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

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

He looked around at what laid before them. Looking at the gate and palisade that could be there target. His eyes noticing the green flames. He was not to concerned with the flames. After all, he too had his own flames. Now Crystal could be in danger if she came in contact with such. "Better get some training in. At least while we are safe.....Well, While you are safe at least." He walked to the gate. His horn began to glow and with a snap of his head, he pointed his horn at the gate and shot a fire at the gates. This caused the gates to explode in fire. "Shall we then?"

 

Before Crystal had time to fully react, guards of the fallen king started to pour out of the cave entrance, now that the gate no longer hid the way. He shot his flames at the guards that got to close to him, sending them rocketing off to hit the ground or wall. He waited where he stood till Crystal joined him.

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

Crystal Clear tried best not to let it show, but now that she was standing near that corrupt pallisade and heard the swarm of equally corrupt ponies on the other side, she had a fair share of second thoughts. Still, she fought the rising tide of fear and nodded to the nightmare, who nonchalantly blew the gate wide open. The mare just couldn't keep quiet and said: "Um, I'd appreciate if you'd be more... stealthy when we actually get there you know." She saw the rush of armored figures and Nightmare Season engaging them with his magic, and sighed. "Here it comes then..." Crystal hoisted the maul over her shoulder and trotted to join the fight.

 

Before she even reached the gate, a unicorn courtier saw her and started to conjure spikes of black crystal to hurl at her. The mare was spooked, but picked up her pace to close the distance, and when the unicorn shot his first projectile, she managed to dodge it - it wasn't especially well aimed to be honest. She slammed into him befor he could correct his mistake, knocking him off his hooves. The mare somehow had the idea to use the last of her momentum to increase the force of her downward strike, crushing her opponent's ribs, then bucking him in the head for good measure. Since this one ceased moving and two pegasi guards took interest in her, Crystal dug her back legs in the ground and took a stance for a sideway cleave. One of the guards decided to pounce on her from the air - something she didn't take into consideration. The mare had to roll over in order to avoid being impaled and crushed by the landing pony, and easy target for the other one who stayed on the ground. In an act of hesperation, she tossed her maul into the charging pony and, by a happy incident, struck him in the head. The guardpony apparently blacked out since he dropped on the ground like a sack of grain, tumbling for a few metres. The other guard was readying for an easy kill as he drove the spear downward to impale her, but Crystal managed to roll and kick the spear. It didn't break as she hoped, but it was enough to knock it out of the guards hooves and even smack the pole against his helmet. The mare scrambled to her hooves to reach for her weapon, but didn't make it before the pegasus launched at her again. She saw a dark shadow overhead and jumped to the side in order to avoid impalement. She decided to reach for the spear of his fallen comrade, since it was closer. Using her speed to full advantage against the slower opponent, she managed to reach for the spear and roll on her back, bringing it to bear and impaling her assailant, who luckily aimed where she used to be a moment ago. The tip penetrated the black crystal armor and made the pony underneath howl as it went deeper still. He tried to grab the spear but to no avail, as dark red ichor started pouring from the wound and breathing holes in his helmet. Disgusted and afraid like she never was in her life, the mare let go of the spear and rolled from beneath the armored behemoth breathing his last.

 

She didn't have time to celebrate however, as another pegasus was already rearing to get her. Crystal jumped to get her crystal maul and shot a glance on how Nightmare was doing.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

After Nightmare blasted the gates wide open and started to fight, it was not really difficult for him. He had very strong magical talent when it came to the flames. In fact, out of his family, he had the strongest fire. One of the reasons they did not want him to leave. He quickly got that memory out of his head. Not the time nor place.

 

Not one pony was able to get close to him. Between his explosions and his wall of fire he put up. Things were going rather smoothly. When he was down to his last foe before him, he shot out a flame right at him. It was quick work. An explosion sent him flying into a near by boulder. He smiled. He did not see the spear that was flung from one of the shadow ponies that had met the crystal maul from Crystal. It went flying through the air right to the nightmare pony and plunged into his side. Pain coursed through him. He used his magic to pull out the head of the spear with a groan. Blood started to drip from his side. Real blood, for his body was in her dream. So he was real, even though this was the dream world. It had real world consequences on him.

 

It was time for him to leave, he needed medical aid. Thankfully they had found the secret room that had enough medical supplies stored in it to do the trick. As he left her dream, Crystal noticed him disappearing in his smoky form. It took her awhile to notice the blood stain in the snow from where he once stood.

 

As he formed back in the room where Crystal slept. The pain in his side told him that he was indeed injured. One of the dangers of being a nightmare pony. Can be hurt in both worlds. He limped out of the dorm room and headed to the medicine cabinet. A trail of red trailing behind him. As he reached the cabinet, Crystal had finally woken up from her nightmare.

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

The mare shot a glance at her companion, but as she did so, he disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Just like that, wiithout a word, he left the deam. She was alone amongst a seemingly never ending tide of hostiles.

 

It was time to end the practice session.

 

Knowing how to enact changes in her own dream, the mare thought a pillar of blue crystal rising beneath her, and surely, it lifted her above the reach of her assailants. The guards and courtiers, confused, stood for a few moments giving her time to think of closing the cafe entrance. The dream obliged by closing the maw with a thick pallisade of crystals. By now the corrupted ponies regained their wits anddecided to reach her, but Crystal thought them away, and the nightmarish figures disappeared. Only then did she will the pillar down, and ran towards the place she last saw Nightmare.

