Luna glanced around cautiously as she carefully made her way through the Realm she found herself entering. With the way the material of the realm was constantly shifting like clouds in moonlight, and how the sky undulated like a starry river, she thought at first she was in the dream realm. However, a few things quickly indicated to her that she was actually only somewhere very similar. First, the entire area was much darker, not unlike the shadows she cast in the dream realm when she was Nightmare Moon. Second, creatures wandered, though their nature escaped her capacity to examine beyond recognizing them as distinct from the undulations of scenery. And third, she could feel her physical body. While entering the dream realm physically was possible, it required a supreme effort of magic on her part, leaving her with very little magic to combat anything she encountered there. Here, however, not only was she most definitely physically present, she could swear she could feel more magic than normal at her disposal, even if some of it felt distinctly different than normal, as though drawing from a different source.
However, she didn't have long to consider her surroundings. The Realm shifted in response to her walk, and she found herself in a calm glade, the endless shifting of the environment growing less and less pronounced until it stilled completely at the center. There, a woman wrapped in shadows sat in a rocking chair, allowing herself to rock back and forth, that rocking being the only noise in the entire realm that was in no way distorted by the shifting environment. Looking at the woman, Luna was surprised that she felt an instinctive sense of kinship with her, though couldn't for the life of her understand why. As she stepped into the calm glade, the woman turned towards her. "So you are the Night Princess Discord sent for me to 'play with'," she greeted calmly. "I am Vaermina, Daedric Prince of Dreams and Nightmares. What name are you known by?"
Luna felt her body relax. Not only did she now have an explanation as to why she felt instinctive kinship with the woman - their powers apparently shared a magical realm - something about the woman's voice was inherently relaxing for her. "I am Luna...Princess of the Night and Dreams. Pray tell, what is your relation to Discord, that you speak of him so familiarly?"
"I'm his mate," Vaermina replied simply as she continued to rock. "Sit, please."
Luna found herself taking a seat beside the woman without even thinking about it. "He seems quite...different from last time I encountered him," Luna observed carefully. "Might you have something to do with that?"
"I'd say his Father has more to do with it," Vaermina observed idly.
"...Discord has a father?" Luna asked in shock.
"Indeed," Vaermina confirmed. "Though it's debatable who changed more from the association...though both changed for the better, it seems."
Luna shifted nervously. "Is there...a reason the realm is so..."
"Dark and Nightmarish?" Vaermina interpreted. "From the feel of your magic, you are averse to your own connection to the darker side of dreams."
Luna glanced away. "I do not like remembering that part of myself..." she admitted finally. "I did...horrible things..."
"What were the consequences of those actions?" Vaermina asked pointedly.
"Admittedly, minor," Luna admitted. "My sister was able to act to remove me from the situation and minimize the damage I would have done when it happened, and young Twilight and her friends were able to bring me back to my senses to keep me from repeating the mistake. The only true loss...was a thousand years of my homeland I will never get back, and a legacy of terror attached to my name...and subjects I struggle to reconnect with."
"That certainly sounds like something worth creating a Tulpa specifically designed to torture you every night over," Vaermina observed dryly. When Luna's head jerked up in shock, the woman's eyes glowed beneath the shadows. "Part of my intimate understanding of Nightmares means I can see both the brightest and darkest aspects of the psyche of any I talk to. Don't you think you're being a tad bit overdramatic with this?"
"But how will I be sure I won't make the same mistake again-" Luna found her words cut off as Vaermina's eyes glowed brighter.
"Trust that I know my own Realm," Vaermina hissed out, her voice taking on a deep echo of power. "To relive the darkness overtaking you over and over does nothing but court madness, and drive the creature you have created to try harder for the same results as you become desensitized. If you want to learn from the mistake to not repeat it, turn back to the events leading to the decision, find the first domino, and work with those you care for and who care for you to ensure it does not fall anew. Now...where did it first go wrong?"
As the glow and echo faded, Luna caught her breath. She was beginning to realize the power of the being she was speaking to. "Well...our subjects loved sister's day and frolicked in it, but slept through my night. I put so much effort into the moon and stars, but..."
"Social change doesn't come easy," Vaermina stated flatly. "What next?"
"When I tried to speak with sister to find a solution...it..." Luna looked away, unsure how to explain.
"Communication failed, and you were left feeling like no one could understand what you were going through, and so you decided to try and make them understand, and make them love and respect you as they did your sister," Vaermina concluded.
Luna winced softly. "Yes...that is about the size...of..." She flinched back as she felt Vaermina's gaze boring into her.
