Chapter 22

Rare was the sight of two Solar guards outside of Luna's quarters, but while Gallant Lionheart and Snapdragon were once again detained for fighting, somepony had to guard her door. Dreamcarver offered to accompany her; he had a secondary talent of flying in his dreams, and perhaps his sharp eyes would assist. She gave him a cushion to rest his physical body on the balcony.

"Once we meet in the dream realm, stay close," she warned. "There are very dangerous corners of the realm. One of which I do not wish others to encounter."

"Who are we seeking, milady?"

"Princess Cadance and Shining Armor. Rainbow Dash will also be a target. I will remain on the ground, but keep me within sight while airborne. Do you understand?"

"Yes, milady."

Luna nodded to him as he took his place on the balcony. She seated herself on her cushion, facing Dreamcarver as extra incentive. "Do not stray," she said simply. He blinked in tacit acceptance. With a nod she cast over herself and the Phalanx pegasus, restating the mantra to bring them into the dream realm once more.

Their eyes opened again to the swirling void through the copper curtain, Dreamcarver's ears instinctively flattening. "Noisy out there tonight," he observed.

"Many dreams continue through the night. Seek only those three voices. Let nothing else sway you."

Dreamcarver winged ahead of her, holding his speed back as though tethered to Luna like a kite. He scanned the wide landscape as it continued to morph and flow, a sea of piecemeal existences blended together with the harmonious musings of the subconscious. The occasional scream, the echoes of laughter and conversation, a cacophony of music all stinging at his ears while his eyes peered through the realm. How could he sort through all that noise to find three specific voices?

The initially incorrect answer shook his sensitive eardrums. The roar of a crowd drowned the background noise stalling his flight, and capturing Luna's attention as well. Luna had stopped in her walk, ears sorting through the din. She nodded back to her guard as the two turned back toward the cacophony of voices, spotting an enormous stadium in low-hanging clouds. Both winged over the walls of the structure, seeing tens of thousands of ponies watching a pegasus aerobatics team, their leader leaving a long rainbow contrail as they others dragged thunderclouds and lightning bolts.

The largest Wonderbolt show anyone could dream..... and a certain multicolor-maned pegasus in the center of it all.

Luna expected no less from the pegasus athlete. Rainbow Dash always dreamt big dreams and chased them just as earnestly. Many other ponies blamed it on ego and arrogance, but Dash's confidence in her ability was only limited by her vast imagination. And as expected of her, this dream was big, this dream was LOUD, this dream was everything Rainbow Dash wanted to be one day. Dreamcarver hovered beside the princess, dumbstruck at the sheer mass of ponies in attendance. Even if he had something to say, who would have heard him speak? Both turned to the center of the arena as Dash performed one final stunt, drawing a huge outline of the Wonderbolt logo in the air with her contrails. The others filled the wing-clouds and lightning bolt before circling the arena and landing on a central platform, where the assembly cheered impossibly louder for the trio.

As the three pegasi posed for their enormous audience, the crowd exploded with streamers and confetti showering the field. Luna offered the guard a knowing smile. Dreamcarver simply shook his head at the pageantry. "Not the dreams I've worked on," he muttered.

Luna directed him back into the complex through a conventional entryway, heading directly to the locker rooms. The show would be ending soon. There would be no need to interrupt the festivities, just enough to speak with Dash before her dream ended. Luna also knew that in most cases, Rainbow Dash would try to come back to her dreams, even for just "five more minutes".....

"Milady, this is nothing but unbridled arrogance formed in a dream," Dreamcarver complained. "She may celebrate in the arena for hours."

"I think not," Luna assured him. "The streamers and confetti will be left for cleaning up and the celebrations would happen after Rainbow Dash returns here to take off her uniform."

Her sentence barely was complete before Rainbow Dash and the other Wonderbolts burst into the room, laughing and cheering and slapping wings in celebratation. They shook off the streamers and confetti as they peeled off their flight suits, Dash still laughing with her teammates. She didn't even notice Luna and her guard for a minute as she talked to her two "wingponies" - Soarin and an older Scootaloo - before realizing her royal audience. A nervous tap from Soarin's wing pointed out the Princess, and the trio turned and bowed in unison.

