Midnight Mare
Unconsciousness was always a disappointment to Ambrose, especially when it came to dreams.
Often they would be nothing more but the same blank void of black, with no form of transparency until it he was required once more into the realm of reality. The only noticeable difference would be the period between the blinks; sometimes it would be 5 hours, other times it was 5 seconds.
He’s sure someone would be ecstatic to poke at this issue. Maybe a psychiatrist would lay him out on one of those couches they so often employ-just comfortable enough to keep you laying there, but just stiff enough to keep your nerves needlessly frayed. Right where they would want you, keep you engaged with their ability to make these superhuman leaps in logic, connecting some slight childhood conundrum to major traumatic troubles affecting him as an adult. All the while, penning down prescriptions to professional pushers on a cheap clipboard and a fancy looking fountain pen attempting to install this image of intelligence. Those were the kind of drugs manufactured with addiction at the forefront to keep an institution of elite families' pockets nice and plump. He wanted nothing to do with that racket ever, an offense that is never taken lightly.
As punishment for his transgressions, Ambrose was once again shuffling around Sweet Apple Acres, the cold blades of nature cutting deep into his hooves with frigid force. The only thing protecting him from penetration was the perma-coat that’d been grafted onto him recently.
He was growing tired of continually treading vaguely known yet utterly alien territory. How he longed for a single second of what was once dubbed normalcy. However insane human life ever turned out to be, it was far more manageable than the cartoonish psychosis he’d been picking through. Even with Louis’s previous experiences, so to speak, nothing could’ve prepared him for this. Complete isolation in the crowds, and now even further closed off within his head.
A series of sharp cracks cut through the constant chirps of crickets, “Who’s there?” He huffed, his face heavy with bitterness.
“Nice to see you too, man,” Said an exhausted voice as its figure tiptoed from behind a tree, “Here I thought you’d enjoy a little company on your weary travels. Guess that’s what I get for assuming, huh?”
A wave of great relief washed over Ambrose, “Oh, it’s just you, Lou.” This wasn’t their daily drive down the highway, but beggars can’t be choosers.
“Yup, it’s just little ol’ Lou,” Finding a little humor in his name. Louis was still in his pony form, casually trotting up to him, “Just on the lookout for a big ol’ pegasus, you know where they might be? I come bearing important news…”
Ambrose gave him a cheeky smile, “News? Like what, you’ll do us all a favor and be levelheaded from here on out?”
Louis gave him one of his long, lazy nods, “Oh yeah, this time I got my head screwed on straight, and it paid off big time,” His eyes narrowed with a cocky grin, “We got something.”
“We? Who else is here with you?”
Louis tapped his hoof, as if signaling from afar, “It’s us, Mellow!” Said a different but just as familiar voice. Basking within a bright pink aura was the pair of perpetually pestering mares, along with their southern comfort.
“You girls? But-what are you doing here, what are we doing here?”
Twilight cocked her head in exaggerated confusion, the kind employed when people ask questions whose answers they already knew, “What do you mean, Mellow? We’re just doing as you asked, out on the hunt…”
“And you told me to look after your sweets…very succulent sweets…” Starlight added on, licking her lips in anticipation.
“Wait, why? I thought we were already done with all that?”
“We sure are, Sugarcube!” Applejack hollered, “That’s why we sent Vanilla here to come get ya!”
“And that I did,” Louis finished for her as if standing underneath an invisible spotlight, “Because like I told you, we got something, alright. We got them.” He said in a sinister tone, one he’d never took before.
Uneased, he took a couple steps back, “And…what would that be exactly?”
The ponies all looked at each other-a look of sheer disbelief-before erupting into a massive fit of laughter, causing a massive flock of birds to be frightened out of their foliaged cover, flying high to cover up the bright glare of the moon.
“Oh man, that’s a good one, Mellow! You really crack me up!” Louis’s laughter quickly ceased, replaced by a far more serious voice, “Show her, Starlight.”
Doing as commanded, Starlight’s horn flashed, summoning a couple objects in the middle of their group with a weighted thud, around the same as a body. Ambrose recoiled in surprise, his wings nearly opening to fly away on instinct, “What the…what are these?”
He was swiftly answered by the sound of muffled screaming. His muffled screaming.
As the birds finally cleared the sky, the striking shine of the moon slammed down onto them. Ambrose nearly spasmed in horror, his skeleton ripping in 6 different directions.
There on the ground before him…was him and Louis. Both in human form, both tied up in gagged, both terrified for their lives.
