"Morning!" Crescent pounced upon her mother, snuggling her warmly as she sent her day's memories joyfully to Luna.
Luna sat up, becoming aware of everything Crescent had done that day. "You were busy." She gently hugged the small pony. "But you don't need to do that."
"You don't need to do a lot of things." She sat before Luna with a smile. "But you do anyway. Good morning!"
"Good morning." Luna leaned in to touch noses gently. "Though it is hardly morning for you. I would ask why you are wearing so much, but you just told me." She ran a hoof along Crescent's new dress and Crescent's back at once. "It looks good on you."
"Thanks!" Crescent did a little twirl before Luna, beaming with obvious pride and happiness. "Rarity's a very nice pony. Maybe lots of other little ponies like me will get nice dresses too. Or suits or whatever." She leaned against Luna softly, looking up at her mother's mane as she quietly admired it.
Luna returned the gentle lean, letting the weight of Crescent comfort her. "You are an ambitious young mare. I love that about you." She ran a hoof over Crescent's cheek. "Are you growing hungry?"
"If that's an invitation to your breakfast, the answer is a big yes." Crescent hopped to her little hooves. "I want to spend more time with you. Let's do something exciting."
"We will begin with 'exciting' breakfast." Luna stepped from her bed, Crescent trailing joyfully behind. "You know I spend most days patrolling dreams."
"Then we can do that." Crescent trotted along with more effort than Luna, making up for her short stature. "After breakfast." She had a little skip to her gait, with her tail bouncing in the wind behind her. "And I love you!" She had said that out of nowhere. "And I'll always love you."
"And I love you too." Luna waited for Crescent to catch up. "Every minute."
"Even when you're mad?" Crescent had to ask, since she did mess up sometimes, and Luna sometimes got upset.
"Even when I'm mad." Luna opened the door to her bedroom, and Crescent zoomed through, eager for the day. "You make me proud, even when you cause trouble. But you also learn from it."
"I try!" Crescent remembered something and her horn glowed as she drew a ring out. "This one's for you."
Luna took the ring in her own magic, floating it up before her eyes. "A ring? What do I do with that? I appreciate the gift, but--"
Crescent took the ring back with her magic and plunked it down right on Luna's horn where it fit snugly once it was pushed down far enough. "Ta da! Now you're even prettier, which shouldn't even be possible."
Luna chuckled softly at that, a warmth spreading in her heart as she followed the bouncing filly to the dining hall, where, despite the early hour, a meal was laid out for them both.
"Yay." Crescent slipped into her chair and Luna took hers. "More food!" She shoveled bites into her mouth. "You know, I don't need to eat."
Luna perked a brow at that. "All ponies need to eat."
"Dreams don't need to eat." Crescent nodded with confidence at her logic. "I don't get hungry, or thirsty. I just like doing those things. I am a dream. I was a nightmare, but now a dream. A good dream." She crossed her arms across her front, little hooves bobbing. "Is that bad?"
Luna lifted an ear. "I created you. If your nature was bad, I would be the one who did the bad thing here, not you. You hardly had a say in your own creation. I dare say none of us do. It is one thing that binds all creatures together." The ear relaxed to the side as she ate her food far more calmly than Crescent was. "Now, I do require this food, so let's quietly enjoy this meal."
"Sorry." Crescent went back to eating, though far less quickly than she had been moments prior.
Once Crescent had calmed, Luna posed a question. "Your mind seems to be a fascinating place. Would you like to continue your studies on dreamology?"
"Yes!" Crescent nodded, licking the plate clean, or cleanish. "But I do remember most of it, from you, mama."
"Remembering distantly from another pony is not the same as living it." She took a gently pull of a drink. "Are you--" She aborted the thought, realizing Crescent was ready to stop eating whenever. "Shall we begin our dream journeys?"
"Let's do it." Crescent hopped from her chair, but paused, looking back to the table, and Luna's half-finished food and drink. "Maybe after you finish?"
Luna chuckled gently at the reminder of her unfinished meal. "I'm full enough." She stood from the table. "Follow me, please."