 

It was so consufing. Why he left? And with no warning or a single word? Was he hurt? Were they in danger in the waking world? Was it some kind of a test and he was observing her from afar? A loud thud from te direction of the cave announced that the dream was nor giving up - the guards were battering down the barrier. Crystal called out: "Nightmare?! Nightmare Season?! It's not funny, come out!"

 

Only a loud thud from inside the cave replied, followed by sound of cracking crystal.

 

She looked around, frantically. Something was wrong, really really wrong. He wouldn't just up and left like that. The mare paced the grounds looking for any clues, trying not to think of the battering against her barrier. Finally, she had her answer.

 

Blood. Where she last saw him, blood. Nightmare must've been injured because of her stupidity. She pawed the ground, angry at herself. She weanted to wake up, but... how?

 

Before Crystal had time to properly beat herself with dark thoughts, the crystal barrier shattered and armor clad figures poured out. She just... watched. Saw them charging at her. She didn't do anything as they got closer and closer. Once the guards were just a few leaps away, she saw something in the cave entrance. A pair of glowng eyes she knew all to well. It was Him, in her dream.

 

The mare gasped as she saw the nearest guard about to plunge his spear into her chest...

 

...she shot up into a sitting position in her bed, thworing the covers off. She looked around, unsure where she was, but quickly figured she just woke up. A sudden realisation struck her and she jumped off the bed. "Nightmare! Where are you?!" Something sticky was on the floor as she felt her hooves land on what was supposed to be cold stone. She looked down and couldn't believe her eyes. "What the... Oh no! Not this!"

 

More blood. A trail of droplets led outside the room and Crystal cannonned out of the dorm to follow it. She saw the familliar orange glow in the safe room and barged in, trying to tell all the words at one. "I'msosorryIdidn'twantittohappenI..." She stopped dead on her tracks, mouth open. Nightmare was busy patching his side, and there was a big wound there.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

As he started patching up his side, he heard the sound of hooves on the floor racing in his direction. As Crystal came skidding to a halt and blurting out a bunch of words all at once, he replied. "What? You spoke way to fast for me to catch it." He continued to patch himself up. Luckily for him, it was not to bad, this time.

 

When he finished he saw how worried and sorry she was. "No need to be sorry. This is one of the dangers of being a nightmare pony. We can be injured in the dream world. After all, we are physically there. This will be healed up in a couple of days as well." He gave her the best smile he could. Hoping to ease her worries a bit. We should get some more sleep. It is but the middle of the night.

 

He walked back to his makeshift bed and laid down. Seeing how Crystal followed him and watched him, he told her. "I will be fine. Happens all the time. Now try to get some more sleep will you?" He lowered his head to get some rest.

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

She shook her head to clear her mind off and proceeded again, seein Nightmare's confusion on her babbling. Still feeling like her heart would stop at any moment, she brought a hoof to her chest and took several slow, deep breaths, and only then was she ready to speak again. "I got really worried about your sudden dissapearance within the dream, and I couldn't wake up to check on you. And once I did, I saw blood and..." She trailed off, pointing at the trail of red droplets on the floor and at his side. "I should've known better than put you in danger. I'm... sorry for being so reckless, and now you're hurt because of that." She looked at him, sadness and guilt painting on her features.

 

The nightmare pony's encouragement to drop the case was met with a sour smile on her part. She still felt the same guilt, but somegow Nightmare brushed it off like it was nothing. With a deep sigh, the mare replied. "If you say so... Seems you patched yourself up already too. Just... know that it's no trivial matter for me. I'll, I don't know, try to make it up to you. Somehow."

 

Nightmare passed her en route to his bed, as he anounced they should sleep some more. Crystal followed, keepin an eye on him if he really was as fin as he said. Truth be told, he didn't even limp. Strange. After another reminder that he'll be fine, she rolled her eyes and jumped onto her bed, avoiding the blood stain. She laid in bed but kept one eye open to make sure he really didn't need help. Her vigillance soon broke as Crystal Clear fell asleep herself.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

While he was laying down on his makeshift bed. He felt the gaze of the mare looking upon him. He needed her to go to sleep first. He needed to clean up the blood that was left in her dream. Sadly, with his exhaustion from the fight and the pain in his side, He was the first to doze off and went to sleep.

 

As Crystal finally drifted off, she found herself in not her own dream, but the familiar ocean of sand she had found herself in Nightmare's memory. Somehow she found herself there again. But why this time. He did not doze off in her dream, so what brought her there this time? Off in the distance she saw a city. Much larger than the village she saw last time. This time it was a city. Still the mud and stone material, but a city non-the- less. The stary night gave little clue as to where she was. The stars were not the same as in the Crystal Empire.

 

As she made her way to the gates, she saw familiar figures running out. Four nightmares, a family. However, she did not see the fifth one. The youngest one she knew. Knowing from her last adventure in memory lane, she did not try to avoid being seen this time. She knew she could not interact at all here. She was still scared a bit though just from their presence as they ran past her. She really got a shocked when the young mare stopped and looked back at her. "Whats the matter?" The oldest stallion asked. The mare replied to her father. "I felt like something was watching us. Also, Anyone seen Nightmare Season?" The teenage stallion replied to her this time. "Dose it matter? He seemed to be getting weaker these past few days. If he can't keep up then don't worry about him." With that they all took off again.

 

After a few more minutes had past, Crystal found herself entering the gate. Suddenly the alarm of horns blared in the night. Lights turning on in the homes And yelling could be heard. When she looked down the street she saw the commotion. A young nightmare colt being chased by the guards. This time they were close on his hooves. He bolted out of the gates and off into the desert. An angry crowed close behind. Crystal ran off after the crowed.

