Lucid Dreams

by Jumping Jack

Dream Crusaders

Ghost Pepper sat quietly at the table by himself. Staring at the small bits of vegetables and bread, he couldn't help but look around hungrily at the others. It was no strange occurrence for him to sit by himself. In fact, he mostly preferred it that way. Having the quietness of his own mind and thoughts without any distractions. As he finally picked up his bread and chewed a small bit of it, more thoughts came to mind.

'What if Constance had another plan that just involved him running away with the mayor's daughter?' The idea seemed promising. He imagined the scene, using his bread as pointers. The left half being Constance and the chewed half being the mayor's daughter. He played out the scene, quietly quoting from the story. Starting at the point where Constance had the idea, Ghost Pepper thought of carefully picked words to convince the daughter. After feeling like he had chosen correctly, he smiled as he played out the part of the two running away to live forever. But yet, there was a problem. One thing had stood out from him in his scene.

Where was Tussle? He frowned softly when he found that the two pieces of bread didn't fit quite well as he thought. Two pieces of bread wouldn't suffice. He looked at the chewed piece before looking to the whole one. A thought had occurred to him. He split the whole piece in two. Now that the whole group was together, he replayed the scene only this time, he made Tussle be a big part in the plan. Constance and the mayor's daughter were ready to escape, but the corrupt bureaucrat caught on. He made the split and chewed piece together before having the bigger piece suddenly stay behind. The young colt frowned more prominently.

'Why did Tussle stay behind?' He hadn't thought of it when he played it out. But the big piece of bread was left laying on the plate while the other two were together at the side. He sighed before putting the pieces down and examined them. They were not whole. He quietly picked up the small piece he had labeled as Constance before popping it in his mouth and chewed. It was then he noticed something watching him. He looked and saw Alabaster giving him a small quiet and her infamous mischievous grin. Ghost Pepper felt his face warm a little.

Alabaster had witnessed him playing with his food. 'More dirt for her.' the colt thought to his dismay. Thankfully, Mother Wisp tapped a glass with a spoon to grab the attention of the others.

"Attention, dears." she looked to the crowd. "I have a very special announcement to make. I have received word that the Princess Celestia and Princess Luna will be making a visit." The gasp and quiet cheers murmured throughout the kids. All except Ghost Pepper. It was such a honor for the Princess's to make a visit to them. Ghost Pepper has read about the two sisters. All of them did. Who would have thought the Princesses as regal and elegant visiting a small group of twenty street urchins and a struggling caretaker?

"Alabaster, this is your chance to finally show the princesses!" The young colt heard one of the kids. He looked and saw Alabaster smile at the thought. She then raised her hoof.

"Yes, Alabaster?" Mother Wisp smiled. The young snow white filly stood up and cleared her throat.

"If I may suggest something, as activity monitor's right hoof, perhaps we should host a fair?" Mother Wisp arched a questioning brow. No one would blame her. What idea was she proposing?

"A fair, dear?" Mother Wisp echoed. Alabaster stood up and walked to the front, before turning to the rest.

"Yes, a fair. One that would impress them!" She made small motions with her hooves. "We all show the princesses what we are talented in. It'll be a fun event where we each show off." She smiled at the nanny. "And it would probably bring in more adoption potential." Mother Wisp smiled now. Ghost Pepper slumped. It was a great idea. Why hadn't he thought of it?

'Oh right, because I was too busy playing with my food and Alabaster is the princess of this orphanage.' Alabaster may be uptight with her leadership, but her ideas have proven time and time again to be successful. Ghost Pepper had wondered why it always was. And it was surprising that Alabaster wasn't adopted right away after the last adoption fair. She had shown positive feed back from the potential parents. But in the end, what happened to be thirty two once was now twenty.

"A marvelous idea, Alabaster!" Mother Wisp looked at her questioningly again. "But, are you just saying it because of your position or is it from Merriweather?" Merriweather shrunk a little, but Alabaster smiled.

