Scootaloo looked out over the vast, dark green landscape before her, her eyes scanning out as far as she could see, looking for any sign of her quarry.
Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, she sighed. Spreading her wings, she pushed forward with all four hooves, propelling herself off the edge of the steep cliff before her, plummeting toward the ground below. Halfway down, she angled her wings and turned her fall into a dive, pulling up just enough so that instead of hitting the ground, she began to skim along it. Her front hooves clipped through the grass as she straightened out, flapping her wings and rocketing forward toward the distant horizon she’d observed a moment before.
Staying this low to the ground meant she was no longer able to survey this particular area, but this didn’t bother her. She’d surveyed enough – either there was nothing to be found here, or she’d missed it, in which case she needed more training. Either way, she had decided to move on to the mountains in the distance.
And suddenly, they were there, in front of her. She banked sharply, flying straight upward for a moment before pulling her hooves up above her head, performing a roll in mid-air to bleed off momentum, and then coming to a hover as she fixed her gaze on the imposing granite peaks before her. Fortunately, the sudden, unexpected, and technically impossible changes in scenery and setting that were a routine part of this task had become familiar to her, so when the mountains, which had seemed to be miles away, were suddenly only a matter of several hundred yards away, it didn’t phase her.
She squinted, renewing her search for that which would allow her to complete her task. Several moments went by, during which she saw nothing. The mountains stood before her, silent and lifeless, the skies around her completely devoid of clouds or wind. There was nothing by which to break the silent pall that had been cast over the landscape.
She began to despair, and briefly contemplated simply giving up once again. It has been, what? Almost an hour and a half, I think. So I’ll have to stop in half an hour anyway, she thought to herself. It wasn’t entirely unreasonable for her to stop at this point, all things considered, but even so, she felt a twinge of disappointment at the idea.
I REALLY thought I’d be able to actually complete one of these this time! I had a good feeling about this one. She closed her eyes, continuing to hover in place as she took a deep, calming breath. When she reopened her eyes, they were filled with a newfound determination. No. I’ve got another thirty minutes or so, I’m going to use them all. If I fail, fine, but I’m not giving up until I have to.
Her mind refocused and her spirit reenergized, she again looked over the mountains, searching, feeling, trying to open her senses to any and every possible, subtle movement around them, within them, above them… anywhere. C’mon, Scootaloo… you can do this!
And then she felt it.
There!
She jerked her head downward, looking to her right quickly, trying to get a look at what she’d felt. She saw faint movement, far below her, about three-quarters of the way up the nearest of the mountains, and pulled in her wings, descending rapidly.
And suddenly, she was bursting through a bank of low hanging clouds. When did…? She shook her head, willing the distraction away. She cleared the bank, noticing idly that now, the air was filled with clouds and rings of fog surrounding every spire and rise of the uneven, craggy mountain path she was approaching. Ahead of her, walking slowly along the path, was a pony.
Gotcha! she thought, allowing herself a small grin of triumph. She zoomed downward, angling herself above a cluster of rocky outcroppings before finally setting down on the ground, several feet behind the pony. Her wings folded in against her back as she cantered toward the stallion in front of her.
A gasp escaped her lips when she had come near enough to examine him closely. He looked worn, and ragged, as if he’d been walking for days without food, and the expression on his downcast face suggested a combination of deep depression and exhaustion. She swallowed, wondering just what was happening in this pony’s life to cause him such distress.
Without thinking, she opened her mouth. “Are you-“ She clamped it shut again almost immediately, shaking her head. Dummy, he can’t hear you. She fell into step beside him, walking with him as he continued to ascend the winding, rocky path, her shorter legs scrambling faster in order to keep up with his longer gait.
As they walked, she began making a concerted effort to observe everything she could about him. Okay, so… he’s a unicorn, he looks to be around the same age as Rainbow and her friends, roughly… a bit on the tall side, dark green coat- She shook her head again. Those are just, um…what did she call it? Something details… Surface details! That’s not what I’m supposed to be looking for. She looked over at him again, trying to look past the surface. In truth, however, she wasn’t sure if she really understood what that meant, or how exactly she was supposed to do it.
