Oneirology

by Taialin

5. Letters

I take a deep breath of the Ponyville air and smile. It is a good day to be out for a walk. Not too warm, not too cool. Bless the pegasi for keeping the weather so pleasant today. But then again, every day that I walk with my marefriend is a very good day. She's beside me, vibrant life in her well-rested eyes. We've nothing pressing to do today, save for a few ponies we'd like to visit.

"Good morning, Miss Rarity!"

Speaking of which, there's one. My ears perk up, and I turn slightly to see a familiar sight in my peripheral vision. Coat white as snow, fairly skinny build, well-kept, standing in his usual place behind the flower stall. Yes, this is indeed Vital Acacia. He's smiling hopefully, hoping I'll come over for a conversation.

Perhaps I will, but perhaps it won't be to his liking.

I turn back to my marefriend, feigning ignorance and aloofness for just a moment. Fluttershy has undoubtedly heard him too, and she nods in confirmation. I nod back. Worried I was that the events of several days ago would fade from memory, as most dreams do; I'm glad my concerns were for naught.

I turn to Acacia and walk towards his stall, Fluttershy close at my side, raising a hoof in greeting. "Hail, darling!"

He looks up before looking back and responding, "Uh, h-hi?" perhaps briefly confused whether I was referring to the weather. "Wow. Um. Your mane looks amazing today, Miss Rarity," he continues. It's perhaps a rather blithe attempt at flattery—on any other day, at least. Today, though, it's not the first compliment I've heard, and I'm sure it won't be the last.

"Isn't it?" I respond, bobbing my new hairstyle for a moment. I eschewed my usual curls today, opting for a more sophisticated-yet-modern side-swept chignon, pinned in place by a long yellow pinion over a foot long from tip to end. The barbs fold down when they're within my locks, but they splay proudly where the feather's end pokes out the top of the bun.

"Yeah, and that pin is so . . . organic? Is that the word?" He scrunches his face up cutely into an inquisitive expression. "The whole style is really classy. Like you're a princess." His last word is very quiet, like he's too embarrassed to give it a stronger voice. As if his silly smile didn't already provide that message.

I chuckle into a hoof, amused by how charmed he is. It is actually a simple style, all things considered—it's just fairly uncommon nowadays. All one needs is a classy accessory to do it up. Perhaps it is time that buns come back into style?

Fluttershy touches me on the side of my hoof with her own, a subtle gesture that would go unnoticed in the bustle of everyday life. But given that it's Fluttershy, I do take notice, and I know what she's reminding me of. Not that I ever forgot, but the gesture is appreciated nonetheless.

I give my marefriend a nuzzle in return and respond to the stallion in front of us. "It is a good word. But dear Acacia, I'd like you to meet my marefriend, Fluttershy. I'm sure you know her well." I tilt my head to said companion, and she offers a small smile and chaste wave.

Acacia's eyes turn to Fluttershy's, his face still wearing that silly grin. If anything, it gets a little wider. "Oh y-yeah, of course! Nice to meet you too, Fluttershy," he says.

I look at Fluttershy sidelong to find she's already looking back at me. He still doesn't get it, does he? I consider how to break the news to him in a way that won't break his heart. And somehow, I think my usual verbal dancing right now would be rather counterproductive. "And I'm afraid that means I am spoken for, Acacia," I say carefully. "I've only ever looked for one pony to complete me, whether stallion or mare. And she is the one." As if to emphasize what I said, Fluttershy offers me a nuzzle, one which I return. I look back to Acacia expectantly.

It takes several seconds for the sight to register in Acacia's mind, but when it does, his smile grows strained. His eyes flick between the two of us, his mind trying to comprehend the new reality in front of him. "I . . . so that means—"

"I'm afraid so." I inch forward and put a hoof on counter between him and us. "Sorry, dear. I just don't want you getting the wrong idea. You are quite cute and lovely, Acacia—but you'll have to look elsewhere."

Acacia's expression goes from disappointed to confused and settles on an expression somewhere in-between. "R-right. I thought—nevermind."

