Minty Image

by mintgreenconspiracy

Optional Chapter 2-6: Wysteria's chapter

Phytolacca stomped his hoof violently. "Dang it!" He shouted to himself, with a chuckle. "Just missed her!" He said, watching from within the crowd as the purple flower alicorn fled off into the distance. "Well off we ... " He started exclaiming -- laughing to himself all the way. Well, that is until he saw the princess flying in -- causing him to cuss loudly. "That complicates things!" He exclaimed with a crazed laughter. "I'd better get the lead out!" He chuckled to himself, starting to race off -- stopping after a yard or two. A thought having occurred to him. "Wait... We can't have that meddlesome princess getting there first, can we?" He said, powering up his horn.

Nope wouldn't do! He couldn't deal with two princesses! Especially not a battle hardened old bat like Luna! (Well and the legion of guards she probably had trailing close behind.) What did that mean? It meant that he'd have no choice but to employ a trick he'd learned while still in Celestia's employ as one of her guards.

Ahh the guard! He hated that so! Well, maybe he should be fair... He had loved it once upon a time... Well, that was until... He'd get to that later.

Like most foals from changeling families, he had been planted into an Equestrian family to insure against the starvation that frequently plagued the hive proper -- and to plant a proper hunger for the love those foolish ponies put towards their families. And, boy, had his mother had chosen well. planting him in one of Equestria's premier military families. A family known for the oodles of generals, captains, and military high muckety mucks that rose from it. So naturally, his parents (both biological, and adopted) had chosen his course early: he was to be one of the princess royal guards -- and he was to do whatever was necessary to obtain it.

Now, it wasn't that the family didn't love him, no he was very well cared for. It was more that they were so garsh darn driven and formal (oh how he hated formal!) But he was, nevertheless very eager to please (so very different than now when he was the sadistic, crazy, old curmudgeon.) And, he was proud to say, he was more or less successful in achieving his goal -- having passed his entrance test by... various methods.

Of course, by bad luck, his real mother had waited until the day before his induction to reveal the truth, of his birth, to him (not that he and his parents didn't already know -- he kind of tended to have transformation accidents as a child -- kind of a bed transforming kind of thing --, often ending up waking up as his father, or mother, or uncle, or the dog.) However, he was not ready to admit the truth -- not yet. He still had duties to complete, and the family honor to uphold (not that he didn't enjoy his job, especially when they eventually put him in charge of discipline, a job he enjoyed endlessly.)

So why did he leave? He'd give you an answer in the form of the royal proclamations that he was endlessly forced to give: "hear ye! Hear Ye! Introducing her boring majesty, queen cake flank -- princess of equestria, duchess of canterlot, high priestess of the bathroom, blah! Blah! Blah!" And if that wasn't obvious, then he'd happily tell you: It was boring and bland! He meant, how many boring events could he attend? With meaningless formalities, and fat, boring, nobles? How many boring tributes and pointless processions?

No! He'd left that miserable mess! He didn't even stop to feed! He just fled out the window when nopony was watching, and never, ever, ever, looked back (well maybe not like that, he did sometimes lie awake at night wondering if he did the wrong thing, to run away, and leave his foster family wondering whether he was alive or not -- though it always evaporated when he performed his duties for the hive.)

Nevertheless, and he diverges, you don't work in the guard, or for Celestia, as long as he had without learning a thing or three. And today that thing was just the spell: a mind numbing spell -- almost undetectable (although, sadly, quite temporary), that he frequently used to cause his top rivals to stumble, and falter, during promotion tests -- ensuring his advancement.

But why cast a spell that would only cause confusion for a minute or two? Why to get a head start, of course! He didn't need to get far ahead, just far enough to get to the new princess first -- so he could finish their battle!

He laughed to himself, out loud, as his horn powered up. "Hope you don't mind too much princess!" He laughed, firing off his spell. "I never liked you anyway..." He said, flying off into the desert -- paying close attention for the emotional vibes that the new princess was giving off (quite loudly.) "I'm coming princess! Hopefully you're ready to fight this time!"

