Dennis rubbed his eyes and let out a small yawn as he stared at the blurry computer screen. That’s funny, I was fine just a few minutes ago. Maybe I should take a short nap before she gets back. With that decided, he stood up from his computer and collapsed on the couch across from his computer with a groan. His body simply felt drained.
His eyelids slowly closed as he took a deep breath, slowly slipping into slumber. I’ll just take a short nap…
Dennis looked around as he felt a sensation he had never felt before; wherever he was, there was no gravity. In fact, there seemed to be no ground. He was surrounded by white, brilliant light that seemed to go on forever.
As he continued to look around, he chuckled. “What an interesting place. It almost looks like a piece of paper, untouched by anyone.”
“That would be a fairly accurate explanation of where you are, yes.”
Dennis blinked as a blue light washed over his entire body. He lifted his arm with a wince.
“My apologies to you, Dennis, it is safe to lower your arm once more.”
Slowly, he lowered his arm, blinking. The burst of blue had indeed dissipated. Dennis blinked as he stared into very familiar green eyes.
“Princess Luna? Am I dreaming… alright, that was a stupid question. The only way I could be seeing you is if I was dreaming. Darn. It’s kind of a boring dream, isn’t it?” He laughed, not noticing Princess Luna glancing away with her horn glowing slightly as the white melted away, which left both of them floating in an ocean of stars.
“A dream? Yes, I suppose you could call this as such. Dennis, may I refer to you as thus?”
Dennis shrugged, noticing that Luna was even more beautiful than in the cartoon or even his favorite art pieces
“Yes, of course, Princess Luna. I gotta say, these stars are beautiful; they’re far more spectacular than any I have seen before. You certainly are talented.”
He grinned at the small bit of blush that colored Luna’s cheeks. When he got back online, she was going to be so jealous of this awesome dream he was having.
“My thanks. I too adore these stars, but… while I wish we had the time to simply talk and spend time together, I am afraid that I am here for a reason. Dennis, you are needed in Equestria.”
He blinked and then laughed, taking a moment to appreciate the humor of his subconscious
“Wow, I really have been reading far too much My Little Pony fan fiction, haven’t I?”
He continued to laugh for a few moments more until he saw a tear rolling down Princess Luna’s cheek. At the sight of that single tear, he stopped laughing and swallowed.
“Equestria needs me, huh? I’m not special; I’m just a normal guy.”
Princess Luna shook her head and floated closer to him before smiling.
“There’s no mistake: you have a destiny to fulfil in Equestria. You must come with me.”
She lifted her hoof up for him to take. Dennis lifted his hand, before pausing.
“I’m asleep though, right? What is going to happen to my body?”
Luna’s hoof trembled, and she looked away. Dennis closed his eyes and swallowed hard, understanding at once what it would mean if he took Luna’s hoof. He lowered his hand back to his waist and looked past Luna into the unending star field gathering his thoughts.
“Am I vital? Will Equestria be okay without me? If I chose to stay here on Earth, what will happen?”
“I’m sorry, I know… I can feel your sorrow, Dennis, but, yes, you are vital to Equestria. Without you… so many things will be lost. I’m so sorry.”
He tightly closed his eyes at her answer, his hands clenching into fists. Luna looked away; she wouldn’t interrupt his thoughts they… had time after all.
“Can I wake up? Spend a final day with my family and friends? May I say goodbye?”
“I’m sorry…”
“Not much of an answer, Princess.”
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to come; I thought, as did my sister, that there was still time. We were wrong. Please, I cannot make you come, but I ask, no, I beg of you to come with me.”
He almost glared at her, but stopped. Her whole body was trembling. He realized in that moment that she hadn’t wanted to come. Not then, not at that moment, maybe not ever. With that realization, he wrapped his arms around her neck and gently squeezed.
“It’s alright, Princess, I understand. I’m not angry, not with you and not with your sister. If anything, I’m just sad.”
“For yourself? I understand how hard this decision must be you have only begun your—”
Slowly, he pulled back and shook his head
“No, I’m not sad for myself, but for my friends and family. They’ll be the ones in pain. I wish I could tell them how much I love each one of them. I wish I had the time to give each of them one last hug. To tell them I’m okay.”
Luna stared up at the smiling man and shook her head
“But you will be losing your life…”
“Because I’m needed somewhere else. What kind of friend would I be if I selfishly said ‘No, I’m not going and you can’t make me.’”
He reached his hand out to take Luna’s, before pausing.
“When they… find me? What will they think?”
Luna placed her hoof in his palm and smiled at him, sadly blinking back tears.
“That you simply stopped, nothing more than that… It’s time now.”
He nodded and closed his hand around Luna’s hoof, and they vanished from the unending starscape.
In Equestria, a newborn foal cried.
Author's Note
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