Chapter 27
It had been a very long and fun day at the Crystal Empire for young Danny Matheson and his little special friend Hershey Sprinkle, it had been several hours now and the children have had quite the first experience at the empire. With princess Luna, Cadence and Shining Armor at their side, they explored much of the Crystal Empire, and even received many different souvenirs including a special made necklace for Danny that matched Hershey's. The two certainly kept the adults on their hooves, they wanted to see many things that the empire had to offer for them, ranging from books to special foods, and they even learned of the empire's history at the hooves of king Sombra, now Danny understood why the costume was so scary.
At one point in the tour, Cadence had decided to show them one of the Crystal Empire's most favorable places to relax after an hour or two of walking, and introduced them to the crystal spa before treating them to a spa treatment. Hershey got the regular hooficure and make over special while Danny received a special hair treatment and a long needed manicure and pedicure. By the end of that big experience, the children were feeling even better about themselves and even felt prettier as they left completely satisfied with what they got, and the royalties couldn't be happier.
It was then starting to get late as the setting sun made the crystals of the whole city glitter and sparkle orange with purple as it was setting slowly for the city of crystal, and night was soon upon them. The children at that time were starting to feel tired and weary from their travels around the city, but did well not to show it, for they wanted to do just a bit more exploring in the crystal palace before they needed to retire. It was at this time that Luna was raising the moon as the entire group of royalties and children were making their way up the stairs to enter the crystal palace, and it was indeed the children that made it there first as Danny opened the doors for them all to pass through.
"Come on...! Ladies first Hershey."Danny said as he held the door for his friend.
"Thank you Danny, that was sweet of you,"Hershey said with a smile as she entered the palace before standing at the boy's side,"This has been really fun Danny, I never thought I would ever get to see the Crystal Empire in my life, but I'm glad I could do it with you."
"I was glad to have done this with you too Hershey..."Danny said before the filly graced his cheek with one more kiss before the adults had arrived.
"Children! The night has arrived! We should all soon be retiring for the night!"Luna called as her and the two rulers of the empire arrived through the gates.
"We're really happy you enjoyed your time around the empire Danny, and I'm certain you'll have more time to explore the city again tomorrow,"Cadence chimed in as her and a slightly tired looking Shining Armor was at her side,"But it is getting really late, and it's not just you two that needs you're bed rest, we should rest up too for tomorrow's big meeting at the Griffon kingdom..."
"Yeah... *yawn*... A meeting with Griffons, that should be loads of fun..."Shining Armor said quietly with sarcasm while yawning.
"Hang in there honey, let me get you to bed, and we can rest well this night,"Cadence said as Shining Armor got a small smile going while she turned to Luna and the kids,"Well... Good night every pony, we'll see you all off before we need to go to the Griffon kingdom, I hope you will all sleep well this night."
"We shall Cadence, and I do hope the best night and the sweetest of dreams for you and Shining Armor,"Luna replied as she watched the two crystal rulers depart before turning to the children,"Alright now children, it's your turn to get to be, the night has fallen and all others in the dream world are waiting for you...!"
"Aww...! Come on mom, just a little bit longer, we wanna see more of the castle right?"Danny aid looking to Hershey for an answer.
"Yeah, just a little bit longer...? Please princess Luna,"Hershey said with wide eyes while Luna only smiled at her cute little look,"We promise to go to bed if we could just stay up a bit longer..."
"You can both stay up and explore while I'm taking you both to your bedroom for the night, and that's all,"Luna said before giving Danny a gentle nudge down a hall way,"Come now you two, we mustn't waste too much time."
The kids just groaned at their misfortune as they were then lead down a hall way full of crystals and sparkling light of the moon glittering off the crystals themselves, yet the children moped a bit at the fact that they had to go to bed. Luna guided the kids down a hall while patting Danny on the back to try and cheer him up as he let out a sigh and was assisted by Hershey, who kindly brushed his side for comfort. All was then quiet for the remaining three members of the group as they looked to the windows of crystal and marveled at the moon Luna had once again brought to them.
