//------------------------------// // An imaginary friend // Story: Specters of the Mind. // by Dream Stalker //------------------------------// Starlight groaned as she buried herself into her seat, pressing her hooves into her ears in a futile attempt to drown out Pinkie Pie’s relentless chatter. They had almost reached Ponyville, and she was eager to get back to the castle. The memory of what had happened in the dream-scape, and then learning about Flurry Heart’s so-called imaginary companion did little to ease her nerves. She wanted answers, and the longer it took, the more nervous she became. She could only hope that the royal sisters and Star Swirl would be able to help them. Pulling herself away from the window, she turned and looked across the train at Flurry Heart, who was happily flying around the cart, stopping every once and a while to look at something before moving on. She couldn't help but smile at the young filly, and turned away, looking out the window at the passing landscape before gasping as something tackled her head, knocking her face first into the window. Pulling her face off the glass, she rubbed her cheek before turning to stare at Flurry, the source of the tackle, who was giggling and smiling at her. "I’m so sorry about that!" Cadence remarked, using her magic to return the filly to her side. "It’s alright. Honestly, I don't mind." Starlight reassured, smiling as Flurry removed herself from her mother’s side and flew over to her, sitting on the chair and wiggling herself between her front hooves. She cooed in contentment before gazing up at Starlight’s face, a bright smile on her cheery muzzle. Turning to look out the window, Starlight sighed in relief as Ponyville appeared in the distance. Picking up Flurry Heart and placing her on her back, she stood and trotted over to the door, bracing herself as the train rumbled to a stop in front of the station. She watched as the train doors finally opened, and was just about to step off onto the platform before she was, once again, knocked flat on her face. "Sorry, Starlight!" Rainbow laughed, flying ahead of the group. "Sure you are, Rainbow." Starlight muttered to herself, rolling her eyes at the pegasus before rising to her hooves, checking to make sure Flurry was alright before heading for the castle. Reaching the big, crystal doors, she watched as they opened via magic, and bowed low with the group as they were greeted by Celestia, Luna, and Star Swirl. "Nice to see you made it back alright." Star Swirl remarked, nodding at Twilight. "Good, now that we are all here, we can explain to Star Swirl what we have discovered, and perhaps check the map to see if it can help us." Celestia nodded to the group, before her eyes landed on Flurry. Smiling, she turned to Cadence. "Perhaps it would be best if Flurry took a nap. We are unsure what could happen, and I don't want her to be frightened, or injured." Celestia explained, smiling warmly at the filly, who babbled in response. "Absolutely, let me put her to bed, and then I’ll return. Spike, would you be a dear and watch over her while we are busy?" Cadence asked the young dragon, a warm smile on her face. "Sure, I don't see why not. Spike the Hero shall look after the fair maiden while she slumbers." Spike replied, puffing out his chest as he took Flurry Heart and headed upstairs, her mother close behind them. Twilight couldn't help but chuckle at her adoptive brother, before leading the rest of the group to the throne room. Leaping into her chair, she examined the structure, checking to see if it would give her any clues. Seeing nothing, she sighed and leaned back in her seat, a thoughtful, yet worried look on her face. Starlight, on the other hoof, was more than just worried. The familiar feeling of being watched had returned, and she shuddered as her spine tingled. Sitting up straight, she looked around, expecting the tell-tail giggling and wind to pick up, and jumped when a hoof patted her shoulder. She turned and looked at Luna, who was gazing warmly at her. "Are you alright?" She asked, looking expectantly at the lilac pony. "Sorta. I'm just nervous." She responded, putting on her best fake smile. Though deep down, she couldn't shake the feeling something was going to happen. What that something was going to be, was a mystery. She stared at the map, hoping something would happen, a sign or a symbol, anything. She was just about to tap the map with her hoof when Cadence walked into the room. "So, anypony want to explain to us what is going on?" she asked, going to stand next to her husband. "We recently were sent on a quest by the map, and discovered an alternate dream-scape, one that not even Princess Luna was aware off. While in that world, we discovered ruins depicting creatures we have never seen before." Twilight responded, walking over to Cadence. "What does Flurry have to do with this?" She asked, looking around at the group. "Those drawings she made are almost exactly like the murals we found in the ruins." Celestia replied, looking at said drawings. Cadence was just about to respond when the map suddenly lit up, and the cutie marks of everypony present suddenly appeared on the map. Glancing nervously at each