To Dream of Dolphins
“Well, goodnight.”
“Goodnight.”
Dolphin Dream trotted through the woods from the clearing where she had been before, and ran to her house. Under the bright moon, she slipped back into her room before anypony noticed her absence.
She slipped under her covers, thinking of the conversation she had just had. What had that been all about? It certainly had changed her, and she wasn’t sure if it was for the better.
***
They came again. Dolphin was splashing in the cool ocean water when they came to her, screeching and laughing. They invited her to come with them. she got on one of the closer one’s backs, and rode it out, far out, deep into the blue watery expanse.
The bigger ones came too, their deep, calming bellows filling her with serenity. She could feel the happiness and love from the smaller ones, the ones she rode, and the caring and compassion of the larger ones, the ones that delved deeper then the smaller ones dared to go.
Then they plunged, deep into a magnificent world where nopony dared to travel. She had heard tales of seaponies, but they were a myth, and least, that’s what she thought, anyway.
The kelp and coral, and the deep, cool water made her feel happy, and clean.
She loved it.
And then she woke up.
Still in her bed, far away from the ocean, and once again too close to her problems.
***
School the next day was a drag. Applejack and Rarity, two ponies who she got along decently well with, were talking about what they were going to do once summer break started.
Dolphin sat next to them and put her head on the desk, wishing that school would be over already. She wasn’t really friends with anypony, but she did have an admirer.
Lyra Heartstrings.
Lyra would not leave her alone, she was a year younger then her, and kinda cute, but got really annoying, really fast. She just wanted to talk all the dang time, and the worship got creepy. Plus, no concept of personal space.
So when she was out in the yard at lunch, she was less then pleased to see the turquoise filly with the golden lyre cutie mark bouncing over to her.
“Hey, Dolphin!”
“Hi, Lyra,” Dolphin said in a bored tone.
“Anything happen lately?”
“No, Lyra.”
“I got a new song from Vinyl, she’s really good even for a filly!”
“Cool, Lyra.”
“I’m a year younger than you, why don’t you have your cutie mark yet?”
Dolphin stared at Lyra, suddenly getting angry.
“Don’t you dare mention that again!”
Lyra looked hurt.
“Oh, ok, I’m sorry...”
She left Dolphin alone.
Dolphin sighed, and looked at her blank flank. Why didn’t she have her mark yet? Oh well, she'll get it someday.
***
It was early evening, and the fyre-flyes were coming out. Dolphin dashed into the woods, her horn glowing slightly to light her path, when she came to the clearing again.
“Oh, you’re back.”
Dolphin swallowed hard.
“Um... I was wondering if... you could... um...”
“Um what?”
“Um...”
Dolphin blushed.
“You know, do that, “thing” again.”
The being she was addressing stood up, and walked over to the far side of the clearing, and reached skyward. Slowly, the trees parted in the dusk light, and down came silver dust.
The figure gathered the dust in his paw and talone, and handed it to the small filly.
“Here. Take it. I can’t do any useful magic like you can, anyway.”
***
Tonight’s dream was odd.
Dolphin woke up, but she wasn’t herself. She wasn’t on her beach. This was a different one, the ocean was different, a weird purple color, like a lighter version of her coat.
The sky was filled with stars, but with moons and planets too. It was very beautiful and mystical to look at.
Then they came.
They were jumping out in the waves, called her. She ran, and jumped in, The water felt nice and warm,and she got on one of the swimmer’s backs. They rode off again, and the large ones were there too.
And they plunged into the water, into an alien world where she felt serenity like never before.
***
Lyra hadn't shown up. She had seen her in school, but she wasn’t following her around anymore. She kind of missed it, in a way, it had been nice.
School was boring and painful to be in as normal. Had she scared away her only chance of a friend?
No, she thought to herself. She still had him, in the woods.
Once the bell rang, she ran off into the woods.
“Are you there?”
No response.
She went in further.
There he was, his odd horns sticking up at peculiar angles.
“What do you want?”
“Can I have... more, you know...”
“That stuff isn’t good for you.”
“Well if you won’t give me more of it, will you at least talk to me?”
He sighed, his strange wings, one different from the other rising and falling with each of his breathes.
“Ok. What do you want to know?”
“Where are you from?”
“Away.”
“Away?”
“Away.”
“Do you have parents?”
“I have one.”
“One?”
“Yes. I’d rather not talk about him. He’s responsible for... less reputable actions.”
“Oh, I see.”
“Mmrhm.”
“Well, why do you look so weird?”
“I inherited it from him.”
“Oh, ok.”
“Is that all?”
Dusk was falling now, its dark shroud falling upon the land. Had it really been that long? Time seemed to pass at odd intervals around him.
“Yes, I guess so.”
“Well, go on then. Leave me to my peace.”
***
They were not happy.
This was odd. Why were they not happy?
Something is wrong, they told her.
But what?
***
“You there?”
Dolphin was back in the clearing, something had held her up after school, and once again, it was dusk.
“Yes.”
“Tell me about where you are from.”
The figure paced, his odd legs hitting the ground in an odd, chaotic fashion.
“It is not a nice place. I come here to escape.”
“What’s it like?”
“Dark.”
“Dark?”
“And painful.”
“Painful how?”
“It’s very lonely, but I like that. It’s hard to explain why it’s painful.”
“Oh.”
“They’ll come back.”
“Huh?”
“The dolphins. They may seem agitated now, but that’s because of me. Sorry.”
“It’s ok.”
A silence.
“Can we be friends?”
Another silence.
“I don’t want friends. You’re nice to talk to though.”
“Oh, ok.”
***
He was right. They did come back.
And they were perfectly happy.
She got on them again. The alien world was magnificent, a true beauty.
She liked it much more than her own.
