Hospitality wasn’t on anyone’s minds at the time. The hospital’s been overrun with an increasing number of injured mares and colts and no one’s got the time to give you the time of day. All this alone time has finally made me see how much I have to look after myself. Consider it lucky I even met Caramel, even if he’s been acting strange recently. Haven’t seen him since that little incident in the town. As for this world’s Shining Armor, he isn’t a light sleeper. Luna tells me she’s had some luck trying to discover what’s causing his nightmare lapses. Unfortunately, luck can only get one so far...
Twilight hasn’t arrived yet; it was a perfect opportunity to get some answers from Luna.
“How’s he doing?” I asked just as I encountered the once glorious princess of the night in the congested hallway on the uppermost floor. Her sweat evidently rolling down her cheeks and neck suggested something much more sinister than I had expected.
“He’s capable of returning from the nightmare dreamscape without my assistance every now and then but, I’m afraid he may not come back if these relapses continue. I can only do so much to discover what is causing his nightmares but from my last visit, it seems he is affected by dream magic, the kind that my sister warned me about.”
“And what would that be?”
“There’s no real name for it because it was an unfinished spell Starswirl the Bearded intended to create. He never wanted it to do what it does now. In fact, the spell’s effect was meant to create blissful dreams. After much testing, Starswirl felt that the spell would be too dangerous if it were finished so he left it as it was. My sister said she destroyed the only copy of the spell. She was clearly mistaken.”
And it appears that I, too, might be under the effects of the spell. Or it may just be a side effect of a mirror version of myself experiencing the effects. Either way, something had to be done for our sake. If he doesn’t return from his nightmares, I may not have long before I succumb to something worse.
Just as expected, Twilight came to check on her brother. I was about to take a seat by the door until it swung open and nearly smacked me right on the muzzle. I quickly sidestepped to avoid the door. Seems Twilight still dislikes me; didn’t even look back to see if she caused any real damage. It was just to my pride but I just kept telling myself “She isn’t my sister.”
“Any luck finding out what’s behind my brother’s nightmares?” Twilight asked, still sounding like a pitiful young woman looking for comfort. It was real back in the prison but here, it was far from genuine.
“Dream spell meant to induce nightmares,” Luna replied. “It seems Sombra implanted these into his mind and he’s influencing the dreams. I can go back again right now and see if I can shed some light on those confessions he made back in the prison cell. If my hunch is correct, the spell on your brother is making him believe he committed the crimes.”
“No luck so far, huh? Look, if you can’t get his head straightened out, you’re gonna need some assistance. Let me go in there.”
“I’m afraid I cannot let you go-”
“I. DON’T. CARE! Get me in there or so help me I will-”
“Twilight!” I screamed. The whole room fell silent as all attention was now focused on me. Twilight didn’t look so happy. Then again, when was the last time she looked calm or happy? We both heavily breathed, our sinuses were temporarily rendered useless as hot air flowed in and out through our mouths. Time halted for hours on end with nothing to break the silence.
“Sorry,” I continued. “Look, Luna isn’t done yet. Let her finish first before you start making decisions. I know you are concerned for your brother but I want to help you. I think my nightmare lapses are related to his. I need some answers, too.”
Twilight turned her attention away and attended to her brother. Strange, though. I thought my screaming would’ve woken him up. She was still silent and possibly ignoring me. Couldn’t tell what she was feeling with that estranged look on her face.
“I’m not asking you, Twilight.”
“Then you will follow my lead and will not ask any questions,” Twilight answered. “Luna, you were saying?”
“I cannot let you go alone. If both of you plan to go, then I will go with you. The nightmare dreamscape is a realm of unknown dangers and the creatures that now reside in his realm are not like anything you have encountered before. They will test you the way they tested me and if you fail, you will never wake up again. Do you understand?”
Twilight and I nodded unanimously.
Time was of the essence. The way Luna ended was ominous enough to give me chills but if we were to get some answers, then there was no time to lose. Luna closed her eyes and her horn glowed with a distinctive shade of midnight blue. That same magical aura emanating from her horn surrounded everyone present. I began to feel drowsy, my joints giving out from the sudden surge of weakness. Eyelids were now feeling heavy and the strange sight of miniature stars flitting in and out with the brightness of the room’s light fading away. And all that felt like a minute long.
If I could make a description of the dream world, it would be like standing on Cloudsdale without ever getting off the ground. It was just plain, green fields for miles on end with the bright morning light embracing my skin at just the right intensity. The prickly heat bounced off my skin and, though irritating at first, the cool wind took those worries away. Luna and Twilight were standing on nearby hills, taking in their surroundings with wonder. After some time, the three of us convened at another hill.
“So...,” I began, “does the dreamscape always appear like this?”
“No; they shift based on the emotions of the dreamer so no two dreamscapes appear the same. If we continue down the path these hills create, I believe we can reach the nightmare dreamscape and find your brother. This status of bliss is only temporary.”
