Nightmare Life

~A Wish Come True~

"Oh, Night Riser, I'm not sure about this," said Fluttershy as she nervously looked at the stallion with his injured hoof, then up at the sky. "Do you know how high it will be up in the air?"

"I guess I do, but that's where we'll have to find out," he said, facing her. "And I'm not going to find out alone, am I?" Fluttershy gave him a nervous look.

"But...I don't know..."

"You would trust me, would you?" he asked, facing her with an open and curious look. Fluttershy peeked up at him.

"Yes. I guess...I guess I would."

"Then let's go," he said, spreading out his wings. Fluttershy did the same, but her wings collapsed to her sides and stuck.

"But...but I'm not good at flying!" she said, scared. "And it's high up! I could fall...I could...I could..." Night Riser put a hoof on her shoulder to calm her.

"It will be all right. I promise," he said solemnly. Fluttershy saw the structure in his confidence through his face, and gained enough courage to nod.

"Ok," she said. "Ok." Then, gracefully, she spread her delicate, feathered wings. Night Riser looked back at her, then focused his gaze at the sky. Then, with a jump, he launched himself into the air, Fluttershy following. The pair paddled the air in their wings as the ascended from the earth below, higher and higher into the stars. Night Rider, in all honesty, had never actually been this high in the air, but he told himself that it was wonderful, that the view was pleasant, that the forms of the sky were in reach.

Fluttershy was right next to him, panting as she tried to keep herself from looking down and to keep her gaze focused above. But it was too hard for her. Her eyes fell downward on the ground hundreds of feet below. Instantly she screamed.

"I can't do it!" she cried as she tried to run in the air. Night Riser turned around as suddenly her wings snapped to her sides. His pulse stopped as in the moment of time, a dark vision of fear cast before his eyes. And he would not let it happen.

Instantly the stallion dropped and was falling right beside Fluttershy, who was screaming and crying for her life, her hooves covering her face. Night Riser met up with her in the air and through his hooves around her middle, and then, using all the strength he had, pumped the muscle energy through his wings. But they were still falling.

He grit his teeth, fought hard against all strain. The jolt through his wings certainly was worse than his leg, but that was futile compared to this. This was the life of another pony, one he would not dare let the ground take, and would try with all the might he could muster to keep her in the air.

Wind whooshed by their faces. The air grew colder. Their hearts pound so hard that it was almost heard by the night itself. Everything was moving....moving....moving.....

Fluttershy felt that suddenly everything was still, that she wasn't moving anymore. She wasn't falling. She pulled the hooves away from her eyes and found her hooves were not touching the ground, and, to her, a pair of strong arms was wrapped around her, holding her to where she was. She opened her eyes wide. And she saw.

The moon. Right there.

"I...I..." she tried to search for words to say. But she couldn't. She was looking right at the heart of the brilliant light. She couldn't see what was below her, either, but a blanket of clouds. She was high in the air, in a place that seemed like heaven.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" said the quiet voice of Night Riser's behind her. Fluttershy was caught in wonder.

"But...but how? How did you do it?" she asked. Really, Night Riser had found his strength in his wings and instead of falling, he had pulled Fluttershy toward the sky, to the stars.....to the moon. But he didn't answer this way.

"I believe that all dreams should come true, Fluttershy."

* * *

Night Riser had brought Fluttershy safely down to the ground again, his wings feeling stronger and his leg feeling a little better. But even more, he felt wonderful. He had done something wonderful, or at least, he hoped it was what he thought.

Fluttershy was now with Night Riser at the front of her home. He had escorted her back, and even though she had been thankful to be on the ground again, he saw the sadness float around her, like she wanted to stay in the cloud and moon world for a longer time. But Night Riser knew that his curfew was coming. He would have to go.

"Thank you again for showing me something as beautiful as that, Night Riser," she said in her doorway. Night Riser smiled, not only because of the complement, but because Fluttershy seemed much more relaxed, happier, and more comfortable. Also, her hair had fallen back out of her eyes.

"It wasn't much but a silly dream, remember?" he laughed. Fluttershy chuckled along.

"Oh, yes, I remember," she said. Then her tone got serious, but with curiosity. "But you have to leave. Where are you going?"

"Home," he said. "I have to be there every day, and I can't come out until night." Fluttershy looked at the ground, fumbled with her hoof, and then looked back at Night Riser with pleading eyes.

"You'll come back though, tomorrow, won't you?" she asked. Night Riser was taken aback. Of course, he wasn't at all unhappy with her question, he was just surprised.

"But why?" he asked.

"Well, you showed me something I've always wanted to see but couldn't," Fluttershy responded. "And you've still lost something. I wanted to help you find it."

"Oh, well, Fluttershy, I already have."

"Really? What was it?"

"My wish, or dream, is all."

"What was it?" Night Riser smiled and looked at Fluttershy with glimmering eyes.

"You, Fluttershy," he said, almost choking on the words as he admitted it. He leaned forward to her, just to kiss her on the cheek, to confirm that what he said was true.

But Fluttershy returned that kiss first.