Meeting the Moondreamers

You know, taking care of the dreams of ponies is hard enough. I could only imagine how difficult it would be to try to fufil the hopes and dreams of other races, as well. With ponies, I know what to expect- because, you know, I am one of them. But there are times when the workings of the minds of non-ponies are a total mystery to me. I cannot fathom how they could possibly think some of the things they think, and do some of the things they do. The closest I've ever gotten to fathoming the dreams of the other races, was the one time I had a little wager with a colleague of mine in this line of work.

It was about a month after I had taught that young colt Grafitti a lesson he'd never forget. (And yes, Tornado, you can tell your readers I really didn't turn him into a filly, that was just an extension of the dream before I finally allowed him to wake up. *Sigh* Sometimes, you're just no fun!) Anyway, I was on the second leg on my nightly journey, when I saw a white earth mare with a blue mane galloping across the sky in front of me. At first I thought I was seeing things, until I saw the purple-haired humanoid fairy riding on her back. Noticing my spectral form as they crossed the sky, the fay called her mount to a halt right in front of me.

"Whoa, Andromeda!" The girl in the pink dress and tiara called out, pulling on her horse's reigns. "Hello there!  You must be Twilight, Dream Glimmer's replacement. It's so nice to meet you!"

"And you must be Crystal Starr, leader of the Moon Dreamers." I greet her, bowing my head politely. "My predecessor told me everything about you during my training, and it is truly an honor to meet you."

It truly was an honor to meet one of the moondreamers , the legendary troop of faeries who live in the celestial city of Starry Up, and give dreams to Ponyland's human population. Standing far above the power level of the pony race, Crystal's team raises the sun in the skies over Ponyland in the morning, and bring on the beautiful starry night after the day is done.

"You are far too kind, my good little unicorn." The maiden smiled, running her fingers through her hair, to shake some of the stardust out. "Tell me, how is everything in the dreams of ponykind?"

"Oh, you know how it is, a daydream here, stopping a nightmare there." I reply with a giggle, shaking my own mane out. "Not as easy as keeping the dreams and wishes and dreams of humans satisfied, I suppose. But, you know, somehow I manage."

"Oh ho! So you think handling the dreams of humans  is so easy, hmmm?" She asks me quizzically, cocking an eyebrow. "You would be amazed at how incredibly fickle these humans can be, how complex their hopes and dreams are. I'd wager it's probably far easier to tend to the slumber of a bunch of silly ponies, who are singing and dancing and throwing tea parties all the time." Crystal yawned nonchalantly, looking diinterested as she spoke. "It's a task I could probably handle in my sleep- y'know, just like you do?"

Now,. looking back on the whole situation all these years later, I should have seen the ageless Moondreamer  was simply teasing me with her remarks. But with silly little Twilight, so young and arrogant and full of hot tempered pride to even understand a concept like playful ribbing, took the fairy's joking as a very serious challenge.

"Is that so? We'll why don't we just find out whose got the tougher job?" I snorted, stamping my hoof in challenge. "Why don't I go to Sarry up, and take care of your human sleepers for a night, and you can go and handle my ponies throughout the confederacy for an evening." I smiled at her confidently shaking my mane. "We'll actually see whose job is really the hardest, and the one whose had the easier time of it, handle all the dreamwalking in Ponyland for a month!"

"Hmmm... I dunno, you are kind of new at this..." Crystal replied, crossing her arms in front of her girly pink princess dress with the star pattern on it. "It wouldn't be fair for an expert like me, to take on and so thoroughly humiliate a dream rookie like yourself."

"What's the matter, little miss Starr?" I asked smugly, giving her an incredulous look. " Afraid a rookie like me, will show an experienced dream walker like you, up?"

"Okay, little miss smarty, that does it!" She snapped, glaring at me. "You're on! Let's meet bac here in one week, and we'll switch places for a whole entire day!"

"Excellent!" I declare, satisfied. "I'll take over your duties in Starry up for twenty-four hours, and you can have my responsibilities at Dream Castle!"

"I'll inform Sparky, Celeste, and the others you'll be taking my place then." The Moondreamer replied, climbing back up onto her mount. "You're gonna regret you're boastful words, Twilight Shine! I promise you that!"

And with a tug on the reigns, her horse Andromeda took off across the sky like a bolt of lightning. And I just stood there, too awash in my own smug self-confidence to actually realize how stupid and foolhardy I had just been. I mean heck, I gave ponies dream and banished their nightmares all the time! How much harder could it possibly be to take care of that with a bunch of humans, a fairly feeble race that doesn't even have any magic. Unfortunately, I was about to learn exactly how hard the life of a Mondreamer could actually be, and how they have to face threats that we ignorant little ponies could only ever dream of.

There were times like  this, Tornado, that I later wished I had learned to keep my big mouth shut at the right times.