Far away in the east of Equestria, there lies a busy city on the bay. A city of fashion, business, and of course, arguments. This city has been loud and noisy lately. Most are rude, selfish, and angry at other ponies. This ruckus caused a creature to form. An ancient creature known as the Windigo. They were said to have been banished thousands of years ago by the fire of friendship, which ended the negativity that the Winigos fed upon. Unfortunately, some ponies don't get along well, and it caused a new Windigo to form.
She only knows how to dream. Her speaking isn't perfect, but she can tele-communicate much easier. She calls herself Nightly Terror, because of the role she was given in her dreams. Nightly floats around the city often, unseen by the busy ponies of the city. No one seems to notice her. She isn't bothered by that. All she ever wants to do is adventure in her dreams.
Little does she know that her ability to dream causes nightmares all around Equestria. No Windigo has ever been able to. Princess Luna, the ruler of Equestria besides Celestia, is extremely bothered by this Windigo. She has left Luna rushing around the place fixing dreams and comforting ponies, and even getting insomnia. She decides to find the source of the problem.
"ARGH!" Twilight screamed, disturbing her once quiet home. The dark bedroom lit up with candles and crystal lamps as the purple princess awoke. "I've had it with these nightmares, Spike! It just keeps getting worse! Soon enough I'll be afraid of the dark." She spoke.
"What was it this time?" Her assistant dragon asked.
"Nothing important." Twilight said nervously. "We must contact the princesses at ONCE! Take a note, please."
Spike sighed heavily as he grabbed a scroll and a quill with ink on the tip. "Go ahead."
"Dear Princess Celestia..." She stated, like she did at the beginning of every letter. "Disastrous things are happening. Ponies all around Ponyville are having horrid nightmares, and most have insomnia. We cannot live like this. If you would, please send a letter back with an explanation. If no answer is found..." She paused and thought for a bit. "...Then please help us figure one out. Yours Truly, Princess Twilight Sparkle."
"Alright! Done." Spike sent the letter by blowing a puff of green fire into the air. "Now why don't you go back to sleep and leave the lights on this time." Spike said, as he lazily trudged to his own bed, falling asleep almost immediately.
"Why doesn't he get nightmares...?" She thought. Spike tossed and turned and yelled in his sleep. "Nevermind." She said quietly. She returned to her slumber.
"Glorious day, it is! What do you think, Madam?" Nightly Terror said happily. She was chatting with a friendly ghost mare. Ghosts were the only ponies that could interact with her. She wondered why.
"It is quite lovely." The mare replied with an accent.
"So, how have you been?" Nightly asked.
"Awfully cold. Considering I'm a spirit, that doesn't seem odd to me. But, rather, it's especially cold around you, my dear."
"Strange. I don't feel a single breeze."
"Well, I best be on my way. Good afternoon, Nightly." The mare said, waving goodbye as she disappeared into the mist.
"I hate being a ghost pony." She whispered to herself.
She then began to dream. The first scene was a gorgeous night sky covered in stardust and distant galaxies. Nightly was armored in titanium jousting armor, but instead of a helmet she wore an intricate crown covered in blue jewels. Her armor was colored black with tints of violet. By her side, she noticed a sword on the ground. It was an electro blade, something Nightly had made up herself in her other dreams.
Ahead of her was an army of changelings. Nightly quickly picked up the electro blade and activated it. Her mind raced. She was filled with an extreme adrenaline rush. All at once, the changelings attacked and Nightly came in flying colors. Her sword whipped across the army, penetrating anything it touched. She flipped over changelings, swinging her blade in intense movement. Surprisingly, she had killed off half the army in a few swings. Dang, this sword is powerful, she thought.
A tall mare stood in front of her. She had large wings, a tall horn, and a black crown. At first, Nightly thought it was Chrysalis herself. But no, it was revealed to be Princess Luna. The walker of dreams herself had decided to visit me? Nightly thought. Luna destroyed the rest of the army in a blast of magic and took the two of them to the dream realm.
"Are you the pony causing the nightmares across Equestria?" Luna asked in a calm tone.
