Twilight and Luna's Lessons in Teaching

by dracone

Chapter 4: Dream Step and Luna Get to Know Each Other

Dream Step and Luna Get to Know Each Other

At the same time Twilight Sparkle and Eclipse Touch were on their way to the train station so they could get to Ponyville Luna found herself leading Dream Step through the palace to the area of the castle that was set aside just for the night princess. The 2 walked with an awkward silence, both not knowing what to say. Luna checked an empty bedroom next to hers and gestured for Dream Step to enter, indicating that the room was for Dream Step's personal use.

“This will be your quarters while you are in my care and tutelage,” said Luna in her caring starry voice, her constellation entangled mane seeming to flow from a wind that was not present. Looking around Dream Step just gave sounds of awe at the size of the room. A large stained glass window that took up half the wall opposite of the 4 poster queen sized bed by the door had the image of Luna raising a crescent moon. The floor was adorned with carpets that had a series constellations themselves, and all interconnected with pieces of Luna's crescent moon to make the image big and prominent without appearing to dominate the floor. In addition to all that the bed's covers also featured Luna's cutie mark dominating a solid black set of sheets, the posts of the bed also held curtains with the same motif. There was a walk-in closet toward the wall opposite the door and to the right, the door featured what looked like a set of constellations that made up the royal sisters with each dominating one of the 2 sliding doors and their horn tips meeting at where the doors parted. Looking inside both found the closet quite bare aside from a single midnight blue dress with Luna's insignia emblazoned on it in a size for a fully grown mare. Luna gave a comment about how anypony could forget to remove such a dress. Dream Step just walked over and stroked the dark fabric with her hooves giving a little comment on how soft it was in a soft voice.

After walking out of the closet in a more confident and concerned voice Dream Step said, “I hope Eclipse Touch is doing alright, she's very shy. She doesn't feel secure in situations that have a lot of ponies.”

“She'll be fine,” said Luna in a her own gentle voice, “I could tell that Twilight made her feel safer than any other pony, which is surprising considering how much she kept on trying to hide behind your brother.”

“Eclipse hasn't realized just how perceptive she is of other ponies, her ability to cancel out magic has some how provided her with the innate ability to read the true nature of some ponies, but that little talent tends to fluctuate in and out at random intervals. She's a whole lot braver than me, while I'm a little better with social situations it was Eclipse that helped me work up the courage to run away with our brother and her, she didn't want to leave without me, she has a good heart like that.”

“Then she's a perfect match for Twilight Sparkle,” said Luna putting a wing around the black maned filly, “and you think that she's the strongest one among you and your siblings, and you're a pony with a much weaker character.”

“Yes,” said Dream Step as she pressed her ears to her head.

“I've explored the dreams of many ponies in the past,” said Luna, “even showed them glimpses of their pasts and possible futures that would be if the continued down certain paths.”

“I'd immediately know you were in my dreams the moment you stepped in,” said Dream Step, “perhaps you can provide me insight as to what would have happened if we had not run away, I know it will hurt and will probably scare me more than anything before, but I really need to know what would have happened had we stayed in Bridleton.”

“You sound much more mature than most ponies your age,” said Luna, “I suppose you had grow up fast in order to protect Eclipse Touch.”

“She's the younger twin,” said Dream Step, “it's the duty o...” she started crying and Luna positioned herself so that the filly was crying into her star studded mane.

“Let it all out,” said Luna in a gentle sympathetic voice, “once you've cried it all out you can begin to heal better, we won't start any lessons until you're ready. I understand how much you want to face your fears in order to move on, I'm still facing mine to this day. I have a massive demon that I've been fighting ever since Twilight and her friends freed me from the curse of being Nightmare Moon.

“You were another pony,” inquired Dream Step between sniffles while she lifted her muzzle from the black alicorn mare's mane to look into Luna's eyes with tears still streaming down filly's face.

“Yes,” said Luna, “a little over a thousand years ago I became so jealous of my sister because most of the ponies frolicked and played in the daylight, and merely slept during the night that I brought. Some ponies were awake at night, but they only did menial duties like guard ponies at night or move the nighttime weather about, nopony played or frolicked in my beautiful night, sometimes a young colt or filly would stare up at the stars in the night with wonder, but only for short time and those that took time to bask in the beauty of my night would fade out in time and were so few an far between that their presence in those times did little to hinder the emergence of my evil persona. I let my bitterness and jealousy consume me and became Nightmare Moon, I had become such a threat that my sister banished me to the moon for a thousand years, and in that time she took on the role of commanding both the sun and moon while leading Equestria into a new age of continued peace in my absence. Your family isn't bad you as make it out to seem, you should always give them a chance.”

“Eclipse always seems to do just that, she never lets her fears about our family determine what she thinks about our older sister,” with that Dream Step yawned in manner that indicated she was quite tired.

“You should rest,” said Luna pulling the covers of the bed back with her magic and then fluffing the pillow with a constellation of a Luna herself.

Dream Step crawled into the bed and gave a comment on how comfortable the bed was before saying, “this is more concern than my mother ever showed me and my sister, and definitely more than she showed my brother.”

“Sweet dreams, Dream,” said Luna as she headed out of the room.

“Thank you miss Luna,” said Dream Step, “it feels right when you call me that,” before falling asleep. Luna just smiled and gently closed the door behind her before making her way back to the throne room. After she had reached the throne room the first thing she noticed was the distinct lack of ponies, even the guards by the door were absent and only Celestia was present within the room.

“So, how is she?” asked Celestia in her usual soft warm voice, but this had a strong undercurrent of concern.

“Concerned for her sister and unsure of herself,” said Luna in a concerned starry voice. The two just sat at each other's sides for a few seconds with the only movement being their waving manes, Luna's starry mane giving a little shimmer and Celestia multicolor layered mane seeming to have some strands of her different colors move into another color for a second or two. “She's not just unsure of herself, she's afraid what she might have become had she and her siblings not made their escape,” said Luna, “when I told her about how I managed to help some ponies she wanted to go on a similar dream journey. She does her best to act like a mature young mare, because she wants to protect Eclipse Touch's gentleness. She admitted that her sister has an inner strength that she wishes she herself had. In a way Dream Step reminds me of how we were as fillies, you always seemed to have a silent inner strength that I was a little envious of.”

