private Diffuse Reflection (1x1 between Nightmare Season and Raven Rawne)

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Orange Sparks

 

Crystal Clear chuckled as Nightmare Season levitated the root away. "Suit yourself." She rested her head on her hoof as she listened to his reply, then summed up his plan.  "I see... so it's farewell once we get back to the Empire then." She saw her get up and exit the pool, and reluctantly followed suit in a single leap, then shook herself off the excess moisture. "Sure thing Nightmare, just give me a moment to adress this... mane problem." She pointed a foreleg at her hairstyle and laughed as the stallion disappeared in the corridor. Crystal looked at herself in the mirror and rolled her eyes. "All the effort went to the trash." She shrugged and just combed her mane back, grabbed her things and put on the glow-crystal, then trotted towards the stacked supplies.

 

Her approach heralded by a clip clop of hooves on stone, the mare emerged in the main hall where Nightmare was already waiting by the sleigh and some supplies, their stuff from the dorm included. She walked in and showed off her mane. "How do you like my new manestyle? I'd call it "I fell into a lake". Okay jokes aside, what do we have here..."

 

She took inventory of what they had in disposal and began sorting what she'd like to take. "Food, lots of it... three bedrolls... that axe and sling for sure... one lamp and some oil and spare wicks... a set of warm clothes for Evie... those spear points too... you have the herbs and medical supplies in your bag..." She started pacing around the room, thinking what else to pack. "Any Ideas on what I missed? We've got some room still."

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

Nightmare went to the main hall where he began to organize the pile better. He also gathered up all the medical supplies and placed what he forgot yesterday into his saddlebags. After awhile his mane and tail dried out enough to flare back to life. Soon after Crystal made her way back to him and looked over the pile herself.

 

"I think we should find some form a insulated barrel or canteen so we can store water in. We may find ourselves at some point unable to melt snow and boil it down for drinking water. So it would be a good idea for us each to have a back up. If we can't find any made already we can try and make one. If we could keep the cold out of it, it would not freeze on us. If we do have to make one then we can gather up saw dust as insulation."

 

After he was satisfied with the list of things they have and still needed he went off to search. "Oh, and we can make some spears today as well out of the heads you gathered."

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season

 

 Crystal Clear stopped mid-step and looked at Nightmare, then nodded. "Excellent idea! I've never really been an outdoorsy type so I guess that's one reason I haven't thought about it..." She brought a hoof to her chin, as she always did, and stared nowhere in particular as she mused over the idea. "Hmm... I can't recall finding anything like it..." She stomped with the raised hoof and exclaimed: "I know!" The mare winced at the sudden cacophony of echoes. "Ouch, sorry. We can use an empty barrel from that storage room as outer shell. Sure, most were busted but maybe one will be more or less okay. Then we can try and fit a smaller container inside and stuff the in-between with rags and whatnot. And if course nail it down to the sleigh, preferably by the rear. I reckoned I'll pull and you'll push, since the harness is too small for you. And we don't want our supplies to catch fire from your tail..." She smiled reassuringly with her last sentence. "Now, back in my workshop I would make a small cistern in no time but I left my tools at home... Guess I'll have to try my hoof at carpentry then. I saw some basic carpentry tools in the safe room but my main concern is making it hold the water." Crystal paced the room for a bit to figure out something. "I guess I could nail down slats onto the junctions between individual boards and soak it all in the hot spring. That way the wood would expand and hopefully seal the holes." She nodded reassuringly to Nightmare. "Okay, I can do that. And break down some pebbles for that slingshot too. So that's on my to-do list. I'd like to ask you to bring the best barrel from the storage room, those are rather heavy and with magic you should have it easier. I'll go grab the carpentry tools and any easily accessible wood, maybe pry out some nails too... Alright, let's get going then. See you here in a few minutes."

 

The mare turned to leave when the stallion proposed another project. She looked over her shoulder and replied: "I'm not sure I can make spear shafts but I can try. Thing is, those spears are metal,  so I don't know if we can affix new shafts just like that." She trotted out of the room to bring her supplies.

