After finding a quiet area with nobody else around, or animal around, Delmar decided it would be best to get the stink of radiation off his person. He could use magic, but it wasn't as satisfying as the feeling of water cleansing the skin. Or in Delmar's case, bones.

Taking some time to sit in the surprisingly shallow river, Delmar took more time studying the area. Making out little details that weren't apparent when he came to this place. Noting subtle differences from Earth to this planet.

Colors are more vibrant, maybe due to the cleaner atmosphere? I don't sense any pollution, at least in the area I'm in. The water feels clean and pure, and tastes so natural. The amount of magic is a weird touch, and the intelligence level of the wildlife on this planet is surprising. Could it be without any outside intervention the wildlife simply started learning communication? Could that even be possible with the amount of species here? Certainly, this would be a good thing to observe as I make my travels, and questions to ponder on later. Delmar was interrupted by another visitor, this time a small, orange butterfly.

Well hello! You certainly are a strange sight to behold.

Yes, I do get that a lot, must be my face. Do I have anything on it by chance? Any food?

No I don't see anything out of the ordinary. Is your face supposed to be all bone?

Yes, is your wings supposed to be so brightly colored?

Yes, I would like to find a mate.

How is that going if I may be so forward?

Not well, I had some luck with a beautiful blue monarch! Rare to find one here in Whitetail Woods, but she was to pretty for me.

Aw cheer up buddy! Hey, you had luck with her, maybe your chances of finding another butterfly even prettier than her could increase!

Hey maybe your right! Y'know your not so scary, I was a little nervous because of your appearance, but now you are actually pretty nice.

I appreciate the compliment! Hey you called this place Whitetail Woods, is that the name of the forest I'm currently in?

Indeed, to the east and south are places inhabited by ponies. They named it such because a pony wanted to, so it stuck.

Ponies?

Yes, very nice some of them, but some are snobby, rude, or greedy. Although I guess that's everything that lives and breathes. You get a few bad larva here and there. Like this one time I met a black spider, I think a recluse, oh she was so mean! Almost got tangled in her silky web the dam thing! She called me 'tasty orange'! I was so frightened but managed to get away obviously. Another time-

This was a very talkative butterfly.

Not to be rude mister butterfly, but I would like to learn more about these ponies.

Oh, I was rambling again? Jeeze I need to work on that... I apologize. Well anyway these ponies live to the east and south from what I gathered. Although the ones in the east are far nicer than the south, plus much quieter than the south. I would prefer the east than the south.

I see, I will head east then. Thank you, now I must bid you farewell, as I would like to see these ponies for myself.

Oh, well very well! I wish you luck on your travels, however I would avoid any confrontations. There is a pink pony that seems very ecstatic to newcomers.

Thank you for the warning, see you around mister butterfly!

You too mister!

After letting the butterfly fly away until it could not be seen anymore, Delmar got out of the river and put his outfit back on. Making sure that everything was all clear, Delmar sprinted east.

Using a little magic, he was nothing but a blur to anything that managed to see him, but so silent he was like a breeze. Making minor adjustments to his magic, he stopped suddenly but remained hidden within the edge of the forest. Delmar peeked from the brush he was hiding in and saw mountains. No village the butterfly was talking about.

Did I take a wrong turn? Or maybe it's further on...

Taking a chance, he decided to press on in the same direction, hoping over mountains like they were nothing but minor obstacles.

Surprisingly, the mountains lasted a very long time, a total of twenty minutes. If Delmar was walking, it would have taken him a full day just to reach the little village.

Delmar stayed hidden using an invisibility spell, and observed the ponies from a distance.

At first Delmar wasn't very excited. Thinking that the ponies acted just like humans. But as Delmar watched, the more the ponies acted like the perfect little society every human leader dreamed of. Obedience, innocence, and law abiding.

He did see the pink pony the butterfly mentioned, and quickly learned why the butterfly warned him about her. She was a blur moving throughout the village, constantly doing errands and what looks like throwing parties every twenty minutes. This would be impossible if she is mortal, and slowly, ever so slowly, Delmar got a headache.

Before he had a colossal migraine, he studied the rest of the village, taking note that some ponies had wings, others horns that can do magic, and some that don't have either. He noted that these are all pegusus, unicorns, and what seemed to be regular ponies.

