The Dream Catcher

by SilverOrion

It's Going to be a Long Night... (Going to Sleep)

"This is ridiculous, Phoebe, ridiculous!" shouted Phoebe.

The filly version of Phoebe stared at the ground, tears welling up in her eyes.

"If Luna had intervened in the interrogation of that... that repulsive excuse for a school teacher, then that means she is going to be involved in our plans! And if Luna is involved in our plans, then so will Celestia!"

"I... I'm sorry, Phoebe, I... I tried my hardest..." the filly Phoebe responded, voice cracking from sadness.

"It's nothing you did, Phoebe, it's everything I did. I just needed somepony to shout at..." Phoebe replied, trying to collect her thoughts. "If the princesses are involved, then we'll need to expedite our plans as quickly as possible in order to take back the Bands of Strength, and find a new place to hide."

"But what if Celestia finds the window here? Couldn't she just use that to track us?"

"She won't, because after we get the Bands of Strength back again, we'll hide the Window where Celestia will never find it." Phoebe replied. "That, or we'll take the Window with us, along with the Bands of Strength. Yes, we'll do that - we'll take the Window with us. It belongs to me anyway..."

"...So what're we gonna do now?" the filly Phoebe asked.

"Do?" Phoebe responded, before looking out into the horizon to see the sun setting once more. "We get serious, that's what we will do. If Pipe Dream won't show himself, we'll have to make him show himself."

"How are we gonna do that?"

"...With bait." Phoebe replied, after several passing moments. "And he'll take the bait, don't you worry about that. He'll take it hook, line, and sinker. We'll reel him out of Equestria, and be satisfied by the glassy, soulless fish eyes that he'll have once I'm done with him - I'll make everything I've ever done before look like mere parlor tricks..."

Phoebe continued to look outside, seeing the first stars begin to glimmer faintly in the sky.

"This is going to be a long night..." Phoebe muttered darkly.

- - -

"Agh!"

Loose Cannon woke up after feeling as if he was jolted by a cold shock of lightning down his spine. He quickly got up and looked down at his bed, to see that it was completely normal.

After a moment of shock, Loose Cannon began to feel his back, which felt just like it had ever felt.

"Oh good, you're awake."

Loose Cannon turned to face the source of that voice, expecting it to be Bats or Belfry... but instead, it was a dark, charcoal-colored filly with a mane and tail which glowed like embers, who happened to be standing on a stool while gazing outside despairingly.

"I've been trying to get your attention for the past couple of hours, but you wouldn't listen!" the filly sobbed.

"Why? What's the matter?" Loose Cannon asked, both tired and perplexed.

"Haven't you heard of the shadow ooze, Loose Cannon?"

Loose Cannon looked wearily at the filly, trying to see if he could recognize her at all. She obviously seemed to recognize him somehow if she already knew his name.

"...Shadow ooze?"

"Yes, shadow ooze! It's been sleeping for centuries, but now it's come back!" the filly sobbed, "it changes everything - twists everything. Twists reality!"

"Alright now, calm down. I've lived knowin' about superstitions and things, but I've never been taught anything 'bout any 'shadow ooze'."

"That's because it hibernates for centuries until fate has been broken - and once fate's been broken, it starts an entire apocalypse!"

Concerned, Loose Cannon dragged himself out of bed and trotted up to the filly at the window.

"Now how do you know about this shadow ooze, little filly?"

"How do I know about it? Just look outside!"

Turning his head, Loose Cannon peered outside. The sky was a mixture of blood red and hellish black swirls. The trees were soaked in a strange, black molasses which seemed to cause the branches to bend and twist in unnatural shapes while creating a sickening creaking sound. The grass turned into a pale grey, with bloody dirt and mud which drowned any last bit of life and vegetation growing from the ground.

Loose Cannon gaped at first, then slowly shook his head at the sight before him.

"No, it's... it's impossible..." he said quietly, feeling a sense of despair wash over him.

"This is why I've been trying to get your attention, Loose Cannon!" shouted the filly, now pointing at the scene outside, "I couldn't find anypony else in ponyville, or anywhere, except for just you in this room!"

"...You mean everypony's gone?" Loose Cannon replied, horrified.

