Brony Recon: Eyes of Chronosby Skyblaze FreescriptChaptersChapter One: When I Was a Young Lad...Chapter Two: Between FriendsChapter Three: Getting RustyChapter Four: The Net of DreamsChapter One: When I Was a Young Lad... << As soon as Cereal threw the switch, I found myself wrenched off my hooves and flung into nothingness. At once, I found myself hurtling through some kind of reddish tunnel thing. I felt nothing around me; no air, nor wind... not even sound. Cereal’s last warning still echoed in my mind: “Try not to breathe.” But I didn’t heed it fast enough, and I had just finished an exhale before being shot into the void. My empty lungs burned, still waiting for that next breath of oxygen. Holding fast, I tried to keep myself from breathing for as long as I could. At first, it seemed as if the tunnel would never end, as if I would never be able to take that breath. For what felt like several minutes, I held on to my limit. Perhaps even past it. It was a valiant effort, but it was in vain. Giving in to the vacuum swirling around me, I relaxed my muscles and opened my mouth, preparing to take in whatever I could. I remember wondering if I was going to live. Then something happened. In the red, there was a bright flash of vibrant yellow light, appearing as soon as I inhaled. To my shock, I found my lungs filling with cool, relieving air. My head stopped swimming and I was filled with gratitude that I had avoided harm somehow. Suddenly, it was over. I lurched as my hooves hit something solid, falling over onto a planty ground. Still a little disoriented from my trip through the barriers of the universe- and from being transformed into a quadrupedal pegasus -it took me a while to regain my senses. It appeared as if I had landed in some kind of garden with a ton of statues placed randomly around it. One such statue was very familiar to me. I chuckled to myself as I stared up at Discord’s despairing stone visage. It suddenly came to me then. “Holy schist...” I breathed, staring around at everything. “I’m in Equestria!” “But it’s wrong.” A deep, echoing voice from behind made me jump and spin on the spot. Somehow, I wasn’t in the gardens anymore. Everything around me was black and empty, the air became tight and noxious, and the black closed in around me. The only other thing besides myself was a large, pale stallion, maybe three times my height. More surprising were his massive wings and spear-like horn, marking him as an alicorn of some kind. "This is not how it is meant to be." Skyblaze’s POV “Sky! ‘Ey, Skyblaze! Wake yerself up, lad!” I groaned as the heavily-accented voice invaded my sleep and pulled me from my dreams. Rolling over, I tried to snuggle deeper under my covers. As much as I enjoyed Lucky Shot’s company as a buddy and comrade, the white-maned, green-coated, red-eyed unicorn could get very annoying with how punctual he was at waking everypony an hour before sunset. He was like an alarm clock: useful, but that use constantly irritates you to no end. Lucky growled and yanked the sheets from my bed. Great, now it was going to take even more time to tidy my bed. “Up an at ‘em Sky!” Lucky Shot chirped. “Ye canneh sleep the night away, ye lazy mule. Sarge’ll be right cross fer sure.” “Just watch me,” I groaned back, shivering at the absence of my blankets. He was right though; Sargent Sure Hoof would have the hide off my flanks if I missed role. I had to get up sooner than later if I wanted to continue living. “I’m getting up,” I assured Lucky as he inhaled for another scolding. “Just gimme a sec and I‘ll be down for coffee.” “I’ve already got me famed Galloping Grind a’ brewing for ye. I know how much ye like it!” Lucky quickly trotted down the row of other cots in the Night Guard barracks. With a mighty heave, I managed to push myself off the floor and follow Lucky’s hoofsteps, grumbling to myself about how unnecessary it was to remind me that his secret coffee blend from his hometown was apparently ‘famed.’ I haven’t heard one inkling of it being known anywhere outside our garrison, much less anywhere else in Equestria. I paused for a moment. Wow, I’m really pissy today... I wondered to myself. Maybe I should take something for my dreams if they keep waking me up in the night. Or talk to Luna about it, if she isn’t busy. Probably against my better judgement, my dreams were something I kept to myself. They always made me wake up in the middle of the day, usually breathing heavily or sweating. Of course, I began to lose a lot of sleep because of that, and my mental health was starting to feel the strain more and more. The funny thing is, I didn’t start having them until I first arrived in Equestria. One more thing I could complain about my dreams was that they never change. Ever. It’s always about that fateful day when Cereal activated the portal and sent us all through to Equestria. But then it warped into something else: that pale alicorn, telling me that something was wrong. But what? What could have possibly been wrong about our arrival? It couldn’t have gone smoother, in my opinion. Then again, Shift did suffer a bit of a gash, but that was caused by him breathing in the time-space tunnel. Still, there was nothing about my personal arrival that was off. After all, I had arrived safe and sound, just like I should have. << “Private Truestrike Swordswing!” “Aye, Sargent!” “Corporal Lucky Shot!” “Aye, Sarge!” “Corporal-Bard Skyblaze Freescript!” “Aye, Sargent!” I called out as the role continued down the line. A few times, Sure Hoof would call out a name and get no response, at which point he would make a note to check if they were incapacitated or slept in. I felt bad for any that did the latter. Sure Hoof was always swift to punish lazy Night Guards with the most gruelling of chores. I remembered the first time I had to clean out the privvy... that was hard, even with Bardic songs to help get the sides clean, and don’t even get me started on how bad that schist stains. “Alright!” Sure Hoof bellowed once he was done with role. “As you may have heard, it is a Saturday until midnight, and as you all might know, that means those of you that are not on the patrol schedule have an open timeslot between breakfast and earlymorn exercises. You’re all on your own for fourthmeal. Any questions.” Silence. Through the quiet, I could feel the anticipation of those that had most of the night off, myself included. “Then you are dismissed to the mess for your oatmeal. Be back here promptly at earlymorn!” Our garrison gave the Sargent one last synchronized salute before the majority of the congregation rushed off for the mess hall. Lucky shot tapped my shoulder as we were trotting along and moved up beside me. “Ye seemed a wee bit tense a’morn, lad,” he observed. “How’s about ye join meself and the comp’ny fer a few ales down at the pub? It’ll set ya right as rain.” “That sounds great, Lucky,” I replied. “But you know I don’t drink.” “Did I say ye was going t’ be the one drinkin’, Sky?” he laughed. I smiled, but still shook my head. “I’m gonna go visit Luna,” I told him. “There’s something I need to ask her about. That, and I haven’t seen her in a bit, so I’d like to catch up with her.” Lucky rolled his eyes. “Aye... ye an’ the Princess,” he grumbled. “I might be a’ spittin’ blasphemy, but if ye spend so much time with the lass, ye should at least be tryin’ to court her. There be a right small number o’ stallions that can shimmy up that coleen’s shamrock like ye have.” “What!? No way man!” I laughed at him. “Luna’s just my friend! Besides, there’s no way in Tartarus that she would go for a guy like me!” Chapter Two: Between FriendsSkyblaze’s POV One annoying thing about being a Night Guard was that you were required to wear your armor anytime you entered the palace grounds. It wasn’t so much that the armor was uncomfortable. Far from it, actually. Night Guards depended less on physical force and power than our diurnal comrades, and more on subtlety and mobility. Therefore, our armor was made lighter and allowed more freedom of movement, which, by consequence, made it much more pleasing to wear than the heavy armor of the Day Guard. Rather, it was the strange looks and wary glances I got. You see, part of the Night Guards’ tactics in battle is psychological warfare: we need to look freaking scary as schist, both in and out of battle, to create an image of fear and mystery. Unfortunately, this gave us a soiled reputation as burglars and assassins that only existed to do dirty work for the Princesses that they didn’t want the public to know about. Which was partially true, I guess. I sighed, looking up at the gates to the palace, then back down to the ebon helm. “Let’s get this over with, then.” Lifting the helm up, I slid it onto my head. The enchantment on it activated instantaneously, sending a shiver down my spine. To make sure it had worked properly, I leaned over a puddle in the cobblestone road from the recent rainfall last evening. Under the helm, my golden eyes blinked, now appearing slitted, like a cat’s. My ears had grown a thicker and longer layer coat, making them longer and more pointed. I ran my tongue across my newly-grown fangs, careful not to