“So what was your old world like? Are there ponies there? Do you live together in harmony?” Twilight’s nonstop barrage of questions was starting to deteriorate what little sanity I had left. Maybe saying this was not hell was premature.

“If I answer your questions will you shut up!?!” I snapped.

“Why are you always so depressed?” Twilight asked concerned. “You never seem to smile, and you always look so sad.”

In the two weeks that I had been staying with her, she had been constantly badgering me about all sorts of things. What Earth was like, how humans lived, what magic’s we had mastered, and so on. It would’ve been cute, if it weren’t for my lack of sleep. I had barely slept 10 hours in the past weeks, due to that same haunting dream. It always seemed to be the same situation, me in a strange bed, everything blurry, and voice that sounded so familiar, yet different. Some nights I didn’t sleep at all and just sat on the balcony looking up at the stars, envious of how content they seemed to glow in the vast darkness of space.

“You win. I’ll answer your dammed questions, only we are alone.” Nodding at the guards watching me intently, still ready to finish the fight they had started. “After all this is important research on your part isn’t it?”

“Would you please leave us for now.” She commanded the guards. They grudgingly trotted out the door, and settled down a few feet from the library. “Now I’m eager to hear about your world.” She grinned shivering in anticipation. I almost felt envious of her, to be so ignorant and innocent.

“My world is called Earth it is similar in flora and fauna. That is where the similarities end however.” I paused slightly for emphasis “The reason I frequent what you call the ‘Everfree Forest’ is because it reminds me of what my world used to be.” She shuddered slightly “We did not control the Sun or the Moon, we had no control over the weather, our animals were vicious to a certain extent, taking care of themselves. We didn’t change the environment to suit us, we adapted to the environment to survive, that is until recently. When I was born, I was born into a world where we humans had already conquered nature, and had bent it to our collective will. Not through magic, but through the means of science and technology; evolution as it were.”

“Human’s don’t use magic?” She asked puzzled, trying to imagine a world without the only thing she lived for.

“No, Human’s used sheer physical prowess and ingenuity to create the impossible, the future. But there is one fault Humans such as me suffer from, we have primal urges, the need for more, Greed. While that might not sound so bad, if taken to extremes, it is the stuff of nightmares.”

“How could being naturally greedy lead to nightmares? We have Dragons here and they are quite greedy, but they leave us alone for the most part.”

“Ignorance is truly bliss…I wish you would drop the subject of my past, and forget it as I have tried, instead of dwelling on it. If you had experienced my life, I doubt you would still be alive.” Oh what bitter irony. “Have you ever experienced what it feels like to be truly alone?” She seemed taken aback by my sudden question.

“Well there was one time when Spike had to leave to Canterlot, and my friends were busy tending to their jobs, I felt terribly alone and maybe a little sad…” I couldn’t hold back my snickering as I listened to her experience of being “truly alone”.

“That is not what I meant, but you have answered my question, a resounding no.” She snorted indignantly. “To be alone for years on end, and what little friends you have, willing to stab you in the back at a moment’s notice for their own personal gain. To have one you love die because of you…” I could feel warm tears welling up in my eyes; painful memories of that night came suddenly pouring back. The look on her face as she was slowly dragged under, taking her last waking breath, not of fresh air, but freezing saltwater, her lifeless eye’s staring up through the shallow water, looking at me in despair as I lay bleeding unable to protect my closest friend, the one who had always been there for me, from my own mistakes, my ‘friends’.

“A-Are you okay?” she slowly questioned, snapping me back to reality. Wiping my eyes my face returned to its normal scowl.

“I’m fine, besides it not your business…”

“Not my business? But it is! Celestia tasked me with learning from you, I can’t just stop” she waved her forelegs around “She could banish me, or imprison me or banish me then imprison me where I was banished.” The look of dread would have been amusing any other day, but the memories brought feelings of guilt and sorrow, I had abandoned years ago.

“Well I’ll just leave you to your psychotic breakdown then.” I proceed to the door glancing casually over my shoulder to look at twilight rolling back in forth in a fetal position. Shaking my head I turned to walk out of the library. A pull on my leg prevented any such action.

“What do you want no…..” Where I thought that sobbing pony would be was what could only be described as an unspeakable nightmare. Me. But, not as I truly am, this ‘me’ looked like he had been run over several times, the tire marks were still clearly visible, his head hung at and unnatural angle. Blood was dripping out of anything it could. But worst of all were the eyes, glazed over eyes of a dead man, ever staring through the tears of blood.

“Why would you leave us Louis, why would you do this to us?” Its grasp on my leg tightened. “Why would you leave us Louis?” Turning I was horrified to see the familiar face of my love. Her was body bloated and rotting, with several worms crawling in and out of what had been her chest, which was torn open revealing various organs in different states of decay. “You chose death, yet you live. You most join us Louis.” Kicking my leg to release the bony hand holding me in place, I ran outside. I shouldn’t of. I was surrounded, hundreds of walking corpses, rotting yet recognizable. My grandmother, my uncle, my younger brother…

“Join us in death Louis!” I was frozen in place; my body would not listen to desperate attempts to flee from these horrors. To late, as I was tackled from all sides. Then there was pain I could feel my stomach being ripped open as the monstrosities of my past slowly devoured me alive. “Welcome home.” Was the last thing I heard, as the pain overwhelmed me.

