Through the Night

by Fluttering_Ashes

Letters

Dream Weaver exited her own dream, treading the now familiar path through the dream realm, towards its semi-official capital. Entering the Princess’s dream, her own dream form clad in her standard armor, a monk’s spade strapped to her back. One never knew what to expect when entering the mind of an immortal, and today the inside of the dream truly startled her. Dream had simply waltzed right into her boss’s bathroom, the pony in question lounging in a tub the size of a small swimming pool. The bubbles keeping everything beneath hidden, her highness’s shimmering mane hidden by a towel wrapped around her head, the royal hooves holding a rubber duck.

Princess Luna raised an eyebrow as the armor clad mare entered. An awkward silence hung in the air for several moments before Luna finally saw fit to break it.

“Tis rude to stare, Weaver. Wouldst thou like a portrait, t’would prove to sait thy eyes for longer.” Dreamy flushed and looked away.

“I’m sorry, your highness, I didn’t know…”

“If thou had been able to predict what our flights of fancy wouldst be on this eve, we would have been quite surprised. Come, sit, join us. We wish to hear thy report.”

Dreamy blushed even deeper, but quietly slipped out of her armor and joined her princess in the tub, the much shorter pony submerged up to her neck, only the top of her head visible through the foam. Luna snickered.

“Tell us Weaver, how dost thou fair in Ponyville?”

“Fairly well, Your Highness. My mission has been going beautifully.”

Luna nodded thoughtfully, giving her duck a little squeak. “Do tell”

“Well I met Miss Belle, on my first day, and since then she’s been stopping by my shop almost every day. We’ve started seeing each other outside of work last week!” She beams with pride “In fact, she invited me to join her at the spa today, with Miss Posey, and I have a sneaking suspicion Miss Pie will be around some time as well”

Luna turned, raising her eyebrow at this. “And what makes thee so sure that our pink compatriot would make an appearance?”

Dream’s response was to shrug. “Rarity said something about a special oatmeal bath the spa ponies wanted to try out. It sounds like something Pinkie might pop in on, doesn’t it?” Luna looked thoughtful again, squeaking her duck. “Indeed…” She finally answered.

“Well it looks like thou hast quite the day planned, we will do no more to keep thee from it! Off you go, and do try to enjoy thy self! We wilt see thee next week.”

Dream only gave one silent nod, before disappearing from the dream, the water she had recently been in sloshing back into place.
Luna giggled to herself.

“Hehe, the look on her face! Maybe next time we’ll break out the leather and chains!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The mid morning sunshine was there to greet Dream when she opened her eyes. With a groan she rose from her bed and quietly began to fix her mane, pulling the messy mop into the tidy little bun at the back of her head. Taking one last look in the mirror to make sure everything was neat about her appearance, she headed downstairs. She swung the front door open, just in time to see a gray furry bullet heading straight for her. She let out a yelp, and rolled to the side, the thing went zooming right past her, up the stairs, where it shot out her open window, before face planting on her front step. The yellow maned pegasus looked up, her eyes rolling in her sockets briefly before she righted herself.

“Hiya!” said the wall-eyed mare, beaming at Dream.

“Umm...Hello...I’m sorry but my store’s closed for the day.”

“Store?” The pegasus glanced at the sign. “Oooohh, it’s a store! That explains it! I thought you just made the sign really big so I would know where to go.” Dreamy tried her best to keep from sounding exasperated, fixing a smile on her face.

“I’m sorry but...who are you exactly?” The mare blinked

“Oh right!” She saluted. “Mailmare first class, Ditzy Doo, Ma’am! Delivering mail through rain, snow, sleet, hail, chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, and muffin! At your service!”

“I...see...so I guess that means I have mail?” Dream asked

“Yup yup! Ya sure do!” She reached into her mail bag, digging around inside for a second before drawing out a small stack of letters. “There ya go!” She saluted again “Another letter dutifully delivered! But the mail mare’s work is never done!” With that she took off, weaving slightly as she flew back towards town.

Dream chuckled and shook her head, this town certainly had some characters.

6 letters and a little walk later Dream found herself outside the spa, a bright yellow pegasus and a white unicorn already out front waiting on her.