She stared intently at the weary stallion. His eyes were heavy and lidded, to the point where a less observant pony would have assumed they were shut. His breathing came in short, quiet bursts, and while his walk was that of an average trot, there was no purpose to it. He was simply going forward, looking like he neither knew, nor cared, about his destination.
She absently nodded to herself as she followed through on her thought chain. She was certainly gaining useful information from her observations, and it told her a little more about his possible state of mind, but there was still something about him that seemed off. Something she couldn’t quite put her hoof on.
She looked him over once again, from horn to tail, doing her best to glean as much as she could from the wordless stallion. As her eyes scanned passed the dingy stallion’s flank, it hit her. His flank was bare, with nothing but dirt and unkempt hide to show for it. Scootaloo reeled, as her mind filled her in to what was now obvious: He doesn’t have a cutie mark!
Instinctively, she turned her face away from him, so as not to call attention to herself, or to compound the embarrassment this stallion surely suffered day in and day out, the fact that he couldn’t see her momentarily forgotten. She contemplated the new revelation, letting her feverish young mind put the puzzle pieces together. Okay, she thought to herself as she traversed the dreamscape with her quiet companion, so either he doesn't have a cutie mark, or something in his mind is questioning its meaning, or maybe telling him he doesn't deserve one. Which could mean… he’s having, um… some kind of identity crisis? Scootaloo was no psychologist, so she was aware that trying to dig too deeply into the precise nature of what might be the problem was probably a futile effort. She realized that if she was being completely honest with herself, she wouldn’t really know how to define “identity crisis” in any practical way, anyway.
Still, she felt as though she had gained a somewhat more comprehensive sense of what was wrong with this poor stallion than when she had first found him. She looked upward, continuing to mull things over in her mind, and noted the position of the clouds as they hung lazily about the rocky peaks. The complete absence of any trees, and sharply sloping landscape told her one thing: they were nearing the summit.
She exhaled slowly through her nose, focusing on her hooves as a means to gather her thoughts. Now I need to try and figure out if this is something that really needs Luna’s intervention, or if it’s just an isolated bad dream. She reviewed what she’d observed from the stallion up to that point, trying to combine it with the lessons she had learned under Princess Luna’s watchful eye.
In her mind, she began to methodically shape the dreamscape around her into a coherent narrative. She considered the mountain. Climbing the mountain probably represented some kind of obstacle to overcome. His lack of a cutie mark? She thought to herself. What if he thinks he’s not good enough? What if he feels like he lacks the ability, the skill to find his special talent? And, the way he’s walking, just not paying attention to his surroundings at all, might mean that he doesn’t want to even try, but feels like he HAS to, so he keeps at it.
She continued that train of thought, thinking over the details she had gathered from the despondent stallion, trying furiously to piece together the puzzle that would help her make the distinction between an ordinary dream, one that would likely be forgotten and could be shrugged off despite its unpleasantness, and a dream that reflected a deeper, more personal fear; one that wouldn’t simply go away when the light of day brought consciousness once more.
Scootaloo shuddered at the thought. It reminded her of her own personal fears, like the awful dream she had experienced on the camping trip up to Winsome Falls.
That had truly been a nightmare. She knew she’d never use the word so lightly ever again, not after what she’d learned during the past few weeks. During most of her childhood, a “nightmare” was simply a bad dream, one that was more intense than most. This was how she referred to it, how her friends referred to it, how her foster parents referred to it, and as far as she knew, how everypony referred to it. Now she had learned a new distinction, one that demanded greater care when referring to different types of dreams. A “bad dream” was unpleasant, possibly frightening, but held little significance for the dreamer once it was over. Sometimes a pony remembered them, sometimes not. Either way, once awake, you moved on with your life.
