Author's Note

Chapter contains: Human/Humanized, Incest, Unrealistic Anatomy, Harem/Polygamy

Dreams

You would think that after weeks of parties celebrating my relationship with my two sisters and my mother, I would have gotten used to the whole thing, but you’d be wrong. Even as I stood in my family’s barn, sipping punch and watching my family and our closest, most trusted friends partying around me, I couldn’t get over just how surreal the whole thing was. Just a year earlier, I would have died of embarrassment to admit my incestuous feelings to anyone. And yet, there I was, attending the party for some minor relationship milestone that I had lost track of in the seemingly endless festivities that had filled my life recently. While we had forced Pinkie to wait at least a few days between each one of her parties, they all seemed to blend together in my mind, coalescing into a continuous period of happiness, love, and acceptance that I felt I would never grow tired of.

I took a drink of punch, casting my eyes around the barn and taking in the sights. Pinkie Pie, as always, had done an amazing job throwing together the party, transforming the dusty old building into a veritable party palace. Bright, colorful streamers and balloons were strewn about all over the place, and a thin layer of confetti covered the ground. The usual odor of musty old hay had been overpowered by that of candy and cake frosting, a marked improvement in my opinion. A record player pumped upbeat dance music into the air, giving everyone present ample opportunity to shake what their respective mamas gave them.

Off to one side, I saw Buttercup standing next to Mrs. Cake, both of them busy doing the enthusiastic, yet embarrassing sort of dancing that middle-aged women seem prone to doing. Being her oldest and closest friend, it was only natural that Buttercup had chosen to trust Mrs. Cake with the secret of our relationship. While she had, apparently, been quite shocked at the news, she had eventually come to accept and support her friend’s forbidden love, just as she had in the past. Of course, even though she was okay with me and Buttercup being together, she had still insisted on sitting me down and giving me a lengthy lecture on how to properly take care of my mother as a woman. Buttercup had tried to get me out of it, but I had willingly gone along with it, if only to humor the woman who had done so much for my family and I.

Looking elsewhere, I saw Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo dancing their hearts out together. I had been worried about how Apple Bloom’s friends would react to learning about Apple Bloom and I, given what I had been told about Sweetie Belle’s feelings for me. Sweetie Belle had, apparently, been a bit miffed about Apple Bloom dating her longstanding crush without telling her, but had gotten over it quickly, recognizing why Apple Bloom had kept it a secret for so long. In the end, Sweetie Belle had forgiven her and the two had made up, due in part to something that she and her sister Rarity had chosen to disclose to us: their own secret relationship. My family and I had agreed to keep it a secret, just as they were keeping our secret, as the two of them were not yet ready to reveal it to anyone else. Scootaloo had taken it much better, her only negative reaction, if you could call it that, being a bit of friendly teasing about incestuous rural farmers.

Filling up the rest of the barn were Applejack, her friends, and a couple of my own best friends, guys I had known since childhood and whom I trusted with my life. While confessing to them that I was dating three very attractive women at once had led to the expected lighthearted, jealous bullying, I had received just as many claps on the back and high-fives as I had chokeholds and noogies. As I had expected, Applejack’s friends had been as loving and accepting of us as was possible, and had offered to help us deal with any future issues my family might encounter to the best of their abilities. I chuckled to myself as I watched them all dance together, Rainbow Dash making some very obvious moves on one of my friends. Quickly downing the rest of my punch, I set aside my cup and rejoined the fun.

While nobody could say no to a Pinkie Pie party, even we had our limits, especially given how many parties we had enjoyed in relatively quick succession. After all the sweets had been eaten, all the punch had been drunk, and I had danced with all three of my women in turn, the party finally started to wind down. As the afternoon turned to evening, our guests began to say their goodbyes and trickle off back to town before it got dark. My family and I happily bade them farewell, knowing that we would see them all again soon for whatever party Pinkie had planned next. We didn’t even bother doing that much cleaning up; we knew Pinkie would just redecorate anyway, and we didn’t even use the barn that much that time of year anyway.

When the last party guests had gone, I turned to my family, who were busy clearing away what little remained on the snack table. Smiling, I walked over to them, giving Apple Bloom a kiss on her cheek.

“What was that for?” asked Apple Bloom with a smile.

“Do I need a reason?” I said.

“I s’pose not,” she said, leaning in and giving me a peck on my own cheek.

Applejack grumbled softly, reaching down and rubbing her hips and thighs. “All this cake ain’t doin’ me no favors,” she said.

