Chapter 5 : The Dream
The next day, Star was returned to the orphanage by Celestia.
“Thank you for finding Double Star.” said Fancy Blue
“It was not me, but my sister, Princess Luna, who found her last night. A pack of Timberwolves had chased her deep into the Everfree
Forest. If my sister had not intervened, who knows what would have happened. If I may, my sister does not believe that Double Star should
be punished... again, she has gone through enough as it is.” requested Celestia
“Very well Princess Celestia, I shall take into consideration Princess Luna's suggestion. Please thank your sister for me when you get the
chance.” asked the orphanage director
“I shall.” assured the princess
Star was waiting outside the office, waiting for the axe to fall. When Celestia and Fancy Blue came out, a knot formed in Star's stomach, she
had no idea was going to happen. Fancy Blue looked at Star.
“You are to go strait to your room, I'll shall be expecting you at lunch, and if you ever attempt something like this again... Timberwolves will
be the least of your worries, do you understand?”
Star gulped and nodded her head.
“Very well then, off you trot.”
Fancy Blue turned towards Celestia and escorted her out. The two left Star alone in the corridor to ponder exactly how she had not been
punished for last nights escapade. Star could not believe her luck, she had made it out of the forest alive thanks to Luna, and she wasn't
even going to be punished for running away. She suspected that Luna had pulled some strings, which made her feel even more grateful
towards the alicorn princess. Later that day, she had received a letter from Luna.
Star,
If you still wish me to attempt to enter your dreams and make sure that you are not bothered by nightmares, I believe I have found a
way to travel from my dreams to yours. I shall be attempting it tonight, so you must be asleep by the time the Moon is set or it won't
work.
Sincerely,
Princess Luna
Star was so excited, but she was also nervous. She was nervouscited. Would it work? What if Luna doesn't manage to enter her dream?
And what if she does enter but the nightmare is too much for Luna to handle? All these thoughts and questions plagued her mind as the
day progressed. By the time the day was over, Star didn't know whether she would even be able to fall asleep. It was finally time for bed,
Star slipped in between her covers and waited for sleep to come. She didn't have long to wait, five minutes later she was snoring away.
Double Star was walking through the castle grounds, Thunder Wing was a little ways away, whispering to her friends with a scowl on his
face. Star had finally gotten her cutie mark and she was walking around, showing it off. Suddenly Luna popped into the dream, she was
a bit disoriented at first. She looked around her.
“So, I can do it. Interesting.”
Luna looked around for Star, she saw her walking around with her cutie mark very visible. Luna smiled when she saw everypony fawning
over her, then she saw Celestia ask Star for an autograph, Luna burst out laughing. Star heard the laugh, she looked up and saw Luna.
“Luna! You made it! Or am I just dreaming you too?” exclaimed Star excitedly
“No, I'm really here. Wherever here is.” replied Luna
“Are you giving me this dream?” asked the Earth pony
“No, this is all you. I haven't done anything yet.” answered the princess
“You made it here, that's something.” stated Star
“I suppose...” trailed off Luna
“So, do we just wait for a nightmare?” wondered Star
“Yes, and then I'll see if I can influence your nightmares somehow to turn them into dreams.” explained Luna
While Luna and Star were talking, a shadow lurked in the corner of Star's dream.
“Do not worry, you shall not have long to wait.”
The unicorn fired up it's horn, magic crackling around it. Suddenly, the castle disappeared and everything was dark. Star and Luna looked
around. Two eyes suddenly opened behind the two ponies. And then a mouth full of sharp teeth. Then the whole creature was visible, it was
an Ursa Major.
Star started panicking and Luna looked at it in horror. They were still just in a dream, but they were still afraid. The Ursa Roared.
“Luna! You have to turn this into a dream! Before that Ursa eats us!” shouted Star
“But I haven't had time to practice! I don't know how to!” shouted back Luna
“Please try...” begged the filly
Luna looked at Star, she was afraid and trying not to show it. Then she stared at the Ursa Major. Luna fired up her horn, but this time, the
magic didn't appear as it did in the physical world. White tendrils of magic slowly came out of her horn, they reached for the Ursa Major and
wrapped themselves around it. The Ursa Major tried to break free but it was being held too tightly by Luna's magic. The Ursa Major started
fading in the dark, until it vanished completely.
