//------------------------------//
// Chapter 27: Obsolete Dream 
// Story: The Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse: The Equestrian Adventure 
// by wingdingaling 
//------------------------------//






Chapter 27

Obsolete Dream


Twilight paced around the dark room, going over in her head what she had experienced with Souris. Through the eyes of the lady-bat, Twilight had seen the world as one only could imagine it. And through that lesson, she learned what she had to do.
As her eyes wandered, Twilight saw the scissors laid flat on the table. The same shears she had seen dance about like a ballerina as they created a dress.
Wondering how such a thing could have been done, she gently prodded the tool with her hoof. She didn’t know what she was expecting from doing such a thing, but the scissors merely nudged across the table.
With a sigh, Twilight stood the scissors up on their tip, and opened the shears to mimic the movements of the dancer’s pose she saw them take. Looking at them, Twilight couldn’t understand how Souris could have made them dance like a ballerina. To her, they seemed simple, ordinary open shears. Or like a number seven.
And the needles next to the scissors could have been a number eleven. Seven plus eleven was eighteen. Subtracted from seven, it became negative four. Seven multiplied to a power of eleven, it became one billion, nine-hundred-seventy-seven-million, three-hundred-twenty-six-thousand, seven-hundred-forty-three. But, what good would mathematics ever do her with learning magic.
The young alicorn sighed over the knick knacks on the table. Though she had a slight idea of what she was going for, she had no idea how to make it her own.
A sound behind Twilight caught her attention. Turning to the source of it, Twilight saw Souris walking through the curtain that separated them from the rest of the tent like a phantom through a wall.
“I see we’ve been productive with our free time,” Souris said in a way that Twilight couldn’t tell was sincere or sardonic.
Looking to the table, Twilight saw that she had unconsciously started forming long, complicated mathematical equations out of the needles, thread, scissors, pincushions and loose fabrics.
Twilight recalled her days as a filly, being scolded by Princess Celestia for dawdling with her schoolwork. Now that she thought about it, Souris was in many ways like Princess Celestia. Just more unnerving and intimidating.
“Sorry. I was just trying to see if I could do what you did. I didn’t mean to mess up your work,” Twilight apologized.
“It’s perfectly alright, dear,” Souris said, as she magically moved aside the clutter on the desk. “Every great artist started with doodling. Even many of your favorites.”
Twilight said nothing, but nodded slowly. Given the many times that Souris had seen through her, Twilight was sure that the lady-bat knew that she didn’t know all that much about art or artists.
“So, are you ready for your next step?” Souris asked, as she circled around Twilight.
“I don’t know. What is the next step?” Twilight asked.
“Just a simple makeover is all. Nothing drastic. You already know my stance on minimalism,” Souris answered, as she knelt down to Twilight’s level.
The warmth of Souris’ eyes was contrasted once more by her icy gaze and chilling touch. Through it all, Twilight realized one crucial factor.
“Don’t you need makeup to give me a makeover?” Twilight wondered.
“Oh, no. Not when you can do things the way I can. All I need is an idea of what I’m going for. Then, I can bring it alive,” Souris answered.
“Is that what you were just doing?” Twilight said, ignoring the shiver down her spine.
“That’s exactly what I was doing. I was looking to the other hair and makeup stations to see how or what ways I wanted to make you up. I caused quite a buzz as well. You’d be surprised by the stir you can create when you announce that you’re working with an alicorn,” Souris said.
Twilight suddenly became aware of outside light pouring into the room. Looking over her shoulder, she saw that she was being watched by at least a dozen other creatures of all species. The second they were seen, they all scattered away like hens in a coop.
“Wow. I didn’t think I’d be such a big deal around here,” Twilight said.
“Why wouldn’t you be? You're only Equestrian royalty,” Souris said.
Twilight gasped quietly when the tips of Souris’ claws crackled with starlit magic.
“It’s alright. I know this looks scary, but it won’t hurt at all,” Souris said, as she slowly moved her claws toward Twilight’s eyes.
Twilight stood perfectly still, and closed her eyes as she felt Souris’ arctic claws gently stroke her face. Had she a mirror, Twilight would have seen a color like makeup foundation appear on herself.
“So...um...did anypony ask about me?” Twilight wondered.