They didn't go to Luna's bedroom, but her study instead. "It's good to not mix sleep and work," she reminded as she settled down. "I know you are aware of how to step into the dream world, so let us do that."
The two went still. When Luna pressed to the other side, Crescent was there, smiling gently. The little filly was a dream creature, entering the dream world was a very natural thing for her to do. "Hm."
Crescent perked at the noise. "What is it, mama?"
"I was just thinking." Luna started out among the infinite stars that were pony dreams. "Perhaps I am underestimating you. You are a dream. This is your world. I merely trespass here."
Crescent scrunched her lips, rolling her tongue as she tried to figure that out, then gave up on it. "Can we go visit somepony's dreams? Like..." She had many someponies she wanted to see, but only one she would really seek out. "Twilight. Twilight is a friend, and I think we could visit her."
Luna smiled with the thought of their new princess. "I imagine she would be delighted to have you. I will show faith. You have given us very little reason to be concerned as a waking filly. Prove you are just as reliable in the dream world." She waved ahead at the glittering castle of crystal of Twilight's that hadn't been there a moment before. "Enjoy your visit."
Crescent grinned wide at the new feature of the dream world, trotting off towards it, her hooves making clops on the golden surface beneath her as Luna watched her go, pride filling her heart, and not a little concern at what the future might hold for them both. Though she did wonder if she was doing her own job properly a moment before she shook that off. Crescent could be trusted.
The filly burst through the doors of the dream castle to find Twilight slumbering, with Spike not too far removed. They were just the entrances to the real dreams, Crescent could feel. She could enter either as easily. But which did she pick? She had meant to go for Twilight, but that was before she saw the little sleeping dragon to consider as well.
"Well, I'll be there." She knew that going in, she could see them both, if she chose, and her presence would be noticed by at least one of them. So she decided to act the part and entered Spike's dreams.
The small dragon, made larger, and, in some cases, monstrous, slept peacefully until the sudden sound of hooves from a small filly caused him to rise. "Who dares intrude in my cave?" the dream Spike demanded, rising to his considerable height, deadly claws scraping the ground beneath him.
"Just a friend," called out Crescent gently, tail wagging. "We haven't met before, but that's easy to fix."
Spike hiked a scaled brow at the little intruder. "Aren't you a little scared?" He lifted a terrible claw towards Crescent. "I could slice you to pieces, or burn you in fire."
"You wouldn't do that. That's mean." Crescent walked towards him without any fear. "Why do any of those when you could play instead? You're a nice dragon."
"Nice dragons are weak!" roared out Spike. "I'm a big dragon, tough and strong."
"You are tough." Crescent arrived at one of Spike's clawed hands and leaned against it. "You are very strong."
"But you aren't scared." Spike huffed out a ring of smoke.
Crescent snuggled against a great finger. "Being scary isn't something you need to be. You're pretty great just like you are, a very nice dragon and good friend."
Spike could smell the honesty and acceptance radiating from the small filly and sank down to the floor, where he was much closer to her in size and eye level. "You are pretty cool." His gaze shifted. "But we're not alone."
Crescent nodded in understanding. "We're not. Your dreams and mine are linked. Mine are like the sky, and yours like the land, but we're connected, and I can go anywhere I want."
Spike stood up straight with surprise. "So you could have gone to Twilight first?"
"Yep!" Crescent beamed with pride. "But you're a friend. And I'd like to be your friend."
Spike barked out a laugh at that. "Which is it? You can't be my friend and also want to become my friend." With a sudden pop, Spike was his little self, just an adolescent dragon, small, adorable by many measures. "You look like Luna."
"Mama!" Crescent bounced at the mention of Luna. "I am her filly. Nice to meet you."
"Yeah?" Spike offered a hand and they shook gently. "I'm Spike."
Crescent nodded sagely. "I know that."
Spike narrowed his eyes with suspicion. "Are you sure?"
"Mostly sure." Crescent looked up. "Would you like to go and see Twilight with me?"
Spike looked confused. "You were already there, and you didn't wake her?"