A “nightmare,” however, was more than that. It was a dream that reflected a deeper meaning, a deeper pain, brought on by things like extreme emotional distress, life-changing events, or serious depression. Whatever the cause, it was something that needed to be dealt with; it would not fade into oblivion once the pony awoke. Instead, it would linger, festering as negative thoughts, and adding to whatever distress had caused the nightmare to occur in the first place. These were less common, but could hardly be called “rare”, and it was these in which Luna entered, seeking to offer aid, and comfort, to the dreamer.
But how do I tell the difference? How do I know which kind this is?
So absorbed was she in her musings, that she almost didn’t see the large, wooden trunk ahead of her until she’d nearly ran right into it. With a yelp, she managed to pull up short, stopping with her face less than an inch from the tree. She blinked several times, turning to walk around the tree, and then froze as she looked around, taking in her surroundings.
They stood in the middle of a large clearing, surrounded by grass and trees. Up ahead was the path – the beginning of the path. She stared straight ahead, realizing that they were back at the bottom of the mountain. Dread filled her senses. Slowly, she raised her eyes to take in the imposing peak, looming high above them, towering over them and looking far more intimidating to her than it had earlier. She let her jaw go slack, as if to protest this unexpected, and unfair, turn of events.
“Wh-what?! We… we were at the top!” she blurted aloud to no one in particular. Her protestions went unanswered, since the only other pony present had no way of hearing her words, anyway. He did, however, stop his aimless walking. Scootaloo edged forward to get a better look at his face as he finally lifted it, opening his eyes full and wide for the first time since she had started watching him.
He stared up at the peak before him, his expression a mixture of fear, anger, and heavy despair. He simply stared at the mountain for what felt like an eternity, before finally lowering his eyes to the ground, and expelling the longest, most painful sigh that Scootaloo could ever recall hearing. With heavy, slow hooffalls, he started forward, beginning to ascend the path once again.
Scootaloo stared after him for a long moment, before shaking her head to clear it of the unease she’d felt at suddenly being back at the beginning of the grueling climb. Remember, things can change suddenly, unexpectedly, at any time, she told herself, recalling Princess Luna’s guidance. This is no different than earlier, when those mountains came rushing up to me as I flew toward them. Feeling a bit more calm, she turned her attention back to her task, ruminating over the scene she had just witnessed. Did he feel stuck? Maybe his steps weren’t directionless, maybe there was something he was trying to do, did want to do, only he couldn’t...
Blinking, she broke her train of thought, and trotted after him, not wanting him to get too far away.
Okay, that does seem kind of… bad, she thought as she walked beside the stallion. But how do I know if it’s bad enough? She scrunched her face in concentration as she tried to make sense of it. There has to be something else, something I’m missing, that would help me to tell the difference.
She gave a small sigh as she realized that her time was surely almost up. Well, at least I noticed a lot of details, she opined, even if I wasn’t able to figure out whether or not this would need to be handled directly by Luna herself or not.
She continued to walk alongside the quiet stallion. Giving him a sidelong glance, she tried to open her senses in a way she hadn’t done before. Concentrating, and taking in every detail her heightened senses would allow, she began to see the movement of muscles under his coat. With each step, she could smell the perspiration that had built up from walking for so long. She could hear his soft, quiet breaths, measured and even.
Every hooffall was audible, clear… almost loud when compared to the silence that surrounded them as they traveled up the mountain slope.
She shivered, and looked around, taking in her surroundings once again. She realized that she could see every blade of grass, every leaf on every tree, in perfect clarity. The sounds of hooves meeting hard soil, loose stones and dry leaves crunching under them, and the wind gently nudging its way through the trees; all of it sounded perfectly clear. Unnaturally clear.
Oppressively clear. It was as if everything were staged, fake. All around her, there were the sights, sounds, smells of nature, and yet, now that she was truly taking it all in, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was surrounded by nothing, and that everything her senses were taking in was part of an elaborate, eerily perfect imitation of life.
