Author's Note

I'm updating regularly again guys! Happy Halloween to all my wonderful readers!

Even the Brightest Lights...

Luna peered into the light of Kenny's dream, perturbed by its defiance. Kenny had been asleep for close to a week since his impromptu healing at Morgan's hands. Though his body has returned to near perfect condition he remained asleep. The spell used to sedate had been removed, and all attempts to rouse him were fruitless. Kenny stubbornly remained in a deep sleep. The Princesses decided to see if perhaps his dreams would help lead to a solution, though she was surprised to find it difficult to breach. Though she could still enter the dream, the mere idea that Kenny's dream was somehow closed to her advances or resistant to her natural manipulation of dreams brought up multiple questions. Why and what was defying her power?

She pushed forward into the dream, careful not break it as she entered, and was overcome by a bright light that flowed forth from all sides. As the light faded she beheld an unearthly scene. Creatures both mythical and mundane floated, flew, ran and all other manners of movement around her. She looked down to find she was standing in what seemed like a shallow pool of water, though she could not see her reflection in its waters. A thick mist blanketed her surroundings preventing her from seeing farther than a couple hundred feet, though she could see that she seemed to be in a wooded area. The trees were spread out across her vision, the creatures darting in and out between them. Luna's attention returned to the various beings that surrounded her. They seemed to ignore her, or otherwise didn't notice her presence. She noted that despite their variety of forms, they all bore similar color schemes. She saw a ghostly white gryphon fly lazily through the trees, a giant turtle with a green moss coated shell trudge across the ground, a luminescent red cricket the size of her head hopping through the trees, and a deep blue, speckled salamander crawl out of the water. Luna looked on in wonder as all these creatures danced across her vision.

This was far from unusual, seeing as she had handled all types of nightmares in the past. Though, she did not feel any connection to the fabric of Kenny's dream, if it was a dream. Luna had to consider that perhaps Kenny was not dreaming in the conventional sense and that, instead, he was currently involved in something beyond his own mind. She briefly considered that maybe she was in some sort of spirit realm, seeing as Kenny is deeply involved with spirits. When she attempted to use her magic to locate Kenny, she found it had no effect, further puzzling the alicorn. She tried various other spells to manipulate the dream space and found that she had no control at all in this place. She settled for looking the old-fashioned way, moving from the pool to look around the woods.

Luna stopped her gaze when it landed on the resting form of a jet black wolf hidden in the shade beneath a tree. It's eyes were open, glowing a faint white light. It's unique coloration piqued Luna's curiosity. She recalled that Kenny's spirit animal was a wolf, and that his talisman depicted a snarling onyx wolf similar to the one before her. She approached the wolf cautiously, dream or not this was all new to her and it was better to be cautious, especially around hunters.

As she grew close it raised it's head, cocking it to the side. Its ears perked up as well, both aimed straight at her. Luna figured that if it hadn't growled at her yet she was good to go. When she was only a couple feet away, she sat on the grass in front of it. It continued giving her that curious stare. Luna tentatively reached out a hoof, remembering that it was best to let a dog smell you. She only let her hoof reach halfway, close enough to get her point across but far enough she could pull back if it proved hostile. The wolf stood and walked slowly to her outstretched hoof. It then surprised Luna by bypassing her hoof and instead going straight for her face. It stared into her eyes before circling around her and sitting down in front of her.

"Do I know you?" It spoke, its mouth moving in an alien fashion as it formed words.

Luna instantly recognized its voice. "Kenny?"

It was Kenny's turn to be surprised, his wolf eyes widening and muzzle opening in a distorted "o". In an excited voice he said, "Luna? Is that really you?"

"How did you not recognize me?" Luna asked in confusion. "I did not disguise myself in any way, nor do I detect any foreign spells on myself."

"Because your a wolf Luna, a big blue one with stars in its fur. You wouldn't have noticed of course, seeing as you can't see it yourself. Not without training." Kenny cocked his head again. "I was going to ask who you were, mainly because you seemed so familiar. Now I know why."

