1 - Something's Not Right

I opened my eyes quickly. Stifled, childish excitement filled me. I'd seen all three seasons of My Little Pony, and guess who were turning up at the holiday park later? The Mane Six themselves!...uh, I mean humans in pony suits. Stupid, I know. I mean, perhaps not even the most hardcore of bronies would feel the excitement of seeing a life-size costume of their favourite character...but something strange drew me to it. I'm not a fanatical brony, I don't even own figures yet, but I could feel something big happening there. I guess you could say...it was what my cutie mark was telling me.

Last night was unsurprisingly hot. Summer was on its way, as June had just begun. I'd taken my top off before falling asleep the night before. I lifted my duvet, which was a faint blue striped alongside creamy white, aside. It's go time. Last night's dream was weird...maybe symbolic, but definitely weird. Voices called out to me, begging for help, nearly inaudible. "Three," they shouted weakly. "Three!" Something was up in that dream. All I could do was hope that everything was OK in this world.

GOODBYE, REALITY

My bags were packed. I rested lazily on the sofa, Rainbow Dash-style, taking it all up. Besides me, there was nobody in the living room. 'Living' wasn't the term for it right now.  "C'mon, guys, I've been waiting what, fifteen minutes now?" I called into the hall.

"It's not my fault," my younger sister Ella whined. If I was any good at voice-acting the Diamond Dogs, you know what I'd do. Stop your whining, spoke the sour voice of Rover in my head. I shrugged. Ella was very short, although she'd just turned eleven years old. She had had many operations, enough to drive you insane, but she still carried her innocence from when she was about five. Most of the time. She'd sometimes snap like a teenager – in fact, she was quite similar to Leah, worst case scenario.

"I'm trying," grunted my older sister Leah from upstairs. 'Packing light' was not in her dictionary – she'd always end up packing a ruthless bag of bath soaps and stuff like that. Wait, drop that – her bathroom would be empty once we'd gone. She was usually nice, unless she was stressed. Stress turned her into the average portrayal of a moody teenager, and she'd whine at you like the first titular teen from Kevin & Perry.

Another fifteen minutes or so later, I was called to the car. I slipped on my blue and white basketball shoes and dashed through the kitchen, hopping out of the side door and into the back seat of the car, iPod in my pocket. Finding 'KABOOM!' in the playlist, I slid into a sideways position and, leaning on the bags beside me, I drifted off to kill some car journey time.

It was uncomfortable, no doubt...but why was I dreaming? Two alternate scenarios played out beside one another, but they were foggy beyond understanding. "Pick which side you're on, drop the bomb," sang I Fight Dragons repeatedly. The dream stopped for a moment, allowing most of the chorus to play out. But soon, my eyes filled with a swirling navy,reminding me of a certain princess... The Royal Canterlot voice bellowed out the lyrics...

"Before they get to you...do what you've gotta do...KABOOM!"

I spent the rest of the journey in a confusion not even music could rectify. If whatever that was was really talking to me...it means I've got something to do. I'm not up to anything...I can't save the world! Maybe I'll have to pray and let it pass...I've met with a terrible f–

We pulled into the holiday park to the tune of the MLP theme song. Do I go red with embarrassment or happiness? I asked myself. Luna boomed, as she always did when I was a wuss, face your fears. I left the car, spotting Pinkie Pie not too far away, with some bags over my shoulder. Pack light!? Who listened... I walked over to our dormitory, swaying into Pinkie's path deliberately.

"Uh...hey, Pinkie...I'm Simon." I smiled a little. For a fleeting moment, the suit disappeared, and the Pinkie I knew from watching 65 episodes on my iPad leapt into the air, staring down at me, gaping in shock, just as she had to Twilight Sparkle. Wait...what's going on... The Pinkie Pie suit vanished.

I fled to the dormitory, hanging around outside the door, waiting for Mum to turn up with the key. Desperate to hide my confusion, I tried to act normal. Tough thing for me to do when thoughts are whirring around my head like bats in a crate. Keeping a straight face was tougher than staring a Cockatrice in the eyes. Soon, the door was unlocked, and I burst in, feigning the childish desire to bag the room with the double bed. It was never me; I'd be allowed it and that was a fact. After little discussion, I was.

I darted around the room just like my thoughts were in my head. What's going on? Was I seeing things? Does Pinkie even exist? I let out a frustrated sigh as I dropped a thick pile of boxer shorts into the draw of my bedside table. Only time will tell...

I slid my earphones into my ears,hitting the Shuffle icon on my iPod. The song 'Luna' began. Dream mode, thank goodness. The first time I listened to the Nightmare Mode version, I shuddered at what was uttered following the main song.... I felt someone or something tap my shoulder, and I hastily looked over it. Nothing. My other shoulder was tapped. Unless you're pulling reverse psychology on me, I'm gonna win this. I looked over the same shoulder again. Still nothing. Rrgh...

"I AM THE CREATURE THAT FEEDS UPON DREAMS..." boomed that demon voice I just couldn't stand.

"But I don't even own Nightmare Mode! What!?" Fear struck me through the heart like the spear of a certain Waddle Dee. I'd been playing Kirby for the last few days. Soon, the volume burst up, and the lyrics became deafening. "These sure are good headphones," my quavering voice guessed. I threw the headphones off in haste, almost as though it were a reflex, but somehow nothing changed. "Whoever you are - whatever you are - just PLEASE, quit playing games!"

Games...three things burst into my strange mind at that moment.

Damn, I've just lost The Game.

Magolor, you flipping traitor. Worse than Marx. And, finally...

"The game is over. And I win..."