//------------------------------// // 392 - Dream Come True // Story: Lateral Movement // by Alzrius //------------------------------// It had taken a while for Fruit Crunch to finally fall asleep. After everything that had happened – waking up to find that he had a spirit animal, helping Lex fight the princesses, exploring River’s mansion – he’d been far too wound up to rest and relax, despite what Cleansweep’s mother had told them to do when she’d escorted them back to the guest room where they’d already spent the early afternoon. If it hadn’t been for Sonata insisting that they needed to let Lex rest and recuperate after everything that had happened, and that she’d talk to him about bringing Lyden and the others back, Fruit Crunch would have snuck out a while ago. After all, Lex was probably communing with the Night Mare right now! Or maybe doing some sort of secret magic ritual with Severance to boost his powers! Or summoning genies to spy on Celestia and Luna! Or some other way cool thing like in the comic books! Fortunately, Cleansweep’s mom had left after a little while, saying that she had to go back to work, giving Fruit Crunch space to express what he was feeling to the rest of his friends without being chastised. That had actually been kind of fun, since once he’d gotten started the rest of the Knights had joined in too, and they’d spent the afternoon going over all of the stuff that they’d done. Together, the five of them – well, six with Fiddlesticks’ baby brother there, but he didn’t count – had laughed as they’d recounted how awesome they’d been in that fight, sniffled and hugged each other as they confessed how much they’d missed the mystical companions that had been with them so briefly, pondered what they’d all seen as they’d explored the huge mansion they were staying in, and more. By the time the afternoon had turned into early evening, Fruit Crunch had realized that he actually did feel a bit tired after all. Nor was he the only one, as nopony could seem to get more than a sentence or two out without yawning. Fortunately, the guest room they were in had a pair of beds, each of which was big enough for two of them. The girls had taken one, with Cleansweep and Fiddlesticks carefully keeping Tiddlywinks cuddled between them, while Straightlace and Feathercap had taken the other. Fruit Crunch had needed to insist on that second part, since the bed wasn’t big enough for all three of them and both colts each offered to be the one to take the floor. But Fruit Crunch had put his hoof down, saying that he was the leader so he’d be the one to give up his space. I bet Lex would be really proud of me! Fruit Crunch snickered to himself when the other two had finally given in. Of course, he had accepted them giving him a blanket and pillow, but that didn’t make his gesture any less noble right? Right, he’d decided with a nod. He’d still been assuring himself of that as he’d laid down and closed his eyes, the last one of his friends to do so. Barely a minute later, he’d fallen asleep. In his dream, Fruit Crunch was back in the camp with everypony else. It was nighttime, and they were all huddled together as Lex fought the massive horde of Block Party zombies trying to eat them. Except Fruit Crunch wasn’t huddling with the camp ponies, he was being held back by Silhouette! Struggling, the colt tried to escape from the black-and-white stallion’s grasp, knowing that he had to go help Lex, who was killing the zombies as part of a ritual to change Cleansweep’s mom into a maid. “I’ll help!” yelled Fruit Crunch, punching Silhouette right in the nose. “I can help!” But the blow only made Silhouette smirk, unfazed by the hit. “You and your friends failed, and now you’re going to pay the price for it.” “I was just gonna say that to you.” His anxiety gone like it had never been there, Fruit Crunch grinned as Cleansweep and Straightlace suddenly barreled into Silhouette, knocking him over. Instantly, Lyden was there, wrapping his strong jaws around Silhouette’s throat. Grinning at the other Royal Guardponies – who had joined the Block Party zombies fighting against Lex – Fruit Crunch gestured at the downed stallion. “All of you give up right now or this guy gets it!” But the words made Lex suddenly look up, dropping Severance as he glared at Fruit Crunch in rage. “RELEASE HIM AT ONCE!” he bellowed. “PONY LIVES ARE TO BE CHERISHED!” Fruit Crunch felt his eyes fill with tears. “I…I’m sorry,” he whimpered, gesturing for Lyden to back off. “I just wanted to help.” “I don’t require help,” snorted Lex, suddenly cold and distant rather than enraged. “Least of all from a child.” Fruit Crunch felt his heart breaking at that, and he couldn’t bring himself to move as he was tackled by a bunch of the Royal Guard. He tried to call for Lyden, but the wolf was gone, and Fruit Crunch realized with a sinking heart that he hadn’t made it. Wriggling out from under the guards, he tried to run toward Lex, wanting to ask him to please bring Lyden back, but the mansion he was in now was just so big that he kept getting lost… Turning a corner, Fruit Crunch immediately backpedaled as he almost ran into Celestia and Luna, darting around the intersection and peeking out fearfully as they marched down the hallway with their guards. It was their fault, he realized. It’s their fault that Lyden’s gone. It’s their fault that Lex is too tired to talk to me. It’s their fault that I can’t protect Sonata for him. Even as he thought that, Lex’s beautiful girlfriend stepped out from behind him, smiling as she walked towards the princesses. The sight made Fruit Crunch gulp, his knees knocking as he told himself that he should go out there and stand in