Dreamstrider

by OkemosBrony

Chapter 31

Thankfully, we don’t have to spend much time outside to get to the Gala’s entrance because it’s just at the castle’s Guest Wing, which unfortunately the Dreamstrider offices do not connect to. The fact that it’s late November really shows, because every time Dew Drop or I breathe, you can see our breath. On the other hoof, if it was in the middle of the summer, everypony would probably be really be hot in all these clothes. Maybe not the Canterlot ponies, though, since they seem to be always wearing them, even when I’m practically dying without them.

“Tickets, please?” a Royal Guard wearing some of the shiniest, best-polished armor I’ve ever seen in my life says as we get to the main gate. As Dew Drop takes them out and passes them to him, I take a moment to look at my reflection in it. I could use this as a mirror if I wanted, honestly.

“You two have a nice evening,” he tells us before waving the next ponies through. There aren’t many ponies as we walk up to the main entrance, but Dew Drop still managed to point out every other pony and say how they’re famous: she’s a pop star, he’s a traveling magazine writer, and so on like that. The other thing I’m noticing is that it’s getting warmer as we approach, as well. Maybe that’s how the Gala is known for its garden despite being late in the year.

Once we actually enter the castle, Dew Drop nudges me and points towards Luna, who’s talking with a mare that has a bright yellow coat and a green mane, and a stallion with a pale coat with a dark brown mane. “It’s Princess Luna, we should go talk with her! I’ve always wanted to have a conversation with one of the Princesses, who better than the one you work so closely with?”

I can’t help but smile, because she’s so excitable about my life. “Alright,” I tell her, then start walking up close to her. When we get close, however, I can hear her speaking very quickly in some language I’ve never heard before in my life. It sure isn’t Equestrian, but on that, it sure isn’t Demon either. I’m trying to put my hoof on it, but I just can’t.

They finish speaking and all bow, and she turns to me as the two other ponies continue speaking with each other and walk away. “It is good to see the two of you tonight,” she smiles. “You are Dew Drop, are you not? I do believe we have met on a few occasions before.”

“Yeah…” is all she manages to get out before an enormous smile grows on her face.

“Who were those ponies you were talking with?” I ask.

“Príncipe Beijinho and Princesa Arvorezinha do Açaí, two of my descendents,” she responds very plainly, almost as if I should know that. “Their father is one of my few descendants who still claims lineage to me, so they wished to come here and meet me tonight.”

“Descendants?” I repeat, making sure I heard her right. “As in, you had foals?”

“Just one,” she clarifies. “It is not a secret that Prince Blueblood claims to be Princess Celestia’s nephew. She is not married and has only one sibling, so how else would he be able to claim that and there be truth to it?”

She’s got a good point. “So then, why doesn’t he say he’s your great-times-a-lot grandson? It seems like being directly related to a Princess would be better than being her nephew.”

“Nightmare Moon. It was, to say the least, political suicide to express any ties to me. The Thestrals fled Equestria because of such, and all but a hoofful of my descendants tried to bury their connections to me. The ancestors of O Príncipe and A Princesa were some of the few not in Equestria at the time, so it was not quite as catastrophic for them to still openly claim lineage from me.”

“Why were they outside Equestria? Did they marry into some other country?”

“Quite the contrary,” she shakes her head, “they actually stayed put.”

“Rio de Maneiro, right?” Dew Drop adds. “I remember once seeing ‘Princess of Rio de Maneiro’ as one of your official titles, and it was the only one that didn’t make any sense.”

“Correct,” she smiles. “Remembering a title few are aware of, you ought to be proud of yourself.”

“Oh, well…” She blushes and smiles again. “Thank you.”

“But yes, they were in Rio de Maneiro,” she continues. “Do you remember how I told you the world was scoured for somepony, anypony who was willing to take my hoof in marriage? It was found in Garanhão, the prince of Rio de Maneiro. He was twelve and I thirteen when we were married, and we were expected to provide the royal family a son rather quickly: he had struggled with illness all his life and was not expected to live long into adulthood. They wished for their line to passed down father to son, and he was the only son. They did not want one of the king’s daughters to rule or for one of their sons to, for it would be going against their rules for succession.”

“So he’s the pony you had your son with, then?”

“He’s the pony I had my daughter with,” she corrects. “He passed away while I was pregnant, so they had only one chance. Unfortunately for them, the last hope for their antiquated, patriarchal society turned out to be female. I stayed with her until she was one, then left her with her family and returned to Equestria.”