 

After a short distance from the gate, Nightmare fell. He tumbled in the sand, and before he could get back up on his hooves, The guards had him surrounded. "SURRENDER DEMON!" One screamed out. The colt was scared. When Crystal finally caught up to them she notice he looked weak. As if he was malnourished. "I did not do anything wrong. I was just helping her." He spoke quivering. "SILENT!" A guard screamed at him. "We know of your kind and your evil ways." The guards got closer and closer to him with spears pointed at him.

 

Sadly try as she might, Crystal could do nothing to help her young friend. "We will end you here and now nightmare." The head guard stated as the rest jumped at him to end his life. A loud and violent explosion erupted from the center of the guards sending ponies and flame flying off in all directions. Crystal ducked out of habit, but found she was immune to the damage that had just occurred. She looked up to see the colt running off into the desert once more. She gave chase.

 

After an hour of running the young colt finally collapsed again. This time he was not getting up. He was out cold. When Crystal finally caught up and saw him. He was being carried by magic into a wagon. Before she got to it, it started to roll away. It took her full run to keep up with the wagon, at least she was not getting tired or winded. When the wagon finally stopped, it was a few hours into the day. At it had stopped by an oasis in the desert. Now was her time to catch it, and to see what happened to Nightmare.

 

As Nightmare woke up, he found himself in a strange place. A wagon by the looks of it. He shot up out of freight and looked frantically around for the exit. His gaze finally focused on a pony sitting on a couch near by. He readied his horn to defend himself. "There is no need for your flames young nightmare. I mean you no harm." A sweet and kind voice came from the mare. She was white with a silvery mane. She had a blanket over her back. Young, but she felt like she was much older than that. She was the tallest pony he had met so far outside of his own family. Usually he stood as tall as the adult ponies, but not this time. She turned her head to look at him. He noticed a horn. He had heard about this type of pony before. A unicorn that had magic as well. This made him ready his magic even more till he saw her eyes. She was blind.

 

"You need to settle down. I helped you after you collapsed from hunger out there." She spoke softly. Somehow her voice was comforting and he relaxed. "Who are you, and where am I?" He asked, still looking for the door or window. She replied, "You are in my home, I travel all over the world. As for me? I am just a simple pony just out seeing all I can." She turned back to her work. She was mixing something in a large bowl. As she worked he tried to slowly move to the door he finally had found. "If you leave now young one, you will miss out of all the answers to your questions I will provide." This made him halt in his tracks. He was curious now.

 

He went back to his makeshift bed she made for him and laid down. He was still weak. "You said that you traveled the world to see things but how....." She jumped in. "How can I see when I am blind? Well...Sometimes there are things to see that most others can not. Things that are there or will be that the eyes can't see. Now here drink up, you need some nourishment." She past him the bowl she was working in and added water to it.

 

Nightmare looked at it questionably."Drink up. It is not poison, and it is not good to starve yourself." He answered her. "I don't eat regular food."

 

"I know dear. That you can eat and get some strength back." She set up a little table between the two while he smelled it then tasted it. "Ugg....It is so horribly bitter." He said, but something about the drink increased his appetite and he went back to drinking it. "Yes, it is very bad. But it is good for you."

 

As Nightmare finally finished up his drink of unknown substance, Crystal finally made it to the wagon. As she approached the door it opened up. Standing before her was the blind mare that took Nightmare. "What are you doing?" The young colt asked her. "Oh....just thought I would let fresh air in."

 

"Would a window not have worked better?" He asked her.

 

"Today the door was the best, but enough of that. Time to answer some of your questions." She went back to the table where she had levitated a deck from somewhere to the table. Crystal was able to make her way in and check on her friend. "What are those?" The colt asked. "These are what are called tarot cards. They know many things if you know how to ask and listen to them." She shuffled the deck and shot cards out of it to land on the table. Crystal found herself somewhat curious with this reading, now that she saw the colt was well and eating a soup of something.

 

The mysterious mare looked at the cards, well what seemed looking at for a blind pony. "I see. You are a strange one indeed. You found something you have hidden away that gives you hope. Yet you are almost given up on your dream. Sadly you will loose it in a few days and will be crushed inside. But do not fear, you will find a light in the darkness that surrounds you right after." She looked up to Nightmare with a warm and caring smile.

 

"What do you mean? All I see there are just random cards." He said to her, completely confused.

 

"Like I said before young one. I can see things that others can't." With that she looked right at Crystal standing there. No way. She can't see in both ways. She was blind and this was his memory, yet she looked right at the crystal pony. The mare then returned her gaze back to the colt. "You are different than the rest of your family. You have wisdom uncommon for one so young as yourself, even to some adult ponies. Keep that gift special to you at all times."

 

By this time Nightmare had finished his bowl of mystery goop. "What is this? It somehow tastes...familiar." He asked her. "You will know in due time. It is something that was forgotten about long ago. Your scroll talks about this." She replied

 

This took Nightmare by complete surprise. "How do you know about my scroll?" He asked her.

 

"You see. I know many things. I can see things that were. That is. And what has yet to be. Also, I too have one of those scrolls." With that, she brought out a scroll case from one of her shelves. Opened it and showed it to him. It was an identical depiction of the scroll he had hidden away about the daymare. Crystal noticed that the scroll she had floating still had some parts still rolled up in it. The mare place the scroll back into the case and returned it to where it was originally.

