At the start of the evening Applejack was very unsure of what to say or do during her first coffee get together with King Trafalgar Maximilian Augustus Leopold the III in my Equestria dreamscape, but as the evening progressed she felt more and more comfortable being around his Majesty.
The king proved to be a rather down-to-earth fellow. Yeah he spoke real fancy, but AJ never felt like he was trying impress her with it, or trying prove that he was some how superior to her. It was just part of what he was. In fact he spent most of time learning more about her and her family. He also seemed to rather knowledgeable about horticulture, and was very interested in the actual running of Sweet Apple Acres.
For Applejack, she learned that Galapagos had been with the king for ages, and he was his only subject. Although his Majesty admitted that he really was more like a very close friend.
“Isn’t it odd fer ya, a king, ta only have 1 subject?” AJ asked while scooped up herself some softened blue cheese to spread on a slice of apple. As the night had progressed she’d become more comfortable with using these so-called fingers. “I thought kingdoms had ta have lots and lots of subject ta be a kingdom?”
Trafalgar finished taking a sip of his coffee and dabbed his lips with a napkin before responding. “That is often the case for a kingdom, but myself and Galapagos are happy with our current arrangement. We find it to be very pleasant.”
AJ chewed on her cheese and apple. I need ta remember ta recommend these 2 ta the the rest of the family when I get up. She thought. “Actually, I was wondering when I met ya fer the first time we showed up it was amongst those rolling grassy hills. Is that part of yer kingdom as well?”
“Yes that is correct.” The king selected some green grapes and smoked cheddar slices from the fruit and cheese tray.
“So is that yer uh, whatcha call it, um dream fabric?”
The king smiled. “No it is something different. You see dear I’m not asleep right now. I’m awake. This is not a locale that mind journeys to when I’m asleep. Technically I don’t sleep in the traditional sense of the word. Unlike you I am not just lucid dreaming. This.” The king looked around at the interior of The Golden Cup. “This for me this is the real world.”
AJ paused. “So yer not asleep right now? Um, when do ya sleep, and where do ya go when ya try ta git some shut eye?”
Trafalgar stared at fire the crackling away in the fireplace for a moment before responding. “It’s a rather abstract condition and is difficult to explain to ones like yourself who exist primarily in the Material Realm.” He swirled the coffee in his cup and took another sip. “The most straightforward way of describing it is that I enter into a mediative state where my conscious and subconscious mind is unshackled from my physical body and it enters a sanctuary not located here in Dream Realm. There my subconscious mind can safely ponder, process the events I’ve recently experienced.”
AJ’s now very large mouse ears twitched as she digested the king’s last statement. “Why not just go ta sleep in the Dream Realm? I mean yer already in it?”
“That is not a wise course of action for me Applejack. Remember here in the Dream Realm one’s thoughts, desires, and fears can sometimes physically alter the very fabric of the Realm itself in the immediate area around the individual experiencing the dream. That’s how Princess Luna and to a lesser degree your little sister perform their duties here in the Dream Realm.”
AJ’s eyes went a bit wide. “Wait. Are ya saying that my little sister can alter this here Dream Realm just by thinking about it? When did she learn that trick? I wish she could do that in the waking world! Harvest time fer us would be whole bunch easier!”
The king shook his head. “No, at the moment your sister is constrained to only manipulating her own personal dream fabric, and to lesser degree the dream fabrics of other individuals she able to enter. Applejack dear. Has Applebloom ever told you what she did the first time she met Stone Mane in his own dream fabric?”
“Sort of. She said the poor colt was having all kinds of nasty dreams about some big, old mean dragon chasing him over hill and dale.”
His Majesty chuckled. “Well it was a tad more complicated than that.” Over the next 20 minutes Trafalgar told AJ everything Applebloom and Princess Luna had conveyed to him concerning that evening. As the king’s story unfolded AJ’s face grew more and more confused and stunned.
“Are ya saying my sister rearranged an entire city with her mind and then built a ginormous cannon the same way. Just so that colt could blast a dragon ta smithereens.
Well shuck! I, I didn’t know she had it in her!”
“Yes AJ. Your sister has amazing potential, but imagine if that talent was much more vast. Imagine if that talent could alter not just one individual dream fabric, but many more all at once. Imagine if that was to occur when an individual was not entirely in a rational state of mind. What if thousands were suddenly forced to experience another’s nightmares. Imagine if they found themselves trapped in and were unable to awake from it. For that reason I cannot just go to sleep in the Dream Realm.”
AJ sat very still and wide eyed for a moment. “ Um…Well! When ya say it that way I can see yer point! Yeah, probably fer the best if ya take yer naps some place else. It’s seems like the polite and neighborly thing ta do!”
After that the conversation drifted back to more pleasant topics and hours slowly rolled by. As the clock over the mantle struck 1 in the morning the king looked at it and nodded his head.
“Well dear. I want to thank you for an absolutely charming evening, but now I fear I must bring it to the close for now. I hope you enjoy it as much. Would you perhaps amicable to get together for another rendezvous next week?”
The mare/mouse nodded her head. “Sure! I’ve had a grand ol time tanight!”
With that king rose from seat and took AJ’s hand as she rose as well. “Excellent! Now. let’s get you home safe.”
The room of the cafe seemed to twist and lurch. Suddenly AJ was a mare again on the front porch of her family’s farmstead. The king stood on the railing looking up at her. With broad sweeping gesture he bowed to her. “And now! Having safely returned to your own dream fabric I must take my leave dear. Same day next week perhaps?”
“Sounds good ta me!” AJ said. “Once again I wanna thank ya fer fine time tanight. Have a good night yerself!” Suddenly the mare leaned forward and booped her muzzle gently on top of the king’s head. “Pleasant dreams ta ya!”
King stood up straight and smiled at her “Same to you my dear.”
Then with great panache he jumped up and grabbed the triangular meal bell that hung from one of the beams that held up the porch awning. He swung back and forth from it several times building up momentum. Then he launched himself in the air. Twisting and turning several times through the air he landed gracefully on the drawbridge of his castle which had suddenly appeared along with Galapagos from out of nowhere. He bowed again and then turned walked briskly back into his castle.
AJ opened her eyes. Outside the sky was just beginning to hint at the approaching dawn. She rolled over and preemptively turned off the alarm clock on her nightstand. Then she flopped onto her back and looked up at the ceiling.
“Well! That was kind of fun.” She said to herself.

To be continued.