~Somniare~
The princess watched from the highest tower in Canterlot, her face solemn. It was that time of day again, the time she liked the least. That blurred line between light and day, where neither the sun nor the moon knew exactly where to be. The blazing orange ball of the sun was kissing the horizon beyond, and she could feel the pull of her sister’s power even from where she stood.
With a deep breath, she raised her horn, closing her eyes and letting her magic flow through her form. She felt her magic mingle with her sisters, and she could almost visualize the individual strands of magic aura twining together in a beautiful dance. For a brief moment, the two powers were balanced, just like the sun and moon. But slowly, she felt her sister’s magic wane, giving way to her own. A small smile came to her lips as she felt absolute control. Each night it was the same, but it never got old.
Through her closed lids she could see the glare from the sun lessen and lessen, until it finally disappeared. Darkness closed in, and her magic was at its peak. As she felt the huge weight of the moon in her grasp, she felt that familiar feeling as well. That feeling that had taken over her so many centuries ago. But she pushed it away, back to the darkest corners of her mind. She wouldn’t let it absorb her again.
With one final surge of magic, she pulled on the weight of the moon, willing it to lift. She could feel it start to rise, and she knew it was. But there was no evidence, no light shining through her closed lids. But she knew she succeeded. She always did. With a sigh, she released her magic, opening her eyes to look out over the land once more.
It was bathed in silvery-blue light, each building, rock, and tree thrown into sharp contrast. She smiled, looking out over her work. A cool night breeze blew over her, her ethereal mane waving and dancing. The starbursts in the mane itself grew faster and faster, until it looked like the night sky itself. This is what she lived for, each and every day. But she was not done yet. The lunar princess’s job was just beginning.
Turning her back on the world she strode into her quarters, the azure slippers on her hooves clicking quietly on the polished stone. With a tiny flick of her horn the glass balcony doors closed, and the curtains slid over on their rods, almost all light being cut out from the small bedchamber. The princess slowly walked over to the bed against the far wall, headrest adorned with her Cutie Mark, was the comforter. With a sigh she dropped down onto the bed, looking up at the pitch black ceiling. With a tiny fraction of her magic, she illuminated the crystals embedded in the ceiling, creating the illusion of the night sky.
It had been like this for as long as she could remember. Each night, waiting for the right moment. Endless seconds passing slowly. She laid her head back on the pillow, staring up at the starry ceiling. She could hear her sister’s heavy hoof falls on the stone stairs as she headed up to her room. The steps paused, as they always did, right outside her door. Several seconds later, the steps continued, until she heard a door open and shut. Silence fell over the castle once again, but the princess was wide awake.
Time passed slowly, seconds seeming like hours. She hated the wait. The time it took for the moon to rise and the ponies to fall asleep. It was an eternity for her, but she did it every night. It was almost natural now. Lying in her bed, looking up at the fake night sky. She smiled slightly as she thought about the many long years where all she could see was the night sky. And the floating blue-green ball of Equestria.
She had been asked before what it felt like to rule over the night. What it felt like to know which ponies were asleep, and which ones weren’t. She hadn’t been able to answer that, because there was nothing to compare it too. It felt like power. Pure, unbridled power. But it also felt peaceful, like the still surface of a lake. She had nothing to compare it to, and so, no one to share it with. The only pony who understood it was her sister, who knew what it was like to feel her subjects awake.
This feeling washed over her now. A tidal wave of energy and feelings. It was small at first, but it grew steadily as the minutes ticked by. With a sigh, she found herself afloat in a sea of magical energy, as she did every night. She felt herself sinking slowly into it, the energy enveloping her. Her eyes closed, and a long, slow exhale left her lips. She felt herself falling, but felt no need to save herself. She knew this feeling, and she welcomed it.
With a flash of white, she opened her eyes again. A monochrome world awaited her, all colors seeped away. She stood up, all weight gone from her back. She turned and looked over her shoulder, smiling down at her sleeping form on the bed. The only thing colored in the monochrome world. She smiled broadly, and the corners of her sleeping form’s mouth twitched. She remembered the first time this had happened to her, those many millennia ago. How afraid she had been. She thought she had died, and she was looking down on herself. But when morning rose, she returned, and she had run, crying, to her sister, who explained the whole thing to her. Now it was so simple, an old trick. Like riding a bike.
She turned away from her sleeping form, walking back to the balcony. Her glass slippers making no noise on the cobblestone floor. She smiled as she passed right through the solid glass, emerging into the night on the other side. She looked out over the grey and white and black world. Every shadow was pitch black, completely obscuring whatever lay inside it. Buildings were a mixture of grey and white, the moon casting its light over them. With a smile, she stepped out over the balcony, and let herself fall. She felt no breeze on her face or in her mane and tail. She fell as if gravity was almost null, calmly and serenely. She watched the ground inch closer to her, until, finally, she landed on it. But she felt no sign it was there.
She turned and looked out over the castle grounds. Two guards ponies stood, ramrod straight, in front of the castle gates. Their coats hadn’t changed, but their manes and tails were shades of black and grey. She turned and walked towards passed them, out into the castle garden. They gave no sign that they saw her, and there was no reason they should. She wasn’t really there. Glancing over the cliff edge, she smiled down at the silhouette of Ponyville. She normally took the long walk there, down the mountain and across the railroad tracks, as she was unable to fly in this state. But as she stared down at the small city, an idea formed in her mind.
She backed away from the edge, a small grin on her lips. She felt her flanks hit the wall that ringed Canterlot, and she readied herself. In the next instant, she took off running, her hooves making no sound on the hard-packed earth. When she reached the cliff, she jumped as hard and high as she could. She flew into the air, with no help from her wings. As her momentum lessened, she began to fall, but only just. She was still flying forward, dropping about an inch for every two feet she covered. She would have laughed, if she could have. She couldn’t believe she had never through to try this before.
