Chapter 3: Dreams
Grievous dreamed again. It was even worse than last time. Fire and burning, hundreds of ships on fire, many he did not recognize. Some round, like the pirate saucers, but with large balls on it, and much more powerful. Some were triangular, like the republic ships, but different. Some were separatist ships. Many were not. And out of all them came streaming hundreds of things. Probably fighters, though he couldn’t tell. Then it changed and there was screaming. Of men and machine. Voices he didn’t recognize continued to cry and scream, the sound of battle, death, despair, victory, and bloodlust. It changed again and he saw glowing eyes filled with hatred unlike he had seen or known. It flashed away replaced by yellow eyes and red eyes. It faded and was replaced by single blue eyes, murky, all staring cold and hate filled. More images flashed of silted eyes and big eyes. Starring with uncontainable malice. So many voices floated between the images, the flames, the screams and fire of weapons as scenes of war played across his mind, flashing quickly, only moments from image to image. War even worse than what he had seen in the clone wars. He saw many droids. He also saw many machines on both sides he didn’t recognize. He saw factories producing machines and supplies seemingly out of nowhere. Flashes of light and power and more appeared. He even saw some ponies in armor, there stares hardened like true soldiers. He saw countless beams of energy of all colors going in all directions, each hitting targets that exploded in flame. Whole capital ships vaporized instantly. One battle field was littered with the living charging across the sea of dead, shields big and small of many colors scattered throughout. He saw children and mothers burned in beams of destruction that rained down. He saw many humanoids of races he recognized and ones he didn’t on both sides holding lightsabers it seemed, though some looked far to different, the blades being of all colors against ones of red, black, dark silver, and sinister looking shades of other colors. Some even pulsed with a sinister shade of blue-white like the hue of the hottest of fire, not even seeming to be 100% real or stable. Others looked pitch black, not the shade but the black you get when there is an absolute absence of light. Some were legitimate lightsabers but others looked like nothing he had ever seen, even the sound as the swished and flew through the air being foreign. The swords were in many images that flashed in his head but not all. Some of the holders turned into other creatures, and more did things he had never seen. Flying, grabbing and simply appearing out of nowhere, wisps of smoke and inky essences darting across, landing and reforming. Some of the essences dove into others and they fell, convulsing, consumed. Some rose surrounded by it and turned on their fellow soldiers. He saw many beasts and monsters that didn't look natural. Energy and lighting and flames coming from different mouths. Some flew and others were bulky and charging. Some had spikes and scales, others armored shells and rigid iron looking skin. Soldiers were trampled, smashed, gored, or blown apart. He saw lighting like the Sith and also one like electricity come from many different hands and bodies in red, blue, black, and more. He heard cackling and laughter, one with the voice of Sidious, others of Dooku, and more from ones he did not recognize. He heard unearthly screeches and screams. Grievous was not one to get sacred, but at each voice, at each battle he came across, shivers and despair filled his heart. Grievous had never experienced such despair, coupled with complete powerlessness. During the time before he lost his body, he thought he knew complete despair and powerlessness. And yet whatever darkness in his mind showed him that he was wrong. The despair and powerlessness he had felt before had been self produced, a feeling of him against the galaxy, and he had lost. This feeling of despair did not feel like his, but a feeling thrust upon him. Instead of feeling like him against the galaxy if felt like him against reality. And reality was out for his head. The images and voices began fading, the darkness consolidating and only a few voices whispering. The black curtain of darkness began to come towards him slowly, the voices getting louder. As it surrounded him he heard them clearly. The voices were disembodied, holding the feeling of ancientness, and absolute power. He could not even think of what they said to him, it shook him to the core, and somewhere increased the feeling of despair. As darkness closed around him, it felt like his very soul was suffocating. It was so terrible he wished that had never been born. He wished reality never existed, for it had not, he would not have to feel the indescribable torment he felt. Emotions so powerful that they overwhelmed him, and he couldn’t even identify what emotions they were. It felt like an eternity had come and gone before he finally was free from the darkness grasp. He immediately awoke, sitting up so fast there was a loud whoosh. He then produced a sound he had never made before. A sound he was sure his vocal systems weren’t capable of producing. A sound that echoed and transcended the walls of the room and the castle. A sound like the screams he had heard. The sound of absolute terror, despair, and brokenness. It continued for a few minutes, but felt like hours.
