Later that evening, Brimstone was in his room. Ready to go meet with the Lunar Princess. He gets ready to lie down, holding in his hand a medallion token of the princess's moon on it.

All twelve ponies who were selected for the Trials received one. If they fall asleep with it in their hands, Luna would appear in their dreams and they can interact with her. It was meant to be used for emergencies only.

Brimstone didn't think he'd be the one to use his token first. Especially in this manner.

He removes his eyepatch and lies down, token in hand. “Here goes nothing….” He closed his eyes. The token shimmered in his hands.

Slipping into the dreamscape, Brimstone was inside of an isle. Purple and blue trees surrounded him in a haze. Colorful galaxies covered the sky above.

“You summon me, General?”

Brimstone sighed being called that. It had been years since he was called by his Rank before turning around.

Standing off to the side, dressed in her dark lunar armor was Luna herself.

“What seemed to be the problem?” the princess asks.

“Princess Luna, hello, m’lady.” He formally bowed to her. “It's Professor Brimstone now.”

Luna nodded, “Professor. Is there something you need for me, I can sense you're troubled.”

“I am, Princess. I seemed to find myself in a predicament that needs attention. A child’s life depends on it.”

Brimstone then explains the situation with Luna. Detailing what he had found and about Rachel. Telling her what he knows wholeheartedly of the human child and the dire need this is.

Luna listened to the stallion speak in silence, taking in his words as he explained his case. Her gaze darkened when he asked for Rachel's behalf of going to Equestria.

“Professor, do you know the risks of what you are asking me for?” Luna asked, looking down at him. “Portals of other worlds are nothing new, but when it comes to this rip between realities, everyone is on high alert. Asking me to allow this human child, as horrible as her circumstances are, to cross over could stir up trouble.”

“We'll cross that bridge when we come up to it. This girl is in danger if she stays here…especially if the one who did this to her is the worst version of myself. And if I'm correct, he will find her if she remains here.” Brimstone explained.

Luna studied him. “Whether or not your daughter and this human child are the same being but from different realities, the fact of the matter is that you and Rachel are nothing to each other. You're not bound by blood. What you're feeling is guilt you yourself are not responsible for.”

“But I can't turn her away. Regardless of what anyone says. Princess Luna please, just look at the child. She's screaming for help but no one in this reality is helping. Dr. Helena was going to send her back to the monster that torments her. If Rachel doesn't cross over, next time anyone else sees her will be in the obituary in the papers. I'm not doing this because she's a variant to Lilysky, I'm doing this because a life is at stake. If she can't get into the Trials then grant her special access to allow to migrate over.

“Just see her yourself.”

Luna hummed in thought, taking in the information.

With a sigh, her horn didn't glow but with the wave of the Princess's hand, a door, Brimstone's dream door materialized. The door had the sigil of the Royal guards in Canterlot on top of the frame, the wood was dark and showed signs of battle on it. His cutie mark engraved in the center of the worn out door, a large black but sharpened question mark with three gnarly gashes that was meant to be cuts of a knife across it as part of the design.

The door opens. “Follow me, Professor.” The princess beckoned as she walked out the door.

Brimstone briefly looks at his door before following the moon princess. As soon as his hoof steps out of the door, he ends up in a very tall, very long hallway. Doors to other creatures' dreams as far as his good eye could see. On the floor and gaps of the walls between doors was a material similar to the princess's flowing ethereal mane and tail.

“Brimstone, welcome to the realm of dreams. My dear sister has no authority or control over my domain. Or at least in Equis.”

“Can you peer into the human's here on Earth like you can with our kind?” Brimstone asked as he gazed at the doors.

His eye immediately sees Lilysky's cutie mark. A pair of pink ballet slippers with white wings, The wood itself was yellow and has etching of heart. Never seen or been through any trauma in her life besides losing her mother. The door was whole.

Curiosity getting to him, he walks over the door and opens it.

Instantly he sees what his child was dreaming about. Lilysky was performing in one of Equestria's biggest theaters, all dressed up in her ballerina get up. From her extravagant costume she was the lead role.

She was dancing about, the crowd admiring her moves and performance.

A serene smile split on Brimstone's lips as he watched his baby girl's dream.

Luna then closes the door. “Dreamwalking is a gift a few have, you Professor do not have that gift, I am allowing you to walk among this realm. If you get lost in these doors, you will never wake up again, understand?”

Brimstone nodded. “My apologies, Princess.”

“Yeah it gets easy to lose your way.”

Brimstone jumped when turned around to see a pink earth mare with very kinky poof of a pink mane. Wearing a white shirt with short overalls on.

“Hi Luna! ooh who's your new friend, hiya I'm Pinkie Pie!” The energized pink pony bounced over to Brimstone. “Wow, you are so broody, do you know Cranky The Donkey?? He broods alot even after he got married. Why are you blind in one eye but not the other? Is that why you're brooding because you can't see clearly.”