It was late at night, and Twilight was busily studying as per her usual routine with only a few slight differences. Spike’s ever present snoring was absent, replaced by the humans mumbling. He had been staying with her for the last few days, yet she still knew barely anything about him or his species. His refusal only fueled her curiosity. ‘What could he be keeping secret and why?’ She closed to the tome she had been studying moments earlier, Myths Of Equestria, pondering what his world must have been like. She didn’t get far, as her train of thought was derailed by a thunderous scream from downstairs. Without thinking she picked herself up and galloped towards the basement door. Quickly flinging it open with a purple glow she stepped into the darkness. Proceeding to cast a simple light spell she was shocked to see Louis bleeding immensely. His eyes were filled with tears of blood, that slowly dripped onto his already blood stained sheet. He seemed to still be sleeping, but his pained expression betrayed any sense of restfulness. Twilight burst into action, she levitated a dusty sheet, which had been covering an old sofa, quickly dabbing on his eyes trying to clean them to no avail. Resorting to a less sensible plan Twilight galloped over and proceeded to shake him awake. She was mildly successful, he seemed somewhat awake but something was wrong, when his eyes opened they completely black. He pushed her off himself standing up.

“You won’t get away this time you fucker.” It was Twilights turn to scream as he charged her tackling her. His hand forcefully grabbed her neck squeezing the air out of her throat. She flailed her arms in a struggle to breath. “You will pay, for her death, I’ll meet you in hell to make sure of it.” He continued, chocking the life out of her. A flash of gold was followed by the Celestia’s Guards tackling him. Enraged Louis threw the full grown stallion off himself like a pillow, sending him crashing into the wall opposite. Charging he threw himself at the guard pinning him with unnatural strength. He mauled the guard as best he could even going so far as to bite. The moment the ponies blood slipped onto his tongue he stopped to savor the delicious liquid life, it gave him renewed strength as he continued, clawing and biting the unfortunate pony wherever his golden armor didn’t cover. His partner was trying unsuccessfully to pry the crazed human from his friend. He was rewarded with a strong slap sending him backwards tumbling.

“Your blood shall flow freely.” Louis cackled in a distorted voice. “Then I’ll finish her.” His laughs were cut short however as a blinding light filled the room. A burning feeling surrounded him, pulling off the bloodied pony. He was abruptly slammed into the floor, instantly out.

“Don’t you ever touch my student!” Celestia growled at the motionless body, before trotting quickly to Twilight who was still wheezing, gasping for a breath. Kneeling next to her Celestia’s horn was surrounded in a comforting glow. The same aura surrounded Twilight, who closed her eyes slowly as her breathing returned to normal.

Twilight woke in a cold sweat gasping, looking around she was surprised to see everything seemed normal, glancing down she noticed with irritation that she had fallen asleep studying, AGAIN! This frustration quickly faded as vivid images of her nightmare returned. ‘Why did it seem so real?’ A scream echoed from the basement sending a chill down her spine, and freezing her in horror. Time stood still, as she fought her urge to run down and help Louis with whatever was troubling him, but the dream lingered still. Gold blurs passed her as the night guards posted at the door rushed in, galloping to the basement door. She looked on nervously hoping that her dream had just been a dream, a very vivid lifelike dream…

Moments later the guards returned untouched, noticing the damp sweat on her fur and her lips quivering, he was curious as to what would send the young mare into such a fright.

“Are you ok Miss. Sparkles?” Her eyes glinted with acknowledgement quick to reply.

“Yeah, I just had a bad dream no worries. May I ask what happened to Louis?” Twilight’s curiosity had finally beat out her instance sense of horror.

“I’m not really sure, he wasn’t down there when we checked. He must have gone for a walk or something.” The guards reasoning did little to hide his befuddlement at the situation.

“But what was that scream?” Always one to poke for the truth Twilight continued questioning the guard.

“I don’t know Miss, but as I was taught in school, something’s are better left unknown. What’s important is the human didn’t hurt you.”

“I was afraid you say something like that…” Twilight sighed in disappointment wondering where Louis could of wander off in the middle of the night, or how he had slipped past the guards for that matter. ‘I guess I should report this to Celestia.’ At that she levitated a roll of paper neatly organized to a quill and inkwell. She began to write…

Dear Princess Celestia,

   Louis disappeared last night, I heard screaming and when the guards returned, they informed me of his absence. I’m worried he might be causing trouble in the countryside, and world like to ask for your presence in Ponyville.

Your Faithful Student,

Twilight Sparkle

She had decided to omit the dream figuring it was likely due to her poor sleeping habits. Rolling the scroll up and sealing it with wax to she trotted to the guards outside who nodded in understanding. ‘Celestia should be here by tomorrow afternoon, everything’s going to be ok…’ She slowly trotted to her bed proper, and collapsed on her mattress, realizing how tired she actually was. She was out almost immediately. Outside as the night continued to retreat from the sky an ominous shadow cast itself over Sugarcube Corner, before dashing off towards the Everfree Forest, disappearing without a trace.

I’m sorry it’s late, but it is. This is the part where I would explain why it was delayed, but the only real excuse is that I have no excuse. Anyway I hope you enjoyed this weird chapter full of bad plot devices cliché twists, and as always a terribly vague cliff hanger. Overall this chapter was incredibly painful to write. This is the part where I thank you for reading, so thanks for reading… Ok what else, oh yes; I have been having some serious thoughts of trying my hand at a much much darker story. Semi-Based off Cupcakes, but then again what grimdark isn’t (don’t answer that). Feel free to tell me whether it is a great idea, or a terrible one, considering I struggle to keep this story going sometimes. As always, since that one chapter I introduced it, here’s your weekly (sorta) quote.

“Many of our daydreams would darken into nightmares, were there a danger of their coming true!”

-Logan Pearsall Smith