Devours Dreams from a Distant Dimension

by Dirty Bit

IX

Chapter 9

Dragging Despondent Decisions

Luna flinched at the sight of the mare before her and tensed up as her horn glowed while she glared. However, the intimidating mare only narrowed her eyes with a light scoff "Don't flatter me with your tension, dearest. Just because I survived the elements does not mean that my power wasn't taken away..." At those words, Luna slowly lowered her guard "As of late, I am nothing more than a figment of your mind, lying dorment for more than a year with how you chose to go about your own business ever since that fateful day. Besides, it would do neither of us any good to fight each other since we're the same person, if not de facto sisters."

Luna kept her glared despite her lowered guard "So thou would be willing to speak with me then, Nightmare Moon?"

Nightmare Moon held a condescending look "I said I would spare you my time, wouldn't I? Best not to waste it."

Luna nodded and cleared her throat "Part of mine reason for speaking with thee was to confirm Darkrai's prediction when they hath detected a presence within me. It would seem that mine friend was correct all this time."

Nightmare Moon shook her head "You really know how to bathe in denial, Luna. Although, to be truthful, I find your new friend to be rather...interesting..."

Luna glared "Only because Darkrai is affiliated with causing nightmares towards others?"

Nightmare Moon smirked as she gave a brief chuckle "Not so much that, but with how extensive that creature's knowledge is of the dream realm. And to think, we were only bound to Equestria and nothing else. The possibilities of how far we can go could only fill me with giddiness!" The dark alicorn flashed an evil grin "I wonder if I would even be separated from you..." She spoke as she narrowed her eyes.

Luna glared "Dost not push thy luck so easily! We're one in the same, and thou shalt not stray from us no matter the distance we depart from here!!"

Nightmare Moon scowled "You were supposed to be the fun one out of you and Celestia. Would you deny yourself the privilege of extending both your range and knowledge of this world?"

Luna shook her head "Neigh. This is but a gift I've never thought I would receive with mine years of dream monitoring! But I will most definitely deny thee the right to consider thyself free to cause misery towards others away from myself!"

The dark alicorn grunted "Such callous behavior! Do you think I enjoy lingering about in your head while you're free to do as you please, Luna!? Don't you ever think that what I deal with is similar to our time on the moon?" She glared at Luna.

Luna almost took Nightmare Moon's words into consideration before she shook herself and glared once more "Thou art but a foul repression of mine negative feelings!! I cannot trust thee to act of thy own free will whilst you art still alive in mine body!"

Nightmare Moon rolled her eyes "If you think I'm going to cause 'eternal night somewhere in this vast realm, you're gravely mistaken, my dear Luna. I'm over my ambition with how you came to discover Darkrai and now far you can go from Equestria. It's hard, but know that you can trust me to behave better if you would so spare me an extra body while we're in the realm of dreams..." She gave Luna a thin smile and awaited an answer.

Luna paused before she looked away "I need time to think...Sorry, but I will make nary a rash decision pertaining to thy freedom without time to consider it thoroughly! Thou will hath to make due with remaining alive in my own body for the time being."

Nightmare Moon frowned, but she wasn't displeased in the slightest. However, she retained her icy personality as she scoffed "Try not to destroy your mind with this meager thought, Luna. You wouldn't regret making the decision in letting me roam free..." She took a step back "I suppose you'll have enough time to think while you explain more to Darkrai about our history..." Nightmare Moon grinned "I'll bet that creature has a history worse than both of ours put together..." She said as she faded away in the darkness with an echoing laugh.

After Nightmare Moon's presence was confirmed to be lost, The darkness around Luna began to lift swiftly in the same whirlwind fashion as it appeared. Soon, she found herself back in the dream realm in the exact distance she made from her ponies' dreams. Luna gave a sigh as she looked at the dreams 'Not now, Nightmare Moon...Not now...' She then trotted away further into the realm and tried to locate Darkrai.
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Luna trotted far and found herself where she considered the middle of nowhere. She looked around and wondered if she would wait for Darkrai to arrive like last time. Luna closed her eyes and thought about the pokemon for a moment while she waited.

"Hello again..."

Luna shot her eyes open to see Darkrai, floating in front of her, and the princess of the night beamed with joy as she trotted over and wrapped her forelegs around Darkrai in a hug "It is great to see thee once again, Darkrai!" She broke the embrace and smiled at the pokemon "Did thou fare well in catching Flip whilst I was away?" From behind Darkrai, Luna could have sworn she noticed a slight blur that stood in one place.

Darkrai nodded "Yes...It was very easy, too. But, I hope you don't mind if I actually brought two friends with us on our journey through the dream realm..."