poke myself. Looking back at my sides, I admired the pair of leathery, bony bat wings that had replaced my feathered ones. Beneath them and my dark, ebon, chain-and-plate armor, my coat had turned a darker and frightful shade of its usual indigo. It was all an illusion, of course, but no one outside the Guard had to know that. They just had to know how to fear it. “Evening, Corporal,” one of the Lunar Royal Guards greeted as I approached the front gate of the palace. “Here on official business, or is this another personal visit to the Princess?” “Nah, just a personal visit tonight, Chief,” I replied with a polite salute. “Is Luna in, tonight?” The lieutenant shrugged. “Can’t tell ya if she is. Last I heard, she was in a big, important war council about the you-know-what. From the word-of-mouth about it, it sounds like nopony in that room is coming out for a long time, including the Princess. I suggest you go out and get some fourthmeal while you wait; the last one took a few hours.” “Schist...” I swore to myself. “Thanks for the heads-up, Chief.” << Two hours. That’s how long I waited outside the war room of the palace for Luna. It wasn’t all bad, I suppose. It gave me time to catch up on my favorite hobby: poetry. Yeah, I know, it’s not the most stallionly of things to do with my free time, but it does help pass the time, along with a few other benefits. As a Bard, my usefulness in battle depends on Archaic phrases and songs that I had either learned from studying obscure Bardic texts, sung out of adrenal instinct, or created myself. I discovered some time later, during a skirmish with some gangsters in Manehattan, that songs I had wrote myself were greatly more powerful than those I had read or that came to me automatically. With a frown, I looked down at the Archaic runes I had scribbled into my notebook, then up at the secretary running the desk outside the war room. “Excuse me,” I said, getting her attention. “Does anvigr sound like it rhymes with vaalr?” The cerulean unicorn blinked at me from behind her horn-rimmed glasses. “I... I don’t believe so, no,” she replied honestly. “The beginning of the last syllable on the first word is a hard sound, while the second has a longer one of the same. I believe they should both either have hard sounds or soft sounds.” The secretary reached behind her desk and removed a book with a blue cover. “Need a thesaurus?” “You wouldn’t happen to have one for Archaic, would you?” I joked, making my point. She giggled at that. “No, I suppose I don’t.” With a short ‘thanks anyway,’ I resumed my writing, though a little more distracted this time. I kept glancing up at the secretary, noticing how neatly she put up her light-blue mane in a perfect bun. Every so often, I would catch her stealing glances as well. Finally I looked up at her and took in a breath. “Hey, I was wondering... um...” a blush crept onto my face beneath my helm. “Inkwell,” she introduced, blushing as well. “And I get off at three.” “Three... great!” I chirped back with a smile. “Oh, I uh... I’m Skyblaze.” Suave wasn’t my defining trait, but I was just glad I hadn’t bombed that pick-up. I usually break down into a nervous wreck when I ask somepony out. “You don’t seem too bothered by my armor,” I noticed. Inkwell shrugged. “You get used to it when you manage the desk outside the war room.” I laughed. “Yeah,” I replied. “But I don’t think you’ll have to see this batty face when I pick you up later.” Gah... that was stupid. Why did I say that? I need coffee... Oh! Coffee! That’s it! “So, uh... coffee, then? Or maybe a small bite?” “Sure, that sounds good,” replied Inkwell with an understanding smile. “I know this place by a park. We could walk there after we grab our coffee.” “Perfect.” Suddenly, the doors to the war room burst open. A stressed-looking Princess Luna, along with several equally-stressed commanders and officers exited. I immediately stood at attention as soon as the higher-ranking ponies began passing, like any respectful subordinate. After a moment, somepony muttered ‘at-ease’ to me. Waving to Inkwell and putting my notebook in my saddlebags, I trotted quickly after the Lunar Alicorn. “Luna!” I exclaimed, trying to get her attention as I came up behind her. She turned to face me. Luna’s face tried to smile as I sidled up beside her. “Ah, Skyblaze, good morning,” she breathed. “You would not believe how glad I am to see your face. After that meeting, I need some decompression...” I guessed that my question could wait. Luna’s well-being was more important than my trivial dreams. She had a country to co-rule, after all. “Really? That stressful? I couldn’t tell,” I said, my voice dripping with humored sarcasm. “So decompress. What’s up?” “It’s classified above your rank, I’m afraid,” she stated with a huff. “I would tell you, but then I would have to have you killed. To be honest, I would rather that I keep you and the other guard informed of the whereabouts and actions of our enemies, but the commanders have agreed that it was for the better, so as to not cause panic.” “Bummer,” I frowned, patting the Princess on the back with a leathery wing. I wasn’t sure if she was kidding about having to kill me if she had told, given her past. “Maybe you could talk to your sister when she gets up. I bet she had the exact same meeting yesterday.” “Undoubtedly.” Luna eyed my wing. “You should be careful. Tia says there has been talk amongst the nobles recently about the amount of time we spend together. Not all of it in good taste.” With a nervous chuckle, I removed my wing. “Sorry,” I apologized, then let out a laugh. “Lucky Shot said something along those lines too. Why can’t ponies nowadays just have friends they like to be around without sending the wrong message?” “You tell me. I’ve been away for a few centuries,” she joked. “Yeah, that’ll do it,” I said, then continues to walk beside her for a few moments in silence. “Oh! I almost forgot! See, I thought that you’d be in that meeting for hours- and you were, so I brought you some fourthmeal.” I reached into my pack with the spur on my wing (probably the only real part of the Night Guard illusion), and pulled out a take-out bag from a sandwich joint not too far from the palace. Luna eagerly took the bag in her telekinesis and opened it, pulling out the hoagie sandwich and a travel mug filled with Saddle-Arabian dark roast. Tentatively taking a bite of the sandwich, the Princess smiled. “Lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, and black olives,” she said after her first bite went down her gullet. “You do know me too well, my friend. You didn’t have to do that.” “I kinda did,” I replied. “Consider it a co-pay.” Luna looked at me quizzically. “Co-pay?” she asked. “You realize that, in my many years, I have never practiced medicine?” “No no no, not like that. It’s something else. In fact, you’re probably the most qualified pony for the job.” Looking out the windows in the corridor, I saw a gibbous moon slowly beginning to sink lower in the sky. “You command dreams, right?” Luna nodded in realization, then sipped her coffee. “Of course, yes. Very well... what is your problem?” I took in a breath as we paused together at a window that held the stained-glass impression of a pegasus hero, driving back a dragon from a town below. Stalwart Sky, I think his name was, the only pony to single-hoofedly drive back a fully-grown dragon. “I’ve been having these dreams for a while now, and-” “No you haven’t.” I turned toward Luna in confusion. “What?” The Lunar Princess shook her head. “You never have dreams,” she stated plainly. “I thought this was a little odd, but by no means unheard of. Never, since the day I met you, have you ever had a single dream.” Chapter Three: Getting RustySkyblaze’s POV ”I don’t understand...” “While I can’t keep track of every dreaming pony in Equestria, Celestia had asked me to keep special watch on the six of you when you arrived from your world. In the last few months, you have never had a dream that I had sensed.” “But if it’s not a dream, then what is it? What’s been keeping me up at night? Luna, is there something wrong with me?” “I do not know, Skyblaze. This is something that requires more research on my part. Whatever you see while you sleep, it is not a dream. Not one in my jurisdiction, anyway.” “Under your jurisdiction? What’s that supposed to mean?” “I am not the only High Immortal that can influence mortal dreams, Sky. I am just the only one in this world.” << “Hello? Sir Skyblaze?” “Huh?” I jerked myself out of my thoughts to look back at Inkwell. The unicorn mare was looking at me in concern. “Sorry... I get distracted easily.” Inkwell gave me a frown. “Am I being a bore?” she asked. “My stories probably aren’t exciting enough for you and what you do in the Guard...” “No! No, that’s not it at all!” I exclaimed defensively, nearly knocking my coffee off the cast-iron park table. As far as dates went, this wasn’t on the top of my hit list. “Your story was very interesting! It’s just... I have a lot on my mind, is all... my talk with the Princess was very thought-provoking.” The unicorn huffed, picking up her coffee. “Yeah, right...” she said, sipping her