//------------------------------// // The Champion // Story: Moon Unit Zappa // by RarityEQM //------------------------------// The swirling snowstorm that engulfed the air over Everfree forest had always drawn a sigh of envy from Diamond's lips. She'd have loved to learn weather working and cloud control, but her wings weren't reliable enough for that kind of occupation. She stole a glance behind her at them and flexed them gently, splaying out each individual feather. Icarus Syndrome had stolen the glittering silver they once were and replaced it with gritty black splotches of discoloration. Even in the dream realm, Icarus Syndrome haunted her. Her sickness was never more than a flick of a feather away. Princess Luna had once given her a lecture about the subconscious, the ego, and identity, and self-representation in dreams. Diamond had nodded off about half way through. Was that irony? It didn't matter. She had very little time to contemplate such matters. She'd forced herself to sleep after her visit with Nettleglum, and slipped between realms for a reason, and it was a waste to spend the time thinking about irony. She peered up at the terrible blizzard that spiraled around in the air above her and spotted a faint white cloud that seemed slightly bigger than the rest. She grinned. A pegasus' eyesight was the best of the best, and hers was better than most. Diamond flittered up towards the cloud without a terrible amount of difficulty. She was asleep after all, where her wings worked the way she wanted them too. The dream realm was a place the Night Court often visited during their off time. A 'payment for services rendered' of sorts. Lucid Dreaming, as Luna called it, was the realization that you were dreaming while asleep. In the Dream Realm, matter could be created from imagination, and with a little skill, nothing was out of reach. Diamond was often reluctant to visit, as her imagination was vivid, and her emotional scars were deep. Without proper control, dreams could easily shift to nightmares, and the Nightmare Realm was a place Diamond found herself in far too many times for her liking. The cloud in the middle of the snow storm was comfortably warm with a large plush rug and an expensive array of bookshelves that seemed to materialize around her, as if she were in someone's personal study. A tiny library, perhaps, that was complete with its own crackling fireplace. It was a very very classy cloud, and there, sitting in the middle of it all, was a ebony pegasus with a dark blue mane. He smiled quaintly at the little filly that popped out of no where, and dipped his head in greeting. "Diamond Dancer. And what do I owe the surprise? Do we have another mission already?" The dark pegasus asked. Diamond gazed at the swirling snow around her. It was almost hypnotic the way the cold biting wind and the warm home-like environment of the cloud created a juxtaposition around her. She nodded her head as she stared into the heart of the storm. "The princess is missing, Virga. Princess Celestia says she's in Tartarus, and she wants the Night Crew to rescue her. You'll lead us, right? " Diamond explained quietly to the dark pegasus, even if she were unable to take her eyes from the freezing madness in front of her. Behind her, she could hear Virga climbing to his hooves and he joined her, watching the storm he'd created by her side. Diamond knew relatively little about Virga, who was the 'Night's Champion' but rumor around the castle was he was the product of a pegasus and a Wendigo, impossible as it sounded. While Diamond wasn't terribly sure of events that lead to Virga's creation, the black pegasus could conjure storms of terrifying power from his wingtips and that was good enough for her. He frowned and peered down at the filly. "Tartarus is no place for fillies. " He grunted. She didn't turn to look at him but nodded her head. "Tartarus is no place for ponys." She countered. He growled. She was right, of course, but that was beside the point. He shook his head, watching the snow dance around the little cloud in a frenzy. "I'm serious. This mission is too dangerous even for you. You will stay behind," He growled, watching her closely. He'd expected a tirade of angry insults, and protest. Instead, she simply rolled her eyes, as if she'd been expecting those exact words. "Why dontcha grab an abacus and calculate the odds of that actually happening. Go ahead. I'll wait," "Dia, no. " "You are literally about to walk into the underworld and there's an invincible girl who wants to help, and she has a magic wishing star capable of bending reality itself, and your choice is to leave her behind?" She asked flatly. He turned to glare at her and was unsurprised to find a cheeky grin stretched across her lips from ear to ear. He sneered. Did she think this was a game?! Was she even aware of what she was actually saying?! "Diamond, this mission-" He started, but found his voice cut off by the unchanging expression she bore. It was pure determination. Stubborn little thing. She was fully aware of the situation and it was him alone who was just wishing that she weren't. He gave a sigh and gently nodded his head in frustration and defeat. She would be more useful to them tagging along instead of waiting for news that they succeeded and in the event misfortune befell them all, the tiny jewel around her neck could mean the difference between life and death. And the worst part was that she knew it. "Take off time is six tomorrow morning at the castle. That should give us plenty of time to prepare, and since we'll be gone all day, it'll give Celestia time to get our victory party ready!" She squeaked. He nodded gruffly and forced a smile at the spunky little pegasus. If they were all about to meet their grisly deaths in the underworld, at least Diamond seemed to have a positive attitude about it! She turned and gave him a misaligned salute, before she pitched herself over the side of the cloud and disappeared into a blanket of white snow. ***** Diamond jerked awake with a gasp, peering around her with wide eyes and perked ears. She'd found a nice shady tree branch to rest in and force a nap, after she'd left Nettleglum's place. With two members of the Night Court confirmed, only one remained and possibly the toughest challenge of them all. Dinky never wanted to do anything other than study, and be left alone. Getting her to join a fun romp into the jaws of death was going to be like pulling teeth. Out of a dragon. That breathes perpetual fire. But Luna had once said Dinky had the 'gift' of necromancy, and if that were true, even a young necromancer could prove useful. At least, Diamond hoped so, since they were going to need all the help they could get.