//------------------------------// // Lucid Dream the Nightmare Pt 1: It Begins // Story: Blazing Darkness // by shadeofthenight //------------------------------// Canterlot Royal Infirmary,One day later at 9:15 AM Celestia lay in the infirmary, her eyes roving around in a random pattern. She was muttering something unintelligable. Her condition hadn't changed in few hours she had been here and the doctors had in essence left her for the morning. Suddenly she snapped out of her stupor, rising out of the bed. Celestia sighed in relief as she found none of the bite marks on her that she had imagined. She was about to trot over to the infirmary door when she felt it... A dark presence had appeared. It was faint, like it was far away, but it was one Celestia had known well. He's free, Celestia thought to herself, then, Oh no, i sent Shining Armor and Cadence down there! I have to make sure they're okay! Celestia rushed out of the room and flew over Canterlot, just as Cadence was about to land near the infirmary. "Princess Celestia!" She exclaimed. The two allicorns landed on a nearby rooftop. "Hello Cadence, Were you the one who brought the sun up?" Celestia asked. Cadence nodded,"Of course. You were delirious in the infirmary so i did your job...It was harder than i thought though." Celestia smiled,"Yes, bringing the sun up can be a difficult task. But i don't think it was too much of a problem for you." Cadence beamed and was about to respond when the screams began... Ponyville, Twilight Sparkle's home... Twilight Sparkle stirred, slowly opening her eyes to the faces of her concerned friends. "Twilight!" Her friends cried in relief. Twilight sat up and rubbed her eyes with a hoof. "Whats going on?" She said, her voice a little rustic from not being used. "We thought you would never wake up!" Rarity sniffled. "What happened to me?" Twilight asked, getting out of bed and flapping her wings experimentally.to test to see if they were broken. "You were knocked out by this big explosion. We had just met up in another room on the opposite side and the Shadow spawn took the brunt of the explosion so we didn't get hurt. That spawn though, it just shrugged it off like it was nothing. Lucid helped to carry you out!" "At least you guys are okay too-wait a minute, who's Lucid?" Twilight asked. Her friends looked at each other. "He's the um...Pony that was talking to you." Fluttershy replied, hesitating before the word pony like she was going to use something else besides the word pony. "Where is he?" Twilight asked. Applejack pointed with her hoof downstairs, where Spike was talking to this Lucid pony. "Jeez, are you going to read every book?" Spike asked, bewildered. "Of course, I need to see what has happened in Equestria during the past millenia sir." replied a rather different voice. It sounded like Shining Armor's, but with Big Mac's tone. "Is that..." Pinkie Pie nodded. Twilight began to walk down the stairs slowly, then her eyes widened as she saw who this Lucid was. He was a large unicorn stallion, a few feet bigger than Big Mac, so he had to duck, but for more reason's than one.His mane was on fire, not as in hair on fire, it WAS fire. Instead of the normal red fire, it was blue, and so was his tail and hooves. He was surrounded by a grayish aura which explained how he was hovering. His eyes were a bit light blue than his mane, and his body was pitch black and would occasionally fade in and out. His expression was amusement, as if this was exactly how he wanted the world to be. yet...There was something about him that Twilight could not put her hoof on. It was something ancient...and powerful... The stallion turned towards Twilight as she descended down the stairs and smiled, showing pointed teeth. "Salutations Princess Twilight Sparkle. My name is Lucid Dream." He said to her in a respectful tone. He didn't bow for some reason, but it was fine with Twilight as she didn't want anypony bowing to her. "Um, hello Lucid Dream....Its nice to meet you finally, and uh...thanks for not setting fire to my house...." Twilight replied staring at his body, not because Lucid Dream was handsome or anything, it was because his body seemed to be rippling. Lucid Dream smiled, noticing where her eyes were,"If you are wondering, yes that's natural for me." "But...what exactly are you?" Twilight asked, her friends who had followed her downstairs nodded in agreement. He huffed," I suppose i should not be surprised you ponies do not know what I am, being stuck in that place for a long time, much has changed and much has been lost....Anyway, Princess Twilight and other ponies whom i do not know their names...I am a nightmare." There was a collective gasp and a flap of wings as Rainbow Dash took to the skies. Twilight's horn glowed with her magic, "A nightmare?! So you're evil then!" Rarity accused. Lucid Dream just sighed and shook his head. "No, I'm not. If i was evil, why would I help you get back here instead of killing you when you were unconscious. That tone in your voice suggests that you have encountered another one yes?" He asked. Twilight nodded,"Yes we did. We faced Nightmare Moon. Do you know her?" Lucid Dream shook his head,"...No i've never heard of this Nightmare Moon." The six ponies relaxed as the blank look on the nightmare's face made it clear to them that he was telling the truth. At least they thought so. "It has been a pleasure talking to you all. If you wish to speak to me again, come to the old abandoned house near the edge of the Everfree." Lucid said to them, then flew out the door and ended his levitation spell. Twilight figured he would at least get a few odd looks from the locals, but instead Lucid Dream received warm greetings from any pony that he met. The nightmare did seem like a nice stallion, but there was something off about him. It was an echo of magic, a dark powerful magic that reeked of death. But Twilight had to be sure first before she made any conclusion.... Edge of the Everfree Lucid Dream walked to the abandoned house at the edge of the Everfree. He opened the door, and shut it, using his magic to begin sealing any light source. Then he sat and meditated. The area around him began to grow darker and the grass in a 50 ft area burned mysteriously. He waited until he heard a voice in his head, one burning with rage and fury, but also cold and calculating, (Hello again my avatar. it has been a while since we have spoken.) Lucid Dream smiled,"Of course it has, which is why we have much to talk about..."