She floated through the air, the ground flying by far below her. The hills and forests between Ponyville and Canterlot passed by as she dropped closer and closer to the ground. With one final smile her hooves hit the ground, not a single sound breaking the silence. She flipped her mane away from her eyes and looked around at the empty streets of Ponyville.
She started off down the lane, looking around at the blank, empty storefronts. She passed two ponies, a stallion and mare, walking side by side. The stallion had one wing tucked over the mares back, holding her close and she had her head resting on the side of his neck. The lunar princess smiled at them as they walked by. She loved seeing things like that, and night was the best time to. She turned and began trotting down the stone road, heading towards the six homes she liked the best.
*****
She looked up at the front of Carousel Boutique. It’s normally bright and colorful exterior was dark and grey, long black shadows falling from its balconies. She could sense the pony inside, sleeping peacefully. She could always feel when they were asleep, if she was close enough. With a small smile, she stepped towards the door, her shadow black on the door. But she didn’t stop when she reached it. With a shimmering, ice cold shiver, she passed through the door and emerged into the room beyond.
She headed towards the stairs; her hoof falls not making a noise. She breathed in deeply, almost smelling the sleep energy. She climbed the stairs, taking the same path she had traveled so many times before. With one final step she reached the second floor, and walked over to her door. She walked through it, just as she had done before.
She emerged on the other side, a small grin on her lips. Facing the door was her bed, neatly made and fashionably furnished. The covers would have been ruby red, had there been any color. And under the covers, a blindfold on her eyes, lay Rarity. Her mane was tucked up under her head, and the covers were tightly wrapped around her. The occasional snore, soft like her fur, left her lips. The lunar princess smiled, walking over to her.
She stood next to the bedside, looking down at the pony. Her fur, in this world, was the whitest she had ever seen, other than Shining Armour, and her sister’s fur. But her mane was what stood out. Bright purple against the grey world, like shining amethyst. The smile left her lips as she looked over her, but it reappeared a moment later when Rarity herself smiled. Now came the moment she loved. Where she could see what was causing the smile.
She lowered her horn, focusing her thoughts. It made no difference if she did or not, but it made her feel better to think she had some control over what was going to happen next. The tip of the horn was just inches away from Rarity’s forehead. She let a long exhale leave her lips, then pressed the horn against her. A flash of white exploded from the point, and suddenly she found herself in a whole new world.
Color was the first thing she saw. Bright blues and pure whites filled her vision, with soft purples and gold around the edges. Marble floors under her hooves shined, but there was no reflection staring back up at her. She shook her head, clearing the slight fog from the crossfade. She instantly recognized it as the class and money of Canterlot. She turned on the spot, eyes finally falling on the pony whose dream she was in.
The alabaster pony was sitting at a polished wood desk, a wide, crystal clear window in front of her. Spread around the room were mannequins, some naked while others wore finished or half-finished dresses. Designs hung on the walls, clearly made for only the highest paying ponies in Canterlot. Rarity, a sewing machine in front of her, was pushing a piece of cloth through it, sewing together something very pretty and intricate.
The mare herself had obviously changed. Her perfect image, only brought out in dreams. She was taller, that much was obvious. She was much taller, and much more slender. She was probably just a few inches shorter than the princess herself. Her purple mane hung in beautiful and delicate curls around her shoulders, and gold highlights, probably real gold, weaved their way through the fine hair.
Before she could be spotted, the lunar princess cast an invisibility spell over herself. In her subject’s dreams was the only place she was able to use her magic, and the only place she could be spotted. But she tried not to change the dream too much. Rarity was quietly humming to herself as she worked. A simple cloth turned into masterpieces in her hooves. The princess sat down and watched the mare work. Oddly enough, her dreams weren’t always about her work. It was very rare to find one where she was sewing, or creating anything. They were usually about her living a fancy life with some unnamed, albeit rich, stallion.
Rarity stood up and walked away from the table, heading over to the largest mannequin, which was sitting in the perfect center of the room. The princess looked it over, smiling as she realized what it was. A mannequin the perfect size for a princess. Rarity had fulfilled her dream to work for the princess. She scrutinized the mannequin, walking in a complete circle around it. Finally she smiled, her horn lighting up. The dress she had been working on floated over to her, and the princess was able to get a perfect view of it.
It was obviously made for her sister. Pure golden robes fell into a long train, with bright red and orange accents and threads. Tassels hung from the sleeves and around the cuffs. A golden sun blazed on the chest, made out of what looked like gold somehow weaved onto thread. She gently placed the dress over the mannequin, and it fitted perfectly. Rarity smiled, her horn glowing again. A chest in a corner opened, and out floated a spectacular crown. It was pure gold, with a single, dazzling diamond placed in the center. But the princess looked closer, and could see something inside the diamond. Flakes of gold shown through the crystal, flashing every time the sun hit it just right.
Rarity placed the crown on the mannequins head, then took several steps back and looked it over. A grin grew onto her lips as she looked it over. With one final touch she wiped the diamond off with a small rag, then trotted back over to her desk. She pushed some extra cloth and paper into a trash can, then turned around. For a second the princess though she had been spotted, but Rarity walked right passed her, heading towards the door behind. The princess watched her leave, then trotted over to the window. Rarity was galloping down the long staircase of the tower, heading off towards the castle, the gold highlights in her mane shining brightly. The princess watched until she saw Rarity disappear into the castle, then turned away from the window.
