There came a noise from within like the sound of two thousand hogs.
I know not where it came from, or what could have caused such a noise. But it was enough.
Perhaps it was proof, evidence even, that I still held some semblance of power in this realm. In this world that I once knew and cherished. I had sunken hours, nay, years into wandering, transcending from plane to plane, seeking out that which haunts and that which ails.
At times, I found it in myself.
But tonight it came not from my throat, so I headed deeper.
The realm had changed since she took charge. It felt the same: tunnels, sprawling out into a nearly infinite set of directions, like a smoking room that crept on forever, or a train that never stopped. It rose and shook as if it were breathing, and I cherished every movement beneath my hooves.
But it was different.
It was… orderly, almost. I suppose that made sense. Something I hadn’t learned until Starswirl’s return was that this land changes. It adapts itself to the dreamwalker, morphing and shifting to their beliefs.
When I helmed this world it was sprawling, at times devastatingly so. It went on forever, with ends that seemed to curl and crash upon themselves like a wave destroying itself against the shore. Tonight, the halls and tight and immaculate. Everything is ordered rightfully so, and the perfection is unnerving.
It seems to know it for itself. Every few seconds the pillars and carpets writhe and twist violently, as if they were trying to force their way into freedom, only to snap back to their original positions.
I wander further, searching for the source of the noise.
It occurs again, louder this time but still far away.
Tonight this realm is a castle. Walls that resemble stone in their construction tower beside me, banners adorning their surface. Their design changes and morphs, at times nothing more than a mess of shape and color. At even intervals there are a set of doors, each leading to a different scene.
Again, it makes sense. She would have wanted some semblance of order and familiarity in something as chaotic and mischievous as this place. Perhaps that is why I was able to reenter, though I don’t belong here anymore.
Perhaps she planned this.
I turn right at a fork in the hall, letting my hooves and heart guide me. I worry not about trying to locate the source: this realm will bring it to me if I am patient enough.
I close my eyes, letting myself be immersed by the world. My ears stand straight up as they sift through the ambient noises: screaming and laughter, the beeping of hospital machinery, voices whispering indecipherable phrases. The air brings with it a variety of smells, as if expecting me to judge which is best. Perhaps the smell of smoke and ash, either from a fire or cigarette? The salt of the sea? Or the scent of fruit from an orchard?
It is not my place to make a decision, so I simply let each sense pass as soon as it arrives.
When I open my eyes it seems that I have progressed no further, but I pay it no mind. While this castle seems to be nothing more than an endless series of doors and walls, I know that in reality it is far more than that. Behind each door is a dream, bearing untold secrets and a unique beauty.
I’ve learned long ago that one does not navigate this realm of their own will. No, this realm will bring you whatever it is you seek: you yourself hardly need to make an effort to find it. In a way it is like a loyal pet, bringing its owner a toy in some astral game of fetch and return.
It has brought me the troubled dreams of ponies over the years, and I have worked to dispel them. But it has also brought me comfort when I have been hurt, solace when I am lost, and happiness in the darker times. And in one way or another, it helped me learn to forgive myself.
Truly, I am privy to more than anyone in Equestria may ever hope to know… or, more accurately, I was. That duty has fallen upon Twilight’s shoulders now. I taught her everything I knew, but perhaps I should have known the realm would see it fit to change the rules.
In a sense I suppose I feel a bit of relief. It feels comforting to be here again, to have some task to accomplish. Some may say that I am a fool to find comfort in that which is familiar, but this land was mine for longer than I could remember. ‘Twas a bitter day for me when it came time to turn it over.
I pause in front of a door. Its surface is like every other, but I feel the realm tugging me towards it. I listen, and from behind it comes the noise again. I light up my horn and swing it open, trotting through without sparing a second thought.
There are millions of shapes inside and twice as many colors. Everything blurs and erupts together, a perfect storm of artistic ability. I pay it no mind, for I will surely go insane if I try to process it. Some things in this realm are beyond comprehension: it is a waste of time to try and understand.
When the equivalent of the ground disappears from my hooves, I flare out my wings and continue wandering. The noise occurs again, but this time I can place it: it is like the squealing of wheels against the ground, the flying of sparks as they crash against the railing, the distant explosion of a terrible accident.
