Silver hopped from bubble to bubble. Every bubble had a dream. When she thought a pony, a bubble came within hopping range quickly. It was all very... interesting. Silver thought of Luna and a bubble drew close. Was Luna actually sleeping? Dreaming? Silver hopped into the bubble.
Silver landed in a wide field. She turned around to see two massive armies. On one side, ponies arranged in armor wielded weapons in their mouths or strapped to their sides. On the other, a field of griffons. Above the ponies, Luna pointed forward, resplendent with power. "Charge!"
The armies thundered together in a terrific clash as Luna directed the efforts from above. All too suddenly, Silver felt as if she were watched, and Luna appeared before her. "I did not expect you."
Silver scuttled back a few steps. "Luna! I didn't think you dreamed."
Luna waved a hoof. "Of course I do. All creatures dream, and I am no exception. I just do it less often than most." The battle behind her faded away, and they were instead in the royal gardens. It was night, and the moon hung full and heavy in the sky. "Welcome, fellow princess of the night. What brings you here?"
Silver smiled gently. "What if I just like seeing you? I haven't had the chance since our last dream lesson."
Luna tilted her head. "I can see how thoughts of marrying my sister might distract you."
Silver frowned. "Luna, wow, that was... Well, it was honest, I'll give it that, but let's be big ponies about this?"
Luna turned her head to the side. "We do not see what there is to be big about."
Silver was suddenly larger, equal in size to Luna. She threw a leg over Luna, hugging her. "I will not let you trample me this time. We are equals now."
Her wings flared out wide. "Equals?! You impertinent foal! You have not even a tenth of my experience."
Silver leaned in and kissed Luna's dark-furred cheek. "And I cherish every bit of wisdom you share, but I am your peer."
Luna warmed under the affection and looked away. "You still accept my sister over me. This is a slight I cannot easily forgive."
Silver snorted. "Did you hear how it went down? She propositioned Twilight. I was caught in the middle. I, and Night, would love to... love you again. The mistakes of the past are that, in the past. I'm bigger. I'm not a doormat."
Luna nudged Silver. "You could have fooled us."
Silver huffed. "I'm serious. There is not a single pony in our herd that would turn you away, except maybe Twilight, and that would be out of sheer awkwardness."
Luna raised a brow. "And yet?"
Silver smiled. "And yet, Celestia asked, and you have not." She paused, then frowned. "And yet, you're waiting for me to show some balls."
Luna gestured under Silver. "You don't have those."
"Says who?" Silver said while swaying to and fro.
Luna rolled her eyes. "You are adept enough at dreamsculpting so far. But you are avoiding the question."
Silver leaned in and pressed a nose to Luna's cheek. "I am not the first wife of my herd, nor its stallion. Go to Night Watch, and declare your desire, and be ready to catch her when she faints. If I were still single, I would be putting a ring on your horn right now and proclaiming we would rule the night forever."
Luna went bright red. "Would you really? I feel you are exaggerating that point... But I approve."
Silver raised a hoof. "One thing... Though I don't think you and... Fuck this is going to sound weird no matter how I phrase it. May I have a moment of indulgence?"
Luna waved a hoof. "Speak freely and I will withhold judgment this one time."
Silver nodded. "Good. The way it's shaping up, you and Celestia will be herd-mates."
Luna stiffened. "So you will not turn her away even if I do approach?"
Silver shook her head. "I don't see that happening without... complications? I don't think that's a deal breaker."
"It is not for you to decide that!"
"And yet, I just did." Silver smiled gently. "You two are already quite close. Nopony will ask you to do untoward things to one another. You won't act any differently."
Luna let out a soft sigh. "You realize... I wanted something separate from... her. I do love her, very much, but something. Something all to myself?"
Silver leaned in, rubbing noses. "We have our dreams, where none can bother us. Even if all goes belly up, we are tied more securely than ever before. Celestia is locked in the prison of her mind, while we dance through the dreamscape of all Equestria."
Luna's expression began to brighten. "This is true. Very well, faithful assistant dream warden, I will consider your words carefully. Now begone, I have a dream to complete."
Silver appeared with a pop atop another bubble, banished from the dream. Her landing was smooth and she quickly looked around thoughtfully. She thought of Twilight, and jumped into the bubble that drew close.
