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A Shadow Over Everfree

By: Fillydelphian on Mar 18th, 2012 | syntax: None | size: 32.26 KB | hits: 324 | expires: Never

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>You receive the letter from Her Majesty Princess Celestia around lunch
>The messenger found you in your office at the University, mulling over your notes before your next lecture
>Four years you've been in Canterlot.
>Her Highness gave you a professorship to teach young ponies about your old world
>You asked the reason why
>”In the interest of harmony, they should learn about a world that does not enjoy it”
>You couldn't help but agree
>The letter was short: An artifact had been excavated from the Everfree Forest
>It was described as an octahedron about the size of a pony's hoof
>The unicorn who examined it up close had reported getting a feeling similar to the one felt by the unicorns who examined you when you first arrived
>Celestia was sending you to Ponyville to examine the artifact
>Then you were to transport it to the University for further study
>She had already sent word to her student Twilight Sparkle, whom you were to collaborate with
>The letter closed by telling you that you would be leaving in the morning
>Twilight Sparkle
>You'd taught a class on human ideologies which she had attended
>From what you remembered, she was one of the top students, though never one for making close friends
>With her help you should be able to get an idea of what the object is before handing it over
>You put the letter away and finish your preparations before leaving to give your lecture
1/x
>The Royal Archives yield no information on any artifacts similar to the one in Ponyville
>By all accounts this is an unprecedented discovery
>The only connection, it seems, is you
>Makes sense for The Princess to send you to take a look, then
>You leave the Archives and go back to your house
>It's modest but not cramped. Enough space to relax comfortably
>You take a seat in the study
>Rereading Celestia's letter, you notice something you missed earlier.
>The ponies who excavated the object brought it first to a unicorn by the name of Rarity, thinking it a gem
>The unicorn has since been complaining of strange dreams
>Odd for The Princess to feel the need to mention that, you think
>But no matter
>Your job is to take a look at the object and then bring it to Canterlot
>The Court scientists will take it from there
>You pack your things for the morning trip
>Your train leaves early
>The more time you have in Ponyville, the better
>Celestia offered you the chance to take the chariot, but you turned it down
>Something about an open-air flying chariot still doesn't sit well with you
>The sounds of the city carry you to sleep
2/x
>The train ride to Ponyville is uneventful
>You spend the time looking over a few books of Old Equestrian mythology
>You're looking for anything similar to the object's description when the train comes to a halt
>”Ponyville Station! Doors on the left!”
>You disembark and step onto the platform
>Ok, first order of business, find this... “Sugar Cube Corner” and rent out a room
>Then, go to the Library. You've got a lot of work to do
>You walk down the street until you come across a large pink building covered in sweets
>Must be the place
>Go inside
>A pink earth pony bounds to the counter, eyes full of excitement
>”Hi there! I'm Pinkie Pie! What's your name? You must be new here because I've never seen you before and I know everyp0ny in Ponyville but then again you're not a pony at all are you?”
>By Celestia, she's got energy.
My name is Anon. I'm a professor at Canterlot's Royal University. I'd like to rent the spare room for the next few days while I conduct some research
>”Wow! Somep0ny from Canterlot! You should talk to Rarity. She's crazy about Canterlot!”
>She gasps loudly
>”We should throw you a PARTY to celebrate visiting!”
>She bolts out the door in a flash
>Another pony walks out to the counter and rents out the room to you
>She eyes you queerly
>It's understandable, the only place where you don't get weird looks is at the University
>Even then it's only the other professors and the older students who are used to seeing you
>You bring your things upstairs before going to the library
3/x
>You knock on the door to the library
>It's opened by a small purple dragon
>He looks up at you in shock
Is Twilight Sparkle available? I need to discuss some things with her
>The dragon nods slowly, mouth agape, and lets you in
>”Hey Twilight! There's some weird-looking thing here to see you!”
>You'd be mad, but it's par for the course, really
>”Spike, what have I told you about being ru- OH”
>Twilight stops dead when she see you sitting in the library atrium
>”Professor Anon. The Princess told me you were coming today.”
>She looks tired.
How have you been, Ms. Sparkle? Seems like only a short while ago you were sitting in my class
>”I've been doing well, Professor. The Princess sent me here a few years ago. I've made a lot of friends since then”
>The two of you catch up for a while before getting down to business
>Twilight gives you a copy of her initial report based on the ponies' stories who found the artifact
>It was found in the Everfree Forest in a small clearing by a group of ponies looking for the ruins of Luna's Castle from the Old Kingdom
>They brought the object to Rarity to appraise, thinking it was some kind of gem
>Rarity kept the object in her possession for several days before handing it off to Twilight, complaining of strange dreams
>”It's been in the library basement since Celestia sent word you were coming.”
>You decide to take a look at the object
4/x
>Twilight shows you to the basement, where the object is resting on a pedestal under some glass
>The surface immediately strikes you as alien
>Your gaze seems to slide off of it, as if part of you is unable to bring itself to look
>Very peculiar
>You remove the glass and pick the object up
>Its weight is nothing special, about as heavy as you expected it to be from looking at it
Have you given the artifact much inspection in terms of magical properties?
>”No, Professor. We've only tried to move it”
Tried?
>”Well, we tried to pick it up with magic, but it never works”
>So it doesn't react to magical manipulation, but the unicorns don't seem to like being around it
>This is interesting indeed
>The College will definitely want a close look at whatever this is
>”What do you think, Professor?”
Please, call me Anon. Makes me feel really old when people call me 'professor.' And I think I'll need to talk to the other ponies who've been in contact with the artifact
>Twilight nods in agreement
>”I'll draw up a list of ponies for you, Anon”
>She walks upstairs, leaving you alone with the artifact in your hand
>You set up your camera and take several photos from all sides to send to the College
>Hear conversation upstairs
>It sounds like the pink one, Pinkie is here
>Excited yelling is heard all around the upstairs
>Eventually it subsides and Twilight comes back down with a list
>”Here's that list, Anon. And Pinkie's throwing you a party tonight.”
Thank you, Twilight. I don't think I have time for a party though, I have a lo-
>”Pinkie's parties aren't exactly optional”
5/x
>Great, that's a night's work gone already
>You sigh, nothing you can do, apparently
>You take the list and start interviewing ponies who came in contact with the object
>The group who found it are first
>Two earth ponies, a unicorn, and a pegasus
>They all tell the same story
>The group went into the Everfree Forest looking for a runaway pet
>About a mile in, they came across a clearing and the pet, a dog, digging at a barren patch of dirt
>The unicorn felt uneasy and hung back while the other ponies dug up the dirt patch
>About 5 feet down was a stone box marked with bizarre carvings which held the object
>They brought the object to Rarity, then left
>The unicorn tells you about having strange dreams for a couple days after finding the object
>You're starting to think the dreams aren't just random
>It's getting dark. You've spent hours interviewing the ponies and recording their responses
>Pinkie's party will be starting soon.
>You bring your notes back to the room and get ready. From what Twilight told you, Pinkie Pie Parties are insane
>The disappointment at having your work interrupted fades upon realizing that you get to go to a crazy party
>And on Celestia's time, no less
>Brohoof the sky as you walk to the town square
>You can hear the music thumping all the way from Sugar Cube Corner
>For the next few hours you forget the object sitting in the basement and the description of the box that housed it
6/x
>These ponies party hard
>It was running on 4 o'clock when the festivities died down
>Seemed like every pony in town showed up at one time or another
>And the booze...
>So much booze...
>You wake up mid-morning and aren't functional enough to work until 1 o'clock
>You mull over the photos and notes you took the day before
>The photos of the object seem to force your eyes away, just like the actual object
>You also notice that the box, mentioned by the ponies who found the object, was absent from the library
>That box may bear some clues as to the origin of the artifact.
>You've got to find it
>Head over to the library to ask Twilight about the stone box
>You pass by a white unicorn on your way. She looks like she's been losing sleep the past few days
Excuse me, are you Rarity, by any chance?
>She looks up, surprised
>”Why, yes I am. And you must be Anon. Twilight's told me about you. She says you live in Canterlot?”
>Her eyes light up as she says the city's name
Er- yes. I'm a professor at the Royal University. I wanted to ask you some questions about the object that came into your possession a few days ago
>She seems to become uneasy at the mention of the object
>”Oh, of course. Follow me and we can talk at my boutique”
>You follow her to her store and start asking her about the artifact and the box
7/x
>Rarity's story is similar to the other unicorn's. She got a weird feeling from the object and couldn't move it with magic.
>Being an expert on gemstones, she determined that it was not any kind of gem, but had been carved, though she couldn't say how
>”There weren't any tool-marks anywhere on it. It wouldn't be odd if it had formed naturally, but the gaudy thing isn't like any kind of gem I've seen”
So you're saying it's not natural, but doesn't look like it's artificial, either?
>”Exactly, darling”
Ok, thank you for your help.
>You get up before remembering one more thing
Oh, one more question, actually. Have you been having strange dreams recently?
>She physically recoils at the question
>”As a matter of fact, yes. But how ever did you know that?”
