer?" she says with a gleam in her eyes. "By now you should know my answer. I have not yet wavered, nor do I intend to. I love Luna too much to betray her." You throw your words at her like poisoned daggers. "Do what you will to me, my mind will not be changed." Her face skews in anger as she summons forth her energy blade. "So be it!" she shouts as her magic slams and shackles you against the wall. the feeling of a thousand needles shoots through your back and up your spine. Your body shakes as you mentally prepare for the coming pain. Adrenaline pumps through your body as her blade draws near, swaying to and fro in the air. Sweat builds on your brow from apprehension as you feel the razor-sharp edge on against your cheek. Celestia laughs as she plunges the knife forward, slicing clean through your flesh. You cry out in pain, tears welling in your eyes, as you feel your blood seep from the wound and trail down your face. Its metallic taste greets your tongue as it flows into your mouth. A chain of coughs is forced from your lungs, some of the blood having reached your throat. Suddenly the chain that tethers you to the wall wraps around your neck, stifling your breathing. You desperately gasp for breath as Celestia makes her next incision, this time slowly dragging the blade up the front length of your right foreleg. The tears you have been holding back break though your mental dam and begin to flow freely from your eyes, cascading down your face. They wash over the wound on your cheek, igniting a stinging sensation. You tighten your neck muscles and clench your jaw, trying your best to ignore it. Celestia's eye's sparkle as she takes notice of your tears. "Are you ready to submit?" she asks as she gives you a look of pity. "Don't you wish for this pain to end?" You glare at her, eyes full of anger and pain. "This pain is nothing... compared to what she's been through," you choke out. Her face hardens again before you feel relief as the chain slips from your neck, only to be greeted by the sensation of her blade impaling your flank. Your eyes fly open and your mouth hangs agape from the shock. The knife remains embedded in you for a moment before being agonizingly dragged across your cutie mark, ripping the moon and paintbrush mark in two. Being one of the most sensitive parts of pony anatomy, the pain is almost unbearable as it is torn asunder. Your mouth moves as if to scream, but no sound escapes from you. You let your head drop, unable to keep it up any longer. Your legs hang limp almost completely numb. Blood drips from your coat and pools on the stone floor beneath you. Your breathing is ragged and your vision gradually begins to dim. The last thing you thing you hear is Celestia's crazed laughter as you slip from consciousness. Coming to, you find the cell dark and empty. Sprawled out on the floor laying in your own blood, your thoughts jump to your wounds. You sluggishly examine your flesh to find it has been completely healed again. Celestia must have used her magic to mend your wounds once more. Your muscles are stiff and your entire body aches from what feels like days of abuse. You forego attempting to stand knowing full well you are unable to do so. Your blood soaked fur clings tightly to your skin. A low grumbling sound reaches your ears, the sound of an empty stomach. You try and recall when the last time you ate even was. You remember Celestia had brought you some water. But how long ago had that been? Three, maybe four torture sessions ago? Time is hard to gauge when you can't see the sun or moon. It has all but lost its meaning. The only thing that makes time matter in the slightest is that someday soon Luna will return. Then this nightmare will be over. Your mind is drawn back to reality as it registers a barely audible noise. You strain your ears as you try and recognize the dull clunking. It sounds like wheels rolling on stone. As it grows louder you begin to wonder just what Celestia could possibly be bringing. Some food? Highly unlikely. A cart full of knives, saws, and other sharp implements? No, she can conjure blades composed of pure magical energy. A horrifying notion crosses your mind. Could she have found your sister and is now bringing her here to use as blackmail? You shake your head and quickly cast this thought aside. That would be impossible, your sister is living in the Griffon Nations. Besides, not enough time had passed for her to have been found. However, this still leaves you with the question of what in Equestria Celestia could be bringing. Your question is soon answered when the door opens and the princess rolls in what you can only describe as a box of torture. Its frame is made of steel and is four feet tall, three feet wide, and seven feet long. The top four corners of the frame have a set of pulleys mounted upon them. Ropes are threaded through each, trail down the sides to another set of pulleys, and disappear into the box. Ten rotating bars cross the top of the box, connecting the two longest sides of the frame. Each of the bars runs through a set of six semi smooth circular stones. They seem to still possess some rough and jagged edges. Three brown straps hang down from the two longest sides, presumably to hold somepony to the stones. The last feature you notice is a crank attached to the side. You can only assume it controls the ropes. As you stare at the contraption with a mixture of awe and terror a smile spreads across Celestia's face. "Do you like it? I built it myself. It doesn't have a name yet, seeing as how it has not been tested. But now" - she moves the box beside you - "is the time for its first trial run." Her yellow magic aura surrounds you as you are lifted up and your back is placed upon the stones. The ropes are tied tightly around your legs and the straps hold you down against the machine. The aura fades after Celestia inspects the restraints, ensuring they are taut. "Being its first practical application, I want you tell me exactly how it makes you feel. And please, be honest. After all I may want to make a few minor adjustments based on your testimony." Celestia looks you in the eyes and grins. "Let's begin with the ropes shall we." A clicking noise emanates from below you as the crank starts turning in a clockwise motion. You feel the ropes slowly pulling your legs in each direction. The joints in your legs pop and the feeling of stiffness steadily fades from your limbs. Now only your back remains uncomfortable. Just a little more and... there. You hear your spine pop. A quarter turn more and the crank comes to a halt. "So, how do you feel?" Celestia inquires. "Actually I feel pretty good. I thought I'd never get that tension out of my back," you remark. You look at her with a smug look across your face. She frowns in disappointment. "I see. That is unfortunate. But no matter, you will not feel so easy for much longer," she says as her mouth turns up in an evil grin. Once again the crank begins to rotate, pulling the ropes even further. You clench your jaw from the new strain on your muscles. You are starting to feel more than a little discomfort. The crank finishes another full rotation before halting. Celestia opens her mouth to speak but you quickly interrupt. "You are going to have to do better than this if you plan to break me, Celestia," you state, your growing contempt for her clearly evident in your voice. Pain. The stones have begun to spin. Their jagged edges dig into your back, cutting and tearing and slicing open your flesh. Bits and pieces of flesh and fur fly as they are ripped from your back. Your remaining fur pastes itself upon you as it soaks up most of the blood dripping from your new wounds, the rest no doubt painting the machine red. A scream builds in your throat, but you are temporarily able to hold it back. The crank spins round three times, causing the ropes to pull your shoulder and flank joints out of socket which forces the scream from your throat. Suddenly the bars cease their movement. Your heart pounds in your ears. Your back is partially shredded. Tears roll down to your mane and your entire body feels numb. You close your eyes, wishing it would all end. You awake to find Luna shaking you with all her might. "Please wake up!" she cries, tears pouring down her face. "I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!" Your eyes open wide. "What's wrong, Luna?" you ask in confusion as she wraps her forelegs around you, holding you tight. "I'm so sorry. If only I had known. I thought she had changed. I feel so horrible!" she sobbed. "What are you talking about? Known what? Who changed? What are you talking about?" You grab Luna's shoulders, moving her in front of you so you can look her in the eyes. "What is going on?" you inquire, still gripped by confusion. "What happened to me?" Author's Note I accidentally threw in a Fullmetal Alchemist reference in here and I didn't realize it till the end but for all those who have seen the show it is there. If you find it then Bravo.
