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The Equestrian Bloodmoon

by Whitestrake

Chapter 6: Curiosity Can be a Terrible Thing

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Well, Chapter Six is out, feedback is appreciated.

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Reman's eyes shot open, then immediately closed. The bright, strange lights in the ceiling causing pain, he almost mistook them for the sun, the humming noise they made clued him in. They were little more than slits the next go around, he glanced to his right, looking to his cell's door. Guards, eight of them, were posted opposite of the electrified bars, at least the Princess was smart about locking him up. All of them were white, like fresh-fallen snow. Perhaps they were using something like that stuff they made in High Rock, bleach, he thought it was called.

The wooden door, about twelve feet from the one to his cell, opened. Another pony walked in, dark blue, mane and tail resembling the night sky, flowing the same way Celestia's did. Horned and winged, like the other, Alicorn, was the term, the lycan thought. The Princess called herself 'co-ruler', so perhaps this new pony was the other.

“Celestia wasn't joking, he really did change.” Feminine voice, no doubt this pony was a female, she seemed surprised. “Can it speak as well?”

“Yes, Your Majesty, it carried on a conversation with Princess Celestia last night.” One of the guards that time, male.

“Fascinating, what else did he do, my sister wasn't clear on his behavior.” Sister? Well now, that was interesting, this must be the other 'co-ruler' Celestia mentioned. Reman closed the near-invisible slit he had his eye opened in, he shifted, imitating a man snuggling into his bed. “Is he awake?” Seemed he startled her with that, good.

“Not as far as I can tell, Your Majesty, it went to the cot shortly after Princess Celestia left. It's been asleep since.” Different guard that time, sounded older.

“How can something that size sleep for so long?” The new pony walked closer to the bars, curiosity painting her voice. Her inquisitive tone reminded the lycan of a Restoration master he'd met in Valenwood, he suppressed a shiver. A small click hit his ears, the sound was familiar, a switch was flicked. The lycan twitched in his 'sleep' again, had to keep up appearances. More footfalls, coming closer to him. There was a small clinking noise, the sound of a key entering a lock.

“Princess, I have to advise against this, we have no idea what he's capable of.” A different guard that time, experienced, and female. Reman began to put two and two together.

“I appreciate the concern, captain, but it is unnecessary. I'll take every precaution possible, if he makes a move he'll regret it.” Cocky, Reman saw an opportunity. The key turned, the cell door moved inward lightly, then rolled to the side. The blue pony walked through, followed by some of the guards, the sound of multiple pairs of feet clanking on the metal floor tipped that off to the lycan. The Alicorn stopped right at the cot, so close Reman could hear her breathing, one would think any intelligent creature would be hesitant to approach something like him.

He could feel the Alicorn's eyes on him, inspecting, studying. He heard a quill scratching paper, how did they write without hands? Perhaps they used their mouths. The quill stopped, perhaps the Alicorn's curiosity was satisfied, he hoped not. Reman's hopes were not let down, the tingle of Illusion magic forming in his mind.

Seemed she was using the Mind's Eye spell, perfect. He cleared his thoughts immediately giving the female a blank slate to view, just blackness. The presence in his mind was confused, prodding for information were none was to be had. Somewhere, in the vast expanse of Reman's mind, a wolf howled.

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Summer Glade was kept in a drug-induced coma, fever wracking her body. It had begun to take hold almost immediately after the Pegasus had been brought in. Nausea, fatigue, muscle aches, at first it appeared to be an acute influenza infection, but the spell to cure that had proven ineffective. So, too, had every other curative magic the doctors had attempted, save those for her wing. Glade was shaking, her muscles twitching and contracting unconsciously.

Nurse Practice had been entrusted with the Pegasus' care. The young guardspony had suffered a bite from that beast at the Festival. The nurse zipped around the room, keeping Glade sedated, a difficult task with how fast her body burned through the tranquillizers. Glade's injury had been repaired for the most part, if everything went well, she'd be flying again in a week. Now she'd just have to focus on survival, a fever this high could easily be fatal.

Nurse Practice sighed, she was in for the long haul.

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Luna gazed into the creatures mind. The Princess was surprised to see the place was empty. No memory, no thoughts, nothing, just darkness. She jumped a little when she heard a wolf howl.

“Hello there, little pony.” Luna whipped her head around, only to see the guards standing faithfully to defend her. “No, no, over here, on the cot.” Luna turned her head to the sleeping beast, who lay unmoving other than the rise and fall of his chest. “Surprised, you really shouldn't be. I've been awake for a fair bit, just before you walked in through that wooden door.” The voice chuckled a little. “By the way, those lights are murder on the eyes when you first wake up.”

“What do you think you're doing?” Luna felt a pressure building in her head

“Oh, me? Nothing I’m not entitled to, the mind is sacred, and you cantering about it makes this only fair.” The pressure was building, but it wasn't painful. “You see, Princess, I have no talent for the Illusion School, I’d never be able to cast Mind's Eye, but you did that for me.” If the voice had a face, Luna could tell it'd be smiling. “Now, you wanted to see into my mind, right? Well, here's your chance, Princess.” The pressure built higher with each words, the suddenly released.

Luna's vision went black.

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Luna found herself floating in darkness. She looked around, finding only more of the surrounding black. Soft hoof-falls grasped her attention. The Princess of Night turned around.

She was greeted with sight of the beast, standing on his two hind legs, his pale skin standing out in the shadows, a spectral wolf at his side.

“So pleased to see that worked, last time I tried this, the mage's mind couldn't take the transition.”

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Princess Celestia began her day by raising the sun, nothing out of the usual, eating a small breakfast of domestic fruits, still normal, and checking on the injured in the infirmary. That last one was the odd one out. Broken ribs, legs, fractured pelvis, one cracked horn, and a shredded wing, quite the list for the land of Equestria. The Princess of the Sun was currently looking through the window of Summer Glade, one of her newest Pegasus guards, the Festival had actually been her first assignment.

The mare was had calmed from her earlier state and was resting peacefully. Her fever receded just as quickly as it had appeared, leaving no noticeable trace behind. Nurse Practice had been sent home by the Princess, a day off is what all involved in this mess needed. Celestia closed her eyes, her thoughts drifted back to Imperial in the dungeon. He'd been polite enough, well, at least not insulting in his behavior, answered almost all of her questions, had he not been imprisoned for his earlier actions, Celestia might have thought he was harmless.

Movement roused the Princess from her thoughts. Glade was waking up! The Pegasus opened her eyes, full of confusion, then screamed. The injured pony arched her chest and stomach out. Pain must have been wracking her nerves.

Celestia caught sight of some ribs shifting.

Next Chapter: Luna didn't close the Door Estimated time remaining: 4 Hours, 10 Minutes
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