The moon once again felt like it was illuminating and gracing Danny with it's pale glow and lit his path for him out of kindness, ever since he had became Luna's child, he had always felt like he was the moon's child as well. That moon felt kind and gentle like Luna herself, lighting the way for him and protecting him in her light, he only wished he could be like the moon, and maybe be like Luna. If Luna could do all this amazing stuff, help young ones with bad dreams that plague their minds, and provide them with a hopeful light that could be the door way to a better day, he would gladly do so just to be a part of what Luna does, and help others as they had helped him.
What it would take for Danny to even have a chance at being part of something this extraordinary was all but unknown to him, but he still wanted to be part of it, and he was ready to do anything to do so. He merely remained patient and waited for the right moment to speak with Luna about the chance to do what she does as they had turned into another hall way in time for Hershey to yawn. He slowly placed his arm around Hershey's neck and pulled her in for a comforting hug as they finally made it to their bedroom for the night as Luna opened the door for them.
"Alright children, in you both go and get situated for bed, the moon is full tonight, and it will be watching you completely this time,"Luna chirped as the children walked in and finally began to get tired,"It appears you are just about ready for bed now children, you will sleep soundly tonight, I guarantee it..."
She watches as Hershey was the first to get into bed and let out a yawn as she got under the sheets and looked out the window, only for both her and Luna to see that Danny had walked over to the window and was looking to the moon. Luna could only smile at her child's interest in the moon and stars as she slowly made her way over to Danny's side and watched him gaze to the moon's pale and loving light. He could only smile and let out a sigh before a yawn wanting to stay up as long as he could to watch and see his mother's glory and all that she brought with her, but instead he got to stare into her eyes truly as he turned to Luna with his smile.
"It's beautiful mom... One of the most beautiful nights I have ever seen... I think I'll always love the nights as long as I live,"Danny said with a relaxing breath as he looked to the night's moon,"I wish I could be part of all this, I would love to help the night look this beautiful... After all it had done for me mom... I want to be part of all of it with you mom...*yawn*..."
"Maybe one day you will my son... One day could be part of bringing my nights to their full glory Danny,"Luna whispered as Danny let out a yawn before falling asleep as Luna scooped him up in her fore arms,"For now however, you get to enjoy the night's loving embrace as I wisp you away to a beautiful sleep..."
Danny finally had the fell asleep in Luna's arms with a parting yawn before he surely wisp away to sleep and was now being brought to an awaiting Hershey Sprinkle, who was begging to have her Danny back in bed with her. As they made it over to the side of the bed, Luna magically levitated Danny's slipper shoes before slipping him under the covers only to be hugged and snuggled by Hershey. She nuzzled the sleepy Danny as Luna tucked them both in and giving both filly and boy a kiss on the fore heads before standing tall and watching them slowly fall asleep in each other's arms.
This became Luna's cue to leave and let the two rest as she quietly made her exit out of the sparkling bedroom and quietly close the door behind her to let the kids rest in peace, only Danny was going to be more than resting peacefully. It was then that as the two friends snuggled warmly with each other that Danny had now begun to to dream, and the dream was all too familiar to him.
It had once again started out in the same black void of nothingness most of his old dreams would start out as, and it merely confused the boy as he looked around, saw nothing, felt nothing, and heard nothing. He began walking around the void with more curiosity than fear this time, knowing that anything could happen at any time in a dream like this, and as the void began to make rippling effects and sounds, that's when he froze. He watched as the scene was starting to get familiar to him, as if he had been to the area he was coming into before, and the place certainly looked familiar to him.
The old broken down wooden look, the tattered bed, the broken window. It was all too clear what this place was to Danny, it was none other than his old bedroom he was in before Equestria and the place of where a past dream once took place. He knew this wasn't good if this place was coming back into his mind, and he quietly and slowly began to back away, but it was then that he heard a familiar and drunken laugh. He felt his heart stop before he then put on a brave face as he turned around and saw his father standing there and laughing at him as he took a drink of beer.
"What do you want...?! Can't you see that I'm trying to have a good dream here...?!"Danny bravely snapped at the burly man.
