Here we were again, briskly trotting through the endless cloudy hallway filled with blue portals that led to many creature’s dreams. It was our duty after all, to watch after everypony’s dreams to ensure they didn’t suffer from their own nightmares. Nightmares can leave scars, mental scars and those scars are hard to heal.
Nightmares are complicated things; the fact that we can even enter the Dream Realm is a miracle to us. Nightmares are ponies’ feelings manifested into something bad. It’s not enough to just barge into dreams and destroy the nightmare we have to make sure they do not occur again. We can vanquish the Nightmare, but we cannot prevent it from happening that is up to the pony who created it.
I am merely somepony who points them in the right direction, an instructor of sorts. Like a teacher I don't give them all of the answers, but I try to help them understand and succeed. In the Dream Realm –my realm– I rule. I take care of my subjects and do it regardless of appreciation and praise, it is my duty to protect my ponies.
Most of the time it is trivial things that scare ponies like spiders. Who would be afraid of spiders? What ponies should fear are timberwolves, things that can kill you. A Star Spider’s venom is hardly potent.
But alas, it is our duty to bear through all of these ponies dreams...to repent for my actions. It’s not all that bad. It’s better than putting on a fake smile for subjects all day, Or signing thousands of papers that never end; I really do think I have it better here.
A flash of red pulls me from my thoughts. Straight ahead a portal had just turned a bright red. I take a deep breath.
“It is my duty.”
I race up the stairs and to my room, eager to finally get a break from the world. Throwing open the door I dropped my book bag and collapsed on my bed. As I felt the soft fabrics touch my skin a large groan escaped my lips.
School especially sucked today. The only bearable part was study hall. My book bag straps kept digging into my shoulder the entire time.
Why is the school so big?! Why do I need to learn more words that I’ll never use in my life?
All I do is work at school and then come home to work again. And guess what? I barely get allowance, and anytime I do my parents pick through it! I mean who gives somebody money just to take some later?
I melted into the black mattress, the red covers felt like the best of silks that only the finest of kings slept on. My tired body relished this feeling of rest, and I quickly found myself drifting off. Lady sleep had me in her grasp and she wasn’t letting go for a while.
Everything turned from black to a forest, like someone flipped a switch in my brain. The forest had a bluish hue to it, and the trees were the blackest I’ve ever seen. Their branches were twisted and sharp, protruding from...faces! Not like actual faces, but like chipped holes in the trunk made to look like eyes and teeth.
“Yep, this is the weirdest dream I’ve ever had,” I said, slightly taken aback by my voice. It was different. Just so deep. It didn't sound anything like me, like Kratos or some kind of demon. However, what surprised me was the fact that I never opened my mouth. I just thought about the words and they were said.
First thing I noticed was a white box attached to my face. Feeling around it, I realize it wasn’t a white box, it was a bony snout. And I could feel it!
“Well, this is the first time I can feel in a dream, and this one is very vivid,” I said aloud with the unfamiliar voice.
Glancing down, I notice my body had also changed. My body had no flesh it was just bones, and barely recognizable as humanoid. Bones grouped up to form a makeshift neck where the flesh should be. In fact, nearly all the bones were pressed together and were more similar to armor than anything.
Suddenly, I get the strangest urge to go left, like I desired nothing more than to head in that direction. Of course I followed the urge. This was a dream after all, so there’s no harm in exploring a bit.
Taking a step forward I nearly trip. I looked at my feet, I noticed they weren’t similar to feet at all, just white stumps!
“What am I, a satyr?!” I shouted, “What is wrong with you, mind?” I asked myself, knocking on my skull.
Taking another careful step, I firmly plant my hoof onto the ground, before taking another step.
“I’m beginning to get the hang of these hoof things.” Walking on wobbly legs, I Slowly followed the direction of the tugging.
Placing my bony hand on a nearby tree, I studied what seemed to be a weirdly tiny, light blue horse sitting on a fallen over tree in a small clearing. It had the biggest eyes I've ever seen, even for something that scared.
Why was this weird creature in my dream? And why was it so afraid? The small horse kept sporadically looking around in every direction, seemingly spooked by something. I didn't want to have anything sad in my dreams.
I approached the treeline in long, slow strides, moving carefully as if approaching a stray cat. The thing was cute and I didn't want to scare it. As soon as I left the treeline it's head jerked in my direction.
I spoke softly, but my voice was something you'd hear in a demonic horror movie, “Hey, it's okay, I'm not gonna hurt you.”
The horse scrambled to its hooves as it let out a shrill screech.
“Stop!” I yelled almost in desperation, and it froze silent, to my surprise.
I quickened my pace and took a seat next to the horse on the tree. Getting a closer look, the horse looked terrible. It's face had wet streaks running down in separate streams. It looked like it was going to bawl its eyes out again. Its hair was a mess and its fur was matted with mud. Long story short, I felt bad for this creature. I placed a hand on it and it flinched at my admittedly morbid touch.
