Welcome to the Nightmare dear reader, Enjoy!
Darkness swirled in an empty void, blacker then obsidian dipped in a shadow. It was caught in the life crushing gravity of a singularity. A black hole filled with dead energy... filled with discarded thoughts, with emotions dared not felt, with suppressed desires. The kind of darkness that had been long since forgotten in this land, in this time... yet it still swirled with life... an old life, a dormant life... A life that no longer had a place in this world, but refused to die... it didn't care, it defied death it's self! for what? For survival... for a life tha... yes life, finally...
deep in the swirling darkness something stirred, it uncoiled and reached out of it's pit and curled it's dead tendrils around a familiar star and dragged it down into darkness where it festered... slowly the darkness changed, blessed by the life it had stolen. It had been born anew. Now no longer darkness but life, glorious LIFE!!! A life unlike any other. Now free of the bounds of death it turned it's attention to the brightest star it could see, a brilliant supernova with potential still to be had. It extended it's tendrils again, now pulsating with energy, with life, with love. It reached out and touched the blazing star.
Twilight Sparkle's eyes shot open. A dream... yes? No, a Nightmare... she was burning up and drenched in sweat. Twilight tried to roll over but was held fast by a tangled mess of sheets and blanket. With a sigh she levitated her self into the air and began unwrapping herself. When she was done she tossed the bedding into her clothes hamper, way to sweaty to use again without a wash.
Twilight let out a long yawn and stretched her wings, she hadn't slept well, too many thoughts had kept her up. She looked over at a basket filled with blankets and a pillow, no dragon though.
“Spiiiiiike!” Twilight called “I'm going to take a shower! Could you get breakfast started please?”
A response came from down in the first floor. “I'm all ready on it Twilight, don't you worry! It's going to be delicious!”
A small smile graced the corner of Twilight's mouth, she could always count on spike to come through when she was having a rough time.
The water felt good flowing over her head, cool and refreshing. It cleansed her lavender fur, pulling the the grime away from her skin and whisking it away down the drain under her feet. Too bad it couldn't cleanse her mind like it did her body.
Twilight stepped out of the tub, that doubled as a shower, and levitated a towel over from off the rack, and began to dry herself. When she was done she took up her usual spot in front of her mirror and got a brush from off a side table and used it to fix her mane.
Once finished she put the brush down, but didn't leave just yet. She was staring at her reflection in the mirror. She had gotten a bit taller... about half a centimeter? More like 2.34ths of a centimeter but she hadn't grown at all for years now. At least she hadn't until she became an alicorn anyway, so that's good... she guessed.
Hrmm... a slight frown curved her lips, and she leaned toward the mirror to get a better look. The dark rings under her eyes were visible through her fur again. Twilight used her hoof to rubbed at them in the hopes that they would go away. It didn't work, like she expected anything else. With a sigh she abounded her efforts and went to see what spike was cooking up.
When Twilight got down stairs a veritable banquet was waiting for her. Three different mixed salads were in the center of the table, and they were surrounded by a plate of assorted sandwiches, a bowl of vegetables, a bowl of fruit, as well as a few other equine delicacies. There was also both a pot of tee and a pot of coffee. And next to all of it was a little purple and green dragon wearing a soiled frilly apron.
“What do you think Twilight?” He said with a big smile on his face. It took twilight a moment to answer.
“Spike... what is all this?” Twilight said taking in the mass of food before her.
“Well... usually I know what kind of breakfast you need in the morning to help cheer you up, but you didn't want to talk about it last night sooo, I figured I'd just make you all your favorites!” Spike said looking mighty proud of himself.
Twilight smiled, what would she ever do without that perky little dragon.
“Thanks Spike, you really are my number one assistant.” That made spike even prouder, if that was possible. “But... how long did it take for you to put all this together?”
“That's not important Twilight, all you need to worry about is what your going to eat first!” Spike said pulling a stool into position in front of her.
Twilight smiled again and sat down at the table, and filled a plate with salad. About ten minutes into breakfast spike asked the question Twilight had been dreading.
“Sooo... twilight... what did happen last night?” Twilight's smile turned into a frown. “It wasn't pinkie's party, I know that...” Twilight remained silent. “Oh come on Twilight, you said you'd tell me... Please? You'll feel better once you do.” Twilight didn't speak at first, she still wasn't sure how she felt about it at this point, but she knew he was right. “Please Twilight, what is it?”
“It was Fluttershy...” It sounded sadder then she had hoped.
“Fluttershy?” Spike scratched his head, Twilight could almost see him trying to make connection in his head. “What about her? She seemed fine last night, no better than fine. I haven't seen her dance like that in a long time.”
The memory of the previous night came clearly into the for front of Twilight's mind. Her recollection for past events had been improved dramatically since she got her alicorn hood. Sometimes it was a gift, and sometimes... a curse...
