I wish, I hope, I dream, I pray

by TNBi

Chapter 2: Light and Shadow

“Snowdrop… Snowdrop.”

Snowdrop heard someone calling her name among the darkness. It wasn’t Mom, but it sounded so familiar. As soon as she recognized that voice from her memories, she went lucid at once.

“Princess Luna?”

Luna chuckled. “Yes, it’s me.”

“How come? Oh, did I fall asleep in the workshop again?” Snowdrop said, panicked. She reached out one hoof, but couldn’t touch anything. And it felt vey odd beneath her other hooves as well, as if she wasn’t standing on any substance. It was like… like…

“No, you’re at home, sleeping sound on your own bed.”

“You mean… I’m dreaming now?” Snowdrop asked in confusion.

“Yes, you are indeed dreaming.”

“So… I’m dreaming of you?”

“No, it was I who came into your dream.”

“Huh?” This time Snowdrop was really puzzled.

“As the master of the Moon, I’m in charge of everything that relates to the night, and can even travel into dreams. This is my first time trying this, and I never expected that I could succeed.”

“Whoa, that’s really amazing… So why are you coming for me, Princess?”

“Do you remember your wish upon the stars? You wished that you could see me.”

“Oh, that… Actually I didn’t make that wish later, because I don’t want to give them such burden. And I’m sorry… I still can’t see you even in my dream.” Snowdrop hung her head in depression. She actually had had dreams before; in those dreams, she could hear various sounds and even have touching senses, but… no visuals at all, not ever.

“That’s because you haven’t opened your eyes in your dreams yet. Nopony is blind when they’re in their dreamscape.”

“I-is that true?” Luna’s words surprised Snowdrop.

“YOUR ROYAL PRINCESS AM I, THUS NEVER DO I DECEIVE OR LIE!” Luna said in an apparently louder manner than her usual speaking. Terrified, Snowdrop shrinked. “I’m sorry for asking,” she apologized.

“Oh… I’m not angry at all! Please don’t fear me,” Luna said anxiously in response. From her tone, Snowdrop could sense somehow that she sort of feared to be disliked by others.

“Princess Luna?”

“Come on, try to open your eyes, and look at me.”

Snowdrop was a bit nervous. For the first time ever, she knew that she was in her dream, yet could act by her own will. She inhaled deeply, and thought of the feel of opening her eyes.

And then, for the first time since she could remember things, there was light breaking through the darkness before her. It was so dazzling, but it made she felt a jolt of joy running up from her hooves.

“I’ve implanted the image of me and you inside your mind. How do I look?”

“I see… Oh! I can see! This is, this is, so… oh I don’t know what to say!”

Slowly, when Snowdrop became used to the light, she could see the figure of a pony, who was much bigger than herself. She had a pair of wings and a horn, and there were glimmering dots hidden in her mane, and she looked so… beautiful?

Snowdrop shrieked amazedly and excitedly. She looked at her hooves, then her mane, and then her own cutie mark, before she said in a little frustration:

“These are colors, right? I know there are things called ‘colors’, they have many names and they are what this world consists of; but I don’t know any of them…”

“Don’t worry; take your time and let me teach you what colors they are.” Luna smiled to her. It was the first smile Snowdrop had seen, which gave her a feeling just like when she had tasted candy for the first time, so warm and so sweet.

“This color ---- what’s its name?”

“It’s ‘light cyan’. The darker one is called ‘light sky blue’, and the even darker one is called ‘sky blue’. It’s the color of the sky in daytime, and it’s your color too…”

And so Luna and Snowdrop settled themselves in the dreamscape, with Snowdrop pointing at and asking of each color she saw around, and Luna answering all her questions in patience.

“And what’s this color surrounding us called?” Snowdrop looked around.

“It’s called ‘Light’. It’s the color when all colors mix together. When it shines upon an object, its corresponding color will be reflected into your eyes to form the color you see, and make that object visible to you. Light also represents the day, and it’s the color that stands for my sister. And in contrast…” Luna pointed at the black regions beneath their hooves. “This is called ‘Shadow’, formed when something blocks away the light. Where there is no light, it’s called ‘Darkness’, and the things inside it won’t be visible. It also represents the night just as I do, and it’s the color that stands for me.”

Snowdrop noticed the expression on Luna’s face changed when she spoke the last part; it made her feel awful inside. This must be a sad expression, she thought to herself.

“...But I think, I still prefer the darkness, not the light,” Snowdrop said after a short silence, and she lowered her body to study their shadows. “It makes me feel secure just like when I can’t see things, and it is fun to watch ---- look, it’s imitating me!” She swung her hoof, and the shadow on the ground did the same thing, amusing her into a string of giggles.

“That’s only because you haven’t witnessed how beautiful things can be when light shines upon them. And when you do, you’ll no longer like whatever’s covered in shadow. Nopony… nopony loves the night, or me.” Luna didn’t feel relieved at Snowdrop’s words, and that sad expression didn’t leave her face. But then, she received a sudden hug.

“Snowdrop?” said Luna in surprise.

“You may be right ---- I might not like the shadow or darkness anymore someday, but there’s still one thing that I’m certain of: I will always, always love Princess Luna, for always! Because, it was you who made me able to see, and I will cherish such great favor for all my life,” said Snowdrop.

“But my abilities can only allow you see things in dreams for now,” said Luna sorrowfully.

“That’s okay,” Snowdrop answered cheerfully, burying her face into Luna’s beautiful mane. “Besides, I love to see Princess Luna’s smiling face, and I’ll try to make you feel happy. So please don’t be so sad, would you?”

On hearing this, Luna’s eyes sparkled a bit, and her heart moved.

“Okay… and I’ll try my best as well… to bring colors to your dreams, and bring you happiness.”

After that, they carried on their little talk from the daytime: Snowdrop told Luna of the interesting things happened in her life, and Luna in return told her about the scenery she had seen all across Equestria, and promised that she’d show all of them to her when she could better manipulate the dreamscape.

They talked on until the dream was about to end, when Snowdrop should wake up and Luna should lower the moon for Celestia to raise the sun. They bid each other farewell somewhat reluctantly, and soon afterwards, Snowdrop woke up from her bed.

Finding that pitch black had once again dominated the world before her, Snowdrop felt a little frustrated. Yet when she remembered that Luna had promised that she’d visit her again when she dreamed, she felt utterly excited and expectant.

Comments

[ComatoseVEVO]

That made me shed a tear

[EmeraldRing]

The...the feels though

[Novel Lots]

Ohhh man I think I'm about to cry
It's so sad and happy at the same time!