Shaking my head, I walked up to her and hugged her from behind, wrapping my arms around her still-toned stomach. “Oh, don’t worry ‘bout that, AJ,” I said, leaning in and kissing her cutie mark. “That just means there’s more of you to love. Besides, if it bothers you that much, we can always work it off later.”

Applejack looked over her shoulder and smiled playfully at me. “You promise me a good workout, you better deliver, sugarcube,” she said.

“You bet,” I said. “After we eat our beautiful mother’s delicious dinner, of course.”

“Oh, stop,” said Buttercup, smiling in spite of herself.

“No,” I said, walking over and taking her in my arms. “Not now; not ever.” I leaned in and gave her a peck on her lips, which she happily reciprocated.

“Um...excuse me?” said a meek, feminine voice from somewhere nearby. My family and I quickly looked towards the source of the voice and saw Twilight Sparkle standing nearby.

“Hey, Twilight,” said Applejack, pleasantly surprised to see her friend. “I thought you went home already.”

“Well...I did,” said Twilight. “Well, I started to, I mean, but...I didn’t actually leave. I...wanted to wait until everyone else had left.”

It was at that moment that I started to notice that something was a bit off about Twilight. I had known her long enough and had seen her go through enough freak-outs to recognize that she was clearly very nervous about something. She was struggling to meet our gazes, and she was visibly squirming in place where she stood. On top of that, her hands were held awkwardly behind her back, as if she were trying to hide something from us.

“Why?” I asked.

Twilight looked up at me, her face contorted in barely restrained panic. “Because...because...because I need to give you this!” she said, producing something from behind her back and thrusting it out towards us. It took me a moment to recognize that the object was a scroll, a simple piece of parchment rolled and bound with a ribbon and a seal. It wasn’t until I stepped closer that I realized that the seal bore an image that I had seen many times before on official documents: the symbol of Princess Celestia.

“Twilight,” I said hesitantly, “what is that...and why are you givin’ it to us?”

“I’m sorry!” Twilight said. “I’m really, really sorry! I just...I didn’t think anything would come of it! I never meant to draw you into this! It was just supposed to be an honest bit of academic questioning! I never meant to get you all in trouble!”

“Woah, woah, woah!” said Applejack, approaching Twilight and putting her hands on her shoulders. “Calm down, sugarcube. Calm down. Take a breath.” Twilight forced herself to take several deep breaths, which seemed to calm her slightly. “Now, I want you to calmly tell us what in Equestria you’re talkin’ about.”

“Okay,” said Twilight. “Alright. Sorry, I...I didn’t mean to get so worked up.”

“It’s alright, sweetie,” said Buttercup. “Just tell us what’s goin’ on.”

“Yeah,” said Apple Bloom. “You’re actin’ like the world’s endin’ or somethin’.”

Twilight glanced over at Apple Bloom, looking for a moment as if she were about to say something, then thought better of it. “Well, it all started a few weeks ago,” said Twilight, calmly this time, “after you...told me about yourselves. Ever since then, I couldn’t help but feel...discontent about you all. After seeing you all together and...seeing how much you four love each other...it didn’t feel right to me that you’ve had to hide yourselves. It didn’t feel right for you all to have to live in fear of being found out. I wondered why...people like you should have to do this. So, I did what I always do when I have questions about things: I did a bit of light research.”

“Of course,” said Applejack.

“Unfortunately, the town library didn’t have many books on the subject of incest,” said Twilight. “None at all, in fact. And those few that did mention it briefly weren’t of much help. I...just wanted to understand why; why can’t you and people like you be together? Since my books weren’t able to help me, I...I decided to ask my mentor for help.”

“Princess Celestia?” I said, my worry increasing as I began to piece together the puzzle in my head.

“Yes,” said Twilight. “I wrote to her and asked her my questions. I asked her why things are the way they are, why we continue to follow these traditions. And...I asked her about you.”

“Twilight,” said Applejack, her voice as tense as a bowstring, “what did you say to her?”

“I didn’t tell her about you, I swear!” said Twilight. “I didn’t use your names, I didn’t say where you lived or what you do! I didn’t give her any hints about who you were! All I said was...that I knew someone...someone who had somebody they loved more than anything...and that they weren’t able to be together just because they were family. I told her I’d seen how much they loved each other and...seen how hard it was for them to keep it a secret. I asked her...why it had to be this way.”

“And...what did she say?” I asked.

