//------------------------------// // Illuminoid Dream Sequence // Story: Equestrian Steel // by Shieldheart204 //------------------------------// Illuminoid Dream Sequence. Shield was in a large forest, wearing a ceramic white armor with the Equestrian flag painted onto his right side. He was holding Wanda, with Maria and Remmy on their holsters. He began pacing forward carefully, making sure not to make any noise. He looked at a potential ambush spot and aimed down the sights. A buzz later and five changelings sprung from the spot. He carefully aimed and discharged five rounds. Each one penetrated a skull. The bodies fell with a satisfying crack. He continued forward, and ten more materialized in front of him. He took down five before they could aim at him. In a flurry of green bolts he launched himself into a ditch. With half a clip available, he retook aim. Five shots later he was free of hostiles. "Why do you steel yourself away from me child?" The smooth voice was a whisper, barely audible. The soldier looked around, but saw nothing. He reloaded and continued moving. As He walked he noticed the temperature drop constantly, and off in the distance he noticed the ruins of a city. A cryogenic dagger stabbed his heart with panic. The landscape had suddenly received a nice white coating of snow. He realized he was in the outskirts of Stalliongrad. He turned around and felt the world collapse, behind the frozen ghost city was the outskirts of Boardor and the Scorched Lands. He turned back forward and saw the frozen landscape. He could either go to hell or hell, only difference was the temperature. "Why do you keep torturing yourself?" Came the soft whisper, this time louder. A loud, piercing cry came from city, he looked and saw a chest. He opened the chest and revealed winter gear perfect for trekking. His face was covered in a large plaid black and blue scarf a balaclava underneath in and large goggles protecting eyes. He discarded his ceramic armor and plain white jumpsuit in order to change into a mottled uniform. He put on skull white flack armor covering his entire upper body. Over that he wore a harness with several ammunition pouches. His legs were armored with shin guards and knee caps. The vomit brown snow boots were secured tightly around his feet. On top of everything he put on a poncho mottled in snow camouflage. His head was also wearing a white steel helmet covered in the same fabric as his poncho. His gladius was resting on his left, his wand completely discarded. He heard the cry again. He grabbed the backpack filled with supplies, filled his ammo pouches and continued into the city. "Shield Heart, why do you refuse my presence?" Said a booming voice. He was uncovering his mouth when he heard the cry for help again. This time he recognized the voice, it was too hard not to. Cadence was stuck somewhere inside that city, with Shining Armor nowhere to be seen, typical. He entered the snowed in streets, completely alone. Each of the buildings was fractured at some point, most bearing scorch marks. He saw a playground, noticeable only because of the outline the snow produced around the tall playthings. He passed through several shops, their signs offering various products written in Hooviet. Most were humble food shops, offering the daily basics. Others sold clothing, one of which had a mannequin resembling Rarity. Not uncommon, but out of place. He almost fired at a large woman clad in midnight blue that approached him. Her pale skin and dark blue hair made her a unique and easy to recognize, and her feathery wings marked her as an angel. Shield Heart fell to one knee. "Princess Luna, why are you here?" "Do not play coy with me Shield, I had to break through your multiple locks in order to get here. What are you hiding from the Princess of Night?" She demanded. "Nothing Princess, I always steel my mind to forbid intruders into my knowledge." "Am I supposed to believe those lies?" "Princess, I speak the very truth, why do you not believe me?" "Because twice I called out to you, and I know that you heard me." She was right, he had guessed who it was, but he still hadn't been even slightly inclined to lower his guard. "I expected more respect from my new Regulator." Shield was taken aback, he had just been promoted from Warden to Regulator by a Princess. It would have been an honor for most people, but not for him. No one but his father had the authority to promote him. Both princesses knew this, which meant only one thing. "Princess, although flattered, I cannot accept your offer, since you have no authority over me." He said. "Yes I do, as of today, your father has retired as Lord Marshall Grey at my request to take up the mantle. I will meet you in Vanhoover the day after tomorrow to inspect your facilities." This last sentence froze the Regulator in place. His father always kept a blind eye to his base in Vanhoover, insisting in getting results. He was forced to play politician for the moment, he had to put a happy face. "As you wish your highness, I await your arrival eagerly." He said. "I also wanted to talk to you, angel to nephilim if I may." "When did you know of my condition?" "Since I