“Nice going Applejack, you tied these varmints up pretty good.” The Vanilla horse joked, poking his own human body in childish amusement.
“Why thank ya, Vanilla, it weren’t no thing.” She gave a light bow of pride in her craft. Louis wasn’t as pleased with her handiwork, making it known through his screaming through the rope, most likely a long list of choice expletives at her expense.
“Quiet you.” Vanilla’s horn signaled the rope to tighten even further around his jaw, nearly splitting his head in two.
“I’ll admit, I didn’t think you’d be able to take down the big one, guess I lost that bet.” Twilight huffed in disappointment. Starlight grinned in victory, revealing a set of gnarly fangs.
Ambrose was frozen, attempting to process just what he was looking at. Not only was his human version here, tied up like prized game, but it seems now that these ponies had singled him out for only malicious purposes. That friendship they had yearned for had been revealed to only be fiend-ship.
“Well girls…heh, and stallion,” Applejack joked, her eyes now glowing a sickly green in the dark, “Ah say it’s ‘bout time for the harvest.”
“Indeed it is,” Twilight agreed, her tongue unfurling into a fork, “Who wants to start us off?” This made the two humans look at each other before squirming even harder to shear themselves of their stringy captors. Alas, it wasn’t the only thing keeping them stationary, as an eerie mist of magical creation was casting over them.
“Ooo, I’ll gladly take the reigns,” Vanilla spoke in a gravelly, monstrous voice-as if multiple vocals were speaking in unison. Suddenly, Louis’s aura shifted from a mischievous magenta to a grimy gold, as Vanilla trotted over to him, relishing in every second of his suffering.
“L-Louis…w-wait…” Ambrose croaked. Trying to move his head, his legs, his wings…anything.
“Wait?” Vanilla mocked, “I don’t think you’ll have to worry about that, Mellow. He won’t be doing anything…except serving his purpose.” Before Ambrose could respond, Vanilla had stopped right at Louis’s head, “So, you think you can just go around pretending to be and Mellow here? That you can just take what is rightfully ours and leech off us like the disgusting, filthy parasites you are?” Louis started to scream through his ropes, thrashing around with FUCK YOU being heard as the horse lifted it’s hoof.
Vanilla smiled, his own fangs glowing in the moonlight, “Well…here’s what I think about THAT!” And slammed his hoof straight into Louis’s skull with a sickening crunch, exploding into a vast array of bone and brain shrapnel, blood and mush covering him completely.
Ambrose could hear his own blood-curdling scream from his muzzled mouth, eyes filled with enraged tears as his bound legs began kicking around.
“Hmph! So long, you damn fake!” Vanilla sent off with an upturned nose, grinding his hoof into the ground, the gore around him now appearing as the crushed core of an apple, with sauce continuing to shoot out from the stem of his neck. “Girls…” He wiped some of the matter from his face, giving his hoof a long lick, “…dig in.”
The mares all gave delighted, demonic hisses as they pounced onto the twitching corpse, tearing open its stomach and ripping the limbs into tiny pieces. Slurping up intestines like spaghetti and gnawing on the layers of flesh to find the delicious meat underneath. Twilight was busy trying to scarf up as much brain matter as possible, maybe trying to revel in those last memories of absolute fear, absorbing the thoughts of a terrified man who could’ve never seen his life ending in such a violent manner. Starlight was busy chewing on his eyeballs like bubblegum, spitting out the stands of nerves that quickly lost their taste as she swished back and forth in her mouth. Applejack was more intrigued by his sternum, snapping off the spikes of ribs, pulling at the meat like prized pork while her eyes constantly shifted towards his spine.
Ambrose’s body had stopped working altogether. The mind was taking up too much blood just to stay conscious that everything else lagged behind. These ponies were…eating his best friend, bones and all. Once they were finished with their feast, Louis would only be left as a slowly fading memory…never here. Gone.
And he was next.
“Go on, Mellow. This one’s all ours.” Vanilla had slid up next to him, gracefully grazing his fur and flicking his flank with his tail. The Ambrose on the ground didn’t even bother to look at them, closing his eyes tight as he continued to cry.
“C’mon now, he’s practically begging you to do it. Think about how strong his essence will make you,” Vanilla ran a hoof down Ambrose’s chest, tussling his fur a bit, “Your biceps even bigger…your flying even faster…your eyes even prettier,” Ambrose felt him give a slow affectionate lick on his cheek, “Now go on, claim what is yours.”
