Lullaby for a Lost Moth Part 4

About one year ago.

>You were standing on a tall rock in the Rockies.
>In your hands was a map of the area.
>On your back, a backpack full of supplies.
>And at your side was your beautiful wife.
>"Anon?"
>You look over to her, holding her own map, though her's looked like a bunch of weird shaped rings.
"Yeah?"
>She points at an area on her map.
>"It looks like this pass here will take us up to the saddle."
>You look over at her map to where she's pointing.
>It look right but it will take you about a mile out of your way.
>Whatever, no skin off your teeth.
"Alright, let's go."
>You begin walking, following a game trail worn through the underbrush.
>Walking and walking.
>Occasionally talking.
>Oh look! A deer.
>More walking.
>You feel a tug on your boot and stop to look down and see that your laces have gotten tangled in a small bush.
>Leaning down you disentangle the small string.
>Once finished tying the boot you stand and look ahead.
>Your wife is nowhere to be seen.
>She must've gone ahead.
"Better catch up."
>You begin jogging up the path.
>A short time later you come to a fork.
>Looking left and right you stand there, exasperated.
"Shit."
>Looking down for some kind of footprints to give you some kind of clue as to where she went.
>No luck. You're standing on thick stones.
>Pulling out your map you shrug off your pack you look around for a tall tree.
>Finding a tree of suitable size you begin your run-up.
>As you reach the tree you brace your foot about waist height and throw yourself upwards at the lowest branch.
>You grab ahold of the branch and swing yourself up.
>Hand-over-hand you climb the tree.
>Upon reaching the top you pull out your map and begin scanning the surrounding area for landmarks.
>Picking out a few, you find them on the map to figure out where you are.
>You whip out your compass to double check.
"Okay, so… That way."
>You point straight west.
>Dropping from the tree, perhaps a little too hard, you sling your bag over your shoulders and head off.
>A song pops into your head and you begin singing under your breath.
"So dance fucker dance, man he never had a chance."
"And no one even knew, it was really only you."

>About an hour later you're walking along, map in front of you, very confused.
"I think I went the right way… I should have caught up by now."
>You lower the map and look around.
>Sighing you fold the map and stow in in your pocket.
>You spin and begin backtracking.
>A rustling noise and a snapping twig rip your attention off the path to the left.
>You catch a glimpse of mint green.
>Your wife's jacket is the same color.
"Hun?"
>You step forward and the blotch of color runs off into the rush.
"Wait!"
>Running after her as fast as you can, you find yourself being lead far away from the path.
>Through the forest you sprint, wondering the whole time where she's taking you.
>Tripping over bushes, slipping on gravel, running head long into trees, yet you still manage to keep up.
>Across a small stream ahead you can see a clearing.
>You've been going for a while now and the sun is starting to set.
>In the clearing ahead you can see a soft glow.
>Your wife is nowhere to be seen so you slow to a fast walk.
>Pushing aside the brush in front of you, you enter the clearing.
>The glow you saw before was coming from a hole in the center of the clearing.
>Approaching the hole you look down to see...
>Something.
>You aren't sure what it is but it seems to be pulling at you.
>It looks like a swirling mass of stars, suspended in glowing water.
>You can smell a field, warm with summer and flowers.
>A cool breeze seems to be flowing gently from the hole.
>You look up from the hole and begin searching for your wife.
>Turning you see a small, mint green creature running towards you.
>It looks like a...
>Pony?
>But there's something jutting out of it's forehead, just above the eyes.
>It keeps running at you and it shows no signs of stopping.
>It jumps at you and you brace yourself on your back leg to catch the blow.
>It hits you like a sac of potatoes.
>Not really heavy but it pushes you back a little.
>It jumps from your arms and spins to look at you.
>"Sorry."
>Wait did it just talk?
>The thing on it's forehead flashes and you are sent flying backward.
>Straight into the hole.
>As you fall through the thing you feel a strange sensation across your body.
>It feels as if every atom in your body is being pulled outward from the center.
>Not painful, but not comfortable.
>Then there is a rushing feeling and a flash of light and you suddenly aren't falling anymore.
>You look down and around but find no ground or anything.
>It's like you're suspended in the air.
>There is a flash in front of you and the little green thing appears.
>"SorrysorrysorryohmygoshI'msosorry."
"Ah oh dear god!"
>You try to back pedal but just end up flailing around.
"Oh dear lord you're talking."
>It, she? It sounded feminine, looks at you incredulously.
>"Wel duh."
>It is only then that you realize your situation.
"What did you do?"
>She winces.
>"Ok, let me explain."
>You shiver.
>A talking pony is just, weird.
>"My name is Lyra Heartstrings. I'm a researcher into the theory of alternate or parallel universes. I hit a breakthrough recently and was able to travel to your world but, I may have just accidentally broken a rule."
"A rule? There are rules for inter dimensional travel?"
>She looks away sheepishly.
>"Yeah, rule number two. No contact with indigenous species."
>Ok, you could see how that would make sense.
"So, what exactly were you doing?"
>She looks back at you.
>"Well, studying. I was watching you, taking notes. Then you saw me and started chasing me and I panicked and oh no…"
>She stops and her eyes go really wide.
>Then she starts crying.
>Great. Just what you need.
"Whoa whoa, calm down. What's wrong?"
>She sniffs and looks back at you, tears strewing down her face.
>"I panicked *Sniff* and I threw you through *sob* the portal. And-and I don't know how to get you back."
>What?
>"Can't…get…back?
>She shakes her head, breaking down into more sobbing.
>Anger.
>Hatred.
>Loneliness.
>Emotions begin coursing through your body.
>But worst of all is the bone chilling fear.
>Fear for yourself, and your future, and of the unknown world you're about to enter.
>And fear for your wife, alone in the Rocky Mountains.
>You will yourself forward and reach out for Lyra.
>Wrapping her in a hug you shush her.
>She wraps her forelegs around your chest and sobs into your shirt.
"Shhh… It'll be fine."
>You keep trying to comfort Lyra as you feel the pulling sensation start again.
>Another rushing and a bright flash of light and you're sitting in a field with Lyra in your arms.
>She sniffs again and stops crying so you let her go.
>She stands and looks up at you.
>"So, you aren't mad?"
>You sigh.
"I'm mad, but not at you. It wasn't exactly your fault. You made a mistake and I can tell you're going to try your best to fix it."
>She wraps you in another hug.
>"Thank you."
>After a moment she back away from you and looks around.
>"It looks like we're just outside Ponyville. C'mon."
>Standing you follow her toward a small town.
"So where are we going?"
>She looks back at you and smiles.
>"Well we need to find you a place to stay don't we?"

Present day.

>You step through the door into the Treebrary.
>Twilight glances over her shoulder at you.
>"Hello Anon. How are you?"
"Fine, I just… Need to sit for a minute."
>You make your way over to the couch in the corner and plop you butt down on it.
>Twilight walks over to you, looking concerned.
>"What's wrong Anon?"
>You sigh.
"Nothing really, I was just thinking about how I got here and how long it's been."
>She looks at you, like she's trying to understand what you're feeling.
>"Anon, I…"
"Nope. Don't worry about it."
>You stand, resolve filling you again.
>You have a mission.
>You have a goal.
>You have no idea how you're going to accomplish it but by god you will.
"Twilight. I need books."