//------------------------------// // Chapter 5-Darkest Before the Dawn // Story: Dreams and Nightmares // by Sythax //------------------------------// Twilight didn't know where she was. Her vision changed spasmodically, one moment she was looking over a brilliant white castle, the next several pair of hooves. The regular transitions disorientated her, sending her mind spinning. She could make out minor details in both views. She could see Spike next to a grey stallion with a black mane, both were peering at her. Above the castle she could see several coloured shapes moving amid a tide of black, one blue, one orange, one pink. They seemed familiar. It took several minutes for her to realise what was going on. "I must be in some sort of Limbo" she thought "Caught between consciousness and the dream." The situation in the dream as not looking good. She had no idea what the waves of black were doing surrounding her mind-castle but whatever they were it couldn't be good. Suddenly her vision was ripped from the scene below and thrust back into her eye sockets. She was no longer looking at hooves but at the ceiling. She could vaguely feel a bed beneath her and sounds coming from nearby. The grey stallion from earlier popped into view. His mouth formed the letters of her name but the sound was delayed. "Twilight!" came his muffled voice "Can you hear me? What do you see?" Twilight tried to get control of her lips, barely forming one word. "Dream..." she muttered Spike appeared to her right and the Doctor turned to him. What Spike said was lost in the transition as she once again returned to the dreamworld. The scene was the same as before, her friends fighting vigorously against the dark. She heard a faint explosion and a cloud of streamers flew into the air. "They need help!" she thought A movement to her right caught her attention. She struggled to make it out through the haze. She gasped in horror. Barely a mile from the fortress there was nothing. The dream world ended abruptly, falling into a dark void from which the continuous waves of black emerged. She watched as a large chunk of cloud cracked and fell, dissolving into shadows instantly. "I have to get down there!" She focused the thoughts on the castle, willing the enter the dream. She felt herself being pulled in, falling towards the ground. Then she stopped as her vision once again returned to the hospital. "No..." mumbled Twilight, drawing the attention of the Doctor. "Twilight?" he called "Stay with me! I need you conscious for the Mind Transfer Spell." His words bounced off Twilight's fuzzy mind as she tried to return to the dream, her mind becoming clearer the further from reality she got. Finally with a push she broke into the dream, once again falling towards the castle and her friends. *** Creature after creature erupted into black smoke as hooves and wings pummeled them down. Explosions of confetti went off regularly as Pinkie pelted the monsters with her cannon, blasting them back with each powerful shot. But no matter how many fell more took their place, crawling over each other to get at the castle doors. The ponies stood resilient but still they were pushed back, step by step they retreated up the castle steps. Rarity stood at the door, flinging the horrors away with her magic while Fluttershy stood at the door, ready to close it if needed. "Pinkie!" screamed Applejack as her legs connected with another beast "Get back!" Pinkie nodded and with another blast from her cannon retreated up the steps. Rainbow and Applejack stood side by side as the backed up, surrounded on all sides by a seething mass of evil. "Fluttershy! Now!" scream Rainbow as the pair darted inside. Fluttershy jumped into action as she flung herself at the open door. Pinkie ran to help and between them they slammed the doors shut just as the abominations collided with the other side. "Rarity, your turn!" Rarity's horn buzzed as she grappled one of the bookcases, sending it toppling in front of the door, scattering books everywhere. The door shuddered and buckled but stayed shut, screeches of frustration coming from outside. The five ponies sat together as they watched their last line of defence, their breath coming rapidly. "We did our darn best" sighed Applejack "Now we wait" They sat in silence, flinching whenever the bookcase moved. A loud pop! came from behind them and they all screamed. They whipped around, only to come face to face with Twilight. "Twilight!" screamed Pinkie, jumping over to cuddle her. "Hi Pinkie" smiled Twilight "What happened here?" she asked the others. The others filled Twilight in on what had happened since she'd left. When they had finished Twilight sighed. "We better hope Luna gets here quick" A stream of dust fell past Twilight's face. Then another. The floor began to shake as the dream nearby collapsed. Victorious cries came from outside as the fiends outside realised the end was near. Twilight raised her hooves to her face and began to cry. "I'm sorry girls!" she sobbed The others looked at her confused. "Sorry for what?" asked Rainbow "For getting us all in this