Dream Weaver sat and sighed in her Freelancer team’s ‘Headquarters,’ or in other words her room at the inn. Grassy was kind enough to let her stay at a reduced rate, but this was a far cry from what she’d hoped for out of her experience as a Freelancer Captain.

It would be alright if she actually was getting work. But with no reputation and only one member on the team, town residents didn’t come to her when they needed things. Oh sure, she’d gotten paid to help with a few small projects around the town; a broken fence to repair here, some herb gathering there. All she was given was menial labor from people who felt sorry for her.

Things didn’t look to be getting better either. She couldn’t attract any new members. Any talented ponies looking for Freelancer work would rather wait for an opening in one of the veteran teams than jump in to follow an inexperienced rookie with no serious jobs under her belt. Fang had wanted to help, but evidently her mother drew the line at going out on adventures. She didn’t know anyone else in town who she trusted as much as Fang.

Needless to say, things were not going well.

With another sigh, she rose and went out for a walk through the constant night. Her feathers ruffled as she stepped into the brisk air. She hoped that a long trot around town might help her to clear her thoughts. She’d been warned about all of this. Star, Night, Lance, all of them had warned her to be patient and just wait for an opening. But no. She’d been headstrong and decided that she couldn’t wait, that she had to become a Freelancer captain right away. She had been lucky to pass the test to apply in the first place.

After an hour of slowly pacing through the starlit streets, opportunity came knocking in the form of a town guard coming up to her. The armored thestral approached with a purpose, heading right for her as he called for her attention.

“Ms. Dream Weaver? The town guard would like to hire your services.”

Dream stopped in her tracks, eyes wide as she heard the job offer from the guards of all ponies! They only hired Freelancers for serious matters. Maybe she had to investigate a case of a missing hunter, or raid an encampment of crazed bandits! She gave the stallion her full attention.

“All of the other teams are busy on important missions and can’t spare any members. We’d like you to patrol the roads into town to see if there’s any bandit activity. We’d prefer it if you didn’t get into any fights. We just need a report of any suspicious ponies lurking out there. If there is any trouble, get back to town right away so that somebody with more experience can handle it. Upon giving your report, you will be paid a decent sum of bits for your services. Do you accept the job?”

Dream was disappointed that she was just being given grunt work, but grunt work was still work. She agreed, albeit a bit reluctantly, and headed home to grab her gear, just in case.

An hour into her job and she was almost bored to tears. The woods around the roads were quiet. No highwaymen, no roaming monsters, no bandit gangs. Nothing whatsoever. She flexed her wings, bladed coverings glinting in the streams of moonlight in the dim forest. She desperately wanted some action. Or at least a story to bring home so that the night wasn’t a total loss.

It was then that she heard it. A shout in the distance. Followed by more, along with the growing sounds of a fight. Her eyes widened with excitement as she realized that some poor traveler was being attacked by bandits, and that she had to rescue them! Then it really hit her how serious this would be. This would be life or death.

Gritting her teeth and bracing herself for battle, she charged towards the sound of conflict.

There in the middle of the road was an incredible sight. Three roughed up looking bandit ponies, clad in torn leather armor and wielding rusted blades, surrounded a creature that Dream had certainly heard of but had never seen. He was tall, possibly taller than Luna had been. From the waist down, he had the torso and legs of a lean yet powerfully fit pony. But from the waist up, his body more resembled a flat-faced minotaur, with a broad chest and muscled arms. He bellowed out, two small tusks poking out of his lower jaw, as he swung an old, chipped battle axe at one of the bandits, only for them to deftly dodge out of the way of his clumsy attack.

Tales of Lord Tirek briefly flashed in Dream’s mind before she remembered what she had learned about judging an entire race by the actions of one member. She raced toward the battle, coming to the centaur’s aid. Flaring out with her power, she sent a powerful pulse of sleep spell to one of the distracted bandits. The criminal, not seeing the attack coming, almost instantly dropped, slumbering in the middle of the fight. This caught his companions off guard, giving the centaur an opening to slam one with the broad side of his axe, sending him flying into the side of a thick pine tree, knocking him unconscious. The last bandit looked between the two with a look of fear, slowly backing away. Then his eyes narrowed.

“You’ll pay for this. You and all your little freak friends.” With that, he was gone, running off into the dark forest.

Dream knew what had to be done. Hollow Shades didn’t tolerate bandits like these. If she let them go, they’d only come back. She went over to the first of the two, wincing as she twitched her wing across his throat. She grimaced and tried to hold back the bile that quickly jumped up into her mouth.

Dream Weaver had taken her first life. Hearing the sounds of a falling axe blade, she was only partially relieved that she wouldn’t have to take her second as well.

“Thank you,” the centaur finally said in a low, grumbling tone. “I am not used to fighting such nimble opponents.”

He gave a quick bow before continuing. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Arkus, son of Haktos, of the bloodline Unterrus. Be you of the place known as Hollow Shades?”

Dream, calming her nerves, smiled shakily to the centaur. Now that the fight was over, she could see his features more clearly. His upper half was a light tint of purple, his chest covered by a sleeveless garment made of black cloth. His darker colored mane flowed down to his shoulders behind a pair of short curved horns, curling up like some sort of headpiece. He had a thin jaw, a flat nose, and small squinting eyes. His pony half was fairly unremarkable, with a coat the same purple as his skin and a short tail that matched his mane.

