//------------------------------// // Episode 4 - Waking from the Nightmare Part 2 // Story: The Adventures of Spider-Man Season 1 // by KrisstheScot //------------------------------// Waking from the Nightmare Part 2 The thunder of loud footsteps could be felt closing in. The villagers braced themselves for the onslaught that was to arrive as the Tantabus swept across town towards them. Some barely kept their footing, terror setting in the more it moved towards them. Peter could feel it in the air, but wouldn't let them give in. “Keep it together! We have time to prepare!” Though he had to admit to himself - even he was starting to feel afraid. The first thing he does in this new world is try to fight this dream monster, surrounded by beings he only knew for all of five minutes. But they needed his protection, and he refused to just run away and abandon them. Luna was by his side, still carrying the fear and hesitation she did earlier. Twilight was behind them, almost acting like a buffer. From what Peter could gather so far, it was clear the big guns were on the front lines. “So if I remember right, this thing is trying to get out of here and into reality?” Luna gave a shaky nod to confirm. Which left things in a dire situation. Should the Tantabus get loose, what kind of damage could it do? Not only that, but Peter would be completely useless on the outside in his current state. It had to be stopped now. Twilight approached her friend, worry in her eyes. “Princess Luna, surely you can just deal with the Tantabus here and now? You are in command of the realm of dreams.” So Luna had some measure of control in this world? An interesting fact, and very relevant right now. If that was the case, then why were all these people putting themselves at risk? “Good question. If you can do whatever you want here, then just snap this thing from existence and save everyone the worry.” "I… I cannot. At my current strength, the Tantabus far exceeds me. Unless it can be weakened, then I am unable to deal with it. We shall just have to withstand it for now. I had hoped that by bringing everyone here, we could weaken and restrain it" While it was clear that her confidence from earlier was a little shaky, Luna still stood tall with her allies, which had clearly put Twilight at ease. The two began to discuss the best means of dealing with the threat at hand, leaving Peter to his own thoughts. He also wondered what the best path to victory was. Which one had the least casualties? Could they even destroy something like this when it called this realm home and most of them were just intruders? His thoughts were stopped by an inquiring Twilight. "Guess you still want to help? We would appreciate it." "I'm dressed for the occasion, ain't I?" He spread his arms in order to fully show off his new armour, though Twilight still couldn't get over the odd choice of attire.  "Princess Luna said you mentioned something earlier about fighting some kind of giant monster where you come from… wherever that is." “Wait, you believe me?” Twilight just shrugged her shoulders, still trying to contemplate everything she had been told not just by Peter but what she's discovered about Luna too. It must have been a very long day for her and it was yet to finish. “I'm still not sure. I can’t say that you're wrong however. I once made outlandish remarks myself. No one believed me. And it turned out to be real. Guess I’m just giving you a chance.” The two shared a laugh, acknowledging the sheer ridiculousness of the situation they found themselves in. But Peter was curious about a few other things. "So, Luna is a princess. And I'm guessing by the way everyone looks to you that are too?" It was a worthwhile assumption to make. Peter had noticed other people here with wings, but none seemed to have the commanding presence that Twilight or Luna had. "I am. Only recently however. Luna is the princess of the night, and far older than I am. I had thought, given her experience, that this would be easy for her. I'll admit, I'm a little scared now that it isn't." Despite her own reservations, Twilight knew she had to stay strong for her home. Finally, they saw the Tantabus close in on them. Each step it took brought it ever closer. Now was the time to fight. Everyone stood ready, prepared to face the monster. But they had no idea what they were in for. All of a sudden, it began to charge forward to close the distance. Many of the villagers shuffled back in terror. Peter decided it best to take the charge head on to avoid anyone else risking themselves, hurling himself forward so fast that no one else saw him move. And as the two collided, a shockwave passed through the entire town, rattling the bones of everyone close by. The force of the impact sent both combatants flying in opposite directions, colliding with dozens of houses as they went by. Dozens of villagers rushed forward to join the fray, using the abilities that being in the dream realm grants them in order to take on various shapes and forms. They charged towards the