“Of course they did. You’re quite possibly the biggest celebrity who ever graced my show. They asked if you were beautiful. I told them yes. They asked if you were smart. I told them yes, “Souris answered, as she gently stroked her claws over Twilight’s eyelids, leaving marks like eyeshadow.
Twilight smiled. She had always known she was one of those two, and it was nice to hear somepony affirm them both aloud to her.
“They asked if you were talented--” Souris continued, as she finished the eyeshadow.
Twilight opened her eyes and held her breath, anticipating the answer.
“--I told them you had potential.”
“Oh,” Twilight said.
“Don’t you ever worry about a thing,” Souris said, as she stroked her claws around Twilight’s eyes, magically applying eyeliner. “I told you that I would be with you every step of the way. And so will the more experienced models. We’re all going to help you.”
Twilight smiled again. In such a short time, she was making many new friends without even realizing it. And a tiny spark appeared in her mind for it. Without so much as a drop of magic in her, she was forging friendships.
Friendships. The friends Twilight left behind when she had begun the magical quest were now in the forefront of her mind. She knew full well how Rarity was faring before she disappeared into a crowd. But, what about the others?
“Something on your mind?” Souris asked, as she gently curled Twilight’s eyelashes with her claws.
“Huh?” Twilight asked.
“You seem preoccupied. What are you thinking?” Souris asked.
Twilight was unable to answer right away as Souris ran her claws over her lips, turning them the same shade of pink as the stripe in her mane.
“I was just wondering about my friends. I wonder if they’d even recognize me now as I am,” Twilight said, partly meaning her role as a model, and partly at her complete loss for magical talent.
For as friendly and personable as Souris was, Twilight became unsettled by the lady-bat’s smile again. Somehow, it looked even more devious than before, bordering demonic. As if this time, Souris hadn’t expected Twilight to answer as she did, but was delighted to hear it.
“Would you like to see how your friends are doing without you?” Souris asked.
“I would. But, they’re all so far away,” Twilight said.
“That doesn’t matter. With my magic, I can show you where they are,” Souris said, as she put the last touch on Twilight’s lips.
“Can you really?” Twilight wondered, curious and excited to see.
“Of course I can. You’ve already seen I’m not so limited as yourself,” Souris said.
In spite of how she felt she knew how to advance in her magical practices, Twilight felt her will falter. Not only to continue learning from Souris, but to see her friends. What if they were all progressed further than herself? What if they all had discovered what she herself had been trying to learn since her magic had been stolen?
For as much as Twilight had learned about friendship, she would have felt so ashamed of herself to know if her friends had surpassed her in her own special skill. There would be no facing them if she was no longer the mare they knew.
“No. They aren’t like that. They like me for me,” Twilight thought to herself.
“Who likes you for you?” Souris asked.
Twilight jumped slightly at the question. She had sworn she was not speaking aloud. Then again, she was not exactly aware of herself, she was so lost in thought.
“Uh...nopony,” Twilight stammered. She felt her anxiety spike when she saw Souris smirk deviously at her.
She recalled when she first met Souris that the lady-bat said she was no mind reader. But, for how every time that Souris had seen through her, Twilight thought that perhaps maybe she could peer into her mind and learn all of her darkest secrets. With that idea jumbling with her mounting anxieties, Twilight decided there was one logical way to ease her mind.
“Souris...yes. I want to see my friends,” Twilight said, trying to keep her voice steady despite her pattering heart.
Once again, Twilight thought Souris hoped she would answer in such a way. The lady-bat’s smile was both warm and devious, making Twilight want to back away as Souris reached for her. However, it was her curiosity and her desire for catharsis that planted her hooves on the spot.
“You’ve made a wise decision, Princess. May I borrow your wing for a moment?” Souris asked.
“Okay,” was all Twilight said, as she presented her left wing.
Twilight hardly had the will to ask why Souris wanted to handle her wing. And that will faded to a chilly, tickling sensation that sent tingles up her spine, as Souris ran her claws through Twilight’s feathers.
With the gentle touch of Fluttershy preening her wings, Souris plucked a single feather from the young alicorn.
“It’s a good thing we haven’t styled your mane yet,” Souris said. Before Twilight could ask why, Souris plucked a single hair from Twilight’s head. “Come. Follow me.”