The princess smiled, her horn beginning to glow. It was time to leave. She never stayed too long, just long enough to see what was going on in the dream. And this was long enough. With another flash of white, she was back in the monochrome world, looking down at the sleeping form of Rarity. She a small smile, she turned and headed out of the boutique, the fashionista having surprised her that night.
*****
The princess stood under the wrought iron archway, glancing around the orchard. Shadows fell from the trees like fruit, and the ground was a patchwork of black and white. She gently trotted across the open yard, seeing only a single light on in the house. But it wasn’t her. No, she could sense the farmer was sleeping. She reached the door and peeked her head through the wood. A small smile came to her lips.
Big Mac, his coat a dark grey, was gently rocking Applebloom, whose eyes were almost completely closed. Dried trails under her eyes showed where tears had fallen. She must have had a nightmare. Big Mac rocked the chair back and forth, the small squeaks of wood on wood the only sound. As the princess watched, Applebloom’s eyes fully closed, and her head fell against his chest. A small smile crossed Big Mac’s lips, but he continued to rock in the chair, holding his sister against him.
The princess walked up the stairs, heading towards the farmer’s room. Two doors were open on the top floor, probably Applebloom and Big Mac’s. The last door at the end of the hall was still closed, and that’s the one the princess walked towards. She passed right through the wood, appearing on the other side in Applejack’s room.
The farmer pony was lying in bed, legs splayed out in all directions with the covers wrapped around her. Her bright orange fur and blonde mane the only colors in the room. She secretly wondered what her emerald eyes would look like, if they were the only color visible. A small twitch of the ear was the only movement she made as the princess walked closer to her. Her mouth was slightly open as she slept, and her breathing was loud, but only just. The princess stopped next to the bed, smiling down at the sleeping pony. She always had interesting dreams. Never selfish, only caring, hoping dreams. Some nights, if the princess was having a rough time, she would visit her dreams just to feel better. She lowered her horn, feeling the energy grow stronger as it always did, until finally, her horn touched. With a flash of white, the world was gone.
But then it was back, and the princess looked around, frowning. If there had been no colors, she would have believed she hadn’t entered the dream at all. The only other difference was the filly in the bed in front of her. It was obviously Applejack, but many years younger. White freckles covered the bridge of her nose and her mane was shorter. Sun shined through the open window, cascading over the bed. With a small murmur, Applejack began to wake. The princess threw her invisibility spell up before she could be spotted.
Applejack sat up in the bed, her large green eyes reflecting the morning light. She let out a yawn, looking around her room. She spared a small glance at a picture on her bedside table, before she got up and left the room. Before following her, the Princess turned and looked at the picture. Two ponies, a mare and a stallion, were holding a small filly wrapped in blankets. Large green eyes stared out from a smiling orange face. Next to them was another foal, this one a colt with a bright red coat. All smiling, although Big Mac was looking at Applejack out of the corners of his eye, like he didn’t quite trust her. It must have been taken shortly after her birth.
The princess turned and followed Applejack out of the room and back down the stairs. Her hooves clopped against the bare wood, and she had to time it perfectly with Applejack’s to avoid being detected. But finally they made it to the bottom floor, Applejack trotting towards the large kitchen. The princess followed her in, nose filling with the scent of morning cooking.
Big Mac was already sitting at the table, eating. Applejack waved, hopping into the chair opposite him. He just nodded in her direction, eyes not leaving his food. Either he was not a morning pony, or he still didn’t like Applejack. The princess was swayed towards the former. As she watched, Applejack pulled her own plate over and began to eat as well. For a few minutes the only sound was the clinking of silverware on plates.
Wood creaked and groaned behind her, and she turned, wondering who else could possibly be awake. Two pairs of dark green hooves appeared on the stairs, followed by a strong, solid body of the same color. A light blond mane and tail, short and wavy under a tan Stetson hat, was bedraggled, hanging in front of his eyes. A smile came to his lips and to his eyes as he saw Applejack and Big Mac awake. With a bright smile, Applejack hopped off the cahir and ran over to him, closing her forelegs in a tight embrace around his neck. He laughed, pulling her off the ground and spinning her a few times.
Another pair of hooves appeared on the stairs. These were a light cream color, and more slender in frame. A soft green mane and tail was loosely braided with a light red bow at the ends. Bright orange eyes smiled at the scene around her. In her forelegs was a tightly wrapped mound of blankets, which was moving slightly. The princess lifted her head slightly, seeing a soft cream face and red mane poking out of the blankets. Little Applebloom looked so young and so happy.
Big Mac walked over and embraced his mother, who wrapped a single hoof around him, as that was all she could spare. She gently handed Applebloom to him, and he took it with calm hooves, obviously used to carrying small foals. He carried her over to a small cradle in the corner of the dining room, wrapping her up in the blankets there.
Applejack and her parents walked towards the door, their mouths moving but no sound being made. She had obviously not added that to the dream. After a few moments, her mother and father walked out through the door, waving goodbye, smiling happily. Applejack waved back, watching them walk out of sight before turning back to the table and her brother.
The princess could barely believe what she had walked into. Every fiber in her being told her to leave right then. She knew what was going to happen. Her sister had seen it, and told her about it. At seventeen minutes to one, a runaway cart carrying several hundred pounds of lumber would roll down the hill Applejack’s parents were walking in front of, taking both their lives in one swoop. Big Mac and Applejack would later be informed by a sorrowful policepony.
She wanted to leave, more than anything. But she also felt compelled to stay. To see the dream through to the end. Not matter what happened. So she sat down on the last stair, watching the two young foals. She felt a small change in the dream fabric, a current that hadn’t been there before. With a flash of white, the dream shifted, time moving faster. In less than a minute, several hours had passed, the streams of sunlight moving across the floor with unnatural speed.