"My visit here is for Rainbow Dash only," she announced evenly. As Dash looked up, the entire dreamscape washed away to a void. "I would not interrupt such revelry without reason."

"Aww, I was almost done, too....."

Dreamcarver growled, the landscape slowly darkening. "Stand down," Luna ordered him. "As one of the Elements of Harmony, familiarity to a Princess is not a punishable offense."

"Let me guess....." Rainbow Dash began nervously as the world around her swirled in darker blues. "Something's up about the railroad? Snowcatcher telling on me for something stupid?"

"There is unfortunate news about your friend, Princess Twilight Sparkle."

"Twilight?!" Dash rocketed forward, stopped only by the Lunar Guard's glare. "Is she okay? What happened?"

Luna took a very deep breath to maintain her royal manner. "Princess Twilight Sparkle was abducted by agents of the Shadow of Moon. It seems that her Ascendency has not pleased everyone in Equestria."

"'Shadow of the Moon'? Hope that doesn't mean they're doing it for - " The pegasus covered her snout before speaking the name of Nightmare Moon.

"Not for me," she continued sadly. "but the Elements may be needed to assist in returning her unharmed. I will be speaking to Princess Cadance and Shining Armor in a similar manner. When this dream ends, be ready to take the first train back to Canterlot."

"Take the train? Wouldn't me flying there be faster?"

"There will be time. Only recently has response to the ransom message been sent by messenger bird. We have two days from now."

"Are you sure?" Dash's confidence wavered. "I don't want anything else to happen to Twilight! You need me there right now!"

"Do not tire yourself, Rainbow Dash. Be on your way when you awaken."

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The growing concern in Ponyville of the missing Princess crossed Mayor Mare's desk more than once. She could set her clock to each hour somepony would drop in and ask about the whereabouts of Twilight Sparkle. The mayor knew her friends had a "direct line" to Princess Celestia and would not trouble the local leader with those questions. Still, the worry mounted.

"Miss Mayor? Hate to interrupt since you probably get a lot of that lately...."

One of the secretaries had escorted Applejack to her office. "Applejack, are you bringing news? Or hopefully something for upcoming cider season?"

"Some of that's gonna have t' be on hold," the farmpony apologized. "Princess Celestia sent a note t' Spike and they want the Elements to head to Canterlot. Secret's already out about Twilight, hope they've found a way to get in touch with Rainbow Dash or Shining Armor."

"When will you be leaving?"

"The others're makin their own arrangements - gonna need somepony else at the library with Spike comin along. Farm'll take care of itself, got some family comin in to help with cider season. Pinkie hadn't been right since this happened, so she hadn't been workin much at Sugarcube corner. Fluttershy and Rarity have the big issues."

"I'm sure I can convince Cherilee to watch over the library in your absence. I will have to inquire around town about the boutique and Fluttershy's animals."

"Don't mean to add to the pile, Mayor. Hoping most of Fluttershy's animals will be ok without her for a day or two. Rarity might be losin money especially if she gets some more orders from out of town."

"They will understand, I would think. Princess Twilight's safety is at stake."

"I just know how Rarity is about her business. Some days I ain't no better. We'll be on the afternoon train if we can help it, though I'd bet two bushels it'll take Rarity til sundown to pack up."

The mayor offered Applejack a relieved smile. "I'll see to having some help sent. Concentrate on helping the Princess."

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Night Ash galloped upstairs as the crashing only grew louder, angrier. She didn't need the necklace to pick out the voices - primarily Lapis and Slurry, but now she could hear Desert Sun and the rumbling of Sandstone's voice. Even with the argument she could hear others hurrying to the lab - the rush of several pegasus' wings and a chime of Morning Star's casting to teleport to the location. Discussion did heat up in Drakengard from time to time, but outright violence was not the order of the day.

