• Published 5th Jan 2012
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Out of my Element - TheLostwriter



When an explorer from outside the pony-verse arrives he throws off the balance of chaos and order.

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All Dreams End

Out of My Element

Chapter 6: All Dreams End

The two friends found themselves walking through the downtown of the dream metropolis of Ponyville. The day was ending and the streets were mostly empty.

Rarity had replaced her contact and was doing her best to behave like the fashion diva she was. It struck her as odd that the streets where as empty as they were, and the few ponies that were still present where vacating the area rather quickly. Rarity already hated the idea of dream memories and trying to use them bothered her because she couldn’t control which memories not to get. However there was something she knew was important but couldn’t remember and she didn’t trust herself to search her memories for it. After all Pinkie was much better at this than she was.

“Citizens,” there was a shout from above, a tan pegasus with a brown mane in a Wonderbolt uniform hovered above them. “What are you doing in this section past curfew, do you have your papers?”

Pinkie looked up and in a harsh, jaded, commanding tone shouted, “Sergeant Cake, What in Celestia’s name do you think you’re doing.”

“Aunt, no sorry, Director Pie, it is a pleasure to see you.” The pegusus landed in front of them, I’m sorry ma'am I didn’t recognize you, with your hair.” The flustered pegusus decided that it would be best if he just stopped talking. He nervously stood at attention looking forward, but tracking the director with his peripheral vision.

Pinkie paced in front of the terrified sergeant doing her best to emulate the iron flanked Director of Intelligence from her memories. Eventually she decided on what direction to take with her ruse. “Sergeant,” she snapped.

“Yes ma’am.”

“You have any idea how hard it is to create a cover identity in this town?”

“No ma’am.”

“Do you know what the punishment for blowing a cover identity is?”

The pegasus gritted his teeth, and in a slightly weaker voice said, “Yes ma’am.”

“However,” Pinkie paused to look at him with the cruelest smile she could muster, “Seeing how well you have done at your duty and my knowledge of your family, I will see to my own punishment.”

The pegasus gulped loudly but stayed silent, it was well known in the force that Director Pie was his babysitter well before the sundering.

“I will recommend a promotion for your hard work, as well as a honor medal for your diligence.”

He didn’t know what to think but this was not expected. Why this would be punishment he had no idea, he thought for a moment and realized with these honors that he would have to work even harder. “That’s fine ma’am, I don’t need any handouts I was just doing my job.”

“No sir, I can’t let such an outstanding member of the force go without acknowledgment,” Pinkie said trying to slather as much sarcasm on the comment as she could. Switching her tone to a more flippant one she said, “Anyway we are on our way to see Commander Dash right now.”

“Of course ma’am, do you and,” he let his eyes roll on to the unicorn, “Lady Rarity need an escort?”

“No, we don’t you’re dismissed,” Pinkie grumbled.

He gave her a salute and once she returned it he took flight, quickly trying to disappear.

“Oh, and Sergeant Cake,” Pinkie spoke up she was looking away from the direction the pegasus had flown off in.

He slowed down and looked over his shoulder.

“Be safe Pound, and say hi to your sister.”

His jaw dropped, she hadn’t spoken to him like that in three years ever since he had joined the Bureau. He was still in shock looking over his shoulder at the departing mares when he crashed into the building on the corner. After pulling himself up from the crash he could no longer spot the two mares, he shrugged his shoulders and when back about his business.

Eventually the two made it to the Bureau building and once inside it was easy to find Rainbows office. The maps and signs seemed to beat you over the head with the information, to the point where only the blind or illiterate would be unable to locate it. It was on an upper floor in a back corner of the building, the office door was guarded by an empty secretary’s desk.

The door was closed so Pinkie knocked, there was no reply so she tested the latch. The door swung open, inside was a large collection of old Wonderbolt memorabilia. Rainbow was lying on a thin layer of cloud floating just behind her desk. She rolled over muttering in her sleep, “Thank you for the cupcake Pinkie.”

