//------------------------------// // Luna Lucks Out for a Change // Story: Pony Dreams // by Fuzzyfurvert //------------------------------// Canterlot Castle: Celestia’s Royal Chambers The senior pony guard’s brow knotted in consternation as he stared at the doors separating them from the living Goddess. He knocked again, slower, but with more force. He spoke up, his voice rumbling like a closing storm front. “Ma’am? Are you alright?” He flicked his eyes at the younger stallion and whispered. “Get ready kid.” “Ready? For what?!” “Anything.” Wide eyed, the other guard complied. This might be his first night on personal guard duty, but he wasn’t some fresh recruit, and this wasn’t going to be his last night on it either. Sun Ray flexed his shoulder muscles and the enchantments inlaid in his Royal Guard Armor sprung to life. The armor wasn’t just decoration, or merely defensive. The chest piece expanded and extended plates to cover his back and flank and super thin struts extended along the leading edges of his wings. The hoofgaurds grew as well, and sprouted thorn-like spines. The helmet reinforced itself and pulled in the crest while extending a false horn, though unlike a unicorn, or alicorn horn, it was more axe blade than spear. And it was placed lower, over his snout, like a rhino’s. The whole of the transformation took about as much time as a blink and made the suit feel like lead, though Sun Ray knew he was still more than capable of flight and fight. “Sir, I still don’t understa-” Ray was cut off by a wave from the older guard as a soft sound came muffled from behind the doors. It sounded like a sigh. And he wasn’t given much time to contemplate what it meant as the doors were pushed open and the older guard stepped through. His face was serious, but his body language said he was relaxed. Ray stifled his question and followed, swallowing hard as he stepped into the bedroom of their beloved leader. Nothing in the training prepared Sun Ray for this. Even the joking whispers that passed through the barracks at night about this most hallowed of places hadn’t prepared him. It was literally like nothing he’d ever even dreamed. Princess Celestia’s room was...normal looking. Other than the size and scale differences, it could have been the bedroom of any fairly well off mare. There was a small antechamber with a little desk and mirror, some hooks for hanging things like scarves or hats. Sun Ray couldn’t really imagine the Princess stopping here and checking her mane or straightening her tiara before welcoming the day. It must be for the guests of the Princess to use, surely. Though he couldn’t think of who in all Equestria would be granted such an audience. The wallpaper was all white and crisp with a strip of sky blue edging the floor and ceiling. The same simple pattern extended into the main room as well. Celestia’s main bed chambers were sparse, almost to the way of spartan. There was plenty of furniture, a bed, a dresser, a night stand, a few seats by the unlit fireplace, some bookshelves, Philomina’s birdcage in the far corner covered for the night. But they were simple and in muted pastel coloring, only odd in their size. The carpeting was probably the most opulent thing in room, being a perfect shade of white and feeling like a cloud even to a pegasus. The bed was disheveled, but otherwise the room looked pristine. The Princess herself was standing at the room’s largest window, off to the left as they entered, gazing up at Luna’s star filled night sky and full Moon. She looked hale and healthy, vaguely ethereal. Aside from her Royal Vestments having been removed, she seemed just as she always had. Sun Ray sighed with relief and started to relax until he noticed her rear hoof tapping the floor arythmically in annoyance. Leadfeather, the older guard, stopped just inside the main room and nodded to the Princess. “Sorry to intrude Your Highness, but I heard you awake and you did not answer my call. Are you alright?” Princess Celestia continued to look out at the night sky for a few seconds before slowly turning her head to regard them. She looked tired, but otherwise fine. Celestia scanned over Sun Ray’s active armor and her eyebrows knitted slightly. She smiled sleepily. “Oh Leadfeather, Sun Ray, you mustn’t worry everytime I wake up in the middle of the night. I was simply having a dream. A long, peaceful dream. But, it ended.” Leadfeather frowned and cast a glance at Sun Ray. “Sorry for the interruption then ma’am. Please rest well my Princess.” Still unsure as to what was going on, but calmed by the Sun Princess’ ease, Sun Ray saluted and turned to follow Leadfeather as he exited the chambers. He let the armor return to passive mode, the extra plates and spines retracting just as quickly and smoothly as they had appeared. Leadfeather closed the doors behind them once they were back in the hallway and hung his head for what seemed a long while, then, with a deep sigh leaned over to whisper. “Ok, you heard the Princess, this is a Vector Sigma Protocol. I’ll stay here and try to hold whatever it is off. You get to the guard station at the end of the hall and get my helmet. There’s