Twilight took another deep breath, releasing it slowly. “She wrote back to me,” she said. “She said that...I was right to wonder. She said that I was right to ask her about this. She said that...if there were people like you out there...then she needed to deal with them personally.” She once again held out the scroll towards us, her hand trembling. “She instructed me to give this to the person I told her about. She said she’d know if I didn’t. She said that...once you read it...all my questions would be answered.”

I slowly looked over at Applejack, seeing on her face the same feelings that were running rampant in my pounding heart. I looked back down at the scroll for a long moment, then carefully extended a hand and took hold of it. The little piece of parchment felt as heavy as a brick as I lifted it out of Twilight’s hand, holding it in front of me at a safe distance.

“What is this?” I said.

“I don’t know,” said Twilight. “She didn’t tell me. But...you should probably open it...for better or worse.”

I tore my eyes away from the scroll and looked up at Applejack. She looked back at me for a moment before pursing her lips and slowly nodding her head. I then turned and looked back at Apple Bloom and Buttercup, who were standing closely behind us. They, too, looked as worried as I felt, yet they also nodded their assent. Gulping loudly, I looked back at the scroll in my hands, then slowly broke the seal and unfurled it. When the scroll was fully open, I stared down at the words written on its surface.

To My Dear Anonymous Citizen,

I do not know who you are. I do not know where you reside. I do not know the particulars of your situation. The only reason I am writing to you at all is because of the intervention of my pupil, Twilight Sparkle, who has brought you to my attention. Rest assured, she has not revealed your identity to me, and I have no desire to uncover it for myself should you wish to remain unknown.

Something I do know with some degree of certainty about you, however, is how you must be feeling. You are afraid, and I imagine that you have been afraid for quite some time. You have been afraid for your future. You have been afraid of your friends and neighbors. You have been afraid of your own feelings and where they might lead you. You have even been, I imagine, afraid of me. You have been living with fear in your heart for longer than most will ever have to. To put it mildly, this does not please me.

You are my subject, just like all who dwell in this land of Equestria that we call home. And just like all of my subjects, I love you with all of my heart. I think of you all as my children, my family even. I imagine that you of all people can understand what it feels like to watch one of your family living in fear. Therefore, you can understand why I feel the need to rectify this situation. What’s more, I plan to take personal responsibility for doing so.

I shall not attempt to explain to you the centuries of legal and cultural minutia that have led to you being put in the unpleasant situation you find yourself in, as to do so would be ultimately unnecessary. Suffice it to say, there were reasons why the laws and customs came to be what they are, reasons which, in the present, are not nearly as important as they once were. While changing public opinion regarding non-traditional unions overnight is beyond even my power, my political and social position does grant me significant leeway to bend the rules, as it were. I have always strived to use those powers I possess to bring happiness and comfort to my subjects. It is for this reason that I have made the following decision.

Henceforth, you and your beloved shall have my official blessing as Princess of Equestria. You two shall have all the rights and privileges, both legal and social, that any other couple would be entitled to. A public declaration of this will be made on my personal authority, ensuring that your peers are made aware of your status. I shall do whatever is within my power to ensure that no negative consequences should come to you as a result of your situation; this I promise. I shall even sanction a traditional marriage ceremony between you and the person you love the most.

Of course, I make these promises on the assumption that you desire such things. I do not say these things to make you uncomfortable or to pressure you into acting against your wishes. My only desire is that you and the one you love be able to live your lives together as you wish to. If you two choose to reveal yourselves to the world, then I shall assist you in any way possible. However, if you choose to remain hidden from others and from me, you shall still have my blessing. I shall not fault you in the slightest should you choose to ignore this message entirely and continue living your lives as you are. My only request is that you do what will bring you and the one you love happiness.

Sincerely,
Her Royal Highness Princess Celestia

By the time I finished reading, my mind was so overwhelmed that I could barely understand the words before me. I had to read through the whole thing several times before the message finally began to sink in. When the fog lifted and I finally did see it for what it was, I felt a tremendous weight lifted from my shoulders, a weight I had been carrying for longer than I could remember without even knowing it was there. I didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry, so I did both. A soft chuckle flowed from my lips just as warm tears pooled in my eyes and trailed down my cheeks.

Standing by my side, looking down at the scroll, Applejack’s worried expression slowly melted. Her eyes widened, her lips trembled, and her breaths were shallow and uneven. She reached up and took hold of my arm with both hands, squeezing it firmly. It didn’t take long before she, too, was crying happy tears, pressing her face into my shoulder and sobbing softly.