started revising your psychological profile, for an agent of Equestria you have a very extensive list of mental issues." "Protecting this nation tends to leave the Greys with several traumas as they are unable to cope with the chaos that surrounds us." "Yes, and I find it very curious that you lack a professional psychologist. Your physician is severely unqualified, having lost his medical license and being a wanted man in five different nations. What say you in defense?" He was impressed, she had done a full background check on him, going as far as to see who was responsible for his well being. Life was just going to get harder with her as his boss. The princess shivered, her body was starting to act to the cold weather. Most people who entered his dreams took time before they fully entered his experience. "Would your majesty like a coat?" He asked. He was sure he could take one from the stands, they belonged to him anyways. The cry was heard again. Luna reacted with surprise. "What is happening, and where are we?" She asked. Shield did not respond, he smashed a window shop and grabbed a black fur coat, ripping it from a helpless mannequin. He handed her the coat, which the princess quickly proceeded to put on. "We are in Stalliongrad. This is a simple hostage rescue." "I don't recall ever hearing the name Stalliongrad before." "You shouldn't, the town has been dead for four years now, lost during the Hooviet Expansion." "I sense that this place brings troubles to you, would you like to say why?" "No princess, this is one of the terrors I would prefer to venture alone. This is part of my past, a past that will forever haunt me." "Did you have something to do with the demise of this town?" She inquired, she could tell that this was a very cumbersome scene filled with guilt. "No, I simply aided the defense, but it did not go well. I would rather not talk about it." He looked down, a small tear forming behind his glasses. He unbelted his sword and offered it to the Princess of Night. "I believe that you know how to handle one of these?" She grabbed the hilt, tested it and nodded. "What are we fighting?" "Figments of my imagination." "That take the form of what?" "Changelings, I am training myself for the following days." "Very well, I will aid you against these bugs." She strapped the sword belt on and withdrew it. The new pair began walking through the snowed in streets, ready to face the enemies. Shield raised his hand with a clenched fist as he stopped in front of a window. Not knowing the proper hand signals, Luna bumped into him. He looked at her with an annoyed look. "Princess, the fist means stop." "Alright." Shield dropped his rifle, which dangled from his right side thanks to the strap that held it firmly. He grabbed Remmy and chambered a round. He unfogged a window and peeked inside and saw four enemies playing cards, but they weren't changelings. These soldiers were Enclave troops, their trademark olive green armor covered them and their shoulders sported black armbands with an olive green E surrounded by thirteen silver stars. Each had standard army uniforms, covered by tan tactical vests. He extended his fingers signaling four, and then neared his thumb and index fingers. The princess looked perplexed, the terminology wasn't popular, so there was no logic behind what Shield was doing. "This means four enemies. Wait for me to enter before you do." He lowered his hand and crouched, making sure not to reveal his position behind a window. The princess walked forward, completely missing the sign given by his inferior. Naturally she was noticed, and all soldiers went for their GK36 assault rifles and pointed at the door. With a flurry of bullets incoming, the princess dropped on her stomach, the missiles cutting her hair. Using this unexpected distraction, the Regulator burst through he door, his shotgun firing hundreds of pellets into the room. As soon as he heard the click of an empty camber he grabbed his side arm. Remmy had only managed to kill one hostile, since they had flipped the table in order to cover themselves. He created a fireball in his hand, and launched it over the table. He heard a shout and two enemies jumped out of cover, one of them hiding behind a pillar and the other one sliding over the bar and behind the beer kegs. The fireball exploded like a grenade, shattering the table and incinerating someone who was too slow to move put of the way. Snapping his fingers he set his hand on fire, which he extended in direction of his foes and unleashed a stream of flames. The man behind dodged out of the way, but was hit in the shoulder by three bullets, later capped by a bullet to the brain. The one behind the kegs poked out his rifle and pulled the trigger, not even aiming or looking. None of the bullets hit him, and helped him get close enough to his opponent. With a snap of his fingers he set the Olive trooper ablaze. Searching for a way to quench the flames, the soldier backed into the cupboard, knocking various bottles of alcohol which fell into his person. With the alcohol the flames intensified, reducing him to pure ash. The princess had recovered to this point, and saw the demise. "Was