Dream's Reality - Chapter 3

Luna takes her time as she flies through the hallways of the Palace of Creation.  Passing through a decorated stone archway, she can't help but be annoyed at her sister.  Why does Dream have to rush everywhere?  They have an untold number of years left, so how come she can't show a little patience every now and then?  Dream's favourite method of getting around the castle is by turning into a green cloud of smoke, but every time Luna tries it the spell makes her queasy.  They were born with wings, so it makes sense to use them.

Unsurprisingly, Luna's twin sister was waiting for her at the giant wooden doorway leading into Genesis wing… their mother's part of the castle.  

"Took you long enough, sister," criticizes Dream with impatience.

"Well I'm tired, Dream. I don't understand why we have to ask her right now… cannot it wait until breakfast?"

"Is that all you think about is food?" the princess of dreams questions in return, "honestly I'd swear you and Celestia are spending too much time together."

Of all of them, Celestia is the most passionate about food.  None of them actually need to eat but taste is a sensation mother wishes them to experience and as a result, they are given the privilege of two meals per day… one in the morning and one at night (so both the more day inclined and more night inclined princesses are present).

Luna sighs with submission, but is still not satisfied.  Dream isn't interested in continuing the conversation any further, and it is clear that her sister isn't either.  Moving her attentions, the princess of dreams concentrates on the entrance to Genesis.  Mother hasn't forbidden them from going in there since there is little need – only she could open the doors.  In the case that any one of the five of them needs her, they are supposed to knock.  Might as well give it a try.

Using her hoof, Dream raps the door three times with the end of her crystal slipper.  The two ponies wait silently, expecting an answer.

"Well it looks like mother isn't attending to us," states Luna after about a minute, "may I go back to bed now?"

Dream appears to be annoyed, and knocks on the door with her hoof again... this time harder in case mother didn't hear it the first time.  As if on queue, the latches on the massive doorway click open.  Following a loud groaning sound, the doors part slightly revealing a shroud of darkness.  Dream raises an eyebrow and smiles in triumph. Stepping forward, she pokes her head through the gap.

"Mother," the princess of dreams begins, "Luna and I would like to speak to you… it's a question on an important matter."

There is no answer.  Dream begins to tap her hoof in impatience.

"Mother, are you there?"

Still no answer.

"I don't like this," adds Luna with a tinge of fear, "maybe it just came open by mistake."

"Hmm," mumbles Dream out loud, "then we shall have to let mother know her spell is deteriorating.  Come…"

Dream waves her horn, magically conjuring a bright green sphere of light.  The magical ball lights up the halls around them with enthusiasm, guiding their way.  The stony halls beyond the door are completely empty, seemingly lending credit to her sister's suspicions.  Without thinking any further, she kicks the door open with her front hoof and trots inside.

"Are you out of your mind Dream?" exclaims Luna desperately, "if mother finds out we're snooping in her room we will be in so much trouble."

Her twin sister turns around, her face a mask of daring and indifference.

"…and?"

Cluing into the sarcasm in Dream's tone, Luna realizes it is no use trying to talk her sister out of anything. She canters up to beside her and sighs.  Dream smiles, and nods with approval before carrying on through the empty hallways.  The two princesses venture forth into the unknown halls of Genesis, the darkness kept at bay by their powers only.  Soon things begin to open up a bit into a small room.

"Remind me again how we both came from the same moon," Luna comments casually.

"I think you just need to loosen up a little bit," Dream returns as she observes the markings on the walls, looking for something, "and not get your mane in a curl over everything."

"Humph," counters Luna as she sticks her nose in the air, "well I think you should be more considerate of Mother's privacy.  She wouldn't barge into your room unannounced."

"…well I knocked didn't I?" replies Dream with wit, earning a pout from her sister.

The princess of dreams suddenly finds what she is looking for, an unlit brazier mounted on the wall. With a swoosh of her horn, it ignites in a bright flash of light. Surprisingly the fiery conflagration jumps around the room from lantern to lantern, as if it is designed to provide illumination everywhere.  Unprepared for the sudden burst of light, both sisters cover their eyes until they have a chance to adjust.

"Absolutely amazing," comments Dream with wonder as the hall comes into focus.

The room they are in is not so much a hall, but a massive laboratory of sorts.  Large tables adorn the walls and the centre of the floor, holding all manners of exotic golden instruments, swirling crystal globes, coloured vials, and humming abacuses.  Spurred on by the lighting spell, the entire place comes to life in a predetermined set of magical start-up procedures probably put in place by their mother.  On the walls are elegantly decorated bookshelves, filled with books about topics related to the vary foundations of creation.  


Dream can't resist the urge to grab one and take a look at it.  Magically pulling a random volume off the shelves, she flips it open and starts scanning the pages.  Luna is so awestruck by all that is going on around her she doesn't bother to object.