“…I…I…”
“Mmm…I bet he tastes like a Golden Delicious, just like you.” Vanilla whispered into his ear.
“…I can’t do this…” Was the only thing Ambrose could answer with, his last line of defense to keep himself safe from annihilation.
Vanilla gave him a long stare, surprised by his strange comment. Then he smiled, “Oh, I see. You want me to prepare him? I thought getting him would be enough to please you,” He shrugged, walking over to human Ambrose. “I guess I could put in a little more hoof-work, but just this once.”
Ambrose looked down to the pools of blood surrounding him, noticing he too had taken on a dreadfully demonic visage, “…No…”
Vanilla raised his hoof once more, gore still glistening from its tip.
“…Don’t.”
With a fiery rage in his eye, he snarled, “Goodbye!”
“ENOUGH!” Roared a powerful, imposing voice. A voice that seemed to come from everywhere. They all looked up to see the moon illuminate to a blinding point, covering the whole world wholly in white. Ambrose put his wings up to block the blast, just in time to see the rest of the ponies quickly burned up into black smolder, crumbling and cracking as they blew away into ash. The rest of the orchard followed suit as the trees whipped with the heavy winds. Their tops twisting and turning into towering mountains of cosmic dust, painted with stars and peppered with asteroids floating all around. The ground slowly faded away…as well as gravity, leaving him floating in the vacuum of space.
As the bright lights dimmed, a single figure descended in its place. One of another pony, much larger than anyone he’d met prior and certainly bigger than him. It seemed to be one with the space around them, as its dark blue fur blended perfectly into the cold palette of space, entire galaxies gleaming from within its ever-blowing mane. Its horn shot out endlessly from its forehead, as did it’s wingspan with them fully extended. A strange set of jewelry adorned on its chest and hoof tips, with a giant crescent moon carved in a shining silver against the onyx metal…similar to the one shown on its flank. And perched atop its head, the jewel of most importance, was a crown.
Once its descent has finished, it gave him a small, gentle smile, “It appears the demon was in dire need of a defanging, hmm?”
It was at this moment Ambrose was reminded he was still alive. Maybe.
“Who…who are you?”
She cleared her throat, “My apologies, sometimes I forget just how disorienting troubling thoughts can be,” She took on a tall, proud stature, “I am Princess Luna, Mellow Yellow. You were having quite the nightmare, it seems.”
Disorienting? Ironically, that was right on the money, “So…that was a dream?” He looked down, seeing an endless drop of planets and dust, “What’s going on here?”
“That’s a question you seem to be asking a lot recently…like you’re repeating yourself?” She asked him in a motherly voice, caressing his ears like a soft childhood blanket.
And with that question, everything finally clicked with Ambrose. He was still asleep, he was still dreaming, and he was having a conversation with his own subconscious. Itself having taken the appearance of this gigantic alicorn royalty, most likely an amalgamation of everything that had occurred that day, all wrapped together within the secondhand smoke. While he was grateful for its intervention to the insanity prior, he wouldn’t have mind if it’d shown up before he witnessed Louis’s head disintegrated…and digested, “I…guess that’s one way you could describe it. Though I feel like it’s an understatement. Every turn I take always leads me to a dead-end, and those who’re leading aren’t helping much either. It’s…it’s like being led astray, this way, that way, it’s just like a-“
“Like a never ending maze?” Her horned glowed, fading in a vision of a small scale version of Apple Acres in her hoof. The columns of the trees were constantly shifting around, closing off the tiny version of Ambrose running around in a panic.
“Exactly,” Ambrose said as his eyes were following the small pony, “Ever since we got here, it been nothing short of high wire act, always on the brink of following over…with the flames getting higher and higher!”
She flicked her hoof, the dynamic diorama disappearing, “Slow down, letting your nerves take hold can easily cloud your judgement, as it may have already.”
Ambrose gave a sheepish smile, “That obvious, huh?”
“When you have watched over dreams for as long as I have, many of my subjects actions can appear obvious, despite the otherworldly imagery,” She laughed, “But, I’m no mind reader. May I ask what the trouble is, my little pony?”
“Uh…well…” He couldn’t understand why he was having all these weird shakes when talking to her. She was nothing more than a part of an overactive imagination. She’s literally a product of him, “I’m worried about his health…his sanity. From the forest to the walk through town and everything between, he’s been on the verge of a complete mental breakdown. I’ve been trying my best to help, to try and get him to see straight, but it hasn’t worked as well as I’d hoped…” He felt another chill down his spine, “I haven’t seen him this…vulnerable in a long time. And the way these other ponies have been acting around him has been extremely invasive. It’s like they’re trying to morph him into how they perceive him, their own image.”