Kenny fixed Luna with a inquisitive stare, eyes narrowed at Luna and asked, "My question is, how did you get here? And why?"

"Those were two questions," Luna responded, earning an eye-roll from Kenny. "And to answer them: I came here trying to enter your dream. What is 'here' by the way?"

"You are currently residing in your world's Spirit World. The spirits like to call this part Alfheim. I don't know what it means, but it's what they've told me." Kenny and Luna briefly took a moment to look around and admire the beauty of it. "Kind of amazing you got in here through my dream. I suppose it makes sense, seeing as I am sleeping right now, but I'd never classify being here as dreaming."

"It was not difficult, though it was unusual to encounter such resistance." Luna then said, "Though I fail to see how your dreams can be a window to another realm."

Kenny's wolf form shrugged and said, "I don't really understand the workings of it myself, only that while I dream that I can reach the Spirit World more easily. Perhaps while I dream my body becomes a pathway to this world." Kenny's puzzled gaze turned to Luna. "Though you didn't tell my you're here."

Luna's look of sorrow made Kenny worry. She said, "Do you know where you are right now?"

"I assume your talking about physical me?" Luna nodded. "Aren't I sleeping back on the ship?" Luna's next look told him he was wrong

"Kenny, you have been in the hospital for over a week now. The Harbinger crashed in Canterlot and you were seriously hurt." Kenny's eyes widened and he looked down to his paws, processing this revelation.

"W-what happened to everyone else?" Kenny asked.

"Everyone on the ship is okay, you had me protect them while you helped to ensure our landing was not fatal." Luna gave him a hopeful expression. "Luckily, though your injuries were severe, you were healed by your friend and colleague, Morgan. It has been a week since, and all your wounds have healed. Though, you have refused to wake since then."

"Wow Luna, that must have been hell on earth for you." He wrapped her in a hug with his forelegs. "I had no idea."

He pulled away and said with a smile, "Well, if I'm fine, then I need to wake up, right? Hold still while I get us out of here."

Luna nodded and watched Kenny close his eyes. She watched in wonder as everything began to glow brighter until her vision was obscured by white light. She couldn't tell when Kenny's presence had left her, but shortly after realizing he was gone she felt the familiar sensation of waking up. Suddenly, she was in her quarters, lying on her bed. She recalled what she was doing and leaped from her bed and ran out the door, her thoughts centered on the hospital where Kenny finally woke.

"Thanks Princess!" Flash sucked down on his shake with much gusto. "I really needed this. After breaking things off with Edith and the crash, I've been in a serious need to relax." He continued sucking at his banana and peanut butter milkshake while Twilight fought to keep her cool. She smiled awkwardly, which went unnoticed by Flash, and mimicked his actions with her plain vanilla shake. They were seated at an old haunt of Twilight and Shining Armor's from when they were foals. She recalled how asking him to come had gone...

Twilight fought the urge to run, and called out the retreating form of the guard on duty. "F-flash? Flash Sentry?"

"Yes, your Highness?" Twilight gulped as Flash turned to her with those bright sapphire eyes.

"I, umm... what did she say? I noticed that you seemed...uhh-Ah! Down! Yeah, down! I noticed you seemed down lately. Can I ask what's wrong?" She mentally slapped herself over her utter failure to keep it together.

"Oh," Flash said dejectedly, causing Twilight to wince. "Well with my best friend being in the hospital and all, I've been kind of worried. Especially since he hasn't woken yet. On top of that, I just left my first relationship.To be honest, life kind of sucks right now, your Highness."

"Oh, poor dear," Twilight cooed just like Rarity taught her. "I know just the thing to cheer you up! You, me, and the best milkshakes a stallion could have, approved by my brother himself." Twilight waited anxiously as he mulled over her offer.

"You know... I would love that, Princess!

