Neverwinter Sleepwalker lives in a small house in a small town. Ponyville. This serves as a journey into his small adventures he has with the denizens of Equestria.
Sleepwalker had a fairly tragic childhood. After a chance taken with the Princess Celestia herself and a royal upbringing, he has ended up in a modest house in a modest town. Just the way he likes it. A stallion of few words, he has only a few core friends in Twilight Sparkle and Ditzy Doo (mainly for the sake of pity). His adventures, if they can even be called that, are modest and don't change much in the grand scheme of things. His journeys though, however small, can shape him and those around him into things they never could possibly imagine. The gateway to the mind can reveal more than any life story.
As my first story, I ask you be brutally honest in your critiques. I cannot grow if you only praise me for a good first outing. All I require is constructive criticism. Not "I hate everything you say you piece of human garbage."
Neverwinter Sleepwalker was sitting on the precipice of a huge cliff overlooking a shining city of light. This sight soothed him after a long day of dull, small towns. He got up and bounded into a forest of Gold and Silver trees that reflected his perfect image. He could be whatever he wanted to be here. Here, in his Dreamscape of a utopia, where there was no strife, conflict or remorse.
Here, he was truly happy. His past eluded him and his worries sank into obscurity. Then, a loud banging enveloped his perfect land. The cities crumbled as the trees were ripped up from the roots and thrown around to the tune of the banging. His image fell back to his scraggly, broken appearance as he waited for the end to arrive. It was time to wake up.
Neverwinter shifted in his sheets as a banging at the door thundered in his ears. With a groan, he awoke from his sleep. Getting up from his bed, he took a short look at his reflection in the dust mirror next to his nightstand. A broken horn surrounded by an unstyled, towering mane filled his vision as he stared deep into the pupilless eyes in his reflection.
"Still an ugly mess of a stallion." he muttered to himself, turning away to answer the persistent knock at the door. The door threatened to break at the rapidity and evident force at which it was being banged on. "Who is it?" yelled Neverwinter as he reached to open the door.
"A letter for you sir!"
a familiar voice shouted back. As the door swung open he saw a rare sight. A friendly face in the form of everypony's favorite friendly mailmare, Ditzy Doo. She just stared at him for a while. Each blink causing her eyes to shift position. "Good day Ditzy! Might I inquire as to why you didn't use the mailbox?" Neverwinter inquired.
"She told me to give it to you personally! .....And I forgot. Oops!" Ditzy blushed as she sighed in relief that the request was to deliver it in person.
"well thank you kindly Ditzy! tell Dinky I said hello and tell the Dr. that Pears are the best!" He chuckled to himself. With that the mailmare tipped her hat to Neverwinter and flew off...right into a pole.
"When did this get here! Grr..!" she adjusted her bag and went on her way.
Neverwinter sighed at his less that bright companion and opened his letter with the grip of his magic. It read:
"Dearest Neverwinter Sleepwalker,
My faithful student, Twilight Sparkle has expressed a fascination with the science and magic of dreams. While she has been here in Canterlot on a vacation of sorts, she had a very prolific dream that she cannot even describe to any but herself. Any and all spells the royal court have tried to decipher this have failed. All have said they see nonsense and that Twilight is overreacting. However, Twilight assures me in confidence that her dreams have meaning. A sign or omen of something, though she cannot confirm what. After all avenues had been ventured I assured her that you could ease her mind. When she returns I ask that you, at the very least check with her and make sure she will not do anything brash. You have done so much for me and I have no right to ask more. But here I am"
"Yours Truly,
Princess Celestia"
"Alright Celestia i'll do it." He said aloud to no one in particular. "But i'm not a damn prophet."
Neverwinter is a unicorn with a very tragic past. Born and raised in Canterlot, his parents were materialistic, not caring for him at all, while he was fond of more intellectual pursuits. Neuroscience, dreams to be more specific. He had always had a fascination with dreams as they were often much more enjoyable than his actual life. Neverwinter had the ability to lucid dream at will, always having control over the situation.
