//------------------------------// // Nightmares // Story: Night Patrol 2: Awakening // by Foxgear //------------------------------// Night Patrol 2: Awakening Ch 13 By Foxgear The sun crept over the horizon, demanding the moon recede. Luna tired and fighting off sleep lowers her precious moon to give way to her sister’s morning sun. Like always the first rays of the day assault the tired princess’s heavy eyes. She squints turning away from what was considered a rare and beautiful sight. The first rays of the of the day. Most would not have the urge to awaken so early to view the morning sun. Even the most devout of Celestia’s followers rarely do so. “Urgh… too bright as always Celestia…” Luna moans turning away from the dazzling lights and brilliant shades of pink and orange that illuminate the clouds of in the distance. “Do we have any coffee? Actually, scratch that, I’ll have tea. Some kind of relaxing blend, please. I am very tired.” She asks a crew member of the Taisho, Kiri’s ship. “Urgh… I hate it when I get backlogged.” Since leaving to retrieve Princess Cadence the task of tending the nightmares of ponies had fallen by the wayside. Being so far from Equestria made it hard to reach the dreams of ponies that need her help with their nightmares. Now that the mission was done she’s been trying to play catchup. Since she was still far away she had to use more magic than usual to go dream walking and since she just couldn’t leave a foal to suffer she’s also been helping the foals of the nearby countries that they pass. Looking north Luna could see the island shores of Britannia. Where she had spent a good chunk of the night dream walking last night. Taking this route would add an extra day to their travel, but it would worth it to avoid the war between Hispania and Prance. To be honest, Luna wouldn’t mind taking an extra detour to Nippon before returning home to Equestria. The thought of enjoying Nippon Royal Family’s company again was rather appealing after a successful mission. Especially when little Princess Miso was such a charm to be around. The little Princess was the very picture of what Symphony’s daughter would have been like had she been allowed to grow up. Symphony. How long has it been since she thought of her dear departed cousin? Not since the fall of the Crystal Empire, she assumed. Now that she thought about it, Princess Cadence shared Symphony’s daughter’s name. Mi Amore Cadenza. What a mouthful, but it was certainly a befitting name for royalty. “I never did find out what became of Mi Amore in the battle. Applejack and Nightingale said Symphony used some sort of spell to disappear with Mi Amore, but when Symphony returned she was alone.” She had never thought much of Princess Cadence’s true name, one because of their very limited interactions, and two she was too busy with her own things to really care. Now that she had time and they were literary stuck on a ship. Perhaps it was time to bond a bit. “I’m probably over thinking things. Celestia probably just gave her the name because she claimed Cadence as our niece. No doubt some nobles would have demanded proof of lineage.” Sitting at one of the tables on the upper deck Luna waits for her tea. The thought of Cadence’s name continuing to plague her. Even when the tea arrived and she drank. She found she still could not relax. Luna slumps on the table. “Could Cadence actually be Cadenza? They do share many similar traits, but if so wouldn’t Celestia tell me outright if our only living blood relative was alive? Also, Cadenza was born a pegasus, not an alicorn. Unless she found a way to ascend?” The more and more she thought about the Pink Princess. The more and more Luna realized she didn’t know much about her or her past or how she even became the princess of Love. Maybe she should go talk to Cadence. Like she should have done two days ago when Canary mentioned the Princess of Love seems distraught. “I should really stop putting this off,” Luna growls sourly. “She’s just a young mare. What’s reason to be so nervous about talking to her?” Drowning the last of the tea Luna takes the cup, gives it to the chef for cleaning and trots down to the cabins. Lord Kiri and Kaki were still asleep in their rooms from what she could sense. As were Canary and Bricks. Cadence… something wasn’t right with her. Opening the door to the pink Princess’s room. Luna found Cadence thrashing wildly about in her bed, tears streaming down her cheeks as tries to thwack whatever was assaulting her. If only nightmares were so easy to beat. With a flash of her horn, Luna held the Princess down, rushing to her side, “Cadence! Wake up! It’s only a dream!” She told the struggling princess. Cadence’s eyes flutter open, her eyes wide with fear, her chest heaving in huge goblets of air. Slowly Cadence’s breath steadies and she lies still in her bed, her coat matted with sweat. “Auntie… I mean Princess Luna… what… what are you doing in my room?” “No need to be so formal Cadence. Luna is just fine.” She told the pink princess as she let go of her magic. Cadence rose to sit on the bed, her face flush as she took in the mess she had made. Her pink coat turning red as she touched