Fluttershy had just returned from a journey into the Everfree forest with Zecora. They had gone to see a hidden sphinx village, why is it hidden? Zecora said they liked their privacy.
When Fluttershy returned Pinkie Pie insisted on throwing her a welcome back party, so she did. Twilight had been kind enough to offer to let Pinkie use her library to set it all up, so she did.
The party had been great, everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves, Fluttershy had been surprisingly receptive. Twilight had figured that she would at least want to put it off until tomorrow since she had spent the whole day on the road, But to her surprise no one danced with more enthusiasm then Fluttershy, not even Pinkie Pie herself could out dance her!
The party had ended around ten o'clock, or at least that's when Rainbow Dash had passed out during a drinking competition with Apple Jack. AJ had won by a single drink before she fell flat too. Pinkie had had a few too many ciders, so she figured she'd join them, and Rarity was pretty tipsy so Spike had offered to walk her home. Normally Twilight would have thought it too late for spike to go out, but Rarity could use the help anyway.
Twilight had gotten a slight buzz going, by all right's she should have been just as far under the wagon as AJ and RD but her alicorn fortitude was a force to be reckoned with, Rainbow found that out the hard way on more then a few occasions. After a quick peek out the window Twilight figured the conditions were so good that a little star gazing was in order.
When she was bidding Rarity and Fluttershy good night Fluttershy had inquired if she was going straight to bed, she wasn't to Fluttershy's delight, so after they got some spare pillows and blankets for the others, they went to star gaze together. Fluttershy had even been saving a a bottle of some hard premium apple ale, it was a very good year, so when Fluttershy opened it she couldn't pass up the opportunity. Twilight had thought it a little odd that Fluttershy decided to bring it since Pinkie had supplied the drinks, but at the time it didn't seem important.
Twilight couldn't be sure how long they sat in the planetarium gazing up at the heavens together, time had seem to come to a stand still. The talk came easy and so did the ale, and not a single trouble could have pulled her down, or so she thought.
At some point Twilight remembered calling for a toast in the name of friendship, they drank. Then Fluttershy said
“You know, I think there's a greater magic then friendship out there.”
Twilight had laughed saying “What could possibly be greater then friendship?”
“Let me show you” Fluttershy said, then she got close... too close.
Twilight should have seen it coming from a mile away, no from outer space... but she didn't. Twilight could remember every detail, down to which direction the wind from the open window was blowing the fur on Fluttershy's muzzle. She remembered that despite the ale she'd had, Fluttershy's breath was sweet, her fur was softer then even the memory of her mother's when she was a little foal, and her eye's, that look she'd given her... no one had ever looked at her like that... and then... contact... never had Twilight received such a kiss, Fluttershy had held nothing back.
Fluttershy must have been afraid because she closed her eyes, and when she opened them, that look was gone. Twilight had pulled away, she wasn't sure if it had been out of fear or surprise... but it hadn't been disgust. Fluttershy must have mistaken the look on her face thought because that look in her eye's had completely flipped around.
“But I thought... you...” That was all Fluttershy said before she ran for the door.
“Wait!” Twilight called after her, but Fluttershy didn't hear, or maybe she didn't care.
Twilight tried to fallow her but in her haste and cider stupor, she clumsily stepped on the bottle of apple ale and fell, spilling the remaining ale in the processes, which wasn't much.
By the time she made it outside Fluttershy had gone, not a trace remained save for some hoof impressions in the dirt and a few rain drop marks... no, not rain drops... tears drops.
Not knowing what else to do Twilight returned inside. She stood in the darkness for a second before she heard a voice.
“Twilight? Is that you?”
It was Rainbow Dash. In the darkness, it was harder to make her out, but thanks to her alicorn hood Twilight could see things fairly well in the dark, but apparently not things right in front of her face...
“Are you alright? I heard a yell, and some running..” Dash said looking around the room for possible signs of trouble.
“Yes Rainbow everything is... fine.” The lie half tumbled half slurred out of her mouth, it almost felt like she was spiting out chunky sludge.
“You sure nothing's wrong? I could have sworn I heard...” Rainbow's words trailing off when she noticed that Twilight wasn't really listening. “You all right Twi?” she said taking a few steps in her direction.
“Thanks for your concern Rainbow, but I think I'm just going to go to bed.” Twilight replied and made her way toward the stairs.
“Wait, Twilight I know I heard something.” Rainbow said keeping pace with Twilight.
Twilight sighed at the foot of the stairs and said. “That was Fluttershy, she... had to leave...” Then she made her way up.
“Fluttershy?... but She... no...”
Twilight barley heard what Rainbow said under her breath, and she didn't really care. She felt tired, really tired, and the only thing she wanted right now was to fall in bed, and pretend that nothing out of the ordinary had happened... it didn't work.
