//------------------------------// // Luna Sets Forth // Story: Endless Dreamer // by Tineid //------------------------------// Luna sighed as she returned to her post atop Canterlot Castle. She peered through her telescope, ensuring that all was well throughout Equestria. It was, now. But only because she had spotted the hoard of vampiric jackalopes moving in from the South. She and her guards had flown down there post-haste to head them off before they could enter Equestria proper and endanger the ponies who were sleeping peacefully. Vampiric jackalopes weren't particularly dangerous to an alicorn and her seasoned monster-hunting guardsmen, but it was exhausting rounding them all up and making certain not one had escaped them. But of course a Princess could not rest on her hind quarters just because she was tired. There was that other duty of hers, the duty that was hers alone to fulfill. As Princess of the Night, she must enter the dreams of ponies. She must ensure that nightmares did not plague the citizens of Equestria, that night brought them the rest they needed to lead happy, productive lives during the day. She had once resented ponies for sleeping through the night, for never appreciating that half of their lives they spent in her domain. Though they still may not appreciate it, she made sure the night was as peaceful as Celestia made their days. She called forth one of her guards, "Remain here on watch. I must attend to my other duties." The guard, dark-furred and bat-winged as all her guards were, bowed his head, "Yes my princess, I shall call upon you if you are needed." Nodding, Luna turned and stepped away from the guard. To his eyes, she knew she appeared to sit down and go glassy-eyed, staring at the moon. To her eyes, she simply stepped off this physical world and into the dreamscape. One could not stay long in the raw energies that existed between the dreams of sleeping creatures, so Luna quickly landed in the nearest dreaming mind. A restful dream of being held in a mother's lap, of being small and protected. All was well here. Avoiding the space between dreams, she pulled this dream and another close together. When the borders of the dreams touched, she stepped through into the next dream. Here was a ceremony among Celestia's guardsmen, and there was the dreamer. Her powers allowed her to see that the pony at the head of the ceremony, receiving a promotion, was the dreamer. She smiled at the sight of him. Dream on, young stallion, and let this inspire you in your daylight hours. One day that promotion may be yours. Gently pulling dreams together and stepping between them, she traveled the dreamscape. Dreams were like bubbles floating near each other. They could be moved about to touch each other, and would burst into nothingness upon waking. Travel within this world did not work quite the same as in the waking world. Two ponies who slept next to each other did not necessarily have dreams next to each other. Dreams bordered each other in unusual ways, and so she was able to roam over the whole of the sleeping Equestria. She was trying to sense anything amiss as she went, searching for a troubled dreamer who needed her help. She sensed nothing though, and was relieved. She had little energy left this night, and did not relish the possibility of having to manipulate somepony's dream to show them the right path. Passing through a few of these dreams involved resisting the dream itself. A dream sometimes tried to impose itself, change her form to one that suited their image of her. This happened most often within the dreams of those ponies who still thought of her as Nightmare Moon. Their sleeping mind would try to change her into Nightmare Moon because this was their mind and in their mind that's who she was. Her magic allowed her to ignore this force though, and she quickly passed through before her presence upset their rest. Silently thanking her sister and all those responsible for making this such a peaceful and happy land, she wandered through dreams without paying much attention to their content. She had a few hours left before all these ponies left her domain and returned to their lives, but it seemed tonight would be an easy night. An Apple family accent called out "Oh! Hey there, Luna!" The princess came up short, surprised to hear somepony call her by name. Usually nopony ever dreamt of her, but she turned, expecting to see the dreamer's recreation of her somewhere. There was none. The dreamer was looking straight at her, the real Luna. Applebloom waved a hoof excitedly at Luna from within an elegant boat on a river. "Luna! Over here! C'mon!" Luna decided a short rest in this dream couldn't hurt. She trotted across the surface of the water and climbed into the boat. "Hello young Applebloom. What are you doing out on this river by yourself?" "I think I was goin' somewhere to visit somepony. Or some fruit bats? I dunno, this dream stuff gets a little weird sometimes. So are you a Luna I made up in my head, or are you the real Luna? 'Cause I know Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo said you visited their dreams those times, but that was when they needed help and I don't think I need help 'cause this is a real nice dream I'm in." "Why yes, I am the re- Wait. How did you know you were dreaming? I always have to tell ponies they are dreaming." "Oh, that's 'cause of this book Twilight gave me. Me an' the other Cutie Mark Crusaders were gettin' kinda tired of practicin' the same things all the time, so she gave us each a book with somethin' new to try! I got one about loopy... looser... hmm. About this thing where you dream but you get to know yer dreamin! "That's very impressive young Applebloom. So you are aware you are not really in a boat, but that your mind has visited the dreamscape?" "Well I dunno about any dreamscape thingy. What's that?" "It is all the dreams of all the creatures. I travel across it looking for ponies in trouble. It is my duty as Princess of the Night." "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know you were supposed to be somewhere when I asked you to stay. But... if you're gonna go out patrollin' can I come with you? I promise I'll be careful!" Luna was about to say no, that she shouldn't remove the filly from her body as she did every night, but then she reconsidered. There was no trouble to be had tonight. She looked up at the moon and suffered a moment of loneliness. She was alone too often. It would be nice to have a companion for a night, here in the place even her guards couldn't follow. She looked down at the expectant face of Applebloom, "Yes, I think this night there shall be two guarding the dreams of this land's ponies." Applebloom pranced excitedly, "Yeah! Maybe I'll get my cutie mark in guardin' dreams! What would a dream guardin' cutie mark look like..?" The princess laughed at the filly's exuberance, "Come now, grab hold of my tail and we shall be off!" Doing as she was told, the two of them stepped out of the boat and through the border between dreams. Tonight, Applebloom would see sights that ponies only dreamed of.