"How did you do this?! How?!" Starlight demands louder and more infuriated.

"Do you notice something unusual? Something that doesn't feel right? It's all you, of course. I pulled you from your dreaming body." Shivers details laughing.

"That doesn't make sense! If you have that kind of magic, why do you even want mine in the first place?!"

"Even if I told you, you'll have no use for that knowledge once I have what I want." Shivers draws closer, "Now give me that power." Starlight tries to teleport away to get a better vantage point to shoot at the mask, but her magic falters on her. Her horn only glows in vain.

"Without that body, all your energy is good for is giving it to me." the entity gloats. To Starlight's surprise, many smaller, translucent masks appear behind Needling Shivers and tilt back and forth hypnotically. She struggles to keep her eyes away from the luring motion. All of them cut off her escape. Then the smaller faces groan in agony and flee scattering like terrified birds. A sharp, puncturing light shines behind Shivers who also shouts in a horrifying voice and flies swiftly away. Starlight ducks as it makes its own escape. Opening her eyes, she sees standing there a tall biped in a dusty, rust colored jacket, green brown cargo pants, and heavy working boots. The odd, messy, light red-violet hair is the least strange thing about him. The purifying light, coming out of half of his arm made of metal, scares away the last resilient ghostly mask easily.

"Hate those things." the creature says annoyed, "What were they attacking now?" His immediately confused eyes meet Starlight's as she completely stands up.

What in the world?

"Uh hi. Thank you so much," she nervously introduces herself, "my name is Starlight Glimmer. You, uh, wouldn't happen to know a way out, would you?" The biped closes a panel on his metal arm that shuts off the light at the end and stares at her puzzled.

"Is that a no?" she asks. Not even flying vermin loudly chasing each other passing by distract the two in this moment. He shakes his head quickly and knocks at the side of his head with the end of the cylindrical metal arm.

"I don't care if I'm being rude but are you a talking purple unicorn? Or am I crazy?" he asks staring confused. A shrieking hiss comes from a close geyser precluding a spout of thick green smoke.

Super, where's Fluttershy when you need her to teach him a thing or two.

"Yeah, trust me where I come from unicorns are everywhere. I hope that's your only burning question, because there are definitely bigger things going on right now." Starlight speaks as politely as possible through startled mixed emotions. With his free hand the biped waves in front of his own face.

"Right..." Starlight continues, "I really am thankful for what you did, and I can only hope that asking a small favor, well, wouldn't be asking too much?" In the distance a low rumble can be heard through the grey mist.

"Uh huh, I'll tick this under maybe crazy," he concludes," heaven knows I've seen worse down here. Unicorns, honestly. If that's real, who knows what else is." As he starts walking away Starlight catches up to him quickly. Realizing her magic is defunct, she needs a plan and fast. The winding narrow stone steps down barely feel real under her hooves.

What other choice do I have. If Twilight and her friends were here, they'd be befriending weird things like this before brunch. And it seems to have magic that works!

"I guess I should start over then. My name is Starlight Glimmer and I'd like to know the name of the, uh, well, you that saved me." she stammers trying to find what to call the odd creature. She flashes another friendly awkward smile when he looks at her with an uncomfortable expression.

"Okay...why don't you just call me Danny." he shrugs. "Also, is that your real name? Like on your birth certificate, if you have one anyway."

"Yes. Why? No nevermind," she brushes it off, "Anyway," she continues confidently, "so Danny, can you tell me what's going on? I mean that weird mask thing said it separated me from my dreaming body which, if you ask me, makes no sense. Somepony could only be banished to Tartarus with powerful magic, after all, and you suddenly aren't a different being when you go to sleep either."

"I'm sorry, 'somepony?' " Danny lightly mocks.

"Yes, anyway do you know anything about it or not?" Starlight tries staying composed. He still snickers before answering,

"Eh? Those parasites are everywhere but I never saw that big one before. They scare easily from bright light if there's only a few of 'em. My advice, though, is hide from any swarms you see, they have strength in numbers. As for 'dream body,' I have no clue what you're on about."

"Got it." Startlight starts turning over thoughts in her mind quietly, yet at the next turn on the stairs an abrupt plume of smoke startles her.

"That happens," Danny comments casually, "you know, if you need a place to stay and hide I got a place a little ways away. At least until you calm down, anyway." Starlight agrees while still catching the patronizing tone in his offer.

Maybe levitating him around in circles would teach him for being so condescending...Well, no not now. Maybe later.

Author's Note

I'm hoping to give enough background to be engaging but not distract from the flow of dialogue between the characters. And more of Starlight's magical issues being addressed? Should it be emphasized more here or gradually before the trail-blazing chapters?