She expected chaos in the lab but was not prepared for the aftermath. Not a single piece of furniture remained intact, liquids splattered all over the walls. Purple feathers smoldering in the settling dust, papers still blown about in the abrupt end to the frenzied debate. Scorch marks on the ceiling and walls detailed how this argument ended: Desert Sun used a small explosion of her own to diffuse the emtions in the room. She had backed Lapis to a corner, staring him down like an angry parent. Sandstone blocked the alicorn's path to Slurry; the pegasus uncharacteristically cowered from whatever caused this fight. Morning Star and Dustmite tended to Slurry as Desert Sun continued to stare Lapis down.

"Is everyone all right..?" Night Ash already guessed the answer.

"No...." Slurry whispered.

"No," Desert Sun answered for Lapis.

"She's not hurt," Morning Star reported as she scanned over the pegasus.

"Can't say the same for the room...." Sandstone added.

Night Ash tapped her necklace once more, assessing the structure damage with each careful step. She also "looked" to the walls and ceiling, careful not to disturb anything else on the floor. "Be thankful this spire was originally dragon-shaped," she told them in a calm, even voice. "Otherwise we'd have a lot more than bruises and scrapes." She turned to Lapis. "What was the issue here?"

"Apparently he's not keen on impersonators," Desert Sun answered for him.

"He's stalling, I KNEW it!!" Slurry shouted from the other side of the room. "He's stalling on fixing me, I finally heard it with my own ears!" She pushed to her feet, a wing silencing Sandstone for the moment. "You're too busy doing nicey things for Desert Sun when you've had me working for you a LITTLE bit longer. You've got a promise to keep, and I'm NOT waiting any longer!"

Night Ash turned to Lapis again. "What is the delay in restoring her?"

"She wants to be fully restored, permanently. That can be done when we're finished with-"

"Making your 'Sun to your Moon' and alicorn CAN'T wait, can it?"

Lapis shuddered a moment at Slurry's anger. "The feathers and horn shavings have to be fresh, they-" Desert Sun stomped down at the alicorn to silence him.

"I'm no better than her, and she WAS here first. Surely this a simple enough fix. Had you even tried?" Her gaze did not turn away from the alicorn.

"I WAS trying before you came in," Lapis retorted, "and it was hurting her so I stopped."

"I saw what you tried next, 'luv'."

"She threatened to leave!"

Night Ash turned back toward Slurry, who continued to march toward the couple. "You're no better than the rest of the unicorns I've worked for," the pegasus spat. "I was strung along like this more than once!"

"The necklace-"

"You can have the stupid thing back if that is more important to you than ME!"

"Don't think you need to look different....." Sandstone quietly added.

"Enough!!" Night Ash's raised voice stopped the argument altogether. "The last thing we need is for us to fall apart so close to the goal. Master Lapis, Desert Sun is right. Slurry was here before her, and I was here before Slurry. It's a request you should have taken care of in the last three years."

"I didn't wish to harm her, she has told me everything that had happened......"

"And what you tried next," Desert Sun accused, "Should give her every right to leave. Well aware what you can do with that horn of yours, 'luv'."

"It was a regression spell- I was trying to put her back-"

"My cutie mark started fading!!" Slurry bellowed. "THAT's how you reward loyalty? Hard work? Taking away even MORE of what I was?"

The others in the room looked to each other before looking back to their leader. His blue eyes still wide, fearful of Desert Sun's wrath and well aware of anypony else interested in punishing him for crossing a line. "That wasn't my intention," he shakily told her. "I wanted to see you happy again, and perhaps this was a means to it."

"That's just an EXCUSE!" Slurry closed in. Desert Sun blocked the pegasus' path.

"Are you harmed?"

"I don't have to answer that!"

"Are you PHYSICALLY harmed? He gave you quite the scare - "

"He's just like any other horn-head, INCLUDING you!"

"We can't fix you if you're going to be belligerent about it."

"I see how far TACT has gotten me!"

"Enough!!!" Night Ash repeated. "I don't think Master Lapis can do much of anything with this area destroyed. It's not enough punishment in your mind, Slurry, but he did make the attempt, correct?"

