That night:
I toss and turn a bit fitfully, being used to sleep rolls on hard ground and the occasional cot. My temporary room at the castle has a bed one could sink into.
Reading the reports of Twilight Sparkle had kept me awake for later than I had expected, and I was struggling to relax, mind full of compressed information.
Eventually sleep cast it's veil over me and I went to the dream state. Since before I got my mark I have had an active and vivid dream life, strange and wonderful happennings presenting themselves to me. I got the design for my first magitech device from dreams. I would wake out of the dream state and grab the scroll I keep to one side of my bed and fill pages with drawings and descriptions of what I had seen and experienced. Keeping a record has helped me in my studies in school, and has helped me merge theory with design.
This night was... differrent...
I was deep in diamond dog caves, wandering deeper, I saw the dogs but it was like they were unaware of me. I would pause here and there, observing some unrecognized ponies pulling carts of gems.
I see a dog breaking out some strange drilling apparatus, something to remember... then I would keep going.
Finally I rounded a corner and almost stumbled right into a deep indigo pony with the moon on a patch on her flank.
"Oh there thou art, Zed"
I was so shocked I practically woke up then and there, but something kept me still..
I scooted back quickly and landed on my haunches, mouth hanging open. "P..p...ppp... princess?!"
A little smirk crossed her face, "Yuh yuh yuh yes. It is I, but thou mayest call me Luna."
I bonked myself on the nose with a hoof, making sure I was dreaming.
Yes, yes I was.
She giggled softly, "Surprised?"
I nodded somewhat dumbly, wondering what was going on in my head, was this a dream or was she actually here?
"As princess of the night I also watch over the world of dreams... I must say thou hast been active here for a long time. Dost thou still think I am a figment of thine imagination?"
I nod... and then shake my head, and then nod again... "I... am not sure..."
"Perhaps this will convince thou..." She steps closer and brushes one of her wing tips across my muzzle, I scent lavender, and blueberry and feel the soft tips of her feathers.... I am convinced.
"I am pleased that thou draw inspiration from my night." She smiles elegantly.
I find my hooves, "I find my best work comes from what I see in my dreams. I mean I have to figure out how to do it on the other side, but I see it work here, and I know it can be done there."
Luna pauses and looks around, spotting a guard dog prodding some ponies into a cage "This place still troubles thou, I see."
I nod, "I just wish I didn't have to fight them."
Luna's eyes widen, "Even the one that gavest thou thine scar?"
"Ok, I have a score to settle with him, but that's personal. Overall, I don't hate the dogs, I just wish they didn't need to take prisoners to work for them."
Luna smiles, "I wish there were more who had thine sentiments, Many hate the Diamond dogs for what they do."
"I grew to know a mother and her pups while my mother and I were prospecting. We were a lot alike... we played tag, hide and seek... It's only after they get older that the greed sets in, and that's usually the males. Part of a mating instinct. The ratio of males to females is about five to one, so the competition gets pretty fierce. The dog with the most gems tends to win"
Luna tilts her head, "Thou seems't to know a lot about them."
"Our mothers got along too. It's how we never got captured. I spent a lot of time listening to them talk. they also traded gems to us for medicine and things they couldn't normally get."
Luna digests this for a while, "It is good to know that they can be civil."
"If only they all could." my head dips down. "At least the Imbrum coast pack has a chance at integrating. If my Mom and Vayren have anything to say about it."
Luna gives me a light nuzzle with her velvet nose, tingles run up my spine. "I will ponder what thou hast told me Zed, thank thou for opening up to me."
I look up, her blue eyes meeting mine. "Thank you for listening Princess Luna."
Luna smiles, "Just Luna. Thou shall see me again, Zed Gemfire."
She steps back and taps my nose with her hoof "Boop!"
Everything goes hazy....
And with that, I wake to Celestia's sun streaming into the window.