//------------------------------// // CHAPTER 4 // Story: NiGHTS: Equestrian Dreams // by Sirion123 //------------------------------// Chapter 4: Until Dawn. It was dawn in Equestria, and with it’s arrival the whole of the world began to stir. With the dawn, the daily ritual, of occurred with it. Those whom had dreamed, slowly, yet inevitably, returned to the land of the awake, and the exchange of morning ponies come round and the night owls, typically consisting of astronomers and luan pegasi, laid their tired minds to bed, in hopes to slumber in the solar diarch’s day. The setting of the moon, the rise of the sun, as it was before Luna’s fall, as it was during her banishment, and how it is with her return to harmony. Yet, on this morning after her encounter with Wizeman, the sun had yet to rise. Odd, Tia should have woken me up by now to lower the moon, so she can raise the sun. Though, I’m not certain I could do my duty in my current state. Thought the groggy Luna, who naturally wasn’t a morning pony, being the Princess of the Night. Getting her bearings, taking in the familiarity of her room. Her rich, ultramarine colored, silk blanket flowed like water from the falls of canterlot as she slowly rose from her comfortable bed. Dark blues and violets could be seen through the princess’ room making it seem a part of an endless night, done both as a measure of respect and reflection of her nightly nature. Gold and silver trimmed the furniture and the support columns, done in such a fashion that it looked as if starlight broke the what would have been an oppressive dark tone. As Luna removed herself from the cloud-stuffed bed, she stretched in much the same manner as a cat before a surprised gasp caught her attention. “Ah…Your awake.” Greeted Luna with a smile. “What?! …Where?” Nights stammered, shocked at his unfamiliar surroundings, and a little scared having not been locked inside an ideya palace like she normally was at the end of a dream. “Welcome my friend, to Equestria!!” Beamed Luna, unable to hold back her excitement. “Wait…We’re no longer in Nightopia?” Asked Nights, bemusement clear on her face as Luna shook her head yes, “How…How is that possible?” “I cast a spell that linked us for a single day.” Luna explained, however, she noticed Nights was still lost, “I tethered you to me in the waking world. So long as I remain awake, you can have a physical form. This way, you do not have to remain trapped in the dreamscape.” Nights’ features went from confusion to amusement, before he brought her disembodied hand to his chin in thought. Well this is certainly new. Your just full of surprises little filly. Nights couldn’t help but chuckle with the thought, she responded with a simple “Neat!” “Indeed.” “So…This is where you live little princess, this room…er…Filled with an over the top homage to the night?” “Yes…” Luna blushed, “Though not all of the castle is like this…I share it with my sister. Celes—” Luna’s face screwed up with a baffled expression, “Little!?” “Of course you silly filly! Your just as small and as cute as you were when I met you in Nightmare. Though, You did lose that adorable habit of speech.” Nights’ tone turned slightly crestfallen. A moment passed before Luna processed the information. Faster then a bolt of lightning Luna whipped her neck around to inspect her body. Sadly what Nights said was true, instead of her usual regal form, she looked every bit as young and helpless as she did after the Elements of Harmony had cleansed her of the Nightmare Moon’s influence, the shadow born of envy. “What the hay!? Why am I still like this?” Luna screeched, panicked by the unwanted surprise, then the realization hit her, “Wizeman,” Spat Luna, “When he took the Ideya…He stole my magic as well. I doubt I’ll return to my true self until that wretched creature is dealt with…” Luna finished weakly, despair setting in. “That sounds like it might be the case, but cheer up! You and I will be able to stop Wizeman, I have no doubt. Soooo…This is Equestria… Where on earth is it?” “Earth?” Luna chewed on the alien concept, I don’t see how a location could be on an earth pony…What ever does Nights mean? “The planet we’re on? Duh!” Nights responded, beginning to question the intelligence of the pony before him. “No, The planet is Equus. Earth is a type of pony, not a place. And most certainly not a planet.” Luna explained with a giggle. “Huh…So…I’m not…” Nights, mystified, puzzled it out, “So if the planets name is Equus, I take it’s filled with ponies