Who is this guy Shadowsky?by AurumLupusChaptersWho was he?Waking Dreams....And LUNA!!!!Facing the Nightmare, and well, Two > than oneThe AftermathDreams can be Hell.Who was he?David Webb, former SEAL sniper, retired three star general, master craftsman, and history professor sat at his desk, grading term papers. As a 70 year old man, he had seen a lot, done a lot, and been many things. Today was the end of his tenure as a professor at the United States Naval Academy, his things were packed up, and he picked up the last box of personal items, walking out to put them in his Mustang GT. He put the box in the shotgun seat, closed the passenger door, and walked around to his own. He slid into the leather seat, grinning as he started the engine, the horses beneath the hood roaring to life. He pulled out of the parking spot, driving towards the front gates, passing through the marine guard post. Once onto the open road, he roared away towards his house in the mountains of Virginia. He pulled into his driveway several hours later. With the press of a button, he opened his garage door, revealing a large workshop with everything from a forge and power-hammer, to a draw-knife bench and racks of carving tools. He pulled in, shutting off the car, and retrieving the box, whistling a merry tune as he closed the garage door and unlocked the door to get into his house. He took off his shoes and coat in the laundry room, then set down the box in his study. This done, he walked to his kitchen and retrieved a bottle of his favorite scotch. he took a glass from the dishwasher, put two ice cubes in it, then poured it half full of the amber liquid. He put the bottle back in his cabinet, then retrieved a book, The Thunder Below by Eugene B. Fluckly. He set his book and drink down on an oak end-table next to his arm chair. Then kneeling down, thanking his active life for keeping the arthritis at bay, he built a fire in the fireplace, and soon had a roaring fire going. He then snuggled up with his book and drink. But instead of reading the words on the page, he reflected on his life up to this point. As a member of the special forces group commonly known as the SEALs, he had been on many missions that would never see the light of day, he also learned the importance of teamwork, and trusting your friends. His officer training had turned him into a leader. He had studied the leadership of such men as George Washington, George S. Patton, and Chester Nimitz. He knew what it meant to lead, and what it meant to be lead. He sighed as he remembered his buddies from the teams, all retired now, working for private security, or working for the government in some way. The good old days played back in his memory as he sipped his drink, rolling the liquor around, enjoying the taste.He remembered some of the stupid shit he and his unit had gotten up to. Like the time they had been stationed on the aircraft carrier USS Shangri la, and if something did not go wrong, then everyone would panic. He remembered helping one of the deckhands prank the Deck Officer by painting a sign on the deck above the officer's room reading "This is Officer X's Room, DO NOT DROP YOUR CHOCKS HERE" so of course, everyone dropped their chocks right there. Or the time they had papered their CO's office with pictures of Justin Bieber and One Direction, their CO had been pissed, but after about an hour of trying to find out who did it, the CO gave up and just laughed along. He realized he was daydreaming, and looked at the clock, "22:00, well, I guess that is what I get for being a sentimental old man." He muttered to himself. He focused on the book in front of him, and carefully marked the page with a bookmark, setting the volume aside in favor of looking out of his window at the star-dusted night sky. He had never gotten a chance to properly admire the sky up here. His weekends up here had been limited, due to his jobs. When working for the FBI's HRT following his years as a SEAL, he had made some money in his stock investments, and he had bought this place in the boonies, and his wife had lived there with him until the cancer had taken her from him. He got up and walked upstairs, grimacing slightly as his no-longer youthful joints complained. He passed their daughter's room, and looked in, seeing the toys that he had gotten for her when she was young. "My Little Pony" they were called. He may be old, but his memory was still perfect. His Sniper training had sharpened his memory to a razor edge. He remembered on his off days, sitting with his daughter, a bowl of popcorn between them, watching the show together. The rare moments that he had to share with his precious daughter were always his favorite. He sighed as he gently closed the door, walking to his room. He turned on his shower, stripping down to get ready. If one were to look in at that very moment, they would have seen a 70 year old man who was still as muscular and well-built as a 21 year old SEAL. His joints and body may not have been what they used to be, but not from lack of trying. His active lifestyle had kept most of the old age away, but one could still see that he was not as young, nor as strong as he once was. He sighed and showered, washing away the day's grime before getting into some boxers and getting into bed, staring up at the moonlit sky of stars shining through his skylight. He gently closed his eyes, and drifted into the realm of dreams. Little did he know who awaited his presence, and how his entire world was about to change. Author's Note What do you think so far? Shadowsky/ David Webb is something of an oddball, to say the least, but this will come in handy later. Also, 0 points for guessing who is awaiting him in the dream realm. Waking Dreams....And LUNA!!!!The thing about dreams is they do not have to make logical sense. David "awoke" dressed in BDUs and LBE, he had his M-4 rifle slung over his shoulder, his Kukri in its sheath on his left hip, and his SIG 1911 Tactical in it's holster on his left calf. He also noticed that he was not human, he appeared to be covered in some sort of mottled grey and black fur. He turned to look into his mirror, and noticed that he also had wings jetting out of his back, their feathers dappled with grey and dark blue. But most odd, was that he no longer had his battle-worn face, instead he had the face of a pony. "What the fuck?" He said, realizing he was dreaming, but even for his mind, this was weird. "Hello there." A voice said. David's instincts took over, and in one fluid motion he slid his rifle off of his back, around, peering through the Eotech sight. A female, dressed similarly to himself, stood in his sight picture. She was beautiful, her fur was midnight blue, and she had curves that would make a California girl jealous. "Who are you?" David kept his finger on the trigger guard, ready to pull it at a moment's notice. "I am Princess Luna, you may know me from that show your daughter used to watch." Luna smiled, her mind nodding it's approval at the human's actions. "Please, lower your weapon, I mean you no harm." She held out her hands, empty, to show she meant what she said. David lowered his weapon, sliding it around by the sling until it rested on his back. "So you are Princess Luna of Equestria. How do I know that you are actually here in this dream and it is not my imagination?" He asked, sitting down on the bed. "Because, would you ever dream of this any other way? I brought myself into your dream because I need someone who can help me dream walk. I hunt nightmares, and I need somepony who can come along, and you were highly recommended by someone who said you would know who they were by this name 'I am' it is a powerful being, far surpassing myself or my sister. So, will you ride with me tonight?" Luna answered, standing before him, looking at him with pleading eyes. "Why the hell not." David decided, getting up off of the bed. "Where to, Princess?" He asked his travelling companion. "Please, call me Luna, and we will be travelling into the mind of a young filly." After Luna spoke, the world around the two shifted, becoming a whirling mass of colors and sounds. The