//------------------------------// // Chapter 21 // Story: Dreams About Friendship Are Magic // by Soft Story //------------------------------// Twilight sat behind the table where she and Celestia sat during court in the main room of the palace. For the first time since her few times holding court, Twilight felt like she shouldn’t be sitting at that table. Dozens of unicorns were standing about the room, waiting for Celestia to be ready. At first Twilight had tried talking to them. She had wanted to get to know the participants of the spell that would be determining whether she lived forever or perished, after all. However, she very quickly realized that the moment she walked away the unicorns would all change appearance and personality, so it was pointless for her to even try. In fact, she had been having a bad feeling about the spell from the moment she woke up. Celestia had done her best to get Twilight to relax, but was more preoccupied running over the spell so that everything would be perfect. If the spell went wrong, there was without a doubt the possibility that it could seriously injure Twilight. Or worse. “Twilight, it’ll be fine. Stop worrying so much,” Spike commented as he walked over with a glass of water for her. Spike seemed one of the few who wasn’t as nearly as affected by the shifting of Twilight’s memory. Maybe because he played such a pivotal role in her dream? She couldn’t say. But she was thankful for him being that one unchanging variable. Twilight grabbed the glass within her aura and took a long chug, draining half the glass at once. A vaguely-at-ease sigh left the mare as she slumped in her seat. “Thank you, Spike. I just can’t relax. I have a feeling something is going to happen today, and I’m not sure I want to know what.” “Well of course, today is the day that Celestia makes you—” Spike stopped himself by slapping his claws over his mouth. Celestia was keeping the spell a secret until they were sure it worked. “Today is the day that the spell gets cast,” he finished softly. “That’s something, isn’t it?” Twilight smiled a little at his slight slip-up. “It is, Spike. But I think something else is going to happen. Something bigger.” Before Spike could ask what she thought it was, Celestia walked into the room once again. “Gather up, everypony,” she said loudly, her voice cutting through all the other conversations. The forty unicorns all clumped together, facing Celestia. Twilight quickly walked over to stand next to her marefriend, feeling a bit nervous in front of the large group. Celestia smiled warmly at them. “Thank you all for agreeing to this experiment. I know I didn’t provide you with many details, but until we can confirm that this spell works, we don’t want to spread any details around.” There was a slight murmur in the crowd as they all asked around to see if those standing around them knew about the spell in question. Twilight tried not to focus on the randomizing color palettes of their coats and manes changing every two seconds. Celestia once more spoke over them, silencing their restless chatter. “Your task will be simple: you will all channel your magic towards me. I will then add it into my own magic and cast the spell at Twilight. The casting should last no longer than five minutes. If it works, Twilight will be completely unharmed and able to verify the spell’s success.” Twilight now felt much more nervous about the whole ordeal. She wasn’t even sure if she wanted it anymore. But at the same time she felt as if she would disappoint Celestia if she backed out. So instead, she just stood next to Celestia, silent and indecisive, as the Princess started to space the forty ponies into a large semi-circle. She continued to provide the group with their instructions for how to channel their magic to her one at a time. Once everypony was in position, the room fell silent. “Twilight, are you ready?” Celestia asked calmly. “I am,” Twilight replied, even though her inner voice was throwing red flag warnings. Something about today, the spell, everything, was wrong. But she didn’t know and couldn’t figure out why. Celestia smiled warmly at her. “Then let us begin!” She lit up her horn, and nearly in unison the forty unicorns lit up their own horns. The room glowed with energy as one by one, the unicorns channeled their magical essence into Celestia. Once all forty unicorns were sending their power into Celestia, she released the spell directly at Twilight. Large tendrils of magic rolled across the marble floor of the room, steadily beginning to cocoon around Twilight’s body. Like all of Celestia’s magic, it glowed with its usual golden radiance. Until after only a few seconds, the magical glow began turning sour. Twilight gasped at the sudden temperature drop. She felt cold, frozen to her core. Her attempts to cry out for the spell to cease, or to move, proved worthless. Celestia’s smile, illuminated by the sickly glow, could be considered traumatizing and obsessive. The aura quickly shifted to a bloody scarlet as the tendrils began to spiral in towards her body, each a lance of agony. “Enough!” A voice called out. The spell surrounding Twilight was shattered by an intense blast