the sweat-soaked sheets. “Oh, my… I seem to have made quite the mess. I…I should clean this up!” Cadence began hastily gathering the sheets with her magic. Rolling the damp sheets into a huge ball and carrying them out of the room. Luna, however, had different plans. She grabs the sheets from Cadences, catching a passing crew member. “Could you please tend to these?” The crew member nods and takes the spoiled sheets away. Down the hall Kiri emerge from his room, his mane a mess and his regalia forsaken. “What’s all the noise for?” He sniffs the air, catching a whiff of the sweaty sheets. Looking down the hall at the two Princesses. Cadence ducks behind Luna under the Rinin lord’s stare. “Are all Equestrian Princesses so immature?” “Dreams are a powerful thing, Lord Kiri, especially nightmares,” Luna said in Cadence’s defense. “They can be mentally traumatic and effect ponies physically if left unchecked.” “Tsk, whatever. Do what you will, but I will not have my crew burden with such mundane tasks. Fix her dishonorable conduct or at least have her clean up after herself.” Kiri reenters his room and shuts the door. Cadence’s ears droop, “I’m sorry.” “Don’t worry about it,” Luna assures her taking the Pink Princess next door to her room. Luna has Cadence sit down on the bed. Once again Luna asks for tea from a crew member. “Nightmares are nothing to be ashamed of. Everypony has them. As Princess of the Night, it falls to me to help guide ponies through their mental hurdles. Usually, nightmares are rooted in real-world fears and problems that are given life in the unconscious. Now how long have you been experiencing this level of a nightmare?” “Are you… are you physic evaluating me? Are you even a licensed shrink?” “Shrink… oh, those ponies that imitate what I do, but drag it out over several months with huge fees.” Luna chuckles remembering when she read up on the shrink profession. They proved useful in most cases, but not every pony could enter another ponies mind like she could. “Don’t worry about my credentials. Most of their practices are based off my methods anyway. Now please answer the question.” “Well…” Cadence thought aloud. “Before I came to Germane I only had night terrors like this every once in a while. However, when I stayed in Germane I started having really bad nightmares almost every night. There would be a sharp pain in my neck every morning, I would feel tired and drained of magic like I had been practicing spells nonstop. Headaches would come easily and stay all day with very little relief. And I would soak the bed sheets in sweat.” She adds with a blush. Luna taps her chin, looking closer at Cadence’s appearance. Her eyes were tired and shot and it wasn’t because it was morning. The black circles under her eyes were deep and built up over time. She was defiantly not sleeping well and it was starting to affect her body. Soon it could affect her mind. Lifting her mane aside Luna inspects Cadence’s neck, finding a number very faint puncture scars. “Is there anything you can think of as why this might be happening?” She asks keeping a tight lid on the scars for now. It would only add to Cadence’s fears and she had enough at the moment. “Something you’re worried about? Or some traumatic event?” Cadence shakes her head, “None of the top of my head. I’m getting married in later this month, so maybe I could have been worried about missing the wedding since I got stuck in Germane, but that wouldn’t explain this morning since I’m going to make it back in time.” “Hmm, we might be dealing with multiple issues built up over time.” Looking out the window Luna estimates it was about nine in the morning. She let out a yawn her own wariness catching up with her. “I’ll come visit you tonight. Right now, I’m in dire need of sleep myself, so if you would kindly remove yourself. I’ll see you later.” “Oh of course!” Cadence quickly jumps off the bed. Allowing Luna to crawl under the blankets. The Princess of the Night drifting off to her own dreams the instant her head touched the pillow. “Well, goodnight Aunt Luna.” “I said call me Luna,” Luna murmurs in her sleep. Cadence smiles and closes the door. (Night Time) “Alright let’s begin,” Luna sat beside Cadence’s bed, the sheets clean and the pink Princess tucked in tight, courtesy of the Princess of the Night. The blankets were so tightly tucked that Cadence could barely move her head! “Are you confrontable?” “I don’t think I can feel my wings,” Cadence replies, trying to move her feathered appendages. “Nope. Can’t move an inch. Are you sure this is necessary?” The Pink Princess inquires, indicating the two lengths of strong rope that bound her and her blankets to the bed. An anti-magic ring adorns her horn, if the ship were to suddenly crash, Cadence would stand no chance of surviving! A thought that was really making it hard to relax and sleep like Luna was demanding she does. Scooting against the wall, as far away from Cadence as possible, Luna nods. “Yes. Normally I am not physically present when I enter a dream nor do I enter the dreams of Alicorns very often. A pony of your magical might may inadvertently cause harms to others while I probe your dreams. Things