Soul Saga: Catching Dreams

Chapters

Prologue: Through the Nightmare
Chapter Two: Beginning of a Dream Weaver
Chapter Three: The Charms of Ivory
Chapter Four: The Dream Sight
Chapter Five: The Nightmare
Chapter Six: The Price of Broken Rules
Chapter Seven: Of Nightmares and Dream Catchers
Chapter Eight: Unwitting Submission
Chapter Nine: Three Times the Dream, Three Times the Nightmare
Chapter One: Night of Fated Dreams

Prologue: Through the Nightmare

As ponies, we tend to take our lives for granted. We have houses, warmth and food in plentiful abundance. Neighbors, friends and loved ones to keep us company. Entertainment to keep us amused. A sun to keep us warm, and a moon to light our path by night to keep us safe. We think we have it good, in comparison to say; maybe the Zebra or the Diamond Dogs. Living the life of luxury in our quaint towns, sprawling suburban metropolitan areas, and vast cities.

So why would that change when we sleep? We dream of our families, our friends. We dream about work and the activities of the coming day. Some of the more fortunate ones get to dream about big profit margins or expanded territories. That's all well and fine to do; nopony could fault you for it if you do.

But that's just it. In the end: nopony can fault you for having dreams. No one can take them away either. As long as they live in you, they are as eternal as you will them to be.

Eternity though, is a very long time. Especially to be trapped in a dream turned nightmare.

You'd like to think you know; think you can pretend to know how you'd react in your darkest dream turned to life. But I can tell you that you can't. You don't know. You never will...unless you experience it first hoof. I have to say; coming from experience: it's not pleasant.

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My name is Dream Weaver. I'd love to say that I'm your typical, average everyday pony. I'd love to regale you with stories of how I graduated from school, met a nice mare, settled down and had a few foals. I would give anything to tell you about how I attained my dream job of working in the Lunar Guard directly under Her Majesty Princess Luna. About how I served my time dutifully and received an honest pony's discharge, retired to a home in the country and spent the rest of my days lounging in the peace and tranquility of nature.

But I can't. I'd be lying. Mostly because physically, I'm not old enough to even have a real job. I'm not strong enough to serve in the Guard. I don't even have the ability to clearly see where I'm going. Objects in motion are my line to life, while stationary objects are the mortal enemy of my body. Sound and touch are the only things alerting me to the idea that I may be seconds away from my life being over. My world is a black canvas upon which sketchy gray lines of motion and sound echoes are scrawled every so often to help guide my way.

I am blind. The world I live in is as bleak as the darkest of shadows on a moonless night, disturbed only by the inhabitants and forces of nature around me. You can imagine that I keep to myself most of the time, living in my simple three room abode. It's a quaint little hovel off of the Courtyard Promenade that surrounds the Town Hall of what could be jokingly called 'Downtown' Ponyville. In all the time I've lived here, the town has grown and prospered, but it hasn't changed much from that simple little settlement it was founded as so many years ago.

Ponies are still friendly, holding open doors for me. The streets are arguably the same as they were when they were first paved with cobblestone and packed with dirt. The shop owners are as industrious as they always have been, peddling their wares with nary a care in the world. Sure, we've had our occasional disaster once in a great blue moon. The parasprite infestation caused a lot of damage to the town and surrounding countryside. The Changeling Invasion of the Royal City of Canterlot had its own security ramifications here, even so far from the capital. But life itself remains relatively undisturbed. Ponies still get married and have foals. Foals still become young colts and fillies, going to school and growing up. It could be painted as the most quaint, picturesque town in existence.

That is, if it truly was that simple.

I'm not going to lie to you, every settlement has its own troubles. Bad crops, tainted water, crime. You name it. But there's always one element of darkness that out shadows everything else. This isn't just Ponyville's problem though. This devious void threatens all of Equestria's borders; probably Her allies as well. I wouldn't know in truth. I'm only one pony destined to fight against it. Even then; for all the good I serve to the cause, there's so much more that slips through my hooves every time I go into the fray.

You see, my adversary is tricky. It's not only insubstantial...but metaphysical as well. It's not something you can go out and bludgeon with the nearest two-by-four. It's not anywhere near as simple as putting my enemy in handcuffs and taking it to jail, no. That'd be far too simple.

My enemy exists on an altered level of the subconscious.

My enemy is a Nightmare.

You think it's funny? I would've laughed too when I was first told of it and what it can do. If somepony would've walked up to me on the street and out right told me that I was in danger from a bad dream, I would've laughed in their face.

The stark, black and white reality of it is though...it's true.

There's sure to be some skeptics out there, no doubt.

'How is a bad dream dangerous?'

'How is having a nightmare going to hurt me?'

Before I get into that, there's a few things you need to know about this vile interloper into our mind's eye.

For starters, this is no ordinary bad dream. It's possessed of a consciousness all its' own. It can think, reason, and feel, just as you or I do. It reacts to the things you do to it, sometimes punishing you for being incredibly stupid enough to fall for one of its tricks. Other times rewarding you for surprising it. It even provides ways for you to escape it, if you're aware of yourself enough to notice the little hints and clues it drops along the way. You see...this Nightmare treats your mind, your memories, everything you've ever experienced...like a game. It takes things you once loved and twists them into the most hellish shades of black and red that you've ever seen. Things you fear become hundreds of times more frightening. Things you enjoy become so unpleasant as to make you wish you'd never known their joys.

Worst of all: ponies you know and love will die before your eyes.

'Oh. But still, this is all a dream, right? It's not really doing these things.'

Some cases? No. It doesn't have the power to reach out into the real world to affect others while it's focusing on you. That's one boon that I consider myself lucky for. However, it can draw the sleeping minds of others into this altered reality with yours. It can make them do things you've never thought possible. Warping them into ponies you never knew. Sometimes...showing you things yet to happen.

That's how I first discovered this malevolent force. In order to understand how things eventually turned out though, you're gonna need a bit of my back story first. So let's get the boring part out of the way.

When I was still just a young colt in my very first day of school no less, it brought me a vision. In it, I saw my own mother killed in an accident involving a thundercloud. Not more than twelve hours later...it happened. My life never was the same after that.

About two years later, I met a Plains Pony from the Bad Lands, peddling Buffalo Tribe regalia and trinkets. He was the first to tell me the truth behind my vision...and what lie in store for me. See...I'm what's known as a Dream Catcher. Original name, right? Yeah...tell me about it. But fact of the matter is...I'm a pony who's capable of helping to filter out negative things in dreams to make sure you all sleep peacefully at night. Talents of the mind have run in my family since before my great grandfather. My father was a psychiatric therapist. My brother was skilled in creating mental illusions.

Me? I get to glance into others dreams and see to it that nothing bad is happening.

Or at least...that's how it would work if I was a unicorn. But there's the trick to my life. Not only am I blind...but I'm a blind pegasus. As if to make matters worse, even if I could see...I can't fly. Accidental wing damage at a young age led to degenerative bone disease. Yep. That's really something I like telling others. In the living world, I'm about as useful as a sack of hammer handles.

I found a way around my racial handicap though. I may not be a unicorn, but I can still borrow their magic. That's how I get into dreams and work around in them. That's how I take the fight to the Nightmare.

The Plains Pony taught me a trick to allow me to do more than just view dreams without my own source of magic. Enchanted artifacts, as it were, allow me to physically enter one's dream and do my thing. All I need to do is find a unicorn able to perform the enchantment. Let me tell you, that in itself is no easy task, as there's few enough around these days that still specialize in dream magic. There just isn't too much of a call for it in the mechanics of the universe I guess. Another way to do it is to utilize runes, sigils and symbolic magic...but to do that, you need to combine the three different practices...and let's just say that there's more recorded history about the tragic accidents involved than the successes in that avenue of magical theory.

To get back on track though, as it seems I'm wandering...I use these methods to get into your dreams. Do you want me there? Probably not. Do you need me there? Questionable. Do you have a better chance of surviving the Nightmare if I'm there?

Given my lengthy experience with this thing...I'd say that you've a 1 in 4 chance. But that's better than no chance at all. I'm no super-pony. I can't just flex my muscles and make it go away. But I can help.

You see...the Nightmare has a strict set of rules that it adheres to. If they're not followed...punishments are dealt accordingly. I found that out the hard way. Let's just say that now, I can 'see' the rules more clearly.

Soon after discovering my talent, I discovered these all too important rules. I know these rules. I bend them to help you survive. It's my job to make sure you get through it alive and in as few pieces as possible. The Nightmare plays by them, and expects you to as well. If you don't, consequences can be more dire than ever. See, when you're preyed upon by the Nightmare...your very life becomes the stakes wagered for you. As if that wasn't bad enough...the Nightmare plays to win. As should you. It'll use every trick in the book to beat you into submission.

So how do you win against an all powerful force of the mind that's subverting your own senses and memories, pitting you against the things and ponies you love the most? Well, to know the enemy is to know victory. I've spent what feels like two or three lifetimes in subconscious combat against this monstrosity. I can tell you now that after all this time, I know this thing better than most. It's that accumulated knowledge that's going to help you when some stranger comes barging in on your dreams. I don't expect thanks. I don't even expect you to tolerate me. But you'll eventually see that I can help you.

For all of my experience though...I'm a broken pony. For every life I save, three are lost. You might think to yourself that such numbers are inexcusable. But you don't know the horrors I face. If you did...you wouldn't be reading this. You wouldn't have to read it...because you'd already know.

I say this with the most clarity I've ever had on any matter in my life: the Nightmare is no savior. It may pretend to be, showing you things you've repressed in order for you to come to terms with them, or showing you misdeeds in order for you to repent. Don't fall for it though. It's only out to keep you for itself. Trapped forever in its fog filled streets. Its fun-house mazes of death and decay. It is maleficent to the very core and harbors you no good will. It will kill you if you allow it to.

When I look back on all the lives I've saved, I sit and think to myself: "What about the rest?"

Everytime I visit the subconscious realm of the DreamScape, where the Nightmare lives, I'm visited with a hallway of faces. Twisted. Tormented. Defiled. All ponies I couldn't save. All ponies who were counting on the strange, black pegasus who showed up in their dreams to help them get away. I look at them all and I'm assaulted by a dark feeling.

It's a feeling not unlike walking on a floor of mirrors. You tread carefully, trying not to break such pristine glass ornaments. But then one of them cracks. In an effort to keep it from getting worse, you back away quickly, accidentally stepping on another mirror too hard and cracking that one as well. Soon, you're tip-hoofing across the floor in an effort to save at least one mirror while all around you, the glass is shattering...and you know there's nothing you can do to stop it except try to save as many as you can from breaking. Each of those mirrors represents a pony. Each of those cracks is an instance of the Nightmare.

I've seen too many broken mirrors in my life time. Far too much death for somepony who's not even technically out of their late colt-hood. I'm young, I'll admit. Given a wager, I'm probably only physically around fourteen to fifteen summers old. But I've been fighting this monster for as long as I can remember. No headway has been made as far as I can tell. The Nightmare's just as strong as ever. I'll keep fighting it for as long as I can. I know there are others out there with this ability of mine, and they're fighting just as hard.

So for them, and for all the ponies I couldn't save...I won't give up. I can't give up. It's all I have to live for. That and this book. Told within are stories from my life. Stories that will relate to you, as best as I can, what my struggle has been like. How this entity of darkness took from me everything I had and left only a meaningless war to be fought.

Kind of a sad notion, huh?

I'm living to fight and endless battle.

I'm living for a Nightmare.

Chapter Two: Beginning of a Dream Weaver

"Heya little brother. How're you feeling?" Mirage's cool tones drifted through the darkened room.

Dream Catcher stirred lightly, sound asleep amidst the realm of his special place in the world. From where the elder pony stood, he could watch the expressions that crossed the face of his younger sibling, noting that they were calm and relaxed. For once, he was glad that the little colt was asleep. After the day he'd had, Mirage couldn't think of any better remedy.

"It's okay Silver, he's asleep. If we're quiet, we can study in here by horn-light. C'mon in."

Mirage led his friend, Silver Quill into the room. The soft blue unicorn stepped quietly so as not to disturb the sleeping colt as she made her way around to the twin desks opposite the doorway by the windows. Mirage set his saddlebags down before going in for a closer inspection of Dream, noting with a smile that whatever it had been that was ailing him earlier didn't seem to have returned.

"Sounds like he had a rough first day. Poor little thing." The filly sighed, watching Mirage tend to Dream.

"It seems to be a lot better than pops made it out to be. Apparently, he fell out of his desk when the teacher woke him up; hit his head pretty hard. And to make things worse, he had a wicked fever for a bit. Dad said you could've wrung him out twice and still had enough for a full pitcher left over; he was sweating that bad. Something about a nasty dream too." Mirage shook his head as he watched Dream's easy breathing.

"I do hope he feels better." Silver stood up and tip-hoofed over, noting the cloth on the colt's forehead.

Mirage nodded at that, making for his bags again. He levitated a few books and some papers out, setting them down on his desktop without so much as a sound. Fortunately, the act of using magic for such things had the benefit of being nearly completely silent. If one didn't know what to listen for, they'd never hear the subtle sound of what you could mistake for the tinkling of tiny bells and an almost ethereal ambiance. With that done, he motioned Silver over to the desks and with great care to be quiet, the two set about studying.

The night passed relatively uneventfully with the background to their work being the soft, easy breathing of Dream in his own private little world and that of their father in the kitchen, cleaning up from dinner. The two eventually settled in to a questionnaire round for a rudimentary quiz on the basic fundamentals of magic that was scheduled for the coming week when Dream showed his first signs of stirring. The little pony sat up, gingerly rubbing his head as he focused his vision in the low light cast by the two lit horns in the room.

"Ow..." The colt shuddered when he hit a sore spot, alerting the others to his awakening.

"Hey there little brother." Mirage smiled gently, standing up to move next to the bunk. "How's the head?"

"Can I go back to sleep? It doesn't hurt when I'm there." Dream shut his eyes, feeling a sizable goose-egg on the side of his skull.

"Well, you could...but then you'd miss out on our friend being here." Mirage chuckled. He motioned Silver over to the bedside before returning his attention to Dream.

"Heya pipsqueak." Silver made her way over, sitting down beside the bed. "Fun day, I hear?"

"Totally." Dream sniped back. He looked around, finding a glass of water on the bedside stand. With unsteady hooves, he picked it up and downed it rapidly, feeling a little better.

"Probably still a bit dehydrated from turning your schoolroom into a swimming pool." The glass levitated out of Dream's grasp in the white haze of his brother's magic as the colt left to refill it for him. Dream sat quietly for a few moments until Mirage returned with the glass full again to which he responded by promptly emptying it once more. "Lumpy head aside, that could be the cause of a headache."

"Maybe. How was your day, brother?"

Mirage shrugged before regaling Dream with tales of a dreadfully boring class schedule, hardly any new and interesting things about magic to learn, and even worse...the teacher.

"Dad wasn't kidding when he said these first two weeks were going to be tough. It's only the first day and already I'm so bored out of my skull that I don't know if they'll ever get to teaching me anything I don't already know."

"Levitation spells, basic manipulation, overall control of your abilities, it's stuff your parents teach you when you first learn how to use your magic." Silver nodded. "They treat us like we're still foals."

"I could understand it maybe if we had somepony in our class who isn't well versed enough in their own basic magic that they could hurt somepony else...but this is just ridiculous." Mirage shrugged, casting a spell out to light the lanterns about the room now that Dream had awoken. "Fortunately for you, you don't have to worry about that."

Dream nodded, his mind going over to a poster of his hero, SkyStorm. The fastest and best flier in all of Equestria. The pony that Dream looked up to the most...aside from his brother. Soon, he'd be attending Flight School in Cloudsdale, training for the day when he could join the Junior Speedsters. He unconsciously stretched out his still underdeveloped wings, feeling a soft draft waft through the feathers.

"Can't wait, can ya?" Mirage smirked, knowingly.

"Nope. Gonna be just like SkyStorm. But better! I'll show them all how to fly when I get to Summer Flight Camp next year."

"Gotta learn how to use those wings first, squirt. And you can't do that if you keep falling asleep during important stuff...like school." Silver prodded him jokingly. "For as long as I've known you, you just can't stay awake when you need to, silly pony."

Silver leaned in and hugged the little black colt. Dream laid into it and hugged her back. Silver felt like the sister he'd never had. But she was right. His ears drooped a bit as he thought back on all the times he'd messed up. It brought a blush to his face to remember falling asleep face first in his birthday cake one year. The memory brought back the earlier day in full force when she left go, her muzzle accidentally nudging the lump on his head. He withdrew quickly on a sharp breath to quell the stabbing pain, Silver looking on apologetically.

Mirage stood up with the promise of his quick return and left the two alone again as he ventured downstairs for an icepack for Dream. Silver began to pack her things up for the night, settling everything into her saddlebags before returning to Dream's bedside.

"Hey...I know what will help you feel better. How about a game?" She suggested, levitating a board game from one of the nearby bookshelves in the room. It was simply designed, no hard thinking involved. All one had to do was roll dice and move their pawn across the board.

"Maybe. If Mirage says it's okay. He gets really worried about me sometimes." Dream's ears fell lower at the thought of his older brother pacing the floor again like he did the night Dream fell out of the tree in their backyard.

"Oh, he'll be all right. He just doesn't want anything to happen to you, that's all. I wish I had a brother like him." Silver smiled softly, setting the game out on the floor before motioning Dream Catcher out of bed. "C'mon. You can even bring your pillow and blanket if you want."

"Okay." Dream slipped out from under the cover, grabbing it and his pillow in his teeth before climbing down to the floor. He set everything up and got comfortable, picking out his favorite piece. The tiny black pony pawn was always his, no matter how many times they played or who played with them.

Mirage came back shortly after, carrying the icepack wrapped in cloth when he returned. He took one look at the setup spread out before settling down without a fight, a soft smile of preconceived defeat on his muzzle as he passed the cool cloth over to his brother. Picking out the red piece, he looked down at the board before the usual competitive grin crossed his face. "Okay...so who's going to go first?"

"Youngest, of course. I suggested we play to help him feel better, so he gets the first roll." Silver nodded smartly, moving the dice over within Dream's reach.

The young pony made his first roll, and the game began. They all took their respective turns, rolling and moving, all the while with Mirage and Silver making sure the other didn't fix the roll with magic. They kept on for some time, each gaining or losing ground as the dice demanded, Dream feeling much better as the game went on when a loud crack and the peal of thunder rolled through the house, turning Silver's attention away from her roll momentarily.

"Hah! Six! That means you go back three spaces!" Mirage cheered when the dice stopped, moving Silver's piece back the allotted number.

"That's not fair. I'll bet you used your magic when I wasn't looking!" Silver protested as she turned back to the board, but the white unicorn waved his hoof at her.

"Now now, don't be a sore loser, Silly Filly." He smiled, ruffling her mane gently.

"Yeah, I didn't see any magic." Dream agreed. "My turn?"

"Yup! Go for it!"

"Okay...here goes!" He rolled...and turned up a two. "Aww come on. That's the third two in a row."

As the pegasus colt moved his piece forlornly, the unicorns looked back at one another and smiled, as if sharing some kind of secret. Neither would've used their powers on Dream's roll in earnest, but they weren't above teasing him every now and then with the idea.

Just as he finished moving his piece, another peal of thunder rumbled through the house, shaking the foundation to its core. There came the sound of rushing hooves as their father entered the room to find a completely unexpected scene.

"Is everypony okay up here? That last strike sounded really close." He asked of the three.

"Yes sir, Mr. Nights. We're just helping Dream feel better with a little game." Silver spoke up, smiling up at the stallion.

"Yeah pops. We're fine. Nothin to worry about." Mirage gave his agreement, motioning to Dream. "Look, squirt's even awake for once. Gotta write that down in the record books."

Everyone but Dream chuckled at that, the colt stuffing his head under his pillow in minor embarrassment.

"Well, so long as you're all fine. It's just odd though. The Weather Patrol didn't schedule a thunderstorm until later this week. I wonder what caused them to move it up?" Their father put his hoof to his chin in thought as he left the room, heading back downstairs.

The three ponies left behind all shrugged and continued their game. It wasn't much longer lived though as Mirage ended up winning with Dream coming in close second. Silver wasn't far behind either; one good roll and she might've beat Dream. With the game finished, the three sat around and talked on for what felt like a few more hours before Silver stood up and made for her saddlebags.

"Well boys, it's been fun. But if I don't get home soon, my parents are going to tan my hide." She sighed, lifting her bags off the ground in a blue glow to match her coat. All ears turned to the door when a knock came from the front door downstairs. "That might even be them now. I hope they're not mad that I didn't come straight home."

Mirage put a hoof to her shoulder.

"Hey, no worries. If they ask, just tell them you were helping me study. I mean come on, that's how it started out, right?"

