There she was, looking down at her own grave, the grave she never knew she had. One that was so innocent that even God himself would expect someone to be there. To most it was harmless, other feared for their children to go there, and some didn't even care. In the end, it was innocent. It had never hurt anyone. If anyone did get hurt, it was their own fault or somebody else's fault. So why did it hurt her so much? Why was it painful for her to look down at it? It was just water. Water from a lake. A lake that was in the middle of the woods. Water that would just stare back at her. She didn't know why but that's what she felt when she looked down at it. Maybe she felt guilty because it was her own fault why she was here. She knew that she should have listened to her mother over her friends, but she didn't. She knew that she should have never gone to a place like this all by herself, but she did. She knew that she should have been smarter about things, kept better track of time, a better track of where she was at and where she was going, but she didn't. Now she was paying the price. A price that she couldn't pay. All she wanted was to go home. To return to her family, her friends, her pets...her life.

All she wanted was to be back to where she belonged. No ponies belonged here. Some were scared of the woods. It was easy to get lost, to get hurt or even killed. Not a lot of ponies wouldn't dare to go near the woods. She hardly saw ponies ever go to the woods. Maybe one or two ponies here and there. It was not like it really matters. They wouldn't help her. No ponies helped her. They wouldn't even speak to her. They wouldn't even look at her. She would run up to them and asked if they could help her get out of the woods and get back home. But they wouldn't respond. They wouldn't speak or even look at her. They would just walk past her and continue on with their day. They gave no clue that they heard her or even saw her. Which only hurt her more. So she spent her days roaming around the woods. She gave up on finding her way out. At least on her own.

She kept her eyes on the water. It causes her so much pain just looking at it. So why did she look at it? She didn't even know. Every time she looked down, she felt a knife stab her heart. Why wouldn't no one help her? Why wouldn't they speak to her or at least look at her? Then at least, she would know that she was real and not some tree. Tears stung her eyes. She wondered if her family or if anyone was looking for her. She wouldn't have been surprised if they weren't. And if they were looking for her, they were doing a bad job. If ponies were looking for her, would they even try looking here? No. Not after telling her mother that no matter what, she would never go into the woods. But she always wondered why everyone was scared of the woods. Or what was in the woods. Her friends had told her that only the brave ones would go into the woods. She was brave, so what was stopping her? Her mom, sister, father? Maybe she was scared. But what was in the woods that made everypony scared? She knew the only way to find out was to go look for herself.

One afternoon, she saw her chance. Her mom was out and her older sister was too busy talking to her friends. They would never know. She told herself that she would stay for an hour. She walked out the back door quietly, so her sister wouldn't hear her. Then she took a deep breath and ran into the woods. To her surprise, nothing seemed to be wrong or scary. All that was in the woods were trees and small, cute animals like bunnies, deers, ducks, and birds. Nothing scary at all. She loved playing with the animals. She played with the ducks by the lake and pet the bunnies if they let her. She had so much fun that she lost track of time. She didn't remember what happened next. All she did remember was by the time she started heading back, it was very close to being dark. She tried to get out, but she couldn't remember the way she came from. It quickly got dark. So dark that her hooves disappeared in front of her and she could hardly see anything. Everything around her looked all the same to her. She didn't know which way to go. Left...right...north...south...east...west. She didn't know. The last thing she remembered was running by the lake and...nothing. Her whole world went black. She was never found.

"Why are you crying?" a voice asked from behind. The filly ears perk up as she turned to face the pony who just spoke to her. It was a young filly, just like her. She looked like she was around her age. She was wearing a coat and a snow hat, so she couldn't tell if the filly was an earth pony or a unicorn. She had a light blue coat and a sky blue mane. What was the filly doing in the woods all by herself? Didn't her parent tell her that it wasn't safe here? Of course, she was told that and didn't listen to her mom. So maybe this filly didn't listen to her parents either. Maybe she got lost too. She hoped that the filly standing in front of her wasn't looking for help. If she was, well she would be out of luck. It was then she had realized that the filly asked her a question. But what did she asked?

"What?"

"I asked: Why are you crying?"

"Wait...you can SEE me?" The filly in front of her gave her a weird look as if that was something wrong with that question.

