The Darkness Shard

by OliverSparkle

Chapter 3

“Take him to Canterlot?!” Fluttershy asked in shock, “But that’s when the first threat from Sora’s world started! What if he starts having nightmares of that event as well?!”

“That I don’t know for sure, Fluttershy,” answered Celestia, “But it’s the only way to help him and figure out what’s causing him to have nightmares of the events that has happened.”

“No! I won’t let it happen!” Fluttershy ran towards her sleeping son and gently hugged him without waking him up, “He’s suffered way too much, even with nightmares! I can’t let him suffer with more!”

“Sorry, Fluttershy,” said Twilight while walking towards Fluttershy, “But Celestia is right. Taking him to Canterlot is the only way to figure out what’s wrong and how we can stop the nightmares from happening.”

“But, Twilight…”

“Fluttershy,” Twilight said in a serious but calm tone, “If we stay here and try to solve this problem, it’ll probably get even more worse than it is right now. You have to trust her. It’s the only way to save him.”

Fluttershy worriedly looked at the Princess of Friendship and then to her son who was still sleeping. The yellow Pegasus let out a calm sigh. She knew both Twilight and Celestia were right, if they stayed in Ponyville and try to help Lightning, the nightmares would get even worse and there won’t be any other way to help him.

Fluttershy gently rested Lightning’s head onto the pillow as she carefully placed the covers back on him before turning to Celestia.

“Okay,” she said to the sun princess, “But I’m going with. He’s suffered for far too long, and I’m going to be by his side and help him get rid of the nightmares.”

“We’ll join you,” said Sunset Shimmer with the mane seven and Spike nodding in agreement.

“So are we,” said Sunburst as Oliver gave them a nod in agreement, “We’re his uncles, and we wanna help.”

“I’m coming too,” said Capper, “He’s also going to need his father by his side, and that’s what I’m going to do since Cold Wind never had the guts to be his father.”

“Hey, Lightning’s not going anywhere without us,” said Gallus with the young five stood by him, “He’s our friend, and friends stick together.”

Gallus heard Smolder let out a “ahem” as he turned his head round and saw her looking at him with her arms crossed and her foot tapping on the floor as she raised an eyebrow at him.

The blue griffon looked back at the princess and the pegasus before saying, “And girlfriend too.” Smolder gave her friend a wink and a friendly pointed a finger at him.

Fluttershy smiled happily at her friends, husband and the students with tears of happiness filled her eyes. She was so happy that everyone wanted to help her son and stop the nightmares from continuing.

“Very well,” said Celestia, “You shall all come and help save the little colt from the nightmares. I’ll go get the tickets, you all stay here and make sure Lightning gets some peaceful rest before we leave.”

They all nodded in understood. Celestia walked out of Lightning’s room and on her way to the train station.

---

Celestia made her way out of the cottage and was about to go on towards the train station until she suddenly heard footsteps coming from the distance near her.

“Huh?” Celestia stopped and turned her head to the distance of where the footsteps were coming from. The princess saw a black coat hooded figure, with his hood on, walked from behind the cottage and towards the Everfree Forest.

Celestia recognised the black coat as she started to wonder if that figure was behind the nightmares on the poor colt. She glared at the figure before shouting, “Hey! You!”

The mysterious figure stopped walking before turning to look at the angry and concerned princess.

“Who are you and what were you doing behind Fluttershy’s cottage?” Celestia asked in an angry but calm tone, “Are you the one behind that nightmare Lightning Twister just had?”

The figure knew she was on to him so he started to quickly run into the forest.

“Hey! Stop right there!” She shouted before flying after him.

The hooded figure ran through several of trees, jumped over a log and ducked under a tree branch as he saw the princess of the sun flying towards him and was close on his tail. He suddenly stopped by a big boulder at the deep end. The figure turned and saw Celestia landed near him as she glared at him once more.

“I’m gonna ask you one last time. Who are you and what do you want?”

The figure chuckled before saying, “You’ll find out soon.”

Just then, a dark corridor appeared behind the figure on the boulder and the hooded guy walked backwards into the corridor.

“Come back!” Celestia shouted in command.

But it was too late. The mysterious figure had disappeared into the corridor as the corridor disappeared as well leaving only Celestia near the boulder now in confusion and worried.

“Who was that?” She asked to herself.

---

Back at the cottage in Lightning’s room, everyone was making sure Lightning was sleeping okay while also wondering how the nightmares are happening and why are they only affecting poor Lightning Twister with the events that had just happened.