Twilight did as instructed, and followed Souris to the desk where the candles were lit.
The lady-bat reached over to a single sconce with a single white candle in it.
Twilight watched as Souris placed her palm on the table, then magically produced a handful of powerful-smelling herbs. Souris sprinkled them around the base of the candle sconce and took what was leftover into her fingertips.
Twilight was taken slightly aback as Souris sprinkled the remaining pinch of herbs over her head. Once that was done, the lady-bat placed both Twilight’s plucked hair and feather into the candle’s flame.
Both singed and curled from the flame, and created a foul smoke that made Twilight cover her nose.
Souris’ clawed hands danced through the smoke as she sprinkled the ashes of Twilight’s hair and feathers around the candle.
“Now, picture your friends in your mind. See them clearly in your mind’s eye. See their faces. Hear their words,” Souris beckoned, as she curled the smoke around her fingers.
In her mind, Twilight could picture clearly the colors, forms and voices of her friends.
“Message from the princesses.”
“Howdy, y’all!”
“Awesome!”
“If that’s alright…”
“PAAARTYYY!!”
“Fantabulous!”
It was so clear, Twilight almost thought for sure she was casting magic on her own. She knew there was no way for it to happen, but she half expected her friends to appear suddenly before herself.
“Okay. I have them,” Twilight said.
“Good,” Souris said with a smirk, as she removed her hands from the smoke. “Now, blow out the candle.”
Twilight blew out the tiny flame before herself.
The smoke billowed and curled through the air, creating amorphous shapes. The more she watched, the more Twilight saw the smoke was taking familiar forms. Forms that she recognized as all of her friends.
A smile crossed Twilight’s face at the sight of them all. Though she had barely noticed before, she realized only then how much she missed seeing them all. There was Applejack, plodding her way along. Pinkie Pie was happily bouncing up and down as always. Even Spike was doing well for himself, it seemed. Then, there was Rainbow Dash, showing off to the others with her, doing cartwheels and flying loops.
Flying loops?
Twilight couldn’t believe what she saw. She gasped slightly as she watched the smokey image of Dash jump into the air, flap its wings, then do a complete aerial loop, before landing on the ground.
But, that was not all.
Twilight looked back, and saw that Applejack was bucking like a pro. Pinkie had blown up a bottle of hot sauce like a balloon, and sprayed its contents all over. Fluttershy was holding fast to the duck she had accompanied earlier, and was using her wings to help him fly. Spike was using not only his fiery breath, but also his tail, tongue and spines to creative effect.
Twilight looked at them all and felt her heart clench. They had all discovered what she had struggled to even barely conceive. Even though she had used this magic to protect herself from Pete and the master metal, she didn’t even know how she had done such a thing. What were they all doing that was different?
As she looked over the images, trying to study each of them for a clue to their success, Twilight’s eyes found the most gut-wrenching image of all.
There, showing more clearly than any of the others, was Rarity standing directly beside Nopony.
The performer had stopped walking, as though he were hesitating to continue forward.
Rarity placed her hoof atop Nopony’s, and even though Twilight could not hear what she was saying, the fashionista’s face conveyed nothing but sentiment and companionship. The very same that Princess Cadence could stir in two ponies who had met one another.
Twilight’s heart raced at the sight, and her nerves bristled violently. It was too much for her to bear any longer.
Each of the images dispersed into billowy smoke as she abruptly turned away.
“Whatever is the matter, dear? Don’t you want to see your friends?” Souris asked.
“I do...But…” Twilight answered, before trailing off.
Souris had seen how Twilight was watching the image of Rarity and Nopony, and a thought occurred to her. With another devilish smile, Souris danced her hands through the formless smoke, and formed two still images of Nopony and Rarity.
“This stallion? Is he precious to you?” Souris asked.
Looking at the image of Nopony, Twilight remembered how she felt when she first saw him. She had seen plenty of ponies in need of friendship, but the lonely street performer who had so much passion for his show needed it more than most.
Simply by offering her companionship to Nopony, Twilight knew she could have brought him to light of the true magic of friendship. And in the process, hoped she could have encountered her first coltfriend.
“No...Yes...I mean...I hoped he would be,” Twilight answered.
“A lost chance?” Souris said, raising one eyebrow. “And can I assume that your friend, this lovely young mare, took it upon herself to seize what you could not?”