of magic. Smoke started to fill the room as the magic Celestia was channeling suddenly sputtered out, no longer focused by the Immortality Spell. As everyone coughed and recovered from the sudden spell failure, a new pony stood by the door. A very unhappy-looking, dark blue alicorn. “P-Princess Luna!” Twilight said, shocked to her core at the sight before her. Luna’s expression softened as she spotted Twilight. “There you are, Twilight Sparkle. I am glad to see you unharmed. As I said previously, I was unable to find you except for your dream of the empty Ponyville town. So, I have brought someone who could.” A second Celestia walked in the doorway, stopping next to Luna. She smiled tiredly, but not unkindly towards her. “My faithful student. It is good to see you.” “P-P-Princess Celestia?! But...” Twilight glanced between the two white alicorns. “Then that means...” “Who are you, imposter?” Tia asked, her tone harsh as she glared at the second Celestia, wings flaring with authority. Twilight thought she saw a lone hair spring out from her ethereal mane, refusing to yield to the magic flow. “I am the real Princess Celestia,” Celestia said, standing tall next to her sister. A comforting glance was sent towards the Countess. “And that is my friend standing next to you. I am here to help you, Twilight.” Tia stepped forward, crossing half of the Throne Room in a single movement to block most of Twilight’s view of the two alicorns. “Please. I am the real Celestia. And I love Twilight as an equal. If you think I will just hand her over to some imposter who obviously cares so little about her as you do—” “How dare you!” Celestia called out, her voice rising in volume to remind Twilight of Luna’s Royal Canterlot Voice. It was the first time Twilight had ever heard such aggression in her voice. “Twilight is one of the only ponies I would call my friend. She started off as a talented unicorn I helped teach magic to, and as a result became one of my closest confidants. She returned my sister to me. She’s saved my life and the life of her fellow ponies several times.” Taking a solidary stomp forward, with enough force to shake the very foundations of the castle, Celestia flared her own wings. “You might say you love her as an equal, but to me she is so much more important. I will not allow her to remain here. If you try to stop me, I will defeat you. Nothing will get in my way of getting Twilight back.” Twilight was taken back by the conviction and emotion behind Celestia’s words. She had no idea Celestia felt so strongly about their relationship. Sure, Twilight knew that the Princess relied on her and her friends, and that Celestia respected her magical talents… But to have the Princess say that she was so important... Her thoughts were cut off by Tia wrapping her large white wings around her entire body. “Twilight, I will protect you from whoever these imposters are.” More unruly hairs broke free from Tia’s mane, giving her a near-manic expression. Her dilating pupils only added to that image. “That world is not real, and I will not let these false alicorns fool you.” Celestia stepped forward once again, another tremor making the very ground quake in fear. “Twilight belongs with us. Release her. This is your last chance before I take her from you by force.” Tia moved her wings, letting her see Twilight without the two alicorns across the room see her. “Twi, you need to get to safety. I will stop them.” Tia turned her attention on all the other ponies in the room. “All of you, quickly leave the palace. The guards will protect you.” In the ensuing scramble of ponies trying to flee (and Spike lost in the initial tide as he tried to hold his position), Tia pushed Twilight away. The Countess stumbled towards the nearest door, being ushered by soldiers and scientists alike, before stopping. She didn’t want to leave, she couldn’t; she had to know if they were really the Celestia and Luna she remembered. She had to. Turning back towards the sudden bouts of sound and sending her charges away with a crisp dismissal, Twilight saw the two clones of Princess Celestia squared off, perfectly mirroring each other in facial expression and stance. If Twilight hadn’t known which one she had just been standing next to, she would have no idea which one was her marefriend. With a speed that surprised Twilight, the new Celestia—or was she technically the old?—leapt into action, horn ignited in a blaze of blinding retribution. She charged directly at Tia, who deftly stepped aside and fired a bolt of magic at Celestia’s backside. The bolt seemed to bounce off a golden shield surrounding Celestia’s form, pinging off towards the ceiling and installing a new skylight for the castle’s main room. Celestia slid to a stop, spinning around and glaring at Tia. The two alicorns stood still, staring each other down once again. Luna suddenly teleported across the room, arriving next to Twilight with a small pop of magic. “Twilight Sparkle.” Twilight jumped slightly. “Princess Luna! What’s going on?” “Last week, after we spoke, I told Celestia all the details of that you shared with me. She felt certain she would be able to find you. We’ve come to help you wake