//------------------------------//
// Chapter XLV: Nightmare 
// Story: Astral Aegis 
// by Silvak 
//------------------------------//

	As predicted, one of Twilight's schemes backfired so badly that the yaks actually declared war. Sadly, Twilight stopped me from setting up a firing line near the train station, yelling at me that they were trying to achieve friendship with the yaks. I responded that they will be our friends, after we show them what would happen if they weren’t. It was amusing to watch her facehoof before she went off to Sugarcube Corner in hopes of finding some of Pinkie's party plans, since she mysteriously disappeared for some weird errand she went on. That got some gears turning in my head, for if Pinkie threw them a party and they instead ruin it along with hurting her feelings... let's just say that I might not go with stun shots. Thankfully, Pinkie was able to return and threw a party successful enough that it caused the yaks to declare friendly relations with Equestria. Still, though, I wasn't going to ask them anytime soon to join my squad, due to their loud and impulsive tendencies that would not only attract everything within five miles, but would also be a huge liability in almost any operation.

After the event with the yaks, the Elements finally took notice that Starlight was without her collar. After a short explanation, they were glad that I managed to reform Starlight, though I just waved a hoof off, since all I did was convince her to take a new approach to things. Though Twilight wondered why her friendship lessons didn't work out with her, I just told her that sometimes a different approach is needed. While afterwards there was still some tension between the Elements and Starlight, the two groups were able to finally put aside most of their hostilities.

Regardless, with the collar off, I was finally able see Starlight flex her magical might. She didn't disappoint. That mare certainly had a large repertoire of spells that she demonstrated, though I was particularly attracted to the spell that encases its target in a block of crystal. If that spell can be used on enemy aircraft, it may provide Equestria with an effective anti-air defense. Especially if we can get a set of weapons that pegasi could carry. I almost started drooling at the thought of enemy ships falling onto their own soldiers, though I quickly shook that thought off when I remembered that I had very little information on how resistant shields are against magic, yet alone specific combinations. I really need to get those researchers to start testing that after they learned how to replicate the various kinds of shielding that exists.

Things went by nicely for the next couple of weeks, with Starlight now more motivated than ever in her training. Now that she knows that I hold high expectations for her, she's putting in a greater effort. With her magic and new found motivation, it won't be long before she catches up to the first batch. Sadly, at the end of the second week, Ponyville was yet again visited with another of its 'normal' events.





"Well... this is a strange dream," I said aloud, as I stared at all the ponies milling about. Some of them looked fearful, while others looked a bit deformed, like that mail mare, who was the size of a house.

I was about to question what part of my mind came up with this when I suddenly heard a familiar voice calling out. "Ponies!"

"Princess Luna!" the dream ponies yelled, rushing towards Luna before bowing down to her, who was oddly contained in some kind of sphere.

"There is no time for bowing, my friends! There is something coming, something terrible! No, it is already here!" Luna cried, causing me to realize that these ponies weren't figments of my mind. However, before I could figure out what was going on, something wrapped around my chest. I let out a gasp as it yanked me backwards, pulling me into some random house before its door slam shut, leaving me in utter darkness. I struggled to get free, bashing and even gnawing on whatever had latch onto me, but it kept its grip as it continued to pull me towards something. Even a stun spell didn't phase the thing, until the darkness started to become pure white. That was when I was released, dropping onto some kind of floor, though I couldn't tell since it was white as the surrounding.

"Jeeze, you didn't have to bite me," said some voice that sounded like a blend of many others. Turning my head around, I spotted what looked to be a pony, though it was almost more a silhouette, since it was as black as space itself. There was no visible features, like it was some kind of mannequin, until it eyes opened. Purple eyes that had a maddening look to them.

"What the buck are you?" I asked as I got to my hooves and started to back away cautiously.

The thing then smiled at me, though the smile wasn't comforting due to how wide it was along with the sheer amount of teeth it showed. "You don't recognize me? That makes me a very sad pony."

"How can I recognize something I never saw before?" I shot back, as I charged my horn with my magic.

"Don't bother with your magic, it's not going to help you at all," the creature said, as it slowly walked towards me. "I have to admit though, it would be hard for you to remember me if you only saw a part of me, I suppose. Nevertheless, it is finally nice to see you face to face."

"Can't say the same, since you dragged me here!"

"Awww... why must you be so mean? I just saved you from facing a nightmarish monster. One would usually be grateful for such a thing."