“Your first step towards your fall to Nightmare Moon,” said Celestia while raising a mane brush between the thrones and gently started brushing Luna's mane.

“Sadly yes,” said Luna leaning back in her throne, “it wasn't until after Twilight and her friends freed me from being Nightmare Moon that I began to realize I had that same inner strength you had that had started me on the course to be so jealous of all those years ago. It had always been there, I just didn't have the right frame of mind to see it back then. I remember mentoring ponies alongside you before my fall, but you had to carry on the tradition of mentoring those with the greatest potential of each generation without me after you banished Nightmare Moon. I must now find my own personal teaching style, but Dream Step is far to rushed in her desire to safeguard her sister to realize the dangers of doing things too quickly could hurt those she cares for. I told her we would have to wait a while before we go on a dream journey, heaven knows that filly needs a proper rest.”

“I'm glad you're taking time and having her ease into things sister, I know you are just as eager to show what you can do as a teacher. Patience is something we both had to learn the value of, and our own lessons in such matters were very different. Twilight herself was eager to learn new magics, but she had a natural patience that I nurtured and cultivated carefully so as to not repeat mistakes from past apprentices that let their ambitions go to far.”

“Dream Step really is a good girl, I can see she loves her siblings greatly. She also is afraid of her mother, I don't really know why at the moment. I know it might be rushing a few things, but I'm going to use my abilities to help Dream Step through some of her problems and hopefully that will allow her to relax a little. She seems to be a little relaxed around me, but she still shows those signs of worry.”

“That is nice to hear,” said Celestia in a much more calming voice, “but the fact that she has some sort of fear of her mother is concerning, perhaps the spell in the book that Eclipse Touch provided will help shed some light on the matter.”

“What about the other book? The one on hexes and curses,” inquired the dark coated mare.

“That loathsome tome of dark magics was sent to the most secure spell vault through the fastest and most reliable messenger pegasus I know, that particular mare knew not to ask questions or peek in on her package when I stated that in the wrong hooves the package could be beyond dangerous.”

“You sent Whisper Wind,” said Luna with a smile, “that pony is a credit the pegasi, just as much as Rainbow Dash. Was their a time you considered her a candidate for bearer of the element of loyalty.

“Yes,” said Celestia with a firm nod, “not only that, but she's very proud of her mail service career. She was sent a notice by the Wonderbolts six times stating that they would like for her to take part in their tryouts for new members, Whisper Wind just sent a polite letter back to them thanking them for the invite and declining the offer.”

“I'm sure Rainbow Dash would go into shock if she heard that,” said Luna, “when do you expect to hear from Twilight on her progress as a mentor?”

“I have a feeling that after the third or fourth letter on Eclipse Touch's progress Twilight stop sending updates. I'll be sending a her an invite to the Grand Galloping Gala along with invites to all of her friends as well, and Eclipse Touch will brought along with Twilight as her apprentice. It will be a good show to the public about her progress as our latest princess.”

“From what Dream Step told me about Eclipse Touch that might not be the best of ideas, Eclipse Touch feels very self-aware and frightened in situations that have a large number of ponies. Making her a spotlight character at the Gala might frighten her to the point she accidentally cuts out some of the spells in place during the event before she freezes up and tries to take the eyes off of her by either hiding under Twilight's nearest wing or pretending to be a statue, possibly both. You saw how nervous she was when we met her and her first official meeting with Twilight. She practically was trying to figure out if she had memorized an invisibility spell the moment she noticed Pinkie Pie for the first time.”

“Under Twilight's guidance I'm sure Eclipse Touch will be feeling far more social by the time the Gala starts up, it's still a few months off dear sister. Which reminds me, it's your turn to pick the musicians for the Gala this year. Have you made your choices? Have the artists been notified?”

“I took care of it last month sister. For the the intermission music being played through event I've scheduled Vinyl Scratch, I understand she was at Twilight's first Gala with her friends. As for the main event music I've selected Lyra Heartstrings, Octavia, and Beauty Brass.”

“The Gala usually has a quartet,” said Celestia with a piqued interest.

“Well this will be my first time as a Gala coordinator without out your assistance, sister,” said Luna, “besides all the Galas seem to follow the same formula, so I thought it would be in everypony's best interest to make a little change.”

“I applaud you on your initiative,” said Celestia, “and you're right these sorts of events tend to seem like they blend together. Some change every now and then is just what we need to set events apart.”

“I know she won't say it out right, but Dream Step has just has much concern for her big brother as she does for her twin. She told me that Eclipse Touch is the younger twin. She tried to say how it's the duty of the elder to protect the younger, but her emotions finally caught up with her. I just let her cry into my mane until she she could feel a little better.”

“You're already doing a good job as her mentor, when I first mentored a pony by myself I rushed my student and myself. I quickly discovered that was not a good way to do things, while my student was eager and wished to get through those first lessons quickly we both discovered that moving into lessons at a fast pace was a formula for trouble. It's best to ease your student into their lesson plan. That's what I did with Twilight, and true to her form she'll probably try replicating her lessons with me for her first week or so before learning that as similar as her student is to her either as she is now or how she was when I took her under my wing those lesson plans don't always work.”

“I am grateful for the chat sister, Dream Step is currently sleeping, she exhausted herself more than she thought. Also in her new closet we found and old gown that was fitted for an adult mare. Who had that room before Dream Step?”

“Nopony,” said Celestia with concern, “I kept those rooms free of occupants since your banishment, the last pony to be in that room was one you had there before your transformation into Nightmare Moon.”

“That's just it sister, I never put anypony in that room before Dream, I was saving it for the occasion that I had a close student, I figured with her being my new apprentice it was time to move a pony into the room.”