It was mentioned in Celestia's letter to me. Could you please recount your dreams to me?
>She hesitatingly recalls the dreams
>They all appear to have occurred between two days after she received the object and three days after she passed it to Twilight
>You write down the unicorn's dreams, making a note to yourself to record the first unicorn's dreams as well for comparison
>The dreams are indeed bizarre
>Vast dreamscapes populated by strange creatures the unicorn could barely describe
>Cyclopean architecture in cities so alien to her that they should not have been possible
>You thank her for her time and set off to the library again
8/x
>Twilight is busy looking through volumes of ancient mythology when you arrive
>You go out on a limb and ask
Strange dreams?
>”Yes, third night in a row. Same as Rarity”
When did Rarity give you the object?
>”About five days ago”
>That fits the time-line Rarity gave
>It can't be coincidence
Twilight, is there a stone box in the basement? The ponies said they uncovered the artifact in a stone box
>”Uh, yes. It didn't seem as interesting as the artifact, but it's down behind the pedestal”
>You go downstairs to take a look at the stone box
>It's made of a strange material.
>The stone is inky and green; almost organic
>It's shiny to the point of looking almost slimy
>Looking at the carvings on the sides and lid, you notice that it's an incredibly intricate bas-relief
>The figures represented, if you can call them figures, look to be gathered at the foot of a great spire
>You pull your eyes away from the carving
>The camera comes out and you take as many photos as you can from all angles
>The College will have a field day with this
>You open the box and look inside
>The interior is carved out of solid stone, like it's made specifically to house the object
>You take a piece of parchment and some charcoal to make a rubbing of the carvings
>This level of craftsmanship doesn't look like it should be possible, even with unicorn magic
>You take the rubbing with you
>Thinking for a minute, you decide that the artifact and the box should be brought to the College immediately
>You've got a bad feeling about leaving it here any longer
9/x
>The next day you interview the unicorn who found the artifact again
>She recounts the same dreams as Rarity and Twilight
>You thank her and prepare to leave for Canterlot in the afternoon
>You get some burlap and twine from Twilight to wrap the box
>The object is lifted carefully and placed inside
>It fits in the slot perfectly
>Almost too perfectly
>There are no gaps at all between the object and the stone box
>You close the box and wrap it in the burlap
Thank you for your assistance, Twilight. Thanks to you, we can figure out what this object is
>You board the train to Canterlot, the box in your free hand and your suitcase in the other
>On the train ride back you look over your notes and photos
>The dream stories are uncannily similar, you think
>And the photos you've taken of the artifact and the box carry the same strange qualities as the objects themselves
>It's good Celestia sent you to bring these things to Canterlot for study
>The Court scientists are much better suited for this kind of research than one pony apprentice in a small town
>You had Twilight send word to Celestia that you would be delivering the object and your initial findings to her personally
>It seems important that The Princess know what's happening regarding this thing
>The train arrives in Canterlot and you head directly to the Castle
>For some reason you feel a need to rid yourself of the artifact's presence
10/x
>The Princess is waiting for you when you enter the Great Hall
>”Anon, come in. We're all eager to hear what you've found out about this artifact”
>You approach the table that has been set up for you and lay your suitcase and the parcel on it
>You take out your notes, photos, and rubbings and pass them around to the ponies present
The object was found by a group of ponies looking for a lost dog. It was dug up from under 5 feet of earth and was housed in this box
>You unwrap and open the stone box, setting the lid next to it on the table
The unicorn present reported feelings of unease in proximity to the artifact. It was taken for appraisal to an expert, who determined that it is artificially made, though the means are unknown
>You remove the artifact from its box and place it on the table
Ponies, particularly unicorns, who have been in possession of this object have reported the same strange recurring dreams
>The ponies around the table look over the notes of the dreams with puzzled expressions
>Celestia looks uneasy looking at the object
>”What conclusions have you drawn from this research? What are we dealing with?”
>You look around
I don't know, Your Highness. I suggest continuing with your initial plan of handing it over to the Court scientists for study
>”I agree, Anon. Moreover, I'm placing you on the investigation team.”
>Your heart sinks a little, but your curiosity is starting to win over your unease regarding the whole situation
>Several Court scientists take the artifact and the box out of the Hall.
>”I'd like you to report to the research facilities first thing tomorrow, Anon.”
>You bow, retrieve your notes, and leave the Hall.
>Returning home, you unpack and make yourself dinner as the sun begins to set
>Sleep overtakes you as the moon rises into the sky
11/x
>You dream of Canterlot's streets
>>They are empty as you walk
>>You look up to a pink alien sky
>>A great moon looms as the white sun shines its otherworldly light
>>You see, further down the street, an alicorn, jet black
>>He looks at you and gives a contemptuous smirk
>>The stallion is strangely familiar, as if some unknown part of you knows him
>>He beckons
>>You follow in a trance-like daze
>>Through city streets that twist and writhe until they become completely alien to you
>>You look at the buildings again
>>No longer the Canterlot columns and arches you know, but spires
>>Reaching up, clawing at the pinkish sky
>>You see figures in the distance
>>They don't seem to walk so much as slough and shamble about
>>The black alicorn beckons you closer
>>You step forth to follow as you wake up
>The sun is up.
>The dream, which felt like only minutes, spanned the entire night
>Incredible. You write down the dream, which to your surprise, you recall in perfect detail
>You check the clock. It's time to get to the research center
12/x
>The Court scientists keep the artifact behind a barrier.
>Evidently their inability to move it with their magic puts them ill at ease
>Even more unsettling to them, it seems, is the artifact's mere existence
>Where your gaze is pulled away when you look upon the artifact, they do their best to avoid coming near it at all
>When work starts, they seal the artifact off and move to a different room
>They leave only a few unicorns to examine the artifact as it sits in its box
>They look over rubbings you made of the box
>You see unicorns bringing in piles of books
>They flip through the pages, seeking to find any scrap that will let them make sense of the bizarre carvings
>You find your thoughts every so often drifting back to the dream
>Back to the black alicorn who led you through that alien city
>It was like the unicorns' dream, but different
>The image of the pendulous figures, sloughing through the streets snaps you back to reality
>You send for some of the older scrolls from the Archives
>There must be something in the far reaching past of Equestria to shed some light on this thing
>You pour over the scrolls
>Through the past, the oldest pieces in the Archives
>Past the banishment of Nightmare Moon
>Past the reign of Discord and the War of Harmony
>Past the founding of Equestria
>Past the Age of the Three Kingdoms
>In vain
13/x
>The day ends and you leave the center, disheartened
>All the history of Equestria and beyond and nothing bearing resemblance to the artifact or its strange stone box
>Exhausted from the day spent reading, you go home and flop into your bed
>>The city of spires is alive with the business of its unnatural inhabitants
>>You're able to get a good look at them, though you wish you could not
>>They stand eight feet tall, with ever-undulating bodies, the constant shifting of which provides their locomotion
>>They look at you with grotesque blue eyes, sac-like and moving slightly in what you guess is the head
>>You see a black figure in the distance and are drawn to follow
>>It has a human form now. Though ink black you can make out the features of a man's face
>>He leads you through the winding streets
>>You hear the voices of the city's inhabitants; a high pitched staccato chirp, like countless birds
>>You follow the black figure to a great cyclopean bridge
>>The city seems to pour into the chasm it spans
>>Lights dot the sides of the abyssal canyon until fog obscures them completely, surely reaching untold depths
>>You stop and gape at the sight.
>>The figure waits patiently before having you cross the bridge
>>Before you can look to see what is on the other side you're pulled from sleep
>”Professor Anon wake up! It's me, Twilight Sparkle!”
>You groggily look around at your room
Wha- what are you doing here, Twilight?
>”Celestia sent for me to come here. She said you looked like you could use someone to keep and eye on you”
>She looks at the state of your room. You don't remember it being such a mess
>”Looks like she was right”
14/x
>You get out of bed as Twilight starts picking up the various objects strewn around
>”You know, those weird dreams stopped the day you took the artifact out of the library”
>The unicorn looks around for a place to put a couple books
>”And Rarity told me HER dreams stopped after she gave ME the thing”
>She looks at you and cocks her head to the side
>”...You don't happen to have started getting them too, have you?”
Yeah, but nothing different from the dreams you all described
>She looks at you, suspicious, before going back to cleaning the place up
>You go back to the research center, determined to find something of use
>The unicorns are milling about with all sorts of instruments
>The head researcher tells you that they're going to run a series of tests on the artifact
>”We need to determine its composition. Any material that can resist magic is of the utmost interest”
>As the unicorns work it quickly becomes clear that they're not going to be breaking the artifact any time soon, despite their efforts
>They don't even manage to scratch it, in fact
>After an hour they step back, puzzled
>The researchers go back to the drawing board
>You go back to the piles of books and scrolls
>Your thoughts drift to the great bridge and the enormous chasm
>The time passes quickly as you cull through the histories, looking any kind of answer
