//------------------------------// // Dream Warriors // Story: The Equestrian Edda // by Grey Ghost //------------------------------// I’m just glad to be back on four hooves,” Rarity commented, brushing Opal’s mane. The group had gathered at her boutique for a ‘pet grooming day’ that she had set up. She dozed off for a bit, accidentally jabbing the brush into Opal’s back. Opal let out a yelp, jumping up and attaching her claws to the ceiling. “Oh my! Oh I’m sorry Opal, I didn’t get my normal beauty sleep last night.” Opal glared down at her, hissing. “Ah’m just glad yer safe, I dunno what Jay would have done if you and the foal were hurt.” Applejack yawned, closing her eyes, only to be startled awake by Winona’s bark. “I don’t want to talk about what I would have done,” Jason commented as he cleaned Zed’s fangs. The Baskurr’s chompers were rather dirty, with bits of meat stuck between them. “You’re doing good, girl. After this, how about we go fishing?” Zed let out a happy growl, her tail wagging. “Alright Winona, time for your brushin’.” Applejack reached around for Winona’s brush, only to grab Gummy instead. The little alligator gr“abbed onto Winona’s ear, causing her to shake her head, throwing him onto Owlicious, who panicked, taking off and knocking Twilight into a tub of water. “Oops... guess I’m too plumb tuckered out to do this right...” “Did any of you guys get any sleep last night?” Jason asked, watching as Pinkie chased Owlicious around. Fluttershy let out a loud yawn. “I even went to bed early last night, Dissy got Eris to bed, but then I had a really scary nightmare.” “Me too!” the other girls shouted out, all looking at Fluttershy. “Uh, only, you know,” Dash said, gesturing with her talons, “I didn't think mine was that scary!” “Of course it wasn’t Dash, of course it wasn’t.” Jason rolled his eyes, earning himself a glare from the pegasus. “Well, mine sure was,” Twilight started, leaning over the side of the tub, absolutely soaked. “There was this blue smoke monster and... what?” she asked, noticing they were all staring at her with their jaws dropped. “I dreamt about a blue smoke thingy too!” Fluttershy said, gesturing to herself. “Me too!” AJ, Rarity and Pinkie piped up. “Welp, I think we have a dream demon on the loose,” Jason joked, moving from Zed’s teeth to her paws, trimming her nails. “So what?” Dash asked, taking to the air, talons behind her head, “Probably just a coincidence.” “That's an awfully big coincidence.” Twilight climbed out of the tub, grabbing a towel from Spike’s arms as the little drake waddled over. “Huh,” Spike interjected. “I wonder why I didn't have that nightmare. I slept great!” “Well, nothing in the world is coincidence, so you should probably send a letter to Luna... hopefully we can pull her away from Grey Ghost...” Jason suggested, giving Zed a treat for being on her best behavior. “You have a point Jay,” Twilight nodded, turning to Spike, “Spike could you send a scroll to Princess Luna?” “Sure!” Spike exclaimed, tossing the towels away, somehow pulling a quill and scroll out of his tail. “Is... is... no one going to question that?” Jason asked, looking at Spike with a raised eyebrow, while Pinkie held her hoof up, making a shushing motion. Jason just rolled his eyes, deciding to just let it go. Spike scribbled away at the scroll, transcribing Twilight’s words before sending the scroll off with a puff of flame. Not a second passed before Luna nearly bashed the door down, quite a feat for such a heavily pregnant mare. “Which of you saw the creature of blue smoke in your nightmare?!” she demanded, looking at them rather frantically. “I don’t think I’ve seen anyone but Pinkie move that fast...” Jason commented, scratching the back of his head. “I know! She’s stealing my mojo!” Pinkie pouted, glaring daggers at Luna, who seemed to ignore them. “Welp... sorry girl, but... I don’t think I’m going to be able to take you fishing today.” Jason pet the Baskurr’s head and Zed let out a low growl, somewhere between disappointment and frustration. “I know girl, I know.” “We've prepared everything exactly as you requested.” Twilight led the group into her room, which had several smaller beds arranged in the center of the room. “Good,” Luna took to the air, flitting about the room. “As you six slumber here, Jason and I will pursue