//------------------------------// // Is Sleeping Safe? // Story: Don't Wake Up // by Grizzly Nation //------------------------------// Princess Luna We had failed again. The creature had escaped in an instant. We would have found it sooner, but fillies were having nightmares all over. I didn't know how it did it, it just blinked in and out of existence. This just proved it's getting too powerful. If it kept feeding on fear it could come to our reality. If that happened there will be no way to stop it. Dream magic lets you do anything. If it gets mixed up into reality, that creature would become a god. I needed to ensure this creature could not enter the dream realm again. I needed to do...something. But I didn't know what. I had no knowledge of whatever it was. It started to get to me, enraging me. I couldn’t help my subjects... I needed to double my efforts –nay, triple, if I wished to vanquish this creature. I had to start getting serious. I needed to figure out how it could jump in and out dreams without a trace. This creature was like no other. It was actually learning. It was not driven by instinct and that scared me. We hated to admit it, but I was terrified of this creature...the thought of what it could do to me. Everypony would hate me...again. My sides clenched as I immediately vomited on the floor. My legs threw out from under me and I landed face first into the bile on the floor. My head was pounding. It hurt so bad. The pain was almost numbing. My sides weren't faring any better and I couldn't feel my legs. Despite that, I needed to get up. I had to move. I couldn't let her win. ”Why are you still fighting?” a voice said from seemingly nowhere. ”Everypony hates you!” It emphasized the first word, stretching its length and its effect.. I felt a heavy pressure holding me down, soaking my coat in more vomit. The room got visibly darker than usual. Everything was a dark blur, that voice drowning out everything. “Why even struggle? I could help you, we could vanquish this creature together.” I realised it was my voice –no, this voice was a twisted imitation of mine. Yet, it still allured me. Each word it spoke made sense. “Just release me, and all of your problems will go away.” I felt sleepy. I knew they could help me. But there was a catch. She always spoke such fallacies. Almost like getting struck with a needle of adrenaline, my eyes snapped opened. With this new energy, I struggled to get up. I fought the pressure on top of me. I couldn't succumb to her again. I'm better, I don't need her. On shaky legs I got up. Vomit soaked my fur as I struggled, but I didn't submit. I fought through all these limitations. Everything seemed against me, but still I managed to get up. And when I finally did, all the pain faded. The heavy pressure had lifted and I was given free will. “I won't let you take control again!” I screamed into my empty room. “I am stronger, I don't need you!” I kept arguing with no one, venting my anger. “Leave me alone!” My shouting eased me somewhat, but I still felt an underlying presence of...fear. I shook these feelings from my head. Twilight Sparkle and her friends showed me that ponies are forgiving...It's okay to ask for help. With a flick of magic, a black feather appeared, encased in my blue magic. I stumbled over to my dark brown desk. A lamp illuminated the desktop, an ink pot and a long parchment having already been laid out. I took my seat on the large purple pillow on the floor in front of the desk and began scribbling a letter. Adam I was laying in my bed, still thinking about what happened last night. My conclusion was that I had woken up before I was hit with that beam of death. So, I had some stroke of luck in that world. I did some research but nothing had any explanation or even a prophecy of what was happening. I couldn’t tell if it was even real, but I didn’t really care anymore. I had more pressing issues to attend to, like why does the moon have it out for me! It's words did stick with me; It called me a Tantabus. I couldn't really find anything about it. I found something similar though: Tantibus, which means Nightmare. That was the best I could find, but it didn’t really help. So, I looked more into dreams. Apparently they could be signs for something, good or bad, and that sometimes even they predicted the future. Anyways, people have said it's your brain telling you something's wrong. Maybe my brain thought I should help colorful horses from another dimension. Maybe god wanted me to do that. Perhaps god made me into some kind of dream angel. I didn't want the dreams to stop, but I also didn't like feeling intense pain every night. Since I didn't have a choice, I'd have to figure out how to hide from that moon. Obviously, I needed to try to avoid being outside. Usually whenever it attacked me was when I spotted it. Does it...watch me? The thought was kinda creepy, but maybe if I pretended not to see it…? Wait...I had dream powers. I had infinite power in the dreams, so if worse came to worse, I could fight back. But how could I know if that moon couldn’t use the same powers? Why did the moon attack me? Did it see me as some kind of