Pinkie walked over to her sleeping friend and tapped her shoulder saying, “Rainbow, wake up.”

Rainbow began to kick and squirm. She was mumbling again, “what, where am I,” her mumbles turned to shouts with, “No, no, I’ll do whatever you want. Just please let me go.”
Pinkie placed her hooves on her friend’s shoulders and began to shake her, “Come on R.D. wake up.”

Rainbow’s eyes widened and she began screaming. Pinkie began counter screaming and Rarity stepped in and separated the two. After Pinkie was pulled off of her Dash calmed down and caught her breath. “It’s about time you two showed up.” She said with a weak smile.

“Wait you know this is a dream,” asked Pinkie.

“Yeah,” replied Dash rolling out of her bed with a yawn. It was now that Pinkie and Rarity noticed that her once bright cyan coat was now a faded blue gray. Her mane and tail however was still the bright rainbow pattern it had always been. “I knew you would get around to me but how many times do you get to sleep in a dream.”

“How do you keep your mane so bright,” asked Rarity.

“Who cares it’s a dream, let’s go find Steel,” was Rainbows reply.

Rarity and Pinkie gave each other a look that conveyed concern. Eventually Rarity stepped forward and said, “Rainbow you’re acting strange even for this place.”

“Yes, I hate it here. The area inside the shield is too small and crowded. I would rather sleep than go out there, even having the nightmares sleeping is better. But since you’re here we can get this over with.”

“So where is Steel,” asked Rarity.

“In there,” replied Pinkie and Rainbow simultaneously the two gestured out the window towards a large indomitable building. It was a five story ziggurat that appeared to be carved from a single block of stone. The building was surrounded by a large wall and gate. The one structure other than the fortress that could be seen inside the gate was Twilight's library. On top of the building was a tower topped by a crystal array. Out of the array a beam of shifting multicolored light shot skyward. The dream memories told them that this was the first link in the shield network.

“Well,” Pinkie paused to wet her lips, “how are we going to get in. Even Rainbow and I can’t just stroll in there without an appointment.”

Rarity made a disgusted noise and said, “I can get us in, the idiot is easier to manipulate than the diamond dogs.”

Soon the three were standing in front of the stone structure. It still had the appearance of being crafted from a single stone. After several minutes a guard approached and asked who they were and what was there business here.

Rarity answered, “Tell Steel that Mistress Rarity and two guests are here for a private audience.” She fluttered her eyes and ended with a seductive smile.

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I smiled to myself as I watched a blue unicorn prance around and try to be entertaining. I had already made my decision, but two voices in my mind argued her fate.

One voice, the voice of who I once was I called him Smith, said, she had an off day give her a break.

Another voice, I called this one Walker said, Yes give her a chance, but make her work for it. She could be your new mistress; you've only had one unicorn since Rarity.

I smiled at this thought and a little drool escaped my torn and scarred cheek. I quickly raised a hoof and wiped my face with a fetlock. I clapped my mechanical hands together to call for silence. The hands where the best modification to the suit I had made, they were attached to the harness and mounted just forward of my shoulders.

I gestured to tan mare with a silver mane leaning against me, the former Mayor if I remember correctly. She was an interesting one in the beginning; anyway she shifted her weight so I could stand up. When I stood up the sea foam green unicorn that had been lying at my feet scrambled out of my way. I reached out with a hand and lightly stroked her face. “Stay calm, my dear,” I said as I walked away. She had been the easiest to manipulate. I looked back at the other three, one an earth pony and former musician lay beside my throne. She had been the most fun to corrupt, her pride had been a wall but eventually it had broken when the right person had been threatened. The googly eyed pegasus started this to protect her sister from the potestatum rings, but she had soon lost that concern. Finally the orange Pegasus with a purple mane, the youngest by far, but they all appeared similar aged. The reason for this was a combination of my temporal wake and a little extra magic on my part.