There was no path to begin with, just an endless stretch of hills extending all the way to the sun-drenched horizon. A haze of green that was both relaxing to the eyes yet painful to the mind. They say you can’t have too much of something good; I knew that feeling all too well.
Luna led us through this so-called “path” along the hills. Seeing was really believing in this case because soon enough, a deep brown path emerged from the green field, cutting across two parallel rows of hills. Dirt was one thing but to see the sudden growth of saplings as the path continued to make itself present was another. Saplings grew and grew, covered in vines and more just kept growing. I recall reading about some parasitic plants from one of Twilight’s biology books she sent me and it looked like these trees were in for a rude awakening. The parasites wrapped their trellises around the quickly decomposing bark and joined in the lightning-fast cycle from life to death. The leaves didn’t fare any better with their bright green sheen turning brown and their moisture quickly lost as the parasite’s grip thightened, sapping them dry. Along with the sudden shift from day to night, this was the first transformation to the nightmare dreamscape. Well, at least this was it for now...
“Be vigilant! The creatures may be on their way!”
“No need to remind me, Luna,” Twilight replied.
Indeed, the trials have already begun. Three wooden doors stood adjacent to each other and to us. Nothing special about them other than the chipped paint and splintered sections in various places. They’re just like those segmented doors typically found in Ponyville. The typical response was for one to enter one door and hope for the best.
I took the door to my right and found myself back at Ponyville, the Stormriders’ headquarters to be exact. I couldn’t believe it; why here? My eyes searched the room for anything inconspicuous but there was nothing out of place. I took one step forward and there was an invisible wall in front of me. Strangely, this wall was ice cold and upon closer inspection, my reflection was visible. It then materialized in front of me but it’s horn was missing. It was me but not me at the same time. The base of the horn was still present but it was jagged, like somepony ripped it off at the same time. My clone then began morphing into a grotesque parody of myself. Hooves appeared on its back, its coat began to shed, and its face appeared on various places around its body. I was taken aback when the razor-sharp claws protruded from its extraneous body parts. One set in particular was pointing to me while another pointed to a shadowy figure making itself known in my presence.
Turns out this figure morphed to Rarity. She’s sitting just right before this creature, unfazed by its presence. She didn’t even bother looking right at it or at me, if she could see either of us at all.
Sounds of buzzing then entered my ears. Endless buzzing as if the foul creatures were there yet they weren’t. Well, eventually they showed up and they were some of the nastiest things I’ve ever seen and even worse in a swarm. They creatures continued to buzz angrily but now the faint sound of a voice was growing louder and louder.
...Li...i....r...Lia....Liar...
...Liar... Yes... you... The liar...
My face was pulled directly towards the faceless creature before, nearly jerked off my neck but even with that extreme force, it seemed to repeatedly drag its claw on my chin in an unusually calm manner.
“Liar? What are you talking about?”
Remember her? Your lies will come back to haunt you, Shining Armor... Not me, but her... and you gave her your word...
“Quiet!” I said, pulling back from the creature. “What are you?”
The liar... The one who broke a promise... Everything you are and much, much more.
“I was brought to Twilight’s reality to save them. I had to stay alive! I had to, you understand?! I HAD TO!”
Then you didn’t mean what you said to her? Oh you will be in so much trouble... If I let you go now, you’ll never know what it’s like to be her. All your pain would be gone if you just told her the truth.
“I know what I did!” I grabbed a stool nearby and faced the creature. I continued to taunt me as I stood my ground but I couldn’t stay unfazed. My breath continued to get heavier and heavier as an invisible weight compressed my chest, releasing deeply inhaled breaths of stale air. He cornered me to the far wall and his claws neared my throat. I felt the cold steel of his claws run by my cheek, slicing through a thin layer of skin.
“I... I... Do your worst. I deserve it.”
The creature backed away from me and used one of its claws to scratch its head. It was at that moment I realized that without true exposure to the greatest pains and hardships, I was nothing more than a wreck waiting to happen. From that point on, I broke down, silently confessing and weeping for unfulfilled promises and lies that will continue to haunt me should I hold out longer. For the first time, I truly felt broken, defeated. Nothing meant more to me than retribution for my failures and as the creature reared up to strike me down, I dropped the stool and welcomed the feeling of having my soon-to-be brazen chest ripped open. I’d see the crimson blood trickle down my hind legs while the rest of it burst forth and it would be a beautiful sight. Nothing more could be more beautiful than such a sight. From there, my eyesight faded.
“Shining Armor... wake up!”
The sound of Cadance’s voice trailed for some time before it grew louder. I saw her before me grabbing me and shaking me rigorously. I struggled to get myself back together but then the sight of another pony chiding me for some unknown crime kept me down. It was Rarity and she was furious.