Twilight bit her lip, afraid to answer aloud, knowing that simply hearing it would destroy herself.
“You shouldn’t be surprised,” Souris said, clenching her fists around the two images, making them disperse. “As you are now, you could never captivate any hearts or minds. You still have much to learn in the ways of magic like mine.”
It was the worst thing Twilight could hear. She wanted sorely to be able to use such magic and have all that she desired. It was so close now that she could taste it. But, how would she learn to see the world as Souris did?
In that moment, Twilight’s mind sparked brilliantly.
“I think I’ve already got it,” Twilight said.
“Oh? Have you?” Souris asked.
“Earlier, before I put on this gown, I saw something. I saw myself in front of everypony, and they were all fawning over me. I did captivate their hearts and minds, just like you said! And then--” Twilight trailed off when she recalled what happened next.
“And then what, dear?” Souris asked, motioning for Twilight to continue.
“And then something happened,” Twilight continued. “I saw this shadow. Like a ghost, or something. It came from the audience, and it looked at me. I don’t know what it was, but it was like it was trying to tell me to keep going, even if I didn’t want to. What was that?”
Souris smirked at Twilight’s recollection.
“I’ve had plenty of experience with shadows like that. Oftentimes, those are just our doubts clouding our minds to what dreams we can achieve,” Souris answered. “But, more often than not, these shadows are what is shrouding the unknown.”
“What unknown?” Twilight asked.
“The uncertainty of what is to come, or how things will turn out. Like a phantom, they blot out our visions of the future, clouding the path to our dreams. Everyone sees those shadows. Even people like myself,” Souris said.
“But, how do we get past them?” Twilight wondered.
Once again, Souris’ smile made Twilight think the lady-bat had either hoped or expected her to ask such a question. With bated breath, the young alicorn awaited Souris’ answer.
“We simply keep forging ahead,” Souris said.
“That’s it?”
“Yes. If we never face those shadows in our minds, we will never overcome them. We’ll never see what lies past them on the path to achieving our dreams. So, tell me: will you face this shadow of doubt?” Souris asked.
Twilight immediately thought of her vision. Her dream to once more become proficient in magic, and to become once more deserving of her role as the Princess of Friendship.
“Yes. I’ll do it. I’m going to keep going and capture everypony’s hearts and minds!” Twilight resolutely declared.
“And that is how the greats are made,” Souris said, playfully touching the tip of her finger to Twilight’s nose. Once more, Souris brandished her fiendish smile, as she conjured the smokey image of Rarity to Twilight. “Why don’t you show your friend how far you’ve come?”
“Now?” Twilight said.
“Of course. When the image is as clear as this, it means that your friend is practically across the room from yourself. I wouldn’t be surprised if she was right outside our door right now,” Souris said.
“But, right now?” Twilight repeated.
“Of course. Unless you don’t want to show her how close you are to surpassing her…” Souris suggestively said.
“I’ll do it! I’ll go looking for her now!” Twilight blurted out.
“There’s a good filly. And remember: I’ll be with you every step of the way,” Souris reminded her.
Once again, Twilight could not refrain from hugging Souris. This time, Souris returned the gesture by placing her icy palms on Twilight’s back.
Even with Princess Celestia nowhere near herself, Twilight felt as if she had somepony else she could look up to. A new friend who could show her the way. Guide her on her new path to magical omnipotence.
“You should go now, or you might miss your friend,” Souris said.
“You’re right. And, Souris: thank you. For everything,” Twilight said, placing her hooves back on the ground.
“Think nothing of it. Now go.”
With a light in her heart and a sparkle in her mind, Twilight left the dark room to present her new self to Rarity.
The candles in the room all slowly dimmed, leaving only the slightest trace of light. In the darkness, Souris’ eyes lit up with a malevolent red, and the rest of her morphed into demonic proportions.
With her long, dagger claws, Souris shaped the smoke in the room into the shape of Twilight trotting off to her destination.
“Poor filly,” Souris said, smiling deviously. “Poor, naive filly.”



Mickey was frantically searching the streets for Nopony and Rarity from his rooftop vantage.
