Bad Dreams

by Synthetic Soul

The Story You Knew

All of Ponyville was gathered together, in the town square. Ponies speculated as to what the Princess of Friendship intended to announce to the town. Most assumed it was good news, perhaps a festival would be thrown, or perhaps Celestia or Luna would be visiting.

The roar of the crowd dulled, when upon the set up stage, the Alicorn Princess walked up to the podium. Next to her was the familiar Zebra, Zecora. The ponies weren’t sure why the striped mare was up there with the princess, which peaked their interest.

Twilight cleared her throat, and addressed the crowd.

“Hello everypony. I’d like to thank you all for showing up to this announcement. I know you’re all wondering why I’ve called you all here. Well, it not under good circumstances that I’m speaking to you all. You see, a new villain is threatening Equestria.”

Everyone in the crowd started murmuring, almost panicking at the idea of having another foe come to harm them. They began speculating on just what this new threat was, until Twilight raised her hoof to silence the crowd.

“I know a lot of you are worried, about this. I know that in the past, my friends and I could simply use the Elements of Harmony to defeat whatever threat would come our way, but this time is different. This new villain doesn’t exist in the physical world, like you and I. He is an old being, one who exists within Princess Luna’s realm, the Dream world.”

Uproar began in the crowd, as ponies called out with their questions.

“What does he want?”

“Why hasn’t Princess Luna stopped him?”

“Are we in danger?”

The questions continued to come, until Twilight stomped her hoof down on the floor of the stage, in an attempt to calm the crowd. It took a few moments, but eventually, the crowd’s noise dulled.

“To answer some of you questions about this new villain, I can tell you this. He is a mad being, one that is not a pony, or anything we’ve ever seen. He is a being from another world, one who stands on two legs like a Minotaur, with no fur, except for the hair on his head. Now, as to what this villain wants. It appears he wants to abduct ponies while they dream, and bring their SOULS into his realm. I’m sad to say, that one of Ponyvilles children has been victimized in this way.”

The ponies were about to create another uproar, but Twilight’s firm look, and raised hoof told them not to.

“Princess Luna has been attempting to do everything she can in the dream world to protect the ponies of Equestria. But she is still only one pony, while this villain has numerous creatures at his command, who can help him with his plans.”

“But ponies, you do not need to fear! In my attempts to find a way to protect you all, I came across something in a book about dreams. There is an artifact, a Zebracan talisman that is believed to weed out the nightmares that this foe needs in order to do his work. We know you have to sleep eventually, but with the Zebracan dream catchers, we believe that you will be protected from being abducted.”

“Zecora only has one dream catcher, but she will teach you how to make your own. Then, when you give your catcher to her, she will be able to enchant them, making them able to protect your dreams!”

The ponies in the crowd once again started talking amongst themselves, while shouting out questions to the princess.

“Will they really work?”

“Are you sure they can protect us?”

“How do we know these dream catchers are any good?”

Twilight once again silenced the crowd.

“It is our belief that the dream catchers WILL work! Now, in order for this town to be safe, everypony in Ponyville needs one. I need you all to go out, and find wood and string. In one hour, I need everypony to return here with those materials, and then Zecora will instruct you in how to craft the dream catchers.”

The ponies, realizing that the Princess was finished, began to disperse, hurriedly, talking among themselves. When they were gone, Twilight made her way towards Zecora.

“I sure hope this works,” she said with uncertainty.

“As do I my friend. I hope this is not our end,” replied Zecora.

“I’ll message the princesses about this. I hope they’ve found a way for us stop this threat before it becomes too great.”

---

Luna stood upon her balcony, gazing at the sunset, waiting for the sun to disappear before ushering in the moon. She had never told her sister this, but she found sunsets to be one of the most beautiful things in the world. The blend of colors, transitioning from blue to orange, then back to dark blue. It was beautiful to her.

When the sun finally lowered to its peak, the Princess of the Night lit her horn, and brought forth the moon and the stars. With her task completed, she retreated back into her room.

Luna would normally either tend to the night court, or watch over the dreams of her little ponies (the latter being more important as of late) but tonight, Luna decided she wanted to go to the castle library. She could protect the citizens of Equestria for years, but until the source of the problem was rooted out, it would ultimately be for naught. Besides, her friend was hurting; in the same way she had for those thousand years. Nightma-no, Noah was her friend. He was a friend to both Luna and Celestia. He was a kind soul before the fall.