"Of course I can see you. Why wouldn't I be able to see you?"The filly asked. It was the question she had asked herself so many times. Why wouldn't anypony be able to see her? It seems that no pony could see her. It was like she wasn't real. Maybe she wasn't. But wait, this pony could see her. Maybe this filly could help her.

"Well...I don't know. It just seems that no pony can see me. Every time I walk up to them, they don't listen to me. They don't even look at me."

"Wow, that's mean. "

"I know it is."

"Are you lost? How long have you been out here?"

"I don't know, forever I guess," She answered.

"Haven't you tried to get help?"

"Yes, but like I just said, it seems as if no pony can see me," She answered more harshly.

"Right sorry. I forgot you said that and what do you mean no pony can see you?"

"I said as if no pony could see me. What is with all of the questions? You ask way too many of them."

"Sorry, I just want to help you. You look like you been wanting that for a while and I want to help. That's if you're lost."

Help. Help her. Somepony wanted to help her. It was something that she wanted for a very long time. For the first time in forever, somepony not only talked to her but wanted to help her. This was a chance she wasn't going to let down.

"Yes, I'm lost and I need...I need help," She said hopefully.

The filly in front of her smiled and laughed. "Okay then, follow me," the filly said.

"What?"

"Follow me. I'll help you."

"Really? You really want to help me?"

"Of course. I know how it feels to get lost. It's not a good feeling, but my sister was always there to help me. So I'm here to help you."

She couldn't believe what was happening. Somepony actually wanted to help her. She had been waiting forever for somepony to help her and here it was. The help she wanted, standing not even 2 feet away. At that moment, she had a reason to have hope.

She smiled.

"Do you even know the way out?" She asked with a little hint of doubt in her voice.

"Of course I do. My sister and I always go here. In fact, I live not too far from here," The filly answered.

"Really?" She asked shocked. "How come I have never seen you before?"

"Ummm...I don't know. Maybe because I don't usually go to this part of the woods. Don't worry, though. I still know the way out from here."

"Okay, I guess. You really know the way out?"

"I said I did so many times now, silly," The filly laughed." Now come on. I'll show you the way out. Just follow me," she said as she started to walk from the direction she came from. She stood there, staring at the filly. She wanted to trust her, but she didn't know if she could.

"Are you sure?" She asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Just come on. It'll be okay. You'll see," The filly responded still walking. She finally got up from her spot. If she said she knew the way, then she must have to know the way. What did she had lose? Might as well.

"Alright, if you say so.,"She said as she started to follow her new friend." Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me."

"You're welcome. Glad I could help. And don't worry, I'll get you home."

"I know you will. I know."

...

15 years later

"Do you still see them?" A pony asked. Princess Luna was sitting on her bed, staring down at the floor before lifting her head up and for the first time during their session, gave the doctor eye contact. She knew that she had to answer very carefully. But she had trouble on how to answer. If she said "yes", it will give everypony, including her sister, a reason to think that she was crazy. Even though she knew that she wasn't. If she said "No", most likely the doctor wouldn't believe her and she would be stuck seeing him three times a week even longer. But she always claims that she saw things. When asked this question, she never once said "no". So maybe he would believe her. But maybe he wouldn't. It was a risk. But it would be better to try over saying "yes" though.

"No, I haven't been seeing them," Princess Luna answered.

The doctor gave her a weird look before looking down at his clipboard and wrote something down on his notepad. He was a unicorn with a brown coat and white mane. His cutie mark was a notebook with a pencil on it. He looked back up at Princess Luna. He was sitting on a chair across from her.

"You're sure. You haven't seen anything lately," He asked.

"No," She said quickly. Oh no. He doesn't believe me. Please believe me. Just this one lie believe, she thought.

" If you have, it's okay to say so, Princess," He replied.

Crap. He really doesn't believe me. Think of something. Say something. Just stay calm. Stay calm, Luna thought.

"Like I just said, I haven't been seeing anything," Luna said in the calmest voice she could make. The doctor wrote something down on his notepad.

"Okay, Princess Luna. When was the last time you saw them?"

"I don't know. A few weeks I guess." It was really last night.

"And how have you been sleeping?" The doctor asked.

"Better. Ever since Tia made me take those pills, I don't dream that much anymore. So I don't have those nightmares I get," Luna said.

"That's good, Princess. That's really good," he said smiling.

"I guess. I don't like taking them. And I would like to dream. I mean I am the Princess of the night. It's kinda my thing."

