Luna wasn’t [i]surprised[/i] that the roof of her bedroom was missing. But she certainly was [i]perplexed[/i]—just as she was perplexed by the full moon that had no craters, the eerie [i]waviness[/i] of every surface, and the posters of Rainbow Dash covering every wall.

“Okay,” Luna said once she’d taken it all in. “I have some notes.”

Rainbow Dash burst into the room shoulder-first, sending the door flying off its hinges. It slowed to a stop in mid-air, a few inches from Luna’s face.

“Uh.” Rainbow Dash pointed to the door. “That was like that when I got here.”

“You [i]created[/i] here.”

“Oh. Right.” Rainbow Dash gulped. “So, how’d I do?”

“Disastrously.” Luna enjoyed watching Rainbow Dash flinch. “But we can work on the fabric later. Have you determined what frightens me?”

Rainbow Dash blinked. “Uh. I dunno. You never told me.”

“You can’t sense it?”

“No. Is that bad?”

Luna narrowed her gaze. “It’s disqualifying.”

“What?!”

“Give the amulet to the next candidate when you wake up.”

Before she could protest further, Luna placed her hoof on Rainbow Dash’s forehead, and pushed. She vanished, gradually, in a cloud of dust and complaining.

“And thank you for applying.”

Luna stomped her hoof, and her bedroom fixed itself. The roof appeared—one rafter at a time—the posters burned to ashes, the door gently glided back into place, and all the wavy lines in the room straightened themselves out like soldiers standing to attention.

Luna sat on her bed and tried to relax. So Rainbow Dash hadn’t panned out. No big deal. Maybe the next candidate would allay all of her fears.

The room turned pink. Balloons inflated out of nowhere and floated to the ceiling. The walls turned to gingerbread.

Luna whimpered.

[hr]

Pinkie Pie disappeared in a cloud of dust and giggles. At least she was taking it well.

Luna, meanwhile, was taking none of this well. Two down, one to go. And if the last one fared no better, Luna might have to tell her sister to retire without her. It was either that, or leave the dreamers in the hooves of an amateur dreamwalker.

Speaking of walks, Luna needed one. She shut her eyes and stepped through her bedroom door to the hallway. The grass outside brushed her hooves—

Grass?

Grass. Luna, and her bedroom, stood in the middle of a large clearing, surrounded on all sides by an oak forest. She spun back to the door and admired the interface of grass and stone.

“Seamless…”

A breeze convinced her to turn around. Did it smell like lavender? 

Across the field was a small, empty pond. The moon’s face—complete with craters—reflected in the water. Next to it sat Fluttershy. The last candidate. Her face was hidden behind her mane.

Luna approached. “Hello,” she said.

“Oh.” Fluttershy turned, but only held eye contact for a second before looking back at the water. “You’re here.” 

“I am.” Luna sniffed the air. “Lavender?”

Fluttershy bit her lip. “I heard it… helps ponies relax.”

“It does.” Luna sat down. For a few moments, they watched the water, as if it might do something other than ripple.

Luna cleared her throat. “I’m surprised you didn’t create any animals.”

“Oh. Well, I wasn’t sure if you liked animals.”

“Want to give it a try?”

Fluttershy nearly looked at her. “Okay. Which one would you like?”

“Guess.”

Fluttershy furrowed her brow. Luna’s chest felt warm, watching her work.

Six touches on her shoulder; Luna could feel every one. She peered at the glowing blue butterfly. It hopped off her shoulder and fluttered in midair.

“I’m sorry,” Fluttershy said. “I don’t think that’s the one you wanted.”

“No. It is.” Luna extended a hoof and let the butterfly rest on the tip of her shoe. The night sky reflected in the silver, but…

“It has no reflection.”

“What?”

“In my shoe. See?”

Fluttershy leaned closer. Her mane drifted onto Luna’s leg. It tickled.

“Oh… Shoot.”

“It’s alright.”

The butterfly’s wings fell, and rose, at its own pace.

“So, um.” Fluttershy combed her mane with a hoof. “I wanted to say something, and I know you might choose somepony else. But, if you’re okay with me, um…”

“Yes?”

“I’ll look after them for you.” Fluttershy made eye contact and held it. “You don’t have to worry.”

Luna exhaled. “I don’t doubt it.”

She pushed her hoof into the air, and the butterfly set out over the pond. It flapped in an unsure, crooked line. Just like the real thing.