Finding a Place

by Battlecat


Chapter 31 - To Learn

Monday, December 3, 2016 - Continued

We slammed to the ground in the town square with Twilight the clear winner. Even though she was new to flying, she had more experience than me and it showed. She managed to use some clever tricks to stay ahead and I didn't manage to catch up with her. Sunset was sitting next to Spike on the steps and they were talking with one another enthusiastically. They looked up startled by our abrupt landing.

“Well played Twilight,” I said. “You beat me mostly fair and square.”

“You just need more flying practice to be as awesome as I am,” she said in a surprisingly cocky voice, mimicking Rainbow Dash.

Then she grinned at me which I mirrored. The playful behavior was actually quite an improvement in her mood and it was nice to see Twilight beginning to feel better. The sun looked like it would set in a couple hours. I yawned when I realized it was probably close to midnight in the human world.

“What did I miss you two?” Sunset asked. She had a satisfied expression on her face and was quite relaxed.

I walked over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. I was surprisingly comfortable with the two of us being ponies and kissing Sunset felt completely right in spite of my origin.

“We'll fill you in on the way back to the castle.”

With the sun beginning to set, the four of us walked back to the castle. I was quite curious to find out what five mares could accomplish in a single day.


“Hello? We're back!” Twilight called out.

We walked into the foyer of the castle and found Twilight's five friends waiting for us.

“Welcome home!” they exclaimed as we walked in.

We walked up the long flight of stairs to the main castle. The purple and blue crystal hallways were as barren as ever. I looked around for any signs of a change but there was nothing obvious to my eyes.

Twilight looked slightly confused but she tried to stay upbeat. “Oh, I, uh . . . love what you've done with the place. You did such a good job of . . . preserving the integrity of the original design.”

“Aw, come on!” Spike exclaimed in a frustrated voice. “It looks exactly the same! Do you know how hard it was to keep her from coming back here? Silver and Sunset helped but do you have any idea what I went through!?”

“You were keeping me from coming back here?” Twilight asked in surprise, looking at the three of us with a surprised expression.

“Well it could have been worse,” Sunset said. “Spike told me his next idea and I think you should be glad it didn't come to that.”

Rarity laughed nervously. “It took a teensy bit longer than we thought.”

“What really makes a home feel like home isn't what it looks like,” Applejack said as we approached a larger set of doors. “It's the memories you make when you're there.”

“So we've made something that celebrates the memories we've made with you since you moved to Ponyville,” Rarity finished.

Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash flew up and pushed the massive doors open, revealing a room I hadn't seen yet. It was a large crystal chamber with seven thrones standing around a large table. Six of the Thrones had one of the girl's cutie marks on it and the seventh was slightly smaller with no mark. The table looked like it had a three-dimensional map on it, like something straight out of science fiction.

Twilight gasped in surprise as she looked up at the ceiling. Above there was a giant wooden chandelier decorated with dozens of glowing gemstones. It was stupendous.

“The ornaments on the chandelier are reminders of all the fun we've had together,” Fluttershy said flying up to one of the strings.

“That one shows your party at the Golden Oak Library welcoming you to Ponyville!” Pinkie said gesturing at one.

Fluttershy tapped another one with her hoof. “Here's the time we shared donuts after the Grand Galloping Gala!”

“We were hoping that being able to look at your beautiful old memories would inspire you to make new ones,” Rarity said.

Applejack had a big smile on her face. “And the best part of it is, it's made from the roots of the Golden Oak Library, so you'll never forget where you came from.

Twilight walked in silently and the others watched nervously waiting for her reaction. When she turned around, her eyes were filling with tears.

“It's exactly what the castle needed,” she said in a happy voice through the tears. “And I am ready to make new memories here.”

Twilight, Spike, and her friends shared a big hug while Sunset and I watched.

“Speaking of memories,” Sunset said, levitating a string of topaz gems out of her saddlebags and over to Twilight. “Here is something more I created on behalf of your friends from the other world. Rarity filled me in on the plan after you two went off to kill time in the clouds. They're memories from the finale of the Battle of the Bands, our sleepover at Silver's place and from our dinner last week.”

I gazed into one of the gems curiously and I was amazed to see something like a photograph suspended inside. The one I was holding contained a picture of us and our friends sitting in my living room while we were watching the movie. Sunset had somehow even chosen a moment before the two of us were cuddling which would be nicer to Twilight to remember.

Then the gems were engulfed in a pink aura and they floated up to the chandelier. The string tied itself in a knot, securing it to the chandelier. Twilight smiled as she looked into each one before pulling Sunset into a hug.

“Thank you Sunset, these are wonderful.”

Rainbow Dash walked over to Sunset and put her hoof behind her head. “Look Sunset, I’m sorry about how I treated you this morning,” she said reluctantly. “I’m still not sure I trust you but I shouldn’t have been so rude.”

Sunset smiled. “Thank you, Rainbow Dash. I appreciate it and I hope I can earn your trust someday.”

“Let's start right now with a new memory cake!” Pinkie exclaimed as she dashed off. She came back with a massive cake on her back. “Seven-layer what's that flavor mystery surprise! These might be chocolate chips or they might be super-spicy black beans!”

“Let’s all go to the dining room,” Twilight said, leading us out into the hall and towards the room where we had started the day. “It’s a little sparse, but at least it has tables and chairs.”

Twilight’s pink magic aura engulfed the door and she pushed it opened. Then she stopped short.

“Woah! What happened in here?”

The room had been transformed. The table and chairs from the morning were unchanged, but the place had been decorated. Floral arrangements were hung from the crystal pillars; fabric had been hung under each window and draped around the room. There was a stunning chandelier above the table casting a brighter light over the whole room. The whole place was warm and inviting, especially when compared with the cold empty room I had left this morning.

“I couldn’t help myself!” Rarity exclaimed. “It was just begging for the personal touch!”

“Truth be told . . . ah couldn't either,” Applejack said. “Your kitchen might have some rustic farm décor, Twilight.”

“And there may or may not be some Daring Do posters up in your library,” Rainbow dash added.

“ And some stuffed animals in your bedroom,” Fluttershy concluded.

