//------------------------------// // Sweet Dreams (Pt1|Ch4) // Story: My Little Argonian: Family is Sacred // by Warren Peace //------------------------------// Chapter Four: Sweet Dreams Their voices slowly fading to the calming sound of rushing water, the Cutie Mark Crusaders departed. The three were a rushing waterfall of different ideas centered around the art of stealth, each proposing different ways of obtaining a cutie mark in that area of expertise. Ah, the ignorant bliss of children, my mind commented as I smiled pleasantly, nodding in reply, Seems the children here aren’t all that different from those in Skyrim, that’s hopefully for the better. But enough of this, where were we before our little interruption? Calming down after the racist unicorn and coming to terms with where you are? My smile faded, Thank you for reminding me, I grumbled back. The sound of hoofsteps crunching over grass reached my ears and I snapped my head around, catching sight of Fluttershy, a steaming bowl atop her back. She froze up under my glare, startled by the suddenness of my reaction. “Um, I brought you some more broth,” she said, bolstering her courage and coming closer to offer the food as she had the last time. “Thank you,” I said without conviction. The warmth of the broth seeped into my hands as I took it from the grip of her wings. “You’re welcome,” Fluttershy replied, rather happily despite my tone. I turned back towards the river, bringing the bowl to my lips to... “Oh, uh, you should probably let it cool off a bit,” Fluttershy warned quietly, “It’s still very hot, it might burn your tongue.” Burn your tongue? My mind inquired, chuckling, Better watch out for that, Aram, I’ve heard burnt tongues can be very deadly! “Hm,” I grunted in reply, ignoring my mind for the moment. “So...I hope you don’t mind me asking,” Fluttershy said after a moment, “But, um, what exactly do argonians eat? Are...are you...carnivorous?” Oh, argonians just love to eat horses! My mind answered in silence, eat them up by the dozens, they do! Carnivorous? I wondered, ignoring my mind again. “What?” I asked, turning and flinching as a slight pain cut into my chest. “If you don’t want to talk about that then that’s perfectly fine,” Fluttershy replied quickly, sounding as if she had said something that was completely out of place, “It would just be nice to know what I can and can’t give you for food.” I frowned a second before replying, “I...don’t know what carnivorous means.” “Oh,” Fluttershy said, now looking surprised, “...it, um, means a creature whose diet primarily relies on...well,” she glanced at the ground, giving it a little kick, “meat.” “I don’t eat meat,” I replied truthfully. But you do eat fish! Fish aren’t meat, shut-up! I snapped. “Oh, good,” Fluttershy said, looking rather relieved, “So what do you eat, then?” I weighed my answer for a second before replying, “You don’t happen to have any mead, do you?” That’s the first thing that you ask about? Mead? my mind inquired. I’ve only got one bottle left! I retorted. Well I told you to grab more back at the sanctuary, but you didn’t listen. You grabbed more of your poisons instead, and look how that turned out! I had planned to get more an an inn, I replied, then turning from my internal conflict to my external one. “Meat?” Fluttershy asked, startled again, “But I thought you said...” “No, mead,” I corrected, “Not meat, mead.” “Oh,” Fluttershy replied, trying to hide behind her mane again, slightly embarrassed, “I...don’t know what that is...” She trailed off. Damnit, I grumbled, just my luck...or lack thereof. Maybe there’s mead elsewhere, if not then you’ve a one-of-a-kind beverage! You could make thousands of septims off it! Switching back to Fluttershy, I said, “Nevermind, then. How about apples? Do you know what those are?” Fluttershy nodded, “Oh yes, I have plenty of apples...I could go get you one if you’d like,” She offered, taking a step back towards the cottage, “I’ve got red ones, green ones, I think I might even still have a zap apple or two left.” “That would be welcome...” I replied, struggling with the next words for a second, “Thank you.” See, now you’re getting the hang of it! Though what in oblivion are zap apples? How should I know? “You’re welcome,” Fluttershy smiled happily, “I’ll be right back,” she started to trot off, but turned after a few steps, “Would you like me to get you a blanket? To keep you warm?” “No, I’m fine,” I replied, turning back towards the river. Aram... “But the offer is appreciated,” I added flatly. Fluttershy’s hoofsteps picked back up again as she trotted back towards her cottage, leaving me in relative silence again with the rushing water. Hopefully we won’t be interrupted now. Agreed, I replied, taking