>You realize how much time has passed when you hear the other researchers talking as they leave
>”...maybe if we use a decay spell on the instruments?”
>They're clutching at straws and they know it
>You head home again
15/x
>>The bridge is larger than it looked at first
>>You walk across it, making what seems like no progress as you do
>>Your dreams are getting longer. Each one adds onto the last
>>As you follow the black figure the sense of familiarity grows
>>You look to where you're following the figure and see a massive building with stairs at the other side of the bridge
>>When you arrive at the foot of the stairs, the black figure gestures for you to climb
>>The main doors dwarf anything you've ever seen before
>>You pause and look back to where you walked from
>>The chasm goes for miles in both directions
>>The city of spires looms in the distance, its cyclopean towers still clutching at the sky
>>The great gnarled bridge lies like a bulbous thread over the abyss
>>You imagine the chittering inhabitants of the city, sloughing their way through the streets
>>You shudder as you turn back to the great set of doors
>>The black figure puts his arm out to the door
>>They open slowly, with an unnerving resonance that echoes through the pink air
>>You step inside only to fall from the dream
>A knock at the bedroom door gets you out of bed
>It's Twilight, come to make sure you're doing ok
>You look around at your room and see that everything is in order
>Tell her that you're fine and shuffle to the bathroom to get ready for the day
>On the way there you notice the dirt on the soles of your feet
16/x
>How in Equestria-
>”Have you been sleepwalking?”
>Twilight's voice makes you jump
>”There's dirt on your feet, Anon. What's going on?”
>You look at the unicorn, who cocks her head to one side, confused
I need to talk to the Princess.
>Before she can respond you're out the door, headed to the Castle
>You've got to get this sorted out
>You remember the dreams with absolute clarity
>Disturbing clarity
>You get to the Throne Room to see Celestia sitting in her throne, surprised at your sudden entrance
>”Anon? I wasn't expecting you. Is something the matter?”
>You remain silent, giving her the journal you've been keeping of the last few night's dreams
>She looks it over with growing concern
The last entry is from last night. This morning I woke up with dirt on the soles of my feet. I think I've started sleepwalking
>The Princess motions for a messenger
>”Anon, if it's alright with you, I'd like to place a guard detail outside your residence and a doctor inside to monitor this sleepwalking”
>It sounds a bit extreme to you, but last night disturbed you enough that you welcome the support
>”Additionally, I'd like to take you off the research team dealing with the object.”
>You realize that she's not giving you a choice on this one
As you wish, Princess.
>Your chance to understand what is happening has gone. You go home disappointed
17/x
>Your meeting with Celestia, though disappointing at first, puts you at ease
>You go back to teaching your classes at the University and sleep soundly for the next week
>No news comes out of the research center regarding the artifact
>It seems that the unicorns are at a loss
>Curiosity again takes you to the Archives come Saturday
>You go to the older sections, following your gut
>You spend hours going through scrolls to no avail
>At 6 or 7 o'clock you start looking through some of the old message scrolls kept on record from just after the fall of Discord
>You find one scroll regarding a small group of ponies and gryphons who were arrested in the Everfree Forest
>They were apparently found practicing some arcane ritual using a bizarre ge-
>You drop the scroll on the table in shock
>It can't be
>You slowly find your place again and continue
>The cultists were apprehended during a ritual involving p0ny sacrifice and a strange-looking octahedron gemstone housed in a green stone box
>When authorities attempted to seize the cultists a number of them fled, taking the box with them
>The group was eventually rounded up, but the box and the gem within it were lost during the raid and subsequent searches turned up nothing
>This is the lead you were looking for. A connection between the artifact and the place in which it was found
>You hands are shaking as you read further
18/x
>Not wishing to stir a panic, Princess Luna held an inquiry in secret
>Her investigators found that the cult had been around since before written records were kept
>The cultists who were interviewed showed various degrees of insanity and provided only fragments
>The scroll ends there, leaving you with a perfect lead
>You decide to talk to Princess Luna tomorrow and ask her what she knows about the artifact
>For now, you go home to sleep
>The guards greet you at the door and let you in
>Twilight is reading up on obscure unicorn history
>She's had an uneventful week, but she's gotten to spend time with Celestia so she doesn't complain
>You go to your bed and eagerly go to sleep, that you can ask Luna about the cults in the morning
>>The doors of the mighty building creak and resonate as they open
>>You peer inside at the strange architecture
>>Looking too long at any one spot makes your head hurt
>>The geometry of the place is all wrong
>>From the moment you step inside you feel a foreboding
>>When you look back, you see the black figure shifting forms
>>You see him become the black alicorn, a dragon, a hundred traitors from history-
>>A name rings in your head
>>Nyarlathotep
>>A primal familiarity overtakes you
>>A vestigial fear of the name
>>You run
>>Through the winding, impossible halls you run
>>You run until you come across a room, pitch black
>>You stare into the darkness until you see a faintly glowing object
19/x
>>Footsteps behind you
>>You plunge into the dark, making for the dim light
>>You can feel the black figure's contemptuous amusement turn to panic as you run towards it
>>Getting to the pedestal, you feel the urge to grab the object
>>The black figure makes an unearthly noise when you lift the object and sprint out of the room
>>As you run, the world seems to fade
>You wake up sweating
>Another dream
>The room is a mess
>A knock comes at the door
>Twilight enters the room with a look of great concern
>”Another dream? I thought we were done with this artifact business, Anon”
I was in the city again, Twilight. There was a building. I ran through it, away from the black figure
>You leave out stealing the glowing object
>”We'd better go to Celestia. I'm worried about you, Anon”
>You're glad Twilight is here to help you. She's become a friend over the past ten days
>She takes you to the castle to consult Princess Celestia
>When you arrive in the Throne Room doors you can hear one of the research unicorns addressing Celestia
>”...and when we came back today, it was gone! Just vanished into thin air!”
>Your eyes go wide
>You bolt out of the castle as fast as you can
20/x
>Twilight uses her magic to teleport in front of you
>”Anon, what is going on?? You scared me half to death!”
There's no time, Twilight. I have to get home and see something
>You sprint past the confused unicorn and burst into your house
>You start tearing through the place looking for the artifact
>Twilight rushes in to stop you
>”Anon, stop! There's nothing here!”
>She wraps two marshmallow hooves around you arm and tugs you into the living room
>”Calm down, Anon. You're freaking me out!”
In my dream...
>Your heart is racing. It's hard to breathe
In my dream...I was running...I found something...a glowing thing on a pedestal in some insane building...
>Twilight is looking at you like you're crazy
I took it, Twilight...something was chasing me and I just panicked and took it...
>”You're not making any sense, Anon. None of the guards said anything about you leaving last night, so how could you have taken the artifact?”
I just know...it's here somewhere...waiting for me...
>”Look, why don't I help you look around, and when we don't find it, you'll come back with me to Ponyville for a while. You need to relax for a while”
>You agree, the idea calms you down some and you start looking around the house
>Hours later you find no sign of the artifact in your home
>”See Anon? Nothing. They're just dreams, Anon. They're not real.”
>She's right. They were just dreams
>You look outside and see the sun starting to set
21/x
>Did you really spend all day looking around your house for something you stole in a dream?
>You both laugh at the idea now. Getting worked up about some dreams and some sleepwalking
>But you can't shake this nagging feeling of foreboding
>You decide to take a walk down to the Public Gardens as the sun sets
>Celestia's light falls under the horizon as you lean against a marble pillar
>As you cross your arms you notice something that you missed earlier
>Dirt. Under your fingernails
>In the excitement earlier you didn't feel it, but now that you've calmed down...
>Celestia no...
>You see a patch of dirt that looks softer than the rest
>The foreboding feels stronger. It's coming from the direction of the Forest
>You bend down to take a look at the dirt patch
>As you brush away the soil your hand strikes something hard
>The feeling gets stronger still
>You grab the hard object with both hands and pull it from the ground
>In the failing light you can see the green stone box
>You look up and see the great shadow of Nyarlathotep racing towards you in the dark of the night
>Opening the box you take the cursed octahedron in your hand
>The indescribable darkness is near
>You look out and see the horrors of infinity made manifest in its black folds
>Raising you arm, you prepare to cast the octahedron from the balcony, onto the rocks below
>You hedge your bets that the impact will shatter it
>You don't get the chance to find out as the shadow meets you
22/x
Epilogue
>When you didn't return from your walk, Twilight called the guards
>They searched the city, finding no trace of you or the strange octahedron for days
>Twilight found the hole in the Garden after the search had been given up
>She felt the same strange sensation as she did when she examined the octahedron
>That day she returned to Ponyville to the arms of her friends
>That night she dreamed
>>She walked through the streets of that cyclopean city of spires
>>Amidst the sloughing masses who populated it, under that pink sky
>>She looked up at the alien moon and the white sun and heard the high pitched staccato voices
>>Listening to them made her even more uneasy than she was
>>Until she heard the sound that shook her from sleep entirely
>>The staccato cry from a shambling, pendulous, eldritch thing with its sac-eyes
>>It looked at her and cried in its alien tones her name
>And she awoke in horror
>Never dreaming of the alien city or its inhabitants again
End