Seeming to accept that answer for the moment, Silver Quill stepped out the doorway of the bedroom, fully expecting to hear her father's voice echoing up from the front porch when the boy's father answered it.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Oneiric Nights...but I'm afraid I have some bad news..." A vaguely familiar voice wafted up the staircase.

"What...what's going on?" Their father's voice responded shakily as Dream and Mirage approached the doorway as well, listening in on the conversation downstairs. Much of it was muffled, but it sounded highly important.

"Don't worry sir, I can stay here with the children while you go. I think it important that you should be there."

"Yes, yes...I'll leave straight away. Thank you so much, Concord. Make sure the boys know what's going on, I'll be back as soon as I can."

There was a flash of light that could only mean their father had teleported away somewhere before the sound of the front door closing met their ears, followed quickly by hooves coming further inside.

"What do you think that was about?" Silver asked.

"I don't know...but if it was cause for father to use teleportation magic...it has to be important. He doesn't like to use it because he says it makes him sick to his stomach." Mirage pondered before the same voice from moments ago called up the stairs.

"Hello? Are you up there boys?"

"Yes sir, we're here." Mirage returned as he approached the top landing of the stairs. Below, dressed in full peace-keepers garb, was their father's friend, Concord. He wasn't soaked in rain, despite the sounds of thunder outside...but the rough look on his face told a story of something horrible as he climbed the staircase, removing his hat.

The earth pony moved quietly for his size as he stepped to the top stair, motioning for Mirage and Silver Quill to return to the room. Once all of the young ones were seated inside, he too sat down, removing his coat to place both that and his hat aside.

"Mirage? Dream Catcher? I...I don't really know where to begin." Concord's head hung low, his gaze seemingly drawn to his own cutie mark; that of a shield with a star over it. "Something awful has happened."

"Well...are you going to tell us? Or are you going to stare at your own butt all night?" Mirage sniped, his irritation at being kept out of the loop slowly starting to build. Obviously, something had happened. But what? Why was Concord here?

"You might want to relax, Mirage. What I've got to say isn't going to be easy to hear, and I've never really been good at having to explain things like this. Boys..." He took a deep breath, "...there's been an accident at the Weather Factory."

Dream's ears perked up, his eyes now fixed on their father's friend.

"What kind of accident?" Silver asked.

"Oh no..." Dream began to quiver slightly, turning to his brother.

"What is it kiddo?" Mirage turned to look down, only to find Dream on the verge of tears.

Concord froze for a minute as he watched the little pegasus break down into fits of sobbing, wondering if he'd somehow sensed it happen. The large earth pony shook it off though, took another deep breath and continued.

"A few stray lightning clouds got loose from the factory, unfortunately. Caused a lot of damage before the workers were able to clean them up. A couple of ponies got hurt."

"How did it happen?" Silver's eyes were almost as wide as Mirage's at this point. Both turned to look at each other before focusing back onto Concord as he sat there with a deeply sullen expression. He hadn't lied when he told them that he wasn't any good at relaying this kind of information, and Concord felt a lump knot up in his throat as he searched for the words to adequately describe just exactly how he'd been told that it had all went down.

"I know how..." Dream's tiny voice almost went unheeded as he continued. "Somepony wasn't paying attention..." He sobbed, repeating the last phrase over and over again.

The three stared at him for a moment, Mirage cradling the younger pony in his forelegs. Concord himself was definitely sure now that somehow the little colt had known exactly what happened, though he wasn't sure how. The peace-keeper didn't even have to say it; the look on his muzzle was evidence enough to the two younger ponies that were hanging on his every word at that moment.

"It's my dream...it came true." Dream piped up again, his muzzle still buried in Mirage's side.

"What do you mean, pipsqueak? What dream?" Mirage asked.

Dream sat up, wiping the tears from his eyes as he looked to the other three ponies in the room.

"The dream I had at school today. I had a dream that some clouds got loose and zapped somepony at the Weather Factory...my dream came true." Lip quivering, he shut his eyes and dove back into Mirage's embrace once more.

"It's exactly as he says, Mirage. Somepony wasn't paying attention at their station, and they allowed a few of the thunderclouds for the storm later this week to break loose. A few ponies got caught up in the impromptu storm...and some got hurt. Pretty bad too." Concord sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Some of them might not make it through the night."

"But if you're here...and dad left, that means..." Mirage's eyes went wide again, the realization dawning on him. "Oh no...what happened to mom? Where is she?"

"I'm sorry boys. I really am. But I don't know what's going to happen to her. They rushed her off to the Cloudsdale Emergency Clinic at the hospital, and that's all I know about it."

"Oh no..." Was all Silver Quill could manage to squeak out as she looked to her friends.

Both brothers were wrapped around each other defensively, Mirage clutching Dream to his chest like there was some angry creature threatening to steal his little brother away at any second. His gaze lingered on Concord, a mixture of rage, sorrow and confusion all swimming about in the blue orbs. His breath was coming in short bursts, barely audible over the sound of Dream's crying at that point, but what was of the greatest concern was the sort of disconnection that lie behind the emotions.

Dream himself was lost in a sea of torment, his little eyes floating in a vast ocean of his own sadness. He knew. He didn't even have to ask how bad it was. Something in his mind told Dream Catcher that the pony in his dream had been their mother. There was little mistaking her, even with the charred white coat that hung loosely around her elegant frame. Even as he continued to let loose his emotions though, he could still feel the others in the room...could almost sense Concord stand up to come pat them both lightly on the shoulders in the only display of comfort the earth pony was comfortable in giving.

"So...how's about you head on home, little miss? I know friends are important to keep around during times like this, but I've got them for now. You don't need to worry too much."

Silver took one glance at the boys before looking back to Concord, shaking her head slowly.

"No, I'll wait for my parents. If I'm not back soon, they know where to find me. I wanna stay here with Mirage and Dream for now." She set her bags back down, slowly moving in next to Mirage to wrap her forelegs around both of the brothers. Mirage seemed to calm visibly, but Dream continued to soak his brother's coat generously.

"Fair enough. I will be downstairs if you need me." Concord sighed, gathering his effects before leaving the three alone.

They sat quietly for some time, the only sound in the room being the steady release of grief from Dream Catcher. The colt cried until he could loose no more tears, and then wept more. There would be no consolation that night. He didn't have to ask. He already knew. The little colt was probably the most aware of any of them what the outcome would be, just because he had dreamt it. And now, life would be that much harder on all of them.

The pegasus pony in his dream hadn't moved a single twitch after it had fallen.

There was no need to hear it when their father came home early the next morning alone.

Their mother was gone.

Chapter Three: The Charms of Ivory

The months came and went in the household of the three ponies, left to the uncaring truth of the world that accidents happened, friends and family passed on, and times were not always easy. Dream Catcher had not returned to school while Mirage himself dove into his studies to keep his mind occupied. Their father however, while keeping his job working for the local clinic in psychological studies thrust himself headfirst into the mind numbing pleasures of the drink.

The nights wore long as the two awaited his return home, Mirage often making dinner for everyone while Dream kept himself busy with other things. He'd taken up drawing in his absence at school, their father deciding it best to keep him out of the education system for just one more summer before sending him back. Bright pictures of ponies playing and frolicking in the grasslands adorned the wall above his bed, while other more somber images of the family that had once been lay tucked away inside his pillowcase so when he laid his head on them, he dreamt of nothing but what had been. Happy memories of happier times.

At present though, the young colt found himself walking amidst other young foals much like himself, wandering the halls of what appeared to be a recently constructed building. It wasn't surprising, given that Ponyville had only recently been founded as an actual town...and to say recent meant within the last twelve to thirteen years making the town not much older than he was. Unlike Cloudsdale or Trottingham which had undergone their own transformations over the years, Ponyville was still a young town, thriving thanks to the bustling business of the Apple Family Farm south of the town.

Light shone down upon a hall full of beds and bedside stands, blankets of every shape, size and color of the rainbow adorning all but a few of them. In the streams of the soft setting sun that glimmered down through the large windows along one wall, Dream found himself staring at one bed in particular. Atop that bed sat a rather uninteresting young pegasus colt, aside from the fact that his wings were bandaged up and he seemed to have only just recovered from some sort of accident. As most ponies were in his dreams, this pegasus was a colorless form, no hues detectable in his coat or mane at all.

"Hello?" Dream asked out gently to the foal, knowing full well that it was a dream. He honestly didn't expect any reaction from the other pony, but to his surprise, the foal turned his head. Dream stumbled back slightly when he noticed something horribly wrong with the pegasi's eyes. Where there should have been two little round black pupils staring back at him, there was nothing. Nothing but the rest of the eyes shone in a solid grey circle.

To top it off, it seemed as though instead of looking at him, the pegasus looked through him, as though he wasn't there. That was odd in itself. The other ponies sometimes knew he was there, especially if it was just him and another. But this young colt just tilted his head and smiled sadly, almost as if he knew something that Dream couldn't wrap his head around.

"Hello there friend." The pegasus spoke up. "What brings you here?"

"Oh!" Dream startled, half caught in a daze because of that blank stare. "Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude. I just thought you looked a little lonely. I've never been here before, so maybe you could show me around?"

The other pegasus colt simply chuckled at that.

"Don't you worry. There'll be plenty of time for you to see this place soon. But hey, that's not important right now."

"What is, if I could ask?"

The grey pegasus ruffled his bandaged wings with a bit of a wince before standing up off the bed. He shuffled his hooves around, almost as if feeling his way to Dream before he put a hoof to his shoulder to pat him lightly.

"The future, my friend. This. Everything around you. That is what's important. Not the destination, but the journey."

Dream Catcher stood there, stunned for a moment.

"I'm not quite sure I understand." He replied. The other shook his head with another sad smile.

"You will, all too soon I'm afraid to say."

===D.W.===

The door slammed downstairs, throwing the startled colt out of bed. He hit the floor rather hard and rolled across it to the center of the room, gathering his wits. That slam could only mean one thing: Father was home. That in itself brought all new worries, problems in the dreamscape aside. Who that mysterious pegasus was would have to wait though, as the sound of drunken muttering reached his ears.

Father was going to bed.

There was a blessing if he'd ever known one. Mirage entered the room shortly after their father had closed his door, bringing two sandwiches with him. He set one down in front of Dream before returning to his desk to eat his and continue his studies in silence. His older brother had become rather distant after their father had taken up drinking at the local pub after work. It was almost as if both had become entirely different ponies since their mother had died in the freak lightning cloud escape at the factory. That had been a few months ago already.

"Is he angry again?" Dream ventured before biting into his sandwich.

"Just as miserable as always. Sometimes I wish the mares he brings home would actually do something for once. It's like they're not even trying to make him happy." Mirage scoffed as he flipped a page in his book without really looking at it, more focused on the notes in front of him.

Dream sighed, taking another bite of his sandwich. It never used to be like this; it seemed only a few short days ago they were all awaiting their mother's arrival home before the family festivities would begin. Stories told around the fireplace, warm and happy dinner conversation. Getting tucked into bed by both parents before drifting off to his own little private world. Fond memories that would never be again if things kept up the way they were going.

"Do you think dad will ever be happy again?"

Mirage shrugged, lightly tossing a book into his bag.

"Who knows? I really don't care at this point."

With that, Mirage slammed closed the book he was taking notes from before blowing out the candle and crawling into bed by the light of his horn. Dream watched as he shifted around, grumbling to himself in irritation until at last, Mirage fell asleep. It was still early, but dark enough out that without the light of the candle or Mirage's horn that it was tough to make out the shapes and contours in the room. The pegasus waited until his eyes adjusted to the low light a little. Once he could see relatively well enough again, Dream stood up from where he'd been sitting when Mirage blew out the candle and crawled into his own bed. With his eyes on Mirage, Dream slowly drifted off to sleep to the sounds of heavy drunken snoring coming from the next room over.

===D.W.===

"And that is why it is dangerous to attempt teleportation into an unknown territory."

Dream found himself standing amidst a classroom full of unicorns, headed by a tall stallion of the same accord. Taking a look around, they all seemed to be deep in thought on the discussion at hoof, each one dutifully and meticulously scanning over the books before them. Some flipped pages and took notes, others took the brief moment to practice teleportation of the small objects before them.

Out of the corner of his eye, Dream Catcher found Mirage sitting at one of the desks near the far side of the room. His brow was furrowed as though in deep concentration, but all around him, the scenery started to shift and change. The book on his desk flew up into the air and began to flap like its pages were wings, hovering angrily around his brother's head. Immediately, every pony in class turned and began to laugh at him, his brother cowering in his desk as though terrified of the fluttering pages that taunted and snapped at him.

"Mirage, control your magic! What do you think this is, Magic Kindergarten? Honestly!" The teacher huffed angrily.

"I'm sorry sir...please. It won't happen again, I promise." Mirage sunk further into his desk if it was even possible.

Dream Catcher wandered over to his brother, looking up to the unicorn with a curious gaze. This was not the big brother he knew. Mirage wasn't afraid of anything! Well, except maybe father. But he'd never let some silly schoolbook get the better of him. There was no way.

"Big brother? What's wrong?" Dream asked out, placing a comforting hoof on his brother's shoulder.

Mirage looked down to him, and all at once...the world faded away. The two stood there locked together in that gaze for what seemed like forever until a small smile crept across Mirage's face and the older pony left out a sigh.

"Thanks squirt. I needed that."

===D.W.===

Dream shot awake, his brow brimming with sweat. He felt the pillow beneath him; that too was also soaked. But across the room, there came a contented sigh from Mirage, and somehow, Dream knew that he'd helped. He didn't know what he did, but there was something nagging at him that said Mirage would sleep good tonight.

The young pegasus thought on the idea for a while before his eyelids began to droop again. There was no way he'd actually visited his brother's dream. That was just crazy talk. If he told anyone that...they'd think he was nuts! As he lay his head back upon his pillow, Dream tried to envision the pictures tucked away beneath his pillow on the other side of the pillowcase...

THE PICTURES!

With a start, he rummaged around inside his pillowcase to fish out the scribbled drawings he'd done. Fortunately, it seemed that the dampness had barely reached the other side of the cushion and the pictures remained relatively undamaged as far as he could tell by touch. He'd have to investigate further when the sun rose again, but for now...it was enough. Thinking to keep them safer this time, Dream placed them between the head of the mattress and the bedframe and slowly drifted off into the realm that existed only for him, just on the other side of his eyelids.

===D.W.===

There wasn't much to be heard as the door closed behind him. All that Dream could make out were indiscernible voices yelling back and forth at one another until at last, there was a loud thump, followed by a tremor that shook the whole house. The mare screamed as another tremor erupted and the sound of shattering dishware echoed all around.

Dream couldn't take anymore. He stood his tiny self up out of bed and slowly opened the door.

It was dark downstairs, only a slight flickering could be seen...and to top it off, it was quiet.

Dream made his way down the steps carefully, not knowing the extent of the fight that had gone on. He didn't want to make his dad angry though, and so as not to be seen, he pressed his muzzle to the bars that held the banister up, peering down into the darkened dining room. There was a strange white mare there, leaning over a smaller white body. Mirage's mane was draped across his face and his horn was slightly cracked...but at least he was breathing.

Their father was no where in sight.

"Big brother?" Dream called down.

The mare looked up to him, trying to put the best smile on that she could, and Dream saw that she too was a unicorn. A soft white glow enveloped her horn as she returned her attention to Mirage's prone form, though the smile never left her face. It only seemed to sadden.

"It's okay. He's all right, just a bit scuffed up. You should be proud of your brother, little one. He's quite a tough little man."

All at once, the world around him shifted shape. Dream felt the disorientation setting in before he could find the ground with his hindquarters. Stumbling just to keep his balance, he ended up finding it with his face. As he sat up and the feeling wore off, he found himself back in the long hallway of beds standing next to the bed where he'd seen the gray pegasus before. Still as death itself, a form hovered next to the rack on four tall, grey spindly legs. The pony propped atop them was old to be sure, wrinkles just visible under her pale coat. Her long blue mane was tied back into a braid, as was her tail, but even there, it had been done in an attempt to corral the unruly strands of silver that clumped together, giving away more of her age.

The most interesting part though, were the two pendants hanging on a thin chain from her neck. Both seemed to be elegantly carved, and made of an ivory material. They depicted two ponies rearing towards each other, but at the center...their muzzles met in a gesture of love.

"Well, what are you doing out of bed, my little Dream Catcher?"

"Who are you, and how do you know my name, ma'am?" Dream stood up and stepped back unsteadily, his footing still not all that great after the nosedive he'd taken.

The elderly mare looked on in shock past the glasses on the brim of her nose. She pulled a multicolored blanket off the bed and moved to wrap it around him gently, tucking it in around his neck as she left it waft to the ground.

"Come now Dream, surely you know me? I know you can't see me, but you know this old voice by now, don't you?"

Dream shook his head.

"But...I CAN see you. I just don't know who you are...or where I am..."

"Shhh shhh shh...it's all right. Here, let's get you tucked back into bed. Poor thing, you must still be shaken up from the accident." The elderly mare gently nudged Dream into motion, persuading him to crawl into the bed where he'd seen the gray pegasus. "There, all nice and cozy. Don't you worry deary, your brother should be along shortly. He's just out running an errand for me."

"Mirage is here too? What happened, Ma'am?" Dream's head was spinning with all that was going on.

"It's fine, don't you worry. Now, get some more rest, okay? Those injuries won't heal properly if you don't let them."

The second the words left her mouth, Dream felt his body catch fire in pain. It rolled over him, forcing his eyes shut and his body to stiffen horribly. It was like every muscle was screaming out at him to just lay down and die. A pulsating feeling beyond any he'd ever known rocked his wings and one of his rear hooves; he couldn't tell which by that point as everything hurt beyond all recognition of the senses.

===D.W.===

"Dream! Dream! Wake up little brother! Father, Quickly!"

Dream's head was pounding again as the world around him came into focus. He felt the mattress beneath him, though now it was just as soaked as his pillow had been. The blankets were gone, an icy cold draft brushing across his body in their absence.

And the world hurt.

Everything hurt.

It was painful just to keep his eyes open in the dim light cast by Mirage's horn. Something made them burn, casting his vision into a haze of red. But through that, his older brother had a look of deep concern on his face that was plain as day to see, even in the low light of the room. That didn't frighten Dream any less. He could barely breathe; the pain was that intense. Every time he drew a breath, the stabbing pain in his chest threatened to force it back out of him before he could blink.

"Dad? Brother? What's going on?" He whimpered weakly. Even the sound of his voice was riddled with torment.

"It's all right squirt. Dad's coming. We're gonna get you checked out...DAD! Where Are You?!" Mirage's head whipped around as he stormed out of the room, practically knocking their father's bedroom door down by the sound of things. The older stallion was roused to his great dismay, but he grudgingly followed Mirage back into the room. The look that crossed his face served only to frighten the young pegasus even further.

"Dear Celestia boy...what's going on?"

"I don't know...I woke up and heard him crying, so I came to check on him...and this is what I saw! What's going on, Dad?" Mirage was panicked. Oneiric didn't seem to be in any better shape.

"Who can say...let's get him to the clinic, now. Hurry!"

Dream felt himself lifted out of bed in the powerful grip of his father's magic, and before he knew what was going on, all three ponies were out the front door and down the road. Ponyville's clinic, while small and staffed by only Oneiric and a few others was the closest medical facility outside of Cloudsdale's sprawling hospital. It wasn't too far, but even floating down the streets, Dream couldn't imagine a worse pain.

On top of that, he was cold. So cold that even on a warm summer night, he was shivering violently. He could feel something wet streaming from his eyes and could only assume he was crying...but everything else was a blur of red by that point. He was sick. He had a fever. That explained the cold beyond cold feeling. So why was everything tinted red? And why did his eyes sting so badly? Nothing made sense. He just wanted the pain to stop.

Chapter Four: The Dream Sight

"Well, I'm not exactly sure how to put it Oneiric."

The voice rung unfamiliar to Dream's ears, now that he could actually focus on what was happening around him. It felt like he'd been asleep for hours when he'd finally woken up, unable to see the world around him through the thick bandages and gauze that covered his eyes.

"There's just absolutely nothing wrong with him. I can't find a single thing, outside of the fever. But there wasn't even anything to indicate what caused that either. As far as I can tell, he's just a healthy young colt."

He heard his father sigh with something akin to a mixture of relief and confused defeat.

"He was bleeding from his eyes, Docere. From. His. EYES. Can you honestly sit there and tell me that there's nothing wrong with him after seeing it for yourself? By the twin Princesses, we've known each other for how many years now? You're one of the best physicians I've ever met." There came a short pause, tension thick in the air. "Don't let me down now, Doc. My boys are all I've got left."

There was a tinge of sadness in his father's words, despite the usual fit he was in when he returned home from work. Dream felt it in those words...knew that he still cared, no matter how he acted sometimes. If not for picking up on that tone, Dream would've been completely panicked by the things he'd just heard. Yet somehow, just knowing that little bit of information lessened his fears.