 

Finding the tools was easy and she brought them in just a few minutes. Nightmare was still off looking for the perfect barrel so the mare ventured back to look for wood. She went to the dorm, remembering the beds Nightmare cannibalised. They had some nice, long, straight boards. Crystal had some problems with disassembly, but she quickly noticed that a good buck would do the trick. Some ten minutes later or so,  she broken down three beds and had enough wood for her little project.  Or at least she thought so.  Carrying the supplies proved harder than it should be so after delivering the first haul,  she asked Nightmare to levitate the boards to them, then started working.

 

The barrel had just one puncture on the lid, so it was pretty much perfect.  The mare measured the inside diameters with hooves and available items, chose the boards for the inner cistern and started cutting them to length with the saw she found. Later on she assembled the construction with nails she found in the safe room and a few ones pulled out off the boards. An hour later, she wiped her brow and announced: "I hate carpentry... but this thing is ready. Nightmare,  could you dump it into the hot spring to soak? I need a moment, then I'll get to work on slingshot ammo." She licked her lips. "All that work on the cistern made me thirsty... Not in THAT sense, mind you, water would suffice. Buuut it's all outside,  waiting to be melted. If you could spare a moment,  it would be nice to acquire some. I'll be by the collapsed wall you blew up to chip some pebbles if you need me." She pulled out her crystal pickaxe from her saddlebags and went to the impromptu quarry, using now nicely charged up necklace for light. Nightmare's flames seemed to work better than direct sunlight.

 

The mare was chipping a stone slab into rubble when she saw familiar orange reflexes on the walls and turned to face the stallion. "Nearly finished here, I have a whole bag of ammo. Speaking of which,  I should've brought one with me to pack the stones inside... Oh, you brought water, thanks." She took the cup from his magical grasp and tried the temperature.  Still warm, but not too hot. She drank it all in a few gulps. "Once again, thanks.  I'll finish shortly and we'll eat something. Well,  I will for sure, you can either join me or wait for your treat till I catch some z's." She smiled somewhat and resumed her work. "Oh and throw a bag or empty sack at me so I can pack it up."

 

Some twenty minutes later or so, she carried a flour sack of stones back to the sleigh. "Okay, time to eat."

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

Nightmare just remained silent through and through. She got really exited once she started her brainstorming. He did not believe he heard any pony speak so fast before. He only mentioned the spears after she was done talking. After she gave him his orders on what to gather up, he headed off for the storage room to find the best in tacked barrel he could find. It did not take him long to find one barrel that seemed to have survived for the most part. So he flew it back to the hall with his magic.

 

After she was done with her work she asked him to go soak it. He agreed to this and took it to the spring below them. Before he actually dunked it for it's ordered bath. He found some clay along the side of the water and used it to pat around the edges of the boards. That would provide a little bit more water proof sealing. He Held it down for a long time to make sure the water could find it's way into every nook and cranny. While he was doing this he heard Crystal attacking the wall of the cave. "And she thinks she can't fight?" He said to himself.

 

When he came back up, Crystal greeted him with a smile and the promise of food. They both proceeded to the kitchen for there feast. He looked into his saddle bag at the count of roots he had remaining. With a sigh he did not grab one. They were to low. He then turned back to see Crystal dine down on yet again some fresh crystal berries. "You know Crystal. I had a thought while I was down in the hot springs. You are scared that your heritage and culture will be devoured up by the equestrian ponies. Have you ever thought about seeking the world for different crystals? That way you can bring your skills to the world while showing the rest of the ponies that they too have the same thing in their lands. Give a little and take a little. While you are at it, teach others. That way you can instill your tradition so it will not disappear on you?"

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

The mare decided to pick some more berries, and this time supplement with some of the preserved foods from the safe room. There was a lot of it in there anyway. So she quickly filled a bowl with fresh picked berries and loaded on some dried hay, clovers, dandelion flowers, and a small wheel of cheese. Crystal Clear walked into the kitchen trying to keep balance of her stack. She laid it all on the table, since Nightmare was already there and waiting, and presented her picks in a joking manner. "Ta-da! Today, chef recommends dried foods and fresh berries, since she's a lazy and awful cook!" The mare puffed her chest with pride and, after a moment, broke down in laughter. "Sorry... sorry... it's just my sense of humour... Come on, help yourself to any of those rare delicacies." Crystal grabbed a nearby plate and loaded herself a big portion of, well, everything.

