Sick And Lost
I feel like straw…
The rain was coming down especially hard now, and the fact that I was still caught in it was my entire fault. Had I only thought to take shelter within the train, instead of deciding to wander off while clearly still in an exhausted stupor, then I wouldn't be shivering as I traversed hill after hill.
I'd tried to double back and find the tracks, but for all my wits I just couldn't muster up the effort to think and retrace my steps.
I was…and still am just that tired.
My body's aching all over…head's pounding, throat's sore…Do I have the flu?
It sure felt like it, but without the necessary provisions, staying awake and warm was going to be a major problem.
Just keep walking Oliver, just keep…walking, and keep your eyes…eyes…
My eyelids began to droop against my will. My body was swaying against the cruel breeze, hooves shaking, teeth chattering…and all around feeling miserable.
NO, STAY AWAKE!
The thought all but forced whatever meagre amount of energy it could into my body. I still felt like hay, but at least my eyes were firmly open. And so as I shook my head, I continued on, walking as quickly as I could in an effort to find some sort of settlement.
Come on Oliver, who knows eh! You could find a nice little village in the next few minutes for all you know!
…
I was still walking…
A nice little village I said, the next few minutes I SAID!
I had long since left the lush hills behind me. But it had only been replaced by a very dense forest, with little to no shelter from the pelting rain.
Speaking of the rain, it was doing wonders for my health. And yes, I'm lying through my bucking teeth. If I'd felt awful before, then what I felt now was beyond agonizing.
Moving as I did only seemed to bring out whimper and moan after whimper and moan, such was the pain. My throat was so sore that trying to use it for anything but breathing was torture, and even then breathing was still very painful. My head currently felt like somepony was doing an Irish jig inside of it…with a massive group of very drunk friends to help them.
All in all…heh, I felt something that no word could honestly give justice, so let's leave it at that for now.
We need to find…shelter…from the rain!
Thinking was so…difficult, Faust I was so tired…wait, didn't I mention that already?
Oh…I'm…hmm…shelter, now!
Obeying the firm voice in my head, I sluggishly began to look around for some form of accommodation…and to my luck, there it was!
A cave, a dank, dirty, yet thankfully rain proof cave.
It took me a few minutes to drag myself into it, and even longer to eventually collapse on the floor. Not that I particularly cared in that moment, I was simply far to bucked up to.
I must sleep…
We can't.
But I'm so tired…
No, she'll find us!
So what…I don't care anymore, I'm sick, I'm sleepy, and I really want my mommy!
She's not our mom; she's just some crazy nutjob.
Yeah, some crazy nutjob that just so happens to be very warm…and snuggly, and safe…and I don't feel very well, I need her! We need her!
NO! We will NOT fall asleep, we won't…we don't need Mom. All we need is a bit of time to rest, not sleep, just rest our aching body until next light.
Heh…it took me far too long to realize that I was arguing with myself. Though some of the words…they weren't mine, they came from whatever the instinct was inside of me.
The child in me was gaining in strength and volume; I could feel it, I'd BEEN feeling it ever since I first woke up. Whether it was some freaky trick caused by Mom, or merely something that came along with my new body, at the end of the day…it was evidently winning over my exhausted mind.
I honestly didn't know if I could ward off sleep, but with the constant urge to simply give in pounding against my mind, it was becoming increasingly difficult to do so.
Just close them…where's the harm in a few minutes?
No…I couldn't fall asleep. I had to stay awake, no matter how much my tiny form begged for reprieve.
Think about it for a moment. If Mom finds us as we are, then she'll most likely forget all grievances and take care of us. Don't we want that? Somepony that would gladly dote on us?
It did sound nice, very nice…but if Mom found me and took me back, what then? I'd be right back where I started, and the chances of such an easy escape occurring again would be next to none. I couldn't risk it, no matter how ill I became.
I couldn't.
It was very dark outside. If I had to hazard a guess at the time, then I'd give a stab at around a little after midnight.
Also…I wasn't doing so good.
My breath was labored, bones were aching, head was pounding like never before, and...and I was beyond tired now. Resisting it as the seconds passed me by was agonizing, with each moment forcing a pitiful little whimper out of me.
I won't lie nor exaggerate…but I honestly felt like I was about to die, so ill was I.
Sleepy…Need sleepy time…
No sleepy time for me, no…no…time for sleepy…
...
