Lunar Apprehension 1 -OLD-

     Rain poured down through the trees, lightning and thunder clashing frequently. It was not the best time to be exploring a forest. The pained whimpers coming from the forest floor however, showed that someone was.

     The young Pegasus mare trod slowly and weakly through the undergrowth, stumbling on virtually every branch in the way. She suddenly cried out and faceplanted in the mud as she tripped on a larger one.

     "W-Why... Why me..." She sobbed, slowly rising to her hooves again, trudging forward, trying to sense any form of shelter ahead. She was weak, and had been travelling for several days aimlessly through the forest. She was in every definition of the term, lost.

     She yelped as she tripped on another branch shortly afterward, and stomped her hoof in the mud in frustration. "I SAID... WHY ME!!" She shouted out to the wind and rain, as it washed away the mud to reveal the small cuts from her wandering.

     She slumped against a tree and began to sob uncontrollably. Almost ready to give up. Yet the only thing keeping her going was the single driving force to keep her foal alive. Hoping against hope, that she could find some shelter before her time came.

     She paused, feeling a small warm gust, and she raised her head, trying to sense where it came from. She HAD to get out of the cold wet rain. She stumbled forward, following the warmer air. She stared blankly ahead, carefully nosing into a small cave opening.

     She knew it was risky. Most all caves were already inhabited, but she had to take the chance. She wouldn't last back out in the elements. She crept forwards carefully, hoping nothing was watching her.

     Suddenly her hoof slipped, and she fell forward, bumping down a hole and thudding on the ground. "UNGH!" She gasped, shaking as the breath was knocked out of her. She tried moving, but winced, The sharp pain shooting through her right front leg told her everything she needed to know.

     She didn't dare move, and simply began sobbing again, she didn't care if anything heard her now, she already knew she was done for. She had landed on her belly, and felt her baby was much less responsive now.

     She wept uncontrollably, hurt, angry, confused, and utterly defeated. She raised her head to scream out her frustrated anger at her pathetic life, when suddenly she... Felt, a voice.

     "What are you doing here...?"

     She froze, suddenly the fear of something finding her rose again. She refused to say anything, hoping they didn't see her, though with her noise, that was virtually impossible at this point.

     "I will not hurt you child... Nor can I hurt you."

     She raised her head and listened more, even though she seemed to hear the voice in her head. "Wh-where are you...?" She called out quietly.

     "I am, everywhere... Please, stay calm. You are hurt..."

     "B-But how... Everywhere?" She felt soothed by the voice, though still alert. "I cannot see you..."

     "I know that child..." The strange voice continued. "You are blind, aren't you?"

     The mare closed her eyes and nodded slowly. "Y-Yes... I'm lost... I don't know where I am and... And..." She felt her tears welling up again, afraid to say what she feared.

     "Your child... They are nearly gone..." The voice said again, concern present in their tone. "Please, can you crawl?"

     "W-What?" She raised her head again. "Crawl?"

     "Yes, crawl forward, follow my guide, and we may be able to save your son..."

     Her eyes widened. "Son? H-How do you know?"

     "Please, come forward slowly, I will explain in due time... But time is something we have very little of at the present..."

     The mare closed her eyes and sighed. She didn't know who or what she was talking to, or if they were serious or not. But she knew she no longer had anything to lose. She began to slowly drag herself forward, whimpering with the pain from her leg.

     "Nngh! H-How far...?" She grunted, gritting her teeth, feeling the air around her growing warmer the further she crawled.

     "Not very... You are almost there... Keep going, you will know when to stop..."

     She kept going forward, feeling more reassured since nothing had attacked her yet. She heard a tinking noise as her hoof knocked on something solid embedded in the stone, and kept crawling. Whatever the object was, it made her feel more relaxed.

     She found the object to be quite large, and soon was fully atop it. She felt over it, noting how it felt like a large faceted gemstone. And it seemed to radiate energy, soothing her wounds and restoring energy slowly.

     "That is good... Please rest, you are in very much need of it... I will tell you more when you have woken."

     She felt safe for once, and lay on the object, feeling her baby slowly begin to move again. Tears began to flow down her face again, only now tears of joy. She once again had hope.


