This is image is from a dream I had last year in my Equestria dreamscape. When I woke up I did a quick study thumbnail so I would remember certain details. Then I set the thumbnail aside; a few months later I did a finished line drawing. After that I would poke at the piece now and then. Shading parts of it in.

Well this last weekend I got the urge to finally finish the piece. I think altogether I spent about 9 to 10 hour on the piece. So it was not a quick piece but sometimes it takes that long.

As Applebloom’s skills and talents evolve she’s now able to do some of them, not all, in both the Dream Realm as well as the waking world. This is the story that unfolded in this dream.

Fancy Flight’s eyes shot open. Her heart was pounding and she could feel herself sweating under the blankets. She was lying in her bed. Glancing over at her nightstand she could just make out her alarm clock in the moonlight. It read 2:34am.

The mare forced herself to take a deep breath and then slowly let it out. She’d just had a terrifying nightmares. She’d been relentlessly pursued by this filly. This creepy filly with a red bow in her mane. She wasn’t certain but Fancy Flight felt like she’d seen or heard of this filly.

The pegasus mare shifted further down in blankets. The room was unusually cold. After a few seconds the mare realized she could hear the curtains on the gothic arched window rustling in the evening breeze, but she’d had her maid Merry Prancer close and lock them before she’d gone to bed.

Worthless mare! She thought. Well I will make certain to let my displeasure be known to her in the morning! Hmmm. Maybe I should just fire her in front of the rest of the staff? That should definitely make the rest of them toe the line! Yes. That sounds just fine!

The mare’s mental monologue was then interrupted by a voice. A voice that made her heart stop. A voice she’d heard in her nightmare just a few second ago. It was soft but crystal clear.

“Did ya really think that wakin up would let ya git away from yer problems?”

Turning her head and peering from beneath the blankets Fancy Flight saw standing reared up on hoofboard of her bed holding a gigantic scythe was the same filly who’d chased her through her dreams tonight. Her eyes went wide and left front leg lunged out for the nightstand where she kept a small pepperbox pistol.

Before she could reach it she felt some rope or cord reach out of the darkness and yanked it back in the other direction with enough force that Fancy Flight was pulled over onto her back. At the same time the mare felt a dozen similar ropes of tendrils suddenly come snaking under the blankets to grab and restrain her. The filly just shook her head slowly.

“Now, now.” Said the filly. “That won’t do either. Ya need ta stop doing stuff like that. It’s not helpin yer case! And yer case ain’t looking so good at the moment. So I reckon I’m just gonna have ta keep ya from piling anymore charges on ta yer situation.”

Unable to move now the mare gave her tormentor a better look. The filly looked about 15 to 16. Right on the cusp of becoming a proper mare. Fancy Flight had an eye for this kind of thing. It came handy in her profession.

Her captor was an earth pony. Well muscled, and even in the dim light she could tell the filly had buttercream coat and deep rose red mane and tail. In her mane was a large red bow…

Fancy Flight’s heart started racing again as her mind connected the dots. Standing before her was the filly Princess Luna’s had made her Blade Mare. The filly was also known as Luna’s Little Wrecking Ball. The filly seemed to guess what the mare was thinking.

“Name is Applebloom.” She said. “And the Royal Court has been investigate ya fer awhile. They know about yer little trafficking ring fer foals my age. I’ll be blunt with ya. If it was my choice I’d just drop ya inta the Lower Dark Realms be dun with ya, but the Royal Sisters are looking ta use ya ta figger out the next link in this rotten chain. So we’ve gotta be all quiet about this.”

As the mare looked on the filly’s caramel brown eyes started glowing with a yellow-green light. Slowly dozens of black, writhing tendrils started climbing the walls of the mare’s bedroom and snaking across the bed toward her. She started to let out a scream when one of them lashed out wrapped itself around her muzzle. Suddenly in her mind Fancy Flight heard a voice. Another mind penetrated her being.

My Mistress is being patient with you and wishes to keep this interaction as cordial and as painless as possible. Please don’t test her patience, or do anything to make her regret her current course of action. Do you understand.

Yes! Thought the mare.

Good. A wise choice. The voice said coldly. At that moment the pegasus realized the voice was coming from the scythe. It’s great, malachite green, cat eye stared balefully at her. Applebloom smiled.

“Ah I see that ya have been intraduced ta loyal and obedient servant. He’s right. If ya behave yerself I’ll be much pleasant with ta be around.”

Then suddenly Fancy Flight heard Applebloom’s voice in her mind as well. I’ll be honest with ya. This ain’t easy fer me ta do! Yer little network tried ta foalnapped the colt of my dreams a few months ago!

Late Night Business by Baron-Engel So I’m looking fer any excuse ta git rough. Don’t, give, me, one!
Applebloom broke her mental link with the mare. “Now. Dragging yer hide down ta the pokey could git noisy and might tip off some yer connections. But the Royal Sisters, especially her Highness Princess Luna, have a whole heap of questions they’re itching ta ask ya. So! We’re gonna do this in the Dream Realm. The best part about it is the fact that time is different in the Dream Realm. Minutes of sleep in the waking world can feel hours there, and hours in there can feel like weeks or months.”

The filly’s eyes turned into brilliant glowing coals. As restrained mare watched several tendrils reached up and carefully closed the window and secured the latch. Through the window Fancy could see Luna’s moon shining through. As if judging her. Looking back at the filly she realized for the first time that the tendrils were emerging from Applebloom’s own shadow, or was the filly emerging the shadows in the room. Fancy Flight couldn’t tell which it was. Besides she was suddenly very drowsy.

No! She thought. I don’t want to fall asleep! Please don’t take me to where you’re going!

Applebloom whispered in her mind. Shh! Shh. Don’t try ta struggle. Shh. Just go ta sleep.

Tears started to trickle down Fancy Flight cheeks as she was plunged into sleep and total darkness. The last waking thing she saw was the darkness seep up and envelope the filly. Her and her monstrous scythe seemed to dissolve into darkness of the room. Then the mare felt herself pulled further into the waiting darkness.

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