***
Lyra decided to make it up to Dolphin. She had made her a card, and she thought it would make her feel better.
Bouncing up and down, she looked around the schoolyard for her idol. It was after school, so she should still be here.
But she wasn’t.
Looking around, she saw the pony retreating into the everfree forest. She fearlessly bounded after the purple pony.
Finally, she reached a clearing. Dolphin Dream was talking to an odd creature.
“So tell me more of this world of yours.”
“I have a rough life. I’m too different for them.”
“Is it because of the way you look?”
“No, I adapt their look when I’m there.”
The non-pony changed forms.
“It’s called a human.”
Lyra was enticed by the looks of this “human”.
“Are these humans bad?”
“Ponies are certainly better. But because of my father, I wouldn’t do well here.”
“I see.”
“Yes, it’s bad.”
“But you have potential, Dolphin. You can be great.”
“I can?”
“Sure. Just be more friendly, ponies will warm up to you.”
“They will?”
“Sure! Just look at Lyra. She loves you! I wish I had someone like that.”
“I like you.”
“You aren’t the same. Nice try though.”
“Well, I still like you.”
The creature paused.
“I think it’s time I went back.”
“WHAT?”
“I’m not meant to be here. I’ll have to make it out in the other world.”
“Don’t go!”
“Lyra needs you. And you need Lyra. You two will be good friends, I can tell.”
“Wait! Before you go!”
“What?”
“What’s your name?”
The creature paused.
“Elijah.”
And he was gone.
***
They came back again.
But she didn’t care.
She lay on the beach, crying. Her only friend had left her, and even when he was here, he didn’t seem very interested in her at all.
They screeched to try and get her into the water, but it wasn’t working. She just lay on the beach and cried.
They didn’t stop. They wanted her to come and play. Why wouldn’t she? She always did. They were confused. They wanted her to be happy.
The bigger ones came in closer to the sore then they had ever come. They explained that it was because she had lost someone she hoped to be a friends with.
They understood. The bigger ones then explained that she need some time alone, to recover, to deal with this by herself.
So they swam out, and Dolphin awoke in her bed, her pillow soaked with tears.
***
“Yah seem down. What’s wrong?”
“Yes, whatever could be the matter, dear?”
Applejack and Rarity noticed Dolphin’s down demeanor. They may not have been friends, but they were close enough to care when she was upset.
“Nothing you guys. Go away.”
“Alright then. If ya need to talk, we’re right here.”
“Yes. It’s not healthy to bottle up your emotions.”
The two fillies walked away, leaving Dolphin to her sorrow.
***
“I swear! It calls itself a human!”
“Sure Lyra.”
“Right.”
“Uh huh.”
“No! It’s true! I swear that they exist! I saw it with my own two eyes! You believe me Bon-Bon, right?”
“Um...”
Dolphin trotted past the small group that had gathered around Lyra, and raced into the woods. She reached the clearing again.
It wasn’t empty like she expected it, but there was somepony sitting there, looking into the sky.
“Who are you?”
“I’m Regidar.”
“Regidar?” He was a pegasus pony, not much older then her.
“Yes.”
“what are you doing here?”
“I came to look at the stars. Is that a problem?”
Dolphin looked at Regidar. His white coat gleamed in the dusk light, and his wings rustled a bit.
“No. I guess it’s not.”
***
She was on the beach again. They didn’t come close at first, but upon her encouragement, they braved it. She got back on one of their backs, and they swam.
It felt good to swim again.
“I found a new friend,” she told them.
And they were happy for her.
They were happy.
She was happy.
***
When Dolphin awoke, it was like any morning.
Except for one thing.
“My cutie mark!”
Looking down at her flank, on either side she had two dolphins circling each other, one following the other.
It was beautiful.
When she got to school, Lyra was the first to notice.
“Oh my gosh, you got your cutie mark!”
Everypony gathered around her.
“Oh wow, what does it mean?”
Dolphin thought for a bit.
“It means I’m different. I can see what others can’t, even if it is only in a dream.”
Lyra stared in awe.
“That is so cool! Almost as cool as humans!”
One of the ponies in the crowd rolled her eyes.
“Not this again. Lyra, humans aren't real.”
“Yes they are! I saw one!”
Lyra turned to Dolphin.
“Tell them Dolphin Dream! Tell them humans are real! You were there, talking to him!”
Everpony looked at Dolphin Dream, waiting on her answer.
“Yes.yes they are.”
All the ponies looked at her, then stated to disperse.
“Jeez, she's just as crazy as Lyra!”
Soon, only Lyra and Dolphin Dream were left.
“Thanks for sticking up for me, Dolphin.”
Dolphin looked down at Lyra, and smiled.
“Don't mention it. After all, what are friend for?”
***
“Are you there?”
Regidar looked over at Dolphin Dream.
“No, I’m on the moon.”
Dolphin smiled.
“Could you imagine? It must be terrible up there.”
“Yeah, what if there was a pony on the moon?”
“I bet Celestia could send ponies to the moon.”
“That’s a good story idea!”
Regidar picked up the quill in his mouth, and wrote down the idea on the notepad next him.
Dolphin and Regidar looked up at the stars.
“Elijah’s world must be terrible too. Almost as bad as the moon.”
Regidar had been told all about Elijah’s world by Dolphin.
“I bet it’s even worse.”
The two friends stared up at the night sky, until they both fell asleep.
***
Dolphin rushed out into the waves again, her dolphin friends waiting. She jumped on their backs as always, and rode out into the waves.
No longer was she afraid to wake. She had friends now, here and in the waking world.
She felt sorry for Elijah, but there was nothing she could do. He was in the other world now, the terrible, terrible other world.
She and Lyra would have fun discussing humans at lunch tomorrow.