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>You receive the letter from Her Majesty Princess Celestia around lunch
>The messenger found you in your office at the University, mulling over your notes before your next lecture
>Four years you've been in Canterlot. 
>Her Highness gave you a professorship to teach young ponies about your old world
>You asked the reason why
>”In the interest of harmony, they should learn about a world that does not enjoy it”
>You couldn't help but agree
>The letter was short: An artifact had been excavated from the Everfree Forest
>It was described as an octahedron about the size of a pony's hoof
>The unicorn who examined it up close had reported getting a feeling similar to the one felt by the unicorns who examined you when you first arrived
>Celestia was sending you to Ponyville to examine the artifact
>Then you were to transport it to the University for further study
>She had already sent word to her student Twilight Sparkle, whom you were to collaborate with
>The letter closed by telling you that you would be leaving in the morning
>Twilight Sparkle
>You'd taught a class on human ideologies which she had attended
>From what you remembered, she was one of the top students, though never one for making close friends
>With her help you should be able to get an idea of what the object is before handing it over
>You put the letter away and finish your preparations before leaving to give your lecture
1/x

>The Royal Archives yield no information on any artifacts similar to the one in Ponyville
>By all accounts this is an unprecedented discovery
>The only connection, it seems, is you
>Makes sense for The Princess to send you to take a look, then
>You leave the Archives and go back to your house
>It's modest but not cramped. Enough space to relax comfortably
>You take a seat in the study
>Rereading Celestia's letter, you notice something you missed earlier.
>The ponies who excavated the object brought it first to a unicorn by the name of Rarity, thinking it a gem
>The unicorn has since been complaining of strange dreams
>Odd for The Princess to feel the need to mention that, you think
>But no matter
>Your job is to take a look at the object and then bring it to Canterlot
>The Court scientists will take it from there
>You pack your things for the morning trip
>Your train leaves early
>The more time you have in Ponyville, the better
>Celestia offered you the chance to take the chariot, but you turned it down
>Something about an open-air flying chariot still doesn't sit well with you
>The sounds of the city carry you to sleep
2/x

