Looking For Luna

by CapriciousCapricorn

Chapter 8: The Dream

I sat on the edge of the bed with a sigh. After dinner, I hadn’t had the energy to be social and was reluctant to become any more sappy than I had been. Since arriving in Canterlot, I had been shown so much kindness - more than I deserved. A knot of guilt had been forming in my stomach for some time, likely from regret. I couldn’t help but ask myself, If I have been shown such kindness… shouldn’t I be extending that kindness to others?

I rolled over and closed my eyes, my mind wandering back towards the pony named Trixie. It was true that the blue mare had been… overbearing. Had she truly been so deserving of the “gift” I had given her? Granted, Trixie was arrogant and bold, but she had done quite a bit to care for me. Would it not serve the unicorn well to be served a piece of humble pie to quench her unyielding thirst for glory?

While my mind said maybe, my heart said no.

If Celestia was responding so poorly to a potential trace of my appearance, I could only imagine what she would do once Trixie finally used her “gift”. I shuddered, imagining Trixie’s cocky smile crumbling beneath one of Celestia’s withering stares. Surely she would respond poorly and be sent to coldest darkest corner of Celestia’s fortress, never to be seen again.
Does anypony deserve such a fate?

With a sigh, I sat up. There was no way I would find peace until I knew that Trixie received what she deserved. Closing her eyes and letting out a deep sigh, I slipped away into the world that only I knew.

⊰ ★ ⊱ ❈ ⊰ ★ ⊱ ❈ ⊰ ★ ⊱

As the princess of the night, only I truly knew the twilight hours. When the world was cool and silent, while the stars brightened the night, and the moon blessed the night - only then was I truly in my element. I slipped into a trance, transcending beyond the mortal realm and slipping into the realm of dreams. It had been so long since I had been in this place.

All around my dreams floated about, delicate orbs reflecting the psyches of Equestria's slumbering inhabitants. Some were joyful with bright bursts of colors while others were dark and somber. I was tempted to weave through these dreams and peek into them all, but refrained. With a deep breath, I sighed, closing my eyes and focusing only on the world around me. I could feel the path beneath my hooves shift and followed it. I trotted forward complacently, already knowing what I would find at the other side. Slowly, I opened my eyes.

Before me hovered a small orb with a blue aura, the occupant and its world bathed in black and white. It was not what I had been expecting for an individual like Trixie. Typically their orbs were golden and their dreams rather flashy, radiating with their confidence and often brazen personalities. I ignored my intuition and silently slipped inside, anticipating a grander dream than what I was about to enter.

⊰ ★ ⊱ ❈ ⊰ ★ ⊱ ❈ ⊰ ★ ⊱

I quickly spread my wings, flapping quickly to prevent myself from falling too deeply into Trixie’s dream.I cursed myself for not peering more deeply into the dream and being a bit more precise with my entrance. I had just assumed that this melancholic dream was just a reflection of a sad moment or thought; I hadn’t considered that it might be a nightmare. Below I could see the dream’s occupant, succumbing to her nightmare. I circled above, watching cautiously - I had already made enough reckless decisions today.

“Hah! See, Trixie can’t even perform basic spells!” a faceless pony pointed and laughed.

“Powerful and great? As if!” another pony cackled.

“N-no! I am powerful and great!” a small blue filly cried from the center of the circle. It was clear she was trying to keep herself from crying, but only barely keeping it together.

“Says who? Says who?” the faceless ponies around her cried.

“My grandpa! T-the greatest show pony of all time! I-I’ll prove it! I’ll show you!” The little filly tried desperately to use her magic, but her horn only flickered in response. Tears poured down her cheeks as she tried desperately to perform her spell. The faceless fillies continued to laugh and jeer.

“Begone! Trouble this pony no more!” I screamed, having watched long enough. I blasted the apparitions with a quick blast of magical power and they scattered like ash on the wind. I wasn’t sure what I had seen, a faded memory of the past or an accumulation of self-doubt and loathing, but it needed to stop. The small blue filly raised her crying head and wiped her tears staring up at me in awe.

“W-who are you?” she asked in a small voice.

“I might ask the same of you,” I replied calmly before circling overhead once more and landing some distance away from the filly. In this realm, the magic I used to alter my appearance had no effect. My coat was now a shade of midnight blue and my hair an illustrious sapphire blue. I stepped forward, carrying myself as a princess of the night should.

