//------------------------------// // Into the Storm // Story: From Earth to Equus: An Utterly Impossible Oddesy // by CarmenColor //------------------------------// The moment I entered the castle, I was slammed to the ground by a powerful wind. How was Sam doing that? Winds are Chance's talent. Though, I suppose, not impossible for others... Then, quite suddenly, it stopped. I stood. "What-?" Another powerful blast hit me on the side, slamming me into the wall. I fell to the ground limply. Tendrils from Nightmare Storm's mane came out to claim me. I cast a force field around myself, protecting me from them. I galloped into the next room. No winds bothered my progress. There! Magical cages surrounded my siblings and the Elements of Harmony. I ran to them. Creepy laughter emanated from somewhere in the room. I turned around to find myself face to face, well, as close as we were going to get, with Nightmare Storm. A magical bolt hit me in the chest. "Ahhhhh!" I screamed, my hooves failing to keep me up. A grey spot appeared on my chest. Tendrils slowly enveloped me. First down at my hooves. I lost all feeling in them. I couldn't move. "What are you doing?" "What do you think?" came the sickly sweet voice, "I thought you were supposed to be smart." "Well, I figure I'm being turned to stone, but why?" I tried to slow the progress of my paralyzation, but to no avail. I sneezed several times. "Because I can. I can do anything in this universe. It's a TV show." "Well, it was, but certainly you must see that this is much more than a regular TV show." "Not really. They're all the same." "Not true! This one is actually real." "They all are! And you know what? I can prove it." "How?" I wasn't sure that I wanted the answer. "You'll see," she snickered. My world faded to black. ___________________________________________________ Carmen, maybe I should tell this part. Since, you know, you weren't there. Oh, fine! But I'm telling it when I come back in! ___________________________________________________ I watched as Carmen's body was turned to stone. Like a statue. Tears spilled from my eyes. I thought she was dead. From my magical prison, I'm sure everypony heard my sobbing. Nightmare Storm ignored me. "That was it?" she asked teasingly, "Your last resort was a powerless alicorn with a cold? Pathetic." She paced in front of our cages. "Well, now what? I've captured all the alicorns and the Elements of Harmony. Hmm, what have I missed?" I cast my winds at her in fury. She glared at me. "Why, Sam? What good is any of this doing?" I asked her, "You just killed one of your closest friends." "You idiot. She's not dead. Yet." Not dead? She wasn't-- I lifted the statue with my winds and attempted to bring it closer to me. Carmen wasn't dead. She wasn't dead. "She can share with you." The statue was thrown into my prison with me. I stared into Carmen's grey, stone eyes. Not dead, just turned to stone. I hugged the statue, tears rolling down my cheeks. "Now, I must go rule my kingdom. Have fun." She spread her giant black wings and flew off. It was a very long time before anypony spoke. It was Twilight. "So Carmen isn't actually-" "No," I cut her off, "She still has time. What did Sam do to her, Celestia?" "It would seem that Nightmare Storm has sent Carmen to another universe, similar to Nightmare Moon banishing you, but I think it is one from another TV series that Carmen watches." "What?" Twilight asked. "It would take a very long time to explain, my student. Maybe another time." We sat in silence for awhile. A mist filled the room, and I became extremely sleepy. I laid down and slept. Celestia later told me that I had been asleep for a whole week. How I had managed that, I still haven't any idea. The Element ponies were not doing so well. They were all unconscious. Celestia and Luna had attempted to bring them something to eat with their magic, but they didn't get much. I looked over at Carmen and felt like cheering and screaming at the same time. There she was, breathing smoothly, her coat no longer grey, but blue. I raised her wings with a hoof and noticed the faded shades of her colors. They were coming back. She was back, but back only to suffer. She slept for a whole day. It was then that I decided to wake her. I nudged her and shook her, but nothing happened. "Celestia! She won't wake! She acts like I'm no even touching her." "Her senses are still diluted from being turned to stone. Only the most sensitive of nerves will be active." "Like what?" "Well..." Celestia thought for a moment, "Often nerves in the face are most sensitive." "Did Sam not say that Carmen had a cold?" Luna chipped in. That gave me an idea. I plucked one of her feathers, whispering an apology, and tickled her nose with it. The reaction was slightly delayed. Her nose scrunched up and she turned away from the offending feather. Determinedly, I tried again. Her eyes pressed tightly together and she brought a hoof up to rub her nose. I held both her forelegs down with my own forelegs and magically lifted the feather. I tickled her nose for the third time. She gasped in a few breaths before all of a sudden-- "Haaah-Heeeeeeh-HehTCHEW! HEHTCHEW!!! HEHTCHMPH!!!!" Carmen awoke in a flurry of sneezes. ___________________________________________________ I was not that bad! And it's my turn now. Yes, yes. I remember. Go on, then. ___________________________________________________ To go back a bit, I was asleep, having had an amazing adventure of my own whilst I was stone. I had been told that when I awoke, I would be home. Suddenly, my nose began to itch. I tried to brush it away, but it seemed like my forelegs wouldn't move. It got worse and worse, until finally I couldn't hold it back anymore, and yes, I sneezed. "Haaah-Heeeeeeh-HehTCHEW! HEHTCHEW!!! HEHTCHMPH!!!" I moaned softly, sniffling a little. When I had been turned to stone and sent away, I still hadn't gotten over my cold. I rubbed my snout and looked around. Only one thing managed to register. Chance. Chance was here. With me. He was safe. He was okay. I wrapped my forelegs around him in a hug as tears rolled down my cheeks. I really was back, and that's all that mattered.