It had been a harrowing night. Insulted a Nightmare Moon in a way that made me laugh extensively in my mind… up until she slammed me against a wall and tried to stick the keyblade into my head but details aren’t important. I could erase that off the bucket list I created after the first few dream sequences I had. The instances of being told about events that would happen in this world and Earth were thorough. After a couple of days I had figured out all the villains that would appear and when they would appear. I also found out that heartless only trickled into this world because of the extensive light being used to power this place. It also made the heart of this world a difficult place to capture because the light was overly corrosive to the heartless at this point.
“Where the hell am I?”
The entire area around me seemed overly aetherial and magical. I was suspended on a large magical sigil that seemed to radiate light making a solid platform out of that light. In the center of the area was a large desk with an overly comfortable looking armchair. On the desk was the Lexicon waiting for me it seems. I took a seat and finally took a good look around the room for lack of a better term for it. There were thirteen pedestals all around me each holding one of the weapons I had asked for. Only the sixth and twelfth pedestals were highlighted and visible. The thirteenth pedestal was only half lit up while the other half was trapped in dark chains.
“What about the others…?”
I quickly shut up when I saw all the other pedestals were wrapped in dark chains. There were no locks and no discernible way to unlock them. I opened the Lexicon on the desk and a small holographic display opened… showing me my status.
Nebula Gray
Level: 8
Attack: 24
Defense: 37
Magic: 29
Oh neat. I leveled up three times after fighting a giant pureblood heartless and surviving. So I guess that was the reason another pedestal opened up for me to use in battle. So now I have three weapon types to use. Which one was the twelfth...wait. That was the sadistic woman with the lightning powers wasn’t it? I wonder if these weapons influence their wielders. Might as well check through my options now.
I lifted my hoof to summon my new weapons and the kunai blades attached to my hoof. Then the other set attached to my other hoof. It was then that I noticed that I was still pony even in my dream…
‘Did god troll me entirely… I mean I did want a new life… I just didn’t think he would be this thorough. I’m gonna miss having hands now…’
Then I felt movement somewhere. Someone was moving around my dreamscape.
As I looked around I saw a guy sorta just walk out from the darkness. He was dressed in a white shirt, jeans, and he was holding… the X-blade. “What’s the point of this again if I’m not gonna remember everything?”
“Even if you won’t remember in the real world you will here in the dream one.” A voice seemed to speak from the X-blade.
“Fine, bu-” He cut himself off when he spotted me. “Well this is new…”
“Oh look. Somebody popped into my dreams. Hello weary traveler welcome to The Dreamscape your one stop shop for all things that make all your dreams come true. We offer a wide variety of items to delight and inspire. Now who the fuck are you and what the fuck are you doing here?”
“Hey, X just has me walk around the dreamscape til I wind up somewhere. I have literally no idea where I am or who you are. He makes me train this way just in case.” The guy said.
“That’s wonderful. No really stupendous. I’m touched that somebody would have you come here to train for absolutely no discernable reason. So your name is…?”
“Zeke… Ventral…” He muttered the last name.
“Never heard of you.”
He seemed to sigh in relief. “Well, anyway, what’s your name and what’s with the towers and lexicon?”
“Now I’m ‘Nebula Gray’ I guess. Used to be Jack… something. I’m guess you’re one of those guys he mentioned. I’m sure you can figure out what I am and why I’m here. Probably?”
He looked at me for a moment. “Oh, so there are others like Eclipse out there, huh, how hard did God hit you with the literal stick?”
“Wound up unconscious for twenty seven days after having my wings grow in. Was delusional because I couldn’t see my wounds and I think right now I’m bleeding out in the dungeon of that castle in the forest. You know overall I say a good night and what not.”
“Wow, Eclipse was reborn Twilight Sparkle’s twin in his reflection, went through puberty twice, now… well things are getting hectic in the multiverse now.”
“Neat. I’m calling him Sparkplug the moment I see him then. Either way I’m sure there are loads of questions and a whole lot of problems on your side so why are you here then?”
“I told you, the X-blade, when I sleep has me wander around the dreamscape til I wander into something. Tonight I wandered into here. Usually I find the dreams of worlds or things like that.”