a deep breath and letting it out to start myself into a meditative state. You really should be nicer to Fluttershy, seeing how she’s going out of her way to make sure that you’re okay and all. She doesn’t have to... And yet she still does... I...I began before finding a loss of words, unable to come up with a decent excuse. What? Still don’t trust her? My mind asked doubtfully. Maybe, I replied. That’s a poor lie if ever I heard one, My mind retorted, don’t think that I didn’t notice you not going for your knives when you noticed it was Fluttershy behind you. Nor did you check for poisons in the broth that she gave you. You aren’t going to fool me that easily, Aram. Reminded of the broth, I grumbled to myself and took a sip, feeling it warm my body. See! My mind said. Fine, I replied, drinking more of the broth, maybe I have come to trust her...mostly, but how could anyone not? She’s absolutely weak! Afraid of her own shadow, I’d reckon. She hasn’t any guts to show unless it’s through a knife! I hope you’re not suggesting... No, that was only for example, I cut in, she’s useful, an asset. And nice... Yeah, well we’ve both been wrong about people before. You can’t possibly expect me to open up to her after the short time span that I’ve actually known her. She’s an asset now, maybe an ally in the near future, I’ve made far too many mistakes opening up to people before. But that’s just it! My mind replied, She’s a talking pegasus, not a person! You may know a thing or two about people, but this creature is entirely different! All the more reason to show caution, then. Perhaps pegasi are deceitful, bottom-feeding scum. Maybe they’re worse than the nords! Or maybe you’re being paranoid...well a bit too paranoid to be correct. More paranoid than is healthy or normal for you, My mind countered. Maybe you aren’t being paranoid enough! Would Sithis really send you into the hands of a deceitful bottom-feeder? Didn’t he make it clear that he wants you to spearhead a new Dark Brotherhood in this land? Why put you into the hands...or hooves in this case...of a creature that you couldn’t trust? Tell me that, Aram. I was unable to come up with a decent reply, and found my face turning into a snarl of annoyance. See, you get my point. And I’m not asking you to open up to her, just be nicer, show her a bit of the kindness that she’s showing you...but on the note of our dread father, let’s change the subject, shall we? I took another gulp of the broth before taking in my surroundings again to make certain that there was nothing lurking about to get me. As far as I could tell, there wasn’t. The sound of a door opening behind me and a look in its direction told me that Fluttershy was heading back towards me. She stopped to check up on a few of her animals on the way down before finally reaching me. “I brought you an apple,” she said upon reaching me, offering a juicy green apple with a hoof. “Thank you,” I said, taking the apple and examining it in my hand. Watch out, it might burn your tongue! “I could, um, get you a different one if you don’t like that one,” Fluttershy said, looking as if she had done something wrong again. I glanced back at her, “No, it’s fine,” I said, taking a crunchy bite from the fruit. I was surprised at how good the apple was, pausing a moment to savor the taste of the bite I had taken. It was a perfect balance of sweet and sour, the texture giving a pleasant feel to the whole thing. To put it bluntly, it was the best apple I’d ever tasted. “By Sithis,” I commented after I swallowed the first bite. “What?” Fluttershy asked, still behind me. “Nothing,” I replied a bit too quickly, throwing her a glance, “Did...you want something?” I asked, taking another bite of the apple and mentally kicking myself for almost showing a weakness. Putting her in the spotlight had its predicted effect, causing Fluttershy to shrink down a bit, using her mane as a shield once more. “W-well, if it’s okay with you can I, um...ask you something?” She asked. “What is it?” I replied. “Did...” Fluttershy began, bolstering her courage, “Did I do something to upset you?” Taking another bite from the apple, I frowned, “Why do you ask?” “Well, you just don’t seem very happy when I get near you,” She replied, “At first I thought you were just grumpy from your wounds, most creatures can be very agitated when they’re hurt, but then the Cutie Mark Crusaders came by and you seemed a lot more happy...” She trailed off and I could feel her questioning eyes burning into my back, likely pain in them. “You did nothing wrong,” I replied, “Don’t worry.” “But...then why..?” She began to ask before I cut her off. “I think that I would prefer to be alone now,” I said, giving her a look before returning my gaze