Lucid Dreams

by Jumping Jack

Against the Walls

It was the middle of the evening when the scheduled rain had finished. The pegasai were hard at work moving rainclouds to other areas of Equestria and busting stray clouds. Down below, the ponies of Ponyville wandered about to finish up their last parts of their day. Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack and the CMC exited the spa, feeling lighter and refreshed. Rainbow stretched and rolled her neck.

"I feel twenty percent lighter. That felt amazing!" She exclaimed. Rarity sighed happily and nodded in agreement.

"Nothing like a good three hours of rest and relaxation, wouldn't you agree you three?" She asked as she turned to the CMC. Applebloom kicked out her legs, feeling major relief and newfound energy.

"Works wonders, Rarity." Applebloom replied with a pleased look. This could be said the same for the other two crusaders. Scootaloo felt like she could take on the whole world and Sweetie Bell hasn't felt so relieved in a long while. Applejack smiled.

"Glad ya' liked it. Now then, we were hopin' you three would tag along and help finish up the preparations for the adoption fair. What do ya' say?" She asked with a hopeful smile. The three looked at each other. They were feeling well rested that this afternoon's oversleep didn't bother them that much anymore. The three nodded and Rainbow Dash smiled.

"That's the spirit! Let's bring a little a bit of light to the lives of fillies and colts in need of a good home!" She said confidently. They began to make their way towards the center of Ponyville, arriving at the Town Hall. The three mares blinked and looked towards the porch of the hall, seeing Twilight speaking with a concerned looking Mayor Mare. The three mares exchanged glances before trotting over to them.

"Hey, Twilight. What's up?" Rainbow asked with a hint of concern. Twilight looked over her shoulder and looked relieved.

"Oh, thank goodness. Rainbow, did you get the letter from Spitfire?" She asked. Rainbow arched a brow.

"Err... no, I've been at the spa all afternoon with the kids. Been trying to get them to relax after a few days of hard work from Princess Luna." She replied. Twilight winced and looked to Mayor Mare. Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Rarity exchanged glances. Twilight willed a scroll to appear next to her and she held it up to them. Rarity took it in her own magic and read it. Applejack and Rainbow read over her shoulder. Applejack balked.

"Princess Luna has gone missing!?" She stated. The Crusaders looked up in shock, but Twilight quickly held up a hoof to shush her, looking around. Thankfully, the ponies around them were too busy with their own ordeals to really pay much attention. Twilight waved for them to get closer.

"I received the letter from Celestia not too long ago. Apparently, Luna was dealing with a cursed item and it caused her to go missing. She has The Wonderbolts and her royal guards searching for her everywhere!" Twilight looked around nervously. Rarity shook her head in disbelief.

"This is awful! What was she doing handling a cursed item??" She stated. Sweetie Bell's eyes widened and looked to the other two. The Crusaders nodded to each other in understanding. Scootaloo quickly spoke up.

"Uhhh, seems to be a bit of an adult kind of issue. Just remembered we have somewhere to be! We'll handle the preparations later!" She said before zipping away with the others. Applejack held out a hoof to stop them, but they were already booking it down the road. Applejack furrowed her look before turning to Twilight.

"Tell us everythin'." She said. Twilight nodded.

"At the castle. We need to be a bit discreet here. Can I trust you on that, Mayor Mare?" She asked. Mayor Mare nodded.

"Of course, Twilight. I'll keep ponies unaware for a time. I just wish I could do more to help." She replied. Twilight smiled before galloping off down the road with her friends at her tail.

---

Pepper stared at his leather-bound journal. The orphans had just finished lunch when the journal started to jitter and act like it had come alive. Pepper did his best to ensure the others were unaware of it, not wanting to be ridiculed to hounding by Alabaster. Mother Wisp was thankfully preoccupied with cleaning the dishes and the rest of the kids were in recess. Pepper had scurried away behind the shed and looked at his journal with concerned curiosity.

Is this supposed to be something new for the journal? Was it meant to do this at some point? Gaining enough courage to muster, he opened the journal and shielded his eyes as the pages glowed and scribbles began writing themselves. When the glow dimmed, Pepper blinked rapidly at the words:

The one who walked through us has made an unforgivable sin. You, who hath been deemed an apprentice, must not repeat the mistake made. We are watching. We are law. Thou will abide by them or suffer punishment of both mind, body and soul.