other, they watched as the cutie marks all converged on one single structure. The Crystal Castle. Staring at each other, Twilight was just about to say something when a bright light erupted from the map, blinding everypony present, before everything went black. Starlight gasped as she woke up, shooting to her hooves as she looked around. She had expected to still be at the castle, and was somewhat shocked when she realized she was anywhere but. The fact that she was surrounded by familiar, multi-colored bubbles and floating crystal that emitted an ethereal mist was quite a surprise to the ponies present, and Starlight took a deep breath in realization. "What is this place? Where are we?" Cadence asked, turning in a circle as she stared in awe at her surroundings. "This is the alternate dream world we were talking about." Luna told Cadence, looking around at the dimension. "I can't believe my eyes!" Shining Armor said in awe, studying a floating crystal that pulsed with light. He turned to his sister, about to say something when a giggle pierced the silence, startling the ponies present as the wind picked up, slamming into them. Starlight grit her teeth, refusing to allow herself to be knocked over as glowing mist saturated the area, eliminating her view of her companions and effectively separating them. Turning to look into the mist, she couldn't help but gasp when she saw the figure again, and blinked when bluish purple eyes meet pupil-less ones. "Wait, pupil-less?" Starlight thought, gazing into the eyes that gazed right back before narrowing, and with one last giggle, the form began to vanish. "Oh no you don't!" Starlight cried, leaping at the form, intent on tackling it to the ground. She was sorely mistaken when not only did she phase right through it, but crashed face first into a crystal formation. The sound of laughter rang in her ears as she picked herself up and turned to glare at the figure who blinked playfully at her before turning and taking off, hidden in the mist. "You are NOT getting away from me!" Starlight cried, leaping after the retreating form. Needless to say, she was taken on quite an endurance test as the mystical figure led her around pillars, stalactites, bubbles the size of a house, bubble waterfalls, and glowing crystals. Never did she get close, and never did she make out the figure. She slowed as she rounded a stalactite, ready to pick up speed once she got past the obstacle when she slammed into Twilight and the others. Getting knocked on her flank, she blinked at her companions. "I take it we were all chasing the same thing?" Star Swirl asked, looking at his fellow ponies. A chorus of tired yes's filled the air, and Starlight sighed as she got to her hooves. "Something tells me we may never be able to catch it." Starlight said, about to help Twilight to her hooves when happy laughter filled the air, sounding out from behind a nearby pillar. "Flurry?!" Cadence gasped, leaping to her hooves as she practically flew to the pillar before becoming still as a statue. "What is it?" Starlight asked, dread filling her heart as she and the other ponies crowded around Cadence, looking around the pillar. Collective gasps of awe and shock filled Starlight’s ears as she gazed at the creature in front of her, its attention currently focused on a familiar alicorn foal, who was currently playing happily with the fur on its fetlocks. There was no denying that the creature she was seeing was the one depicted on the mural, only no drawing could ever do justice to just how beautiful the creature actually was. It looked like a pony, only it wasn't like any pony she had ever seen before. Its fur was bluish in color, like sea ice, and seemed to pulse with an inner light, the bluish color fading into purple around the hooves. Greenish tufts of fur covered the backs of its legs and the tops of its pasterns, and pitch black markings flowed from its muzzle down its neck and back, snaking their way down all four legs. Its mane was long and silky, light blue with strikes of chocolate brown, and green tufts covered the tips of its ears. Its eyes were dark purple, with icy blue in the center, as if a cold star pulsated from their depths. Pupil-less eyes, that seemed to draw in any who gazed into them. A bright red flower sat delicately against its ear, with a yellow center that pulsed with energy. But the most shocking features were its wings. Butterfly-like wings sat at its shoulders, Purple with bluish veins, a blue dot in their center. These, too, pulsed with energy. Starlight couldn't take her eyes off the entity as it studied Flurry Heart, who continued to pull eagerly at the fur on its hooves. She could make out no mouth whatsoever, and watched with bated breath as it lowered itself to the ground, looking at the young alicorn as she laughed and proceeded to climb her way onto its head and neck. Starlight blinked as she watched the entity slowly close its eyes and relax, and in that moment, she sensed a deep, overwhelming sadness from the creature. Loneliness. Suddenly, it all started to made sense. The murals, the Consumer, the fact that they had never seen any creature like this before, the fact that even Princess Luna had never