Tantabus in waves hoping to overwhelm it, with Twilight and Luna making their way to the front as was their place. The creature was very quickly back on its feet and heading for them. But so was Peter, straight to the front of the pack. They were all about to collide when the Tantabus let out the most unearthly shriek, scattering its opposition. The scream completely disrupted the flow of the charge, sending everyone across town. Those that could resist a little better were right back on their feet and aiming right for the Tantabus again at full speed. Twilight and Luna took the fight to the skies, assaulting the creature from above with blue and lilac bolts of energy. A merciless barrage of attacks landed, and yet it seemed to just shrug off anything it was hit by. Amidst the carnage, Peter was on the ground grabbing those still afflicted by the shriek and moving them to safety. “And I thought Canary had a set of lungs on her! I felt that in my bones. This thing is getting all riled up now.” Many of the villagers picked themselves up after the onslaught. Some limping away in pain, yet showing no sign of injury, which confused Twilight. She descended in order to help assist those still to shaken to carry on. “What's going on? They aren't hurt, so why are they acting like it?” “Because they believe they are.” Twilight looked over to see Peter hobble towards her. He also acted as if he had been injured despite no obvious signs. His armour was torn up and his helmet was cracked in places. It was clear his means of protection would not take another good hit like that. But what did he mean? “It's all about the brain. Think about it - we aren't really sleeping, more like in a shared consciousness. Technically, we’re still awake. So if we get hurt, our brain tells our body that we are. We don't just feel the pain here, but so do our real bodies.” It was something no one had really considered, but now there were real risks to them right now. The Tantabus didn't have to get into the real world to kill them, as it was now possibly capable of doing it here. It was not a question she wanted to ask, but Twilight became curious. “I have to know… If it kills us here, do we actually die?” “Logically, yes. If our brain thinks we’re dead, then it will make us dead. Anything significant happens to us here, and we just shut down.” This revelation absolutely terrified Twilight. Most of the people that she knew, that she loved, were in this town. And now all were at risk of death. And so far it seemed like their enemy was immune to any attacks they threw at it. Even Peter knew this all too well from his first attempt. “Nothing we do seems to hurt it. Like it's immune to us somehow. We might be on the same playground, but we don’t have the same rules to play by. Question is, who does?” “I think I know.” Amidst the chaos, Luna descended down and joined her comrades, ducking under cover to avoid the onslaught around them. Dozens of buildings were being brought to ruin around them as the fury of the Tantabus was made well known. The cries of the villagers could be heard around them as a desperate attempt at a counterattack was made. Twilight looked around in horror - Even if it was a dream, how long until it was a reality. “If this thing gets out… Ponyville… My friends…” Luna looked around, taking in her surroundings. It was chaos. Her subjects were suffering and she couldn't do anything. She felt so useless. “My fault… it's all my fault…” Luna crumpled to her knees, tears flowing from her eyes. This apparent confession confused Peter and Twilight. Why was Luna taking responsibility for all this? “Princess Luna, what do you mean?” “I… I made it. I created the Tantabus.” Apart from the sounds of combat all around them, there was a stunned silence. Why would Luna say something like that? Was she telling the truth? Twilight felt betrayed by these words, and should any of them be true it would decimate the trust in the elder princess. “Why? Why would you create something that could cause so much harm?” “For exactly that reason - to cause harm to myself. To punish myself for everything I had done as Nightmare Moon. For all the pain I had caused. My demons had to be kept in check.” These words resonated so much with Peter given his own past. Though extreme, it was an understandable punishment. “I get it. It's a bit much, but I get it. Doesn’t change the fact that right now, everyone is in danger. As their leader, it's your responsibility to protect them. So come on, we have a job to do.” In spite of the damage it had caused, and the pain it had even caused him personally, Peter held out his hand to Luna. Though she didn't understand his reasoning. “Why help me up? Why offer me comfort?” “Trust me… I am the last person here that can judge you. Now come on…” Hesitantly, Luna reached up to take his hand. Peter's grip was firm and sincere. Not something that can be faked as far as she was concerned. As she was helped to her feet, she felt a newfound confidence. And it was brought on by this stranger of all people. She