//------------------------------// // Ch7: Recoil // Story: A Vivid Dreamer // by Kronoxis //------------------------------// A Vivid Dreamer – Ch7 Recoil Luna had spent the rest of the evening in Celestia’s chambers. Both sisters were lying on Celestia’s bed, Luna pulling her sister under wing as she wept silently; until Celestia finally cried herself to sleep. Luna knew her sister would be facing her own nightmares tonight, and it saddened her that she would not be able to help. But being awake for nearly two days straight was taxing to her concentration, the images still raw in her mind didn’t help either; Luna would be facing her own nightmares. It had taken a while and some begging before Luna was able to get into her sisters chambers, but looking around she could she why she wanted to be alone. There on Celestia’s desk, candle still burning, were a small pile of scrolls. Levitating them before her Luna skimmed through them all; they were letter drafts, some addressed to Shining asking how he and Cadence were doing in their recent rule. But most of them were addressed to Twilight Sparkle; Celestia’s personal student. The writing on some of the drafts ranged from blatant requests on her current safety to subtle questions veiled in the form of an assignment. Luna looked over her sister’s prone form, and spotted a scroll cradled under her wing. Gently levitating it out in front of her Luna read it. It was a response from Sparkle herself; probably having a late night reading session if Celestia was able to get a response so soon. The letter was reaffirming; in it Sparkle replied that she was fine and in good health. It continued on to say that the strangest event of the day was Pinkie Pie throwing a party for the newest arrival in Ponyville, and the ensuing mess when it was discovered that the piñata was filled with cake batter. Luna then returned the letter back under Celestia’s wing, her eyes began to droop as the events and questions of the past days flooded her mind. Luna would face her nightmares; she needed to be strong for her sister. Luna awoke by mid-afternoon, the images of her own nightmares rapidly fading from memory. Looking around the room she found that she was the only one lying in the bed, Celestia’s desk was clear of the scrolls from the night before and the double doors were open; letting in a cooling breeze. While chasing down a potential threat to her ponies was a concern, Luna still had other royal duties to perform. Getting out of bed Luna set about preparing for her evening rule; she had quite a backlog built up. *** Luna had just finished her nightly court session in the throne room when Celestia entered through the grand entrance way. Luna let a relieved smile spread across her face; she was glad that her sister had recovered from last night’s ordeal so quickly. She got off her throne and met her sister half way, and they both peered out one of ceiling high windows watching the moon sail across the sky. “I’m sorry Luna, but I must ask you to enter the dreams of our foreign creature again. This creature is either living with or near my little ponies, and even though it was a dream the potential frightens me greatly. I need you get any information you can on its current whereabouts so that we may capture and interrogate it.” Celestia’s voice was sullen as she spoke. “You need not ask Tia, Our concern for our little ponies is great as well. We were just about to dream walk after supper.” Luna was about to leave for the dining hall when she heard her sister call out behind her. “I have sent orders for a census to be taken, if this creature is hiding amongst our ponies we will find it!” Celestia’s final words were filled with conviction. *** After wishing Celestia a pleasant night and tending to her hunger, Luna found herself once again on her balcony entering the Dreamscape. Finding the strange dream was getting easier as Luna found it in no time at all. It sat looking just as it had the first time she found it; cycling through a gentle blue then to white and back again. Its tendrils flowing like a mock flame, one of the tendrils drawing small twinkling sounds as it made lazy circles on the surface of the reflective ocean. Luna set her horn glowing as she prepared to enter the dream, when a slight hum could be heard as well as felt through her hooves she opened her eyes. Set before her was a large panoramic window; showcasing stars, lots and lots of stars.