the creature into whichever of your dreams it infests.” “Let me get ready. Omnitrix, Pesky Dust,” he commanded, shifting forms. He trilled, fluttering in the air, “Ready when you are Luna!” “Ooh! It’ll be like a Princess slumber party!” Pinkie giggled, jumping into her bed. “Speaking of princesses,” Twilight climbed into the largest bed in the room, “Aren't you going to ask Celestia for her help as well?” “There is nothing my sister can do,” Luna shook her head. “She has no power in the realm of sleep. Only Jason and myself can move from dream to dream. I am afraid nopony else can help us tonight.” “Even us?” Applejack asked, getting herself comfortable. “Especially you,” Luna sighed, casting each of them a sad glance, You have all suffered so much because of me. You need only slumber while we hunt the Tantabus in your dreams.” “Alright! Let’s get started!” Jason trilled, buzzing over them all, knocking them all out with his dust. “I know you said nopony can help, but I'm no pony!” Spike pointed to himself, puffing his chest out “I'm gonna stay up and watch over the girls, just in case!” “We’ll leave it to you Spike!” Jason nodded, looking at the sleeping mares. “So... who’s first?” “We shall start with Rarity.” Luna floated up into the air. A white light emanated from her horn, branching off into six white tendrils. Each slithered down to one of the mares, attaching to their forehead. “Why does she get to be cooler...?” Jason muttered, flittering over to Rarity. He concentrated, the world around him melting away, being replaced by what he assumed was Rarity’s dream. “Should have seen this coming...” he sighed, looking around. He was in a large blue tinted room, with pink dresses floating in the air. Suddenly, one of them shifted into a horrible monstrosity, flying at her. “Yup... Chrissy is right, ponies can really be dumb...” He watched as Rarity blasted it away, Luna bursting out of the dress. “Ok, so, game plan? Do we have one?” “Simple, we stop the creature!” Luna snapped, watching as the Tantabus, a small wisp of purple... smoke, phased through three more dresses, turning them into monsters. “That's... not really a plan...” Jason sighed, flying at the wisp while Luna took care of the dresses. Just as he reached it, it flew out the window, which suddenly became walled off with bricks. “Oh come on!” Jason complained, “Why does Pesky Dust have to suck so much!?” “Jason, you stay and handle the nightmare, I will give chase,” Luna commanded, moving off into the next dream before he called reply. “I really hate this form...” he grumbled darkly before moving off to help Rarity fight off the fashion demons. The next few dreams weren’t any better. Pinkie Pie was just jumping from scene to scene randomly, Fluttershy was being menaced by a monster version of Angel, Applejack was mourning in a field of withered apple trees, Dash was being tormented by an overly cute and kid friendly world, and finally Twilight’s dream, where she was being menaced by horrible bat books. Truly the most terrifying of nightmares. “Actually, books attacking Twilight... I can totally see that as her greatest fear.” He watched as Luna crystallized the Tantabus... only for it break out and consume everything, forcing Jason out of the dream. “Ow...” he whined, rubbing his head. Seeing the girls were awake and chatting with Luna, he tapped the Omnitrix, reverting to normal. “You guys have the weakest nightmares ever.” “Please Jason, we have bigger problems at hand,” Luna held her hoof up, stopping whatever conversation that was brewing. “Infecting all those dreams gives it more and more power. Soon it will be able to escape into the real world and infect Equestria with its nightmare plague! “Well, there goes my night,” Jason sighed, leaning on the wall. “The hell do we do now?” “What if...” Twilight tapped her chin, “What if everypony in Ponyville were having one dream?” Luna looked deep in thought, staying quiet for a few moments before speaking. “I... can create shared dreams, yes, but for so many ponies at once? I have never done anything like that. The amount of power it would take...” “Well, it is worth a try isn’t it?” Fluttershy asked, clutching her blankets close. “Of course.” Luna nodded, a determined look on her face, “I will do anything to end this, including accept your help. I