 

She was eating with some semblance of politeness when the stallion shared his thoughts.. She swallowed and rested her head on her foreleg and pondered over it. "Well... there are natural crystals in Equestria, of that I'm sure. Even saw a few decoration of Equestrian make, like a huge chandelier hanging from the ceiling in a Manehattan bank. Thing is... for them, crystal is just one of the many materials in their disposal. it has no special significance over other pretty things and if not for the Equestrian Games and subsequesnt fashion for all things Crystal Empire, it would stay like that. Equestria has a slew of materials at their disposal - timber, stone, metals... We had ice, snow, stone and crystal. So we learned the subtle nouances between different types, which are hard and fit for tools and which are soft and best for other uses, that kind of thing. Some of us even grow crystals like plants. But in the end, it all comes down to the costs, and crystal products are made in small workshops by hoof, not mass produced in factories. Tradition of our kind gives me plenty of work for now, but I fear in time even crystal ponies will start thinking with their coin purses..." She sighed deeply. "So, yeah, I can add new crystals but I will still be more expensive and less available than cheap Equestrian goods laying on store shelves by the dozens." She groaned and facedesked. "I can't count how many mights I couldn't sleep because of this. No matter what I come up with, they always beat me."

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

"Hmm. A shame then." He said as he ate his dried food she had prepared. By this time the sun was getting low in the sky and the snow storm was letting up some. It seemed as though they could depart in the morning. However, to be sure, he will check his cards.

 

"I think after we finish I will ask the cards how our journey will be tomorrow. Will there be anything you would like to ask while I am using them?" He asked her while she had a mouth full.

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

"My thoughts exactly, just add a looming threat of unemployment." She said to the table she was resting her nose on, then raised her head to a normal position expected of a grown-up, civilised mare. "Sorry for that." - the mare took another portion of food into her mouth and wasn't done with it as Nightmare asked her a question. Crystal Shrugged while chewing, and once she was done, gave a proper answer. " Well I don't know... How many days till we reach that settlement? Will we meet any hostile wildlife on the way? Or perhaps, is my newest masterpiece of a cistern going to actually hold water rather than leak it all within an hour? I have all kinds of questions and uncertainties if you ask." She made a wide circular gesture with her foreleg for emphasis, held it in the air for a bit, then facehoofed. "Damn, I haven't made the spear shafts... I'm no fighter but I guess I would feel better with something I know how to swing, like that nice crystal maul I found with the tools, so how about you? Fancy a long pointy stick? Or you'd prefer to cut the poles entirely and use your magic to stab with them?" She smiled as she recalled some memory. "I remember making a suit of armour once, a decorative piece since only the Guard can have the real deal, but making it look like real was the real fun..." Crystal placed her forelegs on the table and rested her head on it, drifting into a daydream of her favourite orders, and said with a dreamy expression. "Yeah... that was interesting... You have no idea what sort of weird things I made over the years."

 

She continued daydreaming until Nightmare called for her attention - he was shuffling the deck and getting ready to make a reading.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

As he was listening to the mare talk about her work of arts, he pulled out his deck from his bag and started to shuffle them in the air. When he was getting ready to deal them out he interrupted her. "Shall we see what the cards have to tell us about the weather tomorrow?" As he said this the cards started to fling out of the deck and float gently to the table before him. As he read over them, Crystal had inched her head over to see if she could make out what the cards had to say. He carefully saw where each were and how they were arranged before he commented. "It seems that the weather will be great for our next two days worth of snowplowing." He said with a smile. "As for the difficulties..." He reshuffled the deck and pulled new cards out from it. After examining these new ones he continued. "Seems there will be a slight problem. What is unclear, just something of value will be lost. But other than that. nothing big. The biggest danger is when we finally get there it says." With that he looked up to the mare with her hoof to her chin.

 

"Got anything else you wish to ask about?" He asked her.

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season

The mare leaned closer to see the magic happen. Or perhaps see how Nightmare could tell do much from a few weird cards laying in disarray on the table.  If not for the fact that his readings were without fail, she would conclude it was just a show.