The time slowed, returning to normal. She looked around, trying to get her bearings back. Applejack was leaning over the edge of the crib, looking down at Applebloom. She had the same expression Big Mac had on in the photo on her bedside table. A slight distrust, but also care. She gently rocked the crib back and forth with her body weight. Trotting over, the princess looked over her shoulder. Applebloom was asleep, her eyes closed tightly. Her chest was rising and falling slowly, a soft smile on her lips.
The princess waited on baited breath. How was this dream going to end? She backed away from Applejack, back towards the stairs where she sat down again. More minutes passed slowly as Applejack gently rocked the crib back and forth. The sound of hooves on wood slowly filtered through the open windows. It sounded like Big Mac was bucking some trees, or practicing at least. It was a long moment before anything else happened. Three sharp knocks made the princess perk up, her skin growing cold. Applejack frowned, leaving the crib and walking over to the door. The princess, her eyes wide, stood up and walked over with her, not caring if she was heard as Applejack opened the door.
With a bright smile, and a silent peal of laughter, she jumped up and hugged her father, who trotted through the open door. His front hooves were loaded down with bags from the market, and the princess could see a large cardboard box wrapped up in his tail. He smiled down at Applejack, his mouth moving, but once again, no sound came out. Her mother walked in a few seconds later, also carrying bags. Applejack trotted over and embraced her as well, helping her carry the bags into the kitchen. The princess just stood back, watching the scene with a broad smile on her face. It was like nothing had happened. They went to the market and came back, like how it should have been.
Applejack’s ears perked up, and she walked out of the kitchen, trotting towards her father who had called her. He smiled sweetly down at her, dropping the cardboard box onto the floor. He reached down and opened it up, pulling a brand new Stetson. It was dark brow with a wide, flat brim. He reached up and removed his old Stetson, replacing it with the new one. Then he smiled at Applejack, gently placing the old Stetson on her head. It dropped down over her eyes, but she smiled all the same, walking forward blindly and embracing her father. He smiled down at her, mouthing something the Princess couldn’t hear. He pushed the brim of the hat up and nuzzled Applejack’s nose with his own, then stood staring up again, mouthing something else. Applejack nodded vigorously, turning and trotting off to help her mother. The princess watched her go, horn starting to glow. A second later she was looking down at the farmer pony’s sleeping form.
The Stetson was hanging off the end of one of the bedposts. The same Stetson her father had been wearing that morning. The sole survivor of that tragic accident. A new feeling rose in her throat, something she hadn’t felt before towards Applejack. It was something like pity, but there was something else. Pride. She felt so proud of her, being strong after all these years, and all that sorrow. With one final glance down at the mare, she turned and walked out of the room, a new respect for Applejack rising in her chest.
*****
She stood in front of the low, pretty cottage. There was no noise from inside the home, although a small light was on. But the princess knew she was asleep. She just always had a nightlight. As she walked towards the front door, she thought about the thing that puzzled her every time she came here. Why is such a timid pony living on the edge of the Everfree? She never got an answer, and when she would ask the pony herself, all she got was a quiet, intimidated, mumbling of words. But it didn’t matter, it almost fit her perfectly to live there.
She pushed her way through the wood, emerging on the other side. The small, brightly painted cabin was completely drained of color. Greys and whites mixed into a sea of monochrome as she trotted across the hardwood floors. The soft rungs under her hooves held no feeling for her. She headed up the stairs, sparing a glance for Angel, who was curled up under a blanket. She had been in one of his dreams once. She wasn’t doing it again.
She reached the second floor, walking over to where Fluttershy’s room was, walking through the door and emerging on the other side. A small grin appeared on her lips when she saw Fluttershy. The small pegasus was curled into a tight ball, covers wrapped tightly around her. A small candle was burning on the nightstand next to her, its grey light enveloping the bed. The princess cocked her head as she looked down at the pony.
She liked her dreams. They were usually kind and caring dreams, where she helped the animals. Or where she passed her flight test back up in Cloudsdale. Dreams that made the princess like her even more. As she watched a small frown appeared on her lips, then melted away. Watching a pony sleep was almost as nice as being in their dream.
She lowered her horn to Fluttershy’s forehead, gathering her magic. With another white flash, she was gone, and in a whole new place. She shook her head, looking around, confused. She was in a dark, dense forest, a soft wind rustling the leaves above her head. Looking up she could see no moon, and no stars. The quiet breeze blew a sound towards her, but she wasn’t quite sure what it was. Looking off into the forest, she could see a soft orange glow, so she decided to head that way.
After several moments of walking the glow was brighter, and the sound louder. Cracks and the sound of trees breaking, falling filled the air. Her breath began to leave her chest faster as she realized what it was, galloping towards it. It was a forest fire. She wasn’t in a dream.
She was in a nightmare.
Trees blew by in a blur as she rushed through the forest. Animals galloped past her, heading in the opposite direction, away from the fire. Birds took to the air with loud squawks. She had to jump out of the way of several deer that ran into her path, eyes wide with fear. Up ahead she could hear trees falling, the entire forest floor shaking. The heat was growing stronger, as was the taste of ash in her mouth. What had caused Fluttershy to dream about this?
She reached the edge of the fire and looked in, careful to not touch any of the burning orange flames. She could get hurt in dreams. Terribly hurt. She had learned that the hard way long ago. Her eyes scanned the forest ahead, trying to pick out any sign of Fluttershy. Finally, her eyes lighted on the pony, and she felt her heart sink.
The mare was lying in the center of a ring of fire, tears falling down her cheeks. Feathers singed on the ends, and a large burn to her lower calf. She couldn’t fly away, and by the look of it, she couldn’t run away. Looking up, the princess could see a speck of white near the other end of the fire, a small white rabbit jumping up and down, trying to find a way in.