For several minutes now, the mouse had been searching for the slippery performer who was withholding the ticket to Minnie’s freedom. He was growing desperate and panicked. The more time he spent looking, the more clearly he could see in his mind the image of Minnie roasting on a spit, while the Big Bad Wolf whetted his teeth against a stone.
With the speed and agility of a mouse on a mission, Mickey jumped from rooftop to rooftop. To the onlookers who only caught a glimpse of the mouse, he seemed a swift and unrelenting shadow.
Mickey climbed atop a sign with two points at the top. From there, he scoped the crowd below, waiting, searching, hoping for a sign of his quarry.
At the very bottom of his peripheral vision, Mickey saw a mass of white, black and purple. Looking down, he saw not what he had hoped for. Instead of two ponies, a glamorous fashionista and a bland performer, it was a single white dragon with purple feathers and black clothes.
“Nuts!” Mickey quietly shouted to himself.
“Oh boy. Did it have to be this place?” said a familiar voice.
Mickey quickly jumped behind the sign, pressed himself against the side, and covered himself with his mantle. Even though the red of his mantle was not the same as the purple-red of the sign, he still blended in from a distance.
The mouse peered out from beneath his hat, which blended in with the black logo. A logo which was shaped like three triangles to silhouette a bat’s head.
Below on the ground, Nopony looked up at the sign above the stage he was standing before. Now at his destination, he felt his will to continue forward falter.
“Nopony? Are you alright? This is where you needed to go, isn’t it?” Rarity asked.
Indeed it was where Nopony needed to go. The only information his father had told him about where he was working was that it was a new place in the fashion district of the Circle of Dreams Plaza. And the only new place was one with a very familiar name.
“Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just...The name of this place: Amaranthine. Well...My mom’s name was Dream Amaranthine,” Nopony answered.
“I see. But, why should that stop you from going on?” Rarity asked.
“I’m just afraid this is some kind of sign. Like, I shouldn’t go in there to see my dad. What if all this trouble to get this jewel was a complete bust?” the performer said.
Rarity saw the doubt and fear in Nopony’s eyes. The very same kind that stopped herself from trying new, experimental projects, or from attempting to use an unconventional design. Whether or not things went well after she attempted such things anyway, she always felt a weight off her mind whenever she did.
“Nopony,” Rarity said, placing her hoof atop the performer’s, “I can’t begin to wonder what you must be feeling. But, I do know that you must find your father.”
“But, what if it doesn’t work? What happens if my dad doesn’t accept his gift?” Nopony said.
Rarity balked at the answer she received. She had no idea how to answer the question, so she decided to answer honestly.
“I don’t know what. But, you must find out. If you never try, you’ll always wonder,” Rarity said.
Nopony said nothing, but Rarity could see that he had made his decision.
“Don’t worry. I’ll be with you every step of the way,” Rarity said.
Nopony exhaled and nodded slowly. Taking a moment to psych himself up, the performer walked forward with Rarity at his side.
Atop the sign, Mickey saw his chance to take the jewel for himself. But, he would have to pick his moment. Only after it was presented to Nopony’s father. After the performer had given it, he would stealthily recover the bauble for Pete.
Using his mantle as a parachute, the mouse landed softly on the ground. From there, he quietly ran behind the stage, completely ignoring the ‘No Admittance’ sign that was present. The same as Rarity and Nopony had done before him to get backstage.
Behind the stage, Mickey quickly caught sight of Rarity and Nopony, and quickly hid inside of a rack of clothes before they saw him. Peering out from inside of a large coat, the mouse saw them walking through the backstage area, none of the staff paying much mind to them.
Before Mickey could wheel forward, a zebra tried to take the very coat that Mickey was hiding in to give to a model. She was taken completely aback when the coat’s arm lashed out and pushed her away.
“Hey! Watch it, fresh!” Mickey said.
Gasping sharply, the zebra ran away.
Now free of any grabbing hands, Mickey dropped a shoe from the rack on either side of the rack's base. Taking a pair of trousers, the mouse dropped a leg into the two shoes. Now, with rudimentary legs and feet, the jury-rigged contraption walked forward like a living creature.
Mickey stopped walking after several steps, only after drawing several awed stares from the staff. When one staff member, a unicorn, went to investigate, she was curious to find that there was nothing within the rack that would make it move. Chalking it up to some immature member of the staff using their magic to pull a joke, she magically moved it back to its original spot.