to the rushing water. That was rude. Shut-up, I told her to leave in as nice a way as possible, I replied, that’s a very...personal subject that she was delving into. One that I’m not willing to tell her. Yet? I didn’t reply. Well then, about this visitor in your sleep, my mind began. Looking behind me, I saw Fluttershy off tending her other animals. I turned back around and examined the exotic white meat of the apple still in my hand. I took another bite from the green orb of fruit, savoring the taste. You know the Brotherhood’s history. Back in the times when they were in their prime, around the Oblivion Crisis especially, a potential candidate would be visited by a Speaker as they slept. Perhaps this is what Sithis meant, perhaps there are others of our order already here in Equestria. I pondered that as I took another bite from the apple, Then why did Sithis ask for me to spread his unholy light? Are the others not worthy or willing? If that were the case then why would they help Sithis in the first place? Well how in the Dread Lord’s name am I supposed to know? Why don’t you just go to sleep and find out for yourself? Considering the circumstances, you could certainly use as much rest as you can get. Looking down at the extend of my injuries, I was forced to agree, I still don’t like being anyone’s puppet. Well you going to sleep is going to happen eventually, My mind reasoned, might as well bite the broadhead and say “let’s get this over with.” I let out what was a combination of a sigh and a grumble, glancing down at my apple to see it was mostly gone by now. The white meat of the fruit gleamed back at me as I took another bite. Let me finish my apple first. 0 . o . 0 “Oh, here, let me get the door for you,” Fluttershy said, hopping and gliding from a small group of animals she had finished with to me. With a kind smile, she held the door open with a hoof. “Thank you,” I grumbled, I could have gotten it myself. Oh, be quiet. “You’re welcome,” Fluttershy replied, “Are you going to go rest now?” She asked as I passed through the door. “Yes,” I replied, not pausing. “Oh, good,” she smiled, “Well, sweet dreams, then. I hope you start feeling better soon.” 0 . o . 0 . o . 0 ... Walking was, for some reason, difficult and clumsy. My legs felt as if they were made of lead as I made my way down the stairs. My vision was equally impaired as I could not seem to open my eyes enough to see clearly as I fumbled down to the ground floor of the cottage. It was likely only through luck that I made it down without falling over and tumbling down the stairway. Once I was finally downstairs, my heart grew heavy in my chest as fear filled it with its poison...yet I could not see what the cause of this was. Looking around, everything was as it should be: the furniture wasn’t overturned or damaged to imply a break-in, the same went for the windows, which I couldn’t see out of, the walls were similarly undamaged, and Fluttershy was sitting calmly in the middle of the room, alone... “How are you feeling?” she asked, watching me with an odd intensity. I looked down at myself, seeing that all my wounds were gone and that I was wearing my armor. Wishing to give her the affirmative, I looked back up at her and tried to speak, only to have the words choke my throat and withhold themselves from the world. Fluttershy offered no more speech as I touched my throat and tried again, finding the words choking me once more. Seeing as speech was futile, I simply nodded to her. Fluttershy offered no reply, continuing to stare at me with that intense gaze... No, not intense gaze, I realized, but that look that had reminded me of the memory of a caring mother. The look of kindness, to settle for a terminology. And yet, the fear remained. It pulsated in my chest like some worm that was squeezing itself around my heart and lungs. I glanced around again, touching a finger to the knives at my belt in an effort to comfort myself. Looking behind me revealed the door that led outside, to freedom and hopefully away from the fear...and yet... I looked back at Fluttershy, she had yet to move from her spot on the floor. Was it her that I was fearing? Was she the monster that I knew was somewhere nearby? Did I dare turn my back on her to open the door? Dare to show her a weakness that an enemy could exploit and use against me? But that was crazy, Fluttershy was no monster, she couldn’t be. She had tended to my wounds and cared for me... Like so many others...before...a voice echoed in my head. No, this was different! Fluttershy was a timid little creature, pathetic by my standards, even if she was the monster I could easily deal with her. She was smaller than me an at a disadvantage when it came to weapons. Even if, by