Things had started pretty rocky at first, but now they were almost too good to be true. Flash was having a good time, she was spending time with him, and she hadn't screwed anything up so far. She had him right were she wanted him, she had dropped all the hints like Rarity said. She made sure to lean on him on the walk here, mention how she too was single, constantly sidle up next to him in the booth they were sitting at. It was all going just as planned.

"You know what I like about you Princess?" Flash suddenly asked, breaking Twilight from her thoughts. "You're a real down-to-earth, you know? I mean, when I first saw you, you seemed just like the other three Princesses, but you're nothing like them. I feel like I can really connect with you." Twilight's ears perked up at "connect." "I mean, were having milkshakes at some hole in the wall diner in the farther corners of Canterlot. You don't hear stories like that about the other Princesses."

Twilight was practically quivering in her seat as Flash talked. She waited for the penultimate moment, the culmination of all of friends and her's planning.

Flash smiled and said, "You're best Princess in my book, Princess Twilight. The best friend a guy could have!"

Twilight's world came crashing down around her ears as Flash's words were processed through. He had said the dreaded word, the word Rainbow Dash warned Flash should never say, or the entire escapade would be for naught.

Flash had called her his friend.

Rainbow had warned her of this, the dreaded "Friendzone". The place budding relationships go to die. It was a horrid purgatory where your soul is forced to stay whilst all your affections are mistaken for friendly gestures by the one you deem worthy of your love. The prison where your heart is kept, or else risk committing a crime whose only restitution is the sacrifice of what little relationship you do have. She was doomed to forever watch the apple of her eye from afar, forbidden to ever partake of its sweet juices. She was lost betwixt the pillars of love-

"Flash! Flash Sentry!" Twilight was broken from her thoughts by the call of a Royal Guard who had just entered the diner. He saw Flash and rushed over to their booth. He bowed quickly to Twilight and said, "Flash! Your friend, Kenneth Lee, the Ambassador! He has finally awoken!"

"What!?" Flash exclaimed pushing Twilight out of the way as he tried to reach his comrade. "Does Luna know?"

"Nectar told me! She's headed down right now!" The Royal Guard responded.

"Well alright soldier, I want you to get the other human, Morgan, and tell her as well. While you do that I need to pick up Holly, if I know him he'll want to see her as soon as he wakes up." The Royal Guard nodded and they both ran from the diner, leaving the confused and hurt Twilight alone in the booth. She lay there for awhile, mulling over the entire date. She searched it all for some error, a mistake, anything that could explain her failure but came up with nothing. She stood up from the booth's seat and left the diner, heading towards the castle.

When Morgan arrived at the hospital, she was met with a throng of reporters and journalists surrounding the entrance to the hospital. They were blocked entry by two Night Guards, using their frightful appearance to dissuade the mob of ponies from trying to enter. When Morgan attempted to move through the crowd she was instantly swarmed, Sterling her only defense against them all. She was bombarded from all sides by question after question, causing her to freeze on the spot. With some forceful pushing, and her sword in mouth, Sterling managed to force Morgan through the crowd and the door of the hospital. Once inside, Morgan grasped at her rapidly beating heart.

"Sorry, Morgan, if I had known that was going to happen I would've tried to sneak around back." Sterling's apology was met by a dismissive wave of Morgan's hand.

Morgan, once her heart had settled and mind was clear, navigated through the quiet hospital to Kenny's room. When she reached the door, she quickly grasped the handle and opened the door. She was met with the image of Luna laying in the hospital bed on top of and across Kenny. Luna's neck curled back to allow her forehead to rest against Kenny's own, the fur on her cheeks streaked with wet tears. Kenny was whispering words of comfort to her, one hand stroking through her ethereal mane. The sight caused a surge of jealousy through Morgan, one that caught her unaware. She began to question why she was so suddenly opposed to the couple, but was stopped by the sudden appearance of Holly and Flash.