Twilight was working on a magic spell of some kind, struggling mightily. There was mocking laughter coming from nowhere, and stern instructors shook their heads disapprovingly at how long Twilight was taking.
Silver looked around before approaching the board, shrouded from sight for the time. Silver quickly spotted a few mistakes in the writing and almost went to fix them, then thought better of it. She leaned into Twilight's ear and softly whispered a hint of where to look.
"Of course!" she cried, then woke up. Silver was ejected back into the soapy void. Silver looked around and decided to try somepony new and concentrated on Lyra. A mint green bubble appeared and soon Silver was inside.
Lyra was sprawled out as hands pet over her back and belly. She moaned softly. "Yes... Just like that..." The hands held nothing back, touching her everywhere. Silver went red swiftly at the sight and began turning to depart when he heard a yelp. She turned back to see Lyra being pinched by those same hands. "I didn't mean to! Ow! Cut it out! I can't leave! I know ow! I know Bon Bon's waiting!"
Silver frowned in thought and approached Lyra. On an urge she spoke softly, keeping herself hidden. "Write her a letter."
"Anything, just stop pinching me!" She woke up, and Silver returned to the void. She felt powerfully productive and smiled with pride. Who next? An old face came to mind, and she thought of the young stallion. A new bubble approached and she entered a new dream.
Silver appeared just in time to watch her old self, Silver Lining, slap Tumble across the snout. "I hate you. Everypony hates you! Go and die already!"
Silver cringed at the image, but watched on as Tumble fell at her old hooves, sobbing before the stallion that was much larger than she ever was as a solar unicorn. "I've turned it around! I have a business! I have employees! I did everything! I fixed it!"
The dream-Silver raised a hoof as if to strike Tumble when the real Silver banished it, and Tumble's head jerked, detecting the real thing. "Huh?"
Silver smiled a little sadly. "Tumble, are you alright?"
Tumble shook his head quickly back and forth. "Nopony loves me! The one pony that saw me as... as a pony... he threw me away, then ran off. Everypony else just... they just use me..."
Silver frowned a little. Should she confess her prior identity? "Rough Tumble. What if I told you he didn't forget you?"
Tumble sat up, ear perking. "Really? There's still a chance?"
Silver winced. "Not... like that. He has a family, but he still cares about you, and wants you to be happy."
Tumble crossed his forelegs petulantly. "You're just saying that... Who are you? You don't look like Luna at all."
Silver approached Tumble slowly. "I am Silver Stars, and I am also a princess of the night. I want to help you."
Tumble cringed back. "Silver? Just..." It began to click as he noticed the same soft brown fur, the same spots... "Silver?"
Silver let out a slow sigh. "Hello Tumble. I did mean it."
Tumble rushed forward, tackling Silver to the ground. "I thought you were gone forever! Why are you a mare, and a princess?" His eyes went wide. "I knew you were special!"
Silver smiled gently. "Yeah, a lot happened... So... Are you upset?"
"At?"
Silver gestured at herself. "Female?"
Tumble tilted his head. "Why would I be?"
Silver frowned in confusion. "I thought you were a colt cuddler?"
Tumble leaned in and pressed nose-to-nose. "I thought I was too, but I'm a Silver cuddler... Nopony treated me like you treated me. Even when you didn't want me around you treated me nicer. I don't want a stallion, I want you."
Silver went rigid, mind whirring. This was going places where only pain could result. "Tumble... I meant what I said. I have a family, and it's already dangerously large, and exceptionally dramatic and political. How can I... impress that I care for you, a lot, but we aren't going to be married?"
Tumble sat on Silver's belly as he sat up. "Am I ugly?"
Silver sighed. "None of that has to do with the family I just told you about. Tumble..." She reached up, brushing a hoof over his pudgy cheeks. "You're wonderful. You have to keep looking, with confidence. The right stallion or mare will find you."
Tumble pointed at Silver. "She already did... Please don't run away again. Please..."
The pathetic look in his eyes crushed Silver's heart and she mentally flailed, trying to think of a way past the problem. "I know you are brave and fierce, but you're not going to beat your way through Celestia and Luna to get at me."
Tumble blinked in confusion. "What? Don't joke with me, Silver. Just tell me where you are, in the real world."
The answer came without thought. "Ponyville. But it won't help!" Tumble awoke, and Silver landed on a bubble with a mild headache from the poor landing. "Fuck!"