She swallowed hard, suddenly feeling very nervous. She knew she was in a dream, but it didn’t feel like a dream. It was too precise, too calm, too staid and rigid. Yet, neither did it feel like reality as she knew it.
It simply felt… wrong.
She shivered again, her breath becoming shallow in her throat as her eyes darted left and right. This is all wrong… how did I not see it before?
A new sensation presented itself to her then, a sort of tugging sensation right at the edge of her consciousness. A sense that she was being called away. She sighed, dropping to her haunches, feeling a sense of immense relief at the knowledge that she was about to depart.
She allowed the tugging sensation into her mind, and it became a pull. The world around her began to blur, and she closed her eyes, allowing the sensation to overtake her completely. She was vaguely aware of a faint sound, like rushing wind, and then all fell silent.
--
Scootaloo’s eyes shot open, blinking rapidly as she re-entered the real world. She looked up.
Princess Luna stately visage smiled down at her, one hoof held gently against the filly’s shoulder. “Welcome back, Scootaloo.”
“Th-thanks,” she replied weakly, and began to rise, feeling Luna’s hoof slip behind her back, helping her up into a sitting position.
“How do you feel?” asked the alicorn.
Scootaloo scrubbed a hoof up and down over her face before answering. “Okay. A little out of it… that was… really weird,” she said, shaking her head. “Especially at the end.”
Luna nodded. “I began to sense your disquiet, mere moments before I began to pull you away.”
“I’m glad you pulled me out when you did!” Scootaloo said, an uneasy smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “I don’t think I would have wanted to spend much more time in there.”
Luna’s smile was reassuring. “It is understandable. Dream walking can be very disconcerting, most especially when one is still new to it, as you are.”
“Well, that makes sense, but…” Scootaloo trailed off, feeling unsure about what to say, about how to describe what she’d felt.
“But what, Scootaloo?” Luna asked, encouraging the young pegasus to continue.
“It was…” she began, and then paused, shuddering slightly as the memory of the sensations from the dream came rushing back to her. “It was more than that. I felt something this time, something I hadn’t felt during the other three dreams I entered. It was different.”
Luna tilted her head slightly, raising an eyebrow. “Different how?”
Scootaloo didn’t answer right away, taking a moment to organize her experiences into something more suitable to the spoken word. “It was almost… too real. And yet, not. It felt too clear; too, um, argh! What’s the right word?!” she called out in frustration, scratching her cheek with a hoof.
“Perhaps it was too precise?” Luna offered, a knowing look in her eye.
Scootaloo blinked, turning toward the Princess. “Yeah! That’s it, precise. Too precise. For a dream, I mean. The others had felt more, sort of, all over the place. More random.”
“So, it began to feel as if you weren’t in a dream.”
“Yeah, but it didn’t feel like I was back in the real world, either. It didn’t feel like… like anything. It felt empty, lifeless, even though my senses were telling me there were trees and rocks and clouds…” She trailed off, looking away. “It just felt completely wrong.” She looked up at Luna then, her expression anxious. “Princess,” she intoned quietly. “That… was that a nightmare? I mean, a real one? Like the one that you helped me with, back then, back when we were on the camping trip near Winsome Falls?”
Luna nodded slowly. “Yes, Scootaloo. You see, your unease was not unwarranted, nor was it simply caused by your relative inexperience with dream walking. During those last moments, you saw through the dream, and beheld its true nature. You perceived the nightmare for what it was.”
Scootaloo swallowed hard, nodding.
“How did it make you feel?”
Scootaloo didn’t hesitate. “Scared,” she said honestly, hugging her forelegs around her midsection.
“That is natural. Do not be ashamed of that fear, Scootaloo. While dream walkers do come to temper it, with time and experience, it is not something that one can ever truly be rid of. To experience the nightmare of another, to share in the darkness that drags down their soul and can, if left unchecked, corrupt it.” She closed her eyes. “It is not an easy thing, and it remains frightening.”
“And, that pony, the one who was having the dream I was in. He’ll need you to… intervene, right?”