and there aren’t any humans at all?” “Primarily yes, but not all our planet’s inhabitants are ponies. There are griffons, minotaurs, dragons, yaks, cows, elk, and a few others that escape me at the moment. However what ever these hoo-mans are…I’ve never heard or come across any in the history of Equus.” “So You’ve never had anything that look like me, but…er…slightly different?” “No. Never.” “Huh, interesting. I guess more then just humans can visit Nightopia and Nightmare.” Luna shrugged, not really following what her harlequin friend was saying. Yet, despite their pleasant conversation, something tugged on the strings of her subconscious. Something is wrong. That much Luna knew, yet the more she focused on it, the more that something eluded her. What is it? I can feel it. Something is awry, but I can’t put my hoof on it…Maybe Tia knows…Wait…What time is it? Slowly Luna trotted toward the bedroom windows. Her curtains drawn to a close, so Tia’s morning sun would disturb her rest, an unconscious habit, formed by hundreds of years of being exposed by her sisters sun. In order to avoid her normal exhaustion she would always draw the curtains close in the late of the night, and beginnings of the day as her sister’s sun was too bright to sleep properly. Observing the star patterned cloths that stood as a shield, blocking that which Luna feared to confirm. Raising a shaking hoof, Luna hesitated a moment before casting aside the curtains, spreading them wide open. Concern and a healthy amount of fear filled the princess of the night. “This is peculiar…My sister should have raised the sun by now…What…Why hasn’t she already done so?” “Whoah! Hold on, You’re telling me that your sister moves the sun? That’s impossible outside a dream.” Nights declared, pointedly. “She most certainly does, just like how I move our moon. It wasn’t always our task, nor was it always needed. But a deviant spirit, in his efforts to entertain himself, broke the natural balance of our world. So we must maintain it in a meticulous manner. If we do not usher them to forth, they cease to move at all. The fact my sister has not made any effort to wake me, or the fact the sun has not risen fills me with fear. What other damage did Wizeman cause last night? Did he…Did he atta—” Frantic, and thunderous pounding called to Luna’s attention, interrupting her thoughts. “PRINCESS LUNA! PRINCESS LUNA! OPEN THE DOOR YOUR HIGHNESS! SOMETHING TERRIBLE HAS HAPPENED TO PRINCESS CELESTIA!!” The frenzied pounding returned at a quicker pace. Luna stood frozen, her eyes as wide as dinner plates, her irises turned to needle points. The world around her ceased to be as only one thought crossed her mind, It can’t be…not her…no… “TIA!!!” Screamed Luna, before she called up her magic, slammed open the doors to her bed chamber and galloped down the halls. Leaving whomever was calling for her, and Nights behind. Swift Wind was the captain of the Night Guard. She had several years of experience beneath her, had had many high accommodations, acts of valor, exemplary service and such other medals. She was every bit as respected and admired as her Day Guard equivalent, Shining Armor. Yet this morning, this very morning none of it mattered. Firstly she was the first one to find Princess Celestia, and was unable to do much to help. Secondly, and by far the most damning, was how powerless she was against Luna’s panicked spell, and the doors that led to Luna’s bed chambers, the room she was so desperate to enter. Luna’s overcharged magic “push” and forced the doors open and with them propelled the captain against the wall with enough force to cause a mild concussion. Years of hard work and conditioning helped to minimize what ever damage the action might have caused, but Swift Wind was still dazed. Recovering as best she could, she gave chase after her princess, never noticing the violet colored jester that had been in the room with Luna. Bearing her name and her nature as a lunar pegasus true, Swift Wind had managed to catch up with her charge. When she did manage to make it to the princess’ side, they were already in Celestia’s room. ”WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH MY SISTER!?” Bellowed out Luna, just a few decibels lower then the Royal Canterlot Voice. “Princess…Celestia…Sleeps…We…We…Can’t…Wake…Her…” Explained Swift between breaths, trying to recover from the impromptu chase. Luna’s eyes narrowed to slits, How dare she pull a prank like this. Does she know just how terrified I am for Celestia? Slowly