**********

Wysteria ran, in a full fledged panic, through the sands and the cactuses -- a sea of brambles blooming (from seemingly nowhere) and growing behind her. She had to get away! She had to get away from everyone! She couldn't stay! Not after she'd transformed into a monster! She could see it, when she fled out of town. Her dainty canines had transformed into terrifying fangs, and her beautiful yellow and green eyes had transformed a horrid, and monstrous, red.

What was even worse was that, even now, she could hear the voice hissing in her head -- begging her to return to "deal justice to all", and to "show everyone the love of flowers". The voice mocked her, telling her that she had "no choice but to be a princess" and that "she should act like one"! She shook her head it couldn't be true! It just couldn't be! She didn't want to be a princess! She just wanted to be her!

For that matter, she couldn't give in! She couldn't allow it to hurt anyone else! Not like it had hurt those poor cows! Not to mention what she almost did to poor Braeburn.

The voice called back, whispering in her eye. "Those cows hurt your friend Braeburn badly! Who else showed you the kind of kindness that he did!? And they beat him senseless! Please let me come out! I'll bring justice to all! And the deserts will bloom like a rose!"

"Shut up!" She shouted, crying vigorously. "Why are you lying to me?" She asked, as her eyes began to feel heavy, the hot desert, and all the running made her feel dizzy. All she wanted to do was sleep. Maybe she was far enough away... Maybe she could rest for a second?

"Why don't you sleep for a second?" The voice hissed. "A little rest would do you well!!" It said, in a sultry, as vines began to grow up around her.

"No." She said, tiredly, closing her eyes, as the vines began to form a cocoon. Unable to keep her eyes open, any longer.

"And I shall awake, and begin my reign as queen of all that blossoms and grows." The voice hissed merrily.

**********

Luna sighed, collecting her senses. "Oh stupid, thou Princess of the Night!" She sighed to herself, slowly coming to a realization of what had occurred minutes before. "We should have guessed that we weren't the only ones who wanted to find the new princess," she said, to herself, with agitation. "So we shouldest have put up an adequate shield," she said to herself, shaking her head discretely.

"Who would want ta find her?" Braeburn asked. "And why?"

"Probably the same naive that sent a different assassin to hurt princess Twilight." Luna said, pulling the earth pony aside. "And as to why..." Luna replied, sternly. "Thou wishest not to know.

"Somepony wanted ta hurt Princess Twilight?" Braeburn said, with a frown. Wasn't that cousin Applejack's friend? "But why would they want ta do something downright un-neighborly like that?"

Luna shook her head. "We knowest not why they didst want to hurt her, but there is no time to discuss this further, young Wysteria's nightmare stirs yet again." She said, with urgency. "We mustest move with haste, for time is of the essence."

"How do ya know that her nightmare is stirring again?" Braeburn asked. "Can ya sense it or something?"

"Yes and no, her nightmare resonates with ours." Luna said, shaking slightly. "Further," she continued, motioning the earth pony forward (and further away from the crowd) with her wing. "We can sense that it has not actualized yet, but seekest to do so by transforming her form into something more appropriate; and to wrest control of her body and will, in the process."

"Should ah get a search party?" He asked, with a frown. "Ah mean, with the whole town, we could find her right quickly!" He said, resolutely, turning around towards the crowd.

"No!" Luna shouted, forcefully. "We shalt go alone," she said, her own resolution visible, for all to see. "Even our legion of guards wouldst be in great peril should the monster, itself, become fully actualized." Luna replied, shaking her head. "But worriest not little pony, for we goeth forth, with great force of will, to fixeth thine misdeed." Luna said, loudly -- using her 'royal voice'.

"Please Luna." Braeburn begged, bowing deeply, his hat held closely to his chest. "Ah messed up, an ' ah have to be the one ta fix this somehow," he said, practically begging the princess to let him go.

