Chapter 1
Everypony has bad dreams; it's a known fact to all pony kind. Bad dreams can be signs of depression, fear, or our subconscious telling us something important. But there was one day on which everypony gathered in the celebration of a pagan rite to banish the cold and the dark. Each and every one of those ponies used to dream of the terrible things to come the next year. But they forgot because they had to. They forgot their nightmares of fire and war and insanity. They forgot. Except for one, and this is where our story begins.
Sweet Apple-Dash Acres
"Applejack! Come on or we’ll be late for Twilight’s Party!" Rainbow said, walking down the wooden stairs of the old barn. She was dressed in a winter outfit with gloves and a hat made by Granny Smith before her passing last year. As Rainbow went around the barn looking for her wife, she instead ran into her son, Zap Apple.
"Come on Zap, we need to get going," Rainbow said. "Do you have the gifts for your aunts and uncles?"
"Yeah mom, I packed all of them on the wagon outside," Zap said with a smile on his face.
"Ok, good. Now if only I could find your mother," Rainbow said. "Applejack!!" As Rainbow opened the back door to the barn she finally saw who she was looking for. Applejack was standing in front of three gravestones, each with fresh flowers on top of the headstones.
"Happy Hearth's Warming, Ma. You too, Pa," Applejack said. "Happy Hearth's Warming, Granny. I miss you."
"Applejack?" Rainbow said, walking over to her wife. "Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot you were back here," she said, looking down at the graves.
"It’s ok, Dashie," Applejack said. "I just came to wish them a good one."
"Granny would be proud of the mare you’ve become, and so would your parents," Rainbow said. "I know I am."
"Thanks, Dashie," Applejack said. "Come on, we need to get going. Is Zap ready?"
"Yeah, he’s just waiting on us," Rainbow said. "Come on."
"I’m right behind you," Applejack said.
Twilight's Castle 20 Minutes Later
As the Appledash Family arrived at the doors of the Castle of Friendship they could already hear the music from the hall.
"Jeez, not even a month into their relationship and Pinkie’s already taken control of the Castle," Rainbow said with a smirk on her face.
"Like you were any better, Mrs ‘I'm going to hang Wonderbolt posters all over the barn walls’," Applejack said, smirking as well.
"Mom really did that?" Zap asked.
"It was only in your room. It's not as if I hung them in the living room or the bathroom," Rainbow said defensively.
"You might as well have," Applejack said, giggling.
"Come on, let's get inside before Aunt Pinkie drags us in," Zap said.
As the door opened the family was greeted by Fluttershy. "Oh hey Rainbow, Applejack, Zappy," Fluttershy said. "I was just getting ready when I heard you knock. Welcome! Pinkie, Twilight, and Flurry Heart are in the throne room getting things set up."
"Hey, no problem, Flutters," Rainbow said. "And where is your Husband-To Be?"
"Oh, Discord is in the kitchen with Rarity," Fluttershy said. "They’re working on Hearth's Warming dinner."
"Oh ok, I guess we'll just join Twilight and Pinkie then," Applejack said. "You coming?"
"Yeah, I'll be there soon. Oh, and don't worry about the presents. Discord most likely put them in the study with the others while we were talking," she said, giggling. "He’ll do anything to get out of cooking."
"Yeah, that sounds like Discord," Rainbow said. As the family walked down the hall they could see all the decorations that were hanging. Twilight and Pinkie must have had their hooves full this year, especially with Flurry now living with them. As the three of them entered the throne room they were blasted with confetti.
"AHHHHH!"
"Happy Hearth's Warming!!" Pinkie shouted.
"Oh hey guys! Don't mind me, I'm just welcoming everypony, which reminds me of a time when I was asked to welcome ponies every time they arrived in ponyville which was really fun and then I met somepony who didn’t like my welcome song and guess who that was you got it it was Cranky Doodle Donkey which then led to..."
"Pinkie?" Twilight said.