Suddenly there was a loud explosion. My heart stopped and adrenaline took over. My wings flared wide, and I reared up into a sparring stance and shot away from the others to get space for to defend myself and my friends. Then I looked down at the others and saw that Pinkie and the floor were both covered in the remnants of her cake. I looked around for the assailant but I couldn’t see anyone.

“What was that?!” Twilight asked.

Applejack rolled her eyes and sighed. “One of Pinkie Pie’s confetti cannons.”

“What?” Pinkie said innocently. “It’s not my fault I hid them so well!”

The others started to laugh but my heart was still racing a mile a minute. Sunset looked over at me and grinned even wider.

“You ok there, Silver?” She asked with mild concern. “You look ready for battle.”

I took several deep breaths and dropped back to all fours. I stretched my wings and then folded them back against my side. “Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. With everything that's happened lately, I can't hesitate.”

Sunset walked over and nuzzled my cheek. “Everything is ok Silver. You really are safe here.”

We walked in and I saw two more chairs float in from a corner and slide up to the table in a blue aura. I wound up sitting next to Sunset and Rainbow Dash. There was a selection of muffins and cupcakes waiting on the table.

Rainbow looked over at me. “Hey Silver, I wanted to ask about your cutie mark. It means you know about fighting, right? What kind of techniques do you know?”

“I’m not sure what the equivalents are in this world but I have a black belt in a martial art called Tae Kwon Do, as well as training in several sword fighting disciplines.”

“I’ll bet none of them deal with combat on four hooves or with wings,” Rainbow said, a smile appearing on her face. “You were bluffing earlier, weren’t you?”

“Only partially,” I said returning her smile. “Tae Kwon Do involves a fair amount of kicking so I think I could adapt. Especially since I could use my wings to emulate the bipedal stance I’m accustomed to. Why do you ask?”

The others were watching Rainbow and I conversing with interest and the surrounding conversation had died away. Interestingly, Rainbow Dash’s expression had grown even more excited at the prospect as she ate another big bite of muffin.

“I have a black belt in Spinning Hurricane,” she replied. “It’s a style specifically for fighting with wings. Want to learn?”

YES!!! Please? Can we?
I think it's a great idea Spark.

“Heck yes!” I said enthusiastically. “If you’re offering, I’m in. I can teach you a bit about human martial arts in return. The only problem is, our days aren’t in sync which will make this a bit challenging."

“Sunset and I will help you coordinate,” Twilight said, before levitating another muffing up to her mouth.

"Awesome!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed.


Before we knew it, Twilight’s pony friends had left for home and Spike had gone to bed. Twilight lead Sunset and me down the hall and into her gigantic library where we would await Luna's arrival. When we walked in the hairs on the back of my neck began to prickle. Somehow, I knew there was someone else in the room with us. I shot up into a bipedal combat stance, using my wings for balance. I put my hooves up and got ready for a fight. I scanned around the room, looking for the hidden threat and my eyes settled on an unremarkable shadowy corner.

“What’s wrong? What do you see?” Sunset asked. Her horn began to glow with teal magic as she prepared to face our unknown assailant. I felt a spark of gratitude for her trust.

“Well done my friend," came a familiar voice from the shadows. "There are not many even among the Thestrals who could spot me so quickly.”

I relaxed immediately and landed back on my hooves. One of the shadows seemed to detach from the corner and a moment later Princess Luna was standing there. Sunset immediately bowed down so I followed her lead and bowed as well. Twilight smiled broadly and walked over to her.

“Please, rise. Both of you! You need not bow to us,” Luna said quickly.

“Thank you for coming!” Twilight said in an excited voice. “I’ve been looking forward to this for quite some time.”

I stood up and smiled nervously, remembering her request that I use her name. “It is wonderful to see you again, Luna. This is Sunset Shimmer, the former student of Princess Celestia and my marefriend. She has been a great help in learning to control my magic in the human world.”

“We are pleased to meet you, Sunset Shimmer,” Luna said beginning to smile as well, looking into Sunset's eyes. “My sister has spoken very highly of your skills. What interest do you have in dreamwalking?”

Sunset looked nervous but stood up and nodded. “That is correct Princess Luna. I wish to learn what I can so I can help Silver in the human world.”

“So little is known about what you do for Equestria Luna,” Twilight said in a sad voice. “If ponies in the past had known about the help you provided through dreams, it might have made them appreciate you and your night more.”

If I hadn't been watching Luna at that moment I would have missed it. For one brief moment a shadow crossed Luna’s face and in that instant, she looked almost broken; as if there was something she wanted to say. The moment passed quickly and a smile quickly returned to her face.

“I approve of your goals, though we must speak before you make anything public, Twilight,” Luna said before turning to me. “As for you Silver, I understand your first dreamwalk occurred without your knowledge. How did this come to pass?”

“The first incident I'm absolutely sure was dreamwalking was when Twilight had a nightmare about Tirek during a visit to the human world,” I replied. “I heard her calling for help and found my way into her dream without realizing it wasn't a product of my mind. However, ever since the day you and the other princesses saved my life I have been experiencing fully lucid dreams.”

Luna nodded and a frown appeared on her face. “Very well, then let us adjourn to more comfortable environs for your lessons.”

She walked to the door and Twilight lead us through the corridors to a large room. There was a large grandfather clock set against one wall. The clock was ticking away the seconds one by one in an almost hypnotic fashion. Several beds were set up in this room and we each hopped up on one at Luna’s instruction. She settled down on a large cushion facing the three of us.

“The first thing you must know is, there will be a limit to how much I am able to teach you,” Princess Luna said. “As an Alicorn, I use spells to walk the Astral Plane, manipulate dreams and protect myself from harm while I am fully conscious. Dreamwalkers like you can only walk those pathways while asleep and there are limits to the magic you can directly wield while dreaming. Your predecessors developed many rituals and tools to aid and protect them during their travels but those are lost to me. At the same time, every dreamwalker had their own methods, appropriate to their knowledge and skills in the waking world.”

“So it's true," Twilight whispered. "There were other ponies that could dreamwalk in the past. Who were they and why have I never heard of them?”

Luna’s face fell and she looked away from Twilight to stare off into space. “I'd be surprised if you had. My Astral Sentinels were all Thestrals and every one of them was f- . . . were dear friends. They were . . . lost to history shortly after I was banished and nopony with the capability has been born since.”