“Oh thank goodness, Dream, we thought we would have to go in without you!” Rarity said, beaming at her. Rarity motions Dream over. “Dreamy, darling, this is Fluttershy. Fluttershy, this is Dream Weaver, she owns the new fabric shop on Manehatten Avenue.”

Dream smiles at Fluttershy, who had partially hidden her face behind her mane.

“It’s...um...it’s nice to m-meet you” Squeaks the pegasus.

“It’s very nice to meet you too!” Dream replied, though in as soft a voice as she could manage without truly whispering, she didn’t want to frighten the poor pegasus.

“What kept you, darling?” Rarity asked, as the trio of mares made their way inside the spa. The two mares running the place quickly taking them into the back room as the group spoke.

“Well the mail arriv-” She started to say, but both Fluttershy and Rarity interrupted

“Ditzy doo?” They asked at once.

“Ditzy Doo.” Dream confirmed “But really she didn’t hold me up that much. It’s just I got a letter from dad.” Dream neglected to mention the other five, from her team, but then again they really didn't need to know about that.

“Oh dear” Said the pegasus as the twin spa workers lead them to the massage works “I..I hope everything is...is okay” She mumbles as she lays face down on the table.

Dream giggled “Oh don’t worry, everything is perfectly fine! He just wanted to tell me how things were going in Canter-Epp!” Her explanation was interrupted by a loud CRACK! from her back. Rarity blinked and glanced over at her “Are…are you alright dear?”

Dazed, Dream could only giggle shrilly. “I think she just turned my spine to jello!”

Aloe, who had been working on her back, simply rolls her eyes and continues driving her hooves into her. “There’s so many knots here! So much tension!” Mutters the masseuse, her brow furrowed. “Do forgive me for being blunt, but what the hell have you been doing to yourself?” Dream’s only answer was to giggle, and press her face into the pillow.

The spa trip went relatively as expected after that. Seaweed wraps, facials, hooficures the sauna, the promised oatmeal bath, and the appearance of a certain pink pony within that oatmeal bath.

“I still can’t believe you brought that many strawberries!” Rarity said to Pinkie as they left the spa.

“I still can’t believe you didn’t invite me along!” Cried Pinkie, walking backwards to keep them in view. “I mean, a bathtub full of oatmeal! Are you cuckoo!? I would’ve loved, loved, LOVED to come along!” She bounced along backwards as the other three followed, Fluttershy discussing with Dream, in a rather quiet tone, about the possibility of getting Dream a pet.

“I don’t know…” Dream muttered quietly “I mean a spider of my own would certainly come in handy with my silk supply, but I don’t want to overwork the poor thing! I guess if I had to choose one thing to take care of, it’d have to be something nocturnal, I work through the night on a few personal projects and having a bit of company would be quite welcome.”

“Oh I have quite a few critters that I’m sure you’d get along with!” Fluttershy responded brightly, far more energetic than Dream had ever seen her before. “I have a firefly that’d be happy to meet you! Oh and a itty bitty bat, she’s just so cute and she’s been so lonely lately. Mr Owl probably wouldn’t be too good of a choice, he just got married but-” She was cut off by a rather loud bang. The pegasus let out a squeak, froze up, and promptly fell over. Tense, and ready for action, Dream whirled around, looking for the source of the bang. Pinkie was the first to spot it.

“Oh, pretty!” She said, pointing upwards. Dream followed her hoof, and found herself staring at a fireworks display from somewhere across town. The fireworks themselves twisting into the shape of a magic wand trailing some sparkles.

Rarity huffed. “Oh simply wonderful” She said in a sardonic tone. “She’s back”

“Who?” Dream asked curiously.

“Oh nopony, darling, just this loud mouth traveling magicia-”

“Magician?” Dream interrupted the Dream Warden feeling an almost child like excitement bubbling up inside her . “I love magic shows!”

“Ya do?” Cried Pinkie “Thats great! I know exactly where she sets up!” She grabbed Dream, and started to bounce her way through the street, Rarity cantering to keep up. Fluttershy opted to stay behind to avoid the loud fireworks.