Luna shook her head, again. "Thou foal! Facing a nightmare, like this one, alone, without the elements or alicorn magic, will serve only to hasten thine untimely end," she said, flapping her wings -- preparing to lift off.

"No," he shouted, galloping right into her path. "Ah messed up, an' ah have ta fix this somehow!" He shouted, his resolve showing. "Please let me go!" He shouted, ever the louder.

Luna shook her head, her stern appearance remaining uncracked. "If thou doth wisheth to enter her sleep, then perhaps we have something thou canst do," she said, sternly (was it Braeburn, or could he hear some tiny amount of bemusement in her voice?)

"What's that?" Braeburn responded, feeling his mood return. "Is there something ah can do!" He shouted, impulsively. "Ah'll do anything ta help her!" He said, putting his hooves on her withers, bowing deeply.

Luna smiled pleasantly (a skill learned during her attempts to) "Perhaps," she said, tapping her hoof on her chin. "But tis risky."

"Please!" Braeburn begged. "Ah'll do anything," he reiterated.

"Very well." Luna replied, politely. "She sleeps now, her consciousness fading for the nightmare's rise. Perhaps she could still be reached by a dreamwalk."

"Great!" Braeburn said, with a smile. "But what do ya need me for?"

"Art though a quick learner?" Luna asked, concocting a plan. "If thou art, then, perhaps, tis something thou canst do!"

Braeburn shook violently, what was the princess planning?

**********

"Oh princess!" Phytolacca chuckled to himself, laughing at the pitiful vine cocoon that the princess had enshrined herself in, which was itself, surrounded by a sea of brambles (sleeping beauty style.)

The changeling started start laughing maniacally. "I've found you!" He said, with a chuckle, preparing his weapons by dipping them in the most powerful poison he had available to him (the juice from the berries of a certain plant that was known to be toxic, even in miniscule amounts, to even the largest of dragons.) He sighed, longingly, taking a moment to admire his work, and to plan the placement, and orientation of the trophy that would soon be appearing on his wall... Ahh... it was a refreshing thought. However, enough of that! But back to business! "And if you think that that's going to stop me time time..." He chuckled, throwing the knife at the cocoon. "You've got another thing coming!" He shouted -- for maximum effect -- as the knife slammed into the cocoon, with force, creating a gaping hole in it.

The changeling assassin listened carefully, cupping his ear to listen very closely for sounds of pain and gurgling. However, much to his chagrin, those sounds never came -- eliciting a very sad frown. He looked down -- his face filled with shame. He had missed! Something he almost never did! However, sighs quickly became shakes when, instead, a scream of pain, a scream of pure rage -- which caused the earth to shake -- could be heard as the vines exploded in all directions (revealing a very peeved Wysteria Queen Nightshade -- apparently unhurt and untouched, but extraordinarily angry -- her eyes not just blood red, but glowing a neon color, and her fangs showing, hungering for blood.)

"WHO DARES ASSAULT THE PRINCESS OF ALL THAT BLOSSOMS AND GROWS!!!!???"
Queen Nightshade bellowed aloud, her voice overflowing with incredulity -- her eyes darting around, desperately searching for the one who dared attempt to hurt her.

A whistling sound (and the sound of a mischievous laughter) could be heard through the silent desert afternoon as another knife went flying through the air -- stopping only when it collided with a tree that suddenly sprang up, protecting it's master: the princess.

"Dang it!" Phytolacca chuckled to himself, manically -- his second attack foiled. "I guess I underestimated the strength of that vine cocoon," he chuckled to himself, a little anger showing through. "And thought it was just chitin," he said, tossing yet another knife out, which rebounded off the tree sent to stop it, against a rock, and then finally embedded in a second tree that sprang up,suddenly, to stop it. "Dang it! I didn't use enough force! (Guess I was trying too hard not to damage that beautiful face...)" He said, solemnly.