>The train ride to Ponyville is uneventful
>You spend the time looking over a few books of Old Equestrian mythology
>You're looking for anything similar to the object's description when the train comes to a halt
>”Ponyville Station! Doors on the left!”
>You disembark and step onto the platform
>Ok, first order of business, find this... “Sugar Cube Corner” and rent out a room
>Then, go to the Library. You've got a lot of work to do
>You walk down the street until you come across a large pink building covered in sweets
>Must be the place
>Go inside
>A pink earth pony bounds to the counter, eyes full of excitement
>”Hi there! I'm Pinkie Pie! What's your name? You must be new here because I've never seen you before and I know everyp0ny in Ponyville but then again you're not a pony at all are you?”
>By Celestia, she's got energy.
My name is Anon. I'm a professor at Canterlot's Royal University. I'd like to rent the spare room for the next few days while I conduct some research
>”Wow! Somep0ny from Canterlot! You should talk to Rarity. She's crazy about Canterlot!”
>She gasps loudly
>”We should throw you a PARTY to celebrate visiting!”
>She bolts out the door in a flash
>Another pony walks out to the counter and rents out the room to you
>She eyes you queerly
>It's understandable, the only place where you don't get weird looks is at the University
>Even then it's only the other professors and the older students who are used to seeing you
>You bring your things upstairs before going to the library
3/x

>You knock on the door to the library
>It's opened by a small purple dragon
>He looks up at you in shock
Is Twilight Sparkle available? I need to discuss some things with her
>The dragon nods slowly, mouth agape, and lets you in
>”Hey Twilight! There's some weird-looking thing here to see you!”
>You'd be mad, but it's par for the course, really
>”Spike, what have I told you about being ru- OH”
>Twilight stops dead when she see you sitting in the library atrium
>”Professor Anon. The Princess told me you were coming today.”
>She looks tired.
How have you been, Ms. Sparkle? Seems like only a short while ago you were sitting in my class
>”I've been doing well, Professor. The Princess sent me here a few years ago. I've made a lot of friends since then”
>The two of you catch up for a while before getting down to business
>Twilight gives you a copy of her initial report based on the ponies' stories who found the artifact
>It was found in the Everfree Forest in a small clearing by a group of ponies looking for the ruins of Luna's Castle from the Old Kingdom
>They brought the object to Rarity to appraise, thinking it was some kind of gem
>Rarity kept the object in her possession for several days before handing it off to Twilight, complaining of strange dreams
>”It's been in the library basement since Celestia sent word you were coming.”
>You decide to take a look at the object
4/x

>Twilight shows you to the basement, where the object is resting on a pedestal under some glass
>The surface immediately strikes you as alien
>Your gaze seems to slide off of it, as if part of you is unable to bring itself to look
>Very peculiar
>You remove the glass and pick the object up
>Its weight is nothing special, about as heavy as you expected it to be from looking at it
Have you given the artifact much inspection in terms of magical properties?
>”No, Professor. We've only tried to move it”
Tried?
>”Well, we tried to pick it up with magic, but it never works”
>So it doesn't react to magical manipulation, but the unicorns don't seem to like being around it
>This is interesting indeed
>The College will definitely want a close look at whatever this is
>”What do you think, Professor?”
Please, call me Anon. Makes me feel really old when people call me 'professor.' And I think I'll need to talk to the other ponies who've been in contact with the artifact
>Twilight nods in agreement
>”I'll draw up a list of ponies for you, Anon”
>She walks upstairs, leaving you alone with the artifact in your hand
>You set up your camera and take several photos from all sides to send to the College
>Hear conversation upstairs
>It sounds like the pink one, Pinkie is here
>Excited yelling is heard all around the upstairs
>Eventually it subsides and Twilight comes back down with a list
>”Here's that list, Anon. And Pinkie's throwing you a party tonight.”
Thank you, Twilight. I don't think I have time for a party though, I have a lo-
>”Pinkie's parties aren't exactly optional”
5/x

>Great, that's a night's work gone already
>You sigh, nothing you can do, apparently
>You take the list and start interviewing ponies who came in contact with the object
>The group who found it are first
>Two earth ponies, a unicorn, and a pegasus
>They all tell the same story
>The group went into the Everfree Forest looking for a runaway pet
>About a mile in, they came across a clearing and the pet, a dog, digging at a barren patch of dirt
>The unicorn felt uneasy and hung back while the other ponies dug up the dirt patch
>About 5 feet down was a stone box marked with bizarre carvings which held the object
>They brought the object to Rarity, then left
>The unicorn tells you about having strange dreams for a couple days after finding the object
>You're starting to think the dreams aren't just random
>It's getting dark. You've spent hours interviewing the ponies and recording their responses
>Pinkie's party will be starting soon.
>You bring your notes back to the room and get ready. From what Twilight told you, Pinkie Pie Parties are insane
>The disappointment at having your work interrupted fades upon realizing that you get to go to a crazy party
>And on Celestia's time, no less
>Brohoof the sky as you walk to the town square
>You can hear the music thumping all the way from Sugar Cube Corner
>For the next few hours you forget the object sitting in the basement and the description of the box that housed it
6/x