The crowd had gathered by the time they got there, the periwinkle blue unicorn on stage, although not quite into the magic portion of her act just yet, was drawing attention with the use of some incredible pyrotechnics.

“Behold, The Great And Powerful Trixie!” Cried the magician, punctuating her words with a blast of smoke and another loud bang of her fireworks.

“We already know who you are!” Cried a pony in the crowd. “Yeah! Get on with it!” Cried another.

Trixie huffed “Fine, since you Ponyvillians are so impatient, The Great and Generous Trixie shall show you one of her newest tricks!” She fanned her cloak out, her horn lighting up. A box slowly dragged itself out from back stage, surrounded by the blue glow. “As you can see, this box, has absolutely nothing special about it.” Said Trixie, wheeling the box around, showing them all the outside, then opening it up and showing them the inside. “The Great and Spectacular Trixie will now perform the time honored escape trick, but” she paused for dramatic effect. “With a twist!” She clapped her hooves, and a pair of young unicorn colts ran up onto the stage, carrying between them a smaller box.

“Now, with the help of my two assistants,The Great and Powerful Trixie shall astound you!” Dream Weaver raised her eyebrow as the two colts then proceed to retrieve a few items from the box; two sets of hoof cuffs, a magic nullification ring, and a rope. They bound Trixie, and placed the ring on her horn, pushing her gently into the box….then they began to sprinkle lighter fluid on the outside

“She’s good” She whispers to Pinkie, who nodded with a mouth full of popcorn. The two colts lit the fluid and the box went up at once. The wooden crate burned rather quickly, leaving behind nothing but the hinges, and the hoof cuffs. There was a brief moment of wonder, before a purple, star patterned ball bounced in from off stage. It spun in the soot for a moment before bursting open with a shower of sparks. “Tada!” Cried the magician inside, bowing low, sweeping her hat off her head, revealing the ring still on her horn. The crowd applauded, all except for the two ponies who had heckled her before.

“Fake!” Cried the white furred, red maned pony in one corner. “You could totally see the trap door she went through!”

“What?” Cried the Magician, affronted “There is no such thing on my stage!”

“I bet!” Shouted the pony in the other corner, the inverse of his fellow. “Where did you learn your magic tricks, Trixie? Did you get them from a cereal box?”

Trixie fumed “That was rather harsh.” Rarity muttered, next to Dream.

“Yeah! You don’t have to be mean to enjoy a show! Just sit back and watch it!” Pinkie agreed, still munching on popcorn.

“Trixie will have you know!” Said the magician “That she comes from a long line of magicians who have all been helpful in putting together her act! Starting with the Great Illusionist Hoofdini all the way down to Trixie’s mother The Witch Hazel!”

Trixie continued to talk, but Dream heard exactly none of it. Blood was rushing through her ears, blocking out all sounds. Her body went a bit rigid, a fact that both Pinkie and Rarity noticed at once.

“Uh...Dream...dear...are you feeling alright?”Rarity asked shakily.

“Fine” Dream answers shortly, getting to her hooves.

“That is not fine!” Pinkie said, stepping in front of her “I have never ever seen anyone more not fine as you’re acting right now! You gotta sit down for a bit! Have some chocolate!” She reached into her mane and pulled out a chocolate bar.

"No” Dream responded again, just as shortly. “Excuse me” She stepped past Pinkie, but now Rarity blocked her way.

“Dream, Pinkie is right! You’re not acting like yourself!”

“I’m fine, Rarity! I just need to talk to her. Excuse me” She side stepped Rarity and began to push her way through the crowd. The two ponies glanced at each other, then quickly trotted after her. Trixie was continuing with her set as if nothing had happened. She had just moved on to the rabbit out of the hat trick when Dream Weaver reached the stairs and climbed up onto the stage.

“Excuse me.” She said, loudly, drawing everypony’s attention just as Trixie pulled the rabbit out by his ears.

Trixie gently set the animal down, replaced her hat and gave Dream a smile. “Ah it seems Trixie has a volunteer for her next trick! Tell me, what do you want to be a part of? Did you want me to saw you in half? Perhaps box with the swords?” Dream gritted her teeth.

