The Collected Adventures of Tyro

Chapter 3: Dreams

Tyro relaxed on the warm, sandy beach, watching the ocean. The waves rode up the sand, only to lose their energy and slip back into the ocean.

The sun beat down on his crimson flank. It was warm, and he reveled in it. When he got too hot, he would just roll over, and bake his other side.

There was a stream here, flowing out of a nearby forest into the ocean. The place was probably tropical, judging by the fruit on the trees. All he had to do was kick a tree, and there was lunch.

The sun felt good. The tide came in. The tide went out. That was all there was here, and Tyro was content.

Night began to fall, and Tyro slept.

Tyro looked down over the Everfree Forest. Somewhere down there was a very unhappy primordial, and Tyro felt a moment of guilt for sealing him away. There had been no choice, but still...

Tyro's awareness shifted, and now he looked down over Ponyville, as the sun rose. Peeking into the library, Twilight was writing a letter. Rainbow Dash was sleeping on a cloud, and Fluttershy was outside her cottage, beating up a bear. All was well, and he moved onward.

Canterlot was... interesting, Tyro decided. Such chaos. It reminded him a little bit of what his old home had once been. But this was different. Ponies greeted each other on the streets, as they walked to their destinations. This was a friendly place. A better place, Tyro thought with a smile.

Tyro woke to the light of the sun as it rose over the ocean. Another day. He stood, turning to go get breakfast. Then he stopped up short.

Another pony was on his beach. In all the days he had been here, he hadn't seen another pony. But standing before him now was Princess Luna. The pony he had publicly humiliated.

At some level, he knew this was a dream, and so he knew that sooner or later he would have to come to terms with his mistake. That time was now.

"Tyro, we need to talk."

"I know. I'm sorry for what I did to you, Luna. I didn't think about your feelings, only the fun I had at your expense. That was wrong, and I..." Tyro trailed off as he saw Luna shaking her head.

"I appreciate your apology, Tyro. However, that isn't why I'm here." Luna paused for a moment, before continuing. "Tyro, how long have you been here?"

Tyro thought for a moment. "A few days?"

"No, Tyro. Twilight has been taking care of your unconscious body for over a week now."

"That can't be!" Tyro was stunned, then confused. "But—"

"This place exists within your mind, Tyro. Time here is whatever you want it to be. Eight days have passed since the defeat of Primus, and yet still you do not wake."

Tyro was speechless, as Luna went on, relentlessly. "Twilight sent me and my sister a letter, asking for help. She hasn't left your side for more than a few hours at a time in days."

Now he was angry. "You lie. There's no way you could know all this, not if you're part of this dream, or whatever it is. Or... Are you?" He looked at her suspiciously, circling her a couple times to examine the alicorn. "Are* you part of this dream? Or are you the real Luna, come here from reality?"*

The princess panicked. If he wanted to, he could make her leave. She couldn't stay in Tyro's dream against his will. Not for long, at least. That was a limitation of the power she held.

"Please, you need to understand—"

"Why did you come here? After what I did to you, why would you want to talk to me?"

Luna hadn't expected this question, but it made sense. Tyro still felt guilty for what he had done to her. They would have to have a talk about that later.

"I came because I was asked, by a mutual friend of ours. Twilight asked me to do anything I could. She has grown desperate, Tyro. Even something as personal as this was acceptable to her, if it would bring you back." She saw Tyro's eyes widen as she spoke.

"I've spent... a long time here, haven't I?"

"Yes, Tyro. It's time for you to come home."

*    *    *

Luna stood, her legs protesting the sudden movement. She looked down at Tyro, lying sprawled on his back. The sleep he was in now was a normal one, and he would wake up soon. Quickly, Luna went to go fetch Twilight, to bring her to see Tyro.

Tyro felt himself starting to wake up. He heard Twilight's voice, then Luna's. A door closing, then Twilight's voice again. He guessed that Luna had left, then wondered what to do when he finally did wake up.

He felt breath on his face, and began to fully wake up, though his eyes remained closed. Twilight. He didn't move, though, knowing that she thought he was still aslep.

When he next felt the breath on his face, he just reached up and pulled her down onto the bed with him, grinning. "Hey, look what I caught."

Twilight was caught off-guard by the sudden movement, and Tyro had pulled her up against him before she could react. She didn't try to squirm away, though. After all, why would she?