The giant, wooden wolf bowled Morgan over and knocked Luna from her perch trying to get to Kenny. She stood over him on the bed, lapping away at his face with her leafy tongue, covering him in light green slobber. Flash, who had been riding on her back, had been bucked off mid-leap and landed on top of Luna, causing them both a great deal of discomfort until they separated.

"I'm happy to see you to girl! Now get down!" Kenny yelled with a wide grin. With a little work and a couple stern words he managed to get Holly to be content with just her head on the bed, Kenny idly scratching the leafy scruff behind her ears.

Morgan was able to find her footing once again with the help of Sterling, and once she was up finally caught the attention of the reason they were all here. "Morgan!" Kenny called and continued saying, "Get a move on over here!"

Morgan obliged, albeit begrudgingly, moving to the side opposite Luna and Flash, joining Holly on Kenny's right. Sterling wordlessly and robotically pulled up a chair for Morgan to sit on. Kenny spoke once she was situated. "So I heard you, for all pretense and purpose, saved my life?"

Morgan merely nodded, and Kenny continued speaking. "Then get over here you big prude!" Kenny unexpectedly wrapped Morgan in a all-encompassing hug, plucking her from her chair and onto the bed. Morgan yelled and beat at Kenny to put her down, blushing furiously all the while. Kenny eventually did let her down, but it was clearly on his own terms.

"Seriously though," Kenny started when Morgan had retaken her seat. "Thanks a bunch, I don't want to think about what could have been if you weren't around. I know we have our differences, but its nice to know that were still friends no matter what, right?" He raised a fist to Morgan, which she largely ignored. "Come on~," Kenny sung.

"You know how I feel about that," Morgan curtly responded.

"For me?" Kenny used the cutest voice he could muster and put up the best puppy eyes he could. He even added a quivering lip for good measure. Morgan rolled her eyes at his horrible attempt, though she relented anyways. She touched her fist to his and Kenny pulled his back in an exploding gesture that mimicked Morgan's own then they slapped each others palms with the same hands before finishing off by placing their other hands over the sides of their hand-sandwich and finally pulling out. They shared a little chuckle at their little secret handshake.

"For one who says secret handshakes are 'childish,' you seem to be having lots of fun." Kenny's jest caused Morgan to go silent and stick up her nose while crossing her arms.

"They are!" She snootily replied, but she then followed with, "Though it was a little fun."

Everyone in the room enjoyed a laugh at Morgan's expense, which she was glad to pay. She was happy to say that things could get back to normal, but she couldn't fight the sense of discontent in her soul from seeing Luna and Kenny together. Unnoticed by the others, Morgan's laugh died in her throat as the sight of Luna and Kenny replayed in her head over and over, each time worsening her mood a little more...

"I look wicked!" Kenny looked over his scars in his mirror back at the castle. After he was released from the hospital, he had gone straight back to the castle. He had gotten a peek at his scars as he left, and had immediately went to his mirror to inspect the full effects of the crash. "I thought this kind of stuff only happened in T.V. shows!"

"What's a T.V.?" Flash asked.

"Oh, right, you guys don't have those." Kenny pondered what to say and finally settled with, "Imagine that you could watch any movie, but instead of a projector it was box that had the picture in it."

"That sounds pretty cool," Flash said with a bit of a shrug.

Luna spoke up from her spot by the door, "I will never understand males and their fascination with bodily disfigurement."

Flash and Kenny ignored her, instead admiring the dark slashes across Kenny's body with boyish glee. Kenny posed in the mirror, enjoying the way the scars moved with his body. Luna shook her head and levitated Flash Sentry out the room and shut the door, locking it behind her. While Kenny was still looking at himself in the mirror, she sidled up next to him. He only had time to look down before Luna wrapped her hooves around him and vaulted them both to his bed. They landed with a bounce, Luna on top of him wearing a wicked smile that spread across her face. She wrapped her hooves around his torso, trapping his arms to his side.

"I'm guessing you wanna do it?" Kenny asked.

To Kenny's surprise, the answer was, "Nope."