My eyes closed…everything faded away…bit…by…bit…
…
"Arcturus, where are you sweetheart?"
The all too familiar voice caused my eyes to snap open, jolting me swiftly out of my sleepy stupor. Too tired to climb to my hooves, I instead settled for simply looking back at the entrance…or rather outside of it.
For outside was none other than Mom herself. She was peering into the cave, her horn alight and, from what I could just about see; her nostrils were flaring as she sniffed the air.
No…I have…to…
Groaning loudly, much to my dismay, I slowly began to crawl further into the cave. All of my efforts to stand simply failed on the spot, thus I continued to do so for the next few moments.
Until…
"ARCTURUS, MIN BABY!"
No…
The loud echo of rapid hoofsteps nearly made me pass out from the noise alone. And, to my mixed disappointment and joy, Mom quickly seemed to realize this the moment she reached me and turned me around.
"Arcturus, art thou okay?" she asked, her wide smile dimming somewhat as she touched my forehead. "Holy Faust, thou art burning up!"
It took me a little while to realize it…but I was still trying to get away from her, crawling as I tried to bat her away with my hooves.
"Leave me…alone you…crazy...ma..re.."
Unfortunately she did the exact opposite, by reaching out with her forehooves and lifting me gently to her barrel.
Mhmm…soft…snuggly…
"Thou art confused, min son. A fever has claimed thy senses," she cooed, her thankfully cold tongue licking my forehead gently, in what I gathered was an instinctive method to cool me down. "But worry no longer. Mommy is here, and she is going to make thee all better."
Wave after wave of drowsiness swept through my ailing form, forcing a cringe worthy yawn from me…which in turn only seemed to make Mom gush and coo even more.
Apparently it was so effective…well, she began to rock me.
"No…"I croaked feebly, using all my strength to try and push myself off of her…with no result. "I'm not…going to…sleepy times…"
"No?" Mom softly uttered, her cool tongue once again bringing a sigh of relief from me as it smoothed my slick mane from my forehead. "We think otherwise little one. We think that our baby is quite unwell, and needs his rest. So…"
She, without any warning, pressed her icy, yet strangely glowing lips to my forehead.
The result was nigh instantaneous. For the moment they touched me, a blanket of warmth enveloped my tiny body, soothing the aches, sore throat and migraine into nothing more than a dull throb.
"Oh…min baby," cooed a distant voice. "Sleep now, rest thy head against us and dream naught but happiness."
"N…N-No…"
"Sleeeeep…"
...
..... run!
Your furiously fast update schedule fills me with equal parts joy and rage.
Mostly joy.
That maid in the next chappie is gonna get fired or something.
Dude. You are cranking these out faster than I can read.
Way. Such uppdates. Many plenty. Much Joy. Wow
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You've got six hours.
Man these chapters have been coming out really fast, don't overexert yourself man, it ain't worth it. (good chapter tho)
I could keep up the 1428 Elm Street Jokes, but it just doesn't fit here. This is actually a very sweet chapter. I know that there are a few individuals who feel that Luna is being a bit obsessive, and to be honest using her vast knowledge and power to keep a child that doesn't belong to her. And to be honest in some ways they are absolutely correct. She is doing that. But also consider the fact that Luna herself is still not quite in touch with the modern era. She has spent a thousand years alone on the moon, and it wasn't uncommon for nobility to take a child and claim one as their own back in the old days. It was easier if the child happened to be the offspring of the nobleman, but it wasn't something uncommon at all.
We can only assume that Luna believes this is still a common practice in Equestria. Having a child that will never die, that will live forever, a child she can nature, a child she can cherish, and a child that she will always get to see. I once read a story about a different Immortal, (Okay it was Diana of Themyscira) and she remembered everything. Her mother, sisters, every friend, every life, every moment. In the story she had fallen in love with a mortal, had children, but her gods had decided that while the children would have extended life spans they would not be immortal. She was forced to carry on without those children.
Now, think about that for a moment. Luna has overseen the dreams of every pony until she was banished to the moon. Suppose that she remembers every dream. In a way she would have been like a mother to each and everyone of those ponies. A mother that was forced to watch her children grow up, grow old, and die. Seeing it from that view point I can see why she wants Oliver to be her son so badly. Even if Luna took a suitor, and had a baby there is every chance in the world that said baby would be an Earth Pony, Unicorn, or Pegasus. The foal would be of her blood, but she (assuming it would be a she) would eventually grow old, and die.