“You just left your daughter there, didn’t take her with you?”

Before answering, she looks around and then takes a few steps closer to us. “I cared little for her,” she admits in a whisper. “I only became pregnant when I was seventeen, years after our marriage, because I loathed my husband so much. I resented the entire marriage, as well, for my parents saw me as a burden they needed off their hooves and my in-laws saw me as little more than a uterus that was sold to the highest bidder.” She giggles a bit, then leans in closer. “My husband did not understand Equestrian, so whenever he told me it was my duty as his betrothed to have a foal with him, I would always tell him that if that was all he wanted from a wife, there were mares on street corners that would perform such services for much less than his parents paid for an Equestrian Princess.”

Dew Drop is trying her hardest to not break out laughing, but I must have missed something because I’m not sure what she just said. Sure anypony off the street would want to marry a prince, but what’s so funny about that?

“Exercising your wit again, dear sister?” Princess Celestia asks as she walks up to the two of us. “You are not doing much to dispel my belief that we are but a few years away from you performing your standup routine to everypony in attendance at the Gala.”

“Just banter with my student,” she defends innocently. “And surely you know I would not perform here at the Gala. My comedic prowess is worth more than the cost of a simple ticket to the most exclusive event in Equestria, don’t you agree?”

“For the sake of maintaining our relationship, I shall not answer that question,” Princess Celestia smiles before looking to Dew Drop and I. “How are you, Miss Aurora? I apologize, it has been quite a long time since we have been able to meet. I have been very busy recently with the planning of this year’s Gala, so I am afraid that I have not been able to attend many department head meetings.”

“It’s alright,” I tell her, unsure of how to react when a princess apologizes to you. “I’m sure you will be able to attend more in the future.”

“And who might you be?” she asks, now looking at Dew Drop. “I’m afraid I do not recognize you, so I apologize if we have met before.”

“Dew Drop,” she says, weakly putting her hoof out. “I’m, uh, Aurora’s sister. I go to Canterlot University.”

“What do you study?” she asks with what sounds like legitimate interest.

“I’m an evolution and ecology major,” she says very slowly after a few moments, almost as if she had to think about it. “It’s just my first year, though.”

“Do you wish to perform field work with the Equestrian Department of Environmental Preservation?” she asks right out of nowhere. “I do believe they look for students to assist them over the summer, and I could connect you with the pony in charge of university recruitment if you wish.”

“I…yes, yes I would! I would love to potentially have that opportunity, Your Highness.”

“‘Princess’ will suffice. I shall pass his information onto your sister, and she can subsequently pass it onto you. Now,” she winks, “aren’t you glad you came to the Gala tonight? Obviously I cannot guarantee anything, but if you present yourself well and show you are a hard worker, I believe they would hire you. As you may be aware, that is not a terribly competitive position.”

“I haven’t met many ponies in the major, and most that are don’t seem very interested in field work.” She takes a deep bow, her long braid almost touching the floor. “Thank you very, very much, Princess.”

Instead of responding, however, Princess Celestia is just beckoning her hoof to somepony, hoping to get them to come over here. When I turn and look at who she’s waving to, I see none other than another princess, Princess Twilight Sparkle, coming on over to us!

“Princess Celestia! Princess Luna!” she exclaims once she comes up to us. “How are you two? It’s been so long!”

“We are doing just fine,” Luna responds. “Twilight Sparkle, this is my personal student, Aurora Borealis and her sister, Dew Drop.”

“A pleasure to meet you, Aurora Borealis,” she says as she takes Dew Drop’s hoof and shakes it. “Princess Luna has told me you are a Dreamstrider, correct? I have read so much about your fascinating and unique magic, I can’t wait to discuss it with you!”

“I would love to, Princess, but I am the sister,” Dew Drop admits. “My name is Dew Drop. It is a pleasure to meet you.”

“Oh!” Princess Twilight’s face turns a slight shade of red. “Well, Dew Drop, I would still very much like to get to know you better later tonight, if we have the time.” They finish shaking hooves, then she turns to me and shakes mine. “So you are Aurora Borealis then, correct?”

“Correct,” I confirm. “I don’t know how much time we will have tonight, but we can definitely talk about magic sometime. Although I’m afraid I don’t know as much about magic as you do.”

“Perhaps I could join you two when you do converse?” Luna adds. “I have not had a thorough discussion of dream magic in millenia, I am eager to do so again.”