“What is it?” said Apple Bloom, sounding half angry and half scared.

As she approached me and Applejack, I looked up at her, smiling as I handed her the scroll. Apple Bloom snatched it from my hands and began reading it just as Buttercup came up alongside her and did the same. As the two stared at the page, their own expressions changed just as dramatically as ours had. Buttercup gasped, covering her mouth with a hand as she began to whimper. Apple Bloom’s lips slowly stretched into a smile as her hands began to tremble before her.

By the time they finally looked up from the page, all four of us were crying and laughing openly. Wordlessly, we came together and wrapped our arms around each other, holding each other tightly and nuzzling each other.

“What is it?” asked Twilight. “What did it say?” I took the scroll from Apple Bloom and held it out towards Twilight with a smile on my face. The very confused-looking Twilight quickly took the scroll and read it, her practiced eyes poring over the page at lightning speed. The confusion on her face was soon joined by shock, and she shook her head in disbelief. “This...this is unprecedented! I...I can’t believe it!”

“I can’t believe it either,” I said. “After all this time...”

“We don’t have to hide no more,” said Applejack.

“We can be together...just like everyone else,” said Buttercup.

“We can even...we can even get married,” said Apple Bloom.

My family and I continued to hold each other, none of us wanting anything more in that moment than to feel each other’s warmth on ourselves. After a few moments, however, we were interrupted by another comment from Twilight.

“Guys,” she said calmly. “I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

I raised my head and looked over at her, chuckling in my ignorance. “What are you talkin’ about Twi?” I said. “Didn’t you read it?”

“I did,” said Twilight flatly. “Carefully. Did you?” The grim look on her face stifled my laughter quicker than it had arrived.

I tentatively withdrew from the huddle, walking over and taking the scroll back from Twilight. Confused, I once again lowered my gaze to the words on its surface, poring over them again and again. Initially, my confusion only increased, as I could not figure out what had gotten her so worried. Then it hit me; it hit me harder than a rampaging manticore. I hadn’t seen it at first, so fearful had I been, but once I noticed it, it was as clear as the sunniest of summer days.

“Anon,” said Applejack. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

I turned back to face my family, who were now looking at me with concern. My lips felt as stiff and heavy as lead, but somehow, I managed to speak, reading aloud from the scroll. “‘You two...shall have all the rights...that any other couple would’,” I said. “‘I shall sanction a traditional marriage...between you and...the person you love the most’.”

I could see the realization on Applejack’s face, yet she still stepped up to me and took the scroll from me, reading it for herself. As she verified my words for herself, she shook her head in disbelief. “She...she can’t mean that,” she said. “Surely she meant...all four of us.” She looked up at Twilight, her eyes filled with fear and desperation. “You did tell her, didn’t you? You told her that there’s four of us, didn’t you?”

The look in Twilight’s eyes was more than enough to answer that question, yet she told us anyway. “No,” she said. “No, I didn’t. I...didn’t want to give you away.”

“Well then...just write her back!” said Apple Bloom, stomping over towards us. “Tell her that we need more than that!”

“I...I don’t know,” said Twilight. “I don’t know if...that will do any good. Princess Celestia is already offering to do so much for you...I don’t know if she’d be willing to go further. Publicly condoning an incestuous marriage is one thing, but polygamy? She’s an incredibly benevolent ruler, but...even she has her limits.”

“Well...could you at least try?” said Buttercup. “I mean, there ain’t no harm in askin’, is there?”

Twilight looked at all four of us for a moment, then breathed a heavy sigh. “If...if you all really want me to...I will,” she said. “I’ll try. I’ll try asking for this on your behalf. I’ll do the best I can, but...I really wouldn’t get your hopes up.”

“Thank you, Twilight,” I said. “All we ask is that you try. Whatever she says...we’ll all deal with it together. Ain’t that right?”

I turned back towards my family, only to see that they did not look nearly as hopeful as I was feeling. Applejack had her head lowered, her hands balled into trembling fists at her side. Apple Bloom was pacing restlessly, looking as if she were about to kick something. Buttercup had her arms crossed over her ample chest, a familiar look of motherly concern on her face. I knew I couldn’t leave them like that, and I knew it was my responsibility to fix things.

“Hey,” I said softly. “Why the long faces, guys?” I approached them, pulling them into a group hug one-by-one. “This is a good thing. For the first time, we actually have a chance. We have a chance at being able to be together for real...all of us. We wouldn’t have to hide anymore. We could go out and love each other like everyone else gets to. We could...we could even get married. You could be my wives and...I could be your husband. Ain’t that somethin’ worth bein’ happy about?”

