Luna and the Dreamscape - Episode 3: Sweet Surprise

[Lux]

Periodically Sweet opened her mouth to speak but quickly closed it as the Princess spoke. It was clear that the chocolate hued pony wasn't in the normal world, not with the Princess portraying a Pegasus and her negative side being frozen in front of her. Although the earth pony knew little of magic that unicorns or Princesses possessed execpt for the things she saw with her own eyes, she knew that this was indeed magical.

"Well, I had a few friends in school, but then when I got my cutie mark I got way more friends! I don't know if it gave me courage but it did help."

"You envision that it's possible others may not like you because of something you do. But the truth is, you envision ponies may not like you because of what you think. It's your thoughts that are your enemy. And you need to vanquish them."

"i... I just wonder if ponies don't care to see the real me that's all, or at least I think that's it. Like they are just interested in what I do and my talent. They smile and say hello but after coming for what they're looking for that's it. No friends, just ponies looking for candy. So, I guess it's both, what ponies thing of me and what I think of myself. But I'm willing to do what you said if this will help me feel better. Er... how do I vanquish, well, a part of me?"

She alternated her gaze between her negative self and Luna, trying to wrap her mind around the situation. Wouldn't destroying part of herself be a bad thing? What if she destroys the wrong side of her, the last vestiges of her happiness. She couldn't live with herself if she did!

[Hippo]

Luna realized that perhaps the radical terminology was scaring the pony into defeating herself, but that was of course not the intent. "Relax, child. You are indeed dreaming, are you not? If you want to get rid of your negative thoughts, you simply have to flood it with positive thoughts." Luna held a hoof out and randomly spawned a chocolate cupcake on it. She bit into it and swallowed. "Whatever you want to think positively in this realm will most likely cooperate with you, as long as your imagination is not hindered by your negative spirit. Of course, when you wake, this magic does not come to most ponies who wish to wield it, but your thoughts still roam free and are powerful, you just can't see them as easily." Luna was trying hard not to be confusing, as any talk about the spiritual realm its natures would surely confuse the brightest ponies.

​

[Lux]

Sweet Surprise tilted her head in a confused way as she tried to figure out what Luna said about her being in a dream.

"Err... yeah, I know I'm in a dream, or I now know."

She tried wrapping her mind around using positive thoughts to eliminate ones and what Luna said about using these in the waking world.

"So let me get this straight: You're saying that when I make yucky thoughts I create... well... this negative side of me. But if i think happy thoughts I won't feel yucky? Am I getting Warm? And you also said that although it won't be as powerful here in the dream it will be still noticeable in there? Then I have two questions really. One, How can I know ponies like me because of me rather than my sweet treats and two how can I know that my parents respect what I'm doing? Because I think that's where this all began, with them and how they thought candy was bad."

[Hippo]

"Oh, there's always the chance that you'll feel yucky, as you put it. Thinking positively and up is what combats that. A random insult hurts a pony who is proud and accomplished only a little. But an derogative statement tiptoeing by a pony with no barriers of self esteem, and their mind will explode with fear and doubt." Luna took another bite of a random chocolate covered pastry. She figured it would be insanely rude, even in a dream, to not partake in what is the dreamer's gift to her visitors.

"As for you peers. Your thoughts cannot change them. Why not try asking them, and make a point to suggest that you want ponies to care for you, not what you do. I think you'll be surprised how many ponies are really sensitive to that. And your parents?" Luna took a bite of a cookie and paused, her face looking like she was deep in thought. After a few moments she swallowed and drank a sip of milk. "I wonder if what you say is as you imply. Ponies who think making sweets is wrong? Are they from here?" Luna suggested slightly jokingly, but also understood this was a serious matter. "Maybe once you prove yourself to yourself in a big celebration of a sweet fest, much like the one you imagined here in your dreams, you could show your parents how successful you were and how you impact other ponies. A chocolate social sounds like something even a Princess would want to attend." Luna winked, before lifting another cookie. How many more of these was she going to eat? In a dream, there was possibly never an end to the indulgence.