Luna beamed once more "More dream monitors!? Why hast thou not informed me sooner!? We would be delighted to meet our new companions as we travel onward!" She looked around with anticipation "Art we supposed to meet with them someplace? Or art they hiding from us?"

Darkrai slowly shifted its eye away and spoke "About that...The new friends I shall introduce shall be a surprise. A part of me objected to this, but I figured you would at least bear their company for the time being..." Its tone was the same as always, but this one was lightly combed with anxiety.

Luna smiled "No harm whatsoever, Darkrai! Won't you introduce us to thine new friends so that we may traverse immediately?"

Darkrai looked ahead and nodded "Before I introduce you...Would you promise to be tolerant of their company?"

Luna nodded without hesitation "Sure!" She then paused when she thought about the question as she raised an eyebrow "Who did thou bring to come with us, Darkrai? Pray tell, can we trust them?"

Darkrai looked away "Hopefully..." It waved a claw, and two familiar figures slowly came into view behind the pokemon that made Luna gasp.

Flip was found smoking a cigar with his eyes closed while sitting on the back of his partner-in-crime, Flap. When he opened them, he noticed Luna and jumped up with a wave "Surprise!! Heya, Princess! How's it goin', huh? Happy to see me?" Flap squawked happily when she noticed Luna as well.

Luna stared in disbelief before she glared at Darkrai "What is the meaning of this, Darkrai!? I thought that thou hath caught Flip and Flap in Slumberland!!" She spoke in outrage.

Darkrai held out a claw "Allow me to explain..." It placed its outstretched claw on its chest "I did not lie when I said I caught Flip, but when he was about to be banished, I could not bear to see him gone in the annexes of space..."

Luna narrowed her eyes "So thou hath grown a soft spot for a criminal?"

Flip held up a learning finger with his cigar hand as he smiled smugly "EX-criminal, if you please!" He then cringed under Luna's glare "Err...Continue the story, would ya, Dark?" Flip looked at Darkrai with a scared smile.

Darkrai did as it was told "Before they would do away with him, I chose to step in and take him and his bird under custody with the notion that he is to be banished from Slumberland. Prince Nemo and the others were reluctant at first, but were happy to oblige knowing that not only would Slumberland be more peaceful, but I could possibly teach Flip how to be a better person. From this point on, he shall be kept under my supervision until I deem him fit to return to his home."

Luna turned to Flip and Flap "So thou wisheth to travel with us to the ends of this realm?"

Flip nodded "That's right, toots! I'm lookin' to move up in the world! As much as I enjoy it there, Slumberland's starting to cramp my style!" He stood and shook his head "They just don't react like they used to sometimes..." Flip noted the unchanged glare from Luna and instantly recovered "B-But I'm a changed man and I'm open to new experiences and the like!" He smiled "Besides, I get to see new places, make new friends, and all the cigars I can smoke!" He took a good drag from the one in his hand and blew it towards Luna.

Luna coughed and fanned away the noxious fumes as she kept her glare on Flip "Can we honestly trust thee to keep thy contemptuous acts to a minimum, Flip?"

Flip held his cigar hand up while his free hand behind his back "Scout's honor! I'll be good!!" He was happy to know Luna's glare softened. Little did they know, the mischievous clown had his fingers crossed while they weren't looking.

Darkrai stared at Flip for a moment before it turned to Luna "So you would bear with Flip's company then?"

Luna did not let up before she nodded "Very well. Since thou claimest that thou art a changed man, we shall hold thee to thy word, lest thou would invoke unneeded ire courtesy of us! Do not take thy freedom so lightly, Flip..."

Flip rubbed his temple with his free hand as he looked worn out "Sheesh, you a fan of Shakespeare or something? You're giving me a headache with all this theatrical talk, Princess!" Flap tilted her head in confusion.

Luna steamed from her nostrils as she narrowed her eyes on Flip and caused him to quickly hide behind Flap's tailfeathers. Darkrai floated to Luna's side and rested a claw on her shoulder "I promise to make sure he will not cause any trouble, as well as treating us and others with respect...Would you please respect my decision of watching over him?"

Luna gave one more glare at Flip before she sighed "Thou hath chosen a difficult path to lead, Darkrai..." Her expression softened as she smiled "But thou art a good friend to be considerate of others and try to make them better people..." She then looked sad "Can thou handle such an arduous task that thou bestowed upon thyself?"

Flip rolled his eyes left and right "Thee thy though thumb! I smell the blood of an Equestrian!" He chuckled at his own joke before he noticed Luna look angry "Dark here told me about where you lived. Seems like a nice place! Glad to know we can be friends, right Flap, ol' girl?" Flap squawked and nodded in agreement with a smile on her beak. Flip then hopped onto his bird's back "Well, what are we doin' standin' around here, huh? Let's go places! Let's roll us some heads, maybe some die while we're at it!" He smiled at Darkrai and Luna.

