Dreamer - Chapter 3
The days couldn’t have passed more slowly after that.
With Topaz being absent more and more on what Twilight Sparkle called, “research”, Dreamer found himself alone with his thoughts more often than he would have liked. Of late, thoughts were a dangerous thing, voices of doubt that kept his mind hurtling one way or another.
Pale Rose is the most beautiful pony you’ve ever seen!
She barely knows you exist. Topaz is your best friend!
Exactly! I don’t want to ruin what we have. I don’t want to lose her.
Losing the blind unicorn was another concern that gnawed at his consciousness. In the few times that he had managed to speak to her, she seemed....flustered. Stammering, spacing out frequently, never quite looking him in the eye. All of this served to add one more thing to the growing pile of problems.
Open Book was hiding something.
Of course she is. She doesn’t want you getting jealous of Little Miss Magic. They could be behind that tower making out or something-
Dreamer clapped his hooves to his head, trying to physically push the bitter thoughts down. Laying on his bed brought him none of the solace he associated with being in his own bedroom. The last thing he wanted to be was alone.
When did life get so complicated? Why couldn’t he be like the heroes from his stories, the ones that always knew without a shadow of a doubt who they loved? For them, love was as beautiful as the stars in the sky, as powerful as the waves of the sea, and as constant as the-
He sat up slowly.
Maybe he wasn’t alone.
Silently, as to not wake his slumbering parents, he slid off his soft mattress, his hooves making the slightest of clip clop’s as he tip-hoofed to his window.
There, still as bright as the night he had first seen it, hung the moon.
He looked up in awe at the image of a pony’ head on its ivory surface. A pony who seemed trapped up there in the sky. Cold. Isolated.
Alone.
And so the young silver colt spoke to the night sky.
Dreamer told the Mare in the Moon everything. About Topaz, about Pale Rose, about Twilight Sparkle, about the whole harrowing situation. He even included his wishes, his desires to be more like the chivalrous protagonists of his myths and fables. He spoke of the way his heart fluttered in his chest at the sight of Rose’s elegant beauty, and how his heart warmed to hear the soothing voice that could only belong to his best friend.
His own voice was little more than a whisper, but something in his heart told him that the pony could hear him nonetheless. It occurred to him that he didn’t even know this pony, whether it was a male or a female, or what it’s cutie mark was, or even if it had a cutie mark. All he knew was that, like him, it was alone.
And after he finished his quiet prayer, he felt....lighter. As if a great weight had been taken off his chest. He had told somepony about his troubles, and by confiding in them, he had lessened the burden.
“So, that’s basically it. Topaz has been with Twilight more and more recently, and it’s just so nerve-wracking to think about-” Dreamer stopped mid sentence, then groaned to himself and put a hoof to his brow. He chuckled ruefully.
“Jeez. Listen to me go on and on. I mean, what do you know about jealousy, right?”
Still smiling warmly, he looked back up at the Moon.
“Still....”
“I don’t know who you are, or how you got there,” Dreamer murmured, “But, thank you. For listening.”
Turning, he trotted back to his warm bed, ready to slip into the dusty reaches of his dreams, when a odd sound reached his ears. Looking back toward the window, he saw a piece of paper, blown by the wind, had stuck itself to the glass, and was fluttering against it. He almost dismissed the sheet as random trash, but something unexplainable compelled him to grab it.
The paper had nearly shaken itself free, and had been swept off by a gust of wind until Dreamer’s teeth caught it, holding it tight. Closing his window, he smoothed the crumpled sheet on the floor of his room and began to read.
THE PARTY OF A MILLENIUM!
That’s right everypony! The Summer Sun Celebration is here at last, and it’s bigger than ever! This year will mark the thousandth Celebration to date, so you can bet your flank that there’ll be one hay of a party to get throw! And what a party it will be, when it’s hosted by none other than Pale Rose, daughter of the rich, famous, and quite stunning supermodel, Fleur de Lis!
So, whether you want to hear the latest gossip, find your Soul of Solstice, or just party hard, come on down to the Turris Solis, just south of the royal palace, on the eve of the Summer Sun Celebration to dance till the sun comes up! See you there!
Dreamer sat back on his haunches. He had forgotten how close the Celebration was with all that had been going on. Being the Royal Capital of Equestria, Canterlot always threw a massive festival for it, even if it wasn’t being hosted there that year. Typically, Canterlot’s youth put together their own parties to precede the event, and Dreamer was certain that other cities in Equestria did the same. He vaguely remembered somepony mentioning that the Celebration was in some quiet little village named Ponyville this year, but he had never heard of the place. His mind wandered back to the flyer.
If Pale Rose is hosting a party before the Celebration...
The answer came to him in a flash. It was all so simple! Everypony knew the tradition of the Souls of Solstice. When the sun was first raised by Princess Celestia, she selected three pairs of ponies to begin the great civilization of Equestria. These ponies became known as the Souls of Solstice, and their love for one another became legend. This spawned a tradition that was passed down through the ages: everypony has a special somepony, somepony that they treasure above all others. During the Summer Sun Celebration, it is not uncommon to ask or be asked by that pony to be Souls of Solstice.
Of course, the tradition was far from perfect. Dreamer had heard stories from ponies who had been Souls of Solstice with somepony else, only to have their relationship fall apart later on.
He pushed those thoughts away. He couldn’t afford to think like that. This was his one shot to set things straight! All he had to do was go to the party and ask Pale Rose to be his Soul of Solstice. If she said yes, then he would know that the feeling was mutual, and he could finally be with the filly of his dreams. If she said no, then maybe he could have some closure on how she felt about him, and he could try and ask Topaz to be Souls of Solstice instead.
And what if they both say no?
The tiny voice in his head stopped him cold. A pit formed in his stomach as he contemplated the grim outcome.
“If they both say no...” he whispered to himself.
Dreamer sighed.
If they both said no, he’d just have to deal with it. He wasn’t sure what life would be like if he didn’t have somepony to love--or dream of loving, anyway--but then again, he wasn’t really sure of anything anymore.
He took a deep breath. Shaking his head, he tried to rid himself of the dark thoughts. He had been given an opportunity and he was going to use it. For better or worse.
Rolling up the party flyer, Dreamer walked over to the desk next to his window and placed it neatly in one of the drawers. Satisfied that it was safe and sound he turned once more to get back in bed, and again, he stopped, for something had occurred to him.
He turned back toward the window, where the Mare in the Moon was still silently watching.
He had prayed, and it had answered.
Smiling warmly, he spoke to the moon once more.
“I don’t know what will come of this, or, hay, even if it’s a good idea. But...thanks. For everything.”
Dreamer climbed into his warm bed, and drifted off to sleep. The Eve of the Summer Sun Celebration was tomorrow.
He had a long day ahead of him.
══════════════════════════════════════
A/N: In case you didn't notice, the whole Souls of Solstice idea isn't exactly mine. I asked permission to use it from the lovely shortskirtsandexplosions. Stop whatever you're doing and go read Background Pony. Right now. I'm serious.
Then go cry.
(Seriously though SS&E is amazing why can't I be as good as him damn it all aaaagh)