The alicorn nightmare gave a very incredulous expression. "WHO DARES ASSAULT US AND PREVENT US FROM UNDERGOING OUR BEAUTIFUL TRANSFORMATION! YOU SHOW NO RESPECT FOR A QUEEN!" Queen Nightshade shouted, violently -- causing vines to shoot up from the ground, searching vigorously for her assaulter. "SHOW YOURSELF!!!!"

"You can't see me?" The changeling said, laughing a mocking laughter. "Well too bad!" He shouted, tossing a needle -- intending to rebound it four times this time, before embedding itself in the alicorn's side. The problem? It didn't make it five feet before it was grabbed by a vine, which sprang up out of seemingly nowhere.

The queen chuckled back -- a very self assured laughter. "You think you're so smart don't you?" She asked the invisible assassin, who simply shrugged, and returned his own laugh. "You think we will permit you to try these sneaky tricks?" The queen asked, giving an angry frown, none too happy about the mocking laughter, and not having received the proper amount of scraping. "So be it!" She shouted as weeds sprang up all around her, spewing out pollen -- in a hellish scene.

"Heh!" The assassin said, sneezing quietly, wondering why 'the queen' thought she could stop him with pollen "She wants me to sneeze to death?" He thought, laughing quietly to himself "You can't see me if I don't wish to be seen," he said, mockingly, with bellowing laughter. "Remember, I'm a member of the praetorian guard! And that makes me invisible to all but the royal family! And even then they can't see us, only detect our presence!" He said, tossing two more knives, one after the other -- deflecting off each other somewhere in mid flight, with the intend of defecting a few times before reaching their target. The problem? The sea of bamboo which sprang out of the ground, stopping both knives.

"We don't need to see you!" The queen chuckled, as some of thorns that grew around her shot up towards the assassin, just being barely dodged, and only by a valiant effort (well not completely dodged, as the thistles still gave the assassin a fairly nasty cut, and more than a few nicks -- all of which led to a fair amount of bleeding.)

"Heh!" The changeling chuckled, still feeling confident. Heh! She missed him by a mile! This was such a great time to rub it in!"Nice try!" He said, giving a mocking sigh, and speaking like he was giving a participation trophy to a very small child. "But remember!" He said, 'instructing the princess in proper perspective.' "I'm invisible!" He shouted, proudly.

"We don't need to see you to hurt you," the queen said, enthusiastically -- feeling quite proud of her flowers, and at least a little bit haughty. "Our friends tell us wherever you hide!" She exclaimed, pointing her hoof at the hole in the layer of pollen. "And now!" She shouted, bearing her fangs. "You do too!" She exclaimed -- loudly -- pointing to the trail of blood following the assassin around.

"Wow!" The changeling shouted, feeling fully invigorated. "You've really woken up princess!" He said, proudly, releasing a shower of needles at the princess (all of which ended up embedded in a thick forest of bamboo.) "But you don't become the second best assassin for nothing!" He snarled, sending out another shower -- this time spread out over a large area so as for some to make it through (though the end result was the same.)

"DO YOU SURRENDER!!!" 'The queen' snarled. "OR DO YOU CONTINUE TO FUTILELY RESIST!" She snarled, sending out her own shower of thorns and thistles which came shooting out from under her feet -- most which were narrowly dodged by the nimble assassin.

"Shoot!" The assassin said to himself -- his frustration and impatience starting to come out. "The princess of the night will be here in mere moments! And this princess just won't face reality and go down, like a good defenseless princess!I mean she can't possibly be this tough can she?" He said, plotting his move. A mischievous twinkle entering his eyes. "Perhaps, all I need is something that can get through her plants!" He thought, using some of his magic to light the next needle on fire. "Too bad my poisons will burn up, but maybe I can keep my damage contained," he said, sending his burning needle flying. It was a suboptimal solution which would burn away the poison, and ruin his trophy's pelt. But... Oh well! Sometimes desperate actions must be taken, if one is to ensure victory!

