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I cannot recall the moment when I slipped into a dreaming state. Such is the nature of dreaming. But when my mind finally did focus to the point where I could process what I was seeing... Where was this? I could not recall the last time I had witnessed a land so...blighted in my life.

Was it a result of the memories I had been plagued by the last two days? No, I strongly doubtful of that. The world... A blasted wasteland the likes of which I had never seen. Any trees I saw were charred black and were just completely spindly without a single leaf hanging from what few branches they still retained. The air carried with it a faint odor and the hot summer sun was beating down on me. Dry. Very dry. And in the distance... Charred ruined houses. Only the designs were not like any I had ever seen in Equestria. It felt more like something I would find back on... Oh no...

Under any other circumstances, I would have been a bit more curious than wary. But considering who was on the verge of meeting up with me... And there they were. Soaring overhead like a pair of shadows against the sun were a pair of winged equines. And they quickly descended towards me. The smaller of the two smiled instantly upon landing before me and rushed to my side. "Oh, there you are! Have you been well, my friend?"

Luna. Princess of the Night. I had all but forgotten her recently. She rose up to me and threw her arms around me while I did the same. "I've heard grave news from my sisters... Thank the stars that you are safe in the realm of dreams."

"Thanks for being here, Luna... I missed you." I replied softly, briefly forgetting the horrors that were likely just lingering nearby. Luna... How could I have forgotten her?

Nightmare Moon then began to draw near and draped her wing over me, shielding me from the harsh rays of the sun. "I must say, you've chosen quite a...locale for us to explore today. We've already passed over a ruined concrete bridge where several humans clad in laughable excuses of armor... What were they doing? I heard distant loud pops and rattles, but I did not see anything being launched at us."

Those words quickly reminded me of where we were. And how desperately I wanted to get my friends away from there. I glanced around me, extremely relieved that there was nothing alive nearby. "Thanks for reminding me... We need to get out of this world. Now. Please."

My friends took a step back from me and cast me some rather perplexed gazes. Luna then asked, "I beg your pardon? But we've only just now arrived. Granted, this world does seem...rather rugged, but..."

I then motioned my arm towards the craggy ruined wasteland that very clearly used to be the world I once called home. "You don't know what this world is, but I do. And I'm going to tell you right now that this is a kind of world you and your people should never be exposed to."

Nightmare Moon seemed suspicious of what I was talking about. I suppose I should not have been surprised. Equestria has never had the chance to encounter a post apocalyptic world. "Whatever do you mean? Those humans back there were..."

"They were trying to kill you for fun." I replied bluntly, knowing that fictional world more than they ever did.

The mere concept of committing murder for entertainment was clearly a concept that was completely alien to the two royal sisters. Even Nightmare Moon, despite her rather dubious origins and background, seemed truly unnerved by those words. "They were attempting to murder us?"

Luna then stepped forward and asked, "James... What is this world?"

I decided to be entirely honest with them. "This is quite possibly what Earth will become a century from now."

The Princess of the Night's eyes opened wide in shock while she silently surveyed our blighted surroundings. "This...is Earth?!"

"Well... A fictional portrayal of its future. But even then, a fictional portrayal that could become fact someday. All created by human sin." I explained before pacing around a bit as I drank in the ugly scenery. "A world ruined by atomic fire. It shouldn't have happened and did not need to happen, but it will likely happen someday. But I really don't want to have to discuss this topic..."

I then turned back to my friends, feeling even more anxious that some wasteland horror might stumble upon us at any time. "And that is a world your kind should never have to see. I don't want you to know what this world is like... So... Can we please have a change of scener... Wait, what's that?"

Somewhere behind my friends, something rather large wandered into view from behind a craggy rock formation. The two alicorns turned promptly to face it. Luna spoke first, sounding more intrigued than frightened. "Oh my, a scorpion! And a rather sizeable one at that. And... Is that an albino?"

Indeed, it was a scorpion that was much larger than either of us. And its white and pinkish colorations definitely pointed to it being an albino. But the instant it turned to face us, it raised and curled its massive venomous tail and began to scurry towards us with alarming speed.

Before I could even say anything, Nightmare Moon stepped forward. "Hostile, hm? I would hate to do this to such a rare specimen, but..."

Just as the giant scorpion lifted its tail to strike, sparks flew from Nightmare Moon's horn before a massive stream of magic lightning burst forth with more than enough force to send the scorpion sprawling backwards. Even more to my shock, the beast began to dissolve into dust until it was scattered along the ground before us! A moment later, the piles of dust were blown away on a hot summer breeze.

"Uh... Wow. Never seen anyone drop one of those suckers that fast..." I said while feeling both relieved and amazed at the same time. Lightning magic... Dream or not, that was an impressive show of power.

Nightmare Moon then turned to face us and said, "Still, it's unnatural for a bug to get that massive. I take it that is also a result of humanity's follies?"

"Yeah, pretty much. They're..." I started to speak, but then paused as I heard the distant squeaking of wheels. It was coming from behind the same rock formation that the scorpion had emerged from behind. Had the source of the sound been lured over to us by the scorpion's movements?

"Who goes there?!" Luna called out while she flapped her wings to propel herself past her sister. What rolled into view was definitely not something I wanted to tangle with. The source of the sound was very clearly a machine that was roughly my height. Bulky and painted over with an olive drab finish, its paintjob bore a white star on the closest thing to a chest it had. It rolled around on a tripod set of legs that ended in rugged wheels. On its right arm was clearly a minigun and a tube for launching rockets was on the left. Despite it showing a fair amount of rust on its metallic body due to likely decades of exposure to the elements and lack of maintenance, it was still fully functional and raised its right arm to aim its weapon at us. Or rather at Luna since she was closest. It spoke in a deep robotic voice, signaling that it viewed us as enemies.

"Stay back!" Luna called back to us while she used her magic to project a blue magic barrier around herself. The combat robot opened fire, dumping a hail of tiny bullets at Luna. The machine cannon was loud and noisy, but our distance made the racket somewhat more bearable. However, they all bounced off the barrier while creating countless little ripple waves at the points of impact. Luna did not even seem to be trying to keep the barrier up. In fact, she seemed bewildered that it was not more dangerous to her. "Um... Is this truly the pinnacle of this world's unmanned combat machines?"

"To be honest... Yeah." I replied as the hail of bullets continued to bombard my friend. The situation went from being tense to rather relaxed as the robot focused exclusively on her. Anyone with any brains would have tried to strafe around her by that point and start shooting at Nightmare Moon and me, but its programming likely hindered its priorities. However, after a moment of continuous fire, the robot ceased firing and seemed to flex its two arms. It had likely exhausted its immediate ammunition supply and was swapping weapons to reload. It soon raised its left arm.

"It's cycling weapons! Incoming missile!" I called out, recognizing the physical movements that signaled it was swapping to its other weapon system.

"Missile?!" Luna asked while briefly glancing back at us. When she turned back, the robot did indeed fire a red-tipped missile from the launcher in its left arm. However, before it could even impact Luna's barrier, it stopped in place despite its thrusters still being active. It was coated by a dark blue magic aura that I recognized right away.

"I think you dropped this!" Nightmare Moon called out while she hovered above us to get a better view of the area. Before the robot could even properly react to the sight of its own projectile being restrained, the missile was flipped around and released from Nightmare Moon's magic grasp, sending it flying right back at it and striking the chest before exploding in a loud flash of fire.

I was almost expecting the thing to have been bowled over by the force of the explosion that engulfed the robot. However, it was still standing with a noticeable dent in its torso. However, that was not enough to stop it. It flexed its arms again before raising its right arm at Luna once more. But just as the six barrels started to rotate, the entire arm was coated by Luna's magic aura and tilted upwards, forcing the machine to miss her entirely as that hail of bullets were fired over the horizon behind us. Luna was even starting to sound mildly entertained. "Oh, please. Is this your best?"

Apparently having seen enough, Luna dispelled her barrier and then launched a burst of magic lightning forward. Her aim was rather impressive. She sent that volley of arcing electricity directing into the robot's left arm as it continued to fire and struggle to move with its wheels spinning in place. Seconds later, the warheads of the missiles that were still inside the arm detonated. The robot's entire arm exploded in a flash of fire and scrap metal. The blast even seemed to damage one of its legs since it began to heavily tilt to its left. The concussion from the blast likely did even more than that as the robot's minigun stooped firing while the spinning barrels slowed to a stop. The arm then went limp and hung by its side. Having fallen silent, the machine seemed to have shut down from critical internal damage.

Nightmare Moon landed beside me and chuckled lightly. "Tell me, James. Is this sort of technology currently present in your world?"

"You mean right now? Not when I last checked, no. The field of robotics hasn't gotten quite that sophisticated to use battlefield robots just yet." I replied, knowing too well that the world in that dream was still just fictional, even if still possible in the future.

"Well, if that is what the future of combat is like for Earth... I see they still have a long way to go." Luna chuckled as well while clearly feeling pretty good for having completely humiliated a state-of-the-art war machine using nothing more than magic. I suppose military technology is not everything it is cracked up to be, which is quite relieving for someone who has never been fond of anything involving the military. Kind of hard to kill something when your bullets cannot even hit the target and your explosive rounds can be tossed right back at you. However, Luna then did look at me with a small frown. "But I do see why you mean, James. If that was just a glimmer of what this world has to offer...then I do not wish to remain here. This world, as it is now, is a disgrace and goes against everything Equestria has ever stood for. It is something our people should never have to witness."

Nightmare Moon then smiled as her horn became coated by her own deep blue magic aura. "I have an idea of where we may go. Someplace familiar."

At those words, the landscape started to fade. Becoming a vast blank white canvas. The heat of the unnatural summer became replaced with the relatively cool feel of mid spring. The air lost its faint odor and became filled with the fresh scent of clean air carrying the refreshing scent of pine trees. The landscape became covered in pine and grass green, bark and soil brown, fresh water blue, and stone and rock grays and whites. The sun shone high above, though the air still remained fairly cool.

I recognized the area right away. We were standing on a cobblestone path. A relatively small waterfall to one side that led into the shallows of a river that was being fed by a lake to the west with towering pines and firs to the north while a rugged cliff stood at our other side that led up to the rest of the path that curled around a bend behind us. Luna inhaled deeply, basking in the natural beauty around us. "Ah, I love that smell. You picked a fine place to visit, Nightmare Moon. But haven't we been here before?"

"We have, Luna. More than once. This is Skyrim. To be precise, we're in the Whiterun province, although we are very close to Falkreath as well. Remember that time when you and I flew to that island blanketed in ash? The time where you met that netch?" I replied, glad that she remembered the place we had been to.

"Oh, of course! That big cuddly creature of many tentacles. How could I forget?" Luna said happily, likely fondly recalling our encounter with the gentle floating giant on Solstheim. In fact, I was feeling rather good myself. Refreshed. The grandeur of the natural beauty of the border between the Whiterun and Falkreath holds is truly my favorite place in the entire region. Luna seemed to notice as well and asked, "My friend... You seem to be in better spirits. Are you well?"

She was right. The memories that plagued me when awake were completely absent while I slept. It was as if it was the only time I found respite from the mental duress I suffered while awake. And being with two of my dearest friends in the world... I had forgotten how enjoyable our shared dreams are. "Yeah... I am feeling pretty nice. I mean I was kinda expecting to go back to the dream where Gladesong is, but this is nice too."

"It is always refreshing to have a change of scenery every once in a while. But...uh... Are you certain you are fine like that? It is rather nippy out here." Nightmare Moon retorted before she seemed to take note of my body. A quick glance at myself revealed that I was only clad in my boxers. Why, because that is all I was wearing while confined to Ponyville Hospital?

"Uh... I was wondering why I was feeling so cool..." I grumbled, feeling very nervous upon finding myself almost entirely exposed.

Nightmare Moon got a quick chuckle out of my predicament before her horn was once more coated by her magic aura. "I can fix that."

http://youtu.be/hDu9OOz7kxk

With a flash of her magic, I felt myself feeling slightly warmer and more covered. A quick glance at myself revealed that I was now clothed in some fairly fancy attire. A thick coat that seemed more like a robe or tunic of a dark nearly navy shade of blue with a matching undershirt and trousers were now covering my body along with a pair of sturdy brown boots. "Hey, this is some of my favorite Skyrim attire. How'd you know?"

"I just had a hunch. And that does look rather warm." Nightmare Moon replied while looking quite pleased at her handy work. I suppose when you are the Princess of Dreams, anything is possible within a dream world. "But now... Where should we go?"

I looked to the east and down the path that followed the edge of the river that flowed nearby. "Let's just take a stroll. One of my favorite places in Skyrim is nearby."

"Is that so? Well, do lead on." Luna said with a smile as we began to walk along the path to the east. This fictional world may be treacherous, but I knew where we could go without running into anything I would rather not have my friends see.

Before we got far, we reached a point I was all too familiar with. Up upon a small cliff that overlooked the path were a few gray wolves. I paused in my tracks, as did my companions while I pointed at them. "Wolves. They might turn hostile if we get close."

"Nonsense. If we stay on the path and continue on our way, they will have no reason to be cross with us." Nightmare Moon confidently explained while she resumed her pace. I decided to stay close to her while Luna did the same. Sure enough, once we came closer, the three wolves began to run down the length of the cliff and towards a nearby slope that led to the path.

I was tempted to run. But more than anything, I feared for my two friends. Destroying a mutated scorpion that is needlessly violent is certainly understandable, but slaying a pack of wolves? I did not wish to see the two royal alicorns spill the blood of such noble beasts, even if they were merely defend themselves. Fortunately, they did not have to. Luna, who was to my right and was the first thing the wolves would reach, turned to them and bellowed at them with... What do they call that powerful way of speaking? The Royal Canterlot Voice?

Regardless, her voice echoed and boomed towards the three approaching lupines. "BEGONE, CRETINS! THOU WOULDS'T NOT INCITE OUR WRATH UPON THEE!!!"

That sudden loud and powerful roar caused the wolfs to almost stumble right into each other before they turned and fled right back up the slope and past the trees that covered the hillside. Nightmare Moon laughed heartily at Luna's use of her mere voice to scare off our attackers, something I never once thought of using. Even so, I did have a retort for that rather usual means of defense. "Wow, Luna. I didn't know you were so well versed in the way of the Voice."

I doubt she knew exactly what I was speaking of, but she took the compliment with grace while she turned to me. "Well, that was the normal means of addressing our subjects once upon a time. It's difficult to forget how to do it when you've been speaking in such a way for centuries." I suppose that is true, although I could never imagine Celestia speaking like that.

We continued on without further interruption. And soon, it came into view. Standing over the path ahead was a gateway of stone walls topped with a wooden walkway covered by a sloped thatched roof. And just to the right of the path seemed to be a few bedrolls and a cook pot set up over an open fire. It seemed to be containing a type of stew. But either way, it felt refreshing to for the first time in a long while finally be drawing close to a location I have always had a fondness for. "There it is, ladies. Riverwood."