Luna nodded, her expression serious. “Yes. Before this night is over, I will begin my dream walking, as I do every night, and he will most certainly be among those ponies whose dreams I will visit.”
Scootaloo nodded. “Good. Once I began to see what was wrong, I realized it really was a nightmare, just like mine. He had climbed all the way to the top of that mountain, and then suddenly, he was at the bottom again. I don’t think it was the first time, either. And I knew he needed help.” She sighed. “There must be something he needs to do, or some problem he needs to solve, but I think that he feels like he can’t, or something.” She shrugged slightly. “I don’t know how accurate any of that is. I’m not really very good at the whole ‘figuring out what’s bothering the dreamer’ aspect.”
Luna smiled, and nodded approvingly. “Do not be too hard on yourself, young one. Considering your lack of experience in this area, that was an acceptable summation of the issue.”
Scootaloo shrugged. “Well, I could tell something was really wrong, even if I wasn’t sure exactly what. I felt bad for him, and really wanted to help him. But, I remembered what you told me before, that I can’t directly interact with the dreamer without ending the dream.”
“Correct,” Luna confirmed with a nod. “Not even my most experienced Wardens can do that. They can identify nightmares and analyze their root cause, but the actual work of interfering with the dream and aiding the dreamer must always fall to me.”
Scootaloo began to nod again, opening her mouth to ask a further question, when suddenly, she stopped, cocking her head to one side as she locked onto something Luna had said a few moments ago. “Wait, you said… it remains frightening? Even… even for you?”
Luna smiled enigmatically. “Yes, Scootaloo. Even for me.”
Seeing Scootaloo’s slack-jawed expression, she let out a light chuckle, and then spoke again. “Even an immortal alicorn can still feel fear. And if I could not feel such an emotion, if the nightmares didn’t stir unease within me, I would not be able to effectively parse them and figure out how to help the pony who is suffering.”
“Wow,” Scootaloo breathed. “I mean, that does make sense, but, I didn’t think anything could frighten you!”
“There are a great many things that I have found frightening throughout my life, Scootaloo. And there will no doubt be many more in the years to come. Fear spares nopony. What matters is how you deal with your fears.” She smiled then. “You are familiar with this concept. You chose to face your fears after I intervened in your nightmare. As you learned on that night, bravery is not about having no fear, since that is impossible. It is about facing those fears and overcoming them.”
“Well, after almost killing yourself by riding a scooter into a raging river,” Scootaloo said sheepishly, grinning and rubbing the back of her head.
Luna laughed, not a chuckle this time, but a full, hearty laugh, a sound that Scootaloo would describe as musical. “That particular step should perhaps be considered a not entirely necessary one when examining the process of facing one’s fears.”
Scootaloo giggled.
The moment passed, and Luna’s expression became serious once more. “Scootaloo. Think about what you saw, about what you experienced, and about what we just discussed. What else does this mean?”
Scootaloo’s nose scrunched in concentration as she thought about it. “Well, I experienced a true nightmare. I don’t know if it was the first one I’ve ever been part of, or if one of the other three could have been also, and I just wasn’t able to sense-“ She stopped abruptly, her eyes going wide. “Oh! I sensed it! I did it!” she exclaimed, as the realization dawned on her.
Luna smiled, nodding. “Indeed. As I said, you were able to pierce through what your senses were telling you, and behold the true nature of the nightmare. This is the task that you have been trying to accomplish with each foray into the dream world over these past two weeks, and now you have done so. Congratulations.”
“Thanks,” the pegasus replied, and then shook her head. “Though, I dunno, it did take me a while. I got it right on the fourth try. Is that really very impressive?”
“Actually, yes.” Luna’s spartan answer surprised Scootaloo, who looked taken aback as the Princess continued. “Believe it or not, being able to discern the nature of a nightmare after experiencing only four dreamscapes is not the norm. Most ponies who become my Dream Wardens need at least six or seven such experiences, before they can detect a nightmare in the manner that you just did.”