 

"I think there are two gifts I will give out. The first is for you young one." She pulled out a brand new deck of tarot cards and passed it to Nightmare. "With these, learn how to see things that the eyes can not see. For now you best be on your way. Your family may seem to not like you, but they do care about you in their own way." With this she walked to the door and motioned him to leave.

 

"What about the second gift you said?" He asked her. "Silly colt. The second gift is for another pony." He looked around the desert and oasis as he exited. "There is no other pony around." He stated as he looked back to her. "Don't worry, She is here when she needs to be." She motioned for him to leave. "Your place is in that direction young one." She motioned in one direction to send him home. "And remember, stay strong in the face of obstacles."

 

As Crystal tried to get by the mare to exit the wagon and follow the young Nightmare, something shot up in front of her and blocked her path. Feathers....no. An entire wing. She looked at where it was connected. It belonged to the body of the unicorn mare. No, the alicorn. "The second gift is for the one from the future who seeks the memory of the young nightmare." She said looking back at Crystal. Not really looking at her, but at the space that was where Crystal stood. This somewhat scared her. She could not interact with his memory, nor was she known to those of the memory. So how.

 

"Pay close attention." She said to the empty space before her. She pulled out paper and ink from a shelf and started to draw something. She returned her wing to under her blanket. The memory was starting to get fuzzy. Probably to far away from the pony who's memory this was. She drew what seemed like a map. It was.....the hot spring cavern where the two of them was. "Look for the flickering crystal behind the bushes. Kiss it and you will get my gift crystal pony." The mysterious alicorn said. "For now, you must leave the memory of the past." With her final words Crystal found herself being forced awake by some unknown force. It was still night time. She glanced over to Nightmare where she saw him sleeping.

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season, 

 

She was back in that sandbox. Within Nightmares memories. She could tell the moment she looked at the sky - they never looked so alien in her own dreams... How and why it happenned? Did he pull her in to see something? Only one way to find out.

 

A city lied in the distance. A now familliar look of mud and stone. With no place to go, and knowing fully that she just had to sit through the whole memory, Crystal Clear walked towards it, kicking sand once in a while. She thought to herself: 'Why this again? Does he do it on purpose? As some sort of evening things between us? Well he does spend a lot of time in my head but I allow it, so why would he? So that I could get to know him better? Interesting choice of memories for that...'

 

"Uh huh, I know this part..." She said to herself with resignation as she saw the nightmare ponies fleeing through the gates. Although this time, there were just four... So where's the one who remembered it? Crystal didn't try to hide when the nightmare ponies stampeded right next to her, but their presence was still scary. What was even more scary, a mare stopped and looked right at her, as if she saw her? Impossible! They took off but the young mare's comment was enough to reconsider wandering in the open. Maybe she wasn't really safe in here...

 

A bit anxious after the past close encounter, Crystal Clear approached the gates, trying to stay somewhat hidden. Nightmare must've been somewhere in there, right? Her question was answered with a deafening sound of bells as the whole place sounded an alarm. She ducked towards the wall, just in case she caused it, but apparently it wasn't the case. There was some sort of commotion inside the city and she saw Nightmare bolting out through the gate, chased by the guards. Again. She ran after him to catch up, but soon enough the colt tripped and fell, and his pursuers got him surrounded. The mare was scared, but reason told her that it was a memory, so he survived. Taking comfort in this thought, she took a better look at him as she walked past the guards. He was in pretty bad shape, weak and... malnourished?  He tried to appeal to the ponies but his words fell on deaf ears. Crystal saw the sparks on his horn and ducked instinctively, dropping on the ground as far as her leap could take her and covering her head with her forelegs as the crowd was engulfed in a fireball.

 

Those... screams... of ponies engulfed in flame. she wished she could forget this part. The mare took her leg off her eyes and noticed she was unscratched. She rose on her hooves and saw Nightmare running away, so she gave chase. It took a long time till something happened. She lost sight of him for a moment, barely keeping up some fifty metres behind. When she laid eyes on him again, he was unconcious and carried into some enclosed wagon by what looked like unicorn magic. She couldn't reach it before the door shut and the cart rolled foward, so the crystal mare decided to give chase, again.

 

It was amazing how she managed to run for hours on end without feeling tired, but really, this memory was so damn long, and she ran through most of it. if Nightmare chose them conciously, she would convince him to show something where she didn't have to run all the time. The wagon stopped by a small pool of water, amidst green vegetation. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Crystal managed to catch up. But there was a problem - it was closed shut and she couldn't hear a word from inside.

 

Try as she might, there was no way inside, not even a peep hole. Even worse she couldn't hear a thing what was going on there. Resigned, she decided to sit at the doorstep as a final testimony of... whatever. But, as she approached, the door opened, and a large mare, a unicorn, appeared before her. Crystal saw the white eyes - apparently she was blind. Once the mare stepped back inside, Crystal took her opportunity to get in. She saw Nightmare, alive and drinking some kind of soup. Apparently they were talking for some time., but the colt seemed disturbed by thefact that the unicorn opened the door and not a window. Most strange, as if she... nah, couldn't be.

 

"Huh, so this is your first encounter with the fortune telling cards, right?" She asked the colt when the unicorn gave her reading. "Riiight, you can't reply. Nevermind." She felt a tinge of panic as the mare seemed to look directly at her, with those unseeing eyes. or maye she heard her? Crystal decided to keep quiet in her presence, just in case, and sat through the rest of the encounter.