- - - - - - -


     Morning came, and she greeted it with a wide yawn, feeling better than she had in several days. She raised her head, much more comfortable with where she was now. But she wanted to make sure whoever was talking was still there. "Hello?" She said timidly.

     "Good morning." The reply was prompt. "Yesterday was a rather hectic experience, and I meant to ask you. What is your name, child?"

     She relaxed more  and then responded. "Gem..."

     "Well, Gem. Welcome to my home. I do not fear you telling of it... For sadly I'm afraid you may never find your way back, whence you came..."

     Gem lowered her head and nodded sadly. "I know... I wandered for days out there... I have no idea where I am..."

     "Then this shall be your new home." The voice said. "You are innocent, and someone whom I feel I can entrust with this cave's secrets."

     She furrowed her brow and asked. "What do you mean? Secrets?"

     "This is a place that has too much to take, and too few who protect it. Your son, will make a great guardian to both you and I."

     She shook her head and thought. Would it truly be a bad idea? She was safe here, she did not doubt it now. She owed this... Being, or whatever they were her life, and her foal's as well. "I... I guess. I guess that is okay..."

     "Very well then, this place, is now your home. Feel free to make yourself at home, but please rest still. Your leg should be fully healed by tomorrow."


- - - - - - -
One week later
- - - - - - -


     Soft whimpers were heard through the cave as Gem cleaned up the several day-old colt. His eyes were just opening and she felt a crystal forming on his forehead, a sure sign that he was going to be a Unicorn.

     He wobbled on his small legs, unable to walk quite yet. Yet Gem helped him back up time and time again to keep trying as he stumbled over.

     She smiled as she felt him wobble back, collapsing against har and whinnying happily. "Thank you again, for helping him recover." She said out loud.

     "You are more than welcome." Came the reply. "It would not have been right to leave them to such a fate... And I know, they are destined for great things."

     "Hopefully SAFE, great things." Gem sighs, nuzzling the now sleepy little colt.


- - - - - - -
Four months later
- - - - - - -


     Gem called out. "Tsyreim... I may not be able to see you, but I am most certainly capable of finding you still... Now come here."

     Her acute sense of hearing picked up a scrape on the rock around a corner, and she swung around it. "You know what happens when you don't listen to me, don't you?"

     She backs out as the young colt walks out of hiding with her. "Extra long bathtime... Come on mom... I don't need a bath!"

     "You live and play in a cave. Yes, you definitely need a bath." She nudges him on toward the pool.

     He turns and suddenly blurts out a question. "Why won't you let me go outside?"

     She pauses. "There are bad things out there. Bad things you are not ready for yet." She nuzzles him. "And if you get lost, you know I can't just go out and find you. I don't want that to happen to you..."

     He looks thoughtful, and explodes in a smile. "Well when I'm big and strong, I'll show those... Umm..."

     "Bad things?" Gem chuckles, finishing his sentence.

     "Yeah! I'll show those bad things not to get NEAR our home!" He bounces around with the energy only a youngster would have.

     "Well no son of mine is going ANYWHERE if he's not clean." She pushes him over, knocking him into the pool. Immediately scrubbing him down, much to his displeasure.

     "He is growing so fast." Gem jumps slightly to the voice talking to her.

     "That he is... When do you think he'll be ready?"

     "Soon Gem, soon. He's already beginning to gain his abilities."


- - - - - - -
Seven years later
- - - - - - -


     Tsyreim leapt off the a ledge, calculating his landing perfectly, skidding down the side and flipping over a log. Landing nimbly on a branch in a tree just beyond. Though misjudging the strength of the branch, it immediately broke, and he found himself having to make an impromptu landing.

     He grunts, thudding on the ground and shaking his head. "Well I was doing ok except for THAT branch." He walks over to his mother who sits off to the side, smiling warmly.

     "I didn't see it, but I felt it. You are very skilled, Tsy."

     He smiles and nuzzles her. "And you are a very wise old mare."

     "Now who are you calling old?" She chuckles, bumping him with her hoof. "Now let's not keep THEM waiting. It's almost dinnertime."

     Tsyreim takes his position and begins to guide his mother back to the cave, talking softly. During their meal however, 'Spiel' as they called the voice, interrupted them.

