Starshine, Starbright

by cottonball

Rating: everyone
Tags: Twilight Sparkle, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Other, Romance, Princess Luna, Original Character, Comedy, Adventure, Zecora
Length: 1974

Cottonball is a simple cat living with her roomate. Lately she has been getting weird dreams, but what if they aren't dreams, but reality?

Meet Cottonball, a cat who seems simple during the day, but at night, her dreams take place in a world of magical equines. But soon it all seems so real to her, she doesn't know wich is reality, the day, or the night?

Published 2015-06-03 15:40:02 UTC
Last updated 2015-06-03 15:40:02 UTC

Chapter 1: I have hooves apperantly

CottonBall yawned. Her paws felt weak, and sleep repeatedly came to her mind. The brown cat sighed, brushing her fangs and crawling into bed. She swirled the bed sheets, trying to find a comfy spot. "What an exhilarating day..." Cotton yawned, her eyes drooping closed.
********************************************************************************
BANG! CottonBall shot up, everything dark around her. Her eyes soon adjusted, and a bright, starry sky appeared. The fields among her were stocked with tall grass. A trail led to a small village. The moon shined brightly on Cotton's fur. "I feel... taller," Cotton gasped, glancing at her paws. Where were her paws? They were replaced with a set of purple, cloven hooves.

Cotton stared at her now blue-purple fur. It shone in the bright moonlight. The now ponified cat wobbly walked towards the village. She was surprised to see that a small shop in a lonely corner of town was still litten up. Another pony such as herself was cleaning a marble counter top. His old brown cloke was draped over his haunches. He adorned a pair of white wings. A lollipop rested on his flank. "Amazing...." Cotton breathed, looking through the window.

The bartender looked at Cotton, jumping slightly. His face calmed, and he walked towards the door. "May I help you ma'am?" He asked in a surprisingly high-pitched voice.

Cotton blinked. A moment passed. "Ma'am?"

"Ah, yes? May I come in?" The purple pony scratched her head nervously.

The bartender glanced at the sign that said, "Closed." "Sure thing ma'am," he nodded, gesturing his hoof inside of the cafe'.

Cotton bowed slightly. "Thank you."

The mare padded in, her eyes softening when she saw the stallion close the door and offer her a doughnut. "You look starved ma'am. It's on me," The stallion smiled. He had a small hint of Irish in his voice. The snow-white stallion removed his hood, revealing white hair filled with blue and yellow streaks. His hair was short, with messy bangs. His eyes were a bright magenta.

Cotton blushed. She was never offered free food. "Thank you." She gratefully accepted the doghnut, a light pink aura surrounding it. She gasped, dropping the doughnut. Luckily she caught it. "I'm... I'm a unicorn?!" The mare gasped.

"Ma'am, you ARE a unicorn, you've been like that since birth, yes?" The stallion raised a brow, his wings folded.

Cotton opened her mouth, as if to speak, but shut it immediately. "Ma'am?" The stallion looked concerned. I've never seen a noble so... so speechless before... the bartender thought.
********************************************************************************

Cotton awoke in her room, her paws there, everything normal. "Phew..." The she-cat hopped out of bed, walking to the kitchen as the sun began to rise. "Maybe I'll have some Salty Fishes," She mused to herself, pulling out a bowl, milk, and the cereal.

"Cotton? What are you doing up so early?" Asked a groggy blue she-cat, her fur on end. She yawned, grabbing the cereal and pouring herself a bowl of Salty Fishes.

Cotton raised a brow, "Shouldn't I be asking the same question?"

The blue cat meowed, "You woke me, do you know how loud you are in the mornings?"

"Sorry Misty, I had a weird dream last night." CottonBall casually put a spoonful of her cereal in her mouth.

Misty nodded. "What about?"

"Horses.... no, mystical equines. I was a unicorn... and I met a Pegasus. Everything was colorful. I was purple I think."

Misty broke out laughing. She nearly fell out of her chair. "L.O.L omg, really? Magical equines?"