Darkrai nodded "Follow me, all of you. Perhaps I should show you my own home before we venture deeper into the dream realm..."

Flip took a small drag from his cigar "Little visit to your place before we take the big trip?" He shrugged with a smile "Sounds good. Maybe you got a better place than the Nightmare King!"

Darkrai raised its claws as the group found themselves trapped in a sudden black whirlwind. The trio jumped in suprise and looked around while Darkrai kept its position. In a small moment of time, the wind lifted, and the group looked around to see the new area they reside in.

It was a small island in the middle of a vast ocean. The sky above was dark and starless, with a pale crescent moon glowing in the sky. Luna, Flip, and Flap looked around while Darkrai turned to the forest nearby "This is my home, New Moon Island."

Luna looked around and could not help but feel sad at how Darkrai felt so separated from others in this particular island. Flip however shook his head "Man, take a look at this tiny place! To the heart seeking freedom, this place is a prison surrounded by water!" Flap gave a pitied squawk as she shook her head.

Luna glared at Flip "Flip! Mind your manners!"

Darkrai turned to Luna "He is correct...What you see before you is my only chance of ensuring peace for other people and pokemon without having to be confronted by Cresselia. It grew on me as a humble home over time..." It looked down "But I was lonely for so long..."

Luna turned to Darkrai with sad eyes "We can relate..."

Flip scoffed with a smile "Maybe you two, but not me! I love to socialize now and then!" He and Flap backed away when the mischievous clown noticed that Luna was becoming more antagonized by his quips.

Darkrai looked around "This isn't entirely desolate as you claim...To the west is Cresselia's home, Full Moon Island."

Luna looked west and tried to distinguish the island's location through the enormous distance and the darkened skies "But I do not see anything!"

Darkrai floated idly by "That is because you are viewing my home through my own perspective...I only wished to share with you my own living quarters before we decided to move on. As a sign of trust between friends..."

Flip looked around "Ah, so you trust us, huh? Good to know! Glad we can count on ya, Dark!" He stole a glance from Luna "Hopefully this girl thinks the same way..."

Luna glared at Flip "Dost not think we art willing to trust thee just because thou claimeth to be a changed person..."

Flip shrugged "Whatever you wanna do is fine, Princess. All I can say is, when you need a shoulder to cry on, you know who to turn to!" He pointed a thumb on himself and winked at the princess of the night.

Luna only turned away in rejection "We'll know when it is most necessary..." She spoke in a tone of dislike.

Flip scratched his head as he frowned "Talk about a fickle pickle..." He muttered as he earned the attention of both Darkrai and Luna "What I meant to say was, I'm really craving pickles! What about you two, huh? Feeling peckish today?"

Darkrai shook its head "We should be going. I do not wish to waste Luna's time with this small visit..."

Luna smiled at Darkrai "Thou hath wasted none of our time, Darkrai! It was nice to see where thou chose to take refuge." She looked sympathetic "If only there was something we could do for thee to make it better, though..."

Darkrai nodded "You have. It is comforting to know that I have friends beyond the reaches of time and space..." It then raised its claws to make the group teleport from New Moon Island and back into the dream realm "Shall we get going? We must hurry while the night is young..."

Flip took another drag from his cigar and blew the smoke from his mouth upward "Lead the way, pal! I'm practically antsy to see where we'll end up next! Maybe it'll be paradise for all we know!"

Luna nodded with an eager smile "For once, I agree with Flip. Let us be off then, shall we?" With that, Luna and Darkrai, now accompanied by Flip and Flap, traveled to the crossroad of portals so they could see what no one else could possibly see in their time. While they traveled, Luna looked uneasy as a faint sound of laughter echoed in her mind.

"You'll have to decide sooner or later, dear Luna...I'm waiting~..."

End of Chapter 9

Comments

[Leo Archon]

Yay, more Luna! And Darkrai. And... Flip and Flap? Eh, whatever. The more the merrier, ne?

Anyway, are you taking suggestions for dream realms to visit? Because if so, the 'shared dreaming' ability of the Powerpuff Girls might be interesting to watch.

[DavidPony]

another interesting chapter

[CrappyCrap]

Yay! More Woona, Darkrai, and Flip and... Flap? Anyways, good chapter. 11/10 moustache

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FLIP&FLAP
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GONNA FLIP&FLAP
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Good Guy Yatoshumirata
SAYS
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MEANS IT.