Luna wanted to know just what happened to him. She wondered if she just might find information in the castle library. Soon after Noah’s fall, Luna experienced her own, her transformation into Nightmare Moon. Being gone for that thousand years, Luna didn’t know how much information on Noah’s sickness had been let out. She also had never had the opportunity to research the subject herself. She wanted to know, for herself and for her friend. Perhaps she would find something that would help her solve this problem once and for all.

Luna made her way through the castle, finally making it to the library. She opened the Iron Gate and stepped inside, shutting the bars behind her.

Once inside the library, Luna began collecting various tomes, ones having to do with dreams, nightmares, and dark magic. She had to collect a few books from the restricted section, and once she had what she needed, she found herself a table to sit down and read at.

Hours went by as Luna read. She found things having to do with dreams being caused by sprits and other supernatural causes. There was also a part about dreams being a gateway to the soul. This was stuff she already knew, and it didn’t really provide a solution to her problem.

Moving on to another book, Luna looked at the table of contents, and found a chapter about nightmares. She remembered that Noah had admitted to having bad dreams right before he disappeared into the nightmare realm. She knew that this had to have been the cause of what had happened.

Luna turned to the appropriate page, but let out a snort when she saw the picture on the page.

The Legend of Nightmare Moon

It was a story she already knew. One that she didn’t need to hear again. She shut the book and opened up a new one. But as she read, her mind kept drifting. Back to that day, the day of the legend. Back to the day that was without a doubt the worst day in her very long life.

As Luna scanned the words on the page, she found she was not able to retain what she was reading. She was starting to drift off.

‘W-why am I tired? I’m never tired at this…. this…’

Try as she might, she couldn’t resist the heaviness of her eyes. Her mind couldn’t focus, it kept drifting. But as she started to fall asleep, her mind focused on that one day, the day she became Nightmare moon. Unable to fight it anymore, she shut her eyes, and laid her head down on the book she was reading.

---

The first thing Luna was aware of was the black void that surrounded her. Empty nothingness for as far as the eye could see. What would have been dead silence was broken however, as a voice made itself known.

“Help me! Please help me!”

Luna turned around instantly, and there and behold, was her friend, the human, Noah. Her eyes widened as she saw him being dragged further into the darkness, by ebony, scaly tentacles. He was struggling against the pull, but was slowly being pulled into the abyss.

“Hold on!” called Luna, as she galloped forward, and grabbed onto his hand. She tried to pull him, but the tentacles were too strong. She incorporated her magic into the effort, but it made little difference.

“I…I can’t…” grunted Luna, as she pulled. She put her entire body into trying to save her friend, but the only thing it did, was allow her to be pulled along with him. Just when she thought she’d have to let go, or be dragged into the darkness with him, he spoke.

“Luna,” he said, calmly, as if addressing her in casual conversation. She looked to him, and saw that his face held no signs of the fear or resistance that it did at first. He was calm.

“Why did you allow this to happen?” In an instant, faster than a blink of the eye, he changed. His peach colored skin turned grey, and ashy. His eyes became glowing pools of yellow. The skin of his cheeks tore away, becoming unhinged like a snake. His hair turned black, billowing like the mane of King Sombra. The hand that Luna had been holding turned into a claw.

Startled by his transformation, Luna released her grip on him. The tentacles yanked him strait into the darkness, as he let out a maddened laugh that could only be produced by true insanity.

“NO!” cried Luna, helpless as her friend disappeared, leaving her alone in the darkness.

“I…I wasn’t strong enough…I couldn’t do a damn thing.”

Like an echo off the walls of a cave, her words were rebounded back at her.

“I wasn’t strong enough”

“I wasn’t strong enough”

“I WASN’T STRONG ENOUGH!”

Suddenly, the environment changed. Luna was no longer stuck in the dark abyss. Now, she was…in her castle. Her first castle, the one she originally shared with Celestia, before…before…

Luna was now standing in the throne room, wit her sister and…herself. Luna looked to see that there was another her, standing next to Celestia. She remembered, this was the day that Noah disappeared into the Nightmare realm.

