The ancient castle towered over Pearl, casting her in its almost chilling shadow. The fact it had been built in the Everfree Forest made it seem even more ominous.
Pearl scratched the back of her head, fighting for the courage to step inside. “Well, at least we’re far away from civilization if anything goes wrong, eh?”
“You’ll be fine,” Twilight assured her. “We’re meeting Princess Luna here. Nopony knows more about sleep and dreams.”
“Plus you’ve got us!” Pinkie shot Pearl a wink.
Sighing, Pearl drooped her head. “It’s not me I’m worried about.”
Rainbow offered Pearl a pat on the shoulder. “We won’t let anything happen. Trust us.”
“Thanks. It means a lot that you’re here with me.”
Pearl gulped as one of the huge front doors squeaked in protest when Twilight pushed it open, revealing the main hall of the castle.
All words escaped Pearl as she gazed upon Princess Luna. This was the first time she’d seen either of the Royal Sisters. She’d never met a pony so majestic and regal. Luna stood tall and proud, her long starry mane flowing behind her seemingly of its own accord. Her eyes were blue, alluring and infinitely wise; Pearl felt those eyes could see into her very soul.
“Greetings, my friends,” the princess said as the other ponies bowed to her. “It is good to see all of you again. And a new face as well.”
Twilight, realizing Pearl was too stunned to form an appropriate greeting, pointed to her. “Princess Luna, this is the pony I told you about, Pearl Blush.”
“Pleased to meet you, Pearl Blush.”
Suddenly remembering her manners and who she stood before, Pearl dropped to her knees and bowed. “Likewise, your highness. You have my sincerest apologies if this is any bother.”
Princess Luna’s smile gave off an air of gentle wisdom that Pearl found trustworthy and calming. “Guarding the sleep and dreams of my subjects is my duty, Pearl Blush. You have nothing to apologize for.”
“What’s your plan, your highness?” Pearl asked. She took a breath of relief that Luna didn’t seem to plan on punishing her for all the destruction.
“When you are ready, I will cast a sleep spell on you. I will go into your dream and locate the source of your trouble, then hopefully eliminate it.”
“Can you do that?” Pearl asked.
Luna nodded sagely. “Given what I’ve been told, I have every reason to suspect something is taking control of you while you sleep. To find out what, I must enter your subconscious.” She shook her head, eyes glittering with a distant pain. “I know too well what it is like to have harmed ponies while under the control of an outside force.”
Starlight stepped closer to Pearl and put a comforting hoof on her shoulder. “You see? I told you there are ponies who know just how you feel.”
For the first time, Pearl felt a tiny beacon of hope. To think the Princess of the Night herself could understand her pain! She stepped toward Luna, her look more confident.
“I will not allow anypony else to experience the same suffering I have gone through,” Luna said. “Nopony deserves that sort of pain.”
“Thank you, princess,” Pearl said, giving a respectful bow. “I am ready.”
“Then let us begin. Lay down on the floor. I shall cast the spell to put you asleep.”
Pearl did as the princess instructed and eased over to her side. She saw the moon-yellow aura of Luna’s magic. Then the darkness came.
***
“It is done. She’s asleep,” Luna informed the other ponies. “I do not know what I will find, but I trust I can count on you all in case anything goes awry.”
“Of course, princess,” Twilight said. The others nodded in agreement.
Luna shut her eyes and reached out to Pearl’s mind with her magic. Upon entering Pearl’s subconscious, Luna found herself surrounded by infinite darkness. Typically, in the dream realm, Luna was greeted by star-like glowing orbs and clouds of mist. Here, she found only a nothingness emptier than the darkest night. A chill like winter’s wind penetrated her to the core. Without the usual signs, she could not even be certain she was actually in the dream world.
This is not right. Some foul magic is surely at work here.
An image of Pearl as a filly faded into view in front of Luna, forcing her into a cautionary backstep as the young form flickered.
That flickering is unusual as well. It would seem something is interfering with her sleep, as I suspected. But what, I wonder?
“Lilac,” Luna heard a mare’s voice whisper. “What have you done?”
“Lilac?” Luna asked, wheeling around in search of the voice. “Who is Lilac?”
“Lilac... we warned you... the ruins... Burro’s Crossing,” a male voice said. “Our poor little filly!”
Luna glanced around, but other than the filly in front of her, she was still alone. “Who’s there? Show yourself!”
“Who am I?” That, from a voice Luna recognized as Pearl’s. Before Luna’s eyes, the little filly grew into Pearl’s adult form, as Luna knew her now. “What am I?” Pearl asked. “What’s wrong with me? I’m scared. So scared!”
“Fear not, Pearl Blush!” Luna shouted. “I will find the cause of this!”
“I’m sorry,” Pearl sobbed, the panic in her voice escalating. She spun around, breathing rapidly with terror gleaming in her eyes. “I never meant to hurt anypony. I’m so sorry! Somepony, please help me! Don’t let it take me again!”
Pearl’s form wisped way into the infinite sea of black. For just an instant, all that darkness flashed red. Then again. Luna whirled around one more time to be sure she hadn’t overlooked anything. She found nothing. The red flashed again.
What is this? I’ve never seen such corruption in a dream before. How was I not aware? Forgive me, Pearl, for not noticing it sooner.
Movement beneath Luna’s hooves tore her from her thoughts. Long black tendrils snaked their way to the point where Pearl had been sitting, converging to form one huge dark circle. The circle rose, taking the form of a huge eyeball with an evil red iris and slitted pupil.
“What in the world?” Luna wondered out loud as she gazed upon the apparition.
“Begone with you, Dreamwalker. This is none of your affair,” came a low voice distorted with a demonic drawl.
Luna gnashed her teeth and anchored herself. So, this fiend was the source of Pearl’s suffering! Luna had never seen its like before, but it would soon regret its actions. “When evil threatens the sleep and dreams of my subjects and attacks my country, that makes it every bit my affair!”
“You’re too late. This pony’s soul belongs to me now!” the eyeball spoke as it glared down on Luna in an attempt to intimidate her, for what good it would do against one who spent her hours in darkness. Luna had faced far worse horrors.
“No creature has the right to claim ownership of ponies’ souls!” Luna lowered herself and charged a spell in her horn. “Prepare yourself, fiend. I have come to vanquish you.”
The slitted pupil narrowed in a glare. “You will do nothing, Dreamwalker. This is my personal vessel of destruction! Destroy! Burn! Burn everything!”
A red glow surrounded the huge floating eyeball, forcing a gasp from Luna. It was the tactic of a coward, trying to banish her from the dream! Luna snorted with contempt.
“Think it will be that easy, do you? What say you to this!”
In a desperate last-ditch effort, Luna blasted the wretched eyeball with a spell of her own and then she snapped awake, gasping as her eyes flew open.
Luna was surrounded by Twilight Sparkle and her friends in the Castle of the Two Sisters. Pearl lay in front of her, still sound asleep.
“What happened?” Twilight asked. “Did you find out what’s wrong with her?”
Luna confirmed with a nod. “There is some kind of creature inhabiting her soul, but I’ve never seen nor heard of such a monster. It was powerful enough to cast me from Pearl’s dream, though I managed to sedate it before it did so.”
The others all looked to Pearl, then back to Luna, hoping for an answer.