"I know. I wouldn't have believed it myself if I hadn't witnessed it. But I've checked him over three times now and I'm telling you, the colt's in near perfect health, aside from a strained muscle and a small bump on his forehead. Which, if everything is to be believed, he got while sleeping at school when he fell out of his desk?"

"Yes. His teacher will vouch for that. What, are you trying to say I abuse my boys?" Oneiric's voice took on a defensive tone.

"Not at all, friend. I'm just trying to think of all possible angles for such a strange and upsetting phenomenon. It's not every day that things like this happen, you know that. For all I know, it could be some new kind of sickness we've yet to encounter."

"Gods Docere, don't tell me things like that. We both know how bad an unknown bug can be."

Dream shuddered at the thought. There had been tales of such diseases springing up, taking the lives of hundreds of ponies before anyone found a working antidote.

"Am I...gonna die, pop?" Dream finally spoke up, alerting them to his presence once more.

"No! No, of course not! I wouldn't let that happen!" Oneiric rushed over immediately, putting a comforting hoof to Dream's head. He brushed at the colt's mane as gently as he could manage, stroking the bandaged youth. "Besides that, your brother wouldn't forgive me if I let that happen. No, you're going to be all right. Don't you worry any."

The little pegasus did the best he could to nod, attempting to keep his growing list of fears in check. While he couldn't see anything but a world of black at the moment, at least he could still hear and feel. Could know that by the tenderness of his father's touch that even in his typically alcohol-ridden state of mind that he still cared. But what he wouldn't give to not be able to feel anything else at that point. His head still pounded so hard he could physically feel his eyelids pressing out against the wrapping over top of them.

Dream slowly sat up, trying for all intents and purposes to clear his little skull of blood flow even if just for a few moments. His father's presence was close enough to know that the stallion was watching out for his colt in case anything should happen...and that was more comforting than anything else at that point. Mirage was apparently elsewhere at that time or he'd probably have been close by as well. Dream was used to feeling his magical aura around, having shared the same room with him since he'd been old enough to sleep in his own bed so it was easy for the pegasus to know that he was absent.

"Father? Where's big brother?"

"Hey now, don't you worry. Mirage is off at school right now, but he'll be here as soon as he gets out. You were asleep for a while." Oneiric gently patted Dream's head, switching over to a cautious stroking when he saw his son cringe at the touch. "Your head hurtin', little guy?"

"Yeah...it feels like somepony's hitting me with a big stick over and over again."

Oneiric turned back to Docere, giving him a questioning gaze.

"Probably just a post adrenaline-rush induced headache. I'll get something for him."

As the doctor left to find the requested medication, Dream Catcher lay his head back down on his pillow. Of all the things that had happened to him over the years, this new instance was likely the worst. It was more frightening than a lot of instances he could pull out of his short memory, only serving to start a whorl of thoughts that began to spiral out of control. When at last he couldn't take it anymore, he blurted out the biggest question on his mind.

"Dad...what's wrong with me?"

The unicorn stallion quickly shushed him.

"There's nothing wrong with you, Dream. You're just a little colt who's had one too many bad things happen in his short life, that's all."

Dream shook his head slowly.

"No...I mean, why do I sleep so much? What happened last night?" He paused, the biggest question of all dangling on the tip of his tongue. "How did I know what happened to mom before anypony else? What is wrong with me?"

Oneiric could only speculate an answer for the first one, but the rest...they were all left with answers as blank as the look on his face. Still, he sucked in a deep breath and made an attempt.

"Well...I was talking to Doc while you were sleeping. He'd asked if you had any trouble getting to sleep before. When I told him about your sleep patterns...you know, the times you wake up and go to bed? Well, he thinks you might be a Hypersomniac. It just means that you always feel tired. We don't know a whole lot about that condition as of yet...it's only recently been termed; but don't you worry. As long as I'm here, I won't let anything happen to you." Dream felt a comforting hoof come down on his shoulder. "All I can say about the rest though is...I really don't know kiddo."

His father sat back uneasily, though the smile he gave was genuine. He hadn't lied, and the young colt could tell that just by listening to him. It didn't help matters any though. The unanswered questions still bugged him. He had to tell his dad about one more thing.

"Dad...I think I was in Mirage's dream last night."

"What do you mean?" The unicorn asked.

"I saw him in school, fighting with a book. Everypony was laughing at him. But when I showed up, it all went white, and then he looked down at me and said thanks. I woke up right after that and heard him sigh in his sleep like he was happy."

Oneiric chuckled at that.

"Well of course he'd be happy to see you. The academy is a tough place. But I don't think you were actually -in- his dream. Maybe you just caught some magical backwash and saw yourself there."

"It's not just that though. After I fell asleep again...I woke up in this long room filled with beds." Dream continued. "There was an old gray mare there with a blue mane and glasses. She was wearing a white necklace of two ponies touching noses...and she said some really weird stuff to me."

Dream heard his father's breath catch in his throat.

"You know Ivory Charm? When did you meet her?"

"Is that her name?"

He felt the bed shift as his father got up, suddenly feeling a lot more alone in the quiet room.

"Most know her as Grandma Blankie. She runs the local orphanage, so we see her often down here at the clinic when some of the younger foals get sick. But how do you know her?"

Dream shrugged.

"I don't. But she seemed to know me. I was also there in another dream. There was a little pegasus like me sitting in bed. He had his wings all bandaged up, and he was looking at me funny. There was something wrong with his eyes too. You know that little black spot in the middle?"

"It's called a pupil, squirt. It's what lets you see."

"He didn't have those. It felt like he was looking through me. And then he said all sorts of weird stuff too. Something about not worrying about the dest...inish..."

"Destination?"

"Yeah, that's it. It's not the destination, but the journey to get there that's what's important."

Oneiric put a hoof to his chin in thought, looking down at his son. This warranted some investigation.

"Well, he certainly was a smart little colt then. But I'm curious. What did Grandma say to you?"

Dream thought back, trying to remember past the pounding that still lanced his head. It had lessened a bit by now, but it still didn't help matters any. With a little bit more thought, he found the memory and pulled it forward.

"Well, she thought I couldn't see her...but I could. She said I'd been in some accident...and that Mirage was there too. She tucked me in bed, and called me 'Her little Dream Catcher'. She knew me dad. I don't know her, but she knew me."

There came the sound of the door opening as Docere returned, carrying what sounded to be a bottle of medicine. He set it down on the table next to the bed before checking Dream's temperature again.

"Sorry...got held up out there. Seems Midnight Spark down at the Children's Home twisted her ankle. Had to take care of her until Gentleheart could cart her off to a room for rest."

"Doc...is Ivory out there by any chance? I've got a few questions for her." Oneiric asked, a striking determination in his tone of voice carrying to Dream's ears.

"No...Annie Smith brought her in. Said Ivory couldn't make it. Something about having to help out the other two that were involved. They weren't as badly injured, but Annie volunteered to bring Spark down here while Ivory stayed behind. It's amazing how that young filly keeps up with the kids, the farm, and her coltfriend all at the same time."

Oneiric sighed, but clopped a hoof to the floor in determination.

"Will you stay here with Dream until Mirage arrives? I'm going down to the orphanage."

"Sure...but what's the sudden interest with Ivory Charm?" Docere asked, curiosity ringing. Dream knew the answer that was left unsaid as his father walked out of the room and down the hall. "Now what do you suppose that was about?" The doctor pondered aloud.

===D.W.===

The front door to the orphanage stood wide open as the children played outside in the mid-summer sun. Oneiric strode up the front stairs of the bright building, stepping through the double-oak panel doors to the main atrium inside. He hung a right, heading straight for the main office when he was stopped halfway there, finding the mare he was looking for on her way out the office door.

"Oh! Doctor Nights, what a surprise. How is Midnight doing?" The aging mare asked, a bright smile draped gently across her warm face.

"I'm not sure Miss Charm. That's not what I'm here about though." Oneiric held up a hoof to halt her from further speech. "I don't mean to be rude, and pardon the interruption...but I have a few questions I'd like to ask you."

Ivory Charm stood there, blinking awkwardly like she'd just been slapped in the face and wasn't sure how to take it.

"Well by all means Oneiric, if you've got something to ask, ask away. And I've told you how many times before, you silly young pony...just call me Grandma."

Oneiric took the outstretched hoof and moved it to rub his brow in thought as to how he wanted to phrase his inquiries. They weren't just questions you asked out of the blue by any means. These would require some subtlety to keep from arousing suspicion.

"Very well...Grandma. Have you ever met either of my sons?"

"I believe I met your eldest when on a trip to the clinic. Mirage was his name, wasn't it?"

"Yes, he is my older son. But what about my youngest, Dream Catcher? Have I introduced you to him yet?"

The elder earth pony mare shook her head slowly.

"Can't say I've had the pleasure yet. How is the young dear doing? And for that matter, how is his brother fairing?"

A chance to move the conversation into an easier inquisition presented itself in that moment.

"Mirage is doing quite well. He's attending the academy now. Turning out to be just as smart as his mother, Celestia bless her. Unfortunately, Dream's in the hospital right now."

"Oh the poor thing. What happened?" Ivory asked, making her way towards the back of the room past a staircase to the second floor. She stepped into the kitchen, rummaging up two cups before pouring them both some home brewed tea, returning with the cups on saucers. Oneiric lifted his into his magic before he continued.

"Thank you." He sipped quickly, not wanting to be rude. "Unfortunately, he's had a bit of an accident. Nothing too major, thankfully. But he'll be there a while. He mentioned something about a young pegasus he met that told him they lived here. Tell me, do you have a blind pegasus with injured wings living with you at present? If so, I'd like to take him to the hospital. Dream could use a friend right now."

Ivory thought on that for a moment, her tea going untouched as she wracked her aging mind before returning her attention to him with a shake of her head.

"No, I can't say that I do. I think I'd know if one of my foals was that badly banged up. I'd have to make him an extra special blanket to help the little thing feel better. Now...Breezy messed herself up right good about three months ago, but she's since gotten back on her hooves and is actually off at Summer Flight Camp now. But I've never had a blind foal in my care."

Oneiric hit a brick wall there. Nothing panned out, just like he'd expected. But then how...

"Is there anything else I can do for you, Oneiric?"

"Yes...ask around, see if any of the kids here know of a pegasus with those ailments. If Dream had a friend in the hospital with him, I'm sure he'd feel much better. We both know I can't stay in his room constantly, and neither can his brother." Oneiric sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Sure thing. I'll see what I can dig up for you and your little boy. You're always helping me out with my children, after all." Ivory chuckled lightly, finally taking her first sip of her own tea. "Ya know...you and Docere are like the sons I never had. I wish you'd visit more often...make an old mare feel young again."

The unicorn dipped his head at that, a small blush creeping over his cheeks.

"If I could spare the time, I would Grandma. It's been a hectic few months since my wife passed in that accident." He grimaced, the small warmth from the previous moment now replaced with the familiar sinking feeling he got when he spent his nights at the pub. "Keeping up with the boys and work has been tough. I already feel like I'm not there enough for them as it is."

Ivory Charm nodded at that.

"Family first, then yourself. Always remember that." She replied sagely. "If you've ever got time...just try to stop in and say hi every now and again, all right?" She moved forward, setting her tea down on a nearby table before giving Oneiric a hug. "And don't forget, this old mare still loves you like she did the first night you came to live with her when you were just a colt yourself. You hear me?" Her near silent tones betrayed the emotion behind those words. "You've grown up and made me proud. Now let's see you do the same for those boys of yours, all right?"

"I'll do my best." He gave in to her embrace and returned it with a nod.

===D.W.===

Dream sat uncomfortably in the hospital bed, waiting for Mirage to come back from the restroom. It was always so quiet in there when he was the only one in the room. It took all he had to keep from forcing himself to sleep just to escape the loneliness that seemed to dominate every corner of the four walls. Their father had been gone for what had to have been an hour now, making Dream unsure of his decision to tell him about the dreams he'd had. But in retrospect...it was better that the stallion knew. Maybe there was some explanation for them. Maybe they were somehow linked to why he was sick in bed now.

The young pegasus shook his head clear of those thoughts as he heard the door open. The sound of Mirage's hooves clacking against the floor brought his attention back to the here and now as he sat up with a smile.

"Jeeze I'm glad you're back. It's too quiet in here." Dream moaned.

"After all that's happened, I think you'd be the one who'd want to be left alone so he could sleep. Seems like that's what you enjoy doing the most. How many times have I had to pry you from your bed?" Mirage joked as he sat down on the mattress next to his little brother.

"Well, it's not like sleeping did this to me." He shot back.

He felt Mirage shrug as the unicorn dug into his bag for one of his books.

"So what was it that got you all worked up last night?" The older colt asked. "Whatever it was, it was a good thing it did. Otherwise we wouldn't have found out about your eyes until morning."

Dream turned his head in the direction of his brother's voice, reaching out a hoof. After accidentally clocking Mirage upside the head, he leaned over and hugged his older sibling, shaking a little bit with the thoughts of the cryptic dreams.

"Can I ask you something?" He squeaked out.

"Sure...what's up little brother?"

"Did...did you see me in your dreams last night?"

Mirage looked at Dream with an odd glance.

"Yeah, strangely enough. You were at my school. How did you know?"

Chapter Five: The Nightmare

Time seemed to pass by quickly. No sooner had the dreams begun to really take effect on his life did they begin to come and go at complete random. One moment, Dream would be sound asleep without having had a 'special dream' in days, only to find himself in the grip of a powerfully strong vision starring some pony he'd never met. After his first incident with sharing Mirage's subconscious visions two months ago, Dream began to grow accustomed to waking up with sore eyes and a throbbing head...though the need to be hospitalized didn't present itself again. Fortunately, his eyes seemed to feel that bleeding like a sieve once was enough and hadn't bothered to attempt it again. He wasn't about to argue with that nice little notion either.

Mid-Autumn had arrived quite quickly, despite the still warm temperatures of Summer hanging around late in the season. With the Running of the Leaves tradition coming, many vendors had taken advantage of the good weather and had set up shop a few days in advance just to catch the crowds.

Dream and Mirage wandered by a few of these on their way to the market, the young colt taking an earnest interest in the festivities. Already, street vendors and merchants were setting up their wares on display to make ready for the festival as stores and restaurants alike changed up their selections. He couldn't help himself but explore each stand they passed with an inquisitive eye. Anything that shone in the sunlight or sparkled in the slightest caught his attention and drew him to it immediately.

"You keep that up and I'll have father diagnose you as ADOS." Mirage laughed, watching his younger brother flit from shop to vendor to stall.

"ADOS?" Dream halted in his tracks momentarily.

"Attention Defecit...OOOOO SHINY." The older colt joked. "If you stared at those things any harder, your eyes are going to bug out of your head."

Dream Catcher immediately threw both hooves up to his face, covering the aforementioned orbs.

"No! I don't want that to happen again!" He cried out, pressing the limbs practically into his sockets. "That hurt last time they tried..."

"Relax Dream. I was only joking." Mirage nudged him as he approached the next stop in the long line of vendor stalls.

Dream's gaze had fallen upon a circular object, wrapped with a web of twine, a few elegant feathers falling off of the bottom of it on strands of silk. The young pony's eyes gleamed as he looked at the simple construct, a single bead fixed to one of the many strands of the web.

"Hey Mirage...what's this?" He asked.

The stall owner, whom had been preoccupied behind the counter, turned his attention on the colt. Dream looked up to the older stallion quizzically, noting a rich brown coat that had obviously weathered many seasons in the elements, his coal colored eyes focused gently upon Dream.

"This, my young friend, is a dream catcher."

"Hey...that's my name." Dream piped up, his curiosity with the simple ornament now piqued.

"Really now?" The stallion chuckled. "Well...do you know want to know what it does?" His grin softened even further as the colt nodded rapidly. "While I was living with the Buffalo tribes on the Great Equestrian Plains, I learned of many great and wondrous things. This little trinket is one such treasure. You see...it keeps us from having bad dreams."

"How does it do that?"

"You see this web?" He picked up the dream catcher, bringing it down to the colt's eye level. "All through these holes, good dreams are allowed to pass. They are such tiny things, yet they bring us great joy. The bad dreams though, which are made of big problems and nasty thoughts...they can't fit through the holes. Much like a spider's web, they get caught in this web where they eventually fade away. Just like a web, the dream catcher only lasts so long though, so you have to make a new one every so often. It will eventually break if you leave it alone...and that will cause all the bad dreams to escape."

Dream gazed in awe at the simple device. His mind spun with thoughts about Mirage's bad dreams of school and of some of the dreams he'd been having as well.

"How do you keep the bad dreams from escaping?" He asked.

"Well, when the dream catcher gets old and starts to dry out, since it's made of wood and string, you bury it in the ground. That way, all of the negative thoughts and dreams that are caught in it can be purged by the healing powers of Nature. That's what the Buffalo believe."

Dream turned to look up at his brother.

"Can I have it, please?" He asked sincerely.

"I don't know kiddo. There's something odd about this dream catcher. What did you say it was made out of again?" Mirage gave it a closer inspection. Something felt wrong about it, even if it was supposed to do good.

"I make all of these dream catchers myself from timber gathered in one of the most magical places of all of Equestria. The twine itself was blessed by a Buffalo shaman so as to ensure its purity. It is a powerful device, I assure you that my young friends, and it does work if given proper care."

Mirage felt a tugging at his shoulder, looking down to find Dream staring up at him with pleading eyes. With an exasperated grimace, he withdrew a hoofful of bits from the coinpurse about his neck.

"How much?"

The stallion took himself back a few paces. Glancing either direction, he motioned the two colts behind the counter of his cart and into the tent set up to the rear of it. Dream made to follow him but was halted by his brother.

"Sir? I asked how much it was?"

"Actually...I'd like to invite you two inside for a moment. There's something personal I'd like to ask of you, if you don't mind." The stallion leaned down closer to them, eying the canvas of his tent with something akin to urgency. "It's something I'd rather not ask in public. While not of any harmful measure, the question is one of an important nature regarding the little one here."

Mirage looked down at his brother. Dream had a look of pure confusion on his face, but was still attempting to move forward. It was almost unusual enough to be down-right disturbing.

"And just what do you have to ask there that can't be asked here?" He steeled his gaze.

The stallion rubbed the midnight black mane that hung off of his neck, trying to think of how best to word his inquiry before it seemed to come to him. He leaned down close to Dream, sinking to almost a laying position to be eye level with the little colt.

"Tell me young one...do you see things at night? Things that are like dreams...but ones that don't feel like yours?"

Dream's eyes went wide the second the words were spoken, immediately nodding his head up and down. Mirage took another step towards the older stallion, placing himself between his brother and the stranger.

"And just what does this have to do with the object at hoof?" He asked in a hushed tone, a hint of irritation grating at his voice.

"Well, the Buffalo believe that those with multi-color eyes like this little one's are the signs of Dream Wardens. Those who are able to safe-guard our minds from nightmares while we sleep." He continued, just barely above a whisper. "Their vision is beyond that of our own, capable of seeing into the realm where we cannot and guiding us safely through the burrows and thorns of the subconscious."

Mirage huffed, not one to take such superstition. He knew from listening to his father what dreams and nightmares were made of. None of this nonsense would find root.

"I'm sorry sir, but I cannot have you filling my little brother's head with such notions. While I respect the beliefs and opinions of others, our family is one of science. If my father were to hear of this, he'd laugh and jeer us for taking stock in these words. Come on Dream, let's get going." He said dismissively, only stopped by his brother's weight not moving against his legs.

"But...can't I have it? It's so pretty." The little foal put on the best sad-face he could muster.

The older colt looked down at the act and with a sigh, resigned his coin purse to its fate.

"Very well...but no mention of the things this pony has spoken of to father, understand?"

"You got it!" Dream's eyes lit up.

"Let's try this one more time. How much, sir?" Mirage shook his head in exasperation as he turned towards the stallion again.

"For one whom bears the title of a Dream Warden, I couldn't possibly charge for it. He should have such a gift by birthright. It is only fair, after all that he be given every means neccessary to ward off the evil of nightmares." The stallion's expression changed back into his kind smile again as he stood up, grabbing the artifact. He passed the dream catcher to Dream with a nod and a wink. "You take good care of this now, little friend. But do be careful, it isn't a toy. It will work its magic of its own will, but remember to treat it like a treasure."

"Don't sorry sir! I will!" Dream's head bobbled up and down rapidly, nodding as fast as he could. He gently took hold of the dream catcher, tucking it away under one of his wings for safe keeping...a habit he'd grown accustomed to since he couldn't quite use them to fly yet. "Thank you a lot!"

As the two brothers turned to leave the store, the bell tower in the center of town chimed out. Mirage glanced up at the clock, noting the time quickly.