Nightmare Moon and Luna were silent as we passed under the archway that led into the village. They seemed to be taking in their surroundings, as if deeply interested in this humble village. In fact, they came to a stop. I had to pause and look back at them. The sound of wind rustled the trees and the thatched roofs nearby, the sound of a knife tanning leather reached my ears from my left, the laughter of two children running around carried over to us on the wind, and the sound of a hammer striking metal could be heard coming from the nearby blacksmith. The sound of the simplistic lifestyle of the humble village filled we with a type of peace that I had not felt in quite some time.

Eventually, Luna was the first to speak as she turned her gaze back towards me. "This village... It feels as if I have taken a step back in time."

"You... Back in time? You mean deja vu?" I asked as I saw that they were clearly somewhat in awe of their surroundings.

Nightmare Moon then nodded while she too finished her surveying of the village from its western entrance. "Indeed... The humans of Equestria lived very similarly to how this village appears. I have not seen a human village like this in... How long has it been?"

It must have been humbling to be reminded of better days from so long ago by a mere dream of a world that has never existed. "Would you prefer if we went elsewhere? I'm sorry if this is bringing back bad memories."

"No, it's quite the opposite, James. They are indeed happy memories that we are experiencing. Please, let us stay a while. Unless you would rather us go somewhere else. We are here to help you, after all." Luna replied, reminding me of why they were both with me.

Of course, being so fond of Riverwood, I was in no hurry to leave either. So I smiled and nodded at them. "I would like to stick around a while too."

My friends and I began to slowly head into the village, taking in the sights. However, Luna soon stopped, as did Nightmare Moon, when one of the locals pass us. He was clad in a light green shirt that was covered by a brown vest with his white hair tied into a short ponytail. Slung over his back was a wooden bow and a quiver filled with arrows. He then turned and crossed over a small wooden bridge towards a lumber mill on an island that stood out in the shallow river.

Luna turned to me and asked, "Um... James? What was wrong with him? He's clearly human, but his eyes are just...unnaturally dark and his ears are pointed. Is he some sort of demon?"

I glanced over at the archer who had just passed us. "Huh? You mean Faendal? He's an elf. Specifically a Wood Elf, although the traditional term is Bosmer."

Nightmare Moon turned to look at the elf as he walked away, having clearly not heard us. "Bosmer? I see, but... What exactly is an elf?"

I was about to offer a response, but... I suddenly found myself without words. What is an elf? Well, if that is not the million bit question, I do not know what is. "Uh... An elf is... Well.. They... Actually, I have no idea. They've long been a popular theme of fantasy and fiction where I come from, so I have no idea where the term originates."

"Ah, yes... And this world is fictional... Well, elves can be identified by those pointed ears, right?" Luna asked, apparently finding some humor in my own puzzlement judging by that crooked smile.

"Well... Generally, yes. Elves are known for having more pointed ears than humans. Their eyes tend to look different too. But in case you're wondering, he's the only elf here. Anyway..." Explained before turning and continuing on. My two friends immediately trotted along to catch up to me. The first spot we came to was the blacksmith's forge. It was safely tucked away under a roof that shielded it from the elements while allowing the smoke and heat from the forge to safely dissipate. Of course, being a man who has long held a fascination with swords and other weapons of ancient times, I found myself being instantly drawn towards it. Luna and Nightmare Moon followed as well, apparently placing their faith in my knowledge of the village.

Before I could actually get under the roof, I felt something land on my head. I held out my hand reflexively. And sure enough, I felt it. A raindrop. Luna then asked, "Wait... Is it starting to rain?"

"Rain is pretty common in this section of Skyrim." I replied while ducking under the forge's roof with my friends in tow. Moments later, a steady downpour began to blanket the entire village. Anyone who was caught outdoors instantly began running for cover, either by ducking inside the tiny number of cottages or by standing under the outlying roofs or awnings. Right across from the blacksmith's forge was one of the local guards standing just outside the door of the local trader. Even though he was likely accustomed to the weather patterns of this province and would leave his safe spot of someone was in danger, he clearly was not in favor of allowing himself to get caught in the rain, especially when the weather was already a bit cool.

The rain brought with it a very relaxing atmosphere that I absolutely adore. My two companions also seemed pleased by it, neither of them showing a frown while watching the rain come down. Eventually, I turned my eyes to the blacksmith hammering away on a sword he seemed to be crafting upon a stone table against the outside wall of his house. Clad in a dull red shirt and pale trousers while covered in a filthy dark apron, his dirty blond hair and beard seemed to have accumulated a bit of soot from his forge nearby. Judging by the sword's short hilt, upswept guard, and somewhat triangular blade, it seemed to be an arming sword.

While Luna and Nightmare Moon seemed to turn their attention to the waterwheel at the side of the lumber mill, I turned my attention to a table set up to their right that seemed to hold several recent creations that the blacksmith had put together. My eyes fell upon a flanged mace with four sturdy shiny steel blade making up the head with a pointed tip at the top. Having never actually held a mace before, I tried picking it up and performed a couple of light swings. I found the mace's point of balance to be much further away from the point I was grasping it than I would find on a sword I had experience using, causing myself to lightly stagger as I tried to bring it to a stop. Truly a heavy smashing weapon, meant to crush more than cut.

"Aye, the mace is rather heavy to most. I think you have more of a taste for the sword." I heard a man's voice with a thick accent of what I assumed to be Scandinavian before turning to face the blacksmith. Indeed, he was looking at me with his hammer still in hand. Warm and strong, he seemed all too willing to help me if I sought to make a purchase.

"Yeah, I would assume using maces is quite different from swinging a sword around. I wasn't going to make off with any of your wares though, Alvor. I swear." I replied while setting the mace back down, already knowing the blacksmith's name by heart.

Alvor let out a chuckle before speaking, "I did not even take you for the thieving type anyway. Although... Those two steeds right there. They yours? I'm surprised they were able to fit under my roof. Where did you buy them? Rather scrawny for workhorses."

Before I even had the chance to explain anything to Alvor, Nightmare Moon turned and scowled right at him after apparently overheard him. "I beg your pardon?"

His reaction was about what I expected. Alvor took a step back in surprise. "By Ysmir, they can... Agh!" He suddenly yelped and hopped and shook his right foot, having apparently dropped his hammer on it. Good thing he seemed to be wearing thick boots. Even so, his rather shocked expression got some hearty laughter out of my two companions while I merely cringed and snickered at the same time, both concerned and amused for the blacksmith.

I could not help myself and asked, "What? You see Khajiit and Argonians pass through now and then, but a talking pony surprises you?"

Luna managed to cease her laughter first and offer a retort. "Calm yourself, humble blacksmith! We mean no harm. All you need to know is that we are mere visitors in your cozy village."

Alvor shook his foot, his thick boot having likely endured the brunt of the impact while he snatched up his hammer. "Ah... Well... I can't say I've ever had the chance to actually see a horse talk. Let alone a unicorn! I heard they went extinct during the Oblivion Crisis... Although I must say you mares look like nothing less than the personal pets of the High King himself!"

He was clearly awestruck by my friends' physical appearances and the flowing natures of their beautiful manes and tails. Luna chuckled while she began to survey the blacksmith's wares on the table where I had found the mace. "Well, for a man to carry the title of High King, he must be an extraordinary king indeed... And you have quite a selection here."

"Only the finest weapons and armor. Do you wish to make a purchase?" Alvor replied while going back to the stone workbench to finish tempering the sword he had been working on.

Nightmare Moon also stepped forward while turning her gaze towards the wooden table lined with weapons. "Well, we have no need for weapons, although... Oh lord, what is his abominable excuse of a sword here?" Her eyes seemed to be focusing on a single-edged sword with an odd greenish coloration. The edge was uneven and jagged and looked incredibly crude in design, almost as if it was made out of rock instead of metal. Even if functional, it was not a sword I could ever see myself using.

Alvor seemed mildly amused by her disgust in the sword's design. "Ah, yes... Orc weapons tend to get a lot of funny looks. Do not ask me why they always prefer to have their weapons look like a something only the most primitive of warriors would craft, but they are much more functional than they appear."

"I suppose we shall take your word for it..." Luna replied while she also surveyed the list of weapons. However, she soon seemed to focus on a large two-handed sword that had an exceptionally broad blade and seemed to be made of something between brass and gold with some intricate symbols in the guard. "Ooh, this looks exotic. Almost appears to be made of gold, yet I'm sure it's not nearly that soft of a metal."

"You'd be quite right, lass. You can never go wrong with Dwarven weapons. Never rusts and never dulls. Not the mightiest weapons to choose from, but there are few more reliable." Alvor replied while examining the blade of his newest sword. It seemed to have been tempered to perfection.

However, Nightmare Moon did not seem entirely convinced of the sword's functionality. "I'm not so sure... It looks incredibly heavy and too hefty for such a sword design to be effective..." She then turned to me and asked, "What say you, my friend? Is this a sword you would like? You've always been quite proficient with the sword and shield, but..."

I, on the other hand, felt rather excited to actually wield such a sword. "You bet I'd like to try it. I've always had a soft spot for Dwemer weapons. And I've also always had a penchant for two-handed swords. I guess it's in my blood."

"Spoken like a true Nord! All right then, lad. I would say that would fetch around... Oh, say 326 Septims?" Alvor said with a grin at my subdued enthusiasm. However, he then reminded me that I had no means to pay for it.

"Uh... Septims? Who or what is a Septim?" Nightmare Moon asked, she and Luna looking noticeably confused. Wow, I just now see how odd the word 'Septim' looks.

"You don't know? Truly? Where are you even from? Atmora? The Septim is Tamriel's only form of currency." Alvor explained while pulling a gold coin out of his pocket. It showed a relief of a bearded man's head viewed from the side, not unlike the coins used in the world I come from.

Luna cocked her head to one side. "Hmm... Seems needlessly ornate for a mere coin. I take it bits will not suffice with you?"

As expected, Alvor had no idea what she was even speaking of. "Bits? Bits of what? Gold? Copper? Iron? I'll only take Septims, lass. Unless you're willing to barter something of equal or greater value, I'm afraid that's all I can accept."

The Princess of the Night glanced up at the top of her head while I looked on. It was rather amusing to see the three of them banter. "Well... I suppose my crown would suffice. That surely must be of some value."

However, Nightmare Moon shook her head and took one long look at the coin in Alvor's hand. Almost as if she was studying the design. "No, sister. Allow me. If it's Septims he wants, it is what he shall receive."

Seconds later, she lifted her head as her horn was engulfed in her deep blue magic aura. After a moment of focus, a large cluster of identical coins appeared out of thin air between them and hit the floor with a noisy clatter, startling the blacksmith into staggering back. Luna then even barked, "That many?! How could anyone even carry around that much without being dragged to the floor?!"

Alvor seemed genuinely shocked by how his payment had just materialized out of nowhere. "Was that magic?! I had no idea unicorn magic worked like that... No wonder they were always seen as heralds of good fortune..." He then snatched up one of the coins in one hand before glancing back and forth at the one he had shown us. Probably just examining it to make sure they were authentic. "Well, I'd say that covers it. The sword is yours, lad. Take good care of her and she'll take good care of you."

"Thanks, Alvor." I replied briefly while he started pushing the pile of coins up against the wall of his house, apparently unsure of what to do with such a massive pile of coins at the time. Considering that gold is quite heavy, it is unlikely he could carry them all away to begin with. However, when I grasped the hilt, I was surprised by just how heavy it felt. "Whoa... Heavier than I expected."

"I concur. It does look rather overbuilt. Are you sure you don't need some help?" Nightmare Moon asked in return while backing away from me with Luna. I suppose they were giving me some space until I was sure I knew what was doing with such a large weapon. Even if the world we were in was nothing but a dream, it is still a natural urge to want to stay out of harm's way.

"Nah, I got." I grunted while grasping the sword with both hands and finding my balance. It was certainly heavy and large, but I could still move it around with one hand if I was careful. I then lowered the sword over my back to set it in place and released my grasp on it while facing my friends. "OK, let's head ov..."

I was suddenly startled at the sound of a loud clatter right behind me. The sword I had just placed on my back had dropped to the floor and fallen in the direction of the table to my side, getting the guard hooked on the handles and hilts of several weapons and pulling them to the floor. I stood frozen in place with my teeth gritted for a good five seconds before turning and gazing at the mess I had just made. Alvor then asked while looking on, "Lad... What are you doing?"

Even the too royal sisters beside me seemed baffled by my actions. Nightmare Moon then asked, "My thoughts exactly. Why did you do that, James? Were you expecting the blade to just stick to you until you grasped the hilt again?"

I could not speak right away. I bent over while laughing myself silly. Curse video game physics! But I soon calmed myself and turned to Alvor. "Hey... Alvor, does this thing come with a matching scabbard?"

"Afraid not, lad." Alvor replied promptly, almost like he was surprised that the sword just fell from my like that.

Luna then added, "Why would you even want a scabbard for it? With a blade that massive, you wouldn't even be able to draw it from your back unless your arms could stretch several feet!"

She had a very good point there. Before I could do anything else, I quickly cleaned up the scattered weapons and placed them back on the table before lugging my new sword out of the blacksmith's workplace and to the road before us. The rain was starting to let up, so activity in the streets was returning to normal. The town guard that had been staying out of the rain had resumed his patrol and was passing near me before stopping near me and speaking up with a deep voice filled with an accent even thick than Alvor's. "That sword seems like it's too much for you. Perhaps you should stick with the sword and shield."

"Well, I just bought this, so I'm not in a hurry to return it... If I can just hoist it to my shoulder..." I grumbled while trying to keep a steady stance. The guard was clad in a sleeveless suit of brown scaled armor with what seemed to be an underlying suit of chainmail that I could see peeking out around his shoulder. Below his leather slacks were primitive boots consisting of leather lined with fur. He wore nothing over his reasonably toned arms, although his left hand clutched a round wooden shield bearing an etching of a horse's head against a yellow background. The symbol of Whiterun. A long yellow cloth was wrapped around his neck and settled over much of his front and below the waist while being secured by a few belts. His face was obscured by a type of closed helmet, with much of the front bearing a mask like iron frame with a pair of eye holes. Much of the crown and backside seemed to be composed of possible wood or reinforced leather with a brown finish, a small metal spike set onto the top. I felt no fear of the man, knowing that most of the hold guards in Skyrim are generally righteous men. Expect maybe for the ones of The Reach and The Rift, but that is another story.

The guard spoke up while moving to my right. "Easy there, lad. Slowly now." He firmly grasped the guard of my sword and helped my lift it until it was resting across my shoulder. That is actually the proper means to carry such a sword.

"Phew... Thanks. I'll be OK now." I said in gratitude for the guard's assistance. It was still fairly heavy, but my center of balance was much better with it upon my shoulders.

"Anytime, lad. Carry on." The guard replied before continuing along the street towards the western gate.