such as sleeping casting spells or creating wind storms with your wings. Or punch me in the face.” Luna adds remembering the time Celestia clocked in her the jaw after her first attempt to spy on her sister’s dreams when they were fillies. A thread of light twirled around Luna’s horn, she cast the thread like a fishing line, the end of it attaching to Cadence’s forehead. “Now, please hold still and relax. It will but a moment.” “I’m not feeling very sleepy…” A long drawn out yawn escapes the Pink Princess’s lips, her jaws chomping loudly as her head rolls to the side followed by the sound of soft snoring. Luna’s own eyes flutter close. The princess of the Night slumping against the wall with a thud as she enters the realm of dreams. She enters the familiar darkness of the world of dreams. Thousands upon thousands of lights fly past her, in them lied the dream world of everypony in the world. Taking control of the dream realm Luna reorganizes the bubbles into doors, creating a seemingly endless hallway. The doors shuffle past at high speeds till a door baring Cadence’s mark stands before her. “Well… here I go.” She enters the door. (Cadence’s dream) Cadence stood alone atop the pile of some ruined building. She didn’t know what it had been before it was destroyed. A bakery, a Diner, an apartment building? It didn’t matter. For the past two weeks since she’s had this dream it’s away been her starting point. She looks out over the ruined landscape, a city unknown to her in ruins and the cackling laughter. In the sky above a battle rages. She watches unable to work the courage to fly up and partake. For the two being igniting the sky in fire and darkness where the royal sisters. Princess Celestia and Nightmare Moon. “Aunt Celestia!” Cadence cries out to the sky. She tries to move her wings, but a passing glare from Nightmare Moon leaves her frozen in place. Nightmare Moon deflects a stream of fire with a sphere of blackness. The dark Alicorns gaze fixed on the Princess of Love. “You’re an eyesore, weakling!” Nightmare Moon lets loose a teal beam of death straight towards her! Cadence tries to move but finds her hooves rooted to the ground by her very own shadow. Hot tears fall down her cheeks as the beam of death draws closer. “CADENCE!” Celestia swoops in taking the brunt of the attack. The white alicorn falls, bloody and battered, her wings broken and useless as she lay on the ground. For a moment Cadence’s fear is forgotten as she rushes to her aunt’s side. “Princess Celestia! I’m sorry! I should have stayed in the tower like you told me too.” Cadence cries embracing the battered Princess. Cackling Nightmare Moon lands atop a half-destroyed building, her smile wide and mocking, “Oh, how sad. She might have stood a chance had you not gotten in her way. Really dear Cadence, your such a worthless Alicorn. I’m not even going bother using my powers to kill you. I’ll let my minions do it for me!” The shadows rise up, taking the form of pure black ponies with crooked horns and broken wings. There were hundreds, no thousands of them, and they marched right for Cadence! Cadence picks Celestia up with her magic, running back up the broken pile of rubble to gain some high ground against the creatures. As she does this a battered platoon of guard ponies led by Shining Armor take up a position at the base of her crumbled fortress. “Shining!” “Don’t worry Cadence, we’ll hold them off! You get Princess Celestia out of here!” Her beloved knight shouts as he and fellow guards let loose a battle cry as the shadow ponies slam into their meager defensive line. In mere seconds they were overwhelmed, Cadence watching as the guard ponies were skewered on the crooked horns of their enemy. Shining was the last pony standing, three broken horns were embedded in his flesh as he projects a shield. The shadow ponies scrap and scratch at the magical wall, cracking it. Shining gave her a long look and a broken smile as the shield fell, his white coat disappearing beneath the sea of black. “No, Shining! NOOO!” She wails as the horde climbs towards her. She lets loose a horrible scream, letting loose a bolt of magic that tore through the horde, but the fallen were quickly replaced. None the less she fired and fired and fired! All around she heard the taunting voice of Nightmare Moon in her ear. “Weak, useless, third-rate, it’s laughable to think you were supposed to replace me! Princess of Love? What a laughable title!” “Shut up!” Cadence screams letting loose one massive blast of magic! The blast wipes out the shadow ponies, but leave her horn smoking, the burning pain of overusing her horn caused a searing right down into her skull. She stood there, panting, tired, and defeated against the still unscathed Nightmare Moon. Even her meager victory of Nightmare’s minions was proved to be fruitless as more appear from the shadows. Nightmare Moon looks amusingly down from on high, “Well, seems you aren’t third rate hack at least. Maybe only a second-rate you fake Alicorn. A fluke is all you are, killing that witch and stealing her power is the only reason you ascended. You should be called the Princess of Murder because that’s what you