"So failing to communicate your problems to your sister last time created the present issue...so you think the proper solution is to not even try talking to her about what you're going through?" Vaermina demanded coldly.
Luna blinked several times. "...perhaps there is a reason Sister is the one known for sound judgement and fair-mindedness?" she offered pathetically. As the intense gaze diminished, Luna straightened herself. "When the current crisis ends...I shall bespeak my sister regarding my ongoing sense of guilt-"
"And the Tulpa you made," Vaermina insisted firmly.
Luna sighed sadly, then nodded. She then turned to Vaermina. "Prithee, was it Discord's purpose in sending me here to have me undergo therapy?" she asked sardonically.
"No, he intended for us to have a dramatic battle of Night versus Night, Dream and Nightmare, ending in a climactic clash of powers, possibly leading into an intense make out," Vaermina explained, making Luna blush brightly. "Either that or he intended us to settle this over a game of checkers...or maybe he did expect this to happen. I've seen the entirety of Discord's essence - mind, body, heart, soul - and I still have no clue what makes him tick." Though her face was not visible, there was a sense that Vaermina was smiling. "That's probably part of the reason we're still together all this time." She lowered her gaze, her hand gliding over her abdomen. "And the reason why I won't be using my powers recklessly for the first possibility, though I haven't had a chance to tell him about that yet. Then again, I didn't know it was even possible...but then, he is CHiM..."
Luna smiled beatifically. Even if she didn't understand most of what Vaermina was saying, she easily recognized the overall stance...and she adored foals, whatever species. A soft sigh escaped her. "I admit, I believe I am feeling rather left out now. Sister and the others are probably experiencing something along the lines of climactic battles or exciting adventures...yet I get therapy."
"It's what you needed," Vaermina replied. "But if you really want a Nightmare Battle, I could make that happen." The shifting terrain around them rose slowly, forming walls and corridors with peeling paint and no windows. Dim bulbs barely illuminated the corridors, and the sounds of fabric garbed metal feet trumped back and forth.
Luna's eyes lit up eagerly. She recognized the layout from the Nightmares of far too many foals lately, one caused by a particular game. She'd had trouble banishing those nightmares because of the strength of the foals' fear...but here? "Oh, I'm going to enjoy this," she purred as she shaped a crescent scythe out of her magic. "I'm coming for you, Freddy..." With a wicked cackle, she charged into the halls.
Vaermina smiled to herself as she watched. She knew the artifact Luna had to collect was the Skull of Corruption, and she'd hidden it as the skull of one of the creatures Luna now hunted. She'd find it...eventually.
I am liking how this turned out, will wait for more.
Oh this is just to sweet!
Not like there wont be more out of this but if nothing else Luna's got another friend and confidant.
Discord going to be a papa? Yeah, SOMETHING might happen to him but I don't think he's going back into the lawn ornament
Well, you're polite, there's that.
She went mad and tried to bring Eternal Night, she has a reason for that.
I'd be OK with that.
Few are those who do.
Hey, Freddy, 1, 2, Luna's coming for you...
7895536 unfortunatly I think they meant fazzbear.
7895556
Perhaps, but Kreuger is actually creative with how he kills people. Fazzbear is just an animatronic that can be taken out by a well placed bullet. Kreuger cannot.
Is the Freddy being hunted form Nightmare on elm street or Five Nights at Freddy's?
...and now I'm picturing Freddy Fazbear dressed up as Freddy Krueger.
img03.deviantart.net/8676/i/2015/103/b/3/freddy_fazbear_as_freddy_krueger_t_shirt_design_by_bat13sjx-d8ll5hx.png
sweet dreams are made of these
who am I to disagree
everybody is looking for something
sweet dreams are made of these.
7895536 I think this Freddy isn't the demon-empowered child-killer that stalks dreams. I think this one comes from a cheap jump-scare game starring a Chuck-e-Cheese knockoff.
Evidence:
7895562
7895561
It was an FNAF reference.
...who's Freddy Kreuger?
7895571
A monstrous serial killer who kills people in their nightmares, usually in a somewhat fitting or ironic way. Only teenagers though, he's the villain of the Nightmare on Elm Street series. Burnt face, ugly sweater, and clawed gloves/hands.
7895562 Why not both, as per starcat's post?
7895563 yeah, this one.
7895571 With all the references and such that I have seen you make within your stories and the broad spectrum of them. This was a genuine surprise. I seriously read your comment and just stopped and stared at it for a while before double checking that you wrote it.
Also. Really cool chapter, this was nice.
7895571
tatsurou just roll with the audience assumption and take the credit for your unintended referential humor.
