Exhausted, I dropped into the seat unceremoniously. My legs splayed out before me as I leaned back in the chair as far as I dared. I tried to take long deep breaths in order to calm my heart rate, and after a minute or two it began to work. The ache in my side began to relent slightly as the pounding in my head also began to ease. My dad walked into the room, and looked at me laid out in the chair grinning. Sometimes I really hated his stupid grin.
“You okay there, honey?” he asked, his smile not faltering in the least. “When you asked to come running with me I thought you would like it.”
I took a few more calming breaths before I was able to choke out anything. “Yea, it was fun. At least for the first mile or so. How can you run so long when you’re so old?” I asked trying to take the attention off of my sad state, but only made him laugh.
“We are only as old as our hearts,” he said, after he finished chuckling. He walked over and slapped me on the thigh to try and stir me into action. “You should really shower before you sweat too much into your clothes.” He exited the office to make his way to his own bathroom.
Groaning loud enough so that he could still hear me in the other room, I pulled myself out of the chair. My clothes didn’t quite want to relinquish their wet hold on the leather, but they eventually relented and came along with me. I couldn’t ever remember a time when climbing the stairs was as difficult as it was then. After a minute or two, stopping halfway up, I reached the top of the eighteen steps and crawled back to my feet.
When I had told my dad that I wanted to join him on his evening jog I thought that he would slow down to accommodate me. He had been bugging me recently about the lack of father to daughter time; so I had decided to join him for his benefit not mine. He was the marathon runner in the family, not me. He had a dozen medals that he kept displayed down in the living room to make sure no one ever forgot that fact.
I was definitely not built for long distance running. Sure, I had been fortunate enough to inherit his slim physique and athletic build, but I had no real interest in personal training. My passions lied more along the intellectual pursuits such as writing, and learning about the sciences. As I walked down the hallway I stopped for a moment to glance at a picture that we had hung on the wall. The smiling faces of a mother, father, and daughter stared back at me for a few moments until I broke my gaze and continued to my room.
I sighed and stumbled my way into my room. It was by no stretch a small living space, and every inch was decorated. The bed was the simplest part of the room, and was still unmade since I had slept in it last night. A couple of pillows laid on the ground at the side of the bed showing just how little I cared for keeping it organized.
The simple black desk that was set up facing the wall had my computer resting atop it. I really loved my top of the line computer that my dad had been kind enough to buy my for my birthday a couple of months ago. Sure, it had been a hassle to set up since I didn’t really know too much about computers, but when I got it running I was amazed at how much more stuff I could do with it.
Empty cans of soda were strewn across the top of the desk as well. The trashcan that sat to the side of the black furnishing had overflowed long ago, and empty Taco Bell bags were tied tightly closed in small piles around it. I should have probably taken the trash out a long time ago, that corner of the room was beginning to smell like burritos.
Still dragging my feet, I made my way to the open closet. It, unlike the rest of my room, was very organized. Each different kind of garment was hung in the closet in a colored order. I had learned long ago that I desperately needed some sort of sorting system when it came to the clothes that I wanted to wear on any given day. I shuddered a moment as that disastrous day in eighth grade came to the forefront of my mind.
Tired, I grabbed a simple white t-shirt and some pants off of the hangers. I also grabbed some underwear from a drawer, and then cradling the clothes, quickly left the room so that I could get to the bathroom across the hall. I didn’t bother looking around the small white washroom as I dumped the clothes I was carrying on top of the toilet, and began to undress.
My dad had been right telling me that I needed to shower before the sweat set in. As I removed the blue sweatshirt I dared to take a sniff, and subsequently threw it aside in revulsion. I moved the bath curtain out of the way, and turned on the shower. The cold water hit my arm as it started pouring from the overhead fountain causing me to momentarily flinch.
I held a few fingers in the stream as I waited for the water to heat up. Roughly thirty seconds later I was standing in the warm water as it washed the grime from my skin. I spent the majority of the twenty-minute shower trying to get my hair completely clean.