“Oh,” Scootaloo said quietly, feeling heat rise to her cheeks, both embarrassed and proud at the praise.
"It confirms what I have long suspected," Luna continued. "That you have a natural talent for such things. That your mind possesses the characteristics that are needed for dream walking, and dream recognition."
"Suspected?" Scootaloo asked, surprised. "So, you already thought that maybe I could be good at this?"
"Yes. As a matter of fact, I became aware of this possibility during our first meeting. You see, the process of intervening into a dream, interacting with the dreamer, and giving them the counsel or comfort they require, is a long, involving process. Especially in a case such as yours, where your fears of rejection, of not living up to what you believed the expectations of your idol were, had become intertwined with a more primal fear."
"My fear of being caught by the Headless Horse."
Luna nodded. "Precisely. Untangling such fears from one another in order to deal with them properly would normally be a very long, very delicate process. But, shortly after my intervention began, you detected my presence, and began to take control of the content of your own dream, driving the fears back."
"And, that's something unusual? Something that most ponies can't do?"
"Correct."
"Wow," Scootaloo remarked, smiling, feeling an unfamiliar sense of pride swell up within her at the notion of being able to do something that most ponies couldn't. "So, you really think I could do this? Become a Dream Warden and help you find nightmares?"
Luna smiled. "Come with me, Scootaloo," she said suddenly, turning toward the doorway that led out of the bedroom, beckoning for the pegasus to follow.
Scootaloo blinked, rising to her hooves to follow the Princess. They left the room, quickly descending the stairs to the living room, where they saw Rainbow Dash, fast asleep and snoring loudly on the couch.
Scootaloo grinned, surpressing a small snicker. "I knew she wouldn't actually stay up all night like she said," she whispered.
Luna smiled as well, matching Scootaloo's hushed tone so as not to wake their sleeping host. "I suspected as much. It was kind of her to allow us the use of her bedroom for your dream walking sessions."
Scootaloo nodded, holding her next thought until after they'd stepped outside and shut the door behind them. Crisp night air greeted them, the slight chill marking the transition from Summer to Autumn that had begun only days before. Luna trotted several paces along the cloudbank surrounding the base of Rainbow Dash's home, stopping near the edge and settling on her haunches. Scootaloo followed, sitting down next to her and smiling up at the alicorn, when she felt one of the large, dark blue wings settle over her back. "She kind of insisted, really," Scootaloo said with a laugh, continuing their conversation from a moment ago.
"I do not mind," Luna said, shaking her head. "Her insistence on using her home for these training sessions was motivated by her desire to look after you, to protect you. I believe Rainbow Dash trusts me, but there is an acknowledged element of risk involved in this undertaking. It is only natural that she'd want to be nearby and ensure that you were safe. In addition, being somewhere familiar and comfortable can assist with the training for inexperienced walkers."
"Well, there aren't many places I feel more comfortable than here," Scootaloo said, gesturing back toward the cloud home with a hoof. "Rainbow Dash has given me so much, these past few years, ever since she took me under her wing, right after you helped me through the nightmare." She looked up, into the blanket of stars above them. "Hard to believe that was over a year and a half ago, now. Doesn't seem like it's been anywhere near that long, somehow."
"Much has changed for you during that time," Luna said softly. "I have watched your transition from a filly who felt a near constant state of uncertainty and unrest about your future, to a young mare whose confidence and potential continue to grow." She looked up, fixing her gaze upon the night sky. "Tell me, Scootaloo. What do you see?"
Scootaloo blinked, still looking upward herself. "Um, stars?" she answered almost immediately, and then let out a little puff of air through her lips as she pondered the question further, knowing that Luna wouldn't have asked if all she wanted was the obvious, literal answer. She scrutinized the sky; looking, searching...
And then an idea came to her. She closed her eyes, and tried to perceive the sky above her in the same way she perceived the dream world, at that moment when she began to see beyond its surface. "I see... possibilities," she murmured.