"After I - "

"Threatened to do more than berate him," Desert Sun finished for the pegasus. "You scared him well enough using my face."

"He wouldn't tell me the truth. Who ELSE are you lying to?"

"Nopony!" Lapis insisted. "Not even you!"

Slurry stared at the alicorn for a long, long time. "I almost wish I had a sense for that," she grumbled before turning to leave the lab. Night Ash raised a hoof to stop her.

"I can answer your question. He is telling the truth about hurting you. He worries that if you leave, how many of us would follow?"

"I'm no leader," Slurry replied, "do what you want."

Sandstone slowly walked up to Slurry. "I'd've been right behind you."

Only now did the pegasus start to calm. "Look, I think I made my request pretty clear from the start. And I'm going to keep asking." She turned to Lapis. "I've shown you a LOT of patience up to this point. Don't make me regret that." Slurry spread her leathery wings and departed out the nearest window.

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"I do not instigate, I am attempting to maintain decorum!"

"Herding wild animals is a job in itself," Flank Attack reminded Gallant Lionheart. "I still haven't figured out how you landed this post. Still, fighting with Snapdragon isn't leaving a good impression to the rest of the Phalanx or to Princess Luna."

"I'll let Princess Luna be the judge of that." The unicorn turned toward the hallway leading to her chambers. "I should report to her."

"Her quarters are off-limits for another hour. She's in a Dreamwalk."

"Another one? The first put her in a foul enough mood."

"And your assistance to that mood was not appreciated. That's why Thunder Arrow and I had to take from our units to guard her chamber."

Lionheart snorted in disgust. "I'd like to 'inspect' your guards to see if they can do any better."

The earth pony guardcaptain ignored the slight. "At least they won't be fighting."

The two quietly approached the chambers, where two of the newer Solar Guard stood at attention - one earth pony, one pegasus. Both snapped to attention. Flank Attack expected a show of authority from Gallant Lionheart. Only protocols kept him from speaking up as the Phalanx unicorn approached the earth pony guard first.

"What's your name. soldier?"

"Silver Key, sir~!"

"Who assigned you here?"

"Guardcaptains Thunder Arrow and Flank Attack, sir~!"

"Have you had any disturbances?"

"None, sir~!"

Flank Attack shook his head slightly. He knew that Lionheart would repeat the same mantra to the pegasus.

"What's your name, soldier?"

"Hot Head, sir~!"

"Who assigned you here?"

"Guardcaptains Thunder Arrow and Flank Attack, sir?"

"Have you had any disturbances?"

"None, Sir~!"

Lionheart noded, looking the little pegasus up and down. ~~Hear anything while you were out here?~~

~~The names Rainbow Dash, Cadance and Shining Armor~~

"As you were," Lionheart ordered before continuing down the hall with Flank Attack.

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"Need any help in here, boss?"

"No, Hatchet."

The smithy remained bewildered at the amount of damage to the lab. He'd heard some of the argument, but figured it was just Slurry being grouchy or "boss" wasn't in the mood to hear it. "Ya sure, boss? Yer armor's done so I'm between stuff."

"A breeze to blow the smaller pieces into a corner so they can be disposed, if you must," Lapis sighed.

Hatchet skipped the salute and whipped up a wind, pushing the smaller bits of furniture, paperwork, and stray feathers toward an empty corner. "Hey, these're those feathers ya asked me to get - "

"I won't be needing them anymore. You did as I had asked."

"I thought you were -"

"I do not require them anymore, Hatchet. Please do not ask me further."

Hatchet's breeze picked up slightly, moving some larger bits out of the way. "So I scared her and did all that damage to her for nothin? Come on, boss, that ain't you."

"I'm sure you enjoyed the exercise, regardless. And it was a good test of your necklace. Did she scream?"

"Oh yeah she did!"

"Did she cower in your presence?"

"Oh yeah she did!"

"Did she cry?"

"Oh yeah she - wait, was that good or bad, makin her cry?"

"HAASKEEKAH~!!!"

Both jumped as Nightwake reappeared among the rubble. "Master miss me? Sisters nice, feed me sweets. Brother free."