"I know you do, but until the nightmares stop, it's best to keep control on the dreams and why don't you like taking the pill? They help you sleep better. You just said so yourself. If they help, how come you don't like taking them?" The doctor asked.

"I don't like how they made me feel," Luna said.

"How do they make you feel?"

"They make me feel weird, weak, and very tired," Luna answered as she stared to lay on her bed and look up at the ceiling.

"That's the point, Princess. It's meant to make you tired. So you can fall asleep sooner and sleep better," he said.

Luna rolled her eyes." Still, don't like taking them, though."

The doctor sighed. He knew where this was going. It was better to change the subject." Anyway, have you seen...him?"

Luna widened her eyes. She was hoping the doctor wouldn't bring him up. It was something she never wanted to talk about. It was something she feared. She thought about all he put her through. The worst part was that he could get away with it. Since nopony believed her, he could do whatever he wanted to do with her at any time. She had tried to fight back, but he was too strong. Celestia had told her it was just her nightmares, but Luna never believed it. She told them it was real. She told them that he wanted to kill her. But all it did was put her on pills and a doctor who tried to get her to say that she was crazy or as he put it "sick".

"No, I haven't," Luna answered harshly.

"Really?!" He asked shocked. "He hasn't come back and try to hurt you?" The doctor asked.

Luna looked down at the floor. She already knew what he meant by "hurt".

" I was hoping you wouldn't bring that up," Luna said with a hint of anger in her voice.

"I know, it's just these are things we need to talk about. I know you don't agree, but talking about your problems can help you."

"Then how come I don't feel better. I told you all my problems and look where it has gotten me. Now everypony thinks I'm crazy. Everypony looks at me as if I'm some freak. So where is the part when I feel better?" Luna snapped.

"Princess, it was more than that and you know that."

"Well, I guess I don't. I don't see the point."

"The point of what?" The doctor asked.

"The point of talking about it. I mean I could talk about him or about them. I could talk about what I saw when I was young and my childhood. I could even talk about my dreams, but what's the point. All I'll be doing is give everypony, including my sister, a reason to think I'm crazy. How can I talk about my problems when all it does is cause more problems?" Luna asked.

The doctor looked at her for a moment."Is that why you don't like to talk about your problems? Do you fear that is will cause more?"

"I'm not afraid of causing more problems. I know it will cause more problems. All everypony wants is for me to say I'm crazy, but I'm not. I'm not going to say I am when I'm not."

" I never said you were crazy. I said you're sick. And with help, you too can be cured," The doctor said.

"I'm not sick," Luna replied.

"Then what are you?" The doctor asked.

Luan smiled at that question. "Easy. I'm different. I see things that most ponies can't see. I do things that most ponies won't do and act differently than most ponies. I am not sick, nor crazy, I am different. Maybe you're the one that is crazy. If you can't see them, then isn't that crazy. Maybe I'm the one that is sane."

The doctor said nothing to Luna's statement. He stared at her for a moment. Then he wrote something else down on his notepad. Luna smiled. She knew that she left him speechless. Celestia told her to be nice to him and actually listen to him. She knew that Celestia would be mad at her for this. But Luna didn't care. She said it and was glad that she did. But there was more she wanted to say.

"I just want this to be over,"Luna said.

The doctor sighed. He had seen this coming. " You want to end the session here?"

"That's not what I meant," Luna snapped.

"Then what do you mean?"

"I want this to end. My problems with whatever I been seeing. I want things to go back to normal. I want to be able to sleep without being scared of having nightmares. I want to be able to wake up and leave my room without having everypony look at me like I'm some psycho. I want everypony to not think that I'm crazy. I want...I want...I want my life." Luna felt tears coming. She tried to hold them back, but she couldn't. She covered her face with her hooves and cried. She felt stupid crying in front of her doctor, but she couldn't help it. She wanted him to see. She wanted him to see the pain she was in. She wanted him to see the pain she was put through. The pain that they put her through. She wanted someone to believe her. She wanted someone to know the truth: She wasn't crazy. What she saw was real.

But after what she would try to do later that night, would not only make everypony think she was insane but would also be a mistake Luna would regret for a long time.

Author's Notes:

This is my first fanfiction. I never thought I would write and post a story online. My goal isn't for it to be perfect, but good. So I hope you liked it.

For this part, think of it more as a prologue rather than a chapter.