I shake my head and summon my magic to lift a half-dozen red-and-white striped carnations from the flower stall display plus a half-dozen yellow roses, spinning them around above and behind my head before presenting them to Acacia. I locate a hoof-ful of bits plus another generous tip with my magic and present those to him as well. "I'd like you to have these, my dear. On me. I'm sure you've studied flowers well enough to know what they mean. Yellow roses are, in fact, my second-favorite flower—equally sour, but also quite tangy. Consider it a 'thank you' for the trouble you must have gone through with Filthy Rich to get me those dahlias. I appreciate the lengths you go to to please your patrons."

"I . . ." Acacia looks at the bits, the flowers, me, and my marefriend, his gaze flicking between the four subjects. Eventually, he sighs and says, "It was no trouble at all; I'm just glad you liked them."

"Nevertheless, I appreciate the service." I summon a white ribbon and tie up the bouquet in an intricate knot. "I have to go, but I hope to see you again. You've always been impeccable help to me." I take my hoof off the counter and place it on Fluttershy's neck. We take our leave. "Ta-ta, now!" I call, waving to the pony now behind us.

"Bye Rarity, Fluttershy," I hear back, a touch of disappointment coloring his voice still.

One down; one to go. When we're a suitable distance away, I let out a breath and lean against my marefriend. Fluttershy offers me a nuzzle in return. No words are required for us to communicate. Thank you, she says. No, thank you, I reply.

There are no more bothers from then to when we arrive at Twilight's, the second pony we planned to visit, plus a third entity, depending on how busy all of them are. Once there, I knock on the castle door three times.

"Coming!" a voice rings out from inside. Some scampering and . . . rather worrying crashing sounds come from inside the castle before a quartet of hooves skids to a stop before the front door.

The door creaks open with a mulberry aura, revealing Twilight Sparkle. "Hi, Rarity! Hi, Fluttershy!" she says cheerily. Her mane is somewhat disheveled, but her demeanor is far more normal than I was fearing (or expecting). It seems a little dragon has been doing an excellent job keeping her presentable and . . . sane. The only evidence to suggest something is not quite right is the lab coat on her shoulders, decorated with a few burn marks. (Thank goodness my fireproof fabrics are holding up.) "Sorry, I'm a little busy. We're making really good progress on our flash honey research, though. Although I actually need some more quills today, and I forgot to tell Spike to grab some. Gosh, those journals fill up quick."

I wave my hoof. "Worry not, Twilight; we can get them for you later today. You really should take a break sometime, if only so you and Spike don't run yourselves ragged." Fluttershy nods in agreement.

"Don't worry, girls; I'm fine," she waves off. Then she turns to me, studying me a little closer. "That's a nice hairstyle, Rarity! It's beautiful, and that feather in it is lovely. Do you know who might me selling feathers like that in Ponyville? They would make amazing quills."

I smile again and whip my mane lightly. Leave it to Twilight to be more excited by the feather than the hairstyle. That's what probably drew her attention. Believe you me, Twilight, so am I, though for an entirely different reason.

"I'm afraid not," I respond. "This one is one-of-a-kind. I don't think it's for sale." I nuzzle Fluttershy softly while she presses herself a little more into my side, sandwiching her wing between us. Her bad wing. She's on my left such that it's always between us and nopony may bump it inadvertently and cause her more unnecessary pain. And noponies but us may know about her sacrifice. She can still fly, she says, albeit with some difficulty. But she can't glide or hover anymore until the feather grows back.

"Um—"

"Has my letter been responded to yet, Twilight?"

Twilight looks up and to the side, thinking. She opens her mouth to answer, but another voice cuts in first. Spike walks briskly into the foyer, a navy blue scroll in his claw. "Yeah, here it is," he says, tossing the scroll to me. I catch it in my magic.

I look at the scroll and then back at him. "Thank you, Spike," I say, still unsure of the epithet I should use to refer to him, so I opt for the safe route. "Are you . . . doing alright?" I ask him, not sure if I'm referring to his feeling overworked or that other thing we both know about.

