Cleared to Engage
Chapter 17
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Nightmares of Yesterday
Twilight found herself inside of Andrew's subconscious, in which there wasn't much to behold. There wasn't really anything out of the ordinary, just a typical white, bland background. She looked around, and saw Andrew lying on the ground. She made her way over to him, but he didn't even acknowledge her presence.
"Andrew? Are you there?" She asked, but he didn't answer. She turned him onto his back, and she looked at him. His eyes didn't have any color in them, as if he were blind. His hair was gray, and so was his five o'clock shadow, as if he was getting older.
Twilight did her best to wake him, but he was stuck in a trance like state. She had to get him out somehow, but didn't know how. Just then, a woman appeared out of nowhere, and she put a hand on Twilight's shoulder, which made her jump. The woman looked a lot like the woman from Andrew's locket, but different at the same time.
"It's okay little one, don't be afraid. I want to help you." The woman said, in an almost Celestia type motherly voice.
"Who are you?" She asked.
"I'm Andrew's representation of his subconscious, Kat. I help him keep his sanity during his time on the front lines. Practically in a way, I'm his personal A.I." Kat explained, Twilight just kept getting more and more confused.
"If you help him keep his sanity, how come he's like this now?" Twilight asked, Kat's mood worsened.
"It's his Dementia, it's getting worse. Something about being here, in Equestria, makes his state of mind more dangerous. I can't keep trying to suppress it, as it just keeps breaking the seal." Kat said, and Twilight gave an affirming nod.
"Can you help me bring him back? My friends are deeply worried about him." Twilight sniffled.
"Of course, do you have a spell that can act as a defibrillator?" Kat asked, Twilight smirked and nodded.
"Actually, yes I do." She walked up to Andrew's lifeless body and cast a spell that sent a jolt of electricity through him. His color started to come back, and his eyes fluttered open.
"Beware Twilight, now that he's awake, the nightmares are coming with him. Brace yourself, because some of these nightmares may scar you for life." Kat said, fading out and into the white scenery.
Andrew rubbed his head as he gathered his thoughts, he noticed Twilight a few feet in front of him, but soon after a giant wall came in between them, making it impossible to get to each other. Andrew went up to the wall, it was made purely of some sort of a dark substance, that was almost not possible to break, unless if someone had a giant machine.
"Twilight! I'll meet you at the other side! Whatever you see, just don't give up!" Andrew said, pulling out a small machete that seemed to be made out of hard light.
"I'll see you there! Stay in one piece for me! My friends expect me to bring you back not dead!" Twilight said in a worried state, Andrew smirked as he ran off into the darkness.
"Kat, are you there?" She appeared from out of nowhere and smiled.
"Yes?" She asked, Andrew, startled turned around slowly.
"How do I get to Twilight?"
"Through there." She pointed, Andrew looked forward and saw nothing but more darkness. He grabbed his head as it started to hurt.
Andrew gulped as he walked forward, his hard light machete in his hand. He started to get uncomfortable as his surroundings were changing, the surroundings were changing rapidly as he walked faster. Andrew's eyes widened as he remembered this place, in fact it was too familiar.
"Oh god no." Not only his surroundings were changing, but his form was changing as well. His form was getting shorter, and his build was weaker. He felt... younger for some reason, as if he was living his days back when he was a teenager.
Twilight was galloping down a trail, and there were unknown whirling birds flying overhead. She flinched as they passed by, because the winds were producing so much wind, and the noise was no greater. The buildings to her looked so futuristic, so... not like home. She knew she was not in Equestria, but this was Andrew's home world. She walked down the streets, looking at the beautiful scenery, but one thing seemed to catch her eye. She saw Andrew, younger, and smaller, walk into a casino, she smiled as she galloped faster after him. The inside of the place was gorgeous, the carpets were all specially designed, the slot machines were going off, and dinging noises.
She was hypnotized at the sights, and there was so much to take in. What she wanted to know is that how Andrew is able to make his memories to vivid. As she went deeper into the casino, she lost Andrew by now, there was no sign of him anywhere.
Just then, there was a big explosion, and multiple gunshots could be heard. She could make out screaming and a lot of blood throughout the chaos. There were gunshots and debris flying over Twilight's head as she went towards the source. She was not acknowledged throughout the entire memory, because she didn't belong there in the first place, and she knew this by reading through her memory spell. She could only interact with the host, in this case is Andrew.
"Where's Andrew? I have to find him quickly before time runs out!" She said, looking at a watch on her left forehoof. She had about half an hour before she was kicked out of Andrew's mind, and half an hour goes by fast in the real world.
"Mom? Dad? Where are you guys?" Andrew was crawling through the rubble and debris, hiding from his pursuer. There were strange men coming after him, and he had no idea why. All he knew is that he has to find his parents and get out, hopefully without getting hurt.
Andrew then looked up and over into the main lobby, through the chaos he made out two parental figures, on their knees, and a gun held to both of their heads. Andrew was then contacted by his parents through video phone, and he was bawling at this point. He was screaming for the man not to do it, but it was inevitable, because he was being dragged away by a security guard to safety.
"Andrew, honey. We both just wanted to know... that we love you. Please, take care of your grandparents for me- for us I mean. We'll miss you honey." His mother said in a chilled, cold voice. Andrew heard two distinct gunshot noises, and he was saying things he couldn't even understand.
"No! No no no no no! Mom! Dad! Don't leave me!" He managed out, but they were gone. Andrew was in shock, he could not move or anything.
He was then grabbed by a quadruped figure, not knowing what it was or why it was here. All he knew is hat he could've sworn he's seen it before.
"Andrew! We've got to go! Now!" He then shook his head, and he squinted his eyes at the quadruped.
"T-Twilight? What are you doing here?"
"Andrew! There's no time, your memory is about to collapse, and we'll be stuck here forever!" Twilight's horn started to glow, and everything faded back to white.
Both Twilight and Andrew woke up violently and with an audible gasp. Twilight was relieved that she was able to get him in time, but Andrew... his condition worsened.
"Thanks Twilight... for getting me out." He said with gratitude.
"It's what friends do, right?" She smiled.
"Yeah... right."
"C'mon! I think your team is back, and my friends were worried sick about you. Meet me in the lobby!" Twilight said before gunning out the door, Andrew smiled, but it didn't last for long.
"You may win this time Andrew, but we will not be forgotten so easily." She was back again.
"You know what? Fuck you! And FUCK your threats!" He said before going out the door to meet everyone.
Next Chapter: Chapter 18 Estimated time remaining: 6 Hours, 15 MinutesAuthor's Notes:
Well, not as good as I hoped for it to be. Now that this is out of the way, I can be less serious next chapter.