Chapter Eight: Dreamwalking
Luna could tell when night had fallen, ponies were already asleep on the ship. A few of the clones were awake, some were patrolling the halls and the remaining awake clones on the bridge. Closing her eyes Luna cast the spell that allowed her to dream walk and keep an eye on all those dreaming. It had been a while since she had been among the stars her powers increasing.
The lights, Dream Stars as Celestia called them as they were the way that Luna viewed the dreams. A lot of them were from terrified ponies, Spike was no exception. Lowering her head she walked into the first dream.
Rarity was sitting silently amongst the ruins of Canterlot Boutique. The clothing in shreds, they sky outside grey. Her form was her prior appearance but more frazzled instead of the injured and short mane she was sporting in the waking world. Rarity sniffled as she hand stitched at something muttering. “I have to fix this. I have to fix this.”
Dread grew in Luna’s stomach as she walked around seeing exactly what she was working on. It was a very injured Sweetie Belle. Luna reached out with her hoof and placed it on Rarity’s shoulder saying. “She only did what you would have done if you had not sustained any injuries. Your parents will protect her, I know they will.”
Placing her hoof under Rarity’s chin she turned her head towards her as she continued. “After all they raised you and kept you safe.”
Rarity sobbed giving Luna a hug and she stroked her hair, her horn glowing as the scene began to change. The tattered clothes weaving themselves back together around the mannequins. Rarity looked around before smiling as Luna gave her a last piece of advice. “Remember gems are not just beautiful but strong.”
Rarity looked back as Luna exited the dream watching the star for a moment to see Rarity thinking about what she had told her. Her facial expression changing to a slight smile before Luna turned away. All the ponies were having problems, some were dealing with them. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie hadn’t fallen asleep yet, something she knew she had to deal with. Applejack even knew when to sleep despite how broken it was. She took a deep breath before moving on to the next dream.
Luna jumped as explosions went off around her. She hadn’t expected the next dream to be so harsh. ‘I need to remember that I need to return to the realm of the Dream Stars before going into dreams with a widened scope of sleeping creatures.’ Luna thought as she continued to walk through the battlefield. She knew that she would have to replicate the appearance of the most common being. She did not know if this was a dream of a pony or a random citizen of the galaxy. When she saw one of the troopers fall she jumped quickly scanning the form and transformed. She grew in height, her limbs were rearranged as was her face, and the only things remaining was her horn and wings. A cloak was draped around her shoulders and a hood was covering her head. She walked through the battlefield. Ahead of her was familiar white and blue armor. He was yelling out orders to the rest of the troopers. He looked up and Luna turned her head seeing a large metallic creature walking towards her and began to fire. Luna raised her hand producing a barrier blocking the shots. Her horn glowed, freezing everything around her. Letting out a sigh she turned to look at the trooper asking. “Apologies for interrupting your dream Rex.”
Rex stared at her for a good long while before asking. “Princess Luna?”
“Yes, I was unaware of whose dream this was so I took the form of the most prominent creature residing in the dream.” Luna explained before looking down at her form. “This is my first time doing this in a dream… should I not do this?”
“It would be for the best to do this unless you know who's dreaming.” Rex chuckled, taking off his helmet. “And no problems about the interruption. There isn’t much for me to dream about, it’s nice to have a break. The dream isn’t so bad, it’s one of the better ones.”
“They’re worse?” Luna felt a headache coming on as she began to realize how massive her job has just become. She sat down on a nearby rock taking a deep breath. Rex placed a hand on her shoulder asking. “Are you alright?”
Luna retook her pony form saying. “I am not sure how I’m going to handle this now. I haven’t cared for all the dreams for over five thousand years. I can barely handle doing this after being sealed for a thousand. I help plenty of ponies get through problems but now….”
“It’s just gotten a whole of a lot more difficult.” Rex said, sitting down next to her. “How do you normally help?”
“Talking and discussing the problems… or in some cases present a much more calming and peaceful dream. What some would find peaceful.” explained Luna looking around and Rex looked at the sky before asking. “What kind of dream would you give me?”
Luna’s horn glowed as she scanned Rex’s memories and projected just a simple scene. With his fellow soldiers laughing. Some climbed to their feet and saluted. Rex smiled before looking back seeing Luna vanish into another dream. His back straightened and he saluted her.
The next dream belonged to Nurse Snowheart, it was of her panicking about losing patients. Luna knew that she must have lost one shortly after arriving on the ship. She did know how Snowheart’s dreams worked. If it was a good day at work, then her dreams would be a relaxing day at work. If she had lost a patient then it would be of her losing patient after patient. Something that rarely happened after her release from the moon. Luna couldn’t do much knowing that Snowheart was one of the few who could work through her own problems in a single night. ‘When she actually sleeps.’ Luna thought, shaking her head, but made lavender arrangements to help Snowheart’s dream. She tapped her on the shoulder causing Snowheart to look back at her and relaxed. The two chatted for a moment, just until Snowheart calmed down slightly. She thanked the Princess for her time and said. “If I can’t handle the rest of my dreams, then I can’t handle my job when I wake up.”
Luna nodded her head before exiting the dream.