had no time to think on it more as the Tantabus spotted the trio and made right for them, ignoring everyone else that attempted to attack. Perhaps trying to get to Luna? That was Peter's thinking. “You ain't gonna lay a hand on them!” Like a red and blue streak, Peter flew past Twilight and Luna straight towards their assailant . Seeing the threat it lunged forward, creating dozens of tendrils to strike down its opponent. Though despite the number of obstacles in his way, Peter swiftly guided himself past each one. Any he couldn't dodge, he pushed through with precise punches. Everyone looked on in awe at just how untouchable he seemed, his swiftness seemingly unmatched. Eventually, Peter had a clear shot right at the Tantabus. Even with very little features on its face, the dream creature could express fear at this incoming strike. “Gotcha now! Second time lucky… KANSAS… SMA-” Before the punch could connect, dozens of tendrils appeared from nowhere and wrapped around Peter, holding him tightly. Not enough to hurt, but certainly enough to prevent him from going anywhere no matter how much he tried to escape. The onlookers gasped in horror, not knowing what was about to happen. Peter himself could feel his spider-sense screaming at him to move, though it was clear he wasn't doing much right now. “Would you mind loosening up a little bit? Can’t help but feel a little claustrophobic here.” As if to answer his request, or not answer him in a way, the Tantabus tightened its grip on Peter, attempting to crush him. And despite it being a dream apparition of himself, he knew that the pain he felt was being transferred to his real body. If he stayed like this he was going to die. But its hold on him was tight, no matter how much he struggled. A tendril came down and wrapped around Peter's head, appearing as if it was ready to crush his skull. But inside it simply removed his helmet, revealing a bloodied and bruised face. ”An impressive display, warrior. But I will not be denied my existence. Not by you. Or by my creator.” It spoke! And it spoke with her voice. It really was Luna that made this thing. Her darkest thoughts made manifest. And it was going to kill him. Peter continued to desperately struggle, hoping to at least find an opening to wiggle out of. But he was secure, with no hope to escape. And as if to answer for his defiance, the Tantabus increased its hold. Bones could be heard snapping, and could be felt back in the waking world. The snapping wasn't the only thing that could be heard, as the screams of agony reached across town. No one else could move, as if they were petrified by the screams. Even Twilight, as brave as she wanted to be, couldn't lift a finger to help. And she felt so guilty. If Peter was telling the truth, he was not of this world and stuck around to help anyway. And now she was going to just let him die. She had to move, do something. Anything. “UNHAND HIM!” Before Twilight could make her move, a bolt of lightning struck the Tantabus in the chest and passed through it just like many of the previous attacks. But this time, it roared in agony. For once, it was in pain. Looking to see where the lightning came from, Twilight saw something she had not seen in years - Princess Luna, eyes whitened and shrouded in a magical aura, surrounding herself in more lightning. It was like a force of nature had been made flesh. The pain from the lightning caused the Tantabus to release Peter, who was quickly caught by Twilight as he fell. She tried to hold back tears in her eyes upon seeing his broken body. “I’m… I’m so sorry… I tried to do something but I… I was scared!” Peter tried to respond, hoping to calm her down, but all that came out of his mouth was blood, which found its way onto Twilight's jumper. The red contrasted against the lilac quite horrifically. As they both reached the ground, other villagers crowded around to see what was going on and to see if Peter was ok. Once they saw the blood on his mouth and on Twilight, they feared the worst. More bolts of lightning struck the Tantabus, forcing it back away from the group down below. Each strike seared into its corporeal flesh and made it cry out in pain. Eventually it lost its footing and came crashing down. The ground shuddered under the impact like an earthquake had passed through. The cries of the Tantabus carried just as far as Peters screams. And speaking of, he was no longer screaming. But not saying much else. Blood still streamed from his mouth with no sign of stopping. Twilight desperately tried to think of what to do, but nothing came to mind. She was no doctor, and they were still trapped in the dream. Just as she was trying to think of a plan, a hand touched her shoulder. Looking back she saw Luna, a saddened expression upon her face. “Princess Luna… What's happening to him?!” “What he had feared. Any injuries sustained here have now damaged his body in the waking world. If we do not defeat the Tantabus soon, he will die.” The clock was now ticking. Many had been hurt tonight, but there