My two royal companions trotted out from under the blacksmith's roof while turning their gazes to the guard as he walked off. I then felt the need to ask. "Hey... Did some of the more ancient human villages have guards too?"

Nightmare Moon nodded with a rather nostalgic smile while Luna looked on too. "Of course they did. Law enforcement has been around for ages. Just because Equestria has always been a peaceful land does not mean we occasionally get a few bad apples that fall into the barrel. Much like the royal guard today, every settlement had armed and armored guards on patrol to uphold the peace and to protect their people from wild beasts. The wild creatures you see were not quite as cordial towards our people as they are today once upon a time."

Without much ado, I led my friends across the near wooden bridge and passed the lumber mill before coming to another stretch of land that was bordered on all sides by the shallows of the river that flowed past it. I could probably even wade through it to the other side. Even so, I was drawn to that spot due to it being a wide and open location to try out a few swings.

"Going to demonstrate your knowledge of the greater blade?" Luna asked while she and her sister took a seat on a tree stump near the water's edge.

"Yeah. At least... I hope I can use this thing right. I don't think sword's of this length should be this heavy." I replied while taking the sword in both hands. I then widened my stance before taking a wide swing while being mindful of Estoc's advice from much earlier. I must never overswing. Especially when I am not carrying a shield to compensate for a missed strike. However, even though I was trying mind my exertion, I still found myself staggering as I rather slowly swung the mighty broad blade of my sword. "This is...impossible! Why is it so heavy?!"

My two friends seemed baffled as well while I tried to figure out how to properly apply the blades weight. I tried taking a step to the left while I swung to increase momentum while not swinging too hard, but that only caused me to very nearly fall to my knees. Finally, Nightmare Moon stood up and trotted over to me. "I have to agree with you there. I've seen swords even longer than this that did not even weigh ten pounds."

Luna flapped her wings to bring herself closer to us in one motion. "I think I see the problem. The blade is simply too broad. There's too much material in this weapon, giving it too much weight." She then looked up at me with a rather perplexed expression. "Is this the norm for swords in this world? Are the warriors of this realm built like bronze statues with arms as thick as trees?"

I finally grew tired of lugging that monster of a blade around and plunged the tip into the ground so it would stand up without me having to hold it. "Now that you mention it... Yeah. The swords in Skyrim seem to be improperly designed. Just...don't ask too many questions about it. The world here is fictional."

Nightmare Moon let out a rather loud equine snort at those words. "Fictional indeed. But at least it's a rather beautiful world, if nothing else."

A moment later, I happened to notice movement coming towards us. A young girl with dirty blond hair and a maroon shirt with long dull white skirt was running towards us. Luna happened to notice as well and smiled. "It's been quite some time since I last saw a human child. They can be quite charming."

Sure enough, she came right over to us while looking rather excited. I decided to greet her first. "Hello. Can I help you, Dorthe?"

The child seemed unsure of how to address me at first. I suppose I can see why since my attire was closer to what one would see on a nobleman. "Hello, sir. I... I saw your horses and... They're very pretty."

Nightmare Moon chuckled and stepped towards her. "The compliment is appreciated, child. And your name is Dorthe?"

Dorthe stepped back, seeming both amazed and surprised that the two mares before her could speak. "They can talk too?! Wow, talking horses! Wait... I mean...unicorns! You have unicorns?!"

I smiled, finding amusement in her innocent observations of my friends. "They don't belong to me, Dorthe. They're my friends. And they're actually ponies, not horses. Horses tend to be much bigger and stockier."

Luna then stepped forward and extended her wing to her admirer. "Either way, it's a pleasure to meet you, Dorthe. I am Luna and my sister here is Nightmare Moon."

Once more, Dorthe was caught by surprise before her hands started to run over Luna's lovely wing. "You have wings too?! But... What do you call a unicorn with wings? Are you... Maybe you're also a dragon?"

That prompted a laugh from the two sisters before Nightmare Moon could explain. "Not quite, child... The correct term is alicorn."

Dorthe was in awe of my two friends. She held onto Luna's wavering mane and rubbed her face along it while having a truly dreamy expression on it. "Your mane is so pretty, Luna. And it's really soft too."

"Would you care to compare?" Nightmare Moon then asked while making her own mane extend towards the child.

The little girl was all too quick to partake in Nightmare Moon's offer, reaching out and caressing the almost ethereal mane in her hands before again rubbing her face in it. "Wow... Your mane is even softer."

http://youtu.be/qo3VAltxlr8

I said nothing while watching the child indulged in Nightmare Moon's beauty. It was endearing to see the Princess of Dreams being appreciated for the first time by a human other than myself. Even if that human was just an illusion. Eventually, Dorthe looked up at Nightmare Moon and asked a most obvious question. "Miss Moon? Is it all right if I ride you?"

That question seemed to catch both of the princesses by surprise. They looked at each other before Luna looked at Dorthe with a very bewildered gaze. "Uh... Well... That wouldn't be proper... I mean, I do think my sister could carry you, but..."

However, Nightmare Moon then cracked a smirk. "Oh, I don't see why not. Just make certain you hold on tightly."

"Really?! Wow, thank you!" Dorthe replied with typical childish enthusiasm while following Nightmare Moon over to the nearby tree stump and used it for some extra height so she could climb onto her. Despite the fact that she is significantly smaller than a horse with a much more slender body, the child easily centered herself on Nightmare Moon's back while being mindful of the location of her wings. While definitely not large enough to carry an adult human, Nightmare Moon is certainly able to carry a human child.

"I hope she's not too heavy for you, sister." Luna remarked while apparently finding it somewhat amusing to see the Princess of Dreams allowing herself to have a rider.

Nightmare Moon merely smirked before replying, "Well, this may be the only time she ever meets us, so why not? Now then, I'll be back shortly."

"Just don't go too far. You're not familiar with the area outside the walls." I added before Nightmare Moon trotted off with a delighted Dorthe holding on tight. While she trotted on down the southern rod, I turned to Luna. "Been a while since you last saw a human child, huh?"

"First time since their exodus from our world, to be honest." She replied with a calm smile. "Children do not differ much by species. Energetic and curious are the norm. I'm certain even a calm and gentle man like you was quite rambunctious as a youngster."

"Sure was... Funny how what you are as an adult can be entirely different to how you were as a kid." I said with a slight chuckle.

After a moment, Luna seemed to turn her gaze to the great blade that was sticking out of the ground nearby. She then spoke with a subdued tone, "James... About that previous world we were in..."

I did not like the sound of that at all, but I went along with it. "What about it? I swear that was Earth. And..."

"No, that's not what I mean. I know you were being serious. And I believe every word you said about your world potentially becoming like that someday." Luna said calmly while turning to face me. "What I meant was... Why be so concerned about what me and my sister are exposed to?"

Truly not an easy question to answer. But I decided to answer the best I could. With a sigh, I took a seat on the nearby tree stump and propped myself up with my right hand on my knee. "Well... I guess... I just don't want the innocent to witness things they should never have to see."

Luna remained silent for a moment before she walked up to me and placed her hoof on my other knee. "That is a rare value you possess, my friend. One who cherishes innocence is not something I have often seen in humans."

"Thanks... It's just... After living in Equestria for so long... I am just amazed and touched by just how pure and innocent the world's people feel compared to the world I come from. And I just don't want to see that innocence be lost." I explained sincerely with my head bowed. My eyes focused on the bits of grass and trail of ants that scurried between my shoes and the stump.

My royal friend gave me a very warm smile. "It warms my heart that you care so deeply for our way of life. Thank you, my friend. Although... You can ease up around me and my sisters. We have seen dark times before."

"Oh... I guess you're bound to see some dark things when you've been around for a few millennia." I replied while feeling slightly embarrassed that I had misjudged my two royal friends. "But... You still seem very pure and wise. Are you sure you... Well, for lack of a better term...retained your innocence?"

Luna sighed while closing her eyes briefly. "I suppose I have, to a certain degree. My sisters and I simply know better than to let what we have seen affect us in such a way. It is not in our nature to be vicious or cruel. And we wish to guide our people with that example always. To watch over and nurture our people, both socially and mentally... That has been our solemn duty since the day we took up the crown."

"And it looks like you and Celestia have done a virtually perfect job of that so far." I said with a smile, feeling very confident in my friends' leadership skills. "And judging by how you and Nightmare Moon handled yourselves a little while ago... I guess you have also seen battle?"

"Unfortunately, yes. We have engaged in battle in rare instances in the past. We must be prepared to fight to protect our world and our people from those that would seek to do them harm. And thankfully, we have the power to combat virtually any threat." The Princess of the Night said while showing a more serious expression. I suppose the knowledge she possessed is something she is not entirely proud of.

"Well, I'd say your looks are clearly deceiving. I think the rule of thumb in Equestria is the more beautiful a pony is, the more power that pony possesses. You'd think the craggiest and burliest ponies would be the ones to look out for, but nope! It's the drop dead gorgeous ones that'll blast you apart with lightning!" I could not help saying while Luna burst into laughter at my praise. I too could not help chuckling at my own wit for once.

During a lull in the conversation, I turned to the south and saw Nightmare Moon walking along the very apex of the slanted thatched roof of the inn with Dorthe still riding on her back. Her mother seemed to be in a bit of a panic on the ground while waving her arms at her daughter, but Dorthe seemed to be having a blast.

"I think I shall go explore the town a bit myself. Do not go too far, all right?" Luna asked before she began to trot towards the simple wooden bridge that spanned the river's shallows.

I saw no harm in letting Luna explore a bit. She was a guest in my dream, after all. "Sure thing. I'll be over here if you're looking for me." I retorted while seeing her off. I glanced over at the mighty sword I had left implanted in the ground, but I decided to just leave it be. I would never be able to effectively wield such a preposterous blade effectively.

I wandered along the stretch of land that was bordered on both sides by the river. I stood out on a walkway that was covered by its own thatched roof while standing out over the shallows. It was likely used as a fishing spot. While leaning against one of its support beams at the edge, I took a moment to just relax and gather my thoughts. I could not believe how much better I was feeling. I could barely even remember the memories that constantly plagued me while I am awake. This dream... It was proving to be an escape. A part of me was even hoping I would never wake up.

After several minutes, my gaze turned west. Was that Nightmare Moon? And...was she carrying a boy with her levitation spell? He seemed to be wearing a read shirt with black pants and had blond hair while also not seeming happy at all while flailing his arms and legs. Knowing who the only boy in the village was, I was hardly surprised and ran in her direction. "Oh, I can't wait to hear this..."

"Lemme go, you stupid horse!" I heard the boy yell as I drew near. Luna seemed to have the same idea as I did and was galloping across the nearest bridge to reach her sister.

"Sister! I know that this little whelp was crass, but... Surely, this isn't necessary!" Luna called out once she drew closer.

Nightmare Moon, on the other hand, looked rather frustrated and displeased. I can only imagine what that brat did to her. She merely dismissed her sister's pleas and began to approach the edge of the landmass that bordered the river. Was she going to toss the boy in? "Oh, believe me, Luna. I wouldn't be doing this if this little whelp didn't ask for it."

The boy then yelled out again, "I said lemme go! It's your fault you didn't duck when I threw that egg!"

I felt myself smirk, knowing that this particular child deserved the punishment that was coming his way. "So, what's his judgment? You're not gonna hurt the kid, are you?"

Nightmare Moon merely smirked at us. "Of course not. I'm just going to run him ragged." And with that, she used her magic to hurl the boy through the air and into the river. While definitely a shallow spot of the river, it was not too shallow and allowed the boy to resurface unharmed as he was carried back down the river to the plot of land we were standing on. All the while, I could not help but laugh.

Unfortunately, the guard who had helped me out earlier did not seem to find Nightmare Moon's creative punishment as entertaining to watch. He suddenly drew his sword, a relatively broad blade with a sharp tip and ran across the bridge towards us. "In the name of the jarl, stop right there!"

"Oh joy, what is it now?" Nightmare Moon said dryly while we turned to face him. As much as the kid deserved it, it sadly was viewed as a form of assault by the law.

The guard stood before her with sword drawn and shield ready, but did not strike. "You have committed crimes against Skyrim and her people. What say you in your defense?"

"What say I?" Nightmare Moon said with an irritated scowl. "That whelp hurled an egg at my head when I rounded the corner! Just ask little Dorthe. She was my witness. He... You're not going anywhere unless I say you can go!" She suddenly glanced to her right and pinned the boy in place with the levitation spell again. The kid was clearly soaked to the bone and definitely humbled.

The guard seemed to have some idea of what Nightmare Moon had gone through, having likely been stationed in Riverwood long enough to learn the names of every person there. "That Frodnar lad, hm? I can't go one week without having to report that brat to his family. But what you're doing is still going too far. Now, are you coming quietly?"

The Princess of Dreams was clearly frustrated that the guard was attempting to arrest her and soon raised her voice. "Do you even know who you are addressing?! You stand before the Princess of Dreams herself! Now, be on your way! You have a village to keep watch over, do you not?"

"You could be one of the Divines for all I care! The only man I answer to is the jarl. Last chance. Are you going to come quietly or will you pay the fine?" The guard responded while looking like he was ready to lash out with his sword. While the moment was certain tense, largely due to the presence of a raised weapon, it was starting to get rather comical too. Then again, Nightmare Moon could easily handle him if push came to shove.

Luna, clearly not willing to turn our little vacation into a brawl, spoke up. "Sister, just pay him the fine and be done with it!"

"Ugh, fine... I'll pay the fee." Nightmare Moon said with a groan, clearly not in the mood to deal with the guard any longer.

"Smart lass. Now then, come with me. We'll take any stolen goods and you'll be free to go. After you've paid the fine, of course." The guard said while sounding noticeably calmer, although he did not sheathe his sword.

However, our friend did not sound pleased with part of that statement. "Stolen goo... Just look at me, you simpleton! How could I possibly be carrying anything of the sort?!"

I could not help laughing at that. "She has a point there, sir. There aren't any pockets on her to hide something in." Luna also seemed quite amused judging by the face she was biting her lower lip.

The guard seemed on the verge of relenting. "Hm... You don't look like you could be carrying anything... And it's a long walk to Whiterun... Very well. You can pay your fine here and be on your way. That'll be twenty-five Septims."

That rather small number seemed to surprise Nightmare Moon. "Wait... That's it?"

"Yes. Twenty-five Septims for one case of assault." The guard explained while seeming tempted to sheathe his sword.

There was something devious about that smirk. Nightmare Moon then glanced over at Frodnar, who was starting to look increasingly nervous. She then looked back at the guard and asked, "So, if I were to dunk him nine more times, I would have to pay 250 instead?"

"Well... Yes. Why?" The guard asked while sounding noticeably suspicious.

While looking quite smug, Nightmare Moon suddenly conjured up a large cluster of gold coins that hit the ground between her and the guard with a loud clatter. The guard jumped back, surprised. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Watch the magic! And what's all this for?"