"Still sassing me as always, and you've gotten better at it too, that's not gonna fly boy,"Danny's father growled as he slapped Danny in the back of his head,"It don't matter how long we've been apart, and it don't matter who's raising you, you'll always be my property, and once you start being like your old man! They'll cast you away like the little worthless brat that you are...!"
"Please...! I know I'm a better person you will ever be dad! You're the one who's worthless here, not me,"Danny snapped at his old man as the dream dad prepared to deliver a hard right hook to Danny,"Do your worst dad! You're nothing to me now, and I'm better than you will ever be!"
It was then that the man swung a hard hook to silence Danny, but instead, Danny felt a sudden warm feeling wrap around him, and fill the boy with an immense feeling of power and confidence as he stared down the fist. He then surprised himself as he caught the fist in his hand and held it there like it was nothing to him, and at that very same time the black void began to crumble and chip away. Danny remained focus as he held his father's fist in his small hand and held him there effortlessly as a strange new world appeared before Danny had then thrown his father away from him.
As the void was suddenly changing into a beautiful night theme place, Danny had then curled up a fist that had begun to glow like the moon's light before he began charging at his father as hard as he could while roaring at the top of his lungs. With his mother on his mind and his love of her as well as the love he now had for the night to guide his way, he swung a glowing fist as bright as the moon and smashed his fist into his father's chest. His father then strangely began to turn to stone and crack up as he let out a scream of defeat before suddenly exploding into pieces of stone that looked like the moon's rocks themselves.
Danny stood there and let out breaths of weariness as he looked to his destroyed father made of moon rocks before he then looked up to the sudden change in the world around him and saw that he was in a strange and enchanted night like realm. The sky was dark midnight blue with some light blue color to go with some small see through clouds and stars that sparkled with this very beautiful night. He looked down as he saw that he was standing on some night time clouds that were soft to the touch under him as he then suddenly saw strange square images coming at him from every where.
"Hello...! Is any one or any pony here...?! Mom...?"Danny called out as the images of many different colts and fillies began to surround him.
"My goodness Danny, so there is a very special talent you have, I'm so proud of you my son,"Came the voice of Luna as she appeared before Danny while he watched all the images of children,"I knew you were very special my son, now that you have conquered your fears of dreams, you have unlocked a magical talent my child..."
"Mom...? What is all of this? It looks like a bunch of fillies and colts, going on adventures and playing with creatures, they're even playing on clouds when they're not Pegasus,"Danny said as he noticed the images being carried in cloud like material,"Wait a minute...! Are all of these things... Dreams?"
"Yes my little Danny, these are thousands if not millions of children dreaming, and now you are able to see and even enter them,"Luna replied with a heart felt smile as she let out a proud sigh,"Danny...? Do you remember when you said you wanted to be part in making my nights so beautiful...?"
"Yes... I do want to help your nights mom, I want every pony to see how beautiful they are,"Danny admitted as he hugged his mother's legs and looked to the night sky,"Do you think if maybe I went into their dreams and maybe... Played and hung out with them, maybe they would appreciate the dreams the night brings?"
"That was what I was hoping you would ask Danny, it has become clear that you have the talent to enter and help others in their dreams,"Luna explained as Danny smiled to an incoming moon in the sky,"Would you like to help my night by becoming the master and prince of dreams Danny?"
"Yes...! Yes please! I want to be part of the night, I want to help you as you had helped me, I love you mom!"Danny exclaimed hugging Luna's leg while she hugged him back and giggled at his ambition.
"I love you too Danny...! I'm so happy you want to work with me on the night, I'm so proud of you,"Luna said as they both looked to the dream moon and smiled at it's shining light,"You are not just my beloved child now Danny, you are the prince of the dreams, and the moon's child..."
GONNA STOP IT THERE AND PREPARE FOR AN EPILOGUE, A FEW YEARS LATER, DANNY IS A GROWN TEEN AND NOW LIVES WITH HIS FAMILY AND HERSHEY SPRINKLE, A TRUE ENDING FOR A CHILD OF THE NIGHT.