pair landed in what appeared to be an overgrown castle. Luna looked toward her new companion, and smiled when she saw that he already had his rifle, (something she had found when wandering around in his memory), out and pointed at the gate. She had armed herself with a longbow, her favorite weapon of all time. Powerful, accurate, deadly, yet quiet, it was the perfect weapon for the Princess of the Night. David looked at his partner. "Luna, why am I using a gun and you a bow?" He questioned his partner's choice of weapon, but it also confirmed that there was someone else with him in the dream, because if he had been dreaming this, his partner would most definitely have been armed with a firearm. "And what are we looking for?" He asked. "Nightmares take on many forms. This one in particular has been terrorizing many of the fillies in Equestria. It feeds on their self-consciousness, their insecurity. I once had a nightmare that possessed me. It fed off of my fear until it took over me. I do not want that to happen again." For such a beautiful mare/woman...whatever the hell Luna was, she sure was terrifying. "So it is in this castle?" Shadowsky said. Looking at the massive structure, his mind working overtime analyzing the corridors and how they would have to clear the building. Two people...Ponies, his mind corrected, verses a castle. "Yes, there are no good dreams in this castle. if anything moves in there, kill it." Luna said. Her head now covered by a helmet of some sort of ethereal metal. He decided that he needed some night vision goggles. Luna, seemingly reading his mind, said, "This is a dream, you can manipulate it to your benefit." David nodded, then imagined a pair of ATN PS15-CGT night vision goggles mounted on a helmet. He put them down, and turned them on, everything became green as he nodded to Luna. "Lets do this. Lead on." He shouldered his rifle and the walked towards the heavy oak doors. He did sneak a look at her ass... They reached the doors, big, solid iron-banded oak. "So, I assume that we cannot manipulate anything we want, correct?" David asked the pretty warrior princess. "Correct. We can manipulate the things around us, things that are ours, but because this is not ours, we will have to get through this door by more conventional means." Luna saw where David was going, sort of. Then her eyes widened when David pulled out a block of some white material and some sort of black device attached to it. "You might want to cover your ears Luna. I am about to blow this door down." He placed the object on the center of the door, then ran a cable to some sort of other device. "Get behind me." She complied, and they took cover behind one of the stone statues that flanked the door. David pressed the clacker, causing the four pounds of C-4 plastic explosives to detonate, shattering the wood and mangling the heavy iron reinforcing bands. "Go." He said, and simultaneously they entered, David's rifle pointing left, and Luna's bow covering right. Author's Note This is a waking dream... you will find out why later. What will they find? Whose dream are they in? What nightmare is this? When will David Webb get the name Shadowsky? How will he get it? Sorry for the cliffhanger... Facing the Nightmare, and well, Two > than oneThe castle entrance was filled with shadows that danced around. David's NVGs allowed him to see into the shadows, and while he swept the room with his rifle, he could feel Luna doing the same on his right side. Something moved in an alcove, and immediately David fired, the trigger breaking at a crisp 2 lbs, sending a fusillade of 5.56 mm tracer rounds flying at the source of the movement. The green light thrown off by the phosphorescent rounds sent shadows flickering around. A horrifying wail resounded from the alcove, and something that looked like black blood pooled out from behind the statue that sat in the alcove. At the sound of shots, Luna turned to see David slapping a new magazine into his rifle. She looked at the pooling fluid, and said, "They know we are here. They are in the top tower, I can feel their energy. DUCK!" She shouted suddenly at the end of her sentence, and David dropped to the floor and rolled as an arrow whisked over his head, causing another shadowy creature to fall, a crossbow clattering to the stone floor as Luna's arrow destroyed the dream minion's essence. They nodded at each other, then, in what can only be described as an elegant and graceful dance, they began fighting their way towards the tower. Luna would feel the hallway with her senses, then together they would move in, clearing out the waves upon waves of minor nightmares that had been sent by their targets in the very heart of the dark castle. To David it felt wonderful to be able to move like he used to. Age had been kind to him, but now it was catching up. Here he felt that same power that he had possessed in his prime, no twinges every time he walked, no aching back, this was wonderful. They arrived at the base of the tower, and found themselves facing a dragon that had wrapped itself around the tower. David frowned when Luna's arrows simply shattered against the hide of the beast, and his bullets might as well have been blanks for all the good they did. "Shit, Luna, what do we do?" He asked, looking over at the beautiful mare. His jaw dropped as she threw her bow to the side and pulled out a glimmering katana. "We do this the old-fashion way. Now, are you gonna help me or just stand there?" She asked, throwing him a seductive wink as she ran forward. David just shook his head. "Dayum, this is my kind of girl" he thought as he threw his rifle aside and imagined a Viking long sword made out of Damascus steel, tempered black and gold. Then he changed his armor into scale mail. With a battle cry of his own he charged. The shadow-dragon roared and let loose a wall of fire from it's mouth, but it made the mistake of focusing on only one. While David took cover behind a pillar, Luna jumped into the air, spreading her wings, her sword arcing in a hissing line that created a deep gash along the dragon's upper back. Green and black blood spurted from the wound, and the dragon's roar of pain shook the earth. It turned around to snap at Luna, and David took the opportunity to charge forward and thrust his sword through the creature's lower belly. The heavy blade went deep, and with a smooth upward motion, David created a second mortal wound. The dragon turned to swipe its claws at David, and Luna seized the opportunity, plunging her sword through the brain stem of the giant lizard, severing the nerve cluster and forcing David to roll out of the way of the dragon's neck as the beast collapsed to the ground, dead. David watched in awe as Luna surfed down the dragon's neck, landing with a graceful roll. Holy shit.... his mind provided the words...well, one could not even put into words what he was feeling right now. It had been a long time since he had felt this way. Alive, with the strength of his youth. He had been able to bench over 250 pounds, but as he aged, that number had dwindled into the hundreds. "Hey, David, we still need to kill the one who created this dragon." Luna's voice snapped him out of his musings. "Right. Lets kill this thing, so we can relax." David imagined a Vietnam-War era flamethrower, a fire-thrower of his own. Loaded with napalm, it was even more dangerous than a dragon's breath. Luna raised an eyebrow, "And why hast thou chosen to bring along such a weapon, good sir?" She asked, slipping back into her former way of speaking. "Well, nightmares are creatures of shadow and fear right? Well, nothing creates fear like fire, but to normal mortals, fire can also be the most comforting thing, not something to be afraid of." David hefted the pack on his back. This horse/human body was incredible, he had the strength of a Clydesdale, yet the abilities and thoughts of a human. They moved up the winding staircase, the light of the pilot flame flickering off of the walls. They reached the top, and walked into a circular room, where an alicorn sat, looking out of a window. "So, you managed to kill my dragon." It