********************************************************************************

A casual day passed, CottonBloom got her work done, and she was home tuckered out and ready for bed. She tucked her self neatly in the bed sheets, her eyes drooping as before. Her vision faded.

********************************************************************************

"Ma'am? Ma'am?" An echoey voice rang out.

"Huh?!" CottonBall shot up, accidentally bonking her head on the bartender's.

"Ow!" The Pegasus looked taken aback. Despite his aching head, he helped the purple unicorn to her hooves. "I was worried, you passed out for the day."

Cotton looked around. She was undressed, so was the stallion. She was in a room. "Um.... I'm... naked...." She muttered. The bartender chuckled.

"You nobles. Ponies don't need clothes," The Pegasus then straightened his face. "We never properly introduced. My name is StarCatcher. yours?" He held out a hoof.

Cotton hesitated. "Um... the name's Cotton... CottonBall....." She took StarCatcher's hoof, shaking it slowly. "You say I was out a day?"

StarCatcher nodded, his mane bouncing slightly. Ponies? That's what they're called? These look nothing like ponies... Cotton's thoughts were scrambled, and she couldn't focus.

"I couldn't help but notice... you don't have a cutie mark..." The Pegasus trailed off, pointing to Cotton's flank. Cotton stared.

"Cutie Marks? You mean those..." Cotton stopped. Obviously she didn't belong here. She needed to act like she knew this stuff. "Um, yeah! I.... um..." The equine panicked. What was she doing?! She needed a full on script! She stuttered a bit more, causing StarCatcher to look at her worriedly.

"Are you alright Ma'am- I mean... cotton?" The bartender cocked his head.

Cotton stood there, her eyes wide and alert. "I'm not from this place!" she blurted out. She then hung her head in defeat. "I'm no... pony. I'm a cat, and THIS is a dream," The purple-blue equine nodded. The bartender just stared blankly at her.

StarCatcher finally whispered, "A cat."

Cotton nodded.

"A feline."

*Nod*

"Really?!"

*Nods*

StarCatcher sat there for a moment, dumbstruck. "Why in the name of Starswirll's Beard!" He clapped his hooves, a large smile plastered on his face like a banana. "I must take you to Princess Luna!" he stomped a hoof, spreading his wings.

"Who now?" The confused feline/equine cocked her head in puzzlement.

"Punch me, hard," said the Pegasus.

"WHAT?! No, no no no no," Cotton screamed.

"Hmph, your no fun..." StarCatcher smashed his head against a nearby mirror, knocking himself out,

Cotton gasped, "STAR CATCHER!!!" The unicorn then slipped on a piece of glass and hit the back of her head. All went black.

********************************************************************************
"Am I... home?" Cotton looked around. Sure enough, she was back in her own room. It was still night however, and Cotton was disappointed to find that her equine body remained.
*********************************************************************************

Author's Note

welp, first story! Yay! Anyways, I hope you enjoy :D I honestly do think I have an issue keeping my characters the same throughout the whole story, so please let me know if the story seems to be going way too fast or the characters become random in personality traits. Thank you for reading!

Chapter 2: Banned Magic and Dimension Hopping

*************************************************************************************************

CottonBall sighed, rubbing her temples with her new acquainted hooves. "StarCatcher?!" She called, sliding out of her bed. "Misty?!"

"Hello CottonBall," came a feminine, disembodied voice.

Cotton screamed, looking around wildly for who the voice belonged to. "W- who's there?!"

Her room disappeared, replaced with a void of stars. The cat/pony was startled to see that she felt ground underneath her, but couldn't see it. "I'm right here," the voice replied, a tall, lean equine appearing in front of CottonBall out of thin air.

Cotton just stood there in aw. The pony did not only have a horn, but wings as well. She wore glimmering, silver shoes and a onyx colored chest plate and crown. She must be royalty, CottonBall thought to herself, still staring at the mare.

"I might as well introduce myself," the mare said softly. "My name is Luna, ruler of the night. It is my duty to watch over the dreams of all in Equestria."