I shut the water off, and blinded momentarily by some soap that found its way into my eyes, searched for the towel that was hanging on a rack near the shower. The stinging chemicals were soaked out of my face as was all of the water that still clung to me as I ran the towel over myself. Though still naked the humid air didn't chill me very much, so I just tossed on my panties and T-shirt before heading to the shower to brush out the tangles that had inevitably found there was into my long blue and blonde hair. Yes, I had taken the time to and hundred and fifty dollars to get my hair professorially done with the two alternating colors, and I absolutely loved it. Another big bonus was that it drove my dad nuts.
Bitter, that far too much of my hair had ended up parting ways with my head so that it could live in my brush, I stumbled over to where my jeans still laid out on top of the toilet and slipped them on before making my way back to my room. The warm soft embrace of the bed greeted me as I flopped down on the pillow top exhausted, I didn't even bother to pull the blankets over myself before reaching over the edge of the bed and snagging my pillow. Yawning a little, I put the pillow under my head and tried to drift off to sleep.
I wish I knew why my dad preferred to run at night when everybody else did it in the morning. I sighed, maybe I would ask him tomorrow morning after at least eighteen hours of sleep. I felt sleep start to overtake me, and I allowed it to pull me into the black abyss. It didn’t take long before I was resting peacefully on my bed without a care in the world.
“Okay, Spike. What is on the schedule for today?” Twilight Sparkle asked, turning to her number one assistant.
Breakfast had gone its usual route, and Spike had been kind enough to clean the dishes without any fuss. The library itself was a complete mess, and dozens of books were stacked around the center table in disorganized heaps. It had been a very late night of studying for the young unicorn, and the cleanliness of the library had taken the greatest hit.
Spike cleared his throat as he retrieved a list that table. “On the list for today… we need to organize the library after last nights study session. Then we need to stop by Rarity’s on our way to Sweet Apple Acres, and pick up that hat that you ordered last week.” Spike perked up when he saw that they would be visiting the fabulous seamstress.
“After we stop at Rarity’s we will all go to Sweet Apple Acres, and help Applejack harvest the apple trees. After that it looked like you allotted a couple of hours for hanging out with the girls, and having lunch,” Spike finished looking back to Twilight.
“It will be nice to hang out with our friends,” Twilight agreed. “After lunch though I think that…” Twilight was cut off as rainbow colored blur shot into the library and crashed into a bookcase. Twilight, used to the event happening a couple of times each month, rolled her eyes as she turned to help her blue friend who was lying in a heap on the floor.
The mare, who half the ponies in Ponyville would immediately know to be Rainbow Dash since they too had grown used to these impromptu visits, was buried under a pile of books with just a single hoof indicating that she was even under the mountain of literature. As Twilight walked over to help her get back to her hooves Rainbow Dash leaped out off the floor and zoomed over to Twilight. The librarian was stunned for a second, but then noticed that her friend had been talking to her.
"and then it completely wrecked the market and started throwing things everywhere. Applejack said to come get you, and that you might know what to do." Rainbow Dash seemed panicked, which was something that she rarely displayed so openly.
“Rainbow, start over. You are talking faster than Pinkie after she discovered coffee.” Rainbow Dash pushed Twilight’s hoof off her face with a huff, and took a deep breath so that she could start over.
“There is a monster rampaging through the middle of town, and we need your help to stop it,” RD explained again.
Twilight was tempted to roll her eyes as the sky-blue pegasus rocketed into action in front of her. It always seemed like just when everything had calmed down, some unknown terror would attack the town, and she would have to go fix everything. Twilight quickly levitated Spike onto her back, and ran after Rainbow Dash.
It didn't take long to reach the center of town where all of the commotion was taking place. Ponies were running for their lives, away from whatever creature was attacking them today. A food cart rocketed out of the street that Twilight was about to turn onto, and smashed against a building, sending wood and produce flying in every direction. Twilight heard Spike gulp from where he was perched on her back, and she had to suppress her own unease at the situation.
Carefully, she turned onto the street where all of the excitement was taking place. Most of the stalls that comprised the farmer’s market were lying in pieces in the street. Food was strewn about haphazardly, and some ponies were scattered around trying to find a way to out. Twilight saw Applejack twirling her lasso getting ready to throw it at whatever was causing all of this.
