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

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne

 

As they left the cave a slight breeze grabbed the flames and blew them off to his side. The crescent moon shinning down on the two weary ponies. He just looked out across the world.

 

"Grass, not snow... So we're still within the Heart's reach, good... The moon is that way so home is somewhere over... there..." He heard her say and turned to watch her. He watched her point this way and that. Then she pointed back inside the cave. Nightmare Season lifted a brow at this. Could she really be wanting to go back in? Or was this some strange thing this shimmering pony dose. He was reassured when he heard her state "not back in there."

 

He stayed and was pondering what he might do next. Should he head back to the forest and gather more dream root? He then saw Crystal Clear approached him with a thank you. Hearing the offer to come along for a nice warm room and meal intrigued him. Hearing her offer up a dream was odd for him to hear and perked a brow.

 

"You are quite welcome. As for the bath and meal I would gladly accept it. I really do not need anything of value since I tend to not be so welcomed at stores. As far as the nibbling on a dream..." He remained quiet for a moment to think about how to best place his thoughts to words. "Though it has been sometime since I last tasted a sweet dream. I do not wish to inconvenient you with giving you a nightmare. Are you sure that is something you wish to still offer me?"

 

He watched her and kept a close eye on her expression to make sure what her answer would be, was what she really meant. A sudden breeze caused his mane and tail to dance on the wind.

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

Crystal was glad that Nightmare accepted her offer to be her guest. After all, she felt in a big debt over how he saved her life. Twice. Saying goodbye and parting ways was just out of the question. Although she was a bit annoyed about his reluctance to accept what she gave freely...

 

She looked him straight in the eye, even if that meant raising her head almost straight up, and said with confidence: "Yes, I am sure of it, and I give you my dreams freely. I can live with a nightmare or two, but I would be pretty much dead without your aid, so consider it a form of gratitude. Now stop worrying about inconveniencing me and start walking, because we need to reach my house before sunrise, or else we'll have the whole garrison on our heads.

 

The mare didn't wait for a reply, but rather turned around and started walking to get around the cave mouth and in the direction of her home. She stopped some distance further and looked behind her to check whether he's following or not.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne
 

Listening to this small mare before him, annoyed about him asking her about eating a dream or two. He was quite taken with how she snapped at him and took one step back. Before he could open his mouth in response she just turned around and started to walk around the cave entrance. Never before had he gotten in trouble for not wanting to eat a dream. And now this strange pony actually wanted a dream eaten. What land did this nightmare find himself in. Not wanting to upset her even more he started to follow her. What adventure was laid out for those two he was curious to discover.

 

He allowed her to lead him this time. To her Crystal Empire as she called it and to her home. He did not say much along the way. He was just admiring the landscape of grass and crystals. When the two finally got a sight of the city he was in awe.  With the crystal lamps shinning upon buildings of crystals. It looked just like a starry night had become trapped on the ground. He looked down at the cherry red mare to see what she would do, and lead him into the unknown.

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

The night was cool, but not cold. For Crystal Clear, it was perfect in fact. She preferred the lower temperatures anyway, although within reasonable spectrum. To her satisfaction, Nightmare followed her to her home, rather than, say, burn her to ashes for being so harsh. Truth be told, she did snap at him back there, and for no good reason - he did say that he didn't like giving ponies nightmares, after all. Her ability to deepen the holes she fell into was truly marvelous. Now she had to apologise too. But for now, she walked - a lone light in the everpresent darkness, thanks to her glow-crystal lantern swinging from her neck. She checked occasionally whether her companion was following, but more out of courtesy than need - she could see the the light from his flames before her. The mare led the way in the general direction of home, until she started to recognise the terrain from her previous escapades: a peculiar stone here, a tree there, specific terrain or other landmarks allow herself to get oriented. Son she figured out that they were approaching from the right side, but wrong angle, so they encircled their destination a bit, now walking mostly in the lower points of the terrain to avoid detection. It would make sense if the guards had a lookout in the Palace, after all...

 

FInally, they left a small valley between two hills and she saw it - the Crystal Empire, in it's full nocturnal glory. Crystal stopped on her tracks to take in the view, since she rarely had the opportunity to see her hometown from this anfle, and especially at night. The glow-crystal street lamps and private lights lit the vista, and the Crystal Palace shone in the moonlight, like an ivory tower of some powerful mage. Her heart filled with pride, she urged Nightmare to get going. After all, they were out in the open and his flames weren't exactly subtle. She picked up her pace, hoping everypony was asleep and not looking through the window. After all, that;s what she does...

 

After a few minutes of tenstion, they reached the buildings. Now was the trickiest part. Crystal glanced back at Nightmare and instructed him: "Okay, now we make a dash to my place. We walk through this main avenue and make the second turn right. My house is the first one to the left: red, two stories. You'll have to bow your head to get in, but the inside is roomy enough for you."

