//------------------------------// // The Green Eyed Monster // Story: Dream Catcher // by Puking Coyote //------------------------------// Chapter 6 The Green Eyed Monster “No you don’t!” Night Shade yelled while putting pressure on Dream Catchers wound “Where’s the medic!!” she frantically screamed again. A soldier covered in blood came running to her and immediately began working on him. “Don’t leave me Dream Catcher! I need you…don’t leave me…” All the blood drained from Luna’s face “What did thou call him?” she fearfully asked but the human did not answer. “Answer us!” she screamed at the human but suddenly she couldn’t move as if something was controlling her body. “You did this…you did this to him!” Night Shade stood up keeping a tight grip on the light black alicorns shadow “I will kill you.” “Stop, this won’t help Dream Catcher” Fireball said suddenly appearing between them severing Night Shades shadow connection. He then bowed to Luna “princess.” “No, this cannot be…our child…our little boy” Luna whimpered to herself. “Your child?” Night Shade asked. “Yes, this is Dream Catchers mother you should have some memories of her from when you and Dream Catcher shared minds” Fireball replied. “Yes, I remember now.” Fireball looked at Luna who was shaking so badly that he had to help support her “Tell me are you the only one or did others come with you?” “Just me” Luna barely was able to reply. “This is bad” the medic spoke up calling all their attentions “we have to get the commander to the ship or he’s dead.” “No! Thou must save him, please we beg this of you” Luna cried. The medic called for an emergency pickup by a drone medical craft which landed shortly after. “Sorry only one person can come with” the drone’s medic stated as Luna and Night Shade both tried to come aboard. Night shade gave a command through her communicator and two soldiers pushed Luna away as the planes doors closed. However, Luna could still see Night Shade glaring through the window at her before she stepped away to be by Dream Catcher. Luna’s mind went numb as she broke down crying. “So my princess why are you here?” Fireball asked after Luna’s crying became less. “If it wasn’t for us…Dream Cather…he would still be…” Luna then started to cry again. “Save it princess for when you need it, he’s not dead yet, you should have more faith in the coalition’s doctors. They saved me plenty of times before and I know that they will do the same for your son.” Luna wiped her tears away “Your right.” She then faced the alicorn “We are Princess Luna although thou already knoweth our name it seems, but we must know who art thou?” “I guess that you might not recognize me after so many years, I used to be called Price Fireball but now I am Commander of the fiercest demolition squad in the coalition.” “Fireball…thou ist Princess Cadance’s son art thou not?” Fireball flinched at that name “Sadly yes.” “Sadly? What art thou talking about thous mother is the most caring pony in all Equestria.” Fireballs body caught on fire as his anger increased “Would such a caring pony leave me in this hell hole for fourteen years?! You know how much pain I have endured because of the Collective? I know why my father did it he didn’t come after me because he cares about the safety of Equestria more than his own son but my own mother?! What about you, why did you show up after fourteen years of ignoring us at our times of need?” “But it hath been only fourteen days! A day in Equestria is a year in this world also your mother did try to get here but was stopped by Celestia.” Fireball looked like he had been slapped in the face “fourteen days?” “Yes, and if it wasn’t for our husband and sister we would have come sooner.” “I see” Fireball then looked at the ground in shame. “I’m sorry for blowing up at you like that I’m just tired, this bucking war is taxing on everyone.” Luna looked around “Why are there humans fighting these mechanical abominations, what is this war about? Also we thought the sprites destroyed the human race, but here they are.” “They almost did” Fireball replied then proceeded to tell her the story of how the collective killed the sprites and how them coming here actually started the war. “So you see this war is actually our doing if it wasn’t for us the keepers would be living their emotionless lives under the collectives rule.” “They are right though the ability to have unrestricted emotions is worth fighting for.” Fireball suddenly looked up at an incoming plane “there’s your ride it will take you up to The Eclipse so you can be next to Dream Catcher.” “What of thou?” “I have work to do but you make sure to give Dream Catcher my regards when they fix him up, will you?” “Of course Fireball, and thanks” she replied then started towards the landed craft. It was an uneasy trip through the atmosphere where she threw up twice but she could finally see the monstrous ship The Eclipse and its fleet which was engaged with many other ships in a fierce battle. Once they landed she was directed to the waiting room where Night Shade was. Other soldiers that were injured or waiting to hear about those in surgery were also there. “What did thou’s physician say about our son?” She asked trying to be nice for this girl had incredible magic and was touchy when it came to Dream Catcher. Night Shade looked up at the alicorn and spat in front of her stopping her approach “He has a 35 percent chance.” “No… is there not anything we can do?” “You’ve done enough! If it wasn’t for you appearing in the middle of a battle field running around screaming his name like an idiot then he would not be in this mess now would he?” “Thou art right” Luna admitted. “I mean, it’s like you were trying to get him killed.” “Were his mother, we would never do anything to