“You did it! You did it!” exclaimed Star
She was jumping around excitedly. Luna was watching her jump around with a smile on her face. Meanwhile, the unicorn had watched the
events unfold.
“Things just got very interesting.”
The pony smiled and then started laughing softly.
A few days later, Fancy Blue asked Double Star to come to his office at the end of the day, he had something to talk to her about before
lights out. Star sent a letter to Luna to warn her that she would be late for their meet up, she hadn't had a single bad dream since Luna had
gotten rid of the Ursa. They had been meeting every night for a few hours so that Star could still get some sleep.
Dear Princess Luna,
Firstly, I want to say thanks again for getting rid of my nightmares. I'm just sending you this letter to warn you that I will be late for our
usual meeting time. Fancy Blue has asked me too come to his office before lights out to talk to me. I hope I'm not in trouble.
I'll see you later
Star
Star went to the office at the designated time, she knocked on the door with her hoof and waited for Fancy Blue to tell her to come in.
“Enter.”
She pushed open the door and went to stand in front of his desk. Fancy looked up and seemed to remember why she was here.
“Ah yes... Star.” he said
He stood there for a few minutes, just watching her, wondering how to proceed.
“Where do you run off to once the Moon has risen?” asked the orphanage director bluntly
“Sorry?” Star replied
“You heard me. One of the fillies in your dorm said that you sneak out every night and come back a few hours before Princess Celestia rises
the Sun. So... Where do you go?”. he asked again
Double Star was shocked, she didn't think that anyone would notice she left the orphanage during the night. She doesn't say anything, not
knowing how to answer.
“Either you tell me or I shall have to punish you for leaving the orphanage at night...Well? What's it going to be?” asked Fancy
Before Star could answer, a voice came out of the shadows.
“She was with me.”
Fancy Blue and Star both jump at the unexpected response.
“And w...who are you?” stuttered Fancy
Luna stepped forward out of the shadows and Fancy's face immediately turned white.
“P...Princess Luna! I did not know you were here! But... if I may ask, why do you spend time with this young filly? Surely she isn't worth
worrying about by somepony as important as yourself?” asked the stammering pony
“It is not your responsibility to tell me what to do and who to spend my time with. But I shall answer your question nevertheless. I spend
time with her because I enjoy her company, because she is the only other pony that enjoys my night. The only pony I can speak to that isn't
myself. Is that reason enough for you or shall I continue?”asked the princess
“Well... I suppose that as long as she is in your company, Princess Luna, she is in little danger.” admitted Fancy
“Thank you.” she said. Luna turned to face Star and asked:
“Are you coming?”
Luna gracefully left the office, the young earth pony trotting behind her with a wide smile on her face.
“Thanks for getting me out of trouble...again.” said Star
“You're very welcome.” replied Luna
They walked on in silence for a moment.
“Did you really mean what you said in Fancy's office? About enjoying my company?”
“Of course I did. I love spending time with you.”
Luna smiled at Star, and then she smiled as well.
“Luna?” called the young Earth pony
“Yes?” she asked
“Can I ask you a question?” continued Star
“You just did. But you can ask me another one. Actually, you can ask me as many questions as you want. You don't have to ask for
permission. OK?” explained Luna
“OK. I was just wondering, where do you come from? Who are your parents? Where they alicorns too?” Star asked
“Celestia and I do not know where we come from, nopony knows. The order that took us in, known as the Order of the Alicorns, found us at
the door of their base of operations a few hundred years ago. When the monks realized that we might be the two alicorns that were
supposedly going to dethrone Discord, they called one of the most renowned unicorns of the age: StarSwirl the Bearded.
He taught Celestia and myself all that he knew about magic. It use to be his duty to raise the Sun and Moon before Discord took over
PonyLand. He may have been powerful, but he was still just a unicorn, and his powers were fading, so he taught Celestia how to control the
Sun and taught me how to control the Moon. That's how we got our cutie marks. Our parents are still a mystery to us, we attempted to find
out where we came from, but with little success. So we decided to give up the search and return here. We have ruled over Equestria, as it is
now called, ever since.” explained Luna
“Wow.” whispered Star in amazement
Luna had never revealed so much about herself to an outsider before, it was nice to be able to confide in somepony else for once.
“So, Star, how was your day?” asked Luna in turn
Star took a big breath and started talking.