are. A petty murderer that killed for power! You just might be eviler than me. At least I didn’t have to kill any pony for my power… well… not yet at least. I’ll be taking Celestia’s magic as soon I grow bored with you.” “I didn’t kill Prismia! Her dark magic rebounded and killed her!” “The pleas of a pony with a guilty conscious and blood on her hooves. I grow bored with you. Please prove me a few more seconds of meager entertainment as my minions tear you apart like they did your lover.” The shadow ponies charge up the hill again! Cadence rises to her hooves, trying to summon any spark of magic, only for few sparks to fall. The heat of her horn was so intense she thought her brain was going to melt out of her ears! “Wow, is this really how you see me?” A voice said beside her. Cadence whips her head around, tears of pure joy falling as Princess Luna stood proudly beside her. “Let’s get rid of these pests, shall we?” Luna blasts the oncoming wave of shadow ponies, only for more to take their place. “Cadence this is your dream, you must take control of it!” “How can I?” Cadence retorted tearfully. “I’m powerless! I couldn’t help Celestia, not here and not when Nightmare Moon returned for real! I was locked away in a tower by Celestia’s order! She knew I was just going to be a liability to her!” The shadow ponies grew in size, their resilience to Luna’s attacks growing. The attacks being absorbed by their void like bodies. Luna growls as she puts more force behind her attacks. “That’s not true! I know my sister! She wanted to ensure that should she have fallen in her battle against me, Equestria would still have a Princess to lead them! She trusted you with that burden!” “What if I’m not ready? I’ve never ruled a suburb, let alone an entire nation! I’m just the Princess of Love! I help couples with their problems, that’s it! What good is love in the face of a pony like Nightmare Moon?” “The real Nightmare Moon is beside you and let me tell you, love is more powerful than you think!” Luna said with a smile as she ends her attack, crossing her horn with Cadence’s. “Let me show you. Think of those you love, call for them, and their power will be your power.” Cadence tries to use her magic, but gets nothing, she trembles as the shadow ponies draw closer, “I can’t do it!” “Yes, you can. Trust me and trust yourself.” Luna assures her. Cadence closes her eyes, forcing one last little spark out of her horn into Luna’s connecting their magic. She reaches out through Luna’s dream strings, calling for help. Cadence breaks away, nothing happening, the shadow ponies reach the top of the hill about to pounce on the two Princesses when a pink wall appears between them and the shadow ponies! “Cadence! I’m here!” Shining Armor, the real Shining armor, screams charging down the hill from out of nowhere encased in a spherical shield. The shadow ponies being crushed under the giant hamster wheel-shaped shield. “As am I,” Said Celestia appearing from the sun. Nightmare Moon hiss as the brilliance of the white Alicorn’s rays reduces her army to smoke. “Ergh! Don’t think this is over! I have plenty of other fears to draw upon!” Cries Nightmare Moon, an army of changelings appearing beside her. Cadence let’s out a horrified shriek as she hides behind Shining Armor. Her fear making the Changelings grow inside and power. “Pathetic, now go! Crush them all!” Luna, Celestia, and Shining Armor all stand their ground as the horde comes at them. Cadence suddenly locks horn with Luna again, connecting to the dream strings again. “What are you doing?” Luna cries trying to get the pink princess off her. “Call for more help!” “Who are you…” Luna stops short, a powerful feeling of emotion overcoming her. She could feel the love Cadence was pulling on. A deep longing love… for her… (BUMP BUMP) A heartbeat, she heard a heartbeat, no she heard many heartbeats! (WHOOSH WHOOSH) And wings, the sound of many wings! (REARRROOOARRR!) And the chorus of roars! Luna staggers away from Cadence looking up at the sky. They all looked in awe and fear as hundreds of black specs came falling down like meteors. Nightmare Moon staggers back, fear swelling in her voice as she screams! “No, it can’t be!” Dragon Ponies of all shapes and sizes crash into the changeling army. Mouths of fire scorch the earth, their claws rendering the changeling’s to shreds as their jaws bite chunks off their black bodies. The four ponies stood and watch as the dragon pony army eviscerated the changelings. In the chaos as the dragon ponies fell upon Nightmare Moon. Luna saw the similar black scales and orange mane of Sixes. “Sixes! Sixes is that you! Are you real! Please tell me!” She begs as the Dragon ponies begin to disappear. Sixes smiles at her as he beings to fade. “Wake us up soon, ok?” Were his only words before he disappears. Luna shutters, her focus breaking, Celestia’s and Shining Armor’s connections are cut and they return to their own dreams. Swaying on her hooves, Luna steadies herself as she looks to Cadence for answers. “Please tell me! Tell me they were real! Where are they! Please tell me!” Cadence steps away, looking uncomfortable, “I’m sorry, I don’t know. I just found