“Wait, hold on,” said Spike, “If Lightning’s having nightmares based around the events we just went through, and featured Vanitas, do you think the nightmares could be done by someone from Sora’s world?”

“That’s not a bad theory, Spike,” said Twilight, “If Vanitas was in Lightning’s nightmare, then the nightmare had to be done by someone from Sora’s world if they wanted to finish what Xehanort or The Storm King started.”

“Even if it’s someone new that came from Sora’s world even if Sora has never met them before?” Pinkie asked.

“Possibly,” replied Luna, “We best keep that theory in mind in case it is someone from Sora’s world.”

“Well it better not be Sombra trying to rule both the Crystal Empire and Equestria while trying to use Lightning’s fear to bring him back,” said Rainbow as she crossed her hooves in annoyance.

“I don’t think this is a Sombra thing,” said Luna, “If he was giving the poor child these nightmares of the darkness events, I would have sensed him from last night. And I haven’t since he’s unable to keep his sense away from me in the dreamscape.”

“And even though we defeated him, there’s still a small chance he can return whenever he is ready,” added Oliver.

“True,” said Twilight.

“Well whoever or whatever is causing the little fella to have those darkness nightmares, we best help him and stop the nightmares at all costs,” Applejack said.

Everyone nodded at the farm pony in agreement.

“Come, let us go wait downstairs for my sister to return and let the child rest alone,” said Luna.

They began to make their way out of Lightning’s room as quietly as they could so they can let the colt sleep peacefully. But as they nearly got out, they heard whimpering sounds coming from the bed. They turned and shockingly saw Lightning whimpering while wrestling in the covers. He was having another nightmare.

“No, no no!” Fluttershy said worryingly as she quickly ran up to the bed and gently shook her son to wake him up. “Lightning! Wake up, sweetheart! Wake up!”

Lightning shot up while letting out a scream before breathing heavily and sweating.

“Sweet Celestia!” Said Rarity in a worried tone, “Are you alright, darling?”

“You were all tossing and turning before we were about to go downstairs,” said Pinkie Pie, “But you’re okay now, right?”

However, he wasn’t. Lightning started to cry again and buried his face into his mother’s fur chest. Fluttershy gently took him out of the covers and hugged him.

“This is so bad,” said Capper worriedly.

“We need to help him, and fast,” said Sunburst.

Just then, Celestia entered the bedroom with the train tickets in her magical golden grasp.

“I’ve got the tickets,” she said, “Let’s go.”

With Lightning’s crying now turned into sniffles, Fluttershy gently placed the colt on her back as Starlight magically levitated a purple blanket and placed over Lightning before they all made their way to the train station.

---

Everyone managed to get onto the train in time before it left the station and headed towards Canterlot. The mane eight, Spike, Oliver, Sunburst, Capper and the sisters were in the first coach with Lightning while the young six stayed in the second coach. The adults and baby dragon needed them away for a bit so they can keep a close eye on the colt and see how things went on with him.

As the train steamed along the tracks, Smolder was sitting on one of the coach’s seats while looking down and rubbing her two fingers together. She was getting more and more worried about her boyfriend after his second nightmare.

The orange dragon let out a sad and worried sigh.

Ocellus noticed this and she gently placed a hoof on Smolder’s shoulder in comfort as she looked at her changeling friend.

“He’ll be okay,” she said softly, “We can give them a few minutes and then we can go check on him. We’ll be there for him.”

“I hope he is,” Smolder replied in a sad and worried tone before looking down again, “I hate seeing him like this. He doesn’t deserve to go through any more of what he’s already been through.”

Tears started to form in Smolder’s eyes until Silverstream gently brushed them away with her claw.

In the first coach, Lightning was still asleep, but shaking a little, in Fluttershy’s hooves with the blanket wrapped around him. The mane seven, Spike, Oliver, Sunburst and Capper sat and stood by the Pegasus’s side while Celestia and Luna sat the opposite side of them.

“Luna, there’s something I need to tell you,” said Celestia.

“What is it, Tia?” Luna asked in a serious but calm and quiet tone so she doesn’t wake the sleeping child.

Celestia let out a soft sigh before saying, “On my way to the train station, I saw a figure walking from behind Fluttershy’s cottage. He was wearing a black coat, like the one Xehanort wore when Sora first came to Equestria.”

Luna was in shock after hearing her sister’s story. “Do you think it could be someone that has the same darkness as Xehanort?”

“I think so,” answered Celestia, “But he did have his hood on, so I couldn’t see who he was.”