“You,” she said. “You liar! Our problems would’ve been over if you had just turned yourself in!”
“But Rarity!”
“Twilight already knows. Your time is coming.”
“Please, Rarity!”
The two whisked me before the courtroom. Nothing made sense as the scene from Ponyville unfolded before me. Ponies of all races gathered to see justice. No Luna around; without her presence, I wouldn’t make it out alive once more.
“Lying about your identity, Shining Armor? The court has decided that you will be executed for crime of treason, betrayal, and murder. Do you plead for your innocence? I suggest you give up; the evidence is stacked against you.”
I’d already been weakened. Giving up was the best I could do and no doubt I had nothing left to gain or lose. Only then did I see the sight of the midnight blue mane that I’ve known so well that I remembered. Luna... Cadance...
I knew what must be done.
“You’re not real. I know what I am. A liar, but I know that I am so much more. Strike me down if you want but know that I will get back up. I had nothing in this world, nothing in Twilight’s, but I have something worth going home to.”
Judge Twilight morphed back into the creature and charged at me, claws at the ready. I held my ground and continued to let the truth flow out. It slowed it down and as it was just before me, reaching out to take a piece of me with it, its skin turned into sand. With the wind now blowing from behind me, the creature faded and the blackness was lifted. Twilight and Luna were waiting, the former shaking me violently.
“Uh... Am I awake?”
“Depends,” Twilight replied.
“Depends on what?”
“Depends if I will answer you straight or keep you guessing.”
Right. No questions....
None were needed. We were still in the dreamscape but I felt we were getting closer. The fog grew thicker but in it’s midst, light shone through. Unfortunately, the sight of victory led us to the sleeping Shining Armor. He was disturbed, his magic spiralling out of control. We were kept at bay with every step being greeted with a lightning bolt, a fireball, or a magic missile. Twilight and Luna used their magic to conjure up a shield. I, too, created my own field of protection and joined in advancing towards my other self.
It seemed as if the tree that Shining Armor was resting on wasn’t just there to prop him up; it was devouring him! One buttress root was lodged into his broken horn and a deep purple glow pulsed as it appeared to absorb the fears of its victim. To each their own, Luna, Twilight, and I split up and instinctively knew what the other was going to do. Luna attempted to slice the root off from the tree, Twilight ran to her brother and attempted to dislodge the root tip from the horn, and I got to the tree itself. I planned to slice the whole thing through the middle.
Our auras grew brighter as we hacked and slashed the tree but we hadn’t made any progress. For minutes on end, we poured our strength into the work until we were worn out. The earth below us then shook, roots shot out from the ground and held us tight with one more root grabbing onto our horns.
We were on the ground again. Twilight and Luna were at my side but now, we weren’t alone. King Sombra was right before us in his shadowy form, his minions at his side. Most were of the same misty form as the King himself but those whose forms were identifiable, we were shocked. Cadance was the most terrifying of them all. Those wispy, green, purple, and red eyes glowed; her teeth gnashing furiously. I looked back to find the other Shining Armor now struggling to get up but was held back by the roots that kept him grounded. Little by little, his body began to fuse with the tree itself and he would become just like it.
Luna called out to Twilight though I couldn’t make out what she was saying. I could pick out a few words at a time, though they don’t make sense as a whole. My magic was weak now but I continued to struggle, clawing my way through the tentacles that grabbed me and worked my way toward my other self. As I began to swing through the last set of vines, a bright light blasted everything back to reality. I was on the floor with Twilight with Luna still standing upright next to my other self. We all regrouped to assess the situation.
“Okay,” I began. “What just happened?”
“You tell me, hotshot,” Twilight replied.
“Seriously, Twilight?! Are you going to keep treating me like this?!”
“As long as you are here, you aren’t my brother. You don’t belong here and as much as I appreciate the help, I don’t need it. This conversation is over.”
Twilight left the room. I followed her outside and demanded her attention.
“Twilight! We aren’t done yet!”
She turned around and fired a blast of energy in my direction, only missing my muzzle by mere millimeters.
“So it’s come to this, huh?”
“It has always been this. Didn’t think it would take you this long to realize it. I guess I figured you wrong this whole time.”
“And?”
“You’re much more stupid than I expected. Now if you’ll do me one last favor, leave us all. You’re not wanted here. Next time I see you around, you’ll regret it.”
Anger boiled inside me but as much as I wanted to give her another chance, my last ounce of patience and generosity had been expended. I silently apologized to Luna and Cadance in my head before departing the hospital.
With hateful thoughts, I headed for an abandoned two storey shop. It wasn’t the best place to spend an eternity in hiding but it was distant enough for me to get a good view of the mountains, a relaxing view opposite of the eyesore that is Ponyville. If there is one thing I’d love more than seeing Sombra’s defeat, it would be Twilight’s agony.
And it will be beautiful!