The Quest.
The Volunteering.
Luna jolted from her slumber in cold sweat, the sudden feeling was more than enough to frighten her into the waking world.
She wiped her brow and tried to calm down the hyperventilation period she was taking, but the sudden jolt was keeping her awake.
The doors to her nightly chambers burst open as the large figure of her elder sister cast a shadow into the room, an aura of urgency pouring out of her posture like a never-ending waterfall.
"Did you feel that?" Was all that Celestia could muster.
Luna nodded, "I felt it." She confirmed.
Celestia nods, "We need to take action, now!" She urged.
Luna nodded and got out of bed, using her magic to become completely robed appropriately. Her resolve to figure out this disturbance of balanced energy reinvigorated.
(5 hours later)
Twilight never liked waking up in the middle of the night for two reasons, one; she worked a lot in the day, and by the end of it, could hardly see her own hand in front of her face, in the light. And two; because for whatever Celestia-forsaken reason, no matter what you wear, the middle of the night will always be freaking chilly as hell. But she had to ignore these displeasures for a while for the letter she received from her former mentor was very ambiguous, with just three words:
"Get here now."
No reason, no exclamation mark, and straight to the point, it was less like an invitation, and more like a command, like a mother after figuring out her foals been watching porn.
She was also unsure if she should bring her friends, but was also reluctant to not bring Spike, so she ended up not telling her friends but bringing Spike.
"Sorry Princess Celestia, I wasn't sure if I should come alone or not, hopefully Spike wouldn't be too much of a problem." The youngest princess apologized.
Her fellow princess nodded, "It's alright Princess Twilight, I probably should have given more details to the letter." She admitted, "But you should understand that this matter is not something I could delay any longer than I reasonably should." She quickly added.
Twilight Sparkle nodded.
"So, what's the problem Princesses, and why is it so serious that the delegates couldn't be bothered to attend?" Spike asked, and his question was an appropriate one, as well as a correct observation, for aside for him, the only other occupants in the room were the Princess of Equestria.
"Because, the matter at hands is not a diplomatic one, and for that reason the delegates will be of no use to us." Luna answered, "What happened was a shift in the balance of energy." She answered the former question.
Twilight looked perplexed, "A shift in the balance of energy, like in Equestria?" She asked, trying to clarify the Moon Princess's ambiguity.
Princess Luna shook her head, "Not in Equestria, but another world, the human world." She corrected.
Twilight's mane jumped with surprise, "The human world? The one that I traveled to stop Sunset Shimmer?" She asked for clarity, earning a nod from the elder princess, "How did you feel a shift in balance of energy in a whole another dimension?" She questioned.
Princess Luna's horn glowed as a screen appeared in the middle of the room, "Despite widespread belief, the dream realm is not secluded to Equuis, are planet, but rather, it spans many dimensions and universes through a string of loose connections that dream walkers, like myself, can access if strong enough." She started to explain, "And it was through this loose connection that I felt a sudden disbalance in energy." She finished explaining, the screen disappearing.
Twilight nodded, "So what should we do?" She questioned.
Princess Luna and Celestia shared glances before nodding, "We decided that one of us should go to see what the problem is, and if need be, fix it." Princess Celestia affirmed.
"But who, all of us are pretty important in Equestria, one of us leaving could pose a problem?" Twilight asked.
All the princesses, except for Twilight, exchanged glances that spoke of certainty, "We already chose a reliable candidate." Celestia spoke, "My sister Luna." She said simply.
Twilight's eyes widened in shock, "Princess Luna? But why?!" She asked, her voice a bit louder than she intended.
Luna was the one to answer Twilights question, "Because I am the most capable candidate." She began to explain, "While I have no doubt I can lift both the sun and the moon like my sister, she has more experience in the matter than I." She explained the reason Celestia was not chosen.
"But why you and not me or Cadence?" Twilight questioned.