The needle flew towards the princess, as was customary so far in this fight, and was stopped by suddenly materializing foliage, as before, this time, though, the foliage was set ablaze, a fire, which quickly spread to all of the other plants. The first burning needle was followed by dozens of others, all ablaze, quickly turning the battlefield into an inferno -- causing the queen to let out a grotesque scream, containing mostly rage and vitriol.

Phytolacca smirked, now was his chance! The foliage was gone, and there would be no new foliage coming -- not with all the fires going on! "Heh! Checkmate!" He exclaimed sending the final poisoned needle flying. "This one should do the trick!" he thought to himself, with a chuckle, waiting for the screams and gurgles he'd been waiting for all fight.

After a few seconds, he could, indeed, hear a scream. "Heh!" He exclaimed to himself -- having, finally succeeding in obtaining his trophy -- now was the time that he could finally settle down, having accomplished his grim deed. "Got her!" He said, feeling better -- having ended the hardest part of his mission for the day. "That was much tougher than I thought, -- " he thought to himself, with a smirk. Now all he would have to do is come up with an explanation that would ease the Queen's mind when she asked him what he was doing. Nevertheless, " -- but I still succeeded! Yeah! Number two one assassin! I -- " He exclaimed to himself, being stopped when strange sounds started to emanate from the smoke that was left behind from the unquenchable fires.

Unfortunately, his enthusiasm was short lived, as, from out of the slowly dissipating smoke, a loud scream could be heard -- but not the scream pain that the assassin was expecting. Instead, the scream was a scream of pure rage, which rose slowly from out of the smoke. The sad truth became even more obvious as the smoke cleared to reveal an earthen wall, that had been quickly constructed, by a mere thought, by the very angry alicorn. "... No... It can't be!" The assassin mouthed to himself, his confidence beginning to falter.

"How dare you hurt these beautiful flowers!" She exclaimed, shouting like a street pastor, cupping the charred remains of one of her flowers, in her hoof. "I think I know what the problem is!" She said, coming to 'a realization'. "You hate flowers don't you?!" She shouted, inquisitorially, her words and tone sounding unhinged. "But don't worry!" She said, a crazed expression growing on her face. "We'll fix that!"

"Actually," the assassin replied, nonchalantly. "I don't care for them much, thank you... I more prefer to eat alfalfa, or hey... Maybe some processed grains! Thank you!" He said, thinking quickly. He had only one choice left, dare he use it? No he couldn't! It would be much too powerful -- he would ruin his trophy! And Vladímir would never forgive him for tipping both his hand, and one of the hive's top secrets here. On the other hoof, what could he do?

Wysteria Queen Nightshade gave an angry howl, sending a sea of meat eating plants shooting out of the ground. "I will teach you to love flowers! They will teach you to love again!" She shouted, as wave after wave, after wave, of thistles and thorns shot out of the ground (not to mention pony eating plants and killer ivy.)

"Shoot!" The assassin exclaimed, having just narrowly survived the last wave (and not without a fair amount of physical damage). This spell would totally turn his trophy into a pothole (not to mention expend all of his magical energy), but he had no choice. He would have to cast that spell...

Now the spell itself was very simple, more a combination of a few basic spells (the teleportation spell, various levitation spells, his accuracy spell, and a throwing spell.) The real spell here was a actualization spell to materialize (seemingly from out of nowhere) a massive array or knives, needles, darts, scythes, stars, and all other manner of sharp throwing objects that he kept de-actualized, for just such an occasion. The execution was very simple, he started casting his actualization spell to summon objects fifty or sixty at a time and throw them, teleporting around as quickly as he could. The concept? 'The queen' would never know where the darts were going to come from, and 'her friends' wouldn't either. He'd either find a whole in her defenses (and her earthen wall), or the multitude of thrown objects would pulverize it into dust. The sad news was that once they started getting through the spell (which couldn't be stopped, once started, until he ran out of objects or magic -- so he guessed it was a little more complicated than just a regular teleportation spell) they would probably paste the princes...

