“I don’t understand…” Princess Luna mumbled to herself as she paced around the throne room. She definitely had her hooves full, ponies all over had had nightmares popping into their dreams and her reckless son was nowhere to be found. “Your highness!” A unicorn guard said as he trotted in. “The prince has returned!” “Get him in here at once!” Luna said in command.
“Hello mother.” Eclipsis said with a respectful bow. “You will never guess where I have been! There is a tribe of Bat ponies not too far and last night I-“ “Last night you weren’t at your post.” Luna interrupted. “Excuse me..?” “Last night you were not in the realm of dreams and nightmares plagued innocent ponies.” “Oh…I’m- I’m sorry I just thought-“ “Thought that I would take care of of it all for you? Eclipsis the responsibility of the dream realm is almost no longer mine. I am already retired from ruling while ponies are awake, I prefer not to have to rule them while they’re asleep with worry of where their new dream keeper is.” “Yes I understand but mother you aren’t listening! We made peace with a batpony tribe! Am alliance! That’s where we were!” Eclipsis said excitedly. “We..?” Luna asked with an eyebrow raise. “Myself and Hypnos!” Eclipsis said, motioning to the black mist creature behind him that Luna hadn’t noticed until now.
“Eclipsis! Get away from that creature!” She said in horror, shoving her son out of its path. “Wha-“ “That is a tantabus! A creature of nightmares! How could it have possibly escaped from the dream realm?!” Luna said, encapturing the small ball of mist in a magic aura. “Mother no! He’s harmless! He’s my friend!” Eclipsis protested, only getting an angry pause from his mother. “You mean to tell me YOU are the one that freed it?! Eclipsis what were you thinking?! Oh Goodness THIS must be where the nightmares are coming from! How could you bring this creature here?! Do you realize the type of danger you’ve put Equestria in?!” Luna said angrily. Eclipsis didn’t know what brought him to his breaking point, but he was there. In this moment, he wasn’t afraid of disrespecting his mother.