Princess Celestia gave her sister a confused look before saying, “what do you think it could mean?”

“We haven't had any shortage of time travel spells,” said Luna in an amused voice, “they're all locked up in the Starswirl the Bearded section of the Canterlot Archives, you said Twilight once used one of the more minor temporal transit spells to attempt giving herself a message in her past.”

“Yes, that did happen,” said Celestia giving a look of amused remembrance, “I think I know where you're going, but I'll let you continue this line of thought.”

“What if a future version of Dream Step went back to a point just before I gave her that room and left the dress as a sort of catalyst for deciding some sort of appearance she would go for at a social event in her current future, like the idea for what her dress will be at one of the Grand Galloping Galas or as some official liaison.”

“Or maybe she did it to get you to have this conversation in an attempt to decide what you will wear at this year's upcoming Gala. After their first Gala Twilight and her friends declined an invite to the Gala the year that followed it and the one after that, it wasn't until the third Gala after their first that they all decided to come back for the event. Blueblood wasn't exactly happy to see Rarity, and the moment she saw him she told him off and told him why he wasn't fit to be a noble. I'm sorry you had to miss that one sister, but we do have the whole event on record in case you want to read up on it.”

“Or I could use that spell that Eclipse Touch gave us to study to just look a the memory through your eyes, as awkward as that would be,” said Luna

Just as they were about to continue a midnight blue pegasus mare with white tipped wings, a sky blue blue and crimson mane with a winged letter cutie mark flew in, “the package has been delivered and the message relayed,” said the flying mare in a dutiful voice.

“Good job Whisper Wind,” said Celestia in a courteous voice before switching to a more regal sounding voice and saying, “There is a green pegasus waiting on the results of a letter I sent to the royal guard training grounds, it should be a few days before they send their response, your duty is to check on the progress of the letter and deliver it to him once it has been finalized and sealed. Other than that it will be your duty get to know him so as to better understand his character, since he is not from within Equestria and may be withholding something that may prove vital it is imperative that we learn more about his personal character, also you are to not reveal that part of your assignment is to get to know him.”

“Understood ma'am said Whisper Wind with a sense of pride, “what is this pony's name?”

“Storm Walker,” said Luna evenly with hint of amusement.

“Thank you for this opportunity your majesties,” said Whisper Wind, who then saluted them with her left wing and then trotted out the door.

“We both know fully well what Storm Walker is really like,” said Luna once the pegasus mare had left, “he traveled with us to Canterlot for almost three days while continually worrying about his sisters. You're just trying to set her up with some stallion so that she realizes how wonderful things are outside of her career,” she said with a hint of amusement.

“I'll admit that is partially true,” said Celestia, “but I want to know how well he really is adjusting to Equestria.”

“Have you taken a look at the spell that Eclipse Touch informed us about?”

“Yes,” said Celestia with sense of contemplation, “I've been trying to think of a way to allow the spell to work for non magic users.”

“Oh,” said Luna with a bit of contemplation, “what if we used the spell as the base another spell that allows us to expand the range of who is effected by the spell once it's active? However a spell like that could be draining on the casters of the spell, not mention a spell of that magnitude would most likely require multiple casters and possibly some sort of component that we have yet to identify.”

“You may be right with your warning sister, but the way the twins were acting and the way Strom Walker talked about things gave the impression that we may not have much time. I know we are most likely be rushing things like this, especially with not properly testing the new spell as you have suggested,” she floated the book open to the memory experience spell over to Luna, “but in the thousand years I ruled Equestria by myself I learned that sometimes a field test, hurried as they may be at times, can provide far more insight than a controlled test in a carefully regulated environment. Although ideally we should try the spell on Storm Walker first since he is the eldest and can provide the most information with fewer memories observed.”

“We'll probably run into problems if Eclipse Touch's power interferes with the spell.”

“A known problem, without a knowable outcome can sometimes prove more enlightening than an unknown problem.”

“Don't try to wax philosophically with me, Celestia, you're just as scared of that possibility as I am. Storm Walker would be the most logical choice, but I believe Dream Step may volunteer and if she does we should reward her for her willingness to show strangers something so personal.”

“What if Eclipse Touch elects to go before the others?”

“Honestly, while I see that as a possibility it is very slim considering the personality traits she has shown us and what I have been told about her.” After that conversation Luna spent a few hours studying the spell with Celestia before going back to check on Dream Step. Luna still had a few hours before she had to raise the moon so she thought it would be a good idea to take a look at Dream Step's dreams before getting a some rest herself.

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The dream was very well constructed, a serene forest with the sound of a river running as a background noise with distant song birds to accompany it, none of the birds sounded familiar to Dream Step, it even felt like she was standing on lush grass with the sent of dew that was finishing its transition to air particles. “Well this is different,” said Dream Step, “but my ability has always allowed me to know when I'm in a dream, it sometimes ruins the majesty of what should be a wondrous sensation. You can come out of wherever you are now, Princess Luna.”

“I thought a relaxing environment within the dreamscape would be more beneficial to our better learning of each other,” said Luna as she trotted out from the trees that surrounded Dream Step, “you've only scratched the surfaces of what the ability is capable of,” her star studded black main flowing more gracefully than Dream Step remembered.

“How so,” said Dream Step, “I can already walk about in another ponies dreams, I can see what they are really like through them.”

“I was much the same way when I was young,” said Luna seeming to glide about the surroundings, “but I later discovered I could influence and alter the dreams,” at this statement the forest clearing transformed into the Canterlot Gardens, “and that was just the beginning of everything. I discovered that dreams are a point between all points in time, and the dreamer is their focus. I've shown many ponies the truth of their past and their potential futures if they were to continue down the path they trotted.”

“You mean, you can see what my past is really like here? And I yours?” Inquired Dream Step with awe, “can you show me what my future can be like now and what it could have been had we stayed?”