cannot allow the Tantabus to escape into the real world. All of you must now go back to sleep and hope that I can create such a dream. You too Jason, I will need your help as well.” “Whatever you say, Luna,” Jason said, moving over to the bed Spike was on and climbing in. Jason closed his eyes, letting sleep overtake him. “Well, well, well this is new,” Hodgepodge said, looking at Hughes and Jason, a big grin on his face. “All of us together and NOT in god mode? Why, this is unprecedented!” He pulled the two into a hug, his grin widening. “Yes Hodgepodge, this is just lovely,” Hughes glared, pulling away. Ever since they had stepped through the portal to CHS, Hughes had retained his transformed appearance and accent, even in the mindscape. “Wait... if we’re all here doesn’t that mean...” Jason was interrupted as a roar erupted behind them. They all spun around, spotting a very enraged looking Ormagoden glaring at them. “Okay, I’ll keep him busy, you two mooks go deal the tantabutt.” Hodgepodge tackled Orm, the two of them smashing several buildings. “We need to do something about that guy...” Jason muttered before he and Hughes ran toward the center of town. What they found was rather... weird. Big Mac was a princess, flying around and zapping flying muffins, an overly beefy Spike was riding on the back of a giant Derpy Hooves, Filthy Rich flew around on a wave of bits and Lyra and Bon Bon were...Cat-Dog? “I don’t even...” Hughes sighed, running a hand down his face, “Ok, so, what's the plan Jason?” “I don’t really think there is one.” Jason shook his head. “Just... attack the thing, I guess.” Jason cupped his hands, drawing them back. “Ka...me...ha...me...ha!” he shouted, thrusting his hands forward, unleashing a bright beam of energy that knocked the Tantabus away from a glowing rip in the sky. “I’ve always wanted to do that,” Jason said, wearing a stupid grin on his face. “Idiot,” Hughes muttered, rolling his eyes. A grunt caught their attention, and both turned to see Luna floating in a sphere, dozens of the white tendrils extending from her horn. “I cannot hold this dream together much longer!” Luna lamented, tears flowing down her face. “Equestria will fall because of me!” The Tantabus roared, doubling in size, knocking away anyone close to it. “Am I crazy, or did it just get even bigger after Luna said that?” Spike asked, eyeing the Tantabus wearily. “I think it's feeding off your guilt, Princess Luna!” Twilight deduced, turning around to look at the lunar princess. “If that is so, then perhaps that is how it grew strong enough to escape in the first place!” Luna lamented, tearing her gaze from Twilight, the flow of tears increasing. Applejack, cosplaying as Mistress Mare-velous, jumped onto a building. “Say what now?!” She watched in horror as the Tantabus, now in the form of a ghostly purple alicorn, used its ‘horn’ to tear open an enormous hole in reality. “I created the Tantabus to give myself the same nightmare every night... to punish myself for the evil I caused as Nightmare Moon!” Luna explained, her voice hoarse from both the strain of keeping the dream up and her rampant self-loathing. “That wasn’t you Luna...” Nightmare Moon spoke up, meekly moving out of her hiding place, “It was all me. If Eclipse and I had never been formed you never would have done any of it... it’s all my fault... I’m so sorry Luna...I’m so sorry...” Moon whimpered, collapsing into a sobbing heap. Luna floated there dumbstruck. Here was the very being that had caused all of her suffering and she was laying on the ground, sobbing like a foal. “No Moon... it’s not your fault...” Luna started, “If anything good came from any of this... it is you.” “W-what...?” Moon asked, lifting her head up. “When you and Eclipse escaped my mind...I wanted to hate you, no, I did hate you,” Luna said, causing Moon to flinch away, “I wanted to blame you for everything. But it’s not your fault. The circumstances of your birth are not your own choosing. Ever since you have come into your own as a pony, you have been nothing but a model citizen... I am sorry, Nightmare Moon, I should have given you a chance, can you forgive me?” Nightmare Moon just blinked before slowly nodding. “O-of course P-Princess...” she stuttered dumbly. “Good...” Luna smiled slightly, “Now I think... I think it’s time I forgave