"C'mon squirt. We're gonna be late. Dad's meeting us for lunch."

"Okay. Thanks again sir!" Dream shouted as the two took off at a leisurely pace.

The stallion watched them go, feeling a soft breeze ruffle a few feathers tied into his mane. He perked an ear to the wind as he kept an eye on them.

"Oh that poor boy. I only hope it's enough..." He sighed, settling down upon the chair behind his stall.

===D.W.===

"And then, they went racing down the alleyway like 'WHOOSH!' Next thing you know, they turned around and BAM! Up into the sky, man it was so cool!" Dream recounted some of the events of the day, a small pegasus race in particular, as Mirage, Dream and their father Oneiric made their way home.

It had been a rather eventful day for the three of them in total. Between the festivities the boys had been perusing, the impromptu events that took place on the streets, and their father's half-day work schedule, all three of the ponies were thoroughly tired out and ready for bed.

"Sounds like you two had a busy day, even before our lunch and the carnival afterwords." Oneiric chuckled as he tousled Dream's mane. The unicorn sighed inward, a smile crossing his face as he watched his boys rove about the house getting ready for bed.

"Yeah, it was a pretty good trip over all." Mirage nodded, heading upstairs with a wide yawn.

"Yeah! And then, this cool old pony gave me this!" Dream came running up to his dad, pulling the dream-catcher out from under his wing. "He said it's got the same name as me! Isn't that awesome dad?"

Oneiric took the small circular object, examining it. The piece was ornately crafted, even for carnival fare, he noted.

"He just gave it to you? That was nice of him." The older pony handed the object back to Dream. "I hope you thanked him."

"Don't worry dad." Dream motioned his father down with a rather comical expression appearing on his face. The little pony obviously had work to do on his 'covert discretion' look. "He said it helps keep away bad dreams. I'm gonna hang it in our room. Maybe it'll help big brother not worry about school so much." He whispered behind a hoof to Oneiric.

"Oh really?" Oneiric asked with a mock-serious face. He held it for as long as he could before the two broke out into a case of the chuckles, proceeding to Dream playfully on the flank. "Don't worry, I'm sure it will help. Now come. Off to bed with you."

"Yes Sir, dad pop pony sir!" Dream saluted with each moniker applied, his serious face returning.

The little colt tore off up the stairs and into the bathroom, putting the dream catcher aside only long enough to brush his teeth and mane. Carefully picking it up, he walked into the bedroom and quickly hid it underneath his pillow to hang later when Mirage had gone to sleep.

That proved to be a rather moot point though. As usual, Mirage stayed up late into the night reading his course books and before the little pony had even realized it, Dream found his eyes slowly drooping closed.

'No! Gotta Stay Awake!' He thought to himself as he watched his brother turn page after page from behind half-lidded eyes. 'This will work, I know it will!'

Dream kept his eyes peeled as far as he dared to make it believable that he was sleeping. Vague images began to swim in his vision as his brother got up and moved towards his desk, but a few blinks of the eyes cleared them away, now that Mirage was out of sight. Shifting his position a bit to keep an eye on his brother, Dream heard a soft crack as the older pony swore under his breath, leaning down to pick something up out of his range of sight. Finally, the older colt returned to bed and shut out the light. Once the older pony began to lightly snore, he made his move with a sigh of relief. Dream steeled himself for the trek across the room, reaching underneath his pillow for the dream catcher...

"Ah...there you are." He whispered to himself, feeling the circular object beneath his hoof. As he stood up from the bed, he let the soft light from outside adjust his vision. Once he could see well enough to move without bumping into things, the little pegasus crossed the carpeted section of the floor, dream catcher firmly gripped in his mouth. Feeling out for the string on the device, he wound it around Mirage's bedpost and nodded at his handiwork.

"That should do it. Sleep good, big brother." He smiled to himself in the darkness.

Turning back for his own bed, Dream took a step onto the carpet...

And felt his hoof slip out from underneath him. His balance skewed instantly in the shadows and in seconds, the pony was tumbling end over end down into the pitch black. A scream managed to work its way through his shock as the world rushed upward around him at impossible speeds.

Suddenly, the wind was knocked out of him as he hit ground. Something wet was falling all around him but he couldn't open his eyes past the pain in his chest. It took him a few moments to regain his senses and his breath, but as he did the young pony took a good look around where he was.

A vast pipe stretched out before him, cascaded in shadow and darkness between strung up lights along its length. Water rushed underneath him somewhere in the darkness, and a steady drizzle of it rained down upon him from the opening above his head. A nasty chill chose just that time to work its way up his spine while the little colt got his bearings.

"Hello?" He called out. "Is anypony there?"

No answer.

"Hello? Somepony? Where am I?"

Still, nothing but the sound of moving water fell upon his ears, outside of the echo of his own voice that responded to his unheeded queries.

Dream took a few timid steps forward, tucking his little wings in tight against himself. He glanced back up at the hole he'd fallen through one last time, amazed he wasn't hurt more than he was. The only side effect from the fall was a striking pain in his chest that thudded out a sharp angry wail every time he drew a breath. He regarded the drop from the hole to the ceiling one last time, sure that there was no way he'd be able to get back up to it and climb out.

Before him, the tunnel stretched out to what seemed like forever. Shaking his head to clear the last of the stars from his vision, Dream began his trek down the pipe putting hoof before hoof unsteadily. He passed light after light in the expansive corrugated structure, not sure how far he'd gone or how much further the pipe continued. The colt glanced over his shoulder every now and again just to be sure that he'd been actually going somewhere, only to find that the pipe behind him looked exactly like it did in front of him. The hole he'd dropped through had vanished sometime between his last backwards glance and this one, leaving the pegasus totally trapped in the seemingly endless corridor.

"Aw jeez...I don't like this..." He moaned, cringing as his chest gave another bursting pound of anger, the impact still very fresh. "Hello?" He tried again, his voice reverberating off the interior of the steel structure and morphing into something indistinct somewhere down the line.

"Little one, come this way."

Dream's ears caught the sound and swiveled to hear it before his brain had even registered that he'd heard anything. He returned his gaze before him to the direction he'd been traveling, only to find that there was a fully furnished room there now not more than ten hooves away. The little pony cautiously edged his way into the somewhat lavish decorations, finding the room to be well lit and warm, if a bit disconcerting. Why a room as decorate and expensive as this was in a sewer, he had no idea.

"Is there somepony here?" He asked out into the room. As if to answer, a drawer lock clicked from behind a writing desk in the far left corner. Curiosity getting the better of him, Dream approached the desk to find an open drawer awaiting. Inside, he found a small music box and a bottle of red liquid. Pulling the two out, he unstopped the bottle and took a sniff. The contents didn't smell all that good, but there was a subtle cherry after hint to the aroma.

Just as he was about to put the bottle down, the music box clacked to life, playing out a wistfully dramatic melody. Dream dropped the bottle in surprise, most of the fluid inside of it spilling onto the floor. He paid little attention to that at the moment though, as the tune of the music box grew in volume and began to sound off. Dream opened the wooden case and looked inside, not sure what exactly he was searching for. The box looked as though it was put together properly from what little he knew of them, but the melody was all wrong.

Suddenly, a door burst open in the room. Dream dropped the music box as well as he looked up to see that from where he'd entered the room, a full wall now sat with an open doorway. Somepony rushed inside and shut it, locking it behind them while panting like they were out of breath. Dream ducked down behind the desk as the music box got louder, not sure who the intruder was or why the box continued its cacophony of what it apparently deemed to be music.

The sound of the pony searching through the room became evident as objects were overturned and things shattered. Dream kept to his hiding place, afraid that if the pony had broken in, that they were attempting to find things to steal. He'd heard of what robbers did to ponies they caught unaware and didn't want to risk being put through the horrors he'd been told of. As he hunkered down tight behind the desk, the sounds of the rampaging pony became closer until they stopped all together. Opening his eyes, Dream looked up to find himself staring into the face of the odd stallion from the festival earlier that day, his mane a complete mess. Small cuts covered his body here and there and the feathers that had been tied into his mane before were now blackened as if they'd been burnt.

"You!?" The stallion asked in astonishment as he gazed down at the little colt.

"I know you!" Dream stood up, coming out from his hiding spot.

"Then I was right..." The older pony thought for a moment. "But now is not the time for that. Quickly my little friend, we must get away from here. This place is not safe." He motioned for Dream to follow him out into the room. "Tell me...have you seen anything strange here?"

Dream nodded.

"I was trying to wrap the dream catcher around my brother's bedpost when I fell into a hole. I landed in some big pipe that had water coming from somewhere...but no matter how long I walked, it all looked the same. Then, I turned around and saw the hole I came through was gone." He recounted to the older pony. "And when I turned back around to keep going, this room was here."

"I see. Yes, this is definitely sounding like one of the visions the Buffalo described to me." The stallion carefully stepped around the wreckage he'd created, his ears tuning in on the sound of the music box. "Did you start that box, little friend?"

"No sir. It just began playing on it's own. It sounds like it's broken though."

The brown coated pony moved over to it and picked the box up, investigating it as Dream had.

"This object...if it's like the other I found, it will be of great use to us." He nodded before his eyes caught sight of the bottle on the ground, most of the contents spilled. "But this...this would have been better." He sighed.

"What is it?" Dream asked.

"This is a special type of medicine. It will help to fix any injuries. Are you hurt little friend?"

"No sir." Dream shook his head. "And my name is Dream Catcher, remember?"

"Ah yes. Dream Catcher. And I am Sunscape. I wish I could say it's nice to see you again, but under the current circumstances, I really wish you were not here." Sunscape spoke, noting quickly a change in the little pegasi's demeanor. "Oh no, I don't mean it that way friend. I simply mean that this is a dangerous place and it'd be better if you were somewhere safe. That is all."

Dream watched as Sunscape quickly drank what was left inside of the bottle, a shiver running through the stallion's body as he seemed to perk up a bit. Some of the cuts on the older pony faded away instantly as if they'd never been there.

"Wow...guess I'd better listen to dad when he says to take my medicine." Dream stared wide eyed at the effect of the red liquid, not quite sure he'd seen what his eyes were telling him.

"A good lesson to learn." Sunscape nodded as he moved about the room again, picking up seemingly useless objects here and there, looking them over with a discerning eye before putting one or two away in the saddlebag strung across his back. "But now, we must go. I don't dare linger here any longer than we have to. Are you good to walk, Dream Catcher?"

"Yes sir, Mr. Sunscape. I'm all right."

"Good. Be ready to run the second I open this door."

"Why, sir?"

"Just trust me. Be ready to run, and stick close to me. You'll be all right."

Dream followed the stallion, a bit confused as to the words he'd just been told. But he was ready none the less. If the older pony thought it was a good idea to run, then he wasn't going to say anything. After all, things had been really weird since he'd arrived. At least now there was an adult to help him understand some of it.

Slowly, Sunscape opened the door. Immediately, a cool breeze hit the two of them as a light bank of fog drifted in through the now open portal. Sunscape led the way outside and Dream found the two of them were now in the streets of Ponyville, unlike the sewer tunnel he'd expected to be here. The town was covered in a thick haze of moisture, the fog rolling along like it was the evening after a heavy summer rain. It was dark, almost incomprehensibly so, to the point that it was hard to see more than a few lengths in any direction from the doorstep. But that wasn't the worst of it.

As Dream listened, just over the top of the breeze blowing he could hear something groaning. Something stomping. Something being drug across the ground. And what sounded like somepony screaming in the distance.

He tucked his ears down against his mane as he looked up to the older stallion beside him. Sunscape's eyes were flicking about in all directions, taking in the surroundings. He stepped forward out into the mist with the young pegasus close on his heels, stopping every few paces to reevaluate the situation.

"It appears...we're safe for the time being." Sun looked down to Dream and nodded.

"What are those sounds, Mr. Sunscape?" Dream asked.

"Things that nopony your age should be subject to." He sighed, looking out into the mist wistfully. "Don't you worry though. I won't let them get to you."

Just as Dream was about to say thank you, another sound caught both of their ears.

From above, a huge black shadow descended quickly, careening into the stallion at high speed. Dream was thrown back as the shape crashed into Sunscape, a sound like snapping bones erupted in the impact. Sunscape left out what had to be all of the air in his lungs as he was pressed flat into the ground, only to be hauled back up into the air by the black shape above him.

Dream could only watch on in horror as the older pony was pulled away into the sky, suddenly feeling something raining down upon him. As the last of Sunscapes fading cries cut out, Dream pulled a hoof up to his face to wipe away at the liquid that had splashed him. As he removed his hoof, it came away red.

Staring down at the blood on his hoof, Dream felt the world around him go cold. Freezing almost. Then, with a force that he wasn't sure of the origin of, he felt himself being pulled away from the fog and shadows, the entire world spinning around him to the sounds of a siren and the cries of unseen monstrosities. Finally, with the dying drone of the warning signal, Dream's entire world went quiet and black.

Chapter Six: The Price of Broken Rules

There was no light. There was no sound. No feeling. As if he'd simply winked out of existence and had been deposited into some senseless void that continued on in every direction without end. The blackness was all encompassing, as was the lack of anything tangible. Even though he moved forward, he couldn't know whether he'd been going anywhere or simply moving in place. It was just beyond comprehension that such a non-existence could actually be real. Especially for one so young of the mind that he hadn't even begun school technically.

Dream kept trying though.

He heard nothing...but knew he was speaking.

While he couldn't see them, he knew there was somepony nearby.

Finally, at long last he could feel something.

There was something pressing into his back, his wings at uncomfortable angles. He fanned them quickly, checking for injury before shutting them tight. None to be found.

His legs were turned sideways to himself and his spine had acquired quite the ache, but a simple repositioning of his hips fixed that.

His mane lie flat on his face, its usual bounce and spring gone. He brushed it aside with one hoof.

And then came the sounds.

Dream's heart sank as he heard a familiar tone. The ticking of the gears inside of it clanging a simple chime every second or so. The sound of ponies crying out in pain assaulted him seconds later, and he instantly withdrew into a ball of black fur, lying on his side. But it wasn't the feeling of the cold cobblestone street he felt beneath him. The soft smooth touch of cloth greeted him with the warmth that accumulated from lying atop of it for a good number of hours. The cushioned bounce of springs in the mattress beneath told him that he was still in bed. So why did the voices persist? Why wouldn't that stupid music box shut up?

"Father? I think he's waking up."

Dream's ears caught the sound of Mirage's voice instantly. He slowly sat up, trying to look around but a wall of blackness so thick it felt as though it were crushing him was the only thing he could see.

"Oh thank the twin princesses. Dream...can you hear me?"

Oneiric's fatherly tones wavered out from somewhere in the distance. He was close, but still sounded so far away. A sickening feeling seated itself in the pit of Dream's stomach as he fumbled outwardly with his forelegs, trying to reach for his family in the void.

"Dad? Big brother? Where are you?"

"Hey squirt. We're right here. No need to worry." Mirage soothed.

Dream felt something connect with his forehead and immediately threw himself backwards. He hit the metal bed frame hard, the clang reverberating straight through to his teeth.

"Woah, easy there kiddo. It's just me."

Dream rubbed the back of his head. It was then that he felt something out of place. Again, the feeling of a touch came, and he recognized it this time as his brother's hoof brushing the little pony's mane out of his face, only to slide gently against his forehead. But that too was wrong. It coincided with the odd feeling on the back of his head. It was moments later that he realized just what it was.

His head was bandaged again...like it had been when he'd had his first unreal dream.

"Dad...are we at the hospital again?" Dream asked out into the darkness.

"Quick on the uptake, as usual. Yes son. We're at the hospital." Oneiric's voice rang out somewhere to his left. He cocked his ears towards it, but he couldn't quite fix on the position, let alone the depth. His father was lost to him amidst the black without the sense of touch. "What happened Dream? I need to know what happened to you."

Dream swallowed past the lump in his throat.

"It happened again, Pop." He sighed, rubbing at the cloth. "But this time...it was so real. It's like I was there. And this time...it wasn't fun at all. It was really scary."

"What do you mean, it happened again?

"I was in another pony's dream...the cool old stallion from the marketplace. He was there. But he got pulled away by something. I didn't see what it was. But there's something in the mist, Pop...and it got him." He could feel tears beginning to well up behind the cloth bandages on his face, his little body shaking.

"Something in the...Mirage, what stories have you been reading to your brother at bedtime?" Oneiric's voice became flat, a hint of agitation behind it. "Trying to spook him with ghosts and old mare's tales?"

"Not me father. I haven't read him a book before bed in over two months."

Dream shook his head.

"No dad! It wasn't a story! It was real! And the things got him! We were in Ponyville...and there were ponies screaming everywhere. There was a lot of stuff making sounds, but I couldn't see any of it. Just a really thick fog. And this crazy music box." Dream threw his arms up in frustration. "Why does this keep happening to me?"

Finally, out of the blackness, Dream felt his father's touch as he embraced the little pegasus in his strong arms.

"Hey now...no need to worry. Me and Doc will find out what's making this happen. And trust me, I don't think it's your dreams kiddo. Just relax and get some more rest, all right? I'll be checking in on you from time to time, and Mirage will be here too. So you just get back to sleep and let us adults figure out what's wrong, okay?"

He squeezed the little colt gently in his arms before Dream felt him leave go; his father vanishing to him once more. Mirage could still be felt somewhat close by, almost as if he were just inches away...but even that didn't help him feel any better. He was still lost, unsure of where he was. With a nod and a huff, he made to lay back down, only for his head to collide with the bed frame again. After the second incident, Mirage helped him scoot down under the covers and propped his little head on the pillow, patting his younger brother's shoulder.

"Take it easy there Dream. Father will figure out what's up. You know him, he's not gonna let anything hurt ya. And neither am I."

"I hope so. This bites." Dream sniffed, attempting to wipe away the growing wetness around his eyes, only to be blocked by the bandages. He left out a cry of anger before rolling over, stuffing his face into the pillow and venting his aggravations. When at last he was finished, he turned in the direction Mirage's voice had been and reached out for him. His hoof was met with his big brother's. Dream gave a contented nod.

"See? I'm right here. And I won't be going anywhere."

"No, I can't see...but I'm happy you're there. Can I ask you something?"

"Sure thing. What is it kiddo?"

Dream shied away for a moment, but kept his hoof locked against his brothers.

"Would you lay down here next to me? That way I know you're here?"

He was answered with the feeling of the mattress by his feet sinking a bit as Mirage climbed up onto the hospital bed with him. When his brother had situated himself, Dream rolled over and scooted up against Mirage, curling up and lying his head upon his elder sibling.

"Thanks big brother."

"No problem pipsqueak."

The last thing he felt before nodding off again was Mirage's arm slipping around him, pulling him tightly to his older brother's soft coat. The elder colt's long mane traced its way across his muzzle as the young pony drifted off into his dreams once more.

===D.W.===

All was still dark when Dream awoke again. He sat up and stretched, yawning wide...but stopped dead when he realized that Mirage was no longer next to him. He began to feel around the immediate vicinity, but Mirage's absence was not the only disconcerting thing.

He was again on the hard, cobblestone road. To top that off, the bandages on his head were gone, and he could make out the vague outlines of the buildings around him. Above, a crimson moon hung low in the sky casting a hazy red glow on the town and the fog that invaded it. Once more in the distance, the sounds of unseen horrors stalking the roadways and side paths could be heard.

Dream bolted to his hooves, a sudden fear for his life kicking in. His head went on swivel as did his ears, searching the surroundings for any immediate danger. A few silent shadows crept by here and there, but aside from those, nothing presented itself as harmful in the moment.

"Oh no...not again..." He moaned weakly. His gut threatened to root him to the spot, primal instinct taking over to keep him as still as the stones he stood on just to keep from being anything worthy of note. He did momentarily freeze when one of the shadows made to approach him, but it kept on moving just beyond his range of sight and he left out a relieved sigh.

"This is nuts. This is just really stupid nuts." He kept muttering to himself as he finally found the urge to move. At least if he was moving, he could probably get away from whatever was casting those shadows.

Dream took a quick look up and down the intersection he'd landed in this time, smiling when he saw the familiar tree that housed the town's small library to one side. From there, he could find his way anywhere, but first he'd stop and ask for help. As he approached the old hollowed out edifice of knowledge, he noted that there was indeed light coming from within. With hopes renewed, the pegasus hauled flank for the door, pulling it open when he reached it.

The interior of the tree was awash in a harsh golden light. A lit lantern hung from the ceiling in its casing, throwing wildly fluctuating shadows over the bookshelves that lined the interior of the trunk. Books lie strewn across the ground, small statuary was either cracked or knocked over and lying in disarray. It was obvious somepony had been here looking for something.

Hooffalls from the second floor entailed that somepony was STILL there. Dream immediately perked his attention to the winding staircase built into the far wall of the trunk, just above a doorway to what was most likely a back room or a closet as the hooves came into sight at the top of the stairs where they came down from a hollowed out branch of sorts.