Honestly, compared to what she’d heard about Tirek, he seemed… smaller than she’d expected.

Realizing that she hadn’t actually answered his question, she quickly responded, ashamed of the nervous tone her voice betrayed. “Y-yes, I’m from Hollow Shades. I was actually patrolling for bandits like these guys when I came across you. I’m um… I’m Dream Weaver. Nice to meet you… Arkus, you said?”

She held out a shaking hoof, which Arkus regarded with confusion before apparently remembering something, bending slightly to shake it in his hand. He gave her a somewhat sad smile.

“So I see the hurt my disgraceful former countryman has caused still lingers even here. I should have known better.” He sighed. “I hope you do not judge our people too harshly by his actions… We have been waiting for generations to try and negotiate peaceful trade between our nation and yours. But we always feared that we would be unfairly judged by Tirek’s actions in the past. Then, when we finally felt the hurt had faded, he returns like the plague on our race he truly is!”

Spitting off to the side in disgust, the centaur shouldered his axe. “I was but a guard in training back in my homeland. But when I heard the news that Tirek had returned, that he once again attacked Equestria and abused his gift, I knew I had to do something. That is why I came here. I wish to show that we centaurs should not be judged by his actions! I have heard the tales of Hollow Shades, how it is a safe haven, and I felt it would be the appropriate place to begin my mission of peace. I wish to join the town’s guard and prove my worth!”

Hearing his story put Dream more at ease. She swallowed her fear and smiled much more genuinely this time, offering to lead him into town. Right after she looted these bandits’ corpses for anything of worth.

On the walk back to town, Dream had to convince Arkus that she was not actually a member of the guard, instead explaining the role of the Freelancers. It was difficult for him to grasp, because evidently in his land guards were just as much adventurers and heroes as they were peacekeepers. It sort of made him wary of his goals now, but he stuck to it. They trotted into town, and though there were some odd looks and whispers here and there, no one seemed to mind his presence too much.

She brought him to the registration office so that he could officially move in before going to give her report. The guards, while not fond of the fact that she had to fight on what should have been a simple routine job, commended her on dealing with the
situation properly and helping to integrate a new resident to their community. Not only that, but they were very interested to hear that the newcomer was likely to join their ranks soon, glad to know that Freelancing hadn’t grabbed every skilled fighter’s attention.

Dream took her payment and began to head for home when a familiar voice called out to her. Arkus ran up to her, bowing quickly before speaking. “I am now a member of this town! I am to go to an interview for a position in the guard tomorrow! I just wished to thank you once again, Dream Weaver of Hollow Shades, for helping me. I do not know if I would be here without your assistance.”

Dream smiled wide, then began to lead him to the inn to introduce him and get him set up with a room. However, it soon became clear that there was one problem with that plan.

Arkus didn’t have any bits. He only had the currency of his homeland, which was worthless here. He’d never thought ahead to what he would do when he actually got here, nor did he ever consider that his money would be no good.

That’s when Dream had an idea.

After a month of being roommates, Dream and Arkus got to know each other a lot more. Dream learned that despite his strength and size, he was actually quite younger than she’d thought. In fact, he was almost her age. He actually had a bit more growing to do, which surprised Dream greatly. She also learned that the worn axe he lugged around with him was a family heirloom, forged by his great-great-great grandfather. It even had a name: roughly translated, its centaurian name effectively meant ‘Spine Cleaver.’

Arkus had successfully gotten into the guard, and quickly found himself… disappointed. As he’d feared upon hearing about the Freelancers, the town guard was not at all what he’d expected. He was tired of patrolling the streets for everyone to stare at. He was tired of the chaffing, ill-fitted armor they required him to wear, not at all suited for his frame. Most of all, he was tired of the lack of action.

The obvious solution didn’t come until much, much later than it should have. On that fateful day, Arkus finally found work he could enjoy, and Dream Weaver finally had another member to her team.

Now they just needed a name.

“The Blood Baths!” Arkus eagerly suggested. Dream winced in response.

“No… that’s uh, that’s more of a bandit gang name. We’re the heroes, remember?”

“Ah… fair point… What about the Axers?”

“You’re the only one using an axe, and it sounds too much like the Lancers.”

“Hmm…” He rubbed his chin in thought, staying quiet for a while.

Dream had gone for quite a while without giving her team a name. Before it hadn’t been a big deal since it was just her. But now that she actually had some more muscle around, she needed to be sure her team had a name that could gain a good reputation. Something like the Lancers, or the Misfits, or the Heroes! But unique to them.

Then it hit Dream. The perfect name.

“The Dreamers,” she said in a hushed tone, seeing how it felt to say.

“What?” Arkus asked in surprise, snapped out of his own idea process.

“The Dreamers! That can be our name! Because we dream of making this world a better place! And, you know, because my name is Dream.”

“Hm… I still like the Axers better… but the Dreamers is a fine name as well!”

With that settled, Dream and her new team member shook on it. A life of adventure and excitement awaited them.

Needless to say, things were looking up for the Dreamers.

Author's Note

And we have our first party member, the centaur warrior Arkus! Next chapter, we begin the first of (hopefully) many adventure story arcs.

As always, thanks goes out to my editor Requiem as well as all of you for sticking with me! Please leave comments and critiques down below to help this story grow!