encountered any in her long life, it all pointed to one conclusion. The entity in front of her...No, the Specter in front of her, was the last of her kind. It would also explain why the map had sent them. This was a friendship problem, and this Specter was the source. The map wanted them to befriend it, since it was the last of its species...all alone... Starlight frowned as she stood up straight, a look of determination on her face, before stepping out from behind the pillar. "What are you doing?!" Twilight asked, looking at her in confusion. Starlight ignored her friend as she stepped forward, her eyes never leaving the creature in front of her. Flurry Heart squealed as she spotted Starlight, sliding off the Specter’s head as she approached. Starlight watched as the pupil-less eyes opened, looking at the filly curiously before turning to gaze at Starlight. She froze as their eyes met, unable to calm her racing heart as she was studied intently. She gulped as the Specter slowly rose to its hooves in one fluid motion. It towered over her, and yet she felt no malice, only curiosity. Taking a deep breath, she walked over to the creature, reclining her head back so she could look it in the eyes. "You’re a Specter....aren’t you?" Starlight asked, tensing. The entity stared at her for a few seconds before closing its eyes and nodding. She sighed in relief before straightening her stance. "Why did you attack us?" Starlight asked, looking intently at the mysterious being. It blinked, tilting its head, a look of confusion on its face as it stared back at her. "At the ruins, you hit us with wind." Starlight explained, suddenly unsure. The Specter blinked, its eyes widening before it shook its head and assumed a playful stance, turning to glance at Flurry Heart, who laughed and planted herself on its back. Turning back to Starlight, it gave her a playful shove, its eyes glowing with mischief as it leapt away before sending a gust of wind into her face. Flurry Heart laughed at Starlight’s ruffled appearance as she gaped like a fish out of water, realization dawning on her face. "You were playing with us?!" She asked, staring at the Specter in disbelief as it leapt onto a pillar, glowing eyes gazing down at her. A simple nod was all the warning she got before another gust of wind smacked her in the face, forcing her to close her eyes. She opened them, only to shriek when she realized the Specter was inches from her muzzle, giving her a detailed look into both of its eyes. Flurry Heart giggled from her seat on its back as it leapt away again, looking expectantly at her. She was just about to say something when the Specter suddenly glanced behind her, and just as quickly as it had appeared, it vanished, leaving Flurry Heart to float alone in the air. "NO! Wait, please don't go!" Twilight called, running forward as Starlight stared at the spot the specter had been. She couldn't believe what had just happened, and felt her heart squeeze with pity as she stared where the Specter had stood moments ago, only to blink when she spotted the red and yellow flower that had rested behind its ear. Gently picking it up with her magic, she studied it, wondering what significance it held. She blinked when she felt a tug on her mane, and looked up at Flurry Heart, who was looking at the flower with a disappointed expression on her face. "Well my friends," Star Swirl said, looking around at his fellow ponies, "I believe we have just met our first Specter." He turned to gaze curiously at the flower floating in Starlight’s magic, but did not comment other than to perform a quick scan of the object. Starlight looked back at the flower, the memory of how lonely the Specter had looked floating around in her mind, and decided then and there that she would return the flower, and do everything she could to befriend the creature. Turning to join the group as they prepared to return to the real world, she felt eyes on her once again, and turned to search for the purple eyes before the world went dark. This left behind a very disappointed Specter, who floated out from behind her spot to stare at where the pony had once been. Giving an annoyed huff, she turned and began to make her way towards the location of Ponyville, deciding to properly introduce herself to the group who had stumbled into her home, hell bent on getting her flower back from the lilac pony. However, if she had turned back for just a second, just for a single moment, she would have seen a dark, mist-like thing slither along the ground, pausing at one of the smaller dream bubbles before engulfing it, contracting for a few milliseconds before moving on. In its wake it left behind an empty bubble that exploded into nothing as soon as it touched a crystal. Had anypony been paying attention that night, they would have heard, for just a second, the agonized screams of a pony as he collapsed to the ground, his body twitching for a few moments before going still, his mind and soul having been devoured by the Consumer. The ethereal entity continued on its hunt, never stopping, never resting, as it devoured the dream energy of any creature it encountered, leaving nothing behind but a corpse as it searched for its next meal.