“Yes,” said Luna, “but I would advise against such actions. Dreams can provide prophecies, long before I became Nightmare Moon I witnessed a dream that became the prophecy of the Mare in the Moon, and it wasn't until after seeing the return of Nightmare Moon I had also foreseen my own downfall. A glimpse into the future can warn of more that what is right in front of you, you have to find a way to take into account other details as well, and usually you won't have all the pieces of the puzzle until it has become too late. Like what I experienced, it was not until I was freed of being Nightmare Moon that I came to realize this. Are there any prophecies that you have heard that may prove enlightening to your future?”

“Eclipse was the one with the fascination of prophecies and the old ways,” said Dream Step as the Canterlot Gardens transformed into the library of the manor of her old home.

They then heard a very young Eclipse in a shy voice that indicated she was afraid of being noticed saying that she had found a book of prophecies before a younger Eclipse Touch and Dream Step materialized before them, a tome half the size of the little Eclipse Touch was open before her as she said, “here it is. 'Green wings of one who trots the clouds will guard the horn that trots through dreams and the horn that stops all others with a gentle heart that will not waver. The three will cross beyond the boundaries told to the place said to have the horns that stand by horns with wings. The winged horns will guide the horns that refused to be lost to lies of the past and stand before those that claim the lies are truth. The purple winged horn united by a companionship stronger than any spell will help one to see way, the black winged horn that watches in the night will guide the other. The Green winged one will find his place as the guardian he always knew he was, when the ones who persist on the lies that masquerade as truth come to claim the three the three shall stand against them with unwavering faith. After casting back the lies that hide as truth the three will return to bring true unity to all and step away from the mantle of those that lead to once again leave the land until such a time they are needed again.' What do you think it means? No matter what I'm always drawn to this one.”

“I don't know how what the prophecy could mean, but I know that if our mother finds out about this we'll be in some big trouble let's just go to bed already.”

The manor faded away to reveal the Canterlot Gardens and Luna said, “that's an interesting one, I'll share it with my sister and Twilight to see if they can try and make sense of it.

“I never told this to Eclipse or Storm Walker,” said Dream Step, “but I really did like that one. It sounded like it was talking about us. 'The Green wings that protect' sounds like Storm Walker, 'the horn that trots through dreams' sounds like me. It sounds like the three of us will start some kind of revolution, when our mother had us read the prophecies it was the first one Eclipse read out loud and the first one our mother said a load as nonsense since everypony believed it referred to some ponies a hundred years ago that tried for just that and failed miserably.”

“That's the thing about prophecies,” said Luna nuzzling the white filly, “they sometimes have a decoy or so that makes us lose faith in them. After I first prophesied Nightmare Moon's beginning was almost 2 centuries before I became her, and just 2 decades before my downfall a black unicorn mare acted much the way Nightmare Moon was prophesied to act, we later found out that unicorn was under the influence of another unicorn who was using his magic for ever a series of ever escalating dangerous practical jokes. Celestia and I gave the unicorn a firm hour long lecture on why such things were wrong after freeing the black unicorn form his influence. That little black unicorn mare later went on to live a life as an actress, a very good one at that. I even checked the family records in Canterlot to see what had become of her, her name was Night Mask, and it turns out that she is one of Twilight's ancestors. She would have never met her husband if she hadn't been an actress, and she would have never become an actress if it had not been for that event where she was under the influence of another pony's magic. The point of this story, Dream Step, is that we can't always know how a series of events can play out. The same is true with prophecies, a prophecy tells of events, but not their context or anything around them, they always treat everything with broad strokes and arches so what is prophesied may end up happening all on the same day or take years to unfold from event to event and may involve more than one generation of participants.”

“Oh,” said Dream Step as she saw the ruins of the old castle in the Everfree Forest come into view and heard Twilight's speech about finding the elements along with seeing Nightmare Moon's defeat before it all rippled back to the Canterlot Gardens, “you were really trying to harm them, that's horrible.”

“Yes, well I was somepony else at the time,” said Luna, “but I'm still trying to make up for what I did as Nightmare Moon, even though my sister says it's unnecessary.”

“Please show me what my life would have become if I had remained where my mother could influence me.”

“That is a very dangerous road,” said Luna, “it could easily break your will and make just as dangerous as Nightmare Moon, you should wait until after I've given you a few lessons and we've established a good relationship. If I were to do this now you could very well think of me as a more powerful version of your mother or grandmother who could send you right back into that terrible memory of a possible future that frightens you at any point I display disappointment.”

“The fact that you're worrying about it is all the proof I need you won't,” said Dream Step, “please I have to know.”

“Very well,” said Luna, “I know you'll keep at this until I agree, but as a comparison I'll show you a future that is likely should you take Equesria's tenants to heart. I know you would ask for this sort of thing anyway, so I decided we'll do just that. But both of those will happen another time, they are a promise for when you have a stronger character from our lessons. They are not something for a first night, the last thing I want is for your first dreams in Equestria to be nightmares.”

“Thank you,” said Dream Step, “you'll remember your promise?”

“I will,” said Luna with a smile, “but you may not want me to carry it out when the time comes, remember the warnings I gave now and will give in the future. Sometimes a dream or memory can hurt more than anything in the real world.”

“I should know that better than anypony you've said that to,” said Dream Step with a hint of worry, “things in the dream world just feel more intense. It was through my ability that I was able to see my parents and grandmother for who they really are, how I was able to see the selfless loyalty Storm Walker has for everypony that he sees as truly being friends and family, and how I was able to see the hopes for a better future for other ponies that Sunshine Bottle has. Eclipse found some old unaltered accounts of the original King Artanus, they told a very different story than what we were constantly being fed by our mother as fact. It turns out that Bridleton as it is hasn't been around any more than three-thousand years, Bridletonia was established over ten-thousand years ago, and the civil wars that lead to the creation of Bridleton as a nation lasted several hundred years,” her ears folded back, “when Equestria was at the mercy of Discord as he used to be Bridleton was . If a being anything like Discord had been around then the nation would probably of never happened and t the land would still be embroiled in war. Wars are very chaotic in nature, and if such a thing were to ever befall Equestria all the things that everypony that lives in this nation takes for granted will fall apart, Bridleton's history is rife with conflicts that took friendships beyond their breaking point and resulted in long time friends and companions fighting against each other with a savagery that those that have only known the kind of peace Equestria has would not be able to fully imagi...” Dream Step started crying and the peaceful gardens turned into husk like ruins of their former glory and Luna saw Celestia in battle armor commanding troops against a black pegasus in combat armor with the ruins of Canterlot all around them and the sound steel weapons and armor striking each other with sound of Discord in the background laughing like a maniac from almost every direction.

