Dreamstrider

by OkemosBrony

Chapter 40

A cold, wet wind blows over me as I rub my eyes to try and clear them out and make my vision less blurry. It’s always a bit of a hit or miss in the early spring on whether or not it’s actually warm, and unfortunately for me, I got a cold period. I should at least be approaching the deer soon, though, assuming I’ve been reading Princess Celestia’s map correctly. I wish I had gotten time in Manehattan to stay with Snowy and Jure because I don’t think I’ll see them again before the wedding, but I guess that’s just how life is. I basically had to come in and then walk out of the city, so I didn’t even bother telling her because I wouldn’t want her getting all worked up about potentially seeing me and trying to get me to find the time to do so. I’ve got enough on my plate.

After my vision clears up and I wake up at least enough to continue moving, I pack all my stuff into Luna’s bigger-on-the-inside messenger bag and take a sip of one of those food vials. Not to say that these don’t keep me from getting hungry, but man do I miss real food. With any luck, this will be the last real time that I’ll have to be roughing it. Not only is it cold and damp and windy and muddy, but I don’t get a nice hot meal at the end of the day before getting into my soft, comfy bed. An outdoorsy pony I am not.

Before long, I start to notice the magic around me start to feel...different is the best way to describe it. I usually don’t notice ambient magic unless I try and focus in on it, but this just feels much weirder than anything I’ve ever felt before. Both the magic of the dream world and the awakened world are strong here, which is odd because it’s usually an either-or sort of thing; when one’s strong, the other tends to be weak.

I swear I can see some movement in the forest around me out of the corner of my eye, but when I look to where it was, I don’t see anything. It probably just is an animal, but I’m not really sure where the deer would be scouting, so maybe they’re following me? I can’t decide whether that would be a good or a bad thing, honestly. Maybe it’s good because they might relay the message that I’m coming and be prepared, but at the same time, what if there’s something I’m supposed to do or not supposed to do in the forest on my way there? I did read the books Princess Celestia gave me, but they were all written before the deer were pushed away from Manehattan. It’s been a few hundred years, I’d honestly be surprised if they didn’t have some cultural changes that I would now be unaware of. Committing a faux pas out of ignorance is now how I want to represent Equestria.

Man, why did I have to be made an Ambassador? I think I’d be fine if I just came here as Aurora the Dreamstrider looking for knowledge, now I’m Aurora Borealis with some really long title attached to the end of her name that’s supposed to represent millions of ponies. That’s a lot to put on somepony, now I have to think carefully over every word I say and gesture I make as to not reflect poorly on every single pony in the world. No pressure.

I can see that the path in front of me ends with a wall of trees, but when I take a few steps closer to see if I’d be able to find a way through the thick forest, two large trees right at the path’s end almost seem to bend and create a small hole I can make my way through. I’m not sure if that’s a good or a bad sign, but it’s a sign nonetheless. I’m still kind of okay at teleporting, so I guess if everything goes south, I could always escape back onto the path and start running.

As I get a little closer, I swear I can almost see some huts in the clearing beyond these trees. I can see more and more as I get closer, so I guess this is the deer village I’m trying to find. Maybe those trees are supposed to open when someone’s getting close, probably serves as a way to keep wild animals out or something. The real question is how they made it do that, or if those were here before. It’s not like any spell I’ve ever heard of, but similarly, it’s not like any magical tree or plant I’m aware of.

As soon as I step through the opening and into the village, however, I hear the hum of magical spells being cast. That’s weird, spells? Everything I read said that deer can’t cast spells, so this must not be the place. Probably a small village of unicorns, but why would they not appear on a map anywhere?

As I look down at my hooves, I can see that I’m not in a circle of magic that looks like it’s set to go off if I try and cross it. But when I look back up, I don’t see any unicorns, or even any ponies. A small group of deer are just glaring at me.

“Identify yourself, Equestrian,” the one standing right in front of me demands. I can recognize that the deer on either side of him are female since they don’t have any antlers, but it looks almost like their front hooves are made of crystal instead of regular hoof material. Additionally, two males are now standing at my own sides, lots of little glowing crystals hanging from their antlers.

“Aurora Borealis, Ambassador of Equestria to the Deer Tribes and All of Deerking,” I proclaim, making sure I remember every single word that’s in my title. “On behalf of Equestria, I wish to speak with whoever it is leads you.”

“That would be I,” the buck without crystals on his antlers responds. “Chieftain Thicket, leader of our humble village. What brings an Ambassador of Equestria to our lands?”

