The town of Manehatten is small compared to the sprawling metropolis it will become in a thousand years, but it does have a market and the amenities that are to be expected in an earth pony settlement in ancient Equestria. Roughly the size of Ponyville, it contains a blacksmith for making ponyshoes and tools, grist and saw mills for making bread and cutting timber, an inn, a few taverns, and dozens of shops and stalls in market row. The streets bustle with activity and chatter with earth ponies of all shapes and sizes eager to exchange their bits for goods and vice versa. There are very few signs of government authority here save for a dozen or so patrolling marshals armed with hoof-bows and steel toed shoes ready to arbitrate disagreements and if necessary rope down (or execute) criminals.
Dream finds the whole setting marvellously interesting, looking back and forth at all the interesting sights she has never laid eyes on before. The crowds are immense, and considering she had assumed these earth ponies wouldn't be nearly as numerous as this it makes her feel rather out of place.
"Come on!" insists Sweetie Pie excitedly as she guides the princess and Buck through the busy throngs.
"I don't have time for this," muses Buck in frustration, "I've got errands to run and only a day to do it."
"Don't worry about it," insists Dream thoughtfully, "I'm sure Sweetie and I can hold things together."
Sweetie doesn't seem to notice the dissention, so intent is she on guiding a new customer to her mother's bakery. The sweet smell of fresh cakes being baked wafts through the air, demonstrating that it isn't that far off.
"Meet me at the town hall then, when the two hands on the clock tower are pointing straight down," Buck hollers over the roar of the crowd from a few metres back.
Dream nods in return, before carrying on after her enthusiastic new guide. For the most part onlookers are ignoring her, for it's not uncommon for unicorns to come down to market every now and then. So long as they buy things, they're usually (but sometimes reluctantly) welcome and Dream is no exception.
Puddingcake Bakery is a well built solitary structure on its own near the centre of town. The building is fairly elaborate with ingredient storage fenced in on the side and a pair of iron smokestacks emitting a steady stream of smoke from the churning ovens inside. Eager customers are lined up outside the front entrance waiting for the next fresh batch to be ready for sale, and judging from their cheerfulness it's going to be a good one. A single earth pony marshal is sitting in front of the only doorway, keeping things in order with a steady eye and a particularly deadly looking hoof-bow. Her first reaction to the approach of Sweetie and her strange new guest is to rise to her feet to meet them.
"Mighty odd friend you've got with ya Sweetie," comments the marshal suspiciously, "I haven't seen ya travel with a horn head before."
Despite her serious expression, Sweetie's doesn't seem bothered by her.
"Oh hi Whiptail… she's just a customer for our new cookies! We're going in to see daddy for a few minutes."
Whiptail looks dissatisfied, and even slightly hostile towards Dream.
"A bit too odd if ya ask me, what's your angle here unicorn?"
Dream puts on a puzzled look, but she can tell this is what Buck had warned her about. This Whiptail looks fairly menacing, and appears to wield some authority in this place. Perhaps it's best to step cautiously in the interest of keeping the peace.
"I'm here to buy a batch of cookies with my friend Sweetie, just like she said."
Whiptail looks disappointed, like she was expecting a more elaborate answer such as 'I'm bringing another petition to your councillor on behalf of the unicorns' or something like that. Unable to come up with an excuse to hold up Dream any longer, she steps out of the way.
"Alright head inside," insists the earth pony marshal, "but no magical funny business or else I get involved."
"Fair enough," remarks Dream before she follows Sweetie inside.
…
Later in the day as the meeting time approaches the Princess of Dreams looks at her purchases with modest approval. Having never experienced 'shopping' before it was an interesting and fresh experience for her, with the barterers, experts and shopkeepers on market row having tons of things to sell for a wide range of prices. All her life Dream had to pretty much beg Mother for the things she wanted or make them herself, which is why the concepts of common currency and trade are so exciting to her.
Early on Dream discovered that there are lots of things one silver bit can't buy. Rare jewels, perfumes, and large metal goods are quite expensive, and the princess quickly made up her mind that she must find a way to make more bits. Unfortunately, Dream found she is almost too good at spending bits, and by the end of the day she had purchased a single dog eared book (titled 'The Booke of the Creator'), a package of freshly baked cookies (half of which are already eaten) and a binding strap to keep it on her back which reduced her money to a measly two bronze bits.
"Hey Dream," calls out Buck as he spies her approaching, "did you get what you wanted today?"
The earth pony has a similar leather strap to Dream's around his midsection, but his is larger and filled with packages of eggs, milk, grain and other necessities he had came into town to pick up.
"Not really," replies the Princess truthfully, "everything I want is too expensive."
"Hah, that's the story of my life," comments Buck with unusual humour, "do you have any bits left?"
"A few," answers Dream, taking out the two bits from her hair for him to see.