"250 of your precious Septims. Consider it payment in advance. I'm not done with that whelp yet." Nightmare Moon explained while smirking at Frodnar, who looked all the more intimidated by her stare.

"Uh... That's... Oh, fine. But just nine more times. Anymore than that and we'll have to do this song and dance again." The guard replied with a huff while returning his sword to its scabbard. He then gazed down at the pile of coins. "Now then... How am I gonna move all this?"

While the guard pondered how to move the coins, Nightmare Moon resumed her punishment of Frodnar. Nine times, she hurled him into the river. And each time he returned to shore. Except for one notable time. I think on the eighth toss, he tried to stay submerged and swim past us in the shallows. But unfortunately for him, that red shirt made him stand out enough fro his punisher to pull him from the water.

After the final toss... I should mention I was tasked with keeping count, by the way... Frodnar coughed and spat while he staggered to his feet after washing up on the banks one last time. The Princess of Dreams smirked while her horn's glow faded. "That will be all. Now, you better keep your nose clean unless you'd like to go for another swim. You understand me?"

Frodnar weakly nodded and staggered past her while heading towards the bridge, having been exhausted into submission. "I'm not doing anymore pranks for a while..."

"Well, that was satisfying to watch. I can't tell you how many people have wanted to mess with that kid." I said while drawing closer to my friend. "Even so, I'm amazed your magic even worked on him."

Both of the royal sisters seemed somewhat baffled by my words, with Luna being the one to reply. "Why wouldn't it? This may be a dream, but the laws of physics still seem to apply here."

I let out a sigh and grumbled under my breath, "Tell that to Bethesda..."

"Still... You were rather rough with the boy, sister. I feared you were going to break him apart!" Luna exclaimed while looking back at the river. It was flowing rather smoothly, so there was little chance of anyone getting carried downstream. Good thing too as there are a few small waterfalls down there.

Nightmare Moon merely rolled her eyes. "Luna, you know me better than that. His actions did not physically harm me, so I did not harm him either. I merely ran him to the point of exhaustion."

"Sad thing with brats is that they only learn when consequences are involved. They think they're invincible until someone finally decides to do something about them. Adults may know better through their own morality, but brats will usually only refrain from being jerks out of fear of being punished for it, not because they know it's wrong." I added while knowing what kind of kid Frodnar is brought back some rather unpleasant memories of my first encounters with Diamond Tiara. At least she actually learned in the end.

"Well said, James. It is rather unfortunate." Nightmare Moon replied with a nod. She did not seem entirely pleased with herself, but she did seem to get some satisfaction out of putting that unruly kid in his place. Well, enough of that.

For a while, the three of us simply wandered around the small town, basking in its simple beauty. We followed Faendal out for a brief excursion into the trees that lined the path we had followed into town to watch him demonstrate his archery skills, his bow of brass launching arrows with great precision into the bark of a tree that he seemed to consistently use for training.

On our way back into town, Luna turned to me. "That bow he was using... It seemed to be made of the same material as that sword you acquired from the blacksmith."

She was right. It bore the same almost golden hue as that sword. "Yeah, it was. It's of Dwemer design too."

We spent the remainder of the visit looking through the local shop and even picking up a bite to eat at the inn while the local bard serenaded us on his lute. Granted, we would not actually gain anything from eating anything in the dream, but it was fun to try out the cuisine of this land. Who knew apple and cabbage soup could be so flavorful? And I had no idea rabbit meat was that tender. I hope Angel never reads this entry... My friends made due a pair of sweet rolls along with their soup.

Even though there was not much else to do around such a simple village for someone who was merely visiting, it was a very relaxing stay. And it was definitely something I needed. Eventually, we all met up on the opposite end of the river just east of the lumber mill once more. Both of my friends were looking quite satisfied and relaxed.

"This has been quite a relaxing time, wouldn't you say?" Luna asked while letting out a yawn.

I nodded while taking a seat on one of the two stumps nearby. "Yeah... Didn't you girls once live like this too? You did say you weren't always royalty, right?"

Nightmare Moon nodded while she groaned as her wings flexed to let her stretch. "Indeed. If memory serves, our ways of living were fairly similar to this at one time. So it is quite nostalgic to be back here after so long."

However, moments later, my ears detected a sound being carried on the wind. Something ominous. It sounded like nothing more than a distant howling wind. And while I was unsure what could trigger the sound, I knew what it was coming from. And this time, I was by no means prepared for it.

My eyes quickly scanned the skies as I stood up. Nightmare Moon seemed to notice that I was somewhat alarmed and asked, "Something wrong?"

My eyes soon gazed to the northeast, watching the skyline between the two mountains that stood at both sides of the river. "Hey... You girls have seen battle before, right?"

"Yes. Why do you ask?" Luna replied from behind me.

I then pointed to the sky as something soared through the sky. "Because we've got a big one coming!"

http://youtu.be/XJDyv-YVPgw

A loud roar came from the airborne behemoth as it flapped its mighty wings to remain aloft. Nearby, all of the villagers aside from Faendal began to scramble and run inside the closest buildings they could reach while the guards took their longbows in hand and brought arrows to the bowstrings. The one that was patrolling the streets even called out, "Dragon! Everyone, inside now!"

"A dragon?! Seems rather small for one..." Luna spoke while she watched the winged beast approaching. Even from the ground, I could make out a purplish coloration in its hide and a pair of pronounced thick curved horns on its head. Not good... The toughest kind of dragon around.

Being entirely unarmored and without a means to fight such a beast, I immediately felt myself filled with anxiety. Was it going to merely pass overhead or was it going to attack the village? I soon got my answer. Instead of merely circling the village from above before moving on, it swooped towards the rooftops and veered away, almost as if taunting its prey. The guards began to let loose with their arrows, letting them fly before drawing another.

"Whatever it is, that beast likely intends to make a meal of these people. And I doubt the guards can stop it alone." Nightmare Moon spoke rather boldly while the dragon seemed to have not detected us yet. Even though it was just a dream... The sense of danger in the air felt far too real to me. "Luna. Are you up for this?"

I could not believe what I had just heard. "Wait, you're serious?! This thing isn't like the dragons of Equestria! Sure, it's smaller, but it's probably more dangerous! And that one is the deadliest breed around!" I exclaimed, finding it hard to believe that the two royal sisters could hold their against such a mighty beast. I may have known everything there was to know about how dangerous such a creature is, but they clearly did not.

Despite my words of warning, Nightmare Moon merely smirked at me. "You underestimate us, my friend. And besides, this is our domain. And as the keepers of the night and dreams, we must defend our people. Have faith in us, my friend. We will be fine. Are you ready, Luna?"

The Princess of the Night also stepped forward, looking rather confident too. "I am. Let's be off." The two royal sisters then spread their wings and took to the air before flying off in opposite directions. As for me, I took shelter by the only tree nearby. If I had to, I would duck behind it to protect myself if the dragon happened to notice me. All I could do from that point on was watch.

The dragon circled overhead as the three guards let their arrows fly, two of them taking shelter under the roofs atop the eastern and western walls while the third stood in the streets. Faendal too took part in defending the village, having quickly found a vantage point on the balcony that hung above the local shop's door. The dragon swooped over the village again as it let out a shriek as a torrent of flames burst forth from its mouth, leaving a trail of fire wherever the dragon passed overhead. By some miracle, the guard in the middle of town managed to avoid being scorched as he called out, "Fall to me, dragon!"

Soon, the dragon descended and landed with a thud at the crossroads in the middle of town. The guards on the walls continued to fire arrows, more and more of the sticking out of the dragon's tough hide as the seconds went by. The guard out on the streets dropped his bow and took his sword and shield in hand before charging the dragon and landing a mighty overhead swing squarely on its face. The dragon let out a deep bestial grunt as the blade hit home, although I knew it would take more than a few strikes to drop this beast.

Rather than try to bite at the guard, the dragon then pulled off a move I never expected to see. It lunged out with its head, barging right into the guard and sending him sprawling backwards across the road towards the western gate. The dragon did not pursue, but I could see what it was about to do. And the guard knew it too. Once he came to a stop, he desperately threw up his shield while still down on the ground. But with it being not nearly large enough to cover his body and being made almost entirely out of wood, I knew that the shield would not save him.

A part of me was filled with panic. That guard was about to be roasted alive. Just as I heard the dragon inhale, I saw a bright flash right in front of the guard. And a second later, the dragon shrieked as it unleashed a stream of concentrated orange flames in the guard's direction. But through the flames, I could see it. A translucent blue spherical barrier that pushed the flames aside. And I could see who was standing behind it and before the guard. "Luna!"

The dragon ceased its fiery assault after roughly four seconds. A trail of fire covered the stone street, but the guard was not harmed. And Luna stood boldly between him and the dragon while not looking the slightest bit fazed from diverting the flames away. "You will spill no blood today, beast! Begone, or face our wrath!"

Clearly consumed by its desire for dominance, the mighty beast prepared to chomp the tiny alicorn. But as it parted its jaws to crush her, Luna's horn shot forth a beam of icy frost. A second later, the dragon staggered back. And what I saw in its maw caused me to burst into laughter. A mass of ice had filled up its mouth and had even encrusted itself over its jaws!

I could even hear the guard behind Luna bursting out into laughter as the dragon's mightiest weapons were rendered useless. The dragon failed its head as muffled groans of frustration rumbled in its throat, the creature swinging its head in a futile attempt to dislodge its icy gag. All the while, the two other guards and Faendal continued to pepper the beast with arrows. It's fairly smooth and slender form was starting to look rather prickly with all those arrows sticking out of it. While the dragon reeled from its handicap, Luna did not budge from her spot or continue her magical assault. Perhaps she was just trying to coax the dragon into departing by making it not as able to defend itself.

Unfortunately, the dragon found a way around its sudden handicap. I heard a guttural hum in its throat before it sounded like it was trying to yell with its mouth closed. Only it was not a yell. The dragon lifted its head to the sky as the ice that filled its maw started to glow with a fiery orange light shining through it. Seconds later, the ice was either shattered or melted as another powerful stream of fire exploded from its jaws.

"Is there nothing that will stop it?!" The guard yelled from behind Luna as he stepped back. Separated from his bow, he would have no choice but to draw in close to strike. And after that last attempt, he clearly was not willing to risk it. However, the dragon seemed to turn its glare towards Luna instead. I was unsure of what to think. Luna had handled herself spectacularly so far. But could she truly best this ancient beast?

Before the dragon could decide how to face the tiny pony before it, there was an explosion of crackling electrical energy as what seemed to be a lightning bolt slammed into the dragons back, forcing it to let out a roar. And swooping by overhead was none other than the Princess of Dreams herself. "You had best flee while you can, dragon! We are no strangers to mighty foes!"

http://youtu.be/ybq_waDfyDI

Out of nowhere, the dragon let out a roar and actually began to speak in a thundering tone in words I could not hope to translate. Luna seemed surprised at this outburst and seemed to take a step back. "This beast can speak?!"

Apparently deciding that a ground assault would not serve it well, the dragon spread its great wings and propelled itself into the air before swooping east to gain some altitude before circling back to the village. Luna was quick to also take to the air, following after her sister as they prepared for what I was expecting to be one amazing dogfight between dragon and pony. Sure enough, the dragon swooped back and unleashed another roar of flames at the two sisters. But due to their swift speed and smaller size, they were far from easy targets. Combine that with the fact that they would erect magic barriers over themselves whenever the dragon came within striking distance. Although it did attempt to spice up its strategy by roaring out a few words of its native tongue to launch a type of purple shockwave from its mouth, this form of attack was far slower and all too easily evaded by swift aerial targets.

It was utterly amazing to see the dragon locked in aerial combat against the two royal sisters, the three soaring figures unleashing steams of fire, lightning bolts, and frigid cyclones and massive icicles back and forth. At one point, Nightmare Moon and the dragon got locked in a power struggle as its fiery breath and her lightning magic crossed, the two of them trying to overcome the other. Unfortunately for the dragon, it had to stop roaring at some point. Once it did have to stop to catch its breath, the stream of lighting magic slammed right into its face.

I lost count of how many times I laughed during that spectacle. It was awe-inspiring and even entertaining to see one of the deadliest creatures in Skyrim being completely outfoxed by two alicorns. Although it did pull a fast one at some point. During a swooping dive, the dragon actually smacked Nightmare Moon with its wing and sent her plummeting towards the very landmass I was standing on. I felt startled by her falling form, though she quickly righted herself and used the levitation spell to slow her fall. The dragon then seemed prepared to swoop overhead to unleash another gout of flames at her, but I busted out laughing when I saw Luna quite literally smack the soaring beast out of the air by smashing a massive ice pillar over its back! The dragon let out a startled shout as if it had no idea what had just hit it, slamming hard into the ground right in front of me. The tremor was so powerful that I nearly got knocked off my feet.

The towering beast was right in front of me, even as I hid behind the tree. And it was hell-bent of taking out Nightmare Moon once it regained its bearings. Even so, she stood her ground by erecting barriers whenever it seemed the dragon was going to try to bite her or unleash an inferno from its mouth. However, I soon saw her glance at the mighty sword we had left sticking out of the ground nearby. Once she had deflected another blow from the dragon, she unleashed a tiny blizzard into the dragon's face. The creature growled as it looked away, the frigid mist having stun its eyes. And during that brief distraction, Nightmare Moon used the levitation spell to pull the sword from the ground and...

What happened next both shocked and impressed me. The dragon did not see the gilded sword rising above it and prepared for another fiery assault. But just before it could do anything, Nightmare Moon plunged the blade right down into its head!

The dragon groaned loudly as its head was driven to the ground and pinned there. The sword sank deep, its long and sturdy blade having impaled and pinned the dragon's jaws together. It did not take much effort to pull the blade's tip from the ground, but the dragon's main means of attack were left disabled if it could not even get its mouth open. A deep crimson fluid oozed from the tip that stuck out of the dragon's lower jaw. Nightmare Moon had drawn first blood.

Apparently satisfied that the dragon could no longer pose a significant threat, Nightmare Moon merely stood before her humbled foe while Luna hovered overhead. A large cluster of ice spikes floated by her, ready to rain down on the dragon at the first sign of defiance. The Princess of Dreams glared the wounded dragon right in the eyes, even as it towered over her. "If you insist on bringing harm to this village, you do so at your own risk. I advise you flee now, dragon. You can no longer triumph against us."

As prideful as it was, the dragon seemed to grasp that it was no longer capable of holding its own against the two princesses with its mighty jaws and even mightier voice silenced. With a resentful grumble in its throat, the dragon spread its wings and took to the sky once more before silently flying northwest. And this time, it did not come back.

Seeing that the threat had passed, Luna descended to us while dismissing her ice magic. "Well, this certainly has become a dream to write home about. But was that truly a dragon? It only had two legs instead of four..."

It was then that I decided to emerge from my hiding spot. "Yeah, that was closer to what is called a wyvern. But all dragons in this world look like that, so it doesn't matter."