 

Something told Crystal to leave veeeery quietly as the unicorn mentioned a second gift and some mysteruis pony it was meant to. She didn;t like it one bit but bfore she was even halfway to the door, a wall of feathers blocked her way. "Wha?" - she exclaimed quietly and immediately put a hoof to her mouth. She looked at the obstacle - a wing, and it belonged to.... No way. That mare was an alicorn? Crystal sat down and atied to disappear as the alicorn adressed her, hay she even looked where she currently was! it was scary, how did she know thatthe crystal mare was here?

 

A comanding tone of the alicorn brought her to the present. She saw the schematics of the cave and took a mental note on which crystal she mant. But kiss it? Like, really?

 

She didn't have time to react as the dream/memory ended abruptly, causing her to wake up with a start. She wiped her eyes with a foreleg and glanced around. Nightmare was sleeping, so it was probably still night time. The "gift" of that alicorn mare bugged her to no end though, so she got out of bed and went into the cave, taking her glow-crystal necklace with her to see where she was going. It didn;t take long to find the particular crystal she mentioned, no. It was... curious, a rare subtype of the already rare glow-crystal. Back at home it would fetch a fair price, to be sure. Crystal Clear looked around, mde sure she was, indeed, alone. What she had to do ws prety weird even by crystal pony standards. She eved the crystal one last time, then shrugged and gave it a kiss. Nothing seemed to happen at first, and she brought a hoof to her chin, musing aloud. "So, what am I supposed to do with you? Find your favourite spot? Use your favourite technique? Uhh this is just beyond me..."

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

After a few seconds after Crystal kissed the crystal, it started to shake slightly. It moved away from the wall and a hidden compartment was reviled. The crystal then gave way and fell to the floor before her hooves. Inside the hole Crystal noticed a box. Very dusty, like it had been there for sometime. She reached in and grabbed it. Now she was really confused. How could a memory of Nightmare's past know that she would be here?

 

When she looked inside the old box she saw a letter. Addressed to her as the Crystal pony from the nightmare's memory. She was skeptical at first to even read it. She did however grabbed hold of it and lifted it out of the box. It was dusty and old. Below the letter was a scroll case. The same one she saw from the memory. And a dream root. Well it looked like Nightmare's dream roots, but different. His were always changing colors from a brownish tinged of different colors. This one was bright and had gold and silver waving through it.

 

She decided she needed answers more than trying to avoid this strange situation. She opened the letter and started to read it....It was the prettiest handwriting she had ever seen.

 

-Dear Crystal Pony-

Sorry I could not tell you more when you visited me using Nightmare Season's memory. For a memory only is good around the one it was about. So I had to be quick. Inside I have left you the scroll pertaining to the daymare that he seeks so. The full one, he only had a part of it as a colt. By now his was destroyed long ago, can you please see that he gets this one after your current adventure is over please? Also inside is a very special dream root. This rare version when you eat it before you go to sleep, will allow you to come to the dream world. Much like how nightmare ponies can. I will wait for you so I can answer your questions about my son. Just wait till you can tell nightmare not to feed on your dreams that night. It will be bad if he saw me before he is ready.

-Princess of Dream World-

 

After she had finished reading she grabbed up the items from the chest. What did this all mean? Then she looked down at the crystal that laid before her. This she smiled about.

 

Nightmare Had finally woken up from his own dream. Pain in his side was still there. He got up and sneaked out of the room to the main hall. He did not look to see if she was still there. He had just assumed she was still sleeping. The fading darkness outside showed that morning was soon. He moved the sleigh outside the door and got it ready to be piled up. Using his magic was an easy task to move all the supplies to the sleigh and piled on. He then grabbed the barrel that would hold the fresh water and started to fill it up with snow he had melted so it turned to water as he shoveled it inside. Hoping there was no leaks. But Crystal did do a good job with it.

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season

 

The mare was considering giving the troublesome crystal some other type of kiss, meaning a buck with both hindlegs when something happened. A portion of the bedrock directly under the crystal moved away, revealing a hollow space underneath. The movement dislodged the precious crystal and it rolled towards the confused mare. She looked at it and grinned triumphantly: "And that's more like it! Cause me trouble and I'll make something very inappropriate out of you, got it?"

 

The crystal of course didn't respond, but still. She gently kicked it away and looked inside the hidden compartment. A box,  and old one too. Everything told her that this thing was set up years ago but... how was it even possible?

 

The blind alicorn, it must be her doing but...

 

Crystal grabbed the box snd opened it. Indide she found a letter, a scroll box and... a dream root? Nah, this one looked different from the ones Nightmare had. Maybe he would tell her what the hay it is. She took the letter and gave it a good look. The paper was old and yellowed, it really seemed to be hidden here Heart knows how long. She snorted at the envelope once she read it. "To Crystal Pony? Really? All those elaborate things and she couldn't get my name? Ridiculous..." She bit her lower lip, thinking whether to open it or toss back when she found it all and walk away with the crystal.  Still, she wanted answers! With a frustrated sigh, she opened the letter and read it.

 

"Daaamn, she sure knows how to write in a pretty script. Despite being blind..."

 

She read the letter a couple of times. It was just so strange. She wanted to show it all to Nightmare,  but what if he ram off after his own quest and leave her to die in the cold? What about her friend? Fortunately, that Princess of Dreams, whoever she actually was, made it explicit to show him after they're finished.  And she had means to contact that mare too...

 

Now wasn't the time to untangle this knot. There were mire pressing matters to attend first.  Crystal grabbed the precious crystal, and yhe box with it's contents inside and carried them where she hid her bottle.  He mentioned losing something valuable on the road, so better not test their luck. She didn't feel like sleeping anymore, not with all the excitement, so she walked back to the dorm to check on Nightmare and brush her coat before the journey. Maybe it wasn't the mist pressing matter but it did make her feel better.