It was a close call for the mouse, who had jumped free of the rack before it was moved back. Trucking on, Mickey continued walking through the crowd of the staff workers. Knowing he would never stand out in a place such as Avalon, Mickey was able to casually walk through, keeping his distance from Rarity and Nopony.
Ahead, Nopony knew he was growing closer. He spotted what was clearly a tailor’s station, where his father was sure to be found.
There was one area where a wide berth was given around one station. A place where it seemed even the other tailors would not go.
This was it. Nopony knew this was where he needed to go. Slowly, he walked around a curtain that cordoned off the rest of the workspaces. It was there that he saw the pony he was looking for.
Rarity peered around the cordoned area next, and saw an older stallion with his back turned to them. His clothes were an old fashioned tweed waistcoat and khaki pants. But, the gown he was fashioning was anything but old fashioned.
The fashionista recognized it as similar to many of the designs she had seen a few of the creatures around Avalon wearing. Very few, as if his designs were not desired.
“Uh...Hi, dad,” Nopony greeted his father.
There was no answer from the stallion, whose ears did not even twitch at the sound of his son’s voice.
"You need any help with that gown?" the performer asked.
"Where have you been?" his father answered, without even turning to face his son.
"Been? Well, I was downtown for a little bit, looking for your birthday present. Then--" Nopony started to answer
"Then you started wasting your time with that juggling thing you do. It's the same story every time," the stallion finished for his son.
“It wasn’t a total waste. I earned some money this time,” Nopony said.
“As opposed to all the other times you didn’t earn a single coin. Pathetic. Why don’t you quit that nowhere hobby of yours and do something useful? Then you might amount to something more than a nopony,” the stallion said.
Rarity was appalled. Never before had she heard a father talk to their son in such a way. And she could plainly see how much it hurt Nopony to hear such things from his own father, in spite of his smile. Wanting now more than ever to see this to the end, Rarity nudged Nopony forward.
“Uh...dad. I got something for you. I know it’s a few days early. But...” Nopony said. After taking a moment to clasp Rarity’s hoof in his own, Nopony slowly walked forward to his father’s side.
With a slightly shaking hoof, the performer produced the green jewel from his pocket and placed it on the desk beside his father.
“Here. It’s your birthday present,” Nopony said.
For the first time since Rarity and Nopony walked into the room, Nopony’s father turned his head from his work. With only the slightest movement of his neck, he glanced over to the jewel on the desk next to himself.
“Where did you get that?” the old stallion asked, his voice as flat and disinterested as ever.
“I bought it from--” Nopony began.
“How did you get it?” his father interjected.
“Somepony gave me a silver coin for my performance today. I used it to get you that,” Nopony answered.
Nopony’s father sighed and turned back to his work.
Nopony knew that sigh. It was the same noise that he made every time he let his father down. Hearing it, he knew that he had failed.
“Somepony gives you a silver coin, and you spend it on some worthless trinket. Go figure,” the old stallion said.
“But...Dad, don’t you remember this jewel?” Nopony asked.
“Yes,” came the grim reply.
“Don’t you remember how happy mom was when you gave it to her?”
“Yes. What does that matter?”
“You said that it was a sign you’d love each other forever. That’s why mom loved it so much. And...well...I think it’s why it’s the only thing mom took with her when she left home,” Nopony said.
Once again, Nopony’s father sighed.
Seeing the performer’s face, Rarity thought Nopony was on the brink of an emotional breakdown. Quickly stepping to his side, Rarity tightened her hold on Nopony’s hoof and leaned her side gently against his.
Both younger ponies held their breath as they awaited the answer from the performer’s father.
“Forever isn’t as long as you think. It’s too short to even last the lifetime of a single pony. Everything ends. Everything stops working. Every feeling you ever had fades. It’s the same as that mare that left you a month back,” the older stallion said.
Rarity saw how Nopony was biting his lip. Whatever memory of whatever mare had been returned to him, Rarity could see that it was causing him much anguish. Perhaps the same that his father felt when his mother left. Perhaps he had been repressing the hurt and anguish he felt ever since, for fear of becoming like his father. All this and more made Rarity wish to remove Nopony from his abusive parent.
With a gentle tug, Rarity tried to lead Nopony from the room, but the performer remained steadfast.