“Yeah, I remember what happened after that” Spike said while chewing half a bite of a daisy sandwich. “I asked what was wrong, and you said you'd tell me in the morning.” He paused a moment before continuing. “So that running and crying was Fluttershy...”
“Yes...” Twilight said while staring down into a half eaten salad.
After an uncomfortable silence Twilight asked. “What should I do Spike? This is one problem I don't think I know how to fix.”
This time it was Spike's turn to hesitate. “Well, do you like her? Fluttershy I mean... or mares in general.”
Twilight was silent for a moment. “I don't know... I haven't really thought about it, or being in a relationship at all... I've always had more important things to worry about.”
“Well” Spike said then paused to take a drink of tee. “You know your going to have to go talk to her right?”
“Yes, but is now really the best time? Shouldn't I give her some time to calm down? Knowing Fluttershy she probably hasn't slept very well, or at all...”
Spike chuckled to himself before saying. “Neither have you, you should probably go and straightened things out so you can both get some sleep.”
They both ate in silence for a while before Twilight broke it. “Your right Spike, all I have to do is go and talk things out with Fluttershy, she'll understand.” Twilight said, and got up from the table.
“Where are you going?” Spike said through a mouthful of sandwich.
“To Fluttershy's cottage, where else?”
“That a girl!” Spike said after taking a hefty gulp.
“Let the others know where I am if they ask, but I'd prefer it if you didn't tell them about last night, they don't need to know... not yet.”
Twilight was about to walk out the door when she heard Spike say.
“Twilight wait!”
“What is it Spike?” She said glancing back over her shoulder.
“Twilight you should know, Rainbow Dash left a few hours ago, I didn't think much of it at the time but she also said something about Fluttershy before she left.”
“Thanks Spike, it's probably for the best if she's had some time to talk to Rainbow about all this.” And with that she took flight.
The morning air was crisp and cool, Twilight hoped it would help clear her head. At least It felt good to taking action, waiting for things to play themselves out just wasn't her style, but what would she say? Would Fluttershy ever want to talk to her? And that look...
“What a night” Twilight said to herself. She could have done better, she could have done SOMTHING, anything! Something is always better then nothing... but she had just sat there staring back at Fluttershy. Maybe it was the cider... or maybe it had just been late. Maybe she shouldn't have have had sooo much of the apple ale, or any, she had definitely drank the majority...
Twilight sighed and tried to take her mind off of it by looking down at the roof tops of ponyville. There were many colors, not one building was the same color as the one next to it, nor did they stick to any sort of design code. Twilight wondered if each house was a custom design.
Soon the houses turned to trees, not long now... she could see Fluttershy's cottage in the distance. Twilight hoped she would understand... please Celestial let her understand.
Twilight wasn't sure how long she spent standing outside Fluttershy's cottage trying to think of what to say, so when she failed to think of anything, she figured she'd know what to say when the time came, and raised a hoof to knock.
*Knock Knock*… There was no response, so she tried again.
*KNOCK KNOCK* “Fluttershy please open the door!” Twilight yelled... nothing.
Twilight tried the handle, unlocked.
“Fluttershy? I'm coming in, I need to talk to you... are you in here?”
Twilight gingerly stepped over the threshold into the cottage. She didn't hear any crying so that was a good sign... maybe.
The first floor was devoid of life, not even any animals were scurrying around, highly unusual...
A few yards in a horrible smell drifted into Twilight's nostrils. Twilight crinkled her muzzle at the smell, it was rank enough to make more sensitive ponies retch in revoltion.
With a little courage and a few sniffs Twilight concluded that the smell was drifting down from the second floor.
She must be upstairs...
In her unease, Twilight took the steps two at a time.
When she got to the top she came to a sudden stop. Blood... lots of it, and... Twilight's eyes grew wide in horror. The bloodied body of Rainbow Dash lay on it's side near the foot of Fluttershy's bed.
“Rainbow!” Twilight yelled and ran to her side, the stench grew stronger the closer she got. “Rainbow, are you... get it together Twilight!”
First Twilight looked for the wound, a bloody gash was on the back of Rainbow Dash's head, just behind the left ear, it was definitely the source of the smell.
“Alright Twilight you can do this” Twilight said to herself, trying to keep her nerves together.
“Okay, Vitals.” Twilight's horn glowed as she used a spell to check for Rainbow Dash's pulse. “Weak but there... she's breathing too, good.”
Twilight levitated the sheets from off of Fluttershy's bed and separated a long strip to use as a bandage. She then wrapped it around Rainbow's head.
“Hold on Rainbow!” Twilight said as her horn surged with magic.
A bright flash lit up the room and then they were gone.
Author's Note
Chapter one done, Woo! Feel free to hit up them comments if there's anything you have to say to me about this chapter. I may or may not tailor the story to my audience's suggestions... so make um good! lol hope you enjoyed it and stick around for more!