"YOU!" It was Dream's turn for recollection this time as the familiar shape of Sunscape appeared atop the stairs.

"Little friend! I'd hoped you were safe!" He came rushing down the to the ground floor, running up to the pegasus in a three-legged gait.

If the Earth pony had looked bad last time Dream had met with him, he was a complete wreck this time around. His right foreleg was slung up at his chest in cloth that was soaked in something Dream would rather have not taken a guess at. His mane was completely destroyed, hanging in frayed strands all over the place. The remains of the feathers in it were gone, and the beads that had held them were half melted into the wild locks. His side and flank bore the remnants of encounters unknown, though they'd been patched up to the best of whatever ability he'd been afforded, and he wheezed horribly with every breath.

"Mister Sunscape, what happened?" Dream stood awestruck, amazed that the pony was still capable of standing under his own power.

Sunscape shook his head, pressing a hoof to Dream's muzzle as if to silence him. His ears turned in all directions as the two stood in relative silence. Cautiously, Sunscape moved over to the door to bolt it shut.

"Things have not been well, little catcher of dreams, and it does pain me so to see you here again. But it is also comforting in a way I suppose."

"What do you mean?"

The stallion reached around to a set of saddlebags on his back, withdrawing a small portrait from within the ravaged pouches. He held it gingerly out for Dream to inspect.

"Do you recognize this pony?" Sunscape asked past the portrait in his mouth.

Dream studied it carefully for a moment, shaking his head slowly after close and careful consideration. It was a mare, at least as old as his mother, caramel in color with stark, piercing full white eyes rimmed in a light blue. Her mane was silver in color and was braided in a fashion Dream couldn't put a name to. Like Sunscape, both her mane and tail were adorned in feathers tied in at various points.

"No sir...I don't."

"Blast!" The curse came quickly, almost fast enough for the stallion to accidentally spit the frame out. He returned it to the pouch before turning his attention back to Dream. "Then things are notgoing as smoothly as I might've hoped."

As if Dream didn't even exist, Sunscape about-faced quickly, irritation showing in his fractured visage. He began to tear the shelves apart further even in his disheveled state, discarding book after book until at last, amidst a pile of tomes on the main reading table in the center of the room, he found what he'd been looking for. The Ponyville Town Registry flung open at his touch, and he began to scan through the pages quickly.

"She's got to be here somewhere...I just know it!" He continued to flip through page after page, his brow furrowing further with each fruitless paragraph and photo.

Dream crossed over to the table, looking into the book. "You're looking for somepony?"

Sunscape stopped for a moment and nodded.

"She came to town a few months ago to act as hospital help at the new clinic. She's a pony from my tribe." He muttered, his scanning of the pages continuing.

"What's her name, Mister Sunscape sir?"

"Brightmoon, my little friend. She and I were friends of...great measure." He faltered on the last two words, his focused gaze diminishing somewhat. "When I heard she was leaving us to come help others in need, I wanted to at least say goodbye. But I didn't make it in time...I got...held up." And with a heavy sigh, Sunscape closed the book, rocking back onto his haunches. He sat there for a moment looking as though he was in deep thought about something.

Dream nodded, though only to seem polite. He moved away from Sunscape, the older pony having seemingly become lost in his own thoughts, and took a good look around the library for himself.

Whatever Sunscape had been looking for obviously wasn't here. The piles of opened books and stacks of discarded ones had proven it. As Dream ventured into the other rooms, he noted similar sights all around. Books. Mounds of them all lying tossed onto the ground like they didn't mean a thing. Everywhere from the main room to the archives and even to some of the books in the librarian's private collection on the second floor were overturned and toppled, many with pages half hanging out of their bindings from their rough handling.

"Wow...somepony's gonna be mad when they see all of this..." Dream whistled, observing the mess from the top of the staircase.

There was a scoff from the motionless stallion. He still hadn't moved from his spot next to the table, but his shoulders had hunched as far as the bandages would allow, and his head hung low.

"Mad? Could she have been angry with me? Is that why?" Sunscape seemed to ask to nopony in particular.

"Sir?" Dream questioned as he came down the staircase slowly.

Sunscape seemed to deflate when prodded for an answer.

"Well. I, that is..." Sun fumbled over his words for a second. He twisted his head around to look at Dream Catcher. Then, with a soft smile, he seemed to find his verbal footing. "We were a bit more than friends, little Dream. You see...we loved each other. But I wanted her to stay with me where as she wanted to come here...to Ponyville and help the settlers."

"But you said she came to work at the clinic." Dream replied, quirking an eyebrow.

Sunscape nodded.

"I did. And I didn't lie, there was a few tents and such acting as a clinic when she first arrived here over twelve years ago. It wasn't until recently that the actual building was built. Like much of this town, a fair portion of it is relatively new. And even now...it's still steeped in the power of the Earth Ponies that founded it. Somewhere along the lines though, just like everything else in the world...that power was malformed and twisted into something unearthly."

Dream Catcher trotted up next to the stallion and sat down next to him, nodding for him to continue.

"While the cities like Canterlot and Trottingham have existed for quite some time, Ponyville is still in its infancy and as such is susceptible to ethereal forces the likes of which not even the greatest Shamans of the Buffalo, those who taught us Plains Ponies everything we know and cherish, can figure out. But none the less...it's happening, and now...I fear that not only I, but my beloved Brightmoon might be trapped by this malevolence. That's why I came here to Ponyville in the first place." The older pony's gaze hardened and then...for just a moment...Dream could swear he saw one of Sunscape's eyes shift in color. With a slight gasp, the colt jumped back away from him.

"You're like me!"

Sunscape brushed some of his mane out of his eyes as he fixed his gaze on Dream, the falsely colored eye coming to a natural tone of gold, while the other remained a stark, charcoal brown.

"Yes. I am as you are, little friend. I too see this world for what it really is, just as you do."

"Then you know a way out of here! You can take us back, can't you? I wanna go back to my dad and my brother." Dream scooted closer to him again, pleading tears slowly beginning to trickle into his eyes.

"Sorry little catcher of dreams. But I can't leave now that I'm here. You, I'm not so sure about. But I don't think this nightmare has its claws in you yet. You may still yet be able to break free. After all, this world does not torture the innocent. It only subjects horrors upon those whom have done misdeeds in their past."

Dream stood up and circled the stallion a few times, looking him up and down. With a huff, he sat down again where he started and poked Sunscape in one of the few uninjured places on his body.

"What could you have done that's so bad? You're a nice pony...did you break something and not tell anypony?"

Sunscape's breath caught and he coughed for a second, nearly choking on his own stupidity and surprise.

"Out of the mouths of foals..." He mused for a second. "Yes...I suppose I did break something, little friend. And it's not something that can be mended easily. Especially not after the length of time that has come and gone." He sighed a moment, a melancholy expression crossing his features. "What is in a deed that causes us to remember it?"

Dream gave Sunscape a shrug and a queer glance.

"I don't get it." The little colt's head bobbled for a moment, trying to make sense of everything that had been said.

"It's a question we ask ourselves. What is the point of an action...and what is it about that action that makes us remember we did it? In truth, I can't really remember what happened to make me break that something, but if I can recall that I broke it...it must have been important. Do you understand now?"

"Yeah, I think I do. You want to know whether what you broke was good or bad, right?"

"Or whether or not I should even attempt to mend it, yes." Sunscape nodded. "For all I know...that broken object could have been something that needed it."

At that precise moment, a cold chill swept the room, dousing the lantern that had lit the interior. Everything fell into darkness as a shrill, hollow, mourning cry pervaded the room. Glass shattered quite suddenly all around them as the windows to the library exploded inward.

"Little Dream Catcher! Take cover now!" Sunscape's voice called out of the darkness over the howling wind now piercing through the tree trunk. Dream couldn't tell left from right, let alone up from down, but did as best to do as he was told. He found his way underneath one of the reading tables as a soft glow began to light the surroundings.

Above the center reading table, a gentle, lithe figure appeared hovering just above the flat surface. It was definitely a mare, noting the soft curvature of her muzzle, but the striking resemblance to the image Sunscape had shown Dream only moments before put her off as none other than Brightmoon. Her silvery mane and tail twisted and danced in the torrent of air, the feathers intermixed in them coming loose to fly about the room with the rest of the detritus and books being swept up in the maelstrom of wind.

But her eyes and facial expressions were devoid of any glow of life. The black sockets stared out at Sunscape as he stood below her, gazing up in both horror and confusion.

"Brightmoon! Why?!" He cried out to her. "Why are you doing this?!"

Dream stayed beneath the table, watching the scene unfold before him. The figure of the mare reached down and brutally bashed Sunscape across the muzzle, sending him flying into the staircase behind him. The elder stallion slumped down as he hit the floor, shaking his head as he sat back up. It was then as the ghostly mare approached Sunscape that she twisted in the air to face her fallen friend when Dream saw it.

A large knife was stuck into her spine between her shoulders.

Dream's eyes lit up as he put the pieces of Sunscape's puzzle together. The knife had been on the sales table by the dream catchers of Sunscape's stall. Sunscape had made mention of the town hurting those who'd hurt others. Sunscape himself had mentioned that he'd broken something that he wasn't sure he could fix.

Dream knew what had happened.

"You killed her!" Dream shouted out as the revelation hit him. "You killed your friend! How could you do that?!"

Sunscape shook his head again, trying to escape the spectral image of the mare in front of him as she continued to advance.

"No! I couldn't have! I wouldn't! I loved you Brightmoon! I wanted to be by your side and you by mine!" Sunscape cried, tears of both pain and inner hurt flowing down his cheeks.

"And so...you made sure I could never leave you." The mare's voice, whispery thin against the raging wind storm, graced their ears. "You wanted me to stay so badly...was it so hard to see me go?" She herself was choking back sobs. "I loved you too, my dearest Sun. I wanted to light up your night as you illuminated my day. But this?" She cried in pain as the knife was wrenched from her back by unseen forces, dangling now in the air between them. "Do you recognize this?"

"I do! It's the knife you made for me when we pledged ourselves for one another!" He returned her inquiry as best as he could through gritted teeth, fear and pain.

"Then why? Why did you do it?" She asked again.

"I don't know!" Sunscape shouted.

Dream had had enough. Sometimes grown-ups were just so stupid.

"You were afraid, weren't you?" Dream asked. "You were afraid that if she left, she'd find a new friend, and you didn't want that, did you?" He called out over the howling gusts.

Suddenly, Sunscape's eyes snapped open...and the gale began to calm.

"I. I think...I was. I was afraid I'd never see you again. That you'd get so wrapped up in your work, or get involved with somepony else that you'd forget about me. And our simple life." He spoke slowly, the wind now down to a gentle breeze and slowing with each word of confession. "I didn't want to live my life without you Brightmoon."

Brightmoon's appearance began to dim as the wind died out completely, the knife dropping to the ground before Sunscape. It embedded itself into the wood with a harsh thunk. As the blade vibrated back and forth for a second, Sunscape leaned down and withdrew it, holding it in front of him. His eyes were wide open, mouth slightly hung in shock.

"I wanted to love you forever..." He spoke, now barely just a whisper, as he pulled his mane down around his head. There, hidden deep within the dark locks, past the feathers and beads...

Was a single bone fragment.

"And so I...I found a way to keep you with me...forever."

There was the sound of a single slice, and the fragment fell into his open hoof, the knife discarded to the floor again. As Sunscape sat there and stared at it, Dream made his way slowly towards the door. Sunscape was obviously crazy. He'd KILLED a pony. There was no way to fix that. He couldn't. He never would be able to.

As Dream left the older stallion sitting inside the library, he heard the distinctive sound of the knife cutting into something soft...followed by a thump. A sole shiver crept its way up his spine as he turned to give the library one last glance.

"You seemed so nice..." He thought out loud with a tear in his eye for the crazed pony he'd come to know.

If this is what Sunscape had meant about watching over dreams...Dream wanted no part of it. He shook out his mane from the wind-storm, letting the right side fall over his face where it usually hung and made to depart the library grounds...

"Who are you?" He asked, now facing an exact mirror image of himself. The only difference was that his mane hung on his left side, and his eye colors were switched. Where as Dream's left eye was yellow and his right was blue, this other black pegasus had a golden right eye and a blue left.

Dream took a step back as the strange copy of himself took one forward. And another. The other colt kept advancing on him without saying a word. Dream found himself slowly being backed into the library again until his rump met with the center reading table...and one of his rear hooves landed in something warm and wet. Dream hesitated for a second before looking down.

His hoof was drenched in blood that had flowed from where he imagined Sunscape had last been sitting.

"Turn around and look at him." The other colt said in a voice that was Dream's...and yet somehow not. "See what you have done."

"What I've done? What did I do? I helped him figure out the truth!" Dream shot back. "That pony was crazy! He killed somepony he loved!"

The other colt came within muzzle-touch distance of Dream, his gold and blue eyes boring into Dream's.

"You broke the rules." The other said.

"What rules? I didn't know any rules here." Dream replied, still not daring to look back at Sunscape.

"You told him. That's against the rules. He had to figure it out on his own."

The mirrored-colt lunged.

===D.W.===

Dream bolted upright in his bed, finding Mirage's familiar weight still beside him, though in a different place. The first thing he noticed was that the bandages were gone, and he could see again, though the light hurt his eyes something fierce. After blinking a few times, Dream got to his hooves and hopped off the bed.

A few minutes later, he came from the washroom, his mane groomed and his body at ease with itself and its inner workings again. Mirage was sitting up on the bed, stretching and yawning widely as he fumbled around with his magic, trying to locate his glasses. With a happy bounce, though still a bit pained in the head, Dream bounded back up on the bed and tackled his big brother in a large hug.

"Well, somepony's awake at last!" Mirage happily tumbled backwards, taking them both to the mattress. He embraced his younger sibling for all he was worth. "You know it's been two days since you last woke up."

"Two days?" Dream sat up in confusion. "Has it really been that long? I was only there for a couple of hours."

"There? Where'd you go pipsqueak?" Mirage asked.

"I was in that weirdo Ponyville again. And Sunscape was there too."

Sunscape.

Dream shivered visibly at the memory of the murderous pony.

"What's wrong little brother? Have a bad dream?"

"Mirage...Sunscape killed somepony." Dream barely squeaked out. Mirage's brow went up in interest.

"Really? How do you know that?"

Dream got down off the bed and started pacing back and forth, recounting the tale down to the last detail. Mirage listened on intently, though if he thought anything of the colt's story, it never showed.

"And then...there was another me. He said I broke the rules by telling Mister Sunscape what had happened. It was really creepy...like looking into a mirror. But he was different, like I really WAS looking into a mirror. Everything was all backwards and reverse and stuff."

Mirage got down too and nodded at the notion.

"Sounds like one really messed up nightmare. Maybe we should ask father what's in those pain drugs they gave you. Might not be safe for young ponies."

"But it wasn't a dream, big brother! It was real!" Dream insisted. He reared up, putting both front hooves on Mirage's shoulder. "I was there, and so was Mister Sunscape! And he killed himself after it!" His eyes began tearing up at the memories.

"Relax kiddo. I'm sure it felt real." Mirage soothed, putting a comforting hoof on his brother's head. "But it was just a nightmare. Don't you worry, we'll get you home again and hopefully these nightmares will stop."

Dream sighed in frustration, walking over to the mirror to inspect himself top to bottom.

And there...in his mane...was a small piece of stained glass, glinting in the light of the room.

"Big brother..." He called out shakily.

Mirage came over, looking into the reflecting glass when he caught the glint of something hanging in the purple mass that was his little brother's hair. Reaching down with his magic, he plucked the glass from it, holding it up carefully. Dream turned and looked up, noting the serious confusion in Mirage's eyes.

"Where did this come from?" The older colt thought aloud.

"See?! I told you it was real! That's from the library windows when they exploded! It must've gotten caught in my mane!"

But Dream's insistence fell on deaf ears. As he watched, his brother's expression went from one of confusion...to shock and utter disbelief. He followed his brother's gaze to the mirror...where as he turned his head, he first caught out of the corner of his eyes that his reflection didn't move with him.

"You broke the rules." It spoke at him.

"Father?!" Dream barely registered his brother's sudden cry.

"Now you pay the price." The mirror-colt grinned wickedly.

Dream backed away from the glass slowly, feeling Mirage's hoof pulling him away from it.

Everything around him slowly began to fade as a long, wailing pitch erupted in his ears. It began low and droned on into a high, hollow, echoing noise that seemed to reverberate off the walls all at once, the same harsh wind blowing up in the room out of nowhere, centered around the little colt.

"Big Brother?! Where are you!?" Dream called out.

"Right here squirt! Don't worry, we'll get out of this. Father's coming, I know it." Mirage tried to assuage both of their fears, but at last, Dream lost sight of everything around him. Somewhere in the distance, he could hear the clatter of hooves racing down the hallway, but the only thing he could see now was the piercing gaze of his mirrored counterpart glowing malevolently out of the darkness.

As the cacophony of noise and wind died down, the door to the room burst open and somepony rushed in, followed by another. Dream sank to his stomach and lie still on the floor, dimly aware that Mirage had never left him go as somepony else moved to pick him up.

"Who's there?!" Dream snapped.

"It's me son! Don't you worry, I'm here now. What's wrong?" Oneiric's voice called once more from the darkness that pervaded every inch of Dream's vision.

"It's dark again dad. I can't see!" He whimpered pitifully. "Why does this keep happening to me? Is it because I broke the rules?"

"Rules...what are you talking about?" His father asked. "Mirage, what's going on in here? Mirage?! Hey, snap out of it son!"

"Sorry father..." Dream could hear Mirage's mane flapping against his neck as the colt shook his head. "He woke up a few minutes ago and started rambling on about being in that dreamworld again. And then, he came over here and just fell down to his chest and started twitching slightly. That's when I called for you."

"What?" Dream asked, unable to believe what he was hearing. "But...you saw the glass...you saw the other me! Big brother, tell him! Tell dad about the other me!"

"What is he going on about Mirage?" Oneiric's voice carried with it both impatience and worry.

"You've got me father, I have no clue."

"No! You're lying!" Dream cried out. "Dad, look for the glass! Look in the mirror! The me in the mirror isn't me!" Dream's eyes flooded with tears. He sniffled a time or two before breaking out in full on bouts of anguish. "It's me but it's not!"

"Oneiric, turn him here and hold his eyes open. Let's get to the bottom of this." Dream could hear Docere's tones floating amidst his sobs. He suddenly felt himself shift, now within the tingling confines of his father's magic as his eyes were forced open.

There was a sharp gasp and something metallic dropped to the floor.

"By the twin princesses...what black magic is this?" Doc's startled voice came again. "Look Oneiric...they're just...gone."

"What? What's gone?" Dream asked.

"His pupils have completely vanished...like they were never there to begin with."

"Doc...for once in your life, just shut it." Dream's father snapped. "I can see that myself. Don't scare the colt any more than he is."

"Pupils? What's that pop?" Dream sniffed out, shutting his eyes again. It made no difference though. Open or closed, he couldn't see anything.

Chapter Seven: Of Nightmares and Dream Catchers

"And so we see that it is not one, but all types of ponies that possess magic. Be it earth ponies and their ability to mould the earth beneath them or pegasi who shape our weather patterns...it is not only unicorns who have an innate ability to control forces beyond normal comprehension."

Dream sat at his desk near the middle of the room, staring absently ahead towards what one would think to be a half-drawn silhouette of grey lines against a solid black background. Every now and again, somepony would shift and throw another few hastily drawn scribbles of motion onto his senses, but otherwise it was as dark as it had been since that day two years prior.

He didn't really think himself all that unlucky. The young pegasus could see things no other pony could to his knowledge. In the time after his sight was stolen away from him by that perverse mirror image of himself in the hospital, Dream had developed a sort of second sight, one drawn upon the vast black canvas of his eyes by his other senses. It wasn't perfect by any means, but it did afford him something of what one might call vision.

"Psst. Hey...Dream."

Dream's ear cocked around to find one of his classmates, an earth pony, trying to discreetly pass him a note.

"Send that over to Crystal Onyx, would you?" The filly whispered lightly.

"Sure thing." He nodded, reaching out his hoof. He felt the note drop into it before tucking it away quickly under his desk. Mr. Prosel, the teacher, hadn't seemed to notice as he continued his lesson, his back presumably to the class.

Sure that he was in the clear, Dream hoofed the note over to the next row without incident before settling back into listening to the teacher. For being a Unicorn, Mr. Prosel was well versed in the other two forms of pony magic, and since he'd lost the ability to see, it was a subject Dream had taken a liking to. To have the ability to do things without seeing them directly? He could definitely have use of such talents in his dark and colorless world.

