Waking Nightmares: Remix Heart

by KnightMysterio

Prologue: Things Start Complicated

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Canterlot...
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From the mists of everypony's dreams, a dark blue figure emerged, sporting wings and horn, the image of the moon on a night sky adorning her flanks. She was Princess Luna, co-ruler of Equestria, guardian of the night. And she was worried.

Luna frowned as she finished her rounds for the evening. She teleported to her sister's chambers. She let them cast the appropriate identification spells, and spoke. “Our sister's sleep is troubled, but for some reason we cannot enter her dreamscape. We would speak to her directly.”

The guards hesitated for a moment, and let her in. “Please help her...” one of the guards asked softly, breaking his stoic facade.

The door opened, revealing Celestia's chambers. They were subtly decorated, with a sun motif. Most prominent was a painting of Celestia and Luna standing side by side, nuzzling each other. Luna smiled at it briefly before turning her attention to the twitching, squirming form beneath the blankets.

“Sister,” Luna said, getting into bed with the ivory alicorn and gently stroking her colorful mane. “Sister please, it's all right. It's just a dream...”

Celestia whimpered, her forelegs twitching as she cried. Luna nuzzled her, wishing she could do more. “It's going to be okay, sister. It's going to be okay...”

Celestia jolted awake, looking around frantically, panting for breath. “L-Luna...?” she said, the solar princess shivering. After a moment, she glomped onto Luna, hugging her tightly. “Oh Luna...”

“It's all right, sister, it's okay...” Luna said. “It was all just a dream...”

Celestia shook her head. “It felt so real, though... As real as one of my prophetic visions...” she said.

Luna frowned. “If it was a vision, then we both would have it, shared through our link,” she said.

“I know, I know, and that's part of what makes this so frustrating,” Celestia said.

Luna sighed. “I cannot access your dreams, sister,” she said. “Ever since you started having them, I haven't been able to get into your dream realms. Something outside is blocking me.”

“You can tell that?” Celestia asked.

“I know the difference between when something is keeping me out and when somepony is trying to block me from seeing something they don't want me to,” Luna said. She smirked, and added, “Like that one time I accidentally walked into a dream you were having about stallions made of cake.”

Celestia blushed, although she was smiling. Luna's attempt at levity had worked. “Well, yes, um...”

Luna giggled, glad her sister was smiling again. “Still... This is worrisome. The past three days now, you've had these terrible dreams. And I haven't been able to do anything to ease them.. “

Celestia shook her head. “Perhaps an old enemy returning to take advantage of a perceived weakness?” she suggested.

“Probable,” Luna thought. “And more likely than we may think, considering what is happening at the end of the week.”

“Queen Chrysalis's trial,” Celestia said softly. “Two years of searching, and we have finally caught her...”

“Dragon Lord Ember, Cadance and Shining, King Thorax, Prince Rutherford, Ambassador Catrina of Abyssina, King Crunch of the Diamond Dogs, Ambassador Anthem of Seaquestria, Prince Van Hammer of the Donkey lands, Senator Scorpan of the United Daemonkin Republic, Sunset Shimmer acting as a representative for human interests, High Priestess Rudolph of the Caribou, Grand Mambo Morowa of Zebrica, Prince Sima Bolin of the Qilin, President Mac Daddy of Labrynna, Baron Garrus of the Griffon territories, Ambassador Farooq of Saddle Arabia, Juggernaut Dejen of the Elephant kingdoms...” Luna shook her head. “All of them coming to PONYVILLE Of all places... And they couldn't be dissuaded.”

Celestia chuckled. “Something about being in the home town of the heroes who saved the world repeatedly appeals to outsiders,” she said.

“The poor fools,” Luna quipped, both sisters laughing, and then sighing.

“How many times has Twilight given herself a stroke trying to figure out the logistics?” Luna asked.

“Three times,” Celestia said. “Spike's taken to drugging her food to get her to sleep.”

“The boy's a hero in his own way,” Luna said.

The two sisters stared out into the night sky for a long moment. “This cannot continue,” Luna said. “If this is an attack, then it's an attempt to sabotage the former Queen's trial. As the judge and mediator, you have the most important role. You need sleep, a proper, restful sleep.” She took a deep breath. “At least until the end of Chrysalis's trial, I am going to use a spell to suppress your dreams.”

Celestia nodded, sighing. “I was about to suggest that myself,” she said. “This trial is too important for me to be troubled by these dreams. I wish I could remember them...”

Luna frowned. “Not a single detail?” she said.

Celestia shook her head. “Only one,” she said. “In many of them, I am the Daybreaker.”

Luna's ears drooped in alarm. Daybreaker was an imaginary creature, conjured up by a troubled pony's dreams when her attempt to help Luna and Celestia work out their differences seemed to backfire. “...Do you think you are starting to become her?”

“I don't know, Luna,” Celestia said after a long moment. “And that is what frightens me.”

Luna nuzzled her older sister. “Fear not,” the dark alicorn said. “For I am always with you. And I will always protect you.”

Celestia smiled warmly. “Luna... thank you...”

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A world away...
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“Amigo... You feelin' okay? 'Cause you're lookin' kinda sorta.. possessed...” said a demonic book with a bomb in its mouth.