"It's enough, come on I know where we can go," insists Buck as he turns and starts walking down the road.
Almost without thinking Dream follows him, wondering where they could be going next.
..
As it turns out their destination is a tavern near the edge of town called the 'Leaky Barrel'. The place doesn't mean much to Dream as she is engrossed in reading the new book she bought earlier that day as she is walking. Immediately the atmosphere changes as the princess and the earth pony enter through the dual front doors. The sounds of loud talking and pleasant piano music reach her ears, and she puts down the book to take in the new setting.
The floor is made of hardened dirt with the occasional scatterings of hay here and there. All around inside are upright barrels with wooden table tops on them. Other earth ponies occupy about half the tables and are perched on hay bales while they speak with each other and enjoy the food and drink served by a select few waiter ponies. Dream is still absorbing all the details when Buck ushers her to a table, and the two of them sit down.
"So is that a… good book?" asks Buck cautiously.
"No, it's full of errors," answers Dream as she pulls it out and starts flipping pages, "to start with, the Mother of Creation is not an all-knowing god… she is powerful but I know she has her limits."
Buck quietly hushes her.
"Not so loud," he whispers, "some ponies are pretty hardcore about that Creation stuff."
"But it's nonsense," continues Dream aggressively, "and she doesn't have two daughters… she has four, and a son."
"How do you know?" inquires Buck with assurance, for his family is fairly religious too.
"Because she's my-" begins Dream before she stops herself, "…because I just know, trust me."
Thankfully the conversation is broken up by the bartender calling out from behind the wooden counter he is servicing.
"What'll it be for you and your friend Buck?"
"I'll take one pint of ale please," answers the earth pony.
The bartender waits for additions, but after a few moments it becomes clear Buck isn't ordering anything else and he looks away.
"Hey, what about me?" pokes Dream with indignity.
"I didn't think you wanted one," admits Buck, "Leaky Barrel Ale is too strong for unicorns."
"Well I'm no ordinary unicorn," replies Dream aggressively, implying she took that as a challenge.
"Okay, if you say so," remits the earth pony, "Hey bartender! Can we get another pint please?"
The earth pony behind the bar nods, and he cleans out another wooden mug and fills it to the brim beside the first one.
"So you don't talk about yourself very much," comments Buck as their drinks approach, "…for one who is so interesting."
Dream raises an eyebrow slightly as she detects a hint of flattery, but she decides to answer his question truthfully.
"…what would you like to know?"
"Well you kinda just turned up in the forest near our fields and turned our lives upside down in one day," continues Buck as if he's been thinking about this for a while, "…I've never heard of any unicorn that sees us so kindly. Where did you come from, and why were you out there all alone?"
"It's a long story," replies Dream hesitantly as the drinks finally arrive.
"Two bits," demands the bartender as he moves the mugs from his back harness onto the table. Dream moves to pay, but Buck beats her to it.
"Don't worry it's on me."
Dream smiles at the earth pony's kindness. Maybe it is worth telling him a few things… after all given his reaction to the pegasus earlier Buck doesn't seem the type to freak out because of the truth of what she is.
"You see Buck… I'm not a unicorn."
The earth pony had just finished a gulp of ale, and he sets down the hoof-ringed mug with surprise.
"Not a unicorn? What else can you be… a changeling?"
"No," laughs Dream, unsure what that is, "but perhaps its better if I show you."
Drawing a bit of magic into her horn, the princess focuses a spell on Buck. The earth pony immediately slumps over, forced into sleep. Satisfied, Dream does the same to herself.
…
Buck raises his head off the table and looks around at the tavern around him, surprised to see there are no other ponies at all. Where did everypony go?
"Wha… where am I?" asks Buck as he gets up off the bail of hay and begins to wander around, looking for some explanation as to what's going on.
After searching the tavern and finding no clues, the earth pony decides to leave by moving out through the doors… only to find a sheer cliff into nothingness awaiting him outside. He gasps in shock, and scrambles back into the bar.
"Welcome to my world," comments Dream, though her voice is distant and ethereal.
"Dream?" asks Buck in fright, "…where are you?"
"Right beside you," she replies with a hint of amusement.
Buck turns to see her right where she says she is, but he could have sworn she wasn't there a second ago. He immediately notices something different about her.
"What did you do with all the others?" he begs, "…and how come you have wings?"
"This is the real me, Buck."
Dream leaps into the air, and hovers in front of him, showing off her glorious form.
"I am neither pegasus nor unicorn, but the sum of both. I am the Princess of Dreams, and the Mother of Creation is my real mother."
Buck is amazed, but overall it doesn't seem too hard for him to take it all in. As if to emphasize the truth of her statements, Dream uses her powers to create an exact replica of her mother and her siblings, and though they are motionless and false the earth pony eyes them all with wonder and disbelief.
