//------------------------------//
// Twilight -- Dream quest, Pt 2 
// Story: Projected Nightmares 
// by bearcat 
//------------------------------//


  Author's note: Published part one, didn't I? Well, I guess this quest will become a three-parter then! (or something)


The not pony, currently no more magical than a strong unicorn when awake, turned to his companions, all of whom were staring with open mouths. Twilight eventually shook off her awe long enough to stammer "Won't Celestia ... I mean, won't I? Uh. The palace. Ponyville. The palace in Ponyville won't. I uh"

Twilight saw the quasi alicorn roll his bright yellow eyes, his voice a rumble albeit nowhere near his sergal voice. "The damage is far from permanent or in this case even symbolic of anything since I did it." Stretching his neck to emphasize his next point he asked "May we please proceed, friend Twilight?"

Trying not to look at the dark ooze coming out from the giant stone that she was also trying not to look at, Twilight managed to shake herself loose and call "OK girls. And Jack. Follow me!" Fortunately for the group she knew this palace inside and out. She'd even snuck into the bedchambers just so she would know what she was missing although that had been a lot of years ago.

And whatever the interloper was doing, he hadn't changed the layout of the castle yet. hafta avoid the servants' passages though. They'll be undead now. But even so, the larger rooms were filled with moans of somepony's nightmare.

They passed the entrance to the kitchen complex used for formal dinners such as the gala. A pale pink pegasus stallion with no skin on his left fore, and his right wing hanging loosely by some tendons was accompanied by a deep blue earth pony mare. Their manes both looked reddish brown but she wouldn't trust that just now. From behind her came a clattering of hooves as the group stopped, and Twilight heard Rainbow call "Phantoms. Applejack?"

Twilight looked over her shoulder to make sure the farmer had a clear shot as Applejack tossed her two apple bombs high before spinning to catch them with her hooves. One, two shots that smacked wetly into the zombies. But instead of dust that disappeared, as in the forest, these phantoms' dust fell as a small amount of red mud that smelled of decay.

Panting, Twilight cautiously walked past the doorway, and while there was a urine stained yellow pony of unidentifiable race at the far end, it had a lot of counters to weave around. Speed had not been their strong point; Twilight began cantering towards the spiral staircase.

Now they were one of the few semi dangerous ledges in the castle. Beyond the railing to the group's right was a dozen or more shambling forms, the stench coming from them nearly made Twilight gag. The zombies all stopped their ragged breathing and looked up. They began moaning almost in unison as they chose a direction to walk in. Three staircases equally near them, none very near. We've got time. But Twilight reconsidered her opinion as she was yanked forcefully into the air, the sound of sharpened steel whooshing past her.

Looking up she saw Rainbow Dash had grabbed her and was holding her three meters in the air, her goggles lowered and looking very concerned at something below her, which turned out to be a very long spear. "Can't lose ya now Twi! And that's not a mere phantom either."

Stepping out from the hallway was something like a diamond dog but his overalls were covered in bloody body parts from all different types of animals. Also, his wrists ended with two hands each, one facing in and another facing out. That's a moray eel's head, isn't it? No sickle Twilight had the presence of mind to notice thinking it was nice this wasn't the killer that usually chased her through her fillyhood home.

The moray monster picked his spear up slowly, and as he came out into the pathway her friends were in, Applejack loosed two apples. Both exploded, leaving small holes in the monster's overalls that oozed slowly, but the monster gave no indication he felt the attack at all.

Rainbow set her down at the back of the group, but Twilight set a hoof to her side. "Stay here we're not armed." she said to her friend as she cast an extended shield spell, covering her blue friend. Twilight saw Dash stare wide eyed at the blurry haze an inch in front of her eyes, and nose, and ... but other than catching her breath in surprise, did nothing else.

The monster dropped his spear as fast as lightening, Twilight's friend scattering as the stones they stood on shook with the impact. Another apple of truth exploded harmlessly on the monster's right outer hand, the inner hand holding the spear with confidence still.

And then there was a crackling combined with the loud scream of a certain blue pegasus mare. The spear was driven straight, like its first attack but this time it impacted Twilight's shield over Rainbow's chest. The force drove her back some distance but Twilight concentrated on maintaining the shield over that distance.

Too focused on her one friend, she didn't parse what Jack shouted but she saw Fluttershy and Rarity run to the monster's side, kicking with all their might at his hip, and his ribcage. In his current position his body was parallel to the floor, and he did move this time, tripping over Jack's prone body.

Jack had thrown himself to the ground to roll into the eel's knees, and now was kicking out to catapult the thing over the railing. A loud crunch was heard a second later, which was followed by a blood curdling scream.

Rolling upright to look over the railing, Jack said "Still there." Turning back to Twilight he first addressed the group with "So I assume no one wants to make cottage cheese of out their own blood?" For emphasis another blood curdling scream was heard, followed this time by the scrabbling of the thing trying to stand back up. "So, friend Twilight? Onward if you please."

Shield dropped, Twilight nodded breathlessly before taking a brief second to look over her shoulder at the utterly stunned Rainbow Dash. Her violet eyes were as large as dinner plates but her skin was unpunctured. Twilight pointed towards their destination with her horn, once. Dash nodded but still didn't look like she trusted herself to breathe.

So to give everyone a chance for their heart rate to lower a little she stepped out at a brisk trot instead of her hurried canter. Just three doors down and to the left for what, ten meters? But the closed doors they passed all had zombies pouring out of them. Pushing for time she just used broad push spells trying to keep the path clear. "Almost there just keep the path clear guys!"

The left turn was clear and Twilight broke into a full gallop. But she misguessed the conversion for the shrinking castle and on the smooth stone she slipped and fell trying to brake for the turn into the closed door. Climbing back up she saw her friends had safely avoided her mistake, but the zombies were closing fast. Well, as fast as zombies close. But still I shouldn't dally here long. Twilight thought to herself as she hesitated at the opulent gold filigree inlays displaying curlicues and hearts and geometric shapes.

"Twi?" Came from the back, where Applejack had just loosed two apples and was waiting for the refill. In this narrower hallway she would be limited and soon overcome. Twi grimaced as she thought about bursting forth into the princess' private quarters.

"Remember friend Twilight, this castle is your mind. You have the right to enter your own heart's door." And with those encouraging words from the group's guide Twilight pushed down the lever, and swung open the door.

It wasn't half sized, when the group went in. Brilliant red and blue tapestries hung between the paintings of Ponyville, and her friends standing valiantly against the forces of darkness and chaos, their element necklaces glowing even through the pigments on canvas. The largest bed Twilight had ever seen stood near one window, a thick quilt covering it. If it's like what I remember, it's filled with gryphon down donated by their army when a peace treaty was negotiated four hundred years ago, and ... is that gold filigree woven into the alpaca felt?!?

Twilight's stomach turned to lead. There, in a duplicate couch like the throne outside, was an alicorn, her lavender coat long and fluffy, covering her soft, well fed sides. not fat, exactly. Just comfortable. Has been for a long time, too.. The alicorn set down the quill and paper she had been levitating, and raised her regal head to examine the newcomers.

Her mane was a deeper lavender, almost purple with a red streak next to a deep pink streak, about a third of the way down her neck. On her wings she had matching purple and pink feathers a third of their length from her body; on the bottom for her right wing, and the top for the left wing. Her eyes were a near match for her mane; pale purple.