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The Regal Dream - Head in the Cloudsdale.

THE REGAL DREAM.

Chapter 2: Head in Cloudsdale.

In the Main Street.

It was a spectacle of clouds and light.

Twilight stared with her mouth open at the magnificence of the Pegasus city of Cloudsdale. There were tall buildings that bent under the force of the wind. At that altitude the edifices tended to be slightly unstable. There were smaller buildings too with sturdy columns made of marble held by clouds and plaques of ceramics. Twilight remembered seeing buildings like those on her history books, especially in those episodes narrating the story of an ancient civilization called “The Greeks”. The city was built by Pegasus ponies more than a millennium ago and it extended its domains beyond her sight. The sunlight crossed through the clouds forming a light show of every color in the spectrum. There were areas in the horizon covered in dark clouds and Twilight could see the curtains of rain soaking the fields. The shadows formed by the clouds created a bizarre mosaic of shapes that felt alive as it scurried over the landscape.

Twilight was standing on the roof of a small sized building, the wind current messing up her mane in every which way. Next to her was Princess Luna whose hair was also moving in every direction. She had her eyes half closed and Twilight didn’t know if it was due to the painful wound on her chest, the sheer blinding force of the wind or both. Twilight noticed the building was a bar, the roof built out of cloud tiles and the chimneys regular steel pipes. She tried to figure out how Cloudsdale was built in her studies and learnt that in that city the Pegasus ponies used clouds the same way earth ponies use concrete to build, only of a different density to resist the fast winds on the highest levels of the atmosphere.

Despite the sun light bathing their bodies it was cold enough to give Twilight goose bumps. She rubbed one of her hoofs over her shoulder as she talked directly to Luna.

“Luna, we need to get moving.”

The Princess didn’t react. She was even more shocked than Twilight at the sight before her eyes. The Sun rays cutting their way through the clouds, the small water drops spraying over her face anytime a small puff of cloud crossed over her head, and the warm feel that fresh air rubbed over her neck and all over her back. She never had the chance to experience the day in such a way. The beauty of the sun light left her breathless for what she felt was hours. Maybe it’s my perception within this dream, she thought, but that doesn’t make this less stunning. Her mouth hung open in a gesture of admiration and sadness. She realized why those ponies back then loved the day so much. It wasn’t until a gust of wind hit her on the cheek that she realized she had streams of tears coming from her eyes.

“Princess! Princess Luna, does it hurt!? Can I get you something!?” said Twilight with a clear timbre of alarm in her voice, thinking Luna was crying because of her injury.

“It’s not that.” said Luna realizing her injury didn’t hurt all that much “I just…”

Her words escaped her mouth involuntarily.

“I’ve never seen the day…like this…b-before.” she couldn’t feel her mouth.

Come on! Snap out of it! She shouted to herself. Your sister Ammi needs you! Stop looking at the clouds like a silly filly and get to work. Luna rubbed a hoof over her eyes and cleared the tears from them. Without saying anything she activated the Magic Search spell and started looking for her sister’s magic field. She still had a thick ball of liquid stuck in the bottom of her throat, but when she talked to Twilight she sounded determined. Another gust of wind dried the remaining tears.

“We need to find my sister.” said Luna to remind her why they were there “I can’t feel her magic field though. We are either not close enough or that pony is interfering with the signal.”

Twilight made her best efforts to ignore what just happened with Luna.

“I don’t want to jump to any conclusions, but…” said Twilight.

“Then don’t!” said Luna before coughing without control for a couple of seconds. Her coughs sounded dry “I am f-fine…” more coughing. She could feel the stinging taste of blood in her tongue “I am f-fine, really. Twilight…” she cleared her throat “Don’t jump to conclusions yet. We need to find my sister, hop onto my back.”

Twilight hesitated. She wasn’t just worried for Luna’s physical condition but also for the protocol. Was it alright for her to jump onto Luna’s back and ride with her across the sky? She thought it would be harmless. They were in a dream, that wasn’t the real world, and they were in a hurry to find Princess Celestia. She jumped and landed onto Luna’s back. The Princess extended her wings and hopped off the building. Twilight felt her stomach going up and then down again as Luna regained a more stable flying level. She wasn’t moving her wings that much using the air currents to keep herself balanced. Twilight looked around with her mouth open as her horn glowed with a dark purple mist as she looked for Celestia’s magic field. She was stunned at the edification of the city. She went to Cloudsdale before but her stay wasn’t long enough to see all of it and the few things she saw were a factory and the Coliseum. While outstanding in their design, the district of Cloudsdale they were on now was bigger and busier.

There were buildings left and right of a road made out of nothing where Pegasus ponies flew, pulling carriages or just by themselves. A line of clouds separated both lanes. The buildings went from small sized bars to hotels and flats, and their colors ranged from the purest white to the darkest black, passing from red, green, yellow or blue. Twilight couldn’t name all the colors she saw, there were so many! Her mind was overloaded with colors. Too bad this is a dream, she thought, if I was told this was a dream I would… A sting of fear pierced her heart with coldness. She moved her head close to Luna’s head rubbing their cheeks together. She had to make herself heard and, even though Luna was flying rather slow, the wind coming against them made the world swirl in the wind currents.

“Luna! What do we do when we meet up with Princess Celestia!?”

Twilight realised they didn’t talk about how to take Celestia out of that dream and now that they were two levels deep inside dreams, the reaction she could have would be nothing but unpleasant. Luna’s voice sounded confident enough to calm Twilight down.

“We will tell her she is dreaming!” said Luna raising her voice to make herself be heard “There could be better ways to get her to wake up, but we have no other choice!”

“You make it sound dangerous!” said Twilight as she grabbed to Luna’s neck tighter.

“It is!” said Luna, the sentence falling inside Twilight’s gut like a ton of bricks “If you tell a dreamer they are dreaming you are attracting attention to you and whoever is inside with you! You can get her subconscious to attack you until it kills you! But we have no choice!”

“Will she wake up if you tell her she’s dreaming!?” inquired Twilight with an even more worried tone.

“No, but she will trust us to take her with us and then wake her up!” replied Luna.

Luna’s horn started glowing brighter than before and so did Twilight’s. They looked at each other as Luna stopped in mid air flapping her wings with a Powerful air slashing sound. Twilight felt her ears deafening with the beating of the feathers against the wind. They had stopped over the road with pegasi flying underneath them. Twilight didn’t need to look to see their black figures leaving black trails behind them like they were made out of smoke. Celestia’s subconscious remained black even at that level of dreaming, which encouraged and terrified Twilight. The faceless ponies were better than ponies she could recognize. Ignoring everything around her she focused her horn towards one of the bars on the right side of the street, situated between a wobbling skyscraper and a shop with wings on its banner.

The bar had a front made out of red columns that looked translucent. Twilight could see the windows through them, a pale warm yellow light coming from the inside. The frame was made out of solid oak, the knots on the wood still visible. The glass wasn’t glass but solid dry ice and the steam coming from it ascended to the sky only to be assimilated by the building’s spongy cloud structure. The door was opened and a cheerful sound of ponies chatting and laughing invited them to step inside. Luna landed in front of the bar, breathing heavily and panting. Twilight hopped off to the ground as she realized she was walking on clouds, without her spell! She guessed since that was a dream she could walk on clouds without a problem. In a city made of clouds, physics mattered little.