up.” Luna gestured to the two Solar Princesses, who had now elected to start firing bolts of pure magic at each other, even though they both possessed a shield that was able to perfectly block the shots. “Last week? I haven’t dreamed of you in over three months!” Twilight said, confused. Luna gave her a knowing smile. “Are you certain? Time may seem like it passes in a dream world, but often times when you try to remember all the details of that time, you find that they simply don’t exist.” Twilight’s eyes went wide as she thought back over the last three months. She did find that she could only remember key aspects of what had happened, and even then she only could remember an hour or two at a time. The important parts of her life had just been chopped together, leaving her without all the mundane hours where nothing happened. Luna leaned forward, looking Twilight in the face. “Am I correct?” “...That means this world is the dream, doesn’t it?” Twilight’s query was soft and resigned. Luna nodded. “It is. For the past five weeks, you have been in a coma. Currently you reside in Ponyville Hospital, under the care of Nurse Redheart and your friends. I have been told that they have taken turns staying with you so that you would never be alone. They even set up a small bed so that they could stay the night with you.” Twilight’s jaw dropped slightly. “Even now, your friend Fluttershy is in the room.” “Fluttershy… I saw Fluttershy not too long ago… Or maybe it was just my mind’s projection of Fluttershy…” Twilight said faintly, more to herself than to Luna. “She told me to remember that my friends loved me. She said I could trust you.” A sudden explosion seized both of their attentions. The two alicorns were pressed together, horns crossed, as they tried to overwhelm each other with magic. There was no way for Twilight to tell which Celestia was the one that came with Luna, and which was the one that had been with her all this time. No way for her to know which one had loved her. “Do you believe in your friends?” Luna casually prodded Twilight as they watched the two versions of Princess Celestia fight. Without any hesitation, Twilight replied. “Always.” “Then put an end to this. Trust your instincts. And if you suddenly find you cannot trust them, then trust the Elements. Trust in your friends to guide you. I know you will make the right choice. We are all waiting for you back home,” Luna said before giving Twilight a gentle push on the back. Twilight got up and started to walk over to the battling Celestia’s, unwavering in her newfound resolve. Magical feedback in the form of lightning bolts struck the air around Twilight, but she remained steadfast. One way or another, Luna was right: it was time to put an end to this. She nearly got all the way before one of them noticed her. “Twilight!” Both of the clones stopped fighting immediately, in fear of harming the unicorn. Their bloodlust temporarily forgotten, both of them stood there, looking at her with concern. Now that she had walked over to them, Twilight had no idea what to say to them. She closed her eyes and tried to clear her head. Her friends wanted her to trust Luna. Luna said to trust her instincts, and her friends. To trust her when she said that this world was a dream. That one of them was false, an imposter, and one was real. A light pressure on her back brought her attention to the world around her. She looked over her shoulder, finding Fluttershy standing next to her, an outstretched hoof resting on her side. Her usual demure smile was prominent. “We’re here for you.” From behind Fluttershy, her other four friends walked over. All of them had a warm smile on their faces. Twilight’s gaze lingered on each of them for a few seconds, her nerves vanishing. Her attention turned back to the two alicorns, one of whom looked proud, the other confused. “Tia,” she started softly. One of the alicorns tilted her head. “I’m going home.” The confused Celestia suddenly looked angry, her horn glowing brightly as she charged up a spell. “No! You can’t! I won’t let them take you from me!” Tia’s mane was now a catastrophe, looking more like a mangled bush than hair of royalty. Bitter tears were starting to form in her eyes. “Please. I love you. Don’t let them take you. Don’t... don’t go...” “Twilight; here!” Pinkie Pie jumped up to Twilight’s side and offered her the Element of Magic. Twilight took it. “Pinkie, where did you get…” Her voice trailed off as she remembered that this was the dream world; things didn’t have to make sense. All her friends similarly had their Elements ready to go. Placing the big crown on her head, Twilight turned back towards Tia. The real Celestia had backed off. “I’m sorry, Tia.” “She won’t love you as I do! You know this!” The aura around her ivory horn wavered. “W-we can be together forever. Me and you. I can be her, to make you happy. Isn’t that what you want? Happiness?” “Not if it’s a lie,” Twilight stated simply. She could feel the other Celestia staring at her, but she didn’t remove her focus. “I’ve realized that hiding in this place, this dream, is no way to live my life, even if it’s filled with joy and ‘love’. I cannot stay here, knowing