Crescent inclined her head. "I wasn't there in the waking world. I won't visit that way. But I could take you to her dream. She trusts you, I think? Let's go." She waved back towards the mouth of the cave. "If you want?"
Spike grew curious, following Crescent towards the exit. "Sure? If you can do that? Is that possible?"
Crescent bit Spike's hand, not painfully, but to draw it along as things flowed smoothly around them. They pressed into the space between dreams and Crescent held Spike's astral form close as they dived right into Twilight's dream.
They landed with a thump up on some benches. There were many ponies, watching Twilight give a sermon about something. The dream wasn't being very specific about what the sermon was about exactly. "Is this how ponies see her?" asked Crescent, looking around them at the crowd.
"No, it's how she sees herself." Spike seemed certain of this. "Or her inner doubts or fears. I dunno."
Crescent's gaze wandered along the audience until they saw one of the ponies there, Princess Celestia. The urge to rush over and greet her was overwhelming, but Crescent held it back. Chatting with idle dream figments would get her nowhere. "Let's say hello."
She raised a hoof and Twilight called on her. "Your lecture is inspiring, thank you for sharing it, but I'd like to talk to you."
This surprised Twilight, but her eyes cleared as she emerged from her dream state, just a little. "Oh, hello there. Spike? What are you doing here? I didn't think you had much interest in the practical applications of friendship as magic." She smiled at the filly that had drawn the attention of her companion, but her expression grew worried when she saw who it was. "Princess Luna? Oh no. What's happened?" She looked around, but found nopony else there.
"Oh, nothing." Crescent waved a hoof to dispel the worries. "I'm her filly, not her. We've met before, remember. Silly dream fog."
"Dream fog?" But, since it had been brought up, Twilight slowly shook off the last of that fog Crescent had mentioned. "Crescent! What are you doing in my dream?"
Spike chuckled, following along. "Poking around, it seems. She visited mine first. I was a big tough dragon, rawr." He flexed his claws, for all the danger they didn't radiate. "And now we're bothering you."
"Neither of you are bothering me." She spread her wings to hug both of them. "Just surprised me, is all. How can I help you?"
Crescent ducked out from under the wing embrace. "I wanted to share my day with you. I don't know you too well, and that's sad."
"It's sad?" Twilight considered that a moment. "Well, it is good to spend time with friends. I suppose there's not much risk of it harming my work, so go right ahead. My dream is your dream for the time being."
Crescent beamed and started to prance about, showing off her dress to her friends, and talking about all the fun she had had in Canterlot and meeting Rarity, and Sassy, and how her days were spent.
Twilight nodded slowly along with it all. "Rarity had mentioned her shop. I'm glad to hear it's going well. Making a line for younger ponies sounds like a marvelous idea. Spike?"
"Pass." He waved it away. "I'm not a foal. But when she makes me a suit for a dragon, it's always looking good." He was wearing a suit then, thinking about it. Such was the nature of the dream world. "See? Dapper!"
"Very," laughed out Twilight. "Now, I need to ask, but will I remember any of this when I wake up? I don't often remember my dreams very well."
"Not sure," admitted Crescent with a shrug. "You'll have to tell me what happens."
"I can do that." Twilight rose from her seat, the dream vanishing around them to leave a quiet landscape of peaceful grassland. "For now, let's have fun. You wanted to play, I think?"
"That's right." Crescent smiled back at Twilight with enthusiasm. "Tag!" She reached out with her hoof, touching Twilight on the shoulder and ran. "You're it!"
Twilight stared as her friends vanished before her and the world spun. She woke up in her bed, panting heavily with the unexpected departure. "Spike?" She slid to the floor. "Are you there?" But they didn't sleep as close together since moving to the castle. Fortunately, she did know where he was, and soon was at his door, knocking gently.
Spike opened the door. "You had the same dream, right?"
"Yes." Twilight slipped inside, her magic closing the door. "But then I woke up suddenly. I thought--" She frowned. "I thought we were going to play, but then it ended. Did something happen? Is Crescent alright?"