//------------------------------// // Chapter 6: Dueling Nightmares // Story: North Woods NightMares // by Starfighter //------------------------------// “I-I- gotta go!” Cried PW, getting up at the mare’s cannibalistic threats. “Wait, PW, it’s just a joke!” Miss Snowheart called after him as he fled. “I know, I know; I just gotta wash my hooves.” He chuckled, walking to the bathroom knowing full well he’d stick with her no matter what. When he returned Miss Snowheart had her serious face on. “PW, you know if that actually happened - an innocent pony cannibalized - I’d be dishonorably discharged and very likely terminated. Being eaten by me is the least likely thing to happen to you.” “I know Miss Snowheart. It’s all a joke!” PW replied.  He placed a small card on the table. “What’s this?” Miss Snowheart asked. “My parent’s address. Kind of like your dog-tags. If anything should happen to me, you’ll make sure word gets back to them?” “That’s very responsible of you, PW.” The big mare responded. Both ponies sat in silence until the waitress arrived with the appetizer. No sooner did she turn away did Miss Snowheart devour it like a mad-mare. She didn’t even lift her eyes from the bowl until the salad disappeared only seconds later. “Do you always eat like that?” PW asked, impressed. “Like what?” “Like, well - a dog?” “I’m a piece of military hardware!” Snowheart scoffed. “What do you expect me to do?” She put on her best Canterlotian accent and sent her eyelashes aflutter. “Act like a lady?” PW’s jaw dropped. “Now that’s my kind of mare!” The scowl returned. “Don’t get on my bad side again, PW.” Snowheart warned. The main course came next and by the time PW finished his mashed potatoes Snowheart’s fish and eggs were gone. Somehow they both finished eating at the same time (even counting the cake). “This place was great, Miss Snowheart. Thanks.” “Enjoy it while it lasts. Like I said, I don't know when HQ is going to separate us.” She muttered. The bubbly unicorn server dropped the check off which Miss Snowheart looked at and deposited several bits into. “How much do I owe you?” PW asked, reaching over. “I got it, PW.” “You’re paying for me?” “…” “Golly-gee, Miss Snowheart, that’s really generous of you!” “It’s the least I could do. I thought about it and I’m glad I’m not reading about a you-know-what-Mare that got shot and only barely escaped. Maybe with an eye missing in the paper. That’ll embolden the terrorists.” “Me too.” PW took on a somber tone. “... Snowheart. I don’t know what got into me but I’m glad I found you when I did. I feel like this was meant to happen the way it did.” PW barely saw her tiny smile. “Ready to hush the room?” “Heh. Sure.” Agreed PW.  The giant mare stood up and, as expected, the already quiet room went deathly quiet. Snowheart strode toward the door, causing several wine glasses to clink in her wake. PW followed and looked forward at the immense, bushy silver tail bobbing before him and was entranced by its enormity. It was just about large and long enough to jump inside! He noted that for the future, in case for some messed up reason he needed to hide himself there. “PW you’re going to need to get a room. I hope you understand I can’t book that for you on a separate bill.” “It’s okay, Miss Snowheart. ‘Tis a small price to pay.” Answered PW.  Thank Celestia there wasn’t anypony left in the lobby by the time they arrived back. Snowheart picked up her key, this time to a different room, from the attendant. “Meet me out back by 8. I’ll be working out there.” She ordered and departed up the stairs. "Roger." PW acknowledged, walking up to the counter. “Checking in?” The attendant asked. “Actually, I’ll need to book and then, if I can, check in.” “Sure thing...” The attendant said.  PW glanced at his favorite big mare ascending the staircase, the last he’d see of her for nearly 12 hours. “We have several vacancies. 30 bits, with tax.” The clerk snapped him from his stupor. “Er, no problem.” Said the short pegasus, fishing out his coin-purse. “Room 427. Have a good evening.” “Thanks!” PW said, relieved to be on his way. The day’s excitement had left him worn and he was only just realizing how tired he was. PW checked in and found the room configuration to be exactly the same as the one from his previous night, but mirrored. This confused him at first, to his annoyance. Finally, after an exhausting first day in his new life he plopped down onto the bed.  “Boy am I going to sleep soundly tonight! Night-Mare 2 is safe, I’m on her team, and her safe room is across from my room!” he said excitedly as his eyelids wore heavy. A sound sleep, however, was not to be.  – A beaten, starved PW sat in a rusting cell. The sway of the ocean bobbed him back and forth and his throat ached from several bouts of sea-sickness. “Oi, cage rat! Get up!” A very angry diamond dog emerged from the gloom and rattled the bars. “Ugh… do I finally get to eat?” Croaked the filthy pegasus. “Better!” The dog flashed an evil grin. “You get to witness history in the making!” With that he yanked on PW’s newly-discovered leash, eliciting a pained yelp. PW was led up to the deck of a great galleon. Sea-spray found its way into his myriad cuts, making him wince. “Got the toadie, cap’n!” The dog yelled over the roar of the waves. An enormous Doberman wearing a red and blue vest donned with a jolly roger hat reared up beside a large, covered box. “Commence filming!” He barked. A brand new film camera was brought forth. The operator counted off. “Cap’n, you’re live in 5, 4, 3, 2… ” “PRINCESS CELESTIA!” The captain bellowed with a flourish. “It is I! The Alpha-Captain of these South Celestial Seas! I think you might be interested in what we caught the other night!”  He yanked the cloth from the box. It wasn’t a box at all, rather a large frame. Inside was Night-Mare 2; bound and a noose around her neck. A crate at her hooves was the only thing keeping her from certain death. “NIGHT-MARE 2!!!” PW cried. “This Night-Mare is over PW!” 2 hissed from a thoroughly-bruised face. “Forget me and save yourself!” “No! The Night-Mare never ends! Night-Mare forever!” PW screamed. The captain sauntered up to 2 and was able to look her right in the eye. “No! What?!” PW exclaimed in disbelief at the sight.  The diamond dog captain was so large that he was 2’s height including the box supporting her. “Foolish Celestia.” He chided. “You thought you could simply out-size your enemies?” He struck 2 and turned to the camera. “Dear Princess Celestia! Today I learned that you can’t out-size your opponents. There is always a bigger fish! Yar-har-har! Yours truly, the Alpha-Captain of the Southern Seas!” “You’re never going to win, Alpha!” 2 shouted. “My tribe will hunt you down like a pack of wolves!” The captain turned on her. PW, meanwhile, was utterly defeated.  The project had failed. “The Night-Mare was supposed to be the ultimate weapon! The greatest, biggest, and strongest of all!” PW huffed in distaste. The passing captain stopped. “And what have we here?” He growled, approaching PW along with the camera. “A rather small pegasus stallion from Marewaukee, cap’n. His name is Polaris Wind.” The handler spat. The captain addressed the camera again. “A-ha! A fitting name for somepony becoming friendly with the NorthWoods Tribe. And, har-har-har, for apony sharing the same fate.” He slapped PW and lumbered back to the hanging Night-Mare. “Because, as you see, Celestia, we’re going to execute one of your so-called “super soldiers” today, along with her little assistant! A tiny, common young stallion. Isn’t it comforting knowing your weapon-of-terror is destroyed? And your merchants left vulnerable? After today, the free seas become free again! But, I digress. Enough talk; I’m all about action! Let’s see some!” The captain howled and approached the crate’s pull-rope. “Polaris Wind! Equestria! Never stop fighting! Never give up! Size is measured in spirit, nothing else!” 2 shouted with all her might.  The crate was yanked away and sent the behemoth mare to freefall. “2!!!!! NOOO!!!!!” PW screamed in horror. The captain was now suddenly beside him, as though appearing from thin air. “And as for you, featherweight.” The Captain insulted, clipping a chained cannonball to PW’s collar. “Enjoy your final descent and landing!” He laughed, picking PW and the cannonball he was chained to up with sickening ease. “I’m sorry 2! I’m sorry! It’s all my fault! I was so stupid! So naïve! So weak!” PW cried. “Legend has it a shark with an appetite for flyers prowls these waters. Haar!” The captain shouted as he hurled PW over the side of the ship. PW thrust his wings out on instinct, desperately flapping as fifteen feet above the water became ten feet, then five until impact. PW inhaled a deep last breath as he fell beneath the frothing waves. He sank deeper and deeper at a terrifying rate. “I need to breathe! Need to breathe! Need to!” He pleaded to a cold abyss. Finally, he realized that even if were to break free there was no way to make it back in time… PW all but leapt from his pillow with a huge gasp. For a minute, it was all he could do to take in great gulps of air in a terrifying darkness eerily similar to the one he had just escaped. He wiped his forehead. The stallion was so drenched in sweat he would have to change the sheets.  “A nightmare! I had a nightmare… about my Night-Mare.” He admitted aloud to himself, recalling the whole thing.  He really wanted to see 2. No. He needed to see her. Immediately. He felt ashamed that he was unable to do anything in his dream. More than that; he felt sick at the thought of a physically-larger opponent to a Night-Mare.  “Oh, Faust! Please tell me what I need to do to protect this mare!” he prayed. PW slept lightly after changing the sheets and ended up waking before his alarm just after 7:00 AM. He stumbled out of bed and looked outside, seeing that his room faced the back of the structure. There, down in the grass along with some overnight frost, was an enormous cream-white mare with a silver mane doing pushups. PW sighed in relief, falling back onto his rear. “I wish I could preserve this moment forever, seeing her out there.” He said to himself. He knew the dangers she consistently exposed herself to. After a quick shower he headed outside. “... 455, 456, 457, 458… ” 2 huffed to herself, now doing situps. PW placed himself in her field of view to let her know she wasn’t alone but didn’t interrupt her counting. After another dozen or so reps she finally sat up. “You going to just sit there and watch me?” “Your count; don’t wanna interrupt!” He said quickly. “You’re observant, but I tend to lose count anyway after a thousand.” “O - one thousand?” “Yeah.” She wiped her brow. “This count isn’t from zero. It's from a thousand.” “Oh my. Do you think if I sat on you you’d be done sooner?” He asked jokingly. “Nope. You’re too light of a weight. But I might make use of you in a few minutes.” She said, answering his joke with her own. “Hey, T– er, Snow… Snowheart? On a serious note; I had a nightmare last night…” “Had a nightmare? You have one now!” She resumed her sit ups. “Well, it was kind of both I guess. It was… a nightmare, with a Night-Mare in it.” “Was it me? Did I kick ass?” She grinned. “Actually, not a dream. A nightmare.” “Ah.” “You were in it! So was I. But, instead of kicking ass, we were captured by some sea pirate and on a ship. I couldn’t save you. He hung you. And then he tied a cannonball to my neck and threw me overboard.” PW shivered at the recollection. The mare stopped exercising. “How did you feel about that?” She asked. “Like I failed you.” PW admitted. 2 sighed and stood up. “PW, I am moved that I mean so much to you. But, I’m getting a little worried. You must remember that I am military hardware and my time might be at hoof any day. If you concern yourself with my wellbeing so very much that you become attached to me like that, you may one day find your spirit gone. And spirit is everything. Size is measured in spirit, nothing more.” The stallion gasped. “2! You said just that in my dream! ‘Size is measured in spirit, nothing more!’” “Snowheart, please.” She shook her head and looked down at PW. “I see. So, you are already pretty attached, huh?” He beamed. “I can’t help it!” She hummed. “Then you’d better be prepared to share your fate with mine.” “I already am.” PW nodded. “Symbolically, that is. I never once regretted being on the ship. Just that I couldn't save us.” 2 only nodded at that and then resumed her situps in silence. She finally stopped at 600. “Hey, would you mind laying flat on the ground and being my barbell? I don’t have one handy and you’re about the right size.” “Please be gentle.” PW pleaded, prostrating himself on the grass.  2 reared, clicked her fingers from their sockets and grasped his hip and shoulders. Before he knew it PW was carried aloft to her chest, then straight up above her in a clean-and-jerk. “Whoa. Just be careful with my cutie mark. There’s…” “I know. I’ll make sure what you’re worried about doesn’t happen.” She assured him, taking a moment to study PW’s cutie mark. “Hm. A blue compass with a howling wolf on it?” 2 remarked. “Yeah I’ve been told that symbolizes loyalty, freedom, and wayfinding!” PW responded in a wavy pitch as he was repeatedly lifted up and down.  He found it comforting as it was humbling to witness firsthoof the power of a Night-Mare’s augments on his form without being injured. He likened the experience to an amusement park ride. After a hundred reps he was starting to get dizzy when a voice called out. “Miss Snowheart!”  It was S, calling from an open window. “Yeah?” 2 answered, stopping her exercise at full extension. “Stop… whatever it is you are doing with Mr. Wind and come up to my room. Immediately!” “Okay.” 2 responded, setting PW down with a chuckle. “Hooves down; you’re the most entertaining workout weight I have ever used, PW.” “I’m glad to be of use, ma’am!” He responded.