Spike waves off my question. "I'm good," he says. I'm not sure which subject he's referring to, either, or whether he's answering something else entirely. "Enjoy your day, Rarity, Fluttershy." He walks off as quickly as he came. "There's this mess in the kitchen I have to clean up when Twilight tried making lunch for herself. Again."

"Hey!" Twilight exclaims before chasing after him.

I open my mouth, unsure of whether I should say anything else before Fluttershy bars me with a hoof. When I turn to her, she murmurs, "He's fine. Really." And she smiles an enigmatic smile that tells me she knows more about this than I do. After a moment's thought, I close my mouth and nod, deferring to her judgment.

We go to the castle library. It's a public place, just as the Golden Oaks was, but there's a private side room that's closed to all but Twilight's closest friends. It's quiet and homey, very much like a private study, a far more charming room than the sterility a crystal room can convey. Once we're there and both settled on the couch inside, I unroll the scroll for us to read. I read for us aloud:

From the Desk of Her Royal Highness Princess Luna

Greetings, Rarity, Fluttershy. My apologies for the delay in my response. You both are friends of the crown, and your missives are prioritized thereby, but I have had some rather pressing obligations to attend to as of late.

To answer your first question, Rarity, you did indeed visit Fluttershy's dream just as I can do, albeit not in the same way. It is by my affinity to the night itself and my own experience and magicks in dream-wandering that I may survey and guard over them. I may enter and exit the dreams of others as I please, so long as I am not dreaming myself. Therein lies many of my royal duties.

The reason you were able to visit your partner's dream in lieu is likely a product of three different factors, with the assumption that one of you wants to visit the other.

The first is lucidity. Dreams are the product of a soul reorganizing its thoughts while its consciousness rests. Lucidity is achieved when that mind realizes that it is doing that—namely, that it is dreaming. That is when consciousness reasserts control, and things may be done in the dream. It is a rare occurrence; such dreams come fewer than once a year for ponies not searching for them. But it is trainable skill, recognizing a dream state and turning it lucid, if you would be so dedicated.

I put my hoof on Fluttershy's. "Thank you," I say to her.

"Hm?" She turns to me.

I smile. "You helped me gain that lucidity. You called for help."

Slowly, a smile grows on Fluttershy's face as well. She looks back to the letter and leans her head against my shoulder. "And you listened."

I cradle her head with my own and continue reading.

The second is proximity. The location of a particular dream in dreamspace is directly related to the soul's physical location when they entered dreamspace. When two souls are close to each other while awake, their dreams end up close to each other consequently. If the dreams touch, they may influence each other inadvertently. You may think of it as two residences butting up against each other, sharing a wall. In your case, you two were likely sleeping in the same dwelling, if not in the same bed.

"She's right," I say. That really was a magical night.

"Can we do that more often?"

An excuse for us to sleep together more often? I chuckle. "I think that can be arranged."

The third, and most important, is affinity. The preceding two factors are inconsequential should the two souls in question not accept each other into their respective dreams. This is not a conscious permission; it only occurs when a soul finds another so agreeable enough to let them into their consciousness, and thus, dream. My own affinity to the night allows me to visit the dream of any soul who takes solace in sleep at night. I may also facilitate the meeting of two or more souls through my own magic, temporarily moving them through dreamspace to merge them before moving them back when they wake. You two, mayhaps, can visit each other's dreams directly because of your affinity to each other.

You two are, in fact, not the first to experience this dream-walking ability. This is a very rare but not unprecedented incident. When a dream has been created but no soul resides in it, that is a telltale sign that the soul is visiting another. Most often, it is a pony visiting their spouse. I've received a few missives in times past from such couples inquiring on the phenomenon, just as you have. Consider it a compliment to your relationship that you two are capable of what some married couples can do and most cannot.

