Orchard Blossom cut through the air smoothly on her wide wings. She didn't instantly transport herself, which was odd, come to think. Was it because of her lack of familiarity? She knew Ponyville quite well, so she could get to it nice and fast, but that didn't explain why the trip back to Canterlot was so speedy then... Not like she knew Canterlot all that well if one got down to it.

So what other reason could there be, that slowed her approach of Sugar Belle's town. She wobbled in the air with a new thought that tickled at her. Maybe she was just scared. She didn't want to get there so fast, so she didn't. The only thing stopping her, as was often the case, was herself. "Stop bein' silly!" Her chastising could reach nobody else in the rushing wind but herself, but that was exactly who needed to hear it.

She was over a little town with two even rows of buildings in a nice and neat set of lines. Our Town. What a name! Names aside, it held her mare, and it was gorgeous because of it. "Ayup." She made slow spirals down to land on the main road, folding her wings in tight on her back as she looked around. It was just a village, and it was late. There were no ponies out to greet her.

She walked along the still buildings that were decorated more than usual. A local holiday of some sort? Somepony had left a little cake out on a table, likely forgotten. She put it away casually, inside herself. Mmm, hm? Was it one of Sugar's? She wasn't an expert, but it tasted like one of hers. She knocked gently on the door she had come for.

"Big Mac?!" A rapid beat of hooves and the door glowed briefly as it swung open towards her, forcing her to jump back. "There you are!"

Blossom smiled awkwardly. "That ain't mah name, right now. Blossom Orchard."

"Right, right, sorry." Sugar waved away that mistake. "I'm still getting used to this... And you're still my... I won't if you don't want me to."

"The rest of Equestria knows me as Orchard Blossom. It'd confuse things if ya went and..."

"I get it!" She stepped out hurriedly, the door glowing as she closed it behind herself and clicked the lock casually. Cheating unicorn, she needed no key, just turning it from the outside like it was nothing. "So are we flying?"

"Ayup." Orchard looked left and right, then coiled to draw out a rather large blanket. "Get comfy." She laid it out flat on the ground.

Sugar Belle stepped onto the cloth of the blanket with unsure motions. "How's this going to help?"

Orchard willed the blanket up on the sides as she lifted into the air. It pulled against Sugar and soon both of them were aloft. "Alright?"

"Terrifying!" But they held her in the blanket's warmth, and with who was holding it, she decided, "It's alright. I'm ready!" She pointed off towards Canterlot. "Let's go!"

"Ayup!" Orchard Blossom took off at full speed, blending between Here and There and arriving in what felt like a moment to be over Canterlot instead. A glance down revealed that his cargo was still there, safe and sound.

"Woah..." Safe didn't mean she wasn't startled and amazed by what she could see from there. "It's Canterlot! At night! I never saw it like... oh!" She focused on a new thing. "Wow.... the castle! It's even prettier than they said it was... That's where we're going, right?

"Ayup." Orchard Blossom came in for a landing, headed towards the castle but also downwards until she could gently set Sugar Belle on the ground. As the mare hopped free, Orchard folded up her blanket quickly and stashed it away for later use. "We can walk from here."

"Not a thing wrong with a little hike." She leaned in against Orchard. "And I never got to do an evening city stroll with you, either of you." She may have enjoyed how that made Orchard Blossom blush, or just being with them, but they walked side by side.

Orchard Blossom's ears slowly rotated as they went. "We're lucky... ain't hearin' trouble."

"Do you check all the time?!" Sugar Belle shook her head slowly. "You got something to do today already, so let's focus on that. We got a moon princess to say hi to, and no excuses!"

"Yes'm." Mare or stallion, arguing with Sugar Belle never felt good, so Orchard let that be defeated easily. "Ya sure this won't be no big deal?"

"Nope, but we're doing it, anyway." They were just coming to the entrance to the castle grounds, a fine gate leading off the road. "So fancy!" She danced mid-step. "I'm not sure I could handle actually working or living in a place like this. Everything about it is so... everything!" She didn't seem bothered by her awkward phrasing of it. "Just look at it!"

"Been avoidin' it myself." Ochard Blossom kept even with Sugar as they went along the well-cobbled path towards the large doors that led inside. She could see two guards standing stoically outside. Did they wait there all night? Probably... She had never asked. Still... They were the next obstacle.

They stood there, unmoving and unblinking as the pair came up to them. It was only when they tried to walk past did they stir into action. "State your business," said the one one the left in almost a bark, though his expression remained flat.

Sugar advanced on him. "Princess Luna specifically requested us. Are you going to keep her waiting?!"

"Um, no, ma'am." He turned and pointed inside. "You'll want to take a left." He gave the rest of the considerable directions without delay. "Have a nice evening, ma'am."

Orchard Blossom went past the guards with a slow blink. "Did... Sugar?"

"I just said the truth." She giggled softly. "But did you see the look on his face?!" He hadn't changed the look on his face much at all. "I always wanted to try that, and it worked! Trotting with a princess has its advantages."