Pepper furrowed his look. The journal pages glowed again and it flipped to a new page, elegant cursive being written out before him:

Pepper. This night is crucial and I need thou aid to redeem us. In my haste, I hath made a grave error in my hunt and the item haunting thou orphanage and thyself is still active. Follow these rules with utmost care, or else we all will fall into an endless sleep.

1. Look in the kitchen in a corner. There is a loose under molding in the wall. Carefully extract the item with protective gear.

Pepper tilted his head. As the instructions were being written out, Pepper peeked out from behind the shed. The children were playing tag once more. Alabaster was talking to Echo and Merriweather by the porch. Pepper frowned. Scooping up the journal, he carefully trotted around the house and opened the back door by pulling the rope fashioned for the kids just in case of emergency.

He snuck in and quietly closed the door. Creeping through the hall, he peeked into the kitchen, seeing Mother Wisp humming quietly to herself as she scrubbed the dishes. Pepper felt a bit of anxiety in fear of being caught. He wasn’t sure why he was compelled to follow the direction. Something about the way the cursive writing was felt familiar. That and he was genuinely curious as to what his dream journal was asking of him.

Like a mouse, he crept past Mother Wisp ducking behind the end of the counter. With her back to him, he began to scan the corners. Nothing stood out except for the corner in front of him. He narrowed his eyes as he studied the corner. A molding did stand out as a lighter shade than the other parts. Making sure Mother Wisp was still preoccupied, he carefully shimmied the molding out.

He shivered as he felt a cold and dark heavy presence when he did. He had to stop as Mother Wisp reacted to the sudden change in atmosphere as well. Mother Wisp shivered and rubbed her hooves together before walking off, Pepper assuming she was to mess with the furnace. Pepper unwrapped his scarf and carefully extracted the black book, using the scarf as protection. The black book gave him an uneasy feeling. One he was not fond of in the slightest.

He wrapped up his scarf around the book and quickly put the molding back before sneaking out of the back door again. He gave a relieved sigh as he trotted back to the shed. He placed the wrapped up book in front of him and studied it more. Why would there be such a thing in the orphanage? The dark aura it gave off was enough to make any sane pony to avoid it or outright destroy it. Pepper brought out his journal and opened back to the page, seeing new directions:

2. Ensure you are in a secure room. Preferably the attic. Ensure you have a set of six candles and matches to light them.

Pepper slumped. The attic? That was the last place Pepper wanted to be. Not after that Black Eyed Colt incident. He looked to the next set of directions:

3. Place item in center of lit candles that are placed in a circle. Ensure all areas are secured afterwords.

4. Recite the prayer that I will write to you. Be firm and commanding in your voice. Thou cannot show weakness.

Pepper frowned again. The journal does realize who it is writing too? This is already starting to be a lost cause. Yet, Pepper continued on.

5. Ignore the shadows and continue to recite until item has been cleansed. Thou will know it has with the change in atmosphere.

This must be done when the night is high. I have complete faith in you, my little apprentice. Do this task and I promise you and your playmates will have a better life moving forward. If you feel this cannot be done alone, take those that you trust. I believe you know three already.

Pepper was dumbfounded. This journal was asking a lot. And apprentice? He pondered on that word a bit more before a look of realization dawned on him. Panic took him and he looked around. Was Princess Luna watching him from somewhere? Pepper’s ear flicked, hearing what sounded like a putter from the distance. He poked his head around the shed and saw the kids looking down the road.

He balked, seeing Scootaloo pulling a red wagon with Applebloom and Sweetie Bell along. Scootaloo pulled up and looked to have flown a marathon. She panted and nearly rolled off her scooter, supporting herself with wobbly hooves. Sweetie Bell leaned against her to support and levitated her water bottle to her. Applebloom hopped out and looked around.

“Has anypony seen Ghost Pepper? It’s urgent we speak with him!” She exclaimed. To no pony’s surprise, Alabaster walked up to them with Merriweather next to her. The kids gathered.

“Why the urgency?” Alabaster asked. Sweetie Bell shook her head.

“It’s for Pepper to know alone. Trust us. It’s a… Crusader matter.” She said. Alabaster arched an unamused brow.

“A Crusader matter?” She repeated. Pallet stepped forward.

“If you’re looking for Pepper, I saw him by the shed earlier.” He replied. Pepper ducked back quickly and hurriedly stuffed the black book under his wing. He held his journal in one leg before stepping out, seeing Applebloom trot over to him.

“There ya’ are. Listen, we have a problem.” Applebloom leaned in and whispered into his ear. “Princess Luna has gone missin’.” She said. Pepper’s eyes widened in shock at the news. She nodded solemnly. “Twilight and the others are already on the investigation. Do ya’ remember if Luna ever came to you earlier today?”