     "You are doing very well Tsyreim." They acknowledged. "Soon you will begin to practice magic. It is far more complicated than simply physical maneuvers. But I sense you can master some of the lesser spells."

     Tsyreim grinned back at Gem. "Moving up in the ranks, eh mom?"

     She smiled as well. "You're more than ready for starting. But do please take it easy at first. This will be completely new training for you."

     He nods it off and keeps eating, quite overly sure of his abilities.

     "I should note however..." Speil starts off again. "I have sensed a disturbance at night. I feel it is related to Princess Luna."

     "What kind of disturbance?" Tsyreim asks.

     "The only description I can couple with it... Is jealousy."

     "What would she be jealous of?" Tsy shrugs. "She's a Princess, and controls the nighttime."

     "Ponies go to sleep during the night, but play during the day." Speil continues. "She must be feeling that her hard work at night is being neglected and overlooked."

     "Well... She should be able to get over it I'm sure." Tsy mumbles through a mouthful nonchalantly.

     "Do not underestimate jealousy Tsyreim." Speil scolds him. "You still have much to learn. And out here, where it is only us, you have not yet understood true jealousy."

     Tsyreim sits back and huffs, he disliked being scolded, but couldn't help but see the truth in Speil's words. "Well shouldn't I actually GO out there to learn then? How come I'm stuck here all the time?"

     Silence was all he heard as Gem lowered her head.

     "I know you don't like hearing it, but you still aren't ready. And... I don't know which way you would go to even get to a settlement."

     "Well Speil's been here long enough." Tsy continues, trying to push his point. He was an adventurous type, and he just wanted to see more of the world than the cave.

     "I can only sense a direction, Tsyreim." Speil answers. "But as Gem has said, you are not yet ready. Do please remember why you are here."

     "Yeah, Yeah..." He slumps back down and nibbles on his food. The rest of the dinner being rather silent.


- - - - - - -


     Three months passed, and Gem had taken a turn for the worse. Some disease had taken hold of her, and she had become terribly ill nearly overnight. Try as they might, Tsyreim and Speil could not seem to find a cure. And despite their healing energy, the crystals have little effect on such ailments.

     Tsyreim had abandoned all training, staying by her side the entire time. Despite his being so taken with the various spell training, he realized that this could be the last he would see of his mother.

     "T-Tsy..." Hearing her call out, he hurried to her side. "Yeah, mom. What is it?"

     She kept her eyes closed, despite their uselessness, she found it helped her relax some. "Tsy... I don't think, I don't think I'm going... To make it..."

     He put his hoof over her heart and tears rolled down his face. "You don't say that mother... You DO NOT say that. You'll be fine, just... Just..."

     "H-Hold on...?" She finished.

     He bowed his head and sniffled, the tears dripping onto the ground as he knew she was probably right. "Y-Yeah... That..."

     He looked up as he felt her weak hoof on his. "I'm proud of you... Tsy..." She sighed. "I really am... and I know... I have taught you..."

     He opened his mouth to tell her to stop talking. But stopped himself instead, knowing this was her time. "You taught me great mom... And I am proud, to have been your son..."

     "No... You ARE my son..." She said, forcing a weak smile. "Now don't you forget me..."

     "Mom, mom don't even start with that..." Tsyreim nudges her. "There is no possible way I would forget you, EVER."

     He suddenly jumped, hearing Speil speak up. For the past few days, Speil had not spoken a word, they had been contemplating different ways of perhaps saving Gem instead. "There is a way..."

     "Way, a way of what?" Tsyreim looks around. "Of saving her?"

     "You may call it that... However, you will not see her."

     "Uhh, you're gonna need to explain better than that." Tsy taps his hoof.

     "As you cannot see me, but know I am here. So we can do for Gem..." Speil continues. "It would require a merger of her soul and the essence of this place."

     "Wait... So, she would be in there... Err, wherever you are?" Tsyreim looks at one of the crystals. "She'd BE the essence of these crystals?"

     "Yes. But it would require a spell which you have not yet trained-" Instantly Tsyreim stood up, interrupting them. "Well then we're wasting time! What is it?"

     "Be careful, Tsy..." Gem mumbles. "Do not let your haste destroy the goal..."