>These ponies party hard
>It was running on 4 o'clock when the festivities died down
>Seemed like every pony in town showed up at one time or another
>And the booze...
>So much booze...
>You wake up mid-morning and aren't functional enough to work until 1 o'clock
>You mull over the photos and notes you took the day before
>The photos of the object seem to force your eyes away, just like the actual object
>You also notice that the box, mentioned by the ponies who found the object, was absent from the library
>That box may bear some clues as to the origin of the artifact.
>You've got to find it
>Head over to the library to ask Twilight about the stone box
>You pass by a white unicorn on your way. She looks like she's been losing sleep the past few days
Excuse me, are you Rarity, by any chance?
>She looks up, surprised
>”Why, yes I am. And you must be Anon. Twilight's told me about you. She says you live in Canterlot?”
>Her eyes light up as she says the city's name
Er- yes. I'm a professor at the Royal University. I wanted to ask you some questions about the object that came into your possession a few days ago
>She seems to become uneasy at the mention of the object
>”Oh, of course. Follow me and we can talk at my boutique”
>You follow her to her store and start asking her about the artifact and the box
7/x

>Rarity's story is similar to the other unicorn's. She got a weird feeling from the object and couldn't move it with magic.
>Being an expert on gemstones, she determined that it was not any kind of gem, but had been carved, though she couldn't say how
>”There weren't any tool-marks anywhere on it. It wouldn't be odd if it had formed naturally, but the gaudy thing isn't like any kind of gem I've seen”
So you're saying it's not natural, but doesn't look like it's artificial, either?
>”Exactly, darling”
Ok, thank you for your help.
>You get up before remembering one more thing
Oh, one more question, actually. Have you been having strange dreams recently?
>She physically recoils at the question
>”As a matter of fact, yes. But how ever did you know that?”
It was mentioned in Celestia's letter to me. Could you please recount your dreams to me?
>She hesitatingly recalls the dreams
>They all appear to have occurred between two days after she received the object and three days after she passed it to Twilight
>You write down the unicorn's dreams, making a note to yourself to record the first unicorn's dreams as well for comparison
>The dreams are indeed bizarre
>Vast dreamscapes populated by strange creatures the unicorn could barely describe
>Cyclopean architecture in cities so alien to her that they should not have been possible
>You thank her for her time and set off to the library again
8/x

>Twilight is busy looking through volumes of ancient mythology when you arrive
>You go out on a limb and ask
Strange dreams?
>”Yes, third night in a row. Same as Rarity”
When did Rarity give you the object?
>”About five days ago”
>That fits the time-line Rarity gave
>It can't be coincidence
Twilight, is there a stone box in the basement? The ponies said they uncovered the artifact in a stone box
>”Uh, yes. It didn't seem as interesting as the artifact, but it's down behind the pedestal”
>You go downstairs to take a look at the stone box
>It's made of a strange material.
>The stone is inky and green; almost organic
>It's shiny to the point of looking almost slimy
>Looking at the carvings on the sides and lid, you notice that it's an incredibly intricate bas-relief
>The figures represented, if you can call them figures, look to be gathered at the foot of a great spire
>You pull your eyes away from the carving
>The camera comes out and you take as many photos as you can from all angles
>The College will have a field day with this
>You open the box and look inside
>The interior is carved out of solid stone, like it's made specifically to house the object
>You take a piece of parchment and some charcoal to make a rubbing of the carvings
>This level of craftsmanship doesn't look like it should be possible, even with unicorn magic
>You take the rubbing with you
>Thinking for a minute, you decide that the artifact and the box should be brought to the College immediately
>You've got a bad feeling about leaving it here any longer
9/x

>The next day you interview the unicorn who found the artifact again
>She recounts the same dreams as Rarity and Twilight
>You thank her and prepare to leave for Canterlot in the afternoon
>You get some burlap and twine from Twilight to wrap the box
>The object is lifted carefully and placed inside
>It fits in the slot perfectly
>Almost too perfectly
>There are no gaps at all between the object and the stone box
>You close the box and wrap it in the burlap
Thank you for your assistance, Twilight. Thanks to you, we can figure out what this object is
>You board the train to Canterlot, the box in your free hand and your suitcase in the other
>On the train ride back you look over your notes and photos
>The dream stories are uncannily similar, you think
>And the photos you've taken of the artifact and the box carry the same strange qualities as the objects themselves
>It's good Celestia sent you to bring these things to Canterlot for study
>The Court scientists are much better suited for this kind of research than one pony apprentice in a small town
>You had Twilight send word to Celestia that you would be delivering the object and your initial findings to her personally
>It seems important that The Princess know what's happening regarding this thing
>The train arrives in Canterlot and you head directly to the Castle
>For some reason you feel a need to rid yourself of the artifact's presence
10/x

>The Princess is waiting for you when you enter the Great Hall
>”Anon, come in. We're all eager to hear what you've found out about this artifact”
>You approach the table that has been set up for you and lay your suitcase and the parcel on it
>You take out your notes, photos, and rubbings and pass them around to the ponies present
The object was found by a group of ponies looking for a lost dog. It was dug up from under 5 feet of earth and was housed in this box
>You unwrap and open the stone box, setting the lid next to it on the table
The unicorn present reported feelings of unease in proximity to the artifact. It was taken for appraisal to an expert, who determined that it is artificially made, though the means are unknown
>You remove the artifact from its box and place it on the table
Ponies, particularly unicorns, who have been in possession of this object have reported the same strange recurring dreams
>The ponies around the table look over the notes of the dreams with puzzled expressions
>Celestia looks uneasy looking at the object
>”What conclusions have you drawn from this research? What are we dealing with?”
>You look around
I don't know, Your Highness. I suggest continuing with your initial plan of handing it over to the Court scientists for study
>”I agree, Anon. Moreover, I'm placing you on the investigation team.”
>Your heart sinks a little, but your curiosity is starting to win over your unease regarding the whole situation
>Several Court scientists take the artifact and the box out of the Hall.
>”I'd like you to report to the research facilities first thing tomorrow, Anon.”
>You bow, retrieve your notes, and leave the Hall.
>Returning home, you unpack and make yourself dinner as the sun begins to set
>Sleep overtakes you as the moon rises into the sky
11/x