“I’ll make plans with you later,” Princess Twilight says as she takes a few steps away from us. “I promised my parents I’d meet them when they got here, and I think they’re about to arrive. It was good meeting both of you!”

“I too have duties I must attend to,” Princess Celestia says. “I shall be greeting everypony as they walk in, and they tend to get very antsy if I leave for too long.”

“You left them waiting?” Luna asks.

“Only for a little while,” she winks back. We all laugh, then she turns around and walks away.

“I do not have any pressing obligations,” Luna tells us, “although I do have some ponies I wish to speak with. Come find me later if you wish to speak further.” With that, she too turns around and walks in another direction.

“Well, I think I need a drink after meeting three princesses at once,” Dew Drop announces. “Come on, let’s find where they’re being served.”

“I’m not even close to eighteen,” I point out as she starts searching the area for a bar. “I won’t be able to get anything.”

“I’m sure you can find something.” She finds a pony at a counter with probably hundreds, if not thousands, of bottles around him, and walks up. “Can I please order a sea breeze?”

“Certainly,” the stallion nods. “And for the young miss?”

“What do you even have that I could drink?”

“We have a fine selection of non-alcoholic mixed drinks, as well as a wide variety of juices and soft drinks.”

“I’ll just have a lime soda,” I decide after thinking it over for a few moments. He nods again, then fills my glass up with the bubbly, pale green drink and puts it on the bar before grabbing a few bottles of brightly-colored liquid and one clear one and mixing them together.

“How much do we owe you?” Dew Drop asks as he pours the final product in a glass and passes the drinks to us.

“Drinks are included in the price of the ticket,” he informs us with a small smile. “The Princesses want guests to enjoy themselves tonight, not worry themselves with much they owe the bartender.”

“Might have to come back here, then,” she laughs. As she takes a sip, her eyes grow wide and she looks back to him. “Actually, I will probably definitely be back later. This is delicious!”

“Thank you,” he bows. “Enjoy the evening, you two.”

“Let’s go find somewhere to sit,” she says before walking away from me, causing me to quickly grab my soda in my magic and follower her.

“Not wanting to go meet every famous pony in Equestria?” I tease. “Just wanting to sit down?”

“All the famous ponies in Equestria can wait. I haven’t been able to see you a ton since I moved here so I just want to spend some time with you, you know? You left home when you were eight, so it’s not like you were really old enough to do a whole lot with me and not have one of us get bored. Sure you’re only eleven, but I guess that’ll work. Especially given you’re surprisingly mature for your age.”

“Thanks?” Is that how I should respond to that? That sounded like a compliment at least, I’m just unsure if it was maybe one of those back-hoofed ones.

“Yes, it’s a compliment.” Wow, freaky. How did she know that’s what I was thinking? I guess I really came off as not knowing what to make of that.

Before long, we find an empty table near the dance floor that nopony is out on, so we sit down and watch the band they have start setting up.

“Aurora Borealis!” an earth pony mare exclaims before sitting down with us. “Very good to see you again!”

“Uh...thanks?” Dew Drop and I just shoot each other looks from the corners of our eyes. “I’m very sorry, but I can’t seem to remember you. Would you mind reminding me, please?”

“Doctor Aspen Grove,” she says with a little bit of pride. “You helped some of my colleagues and me with some research on Dreamstriders a few years ago, do you remember?”

“Oh! Yes, yes I do!”

“We managed to generate a lot of interest in Dreamstriders after we published that paper. Well...comparatively, a lot of interest. A few more ponies in the field contacted us and expressed desires to work with us, but that was much better than it had been before.”

“Oh, well…” This is a pretty awkward situation, but I manage to make what I think is a pretty convincing smile. “You’re welcome.”

“You know where to find us if you ever want to help us with more research,” she smiles while thankfully getting up. “And I’ve heard that there is a new Dreamstrider since we worked with you, correct? If you would not mind presenting that same offer to them, we would be very appreciative.”

“I’ll think it over.” She bows, then turns around and starts walking away.

“You helped her with research?” Dew Drop asks before I get an opportunity to take a sip of my soda.

“Technically, I guess. She took a blood sample, then put these little electrode patches on me to measure my magic while Dreamstriding. Nothing crazy.”

With a smile and a shake of her head, she takes a sip of her drink. “Downplaying having researchers practically beg you to come work with them. When I was eleven, the only pony begging me for anything was Snowy for the Sapphire Shores record dad told me to share with her.”