myself...” The Tantabus, already halfway through the tear, pulled back with a surprised ‘look’ on it’s face. It started to shrink down, the tear closing. Unbeknownst to all, Hughes had made his way to the tear. He looked back at the group before taking in a deep breath and leaping through it just as it closed. The Tantabus, now reduced to Luna’s size, moved through the sphere surrounding her, allowing itself to be reabsorbed by Luna. The princess smiled, looking at the gathered ponies. “Thank you. Thank you all...” She dropped the spell holding the dream together and the world went white. Twilight sat up with a gasp, looking around. “Luna did it!” “Oh she sure did,” Hughes said, standing against the wall, looking at them, rather amused. “H-hughes?” Twilight asked, her eyes wide, “B-but how!? Jason’s over there!” she pointed at the jotun, who, like the others, was just waking up. “Well, I’ve been wanting to be my own person and when that dream thing cut open a hole in reality, I jumped through,” the human explained, crossing his arms. “But, doesn’t Jay, like, need you in his head?” Dash asked, a frown on her face. “I’ll be fine, Dash,” Jason said as he got out of bed, moving over to Hughes, “He’s his own person and I have no right to keep him here if he doesn’t want to be.” Hughes smiled. “Thanks Jay. Now,” he moved away from the wall, “I have a girl to go surprise.” “Wait!” Pinkie cried out, dashing over to him, “I have to throw you your ‘happy birthday / congratulations on the new body party!” “Later, Pinkie Pie, I just need to go see Sunset right now.” Hughes turned, quickly striding out of the room. “Jay...” Applejack began, getting out of bed, “Are you sure about this...?” “It’s the right thing to do...” Jason responded, placing a blanket over Luna, who was asleep on the floor. It took less than an half an hour to get Hughes ready, with Jason giving him a bag of bits and at least half of his clothes. “Hughes... stay safe, okay?” Jason asked, the two standing in front of the currently inactive mirror. “Jay, I’ll be fine,” Hughes said with a roll of his eyes, “But thanks for worrying about me.” “It’ll be weird without you, you know?” Jason asked, rubbing the back of his head. “Jay, we’re brothers,” Hughes said, putting his hand on Jason’s shoulder, “No matter where we are we’re still connected.” “Ready when you are, Hughes,” Twilight called from the machine, flipping it on. It took only for a moment for the portal to activate. “Hey... take this with you...” Jason held out the power morpher. “Just in case, ya know?” Hughes smiled, taking it and placing it in his pocket. “Thanks Jay. Everyone,” he called, looking at the gathered group of ponies, “See ya around.” He gave them a quick, two fingered salute before stepping through the portal. Omnishift, which had vanished after their last return from CHS, honked and quickly followed after him. “Huh...” Jason blinked, “Guess it liked him more than me...” Twilight started to speak but Jason didn’t hear her, instead all he heard was a loud roar that shattered his thoughts. I WANT OUT! Animo huffed as he paced around the poor excuse for a lab that the so called ‘Overlord’ had provided for him. “A waste of my talents!” he roared, knocking a table’s contents to the floor, “I deserve better than this, you blasted monkey!!” “Oh, I agree.” Animo whirled around to see a human, female by the voice, standing in the doorway, wearing purple colored armor. “You... you’re Eclipse, yes?” he asked gingerly, his expression neutral. “That is quite correct Dr. Animo.” She stepped into the room, looking around. “And I do believe your talents are being wasted.” “What exactly are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be preparing for an invasion?” Animo asked, taking a step backwards. “Oh, I am, but I thought I’d come talk to you first.” She picked up a beaker, swirling the contents around. “Why?” “Because I’m tired and I’m pretty sure you are too,” Eclipsed started, turning to look at him. “I’m tired of Don sitting on his ass doing nothing. I’m tired of waiting. So I’ve decided that he can fuck off, I’m going forward with or without him.” She placed the beaker down, holding her hand out. “Care to join me?” Animo stared at the hand for a moment before a grin spread across his face. “Why yes m’lady... I most certainly would.”