"Yes! Well, not really, but... You don't wanna know what happens when anypony touches that shadowy ooze stuff! It makes 'em all helllish lookin' and they try to kill you!"

- - -

A night like this was never seen for years,

A night wrought with terrifying and mortal fears,

Fears of our ancestors and greater fears to come,

Fears to quiet the old ones - history undone.

Go to sleep and let darkness take you,

The blindfold of reason.

Don't open your eyes while you try to slumber.

Don't worry - the nightmares will only come for a season.

And as the shadows slide over eyes,

It will harshly creep over your skin.

Rotten slime.

Twisting grime.

It will rout even your deepest chagrin.

For nopony cares what anypony thinks,

When their deepest care was to be

Safe.

Safe..

Safe...

Happy fools.

When free from nightmare's rule.

- An old poem cautioning the pegasi from trespassing on the Mount of the Moon; author unknown.

- - -

Trotting out of the Ponyville schoolhouse, I looked up at the sky - it was twilight now, with the sun setting in the horizon, and a black, starless void beginning to dominate the sky.

Cheerilee was still recovering in the schoolhouse with that Alicorn. As for me, I was disgusted. I knew this was Phoebe's doing - and it only made me feel a deep anger burning inside me. So now that Phoebe couldn't do anything about me, she was just going to start toying with the ponies I love the most. It was sick. And I knew that this wouldn't be the end of it. Phoebe toyed with me for as long as I know, and only now have I ever felt the victory... no, the freedom of being sane, and at peace, for even one day.

I. Hate. Phoebe.

Phoebe knew about Cheerilee - Phoebe knew that it was Cheerilee who had comforted me after that nasty nightmare I was given by yours truly. Phoebe knew that she could get to me if she did anything to Miss Cheerilee. She wants something from me. But what?

Then I thought of it. She wants to take control of me again.

Hatred coursed through my body like a wave, my fur prickling with fury. That's how it is, isn't it, Phoebe? You want me back again to be your little toy for life; and you're going to screw with each and every one of those closest to me until you get what you want, aren't you?

I should've known. I'm not free yet. The banished princess of the night ponies would never give up her pride over a mistake in an attic. She wanted me back. Phoebe, the one who thought she could mess with me, wants me back.

Well I don't think so.

And... If she... If she does anything to anypony else, or... or to Belfry or Bats.. I am going to find her. And I'm going to kill her.

No. I won't even giver her that chance. She doesn't deserve it.

In a flash, I galloped as fast as the Bands would take me, my vision blurring past me until I finally stopped back at my cabin and began to look for the tool shed. Finding it, I dashed inside, glanced at the tools. Shovels, rakes, and other objects were there, including an axe. I didn't notice that the pickaxe was missing, nor did I care. I lifted the large, heavy axe from the collection. I brought the midsection of the axe's handle into my mouth, and bit down hard. Today, a night mare dies.

This newfound bravery and strength that I was cultivating was beginning to change me, and I knew it; for better or for worse, I wasn't sure... All I knew was that it felt good. Never to be afraid again - to have the power enough to change anything that I wanted in an instant. I wasn't that pathetic "Pipe Dream" anymore.

I imagined myself as Pipe Dream - a blank flank, with big watery eyes, hiding in the corner of my room when I heard the slightest noise. A coward. Begging my nightmares to go away.

I imagined myself now - wearing four darkly-colored cuffs, one on each leg. Pitch black shades hiding my eyes. And now, a cutie mark.

Remembering this, I turned my head to see my flank. It was a black circle with an X in it.

Darkly colored cuffs, pitch black shades, a black circle with an X for a cutie mark, and now an axe being gripped tightly in my mouth. Ready to kill.

"Phoebe... if not today, then soon... you will die... I will slit your throat and watch you choke under my right hoof, and I will laugh."

I trotted outside slowly, finding pleasure in dragging the head of the axe along the ground as I did. It made a satisfying raking sound as it ran along the gravelly earth beneath me - like an execution was about to take place, and I was the executioner. The arbitrator of judgement.

I took one last glance at the family cabin, and it looked peaceful as always. Not a sound coming from it at all. A corpse. Like Phoebe by morning.

- - -

"Princess... Luna?"

Luna gazed back at Cheerilee somberly.

"Yes. It is I."

"What... What happened?"