The three of them leaned into the embrace, but I could feel that their hearts weren’t in it. “Anon...you heard what she said,” said Buttercup.

“I want this just as much as you do,” said Applejack, “but...it’s too much to hope for.”

“I shoulda known better than to get excited,” grumbled Apple Bloom. “I should known there’d be a catch.”

“So what if it’s a long shot?” I said. “A slim chance is better than none. And even if it doesn’t happen, then...we won’t be any worse off than we were before. We were all happy before we got that little piece of paper; there’s no reason we can’t keep bein’ that happy. We’re all still together; we all still love each other. Ain’t that enough? It was before.”

The three seemed to consider my words for a moment, then gradually, one by one, they raised their heads and looked up at me. “You’re right,” said Applejack. “We are happy.”

“And we’ve already gotten so much more than we could’ve hoped for,” said Buttercup.

“I shouldn’t’ve gotten so worked up,” said Apple Bloom. “I’m sorry.”

“Hey, it’s alright,” I said, giving each one of them a kiss on the cheek. “We’ve all had a long day. Why don’t we forget about this for now?”

The three of them smiled and slowly nodded their heads. While their smiles seemed genuine, there was a lingering sadness in their eyes, something that made me feel that they would not be forgetting about the whole affair so easily.

“I...I have to go start dinner now,” said Buttercup, politely withdrawing from my embrace.

“I’ll help you,” said Apple Bloom.

“Me too,” said Applejack.

The three of them quickly parted from me and made their way out of the barn towards the house, taking the remnants of the party snacks with them. I watched them as they left, noticing the stiff, uncomfortable way in which they moved. In mere moments, Twilight and I were standing alone in the barn, awkwardly facing each other.

“Anon, I...I’m sorry,” said Twilight. “I never meant for any of this to happen. I never meant to cause you all grief.”

I sighed, then forced a smile. “It’s alright, Twilight,” I said, walking up and placing my hands on her shoulders. “You were just tryin’ to help.”

“I was serious about writing back to the princess,” she said. “I promise you, I’ll do whatever I can to plead your case.”

“That’s already more than I could ask for,” I said. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”

Twilight stepped forward, wrapping her arms around me and pulling me into a hug. “Thank you for loving my friend so much,” she said.

I hugged her back, the tender display of affection helping me to ignore the hurt in my own heart. When we finally parted, we looked at each other once again, sharing bittersweet smiles.

“Goodbye, Anon,” she said.

“Goodbye, Twilight,” I said.

Twilight slowly turned and walked away, heading out of the barn, across the barnyard, and down the trail that would eventually lead her back home. I watched for a few moments before turning and looking down at where I had dropped the scroll on the ground. I hesitated for a moment, part of me wanting to just turn around and forget about the troublesome thing. In the end, I crossed over to it, quickly picked it up, and shoved it into my pocket unceremoniously. Breathing a heavy sigh, I turned and left the barn, heading for the house.

Ice cream. Piles upon piles of ice cream. Whole fields and mountains of ice cream stretching out in every direction. Nothing other than the delicious dairy dessert for as far as my eyes could see. Every flavor imaginable made an appearance, from chocolate, to vanilla, to mint, blueberry, raspberry, pumpkin, peanut butter, and everything in between. Overhead hung a brilliant blue sky dotted with little ice cream clouds that slowly sailed across the heavens. A bright yellow sun bathed me in its soothing warmth, keeping me comfortable in spite of my chilly surroundings.

I didn’t know how or when I had gotten there, but I was concerned with neither of those things at that moment. All I cared about was cramming as much ice cream down my gullet as was possible as quickly as was possible. To that end, I ran about like a madman, throwing myself upon one patch after another and gobbling down whatever I could get my hands on. Meadows of minty grass, wildflowers made of lemon, orange, and strawberry, even the chocolate dirt itself soon had big bite marks in their surfaces. No matter how much I ran around eating, however, I never got full, I never got tired, and thankfully, I never got brain freeze.

I don’t know how long I spent like that before I finally threw myself down onto the ground. I closed my eyes, rolling around and wallowing in ice cream like a pig in...something other than ice cream. I rolled over onto my belly, pressing my face against the rocky road dirt and lapping at it. As my tongue shoveled frozen goodness down my throat, I crawled forward in no particular direction, clawing at the ground and dragging myself along. Inch after inch, foot after foot I traveled, having no reason to ever stop my feast, no reason except my lips eventually coming into contact with something that was most definitely not ice cream.