 

She peered through the corner, but saw nopony on the street, or by the window. "Let's go!" - she urged him to follow, and walked as fast as she reasonably could, her head swiveling hard. She was just leading a guest to her home, so why she was acting like she was hiding a criminal? Because she looked different, that's why. Stupid superstitions and overreactive guards...

 

Soon enough they reached the right house, and it seemed without incident. The house was rather small, at least sompared to other ones nearby. It was made entirely from red crystal, just a bit brighter than her owner's coat. The walls were decorated with wavy white lines atound the windows and outcroppings. Truth be told, the structure defied any sense of symmetry or geometry - it's plan was roughly rectrangular, with the long side facing the street, but it was also somewhat... oval? The crystal faces made it seem like a muffin that grew in the oven, and then was cut randomly to wipe out any trace of roundness, then decorated with small crystals. The doors were places in the left corner, and there was one window on the ground floor. The entrance was illuminated by a single glow-crystal lantern hanging from a fixture that also held a shop sign.

 

Crystal opened the door with a key she procured from her saddlebag earlier, and urged the nightmare pony inside. "Easy now, watch your head. My apartment is upstairs, straight ahead." Once they were both inside and the door locked, she exhaled loudly and leaned on the wall. "By my crystal flank, that was the most stressful thing I've done in a long time..." Then she looked at Nightmare and smiled. "Follow the stairs up, there's more overhead room up there. And in case you were curious, the first door to the left is my office, the second leads to my workshop, and the one under the stairs lead to the cellar. Let's go up the stairs, I need a drink." She finished th last sentence with a nervous laugh.

 

She wasn't lying, there was more space in her apartment. The whole floor was arranged into a single room, except for the bathroom in the far corner - it was fully enclosed as a separate room, next to the open kitchen. On top of the bathroom was a bedroom space, accessed by a small flight of stairs and surrounded by rampants, like castle walls There was a large, round window in the roof from which one could see the stars while laying in bed, since there was no actual ceiling, just the domed roof. Closer to the middle was a dining table with two chairs, decorated with some flowers in a vase. Other furnishings included two enormous wardrobes, and what looked like a reading spot in the corner by the window, composed of a ridiculously big armchair, an end table next to it, and a gramophone resting on a low table with a small collection of vinyls. It was the only Equestian made object in the apartment, since everything else was made from various types of crystal. The center of Crystal's apartment was empty, save for a pyrite cube supported by a crystal stand. There wasn't anything special about it, except it was the size of a pony's head, and looked like somepony cut smaler cubes off it on one face. Or maybe they were being added?

 

Crystal Clear rushed to cover the windows with thick, red curtains and took off a glow-crystal lamp off the windowsill, then put it on the end table by the armchair. She slid out of her saddlebags and stood in the middle of her realm, glow-cryatal lantern still hanging from her neck. "So, what do you think? It's small, but I made some improvements to the original design. I wanted to make the ceiling dark blue and put the glow-crystals in places to make it look like starry night sky, but these shinies are rather expensive."

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

As they approached the edge of the city. the mare leading the fiery stallion became more tensed. Maybe he should just disappear into the night like he normally dose. But then again Crystal might snap at him again like earlier. After she said the cost was clear to picked up the pacing of her trots and lead him through the streets to her home. Finally Nightmare could walk normally again and not have to slow is stride down. She unlocked her door and basically pushed the large stallion inside, barely missing the door frame. "So, what do you think?" she asked him after covering the windows.

 

Nightmare looked around seeing his glow bounce off the smooth crystal in all directions. "It is a lovely house you have here Crystal Clear." He looked all around at the many kinds and colors of crystals that made up her furniture. He especially noticed the large cube of Pyrite stationed in the center of the room. "So this is what you needed the pyrite for?" He asked her. He moved slowly around the room looking at the architecture. "I can see why you treasure your culture so and fear it might be taken away from you."

 

He then looked up at the ceiling she had mentioned and tried to imagine what it would look like with shinning stars over head. "Wish I could have a place of my own one day.....Though I think mine would be more nature-y." He went over to where the large armchair was and sat down. Noticing Crystal looking in shock, mostly possibly thinking that he would set it on fire doing so, he comforted her fears. "Don't worry. Remember I can choose if my mane and tail would burn or not." He looked at the titles of a few of her books before turning back to her. "So what are your plans from here?

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season

 

Crystal Clear smiled at the compliment. "Thank you. I've worked hard to make it look half decent. When I bought it, the internal layout was completely different, actually. I removed the walls, and the attic, among other things. Added the window above the bedroom. Oh and installed the Equestrian plumbing too. Basically the whole city has access to hot and cold water from the tap inside. Back in my days we went to the wells and public fountains for water..." She gestured as she talked, pointing at various things when she mentioned what she did. Once the stallion asked about the cube, she approached it to tell him about it. "Well, yes and no. I use it for decorating my products and making proofs of manufacturing - small copies of my cutie mark and shop name that I put on stuff I made. It's a guild rule to sign your work. Pyrite has crystalline inner structure do I can use it for work. I couldn't do anything with real gold..." She ran her hoof over the smooth, yellow face of the cube. "When I have more than I need currently,  I add it to the cube.  It serves no purpose really, except for decoration, but I just love this stuff. The perfect shape, the yellow metallic luster..." The mare tore away from her Magnum Opus and noticed that the nightmare pony moved on with his inspection. He then remarked about the fear she told him about. She just nodded and sighed a bit. There was no need for words really...

