Guarding Dreams

Luna always guarded dreams. When the foal had nightmares, she would come to their aid. She often gave advice to those who needed guidance. Some of the nightmares she encountered were with dragons or a imaginary creature that was trying to harm the foal. It was easy getting rid of the horrid creatures and beings since it was a dream. Some dreams acted like nightmares but without monsters or entities, it was when the pony was falling or hanging on to a loose rock. Those dreams resemble that the pony has no support in his life or anyone on his side. She always catches the ponies right before they hit the ground and tells them everything is going to be alright.  Then there were good dreams. She often would hide in the shadows and see the foal playing with their family, friends, or even imaginary creatures. These dreams are always good to look at and provide a heartwarming feeling. She always smiled at those dreams. The last dreams she didn't enjoy the most were wet dreams. Of course Luna understood the meaning of them but she couldn't help but be a little uncomfortable with them. Most of the dreams were about the growing foal and his or her secret crush. A few times, it was with other creatures. But when she saw herself in the dream, she couldn't help but give a little chuckle but then look sad at the dreamer with gloomy eyes from the shadows. If only you knew that your fantasy is not possible, Luna always got herself out of there as fast as possible when she saw herself in the dream. The dreams with her and the dreamer have intercourse is highly unlikely because she doesn't want to grief over her lover's death since she lives longer than the average pony. But some dreams with her in it, there was an unsettling feeling and she had to find out what was going on. When she did, she couldn't help but shed a tear. She saw herself as Nightmare moon torturing the dreamer in unspeakable ways. Why do they think of me like that?, I am not her anymore, She always freed the dreamer from that imaginary Nightmare Moon. Dreams are really a precious thing. They can tell how your feeling. But the dream Luna entered was far from ordinary to the average dreamer.

She was just going through the dreams like a breeze that night. Fighting of creatures, giving advice to foals that really didn't know what to do when they didn't study for the test they have the next morning. Nothing really out of the ordinary. That dream she stumbled in had caught her attention. It felt like it very odd, you see Luna could also sense how the dreamer was feeling and it was calm. This was very odd because usually the dreamer would often have the feeling of love, happiness, dread, fear, sadness, etc. This one was too calm. It felt too like when you read a book out in a field of flowers under a tree in the hot summer days.

Luna saw a fireplace on the wall in front of her and to sofa chairs facing the lit fireplace. On the walls, there were some strange feathers and artifacts. she couldn't tell if she jumped into a dream or accidentally teleported into a room in the castle. She started to trot over to the 2 sofa chairs but then stopped when she heard a voice.

"I have been expecting you, Princess of the Night", The voice sounded like it came from one of the chairs and the voice sounded calm and sly like fox stalking its prey.

"Who are you?"

"Oh, Where are my manners, I know so much of you and you don't have a single clue about me", Princess Luna was on guard, there was no way this was a dream, ponies can't control dreams. "My name is Everlasting Shade, now why don't you sit down and relax", Luna found herself sitting on one of the chairs in disbelief. This really is a dream. She saw a Stallion with with a very dark blue coat and a black mane. His eyes were a green color and he had a stare like he could predict every single move you make."You can call me Shade for short", Luna could tell he wanted something.

"I won't be accepting anything you give me", Shade still had that smirk but closed his eyes.

"Even if its information about why I can control dreams?"

"I meant I won't accept any deals or items you give me", Luna could tell she had a hesitant look on her face because of the reaction Shade was showing, He still had the smirk but closed his eyes.

"So what about if my answers are on a sheet of paper?", Luna couldn't help but show how uncomfortable she while trying to explain about what she meant when she wouldn't agree.

"Relax, I was only teasing you", Luna couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief but quickly was back on guard for what he was going to say.

"I really can't tell you about any answers yet but I have a little proposal to make"

"Like I said, I won't be accepting any deals"

"Well just hear me out", On the coffee table, a piece of paper and a jar of ink with a feather in it appeared on the table.

"I want to help you guard dreams", Luna was about to speak but when she thought about the offer twice, she kept her mouth shut. "You see, I do admire you Princess and I really want to help you out in some way so why not help you keep the dreams safe and pleasant for all to enjoy?", Luna was unsure about this, sure she had just met him and really knew almost nothing about but it really could help handle the big nightmares with actual fights with monsters. She thought of it like a job, but instead of her asking ponies, the ponies were asking her. She really needed time to dwell on this offer. She wasn't always the one in the family that thought things through, that was always Tia's job, but this one was one simple yet hard to answer question. With that Luna looked Shade dead in the eyes.

"Do you really know what you are asking?"

""Of course I do, when I was a foal my ancestors made the dreams foals have into their own personal gain, they turned the dreams into a living horror story, if only I could have stopped them ", Luna could see the passion and anger Shade had in his eyes. He had dropped his smirk and had the face of hateful determination. Luna liked that. Wait did he say my kind?

"I will think about it", Luna said,whipping back to the matter at hand but don't think she was going to let that detail slide by, she really needed time to think about it. Shade's smirk came back.

"Are you sure you can't stay little longer and make up your mind"

"I never said I was done talking with you", Shade could tell there was something on Luna's mind."So can you tell what do you mean by 'my kind'?", Shade knew this was to be expected.

"I am a Crescent Moon"

"I have never heard of anything those before"

"That is because we spend most of our days in dreams"

"But what is your purpose?", Luna could finely see Shade give a Genuine smile, which instantly turned into a frown.

"Almost the same thing you do but instead, we give Nightmares", Luna's curiosity faded instantly and turned into a shocked emotion.

"So you are the ones that give the foals the nightmares?"

"Correct, we feed off the negative energy the foals produce and use it to strengthen our powers", Luna was about to blast Shade from existence but until she notice him look distraught, almost like he felt uncomfortable about talking about what he does.

"I feel very ashamed of what my ancestors have done to you" , Luna finally had that curious look on her face but still had her magic charged up if he tried anything funny. "You see, I am not like my ancestors, I do not feed off on the energy of nightmares, I feed off dread of those who are evil and wicked inside", Luna finally let go of her charged magic and listened. "The energy I feed off of is not really good since they were evil to begin with but it does keep healthy and fed", Luna was about to say something until she heard a little ring go off.

"What was that?"

"That was my alarm when its almost time for the moon to set"Luna suddenly jolted out her seat, has time already passed that quickly?"Don't worry I can send you back fast enough for you to prepare to lower the moon", Shade still looked relaxed and compared to Luna, she was freaking out.

"You can?, Thank you!", Luna bowed to him.

"No need for that", Luna remembered that deal Shade had offered her.

"Wait I haven't came up with an answer!", Shade came back to that cocky smirk.

"Than I will leave you to it", And with that, Luna was back to Equestria.

What, how did he do that without glowing his... horn?. Shade was right. It was almost time for her to lower the moon. She started rushing towards the balcony where she would meet up with her sister to lower the moon and raise the sun.But she couldn't help but think about the Shade and his offer. She had a feeling that it would decide of how dreams would be treated.

"Sister are you ready?"

"Yes"

"You don't look well, is something wrong?"

"Just.. tired"

Luna lowered the moon, Celestia raised the sun. Celestia really knew that something was really bothering  her sister and after they were done with this task she would ask her about it. But after the had finished, Just before she could say anything to her sister. Her sister rushed onto the hall towards her bed chambers.