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// Chapter 2: The Sisters and The Plan 
// Story: Dream Catcher 
// by epona92 
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     In the forests to the east of Dream Catcher’s home lay the city of the royal sisters. From their high towers they watched over the lands, bringing forth the day and the night in turn. On this particular morning, however, the Princess of the Night found herself in a happier mood than usual. She strolled through the castle corridors with a smile on her face. Her mood did not go unnoticed by her sister, the Princess of the Day, and after she had raised her sun she searched the halls for her younger sibling.
She found her on one of the bridges between the towers, staring out onto the lands below. The elder sister strode up to her without a word.
“You seem very vibrant this morning little sister,” she said, more as a statement than a question. Her sister flipped her light purple mane out of her eyes but chose not look at her older sister just yet.
“Our land is beautiful this morning,” she replied. The wings upon her back unfolded as a breeze blew past them, and she let the wind caress her feathers for a moment before gently folding them back to her sides. “Dost thou not agree?”
“It is as magnificent as always,” the elder answered, “but I do not think it is the only reason for your good mood.”
The Princess of the Night looked over at her older sister with a sly smile before turning back towards the tower’s entrance. Her older sister sighed. She wasn’t going to make this easy.
“Come little sister,” she pleaded, following her inside, “what has made you so happy?”
“That is for us to know, and for thee to find out,” the younger teased, not bothering to turn her head to answer.
“Have you found someone special?” the older guessed. She heard her sister giggle.
“In a way, but not in the sense thou art suggesting with thy tone.”
“What tone?”
At this the younger sister did turn to face her sibling, one eye raised higher than the other and smug grin on her face.
“The tone that doth insinuate that we hath found a stallion of some kind for company,” she answered, teasing her sister. The elder snorted.
“We both know that cannot be the case. Our immortality would not allow such company.”
The Princess of the Night turned and began to walk again. Her sister followed, still puzzling over what could possibly be putting her in this kind of mood. She could not think of anything else for the life of her, and as they reached the throne room she sat down in defeat.
“Very well,” she sighed, casting a playful glare through her pink mane towards her sister, “don’t tell me then. I will figure it out eventually Luna.”
Luna looked over at her sister, the same teasing grin still upon her face. She would find out soon enough about her discovery, but until the young filly showed up at the palace she would withhold her information. As the first statesman of the day entered the room she turned her attention to her duties, hoping in the back of her mind that the little one would take her offer.

Dream Catcher couldn’t pull her thoughts away from her dream at all that day. Even as they worked the field and planted the newest seeds, she did her duties in an almost half-awake state. More than once her father had to wave a hoof in front of her eyes in order to make her focus on the task at hand. Still, he did not scold her, for having a father named Day Dream entailed some level of distraction in her nature.
Her mother, of course, was much more direct and would snap her out of her reveries quickly. Polestar was always very focused on the task at hand and was more than capable of keep both her husband and her daughter firmly rooted in their tasks. Not that Dream Catcher minded. Sure it could get on her nerves sometimes, but she knew that what they were doing was important. Her mother had come from a family of wheat farmers, so the planting season was very important to her and she had to get the job done to stay on schedule. If anything Dream Catcher admired her mother’s tenacity.
Still, the images from last night kept creeping into her mind. By the time they finished their chores for the morning her head was practically swimming in the visions. They would not leave her be.
Luckily the mid-day break meant she could stop and focus on them. She laid beneath a tree near their cottage with her eyes closed, pretending to nap. In her mind a plan was forming. The only problem was that it scared her immensely.
Her parents didn’t believe her; she knew that for a fact. Because of that they would never give her the chance to get to the royal city. Dream Catcher knew that if she wanted to meet with the princess she would have to travel there on her own. It was a long journey though, and one that she had never taken by herself. Would she be able to put her fear aside in order to chase her dream?
The sound of her mother calling her roused her from her planning, and the family went back to work. They swept the house, did the laundry, and repaired any loose spots in their straw roof. It was all simple work, and it let Dream Catcher continue to deliberate. When the sun’s rays began to wane for the evening at last, she had found her answer.