 

Crystal Clear walked into the dorm but Nightmare was gone.  Fearing something was wrong, she ran to the secret room,  but he wasn't there. So she ran to the sleigh, since most of their medical supplies were there. Sure enough, there he was, but instead of taking meds, he was setting up the sleigh and packing supplies for the trip.

 

She skidded on the smooth floor and stopped just a few steps away from him. A hoof in the air signalling she wanted to speak as she cough her breath. "Ooof, good to see you're not bleeding out or something.  When I saw the empty bed I kinda thought of the bad options. How do you feel? Is it safe for you to go? I don't want to endanger you..." She stopped herself and listened for a change. Them she helped the stallion with the rest of preparations, keeping an eye on him to make sure he's not playing tough. Only once the task was done did she leave him be.

 

"Alright,  I'll raid the food supply on here for the last time before journey.  Something more nutritious than berries for sure.  Then I'll comb myself into shape - don't give me that look, it's for... emotional support. Yeah, exactly that. Then I'll get dressed in my cold gear and I'll be ready to go!  Better get started already then, get some rest while I all that super important stuff okay?" She gave him a hood look over and trotted out to do as she said.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

After they got the last of it loaded on the sleigh, Crystal mentioned breakfast and to get her grooming done. He gave her a slight look he guessed cause she mentioned a look. They both ate the dried food and saved the rest for the road. When Crystal went back to get tidied up Nightmare went and found a white sheet. He took it to the sleigh and tied it over everything. When Crystal came back all prettied up and saw the sheet she looked at Nightmare. "It is for camouflage." He said with a wink.

 

Nightmare went to the harness that he had adjusted for his size. Crystal at first was extremely worried and insisting she take it. He told her he will be fine. He strapped it in and tried to pull it. Bad Idea. He opened up his wound again and blood dripped down to stain the fresh snow. Now he defiantly got an ear full from the small mare. So he fixed up his wound again and adjusted the straps and harness to fit Crystal. He did at least helped her to push the sleigh so it could start moving. Once in motion it was alot easier on her to keep a steady pace. They both had their snow shoes on so trekking through the snow was easier as well.

 

He walked as close to her as he could to help keep her warm. His tail was brushing along the sheet behind them. Thankfully it never caught fire.

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season

 

Crystal noticed that Nightmare followed her for a meal,  and they both had their fill on the secret rooms supplies they decided to leave behind. They didn't chat, and the mare ocasionally shot a glance at his patched up injury. This could prove a major setback for their quest...

 

They parted ways after the meal. Crystal went to the dorm for a grooming session and to gather her stuff.  It took her around half an hour to get ready: coat brushing, mane and tail styling, then dressing up in her Winter clothes. Thus outfitted, and with her grooming kit in hoof, she trotted out to meet Nightmare by the sleigh.

 

"What's that for?" - she looked at the white piece of cloth draped over the cargo on their sleigh. She nodded at the stallion's reply and tossed her kit under the camo sheet, into her saddlebags. She also took note of her maul's whereabouts.

 

"Now what are you doing out there, huh? " - she gave him an unamused look as he put the harness on. "You're injured and should save your strength, let me pull it." His insistence that he's fine was annoying, but she decided to let it slide.  "Uhh, alright, give it a go then. But you're out of this harness the moment it hurts you hear me? " She pointed a hoof at him for emphasis.

 

Turns out, Crystal was right. The moment Nightmare pulled the sleigh, he grimaced slightly and she saw the bandages soaking with red.  This stubborn recklessness got her angry, and she stomped a hoof I'm the ground as she said in a manner that couldn't be argued with. "Now look at your side! Told you not to overextended yourself so fast and I was right! Now get out of that harness and we need to repatch your injury. I'll get more bandages"

 

She helped the stubborn stallion stop the bleeding, and followed his instructions on how to help him secure the wound further. She was still glaring at him when Nightmare readjusted the harness for her. As she stepped in and put it on, she remarked: "See? You'd save yourself the pain,  blood and trouble if you listened. I'm just a normal pony but sometimes I know what I'm talking about. Now off we go."

 

She dug her hindlegs into the ground and pulled.  At first nothing happened, but at her second attempt the loaded sleigh inched forward, and with some serious effort she was able to get it moving. Or at least she thought it was her doing. Once she gained a steady tempo, Nightmare showed up at her side, providing much needed warmth.

 

The weather was pretty decent. Clear sky let the sunlight in, making the Arctic cold teensy bit more bearable.  Lack of wind was also a huge boon to the mare's wellbeing. They pressed onwards straight North, the looming silhouette of Mount Everhoof their only waypoint. The duo walked down into a valley and walked on a surface of a glacier for some time, since it was the best way up north, judging from the map they found.

 

Crystal was awfully quiet for about an hour, but she broke the silence once her conscience started to weight heavily on her shoulders. She said,  out of nowhere and without looking at her companion. "I'm sorry. For being so bitchy for you. This whole thing really gets to me, you know? So many things can go wrong and get us killed, or worse.  And I'm endangering you with this reckless escapade,  simply because I wouldn't last a day here. I mean, when this is over, and let's assume we made it back with Evie, what's in it for you? Aside from a new scar and an adventure? I don't even know how to reimburse you for practically doing this whole thing.  Ughhhh, I'm so bad at this... You get what I'm trying to say?" She looked at him apologetically.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

He enjoyed the walk. The sun was out, clear skies. They only thing that would have made this better was if he did not have a wound on his side that ached with each step. About an hour Crystal finally broke the silents in the valley. "You do not have to be sorry. I was the one to agree to help you out. I could have said no. As for reimbursement. You are giving me dreams to eat. Been a long time since I fed like that. As for the wound. Thankfully I do not scar easily. I am just a pony that likes to help, so no worries."

