Chapter nine
Luna appeared back in the main hall of the Canterlot Palace, greeted by the deep gaze of her older sister, Celestia.
"Causing mischief again sister?" Celestia says with a hint of amusement apparent in her voice.
Luna gives a truthful smile, "Dreamstrider is yet young, and seeing her denying herself the privilege of childhood, I wanted to cast away her doubt and possibly even give her some hope."
"Let us hope so little sister, but know your limits."
"Of course sister, I would never so far as to knowingly cause hurt to somepony." Luna looked into her sisters eyes as she spoke, her gaze expressing truthfulness.
Celestia leaned down and embraced her sister.
"I know sister."
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As my hooves touch the floor of my newly appointed room after my 'Nap', an idea pops into my head.
I thought I might meditate until Twilight wakes up. This is odd because the last attempts I took at meditation didn't work at all, but that was before I got... Well, my abilities.
I get back on the bed, and try to copy the way most ponies sit down, with my hind legs folded and pointed outward, and my body leaning forward slightly to keep me in balance. It's then I realize that this looks uncannily close to how a dog sits.
"Really? How could I now have noticed that before... I have watched the show who knows how many times over and I didn't notice that up until now."
Ugh, it didn't matter. It was comfortable for my equine body, so I was fine with it.
I closed my eyes and tried to lose myself in my mind, forgetting everything else in this moment in time. I was quite good at this considering I space out a lot, but I still haven't been able to properly meditate before.
The first five minutes, nothing happens, but I keep my mind clear of thought. But just after I was starting to think this was a lost cause, I see something...
It slowly comes into focus, and the intensity of it brightens as I focus on this newly appeared... Thing. I was certain this would not distract me as this was the product of my first successful meditation.
It never fully came into focus, it never really turned into something hard, like it was never fully there. But I could still make out what it looked like.
It was like the most magnificent crystal, with its sides not cut to look nice, but cut so they made a perfect dodecahedron with twelve sides. At least, I think it was a dodecahedron, I couldn't tell because it never came into focus enough to confirm.
It shone with an indescribable light, and inside, despite being clear at first glance, I could see... Everything.
Everything I had ever done, learned, thought of, seen in a book or dream, and maybe even things I had yet to learn. The shape was... Crystal clear, I could see straight through it with nothing tinting it or obstructing it, but at the same time, I saw my own mind inside, flashing images faster than anyone could comprehend.
But at the same time, I could understand every image that appeared within the shape, like my subconscious was processing everything for me... It was like... Like...
Like there was no separation between my subconscious and conscious minds. I could see everything, hear everything, feel everything...
Now I understand what people meant by, "Being at one with the universe", because... You really are in a sense...
I allow myself to take in the energy coming off the shape, and feel myself fill with energy. I felt so good, it felt like if I did anything at all, I wouldn't use up any energy at all because I being fed by this... Source...
I continue to bask in the energy the shape was emitting, it just felt so amazing...
"Dreamstrider?" I hear the all too familiar pony Twilight say in a half concerned, half curious tone.
I instantly snap open my eyes, only to be met by the purple librarians inquisitive eyes in my doorway and my bedside lamp floating abov-
FLOATING?!?!
As soon as I lay my eyes on the lamp, it stopped floating and started a one-way trip to the floor. I dived to the rescue of the lamp mere moments before it collided with the ground.
I get back on my hooves and place to lamp back on the bedside table, only to see Twilight looking at me with part concerned, part amazed, part cautious, and part... Hopeful?
"Yeah..." I muse, "Are you just going to stand there looking at me or are you going to say something?
"Maybe even explain what that was all about?"
This seemed to snap her back to her senses as she straightens her self up and clears her throat.
"It was uh... Eleven in the morning so I decided to see if you were awake yet..."
"Okay then, maybe explain why the lamp was levitating all by itself?" I say in a slightly irritated tone.
"I was as surprised as you were!" Twilight replied, going into the defensive, "I mean, you were meditating, that much was clear, but the amount of energy you were giving off was enormous! Only ponies who have practiced for a long time, or who have a natural ability to project large amounts of energy could emit that much magical energy."
I just look right through her for a moment and then snap back to reality, "Well, I think I'll take the latter, as that was my first successful meditation."
She just gives me an unbelieving look, and shakes her head, "I might not ever understand you, you know that right?"
I give her a smile in response, "I don't think I understand life, but that doesn't keep me from living."
She returns my smile, "Well, good to see you up, I'll be here if you need anything."
"I'll be right out in a moment, just getting my bearings and such."
Twilight smiles and closes the door behind her. Even though I'm not meditating, the energy I received is still there... Maybe time for a little mischief...