Nightmare Moon flexed her neck as the village slowly regained its air of activity as the townsfolk started to come back outdoors. They must have noticed that things had quieted down. "Well, it certainly was a tenacious foe. It should be glad that we did not have to finish it off. I was thinking that we would have to slam it into the cliff side there and impale it on ice pikes."

"Oh, he would've hated to be done in like that. Other dragons might even take offence to that. But still... Using that sword to keep his jaws shut like that?!" I exclaimed, still both impressed and slightly horrified to have witnessed such a brutal strike.

My friend snorted at me. "I had to shut it up somehow! And at least we actually did get some use out of that sword!" That prompted a laugh from us. Well, the dragon survived and would likely find a means to dislodge that sword from its jaws at some point. That crossguard could get hooked on something and be used to pull it out.

Not much later, Luna and Nightmare Moon were invited to the inn by one of the town guards for a feast as thanks for so thoroughly running off that dragon. However, since I knew I was incapable of doing anything to help, I stayed away from the inn and allowed my two friends to bask in their victory in peace.

http://youtu.be/Cmp5fr4wUEA

I spent my time just taking a walk through the village, basking in the quiet sounds of nature without ever passing through the gates. I eventually found myself ducking inside the local shop and pulling up a seat by the fireplace to warm myself. While not quite cold out, the air was fairly cool.

The crackling and popping of the burning logs in the fireplace was largely the only sound I was hearing aside from the shopkeeper sorting his wares from behind the counter to my right. Although he did eventually speak up to me with a rather hoarse voice. "Can I help you with anything, sir?"

I looked over at him and shook my head. "No, I'm good. Just coming in out of the cold for a bit. I hope you don't mind."

"Well, I suppose you can stay there by the fire if that's all you need. Just let me know if you do need anything." He replied before going back to checking on his goods.

Several minutes went by as I just watched the glowing surfaces of the logs among the ember and wavering flames. It felt good for once to be enjoying a bit of solitude for once. Not that I mind the presence of my friends, but there are times when I do prefer to be alone and just let my mind wander. Although that did not last much longer. I soon heard the door open behind me. But instead of hearing footsteps, I heard the clopping of hooves against the stone floor.

"There you are, James. Why are you not attending the celebration at the inn?" I heard Luna's voice ask from behind me. Sure enough, there she stood. And it seemed that she had a bottle of some strong drink being held in her magical grasp. It seemed that the label was displaying the etching of a traditional beehive. Since it clearly was related to honey, I identified the beverage was mead. Even the bottle seemed to be made of solidified honey judging by that orange coloration.

I suppose I should not be surprised that she and Nightmare Moon eventually noticed that I was not present. Even so, I replied honestly. "That celebration was being held in your honor, not mine. I didn't do anything to help drive off that dragon."

Luna sighed while showing a small frown. "It does not matter whether you mauled that beast to death with your bare hands or fled to the outskirts of the village. You are our friend and you are always welcome to any celebration we attend. Perhaps you just wished to be away from all the noise?"

"I guess so. I just prefer to do things at my own pace, even at rowdy parties." I explained briefly while noticing that the bottle of mead that floating rather close to me. "For me?"

My royal friend nodded with a smile. "When I noticed you were absent, I asked the innkeeper if he had any sweet drinks to share. He recommended this Honningbrew brand of mead. I know you have a preference for sweeter drinks and simply cannot stomach the bitter kinds."

I took the bottle in hand, finding it to be cool to the touch. "That sounds like me, all right. What did you end up having?"

Those words seemed to prompt my friend to display an awkward grimace. "I tried some of that highly recommended Nordic mead. Not bad, but... Ugh, I feel so queasy..."

"Yeah, I can see why some call it 'gut rot' in some parts." I retorted with a snicker. I then popped the bottle's cork off and lightly sniff it. It certainly had the rather distinctive strong scent of wine rather than other types of strong drink. I then brought the bottle to my lips and took a swig. I did quiver for a second due to the presence of fairly strong alcohol, but it did indeed taste like a very sweet type of wine. I also easily detected the lingering taste of honey, unusual for a strong drink. But as someone who had never tasted mead until that point, it was a new experience for me. "Pretty good stuff."

Luna stayed by my side while I enjoyed my drink. It was such a cozy feeling, relaxing in front of the fire with such a dear friend. I was feeling better than I had been feeling for a while. But once my bottle was empty, Luna turned to me. "Shall we head back over to the inn? Nightmare Moon is likely waiting for you."

"OK. I wouldn't mind some more food myself." I replied while I stood up. The two of us then departed out the door. But upon walking up the road again, I thought I noticed something odd about the distant skyline. It seemed to be turning sheer white. "Hey... What's up with that?"

The Princess of the Night paused while she seemed to squint her eyes to focus. "That's rather... Oh... I see.. Your body is beginning to awaken."

I felt uneasy about hearing those words. My dreams tend to become more lucid whenever either of the two sisters of the moon visit me. So I did remember seeing some of my dreams end in such a fashion. And knowing what likely awaited me when I awoke...

Nightmare Moon quickly emerged from the doorway and spread her wings to swoop over to us. "There you are... I sensed the dream world on the verge of collapse. Is it almost time?"

"I think so... But... Do I have to wake up?" I asked in return, feeling apprehensive of waking up to the real world and the likely anguish I would be subjected to again.

Both of the twin sisters looked at each other with unhappy stares. They too knew what I had been going through prior to falling asleep. This dream had been nothing short of a welcome escape from the mental and emotional torment that constantly flooded my mind. In fact, I was having some difficulty even recalling the painful memories in question. But I could still remember the pain as I lay in my hospital bed where I would likely awaken.

Finally, Nightmare Moon faced me with a melancholy frown. "We cannot keep you in slumber forever, my friend... You will have to awaken soon. And I will resume my efforts to find a cure to whatever it is that ails you."

However, Luna then smiled to me even as that wall of white engulfed the entire world around us while drawing closer. "Even so, fear not. When you slumber again, the two of us will be there for you."

The walls were closing in noticeably quicker than normal, almost as if something was hastening my awakening. The mountains, the trees, the river, the houses... Everything just disappeared into the white. Before it could reach me, my two friends drew close and held me in a feathery embrace with their wings. I held onto them. I did not want to wake up.

The white reached me and my vision became a haze. I felt something against my back. My vision became dark and filled with spots as I felt my eyes open. The sound of a heart monitor once again reached my ears. And then, much like the steadily rising pain of a burn suffered by a child touching a hot pan on a stovetop, the memories crawled to the forefront of my mind. And with them, the pain returned. I so desperately tried to calm myself and go back to sleep, hoping to escape the pain again and be with two of my dearest friends once more. But my body would not allow itself to sleep. Until nightfall, I would be stuck with the memories and all the mental agony they carried with them. Although I do know that while I did spend quite a bit of time writing about that dream, I cannot help it. It helps take my mind off of these thoughts in my head.

Any energy and drive I had to do anything was quickly drained from me mere moments after I awoke. The memories simply will not leave my head. I cannot even remember which day of the week it is. The first hour of the morning was spent in silence with an occasional visit from one of the nurses to check on me and provide me with breakfast. I almost had to force myself to eat. And due to my right hand being restrained, it was still rather clumsy of me to feed myself.

Once I had finished breakfast and placed the empty food tray back on its cart, I allowed my eyes to lazily wander around the room. The blinds that cover the window between my room and the hall were opened now that morning had come. The pot of flowers that Twilight is letting me borrow is still to my right. The ceiling fan Rainbow Dash made is still spinning above me. And that lovely porcelain lamp from Rarity is still to my left. And... That vase of azaleas in a black vase...

I think it was around 9 AM that I heard a knock at the door. Visiting hours must have begun. The doctors and nurses do not bother knocking when they come in, so it had to be someone from outside the hospital. Not really being excited at the thought of visitors other than those who are dear to me, I turned to face the door. Once again, the one who entered was somepony I had all but forgotten about.

She closed the door behind her and slowly approached me with a basket of freshly baked blueberry muffins hanging from her mouth. She stopped for a mere moment while we exchanged a gaze with each other. "Hi, James... I heard you've been in a coma until a couple days ago, so... I baked you something that you like."

Seeing her there before me melted my heart, the memories once again being briefly subdued as I remembered her. I managed to slightly smile. "Thanks, Derpy... You're a sweetheart."

Derpy smiled through the basket handle in her mouth, her misaligned eyes looking in my general direction. She lifted her head and set the basket on the food cart at my bedside, leaving it within arms reach. I immediately reached out and took one in hand after forcing myself to sit up. Even though I was not feeling happy enough to be hungry, going without a real meal for the last few days left me feeling a little desperate for some home cooking. And that first bite was simply delicious. I had almost forgotten how blueberry muffins even taste. "Man, that's good... I really needed this, Derpy. Thanks."

The local mailmare smiled solemnly at me. Although that smile turned into a deeply worried frown. "I heard... I heard that...you might not be around for much longer... Is that true?"

I lowered my half-eaten muffin upon hearing those words. I could not even look at her. Those words carried such grim weight with them. I had almost forgotten about my eventually fatal condition. "That's..... It's not a joke... According to the nurses, my body is...failing. Unless they find out what's wrong with me... I have less than two weeks left..."

At first, Derpy did not offer a reply. She merely stared at me with those goofy eyes of hers. Although she did soon start to mutter quietly while her ears began to droop. "But... But that's... I don't..."

I did not say anything so as to not interrupt her. She looked away while seemingly trying to find the right words. Soon, she looked at me. Tears had begun to flow from her eyes. I do not know what it was about her, but seeing her cry with her eyes being...well...derped only made her look all the more depressingly sorrowful. Her following words sank deep into my heart. "I don't want you to die..."

I did not know what to say. Those tears were genuine. She continued to speak in tears while pushing the cart aside so she could get to me. "I never forgot about the day we spent together... You've always been one of my best friends ever since, even if we don't spend that much time together. You're one of the few real friends I have... I don't want to lose any of my friends..."

All I could do was set aside my muffin and hold out my arm to embrace her. An offer she all too readily accepted. She practically leaped into my grasp, resting her head against my chest. I said nothing. There was nothing I could say that could calm her. What was I going to tell her? That I was going to be just fine in the end? I did not want to lie to her. Derpy sniffled and choked, her tears dripping onto my bare chest. "I wish the Doctor was here... He might know what to do."

I had all but forgotten about that strange stallion. Would he know what is wrong with me? "Where is he anyway?"

"He had to go away for something important. I don't know when he'll be back... Even he's never sure how long he'll be gone..." She replied quietly, just leaning against me.

We did not talk too much after that. Although Derpy did reveal to me that she would not be able to stay long at all. She would have to report to the post office before long to go to work and I did not want to keep her. She kept glancing at the clock on the wall to keep track of time so she would not be late. Even so, I could tell that she did not want to go.

Before long, we both looked towards the door at the sound of another knock. And in came another familiar face. She paused in the doorway upon finding Derpy standing by my bedside. "Oh? Hello, Derpy. Are you visiting too?"

Derpy managed to show a bit of a smile while she turned to our guest. "Uh huh. I brought him some fresh muffins too. Would you like one, Twilight?"

My dear wise friend stepped forward, but I noticed that her horn was covered by her billowing pink magic aura. It seemed that she had brought something along with her. "I'd love to, Derpy. I'm glad I got here before you have to leave."

At the mention of those words, Derpy glanced towards the clock. "Oh boy... I really do need to leave. I'll be late if I don't get over to the post office." She then reached out to me and gave my cheek a gentle nuzzle. "I hope you get better, James... Please, don't die..."

I did not offer a reply, although I did nod. I could not bring myself to tell her that I would be fine, because I would be lying if I said I would. Derpy then turned and trotted out the door, but not before pushing the food cart along with her and leaving it outside my room. The muffin basket was left by my bedside.

"That was nice of Derpy to visit you first thing in the morning, James. She's always been such a sweet mare." Twilight said with a smile while she walked in. However, right behind her floated what seemed to be a phonograph on a small round table. There even seemed to be a box of vinyl records floating next to it. "I hope you don't mind if I brought something else to liven up your surroundings."

It was likely another temporary donation. After Twilight set it down to the left of the heart monitor and in the corner, I gazed at it for a moment to try to recognize it. "If I had to guess... That's from Applejack?"

"Good guess, but not quite. Pinkie Pie let me borrow it and her entire music collection when I stopped by Sugarcube Corner for breakfast when I was on my way over here. Are you in the mood for anything?" Twilight replied while she seemed to look through the paper folders that held the records. "Huh... She sure has a lot of peppy songs here. Especially ragtime and the like..."

I certainly was not in the mood for anything peppy. "Is there any classical music in there? Especially something soft?"

"Umm... Yeah, it looks like there's a few in here. Any particular bands or artists you prefer?" She asked in return while levitating a few from the box.

"I don't know a thing about the field of music in Equestria, Twilight. Go ahead and surprise me." I said quietly while finishing off my current muffin. Twilight nodded before levitating one record out of its sleeve and setting it upon the player in the corner. Without even going over to it, she got it working. Seconds later, I heard the familiar scratching sound of the needle on the disc before the sound of pianos and violin began to fill the air. I have no idea which song it was, so you will have to use your imagination.

The music added some much needed atmosphere to the room, even if my overall mood was still quite gloomy. Twilight pulled up a stool and took a seat by my bedside. "Did Nightmare Moon and Princess Luna meet up with you when you went to sleep?"

"Yeah... It was a good time." I replied quietly as I managed to remember the events that transpired in my dreaming mind. I already miss them...

"I'm glad they helped you feel better, even for just a little while..." She said rather solemnly. I could tell that when she first entered the room, Twilight was feeling hopeful that things had improved overnight. But now that she was with me, that hope had been snuffed out.

Eventually, she did help herself to one of Derpy's muffins. "Mmm... Derpy sure knows her muffins. I think they even rival the ones you get from Sugarcube Corner."

I merely grunted in a bit of a laugh. But my eyes soon fell upon the vase of azaleas to my left. That black vase... "Hey, Twi... Was that vase black when it was first brought in?"

She turned to look where I was pointing. And her response was not at all what I expected. "Huh? Black? James, that vase is a bit on the green side. What makes you think it's black?"

What was she seeing that I was not? That vase was most certainly black and it still is even as I write this. I tried rubbing my eyes to see if that would clear up my vision. But when I looked at the vase again, it was still that shade of polished obsidian. "Uh... I guess my eyes just aren't working right."

"Well, the nurses didn't mention anything about deterioration of the eyes... Maybe you just need to rest them for a while." Twilight said in return while closely examining the vase. Why was she seeing a completely different color than I was? However, she soon frowned at me. "So... How are you feeling today? Do you think you might want to try talking to one of yours friends again? I know Fluttershy really misses you."