a com crystal in it linked to emergency dispatch. Just give them the protocol sign and then go directly to the Throne and alert Princess Luna. We’ll need her here fast!” Sun Ray blinked blankly at the older pegasus. “What?” Leadfeather looked back at him in confusion for a second before his expression turned to rage and he managed to both yell and whisper at the same time. “Didn’t you get the message, you dim witted simpleton?! Don’t they teach you noobs Horse-code at the Ranch any more?! Her hoof, damnit! She was sending Horse-code the whole time! We are up to our primary feathers in god-tier horseapples! Now move it soldier! And try not to do so like a chicken with its head cut off!” Sun Ray swallowed hard and nodded tersely before nervously cantering down the hall toward the station where the extra gear was stored. His eyes felt like saucers in his head as he tried in vain to look at ease. He’d been a guard for more than a year now and he’d never heard of a Vector Sigma Protocol. But he’d follow the orders he was given. Whatever was going on, he’s find out the facts soon enough. Princess Celestia’s chambers sat atop one of the tallest towers in the castle, nearest to the mountain itself. The hall that lead to it directly was a long enclosed skybridge with large windows that faced East and West. It was always bright and cheerful. But, at the moment, Sun Ray couldn’t help but think of the security risks it presented. The stones and glass were all protected magically, sure. But enough force at the right spot could topple it. And the hall itself could become a shooting gallery, those same enchantments preventing escape. It was long, narrow and provided no cover to speak of. The station checkpoint was located where the hall met the castle’s main structure. It was little more than a desk and a couple of locked cabinets, but at the verbal command of castle staff or a guard, it could erect a protective bubble and block the path to the Princess. No pony was there at the moment, but that was normal procedure. Ray fumbled with keys in his mouth as he tried to come to a stop, pull the keys from his armor, and open the cabinet all at once. His crash into the same cabinet knocked the helm right off him, but Ray was glad he didn’t swallow the keys. After a moment of rustling about, he stood and held ol’ Leadfeather’s other helmet in his hoof. Inside was a leather patch covering the com crystal. Ray hadn’t used one before, as they were reserved for ranking officers, but he was familiar in their function. He tore away the cover with his teeth and spit it on the floor. The small rough cut gem was about the size of an acorn, and glowed a very faint red. Touching his muzzle to the stone, he willed it to connect and began speaking in a hushed tone. “Hello? This thing on? This is Sun Ray. I’m reporting from the Princess’ chambers. Er... Princess Celestia’s, specifically! We have a Vector Sigma Protocol. I repeat, a Vector Sigma Protocol!” Ray blinked down at the little crystal, but nothing happened. If he supposed to get a response, he wasn’t hearing it. Ray cursed and tossed the helmet aside. Either emergency dispatch heard him, or they didn’t. Leadfeather made it sound like they didn’t have much time. He had to get to a large window and take to the air. He could be at the Throne in less than a minute that way. Down the corridor here, there were several rooms reserved for visiting dignitaries and the higher ranking staff members. Just like the skybridge, there were massive enchanted glass windows here, but these could be opened. Rushing to the nearest one he popped the latch with a well placed kicked and it swung open silently. Ray gathered himself for a leap when he heard a sound back towards the checkpoint. He turned, tense, ready to activate his armor and then chuckled nervously as she saw Leadfeather’s discarded helm roll from where it had fell when he’d tossed it. “Don’t get too antsy Ray....still gotta go get Princess Luna. Still gotta save Princess Celestia from....whatever. Save Princess, save Equestria, get promoted, maybe meet one of those cute Elements..... yeah, that’ll happen. Now go!” Sun Ray’s powerful leg muscles sent him over the window ledge and out into the cool, moonless void of the night. His wings spread and caught air a split second later, his white plumage swallowed by the inky darkness even the lights from the castle couldn’t seem to brighten. *** Everfree Forest The ground was loamy and covered in a thick layer of leaves accumulated from the past few years worth of seasonal changes. The night was still and dark, but far from quiet. In the canopy above, nocturnal birds and bats swooped and chirped as they hunted the swarms of buzzing insects. The night in the Everfree is alive. More so than even the day. Predator and prey alike fought for space and resources, relaxed or creeped along, mated and fed as the mood or need took them. The larger predators and herbivores slept, but the night was alive with the smaller kind. And ponies. In an opening in the underbrush that one might generously call a clearing, Lord Fancypants of Equestria and Fleur of Southern Fance stepped