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Episode 3 - Waking from the Nightmare Part 1

Waking from the Nightmare Part 1

“Ok, the sky got very trippy, very fast.”

The new night sky had Peter confused. A hazy purple now coated the heavens, with other colours flowing through periodically like the northern lights. Did he actually fall asleep, or did he end up in yet another dimension? That would make no sense though, as the buildings around him were exactly the same as last time.

Peter did note again his lack of weight, feeling a little lighter than usual. But what was most interesting is that he could no longer feel his injuries, despite still having them. As if his body wasn't real anymore, but was influenced by his true self.

“Could I be dreaming too, just like the others? A shared dreamscape. If that's the case, what's got everyone so scared?”

Though lost in thought, it was hard to ignore the rumbling that began to make its way through the town. It almost sounded like… Footsteps. It was then that the familiar tingle could be felt in Peter’s head that he knew something was very wrong. And VERY big. Growing into view was some kind of ethereal creature, featureless and pulsing.

“That. That's the scary thing.”

As if it could hear his comment, the creature turned its form to face Peter, his spider-sense now crying out at him to move. And just in time too. The creature extended part of itself and reached out towards him. Fortunately Peter was more than capable of dodging, especially with his injuries not slowing him down here. But it was quick to keep up its attack on him.

It sprouted more extensions to try and deal with its prey, continuing its persistent hunt. Peter was now beginning to struggle a little bit avoiding its attacks, given the low buildings were not useful for cover or to swing from. All he could do was leap between the houses, making use of anything in his environment. Yet its pursuit continued.

“First thing I have any interaction with here… and it’s a damn sludge Kaiju!”

Instinctively, Peter aimed his web shooters at the beast in the hope of slowing it down, being a bit brainless at the fact he had lost one. But much can happen in the heat of the moment, especially for someone who has done this many times. He carried on his retreat, swiftly avoiding each attack and utilizing his one shooter to try and slow it down. However, each shot failed to connect as the creature just opened up gaps in its body and allowed the webs to pass through.

“Ok, new strategy. Get into this things blind spot and hit it hard!”

From the top of the building he was on, Peter pushed forward and darted right at the creature. More tentacle-like appendages flew out to meet his advance, but the superior agility of a spider allowed him to weave through and avoid each attempted strike. In a way, it felt good to fight. To move like nothing can touch him. That he was invincible. And he would end this fight with one decisive punch. Peter reeled back his fist, ready to unleash all his might.

“I’ve got you now, beastie! Always wanted to say this... Kansas… SMASH!”

The punch connected, creating a whirlwind of air around them. The force of it pushed the creature back many feet, back to where it had begun its pursuit. Peter continued to push forward in the hope he could drive it out of the town altogether and deal with it elsewhere. But then, he felt a surge of pain flow up his arm and into his brain. Flashes of memories came before his eyes.

“Peter! I’ve got you!”

“Peter… I love you…”

“My boy… help me…”

The backlash of the energy ejected Peter from the attack, though he was able to get away safely. Landing on a rooftop, he tried to compose himself from what he saw - Memories he never wanted to relive again. Suddenly his legs gave out from under him again, all his strength had faded again. The attack clearly took more of a toll than once thought. Whatever this thing was, it could peer into his mind and hurt his body. Was he really going to have to deal with it alone?

“A valiant effort. But you will need more than raw strength to deal with the Tantabus.”

This new voice was commanding, confident. And female. It reminded Peter of someone for a second, but getting to look at her showed that it was not who he thought it was. And yet, she looked similar in many ways. Tall, imposing, with that same no-nonsense stare. And quite the figure too. The biggest difference though was the dark blue wings on her back. In a way, she seemed like a giant to him. And yet, there was a softness about her that Peter couldn't explain. But she didn't need long to prove otherwise as she reached out a hand.

“Come. This fight is not over. And you seem like a warrior that has seen many battles. We could use your help.”

Knowing he didn't have the strength to stand on his own, Peter took the stranger's hand. Even through this one gesture, he could sense there was much power within her as she practically yanked him to his feet. Her stature clearly was not for show.

“And who might you be, stranger?”

And that's when Peter realised - no one knew who he was here. He was a total stranger in this world. And so the idea of a secret identity just felt… pointless now.

“Peter. And you?”

“Luna. It would appear you are injured. Why would you choose such a form within a dream?”

Some things started to make sense with that one question. But with one thing answered, two more questions took its place. But it was a start. It explained the weird sky and Peter's injuries not slowing him down. But it didn't explain the thing that was trying to squash Peter like the bug he themed himself on.

