With the guard's arrival, I was then escorted down crystalline halls. It's strange to say, but it's nicer walking within the castle than outside. Perhaps due to the true level of the floor, or maybe it’s because horse hooves are naturally acclimated to flat surfaces. I wouldn’t know anything about that sort of thing.
Up ahead, that endless sense of love magic grew. The aura it exuded seemed to throb and pulse with great power. Then it stopped. It made me wonder if that love magic was even there. Who just grows a sensation of love magic on impulse and then stops. Unless they…
My thoughts were interrupted as a pink-winged and horned mare trotted out of the room—a wide, gleeful smile upon her face. Her saunter was deliberate. Though faint, I can still feel the love magic upon her and on the other side…of that…door.
I'm not going to think about how she did it. I just know she probably was thinking of someone when she did. It wasn't passion or heat. It was love that pushed her to do that action.
A quick bump from the guard escorting me stopped me from eyeing the pink mare.
“Hey. Watch it. That mare is taken, sadly. The captain of the guard says he plans on marrying her.”
“Huh, I met him earlier, swell guy. We didn't have much to talk about.”
“Don’t worry about him. He's a big doofus. Just mention some nerd stuff, and he won't shut up. The dude’s like his sister, only with comics and not the whole scientific stuff.”
“I feel I met his sister, but can't tell anything about it.”
“Yeah, yeah. His sister is just the one and only student of the Princess. The lucky tramp…” He grumbled the last part. It seems resentment of the royal family is common no matter where I go.
“I mean, magic from royalty sounds nice enough to become a student under. I wonder what they're teaching her…” Let's see, Dream Magic is a no-go. Luna is learning it from me. That just leaves whatever magic Celestia uses. I can only speculate what she is teaching her only student, probably royal magic spells, such as the secrets to manipulate the sun and moon.
“Something about friendship.” He seemed to almost gag at that part. “I don't know. I don't get paid enough to know.”
“Friendship is magic?” It's not the first time I've seen ‘Friends Are My Power’ before. The whole thing happens in way too many isekai worlds. I know it's about joining forces to decimate the enemy, but pure and raw friendship magic is hard to come by. I've only felt it once, and it's with the Prince who saved my life. I still wish I could remember his face.
“Apparently. I don't know much about what she's teaching, but she was sent on a study vacation to some backwater town.” The guard spoke with plenty of venom. I assume it's because he wanted to date the student of the princess. It does seem like a good method to get into the princess’ good graces, but it won't last.
“Neat.”
We continued our walk until he stopped, prompting me to stop with his spear. Now before a wooden door with glass paneling. Pushing the door open for me, and it led to a pretty nice sight. There is a coffee table in the center, a couple of candles for lighting, and the banners of Equestria in the center. Shelves were neatly lined with books, and a couple of lovely cushions circled the coffee table
“We’re here. Her Majesty will be down to meet you down a moment.” He left me to my own devices, taking a turn and leaving. I have no idea where he's going, and I don't care.
Quickly entering the study, I sit on one of the cushions. The velvet soft luxury on my rear felt nice. It was a welcome change from a cheap hotel room. Berry Punch won't mind if I'm not there today, plus I'm now totally destitute. I got no money to my name!
Now what? I came here with no plan and no books to give to Luna. How do I show her the advancements of dream magic when I have no proof or study equipment for her? I really did just accept this with no plan.
I quickly shifted through the shelves, hoping to find an empty journal, book, or anything that could help at all. I found a couple of scrolls of parchment paper and an ink well labeled ‘Infinink.’ I can only assume it's infinite ink.
With my new study equipment ready, I took a few rolls and began writing down everything I knew, which is quite a lot. I'm jotting down the ins and outs of any dream magic I know of, mentioning memory viewing, dream manipulation, and nightmare intrusion. The last one seemed especially important, considering she used to be Nightmare Moon.
With the last of everything I know jotted down. I sit, and I wait for quite a while.
With the sun setting down behind me, I feel a strange sense of peace. It's been a hot minute since I've had anything to do; just be patient and relax. It allows my thoughts to clear up and shift through my mind. I wonder if I could feel at ease daily without worrying about my money situation or even my mortality.
It never hurts to be careful either, so as long as I can find a place within this world, I can be left to my own devices. Out of many deaths, I still hold true to one idea: Old Age. It's the only death I haven't experienced. I've had my body destroyed every which way. I've felt soul manipulation that has permanently scarred my soul and felt my mind deteriorate. All those deaths and I've never fallen into old age. I hope dying peacefully is the key to finding salvation because if it isn't, then I'll just give up.