into the Everfree from the ether. Their hooves sank into the soft ground almost soundlessly. Fleur glanced about, her eyes adjusting quickly to the sparse moonlight under the canopy. No pony else was about, as far as she could tell, and the wildlife barely paused to consider them. It smelled earthy and a little wet to the touch, like a hot night hours after a light rain. “Where have you brought us this time? I see no potion maker here. Or anything else for that manner. Is this the Everfree?” Fancypants smirked and his ever-present monocle flashed green, throwing the nighttime forest into sharp relief. He lowered his voice when he spoke. “The witchdoctor lives near here. She should be asleep. She can be dangerous though, so we’ll be approaching her carefully.” Fleur’s eyebrows shot up and hissed quietly. “Witchdoctor?! You said potion maker!” “Witchdoctor that is ALSO a potion maker. Deal with it my apprentice. And while you’re at it, get ready. This is your show now. We aren’t here to barter for what we need. We are here to filch. And you, my little cat burglar, are about to have a live-fire field run. Get in, get the stuff, get out.” The white unicorn glared daggers at her mentor for a moment before her horn glowed ever so slightly. Illuminated by the faint light, a large owl gazed hungrily at the two ponies from just a few yards away. In a blink her form was covered in a black suit, hooves to shoulders. It had pockets lining the sides and ribbing that held firm, if thin, plates of metal over her vitals, providing a bit of protection as well. Her hair began to twist and braid itself as a mask, black as the suit, with night-vision goggles, appeared and floated next to her. “Alright, no problem. What does the ‘stuff’ look like? And don’t tell me ‘you’ll know it when you see it.’.” Fleur slipped on the mask, tucking her hair into the back and closing it with a whisper quiet zipper. It covered all but her eyes. Even her horn was concealed. With the goggles on as well, the glow from her horn wouldn’t give her away in the dark if she needed her magic. “I’ll even do you one better. Here.” Fancypants levitated a photograph from his vest pocket. It was an interior shot of a small room, seemingly inside a hut of some sort. There were tribal masks on the wall, a centrally located cauldron and shelf after shelf of potions and ingredients. Next to one of the shelves was a zebra with multiple neckrings and a high, mohawked mane. The angle made it hard to tell gender, but the witchdoctor seemed to have a mare’s sleekness to it. In one hoof it held a large jar wrapped in straw and bound with twine. Unlike most of the bottles in the image, it had a glass stopper rather than a cork. Fleur narrowed her eyes, drinking in the details, though the mask hardly impeded her senses, it did muffle her voice. “Five neckrings? Are you trying to kill me? Because if you are, there are faster, more humane ways to go about it!” Fancypants merely continued to smirk. “I’m sure you’ll do just fine my dear. Just try to stay out of sight.” To emphasise his point, the stately unicorn winked at her and faded from view. Not an invisibility spell, but, a morphic cameo making him blend with the background seamlessly. When he moved and was near, it was rather obvious. But, so long as he moved slowly and smoothly, it would take a dedicated eye to see him. Hearing him was another matter. Years of formal dances in Canterlot and around the world made even a stallion as big as Fancypants light on his hooves. He was, however, more suited to urban climes. Here in the forest, he would have to use the night sounds around them to mask his movements. Making sure to roll her eyes with extra disdain, Fleur dropped the goggles in place and sighed as the forest around her became more distinct. In the middle distance, off to what felt like the east, she could make out a thatched cottage roof. Her hooves made less noise than a falling leaf as she slinked into the underbrush, and while she couldn’t pull off that chameleon spell like Fancypants, she certainly knew a thing or two about stealth. The cottage wasn’t very near, but with witchdoctors it paid to be a bit extra cautious. And this witchdoctor wasn’t going to see or hear her coming, if Fluer “The Shadow Taker” had anything to say about it. Fancypants watched her go and waited for a few breaths so she could close more distance to the hut. Then he began his own, much slower advance. Fluer could slip in and out of a place unnoticed, even with very little magic. On the other hoof, he could not. With his chameleon spell in place and the night vision from his monocle, he was fairly certain that he could at least get close enough to help her escape, if the need arose. His destination wasn’t far, thankfully. A crop of young hardwood saplings provided both cover as well as an advantageous view of the witchdoctor’s crude home. From there he could reach the hut through his magic and keep tabs on things. Fluer didn’t know, but her goggles were enchanted for more than just night vision. So long as he was close, he could see whatever she did through his monocle. Doing so would cancel his own