“Eclipse what is it?!” Luna shouted, exasperated with her daughter’s constant badgering.
“Momma, bad!” Eclipse shouted, her voice straining, tears in her eye. Luna sighed and groaned as she hunched herself over her throne.
“Eclipse, nothing is bad, there is nothing bad happening, please hush so Mommy can do her work!” Luna pleaded with her daughter.
“Momma!” Eclipse broke down and began sobbing, her cries echoing in the courtroom.
“She’s still at it, huh?”
Luna looked to her right to see Celestia standing in the rear entrance of the throne room. She lowered her ears and sighed once more.
“Yes. She’s been like this since I picked her up at the Crystal Empire. She’s inconsolable! And to tell the truth,” Luna suddenly lowered her voice. “As hard as I try, I can’t understand what she’s trying to say.” Celestia nodded in understanding.
“Have you tired, you know..?” Celestia trailed off.
“Oh no, I told you I don’t enter the dreams of my family, it’s too personal. ” Luna said sternly.
“I know, I know,” Celestia spoke, walking closer to her sister’s throne. “But maybe you should make an exception just this once. It’s different with Eclipse, she can’t communicate any other way.” Luna frowned, but for a moment, considered her sister’s words.
“What if I see something I’m not supposed to? I’ll be peering into her subconscious.” Luna countered.
“What if you see something that you NEED to?” Celestia pressed. Luna paused and stared into her sister’s eyes.
“ Mooomma .” Whined Eclipse, her voice tired. Luna looked at her, internally debating herself on what to do.
“I’m not sure about this. ” Luna said hesitantly, grimacing at the thought of the countless things she could possibly see in her daughter’s mind.
“It’s you’re decision Luna, just keep in mind that there could be something Eclipse is trying to communicate to you that she just can’t verbally. ” Celestia said, her voice even and calm in contrast to her daughter’s.
“Thank you Celly. ” Luna mumbled, looking down at her hooves.
Luna stood up from her throne and began walking towards the rear entrance to the court room . She looked to the ground beside the throne and spotted her daughter, sleeping fitfully beside the throne. Luna levitated the small foal onto her back and began her slow trek to her daughter’s room. She passed several guards and a few maids on her way to the bed chambers , her mind swimming with all the things that could go wrong with what she was about to do. |
Upon entering Eclipse’s bedroom, Luna carefully laid the slumbering foal down on her large pillow bed. She stared at the child, a frown etched in her face. The moonlight glowed softly against Luna’s fur, it being the only source of light in the room. |
“Just a quick look.” She spoke to herself quietly, not wanting to wake the foal. “Five, ten minutes tops, then I leave.” She took a deep breath, readying herself for her journey. Her horn glowed with blue magic as she began shifting from one plane to another, her magic surrounding her. In no time she was in a long ethereal hallway lined with doors, each one unique from the other. She walked upon the disjointed floor and searched for her daughter’s door. She had seen it before, and passed it many times on during her nightly rounds, but never once had she set hoof in it. |
In no time, Luna was there. The door to Eclipse’s mind realm was red and speckled in dark brown patches, and was adorned with a sunflower with an eye in the center of it. Luna looked at it for a moment before opening it and walking in. In a flash of white Luna was in her daughter’s mind, her hopes and dreams, everything that was Eclipse. She expertly made her way through the twists and turns of Eclipse’s mind before arriving in the foal’s current dream. Luna could already tell it was a nightmare. |
“What is this?” Luna mumbled to herself. She watched as her daughter’s dream counterpart raced through a long hallway made up of train cars. Eclipse was frantic, crying but galloping as best as she could manage through each doorway. But every time Eclipse seemed to come closer to the final car, the train would lengthen considerably, keeping her from her goal. Luna watched, electing not to intervein just yet. She held a worrisome look on her face as she watched her child struggle. |
“Momma! Momma, no! She’s bad!” Eclipse yelled to the shadowy figures in the final elusive train car. Luna took note that her daughter’s speech was considerably more coherent in her dreams. |
“What is it Eclipse?” Luna whispered to herself. “Show Momma what’s wrong.” She narrowed her eyes as she concentrated on the scene playing out in front of her. |
“Momma, stay away! She’ll hurt you!” Eclipse cried as the train lengthened once again. |
“Who’ll hurt me?” Luna wondered aloud. |
“Stay away from Auntie!” Eclipse’s hooves clattered against the metal floor of the train car, shadows rushing past her from the windows. Luna decided she had had enough, and flew to her daughter’s side. Eclipse looked up in awe at her mother and halted. “Momma!” Eclipse exclaimed through her tears. “You’re safe!” |
“I am, Eclipse. Now let’s see who’s trying to hurt me.” Luna summoned her magic and blasted a ray of light energy at the shadows at the end of the train. In a bright flash, all was revealed. Luna’s jaw dropped as she stared at the sight before her. |
There stood Twilight Sparkle standing in front of a second Luna and a frightened Eclipse. Twilight’s magic glowed as she pulled something out of Luna’s mouth and teleported it somewhere unknown. The dream Luna collapsed to the floor with a thud and twilight’s green and red eyes slowly returned to their normal colors. The real Luna watched in shock as Twilight leaned in close to the small red foal and whispered five horrible words to her. |
“No one will believe you.” |