I felt something shaking me, rousing me from my nice sleep. I opened an eye and looked at Twilight to see she was asleep. “Blaze, wake up. School starts in two hours.” I looked to my other side to see Scootaloo there.

I rubbed my closed eye opening it slowly. “Ok. Ok. I’m getting up.” I got out of bed and stretched my wings, then popped my neck looking at Scootaloo as she began bouncing out of the room. I couldn’t help but smile at how happy she was. I followed her downstairs, and made a quick breakfast of toast and applesauce while Scootaloo had a bowl of cereal.

Once we finished our breakfast which only took about 15 minutes adding the time for me to clean the plate and bowl that was used for our breakfast, we left the library to head town hall. Once we entered the building, the first pony we ran into was Mayor Mare, which seemed like this was going to be easier than I thought.

As Scootaloo and I were walking over, she noticed us and smiled. “Oh, hello Blaze. Hello Scootaloo. How can I help you today?”

I looked at Scootaloo, who was just smiling at me as I faced Mayor Mare again. “Yeah, I just needed some assistance on the adoption process.”

She seemed really excited as she walked to a table getting some paperwork together. “Of course I can! It just takes some paperwork.”

She brought a big stack of papers, and forms over as me and Scootaloo just stared at it. “Uhhhh…could I get the simplified version, or just sign what I need to? I…kinda need to get Scootaloo to school before it starts.”

Mayor mare blinked and looked at the stack. “I guess I could do that for you this time.” She blinked and looked at me and Scootaloo confused. “Wait, are you adopting Scootaloo?” I nodded smiling, as she smiled sighing in relief. “I have been getting letters about her living alone for a few days now. I’ve been trying to play it off as if I hadn’t noticed them, and in a week, I’m certain some orphanage would take her away, and I know how close Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and Sweetiebelle are.”

Scootaloo climbed onto my back and looked at Mayor Mare. “y-you knew?” she nodded as she got 4 pages out from the stack setting them out in front of me as I went over them seeing it was agreements of ‘a safe home for the filly/colt’, and other necessities.

I was about to say something before the mayor chuckled. “Different than you expected?” I nodded as I began signing the papers. “Well, this is the ‘simplified version’ for you. The rest I can do in your stead. I know you’ll give her a good home, and do everything you can for her future, and with Twilight and her friends there to help you, I know there’s no worries.” I finished signing the pages and slid them over to her as Scootaloo had moved onto the top of my head.

I chuckled and bit the side of my tongue making Scoots float off my head and onto my back. “I really appreciate this Ms. Mare.”

The mayor smiled waving her hoof. “It’s no problem. Go on and get her to school. Don’t want her to be late since it’s nearly on the other side of town after all.” I looked at the clock seeing there was just enough time to get there and nodded to her heading out the door and for the school.

“Blaze?” I hummed in interest when Scootaloo said my name. “I don’t mean to sound ungrateful but…why would you adopt me?”

I slowed my pace a bit almost stopping looking back at her. “Scoot…don’t think I just did this for no reason.” I smiled a bit as I draped a wing over her like a hug. “Yes one reason I did this so you wouldn’t have to worry about being taken away from your friends…your home…but I truly do care for you like you are my own child…or…uhhhh…” I looked at the ground for a moment before walking again. “What’s the word…?”

“Foal?”

“Yes! Thank you, like you’re my own foal. I’m not very good at explaining this but just know I do care about you, and I’m going to do everything I can to give you a happy, and safe life.” I chuckled a bit. “So don’t worry about why, and just know that I did this because I genuinely wanted to. Alright?”

Scootaloo hugged me around my neck. “You were right, you suck at explaining the reason, but I get what you mean. Thank you.” I couldn’t help but smile, and notice the school ahead. Rarity and AJ were walking up to it as well dropping off their sisters.

I smirked and looked at Scoots winking to her as she smiled as I put my wings over her hiding her. I looked ahead calling out to my friends. “Hey Rarity. Hey AJ.”

They looked at me as they smiled and AJ started. “Howdy Blaze.”

Rarity must’ve taken a moment to process what I said, as she quickly looked confused. “Umm…just curious, but why are you here at the school?”

I smirked at her. “Oh, me? I’m just dropping off my daughter at school. Education is important in a little filly’s life, no?” AJ, Rarity, and their sisters looked at me confused as I lowered my wings, letting Scootaloo jump down and stand next to me with the biggest grin I’ve seen yet…besides Pinkie of course. I just chuckled at their slack jawed looks. “Sorry, but I gotta talk to Cheerilee before class starts to let her know about this.”

I started heading into the school leaving a couple of slack jawed mares standing there with wide eyes, as AB, and Sweetie were following me beside Scootaloo, saying how awesome the news was, and about what to do for their cutie marks, which I listened into that part a bit for their safety, especially when some dangerous ideas came up, but they quickly pushed those ideas away calming me down.