Luna considered, for a moment, then replied, "I cannot tell you - but do not worry. It will not happen again."

By "it will not happen again", Luna had meant "it will not happen to you again". After giving her a protection spell from night pony magic, Cheerilee would be safe for about three days time. And by then, Luna expected to have Phoebe captured and questioned for her crime. However, she knew that Phoebe must have been hiding away in Ponyville for a time, wracking the brain of a host - another pony.

There was a good chance, in Luna's opinion, that nopony in Ponyville would suspect that a night pony was infesting somepony's mind with fear. Luna would need to ask the locals of Ponyville if they knew anypony who seemed to be suffering from some sort of dementia or schizophrenia. Second, if Phoebe was only beginning to use Cheerilee as a host, then there must be a good reason why she would risk getting caught by not using her previous, and allegedly "insane", host to begin with.

She would need a very good reason indeed.

"Pipe... Dream..." moaned Cheerilee.

Luna turned to look back at Cheerilee.

"Who is this Pipe Dream that you speak of?" Luna responded.

"He... was a colt from the colt scouts meet yesterday... that thing wanted Pipe Dream... I think he's in trouble."

Luna nodded, and proceeded to leave the schoolhouse, assigning a couple of guards to look after Cheerilee in the meantime. Having her first lead, and knowing the ponies of Equestria by having been in their dreams in the past, Luna knew exactly where to look.

- - -

Applebloom looked outside her window worryingly. The sun had set hours ago, and now it was dark in Ponyville - darker than she had ever remembered - the moon couldn't be seen, and not a single star in the sky could be seen either; it was pitch black. Not only that, but everything was eerily silent - as if all of Equestria was asleep. Dreaming.

It didn't make her feel any better about the strange way Ms. Cheerilee had been acting earlier. She hoped Cheerilee would be ok.

Suddenly, a filly version of Phoebe is being written

about to you. She clears her throat in a cute and innocent way,

before procuring a piece of paper. Phoebe begins to read.

"A night like this was never seen for years,

a night wrought with terrifying and mortal fears,

Fears of our ancestors and greater fears to come,

Fears to quiet the old ones - history undone."

After reading, Phoebe looks back up at you and smiles.

"I love this poem. Don't you? Oh, I know, maybe we can

be playmates tonight!"

- - -

Loose Cannon galloped through the forest, gripping his pickaxe tightly, as he was hearing that maniacal laughter everywhere from that freakish filly which was driving him insane. There was that shadowy ooze dripping off of the trees everywhere, and steaming once it hit the ground. The sky continued to be a mix of red and black swirls, adding to the sheer terror of the night.

"Pipe Dream! Bats! Belfry! Heebies! Jeebies!" he shouted, trying to find his family members, but it was all useless. He hoped they were ok - but he feared... no, felt dismayed... that they were dead. And if they weren't dead, they could be zombie ponies, like that freakish filly said.

"Hey Loose! I'm over here!"

Loose Cannon jerked his head around, his eyes wide with horror, as he tried to see who was calling him. He knew it was a filly - it sounded just like one. Sounded just like that freakish filly.

"Get away from me or I'll stab you with this pickaxe!" he shouted violently, taking position to face whoever was hidden by the shadow ooze and twisted branches.

"But... But I'm scared..."

"Now, I don't care if you're scared 'er not! If you take another step closer, I'll gut you faster than an upset ursa major!"

The voice sobbed, but Loose Cannon didn't care. He began to take some steps backwards, looking behind him to make sure it was safe, and then jerking his head forward again to make sure the source of that mysterious voice was not coming any closer.

"L-loose Cannon... Y-you're mah big brother..."

Loose Cannon tried to register the voice he was hearing, before realizing it was Bats.

"Bats? Is that you?"

"Yes! Ahm Bats!"

"Bats!" shouted Loose Cannon, as he galloped towards the sound of Bats' voice, "keep talkin' to me bats! Ahm followin' the sound of your voice!"

"I'm over here!" shouted Bats.

Very quickly, Loose Cannon approached the small, frightened filly... who looked relatively calm in response to the shadow ooze that was flooding the area.

"Bats? What are you doing out here? And where's Belfry, and Heebies and Jeebies?"