“Super. Well I’m pretty sure I’m dying out there and that’s perfectly fine. I’ve was ready for it the moment the world was gonna end. So any reason I shouldn’t die then?”
“Well for starters, cause it’s a trend so far with all the survivors, you likely caught the eye or eyes of someone, pony? Whatever. Plus I’m pretty sure it’s human nature to keep struggling till all fades to black, right?”
“I’m certain that’s a thing. Damn ponies keep looking at my wings and I still don’t understand the goddamn aesthetics they have. I’m pretty sure I’m gonna get back up. So now that that’s settled… Are you gonna be a problem? I’m pretty sure if you are training you’re fighting something really bad…”
“Why would I be the problem? And yeah… Core and the rest of my family, let’s just say that if you see a guy in purple robes and a blank face mask… run. I don’t exactly have my legs in the real world anymore because of that bastard.”
“Nifty. He’s a creature of darkness right?”
“A Nobody that turned himself into the first born emblem heartless, he has an army of… experiments, his own reflections, my family, he’s God’s brother, and who knows who else works for him, but that’s what I generally know.”
“Okay I really don’t want you to visit me in real world moments unless I get something to hide your scent. I mean seriously you smell like half of you is covered in darkness and there’s a weird pit trying to work it’s way into you. Hell I only have this keyblade because I asked for it.”
“So did I.” He said, holding up the X-blade. “But apparently since my darkness and light are balanced, I would have gotten this thing anyway.”
“I only got this.” I summoned my Keyblade. “It smells like a lot of darkness for some reason but I think it can use light spells. For some reason I keep hearing a weird mumbling from time to time.”
“It’s a keyblade of darkness, what you’re hearing is likely the darkness inside it. Dark Keyblades do have light, all real keyblades do, but ones like that one have more darkness forged into them than light. If your heart can’t handle the darkness in it, well, those mumbles may become shouts.”
“It’s funny. All the mumbling says to me is to prank people and ponies whenever and wherever I can. I think the worst it’s been is to hang somebody from a tree covered in honey so far from what I remember. Also I’m thinking the pink one will get it.”
“That sounds like your reflection Discord somehow talking through it, not sure how but I’d look into it.”
“Don’t worry it’s on the bucket list. I’m gonna punch him in the schnoz. I already called Nightmare Moon a whorse so I’ll get to sign two things off the list. Ha!”
“If you say so. Either way, whatever is going on here seems… important?”
“I have no clue. My reflection of Nightmare Moon summoned the Demon Tide and I think when she was purified it turned into the Demon Tower. That was a pain. Though when she slammed me against the floor in her magic I did learn how to use gravity magic… lost a lot of blood for it though. Well win-win I guess.”
“Been there. Well, if you see human, or pony, Heartless or Unversed fusions running around… Core’s been there, so yeah, watch out for those.”
“Quick question. Since he’s a being of darkness can he track when light keyblade users use Doors to Darkness?”
“I don’t know actually. As far as that’s happened to me he either can’t or has no interest in them.”
“I’m gonna err on the side of caution then. Here gimme a sec…” I summon the Lexicon and tap it against his head. “Ok Link established. I can send you messages now.”
“Oh, so something like how we use Keyblades to send codes then, good. Since I won’t remember when I wake up X is gonna have to remind me.”
“No. This is more secure. The less others know about me the better I can move around. From what you’ve said he has his eye on you and whoever else is related to you. I’m gonna try to keep my reflection as safe as possible and not drag it into a war.”
“He’s interested in me because of the X-blade, he only has my family around as ‘workers’ since they’re all criminals of varying degrees. Besides, he has ways of finding worlds regardless, mainly through the people. I think he can tell who isn’t supposed to be there, once he’s got interest, expect your life to suck worse than you are going through now.”
“You are a wealth of charisma and making people feel better. Gold Medal for you. Crap… I’m like level eight at this point. And yes I know my stats I can see my delusions… There’s even a treasure chest nearby which is fucking with me. This is a dream and I’m pretty sure if I open it now it’s gonna end up in my bag and freak me the fuck out.”