“Alright, fine.” said Twilight “Are we going to tell Celestia that she is dreaming?” she added looking at Luna.

Luna rubbed her hoof over the shoulder. The wound didn’t seem to be there anymore but she could see the blood spurting in little dots under her skin and between her coat, staining her hoof and leaving a trail of crimson over her shoulder. It stung her muscles and her bones. Ignoring it the best she could she replied to Twilight.

“Yes, there is no other way we can get her to wake up.” said Luna “I will talk to her first, but I will need your help if she starts to hesitate.”

“Hesitate? Why? What can happen if she hesitates?” said Twilight, thinking it couldn’t be that big of a deal.

“If she hesitates her mind will stop and try to figure out what’s wrong. It’s the first state before her subconscious attacks us and if that happens…Well…”

Twilight didn’t need to know how that sentence followed.

* * *

Rainbow Dash and Pinkie separated from the group as they arrived to Cloudsdale. But neither Rainbow nor Pinkie Pie remembered that. They realized how each time they got inside a dream they couldn’t remember how they got in. In the blink of an eye they went from a rainy evening in Manehattan to a fairly cloudy morning in Cloudsdale. Rainbow Dash was too happy to think too much about it though as she flew over the city while carrying Pinkie Pie on her back. The pink pony clenched to her Pegasus friend with all four legs, her puffy mane straightened by the force of the wind.

“What do we do now?” said Pinkie, her mouth literally stuck inside Rainbow Dash’s ear.

“We have to find Twilight and Luna.” replied Rainbow Dash with half a smile, her focus on flying drifted temporarily to answer to Pinkie “Keep your eyes opened Pinkie.”

“I’ll keep both my eyes out!” said Pinkie Pie with her characteristic screechy determined voice.

“I hope you don’t mean that literally.” mumbled Rainbow Dash.

She got past the Coliseum and the Sports District to step into the Main Street of Cloudsdale. The Main Street was the biggest living area of Cloudsdale as well as the biggest entertainment district. Dash never spent enough time in those places, despite her friends at flying school trying to pull her out of the gym every Friday. That thought made her think of Gilda and a nagging feel of guilt poured into her heart with coldness. Thinking of her left a place inside her chest that felt hollow.

Out of nowhere a blast of wind crossed under her cutting through the air in a perpendicular line above the street. The wind it lifted hit Rainbow Dash right under her wings and threw off her balance.

“Waaaah!” screamed Pinkie Pie.

“What the hay was that!?” said Dash.

“Wh-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-t wa-a-a-as whaa-a-a-a-a-aa-a-at!?” said Pinkie Pie as she spun with Dash.

They rolled in the air, stumbling and twisting without direction. Everything became a blur to Rainbow Dash. She couldn’t see the buildings or the black projections anymore. All she could see was white smudges covered with black smudges and eventual colorful smudges here and there. She yelled at Pinkie Pie, hoping she will hear her.

“Hold on tight!” screamed Dash.

“I-I-I-I-I’m t-t-t-t-try-y-y-y-y-i-i-i-ing!” replied Pinkie Pie.

For anyone who could be looking at them it was like a puff of multicolored wind spun over the Main Street and headed directly to one of the roof tops on the left side of the street. Dash folded her left wing and, sticking it to her body, she extended her right wing and tried to stop the spinning in order to push all the air resistance against her. The wind passing under her belly gave her the chills like a gush of ice cold water. She could feel her body balancing over the clouds. She regained her position and stopped spinning.

“Gotch-AAAAH!”

Sadly she managed to balance in time to see the roof top going right at her with a violence she didn’t expect from a building. The impact was strong and she felt her body sinking upon the fluffy cloud roof. A mist of small clouds lifted around their bodies, covering them in tufts that looked like cotton. Rainbow Dash had an extra crest of white on her mane that she quickly shook off with her hoofs. Pinkie Pie was rolling on her back as she threw hooffuls of clouds. Some of them vanished between her hoofs and others she squeezed so tight they turned into water.

“Woohoo! Let’s do it again!” said the Pink pony.

“Not likely.” said Rainbow Dash “You okay Pinkie?”

“I’m Great! This is so awesome! We’re in your city Dashie! Doesn’t it feel like going back home!? Huh!? Huh!? Huh!?”

Despite her smile, Rainbow Dash wasn’t happy. Not even the natural happiness of Pinkie Pie could cheer her up. She didn’t like Cloudsdale all that much, especially the Entertainment District and the Main Street. She didn’t have fond memories of those places and trying to push those thoughts to the back of her head was of no use in a dream. In a dream her thoughts were everywhere. They surrounded her and haunted her. What was that blast of air that threw away her perfect balance? Was it her? Was her reminiscence creeping inside her memories and popping out of nowhere to hunt her until there was nothing left but guilt? Rainbow Dash bit her lower lip and tried her best not to think about anything but what they had to do.

“Well, it’s nice.” replied Dash with her best smile, despite the circumstances “Did you see Twilight or Luna before we crashed?”

“Oh yeah!” said Pinkie “They’re right…” and she deliberately delayed her reply to extend a hoof and point directly to the building placed right in front of the one they were sitting on “…there!”

Rainbow Dash looked at the building right before them as she saw Luna and Twilight stepping inside. It was a bar, and the light coming from the inside made stepping into it even more appealing than Dash was willing to admit. The Alicorn and the unicorn disappeared, engulfed by the yellow light, as Rainbow Dash sat down on the roof top and put her fore hoofs on the edge of it.

“I guess we’ve got to play the Waiting Game now.” sighed Rainbow Dash.

“Oh, yes! Yes! Yes! Oh yes! I love games! How do you play that!?” bounced Pinkie Pie.

* * *

The bar had a very roomy atmosphere. There were tables full of pegasi from every rank and social class. Twilight could tell from the shape of their clothes and the trim of their manes. She noticed the glasses and stacks of books on some tables and figured those were intellectual pegasi discussing the economy. There was a Piano at the back of the bar, empty at the moment. The lamps hanging from the ceiling laid a comfortable light over them with the warmth of the sun. There was a bar attended by the shade of a Pegasus with spiky hair and squared muzzle. Twilight had the feeling she’d seen him before, which made her wonder if their subconscious wasn’t slipping inside Celestia’s dreams by accident.

“There…” whispered Luna.

Twilight directed her eyesight to where Luna was looking and, certainly, there she was. Princess Celestia sat at the end of the bar, one of her hoofs holding a glass of something and her sight lost in the bottom of it. She looked somber and her mane flowed calmly behind and over her shoulders. Her wings were folded over her back and even like that they were overwhelmingly big.

“How do we approach her?” said Twilight.

“I will talk to her first.” said Luna “If she starts to breath heavily or if she gets too nervous then intervene. Stay calm and focused. She knows you as good as she knows me Twilight.”