The mention of that name brought forth the most scouring memories in my mind. Of all the memories of that day, the ones involving her hurt the most. I still cringed at the thought of seeing her again. I finally felt the need to ask as my faith dwindled. "Twi... About Fluttershy... Are you sure the kid is mine? After what happened, do you think she... With someone else?"

I could tell that those words were not at all what Twilight was expecting. And that wounded expression showed they were words she did not want to hear. I felt a sinking feeling in my gut as my skin crawled, knowing I likely said something I should not have. "James... I can't believe you would even suspect something like that of her. She's been suffering ever since that day and she goes through each day fearing that she won't be able to even say she is sorry before you...go. I know you are doubtful of her now and... Well, to be honest, I don't entirely blame you. But I promise, the baby is yours."

"OK, I get it... Just... I can't help wondering. These memories, they... They just won't go away..." I said with a deep monotone while turning my gaze towards the ceiling. It honestly hurt to know I even said such a thing, even though... Why can I not forget?

Twilight could clearly see the guilt in my eyes and gently rubbed her hoof over my upper arm. "I know, I know... I just hope they get here ahead of schedule."

"They? Who are... Oh, them." I asked before remembering what she told me just before leaving last night. Someone she knows who might know how to help me. And someone I know, apparently. "Are you sure they might be able to help?"

My friend nodded with a slightly more confident smile. "Mmhm. Judging by how you've been acting lately, I'm sure they can help. And trust me, I know them well since I've known them almost all my life. If things go well, you'll probably be much better off after today. And they did say they will be here around noon."

"I'll take your word for it." I grumbled in reply, wondering who these people are. Someone I know and someone she has known most of her life. Was she just trying to surprise me?

Before much time passed, the same doctor who changed the bandages on my right arm stepped in. "Oh, good morning, Miss Sparkle. I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"It's OK. I was just keeping an eye on James. I'm acting as his caretaker while he's hospitalized." Twilight explained while glancing over at the doctor as he approached us. "Is something wrong?"

The doctor seemed to be keeping a neutral expression overall. "Well... The rate of deterioration seems unchanged. We've seen no improvements and only a gradual decline since yesterday. We're still doing all we can to find the cause though." He explained while coming over to the right side of my bed. He seemed to glance at the phonograph in the process, more than likely having not expected it to be there even as it played music.

I could tell that the doctor was coming over to inspect my arm. "How much longer until it's better, doc?"

He replied while beginning to undo the bandages, "Well, my original estimate was a few more days. But you were healing so nicely that I decided to check back early."

Bit by bit, the bandages were removed. I soon felt the faint breeze of Rainbow Dash's ceiling fan against my arm. And while rather ugly to look at, I have to say I was feeling rather hopeful at the sight of it. The doctor seemed pleased too. "Well, I'd say it's about done! All the dead skin has separated and can probably be peeled off no."

My entire hand and forearm just below the elbow was covered in on giant blister with the flesh below the elbow having started to peel. Using that as a starting point, I started to tug and pull at the flesh like adjusting the edge of a glove. "At least it doesn't hurt anymore."

More and more, I started to pull the scorched and dried skin down the length of my arm like a glove. The new skin that was revealed had a noticeable pinkish hue to it, almost like a baby's flesh. Well, a human baby, at least. Eventually, I managed to pull the entire thing off, my old burned flesh hanging by my thumb and finger like some disgusting glove. There were a few tears, but it was largely intact. Although Twilight did not like to look at it much. "That's...just creepy."

"Yeah... You don't see this very often... Doc, would you mind saving this? It's rare to see something like this come off you." I added before turning to the doctor. Even though it was rather gross, I found myself slightly enthralled with the bizarre glove of skin that came off my own body.

"If you insist. As for now, just try to keep your arm out of direct sunlight for a few days. I'll go bag this up for you." And with that, the doctor trotted out of the room. I flexed my fingers and lifted my right arm. It felt just fine.

"Well... I guess that's at least some good news." Twilight said while she seemed to observe the movements of my hand and arm. She then began to make her way to the right side of the bed. "Hey... Um... May I feel that?"

I suppose she was curious of how my new skin would feel. When I ran my own fingers along it, it felt exceptionally smooth and supple. "OK, Twi."

I reached out to her and tenderly caressed her jaw with my fingers and palm. She soon let out a sigh and leaned into my hand while her eyes closed. "You always had such a gentle touch. But...this is just so much softer..."

She just stood there, her head constantly rubbing against my hand. I adjusted the spot where I was touching now and then. Eventually, she opened her big purple eyes and began to constantly gaze at me without ever looking away. I would frequently return her gaze as well, though I almost felt nervous returning her stare.

Eventually, Twilight pulled her head away from my hand and lifted her hoof in a manner that seemed like she was tying to reach up and push my hand down. Instead, she made my hand rest upon her wrist. And then... She began to tenderly kiss my hand's new soft flesh.

I was unsure of what to do or say. But... I did feel rather calm. The memories that were constantly echoing in my head became far more quiet for the moment. Twilight soon tenderly lowered my arm back to my side, but continued to kiss and caress it. She was being just so...tender and sweet. Eventually, she rested the side of her head upon my arm and gazed up at me with a rather somber gaze. "I love you..."

Those words again. Even with my heart tightly closed from the sting that I still felt, I felt honored to hear those words. I nodded and managed to crack a smile. "Thank you, Twi..."

She clearly was disappointed I did not say more, but smiled nonetheless while she lifted her head from my arm before walking back around to the left side of my bed. "I'm glad I'm getting to spend so much time with you. If you want, we could do something to help pass the time."

I watched as Twilight seemed to levitate a small box from one of the saddlebags that she was wearing when she arrived. It seemed to be a type of board game. As she lifted its contents out of the box, I saw that it seemed to consist of a folding frame consisting of lines of tiny holes set in some sort of grid with each side being separated by a wall of sorts. The whole setup looked like an upside-down T. It looked quite familiar too. "You brought in a game of Battleship?"

Not surprisingly, Twilight seemed baffled by my words. "Battleship? Uh... No. This is Weather Patrol. Rainbow Dash loves this game, so I thought maybe you'd like it too. You game?"

"I guess. Let's see the game pieces." I replied while Twilight started to pass around a bunch of little red and blue plastic pieces that go into the... Oh, who am I kidding? If you live in Equestria and this board game is that popular, you likely already know how to play it. No need to explain it.

The games went back and forth for a while. I actually lost track of time. With the game relying entirely on luck, I ended up losing a bit more often than I won. It was still entertaining and I got a sense of accomplishment with the thrill of knowing that I had hit one of Twilight's targets. It did a good job of bolstering my mind's focus. Although those memories did begin to resurface after a while. Even so, I continued to play in the hopes of just distracting myself from them.

After a while, there was a knock at the door. Twilight instantly looked at the clock. It was very close to noon. "Oh, great! They're here! Just let me clean this up and I'll bring them in." Twilight said with a hint of excitement while using her magic to gather up the game board and the playing pieces and stuffing them back in it box. As she did so, I thought I noticed someone peeking through the window for an instant before ducking out of sight. It definitely was not one of the hospital's staff.

Once our game had been boxed up, Twilight trotted over to the door and opened it a crack before sticking her head past it. She must have been speaking quite softly with whoever was there because I did not hear them at all. Soon, she took a step back and looked at me. "James, there's somepony here who wants to see you."

I nodded and waited before someone stepped into the room. And it truly was not anyone I was expecting. But like Twilight claimed, I did know who it was. He smiled somberly at me while walking over to my bedside. "Hey there, James... How're you holding up?"

There was only one word I could say to him. "Captain?"

"You know you don't have to call me that. We're friends, right?" Shining Armor said while he came to a stop beside me. It was the first time I had ever seen him out of uniform. One would never guess he had any connecting to the royal guard without it. He just looks like such a nice ordinary guy.

I let out a sigh at his words. We had always been on good terms with each other but... I was unsure if we had ever actually been friends. He soon looked up and down at me before he frowned. "I heard about Discord... Even saw the aftermath in the courtyard. Just wow... You surprised me, James. Taking that guy down... Well done. Very well done. But... I'm sorry you're having to go through this."

His words reminded me immediately of everything that happened back there. All I went through. All I did to Discord... It hurt. I turned away, looking at the mirror that rested on the windowsill. "I take it you're the one Twilight called to help?"

To my surprise, he just let out a chuckle and shook his head. "Nah. I'm just along for the ride. The real love doctor will be with you shortly."

"The...what?" I asked in return, prompting a slight giggle from Twilight next to the door. Whatever they had set up, they were clearly confident that it would be effective. Twilight then opened the door a bit to call in whoever else was outside. And when the door opened, I was genuinely surprised of who I saw in the mirror's reflection. I turned and looked at her instantly. "Cadence?"

The door closed behind her, leaving me contained in my room with Twilight, her brother, and her sister-in-law. If there was one person in all of Equestria I was not expecting to see, it was Cadence. She gracefully approached me while trying to cast a calming smile at me. "It's been a while, James... I've heard about what happened. You poor dear, I'm so sorry..."

"Thanks..." I muttered in return. I then glanced over at Twilight while she began to draw near. "So... You think they can help me?"

Cadence nodded promptly. "I'm sure I can. My aunt's have been relaying the information regarding your well-being to me and... Well, judging from what Twilight has said, I think I may be able to pinpoint what's wrong."

"Your physical well-being clearly isn't the problem, James. It's definitely something that falls into your spiritual state." Twilight added while the three of them gathered around me.

"OK... But what can Cadence do about it?" I asked while not feeling very convinced. I must confess that I know extremely little about Cadence aside from her being married to Shining Armor and her apparent connections to the royal family.

Shining Armor rolled his eyes while smirking. "Well, not to brag, but nopony spreads love everywhere they go like Cadence can."

The lovely alicorn then stepped forward as her horn became coated by a beautiful light blue magic aura similar to the heart-shaped gemstone in her cutie mark. She then began to lower her horn to my head. "Be still, James. I just need to get a feel for you first before I can decide what I can do."

She closed her eyes while I turned my gaze to Shining Armor. "What exactly can she do to help me? You guys know her a lot better than I do."

Twilight was the one to answer. "Basically, Cadence is able to use a unique type of magic that nopony else I've ever heard of can use. Sure, it's not anything like Princess Celestia can use, but it's a very beneficial type of magic."

Armor then added while cracking a rather awkward smile. "This is gonna sound cheesy, but... It's basically love magic."

He was right. It sounded incredibly silly. Like something that you would hear of in a little girl's storybook. But knowing that Twilight had called Cadence in to help meant that it was likely it could help me. And I was not going to turn down any attempts by this point. All I wanted was to be free of the memories that haunt me at every turn.

After a moment longer, Cadence began to speak with a solemn frown. "It's worse than I thought... Just like before, your heart is still absolutely bursting with love, James. But... It's being constrained. There is a powerful overwhelming layer of fear that is keeping it chained. You want to love, but the pain and fear of more pain is keeping you from doing so. And that love just begging to get out... It hurts. Almost like it's poisoning you due to an excessive buildup."

Those words brought a sorrowful frown to Twilight's face as her ears drooped. "That's...about what I thought was the problem..."

In some strange way, I was not entirely surprised by her words. She was right. I wanted to let myself open up, but the memories... The pain I can still vividly remember... They keep reminding me of what happened the last time I opened my heart to those who meant the world to me. "I see.. So, what's the cure?"

Armor smiled reassuringly at me. "Well, if the problem is that the love in your heart is being restrained, it just needs something to bring it to the surface... Man, I can't believe how corny that sounds..." Cadence and Twilight snickered at his disdain for the use of such words. I know that he is a man and I could certainly see why he would be bothered about saying something like that, but with how the situation was no laughing matter, I knew we were all taking it with a grain of salt.

"Um... And you can do that, Cadence?" I asked while looking up at the alicorn above me.

She nodded with a smile. "I can. There's a little spell I have that does just that. It brings the feelings of love one already has to the surface, making it the most prominent feeling in the person's mind."

"Mind... Are you sure that's not a type of mind control?" I asked while starting to feel somewhat unsure about this method.

Cadence let out an amused giggle at my accusation. "Trust me, I get that a lot more often than I'd like to admit. Maybe a demonstration will clear things up."

She turned her gaze to Shining Armor and Twilight, who did not seem the least bit bothered by it. Her horn was once more covered by that lovely light bleu aura and... Well, this may sound odd, but a red heart shape began to form at her horn's tip whiel several much smaller ones gravitated around it. I understand that it was just a magical conjuration, but it almost looked solid. It then left her horn and drifted towards the two unicorns before cracking and splitting down the middle. The orbiting smaller hearts faded from sight while the two halves looped around the two siblings and joined together to become whole again in the space between them, a dull flash of light emanating from it before it faded from sight entirely.

At first, they did not show much of a reaction. But they soon glanced at each other. The two of them smiled warmly before Shining Armor held out his arm to his sister. "Aww... Come here, Twily."

Twilight giggled happily before trotting forward and into her brother's embrace while giving him one in return. It was actually quite cute to behold. Cadence then smiled at me. "All it does is bolster the love the person already has. Reminds them of why they love in the first place."

A simple, yet beautiful type of magic. However, I still frowned and let out a sigh. "You know it's not that simple for me, right?"

Cadence sighed and shook her head. "I know what happened. Twilight told me everything to make sure I understood the situation. But... You still love them, don't you? Don't you want to love them like you used to?"

http://youtu.be/UY4lnJ-RvEw

I knew who she was referring to. For a moment, I tried to focus. To think through the miasma of negativity that was constantly clouding my mind. I tried to remember at least one good thing I experienced with each of them.

I remembered the moment when I found Applejack selling her wares during the Grand Galloping Gala. I remembered the time when I first met Rarity as she tenderly bandaged my head. The sincere care she put into not only healing me but even making me look good when she used markers to color the bandages. I remembered... Oh, there were just too many good moments to remember with Pinkie Pie. Her smile. Her laughter. Her constant adoration of her friends... And... I remember meeting up with Fluttershy and helping her gather up all those baby rabbits...

At any other time, those memories would have been rather unimpressive. But when viewed through that scarring veil... They were so...beautiful. They made me long for better days, even though the friends I once had no longer exist. Or at least...that is what it feels like with these memories constantly hounding me at every moment. "I...want things to go back to how they used to be. Cadence. Do what you have to do."

She nodded with a warm smile as Twilight and Shining Armor turned their attention to me. "I shall. Now, be still. I'm just going to bring your love to the surface and past whatever fears and pain are still there."

I laid still before her while she began to cast her spell once again. Unlike before, where it was used on two individuals, this time it seemed to conjure up a swirling mass of tiny hearts and began to whirl around my head. I closed my eyes. I could feel myself becoming at ease. The painful memories began to regress. The memories that I could not remember with the most painful memories in the way began to come to the forefront of my mind. The fear was fading. I no longer felt afraid of them. I felt warm tingles spread through my face. At last, I could remember what I needed to remember.