Oh well...Sometimes a changeling must do, what a changeling must do! He frowned, taking a look at what he had on hand, and considering what he had de-actualized.... He didn't have anywhere near enough things if he had to pound her earthen wall down... (Of course, it could just be panic speaking, but he wasn't sure! And he also wasn't sure that he could actually beat her this time -- and this was probably the first time he'd ever had this feeling, even in his time as a royal guard!) So he did the only think he could think of. He gathered everything he had available, and started casting the actualization spell. Finally he gathered any sharp throwable objects he could find, like rocks, sticks, and stones. Hopefully, this would work -- especially once Luna showed up! He'd have nothing left if he didn't finish this before Luna arrived, and he might, actually, have to flee on hoof.

He frowned vehemently as he started the second spell, teleporting as quickly and randomly, as he could -- eventually the pure magical momentum started throwing him in and out of the magical plain more quickly then his eyes or mind could keep up with his teleportations. At which point, he started the final portion of his spell sending showers of objects flying at pin point accuracy, with each teleport.

At first the plants stopped the objects, as before, but after a while the alicorn's magic couldn't keep up (and neither could the plants.) Bringing a smile to the changeling's face.

Unfortunately, the earthen wall held firm, engulfing the alicorn on all sides. But the assassin remained confident as wave after wave of objects started to pound at the earthen wall, that protected the princess -- causing the battlefield to slowly be covered in a cloud of dust.

After several tense minutes, the changeling's magic finally ran out, as his teleports slowed to a stop. The battlefield was oddly quiet, eliciting a cocky laugh from the assassin as he wiped the sweat from his brow. "Heh!" He exclaimed. "I finally did it!" He shouted proudly. "I'm as strong as any princess! Heck! I'm more powerful than any princess.!"

So proud of himself was he, that he couldn't even hear the sound of laughter, and manic ranting that was rising from the dust (well not until Queen Nightshade started to materialize, unphased, and unhurt.) "I will teach you to love!" She shouted, manically. "The flowers will teach you to love!" She shouted, surrounded by a sea of stone.

All the changeling could do is look on in horror. What made him think he could take on a deity? He turned vainly attempting to flee in abject panic (his right mind returning for the first time in years.) He had to get out of there at any cost! If only he had enough magic for a teleport!

Finally the queen let out one more laugh, knowing that 'justice' was at hoof, before stamping her hoof , which caused the earth beneath her to rend. Our of the chasm came a sea of vines, which all shot out, grabbed the flailing assassin -- and preceded to pull him into the ground (whose final "NOOOO!!!" Sounded a lot like Sombra's cry.)

"There!" 'the queen' exclaimed, feeling vindicated, having rid herself of 'the flower hater'. "That meanie! That flower hater! He got just what was coming to him!" She stated with pride, puffing out her chest.

Luna frowned, having finally emerging from her hiding spot. She had hoped that the assassin would last longer, or probably that the nightmare wouldn't be so powerful -- unfortunately, she was wrong on both counts (the good news was that he prevented the alicorn's transformation, and she was grateful for that.) And this, basically guaranteed that she would have no choice but to face the nightmare now. And this meant that it was vital that young Braeburn had arrived, or would soon arrive in the sleeping alicorn's dream, otherwise there might be trouble. Especially, due to the fact that, she wasn't sure that even she could take the monster on all by herself -- especially not with her hooves tied (due to the fact that she couldn't, in right mind, hurt an innocent like this Wysteria...)

Such a shame... This was not going to be easy...

**********

"Art though a quick learner?" Luna asked, an eerily mischievous smile crossing her face. "T'would only require but a quick spell from us!" She said, her horn starting to glow a dark blue color.