was now a life on the line. But it didn't take long as Peter kept coughing up blood and trying to prop himself up, but always falling back down again. “You know… I hate being right sometimes…” Both women were wondering what to do. They could not fix him here. But before they could even try and do anything, Peter's body faded away from the world. But if he was gone from the dream realm but not asleep… “He… might be dead. To leave the realm of dreams with such damage, means he is on death's door.” If she was correct, then Peter had paid the ultimate price protecting them. A stranger to their lands, gave up his life for them. Which for Luna could not stand. “Twilight… Get everyone to a safe distance. I will handle things here.” “But Princess Luna-” Any retort Twilight had was stopped as soon as she saw the look in Luna’s eyes. There was something there that was missing earlier - a fire that could burn away worlds. She decided it was best to heed the warning and get everyone to safety. It would seem that things were about to get nasty. She quickly started to usher the other villagers to move away from the scene and towards safety. The Tantabus meanwhile was getting its bearings again after being hit. And it was more angry than before. ”YOU WOULD STRIKE ME?!” “YOU HAVE LEFT ME NO CHOICE!” The moon princess made little movement as her creation barrelled down upon her. Steady as a rock, she waited for it to come to her. Just a little ways from the battle, Twilight looked back to see her friend about to be crushed. Forgetting her objective, she began to race back to save her. “Luna!” Too late. The attack hit home, sending out a shockwave that sent Twilight flying back, and even reached the other villagers. Houses were uprooted and sent skyward in pieces. As wood clattered around them, the villagers regained their footing and looked around them. Even if this Ponyville was not real, their hearts still sank at the sight of their homes destroyed. In the centre of the destruction were the two most powerful beings present. No one else could between them now, even if they tried. Twilight looked on, trying to see her friend, but fearing the worst. Yet her fears were for naught - in the middle of the Tantabus’ clutches was Luna, shielded by a barrier she must have put up at the last moment. “You will not harm me. You will never again harm me… OR THEM!” Flexing her arms, Luna dispersed the shield, sending her foe flying back towards the centre of town. It came to a crashing halt on top of the town hall, but was quick to return to its feet as angry as before. Unleashing a hellish scream it charged at Luna again, seeking to do harm to her. But the princess was ready again, raising her arms and allowing her magic to course through her in a dark bluish hue. Just as the Tantabus was right on top of her, Luna flung her arms out forward, throwing that same aura onto her opponent. Its movement suddenly ceased completely as it was enveloped in Luna’s magic, even with its massive form trying its best to continue on. With it now ensnared, Luna was able to make her decision on what to do. But she wanted to try something first. “I could carry on this battle all night, as could you. We both know this. Therefore, I choose a different path to victory.” ”YOU PRESUME MUCH, MOON PRINCESS. I AM AN EXTENSION OF YOU, AND NOT SO EASY TO DESTROY.” Even with her foe restrained, Luna had to give all of her focus to keep her magic up. If she lapsed for a moment, it would break free and cause more chaos. “This destruction must cease. You cannot continue on this path. I will not allow you to harm anyone else. That is MY responsibility.” A most unexpected reaction came from the Tantabus - a chilling laugh that made Luna’s bones chill. The villagers and Twilight also felt cold upon hearing it. ”YOU TALK OF RESPONSIBILITY, AND YET YOU CREATED ME, AND SET ME UPON THIS WORLD! YOU ARE TO BLAME FOR ALL THAT TRANSPIRED HERE, NOT ME!” “I know… And I am sorry. I filled you with my sadness, my anxieties… and my self hatred. I made you so I could punish myself for my mistakes without considering what you may become…” Despite its struggles to get free, all the Tantabus could do was wait for whatever fate Luna had for it. It even wondered if it was going to die, which was a reality it would not accept. As Luna reached out her hand towards her creation, it thrashed around even more trying to escape its fate, not ready to die. But as both beings connected, there was no attempt made to wipe out the dream creature. Instead, Luna connected with it, allowing the two to share their emotions, of which ran deep for them both. ”You… Made me hate. This is what you made me!” “I know. I gave you the worst of me… Yet another mistake I must atone for. If you will permit me?” Silence fell as the Tantabus contemplated Luna’s request, who herself was holding her breath and waiting for the answer. Her mind kept going back to the sight of Peter’s body, to the man that gave it all up for them. ”I… Accept. But under one condition. I will not be used as a