Under the sound of the falling rain, in the middle of Canterlot residential area, a young colt with his mane as black as the cold night, was struggling to get sleep on his tired body this time… his name was Stormy Brave, a young lunar guard with some double blades and ocarina cutie mark… but very different from the others guards, while most of the Princess Luna’s guards are colts with bat type like wings, he is one of the few unicorns in service for the Princess of the Night.

But right now, the least thing he want to do is to remember his job, several boxes of mint tea and chocolate milk were scatter on the floor, his face showed a very tired look, even his teammates give him the day off because of his state… he stared at the mirror in his apartment bathroom, his usual white coat color was starting to get dirty… as he stepped in the shower, he continue to think, think and think, he could not get the nightmare out of his head

"It has been 4 months now… since those nightmare started," he said with heaviness on his voice.

He ended his shower quickly and get himself to bed again… with his magic he pulled his sheet to protect himself from the cold tears his bed already have from his crying, he slept in quickly, but then again, his dream turned into a nightmare, one he wish he could forget but it was burned into his mind.

He was in the middle of a snowy field, surrounded for several houses in state of decay, but the strangest of things was, he knew by heart he should be there, in fact, the street had a bloody trail he previously failed to notice, concerned, he paid more attention to the state of the houses, there were some shops with ”Closed” signs all over them, other ones were boarded shut, but what gave away his position was the huge clock on the central building. It was Manehattan, his birthtown, how did he get there in the first place? He walked in, deeper into the deserted city, which is odd from Manehattan of all places.

“This should be crowded at this time of day,” he mumbled to himself.

Stormy noticed a blood trail, he began following it, the trail took him between several turns, until it stopped in the middle of the road, right next to an intersection leading towards an alley and Richburg’s Avenue. At the very end of the blood trail, there was a saddle bag.

“A saddle bag?, here?. It suddenly it fells familiar, but where?” the stallion questioned himself.

He levitated the saddle bag and noticed a cutie mark design it was a pair of gears with a wrench in them, he decided to carry it with him, Stormy looked as his options and decided to walk away from the alley and continue to go to the main street. After his hooves started to move more deeper into the streets of New Orange, he noticed that there was nopony on the streets either, he tried to open some doors, but the doorknob felt to the ground, almost as they were decades old, but that was impossible. He continue to walk, but after a short while…his hooves stepped into something soft but cold, he was unwilling to look down, but he had no control over this nightmare anymore, he looked down… and saw that his hooves were covered in blood, his hooves were touching a corpse, as he looked up again, the streets were changed to metal ornaments, the already decayed houses had bloodstains and some of them had corpses of ponys trapped inside in a cage, he never felt so much terror In his life before, so he started to run as quickly as his hooves took him, as a siren started to sound and the darkness was wrapping around him, no matter how fast he ran, the shadows caught him and turned his word to blank.

The nightmare again changed, he could see himself after that, holding a little colt at sword point, his magic was ready to took the young filly life, he wanted to stop!, he wanted to scream as loud as his lungs were capable off, but the sword move downward to the unknown colt, ending his life and splashing him of a innocent blood.

“W-what have I done?” he questioned… his eyes were about to burst in tears.

The blood touched his hooves, but something was off, said blood started to melt away his flesh, he screamed as loud as he could, but nopony could hear him, he tried to move but he was glued to the ground, as he melted away. He closed his eyes waiting for this torture to be over, again, things changed, this time it was in a different room, Moon and Sun designs were present on the walls… but he do not wanted to see what will happen, his eyes were still open and despite his best efforts to drive his sight to other place, he saw on a mirror a image of his teammates slaughtered… he looked down, again to his hooves… and all he could see was a blood stained sword, he put his hooves on his head, trying to wake up

“Please!, stop, don’t do this!, for the love of Celestia just stop!“ he yelled, but nothing happened.

Those words were not heard, the mirror broke, making him close his eyes. When he opened them, he was now in the same place were he saw his fellow lunar guards fall, he then saw a alicorn moving and almost as if it was an automatic reaction, his hooves took him closer to the alicorn, his right hoof lifted the bloodstained sword, and his expression was shifting to insane expression, the alicorn looked scared, her dark sapphire blue coat was already red from multiple injuries and her cobalt blue mane was turning into red, as she was losing blood from her chest… he could not believe what he was about to do, as his hoof that held the sword started to quickly run downwards to the alicorn neck, a large and painful to hear scream was heard, the red blood started that emerged from the now dead alicorn, formed a puddle where he could see his reflection, but when he stared into it… all he could see was a monster, with fangs and flesh starting to fall from his face, with the little flesh remaining his body made a sick smile, like he enjoyed taking others ponys lives…

His dream usually ends after that and this time, was no exception, morning rose in the sky, as his nightmare ended for the time being, he open his eyes and noticed his pillow soaked in tears, he could not resist to stare at his hooves, he could still feel the blood scurrying from them, he touched his eyes… they still wet, he could no longer bear this nightmares, he tried to not play videogames for a while, it didn’t help, he also tried relaxing his mind with mint tea, it worked… only for a day thought… he hasn’t told anypony about it.