Pepper turned to her and shook his head.

Take those that you trust.

Pepper reflected on those words. He doesn’t fully trust the Crusaders, but after everything they’ve been through, he can give them some respite. He wished he could handle his stress better. Pepper then held up a hoof and let Applebloom follow it as he pat his wing. She noticed the way the wing was shifted. Applebloom nodded before trotting back over to the other two with Pepper in tow. Alabaster arched a brow.

“What is going on here? Clearly, something this urgent and no explanation has to be more than just a dream issue.” She said. Scootaloo rasped in response.

“Not now, Alabaster.” She turned to the others, ignoring the shocked look from the filly. “What’s the plan?” Applebloom rubbed the back of her head.

“‘A-Ahm not sure. Pepper might know, though.” She said. Pepper hesitated, but pulled out his journal and flipped to the pages with the instructions. The Crusaders read the passages and exchanged glances.

“At least we know now she isn’t entirely gone. Would following this bring her back?” She asked.

“Bring who back?” A voice said, startling the children. They looked to see Funnel with a shovel over his shoulder and eyeing the kids with bored interest. His eyes fell to Pepper and the colt shrunk. His eyes were showing desperation once again, but now filled with hate. The Crusaders gave nervous smiles.

“Oh, uh… my dog Winona. She… Err… She didn’t show up this morning and we’ve been lookin’ all over for her. We were err… hopin’ Pepper here would know where she went.” She lied. Funnel hummed to himself quietly before nodding.

“Then this is a perfect time. Been looking for Pepper to give me a hoof here.” He said. Pepper squinted distrustfully at him. Sweetie Bell chimed in.

“Oh, uh… He’d be glad too, but we do kind of need him to help out.” She said nervously. Pepper felt Funnel wasn’t buying any of it. Yet, he sighed and shook his head.

“I’m goin’ to look for the traps I’ve set. Raccoon traps. With any luck, your dog might have stumbled into one.” He said matter-of-factly. The situation became tense. At this point, Funnel has called their bluff. Applebloom slumped and nodded.

“A-alright then. Lead the way.” She said with a motion of her hoof. Funnel shifted his frown before turning to the others.

“Don’t give Mother Wisp too much trouble while I’m gone. We’ll be back before she knows it. Understand?” He said. The kids muttered to themselves. Alabaster narrowed her eyes before glancing at Pepper. The colt looked terrified. While she would usually write it off as just plain skittishness, she wasn’t quite so sure after seeing Funnel leave his shack with Mother Wisp hugging to him closely.

After becoming aware of Mother Wisps night visit to the shack, it made a little more sense to Funnel having pulling aside Pepper out of the blue behind the shed. She was in the bushes when she overheard that Funnel had been secretly an agent to protect Mother Wisp. But those eyes say differently. Alabaster shifted her own frown.

“We’ll let Mother Wisp know you’ve gone out with help.” She said. Funnel smirked and nodded.

“Atta’ girl.” He then dropped his smirk and eyed the four, motioning with his head before trotting off towards the field. The four exchanged worried glances. Pepper looked back to Alabaster, their gaze meeting. She returned his plea for help with a narrowing suspicion. Not only were the signs leading to something bad, but the dark aura that the kids could notice emanating off of Pepper made them watch as they trotted towards the field. Merriweather leaned into Alabaster.

“A-Alabaster? I don’t know about this…” she said, eyeing Funnel with worry. Pallet nodded.

“Funnel looked… off.” He chimed in. Alabaster looked between the two and then over her shoulder to the others. The kids were silent. Watching the five grow smaller and smaller in the fields before disappearing into the wooded area.

---

The sun had lowered to the horizon and the moon began to rise up. They had been trotting through the woods for a while, helping Funnel check the raccoon traps he had placed around the woods. The stallion had told them there was a lot that had recently moved in thanks to a certain mare. It didn’t help the orphanage much that the raccoons had been going out of their way to be pests towards the orphanage.

But one thing made the four question him. Why so far out? Granted, they haven’t gone too deep into the woods, but they were for sure lost. Funnel had reassured them they aren’t and he proved to them with picking out the raccoon traps in specific places. However, that didn’t prevent them from looking around in wariness.