She was choosing her words carefully and evading something about the fate of the previous Sentinels. The last thing I wanted to do was call her on her evasion but it was clear something awful had happened to them.

“Nopony at all?” Sunset said in surprise. “How could a special talent simply vanish?”

“Nay, it was not merely a special talent,” Luna said sadly, her eyes glistening with barely controlled tears. “Every Sentinel had a talent in the waking world that they exercised just like everypony else. Walking the Astral Plan is a far deeper calling.”

I was confused. “So, why do I have this ability if it's so rare Luna?”

“In truth, I do not know,” she replied, eyeing me nervously. “The rules may be different in your world, or it may be related to the method used to heal the curse. It is a mystery we must save for the future since at this time I fear for the safety of your world. There is much you need to learn before you return home.”

I stared at her in disbelief and a pit formed in my stomach. “What?! How can simple dreams threaten a whole world?”

“When one dreams, thine mind does not remain fully in your body,” she said. “A portion of your unconscious mind drifts to the Astral Plane. I have yet to discover the purpose of this connection but I have spent lifetimes fighting the consequences. The realm is far from empty, for where there is sustenance, predators inevitably appear.”

“WHAT!” Twilight exclaimed, staring at Luna with wide eyes. “There are creatures attacking our dreams!?”

“Fear not my young friend,” Luna replied. “The most deadly entities are long gone from Equestria and you may rest without fear. New ones appear on occasion but they are easily managed. Twas the only good I accomplished from exile, for Nightmare Moon understood the danger just as I did. Tis the human world I fear for. The nightmares of the Astral Plane find magic to be an exceptional source of power.”

“Then they will be coming for us and our friends,” Sunset concluded. “Our magic is going to attract them like moths to a light in a dark room.”

“Yes, thine powers will both attract and spawn them,” Luna said. “We must prepare you to defend the people of your world. Silver, how did you access Sunset Shimmers dreams? Twilight insisted you accomplished that intentionally, although with some troubles.”

“Well actually it was Spark who made the critical connections,” I replied without thinking. At Luna’s confused expression I smiled nervously. “Spark is the name used by second personality living in my mind. He appears as I do as a Thestral during my lucid dreams and he seems to have an instinct for dreamwalking.”

“Truly?! Thou hast created a sapient Spirit Guide? Without any guidance?” She said incredulously.

What?! What is the buck a Spirit Guide?

“Ok, what is a Spirit Guide?” I asked. “Spark and I have been debating his nature and origin since the day he gained awareness.”

“Navigating the dream plane is an impossible feat for all but an Alicorn,” She said without any pride. “My mind and magic simply function differently from others. The first step toward training a dreamwalker requires the student to transform the astral portion of their dreaming mind into a separate entity. Once that is accomplished you and your Spirit Guide can cooperate to traverse the Astral Plane. Most were only able to create a spirit animal to guide them but a fully sapient guide is indicative of great potential if you are willing to learn. ”

So that's what I am? Fantastic.
Amen brother. I’m glad you’re here.
If you ever call me a spirit animal, so help me, I will kick your ass. Somehow!
No worries, I'll find a more creative way to tease you Spark. Promise.

“Well, Spark is happy to hear that,” I said. “I consider him my brother and he’s already been a fantastic partner.”

“What else has he done for you?” Twilight asked curiously. “We never actually discussed his existence in detail thanks to the other things that came up that day.”

“Let me see,” I said thinking back to the insanity of the past few months. “He can use my human sense more effectively and warned me about an attempted sneak attack by a bully so I could dodge. Spark also figured out how to repair our mind and bring us back to consciousness when we were knocked out before the final Battle of the Bands. Turns out the same technique also allows us to wake up from sleeping at will. He is also the key to me ponying up in the human world. I can’t transform or use my magic without his cooperation.”

“Excellent,” Luna said. “You are much further along than I anticipated, so we can move on to a useful trick. As you can wake up at will, you can also enter the dream realm the same way. Simply have your guide lead you to the Astral Plane.”

I focused for a moment and abruptly Spark manifested in front of me with a simply doorway next to him. His appearance was so sudden and unexpected, all I could do was stare at him completely speechless.

Oh wow! That is easy.
Seriously? Just like that?

“What are you looking at Silver?” Sunset asked. Interestingly, Luna was looking right at Spark with an amused expression on her face. He pushed the door opened revealing a familiar star-filled void that was apparently the Astral Plane.

Come on, this way Silver. Times a wasting!
Wait, what . . .

My eyes suddenly felt incredibly heavy and the last thing I remember is my head hitting the pillow.


Spark and I were standing side by side in an empty starfield. Sunset and Twilight's doors were both nearby but they seemed almost faded out. I had to assume it was because they were not asleep yet. Strangely, our twin recliners were present but the coffee table was not. I stared at Spark.

“Holy crap! That was a bit sudden!”

“Wow, that was abrupt. See you in your dreams Silver.”

Spark shrugged and grinned at me. "I didn't expect you to drop like that either. Next time you'll have to put your head down first."

“Impressively done, Silver,” Luna said, appearing behind me and Spark. “Twilight and Sunset are settling into sleep, but we shall continue with the next lesson while we await their arrival. Tis a pleasure to meet you at last, Spark.”

“Cute Sunset. That's a great play on words.”

Spark smiled. “The feeling is mutual,” he replied. “I am glad to learn I am not an evil remnant of the Sakitan Dagger.”

“Thanks Twi. See you on the flip side.”

Luna reared back in surprise and her wings spread wide in obvious agitation. “HOW DIDST THOU KNOW THAT NAME!” she shouted in a horrified voice, the volume echoing through the vast space.

“I’m not actually sure,” I replied nervously. “It came to us recently like I had overheard a conversation. Is it true three are unaccounted for?”

“Spark’s genesis had already begun on that very day then,” she said, suddenly calming down. “I had words with my sister about their status and the number on that very day. Tis fascinating that thine abilities were already nascent; perhaps it was you subconsciously fighting the curse. Tis not unexpected as dreamwalkers maintains a strong awareness of the material world. You are not truly awake but neither are you asleep.”

“That is a relief,” I said. “So what's next?”

“While we wait for our guests to arrive we must discuss the nature of time,” she replied with a big smile on her face. “ In the physical world, your reaction times and the nature of your body makes time rigid. Not so on the Astral Plane. As a dreamwalker, we are only minds in this place. I cannot teach you to control this in one night but I can show you the path to hone your skill. Canst thou hear the clock in the waking world?”