Later that night, under the dim light of the moon herself, Dream Catcher prepared for her journey. If she remembered right it would take her about half a day’s walk to get to the castle, but in the dark the time could be doubled. She snuck into the kitchen as quietly as she could and grabbed a map and a loaf of bread for her pack. As she tiptoed back to her room, however, she noticed that her parents’ bedroom door was slightly ajar. She paused and stared at her mother and father, both soundly asleep in their bed.
She hated to do this. Running away from home was something she had never considered before in her life. But her dream was too important. She had to answer the princess’ call.
A few minutes later Dream Catcher had everything she needed wrapped up within her pack. She draped it over her tiny body and snuck through the main room as quietly as she could. She opened the door, but before she left she spotted her father’s hood draped over one of the table’s chairs. In a split second decision she grabbed it and placed it over her own head. It was much too big for her, but she had no choice. It was this or nothing.
The cool night air greeted her as she stepped outside. She closed the door as quietly as she could, and after a few more cautious steps she bolted away from the house. Her legs carried her tiny body as quickly as they could, but as she reached the entrance to the forest she froze in place. Before her stood the unknown. Dream Catcher couldn’t help glancing back towards her house. She could turn back. It wouldn’t take much, just a few strides and she’d be back safe and sound in her bedroom. Her hoof lifted for a moment, but she quickly shook her head and stomped it back on the ground.
“No,” she whispered to herself, looking back up at the dark forest in front of her, “I have to do this.”
A few moments later nothing remained in front of the forest, save for a few leaves blown about by the wind.

By the time her sister had gone to raise the moon for the evening, the Princess of the Day had noticed a significant change in her sister’s demeanor. No longer was she as upbeat as she was that morning. Now she seemed disappointed about something.
She waited outside her sister’s door patiently, knowing better than to interrupt her sister’s duties. As time went by, however, she began to wonder what was taking so long. A glance out the window revealed that the moon was already in place. With a sigh she raised her hoof and opened her sister’s bedroom door.
The princess found her younger sister’s main room empty, but she was not worried. If anything it only confirmed where her sister actually was. She turned her head towards the double doors to the left and found them wide open. Out on the balcony sat her sister.
Now she understood why her sister had not stirred inside her room. She was in the middle of one of her “journeys” through the dream worlds. Only a few decades ago she had discovered this power, and now it seemed she took every opportunity to practice her skills. Sometimes, however, the elder sister wondered if she spent too much time within the dreams and not enough in the real world.
“Luna?” she called gently, tapping her sister’s shoulder. She did not stir. The older sister sighed and sat down next to her sibling on the balcony. Her sister’s stars were lovely this evening. She never said it out loud, but she had always admired her little sister’s creativity in the night sky. To think that she could come up with so many complicated patterns.
A small moan beside her signaled her sister’s return, and she saw a navy hoof reach up to massage its owner’s forehead.
“Are you alright?” the elder asked, raising a hoof in concern. The younger swatted it away.
“We are quite alright,” she answered. “Our practice tonight was more focused than usual.”
“Focused?”
“Thou should not worry about our doings, we are fine,” Luna said bluntly. Her sister was silent, not sure how to respond. She hesitated before bringing up her concern.
“You seem much less happy this evening little sister,” she remarked. “Does it have something to do with this morning?”
Luna did not reply. She kept her gaze up on her moon, but her older sister could see that she was thinking deeply. She waited.
“Yes, it doth concern our behavior this past morn, but thou should not worry so.”
“Luna,” her sister snapped, catching the younger off guard. “First of all, enough with the Royal Language. You and I both know that is only for show. Second, it does concern me; I’m your sister and I care about you.”
The Princess of the Night stared at her older sister in shock. Rarely did she use such a demanding tone with her. She lowered her head and sighed.
“I’m sorry Tia,” she replied, dropping the formalities at last, “it’s just that I’ve been practicing as much as I can with the language. It’s tradition after all to speak to subjects like that.”