     He nods and walks into the main room. "Then teach me, Speil. I don't know how much time she has left, but it isn't much."

     "Concentrate, Tsyreim... Concentrate well." Speil starts. "Behold the crystals, and concentrate on them..."

     Tsyreim squints his eyes, focusing on the crystal's energies.

     "Now feel them, you have felt their energy before. But FEEL them as if they are a part of you..."

     He sighs and closes his eyes, trying to concentrate on them. But he finds it harder to do, and loses concentration. "Gah! Dangit..."

     "Try again." Speil starts. "Go easy, go slowly. With the slowness comes understanding, with understanding comes accuracy. And finally accuracy to speed."

     Tsyreim nods and tries again, concentrating slowly, easing from one crystal to the next. He begins to feel their presence. And soon opens his eyes to see them glowing brightly.

     "Now tell them, one at a time, think them to go in a direction."

     He squints and concentrates on a blue one, darting his eyes to the side and willing it to do the same. It jerks free of the stone and darts across the room, floating in the center of his gaze.

     "Whoa..."

     Speil continues. "Form them."

     "Like, into a different shape?" Tsyreim asks, still concentrating on the crystal.

     "Yes. As a sculpture is formed, do so with your mind."

     He thinks for a moment, and then starts to think, watching the crystal glow and stretch, more of it expanding and curving until he had formed it into a miniature blue crystal tree.

     "Double whoa..." He sets it down and breaks concentration, walking over to it. "I can do that with the crystals?"

     "And you are able to draw energy to form crystals from the Earth as well. But that one will require further training." Speil replies. "What you have now, is what we require for Gem. Bring her to the central crystal."

     Tsyreim nods and trots back to her. "Hey, mom... Hang in there, we're gonna help you out here..."

     He grunts and slips his muzzle under her, keeping his head tilted to the side, trying to ease her over his neck. He stops as he hears her whimpers in protest. Then backs away and begins to concentrate again.

     "I'm GOING to get you over there. Try not to squirm..." Several crystals dart over and he forms them into strips, easing them under her and raising her up slowly.

     He has them carry her over, and lays her out over the crystal calmly. "Ok, what next Speil?"

     "Absorb her into it."

     "W-Wait what?" Tsyreim looks up. "Absorb?"

     "Grow it over her, her body and soul will become part of it."

     Tsyreim grits his teeth in unease, and looks down at her. "Ok..."

     Gem rolls her head over, and for once, her eyes looked right at him. "Trust them, Tsy... They know..."

     He blinks and nods, taking a breath and concentrating. The grystal grows, and he begins to stretch it outward, as Gem slowly sinks down into it, he begins to close it back over her. Taking utmost care to be slow and cautious.

     He finally seals it above and rushes over, looking down he sees her glowing form, silently within the crystal. "M-Mom...?"

     "It will take some time Tsyreim... Please be patient..."

     He sighs and slumps back, as a feeling of her loss sinks in, he begins to sob. She was the only pony he had ever seen or known. And he felt like that was being taken away. Never feeling true aloneness until now.


- - - - - - -


     Several days, and Tsyreim had heard nothing. Not even replies from Speil. He had begun to doubt that it worked, and tried accepting the fact that his mother was truly gone.

     He walked outside and sat under the trees, looking up at the sky. "Why..."

     "That was what I asked the day I found refuge here, Tsy..."

     He jumped up. "M-MOM?! MOM WAS THAT YOU?!"

     "It is... And it worked... It took time, but I am now, as Speil is."

     He rushed back inside and looked around. "Dangit... I'd hug you if I could..." Then getting an idea, he gather several crystals, quickly forming them into the shape of Gem and threw his legs around her. "That's just gonna have to do..."

     He heard her giggle. "That was wonderful, son..."

     "You had me so worried... I thought it didn't work." He said, looking around. "I'm just glad it finally worked..."

     "Now you stop crying." She chuckled softly.

     "I-I'm not... You know I don't cry..."

     "I KNOW you're lying. Because now, I truly can SEE you."

     Tsyreim looked down, and knew he couldn't argue now. But he didn't care, he had his mother back. In at least one way.

     "I love you mom..."

     "And I love you too son..."