 

The crystal pony got curious when the stallion mentioned his wish for having a place if his own. Well, he said he hadn't had one, but talking about how he would wish hus own place to look like could be quite interesting. She was about to speak up when she saw him raking a seat in her comically big armchair and froze. Once, it was flammable, second, there was a little secret nearby...

 

Nightmare reminded her of the fact that he decides when hus tail burns, and she exhaled in relief. "Sorry, it's easy to forget seeing all those flames you know." It appeared that he took a glance at her books, and she didn't mind. The shelf was mostly stacked with traditional crystal pony titles and a row of equestrian adventure books, including Daring Do series. Crystal liked this genre a lot. Then the nightmare pony asked about her plans. 

 

"Well..."- she started - "I better get the stove on if I'm going to make good on my hot meal promise. A shower is also a priority." - she blew a stray hair away from her nose to emphasise how messy she looked - "The bathroom could be a tight fit, but you could shower too if you like. I have some spare towels and stuff. So, right now, it's a meal, shower and sleep." On the last part, Crystal recalled the dream eating and how she snapped at her guest earlier on. She traced circles on the ground with her hoof, suddenly unsure of herself,  and adressed Nightmare: "I uh... wanted to apologise. For snapping at you outside the cave. I just... want to know you know that I'm grateful for leading me out. Saving my life,  probably. I figured I could show it by making you that offer. I shouldn't push it on you though. I'm sorry. If you don't want my dreams, it's okay." She looked at the large stallion, trying to read his face whether he accepted the apology. 

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

He watched her trace circles in the floor. What was she thinking? He knew once she apologized for snapping at him. He gave her the warmest smile he could. "That is alright. I do thank you for the gesture. If I could nibble on just a bit of your dream I could hope not cause it to turn to bad for you. I asked you earlier about it just to make sure you knew what you were offering me. When I feed on dreams, I am basically in your dream world. If there is something you do not want me to know, Like the third reason, then I do not want you to hate me for finding out." He stretched his front hooves out. "If you do not mind I will take that shower while you heat up the stove. Or would you like me to light it for you first?"

 

His shower was a short one. When he came out he looked just ridiculous. His tail and mane were gone just a slight sizzling of a fine smoke coming out were his fire use to be. His head was lowered in a miserable way. A pony without a tail. What a funny sight to see.

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season

 

Crystal was relieved to notice that her apologies were accepted. Her ears peeked up at the mention of the "third reason" though. She brought a hoof to her chin as he pondered the possibilities. After a moment, she put her hoof down and replied: "Nah, I don't think there's something I tend to dream about that would be so secret you shouldn't find out. Actually, the only times I dream about, well, the third reason, is when I have a bad nightmare. So eat as much as you need, I can take it. Alright?'

 

As her guest asked for the first turn in the shower,  Crystal nodded and began the preparations. "Sure, let me just get you a fresh towel." The mare procured a white towel from one of the wardrobes and hanged on the bathroom doorknob. "There's one for you. As for the stove, I'll take care of it."

 

The stallion disappeared in the bathroom a short moment later, leaving her with her archenemy...

 

The stove. 

 

Crystal Clear opened the small door to the fire chamber and checked the wood inside. It was dry and ready for the spark. She then took her fire starting kit - a flint and pyrite. She knew that in Equestria they used flint and steel, but two stones were the traditional way in here.  As per usual it took a few attempts to produce the sparks and light the fire, but she managed.  Now something to put on the source of her life's misery... If she could afford it, she would eat only in bars and restaurants. She hated cooking... Fortunately, the mare had some cucumber soup ready for her return. It should be enough for both of them, but it also means that she needed to buy food tomorrow. Well, she had to provide for her guest, right? The soup was heating up, and Crystal produced bowls and spoons from the cabinet. Then Nightmare showed up, and he looked, well, terrible, to be honest.

 

The crystal pony dropped the spoon she used to check the soup 's taste and temperature when she saw him. She coked her head a bit as her ears went flat.  "Are you... okay, Nightmare?" She didn't knew if it was normal for him to look like that or not.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

His gaze followed the spoon to the floor. "Water and fire do not mix well together. I will be back to normal once I am completely dry again." A tiny pop then sizzle as his tail tried to rekindle itself. He ended that with a heavy sigh.