mess, It's all my fault!" "This was not your fault" said Applejack fiercely "It was an accident an' that's that!" "We never blamed you dear!" cooed Rarity Twilight looked at her friends. "Really?" "Of course!" said Pinkie "What kind of friends would we be if we did?" smiled Fluttershy Twilight sniffed as she smiled at her friends. The six ponies moved closer and smiled as they embraced, preparing to meet the end together. "Goodbye everypony" whispered Twilight as the ground shook even more violently, dislodging stone from above and sending it crashing down. They all closed their eyes and waited. *** But the end never came. They stayed still for several minutes as the shaking subsided and the screams outside turned to ones of dismay. They disentangled themselves from each other and looked quizzically at Twilight. What happened Twi'?" asked Applejack. "I don't know" said Twilight "The dream should have collapsed by now" "We can think about that later" said Rarity "We still have those things out there to deal with." As if in response the bookcase screeched along the floor, allowing the door open enough for a single tentacle to slip through. It felt around till it located the obstruction and began to push. Slowly the bookcase moved away from the door. The 6 friends rushed to push against it but it was no use, they couldn't keep them back much longer. A flash from behind them drew their attention from the slowly opening door. A dream portal had opened opposite them. Through it stepped Princess Luna. She moved to the side to make way for the other pony coming through. She emerged from the portal, her mane flowing from below her golden crown. "Princess Luna!" cried Twilight "And Princess Celestia!" "I told you I was bringing the dawn." she smiled The two alicorns strode towards the doors. "Step aside my little ponies" said Celestia. The friends moved away from the bookcase. "Your have been plagued by these nightmare long enough" she annouced as she enveloped the bookcase in her magic's golden glow. "It's time wake up" she smiled as she shifted the bookcase. The doors flung open and the two princess marched out, horns blazing. Streaks of sunlight flew from Celestia's horn as Luna threw bolt after bolt of lightning. Soon the air was filled with black smoke as the creatures dissipated. While some threw themselves at the alicorns, only to disintegrate instantly, some of the shadows realised they stood no chance against the figures wading towards them. The tide reversed, streaming back towards the edge of the dream and jumping back into the void from whence they came. *** Many hours later, after the last nightmarish creature had been dispatched in a puff of smoke the eight of them gathered in the main hall. "The nightmare have been pushed back and the dream is no longer threatened by Twilight's guilt" announced Luna "But there is still the problem of there being too many of you here." said Celestia. "While at a much slower rate the dream is still threatened" The six ponies looked at each other nervously. "Don't worry my little ponies!" laughed Celestia "We have already made arrangements. Four of you will come with me and Luna. We will shelter you in our own minds till you can be returned to your bodies." "So who will accompany me?" asked Luna. Fluttershy raised her hoof quietly. I'll go with you Princess" she whispered "Very well, Rainbow Dash, will you join her?" Rainbow nodded. "Very good, Now who will join me?" questioned Celestia. "Oh, me! Pick me!" cried Pinkie, jumping up and down on the spot. "Staying inside the mind of a princess?" said Rarity "One does not get much classier!" "It is settled then. Applejack will stay with Twilight." Luna walked forward and with a flash of her horn created a glowing portal in the centre. "Girls, If you please" beckoned Luna The four ponies walked towards the portal, disappearing one by one. Luna went next and with one final smile at Twilight, so did Celestia. The portal closed with a snap, leaving the two friends alone. "I better wake up" said Twilight "Spike will be getting worried" "Don't worry" replied Applejack "I'll be fine here" Twilight focused hard till she felt herself rising up. She accelerated faster and faster, leaving the mangled dream behind. *** Twilight's eyes shot open, the bright lights blinding her momentarily. When her vision settled she saw Spike looking over her anxiously. "Twilight? you there?" "I'm here Spike" she chuckled, sitting herself up slowly. "What happened? Are the girls safe?" paniced Spike "The girls are fine" said Twilight, embracing Spike. "Everything is fine" *** Laughter echoed through the library as the friends sat around the fire. It was just over a week since five comatose ponies had woken up in Ponyville Hospital. "By the way Twilight" said Rainbow Dash "I finished the Daring Do book you lent me, could I have the next one?" "Sure" replied Twilight. She stood up and began charging her horn for a teleport spell. Then she stopped and instead she walked over to the bookshelf and pulled the next Daring Do off the shelf. The six friends looked at each other. And laughed.