I waved for the five to stay put, the pegasi had already moved forward to continue fanning, but they returned to their positions. I smiled a little. I hated to truly smile now my torn cheek would rise to display my broken and jagged teeth. I turned, still with a slight smile, to look at the blue unicorn. My ocular implant that replaces the eye I lost to the same beast that destroyed the rest of my face could see the illusion magic she used to keep her appearance young. “Trixie, the once great and powerful,” I sneered as I spoke. The easiest way to gain power is through fear but once they fear you, show a little kindness. “Your act bores me, remember you only remain free of the rings because your magic is deemed a morale boost.”

The blue unicorn hid most of her discomfort, as she looked me back in the eyes.
“You have two choices, I can give you some time to prepare and you give me a private audience or you will leave this building with a ring.”

She looked back at me, it was obvious she didn’t like either choice and her mind was racing to find a third option. I challenged myself to try to read her moves, first a sideways glance left then right to check the guards. No that wouldn’t work, I thought as I smiled to myself. She then looked at the ground probably wondering which choice would be better, she glance up at me then quickly back at the ground.

“Sir,” I heard a whisper from my right side.

My anger flared as I wheeled on the interrupter, it was a young earth pony foal. “What have I told you about,” I caught myself as I saw the pony collapse in fear. I closed my eye and forced my anger away. “I’m sorry, what is it?”

“There is a unicorn, a Mistress Rarity here with two guests seeking a private audience.”

A true smile spread across my face, “thank you, now please go show them in.” As the messenger left I said, “General, please take our guest to a cell let her make up her mind there.”

“Yes sir,” said an orange mare in a ratty cowboy hat and an eye patch. Applejack smiled a wicked smile and stepped towards Trixie, “Come on you ornery critter.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Yelled Trixie as Applejack and two guards dragged her away. As she came in contact with the guards potestatum infused armor, her illusion magic was drained away.

I watched Applejack leave, she was one of the few in my inner circle that refused me, and it was because her pride wouldn’t allow it. Myself, I found her a fun game. It was a challenge that walked in front of me. Her pride was well earned however as she was my second and the most successful business pony in what remained of Equestria.

After the orange pony left I turned back towards the throne and my harem. I nodded slightly towards the door and gestured with a mechanical hand for them to leave. They did, slowly leaving through doors that lead to my private chambers. I sat back down and looked over the room, a confident smile on my face. Soon Rarity walked in, she had aged well. She still had the grace and confidence of royalty.

“Ah, Steel hello,” she said as she walked in. Once she was in she scanned the room, when she saw it was empty she shifted her stride to a sultry swagger. It took an effort but I pried my eyes off her and looked at the two ponies that followed her Pinkamena, and Dash. I grumbled and shifted my eyes back to the approaching candy, Rarity.

Come on man, you’re a man, a human this is wrong on so many levels and they’re your friends, my old self objected.

Quit being such a pansy, we have already crossed that line with almost every one of them, responded Walker.

I’m going to side with Walker on this, sorry Smith, I thought into my internal conversation.
I could read the thoughts of my inner self’s, Smith, my old self was angry. However he had found some hope to cling to he could tell something was off and Pinkamena was the key. He kept referring to her as Pinkie though.

The three ponies bowed in front of me and then Rarity stood and approached. “I have important news Steel these two,” she ended up beside me facing her friends, “are traitors. They tried to convince me this was a dream and to turn on you.”

“You backstabbing coward,” yelled Rainbow as she was pinned beneath Pinkie.

Pinkie was yelling back at Rainbow, “we need to run Dash, now!”

I snarled as I focused my mind on a spell and then focused that spell on the two ponies in front of me. These two were symbols of freedom so they couldn’t be killed; they needed to be converted and re-educated. I began to unleash a spell, but my implant read a memory spell headed towards me. I rolled away from the spell dogging it, I then redirected my spell at my attacker, Rarity. The blast flung her across the wall. I should have seen that attack.