 

Nightmare found a cozy spot on the floor till Crystal was finished fighting with her arch-nemesis and brought everything to the table. Where he went to join her. The chair was a bit small for him but he seemed to not mind as much. About half way through their meal his mane and tail finally shot back out to where they should be. Taking the mare by surprise a-bit. "Thank you for the meal Crystal. He announced at the end of his meal. Since you are certain I will have the dessert when you go to sleep."

 

He helped her clean up the tableware and wash everything. When all was said and done, he found a nice corner of the room to curl up in and traveled to his own dream world. Leaving the crystal pony wondering if so made the right call allowing him to feed on her dreams that night. Would she even be able to fall asleep knowing this?

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

Of couse, it made sense a shower would douse the fire. Why it didn't occur to her? Maybe because of it's unusual nature...

 

Crystal Clear looked at the spoon apologetically and picked it up, only to put it in the sink and take a new one. Crystal floors may be easy to clean, but still. She said over her shoulder: "Soup's almost ready, try and make yourself comfortable till I'm finished in here, okay?" Another glance shortly after confirmed that Nightmare found a place to rest on the floor. If only she had a decent couch in here...

 

A dancing lid on the pot brought her to the present, and she rushed to pick it up before the soup spilled out, then removed it entirely from the stove and onto a cooling stand made from criscrossed crystal bars, a bit like those in jail windows. She knew the stove will run out of fuel soon, so she just cranked the air intake vents down so the flame would die soner. With practiced moves, she filled the bowls and carried them onto the table, eager to just sit and eat already. Meanwhile, a clock on the wall anounced that it was, in fact, 2 AM. The market will have to wait till Crystal will have some proper shut-eye.

 

Once the mare was sure everything was in order, she invited her guest to the table. They ate in silence, it appeared that Nightmare wasn't very talkative. Or maybe they just haven't found the right topic yet. Crystal thought she had a heart attack when Nightmare's mane and tail burst out into their regular, flaming look. She thought it would be gradual, honestly. Since she didn't feel the heat, she was pretty sure her furniture were safe. The rest of their meal went without interruptions, and Crystal took the opportunity to plan what to buy tomororrow. She decided to ask her guest if he'd like something particular before she'd go shopping.

 

Once they finished their meal, Nightmare expressed his thanks, and mentioned the dessert of the mare's own dreams. Crystal was resting her forelegs on the table, hooves clasped together, like a villain from some adventure novel. She smiled at the remark, it seemed the stallion finally accepted her gift. If she was lucky, he would eat enough to give her a nightmare... One could think it's crazy, but these days, nightmares were the only place where she could find Evie. And even if the flaming pony in front of her did see her dream, well, she wasn't really bothered by it. But first, let's clean up.

 

"You're welcome. I'll have to cook something new for tomorrow, so if you'd like something specific, just give me a heads-up before I go to the market in the morning." - she said over her shoulder as she brought their plates to the sink, balancing them in her hoof. Seeing her guest step into the kitchen to help was... a rarity in these parts, but he wasn't exactly the usual stock either. Together they cleaned up in no time, and once they did, the mare said her thanks as the stallion retreated into the living room and curled up in the corner, and before she could do anything about it, drifted off to sleep.

 

"Damn, I could've given him a blanket at least. I still have that woolen beast somewhere..." - the mare said to herself quietly as she noticed her guest was already fast asleep. Nightmare or not, it seemed he was also tired. A big yawn brought her own tiredness to her attention, but she couldn't just collapse into her bed yet. Reluctantly, she went to the bathroom to get a shower and generally get ready for bed. She emerged sometime later, thoroughtly toweled but still not 100% dry, as usual. Her mane wasn't styled, but rather simpy combed away from her face. Since she had to stay awake for a bit longer, Crystal walked to the kitchen and stopped by the still warm but no longer burning stove, looked back to make sure Nightmare was indeed asleep, and pulled the blasted piece of furniture toards her. Normally, such action would produce a lot of noise, but she installed several tiny wheels underneath to avoid just that, and make the procedure easier in general. Once she expoosed the wall behind the blocky stove, she fetched a bottle and a glass from the hollowed wall. Being a crystal mender had it's perks, and being able to make secret stashes was one of them. With her kit in hoof, she walked to the armchair and made herself comfortable, than poured herself a shot. The light from Nightmare's flame illuminated the bottle, revealing the brand name "Sweet Dreams: a Premium Crystal Berry Brandy". The mare looked at the glass in her hoof, admiring the dancing lights that Nightmare's flames produced on it's surface, as her thoughts turned to the nostalgic memories from over 1000 years ago. The glass bore a symbol, but it wasn't Crystal's Cutie Mark. It was a quill on a crescent moon.

 

The nostalgia didn't last long, as Crystal got spooked when Nightmare shifted in his sleep. She drank her shot and walked back to the kitchen, then quietly washed tha glass and set everything as it was. The warm feeliing of the brandy in her stomach made her even more sleepy, and she climbed up to her bed fortress, and quickly drifted of to sleep.

