To Explore the Realm of Dreaming

“This is gonna be so cool.” Rainbow Dash rubbed her hands together.

“Calm down, Rainbow.” Twilight Sparkle gently chided her friend. “This isn't a new Wonderbolt trick-- this is a big responsibility you're volunteering for.”

“Big just means awesome.” Rainbow Dash flapped her wings and swung around to fly in front of her nerdy-yet-regal friend, hovering backwards as Twilight walked through the halls of Canterlot Palace. With the sun's setting, the activity of the palace had begun to die down-- one by one, the lights in each chamber winked out, save for the silvery light still shining from Twilight and Rainbow's destination, a room at the top of a tall tower.

Princess Luna's chambers.

“Just make sure you're not biting off more than you can chew.” Twilight said. “I mean, the dream realm is a strange place-- Princess Luna has centuries of experience watching over it. Being the guardian of Equestria's collective subconscious isn't exactly something you can call 'dibs' on.”

“Except I totally called dibs on it.”

Twilight sighed, rubbed at the bridge of her nose. “Just ... be careful, okay? I mean, I'm going to be there to help you-- just like you'll be there to help me, but this could be one of the most dangerous things we've ever done. Which is saying something.”

“Oh man you just make it sound even sweeter.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Sometimes I wonder why I even bother ... “

As the two spoke, they climbed the spiral staircase up to Princess Luna's private chambers, and came to a halt in front of a heavy oaken door, emblazoned with a silver-white crescent-moon logo. Before Twilight could even mention the word 'decorum,' Rainbow Dash rapped her knuckles on the wooden door. Loudly.

“Hello? Princess Luna? We're here for the Dream Warrior lessons!”

Twilight elbowed her friend. “There's no such thing as a Dream Warri--”

“Enter.” The Princess of the Night's voice boomed from everywhere and nowhere, all at once, and the door creaked open.

Inside, Luna's chambers were a study of varnished oak and purple velvet. The domed ceiling was painted with constellations, each star glowing faintly with magic (and in its proper place for the season, Twilight couldn't help but notice). Princess Luna herself sat in a high-backed chair, waiting.

Rainbow and Twilight stopped at the threshhold, and stared. As while the both of them were used to being underdressed for certain formal occasions (an inevitable side effect of being good friends with Rarity), this was likely the first time either of them realized they were technically over-dressed.

Princess Luna had forgone her formal gowns or formidable battle-armor for something decidedly more casual; a silken dressing-robe, dyed night-black. The thin silk draped over Luna's body, more than hinting at her body beneath. A loosely knotted sash around her waist kept the robe closed-- but barely –Luna's deep blue bust pressed at the silk, shifting with each of her graceful movements. In comparison, Rainbow's athlesiure-casual-chic tank top and sweatpants were downright formal, while Twilight's skirt, blouse, and sweatervest bordered on black-tie.

“Sorry!” Twilight's muzzle flushed pink. “Did we get here too early? We got here too early, didn't we? You didn't even have time to get dressed yet! Hah ha! How funny! We'll just go now, try this again later-- dammit stop staring Rainbow Dash.” Twilight caught her friend by the elbow and turned for the door.

“You are not intruding, nor are you early. Stay, friends. Please.” Luna's horn glowed, and two more chairs floated over from the edge of the room. “We have much to discuss.”

“Damn right we do!” Rainbow Dash pulled her arm free of Twilight's gentle grasp and plopped down into one of the chairs. “Don't mind Twilight-- she's just all nervous about this whole 'dream realm' thing because she hasn't read like every book ever about it.”

“That's because there aren't any books written about the dream realm.” Twilight huffed as she sat down in the other chair. “... have you ever considered fixing that, Luna? I'd be happy to work as your editor--”

“Believe it or not, Twilight, there are some things that should not be put to paper.” Luna's horn glowed again as she levitated a bottle of wine and three goblets over from a far shelf. She poured out three glasses, then passed two of them onto Rainbow and Twilight without asking. “Some things must be seen-- must be experienced –firsthand.” She sipped at her red wine, then leaned back in her chair, shifting her wings slightly. “Very few ponies have ventured into the realm of dreams-- to do so unprepared is to invite disaster. There is no dishonor in stepping back now, should you wish to spare yourself the--”

“We're in!” Rainbow Dash blurted, nearly spilling her wine in the process. “Or, uh, I'm in, at least.” She peered over at Twilight, shit-eating grin shining in the dim light of Luna's chambers. “Seriously every time you guys get all 'ooo this is spooky' it just makes things sound so much cooler.”

“Your enthusiasm is admirable, Rainbow, I pray your resolve is just as strong.”

“My everything is strong, baby!” Rainbow Dash flexed a toned bicep. “Now let's do this thing!”