Luna took a moment to process all of this information, covering it up with a slight cough, “Erm…yes, Ponyville is quite the welcoming settlement. Far more friendly than most you’ll find in Equestria,” She floated the severed heads of the demon ponies by her, still snarling and snapping at the drips of Apple sauce dropping from their mouths, “I can see how an unprepared pony can find their behavior…manipulative.” She said in a disgusted tone, making the decapitations disappear before lightening up, “But I can assure you, Twilight and her friends are of no threat to you or Vanilla Fudge…consciously, at least.”
That was a very…unexpected thing for his brain to tell him. Seriously, after everything he’d been through with these weird ponies, even agreeing with him that their behavior was unnerving, it’d decided they weren’t a threat to him? That’s crazy! How could it ever possibly come to that conclusion?
…
Actually, it was pretty easy to when he stopped and thought about it. Out of all the ponies he’d met so far, not one of them had ever steered him in the wrong direction. In fact, Starlight gave him the proper directions he’d need to get around Ponyville, as well as that Roseluck pony. While she wasn’t part of the established revolving door of faces, she still helped him get to the Acres. Honestly, the only one he could find any anxiety towards would be Pinkie Pie; even then, it seemed that she wasn’t trying to act psychotic, and that cupcake she baked for him was absolutely delicious!
…And definitely not poisoned. Not that he even knew how poison tasted like, if it even had a taste to begin with.
No. These girls weren’t that bad. It was him who might’ve slightly-maybe-possibly-kinda-sorta overreacted, as crazy as it is to say that in this situation.
“Ok…but, are you sure? I mean, it’s not that I don’t believe you, but it’s just,” He slumped, “That feeling of…losing control over things, over myself…I can’t do that. Never again.”
Luna floated by his side, laying one of her large wings across his back, “You have my word, Mellow, that you’re in exceptionally good hooves. When you’re in the company of those ponies, they will do everything they can to make you feel as welcomed and accepted as one…or two, could possibly ask for. I promise.”
On that final word, Ambrose felt whatever suspicions he had sucked out with a heavy exhale, “Ok…I believe you. Thanks, Luna.”
“You’re welcome, Mellow,” Her eyes widened a bit, “Speaking of Vanilla, I must check on him as well, to see if he is in a better state after the night prior.”
Ambrose was confused on what exactly that was supposed to mean, he could just talk to Louis tomorrow about how he’s feeling, why was this apparition being so weird with its wording. Was he about to wake up or something? Then again, he has been having a full blown conversation with it, answering questions it most likely already knew. Huh, perhaps he actually should see a psychiatrist, “He was certainly having some kind of nightmare from the looks of it…and the sound.”
“Yes…his dream was absolutely an unpleasant one. I could see it, off in the distance…” She summoned a long set of doors, each one unique to itself with a little image plastered onto it. Ambrose was about to ask her what these were for, until they quickly began to blur past at Mach speed, causing his mane to blow in his face. Coming to a stop on a door of familiar design; cream coloring with brown swirls and a brownie in the center.
And it was on fire.
“I tried to get to him as fast I could, everything within my power…but as soon as was able to reach the door, it just…” This door, much like the demons before, quickly burned up and vanished, instead leaving Luna with a look of anguish, “I couldn’t help him when he needed it most. I’m…terribly sorry, Mellow.”
Ambrose thought back to those moments, letting her words dance around in his head in a strange, trance-like maneuver. The way she described that was if she was…leaving his dream-his consciousness-and quickly slip into Louis’s for some late-night intervention, swooping down like some space clad superhero and saving the day.
Even though that was impossible, she’s saying there wasn’t any chance she could help him? How? She couldn’t have just doubled timed or flew over to her objective? What an excuse! The only real thing that could keep her out of Louis’s dream was if…there was no dream at all.
There was no dream because Louis had quickly woken up. With the help of another person. Violently.
And let’s say that Louis, or Vanilla for pure hypothetic, ripped from his nightmare, still shaking at what he’d just been subjected to, was talked off the theoretical ledge with such calming phrases as…
...C’mon, get a grip!
...smacking you was a real stress reliever in itself.
...I've absolutely had it with you spazzing out on me! Ramble one more fucking time, and I’ll do us both a favor and put you down myself!
Those words would've never helped him, they just would've made things worse.
