All seemed calm. Everything was still. Rainbow Dash felt like she had achieved her goal. Death. In it's cold embrace she could find peace. Only when she saw the rising moon did she realize it was all a dream. Depression filled Rainbow Dash, she only wanted freedom from the memories she harbored. Cruelty flooded her senses as she ripped apart the cloud she rested on. Nothing but malice and hatred, she wanted to see the deep crimson of her school bullies. These thoughts seemingly vanished when she saw Fluttershy approach in the distance.

"Rainbow Dash! There you are! I've been looking for you everywhere! You look awful. Let's go back to my cottage, I want to talk to you." Fluttershy had planned on being the day she told Dash of her affections, but as we all know, nothing goes according to plan.

As soon as the pair got inside Fluttershy's cottage, Fluttershy bombarded Rainbow with questions filled with concern. The first of the questions was the one Rainbow Dash hoped to avoid.

"Rainbow Dash....what's wrong?"

"I....do I have to tell?"

"It's only best if you do, bottling up emotions isn't good for a pony. You can tell me anything Rainbow Dash, I'll always listen."

"Thanks 'Shy, okay, here goes....I was crying because...well because...." tears were forming in those beautiful rose eyes, "Because....I had a dream last night, it was about you....and the dream brought up old memories. The memories were painful to say the very least. I tried to suppress them, but I just broke down." Dash was crying hard again, "I didn't want to tell anypony because I didn't want to sound soft." Rainbow Dash continued to tell the story of Flight School. All the names she was called and all the horrid things done to her. Every memory was told to Fluttershy.

"That's terrible! I wish I would've been there for you more. I never even knew.....I'm glad you are with us here today....I don't know what I'd do if you were gone. Stay with me tonight Dash." Having that been said, Fluttershy draped her wing over Rainbow Dash and brought her to a couch. She then sang a lullaby to Rainbow.

" You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy, when skies are gray. You'll never know dear, how much I love you. So please don't take my sunshine away." Hearing the angelic singing voice that belonged to Fluttershy gently lulled Rainbow Dash to sleep.

A soul piercing scream was heard in Dash's mind. In this subconscious reality, the scream belonged to her. As black tendrils ripped at her wings, tore at her skin and mane, a voice uttered a phrase meant to instill fear in all who heard it.

"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Your way is shut. Embrace eternity."

Rainbow Dash woke up in a cold sweat. She wanted Fluttershy to come and drape her wing around her again, to lull her to sleep, and cradle her all through the night.

'I'll tell her about it in the morning, she'll understand. She always understands.' Dash thought this as she was succumbing to sleep once more.

Rainbow Dash awoke to the smell of Blueberry Grass Pancakes. As she clumsily got out of the couch and drifted into the kitchen, she pondered her nightmare last night. She decided it would be best to tell Fluttershy.

"So how did you sleep?" Fluttershy asked in her usual selfless tone.

"Not so good, I had a wicked nightmare....it was....chilling to say the least. I was in a void, and these black tentacle thingies were tearing at my wings and my coat and my mane. I was screaming at the top of my lungs. Also there was a voice, a really creepy voice. It kept repeating a phrase. 'Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Your way is shut. Embrace eternity.'

"Maybe you should ask Twilight about that. That sounds much to vivid to be just a common nightmare."

"I'll think about it, and hey 'Shy, thanks for...well everything. I don't know what I'd do without you. Regular training time today?" Rainbow Dash had gotten back her usual joy and mirth.

"Of course." And with that, Fluttershy started cleaning the dishes from breakfast and going about her normal routines.

"A void you say? Much too coincidental to be a regular nightmare, I'm sure I have a book about this creature and this place." Twilight searched a bit and eventually found what she was looking for. "Aha! The Abyssal Kings, creepy book. It says here that four kings reside in a place called the Abyss. It also goes on to say that the Kings hold a power to drain the vitality of ponies through nightmares. In these nightmares, black tendrils grip their victim while they chant an ancient incantation 'Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Your way is shut. Embrace Eternity.' Huh, that's odd, that's exactly what happened in your nightmare.

"What does it say about how these nightmares are caused?" Rainbow sounded scared.

"It says that these nightmares only inflict those with an inner conflict. Such as a painful past that the pony never came to terms with, or a battle of emotions. The most common emotion they feed off of is love, more specifically, confusion about who a pony loves."

"How does one get rid of these nightmares?" Rainbow Dash was quaking with fear inside

"Well, the only known ways are to cure the above mentioned ailments. So I suggest you do whatever is necessary to quell these troublesome problems." Twilight as usual knew exactly what to do.

"Thanks Twilight!" Rainbow Dash now had a renewed fervor and purpose. She had a mission to accomplish. Only......one thing stood in the way of it all. Or one mare to be precise.

Author's Note

Whew! Lot of writing being done during Hearths Warming! Hope you enjoy!