“No, what I want is a few questions answered.” Trixie raised an eyebrow, but remained silent.

“You said your mother, was Witch Hazel, correct?” asked Dream, fighting to remain calm.

“Yes. That is what Trixie said.”

“The same Witch Hazel that performed at the Canterlot Solar Celebration almost 30 years ago?”

“Why yes!” Trixie started proudly “That was one of her-” Dream, however, cut her off.

“The same Witch Hazel that won the David Mane award for Exceptional showmagic 35 years ago?” She asks, taking a step forward.

“Uh..yes?” Trixie took a step back.

“The same Witch Hazel that graduated from Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns almost 40 years ago?”

“Yes!” Trixie snapped “Now what are you getting on about!”

Dreamy’s demeanor changed on a dime, rather than accusatory, she suddenly changed to a faux cheeriness. “Oh nothing, I just wanted ya to deliver a message for me” Her temper was getting the better of her, she breathed hard through her nostrils, she felt her front hoof twitching. She wanted something to hit...but she restrained herself. Giving Trixie a black eye would not make her feel any better. But she would say what she wanted to say.

“I want you to ask your mother if she remembers the Weavers. Ask her about the Weavers, and why she left them in the cold. Oh, and make sure she knows it comes from Dreamy” Without another word, she turned sharply away from Trixie, and walked back down the stairs.

The blue earth pony went straight home, her two friends trying to find a way to ask questions, but finding themselves at a loss for words. She left them, on her doorstep, and disappeared into the shop without saying a word.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They were back again, hammering on her front door. It had been three days since the magic show incident, and Dream had been neglecting her duties. Her friends were downstairs, attempting to break in, shouting at her from the landing, attempting to pick the lock, tapping on her window, and all sorts of other things.

“Darling! Please open up! Don’t you think you’re being a teensy bit over dramatic about this?” Shouted Rarity from down below. This was quickly followed by a snort, and that was promptly followed by a smack.

“Please, Dream, we want to help you! Let us in!I...I mean...if that’s okay...”

“Pinkie is prepared to blast down your door, Dreamy!” Called the voice of the newly crowned princess, quickly followed by Pinkie, doing her best Scottmarish impression.

“If I were a bad demomare, I wouldn’t be here discussing’ it withcha now would I!” Dream, however, refused to move, staying exactly where she was with her book.

She didn’t even realize the voices had gone quiet until there was another knock on the door, and Trixie’s voice floated up to her.

“Ummm...Dreamy...can...can we talk?”She asked, sounding more like Fluttershy than her usual loud, boastful self. Dream sighed, closed her book, and made her way to the front door. Most of the ponies outside blinked when she simply unlocked the deadbolt. The magician looked different without her stage clothes, without the hat her head appeared smaller.

“So, she wrote back?” Asked Dream. Trixie wordlessly nodded. Dream let out another sigh and stepped back away from the door. Trixie trotted into the little shop. “We’ll be done in a few minutes” She informed the other 6, closing the door on them.

“...What just happened?” She heard the cyan pegasus ask the group, she and Trixie heading to the kitchen in the back of the store. Dream motioned Trixie to the table, grabbing a small box from inside a drawer. “What exactly did she say?”

“She...told me to stay right where I was, and to believe nothing you said to me…” Trixie admitted, sheepishly.

“...Does she get like that a lot?”Dream asked, pausing in opening the little box.

“ Kinda. She was always strange. Growing up with her was a bit of a nightmare, she always pushed so hard. But she really didn’t go this overboard like this before. Kinda the reason why I came out here to be honest.”

Dream nodded and pulled a few letters out of the box. “Well...These are the first of them. This is when she and…and he met. He couldn’t follow her on the road at first” She handed over the letters she herself had read over so many times. Trixie’s eyes slowly widened as her eyes ran over page after page, and as she got to a particular...saucy bit, Dream was satisfied to see the magician’s cheeks flush.