“No…” He shuddered in horror, the ever creeping fear of responsibility’s ruthless wrath coming to smite him, “This…this is all my fault! All of this…the way I treated him afterwards, I’m the reason he’s a complete wreck!” He could feel his tear ducts slowly filling up once more, “I…there…there has to be a way I can fix this. I have to fix this, Luna!” He turned to the many doors surrounding them, pouncing back and forth as he pounded on each door, “Quick! Keep searching through these doors, maybe one can lead us to him, I can go back and fix this! A clean slate! Please, Luna!”
All the doors slowly faded away, as did his own paranoid ramblings, “I’m afraid not, Mellow. For that problem is now gone…in the past. Not a single part of it can be changed. The past is permanent,” She answered with an emotionless glare in her eyes, a stare showing this exact event playing out once more in her head, “However, if you do really want to peruse this endeavor, attempting to make amends for the missteps you’ve made in the past, you’ll find yourself continuously sinking in those very same hoof steps ahead of you forever. The only thing that is truly uncertain, Mellow…is the present.” She finished as she looked down to Ambrose for his response.
Which was one of complete confusion.
“Oh. Well, I suppose I could employ a visual explanation.” She summoned another set of images, one of Ambrose’s head…and a brick wall. To which she demonstrated as such. Over, and over, and over.
“Ok, ok I get it! Just give it a rest already!” He swore he heard her stifle a giggle as the brick was quickly overgrown with grass.
She extended her wings as her horn began to glow, quickly shifting the space around them in a more earthy environment, a large green pasture. Quiet and peaceful, the skies ripe for flying, “Now, I must go check on you’re friend Vanilla Fudge.” She stated, slowly lifting into the air. It seems that this vision was leaving, did that mean he was going to wake up now?
“Alright then, Luna, just…make sure he’s safe, ok? He must be having it absolutely awful right about now, after the way I handled the situation.”
"Another unnecessary worry I assure you, but I will be the judge of that tonight," Just as she was about to 'leave' so to speak, another thought came about. "You happened to run into Rainbow Dash earlier today, did you not?"
Ambrose wondered if he should even answer that, "...Yeah, though it was more of her running into me, but sure. Why?"
"I thought so, judging from her dreams tonight," Luna opened up a little portal, allowing Ambrose to look through. Inside, looking outside, was a Rainbow of a younger age, swooping and sweeping around a large series of clouds, with an even larger smile across her face. And she wasn't alone. Joined by a companion, one with a golden coat and a buzzing set of wings. Most likely due to the...rather large package they were trying to prop up. But still, the little filly didn't seem to mind, laughing and joking as she tried to keep up with the prismatic bullet zipping around her.
"It appears you've managed to conjure up some rather fond memories." She said with a wink.
Oh yeah, I said I was going to meet her tomorrow. Thanks for the reminder...mind, "You're welcome?"
Luna gave him a smile, "I will leave you to your own devices now. Best wishes, Mellow Yellow." He gave her a small wave as she made her send off in a bright white flash, just like the one she first appeared in.
Ambrose looked around, waiting for the whole scene to come collapsing in on itself, to see a crack in the façade that would signal the faded this dream and the dreary senses of reality.
But no, it all remained still, as he still lingered within his own imagination.
He extended his wings, taking to the clear skies, "Huh, that was strangely cathartic." He blew his mane from his face and tried to enjoy what little sleep he probably had left. Geez, if he was having nightmares that bad, he could only imagine how horrible Louis was having it tonight.
Louis was having a surprisingly peaceful night. If you could call anything else that occurred to him anything short of sanity snapping-then yes-this was peaceful. Unfortunately, the only thing that was on a never ending endeavor to unease him were those pesky, fine layers of divided rock and aged earth. Sand.
Bu there were other products of peace placed around his person, or pony if we wanted to be entirely accurate. Peace signs painted onto paisley buses, placed along parking lots next to the warped wrappings on woody wagons, their cracked chrome attempting to shine through the salty reminders of rust.
Reminders that you were someplace where flash wasn’t necessary. In reality, no one on the beach is gonna care about the thread count of your umbrella or which environmental program mooching off the profits of the SPF you’re lathering. All they wanted was a moment to be roasted by the sun, with nice crusty cracks sprouting down their backs. Too busy with the goal of gulping down beers, doing their best to help them create that slurry mirage of that life. The one that was never meant to be. With that fast car, the big house, and the partner with the rather exceptional features.
That would be so…if they were ever here to begin with.