The princess dodged a falling branch, jumping out of the way as it slammed into the ground, spraying fire and sparks everywhere. She recovered, standing up and finding the mare once more. There fire was slowly closing in, only growing stronger as time went on. As she watched a tree fell over, crashing to the ground and cutting the circles diameter in half. Fluttershy let out a scream as it did this, and the princess closed her eyes, hating the sound. She coughed, the smoke beginning to fill her lungs and scratch her throat. She couldn’t let this continue.
She had sworn, long ago, to not interfere with dreams. Only on rare occasions when it was really needed. But now was one of those times. Her eyes flashed open, and her horn began to glow. In the sky above, thick, black clouds began to gather. More and more as the seconds passed, until the entire sky was blocked out. With one last surge of power, she mentally struck the clouds, and it began to rain.
Water fell in large drops, much larger than possible in reality. When they struck the ground a small deluge was released, water flowing to the nearest source of fire, and extinguishing it. Hisses and cracks filled the night air as the rain fell, the fire slowly dying out. Smoke rose from the ground and trees, obscuring the yellow pegasus from her vision. The orange glow disappeared slowly, until finally, there was nothing left but cinders and ashes.
The smoke cleared, and the princess could see Fluttershy once more. She was lying on the ground, coat and mane dripping wet. Angel rushed forward through the ash, his white fur almost black with soot. He scampered over and embraced the small mare, who almost crushed him against her. With a smile, the princess delivered her final gift. A single drop fell from the sky, bright, glowing green. It fell right onto Fluttershy’s back leg. As soon as it hit, the long burn healed and new fur grew, almost no sign it had been there after several seconds. She looked down at her leg, confusion in her eyes. She wiped the tears from her face, smearing it with soot in the process. She hugged Angel closer to her, but this time in a more caring way. The princess smiled, turning and walking away from the two. The nightmares she had stopped usually ended very soon after, and she didn’t want to be in the dream when they awoke.
*****
The princess stood atop one of the tallest hills in Ponyville, looking down at the sleeping town. Every now and then she could see a pony walk through the empty streets, their grey or white coats shining under the blank lights of the streetlamps. Her mind wandered back to a time when this had infuriated her, to a point of near madness. But she had learned that even if they slept during her beautiful night, she could still visit them in their dreams which, in her opinion, was almost better than meeting them awake.
She looked out at the sky in front of her. Hanging almost motionless in the sky, rainbows devoid of color falling from its pure white clouds, was Rainbow Dash’s house. She had wondered all those months ago when she had first done this, how she would reach the athlete’s home. She was unable to fly, nor could she use magic. But then she had found this way, and she almost like it more.
Just as she had done back up on Canterlot Mountain, she backed as far away from the cliff as possible, then took a running jump. She soared into the air, a grin spreading on her face. Up and up she went, until her arc leveled. The houses of Ponyville flew by under her, until she finally landed on the clouds. She enjoyed the feeling of clouds. The supple, springy tension. The slight dampness. And if they had stored electricity, they could be used for massages. But since she couldn’t feel anything, she just walked forward, her hooves sinking into the top layer of the clouds.
The pools of rainbow, all grey and black, flowed over the edge of the cloud, sounding like waterfalls in the silent night. The intricate designs of her house showed silhouetted in the moonlight. Columns and swirls rolled across the clouds. She had obviously tried to replicate the ancient structures of Cloudsdale. She had done a very good job as well. It looked like she carved a small corner off of the floating city. She trotted over and stuck her head through the cloud door, looking into the dark room.
Rainbow’s home was pretty much a single room, except for her small bedroom. Whenever she looked into it, she always felt sad for the pegasus. It was a very large home, built like a castle inside, but it was also very empty. A single couch sat off in one corner, a pile of books next to it on the floor. A coffee table was in front of the couch, but it was bare. Something else struck her about Rainbow’s large home. There were no pictures, anywhere. While the other ponies had pictures of her families on the walls, Rainbow Dash has a couple plaques, and nothing else.
The princess pulled herself completely through the door, glancing around the rest of the home. She saw Rainbow’s pet, Tank, asleep in the corner, his flying mechanism on the floor next to him. A tortoise, the princess had always wondered. Why a tortoise? She shook her head, turning and heading towards the stairs. Rainbow dyed clouds accented the underside of each stair as she climbed. She reached the second floor and saw the only door there, which was her room.
She poked her head through the door, smiling at the sleeping mare. Rainbow herself was snoring loudly on her bed, lying on top of the covers with an open book on her chest. The princess almost laughed, trotting over to her. Rainbow did that probably more than she would have liked to admit. She couldn’t help notice the book she was reading. Daring Do and the Treasure of the Red Jungle. The princess smirked, guessing what the dream was going to be about. Looking down at the mare, she could hardly believe her eyes at what she looked like. She was practically beautiful under normal circumstances, with the normal colors of the world slightly dulling her mane and coat. But in this world, with no colors, she was beyond gorgeous. Her pure hues, envied by more than one mare in Ponyville, were the brightest she had ever seen them, almost startling to look at. Her cyan fur was almost glowing in the moonlight, pure and vibrant. If her rose eyes had been open the princess was sure she would have to pick her jaw off the ground. But, sadly, she would never be able to see that. If her eyes were open, she would be awake, and all color would fade from her in this world. With one last look at the mare, the princess touched her horn to her forehead, and she was gone.
Stone. Dank, dark, musty stone. A small chamber, shrouded in shadows, a tiny tunnel behind her. Vines coated the walls, slithering in and out of the stone like snakes. A single beam of light came from a hole in the ceiling, and in that beam a single mare was illuminated. A tan coat with a striped, monochrome mane was standing on front of a large chasm, her back and neck beaded with sweat. The princess threw up her invisibility spell once more, trotting over quietly to stand next to the mare.