Braeburn gave a gulp, as he started to back away slowly -- what had he gotten himself into? Could he reconsider? Maybe she was right about her being the only pony who could fix this!

"Calm down thou... What was the modern word?... Ah! Yes!... Wuss... This willst not hurt thou any!" Luna replied reassuringly, seeing the earth pony's eyes growing wide -- as her horn glowed a darker and darker blue, the aura around it expanding. "And our guards will takest thou somewhere safe whilst thou takest this dreamwalk!"

Before Braeburn could even contemplate what was going on, everything went blurry, and he found himself standing out in an empty starscape.

"Hello?" He shouted, off into the darkness. "Luna?" He shouted, looking around violently, desperately searching for the princess. "Is anypony here?" He shouted, starting to wonder off -- panic creeping in.

Around him countless dreams played out against the walls of the starscape, and not just the dreams of those who lived in Equestria, dreams from the inhabitants of Griffonia, Zebrica, the dragon territories, and countless others.

Behind him a translucent Luna appeared, holding him back with some of her magic. "We recommendest that thou not wonderest far," she warned him, strictly. "T'would not be wise."

"Why's that?" Braeburn responded, curiously -- wondering if he should have kept his mouth shut in the first place.

"For one thing, -- " she said, stepping in front of the earth pony. " -- this plane contains many wonders and more than a few perils, young Braeburn." The princess retorted, fashioning an object from the dreamscape, in her phantom hoof. "Wondering off would not be advisable," she said, lobbing the object into the void -- which promptly fell off into the ether (like it was just thrown off a cliff.) And no thud was ever heard.

Braeburn gave a gulp. "Then what do you need meh fer?" He asked, with a puzzled expression. "Ya seem ta have this under hoof," he replied, beginning to run his hoof against the back of his head.

"Normally t'would be our privilege, and our duty." Replied shadow Luna, with a defeated sigh. "But we suspect that the only way to help young Wysteria is to prevent her from transforming, ourselves," she said, worried that she had atrophied some during her long imprisonment, and that her well deserved title of monster fighter was now overrated. "And that means that we must keepeth the monster busy, -- lest the monster discover thine presence, and counter attack -- therefore, we needest thou to enter young Wysteria's dream, and reason with her for us," she said, giving him a confident smile. "We believe in thine ability to accomplish this task, young Braeburn."

"Ya mean I just need to walk into her dream, and talk ta her?" Braeburn asked, with perplextion, thinking about how easy this mission seemed to be (heck it almost sounded fun.) "But how do ah find her dream?" He asked, looking off into the vastness of space, and into the numerous dreams that lay before.

"Excellent question, young Braeburn." The princess replied with a smile."But worry not! We shallt leave part of our magic with you to guide you to her dream, and to give you instructions once there -- if we art able --," she stated, taking a breath. "However, entering her dream maybe more complicated," she continued, preparing her next statement.

"Not that simple?" Braeburn replied, in astonishment. "But ain't ya a princess?"

Luna shook her head, sadly. "Yes, but for some reason we canst not enter." Luna said, with a sigh. "We knowest not why. But we're sure that as her friend, thou willst be able to find a way!" She said, a compass materializing from the ether, summoned by her magic.

"Ya think so?" He asked -- feeling apprehensive, one of the deity princesses of Equestria couldn't enter her dreams, what hope did he have?

"We hopest so." Luna replied, now followest, thou, this compass," she said, tossing him the compass. "Its needle will pointest you to where Wysteria's dream lies."

Braeburn nodded, dutifully (all while wondering what he had gotten himself into, and hoping that he was going to come out with all his limbs intact.)

"Good," she replied. "Now I must leave, for time is of the essence," she continued, disappearing into the ether.

"Well..." Braeburn sighed. "It's time, fur me ta get goin'..." He said, with a long gulp, staring into the starscape, the compass pointing off into the distance.

**********

Luna hid her dismay behind a poker face, if things came to battle, it would be far from easy.