This time, it was Princess Cadence's turn to speak, "Because I have a baby to look after and you're currently 3 months in pregnancy, we can't risk harm to you or the baby." Cadence stated, which her statement did hold a lot of truth, for Princess Twilight was indeed pregnant she and her recently wedded husband, Flash Sentry, was having.
Twilight looked down in disappointment before looking up, "But Luna, the human world is completely omitted of magic, but what they do have can be just as destructive, if you can't use magic and things get hairy, odds of survival without magic is pretty slim." She warned.
Luna nods, "Thanks for your concern Princess Twilight, but we have already discussed the matter, and we found one of StarSwirl's old spells that aloud for a pony to cross into the human world and still have magic." She helped alleviate Twilight's concern, "The reason we didn't give it to you the last times you went to the human world was because we didn't have enough time, or even know of your next visit to the human world." She added.
Twilight nodded, "So, you're really going to the human world?" She asked once more, as if to try and deny the inevitable answer.
The Princesses nodded, sealing Twilight's worry.
She nodded, "Well, when're you going?" She asked.
"I'll be leaving first thing in the morning, since the world's times are closely coordinated, the morning would be the best time to leave for it will be spark more opportunities to investigate." Luna explained in thorough detail.
All the Princesses nodded, ready for the next day.
(The next day)
Luna stood in front of the mirror to the human world, already having said goodbye to all her friends, to her sister, to her fellow Princess. Everypony, everypony except one. And it was that one pony she didn't feel right leaving, but she had to, for the sake of this world. That's the reason she didn't say goodbye, that's the reason she wanted to leave early in the morning, so she could avoid the mare.
But all that effort of evading the servant went out the window as she heard that all too familiar voice calling out to her:
"Princess Luna, wait!"
Luna turned around to see a servant, her coat beige and her mane and tail black, her eyes red and streaming with tears as she ran towards the Princess of the Night.
"Beige Meadow, please listen-!"
"No, you listen to me!" Beige cut the princess off, "How could you leave without even attempting to say goodbye?!" She asked in fury, "You think I didn't notice you trying tot avoid me?!" She shouts in rage.
Luna sighs and gets on one knee and cups her hand around the maid's chin, "I didn't say goodbye because I knew you'd act like this." She stated, "And I'm half inclined to do away with you before leaving, because in the state you're in, I don't believe you'll let me leave without a fight." She added.
Beige Meadow shook her head, taking Luna's hand away from her chin, "I may be strongly smitten with you, but I don't want to die because I disobeyed you." She stated.
Luna nods, "Beige, look at me, now." She demanded, earning Beige's undivided attention, "Now before I go, I want you to take one last order from me; be a good girl while I'm gone, don't cause trouble for the other princesses, if I come back to here them complaining about you not doing your job right because I'm not here, you can say goodbye to your life." She warned.
Beige nodded, "Sure, Princess, of course Princess." She assured.
Luna smiles, "And if you're a good girl, when I get back, I'll have some fun with you." She promises, earning a wide-eyed surprised look from Beige, "I know I've been putting off your desires for a long while now, but I think it's only fair that I answer your calls after leaving you for a while, don't you think?" She asked in a playful manner.
Beige looked up at Luna and nods, "Yes Princes, I think that's fair." She agreed.
Luna nodded and stood up, "Now go and serve my sister, I'll be back soon." She demanded.
Beige nodded, "Pinkie Promise?" She asked.
Luna rolled her eyes, "Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." She recited the infamous Pinkie Promise, with all the little motions.
Beige chuckled, "Now you can't break the promise." She stated, matter-of-factly.
Luna chuckled along, "I wouldn't imagine that." She joked along before her face became serious, "Leave, now Beige." She demanded.
Beige nodded and flew through the castle toward wherever she was going.
Luna sighed and turned to the mirror. It's now or never.
She leapt through the mirror that rippled as if she just dived in a river, and she was on her journey to the human world. No turning back.
