Chapter 10
 
>How long did it last?
>Your outstretched hand already began to collect a rather sizable pool of the ashen dust.
>And yet the two of you simply stayed in the same position, unable to understand each other’s intentions.
>You didn’t even blink.
>Finally, after what felt like an hour, you drew a breath.
>A simple, quick huff of life.
>And that was all it took to start the sequence.
>Luna quickly darted away from you, moving so fast that you couldn’t even see her hooves touch the ground.
>Hell, she was a blur- and then a tiny speck in a blink of an eye.
>She seemed to be heading towards the centre of the crater; but for what purpose?
>You doubted any chance of a hiding spot in this barren ravine, and you certainly hoped no other surprises were here.
>If she was going to have you run around this place for days, so help you god…
>Well, it’s not like you had anything else to do in this place, better get moving.
>You begin to make your way towards the direction Luna flew away.
>Only after a few steps you finally realize the ground beginning to shake.
>Cracks appear all around you, as the shaking intensifies.
>Not giving you a time to react, pillars begin to shoot out of the cracks.
>You frantically run around, trying to avoid the columns that seem to be appearing in the most random manner.
>In your panicked state, you accidentally trip over your foot, landing your face unceremoniously on the dusty surface.
>You cover your head with your arms and curl into a ball, just to protect yourself from whatever this was.
>Bracing yourself mentally from what is to come; you shut your eyes tight and clench your teeth.
>To your surprise, the blow never comes.
>The shaking has died out as well, and the ground feels tranquil and static as before.
>You slowly loosen your grip on your head, and open your eyes.
>A strange, bluish light floods your eyes, causing you to wince and you gently rose to your feet.
>The moon dust was still settling down, almost mimicking snow.
>You finally put up your hand to protect your eyes, letting it get used to the sudden change of light.
>Now, what on earth could those pillars be-
>That’s not a pillar.
>You quickly near one, and run your hand over its grooved surface.
>Your fingers travel down its multiple crevasse, all that seemed to lead away downward in the most unpredictable pattern.
>Some even curled into a circle at some point, and the said shape becoming a nub on the structure.
>The surface itself felt smooth and hard.
>You knew what this strange structure was, this dull gray column.
>It was a tree.
>You turn around to see more of these trees, and their equally lifeless leaves.
>You were in a forest.
http://youtu.be/M6GK8HhjQQE
>You were in a small clearing, a small hole over the forest canopy.
>Above you were the stars, and the sight you never thought possible.
>Nebulae upon nebulae, shapes upon shapes, and colours upon colours.
>The sea green bubbled out of waves of red and sickly yellow; a veil of pink and cobalt; a mass of shadows rising from the depths of space.
>The strange light that greeted you was the most prevalent, poking through every opening by the leaves.
>It left the oddest impression of a blur on you, as if there was a mist crawling through the trees.
>Already lost on which direction Luna went, you decided to wander.
>Leaving the clearing made you realize how dark the forest was.
>The contrast of light caught you by surprise, and it left a nasty burn on your eye as it tried to cope rapidly.
>Going over an unearthed root, you began your journey into the ashen woods.
>For some reason, you could not shake off the bad feeling you had over this.
 
>Maybe you said it too many times.
>Maybe it was warranted to be repeated so many times.
>The entire sight was eerily alien, and yet vaguely familiar; like something you’d see in a dream.
>Is that possible? To find something so unfamiliar, familiar?
>You wouldn’t think on it took much; this whole place was a bad trip waiting to happen.
>You thread lightly, just in case this forest harbored more than a human and a winged unicorn.
>But the atmosphere of this place was unmoving; it made you feel like an anomaly in this vast dead world.
>The ground still feels like the moon, soft and yet rigid.
>You had to admit, this place had an uncanny ability to instill calamity.
>Your movement carry less and less weight every step, and you feel no tiredness.
>Like a winded toy, you march on into the depths without a single thought.
 
>You think on what to say to Luna, if you ever get to catch her in this labyrinth.
>Maybe you’ll start with a greeting.
>Yeah, that sounds great.
>You ponder on apologizing, but really, what did you do to call for an apology?
>Eh, maybe that’s why you were in this mess in the first place.
>You’ll figure something out eventually.
>Your focus shifts away as you spot light breaking through the trees up ahead.
>Perhaps you were just circling around this entire time.
>Maybe it would lead you to Luna, who knows.
>You speed up your steps, hastening your progress towards the source of light.
>You suddenly hear chirps behind you, something that reminded you of birds.
>And speak of the devil; you feel a light weight landing on your shoulder.
>You slowly turn to find a small bird nestled on the said spot.
>It blinks once and zips away, heading towards the very same light source you were heading to.
>If there is life, that could only mean something good, right?
>… Right?
>Finally nearing the lines of trees, you reach out your hand to break through the seam.
>You are blinded for a moment, and you freeze in place as you wait for your eyes to adjust.
>You begin to hear more of those chirps, and even a soft voice resounding with those noises.
>”… Yes, I know it was a bit uncalled for, but what else could I do?”
>Once your vision clears, you find yourself staring down a clearing that seemed all-too-familiar.
>Well, that’s what registered onto your mind for a split second, before another sight wiped away your suspicions.
>You spot Luna under a tree, covered head to toe in what you would describe as ‘animals’.
>They seemed just as bleak and dull as the trees of this forest, moving in the most artificial way possible.
>Luna seemed to be enjoying the moment- playing around with those creatures.
>You creep in slowly, not wanting to disturb anything she was doing.
>You are pretty sure she noticed you by now; at this point she’s just flat out ignoring your presence.
>You stop a few feet away, and sit on the spot.
>You throw her a few glances, without any avail.
>Staring blankly at the forest, you try to think of something else to catch her attention with.
>Of course you’re not gonna just barge in there and say hello, that’s just plain stupid.
>Hugging your legs tight, you try to relief your boredom by whistling.
>Looking around like a confused bird, you cannot help but to turn your gaze towards Luna.
>Something should be happening now.
>Why isn’t anything happening.
>Maybe there is a cue?
 