Lapis caught the tiny creature with his magic. "Did they suspect anything of you?"

"Nothing! Feed me, pet me, call me weird names, not call Nightwake! They answer! You no like this answer! Please no hurt Nightwake, just messenger...."

The alicorn released the creature. "Return to Goz and Mez, nothing more for now." Nightwake dissipated in a puff of brimstone.

"Ya ain't gonna use him t' talk ta Strife's boys?"

"Strife had informed me that the Spellbreak troops are splitting into two teams, one for Canterlot and another for the Crystal Empire. That was all the information I needed, outside of this response." He unscrolled the note with his magic.

"To our youngest brother, Prince Lapis Umbral,
We DO understand your sadness and anger at what has transpired. 1,000 years IS too long to be without family, so I am inviting you, alone, to come and air your grievances so we may work out this problem. Holding a Princess of Equestria, who has earned that title and rank, for too long can and will be considered an act of war. I pray that you may be able to see how disastrous that would be for Equestria's future, and we can work thing out pony to pony. The three of us shall be waiting.

Princess Celestia
Princess Luna
Prince Cepheid"

The scroll, written with Celestia's magic, radiated with watermark stamps - images embedded withing the parchment itself. Celestia's sun, Luna's single moon, Cepheid's silhouette to the sun. Beneath all the writing an image appeared - Cepheid standing between his sisters, wings spread wide and hooves unshackled. This puzzled Lapis more than satisfied his curiosity. How could those two be happy working for Tia? And if Cepheid is indeed free, Umbral knew he would be even LESS welcome. He closed the scroll and tucked it under his wing.

"What'd she say, boss?"

"The easiest translation for you, Hatchet.... I will be downstairs within the hour to try on my armor. I'll be happy to 'talk' with them......" the tone of his response was nothing near happy.

"uh... yeah, boss. Got it. Gonna go check on that right now!"

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"Brilliant facility, Ms. Malachite, I've never been so impressed."

Golden Silver and Malachite Braid both had reasons to marvel - the Crystal Empire native was proud to have been chosen for the new armor project, and would be teaming not only with volunteer artisans, but with one of the premier smithys from Canterlot proper. This would be her first armor project, but she knew she was in good hooves. "I'm hoping that we can create a distinct and unique militia, much like the Solars and Lunars stand out to others."

"Oh, that will most certainly be arranged," the unicorn assured. "With your permission, I have an experimental technique that I'm borrowing from another armor style. Perhaps if we fold powdered native crystal in with the metals, much like the Phalanx armors have powdered moonstone."

"Wouldn't that weaken the metal itself?" she queried. "I've never mixed the two...."

"Absolutely not! Especially if we choose the gemstone carefully. I know that war is not something to the Empire's current vocabulary....." his expression apologetic to Malachite's shudder. "We need something that shall boost the confidence of the soldiers and help them focus mostly on their task at hand. I know that amethyst has such properties, and blended with iron or steel might secure a soldier's resolve."

Malachite dropped a book on the design table. "Amethyst, or perhaps Ametrine. Both are renowned for repelling negative energies.* Purple in itself is considered a 'royal' color and would be strong tribute to Princess Cadance and Princess Twilight. It would dispel the dark memories-" she took a couple of deep breaths - "and inspire confidence in the native volunteers."

"Rest assured that I can bring those properties forward with the proper application into the armor pieces." His eyes brightened a moment. "Ah! and the name is easily settled - 'Amethyst Armada'."

Malachite giggled. "You are too creative to be an armorer."

"I serve Equestria in all its needs, milady. And in this case, we are to create and expand the defenses of this freed empire. I will have some of the artisans create samples. We can work together on the calculations from there. A complete sample suit should be ready for the Winter Moon festival." He levitated a few of the designs into the air. "Now then - let us blend these styles into something that properly represents your home."