coffee. There was a few moments of silence between us, enough to make it awkward. Frantically, I scoured my mind for something to say to her that would bring her back to the table. Let’s see... something I haven’t used on her yet... eyes? No, that was the very first thing I did. That’s what I always do. Her coat is very well-kempt, but that’s not exactly a romantic complement. Flanks? NOOOhohoho that’s creepy as hell! Mane? Oh! It’s in a different style! Use that! “Your mane looks good when you wear it down like that,” I observed. “It feels more relaxed, less professional and... kinda moves in a very free way.” Inkwell’s hoof went to her mane, brushing down some of the layered hair. “You like it?” she asked, a tone of surprise in her voice. “I just had it styled a few days ago... some noble friends of mine were a little on the fence about it.” “That’s nobility for you; never satisfied,” I blurted out without thinking. It took a lot of willpower not to facehoof at that point. I just insulted her friends. Buck me. To my surprise, Inkwell offered a small giggle. “Yes, well...” She sipped her coffee contemplatively. “I don’t really take their word with much weight. ‘On the fence’ for them is close to godliness for me.” I chuckled inwardly. “Like cleanliness?” Inwell nodded, giggling again. “Sure.” << By the time I was making my way back to the barracks for earlymorn exercises, I felt absolutely drained. Between waiting for Luna outside the war room, my talk with the Princess about my dreams that weren’t dreams, and my date with Inkwell, my body felt ready to collapse and my hooves ached something fierce. Forget flying; the last thing I need is sore wings before arial combat exercises. As I trotted along the Canterlot streets toward the outskirts, I pondered over my discussion with Luna. Not the only High Immortal that can influence dreams... I thought back to Luna’s words, biting my bottom lip. What other alicorn can make dreams? Certainly not Twilight or Cadance. Maybe Shining Armor has some kinda dreamwalker thing. I puffed out my cheeks frustratedly. If not Luna, maybe Celestia? Who knows what other stuff she can do besides move the sun. I paused in my stride as I recalled something else. Luna said that she’s the only one on this world... Blinking, I looked up at the sky. Are there more alicorns in another realm somewhere? An image of the pale alicorn from my visions flashed through my mind. Who is he? Why is he doing this to me? “Markus?” “EEP!” I jumped into the air and latched onto an overhead lamppost. I was so deep in my thoughts, I didn’t even notice the approaching pony until he was two feet from my face and calling to me. Getting over my jitters, I looked down from my perched to see the bemused emerald face of Kind Greetings staring up at me. “Ben!” I called down, climbing off the post and fluttering to the ground. “Schist, dude. Give me a heart attack, why don’t you?” “It was your fault for not even seeing me coming,” the Ambassador of Earth smirked back. “You should be more careful. If someone saw a simple earth pony like me spook a Night Guard like you- especially one with the illusion on -it would bring the Guard’s reputation into question.” “Yeah, well... I was just thinking deeply,” I countered weakly. “Did you need something or were you just looking for somepony to jump-scare?” Ben nodded. “I was looking for you, actually. Princess Luna sent me to make sure you were alright... for some reason." He peered at my curiously. "Are you sure you two are just friends? Because I think she shows a little more than concern for you.” "NO!" I exclaimed, leaning back on my haunches and throwing my hooves up in flustered exasperation. "Why does everypony assume we're together!? We're JUST FRIENDS!" Ben raised an eyebrow at my juvenile outburst. "Sorry..." I apologized, settling back down. "It's been a long day for me." Gathering myself back up, I smirked at Ben. "Besides, even if we were- and we're NOT -it would be a little more than suspicious if two bronies were dating either Princess, am I right?" With a small laugh, Ben looked down at the golden engagement ring, engraved with the symbol of the sun on his hoof with a nostalgic smile. We were all shocked out of our heads when Celestia and Kind Greetings announced their engagement. It was a surprise to every one of our friends, aside from Luna and I of course. The two of us had our suspicions that Ben and Celestia were doing a little more than collaborative paperwork in their time together alone, and guessed that Ben had gained a little more than Celestia’s trust during their diplomatic talks. “True, true,” he said, giving in. “It isn’t my place to turn you on her in the first place.” “Thanks. It seems like everypony is dead set on getting us together. And I thought I was a shipper.” Laughing despite myself, I started along my way again. “It was nice seeing you, Benny. Now, I need to get back to the garrison. Sarge’ll have my royal-blue ass if I’m late by even a--” “I’m afraid I wasn’t quite clear earlier when I said Luna had sent me,” Ben interrupted, halting me in my tracks. “She wanted to see you immediately. You have been excused from your duties by order of the Princess until further notice. ...and before you ask, no. I don’t know what she wants.” Huh? “But... I don’t get it,” I confessed, rubbing my chin with a metal-clad hoof. “We just spoke earlier tonight. What could she have to say that she didn’t already.” Ben shrugged dismissively. “Like I said, I don’t know what she wants,” said the ambassador with a matter-of-fact tone. “I would get moving if I were you.” “Yes sir, Ambassador-Princeling!” I replied with a mock salute, spreading my wings and jetting into the air without waiting for the retort I knew was coming. With all haste, I rocketed toward the palace, no longer concerned about earlymorn exercises. Instead, my concern lay heavy on what awaited me; on what Luna wanted with me that was so urgent. << Night Guard Lance Corporal Greyhoof’s POV Not everyone in our garrison was on leave for the night. Some, like myself, were on the patrol roster, which meant walking up and down the empty streets of Canterlot, on the lookout for suspicious activity. Though, as far as the Guard is concerned, ‘suspicious activity’ also included the occasional drunken disturbances or noise complaints. Not like we get much else around here. Not since the Aliyess Cultists stopped attacking after we found their hideaway in the crystal caverns. As I patrolled past one of the many pubs on my route, I noticed Lucky Shot waving out the window at me. With a chuckle, I discretely waved back at my comrade. Emphasis on ‘discretely.’ We can’t have it getting out that the Night Guard are anything but ruthless and scary. Never really liked that image myself, but I’ve come to like the respect I get from it. While the illusion keeps me anonymous, it sure freaks the hell out of anypony that might try to pull something on me. Like that one stallion- Cueball, I think it was -who hoofed over the money I wagered him over a game of billiards. I had won, of course, but the boy was adamant that I had cheated. I could still imagine his frightened face when he saw a bat-like Night Guard had been sent to collect. Priceless. A flicker of movement from a nearby alley caught my eye. At first, I thought it was a trick of the light, but there were no lamps nearby to cause something like that. Keeping a watchful eye on the alley’s entrance, I gripped the hilt of my blade in a telekinetic grasp and approached, sliding the blade out of its sheath a few inches. “Who’s there?” I barked, the illusion spell making my voice sound gruff and intimidating. “I am a Night Guard of Equestria, and I order you to show yourself!” When nothing happened, I growled in my throat and stepped around the corner into the alley. Though it may have looked pitch dark to the normal pony, the enchantment on my armor granted me enough darkvision to see almost every detail. Despite my suspicions, the alley only seemed to contain several discarded empty barrels that once held some kind of alcoholic brew. Cautiously I advanced into the alley, drawing my sword and holding it in front of me in a field of magic. Every so often, I would poke one of the barrels to frighten my prey out of hiding. “Come out, come out, wherever you are...” I chortled as I walked, trying to further intimidate my quarry. “Don’t worry... I won’t hurt you... much.” “No, but WE will.” Suddenly, I was tackled from behind by two heavy, powerful bodies. Likely earth ponies by their strength. We toppled over onto the ground in a heap, and my horn struck the cobblestone. The disruption in my magical field disoriented me, my sword clattering to the ground with no magic to hold it up. Before I could recover and react to the attack, my forelegs were seized by the two ponies that had tackled me. I was lifted up and spun around, powerful legs holding mine out to each side. I struggled against them, but they were too strong for me to break away. My sword lay just a few feet away, but the hit on my horn prevented me from using magic for precious seconds. I was caught and helpless. “Hush now,” cooed the voice from