"This is incredible," shouts Luna with enthusiasm as she peers into one of the globes, "Dream look at this… it's a model of the entire sky! The exact one Mother uses to make the stars!"

The princess of dreams pulls her nose out of the book and turns to her sister.

"I don't think it's a model Luna," corrects Dream as she hovers the volume next to her sister's shoulder, "check this out… designs for how to make a real planet... with plants and everything."

That catches Luna's attention, and she turns her gaze to the book intently.

"What you are looking at are her real tools," continues Dream, "mother probably made this palace using these."

The princess of the night appears giddy with enthusiasm.  She had no idea Mother did all this… making a world all on her own?  Luna wondered what else she is capable of.

"…and look here," continues Dream as she observes the contents of a nearby table, "So... this is what Mother is getting us for our birthday."

There are two entrancing shawls lying before her on the table.  One is light blue and decorated with a broadly shaped white crescent moon, its edges tipped with silver and its nearly invisible silken pattern an ethereal sea of twinkling stars.  The other is deep black and almost identical, save for a reverse moon pattern and golden lining.

Luna promptly slips out of her state of excitement and dawns a look of worry and dread.

"Those are our birthday presents!?!  But were not supposed to get those until-"

"-our birthday?" finishes Dream with a laugh, "too late now."

With almost casual disobedience Dream picks up the two coverings and settles them on both her and her overly worried sister.  Luna seems to relax a little, for it complements the rest of her royal dress stunningly.  She swirls up a bit of it with her hoof and runs her nose down it softly, admiring its smoothness and power.

"Well if we weren't in trouble before we certainly are now," comments Luna with disapproval, though she is clearly in a good mood.

Dream opens her mouth slightly to speak, but she is suddenly interrupted by a showering of colour from the swirling grey fog on the ceiling.  Both sisters look up, momentarily enthralled by the swirling sea of deep red mist churning on the roof above them.  A bolt of power erupts from its core, contacting one of the crystal globes resting on a highly emblazoned work bench at the other end of the room.  The sphere glows scarlet for a few moments, before settling into a steady humming orange aura.  Both sisters look at each other in confusion.

"What was that?" asks Luna with a bit of fear.

"I don't know," replies Dream with confidence, "but I think we should go and find out."

The princess of dreams walks forward, traveling towards the other end of the lab with Luna following closely in tow.  

As soon as they reach the globe, Dream is the first to peer inside.  Beyond the orange haze the core appears very lush and green, and looking at it makes her think immediately of the Palace Garden.  She leans in closer, and a sudden urge to touch it rises within her.

"Wait," insists Luna with a bit of desperation as she steps on her sister's cloak in a bid to hold her back, "I have a bad feeling about this…"

"You've had nothing but bad feelings about this since we came in," replies Dream a bit sharper then she means to, "besides, what harm can it possibly do to us?"

Boldly, the princess of dreams leans forward and taps the globe with her horn.

"See? Nothing-"

In an instant Dream is sucked into the crystal sphere in a massive rush of air, body and all.  Having unfortunately been in contact with her at the time, Luna is sucked in as well before she even has the chance to utter a cry.  As the magical cascade dies out, a solitary clang rings out throughout the room as Luna's crown hits the floor and comes to a rest.

Up above the swirling red mist begins to coalesce, flowing together fluidly into a single shape.  After a moment it merges and forms into the recognizable shape of a pony.  It is Light, but her glowing red eyes with black, snakelike pupils indicate that she is no longer in charge of her body.

"How fortuitous," remarks Lord Eclipse with a glowering smile.

He had not expected the whelps to stumble in upon him at such a late hour, and yet it presented the most amazing opportunity he has experienced since he began his nightly ventures in the Palace.  Walking slowly towards the glowing orb that had just taken Dream and Luna, he opens his mouth to reabsorb the energy he had used to activate it.

In past times the Mother of Creation would never have allowed him such freedom, but since she had created – or rather 'birthed' her alicorn children her guard had diminished enough for him to penetrate it every now and then, allowing him to temporarily possess her body.  In present times he must be careful however, for her powers are three times his own and if she ever found out about his use of her body for a few hours each night she would most certainly would lock him away deeper then the darkest abyss.

A bit of worry creeps into Eclipse's mind and he quickly checks on Light's consciousness to see her thoughts.  After a moment it is clear that she is still asleep, locked in a dreamless limbo of ignorance while he operates inside her shell of a body.  In this state, anything that can drive her into wakefulness (such as a cry of one of her children or a particularly loud noise) would arouse her and make her aware of his intrusion.  Noting that any danger of that happening passed with the departure of the twins, the Lord of Destruction removes the matter from his mind.

Eclipse extends his snake-like tongue and licks the glass surface of the world he had just imprisoned the sisters in with anticipation of the horrors he would soon unleash upon them.  A plan begins to form in his mind, and his blood red eyes narrow.

Soon.  

Very soon.