Orchard Blossom followed the directions, but that didn't stop her from nipping Sugar Belle's closer ear. "Don't go name droppin' famous ponies all willy nilly."

Sugar pouted at that. "But she did want to see you. We're here because of her, not our own random thought or nothing."

"Yeah..." Orchard went quiet as they passed by enormous stained glass windows. Each depicted some event in the past. Some she knew about, but others were a complete mystery. Equestria was over a thousand years old, and had a lot of events to remember, with fondness or sorrow. The windows seemed to focus on the brighter points. Perhaps that was what Celestia preferred to think about as she walked through her castle? Orchard decided that made enough sense.

A pair of guards stood in their way much like the main entryway, but they were different guards. Bat ponies, standing at attention. The bat mare on the left sniffed gently at the air as Orchard and Sugar came closer. "Odd... You smell familiar." She was looking at Orchard Blossom specifically. "Who are you?"

The bat guards were not the same as the others. This seemed immediately obvious. "Hello... ah'm Orchard Blossom, and Princess Luna wanted t' see me?"

The bat stallion coiled in a sharp turn. "I'll see if she's available. Wait here." He trotted off briskly, leaving them alone with the bat mare.

She was busy smirking at them. "Ochard Blossom... Not the name I would have guessed." Her vision flicked towards Sugar. "And you?"

"I'm with her." She leaned off against Orchard Blossom. "Name's Sugar Belle."

"Hm." She didn't seem nearly as interested, turning her attention back to the alicorn. "So... When--"

Luna arrived with the other guard trailing behind her. "That's quite enough. Orchard Blossom. Sugar Belle." She frowned a little at Sugar. "I thought you said you didn't know where to find her."

Sugar threw up a hoof. "I didn't, at first, but then I learned, and I nudged her towards you, like I said I would. You're welcome."

Luna hummed softly. "Thank you." Ultimately, Sugar had done exactly as she said she would. "I did not expect you to come with her... Still, it's good to finally set eyes on you." She was looking at Orchard Blossom. "We have much to discuss. This way." She advanced away from her room. "We will use a sitting room. It's not proper to chat business in a princess' bedroom."

Orchard and Sugar followed, with Orchard advancing a little behind Luna. "Are ya mad?"

Luna turned an ear back at Orchard. "I would prefer not to be. You have broken no laws, Miss Blossom. But there are so many questions unanswered, and that sets us ill at ease. Hopefully, we can set that all aside with a little conversation."

Sugar hurried in front of Orchard. "She's a wonderful pony that only wants to help ponies! There's no reason to be mad at her."

"Then there should be no issue." Luna stepped into a fair sized room with a table that filled most of it. "Have a seat, and let's talk. You've come at a fine time for me. Mine sister wished to speak to you as well, but she is retired for the evening and I would not wish to disturb her unless it was an emergency."

Orchard Blossom stepped up onto a chair and smiled as Sugar sat beside him. "Well, good. This ain't no emergency." That was a step in the right direction! "Nice to see you, Princess Luna."

"See me? Have we met before?" Luna willed a fine cup of tea to float to her lips, sipping gently. "I don't recall it... Ah, that brings to mind one thing that has troubled me. Why is it I can't find you in the dream? You're surely not up at all hours, are you? No matter when I checked, I could not find you, or we would have spoken so much sooner."

Orchard tensed at the question. "Well... actually..."

Sugar leaned in. "You got it in one, Luna. Orchard doesn't sleep."

Luna's brows went up as one. "Truly?! That is a remarkable talent. Even I, guardian of the dreamworld, require sleep. It is not optional." She set the tea down and instead grabbed a mug of steaming coffee. "There are days, or nights, I require this to keep going, but even its magical power has limits." She tipped the coffee mug at them. "But you have defeated it?"

"Not sure ah'd use a word like that..." Orchard shuffled in her seat as something sweet poked her in the snout. The most surprising part being that it was her own magic that had had done it, perhaps out of nervousness. She opened her lips just enough for it to slip inside and be chewed on. "Jus' the way it is. Ah..." She wasn't ready to lay out all the cards. "Think of it sort of like a meditation. Ah sleep, but not the usual way. If ya looked, ya'd see me in bed, all cozy and dozing."

Luna's brows fell. "Truly? Hm... In some ways, this is less strange. You do need to sleep, but you do not visit the dreaming world when you do it. Believe me when I say, you are not the first. Some ponies simply do not dream. Do not feel embarrassed about this." She had flipped from questioning to supporting and caring. "You are very much a pony despite this. Is this related to why you share my schedule?"

"Actually, yes." What a handy excuse. "Durin' the day, ah get powerful sleepy." She left off that she got up immediately after sleeping, but in another body entirely. "Um... don't mean this in no bad way, but yer a lot... less scary, in person, um, talkin'."

Luna flashed a smile at that. "You are also not the first to mention that. I'm glad that faded away then. I'm not your enemy, and I would prefer it to remain that way."

Author's Note

Luna thinks she sees, but she doesn't really, does she?

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