“As far as I can figure, she was about 23 or so. He was a little younger but he couldn’t follow her, he had to finish his school first. Then...well” She picked up a picture, and tossed it to Trixie. Her father, standing at the altar with a dark green unicorn, her mane light blue and styled like a longer version of Trixie’s own mane. The photo was faded slightly, browned a bit by the time, but it had lasted.

“This was taken about 3 years after they started dating. And this” She pulled out another one, this one of the same couple, her father holding the mare close in front of a shop not entirely unlike her own, his cutie mark stamped on the building. “Was taken almost a year later”
Trixie stared at the picture, trying to find her voice. Eventually she did find it, and what she said made Dream crack the first smile she had had in days. “She’s so fat in this!”

Dream snickered “Uh...Trixie, she’s not exactly fat.” She said knowingly. Trixie’s eyes widened a bit more. Dream could hear her gulp as Dream reached into the little box again. She pulled out a birth certificate this time.

“I was born exactly a year and a half into their marriage.” She said with a sigh “And about a month later...she sent this” She pulled out another page, this one crumpled and crinkled from the time a much younger Dreamy had almost ripped it in half.

“That was her...Dear John Doe Letter.” Trixie nodded slowly, and Dream took that as an invitation to continue.

“I didn’t really see the resemblance between you and her when you were on stage but when you mentioned her I...well…I saw red.” Dream sighed “I shouldn’t have embarrassed you on stage like that. It was uncalled for...but after reading the letter and knowing how she felt about me, seeing you there, talking like that about her…” Dream trailed off.

Trixie smiled a bit shakily “To be honest, you’re not missing much.” She said, gently patting Dream’s foreleg “She’s not exactly the kind of mare you want to get to know”

They were silent for a few minutes before Dream finally spoke again. “I...would completely understand if you wanted to leave and just forget this ever happened”

“Are you kidding me?” Trixie asked, putting her hooves on the table top, her voice slipping back into the same tone it had been back on the stage “The Great and Powerful Trixie just found out she has a sister! There is no way she is going to disappear! Trixie is gonna stay here, and we’re gonna get to know each other whether you like it or not!” Trixie then through her forelegs around Dream’s neck, eliciting a soft “Erk!” Out of the other mare as she was dragged to the floor.

A few minutes later Dream had pulled her mane back into it’s bun, and made her way back to the front door to her shop. A mischievous grin reached her lips. She nudges Trixie. “Follow my lead” She whispers

She silently unbolted the deadbolt and flung the door open, the other six were still there, staring at the door. She exited alone, signaling to Trixie to remain behind for a moment. She drew herself up to her full height. “I, The Mysterious and Mystifying Dream Weaver, would like to introduce the young and impressionable minds of Ponyville to her baby sister!” Trixie, as any good showmare could, spotted her cue. With a quick spell a blinding flash went off a few inches ahead of Dream, followed quickly by a smoke cloud.

“Behold!” She and Trixie said together. “The Amazing and Breathtaking Duo of Trixie and Dreamy!”

They stared at the pair. Dream glances sideways.

“Maybe we should call ourselves Dreamy and Trixie?” She whispers in faux concern.

“No way! Trixie always gets top billing!”

Author's Note:

Phew, this took a while. But I found out that near freezing, wrapped in blankets, cuddling up on the couch is apparently good for writing. Please comment, and tell me what ya'll think! I love to hear from you all! ^^ If I don't write another chapter by next week, Happy Thanksgiving to those of you in America, wish me luck in dealing with my own family! ^^

Comments

[Arez]

They're sisters?! :o

[Fluttering_Ashes]

5283441 Well technically, half sisters, but sisters none the less. ^^ Dream is older by about a year or so, maybe longer, and neither one really knew of the other one's existence until now. Dream had no contact with her mother after she was a month old, and Hazel (both mares' mother) never mentioned the Weavers.

[Arez]

5283945 I understand they're half sisters, it's just that my brother and two sisters are actually half brother and half sisters. I was raised to treat them and think of them as true brother and sisters, so I do. So in my eyes they're sisters.

[Fluttering_Ashes]

5285525 I'm not saying you shouldn't, I also have a half brother, I'm just tryin' to explain myself a bit better

[Arez]

5285594 Was all a misunderstanding then ^.^