before. A dark unicorn mare approached us, lifting my blade up in her own magic. To my horror, I recognized the glow of slitted green eyes and the flowing black cloak. “Hold still. Darkness will take you soon enough.” “Aliyess...” I growled, baring my fangs and glaring at the mare. But, despite my brave visage, I was panicking inside. If the Cult could infiltrate this deep into Canterlot without being detected, then there was a fatal breach in our security that could mean the fall of Canterlot to this evil. “Release me, scum!” “Hmm... I think not,” the mare hummed, as if musing over the situation to herself. “Not when you have something we need, after all. Darkness be blessed, we couldn’t possibly just let you go.” I hesitated in my thrashing, looking at the mare in confusion. “...what?” “Your armor,” she clarified, smiling. “Very important to us, you see.” My armor? What? I thought about it for a moment, thinking fast. It wasn’t much of a choice, really; either I hoof over my armor, or they most likely kill me. “Very well, you can have it,” I spat. “Take it and release me, worm.” The Cultist clicked her tongue a few times, shaking her head. “I don’t think you understand, batty,” she chuckled. “If we let you go, you’d blab straight to your false goddess. We can’t have that happening, can we?” She leveled the blade at my throat, giving me a smile. “Give my regards to your ancestors.” NOOO- The blade fell. I ceased knowing. Chapter Four: The Net of Dreams << Skyblaze’s POV “OOF!” I grunted as I hit the surface of the balcony outside Luna’s tower. As a flier, I was one of the best in my garrison; there was no flight course in boot camp I hadn’t dominated, no aerial challenge I couldn’t rise to. However, the scores on my files are far less than what my skill suggested. Why? I could never stick a landing. Ever. Looking up, I saw the two Lunar Royal Guards staring at me, trying to hide the fanged grins and snickers. With a sigh, I picked myself up off the ground. “Hey, guys.” “Morning, Corporal,” chuckled the female guard. “What is it this time? Too hot, or too steep?” “I actually saw him listing to one side, coming in at an undesirable angle of approach,” the pegasus stallion opposite the mare stated helpfully. “Instead of adjusting, the impact was too centered on one direction, causing him to topple over.” I gave the stallion a thankful smile. “See, I’d be much better at landing if ponies could stop laughing long enough to help a bro out,” I said, standing. “Now, as to the business side of things...” “She’s waiting for you,” the mare informed. “Our Princess is in a distressed mood right now, and... I’m sure you know what that can be like.” “More than most,” I grumbled, trotting past them to enter the office. “Have a good night, you two.” “Happy landings, Corporal Freescript,” the mare snickered. << Luna’s study was a drastic change from the rest of the palace. Everything was colored a deep midnight blue or dusky purple, creating a dark, yet soothing atmosphere. But the ceiling was truly the most impressive part; the domed top of the study arched up to a disk of white light at the top, simulating a moon. Below that, Luna was able to suspend several tiny points of light in midair to imitate stars and complete the portrait. Luna took the night sky and planted it on her ceiling. At the moment, the Lunar Alicorn was slumped over her desk, rubbing her forehead at the base of her horn. To her right on the desk was a glass of bubbling seltzer water and a coffee-filled mug that had ‘I Own The Night’ printed on the side. Wow... I grimaced as I observed her state. They weren’t kidding when they said she was stressed. She would HAVE to be to use that horrific mug. “Luna?” I called out. The Princess of the Night startled, jumping in her seat. “Oh, it’s just you,” she sighed. “You did send for me,” I pointed out as I walked across the room to stand in front of her desk. Eyeing the mug, I chuckled. “So, you own the night, huh?” A frown appeared on Luna’s face. “Evidently so,” she mumbled, telekinetically lifting the offending mug up to take a sip of the strong-smelling brew. “Kind Greetings found you, then. Good... I apologize if I interrupted something.” “What could you possibly be interrupting more worthwhile than my duty to Princess and Country?” I asked. “...point taken.” Rising from her seat, Luna magicked open a drawer in her desk and removed... well, to say it was a book would be an insult to books. Whatever she pulled out of the drawer was bound and wrapped in some kind of thick linen material that was fraying at the edges. Both hardcovers were half-inch thick rectangular slabs of shale, etched with Archaic runes. Embedded on the side I thought may be the front was a gemstone disc of lime-green peridot, cut perfectly smooth to fit into the circular groove in the shale. What the pages were made out of was a mystery to me. “What the schist is that?” I asked as she set it down on the floor between us. “This is draconian shale; not--” Luna looked at me for a moment. “Never mind.” By her whim and magic, the cover spun itself to face me. I stared down at the ancient tome. In my mind’s eye, the Archaic symbols on the shale arranged themselves into comprehension, spelling out the title. “Edition the Second, Royal Compendium for Mortal Posterity: Gifts of the...” I struggled with the last symbol. Usually, as a Bard, Archaic was almost like reading or writing regular Equestrian, but that’s not to say I wasn’t completely fluent with the dead language. “No, I did not expect you to recognize that particular word,” stated Luna. “It has many meanings and synonym runes, developed by multitudes of perspectives on what it may mean. These may include ‘deity,’ ‘aspect,’ ‘angel,’ ‘royal,’ or more commonly, ‘High Immortal.’” “It means ‘alicorn?’” I concluded in realization, then read the title again. “Gifts of the Alicorns.” Luna nodded. “If you prefer.” For a little while, I stared at the stone-cover book in wonder at its antiquity. But, as with many things regarding history, I became bored of it immediately. “So what is it?” With a roll of her eyes, the Lunar Alicorn opened the book with her magic and flipped through the pages. Each page, written in near-perfect Archaic lettering, also included the occasional rough sketch of a strange object. “This is the only reference remaining after Discord’s reign to the High Immortals of the Second Age, or at least what they left behind. I was searching through it earlier to find others who have power over dreams as I do.” “Any luck?” I asked hopefully. “A little,” she replied, turning to a specific page, titled. On it was an illustration of something akin to Native American dreamcatchers back on Earth. “This is the Net of Dreams, an artifact constructed by several alicorns that could walk through dreams, for the purpose of giving certain mortals the same power to help those with extreme mental ailments.” Luna indicated a certain passage with her hoof. “The names of those involved are here.” “Mystia the Arcane, High Spirits the Inspiring, Nocturna of the Night, Somnus the Dreamwalker...” I paused on that name. “That seems legit.” “Somnus was the alicorn of dreams, specifically,” Luna clarified. Nodding, I continued. “Mechanus the Inventor, Avandura the Adventurous...” The final two names seemed a little unembellished, which was confusing, given that the previous few preceded titles. “...Epoch, and Chronos.” Pursing her lips, Luna glanced between the book and myself. “The Lords of Time,” she explained. “Epoch was the true alicorn of time during the Second Age. Chronos, however, is the only survivor of the First Age. Legend has it that he used his command over time to escape whatever disaster occurred to the first High Immortals.” She took another sip of coffee. “...yeah, about that,” I began, my curiosity piqued. “What DID happen to all these alicorns you mentioned?” “Nopony knows,” Luna said with a shrug. “Almost every text from that age was destroyed in Discord’s reign from one of his large-scale ‘pranks.’” A glint of distaste bled into her eyes. “...I find nothing funny about a plague of bookworms.” “Bummer,” I commented, then returned to the topic. “So if all these alicorns are gone, how can one be messing with my head?” “I can’t be sure,” admitted the Princess. “Perhaps the veil between this world and wherever they disappeared to is thin enough that a more powerful alicorn could influence dreams across it. Or, on an extremely thin possibility, there is another alicorn on Terra that we do not know of.” “But what about this thing?” I turned the book, still open to the page on the Net of Dreams. “Maybe somepony’s using this thing on me.” Luna frowned. “A sound theory, but impossible.” “Why’s that?” “I destroyed the Net of Dreams myself,” she answered. “Command over dreams is a power to be reckoned with. Through a pony’s dream, you can influence their decisions, make them do things against their nature, and even change who they are. The reason I am so adamant to help you, Skyblaze, is that if there is indeed a pony putting dreams in your mind, it means they have you under their thumb.” I gulped down a snag in my throat. “You mean...?” “With your position in the Guard, they could attack Canterlot, with you as their unwilling accomplice.”