When it finally stopped his body instantly began to relax. His memories of the dream, and the feelings he had felt quickly disappearing. He knew it had disturbed him but his grasp on the actual memories and feelings were mostly gone. Grievous growled. Again. He was no fool. He never had dreams like that, never felt that way before. Even he could recognize the dark side, hearing snippets of what is was like and what it could do from Dooku and Sidious. The question was how it had gotten to him. And why. He was literally the farthest from the force as could be, never being a force sensitive and now lacking most of his organic self, creating a severe midichlorian deficiency. He shouldn’t be able to feel the force. Ever. Or so he thought. And now on top of everything he couldn’t remember much of the dream. Another memory issue from him to deal with, and this time it had to do with something that had emotionally assaulted him.
All of this thinking took only a few seconds. Good thing to or he would have had to deal with his thoughts being interrupted as a large flash and bang occurred leaving a purple pony in its wake.
Luna had just finished having Celestia convince her that trying to enter Grievous dreams would not be the best idea right now. After all, he was not from Equestria. He was a de facto ambassador for where ever he had come from to Equestria. If there was anyone else where he came from. Which there probably was, but best not to assume. Anyway considering his culture appeared strange at just first glance, and how he reacted to Celestia’s magic being used on him, he probably wasn’t used to or very receptive to someone viewing his dream. It should only be used as a last resort(if even possible, which was another concern) should he pose a significant threat. Considering his lack of magic however he shouldn’t pose too big of a threat. Not unless he had an army. Which for all they knew he could. Hence treating the de facto ambassador with diplomatic courtesy until circumstances required otherwise. That's what Celestia said anyway. Luna still thought they should do it anyway but she understood and respected her sister’s logic. Thought she also felt it a little hypocritical considering Celestia had made a risky move herself, practically blackmailing him to attend the friendship school. Not that Celestia admitted it as blackmail. Her intentions being purely to share the magic of friendship with all seemed to make it not blackmail to her. Luna should have felt miffed and indignant at her sister’s double standard. And she did. Until she climbed in bed. Entering the dream world was not something Luna took lightly. She needed to be in the best frame of mind to be able to help other ponies in their nightmares. She always took a little time to mediate, pacifying her mind, allowing her to think only of other ponies and helping them with their nightmares. It was during this mediation that her indignation and overall unsavory attitude had faded. Celestia may have been creating a double standard, but it was far from intentional. Luna knew her sister’s heart, knew that her heart really did have the best of intentions and care towards her sister and her little ponies. Besides, Celestia may be an alicorn, but that did not mean she wasn’t allowed to make mistakes. In Luna’s mind, her mistake of listening to her jealousy and becoming nightmare moon was far greater than anything Celestia had done. With her mind at ease, her horn lit up, the world disappearing around her as she entered the dream world, ready to vanquish the nightmares of her little ponies.
