[MLP FIM] Bridle Shores Dream World/Time Bubbles Thread

[TheAmishPirate]

"He'll remember all this?" Dusk shook his head. "Now I do feel sorry for this one...sorry little one, it's only my job." He got to work crafting the second dream.

(I'll post in the morning, I'm not quite ready with it yet)

[Benson]

"Yeah! I didn't come down here to not defeat this thing!" Charger shouted, darting in to land another ineffectual jolt of lightning on the invincible hide of the Scorpos.

Spark dodged another swipe by the hairs of his tail. "Come on Charger...we're not...ah....we're not at a high enough level to stop this anyway. Time to skeddale"

[Hawkflight]

Dawn Blossom let out a sigh, uncharacteristically irritated.

"Charger," she said. "I have had a long day. I had to traipse all over the Everwild Mountains looking for the cure for Soft, then I had to help Foxglove find a vaguely-defined 'thing', and then I learned that you never came home last night and your parents are worried. I am tired, Charger, so I would appreciate it if you could hurry up and get your flank over here so we can go home and I can get some sleep!"

[TheAmishPirate]

Dream World

The Nightmare finished his work on the second dream.

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The sun was setting on a picturesque home by the sea; a little cottage faced the ocean and the rapidly-setting sun. Sandy was walking the shoreline, horn glowing as he shifted and moved vast dunes of sand. He took his time, savoring the feel of a familiar beach as its grains ran through his hooves.

From inland, a single pegasus flew into view, and Sandy could not hide the smile on his face if he tried

Picture, because I am lazy:

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[REDACTED UNTIL I GET A COMPUTER WITH BETTER COLORS, SHEESH]

As soon as she saw the pale blue unicorn, she adjusted her course, heading straight for him. Sandy ran to meet her and gave her an affectionate nuzzle...

...only for her to pull back with a sharp cry. On her neck, a horrible rash scorched the very spot he had just touched. Sandy clasped her hoof, tried to ask her if she was alright, only to have her hoof break out under his touch. He reeled back, looking to his own hooves in disbelief, then back to the mare. She was staring at him, unmoving. Just staring at him, her face a mix of confusion...and betrayal.

Sandy could feel his heart breaking under that stare.

Finally, she spoke. “Why? Why did you hurt me, Sandy?”

“I-I...I didn’t mean-I would never-”

“You hurt me, Sandy. Why did you hurt me?”

“I’m sorry!” His voice rose to a frantic shout. “I never wanted this! I only wanted to make you happy! That’s all I ever-”

“Why did you hurt me, Sandy?”

“I...I...” He started to step away. She matched his pace. “I...I’m no good for you now. Get away from me, I’ll just do it again!”

“Why, Sandy?”

“Just-just-”

“Why?”

He took to his hooves and ran. Ran as fast as he could until everything was just a speck in the distance. He looked back at the house he’d never return to, and the mare he’d just left behind, and tried to convince himself it was the right thing to do.

The Nightmare raised an eyebrow at the scene. Normally he didn't bother with the dreams once they were all set, but the emotional response he was getting from this one was surprising. "Intriguing...is this something he regrets, or something he fears? And-hold on, is that pride I sense? Some measure of peace with this decision?" He softly chuckled. "You're certainly a character, little one. I don't think you even know how you feel about this dream."

He got to work on the third and final dream.

[Rodny]

Jormong thought. "That's our favourite Sandy isn't he?"

[Thanqol]

Dawn Blossom let out a sigh, uncharacteristically irritated.

"Charger," she said. "I have had a long day. I had to traipse all over the Everwild Mountains looking for the cure for Soft, then I had to help Foxglove find a vaguely-defined 'thing', and then I learned that you never came home last night and your parents are worried. I am tired, Charger, so I would appreciate it if you could hurry up and get your flank over here so we can go home and I can get some sleep!"

Charger checked herself, screeched to a halt, and ran back over to Dawn. She stopped in front of her seriously, back to the Scorpos.

"If you're tired, you shouldn't be here. It's dangerous," she said seriously.

[Deme]

"Yeah! I didn't come down here to not defeat this thing!" Charger shouted, darting in to land another ineffectual jolt of lightning on the invincible hide of the Scorpos.

"Just beating the snot out of things isn't 'heroism'! You think Dawn'll leave without you? You think putting her in danger because she's worried about you is 'heroism'?"

This was the core of his argument. Being a hero and a monster-slayer were not the same thing. Being a hero meant more than having adventures and slaying monsters... Because there wasn't an inch of heroism in Pyrite, he could look at it from the outside.

[Benson]

Spark...

.....was well a bit busy at the moment distracting the Scorpio and evading its attacks, so that the others can have their little moment.