This was beautiful. I certainly did not expect this, but it is a very welcome surprise. Wonderful
7895571 I'm calling BS on that one Tats. You KNOW who Kruger is.
7895656
Nope. From what I'm hearing, he's from the horror genre.
I don't do horror. Ever.
7895661 Eh, it's a slasher film, not really horror. But I would have sworn it was you who had made a Freddy VS Jason comment before...
7895665
Slasher?
Yeah, that I avoid like the plague.
7895571
7895656
In the unlikely case Tats doesn't actually know him, this is Freddy Krueger
7895528 same here
That was fun, may I have another? Looking forward to more.
Keep up the great work. Deus tecum.
I'm just imagining several nightmare creatures sitting around playing poker.
Freddy: "...Got any 3's?"
Jason growls, slamming his fist on the table.
Jason's mother: "He says 'you know damn well that's not what we're playing'...Jason, elbows off the table."
As the hockey mask wearing psycho obeyed, a Possessed Regan tilted her head towards the newly formed hallway behind them.
Regan: "...The fuck? Hey, you cocksuckers hear a horse running down here?"
Freddy blinks. "Well, looks like Luna wants to play aga-...since when did she have a massive battle axe?"
As the entire table turned, they saw an almost nightmarishly sadistic smile on the princess of dreams' face.
Freddy: "...LAST ONE OUT'S FUCKING DEAD!" he says, jumping over the table down the labyrinth of nightmares, the others swiftly going down other hallways.
First, the scythe is a great reference to Fall of the Crystal Empire. Second, it would be way more fitting, as well as a reference if Luna cried, "I'm ready for you, Freddy..."
7895909 as awesome as that would be, it was a reference to Five Nights at Freddy's.
Congratulations, Vaermina!
Though I can only vaguely imagine what they'll look like, I bet the baby is adorable.
I think this is going to end badly in one way or another.
Discord was raised by beings that were looking forward to a war for entertainment (oblivion)...
This is part of the reason I like Discord so much, and also why I hate him with a passion. He won't kill you, but he will leave you feeling that it would have been a mercy if he had. It's even worse seeing as he has all these beings basically saying: nah you don't need to change at all! It's not like there is anyone who could possibly hurt you at all and you know how to show mercy to other immortals so no worries!
So Luna falls again. Damn it Discord that was not cool to do to poor Luna. You may have addressed her issues but you are still going to corrupt the poor night princess.
7895960 I disagree. It's the way she phrased it: "I'm coming for you, Freddy". It's a reference to the rhyme often made in the Nightmare on Elm Street films: "One, two, Freddy's coming for you..."
7895960 Actually, I think it's more "Nightmare on Elm Street." You know. Freddy Kruger?
Oh Luna, it's not like you'll ever dream of having an intense makeout battle only for Discord to bear witness to it after heads rolled.
"You can run, but you can't hide, bitch!!"
Glad to see Vaermina actually go to the root of Luna's problem and help her out of it before she would give power to the Tantibus.
7896137 It meantioned a game, so five nights at freddy's.
7896238 I've never played FNAF. I can't handle jump-scares.
7895670
I don't do horror movies like Nightmare on Elm Street (too much avoidable stupidity in most of them), and Jumpscare games like FNAF are kinda cheep, but I'm well versed enough to know the basics without being invested in the genre.
I don't really do Psychogical Horror either, but Survival Horror games like Dead Space and Res-Evil can be fun once you get desensitized to the setting's atmosphere and start anticipating the scenarios where you're most likely to be attacked, rather than simply reacting after the fact.
Forgive me for forgetting....but what does CHIM mean?
7896134
7896137
Well, Tatsurou already confirmed it was the game in the comments, and it says the Freddy in question was from a game in the actual chapter. So....
XD Freddy's gonna be the one having nightmares once Luna's done.
Pffffffff haha oh this would be a fun hacker mod for the game were your Luna hunting them
So, who's next? Nocturnal? Please?
XD please tell me we get to see this in the comic as well as the after math.
Well, looks like a lot of children in the multiverse are going to have sweet dreams for a while.
I leave this here
7896105 How did she fall in this?
7895670 Aw come on, most horror/slasher films are comedy gold. Either that, or I'm just a twisted individual.
Oh no! it's scary terry!
7890122 I'm not that surprised. Have you read about what Twilight did in Ratchet and Clank's universe?
She sleeps with Discord.
troll.me/images/indiana-jones/look-whos-talking-thumb.jpg
I'm slightly disappointed that it didn't end with them making out. This works too though.
7895561 betcha Luna could. I strongly believe Perrin Aybara could. It'd be easy money that any dream walking balefire user could beat Freddy.