http://youtu.be/L0EK8kkA7mU
>You inch closer, but you receive no reaction.
>You have the chance to see the peaceful look on her face, and also notice a certain weight repressing much of the joy.
>You find yourself inching even closer, but you manage to stop yourself.
>One of the smaller creatures seemed to have noticed you, and comes over to your side.
>It reminded you of a small fox, something straight out of a child’s picture book.
>Slowly coming over, the fox puts its front legs on your thigh to lift itself up.
>The fox then looks to you with its wide, black eyes, begging for attention.
>You give its outstretched neck a little scratch, eliciting a happy wag on its tail.
>You pet the tiny creature more, suddenly compelled to see this small thing so happy.
>It barks happily, and returns to Luna’s side.
>You drag yourself closer.
>Taking the chance in this close proximity, you go over and rest your back on the same tree Luna is under.
>Your eyes are hanging by its corners, still trying to catch any movement on the blue pony.
>Still nothing.
>You sigh and try to relax, folding a leg under another.
>You still had no idea how to go through with this.
>You groan audibly and close your eyes, trying to meditate which course of action would be best in this situation.
>Your focus crumbles away as you feel a light tap on your head.
>Preparing for the worst, you carefully open your eyes, only to face the bird you saw before.
>It looks down on you from the top of your head.
>The bird jerked its head around a few times, letting out some chirps.
>Focusing your eyes on the bird, you give it a little blow with your mouth.
>You seemed to have startled it greatly, as it jumps to the far back side of your skull.
“Heh.” You let out a quick laugh, finding the entire scene amusing.
>”Heh.” Another voice echoes.
>Your vision returns downward to spot Luna standing right in front on you, with a small smile etched on her face.
“Hey.” You greet her, returning the soft smile.
>A fox pokes its head over Luna’s leg, and makes a quick dash towards you.
>Climbing up till your chest, it studies you with those beady eyes.
>You reach out to give it a good scratch, and it melts in your touch.
“So hey, Luna, listen- about what happened-“ You quickly stop yourself, realizing Luna is making her way out of the clearing.
>Almost jumping onto your feet, you hold the fox with cradling arms and chase after Luna.
>She seemed to have darted off; there is no sign of her.
>The fox barks once.
>You enter the forest once more, still ever so cautious.
>You spot a small chunk of Luna’s tail wave over a tree, and you pursue it immediately.
>Only after rounding over the tree, you see a faint movement to your far left.
>She seemed to be toying with you, moving around the place.
>You finally hear a soft whisper behind a bush, and stealthily make your way there.
>Before you even have the chance touch the bush, you are knocked to the ground by a sudden force.
>In a blink of an eye Luna is above you, giggling over how well her ambush went.
>This seemed to have gotten the fox of its rockers; the poor thing is running around in circles.
>It then goes off course, trodding all over your unsuspecting face.
>It finally collapses on the same spot, tired from all that moving.
>That seemed to have entertained Luna greatly; you can hear her laughter over the animal.
>”Okay, okay, that’s enough. Come on boy.” Luna says as she lifts the critter off your face.
“Appreciated.” You thank the pony.
>”It’s alright, Anonymous, no need to thank me.” Luna replies, still slightly excited.
>You get to your feet and dust yourself off.
“Luna, about us…”
>That sentence seemed to have robbed Luna of all emotions.
“I was thinking, you know. And maybe, maybe-“
>She turns to you in an almost spastic manner, hope shining brightly in her eyes.
“Maybe I’ll give you a shot?” You blurt out.
>The entire forest and scene goes deathly silent, as if your words stopped time in its tracks.
>Bet your grandmother is turning in her grave right now.
>You hear a faint noise going off, like a distant horn going off.
>The noise begins to grow, while you look around trying to figure out the source.
>It’s quite loud now- is it coming from Luna?
>”YYYYYYES!” Luna exclaims.
>Perhaps that was an understatement.
>She shoots up and jumps around, shouting very happy noises.
>This goes on for a few minutes, before Luna manages to stop herself.
“So is that a yes or a no?” You ask in the most stupid manner possible.
>”Yes! A thousand times yes!” Luna shouts at your face. “Oh how long have I waited for those words!”
>She zooms right on you, and hangs her front hooves over your shoulder.
>”Now hold me Anon! And take me over the setting sun!”
>Without a warning she jumps, making you catch her in reflex.
>Ooookay, she can do without extra cakes back at the castle.
>You are already regretting this choice.
>You begin to walk in some unspecified direction, as Luna shakes above your arm in joy.
>Three minutes in and you are already done.
>You quickly lower her to the ground, intending on to silence her.
>The sudden change in altitude catches Luna off-guard, and she pauses once.
>Of course, she wasn’t ready for what else was coming.
>You rush in to silence the pony with some lip-to-lip touching.
>That course of action seemed to have worked, as it left Luna a blushing puddle of blue.
“Shut up, dammit.” You complain.
>”W-would you like me to talk even more? I can do that if you’re gonna shut me up more.”
>Looking away in annoyance, you dive in once more for a quick peck.
>Luna takes charge this time, and turns the peck into a French kiss.
>You are screaming internally.
>You have to feel through every second of this mish-mush.
>But even you have no idea what is to come.
 