“Where did he go? What happened?” cried the alternate Luna, as she frantically examined the spot that he had once occupied.

“I…I don’t know,” replied Celestia, her wide eyes revealing shrunken pupils. “W-why did this…” but try as she might, Celestia was at a loss for words.

“It’s dark magic! Something, something’s affecting him! Something’s controlling him! We have to get him back, before it’s too late!” asserted Luna, as she calmed somewhat.

“But Luna, there’s nothing we can do…”

“No, there is something! That portal that he just used, it was dark magic! It left fragments of its magical energy in the air. If I can grab a hold of it, and harness it, I may be able to open a gateway to wherever he went!”

“What…. what! No, Luna, you can’t!” cried Celestia, as she ran to Luna’s side. “Dark magic is forbidden for a reason! We don’t know what will happen!”

“We have to try! We cannot just leave him to be tormented in…whatever hell it was that took him!”

The alternate Luna lit her horn. The real Luna shut her eyes, and grimaced. She knew what happened next.

One thousand years ago, Luna, on a desperate impulse, dabbled into dark magic. She tried to use it to open the portal that Noah had disappeared to. Instead, it only corrupted her. A dark presence took over her mind and body, a demon born of darkness. This demon didn’t have any desire to help her save her friend. It had its own desires; to stop the sun from rising, and damn the world to eternal darkness. Celestia tried to reason with her, but it was useless. Her sister couldn’t hear her. With no other alternative, Celestia regretfully used the Elements of Harmony on her own sister, banishing her to the moon for a thousand years.

Luna didn’t know how the rumor that Nightmare Moon was born out of envy was born. Though, it was true that she was indeed envious the praise her sister received, she had found solace in the fact that Noah enjoyed her night sky more than anyone she’d ever known. He kept her from giving in to that despair. But as Luna would learn, much later during a talk with her sister, Nightmare Moon was born from Luna’s negative emotions, as well as dark magic. Nightmare Moon selected Luna’s desire to be appreciated, and amplified it, warping and twisting it into something dark. Celestia wasn’t sure if she was dealing with Luna, whose mind was being manipulated, or a different being entirely. Either way though, she regretted what she had to do.

The transformation happened. The legendary fight ensued. And as the phantom Nightmare Moon charged at Celestia, Luna watched, as her solemn sister activated the Elements of Harmony, and cast the demon into the sky, trapping her on the moon.

At that moment, Luna jolted awake. Her eyes were wide, as she looked to and fro, breathing heavily. When she had her bearings, she remembered she was in the library. She remembered what she had been reading, and why she was reading it.

Blinking her eyes, she felt wetness in her eyes. Raising her hoof to her face, she wiped away the tears that had formed. When she was composed, she shut the book she was reading.

“I think that’s enough reveling in old memories for now,” she said to herself. She used her magic to put the books back where they belonged. She then stood up, and made her way out of the library. She exited the room, and shut the Iron Gate behind her. She locked it, and began making her way back to her room. As she did, she reminisced on her dream.

‘I couldn’t save him a thousand years ago. I acted too rashly, and didn’t think things through. If I had waited, perhaps Celestia and I could have found a way to help Noah before…whatever it is that has warped him so.’

As Luna thought about this, she came to a decision.

‘I will not make the same mistakes twice. This time, I WILL help him. And I will not let anypony, not even him, get in my way!’

Determined, Luna made her way to her tower, to rest in her room. With a sense of purpose, she was hopeful of the road ahead. Things would work out for the best this time.

Luna entered her room, and set her self down on her bed. Shutting her eyes, she began to sleep, preparing to enter the dream world, and work towards saving the ponies of Equestria, and Noah, from the dark forces at work.

It’s too bad she didn’t read a little further into that book she had been reading when she woke up. For if she had, she may have noticed a small passage of the book entitled: The Spirit of Horror.

Author's Note:

New chapter, let me know what you guys think. Also, if you didn't read my...2nd to last blog post, I made a website for all my internet content, you know, in case something happens, there's a back up of all my stories. Feel free to check it out if you want. Alright, see you next time!

Comments

[Aramisxx]

I am the first to comment so here is what I think of your story on the hole,
It's a masterpiece

[Synthetic Soul]

8129521 Thanks a lot, I'm really glad you like it!