He did, however, see only one that had both a horn and a pair of wings. He assumed she was important because of the size of her home, and how she was the only one with a little drake as a pet. He also knew she was a she because he could hear her scream when the pink one surprised her with a cake from behined some bushes.

All in all, the village tone seemed to be commonplace. Everything seemed normal for the ponies. Delmar could transform into one of them, but he would need to posses one and kill it in order to fully function. Deciding against that idea, he simply watched in silent awe at the ponies. A functioning society with real, genuine harmony.

It was almost...storybook.

After a few hours of watching, Delmar noticed how dark it was. Deciding to get some rest, Delmar hid in some nearby woods that was on the opposite side of the village. Sensing a sort of magical field around it, Delmar took it as an opportunity to refill his magic reserves, due to him burning through it all day watching the ponies.

After he was finished, he decided it best to stay near the treeline in view of the village. Finding a tree, he leaped up to the top and leaned against one of the branches.

Watching the sun lower in it's own odd way, and watching the moon rise in it's own way, Delmar took time to study the stars.

Figures, they weren't the same constellations. This is a different dimension after all. But they seem to move slightly independently he stared long enough.

After a while, Delmar nodded off, and slept like a normal human would. Snoring and being in complete peace within himself.

Canterlot Castle, Princess Luna's bedroom.

Luna stared at her reflection, noticing all the small freckles she accumulated after she returned from being Nightmare Moon. It was almost like her mirror was reminding her that she was once it, and is probably still her. She hated that, she hated her reflection... she hated her freckles.

Luna sighed and smiled.

No, she didn't hate her reflection, or her freckles, in fact, she would like to imagine them as the best stars. Since they were on her cheeks, she could show her best stars off every time she went outside.

She smiled and started brushing her ever waving hair. Pulling out knots that accumulated in her sleep, and pulling out any lose hair, which was only one small strand.

Luna placed her brush back down on her dresser, and once again stared at her reflection.

"You are no longer Nightmare Moon, you are now Princess Luna, Princess of Dreams." She pointed at her reflection like a mother reminding her child. It brought her comfort.

"Lulu? What are you ding in there?" Celestia called from behined Luna's bedroom door.

"O-oh nothing Tia, just reminding myself of my duties." Luna gave a soft blush as she continued staring, but had an ear facing her door.

"Alright, as long as you are ok. Just letting you know it's time to raise the moon. I am off to bed, goodnight Lulu."

"Sweet dreams Tia." Luna responded.

Luna listened for her sister to wonder off, then going to her balcony and feeling the evening air. She breathed in slowly and out slowly. She wanted this night to be special.

Luna positioned herself, and concentrated her magic on her moon. Lowering the sun all the way and finally raising her jewel in the sky. She positioned the stars in a new order, hoping it would bring peace to any nightmares that could be happening.

As she let her magic lose, she stared at her sky, like her reflection, she loved her sky.

She loves her freckles.

Luna giggled to herself and walked back inside. Preparing to enter the Dream Realm.

As she focused her magic, the air around her froze and left nothing, then came back suddenly in a bright flash of transition. Her Dream Realm.

She looked out at all the dreams, some were fantasies of love, others were great adventures, and some were just peaceful.

All these ponies she knew, each bubble revealed what they wanted, or what they have and more. Each dream, being a wish. All Luna did was make sure those wishes stayed from being regrets. The nightmares.

However it seemed to be a peaceful night, no nightmares in sight. Wasn't odd, but Luna would like some action.

Hm? What is that?

Luna sensed a presence within the Dream Realm that was unfamiliar. Dark, corrupted, against standard.

This was curious for her, she thought everypony that was in her Dream Realm she knew, only to be proven wrong.

Well, that's life now isn't it?

Taking her chances, she decided to see what this Dream Bubble was, or more of a cloud.

As she approached the unknown cloud, her senses were dampened slightly, as if the thing was aware of her presence, which surprised her slightly. She weighed her options, no pony should be aware of her in dreams other than Celestia, Cadence, Twilight, Discord, and Shinning Armor. Also, the amount of magic within dreams should almost be next to none, but this cloud had massive amounts of reserve magic just floating here.

Luna thought it best to investigate.

She entered the black cloud, taking note that it smelled like burning wood for some reason. Her eyes scanned the blackness, revealing nothing until she noticed distant lights. House lights? Luna pressed on, realizing she was walking on a gravel road. The light got brighter, she could make out a set of double doors facing her. As she approached them she could feel the very air almost welcoming her.