hurt our little colt” Luna replied crossed. “Could have fooled me” Night Shade mumbled under her breath. They sat in the room not looking at each other for several hours until a woman in a white coat came out “Night Shade?” “Yes doctor?” she asked jumping up towards her. “Dream Catcher is in a critical stage.” “How critical?” Luna asked coming up to the doctor. Night Shade gave her a dirty look but said nothing. “His left flank and back leg were unrecoverable; we managed to stop the bleeding and started the skin growth. That laser did a lot of damage though especially to his cellular structure that said the next 24 hours are very critical. However if he can make it past that the worst should be over.” “Can I see him?” Night Shade asked. “He’s still in the fluid tank so he won’t be conscience but yes.” “We art coming too” Luna stated. “Only one person please” the doctor commented. Night Shade started walking towards the door “Wait” Luna called to her. Night Shade turned around with eyes that could pierce even the bravest mans soul “Why don’t you be a good little pony and wait while I visit my partner” she replied then disappeared behind the slamming doors. Luna sat like she had been struck and stared after Night Shade long after she disappeared through the doors. Luna spent the entire night and half a day in the waiting room worrying about what was happening but no news came to her she even started to wonder if the woman Night Shade was forbidding the doctor to tell her anything. Night Shade hated her and Luna could understand why for she hated herself for the same reason “if it wasn’t for me…” she kept thinking to herself. Suddenly Night Shade came tearing through the room heading out the waiting room “What happened?” she called after her but no response. Luna turned to the doctor “what hath happened how is Dream Catcher?” “He’s resting, Night Shade just had to go to an important meeting about her recent mission and was not very happy about leaving Dream Catchers side. You can go in now if you wish Miss Luna is it?” “Yes, thank thee” she was then led to a steel door which opened to a room with two beds. She passed the first bed which was empty but in the second laid her little stallion. His face looked tougher than most ponies she knew in fact he looked more like the hard working earth ponies than the ponies that lived in Canterlot. The blanket on top of him clearly showed by its indentions that half his flank was gone but luckily it was not the side with his cutie mark. She stroked his blue ragged main which ended in green tips and began singing to him like she did just a few weeks ago in her time. “Angel in the green grass, don’t make a peep. Just lay in the sun’s rays until the night makes thou fall asleep. Then in the stars your cradle will be, until the morning light comes to greet thee again.” Dream Catchers blue eyes then started to slowly open, they were more grisly than the other ponies in Equestria as if untold horrors have tainted them and stole the sparkle that they once bore. “Mother?” he finally managed out. “Shhh were here my child” she said nuzzling him. “I can’t feel…my leg” he replied then drifted out of consciousness again. All I remembered was pushing mother out of the way of the floaters laser cannon but everything else after that was a blank. I opened my eyes and saw Night Shade sleeping with her head on my chest, on the other side of the bed was mother who was also asleep. “Morning Sleepy head” Fireball whispered from the doorway “figured you would be waking up about this time.” “Fireball, what happened? What are you doing here? What am I doing here? How are the troops after the last battle and why…why can’t I feel my leg?” “Whoa slow down, I’m here because after all the times you visited me in the medical wing it’s only fair that I visit you. As for the troops they are fine a few of the new recruits from your unit were killed but that’s to be expected after being ambushed like that.” “What about my leg?” I asked fearfully. I knew that Fireball would be the most likely to tell me the truth. “Gone.” “…understood…” I closed my eyes for a second letting the shock wash over me. “What about you?” I asked opening them again “anything noteworthy?” “Well we are three miles out from the command station and an irreversible rift may have been formed between our world and Equestria.” “What!!!” I shouted waking both mother and Night Shade up. “Of all times now! After fourteen years, this had to happen and during a major battle on this planet.” “Ironic isn’t it? But in their defense only fourteen days have passed in Equestria since we disappeared. According to Princess Luna every day there is a year here but our worlds have started to combine and their time span is starting to speed up to meet ours.” “No! How does thou know this?” Luna asked. “After you came through the portal it never closed and is now slowly collapsing the barrier separating our worlds. Without the barrier The Eclipse can now detect Equestria’s existence and what is happening to it.” “We haft to stop it!” “Well according to Screwball we can’t.” “Our sister needs to be warned about the enemy on this side of the portal then” Luna replied. “They must take steps to protect themselves from the dangers of this world.” “Oh, I think father Discord knows all about the portals collapse. In fact with the barriers condition like it is I wouldn’t be surprised if he can now see a little of what’s happening in this world.” Screwball stated walking in with Cloud Striker following behind her. Striker came up and lifted my covers revealing the bandaged side of my flank to confirm that my leg was gone “Whew” he whistled, “that certainly is a worthy of looking at. Makes my badges of honor look like cat scratches, you are so lucky.” “I