It was obviously Rainbow, the eyes and mane showed that. But she was dreaming about being Daring Do, as she had guessed. Rainbow’s pith helmet was held tightly in her teeth, and her vest was sticking to her sweaty fur. Her eyes were closed to slits as she looked out over the chasm in front of her.
It wasn’t very large, just large enough to not be able to jump across. Tilting her head over the edge she could see the fiery red glow of lava flowing by hundreds of feet below. She looked back up at Rainbow, wondering why she just didn't fly across. But then she saw why. Four long gashes trailed down her side and across her wing. Blood had seeped into her coat, staining it a dark maroon. Her wing hung limply by her side, and it would occasionally twitch, causing Rainbow’s face to scrunch in pain.
Rainbow’s eyes lifted to the ceiling, and she smiled. The princess looked up as well, finding the thing Rainbow had spotted. A thick root, almost half a foot wide, had grown through the ceiling, hanging about two feet down from the stone. She began to back up, her tongue sticking out of the corner of her mouth. She stopped when she was about ten feet away, placing her hat back onto her mane. The princess saw her thighs bunch up, the muscles in her lower back tensing. With a single inhale, she bounded forward. She launched herself off the stone with a muffled grunt, soaring out over the chasm, mouth open as wide as it could go. As she neared the root she stretched her neck out, catching it in her teeth with only inches to spare. Her body swung under her, supported by the root, but the princess could see how much pain she was in, a tear leaking out of the corner of her eye. As her body neared the apex of its swing, she released her jaw, flying forward again. She landed on the other side of the gap, rather unceremoniously on her haunches. But she just looked over her shoulder, a courageous grin on her lips.
The princess smiled, flapping her way across the gap and landing a few feet behind where Rainbow was trotting. The jump had reopened one of the gashes and every few steps a drop of blood would land on the floor. It always amazed her how realistic the dreams could be. Such details she never would have thought of. Looking down at it she wanted desperately to heal the wound, but she knew not to interfere.
Another chamber appeared in front of them, and Rainbow galloped into it. A single beam of light, just like before, fell onto a stone pedestal, small dots of dust appearing on the edges of the beam, then disappearing again. Resting on top was a beautiful and intricately carved pony made of crystal. The mane and tail blew out behind it in a regal pose, its head held high. Rainbow, her eyes wide, galloped towards it, heedless to any danger that might be present. But she scampered right up to the pedestal and nothing happened. She reached out and grabbed the pony, taking it carefully down from the stone. Her eyes were wide, the crystal reflected in them. She lifted it high into the air, letting the light cascade through its many layers, a rainbow of color falling onto the stones below. The princess watched with wide eyes.
With a vicious grin, Rainbow threw the crystal to the ground. It shattered into thousands of pieces, sliding across the stones. The princess almost gasped, staring down at the destroyed artifact. But Rainbow didn’t seem to care. She just pawed through the bits of crystals, until she found something. Her face lit up as she pulled a long, slender key out of the wreckage. She trotted over to the back of the pedestal, and the princess walked over to get a better look. A small keyhole was placed into the pedestal’s base, and it looked like it was a perfect fit for the key. Rainbow, a broad grin on her lips, slid the key into a lock. With a metal on stone grinding, the pedestal opened in the back, the entire hatch falling to the ground with an echoing thud, the stone splintering on the floor.
Rainbow, her eyes wide and face gleeful, reached in and pulled out a jewel and held it up to the light. It was a gigantic diamond, almost the size of rainbow’s eyes. Slivers of other precious jewels curved their way through the crystal. Blues and greens and reds producing a rainbow of color inside the clear diamond. She smiled broadly, letting out a cheer as she pocketed the jewel. She turned and began to gallop out of the chamber. The princess was about to follow her, when a blinding flash of pain sent her flying backwards into the wall. She slammed into it, all the breath being released from her lungs. She felt like she had been punched in the chest with a rock. She couldn’t see, couldn’t breathe. The world was a whiteout blur. She felt her eyes close, and when she reopened them, the world was back. She was someplace new.
She shakily stood up, her lungs breathing in the fresh air. Shaking her head, she looked around, glaring at the new surroundings. She detested when that happened. A shift in a dream, a transition. That’s why she didn’t stay in dreams too long. She risked the chance of that happening. With an inward yell of annoyance at herself for staying too long, she looked around.
Her invisibility spell was still activated, which was good because Rainbow was right in front of her. She was lying on her bed in her home. A moon was hanging in the sky outside, its light falling in through the open window. She looked down at Rainbow, startled by what she was seeing.
Silent tears rolled down her face and onto the bedspread. A folded up piece of paper was lying next to her hoof, but she didn’t even seem to notice it. She just stared out towards the moon. The princess quietly walked forward, tilting her head to get a look at the paper. The Wonderbolt’s symbol was stamped on the top right hand corner of the letter, as she now realized that it was. She didn’t have to read it to know what it was. She had been rejected.
Rainbow turned over and stared up at the dark ceiling. Her eyes were so lost, so helpless. Like a foal’s after they lose their mother in a crowded market. Her eyes closed against the pain, tears overflowing from them. A sob ripped from her lungs and she wrapped her wings around herself, sinking into the only safe place left. Herself. The princess wanted desperately to help, but knew she couldn’t. This nightmare was set in stone now, and she couldn’t change it. With a shake of her head, she walked over to the window and slipped outside, her wings opening and holding her aloft. Her horn began to glow, and with a flash of white she left the poor mare’s broken dream behind. But not before another sob reached her ears.
