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Icarus (One Shot) by Dumoney
By GuestCreated: 2023-05-05 06:56:02
Updated: 2023-05-15 13:28:06
Expiry: Never
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                                            1.
                                            >“You look tired anon, have you been sleeping well?”, asked Celestia.
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                                            2.
                                            >Anons’ eyes drift up to the white monarch with heavy bags under his eyes.
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                                            3.
                                            “I haven't been sleeping at all”, responds anon, exhaustion permeating his voice.
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                                            4.
                                            >Celestia’s eyes widen in surprise
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                                            5.
                                            >”Why not? Anon, you need your sleep”
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                                            6.
                                            >His eyes look back down towards the floor, a flash of fear crosses his expression
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                                            7.
                                            >Celestia notices, her demeanor switching from surprise to concern
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                                            8.
                                            >She walks over towards a large, plush pillow and takes a seat
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                                            9.
                                            >”What is it you're afraid of, anon?” asked Celestia with a soothing tone.
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                                            10.
                                            >Anon takes notice of the invitation
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                                            11.
                                            >anon stands up and joins Celestia at the plush pillows near the crackling fireplace
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                                            12.
                                            “Is it that obvious?”
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                                            13.
                                            >Celestia says nothing, and instead closes her eyes for a brief moment and subtly nods her head
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                                            14.
                                            
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                                            15.
                                            >Anon wrings his hands together before formulating his answer
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                                            16.
                                            “Please don’t be upset with me.”
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                                            17.
                                            >Celestia tilts her head before responding, ”Anon, you’ve been through so much, and I'm sorry you’re in so much pain. I only wish to help dull that pain, even for just a moment.”
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                                            18.
                                            >Anon knows this, and he still finds it hard to confide in her.
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                                            19.
                                            >”One step at a time”, Anon thinks to himself.
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                                            20.
                                            “I'm afraid…” he croaks softly.
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                                            21.
                                            >Celestia flashes him a small smile and stays silent, awaiting his answer.
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                                            22.
                                            “I'm afraid…of…her.” Anon squeaks out as his eyes dart toward a tapestry on the wall.
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                                            23.
                                            >A tapestry of a black splotch with a white Crescent moon in the center.
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                                            24.
                                            >Celestia’s eyes follow anon’s and she closes her eyes
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                                            25.
                                            >”I understand anon. Many ponies fear my sister.” she says with tenderness in her voice.
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                                            26.
                                            >Anon looks back at Celestia with bewilderment
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                                            27.
                                            “You…don’t seem surprised.” Anon says.
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                                            28.
                                            >”The fear? No, unfortunately I am familiar with ponies being afraid of her. It's where your fear comes from that perplexes me.” Celestia says with trepidation.
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                                            29.
                                            “Right…that. I should probably explain. It's only polite.” anon says with growing resolve.
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                                            30.
                                            >Celestia stays silent, a warm smile on her face.
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                                            31.
                                            >He thought of her
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                                            32.
                                            
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                                            33.
                                            “When I arrived in this world, I had nothing. Nothing that was truly mine. Not even these clothes are mine…”
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                                            34.
                                            >Anon takes a deep breath and looks at his hands…
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                                            35.
                                            “I lost everything. All I had left were my own thoughts and dreams.”
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                                            36.
                                            >Celestia noticed that last word and flinched a little.
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                                            37.
                                            >”Dreams…” Celestia said under her breath.
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                                            38.
                                            “Every so often I would dream about being back home, or is it a nightmare? It was hard to tell sometimes.” Anon chuckled.
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                                            39.
                                            “I started noticing ponies in my dreams. Well, one pony. I figured it was just from being here. But I don’t remember seeing her anywhere else.”
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                                            40.
                                            >Celestia closed her eyes and frowned slightly as she listened to anon’s words.
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                                            41.
                                            ”I get it. She’s the Princess of the Night. Defender of dreams or something like that.”
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                                            42.
                                            >”Anon, I…” Celestia began before she was cut off with a raised hand.
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                                            43.
                                            “I need to say this, Celestia. Please.” Anon said with a bit of desperation.
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                                            44.
                                            >Celestia held her tongue as Anon sighed deeply and continued on.
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                                            45.
                                            “I know it's normal for ponies, but for humans…for me…the content of our dreams are incredibly personal and intimate parts of our lives. She broke that.”
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                                            46.
                                            >Anon pauses for a moment to let the thought sit, trying and failing to read what Celestia is thinking.
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                                            47.
                                            