said in a sickly sweet voice. "I must say, Luna, you got farther than I expected, especially with him in tow." The figure motioned to David, who was carefully lining up his flamethrower. "Nightmare Moon?" Luna said, somewhat surprised. "Neigh.... Not Nightmare, I am her sister, the shadowwalker. The dream creeper. My sister was good at large showy gestures that inspired terror, but they also made her a target. I prefer a more subtle approach.... A little nudge here, a little cold sweat there. It took you longer that I expected to find me, but tonight, I will end you, and your boring little human." The figure turned around, showing a purple coat, so dark it was almost black, her entire body covered in chain mail. In her hand she held a curving scimitar sword. "So, come, try to end me, like your friends did to my sister." and with that, she charged. David let loose a blast from the flamethrower, the abrupt spewing of liquid fire causing the figure to halt. "Clever, very clever, but you know nothing about this sort of combat, Human." The figure spat, and then magic welled out of the ground, a dark purple mist extinguishing the fire. David abandoned the flamethrower in favor of his Viking longsword and a steel kite shield. Luna meanwhile, took advantage of the fire as a distraction, and hammered down on the figure. But the nightmare moved fast, parrying Luna's lightning attack. Meanwhile, David circled around behind the creature, looking to stab her in the back. But the nightmare turned, and hurled a dagger at him. He raised his shield and the knife glanced off of it harmlessly. David then used the shield to push forward, forcing the nightmare to conjure a second sword to fight him off. Once again, Luna and David worked in tandem, connected deeply by their understanding of combat, an instinctive connection that warriors share. The nightmare was surprised. This human actually could fight. And his strength was unwavering, Luna's attacks were coming at a speed that made lightning feel slow. The shadowwalker was now on the defensive, fending off the lightning fast attacks from the Princess of the Night, as well as deflecting the powerful, ceaseless blows from the human. Suddenly the fear-causer was now feeling what she had caused for so long in others. Terror, then Luna landed a blow, drawing first blood. The shadowwalker screamed as Luna's blade slashed through her abdomen. Then, David landed a bone-crushing strike with his shield, breaking the nightmare's wrist and driving her straight into Luna's next cut, which slammed across the upper body of the nightmare. At the same moment, David drove his sword between the second and third vertebra of the creature's spine. effectively decapitating it. With a horrible, ear-rending wail, the being dissolved into dust, whisking away in a gust of wind, leaving the Princess and David panting. "I fear she is not yet gone, but we have pushed her back" Luna said, catching her breath. Author's Note Well... next chapter we get to see the aftermath. The AftermathLuna and David stared at each other for a long moment, breathing heavily, the adrenaline slowly receding from their systems. Luna motioned for David to follow her out of the castle, and they slowly made their way through the dark and twisted passages of the nightmarish dreamscape. David watched as Luna's hips swayed hypnotically as she walked, her steps causing the nightmarish quality to slowly recede, leaving behind what looked like a fairy castle, and suddenly they were in a white room, with nothing more than two wing-backed chairs. David looked at Luna, who was now magically cleaning nightmare guts and blood out of her gorgeous fur. He shed his armor, leaving only his fatigues on for modesty's sake. Luna had shed most of her armor, leaving only a pair of shorts and a tight-fitting shirt between her birthday suit and the world. Luna motioned for him to have a seat in one of the chairs, and he complied as she sat down in the other. "Now, we are in a blank dreamscape tonight, you may shape it as you see fit. It is my first gift to you, David. In one week, I will bring you the second. but for now, sleep tight." And with that the beautiful mare faded out of the dream, leaving David sitting in all the empty space. David sighed as he began to let his imagination take over, creating a forge that burned with the heat of the heart of a volcano, an anvil made out of adamant, and all the tools of that noble trade of blacksmith. Even in the dream realm, David loved to practice crafts other than war-fighting. He had seen enough wars, and wanted to do something else. Luna's gift gave him more that she knew, it gave him a way to escape the dreams of his times in combat. The deft strokes of his hammer began shaping the billet of steel into a wonderful alicorn, and after a polish, he blued it to the midnight shade of Luna. Even though he knew it was a dream, it was still a break from reliving every single day of hellish war he had been a participant in. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Luna awoke in her bed, wondering how the decision she had made would affect both her and the human. The problem Luna was contemplating was one of deep complexity. Humans, as a rule, were not supposed to be able to cross over to the world of Equestria, however, the human spirit was easy to move across realms. Now, David may be the soldier she needed, but until he passed away, there was no way of actually bringing him to her side without the use of a portal. Creating a body would be easy, and Luna, as Ruler of the Night, had access to some very dark magic. She could create any body she desired, the only limitation being her power and imagination. Moving the spirit into the body was also a relatively simple and straightforward process, yet this human looked like he was still in perfect health. She moved her covers aside, revealing her voluptuous body, she slept in only her birthday suit, and if anypony had looked in at that moment, they would have seen an unforgettable sight, the princess in all her glory. Perfectly proportioned, with a body toned from good eating habits and exercise. The body of a goddess. The body that no one had ever seen fully except for very few special someponies throughout the ages. Not since before she had been banished to the moon had anyone seen her fully unclad. Many dreamed of seeing and feeling the body of the goddess of the night, but it was reserved for those who Luna deemed trustworthy. Even her own sister, Celestia, was in the dark about how Luna's body looked now. Upon closer inspection, one would notice scars, faded and hidden beneath the fur, but there were long claw marks. What happened to her in the dream realm, because she was so tied to it, happened to the mortal body. Everything short of death. Luna had grown very skilled at healing magic to keep her sister from asking her why she looked like she had picked a fight with a pack of wolves. (Which she had.... several times.... the amount of nightmare fuel that those fucking timberwolves could produce...). The scarring was covered by her fur, thankfully, but she still had to be careful. That is why she needed a second person with her. She could go alone, but it was far better to have someone watching your six for you. She had tried many humans, but very few had picked up on her needs and simply accepted what was going on. David seemed to have accepted that he would die eventually, and therefore simply took everything in stride. She turned on her shower and stepped under the wonderful hot downpour. She groaned in pleasure as the soothing liquid eased her aches and pains, causing her to shiver with delight as the water poured across her feathers making her almost orgasm from the sheer feeling of warm water massaging her body. Once she was done with her rather pleasurable shower, she donned her royal regalia, the dress and crown befitting her status as one of the rulers of Equestria, but underneath the dress she wore a pair of combat boots, and she had a long-knife hidden up her right sleeve. This was always with her... because nobles could be so damnably persistent... Although, once they caught sight of one of the night guards, or the handle of the knife, they decided that perhaps it would be better to bother Celestia. The stairs to the room where she held her court had been made so that if necessary, guards could fly down them rapidly to protect the princess. Luna had other ideas, and she spread her wings, soaring down the long hallway, loving the rush of the air past her face as she landed at the entrance to her audience chamber, steeling herself for the few nobles that were stubborn enough to stay up past any reasonable hour, just to bring their petty problems before the Princess of Night. She should need a stiff drink after this... two bottles of Applejack Daniels, or maybe some of that brew from northern ponies that they called Vodka. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> David awoke, feeling more refreshed than he had ever before. The waking dream that the creature Luna had given him certainly refreshed his body, and his mind. He had long accepted that there was nothing he could do to change the past, but that still did not keep his conscience from sending him nightmares about what could have been. His first day of retirement... it felt strange, not having a set schedule. For most of his life, he had had a predictable, repetitive schedule, where he knew exactly what he was supposed to do, and when. He walked to his kitchen, savoring the sunlight pouring through the bay window into his living room. Wondering what to do now, and most of all, wondering if his dream had been real... Author's Note This chapter was a bit difficult due to a slight case of writer's block, and TBWIO is on Hiatus until either I finish this story, or figure out where I want to go with the next chapter. I have no definite update set, but hopefully I will get another chapter up by the end of 2016. Dreams can be Hell.Blood, everywhere. It pooled in the desert sand, saturating the ground until it could hold no more of the liquid. Men, women, and children lay in the final throes of death, some moaning, some screaming for their parents or loved ones, some merely silent, accepting their deaths. Smoke rose from a the town center as the smoking craters cooled. A squad of soldiers looked over the gruesome scene, the remains of a village that the enemy had decided was committing treason against their cause, and therefore should no longer exist. Medics rushed to give first aid to those who could be saved, but in the end it was almost hopeless. When the plea for help had come, David's unit had been called. They had deployed as fast as they could, but they were minutes too late. It was into this that Luna walked. Dream David felt a hand on his shoulder, and he turned, but instead of his friend PFC Ryan, he saw the pony woman who had visited him a week ago. "I had no idea...." Luna said softly, the dream frozen like a paused movie. "War is hell, Luna, and one does not forget hell." David said sadly. he motioned to the carnage around him, "This is why I became the best warrior I could, because I made myself a promise that this would never happen again, at least not on my watch. " he sighed. I can never save them. No matter how many times I dream, I can never let it go. I am retired now, even though I kept my body in the best shape possible, age and time have degraded my body past the point of where it is useful for more than basic duty." Luna had no words, she could only draw him into a hug as he began to shake softly, tears running down his face. Slowly the dream around them began to dissolve, shifting until they were in David's bedroom. David opened his eyes, but instead of waking up in bed alone like he usually did after a nightmare, he found the princess who had been walking his dreams laying next to him, still locked in a hug with him. If anyone had looked in at the moment, they would have seen a very odd sight. A dark blue horse-humanoid hugging this rather large, intimidating looking old man. Once in a blue moon might be one way of describing the sight. "You.... you are real?" He asked, not really knowing what else to say aside from 'WHAT THE FUCK.' And that would not be polite, especially going off of his intel, all of which told him she was a princess. "Silly stallion, of course I am!" she was interested in how this human, who was so strong, maintained his strength even at such an old age. She booped him on the nose. Her soft, fur-covered hand surprised him. "Why are you here?" he asked, trying to resist the urge to pull the pistol out from under his pillow. She sat up and looked down at him, smiling at the battle-weary face. "I have come to teach you about Equestria, a place where you can come once you die, and live with me. I need a warrior such as yourself to whip the royal guards into shape, they have been lacking, and frankly, we need someone with experience in actual warfare." "My days of fighting are over. I have seen enough bloodshed for my lifetime." David said, sighing. After his war days, he had turned to studying, and learning ancient crafts to try and keep his mind out of the war. A futile effort. Now that he had retired, he did not even have his teaching work to keep him going. His entire life had been war, from the beginning, dealing with bullies, and his parents constant bickering. Then She came into his life. she showed him that love was real. She had given his life meaning, something to come home to every time after deployment, but nothing can last forever. Death had taken her to a place far beyond the mortal coil while he had been deployed halfway across the world. A single tear rolled down his cheek. " I missed being at my wife's side when she passed." He sobbed, burying his face in his hands, "I should have been there, I should have been by her side, but I chose my country over her. That was the day I decided to retire from war altogether." Luna looked at the soldier laying next to him, and she felt her heart being torn in half. She had not expected this. Having seen some of the things he had done in his dreams, she though he was a hard tank of a man. This caring side was something that caught her blindsided. He looked up, tears running down his face, looking at his bedside table, where the picture of a beautiful woman next to a much younger David sat. David was dressed up in his full dress uniform, and she was wearing a bridal gown. Luna looked to where he was looking, and her eyes widened. There was nothing she could say, no amount of words could help. In the photo he looked so proud, so happy standing there next to his blushing bride. She reached out, and just held him. David smiled, seemingly thankful for the comfort as he slowly turned away to look out at the midnight sky. "Can I get you something to drink?" His voice was husky, avoiding crying. Luna smiled. "Yes please. I shall have water." She watched as the old man slowly got up, and wandered down, her ears perked, she could hear the water running. She stood up from the bed and walked over to a rough hewn dresser, staring at the shadow box on top of it. Inside was a medal on the end of a purple ribbon, mixed among others, but what caught her eyes was the well worn set of dog tags, curled around a simple combat knife. Squinting she could make out the letters of KA-BAR on the sheath. but aside from that, there were no other nods to his full past in the military. She started a bit when he walked back in, his step as silent as it had ever been. He extended a glass of crystalline water to her, in his own hands a glass of... cider, she detected the sweet scent of apples, but not that of alcohol. He looked at her, there in the moonlight for a few solid minutes. "So. Why me. If you have seen my dreams you should know why I am not cut out for this." He looks at this odd horse who has walked, and talked into his life. "Because someone asked me to give you a second chance, Someone who in their final dreams called out to any who would hear." Luna could not bring herself to speak the name, but she saw the spark in the man's eyes, that hidden fire that had gone out so long ago. "Then tell me what I must do" Author's Note Sorry this took so long, I have been dealing with a lot lately. Anyways, if you like this story great!