 

She didn't say a word as he delivered the reading, as if she was afraid to mess it up by opening her mouth. Once he was done and looked her way, Crystal was sitting with her forelegs clasped together and touching her nose, as if she double booped herself, and replied with a thoughtful tone. "That item of value... any idea what it could be? Did the cards give a clue? It would be a shame if they meant our loaded sleigh..." She patted her nose in thought, but apparently didn't reach any satisfying conclusions, since she unclasped hee hooves and laid them flat on the table. "Guess we'll have to be careful then. Given the way your cards answer our questions, I'd rather be in the dark than go paranoid from their answers. Just tell me what you want to do today before I open the buffet for the night and let's wrap up this productive day. The spears for example. I still need to finish the cistern by placing the inner tank inside the outer shell and stuff the space in between." She listened to his imput, then drummed into the table with her hooves and got up,  smiling in an encouraging manner. "Shall we?"

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

"Sadly the cards can't be more precise than what they already told us. As far as what else we can do today. I feel as though we have done what we can. All that is left is a good nights rest and see to the road North tomorrow." He returned his deck to his saddle bags and tied the flap down. "Let us hope that what is lost is not to terrible. Or that we can find it after it becomes lost. Best to make sure we have everything before we leave tomorrow." With that he went to the boxes next to the sleigh to double check everything.

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

 Once the pair left the kitchen, Crystal Clear went to the doem and grabbed her things, leaving only the small mirror and comb for tomorrow. She dumped her saddlebags near the sleigh, where Nightmare was giving her stuff another look over. Themare fished the hidden bottle out of her bags and said with an apolgetic grin. "I was about to lift it secretly back home but... you spooked me with that lost valuables stuff, so I better leave it where I found it. I mean, We'll probably make a stop here on our way back anyway. Be right back." Wit hthat being said, she trotted off to the office they found the other day, and placed the bottle in the cabinet there she found it. "I'll be back for you, so don't go anywhere, got it?" She nudged the bottle as if expecting a solemn promise to comply, but nothing happenned, so she closed the cabinet shut and walked back to Nightmare.

 

"Geez, you were counting everything three times, weren't you? And I see you made out your mind on the spears too, good. Told you I wouldn't know which end to point at 'em anyway. THAT's more like me..." She pointed a hoof at a nice, solid crystal maul resting against the wall and smirked. "I reckon you're done here, right? We'll fill the cistern tomorrow morning before we head off, in case it leaks..." Crystal mave their stuff a quick look over and made a remark. "Like I said, I'll pull this thing, cause your tail would burn the cables, so even with your air in pushing it from the back, it will be slow going and I'll need some warm-up breaks here and then. So, if any of us spots a place to rest for a few minutes, we take the opportunity, okay? I know it'll take forever, but we won't ger there if we die en route, I figured." She ran a hoof absentmindedly overthe sleigh, then shook her head. "Nah, it'll be fine! Has to. I'm going to hit the hay, don't spend all night in here okay? You'll miss your meal. Besides, i kinda like our little dream escapades." She winkd at him and went off, swishing her tail somewhat.

 

A few minutes later, Crystal Clear was laying in bed and trying to catch some Z's.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

Nightmare Season just shook his head as the crystal mare walked off after giving him the, "You better feed on me." Tone. He can't say no now, which was a good thing since he did not eat a root today for his appetite. When he was sure she was off for good. He started to readjust the harness to fit him instead. Guess she forgot he can control his fiery tail rather it burns or not. When he was satisfied with his work he double checked the strength to make sure it will not snap on him on their trek through the mountains.

 

When he got back to the dorm area, he was greeted with a sleeping mare. All nice and helpless for him to have a snack from her. But before he entered into her dream, there was one thing he had to look at. He pulled out his cards and shuffled them. He gave himself a silent reading. The question was; Will Crystal be safe on the trip.... He sighed with a smile once he finished. He had nothing to terrible to fear. Nothing bad will happen any ways.

 

After he returned his deck, he took it out to the rest of the stack that was in waiting. It was time for his actual meal. He went back to the sleeping mare. There he dived on into her dream world.

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

Crystal Clear was in her workshop, sitting on a stool and hunched over a sheet of paper. She was planning her new product, sketching parts and scribbling notes. Every once in a while she hopped off her seat and walk towards a stack of crystal blocks she assembled in the center of her shop, made measurments and etched marks where to cut.