That set off a red flag, she could feel the dream speaking to her.

She already knows it was aware of her presence, but this dream acted like it was expecting her. She didn't like her gut feeling. Nevertheless, she approached the massive doors.

She was on a front porch, made of a type of dark wood. The lights in the house dimmed as she noticed thin silk curtains over them with designs that resembled nothing she knew of.

Whoever was dreaming, had a very creative mind.

Luna didn't know what to do now, should she knock? She felt almost like it would be rude not to.

Shrugging, she knocked on the door three times. Loud enough to hear, but soft enough to not sound panicked.

Not that she was mind you.

As soon as she put her hoof down, the strong sent of smoke and the sounds of heavy hoofsteps approached the door. Luna could feel the air lift and the world brighten as the door opened, revealing a very tall, and very dead creature.

She had to take a step back just to gaze up at him. At least, she thought it was a male.

Her eyes adjusted to the new light, revealing a skeletal figure with massive bones and a skull about the size of Tia's fla- well that is a close assumption. But he was holding a can of something and had a burning stick of paper in his mouth, the sounds of loud music can be heard behined him.

Overall, he was pretty frightening. But Luna has encountered worse, and was prepared to do anything to ensure the safety of her ponies. Although not a threat yet, she still isn't certain he was safe either.

Delmar looked at the pony in front of him. Not the same one he saw today.

She was blue, with waving hair that resembled the night sky. She was considerably taller than the purple one he saw earlier. He did notice her mark, which he saw that every pony in the village had, was different.

This pony knocked on his door as he was chillin' in his mind like a balla', although he was surprised to find a pony in his mind already, he wasn't showing it.

He analyzed her, invading her magic field without her knowing, and was surprised to learn her name. Luna.

"Luna I'm assuming?" Delmar asked in a manner that surprised Luna to her core, how did he know her name?

"U-um yes. How does a creature like yourself know me, but I don't know you? You have strong magic in your dream yet I have never seen anything the likes of you." Luna's suspicions were confirmed as he was male, the tone and volume being a likeness to Tirek, but softer without the echoing volume like Tirek. This didn't ease her suspicions.

"Well, I knew you were watching my mind when I was sleeping, and it didn't take long to find out what you are, where you have been, and what you do." Delmar responded, and taking a quick sip of his beer.

Luna watched him drink his beverage, curious of what it is, the smell was clearly alcoholic, but was intriguing nevertheless. But she was getting off track.

"Do you have a name?"

"Yes, my name is Delmar. Lord of Limbo, and Death."

Luna was nervous now. But she was still suspicious, he could be a demon from Tartarus, they have magic in their sleep as well.

"How do I know you aren't a threat to my ponies?" Luna asked while still warily staring at his figure.

"I didn't destroy your magic field when you entered, that's one. I opened my doors to you, that's two. And I haven't kicked you out of my Dreamscape yet, that's three." Delmar raised three bony fingers for her, making his point clear he wasn't going to threaten her.

"Well...I guess I believe you, for now. But a Lord? Even the entity of Death here? What for?"

"Well, I'm on vacation."

Even in the Dream Realm, a pin drop can easily be heard outside if you tried hard enough.

Luna was gobsmacked "...V-vacation?"

Delmar sighed and wiped his face.

"Yes, I'm on vacation. I wanted a place that was quiet."

Luna was still not convinced "How can I trust you Lord of Death?"

Delmar huffed "Please, just call me Delmar. That title is only for my advisors, and frankly it sounds better when it's formal and not in a situation like this. Would you like to come inside and talk? Maybe we can sort this out in a more comfortable environment."

Luna covered her face as he blew some smoke in the air, the smell was suffocating.

"Sure...but please whatever that thing is in your mouth, don't blow it in my face. It stinks and it makes me want to cough."

Delmar sighed and regrettably tossed the flaming stick from his mouth and put it out under his boot "It's called a cigarette, it keeps me aware of things unlike my magic."

Luna was ushered in, and took a look at his home he was dreaming of.

It was plain...but was clean and organized, as if everything was meant to be in that place.

When she turned around to talk to Delmar, he had a can of that alcoholic beverage he was drinking earlier.

"Want a beer?"

Author's Note

Maybe it's just me, but my house smells more and more like burnt bacon after writing this.