night vision, but, once in position, he wouldn’t need it. The dozen or so trees that made up the impromptu blind were growing on a subtle mound about a minutes worth of walking distance from the hut’s north face. Fancypants eased himself in the close growing trees, each about as thick as his legs. His cameo would keep him concealed and the trees would make it hard to target him. He dropped the effort on night vision and focused a tiny investment of power into his monocle, connecting it to Fluer’s goggles. From the view, the pony was still in the forest, but just outside the hut. She seemed to be scanning it for entry points. Now just to wait for Fluer to do her thing and bring him the next piece of the puzzle. With it in his grasp, the Rogues of the Inner Order would have to bow to his will. Even the Princesses might think twice before moving against him. *** Ponyville: Sparkle Residence Twilight panted in the shower stall, her forehooves still braced against the wall, as she watched the purple colored blob in the fogged over bathroom mirror. It moved as she did, rocking a bit, knees wobbly, tail shaky from holding it up so long. The shower spigot above her still dripped hot, scented water, but the shower was effectively over. Though the aftershocks of her... workout.... were continuing to make the local environment move unsteadily. She blinked slowly and focused enough to rinse her toy before returning it to its secure hiding place behind the vent. There....done....by the Princess that felt good..... Twilight nabbed a towel as she walked rather shakily out of the stall and over to the counter where her mane and coat brushes and oils sat. She tossed the towel back and up, turning it with magic to wrap about her hair before doing the same with a second towel and her tail. She’d learned that little trick from Rarity. Back in Canterlot, her mane and tail would just have hung wet and drip dried until they were tangled messes that required hours of combing and barely restrained strings of expletive deletives. Reaching up with a free hoof, Twilight wiped the fog from the mirror and looked at herself with a critical eye. What’s up with you Sparkle? Why these dreams? Why now? What’s the connection? You can’t keep having these late night self pleasure sessions. Spike is already getting curious about the lack of bath water in the morning. Twilight frowned as the mirror mimicked her. I don’t think I’ve been ensorceled. I’ve been sorta aroused before, but nothing like this. The dreams are getting weirder. Something is definitely going on, but what?! She growled and levitated a brush and third fluffy towel, which she proceeded to use to dry and comb out her coat. This calls for more Research! The the towels and brush at work, Twilight couldn’t help but grin as she trotted out of the bathroom a bit more steadily than a moment ago. She didn’t, however, head for the library, but instead, the kitchen. She always felt really thirsty after a session in the shower. And this called for some cold milk. Which they thankfully had in stock in the icebox. A levitated glass and milk were nothing to Twilight’s skill, even keeping up the grooming at the same time. She still got embarrassed when ‘showing off’ in front of other ponies, even her friends. But she had started to become more comfortable with the fact that she WAS naturally gifted. And being the Element of Magic only made her more powerful. That line of thought gave Twilight pause as she sipped from her glass. Hmmm...is that why the dreams have Luna in them? She and I are equal, or more likely, as close to equal as possible, in magic ability and strength? Nopony I’ve ever met, outside the Princesses of course, have the sheer umph that I do. And that has always kinda bothered me. But still, Princess Luna is WAY beyond me. She’s a Goddess. I can’t move the Moon. Twilight glanced out the kitchen window into the clear night sky at the Moon, full and looming above. At least, I don’t think I can. I wouldn’t even know where to start on that. And that’s not the problem at hoof anyway. Settling her rump down at the small kitchen table she and Spike shared, Twilight summoned another brush from the bathroom and set it aside for later. Then she reached metaphysically into the library main room and plucked a short stack of books she’d been reading earlier. They were all the Ponyville library had on dreams that weren’t works of fiction. One covered the interpretation of dream imagery, while another was on the mechanics of the brain at rest and the effects of various sleep disorders on the body and psyche. The last was a very small spellbook that had a few sleep related enchantments in it. So far, they had not proved particularly useful in finding the reason or origin of the strange dreams. The interpretation book was far too vague in her opinion. The imagery could be meaningless, or have multiple layers of interconnected meaning and reference to everything else. It was devilishly simple and infernally complex at the same time, and though she’d never admit it out loud, hard to get her head around. The second book had proven to be much more her cup of tea with