“So, um what's your name?” I asked, I didn't really expect an answer, afterall it was a horse, but this was also a dream.
It hesitated but it finally gave a meek murmur, “Blue Bloom.”
She seemed calmer, like my very presence soothed the horse.
“So, are you a boy or…?” I asked. It sounded like it could be either. I mean I'm not an expert on horses and I definitely wasn’t gonna check.
It's blue cheeks reddened before it suddenly blurted out, “I'm a girl!”
I flinched, I wasn't expecting her to be that offended at a simple question.
I held my hands up. “Woah, calm down, I didn't mean anything by it. I was just confused.” This thing had the squeakiest voice I had ever heard, though I'm squeaky too when I'm mad. Huh...seems like this horse is all too similar to me, but we are in my mind after all.
She crossed her hooves and put on an indignant pout.
I let out a laugh that sounded terrifying, and placed a hand on her head. I really don't like my laugh –actually no, it’s my voice I don't like. Can I change it? Well this is a dream, so I should be able to.
I thought about my voice but without my squeak, because a manly man such as myself, cannot have any squeaks in his voice in the presence of a lady. I put an image in my head, of a red orb being switched out for blue orb and hoped for the best.
“So, why were you crying?” I asked, testing out my voice. It sounded like my beautiful teenage voice, luckily.
She looked up at me kind of confused, her eyes told me she wasn't happy at all.
“I don't like the dark at all, I hate it,” she explained. But I knew that wasn't it. I don't know how I knew, but it felt like I knew this horse, that I shared some kind of experience with her.
I removed my hand from her dark blue hair. “Listen, I know what it's like to be afraid of the dark. heck I still have a slight fear of it.” I looked ahead. “But, I realised it really wasn't scary if you look at it from a different perspective.”
She still looked confused, but she listened as best as she could.
I stood up. “Hey, you wanna see something cool?” I asked.
She nodded and looked up to me, wonder filled her eyes.
Closing my eyes, I thought about the perfect night: a full moon at its brightest, a sky full of stars, and woodland creatures frollocking in the forest.
I opened my eyes, and to my astonishment the night was more beautiful than I thought it would be. The moon cast a light that could even match the sun. Stars filled the empty sky. Deer jumped back and forth throughout the forest. And fireflies were scattered across forest, blinking green as they flew around.
I glanced to my left. Blue Bloom had been standing beside me. Her eyes were very wide, as if she had never seen anything like this. It felt good to show someone or something different.
“If you look at something from a different perspective it's not so bad, don't you think?”
She nodded before suddenly hugging my waist tightly.
“I don't want to wake up, I don't want to lose somepony as nice as you.” She held even tighter.
I didn't know my absence could impact someone so severely. I felt like some kind of helper, or maybe even a friend. I felt...great, so fulfilled. Is this what it feels like to help people, to be a good person.
Wait, did she say wake up? No, this is my dream, this just has to be some kind of backstory my mind created.
I snapped back to reality (well, mindscape, I guess). I lightly pushed her away and knelt down, “Hey, I'm not going anywhere for awhile. Don't worry about me. I'm sure you'll find someone even nicer than me.” She didn't look satisfied with my response at all.
“Look, I'll visit okay, and plus I'm not going anywhere for awhile, so we have time.” She nodded reluctantly, but I could tell she was a little better. “Now, bring it in!” I blurted in a playful manner.
She swung her hooves around my neck and embraced me and I returned the hug. I could feel her warmth, and it felt calming; It had been a while since I've gotten a hug.
Wait, I could more than feel. I could feel everything, vividly and clearly, like I was actually here.
I pushed her off me suddenly, and she looked at me surprised, but I ignored her. What was going on? I felt my long face, and realised I could feel all of my actions.
“What the fuck,” I said in surprise. Blue Bloom flinched at my harsh language.
“Are you...okay?” Blue Bloom asked apprehensively. She tried a reach her hoof out to me.
“Don't touch me!” I yelled as I slapped her hoof away.
She jumped back from my sudden outburst.
What the hell was going on, is this real? No! It can't be real, it just can't be! Am I in her dream or is she a figment of my imagination?! Why can I feel?!
I shut my eyes tight, I wanted to wake up right now.
A warmth wrapped itself around me, and I felt better. I could smell...flowers, this calmed me. I couldn't help but feel safe.
A soft voice whispered into my bony ear, “You helped me mister, so now I'll help you.” Blue Bloom's voice eased my worries and I wanted to melt in her hold.
Opening my eyes, I stood up. “Thank you, I...needed that.” I was embarrassed but still I looked her in the eye, “You don't have to worry about me, it won't happen again.”
Blue Bloom smiled and asked, “Well since you aren't going anywhere do you wanna play a game?”
“Sure why not. What game do you want to play?” A game was sure to keep my mind busy for a while.