“Dream Step,” said Luna putting her wings around the crying white filly, “this is your dreamscape, that means you have primary control.”

Dream Step stopped crying and with a few sniffles they were back in the forest clearing, “sorry, I'm just so scared of what could happen.”

“You must understand, said Luna, “before Celestia and I arrived in Equestria we saw firsthoof what fighting amongst ponies unchecked could bring. When you let your fears loose in this dream realm just now they influenced the serene image I was trying to project in order for you to feel more comfortable. And the fear of Equestria at war was projected over the serenity of Canterlot.

“Oh,” said the filly with her ears falling back and preparing for the coming reprimand, but it never came.

“You've shown me your fears here within the dream realm, I was able to see one of your more favored memories and through all that I got to know you better as an individual, there is no reason to think of what we've been through here as wrong. The first step in that is knowing which dreams are yours and which are others, within your own dreams you get to see glimpses of things that represent what weigh on your mind and shining hopes. Within your own dreamscape the only one you have to please is yourself. When you are in the dreamscape of somepony else you have to take care not disrupt their dreams or alter them too much. While I have used dreams as a means of showing others aspects of their lives I have only done so as a witness and not once have I tried to alter their memories of the events, instead I showed them the same series of events from the side of an observer looking in. It is important you endeavor to do the same once you are more capable with your ability, if you use the ability to witness something that you yourself are not ready for it may prove damaging. You probably were not ready for the dreams of your elders and while it accelerated your preparations for leaving your former home it has also left your will and emotions in an unstable state. It is taking a greater deal of my personal energies to stabilize this dream field that we are within and it only when...” the surroundings changed to the Canterlot Gardens, “I sense the instability as being too great to maintain a setting that I reshape the fluctuations, this is why you need to practice your magic. I believe that if you follow with my lesson...” the surroundings changed to the Canterlot throne room, “plans you might be able to build up your confidence and help stabilize your will and emotions enough to no longer be a potential threat to those around you.

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Luna came out of the dream and went to raise the moon, just as Celestia was making the sun set. Luna Began raising the moon. After the third hour of night Dream Step was up and found Luna in the room adjacent to hers writing an addition to an already complex formula. Dream Step Step just sat their looking over the equation for a few minutes before her yawn alerted Luna to her presence. Luna just turned and smiled before saying, “I hope your dreams were good after our little talk.”

“Better than any I ever had,” said Dream Step in a genuine happy tone with a little smile of her own before saying in an interested voice, “what are you working on?”

“I'm working on a formula for extending the range of the memory experience spell your sister left for us to study,” said Luna with a bit of frustration, “truth be told Celestia's always been better at that this sort of thing, I'm more of an artist and as such I just try to let things flow naturally.”

“Maybe you should start my lessons instead,” said Dream Step, “it'll probably help you relax a bit, show what you've gotten so far to Princess Celestia and let her take it from there.”

“That sounds like a good idea,” said Luna stepping away from the chalkboard that took up the entire wall, “come with me.” The two trotted down the lunar halls of the Canterlot Castle before they stopped at a set of double doors that formed the constellation of a winged pony.

“I know this constellation,” said Dream Step as she came closer to the door.”

“Is that so,” said Luna with amusement, “what is this constellation called in Bridleton?”

“Pegasus,” said Dream Step, “he was the first winged pony and the one the pegasi get their name from. He has a companion on the opposite side of the night sky.”

“Really,” said Luna with piqued interest, “what is the name of this companion?”

“Unia,” said Dream Step, “she was the first unicorn. It is said the unicorns get their name from her.”

“An interesting piece of lore I haven't heard before,” said Luna, “but I find it worth hearing, come on in,” she said as she opened the door

“Wow,” said Dream Step with wonder looking around the large room with high risen stained glass windows that had each of the zodiac constellations. The room itself was filled with a variety of musical instruments and and art supplies. “What is this room for?”

“It's an arts room,” said Luna, “I make sure it's kept well stocked and everything is in usable condition every week just in case I feel the need to express my artistic side away from the sky. This is where your first lessons will be held,” she she gestured to an art easel that had a mass of practice art sheets on it with her wing and said “find the art medium that feels most right to you and bring it to the easel,” Dream Step looked around the darkening room before settling on an assorted collection of water colors and bringing it over to the easel. Luna smiled and used her magic to moisten each of the colored dots before saying, “now take these brushes and carefully dip them into the colors you want to use, but don't use the same brush for more than one color,” as she floated six paint brushes a quarter the size of the white filly's horn over to her, “don't worry about what your creating, just let it flow. This is an exercise in maintaining a spell for an extended period, in particular a levitation spell, we'll worry about control later.” Dream Step took one of the brushes from the stand that Luna had set them on and dipped it into the green and started t make strokes of varying intesity for a few minutes before setting the brush aside before picking up another in her magic and dipping the new brush in the black and kept at her art project for another half hour before setting the brush aside and then dipping a third brush in the purple dot and kept at it for another ten minutes before setting the brush aside and smiling to herself and telling Luna she she was ready to see her work.

Luna took a look at the filly's proud work, which made her smile when she saw a simplistic, and rather messing, painting of her and Twilight next Dream Step and her siblings. “Is this your first painting,” inquired Luna already knowing the answer.

“Yes,” said the white filly with pride.