​

[Lux]

Listening to Luna as she partook in the imaginary treats of the dreamscape, Sweet Surprise wondered if she was more prone to insults due to her self-esteem taking a hit. It was a cruel irony that while the chocolate mare was happy and bouncy and a little nutty on the outside, inside she had her moments of sadness like now in her dreams.

"I guess I'm my own worst enemy then," she said with a sigh looking up at the Princess, "I look happy but there are times that I'm not and still I don't want to be a party killer so I keep smiling which is bad because then ponies think I'm ok but I'm not but maybe if I become what I'm trying to appear to be, happy, then I'll be ok, and others will know I'm ok."

Sweet wasn't sure if her stream of thought made sense to the Princess as it sure sounded like her making random face noises. The Princess then gave advice on her peers and her parents, equally important and touchy subjects for the young mare.

"You know I never really asked anypony if they wanted to be my friend. I just assumed that they were there for my candy and that's it. But maybe if i try to make friends more then I won't feel yucky. Oh and maybe when I do make this festival for real I can invite my parents. Then they'll see how well I'm doing!"

Something surprised Sweet as to what Luna said, something almost overlooked until her mind focused back on it.

"Really? You'd want to come to my chocolate festival? Oh that would be great! You'd get to have all kinds of chocolatey things, for real I mean. Although I've never actually tried a lot of these fake dreamy candies."

[Hippo]

Luna was glad to have helped the pony improve her outlook, at least temporarily. The ultimate goal would be to encourage her to the point where she can make up her own mind about whether or not she would like to live with a negative version of herself always looming over her. But there was something odd about suggesting a future meet in a dream. Luna normally would not offer such a thing, as dreams are always up for interpretation anyway, and quite literally so. Should she say yes to a formal invitation to a sweets social from a pony who she had never actually meet in Equestria, she would risk the chance at this being a complete fabrication of the pony's wishes. What if this pony didn't make sweets at all and it's just a dream of her's? Luna pondered. And then she giggled at the description of the fake candies Sweet disclosed about Luna's dreamy environment. Luna would have a midnight snack for sure once this dream was over. "I tell you what. You organize an event such as this, and I will do my best to participate. But, I have one condition you must abide by."

Luna walked slowly towards the door of the ballroom as if she was leaving. She turned around and looked at the pony in a statement. "You must invite me as a friend, not a lover of sweets." It was extremely important to Luna that Sweet understand that she should have the right perspective on creating such an event. A social event is just that, an event to spur social opportunities. "And, Sweet Surprise, one more thing before I leave. White chocolate covered moon pies are my favorite." Lune smiled wide, making sure her facial expression of approval was seen by the dreamer.

​

[Lux]

It was a daring move, asking Princess Luna to attend her party. Sweet had never actually met the Princess outside of this dream, nor any other Princess for the matter except Princess Cadence some time ago. It was not that she assumed the Alicorn would be different in real life, but this invitation brought with it a great responsibility to host a party fit for a Princess. To her delight though Luna did accept, but there was another thing too. The Alicorn made the young mare realize that such occasions were not only to celebrate her talent but for others to mingle.

"Oh thank you Princess! I'll really try hard to make this event happen and to have it be more for others to meet each other and me rather than just show off my talent! Oh, and white chocolate covered moonpies. Got it!"

She then turned to where the still frozen figure of her negative self stood, ready to unleash a tirade of unhappiness towards her and the princess. For a moment she felt the urge to return to that unhappy version of herself where ponies didn't actually want to be her friend and her parents disliked what she did. But then after shaking her head like she shook off water after a being caught in the rain she said, "You know I don't think I need you anymore meanie self!"

And with that as she said these words, the negative self shattered as if it was made of glass, vanishing before the shards hit the floor.