 

The apartment was silent, as the walls bore witness to the battle between the glow-crystals and magical flames on who would light the chamber. A battle the former had to lose eventually...

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

Nightmare was hard to fall asleep. Since he was in a home and in the limits of a city, he was very nervous. However he was a good actor and pretended he had fallen asleep. "Damn, I could've given him a blanket at least." He heard her muttering, he tried real hard not to stir with that announcement. Trying to sleep with the shower running was even more annoying. He opened one of his eye slightly to see what all the racket was about. Crystal was moving furniture around. What could she be doing he wondered. He saw her open a small compartment. and pulled out a bottle. Aww... He closed his eye before she turned around. A moment latter the sent of alcohol filled the room. About to sneeze from the smell he rolled over to cover his nose.

 

When all was quiet he rolled back over to see where the mare was. Asleep in her bed. Should he feed or not? He did get permission, but he hated bringing bad dreams to ponies. On the other hoof, if he did not, she would probably snap at him again. With a heavy sigh he got up and went over to his dessert of the night. Seeing her fast asleep he poofed into a puff of smoke and entered her dream world.

 

He walked around in the dream for a time looking at what she was thinking of. After he saw all he wanted he started to absorb the energy that was there. He decided to stay there just in case her dream turned into a terrifying dream. Should that happen, he would jump in to help her out.

 

"Wow! It has been a long time since I ate dreams." He told himself as he watch the mare trot around in her dreams unnoticed.

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

Crystal Clear was standing in front of the Crystal Heart, watching it spin lazily in a plaza at the very centre of the Empire. She looked younger, around twenty at most, and held a large roll of parchment in her hoof - an official document recognising her as a Master of Crystal, a full memeber of the Guild and the door to pening her own shop within the city. Ponies passing by could easily notice she was beaming with joy as she gazed at the most precious artifact of her homeland. She stood there, grinning like mad and tracing the spinning Heart with her eyes. Finally, she decided to move on. With a happy spring in her hoofsteps, she trotted down the main avenue towards her home. The mare waved and greeted friends and aquaintences as she met them, but some of their faces were blurred in her dream. After a while, she reached a large, blue house and entered through the main door.

 

The dream shifted, and she went inside a red house instead This time, she was around her current age, and looked very serious. There was a staircase straight ahead, hugging the right wall. Everything looked unfinished and raw, as if the building was incomplete. There were no interior walls at this level, just one big room with several windows from all three directions. She ascended the stairs and saw an equally barren first floor. A hatch in the ceiling was proof for the existence of the attic. She paced around the chamber, checkng the view from each window. Finally, she turned to an elderly stallion who just appeared out of thin air and nodded to him. "I'll take it. Prepare the documents for purchase and the Guild loan." She looked through the window onto the busy street and said to nopony in particular: "It'll take months before this den will look like a proper home, but I can't afford anything better anyway... Let's just hope I'll get enough business to pay the loan before retirement."

 

Something changed within the dream. The walls started to break, slowly at forst, but suddenly, the room fell apart and Crystal found herself in a strange place. The floor was made of black crystal with reddish glow, and it spread in every direction. There were no otner objects within sight. The mare looked around, startled. Eyes wide, she noticed a shape in the distance. A pillar? She decide to approach it, and as she came closer, strange cards fell from the black sky and bit in the crystal floor like daggers, forming walls on both sides, leading her towards the pillar. At last she approached it. It was an advertising collumn, with a huge public announcement from the Crystal Princess herself - the Royal Crest was painted at the head of the notice. The mare inspected it further, and it turned out to be a list. A long list in fact, stating a pony's name, age and sex, and one of the two options: Missing or Deceased. Most lines were just scribbles, impossible to read. One stood out and could be read with ease...

 

Evening Song, 26, Mare - Missing

 

Crystal Clear sat in front of the collumn with slumped shoulders and head low, frozen in this state of numb resignation.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

Nightmare stood off in silent. Watching the mare in the dream as she grew up and bought a place of her own. At first she seemed very glad and happy. Now just struggling with life. As soon as he notice the dream becoming warped he stopped drawing energy from her. At one point he found himself falling through a broken floor of the dream and standing within a wall of cards. He looked around and noticed the mare standing before a pillar. A tear in her eye as she read a list. She looked so sad and lonely at this point, it sent a pin through his heart.

 

He decided that she needed help once more. Something was not right even for a bad dream. The curiosity was to much what was this pony she was remembering? There was a clear image of a pony in the mare's mind. Someone important to her. He took what essence he needed and turned into this pony of her memory. With an illusion around him he approached the weeping mare and asked her.

 

"What is wrong Crystal?"

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

Crystal Clear hear a voice behind her. At forst, she haven't conciously registered that somepony spoke to her, since she was engulfed in her own thoughts. Only after a moment did she ralise that she was not alone, and that this voice sounded... familliar. All too famillar. She turned around, slowly. wiping a tear with her hoof.