that not a little too drastic? You could have shot him, it would have been quicker. And who are they" "Enclave soldiers. It's a private army run by a madman. And trust me, these people don't deserve any mercy." They got back to the streets, and heard the cry again. "Isn't that the voice of Cadence?" "Maybe, maybe not." He responded, hoping to not have to give more comment. "What is going on in here? I thought you were in complete control of your dream." "I am!" "Then why are we fighting someone besides Changelings? Was this private army in Stalliongrad?" "No princess, I met the Enclave in Great Bridle, where I had an argument with the leader, a charismatic xenophobe with far too much money on his hands." "Is he a threat?" "Not unless we invade Great Bridle. The man may be paranoid, but he knows bette than to start an invasion upon a peaceful country. He could be a problem if we were in the Old Continent, but since we aren't, we're far put of his reach." His stomach churned, he hated lying, but he couldn't let the Royalty know that a xenophobic army was the most advanced in the Old Continent. "What did this army do to you for it to be the primary nemesis in this wasteland?" "Be a pain in my butt. These people never know when it is good to quit." A war cry was heard, the voice marked them as bloodthirsty. "Not them! Not Now!" "Who are they, I demand you tell me!" Ordered the princess, but it was too late. A creature clad from head to toe in white sackcloth, with a face perforation jumped at the angel. The monster was wearing a metal mask with protruding optic tubes and a metal mesh covering the mouth. In its hands was the offspring of a spear and a rifle, with a long barrel extending past the bayonet regular length and reaching almost half a meter in blade alone, the rest of the weapon was at least a meter long. Princess Luna was able to draw her sword and slice the monster across the chest, who with a thud crashed into the wall, dripping blood into the white snow. Three emerged from a snow mound, firing their single shot rifles at the one they saw was better armed. Three shots managed to penetrate the poncho. But rebounded when they met the flak jacket. Shield retaliated with Maria, firing whilst on the move, three bullets hit one target, who went prone in fear of getting shot more. The monster that attacked Luna recovered, crystal white eyes reddening with rage and with another war cry it charged bayonet first. It was stopped halfway by a psybolt extending from Luna's palm. Shield grabbed his rifle and aimed at the nearest sack-clad man. He fired and exploded its head, eyes shooting out like pebbles out of a slingshot. The others began firing, but the armor rendered their shots useless. He tossed another exploding fireball, which sent another baddie flying while it burned through the air. Luna's opponent was far more resilient, quickly recovering from its wound and getting ready for another charge. Only this time it started shooting before it went on a suicide run. The shots either missed or were trapped in a barrier produced from the fingertips of the angel with a gentle twang. The Regulator took his chance and fired two bullets, one hit the left arm and the other penetrated the skull. The lifeless body hit the floor before it could charge. Barely a second passed before Luna turned her Midnight Blue eyes to her agent. "What just happened? I thought you were in control of this dream?" Her eyes staring directly to his soul. "I lost it, this is becoming a nightmare. I can't believe it, for the first time I'm losing control..." And he started gibbering nonsense. He stopped when a palm smacked the back of his head. He faced the Angel responsible. Her face was dead serious, showing no emotion at all. "For goodness sake, you are a Regulator, a soldier of Equestria! You are the first line of defense against all evil! You can't be having a mental breakdown in a dream that you are having!" Her words came out half with motivation half with anger. "I can't help it Princess, it's the angel blood acting, I usually don't have these episodes because I take an injection that counteracts this. Sadly enough, my body so running out of serum and the effects are wearing off. My Lady, you must get out of here." He spoke the truth, the dementia episode was striking because of the blood. But he failed to mention that the effects were wearing off because it was a new strand of serum. "Why do you not simply wake up? That way everything will end." "As much as I would love to do that I can't. My body is currently in a deep sleep, fixing the problem. And my dreams are a battlefield which I cannot escape until my main objective is complete. But since you are dropping in, you can leave just as easy as you normally would." His voice stammered a little at the end. "Then commit suicide, that way you will be forced to wake up." "Impossible in this deep sleep, if I die I will fall into limbo." "How do you know that is true?" "I've done this before, several times in fact. Whenever The princess returned her sword and vanished from existence. Shield was left in the unforgiving cold, kneeling as his body absorbed the snow pouring down on