Who was he?David Webb, former SEAL sniper, retired three star general, master craftsman, and history professor sat at his desk, grading term papers. As a 70 year old man, he had seen a lot, done a lot, and been many things. Today was the end of his tenure as a professor at the United States Naval Academy, his things were packed up, and he picked up the last box of personal items, walking out to put them in his Mustang GT. He put the box in the shotgun seat, closed the passenger door, and walked around to his own. He slid into the leather seat, grinning as he started the engine, the horses beneath the hood roaring to life. He pulled out of the parking spot, driving towards the front gates, passing through the marine guard post. Once onto the open road, he roared away towards his house in the mountains of Virginia. He pulled into his driveway several hours later. With the press of a button, he opened his garage door, revealing a large workshop with everything from a forge and power-hammer, to a draw-knife bench and racks of carving tools. He pulled in, shutting off the car, and retrieving the box, whistling a merry tune as he closed the garage door and unlocked the door to get into his house. He took off his shoes and coat in the laundry room, then set down the box in his study. This done, he walked to his kitchen and retrieved a bottle of his favorite scotch. he took a glass from the dishwasher, put two ice cubes in it, then poured it half full of the amber liquid. He put the bottle back in his cabinet, then retrieved a book, The Thunder Below by Eugene B. Fluckly. He set his book and drink down on an oak end-table next to his arm chair. Then kneeling down, thanking his active life for keeping the arthritis at bay, he built a fire in the fireplace, and soon had a roaring fire going. He then snuggled up with his book and drink. But instead of reading the words on the page, he reflected on his life up to this point. As a member of the special forces group commonly known as the SEALs, he had been on many missions that would never see the light of day, he also learned the importance of teamwork, and trusting your friends. His officer training had turned him into a leader. He had studied the leadership of such men as George Washington, George S. Patton, and Chester Nimitz. He knew what it meant to lead, and what it meant to be lead. He sighed as he remembered his buddies from the teams, all retired now, working for private security, or working for the government in some way. The good old days played back in his memory as he sipped his drink, rolling the liquor around, enjoying the taste.He remembered some of the stupid shit he and his unit had gotten up to. Like the time they had been stationed on the aircraft carrier USS Shangri la, and if something did not go wrong, then everyone would panic. He remembered helping one of the deckhands prank the Deck Officer by painting a sign on the deck above the officer's room reading "This is Officer X's Room, DO NOT DROP YOUR CHOCKS HERE" so of course, everyone dropped their chocks right there. Or the time they had papered their CO's office with pictures of Justin Bieber and One Direction, their CO had been pissed, but after about an hour of trying to find out who did it, the CO gave up and just laughed along. He realized he was daydreaming, and looked at the clock, "22:00, well, I guess that is what I get for being a sentimental old man." He muttered to himself. He focused on the book in front of him, and carefully marked the page with a bookmark, setting the volume aside in favor of looking out of his window at the star-dusted night sky. He had never gotten a chance to properly admire the sky up here. His weekends up here had been limited, due to his jobs. When working for the FBI's HRT following his years as a SEAL, he had made some money in his stock investments, and he had bought this place in the boonies, and his wife had lived there with him until the cancer had taken her from him. He got up and walked upstairs, grimacing slightly as his no-longer youthful joints complained. He passed their daughter's room, and looked in, seeing the toys that he had gotten for her when she was young. "My Little Pony" they were called. He may be old, but his memory was still perfect. His Sniper training had sharpened his memory to a razor edge. He remembered on his off days, sitting with his daughter, a bowl of popcorn between them, watching the show together. The rare moments that he had to share with his precious daughter were always his favorite. He sighed as he gently closed the door, walking to his room. He turned on his shower, stripping down to get ready. If one were to look in at that very moment, they would have seen a 70 year old man who was still as muscular and well-built as a 21 year old SEAL. His joints and body may not have been what they used to be, but not from lack of trying. His active lifestyle had kept most of the old age away, but one could still see that he was not as young, nor as strong as he once was. He sighed and showered, washing away the day's grime before getting into some boxers and getting into bed, staring up at the moonlit sky of stars shining through his skylight. He gently closed his eyes, and drifted into the realm of dreams. Little did he know who awaited his presence, and how his entire world was about to change. Author's Note What do you think so far? Shadowsky/ David Webb is something of an oddball, to say the least, but this will come in handy later. Also, 0 points for guessing who is awaiting him in the dream realm.
Waking Dreams....And LUNA!!!!The thing about dreams is they do not have to make logical sense. David "awoke" dressed in BDUs and LBE, he had his M-4 rifle slung over his shoulder, his Kukri in its sheath on his left hip, and his SIG 1911 Tactical in it's holster on his left calf. He also noticed that he was not human, he appeared to be covered in some sort of mottled grey and black fur. He turned to look into his mirror, and noticed that he also had wings jetting out of his back, their feathers dappled with grey and dark blue. But most odd, was that he no longer had his battle-worn face, instead he had the face of a pony. "What the fuck?" He said, realizing he was dreaming, but even for his mind, this was weird. "Hello there." A voice said. David's instincts took over, and in one fluid motion he slid his rifle off of his back, around, peering through the Eotech sight. A female, dressed similarly to himself, stood in his sight picture. She was beautiful, her fur was midnight blue, and she had curves that would make a California girl jealous. "Who are you?" David kept his finger on the trigger guard, ready to pull it at a moment's notice. "I am Princess Luna, you may know me from that show your daughter used to watch." Luna smiled, her mind nodding it's approval at the human's actions. "Please, lower your weapon, I mean you no harm." She held out her hands, empty, to show she meant what she said. David lowered his weapon, sliding it around by the sling until it rested on his back. "So you are Princess Luna of Equestria. How do I know that you are actually here in this dream and it is not my imagination?" He asked, sitting down on the bed. "Because, would you ever dream of this any other way? I brought myself into your dream because I need someone who can help me dream walk. I hunt nightmares, and I need somepony who can come along, and you were highly recommended by someone who said you would know who they were by this name 'I am' it is a powerful being, far surpassing myself or my sister. So, will you ride with me tonight?" Luna answered, standing before him, looking at him with pleading eyes. "Why the hell not." David decided, getting up off of the bed. "Where to, Princess?" He asked his travelling companion. "Please, call me Luna, and we will be travelling into the mind of a young filly." After Luna spoke, the world around the two shifted, becoming a whirling mass of colors and sounds. The pair landed in what appeared to be an overgrown castle. Luna looked toward her new