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"I think it will be a long time before I can get my head around him...'
Just then, I heard a magical pulse and flash, before I could open the door again I saw Dreamstrider opening it...
"...Around her." I thought to myself as I saw that she had changed genders again. I was just about at my limit with this. She used all her magic to change genders in the morning, and then spends the rest of the day with hardly any magical reserves! It's an irrational waste of magic.
"Hey Twilight!" Dreamstrider exclaimed as she walked through the doorway, "Said I would be out in a moment."
Something was off since last time she cast that spell...
"Your not... Exhausted?" I asked, in curiosity.
"Nope! Used my leftover meditative energy for the spell, I feel like I never even did a thing." She says with a smile.
"A long time."
I sigh, and say in a sarcastic manner, "When you've decided what gender you are, tell me would you?"
"Ha ha." Dreamstrider replies in an equally sarcastic tone.
"Fine, I promise I won't change my gender again without good reason." She admits, "And anyway, I had best stop it anyway in case the townsponies think I'm a confused Changeling."
We both laugh at this for a short while, then we make our way for breakfast.
"I know it's more of a lunch thing, but I'm in the mood for a sandwich." I say as I enter the kitchen, "You want one?"
"Sure! I don't mind too much whats in it." She says as she walks toward to window. I smile and make myself, along with Dreamstrider some lettuce and cucumber sandwiches.
As I place both plates down with their sandwiches on top, I sit down and say, "Come on Dreamstrider, sandwiches."
I take a bite of my sandwich, not noticing that Dreamstrider hadn't moved since I called her until I had finished chewing.
"Dreamstrider?" I say, trying to get her attention, but to no avail. I put my sandwich back on my plate and make my way over to Dreamstrider, who wasn't moving or blinking.
"Dreamstrider? Whats going on?" I say, starting to get worried, "Dreamstrider?"
I stand next to her, and look out the window to try and see what she was seeing, but I saw nothing. At this point I was getting really worried, so I started to wave my hoof in front of her face. This seemed to work as she blinked her eyes and recovered from whatever state she was in a moment ago.
"What happened?" I ask in a worried tone.
She gave a shy smile, recognizing my worried voice, "Sorry about that. I uh... Have a tendency to space out like that... Heh..." She said, rubbing her neck with her gaze turned to the floor.
"It's fine," I say, placing a hoof on her shoulder, "You just had me worried there."
Her gaze turns from the floor to meet mine... "Yeah... Again, sorry about that..." She trailed off.
"Anyway, sandwiches." She said as she made her way to the table, and we started eating.
"So..." Dreamstrider began, obviously trying to break the silence, "I met royalty last night."
I allowed my eyes to widen... Again.
"What?" She asked with a raised eyebrow, "Just thought you would like to know..."
"Really? Who did you meet?" I ask with an inquisitive tone. She just looks at me like that was a stupid question before answering, "Who do you think Twilight?
"The Princess of the Night of course."
Suddenly I realise why she looked at me as if my question was obvious, because it was. But is discard this and continue with the conversation at hoof.
"What did she say?" I ask, curious.
Dreamstrider smiles and replied, "We talked, and she told me a few things..."
"What kind of things?"
"Things. Stuff that was more on the private side of my life, so I would rather it stay that way."
She continued, "At least, for now."
I raise an eyebrow at her, but decide to drop the subject.
"Okay... Did she say anything of note?" I ask, trying to get something out of her.
She looked blankly, but thoughtfully at her sandwich, then she turned her gaze back to me. "Not really, but she wasn't too surprised to see me in human form thankfully."
She levitated her sandwich and took another bite. "If it wasn't that she is over a thousand years old and has a pretty horrible past, the fact that I'm around as tall as Celestia and by biological standards humans are fine-haired, bipedal apes might had made her a bit unsettled.
"But how am I kidding?" She exclaimed, "She's Princess Luna! I personally admire her for the fact that she can come away from her... Event. And still be able to be as strong as she is."
She casually takes another bite from her sandwich, ignoring the expressions on my face.
"At least, on the surface."
She proceeds to finish the rest of her sandwich in silence, and then casually sits and looks blankly at some point in the library while I finish.
"How can she regard meeting royalty not a big deal? She just essentially shrugged it off! Like it was some everyday experience!"
I sigh. I really don't know about her, she is just so carefree, so relaxed about everything and knows how to deal with the questions and criticism I give her so casually! I don't mean to be so critical at times, but it just happens. And according to her, she is still a filly, even if she is thirteen! She has just started early adulthood, but she says she is barely close to being an adult.