But the beach had been cleared out, the inklings of existence being misplaced towels and raided coolers. A long line of emptiness, crawling all down the coast.
Louis didn’t give that much thought, too busy in his own little world crafted behind a wall of sunglasses, laid out on his towel. Listening to the small radio by his side, churning out sounds of strumming guitars and swishy hi-hats, the waves attempting to keep time. The perfect headspace for a space in his head.
One wave crept in farther than usual, nearly sweeping over the edge of his towel before rolling back in on itself. Swirling and swelling strangely. The sentient liquid mass morphed itself into a large, horse like shape, thrown around in alien currents as they began to solidify—the salty scum taking on a metallic shine, the sand drying into a crescent.
Before he could truly process what was unfolding before him, layers of sea fell all around it and slipped back into the greater body, revealing the presence of a midnight mare.
“Wonderful waves we’re having today, wouldn’t you say, Vanilla Fudge?” She said, shaking out an ear.
He removed the glassy walls from his face, freeing a set of mildly singed eyes to peer over. Attempting to communicate in an up and down motion, “…Am I in your way or something? I can move if that’s an issue. I’m not that much of a surfer myself. I’m just here for the vibrations.”
In a shocking response, she tilted her head in confusion, her crown nearly falling off, “Oh…I’m afraid you’ve mistaken my intentions. I’m Princess Luna, checking in on you to make sure you’re alright from your night prior. “
Louis found himself soothed by that notion, “Right on, man,” He grinned, flicking them back onto his face, “I’d say things are going pretty beachy right now. Or, about as well as they could be, all this sand in my hooves.”
Luna scanned the beach, “Hmm, you’ve recovered well from the looks of it. Mellow Yellow had me worried you were in a perpetual state of panic. She will be pleased to know she was wildly incorrect.”
“Aww, well, that’s pretty nice of you, man. I’ll be sure to relay the message,” He motioned to the towel beside him, “Wanna chill for a minute? Swimming all the way from another continent must take a lot outta you.”
“Beg your pardon?”
He tapped it with a hoof, brushing off a few idle particles, “C’mon, we got the beach all to ourselves now, I don’t think they’ll be back until…” He looked behind him at the boardwalk, rows, and rows of barren stores, “Well, I don’t know when they will, but I don’t think they’d mind you borrowing at this point.”
Like she’d told him, don’t go sneering at those who have it worse off, and this mare couldn’t even afford a boat trip here! Perhaps the royalty was hitting a rough patch. The least he could do was offer a moment and to rest and a cool drink. Something else one of her friends told him…some canned catchphrase he’d overhead about spreading kindness, or whatever. He’s sure she thought it was something proud and profound.
In that time, Luna had thought over his request, giving a shrug and summoning her own pair of shades and took a drink from his cooler, “Thank you for the offer, Vanilla,” She laid down, folding her limbs like a cardboard box.
Louis was taken aback by the uncomfortable position and tried to copy it out of twisted curiosity, “What the-how does this even work?” He mumbled to himself.
“However, I would like to ask something, if you’re comfortable answering, what exactly pulled you into…troubled waters?”
Oh boy, it was gonna be one of those introspections tonight. The kind that usually ends in the reinstation of one’s own neurotic fears of one’s own being, slowly rekindling the affections for illuminated ropes lingering under spinning blades too frail to support even his little weight. Crumbling under the weight of his own problems, signaling that there were no easy exits.
Well, suppose it wouldn’t hurt to open up a bit.
“…Well, I guess I’d chalk it up to being overwhelmed, is all. There was just too much, too quick. My system wasn’t ready for it at the time. I still don’t think it’s gotten as accustom as it needs to be. But, for a time, things were going pretty smoothly. Only then we found ourselves down in Sugarcube Corner, you know the place?” She gave him an expected nod, “Yeah, well, we were in there just talking about stuff, and then Pinkie showed up…” He looked around him, making absolutely sure it was just the two of them, “Look, I’m sure she’s a nice girl. Really, I do. I’m all for looking on the bright side until your eyes begin to boil, man, but something about her is just a little…concerning? Best I can put it.”
“I’m well aware of the effects she can have on those unprepared for her barrages of entertainment, as evidenced by your friend Mellow Yellow.”
“You said it, man, not prepared at all.” He sat quietly for a moment before continuing. “Anyways-uh, she calmed down and helped us get settled in, I’ll compliment her for that. But in the process, she’d given me…something, and it…it just-” His voice caught at that moment, a second in which the connection between the brain and the vocal cords were severed. He sighed and rose up on his haunches, “You ever been around someone else, like a particular…pony? That whenever they’re near, you can feel this certain kinda energy about them?”