companion, and smiled when she saw that he already had his rifle, (something she had found when wandering around in his memory), out and pointed at the gate. She had armed herself with a longbow, her favorite weapon of all time. Powerful, accurate, deadly, yet quiet, it was the perfect weapon for the Princess of the Night. David looked at his partner. "Luna, why am I using a gun and you a bow?" He questioned his partner's choice of weapon, but it also confirmed that there was someone else with him in the dream, because if he had been dreaming this, his partner would most definitely have been armed with a firearm. "And what are we looking for?" He asked. "Nightmares take on many forms. This one in particular has been terrorizing many of the fillies in Equestria. It feeds on their self-consciousness, their insecurity. I once had a nightmare that possessed me. It fed off of my fear until it took over me. I do not want that to happen again." For such a beautiful mare/woman...whatever the hell Luna was, she sure was terrifying. "So it is in this castle?" Shadowsky said. Looking at the massive structure, his mind working overtime analyzing the corridors and how they would have to clear the building. Two people...Ponies, his mind corrected, verses a castle. "Yes, there are no good dreams in this castle. if anything moves in there, kill it." Luna said. Her head now covered by a helmet of some sort of ethereal metal. He decided that he needed some night vision goggles. Luna, seemingly reading his mind, said, "This is a dream, you can manipulate it to your benefit." David nodded, then imagined a pair of ATN PS15-CGT night vision goggles mounted on a helmet. He put them down, and turned them on, everything became green as he nodded to Luna. "Lets do this. Lead on." He shouldered his rifle and the walked towards the heavy oak doors. He did sneak a look at her ass... They reached the doors, big, solid iron-banded oak. "So, I assume that we cannot manipulate anything we want, correct?" David asked the pretty warrior princess. "Correct. We can manipulate the things around us, things that are ours, but because this is not ours, we will have to get through this door by more conventional means." Luna saw where David was going, sort of. Then her eyes widened when David pulled out a block of some white material and some sort of black device attached to it. "You might want to cover your ears Luna. I am about to blow this door down." He placed the object on the center of the door, then ran a cable to some sort of other device. "Get behind me." She complied, and they took cover behind one of the stone statues that flanked the door. David pressed the clacker, causing the four pounds of C-4 plastic explosives to detonate, shattering the wood and mangling the heavy iron reinforcing bands. "Go." He said, and simultaneously they entered, David's rifle pointing left, and Luna's bow covering right. Author's Note This is a waking dream... you will find out why later. What will they find? Whose dream are they in? What nightmare is this? When will David Webb get the name Shadowsky? How will he get it? Sorry for the cliffhanger...
Facing the Nightmare, and well, Two > than oneThe castle entrance was filled with shadows that danced around. David's NVGs allowed him to see into the shadows, and while he swept the room with his rifle, he could feel Luna doing the same on his right side. Something moved in an alcove, and immediately David fired, the trigger breaking at a crisp 2 lbs, sending a fusillade of 5.56 mm tracer rounds flying at the source of the movement. The green light thrown off by the phosphorescent rounds sent shadows flickering around. A horrifying wail resounded from the alcove, and something that looked like black blood pooled out from behind the statue that sat in the alcove. At the sound of shots, Luna turned to see David slapping a new magazine into his rifle. She looked at the pooling fluid, and said, "They know we are here. They are in the top tower, I can feel their energy. DUCK!" She shouted suddenly at the end of her sentence, and David dropped to the floor and rolled as an arrow whisked over his head, causing another shadowy creature to fall, a crossbow clattering to the stone floor as Luna's arrow destroyed the dream minion's essence. They nodded at each other, then, in what can only be described as an elegant and graceful dance, they began fighting their way towards the tower. Luna would feel the hallway with her senses, then together they would move in, clearing out the waves upon waves of minor nightmares that had been sent by their targets in the very heart of the dark castle. To David it felt wonderful to be able to move like he used to. Age had been kind to him, but now it was catching up. Here he felt that same power that he had possessed in his prime, no twinges every time he walked, no aching back, this was wonderful. They arrived at the base of the tower, and found themselves facing a dragon that had wrapped itself around the tower. David frowned when Luna's arrows simply shattered against the hide of the beast, and his bullets might as well have been blanks for all the good they did. "Shit, Luna, what do we do?" He asked, looking over at the beautiful mare. His jaw dropped as she threw her bow to the side and pulled out a glimmering katana. "We do this the old-fashion way. Now, are you gonna help me or just stand there?" She asked, throwing him a seductive wink as she ran forward. David just shook his head. "Dayum, this is my kind of girl" he thought as he threw his rifle aside and imagined a Viking long sword made out of Damascus steel, tempered black and gold. Then he changed his armor into scale mail. With a battle cry of his own he charged. The shadow-dragon roared and let loose a wall of fire from it's mouth, but it made the mistake of focusing on only one. While David took cover behind a pillar, Luna jumped into the air, spreading her wings, her sword arcing in a hissing line that created a deep gash along the dragon's upper back. Green and black blood spurted from the wound, and the dragon's roar of pain shook the earth. It turned around to snap at Luna, and David took the opportunity to charge forward and thrust his sword through the creature's lower belly. The heavy blade went deep, and with a smooth upward motion, David created a second mortal wound. The dragon turned to swipe its claws at David, and Luna seized the opportunity, plunging her sword through the brain stem of the giant lizard, severing the nerve cluster and forcing David to roll out of the way of the dragon's neck as the beast collapsed to the ground, dead. David watched in awe as Luna surfed down the dragon's neck, landing with a graceful roll. Holy shit.... his mind provided the words...well, one could not even put into words what he was feeling right now. It had been a long time since he had felt this way. Alive, with the strength of his youth. He had been able to bench over 250 pounds, but as he aged, that number had dwindled into the hundreds. "Hey, David, we still need to kill the one who created this dragon." Luna's voice snapped him out of his musings. "Right. Lets kill this thing, so we can relax." David imagined a Vietnam-War era flamethrower, a fire-thrower of his own. Loaded with napalm, it was even more dangerous than a dragon's breath. Luna raised an eyebrow, "And why hast thou chosen to bring along such a weapon, good sir?" She asked, slipping back into her former way of speaking. "Well, nightmares are creatures of shadow and fear right? Well, nothing creates fear like fire, but to normal mortals, fire can also be the most comforting thing, not something to be afraid of." David hefted the pack on his back. This horse/human body was incredible, he had the strength of a Clydesdale, yet the abilities and thoughts of a human. They moved up the winding staircase, the light of the pilot flame flickering off of the walls. They reached the top, and walked into a circular room, where an alicorn sat, looking out of a window. "So, you managed to kill my dragon." It said in a sickly sweet voice. "I must say, Luna, you got farther than I expected, especially