Luna smiled, pulling the little filly slightly closer to her with her wing. "If you wish it, your training will continue. You have clearly demonstrated that you are more than capable of learning this art. With time and practice, I think you would make an excellent Dream Warden."
Scootaloo took a deep breath, opening her eyes as she released it, looking out across Ponyville’s spanning multitude of rooftops that lay silent and still in the twinkling darkness before her. "I do want to continue. I never thought I'd be good at something like this. I never thought I'd have an opportunity to work with you."
Luna placed her hoof under the filly's chin, gently guiding her gaze upward so that their eyes met. “I am pleased to hear this. However, do not forget what you have learned, Scootaloo. This is far from the easiest choice of vocation available to you.”
“I know,” Scootaloo said, a clear certainty in her voice. “And I know that I could decide later, after more training and stuff, that it isn’t what I want to do after all. But, I at least want to give it a try.I actually find it really interesting, and I want to know more about it. Not just to be better at it, but like, the history of it, and… how it works. Stuff like that.”
Luna smiled. “You wish to learn more about dream walking and the Wardens, simply for the sake of knowledge.”
“Yeah,” Scootaloo said with a nod. “It’s funny, in school, I tend not to be as interested in that stuff… I’m no good with history and I’m not the strongest reader in my class. I’m pretty good at math, but that’s about it.” Her eyes lit up. “But this, everything about this is just so fascinating!”
“The desire to learn is a powerful motivator,” Luna said. “It is good that you feel it. It will help you in the years to come, whatever path you choose. I strongly encourage you to seek out further knowledge outside of our training sessions.”
Scootaloo nodded. “I can ask Princess Twilight about it the next time I see her,” she remarked as the idea came to her. “I’m sure she’ll have some books about it, and she’ll probably know all about it herself anyway. She’s really smart.”
Luna chuckled. “That she is. I’m sure Twilight would be happy to help you learn more about the Wardens.”
“Yeah,” Scootaloo replied, sounding a bit distant. She blinked several times, holding her hoof up in front of her face as she was suddenly overcome by a long yawn.
Luna looked down at her pupil. “Feeling tired, Scootaloo?”
“A bit,” the filly admitted, rubbing her eyes. “It is a lot later than I would normally be up, and that session took a lot out of me.” She paused, an odd look on her face as she considered what she’d just said. “Which sounds kind of strange now that I think about it, considering that I was asleep the entire time.”
“Your body, yes, but not your mind,” Luna explained, gently poking the side of Scootaloo’s head with a hoof. “Dream walking is actually quite taxing at first. Interacting with nightmares even more so. In time, with the proper training, you would learn the techniques to combat this problem, to allow you to get a proper night’s sleep while continuing the work of a Dream Warden.”
“How soon will I learn those techniques?”
“Not for another year or so, I’m afraid.”
“Drats,” Scootaloo replied. “That sounds really useful. Until I learn them, I’m limited to these one or two hour sessions so I can get enough sleep afterward, right?” She sighed slightly as Luna nodded. “Oh well, I can make do until then.”
Luna smiled. “Patience. Do not forget that there is still a great deal of time and work ahead of you on this path. You won’t even be considered a full Dream Warden, with all the responsibility that entails, for another two or three years, regardless.”
“Right, right, I knew that,” Scootaloo said through another yawn, causing the Princess of the Night to giggle into her hoof.
“Sounds like it’s time for somepony to hit the hay.”
Rainbow Dash’s sudden interjection from behind them caused them both to turn, watching as the cerulean-coated pegasus made her way across the clouds to where they were sitting.
“Good evening, Rainbow Dash,” Luna said, greeting the mare with a bow of her head.
“Princess,” Rainbow replied, bowing briefly as she reached them.
“Hey Rainbow. Looks like I stayed up later than you. That’s got to be a first!” Scootaloo said with a tried grin.
Rainbow tried to glare at the filly, but couldn’t keep a matching grin from forming on her own features. “Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. I was only out for maybe thirty minutes, and it’s not my fault I fell asleep. You try staying up late after dealing with the weather emergency I had to manage today!”
