Applebloom swooped and rolled through the air in my Equestria dreamscape. It was beautiful summer day in the filly’s own dream fabric. As she flew over the sloping hills of the valley the filly imagined in her mind an autumn landscape. Suddenly beneath her an explosion of yellows, oranges, reds swept out in all directions. Pulling up vertically the earth pony rocketed skyward until she over 12,000ft in the air.
Coming to a halt she hovered and looked around at the landscape of her mind. Making a slow downward sweeping gesture with her left front leg she watched the sun follow her hoof toward the horizon. As the sank in the West the shadows stretched and grew along the valley floor; at the same time sky transformed from a brilliant cobalt blue to a riot of oranges, pinks, and purples.
Yeah know I think I am gitting the hang of this dream stuff. Thought the filly. Suddenly she heard her own voice.
“Yeah yer gitting better at this.” Spinning around Applebloom found herself looking once again at her doppelganger. They were looking around at the valley floor with a critical eye. Her duplicate looked up at her and nodded its head, causing its red bow to bob. Applebloom swallowed and addressed her lookalike.
“Um. Thanks. So what brings ya tanight? More tales of some weird coming storm?”

The doppelganger floated up alongside her and looked at the setting sun of a moment. Finally it turned and looked at the filly. “Nah. I was hoping I could intraduce ya ta a feller. We go wwway back, but I haven’t seen them in a month of Sundays. I think ya will find them vvveerryy interesting.”
The buttercream yellow looked at her double. “Ooookkaaay. So I assume they live out there in the Dream Realm? R’ they far away, and do ya know way ta them?”
The double looked up at the now darkening sky with a frown. “R’ they’re far away. That’s hard ta say, because ya can’t get ta them from here. Not if ya don’t have a key. But I do!”
The doppelganger held its right hoof and a metal flask of swirling iridescent metal appeared in it. The double unscrewed the top and then took a swig of it. Suddenly their body erupted in yellow green flame. An impish grin spread across their face as they passed the flask over.
“Here. Take a sip of it and we’ll be on r’ way.”
AB was a bit taken back. “Um. I don’t know if I wanna take a drink of anything that gonna make me burst inta flames! Beside I drank some nasty tasting stuff recently and got in a whole heap of trouble with my kin fer doin’ it.”

The filly’s double shook her head. “Ah, dontcha worry about that! In fact some yer kin drank some of this recently!”

>>3361668
Applebloom eyed the flask for a second and then slowly reached for it. “ Really? One of my kin? Ah, okay, but just a little sip. Alright?”
The double nodded their head. “A sip is all yur gonna need.”
The filly sniffed the contents. It definitely smelled better than the stuff in Granny’s shack. In fact it smelled really good. Gingerly she tilted the flask back and let a little bit of the warm, sweet, liquid wash over her tongue. Suddenly she felt her tongue start to tingle. Then whole her body started to tingle more and more. Applebloom started looking over at her double when suddenly thin shafts of of brilliant light started bursting from her body. The filly started to ask a question when her and her entire dream fabric detonated in thunderous roar and a blinding flash.
When the bright blobs of color faded from her eyes and the ringing subsided in her ears, Applebloom found herself no longer floating above the dream fabric equivalent of Ponyville. The filly found herself looking at a rising sun that was casting its golden light upon a sea of apple orchards that covered the gently rolling hills for as far as the eye could see. Also gone was her double. After a second she called out.
“Um, hello. Hello. Um, my creepy double? Where r’ ya? Where r’ we?”
The filly was scanning around her when she noticed something approaching. With the rising sun behind it was a glowing golden serpent. It floated and undulated through morning sky as it grew closer. As it drew nearer Applebloom realized how gigantic this being was. However she intuitively seemed to know that the being was not immediately hostile toward her. But it seemed to be very curious of her.
When the being got within 20ft or so of the filly the great serpent started orbiting her in a clockwise fashion. To Applebloom it appeared the creature was eyeing her up. Finally on its 3rd orbit the filly heard in her mind.
I have not met you, but one of your kind was here recently. I sense a blood connection between you two. What is your name and who are you?
Um, my name is Applebloom of the Apple Family. Thought the filly. Uh who r’ ya? What r’ ya? Where am I? And what do ya mean one of my kind was here recently?
The serpent came to halt still coiled in great circle around the filly with its head just a few feet from the pony. It silently squinted at the filly for several seconds before replying. Who am I. Over the eons I’ve been known by many, many names, but you may call me Ladon. What am I. I am the caretaker, protector, and creator of this world you see. You are in my realm. My creation. My Paradise. Tread carefully here newcomer.
Still squinting the great being tilted its head from side to side as scrutinized the filly. I am greatly puzzled by your arrival. I am aware when anyone partakes of my gift no matter where they are in the Dream Realm, but I didn’t sense you imbibing of it. Why? Also I sense something else residing in you. Something powerful and dark. Where did you obtain my gift?
Applebloom looked around once again for her doppelganger. Not finding them she sighed. Well ya see–
Suddenly the filly froze and went silent. A glazed look came over her eyes as she continued to float in the air. Then from above Applebloom’s voice could be heard verbally.
“I gave it ta her, and I guided here ta ya Ladon. Becuz I have a favor I need ya ta do fer her and I!”
Snapping its head up Ladon found duplicate of the filly floating about 20ft above the frozen Applebloom. However this being exuded an aura of immense power.
Ladon’s eyes narrowed and after a second it hissed. “You!”

To be continued.