with him in tow." The figure motioned to David, who was carefully lining up his flamethrower. "Nightmare Moon?" Luna said, somewhat surprised. "Neigh.... Not Nightmare, I am her sister, the shadowwalker. The dream creeper. My sister was good at large showy gestures that inspired terror, but they also made her a target. I prefer a more subtle approach.... A little nudge here, a little cold sweat there. It took you longer that I expected to find me, but tonight, I will end you, and your boring little human." The figure turned around, showing a purple coat, so dark it was almost black, her entire body covered in chain mail. In her hand she held a curving scimitar sword. "So, come, try to end me, like your friends did to my sister." and with that, she charged. David let loose a blast from the flamethrower, the abrupt spewing of liquid fire causing the figure to halt. "Clever, very clever, but you know nothing about this sort of combat, Human." The figure spat, and then magic welled out of the ground, a dark purple mist extinguishing the fire. David abandoned the flamethrower in favor of his Viking longsword and a steel kite shield. Luna meanwhile, took advantage of the fire as a distraction, and hammered down on the figure. But the nightmare moved fast, parrying Luna's lightning attack. Meanwhile, David circled around behind the creature, looking to stab her in the back. But the nightmare turned, and hurled a dagger at him. He raised his shield and the knife glanced off of it harmlessly. David then used the shield to push forward, forcing the nightmare to conjure a second sword to fight him off. Once again, Luna and David worked in tandem, connected deeply by their understanding of combat, an instinctive connection that warriors share. The nightmare was surprised. This human actually could fight. And his strength was unwavering, Luna's attacks were coming at a speed that made lightning feel slow. The shadowwalker was now on the defensive, fending off the lightning fast attacks from the Princess of the Night, as well as deflecting the powerful, ceaseless blows from the human. Suddenly the fear-causer was now feeling what she had caused for so long in others. Terror, then Luna landed a blow, drawing first blood. The shadowwalker screamed as Luna's blade slashed through her abdomen. Then, David landed a bone-crushing strike with his shield, breaking the nightmare's wrist and driving her straight into Luna's next cut, which slammed across the upper body of the nightmare. At the same moment, David drove his sword between the second and third vertebra of the creature's spine. effectively decapitating it. With a horrible, ear-rending wail, the being dissolved into dust, whisking away in a gust of wind, leaving the Princess and David panting. "I fear she is not yet gone, but we have pushed her back" Luna said, catching her breath. Author's Note Well... next chapter we get to see the aftermath.
The AftermathLuna and David stared at each other for a long moment, breathing heavily, the adrenaline slowly receding from their systems. Luna motioned for David to follow her out of the castle, and they slowly made their way through the dark and twisted passages of the nightmarish dreamscape. David watched as Luna's hips swayed hypnotically as she walked, her steps causing the nightmarish quality to slowly recede, leaving behind what looked like a fairy castle, and suddenly they were in a white room, with nothing more than two wing-backed chairs. David looked at Luna, who was now magically cleaning nightmare guts and blood out of her gorgeous fur. He shed his armor, leaving only his fatigues on for modesty's sake. Luna had shed most of her armor, leaving only a pair of shorts and a tight-fitting shirt between her birthday suit and the world. Luna motioned for him to have a seat in one of the chairs, and he complied as she sat down in the other. "Now, we are in a blank dreamscape tonight, you may shape it as you see fit. It is my first gift to you, David. In one week, I will bring you the second. but for now, sleep tight." And with that the beautiful mare faded out of the dream, leaving David sitting in all the empty space. David sighed as he began to let his imagination take over, creating a forge that burned with the heat of the heart of a volcano, an anvil made out of adamant, and all the tools of that noble trade of blacksmith. Even in the dream realm, David loved to practice crafts other than war-fighting. He had seen enough wars, and wanted to do something else. Luna's gift gave him more that she knew, it gave him a way to escape the dreams of his times in combat. The deft strokes of his hammer began shaping the billet of steel into a wonderful alicorn, and after a polish, he blued it to the midnight shade of Luna. Even though he knew it was a dream, it was still a break from reliving every single day of hellish war he had been a participant in. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> Luna awoke in her bed, wondering how the decision she had made would affect both her and the human. The problem Luna was contemplating was one of deep complexity. Humans, as a rule, were not supposed to be able to cross over to the world of Equestria, however, the human spirit was easy to move across realms. Now, David may be the soldier she needed, but until he passed away, there was no way of actually bringing him to her side without the use of a portal. Creating a body would be easy, and Luna, as Ruler of the Night, had access to some very dark magic. She could create any body she desired, the only limitation being her power and imagination. Moving the spirit into the body was also a relatively simple and straightforward process, yet this human looked like he was still in perfect health. She moved her covers aside, revealing her voluptuous body, she slept in only her birthday suit, and if anypony had looked in at that moment, they would have seen an unforgettable sight, the princess in all her glory. Perfectly proportioned, with a body toned from good eating habits and exercise. The body of a goddess. The body that no one had ever seen fully except for very few special someponies throughout the ages. Not since before she had been banished to the moon had anyone seen her fully unclad. Many dreamed of seeing and feeling the body of the goddess of the night, but it was reserved for those who Luna deemed trustworthy. Even her own sister, Celestia, was in the dark about how Luna's body looked now. Upon closer inspection, one would notice scars, faded and hidden beneath the fur, but there were long claw marks. What happened to her in the dream realm, because she was so tied to it, happened to the mortal body. Everything short of death. Luna had grown very skilled at healing magic to keep her sister from asking her why she looked like she had picked a fight with a pack of wolves. (Which she had.... several times.... the amount of nightmare fuel that those fucking timberwolves could produce...). The scarring was covered by her fur, thankfully, but she still had to be careful. That is why she needed a second person with her. She could go alone, but it was far better to have someone watching your six for you. She had tried many humans, but very few had picked up on her needs and simply accepted what was going on. David seemed to have accepted that he would die eventually, and therefore simply took everything in stride. She turned on her shower and stepped under the wonderful hot downpour. She groaned in pleasure as the soothing liquid eased her aches and pains, causing her to shiver with delight as the water poured across her feathers making her almost orgasm from the sheer feeling of warm water massaging her body. Once she was done with her rather pleasurable shower, she donned her royal regalia, the dress and crown befitting her status as one of the rulers of Equestria, but underneath the dress she wore a pair of combat boots, and she had a long-knife hidden up her right sleeve. This was always with her... because nobles could be so damnably persistent... Although, once they caught sight of one of the night guards, or the handle of the knife, they