As Pinkie continued to bombard the Professor, who is taking everything he can not to physically shut her up, Luna graciously saves him the trouble.

With a wave of her hand, Pinkie's sugary party decorated door opens. Sucking Pinkie Pie in with a yelp like a vacuum, shuts and locks the door up with thick chains and locks.

“Then you got cases like her.” Luna sighed.

“How did she…”

“Words from her friends, “its Pinkie Pie, don't question it”. I do wonder what kind of eldritch entity gave her the abilities. I know I didn't.” Luna rubs her forehead as a headache forms.

After that they moved on. “We have to be careful, the realm of dreams on Earth has its own rules. I may control the realm for all Equis but where we are going is run by another entity. Let's hope we don't step on any toes here.”

“Your variant isn't controlling it?” Brimstone asked.

Luna laughs. “Not remotely. My human variant is a high school vice principal, hardly a goddess. Variants, though they are a version of ourselves, live their own lives. Out of all the countless good versions out in the vast multiverse, there are countless of the worst. Keep that in mind.”

Her horn glows, she summons an arched door, no markings of any kind. “Alright, let's see if Earth's dream guardian will allow us to travel.”

Brimstone muttered something before the door opened. Crossing over to this a world’s dreams, crossing over to the humans.

Like the Ponies, all the human doors have imagery on their doors to express what each human’s personalities and mental state.

The walls were darker, mimicking the colors of the night sky.

“Well, it seems we've been granted access.” Brimstone said, trying to look at the doors to see if he could find Rachel's door.

“Yes, however we need to make it fast.” Luna said, looking around for any signs of the Earth Dream Guardian. “We can't overstay.”

She steps out more in the hallway, the arched door closed behind them and disappeared.

Luna closed her eyes, raising a hand out and her horn and hands glowed.

The doors began shifting all around them. Combining through billions of humans on the planet at a rapid pace. Doors shifted a blur.

It took her a minute to find the teen’s room.

And it was rattling. The dingey door was of her bedroom, held up by duct tape. Distress marks all over the frame and wood from repeating beatings.

When Brimstone was hearing her screams of agony and sounds of a male hitting her coming from inside, he tried to bolt forward at it but Luna stopped him with her magic. “Hold on!”

Using her magic, it seeped through the doors. Hoping she was able to manipulate her nightmare in this alternate realm.

The screaming and shouts lasted what seemed to be eternity, the sounds came to a slow stop, fading away. The shaking of the door stopped and settled.

Luna let's Brimstone go and he rushes to the door, opening it up and entering.

What he expects was something horrific, to his shock, it wasn't.

Rachel's dream changed into a lush forest. Close to the afternoon. Birds were chirping, critters could be heard. Echos of the wind rustling the leaves.

Brimstone looks around before looking ahead of him. It was of Rachel.

However she looked younger, around eight years old. Dressed in camping clothes, toting a bow and arrows that wasn't a beginning user over her back and hands. She was admiring the scenery, life was in her eyes, taking in everything as she walked around, though the bow looked heavy and was struggling to carry it.

And she was all alone.

Brimstone was surprised to see her like that, not knowing how to respond.

Seeing her with that specific weapon. A common interest of archery himself.

Then, she looked at him. Gasping, the little girl froze.

Uh oh.

“W-who are you??” The girl asked. Now sounding how his daughter sounded that age.

Brimstone gives her a wave. “Uh…don't be alarmed. It's okay.” He assures her as Luna enters.

“Quaint, peaceful out here.” Luna observed before looking at young Rachel.

Rachel tilts her head curiously at them. “You guys look weird, what are you??” She asks.

Brimstone couldn't help but chuckle. “We're just visitors.” He said, approaching her. Soon kneeling her height. “You like the bow?” He asked her.

Rachel nodded. “I do. This is my first time shooting one.” She holds the heavy bow up with a grunt.

“Looks heavy, is it for adults?”

“Yeah, dad's. He told me to not lose it again.” She said, rubbing her head. “He hit me when I missed the target until i got it and sent me out on my own.”

Brimstone fighting the urge to grimace.

“I’m gonna catch something big, drag it to him and then, I'm gonna find the biggest rock and pelt him with it.” She said before lowering the bow. “Until then, I like it out here.” She then smiled at him. “You look like a pony.”

Brimstone snickered. “No doubt he deserves it. And it is nice out here.”

“Professor, you need to see this.” Luna called out.

He motioned Rachel to stay before following her sound. Going through some of the woods until he finds the Princess standing in front of a mountain base. A very large stone door greeted them, covered in ivy and limbs. Some of the carvings were unknown to them.

