//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: The Friends of Princess Luna // by Russell Dickson //------------------------------// Guiding the dreams of the realm is no easy task. Few realize, however, that Princess Luna has friends who help her do just that. The Good Soldier **** “We are the Vidi-Yin nuns.” Pudding was rolling, falling. Over and over into the darkness. “Who?” “We are the Vidi-Yin nuns. We guide our night mother to those who need her help.” The dark green pony was still falling thou the void. A dark void of nothing. There was no up or down, just falling. “Where are you?” “We are all around you. We are reaching out for you.” Pudding was still falling and he seem to be falling even faster. “Show yourselves!” “We are with you. Reaching out for you.” Pudding could feel his heart pounding inside his chest, as he started to go even faster into the void of darkness. No light, just the feeling of falling. “What do you want?” “We are the Vidi-Yin. We are the vanguard of the night mother. She commands an audience with you. We are coming for you.” The stallion pony started to be panic. “Why!?” “We are coming for you. Do not resist.” Fear is deadly. An enemy uses fear to subdue and defeat. Fear is the best weapon an enemy has. Do not let your enemy use your own fear. Scream. “YOU WANT ME! COME AND GET ME! I WILL SEE YOU ON SHORES OF THE RIVER STYX.” “You are going to fast.” Pudding was now confused. “What?” “You are running to fast for us to reach you. Will you slow down.” Pudding looked down at his hooves. He was running. Pudding could not recall running, he thought he was falling. He started to slow, and look around. Darkness was all around him, and no ground below his feet. “How was I running?” “You are dreaming.” Said a winded little pink unicorn. “How does an old pony like you run so fast?” Soon an older white unicorn came up from behind the pink unicorn. “Fresh Water! You say your are sorry right now.” The little pink unicorn held her head down. “I sorry mister. But, all we wanted to do was tell you that Princess Luna need to see you.” Pudding heart almost stopped. “Princess Luna? The mare of the night? What does she need to see me for.” Just then the voice of Princess Luna come out form the darkness. “Your dreams. Your nightmares, are almost eternal. I wish only happiness for my subjects.” The fog of darkness parted, and Princess Luna walked toward Pudding and the two unicorns. With her were four more unicorns. Each were very young, one did not even have her cutie mark. Pudding shook his head. “Who are you ponies?” Fresh Water answered. “I though we cover that. We are the Vidi-Yin nuns. We listen to the dreams of ponies around the world. If we find a problem, we contact Princess Luna. Then she interacts with the pony to helps stop the nightmares.” Once more Pudding started to back away form the Vidi-Yin nuns and Princess Luna. “You mean you’re the secret police. You push your way into the minds of ponies. Controlling them?” “No.” Pleaded Luna. “That not the way it works. If you learn how to listen, you can hear the sound of the ponies heart. When a pony is happy, the heart sings.” Princess Luna explained some more. “But, if a pony is troubled, the heart will weep. My children of the night, the Vidi-Yin, are trained to listen for the weeping of a pony's heart. Your heart is sobbing with grate pain. With this grate sobbing and raging pain, it is my duty to enter and do what must be done. I wish only to help.” “DON’T LEASON TO THEM!” Came a vice from the dark mist. As a monster parted the vial, showing himself to be more machine than pony. Armor and weapon strapped to almost ever part of his body. Hooves cover in the remains of bloody combat. Princess Luna came forth and confronted the monster. “Who are you? What do you want? Why do you torment this pony?” Form inside the armor face plating, the sound of the monster half machine pony replied in an electric hiss. “I cloud the memories of what you made. To dispel this mist would only hurt the little pony name Pudding. You and your kind are not welcome in this dream land. For it was you that made the nightmare that he has been forced to live.” Fresh Water once more spoke out of turn. “We are hear to help. Pudding’s heart is crying out in grate pain.” “No.” Said Princess Luna. “It is not Pudding’s heart that is in pain. It is this pony that stands before me. For they are the same pony.” “LIE!” The monster machine pony lower and ready his weapon. Aiming for Princess Luna. “The sisters only know lies, and half truths. What ever furthers their own goals, regardless the number of ponies they murder to achieve them.” Fresh Water once more spoke up. “That not true. Princess Luna and Princess Celestia care about all their subjects.” Princess Luna did not take her eyes off the monster war machine pony. “Abbess. Take the novices back to the monastery. This is my work, I do not want to see them in harms way.” Fresh Water objected. “Luna, that thing will kill you. Let us help.” However the white unicorn gather up all the other nuns and guided them back form the dream time, to the main throne room of Canterlot castle. There the stetted upon the throne was Princess Luna. Her eyes open and fix. They glowed with power. Around the throne were the five novice nuns, and their abbess. Each were coming out of there own lucid dream state. “We have to go back and help Luna!” Cried out Fresh Water. The abbess voice was filled with anger, even shaking with rage. “Fresh Water! Your Princess Goddess, and Night Mother order you to return to the monastery. You will stay with in this room and continue you duties as a Vidi-Yin nun.” “But, she is in danger.” wimpier Fresh Water. The abbess re-center herself. “Child, Fresh Water. I see the love you have for Princess Luna. I also feel your passion. But, if the Princess orders you do something, you must obey. Do not the Bat Ponies guard the Princess when she walk the grounds. But, if she tell them to go away, they do as they are told. Is this not true?” Fresh Water bow her head. “It is true.” The abbess went on. “And is it not true, when ordered, the ‘five night mares’, who are Princess Luna’s personal hoof maddens. Do they not leave her in peace?” One of the other nuns snickered behind the abbess’s back. She turn and asked. “What is that about?” The little blue unicorn pony nun smile. “Sorry abbess. But, Princess Luna has been asking to be alone with that earth pony stallion a lot lately.” The other nuns also smile and snickered. Some covering there mouths with a hoof. The abbess tipped her hoof on the floor, to bring back order to the group. However it was the puff of black smoke that stop the snickering. As the smoke clear away stood one of the five night mares. She was an earth pony, but cover from head to tail in a black gi and mask . “Do not speak of the Princess Luna in this way. She walks in worlds, as no other.” “We know that better they you, Missy.” Said Fresh Water with an eye roll. “You know being a Kunoichi ninja does not make you that much more stronger in magic. You are still just an earth pony.” The abbess corrected Fresh Water. “Mistress Missy is you better. You will show her respect.” Fresh Water let out a breath. “I am sorry Mistress Missy.” “You are forgiven.” Said the Kunoichi ninja in a dismissive tone of voice. More snickering could be hear, but this time form the door way. The two bat ponies guards, Star Dancer and Skin Wings, were enjoying the show. Mistress Missy was about to slap the two bat ponies in the back of the head, just to teach them that it is not a good idle to laugh at a Kunoichi ninja. When Princess Luna came out for here trance. Princess Luna took a few deep breaths. Then dip her head. “My little pony name Pudding is deeply troubled. Mistress Missy, I will need you to go and protect him. You will find him in Ponyville. My dear Vidi-Yin nuns I will need you to listen closely to his heart. If what I show him works out, you will hear a very strong cry of joy.” With the orders give out, Princess Luna stood up and started walking to the door way. “I must go and lower the moon. For the night is ending, and my sister will soon awake. Come and attend me, my friends. “ With that the small group of Vidi-Yin nuns, five Kunoichi ninjas, and two bat pony royal guards walked into the hallway. Falling in behind their Princess. However some giggling form the group could be hear as a somepony special waited for his Luna to finish her nightly work. And, Luna return the sly smile that he gave her.