*(source: www.crystalvaults.com/crystal-encyclopedia/amethyst)
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Aurora walked slowly through the halls of Canterlot castle. She had spent time resting, practicing her story. Convincing Princess Celestia of what happened wouldn't be the easiest thing to do; the Princess was much like a parent, capable of seeing through falsehoods. She tried hard to convince herself this was the right thing to do. She already had a prominent position within the school, she would be graduating soon, and with the Magic Council on hold she could see how everything shakes out and perhaps take the lead on the group if anything happened to Princess Twilight.

She paused in the hallway, a slight shiver crawling down her spine. Of course she hated Twilight and all that had been afforded her. Morning Star hated it even moreso, and that other alicorn hated her most of all. She forced some perspective to all of this: She had better grades, better classes, just fewer opportunities. Had she been given such choice assignments, there would be wings on her back as well! It's not arrogance if you have the numbers to back all of it up, so this will eventually turn Princess Celestia to assisting her other students, including her soon-to-be Valedictorian! Confidence restored, she completed her walk, maintaining her weary appearance so the story can be properly told.

The Solar guards outside of Celestia's quarters softened at her gaze, magically opening the doors for her without a word spoken. The story, as far as Aurora had heard, spread correctly: she had been kidnapped by a strange force believed to be related to Princess Twilight Sparkle's disappearance, and that while she was found unharmed in the wastes south of Appleloosa, she was traumatized from the experience. None disturbed her, short of leaving meals and books for her as she rested. She'd used some of that time to check in with Morning Star, who bragged about her encounters with Twilight. She was proud of the humiliation, excited for what would come next in her training. More offers to Aurora to join, but the pink unicorn didn't want to leave Canterlot.

"Are you well-rested?" Celestia's motherly voice drew Aurora and her thoughts back to the present. The pink unicorn bowed, even though not required. "Please, you have been through enough already."

Aurora carefully looked up to the gentle eyes of her longtime teacher. A warmth blanketed her and relaxed her under that gaze, depth of wisdom framed in magenta and beaming down on her like the very sun itself. Aurora withered slightly at such a genuine concern. "I.... I'm sorry that I hadn't spoken to you sooner," she whispered.

"You have been through a very harrowing experience, Aurora. And I have to ask you some very difficult questions. I hope that you will understand why these must be asked."

"I know you're worried about Twi- er, Princess Twilight," Aurora carefully corrected herself.

"Twilight is indeed a Princess, but I am also aware she is in grave danger. Any information about what happened will help us. We know who abducted her, we didn't know how you became entwined in this."

Aurora glanced up, tears in her eyes. "I know it was frightening," Celestia continued. "Please, tell me anything you can."

"I....."

Celestia stepped closer, draping one enormous wing over the tiny unicorn. "I know this is difficult. Any small detail, anything at all."

"I had bought her a rare rose to study," Aurora finally managed. "I showed it to her, and she thanked me. What happened next, it was so fast......" she closed her eyes, forcing a tear down her cheek.

"What happened next?"

"It was so fast... just a flash, but dark..... when I woke up I was alone."

"Do you remember where you were?"

"It was....." she took a deep breath. "it was a cave, and it was really really dark. I heard voices..... growling voices.... they could see me, but I couldn't see them."

"Did you try to see them with your magic?"

Aurora shook her head. "It had scared me so badly my horn wouldn't work. They laughed at me.... then one of them pinned me down with a hoof. They talked about me, how I wasn't 'who they were after'.... they spoke of terrible things they would do to me, then one booming voice told them to release me."

"What did that voice sound like compared to the others?"

"The ones talking about me..... sounded like timberwolves talking about dinner. I know timberwolves can't talk, they don't have hooves.... but the voices were growls. The voice over them had no emotions, except maybe anger.... it didn't want anything to do with me."

"It is fortunate they let you go."

"I was.... teleported out of the cave. I appeared far south of Appleloosa, up against the Macintosh hills. I followed the sun for as long as I could...."

Celestia sat closer still to Aurora. "They didn't say anything to you about Twilight, did they?"

"No!" Aurora's response abrupt and angry. "I would have told you if they had!" Her indignance startled Celestia.

"I'm just glad you're all right," Celestia tried to reassure. "I don't like the idea of losing any of my students. No matter how they leave."