“Alright.” said Twilight.

Luna led the way, flinching at each step. She whipped the blood from her coat and rubbed the hoof on the floor, leaving a dark brownish stain shaped like a horseshoe. Twilight looked at it unable to hide her concern as she kept walking behind the Princess. Luna stopped by Celestia’s side and cleared her throat. Celestia didn’t reply. She was so cold! Luna could feel a virulent current of cold air emanating from her sister’s body. Without touching her Luna circled behind her sister and sat on her right. Celestia didn’t move.

“Sister?” said Luna with a very soft voice.

Expecting no reply whatsoever, Luna’s stomach jumped when Princess Celestia turned her head to the right and planted her big eyes on hers. She was smiling and her expression was that of somebody who just woke up. Her hoof played with the empty glass on the bar counter and when she talked her voiced sounded sweet and clean with a happy tone like nothing was happening.

“Hello Little Sister.” said Celestia “What are you doing here?”

Luna felt a striking pain inside her chest. She never knew if it was caused by her wound or by her worry.

* * *

“So, how does this game works!?” Pinkie Pie was still excited about Playing the Waiting Game.

“We wait.” said Rainbow Dash “There’s no winner by the way.” she added.

“That doesn’t sound fun.” said Pinkie Pie with a gloomy tone as she stopped bouncing “Oh! I know how it can be funnier!” and as her mood whiplashed she jumped behind Rainbow Dash and pulled a couple of cloud tufts from the roof top.

Rainbow Dash turned around as her eyes turned into a mask of abject terror. Pinkie Pie was shaping the cloud tufts into instruments. There was a xylophone, a tuba and an accordion. They all were white colored and had cloudy texture, but Pinkie used her abilities to turn the fluffy material into solid golden metal. Rainbow Dash rushed and pounced Pinkie Pie, pinning her to the ground right before she could take the Tuba’s mouthpiece between her lips.

“Are you crazy Pinkie Pie!?” said Rainbow Dash as she snickered to herself at that question “If you play those instruments those dark Pegasi will attack us. We have to stay hidden”

Pinkie’s expression was of surprise at first but then she nodded with a cheerful smile and patted Rainbow Dash on her head.

“It’s alright silly.” said Pinkie Pie “I promise you I won’t play those instruments.”

She was going to get off Rainbow Dash when a rumbling noise shook the building they were standing on. Rainbow Dash looked at the xylophone Pinkie had made and saw the keys vibrating, making a tingling noise that gave her the creeps. There was some marble that cracked from the roof top and fell on the sidewalk. Pinkie looked up to see some clouds vanishing or turning into columns of water that precipitated, dissolving before touching the ground and turning into vapor. Rainbow Dash got off Pinkie Pie as the rumble stopped, the floor returning to its normal steady self.

“What was that?” said Pinkie Pie with more curiosity than concern in her voice.

“No idea.” said Rainbow Dash “But it feels like Fluttershy’s having problems up there.”

Nuliefied reservation.

Fluttershy was flying at her fastest, which wasn’t fast enough to outrun the relentless creatures that attacked her. She looked behind to protect her face from the rain and to see if she was still being followed. She saw two figures, dead eyes and mechanized bodies catching up with her. She then looked at the big carriage she had behind her and through the windows noticed her friends were still asleep. They looked so peaceful. That eased her fears as she turned to the left and passed between two tall buildings. She was trying to lose those mechanized alicorns but so far there was no success in her plans.

Turning left made the carriage tilt to the right as an air current sent a blast against the bottom of it, making it vibrate.

* * *

Inside the bar Twilight saw the glasses tilt and tinker between each other as the bottles behind the counter moved to the left. She could feel a minor gravity shift inside her gut as she slowly moved to the back of the bar in the direction Princess Luna was. Princess Celestia changed her facial expression from calm to quizzical. Narrowing her eyes she asked in the same voice tone but tentatively.

“So, what is it you want Little Sister?”

Luna gave Twilight a concerned glance as she moved closer to Celestia. She remained silent as she looked over her shoulder at the projections inside the bar. They were still chatting between each other. Parts of Celestia’s mind talking between each other like they were in the middle of a sick theatrical play. The projections didn’t move though meaning Celestia’s subconscious was still unaware that she was inside a dream. She turned her head to Celestia and Luna, breathing heavily and rapidly. She could feel her heart pounding harder as she wondered why was all that happening. She looked at the drinks on the tables and saw the liquid inside rumbling, the vibrations going through her legs and inside her body. She bit her lower lip.

“Big Sister…” said Luna, her voice sounding more serious than usual. She had to measure her words carefully “I am here to tell you something. I need you to listen to me very carefully.”

Celestia moved her eyes rapidly left and right before focusing them again on Luna. Twilight could feel something was going more than wrong. The murmur inside the bar was growing weaker as she started to see white dots appearing on the featureless faces of those pegasi. The indigo colored unicorn felt the cold grip of fear striking her. She couldn’t help it.

“Alright.” said Celestia, her voice now sounded more like the authority figure Twilight grew up with “What is this you have to tell me Princess Luna?”

“I came here to tell you…something.” started Luna “Something you can’t remember but that you know deep inside.”

Twilight noticed how Celestia’s mane shifted into a terrifying shape. Its natural flow of round lines and soft tones started changing to an unnatural creep of angular shapes and dark tones. The pinks and blues turned into dark reds and blacks. The murmur was practically non existent now. Outside she could hear a light rumbling and noticed the sun light getting blocked by something she couldn’t see.

* * *

Fluttershy was doing all she could to stay away from the Mechanized Alicorns, but their attacks were unstoppable. One fire ball passed right underneath her and she caught the smell of burning wood. Panicking, she realized the carriage caught fire on one of the wheels. It was small but she was frenzied enough to turn around and fly lower to an area where the houses were stuck together with little separation between each other. She flew into the alleyway as she tilted the carriage slightly to the right making water pour on the wheel.

Some streams dropped water inside the carriage, spraying all over Twilight’s face.

* * *

Rainbow Dash looked at the clouds above the city. They changed from white to black in the blink of an eye. The black spread inside the clouds like ink spreads inside a drop of water and thunders roared in between them. The clouds inflated until they grew big enough to block the sun light, and lightning sprouted when the storms collided between each other. When the rain poured over them it did it without mercy. It fell over them like a waterfall. With their manes and tails flattened by the water, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie jumped off the roof top and hopped inside through the door, splashing on the sidewalk and being careful not to fall off the edge of it.

“What happened? Why is it raining?” said Pinkie Pie.

“Maybe Fluttershy opened a window in the carriage.” said Rainbow Dash shaking the water off of her coat.

Pinkie Pie shrugged.

“Whatever happens I bet Twilight will find a way around it. She always does!” and when she looked around the store they stepped inside she added “Oh hey Dashie! Look! They have eyes now!”

Rainbow Dash looked at Pinkie Pie as the creeping sensation of being observed grew within her. It crawled inside her nape, scratched at her spine and forced her to stand still until her neck felt numb. She didn’t need to turn around though. She could feel those eyes picking at her all over her body.