prey? But that was a little too stupid of an idea. It probably saw me as some kind of intruder. It seemed pretty angry when it talked to me. That's kind of an understatement. Its voice literally shook the ground with its intensity. But I was pretty sure I was able to take it. I mean, it was just a moon with a laser. I am human man! I could outwit a giant rock. I chuckled to myself. I got off my bed and walked downstairs. “Maybe some dinner could help me think a bit,” I mumbled to myself as I descended. Princess Luna I stood in front of the six mares who saved Equestria countless times, and even brought entire nations together. Like a similar scene from before, I stood in the center of a circular room. Six large beds were evenly spread across the room, the beds pointed to the center of the room. Each bed had a mare comfortably tucked in. The room itself was not all that interesting. It was just a room I managed to scavenge and furnish quickly. The only light the room had was the illuminating light the Moon gave off. Despite the gloomy atmosphere, they still seemed joyful. “I'm certain you are all wondering why I called you here,” I started, gaining their attention. “Another Tantabus has invaded the dream realm.” Everypony gasped. I let out a sigh. “I am certain you six have your concerns, but let me assure you I didn't cause this foul beast,” I explained. “Well if it wasn't you, then who did?” Rarity asked. The white mare shifted into a more comfortable position under the covers. “I...do not know,” I shamefully admitted. “This Tantabus is crafty, it's intelligent.” I turned to the other side of the room. “It feeds on fear, however it does not know many things.” “What do you mean?” Rainbow Dash spoke up, flapping her blue wings. I turned to face her. “It does not yet know how to travel through different dreams. If it did, we are certain it would have done so.” This thing could do so much if it had the knowledge to, however we must not give it the chance to experiment. Finally Twilight spoke up. “If it's intelligent and has thoughts of it's own, then can't we try to show it friendship?” Pinkie Pie chipped in, “Wait does it like parties?!” Pinkie practically exploded with excitement, however she stayed confined to one spot on the bed. Just before I could respond, Rainbow Dash spoke. “Twilight, I’m sure it’s not civil. The only thing it uses its brain for is scheming for its next meal,” Rainbow Dash said, making weird hoof gestures. Once again I was cut off, but by a yellow pegasus instead. “Oh, but maybe it's just misunderstood. It could just want friends but everypony is too afraid of it.” Rainbow Dash gave her a deadpanned look. “Fluttershy, you say that about every dangerous creature we come across.” I gave up on trying to speak as the orange mare cut in. “But she is right...sometimes.” “Exactly! I told you-” “Enough!” I yelled, immediately silencing everypony in the room. I took a breath. “The only thing that matters right now is stopping the Tantabus. It has been rampaging through the dream realm for days. And the only way I can stop it is with your help, so that is what I am asking.” I paused. My pride didn't want to allow this, but I had no other choice. “Will you help me?” The room once again fell silent, each second that passed was painful. “Of course Princess, we wouldn't leave you hanging,” Rainbow Dash said, hovering above the bed. The rest of the mares nodded in agreement. “We'll always help you out, I mean who can deny a Princess?” Rarity agreed. “We will always be there, you can count on us,” Twilight said with a smirk. I smiled. “Thank you Elements, you do us an honor.” I returned to my serious expression. “This creature only appears when a nightmare is present. I apologise but I must induce nightmares across all of your dreams.” “Pssh, I'm not a filly, I can handle a nightmare,” Rainbow Dash remarked before chuckling. “Well, if you're all ready, let us begin,” I said, building up magic in my horn. A white light exploded from my horn and its white tendrils attached itself to each of the ponies in the room. Each of them quickly fell asleep. Darkness seeped into the white light from my horn, snaking its way to each of the mares’ heads. As soon as the black touched their foreheads, their faces contorted uncomfortably. I closed my eyes as I prepared to enter the Dream Realm. I didn't want to admit it, but I was kinda scared...I have an aching feeling that something bad will happen... Adam I laid on my bed, staring the ceiling. I contemplated if I should sleep. Should I take the chance? I knew I would have to sleep sometime, but I still wanted some kind of choice. I hate feeling so powerless. For the first time in my life, I don’t have a choice. I know I have to accept it, that I am forced to endure this. This is my fate, no matter what I do, nothing will change. I can't change where i'm going, but I can change what happens. Fuck the moon! I'm gonna kick its ass! So bring your lasers. I'm tired of sleeping in fear. i'm not afraid anymore. I glared at the ceiling. “Let's fuck this moon up,” I said quietly to myself. I closed my eyes with confidence. I was ready to fight back.