Earth's Nightmare Era

by Nightmare Chaser

A Harmonious Meeting

Chase walked through an empty corridor, not a sound but his hooves on the stone floor and the faint sound of his breathing, a familiar darkness surrounding him as he wandered the corridor. It was a familiar yet unknown corridor that he felt he should know but didn't, like a word lingering at the tip of your tongue but you are unable to recall what the word is. As he got to what he thought was the halfway point he started to hear hissing emminating from everywhere. He looked around in a panic trying to locate the source of the hissing but was unable to find it, the hissing seeming to increase in tempo. He approached a wooden door and opened it. As the door slowly swung open, with an eerie creaking, Chase walked into a torchlit, stone room with hay on the floor with rats scurrying about. On the walls, metal shackles hung, some skeletal remains shackled to them, and levers protrude from their respective positions on the walls, waiting to be pulled to activate their respected traps or devices.

Looks like Nightmare Moon's dungeon, Chase thought looking around before spotting a figure on the shackled to the wall in the usual prison rags, looking starved and broken. Feeling as though the figure was familiar, Chase approached it carefully. Sensing the alicorn student's approach, the figure lifted his head and stared at Chase with green eyes set behind a nest of long, brown hair. Chase stopped five feet from the shackled human, looking at it with a horrified expression. As green stared into emerald, Chase came to a sudden realization at the figures identity. It was Himself, his human self in rags and shackled to the wall. As he stared at who he used to be, his human self just smiled at him.

"It's been so long hasn't it Chase," the human said in kindness to his pony self, "It is easy to forget who you are when you're something entirely differentt for four and a half years as Nightmare Moon's student." Chase was on the verge of tears as his horn glowed releasing the human that he was once. He rushed over and hugged him saying i'm sorry over and over tears streaming from his eyes. His human self just smiled and whispered something unintelligable before his vision faded into nothing.

He awoke, fully rested, to the aeroma of exotic fragrances and the sound of chanting in a language not known to chase. He tried to get up but was unable to. He decided to look around the room, which was all in a hut he noticed, and was interested in what he saw. Masks lined the walls, ingrediants lined what looked like shelves, and in the middle was a cauldren that was currently being used by a zebra. Three things were currently occupying his mind, one: the dream he just had, which was weird in itself, two: why had blacked out in the first place, maybe exhaustion, and three: why this zebra saved him and carried him to her hut. The zebra was chanting as she tossed in ingrediants into the bubbling green brew. He tried to get up again but yelp as pain surged through his body causing the zebra to jump and look back at him in alarm. A smile crossed her face and Chase just smiled back nevously.

"Ah you are fine, that i see, tell me what are you doing in the everfree?" The zebra asked in a rhyme, which seemed strange to chase.

"Uh i'm kinda looking for a town called," he searches his memory for the name Nightmare Moon told her many times, "Ponyville." He finally managed to say.

"Oh if it is Ponyville you wish to find, i'm afraid younare in quite a bind," she told Chase, rhyming some more, "when you blacked out you hit your head, a ran to see if you were dead. To my suprise you were not, so i brought you to my hut."

Chase just sat there staring at the zebra in confusion. She walked over and whacked him over the head with a hoof, causing another jolt of pain to surge through his body.

"Ow what did you do that for?" Chase said rubbing the spot she hit. "Do not question what was momentary fear, if it were not for my brew you would not be here." She said pointing to an empty bottle at chase's side and his jaw dropped, immediately regretting snapping at the zebra.

"I'm sorry, didn't mean to snap at you can you forgive me?" The zebra nodded. "What's your name by the way?"

"I am known as Zecora." She reached a hoof out and shook Chase's hand just as a knock resonated from the wooden door. Both Chase and Zecora turned to the door and Zecora asked who it was.

"It's Twilight Sparkle." Came the response, and Zecora smiled. "My dear friend is here, i shall be right there." She said walking to the door and opening it.

As the door opened, a purple unicorn with a violet mane streaked with pink trotted in with a smile and thanked Zecora before turning her attention to the dark blue pegasus lying on one of her benches with a concerned look on her face. Chase and Twiliht just stared at each other for awhile before Twilight approached Chase extending a hoof to which he took it hesitantly.

"Hello, I am Twiliht Sparkle," she said, shaking Chase's hoof eagerly, "and who may you be?"

Chase hesitated for a bit before he answered the eager unicorn mare.

"I'm Night Rider and it is a pleasure meeting you miss Sparkle." Chase said, glad at the look on her face from the fact that he lied. That's what being the student to Nightmare Moon for four and a half years will do to you Chase thought before Twilight let go of his hoof.

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you as well Night Rider," she said happily, a smile playing across her face, "What are you doing at Zecora's if you don't mind me asking?"

Chase looked away and rubbed his head before answering her, "I blacked out in the everfree forest and woke up here."

Twilight looked at him with concern in her eyes asking if he was alright.

"I am now thanks to Zecora and her remedy she brewed." he said getting up steadily cringing a bit as he did, "Do you know where i can find Ponyville, Miss Sparkle?" Chase asked Twiliight.

"Yes i do, i live there as the librarian." She said with pride in her voice and a little bounce.

Chase smiled and asked if she could lead him there to which she nodded. Before the two ponies left Zecora's, Twilight got what she came there to grab, a book on natural remedies. She said goodbye to Zecora and lead Chase the entrance of the forest that lead to Ponyville.

As they exited the everfree and entered the sun, Chase was nearly blinded by the sun and quickly pulled the hood of his cloak over his eyes to shield them.

"Are you ok?" Twilight asked Chase, her eyes showing concern. "Y-Yeah i'm fine, just not used to the daytime is all." He said, which was only half the truth. Satisfied with his answer she continued leading the dark blue pegasus to her home until they could see it over the hill.

Chase couldn't believe his eyes as he gazed at Ponyville and it's beauty. He felt Twilight tug at the hem of his cloak smiling.

"Come on, come on i want to introduce you to my friends and show you around." she said impatiently, continuing to pull his cloak until he walked foreword.

The one thought that was going through his mind as he and Twilight Sparkle approached Ponyville was if he was doing the right thing or writing his death wish?

To Be Continued..........

Comments

[CrystalHero97]

[OmnipresentMicroorganism]

Some grammar issues, (mainly capitalization of I's) but otherwise enjoyable. I would suggest re-writing/editing with an editor.