“How many are in here Pinkie?” whispered Dash.

“Oh, about twenty!” said Pinkie with a cheerful note “Huh, that’s funny.”

“…W-What’s funny Pinkie?” Rainbow Dash’s voice sounded devoid of life.

“I think I can also see their mouths.”

* * *

Twilight could see from inside the bar how the sun light disappeared and the water poured with sudden violence. A storm formed out of nowhere. She touched her face feeling wet and coldness spreading over her cheek. She turned to Luna and gave her an anxious look as she ogled at the pegasi sitting around the bar. The murmur was gone now and their faces had almost fully grown eyes on them. Luna stuttered for a moment before continuing.

“Y-…you know this is not real.” said Luna “This is not the real world Big Sister. You are in a dream”

Before Luna finished talking Twilight saw all the pegasi in the bar stop, turn their faces at them and stare with those glowing white eyes. She turned to Celestia and Luna. The white Princess had a shocked expression in her face, her eyes fixed on Luna’s and her mouth opened in a gap of abject terror. She wasn’t breathing hard or hyper ventilating. She was paralyzed.

“Big Sister, you have to trust me.” Luna’s voice sounded riddled with fear.

This is not working, thought Twilight. Luna wouldn’t convince her sister, and if she didn’t convince her sister then her subconscious will tear them all apart. She had to do something. Intervene. Twilight bolted from where she was, jumped between both sisters and placed her hoofs on Celestia’s shoulders.

“Twilight, don’t!!!” cried Luna.

As soon as Twilight touched Celestia the pegasi stood up all around them in the bar and took a step forwards but didn’t move any further. They pushed the tables aside and adopted a fighting stance ready to smite Twilight and Luna. They were not talking anymore and the only sounds floating in the room were the glasses tinkering and the bottles twinkling.

“Princess! Look at me!” said Twilight in the most calmed voice she could use “It’s me, Twilight! Twilight Sparkle, your most prized Pupil.”

Celestia looked at Twilight as if she didn’t know who she was. The projections took a step forwards. Luna took a step back and cooed in submission. The pain inside her chest affected her braveness and she didn’t know how to react against such attack. Twilight continued as the shadows drew closer to them.

“Princess, you taught me everything I know. You taught me to be brave, to not be afraid of my abilities.” another step closer. Twilight could see them a few steps behind Celestia, those white eyes and slightly over their jaw line a thin white line suggesting a mouth “Don’t be afraid now Princess.”

* * *

Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash were cornered inside the store. They couldn’t reach the door because two projections blocked the way, and they couldn’t jump out the windows because they were covered with bars. Dash pushed herself against a barrel and pulled Pinkie Pie close to her. The projections were now around thirty and their eyes were not the only thing glowing in their black faces. With a devilish grin they now featured big mouths that, when opened, showed endless rows of teeth in what looked like a bottomless hole of a throat.

Rainbow Dash pushed her face against Pinkie’s, scared to her deepest as she trembled and shake in fear. They looked inside those gaping mouths knowing they were going to be torn apart. Pinkie Pie thought she could call upon a rain of anvils and bring the projections to an end, but if she did so she would risk to destroy the little stability the dream had left, killing the minds of her friends. She could only curl against Rainbow Dash, hiding her fear as best as she could.

“Dashie…Dashie, don’t worry. Everything will be fine.”

Dash didn’t reply and wrapped her hoofs around Pinkie Pie’s face pulling her close. If they were going to die she might as well save Pinkie Pie from looking at it. She swallowed saliva for what she felt would be the last time and closed her eyes, the odorless breath of those shadows licking their faces.

* * *

“Princess…”

Twilight felt desperate and mentally exhausted. Her brow was coated with sweat and her back ached. She had her hoofs firmly gripped on Celestia’s shoulders and she could see the projections now surrounding them. They were on the bar counter, on the tables and in between them and Luna. She was growing desperate and those projections seemed to be growing hungrier. She saw those mouths and those bottomless throats and her panic grew bigger. Luna whimpered pressing her back against the wall unable to say a word and her wound opening on her chest, ripping the flesh off of it.

“Princess…please…”

Twilight closed her eyes and in one last act of desperation hugged Celestia. She didn’t know why she did that. She was so desperate, Twilight felt the only way she could pull Celestia out of her paralysis was with some of the affection she gave her over the years. Twilight laid her head against her chest giving a comforting and reassuring hug. If she was going to die and lose her mind she would do it hugging the one who she cared for and admired the most.

“Twilight.”

She opened her eyes. She didn’t realize but she was crying. The first thing Twilight Sparkle saw was that the Projections had stopped moving towards them. They were standing inches away from their bodies, their mouths open yet not attacking. Twilight raised her head and with a slightly cracked up voice talked to her teacher.

“Yes, yes Princess Celestia! It’s me!”

“Twilight, are you saying this…this is all a dream?” she sounded confused but her voice was calm and didn’t crack when talking.

“That’s exactly what’s going on Princess.” said Twilight “We are inside your dream, and we have come here to get you out, to save you. You are in danger.”

She made a pause and scrutinized Celestia’s expression to make sure she understood it. She looked side to side, staring at the projections with her mouth agape in an expression of disbelief. Twilight decided to let her analyze the situation she was into for as long as she wanted. The projections were not moving anymore and she seemed more relaxed now. Luna moved away from the wall and stepped closer until she put one of her hoofs on her sister’s foreleg. The warm touch gave Celestia the shadow of a smile, a little twinkle of the corner of her mouth.

“Don’t worry Big Sister. Relax. You know how it is, you remember from the therapy sessions I went to.” said Luna, her voice though firm had a touch of worry “Accept the fact that you are in a dream. Breathe calmly. Accept that, and accept that we are here to save you.”

Twilight realized Luna’s words were the last push Celestia needed to accept what lied before her. Princess Celestia turned her face to Twilight, then to her sister. She swallowed hard and nodded with the slightest head move.

“This is not real. You’ve come to save me.” said Celestia.

Twilight didn’t see it right away because it happened really fast, but in the flutter of a humming bird the projections moved from where they were, hounding and overwhelming her and Luna, and back to their seats and drinks. Their mouths zipped and disappeared at the same time their eyes were swallowed by the black featureless faces. Twilight welcomed the feel of relief like a warm liquid filling her limbs.

“That’s right Big Sister. We are here to save you.”

* * *

Rainbow Dash was surprised to not feel anything at all. She opened her eyes tentatively, thinking she would wake up and remember nothing. But she knew she was Rainbow Dash. She knew she loved flying. And she knew the strawberry smell that filled her nostrils came from Pinkie Pie’s mane, tangled around her muzzle. She noticed how before her there was nothing. Those mouths were not there as well as those eyes. The projections had drifted out of the store leaving it in darkness and empty.

“Uhm, Dashie…You can…let go now.”

Pinkie Pie’s voice sounded from under her chin. Rainbow Dash looked down and realized she was still hugging her close and tightly. Pinkie Pie seemed happy to be like that though. Rainbow Dash gave her a gentle squeeze and let her go, standing up and moving away from the corner as she rubbed her hoof on her foreleg. The embarrassment made her blush.