“Is this part of her dream?” Brimstone asked, seeing the tall structure.

Luna tried to manipulate the door, trying to change it but she couldn't. “No, I don't think this is a dream element.”

“Don't go in there.”

The two turned to see young Rachel standing there. “It's not time yet, you need to leave.” She said ominously.

“Rachel, do you know what's beyond this door?” Brimstone asked her.

She shook her head. “She says it's not time to open. Heed her warning.”

Luna blinks, noticing the child's voice shifting.

The two ponies shared a look with each other before turning to ask more, but Rachel had vanished.

“Where did she go? Rachel?” Brimstone called out for the child but there was no one.

“Who is She?” Luna asked.

They turned back to the collosal size door. The more Brimstone studied it, he recognized the characters of the symbols and hieroglyphics.

“These look like something from the Temple of Draconia.” Brimstone mentioned. “Don't know what they mean but they resembled what's all over the walls.”

“Has Rachel ever traveled there?” Luna asked.

“I don't think so.” He responded.

The princess used her magic to engulf the door. When she tried to pull it open, she was straining. “It's so heavy I'm having problems opening it.”

“Whatever is in there doesn't want to reveal itself.” Brimstone muttered. “Princess, I think we should leave.”

With a few more tugs she manages to scoot the door open just inches, enough for them to squeeze through.

Like many sealed tombs, air rushed out of them with a wail. The world around them began to wither.

“Rachel is going to wake up soon, if we're in here when she awakens, we won't get out until she sleeps again.” Luna said, peering into the darkness of what's behind the door. “We have time.” She then looked at him. “You summoned me to look at the girl, pleading for her extradition, I need to know what we are actually dealing with.”

Brimstone signed heavily, seeing no other way. “Lead on then.”

Luna’s horn lit up a bright light on the tip. The two squeezed through the small opening and ventured inside.

There was total darkness inside, Luna made the light brighter but it could not reach past a foot of them. Forcing the two to stay close to one another. The feel of sand on their hooves, there was a sense of large space but they really can't tell how big it is.

“Where are we?” Brimstone asked, trying to make out what's ahead of them but it was so pitch black, not even Luna’s magic could pierce it.

“I don't know. This isn't in her subconscious, not a dream either. This is something else… has an ancient feel to it.” Luna responded. “Like I told you, variants are of the same being, but they can lead on different lives. Have different pasts, ancestry, magic even.”

Sounds of something rushing past them, clicking sounds echoing around them.

“What was that??” Luna looked around to try and see what it was but the light wasn't allowed to see.

Brimstone looks around as well, only seeing the darkness but hearing something moving about and making sounds.

“Something that doesn't want us here. Princess Luna, I'm afraid we over….stayed…” Brimstone trailed off when he noticed something glowing near them.

It was a cluster of blue crystals with a single black slitted pupil staring back at them. The clicking sound grew louder and louder before it fades into a colossal growl.

Luna then created many balls of light, spreading them around to see what was in front of them.

The blue clusters turned out to be a acrest of a shiny dark blue underbelly, black scales covering the rest of the massive creature. The lights made out a slender snout, horns curving along the head and pointed up, glowing golden draconic eyes, wings closed.

A dragon stood over them. Crystals glowed and it snubbed all of Luna’s lights.

“GET OUT!!!!!!!!!” A hellish voice roars at them, mouth opening to have fire ready to shoot!

“Run!” Brimstone yelled before he and Luna bolted in the darkness.

The dragon breathed a stream of its blue and white flames at the two before charging after them.

Brimstone and Luna scrambled in the darkness, only the occasional bursts of the flames lit their way. The stallion felt hairs of his mane and tail getting scorched by the fire.

Luna tried to use her magic but it was not working at all, she couldn't even fly, only able to run to the cracked door.

The alicorn made it first, tucking in her wings close before squeezing herself out.

Brimstone soon followed after, dodging more flames. He shouted when he felt the fire hitting his arm as he squeezed for the life of him through the door.

Luna grabs his hand and pulls him out in the dream forest, pulling him to the ground. She and him slapped the fire out of his arm and clothes.

Once Brimstone pats the fire out, he looks back at the door and froze.

Glaring at them through the cracks was a girl that looked like Rachel, well, how she looks now, but her hair was raven black and draconic golden eyes staring down at them.

Without a word, the girl easily pulls the door like it was nothing closed.

Rachel began stirring before waking up. “What a weird dream.” She muttered, rubbing her head before realizing she was laying on something plush and it's not a pillow.

She sat up and looked and gasped. Seeing her two inch keychain bear had grown to one of the biggest teddy bears she had seen. Bigger than her and the bed.

“Uh….you were two inches last night.” She said, poking the bear's green belly.

Author's Note

Safe to say Luna is on board 🤣