Nightmare Free Equestria

Octavia and Luna left Vinyl Scratch and her inventions. As soon as they had started to leave, the music and lights started up again, making it difficult to hear nearly anything. As such, the two walked in silence until the music was left far enough behind to be able to speak over.

"...About Vinyl and me," Octavia said when she was certain she could be heard.

"I apologize," Luna stated, "I had not intended to make you uncomfortable."

Octavia stopped, turning to look at Luna.

"You mean you do not care?"

"About what?" Luna asked.

Octavia opened her mouth, closed it. She shifted her hooves, looking away from the alicorn. Finally, Octavia let out a sigh.

"I don't know." The grey mare turned and began to walk again. "For all our differences, I love Vinyl deeply. Yet for some reason I always feel as though others are not going to understand, as though I am doing something wrong because she is so different both in personality and in class."

"If I may," Luna said as she moved to stand beside Octavia, "I believe I have some understanding on your feelings. Both you and she have mentioned the difference in social class. I take it that your family is a part of the more elite?"

"Yes," Octavia confirmed.

"I assume that also your parents were not very expressive in their affection for you?"

Octavia stopped walking and looked at one of the crystals. Luna could see that mare's face on the surface, her features somewhat warped and skewed by the shape. There were hints of tears in the corners of her eyes.

"..yes..." she finally said.

"Then I believe your previous statement was more accurate than you intended," Luna stated, placing a hoof on Octavia's shoulder. "'For all our difference, I love Vinyl.' While you may have intended to mean that you love her in spite of the differences, I believe that you in fact love her partially because of them."

"I don't quite understand."

"You have admitted that your parents were not very affectionate."

"Correct," Octavia said with a nod.

"From what I have seen, Vinyl is highly expressive about her feelings, positive or negative."

"You have no idea." Octavia rolled her eyes. "There are times when I worry that she is going to cause trouble simply because she has to speak her mind."

"Would you have it any other way?"

Octavia looked up at Luna, caught off guard by the question. Turning quiet she rubbed up her chin, thinking about it.

"...No," she finally responded. "No, I suppose not."

"I believe that part of the reason you love Vinyl is also part of the reason you are uncomfortable with her. You enjoy how open and expressive she is about her feelings. At the same time, having not grown up around such openness, it makes you somewhat uncomfortable."

"I guess that makes sense," Octavia responded. "How did you come up with such a theory?"

"Psychology books," Luna stated. "One of my duties is to guard ponies in their sleep and travel their dreams. My sister told me of how there were books that now explored the possible symbolism of dreams as part of a new field of science since my.... departure. On a different subject, is there another pony you wish me to meet?"

"Well," Octavia said after some thought, "We may still be able to find the mare I was hoping to introduce you to originally." With that, she started to walk again, picking up her pace with excitement. Luna quickly followed after her.

The pair made their way out of the natural caverns and into the artificially made ones. As they continued, Luna once again started looking around at all the ponies that they passed. It was surprising how resilient they were. Despite all the trouble and issues, most of them seemed to be making the best of it.

"I think that's her," Octavia stated. She then started to run through the crowd to try and catch up. Luna chased after her. Her longer legs gave her a better stride to keep up, but her larger body and unfamiliarity with the crowd made it difficult for her to navigate through.

"Daring!" Octavia called out. "Daring! Please hold on a moment."

As Luna caught up with the grey mare, she caught sight of another pony that had stopped and was looking in their direction. The pony in question was a pegasus with a sandy gold colored coat. Hey rose colored eyes looked at the two approaching her. The mare was dressed in a safari shirt and pith helmet, from which a tuft of mane in multiple shades of gray stuck out.

"Luna," Octavia said as the two of them reached the waiting pegasus, "please allow me to introduce," she raised a hoof, "Daring Do."

Luna stopped in her tracks eyes going wide. She stared at the pony standing in front of her, jaw hanging slightly open. Realizing what she was doing, Luna let out a cough and adjusted her stance.

"Yes," she said. "Octavia, I can now understand why you wished to show me. I would not have believed merely being told such a thing." She then turned to Daring Do. "We would greatly appreciate your assistance in a matter."