On one horrible evening, he and his family came home, from another bout of buying useless junk to discover they had been robbed. His parents, the ponies that they were, were furious, swearing and shrieking in anger and sadness. When Neverwinter attempted to soothe them with the notion that they still had family and each other, that the possessions stolen could not hold a candle to the bond of family, their anger grew into outrage! His father, so rejected this that he, in his rage, kicked Neverwinter, sending him head first into a wall, breaking his horn on impact. After the pain subsided, Neverwinter decided to run away immediately. And he did.
About a year was spent by him on the streets, living off of the kindness of others. So it was until the day that rumors were spread that the Princess was having horrible night terrors in the absence of her sister Luna. Of this, Neverwinter worried. For the Princess could not be expected to rule a kingdom if she cannot sleep. Mustering up all the courage he could, he made his way to the palace to speak with the guards about a potential meeting with her. The royal court had tried everything in their power so, in desperation they allowed Neverwinter to attempt to soothe the Princess' terrors
. The Princess greeted him as warmly as an insomniac could and asked what he could do to help. Neverwinter thought for a while. "what am I actually capable of doing?" he pondered. Finally he said "just let me do something".
the Princess was not sure what to make of this but said "If you are convinced it will put my mind at ease.". From under his overgrown mane, his broken horn sputtered to life and a beam of iridescent light shone to Celestia's horn, connecting the two. Neverwinter saw the dreams she had been having.
She was trapped in a deep blackness. The only sounds being muffled cries for help and screams. After a long while all sound ceased at once and it brought about a deafening silence much louder than any shriek. Through the blackness walked a pony like figure as tall as the princess. It whispered "Your Fault". Then it was over.
Neverwinter returned to reality. That entire dream having been only a few equestrian seconds. He then spoke more eloquently than he thought possible "You feel guilty about what you did to Luna. You feel somehow that it was your fault or that it was a far too severe punishment to banish her to the moon. You cannot accept reality and are constantly in brief states of denial or anger of your decision and your ignoring of it has caused it to fester. You can't run anymore. You must have some kind of revelation before your mind can be at ease."
The Princess was taken aback but after a long moment of silence said "I have been so blind all this time. To think that ignoring my problems would solve them. For opening my eyes I thank you."
"I am Neverwinter Sleepwalker. Neverwinter for short." he spoke. With that a bright light and a brief burning sensation on his flank signaled his coming of age. A dream cloud had appeared on his flank signifying his affinity with his own dreams and the now apparent affinity for others. The Princess, grateful for his help, gave Neverwinter a room in the Royal Palace, where he would learn magic and basic academia. After that he settled down in Canterlot near the Palace should anyone need assistance. In the age of Twilight and her friends, he is a humble unicorn, living in a small, humble home on the outskirts of Ponyville. No one really even knows he exists. He is quiet, thinking in a very straightforward and precise manner, much like he thinks. They say dreams are a gateway into the mind. I suppose you could call Neverwinter Sleepwalker the Gatekeeper.
Neverwinter Sleepwalker didn't much like going into the town proper. However, he hated the idea of starving to death much more, so he headed into Ponyville for a quick visit to the market. He went by many things that he could have investigated, but didn't. Like, Vinyl Scratch's Record Emporium for instance. He never cared for electronica of "the wubs" as it were. Anyway, when he arrived in the open air square turned market he went about buying all the vegetables and such he needed. As he was buying, he came about a stand filled with nothing but apples. How very odd.
As he looked on, perplexed, a voice from behind the stand said "Howdy! Ya lookin' ta buy some apples? we've got all kinds, fresh from Sweet Apple Acres!"
"Why yes, I think I would." Neverwinter said as he looked in the direction of the voice to see an orange mare with golden blonde hair, wearing a Stetson. "But might I ask about that... odd headgear you seem to be wearing? It is quite perplexing."
"Well that's just rude pardner! Why don't you keep thoughts like that to yourself!"
"Oh! I apologize! I was simply taken aback by it is all. It actually fits you well. Custom made?"
"It Was in fact!"
"Anyway to get back on topic, I would like a few-"
"APPLEJACK!" a voice that seemed almost in tears screamed from somewhere not far away.