[Thanqol]

"Just beating the snot out of things isn't 'heroism'! You think Dawn'll leave without you? You think putting her in danger because she's worried about you is 'heroism'?"

This was the core of his argument. Being a hero and a monster-slayer were not the same thing. Being a hero meant more than having adventures and slaying monsters... Because there wasn't an inch of heroism in Pyrite, he could look at it from the outside.

Charger closed her mouth.

Pyrite was absolutely right and she knew she couldn't argue that point. It was one thing to fight a monster by yourself, it was another thing once there were civilians in the room.

She'd just have to come back.

"Right. You're right. Let's go." Charger said.

[Hawkflight]

Dawn Blossom nodded. "Great," she said. "Let's go."

[Thanqol]

Charger nodded, and fired one last thunderbolt over her shoulder to help Spark get away, and then indicated that they should start running.

[Benson]

Without a word, Spark dashed after with the others.

[Deme]

Pyrite was surprised that worked. Well, at once he was not surprised -- he had hit Charger where she lived, after-all -- and totally surprised that she hadn't just chosen her own justification to make herself right. Eventually, they found what looked to be a safer off-shoot tunnel.

"Whew. Ok. That's decided... But come on, Charger. Everyone's worried about you...And...Besides which, we're sort of totally stuck down here unless we find a way out."

[Thanqol]

Pyrite was surprised that worked. Well, at once he was not surprised -- he had hit Charger where she lived, after-all -- and totally surprised that she hadn't just chosen her own justification to make herself right. Eventually, they found what looked to be a safer off-shoot tunnel.

"Whew. Ok. That's decided... But come on, Charger. Everyone's worried about you...And...Besides which, we're sort of totally stuck down here unless we find a way out."

"Sure - there's a bridge right back along this way," Charger said, not quite aware of the current state of the bridge.

[Hawkflight]

"Yeah, um ... about that bridge...." Dawn trailed off, shooting a glare at Pyrite.

[TheAmishPirate]

Dusk, after what felt like forever, finally got his lazy flank up and got the next dream ready.

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Sandy stood at the main gate of a small town, not much larger than Bridle Shores. He wore a black vest adorned with a strange emblem; a pair of eyes in front of a crescent moon. Behind him, stores were boarded up, carts and carriages left abandoned, and not a pony in sight. A swift evacuation, taking only the essentials. Strangely, the town was otherwise untouched. Whatever might happen had not yet happened.

As for the colt, his attention was on the horizon. A dark cloud was fighting back against the glowing, sunset sky, and winning. Slowly, it inched its way into the sky, growing larger at an almost undetectable pace. Whatever might happen would not happen for a while.

In that strange warping of time in dreams, Sandy stood there for hours, even though in reality he had only been dreaming a few minutes. The cloud advanced until it encompassed nearly half the sky. And as time went on, he grew more and more nervous and more and more afraid. First it started with the occasional look to the side. Then he found he couldn’t stop his hooves from shaking. Soon his brow was slick with sweat. He tried to pace in circles, but whenever he left his post, a pony appeared and confronted him. They were different every time; once it was a white pegasus mare, once it was a forest green earth pony stallion, and another time it was a pair of older unicorns. They never said anything; they simply looked him in the eye and he trudged back to his post without objection.

All of a sudden, there was a bright flash, and time jumped forward. The dark clouds had now covered the entire sky. Sandy could hear a crackling and snapping behind him. He turned his head...

And saw the town in flames.

He started as his eyes took in the damage. Most of the buildings had been razed to the ground, and anything in the streets was now splinters. Anything that could burn was engulfed, throwing a huge plume of smoke into the sky. A sudden wind momentarily cleared away the smoke. From the other side of the town, a figure completely wreathed in shadow turned its glowing eyes on him.

And laughed.

Another flash, and he was standing back at his post. The town was intact. Nothing was on fire. The cloud was approaching. It was coming. He couldn’t stop it. He would fail. Running would be the best option. Leave before it comes. At least he wouldn't have to watch the town fall. But he didn’t run. He wouldn’t be able to look those ponies in the eye and turn his back. Even if he was doomed to fail in his duty, he would force himself to try. He silently returned to his post, dejected, miserable, and afraid.

Dusk shook his head. “May that be the last you see of ill dreams for a long time, little one.” No wonder this unicorn had such a bizzare dream schedule; nightmares like these would keep him set for months.

(Jormong has a chance to interact and whatnot before he wakes up)

[Deme]

"Yeah, um ... about that bridge...." Dawn trailed off, shooting a glare at Pyrite.

"We all agreed we'd be trapped either way -- and anyway, it wasn't my fault! There was a tremor! And you were even the one agreeing that I should!"