"Wow this is incredible, does that make you a demi-goddess then?"
"I suppose," admits Dream, "but your world is so much more interesting to me then mine… that's why I'm here."
Suddenly the serene mood is interrupted by the terrible howl of a timberwolf. Both Dream and Buck whirl around towards the entrance of the bar, only to lay eyes on a fully grown, hairless grey timberwolf with curling sharp teeth and marks that appear to be scratches all around its mouth.
Once Dream spies that it's eyes are closed and it bears a moon shaped cutie mark on it's flanks, she knows exactly who it is. Buck cries out in fright, and curls up on the floor with helplessness. Raw emotions are amplified into actions inside the world of dreams, which is why he is acting so irrational.
"Nightmare," utters Dream threateningly, lowering herself into combat stance.
"It'sss playtime," hisses Nightmare, and she bounds towards the two of them like a maddened animal.
"I think it's time we woke up," insists Dream with urgency, and the dream ends.
…
Buck snaps awake. Returning so suddenly to the real bar surprises him, and it is only after a few moments of catching his breath and finding his bearings does the earth pony realize what just occurred. He tilts around and looks at Dream with a newfound wonder in his eyes.
"So is all that true?" he asks to confirm it.
"Yes," replies Dream, giving her first serious answer in a while, "Nightmare is the price I pay for my power… she is my other, less friendly side."
Buck looks uneasy, but continues.
"What about your wings though, are you hiding them?"
"Maybe…" replies the princess mischievously.
Dream readjusts her wings quickly, allowing them to become visible for a split second. To Buck it is a revelation, but to the few other ponies in the bar that notice her they think it's probably just a trick of the light.
"Well I must be the luckiest pony in the world," comments Buck as he raises his glass, "a toast to my family's changing fortunes."
The confused look on Dream's face indicates she is unfamiliar with this custom.
"Raise your mug and we'll tap them together," explains the earth pony.
Noticing that she hasn't even touched the ale he bought her, Dream slips her hoof through the ring and picks it up. The two ponies tap glasses before both taking a long drink. The princess immediately gags, and after a second of trying to keep it down she spits it all over the floor. The look of disgust on her face is self revealing.
"What in the name of the sun and moon is in that?"
Buck is laughing, and a few other earth ponies that had been paying attention are as well. The princess feels a familiar anger boiling up inside her at being pranked, but she suppresses it as she realizes it was her own fault.
"I told you it was strong," insists the earth pony, "you might want to take it slowly the first time. Unicorns usually don't drink it."
Buck winks at her, implying he isn't about to blow her cover. Dream works up the courage to try again, this time taking only a sip. It tastes equally awful, but she manages to keep it down.
The two ponies enjoy each other's company for another few minutes or so, talking about many different things related to stuff like their childhood and where they want to go later in life. Dream finds herself enjoying the ale after making it through half a mug, and ends up ordering another round with her remaining two bits.
"You know I never thought a god would be this friendly," comments Buck.
"I never thought living without wings or magic could be so tolerable… you are a very resilient people."
"No, in reality we're all pretty pissed off about it. If pegasi came from your wings and unicorns came from your horn, we all probably came from your rear end."
Dream bursts out laughing, and ends up laughing for almost a minute before she regains control of herself.
"Speaking of which, I don't suppose you know where a little pony might relieve herself do you?"
…
Magenta Dash had been following Dream almost all afternoon. She had been skipping from cloud to cloud, careful to remain hidden from the earth ponies below. Being this close to Manehatten is an example of her daring, for Commander Hurricane had long ago strictly forbidden pegasi to go there without his express permission.
Overall, the day spent following the unicorn had been very uneventful after their chance encounter at the fork in the road. Dream had visited some shops, talked with some ponies, and then finally met up with that friend of hers and gone in a tavern. Dash hadn't seen anything overly suspicious, apart from the fact she seemed to get along very well with earth ponies.
Hunger had been her constant companion throughout the day. Dash is used to it by now, having lived her entire life on rations. Lately however there isn't enough to go around and they were giving her less and less. She regretfully thought back to the cookie she had refused, but at least it had shown off her discipline.
As the magenta coloured pegasus kept watch on the front entrance to the tavern she felt her eyes wander over to a nearby covered wagon. Judging from the marked crates next to it there is food in there… a batch of fruit of some kind. Dash looked at it longingly, knowing that to go down there would be a violation of pegasus law. Still, she is absolutely starving… nobody would notice if she took just one right?
The doubt started to leave Dash's mind as she sat there on a cloud she had wrangled for cover while she spied on Dream. It would be easy and fast, and in less then a minute she would be back up here keeping an eye on that unicorn. In a moment she makes her decision.