Aurora didn't believe that at first. "But you're still asking about Twilight. I'm right here! You have two dozen students who don't even think you'd care if they left tomorrow. Why now?"

Celestia blinked. "This was life-threatening, not a dispute over playing favorites. I don't understand."

"Morning Star left because she wasn't appreciated! I almost followed her out the door! Once Twilight Sparkle was sent to Ponyville-"

"I can see you're all right, because you're right here. Just like I didn't have to hover over you or Morning Star. You're both exceptional students. Twilight needed guidance. Neither of you needed your hoof held as you continued your studies."

Aurora's ramblings shattered under frustrated sobs. She tried to pull free but the wing held her fast. "Take all the time you need. I am here."

Aurora's relief melted into guilt, poured into Celestia's side in genuine tears. The alicorn remained still, letting her student find relief and close comfort.

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Hazard Watch listened to the conversation nearby, frown deepening. Shadow Tracker had told him what the "rare rose" was, and to both their knowledge no one sells them. He resisted every urge to burst into the room and accuse. That's how you did it in Manehatten, but he'd been warned about being rash as a soldier directly under a Princess.

He nodded to the unicorn of the Phalanx, who sighed. "That's a shame. The two students next in line under Celestia cracking to such pressures."

"Neither would have lasted a month in any sort of City guard training."

"And even less so for the Phalanx," Shadow Tracker finished for him. "That rose was a Midnight Rose. Princess Celestia recognized the stray petal immediately. If Aurora didn't know what it was, I can understand. But it's illegal to even hybrid Midnight Roses because of how carefully they have to be treated."

"So if I had put a hoof to it......"

"I'd be dragging your solid stone flank to Celestia. She has enough to worry about."

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Princess Luna and Dreamcarver cleared the stadium as Rainbow Dash's dream neared its end. The swirling landscape erupted anew, mostly with silence. "Much better," Dreamcarver shook out sore ears. "Finding Princess Cadance and Shining Armor should not be difficult."

"They tend to share dreams, mostly futures," Luna admitted. "What their family could be, or more recently the work on the railroad expansions. This task weighs heavily on them, and thankfully all else in their kingdom remains peaceful."

"Canterlot lost a good Guardcaptain," the Phalanx soldier mused.

"Shining Armor is a good leader. Even if he may not think he is."

Luna swooped to the "ground" of the dreamscape, her guard remaining airborne. "Be mindful of the dream storm I encountered. We cannot disturb that corner again."

"It wasn't the 'storm' of Lionheart and Snapdragon's argument that startled you awake?"

"That is a completely separate matter." Luna was not in any mood to discuss that.

The crashes of stone and sparks of magic caught their attention away from the rest of the swirling nothing. The scene faded into view, a fog lifting to a chaotic scene - an enormous stone scorpion, lunging and snapping at two mares in defense of its territory. Dreamcarver launched toward the beast, only to be dragged back by Luna's magic. "No!" she ordered. "We must confirm the source of this dream."

"Should one of the mares be harmed or worse from this battle, they may not awaken."

"That includes the beast, if this is indeed its dream." Luna watched closely as the scorpion continued its offensive, the two mares holding it at bay with spells. She finally recognized the mares - Twilight Sparkle and Princess Cadance. They kept the creature at bay with their magic, taking turns distracting it in hopes of disabling its diamond-tipped stinger. The creature backed down only a few steps before rejoining the battle, This cycle repeated a few times, puzzling Luna. She finally turned to Dreamcarver.

"Harm none," she ordered simply.

The pegasus sped forward, wings wide and open straight from his sides. He circled the battle once, noting all the participants oblivious to his presence. This would make his namesake job even easier. His descent swept him between the two alicorns and the scorpion, stopping their motion as though stopping time. Luna calmly walked closer, dissipating each piece of the dream in its stasis. The scorpion collapsed first, disintegrating into nothing but sand. The landscape flew apart with him, a wind merging into the aether. Twilight Sparkle faded next, then Cadance. "Then who makes this battle in their repose?" She pondered.