some stretch of fate, Fluttershy was the monster, I’d be able to easily deal with her. I turned to open the door...and I was wrong. Something wrapped around my neck, pulling me back and dashing me backwards across the floor. I tried to hop to my feet, but found my attempts befuddled by an utter lack of balance, as if I were insanely drunk. The pressure in my heart tightened as Fluttershy stomped down on my chest, forcing me down to the ground. I brought back my left fist and threw two quick jabs to her snout, hoping to force her back. Yet my attacks had no effect on the pegasus and I brought my fist back to deal another blow, swinging at her again. Before it could impact her, Fluttershy brought up a hoof and caught my attack. I swung my right fist at her, hoping to knock her away, but she caught this fist with her other hoof. I glared up at Fluttershy, trying to overpower her with my greater strength, yet she held steadfast as if she were a mountain and I the tiniest ant. She looked into my eyes and slowly shook her head, chastising me for being foolish enough to attack her. I snapped at her with my jaws, hoping that needle-sharp teeth would be more effective than fists. My jaws only caught what felt like a thick lock of hair, which I quickly found slithering down my throat, making it all the more difficult to... 0 . o . 0 ...I collapsed into a bed of grass, gasping for air as if I’d been holding my breath for a long time. Everything was suddenly crystal clear, the restrictions to my limbs and sight gone in an instant. It...it was a dream...I realized, coughing a few times and pushing myself to a seated position, seeing that I was still in my armor with my wounds healed, But...what does that make all this? Looking around, I found myself sitting amid a plain of rolling, grassy hills that stretched as far as the eye could see. They ended at a sky-blue horizon that led upwards to an equally blue and cloudless sky. Despite the fact that it was rather bright out, I could neither find the sun, nor shadows. “An apt question, my little argonian,” A voice replied from behind me. My head whipped around, but only the rolling grassy plains met my sight. I hopped to my feet and drew my knives, feeling as the hilts fit perfectly into my hands, keeping low and alert for any sign of attack. “That was quite the dream you were having, Aram Falíe,” the voice taunted, behind me again. I swiveled around, but still saw nothing of the speaker. There was a chuckle, “Still behind you,” the voice came again, still behind me. My head snapped around and I could swear that I caught a glimpse of something flying above and behind me in my peripherals. “What do you want?” I asked, still trying to see the speaker as I slowly turned around. “Why, you of course,” The voice said, “Didn’t your dear old Sithis tell you that I was coming? That someone would visit you in your dreams?” “He did...” I admitted, squinting with suspicion, eyes flickering about for any sign of trouble, “So who are you? Sithis said that you’d be able to provide me with more details on spreading his unholy light to this world.” “Hmm,” the voice pondered, “Well...I suppose that I could just tell you plain and simple, but where’s the fun in that?” “What?” I asked, growing a bit agitated, “You’d better not be telling me that you won’t help!” “Oh, I’m not saying that,” the voice said dismissively, “I’ll give you what you seek, but I’ll give it to you my way, okay?” “No,” I replied, grip tightening on the hilts of my knives, “Tell me what I need to know, my way...” I whirled around, but still found no glimpse of the source of the voice, “...I’ve no time for petty games and petty voices in my dreams. Tell me what I need to know or I’ll find you, send you to the void, and start the Dark Brotherhood by myself,” I hissed. A deathly silence fell over the landscape. My eyes flickered about and I kept my head on a swivel, turning at random as I prepared for some sort of attack. I flinched as laughter filled the air around me, bombarding me from all sides. The skies took on a dark tone as the voice began again, “Have you any clue who I am, mortal? Do you have any idea at all who you dare to threaten?” Lightning and thunder clashed as dark and foreboding clouds moved in, materializing from nowhere. The ground around me began to tremble and the lush green grass shriveled up and died all around me. Rancorous laughter filled the landscape again and a massive crack splintered across the landscape. Like a snake, it dodged back and forth towards me, cutting in between my feet when it reached me. “Fornication!” I cursed, hopping away as the ground split apart, a massive rift tearing itself into the land. As the laughter, lightning, and thunder continued, the