As soon as I made contact with the strange thing, I froze, a sense of mild confusion and curiosity taking hold of me. I tentatively explored the thing with my lips and tongue, examining its texture, flavor, and consistency. It was not ice cream; that much was immediately apparent. The unknown thing was much too solid and warm for that to be the case. Despite this, it was incredibly soft to the touch, and had a taste that felt strangely familiar, although I couldn’t for the life of me place it. My curiosity getting the better of me, I opened my eyes and stared the mysterious thing in the face.

To my surprise, the thing turned out to be a foot, a slender, feminine foot covered by an ornate silver sandal. Turning my head to the side, I saw that there was another foot similar to the first several inches away. I slowly raised my head, following the feet up to a set of slim ankles which disappeared under dark blue fabric. Looking further up still, I saw that the fabric took the form of a beautiful flowing gown stretched over a female body. As one would expect, the body eventually led up to the head of a woman with stunning blue-green eyes and long blue hair that seemed to be blowing in a gentle breeze that wasn’t there. My first thought upon glimpsing her face was how beautiful she was, but beautiful in a harsh, powerful, and cold sort of way. The word “regal” came to mind. She looked like a queen...or a princess.

“Anon,” said the woman, her voice as gentle as a caress but as piercing as a dagger, “we need to talk.”

It was at that moment that the dreamy haze that had smothered my mind for who knows how long finally dissipated, allowing me to fully comprehend the situation I found myself in. I didn’t know where I was, what I was doing, or why I was doing it, but one thing I did know was the face of the woman standing above me. Hers was a face that was not seen very often in person, but one that everyone in Equestria knew. It was a face that people from all walks of life saw in their dreams...and their nightmares. It was a face that, for a thousand years, had looked down on the people from its place on the moon, watching and waiting for the day it would be free once again.

As soon as this realization came to me, the realization of what I had just been doing came to me as well. My eyes plummeted back down to her feet, the velvety skin of which had been stained by a significant amount of melted ice cream. Panic shot up my spine like a jolt of electricity, and my body sprung backward of its own accord, sending me sprawling onto my back before her. As I looked up at her, a fleeting moment of reason passed over my mind, reminding me of what I should be doing. As quick as my shaky limbs would allow me to, I scrambled to my feet, then immediately dropped into as deep of a bow as I could manage.

“P-P-P-Princess Luna!” I managed to get out eventually. “I-I’m so sorry, I...I didn’t meant to...I didn’t know you were...”

“Anon,” said Princess Luna in that same chilling tone of hers, “cease your blubbering.” My mouth snapped shut and stayed shut, a silence passing between us that was slightly less awkward than the moments preceding it. “Now...rise.” Gulping, I slowly unbent my waist and stood upright, looking upon her properly.

The imposing figure of Princess Luna lay before me, the diarch standing at least a head taller than me. Disregarding her vertical size, she was quite small, possessing a body that was slender, graceful, and had a perfect hourglass figure. Her long legs led up to a set of wide hips, a tiny waist, and suitably broad shoulders for a woman of her height and build. Her breasts, which I could not help but see out of the corner of my eye, were not particularly large compared to the rest of her, but were perfectly shaped. Every inch of her skin was flawless and was as pale white as the full moon at midnight. She had the body of a supermodel, although she could easily have surpassed even the most glamorous of models without even trying.

All of this was covered by the breezy gown I had seen earlier, although I had been too distracted at the time to fully appreciate it. At first glance, it appeared to be a fairly simple thing, stretching from her shoulders to her ankles and covering everything except her slender, creamy arms. Upon closer inspection, however, I saw that the material was strikingly, almost hypnotically blue; it looked as though someone had taken the night sky and woven it into fabric solely to adorn her body. I had neither the eye nor the expertise to make such estimations, but I imagined that that one garment was probably more expensive than all the dresses in Carousel Boutique combined. Aside from her dress, she wore the silver sandals I had already become acquainted with, a large black amulet bearing the image of a crescent moon, and a small crown of a matching black metal.