“I-I’m Trixie… The great and powerful Trixie...” she replied uncertainly. The filly’s tears stopped as if she realized that this was only a dream. I blinked for only a moment, but when my eyes opened again, the filly had returned to her true form. “You never answered my question. Who are you?” she asked with a bit more confidence. As she awaited my response, I could see her struggling as she tried to decide whether to embrace her persona or act with a bit of genuinity.

I hoped she chose to act a bit more genuine.

“I am one whose name has not graced the lips of any Equestrian in a thousand years.” I took another step forward. “I am she who commands the moon and her stars.” Trixie appeared to be growing anxious. “I am Princess Luna, but perhaps you know of me as the Mare in the Moon?”

“W-why are you here?” She had grown a shade paler with each hoof step that I took. I didn’t relish the fear in her eyes as an old, yet familiar, lump formed in my chest. I ignored it and took yet another step forward, taking a deep breath before speaking in the ancient royal voice.

“You ask why I am here while you bear my sigil?” I demanded in the royal voice. As Trixie panicked, I watched as fear, confusion, distress, panic, and recognition flitted across her face. She attempted to speak for several moments, but it seemed as if some cat had taken possession of her tongue.

“Y-you mean that weird sparkly rock?” she finally managed to splutter. I didn’t respond for several long moments, letting the silence hang in the air.

“You dare insult the Tear of the Moon with such a pathetic description?” Trixie leapt backwards as I raised my voice. The name was like “Dream Drops,” a beautiful lie that wasn’t too far from the truth. I delivered a flawless scowl as Trixie balked and nervously swallowed.

“Tear of the Moon? I-I haven’t heard of any object like that?”
“Of course not! Do you really think that I would have shared it with just anypony!? Even the worthy only dared whisper its name during my reign!” Trixie seemed to be quivering slightly now, but throughout it all, her impertinence remained. She clung to it as though her life depended on it.

“Then why bother talking to Trixie about this precious trinket of yours?” the blue pony asked as she referred to herself in the third person. My presence alone was clearly not enough to force her to be herself. With a smile, I began Plan B, transitioning without batting so much as an eye.

“Oh? To whom do you think I should be speaking?” I asked coyly. “Perhaps a genius or prodigy?” Trixie twitched. “Somepony that is magically or financially blessed? Who effortlessly can obtain whatever their heart desires?” Trixie’s jaw was clenched now and I knew that I had her right where I wanted her. “Somepony that shines brighter than the sun and captures everypony's attention?” I began to circle the troubled mare.

I paused before continuing. “Because, Trixie, I am just like you.” The blue mare flinched, most likely out of surprise.
“How would you know that? You don’t even know me!” she retorted with disbelief. “What? Am I supposed to believe that because of y-your wings and horn that you’re omnipotent or something?” A hint of anger colored the last couple of words, but wasn’t enough to conceal her nervousness.

“I know more than you could possibly comprehend. I was once Princess of the Night, and dreams of ponies - ponies like you - are accessible to me.” I continued circling. “You call yourself ‘The Great and Powerful Trixie’ to compensate for the fact that you feel like you’re anything but. Tell me, how many times have you performed? Poured your heart into your act?” I paused for a moment. “Tell me, how many ponies even noticed? Did they even care?” Trixie didn’t reply right away.

“P-plenty of times. I’ve done dozens of shows across Equestria!” Her faux confidence was almost amusing. It was clear by the tone of her voice that the façade was going to crumble.

“How many of those stages were you invited to perform on? Or were they all shows performed on your humble homemade stages?” I made sure to emphasize the word ‘humble’. The blue mare remained silent, standing still, I couldn’t see her expression, for the wide brim of her hat hid her expression from view. In a voice that was soft like a whisper, I continued to speak.

“As I said before, I was once like you. I was a princess and full of potential. I wanted to share my gift with Equestria much like you... wish to share yours. Despite every effort I made, every trick that I could try, and no matter how brilliantly I tried to polish my performance… nothing came of it. I remained in the shadow of my sister. All I wanted was to be noticed - appreciated, valued - but nopony cared. Ponies only play during the day; nopony cared about the night, so why should they care for me?” Trixie remained quiet. “When I was banished, nopony cared and when I returned, very few ponies even knew I had existed, and even fewer knew my name.”

“What do you want from me, then?” Trixie said quietly at first. “I can’t help you.” The unicorn performer was looking up now.

“Oh, but that is where you are wrong, Trixie. Like me, you’re forgotten and lost beneath other ponies’ shadows. I don’t require much, just a speaker. Someone who can share my words with Equestria.”

“Why wouldn’t you just do it yourself?” Trixie replied tersely.