Funnel led them to an opening in the woods and proceeded to check the remaining cages. Pepper looked around. This was beginning to scare the colt more and more. Not to mention they are with a very bad pony. Remaining cautious, Pepper trotted over to a cage and placed a hoof on it, leaning down to see, once again, another empty cage with bait. Funnel grunted as he tried to pull out a cage that seemed to have been buried a bit in the mud.

“Mfhh! Argh! Hey, you three, care to give me a hoof?” He asked towards the Crusaders. Scootaloo snorted.

“We have names, you know.” She said, feeling already annoyed with the whole evening. The three walked over and Pepper looked with wide eyes. He saw the cunning glint in Funnel’s eyes. The three yelped as something rose up around them from the ground as well as the ground beneath them opened up. The three fillies were now suspended together via a heavy net. They grunted and tried to wriggle out of it, but it was hard to move with them being stuck a little together.

Funnel stabbed the shovel in the ground and waved a hoof.

“I wouldn’t move around too much. I had to use what I could from the orphanage to make that net. But funny how mother nature can provide even the deadliest of incidents.” He said with a sly smirk. The three looked down and gasped. Jagged sticks stuck out from the ground in a hole. Funnel shook his head. “I didn’t want to do this to you kids. But Pepper has left me no choice.” His eyes then fell to the colt, who shrunk back, shivering uncontrollably with his ears down as the stallion tossed the shovel over his shoulder.

“Why are you doin’ this?!” Applebloom grunted as she tried to shift inside the net. Funnel sighed.

“You kids wouldn’t understand. I’m with my back to the wall and I needed to have this handled weeks ago. Pepper. I’ve given you plenty of chances to help me out here. But it seems that no matter what I do, you just never seemed to trust me.” He said.

“He doesn’t trust you now!” Sweetie Bell retorted. Funnel just laughed.

“I have to hoof it to ya’, kid. You are quite the observant one. Unfortunately, lala land is going to stop here. Now, I’m a forgiving stallion. And I know how you can make it up to me. Your lucid dreaming.” Pepper backed away and Funnel grinned. “I’m not really in the mood to play a game of hide and seek. So, I’ve thought of an incentive.” He then pointed to the very top of the net. The kids looked up and saw what looked like an axe on a springboard above the branch the net was hooked too.

Connected to a string from the release mechanism was a cage at the base of the trunk. Funnel picked up a rock and chucked it into the cage. There was a loud click and the springboard moved slightly. Funnel tossed another rock up and down on his hoof. “Every time you disobey or hesitate, I keep filling the cage with rocks. When the cage gets too heavy…” He then made a swishing sound with his mouth and a motion of a swing before making a cartoonish falling whistle sound and a motion of his hooves fluttering down. He finished it off with a disperse of his hooves and a mimicking squelching sound.

Pepper began to tear up. Scootaloo grunted as she leaned against the net.

“You won’t get away with this! My big sister is a Wonderbolt! She’ll take you down!” She shouted. Funnel shrugged.

“There is a reason we are out here anyway. If you all just play along, I’ll let you all go.” He said. Sweetie Bell growled.

“Doubt it! We already know you’re a bad pony!” She said. Funnel made a pained expression with his hooves.

“How hurtful.” He said sarcastically. He then looked to Pepper. “Listen, kid. I don’t have much time. And neither does Mother Wisp or your little playmates.” Pepper’s eyes widened. “At this moment, my colleagues are keeping the entire orphanage preoccupied from looking for us. And… to be honest, I don’t want to go back empty hoofed. So for both our sakes, and the orphanages, lay yourself to rest here and get to searching.” Pepper didn’t say anything. He is terrified of this sudden attack against him.

Scootaloo spoke up. “You can’t just force somepony to lucid dream! There are serious consequences to the psyche doing so!” She stated. Funnel gave an uncaring glance at the three.

“Shut yer’ trap, kid. I’ll get what I want, one way or another.” He replied, chucking a rock casually into the cage. Pepper panicked, looking between the net and Funnel. He couldn't handle it any longer. He quickly brought out his dream journal and placed it down in front of him. Funnel eyed the colt, tossing up a rock again on his hoof. Applebloom called out to him.

"Don't give 'em what he wants, Pepper!"

"Yeah! Get out of here! Don't worry about us!" Scootaloo shouted. Sweetie Bell gave an uncertain smile and nod.

"Just go get help!" Funnel chuckled to himself, shaking his head.