“We wish to open up diplomacy and create a more open relationship,” I explain, looking at them all. “I have been sent to foster goodwill and create a prosperous relationship.”

“Goodwill?” he repeats. “From Equestrians? Surely you jest.”

“Equestria values life in all forms,” I say, reciting one of the speeches Princess Celestia had me read over.

“Except those who you deem inconvenient to your own personal gain,” he scoffs. “Hundreds of years ago, you invaded our lands and declared them yours. When we went to your Princess, who claimed to support life in all forms, she sided with her own kind. We understood that we would never again be so lucky as to escape a disagreement with Equestrians with our kind intact, and so have distanced ourselves out of our own personal safety. I do not anticipate you can bend the truth enough to convince me otherwise.”

“We need you,” I blurt out, now going off script of what Princess Celestia told me to say. “You and your kind are very valuable to this world, and it’s in danger. Without your assistance, everything and everyone could be in serious danger.”

“‘Valuable’?” he echoes, the disdain in his voice growing. “Typically, one tends to value an object, something they can use and then cast off to the side once it has served its purpose. Not an intelligent creature, much less one they hold any respect for.”

“A poor choice of words,” I bow again, “and for that, I am deeply sorry. I simply wish to communicate that the entire world is in danger, and the deer could hold the only knowledge that can stop it.”

“The whole world? Or simply Equestria, your whole world?”

“The whole world,” I clarify. “Equestria, the Crystal Empire, Griffonstone, the Deer Tribes, everywhere and everyone. There is a stallion in the dream world—”

“A stallion?” he repeats. “As in, a pony?”

I nod. “Yes.”

“Exactly what I would have expected from an Equestrian,” he sighs. “Only a pony would shit where they stand, step in it, and demand another cleans it up. No, Equestria will receive no aid from us. Tell your Princess she should have known better than to try and cross a bridge she herself burnt to ash.”

“You could be dooming the whole world to suffer if you turn us away,” I beg. “Please, what the ponies have done to you is wrong, but we are trying to make amends for what happened. If there is some price we could pay, please tell me and we will do our best to pay it.”

He shakes his head, and it’s clear the only emotion he’s currently feeling is disappointment. “First flattery, then begging, then guilt, and finally simply trying to buy our assistance? I would have at least thought that your attempts to coerce us would not be so thinly-veiled, although I appear mistaken.”

“Please, if I would be able to simply get a few minutes to—”

The increasing sound of magic cuts me off. Not only are the crystals in the bucks’ antlers glowing more brightly, but the does both are holding up a crystal hoof that begins glowing the same color.

“We are not an aggressive kind,” the Chieftain begins, “although we understand the importance of self-preservation. Should you turn around and leave now, I promise that none of us will follow you and we will leave you to your own machinations as you have left us for so long. Should you stay, I cannot make the same promises.”

“And there’s...no way we would be able to reach a compromise?”

“None,” he confirms.

“I’ll return to Equestria,” I concede. “All I will say is please do keep us in mind. We truly are willing to reconcile for the past, however you deem it fit.”

They all say nothing, meaning I have to leave here in silence. The trees open up, and almost as soon as I step through the opening, I hear a magical aura envelop them and close them again.

I fucked up. Really, really bad. I knew I shouldn’t have been sent on this, at least not alone. Now we’re back at square one, and maybe there’s nothing we can do about it. For all we know, my inability to make peace with the deer has robbed us of valuable knowledge that could have helped us defeat Shooting Star, knowledge that I won’t be able to get any other way.

After just walking aimlessly and in a bit of a blur for a while, I notice a fallen tree out of the corner of my eye. It looks pretty recent, so it’ll probably hold my weight. Veering off the path to go towards it, I just sit down and stare at the ground. Before long, a few tears begin falling onto the dirt and creating tiny puddles of mud.

“Hey!” a voice whispers from somewhere nearby. Who could it be?

“Who are you?” I respond softly.

There’s some rustling to my left, so I turn my head there and see a deer start coming towards me. She looks smaller and maybe younger than the ones in the village, and her hooves aren’t crystal. Just normal hoof stuff.

“I was told I wouldn’t be followed if I left right now,” I sigh. “Please, I’m going.”

“Don’t go!” she exclaims, running to me and putting her hooves on my shoulders. “I know how to help you.”

“Do you study the dream world?” I ask her. “Or maybe just magic?”

As she puts one of her hooves on her neck, she starts giggling nervously. “Well...no. Not like that.”

“Do you know someone who does and is willing to speak with me?”