"Huh?" Pinkie said, turning around to her marefriend. "Oh, I was talking too much again, wasn't I?"
"A little bit, Pinkie," Twilight said with a warm, loving smile, then she kissed pinkie on the cheek. "Welcome guys, make yourselves comfortable. Starlight and Trixie should be here soon, then we can begin the party."
"Ok, thanks Twi," Rainbow said. "Hey Zap, why don't you go and play with Flurry?"
"Ok mom," Zap said, walking off to join Flurry
"Hey Twilight, can I have a word with you?" Rainbow asked.
"Yeah sure, what’s up?"
"Not here, can we go to the library?" Rainbow said.
"Oh ok," Twilight said. "Pinkie, can you watch the kids?"
"Okie dokie lokie!" Pinkie said.
"Don't worry Twilight, I'll watch Pinkie," Applejack said.
"Thanks, Applejack," Twilight replied. As she was about to leave the door she popped her head in again."And no more confetti cannon surprise welcomes, Pinkie."
"Awww!" Pinkie said.
Twilight's Library
As Rainbow and Twilight entered the library they could see the Hearth's Warming tree hung up near the fireplace, and the Hearth's Warming dolls were all set up.
"Ok, so what's up, Rainbow?" Twilight asked.
"It's about Zap, he’s been talking in his sleep a lot lately," Rainbow said.
"Well, that's pretty normal. I mean, Pinkie talks in her sleep all the time," Twilight said.
"Yeah, well last night I could clearly hear him talking and I heard him say Tirek and Lightning Dust’s names," Rainbow said. "I’m worried he might have PTSD or something like that."
"Well Rainbow, despite you not liking it, he was kidnapped only two months ago. That’s something a kid his age should not have to deal with, so if he does have PTSD I would not be surprised," Twilight said. "If you want, I can ask Princess Luna to visit his dreams to help him."
"Princess Luna is too busy ruling the Crystal Empire to do all that stuff. Besides, if he has been having nightmares, why hasn’t he come to me or Applejack about them?"
"I don't know, Rainbow," Twilight said. "If you’re so worried about him, why don't you ask him?"
"Because Twilight, if he isn’t comfortable sharing his dreams with his own parents then something is wrong," Rainbow said. "And I don't want to pressure him into telling me something he isn’t comfortable with."
"Rainbow, you’re his mother. You should be able to talk to your son, and Applejack should know about this as well."
"She does, but she’s worried as well."
"Here’s what I suggest: before he goes to bed, talk to him and find out what's wrong," Twilight said. "Then if the nightmares keep up, take him to a doctor, see if he has PTSD, and then I’ll contact Luna. She’s better with this kind of stuff."
"Ok. And thanks, Twilight."
"Anything for a friend, Rainbow."
2 Hours Later
As Applejack, Rainbow, and Zap left the castle they waved goodbye to their friends and nephews, then got into their wagon and Applejack walked them back home.
"So, y’all enjoy the party?" Applejack said.
"Yeah, it was fine," Zap said.
"You ok Sugarcube?" Applejack said.
"Yeah mom, I'm just tired as’all" Zap said.
Applejack, smirking at her son’s attempt at a southern accent, looked at the presents in the back. "So, you think you got anything good from your aunts?"
"Only a few things, but yeah I think Aunt Pinkie got me something good. I'll wait until tomorrow to open it though," Zap said.
"So, Zap," Rainbow said. "You ok? You’ve been really tired lately."
"Yeah, I'm ok, mom. I'm just… really exhausted from all the work on the farm," Zap said.
"But applebucking season is over."
"Yeah, I mean all the work with, you know… setting up the Hearth's Warming decorations, and also getting the barn all neat and stuff."
"Ok..." Rainbow said, looking at Applejack. The two exchanged a look without Zap noticing.
Sweet Apple-Dash Acres
As the family sat in the living room listening to Bucky Cash, Zap was really quiet, and Rainbow and Applejack were starting to get worried.
"Did ya talk to Twi about it yet?" Applejack whispered.