"OH so that's what this place is called! Phew, so I am dreaming."

"No, you are not dreaming, it is something else," Luna deadpanned.

"Then... what is it?" CottonBall cocked an eye brow. Man, I am definitely dreaming, CottonBall thought, everyone in dreams say it's not a dream!

Luna's horn glowed. She then used a ball of magic to slap her.

"What was that for?!" CottonBall screamed, rubbing her red cheek. "That hurt!"

"Exactly," Luna smirked. "You, my friend, are under a spell that allows you to hop between your dimension and Equestria's. It only activates at night, from what I remember." Cotton just stared, not believing her ears.

StarCatcher ran up to CottonBall. "Interesting isn't it?" he smiled.

"Where have YOU been?!" CottonBall screamed, her cheeks red with anger. "Your the only one I trust the most here!"

"Uh, thanks?" StarCatcher reared back, feeling uncomfortable with the random blow up.

Luna rolled her eyes at their behavior. "Cottonball, StarCatcher," the princess said sternly.

"Yes?" the two pony's replied. They looked to each other.

"JINX!" CottonBall called. "You owe me a soda!"

"Hey!"

"MY LITTLE PONIES!" Princess Luna boomed, stomping her hoof to the ground.

"Sorry."

"Sorry."

"Thank you, now, may I continue?" Luna looked to the young adults.

"Yes your highness," StarCatcher replied.

"Good, now, CottonBall," Luna looked to the dimension hopper. "This spell I told you about is banned magic, magic so powerful I'm afraid I can't track it back to the pony who has cast it upon you." CottonBall frowned a little.

"Can you undo it?" Cotton asked, full of hope.

Luna nodded. "But I haven't used it in over one-thousand years, and the spell book may be destroyed or hidden away. I will have to study upon it."

StarCatcher looked to his new friend. "Hey, Equestria isn't all bad, I mean, your a unicorn! You can use magic."

Cotton shrugged sadly.

"It isn't that simple," Luna replied. "She wasn't born with it, so it will be harder for her to learn it. Equestria has many dangers, and you can be killed here, and die in your 'sleep' in your dimension. StarCatcher, I give you the responsibility of protecting Cotton."

"Yes your highness," StarCatcher firmly nodded.

StarCatcher smiled to CottonBall. Nudging her shoulder, he suggested, "Hey, when you wake up here, I can give you a tour of the town I live in, Canterlot!"

"That'd be nice," Cotton replied with a small smile.

Luna cleared her throat, regaining CottonBall and StarCatcher's attention. "Morning is upon us. I must be going."

"No! Wait!" CottonBall called, holding at a hoof as if to catch the mare as she faded away.

************************************************************************************************************

Misty chewed on her toast, using her multitasking skills to slip on her favorite collar. "Any more weird dreams to tell me?" Misty mumbled through her occupied mouth.

CottonBall yawned, walking out of her room lazily dressed. "Nope," she lied. She didn't want to be teased again, and she thought it'd be best so her roommate wouldn't call an ambulance. "Not at all. I dreamed of sheep, and that's all."

"Good!" Misty smiled warmly. "Well, you better straighten yourself up sleepyhead, you know our boss doesn't like us being late or looking like we went out partying last night."

"I am aware Mist," Cotton glared, rolling her eyes. "You know I wouldn't do that." The sleepy cat pondered through her thoughts. She felt weak, and bewildered by last night's events. While it was defiantly not real, Cotton thought, it felt real.

"Oh glob," Misty looked to cotton. "Did you fall or something?"

CottonBall arched an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"You might want to look in a mirror and clean it up..." Misty pulled out a hand mirror for Cotton to look in. "Here."

Crap. Cotton stared at a cut on her forehead, after cleaning the wound, she suddenly remembered how she got to Luna in the first place. Running to her room, Cotton found that StarCatcher's mirror was laying on the ground, shattered. That wasn't here last evening...

Author's Note

New chapter! I hope I didn't make any mistakes this time >.< If I did, feel free to let me know and I'll edit it! :D Hope you enjoy!