Spark and I both stopped and listed, straining our hearing. Then grandfather clock shimmered into existence beside us. Suddenly the dreamscape began to echo with a steady ticking noise marking the seconds passing one by one.

“Well done,” Luna said. “To control your perceived passage of time, you must remain aware of the reality. Maintaining both in your mind simultaneously is the true challenge. The exercise you must accomplish is forcing the clock to slow down. I shall demonstrate for tonight.”

Luna's horn glowed and we watched as the swinging pendulum slowed down more and more until it was moving at a fraction of its original speed. It was surreal watching a clock slow down in such a manner.

“That means we could speed it up as well, right Luna?” Spark asked.

“Yes, that is correct though it has fewer applications,” she replied. “Tis far better to be patient and fill the extra time. Stretching time out will allow you more opportunity to manage nightmares and to still relax as is needed while you sleep.”

“Good to know. So before Sunset joins us, I need to fill you in on what has happened,” I said. “I'm worried about her dreams.”

Spark and I quickly filled Luna in on my failed attempts to sooth Sunset’s dreams, the injuries carrying to the real world and my failures at pulling her into a lucid state. Luna's expression became more and more worried as my story continued.

“This is troubling,” Luna said quietly. “She is almost certainly being attacked by an astral creature of some sort. It may even be a product of her unfortunate encounter with dark magic. The Elements of Harmony are limited by the knowledge of the wielders and I fear Twilight's ignorance of the Astral Plane will have allowed something to survive. Thank you for telling me; this will be an excellent opportunity to learn about your primary responsibility as an Astral Sentinel.”

She paused for a moment and looked around the dreamscape. “I see you also manifest the transition to dreams as doorways. We approve of this choice; tis also mine preference.”

I nodded. “I found Twilight when the door to the Golden Oaks Library spontaneously appeared in my dream. Doors just feel right to me.”

“Subconsciously, doorways are a natural boundary,” she replied. “Inside and outside represent a simple concept that most ponies learn at an early age. Since we walk through doors from childhood, it is natural to use them.”

“Yes, they are quite intuitive,” Spark echoed. “It worked very well when we stopped the scorpion thing. Oh and when we visited the memory of our parents.”

“. . . What?” Luna said in a stunned voice. “You visited your parents? Was it simply a replaying memory or did they seem . . . more complete?”

Luna's face was actually frightened and she was watching my reaction carefully. I pondered the behavior of my parents in that dream. “They were responsive, recognized Spark and me, reminded us of advice you gave us and they knew they were dead. I assumed we had simply crafted a dream from a mixture of memory and desires. Is that not the case?”

“Do not walk through such a door again until you are far more skilled,” she said in a serious voice. “Traversing the boundary between the living and the dead should not be done lightly and never without your knowledge! Thine soul can become ensnared in fond memories beyond the veil and if you choose to resist your need to awaken, your body would expire."

My legs went weak and I found myself sitting on the non-existent floor.

"You're telling me the dead reside here?" I asked weakly.

"The Astral Plane is far more that simply the place where we dream but there are still many mysteries," Luna replied cryptically. "The exact nature of the world beyond is not something the fallen can share with us."

“So they were real,” Spark murmured happily. “We really got to see them one last time. Thank you for confirming that we saw them, Luna.”

“Tis a gift and a curse to be able to walk the Astral Plane,” Luna said, her voice melancholy “Keep your focus on the living to resist the temptation to follow them. I speak from thousands of years of experience when I warn you that there are doors even an alicorn should not open except in the direst of need."

Spark and I stared at Luna with wide eyes as we both tried to process the gravity of her words.

"Ah excellent, I see Twilight has fallen asleep. Let us proceed to her dream and have her join us. Before we do, I would have you observe her door.”

I looked the door over and I was surprised by what I saw. The door was still the Golden Oaks Library door, just as I remembered but the door frame had become an archway of crystal instead of oak wood.

“Her door has changed,” I said. “Its initial appearance was what I remembered from the last time I saw her but it changed as soon as she fell asleep. The crystal doorframe is new.”

“While we manifest the doors, their appearance is not ours to control.” she lectured. “It reflects the feelings and state of mind of the dreamer behind it. With experience, you will be able to identify whether a dream or nightmare is being experienced. Dramatic changes to the door also can indicate major shifts in feelings, attitude or worldview. What would you say Princess Twilight is feeling at this moment?”

“I think she has begun to accept the castle her new home,” I said, looking over the details of the door. “She remembers her library fondly but the memories of her old home are now anchored by her positive experiences in the castle. Is she having a good dream?”

“Very well done,” she said cheerfully. “You are using your knowledge of today's events to build that conclusion. What you learn in the waking world is invaluable for understanding dreams. Princess Twilight's dream is peaceful so either you or Spark may open the door now. Remember, together the two of you are greater than either would be alone.”

“Funny,” Spark said, putting his hoof against the door and pushing. “That's almost exactly what our parents said when we saw them.”

The three of us walked through the door and into Twilight Sparkle's dream. Spark and I both began to blush at the scene on the other side. We had arrived in the Spa from earlier in the day but instead of Lotus giving Twilight her massage, it was me in my human form without a shirt on. The rest of the scene was foggy, but I could still see the memory of me and Sunset getting their treatment as well. Luna had her hoof over her mouth and she was actually beginning to giggle.

“This is a bit embarrassing,” Spark muttered. “I'm glad you find this amusing Luna.”

“Tis is one of many reasons why we never speak of what we see in dreams to any but a fellow dreamwalker,” Luna said, fighting to suppress laughter. “Dreams reveal hopes, fears and even simple idle speculation that mean nothing. We do apologize for our reaction, but this is positively innocent compared with some dreams. Learning to recognize amorous dreams is as vital as spotting nightmares. What would you make of this dream?”

“I gave her a massage using my hands in the last shared dream and I guess she enjoyed it,” I said thinking back on that difficult night. “It was the same time I discovered . . . something about her feelings. My presence in her dream like this worries me.”