highly doubt that luck is the word that I would choose” Fireball mumbled. We all had nasty scars from the war but our hair covered most of them except for Fireball missing part of his ear and now my leg. Mother took the covers from Striker and covered my wound with it again. I was thankful for looking at my missing leg was the last thing that I wanted to do right now. “The doctor told me that they made an order for a robotic limb and they will attach it to you when your wounds have healed enough” Night Shade stated while stroking my hoof. I was glad that she was here that everypony was here to bring me comfort. “What are you all doing here?” a nurse that was passing by suddenly yelled. “It’s not visiting hours and Dream Catcher needs his sleep.” “Caught in the act, oh woe is us” Screwball very dramatically stated while placing the back of her hoof to her forehead. Fireball stared at the nurse and when he realized that she would not budge from her position he sighed “Fine, I have some new explosives to mess with anyway.” He and Screwball then left. “Upon my honor I will be back to see you during the next visiting hours Dream Catcher!” Striker promised then flew out of the room. The nurse stared at Night Shade and Luna “Only one can stay.” “We will stay” Luna stated. “I don’t think so, you’re the one that put him here in the first place” Night Shade replied. “We art his mother will thou deny us the right to stay with our son who we care for deeply?” “You may be his mother but he means more to me than he ever will to you.” “Who is this woman?” she asked me. “She is my battle partner” I replied. “What ist that? Is it another title for ones special some pony, art thou a couple then?” “Well, not really but…” “Yes” Night Shade replied looking at Luna sternly. We both looked at her dumbfounded “now if you will be so kind to leave, Dream Catcher needs his rest.” It didn’t take me long to realize that she was saying whatever she could to get rid of mother. I quickly decided that nothing good would come from me pressing what her comment meant at this time but made a mental note to ask about it in the future. Luna didn’t know what to say but decided to give into Night Shades request “Get some rest my son” she said then started towards the door. I noticed that Night Shade gave her an evil almost hateful look. “Wait” I called mom stopped then looked back. “What happened between you two?” I asked looking between her and Night Shade. “It’s nothing son just worry about getting better.” I thought about her response “So there is a problem.” After seeing the hateful way that Night Shade looked at her and the fact that mother could not look either of us in the eyes I figured out what it was. “You blame yourself don’t you?” she looked towards the ground at this comment. I then looked at Night Shade who I could read like a book “and you hate her because I was injured saving her.” “It’s not like I made it a big secret” Night Shade replied. “Listen both of you, what happened, happened I don’t blame anyone but the Collective. I don’t want my mother and battle partner to be at each other’s throats over this. If you two really care about me then go have a civilized conversation and make up, right now.” “but I…” Night Shade started. “Go! I am tired and you two are keeping me up, I will still be here when you come back.” Night Shade after a failed protest gave me a soft hug and got up soon she and mother started heading though the door. “Make sure to take your time talking! I don’t want to see you two wondering the halls by yourselves for at least an hour” I called after them. They did not reply but soon disappeared leaving me alone in the room. Luna looked at Night Shade who was clearly trying her best to ignore her presence. “Sooo…what does thou wish to speak about?” She then realized not for the first time that when it came to conversation making that she lacked talent. Night Shade looked at Luna sternly then sighed to herself “look, Luna was it? You don’t have to pretend that you want to get to know me better.” “But we do! If thou ist our sons partner then we want to learn what we can.” “Ha! That I doubt.” Luna stepped in front of her forcing Night Shade to stop “We would never lie on such matters. If thou would like to tell us anything of thyself we shall eagerly listen.” Night Shade looked at the alicorn more closely “Why? Why should I tell you anything? After all you will try to take Dream Catcher away from me back to Eque…Eq…wherever you are from. Besides, don’t think that I have forgotten that you’re the reason that he was injured in the first place.” Luna looked sadly at the ground “We know, but thou art wrong we would never stop Dream Catcher if he decides to stay here. If we seem overprotective it’s only because a few weeks hath gone by since Dream Catcher was a child. We hath not gotten used to the fact that he has grown into adulthood.” Night Shade sighed then gave a small smile that soon faded away “I guess I see your point, besides your world will probably meld into ours anyway, that is if the scientist can’t stop it.” She bit her lip and continued “I will forgive you for what has happened since Dream Catcher clearly wants that. However that’s all Luna, if you want to be my friend you will have to earn it plain and simple.” Luna stared at Night Shade not sure how to react to her offer but after realizing that this was the best that Night Shade was going to offer she accepted. “”Very well for Dream Catchers sake I accept.” “Fine” Night Shade replied then headed back towards Dream Catchers room now that they were done with their little meeting. It has been two days since mother and Night Shade agreed to a truce but the tension between them was increasing. They both were constantly fighting over who was