him. His vision was completely distorted, he miraculously got up but found it very hard to maintain his balance. He bumbled around worst than a drunk, not capable of walking straight. He leaned onto a wall, where he continued walking with one hand firmly against the bricks and the other one holding Maria. Ten Enclave soldiers emerged from a parked black flat truck with a canvas canopy. Each one covered from head to toe in hazmat combat suits. The suits were made of a special type of PVC and Teflon used specifically to ward off all sorts of hazards painted in olive green. The suit covered from head to ankles completely, with the area where the face should be replaced by a mask seamed into the suit. The mask had a cylindrical filtered trudging downward from the mouth, the helmet was a polarized glass shaped like an inverted V, with the lower part beginning inbetween the eyebrows. The cheekbones were covered , with the start of the nose bridge locating the wedge inside the V. They wore black combat boots and dark flak vests. They weren't using regular assault rifles, the weapons were extremely varied. One of them was holding a minigun, five were wielding 12-gauge SPIT shotguns, two held PM-6 submachine guns and two more had crossbows. If they spotted him, he would be dead before he could talk. But fortunately a strong blizzard was covering him. Using this he retreated to the bar. He managed to regain control of himself, the dizziness had disappeared momentarily. He holstered his pistol and grabbed the rifle that dangled from his right side. He was hiding behind the wooden counter, hoping that nobody would find him. "Search the room, he's got to be in here!" Said a muffled voice. He heard several footsteps inside the room, along with the unique breathing. There would be no way for him to survive if he so much as poked his head out. "We need a medic here!" Came another voice. "Check behind the counter!" Footsteps sounded off in the distance, nearing his position. Shield quickly formulated an escape plan, hoping it would be enough to get him out alive. His second priority was to save Cadence, if he managed to succeed, he would be able to escape this nightmare. He sat perfectly still, waiting for the opportunity to present itself. A soldier wielding an SMG looked behind the counter, only to be received by a storm of bullets. "Frag him!" Said a shotgunner while reaching for a sphere in his belt. The other three followed suit, pulling the pins and throwing the explosives forward. With a telekinetic wave produced from his hand Shield deflected them back. The resulting explosion brought the roof down, killing all four soldiers. A low hum of prepping was heard and Shield reextended his arm, this time producing a heat shield. The loud thundering of the machine gun began as dozens of bullets hit the barrier, evaporating as they touched the scorching shield. Running as fast as he could, the blond soldier crashed through a window. He quickly recovered and restarted his barrier. The rest of the squadron followed him, firing whenever they could. He walked past a corner, losing his perusers from from view. But to his misfortune, three trucks parked in front of him. Several hazmat soldiers descended, bearing assault rifles. "Kill the freak!" Said one. And without further invitation, all thirty soldiers started shooting as many bullets as they could. Thinking fast, Shield smashed through a window into a cafe. Without a chance to think of the scenery he dashed through, hoping to find a back door. He heard several noises behind him and he turned around. What he saw was not pretty, for there were at least twenty olive green grenades littering the floor. Swearing to some higher deity, he formed an x with his arms and braced for impact. The explosion hit him harder than a falling house, sending him flying against the wall. And with common dream physics, he smashed through the wall and was left in the back alley. Every bone in his body ached, every millimeter of his self was in pain, and his ears were ringing horribly. But he had to get up, he had to carry on with his mission. He continued walking at a brisk pace, hoping to find some door. He did, but he felt like someone was teasing him, since the door was locked. Placing a flaming semi-sphere on the door he backed away. After the explosion he stormed in, rifle first. But to his surprise he was in another cafe, with a man sitting there floating. He was the most unorganized human he had ever seen. The top hair war pure white, but the right side was longer than the left. From the ears down it was black, pitch black. The suit consisted of a sewn in mess of different fabrics, but curiously they were either one of two colors: purple or red. Shield pointed his weapon, this was a man he didn't recognize. The discordant turned around, not helping him. He had a full white beard, with yellow eyes with black slit pupils. "Well hello there! How pleasant of you to join me." Said the stranger with a calm voice "Who are you and why shouldn't I shoot you right here and now." Threatened the soldier. "Ooh, such violence. Tell you what, why don't you put that down before you do something stupid.." Said the