*****
The shadow cast by Sugarcube Corner was one of the most intricate that she had ever seen. The curves and dips in the structure, combined with the second story add-on made one of the most unique looking buildings in all of Ponyville. A form of chaos, barely controlled by some other force. The princess smiled up at it. A fitting home for the mare she was visiting.
The air around the shop was permanently scented with the smell of baked goods and frosting. At times it could be almost nauseating. But at night, the smell diminished, and it was a heady, pleasant aroma. All this passed through the princess’s mind as she trotted towards the door. But, sadly, she was unable to smell any of it in this world. She could sense three sleeping ponies in the shop, two less than normal. A small light was on in one of the rooms. She guessed one of the foals had woken up.
The normally bright and cheery shop was dark and silent as she walked through the door. The confectionaries in the display cases waited patiently for the next morning to be bought. Their colors drained, they looked sad and depressed. Unhappy. Like they were made from clay and fired, instead of being edible. But she imagined them the way they looked during the day. Bright and full of color.
She turned towards the stairs and headed up. Pictures of the Cakes and their foals line the walls, as well as a few of Pinkie Pie and her friends. When she reached the top of the stairs she saw the short hallway. Three doors were attached, and she knew where each of them went. She passed by the foal’s room, stopping at the door next to Pinkie’s, the one with the light on. She stuck her head through the door, smiling slightly.
Mrs. Cake was gently rocking Pound Cake, his large brown eyes half closed. She smiled down at him, stroking his short mane away from his eyes. She kissed the top of his head as his eyes began to close. The princess smiled, pulling her head back into the hallway. She trotted towards the final door, where the party pony slept. The princess walked through the door and into her room.
She always loved Pinkie’s room. It was decorated like a party no matter what day of the year it was. Streamers ran from corner to corner on the ceiling, balloons floated around, tied to various objects around her room. Leftover wrappers from candies and cupcakes littered the floor. It was always so bright and cheery. But it was marred by the simple fact that there were no colors.
Pinkie lay in her bed, the covers loosely wrapped around her. Even in her sleep the mare was fitful and energetic, hooves and ears twitching almost constantly. Soft snores filled the small room as the princess walked over to the bed, smiling down at the mare. Her dreams varied, and she could never quite predict what they would be about. Sometimes it was massive, Equestria-wide parties. Other times it was something simple like seeing her family from the rock farm again. But it was always fun. She knelt down, taking a deep breath as she touched her horn to Pinkie’s forehead. A flash and she was gone.
She was assaulted by a wall of black, and a wall of noise. She didn’t know what was happening, but her instinct was to throw up her invisibility spell and slowly turn in a circle. As she ears became accustomed to the noise, she started to hear actual sounds. Laughter, bright and happy. Music, loud and pumping. It sounded just like a party, but she couldn’t see it.
As she turned all the way around, her eyes finally found the source of the noise. A room, probably the same size as the cathedral in Canterlot, filled the black void. A checkerboard floor was littered with streamers and confetti, spilled drinks and dropped foodstuffs as well. At the far end of the hall, speakers sat next to a turntable, where a record was spinning away. Tables ladened with all kinds of food looked like they had already been picked at. But something was wrong with this party.
There we no guests. Despite the noise of dozens of guests, there was absolutely nopony there. And empty hall filled with invisible, incorporeal ponies. That is, except for one. Pinkie Pie herself was dancing away on the dance floor, her eyes closed and a happy grin on her lips. Every so often she would open her eyes and wave at somepony who really wasn’t there. She looked so happy and peaceful. The princess slowly began to wonder what the dream looked like through her eyes. As she watched, Pinkie accidentally bumped into somepony, and she laughed slightly, ginning at them. Despite what had happened in the last dream, she felt compelled to sit and watch for a while.
As time went on, the songs began to slow in tempo and rhythm. Pinkie was obviously starting to tire, her movements becoming less jerky and more forced. But, finally, the music stopped altogether, and she smiled, looking around at the ‘guests’. She waved over to somepony, who, the princess guessed, walked over to her. Pinkie nodded a couple times, then gently placed her neck on the shoulder of the other pony, a stallion, she reasoned. As the next song began to play, a slow, calm number, the visible and invisible pony began to dance.
Her restraint was amazing. To see Pinkie move with such grace and poise, without blasting off like a rocketship, was something new for the princess. The two revolved in place, swaying back and forth to the tempo of the song. Her eyes were closed, just like before, but not in joy this time. In bliss. She was enjoying the moment for what it was. A moment for closeness with somepony she cared for, and for who cared for her as well. Despite herself the princess felt herself thinking of the mare in a new way. Maybe she wasn’t the crazy pony she thought she was.
Eyes closed, Pinkie seemed to move my memory, twirling and swaying to the music. As the princess watched she moved her forelegs up and wrapped them around the stallion’s neck. She stood up straighter, and the princess guessed that he had wrapped his forelegs around her waist. She laid her head back on his shoulder, closing her eyes once more, a broad smile on her lips.
As the song drew to a close Pinkie opened her eyes, smiling up at the invisible stallion. She closed her eyes and made a motion with her muzzle, presumably running noses with him. She turned and trotted off towards the other end of the hall, and the princess stood up, knowing it was time to go. With a smile on her lips and her horn glowing, the princess left the dream.
*****
The princess looked up at the monochrome exterior of the Ponyville library. She smiled as she stepped towards the door, her shadow long and black on the wood. She always saved her for last, as her dreams were always the princess’s favorite. With an ice cold shiver she passed through the door, looking around the dark interior of the library. She could feel her asleep upstairs, and she took her time climbing the stairs. This was a dream after all, she had all the time in the world.