The next dream she entered was probably worse than Rex’s. This time the battle was in the city, Luna had to take a human form again. Two humans running through the streets, one carrying a child. Luna froze as she saw them hiding the child, the next moment she was watching the parents begin to close the doors. She felt fear surge from the boy, so much fear that began feedback to her, going on instincts she hugged the boy. Her wings wrapped around the both of them as she froze what she knew to be a memory. The boy turned, looking up at her as she pet his hair whispering holding back a sob. “I am sorry, but this cannot be. Child, tell me, is this normal?”
The boy didn’t say anything but just shrugged his shoulders. Yet he didn’t fight to get out of her hold instead looking at the dark wings. He placed a hand against the wings stroking them for a moment causing her to smile. Her horn glowed as she changed the area to them sitting on the grass looking up at the stars. The boy looks at them, not saying a word, but she could tell he was calming down. Her horn glowed as she searched for anyone who could remain with the boy. His parents and people wearing armor appeared all around him. Letting go of the boy she flew upwards taking her original form not noticing the boy watching her as she exited the dream.
Only for her to find herself in a dream surrounded metal walls. Anakin walked towards an office, his shoulders straight. He was tense, not even noticing Luna’s presence, as the doors opened revealing the Emperor and Ahsoka Tano. She turned around a quick glare turning to a familiar smile. She was hiding something.
“Ah, Skwalker.” Palpatine said politely before his eyes glanced behind him seeing a group of Jedi with him. He didn’t say a word but the tension in the air was heavy.
“Chancellor Palpatine, your crimes as a Sith Lord are at an end.” a dark skinned human male spoke watching Palpatine warily. “You are under arrest.”
Palpatine’s eyes slid from the Jedi to Anakin, he was not surprised. Luna had only seen mild annoyance when his meeting with Celestia went unexpectedly.
“Are you threatening me Master Jedi?” hissed Palpatine and Anakin looked at the Jedi who had spoken prior before saying. “You will not be harmed if you come quietly. The Senate will decide your fate.”
“Fools.” Palpatine growled, his eyes narrowing. “I AM the Senate.”
That was when Ahsoka moved forward two lightsabers flying into her hands and activated. Anakin felt the world slow as she positioned herself in front of Palpatine. Luna felt the grief and disbelief her head lowering. ‘This… this must be what Celestia felt.’ she thought as the Jedi grabbed ahold of their lightsabers and activated them.
“Ahsoka, move. Please don’t do this.” Anakin ordered and Ahsoka began to laugh saying. “You are NOT my master. I serve the Chancellor.”
Anakin’s head lowered before he looked at Luna as the whole area froze. She walked forward saying. “This is where it began.”
“Yes.” Anakin breathed watching when Luna stopped next to him. “This is when she revealed her allegiance to the Emperor. When she officially became his apprentice, when she fell to the Dark Side.”
“When the darkness won.” Luna spoke quietly looking at Palpatine, her breath hitching as she held back tears. “Tell me, please tell me that you are not the last Jedi.”
“The Order is no more.” Anakin told her before placing his hand on her head kneeling down. He felt Luna shake as she looked away hiding her sadness. Her next words dug into his heart. “I know that you blame yourself for this. That you did not see her fall into darkness and shadows. No matter how busy you were you should have seen this and did something to prevent it.”
Luna strode forward her magic casting aside the scene bringing him into the cloudy dreamscape of various blues and purples. A tall and lean black pony appearing in front of them before opening teal eyes with slitted pupils.
“My sister believed the exact same thing when I fell and transformed into Nightmare Moon. That she was solely responsible.” Luna continued as she pressed her hoof in front of Nightmare Moon revealing that it was her reflection in the mirror. “However… you, my sister. You did more than we could ask for and yet through jealousy and anger we could not… cannot see. We want to focus on those negative feelings, that we were always cast aside or looked down upon.”
Anakin approached the mirror seeing a figure in black armor staring back at him.
“However, the future is never certain. My sister never gave up hope, she never stopped grieving, yet she continued on. She knew that we would be reunited once again.” Luna whispered as Anakin looked down at her. The reflection doing the same as the mirror faded away into the clouds.
“Ahsoka made her choice, just as I did. She did not listen, she was not willing to give up the power she found. She wanted to be seen, wanted to be heard….” Luna shook her head. “At least, that is what I gained from this. With you, there is hope, hope that you can reach her… or help someone else reach her.”
“Is that what Celestia did for you?” inquired Anakin and Luna looked up at him before nodding her head once. “How?”
“Twilight Sparkle, her prized student. Risking everything she sent her to Ponyville, to not only learn about the Magic of Friendship but to use the Elements of Harmony to bring me back.” Luna shook her head remembering that moment. “Yet deep down… I wanted to come back. To once again see my sister again. I was alone for one thousand years, while Nightmare Moon plotted her revenge, I grieved and called out for anyone to help me. I now know Celestia was at least listening.”
Anakin smiled, patting Luna on the head again saying. “Then I’ll be listening too. If you can come back, so can Ahsoka.”
They sat there silently watching the Dream Stars float by.
‘I know she will.’