“You…You okay Pinkie Pie?” said Rainbow Dash.

Pinkie bounced around happy. To her it was as if they were not about to lose their minds into Limbo a few seconds ago. She might have been scared but that was then. Now she was happy, bouncy, cheery and all super joyful.

“Of course I am!” said Pinkie with a rush of happiness in her voice “I was with you the whole time! I knew we would be safe!”

Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow as she looked again at the store making sure there were no more shadows inside. It was empty. She wondered how those shadows could move with that ease inside the dream world and if they could do it too. But the thought that occupied her head in that moment was if the shadows, if those projections, could take the shape and aspect of ponies she knew in the real world. And not only ponies but childhood friends and family. A shiver ran over her spine.

“O…Of course Pinkie.” she said, her voice raspy at the start “You know I’ll always keep you and everypony else safe! Come on, we have to meet up with Twilight and Luna.”

“Okie Dokie Loki!” giggled Pinkie as she followed Rainbow Dash out of the store.

* * *

“If this is a dream, who is keeping me down here?” asked Celestia.

Twilight looked around them as she noticed the projections were not moving and the murmur cacophony remained stable at a medium level of noise. She was relieved to see that Celestia’s subconscious wouldn’t react to a normal conversation but it wasn’t the right place to talk about their plan. She didn’t know who could be listening and maybe even that pony that kept Celestia under that dream was around there, creeping within the shadows. Twilight looked at Celestia, Luna standing behind her.

“Princess, we think you are not safe in this place. We have to take you somewhere else, away from these projections.” said Twilight.

“But this is my subconscious. They are not going to hurt you Twilight, nor will they hurt you Little Sister.” she said that last line looking at Luna with concern.

“This other pony, the one controlling you, she can even turn your subconscious against yourself.” explained Twilight “The sooner we move away from this place the better.”

Celestia looked at her student and then at her Little Sister. In other circumstances Twilight would have seen Celestia with an ominous expression followed by a smile and a polite answer. Maybe even a little joke to ease things down. In this case Celestia was acting in a way Twilight had never seen her before: She was serious. Her expression beamed authority and gravity. She could ask anyone to do something and they would, shaking and fearing for their lives. She stood up and away from the bar counter. Twilight looked over Celestia to see two other Pegasi standing up next to the bar’s entrance. She looked at Luna.

“We leave through the back door.” said Twilight in a whisper.

Luna nodded and moved back until her body hit the wall. She gestured with her head to Celestia and she followed it to the right of the bar. Luna flinched at the pain on her shoulder as she rubbed a hoof over it. The wound was now bigger than it was on the upper dream but the bleeding wasn’t that bad. Twilight moved to Luna and they both followed Celestia out of the bar through the back door. She could feel those projections moving in close. Before closing the door behind them and locking it she could see their wings were red and black instead of just black, with an aura that resembled fire.

Gritty horse eater.

Rainbow Dash was growing impatient and even though the projections were ignoring them she was also getting worried. Twilight, Luna and Celestia didn’t step out of the bar yet. Rainbow Dash knew that Twilight had done something to keep the shadow pegasi away from slaughtering them, but it was taking them too long to step out of the bar.

“Still nothing.” muttered Rainbow Dash.

They were sitting in front of the store they had been hiding as Pinkie Pie munched on a candy cane she took from her mane looking at the Pegasi passing by. She was bored from playing The Waiting Game, so she just found a much more entertaining game to play.

“Black one…Black one…Black one…”

“Where are they?” complained Rainbow Dash.

Pinkie gave one last lick to the candy cane and stuffed it back inside her mane as she looked at Rainbow Dash. The Pegasus pony didn’t look back at her.

“Maybe they left the bar someway else!” said Pinkie with a cheerful voice tone.

Rainbow Dash shook her head as she rolled her eyes. It was a ridiculous idea, she thought, the only reason Twilight could have to not leave the bar through the front door…Her mind snapped as she lifted Pinkie Pie on her back, flapped her wings and took off from the ground leaving a trail of clouds behind her. Pinkie was confused.

“What’s going on!?” said Pinkie.

“You’re right! That’s what’s going on!” replied Rainbow Dash.

* * *

Twilight and Luna galloped behind Celestia as they traversed behind the bar and into what looked like an open air hallway. The houses on either side were so close together that the alleyways were non existent, and the lack of doors on them gave them the feel they stepped inside a dungeon. The absence of ceiling allowed Twilight to see the sky, now clearer than before with the rain and the wind gone. From time to time a shadow Pegasus flew over their heads leaving a black trail behind it, though it wasn’t those shadow pegasi what concerned Twilight. It was those big, blazing pegasi that followed them.

Twilight turned around and saw them in the opposite end of the hallway stepping outside of the bar’s door. A burst of splinters indicated they just destroyed the door. The pegasi stepped outside and glared at Twilight, Luna and Celestia. Celestia wanted to step forwards but her sister stopped her.

“No.” said Luna “We take care of these…” but before she could end her sentence she collapsed onto the ground.

“Sister!!” Celestia caught Luna right before her head hit the ground. Despite it being made out of clouds it was also covered in marble tiles. Celestia looked at her sister’s chest and noticed the big gaping wound.

Twilight wanted to check up on Luna to see if she was okay but she had to face those blazing pegasi. She padded the ground and snorted, blowing off two small clouds of steam. Her horn glowed with a yellow light as she charged up a lightning spell. The pegasi took a few steps closer to Twilight and she did the same, shortening the distance between them. The pegasi started moving faster and so did Twilight. The ground trembled under her hoofs and when she fired the lightning spell the clouds underneath her turned black and a wave of lightning hit the blazing pegasi. Twilight had a triumphant expression in her face but it didn’t last long. The pegasi shook off the attack and charged straight at Twilight. They were stronger than those in the first dream level. With the distance shorter than before she had no chance of avoiding them. In a more instinctive than rational act, she turned around and lifted her hind legs hoping she would hit one of them in the process.

“Hold on Twilight!”

A familiar voice came from above as Twilight, Luna and Celestia looked up to see Rainbow Dash’s figure cut out against the sun light and drifting directly against the blazing pegasi. She had an expression that conveyed both anger and ecstasy. She was smiling while snarling. With one hoof extended she charged against the two pegasi. Sadly, she never did that. A black and white shadow popped from beneath the floor and hit Rainbow Dash right on her right side. She could feel her ribs bending against her lungs and even a snap. One of those broke, that she knew. Pinkie Pie got ejected from Rainbow Dash’s back and landed on one of the blazing pegasi. Twilight used the confusion to charge against the other pegasi hitting him in the gut with her horn at the same time she charged up a stunning spell. The pegasi flew up into the air and landed on the floor twenty feet away over his neck. It snapped like a dry branch. Pinkie made a boxing glove appear on her fore hooves and brought them down with the Pegasus head between them. The impact was strong enough to make the Pegasus explode in a puff of black smoke.