“Hide and seek!” she squealed happily.
“Alright, I'll count to sixty and you'll go hide,” I explained walking to the nearest tree and beginning to count. I listened to the thuds of her gallop as she ran away.
As I continued, I could feel the tugging sensation. I would have smiled if I could. I could tell this was gonna be fun.
Finishing up my counting I began walking in the direction of the pulling. As walked, I wondered that if I could change the environment and my own voice, then maybe I could change my body.
Once again, I closed my eyes and thought about me. I pictured my bones shifting out of place and bending to match the the skeleton of a deer. I heard a sickening crunch as I felt pain sear through my bones as I bent in unnatural ways.
I shouted in pain, as my bones kept moving, “NumbNumbNumbNumbNumb!” I kept repeating until the pain finally stopped and I couldn't feel anything.
I opened my eyes, and watched in disgust as my body kept bending and and reattaching into different positions. I wanted to throw up, but I couldn't even if I wanted to. I wanted to pass out, but I had to finish what I started. I had the the the shape done, but I needed the skin.
I was lying down on my side and couldn't move. Only my neck would listen to me. This time I didn't close my eyes and thought about being enveloped in flesh.
A thick red stalk of meat sprouted out from the middle of my ribcage, the end of the meat quickly inflated like a balloon into a heart.The red stalk branched out and inflated two large pink lungs. The stalk of meat kept branching out and inflating several other organs. A long pink rope of flesh slithered down to my stomach before swirling and resting in a nasty heap. It reminded me of a long rope rolled in a pile.
Thousands of strings of red meat exploded out from my bones and quickly attached themselves to a seemly random places. And in seconds my body was covered in flesh. Brown clumps of fur burst from my fleshy body, and the fuzz quickly spread across my entire body. It was finally over.
“Well that was...something. I'm definitely not doing that again. But first, I need feeling.” I willed my body to feel, and just like that I could feel my new limbs. I was getting much better at this.
I quickly rolled over and extended my new legs. Now that I was on my feet...hooves, I tried out walking. And it was pretty easy. Having four legs was awesome! It was so stable and efficient, now it was time to see what these legs could really do.
Now how do I prance? Usually, I see deer jump on two legs and land on two legs. Alright, let's break it down into simple steps, rear, jump, and land. As I rose on my hind legs, I used that momentum to jump forward, quickly I kicked my hooves out to catch myself.
I glanced behind. I had moved at least a foot of where I was before. Progress! Quickly I repeated my same action and did it again and again.
“I have conquered the form of a deer! All shall fear my mastery of the mighty deer hahahahaha!” I cheered in my head.
I kept prancing for at least two minutes before I realized I still had to find Blue Bloom. I turned in the direction of the tugging and continued the game, feeling mischievous.
She didn't really move too fast. I could feel she was close. I pretended to graze as I tried to pinpoint her location. If it wasn't for the constant chirping of the insects I would have gone insane from the silence.
A distinct snap had my attention. My head twisted to a nearby bush. The bush was dotted with a mix of red and black raspberries.
I stalked the bush, getting as close as I could. I stuck my head into the bush, pushing the branches aside with my massive forehead. Strangely enough the inside of the bush was somewhat hollow. However, inside the hollow bush was a certain blue horse covered in raspberry juice and twigs.
She spotted me of course, but my disguise seemed to have her fooled. She moved her hoof in front of her mouth almost as if she was telling me to be quiet. Then she extended her hoof with a red raspberry in the center and impatiently shook it at me.
If I could smile I would, this was so cute. But unfortunately, I wasn’t a generally nice person.
My face suddenly split open, revealing the skeletal face she was familiar with. The skin that was split open hung limp on both sides of my skull.
“Found you,” I said in a snarky manner.
Blue Bloom let out the most deafening scream I had ever heard.
I instantly backed out of the bush, trying to cover my ears with my hooves in desperation. This was the worst sound ever. It was like a dog whistle for humans. I begged to make it stop!
When Blue Bloom finally stopped her terrible scream, I felt something was wrong. I had a tight knot in my stomach. I felt I did something very, very wrong.
Blue Bloom rushed out of bush and in anger she started beating me with her hooves. They didn't really hurt. It was like fighting a younger sibling.
“You meanie, why did you do that?!” she squealed in anger.
I backed up wordlessly. I just couldn't shake that feeling. “Uh yeah, i’m sorry about that,” I said half-heartedly.
She looked at me with a curiosity. It was weird she just kept staring at me, but I looked into her eyes and could tell she wasn't looking at me, she was looking behind me.
I turned around, and the moon had a face on a it: a black silhouette of a horse.
“Foul Tantabus! We expel you from my realm of dreams! Return from whence you came!”
The moon spoke...What the fuck!
In an instant, a bright light blinded me. It's intensity burned my very core. I let out a terrible scream. All I felt was searing pain, but just as quickly as the light and pain started, it ended.
Then I woke up.