Luna turned to face her captain, preparing to discipline the leader of her guard back to before the unification era. Luna cast, an intense, ireful gaze at Swift, studying the captain of the Night Guard. The dark, slate grey, lunar pegasus barely held her decorum under the anger her princess was directing toward her. She wanted nothing more then to flee, take shelter anywhere on Equus then face another second of such a burning glare. Tartarus seemed more inviting then what ever flank chewing she was about to receive. The only thing that stayed Swift Wind’s hooves was the severity of such a claim that Celestia could not be woken up. Even as her golden draconic eyes shrank in fear, duty, honor, and just enough screwed up hope of survival she carried on. “Did you not think that, mayhaps, she is tired and faking sleeping to have me take over her duties?” Luna’s icy tone seemed to freeze the very blood flowing through Swift’s veins. It wouldn’t be the first time Tia has done that to me. Luna reflected internally. “It was considered Princess.” Swift replied with barely more then a whisper, “But it isn’t the case. Our brethren in the Day Guard have had little luck in rousing Princess Celestia from her slumber. We called upon the unicorns of the Night Guard, those adept in dream magic. They were able to confirm the princess is asleep, but they were unsuccessful in being able to wake her. We were at a loss as to what to do, so I left to retrieve you, your highness, hoping to see if you had an answer, princess.” Luna’s anger gave way to fear once again. “My…apologies, Captain, my nerves are stressed. Last night I combated a creature most foul and it…it succeeded in escaping.” Luna admitted in a shameful note, looking away in remorse for a moment before steeling herself, “What have you been able to determine?” “Not enough to my liking princess Luna…What we do know is, what ever is keeping her asleep is making her distressed, like something akin to a nightmare.” Luna snarled, her teeth bared, her mouth clenched tight, her midnight blue coat darkening to a soulless black, her eyes turning a teal color. Fury unknown to modern pony times boiling to the surface of luna’s mind, her body a reflection of the ferocity within her. “That’s new…Normally Wizeman just gives someone several nights worth of bad dreams. I’ve never seen him capable of keeping someone asleep like this…” Interrupted Nights, Floating closer to what she assumed was Luna’s sister. Luna's anger dissipated quickly, concerned by the fact Nights said Wizeman had never done this before. “WHAT IN CELESTIA’S NAME IS THAT?” cried out Swift, jumping back in shock before immediately preparing for a fight. Splaying her wings, crouching low, placing her weight on her forelegs in preparation to tackle the strange being that had infiltrated the princesses private chambers, The hairs on the back of Swift’s neck stood on end as she bared her teeth. She looked like a feral beast ready to strike her kill. It took Luna a moment to remember Nights was still in the castle, another moment to feel a little melancholy at her captain’s use of her sisters name instead of her own, and another moment to understand she didn’t interfere soon her captain would do something foolish. Defending Luna from a possible enemy was to be admired. A dispute between Swift Wind and Nights, an ally against Wizeman, was unwanted. A brawl in her sister’s room was unacceptable. “CAPTAIN SWIFT WIND!” Luna shouted, the full weight of her authority behind the tone, brokering no argument, “STAND DOWN!” Years of military decorum held Swift Wind back from assaulting the strange being in the room with them. Slowly, hesitantly, Her combat stance relaxed into a, still tense, but not so openly hostile, ready stance. “While I do commend your dedication captain, Nights is a friend. He, er, she Is helping me fight that wicked creature that has weakened myself, and is the most likely culprit in what has affect Celestia. Now let me see to my sister and confirm what I already suspect.” Swift Wind nodded, still looking dubiously at this “Nights” creature the princess called her friend. The creature looked like the harlequin ponies of old, yet not, the closest comparison that Swift could make was a very young, weak, and furless minotaur. The rich violet cloth leggings boring into the magenta striped boot like feet, made it hard for Swift to determine whether or not they were apart of Nights physically, his or clothing. The magenta colored vest, trimmed with