"I talked it over with her before suggesting the idea. It's okay in her book." replying quickly. To the meek filly's relief and Ghost Pepper's annoyance, Mother Wisp clapped her hooves together.

"Then it is a plan indeed. The princesses won't be here until next week, so you all have plenty of time to brush up on your talents." Alabaster nodded before looking her way towards the young colt by himself.

"Pepper, you really shouldn't think about playing with your food, no matter how talented you are at it." she put a hoof to her chest. "As a concerned playmate, I only want what is best of you. But I have to say that playing with your food is not a good way to get adopted." The children laughed at her so called joke. Mother Wisp was again oblivious to the meaning and giggled along with them. Ghost Pepper had another thought. Perhaps the roof above her would come crashing down?

~~~***~~~

After the lunch period, the children had a quiet period of reading. Most were well behaved on the subject, but the others who were not so prominent in reading thought it would be a good idea to create book towers or fall sleep. Of course, Mother Wisp wasn't having any of this and would snap them out of there running minds. She gave a tired sigh when she found Pallet doodling in the book. The artistic colt mourned quietly as he was given an eraser and having to go through each page, erasing each creation he was so proud of. Ghost Pepper wanted to re-read the story of Constance and Tussle, but Mother Wisp had persuaded him to read something else. She was well aware of the young colt's attempts at trying to find a better option.

Instead, he was given a book about a detective. One by the name of Sherclop Holmes. He was hesitant at the title at first:

Sherclop Holmes: The Timberwolves of Ponyville.

It was unusual for Timberwolves to even be around Ponyville. And it was only about a few hours trot from where the orphanage is. But his eyes fell to the name. Timberwolves. Curiosity took him over and he finally read one paragraph of the book. And then another paragraph. And soon a chapter. The young colt was awe struck.

'How can this be?' he thought to himself. A detective who has a drinking problem and has an observational mind? How can a pony exist like that? And yet, as the more he read and the aspect of the detective dawned on him, the more he found interest in both him and his companion, Dr. Wattson. The two reminded him of a dysfunctional Constance and Tussle. Each had their own quirks, but together, they were the balance to one another's mindset. The colt delved into the world of Sherclop Holmes, only to be rudely interrupted by a paper ball being tossed at him. He looked up and around. No pony seemed to be responsible. He bent down and picked it up before unfurling it.

Meet me by the oak tree. - Your secret admirer.

'Admirer?' What was the meaning of this? He narrowed his eyes at an involved snow-white filly as she flipped a page of a book. She made no motion of his existence. He sighed quietly before Mother Wisp snapped everyone away from their quiet time with a clear of her throat.

"Alright, dears. Another recess has started. Remember not to wander too far or go past the oak tree. Dismissed." the children cheered and rushed out all at once, causing Mother Wisp to look worriedly at the stampede. Alabaster and Merriweather were the only ones to walk out of the room casually. The nanny looked to the colt. "Are you coming, Pepper?" The colt said nothing as he stood up and held the book under his wing.

Making his way outside, the playful cheers of the children reaching his ears, he couldn't help but think back to the message. 'What was an admirer?' He looked back at the book under his wing. Sherclop wouldn't hesitate to find out. And that is exactly what the colt thought. He took a sharp left and trotted away from the playing children. After today, he didn't want any part of any activity with them. He found himself briskly trotting along the dirt path that lead to the oak tree. He couldn't help but smile to himself. Almost as if he was donning the coat and hat.

"Come along, Dr. Wattson. We have a case to solve." he told himself. "But of course. It'll be like old times." He replied to his own statement. It didn't take him long to reach the tree. It towered over him, but short enough to where anypony can climb up it with no problems. The colt studied it, rubbing his chin. "What say we lay a trap for the crook?" he again told himself. "An excellent idea, sir!" he replied to it. "But of course. It is elementary, my dear Wattson." The colt place the book between his teeth and flapped his wings twice before gaining the height he needed to grab onto the branch and climb. Feeling he has climbed a reasonable distance, he looked down to the ground and waited.

The sun overhead shone through the little holes of the leaves and the cicadas buzzed loudly. The colt waited. And waited. He then frowned. A few minutes have passed. Having been lost in boredom, he finally leaned against the thick core of the oak and pulled the book out from his wing. He flipped through the book, finding himself back at the chapter he left off of. It was fascinating to read the exploit of Sherclop. It was like the detective was one step ahead of everything. But in order for him to confirm it, he had to play it out. He was about to read the paragraph of the discovery of the Timberwolves, when he heard the sound of a buzzing. It wasn't like a cicada.