area around the rift began to give way, forcing me to make a hasty retreat before I fell into the rift’s dark depths. Massive, black crystalline formations began to rip up from below the earth, slowly rising in sizes ranging from grass to monoliths. It was one of these smaller ones that seemed to snap at my foot, flinging me to the ground with a grunt. I rolled over and quickly began to scoot away from the ever-increasing maw before me. A quick yelp escaped me as my back hit something hard and immobile, a glance back told me that it was another of the ebony-black crystals. There was no time to react as the growing maw...froze before my feet, the rumble dieing with the lightning and thunder. My heart rate began to slow again, my breathing calming down as I sat with my back against the crystal. Another deathly silence fell over the land as I got back on my feet, glaring around for the source of the voice again, still to no avail. The silence continued to pound in my ears as I cautiously looked down into the massive crevisse in the ground. I could see nothing of the bottom but pitch blackness. “This is no petty dream, mortal. This is my plane of purgatory and you are but a simple guest here, pulled from your dreams for our little chat,” the voice said, startling me as it filled the silence. To my continued annoyance, the voice was still behind me. I remained silent, biting back any words that tried to surface themselves. “Now listen and listen well, my little argonian. I’ve two riddles for you and I’ll only say them once, now... When you have seen your third dawn, three shall come, young and strong. Teach them what of shadow you know, and see your Dark Brotherhood grow. Once they are ready, you shall know, a father’s unholy light is ready to glow...” I mumbled the words back to myself a few times, memorizing the lines for later. After running them through my head a few times, I opened my mouth to speak. “Before you ask, no. I’m not giving you any further hints. You’ll just have to figure it out by yourself.” “Sithis told me that you would help me start the Dark Brotherhood here in Equestria, not taunt me with stupid riddles,” I grumbled, not even bothering to look for the ever-so-elusive source of the voice anymore. “Sithis only told me to help you,” the voice reasoned tauntingly, “he never told me how I had to help you. “I’m still fulfilling my side of the bargain, all you need to do is make sense of it all!” The voice laughed again, the owner of the voice obviously enjoying this game with a sick sort of pleasure. “You mentioned two riddles, if memory serves me,” I said sourly. The first riddle seemed to make sense to me. I’d be visited by a trio of initiates to train in the art of shadows, once their training would complete it would be time to set forth and bring Sithis’s unholy light to Equestria. Rather straightforwards when some sense could be made of it. “Ah yes,” the voice said, stopping the laughter. “First travel to where regal sisters preside, and go to where creatures of stone reside. Look for the creature that does most resemble, your dread lord, whom makes many tremble. Once this creature you seek has been found, speak your name and it shall be bound.” “What?” I inquired, committing the words to memory as before, “What is that supposed to mean? Regal sisters? Stone creatures? None of that makes any sense!” I growled. “Oh, what fun is there in making sense?” the voice asked, “I’ve upheld my side of the bargain, giving you the details that you need, now all you need to do is make sense of them!” it reasoned. “How!?” I asked, eyeing the now desolate landscape before me. “Sometimes all it takes is a little...push!” the voice exclaimed. At the final word, something slammed into my back, throwing me forwards and into the darkness of the crevasse below. I hardly had any time to scream as... 0 . o . 0 ...My eyes snapped open and I was awake, lying in the bed that Fluttershy was providing. Darkness blanketed everything and I had no way of telling how long I had been asleep, though it must’ve been a while, seeing how dark it was now as compared to when I went to sleep. I put a hand to my chest, feeling the bandages still in place over my scales, reminding me of my injuries and killing any hope of them somehow being healed by the dream. I scowled and rolled over, knowing that I’d not be able to find sleep again this night. Sweet dreams, huh? My mind inquired, keeping me company. I thought over everything that taken place, the nightmare with Fluttershy, the voice of the unknown voice in its purgatory, and the riddles that were thankfully still in my memory. I made note to set them on paper as soon as possible lest I forget them. “Sweet dreams, my scaly backside,” I replied aloud.