//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Nightmares // Story: The Next Generation // by Sapphire Rose 12 //------------------------------// Gleaming Star burst into the room. She was now 15 years old and a bright, happy young pegasus. "Hey, Mom!" Gleaming Star exclaimed. "Can me and my friends go to the park?" "Sure, Gleaming Star!" Twilight replied. "Stick with your friends!" "Of course," Gleaming Star said. Gleaming Star flew over to the park, eager to see her friends again. It had been a whole month since she got to see them. As she arrived, her friends caught her eye. They all stood, excited at her arrival. "Gleaming Star!" Esmeralda exclaimed. "We're so glad you're here!" Butterfly Lily said. "Yeah, this is going to be so fun!" Party Animal agreed. "Now, that we're all 14 or 15," Apple Tree said. "Well, except you Lightning Blitz, you're 13..." Lightning Blitz got embarrassed and groaned. "Mom didn't want kids for a while, okay?" "We should all plan something we could all do now that we're older!" Apple Tree finished. "Oh, but where are we going?" asked an anxious Butterfly Lily. "I don't want my powers to get out of control." "Mine either," Esmeralda said. Esmeralda and Butterfly Lily were both hybrids because of their unique parents. Butterfly Lily had chaos powers she inherited from her father and she often found them uncontrollable. Sometimes, Butterfly Lily's powers would start on its own. She'd have to chase flying oranges down the street or frantically try to get rid of chocolate rain storms. Esmeralda could breathe fire and control weather. She had dragon wings and her dragon eyes could catch even the tiniest movement in a huge field. Although her powers could easily be controlled, she was still afraid of an accident. "Relax, girls!" Apple Tree assured. "Your powers won't get out of control, I promise." "Of course they won't," Gleaming Star agreed. "You girls are my friends and you have the best control I've ever seen." "We sure hope so," Esmeralda said. She sighed, suddenly thinking of something that bothered her. "Are you okay, sugarcube?" Apple Tree asked. "I'm fine!" Esmeralda claimed. "You sure?" Lightning Blitz asked. "Cause you don't look so good." Esmeralda quickly gave in. "Fine. I'm having nightmares." "About what?" Apple Tree inquired. "A darkness. A shadow. It keeps---" "Esmeralda!" Rarity called. "It's time for you to come home!" "Sorry, girls!" Esmeralda said. "Gotta go! Bye!" "Bye, Esmeralda!" her friends said. Twilight sat in her castle, watching the friendship map that was slowly losing color and vividness. "Come on, friendship map," Twilight urged. "It's been 20 years since you've called us anywhere. Please." Nothing happened. The map remained the same. "There's gotta be somepony who needs help!" Twilight exclaimed. "Call me and Pinkie Pie to Applewood! Call Rainbow Dash and Rarity to Dodge City!" There was a moment of silence. Then, the colors of the friendship thrones slowly began to turn gray as well. "Wait! What?!" Twilight shouted. "No!! That's impossible!" Gleaming Star heard Twilight's loud hollering in the halls. She entered the room. "Mom? Are you okay?" "The cutie marks on the thrones..." Twilight breathed, calming down. "They turned gray." "Why?!" Gleaming Star exclaimed. "I guess... it's due to our friendship fading out," Twilight said. "What do you mean, Mom? You're the Princess of Friendship!" Gleaming Star said. Gleaming Star sat next to Twilight and comforted her. "Think about it," Twilight told her. "All of us have been so busy. We have no time to see each other anymore." "What do you mean?" Gleaming Star inquired. "Last week, I tried to ask Applejack to hang out, but she rushed off to her apple market before I could stop her. I tried the rest of my friends, but they didn't acknowledge me. Well, at least Pinkie Pie smiled and waved, but... that's all." "That's terrible," Gleaming Star said. "I'm sorry." "It's okay," Twilight said. "I'm not upset." She forced a smile that convinced Gleaming Star she was okay. "You're not? Good!" Gleaming Star exclaimed. "Hey, can I go to Hay Burger King with my friends?" "Of course!" Twilight said. Gleaming Star hugged Twilight. "Thank you, Mom! Bye!" Gleaming Star rushed out the door, spreading her wings. Once she was gone, Twilight sighed sadly. She opened a drawer and got out her first ever picture with her friends. She was still a unicorn at the time. Twilight sat in the middle of the picture, her friends surrounding her. Their poses could tell you their personalities in detail. Applejack's wink made Twilight giggle a bit each time. She just couldn't resist. "Oh, girls," Twilight said. "If only I knew what my heart was telling me..." Sombra was indeed still planning an attack on his throne, smiling maliciously. "Now, that I've been making the ponies think I won't be coming back," Sombra said. "I can spring a little surprise attack. And of course, you'll be here to help my son." "Yes, Father," said the young shadow stallion. "Definitely. Your wish is my command." "Do you think you can handle your very own... prisoner?" Sombra asked him. "You mean like..." The young shadow got excited. "A prisoner of my very own?! One that I can force to work for my and do my every command?!" "Great job, Cazador," Sombra said. "That's exactly what it means." "I can definitely handle my very own prisoner!" exclaimed a confident Cazador. "Great," Sombra said. "Go take your very own." Cazador rushed off using his shadowy body to show menace. "And while he's doing that..." Sombra smiled. "I will await his return to see the prisoner for myself." There was a silence between Esmeralda's family as they ate dinner. The only sounds were the clink of the silverware against the plates and the chewing of the food. Finally, Spike broke the silence. "Okay, what's with the awkward silence?! Usually, Rarity is pitching her line ideas or Esmeralda's using her fire to burn her food or something!" Esmeralda sighed. "Sorry, Dad," she said. "I'm just... nervous about the nightmares I've been getting." "Now, what are these nightmares about anyway?" Rarity asked. Esmeralda explained. "Well, every other night, it varies between the two same things. One night I'm usually playing games with you two. Then, a darkness blocks you out and takes me away. The other night I'm playing in the park with my friends. Then, a darkness blocks them out and takes me away. And then I never see you again." There was a pause. "I'm scared." Rarity and Spike looked concerned at each other. "Darling," Rarity said. "They're just nightmares. They'll never happen." "Esmeralda, we are going to make sure no one, I repeat, no one will take you away from us," Spike assured. Esmeralda got up and sat over on the couch. "Promise?" Rarity and Spike sat down by their daughter and hugged her. "We promise," Spike said. "We'll protect you," Rarity assured. Esmeralda went upstairs to her room and quietly closed the door. "I wish I could believe them."