“It's quite good for a first piece, but as you become more accomplished as an artist you will begin to see the little mistakes that you didn't know about, you'll probably be proud of it, but the reasons for why it you're proud if might change as you grow in your artistic endeavors. My first piece was much like this one, and to this day I am still proud of it even though it only can be found in the memories of my family and me now. I might share the memory with you some day, but for now just work on your art,” she said as she tore the page of the easel and set it by the door to dry undisturbed. Dream Step took a new brush and dipped it in the yellow before making her new art piece, after a few minutes she dipped a new brush in the pink and began her strokes of paint again. After another half hour of working with the 2 colors she looked satisfied with her work and Luna took a look at the new piece, what she saw was a pink image of Pinkie Pie on the ground laughing in front of a Yellow unicorn.

“Is this how you imagine a certain meeting,” said Luna with amusement.

Dream Step nodded before saying “the meeting of Pinkie Pie and Sunshine Bottle,” looking at this piece Luna noticed that image was a little cleaner than the first piece and smiled to herself.

“That's enough for tonight,” said Luna checking a clock above the door, “I need to talk with my sister before I lower the moon. And you 'my little pony' need to get a little more rest.”

“But I'm *yawn* not that *yawn* tired,” said Dream Step while looking like she was about to fall asleep on her hooves.

“Bed. Sleep. Now.” intoned Luna in a firm version of her gentle starry voice and the white filly gave a pitiful face before heading back to her bed and fell asleep when she was half on the mattress. Luna just shook her head as she gently lifted the sleeping bundle and tucked her into the bed before quietly and gently closing the door before heading to the throne room to see Celestia. When she came into the throne room she saw Celestia on her throne gently brushing her 4 color layered mane. “I hope this isn't a bad time,” said Luna almost catching her sister off guard.

“Not at all,” said Celestia, “it's almost time for you to lower the moon.”

“I know,” said Luna, “there's something I want to show you before then.”

“Oh,” said Celestia as Luna headed into the Night Wing of the castle before following her sister, “what could it be?”

“This” said Luna opening the door to the room with the wall size chalkboard to reveal the formula she had been working on when Dream Step had awakened earlier that night.

“Luna this formula is very complex, it seems to be a magical equation,” said Celestia with a awe and pride.

“It is,” said Luna, “a formula for extending the memory observation spell that Eclipse Touch presented us. You've got better experience with such things, I just thought that maybe helping you to understand some of the elements of my dream walking would help. However it will take at least four magic users to to cast the spell, and at least 3 of them are going to need to have a basic understanding of the original spell. I know Twilight won't like being left out of the loop with first test of the extended spell, but as you said we might be racing the clock in this regard. If these 3 are really in kind of trouble we find distasteful then we need to do everything in our power to find out, and one of them actually gave a means to do so.”

“Thank you for this sister,” said Celestia, “I'll look this over after I raise the sun, you should begin lowering the moon.”

“Right away,” said Luna as she headed out the door, “Dream Step woke up in the middle of the night and I gave her a little practice, she seemed to enjoy it. She's asleep again.” With that the 2 alicorns departed from the room to take care of their great duties. 4 hours later the sun was up and Luna was in her bed getting some sleep.

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Luna found herself standing in an extravagant manor. In front of her was Dream Step, who just gave a smile and started walking towards a spiral staircase. Dream Step lead Luna down a lushly extravagant hall with a red soft satin floor and walls adorned with very pompous looking unicorns. She stopped at a fire marble floor with a very expensive looking dining table and was just looking out at it when Luna walked up next her. “This was where they raised us, this is the place that has more painful memories than good ones,” said Dream Step with a tone that implied she was doing her best hold back anger, “I can't show you any of my memories just yet, but I can show you their backdrop, we were never allowed to leave the manor, the closest we got was the garden,” the inside of the manor rippled away and was replaced by a large enclosed garden that looked like it was being constrained by the boundaries within itself as well as the boundaries without itself. The gardens were all neatly arranged and there was not a leaf or petal out of place, there was a large oak tree in the middle of the garden that looked like it wanted become towering and was having its growth halted, even the cobblestones were too neat and tidy to be considered part of anything other than a presentation.

“This what you're afraid of,” said Luna, “being in a land of forced order? This is why you chose to come to Equestria, a land where order is not imposed and just seems to find its own natural flow and rhythm.” Dream Step just nodded, “after just one experience in my power and a simple lesson you managed this, you have talent my dear. I'm glad I get to find a way to nurture it. There's something you need to know before you try something like this again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Luna came out of her dream and walked into Dream Step's room to see the filly was still sleeping, the black alicorn just smiled and quietly closed the door behind her. She then turned into the room where she had written the memory spell's adjustment formula and saw Celestia making alterations to the equation, then taking glances at the original spell before making more adjustments or correcting a section that had been written up in her letters and numbers that looked far more elegant than the ones Luna used in the initial equation.

“I see you've made some serious changes to the initial formula,” said Luna as she trotted in.

“The base of the formula is mostly unchanged,” said Celestia, “You gave me a good starting point for adjusting this spell for multiple viewers. And before you say anything I am aware that we are rushing a few things, but knowing Twilight she'll be too excited about a new spell to think straight for the next few days and chances are she'll be back at the castle later today. In anticipation of this I've already sent for Pinkie Pie and Rarity, I said for them to get here at their earliest convenience today,” said Celestia with a concerned voice.

“You're talking about what to do about the memory spell from Bridleton,” said a groggy Dream Step walking into the room.”

“Dream, you're up again,” said Luna with hint of surprise and then in more caring motherly voice said, “how about we get you something to eat before our guests arrive.”

“That sounds like a good idea,” said Celestia as she translated the formula into a spellbook that took almost 7 pages. After Celestia was done checking over her elegant scroll work she, Luna and Dream Step all made their way to the royal dining hall. 20 minutes later the three had steaming plates of warm oat and cinnamon coffee cake with a chilled light breakfast salad of daffodils and carrots and a large glass of green pureed vegetable juice. While Celestia and Luna used their forks to delicately eat their salads and magic to take careful sips of their cool drinks Dream Step sniffed each before carefully nibbling each in a taste test. To her surprise they not only tasted good, but she could also feel her magic growing in strength. She then carefully imitated Luna's table behavior, in an awkward manner that made both the royal sisters smile, the filly's greenish indigo magic encasing her eating utensil.
Celestia's smile broadened when she saw Luna take the initiative in teach the white coated filly with a black mane how to properly hold her eating utensils with her magic and and what each was intended for. For a moment it looked more like a mother fidgeting over her daughter than 2 ponies of different backgrounds learning what it was like to be teacher and student. This made Celestia begin to wonder.