She followed her friend’s gaze to the creature that was at the epicenter of the destruction. It was about twice as big as a normal pony, and stood on two legs. Twilight immediately noted that it was wearing some simple clothes, and had a dark red aura surrounding it. Its two-toned hair hung down around its shoulders as it clutched its head. The most terrifying thing about it was the screaming.
Twilight was sure that she had never heard something cry out in as much pain as the creature that was stumbling around in front of her. The shear volume of its wailing was causing some of the windows of the buildings lining the streets to crack. Without wasting any more time Twilight ran as fast as she could to where Applejack was standing.
Hardly noticing the lavender unicorn running up to her, Applejack threw her lasso in hopes of tying the thing down. The rope made contact with the creature, and immediately the red aura that surrounded it lashed out and burned the rope away. The lasso caught fire and at a blinding speed it began to spread down the rope that Applejack still held in her teeth.
The orange mare spit out the rope just before the fire reached her, turning the rest of her trusty lasso into ash seconds later. She looked back up from the ground to the creature that was stumbling around still crying out. A flash of blue caught her attention, and she looked up to see Rainbow Dash trying to dive bomb it.
Moments before the pegasus reached the howling creature a wave of red energy struck out, knocking her away, as well as sending wood and debris flying through the street. Rainbow Dash righted herself in the air, and began to climb high again so that she might get another chance at attacking the thing.
Twilight saw her friend take once again to the air, and tried to call out to her, but she was already too far away. She turned her attention back to whatever it was in front of her, trying to figure out a plan.
“What is that thing, Twilight?” Applejack asked from beside her.
“I don’t know. I have never seen or read about anything like it, but I do know that it is in a lot of pain. Maybe I can reach it somehow.” Before she could hear her friend try and protest, Twilight had already cast her mind out trying to connect with the being in front of her.
It was strange. Twilight wasn’t actually incredibly adept at mind magics, but she knew the basic principles fairly well. She tried to make a connection with whatever it was in front of her, but something was trying to keep her back. Frustrated, Twilight tried to overpower the force that was opposing her.
The force reared up, and defended itself heroically but it was woefully unprepared to face the most powerful unicorn in Equestria. After a few moments she had overtaken it, and could feel the mind of the creature just a slight reach away. Stretching out her thoughts once again she touched the mind in hopes of making contact.
She wasn’t ready for the massive wave of pain that crashed against her skull. Twilight collapsed to the ground, spilling Spike out along the road. Worried for her friend’s safety Applejack kneeled down beside Twilight trying to rouse her.
A few seconds passed before Twilight woke with a gasp. She looked around and realized that she had been knocked unconscious by the pure emotion that the creature was carrying. Shakily making her way back to her hooves, she looked back across the clearing to the being screeching uncontrollably.
“What happened, Twilight.” Applejack asked as she glared daggers at the creature that had hurt her friend.
“I don’t really know. What I do know, is that we have to help it.”
The dream was fun enough as far as dreams went. I had realized a short time ago that I was in fact dreaming, and began to wander around on a whim. It was a kind of strange dream to be sure, but when talking about dreams, strange doesn’t seem to be an adjective seldom used.
I walked along the streets of a town that I had never seen. It looked like something that would come out of a fairy tale. The houses were all painted bright colors, and the doors were made for something that was a lot smaller than the average human. Maybe the town was for dwarves?
The streets were deserted, but I didn’t mind just wandering. It was a nice enough day outside, and if I did ever get bored I could just dream something else up. It wasn’t very often that I actually got to have a lucid dream so I liked to take the time and enjoy them when they did come along.
I felt the loose gravel under my feet as I walked through town, sometimes wincing as something uncomfortable struck the soft bottom of my foot. I listened to the road crunch under my feet as I wandered around, looking at the world around me.
The town looked like it was built somewhere in the country based on how many trees were running through it. In the city where I grew up there were trees here and there, but they were always in little segregated groups, put there to make the place look better. These trees however, where scattered, seemingly at random, as if the town were built around them and not the other way around.
I smelled something sweet, and began to wander in the direction that the smell was coming from. In front of me stood a large house made out of what I assumed to be gingerbread, which made complete sense to my dream brain. I pushed open the door, and heard the bell ring as I made my way inside.
