In the Dreamscape

I decide for a change of pace in my dreams. Instead of the vastness of space, I am following the flows and currents in an expansive coral reef. I couldn't go swimming when I was in the Everfree and since I've yet to see a swimming pool anywhere this will have to satisfy my urge to go swim for now.

My calm is once again disturbed by Luna but since I was expecting her this time I'm not too bothered by it.

"Greetings Hector, how are you finding Canterlot? Is everything to your liking?"

I can't really get a good read on her, she is often speaking in an almost shouting tone and she often slips into a more archaic vocabulary. It makes sense given her banishment and recent return but she seems almost desperate to have a conversation.

"I haven't found anything I'd complain about. It definitely isn't like my old home, that's for sure. Has Celestia told you about her plans for me? I'm being enrolled in the Officer's Academy."

"Truly? Have thou decided on which branch to join? We would be quite glad to have a skilled warrior such as yourself in the Night Guard. It is quite embarrassing to admit but We lack the talent to inspire other ponies like our sister."

Again she slips into the royal we. It's slightly endearing but I could see it annoying or putting others off if they aren't used to it.

"I don't know. I don't feel like actually being in the guard is right for me. Don't get me wrong I think it would be good for me to hone my skills, but I just don't think I'd make a good officer in any of the guards. I'm not a leader, I don't know where I should go. I'm lost and I'm not sure where to even start. I don't want to just drift along but deciding where to go is too hard. I can't just leave it to you an Celestia to decide my fate, it wouldn't be mine if that were the case."

Ah. That's why I wanted the ocean tonight. A bit on the nose today, aren't we subconscious.

"I too know how hard it is to decide a path. Deciding to rule Equestria was a difficult decision for both myself and my sister. Neither of us knew the first thing about leading or how to use the amazing gifts we were given. Even after we decided and started on our path I still had doubts about our ability to rule and our choice to do so. It wasn't until after my return that we truly felt that our sister made the right choice."

"How did you decide?"

"We had faith that Harmony had a plan for us, that we would end up where we needed to be. I believe that you also were brought here by Harmony, that you need to be here."

"So I just need to find what I was brought here for and work towards it. But how can I know that I am actually working towards what I'm supposed to?"

Luna seems to look at me with confusion, "By having faith."

Can I do that? What little faith I had from growing up in the Midwest has been well out of my mind. Stranded in a new universe, fighting in the wilderness for a week, and then finding out that I'm the only human has made me forget or at least put aside any form of faith in a higher power. Even with my knowledge that there are literal Divine Dragons out there somewhere that have godlike powers, it never really crossed my mind that I didn't have to know everything. That I can just trust that I am doing what I need to even if I don't know it for sure.

I don't like it, and I don't think I ever will. But it does settle the growing sense of unease and indiscison that made it's way into my mind and gut.

"Thank you; that was just what I needed to hear." This may just be blind faith for now, and it might stay that way. But if I take this one step at a time everything might work out as it needs to. And that's all I need to do, take it one step at a time.

"What is it that you intend to do? What is your first step?" Luna looks at me with her eyes filled with starlight, images of that endless inspiring expanse that gave humanity so much hope and dispair.

It sparks something within me, changing my dream from the ever growing reef. It doesn't take long before the stars from the first time she visited my dreams to reappear, pushing the waves and tides down until I stand on the clear reflective surface. No longer being pulled and pushed by the current I turn to the Princess of Dreams my answer ready, as if I had always known it.

"I am a warrior, my duty is to fight. I'll join the school, but I will not be an officer. I can't be one. I belong on the front wherever the fighting is thickest not behind a desk pushing papers. I will prepare for whatever conflict is coming, I'll forge ahead axe in hand. I know not where this path leads, but if I can look back and see that I kept my promise and made this world a better place it doesn't matter where I stop."

Kind of cringe of me to be fair. But I've been blessed with strength and the ability to protect people. The nation of Equestria seems to be by far more peaceful than the world I left on Earth. If someone or something threatens that peace I have to stand and fight.

Luna looks at me, her eyes seem to pierce through me, as if she could see my soul and were judging my answer. After a few silent seconds she nods. "I can see why you were drawn to him. You have the same heart."

With that she takes off into the night sky leaving my alone with my dreams.

Author's Note

This chapter wasn't suposed to be a talk with Luna but I felt that it would make for a nice intro to the chapter and it just grew and took over the whole thing.

Hope y'all enjoyed!