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                                            48.
                                            “In my world, there is a movie that is famous worldwide…”
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                                            49.
                                            >Anon paused as he noticed Celestia’s confusion.
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                                            50.
                                            “Sorry, motion picture. It's like a book you can watch, sort of. Anyway, this movie is called Nightmare on Elm street. A story of a villain who Hunts people. It's famous for being scary and suspenseful.”
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                                            51.
                                            >Celestia didn’t show it, but she didn’t like where his analogy was going.
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                                            52.
                                            “The bad guy’s name is Freddy Krueger. He hunts his victims by invading their dreams and tormenting them to death.”
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                                            53.
                                            >...
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                                            54.
                                            “What makes him so scary is that we eventually HAVE to go to sleep. There is no escaping him.”
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                                            55.
                                            >Celestia finally understood what Anon was getting at. Genuine sadness began to form on her once soft expression.
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                                            56.
                                            “That's the kind of power she seems to have. In my world, it's all fake. We can laugh about it and sleep soundly afterwards. But here, it's real…and more terrifying than I could have imagined. She could do whatever she wants, see whatever she wants, and I can’t stop her…” Anon says as a tense quiet permeates the room.
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                                            57.
                                            >Moments pass before Celestia finally breaks the silence, “Are you afraid of me, Anon?”
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                                            58.
                                            >Anon looks back up at her again, looking deeply into her soft Magenta eyes.
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                                            59.
                                            “Yes…”
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                                            60.
                                            >She flinches away from Anon at that moment…
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                                            61.
                                            “And no.”
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                                            62.
                                            
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                                            63.
                                            
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                                            64.
                                            >Celestia relaxes once he finishes his answer. ”Thank you for being honest with me. That was very brave of you.”
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                                            65.
                                            >Anon smirks a little at her words. She always seems to know what to say.
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                                            66.
                                            “Pathetic, isn’t it?” Anon says with a hint of sarcasm.
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                                            67.
                                            >Celestia didn’t appreciate that. “No Anon, definitely not. I have stories of my own.”
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                                            68.
                                            “Maybe you can share them with me sometime?” Anon asked as he began to relax.
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                                            69.
                                            >”Maybe Anon, but for now, I must ask. I hope you can trust me?” she asks with caution.
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                                            70.
                                            “I don’t think I could have told you all that if I didn’t.” Anon replied.
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                                            71.
                                            >”May I?” Celestia asked as she extended out a lustrous white wing towards Anon.
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                                            72.
                                            >Anon nods his head in affirmation
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                                            73.
                                            >He watches as Celestia scoots over next to Anon and drapes the wing over his back.
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                                            74.
                                            >She doesn’t pull him in for a hug, but the gesture isn’t lost on Anon.
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                                            75.
                                            >It's comforting.
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                                            76.
                                            >They both stay like this for some time before Anon finally speaks up again.
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                                            77.
                                            “Thank you, Princess”
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                                            78.
                                            >”Celestia is fine as well, Anon.” Celestia calmly replied.
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                                            79.
                                            “I know” Anon responds with a smirk.
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                                            80.
                                            >Anon yawns loudly and rubs his eyes.
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                                            81.
                                            >Celestia giggles a little, “Would you like to get some sleep?”
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                                            82.
                                            “No, but I don’t know how much longer I can stay awake.” Anon said, rubbing his eyes.
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                                            83.
                                            
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                                            84.
                                            
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                                            85.
                                            >”I’ll be here with you, if that’ll help?” she said.
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                                            86.
                                            “I think I’d like that, but there are probably more important things you need to do.” Anon said through a squint.
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                                            87.
                                            >Celestia turned her head towards the door, “Guard!”
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                                            88.
                                            >Not but a moment, a white Pegasus stallion with a deep blue mane, clad in gleaming golden armor, appeared in the doorway.
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                                            89.
                                            >”Yes Princess!” the guard said, with practiced speed and discipline.
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                                            90.
                                            >”Find Raven Inkwell, and have her clear my schedule for the rest of the evening.” Celestia said politely, but firmly.
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                                            91.
                                            >The guard responded with a salute, before turning away and leaving back out the room.
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                                            92.
                                            “You're something.” Anon said, as sleep began to take him.
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                                            93.
                                            >Celestia replied with nothing but a warm smile as Anon began to lie down.
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                                            94.
                                            >It was the best night’s sleep he had in a long time.
 
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