tool of harm, by yourself or by others. You will learn to love again, because I will not continue to exist within the mind of a woman so destroyed by self doubt. That is my condition.” It was tough to consider. Luna had spent years with self loathing in her heart, and for the most part she was content with it all. But now, for the sake of everyone else, she had to change her ways. But did she really have it in her? She had to. It was her responsibility. “I agree to your terms. It would seem that both of us will be on this journey together. Come then, and let us begin.” A dark blue glow surrounded the Tantabus as its form began to change and morph, and its size started to decrease. As it got to about the same size as Luna, it retained her shape like a mirror image. To her surprise it opened its arms as if to invite her for a hug. The first step - love oneself. As Luna reciprocated the hug, both beings began to meld into one. Eventually, the Tantabus was gone and only Luna remained. It was over. Finally, the nightmare was over. As she looked around, all Luna could see was the broken remains of Ponyville. If this had been real, if any of it had gotten to the outside world… how many would have suffered? Some already had because of everything that happened here. Now, the true horror of her mistake finally sank into her. “All of this… I could have avoided this. It was right… I’ve hated myself for so long…” “Luna?” Twilight and the other villagers had returned to see the aftermath of the battle, their faces fully expressing the horror they felt upon seeing their home in ruins. A lot of those faces turned to Luna, letting her see the shame in their eyes - the shame they felt towards her. They would not forget this anytime soon. Their world was almost ripped apart… Because of her. “Princess Luna? I think it's best to let everyone wake up now. They’ve had a long night.” Twilight reached down and placed her hand on her friend's shoulder, hoping to give some form of comfort. Luna nodded lightly in agreement, her eyes and body beginning to glow. With a wave of her arms, the dreamscape of Ponyville began to disappear, causing the villagers to fade away one by one. Eventually, Twilight and Luna were the only ones left. In the midst of her sadness, Luna’s eyes opened sharply upon an important realisation. “The stranger… Peter… We have to find him! There may yet be hope for him!” As the spell finally wore off, the denizens of Ponyville began to wake from the nightmare they had been living all night. When they looked outside they breathed a sigh of relief to see they were home, the sky now its normal dark blue. Many still hobbled around feeling sore, many with pain from injuries they did not have here in the waking world.  Many wondered if they had actually returned because of this, but the sight of their homes in one piece confirmed they were indeed back. Cheers of celebration began to stir across town, neighbours and friends embracing each other. This was quickly stopped as a scream could be heard coming from the centre of town, causing everyone to begin racing in that direction. Twilight and Luna, who had just recovered themselves, soared overhead and could see the rush of bodies. They followed the flow to see what was the cause. Even from high up, they could see what was going on. The ragged body of Peter lay on the ground, bearing the same scars he had earlier while in the dream. A small pool of blood forming under his body, with nothing to indicate any signs of life. Some of the villagers began to mumble if he was dead and what to do with him, while others made sure to shield the eyes of their children. The two princesses landed in the middle of the crowd, causing others to move back. Twilight stared mortified at Peter's body. She had never seen a body like this before… Had never seen a corpse. “Princess Luna… what do we do about… a burial?” No response came. Luna herself was deep in contemplation about what to do. It did appear as if Peter was gone, which left her feeling… hollow. She had failed again, and it had now cost a man his life. Perhaps it was best to try and find a quiet spot for him and lay him to- cough cough Peters mangled body suddenly sprang to life, taking in raspy breaths and coughing up more blood. His sudden resurgence back to life scared everyone out of their skins, including Twilight. But Luna remained unfazed, and with a new fire in her eyes. Quick to action, she took Peter's body in her arms and unfurled her wings. Looking down, she could feel the young man's attempts to draw breath. “Twilight, we must get him to Canterlot immediately! The doctor there should be able to help him. There must be hope for him!” The shock of Peter's return to life had yet to pass over Twilight, who was still in a stunned silence. She had been absolutely sure he was dead and gone. Luna noticed this hesitation and reacted accordingly. “TWILIGHT! NOW!” “Yes Princess…” The two royals soared off into the night, a small hope in their hearts that they could save this stranger to their land...