Chapter One: When I Was a Young Lad... << As soon as Cereal threw the switch, I found myself wrenched off my hooves and flung into nothingness. At once, I found myself hurtling through some kind of reddish tunnel thing. I felt nothing around me; no air, nor wind... not even sound. Cereal’s last warning still echoed in my mind: “Try not to breathe.” But I didn’t heed it fast enough, and I had just finished an exhale before being shot into the void. My empty lungs burned, still waiting for that next breath of oxygen. Holding fast, I tried to keep myself from breathing for as long as I could. At first, it seemed as if the tunnel would never end, as if I would never be able to take that breath. For what felt like several minutes, I held on to my limit. Perhaps even past it. It was a valiant effort, but it was in vain. Giving in to the vacuum swirling around me, I relaxed my muscles and opened my mouth, preparing to take in whatever I could. I remember wondering if I was going to live. Then something happened. In the red, there was a bright flash of vibrant yellow light, appearing as soon as I inhaled. To my shock, I found my lungs filling with cool, relieving air. My head stopped swimming and I was filled with gratitude that I had avoided harm somehow. Suddenly, it was over. I lurched as my hooves hit something solid, falling over onto a planty ground. Still a little disoriented from my trip through the barriers of the universe- and from being transformed into a quadrupedal pegasus -it took me a while to regain my senses. It appeared as if I had landed in some kind of garden with a ton of statues placed randomly around it. One such statue was very familiar to me. I chuckled to myself as I stared up at Discord’s despairing stone visage. It suddenly came to me then. “Holy schist...” I breathed, staring around at everything. “I’m in Equestria!” “But it’s wrong.” A deep, echoing voice from behind made me jump and spin on the spot. Somehow, I wasn’t in the gardens anymore. Everything around me was black and empty, the air became tight and noxious, and the black closed in around me. The only other thing besides myself was a large, pale stallion, maybe three times my height. More surprising were his massive wings and spear-like horn, marking him as an alicorn of some kind. "This is not how it is meant to be." Skyblaze’s POV “Sky! ‘Ey, Skyblaze! Wake yerself up, lad!” I groaned as the heavily-accented voice invaded my sleep and pulled me from my dreams. Rolling over, I tried to snuggle deeper under my covers. As much as I enjoyed Lucky Shot’s company as a buddy and comrade, the white-maned, green-coated, red-eyed unicorn could get very annoying with how punctual he was at waking everypony an hour before sunset. He was like an alarm clock: useful, but that use constantly irritates you to no end. Lucky growled and yanked the sheets from my bed. Great, now it was going to take even more time to tidy my bed. “Up an at ‘em Sky!” Lucky Shot chirped. “Ye canneh sleep the night away, ye lazy mule. Sarge’ll be right cross fer sure.” “Just watch me,” I groaned back, shivering at the absence of my blankets. He was right though; Sargent Sure Hoof would have the hide off my flanks if I missed role. I had to get up sooner than later if I wanted to continue living. “I’m getting up,” I assured Lucky as he inhaled for another scolding. “Just gimme a sec and I‘ll be down for coffee.” “I’ve already got me famed Galloping Grind a’ brewing for ye. I know how much ye like it!” Lucky quickly trotted down the row of other cots in the Night Guard barracks. With a mighty heave, I managed to push myself off the floor and follow Lucky’s hoofsteps, grumbling to myself about how unnecessary it was to remind me that his secret coffee blend from his hometown was apparently ‘famed.’ I haven’t heard one inkling of it being known anywhere outside our garrison, much less anywhere else in Equestria. I paused for a moment. Wow, I’m really pissy today... I wondered to myself. Maybe I should take something for my dreams if they keep waking me up in the night. Or talk to Luna about it, if she isn’t busy. Probably against my better judgement, my dreams were something I kept to myself. They always made me wake up in the middle of the day, usually breathing heavily or sweating. Of course, I began to lose a lot of sleep because of that, and my mental health was starting to feel the strain more and more. The funny thing is, I didn’t start having them until I first arrived in Equestria. One more thing I could complain about my dreams was that they never change. Ever. It’s always about that fateful day when Cereal activated the portal and sent us all through to Equestria. But then it warped into something else: that pale alicorn, telling me that something was wrong. But what? What could have possibly been wrong about our arrival? It couldn’t have gone smoother, in my opinion. Then again, Shift did suffer a bit of a gash, but that was caused by him breathing in the time-space tunnel. Still, there was nothing about my personal arrival that was off. After all, I had arrived safe and sound, just like I should have. << “Private Truestrike Swordswing!” “Aye, Sargent!” “Corporal Lucky Shot!” “Aye, Sarge!” “Corporal-Bard Skyblaze Freescript!” “Aye, Sargent!” I called out as the role continued down the line. A few times, Sure Hoof would call out a name and get no response, at which point he would make a note to check if they were incapacitated or slept in. I felt bad for any that did the latter. Sure Hoof was always swift to punish lazy Night Guards with the most gruelling of chores. I remembered the first time I had to clean out the privvy... that was hard, even with Bardic songs to help get the sides clean, and don’t even get me started on how bad that schist stains. “Alright!” Sure Hoof bellowed once he was done with role. “As you may have heard, it is a Saturday until midnight, and as you all might know, that means those of you that are not on the patrol schedule have an open timeslot between breakfast and earlymorn exercises. You’re all on your own for fourthmeal. Any questions.” Silence. Through the quiet, I could feel the anticipation of those that had most of the night off, myself included. “Then you are dismissed to the mess for your oatmeal. Be back here promptly at earlymorn!” Our garrison gave the Sargent one last synchronized salute before the majority of the congregation rushed off for the mess hall. Lucky shot tapped my shoulder as we were trotting along and moved up beside me. “Ye seemed a wee bit tense a’morn, lad,” he observed. “How’s about ye join meself and the comp’ny fer a few ales down at the pub? It’ll set ya right as rain.” “That sounds great, Lucky,” I replied. “But you know I don’t drink.” “Did I say ye was going t’ be the one drinkin’, Sky?” he laughed. I smiled, but still shook my head. “I’m gonna go visit Luna,” I told him. “There’s something I need to ask her about. That, and I haven’t seen her in a bit, so I’d like to catch up with her.” Lucky rolled his eyes. “Aye... ye an’ the Princess,” he grumbled. “I might be a’ spittin’ blasphemy, but if ye spend so much time with the lass, ye should at least be tryin’ to court her. There be a right small number o’ stallions that can shimmy up that coleen’s shamrock like ye have.” “What!? No way man!” I laughed at him. “Luna’s just my friend! Besides, there’s no way in Tartarus that she would go for a guy like me!”
Chapter Two: Between FriendsSkyblaze’s POV One annoying thing about being a Night Guard was that you were required to wear your armor anytime you entered the palace grounds. It wasn’t so much that the armor was uncomfortable. Far from it, actually. Night Guards depended less on physical force and power than our diurnal comrades, and more on subtlety and mobility. Therefore, our armor was made lighter and allowed more freedom of movement, which, by consequence, made it much more pleasing to wear than the heavy armor of the Day Guard. Rather, it was the strange looks and wary glances I got. You see, part of the Night Guards’ tactics in battle is psychological warfare: we need to look freaking scary as schist, both in and out of battle, to create an image of fear and mystery. Unfortunately, this gave us a soiled reputation as burglars and assassins that only existed to do dirty work for the Princesses that they didn’t want the public to know about. Which was partially true, I guess. I sighed, looking up at the gates to the palace, then back down to the ebon helm. “Let’s get this over with, then.” Lifting the helm up, I slid it onto my head. The enchantment on it activated instantaneously, sending a shiver down my spine. To make sure it had worked properly, I leaned over a puddle in the cobblestone road from the recent rainfall last evening. Under the helm, my golden eyes blinked, now appearing slitted, like a cat’s. My ears had grown a thicker and longer layer coat, making them longer and more pointed. I ran my tongue across my newly-grown fangs, careful not to poke myself. Looking back at my sides, I admired the pair of leathery, bony bat wings that