The Nightmares

by Kumishy

Chapter Two: Just a Dream

After taking care of her animal friends, Fluttershy headed out to meet up with the girls in town. She had decided after quite a bit of thought, to not mention the dream. That was all it was, just a dream after all.

Though as she walked along, she tried remembering specific things about the dream. Fluttershy frowned when she realized how fuzzy it was. Perhaps it was for the best. The only things that she could recall with any sort of clarity was that she had been scared and that her heart had been pounding.

“Why the long face sugar cube?” Applejack's southern drawl brought Fluttershy back from her thoughts.

“Oh, nothing.” The quiet pegasus hid behind her hair just a bit. There was no point in explaining it.

“You need to turn that frown upside-down!” Pinkie's chipper voice bubbled in her other ear.

That caused Fluttershy to smile. Her friends always made her feel better. Besides, it was just a dream after all, no need to worry the girls.
~*~

She turned in for the night after a long day with the girls. Pinkie Pie had been planning a party that would take place in a day or two; which was interesting...Pinkie hardly ever needed more than an hour to plan any pony's party. This must be some real shindig to cause the party pony to do so much planning.

Fluttershy stifled a yawn. Between the day and the nightmare, she was tuckered out. She was sure that tonight would be vastly better than last. No nightmares, just sound, blissful sleeping. She climbed into bed, her eyes already closing as her head hit the pillow.
~*~

“Ah, there you are my dear, dear Fluttershy.” The voice was back. Her stomach twisted at the sound.

'Please, please, please let me be imagining things.' She begged. This couldn't be happening again.

“My my, you look tired. Such a shame, because you have a long climb ahead of you. If you want to survive that is.” The voice said.

She already knew there was no point in looking to see the top. Like last night, it would be high out of sight. Swallowing, she turned to face the first few steps.

“You seem much more emboldened since last night. Or perhaps you've just resigned to your fate. You'll be forever climbing in search of your freedom.” A breeze blew around her, whipping her hair from her face. The voice was louder when it spoke this time, as though the pony was right next to her. He spoke into her ear. “Welcome to the Prison of Despair my dear little Fluttershy.” With that, he was gone.

The twisting in her stomach was starting to turn into a full blown knot. She would need someone to actually help her untwist it later. Once she escaped this nightmare.

Fluttershy stepped up, knowing that she had no choice but to climb. After climbing a few rows of blocks, she heard that rumbling noise. 'The tower must be crumbling again.' she guessed. She refused to look down at the darkness, afraid of what she would see.

“Is that the best you've got? That's pathetic.” Her ears pricked up. That sounded like Rainbow's voice. Wasn't it? “Why don't you fly up there? You're a pegasus after all. Aren't you?” That was grating and goading on her nerves. Of course she was! But how can you expect a pegasus to fly when they're too terrified of what could possibly happen? A stone crumbled a few inches below her hoof. If she didn't get moving soon, she'd fall with the tower. Panic was starting to swell again in her stomach. What would happen if she fell now? Would she die?

There was a grumbling sound that was growing louder. She hopped up onto another block as the ones she had been standing on crumbled away. No, she couldn't die.She had to prove to Rainbow Dash that she was a true pegasus. That her wings weren't just for show. She could fly just as well as any others. This was a dream. Just a dream. Right? But the danger felt so real to her.

Fluttershy climbed, her limbs still trembling. As much as she wanted to believe what she was telling herself, she didn't want to tempt her fate. Just like the night before, she saw a huge blood red door. A wave of relief hit her. There was the way out. She made her way quickly to the door, praying that she could escape. But then there was a rumbling. The stones she had been about to step on crumbled and fell into the darkness. There was now a gap that was too big to jump. The color drained from the young mare's face. This was it. She would die here.

Panic washed over her, tightening her wings to her body. There had to be a way. Her mind flashed to Twilight. What would she do in this situation? When there is no way, she would make a way with her magic. But Fluttershy had no magic to draw on at the moment. She had to draw on her cleverness. There had to be some way to bridge the gap.

Then it hit her. A bridge. She needed to make a bridge. She hopped down to the stone in front of the one she had been standing on. With a mighty push of her hind legs on the block fueled by adrenaline, it moved the block. As if by magic, it stayed attached to the edges of the blocks to make her bridge.

With a cry of success, she climbed up, and yanked the door open. The light flooded her vision yet again. There was a sensation of falling...

Fluttershy woke up. She had fallen out of bed in a tangle of her blankets. But she was home. These dreams were getting out of hand.

She had to tell the girls. Maybe they would be able to come up with something, anything that could possibly help her. Or they could reject the idea of something like this ever happening. But she wouldn't know if she didn't try. Shaking, she went about making a cup of tea. Even though it was early, barely dawn, there would be no more sleep.

Not until she spoke to the girls.