"No?" Kenny twisted a little to test her grip. "Why not?"

"I have been worried sick about my boyfriend for over a week, right now I don't want to do anything except cuddle until we're both old and grey, or hungry. Whichever comes first." She nuzzled her snout into Kenny's chest. Kenny, arms pinned to his side by a powerful demigod, could do nothing but sigh in resignation and try to relax.

"You know, wouldn't it be better if I could cuddle back?" Kenny posed to Luna.

Luna playfully shook her head and said, "Not if you try and escape."

"And why would I do that?"

"Perhaps so you could show off your new scars, hmm?" Luna's guess was met with silence. "It would seem I know you better than you realize."

"Shut up...," Kenny whimpered back like a whipped dog.

"You are hardly in the position to make demands."

Eventually, an hour later in fact, Luna fell asleep and Kenny was able to move again. He moved his arms out and attempted to move away, but was quickly reigned in by a rib-breaking hug from Luna. He sighed once more and wrapped his arms around her in return. He settled into the bed and fell asleep alongside her.

Morgan, carrying a salve she had prepared to help Kenny's scars fade, entered the room shortly after Kenny had fallen asleep. She froze when she saw the two wrapped in each other's embraces. Once again, a dark hole grew in Morgan's psyche that ate away at her joy. She left the room and beat her hand on the opposite wall of the hallway outside, desperately trying to fight off the negative feelings that such a sight brought. Almost as if to kick her while she was down, the image of Kenny and Luna in the hospital returned. With its new compatriot, the images refused to leave her mind. She didn't know why they tormented her so, but she intended to stop it. With a whisper, she cast a blessing of Light over herself in an attempt to cleanse the thoughts. To Morgan's dismay, the thoughts persisted unabated by the Light.

She ran to her room, leaving a trail of anguished tears in her wake.

Luna shook Kenny's shoulder, rousing him from his slumber. He woke easily from his sleep, allowing Luna to release the breath she had been holding. She had almost convinced herself that it was all a dream. Kenny stretched out his long limbs, his arm lazily reaching around her as well, and scratched his chest with the other. Luna went to speak, but was stopped by Kenny suddenly and blearily kissing the tip of her nose. Before she could respond, he then pulled her smaller frame into his chest, putting her head behind his.

Now a little miffed, Luna angrily commanded, "Kenny, wake up!" He did not respond, so she repeated the command.

He moaned despairingly and said, "Why? We don't need to do anything, last I checked."

"Because we need to talk." Kenny's head popped up at that, his eyes wide with worry.

"Whatever it is, I'm sorry!" He spoke, winning an eye-roll from Luna. "I promise it won't happen again."

"Not that kind of talk you dolt," Luna responded, giving him a whack over the head to accentuate her point. "We need to talk about Morgan."

Luna had been expecting either surprise or worry, not Kenny suddenly going stone-faced. He asked in a more serious tone, "What about Morgan?"

"Do you know she has feelings for you?" Luna asked without missing a beat.

"Luna..."

"Do you, or do you not know that Morgan Le Feu, your friend and colleague of four years has developed a romantic interest in you?"

"You can't be jealous, can you?" Kenny responded with a little hurt in his voice. "You should know that I didn't share her feelings-"

Luna cut him off with, "But you are aware of them?"

He fell back into the bed, placing his hand over his eyes in frustration as he said, "Yes, I was."

"'Was?'" Luna inquired.

"As in she had feelings but has since gotten over them." Though it was a statement, Kenny said it like it was a question.

Luna's eyes widened a little, then she gave him a look of concern, "Kenny, if what I saw is any indication, Morgan is still holding feelings for you."

While Kenny was surprised by this, he quickly said, "But she knows it won't happen. She knew from the start that I was already in a relationship, and she never attempted anything sense. You have nothing to worry about."