Scootaloo giggled. “It’s okay, Rainbow Dash. I still think you’re awesome, even if you fell asleep.”
“You know it,” Rainbow replied, ruffling Scootaloo’s mane.
The filly squirmed, grinning up at her honorary big sister.
“So, how’d it go?” Rainbow inquired after a moment.
“Oh, great!” Scootaloo exclaimed. “I actually found the thing this time. The, um… nightmare. I could see it, I mean,” she said, stumbling slightly over her words, as her enthusiasm was overridden by her fatigue. She let out another yawn.
Rainbow smiled, raising an eyebrow. “Well, I’m glad to hear it, but I think maybe it’s time for bed.”
“Aw,” Scootaloo replied, looking down. “I wanted to talk to the Princess some more…”
Luna smiled, getting to her hooves. “I, too, wish to spend more time with you, Scootaloo,” she said, earning smiles from both pegasi. “However, Rainbow Dash is correct. Your fatigue is clearly catching up with you. It would be best for you to get some rest. Besides which, I have another task I must soon attend to, as you know.”
“Oh yeah,” Scootaloo replied, nodding. “Well, that’s ok, then. And, I suppose I should get some rest, I am pretty tired,” she admitted, pushing herself up to her hooves with a grunt. She looked up at the Princess. “Will we be able to do another session next weekend?”
Luna nodded. “It will not be another entry into a nightmare, but I will begin to teach you about other aspects of dream walking, yes.”
“Great,” Scootaloo replied with a smile. She paused for a moment, and then darted forward, throwing her forelegs around the surprised alicorn, hugging her tightly. “Thank you,” she said quietly.
“You are most welcome,” Luna replied softly, returning the embrace. She smiled to the filly as she pulled away. “Now, off to bed, young lady.” Scootaloo grinned back at her.
Rainbow nudged the filly lightly. “Go ahead, and get on in there, squirt. I’ll follow you in a moment.”
“Okay,” Scootaloo said with a nod. With one last smile and wave to Luna, which the alicorn returned, she turned and made her way back inside the cloud home.
Luna turned to Rainbow Dash. “Was there something else you wished to discuss?”
Rainbow smiled to her. “Just wanted to give you my thanks. I have to admit, at first, I was skeptical about this whole idea. Entering ponies dreams, experiencing their nightmares…” She shook her head. “It sounds, well, kind of disturbing, and you said yourself that it’s not an entirely risk-free profession. Also, to be honest, it sounds like something that would be more suited to someone like Twilight rather than Scootaloo. Or me, for that matter,” she added, chuckling.
Luna smiled. “Understandable, but you would be surprised. My Wardens come from many life paths, and are made up of all three types of pony. Proficiency in magic is not a requirement. And while there are risks, they can be minimized if the pony in question possesses a sharp, capable mind. Scootaloo exemplifies this quality.”
Rainbow couldn’t keep a proud grin off of her face. “It’s really gratifying to hear you say that,” she said quietly. “She’s had it rough, and she’s a lot smarter than other ponies sometimes give her credit for. Like I said, at first, I wasn’t sure what to make of all this, but I think you may have helped her to discover something she can really be good at. Something she can take pride in. She deserves that.”
Luna shook her head. “I merely opened the door for her. She chose to walk through it. And will have to do so again, in the coming years.”
Rainbow nodded. “I have a feeling she will, though.”
“As do I.”
Rainbow looked out into the night sky. “She’s a good kid,” she said quietly.
“She is,” Luna echoed. “And she looks up to you, Rainbow Dash. In her eyes, you are a sister, a mentor, and an inspiration. I do care about her, and I will do my best to guide her for as long as she chooses to pursue this endeavor, but you are the one she truly relies on. Remember that.”
Rainbow was silent a moment, still looking up at the stars. Finally, she looked over at the Princess. “I will. Thanks.”
Luna nodded. “Good night, Rainbow Dash.”
“Good night, Princess.”
-END-