harder science and firmer magical theory. Twilight had to admit she’d been almost wholly unaware of just how important sleep and even the simplest of dreams were to the pony mind, and to unicorn magic specifically. She’d only barely skimmed the third book, primarily due to it being referenced in the second. Twilight set the books on the table next to the brush and opened the one on sleep disorders to her awaiting bookmark. The section she had last stopped in was the most promising so far, as it was covering different types of dreams and the parts of the mind they stimulated as well as the theories behind them. The Moon light and her horn’s glow were all she needed to read by. Her milk was almost gone and her coat was drying nicely as she flipped the pages, gobbling up the words printed there. Once she was dry enough, Twilight set the towel aside and started brushing in long strokes going down her neck to her withers, to her dock and down to her fetlocks. The long, smooth strokes were an important part of the coat care she’d picked up from Rarity. And it showed too. Twilight had never thought of herself as pretty, but the extra work got her a good bit more stares and the occasional whistle or catcall. Twilight’s milk was gone by the time she reached the end of the chapter. She was about to close it in frustration when she spied a footnote with a heading that made her breath catch. Lucid Dreaming Twilight’s eyes snapped to focus and shot left and right she devoured the small text paragraphs. Dreams I can control through will? THAT’S what Momma Sparkle is talking about! Let’s see..... control, meditation, possible treatment for nightmares and other disturbing dreams...yep, thats what I need. But, says the ability requires months of meditation and sleep exercises to achieve? The purple unicorn sighed and facehoofed, grumbling to herself. “I don’t have time for that.... wait... there’s a secondary footnote....” Had Spike been awake to see the smile that crept across Twilight’s face as she read the subscript and looked at the neglected spellbook, he would have just gone back to sleep and waited for the panicked screams from the local populace to start. *** Canterlot Castle: Royal Court Hall Luna shifted for what seemed the millionth time on the Throne, levitating her history book in front of herself. The giant seat was comfortable enough, but with Celestia as its only occupant for so long, it had a groove pressed into the cushions shaped like her much larger sister. She had decided to flip past the boring parts about the gryphon wars and get to the slightly more juicy political intrigue that filled the peaceful years until the Second Minotaur Uprising. Account after account of backstabbing and betrayal wasn’t helping her mental picture of the pony elite that still inhabited Canterlot. But the various detailed reports of ponies shacking up to form new alliances was entertaining at least. Luna sighed, reaching the current chapter’s end. Where is that bailiff and my doughnuts? Pony Joe’s is but a few minutes flight from here. She sighed again and clapped the book closed. And I sent a pony that can’t fly to go get them. I am a sure win for the Smartest Princess Award. For what seemed the trillionth time, Luna checked her dream tendrils again. Still no dreaming Twilight Sparkle. Still no doughnuts. She set the book down and looked out the tall court windows at her Moon. It glowed brighter, showing off its beauty for its Mistress. Watching that happen always brought a smile to Luna’s face. Well, now what? There isn’t anything going on. I could just leave. But, then the bailiff will bring the food, knowing my luck. And Twilight will go back to sleep and before I know it, Celestia and the Sun will be up and staring uncomfortably at me. Luna frowned and and closed her eyes, leaning her head back against the rest. And what should I do about that dream Twilight had? Ignore it? Confront her? Was it a one time thing, or does she think about me like that often? And why me? I mean, we’ve directly interacted twice so far. And the first time barely counts. Nightmare Night was fun and very informative. I really do wish I had more nights like it to spend with the common ponies. But, why me Twilight? I suppose we ARE similar in many ways. But.... Luna sighed again expressively. She is a cute mare, I guess. And it has been a long time..... Luna frowned harder at that thought, but caught her breath as the tendril she’d left to monitor the Ponyville library suddenly sent her a signal. Twilight was asleep again. Now she just had to hope the young unicorn dreamed of her again. And this time Sparkle, I’m not going to let your libido do the talking for your brain. We, my dear Twilight, are going to have a fun little chat to keep this Night Goddess from going batty! She chuckled to herself and made sure she was comfortable. Stregthening her dream magic once more, Luna scanned the Element’s mind for a entry point. It would take a few minutes for the mind of a pony to drift deep enough into unconsciousness for a dream to form fully. We are going to have fun fun fun! And not the sexy times fun, you hear me Twilight? Just