Her body might have been stunning and her apparel elegant, and yet those were the least striking facets of her appearance. Her face was just as streamlined and elegant as the rest of her, her features thin, subtle, yet still undeniably feminine. I saw no emotion in those eyes of hers, those eyes that seemed to look at me as if I were merely a part of the scenery. Poking through those ethereal locks of hers, jutting up tall and proud, was a dark blue, pointed horn. Even if it hadn’t been one of the longest horns I had ever seen on a person, its juxtaposition with the set of blue, feathered wings sprouting from her back still would have filled me with an immediate sense of awe. While she was visibly relaxed, her wings folded neatly and her posture perfect, I could still feel the raw power she possessed radiating out from her like an intense heat. If I had not known who she was and known that she was as benevolent as her sister, albeit less friendly, I would have been ready to turn tail and run.

“Firstly,” said Princess Luna, her measured tone helping to offset her intimidating appearance, “I would like to apologize for interrupting your dream. Normally, I seek to avoid doing so without due cause.”

“My...my dream?” I said as my lucidity gradually returned to me. “This is a dream?”

Princess Luna turned her head to the side slightly and looked over towards a large chocolate syrup hot spring bubbling away several yards away. “Very much so,” she said, looking back at me.

“Oh...right,” I said, my mind finally coming to terms with the surreal nature of my surroundings.

“Do not feel ashamed for having not realized it,” she said, seemingly reading my mind. “Most people are incapable of recognizing the absurdity of their surroundings...and the unseemliness of their actions....whilst in a dream.”

I lowered my gaze to the ground as I felt my cheeks grown warmer. “I, uh...I’m really, really sorry about...that,” I said.

Princess Luna, still giving no hints that she was upset, looked down at her soiled foot. A brilliant aura of light surrounded her horn, just as a similar aura enveloped her foot. As I watched, the large ice cream stain faded away, leaving the skin beneath as unblemished as that of the rest of her body. “Your apology is unnecessary,” she said as her magic aura faded away again. “Besides, this is not the first time my flesh has been soiled whilst in the dream of a young man.”

I pondered the implications of that remark for a moment before I remembered that there were more important things I should be thinking about in that moment. “Wait, you said that...you don’t come into folks’ dreams without a reason,” I said. “Is there...somethin’ wrong? This isn’t actually a nightmare, is it?” I couldn’t help but glance around at the surrounding area, suddenly worried that an army of evil ice cream snowmen might appear at any moment.

“I did indeed say that,” said Princess Luna. “And yes, there is something amiss, but the issue does not lie with you or your dream.”

“Well, then...what is it, if you don’t mind me askin’?” I said.

“The problem that has brought me here concerns your family,” she said, “specifically, your two sisters and your mother.”

Being asked about those three people specifically would have put me on edge under normal circumstances, but on that night, the same night, I remembered, that my family had received a very significant message from Princess Celestia, it was enough to make my heart go into overdrive. “Oh?” I said as casually as I could manage.

“Calm yourself,” she said, once again reading me like a book. “I have not come here to condemn the actions or feelings of yourself or your family members. Being judgmental...is not a productive practice when one is responsible for safeguarding the subconscious minds of their subjects.”

“So...you know?” I said, once again lowering my gaze. “You know about...us?”

“I have watched over your dreams...and their dreams...for quite some time,” she said. “There is very little that I do not know about you all.”

An intense bittersweet feeling passed over me upon realizing what the woman standing before me had probably seen in my dreams, but also realizing that she seemed to take no issue with any of it. “Well...if it ain’t that, then...what is wrong?” I said.

“While I know much about you and your family,” she said, “I do not know everything. Therein lies the dilemma. You see, your family, Applejack, Apple Bloom, and Buttercup, are all currently experiencing terrible nightmares.”

Suddenly, all concern for myself vanished from my mind. “Are they alright?” I said, my panic evident in my voice.

“For now,” she said. “I fear, however, that if their nightmares continue unabated, they will cause them severe emotional harm.”

“Well, then...can’t you do anything about it?” I said. “Can’t you help them?”

“That is what I have been attempting to do for most of the night,” she said. “Alas, my efforts had little effect, due to the nature of their nightmares. Terrors of a mundane nature, fear of harm, both to oneself and to others, are things with which I am proficient at dealing with. Your family’s nightmares, however, are of a much more...sensitive sort.”

“Sensitive?” I said. “You mean stuff like...their feelin’s?”

“In simple terms, yes,” she said. “All three of them have deep-seated fears of a very immaterial nature. I have seen these fears manifest themselves in their dreams before, but never to the extent that they have tonight. As I said, I have attempted to help them as well as I can, but due to the...private nature of their feelings, their subconsciousnesses blocked me out. I was unable to help them, so I have come to you instead.”