"Hey Catcher...wanna come over to my house after school? We can hang out and stuff." He heard the same note-passing filly beside him ask. Dream knew her by the sound of her voice, and the vague outline she'd cast every now and again when he could spare an ear to sense in her direction.

Kittyhawk, for being an earth pony, was rather fascinated with all things flying and the sky. She had an avid interest in pegasus wings, wanting to know how they worked down to their last detail. It was no small secret that she had a slight thing for the class's only flightless pegasus as well.

"All right. I gotta run home and let father and Mirage know, but I'll see you there, okay?" He replied.

"Mr. Dream Catcher...is my lesson boring you?" Mr. Prosel's solid tone rang out from the front of the room.

Dream shot straight up.

"No sir! Not at all!" He answered diligently.

"Then perhaps you wouldn't mind explaining to me and the rest of the class the difference between Earth Pony Magic and Unicorn Magic?"

Dream didn't even need to see the teacher motion him to the front of the class. He stepped lightly out of his desk, ears swiveling around, head bobbing slightly back and forth as he made his way forward, painting his senses in a wash of grey lines. Taking the only clear path, he stepped up to the front of the room next to the desk and turned around to face the class.

"The difference between Earth Pony Magic and Unicorn Magic is that the earth ponies use theirs to harness the natural forces within the ground and the trees and plants. Unicorn Magic is drawn from the eth...etholo...sorry, sir. I can't remember the word."

"Etheric, Mr. Catcher. Continue."

"Thank you sir. Unicorn magic is drawn from the Etheric Realm to change the natural forces around us, instead of working with it. It is a more refined sort, compared to earth pony magic, which some have called a more simple, brute-force method, according to Dr. Rhindquarter's studies on the subject, sir." Dream spoke, a little broken here and there as he tried to remember the larger words used to describe the subject. "They say that Pegasus magic is some of the trickiest to learn though, because there's never anything solid for us to put our hooves on...and no horn to focus power through. I'm still not quite sure how it works."

"Well...I see somepony's done a bit more than just their homework. Where did you learn that, Dream?" Mr. Prosel's voice had a hint of disbelief to it.

"My brother Mirage has been helping me study, sir. I really love learning about magic."

Dream could sense his teacher give an approving nod.

"Sounds like your brother knows what he's talking about."

"He attends the Unicorn Academy, sir." Dream replied, with not just the slightest bit of pride in his voice. "He even enchanted a few of his books to read themselves out loud so I could listen in while he studies for his classes."

"Very good, Mr. Catcher. You may return to your desk."

Dream nodded and began the slow trek back to his seat. It was no short order of surprising his teacher every now and again when it seemed like the little pegasus wasn't paying attention. Then again, it was hard for anypony to tell when Dream wasn't day dreaming. Without a need to use his eyes, Dream's gaze usually stared straight ahead unmoving. He'd heard a few of his classmates talking behind his back about it on occasion, calling him 'strange' or 'weird'...but he really didn't mind it too much.

And before he knew what happened...Dream was kissing the floor, feeling an outcast hoof thrown in his way. The entire classroom burst out raucously as he rocked backward, rubbing the orange colored spot of fur on his nose where he'd impacted, feeling a little bit of a bump.

"All right, all right." Mr. Prosel began. "Settle down everypony. Now...there's only two of you that could've done that, and I know I saw a limb. So, which one of you did it? Iron Bound or Chesster? Speak up."

Both the unicorn and the pegasus foals sat in their desks, neither one daring to say anything.

"Very well...then you both stay after class. Dream, are you all right?"

Dream turned his head and nodded, gathering himself back together and reseating himself.

"Fine sir." Though he was sure he could hear one of the two culprits mumbling something under their breath about revenge.

"All right then. To continue..." Prosel began as the bell rang out to signal the end of the day. "Or...to end, on that note. Have a good day everypony, and remember! Test in three days on the basic fundamentals of magic!"

The students began to file out of the single room schoolhouse all around him, but Dream waited until the motion lines stopped showing up in his sight before he slowly made his way out of his desk. It was always something of a hassle, trying to move around when he could sense so much other activity. It was like trying to sort out a straight line tangled in a midst of squiggles. There was just no sense to it.

"Dream...a moment, please." Mr. Prosel called after him.

The pegasus halted in his tracks, turning to face the front of the room where he could make out two figures sitting side by side in their desks, along with the teacher pacing back and forth at the blackboard.

"Yes sir?" He asked.

"So you've been studying magic in your spare time, hmm? Why don't you tell me what you've learned so far? It's not often that a pegasus takes interest in magic, aside from learning how to shape clouds and make weather."

Dream nodded and moved towards the teacher's desk, carefully side stepping a few rows of chairs to bypass the two colts who were sitting in detention.

"Well sir, I've been trying to learn how somepony can go into dreams, sir. My brother says it'd be really advanced stuff, if it's even possible. But I know I've done it at least once." Dream replied. "I got a dream catcher from a tribes pony who was in town at the Running of the Leaves festival about two years ago...and it allowed me to actually go into his dream."

Mr. Prosel didn't move, making it all that much harder to pin point in which direction he should be talking, but after a moment, the teacher made to sit down at his desk. Dream walked up to it, sitting down on his haunches beside the wooden construct.

"Dream magic, huh? That's some pretty heavy reading for somepony your age. And actually going into a dream? Now there's something I've never heard of. Sounds like a tall tale if you ask me." Prosel chuckled lightly.

"That's because he's lying. He's always talking about stuff like that." Chesster, the unicorn muttered just barely loud enough to be heard from his desk.

"I am not! My brother's seen me in his dreams too!" Dream spun and spat back.

Mr. Prosel simply nodded, unknown to Dream.

"Well...if you say you've been into a real dream, tell me what it was like then."

Dream proceeded to recount the tale of his trip into Sunscape's nightmare, right down to the last detail up until his awakening in the hospital. Each second of story was retold with the feelings of the moment, sometimes leaving the pegasus shaking slightly. He sat there and told it all though, much to the apparent interest of Prosel, who didn't say a word until Dream had finished.

"And then, when I woke up in the hospital, I saw myself in the mirror...but it was different. He said I broke the rules by telling Mr. Sunscape the truth...and that's when I went blind, sir."

Prosel sat quietly for a moment, pondering what he'd just heard.

"That's some story there, Dream. It sounds to me more like a nightmare than a dream of any kind."

"It was really crazy sir. But I want to go back. Mr. Sunscape said it was a dream catcher's job to make sure ponies could sleep at night without having nightmares...and he said I was one. That my eyes being two different colors was the symbol of all Dream Catchers." Dream nodded. "If I can help other ponies not have bad dreams, then I want to try. Even if it was scary."

===D.W.===

The battered, disheveled willow branch that comprised the circular base for the netting of the dream catcher was wearing thin in a few places, the silk mesh itself becoming frayed around the edges. Dream cast a steady hoof over it, feeling the worn contours of the fragile object before him, unwilling to be rid of it.

"Don't break on me now...please." He silently pleaded with it, knowing it wouldn't last much longer. Time had taken it's toll; the wood was dried and brittle and the strings were mere days from snapping under their own tension. It had to hold though. Just for one more night.

Placing the simple yet proven powerful object beneath his pillow, Dream cast shut his eyes to the world around him and settled in for a long night. His breathing slowed to a minor rhythm, blowing strands of his carelessly strewn mane about his little face.

As soon as he was sure his boys were asleep, Oneiric crept into the room unannounced. He slipped silently towards Dream's bed and watched the rise and fall of his chest closely. It wouldn't do him any good now to wake the boy. He stood there for a few long moments until he was sure that Dream wouldn't wake anytime soon before reaching around with his magic underneath the pillow.

The conversation from earlier played over and over again in his head.

===D.W.===

"Dream insists that he's able to travel to the realm of the subconscious by using the power of a dream catcher he received from a pony at a festival, two years ago. I'm afraid he might be letting this imagination of his get too out of hoof, Mr. Nights." Prosel Wright had said with no small air of concern. He'd asked to speak with Oneiric when he'd picked Dream up from school.

"Mr. Prosel, I can assure you that no such thing has been happening. While my son does possess a unique and interesting plains pony artefact, I doubt he's actually going anywhere using whatever 'mysterious' power it might hold, if any. I'm a pony of science, I can assure you. Whatever he's been saying, we'll work it out in a method that ensures that the boy keeps believing in himself and his ability to help others...but not one that pursues these fantasies." Oneiric had replied.

===D.W.===

With a heavy sigh, Oneiric pulled the strange, circular object from beneath the pillow, cringing as a muffled snap sounded from beneath the canvas. When it arrived in front of his face, Oneiric noted that the ring of willow branch had collapsed, the webbing hanging loose and free. He looked at the strange oddity for a moment before turning his gaze down to Dream. The colt made not so much as a twitch. In fact, he looked to be sleeping more peacefully than Oneiric had seen him sleep in a long time.

The unicorn gripped the dream catcher in his magic tightly, turning to leave the boys room. It was with a sudden start when he spun to face the door that he noticed that it no longer existed.

'All right Nights...figure this out. There was a door here just a second ago. It can't have just disappeared.'

He'd said it before himself. He was a pony of science. Science of the mind no less! A door doesn't just simply disappear! That'd be complete nonsense.

But as he fumbled around, searching for it in the darkness of the room...he couldn't even find the frame, let alone a handle or a door for it to be attached to.

Immediately, he reached out with his magic to find the door's mechanism.

'Well...this is certainly an elaborate joke...and some fairly good magic. I have to admit, this is good. You can sleep now Mirage, but we'll have a talk later when this is over.' He grumbled mentally, resolving to give the boy a stern talking to when he woke up.

After a few minutes of struggling uselessly to find said mechanism...he changed his mind. Mirage would get a talking to immediately. Only...he wasn't there when Oneiric turned back to the beds. And neither was Dream.

"All right boys...jokes over. It was good, but come out now." He muttered aloud.

Nothing. No sounds of movement. No laughter. Not even a creak of the floorboards as he made his way over to the beds to search them more thoroughly.

"Enough is enough! I said the joke's over! Now come out before I tan both of your hides!" Oneiric shouted.

A sudden banging on the wall made him jump away from where the door should have been.

"Dad?! Dad!? Are you in there?!" Dream's small voice barely came through the barrier between them.

"Dream Catcher, you tell your brother to open this door right now!" Oneiric called back, a sudden simple breeze sending a chill up his spine.

"Dad! It's no joke! You've got to get out of there!" The young pegasi's voice sounded beyond insistant.

"Don't toy with me! You think I haven't tried? There's no door here!" Oneiric snapped...when suddenly the idea clicked into his head. Unicorn. Magic. Teleport. He almost slammed his head against the wall, frustration evident on his face. Reaching into the pit of his magic, he pulled enough and pictured the hallway outside of the room. "When I get out there, you boys are in so much trouble." He grumbled. In a flash of white energy, Oneiric prepared to give his oldest the whupping of his life...

And came out of the teleportation spell staring at the exact same wall he's just left behind.

"Dad? Are you still there?" Dream's voice was becoming ever more urgent.

"Boy, I'm trying to! But something's blocked my teleport spell." Oneiric stood back, a cold realization dawning upon him. The blocking of magic in defense was one of the first few lessons they taught after magical control in school. The blocking of magic in offense was something you didn't learn until a much more advanced level.One typically reserved for the Royal Guard. One Mirage was no where near yet.

"Something isn't right here Dream. Go find your brother, and stick with him. Meet me downstairs, I'm going to try the window." He ordered.

"Wait Dad! Don't go..." But Dream's voice was lost to a muffled murmur as Oneiric approached the window of the room. He flicked the latch open with his horn and pressed against the wooden framework. As he did, the picturesque scene of nighttime over Ponyville vanished into a cloudy crimson sky that caressed and endless sea of black, transitioning like somepony was sliding back a curtain. Thick blankets of condensed water vapor clung to the air around him...and if he listened closely, the unicorn was sure he could hear the sound of multiple ponies crying out in the distance.

Oneiric grabbed the panes with his magic and forced them shut along with his eyes, unable or unwilling to believe what he'd just seen. He shook his head to clear the image from his mind as he opened his lids again, only to find that the pitch-darkness of the void hadn't faded, and neither had the red tinge to the air. If anything, the room itself was beginning to become cast in the same bloody hue that the sky had been as he stepped away from the window.

The stallion spun on his hooves, ready to break down the wall if he had to when he noticed, with a rather slack-jawed expression, that the doorway to the room had returned. Tentatively, he approached, gripping the handle in his magic. The slight tinkling of his violet aura, typically only audible if one listened very closely and knew what to listen for in the first place, overpowered the click of the mechanism in the portal while it swung open. For all intents and purposes, he imagined that at its current level of volume, the sound of himself utilizing his spellwork would've roused the entire town from slumber. It chimed loudly enough that he would've mistaken it for high pitched clock tower bells if he hadn't known where it was coming from himself.

There, on the other side of the door, completely against his wishes, stood Dream, staring him down with a more than moderately disturbing glare. Oneiric knew his son couldn't physically see him, but still...the colt's eyes bore a focus and a sharp recognition of his father's presence. The second the door had opened, the colt's gaze had locked upon him like a hawk watching its prey.

"Dream! What are you doing up here? I told you to go downstairs to your brother!" Oneiric bellowed, mostly out of concern for the pony's safety.

Dream never once took his eyes off his father.

"Who are you, who thinks he can command me of all ponies?" The colt replied, a cold indifference seeping venomously into his words.

"I am your father, that's who!" Oneiric grit his teeth, appalled by his own son's defiance. "You'll hear about this later young colt...for now though, we need to get out of here. Something's not right." He made to put a hoof around Dream and take him downstairs. Instead, the stallion found himself wondering if he'd have had better luck moving a concrete wall.

Dream stood rooted to the spot, not even looking at his father now.

"You foals are all the same." Oneiric would've been hard pressed to miss the snide hint of deprecation. "You see one thing and immediately liken it to something you're familiar with. It never changes."

The unicorn stallion turned to Dream in anger, ready to knock some manners into him. Instead he was met with a blank spot on the floor where the colt had been standing.

"You see me, and think I'm your son. Your precious little Dream Catcher."

Oneiric jumped at the sudden voice behind him, spinning around and once again finding an empty space. Dream couldn't have gone anywhere in that intermittent time. There was only two other doorways in the hall plus the staircase. One of which Oneiric was standing in front of, to the bathroom. The other being his own bedroom door. Dream couldn't have gotten into the bathroom without him noticing...and the boy dared not venture into his father's room. That left only the staircase, but upon a quick inspection, he wasn't there either, and Oneiric heard no sound from the ground floor.

"As much as I'd like to say I hate to tell you that you're totally off track on your pitifully short, already single track mind...I have to admit there's much pleasure in that idea. It simply makes you all the more fun to toy with."

Oneiric looked up and saw the black pegasus who wasn't his son standing upside down on the ceiling. The colt had an amused smile plastered upon his muzzle as he stared eye to eye with the stallion below him, wings out stretched, mane and tail staying in place as though he was standing simply on the floor.

"Allow me to derail you even further." The black colt chuckled, before his hoof shot out quicker than lightning.

The stallion stumbled back, spots and shapes erupting in his vision. This apparition of Dream; as it most definitely wasn't his little colt, had struck him with a surprising amount of force. That was for sure. Oneiric struggled to get his bearings back once his sight cleared, but to no avail. He now stood somewhere amidst a sea of velvet blue and black, inked in white dots all over. Immediately, he began sensing patterns to the dots, finally coming to the realization that they were stars and constellations. That revelation only further unseated his nerves when he discovered that he wasn't standing, so much as floating.

Once that epiphany had arrived, he immediately turned his thoughts inward, remembering that there still wasn't too much known of space at that point in time. The stars were the realm of the Princess, as she moved night and day. Out here, where there was nopony around, he felt vulnerable beyond belief, if not even more so like the life was being drained out of him by the second. It took him mere moments after his last burst of knowledge before he realized he felt a crushing weight upon his chest, like some invisible force was pressing him together between two pieces of stone. At last unable to bear it any longer, he released his breath with a heaving gag, only now to find that he couldn't draw more air in, his silent coughing racking his body in pain as a deep cold pervaded him from both inside and out.

Just as Oneiric was about to black out from being oxygen deprived, he hit a solid surface hard on his back. Air rushed back to him, and for the first time in his life, he prayed to Celestia, hoping beyond hope that maybe she could save him and his family from this madness...wherever the boys were. She controlled the very sun, moon and stars! Surely she could tell when one of her loyal subjects was in dire need of her help.

"Well now, isn't this quite laughable. He finds himself in the grip of the stars and space, then cast about to parts unknown, further still in darkness...and he prays to the Princess of Sun and Light? What breed of fool do they raise these days, I swear I'll never know. Doesn't even know which Princess commands the stars and the night by birth right." The voice of the colt resonated from the pervading darkness around him.

Oneiric opened his eyes wide, searching the inky blackness. But he could find no trace of the demon that claimed his son's form.

"And even better yet...when surrounded by darkness complete, he still tries to use his eyes to find his assailant! Oh how rich. You are proving to be quite the entertainment!" A hollow laugh, remniscent of Dream's, yet twisted and distorted, echoed around Oneiric. "I'll tell you what. Since you've so thoroughly amused me, I'll give you a sporting chance. Let's play a little game, shall we?"

The stallion struggled to his hooves, once he realized there was something fully solid beneath him, aside from whatever it was in the darkness he'd struck.

"Tell me who you are, you infernal demon! While you're at it, tell me where my sons are! What did you do with Dream and Mirage!?" He bellowed at the shadow-black pony he still could not see.

"Ah...an interesting request. The first, I will tell you freely, when I so choose. The second, however...you must win the game first. Else, you're breaking the rules." At that, a pair of gold and blue eyes snapped into existence, hovering just beyond the tip of the unicorn's nose. Oneiric startled and jumped back, not entirely sure he'd land on anything. He felt great, inexpressible relief when his hooves still found purchase on a solid surface.

"Breaking the ru...so it's you!" The stallion shouted back at the eyes, yet another realization striking him. "You're the one Dream's always talking about!"

The orbs hovered for a moment before bobbing up and down.

"Yes. I suppose I can claim that bit of fame, though how he gets by the way he does, I'll never understand. It must be horrible to not be able to see where you're going." The eyes cinched shut as the voice chuckled. "Oh! But you know all about that right now, don't you?" They snapped back open, sharp and focused as ever...though if Oneiric had any say in it, those eyes seemed to be grinning at him none the less.

"Quiet! Let me out of here now so I may see my boys! And then, begone from us! This family has suffered enough without things like...YOU...plaguing us as well!" Oneiric roared back.

The eyes seemed to list at that, the light they cast slowly fading.

"Come forward, dear pony, and face your regret. Seek not for comfort, lest pain caused: you forget." The voice began in a sing-song tune. "Nopony's clean here, you've tarnished your flanks...so hurry now lest worry shred marks into blanks." The eyes closed again, the bright blue and golds disappearing in a white hot flash.

The area around Oneiric immediately opened up into light, and he found himself standing right next to Dream's bed where the whole ordeal had begun. Looking down to the destroyed dream catcher lying on the floor, to Dream's form sleeping soundly in his bed, the stallion for a moment thought himself mad. He turned, checking on Mirage and was relieved to see that he too was tucked in tightly against his covers, a soft snore escaping half muffled from his pillow.

The stallion heaved a sigh of relief he hadn't known he was holding in. He slumped to the floor rather unceremoniously and placed a hoof on Dream's shoulder, rubbing it gently so as not to rouse the colt from his sleep.

"Regret huh?" Oneiric muttered to himself. "The only thing I regret is not being here for you two more than what I'm able to." He huffed irritatedly. "That and not being able to help you, dear." He thought inwardly of his wife, her tender smile glancing through his troubled mind.

"It's okay...we forgive you."

Oneiric's ears swiveled around before he could even turn himself, pin pointing the voice that came from the doorway.

"No...it can't be..." His jaw dropped, eyes coming face to face with those of a pony who went out of his life some time past.

"No worries father." Mirage's voice added in...the snoring becoming what sounded more akin to a low growl. The bed to his left shuffled as Mirage moved around...but Oneiric couldn't take his gaze off of the pony in the door.

"Yeah dad! Everything's okay now! We can be a family again!" Dream's voice joined in the chorus...and pain blossomed in his right foreleg.

Shocked into action, Oneiric turned to face his youngest, finding a deformed, grotesque mockery of Dream lying in bed, his head turned all the way around with fangs sunk into his father's arm. The little pegasi's wings had been stripped of all feathers and flesh...only bone showed through. His cheeks had sunken in, parts of his scalp were missing, and from where the blanket covered his body on up, the stallion could see massive oozing sores all over the young colt's body.

"Father...what's wrong?"