*
 
>Celestia peeked through the chamber doors once more, checking to see if her sister was still in her bed.
>She looked out for a second, and peeked through again.
>Luna’s room lit up every few moments, as if someone was trying to send a Morse code.
>But no matter how many times Celestia looked, her sister was still in her bed, alongside Anonymous.
>Nothing happened.
>Everything was fine.
>But a strange feeling kept bothering her, as if something was going to happen any time soon.
>Her mental compass pointed at Luna, her rather unwieldy sister of late.
>But the tingling in her mane and the electric air on her tongue felt so wrong.
 
*
 
>You don’t even know how you got to the bottom.
>Luna seemed to be busy keeping her mouth connected to yours, and you were busy hoping this is enjoyable.
>Well, that thought lasted until you felt something dripping into your mouth.
>Your eyes shoot open as the viscous liquid begins to pour into your throat.
>You try to break free but Luna holds you down.
>With nowhere else to hold, you are forced to shallow the vile liquid.
>The ordeal goes on for what felt like an eternity, all the while a tingly sensation spread all over your body.
>Luna finally lets you go, and you roll away to your knees.
>You dry heave, fully intending on to hurl out whatever you were force-fed.
“What the fuck?!” You scream, staring straight at Luna.
>However, she’s nowhere to be seen; she simply vanished.
>Everything vanished.
>The forest, the animals, everything.
>You were back on the surface of the moon, with that music playing on the background.
>You let out a single breath, sending out a wispy fog across the horizon.
>”Wake up.” A voice calls out to you.
>You look around frantically, trying to find the source of the voice.
>Nothing but the endless expanse of the moon greets you.
>”Wake up.” It calls out again.
 
*
 
>Celestia looked upon her sister for the millionth time, still finding no change in her room.
>Finally giving up, Celestia turned to leave for her own room.
>She only came up to face her sister face to face, looking deathly ill.
>”Sister…” A weak voice escaped Luna’s mouth.
>Celestia barely had any time to be surprised, as Luna collapsed to the ground.
>”Guards!” Celestia called for help. “Guards, someone, bring me a doctor!”
 
*
 
>Warmth.
>Warmth is the first thing that comes to your mind as you come to.
>You shift in the soft pillow, and your foot sticks out of the blanket to meet the cool air.
>It takes you a moment to realize that you are in a bed.
>You rise slowly, pushing off a weight on your left leg.
>Blinking slowly, you take in the sight slowly.
>You knew this room.
>This was your room back in Canterlot.
>Everything was as you left it, still and pretty like a painting.
>Once again, warmth.
>You feel something warm brush against you, and you turn to face whatever it was by reflex.
>A mangled mess of the cobalt blue mane begins to rise, alongside its lazy, azure eyes.
>She blinks slowly, taking in your image as well.
“Morning.” You say groggily.
>Luna takes a moment to respond, justly done by her eyes popping open and screaming.
>She kicks her way away from you, still screaming.
>She then falls off the bed, dragging along the blanket with her.
>You hear the room door kick open, with Celestia and a band of nurses rushing in.
>It must have been quite a spectacle, as everyone was staring at each other for a long time.
>”Anonymous! Sister! You’re awake!” Celestia exclaims exuberantly.
>”Celestia!” Luna shoots up from the side of the bed.
>”Luna!” Celestia replies happily.
>”Celestia, who on earth is that thing on the bed?” Luna asks quickly.
>”Oh, that thi- wait, what?” Celestia seems confused by the question.
>Hell, you’re confused.
“C’mon Luna, it’s me, Anon! Stop joshing around.”
>”Who are you and what are you doing on my bed?” Lane snaps at you.
>For a second time, the room goes silent.
>A quick blow on your chest pushes you off the bed as well, dropping you to the cold floor.
>”For the last time,” Luna says, strengthening her voice.
 
>”I do not know you.”