Transference

This was so much harder than I thought. My lack of imagination really showed itself. I just couldn't come up with a pony name there, no matter how hard I tried my brain cells. Looking down at my flank, I confirmed that I also had no cutie mark, which I could have referenced my name to.

Should I wait until I discovered my special talent before I named myself? Or was this a chance to influence the cutie mark that I might get eventually? Would a fancy name related to magic give me powers like Twilight had, for example? I heavily doubted it worked like that, but the thought was quite intriguing.

I decided to let it go for the moment and just let myself be without a name for the foreseeable future. Maybe all I needed was some inspiration or I could always ask another pony for their opinion. I'm sure a real pony would find a fitting name for me in a heartbeat. That was if Luna ever found a way to get me out of there for me to interact with anypony. Thinking of Luna, I would ask her as well when she returned.

Playing around with the limited imagination I apparently had, I shifted into different forms. From my old human self to a changeling to even Princess Celestia herself. It was fun, but, it was getting old much quicker than I thought it would.

Even flying wingless around the mysterious night sky had a certain aftertaste of it just being nothing but a thought-up illusion in my mind. It didn't feel as if I was experiencing any of it myself, more like playing a video game instead. I felt that it was all missing the warmth of real life.

Walking around the almost desert-like realm, I noticed a reflection in the distance. It looked like a colorful flashing star. While getting closer I realized that it was a floating mirror instead. I was pretty confident I knew what I was looking at there. It must have been a dream of another pony.

Looking in the mirror, at first, I saw only myself standing there. But then, almost as slowly getting a faint signal, the mirror showed a familiar-looking barn in the far distance behind my own still shown reflection.

Oh, I knew that barn! That must have been one of the Apple's dreams. Sitting there, I expected to see the dream unfold and be shown in the mirror, kinda like on a TV, but nothing happened. I imagined that I heard a distant voice coming from the mirror, but it was too quiet for me to understand clearly. I wondered if this was different for Luna, would she be able to see and hear it in more detail in my place?

Luna never explained how she was able to pull me into this world. So I wondered if some of her nature and magic had rubbed off on me in the process of getting my soul into this alternate reality. Was it possible that my existence here in the dreamscape between other ponies' dreams also had gifted me the ability to enter them as well? I really hoped it did, to be honest.

Only one way to find out, I thought, getting quite excited, now barely able to control my tail from wagging back and forth. Sitting there, I wondered if I should wait for Luna's return before doing experimentation on my own. Probably should, but then, these were just dreams, right? What was the worst that could happen? Maybe I'd break a good dream at worst or end a nightmare early at best. Besides, Luna told me to entertain myself and this seemed like a good way to pass some time. Not that I knew how time passed here at all. I had long lost any perception of time since my arrival.

Putting one of my hooves forwards slowly, I tried to touch the surface of the floating mirror. Only for it to go right through, and the surface of the mirror started wobbling like it had become some silver liquid. With a bright smile, I stepped a bit back from the mirror to get some more distance.

For a brief moment, I pondered over my newest decision in life, but I knew I had already made up my mind if I were true to myself. I ran up to the floating gate and jumped through it.

Orienting myself, I realized that I had appeared right at the entrance of the family farm. It was apparent that it was all a dream as a lot of the surrounding area was suddenly cut off and unfished looking.

I tried to fly again like I had before, but was unable to. It seemed as if I lacked the power to alter the dreams of others. This confirmed the limitations I had compared to what Luna would be capable of when it came to her abilities.

As I walked in the direction of the barn everything became more refined and clear. I must have been close to the center of the dream, or at least to the one that was having it.

"Would you look at them apples", said an excited apple horse.

Applejack was standing next to what appeared to be the spill from the recent harvest. Giant apples as big as basketballs were pilled up next to her as she examined them.

Ah, silly pony being silly again. The trees around the farm didn't match the size of the apples at all, and the branches weren't bothered by the additional weight. Physics had its own laws here in Applejack's dream. Don't want to be the equivalent to Newton in her world, I thought, smiling as I watched her.

Walking up from behind her, I silently thought for a moment about how I should approach her and introduce myself. Should I immediately call her by her name? Thinking back to Luna's reaction, it might be better not to. But then, Applejack and the Apple Family, in general, were well-known around town, and I was a pony as well now. I saw now harm this time.

"Miss Applejack?" I said unsure of myself.

Applejack was still inspecting her harvested apples, not acknowledging me in any way.

"Hello, Applejack!" I walked up in front of her. "I'm very sorry to disturb you, but do you have a moment?"

Applejack looked right at me with a smile, not saying a single word. It felt very awkward.

Waving a hoof in front of her, I realized that she wasn't looking at me at all. She was looking through me at her damn apples! She didn't notice me and apparently also couldn't hear me either.

I was devastated beyond words. Here, it seemed as if I were nothing more than a ghost, watching her silly apple dreams. In a last desperate attempt to get myself noticed, I tried pulling her tail.

And then we both screamed.