to help me during my rehabilitation from the wound. Mother and Night shade were mostly concerned with my health but Night shade I could tell was struggling with a new emotion that she had yet to experience, jealousy. “No that doth not look right maybe twist it to the left, the man said that it is to click into the base” Mother stated. “I know what I am doing Luna” Night Shade replied frustrated as she was helping a medical robot attach my new robotic leg. “That we have little doubt, but tell us is the leg supposed to be backwards?” Night Shade looked down at the metallic limb and cursed. I just sat in a hovering chair as she began to take the leg back apart. The doctors attached a neurological metal base onto my flank earlier this morning so I could control my new limb with my mind just like my other legs. A sudden clicking sound accompanied by a short sharp pain signaled that the leg was now connected. “There we are you’re as good as new” Night Shade gleefully stated. I looked at the metallic leg which was created to mimic a regular leg and was even colored a shinny metallic black. If it was not for the soft glow of green lights where my leg and its base connected it might have even fooled people from afar into thinking it was flesh. I started to get up as they both looked at me intensely wondering if they put it together correctly. After I managed a few steps on the leg taking it slow since it was slightly different than a real leg they started to cheer. “Huzzah! We did it Night Shade.” Night Shade raised an eyebrow “We?” “Well she did just keep me from having to walk in circles for the rest of my life” I stated thinking of almost having a backwards leg before mother warned Night Shade of her mistake. “Hmph, I knew what I was doing she just distracted me was all.” “We did not!” Luna replied. “Thy needed help and thou knows it!” “I didn’t ask for your help Luna!” Night Shade replied moving closer to Luna. “We didn’t need thou to ask in order to help our little boy!” Luna replied. Their faces were so close that another inch they would risk head butting each other. They locked eyes as the tension between them grew to a point where I was even afraid to intervene in their argument. “I see the green eyed monster struck again” Fireball stated to me as he entered the room. I looked away at the scene of mom and Nightshade trying to stare each other down. I shook my head “You have no idea.” It didn’t take long after my new leg was attached for the doctors to release me to rejoin the battle. This I was grateful for lying on the bed and hearing of the troubles that my troops were having I had became very anxious to get back to the field. Night Shade and I landed and rejoined our forces on the front line only a mile from the control station. “We can’t believe that they sent thee out again after thou had just been injured” mother griped. She was calling from the deck of the Eclipse into my communicator. The captain had actually found a role for her on the ship after we found out that she could feel the distortions in the starlight which provided as an early warning for enemy ships slipping in. Being on the ship was much safer than being a foot soldier. I was also glad that she was assigned onto the ship because she would then not have to experience the horrors of an everyday ground unit. “So, mom how are you handling your new role? These stars are much different than those magic globes you created in Equestria.” “Its fine sweetie the stars composition is different but the light they give out isn’t. How are thou ist the new leg working properly?” “Its fine just needed to get the hang of it is all” I then looked over and saw Night Shade giving me an evil look. “I have to go, War Horse out.” “Was that Luna again?” Night Shade asked, I nodded in response. “She has been calling you every ten minutes doesn’t she know we are in a battle and need that channel open?” “She’s just worried this is her first battle since her days as Night Mare Moon and even that war was nothing like this.” “That’s true, the collective didn’t waste any time making this a fight to the death. At least with sentient beings there’s a little diplomacy before war.” “Madam” a soldier called as he made his way across the trenches to us. “What is it private?” “An emergency call from Fireball on channel 469B.” “Roger” we then both switched our communicators to the channel. “Come in Party Rocker this is Shadow Master.” “Shadow Master! Finally! I tried contacting War Horse but their line was busy.” Night Shade gave me a glare as a sheepish grin crept across my face. “What’s the word Party Rocker” she continued. “You don’t know? We have friendly’s popping up all over and we are to get to them before the Collective does.” “Friendly’s what are you talking about?” “Look at the communication tower and see for yourself.” We both looked up and the sight that I saw I knew right then and there was to always haunt my memory. Tacky hay houses and faint translucent pony shapes were moving around on a ghostly grass field that covered the barren war scared ground in a strange blend of beauty and horror that could never be fully comprehended. They were all around us some in the war zone but many out of it already safely behind our lines. As I looked I only saw that some of them were looking around in confusion but most were still walking around fading in and out doing everyday chores oblivious of us or the battle raging around them. I felt a tear go down my face as memories of the past rushed back. I felt Night Shade tap me on the shoulder and point towards the control tower and as I looked my eyes widened. Covering the tower in a brown mist was the huge mountain that housed Canterlot my home. We were out of time Equestria had started to meld into this world.