Luna nodded. “You need not hide your discovery from me Silver Spark. Rest assured I already know about Twilight's feelings. You and Sunset Shimmer have featured frequently in her dreams and nightmares since her first journey to your world. Twilight Sparkle values your friendship more than anything, even her own happiness. Tis difficult to watch a friend like her endure such loneliness but you should not hold yourself responsible for her state. Fortunately, a peaceful dream such as this is easy to disrupt. Please make the attempt so I may observe.”

Spark and I walked over to the massage table. I looked at my doppelganger and shook my head sadly. The web scars covering my body were totally absent. I gestured for him to leave and put my hand on Twilight's face.

“Hey, Twilight. It's time to leave this dream world. Princess Luna is waiting.”

“Wha?” she muttered dreamily. “Silver, what do you mean . . . oh, sweet Celestia! SERIOUSLY?!"

Twilight jumped up to her hooves on the massage table shook her head to clear the fog away. She looked around at the scene and my duplicates and frowned. Her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment and her wings were twitching nervously as she looked at me. She looked like she was ready to fly but she had no idea where to go.

"Why do I keep embarrassing myself when you wake me up, Silver?” she asked sheepishly.

I smiled kindly. “It's only a dream Twilight. I'm glad to see you're having a better one than last time I saw you.”

Her wings relaxed and she hopped off the table. “It was a nice day.”

“Yup!” Spark said enthusiastically, gesturing to where Luna was standing in the doorway. “We're going to go help Sunset now. It looks like we can take you to visit the Astral Plane.”

Twilight turned galloped towards Princess Luna. “Yes, yes, yes! Let's go!”

We walked through the door but Luna made Twilight wait and come through last. As Twilight walked through the door into the Astral Plane her door faded out and the star that made the door handle merged with her body. Twilight didn’t seem to notice the transition while she was looking around in awe at the new realm.

“So this is what you meant when you described the star-filled void. It’s beautiful.”

“That's not the best part either!” Spark said in an excited voice. He glanced around a few times and then flew a short distance out. Cupping his hooves carefully around a seemingly random star he flew back. “Every stary represents someone. Check it out, this is Rainbow Dash.”

The star was swirling with a riot of faint colors like Rainbow Dash’s mane as I looked at it. Twilight examined it and looked up at me with a perplexed expression. “How can you tell? It's just a plain white sphere.”

“Spark and Silver can see far more,” Luna said. “I will teach you some spells to emulate what they can see naturally, but for now Lady Shimmer requires our attention. She is beset by a nightmare parasite. First I must educate you on the dangers of dreamwalking.”

“I’ve experienced those dangers first hand,” I said, rubbing my shoulder where I had been clawed.

Princess Luna nodded. “The events within ordinary dreams and even nightmares cannot harm you or those who walk with you. Only a dream beset by a nightmare beast is dangerous. Tis truly a relief that the dreamer is safe from harm from us, though the creature can hurt them if it desires.”

“So how can we tell if a dream is dangerous?” Spark said. “I don’t think walking in and seeing if we can get hurt is a sensible idea.”

Luna nodded “Unless it is a dreamscape you crafted yourself, tis is best to assume any dream can be dangerous. With time you will be able to recognize the distortion and corruption growing in the dreamer’s door and in the details of their star.”

“Well then, how do we defeat this thing, Luna?” Spark asked, stomping his hoof firmly. “We’re not leaving Sunset in this state any longer.”

“Tis different for every creature you face but this one will be comparatively simple,” Luna said. “Parasites prefer to seek an object linked to a failure or trauma that they can then force the dreamer to relive for sustenance. You must separate that object from the dreamer and destroy it. I will be nearby to assist if but we believe you can solve this without my aid.”

“The crown,” I said after only a moment of thought. “I’d bet good money the crown is the parasite. Every nightmare I’ve walked into so far has been about the Fall Formal and Sunset being victorious after turning into a demon.”

Twilight walked over to the door that would lead to Sunset’s dream. “Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go save our friend!”

The Astral Plane was silent while Spark and I stared at Twilight in surprise. I bit back my initial instinct to tell her no and instead thought about who Twilight was. She was a pony I knew I could trust with my life, a pony who was a hero in both worlds. I glanced over at Luna who nodded her approval. She seemed amused by Twilight's enthusiasm. I nodded at her and we pushed the door open revealing a familiar scene.

Demon Sunset Shimmer was hovering over the courtyard of Canterlot High cackling manically. Memory Twilight and our human friends were gathered below with defiant expressions on their faces and Sunset’s memory of me was prone on the ground nearby.

“This is so surreal,” Twilight whispered. “I remember standing there but now I’m over here.”

“That’s the dream realm for you,” I said shaking my head. “I’m starting to get used to it. Twilight, keep the memory of us and our friends alive since the shield usually fails in these dreams. Anything you can do in the real world you can do here so this will protect Sunset from more emotional trauma. Spark, you fly around behind her and snag the crown off her head while I keep her attention.”

My two allies nodded and galloped around the side of the statue, out of sight. With the foundation of a plan in place, I ponied up and got ready to fly. I manifested the shield from the Battle of the Bands on my left arm and a wood training sword in my hands. Even with Luna’s reassurance, a sword wasn’t necessary.

Sunset finished her speech and let loose the fireball just as she always did. I took to the air while she was gloating about her victory and flew towards her. I could see the purple shimmer of Twilight’s shield protecting the dream versions of us and our friends.

“WHAT!? HOW CAN THIS BE!” She howled. Just like the last time she shot towards me with her claws extended.

This time I was ready for her. I used the shield to block one strike and the sword to parry the other. This time I didn’t try any silliness to break her out of her dream. Now that I knew she wasn’t entirely herself, I had to fight her differently. I had to make her mad so she wouldn’t see Spark approaching. As I thought about Spark, I realized I knew exactly where he was. He was circling overhead, waiting for a chance to dive past me.

“Is that the best you can do Shimmer?” I asked in a mocking tone. “Come on! Show me what you’re made of!”

“GRAH! DIE ALREADY!”

She was angry now and unleashed a fireball at me. I dodged around the fireball and shot towards her. I felt Spark begin his dive. A pink bolt of light shot through the night air and impacted Sunset’s left hand just as I hit her right one with my shield. At that moment Spark flew past and snatched the crown right off Sunset’s forehead. I kicked Sunset in the stomach, knocking the wind out of her and dove after Spark.