“Eclipse felt secure around miss Twilight within a few minutes of meeting her,” said Dream Step after taking a healthy sip of her drink after a finished salad and half finished coffee cake, “I'm starting to see what she saw in miss Twilight in Lady Luna.”

“Sweety,” said Luna in her caring starry voice, “just call me Luna, when you call me lady it feels like I'm with a stuffy Canterlot noble. You can call me that when at formal functions or occasions, but outside of that just call me Luna. I want us to have a more casual relationship, when you're finished with breakfast we'll go and practice your art.” Dream Step gave a smile and and an energetic nod, which was countered by her attempt to copy the black alicorns refined manner of eating the coffee cake and drink her beverage. “You put almost all your energy into that little display you made for me last night, didn't you,” said Luna with a more disapproving voice. Dream Step's ears fell back and she nodded like she thought punishment was coming, “you shouldn't push yourself like that, you aren't quite ready for anything of that magnitude yet. I found it impressive that you pulled it off, but that kind of magic has greater consequences than most others,” Luna continued, “if you aren't careful pushing yourself to far to fast can result in you being stuck in the dream realm for who knows how long.”

“This is why it is important to build up your magical abilities and skills gradually,” said Celestia in her warm caring voice, “while sometimes eagerness can yield a memorable reward, the greatest rewards come when we know that we have earned them through efforts and practice. I had many students that let their eagerness and ambitions get the best of them, Luna just wants to make sure you don't hurt yourself.”

“Thank you, sister,” said Luna, “come, Dream Step, let's begin your next lesson before our guests demand our attention.”
5 minutes later the 2 were back in the art room and Dream Step was getting out the water colors again. Luna made sure the easel had an appropriately blank sheet before turning to Dream Step and saying, “I want you to draw three different things with only 3 colors,” she floated four clean paintbrushes to Dream Step, “and if you can I want you to paint with more than one brush at the same time, this is another focusing exercise.” Luna moistened the paint dots again and Dream Step took a dip into the black, blue, indigo and green and carefully started painting. This time showing a more relaxed focus than her prior time. The image was less messy when Luna looked at it, and image made her smile more than a bit. Staring back at her was the image of her and Dream Step, in the dull limits of water colors, and she patted the filly on the head with her wing which caused Dream Step to say with joy, “you like it.”

“I think it's lovely,” said Luna, “I would like you to do this same image with each medium you try, it will be a good way of evaluating your progress. When this dries I think I'll hang it in my room, it reminds of my time at your age.” Just as Dream Step was about to go into another painting the bell indicating guests had had arrived.

12 minutes after straitening up the art room and heading into the throne room they were greeted to the sight of a pink earth pony with a maroon mane hopping excitedly up and down in place on all four hooves and a white unicorn with an elegant looking purple mane. “Who are those ponies, really?” asked Dream Step with a little nervousness.

“Pinkie Pie and Rarity are 2 of Twilight's closest friends,” said Luna, “They are also connected to the Elements of Harmony, which are Equestria's greatest means of defense. The elements were returned to the Tree of Harmony in the Everfree Forest years ago, bu the mystical connection they have with those that were once their bearers is still very strong. Who knows, maybe your sister will inherit the right to Twilight's element.”

“That can happen,” inquired Dream Step.

“The tree and the elements have properties not seen in any other kind of magic,” said Luna, “the rules that govern them are very different from other magics, even those of your own home land. Celestia and I were once connected to the elements, but as far as we know that connection was lost when Twilight and her friends became the bearers of the elements.”

“Well you don't have to put it like that your majesty,” said the purple maned white unicorn walking up to them and bowing before Luna, “and who is this darling filly? Ooh that coat and mane have so much possibility, but the lack of a cutie mark will make it a little tricky designing a proper outfit for formal functions.”

“Rarity, this is Dream Step,” said Luna, “she's already met Pinkie Pie, and is a little wary of her.”

“Well I can't blame her, Pinkie can be a bit to brash at times,” said Rarity before elegantly tossing her mane back, “you're very fortunate that the letter Princess Celestia sent me found me as Sweetie Belle's practice session was wrapping up, she wanted to get my opinion on a new piece she's been working on as present for Apple Bloom's birthday celebration. I know the event is months off, but th dear absolutely wanted to know if there were any problems with the early verses before continuing, and she wanted to make sure she had plenty of time to get it practiced on top of the rest of her work load.”

“Is Sweetie Belle a trusted associate of yours,” inquired Dream Step to Rarity.

“More than that darling,” said Rarity, “she's my little sister, and it is a sister's duty to help her sister out whenever and however she can.”

“Oh,” said Dream Step, “my twin did just that, she's with miss Twilight now, but my older sister is so wrapped up in doing what she thinks is pleasing our mother that she really hasn't focused on her sisterly duty.”

“Well darling,” said Rarity, “I would very much like to have a chat with this sister of yours. What is her name? Where is she now?”

“Eclipse, Storm Walker and I are from outside Equestria,” said Dream Step, “Sunshine Bottle was in the nation we came from before arriving in Equestria.

“She sounds cheery,” said Rarity.

“It's all an act,” said Dream Step before Celestia motioned for Rarity to come and take a look she had in her magic. Rarity thanked the 2 for the chat and took the book in her own magic and was beginning to browse the spell before Twilight, Eclipse Touch and 3 other ponies walked in. Dream Step looked closely at them and saw a yellow pegasus with a pink mane, a cyan blue pegasus with a rainbow mane, and a orange tan earth pony with a blond mane. She noticed that the orange earth pony had 3 red apples for a cutie mark, cyan pegasus had a 3 colored rainbow lightening bolt shooting from a cloud, and the yellow pegasus had 3 pink butterflies.