“Referring to the emotional reaction one has as a result of another’s presence?” Luna asked, taking a sip of her drink.
“I guess you could call it that. Something like a vibe, a feeling-whatever. But I’m trying to get more on a spiritual level, getting down to the issue's core. Like, you take a look deep within yourself, the parts of you that make you you, and you’re wondering how those parts ever came to be…and it’s because of them, man!” He exclaimed, flicking his mane out of his face, “If they weren’t exactly in that place, and exactly who they were, then this version of you…ceases to exist. Everything you’d thought, man, everything you’d done-poof! Gone! Waiting around in some astral plane to be absorbed into somepony else, they’d literally become you as a result! You know what I mean, Luna?”
“…Maybe?”
“Yeah, that’s the energy I’m talking about, really powerful stuff,” He took his glasses off, slowly rubbing his eyes, “And there was this…pony, a very important pony to me, who held that kind of energy within her…that very powerful energy,” He gave a weary smile, “And she used that energy alright, used it to help nourish what made a whole lot of who I am now…mostly.”
Luna chuckled to herself, “Ah, the wonders of youth.”
“It was wonderful…every day felt like the best day of my life, like riding pretty on the crest of a tall, beautiful wave,” He paused for a moment, watching a larger one snap in two and tumble backward, “Well, that energy just couldn’t last as much as we hoped it would. All that quickly faded away about a year and a half ago…only stopped feeling the withdrawal just a few months ago,” A sarcastic chuckle, “Hmph, guess it’s true what they say about the brighter candle burning twice as fast.”
“I see. I’m sorry to hear about that, Vanilla Fudge. I can imagine how difficult it must be to lose that special somepony you thought might’ve been the one.”
“Wasn’t just me…we all lost her, every single one of us.” He responded, flashing a small object into his hoof—a picture.
Luna gave a slow, understanding nod, the galaxies in her mane taking on a far bluer hue.
“So, I guess what confuses me is…” He said in a quiet, defensive voice as he scanned over those same party hats on those happy horses. His eyes stopped over Mellow, her warm smile radiating into his mind. Just the way hers always did, “…Why has this energy…returned?”
Luna noticed that the steady waves began to churn and thrash. The sky morphed into a dark cloud pattern, heavy with payload as they were quickly engulfed in a heavy rainstorm. She immediately produced a shield around them, allowing the water to trail down off its transparent surface. Repeatedly falling in the same locations, causing the sand to slowly wash away. Revealing a deeper black surface lying underneath, with two yellow lines parallel to one another shooting out into the ocean. And as she looked out, between the roaring waves and whipping rain, she saw the faded burning of two yellowish lights.
She turned to him as he continued to stare deep into the photo. His eyes sunk deeper into his skull, “V-Vanilla, are you alright?”
“…Maybe…you’re still out there…somewhere…”
“Vanilla Fudge!”
His head shot up, closing his eyes as he exhaled a heavy sigh, “Well, suppose I can’t worry too much about that, huh?” He pulled his arms up into a stretch. His voice had reverted back into an easy-going tone, “Life goes on, man, can’t be worrying all the time about that. Can’t let it all get to you too much, as I was reminded earlier today.”
Luna blinked, and in a moment, the whole world went back to the way it was, the ocean’s temper evaporated, “…Vanilla, are you sure you’re alright?”
“Yeah, I’m perfectly alright, Luna.”
“…You’re crying.”
He put a hoof up to his face feeling the damp fur, “Ah… I just got sand in my eye,” He hastily put his sunglasses back on with a smile, “It’s all good, Luna. Sorry for getting you all worked up like that. The last thing I want is to emit this aura of paranoia you eluded to.”
“Are you sure? That was quite the intense reaction,” Her own glasses flashed away, “Perhaps it may be best for you to discuss this with others, maybe with Mellow herself? You two might-“
“AAAAAH!”
Luna jumped from her towel in a panic, the opposite of his stated intentions, “What?”
“No, how could this have happened? Worst case scenario, man! Code red, red alert!”
He was suddenly cast into the air, Luna turning him over and around, looking for injuries, “What’s wrong, Vanilla? Tell me!”
“Look!” He pointed to his chest, “My tan! It’s all splotchy from the storm!” He exclaimed, cranking his body back and forth.
They were just the spots on his coat.
“And all that saltwater has screwed with my mane, it’s all brittle and dried out!” He grasped at the straw-like strands.