regular ol’ goddess-invading-your-dreams-to-shoot-the-breeze-because-she’s-bored-to-tears-with-pointless-duties-and-meaningless-bureaucracy type fun. Twilight’s mind flared with activity as her dreams started, and a second later Luna could feel her connection grow stronger. She was being dreamed of once more. But, this time, she planned on being smarter and more patient. Sensing the dream better than before. “Pretending like I know what I’m doing.” Luna mumbled under her breath a moment before the blurred sights and sounds of the new dreamscape formed in her mind’s eye. Vaguely ‘in front’ of her consciousness, she could make out a large observatory room dominated by a huge telescope pointed up through a slit in a domed roof. Beyond the ceiling, Luna could see her Moon, looking just as the real one did, if a bit larger than normal. The observatory itself was lit by a few lanterns placed on regularly spaced tables which were covered with star charts and notes, compasses and measuring tools. In the center of the room was an old blackboard covered in bright scribbles that Luna couldn’t make out. And standing at the board, horn aglow as she directed the chalk at scribbling another line, was Twilight Sparkle. The unicorn was mumbling to herself and Luna couldn’t pick up what any of it was. And while this dream didn’t feel, or look, particularly intimate at the moment, it could turn that way at any second. Luna noted Twilight was wearing her Starswirl the Bearded costume from Nightmare Night, or at least just the hat. And her perspective seemed odd. She seemed to be looking down on Twilight from behind, as if she was sitting on one of the tables. Her dreamself wasn’t moving either, which was preventing her from looking around and very annoying. Ok, oddities aside, this looks like a normal, non-sexy dream. But I swear if things go wrong this time, I’m just gonna goddess up and take control. Pushing herself conceptually forward, Luna stepped into the dream and assumed the place of her dreamself. From inside, the details were even more vivid, just like last time. Luna could even smell the chalk on the board and dust on the shelves and tables. She noted idly that she was standing on the cool tile floor and her helmet felt heavy on her brow. Her perspective was still strange, being above the young unicorn, as if she was very tall, or floating. Luna frowned, moving to adjust the blasted helm. It had shifted so that the nose guard was starting to edge into her vision. She never saw why the Nightmare had liked it. It made her look bald, even with her power full upon her and her mane transformed. Wait, what? Luna crossed her eyes, focusing on the sliver of cobalt armor. “WHY IN THE ACTUAL BUCK AM I WEARING THE NIGHTMARE’S ARMOR?!” Twilight whirled around as she dropped the chalk to the floor. Luan flared her nostrils in anger at being made up as a part of herself she cared to forget about, but the shocked look on Twilight’s face made her clench her teeth and suck in a breath. Twilight's shocked look turned to pure delight and she clapped her forehooves together. That reaction took Luna by surprise and stole much of her anger with it. “Oh good! You’re here! You’re actually here!” Twilight Sparkle smiled happily and started jumping in a small circle. “Yesyesyesyesyesyesyesyes! I LOVE when a theory pans out! It worked and you’re actually here!” Luna stared back at Twilight, jaw slack and brow pinched in utter lack of understanding. She was not expecting this. Not at all. What by all the heaven’s stars is going on here? This is even more disturbing than a sex dream would have been! “Twilight Sparkle, Bearer of the Element of Magic, I demand to know what in the hay you think you are doing?!” Luna growled between her clenched teeth, biting down, more than metaphorically on her anger. Non-pulsed by her display, Twilight continued to grin widely, rocking back and forth happily. The now much smaller unicorn stepped up her, looking Luna over from horn to hoof. “I’m so surprised it worked! And so quickly too! I found a spell to allow me to start lucid dreaming. I thought I could then examine the odd dreams I’ve been having, from the inside, so to speak. And, after the last one, with your odd behavior, it got me to thinking. I mean, you’re the Night Princess, dreams are part of your deific portfolio. So, it stands to reason that you could affect them, or sense them, or even communicate through them! Then, using the spell I found, I started dreaming and thought of you again, so I could kill both curious birds with one stone of discovery. And it worked! WHOOO!!” Twilight whooped again and paused to catch her breath before spinning around and scooping up the chalk she’s dropped. “Oh! I need to factor this into the formula! With it, and your permission of course, I could use this for NEVER ENDING RESEARCH!” Luna gawked as Twilight cackled in a most sinister way. Her mind faltered as it tried to process all the info she was receiving. Twilight had somehow planned this? She knew Luna was there and communicating with her through her dream magic? Twilight had some spell that allowed all this? And that still