It seemed more consistent. It got louder the more closer it got. The colt quietly slipped the book under his wing and peered out from behind a shrub branch in the oak. He shrunk back a bit when he spotted three fillies. Two of them had hopped out of a wagon that was connected to a scooter while the third leaned against the tree and drank from a bottle.

"You sure we are in the right place?" the white unicorn filly in the light pink stripped mane asked. The yellow earth filly with a red mane and a big bow scanned the area.

"'Ah' don't think this is where Pipsqueak told us to meet." The filly looked at the two. "He did say by an oak tree, right?"

"He said the biggest tree we know of." the white filly said before looking to the orange and purple maned filly Pegasus. The filly took another big swig of her bottle before looking at them.

"Yeah. And this is the biggest tree I know of." the orange filly replied. The colt watched quietly at their conversation. He thought back to the message. Which one of these fillies were his admirer? He struggled with the thought before coming to a realization.

'But wait... they don't seem like any of the playmates I know of. In fact, they seem like they came from Ponyville.' But it was strange to think that. Why would three fillies spend a few hours from the village to come here? They mentioned somepony by the name of Pipsqueak. Was it this Pipsqueak that gave him the message? Was he the admirer? The colt thought better of it. The only pipsqueak in his playmates were Merriweather and another filly by the name of Tea Stout. His gaze fell to the book under his wing. Were these the culprits? What would Sherclop do if there were multiple confrontations? The colt panicked. He hadn't read that far into the book yet. The inexperience came down on him.

He backed away from the branch shrub before it suddenly snapped and sent him forward. He bounced on two branches on his way down before landing on something with a thud. He shook the daze away before stiffening and seeing the world upside down. Not only that, looking at him were two surprised fillies. But... where was the third?

"Hey, what gives!?" he heard the protest underneath him. He was suddenly rolled off as the orange filly rose and dusted herself off. "Be more careful next time." the orange filly looked down at him and gave the same surprise at him. "Who are you?" The young colt found it hard to reply. The only thing he can muster was a stutter. The yellow filly smiled and helped him up. The colt again said nothing. Not even a form of thanks.

"You don't seem to be from around here. Are you new to the Ponyville?" she asked him. Again, the colt said nothing. Only his panicking heart beat was drowning out the cicadas. The next feeling came down on him. Fear. He had exposed himself. And not just to the world, but to three fillies he has no idea who they are. The white unicorn filly arched a brow.

"Are you okay? You seem to be shivering." The young colt shrunk a little. Oh goddesses, they were talking to him. What should he say? What could he do to suddenly change this on him? He gulped in defeat. He had no idea what to do. The yellow filly suddenly bent down and picked up the book in her teeth before motioning it towards him.

"'Ah' tshink you dropped somethin'.'" she said. The colt meekly took the book and put it under his wing. "So, what's your name?" The colt again found it hard to reply. All he could do was mumble it quietly. The orange filly leaned in.

"Come again?" she asked. He mumbled it again. The orange filly rubbed her head before shrugging at the other two.

"Well, let us start then. 'Ahm Applebloom." the yellow filly smiled before motioning to the others. "That there's Sweetie Bell and that's Scootaloo." The two nodded with smiles of their own. Just who are these three? And why were they acting so... nice to him? The fear struck him more and more. As much as he wanted to say something, he just couldn't find the courage to do so. Scootaloo arched a brow.

"So, where are you from?" she asked him. The young colt said nothing but glance past her. Sweetie Bell seemed to notice the glance and followed it.

"Hey, isn't that the orphanage?" she asked. Applebloom looked.

"Yer' from the orphanage?" He was about to nod when he noticed a snow white filly trotting up to the tree down the road. He balked and quickly darted from the group. The three fillies watched him gallop over and past the filly.

"There you are, Ghost Pepper. Cleaning duties have started." Alabaster said with a frown as the colt passed. Realizing the sudden hurry, the filly felt a little shocked to be ignored. "H-hey! Don't think you can get away with slacking from your chores!" She sighed and looked over to the pair. She gave them each a studying look before smiling and a small wave at them before trotting back to the orphanage. The three fillies were confused by the sudden break from the group.

"What a weird colt." Scootaloo said to the two, who exchanged glances with each other.