The wizard holding the book cackled. His brown robes were stained with blood, and the demonic skull he wore as a hat had flames coming out of its eyesockets. “It thinks it knows us, it does. It thinks it knows Merasmus. But silly Bombinomicon knows nothing,” the wizard rasped, his eyes wide and bloodshot, his face twisted into a smile.

“Merasmus, please, don't do this!” screamed a woman's voice from the pit.

The book looked down into the pit. “Seriously, this is so stupidly out of character for you it's not even funny. What's going on?” the Bombinomicon asked.

Merasmus didn't seem to hear him, pacing back and forth. “I am/we are/they are listening. I hear them/us/myself, and they/we/I am SCREAMING! Always in my/our/their head, the voices, the voices...”

“Those voices should have told you to be a better roommate, maggot!” screamed a gruff voice from the pit. “You are NOT getting your security deposit back after this!”

“Soldier, for the love of God, let us handle this!” said a voice with an Australian accent.

“Gettin' a little uncomfortable with this, Merasmus,” the Bombinomicon said, a nervous expression coming to the book's 'face.'

“No no no no no I can't I can't I can't,” Merasmus chanted madly. “I/they/we have to do this otherwise it will come for me me MEHEEHEEHEE!!!” The wizard dissolved into mad laughter, clawing at his face with his gnarled, scar-laden hands.

“Holy crap, you're actually scary for once!” the Bombinomicon said in alarm, flying out of Merasmus's hands. “Okay, I'm done here. Don't worry, boys, Miss Pauling, I'll get you out!”

“Please!” the woman's voice said. “The fuses... they're almost at the bombs! I don't want to die!”

“DAMN IT, MEDIC, WHY ARE YOU SO CALM ABOUT THIS?” screamed a young-sounding voice from the pit.

“Well, Scout,” said a voice with a Germanic accent, “I have a bit of an out that will protect me from damnation. And if my calculations are correct, really the only one of us in danger from the afterlife will be Miss Pauling.”

“Yeah, no, these bombs are special and will dump you directly into Hell with no escape,” the Bombinomicon explained.

“Oh,” the Germanic voice said. “In that case, HURRY THE HELL UP AND GET US OUT OF HERE!”

“Right,” the Bombinomicon said. “Just let me ACK!!” It was cut off as Merasmus grabbed the book, dragging him away from the pit.

“Pretty thing, pretty thing...” Merasmus cackled, stroking the book's cover. “All will be all right, soon. The voices the voices the voices will go away, and it will all be wonderful again.”

“Merasmus, this isn't right! This isn't you! This is stuff you said you'd NEVER use!” the Bombinomicon said.

“I have to...” Merasmus said, his voice quivering with fear. “I thought... I thought if I gave them the old woman, then they'd stop... Then they'd leave me alone... But they just got worse, they started SCREAMING, I have to stop them SCREAMING!”

“Wait... YOU are the reason the Administrator went missing?” said a French-accented voice from the pit.

“Yes. She's gone,” Merasmus said. “Fed to it/they/THEM. And soon... Soon you will be too...” Merasmus giggled madly, collapsing as tears of blood ran from his wide, gaping eyes.

The voices in the glowing pit screamed in helpless fear and rage, threatening the wizard, pleading with him to let them go. The ten figures trapped in the pit could only look at the fuses of the black, spherical bombs beneath them as the fuses burned down...

And then the bombs exploded.

And then the ten were gone.

And inside Merasmus's head, the voices screamed even LOUDER.

“WHY!?” the wizard wailed, clutching his temples. “WHAT DID I DO WRONG!?”

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Equestria...
Everfree Forest...
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From the sky, ten figures came crashing down, surrounded in magical auras.

They were rather surprised to be alive, and not in a fiery burning pit. Not that they were complaining.

“Ow...” said a voice with a Texan drawl. “Everyone doin' all right?”

“Da,” grunted a rough, Russian-accented voice. “Heavy does not feel very good though.”

“We have healing,” said the German-accented voice. “My Medigun is nearby.”

“As is Sasha,” the Russian voice said, smiling when it spotted the familiar minigun nearby.

“Looks like our equipment came with us,” said the woman's voice as it adjusted her glasses. “Everyone gear up, and let's try to figure out what happened.

“Um... Miss Pauling, lass...” said a voice with a Scottish accent. “Bit of a problem.”

“What's wrong, Demoman?”

“None of us have hands anymore,” the Scottish voice said.

“What are you talking about?” Miss Pauling said, looking down at her hands... which were now purple scaled claws. She looked herself over, with increasing panic. Instead of soft, pale skin, she now sported thick, armored scales the same color as her dress, along with wings, a tail, and a muzzle. She looked around at the nine mercenaries.

They looked a little familiar, wearing the same clothes and with the same equipment with them.

Except they were all blue-colored horses now. Engineer, Medic, and Pyro, the latter struggling with their suit, all seemed to be unicorns. Sniper had turned into a pegasus. Heavy, Demoman, and Soldier were all large ponies. And Spy and Scout had become sort of pony/insect hybrid.

“I'm a dragon,” Miss Pauling said. “And you're all colorful horses.”

“So it would seem,” Medic said, looking everyone over with interest.

“...WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON!?” Miss Pauling screamed, her cry echoing into the night.