didn’t explain her current appearance as Nightmare Moon. Frowning more, Luna separated a portion of her consciousness from being part of the dreamscape to being apart from it and observing the very dream stuff that formed it. It was indeed, from this perspective, being magically guided. And in such a way that it gave Luna a start of recognition. Twilight had bound this dream reality much in the same way she herself would have. But Twilight’s work was amateurish compared to her own. Not bad for a first timer! Celestia is right. This one has skill and power. This is insane for her to have just stumbled on to! But....let's talk to her. See what the little powerhouse has to say for herself. And to be rid of this mockery. Luna’s dual mind embraced the dream and bent to her godly will, reforming it directly this time, rather than trying to influence the dreamer. Inside the shared experience, Luna’s dream body shrank and reformed to her normal self, though her mane still flowed with stars from the night sky. Twilight was still chattering away to herself at high speed, the chalk flying across the board in a blur as she wrote and rewrote equations and magical charts. Luan stalked towards her and yanked the chalk away, getting her attention and fixing Twilight with a regal glare. “Explain yourself. Slowly this time, you strange little pony. How is it you know I am here? How have you manipulated this dream? And why, for the love of Celestia did you make look as.....as that, thing?” Twilight gasped as the chalk was wrestled from her control and looked at Luna in shock before seeming to realize she was in the presence of a Princess. “Um.... well... I guessed? You...um... acted oddly in that last dream. And it got me thinking. As the Night Goddess, all things that happen at night are kind of your domain. And it stood to reason....albeit loosely, that your powers would extend over dreams. If you could interact with a dreamer, then that would certainly explain your behavior, since it was really you, and not what my mind imagined.” Twilight scuffed one hoof against the observatory's tile floor, looking down at Luna’s hoofcaps. “And, well, I’ve been dreaming of you a lot recently.... and well, I was curious if you were causing the um.......... sexy dreams.” She swallowed hard and continued quickly. “Anyway! I found a spell that could induce a lucid dreaming state and I thought I’d test it out. As for why.....the Nightmare Moon form.....well, I thought that you might not want me to know you were peeking in on my dreams, and it seemed like a way to get you to break character. Though, in hindsight, I see now that it was the wrong way to go about it.” “You think?” Luna let what was left of her scorn to drip through those two words. She was impressed. Mightily so. But, Twilight, in her eagerness had overstepped herself. “I do not find this amusing young Ms. Sparkle. I truly do not wish to ever be reminded of that part of my life. I left the Nightmare behind and now I wish only to move forward. Please......do not bring it up again.” Twilight snapped her head up and nodded rapidly. “Yes! I promise Princess Luna!” “Tck.....no, just Luna, please. Here, in this place? We are more equals than ever. I must commend you on your spell weaving Ms. Sparkle.” Luna let a hint of a smile creep onto her face. “You are ever as talented as my sister says. And very smart as well, to figure out my dream magics and set a trap for me all in one go.” Remind me not to get on Twilight’s bad side. She’s a doozy of talent in her own right before adding the Element and my sister’s favoritism. Luna shook her head at the thought. Twilight smiled friendly. “As you wish Prin......er, Luna. And please, call me Twilight. Mrs. Sparkle is my mother. Sorry again.....’bout, well.... you know.” Luna sighed and shook her head again. “I accept your apology. And, I must continue to wonder at your rapid capture of thought and theory. But... you mentioned odd dreams? Like the.....um, private one I interrupted?” Luna paused. “I suppose it is my turn to be sorry about that.” “No no! That’s quite alright! Actually, I’m glad you did. Those dreams have been really taking it outta me these last few weeks.” Twilight’s grin turned sheepish. “Um....and, obviously, without your timely interruption....well, we wouldn’t be here. I’ve had several like that one. All with....um....you, in them. Not that I think of you like that!” Twilight stammered and waved her hooves in front of herself. “I didn’t want the dreams... not that they weren’t pleasant. But, normally, I don’t have those sorts of dreams! So, I’ve been looking into sleep and dream studies.....” Luna smirked, watching Twilight blush and stammer her way through the explanation of studies and the cringe worthy dreams she’d been having. She noted that Twilight seemed to be mostly embarrassed by them, but did take some pleasure from them. Even if she was quick to downplay that. As with the one Luna had interrupted, they had a strong sexual theme and herself as constants. It was a little disturbing and more than a little embarrassing for Luna to hear of her repeated conquests over Twilight’s innocence. By