“I can’t keep like this,” he said to himself. “I need help, stat!”

But who could he tell about horrible nightmares about murdering?. If he told his teammates, they will not believe him, he couldn’t ask Shinning Armor either, was on royal duty in The Crystal Empire. He decided to visit a specific pink pony he had not seen in a while, but first, he had to make a trip to Canterlot Royal Castle.

“Pinkie can help me up, if there is a pony in Equestria that can make me smile again is her,” Stormy smiled a little, the worry look didn’t escaped his eyes though.

Stormy went directly to his closet, the fact he has been suffering from nightmares doesn’t mean he couldn’t at least be presentable if he visit the castle. From the closet he picked up 3 specific items, a raincoat black as the night itself, his sword, a guard close friend, and finally, a personal memento of his biological family, a wooden ocarina with some blue color and green lines representing the wing across it.

The way to the castle was easy, he lived 2 blocks away from the main entrance, some Royal Guards saw him enter, but didn’t ask him about his recent vacations, after a long travel in the castle hallways he reached Princess Celestia and Luna Throne Room, he requested a private talk with the princesses, which to his surprise they accepted, well at least Celestia did, since Luna is asleep during the day, he stepped further in, being presented by his teammate and friend Noirstar, a unicorn royal guard in Celestia´s Patrol..

“Presenting Stormy Brave, Lunar Guard Nº562, “ Noirstar said with a noticeable air of authority.

“Thanks Noirstar… I appreciate it,“ Stormy replied, smiling the best he could.

“Stormy Brave,“ said Princess Celestia in her usual kind tone, looking down at him from her throne. “I was informed that you have been unable to perform your duties as one of my sister guards, is there something that troubles you?“

“Actually,“ he hesitated for a moment, but found the strength to speak. “I do princess, I have been having problems sleeping, I know, as lunar guard I have to be awake at night, but I haven’t been able to sleep at all, neither in daytime or nightime, I came to humbly request a time off,” he replied with some regret

“Time off? You mean, are you quitting the Lunar Guards? “ said the princess, with a rather surprised look on her face.

“Yes, at least until I find a cure for this problem, I’m sadden to say I can not longer be a lunar guard,” Stormy said, he did meditated about this before coming to the castle, and he don’t have much options either, is either his health or his job.

“Stormy… I would appreciate if you tell me what is happening,“ Celestia asked for a reason, she knew something was off, specially after a quick glimpse from the stallion eyes.

“Can you do me a favor Princess Celestia?, Can we discus this alone?” he plead.

Even though he is talking normally, inside his heart he was shaking, like a foal during his first Nightmare Night even. Celestia took this into account and dismissed everypony from the room, including the guards at her throne base and the 2 on the door. Once Stormy was alone with the princess, he finally broke.

“I been having nightmares princess, and not very pretty ones, every time I close my eyes, is the same nightmare all over again, with some minor changes“ he said with fear on his words. He intended to speak with Pinkie first, but right now; talking with the princess seemed like a better option at this point.

“Nightmares you said?” Celestia tone of voice suddenly changed, almost as if she knew something. “Can you please be more specific?”

Stormy said with a smirk, “You won’t believe me if I tell you princess”

Stormy had to hide the details, he do not want to reveal much, that could get him into problems, in a instant, the flashback of him killing the alicorn and teammates took his mind, he shaking his head trying to forget that kind of memories.

“I understand Stormy, I will grant you the time off you need, I wish you the best of luck but,” she paused. “May I ask you where are you going?” said Celestia, still a little concerned.

“I’m going to Ponyville, there is a friend of mine I want to visit and is my best bet if I want to smile again,” he replied.

“You mean Pinkie Pie?” Celestia reacted a little surprised by hearing that Stormy knew the Element of Laughter. Then again, is Pinkie she was talking about, making friends is like a second nature to her.

Stormy nodded in agreement, when Celestia inquired about his relationship with Pinkie, he stated that for him, she was like a second sister that can always rely on, and as far as his memory goes, each time he felt said or afraid, she always knew what to do. However, Celestia was no fool, no guard just come and asks to quit the Royal or Lunar Guards just because of bad dreams, there must be something else on affecting him. She came up with a little plan to get the stallion to open up.