“I know,” Celestia answered as she placed a hoof on her sister’s shoulder, “but you are among family here.”
Luna smiled.
“Now tell me, what is the matter?”
“It’s…complicated,” Luna began, not entirely sure how to explain herself. “Part of me still can’t believe it.”
“Just explain it as best you can,” Celestia replied.
“Well, I was practicing my dream walks again, going from dream to dream and changing a few things here and there. Only to make them better,” she explained quickly in response to the dubious look on her sister’s face, “I assure you. As I was jumping, however, something odd happened. I felt another there in the space between the dreams.”
“Another?” Celestia asked in honest surprise. As far as she knew her sister was the only one who could walk among and control the dreams of ponies.
“Believe me,” Luna replied with a chuckle, “I was just as surprised as you. I drew closer to the source and found a filly prancing about and creating all sorts of things. It was incredible. To think that there is another out there that can control the world of dreams.”
Luna went silent for a moment, and Celestia’s curiosity only grew.
“Unfortunately,” Luna continued, “the nightmares also took notice and began to converge on her. I was able to hold them back, and as I escorted the filly back out of the space between I managed to ask her name and a very important question.”
“Oh?”
“…Sister, I asked her to be my apprentice.”
“You what?” Celestia exclaimed, her wings shooting out in rage. Luna hadn’t expected her to take that part well, and she prepared for the onslaught she knew was coming.
“Luna,” her older sister sighed, placing a hoof over her face, “you know we’ve both talked about this.”
“I know, but things will be different this time, I know it!” Luna replied quickly, standing up. “She has so much potential, and I know that with some focused study she could…”
“That’s what we thought about Starswirl,” Celestia retorted, rising to her own feet, “and look how that ended. He was unable to reach his full potential. He couldn’t join us on the throne like we planned.”
“But he was too old when we began to train him. This one is still very young. Please sister,” she begged, “I know that she can do it.”
Celestia was silent. Her sister was obviously convinced that this little one could become the next to share their rule. Still, the past was a heavy weight and it cast a long shadow of doubt upon her judgment.
“Are you sure?” Celestia asked. Luna nodded her head firmly. As she looked she could see the hope in her little sister’s eyes, a hope that had not been present in either for a long time. With a sigh she turned back to the double doors.
“Very well little sister, you may…”
“Oh thank you Tia!” Luna squealed, hugging her sister. Celestia giggled and hugged her back, but leaned away after a moment to look down at her.
“So who is this little filly?”
“She said her name was Dream Catcher,” Luna answered. Dream Catcher. How fitting, Celestia thought.
“And when exactly are we going to meet her?”
Luna pulled back from the hug and hung her head slightly.
“I was hoping she would turn up today, but it seems that she was unable to come…”
So that explained her change of mood. “Why not seek her out instead?” Celestia asked after a moment. Luna gave her a sheepish smile.
“That’s what I was trying to do before you interrupted my dream walking. I was hoping to ask her where to find her, but it seems she is not in the dream world tonight. She must not be asleep yet.”
“And you didn’t ask her the other night because…?”
Luna looked at her indignantly. “I would have if I hadn’t been holding off the nightmares!”
“Fair enough,” Celestia chuckled at her sister’s exasperation. “Now come, it is time for you to rest.”
“I was hoping I could continue my search actually,” Luna replied, turning back to the balcony. Celestia was about to protest, but realized that her sister’s idea wasn’t a bad one. It couldn’t hurt to let her stay up for another hour or two.
“Alright, but don’t stay up too late,” the older sister replied as she walked back inside. Luna rolled her eyes.
“Yes mother,” she teased. Celestia smiled to herself as she walked back towards the door to her sister’s room. She paused before opening it and glanced back towards the balcony. Concern swirled within her mind. She was glad to see her sister so excited about finally having found an apprentice, but she didn’t want her to face the same disappointment as before. Still, only time would tell if their efforts paid off.