Chapter 1: Nightmares
I sat straight up in bed, breathing hard, sweating. I woke up Fluttershy, unfortunately.
"Dako, what's wrong?" she asked me, putting a hoof on my shoulder.
"I-I don't know. I'm fine though, trust me, I'm alright." I said, trying to catch my breath.
"Are you sure? Do you need a hug?" she asked.
"Aww, yes." I said, wrapping my arms around her. She held me tightly, well tight for her.
"What happened? Was it a nightmare?" she asked me softly.
"Yes. It was horrible." I said, still seeing it vividly. "I had to leave you, or something. Or maybe you had to leave me."
"Oh Dako, I would never leave you. I love you." She said reassuringly.
"Thank you Fluttershy, and I would never leave you. But it felt so real. I've never felt so helpless, and, and sad." I said, feeling worse.
She put her head against my chest and held me tighter. We lied back down and went back to sleep, but I still didn't sleep to well. I kept waking up through out the night, but each time I would remind myself that everything was okay, and I'd see Fluttershy in my arms, head under my chin.
The last time I woke up I saw some sunlight outside. I wanted to just get up and wake up, but I didn't want to stop holding Fluttershy. I stared at her, her beautiful face, mane, and eyes. She was so peaceful when she slept. The slow rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. The small twitches of her ears. I began stroking her mane. She smiled a little in her sleep.
I smiled too. She was so cute. I gave her a little kiss.
"Fluttershy, my sweet, sweet little pony." I whispered. Her ears twitched again.
I pulled her closer to me and began stroking her flanks. She slowly opened her eyes and looked up at me.
"Good morning Dako." She said, smiling up at me.
"Good morning, Fluttershy." I said, giving her a small kiss on the forehead. She giggled a little.
"Are you ready to get up?" I asked her.
"If you are." She replied.
"Nah, maybe another five or ten minutes." I said to her, rolling onto my back, still holding her until she was lying on top of me. She gave me a kiss.
"I haven't slept well at all. I think soon I'll be able to sleep though. I'm pretty tired." I said to her.
"Oh Dako, I'm so sorry." She said, kissing me again on the forehead.
"It's okay." I said. "I'm just happy to have someone like you."
I put my arms around her, and she laid her head down on my chest. I closed my eyes and tried to go back to sleep. I was finally able to get some rest, well, for a little while at least. I had yet another nightmare. And this time, it was scarier than the last.
Again I sat up breathing hard, covered in sweat. As I sat up I heard Fluttershy squeal.
"Dako! What's happening are you okay?" She asked in a worried tone.
I woke up so shaken and freaked out that I forgot that Fluttershy was still lying on top of me.
"Oh, Fluttershy, I'm sorry. I forgot you were there, I-I had another nightmare." I said, trying to stop shaking.
"Again? Poor Dako, do you want to go see Twilight? Maybe she can help." Fluttershy suggested.
"I don't know. I don't wanna bug her." I said.
"Well at least tell me about it." Fluttershy insisted.
"Alright, there was some, guy. I never saw his face. I think he was a saiyan like me, he had some spiky hair, and he had my powers too. He was trying to hurt you guys, everyone. He was stronger than me, and I, I…" I couldn't remember much else. "That's it."
"Are you sure you don't want to see Twilight?" Fluttershy asked.
"I'm sure. I'll be fine, be amazed as I instantly repress these nightmares! Abracadabra!" I said jokingly, trying to play it down.
With that Fluttershy and I decided to get up, well, kinda. I was already sitting up, so I just put my arms around her and held her tight as I floated out of bed. She squealed a little again, but began to laugh a little. I slowly floated out of the room and downstairs. I gently set her down on the couch, then I walked into the kitchen.
"Fluttershy, what do you want for breakfast?" I asked her.
"Oh, I'm fine, I'll get myself something." She said.
"Okay, are you sure?" I asked her.
"I'm sure." She said with a reassuring smile.
After eating breakfast I cleaned the dishes, and went outside to feed her animals. I was feeling a little tired, since I got little rest the night before. I've had nightmares before, and I used to have night terrors as a kid. But nothing compared to these nightmares. I was a little concerned, and with good reason. If I couldn't get any sleep with these nightmares, how would I ever sleep? And if I didn't have me rest or energy, what would I do if Equestria needed me?
"Fluttershy?" I called out, as I walked back inside.
"I'm in here." She said from another room.
"Fluttershy, I think I'm gonna go visit Twilight now. It's already 10:49, she's definitely up by now." I said. Fluttershy walked into the room.
"Okay, would you like me to go with you?" She asked.
"No, it's okay, I think it'd be better if I went alone." I said.
"Okay, be careful." She said before walking out.
"I will!" I called out as I walked outside.
I stood outside for a second, yawning. I was really tired, I could practically feel the bags under my eyes. I stretched a little, hoping to wake myself up some more, then I began powering up slightly. A few leaves on the ground gently blew away from me as I slightly raised my power level.