“I see, if that is the case,” Celestia paused for a moment, standing up from her throne and walking towards Stormy. “Why don’t we do something Stormy?“ she smiled kindly.

“y-yes?” Stormy grew a little nervous.

“I will ask Pinkie Pie to come here to Canterlot,” said the princess with a serious look. “But, under one condition:“ she was not going to let this slip.

“A condition?, ok your highness, name it” he replied

“Let me look at your nightmares, I must know what is going on so I can call her,” she asked as a direct order.

“Oh for Pete sake,” Stormy thought to himself,

He did not want for anypony other than Pinkie to know those nightmares, specially Celestia, but he had no choice, he accepted reluctantly. Celestia then lit her horn with her magoc and ask Stormy to remain close, in a flash, they appeared on a sealed room with just one door to exit, the lights turned on in a instant, Celestia was standing in the middle of the room, Stormy had no idea where she was going with this, but if this was one of the ways he could talk with Pinkie, he will gladly do it, anything to get those images out of his mind.

“Stormy, sit here please” she asked politely

“Ok princess,“ he said he sat down on the ground. “What are we going to do?”

“You, nothing, as for myself I will look into your mind, seeing what kind of nightmares you are getting” She said as she started to prepare her spell.

Celestia prepared a mind reading spell, as her horn touched Stormy´s forehead, she ran across some things she was not prepared, at first she saw nothing out of the ordinary, just his memories of the past, as she dig in a little deeper said memories started to break, some of them were even incomplete, most of the ponys didn’t had a face in them, with few clues she searched recent events, hoping to find something concrete.

After a while she found a specific nightmare where Stormy is being devoured by a strange pony with a iron mask, as Stormy´s eyes started to look filled with tears, despite the best efforts of the stallion to repel the creature with magical blast. Celestia saw how Stormy got cornered, the iron masked pony rose a butcher knife and cut Stormy´s horn clean off, preventing him to cast anymore spells, he then used stallion own sword to rip his flesh from his bones, Stormy screamed as loud as his lungs were still able to expel air, the creature continue to stab him constantly until his lungs filled with his own blood, making Stormy cough it back up.

The creature lift a little it’s iron mask, enough to discover his mouth, blood soaked fangs bit Stormy open torso ripping his intestines out, Celestia nearly throw up as she saw how the creature seems to look at her, almost as if it was aware of Celestia intrusion.

The Princess could no longer see anymore and cut the spell short, returning to reality, this was something that a simple party made by Pinkie won’t fix, she stood in front of Stormy, as for him however, he was as bad as when the spell started, or worse. He also tried to stand up, but the princess put a hoof on his shoulder.

“Stormy, I don’t think a simple visit from Pinkie Pie will be enough,” her tone was more serious than ever. “In order to handle this matter properly, I will call my fateful student, as well as Pinkie Pie as I promised, but you will have to wait a day at most,” she replied, with a sad look on her face

“Princess I…” Stormy hesitated.

This could no longer wait a day! He needed Pinkie Pie help, so Stormy asked Celestia for a one specific thing,

“If that is the case princess, may I ask them to bring them here today” he pleaded.

Stormy needed Pinkie’s help, if his memory works for something, she always made him smile, and right know he need a familiar face, Celestia accepted, but she requested for Stormy to remain in that room until she bring them, he accepted and waited there, Celestia teleported away, Stormy stand up and took a closer look at the door, it was locked, so there was no use of using the door to leave

“Why would she has to tell Twilight about this?” he questioned Celestia decision.

Sitting in the middle of the room he waited, he tried to focus in forgetting about those nightmares, he do not wanted them anymore, why would he be having those dreams in the first place?, he is a lunar guard, but a lunar guard should not be having murderer dreams do they?.

He thought of what could be causing them, the recent fight with the changelings could not be the reason, as a guard he was more that used to combat situations, drinking chocolate milk before sleep?, no, that’s not it either, playing to much video games in his spare time?, come on, is video games, unless you eat cupcakes during each loading screen, but whatever was the reason, he had to put them a end.

Taking advantage that Celestia left him alone, he though of playing his ocarina a little, to relax his head for a while, he took his instrument out of his pocket and played a song, why in the hay he didn’t use it before?, perhaps because it was a family memento?, he played a song he knew in the back of his head, but forgot some of the notes, after a while of practicing, he started to get sleepy and relaxed, seems it was working.

Stormy stopped for a moment, and decided to rest a little, to see if his mind can finally allow him a break, he closed his eyes and before he knew, he was already snoring.