Celestia was holding her sister up. Princess Luna coughed with a very dry throat as she felt the warm blood going up and out of her mouth. It was just a few drops but that enough to make her panic. Twilight got next to Pinkie Pie and helped her get up.

“Where were you?” said Twilight.

“Oh, we were waiting for you to get out! But you didn’t! So we came here! And here we are! And Rainbow Dash! Oh, Rainbow D-a-a-ash!” Pinkie called with her characteristic cheerful voice tone but when she turned around her expression changed to a more somber one.

Rainbow Dash stood up. She looked around to make sure of where she was. She was behind the bar, in an awfully clean and aseptic alley made out of clouds and marble covered buildings. She was going to charge onto one of the pegasi attacking Twilight but something had knocked her out cold against the ground. She couldn’t see what it was until she stood up. It wasn’t something. It was someone and when she saw her, Dash felt inside her stomach the sensation of falling with nothing and nobody to catch her. She saw the feathers all over the head and the neck, the sharp talons and the magnificent wings. Half of the body was pure white and the other half was black. Half of the body was of an eagle, and the other half was of a lion. And all of it was terrifying.

“Hello, Dweeb.” said Gilda.

Rainbow Dash stood up taking strength out of nowhere and tried to stand firm against that projection. She started moving to the right in a circular motion so she could stand between her friends and that thing. The eyes were empty without pupils.

“Rainbow! She’s not the Real Gilda!” said Twilight.

“No! Really?” mocked Rainbow Dash with a good dose of irony, “I know it’s just a shadow Twilight. And before you say it, yes, I know I brought her here from my own subconscious. Don’t worry; I’ll be done in a jiffy.”

She’s all my guilt, thought Dash, I created her and now I have to finish her. She is not real. Then Twilight’s words cut through her like an icy knife.

“No! Rainbow, you don’t get it! That Dark Presence, the pony that’s controlling the dream? I can feel it inside that Projection!”

Rainbow Dash widened her eyes only to narrow them and throw the most bitter look of hatred she’d ever give in her life. That was very low. Not only was that other Powerful pony attacking them and trying to kill them but now it was getting inside their minds and using their feelings as bludgeoning weapons. Guilt, remorse and regret. Rainbow Dash had a lot of that and it had taken the shape of Gilda.

“More reasons for me to stay behind.” said Rainbow Dash “I’ll buy you time while you find a place to stay. I’ll deal with her first and then join you.”

“I’m not gonna leave you Dashie!” yelled Pinkie Pie, her voice broken, sounding nothing like her cheerful self.

“You won’t Pinkie.” said Rainbow Dash “Remember, I’m sleeping in Celestia’s bed with you. We’ll all wake up soon and be together again. But now, you guys gotta go!”

She looked at Gilda and a sting of sadness hit her right in the gut. Gilda wasn’t really there. She really did not exist. What she was looking at was a shadow, a projection her mind created and put inside that dream. Whether she was being used by that Powerful pony that kept Celestia under this dream prison or if it was just a piece of her mind looking for revenge that she didn’t know. However, she knew she had to resolve this situation once and for all, resolve her issues and confront what she had been avoiding all this time.

“Get outta here!” shouted Rainbow Dash.

There was no time to decide, no time to think and no time to act rationally. Twilight looked at Celestia, Luna and Pinkie Pie and then back at Rainbow Dash. She had to decide, and decided to leave her friend behind.

“How will you find us?” said Twilight, each word hitting her like a punch in the gut.

“My house.” said Rainbow Dash “Look for my house here. It looks exactly like the one I have in Ponyville. Stay in there and I’ll come find you all.”

Rainbow Dash adopted a fighting stance.

“Now go!”

Those were the last words Twilight heard Rainbow Dash say for a very long time. She didn’t say anything. She didn’t even attempt to get close to Rainbow Dash and give her a pat on the shoulder or even a small hug. All she could do was stare back at her friend as she pushed Pinkie Pie, Celestia and Luna away from the scene. She saw Rainbow Dash talking to Gilda and they both engaged in a conversation before starting to fight. Twilight caught nothing of it as she was trotting away and outside of the hallway of houses and back into the Main Street of Cloudsdale. She didn’t realize the sky was turning from blue to orange, the clouds switching their cottony white texture to a darker brownish burnt marshmallow color. Luna limped towards Twilight, now a thread of blood flowing from her chest wound down her leg, staining the cloud she was standing on.

“Rainbow Dash’s house…” started Luna as she rubbed a hoof over her chin to clear off the blood lines formed from the corner of her mouth “…where…w-where can we find it?”

“In this dream world, I am not sure.” said Twilight “But knowing Rainbow Dash, it sure is in a high place. We have to fly up.”

Luna huffed as she passed her neck under Twilight’s body and flipped her up on her back. Twilight was surprised she still had that much strength after all the blood loss and the excruciating pain. Luna felt the stabbing wound to open even more, ripping off her flesh and muscle. Ignoring it the best she could she lifted off the clouds and flew away from the Main Street.

“Follow me Big Sister!” she yelled at Celestia, the strain making her cough more blood.

Celestia took Pinkie Pie on her back and followed her sister. Her wing span was magnificent, that of such a big Alicorn. Pinkie couldn’t see where they were going because of those broad wings. She grabbed Celestia’s body with all her hoofs and embraced herself for what she expected would be a bumpy ride. Pinkie didn’t feel all that well. Her stomach hurt and it wasn’t because she was hungry. She felt she left her friend behind with nothing to defend her. Deep inside her mind something snapped, making Pinkie Pie feel miserable, guilty. She rested her head on Celestia’s neck unable to remove Rainbow Dash from her thoughts.

* * *

“So Dash, are you done with those lame-os or do I have to knock some sense into ya?”

Rainbow Dash took a step forwards. Her face showed no emotion, hiding it pretty well. Her mind was a swarm of rage and fury but she had to put it all back as much as she could in order to distract that shadow and give Celestia and Luna more time.

“You can try all you want.” said Rainbow Dash “Gilda wouldn’t be so stupid as to face against me. She knows I’ll win.”

“Hah! Sure!” her voice sounded cocky, her head tilted with every word “All you’re gonna win is a kick in the face!”

Rainbow Dash stopped moving and sat down, shaking her head at the projection. What she was staring at wasn’t even a shadow of her friend. It was just an amalgamation of all Rainbow Dash hated about Gilda turned into a weak and apparently fragile puff of smoke.

“No, I so won’t.” said Rainbow Dash, a smirk drawing on her face “I thought I’d face the memory of Gilda but…You’re not even close. I can’t believe that pony used only the bad memories, the bad feelings, the…the bad experiences to create you. You’re pathetic.”

Gilda’s smile faded from her face being replaced by pure anger. Her beak contorted into a grimace gesture of anger as she dug her claws on the floor and raised her hind quarters, flapping her wings and spreading them ready to charge right against Rainbow Dash. The Pegasus pony just looked at Gilda with an expression of disgust.

“You’re not even a shadow of my friend. You can’t use her memory against me ‘cuz you only used the bad ones.” she said. And there are a lot more good than bad memories with me and Gilda, she thought.