“What she means is, 'let's take the first baby steps into a new and dangerous but hopefully educational journey.'” Twilight said with a forced grin.

“So where do we start?” Rainbow Dash put her hands on her knees and leaned forward, wings fidgeting in anticipation. “Like, do we get all jacked up on shrooms and hallucinate a dream quest? Do we learn secret martial arts that help us meditate and also punch people with our brains? Do we go, like ... I dunno, fight a ghost or something?”

“First, we sleep.” Luna sipped at her wine.

“That ... does make sense for dreaming.” Twilight mused.

“Follow me.” Luna stood in a whisper of dark silk, and led further into her chambers, hips and tail gently swaying with each step.

“Jeez, look at the wingspan on her.” Rainbow Dash murmured, biting at her lower lip.

“Rainbow.” Twilight scolded her friend, hoping Luna didn't hear. The two followed Luna deeper into her chambers, ducking through a silken curtain (black, of course) to what was obviously the royal bedchamber. A large, round bed, piled high with pillows and blankets dominated the center of the room.

“You may disrobe and make yourselves comfortable.” Luna said. “Once you are properly asleep, we may begin.”

“Uh.” Twilight blinked again. “There's just the one bed.”

“And?”

“Isn't that a little, um ... awkward?”

“It is the safest way. The closer our corporeal bodies are, the more protection I shall be able to grant you in the dream realm.”

“That ... makes sense.” Twilight said. “If I'd known, I would've brought my pajamas.” Twilight gave a nervous laugh.

“If you insist, you may find sleeping garments in the wardrobe.” Luna said.

“Pssh, who needs 'em?” Rainbow Dash peeled out of her tanktop, then shucked her shoes and sneakers next, leaving her in bra and panties, both in plain gray. Rainbow Dash showed no shame at displaying her lean, toned form-- then again, Rainbow Dash rarely showed shame for anything.

“I just want to be, uh, appropriate?” Twilight said. She walked over to Luna's wardrobe and opened it up, revealing a Princess' worth of lacy sleepwear. Twilight carefully rifled through the hanging garments and tried not to think too hard about the ones made mostly from straps and transparent lace. She finally picked out the most conservative thing she could find; a long nightgown. Keeping her back to Luna and Rainbow for propriety's sake, Twilight slipped out of her skirt and blouse-- as an afterthought, she undid her bra as well. She never could sleep with one on, especially since her ascension to princess-hood had given her a ... boost, proportionally.

Twilight slipped the nightgown over her head, fussing briefly with the vents in the back to let her wings stretch out freely. Tailored for the taller Luna, the nightgown covered Twilight from neck to ankles, and the sleeves stretched two or three inches past Twilight's fingertips. It could have almost been conservative ... were it not for the way the smooth satin clung to Twilight's body, covering all, but concealing little. Even the points of Twilight's nipples poked out-- because of the cold, Twilight told herself. It was too late to change again now-- not to mention most of Luna's other nightwear looked even more scandalous.

And so, Twilight turned around, hoping Luna's bedroom was too dark for either of her friends to get too scandalous a look at her. Not that it particularly mattered-- Rainbow Dash was in just her underwear, and as Luna stretched out on the bed, her robe parted to reveal even more of her goddess' figure-- one dark-hued nipple had escaped its covering, almost taunting Twilight.

“So ... “ Twilight sat down on the far edge of the bed. “Now we just ... sleep?”

Luna nodded. “Perchance to dream.”

“Doesn't everypony die at the end of that play?” Twilight said.

“Worry not, Twilight. I shall be watching over you. You do trust me, yes?”

“Of course.”

“Then rest, my friends, and prepare yourself for a journey unlike any you've ever experienced.”

“Uuuugh, how are we supposed to sleep when I'm all hyped up from everything being so mysterious and rad?” Rainbow Dash flopped back onto a pile of pillows beside Luna and stared up at the ceiling.

“I can help, if you'll let me?” Luna said.

“If it gets us to the trippy dreamworld faster, do whatever you want!” Rainbow Dash said.

“Very well.” Luna's horn glowed again, and she placed a gentle hand upon Rainbow's forehead. “Sleep well.” Immediately, Rainbow Dash closed her eyes and started to snore.

“Starswirl's Slumber-Touch.” Twilight held a hand up to her mouth. “I thought that spell had been lost?”

“Perhaps it was. But I can teach it to you, if you would like?”

“You'd really do that?”

“Of course-- but later. Now, you have a different lesson to learn. Are you ready?”

“I ... I think so.” Twilight nodded.

Luna smiled, then leaned forward to cast the same spell on Twilight. A wave of peaceful fatigue washed over Twilight, and she felt her body gently give way to sleep. Still sitting, she began to topple over-- the last thing Twilight remembered was the feel of Luna's warm, strong hands wrapping around her as Twilight rested her cheek against something warm and soft.