 

They walked on a few more minutes. That time was Nightmare who broke the silence. "Did you happen to see another memory of mine last night? I tried to stay awake till you fell asleep so I could return to clean up the blood I left in your dream. Sadly I fell asleep. You have not mentioned anything yet, so I assumed that you are keeping quiet about it. Or never went back to sleep after it happened? Leaving blood behind in a dream connects us the same way as if I go to sleep in your dream."

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

Crystal Clear considered Nightmare Season's reply, studying him for any hint of lying. She found none, and it improved her mood somewhat. "Thank you. For everything." - the mare replied in a serious tone and resumed the trek.

 

The sudden question abut the stallion's memories made her jolt a bit. Since it was an obvious cue, she decided to tell the truth, at east as much of it as reasonably possible. "Well, yes. I saw more of your memories... I don't know if you choose what I see but it wasn't a nice one. Basically, I saw you running from some big city, until you lost your strength. You looked really malnourished back there. Some blind unicorn picked you up and gave those cards. Tar-root, they're called? Strange name..." She shot a glance at the stallion to check if he's suspecting she ommitted anything.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

He listened till she was done. "Sorry again. Tonight when we sleep. I will get my blood cleaned up out of your dreams. I have some dark memories that should not be seen. I can't control any of what you see." He told her, apparently he did not suspect her of leaving anything out. "Nightmares were once hunted like that. They would find ponies that had injured us in their dreams. Once there was blood there, no matter where we were to them. They were able to see the memories of the nightmare. This helped the guards track down where the nightmares lived and end their lives." He sighed a bit. "You will continue to see my memories like that when I sleep until I clean the blood up, or I no longer take breath." He looked down at the mare giving him a look. "Don't give me that look. I don't plan on dyeing any time soon."

 

They continued to walk through the valley. The mountain peak before them increasing in size to their perspective. The pain in his side was getting worse. He started to scout out a place to rest before Crystal noticed him trying to hide it. About thirty minutes latter he discovered a small cave in a cliff side. "Lets head over there and take a rest a bit."

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

The mare was relieved - it seemed he didn't notice she skipped this and that. Although the near encounter with his sister was troubling her...

 

She nodded eagerly at the promise of cleaning up the blood from her dreams, and listened to the rest of his lecture. Him mentioning that she'll see his memories till he dies was met with a stern look - it wasn't funny!

 

Crystal was fighting her own insrtincts whether to tell Nightmare abut her sister nearly seeing her. But then, what's the guarantee he won't recall the unicorn mentioning  the other gift? That would do South really quick. So she kept it shut and pulled the sleigh with all her strength - it was easy to say she'll do it when she didn't know how bucking heavy this thing is...

 

Nightmare broke the silence and Crystal blinked in surprise, torn away from her train of thought. "What?" He pointed a hoof at the direction of the cave. "O-oh! Right! A cave. I sure could use a break you know. You scout ahead and see if it's safe, and I'll pull this thing inside. Or something along these lines." She smiled somewhat and braced to pull the heavy sleigh in a new direction.

 

She was nearly at the entrance when Nightmare emerged from his scouting trip. Crystal pointed at him with her snout and asked in  aresonably quiet tone. "All clear?"

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

He nodded to her. "All clear, it is just a small alcove in the rocks. Enough for a slight shelter, but not decent enough for a night  time rest." He helped her get her harness off with his magic. He saw she was well branded where the straps dug into her coat. "Looks like you could use a brushing. Wouldn't want your beautiful coat to be ruined from the straps." With that he went over to the sleigh and unpacked a small lunch for the two. He also checked on the water barrel they had fashioned. "You did a good job on the barrel for the water. It is not frozen and no signs of a leak. He filled up two cups and brought them over to the crystal pony that was fusing over the grooves in her coat.

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

The mare was relieved that it was safe out there. Frankly, she didn't stand a chance against anything worse than harsh language while strapped to the sleigh. She smiled at Nightmare and nodded. "Alright! I'll pull this thing right nezt to the entrance. N-ghhhhh!" She dug her hooves in the snow and pulled the heavy burden with all her strength until it started moving again. The mare parked her supplies so that they would block the view at them from the distance, then felt the harness gently unstrap off her. "Uff, thanks Nightmare, I really needed to get out of this thing..." She flexed her back, feeling where the straps dug into her. "O-oww, that kinda hurts. Blasted harness, it's a torture device or what? 'If not for my thick clothes, I'd have bruises for sure..." She saw a reasonably clean place in the floor and walked towards it, then tried to get rid of the snow that drifted inside with a foreleg. Finally, deciding it's all for naught, she layed down on her side with a deep sigh and absentmindedly smoothed out the grooves in her clothes with a hoof.

 

Crystal's ears perked up once she heard Nightmare taling to her. She didn't lift hr head, but replied all the same. "Honestly? I'm just as surprised as you. Maybe once my business is bankrupt I'll switch over to woodworking..." SHe saw a cup levitating in front of her and took it in her hooves, smiling at the stallion. "Thanks. I could use something to drink." She propped herself against the wall and took a sip of the water, eyeing him from beneath her warm cap. "How are you holding up? Does it hurt a lot? I need some rest anyway so we can try and make some painkillers for you or something."

