Apparently the Crusaders didn't put much thought into the idea of cliff diving beyond jumping off a cliff and pretending to dive as they descend towards the ground. After explaining to them that cliff diving also involved diving into a body of water, at which they replied that the 'diving' part of cliff diving made more sense now (how could they not figure that out‽), it was revealed that that they didn't know of any nearby cliffs that a lake or anything for them to dive into. However, before I could let out a sigh of relief, they instead proposed constructing a mock cliff instead, to my horror.
So there we were, the Crusaders trying to build a mock cliff that so far only looked like a ramshackle wooden tower near some pond while I tried to stay off it after expressing my disbelief that this would help them get Cutie Marks in cliff diving. However, in the end I was roped into it by having to levitate the tools and materials they needed to them so they didn't have to go up and down the tower for them, which would only increase the risk of them falling off. Honestly, my complaining stopped as I pondered how they got all this stuff before I was interrupted by somepony shouting.
"What in tarnation are you fillies doing now‽" cried Applejack as she trotted over to us with a furious look on her face, her eyes staring at the tower that was already over fifteen feet tall.
"Umm... err... gettin' our Cutie Marks in cliff divin'?" Apple Bloom said as she meekly smiled at her sister from the tower.
Snapping her head at my direction, Applejack narrowed her eyes as she said in a low angry tone, "This is your id-"
"Not my idea," I said, cutting Applejack before she could get any further, causing her to look at me in confusion. "One of them had the idea, honest."
"Is that true? Who's idea was it to try cliff divin'?" Applejack asked as she gave the Crusaders a harsh stare. Instantly Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle pointed their hooves at Scootaloo, who gave the others an angry look in return. "You three get off that... thing now! And you Aether, you should know better to let them do stuff like this!"
"Like I could stop them in the first place," I deadpanned. Before Applejack could get any angrier due to my response, I continued to say, "Think about it, you think I could change their minds on this? All I can really do is make sure they do not do something too dangerous, like diving off a cliff that does not have a body of water at the bottom."
Applejack glared at me still as the Crusaders made their way down the tower, before she turned to look at us all as she said, "We'll be going to the farmhouse now, and I don't want to hear any complainin' from any of you!" Releasing a sigh, I joined the rest of the Crusaders as we made our way to the farmhouse with Applejack following right behind us.
I sat there calmly, awaiting Applejack's return, who left us under the watch of the eldest sibling, Big Macintosh, as she went to get our respective guardians. While the other three were fidgeting from the thought of the inevitable punishments that were coming to them, I on the other hoof was locked in a kind of staring contest with the eldest sibling, as we both just sat there, not moving a single muscle. It wasn't long before Applejack returned with Rarity, Pinkie, and some pegasus mare who I assumed was related to Scootaloo. As Applejack dragged Apple Bloom to her room via her tail with Big Macintosh following behind them, the other two were herded out by their guardians as Pinkie Pie fixed me with a sad look.
"Aether, you know better than to help your friends do... dangerous stunts," Pinkie said in a disappointed tone.
Cocking my head to the side, I said, "You and Applejack assumed quickly on my actions with my friends."
"Huh?" Pinkie said as she stared dumbfounded at me.
"No one knows the real story, so you both assumed it was my fault."
"But, didn't you help your friends?"
"Yes, I helped, but I made sure they didn't hurt themselves."
"What do you mean?" Pinkie said as she tilted her head in confusion. Seemed like everyone assumed that I only put the Crusaders into even more dangerous situations than they normally would try.
Groaning, I said, "They wanted to try cliff diving before I joined them, but they did not... know it well enough to do it right. They first thought it was just diving off a cliff only, I do not know why they did not think about how they would land. If I was not there... well, I do not want to think about what could happen."
"So you mean that you're not giving them dangerous... err... more dangerous ideas?"
Snorting, I replied, "No, just making sure they do not do something that will only end in pain," before I stopped myself from cringing from remembering the rappelling incident.
After staring at me for a short moment, Pinkie instantly hugged me, squeezing me tightly while lifting me into the air as she said, "Oh I'm so proud of you for being so responsible!" While she was hugging me, it felt more like a punishment as my ribs felt the strain of her constricting hug.
"What the hay‽" Applejack said by the sound of the voice, which caused Pinkie to end the hug, letting me go for me to drop onto my rump.
"Oh, hi, Applejack, done talking with Apple Bloom?" Pinkie asked with her ever-joyful smile.
"Yes, but when I came down, I wasn't expecting you to be huggin' the troublemaker!"
"Oh, Aether wasn't making any trouble. She was trying to stop trouble!"
