Chapter 3: It's no Dream...
"Rainbow Dash, I'm telling you..." I spoke, while Dash brewed coffee and made breakfast. "I... Something's wrong..."
"You're probably just sick or something..." Rainbow Dash said, leaning on the counter. "No offense, but I think Chrysalis would probably chose a different pony to destroy Equestria through."
"I know..." I sighed. "I'm just... Scared..."
"Scared?" Rainbow Dash grinned. "Don't worry, I'm not afraid of nothin'! Kicked a dragon square in the face, just like that!" She slapped a small piece of cloud, causing it to break into a bunch of mini clouds.
...
tHIS ISN'T REALLY hAPPeNING. YOU'rE DReAMiNG. PLEAsE. WAKE UP. PLEASE. WE nEED YoU NOW. eVERYTHING Is cOMING TO aN END. pLEASE WAKE UP. THERE ISN'T MUCH TIMe LEFT
...
"TRIVIUM!"
"Rainbow Dash!" I screamed, wrapping my arms around her. I felt a burning pain coming from my right foreleg, but ignored it. I began to sob, laying on the ground, hugging Rainbow Dash while she sat next to me.
"Trivium... Your... Leg..."
I looked at my foreleg...
"tHIS ISN'T REALLY hAPPeNING. YOU'rE DReAMiNG. PLEAsE. WAKE UP. PLEASE. WE nEED YoU NOW. eVERYTHING Is cOMING TO aN END. pLEASE WAKE UP. THERE ISN'T MUCH TIMe LEFT" it read... Burned... Into my arm...
"This isn't really happening... You're dreaming... Please... Wake up..." Rainbow Dash's voice filled with horror and despair. "Please... We need you now... Everything is coming to an end... Please wake up.... There isn't much time left..." She looked at me. "Trivium, what the fuck does this mean?!"
"I..." I took a deep breath. "How did this happen...?"
"Why are some letters... Messed up?" Rainbow Dash examined the burn marks.
"Maybe it's a message..."
Rainbow Dash sat silently for a while, reading the burns. "It spells... There is no escape..."
"We need to get help... Now!" My voice trembled.
...
SKIN IS A PRISON... EYES CENSOR SIGHT... REMOVE THEM FOR SALVATION...
...
"Trivium... Wake up!"
I gasped for air, sweating.
"Your arm... It's... Got a different message... Skin is a prison... Eyes censor sight... Remove them for salvation..."
"Rainbow Dash... Please..." I couldn't finish the sentence, too scared to speak. She silently lifted me to my hooves, dead silent. I'd never seen her before like this. "Rainbow Dash...?"
She stared blankly forward.
"Rainbow Dash!" I shook her, causing her to snap back into attention.
I can taste your fear...
"MAKE IT STOP!"
I've been waiting for you...
I screamed, covering my ears and collapsing into a ball on the floor.
Eternal pain a suffering awaits...
***
*beep. beep. beep. beep. beep.*
I slowly opened my eyes, finding myself in a hospital bed. I was hooked up to some IV's and a heart monitor.
"What happened...?"
I realized there was a bandage on my head. I looked at my arm, but there were no remnants of any burns.
"Oh no..." I groaned, feeling sleepiness overcome me. I slowly closed my eyes...
"Uhh..." I opened my eyes again.
"Hey..." I heard Rainbow Dash speak softly.
"What happened...?" I saw Rainbow Dash standing next to the bed.
"You started screaming and fell... You started hitting yourself, begging to die..."
"Rainbow Dash... Something's happening..." I felt completely terrified.
***
The mundane, repetitive, brain-numming beeps of a heart monitor went on and on, far into the night. I struggled to fall asleep, often finding myself waking up after not even a minute of sleep, roughly. I slowly closed my eyes once more, literally trying to fall asleep.
---
"Those who make a beast out of themselves get rid of the pain of being a pony..." I opened my eyes, finding I was in some sort of space-like area, except I could breathe. Chrysalis stood in front of me, as if there were something underneath her hooves. "Do you know who said that?" She asked me.
"Uh.... M. Shadows?" I guessed.
"M. Shadows?!" She tossed her head back in laughter. "Doctor Johnson."
"Where am I?" I looked around, standing in the same fashion Chrysalis was. I realized that my arm had changed in looks, my legs, every part of me! I was a changeling?! "WHAT am I?!"
"Those who make a beast out of themselves..." Chrysalis repeated.
"I'm not doing this!" I pleaded.
"Oh, but you are..." She walked around me, lowering her face to mine. "Those eyes of yours, let me tell you... They won't see the same, not after I'm through with you."
"W-what?"
"What did that one pony say the definition of insanity was? What did he say again?" Chrysalis poked me. "Because I believe we have a new breed of insanity, right here..." She knocked on my head.
"I'm not insane!"
"Yet."
"Why are you doing this to me?!" I felt anger, but couldn't will myself to attack my master...
"Me? I'm not doing anything, you're just letting your mind bow to what others don't." Chrysalis chuckled again. "You're not the only one, Trivium, but what will you do about it, find them? I can help you find them..." She disappeared and reappeared closer. "You just have to ask."
"Will you......" I tried to speak.
"Will I?" She seemed amused. "Just ask..."
"I need you to...." I felt un-able to speak.
"Maybe you should... beg..."
"please, help me f.... F...... Fi..... Fi....."
"Fi fi...?" Chrysalis laughed.
"Where am I?" I asked suddenly.
"Your own mind... This is what it looks like, sub-consciously."
"My mind? What about... Awake..." I looked around, seeing a flash of white. I saw a blurred, distant vision of the blackout I had where I thought I killed Rainbow Dash. I saw, heard, felt the burns burning into my arm again.
"You're awake, Trivium, if you ever need me, just come on back!" Chrysalis laughed again, fading away.
---
I shot my eyes open, sitting up suddenly. I was in the hospital bed, only five minutes had passed.