She wants someone who is going to live and love her forever. It's understandable. Perhaps a little twisted, but understandable.
Oh what the hell... One more Freddy and Luna pic from good old google pictures for the road.
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*Phew* Getting worried about Arcturus for a second there,
Better turn of my pc otherwise im going to become addicted to this story.
BTW nice chapter.
PS. How do you keep me reading your stories ? I'm starting to think there magic at work.
4169907
Ha...Well put, and well thought out.
All in all, well done for a correct guess.
4169924
No idea
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dat gif!!
He couldn't fight his new child instincts. Well hopefully he can get away from her a second time... Probably not.
I always had my suspicions that you were no mere mortal, but I never imagined that you were actually rabbit.
4170319 quick get the holy hand granade
Woo gets better and better! Can't tell if the other voice is just another side of him or a completely separate entity. Though it does seem that it wants oliver to desperately accept Luna as their mother, as it kept saying 'we' most of the time
4169818 Hell, if she's lucky, that will be the BEST thing that happens to her. More than likely however, she'll learn firsthoof what happens to those foolhardy enough to incite the wrath of a physical goddess.
Dude, you are spewing out these chapters like a BEAST!!! Keep it up you're amazing!
Dwaaa that was so sweet and funny.
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I enjoyed that bunny pic in the author's note. This is a great story. Really enjoying it. I'm impressed with your update speed.
that poor poor maid and because Oliver cant say it i will for him FUCK HIS NEW CHILD INSTINCTS
Damn it Z! you were doing so good so far, why o why did you make the crazy mare win yet ANOTHER one? I will so love to see Oliver discover a way to escape to manage to avoid that infernal connection when he sleep, well maybe he still can, we haven't see what kind of magic he can do and when a pony get to scare it use it.
I just hope Oliver get like very afraid of where he is and the fever only make him got more and more scare of Luna and the voice that tells him to let go
4170801 Hnnnnnnnnnghhhhhhhh *dead*
Holy shit that bunny is so cute!
4171398 *Uses a defibrillator on dead body, reviving it with severe brain damage*
It'd be funny if a second alicorn child appeared and Celestia adopted it, and as a result she and Luna would try to one up the others child with their own through increasingly convoluted means.
yay! more Spongebob signs, you're my hero
You should have had her sing a lullaby to him. This woul have been perfect.
4171631 ............................
I'm guessing Cadence will be the rival to become the mom since she's married. You know, since she doesn't have on of her own yet.
4169830 fantashtic
LOL! Let me say that Luna makes a great mom. Love the story so far. I hope you keep writing.
4172797
Why should anyone let a sycophantic drone like you say anything?
4173275
Who pissed in your cheerios?
4171853 I counter your Children of the Night with Children of the Night.
4173279
He probably didn't have a mom like luna to hug him enough
4171387 I actually want to see Oliver fail. I mean eternal youth, epic powers, never having to work, and being part of an elite few. How could you refuse?
4178723 Physical youth, maybe (he'll grow into his mid-20's, not remain a child forever). Epic powers? Possibly. Never having to work? Every alicorn in that world is saddled with a ton of work. And honestly? Eternity would be boring without it. I'm sure he'd find something to do.
Dat gif This is pretty good!
I think oliver should fail to find his body,but defeat and control his child surges like on the train.
Sounds like Jeff the Killer to me.
4170801 Welp, now I've got diabetes, thanks to those pics.
i can't decide if I like him fighting against his new mind or something. Sometimes something lke this looks like the new body, or Voice would force you to change against your own will, making it painfully horrible for you, slowly loosing your original self till you are fully changed.
Shit dawg, he could've at least though to follow the tracks, that way he's guaranteed to get to another train station.
Poor Arcturus/Oliver...
Almost get away, then:
This.
I want to bitch slap this Luna....... She is a fucking CUNT. Taking someone’s NAME from them?! WHERE THE FUCK IS CELESTIA IN THIS SHIT?! LETTING HER SISTER ACT BATSHIT CRAZY?!
For now Luna needs to make sure Oliver Leaf isnt killing himself... Ones his healthy again... Plan a destination and goal! ...and run away ...