“Well, the chest thing sounds like God playing… god, but the way you talk… you do know that when you die here there is no respawn, no ‘load game’, right? This is god’s reality, our reality now. You said it yourself, you’re bleeding out while this dreamscape conversation is happening… you might wanna wake up soon then…”
“Nah. It’s fine.”
“Pride is a killer you know?”
“Pride? Nope. No pride here. It’s more… acceptance I guess. I’m sure I’ll wake up and maybe I’ll live maybe I won’t. No worries about it. I’ve been ready since way back then. No real ties yet remember? I’ve been ready to die for a very long time already. Not killing myself or any suicidal thoughts. Just acceptance.”
“You know…” He started, sitting down. “In my old family, I saw more death than I care to remember. We used corpses for target practice, everywhere we went bodies piled up often in the hundreds. I never killed, but I saw enough of it that when my own uncle branded me with a death mark, saying that unless I join in on the family business, he was gonna personally kill me. I didn’t care, I was gonna die in either a cop vs Ventral shoot out or from that mark either way. Then God came along and now… I have a family, kids, a world that calls me a hero, not caring about my past. Same goes for the other survivors. I realized something then, I had no reason to live on til this happened. Kinda makes you think God didn’t just pick us up because we didn’t kill anyone that day, maybe he picked us up because our happiness wasn’t on earth. Not sure if you even care, but if you don’t, just proves my point, without people, ponies, whatever, without someone to care about you, and you to care about them, the death you end up with is a fate not even a Nobody deserves.”
“Right. Inspiring. You didn’t load any of their weapons did you? I’m pretty sure that’s still accessory to murder. I did work as a cop before. You know what. Don’t answer that. I don’t care. I’ll choose life then.”
“Good, once you got a good thing going for you, protect it, otherwise you’ll lose it faster than you got it.”
“Just make sure none of you warp into my reflection before I set up a safe spot. If he can sense darkness maybe he’ll ignore me for a while because of his blind devotion to that blade.”
“He only wants it cause his… well, you don’t wanna hear it, do you?”
“Is it horribly depressing?”
“His wife was X-blade’s first wielder ever, yeah, he’s that old. She died by an from what I understand, she’s in a place where there was nothing before nothing. A place only a god can reach. He wants to send everything there, not even sure how that logic works, but that’s about it. Guess losing a loved one you don’t make the best life choices after that happens.”
“Well at least he isn’t going after Kingdom Hearts then. You remember there are three ways to open it right?”
“I believe I have one in my hands, right?”
“That’s one. The second was shown at the end of the second game. Feed it hearts and the doors burst open. The third was shown at the end of the first game. Do you remember?”
“A key on each end, right?”
“Specifically a keyblade of light and a keyblade of darkness. If we’re lucky maybe all he can make are darkness keyblades. So long as no one falls to his side or he captures someone who can use a keyblade of light, we’re golden.”
He chuckled. “Wish that were true, his goal, he already has a connection to the place that is true nonexistence, to the Void. With that power, he won’t even need to bother with Kingdom Hearts.”
“You know you should be a motivational speaker. Really you are a bowl of sunshine here. Here I am bleeding out and not dying yet trying to find a hopeful line and you are the one with the dour expression. Congrats Commander you are the epitome of hope.” I clap my hooves together in slow motion to push how gleeful I am at the prospect.
“Just saying it how it is,” He said as he got up. “So you can start taking your life, powers, and combat seriously.” He finished.
“Yeah yeah… Time to wake up. Hopefully I don’t have to deal with this shit. Already I’m working from the ground up. One thing… Don’t send anyone here. That makes it hard to move around undetected for now. I need some time to ease into things before I get to the point where I’m can… survive against whatever it is you decided to fight against.”
“Surviving is all we can hope for.” He said, walking back into the darkness. “Call me if anything happens, or if you reach level eighty, alright?”
I nod and flap my wings and disappear back into my room. After he disappeared I went back to the chest and opened it. Inside was a note… from God.
‘So I may have tweaked a few things for you. What can I say… You are my favorite to tro- help. I’ve made it really hard to find you right now but it’s not permanent besides you are going to help them whenever you can. I’m making sure of it.’
He’s not even giving me a choice in the matter… God damn him. The embrace of sleep soon went away as I once again started to feel the light.