The dream world materialized around her. She looked around, seeing dreams pass by her. All of them looked happy so far. She opened her wings and began to move further in. It didn’t take long to find trouble. It was odd however. Usually she looked at each dream as they passed, looking and sensing for one of great negativity. She hadn’t sensed one so easily from such a distance since the tantabus. She could feel the nightmare before she could see it. Whatever it was that the pony was dreaming was powerful. As she grew closer she saw a cloud of inky blackness swirling around something. By now she was very concerned. This was unprecedented. Even the tantabus had been inside the dream, not floating around outside of it. She could feel the power radiating from the darkness. She closed the distance until she was only a few hoof lengths away. By now she could hear voices. Whispers and also stronger voices, all equally indiscernible. Whatever it was, it was evil. That much she could tell. She charged up her horn, ready to do her duty and dispel it. She lowered her head as she finished preparing the spell, and fired it straight at the darkness. A solid beam of light shot towards the darkness. The second it made contact everything around her disappeared. It was like entering another world. Just like when the real world disappeared and she appeared in the dream world, now the dream world had faded and she found herself in darkness. Images began to flash around her. At first she could not make it out. As the images swirled around her she began to hear voices. The voices started as whispers but increased in volume. Eventually she was able to hear them clearly and she recognized them. They were the voices of her sister, calling for her to stop. She could hear herself as nightmare moon laugh in Celestia’s face. As the voices continued images solidified with the voices. Luna felt a cold, cold dagger of ice pierce her heart as it all came together. She was watching and listening to the day she was banished. She could hear Celestia ask her why she was doing this. She heard herself reply, speaking of the jealousy and anger she had at being in her sister's shadow. As she explained with venom in her voice her grievances against Celestia, images of the past corresponding to the words she said appeared. Images of sleepless nights, bitter nights, and nights full of tears and loneliness. More imaged appeared of times with her shooting jealous, bitter looks at her sister. They changed into fights between her and her sister. Yelling at each other with the royal canterlot voice. By this point, Luna was writhing as the emotions of her past washed over her. She could feel all the terrible feelings, the pain, and the darkness that she had felt then, but stronger. She cried out, “No! No!” The images began to blur and fade, and a large figure broke though. The torment leasend and she looked up. Dread immediately struck her as she saw who it was before her. It was nightmare moon. Her dark self looked at her smaller, weaker self and laughed. Then she spoke.
“It's hard to believe how weak I was before I embraced my true self.”
Luna forced her terror down and responded,”You were always an abomination, true to nothing except evil. Someone with such a base for existence can never be themselves, they will exist only as slaves to darkness.”
Her dark self chuckled, unperturbed by her response. “It seems Celestia has done a good job indoctrinating you into her narrow views. If you were to have the other side you would see you are nothing but a slave to her tyranny. Bringing our night to destroy her tyrant day would have been freedom for the little ponies. You would also know that the very nature of what you call evil is to control and bend darkness to ones will. To use it to benefit others. We are truly free.”
Luna paused for a moment, but her resolve quickly strengthened. “You forgot, I was once you. I know how you think. You only care for yourself and your power. You don’t care what happens to anyone else. Besides, lying is in your very nature.”
This seemed to ruffle the mare in the moon. She snapped back, “I will do whatever it takes to destroy Celestia’s tyranny. My means are separate from my method. You know what my true purpose is.”
Luna lowered her head.”I do. Your purpose is pain.”
The smile returned to her evil face, “How else do you learn? Once they all learn and grow into their potential, pain will be discarded. How is making someone better so bad?”
“It’s not wrong, the methods you use to get there are. The ends justify the means excuse is a rationalization. Rationalization is the path to be consumed by evil, like you.” She retorted.
“Thats sounds like a rationalization to deceive yourself about the truth.Your condoning of weakness is true evil.” The evil equine said. Her eyes had become further slited and her voice venomous, filled with hatred and loathing. Then she smiled, her most twisted one yet. “Like they say, good always wins. You will become me again, and the night will last forever.” She laughed again, her chuckle growing into a full, cold, heartless laugh. She stepped back as the darkness began to surge towards her. “Let me show you the truth, who you are, and what you will do.” The darkness reached her, and she could not see anything. Until the images returned. This time she did not recognize the event, though she did recognize the ponies. She saw herself again surrounded by the elements. They rose into the air, their eyes white, magic flowing between them. The magic then went through each one and hit Twilight in the center. The beam of energy raced towards her, and she discovered she was Nightmare moon again. The beam hit and agony unlike anything she had every felt coursed through her body. She screamed, overwhelmed with pain. It felt like forever before it faded and she looked up to see the elements lying on the ground, bruised and burned. She realized that they had been in canterlot castle when they had confronted her. And now there was only ruins surrounding them. Ruins fresh and burning with small flames and filled with debris. Her body ached and it took several minutes before she could stand. After managing a shaking stand, she slowly made her way over to the closest elements, Twilight. As she made it, she could see her chest rise in shallow breaths, barely breathing. She turned her head and her eyes fluttered open. They meet hers and she could see the shock and horror in them. She continued staring and after minutes of her staring without blinking, horror hit her.