decided that perhaps it would be better to bother Celestia. The stairs to the room where she held her court had been made so that if necessary, guards could fly down them rapidly to protect the princess. Luna had other ideas, and she spread her wings, soaring down the long hallway, loving the rush of the air past her face as she landed at the entrance to her audience chamber, steeling herself for the few nobles that were stubborn enough to stay up past any reasonable hour, just to bring their petty problems before the Princess of Night. She should need a stiff drink after this... two bottles of Applejack Daniels, or maybe some of that brew from northern ponies that they called Vodka. <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><> David awoke, feeling more refreshed than he had ever before. The waking dream that the creature Luna had given him certainly refreshed his body, and his mind. He had long accepted that there was nothing he could do to change the past, but that still did not keep his conscience from sending him nightmares about what could have been. His first day of retirement... it felt strange, not having a set schedule. For most of his life, he had had a predictable, repetitive schedule, where he knew exactly what he was supposed to do, and when. He walked to his kitchen, savoring the sunlight pouring through the bay window into his living room. Wondering what to do now, and most of all, wondering if his dream had been real... Author's Note This chapter was a bit difficult due to a slight case of writer's block, and TBWIO is on Hiatus until either I finish this story, or figure out where I want to go with the next chapter. I have no definite update set, but hopefully I will get another chapter up by the end of 2016.
Dreams can be Hell.Blood, everywhere. It pooled in the desert sand, saturating the ground until it could hold no more of the liquid. Men, women, and children lay in the final throes of death, some moaning, some screaming for their parents or loved ones, some merely silent, accepting their deaths. Smoke rose from a the town center as the smoking craters cooled. A squad of soldiers looked over the gruesome scene, the remains of a village that the enemy had decided was committing treason against their cause, and therefore should no longer exist. Medics rushed to give first aid to those who could be saved, but in the end it was almost hopeless. When the plea for help had come, David's unit had been called. They had deployed as fast as they could, but they were minutes too late. It was into this that Luna walked. Dream David felt a hand on his shoulder, and he turned, but instead of his friend PFC Ryan, he saw the pony woman who had visited him a week ago. "I had no idea...." Luna said softly, the dream frozen like a paused movie. "War is hell, Luna, and one does not forget hell." David said sadly. he motioned to the carnage around him, "This is why I became the best warrior I could, because I made myself a promise that this would never happen again, at least not on my watch. " he sighed. I can never save them. No matter how many times I dream, I can never let it go. I am retired now, even though I kept my body in the best shape possible, age and time have degraded my body past the point of where it is useful for more than basic duty." Luna had no words, she could only draw him into a hug as he began to shake softly, tears running down his face. Slowly the dream around them began to dissolve, shifting until they were in David's bedroom. David opened his eyes, but instead of waking up in bed alone like he usually did after a nightmare, he found the princess who had been walking his dreams laying next to him, still locked in a hug with him. If anyone had looked in at the moment, they would have seen a very odd sight. A dark blue horse-humanoid hugging this rather large, intimidating looking old man. Once in a blue moon might be one way of describing the sight. "You.... you are real?" He asked, not really knowing what else to say aside from 'WHAT THE FUCK.' And that would not be polite, especially going off of his intel, all of which told him she was a princess. "Silly stallion, of course I am!" she was interested in how this human, who was so strong, maintained his strength even at such an old age. She booped him on the nose. Her soft, fur-covered hand surprised him. "Why are you here?" he asked, trying to resist the urge to pull the pistol out from under his pillow. She sat up and looked down at him, smiling at the battle-weary face. "I have come to teach you about Equestria, a place where you can come once you die, and live with me. I need a warrior such as yourself to whip the royal guards into shape, they have been lacking, and frankly, we need someone with experience in actual warfare." "My days of fighting are over. I have seen enough bloodshed for my lifetime." David said, sighing. After his war days, he had turned to studying, and learning ancient crafts to try and keep his mind out of the war. A futile effort. Now that he had retired, he did not even have his teaching work to keep him going. His entire life had been war, from the beginning, dealing with bullies, and his parents constant bickering. Then She came into his life. she showed him that love was real. She had given his life meaning, something to come home to every time after deployment, but nothing can last forever. Death had taken her to a place far beyond the mortal coil while he had been deployed halfway across the world. A single tear rolled down his cheek. " I missed being at my wife's side when she passed." He sobbed, burying his face in his hands, "I should have been there, I should have been by her side, but I chose my country over her. That was the day I decided to retire from war altogether." Luna looked at the soldier laying next to him, and she felt her heart being torn in half. She had not expected this. Having seen some of the things he had done in his dreams, she though he was a hard tank of a man. This caring side was something that caught her blindsided. He looked up, tears running down his face, looking at his bedside table, where the picture of a beautiful woman next to a much younger David sat. David was dressed up in his full dress uniform, and she was wearing a bridal gown. Luna looked to where he was looking, and her eyes widened. There was nothing she could say, no amount of words could help. In the photo he looked so proud, so happy standing there next to his blushing bride. She reached out, and just held him. David smiled, seemingly thankful for the comfort as he slowly turned away to look out at the midnight sky. "Can I get you something to drink?" His voice was husky, avoiding crying. Luna smiled. "Yes please. I shall have water." She watched as the old man slowly got up, and wandered down, her ears perked, she could hear the water running. She stood up from the bed and walked over to a rough hewn dresser, staring at the shadow box on top of it. Inside was a medal on the end of a purple ribbon, mixed among others, but what caught her eyes was the well worn set of dog tags, curled around a simple combat knife. Squinting she could make out the letters of KA-BAR on the sheath. but aside from that, there were no other nods to his full past in the military. She started a bit when he walked back in, his step as silent as it had ever been. He extended a glass of crystalline water to her, in his own hands a glass of... cider, she detected the sweet scent of apples, but not that of alcohol. He looked at her, there in the moonlight for a few solid minutes. "So. Why me. If you have seen my dreams you should know why I am not cut out for this." He looks at this odd horse who has walked, and talked into his life. "Because someone asked me to give you a second chance, Someone who in their final dreams called out to any who would hear." Luna could not bring herself to speak the name, but she saw the spark in the man's eyes, that hidden fire that had gone out so long ago. "Then tell me what I must do" Author's Note Sorry this took so long, I have been dealing with a lot lately. Anyways, if you like this story great!