"I did," A stallion's voice meekly replied.

Dreamcarver swept in front of Luna and the voice. What remained of the plain washed away in random rain, leaving a white stallion peering through his soaked blue mane. Luna stopped short. "Shining Armor? You dare endanger your sister and your bride in this realm?"

Dreamcarver landed next to Luna, eyes piercing the former guardcaptain. "You have fought battles in the waking world but cannot in this realm?"

Shining Armor looked away from them both. He continued to mope under his mind-created storm, clad in thick crystalline armor that slowed his movements and resolve. His horn silent, uncasting, his eyes unfocused.

"Tis not your intention to harm them, Shining Armor.... your scorpion is a plague of doubt in your mind."

"Twily and Cadance have done a lot to save my flank."

"Your turn is coming and coming quickly." Luna confirmed. "She is in grave danger, stolen away by the Shadow of the Moon."

"He came back?!" The stallion snapped to his feet, horn glowing. "And he's got Twily??"

Luna nodded. Shining took a step or two forward before his head drooped again. "She'll be all right, she can save herself."

Luna could hear another stone scorpion starting to form nearby. "These doubts plague you? Have you not served the Crystal Empire well?"

The unicorn's smirk less than confident. "I threw my wife at a shadow. Real brave."

Dreamcarver's smirk reappeared. "But even then, it was a sacrifice you both made of the Empire. You fought on despite lacking magic."

"And your magic is as potent as your combat skills. Were you not one who expelled the changelings?"

Princess Cadance reappeared in the dreamscape. Shining Armor lunged forward to her, only to see her explode into a mass of black insects. "I fell for one," Shining Armor drooped.

"You were not the first. The stress of the event and your responsibilities blinded you. This time there will be no distractions."

"But what can I do? What about the Empire? The railroad? Who will be - " More stone scorpions erupted around them. Dreamcarver turned away to deal with them.

"Is it no more a hazard than the traps and creatures of 'The Spire of the Black Peryton?' " Luna teased. "I've seen THOSE dreams, too.

"I understand in your youth, you partook in games of fantasy and adventure. As a foal you dreamt of being the brave hero, who triumphed against evil and saved the day everytime. That you could be this conquering paladin is a foal’s notion. A fantasy. And you will never be him.”

Silence hung in the air. Dreamcarver’s eyes tried desperately not to meet the gaze of either his Princess or the stallion she had just torn down. He knew Princess Luna to be harsh to the Phalanx soldiers, but to other royalty? He shook his head in mild disgust as the storm over Shining Armor's head darkened and soaked the unicorn to the bone. The scorpions closed in, Dreamcarver backing them down.

“The dream of your youth was not real," She continued. "but neither are the ones you find yourself plagued with now. I cannot fight what is in your mind for you. But I can provide you with the weapons and hope you may do so yourself. “

Shining Armor finally lifted his gaze to meet the princess.

“You will struggle, Shining Armor. And at times yes, you will also fail. Though it is the measure of a true hero how he faces these challenges within himself as well as those without."

"But-"

"Why do you think you were selected as guardcaptain?" Luna demanded. "Why do you think you were installed as warden of the Crystal Empire? Was it because you were brother of Twilight Sparkle or husband of Princess Cadance? Do not think for a moment that my sister and I would bestow these positions of grave importance as a result of some sort of relationship bias. We would not put the safety of our citizens at risk in order to curry favour or ‘play politics’. You were given these duties as you were the one most capable in your abilities and most deserving of our trust. No matter what fears you may have, what doubts may gnaw at you, trust in yourself as we have trusted in you. Do this and you’ll find, you’re stronger than you think you are!”

She marched up to the unicorn, one wing open. "What say you, Shining Armor? Will you remain locked in this doubt, or will you awaken to the challenge?"

Dreamcarver startled as the stone scorpions exploded into sand around him. He wheeled to see Shining Armor free of the crystalline gear, locking gazes with her. Luna nodded.

"When you awake, bring Princess Cadance and take the first train out of the Empire. Bring this resolve with you, leave the doubts behind."

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