At least that is how it went for the first seven seconds or so. I felt great. But out of nowhere... Just... My god... This is difficult for me to write, but... Out of nowhere... The memories... They burst forth from behind the wonderful memories I was finally able to remember. The sounds. The pain. It filled my head to near bursting. Swelling... Filling...

I flailed as my hands reached for my head. I was shrieking in agony! I felt as if my head was on the verge of rupturing! I could not speak. My could barely control my body as I flailed in my bed. I could barely hear the sound of my own heart monitor. It sounded as if it was going haywire. Finally, I heard Shining Armor shout. "Cadence, stop! He's bleeding!"

At that point, the agony began to subside to the more manageable dull pain I had been feeling for the last few days. I moaned and groaned, my senses slowly coming back to me as the adrenaline began to filter out of my body. That pain... It was worse than any other physical pain I had ever felt in my life. I thought I was dying... But I could feel it. Something oozing down my lips from my nose. Warm... Blood. That spell had actually...

Once my eyes had adjusted, I turned my gaze to Cadence. She looked incredibly distraught and uneasy. "Oh my goodness... James, are you all right?"

I saw her horn being engulfed by her blue magic aura again. I instantly became afraid. Was she going to use the same spell on me again? A sense of panic coming over me, I reached out and grabbed her face before I pushed her away as hard as I could. "No! Please, don't!"

Cadence staggered backwards, but managed to stop herself from falling. Shining Armor sounded alarmed and spoke up, "Whoa, James. Easy... She was just trying to help. What happened?"

Once more, Cadence began to approach me while looking and even sounding upset. "James, please... Just let me..."

My eyes were fixated on her horn much like a child having known the pain of an injection seeing the doctor drawing near to administer a shot. The instant I saw that aura cover her horn again, I panicked. That spell was going to kill me!

I pushed myself away from her, very nearly falling out of the bed. I could feel tears flowing down my face. I cannot recall the last time I had been so mortally afraid that I actually cried. I called out in desperation, "Twilight, get her away from me! Don't let her use it!"

Twilight briefly hesitated before she stepped forward and placed her hoof on Cadence's shoulder. Right at that moment, the door to the room opened as the same doctor as before entered with a pair of nurses at his side. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave. Our patient's vital signs just went critical."

It was likely a response to my physical readings when that spell was used on me. It is easy to forget that my bed is tied into some sort of mainframe up in the wall behind me. Without a word, Twilight led Cadence and Shining Armor out of the room. For the moment, I felt safe even as the memories once again assaulted my mind. The doctors used various devices on my body, testing my vital signs, checking my blood pressure, and so forth. I refused any and all advances that required to use of needles though. I was in enough pain already.

A few minutes later, the medics departed after finding that my physical condition had more or less stabilized. I turned my head to the window, once more eyeing the mirror there. To my surprise, I could see the three of them outside the window that faced the hall. Shining Armor and Twilight were facing Cadence, who looked like she was in tears.

The door just happened to be open a crack, allowing me to hear them fairly clearly. Shining Armor then asked, "Cadence, what did you do to him? The guy was bleeding. Are you sure that was the right spell?"

She replied with a voice that was almost agonizing to hear. It was that distraught. "I didn't mean to hurt him! That was the same spell I've used many times before! It shouldn't have done that!"

I could hear a loud sniffle come from Cadence. As afraid as I was of her at that moment, I could understand how upset with herself she must have been. To try to genuinely help someone only to end up almost killing them is not an experience that can be taken lightly.

Twilight then added, "I know... You'd never do anything that would hurt anypony. But... I've never heard him scream like that. He was in a huge amount of pain. Has anything like that happened in response to you using that spell on anypony?"

"No, never! Love magic isn't supposed to hurt the person it's used on!" Cadence replied loudly while wiping her tears with her hoof.

Her husband stepped forward and held her in his arm in a clear attempt to comfort her. "Yeah, I guess that was a silly question. It doesn't make sense that magic like that would hurt anypony..."

For a moment, they fell silent. Either that, or they were speaking too quietly for me to hear. Thinking they were on the verge of departing, I allowed myself to just lay my head down and relax. However, I soon heard the door open again followed by the sound of hooves. Just one pony. I was expecting it to be Twilight. But when I turned my gaze up to the mirror, I felt my skin crawl with anxiety. Cadence was walking towards me.

"James... Please, look at me..." I heard her say softly while drawing close to me. I felt the fear of pain fill me as I saw her drawing increasingly closer. And since things shown in mirrors are closer than they seem to appear...

I immediately rolled to my left to face her, praying that she would leave. "Please... Just go away."

She clearly was not happy to hear those words. If anything, she seemed hurt by them as she stopped dead in her tracks. Her ears drooped, but I was still wary. My eyes were constantly focusing on her horn, gravely fearful of her using that spell on me again. She seemed to understand this and spoke while sniffling, "I'm sorry... I really didn't think that... I won't use that spell again. I promise. Just... Please, let me come closer."

Wary as I was, the one thing I feared most was having that spell used on me. As long as she would make certain to not do that, I could probably tolerate her presence. "OK... Just... No magic."

She smiled just slightly before she continued her approach. But she seemed to eye me with a concerned frown. "You're still bleeding... Hold on."

I suppose she was right. The flow had slowed and the medics had already cleaned up the blood that had already oozed from my nostrils, but more was still oozing from it. But I felt my blood chill in terror as I saw that light blue magic aura coat her horn again. "Hey... No, I said no magic!"

Clearly alarmed, Cadence looked at me as a piece of tissue paper was pulled from its box on the nightstand beside me. "It's just the levitation spell. It's not going to hurt you. Please, I only want to..."

I was not going to have any part of it though. The last time that horn was pointed at me with her magic being active, I felt more pain than any time I could remember. I backed away from her with my arm outstretched to keep her away from me. "No! No magic!"

Cadence was not used to this level of emotional duress as she kept pressing forward. She was trying to not cry. Overwhelmed with terror and knowing she could use that magic on me at any time even with my arm outstretched, I resorts to covering my face with my arms. I silently pleaded that she would go away and leave me in peace.

What I felt next was not what I was expecting. I felt something sheer and soft rubbing my upper lip. It was not being rough in any way. Puzzled yet still wary, I lowered my arms to see. A square of tissue paper that had been folded a few times was being used to mop up my blood while covered in a familiar light blue aura. I turned my head and saw Cadence looking at me with a profound frown on her face. "I promise I won't hurt you again."

I still felt uneasy at the sight of her horn still channeling that magic energy through it, but I was beginning to feel myself relax at a snail's pace. Once the entire piece of paper had been dyed crimson, Cadence discarded it into a nearby wastebasket before pulling another from the box next to that vase of flowers and bringing it to my nose again. "Sit up and lean forward. That should help make the bleeding stop."

I did as I was told, knowing about that little bit of information myself. For the next minute or so, Cadence continued to tend to my still bleeding nose. I glanced over at the window ahead of me. Shining Armor and Twilight were watching in silence. I said nothing while Cadence kept wiping my face of blood as quickly as it could spill.

Eventually, after maybe a few minutes, my bleeding came to a stop. I felt myself relax further as I saw that magic aura vanish from her horn. "There... Feel better, James?"

Still somewhat wary of her, I turned my head away. "I don't know..."

I suddenly felt something soft caress my cheek. I recognized that feeling. Feathers. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Cadence reaching out with her wing while tenderly touching my cheek. "You poor dear... What in the world happened to you? It's almost like there's some dark forces at work... You deserve better than this..."

"At this point, I wouldn't be surprised." I muttered quietly, not certain if she heard me or not. Soon, I felt her hoof tenderly caress my cheek.

I turned my gaze to Cadence, finding her looking at me with a worried stare. Tears marred her face. "I'm sorry there's nothing I can do for you. But please... Try to hold on. Twilight would be devastated if she lost you."

"I'll try..." I said softly in reply. Feeling more at ease than before, I started to reach out with my arm. Cadence did so as well at roughly the same time and we soon found ourselves holding each other in a tender embrace. As uncertain as I was on how to feel about her, I could feel it in that embrace and her tending to me. Twilight was right. Cadence really is full of love.

After that, Cadence finally bid me farewell and left the room. Twilight then entered the room while I tried to make myself comfortable on my bed again. "Did things go well with you and Cadence?"

"I guess..." I spoke quietly. The memories were still plaguing me, but now I had a new memory of searing pain burned into my mind.

"James... I swear that Cadence wasn't trying to hurt you." Twilight explained while she hurried over to me and caressed my head with her hoof. "I've known her almost my entire life, and she has never been anypony who would hurt someone. I thought for sure that she could've helped you... I just wish I knew what went wrong. That was terrifying, the way you screamed out like that..."

"It felt like she was trying to kill me..." I wheezed, my head still throbbing from a massive headache as a result of that shockwave of agony. Even though the memories still gave me a strange desire for death, the last way I would ever want to die is in agony.

Twilight seemed bothered by those words and shook her head. "I promise you she's not like that at all. Cadence has always been a big sweetheart."

"I believe you... I just... I wish I knew why that hurt like that when it didn't hurt you or your brother... Are they still here?" I retorted, my trust in Cadence still somewhat shaky.

"No. I think they're going to get some lunch before they get on the next train back to Canterlot. I'm just sorry calling them here was a waste of time. I was so sure Cadence's magic would work..." Twilight said with a sigh while looking so disappointed. She must know Cadence well.

I did not say anything for a moment. However, Twilight soon glanced at the stack of papers in the box next to my bed. "Say... Would it be all right if I sent your journal entries to Princess Celestia? I was thinking... You document everything that comes up in a day when you write those journals, right?"

It was rather unexpected for Twilight to take an interest in my journals. I looked at her and asked, "Everything that I feel is worth mentioning, yeah. Why?"

Twilight surprised me with a somewhat hopeful smile. "Well... You know everything that's been happening with you. I was thinking that maybe Nightmare Moon could analyze your writings to maybe get some clues about what might be wrong with you. She did say she was going to try to figure out what's been happening, right?"

That suggestion was nothing short of brilliant. There are things that only the person who has written the journal know and feel that outsiders cannot see or comprehend. "That sounds...like a good idea. You want to gather up and send my entries from the last two days?"

She nodded before using her levitation magic to lift the two separate stacks of paper from the box. "You got it. I'll head home right now and have Spike send them over. Would you like me to get you some lunch on my way back?"

"Thanks, but I'll pass. I'm really not feeling hungry right now..." I said quietly, still feeling too...unhappy to even consider eating anything.

Twilight seemed concerned, but respected my decision and departed with my previous two entries with her. Alone again, though the phonograph in the corner provided me with some pleasant music to help pass the time. I began to wonder if anyone would visit me while Twilight was gone.

Not even twenty minutes later, I got my answer. There was a knock at the door. A second later, in trotted a very familiar pegasus who brought a smile to my face. "Hey there, big guy. Twilight's not here?"

It was Rainbow Dash. It seems like I can always count on her to be there for me when things get bad. "Not right now. She had to head home for a bit."

The brazen pegasus trotted over to me while glancing up at the ceiling fan she put together. "How's my little contribution doing? Keeping a nice little bre... Hey, wait a second. Where's that music coming from?"

I pointed over in the corner with my right hand to reveal the phonograph to her But rather than pay much attention to the source of the music, she instead turned her eyes to my arm. "Hey, your arm's all better!"

She swooped over to the other side and immediately took my arm between her hooves before rubbing her hooves along it. "Man, your skin feels extra soft now. I could just sleep on it." I could not help smiling at her words. And it did feel could to have use of my arm again.

Before much longer, the door opened again to reveal Twilight again. This time, she had a wooden stool with a green finish floating behind her. "Huh? Oh, you always sneak in when I'm not around, don't you? But thanks for keeping James company while I was gone, Rainbow."

"Hey, somepony's gotta keep his spirits up. The poor guy just isn't doing well... And where'd ya get that?" Rainbow Dash replied while pointing at the stool in Twilight's magical grasp.

Our friend brought it forward and set down by my bedside. "This? Applejack let me borrow it so I could have something from her place here. She was originally planning on loaning us that rocking chair she has, but Granny Smith wasn't too happy with that idea. She uses it for her naps."

"Those geezers and their rockers... Well, at least it adds a little 'Applejack' to the place. Right, James?" Rainbow Dash said with a smug smirk while nudging me with her elbow.

That shade of green did bring to mind Applejack's home. Now all we needed was something from Fluttershy' house to complete the set. Assuming she will actually loan anything. I was liking how the various bits of furniture were adding some personal touches to the overall look of the room. But at the same time, remembering her got me curious. "Hey... How are the girls doing?"

Both of the two mares did not seem happy to think of an answer to that. They both frowned while Twilight spoke up in reply. "Well... Pretty much nothing has changed. Although I don't think Fluttershy has been suicidal since the last time."

Rainbow Dash then took a seat on the stool. "Yeah... Same old same old. Right now, it's just one big waiting game. I mean... We're all trying hard to not think about... You know..."

I merely looked at her and nodded before Rainbow Dash leaned forward and rested her chin and hoof on my arm while looking absolutely miserable. "We... We just don't wanna say goodbye..."

"Me neither..." I said softly while pulling my arm away and caressing her head.

The two mares did not leave my side once for the next few hours, although they did leave the room at least once to use the restroom or grab a snack. Being confined to a bed and feeling increasingly weak with every passing day, I had been reserved to using a bedpan. I would rather not go into detail about that.

After a while, Rainbow Dash seemed to start looking around the room out of boredom. Eventually, she started rummaging through the drawers in the nightstand to my left. And soon, she pulled out a folded piece of paper that awakened a familiar sense of fear in me. "Huh? Hey, what's this?"

Twilight glanced over at her and explained, "That's a card Fluttershy dropped off yesterday. But...uh..."

Rainbow then flipped it open to check its contents. "Aww... Yeah, that's Fluttershy's style. Really sweet and sappy. Kinda sad too... Man, she's worried." But just when I thought she was going to put it back in the drawer, she turned it to me. "Here ya go, big guy. It's for you, after all."

The instant I saw the ink starting to melt off the paper again, I shield my eyes. I was not going to let myself suffer that pain again. "No, get it away from me!"

Even though I could not see what was happening, Rainbow Dash sounded bothered. "What's your problem?! It's just a 'get well' card she put together!"

Before Rainbow could comment further, I heard Twilight speak up. "Rainbow.. Put it back. If he's that scared of it, we shouldn't stress him over it."

"OK, OK... Sorry about that, James." I heard Rainbow say with a sigh before hearing the sound of a drawer opening. When I lowered my arms, I saw her pushing the drawer shut again. Close call.

For a moment, the room was quiet. But then Twilight glanced at the door before looking back at me. "Actually... I'll be right back. I just had an idea." She then hurried out of the room, leaving me with Rainbow Dash.

"An idea...?" I muttered softly while I watched Twilight trot by the window to the door's right. She was not leaving the hospital, so where was she going?