Well, he didn't know there was a tremor... But there had to have been! It was the only explanation! And, as had been pointed out, there was no way up back there. Only down. Even Charger had fallen down the chasm, if the evidence was right.

[Thanqol]

"We all agreed we'd be trapped either way -- and anyway, it wasn't my fault! There was a tremor! And you were even the one agreeing that I should!"

Well, he didn't know there was a tremor... But there had to have been! It was the only explanation! And, as had been pointed out, there was no way up back there. Only down. Even Charger had fallen down the chasm, if the evidence was right.

"Hmm." Charger said. She accepted the event without annoyance; it was just a Challenge. Those happened. "The only other way out I know about is right through the Diamond Dog Throne room."

[Benson]

"Well...what are we waiting for? I've had enough of this place," Spark slid his goggles back over his eyes, hero mode activated.

[Deme]

"Well, wait. Big question. Would they be suseptible to bribes, or are we gonna have to punch our way through? Because I still have that big diamond."

He asked, hoping to ease their way. He suspected the answer would be 'no,' but the swindler's job was to try.

[Thanqol]

"Well, wait. Big question. Would they be suseptible to bribes, or are we gonna have to punch our way through? Because I still have that big diamond."

He asked, hoping to ease their way. He suspected the answer would be 'no,' but the swindler's job was to try.

"I don't know. I'm guessing you need to come up with a reason why they just don't take the diamond from you, though." Charger said. "And why they should uphold their end of the deal."

[Deme]

"Hmm...Yeah, that's a little tricky. Well, I guess if I can't think of something, we'll have to plan another way through."

That didn't mean he wasn't going to try and think of something -- but part of scheming is back-up scheming, side-scheming, and coming up with schemes to replace your schemes.

[Thanqol]

It wasn't far back towards the centre of the Dog warren. The place had armoured Diamond Dog sentries everywhere - and a glimpse of a tunnel right back across the other side of the chamber with a glimmer of sunlight within it.

There were dozens of relatively alert dogs around; stealth seemed unlikely, and fighting seemed unfavourable. Charger hesitated, feeling bad that she'd failed the mission the dogs had set her, but reminded herself that getting the civilians out of harms' way was the number one priority.

[Hawkflight]

Dawn Blossom let out a large yawn as she followed the others to the throne room. They stopped to observe the situation. Stealth was impossible at this point, and the odds were against them in a straight-up fight. That left only one option. She strode confidently forward, leading the way through the diamond dogs' throne room.

[Benson]

Diamond Dogs Warren


Waah....such....such....bravery. Spark was mighty impressed with Dawn Blossom's course of action and even gave a one hoof salute to the filly.

[Hawkflight]

Dawn Blossom glanced back, doing her best to appear unconcerned. "C'mon, hurry up," she said. "I'd like to get back to Soft's before she closes up, I promised I'd meet Knack there."

"Keep the big diamond visible, and don't appear concerned about it," she added in a whisper.

[Thanqol]

Almost immediately, a dozen or so dogs lunged forwards, barking and pointing their spears at the foals.

Rover and his two henchmen loped over. "Hero pony? We told you to beat Scorpos, not gather more ponies." Screeched the leader dog.

"Did we?" Fido asked blankly.

"Doesn't matter! Get back down there and beat the monster! The rest of you ponies, get to work digging!" Rover said.

[Hawkflight]

'Hero pony'? Dawn mouthed at Charger, raising an eyebrow. She gave Pyrite a quick glance, making sure the diamond was visible, before focusing her attention on the dog that had just addressed her.

"Sorry, we'd love to help," she said. "But I promised someone we'd meet her back in town, and she'll be worried if we're late."

[Thanqol]

'Hero pony'? Dawn mouthed at Charger, raising an eyebrow. She gave Pyrite a quick glance, making sure the diamond was visible, before focusing her attention on the dog that had just addressed her.

"Sorry, we'd love to help," she said. "But I promised someone we'd meet her back in town, and she'll be worried if we're late."

Charger shrugged, not really getting what was wrong with the dog calling her that.

The dog's eyes flicked between the diamond and Dawn. "You are gem hunter ponies?" He said, "Gem hunter ponies don't go home. Gem hunter ponies dig."

"Dig and pull carts," said Fido.

"And whine!" Added Spot.

Rover slapped Spot on the back of the head.

"And... mine." Spot corrected himself.

[Deme]

Pyrite did as he was told this time. It may have seemed like a challenge, but Pyrite wasn't just greedy. He was a salesman. A consumate actor of getting what he wants. What he wasn't sure of was exactly what Dawn was hoping to accomplish, but he reared up to toss the diamond from hoof to hoof in a bored way before adding,

"Oh, this? It's no big deal."

He had broken out the tone of voice his older siblings used at him all.the.time. The 'you're not worth the bother of feeling' voice.