Celestia made a motion for everypony to gather 'round and said they had made some adjustments to the original spell before motioning for everypony to move in closer before asking for a volunteer, to everypony's surprise Eclipse Touch not only volunteered but also said she had the perfect memory to start everything off. Luna expressed her immediate concerns about doing this. The memory seemed to drag on as everypony watched Eclipse's memory. What caught Dream Step's attention first was what Eclipse had turned to in the book and the second thing that surprised her (even more than the first) was during the plant exercise of the memory, seeing and hearing Eclipse Touch talk to the seed about how it was dead and how she discovered that was something she hadn't expected. Hours later Eclipse's memory ended with King Artanus's visit. After the experience Dream Step noticed Twilight copying the original spell from the book and the modified version from Celestia's notebook.

After everypony departed Dream Step said, “I did not expect her to do that, she's so afraid of sharing what is in her mind. Every time I tried to trot in her dreams her ability would cut my ability short before I could even get a glimpse of her dreams.”

As they trotted back to the art room Luna said, “our dreams are usually the best way of revealing our true selves to ourselves, Eclipse Touch was probably afraid of showing something very personal with you. I know that you're both twins, but everypony is entitled to their own secrets. Maybe your sister just didn't want you to worry anymore than you already were, she seems like that kind of filly.”

“She is, half the time before we came to Equestria I would get the feeling she wasn't being honest with me or Storm Walker about how she really was.”

“She'll tell you when she's ready,” said Luna, “but until then you just need to have faith in her to come to you when she needs you most.”

“I hope you're right and waiting is all I have to do,” said Dream Step with a deep concern as Luna opened the art room door.

“You've tried your hoof at paint, so I think you should try these for a while,” said Luna as she shut the door behind them and floated a box of colored pencils over to the easel, “take whichever colors you want from the box and try to use multiple pencils at the same time, just like with the brushes be gentle.” Dream Step nodded and carefully pulled a light purple, cyan blue, yellow, pink, orange, and dark purple out of the box and began to carefully sketch.

As she sketched Dream Step asked, “why the change in mediums? I was feeling comfortable with those paints.”

“Your first weeks are going to be a couple days for experimentation,” said Luna, “this way we can find which mediums flow most effectively for you, this also helps you in learning your own limits. Once we have established what those limits are I'll design a magic lesson around them so that you can slowly push those limits so as to not experience a magical burnout or become trapped in the effects of your dram trotting. After this lesson we'll both get some sleep, I think that night classes will be beneficial to both of us. Also the arts are a good exercise for you to practice the basics.”

“Because you're the princess of the night,” said Dream Step and gave a quick frown when she lost control of her pink pencil for moment before gaining control of it again.

“To an extent yes,” said Luna, “but mostly because I need to sleep during most days to ensure I have enough energy to control the moon. When an alicorn spends to long awake, especially if their magic is being used we have a tendency to quickly exhaust ourselves after a few days because of the strong magic we have inside. If the magic is mostly unused then we feel a level of energy that we really shouldn't have which usually results with us not being able to control our own personal magic and after expending the excess energy we feel drained much more quickly, but if our magic is being used constantly without much time for rest then we exhaust ourselves to a level that can take almost a full day and night of nothing but rest to bring us to a point where we can effectively display some semblance of the total power at our disposal and if we wanted to bring ourselves up to full strength after an ordeal like that we would require several days of proper rest and a few good hardy meals.”

“The greater one's power the harder it is to maintain, so always live up to the promises of your station,” said Dream Step as her control over the pink, dark purple and cyan pencils began to waver, “it's an old saying of Myrraldin's that my sister liked to quote to our mother and grandmother when they would exposit about how our duty is to the king and country above family and relationships.”

“I'm guessing the intended meaning was lost to them,” said Luna as she watched Dream Step's control over her pencils waver again.

“Yes,” said Dream Step as she put her pencils down on the easel's ledge. Luna took a look and smiled. Before here were colored silhouettes of Twilight and her friends.

“You've really been focusing in on Twilight and her friends, as well as me,” said Luna, “is there a reason why?” She carefully took the sheet and hung it by the door and motioned it was time for bed.

“You're the first ponies to make me and Eclipse feel like we're meant to be part of something bigger,” said Dream Step as she headed for the door,” then she pulled her ears back and said in a more solemn voice, “I really don't want to think about Bridleton. It feels to much like a darkness I can't illuminate.”

As they left the room and Luna closed the door behind them she said, “that's what mentors and friends are for, they help you illuminate the dark places where your fears hide. I let my darkness get the better of me and try to make up for it whenever I can. My sister and Equestria have forgiven me,” she opened Dream Step's door before continuing, “but my spirit feels like I need to do more, and for every genuinely good thing I do for ponies in Equestria and beyond I feel like my soul gets a little lighter. Before I became Nightmare Moon my soul felt lighter than a cloud and bright as my moon. After Twilight and her friends used the elements to free me of that persona my soul felt as if it had weights and was coated in a substance that inhibited its light. Only now years afterward am I feeling like my soul is near being as light and bright as it was before the emergence of Nightmare Moon.”

“Good dreams miss Luna,” said Dream Step as he climbed into bed.

“Sweet dreams child,” said Luna as she watched the filly nod off before closing the door and heading for her room. After arriving in her room Luna closed the door and climbed on her bed and got some sleep.

Author's Note:

I know not many people have been reading this story, but those of you that are please direct some traffic my way and ask them to leave comments if at all possible. Also, I may not petition anyone to do art of my OCs, but feel free to do it anyway. I don't have a problem with anyone using my OCs for their own work, I'm just asking you to inform me beforehand so I can help give some character details that don't show up in the story (also if it's an art piece feel free to post it whatever art site you have an account on, I just ask you send me a copy of it as well because they are my characters).