However, perhaps, another option remained open to her."Perhaps, just perhaps, there is another way, oh princess of the night..." She thought to herself. "Maybe the pony within can still be rationed with..." She thought, hoping that the flower alicorn's nightmare was of a different nature than hers. Maybe, all she needed to do was greet the alicorn warmly, and tell her to stop. "GREETINGS TO YOU, FELLOW PRINCESS OF EQUESTRIA!" She said, in the royal canterlot voice, floating (full wind and storm) towards the purple alicorn. "WE WISHEST TO GREET THOU, ONE PRINCESS TO ANOTHER! "

"Oh splendid!" Wysteria Queen Nightmare responded, a vacant expression on her face. "Have you, too, come to bow down to the queen of all that blossoms and grows?" She said, with glee, expecting her moon themed counterpart to bow down before the smaller flower alicorn.

"Actually -- " Luna replied politely, fighting very hard not to lose her cool. " -- We, your fellow princess, and equal have come to greet you in the name of Equestria and -- "

Queen Nightshade scoffed, proudly. "EQUAL?!" She shouted, in a variation of the royal canterlot voice. "HOW DARE YOU: A MERE PRINCESS REFER TO YOURSELF AS EQUAL TO A QUEEN!!!"

Luna chuckled politely. "But though are not a queen... Equestria has no queens..." She said, her own inner demons beginning to show themselves (twas her own jealousy that gave birth to her nightmare in the first place.) She shook her head, not now Luna! "Thou art not a queen, but a mere princess, like us..." She said, in her softest voice, politely correcting her -- despite her every desire to shout the alicorn's head off.

"How dare you speak this way to us!" The purple nightmare alicorn responded, angrily. "We are a queen!" She hissed, taking a belligerent posture.

Luna chuckled, a little bit of anger showing this time. "THOU SHOULDST KNOWEST BETTER THAN TO SPEAK AS SUCH TO THINE PRINCESS OF THE NIGHT!" She said, breaking into the royal canterlot voice, an old habit that she'd hoped she had broken -- despite the fact that was exactly what she was doing now.

"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK THIS WAY TO US!" The purple alicorn snarled, growing ever more belligerent. "DO YOU HATE FLOWERS, DON'T YOU?!!!!" She snarled, angrily. "THIS IS YOUR FINAL CHANCE!!!! BOW TO YOUR QUEEN -- OR FACE THE PUNISHMENT FOR TREASON!!!" The 'queen' demanded, forcefully.

Luna gave a loud grunt, the loose fragments of her own nightmare trying to be reborn, and her pride starting to show it's face. How dare this upstart talk to the princess of the night this way! She swallowed a growl. "Remember oh princess of the night: the nightmare has clouded her mind, and tries to take full control. We must be patient with her." She thought to herself, starting to consider her battle plan, as negotiations were failing much too fast.

The purple alicorn bared her fangs -- her patience running out. "What is the hold up?" She said, haughtily at the seeming weakness of the princess."Did I not say this was your last chance? Why don't you bow to the queen of all that blossoms and grows?"

Luna's face crumpled in rage -- finally losing her temper -- how dare she! "ENOUGH!!!" She shouted, hastily, causing the earth to shake for miles. "THOU HAST INSULTED THE PRINCESS OF THE NIGHT!!!! CEASE YOUR RIDICULE NOW OR -- " Luna said, covering her face with her hoof, what had she just done?

The purple alicorn looked on with disdain. "How dare you! It's obvious now!!! There's no other explanation," she said, calmly. "You hate flowers don't you!" She exclaimed, stamping her hoof, and sending up a wall of ivy -- which was quickly obliterated by one shot of the blue alicorn's horn.

The blue princess face-hoofed mentally -- as she blew away another wave of thistles using her magic. So much for diplomacy... Hopefully either the nightmare wasn't as strong as she looked, or that the princess of the night's greater experience would prove superior.