front of her the way Feathercap had stood in front of Nosey when she’d gone to see Princess Luna. But he just couldn’t make his legs move… Calm yourself, Fruit Crunch. You already demonstrated your strength when you saved her the previous night. You did nothing shameful in allowing her to demonstrate hers here. The words made him glance over at Cleansweep, standing right next to him. What was she talking about? Sonata was going to be attacked, and Lex would blame them for not being able to save her, just like how they hadn’t been able to protect their spirit animals! Your recrimination is misplaced. You fought valiantly, and with your pack defeated a force larger than your own, allowing the battle between greater powers to be concluded without interruption. You should feel proud of your victory. The voice wasn’t coming from Cleansweep, making Fruit Crunch shake his head as he looked behind him, at where Feather Duster was standing. “But Lyden-” Worry not, Fruit Crunch. Suddenly, Feather Duster stepped forward. Taking a large helping of faux grass out of her pocket, she began to rub it on Fruit Crunch’s face. The strands of green beans were so intertwined that they formed a single warm, wet mass, making him squirm to get away from them. But Feather Duster wouldn’t let him escape, rubbing the stuff against his face again and again in long, persistent strokes. So long as you hold on to your dreams, I will always be with you… Fruit Crunch’s eyes fluttered open as his face was licked, making him sputter and flail as he rolled over to get away from the soggy assault. Blinking as he stumbled to his hooves, he only barely registered that it was completely dark, save for the dim light of the stars shining in through the window. Instead, his attention was completely focused on the large, dark shape next to him that had woken him up. He couldn’t make it out completely, but there were a few details visible. It was too big to be any of his friends. The muzzle was longer than a pony’s, the legs looked like they ended in pads rather than hooves, and behind it he could make out a blurry motion that even in the darkness looked an awful lot like a wagging tail. And, reaching out with a trembling hoof, he felt a soft coat of fur unlike anything a pony had. Tears filling his eyes, Fruit Crunch managed to swallow the lump in his throat on his third try. “L-Lyden?” As I said, came the familiar voice. I will always be with you. That was all it took, and Fruit Crunch gave a cry as he rushed forward, throwing his forelegs around the wolf and burying his face in his fur. Lex did it! he realized, love and gratitude for the stallion filling his heart so much that he felt like it would burst at any moment. He really did it! He brought them back somehow! His joyous yell was enough to wake the others, and Fiddlesticks’ sleeping voice called out. “Quiet down, will y-, HUH?!” Her sudden exclamation was accompanied a second later by a burst of light as she turned on the lamp by the bed. Wincing at the brightness, she shielded her eyes with her foreleg as she looked next to her…where a badger was perched on the edge of the bed. The sight made her jaw drop. “NEMEL?!” Indeed, came the familiar voice, audible to all of the foals. I’ve missed you, Fiddlesticks, along with this little one here. The smile in her voice was audible as she waved her tail for Tiddlywinks, cutting off the infant’s unhappy cry at the rude awakening and turning it into a coo of delight as he pawed at the waving appendage happily. Similar scenes were playing out around the room. Straightlace, Cleansweep, and Feathercap all blinked their eyes and sat up groggily, only to discover that their spirit animals were next to them, alive and whole as though never hurt in the first place. The next several minutes were devoted to the joyous reunion, the foals all fighting back tears – most of them unsuccessful – as they celebrated their companions’ return. The ruckus was enough that none of them heard the knock at the door, nor were aware of it opening a moment later. “What’s all the noise?” asked Feather Duster as she stepped inside. “Why are all the lights-” Her question ended in a scream as she looked at her daughter, seeing the snake wrapped around her middle. But thankfully she seemed more dazed than terrified, looking around in horrified stupefaction. “What…? Cleansweep, honey, what’s…?” “Mom, look!” Sniffled Cleansweep, her grin so wide it made her cheeks ache as she fluttered over to her mother, indicating the colorful python coiled around her chest. “Venin’s back! And not just her! We all got our spirit animals back! And our powers with them! Isn’t that great?!” “I…y-yeah.” Barely managing to force a rictus grin onto her face, Feather Duster managed to nod weakly. “That’s great. Just…great…” None of the foals noticed her lack of enthusiasm, however, being too focused on the animals’ return. “We should fill you in on what happened while you were, um…gone,” offered Straightlace, blinking his eyes quickly. He’d managed to keep from crying so far and was clearly intent on keeping it that way, since he couldn’t rub a hoof over his eyes in his current state, with one foreleg held out as a perch for Altaer. “Wh-while you’re, um, doing that, would you mind coming with me?” interjected Feather Duster weakly. Fortunately, everypony had calmed down enough by that point that they heard her, even if the bulk of their attention was still focused on their animals. “How come?” ventured Feathercap, smiling at Ulespy, the owl resting comfortably on his back. But her next words caught everypony’s attention, along with that of their spirit animals. “Master Legis wants to see you all. Right now.”