"Yeah, I'm going to talk to him about it tonight. Can you make an appointment with Doctor Stedy Hooves tomorrow?" Rainbow whispered back.
"Yeah, I'll do that," Applejack said. "Ok Zap, time for bed."
"Ok Mom, I'll see you in the morning," Zap said back, slowly walking upstairs to his bedroom.
"I'll go up in a few minutes. You know he likes to read Daring Do before bed," Rainbow said.
"Gee, wonder where he got that idea from."
Zap’s Room
As Zap read his book, Daring Do and the Temple of the Crystal Orb, he heard a knock at the door.
"Zap, it's me."
"Oh hey Mom, what’s up?" Zap said, not looking up from his book.
"I just wanted to talk. You know, mom to son."
"Ok, um, so what do you want to talk about?" Zap said, still looking at his book. As Rainbow pushed the book down. She could see the worried look on Zap’s face.
"Zap, me and your Mother are worried about you," Rainbow said.
"Why? Nothing is wrong."
"Now, don’t lie. Your mother hates when you do that," Rainbow said. "And there is something wrong. Why can't you just tell me Zap?"
"Because I don’t, ok?" Zap said, his tone starting to shift. "Now can I just get back to reading?"
"Not until you tell me what’s wrong."
"NOTHING IS WRONG MOM, OK?!" Zap shouted, tears beginning to stream out of his eyes. "Please, just go."
"Zap, please, I'm only trying to help."
"Ok, you want to know what’s wrong?" Zap said then he grabbed his arm and pulled back some fur revealing cuts on his forehooves. Blood stained the fur, and Rainbow stood shocked with tears forming.
"Zap, why...why would you do this?"
"Because, it takes the pain away," Zap said.
"What pain?" Rainbow asked.
"The pain of the Nightmares. They happen all the time, I can't focus on anything except them, and doing this," he said, gesturing to his cuts, "makes me forget about all of them."
"What are the dreams about?"
"What do you think?" Zap said, rolling his eyes.
Rainbow sighed. “Listen, I know it's been hard to forget what happened, but we need to move on. Tirek and Cinch are gone, and Lighting Dust is in prison. No one can hurt you."
"But what if Lightning escapes again? She’ll come after me again. I don't want to go through that again, mom!" Zap said.
"And you won't, I promise," Rainbow said.
"How can you? You and Mom are always gone because of that stupid map, and with Grampa and Grandma, Nana, and Papa Shy gone, who will protect me?!"
"I will," Rainbow said. "Listen Zap, I'm going to tell you a story. When I was a kid I was picked on a lot, and..." Rainbow took a deep breath. "I hurt myself as well. It helped me forget all the pain the bullies did to me."
"You... you did?" Zap said, wiping his tears away.
"Yeah, and it didn’t get better, after I got… attacked as a teen, and gave birth to your sister Scootaloo, things didn’t get any better, either."
"Then, how did you stop?"
"I met your aunt Fluttershy. She saw what I was doing and helped me through the hard times. She was like the sister I never had, and after a while she became one of my best friends."
"Then, what should I do?" Zap said.
"First, no more hurting yourself, your Mom would kill you. Then I think we’re going to take you to a different school," Rainbow said.
"You mean I'm not going to Ponyville Elementary?" Zap said.
"Your aunt Twilight is opening a school next summer, and I want you to go there. It's a school about friendship, and hopefully you will meet somepony who will help you just like your aunt Fluttershy helped me."
"Thanks, mom. I’m… I’m so sorry for worrying you," Zap said, hugging his mom.
"No, I’m sorry for not paying attention to you when you needed it the most," Rainbow said. "Me and your mother are going to do whatever we can to help you."
"Ok mom," Zap said. "Um, I know I'm too old for this… but can… can you sleep with me tonight?"
"Of course Zap, anything for you," Rainbow said. She turned the lights off and got into bed next to her son, hugging him closely. For once in two months, Zap was no longer scared.