"Hehehe. Ahhh, kids are adorably naive. Unable to grasp the dire situation of adults. Not a care in their tiny little heads. The innocence just making their eyes glow with the future of Equestria." Funnel's eyes glinted as he looked at Pepper. "But with hardships, that glow will eventually fade into adulthood. Where we are put on this realm to be nothing but subjects to two regal alicorns who do not know death naturally. Why should they stand upon a throne so high and mighty with their longevity?" Funnel spat at the ground. "Why should we follow the words and praise the might of ones so oblivious to death? Well, it's simple. We are a herd. Without somepony to lead us, we would be running around like chickens with their heads cut off." He looked to the three fillies. "Have you ever thought about how your friendships would last throughout your lives? They'll fade away all the same. You may try to keep it going as best as you can, but the moment you gain any form of a future, you start to lose any bonds of friendship, replacing that bond with work, bits, a good drink or two and nothing but disappointment and intrusive thoughts." Sweetie Bell shook her head.

"What are you even trying to say? That the reason you are doing this is because you have no friends?" She asked. Funnel tossed his head back and laughed.

"That's rich. How can I be friends with ponies if I was never around any to begin with?" Funnel leaned forward against the shovel and stared down the colt. "I am a full-time orphan myself. The first and last one to a recently opened orphanage at the time. The nanny wanted to take in more, but... the location was inconvenient. Now, you would think that by default after a while of no kids to take in, the only orphan would be adopted by the ones who took him in." He snorted and mindlessly chucked the rock into the cage, causing the springboard to move again. Pepper panic flipped through his journal as Funnel continued. "Well, when you get bought out by a hoity toity elitist pony from Dodge City and are forced to live on the streets, with no pony to lift a hoof at all to help you, is it not within my right to at least get some form of compensation for my own existence?" He nodded to Pepper's journal. "Years of searching for the right mark led me here. That inheritance letter. The very thing needed to get me out of this hell hole and off to Flutter Valley. I hear the weather is nicer in Pony Land than it is here." The Crusaders exchange concerned glances.

"Well... have you ever thought about just doing honest work?" Sweetie Bell suggested. Funnel waved a hoof lazily at them.

"Been there, done that. Not enough to get me off my hooves, sadly." He said. Scootaloo gave a worried look as Funnel picked up another rock. She quickly motioned to Sweetie Bell, who was trying to think of another thing to keep the stallion occupied.

"O-okay, so, honest work didn't... work out. But... err... have you ever thought about becoming a royal guard?" She asked. "I'm sure Celestia and Luna would have taken you in despite your... opinion on their immortality." Funnel chuckled quietly to himself, waving the tip of his hoof at them.

"Now that... is a brilliant suggestion. Were it not done already." Funnel kicked his shovel and twirled it around skillfully, getting into a stance of a pony who is familiar with a long weapon. He then did a marching salute similar to the routines the royal guards go through. This stunned the fillies as Funnel finished his salute and grinned at them. "Funnel Cake, Royal Guard to protecting the throne, sixtieth platoon within the Thunder Cloud regime. At your service, 'your highnesses'." He then did a mocking bow and kicked a rock into the cage, causing the springboard to inch closer to release. "Haven't done that in a long while. Don't make me do it again." He then looked back to Pepper and walked over to him. Pepper was freaking out, tears trailing down his cheek. "Aww, no need to cry now. All I'm asking is a favor. Once you help me find that inheritance letter, I'll let everypony go. Promise with all my heart." Pepper sniffled and turned to the page that was last filled with words from Princess Luna. Flipping it over was revealed to have nothing else written to it. Funnel clicked his tongue.

"Ahh, such a shame. Perhaps we need to get you back into the Dream Realm and continue searching." He said. Pepper sniffled and wiped his eyes, looking up at him.

"I... I can't sleep..." Pepper whimpered. Funnel gave a kind smile and pat his shoulder softly.

"That's okay, Pepper. This is why I'm going to help." He pulled back and adjusted his shovel. Pepper gasped as Funnel quickly brought the shovel up and the world quickly faded to black. The last thing Pepper could hear before consciousness faded were the three fillies calling out to him.

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

What’s the slice of life tag for?

[Jumping Jack]

11675859
Because out of dreams, orphans are just trying to get adopted. I originally wanted to do simple stuff, but I uhh... found that actually gave me major writer's block. I actually intended to inspire this off of a movie called The Devil's Backbone, but in a way that isn't what that movie is about and more of the idea concept that orphans are trying to live their best with a struggling adult caretaker against harsh realities. But my world building self, wanted to delve a bit into the dream worlds since I do lucid dream from time to time. That, and it's an excuse to write in some of my favorite characters from the show. I might end up editing the tags again though.