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

"I will be able to hold up. It hurts, but nothing that will slow me down for a few days." He replied to her questions. He found a nice area of soft snow and laid down on his side with the wound on it in the snow. The cold will help numb it for a time. As he laid there, he looked out at the valley and glacier. "When the weather is not trying to kill you, the land up here is kind of lovely." He said mostly to himself.

 

Out in the distance he saw what looked like a ledge rising up out of the ice. He thought it would be nice to get a good look around from up there. "How about we take a rest from the sleigh and head over to that ridge over there? We can get a good view from the top of it. See if there is anything around we can't see normally from this valley?" He asked the mare.

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

She nodded, flexing her tired hindlegs. "Well if you need to take a break at any time, just say the word. I sure won't complain." The mare sipped some more water, put the cup down and laid on her back, with all fours in the air, making some weird patterns with her legs in order to keep the blood flowing. She had no idea pulling that sleigh would be so hard, but then, her paid job was more about precision than raw strength.

 

Crystal looked at Nightmare as he unfolded his plan. She scratched her nose and replied playfully: "Sure, if you'll carry me over there, I'm all in! Seriously though, it's a good idea, but I won't move anywhere until I can feel my hooves again. Damn heavy sleigh. Could you wait for me?" She finished with making her patented crystal puppy eyes.

Edited December 14, 2016 by Raven Rawne

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

He shrugged his shoulders and then lifted her up with his horn. After she stated she was just joking with him, he gently set her back down. "Alright. Sorry about that. Guess I will just wait then till you get your hooves back under you again." He did find it slightly amusing how she flung about when she no longer had a ground under her.

 

While he waited he looked through his saddle bags. Herbs in one side, and his deck and roots in the other side. He was sadly low on them. When he noticed Crystal no longer trying to get the tiredness out of her legs he asked her, "About ready for that short walk?"

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

It took a few more minutes of flexing her aching legs, then a couple more of simply resting in place, but Crystal finally rolled on her belly and got up, then shook herself of any snow and dirt that might cling to her clothes, mane or tail. With a final sip of her water to drink it all, she announced: "I'm ready, let's take a look at the area."

 

They walked out of their shelter and proceeded towards the landmark that Nightmare Season saw earlier. Finally free of the heavy burden, the mare picked up a speedy pace, considering the deep snow that is. She kept close to the stallion to benefit from the warmth of his flames. "If I recall correctly, we should follow the glacier until it takes a turn West, where we'll find a traversible path further North. Maybe we'll see it from here, the air is clear enough." Walking up the legge was a bit difficult - the snow was melting from the stallion's proximity and revealed the ice beneath, but the rise was gentle enough to let them ascend, slowly. The mare thought that sliding down could be actually pretty fun, once they reached the end of it.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

It only took them about a half an hour to get to the ridge. It did not take long for Nightmare to find a narrow path that snaked it's way up the side of it. He did notice that was was a steady slope from the top to the base of it. "Well. At least if we have to get down fast, we can simply just slide down the slope there. Will you be alright with that. That is, if we find something up there that we have to get down fast?" He noted to the mare by his side.

 

The way up was narrow, but nothing to bad. And they made good time up to the top. They both were taken back back the view from up there. Behind them shown the Crystal empire reflecting light from the sun. Before them, a massive glacier that stretched it's hand down he valley side. Off to the side stood the tall mountain. The destination they sought. With no threatening clouds on the horizon, Nightmare almost wanted to stay up there for a long time to just marvel at the scenery.

 

He looked down the slope. It would be fun to slide down that. He then looked to Crystal who was admiring the view as well.

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

The mare smiled at the stallion as he proposed sliding down: "Heh, I'm sliding even if I won't have to get down fast! It was my favourite winter activity when I was little, after all. Snowball fights never really speaked to me..." She looked down under her hooves so she wouldn't trip, and continued the ascent.

 

Nightmare was first to reach the top, and Crystal followed soon after. She led an audible gasp when she took in the view. "For the Love of Cadence, this place is just... If it wasn't in the middle of the Frozen North, I'd build a house here. The view is just so worth it!" The mare seemed really happy for once - the view on her hometown was just beautiful, and there was something really alluring in the snowy wasteland around them. She hopped from one place to another as she took a peek at different parts of the scenery, marvelling at some ice formation or the way sunlight reflected off the glacier, or some other natural phenomena. At some point she pounced and attack hugged the stallion, wrapping her forelegs around his neck and annoucing: "This place is just great! Really, really thanks for bringing me here! Makes me wish I was a painter so I could try and capture this beauty...

 

She didn't have to take a look at herself to know that she crystallised from happiness - every crystal pony knows how it feels inside. The mare hugged the stallion one more time and let him go, then said in a joyful tone: "I'm so glad to have a friend like you in this mess." Crystal glanced at the slope, then at Nightmare, and made a sly grin. "So... wanna slide down?"

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

After Nightmare was freed from the grasp of the crystal pony. He noticed a valley a good distance up the Glacier. It looked like it could lead to the mountain, or just in that direction. We walked up to where the mare was standing this time looking at the mountains and snow. He pointed with his hoof to it. "That will be our next destination." As Crystal squinted with a hoof over her eyes to block some of the glare to see that far off. Nightmare moved slightly behind her. And with a slight nudge of his rear. Crystal found herself sliding down the slope. The nightmare stood there watching her descend the slope. A slight smile came to his lips.

 

As she finally found her bottom and looked back up to the top. She saw him waving down to her.