 

The slabs protecting the windows from peering eyes and theft were lifted and allowed sunlight inside. Sounds of a busy early afternoon in the Empire were heard through the windows. The doors to the hallway were open so she could hear customers walking in. Rows of tools, some rather strange looking, were hanging on the walls or resting on shelves, easily accessible from the sliding ladder, like the type they have in libraries. In the far corner, some piece of furniture was hidden beneath a large blanket, apparently to hide it's purpose.

 

The mare continued her planning for some time, deep concentration apparent on her face, but it was also plain that she enjoyed her work. Finally, she took a saw off the wall and placed one of the crystals on the workbench to cut it. Slowly and deliberately, Crystal Clear dropped several small crystal pieces into holes drilled in the bench, then placed the crystal block the exact way she wanted, and put a saw to it. She was about to take the first cut when she smiled widely and said without turning. "Standing in the doorway and looking at me working? Come inside, there's nothing secret in this stage of my craft." The crystal mare laid off the saw and turned to face the door, since she saw a figure in a reflection of her saw.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

Nightmare found himself back in the Crystal Empire. The dream world of the sleeping mare. He found her shop and went to the door way. There he saw her concentrating on her work. He watched her until she noticed him and invited him in. "Working hard I see." He said as he came inside. He was not sure rather to let her have her dream or to start feeding and then corrupt it. He always hated the choices he had to make.

 

"Well since I am inside your head. I can already look at all your secrets, but I tend to avoid doing such. Unless I get permission." He told her as he found a nice spot on the floor to sit down. "So what is it that you are fixing to make? And should I start to eat your dream?"

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

The mare shrugged. "Seems like it. Even in my dreams I can't get away from it..." She rubbed a hoof into the workbench by which she spent countless hours, thinking of her work. Nightmare spoke again and walked in to take a seat "She looked at him inquisitively, "See that thing in the corner? Draped with a blanket? It's a small Alchemy lab and the real secret of my trade. Every good stonemason or jeweller could learn to work crystal, but they won't be able to make this house, not in a million years. Only the crystal menders know the secret of joining the crystals together into larger pieces and I'd prefer it stayed this way, if you know what I mean..." She didn't mean to sound rude, so shesmiled at him and added. "Of course I know you wouldn't just steal it, I have faith in you."

 

She brought a hoof to her chin as Nightmare asked if he could start feeding, and what she was making. "Sure thing, that's why I'm explicitly stating it every evening, am I not? I don't want you to starve in my company." Crystal turned around in her stool and gazed on the paper with her schematics. "Hmm, let's see... That... makes no sense whatsoever. I was trying to make... your statue? Weird, but also kinda funny, don't you think?" Before he had a chance to respond, she held her hoof in the air and exclaimed: "wait a moment! Let's go out of town before you start feeding, okay? I know dreams aren't real and all, but I don't fancy seeing my own house turn into something creepy. oh, and you were about to say something, sorry. Speak your mind while we vacate these premises, alright?" Crystal offered an apologetic smile as she hopped off her stool and walked outside with the stallion, towards the green fields outside town.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

"Good idea. Don't want to have your own house trying to eat you up, should things get bad. However, this is a dream world. Why not try and visit someplace far away. Or someplace you don't really care for all that much. We don't just have to spend your dream around your kingdom you know." He explained to her as they walkedout of town into the meadows surrounding the crystal empire.

 

As they were walking along and he started to feast on the energy that was made from the dream, he asked her. "How come you were planning and crafting a statue of me?" He listened to her as they walked through a portion of the field with the crystal berry bushes.

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

Crystal Clear walked the alleys of her hometown and noticed how many things were different. Seems dream worlds made a poor job of recreating actual, existing places. The notion of changing the scenery intrigued her. "So you say it's possible to change the scenery? Well I'm all in considering it's all going to get twisted and whatnot but... I've no idea how to do it." She pondered the idea for a bit until Nightmare asked about the statue, and she burst in laughter. "Hahaha no idea! But it's so hilarious, isn't it?" She bumped at him playfully. "As if I wanted you in my dreams, maybe. I guess I'm going to miss our little dream escapades and hence the statue? No really, I wouldn't think too much about it." The mare noticed yellowing leaves on nearby bushes, a clear sig that nightmare was feeding. Good. She turned towards him and stopped him with a hoof. "Alright, that's far enough I guess. Now you mentioned about going someplace else. So how do I do it? We could sit down comfortably somewhere, maybe even avoid the bulk of bad stuff happening in the dream."