had replaced my feathered ones. Beneath them and my dark, ebon, chain-and-plate armor, my coat had turned a darker and frightful shade of its usual indigo. It was all an illusion, of course, but no one outside the Guard had to know that. They just had to know how to fear it. “Evening, Corporal,” one of the Lunar Royal Guards greeted as I approached the front gate of the palace. “Here on official business, or is this another personal visit to the Princess?” “Nah, just a personal visit tonight, Chief,” I replied with a polite salute. “Is Luna in, tonight?” The lieutenant shrugged. “Can’t tell ya if she is. Last I heard, she was in a big, important war council about the you-know-what. From the word-of-mouth about it, it sounds like nopony in that room is coming out for a long time, including the Princess. I suggest you go out and get some fourthmeal while you wait; the last one took a few hours.” “Schist...” I swore to myself. “Thanks for the heads-up, Chief.” << Two hours. That’s how long I waited outside the war room of the palace for Luna. It wasn’t all bad, I suppose. It gave me time to catch up on my favorite hobby: poetry. Yeah, I know, it’s not the most stallionly of things to do with my free time, but it does help pass the time, along with a few other benefits. As a Bard, my usefulness in battle depends on Archaic phrases and songs that I had either learned from studying obscure Bardic texts, sung out of adrenal instinct, or created myself. I discovered some time later, during a skirmish with some gangsters in Manehattan, that songs I had wrote myself were greatly more powerful than those I had read or that came to me automatically. With a frown, I looked down at the Archaic runes I had scribbled into my notebook, then up at the secretary running the desk outside the war room. “Excuse me,” I said, getting her attention. “Does anvigr sound like it rhymes with vaalr?” The cerulean unicorn blinked at me from behind her horn-rimmed glasses. “I... I don’t believe so, no,” she replied honestly. “The beginning of the last syllable on the first word is a hard sound, while the second has a longer one of the same. I believe they should both either have hard sounds or soft sounds.” The secretary reached behind her desk and removed a book with a blue cover. “Need a thesaurus?” “You wouldn’t happen to have one for Archaic, would you?” I joked, making my point. She giggled at that. “No, I suppose I don’t.” With a short ‘thanks anyway,’ I resumed my writing, though a little more distracted this time. I kept glancing up at the secretary, noticing how neatly she put up her light-blue mane in a perfect bun. Every so often, I would catch her stealing glances as well. Finally I looked up at her and took in a breath. “Hey, I was wondering... um...” a blush crept onto my face beneath my helm. “Inkwell,” she introduced, blushing as well. “And I get off at three.” “Three... great!” I chirped back with a smile. “Oh, I uh... I’m Skyblaze.” Suave wasn’t my defining trait, but I was just glad I hadn’t bombed that pick-up. I usually break down into a nervous wreck when I ask somepony out. “You don’t seem too bothered by my armor,” I noticed. Inkwell shrugged. “You get used to it when you manage the desk outside the war room.” I laughed. “Yeah,” I replied. “But I don’t think you’ll have to see this batty face when I pick you up later.” Gah... that was stupid. Why did I say that? I need coffee... Oh! Coffee! That’s it! “So, uh... coffee, then? Or maybe a small bite?” “Sure, that sounds good,” replied Inkwell with an understanding smile. “I know this place by a park. We could walk there after we grab our coffee.” “Perfect.” Suddenly, the doors to the war room burst open. A stressed-looking Princess Luna, along with several equally-stressed commanders and officers exited. I immediately stood at attention as soon as the higher-ranking ponies began passing, like any respectful subordinate. After a moment, somepony muttered ‘at-ease’ to me. Waving to Inkwell and putting my notebook in my saddlebags, I trotted quickly after the Lunar Alicorn. “Luna!” I exclaimed, trying to get her attention as I came up behind her. She turned to face me. Luna’s face tried to smile as I sidled up beside her. “Ah, Skyblaze, good morning,” she breathed. “You would not believe how glad I am to see your face. After that meeting, I need some decompression...” I guessed that my question could wait. Luna’s well-being was more important than my trivial dreams. She had a country to co-rule, after all. “Really? That stressful? I couldn’t tell,” I said, my voice dripping with humored sarcasm. “So decompress. What’s up?” “It’s classified above your rank, I’m afraid,” she stated with a huff. “I would tell you, but then I would have to have you killed. To be honest, I would rather that I keep you and the other guard informed of the whereabouts and actions of our enemies, but the commanders have agreed that it was for the better, so as to not cause panic.” “Bummer,” I frowned, patting the Princess on the back with a leathery wing. I wasn’t sure if she was kidding about having to kill me if she had told, given her past. “Maybe you could talk to your sister when she gets up. I bet she had the exact same meeting yesterday.” “Undoubtedly.” Luna eyed my wing. “You should be careful. Tia says there has been talk amongst the nobles recently about the amount of time we spend together. Not all of it in good taste.” With a nervous chuckle, I removed my wing. “Sorry,” I apologized, then let out a laugh. “Lucky Shot said something along those lines too. Why can’t ponies nowadays just have friends they like to be around without sending the wrong message?” “You tell me. I’ve been away for a few centuries,” she joked. “Yeah, that’ll do it,” I said, then continues to walk beside her for a few moments in silence. “Oh! I almost forgot! See, I thought that you’d be in that meeting for hours- and you were, so I brought you some fourthmeal.” I reached into my pack with the spur on my wing (probably the only real part of the Night Guard illusion), and pulled out a take-out bag from a sandwich joint not too far from the palace. Luna eagerly took the bag in her telekinesis and opened it, pulling out the hoagie sandwich and a travel mug filled with Saddle-Arabian dark roast. Tentatively taking a bite of the sandwich, the Princess smiled. “Lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, and black olives,” she said after her first bite went down her gullet. “You do know me too well, my friend. You didn’t have to do that.” “I kinda did,” I replied. “Consider it a co-pay.” Luna looked at me quizzically. “Co-pay?” she asked. “You realize that, in my many years, I have never practiced medicine?” “No no no, not like that. It’s something else. In fact, you’re probably the most qualified pony for the job.” Looking out the windows in the corridor, I saw a gibbous moon slowly beginning to sink lower in the sky. “You command dreams, right?” Luna nodded in realization, then sipped her coffee. “Of course, yes. Very well... what is your problem?” I took in a breath as we paused together at a window that held the stained-glass impression of a pegasus hero, driving back a dragon from a town below. Stalwart Sky, I think his name was, the only pony to single-hoofedly drive back a fully-grown dragon. “I’ve been having these dreams for a while now, and-” “No you haven’t.” I turned toward Luna in confusion. “What?” The Lunar Princess shook her head. “You never have dreams,” she stated plainly. “I thought this was a little odd, but by no means unheard of. Never, since the day I met you, have you ever had a single dream.”
Chapter Three: Getting RustySkyblaze’s POV ”I don’t understand...” “While I can’t keep track of every dreaming pony in Equestria, Celestia had asked me to keep special watch on the six of you when you arrived from your world. In the last few months, you have never had a dream that I had sensed.” “But if it’s not a dream, then what is it? What’s been keeping me up at night? Luna, is there something wrong with me?” “I do not know, Skyblaze. This is something that requires more research on my part. Whatever you see while you sleep, it is not a dream. Not one in my jurisdiction, anyway.” “Under your jurisdiction? What’s that supposed to mean?” “I am not the only High Immortal that can influence mortal dreams, Sky. I am just the only one in this world.” << “Hello? Sir Skyblaze?” “Huh?” I jerked myself out of my thoughts to look back at Inkwell. The unicorn mare was looking at me in concern. “Sorry... I get distracted easily.” Inkwell gave me a frown. “Am I being a bore?” she asked. “My stories probably aren’t exciting enough for you and what you do in the Guard...” “No! No, that’s not it at all!” I exclaimed defensively, nearly knocking my coffee off the cast-iron park table. As far as dates went, this wasn’t on the top of my hit list. “Your story was very interesting! It’s just... I have a lot on my mind, is all... my talk with the Princess was very thought-provoking.” The unicorn huffed, picking up her coffee. “Yeah, right...” she said, sipping her coffee. There was a few moments of silence between us, enough to make it awkward. Frantically, I