~~~***~~~

The night grew serene. The crickets chirping away and the wind blowing a light spring breeze. Ghost Pepper sighed as he flipped through the book. He had made progress in the story of Sherclop and the Timberwolves. In fact, he couldn't help but feel envious towards the detective's cunning. If only he was as clever as him. Maybe then he would have found a better way to end that confrontation with the three fillies. Why couldn't he say anything? And why were they being so nice to him? It was so strange for ponies to greet him. But what was strange about it was that they were not from the orphanage.

Ghost Pepper has met plenty that come and go. And yet, they all greeted him nicely until they are met with Alabaster and her influence. Then, he was given the same curtesy he still receives today. He can't remember the last time Alabaster had left him alone. It was like the moment she had entered the orphanage a long time ago, she somehow changed the whole morality. For better or worse. And Ghost Pepper was definitely feeling the worse of it. The colt groaned in frustration, trying to get the sour images of Alabaster's torture out of his mind and focused on the story. He was at the point of Sherclop deducing the Timberwolve's influence when the colt's candle suddenly blew out due to a passing breeze. He frowned and closed the book, placing it next to the story of Constance and Tussle.

He closed the window before trotting towards the bed and wrapping himself in the covers. 'Ready to sleep the night away and deal with more torture.' The colt sighed in defeat before the sweet embrace of sleep embraced him.

~~~oooOOOooo~~~

The colt sat quietly on the cold velvet seat of the train. Next to him sat a fancily dressed stout earth stallion with a bowler hat, looking down at a pocket watch. Across from them was a handsome earth pony in a brown coat and detective hat, enjoying a cold glass of red liquid.

"Sir, must you really drink at a time like this?" the stout stallion asked. The pony swished the liquid in the glass before taking a small sip.

"Come now, Wattson. There is no harm in drinking. I find it eases the mind." the stallion replied. Dr. Wattson harrumphed.

"If you call killing your brain cells a means of easing, then you would be out of the job ages ago." the detective Sherclop nickered.

"But of course, it is why you are here on our way to Ponyville, is it not?" the stout stallion sighed.

"Unfortunately." The colt looked on in awe at the detective. He couldn't believe he was sitting with the infamous detective himself. He shrunk a little when the detective looked his way.

"Child. Are you lost? I don't remember seeing you enter the cart." Ghost Pepper was too awe struck to reply.

"Where is your mother, child?" The question snapped back to attention. The colt suddenly bowed his head and sighed sadly.

"My mom died when I was born. Or... so I am told." the colt replied. Dr. Wattson seemed shocked.

"My words. I'm sorry to here that, boy. What about your father?" The colt shook his head.

"Died in a drunk chariot wreck." The colt questioned why they were asking him these questions. That fateful moment when the royal guards had come to his door and whisked him away from the comfort of his home and into the orphanage. He must have been three when it had happened. And seven years later, he still has yet to make an impression. The colt lost himself in thought before there was a knock on the door. The two companions glanced at one another before Dr. Wattson called out.

"Yes?" A soft voice called from the other side.

"I would like to speak to the detective on an important matter." It sounded angelic and soft. Sherclop and Wattson exchanged another glance before the detective pulled the door open and in walked a tall, dark cloaked figure. Ghost Pepper watched in awe as the cloaked pony gave a small smile at the detective before taking a seat next to him.

"Well, this is unexpected. To what pleasure do I owe this confrontation?" Sherclop asked with an arched brow. The cloaked pony tossed her hood back, showing a brilliant midnight flowing mane and dark blue hide with sapphire eyes. She gave a kind smile in return.