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

He stopped suddenly when Crystal told him to stop. He then replied to her question. "Well with in a dream, all you have to do is mention a place. You could also remember a memory or simply a wishful place you would love. Once you start thinking about it, it manifests itself in your dream." After saying this he noticed the turning of the leaves and stopped his feeding, just until she came up with a new location where she did not fear him tearing it apart.

 

When he turned back to the mare he notice her starting to think. "See the dream world intensifies your imagination. You can go, or be anything you wish to be. The same with locations. We could go to a place made entirely out of crystals. Crystal trees, crystal food. Or you could go on your own treasure hunting expedition. The possibilities are endless."

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

Srystal Clear considered Nightmare's imput, rubbing her chin and pacing to and fro on three legs. "Hmmmmm... so all I have to do is think of something, like, really intensly, right? Shouldn't be that much of a problem then..." She ran through ideas for a safe, but comfy place to wait out the dream once it turned sour and dangerous. It took a few minutes but finally she stopped and looked at the nightmare pony with a smirk. "Alright, I think I have an idea. Prepare. To be. Amazed! ...or not, your mileage may vary." The mare shrugged as she closed her eyes and concentrated on the image in her head.

 

The ground shook slightly and both ponies found themselves on a small, oval platou made of sky blue crystal, around 30 steps in length and 20 in width. The scenery around them seemed to be swallowed by waves of cherry red crystals encompassing everything like a sea. Suddenly, the violent sea of pinty shards beneath smoothed and formed a perfectly still, flat surface around a meter below the crest of their platou. The sky changed into a perfect recreation of the night above the Empire, without even a single cloud. At last, two large comfy sofas draped in scarlet cloth appeared in the middle of the platou, with an ornate round table between them, made of deep blue crystal.

 

Crystal Clear opened her eyes and exhaled - she didn't know she was holding her breath. The mare looked around at her handiwork, and hopped on the nearby couch, then laid on it and stretched her legs in satisfaction. "Mmmm, I could get used to it. I know it's not very fancy, but I wanted something simple to see how I'll manage. Plus, it's easier to spot the dream going South." She patted the couch and pointed to the opposite one. "All yours, now we can chat in some decent conditions." She laid on her back and stared at the stars. "Damn... Why dreams don't work like this on regular basis... Oh and don't worry, I won't hate you if you sart feeding off my Magnum Opus or something, so feel free to nibble as much as you want." She waved a hoof dismissively at the surrounding landscape. "Not like there's anything around that can suddenly sprout big teeth and try to eat me or something haha!"

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

As he watched her create her little crystal land, he some what giggled. She did not have to concentrate so hard. As she finished saying about the thing with teeth sprouting, sure enough, a creature sprouted up out of the ground behind her couch and came fore her. With quick reflexes he shot his fire out and exploded the creation she had thought up just then. "Careful, when one is aware of their dream, it is very easy to create things you other wise wish not to." He took his seat as Crystal came out from her curled up ball she found herself in after the creature exploded. "Don't give me that look. I did tell you that anything you think of or say can manifest itself."

 

He decided to show her. "Like for example..." He moved a hoof to the ground to the side of the couch. "If I tell you that a crystal berry bush will soon grow at that spot..." As he said it. Crystal saw a bush sprout up and form right were he said it would. "Just a simple suggestion will give rise inside your dream world and will take form." He grabbed a berry off it and tossed it to her. He then started to slowly consume the nourishing dream.

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

Like a self fulfilling prophecy, the crystal pony heard the cound of breaking crystal followed by a savage roar coming from behind, She instinctively yelped and curled into a ball as Nightmare Season shot whatever-it-was into kindling with his fire magic. Still spooked, Crystal parted the barrier of her forelegs around her head to take a look at her saviour, who casually explained what happenned. She couldn't help but glare at him for a moment, since she had no idea that casually mentioning something like that can have far reaching consequences within the dream.