Ha, ha, they’re going to wipe the floor with you, laughed Smith.

Just think of the punishments, added Walker anticipation seeping out from his thoughts.
Right now I don’t care I need to show them my power, I added.

I felt the crown shift to the next crystal as I yelled, “Sergeant at Arms, Guard Commander!”

There was a pop followed by the appearance of a purple unicorn and a yellow pegasus with a short pink mane and tail.

The three rebels froze and looked at the new comers. Pinkie only had time to say “Hi guys,” before she was tackled by Fluttershy. By the time Rarity was back on her feet Twilight had already engaged her forcing her onto the defensive. That left Rainbow for me; I took a step towards the aged cyan Pegasus. I felt like a predator stalking it’s prey.

Rainbow took a step back and then jumped into the air. She flew around the throne room weaving around and behind the columns. I fired bursts of telekinetic energy at her which she dodged easily. Soon the crown signaled that it was on the last power stone, it was time to end this. I pinched my eye shut and dumped all of the last crystals power into one spell. The room flashed when I released the spell, every pony froze, I had cast a paralysis spell that blanketed everyone in the room, Fluttershy was safe due to her armor. Using her mobility she body checked Rainbow before she crashed to the floor sending her into a rolling tumble. Twilight however was not as lucky a potestatum armor set would not work for her as it would drain her of any magic she could use, so she felt the full effect of my spell. I stepped forward and canceled my spell on my Guard Commander about the time that my General returned.

“What Celestia's green earth do you think ya’ll are doing’,” she asked as she walked in on the brawl.

“These ponies are traitors, we need binding gear,” Twilight grumbled using her magic to levitate Dash and to set her broken wing.

Soon all three were in shackles, Rainbow’s wings were splinted to her side and Rarity had one of the most powerful potestatum rings placed on her horn.

I returned to my throne and smiled, “now my former friends it’s time you were re-educated in why I am needed. Fluttershy, use that wonderful ability of yours and remind them what’s important.” Fluttershy was the one pony I needed to keep control of and since most animals were trapped outside the shield she had fallen into a deep depression, with bouts of rage. The yellow pegasus stepped in front of her friends and I added, “Oh and convince Pinkie that she needs to go on a diet.”

Almost as soon as Fluttershy began the stare a bright light filled the room and a voice said, “Halt everypony, wake up to the dream.”

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Celestia had watched the dreams of the seven ponies intermingle, her attention had been on Steel ever since she felt the ward she had placed on him break. She had been busy observing him but not so busy to be unaware of the other ponies entering his dreamscape. This was the first time she had witnessed this many non magical ponies wandering another’s dream, if it had been just the six, she would have blamed the Elements. They probably still had something to do with this but why was Steel involved.

"I told you why", her imagination had Discord answer that question, she remembered her conversations with the draconequus, but she was beginning to think he was right. She hated it but there it was. In Steels dream she had watched a corrupted version of Twilight and her friends serve an equally corrupted Steel. She had been content to sit and observe until she noticed that three of the elements were awake, she pitied them. Once you wake into a dream of this nature you remember everything, you know it’s a dream but the memories of the dream world are available to your active mind.

Celestia watched in silence as a small fight ensued but as soon as it was over and Steel ordered Fluttershy to use the stare she knew something had to be done. Since the stare was mostly a mental ability and since this was the true Fluttershy about to use it on the conscious mind of her friends, there was a large potential for problems.

She broke into the dream world with a blinding light, she regretted what she was about to do but it was her fault she had been careless. “Halt everypony, wake up to the dream,” she announced before the light had faded.

All of the elements stepped back, the three paralyzed and shackled were free. The other three still dreaming ponies woke into the dream, thanks to Celestia’s words. Immediately Fluttershy began to cry as she stroked her short cropped mane. Applejack was a little paler than usual but other than that she didn’t change much outwardly. Twilight on the other hand just sat down and stared blankly at her friends.