“There are many powerful ponies seeking me as we speak. I have power that they wish to bring to heel, to command as their own, others would rather see that I return to the shadows from whence I came. If I am to do anything, it will be by my will, and my will alone.” My voice temporarily took an imperious tone.

“What’s in it for me? Why should I help you?” Trixie asked, seeming to mistake my determination as desperation. I stopped circling for a moment to look her in the eye and smile.

“Because I can offer you many things. For instance, I could grant you some of my magic. You’re due for a performance in Ponyville tomorrow evening. Or I could give you the power to magically charm others into listening to what you have to say.” Trixie’s jaw was clenched yet again. “However, those offers would only offend you, wouldn’t they? If you act as my speaker, you will gain that which you lack: opportunity.” Trixie was looking at me warily, watching me with narrowed eyes.

“... I’m listening.”

“If I were to offer you such gifts, you would always feel insignificant, as if your achievements weren’t of your own doing. You believe you have the power to make your dreams a reality. As my speaker, all eyes would be on you - you would have every opportunity to propel yourself into the spotlight you so desire.”

“How do I know I can trust you?” Trixie replied hesitantly. I watched several expressions flit across her face. I could feel her excitement, fear, nervousness, reluctance, and desperation. She lusted for that glory and adoration, but despite the temptation presented before her, she was cautious. It was admirable.

“I will give you two chances to decide your fate. Tomorrow, when you perform, shatter the tears of the moon. Their shards will rise and form my sigil in the night sky and those seeking me will take notice. All eyes will be on you and you will most likely be taken into custody.” Trixie’s fear radiated from her. “They will ask you how the strange sigil and the powers displayed at your show and it will be up to you how you answer them.”

“How is that two chances? It sounds like only one to me.”

“It’s rather simple. You don’t have to shatter the Tear of the Moon. They will be imbued with my magic until midnight. If you have not shattered the tears of the moon by then, the magic will disappear. Its magic will likely still be detected and you will be detained.” Trixie bit her lip. “If you choose to shatter the tears, you will face the pressure and attention that comes with acting as my speaker. After you’ve been detained, you will be asked how you came to possess the tears of the moon. That will be your last chance to give your answer.”

“How will-”

“I know your answer? I have my ways.” Trixie stared at me for a long time.

“Now what?” she asked hesitantly, slowly looking around as if she expected something strange to happen.

“Now I return you to your dream, of course.” Trixie’s face grew ashen.

“Wait, what-” the rest of her words fell on deaf ears. I broke away from the dream, separating myself from it. The dream became a cool mist and restored itself to its delicate orb state. I could see a confused Trixie look about in a panic.
I could return her to her nightmare, back her into a corner by reminding her of a time and place she never wanted to experience again. Persuading her would be much easier...

I touched my horn to Trixie's dream and watched as it was bathed in warm colors. Instead of her nightmare, I gave her a dream of an older memory: a memory of a small blue filly who had just discovered her love for magic, as she read a book about its history and origins, in a place where it wasn’t terribly hard to imagine that anything was possible if you just tried your best. I was better than my sister, I would not sink so low as to utilize her tactics here. While I might not like her, Trixie deserved a choice.

With my work complete, I disengaged completely. The orbs that made up the dreams of other ponies faded away like stars meeting the sunrise. The dream world seemed to fade away as I slipped away. I was greeted by a familiar darkness and I fell into a dreamless sleep as a feeling of warmth and comfort enveloped me. When I awoke all I would remember is a single white flower.

Comments

[CapriciousCapricorn]

8583756
You have asked and I have answered ;D

[KMCA]

I'm so thankful this isn't basically a clip show of S1 alternate reality.

Keep it up, I'm really liking this

[-Brutus]

I'm really liking the concept from the description of this fanfic, I'm going to read it right after grabbing some food/sodas.

[CapriciousCapricorn]

8598585
I see what you did there

[CapriciousCapricorn]

8598555
Glad you like the premise so far!
I hope you enjoy the story once you get into reading it :3

[Birs]

This chapter simular in concept to "That Which Sleep". And I like it.

[Scarheart]

Eh, it's kinda like Trixie is being forced to make a choice...

[Doolally Loop]

I like where this going.

[CapriciousCapricorn]

8599632
I wasn't sure what pony you were talking about so I looked them up.
It looks like this might have been a fan name for the character but I couldn't find them on the Wikipedia by that name :3

[ZodiacalComet]

Three chapters in one day! Ho ho ho! That was really a surprise.
I really want to see where this story is going

[Emperor]

I'm...not certain where Luna is going with this plan?