“The Tantabus huh? That's what it's called? Well whatever it is, it's spent the last few minutes trying to kill me. Why is that?”

“Because we are threats to its existence. It is trying to escape the realm of dreams and into the waking world. There, it will cause more chaos, unchained from this place.”

Off in the distance, the Tantabus wailed as it began its advance again. But this time it was no longer a formless blob. It was beginning to create a shape for itself, almost humanoid in a way. Slender frame, long flowing hair and a set of wings. In a way, it looked familiar. And Peter noticed this.

“It sorta looks like you in a way. Any reason for that?”

There was a brief silence, as Luna seemed to hesitate on her answer. And Peter very much took note of her silence. How many times had he seen someone do the same thing and lie to his face? And how many times had he done the same? When she finally responded, he could tell from her tone. He had heard it too many times.

“I am unsure. Perhaps it feels more natural to assume the form of a princess such as myself, given how strong it must feel now.”

A princess? Not the first royal Peter had ever met, but surely there was still a precedent in this situation.

“Oh. Sorry, Your Highness. If I had known, I would have-”

“It is unnecessary. Especially in this situation. I could not expect a wounded man to kneel or bow. I would just have to help you up again.”

A small chuckle escaped Peter's mouth. Though he caught himself before it could go any further. It was the first time in weeks that he had laughed. Luna noticed this of course. Was this young man so afraid to laugh? Yet there was no time to answer as the Tantabus now loomed over them both, its new form making it seem even taller than before. Peter and Luna prepared themselves for what might come next as it glared at them, a giant contemplating if it should crush the ants before it.

“I hope you have experience fighting something much larger than yourself, Peter!”

“Only once. But that one time was against a guy that ate planets for fun. So yeah, much more hectic!”

What did he mean by someone that could eat planets? No such being had ever come to her world, and nothing of the sort had ever been mentioned to her. Did this strange man suggest he was not from here?

“What in Equestria do you mean? No creature like that has ever been to this world.”

“Where the heck is Equestria? Is that where I am?”

Luna began to wonder if he was being serious. If he wasn't, now was a very bad time to jest on the subject, especially in the middle of a fight. But she had little time to think about it, as the Tantabus charged forward to reach them. Its speed was almost impossible to track, but Peter's spider-sense kept him one step ahead of it, allowing him to dodge effortlessly. Though he quickly realised that Luna may not have managed the same maneuver. Fortunately, he spotted her move just as the Tantabus passed them.

“She’s pretty fast. Without my spider-sense I might not have made it, but she moved out of the way in time on her own. Impressive.”

The two quickly reimagined their footing and waited for the next move, which for Peter was a boulder sized fist heading towards him. With no time to dodge, he braced himself to catch it. As it connected, he felt the same sensation he did last time, as if something was trying to root around in his brain. Peter was trying his best to plant himself and hold his ground, but his strength continued to fade fast. He looked up to see the other fist about to be brought down upon him and prepared for the worst.

However, Luna was still present and had intercepted the attack. But even she struggled to hold it back. Both of them were now stuck trying to stave off being crushed, both wondering if this might be it. At the moment they about just gave in, a beam of lilac energy struck the Tantabus square in the face, the surprise of the attack catching it off guard and forcing it to stumble back. Peter and Luna looked skywards to see who their savior is, being greeted by a young woman with lavender hair and eyes. And a matching pair of wings? Was she similar to Luna in some way? It did seem like they knew each other.

“Princess Luna! Are you ok?”

“Twilight… I am very glad to see you!”

The two embraced like they were old friends. All Peter could do was stand there confused as to who had just showed up. Were they related? It could be possible, given the similarities. Though Luna was easily taller than this other one, Twilight. However, She noticed him staring and was quick to ask questions.

“I’ve never seen you before. Where did you come from?”

“Queens.”

Luna and Twilight looked equally confused by this answer, as it was a place they were unfamiliar with. There was somewhere that sounded similar, but they had no time to ask further. Stricken with concern, Luna turned her attention back to Twilight.

"I had ordered you to remain safe with your friends! You should not be here. This is my fight alone."

"I couldn't. We couldn't."

Just then, a large mumbling could be heard behind them. A large crowd had begun to gather, made of all ages. Peter could only assume these were the villagers, as he recognised the family he had checked on earlier. Surely they must have known what they were up against? But if Luna was right, and this thing got into the waking world, then everyone was in danger. It had to be stopped here and now.

"Looks like my hero days aren't done yet… Need to make sure everyone knows it’ll be ok, especially while I’m here!"