“Spike did suggest the nightmares could be done by someone from Sora’s world,” said Luna, “Maybe that was the someone from our friend’s world. Spike’s theory could be true.”

“If his theory is fully true and he is behind the nightmares, then we must figure out a way to contact Sora so he can come help us again.”

The princess of the moon gently placed a hoof on her sister’s shoulder.

“We’ll figure that out later, Tia,” she said, “Right now, we need to focus on Lightning Twister and be there for him.”

Celestia looked at Lightning who was still asleep in Fluttershy’s hooves with his head resting on her chest and the blanket around him as she gently and slowly rubbed his back to comfort him.

Celestia let out a soft sigh before saying, “You’re right, Luna. Lightning is more important than worrying about contacting Sora. He needs us more than ever.”

Luna gave her sister a nod before the two got off their seats and went over to their friends to see how Lightning was doing.

“How is he?” Celestia asked, “Is he doing okay so far?”

“He’s still asleep,” answered Fluttershy politely, “But he is shaking a bit.”

Celestia looked at the sleeping colt and gave him a sad smile before gently rubbing his mane with her hoof.

“Girls, gentlecolts,” Celestia said, “There’s something I must tell you all.”

“What is it, Celestia?” Sunburst asked in a worried but calm tone.

“On my way to the train station, I saw a strange figure walking from behind the cottage. He was wearing a black coat, just the one we saw Xehanort and the others wore during Sora’s visits. I thought he had something to do with Lightning’s nightmares, so I chased him so I can get some answers. But then he disappeared after we reached a boulder in the Everfree Forest.”

“Did you see his face though?” Asked Applejack.

Celestia shook her head. “I’m afraid I didn’t, Applejack. He had his hood up. So I couldn’t see who he was.”

“So my theory on someone came from Sora’s world and is responsible for giving Lightning those nightmares, might be true?” Spike asked worriedly.

“It might be, Spike,” said Twilight as she gently stroked Spike’s head with her hoof in comfort, “But don’t worry, if it is true, we’ll make he stays away from Lightning, all of us and Equestria for good.”

Twilight looked at Celestia before saying, “Celestia, I think we better ask Shining, Cadence and Flurry Heart to come and help us. The darkness from Sora’s world did also invaded the Crystal Empire, and that hooded figure might have gave Flurry Heart nightmares about the events too. And we need all the help and support we can give to Lightning.”

Celestia nodded her head. “I agree with you, Twilight. Lightning will need as much support as he can get, and we must make sure Flurry Heart’s doing okay at nights as well. I shall send Cadence a letter when we get to Canterlot.”

Suddenly, Lightning woke up and breathed heavily as he just had another bad dream before tears started to form in his eyes.

“Lightning, you okay, son?” Capper asked worriedly but calmly, “Did you have another nightmare?”

Lightning nodded his head to answer his father’s question before crying into his mother’s fur chest. Fluttershy gently hugged him while carefully stroking his back with her hoof.

“Shhh…shhh…it’s okay, sweetheart,” whispered Fluttershy softly in Lightning’s ear, “It’s okay. We’re gonna help you get through this. I promise.”

The young six entered the coach, the grown ups and Spike were in, and went to see how their friend was doing.

“How is he doing?” Ocellus asked.

“He’s still not doing so good so far,” answered Oliver politely, “He just had another nightmare.”

Smolder sadly looked at his poor boyfriend before going over to Fluttershy. “Fluttershy, can I hold Lightning please?”

Fluttershy nodded her head for a yes. Smolder held her claws out as Fluttershy gently and carefully placed Lightning in Smolder’s claws. She then gently hugged her boyfriend with his head resting on her chest and began to gently stroke his back with her claw.

“S-Smolder,” Lightning said while crying, “I d-don’t l-love Cozy G-Glow. I o-only want y-you. P-Please don’t l-leave m-me!”

“Shhh…it’s alright, Braveheart,” said Smolder softly, “I know you don’t love Cozy Glow, and I would never think that you would cheat on me for a bad pony like her. We’re gonna help you get through this and stop the nightmares from continuing. Remember what I said to you that you’re the final piece of my heart? You still are. And you always will be.”

Lightning buried his face into his girlfriend’s chest and continued to cry. Smolder didn’t care how long this will last, she was going to stay by her boyfriend’s side and help him no matter what.

Comments

[shining paladin]

awesome chapter mate keep it up cant wait for the next chapter

[ChazMLPFIM]

Sweet chapter. I hoped that someone from Sora's world will help Lighting very soon.