 

"Is that... you?" - she asked with a shaky voice.

 

She saw a mare in her twenties, a crystal pony, like herself. The newcomer was just a few inches taller than her, and had a heavier frame but she wasn't fat, by no means. Her ivory coat shimmered in the reddish glow of the crystals on the floor, she had a navy blue mane that was combed back and styled in an elaborate bun, held in place by gold lace. A pair of magneta eyes made her image complete and impossible to forget. The mare had to be Evening Song, or Evie as she called her.

 

"E-Evie? B-but..." - Crystal looked back at the list, then at the mare bofore her. She stood there for a moment, unable to comprehend the situation, then ran towards the other mare and hugged as hard as she could, then let out a river of joyful tears as she talked rapidly. "It's you! It's really really you! They told me to move on, that you're gone but you came back! I was looking for you everywhere! Why you didn't show up sooner..." The emotional outburst made her weaken her strangleghold, and she just sobbed, hanging from the other mare's neck.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

Nightmare Season almost lost his illusion when she ran up and hugged him hard. Though it took him by surprise, it was warm... But he must remember his training. If she figures out what is going on he would be ejected from the dream. Let her at first talk. Find out what the image he took means to her. At first, just give a broad perspective on what any pony would do. Let the dreamer give all the answers to questions yet to be asked. Then can you pretend better and learn what you need to learn. Remembering these lesson he shook his head to get his family out of his head. Right now he needed to focus.

 

"Oh Crystal. I missed you." He slowly nudged the crying mare on the head. "My name is still on that list for a reason you know. You still have yet another journey ahead of you."

 

Nightmare knew that in a dream, all he had to do was mention a few things. As soon as he did the dreamer will think of it so he then could bring it forth and manipulate it to help him hide the illusion he has cast around himself.

 

"Shall we take a walk around the kingdom?" Upon hearing this trigger the walls of cards that had the mare trapped by the pillar faded away. "Come, tell me what is on your mind these past years." With this he moved slightly away from Crystal urging her to come along."

 

He thought to himself. "Remember to let her tell you what she wants to hear. Hope I am doing the right thing."

 

They began to walk along the crystal roads heading to the palace.

Edited November 4, 2016 by Nightmare Season

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season

 

Crystal was reluctant to let go of the other mare,  but she did once offered to take a walk. She seemed completely oblivious to the sudden change of scenery as the pair found themselves on the streets of their hometown. Crystal walked very close and even brushed occasionally on her companion' side. She also got a hold on her emotions, regaining her cool.

 

The crystal pony started talking, unsure where to start. "I uhh... I've been looking for you everywhere I could, and even where I shouldn't. Once the Court finished the headcount and published the list of missing and deceased... I couldn't accept it. I knew that you wouldn't leave me! So I kept a place for you, because I believed you would come back. Everypony told me to "move on", to "accept the reality", but I knew better. I waited.  I even made my new home ready to take you in. I bought a small house, you see. The Guild loaned me money but still. I have my own workshop there, like a Master of the trade should. I even have customers! You wouldn't believe how much these Equestrian ponies would pay for a simple dining set... Fashion victims,  I tell you, but the money is good and the Guild approved the higher prices for visitors,  so it's okay in my book. I have a loan to pay,  after all. You have to see my place, really. I even have a secret stash for our favourite booze..." She brushed at the other mare, but it was no coincidence this time since it was paired with a peculiar look at her direction. "Ehh, to think a bottle of brandy would make a difference between best friends and a couple... Those were the times." The mare looked down and continued in a darker tone. "Nowadays it's just work, shopping, cooking, and trying not to rage at those clueless Equestrian tourists, salesponies and con artists. I tell you, every time some pony's knocking to my door I want to grab the frying pan, just in case. But loneliness is the worst. I spend my evenings at home, staring through the window with a glass in hoof. It's hard without you. It really is, even if nopony notices. Work keeps me busy, I redecorate and improve my house constantly, go on long trips out of town... But at the end of the day, I'm alone. I mean,  parents are fine, but, you know what I mean..." Crystal looked at Evening quizzically.  "Am I talking too much? Been awfully quiet, you."

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

"Crystal... Have you not realized it yet? Your search has not yet ended. And trying to calm yourself with that bottle in the secret compartment will not help you any. There is trouble for you in the coming days... You should try and find some pony to help you with your quest. This is but a slight paradise that you seek, continue to look, find the closer you need." He nuzzled her. This poor mare. She is hurting so much. In the morning he will read the cards and see if anything he can do to aid her. "For now you need to rest in your bed." He manipulated the dream so she was standing before her bed. "Get some sleep. The day will be with you soon."

 

He needed to get out without being noticed. She would be really mad if she knew. He slipped the illusion off him to remain standing before her slowly fading. He turned to mist and made a quick exit of her dream world. He formed back next to the Sleeping Crystal yelling to herself. "DON"T GO EVIE, Please." A tear came to his eye as he turned back and walked to the window to see the sun making a slight peek over the hills. He laid down to pretend he was asleep till Crystal wakes up.