Luna’s face became blank as her powerful muscles released their tension, along with releasing him from her magic, “If that’s the most of your worries you’re willing to tackle tonight, then very well. However, I still suggest you discuss this with somepony else. It’s unhealthy to bottle up,” She said, taking another drink from his cooler. One for the road, “I must go now, for there are other subjects that require my aid.”
He shrugged, “Really? Ok then, just know I always got a spot open for you…in case we ever meet again?”
Her facial features seemed to lighten up at that. Slightly, “Not to worry, Vanilla Fudge, I’m getting the-uh, vibrations, that we will meet again very soon.”
“Really? Right on, man!” He shouted before going into a whisper, “Just hope you bring some nicer weather next time, ok?” He said with a click and a smirk.
“I’ll make sure of it, Vanilla Fudge.” She said, looking out at the water one final time, muttering to herself, “And I’ll make sure to confirm Twilight on her observations. Seems like Vanilla will get along with our fashionista just fine, seeing they have similar…priorities.”
She ignited her horn, casting a great spell towards the sea. Or at least he thought it was, seeing the amount of light it was producing with those sparkles and swirls. And much like before, the sea changed its behavior, this time in a more obedient manner. Waves shifting, sliding, separating as the entire body split into two, giving her a long sandy passageway into its green fish-filled stomach. Louis watched as she calmly made her way down her newfound trail. Once she was in a deep distance, she looked at him with a smile, “Farwell.”
Then the waters released.
Crashing down onto itself, closing the gaping wound and healing back into the healthy ocean it once was. Swallowing her in the process, consumed with the coral. And once again, leaving him alone. Waiting.
He slowly laid back down on his towel, now realizing there were rational questions that should've come earlier,
Who the hell was that...What the hell was that?
The bright sun had now made its appearance known all across the land. Colors exceptionally bright, flowers in full form, and the birds bursting at the seams with song. A brighter day. A better day. A new day.
Odd that it was starting in a place so old and familiar.
“Well, wakey wakey!” Louis called out to the golden figure lumbering its way into the living room, “Got a pot going in the kitchen, haven’t exactly figured the rest of breakfast yet, but it’ll come to me eventually.”
“Nuh-uh, you can keep that pot all to yourself,” Ambrose chuckled, “I’ve now witnessed the kind of company it brings.”
“What’d you mean, man?”
“You know what I mean! I told you I didn’t want any of that stuff last night!”
Louis laid out on his spot on the couch, “And if I remembered clearly, you clearly didn’t.”
“I remember clearer than you do, since you were busy puffing that crap in my face and all over the room.” Ambrose motioned a wing all around.
“Oh yeah, heh heh, whoops,” Louis rolled over onto his back, “Forgot you were a working girl, need to keep clean for the boss man.”
“That’s just rude, Lou,” Ambrose huffed, “…Still, I suppose it wasn’t all bad. Quite enlightening, even.
“Enlightening?” Louis snickered.
“Yeah, I-uh…” He put a hoof up to his chin, thinking of the best way to word this, “I think I had a conversation with the moon last night, and a very caring one at that,” He looked Louis in the eye, “She told me…everything’s gonna be ok.”
Louis blinked wide-eyed before breaking out into a loud, goofy laugh,
“Oh wow! Far out, man! Far-fucking-out!”
Looks like I'm finally putting that gore tag to good use again.
This will be the last nightmare for a while as I'm continuing their time in the real world, but this has been bouncing around in my head for a while now. I thought it best to introduce Luna here, seeing as she didn't appear back in the first dream, and actually give these two a proper “come to Jesus” moment in the story before we continue proper.
Well, one did. As for the other one...well, you'll be getting to know these two more as we move on.
It is very late/early when I'm writing this. Hopefully I'm spelling all this right.
That’s all for now, have a nice whatever time you're reading this message.
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Very nice cover art you did there, I hope one of these days we can do an art trade. I wonder how Yellow dreamed pats of being corrupted changelings sense they don't know anything about them sense they arrived in that world, could it be that they are the reasons as to why they are here, could it be that they are actually changelings pony clothes, then what happened to the original Yellow Mellow and Vanilla Fudge of that world or were they also changlelings? Is was nice to see Luna appear in their dreams and showed the horrors that lurked in their minds. I wonder if they will act a little more sane from this point onward?
Interesting choice of words, Starlight.
Ba dum- tss!
What is this "man" you speak of?
They are in for another freak out if they meet Luna in person.