Luna was unconvinced, and so left the bed and room. Kenny tried to talk her into staying, begging her to see reason, but she simply left and closed the door on him to dissuade him from following. Kenny stared at the door in shock for a bit, then he slumped in defeat. He pressed his forehead to the door, thinking over how best to resolve this situation. He soon came to the realization that the only way to ensure Luna trusted his word would be if she heard from Morgan herself that what he said was true. A solution in sight, Kenny regained his resolve and rushed to dress himself to meet his female compatriot.

Kenny approached the door of Morgan's room, and was surprised to see that Sterling was nowhere to be found. He considered looking somewhere else, but was stopped by the sound of soft sobs coming from within. Frowning, he approached the door more cautiously. He put his ear to the door and heard more sobs, clearly Morgan's. Fearing for his friend he opened the door and entered.

"Morgan?" He called, peering into the dark room. The curtains were drawn and blocked the afternoon sun's rays. He was only able to see a small fraction of the room using the light from the hallway coming through the door. He walked further in to get a better view of the room, but the door closed of its own accord behind him and removing what little light he had to see with. He stumbled blindly for a second before a lamp washed the room in a dim orange light, revealing a disgruntled and disheveled Morgan sitting on her bed. She was half submerged in a nest of blankets and sheets.

"What do you want, Kenneth?" Morgan's voice did not reflect her earlier sorrow. Her words were harsh and spiteful.

Kenny was a little off put by Morgan's aggression, but pressed on anyways. He gingerly asked, "What's wrong?"

For a moment, Morgan's eyes widened in realization. She quickly turned her tearful face from him and shouted, "Nothing! I'm fine!"

"No you're not Morgan," Kenny replied, moving closer to her. "Tell me what's wrong."

"There is nothing wrong with me!" Morgan shouted, never turning to look Kenny in the eye.

"Yes there is, you're clearly upset. Just tell me what's wrong, Morgan, I want to help." Kenny jumped back when Morgan whirled on him, a fierce, almost animistic look of rage on her face.

"You can't solve yourself!" Morgan yelled in unbridled rage. Unnoticed by her, a blue, ethereal, starry mist collected around her on the bed as she continued speaking. "Ever since we came here I've tried being supportive of your relationship with that no-good Princess!"

Fists clenched, she climbed out of the bed and after the rapidly retreating Kenny. She trapped him on the far wall, face inches from his and whispered, "Why don't you love me? Why do you let me suffer alone, forcing me to watch as someone else enjoys the prize I never even had the chance to take?"

Kenny, forced to look into her eyes, finally understood. He finally saw what Luna was talking about, and more. He finally realized how much Morgan must hurt, how much she tried to hide her feelings behind a cold mask, how much she endured seeing him being happy with someone else. Above all, he saw what he had done to her by ignoring her persistent feelings for himself. All he could do was muster up the courage to whisper, "I-i'm so sorry Morgan."

Morgan stared wide-eyed at his apology for a moment. Then, quicker than lightning, her expression became one of fear, right before she started screaming. She clapped her hands around her head, howling like an injured animal. She thrashed around the room, her blood-curdling cry causing Kenny to cover his ears. Kenny watched in horror as her blonde hair began to turn black and her skin became ghostly pale. He saw the canines in her screaming mouth sharpen and lengthen until they were like a vampire's. Kenny reached out to help her, somehow, only to be slapped across the face when he touched her. The force of the hit threw him into the other wall headfirst, and he blacked out.

"Kenny! Kenny!Kenny!" Kenny woke abruptly, Shooting up from his position on the ground. He grasped his aching head, but was surprised to find that he felt bandages around it. He finally noticed where he was, Morgan's room. Or, better yet, what was left of it. Where there was once a window there now was a giant hole in the wall, still smoking around the burnt edges. Luna was next to him, presumably the one who had woken him. Celestia was talking to some guards a ways off. Twilight and her friends were consoling a crying Sterling Silver. Confused and scared, Kenny looked to Luna.

"What happened?" He whispered.

Luna's eyes darkened and she said, "The Nightmare has claimed Morgan as its own."