>You dream of Canterlot's streets
>>They are empty as you walk
>>You look up to a pink alien sky
>>A great moon looms as the white sun shines its otherworldly light
>>You see, further down the street, an alicorn, jet black
>>He looks at you and gives a contemptuous smirk
>>The stallion is strangely familiar, as if some unknown part of you knows him
>>He beckons
>>You follow in a trance-like daze
>>Through city streets that twist and writhe until they become completely alien to you
>>You look at the buildings again
>>No longer the Canterlot columns and arches you know, but spires
>>Reaching up, clawing at the pinkish sky
>>You see figures in the distance
>>They don't seem to walk so much as slough and shamble about
>>The black alicorn beckons you closer
>>You step forth to follow as you wake up 
>The sun is up. 
>The dream, which felt like only minutes, spanned the entire night
>Incredible. You write down the dream, which to your surprise, you recall in perfect detail
>You check the clock. It's time to get to the research center
12/x

>The Court scientists keep the artifact behind a barrier.
>Evidently their inability to move it with their magic puts them ill at ease
>Even more unsettling to them, it seems, is the artifact's mere existence
>Where your gaze is pulled away when you look upon the artifact, they do their best to avoid coming near it at all
>When work starts, they seal the artifact off and move to a different room
>They leave only a few unicorns to examine the artifact as it sits in its box
>They look over rubbings you made of the box
>You see unicorns bringing in piles of books
>They flip through the pages, seeking to find any scrap that will let them make sense of the bizarre carvings
>You find your thoughts every so often drifting back to the dream
>Back to the black alicorn who led you through that alien city
>It was like the unicorns' dream, but different
>The image of the pendulous figures, sloughing through the streets snaps you back to reality
>You send for some of the older scrolls from the Archives
>There must be something in the far reaching past of Equestria to shed some light on this thing
>You pour over the scrolls
>Through the past, the oldest pieces in the Archives
>Past the banishment of Nightmare Moon
>Past the reign of Discord and the War of Harmony
>Past the founding of Equestria
>Past the Age of the Three Kingdoms
>In vain
13/x

>The day ends and you leave the center, disheartened
>All the history of Equestria and beyond and nothing bearing resemblance to the artifact or its strange stone box
>Exhausted from the day spent reading, you go home and flop into your bed
>>The city of spires is alive with the business of its unnatural inhabitants
>>You're able to get a good look at them, though you wish you could not
>>They stand eight feet tall, with ever-undulating bodies, the constant shifting of which provides their locomotion
>>They look at you with grotesque blue eyes, sac-like and moving slightly in what you guess is the head
>>You see a black figure in the distance and are drawn to follow
>>It has a human form now. Though ink black you can make out the features of a man's face
>>He leads you through the winding streets
>>You hear the voices of the city's inhabitants; a high pitched staccato chirp, like countless birds
>>You follow the black figure to a great cyclopean bridge
>>The city seems to pour into the chasm it spans
>>Lights dot the sides of the abyssal canyon until fog obscures them completely, surely reaching untold depths
>>You stop and gape at the sight. 
>>The figure waits patiently before having you cross the bridge
>>Before you can look to see what is on the other side you're pulled from sleep
>”Professor Anon wake up! It's me, Twilight Sparkle!”
>You groggily look around at your room
Wha- what are you doing here, Twilight?
>”Celestia sent for me to come here. She said you looked like you could use someone to keep and eye on you”
>She looks at the state of your room. You don't remember it being such a mess
>”Looks like she was right” 
14/x

>You get out of bed as Twilight starts picking up the various objects strewn around
>”You know, those weird dreams stopped the day you took the artifact out of the library”
>The unicorn looks around for a place to put a couple books
>”And Rarity told me HER dreams stopped after she gave ME the thing”
>She looks at you and cocks her head to the side
>”...You don't happen to have started getting them too, have you?”
Yeah, but nothing different from the dreams you all described
>She looks at you, suspicious, before going back to cleaning the place up
>You go back to the research center, determined to find something of use
>The unicorns are milling about with all sorts of instruments
>The head researcher tells you that they're going to run a series of tests on the artifact
>”We need to determine its composition. Any material that can resist magic is of the utmost interest”
>As the unicorns work it quickly becomes clear that they're not going to be breaking the artifact any time soon, despite their efforts
>They don't even manage to scratch it, in fact
>After an hour they step back, puzzled
>The researchers go back to the drawing board
>You go back to the piles of books and scrolls
>Your thoughts drift to the great bridge and the enormous chasm
>The time passes quickly as you cull through the histories, looking any kind of answer
>You realize how much time has passed when you hear the other researchers talking as they leave
>”...maybe if we use a decay spell on the instruments?”
>They're clutching at straws and they know it
>You head home again
15/x
>>The bridge is larger than it looked at first
>>You walk across it, making what seems like no progress as you do
>>Your dreams are getting longer. Each one adds onto the last
>>As you follow the black figure the sense of familiarity grows
>>You look to where you're following the figure and see a massive building with stairs at the other side of the bridge
>>When you arrive at the foot of the stairs, the black figure gestures for you to climb
>>The main doors dwarf anything you've ever seen before
>>You pause and look back to where you walked from
>>The chasm goes for miles in both directions
>>The city of spires looms in the distance, its cyclopean towers still clutching at the sky
>>The great gnarled bridge lies like a bulbous thread over the abyss
>>You imagine the chittering inhabitants of the city, sloughing their way through the streets
>>You shudder as you turn back to the great set of doors
>>The black figure puts his arm out to the door
>>They open slowly, with an unnerving resonance that echoes through the pink air
>>You step inside only to fall from the dream
>A knock at the bedroom door gets you out of bed
>It's Twilight, come to make sure you're doing ok
>You look around at your room and see that everything is in order
>Tell her that you're fine and shuffle to the bathroom to get ready for the day
>On the way there you notice the dirt on the soles of your feet
16/x