"Not when the saving is done by something that could be another monster!" I yelled before shooting off a stun spell. Sadly it just went right through the thing, as it just kept its crazy grin through it all.

"I told you that it wouldn't help. And do you have to be so rude? I'm no monster."

"Could have fooled me," I replied, causing the creature to laugh at me. "Assuming that you're not just a figment of my imagination, or some kind of representation of some repressed trauma within my subconscious, then what are you?" I asked, deciding to humor the thing for now.

"I'm cute!" the creature answered, to which I just deadpanned in response. "You're such a grouch. Let's just say that I'm a fragment of something and go with that! Wouldn't be much fun if this mystery was solved already!"

"Fun for you, maybe, annoying as buck for me."

"Don't be such a spoilsport. At least you're not involved with trying to stop a nightmarish creature from escaping the dream world into the real one," the creature replied as it started to prance around me.

"That is one of the most ridiculous things I ever heard."

"Oh really? In your world of magic, where ponies control the weather, the seasons, even the moon and sun, you find something like that ridiculous?"

"...Point taken. So mind telling me why you foalnapped me?"

That caused the creature to stop and gasp at me. "Why the never! I was rescuing you, not foalnapping you!"

Looking around at the white void we were in, I replied, "Yeah... rescuing me to bring me to some creepy place. I feel so safe now."

"Oh? You need a change of scenery? Why didn't you say so!" the creature said before standing on its hind legs while waving its forelegs about like a crazed idiot. However, as promised, the scenery did change, shifting into to a flowery field.

"Better, though I'm still going to say that you're more of a threat than a friend."

"Aww... you’re hurting my feelings."

"Really? Cause you're still smiling at me," I dryly replied, since the moment I met the thing, it hasn't dropped that eerie smile the entire time.

"Smiles make everypony feel better. Ain't your mother a pony that wants to spread smiles? Are you telling me that you dislike what she loves to do?"

"Oh shut it, you're just trying to mess with me. Your smile is completely different from the ones my mom spreads. Those are ones of joy, your's just creepy."

"Hehe, you're such a silly filly," the creature said, leaning over to ruffle my mane.

Knocking its hoof away, I let out a huff as I declared, "I'm done with this. I'm not going to give myself a headache by dealing with you," before I started to trot away, only for the creature prance around me again.

"Aww... come on. Why won't you just loosen up a little and have some fun with me? Where's the harm with having some fun?"

"I don't think any foal should have fun with a stranger, much less something like you."

"Well, you're going to play with me sooner or later, because I'm not leaving anytime soon."

"Like it matters, all I have to do is wait until I wake up. Problem solved."

"Oh... you're right," the creature said when it came to a stop in front of me, its ears folding down, though it still kept that eerie smile. However, it ears perked up when the creature continued, "That is if you do wake up."

That caused me to stop, as I narrowed my eyes at it. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that if you actually wake up, which you're aren't going to do anytime soon."

"I hate to ask this, but how do you know that?"

"Simple! I'm not going to let you wake up!" the creature said with glee.

"Bah, if I don't wake up on my own, I'm sure someone will wake me up for me," I countered, before resuming my trot. "And if that doesn't work, either Twilight or Princess Luna will have something on hoof that can wake me up from whatever you have on me. Problem solved."

"Or so you think," the creature replied. "I say, it could work, if they know how to deal with things from another dimension." With just one word, the creature had managed to stop me in my tracks.

"What did you just say?" I asked in a level of volume that reminded me of Fluttershy.

"What? 'Things from another dimension'? Are you starting to become hard of hearing already?" That was when a bit of fear started to take hold, until the creature closed the distance before us, placing its grinning face before my own. "You silly, silly filly. Do you really think that one such as you, a creature from one world that changed into another, magic-wielding species, would go unnoticed? As experienced as you are, there are so many things out there that you know so little of."

I started to back away from the thing, thought it moved along with me in a fashion that the distance between our faces didn't change a single inch. "To be honest, I didn't suspect that I would be able to contact you like this. That mirror was the only way for me to talk to you. But suddenly, boom! That princess who thinks she’s the protector of dreams had to connect everypony's dreams together. Now that takes a lot of power, so much power, that I was able to piggyback off it to get to you. Now I know what you're thinking, what would a thing like me would want with you? Well, I'm not going to spoil the fun just yet, so we’re going to play a little game in the meantime. Might as well have fun while you're still around, right? It's not like you're going to be going anywhere anytime soon after all," the creature said, before it started to giggle in such a way that only a psychopath could do.

"...Buck."