scoured my mind for something to say to her that would bring her back to the table. Let’s see... something I haven’t used on her yet... eyes? No, that was the very first thing I did. That’s what I always do. Her coat is very well-kempt, but that’s not exactly a romantic complement. Flanks? NOOOhohoho that’s creepy as hell! Mane? Oh! It’s in a different style! Use that! “Your mane looks good when you wear it down like that,” I observed. “It feels more relaxed, less professional and... kinda moves in a very free way.” Inkwell’s hoof went to her mane, brushing down some of the layered hair. “You like it?” she asked, a tone of surprise in her voice. “I just had it styled a few days ago... some noble friends of mine were a little on the fence about it.” “That’s nobility for you; never satisfied,” I blurted out without thinking. It took a lot of willpower not to facehoof at that point. I just insulted her friends. Buck me. To my surprise, Inkwell offered a small giggle. “Yes, well...” She sipped her coffee contemplatively. “I don’t really take their word with much weight. ‘On the fence’ for them is close to godliness for me.” I chuckled inwardly. “Like cleanliness?” Inwell nodded, giggling again. “Sure.” << By the time I was making my way back to the barracks for earlymorn exercises, I felt absolutely drained. Between waiting for Luna outside the war room, my talk with the Princess about my dreams that weren’t dreams, and my date with Inkwell, my body felt ready to collapse and my hooves ached something fierce. Forget flying; the last thing I need is sore wings before arial combat exercises. As I trotted along the Canterlot streets toward the outskirts, I pondered over my discussion with Luna. Not the only High Immortal that can influence dreams... I thought back to Luna’s words, biting my bottom lip. What other alicorn can make dreams? Certainly not Twilight or Cadance. Maybe Shining Armor has some kinda dreamwalker thing. I puffed out my cheeks frustratedly. If not Luna, maybe Celestia? Who knows what other stuff she can do besides move the sun. I paused in my stride as I recalled something else. Luna said that she’s the only one on this world... Blinking, I looked up at the sky. Are there more alicorns in another realm somewhere? An image of the pale alicorn from my visions flashed through my mind. Who is he? Why is he doing this to me? “Markus?” “EEP!” I jumped into the air and latched onto an overhead lamppost. I was so deep in my thoughts, I didn’t even notice the approaching pony until he was two feet from my face and calling to me. Getting over my jitters, I looked down from my perched to see the bemused emerald face of Kind Greetings staring up at me. “Ben!” I called down, climbing off the post and fluttering to the ground. “Schist, dude. Give me a heart attack, why don’t you?” “It was your fault for not even seeing me coming,” the Ambassador of Earth smirked back. “You should be more careful. If someone saw a simple earth pony like me spook a Night Guard like you- especially one with the illusion on -it would bring the Guard’s reputation into question.” “Yeah, well... I was just thinking deeply,” I countered weakly. “Did you need something or were you just looking for somepony to jump-scare?” Ben nodded. “I was looking for you, actually. Princess Luna sent me to make sure you were alright... for some reason." He peered at my curiously. "Are you sure you two are just friends? Because I think she shows a little more than concern for you.” "NO!" I exclaimed, leaning back on my haunches and throwing my hooves up in flustered exasperation. "Why does everypony assume we're together!? We're JUST FRIENDS!" Ben raised an eyebrow at my juvenile outburst. "Sorry..." I apologized, settling back down. "It's been a long day for me." Gathering myself back up, I smirked at Ben. "Besides, even if we were- and we're NOT -it would be a little more than suspicious if two bronies were dating either Princess, am I right?" With a small laugh, Ben looked down at the golden engagement ring, engraved with the symbol of the sun on his hoof with a nostalgic smile. We were all shocked out of our heads when Celestia and Kind Greetings announced their engagement. It was a surprise to every one of our friends, aside from Luna and I of course. The two of us had our suspicions that Ben and Celestia were doing a little more than collaborative paperwork in their time together alone, and guessed that Ben had gained a little more than Celestia’s trust during their diplomatic talks. “True, true,” he said, giving in. “It isn’t my place to turn you on her in the first place.” “Thanks. It seems like everypony is dead set on getting us together. And I thought I was a shipper.” Laughing despite myself, I started along my way again. “It was nice seeing you, Benny. Now, I need to get back to the garrison. Sarge’ll have my royal-blue ass if I’m late by even a--” “I’m afraid I wasn’t quite clear earlier when I said Luna had sent me,” Ben interrupted, halting me in my tracks. “She wanted to see you immediately. You have been excused from your duties by order of the Princess until further notice. ...and before you ask, no. I don’t know what she wants.” Huh? “But... I don’t get it,” I confessed, rubbing my chin with a metal-clad hoof. “We just spoke earlier tonight. What could she have to say that she didn’t already.” Ben shrugged dismissively. “Like I said, I don’t know what she wants,” said the ambassador with a matter-of-fact tone. “I would get moving if I were you.” “Yes sir, Ambassador-Princeling!” I replied with a mock salute, spreading my wings and jetting into the air without waiting for the retort I knew was coming. With all haste, I rocketed toward the palace, no longer concerned about earlymorn exercises. Instead, my concern lay heavy on what awaited me; on what Luna wanted with me that was so urgent. << Night Guard Lance Corporal Greyhoof’s POV Not everyone in our garrison was on leave for the night. Some, like myself, were on the patrol roster, which meant walking up and down the empty streets of Canterlot, on the lookout for suspicious activity. Though, as far as the Guard is concerned, ‘suspicious activity’ also included the occasional drunken disturbances or noise complaints. Not like we get much else around here. Not since the Aliyess Cultists stopped attacking after we found their hideaway in the crystal caverns. As I patrolled past one of the many pubs on my route, I noticed Lucky Shot waving out the window at me. With a chuckle, I discretely waved back at my comrade. Emphasis on ‘discretely.’ We can’t have it getting out that the Night Guard are anything but ruthless and scary. Never really liked that image myself, but I’ve come to like the respect I get from it. While the illusion keeps me anonymous, it sure freaks the hell out of anypony that might try to pull something on me. Like that one stallion- Cueball, I think it was -who hoofed over the money I wagered him over a game of billiards. I had won, of course, but the boy was adamant that I had cheated. I could still imagine his frightened face when he saw a bat-like Night Guard had been sent to collect. Priceless. A flicker of movement from a nearby alley caught my eye. At first, I thought it was a trick of the light, but there were no lamps nearby to cause something like that. Keeping a watchful eye on the alley’s entrance, I gripped the hilt of my blade in a telekinetic grasp and approached, sliding the blade out of its sheath a few inches. “Who’s there?” I barked, the illusion spell making my voice sound gruff and intimidating. “I am a Night Guard of Equestria, and I order you to show yourself!” When nothing happened, I growled in my throat and stepped around the corner into the alley. Though it may have looked pitch dark to the normal pony, the enchantment on my armor granted me enough darkvision to see almost every detail. Despite my suspicions, the alley only seemed to contain several discarded empty barrels that once held some kind of alcoholic brew. Cautiously I advanced into the alley, drawing my sword and holding it in front of me in a field of magic. Every so often, I would poke one of the barrels to frighten my prey out of hiding. “Come out, come out, wherever you are...” I chortled as I walked, trying to further intimidate my quarry. “Don’t worry... I won’t hurt you... much.” “No, but WE will.” Suddenly, I was tackled from behind by two heavy, powerful bodies. Likely earth ponies by their strength. We toppled over onto the ground in a heap, and my horn struck the cobblestone. The disruption in my magical field disoriented me, my sword clattering to the ground with no magic to hold it up. Before I could recover and react to the attack, my forelegs were seized by the two ponies that had tackled me. I was lifted up and spun around, powerful legs holding mine out to each side. I struggled against them, but they were too strong for me to break away. My sword lay just a few feet away, but the hit on my horn prevented me from using magic for precious seconds. I was caught and helpless. “Hush now,” cooed the voice from before. A dark unicorn mare approached us, lifting my blade up in her own magic. To my horror, I recognized the glow of slitted green eyes and the flowing black cloak. “Hold still. Darkness will take you soon enough.” “Aliyess...” I growled, baring my fangs and glaring at the mare. But, despite my brave visage, I was panicking inside. If the Cult could infiltrate this deep into Canterlot without being detected, then there was a fatal breach in our security that could mean the fall of Canterlot to this evil. “Release me, scum!” “Hmm... I think not,” the mare hummed, as if musing over the situation to herself. “Not when you have something we need, after all. Darkness be blessed, we couldn’t possibly just let you go.” I hesitated in my thrashing, looking at the mare in confusion. “...what?” “Your armor,” she clarified, smiling. “Very important to us, you see.” My armor? What? I thought about it for a moment, thinking fast. It wasn’t much of a choice, really; either I hoof over my armor, or they most likely kill me. “Very well, you can have it,” I spat. “Take it and release me, worm.” The Cultist clicked her tongue a few times, shaking her head. “I don’t think you understand, batty,” she chuckled. “If we let you go, you’d blab straight to your false goddess. We can’t have that happening, can we?” She leveled the blade at my throat, giving me a smile. “Give my regards to your ancestors.” NOOO- The blade fell. I ceased knowing.