the time she was through recounting, both dark colored ponies were blushing furiously. “Yes. Well.” Luna blinked rapidly, not quite able to make eye contact with Twilight. “So....I’m sure you can understand why I was concerned then?” “Well.... how do I put this delicately?” Luna tapped her hoof against her chin and squinted at Twilight. “Twilight.... have you had....er...your First Heat?” Twilight’s blush flared even deeper, reaching all the way up her horn. For mares, the First Heat was always rough and embarrassing, though it marked the transition from foal to young mare. It made them mad with lust and a need to mate that was almost animalistic. Thankfully, it only lasted for a few days. During that time, the young filly would be surrounded by her female family members and friends, kept safe and sane until the overloading hormones worked their way out of her system. Afterwards, the heat came regularly, once a month, but massively reduced. It was the only time a mare was fertile, but unlike the First, it hardly had any effect on the mare’s behavior. Still gave them a headache and soreness in their joints for a few days after it was over though. Luna cringed at Twilight’s reaction, recalling her own First, so many centuries ago. It was not an unpleasant memory so much as extremely awkward. And this is almost as awkward as that was! But it is weird. Why would she be having dreams like that? Twilight was staring at her hooves, finding them very interesting. “Um......yes.” She looked back up at Luna, her blush making her look incredibly cute and young. “Uh, l..l..last sp...spring. I uh.... had my friends help me through it.” “Ok. So, that’s not the cause. When did the dreams start? Were you doing anything of note then, or just before they started?” Twilight breathed a heavy sigh of relief and licked her lips. “I’ve thought about that too. There isn’t anything I can point out. It was a normal night that the first dream happened during, which was a tuesday, the fourth, about 47 minutes after moonrise. The preceding day and weeks prior were all also equally normal. Though there was another monster sighting on the edge of the Everfree about two months ago, but that turned out to be just Zecora again.” “You marked the time of my Moon’s rise?” Luna grinned. “That night was particularly pretty, if I might take pride in my work for a moment. The stars in the Stallion’s Belt were fabulously brilliant that evening and I wanted to share that.” The unicorn smiled and nodded. “Yes! I noticed that too! It was very pretty. I usually do mark the moonrise as my official bedtime, most nights. Spike, my assistant, usually falls asleep about an hour or so before that. I have time to do some quiet stargazing before the moon is up. Since the Belt was so bright and clear though, I stayed up a little later.” Luna’s grin widened as she pictured Twilight peeking at her Heavens with a telescope from her treetop balcony. “So, no unusual activity, beyond a firm appreciation for beauty. I take it you checked for a magical based cause? Tia always tells me you are through.” Twilight nodded again and covered her mouth as she started to giggle. “Oh goodness....you... you really call Princess Celestia ‘Tia’? Like, to her face?” “Yes, though it is hardly the worst thing I’ve called my sibling.” Luna chuckled to herself. “If you should call her that someday, I think she might faint!” “Me?! I couldn’t do that! She’s the Princess for crying out loud!” Twilight waved her hooves dismissively, barely containing more giggles behind her smile. “True. But, I believe, she might like it. In private, of course.” Luna and Twilight looked at each other for a moment more before they both burst out laughing. Each imagining Celestia falling over in an exaggerated faint at Twilight use of her pet name. Luna couldn’t remember the last time she’d laughed quite so hard and with somepony other than her sister. It was starting to hurt her sides just a little, but she didn’t care. Good Celestia, but this is better than that stuffy Night Court! I could do this all night. What a wonderful pony to find in this time and age. Maybe this time I’ll get to experience the other side of magic of Friendship. No more Rainbow-nados, please! *** Canterlot Castle: Celestia’s Royal Chambers The thing wearing Celestia as a suit looked down dispassionately at the two pegasi on the floor. Her guards. Each sound asleep and none the wiser. As soon as they had entered the room, the Dream took them. And they were but the first. It walked over to open doors of the antechamber and pushed their bodies aside so the doors could be closed. Not that it mattered really. Pausing, it looked into the mirror there and smiled lopsidedly at the reflection. “I’m in control now Celestia. And you can’t stop it. Nor will your sister or precious Elements. In your sleep I will take them all and in the Dream I will keep them. So don’t be sad. You’ll have company soon enough.” The Celestia puppet smirked and adjusted the tiara atop her head before stepping out and pulling the doors closed behind her. The dark, quiet castle beckoned just down the hall and it would soon know the Dream.