“In…” She thinks it over a moment, then gets a nervous smile. “Kind of? In a way. So sure, I guess.”

“So I’m guessing it’s not as simple as you bringing me to then and letting me to talk to them?”

“Yeah,” she admits. “I know how to get my dad to listen to you.”

“And who’s your dad?”

She nervously laughs again, then her face grows red. “My dad’s the one you talked to in the village. You know.”

“The Chieftain?” I clarify. She just nods in response. “So would you be able to get him to talk to me?”

“Not, well, um, not me, technically. But I do know how I can get him to listen to you.”

“I’m all ears,” I shrug.

“You’re...huh?” She looks me over real quick, then just looks at me with confusion in her eyes.

“Equestrian expression. I’m saying that I’m willing to listen to what you have to say.”

“Oh!” she beams. “But we have a trial, and anyone who passes it has to be heard by the Chieftain.”

“A trial?” I repeat. “I don’t know if I can commit to that, but I’m willing to hear about it. I’m willing to try almost anything to get an audience with your tribe. What can you tell me about it?”

“Well, if you passed, it’d prove that you were worthy of an audience.”

“And why would that be?”

After thinking it over for a few seconds and making some weird faces, she stands up and looks at me. “I think it’d be easier to explain when we’re there. Come with me?”

“Well, I don’t have any other option,” I reply while standing up next to her. “Lead the way.”

I swear I can hear a faint squee as she turns around and starts walking. “You said your name’s Aurora Borealis, correct? My name’s Aspen.”

“You can just call me Aurora. And how come you’re doing this for me? Your father made it quite clear that he wanted nothing to do with Equestria, and the other deer I saw seemed to reflect his sentiments.”

A sad sigh escapes her lips. “My dad’s very good at leading, but he holds onto the past too much. Was what Equestria did to us really bad? Yes, it was. Do we have every right to be angry at ponies for it? Yes, we do. But should we? No, we shouldn’t. For a lot of reasons, holding onto our anger only makes things worse.”

“You’d do things differently?” I probe. Maybe I can figure out how to convince the deer otherwise if I can figure out why she’s receptive to me.

“Yeah,” she admits meekly. “Well, to start, I think that while we’d be justified in being mad at Equestria because Princess Celestia sided with the ponies, being mad at ponies themselves is misdirected. I think most ponies aren’t even descendants of the ones that did that to us, and even if they are, they shouldn’t have to be at fault for what ancestors of theirs did. Hating someone for the circumstances of their birth only leads to hatred and division over irreconcilable things. If I were to hate you because you were a pony, how would we get over that? You can’t stop being a pony, so I have to be the one to lose my hatred. If we plan to get anywhere in the world, we need to be willing to work with our neighbors and not fixate on things in the past.”

“Is that idea common amongst the deer, or are you alone in thinking that?”

“I’ve, uh…” She laughs nervously again. “I think I’m alone? As you saw, the Chieftain is pretty set in his ways. I’m his only fawn, so I’m not really in a place to be expressing views so different from his own. I don’t want to bring that upon him, but something needs to be done. If we continue to shun and be hostile to Equestrians, they’re only going to do the same in us. For centuries, the deer have been in a self-deprecating cycle. We push Equestrians away and curse the ground they walk on, then get angry at them when they don’t help us. Unfortunately, if I were to say these things to the other deer in the tribe, they’d probably just say I’m an apologist and think that I’m trying to justify what Equestria did to us. It’s difficult, but we need to be the bigger deer and maybe take a blow to our pride in order to improve our situation.”

“You’ve clearly thought about this,” I point out. “You said you’re an only child, does that mean you’re going to become a Chieftain someday? Or is it not passed down like that?”

“It usually passes down from a Chieftain to his oldest son, but this is the first time in memory that a Chieftain has been left with a fawn but no sons. Sometimes they die without having fawns, in which case the tribe meets and decides who will take over. I keep asking my father about it, but I don’t know if he’s really thinking about it. I’m almost fifteen, too, so he really needs to make a decision soon so we know what we need to do for the future.”

“Is fifteen a special age or something?” I ask.

She just stares at me for a few seconds, then starts nodding slowly. “Yeah. Do Equestrians not?”

“Do we not what?”

“Do you not…” she trails off. “I don’t know how to describe it. Like, when you’re fifteen, do your does not get married?”

“Almost everypony would tell you that fifteen is way too young to get married, or even have a serious relationship. Is fifteen when you can start getting married?”