Chapter Four: The Net of Dreams << Skyblaze’s POV “OOF!” I grunted as I hit the surface of the balcony outside Luna’s tower. As a flier, I was one of the best in my garrison; there was no flight course in boot camp I hadn’t dominated, no aerial challenge I couldn’t rise to. However, the scores on my files are far less than what my skill suggested. Why? I could never stick a landing. Ever. Looking up, I saw the two Lunar Royal Guards staring at me, trying to hide the fanged grins and snickers. With a sigh, I picked myself up off the ground. “Hey, guys.” “Morning, Corporal,” chuckled the female guard. “What is it this time? Too hot, or too steep?” “I actually saw him listing to one side, coming in at an undesirable angle of approach,” the pegasus stallion opposite the mare stated helpfully. “Instead of adjusting, the impact was too centered on one direction, causing him to topple over.” I gave the stallion a thankful smile. “See, I’d be much better at landing if ponies could stop laughing long enough to help a bro out,” I said, standing. “Now, as to the business side of things...” “She’s waiting for you,” the mare informed. “Our Princess is in a distressed mood right now, and... I’m sure you know what that can be like.” “More than most,” I grumbled, trotting past them to enter the office. “Have a good night, you two.” “Happy landings, Corporal Freescript,” the mare snickered. << Luna’s study was a drastic change from the rest of the palace. Everything was colored a deep midnight blue or dusky purple, creating a dark, yet soothing atmosphere. But the ceiling was truly the most impressive part; the domed top of the study arched up to a disk of white light at the top, simulating a moon. Below that, Luna was able to suspend several tiny points of light in midair to imitate stars and complete the portrait. Luna took the night sky and planted it on her ceiling. At the moment, the Lunar Alicorn was slumped over her desk, rubbing her forehead at the base of her horn. To her right on the desk was a glass of bubbling seltzer water and a coffee-filled mug that had ‘I Own The Night’ printed on the side. Wow... I grimaced as I observed her state. They weren’t kidding when they said she was stressed. She would HAVE to be to use that horrific mug. “Luna?” I called out. The Princess of the Night startled, jumping in her seat. “Oh, it’s just you,” she sighed. “You did send for me,” I pointed out as I walked across the room to stand in front of her desk. Eyeing the mug, I chuckled. “So, you own the night, huh?” A frown appeared on Luna’s face. “Evidently so,” she mumbled, telekinetically lifting the offending mug up to take a sip of the strong-smelling brew. “Kind Greetings found you, then. Good... I apologize if I interrupted something.” “What could you possibly be interrupting more worthwhile than my duty to Princess and Country?” I asked. “...point taken.” Rising from her seat, Luna magicked open a drawer in her desk and removed... well, to say it was a book would be an insult to books. Whatever she pulled out of the drawer was bound and wrapped in some kind of thick linen material that was fraying at the edges. Both hardcovers were half-inch thick rectangular slabs of shale, etched with Archaic runes. Embedded on the side I thought may be the front was a gemstone disc of lime-green peridot, cut perfectly smooth to fit into the circular groove in the shale. What the pages were made out of was a mystery to me. “What the schist is that?” I asked as she set it down on the floor between us. “This is draconian shale; not--” Luna looked at me for a moment. “Never mind.” By her whim and magic, the cover spun itself to face me. I stared down at the ancient tome. In my mind’s eye, the Archaic symbols on the shale arranged themselves into comprehension, spelling out the title. “Edition the Second, Royal Compendium for Mortal Posterity: Gifts of the...” I struggled with the last symbol. Usually, as a Bard, Archaic was almost like reading or writing regular Equestrian, but that’s not to say I wasn’t completely fluent with the dead language. “No, I did not expect you to recognize that particular word,” stated Luna. “It has many meanings and synonym runes, developed by multitudes of perspectives on what it may mean. These may include ‘deity,’ ‘aspect,’ ‘angel,’ ‘royal,’ or more commonly, ‘High Immortal.’” “It means ‘alicorn?’” I concluded in realization, then read the title again. “Gifts of the Alicorns.” Luna nodded. “If you prefer.” For a little while, I stared at the stone-cover book in wonder at its antiquity. But, as with many things regarding history, I became bored of it immediately. “So what is it?” With a roll of her eyes, the Lunar Alicorn opened the book with her magic and flipped through the pages. Each page, written in near-perfect Archaic lettering, also included the occasional rough sketch of a strange object. “This is the only reference remaining after Discord’s reign to the High Immortals of the Second Age, or at least what they left behind. I was searching through it earlier to find others who have power over dreams as I do.” “Any luck?” I asked hopefully. “A little,” she replied, turning to a specific page, titled. On it was an illustration of something akin to Native American dreamcatchers back on Earth. “This is the Net of Dreams, an artifact constructed by several alicorns that could walk through dreams, for the purpose of giving certain mortals the same power to help those with extreme mental ailments.” Luna indicated a certain passage with her hoof. “The names of those involved are here.” “Mystia the Arcane, High Spirits the Inspiring, Nocturna of the Night, Somnus the Dreamwalker...” I paused on that name. “That seems legit.” “Somnus was the alicorn of dreams, specifically,” Luna clarified. Nodding, I continued. “Mechanus the Inventor, Avandura the Adventurous...” The final two names seemed a little unembellished, which was confusing, given that the previous few preceded titles. “...Epoch, and Chronos.” Pursing her lips, Luna glanced between the book and myself. “The Lords of Time,” she explained. “Epoch was the true alicorn of time during the Second Age. Chronos, however, is the only survivor of the First Age. Legend has it that he used his command over time to escape whatever disaster occurred to the first High Immortals.” She took another sip of coffee. “...yeah, about that,” I began, my curiosity piqued. “What DID happen to all these alicorns you mentioned?” “Nopony knows,” Luna said with a shrug. “Almost every text from that age was destroyed in Discord’s reign from one of his large-scale ‘pranks.’” A glint of distaste bled into her eyes. “...I find nothing funny about a plague of bookworms.” “Bummer,” I commented, then returned to the topic. “So if all these alicorns are gone, how can one be messing with my head?” “I can’t be sure,” admitted the Princess. “Perhaps the veil between this world and wherever they disappeared to is thin enough that a more powerful alicorn could influence dreams across it. Or, on an extremely thin possibility, there is another alicorn on Terra that we do not know of.” “But what about this thing?” I turned the book, still open to the page on the Net of Dreams. “Maybe somepony’s using this thing on me.” Luna frowned. “A sound theory, but impossible.” “Why’s that?” “I destroyed the Net of Dreams myself,” she answered. “Command over dreams is a power to be reckoned with. Through a pony’s dream, you can influence their decisions, make them do things against their nature, and even change who they are. The reason I am so adamant to help you, Skyblaze, is that if there is indeed a pony putting dreams in your mind, it means they have you under their thumb.” I gulped down a snag in my throat. “You mean...?” “With your position in the Guard, they could attack Canterlot, with you as their unwilling accomplice.”