“No!”
And I hear her.
I let the realm guide me once again, passing through vibrant multicolored shades and abstract forms. I feel its energy lapping against my hooves eagerly, as if welcoming me back home. But this isn’t my home, not anymore.
She appears ahead of me.
Twilight’s horn glows and sparks in a magnitude of colors, her eyes white and wide. She screams in anguish, and a field of shapes and color swarm in towards her. With a blast of her horn she expells them and they retreat, circling around her like wolves howling in the night.
Tears stream down her cheeks as she screams again, flaring out her wings. “Please, don’t leave me,” she whimpers, talking to some unseen figure before her. “No! No! Please!” Her eyes are drowned in hues of white and her screams are worn and hoarse.
I know not what she sees in the shapes, but I can make a guess.
I sigh, conjuring a spell I had not thought to ever use again, and surge forwards. I land beside her and the assaulting forces recoil in shock. Twilight blinks, the white fading from her eyes as she gazes at me in awe. “L-Luna?!”
“Aye.” I extend a wing for her to hide behind, before turning to the massing forms before me. “I know that it may hurt you, but my time here has ended,” I declare. “You must accept her like you once accepted me.”
The shapes howl and whine, screeching like phantoms. Twilight recoils, but I pay it no mind. “I know,” I reply. “But you must let go.”
It whines again and I can’t help but chuckle.
“Perhaps someday. But not tonight. Nor tomorrow.”
With a final screech, the shapes begin to retreat fully back to the realm around them.
Twilight, shaking and trembling, turns to me in awe. “Luna? What happened?”
“Spike informed us that you were distressed,” I explain. “Screaming in your sleep while floating above your bed. I was able to enter the dream realm to see what ails you.”
Twilight shakes her head in disbelief. “R-right. I was trying to make sense of this place, and it got… hostile. I didn’t know it was personable!”
A grin tugs at the corners of my mouth. “Pay it no mind. The dream realm behaves like a dog, or a small foal. You only need tell it what you seek, and it will bring it to you.”
Twilight tilts her head to the side, eyes sparkling in curiosity. “But… how can I if I don’t understand this place?”
“The dream realm is not one meant to be understood,” I reply. “It is not a place to exist in. It can sense your fear, Twilight, and that makes it scared. Perhaps it is best to consider it more of… a friend.”
Twilight blinks. “So you’re saying I need to… befriend it? How?”
“Are you not the Princess of Friendship?” I counter.
She mutters something in disbelief before turning in some unseen direction. “So… I’m sorry we got off on the wrong hoof,” she shouts. “But since I’m the Princess now, I have to learn how to use what you have to offer. I’m sorry I tried to morph you into something I understand. I promise I won’t do it again.” Her voice drops to a whisper as she turns back to me. “Like that?”
Before I reply, the walls of our room shift, and a door appears to our right. It swings open of its own accord, leading back to the ever-familiar castle. “I think yes, Twilight Sparkle,” I muse.
We cross through it and reappear in the castle hall, but this time it has changed. It is no longer tight and uniform, and the doors no longer appear at even intervals. In fact, there is no longer a ceiling: chunks of stone levitate in the air above, but beyond that an endless blanket of black expands farther than the eye can see.
“You see, Twilight,” I say, “the dream realm is not something that you can navigate with a map and compass. You must wander, and let the realm be privy to your thoughts and feelings. Only then will it bring you what you seek.”
Twilight chews her lip in thought before nodding. “I-I understand, Luna. Thank you.”
I turn away with a nod, but Twilight calls out to me.
“Luna? You said this realm is like a friend,” she begins. “I can only imagine how much it must have meant to you. I know you’re not a Princess anymore, but… this is more your home than it is mine. Would you like to come back? I could definitely use some help with reaching out to all these ponies.”
I blink, not expecting the offer. The realm seems eager to have me, and I feel it darting between my legs like a frantic animal, begging me to stay.
I look around, at the endless castle around me.
“I would love to, Twilight,” I answer.
Twilight exhales in relief with a nod. “Thank you, Luna.”
We exchange a hug before she turns to gaze upon the world before her. “This place… it’s so beautiful,” she says. “I guess I really should learn to dream bigger, huh?”
“Of course,” I reply with a wide smile. “Of course.”