gold, with the long white sleeves and gold/magenta finished what Swift could only hope it was wearing. It did seem very odd and strange that Nights’ hands, and even his, or her head seemed detached from the body, leading Swift to conclude that Nights was some being of immense magical construction. All in all Nights looked every bit as jovial as a jester would seem, with one great exception. The creatures rich blue/violet eyes. Their draconic form and erie almost glow seemed to hold a sinister and dark secret, sending shivers down the Night Captain’s spine. Nights, oblivious to Swift Wind’s observations, made some observations himself. Celestia’s room was lit by “Heatless” torches, illuminating the white marbled walls. A lush pastel pink rug lay on the floor taking up a healthy portion of the bedroom and perfectly centered. White ivory seemed to be the solar princesses prefers decoration. Nights had no doubt the room was made with the finest and probably most expensive materials, but it didn’t feel that way. To say the jester was impressed with the build of the castle and both the princesses rooms was quite the opposite of untrue. Slowly Nights floated behind Luna, a trail of twinkling stars being made, sounding like a soft breeze through wind chimes. Other then the heavy stress filled breathing, it was the only thing heard in the room when Luna started her analyzation of Celestia’s condition. Tension was so thick, it seemed a knife was required to have about freely, as all hands present in the solar diarch’s room attended to Celestia’s ailment, and Luna’s efforts to determine the cause. Celestia herself, was breathing alternating between breathing softly, and heavily in random intervals. Her pastel rainbow of a mane, usually flowing through the ethereal wind of Equus lay flat unmoving and in a flat dull almost lifeless color, a complete contrast to it’s usual brilliance. The princesses pristine ivory coat was greyed, and sweat riddled. Finishing up the indicators that Celestia was in terrible trouble was her cutie mark, a golden emblem of the her sun turned to a ghostly faded image on her flanks, not to dissimilar as when she had given up her magic in an effort to protect her kingdom from Tirek’s attempt at conquest. She looked ill, at an almost deathly level, and unmoving. The only sign given that the princess was in great distress was a furrowed brow, followed by the occasional grimace. This is what Luna could see in the waking world, in an effort to reduce some of her sisters discomfort, Luna placed a caring hoof on Celestia’s neck and stroked in a soft careful manner. Acting more on instinct and less on the centuries of knowledge stolen from her, Luna called forth her magic to see inside what ever dream Celestia seemed trapped in. As Luna’s magic washed over her sister, a dark, creeping, icy sensation was all she could feel. As for what could be seen, Tendrils, pitch black and emanating a freezing burning in Luna’s horn, wrapped themselves tightly around Celestia’s barrel, the majority of them seemed to be crushing the sun princesses heart and mind. I’m powerless to even help my sister… “Princess Luna, What is that?” “That…is what is keeping my sister trapped in the dream realm.” Luna’s somber tone all that was needed to convey just how terrified they all were. “Nights? Can you confirm it’s…” Soft tinkling echoed throughout the room, every pony holding their breaths, staring in shock and fear at both the eldritch tendrils and whatever it was that Nights happened to be. Nights, unaware, or more likely not caring about the looks, moved her disembodied hand forward, letting it rest on the solar diarch before pulling his hand back sharply. An angry growl startled the ponies, flinching at the sound Nights made, before the jester swore. “Wizeman.” Spat Nights. Luna just nodded in agreement, nothing she had come across or had ever been had felt so…wrong. “Your highness…”Swift Wind spoke, “Who, or What is this…Wise-man?” “A cruel and malicious creature, no…demon, that had attacked me last night, and…won…He stole a great power from me, and aims to use it to take over the waking world. If it weren’t form my newly minted friend, Nights,” Luna gesture a hoof toward the purple jester, “I would be just as trapped and helpless as my sister. *sigh* I’m afraid though, after what Wizeman has done to me, I am all but helpless at the moment. My escape last night was a narrow matter, and has made me entirely too weak to attempt to cast dream magic so soon. I must wait for