"Yeah, she's up to something." Rainbow added with an eyebrow raised. But she then shrugged her shoulders before looking at Twilight's saddlebags. Clearly spurred by boredom, she started rummaging through it before pulling out the same board game as before. "Aw, sweet! Twilight brought Weather Patrol! You up for a few games? I never lose, just so you know."

That little boast caught my attention. Especially the 'never' part. "Let me guess. You always won because you cheated?"

That seemed to get under her skin, but it also seemed to make her a bit nervous while she set the box down at my side. "What?! Cheat?! Me?! Never!"

"Rainbow..." I grumbled while I glared at her. Knowing her ego as well as I think I do, it would not surprise me at all if she was lying.

She maintained that look of defiance while I looked at her without blinking. Soon, her facade faded and she averted her eyes while her ears cutely drooped. "Man... I can't lie to you. OK, yes. I usually won because I cheated. A lot."

"You got some weird victory addiction? Why don't you check yourself into rehab while you're here?" I replied, both not pleased or surprised by her revelation.

"Hey, you know me! I love winning and hate losing." She spoke while apparently trying to make herself look better.

While I started to set up the game board, I decided to shoot down her bloated ego. "Rainbow. No one likes to lose. But you win some and lose some. That's a fact of life. Better to lose with grace than win my foul means. People will start to hate you if you don't. Although I do think you've been getting a bit more humble since the day I first met you last year."

A moment of silence later, Rainbow Dash stepped forward and pushed the board as before reaching out and planting a kiss on my lips. Not a deep and romantic one that she really enjoys, but a quick and sincere one. She then looked me directly in the eye with a rather calm and serious gaze. "That 's what I love about you, James. You're a good influence on me."

I somehow found myself smiling at those words. "Well, someone's got to keep that ego of yours in line." That got a chuckle out of her.

After warning her to not cheat, we got our pieces set in place and started playing. Much like with Twilight, the game was entirely up to luck. I could tell Rainbow was tempted to cheat since she keep glancing over the board's dividing wall at me, but never once lifted her eyes high enough to actually see my own game pieces.

After less than twenty minutes, the door to the room opened again. But instead of it being just Twilight, the doctor who had been watching over me was there too. "Sorry if I was gone long. The doctor wants to see you."

Rainbow stepped aside while carrying the game board away. The doctor then approached me with his eyes focused on me. "Miss Sparkle has brought to my attention the erratic emotional episodes you have been experiencing in response to various stimuli. And I think she may be onto something. So, I was thinking we should conduct an MRI scan to make certain your brain is functioning normally."

That left me feeling rather anxious. "But... I thought I was already treated for a cranial wound..."

Rainbow Dash was quick to jump in too. "Yeah, they said that his concussion was treated properly back in Canterlot and that his brain was fine!"

"Yes, I am aware of that. However, we just wish to do so as a precaution. I assure you that the MRI procedure is entirely painless. We just want to make certain that nothing was missed." The doctor explained as Nurse Redheart entered the room while pushing a gurney in front of her.

Already knowing how a MRI machine works, I did not feel bothered at all and was actually hoping getting out of the room for a bit would help my mood. "All right. Let's get it over with."

They had to detach the heart monitor's sensors from me before I could be placed on the gurney, which was not very comfortable since they have to stick to you. Twilight and Rainbow Dash stayed close to me the entire time, even while I was moved through the large white tube. There is nothing worth mentioning about the whole procedure. I did not say anything and merely did as I was told. Once that was all over, I was back in my room with Twilight and Rainbow at my side.

"So... When do you think we'll be getting the results back?" I asked while not feeling particularly worried. Or perhaps I was just feeling too drained to care.

"Hopefully by this evening." Twilight replied while Rainbow Dash started moving the game board back to my bedside.

Rainbow Dash seemed to be going to great lengths to not look directly at my side of the board. Or was that her side that was facing me when she set it down? "Anyway... Whose move was it?"

That game went on for a while as Twilight looked on and read over some books and scrolls she brought along. But not much later, we got another knock at the door. And before either of us could answer it, the door opened. Rainbow Dash was the one who greeted our visitors. "Hey there, squirts!"

The Cutie Mark Crusaders. I suppose they had just gotten out of school. They immediately hurried while the door closed behind them. Scootaloo was the first to reach me, bounding up onto the bed and nearly knocking the game of Weather Patrol over. She seemed quite happy to see me, but also rather worried. "Hi, James! You OK? Are you feeling all right?"

"Well... I guess so..." I replied weakly. Although I was feeling a glimmer of positive feelings in my mind among the mass of negativity.

"Y'all gave us a scare! What was in that letter anyway?" Apple Bloom asked, apparently remembering... That is right. They were the ones who brought that card to me when it was slid under the door.

"Wasn't it from Fluttershy? Why would something she wrote make you freak out like that?" Sweetie Belle then asked while looking rather uneasy about what she had witnessed. I could only remember what I had seen and experienced. I had no way of knowing what they saw.

Fortunately, Twilight was able to distract them from anything too grim by speaking up and reminding them about their homework. For whatever reason, having so many more people in the room only served to tire me out further. Scootaloo enjoyed a few games of Weather Patrol with me and Rainbow Dash. At one point, Rainbow Dash even flew home and returned with one of her Daring Do novels to read to us to help pass the time. I am not sure which one it is, but I think it was the first in the series. The one about something made of sapphire?

After a few hours, the fillies had to head home, leaving me with Twilight and Rainbow Dash once more. However, Rainbow was finally starting to get bored despite not wanting to leave my side. Not only that, but she had to get out to the weather patrol to help set an evening storm.

"Just us again, huh?" Twilight asked while she set up another game of Weather Patrol for us. Even though I was bored, my mind was took much of a mess to really feel bored as much as I was lethargic.

"Yeah..." I muttered while setting out my pieces on the grid. That was how things were for the next two hours. Just us talking and playing board games. It all came to an end when the same doctor as before entered the room with a clipboard being held in his magic grasp.

"Time to head home, Miss Sparkle. Visiting hours are over." He explained while coming closer with that clipboard in front of him. "I also have the results regarding your friend's MRI scan."

I was unsure of what to think. Did he find something that may be triggering the constant pain in my mind and the horrific hallucinations I have been seeing. Twilight stood up from her stool and faced the doctor. "Well... Was there any brain damage the doctors in Canterlot might've overlooked?"

He sighed while looking at the clipboard and whatever was being pinned to it. "It is rather perplexing. The scans revealed nothing out of the ordinary. His brain is perfectly fine, at least physically."

"I was worried about that..." Twilight replied with a frown. It really was starting to feel like the situation may be hopeless. Not that I minded much. Cadence's love magic could not heal me, modern medical machinery could not find the cause, and the symptoms are definitely too extreme for anything like PTSD. We were clearly running out of options.

Despite the lack of progress, the doctor tried to at least smile slightly. "I am also sorry to say that your friend's condition's progress remains the same. Heart rate and blood pressure have dipped since last night. Although rest assured, we are doing everything we can to determine the cause of his physical entropy and a possible cure. You will be the first to know if we find it."

"Thank you... I'll go ahead and start to pack up." Twilight retorted before the doctor departed. She silently began to gather up the board game and its game pieces and her books and scrolls.

"Will you be here tomorrow?" I asked, feeling unhappy about knowing that she would soon leave.

Twilight nodded at me while showing a rather sad smile. "Of course... I'll stay with you as long as I can. Even if it means being there when you..." A tear fell from her eye as she paused. I knew what she meant. And somewhere in my mind, I felt honored that she would stay by my side so loyally.

Once her saddlebags were draped along her sides, Twilight drew near one last time and gently rested her hoof on my hand. "Sweet dreams, James. I'll be back as soon as I can in the morning."

I reached out with my hand and tenderly caressed her face. "Thanks, Twi... Say hi to Spike for me."

And know I lay here alone, passing the time by writing this journal as the landscape outside the window gets dark. The light peeking through the blinds is becoming increasingly dim. I find it rather odd that the segment documenting the dream I had last night is taking up more space than what happened today. But I hardly care. It was an enjoyable dream that allowed me to escape my constant mental torment and writing it helped me remember it to take my mind off of these awful memories that just will not leave me alone. I can hardly wait to see where my dreams will take me tonight with Luna and Nightmare Moon.

Time for bed. I wonder where will I will find myself this time...

---

-ENTRY NOT FOUND-

Well, that is where I originally intended to end the journal for the day. However, something just occurred that I feel is worth documenting.

I had just placed the journal I had written in the box by my bed and had set my head down to sleep. I think it was fairly close to midnight with how dark and quiet things were. The blinds over the window that faced the hall were closed while barely any moonlight was getting in through the blinds to the window to my right. Only the sound of my heart monitor broke the maddening silence. However, another sound soon reached my ears as well.

Just as I felt like I was going to fall asleep, my attention was drawn to the left side of the room. The door was opening. The hallway seemed just slightly better illuminated than my room, so I was able to see the overall shape of the person before me. It seemed to be one of the security personnel that patrol the hospital during the night shift. I suppose they are there more for making sure the mental patients do not wander around than to keep out thieves. This hospital does also function as a psychiatric ward, after all.

http://youtu.be/gpx50tUylgk

The night watch likely could not see me in the dark and he likely knew that, so I stayed silent once the door closed. It was rather odd that he had come into a patient's room, and even more so without a flashlight on his person. But there was a sudden anomaly that actually startled me. Out of nowhere, a pillar of what I can only describe as green flames surged up from the floor and engulfed the briefly exposed silhouette of the night watch. I did feel a strange surge of heat, but strangely did not detect the smell of anything having been burned. Despite this, I did mutter to myself as I looked on while the green flames cast a making green glow over the room. "Green fire...?"

When the flames died down in only a couple of seconds and faded, I barely caught site of a new shape against the flames behind where the night watch had once been standing. Something tall, maybe my height. And then, with the room silent again aside from the sound of my heart monitor, a new sound reached my ears. The sound of hooves slowly drawing near.

I could not even see who was there. Nothing but blackness. And knowing that there was someone there I could not see, but was clearly coming right for me, I was filled with a new fear even as the dreadful memories clouded my thoughts. Was I in danger? What was this mysterious being going to do to me? Having no knowledge of what to expect, I decided to reach for the porcelain lamp to my left. However, as I reached for it, my arm froze. I could not move it. Covering its entire length was a billowing green magic aura, likely the levitation spell being used to restrain my movements. And in the darkness to my left was a matching aura higher up. Each of them were giving off just a slight glow, allowing me to actually see my arm.

Furthermore, I could see the horn of the person who was using the spell. It was indeed a horn, but... It was...unsettlingly crooked. Some sort of mutated unicorn? Or perhaps even some sort of demon? Regardless, I then heard a voice that I barely recognized speak to me. "Don't."

That voice... I knew I had heard it before. It was indeed that of a woman's. But had the night watch, who clearly had a stallion's form, just turned into a mare? But even though the voice was clearly feminine in both pitch and tone, it carried with it a bizarre distortion and even a strangely powerful allure. "I've heard your voice before..."

"That you have." She spoke again while the billowing aura that covered my arm faded. Knowing that my mysterious visitor would likely restrain my again if I tried to reach for the lamp, I decided to not put up any resistance. She had not tried to harm me, at least. And she clearly knew where I was even in the dark.

The aura around her horn did not fade. And once she was likely standing beside me and lowered her horn closer to me, I could barely make out her face in the glow it cast. Her eyes seemed abnormally round for a pony, with vibrant green oval irises with gradient hues and unnaturally narrow pupils. Her face was indeed that of a pony. Although her height would have me suspect she was an alicorn, her muzzle structure was noticeably shorter than that of the royal sisters and seemed closer to that of the average mare. Her coat was dark, though not quite black. It seemed to be a very dark gray. I could even make out some dark emerald green eyeliner on her eyelids, although there may have been a hint of blue to it. And while difficult to notice in the dark, her sclera were not quite white either, having a slight greenish tint to them. A long lock of hair hung between her eyes and to the left of her horn, appearing to be a dark shade of...some shade of blue. It brought to mind the color teal, although its appearance seemed noticeably different from the average pony. Her horn also did not seem to emerge directly out of the middle of her forehead, instead extending slightly from the right before curving up and then extending straight with a few harsh curves in its length. It was not even in the shape of a cone, being much broader and narrower than a unicorn's horn. It also seemed abnormally long for an alicorn's horn as well, all thing's considered. I got the impression that it could be used as an effective battering tool. All the while, those strange eyes gazed at me with a most serious stare.

Her voice... It was definitely the same one I had heard in the Everfree Forest on more than one occasion. But more than anything, I was left baffled as to what the rest of her looked like. I could only barely see her horn and face. "Who are you?"

She did not reply. Instead, she lowered her crooked horn to my head as her magic continued to engulf it. Seeing I was not going to get an answer out of her, I instead asked a different question while remaining still. She clearly was not a threat to me. "What are you doing?"

Her response was brief and direct. "I am trying to save you."

Was she aware of what had happened to me? She did seem very focused, as if she was using her magic to peer into my mind. But even so, her voice... And her very presence... There was something...grim about them. As she spoke, I could even see a pair of fangs at the front of her jaws. Almost...evil. What was this creature? Why was she trying to help me? Whatever the reason, judging by her lack of a pleasant introduction, I had a strong hunch she was not doing such a thing out of the kindness of her heart.

She would grunt and growl at times, as if under some form of duress. "Blast... How do I..." She continued to apply her magic to me as if searching through my head. Or...was she trying to extract something from me? In the end, she suddenly lifted her head with a grunt and quickly brought her hoof to her head. Something must have given her some rather rough feedback. But when she did bring her hoof to her head... Her foreleg was...full of holes. I did not even see the underlying bone. What was she?!

"What's wrong? Are you OK?" I asked out of some concern. No matter how vile she may have made herself look or seem, I had no reason to feel any hostility towards me. She had gone out of her way to try to help me regardless of motive.

The strange mare before me lowered her hoof before shaking her head. "I'm fine... As for you... There is nothing I can do for you. It's...too strong."

"Well... Thank for trying, at least." I replied while not feeling surprised at all. If even Cadence could not put a dent in whatever was ailing me, I was doubtful she could. At least it did not hurt me this time.

The mysterious mare began to back away from me while her eyes constantly glared at me. Her voice did not contain any sympathy or concern. It was more like she was warning or commanding me. "You have indeed fallen under a mighty curse. But there may be hope for you yet. Do not allow yourself to die here. Stay alive. Do you understand me?"

Once she finished speaking, a pillar of green fire erupted around her again. And when it died down and faded, she was gone.

Even as I write this, I have no idea what or who I just saw. But right now, I am too tired to keep writing. Just something I wanted to write down and look back over someday. At least, that is assuming I live long enough to do it.

Even so... The way she almost demanded that I stay alive... There was no concern or genuine care in her voice. So then... Why be so concerned for my well-being? What did she want with me?

Whatever, these memories are sapping me bad now. I need to sleep. I hope both Nightmare Moon and Luna will be there tonight.