As she goes back to her drink, I try and focus on the magic around us. I’m not that great at feeling the ambient magic coming off of ponies outside the dream world, but I feel something...sad. It’s not quite sadness, though, and I can’t quite put my hoof on it.

I guess there’s only one way to find out.

“Dew Drop, is there something on your mind?”

“No,” she quickly responds, putting her drink down. “Why?”

“You seem...I don’t know. Kind of upset tonight.”

“I’m fine, really.”

“This is kind of my job,” I remind her. “I’ve told you before how bad demons can get when you bottle emotions up inside. That just attracts them like a magnet.”

“I guess…” She pauses. “I guess I’d be lying if I said tonight wasn’t a little...I don’t know, weird. To me, you’ll always be my little sister who would shove her picture books in my face and excitedly ask me to read them to her. You left for Canterlot when you were eight, so it’s not really like you were that old or anything. This is I guess the first time I’ve been really able to see what you’ve done in the past few years, and that amounts to three of the princesses swarming you when you walk in the room and a researcher telling you how invaluable you were to her.”

“Well, the princesses one was kind of a fluke. And she just thanked me because I’m a Dreamstrider that was willing to help her, because Luna didn’t want to.”

“Is it a fluke, though? You sought out Princess Luna, and she was happy to see you. Princess Celestia apologized to you for not seeing you recently. And Princess Twilight was thrilled by the idea of spending time with you. Sure maybe Princess Luna was a fluke and we just happened to run into her, but Princess Celestia and Princess Twilight seemed to seek you out.”

“It’s just because I’m a Dreamstrider, I’m not really anything special.”

“But that’s why you’re special. Nopony can become a Dreamstrider, they just are one. No matter how hard I try or study, I could physically never do what it is you do.” She takes her drink in her magic and shakes her head slightly. “I guess I just thought it’d be much later in life where I was introduced as Aurora’s sister, not the other way around. In some weird way, I liked the notion of you being my sister and not me being your sister. In Coltlumbus, I was never Dew Drop, I was ‘Snowy’s sister’. You probably understand how it feels to follow in your older sister’s shadow, but imagine there was only two years between you and perfect-at-everything-she-does Snowy Jade and not nine. Within about two minutes of meeting me, my teachers always told me just how wonderful it was to have her in class, how she was so smart and so well-behaved and all that. There are many reasons I decided to go to UEC, but if I’m being honest with you, one of them is that she’s not here. I don’t hate her by any means, in fact I’m really glad it’s you two that are my sisters, but always having to be ‘Snowy’s sister’ for eighteen years takes its toll on you.”

She takes a sip of her drink, and I just sit there and think. How do I even respond to that? I actually don’t know a whole lot about living in their shadows, because I didn’t spend as much time in school in Coltlumbus as they did. And with a seven year difference, it’s not like they were fresh in everypony’s minds.

“Don’t let me bring your evening down,” she says after putting her glass back down on the table. “What do you want to go do?”

“Honestly,” I admit, “I just came here tonight to spend time with you. You know I’m not big into parties.”

“Tonight’s not ‘a party!’” she almost yells. “It’s the Grand Galloping Gala!”

“Which is just a big party. I don’t really see what makes tonight not a party.”

“It just isn’t. I’d know a party when I see one, and this isn’t a party.”

“Well if it isn’t, then why are you so excited to go meet famous ponies?” I tease her. “Because I thought going and talking with ponies and meeting them is something you do at a party.”

She sticks her tongue out playfully. “Very funny. You know, maybe it would be a good thing for me to go around and try to teach you about celebrities, because you never know any of them! Maybe you should go to more movies with Snowy and I instead of just staying at home reading all the time, then you’d recognize them. Too bad I don’t think Silver Screen is going to be here tonight, mom would probably ask me a million questions if I even caught a glimpse of him.”

“Hey, I know him at least!” Smugly, I look at her and smile. “Some Like It Cold is mom’s favorite movie, and he’s in that! And I actually have seen it, because she goes to see it as many times as she can whenever the movie theater plays it, and she started taking me with her over the summer.”

“You got one celebrity whose most famous movies all came out before mom was even born, congratulations.”

“I also know he’s right over there,” I tell her as I point over her shoulder.

“What?” She turns around and while I can’t see her face, I can tell she’s got a huge smile now. “Oh my gosh you’re right, that is him! He’s just standing there alone right now, what do you say we casually walk by him and see if we can get him to say something to us?”

“Whoever he says something to first doesn’t have to endure all of mom’s questions about him?”

With a laugh, she stands up. “You’re on, little filly.”