Steel however stayed in his dreaming state, after all this was his dream. He was the host and his mind was trying to work Celestia’s sudden appearance into its story. He staggered back yelling, “No, you’re supposed to be locked up. How did you escaped?”

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I stepped backwards from the radiant sun goddess; somehow she had escaped the pod that transferred her divine power into the city’s shields. I needed to run, after the last fight I was out of power and stood no chance against her. Even with my full power I had to use everything at my disposal to come close to being a threat to her, but now I was an earth pony with a magic suit of armor.

Come on man, stand and take your punishment, said Smith as he laughed in my mind.
Just think what it would be like to take a goddess, added Walker.

I ignored the two babbling in my head and looked up at the princess. My only chance was to out think her. “Celestia,” I cried out to her, panic was creeping into my voice. “Think of the world, the ponies that will die without you powering the shields.”

My implant was on the fritz, whenever I looked at her seven different errors would appear in my vision, along with a readout coated with what appeared to be random numbers. How did she escape I couldn’t figure anything out, I had too many questions and nothing made sense. She was standing before me in all her godly glory, magical energy radiating out in waves eroding any chance I had at escape. I looked around, the pod should have drained her of most of her power, but somehow she had enough to cleanse twenty years of manipulation and brainwashing. I didn’t understand it and seeing as I was most likely going to die, be turned to stone, or banished to a celestial object in my near future I might as well ask. “How,” I growled through gritted teeth, just being in her presence was taking a toll on my body. “The pod should have drained you, but somehow you have more power than when you went in.”

“Do not compare me to your feeble mental construct. For I am the true Celestia, and I have come to wake you from this dream.”

The force of her voice struck like a hurricane wind, I hunkered down trying not to give ground but it was inevitable. Once the last word past her lips she gave one flap of her wings as if to counter the burst of magical energy that she sent forth. There was nowhere to run and even if there had been she hadn’t given me any time to do so. The blast struck and I was sent tumbling backwards. As I fell cartwheeling across the floor in a jumbled mess I saw the building crack. The solid stone fortress was falling apart, the shield was failing and the person I once was, was gaining power.

I stood up to see everything I built collapse and crash to the ground, I was fading. I wasn’t in control anymore he was in control, Smith, he liked being called Steel but I was the true Steel.
It’s an odd feeling to wake up into one of your own dreams but I did it with the help of Celestia. I remembered what I had done in the dream, and the conversations I had before sleeping. I realized quickly that I had done those things it was a part of me, and that I could see this happening again. I glanced over everyone but couldn’t bring myself to look them in the eyes. Eyes, my implant was gone, as was the harness and suit. I was back to myself physically. Every time I caught a glimpse of one of my friends I would start to remember what I had done to them. The memories brought forth a feeling of fear that I had never known before and I knew part of it was because of how easily I could become a monster.

When I finally built up enough nerve to look past everyone at the collapsing city, I saw that it was falling into a concave valley. In the center a large onyx vine twisted and grew skyward taller than any building I had ever seen before. The houses all collapse and where replaced by onyx thorns curving point towards the tower peak now in the clouds beyond sight. Lighting danced among the evenly spaced thorns cracking through the air leaving faint traces of ozone.
Hovering just off the cliff that the eight of us stood on was a writhing ball of black cords. On closer inspection it looked more like it was made of snakes, a ten foot diameter ball of writhing black snakes hovering in a few feet off the cliff. It had several tendrils with four part beaks where each jaw was more like a wicked claw than the smooth bone of a bird beak. I didn’t know what this was but I knew it was bad, and we needed to wake up now, truly wake up.

As this realization dawned on me Celestia had already begun to act, tethers of magical energy reached out from her horn to each of us. I felt the Alicorn take off flying and soon I was drug along like a dog on a short leash. The world around me blurred and shifted like a submerged watercolor painting, and soon we were in the Canterlot gardens surrounded by statues. I felt disoriented and barely heard her say, “We are safe now, and we are in one of my dreams.”