“Fifteen is when does do get married,” she corrects. “Our fathers choose who we get married to, and we spend the rest of our lives with them.”

“And do you know who the Chieftain wants you to marry?”

“He keeps asking me who I want to marry, but I’m not really sure how much he’s thinking about that. At the end of the day, he needs me to have fawns to pass down his blood, and my guess is if I’m with someone who I like, I’d be more likely to do so and would have more of them.”

“Well, why don’t you think that he’d be asking because he might really care about it? My dad only has three daughters, and I know he wouldn’t want us to marry and have foals just because we feel like it’d make him happy. My sister’s going to be marrying somepony soon, and he’s happy for her because she found somepony she wants to be with. He never tried to set them up or interfere in any way with their relationship.”

“And is your dad the last in a centuries-long line of Chieftains, potentially dealing with having to step down?”

“No, I guess not.” When I look over to her, I just see sadness in her eyes. “And there’s no other way?”

Her sigh is heavy with what almost feels like guilt. “I don’t know. I guess it doesn’t say that a doe can’t be Chieftain, but a lot of the deer here really hold onto tradition. Even if we don’t ban does from the position, they’d want to since none of us can remember a time when it wasn’t a buck. And since our traditions are pretty much everything we have left in this world, they’re not going to be willing to give them up.”

Before I can respond, we exit the forest and are now standing a few feet above a river that’s not exactly crashing downstream, but I wouldn’t really say it’s lazing along either. Rocks are littered throughout it, so it does make it look more treacherous than I think it otherwise would be. A small wooden bridge completely caked in moss is maybe about a hundred feet downriver from us, looking more ancient than any of the trees in this entire forest.

Instead of going to the bridge, however, she walks down to the banks of the river and stops just short of getting her hooves in the water. “We’re here,” she tells me as I walk up next to her.

“You saw the bridge, right?” I confirm.

“You will not need it,” she shakes her head. “This is your trial.”

“What is? This river?”

“The Olenmanegy River,” she specifies. “One of the few rivers left we have access to. This one is particularly tied to the spirits, which is why I brought you here.”

“I can’t say I’m very aware of spirits. I’m not really religious, and none of the ones I’ve heard of talk about spirits and rivers.”

“It’s not really…” She trails off before looking down at whatever reflection of hers she can see in this flowing water. “It’s not quite religion. It just is. There are spirits everywhere: in the trees, in the ground, in you and me. We settled near this river after The Expulsion because there were a lot of spirits in it, and so we would be able to thrive. They also continually bleed into the surrounding forest and the life and objects in it, so when they decide to help us, we’re right there. And with so many spirits, we receive aid a lot.”

The river here doesn’t seem to have any more magic than elsewhere in this region, but it’s possible that by spirits, she means magic. “What do they do to help you?”

“Depends on what we need,” she shrugs. “I’m just hoping they help you.”

“So what do I need to do to potentially get their help, then? Take a drink from the river or something?”

“You’re going to need to cross it,” she says as she points a hoof to the other bank. “While you’re in the water, you’ll draw lots of spirits to you. If they decide to help you, you’ll make it across.”

“And if they don’t help me?”

“Well...then you won’t make it to the other side.”

“As in, I’ll drown?”

“Some are lucky and have the river return them to the shore they left from, but most who don’t make it are swept away, yes.” As she turns to face me, there’s almost some fire in her eyes that I can barely make out. “You’ll make it across, I know it. The spirits will look inside of you and see that the world is in danger, and they’ll bring you to the other side. They make up this world, they don’t want to see it fall.”

As I put a hoof out and prepare to step in, however, her hoof shoots out and blocks me. “What?” I ask.

She points to my Canterlot University sweatshirt which I don’t think I’ve taken off since I set out and have so have subsequently forgotten I’m wearing. “You cannot take in anything artificial.”

I’m glad she told me because it’s still kind of nippy outside, so I can’t imagine the water is much above freezing. Having a soaking wet sweatshirt cling to me for the rest of the day doesn’t sound fun. Still, that seems like an interesting requirement. “How come?”

“Well, the spirits are what make up the natural world around us. They tend to stay away from things that are manufactured, which is why we try to disturb the world as little as we can. As such, you have to go into the river with only what nature has given you and nothing more. No clothing, no jewelry, no whatever else Equestrians might manufacture.”

Well, I guess now’s when never wearing makeup and not having any implants or anything helps me out. After I pass my sweatshirt off to Aspen and she puts it on her back, I stare down at the flowing river.

Guess there’s really only one way to do this, so I put my hoof out over the water and step into the river.