“No, no.” in fear and horror she scrambled backwards trying to get away. A disembodied voice of Twilight echoed across the room.
“How? How could you survive the elements? What have you done to yourself? How could you be so cold and evil?” Suddenly the voice rose in pitch and began yelling. “Murderer! Destroyer of Equestria! Monster!!!!”
Luna backed against the wall, her mind numb with horror, silently repeating the same words.”No, no.”
The scene shifted. This time she was in front of Celestia. The look on her face stopped Luna’s heart.
“You killed them. My student, her friends, my little ponies. You are not my sister. I hate you.” She didn’t even raise her voice, that was the worst part. Her horn lighted, and she pointed it at Luna. “And now, you will pay.” Each word was carried with such venom it broke her heart again and again. Celestia fired and a dark power rose from Luna to meet it. Another explosion. This time when Luna could see again, it was Celestia on the floor, taking shaky shallow breaths. Her eyes were the worst part. Hate like she had never seen or known. She took one last breath, and became still. Even as nightmare moon she had never been exposed to such horror, such terror, such evil. Never in Equstria had she ever known so much evil. She broke inside and let loose a scream in a mix of royal canterlot voice and raw power. “Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!” Her scream tore through the night. The despair and sheer brokenness pierced the air like shards of high speed projectile glass. The darkness again moved to surround her. She curled up and let the darkness take her. She could only feel the overpowering blackness of despair as she began to meld with the darkness.
Celestia awoke to a scream. So powerful that she was covering her ears. When it stopped she lowered her hooves. She recognized the power in that scream, being around as long as she had. It’s why she was out the door of her chamber in less than a second. She ran right past her guards as they cowered both because of the loud noise and the insanity they heard in it. They had never heard anything like it and it shook them to the core. Celestia was pretty shaken to but focused solely on responding to it. She recognized the scream had been in the royal canterlot voice as well. She decided to first check her sisters chambers, teleporting there mid gallop. She found Luna writhing as if in extreme agony, a dark inky substance coming of her horn and out of her eyes, enveloping her.
“Oh no you don’t.” Celestia said, lighting her horn as she ran forward and touched it to Luna’s. Unfortunately because she had no idea what was going on with Luna, she was afraid trying to simply get rid of it may harm Luna. Instead she decided she trusted her sister to be able to fight it herself, with her additional strength and power of course. “Fight it sister, whatever it is. Fight it.”
Luna felt as if she didn't exist. She wasn’t even able to perceive anything, or form coherent thoughts. Many eternities would have seemed to pass if she had any awareness of the passage of time. After an indiscernible amount of time the darkness lessened around her and began to disperse and recede. It happened slowly but began to exponentially get faster in its retreat. As it retreated she began to began some form of thinking again. She felt magic surround her, processing the horrors she had felt and seen and locking them away, allowing her to begin to act. She stood up and combined her now restored magic with the new one, that she quickly recognized as her sisters’. She heard a faint cry in the darkness as it began to recede. The voices had stopped briefly but now started again, weaker, repeating the same lies that her evil self had said, along with others. With her sisters help she was able to find each lie, and refute it, giving proof of the power and truth of love and friendship. After a good while the darkness finally dispersed and she recognized the dream world around her. Exhausted, she lit her horn and it faded, reality seeping back in to view. She collapsed against her bed with Celestia there and began sobbing. Neither spoke for many moments. Celestia wanted to speak, ask her what had happened, but instead simply moved to embrace her. After what feels like hours, but was really ten minutes, Luna finally spoke, anticipating her questions. “It was a nightmare sister. I don’t wish to talk about it now. I simply want to rest. Don’t worry, when I wake up again I will tell you of it.” With those words and a reassuring smile (that she struggled to feel herself) aimed towards her sister, she closed her eyes and fell into her own dreams this time, unmarred by darkness.
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This was pretty good story so far, I really like it, and I like how you did this chapter, good work, I hope to see More
9983993
Thank you, glad you liked it. Currently writing the next chapter so no worries there:)
9983999
Your welcome, and Yay