I looked around at my surroundings for a second time it looked like the garden at the castle but it was too perfect.

“So,” began Celestia, who broke Steel’s ward?”

Rarity stepped forward and was able to say, “I did,” before I interrupted.

“She did, but I asked, no demanded it of her. She wasn’t in her right mind and for some reason would do whatever I asked her to.” After what I had done in my dreams I couldn’t allow anyone to take the hit for my transgressions, no matter how small. My gaze met Rarity’s as I spoke and once we realized we had made eye contact with each other we both tore our focus away.

Celestia smiled and said, “I am not looking for fault or blame, but for somepony with fine magic control. It’s a good thing that it was you Rarity, it makes explanations easier and I will need both yours and Twilight’s help.”

Both unicorns made confused noises and looked up at the princess.

“Wait, what is going on, we were trying to figure out these dreams and now this, can somepony tell me what the hey is going on,” demanded Rainbow Dash as she was sitting on her haunches with crossed forelegs.

“For some reason you all have a mental link, I can explain the six of you gaining the ability through the Elements. However Steel,” the princess looked at me when she spoke my name, “I can’t explain.”

A realization hit, and I spoke the idea as it formed in my mind. “I did it, when I walked through the door. It’s my fault, mine and Jacks, we walked through the door and we left it open.”
"What door?" asked Dash.

"Dash haven't you been paying attention, the one into our dimension," sang a slightly smaller Pinkie.

“So we close it,” said Applejack.

“How? We can’t find it," I said as I shook my head, "and anyway Jack was the smart one he understood the fancy physics. I just built the tools.”

This time it was Twilight that spoke up, “maybe there’s an answer in his lab, I mean why not look it’s under the library.”

I gave the purple unicorn a look that combined confusion and astonishment, my jaw hanging open the whole time.

“What, I saw it in a dream,” she added blushing slightly.

“Oh hell no! That means I have to finish the harness, find the lab, which was all the cause of that,” I emphatically waved off in the distance as I spoke, “just in case you didn’t notice. I don’t plan on coming close to repeating that mistake.”

“Why not, if it’s our only hope to survive,” objected Rainbow.

“Do you remember what I did to you in those dreams,” I looked at every one of them, “What I did to the others.” My stomach churned as my anger broke through all of my mental blocks. I closed my eyes and spoke as calmly as I could while soothing my stomach. “I will not let that happen again, I care too much for all of you to let that happen. I will not forget this, and I will do everything I can to prevent this from happening.”

Fluttershy walked over and sat down beside me. She was wearing the best set of Bambi eyes I had ever seen and she said, “Please,” in a long drawn out manner. “I don’t want you to feel like you have to but, I don’t want to see the animals hurt. If we can save them it’s worth it.”

I answered, “No,” but it was one of the most difficult answers of my life.

“We can watch over you and make sure you don’t become bad like in the dream,” Fluttershy continued.

Pinkie then popped into the conversation, “I can throw you a party once you’re done, it can be a hero party not an ego-maniacal villain party, just think of how much fun that suit will be.” She continued to ramble about the suit and how with the wings I could fly back and forth zooming around. As she spoke she stood up on her back legs and used her front to indicate flight.

“That’s the problem Pinkie,” I said loud enough to get her attention.

She ended her rant with, “they can carry it by the husks,” then looked at me.

I ignored her and continued my previous statement, “I was having too much fun with the suit.” I turned towards the yellow pegasus, her eyes were still large and expressive, “Okay that’s good for tomorrow Fluttershy, now that you’re all back to normal, but what about after your next dream. You’ll be raging at your animals, Twilight will have fallen off the wagon and be too busy reading to eat. Rarity will be jockeying for attention from the aristocracy, Applejack will be too prideful in Sweet Apple Acres to leave. Rainbow will be too lethargic to care, Pinkie will be drowning her depression in cakes, and I will be too busy staring at your flanks for it to matter.” I felt my face flush as I said the last part.