I turn to Fluttershy, and I see her blushing. I don't know whether she's ever thought about such a thing—I'd be lying if the thought never crossed my mind. Even so, I feel like we have plenty of each other to discover yet before we take that step. Though the thought certainly is appealing, and judging by Fluttershy's reaction, I think she is thinking the same thing. I give her a kiss on the lips before I continue reading.

My apologies for not intervening on Fluttershy's dream, but my primary focus at night is on foals, whose mental state can be more fragile and more easily scarred by a particularly bad dream. And while I seek to keep the worst of dream-monsters from causing harm, I am not omniscient. I was only vaguely aware of Fluttershy's distress until I received your letter.

And you need not fear, as you say, "scandal" about any secrets slipping out of me. I understand that you do not wish for your relationship to be popularized just yet. I explore dozens of dreams in dozens of ponies nearly every night. And as I am certain you have discovered, they are often gateways to truths one would rather leave hidden. Any secrets I find, in dreams or in wakefulness, remain in my confidence.

I hope that your questions have been answered. I wish you good fortune in your growing relationship.

Cordially,
Luna

I roll up the scroll and set it on a side table. "Well. That is certainly good to know. Are you satisfied with that explanation, sweetheart?"

Fluttershy shuffles about. She scoots away from me and reaches for the folded blankets over the armrests of the couch. "Yes," she says, "but, Rarity? Don't you feel a little, um, tired? After all day walking around?" She yawns.

"Hmm?" Is she really that tired? We really haven't been walking around for very long, and she seemed fine while we were. "Not . . . Not particularly. But you can take a nap here if you'd . . ." I look into her eyes. Maybe a little tired, but more . . . beseeching. Like she wants something.

Oh. Oh! "On second thought—" I yawn as well "—I think I could use a little nap. Care to join me?" I close the door to our study and draw the blinds, dimming the light filtering into our room. Nobody will mind if we stay here for just a little longer.

Fluttershy brings the blankets over to me. She settles in right next to me, touching my side. Her wing comes down on top of my back, followed by a light blanket over my front. She smiles to me then closes her eyes, snuggling closer to my body and nestling her head against my hooves under the blanket.

I rub her chin tenderly. Before I succumb to sleep, however, I carefully pluck Fluttershy's feather from my mane and set it on the side table as well. Then I lay my chin on the back of her neck, close my eyes, and let out a great sigh. This is a rather odd idea for a date, and I have no idea whether we'll be successful in it. But I think I could get used to this.

Comments

[DragonPony]

A very nice chapter and ending to all of this I have to say.

[Starlight Nova]

What does oneirology mean?

[Infamous Paradox]

9201500
Fancy word for "Dreams"

[Ice Star]

Gosh, I can’t wait for more!
9201561
Actually, it’s the study of dreams.

[howard035]

Nice that she let that stallion down easy, and got the word out about her relationship as well.

[Infamous Paradox]

9201585
Dreams, Study of Dreams, same difference, it has dreams in it.

I am actually happy about Rarity in this chapter, the previous chapters not so much, it just felt like she was out of character at times. Like she was being weighed down by some type of guilt it made it even worse was when she was apologizing and it just irritated me even more. I guess it was because she was being a bit flirty when she was on a date.

I am really glad when Rarity, let the stallion know, "This is Fluttershy, she is my mare-friend" and I was like "F-Yeah!! that is what I was waiting for!!!" (of course, doing that in a crowded place was not the best thing to do ). I know it would take a whole lot of guts, but Rarity step it up and did great and that alone made me enjoy the chapter even more.

I ain't no dreams expert, but that was some High Level of Inception right there!! It made me go check the movie out.

Fluttershy in this story was by far the one character that had both the greatest strength and weakness. When I mean by that is that she did everything to make sure that Rarity wouldn't worry and was her pillar of support yet in turn, it made her have some real self-doubt about herself. I was glad that she stopped Rarity from asking Spike "are you ok?" it's like someone asking you "are you angry?" you reply "no" yet they keep asking you until you do get ANGRY.

[PaulAsaran]

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