this. It would kill me.” The word caused Tia to flinch. “It’s time I wake up, and face whatever reality has waiting for me, inspiring or depressing.” “No. Please,” Tia continued to beg. All of her will to fight seemed to have left her after Twilight’s speech; instead, she merely sat, horn extinguished, rivers of tears spilling down her face. Shakily, Tia reached a hoof out towards Twilight, and whimpered. “Don’t leave me.” The Elements glowed brightly. Twilight felt herself lift into the air. And the world went dark. Slowly, Twilight opened her eyes. The world around her was bright, warped, and unfocused. She could see three large shapes looking down at her: one white, one yellow, and a dark blue. “What’s happening?” She tried to ask, her mouth mumbling something incoherent. “Don’t worry, Twilight. You’re home safe now,” one of the shapes said to her. “Yes, remain still. The medical mare is on her way,” another shape said. “Oh, um, oh my,” the last shape said, so softly Twilight might have been imagining it. Slowly the world around her got clearer, the shapes turning into familiar ponies. Celestia, Luna, and Fluttershy stood around her as she laid in a soft bed. She could feel a needle in her foreleg and several small sensor pads stuck to her skin. “Celestia?” “I’m here, Twilight. Don’t worry; you’re safe in the hospital.” Celestia leaned down and embraced Twilight, careful not to smother the unicorn with her mane. “Just rest for now.” “I’ll, um, I’ll go get Nurse Redheart,” Fluttershy said, quickly vanishing from view. “Do not worry, Twilight Sparkle. The confusion will clear soon,” Luna said from the side of Twilight’s bed. “You will need to drink plenty of fluids to recover from this...” Twilight nuzzled against Celestia’s neck as Luna’s speaking became mere background noise, the warmth coming off the Princess feeling more real than anything she had experienced in the last few months. “I love you, Celestia,” Twilight mumbled. “I love you too, Twilight.” Twilight’s heart skipped a beat, causing a nearby machine to beep loudly twice. Celestia pulled away from Twilight once the sound of hoofsteps came from outside the room. Nurse Redheart rapidly appeared before Twilight. “Twilight! My goodness. I wasn’t sure you’d ever wake up. Magically-induced comas are all different, with various percent-chances of reconsciousness.” Several hours of medical checkups passed quickly for Twilight. The nurses and doctors double-checked, and then triple-checked, every aspect of her health before letting her get some rest. As she laid in the bed her door slowly opened, the light from the hallway pouring into her room. “Are you awake?” The voice was unmistakably Celestia’s. “Yes,” Twilight answered. She was waiting for her to inevitably return. “Come in.” Celestia slowly walked in and closed the door behind her. She quickly cast a spell that coated the walls with softly-closing strings of magic and preventing any sounds from leaving the room. “Don’t tell Nurse Redheart; I’m supposed to be letting you rest.” “I won’t,” Twilight promised, giggling somewhat at the idea of Celestia sneaking into the hospital. Celestia sat down right at the side of Twilight’s bed, smiling at her. The low light coming in through the window and from Celestia’s spell provided just enough light for them to see each other. “Luna has told me some of the details of your dream world.” Twilight was silent. “Your dream me was rather upset to let you go… How close were you two?” “Very,” Twilight replied softly. “We lived together, we worked together… We were just together always.” They both sat in an awkward silence. “Perhaps… Perhaps we can talk more about your feelings once you’ve recovered,” Celestia offered. “Because I meant what I said in your dream. You are very important to me, Twilight. I do love you. I’m not sure if it’s the same love… But we should still talk.” Twilight’s face turned red, and she was glad that in the low light, Celestia hopefully wouldn’t see. “Alright… That sounds nice.” Celestia leaned down and kissed Twilight on the forehead. “Get some rest. I’ll come visit again soon.” The Princess quickly left the room, the spell she cast on the wall quickly fading away. It took Twilight a while to fall asleep without Tia pressed up to her side, but she managed to get a few hours of restful sleep. In the morning, Nurse Redheart delivered her a small breakfast. “You’ve been on an IV for several weeks, so we need to slowly get you back on regular food.” Twilight nodded, accepting the small meal. “If you want, all your friends want to see you. Visiting hours don’t start for another hour, but I think an exception could be made.” “Yes, thank you,” Twilight replied quickly. She wanted nothing more than to see all her friends. It had been quite some time, indeed. Less than a minute after Nurse Redheart left, Twilight’s friends came bursting into the room. Pinkie’s party cannon detonated and the entire room was covered in balloons, streamers, confetti, and a huge sign that said ‘Glad You’ve Woken Up From A Strange Coma Dream-World!’ For the first time in what felt like some time, Twilight laughed. A genuine, happy one. She was home, truly home, once again.