 

He will do what he can to help Crystal Clear. Is Evie alive? Is she gone? He hopes for the former. Hopefully the cards will revile more. But for now he needs to play it cool and that he was not responsible for her dream.

 

"EVIE" yelled as she woke up.

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season

 

Crystal Clear woke up suddenly and sat upright in her bed. Her throat was sore and she thought she just screamed, but didn't know for sure. She was panting as if she just ran across the Empire and back,  and her eyes were wet from tears. She sat like that,  trying to recall as much as possible from her dreams. When she recalled as much as she could,  Crystal wiped her eyes and reluctantly got out of bed and looked from her "fortress" down onto her "realm'. The day was in full swing, and a ray of sunlight beamed from the roof window onto the pyrite cube, illuminating the interior. Just as planned. A cursory glance at the clock on the wall informed her that it was just past nine AM.

 

She got what she wanted. She saw her marefriend in a dream. It didn't seem like a regular dream though. She felt like it had some real meaning this time.  A message. Fortunately she had an expert on dreams nearby...

 

Crystal stretched her back, making a satisfied purr as she felt her muscles work. The bruise on her side hurt a bit, but it wasn't something to be overly worried about. At last,  she made her bed and went down into the bathroom to brush her coat and mane in order to look presentable.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

Hearing the sound of water and the brushing of teeth, he figured she was awake now. She did not come and kick him or yelled at him so he thinks he is in the clear with this one. He opened his eyes to see that the sun was higher than when he laid down. Guess he did get a small wink of rest at least. Nightmare rolled over on his back and stretched his four legs high into the air to get them nice and stretched out.

 

When he finished stretching he curled his legs close to his body and looked up to the ceiling. His mind raced about this mare Evie. From what little he heard from Crystal Clear, he could not think of what could have happened. They had disappeared for a thousand years. If she was not apart of that then she surly died from age. If she went missing for the same amount of time, why has she not returned yet?

 

He needed answers as well as Crystal. He rolled over on his front and got up. He walked over to his saddlebags in the corner and opened it up. The string used to tie it shut finally snapped off. He pulled out his cards and went to a comfy area and laid down again to read the cards. He began to shuffle them when Crystal finally emerged out of the bathroom.

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season

 

Crystal walked out of the bathroom, finally looking like a proud citizen of the Crystal Empire. Her coat was brushed and looked a bit like polished stone, and her name was styled and tied with gold ribbon. Seeing her guest doing... something with his cards made her connect the dots - the cards in her dream were Nightmare's. The thought that he probably saw everything made her blush a bit, since, if she recalled correctly,  she was rather straightforward with Evie... No matter, Crystal decided to brave her embarrassment and walked towards the stallion with a warm smile.

 

"Hello there, did you sleep well? I'd make you something comfier if you didn't fall asleep so quickly, you know. Unless you prefer the cool crystal that is." She looked down at his cards and asked: "Soo, what's the deal with these? They tell the future or something? "

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

"I slept well." He replied to help hide the fact he did not, but was instead in her dreams. "I do not need to inconvenience you further with having you make me something comfy. I usually just sleep outside on the ground." He attention went back to his cards.

 

"These are tarot cards. If you know how to use and read them they tell much. The past, the present, and the future. They can answer questions or give you advice. I use them as a means to help troubled ponies with some of their worries. Shall I show you? I will give you a reading on something that troubles you if you wish?" He asked her. His inquiry will have to wait.

 

He watched the mare to see what she wants.

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season

 

Crystal was intrigued. How a deck of cards could tell "the truth"? She rubbed her chin with a hoof as she ponderd what to ask for a moment, but one question kept coming to her, so she gelave it a shot. 

 

"Alright... I don't know if you saw my dream or not,  but could you ask your cards if somepony is alive or not? Her name is Evening Song, she's a crystal pony like myself, roughly the same age... If she's alive that is."

 

The mare paid close attention to the cards, as if trying to get the answer herself without Nightmare's interpretation, but it was a futile attempt.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

"Very well." He said. With this he shuffled the deck with his magic and then cards started to shoot out of it and floated to the floor. Nightmare had a pretty good guess as to what they were to tell him. There was no way she could still be alive. Not for this long at least.

 

When the last card fell to the ground he saw how tense and nervous the mare before him was. He thought it best to try and lighten the mood before the bad news. "The cards tells you will find great love and fortune." Said in a mocking way to make fun of the typical fortune teller. He smiled, but quickly erased it when he saw her giving him a stare of anger. "Ahem.....Sorry, bad joke." The crystal pony looked as if she could be the one bursting into flames. "Let me be serious now."