The fillies ran into the classroom ahead of me as they greeted Cheerilee. When she saw me enter she smiled a bit. “Oh hello Blaze. Is there something I can help you with?”

I shook my head smiling a bit. “no, I just came to let you know that if anything about Scootaloo occurs, that you could get a hold of me is all.” She looked at me confused. “I adopted her Ms. Cheerilee.”

She blinked in shock than smiled a bit. “OH! I’m sorry I was just confused at first there. Alright, thank you for letting me know.”

I bowed my head a bit, than looked at the CMC. “Try to stay out of trouble you three, alright?” they smiled, sitting at their desks smiling innocently which made me chuckle. “I’ll see ya later Scoots.”

I started to head out of the school to see AJ, and Rarity in my face the moment I stepped outside. “Uhhhh….hi?” I felt AJ’s hooves grab my face as she stared into my eyes.

She had a serious look as she spoke to me. “What did you mean when you said ‘your daughter?!’”

I blinked and turned my eyes to look at Rarity than back at AJ. “I adopted Scootaloo…Twilight knows all about it too. Why?”

She let my face go as Rarity seemed nervous. “We gotta go. We’ll see you around Darling!” they both ran off, and I knew exactly where they were going. SugarCube Corner, to find Dash who was most likely having breakfast there…and being Friday, Fluttershy would be there too, checking on a currently ‘sick’ Gummy. He looked normal to me, but what do I know, looking at a deadpanning teacup gator that nibbled on anything it could grip in its toothless maw.

I began to head for the library again, to spend time till tonight, already feeling all kinds of tired, and exhausted, even if I wasn’t showing it externally. It didn’t take long to get to the library and grab a book on magic for me to study on different kinds of spells and abilities that could be done through magic.

That night I had laid down in bed and fallen asleep, just to open my eyes in the center of Ponyville, but it seemed off. Darker. I began heading through town, the air felt like it had an odd chill to it, and I couldn’t understand why. Maybe Twilight used a teleportation spell on me in her sleep, which wouldn’t be a first she used magic in her sleep, considering I woke up with my mane was longer and curled like Rarity’s one time. At least SHE found it funny…as well as the whole town…one pony absolutely ‘ADORED’ it though…Rarity.

After a short time of walking I reached the path that would have lead to Sweet Apple Acres, and I felt a cold chill flow up my spine, making me a little nauseous when it hit the back of my neck. I looked down the path to see a figure in the distance, which I had to squint to see a bit more clearly. Whoever or whatever it was, I could see some form of red armor on the shadow.

They turned their head to look at me with glowing red eyes, which made me blink. When my eyes opened from the blink, those red eyes were right in front of me making me jump back as the red armor was smoke like, like the whole form was. I didn’t understand why but I had no control over my breath as it was getting more and more shaky from fear.

It chuckled in a deep, raspy, dark tone, while it sounded like 5 separate voices from all around me. “So…you are the one who did it. Interesting, considering how weak you are. I mean…” it began to move around me, or more like slide around, as it seemed to study me while I just followed it with my eyes as best I could. “look at you…you’re weak…the only surprising thing to me right now, is that you are still standing, with all that fear just radiating off you.”

I gulped nervously, as it felt like this…THING…could end me with a simple thought, but that’s just ridiculous. Celestia is practically a goddess, and when I first met her, I could feel the power that was in her, and just radiated off her, but I had no fear. So, why now? Is this stronger than her? I feel nothing from it, so why am I afraid?

It swirled around me faster as it felt like my power and strength was being drained from me. “No matter, you are one of few left that can stop me. I wonder how those that know you will react….” I began to pant as it stopped flowing around me and took an equine form in front of me. “When they see you kill them.” I slowly raised my head to see he looked exactly like me.

I didn’t care about my fear anymore, knowing this thing was taking my form to kill others. I exhaled before glaring at myself. “I won’t let you. I vowed to protect them with my life, and I’ll do just that!” just as I was about to attack it a dark blue and light purple flash lit up everything blinding me and maybe it, as a loud screeching yell came from it. The power it took from me must have been expelled from it, as I felt it returning to me.

The light faded as I looked around seeing nothing, than ahead of me to see an equine mass in red armor lying ahead of me. I began to approach, but froze halfway as it began to get up, revealing a short dark flame styled mane and tail, and a curved horn that had dark red from the point, and halfway down it, before it became a pale red, and it still had red wings like me, but with two different shades of red than mine. His secondary feathers were a very dark red, while his primaries were a bright, vibrant red like they held some strong energy in them.

The being ahead of me looked at me with its red, slitted eyes again as it spoke towards me with malice, bearing sharp, demonic looking teeth. “You better prepare flame bearer…” I felt myself get dizzy, and like the world was fading away. “for I…Lord Scorch, the Nightmare King, will have his revenge, and claim what I rightfully deserve!” his voice faded and echoed towards the end as I felt myself fall back, even though I was standing on my hooves.