It looked like the gingerbread house was actually some kind of baked good store, but nobody was running the place. Snacks were laid out everywhere so I picked up a cupcake, and bit into it. The flavor exploded in my mouth instantly, and I quickly devoured the tasty confection. Smiling, I grabbed another cupcake and examined it.
It seemed like any old cupcake as far as appearances went, but it tasted like something that would cost a whole lot of money. Shrugging, a hundred dollar bill appeared in my hand, and I tossed it onto the counter as I made my way out of the store. The door closed behind me and the sound of the chiming bell was swiftly cut off.
I looked around again, and started walking with no real purpose. As far as dreams went this was pretty normal. Often I would find myself in completely abandoned places just looking around admiring the scenery. It was always interesting to me to see places without any people in them.
If there are no people around are buildings still homes? Philosophy, I had to admit, was something that I would probe at from time to time. There was no way that I was any kind of deep thinker, but tricking myself into thinking that I was was a good way to pass time. This town was definitely one of the weirder places that I had visited in my dreams, but what were you going to do?
I stopped dead in my tracks as someone stepped in front of me. I only got a small glimpse of him, but I could see that he was wearing all black. Pain blossomed in my stomach, and I looked down to see a knife sticking out of my chest. My cupcake fell to the ground unnoticed as lines started to spread out from the wound, and wrap around me.
“Hello, Dreamer,” he said grinning.
That is when the pain really hit me.
Twilight jumped to the side as another cart came hurtling towards her. The creature had stopped screaming a couple of minutes ago, and was now just lashing out at everything. Rainbow Dash lay in a pile of wood with her legs sticking up in the air twitching.
Twilight was really worried about her friend, but had to concentrate on the situation in front of her. If this thing kept rampaging like it was now then all of Ponyville was in jeopardy. She sent another bolt of magic sailing at the creature, and struck it in what she assumed was its chest.
It stumbled back for a moment before it regained its footing, the red aura began to surround another cart before it sent it flying through the street at her. Instead of moving out of the way this time, Twilight caught the cart with her magic before it got to her, and pushed it aside. She wanted to minimize the damage that was going to be done during this fight.
She knew that this creature was in an extreme amount of pain, and just lashing out at whatever it could, and Twilight really pitied it. She wanted to find a way to help it, but no matter what she did it only seemed to enrage the thing more. Making up her mind, Twilight began to build up energy for a very powerful spell.
Another cart rocketed at her causing Twilight to roll out of the way, narrowly avoiding injury. She couldn’t spend any more of her magic on stopping the projectiles if this next spell had any chance of working. She chanced a glance to where Rainbow Dash was lying, and saw Applejack had started to dig their friend out of the rubble.
Feeling that she had built up enough energy, Twilight raced across the expanse between her and the creature. It saw her coming, and Twilight could swear that she saw fear in its eyes for a moment before it turned once again to rage. A large crate was hurled at Twilight, but just before it hit the unicorn teleported out of the way.
She reappeared in a flash in front of the creature, and loosed her spell. The purple beam of energy struck it square in the chest, and it just stood there looking stunned. A moment of silence passed before the creature fell to its knees unable to move. The red aura that surrounded it started to recede. Twilight breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that the ordeal was finally over.
In a flash the red aura began to attack its host. It swarmed over the creature, completely obscuring all of its features. Twilight heard it begin to scream once again in agony as the red began to overpower it. The unmistakable sound of cracking bones and tearing flesh reached Twilight’s ears, and she began to panic. She hadn’t meant to actually hurt it. She had only tried to knock it out so that it would stop destroying the town.
Suddenly, it stopped thrashing and screaming, and the red aura once again began to recede. This time however, instead of a strange creature that she had never seen before kneeling in front of her, Twilight found a normal looking unicorn mare staring back at her.
She had a simple dark blue coat with a short and straight mane that hung over the left side of her face, alternating colors between azure and stark white. Her cutie mark showed a waning moon crashing into the sun. Her penetrating red eyes stared back at Twilight for the longest time as she continued to stand completely still in the epicenter of the destruction.
Twilight saw that mare’s eyes roll back into her head, and she began to fall over unconscious. Twilight reached out with her magic, and caught her before she hit the ground. Considering all of the things that she had been through over the years, this was probably the third strangest thing she had ever experienced.