“NOOOO! GIVE THAT BACK USURPER!”

Spark dropped it on the concrete sidewalk by the portal. Twilight was standing right beside the portal and Luna was watching with interest through the gateway. In a moment of amused inspiration, I dropped the sword and manifested a replica of the sledgehammer Sunset had planned to use to destroy the portal.

“DIE NIGHTMARE!” I screamed, shaking the entire dream with they Royal Canterlot Voice. I slammed the sledgehammer down onto the gem in the center of the crown.

The force drove the crown into the sidewalk and the gem shattered like glass. We all recoiled when the crown screeched with defiance as it began to writhe. Then it shuddered and quickly dissolved into black smoke and drifted away into the night sky. I turned around to look at Sunset who had been chasing us down. Her demon form was bleeding away like wet pain leaving my girlfriend friend in her normal leather jacket and skirt.

“What just happened? Why did you destroy the . . . ,” she trailed off as she looked at Pony Twilight, Spark, Princess Luna and then me in my half-pony form. She turned and looked over at the seven unconscious figures on the ground, still covered by Twilight’s shield spell.

“A dream,” Sunset murmured. “This is a dream, isn’t it?”

I pulled Sunset into a hug, fighting off tears of relief. “I knew something was wrong! It was an Astral parasite that was fighting us, not you.”

“Well done,” Luna said from the other side of the portal. She looked quite satisfied. “Come forth and join us on the Astral Plane Lady Shimmer. We have many things to discuss before you return to the human world.”

We walked back to join Luna in the Astral realm and the rest of the night was spent in conversation. We discussed Astral entities Luna had confronted in the past and how she fought them. She explained the basics of a few spells Sunset and Twilight could use to help once they were lucid. Luna also confirmed that my lucid dreams were perfectly safe and a sensible way to relax when I wasn’t patrolling my world’s Astral Plane.

I could tell Luna was avoiding some details as we spoke, especially when the Thestrals came up. We all resisted the urge to ask when we ran into a sensitive subject since it was obviously painful for her. I was just grateful to have some information about a mysterious realm that had apparently become my responsibility.


Tuesday, December 4, 2016

Luna brought our lesson to an end late in the night in Equestria and brought us back to consciousness. I lifted my head up from where it had fallen and saw Twilight and Sunset stirring under the covers of their own beds. We smiled at each other, amused by the oddly surreal transition from lucid dreaming to being awake.

“We must return to our duties in Canterlot,” Luna said in a regretful voice. “You are ready to protect your fellow humans from threats on the Astral Plane, but you need only ask if you require further guidance. I believe you will make me proud Silver Spark.”

“I will do my best to live up to your expectations,” I replied, bowing my head politely while fighting off a nagging bit of anxiety.

A whole world to protect? How?
We will figure it out.
I don't know Spark.

“Thank you for your help, Luna,” Sunset added. “I hope I can rest more peacefully now.”

Luna smiled at the three of us and stepped back into the shadows. A moment later her form wavered and disappeared into shadows. I glanced over at the clock and confirmed it would be about forty-five minutes until school would start in my world. I quietly hoped it would be enough time for me to run to the Sweet Shoppe to get some coffee. We got out of the beds and began the walk back to the portal room.

“So . . . that was quite the adventure,” Sunset said as a mischievous look grew on her face. “I forgot to ask, what was Twilight’s dream like? Was she having a ‘fun’ dream this time? Maybe about some good times in the clouds yesterday?”

She actually made a quote sign with her hooves at the word fun. I blushed at the implication and shook my head while Twilight just stammered nervous denials. Sunset laughed at our reactions.

“Relax, I’m just teasing you two,” Sunset said. “Did you enjoy each other’s company yesterday?”

Twilight frowned and began walking down the hall a bit faster. “Yes, I did. You’re a lucky mare Sunset Shimmer.”

Sunset galloped ahead of Twilight, turned around and put her hoof up to stop her. “I’m sorry, I need to take this more seriously Twilight. Please, can you listen to me for a moment? I needed to be sure of a lot of things before . . . I mean I don't want to presume . . . well, I really enjoyed our morning at the spa, Twilight.”

“So did I,” Twilight said quietly with a smile blooming on her face. “I haven't talked about magical theory like that since I moved to Ponyville. My friends are wonderful but they aren't terribly interested in the nuances of magic. I can see why you were Celestia’s student before me.”

The uncertainty was growing in the air since neither of us knew where Sunset was going with this conversation. Sunset’s cheeks and ears were turning bright red with embarrassment. She stood facing the two of us with one forehoof across the other. She looked like a child who was about to admit it was her baseball that broke the window.

“I know this is forward and you’re a princess and all, but do you . . . I mean I wouldn’t mind if . . .” she stammered. "I mean humans don’t normally . . . would you consider . . . ugh, why is this so hard to ask?”

I walked over beside Sunset and put my wing across her back. “Take a deep breath Sunset. Calm your thoughts and pick your words, my dear.”

Sunset took a deep breath in and exhaled slowly. She smiled at me gratefully before looking Twilight in her eyes. Her voice was suddenly incredibly formal. “Princess Twilight Sparkle, would you be our Second?”

Twilight’s eyes widened with surprise and she looked like she had stopped breathing. She was a still as a statue, not even swaying or blinking. I waved my hoof in front of her face but there was no reaction so I lifted my wing off Sunsets back and turned to face her.

“Sunset, I think you broke her. What the heck is a Second?”

Sunset’s ears flattened and she looked up at me worried. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about this sooner. I didn’t want to get anypony's hopes up until I was sure Twilight and I could get along. I really don’t know what I’m doing, Silver.”

“Yes, but what are you doing?” I asked, becoming worried by her refusal to answer.

This is weird Spark. What is going on?
I wish I knew. I got pony instincts when I was born, not cultural references.

“Yes,” Twilight said, suddenly breaking out of her trance. “Yes, I think I'd like that, Sunset. What do you think Silver?”

“I have no idea!” I exclaimed. “I have no idea what’s going on.”

“Oh!” Twilight said, suddenly embarrassed. “I guess I should make this formal then. Silver Spark, your first mare has extended the invitation. Would you accept me as your second mare?”

“Second mare . . .” I muttered trying to piece together their meaning. “I’m sorry but my mind isn’t quite cooperating this morning. Could either of you put this is simple terms that my coffee deprived brain could interpret?”