I heard footsteps approaching, and my pony ears flicked toward the sound on their own, causing my head to turn. It was Luna, seemingly ready for the night, turning into the study. Her classic silver adornments litter her body as she sits across from me.
“It’s truly an honor to meet you outside the Dreamscape, Princess Luna.”
“Tis also a wondrous meeting with thou Anonymous. We are ready for any session thou hast prepared.”Her voice is positively booming with volume. Do royals sound like that up close, or is it just her? My ears are not taking this well.
“Well, first quick question. Do you usually talk that loudly?” I rub my poor ears.
Luna’s eyes widen as if suddenly realizing I'm right here. ”We-” she paused, though she blasted me loudly with her voice. I still kept my face straight and did not wince in pain. “-I would like to apologize. Sister has been teaching us—I mean, me—the ways of modern society. It's been a little difficult not to use the Royal We. I hope to mend this upon our arrival of Nightmare Night this upcoming fall.” She seemed to slump down a little. Was she ashamed of her inability to break habits? That's a little sad.
“Hey, don't worry about it. It only improves through practice, and I'm here to help.” I couldn't pat her on the shoulder, but the best I could do was verbally help.
“Yes. I thank you for this chance. Now, I’m ready to hear about Ponies' advancements in dream magic. Our capabilities to fight nightmares may be sharp and peerless, but even we haven't kept up with the times.” She seemed to draw some reading glasses. It held the same tone as her fur and placed them upon her muzzle, drawing some parchment for herself.
“Yes. Quite, just a little warning: The advancement I made for dream magic is a little, uh, volatile?” This seemed to spark her attention.
“Thou has spells that can harm our subjects?” GAH! I'm never ready for the volume of her voice!
“No! Not like that! Just things that can cause harm if used incorrectly.” My poor ears, and I thought the girls were bad enough for my hearing.
“Oh. I apologize for taking out the Royal We again.” I rub my ears.
“I mean, you could use it to harm your enemies...” A little hope, perhaps!
”Then thou hast no honour! We shall test the true strength of our enemies on the field in one one-on-one combat!” NOPE! THERE IS NO HOPE!
“Okay. Okay!” I shook my head until I could stop this ringing in my ears. “I still think it's best to show you either way. Just in case.”
“Hmph! If thou wishes.” When did she become like this? I don't understand women, especially horsewomen.
“Anyway. Let's just do the stuff I have written down so you can study, then we can do practical stuff when in the dreamscape.”
Luna could only nod as I used magic to slide my parchment down to her. “Memory viewing? Dream Magic can be used to search through memories?”
“Well, yeah, dreams can only be formed by things you have seen, even if you don't subconsciously remember that you saw them. So you can go a layer deep inside somepony or your own mind to see memories.”
“I had no idea the capabilities of dreams. We hast always used the dream realm to protect our little ponies?”
“Protect how?”
“From nightmares, our bodies being so intuned in magic when our mind has a nightmare it could cause effects that we did not intend to do whilst sleeping. Such as a dream of being crushed, we could be flattened in the waking world, or hast flattened an object nearby.”
“Nightmares are dangerous here then. Out of curiosity, what would happen if you died in a dream?”
“Then thou wouldn't feel unimaginable pain. Th-hmm-your body would feel that wound as a phantom pain for a day. Then it'll pass once magic has stabilized.”
“Huh. It seems we're teaching each other.”
“Yes, it seems so.”
This is a Tutoring Session for me and her. It's nice to get some information about this world.
Yet, my mind still itches. That statue, why was it so easy to stare at it?
Also, it feels a little stronger now. Too strong.
Wait a second!
“Hey Luna, do you feel that?”
“Feel what Anonymous?”
“Outside, somewhere…”
“Speak up. What are you talking about? If it’s dangerous magic you're absorbing, tell us now!”
“Chaos magic…I wasn't expecting a source to be nearby. I noticed a pink royal earlier. Do you perhaps have another royal around?”
“Thou must mean Cadenza, but the only other royalty here is my nephew Blueblood and he’s not...Discord.” Luna’s eyes slowly realize what was going on, a wave of panic shuttering through her body.
“Luna?”
“I must meet up with my sister!” With a flash she teleported away from me.
“Huh…” With that I turn my head outside. Why is the Sun and Moon dancing in the sky?