"What are you talkin' about, Pinkie?" Applejack asked as she gave me a skeptical look, which I returned with my classic deadpan look.
"Aether told me that she was trying to stop the fillies from getting hurt," Pinkie explained.
"She could be fibbin' to you though. She didn't stop the fillies from buildin' that there tower of theirs."
"You think they would listen to me if I told them not to do it?" I asked, folding my hooves across my chest.
"...I reckon you have a point there, but I don't see how yo-"
"Remember what I said about the diving off the cliff part? It was no... trick. I told them to make sure there was water at the bottom."
Applejack stared at me for a moment before she facehoofed and said, "I can't believe they would do such a foolish thing." Dragging her hoof down her face, she continued, "Sorry for accusin' you there, just with your..." before she stopped, not wanting to say anything else that may offend me further.
"With my... past problem of giving them ideas that you think are dangerous," I said causing Applejack rear back in surprise. As she was about to open her mouth to counter my statement, I continued, "I know I can be... a problem due to that, but at least I know how to do some of those things, and I will do my best to make sure they will not hurt themselves while trying them, if they came up with the idea of course."
After blinking for a moment, Applejack smiled at me as she said, "Well, I reckon it is about time the Crusaders have somepony that has a lick of common sense with them. Why, I think I should reward you for lookin' out for them. Would you want a slice of some freshly baked apple pie?"
"No thanks, I already have enough pie here," I absently said as I waved a hoof at Pinkie's direction, causing the two mares to laugh at my little joke.
"Heh, that was a mighty fine joke there, sugarcube. Seems like Pinkie is startin' to rub off you," Applejack said before she head into the kitchen. I let out a small laugh in response until I froze as her words fully registered in my head.
I'm... becoming like... Pinkie Pie? I thought as my eyes widened at the horror of me becoming a reality-defying manic pony.
After my little mental panic attack (I'm so glad that I didn't show it; it would have been a nightmare to cover that up) and a snack of apple pie, Pinkie Pie and I headed home since it was getting late. After dinner with the Cakes, where Pinkie revealed to them about my little joke to my dismay, I went to my room for a bit of practice with my light spell before turning it in for the night. However, instead of blissful darkness, my sleeping mind returned to the dream world.
Looking around, I see that I was once again in an empty version of Ponyville, the world once again colorful. Releasing a sigh, I sat on my rump, this time content to just wait out the dream until dawn, for I feared if I explored again, I would end up with another horrible nightmare instead. Time passed as I dug at the ground with a hoof, until after what felt like hours the ground began to shake. Releasing a sigh, I watched as the ground shattered once more, turning into floating islands as they drifted away from one another.
I looked around as I awaited the arrival of the monstrous tentacle, or for the Venanite creature to come at me again, only to be greeted with silence. Shrugging, I simply lowered the rest of my body to the ground as I pondered what else my mind had in store for me. It wasn't long till I received my answer, as I heard an old familiar sound from above me. Looking upward, I saw a massive dimensional rift opening miles above me before I felt some kind suction force coming from it, as the islands around me were drawn into it. Oddly enough, my island was the only one not falling into the rift, leaving me to stare at it as I pondered its meaning until the sound of wings flapping broke me out of my trance.
Looking around, I spotted a familiar dark alicorn flying towards my lonely island, a bewildered look on her face as she observed my dream world. Standing up, I gave a bow as she landed on my island, to which she said, "There is no need to bow, as we hath told thou before."
Raising my head, I tilted it to the side as I asked, "You remembered me?"
"Indeed, for we remember all our meetings with our subjects. But pray tell, what is happening in thy dream?"
Sitting down on my rear again, I gave her a shrug with my forelegs as I said, "No idea, princess. I have no control over my dreams."
Looking up at the rift, Luna asked, "Art thou sure? For we hath never seen the likes of... that before," as she pointed a hoof at the rift.
"Sorry, princess. I just have no control, though I wish I do... this is getting boring, fast," I said as I looked around, only to see islands being sucked into the rift still.
Turning her attention back towards me, she said, "Boring? Thou are't frighten by what thou see?"
"Unless something changes to make it... scary, this is all just... boring for me," I replied.
"Hmm... we see. We hath come to thee dream for it appeared that thou were having a nightmare."
"Oh... heh... sorry for wasting your time, princess," I said as I rubbed a hoof against the back of my head.
"Do not apologize, for we are glad that thou art fine. Now we must take our leave, for we hath other dreams to attend to," Luna said before she spread her wings and took off, flying to the outskirts of my dream before disappearing.
Left to my own thoughts, I simply chose to observe my dream, as I pondered one thought that I spoke aloud. "Luna has a point... why am I dreaming this of all things?"