"Oh, nothing formal really. Just wanting to check up on the child here." Ghost Pepper blinked in confusion before shrinking a little into the seat. But the alicorn remained still and smiling ever so gently at him.

'What was going on?' The alicorn nodded before speaking.

"Hello, child. I take it from your expression that you know who I am. But you have no need to fear. I have not come here to harm you." Ghost Pepper indeed knew who this was. However, this is the second time he has seen her. Ghost Pepper finally willed himself to speak.

"Wh-why are you here?" he asked. Oh goddesses, what was he saying!? This is the Princess Luna! But the princess only smiled.

"I have just been doing my daily rounds when I happened to stumble upon yours." she replied soothingly to the colt. Yet, he only returned it with a cocked head. "A mind like yours is something I find interesting, but normal." She held out a hoof to him. "Mind if we take a small walk?" The colt furrowed his brows before hesitating in taking her hoof. As he did, he noticed the image of Sherclop and his companion shimmer into nothingness. Nothing except the stars. The colt looked around.

"Where are we?" he asked. Princess Luna smiled again.

"The Dream Plane. Here is where I walk in the night, studying the dreams and helping those troubled by them." she motioned her head with two big flaps of her wings, she and the colt flew through the stars. It was bizarre to the young colt. He figured the stars to be bigger. But as they flew through the Plane, he watched a small bright white speck passed by along with a few others. Surprise turned to wonder. He was really flying among the stars! The stars suddenly shimmered and the colt blinked. He realized they were now flying over clouds. The land below them but a patch of farmland. The colt smiled.

'This isn't so bad.' he thought. Yes, he was not that good of a flier just yet. But he was working on it. He then noticed Luna looking at him with that kind smile again.

"It is alright to let go of my hoof now, child." she said. The colt suddenly stiffened. But if he let go, wouldn't he fall? But something about the princess made him ease at the thought. He flapped his wings and slowly let go. He couldn't believe it. He was actually flying! The colt found himself laughing now. Before he knew it, he suddenly dipped into the clouds and spun before taking back off again. Remembering reading the basic and advance flight books he was given at the orphanage, the colt found it easier to do now. It was like he could be the best of the best. Probably as good of a flier as the Wonderbolts! And that is exactly what he did. He found himself suddenly racing along with the Wonderbolts.

The leader, Spitfire, motioning for them to break formation and converge. Ghost Pepper followed suite, keeping close to Soarin and the newly recruited Wonderbolt, Rainbow Dash. Together, the three dipped, spun and twirled in formation before regrouping back with the rest and letting out a cracking boom as they flew up. Rainbow Dash suddenly flew faster than the others and in a glorious light and a loud boom, the colt couldn't help but stare in awe. As he hovered in the sky and watching the Wonderbolts zip over head, he noticed Spitfire saluting to him before they disappeared behind the clouds. He laughed happily and was about to take off in pursuit when suddenly, he noticed another Wonderbolt fly past him. He arched a brow at the mare. No, it wasn't a mare.

Even the Wonderbolt noticed him and stopped before removing her googles.

"Hey, aren't you that colt from the orphanage?" the filly asked. He suddenly stiffened, feeling the fear come back. As he did, he suddenly lost the steady rhythm of his wings and flipped down into the clouds. The clouds shimmered around him. He was falling. He tried desperately to regain his flight, but to no avail. The area around him shimmered again and he saw the ground suddenly rise quicker then he had imagined.

~~~oooOOOooo~~~

The colt jolted awake, kicking off the covers. his heavy breathing only replied to him in the quietness. Taking a quick glance out the window, he saw the sun peeking over the horizon. And as the first rays of Celestia's sun shone into the room, the colt hugged himself. The fear was still there. And he quietly wept.

Author's Note:

Seven days until the fair. Twenty remaining.