"Damn, I'm really tired." I said to myself. I jumped up and began flying, but with a little more effort than usuall.
"What the, am I, getting out of shape? Was I ever in shape?" I asked myself.
Flying was more difficult than it should have been. I eventually made it to Twilight's though. When I got there I knocked on the door, leaning on the door frame, somewhat exhausted.
"Oh, hello Dako, what brings you by?" Spike asked, answering the door.
"Oh, good morning Spike. Say, is Twilight here?" I asked.
"She's just reading. Hey, you don't look so good, are you alright?" He asked.
"Yeah, yeah I'm cool. Just didn't get much sleep last night. So, may I come in?" I said.
"Sure, she's up stairs." He said, shutting the door behind me.
I walked to the middle of the floor, so I could float up to her level.
"So, are you gonna fly up there?" Spike asked.
"I'm tryin'." I yawned, before lifting off the ground. I floated up to Twilight's level of the tree house.
"Good morning Dako. Whoa, you don't look so good." She said.
"Yeah, that's part of why I came to see you." I said, landing on the second story floor.
"Well, what is it?" She asked walking over to me.
"Look, uh, I've been having some nightmares recently. Um, I don't want to worry Fluttershy with anything, but, do you think you could check me out? See if you could find the cause?" I asked her.
"Well, I might have a spell or two." She said putting a hoof to her chin.
"Anything will help." I said.
"Okay I got it, lie down on my bed and we can start." She said.
I lied down on her bed, Twilight sitting in the chair next to the bed. She told me to close my eyes, her horn beginning to glow.
"Um, what is this going to do?" I asked her.
"This spell will allow me to see some of your nightmares. This will help me understand what you've seen, and what might be causing this. But first, I'll need to put you to sleep." She said.
"Okay doc, gimme the gas." I said.
"Okay, see you in a couple of minutes." She said.
I slowly drifted to sleep. In my dream, I was walking through Canterlot. It was strange, I had only been to Canterlot at least twice. Everything was gray, and there was snow everywhere. There wasn't a single pony in sight. A few buildings lie in ruin. It was creepy, I began seeing more and more destruction. I felt, scared, like I never had before.
After some walking around I stumbled upon the castle, it was damaged with a hole in its wall. I stepped in over the broken bricks. I saw Princess Celestia's crown lying in the middle of the floor. I felt terrified, like something awful was in the room with me. I got a cold sweat down my spine and ran out of the castle. It was a feeling like the whole place was haunted.
I began running down street after street, as fast as I could go. I couldn't escape the feeling of something evil, and scary. I was now running down every street in panic, filled with fear and terror, franticly trying to escape an unknown evil. Every corner, every turn, it felt like I was being watched, watched by some monster out of a horror movie. Every attempt at flying was met with disappointing failure. Then I heard the cold evil laughter. It was the kind of laughter that echoes through you, and gives you goose bumps.
I sat up in a panic, breathing heavy and soaked in sweat. I heard Twilight shout.
"What, what's wrong?" I asked, slightly frightened, still coming out of my nightmare.
"Nothing, you startled me." She said, calming herself. "Dako, what was all that?" She asked.
"I wish I knew. Now you see why I couldn't sleep." I said to her, wiping sweat off my forehead.
"Dako, I'm so sorry. That was awful, I could feel every second of it as though I were you." She said, heartfelt.
"I know, I don't think I've ever been scared like that." I said. "But what does any of it mean?" I asked.
"You couldn't fly." She pointed out. "I know it was a dream, but everything in a dream has its own significance, there's meaning.
"But, what does that mean?" I asked.
"You feel, powerless, or weak. That's how I would feel without my magic." She said.
"Okay, but what about Canterlot? What does that mean?" I asked, still trembling from the nightmare.
"I don't know, but that laughing. That was the worst part. Remembering it now its, its" she couldn't finish her sentence.
"I'm sorry you had to see that." I said to her. "Look, I'm gonna go home now. Do you mind if I come back tomorrow?" I asked her.
"No, I don't mind at all. But before you go, take this." She said, levitating a journal over to me.
"What's this for?" I asked, flipping through its blank pages.
"It's for you to record any nightmare you have. I want you to write down as much as you can remember after having a nightmare. It'll help you remember, then understand why you're having these nightmares." She said.
"Thank you, Twilight. I'll be sure to write down what I can." I said.
Later that night, as Fluttershy and I got ready for bed, I kept the journal on the nightstand next to my bed.
"Dako, I wish there was something I could do for you." Fluttershy said, rubbing her forehead against my chest.
"I'm okay Fluttershy, all I need is you here, right beside me." I said to her with a smile, stroking her mane.
"I love you Dako." She said.
"I love you too, Fluttershy." I said to her, lying down beside her.
Soon I fell asleep, with Fluttershy and I in each others arms, and I'd be ready for the nightmares now.