Twilight’s room was shrouded in darkness, the curtains pulled closed to block out the intense light of the moon. Twilight’s small body was curled up under the covers, a tense little ball. The princess had to smile. Even in sleep Twilight as still nervous and stressed. Her dark purple mane was pure black in the light, only her coat showing any bit of color. The princess walked across the floor, stepping over the sleeping form of Spike, who was snoring in his small bed next to Twilight’s.
She knelt down, sighing for a moment. She always hesitated before she entered Twilight’s dreams. They were usually of a personal nature, and she was worried that one time she would see something she didn’t want to. Shaking her head, the princess leaned over her body, pressing the tip of her horn to Twilight’s forehead. With a flash of white the world was gone.
She shook her head, looking around. She had no idea where she was. Bright sunlight flooded down, filtering through the trees. Short, stubby grass rose around her slippers, tickling her lower calves. Off in the distance she could hear a river flowing over rocks. She looked around, spotting a small trail that curved between the trees and headed in that direction. Her glass slippers clicked against the stones, but she wasn’t worried about them breaking. She was more worried about being seen.
The trees began to part, and sunlight flooded down. She finally saw the river, wide and shallow, and crystal clear. It carved a path in the small clearing, dividing it almost perfectly in half. Light purple, yellow, red, and blue flowers bloomed, spaced out almost evenly across the small clearing. Birds flew by overhead in perfect form. The princess smiled as she saw some of Twilight’s mannerisms soaking through her subconscious. Staying in the shadows of the trees, the princess poked her head around the last tree, finally spotting the dreams subject.
Twilight was lying by the river, her legs and thighs inside the cooling water. A book hovered in the air in the air above her, blocking the sun from her eyes, which were scanning across the pages. Every few seconds, a page would turn. A calm, content expression was on her face, one the princes was rarely able to see. Looking behind her, the princess saw a small blanket laid out on the grass, a picnic basket on top. Half eaten sandwiches sat on paper plates, next to thermoses filled with apple juice. The princess frowned, seeing two plates and two thermoses. But she only saw Twilight.
She turned her attention back to the mare, when something in the water caught her eye. A small ripple, heading in the opposite direction of the rest of the water, heading right towards Twilight. Then, it disappeared. The princess almost had put it out of her mind, when the water surface broke. A pair of hooves flashed out of the water, wrapping around Twilight’s legs and pulling her under. The princess watched, her breath caught in her throat, as Twilight was pulled under the water. She broke the surface a few seconds later, and she expected to hear screaming, yelling. But what she heard was the complete opposite.
Twilight was laughing out loud, treading water to keep her head above the surface. A second later, right next to her, another head broke the surface. A stallion this time. He smiled at her, and she splashed water in his face, laughing still. The princess watched, thoroughly confused. She had never seen this stallion with Twilight before. She had never seen this stallion in her life. He had a tan coat and mane with light blue eyes. A broad smile was on his lips as he played with Twilight in the water. As she watched, it suddenly dawned on her.
Dreams show your deepest wants, and your deepest needs. And right then, all Twilight wanted was to be loved and cared for. This stallion was her mind’s manifestation of that want. The stallion swam his way closer to Twilight, wrapping her in a tight embrace. For a long moment they stood there, tails and manes mixing together in the flowing water. Finally the stallion pulled away, holding her hoof in her hand and directing her towards the shore. Twilight followed blindly, a serene smile on her face. They finally reached the shore, and Twilight resumed her old place on the shore, the stallion lying down next to her. They lay together for quite a long time, clouds slowly moving across the sky above them.
The princess watched them, a happy smile on her lips. She had been in many dreams in her life, some more risqué than others, but it was rare to find one with such emotion in it. She could feel the love emanating from the two, pure, innocent love. As she watched, the stallion gently caressed Twilight’s mane and neck, placing small kisses on her jaw and chin. Every time his lips would land, Twilight’s eyes would close and her ears would twitch back.
She dropped the book on the grass and rolled over onto her side, hooves reaching out to wrap around the stallions neck. She slid his hooves around her back, pulling her close. Their lips met, and Twilight’s eyes closed. She sank into the kiss, pulling him closer to her. Their wet fur stuck to itself and each other, blurring the lines separating the two. Soft caresses down her back was the only motion the two made as they lay together, half in the water. They broke apart, finally, eyes shining.
The stallion rolled, pulling Twilight onto his chest. He pressed his lips against hers again. They looked so calm, so content. Gentle touching of her mane and face brought a bright flush to Twilight’s cheeks. Her tail flicked back and forth, and she was smiling even through the kiss. The princess didn’t know how far the dream would go, and she didn’t want to intrude if it went any farther. Her horn began to glow once again, and with a flash of white she was gone, but not before Twilight opened her eye and saw the princess disappear.
She was back in Twilight’s bedroom, smiling down at the sleeping pony. Of all the ponies she had seen tonight, she had both the most selfish, and least selfish dream of them all. She just wanted to be loved, and that set her apart from the others. The princess stood there for several seconds before turning around and walking back through the door. She climbed back down the stairs, walking through the front door and into the night. She spared one final glance back at Twilight’s house before turning around. She had a long walk back to Canterlot. She better get started.
*****
Twilight opened her eyes and the sun began to rise above the horizon. Instantly her mind thought back to the night before. She remembered the dream, and she wasn’t proud of it. She had been having that dream more often recently, and she wasn’t sure why. But there was one memory of the dream that made her curious. She pushed open the curtains, looking up at the sky, towards Canterlot. A single figure stood atop the highest tower, figure glowing in the rosy light of dawn. Just as the sun rose above the horizon, the moon sank behind the opposite. The figure’s glow slowly faded, until it was just a black silhouette. Twilight smiled as she looked up at the figure, the one she had seen in her dream.
“Good morning, Luna.”