His head snapped around to Mirage, whom looked no better than Dream did. His horn had been snapped off, and his eye glasses had fused with his face. His mane was in tatters and hung limply, barely covering up the fact that part of his muzzle had been peeled back, revealing stained, browning and broken teeth. Mirage too was also covered in sores that weeped pus, his frame horribly thin and ravaged by what appeared to be a combination of starvation and sickness.

When at last he returned his gaze to the pony in the door, Oneiric openly wept.

"Why?" He choked through sobs. "What has happened to all of you? And why do you haunt me so?"

The pony stepped forward, her singed mane and burnt pelt glowing as if it had a radiance of its own. Lightning crackled up and down her body as she moved, occasional bright sparks showing her as though through an x-ray.

"What's wrong, dear? Don't you want us to be together again?" She asked, her words sweet...yet filled with the venom of a viper.

"I tried to help you. It hasn't been easy raising the boys without you." He cried. "I've done the best I could! What's happening to them!?"

Both boys crawled forward from their beds, hitting the floor with harsh scraping noises. The shade of his wife crept closer all the while too, sparks of electricity dashing through the air, sometimes between her hooves and the floor as she walked.

"Star...Mirage. Dream! Why?"

All three converged upon him.

Everything went black.

===D.W.===

Dream sat alone amidst a small cluster of objects in the far corner of his room, watching the entire scene play out before him. He feebly attempted to move once more, but as before, his body wouldn't obey him. He saw the shallow spectres of himself, his brother, and his mother, Star Chaser, fell upon his father. Not for the first time he found himself wishing to be robbed of his sight in the dream world as well as the waking. The foul monsters ripped and tore at his father's shaking form, the smell of burnt hide amongst other things wafting over him whenever a bolt of electricity discharged from his mother's form.

"So, having fun yet?" The mirror image of himself asked, standing stone still beside him. "You know, I thought he would've liked this game a bit more. But he's not even trying to play."

"Shut up." Was all Dream could muster. He was openly sobbing, not caring what the other pony thought of him.

"Oh come now, it's not that bad. He's still got another chance. Don't you worry, things will be right as rain when he comes to." Then, the other colt put a hoof to his chin thoughtfully. "At least, I hope he will. I don't want our games to be over so soon." Then he shrugged.

"Just let him go."

His doppelganger's face lit up in delight.

"I can't. It would be against the rules, you know that."

"I'm sick of your rules." Dream shuddered, feeling the colt's head spin to lock onto him with a glare.

"If it weren't for rules, how would you know how to play the game? Besides, they're not my rules. If they were my rules, the game would be more fun than this." He simply shrugged, his attention returning to the carnage before them.

"You're sure he'll wake up tomorrow?" Dream asked.

His counterpart nodded.

"Oh yes. He's not quite done anything wrong enough to merit a full stay here yet. At least, not in his mind. He's safe for now. This is just a little prick of the conscience we're seeing here."

Dream turned his gaze away, unable to bear the scene before him. He was glad he could at least do that much, given how he couldn't do much else. The dream catcher had broken...and now all he could do was observe. Its magic no longer allowed him to interact with the world around him. What was worse...every bad dream that had been locked in its web was now free to escape and torment their owners again.

It was with a heavy sigh of relief that Dream noticed that the sounds had faded away, as had the imagery before him when he looked back upon the room. His father lay on the floor, unmoving...but physically unharmed. He would be all right.

"Oh how depressing. It's over all ready?" The other colt blanched. "How boring."

Dream shook his head slowly, willing himself to fade out of the dream. He didn't want to stick around in that pony's company any longer...not that he ever really enjoyed seeing him.

Soul Weaver, as he'd called himself shortly after their third meeting, was one of the most vile, disgusting ponies Dream had ever had the displeasure of meeting. He seemed to delight in the anguish and pain of others, playing his 'games' with them as he saw fit. Ponies had been maimed, tortured and tormented before Dream's eyes in their sleep because of this peculiar mirror pegasus. When he'd spoken to his teacher about dream magic, Soul Weaver was the exact reason why he'd wanted to know how it worked.

Dream had since been to many dreams like the nightmare that had just played out before him since his incident with Sunscape. And in almost every nightmare, Soul Weaver had been there. Sometimes Dream only felt his presence, a maleficent, baleful shadow that hung over him with every step he took. Other times, the pony had made appearances, laughing at Dream's attempts to help the inhabitants of the nightmare worlds. And then there were times when Soul Weaver took an active role in the disturbing happenings, smiling like the colt he was as if he'd just walked into a toy store or a candy shop. Glee and joy evident upon his face.

Nothing Dream had tried seemed capable of stopping the black pony that looked just like he did...so he merely took to doing what he could to minimize Soul Weaver's influence by providing better assistance himself. But now with the dream catcher destroyed...there was nothing he could do to help anypony.

"Why'd you have to go and break it pop?" Dream shuddered.

He was thrown awake by the sound of his father falling out of bed in the next room, followed by heavy hooffalls leading to the bathroom. A bottle of pills popped open, a deep muttering resonated, and then returned to the room. Dream knew his father would never remember coming into their room that night. He knew that Oneiric wouldn't remember breaking the dream catcher in his attempt to remove it from under the pillow. But he knew that his father was in danger.

Dream sat up in bed, feeling an ominous presence wash over him.

"Remember friend...no telling." The haunting voice echoed in his mind. "Don't wanna break the rules again, do we?"

The young colt grit his teeth and pushed the voice away, content for now that his father was back home in bed, and that he was safe for the time being.

Chapter Eight: Unwitting Submission

Night after night, Dream lie in bed listening to the sounds of his father tossing and turning in his dreams. Dreams, he was sure, that were more nightmare than anything. Hellish visions of past regrets, future turmoils and present pains. Mirage hadn't had any brushes with the devilish Nightmares yet...and that was one thing to be thankful for. The fact that his father hadn't succumbed to the otherworldly might that the Nightmare held either was another. It was obvious by looking at his harrowed expression every morning that Oneiric's nighttime revelations were getting worse and worse.

Each night after work, the unicorn would come home slathered in alcohol, dragging another mare with him to bed as if to try and forget the dreams. Instead they grew progressively worse. Dream knew...he'd watch them from afar, rooted in place where he could no longer help. Without the magic of the dream catcher, there was nothing he could do to console his father's many worries without ' breaking the rules', as Soul Weaver would have put it. None that he could figure out anyway. As he listened to the fevered pitch with which his father rolled around beneath his sheets every night, Dream tried to think of something, anything that could help. But he kept coming back to the same answer.

He needed another way into the dreams.

Mr. Prosel hadn't been much help, if any. Dream had learned that he'd simply dismissed his ideas as foalish fantasy, and had then proceeded to inform his father about his ideas and adventures. The teacher couldn't be trusted.

Sunscape, the only other pony who believed him, had fallen victim to his own Nightmare, leaving Dream without anypony to turn to for help. Even if he hadn't...Dream wasn't sure he'd want the Plains Pony's help anyway. Not after learning of the stallion's misdeeds. Ponies like that were trouble, no matter which way you looked at it.

It was on a night like these that Dream sat in his room with Mirage, both of them listening to his brother's latest textbook read itself aloud: A Concentric Magical Study - The Innate Mystical Properties of Circles, Sigils and Signs, when Oneiric came home as usual, loud as can be as he walked into the living room. The brothers listened intently as their father stumbled his way upstairs; the sound of a bottle bouncing off the wall at intermittent intervals signaling his return from the local tavern, with nothing short of conjoined dismay and worry. Dream lie himself down from his sitting position, stretching out next to Mirage on the older pony's bed, leaving out a long, hefty sigh.

"He's only getting worse, big brother."

"I know kiddo. I know. There's nothing I can do though...believe me. I've tried time and again." Mirage's weight and pleasant body heat shifted next to him, drawing the little pony closer. "If there was anything I could do to help him, I would."

Dream puffed out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, as if a disappointment came with those words. He had known better though. Mirage was only one pony after all; he couldn't be expected to take the entire burden of their father's troubles on his shoulders, no matter how hard the unicorn colt was trying.

"But I know what's wrong with him Mirage."

"No. I won't be hearing any more of that dream-monster nonsense." Mirage put a hoof to his head, massaging his brow in mild irritation. "Just because he's having bad dreams doesn't mean that they're the source of pops' problems. They may not be helping, but I refuse to believe that he's becoming crazy because something's haunting his dreams, doing unspeakable things to him, and I won't hear another word of it."

He'd tried to explain it to the elder colt. He'd laid it out in as many words as he could to help Mirage understand. But even his big brother seemed resistant to the idea that a mirror-world Dream Catcher was causing Nightmares to become more than harmful. The very notion was crazy, as Mirage had put it.

So, with Mirage's opinion firmly stated, the two returned to their silent listening as the book before them continued to pour out its contents in a verbal magic lesson, attempting to shut out the sounds of distress from down the hall as their father climbed into bed. But, the lesson wasn't for naught. That night's topic had been one of varying interest to the little pegasus as he listened in carefully to everything the book was describing to the two.

Sigil Magic, Runic Magic and Symbolic Magic were the entire course of study between its pages. But tonight, the book's lessons had come to specific items of value that Dream had been waiting for ever since the book had first read aloud its page of contents. As it were, these types of magic had been developed by the Earth Ponies long before their bodies had naturally become adapted to working the sources of wild ether that freely traversed the world. Over the years, Unicorns had refined them into something of a graceful art form of sorts, only making them more powerful by combining basic Symbolic Magic with the artistry of both Runes and full Sigils. The book didn't discuss the topic of combining them together in great detail, suggesting that anypony who tried would have to have serious knowledge into the topic before even thinking about attempting it; but it did state that when the three skills were creatively and expressively crafted together: few other forms of magic could out-class the power wielded by the holder of such knowledge. The three classes were forms of magic that were attempted by many and mastered by few.

Up until that night, the book had been all about history and names. Spinning tales of ponies who succeeded and failed at the various forms of the three magics, and all of their outcomes. But now, the book was talking its way into actual practical application; the part that Dream had been most interested in since the topic had first arrived at their home in Mirage's school bag.

===D.W.===

~In any instance of Sigil, Runic or Symbolic Magic, everything used in the spell has its own merit. Its own designation; an idea or thing that it represents. For example: if one were to attempt to cause Lunar Flowers to bloom, one might choose the runes for Moon, Flowers and Growth. Or to look at it from another, much harder way, that same pony might draw a Crescent Moon inside a blank Sigil-base, complete with the runic engravings for Growth, and then drop a few petals of said flower into the circle. At the end of all of the excersize and practice, all it takes is a bit of magic to spark the spell to life, and it will work on its own accord.

What really matters though, past all of the various symbols, runes and blank circlet basings, is the intent behind the spell. A pony with the proper magical ability and mental discipline could designate a simple toy ball to symbolize the Earth, a tuft of cotton swabbing to act as clouds, and make their own runes with their own meanings, and the spell could still work. It is all in the idea of the spell, as the symbols and objects are just a way to focus those things into coherent thought.~

===D.W.===

Already, ideas were scoring themselves into Dream's mind like so many chalk outlines on a blackboard. Different shapes he could use. Different runes with their own meanings that he'd either had Mirage describe to him or had concocted on his own danced around inside his head. Above all of that though...the one thought that disturbed him most was seemingly the one he also enjoyed the most. It was going to be difficult; likely near impossible to pull it off. But if he could do it, he'd have a way to help other ponies in their dreams again as long as the spell lasted. There were certain perks to having a Unicorn for a brother and learning first-hoof about magic was one of them. Tonight, when everything was set, he'd make it happen.

A sudden shift in weight jolted him out of his mental reverie as a soft sound came to his ears. A light breeze ruffled his mane every few seconds with the tell-tale hint that Mirage had fallen asleep beside him, his brother's easy snoring making the young pony chuckle quietly to himself. Carefully, he closed the enchanted book, cutting off its continuous speech now concerning the possible dangers inherent in attempting combining the three magical art-forms with a quiet -thud- as the pages met. Extricating himself gently from his brother's bed, Dream made his way across the room to his own bed, mounting it with nary a squeak from the mattress springs before curling up under his covers. The only light source in the room would've faded by that point as Mirage's horn dimmed out when he slept, the magic no longer flowing through it, so Dream didn't worry about leaving a candle or lantern lit, his mind now focused on the task at hoof.

The idea itself was daunting. There'd be very little room for error. But it would have to work.

With the thought pattern firmly rooted in his mind, Dream lay his head down upon the soft cushion of his pillow and shut out the world, drawing himself into the world of the dreamscape.

===D.W.===

"So...the young masochist returns for another night of fun? How interesting. I thought you'd have given up by now...but I must say I'm more than pleasantly glad that you haven't."

Dream spun around, opening his eyes to see a similar pair gazing back at him from across a shadow-stricken carbon copy of his bedroom, the other end of it completely black save for the blue and gold orbs hovering around within the inky darkness. They seemed amused beyond belief, if one could put an emotion to a set of eyes; a light almost dancing in them that Dream was beginning to become accustomed to seeing whenever he returned for another go at the Nightmare.

"Come to watch another pony fall to their own failings? Are you beginning to enjoy watching it as much as I?"

Dream's face hung into a carefully guarded frown, knowing that the plan needed to be set into motion. To his relief, he was able to move, indicating that they hadn't yet been thrown into the realm of somepony else's dream, leaving him free to interact with the surroundings of his own for the moment. How long that would last though, he wasn't sure...and didn't have time to waste finding out.

"Not really." Dream replied casually, making sure his tone of voice matched his usual distaste for what his doppelganger so willfully enjoyed and promoted. "But I am here for something tonight. I'm glad I caught you before we left."

"You...glad to see me? Well, this certainly is something new! Wonderful! I was beginning to think that you were just a one-trick pony. So...what is it then, hmm?"

"Nothing really. Thought we could play a game together before you decided to go destroy another pony's life to change things up a bit, that's all."

Soul Weaver's eyes practically lit up with happiness as he bounded out of the shadows, stopping mere inches from Dream. If one were to look at the two of them in that moment, somepony could've mistaken them for each other just given their current expressions. That sickening revelation only made Dream more urgent to finish the business at hoof.

"Splendid! What sort of game did you have in mind? Shall it be Which Pony is that Anyway? Or perhaps a rousing bout of BattleZepplin? Oh! Oh! Truth or Mare! There's just too many to pick from!" The mirror image hopped about the room as he listed off each title, all games Dream had been forced to play with him before...and none of which he was too eager to play again for various reasons. His mind still recalled images of a massive dirigible crushing down on the trapped , charred pony inside it as Soul Weaver had eagerly chanted 'I Shot Down Your BattleZepplin!'. All the while, flames engulfed the surrounding countryside, explosions rocking through trees that had been set ablaze while the pony who'd been piloting the craft burned alive while being compressed under the weight of a support girder.

The good part was: Dream knew he could take advantage of Soul Weaver's love of and seeming addiction to games for this plan. The shadow pony, as dark and deceptive as he was...was still as much a child as Dream. He enjoyed having fun as well, even if his version of fun was often gory and indiscriminate as to whose life it ended.

The bad part? As much a Soul Weaver loved games...Dream's game would have to have high stakes and strict rules before Soul Weaver would ever consent to playing. Dream didn't have much in the way to lose at that current point...but not much was still plenty more than he was comfortable giving.

Now came the tricky part.

"I've got one, don't worry. It's a simple game. The object of the game is to create a dream world. Using things from around the room, you need to put together a convincing representation of a pony inside the dreamscape. The rules are that the world must be circular in shape, the pony has to look like a pony, and each item you use needs to be labeled. You also may not use anything that isn't in this room. Whoever makes the better world wins." Dream calmly explained, watching behind a calm facade as Soul Weaver soaked up every word with a disturbingly cheerful smile.

"What are the stakes then?" Soul asked, his smile not fading an iota.

Dream put a hoof to his chin as if in thought, though he already knew what he wanted. The trick now was to make said stakes so high that Soul Weaver would have no choice but to accept. A victory so complete that he wouldn't be able to bring himself to deny attempting to attain it.

"Well...if I win, you don't mess around with anypony for a month."

Soul Weaver's face instantly came crashing on high from elated to downright dead serious.

"And if I win?"

Dream hesitated, thinking of only one thing that could match his wager. If he'd made his prize too high, Soul Weaver wouldn't have ever accepted it. It was amazing that he was considering a simple month. That alone would've been a huge respite for Dream's weary mind. Now though, it was time to put his bits where his muzzle was.

"If you win...I'll let you choose your prize, as long as it doesn't involve killing anypony."

Soul Weaver sat down and considered that for a moment, Dream noting the serious temptation lingering just behind his doppelganger's creased brow. As each moment ticked by, Dream grew evermore doubtful that Soul Weaver was going to fall for his trap. If one looked at it, it was an obvious ploy, right down to the very wording of the rules.

"Who shall be the judge of this competition then?" Soul Weaver spoke up after a moment of pondering.

Dream's mental thought processes came to a halt just then. He hadn't thought about that. He'd been too concerned with how it would work that he didn't give thought as to who would act as the impartial observer.

"If you've no one in mind, I'm sure I can find a fair overseer for it. Unless you have any objections?"

With nothing coming to mind, the pegasus merely shrugged, almost afraid of who might come stepping through the door to the room.

"Sure." he replied.

No sooner had his agreement been voiced did the door to the room slam open with enough force to splinter the wall where the handle had come crashing into it. The light shining through the portal was blinding compared to the dark shadows that pervaded the opposite side of the space where the two colts sat, game ready to begin. Silhouetted in said light was the shape of yet another colt, one whom also bore a striking resemblance to the two ponies who already occupied floor space.

"HELLO EVERYPONY! The Fun Has Arrived!" It shouted in a voice that belonged to Dream Catcher, the colt stepping through the doorway and into the room proper.

It was another clone of himself. The only differences to this version of Dream Catcher were few and far between, being that his mane was tossed to the right side of his head instead of left, and the color of his eyes were reversed. To add to that, his wings were abnormally large for a small pegasus of his size, giving him more bulk and a larger appearance than the other two.

Dream stared slack-jawed at this new arrival, unable to believe that he'd be sharing company with yet another copy of himself.

"You're kidding, right? Another us?" He deadpanned, looking back to Soul Weaver. The other pony merely shrugged.

"Aww, now who's this stick in the mud?" The new Dream asked, his overtly happy mood suddently turning dour.

"Well, I'm not You, that's for sure." Dream retorted.

Soul Weaver chuckled at that.

"Perhaps we should call him Not-You, then?"

"Of course he's Not-Me. I'm sitting right here, and you're right there." Dream sighed.

"Me thinketh the young colt doth protest to much...eth...or some such jazz like that." Not-Dream Catcher smirked as he stepped up two the two ponies. "So...what's it going to be? Need me to judge something I hear?"

"Yes, now sit down and be ready." Soul Weaver nodded quickly. "As much as I enjoy games, I'd like to get this over with as soon as possible. I have other ponies to play with tonight and I hate cancelling my appointments."

"All right, all right. I get the idea of the rules. It's why I'm here after all, isn't it? So get playin already!" Not-Dream insisted.

Dream turned to look at Soul Weaver, for once seeing an unsettled look on the dark colt's muzzle. This pony, of his own calling...was actually getting under his nerves? So the powers that be made Soul Weaver play by the rules too...that was an interesting little idea. Not that Dream would've expected any less. Of course there'd be a price for bringing a new player to the game. Apparently, it was Soul's comfort zone, for lack of better words.

"Remember, your objective is to make a dream. I wanna see a clean game out of both of you. Now...let's get to Dream Weaving!" Not-Dream gave a flagging start symbol and the two ponies were off, collecting various things from about the room.

Dream quickly nabbed two of his brother's action figures and a ring of dried up tree branches that he'd had made to begin a new dream catcher some time back. The pony who'd made it had been curious as to its use, but even if it was unfinished, it'd still be serving its original purpose if Dream had his way. He noted Soul Weaver grabbing his old Loopty Hoop and a stuffed pony doll plus a few other things, knowing that Soul didn't intend to lose. But Dream still had a little trick up his proverbial sleeve to play yet. Setting the action figures down inside the ring of branches, he grabbed a quill and a piece of parchment from his brother's desk and began to label the objects he'd already found in some of his conjured up runes.

With that done, Dream turned towards the door, spying one of the small potted plants that his brother insisted on keeping. Something about helping the older unicorn relax, it was a miniature tree that would only ever grow so tall. He deftly swiped that up in his hooves, turning around to see Soul Weaver come barreling towards him with a slightly angered look on his muzzle. Apparently he'd been planning on using it too.

"Got to it first." Dream stuck his tongue out, not wasting an opportunity to torment his doppelganger.

Now, with the miniature tree firmly within his ring of branches, sitting nicely between the two action figures, Dream labeled the tree with a slip of parchment, and then one more special slip with a final set of runes inside the circle, then sat back and waited for Soul Weaver to finish his work.

