“Vesper! Come inside!”
“Aw, Mom! Can't I stay outside just a little longer?”
“No, kiddo. It's bedtime for you!”
My name is Twilight Sparkle. You've probably heard of me. Bearer of the Element of Magic, and all that.
“Momma, can you tell my favorite story?”
“The Little Princess? If you really want to...”
“Yay!”
“'Once upon a time, on an asteroid far away, there lived a little princess...'”
I've been having weird dreams lately. Well, two, really. And at least one of them's been going on a bit longer. I just don't know which.
“'So, just as the pirate meant to push his nemesis off of the plank, Skyward said, "My dear enemy Blackmane, accept the magic of friendship!"'”
“Mooom! That's not how The Pirates of Seapony Island goes!”
“I know, but I thought I'd embellish it a little.”
In one dream, I have a dear, sweet little colt. He's smart, kind, and funny, but a bit weak in magic.
“But I wanna hear it just as it goes! The princess can't befriend the queen, the businesspony, or the tippler. They're supposed to be examples of what not to do!”
“You're right as always, Holly. Tell you what: why don't you read the next part?”
“Sure! 'As the princess traveled on, she came upon a geographer...'”
In the other dream, my child is a filly. A sweet, tender little filly, and almost as powerful in magic as I, but...
“Mom, what's a 'vagabond?'”
“Well, it's someone who travels from place to place. They don't have a home.”
“Do they have a mom like you?”
The genetic data requires a male child. A child who will bear the key to our salvation...
“Of course they do! Everyone has a mother.”
“What about the clones? Do they have a momma?”
“Well, yes. Princess Celestia is their mother.”
One of the dreams is reality. The other is fiction.
“She's not nearly as good a mom as you!”
“Aw, Vesper. You're so sweet. I love you.”
“Love you too, mom.”
So I must wonder. Are we saved, or are we damned?
“Goodnight, sweetie.”
“Goodnight, momma.”
I don't know.
“So, the kid's to bed?"
“Yeah, he is.”
“And tonight, you'll...?”
“Yes.”
All I know is, I love them both. No matter which is real.
“Good luck with him, then.”
“Don't be ridiculous, silly. You're there, too.”
“Oh, okay. Enjoy the dream, then.”
And I'll do my best to raise them, to become the best they can be.
“Maybe you're the dream. Thought of that?”
“I can assure you, I'm not a dream.”
“That's what the other Jade says, too.”
Who knows, maybe Holly can save the world too.
“I see. Quite the conundrum.”
“Yes, well, I'm figuring it out one day at a time.”
“Did you talk to Luna today?”
But perhaps this is a bit too far in the story.
“Yes, she told me I have to talk to her every day to stay sane.”
“Celestia really has enough time for you every day?”
“Of course, I'm her faithful student!”
Perhaps I need to go back. Back to when I first learned the truth.
“All right, all right. No need to get defensive.”
“I just haven't known Luna that long. I trust her, more or less, but...”
“She really likes Holly, though, right?”
Back when there was only one reality to worry about.
“Oh yes. When she drops by, they're inseparable.”
“And Luna in the dream loves your dream daughter, right?”
“Yes. It's strange, all the contrasts.”
“Yeah. It's odd.”
So let's go back. It's easy to do in a story. Hard to do in real life. (Trust me, I know.) The magic of narration, I suppose.
“Well, good night, Twilight.”
“Goodnight, Jade. See you there.”
“Haha, yes. See you there.”
Wait, where do I want to start? … Hmm, how about... the letters? Yes, the letters. Let's start there.