Nightly thought for a bit. "Sorry, I don't know what you're talking about. Anyway, I need to get back to dreaming."
"Oh no you don't, little filly. Your ability to dream is causing major problems. You are unlike any windigo that has ever existed."
"I'm not a filly, I'm a mare. I really, really, really need to be on my way. Also, I am not a windigo. I am a ghost pony."
"Fine then. You aren't the one we were looking for."
"So, sister. Have you found the source of the nightmares yet?" Celestia asked.
"Maybe so. I'm not quite sure yet." Luna replied, sipping a morning cup of coffee.
Celestia poured herself a cup of tea with her yellow magic. "What makes you think so?"
"I met..." Luna hesitated. "A windigo."
Celestia nearly performed a spit-take. "Ahem...where, exactly?"
"Manehattan."
Celestia quickly collected her dishes. "We must tell Twilight at once."
"What do we tell her?"
"We shall send a letter saying not to worry about the nightmare problem, and that Luna and I will take care of this."
Author's Note
Woo. I had an idea.
The pacing is going sorta fast because this is meant to be more of a short one-shot rather than a novel. Cover art is being worked on at the moment, so sit tight.
If this is successful, a sequel fic will appear to elaborate more on the character and her adventures in her dreams.
I can't explain dreams. They just...happen. I don't know much about anything, really. I'll even admit I'm stupid, most other ghost ponies call me that. I don't take it offensive or anything, I know I have a brain smaller than others. Or no brain at all. I'm not exactly sure. But how can you dream without a brain? The other ponies always ask me this. I dunno, I always reply. I always thought dreams just happened. You were transported to a dreamscape, and had an epic adventure. I've even come up with a theory for them. Each dream is randomly generated in the dreamscape, which I call the control panel of the dreams. Each dream allows your body to become almost immortal-depending on the dream-as you battle monsters and dragons and whatnot.
Am I wrong with my theory? Is the dreamscape nothing but imagination? I'm not sure. But I always choose to stick with my thoughts and keep on adventuring. And when every adventure is different, you start to get used to not knowing things. So there's my explanation.
I am transported to the dreamscape once again. It was of a blue atmospere filled with glittering stars and clouds. Quite a boring adventure, if you ask me. In front of me, I see a door. A floating door? Weird. Its covered in the most gorgeous of flowers and vines, with a glowing golden doorknob on it's rustic wooden texture. I step through after opening it.
It leads to a garden area. Theres lots of flowers of every kind available, trees covered in trailing vines, and a pool of crystal water illuminated by a full moon and clusters of stars. I stare at it. Then I realize, Luna is there as well. I turn to her.
"Hello, princess. May I help you?" I asked stupidly.
"I never wanted to destroy something as innocent as you. But sadly, it is my only choice."
"Wait, what?! WAIT HOLD ON A SEC FIRST!"
"Did I not explain to you already? You are causing nightmares, and no windigo is welcome in Equestria."
"SINCE WHEN AM I NOT WELCOME?! I'm not a windigo! I am a ghost pony!"
"No. You are a windigo. You may not know it, but it is true. Now, be gone!"
"Wait..."
"Final words?"
"Um...yes and no. Why do I have to go? Windigos are evil! I'm certainly not evil. I don't even know how to cause nightmares."
"Not evil? A strange claim for your kind. Continue."
"You're really not gonna kill me?"
"Well, speak and I may spare you."
"Well, I dunno what to say. I just...don't see why I have to die when I've only lived for a few days."
Luna gave Nightly a hesitant face. It was a mix of anger, sadness, and loneliness. Luna sighed.
"I don't know any other way." Luna said.
"Is reincarnation a choice?" Nightly asked after a long silence.
"I suppose...but it comes with a cost. And a great one at that."
"What is it?"
"If you become one with ponykind...your ability to dream such wonderful dreams will be gone."
"So...I can't dream? Ever?"
"I'm afraid not. Your nights will be a flash of black until morning."
Nightly didn't want to die. She didn't want to lose her abilities either. But, one choice was worse than the other. She nodded at Luna and within a blinding flash, Nightly woke up in Ponyville as a new creature. A creature with no ability to dream.