"Wha, they're back at the cabin, Loose... I was followin' ya because you looked like you were in for a mighty fright, and you were runnin' away from tha cabin' into tha forest... I wanted to know what you were up to, so I tried to follow ya, but I got lost, and it was dark, so I got scared."

Loose Cannon didn't reply for a moment.

"Scared? Scared? Have you taken one look at the trees?"

Bats looked up at Loose Cannon with a blank look on her face.

"The shadow ooze! It's everywhere! Can't you see it with yer own eyes?"

Bats began to take some steps backwards, appearing to be shocked at Loose Cannon.

"It's everywhere, Bats, everywhere. It's twistin' the trees, turnin' the grass grey, makin' the sky a swirl of red and black. Red and black, Bats, red and black! And the horrible creakin' sound comin' from the twistin' trees, it's... it's... Bats, are you even listenin' to me? Are you!"

Bats' eyes began to well up with tears, as she began to turn to run - but Loose Cannon swung his pickaxe down over her, trapping her beneath it and the ground.

"You're not goin' anywhere, Bats - you're comin' with me, where it's safe, and there ain't no shadow ooze."

"Let go of me! Let go!" Bats screamed, thrashing as much as she could under the pickaxe.

"Bats, I'm your big brother and I know what's best for ya and you're gonna come with me where its safe - for all we know, the others could be zombie ponies by now."

"Let go! Please!" Bats shouted

Another voice interrupted, "Well, it looks like you're having a good time trying to run away with your little sister, Loose Cannon."

Loose Cannon looked up, and saw a tall mare - the size of an alicorn - standing in front of him. Her coat a pitch black charcoal color, and her mane glowing like fiery embers.

"You stay away." Loose Cannon said weakly.

"Hm hm hm..." she chuckled.

"Loose Cannon, who're you talkin' to!" Bats shouted, yelling it more than she was asking it, tears flooding down her eyes.

"What do you want?" Loose Cannon said.

"I'm just here to give you a little advice before the shadow ooze takes you and her as its next victim..." the mare replied.

"And what advice is that?" Loose Cannon responded.

"Loose Cannon! Wake up!" Bats shouted, but to Loose Cannon, her voice was becoming softer, and quieter... like an innocent whisper.

"She's obviously not listening to you Loose Cannon - she is so shocked by what is happening around her, that she is refusing to believe that it is real. If you take the pickaxe off of her, she will only run away and be swept up in the ooze."

"...What do I need to do?"

"You need to knock her unconscious, and carry her with you. It is the only way."

Then the mare disappeared, leaving Loose Cannon with Bats.

"Loose... please... let me go..." Bats sobbed.

"I can't do that, Bats. Now, I'm gonna need tah knock you out."

"LOOSE CANNON!"

thud

- - -

"Phoebe, what will we do with that disgusting earth pony next?"

A filly version of Phoebe stood some feet away from Phoebe, who was standing by a rock in the forest.

"Well, he's already knocked his own little sister unconscious. We may as well make him a psychopathic killer who thinks the world is coming to an end." the filly Phoebe suggested, shrugging in the process.

"My thoughts exactly." Phoebe responded, continuing to look out in the distance where Loose Cannon was now dragging a limp filly along the ground, with that pickaxe in his mouth again. She thought it was cute, almost funny in a way, how he would look in all directions, as if there was actually "shadow ooze" everywhere. More like night pony saliva from feeding off of the strong emotions of others, actually - but how effective it was in scaring her victims.

"That's exactly what we will do, young one." Phoebe continued, confidently. "We - or, I - will make him believe that the ponies of ponyville are actually zombie ponies, and that he must kill them all in order to survive. It will be my vengeance against those disgusting ponies, and it will also draw that repulsive unicorn right where I want it, so that I can turn it into the gurgling fish that it deserves to be."

With a flick of her mane, Loose Cannon jumped to the left of himself, gaping at some non-existing thing to his right. In response, he began to run away with Bats in tow - right towards Ponyville.

"The night ponies will always win, and will always claim their vengeance for the harmony which those disgusting ponies refused to embrace years ago." Phoebe said to herself, as the filly version of herself began to fade away.

"Even Celestia can't stop me now."

Comments

[SilverOrion]

Alright, one more chapter to go, and then the epilogue. *breaths in* *breaths out* [insert exhausted looking person]