When the other pony stopped gathering his materials, he moved aside, allowing Dream to see that within the Loopty Hoop, Soul has assembled a pegasus plushie ontop of a ripped open pillow, the stuffing pouring out to resemble a cloud. His labels read in plain Equestrian "World", "Dreamer" and "Cloud".

Not-Dream merely looked over both of them before stepping forward.

"All right, you first Soul Weaver. Any last minute items you wanna add?" the new Pegasus asked.

Soul Weaver shook his head.

"No, I do believe my image speaks for itself. It's obviously a dream about flying." He said with a half smirk, confident that the easy imagery and use of materials would make it plain to anypony. Dream had to admit, it was a good idea.

Not-Dream laughed, looking down at the destroyed remains of the pillow.

"Well, I give ya an A for effort, Soulie boy...but design? Nope. You get an overall B."

Dream had to restrain himself from busting out as Soul Weaver's jaw almost quite literally dropped to the floor in shock.

"You give me a B? Is that all your simple mind can make of this easy to understand work of art?!" The black shadow-colt fumed. "Just you wait until we're done here...you and I shall have words..."

Not-Dream shrugged, turning to look around at Dream's work.

"What about you, Other Me? Any last minute touches?"

Dream's mind quickly snapped on a candle as he nodded, grabbing the quill he'd used for labelling and drawing a simplistic circular design within the confines of the ring of branches. This was going to be the part that depended all on luck.

"Yeah...now check this out."

Dream took a deep breath, imagining a sunny day with two ponies relaxing under a tree. A slight breeze was blowing through the air. He could almost feel it rustling his mane as he left his breath go slowly and gently across the diorama...

"Well? Is that it? You're gonna blow on it?" Not-Dream asked.

Dream focused harder on the image in his head, trying to feel the breeze, to feel the sun on his fur. He knew there was magic all around, all he had to do was feel the significance of the moment. To know the depths of the symbolism he was trying to express. That the runes spelled out. It would respond if only he could...

The diorama gave a spark of magic and then sprung to life as the runes of every paper save one lit up, the action figures moving of their own volition. The combination spell had worked.

Not-Dream whistled in amazement.

"Well Soulie, I think it's safe to say that Other Me has you beat there." Not-Dream Catcher's eyes lit up as he stared at the little living world on the floor.

"I call it: Dreaming of a Warm Summer's Day." Dream took a mock bow, just to add insult to injury.

Soul Weaver was absolutely livid.

"I see what you've done there, little pony. You're smart. Smarter than I've given you credit for." The shadow colt seethed quietly, obviously boiling beneath his skin. "Trust that I won't make that mistake again."

"You think that's good..." Dream began, looking down to the final sheet of runes that hadn't been activated by the spell. "...just watch this."

He closed his eyes, pressing his hoof to the slip of parchment, tracing both along the hastily inked sigil he'd made at the last minute, feeling an intense light growing before him. He could hear the startled gasps of the other two copies of himself, their hooves slowly backing away in apprehension of what was to come.

There was a sharp crack that split the air. A dazzling light exploded in a flash of brilliance, and then faded as quickly as it had come. Daring to open his eyes, Dream was met with the sight of his father's bedroom, the sleeping stallion lying quiet for the first time in weeks. Quickly, he retreated to his own room to find that he was not in bed.

There was only one explanation for his current circumstances. He could see. He was not in his bed. His father was sleeping peacefully, and best of all: Soul Weaver was absent.

Not only had he won the game, and by proxy, expelled Soul Weaver from dreams for an entire month...but he was no longer bound to the sidelines to simply sit by and watch. Lifting up the hoof that had traced the runes for "Walking" along a basic sigil for "Dream", he saw the runes and sigil inscribed into the bottom of his hoof with magic.

For as long as the spell was fueled with untapped natural magic...he was able to Dream Walk again.

Chapter Nine: Three Times the Dream, Three Times the Nightmare

"Well...THAT was certainly both unexpected and unethical." Not Dream Catcher chided, half amused as he looked on from a vacant corner of the room.

Dream spun around rapidly, his newest counterpart appearing as if out of thin air. Such things were to be expected in the realm of the dreamscape...but this? This didn't make any sense.

"I thought my part of the agreement was that Soul Weaver didn't interact with the Dreamscape for a month?" Dream asked, just as confused as he was becoming angry.

"Oh, you're quite right. Mr. Weaver is banned from meddling in the affairs of ponies dreams for an entire month. Not that he's too happy about it mind you. To be honest, he's quite irate."

"But then how are you here? He brought you into existence...you shouldn't be able to inhabit this world either."

Not-Dream Catcher scoffed, flaring his wings momentarily to seat them into a more comfortable position.

"My dear boy...just because he called me here...doesn't mean he created me. I've been here all along," he appeared to pause and think on that for a moment as he feigned studying one hoof. "Well...at least as long as you've been here anyway."

Dream could only retreat to his haunches, sitting down slowly while trying to process the information he'd just received. He gazed long and hard at the other pony...a perfect mirror image of himself, if disproportionate in some ways. Larger wings, a slightly more built physique; this pony was him and again it wasn't.

"So what do you mean, unethical?" Dream dared to hazard a further question.

"Well, it's obvious that you tricked him. That little show you put on surprised even me, to be honest. I didn't think such a young pony could pull off such powerful magic, let alone succeed in it. There will be repercussions, obviously...but that's to be seen at a later date. For now...enjoy yourself. You've won." Not-Dream Catcher smiled genuinely. "Even if you cheated."

Dream sprung to his hooves, puffing himself up in sheer anger.

"I did NOT cheat!"

Not-Dream, not for lack of trying to hold it in, burst out in uproarious laughter at that.

"Clearly! If I do remember, the rules of the game explicitly stated that you could only use things present in the room to create your 'dream'." He quirked a cocky eyebrow at Dream.

"And I did. The magic was there to begin with. I just used it." Dream nodded flatly.

"Ah...but there's the catch. The magic didn't just exist inside the room. It exists everywhere. So by technicality...you used a resource that is not allowable by the rules of the game, for the Magic is not something simply confined to this space."

Dream started to protest, only to find that he had no viable argument.

"Still, I judged you the winner. Nothing to be done about that. All that's left now is the consequences for cheating."

"Consequences..." Dream's mind began to spin, wondering just what might happen. He could almost feel the room around him spinning as it began to fade from sight, the darkness that had hid in the corners now leaving its confines to encroach further upon his safe haven.

"Good luck, brother!" Not-Dream called jovially as he too faded from sight. "I'd wish you a safe trip...but that won't happen...so instead, I'll say this: have fun!"

"Wait! What's going on?" Dream leaped for the other pony, only to hit hardwood floor at the edge of the pervasive shadows where the colt had previously stood. Not-Dream was gone.

Dream bolted to his hooves, turning in circles to watch the shadows creep up around him from all sides now. It was a slow crawl of portending doom; one that there would be no escape from. Out in the darkness of the night, the hollow call of a warning siren lit the skies aflame in a cry so fierce and terrible that it seemed it would shake the very house to its core foundation and quake it to pieces.

Just as he was about to bolt for the door, a brilliant flash of light tore up from the floor where he stood, surrounding Dream in a vortex of etheric energy and a torrent of wind. Shutting his eyes against the light, he found he couldn't move when he tried to escape it; his hooves were rooted to the hardwood that was slowly rotting and decaying away beneath him while the same spell circuit he'd used to tie himself back to his dream-walking abilities began to trace its way onto the planks. As it continued, Dream felt himself being pulled down toward it as though gravity had been kicked into overdrive. Struggle as he might, he found he just couldn't bear the strength to even make himself stand upright. He'd been forced to his belly now and yet the pressure still gripped him tightly, pressing down from above and pulling from below, like whatever it was had the idea to try and rip him through the floor.

When at last the siren had ceased its wailing cry and all was quiet, Dream opened his eyes again.

The world around him was no longer reminiscent of anything he'd ever known. No faded memories of his room stood nearby. His brother was gone. The house itself had vanished; in its place stood a wrecked ruin of some building he'd never laid eyes on before. The very land he stood on appeared to be nothing more than a simple outcropping of rock set adrift a massive sea of black. The sound of waves crashing at its shores only helped to solidify the idea that Dream wasn't in Ponyville anymore.

"So, how do you like the new scenery?"

Dream nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of the sing-song question that came from just over his shoulder. Spinning around, he came muzzle to muzzle with Not-Dream again, the other colt sporting a semi-amused look while he tried to make himself busy by checking the cured state of one of his hooves.

"What is this place?" Was all the young pegasus could manage.

"This? Why, this is none other than the edge of Tartarus!" Not-Dream suddenly sprung into animation, leaping to Dream's side and wrapping an arm around Dream's shoulders. "Really nice part of it too. I hear this is one of the best neighborhoods in the area."

"Tartarus? You mean..."

"Precisely! You, my good counterpart...emphasis on good..." Not-Dream made a small retching sound and motion to accompany that statement..." have just become a permanent denizen of Hell! We here at Dark and Stormy Realty would like to thank you for your patronage and do so hope you enjoy your stay!"

"Wait...you mean I'm dead?!" Dream jumped back away from his shadow, turning in all directions to see if there was some way out.

"Well...not quite. Close though! And may I say you gave it a damn good effort in trying! But no. You're still...alive, I suppose you could call it. After all, one doesn't need to be dead to end up here." Not-Dream caught up to him and again wrapped a hoof around his shoulder, guiding him towards the shoreline.

Dream stared in awe as the shadow pony rambled on and on while pointing out the various things of interest he thought were relevant to the situation, the young colt's mind on the verge of complete collapse. He was in Tartarus...but not dead? How did that work? Was it even possible? Sure...there were old mare's tales of creatures that lived on the borders of the Celestia forsaken realm...but of anything that could actually live inside of it? It was almost unthinkable.

"So, to put it bluntly, that's how you got here. You're not dead, you're merely stuck in limbo brother. That little Dream-Walking spell you pulled off was quite the piece of work. However...if you'd have payed any attention to the ramifications that the book was mere moments away from outlining to you before you bounded off into this half-cocked plan of yours...you'd have known that the success rate for any kind of spell of that magnitude is next to zero without some backlash."

"Is there...any way to get back?" Dream asked, barely above a whisper.

Not-Dream began to speak, but then stumbled upon his own words. His hoof held aloft as it to say something, the shadow pony stood there for a few seconds with his mouth open wide, ready to talk...before putting his hoof back down.

"Honestly? No clue brother. You're guess is as good as mine. Right now, you're in a world of subconscious reality, much like when you sleep. The big catch though? You are actually here. This isn't some dream. As it is, you are physically existing, right here...right now."

"So wait...if I'm here, what happens to me in the waking world?"

The other pony shrugged with an almost gleeful smile.

"You vanish."

Chapter One: Night of Fated Dreams

"All in all, can one really define the sightings of the inner soul? Are we bound to forever be at the mercy of our subconscious while we walk the vast dreamscape? Or are we destined to one day rule that world as well...in the exact same way we feel we have conquered everyday life?"

===D.W.===

"He's a strong one. Quite the fighter too."

"And look...he has your wings dear. Mirage will be happy with that."

"What are you going to call him?"

...

"He came to me in my dreams. He made the nightmares go away. I think I'll call him..."

===D.W.===

"Dream Catcher? Hellooooooooo? Are you seriously still asleep, little brother?"

A soft, gentle nudge came at the edge of his perception. He rolled over, trying to delve back into the realm of his fantasies, not yet ready to face the orb that just had to be blazing a new day, casting the soft glow of the sunrise through the window. The little black shape pulled the blankets further up over his head to leave only a tuft of violet hair sticking up from underneath the soft comforter.

"Mrrrph.", came the muffled reply.

"All right. Don't say I didn't warn you."

The world suddenly turned topsy-turvy as he was ejected from the warm confines of his subconscious fortress, feeling himself held aloft in a hazy white glow of magical energy. The young foal shook his head to clear the last of his vision before opening his eyes to find his assailant staring him straight in the face. A white unicorn colt looked him over, shaking his head all the while with a lop-sided grin as he set him gently down on the wooden floor of their room, leaving him to his own machinations.

"Oh come on Mirage, I was just at the best part." Dream stifled a yawn, blinking away the final remnants of sleep that threatened to urge him back into the comfort of his soft bed. Lazily, he ran a hoof through his wild mane, pushing it to the side with a flick of the wrist and a flop of an ear. He stood up slowly and began his morning routine, searching out a brush amidst the clutter of his side of the room before strapping it to his arm and gently pulling the knots out of his mane. But his talk proved fruitless; his brother shrugged and proceeded to do the same to his own blonde locks before levitating his glasses to his nose.

"You know dad will be angry if you sleep in again." Mirage returned, not even bothering to cast a glance over his shoulder.

"And you know that he'll be angry if he found out you used your magic on me again."

Dream ruffled his miniscule wings in mock-irritation, pouncing playfully onto Mirage's back as the older colt made to stand up, taking them both to the floor. They wrestled back and forth for a few moments before Mirage stood up again with a smile, casting his gaze to his little brother on his backside. "Come on, let's go get some breakfast kiddo."

"Hey pop." Mirage called out as he entered the dining room at the base of the stairs, dropping Dream Catcher off gently onto one of the stools. Dream immediately tore into the breakfast before him without so much as a word edgewise while Mirage seated himself next to his little brother and began to eat as well. Sounds emanated from the kitchen in the next room, their father still at the counter making his own breakfast.

"Mornin' boys. Glad to see you're up and about early enough today." The large unicorn stallion nodded to them as he levitated his own plate of greens to the table. "Ready for school today, squirt?"

Dream looked up from his plate, orange muzzle in stark contrast to his black fur and violet mane covered in tomato juices and miniscule slices of carrot shavings. His little head bobbled up and down rapidly in response before it returned to his plate to finish devouring the nearly decimated meal. Their father, satisfied with that answer, turned to Mirage.

"Today's your first day at the academy too. You think you're ready for it, son? If the instructors are anything like what I remember, it's going to be tough during the first two weeks."

"No sweat pops. I practiced all through the summer, so I should have an edge on some of the others, don't ya think?"

The white stallion chuckled and nodded at that. "That you should. Hopefully it'll be enough. If you show enough promise...you might even make it into the Gifted Academy in Canterlot. That's a good goal to work towards."

"I'll do my best." Mirage nodded before taking his empty plate into the kitchen.

"Dad?" Dream spoke up.

"What is it pipsqueak?"

"What if the others...make fun of me?"

The elder unicorn pulled his attention to his younger son, knowing exactly what the little colt was afraid of. He stood up and circled the table, putting a comforting hoof on the little one's shoulder.

"It's about your eyes, isn't it?" He asked.

Dream nodded, breathing a heavy sigh.

Some ponies suggested he'd been born cursed, though that had never proven any truth. Others thought he'd been the victim of a cruel defect as a foal, though that theory was just as plausible as the curse idea. Dream Catcher cast his head up at his father, looking at him from behind two different colored eyes. The left shone a brilliant gold, like his mothers, and the right bore a deep blue hue which he'd acquired from his father. If his odd fur and mane coloring hadn't been enough, plenty of foals had already taunted and berated the young colt for being weird just because of his two tone eye colors.

"Don't you worry any about what those silly foals have to say. They're just jealous that they're not as special as you are." His father picked him up in the gentle embrace of his magic and held him close for a few moments, the young pegasus gripping in a tight hug around his father's neck and shoulders.

===D.W.===

With their breakfast out of the way, the two young colts made their way into town with Mirage at the lead. The elder pony knew his way around far better than Dream did, being the older sibling, and had been charged with the task of seeing his younger brother off to school before leaving for his own. The brothers stopped here and there on their way to pick up things for the day ahead; snacks and drinks for lunch amongst other various trinkets and tidbits. Mirage even purchased Dream Catcher an apple to give to his new teacher, just out of the sheer hilarity that he thought the gesture might bring.

Once their morning shopping had been done, Mirage led the way to the one room schoolhouse that served the small burg of Ponyville. He stepped into the schoolyard, looking around at it fondly.

"Ya know Dream, I went to school here too."

"I know. Dad told me. He also said you were a big trouble-maker too." Dream laughed.

"Watch it squirt, I can still be a trouble-maker." Mirage grinned, turning around to gently punt his brother through the open front door of the schoolhouse with a casual back-hoof. "Now you remember to behave. And try to get along with everypony, all right?"

"Bye big brother!" Dream waved as Mirage walked off before heading inside.

===D.W.===

The day wasn't even halfway over and Dream was already falling asleep at his desk. It wasn't that school was boring. He was just naturally sleepy when he wasn't energetic. So far though, it had been a good day. None of the other students had seen fit to poke fun at him, and the teacher had actually liked the idea of her student giving her an apple on his first day. But he found he couldn't keep himself awake, no matter how hard he tried. Dream stifled a yawn as the teacher continued her lecture on the founding of Equestria, an obviously important lesson. He found himself picturing all of it as it happened, seeing the three tribes of ponies fighting over the land while the nasty creatures that brought the winter storms followed them relentlessly.

He soon lost himself in the imagery, his little head falling to the desk as he drifted off into his dreams.

===D.W.===

"Be careful! Don't let it get away!"

"Watch out! It's heading your way!"

Dream found himself standing in an unfamiliar place, as he always did when he visited this side of his eyelids. All around him, machines stood out in stark contrast to the cloud based setting that the room was comprised of. Here and there, pegasi were flitting back and forth wearing hard hats and white coats, frightened looks on their faces as they rushed in a frenzy, trying to capture something.

"Watch that discharge!"

There was a bright flash of light and a loud crack. Dream opened his eyes to see a pegasus fall to the ground, coat charred black and hard hat missing. It twitched a few times before it went still, others flying down to it. One or two stayed aloft to tame the stray thundercloud that had gone awry, but the vast majority were either now attending to their fallen co-worker or cleaning up the debris left behind in the wake of the vicious cloud.

"Is everything okay?"

"I don't think so. Someone call the hospital. We need to hurry."

"What happened?"

"Somepony wasn't paying attention..."

===D.W.===

"...and apparently still isn't. Dream Catcher, do you think it wise to sleep through your first day of school?"

The sharp crack of a ruler on his desk jolted Dream out of his vision, a sharp cold sweat breaking on his brow. The teacher stood above him with a concerned look on her muzzle, watching it grow worse with the heavy breathing of her student and the obvious discomfort he'd been in.

"Are you all right, little one?"

Dream looked around the room, noting all eyes were on him. He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, but nothing could hide the fact that he was sweating profusely. That hadn't been a mere dream. More akin to a nightmare if anything. What was worse is that it had left his head pounding ever so slightly.

"I think so ma'am." He nodded slowly, careful not to upset the pulsing tension in his little skull.

"Shall I send for your parents to come take you home?"

He pondered that for a moment, pressing his hooves to his temples to clear his head, but the pounding didn't cease. It only got worse. So much so that for a moment, his vision swam in a sea of dark spots. The teacher caught that before having to catch him as he tumbled over sideways out of his seat. She left him to the floor easily, calling one of the other students to send word to her assistant. Soon, Dream was surrounded by ponies he didn't know. It wasn't much longer before his father arrived in his work clothes, carting his son off towards home.

"I'm sorry Dad..." Dream murmured from atop his father's back.

"It's okay son. Just relax. We'll get you home and into bed." The stallion cooed softly to his youngest as they made their way home. It was a fortunately short trip from the schoolhouse to their half-double abode near the north side of town. The unicorn carefully weaved his way in and out of side streets to avoid knocking Dream around too much until they arrived at the front door of the house. He carefully took the foal up to his bed before levitating the young one into it, covering him up gently with the soft down comforter.

As his father left to retrieve a wet washcloth, Dream snuggled down softly into his pillow, his tiny head on fire with the images he'd seen. They had burned themselves into his mind and even felt as though they were the source of his new found headache. His dreams had been vivid before, but nothing ever like that. This dream brought with it pain and a different kind of fear than your typical nightmare. This fear was more tangible than anything he'd ever felt before from his dreams.

"Here you go kiddo." His father brought the washcloth back from the bathroom, draping it across his forehead. "You mind telling me what happened?"

"I...had a dream about this place..." He started before catching an odd look from his father.

"You fell asleep in class on your first day?"

Dream nodded sheepishly.

"Well...I guess I can't say I expected any less." His father chuckled slightly, brushing at Dream's mane. "I did the same thing. Anyway...go on."

"There were a bunch of ponies like me, all wearing hard hats and white coats...and there was a thundercloud...it hurt somepony."

The look on Dream's father's face was one of astonishment at that revelation. He leaned down closer to his son and really began to listen.

"What else happened?"

"I don't know. They took the pony away...that's all I remember before the teacher woke me up."

His father nodded, standing up slowly.

"Do you know that place, Dream?" The little pony shook his head as his father continued. "That place you dreamed of was the Weather Factory. That's where all the weather in Ponyville comes from."

"Isn't that where mom works?"