other man as he ordered him to lower his rifle using his hand. For some reason Shield complied, not voluntarily because something forced him. "Who are you?" He asked. "Well, my name is unimportant, for I have many names. Some know me as Loki, God of mischief, but you can call me Sheogorath, prince of madness." Said Sheogorath. "Alright prince, how did you get in here, because I am sure that you aren't a figment of my imagination." "How do you know that's true? For all you know I could be a representation of your growing dementia." "No,that's impossible for these dreams have reality parameters." The elder stood up, snapped his fingers and a chocolate milk glass spawned in his hand. He took a bite out of it, spit the contents into a plate. But instead of glass of brown liquid, a croissant landed. "You are right, you boring soldier. I am not from here." "Then how did you get in? I had mind locks that took the princes about five minutes to crack." "Well, she let me in of course! Maybe not intentionally, but both of you left the door open so I made my way in." "What are you doing here?" Asked Shield as he dropped his rifle and reloaded his shotgun. This man meant no harm, if he did he would already have done it. "Because there is entertainment, like those chaps in front of me, they're doing these weird things to this lovely girl." He said as he sat down to enjoy his snack. Shield immediately looked up and felt another pang of fear. In the building in front of him was a grocery store, where five soldiers were holding clubs, beating and torturing a beautiful young lady. The lady had tricolor hair, the most beautiful features, even if they were covered in blood and bruises. But it was the eyes that made everything horrible. One of them had a bruise, but that wasn't the point. The point was that those eyes carried despair, fear and ultimate submission. A rage was filling inside him like a waterfall filling a vase. He grabbed his rifle and went for the door. He looked back at Sheogorath and said: "You wanted to see a show sir?" "Well, yes." "Then I suggest you prepare because I will not repeat what I am about to do." "If you do good I might just reward you." Shield continued, his damned dream finally reaching an end. He made sure not to be seen, for stealth was crucial. He approached the door, making sure his footsteps were as silent as possible. Grabbing his rifle on his right, he opened the door and cast a flash bang sphere with his left. The soldiers we blinded, and completely helpless for the following massacre. Bursting through the door, Shield fired his bullets until the magazine emptied. The resulting blood was enough to paint the room, and the extruding organs were good enough to add a brutal decoration to the room. Shield quickly helped Cadence to her feet, undoing the bindings in her hands and feet. "Thank you Shield!" Said the princess as she hugged her rescuer. "No need sis, you know that I'm always here for you." He said casually "I must admire your skill boy, but you did it too fast! If you really want to enjoy life you need to take it slower." Said Sheogorath. "I couldn't take my sweet time! My sister was in trouble!" "Well, you promised entertainment and you delivered. Albeit at a reduced time. Are you ready for your reward?" Shield was skeptical, this man had zero credibility yet he sounded like his advice was worth more than a dragon's egg. "Sure, why not." Responded the Regulator. "Very well, listen closely for I will only say this once: Before you lies the start of your biggest test, skills morals and trust will be strained, for your opponents know more about you than you wish. Love from past and future will gather, forcing you to chose who should live and who will perish. Your greatest opponent will not be Chrysalis, it will be yourself. And you will not see the victory over Manehattan." And with a snap of his fingers the prince of madness was gone. "So that is what it feels like." Said Shield understanding why it is rude to disappear from a conversation. Suddenly, everything began collapsing, each building crumpling in itself. Shield just stood the, gripping the first love of his life waiting for the dream to end. Shield woke up the next day at ten o'clock in the morning. His forehead was covered in sweat and his body ached. .oOo. Twilight Sparkle was finally asleep, having changed into her long pajamas. The bed was very comfortable, so much that it didn't take long for her to fall asleep. In her dreams she was in a blank space, full of... Nothing. She merely stood around, contemplating her thoughts. From nowhere Princess Luna appeared, holding Rarity's hand. "I am sorry to arrive uninvited Twilight Sparkle, but there is much that I need to discuss with both of you." Said the Princess. "There's no need to worry, what seems to be the problem?" Asked Twilight. "And where are we?" "You are currently in the Dream Space, a realm created for the single purpose of meeting in a secure space. My time is not much, for I am needed elsewhere." "So what is so Improtant?" "It's about Shield Heart, I am afraid of his well being. I just came back from his dream and his mind began remembering nightmares, not