Twilight and Sunset both exchanged a glance. Sunset’s nodded and her ears flattened against her head. “Silver, in Equestria having a relationship between three or four ponies is perfectly normal. It’s probably another holdover from our days as herd animals. Asking Twilight to be my Second is simply a formal way of asking if she would like to join our relationship.”

“Bwah?” was the most intelligent sound the two minds in my head could come up with. My jaw dropped and I stared at the two of them at a total loss for words. I must have frozen up because when I blinked Sunset’s face suddenly appeared right in front of mine. Her large aquamarine eyes were filled with concern.

“Silver, are you still in there?” Sunset asked.

I put my hoof to my forehead and tried to pull myself together. “So let me see if I understand this properly. You're still going to be my girlfriend, right Sunset? No changes there?”

She nodded so I looked at Twilight. “Then, if I was to accept you as our 'Second', you would be what; my marefriend as well?”

“Yes that’s right,” Twilight said, nodding her head. “I'll also be dating Sunset since I'm sure Sunset is suggesting a proper trio relationship. I think I’m going to be ok with that.”

I’ll be honest, my brain wasn’t quite able to wrap around that. Sunset and Twilight exchanged a friendly smile with one another confirming what Twilight had just said. My back legs just shut down and I flopped down on my haunches, staring off into space. I looked over at Sunset, my eyes wide.

“I don’t know what to say, Sunset,” I whispered in disbelief. “You really want to do this? We've only been dating a week after all . . . You aren't just trying to bow out of our relationship are you?”

Sunset walked over to me and wrapped her hooves around my shoulders. “Yes Silver, I really do want to try this. I'm not just trying to push you over to Twilight. I just want us all to be happy, Twilight included and I think this might work.”

“We can only do this if you feel comfortable with the idea, Silver,” Twilight said nervously, not approaching any closer. “We all have to be on the same page for this to work and I don’t want you to feel pressured into something you’re not comfortable with.”

“Sorry,” I whispered. “This is just a bit surreal and I seriously don’t know how to react right now. This is a common thing in Equestria? You promise I can go pull a book on pony relationships off the shelf and find all this stuff?”

They both nodded and I stared at the ceiling. My life had been a twisting series of insane events over the past year. This was positively mundane by comparison.

“Ok,” I said. “I'll give this a try on one condition.”

“What’s that?” Twilight asked, not moving a muscle. Sunset pulled out of the hug but kept one arm wrapped around me.

“Monogamous relationships are all I know,” I said. “And by know, I mean I'm stumbling through my first one ever, praying every day I can somehow be the person you deserve Sunset. The whole business of asking Twilight to be your Second might have seemed obvious to you but I completely missed it. Please don’t make me guess whether I'm screwing things up, just talk to me.”

“I can do that,” Twilight said. “I'll find you a reference guide and everything!”

Sunset squeezed my shoulder, “I'm sorry I kept you both in the dark. I promise I won’t do that to either of you again.”

“Well, if you two are sure about this then I have only one thing to say. Twilight Sparkle I join Sunset Shimmer in accepting you as our Second. I will strive to be worthy of your interest.”

I held out my arm that wasn’t holding Sunset, inviting Twilight to join the hug. She hesitated for only a moment before running over and letting Sunset and me pull her into a hug. I could feel her shaking while Sunset and I held her tight. She was whispering to herself the same words over and over like a prayer. She was almost inaudible but it didn't take any effort for me to hear what she was saying thanks to my ears.

“Please be real, please be real, oh sweet Celestia please don't be a dream.”

Poor Twilight. This really has been hurting her badly.
Fortunately, we can give her the good news.

“Twilight, I believe there will be few occasions in your life where you can be more confident that you're wide awake. Princess Luna woke us all up together after all.”

I exchanged a glance with Sunset and she smiled. We each gave Twilight a quick kiss on each of her cheeks. She sighed happily and leaned against me.

“Thank you. Do you think we could we keep this a secret for a bit?” Twilight asked. “I think we need to make sure we're all sure before we make it official.”

“Fine by me,” Sunset said. “It’s going to be tough to explain this to our human friends as it is. We should go on a couple dates as a trio before we make anything official.”

I thought back over the past few months and what I knew about Twilight. How well did I really know her at this point? What did she find interesting or entertaining? An idea floated up into my mind that was so perfect, it was going to be hard to resist.

"I have an idea the two of you will enjoy if we can arrange at least a full day with you in the human world Twilight," I said. "In the meantime, we can always go for the old standby of a dinner and movie."

"Sounds intriguing," Twilight said, a smile growing on her face. "I'll try to make some time. Oh, the Grand Galloping Gala is coming up! Do you two want to attend with me?"

Sunset shook her head vehemently. "I'm not ready to face Princess Celestia, plus the gala is always an absolute bore."

"Well my friends managed to end the last one in chaos," Twilight replied. "Celestia thought it was pretty funny but I'm pretty sure it was the final straw that broke Discord out of his stone prison. Speak of whom, he's been invited this year and so have the crusaders and some other foals from Ponyville. Luna is planning it this year."

"Discord, your friends AND the Crusaders at the Gala?” Sunset said, her eyes growing wide. "Do you think Canterlot will still be standing when they're done?"

Twilight snorted. "Hopefully. You'll be welcome to come if you change your mind, Sunset. Please, can you at least attend with me, Silver?"

I glanced at Sunset, feeling like I should get permission. She nodded at me so my path was clear. "Sure, assuming it doesn't conflict with an exam or something. Is this gala a formal event?"

"Yes, it is, but I can commission Rarity to make you a suit," Twilight said, clapping her hooves together with a giddy grin on her face. "Same goes for you Sunset. If you two come by this weekend, Rarity will take your measurements. Believe me, the only reason she didn't yesterday was because they were busy in the castle."

"If you say so Twilight," Sunset replied. "I'll probably still pass but I'll keep it in mind. Besides, it'll be a chance for the two of you to have a night as a couple. I'm not even sure if I want to go to the school Winter Ball after everything that happened. “

"As long as that's not your main reason for staying home," I interjected. "I honestly would like to spend time with both of you if we're going to be a trio."