[Hippo]

Luna was pleased to see the dreamer overcome her negative influence, which surprisingly had made a physical appearance in the dreamscape. With the shattering of Sweet's immediate negative thoughts, it would seem for the time being that she had successful learned to overcome her own doubt. However, when she would awake, several challenges just the same would confront her with a new opportunity to prove that she intends to disregard her negative feelings as time goes by.

But, just as the negative influence shattered into shards, the dreamscape started shaking like there was an earth quake. Luna was still standing at the doorway ready to pretend to leave, when she realized the signs of the dreamscape meant only one thing. The dreamer was about to wake up. Luna would normally avoid interference with a phase such as this, and even envelop herself in order to wake up herself, but she felt this might be a little rougher than a normal wake. Just then, what could not be explained any other way but to say a giant tidal wave of sugar started crashing through the building. The sugar flooding the building, and lifted Sweet Surprise from her feet, starting a strange situation in which she would drown in granulated sugar. Luna fluttered above the sugar and with her horn, created a void opening beneath Sweet. This would drain the sugar and send Sweet Surprise falling into oblivion. The fall was forever, and would prove to be a much more abrupt way of waking up than drowning in a diabetic nightmare. A square door opened beneath Sweet and the sugar started draining out. As Sweet could be seen swirling into the void, Luna fluttered near the ceiling, yelling her last encouragement before she disappeared. "Doubt has killed more dreams than failure ever will." Luna was then overtaken by the sugar flood and her body vanished from sight.

​

Luna awoke in her dream chamber, slightly startled, which was common. Just as she woke, a pony stewardess walked up carrying a tray of sweets. It was time for Luna's midnight snack. Luna smiled shortly and levitated a piece of a cookie and ate it. "Hm. This is good. Did you make this yourself?"

​

[Lux]

Sweet Surprise was pleased to see that she had conquered her fears of rejection and inadequacy. As the negative version of herself shattered it spread into a fine dust. She ran her hoof along what she thought was sand but upon licking it realized the truth as her already bright eyes went wider.

"Hey, my negative self was just candy! Guess they don't call me Sweet for nothing!"

Suddenly the entire room began to shake as Sweet turned her attention to her surroundings. With several loud crashed the windows exploded as waves of sugar poured into the room, covering all the furniture and the food in a matter of seconds. Rather than being scared as the sugar rushed in, Sweet Surprise squeed with delight!

"WEEEEE! This is so fun! I always wanted to swim in sugar!"

As she doggie paddled over the mountains, the bottom suddenly gave way as Sweet felt the room spinning.

"Wooo! My head's spinning! This ride is awesome."

She then heard the last word of Luna saying, "Doubt has killed more dreams than failure ever will."

And then everything went black.

A Few Hours Later

Sweet awoke bright eyed and bushy or more like bushier tailed than she felt in a while. For a moment she wondered if she would be back at her candy coated dream but she actually found that she was in her bed and in her room like so many nights before. Only this time something had changed. She felt lighter like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. And she felt happier, not just the happy facade but true happiness that was last felt only when she got her cutie mark and started working at the candy shop.

"Goooooddd moooorrrrniinggg Canterlot!" she said as she literally jumped out of bed, "I hope you're ready for some sweet treats!"

Before the mare was about to embark on her day, she heard the last words of Luna once again echo in her head.

"Doubt has killed more dreams than failure ever will."

"Thank you Princess Luna," Sweet Surprise said in a more solemn tone as she sat down at the desk in her room and taking a paper and a quill dipped in ink wrote the message so that she would remember it, although Sweet had a feeling it would stick with her for a long time. Pausing, Sweet then took another paper and wrote:

Princess Luna loves White Chocolate Covered Moon Pies!

Satisfied she then bounced out of the bedroom, ready to start what was to be a great day.

Thanks for the wonderful RP, and thanks for that last line Luna said that will help me in any future things I do!