“But why?” I said. “I don’t know anythin’ about helpin’ folks with their dreams. Why come to me?”

“While it is true that you lack my skills and experience in dealing with dreams,” she said, “those things are not what your family needs right now. What they need is the aid of someone they love, someone they trust as much as they trust themselves, someone who knows them better than they know themselves. I am not that person; you are. Furthermore...these dreams concern you as well. For these reasons, I feel that you would have a better chance at helping them than anyone else.”

I thought for a few moments, tossing her words around in my head. “I...I understand what you’re sayin’,” I said, “but...wouldn’t it be easier to help them with this when they’re awake? I mean, my family and I...we talk to each other about these sorts of things. We tell each other what we feel and...we try to help each other out. Couldn’t I just sit them down and talk to ‘em like normal?”

“You certainly could attempt to do so,” she said, “but I would not advise it. Those three...are all very proud, strong women...and they all think very highly of you. I know them all to be honest...but even the most honest people can keep secrets when they fear what their loved ones would think of them. I trust you of all people can understand that.”

“Yeah,” I sighed. “I...I get it.”

“Besides,” she said, “I feel that they have been lying to themselves as well. I feel that they have been keeping these negative feelings hidden away within themselves not only out of shame, but because they wish to believe those feelings do not exist at all. If you were to ask them to confront those feelings consciously...I fear it would be much more difficult to deal with them.”

“I...I understand,” I said. “I wanna help you; I wanna help them, but...how can I? What do you want me to do?”

“You can help me, and them, by accompanying me into their dreams,” she said. “There, you may see the manifestations of their troubled psyches for yourself, and you may confront their subconscious minds directly. You may look directly into their hearts, so to speak. It will make more sense to you once you are there. What’s more, I can promise you that no harm will befall you while I am with you. While I lack the ability to help them, I still have the power to protect you from anything unpleasant their unconscious minds may trouble you with.”

I took a deep breath, straightened my back, and looked directly into her eyes. “Even if there is danger,” I said, “I’d face a whole flock of cockatrices if that’s what it took to make them happy. Just tell me what to do...I’ll do it.”

For a fraction of a second, I thought I saw the tiniest of smirks appear on the lips of the impassive princess. “I suspected you would feel that way,” she said. “Very well then; we shall depart post haste. But first...” She stretched out a hand towards me at the same time as her horn began to glow.

I felt a warm tingle as a magical aura of the same blue color enveloped my entire body. I looked down at myself, and only then realized that I was still covered in ice cream from foot to (presumably) head. As soon as I noticed it, however, the rainbow of stains covering my skin and clothes began to fade away, just as the smudge on Princess Luna’s foot had. I felt my cheeks warm as I realized that I had been standing before her in that state for our entire conversation. “Um...thanks,” I said when her magic had finally receded. “Have I been...covered in ice cream this whole time?”

“Yes,” said Princess Luna as flatly as ever.

“Oh,” I said, my cheeks growing warmer still.

“Are you prepared to depart?” she said.

I cleared my throat and took a deep breath. “Yes,” I said. “I’m ready.”

“Very well,” she said.

Princess Luna turned her head and raised her arm again, pointing it off to the side. As her horn glowed, a brilliant point of light appeared in midair several feet away from us. The light slowly expanded in all directions, stretching down to the ground and up into the air. It eventually stopped when it had stretched into a rectangular shape resembling a doorway, although it was still no more than a plain white light with nothing visible within it. Princess Luna lowered her hand again, looking back towards me as the light of her horn disappeared.

“After you,” she said.

I looked back and forth between her and the doorway a few times before steeling myself and tentatively approaching it. When I stood before it, I stopped, cautiously extending a hand towards it. I felt nothing as my hand touched the light and passed right on through it, being enveloped by the white void. I quickly pulled it back, inspecting it as if I expected it to be damaged in some way. When I could detect no change in it, I lowered it once again, facing the doorway head-on.

Somewhere behind that doorway were Applejack, Apple Bloom, and Buttercup, my family, my friends, and the three people I loved more than anyone else. They were out there, and they needed help, my help. I thought back to that day, and back to every day that I had ever stood by their sides and promised to love them with everything I had. I had promised each one of them that I would do whatever it took to protect them, and the time had come for me to make good on that promise. No matter what might happen, no matter what danger there might be to myself, I would face it gladly if it meant making them happy once more. With that thought in my heart, I took a deep breath and stepped through the doorway.