the night again too…Oh no…” It was now that the full realization of what was wrong hit Luna, her head snapping up and turned toward the still starlit morning. The sun didn’t rise, because nopony called it forth. Luna thought. “No pony has moved the sun!” She cried, her eyes widened in realization that the night had yet to end. Forcing herself to a stable enough calm, Luna called forth the arcane, drawing as much magic as she could, her typical royal blue aura growing in brilliance until it turned a bright cobalt color. Feeling for the intense fiery chaos that was the sun she began to tether her etherial force to the celestial body tying herself, painfully, to her magic’s foil. As the connection started to gain ground, Luna could feel the sun rejecting it’s temporary custodian. An immense weight could be felt on her spine, growing in proportion to the amount of magic beckoning the sun to move. Inch by inch Luna fought for movement, only to despair at it’s refusal to do so. Pouring all that she could, even dipping into her life source as much as she dared, before the spell backlashed sending a spike of pain through her horn and into her very being. Everypony in the room, Nights included, turned away when Luna’s cries of pain were heard. “We…I…I…Can’t move the sun.” Whimpered Luna, defeated and ashamed, “Wizeman has stolen too much of my magic with his attacks.” “Princess what…what can we do?” Asked Swift, her voice cracking. “Twilight Sparkle… Somepony send her a missive, If anypony could move the sun right now it would be her. Princess Cadence doesn’t have the type of magic necessary to move the sun. With my sister’s condition, only Twilight could raise it.” no pony moved, “Do it post haste! This is an emergency, The last thing anypony needs is the public to panic.” Or worse…accuse me that I've gone back to being Nightmare Moon… After stumbling around uselessly for a moment, the night guard in the room with Luna left with a scroll detailing the condition of the princess. All the while Luna fell back onto her haunches, her ears splayed back. Once again, Luna found herself weak and inept. Nights noticing this moved closer, her hand giving soft reassuring pats. Luna felt the tears come forth before she turned to her friend. “A thousand years ago this would have been my greatest desire, A never ending night.” Luna muttered somberly, “Now, I wish for quite the opposite. An end for my night.” “Princess!” “Yes, Captain?” “We just received a scroll from master Spike. It seems the situation is much more dire then we had feared…The element bearers…They seemed to be afflicted with the same dark magic as Princess Celestia.” “No…” replied Luna, voicelessly, “Them too? …I…I…” falling to the floor in anguish, Luna’s tears flowed again, unbidden, “I can not do anything to protect those who I care about…Wizeman has won…” “NO!” Nights yelled, “Don’t think that way. Don’t you worry, we’ll take care of this together. I’ve stopped him twice before, and will do so again, with you. Of that I have no doubt.” The Smile on Night’s face was just enough to give Luna some hope, when it’s very ideya, it’s attribute, was missing from her. Nights’ efforts to help Luna had improved her mood, if only marginally. There was still much to do and so little time to do them, and much to weather before harmony could return to Equus. Yet before anything could be accomplished a plan had to be made. First, and by far most important was to address the public at large. After much debate and reluctance, they had decided to offer the truth. Already rumors of Nightmare’s return had begun to filter through the canterlot streets, even though the sun was only, at most, less then an hour out of schedule. Giving the truth, as terrifying that, such a being as Wizeman, held enough influence in the waking world would bring even more nightmares. It couldn’t be helped, if Luna wanted to retain favor with her ponies. The second matter, discussed and decided was whom they would focus their effort on saving first. This had a greater impact on Luna then how little trust she had earn after two years of hard effort she made to gain it. The choice was to focus on either the Element bearers or Celestia. While both were important and absolutely essential to the security of Equestria and quite possibly be a boon against Wizeman, it was decided Celestia should be rescued first. Returning to a day/night schedule was vital, if for nothing else then o restore some normalcy to the world. To further their choice with Celestia, If