 

She batted her ears in all directions, listening in. Once she was pretty sure nothing was standing pover her, ready to turn her into ribbons, the mare decided to lay on the couch normally again. Faking nonchalance, Crystal Clear rolled on ber back, swept her mane out of the way and crossed her hindlegs in a very casual manner that gave the stallion a full view of her cutie mark and surrounding area. Apparenty Nightmare was in for a demonstration and Crystal looked as he grew a berry bush out of thin air, then toss a ripe fruit her way. The mare cauche it with her teeth and chewed, then remarked in her usual way. "Weeell, I prefer these in liquid form but I guess... oh." Just as she said it, a bottle and two shot glasses appeared on the small table between them. Somewhat irritated, the mare said to herself: "Great, now whatever I think or say will happen..." She scrunched her muzzle and stared into the night sky for some time, doing her best to ignore the bottle.

 

The mare heard a rumble of shattering crystal some distance away and rolled her eyes. "Come on, I wasn't thinking about anything this time!" She rose into a sitting position on her comfy couch and saw a figure in the distance, crawling from underneath the smooth red crystal floor. Crystal Clear cocked her head a bit and observed the newcomer with curiosity, until she identified who - or more precisely what, it was.

 

A crystal Pegasus, corrupt by the King's magic that turned him into a living suit of crystal armor.

 

The red mare whispered to the fiery stallion: "Take a gooood look at him, cause if the camp we're going to is really populated by the supporters of the late King, it will be swarming with these."

 

Since the intruder didn't notice the pair just yet, Crystal continued. "That's what's left of a Crystal Guard who swore to Him. Nopony knows what's inside those sull suits of corrupt armor, but I guarantee you that these guys don't go down easily."

 

She felt something heavy on her lap and loked down to see the very same crystal maul she decided to pick as a weapon for the rest of her journey. The mare looked as the nightmare stallion, puzzled. "Is that your idea of facing fears?" - she exclaimed somewhat and immediately put a hoof over her mouth, eyes wide. She said it out loud, and really loud too. A tortured noise of mismatched parts of the corrupt armour was all the evidence she needed to know the guard finally noticed them, and charged in.

 

Crystal Clear was clutching to the maul like a plush animal, darting her eyes between the guard and Nightmare Season, who this time didn't blow the danger up the moment it showed up. The guard was getting closer, making dents in the floor as the cannonade of heavy steps and poorly matching armor parts made a deafening sound. Crystal saw only the tip of his lowered spear, aimed straight at her. Since apparently Nightmare decided to sit this one out, she gulped audibly, slid off the couch and with the maul slung over her shoulder, hooves shaking, she approached the egde of the platou. A flight of stairs rose from the floor below and aloed her to descend on the lower level, but retracted the moment she touched the red crystal floor.

 

Shaking with fear, eyes wide, only her and the towering monstrosity dead set to kill her. Crystal Clear waited till the guard was really close, then sidestepped and used the momentum to spin around, with the maul in her forelegs. By design of pure luck, she struck squarely into the back of his head and crushed the helmet, sending the armored figure straight into the cliff face of her comanions vantage point. The guard crashed into it and laid lifeless, as Crystal stood on her hindlegs, with the big maul for support, eyes fixed on her fallen enemy and panting hard.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

He just sat back and watched as the bottle formed before the mare. After he saw that she was a bit irritated with the concept of stuff just forming, he told her as she stared at the stars. "It is only this strong once the sleeping pony realizes that they are dreaming. So don't fear when it is just you and a simple dream. With a nightmare inside a pony's head, usually makes the triggers more effective." As he finished his lecture he heard the crystal crack and he looked in that direction.

 

He watched as a corrupted pegasus emerged from the crystal. With Crystal whispering to him who it was, now he can see for himself what the foes looked like. He was getting ready to fire up his magic to send it into oblivion when he heard Crystal ask if this was his idea of facing her fears. He turned back to look at what she meant to see her picking up a crystal maul. Like the one she had discovered in the brewery.

 

Well, this was a good opportunity to help her get over some of her fears. So he just sat back and watched. He did stop feeding as to not make things worse than what they already are. After the lone figure laid sprawled out with it's opponent standing over the body. He got off his couch and walked over to them. "Well done." He told the mare. "Was not really my doing, but a good job on your part non-the-less." He looked at the crystal pegasus in the black armor. "So this is what we will be facing?" Seeing how shaken she was at her dream world first kill, he decided to get rid of the body. He was still hungry so he absorbed the energy that made of the fallen soldier. It blurred and then disappeared after he finished feeding on that particular part of the dream. "Tastes awful I can say that."