Bolting from her hiding place, Magenta Dash zooms down to the covered wagon and lands right behind the back entrance. Immediately, she notices that somepony else is inside the wagon. Resisting the urge to panic and flee, she remains where she is and examines the occupant more carefully.
The creature doesn't look like a pony at all. It has its back to her, and is rummaging quietly through what appears to be a crate of apples. His body is covered in feathers, making him appear more like a bird then anything else. Dash notices he has the tail and the back end of a lion… he's a gryphon! Not only that, but he's stealing from the earth ponies. There's no way she is going to just let that fly.
"Hey! Get out of our food you creep!" shouts Dash accusingly.
The gryphon nearly jumps out of his skin, and whirls around to face her menacingly.
"What… a flapper? What are you doing here?" he demands, shocked to find himself confronted by a pegasus in an earth pony village.
"Stopping you! You're stealing from these villagers."
"Pff, what do you care?" he replies cynically, "it's not your food, pegasus."
"Well it could be," shoots back Dash angrily, "and I'm not just going to let you get away with it."
The gryphon starts to get mad, and advances towards her menacingly.
"Then you're going to have to catch me, squirt."
Leaping up into the air, the gryphon tears open the top of the cart with his claws and takes off. Dash immediately jumps into action and chases after him.
"You won't get away that easily, I'm twice as fast as you'll ever be!"
…
Dream had just finished her business outside the tavern when she suddenly heard a commotion all around her and the cries of rallying earth ponies.
"Marshals, marshals!" cried one down the street.
"Stop you thieves!" shouted another.
"Get them!"
Dream felt a little bit tipsy. Perhaps it was something she ate earlier, or maybe it had something to do with the drinks Buck and her had bought. Regardless, the sudden action excited her and she dissolved into a cloud to investigate the disturbance. Twilight had settled in Manehatten so it was making it slightly difficult to see, but Dream loves the night and has no difficulty pinpointing exactly what the problem is.
In the sky over the town there are two flying ponies. One is clearly Magenta Dash from earlier, while the other is an unfamiliar creature of similar size that looks like a bird of some sort. The two are weaving erratically through the air, and one appears to be chasing the other.
"Hey, bugger off flapper," shouts the gryphon, sounding out of breath.
"Not until I've brought you down you thief," yells back Dash and she is slowly gaining on him.
Everywhere the alarm has been sounded, with town bells ringing the call to arms as more and more earth ponies head into the streets with their hoof-bows. Amongst them are the wardens, including the one from earlier Whiptail.
"All hoofs and militia free fire!" orders the marshal, "bring them down!"
Sporadically bolts are loosed into the air, but all of them fall short and/or almost hit their own earth ponies. Seeing that the two fugitives are heading her way, Dream suddenly gets a good idea to stop them.
As they both pass over, she casts a two-pronged whip of glowing purple energy. It lashes onto the ankles of both the gryphon and the pegasus, plunging them both into ground and pulling Dream off her feet.
Turning around, the gryphon hisses at her in rage.
"Do you eat with that dirty mouth?" asks Dream tauntingly, before snapping the cord and hog tying his face to his ankles.
"Hah… gotcha you thief," rubs in Magenta Dash between breaths as Dream releases her.
Dash is gasping, and she leans over to catch her breath when a lasso falls on her and wraps itself around her neck. She struggles as Whiptail reels her in and pins her to the ground. Within seconds half a dozen other marshals are on the scene with their hoof bows pointed at the two captured criminals.
"We'll take it from here," insists one of the marshals to Dream, and he and the others tie up the gryphon with their own ropes as she releases him from hers, "we've been after Gilden for a while."
"Let me go," begs Magenta Dash, "I'm innocent I was trying to-"
"Save it for the judge flapper," insists Whiptail before tying up her mouth to shut her up.
The pegasus looks pleadingly at Dream, who looks to be in a bit of a dilemma. Perhaps if she had been sober she would have thought to help, but in this case she takes a different stance.
"It serves you right," the princess declares, "you should've been nicer to us."
Unceremoniously, Dash and Gilden the gryphon are hauled off towards the town jail. Townsponies shout and jeer at them, throwing apple cores and other garbage at the criminals finally brought to justice.
"You're alright unicorn," apologizes Whiptail as she looks with pride at her arrests, "so once you get the reward money, maybe you'll consider helping us police the town. All racial misgivings aside we could use a talented unicorn with an appetite for justice."
"Reward money?" inquires Dream with curiosity.
"Yeah, I think its five gold bits last I checked… we wanted this guy real bad."
"Okay, I'll get back to you on that last part."
Dream smiles as Whiptail departs, and she secretly relishes her victory. Five gold bits? That's massive compared to what she got this morning. Pushing her way back through the tavern doors, she muses about the great story she'll get to tell Buck inside.
Who would have thought living in the Pony World could be this much fun?