their thread of love and pulled. I don’t know if it was real or not.” “Try again! Please just try again!” “I don’t know if I can… I…I don’t know how it did the first time!” “Then I’ll do it!” Luna crosses her horn with Cadence’s trying will the Princess of Love’s magic with her own. Both Luna and Cadence’s door appear and then merge. The door opens then drags both Princesses in, dropping them unceremoniously on the ground. “Ugh… where are we? Are we still in the dream world?” Cadence asks looking around. They were in a strange city, a city made of crystal? Why did this seem familiar? Actually, it seemed really familiar. “Is this the city in my dreams? Usually, it’s in ruins, kind of funny to see intact now.” “The Crystal Empire.” “What?” She turns to Luna who is staring out in the frozen wastelands surrounding the city. A horde of Changelings surrounds the city. Luna suddenly takes off heading for the castle. Cadence follows her and they come to a pedestal where a tawny unicorn with a black mane was charging spinning blue heart with her magic. The same heart that marked Cadence’s flank. Luna gasps, “Oh gods… this day… why this day… oh, Dusk…” The unicorn, who Cadence notice was barely a filly was suddenly aging rapidly. Suddenly another Alicorn, with the same pink coat as her, came stumbling out of the castle, bloody and looking on death's door. A bundle of blankets clutched in her foreleg. Luna utters the name, “Symphony.” Cadence watching the scene with interest. It felt… familiar. Like this wasn’t the first time she’s seen this. The pink Alicorn, Symphony, touches the tawny unicorn and sudden teleports away. Cadence and Luna go along with her and they see Symphony standing before two earth ponies. She hands them the bundle, the blanket falling away to real a pink foal with purple, gold, and pink hair. “Is that me?” Cadence gasps in shock. Looking to Luna and the other ponies around. No pony answers as the scene fade away and they return to the Crystal Empire where another Luna is running up to Symphony’s side. The world around them shatters leaving them in a cosmic looking hallway, Luna and Cadence’s dream doors separate once again. Luna laughs humorlessly, “A shared memory. Who would have thought we’d have a connection like that? Course I hadn’t ever considered you’d be the real Mi Amore Cadenza. I really should have seen it sooner and maybe Celestia did, you look a lot like your mother.” “What are you talking about? What was that?” “We’ll talk in the waking world. Come find me at breakfast. Enjoy the rest of your night, niece.” Luna fades away, Leaving Cadence alone and confused as the doors of the cosmic hall disappear, leaving only her door to enter. “I guess I’ll find out in the morning, then.” On the deck of the Taisho, Luna once again is bombarded with the first rays of the day. Miserably she puts on the shades she requested from one of the crew members and sat on the dining deck table. Two cups of coffee and waffles were ready on the table. Now shall there was to do is wait for her niece to arrive. “Do you always wake up this early?” Cadence asks as she walks up on the deck, taking the seat across from Luna. She looks at the cup of coffee graciously and takes a few sips. “So, are you going to explain what happened last night?” “Your nightmares were a cause of your inferior complex when you compare yourself to Celestia and a number of other factors. I’ve been there myself.” Luna pauses and takes a sip and a bite. “But you’ve probably figured that out. I assume you actually mean our shared experience down memory lane.” Cadence nods, taking a sip and a bite. “Right, to put it simply when I tried to forcibly use your magic of Love. I accidentally tapped into a common love we share. Our love for Symphony, the Alicorn of Song, my and Celestia’s cousin and your mother. She died defending the Crystal Empire from King Sombra and the changelings nearly a thousand years ago.” “Ok, that would explain my fear of changelings despite never meeting one, but I was a newborn when… my birth mother died. How I can I have feelings for somepony I don’t remember?” “What the mind forgets the heart will carry on forever. A love between a mother and her child can never be broken Cadence. Your mother adored you and that love stayed with you even as you found a new mother to love. Because I’m sure your foster parents loved Symphony for giving them you.” Luna smiles. “Love is amazing isn’t? It builds and builds, connecting any pony and everypony together creating an ever-growing network of bonds. Bonds you can utilize with your magic. So, still think love isn’t powerful as the Sun or Moon?” “Maybe not on paper, I clearly have much more to learn. For right now, I would like to learn about my mother and father if you know of him. Unless you want to talk about that…” “Let us leave that matter for now. There will be plenty of time for that later.” Luna said smiling. “I have a few stories I can tell and there some time left before I retire for the day. Want to hear a few?” Cadence smiles back, “That would be appreciated. Auntie Luna.” “Auntie Luna…” Luna takes a sip of coffee, mulling the nickname around. “I could get used to it.”