 

He lead Crystal back to her couch where he bottle was still sitting. "Here rest and relax."

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

Crystal Clear was too shocked to even register that Nightmare jumped off his elevated vantage point. Only when he appeared in her field of view and speak aloud did she stir out of her stupor. "Wai... Wha..." The mare mumbled incoherently and dropped on all fours, then looked at the nightmare pony, snd nodded. "T-thanks for letting me... you know. I didn't know I could do much more than curl up and shake..." She recalled Nightmare's instructions and thought the maul to disappear, which it did. She refused to look at the corpse, however. "Yeah, those are... were... the Crystal guards that swore to Him. I have no idea what they are now though, but I wouldn't call them ponies. Unicorn courtiers aren't any more appealing." She brought a shaking hoof to her mouth and looked around to make sure she didn't summon one, then sighed deeply.

 

She noticed Nightmare got rid of the guard, and that the hoof shaped cracks in the floor also disappeared. The comment about the taste was enough of a clue what happenned. The mare looked up at the sheer cliff face and thought about stairs. Surely, a flight of spiral stairs grew out of the floor and allowed them passage up, then disappeared once they were on the small platou. She nodded at Nightmare's offer to rest and laid on her couch, then brought a hoof in front of her face - slightly shaking. Crystal looked at Nightmare who also took his seat. "Co how am I supposed to keep cool if I get so frightened in a dream, fully aware that I'm safe from harm? Oh and keep feeding, starting from that bottle over there. I'm not going to drink away my fear, not this time." She refused to look at the bottle, laying on her back again and admiring the stars to calm down.

 

Crystal tried her best not to conjur any more thngs with her thoughts, but one idea kept coming back to her, refusing to go. With a sigh she rolled over to face Nightmare and said, like it was the most normal thing in the world. "I need to get over this fear or I'll get us both killed. I'll come down and you feed on this dream so hard the stars will go out. If there will be enough of them, feel free to train some too but I need to get used to the thought that they can be beaten." She smiled encouragingly. "Whenever you're ready."

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

After they sat down again and she asked him how she was suppose to keep her cool in this situation, Nightmare responded. "I do not ask that you be not afraid and keep your cool. Bravery after all is being able to act in face of your fears. Being scared and afraid just means that you are still a pony inside. Those that do not have fear are those that tends to sink into the darkness. So keep fearing, but just be able to act when you fear your enemy."

 

After hearing her ask him to really feed on her dreams so that she can practice, he was both glad and saddened. "All right, But why not have us go to a training ground instead of this crystal plateau. Think of what we might have to face in a certain area. We know that they will be underground in these mountains. So let us fight them in a cave system so that we get the best feel for battle." He waited till her mind took hold of that thought and they found themselves at the base of a mountain standing before a cave. "Are you ready?" He asked her.

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

Crystal Clear couldn't help but think that Nightmare Season wasn't really sold on this idea. He didn't say anything but... She looked at him intensly and nodded. "Hmm... guess you're right about the environment. Give me a moment to cook up something."

 

The mare closed her eyes and thought of a vile den of thee traitorous servants of the King. Soon enough, the endless, flat surface of red crystal beneath them started shattering like glass, as rock and soil poured through and buried any trace of it. They found themselved in a narrow valley, dwarfed by a giantic mountain. At theend on this valley, there was a cave, walled off by a pallisade of corrupt crystal and lit by braziers emitting sickly green, magical flame. The gate was shut and some sounds of life were echoing through the surrounding area. The pair was still on their crystal platou, but now it was on ground level.

 

The mare opened her eyes and looked around to appease her work. "Yep, looks like something they would make. A tiniest lick of that green flame will burn a pony whole so... watch out for it. Oh, almost forgot!" She thought about her mace and winter clothes and sure enough they appeared on her. Then with some iritation, she willed the booze away.

 

Crystal looked at Nightmare with some concern. "If you don't want to do this, we can drop this idea. I just... feel safe with you around, so I figured I could try and get used to the thought of actually fighting. Say the word and we'll do something else, okay?"