 

He Turned his gaze back to the cards and studied them. His eyes went wide, could this be true? It had to be, the cards never lies. Yet here it was, right before his eyes. Evie was alive. He looked back to Crystal with a warm smile. "She -IS- Alive." He watched her almost turn full crystal on him. " So the cards say she is alive. The Lovers card here is being trapped by the Devil card that is on it sideways. Alive but is imprisoned somewhere." He pointed at the two cards. Then he turned his point to the top of these two. "The Moon card is risen above her. This means she is afraid. And this card." He pointed at the one above the moon. "The Tower represent something terrible will happen if things remain the same."

 

It was no surprise when she started asking a thousand questions at this point. The one he took note of is where -IS- she at? "Lets us find her then?" With this he shuffled the cards back into the deck. Surprised himself of the reading. He had thought for sure she was lost to this world. When the shuffling was done, the magic tossed the cards out of the deck to form a new layout which he read. "The Fool and the Magician is at one with each other. A journey for you awaits. The devil...something you have hidden away will mark your beginning. The star is pointing to the wheel of fortune and justice. There is hope yet for you if you can find the key that you have hidden. The Chariot and strength are together at the end. If you remain strong you will find her."

 

Crystal leaped up and started going crazy. What dose she need? What is hidden that is the key? "Sorry I can not be more specific. The cards are vague at times. But there might be a way I can help you pinpoint a more exact area to begin your search." Crystal stopped what she was doing and looked at him as if pleading to ask what. "If you could get me a crystal pendulum that is tapered to a point. A map of the land we reside in. A string to hold the pendulum as well as an item that once belonged to her or that the two of you had a connection with. I could scry a better destination we can search.

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Nightmare Season

 

Crystal Clear tried to look calm as the cards started flying out if the deck.  A futile attempt since she was so nervous her hooves started shaking. When Nightmare made a joke that referred to her own remark from yesterday,  well, she almost snapped. With clenched teeth, a murder in her eyes and slow, deep breaths she met his gaze, but said nothing. If she'd yell at him now,  he wouldn't read those blasted cards! Thankfully he got the message and finished the task at hoof without fooling around...

 

The mare was beside herself from joy as the fiery stallion said the best three words in her life. Unable to contain herself,  she began jumping like a filly who was told she can eat all the cookies at once. "Yes, I knew she's out there! I just knew! But where is she? Let us find her then! How do I get there? Is she okay? Does she still love me? WHAT DO YOU SEE IN THOSE CARDS!?

 

She sat in front of the nightmare pony as he shuffled the deck and got ready for the new reading. Crystal felt like it took forever,  but rushing Nightmare would be a fools errand, so she just hit her lip instead. Her heart raced as the cards flied outwards and the new reading began.

 

Those cards will drive her crazy! First, they tell her that her marefriend is indeed alive, but imprisoned and in danger,  and now they play riddles!? She shot up from her spot and paced the apartment,  trying to make sense of it and asking herself aloud, getting filled with impotent rage as she couldn't answer any of them.

 

"Something I have hidden away? There's nothing important in the basement!  I don't know where else I could hide that stupid key, I have just one, and it's the one that opens my house for hearts sake!" She shot him an icy look as the stallion mentioned that the cards are sometimes inaccurate like that. He's supposed to be an expert, right!? But it seemed Nightmare had a plan B, so she stopped mid step and listened to him with a raised hoof, as if putting it down or moving at all would ruin everything. She couldn't feel it, but she made the best sad puppy eyes in her entire life.

 

Crystal didn't need to be told twice. She ran up the stairs to her bedroom to fetch her glow-crystal lantern, the one she had in the cave. A second later it was resting before the stallion,  the correct shape, and with a string already attached as she wore it as a bulky necklace when needs be. The map was also an easy one - she had one of the surrounding area to scribble on her findings. The mare ran down the stairs and made a noise as she barked into her office downstairs and took the map. Once it was time for the last object, she stood in place,  looking around the apartment. After a full minute of trying to figure out something, she face hoofed hard and went to the kitchen. She looked back at her guest as she approached the stove and said "This will get weird, but don't judge me too harshly okay?" She then pulled the blasted stove and it moved away from the wall, revealing the secret stash. Crystal took out the glass and brought it to the nightmare pony.

 

"Ojay' you got what you needed. I made two of these glasses,  the other bears my mark and belongs to Evening Song. We used them to drink our favourite booze when we were together. Now do your magic. " She was oblivious to her commanding tone. She just wanted answers, and fast.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

He took the three items from her and looked at them. With a nod he placed the map down on the table fully opened. He then took the glass and crystal. Using his magic he wrapped the string around the glass and concentrated. When he finally go a good image of the pony he was seeking, he yanked the glass away allowing the string to unravel and swing down. The crystal began to circle around and around.

 

After a while it started to slowly move in a direction...It landed on the city, then, it slowly moved it's way north. Out of the city and into the mountain where it left the map behind. "She is not located on this map. She is farther away. But not to far."

 

He looked back to her and nodded. "She is in fact alive."