her sister held the same level of power in her ideya as she did, Wizeman must not be allowed to garner them. The last matter discussed, was how much rest Luna would need in order to access the dream realm again. It turned out to be the course of a day, meaning that at least one extended night would be necessary before they could mount their rescue. So to make the most of her time, after Luna address the public, she would spend her time meditating in her efforts to recover her magic as fast as possible. Ponies had gathered in the public square, directly to the east of the castle, at what was noon. Yet, everypony there had no reference for time, as the night had yet to give way to dawn. Alarm had coursed through the ponies, fearing the return of the Nightmare, the had huddled together. Sons and daughters stayed close to their parents, trembling at the world ceasing to act as it should, the parents feeling the same, but put on a brave face anyway to put their children at ease. Full blown public hysteria was not too far away, barely held back by the spattering of day and night guard working together. Luna stared out at her subjects, unable to move. Frozen in apprehension at what her subjects would do. Worried they would reject her yet again and rebel, despite her best efforts to protect them. Gathering her wits, she braced herself for what must be said. “Citizens of Equestria,” Bellowed Luna from the balcony used to address major issues from the castle, “Please remain calm. Allow me the chance to alleviate your concerns, and dispel any false rumors you might have heard. “A dark entity has made Equestria it’s target. This creature wishes to enslave us to his will, not unlike King Sombra from so long ago. This night before us is not the result of Nightmare Moon, but a much darker and crueler fiend, Wizeman, the Wicked. This monster had invaded the dream realm to steal powerful magic from all of pony kind. With each magical item he gathers, the more his powers grow and the more influence he gains in the waking world. This night remains not because I desire it to be, but because he has trapped Princess Celestia and the element bearers in the dream ream with dark magic.” Luna paused to let the information sink in. “If that is the case…Why haven’t you raise the sun!?” Called out somepony from the crowd, his tone speculative at best, disbelieving everything Luna had said at worst. “The sun has not risen because I refuse to allow it, it does not rise because I…I can’t make it so. Last night in my efforts to protect you all, Wizeman had stolen my magic. Look closely and you can see my weakened form.” Calling forth the same forces she did earlier, she once again tried for the sun, only to be met with the same result as before. Absolute terror rushed through the crowd of ponies, as those in the back of those assembled broke off in gallops, aiming to prepare as best they could for what evil was to come. Shouting and screaming as ponies scrambled on top one another, some started to fight, others fell below the crowd and were close to being trampled on. “SILENCE!!” The crowd went still. “Please, I implore you, remain calm. Go home to, or with, your families, hold them close and cherish them. I ask you to weather this storm. Though I have been weakened, I refuse to give up. Already we started against this wicked fiend. Already we have impeded progress and made taken back ground, restoring the harmony we so desire. He has bested me once, but it does not matter. So long as I draw a single breath I will fight him. I will not allow him to harm my ponies. So please, I ask for your patience while I do what I can to save the already fallen. I ask for your trust, your faith that I shall see us through this.” No sound was heard when Luna finished her speech, but neither was there any look of panic. Fear was present, but not panic, as the ponies below looked up to their princess of the night. The silence felt oppressive to Luna, not able to determine if her speech had made it through to her subjects. One second passed, five seconds, ten, twenty, each one an endless agony, before the sound of a single hoof stomp cut through the air, then another. Slowly the sound grew louder as more and more ponies joined in, giving to their princess their support by the ever growing applause they gave. It was the first time, since before her banishment, that Luna felt truly accepted by her little ponies. They had given her their trust, their faith. Now the only thing Luna had to do was return it.