The shadow of Gilda shrieked making the clouds around them blow up. Puffs of steam exploded around Rainbow Dash who saw how the street started to shatter, the walls of the hallway/alley crumbled and collapsed, only a few walls and the floor remained. The confusion and the air covered in white smoke blocked her vision and she didn’t see Gilda charging right against her until it was too late. The Shadow Gryphon punched Dash right in the stomach and threw her back. Rainbow Dash got the air sucked out of her as her eyes widened and they fell against the ground, the impact on her wings made less painful thanks to the spongy ground but hurting nonetheless. Dash threw a hoof against Gilda’s face and she felt something cracked. She didn’t hurt her hoof so she hoped it was Gilda’s cheekbone. Dash threw the Gryphon away with one of her fore legs and stood up holding her stomach.

“Darn…She’s strong…” muttered Dash, feeling the saliva clotting her mouth. She spit on the ground and charged against Gilda again.

The Gryphon turned and pushed Rainbow Dash away with her lion legs, sending the Pegasus pony into the air. Gilda flipped and regained her position on the ground before flapping her wings and propelling herself up and against Rainbow Dash, smashing her head against the Pegasus’ sternum. Dash felt dazed and her head started spinning. They were moving so fast she couldn’t see the sky or the clouds, all she could feel was how much her chest hurt and that Gilda was pushing both of them against a building. Dash braced for impact folding her wings and closing her eyes.

The building was made out of clouds but the windows were made out of dry ice. When Dash and Shadow Gilda went through them they shattered and some fragments stabbed Dash on her back. She screamed in agony as the glassy ice pierced her skin and muscles. She felt the clouds disappearing under their bodies as they crossed through the building like a meteorite, splitting it in half. Dash and Gilda emerged from the other side of the building. Rainbow Dash put both her fore legs between her and Gilda and pushed the Gryphon away so she could punch her in the face again. This time something sprayed her face. It was a black liquid. Is this what they have for blood?, she thought. She looked at the building they just broke through. The upper part was collapsing onto the alley they just were. The upper half of the building crumbled due to the weight of the marble used for the floors and the windows. Making no noise it crumbled upon the street. It disappeared into a puff of vapor and the marble tiles cracked into pieces after losing what sustained them.

Dash looked at Gilda, still feeling her stomach queasy from the impact, as she reached a hoof at her back to check if she was too badly injured from the glass. She didn’t feel a thing but noticed she had several shards stuck between her wings and over her hind quarters. She ignored them, I’ll remove them later, she thought, as she adopted another fighting stance flapping with her wings in mid air. Shadow Gilda gave her a deformed snarl and charged against Rainbow Dash, her face retorted into a mask of anguish after all the punches she threw at her. Dash grabbed Gilda by the neck, Gilda grabbed Dash by the chest and they continued fighting. Rainbow Dash noticed they were leaving the Main Street heading east. There was nothing east from the Main Street except…except for the Weather Factory.

Allegoric Placement.

It didn’t take Twilight and Luna too long to find Rainbow Dash’s house. After flying up for a couple of minutes Twilight could distinguish the lavish design of her friend’s house. It had a central tower, three floors tall, with columns, windows shaped like portholes with curled clouds under them and around the roof. The roof top itself was round like a dome and a rainbow sprouted from it falling over a group of clouds set next to the base of the house. These groups of clouds opened around their base letting the liquid rainbow pour in the shape of tiny water streams like spurts. A small path lead from the exterior of the house to an armor-clad door made out of oak and steel. The whole house could easily be the most beautiful house Twilight knew of.

“Is that Rainbow Dash’s house?” said Luna, her surprise making her ignore the pain in her chest for a couple of seconds “It’s gorgeous…”

“Yes, yes it is.” said Twilight “Quick, we have to get inside before anything else happens.”

Luna landed on the path followed by Princess Celestia. Pinkie Pie bounced from the Princess’ back to the ground. Not even the feel of the fluffy clouds in her hoofs cheered her up. She walked away from Celestia and her friends, getting to the house’s door first. Twilight frowned and smacked her tongue, feeling sorry for Pinkie. She couldn’t know what she was going through. Twilight was a very good friend of Rainbow Dash, but Pinkie was like a sister for the Pegasus pony. They were very close together, so much so that losing touch between them would break the poor Pink pony’s heart. Luna limped next to Twilight, reminding her why they were there.

“Come on.” said Luna “We h-have to g…” she couldn’t finish, the pain didn’t even let her talk.

“I get you.” said Twilight passing one of Luna’s fore legs over her shoulder.

Celestia was still behind, walking really slowly over the clouds. Twilight looked behind her to see she was acting like a child. She moved her hoofs over the clouds and lifted small specks of the vapory stuff before her eyes. Twilight didn’t understand why Celestia was doing that. Was she getting controlled? Was she regressing to a lesser mind state to the point she thought she was a foal? Twilight sounded more annoyed than worried when she shouted at the Princess.

“Princess! Come on!” she tried to compel the authoritative tone Celestia used with her when she was a filly.

Celestia looked at Twilight with surprise and as she groaned in annoyance she stopped fooling around with the clouds and stepped forwards. Then Twilight noticed the clouds underneath Celestia and her semblance switched from calm to panic. The clouds turned black and grey under the Princess, the light on her stomach changing color due to the sun refracting through the storm clouds. A wind started swirling around her lifting specks and tufts of cloud like debris. A series of lightning bolts sprouted from the spongy matter making Celestia stop and back up in fear. The lightning cracked and snapped, deafening her and reflecting on her coat with explosive yellows and sickening blues. Instinctively she spread her wings and tried to fly away but two lightning sparks hit her and she plummeted to the ground. Celestia fell on her left side, her face getting stuck inside the clouds and her wings feeling numb. It terrified her not being able to feel her wings, she wished she got injured instead so the pain would remind her that her wings were there. Twilight let go of Luna’s foreleg and ran towards her Teacher. The Moon Princess tried to run towards her sister but the injury on her chest prevented her from doing so. She was now bleeding more profusely than before.

“Princess!!!” she screamed.

“Twi…Twilight!” screamed Celestia back from underneath the clouds.

The floor before Twilight raised into a wall of black clouds and lightning that blocked her view of Celestia. It made a terrifying sound of a rift opening on the soil with a juicy crunch of clouds being ripped apart. She could hear the Princess scream and struggle with her invisible adversary. An air current spiraled over Celestia until it turned into a tornado, spinning faster and faster until Twilight’s ears went deaf from the force of the wind and the whirling cutting sounds. In that plethora of noise and disorientation Twilight could hear a deep, ghostly voice, very clearly saying.

“BEGONE WITH YOU!!!”

Then as quickly as it appeared the wall of black clouds disappeared and all that was left was a sleeping Princess Celestia. Twilight and Luna widened their eyes in surprise as Luna tried to run towards her sister only to have her left foreleg fail and collapse onto the spongy floor.