While the villagers looked confident, Luna was clearly panicking.

"I beg of you all, please do not do this! The Tantabus is my responsibility alone. If any of you came to harm, I could not forgive myself. You are all precious to me.”

The plea from Luna sat heavy on the minds of the villagers. Peter could tell it in their body language as the morale drifted from them. But even he knew that now was not the time to start giving into despair, despite his own broken mindset. If the situation was truly dire, he had to stand tall for everyone.


“Look, I know it seems pretty intense right now. Whatever this thing is, it's tough. But that doesn't mean it's unbeatable. Everything has a limit - we just have to push hard enough to find it. If all this is a dream, then we can turn things to our advantage. Break into teams, work to each other's strengths. This is your town, and it's up to you to defend it.”

As fast as they lost it, the hope began to return to the crowd. Voices started to speak up as everyone made plans with each other. Some of them had actually started to take advantage of being in a dream state, willing objects into existence around them or even morphing their form to be taller or stronger. Luna was amazed at how quickly things had turned around. And it was thanks to this stranger.

“Peter? I must thank you. I… lost my confidence. I should be rallying them to defend themselves, not to run away. But I have never been a hero. And I have too many demons to lead them.”

For Peter, it was like looking in a mirror. Everything she had said resonated with him so much. It was interesting to think that she was in the exact same place as he was right now after all he had been through. But for Peter, this was the job. The mission.

“I understand. It can be a lot to be in charge of so many people in a crisis. Honestly, I’m just used to it. And it's times like these when I remember that I can’t let personal weakness get in the way of keeping others safe. So whatever's got you down, you have to keep it aside for now. For them.”

Though Luna could hear Peter's words, she could not take them to heart. It was clear to see in her eyes that there wasn't much fight left in her, and whatever she had left was fading fast. Twilight also noticed her friend losing her determination and decided to step up for her town.

“Alright everyone! Our new friend here is right. We have to make a stand for our home. We’ll split into teams and figure out a way to contain the Tantabus. After we have it captured, Princess Luna and I will figure out a way to dispel it. But I must insist we all take precautions. This may be a dream but anything can happen.”

The chatter picked up again after Twilight's speech as everyone grouped together, who herself had run over to join a team. Some other friends of hers perhaps? Though Peter began to wonder to himself - if this was a dream, then could he influence it in some way? The first thing he tried was to remove his perceived injuries, and thankfully they vanished.

“Sweet! What else could I do?”

He then remembered that he was still down one shooter and decided to remedy that too. He quickly willed his other shooter back into being, but even then that wasn't enough for him. Both shooters suddenly grew larger and bulkier.

“These old shooters were never great for travel, but they made up for it in capacity and extras. Now, for some armour. Never got to make this suit, but I at least sketched it out”

Peter's tattered suit then began to repair itself and morph, becoming more padded and bulky. It was clear he was thinking ahead for the battle given what he already knew. The last part to materialise was what appeared to be a helmet of sorts, emblazoned with the signature eyes he had on his mask. It was like those eyes were staring back at him, reminding him of a different time.

"So, is the spider you're standard?”

His attention was brought away from the helmet by an inquisitive Luna, very intrigued by Peter's choice of attire now that he had changed it. And while there was a difference between this new suit and the tattered remains of his previous one, the theme stayed the same.

"It’s… My responsibility.”

He continued to gaze at the helmet, almost lost in it. For a brief second he was able to tear away from it and look at Luna. There was a deep sadness in her eyes, which was tough to hide given she was over a foot taller than Peter was. It was a weird position for him to feel in, especially since he wasn't exactly in the best headspace either. But there were too many people relying on them both.

"Listen, I know we don't exactly know each other very well, but I get the feeling you care for these people. And right now isn't the time to let personal demons get the better of us. We have a responsibility to protect them. So what do you say, you with us?”

Luna still felt unsure, yet she was more open to listening to Peter’s words now. It was an uneasy feeling. Off in the distance, a low growl could be felt as reverberated through the air as the Tantabus began to recover from the surprise attack. Clearly it was not pleased being caught off guard, and was ready to give back as good as it was given. As it stood, its shadow fell across the entire town, shrouding the villagers in darkness. Peter swiftly slotted his helmet on and turned to face the crowd.

“Alright everyone! It's showtime!”

Author's Note:

And so it begins!

Our hero now has new allies in this strange land. How will he fair against The Tantabus?

Art of the lovely Princess Luna done by - https://www.deviantart.com/ashiori-chan