The Faces of War

by Zero the Necromancer

A mental Link

"How is she?"

"Why do you ask me? You probably know better than I do."

"Fair enough."

"You know why I'm here, right?"

"Yes, your scientists are too lazy to do their work."

"No. The eggheads-She's waking up."

Flora opens her eyes and immediately feels a burning pain along her chest. She moans but is happy to see her queen well. And her savior.

"Wecome in the world of the living, bug. How do you feel?", John asks.

"I'm-I'm fine. But my wounds still hurt."

"Is there nothing you can do?", Chrysalis asks.

"Sure, I could five her stronger painkillers but that would knock her out again. And right now I need her to be awake."

"Where am I?"

"You're in the medical section of Portal Base Omega. Don't worry. Everything will make sence in time.", John says.

Chrysalis turned to Flora and smiles at her.

"Flora, Mr. Sturm will ask you some question about our people and the world in which we live. I expect you to answer every one of them with honesty."

"Okay."

"Well, then. Let's star with...uh...ah, here. Personal data. Your name?"

"Flora."

"Okay, how old are you?"

"I'm twenty five years old."

"Twenty five...Good. Are you in any way in a partnership with another creature of any sort?"

"Uh..Excuse me?"

"He asks if you are married.", Chrysalis explains.

"Um, no. No I'm not.", Flora says while she blushes faintly.

"Okay, are you male, female or neutral?"

"Female by nature."

"Good. That's it then. At least for the first part. We still have society, biology and geology."

"But it's enough for now.", Chrysalis adds.

"Yeah, I will go to the canteen now and leave you two alone."

"John? Thank's for saving me."

"No problem. It's my job."

John goes out of the big room, in which several wounded soldiers lie. Flora looks at Chrysalis. For the first time in years she can relax, even if the pain is really bad.

"How long have I been gone?"

"A week or so. Much has changed here. The humans converted the city into a fortress. You should see their artillery. It's very impressive."

"I guess everything from humans is impressive."

"Yes, indeed. For example their biology. They can survive weeks without food or water and their bones are extremely hard."

"Sounds like a good ally."

"Or a mighty foe...I don't trust them fully now. The way they completely annihilated the equestrian forces was more terrifying than glory."

"I understand. But they hate the ponies more than us, so we have some time to prepare."

"Yes, yes we have. I have a meeting with the human leaders now. Rest Flora, you deserve it."

Chrysalis trots to the door and passes the two guards stationed there, while Flora looks at the blank white ceiling trying to sleep. She succeeds in that after some minutes.

And she was there again. In the realm of dreams. She sees many doors before her some of them can be opened, others don't. She walks through the ethereal hallway. So many doors.

Too bad that John doesn't sleep now. He would be interesting to look at...

To be a dream stalker is a great gift, but also a huge responsibility. The power to invade someones dreams can be exciting but it can also be your undoing. The invaded mind will do anything to keep you from interfering with it's consciousness. If it succeeds in that, then your mind will be erased, forever. And you can't just manipulate the dreams of others. Only one has achieved this power.

I can at least try...

Flora continues to go through the unmapped void of dreams. It is said, that not far from this realm is a place in which ponies can ascend to alicorns. A place only known as 'the Conjunction'.

She eventually finds John's door. It is locked, of course. He is awake, after all.

Just a small glimpse...

She opens the the door with force. A mistake, as she knows but the changeling doesn't want to stay for long anyway. Flora enters the mind of John. A perfect calm void at first, but she soon finds some thoughts, bubbles who show the topic of the thought. She must be careful. Every intervention with a mind that isn't asleep can cause severe confusion for the subject and she doesn't want to hurt John. One of them shows a steak and lemonade.

This thoughts are very high up in John's mind. Well duh, he said he goes to the canteen...

In another bubble are different words and faces of other humans.

His friends or the persons he talks to right now...But where am I?

She continues to search and finds countless bubbles on the way but can't find herself in one of them, what saddens her. She trots back to the exit and kicks the food bubble, which causes it to burst.

Oh no! I have to get out of here before John's mind-

The void gets black and a giant red ball floats over her.

Meanwhile in the canteen:

John sits with the rest of his fireteam and looks with confusion at his steak.

"John, are you alright?", Frank asks.

"Yeah, I'm good but the steak...tastes weird."

"What? You ate already two of these and they were fine."

"I know. It's weird."

Flora runs as fast as she can to the exit while the red ball is chasing her, while it makes distorted sounds.

Sorry for that, John!

She shoots a bolt of green magic at the guardian and it makes an agonizing sound.

John feels a stinging pain in his head.

Ouch! What is that?

"Hey guys, I go outside and take some fresh air, alright?"

"Yeah, make that.", Lucy says, while she cuts her steak in smaller pieces.

Flora is finally at the exit door and jumps through. The door slams close behind her and she takes a deep breath. She was so close from being forever erased from this world.

Never again. Never again...

She closes her eyes once more and wakes up. She lies in her bed and is covered in sweat. And there it is again, the pain on her chest. But now it's more of a reminder that she's still alive then something uncomfortable.

John stands on a big terrace and looks at the sunset. A beautiful golden horizon, just like back home. Maybe someday others will look at this sunset and say: 'Here started it'. But not today. Today he has to fight for that.