In the Library

I opened my eyes with a quick gasp looking around in confusion and fear, making a slight groan happen beside me. “Mmmm, Blaze?” I looked over quickly panting a bit, silently, from the fear that was still running through me. “Are you ok…?” I saw a tired, crusty eyed Twilight, rubbing her eyes, most likely from her being woken up far too early.

I sighed and relaxed a bit calming down. “y-yeah…must’ve been a nightmare, that’s all.” I kissed her nose before getting up on shaky legs. “Go on back to sleep, I’m gonna…take a little walk, calm down. Ok?” she hummed and lied back down with a small smile before she began to silently snore.

I headed downstairs silently, thinking back on that figure at the end of my nightmare, and the name…it felt familiar, but I couldn’t understand why. I headed into the kitchen and got a glass of water to help gain my composure before I headed out when it hit me. Flare, and Sombra had mentioned that very name.

I began to head to the door to start my walk, and when I opened it, I felt something hit me square in the nose making me stumble back with a quick yell holding my nose. “OH MY GOODNESS! I am SO sorry Blaze. Are you ok?!” I looked up holding my nose to see Cresent and Luna in the doorway looking surprised and concerned.

I wiped my nose seeing a little blood on my hoof and held it over my nose to stop the bleeding. “I’m fine, I’m fine. It was an accident, I know it was.” I sniffled back some blood feeling it flow through my nostrils. “I’m alright, it didn’t really hurt, it more so surprised me than anything.”

I felt a numbing sensation over my nose as they walked in. I looked up to see Luna’s horn had her usual dark blue aura over it, like my nose and hoof did. “I apologize about not letting you know we were coming but we believed you were still asleep. My daughter felt some kind of disturbance from your dream’s while we were going over the dreamscape, but when we tried to enter to help you, something kept us out. We just came to see if you were alright.”

I nodded moving my hoof away from my nose. “I’m fine; it was just a short, bad dream that’s all. Nothing a quick, little, calming walk won’t fix.”

Luna approached me before sitting down, giving me a serious look. “Blaze, that was no natural power keeping us out. We used our full power to get in, but we couldn’t. All we could do was send a spell into the dream.” They couldn’t force their way in at full power?! TWO alicorns! TWO godlike princesses could NOT get in?! Was that really just some nightmare I randomly had?

I looked down thinking how they couldn’t get in, but they could only send spells in. that explains the lights in their aura’s colors. They disperse nightmares…bad dreams from ponies dreams, but I don’t think they fully understand the entity known as a nightmare too well…but neither do I. “maybe my magic’s essence radiated through my dream?” I shrugged looking at them. “Could that be it?” they looked at each other than me before Cresent shrugged.

After a short while they said their farewell’s before heading back to Canterlot. I began to leave the library, to begin my walk to calm down, to think on what I had learned. Mainly, the Nightmare King was getting ready to come for me, and maybe the other elementals. I have to prepare myself, and them, or lives could be lost.

Author's Note

alright, finally got this chapter out, after months of planning on it, and life just keeping me away from actually typing into it.

and by life, you mean the little work you get scheduled for, and those games of yours?

GAMING IS LIFE! it's not my fault i enjoy a good game with a good story, or it's the only way for me to hang out with my friends...the few that i have...besides, have you SEEN final fantasy 15 yet?! ITS AWESOME!!! even with the annoying/repetitive banter between the main group, but it holds it charm towards the end.

i liked those birds you can ride on...and those giraffe like creatures...all of those animals were so unique...even if some were kind of frightening...

square enix has always been involved with good things. Kingdom Hearts series, Final Fantasy series...umm...Final...Fantasy movies....okay not everything they did were great, but at least good, right? yeah...good...........fine some movies SUCKED SOOOOO BAD, and some had NOTHING to do with the GAMES AT ALL, not saying they HAD to but make SOME kind of connection!!! creatures, entities, SOMETHING!!! I MEAN COME THE FUCK ON!!! SPIRITS WITHIN HAD NO KIND OF CONNECTION TO THE FINAL FANTASY WORLD/FRANCHISE!!! I HAVE NEVER SEEN A SINGLE FINAL FANTASY GAME THAT INVOLVED SPACE TRAVEL!!! well like that anyway...

we get it pardner, ya like the series pretty well.

sorry...stressed...

we know, we know.

well....i might actually do a complete collection of trophies in a game for once! all i need to do is get gladiolus' survival leveled up once more and the platinum is all mine! WHOO!

WHOOOOOOOO!!! PLATINUM PARTYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!

...ok this might be going too far...oh well, later readers, sorry this chapter quality may be kind of...poor compared to more recent chapters [and the future revised-to-be early chapters to fix some complications and mistakes to storyline here.]. have a happy new year, and may the force be with you!

uuuuuuuugh...somepony put him to sleep, or i might just knock his BUCKING FLANK OUT!!!

whoa....okay....wwwwwwwow....this is...Dibs....signing off....TWILIGHT DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE!!!!!!!