“Sister…” she could only say that “Sister, sister…”

Twilight moved towards Celestia and checked her vitals. She seemed to be okay. She had a pulse and her breathing was stable. There were no physical injuries of any kind. Not even her wings seemed injured after the lighting struck her. Twilight figured out that whatever that tornado was it just got her into another sleep state, meaning she was dreaming again. All their work just got thrown out the window. Twilight cursed in a low voice as she hit the ground with her hoof. The clouds only made her feel more frustrated. She wanted to hurt her hoof to relieve that frustration, not just bounce it on the marshmallowy floor.

“Now what do we do!?” said Twilight.

“She’s…she’s asleep, Twilight” said Luna “We do as before. We…we…”

“Another level?” that was unfathomably risky. Going deep one dream level was dangerous enough, but getting inside another dream while being inside a dream into another dream…Twilight’s head started to hurt “Luna, we shouldn’t. We are putting too much at risk!”

“I know…” said Luna “But…if my sister doesn’t wake up, if…if this presence destroys and keeps her mind locked in there, Equestria will remain in Darkness. We have to take her back, Twilight.”

“I can’t…Luna, we shouldn’t.” she sounded less convinced now “We may never come back home, and you are mortally wounded. We can’t lose you either!”

Luna looked at her sister held between Twilight’s forelegs. She looked so peaceful, oblivious of what happened around her. Luna closed her eyes as tears rolled down her cheeks. She remembered their mother, those days at the beach during summer school. It was so beautiful. Celestia would always fall asleep reaching the end of the day, right when Luna felt the most awake and active.

“All I’m asking you Twilight is to take a leap of faith.” said Luna.

Twilight smiled shyly as she looked at Pinkie Pie. The Pink pony was standing by the door with a gloomy expression in her face, waiting for them to get inside. Twilight couldn’t comprehend what Pinkie was going through at this moment. There were too many things to worry about and she had to act. She had to decide. Once again all the weight of the decision laid on her shoulders and she hated it. She hated it and she wanted to get away from there as fast as she could. With a groan Twilight shook her head and then looked at Luna.

“Alright” said Twilight “Pinkie! I need your help!” and in a more relaxed voice tone she asked to Luna “Can you walk towards the house by yourself?”

“Yes. That I can still do…” said Luna as she dragged towards the house.

Pinkie stopped by to help Luna get inside. She was silent and her eyes were those of a depressed pony who lost her best friend. She didn’t know how Rainbow Dash was or if she was going to be safe leaving her there all by herself. Pinkie did her best to push those feelings away and focused on helping Luna get inside the house. She returned to Twilight and together they carried Celestia inside as well.

“I swear I heard that voice before.” said Twilight, thinking Pinkie was listening to her “I can’t put my hoof on it, but I know I heard it somewhere.”

Pinkie did not reply, which worried Twilight more than she expected. She looked at the Pink pony as they carried Celestia and noticed how her coat was darker now. Her hair was still puffy and curly, with a very bright tone of pink, but the coat was more of a fuchsia tone. Her silence only increased Twilight’s concern. They stepped inside Rainbow Dash’s house and closed the door behind them. It made a terrifying sound that hit Twilight right inside her brain, deafening her ears for a couple of seconds. Swiftly, she locked the door and checked the insides. The house was of a very simple design. There wasn’t too much furniture: a lamp on the entrance and a circular staircase that spiraled its way up. It looked like the inside of a lighthouse made out of cotton and clouds.

“The bedroom must be upstairs, come on.” said Twilight.

As they climbed up the stairs, Pinkie dragging Princess Celestia on her back and Twilight carrying Princess Luna over her shoulder, Twilight was hit by a terrible realization. If they were going to get inside a dream, then how will they activate the Fall to wake up and go back to the Real World?

“Luna.” said Twilight “How are we going to wake up if we go inside another dream? Who will we activate the Fall?”

“R…Rainbow…Rainbow Dash will do it.” said Luna, struggling to talk “She will return here and will drop us to the ground. We are h-h-…high enough to f-feel The Fall in the next dream level.”

“I’ll leave her a note.” said Twilight, half joking half serious.

“But she better do it before Fluttershy drops with her Carriage.” said Luna.

Twilight forgot completely about Fluttershy and her Carriage. She wondered if everything was still okay. It had to be, since there had been no disruptions after the incident at the bar. But now that Luna mentioned that, she wondered what it meant. She planned the Fall with Fluttershy so if they couldn’t wake up when the Carriage was falling they could wake up when the Carriage hits the water. Was there a hole in her plan all of a sudden?

“Why should she do that?” said Twilight.

“B-because the Carriage will be in fr-free fall.” said Luna “If it’s f-falling there’s n-no gravity inside and so…There won’t be any gravity here either.”

Twilight gasped as she understood the root of the problem. She decided to just focus on carrying Luna to the bedroom as quickly as possible. As she did so she used her magic to bring up a quill and a scroll and started scribbling a note for Rainbow Dash. As she did that she calculated how much time passed since they entered that dream. Around 3 hours or so passed, that was close to ten minutes for Fluttershy. They still had enough time to find Celestia inside that dream level and bring her back. They arrived to the room as Twilight left Luna on Rainbow Dash’s bed. It was the most comfortable place of the room. The Princess rested her head on the fluffy pillow and closed her eyes, preparing the Dream Infiltration spell. Twilight helped Pinkie Pie to bring Celestia as she placed her on the floor, right under Luna. Pinkie was going to take a cushion she found on a corner when Twilight walked towards her placing a hoof over her shoulder.

“Are you okay Pinkie?” asked Twilight.

Pinkie Pie looked at Twilight. She could say she felt really bad for Rainbow Dash, for leaving her behind like that and abandoning her against that Shadow of mean meany pants Gilda. But that would be not just rude but uncalled for. Pinkie Pie knew better than anyone to stay cheerful, even when things were getting bad, so she gave Twilight a smile and hid her concerns the best way she could.

“I’m fine Twilight. Let’s go get the Princess out and come back home with our friends!” as she hopped on the cushion and closed her eyes.

Twilight smiled, with the certainty that everything would turn out okay in the next dream level. She looked at Luna, who had extended one hoof and wrapped it around her Big sister’s face. She was crying in silence. Luna looked at Twilight as she approached to the bed.

“We will bring her back Luna.” said Twilight “Are you ready?”

Luna looked down at her sister. Her tears fell over Celestia’s face. She didn’t react, she was fast asleep, deep enough that she wouldn’t even feel a downpour. Luna looked back at Twilight, her wound stabbed her again to remind her that it was still there. She wondered how it would look like in the first dream layer and if she had almost bled out completely inside the carriage.

“Let’s do this.” said Luna with the best determination face she could put.

Twilight smiled and started heating up her horn. The magic swirled around their bodies as Luna activated the spell, charged up by Twilight’s energy. The power made the clouds around them change color from white to grey and then back to white, as Twilight felt the all too familiar sensation of limbs getting numb, vision getting blurry and contact with the world around her fading. The last thing she saw was Luna’s face, eyes closed in a peaceful semblance.

She felt cold and dirty. Her body covered in sand of soil, and her face resting over a stinky liquid surface.

END OF CHAPTER 2.