"Don't worry, it isn't," Sunset replied, nuzzling into my neck. "We do need to spend time as pairs though. We won't always have time to all go out together.”

As we walked through the door into the portal room, I still wasn’t sure what to make of this relationship I was suddenly in. I hadn’t even come to terms with having Sunset as my girlfriend and suddenly this came out of the blue. I hoped it was the right choice since Twilight seemed so much happier now and I wasn't going to do anything that would mess that up. Far be it from me to complain but I was still worried that I didn’t deserve either of these lovely mares. A small, nasty voice in the back of my head was even suggesting they’d be better off without me in the way of their happiness.

That is so not me Silver.
I know Spark. It’s just a fragment of doubt.
Well, ignore it. Please.
I'll try.

Twilight levitated the journal up to the stand. Sunset and I watched as the crazy looking steampunk apparatus came to life. We each gave her a big hug and then we stepped through the portal. After a brief bout of disorientation, we stepped out into the plaza at Canterlot High. There were a few students around but nobody paid us any attention as we came out of the portal.

As we had suspected, our clothing had changed a bit. I was in black slacks, a black pullover shirt, combat boots and my bracers. Sunset’s leather jacket was still obviously damaged but she was wearing an orange skirt and her usual purple shirt instead of the clothes she had been wearing when we left. I took a deep breath and stretched my newly formed body while pondering the choice I had made this morning. Suddenly a loud voice startled me out of my introspection.

“There you are Silvy, right on time!” Pinkie exclaimed as she walked around the statue holding a tray of drinks. “Hi, Sunset! Here you go, fresh from the Sweet Shoppe!”

The tray had three drinks in it and she quickly gave one to each of us before taking the last for herself. It was my favorite, the Cake family's preferred coffee brand with a bit of cream and sugar.

“Thank you Pinkie,” I said cheerfully. “How did you know we were coming back?”

“Just a hunch!” she said in a cheerful voice. “Kind of like the twitch I got just a few minutes ago telling me-”

I noticed our other friends approaching from the school and quickly waved my hands to stop her. I leaned over to whisper in her ear.

“We're keeping it secret for now, Pinkie. Can you hold off on your party plans until further notice?”

“Okie dokie lokie!” she said happily, smiling over at Sunset. “Just let me know when you three are ready!”

Sunset stared at me in disbelief. “Did you just predict a Pinkie Pie hunch? How? How did she know?”

“Easy, I just guessed she would have a hunch about something we want to keep quiet for now,” I said, giving Pinkie a hug with one arm while she just grinned. “I don't think I'd want to live in a world where Pinkie didn't surprise me.”

Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Rarity walked up to join us. Fluttershy looked like she wanted to speak up as soon as she saw us but Rainbow Dash was quicker off the mark.

“So what were you doing in the portal you two?” Dash asked, smirking. “Having a date in pony world or something?”

Oh, just winding up with a second girlfriend, that's all.
Shush Spark! Don't make me blurt stuff unintentionally.

“Oh just this and that,” I said after sipping my coffee. "We'll fill you in on some of the more complicated stuff after school. Hey, out of curiosity; have you ever taken a martial art Dash?”

Rainbow Dash looked surprised and nodded. “I took Karate for a couple years after I moved to Canterlot, but I quit so I could spend more time on track and soccer,” she said. “Why do you ask?”

“Your counterpart apparently has a black in a Pegasus martial art and I'm going to take a couple lessons. It should be interesting to see whether they’re similar to human martial arts.”

“You know, sea pony martial arts are just like the ones used by Pegasi!” an excited voice exclaimed behind us. “Well except the whole swimming instead of flying thing . . . and the whole having a tail instead of hind legs thing . . . and peagasi have feathers instead of fins. I guess they aren’t too similar after all. Hi!”

We spun around, startled by the unexpected interjection to our conversation. Sonata standing there behind us with an absurdly innocent smile on her face. Her eyes were bright with excitement and her hair was tied up in her huge ponytail. She was wearing a hoodie with an odd purple-brown tint to it and a pair of blue jeans rather than the dress she wore the first day of school. Adagio and Aria were standing further back with their arms crossed looking unimpressed. Those two were wearing the same outfits they had on their first day at Canterlot high.

“Good morning,” I said. “I’m glad to see you three are feeling better.”

“Yuppers! We’re all better, but it wasn't easy to convince those two to come with me today," Sonata said while pointing her thumb over her shoulder at other two. "Can you believe they said I should see how hungry the piranhas without them were which is totes silly. There’s no fish here to feed! 'Sides, there's no way I was going to miss Taco Tuesday a second time so here we are!”

Has it really only been three weeks since the Dazzlings showed up Spark?
Yeah, it really has.

“She texted me this morning to say they would be coming back today,” Fluttershy said quietly. "I was about to tell you."

Sonata nodded eagerly and began to babble in an excited voice. “Yup! I texted you last night Silver but you never responded. I thought that was odd but then I thought maybe you went to a movie or something and forgot to turn your phone back on which is totes ok cause Flutters here knew we were comin’, but I guess you were in a whole 'nother world and I guess roaming signals don’t go to other worlds! Who knew?”

"Oh for pity's sake Sonata, shut up!" Aria growled from where she was standing. "Of course cellphones don't work in Equestria, you dolt. So are we going to get this train wreck started or are we just going to stand here gabbing?"

Sunset smiled at Sonata though there was some uncertainty on her face as well. “I guess we’d better take you to see Principal Celestia and get you set up properly as students of this school.”

“Sure! Lead on!” Sonata said cheerfully, walking off towards the school without us. Aria and Adagio both facepalmed and started after her.

Adagio gave me an irritated look as she walked past me. "You know she's not going to wait for you right? This had better be worth the trouble."

"Give it some time Adagio," I replied. "I think you'll be surprised."

Adagio snorted but walked beside us towards the school. Sunset grabbed my hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze but it did nothing to quell the growing stress in the back of my mind.

I guess this means they’re accepting our offer, right Silver?
Oh dear. I guess things are going to get even crazier now.
What's one more complication? We just have two girlfriends, three unredeemed villains and a potentially hostile school to deal with.
Oh, don't forget the local Astral Plane filled with nasty entities that we are now responsible for managing.
I was trying. Thanks so much Spark. I really didn't need that
Sorry. Just try to stay calm bro.
I'll try.