She's odd, and how she's here does make some sort of sense, but even so... I don't know if I believe her or not...
"What? Am I really that captivating?" I hear Dreamstrider comment in a jokingly flirtatious voice. I realize I had been staring at her for over a minute now as I was thinking.
I look at her with a death glare, "Stop it."
"What? Do you have a problem with same gender relationships?"
"No. Infact, there are an equal amount of ponies who have mare-to-mare relationships as there are colt-to-mare relationships.
"However, I don't like your attitude at the moment. And remember, this is my house and I can kick you out anytime I like."
The sincerity, if a bit more that I intended, caught her off-guard and fear entered her eyes.
"Yup! I think I'll shut up now! Yup that sounds like a good idea! I'll really shut up now!" She said as she backed down and almost started whimpering as she looked up with fear.
"She looks like she had just seen something horrific... Am I really that intimidating?"
"Please don't be angry..." She quietly spoke, her voice not weak or panicky, but instead just had fear.
"Dreamstrider," I say, trying to ease her of whatever is causing her fear, "I wasn't angry at you, I was just irritated that you were being so immature toward that situation."
"So, your not going to turn into a fireball of rage and send the library ten yards into the air?"
I giggle a little, "No I won't."
These words seem to calm her a little, as she gets up from her cowering position and begins to sit upright again.
"Is that what you were afraid of?"
She looks at me with a smile back on her face, "If you thought I was afraid of you then, then make sure I break a Pinkie Promise someday, then you'll know what it looks like when I'm really afraid."
I laugh a little in response, "Everyone is afraid of Pinkie Pie when somepony breaks a Pinkie Promise."
She just shakes her head and says, "Applejack may have panicked when she more-or-less broke her Pinkie Promise, but if I had Pinkie chasing after me, living in a dragons cave would sound like luxury."
I would have laughed, but something in her expression told me she was deadly serious.
"Your serious?" I asked, surprised as to the fact that she actually meant it.
"Completely. I would rather tangle with five Ursa Majors than face Pinkie Pie after..." She says with a shudder.
"It's a fear born out of something that isn't relevant, and definitely isn't something to worry about."
"Okay..." I manage to get in before she continues.
"Anyway." She says as she makes her way to her room, goes in, and walks back out with a corded bag around her neck. She must had walked in with it yesterday without me noticing it.
She stands just a few steps from the doorway and sighs with a grin that grew ever wider, like she was remembering a favorite memory.
"I just realized, I'm here! I'm really here! I made it to the place others can only dream about!" She exclaims as her wings start to flutter a bit and she starts jumping on the spot like some exited filly.
"I'm here! I'm here! I'm here! I'm here! I'm heeeeeeeeere!"
I just stare at the pony who was now repeatedly jumping in excitement, not bothering to try and understand her outburst.
"I'm here! I talked to Twilight Sparkle! I'm in her library! I met Luna last night! I got flying lessons from Rainbow Dash! Eeeeee!" She gave an excited scream at the end.
She stops bouncing and starts taking excited, deep breaths, while still keeping her smile. After a few seconds she finally calms down a bit.
"Hope you don't mind, I'm gonna be out for most of the day." She says, continuing to grin, "I think I'm gonna have a walk through town, maybe visit Rarity's, and then maybe have wander near the forest."
"Dreamstrider, remember what I told you about the Everfree-"
"Yes, yes. I'll be careful, although, I won't actually go into the forest. Even though I could take care of myself, better safe than sorry."
She steadies her breathing and makes her way downstairs, to which, I follow.
"Anyway, I'll probably just do an assortment of anything that pops into my head in between those things, but I promise to be careful, not to use magic, won't make anypony angry, and that I have a good excuse as to why I'm now a mare."
"What excuse is that?" I ask, trying to keep up with the amount of words being flown in my direction
"That I was helping you test a magic potion you made recently, and was a biological transformation potion that we didn't know the exact product of, so I tested it and it turned me into a mare, and now I'm keeping this form for documentation purposes incase the potion has long-term consequences."
I just looked at her blankly for a few seconds. It was actually a good excuse, even if a bit technical, but all anypony would have to do is come to me to confirm what she says.
"Fine, It's a good excuse."
"Good that you think so. Anyway, I'm gonna get going." She said rather quickly as she almost jogged to the door, there was an obvious spring in her step.
"Just stay out of trouble, I don't want-"
"Yes, yes. I pay attention to the rules." She says quickly, but without anything in her voice except excitement.
"Anyway, see you sometime later!" She says as she opens the door and makes her way out before I could do anything else.
"She is never going to make sense." I thought to myself after she left.