>How in Equestria-
>”Have you been sleepwalking?”
>Twilight's voice makes you jump
>”There's dirt on your feet, Anon. What's going on?”
>You look at the unicorn, who cocks her head to one side, confused
I need to talk to the Princess.
>Before she can respond you're out the door, headed to the Castle
>You've got to get this sorted out
>You remember the dreams with absolute clarity
>Disturbing clarity
>You get to the Throne Room to see Celestia sitting in her throne, surprised at your sudden entrance
>”Anon? I wasn't expecting you. Is something the matter?”
>You remain silent, giving her the journal you've been keeping of the last few night's dreams
>She looks it over with growing concern
The last entry is from last night. This morning I woke up with dirt on the soles of my feet. I think I've started sleepwalking
>The Princess motions for a messenger
>”Anon, if it's alright with you, I'd like to place a guard detail outside your residence and a doctor inside to monitor this sleepwalking”
>It sounds a bit extreme to you, but last night disturbed you enough that you welcome the support
>”Additionally, I'd like to take you off the research team dealing with the object.”
>You realize that she's not giving you a choice on this one
As you wish, Princess.
>Your chance to understand what is happening has gone. You go home disappointed
17/x
>Your meeting with Celestia, though disappointing at first, puts you at ease
>You go back to teaching your classes at the University and sleep soundly for the next week
>No news comes out of the research center regarding the artifact
>It seems that the unicorns are at a loss
>Curiosity again takes you to the Archives come Saturday
>You go to the older sections, following your gut
>You spend hours going through scrolls to no avail
>At 6 or 7 o'clock you start looking through some of the old message scrolls kept on record from just after the fall of Discord
>You find one scroll regarding a small group of ponies and gryphons who were arrested in the Everfree Forest
>They were apparently found  practicing some arcane ritual using a bizarre ge-
>You drop the scroll on the table in shock
>It can't be
>You slowly find your place again and continue
>The cultists were apprehended during a ritual involving p0ny sacrifice and a strange-looking octahedron gemstone housed in a green stone box
>When authorities attempted to seize the cultists a number of them fled, taking the box with them
>The group was eventually rounded up, but the box and the gem within it were lost during the raid and subsequent searches turned up nothing
>This is the lead you were looking for. A connection between the artifact and the place in which it was found
>You hands are shaking as you read further
18/x

>Not wishing to stir a panic, Princess Luna held an inquiry in secret
>Her investigators found that the cult had been around since before written records were kept
>The cultists who were interviewed showed various degrees of insanity and provided only fragments
>The scroll ends there, leaving you with a perfect lead
>You decide to talk to Princess Luna tomorrow and ask her what she knows about the artifact
>For now, you go home to sleep
>The guards greet you at the door and let you in
>Twilight is reading up on obscure unicorn history
>She's had an uneventful week, but she's gotten to spend time with Celestia so she doesn't complain
>You go to your bed and eagerly go to sleep, that you can ask Luna about the cults in the morning
>>The doors of the mighty building creak and resonate as they open
>>You peer inside at the strange architecture
>>Looking too long at any one spot makes your head hurt
>>The geometry of the place is all wrong
>>From the moment you step inside you feel a foreboding
>>When you look back, you see the black figure shifting forms
>>You see him become the black alicorn, a dragon, a hundred traitors from history-
>>A name rings in your head
>>Nyarlathotep
>>A primal familiarity overtakes you
>>A vestigial fear of the name
>>You run
>>Through the winding, impossible halls you run
>>You run until you come across a room, pitch black
>>You stare into the darkness until you see a faintly glowing object
19/x

>>Footsteps behind you
>>You plunge into the dark, making for the dim light
>>You can feel the black figure's contemptuous amusement turn to panic as you run towards it
>>Getting to the pedestal, you feel the urge to grab the object
>>The black figure makes an unearthly noise when you lift the object and sprint out of the room
>>As you run, the world seems to fade
>You wake up sweating
>Another dream
>The room is a mess
>A knock comes at the door
>Twilight enters the room with a look of great concern
>”Another dream? I thought we were done with this artifact business, Anon”
I was in the city again, Twilight. There was a building. I ran through it, away from the black figure
>You leave out stealing the glowing object
>”We'd better go to Celestia. I'm worried about you, Anon”
>You're glad Twilight is here to help you. She's become a friend over the past ten days
>She takes you to the castle to consult Princess Celestia
>When you arrive in the Throne Room doors you can hear one of the research unicorns addressing Celestia
>”...and when we came back today, it was gone! Just vanished into thin air!”
>Your eyes go wide
>You bolt out of the castle as fast as you can
20/x

>Twilight uses her magic to teleport in front of you
>”Anon, what is going on?? You scared me half to death!”
There's no time, Twilight. I have to get home and see something
>You sprint past the confused unicorn and burst into your house
>You start tearing through the place looking for the artifact
>Twilight rushes in to stop you
>”Anon, stop! There's nothing here!”
>She wraps two marshmallow hooves around you arm and tugs you into the living room
>”Calm down, Anon. You're freaking me out!”
In my dream...
>Your heart is racing. It's hard to breathe
In my dream...I was running...I found something...a glowing thing on a pedestal in some insane building...
>Twilight is looking at you like you're crazy
I took it, Twilight...something was chasing me and I just panicked and took it...
>”You're not making any sense, Anon. None of the guards said anything about you leaving last night, so how could you have taken the artifact?”
I just know...it's here somewhere...waiting for me...
>”Look, why don't I help you look around, and when we don't find it, you'll come back with me to Ponyville for a while. You need to relax for a while”
>You agree, the idea calms you down some and you start looking around the house
>Hours later you find no sign of the artifact in your home
>”See Anon? Nothing. They're just dreams, Anon. They're not real.”
>She's right. They were just dreams
>You look outside and see the sun starting to set
21/x

>Did you really spend all day looking around your house for something you stole in a dream?
>You both laugh at the idea now. Getting worked up about some dreams and some sleepwalking
>But you can't shake this nagging feeling of foreboding
>You decide to take a walk down to the Public Gardens as the sun sets
>Celestia's light falls under the horizon as you lean against a marble pillar
>As you cross your arms you notice something that you missed earlier
>Dirt. Under your fingernails
>In the excitement earlier you didn't feel it, but now that you've calmed down...
>Celestia no...
>You see a patch of dirt that looks softer than the rest
>The foreboding feels stronger. It's coming from the direction of the Forest
>You bend down to take a look at the dirt patch
>As you brush away the soil your hand strikes something hard
>The feeling gets stronger still
>You grab the hard object with both hands and pull it from the ground
>In the failing light you can see the green stone box
>You look up and see the great shadow of Nyarlathotep racing towards you in the dark of the night
>Opening the box you take the cursed octahedron in your hand
>The indescribable darkness is near
>You look out and see the horrors of infinity made manifest in its black folds
>Raising you arm, you prepare to cast the octahedron from the balcony, onto the rocks below
>You hedge your bets that the impact will shatter it
>You don't get the chance to find out as the shadow meets you
22/x

Epilogue
>When you didn't return from your walk, Twilight called the guards
>They searched the city, finding no trace of you or the strange octahedron for days
>Twilight found the hole in the Garden after the search had been given up
>She felt the same strange sensation as she did when she examined the octahedron
>That day she returned to Ponyville to the arms of her friends
>That night she dreamed
>>She walked through the streets of that cyclopean city of spires
>>Amidst the sloughing masses who populated it, under that pink sky
>>She looked up at the alien moon and the white sun and heard the high pitched staccato voices
>>Listening to them made her even more uneasy than she was
>>Until she heard the sound that shook her from sleep entirely
>>The staccato cry from a shambling, pendulous, eldritch thing with its sac-eyes
>>It looked at her and cried in its alien tones her name
>And she awoke in horror
>Never dreaming of the alien city or its inhabitants again
End

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