“That’s where I was going with asking for Twilight and Rarity’s help,” said the princess. “I can place a ward on each of you to block the dreams, but as strong as they are getting the wards will need to be checked daily. Unfortunately a unicorn can’t check the wards on their own bodies so you two,” she looked at the two unicorns, “will have to check each others.” The spell is two parts the first blocks your mind from outside influences and I can cast it now while our minds are connected. The second half I must cast in person to stop you from dreaming, and possibly breaking the first one.”

All the ponies nodded in a somber faction, and after several long silent moments I stepped forward and said, “I’ll do it, if this works and all of us remain who we are now. I will consider finishing the suit, but if anyone starts to change back I will destroy it. I will not become that monster.”

“So are you volunteering to go first,” asked Rainbow wearing a confused look.

“Sure why not,” I looked down from the cyan pegasus to the to the alabaster princess, “work that hocus pocus and scramble my brain for breakfast.”

She nodded and leaned down, and just before her horn touched my forehead I heard a voice echo in my head. Aw yeah, that’s what she said. My eyes widened in panic just as there was a flash and I woke up, jumping out of one of Rarity’s guest beds. I looked out the window at the dark Ponyville, soon I heard the others voices calling out to each other checking that they were okay.

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Celestia sighed after she sent the last of the elements, Twilight, back to the waking world.

“He has the potential to be fun,” said a familiar voice.

“Discord,” she grumbled as she gave the gardens a once over, “where are you hiding.”

“Down here,” he said with a wave. He was sitting cross legged on a statue pedestal. As she approached he stood up and gave a flourished bow, “what can I do for you my regal solar goddess?”

“I thought I told you to stay out of their dreams,” Celestia said as calmly as she could.

“You know there is only so long you can live in stone before you get bored,” he said with a half smile before ballooning back to full size. “I limited my contact and observed through you, I touched no one’s mind but yours.”

Celestia silently stared daggers into the draconequus.

“So what’s the plan,” he asked as he disappeared.

“Why do you care,” she replied searching for him once again.

“Because once the world is burnt there’s no one left for my shenanigans.”

As he spoke Celestia felt something dig its way out of her mane and walk over to her horn. She stifled a shutter the idea of him walking on her, touching her, was stomach turning. “Get off,” she growled in her fiercest tone.

“Okay, okay, calm down,” he said, and she felt him take off. Soon he was hovering in front of her face. “My dear, not that this isn’t fun, but that monster is both our enemy and I don’t see why we don’t work together.”

“It’s simple, I don’t trust you,” she said with a confident smile.

“Oh that hurts Tia, strikes me in the heart don’t cha know. Now if we’re not going to be civil I’ll let you be but you might want to check on your sister. I can feel that Nightmare is awake and I would wager Luna can feel it as well. In fact I would wager that’s why she hasn’t lowered the moon.”

Celestia blinked and Discord found himself back in his stone prison. I hope you come to your senses soon Tia, otherwise this world will become incredibly dull, he thought to himself.

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The forest was unnaturally silent as the slowly amassing wisps of navy blue energy. The wisps of energy didn’t glow as one might expect it was more like the wisps banished all light except what itself gave off. As the wisps congealed into one mass the effect became noticeable to the creatures in the forest. As more wisps became one, instinct became logic and memories became personality. It remembered an eternity on the moon, a young alicorn begging; pleading for release and it remembered six ponies ripping it’s being from the alicorn. It remembered being dispersed its energy spread across the forest.

It flinched as the first rays of sunlight reached out and touched its translucent body. The light was painful and it knew it needed to find a host to regain strength in. It raced against the rising sun through the forest.

Soon it found a shack with one occupant inside, it stuck a tendril through the door and felt the air. No, it thought, the six have been here. It pulled away further into the forest where it found a cave. It was an ursan cave, this was perfect an alpha predator. It’s life and that of its pray would nourish and aid in its recovery.