"Oh shoot. Hang on would ya?"
"Oh of course. Take as long as you need."
The mare, apparently named Applejack, turned and walked to a young filly who seemed on the verge of tears. They immediately embraced each other as the sniffling and crying slowly ceased into a whimper.
"Applebloom? what are you so worked up about?" Applejack questioned what seemed to be her younger sister.
"D-D- Diamond T-Tiara and S-silver spoon were being just awful to me and my friends! They said we were talentless and that we wouldn't get our Cutie Marks and that i'm just a worthless hick!" Applebloom half yelled, half sobbed to her sister.
"Why those little punks! Ah'm gonna go and see Mr. Rich about this right now! That's just wrong! Applebloom can you stay here and look after the stand?"
"But sis, remember what happened last time?" Applebloom remembered the utter failure that was her "helping" her sister sell apples.
"ah know but if you just stand here and say please and thank you you'll be fine!"
Okay Applejack, but please hurry!"
"Ah will. Don't worry about a thing!"
"Doo do do do do!" Sleepwalker said, as he tapped his hoof in rhythm to the hum of village life behind him. " i'm still here you know! Just thought I would point that out!"
"Applebloom there's a customer waiting. Why don't you go and take care of this one?"
"Aye aye sis!"
Applebloom trotted up to the stand and looked upon Neverwinter Sleepwalker. His long, sharp tail and broken horn unsettling her. While her older sister had the self control to keep to her self and not ask about any of this, Applebloom showed not nearly as much restraint.
"Hey mister whaddaya wa- oh what happened to your horn? Is that tail sharp? whats up with your crazy eyes? How-"
"AHEM!"
"What?"
'May I just take my order and leave? I do not wish to linger any longer than I need to so if we could just wrap this up without extremely insensitive questions that'd be great." Sleepwalker said, grumbling to himself about the insensitivity of this young filly's questions.
"Oh, sorry! What would you like sir?" Applebloom said quickly, blushing as she realized how she had just acted in public.
"Just give me some apples, I don't even care anymore. How about 20 golden delicious?" Neverwinter groaned, tired of social interaction already, not having the stomach for other people, especially fillies. He did however have a heart and a sense of morals, making him ponder. "What exactly were you on about earlier about some insults?" He asked as Applebloom filled a saddlebag with his order.
"Oh.....just some bullies. They're making fun of me because me and my friends don't have our cutie marks yet. It's really mean." Applebloom said, the sad look on her face returning in an instant.
"I'll say." Neverwinter said as he was slightly agitated that this Applebloom was bursting out in tears over some names while he had never cried once in his life, no matter the situation. Even the pain of his horn broke in two wasn't enough to bring him to tears. But still, he felt sorry for her and said "Hey, listen. Do you think you're worthless, or a hick, or anything they say?"
"No.. but-"
"But nothing! You know you are a good pony. A pony who works hard, has a great sense of creativity and is determined to get somewhere in life. Don't let these snooty brats who don't know ANY of what you go through tell you anything because you know what? They've never worked or hurt or have been denied something at ANY point in their life!"
"R-really? They don't know anything about me?"
"If they did they'd be the ones in tears."
"How do you know all this mister? Are ya some kinda psychic?" Applebloom asked, her smile now stretching across her entire, beaming face.
"I have a.... Gift, lets call it. Now can I have my apples please?" Neverwinter asked, worried that the apples would rot by the time this conversation is over.
"o'course Mr..."
"Sleepwalker"
"Here ya go Mr. Sleepwalker!" Applebloom said as she handed him the saddlebag with his apples in it. "Have a nice day"
"I'll try, little filly. I'll try."
With he walked away. As he did, Applejack returned and found Applebloom smiling as wide as ever. She had just given Filthy Rich a piece of her mind, with many an expletive involved. She asked " Hey Applebloom. I just got done tellin' off Mr. Rich. You shoulda seen the look on his face! Hey what're you smiling at? Did you do well with that customer?" Applejack questioned.
"Yeah. I did. He's something special. I think you'd Like him!"
"Are you trying to find me a special somepony again Bloom?"