doing what he wanted his dream to do." "He has the ability to control dreams?" "Just his. A lot of people train themselves to use their dreams like training grounds, but it takes a heavy toll, and death in a dream can mean a coma in real life." "So you want us to wake him up?" "My main concern is in investigating his past, no Grey has ever had a mind so corroded like the one he has." "Can't you access his memories?" Asked Rarity With a deep sigh, the princess answered: "Although unethical, I could do it if I entered an average person's dream, but Shield is nowhere near average, his mind has several locks, it took me half an hour just to enter his dream. There is no way for me to enter his mind without him noticing." "So, how will we accomplish it? Shield isn't exactly forthcoming." "Fortunately, I have become the new Lady Marshal of the Greys, and therefore have complete control over his doings." "And how exactly does this help? He seems to not car wether something is ordered or not." "He will come to respect my authority, he has done so in the past. So obedience is not the issue. But I need your aid to open up his memories, without the help of friends, his nightmares might get the better of him when we most need him." "Doesn't he have any friends? There must be more people who are willing to help him." "I do not know, but since you are two of the Elements of Harmony, I thought you would be perfect for this task." "Well, Princess Celestial has already given us that exact same mission." Interrupted Twilight. "I know, and so am I. Completing this may not be as important as missions you have had in the future, but it is crucial nonetheless. Will you accept it?" Her words were sincere, she was asking from the bottom of her heart. "Don't worry princess, I am confident that we can help him. Although we will need more time, and the rest of the Elements. This isn't something we can achieve quickly or alone." "I understand, and I also wish to inform you that I will be arriving on Vanhoover the Twenty-sixth of May, to oversee the installations Shield has. For far too long has he been able to operate in secret, though truth be told, I am frightened to know what is kept with him." "Then we will gladly accept your visit Princess." Shortly after that, Twilight found herself waking up. She looked at the grey wall clock and it marked ten fifteen. She went back to bed, hoping to rest some more. .oOo. Shield wasn't so lucky, his mind kept bogging down, refusing to do complicated thinking. It felt as though a fog had settled over his brain. If he started complex thinking, he would find himself stuck for no reason. The worst part was that as he got down from his bed he lost balance, falling face-first into the cold wooden floor Next up he started seeing things very differently. His bed was neon color, with an imprintedfloral design, his bathroom door looked to be made out of toilet paper. At first he considered that he was in a dream, but after going to his special twenty-sided dice, he managed to prove that this was the real life. Next up came the schizophrenia, with Sheogorath lying on the floor. The man didn't speak, opting to simply watching a poor man tumble down for no reason. It surprised Shield that even with his racket his adopted brother hadn't woken up. Upon inspecting the pacifier-infested bed bunk, he figured out why. Both beds were empty. Looking at the melting wall-clock he figured out that it was ten fifteen, well past the wakeup time. He turned to Sheogorath who was smiling from ear to ear. Now he had decided to float casually. "What do you want?" Asked Shield with a grumpy mood, being in psychedelia always made him cranky. "OOo. So rude. You know it's not my fault you can see me, right?" "You are still somewhat responsible for using my mind to manifest yourself in the real world." "I'm still trapped in the confines of your mind, since I don't actually have a physical body of my own." Responded Sheogorath as he snapped a cup of coffee into existence. With one gulp he drank the ceramic container and threw the liquid through the window, exploding in green flames. "That doesn't make sense." Replied the soldier coldly. "What didn't make sense, the coffee or me existing in your mind." "Both, actually. I could imagine the whole "living in the dreams" thing, but how is you drinking ceramic and throwing coffee through a closed window which then bursts into green flames make any sort of fucking sense!" "It's quite simple, it doesn't have to!" Said the prince with a gleeful smile. "I don't have time to deal with you, I need to get to breakfast before I am left with cereal." "Mind if I come with you?" "Like you have much of a choice." "That's a fair point." Shield stopped and began to reason what he had just done. He had accepted a mind alien to his own into his thoughts and memories. He sat down and began creating locks around his memories, protecting them from Sheo. "I see you placed magic locks around, it would be a real shame if someone... Unlocked the." Said the prince with a fiendish smile. "Just try to touch one and you will be expelled from my mind quicker than a cannonball." "Alright, I'll give you some privacy."