//------------------------------// // A Morpheus Experience // Story: Diamonds and Dreams // by Applefai //------------------------------// Rarity tucks into bed after staying up late to finish an order for a client, her eyes felt heavy, but she was proud of what she had accomplished and couldn’t wait to hoof deliver the finished product in the morning. As Rarity fell asleep her dreams began to fill with the usual ribbons and garments as she envisioned future designs and patterns. She grabs a pen in her magic only to immediately gasp and drop it.  Looking at the pen, she picks it up again as her eyes grow wide. “How peculiar, I’m aware this time, last time I was aware I helped Luna defeat the Tantabus,” she says to herself as she jots down design ideas on a layout.  As she enjoys what seems to be a lucid dream, she runs out of fabric and goes to the supply closet to get some more.  Upon opening the door, she’s taken back to the endless expanse of hallway before her, she ventures inward hoping to find some more fabric to continue to try designs in her dream before she wakes up. As she walks down the endless hallway, she can’t help but to feel strange, she was never able to dream like this before, the only time was when she helped Luna and that was a few months ago. As the alabaster unicorn contemplates this ordeal, she finally reaches a door and opens it. She shields her eyes as she steps into a blinding light as if she had just stepped outside, she could smell a subtle sweetness in the air as she tried to open her eyes. Once her eyes adjusted to the light, Rarity opened her eyes and found her jaw dropping to the floor. She was not prepared for what she was looking at, she was in a magnificent garden, but instead of flowers, muffins adorned the various bushes and stems around her, even the trees sprouted the confectionery delight. Rarity was awestruck as she walked around the breathtaking landscape, the pond which she would think would be blue was instead a light brownish color; there were little light white disc floating in the pond acting as lily pads. Rarity couldn’t help herself, so she uses her magic to grab one of the floating discs and float it over to her. The white unicorn takes a sniff, getting a herbal scent as recognition flooded her brain. “It’s Earl Gray tea and this is an English muffin,” she says to herself as she takes a bite, her eyes lighting up at the taste of the tea soaked pastry. Rarity continues to walk around, unsure of where she might be heading. Her original goal had faded from her mind as she lost herself in this pastry paradise. As Rarity walks around, she gets a bit peckish seeing all these pastries adorning the landscape, she munches on the English muffin taken from the pond as she approaches a bush full of ripe muffins; Rarity gently picks one off it’s perch and takes a bite, the taste of blueberry flooding over her taste buds as a figure approaches her from behind. “Rarity, is that you?” the voice called out, making Rarity jump back a bit as she looked behind her. Rarity rubbed her eyes to make sure what she was seeing was real, standing before her was Derpy, clad in a red and white robe and a crown adorning her head.  “Derpy, what are you doing here?” Rarity asked, shocked to see one of her friends her. “I should be asking you that question, this is my kingdom,” Derpy replied. “Your….kingdom?” Rarity asked as she looked around. “Yes, this is my kingdom where I am the muffin queen,” Derpy replied, smiling brightly as she came closer and picked herself a blueberry muffin. “Well in that case, I’m terribly sorry to trespass,” Rarity said as Derpy smiled. “No need to apologize, all are welcome to muffin land, please come to my castle, we’ll have some tea and muffins,” the gray pegasus said as she led Rarity to her castle. When the two arrived at the castle, Derpy clapped her hooves and a pair of guards that resembled Doctor Whooves came forth and brought out a pair of chairs and a table. As they took their seats, the guards poured a cup of tea and served them with a smile before trotting off. “I have to say it’s nice to get a visit from you, Rarity,” Derpy said as she took a sip of her tea, a guard coming out and placing a plate full of muffins on the table. “I’m pleased to hear that, darling; but I must say that I don’t know how I round up here, I was just looking for more fabric,”Rarity replied as she took a ship of tea. “Hmmmmm,” Derpy said as she put a hoof to her chin. “I don’t know either, Muffinvania is cut off from Equestria’s mainland, but we do share an alliance,” Derpy said as she finished her tea. “Really?” Rarity asked, causing Derpy to smile.. “I know it’s pretty great,” Derpy said as she clapped her hands and the guards came back with a gift basket for Rarity, filled with muffins and a bottle of wine, lavender decorated the outside of the basket giving it a calming smell. “Here, take this gift basket before you go, as a memento of your visit to Muffinvania” Derpy said as her guards gave Rarity the parting gift. “Thank you, darling, I appreciate this divine gift,” Rarity said as she got up from her chair and made her way down the hallway. Rarity came to the castle doors and gripped the handle in her magic, pushing out into the world, Rarity was blinded by the light. Opening her eyes, Rarity saw that she was in her bed, wearing her silk pajamas as she laid all cuddled up in her blankets. Yawning loudly, Rarity hops out of bed. “What a strange dream,” Rarity said to herself as she made her way into the bathroom and turned on the shower. “I never had a dream like that before on my own, it was probably just a one time thing though,” Rarity concludes as she steps into the shower to get ready for the day.