“But, dad...Maybe, in some small way, mom can be around forever. Like, if you tried to remember the good times, and--”
Nopony was cut off by another dismayed sigh.
“Get out,” the old stallion said.
“Dad…?”
“Go away. And take this with you,” Nopony’s father said. Without looking, he pushed the green jewel off the desk to the ground before his son’s hooves.
Without a word, a tiny, sorrowful smile appeared on Nopony’s face, just before he turned his back to leave.
“Wait,” Rarity quietly called as she followed after.
The jewel laid on the ground, somehow less lustrous than it ever seemed before.
Nearby, a roll of red fabric slowly unrolled, revealing it to be Mickey, who had been rolled up in his own mantle.
His mission was now finished. The mouse collected the jewel, and glared contemptuously at the old stallion at the workstation. After presenting the rudest gesture he could perform with one hand to the stallion, he stealthily made his way out of the backstage area.



Twilight had been looking for Rarity ever since she left Souris’ room. As she timed it, she had been looking for one minute and thirty-one seconds. To her great surprise, the backstage area was far larger than what she was first led to believe.
She couldn’t wait to show her friend how she had changed. Without even finding her, she knew Rarity would be blown away by everything that she had become. Her heart fluttered at the idea of Nopony’s attention drawn to her. How she would then regale the stallion with all of her knowledge of the world of magic, and the wonders of friendship.
As Twilight moved through the backstage area, the workers at their stations all stopped what they were doing to watch the alicorn among them.
Twilight smiled. Though her face showed the tiniest of smiles, inside she was beaming brightly. This was what she was hoping for. Now, she was sure to succeed.
Across the way, she saw somepony she hoped she would see. Nopony was walking by himself to a less crowded corner of the backstage that was cordoned off by another curtain.
Just before he disappeared into the other room, Twilight noticed something about him. Instead of his normal upbeat smile, he seemed now let down and thoroughly disappointed.
Wanting nothing more than to rush to his side and console him with all of her knowledge about life, friendships and other relations, Twilight started to trot forward. Unfortunately, it seemed she would be beaten to it.
Rarity quickly followed after Nopony, making Twilight pick up her pace to follow.
When Twilight passed through the curtain that separated the area, she found that she was in some storage space where many unused fabrics, racks of clothing and model dummies of all shapes were to be found.
“Nopony?” Twilight heard Rarity’s voice call.
For reasons even Twilight could not conceive, instead of offering her assistance she hid behind a rack of clothes, which was further hidden behind a stack of fabrics.
Peering out, she watched as Rarity faced the performer in the lonely room.
“Nopony, are you alright?” Rarity asked, placing her hooves on the performer’s face.
Nopony sighed and averted his gaze.
“Nopony, look at me,” Rarity gently said, as she turned Nopony’s head to face her, removed his sunglasses, and placed them on the collar of his shirt. “You’ve done nothing wrong. All you tried to do was make your father happy.”
A family issue. It was something that Twilight had much experience with solving. Helping Nopony would be a snap.
“I know. But, I really thought this was my chance. This was supposed to be what made my dad the way he used to be,” Nopony said with a shaky smile, which quickly faded. “I guess there’s no fixing my family.”
Hearing his own words, Nopony realized the reality he once knew was nothing more than lost cause. A dream that had shattered in his face and cut him deeply.
“Rarity, I want my dad back!” Nopony said, burying his face into Rarity's shoulder as he embraced her.
Rarity gently cradled the performer in her hooves, softly hushing him as she ran her hooves through his mane.
Twilight had to hold her breath to steady her rapidly beating heart. She could see now that the chance of coming between them was growing thinner.
“Oh, Nopony. I’m sorry, but I don’t think you’ll ever have your father back to the way he was,” Rarity said.
Twilight knew that wasn’t true. If only she could meet Nopony’s father, she could surely patch things up between them.
“I...I know. I’ve known that for a long time,” Nopony said. “If I was anypony else, I’d leave. If I was somepony, I’d have gone far away from Avalon. But, I can’t give up on my own dad.”
“Even when he has clearly given up on you?” Rarity gently lifted Nopony’s head, so that they faced one another. “I never met your mother, but I think I know why she left him. Because, he is a dream-crushing nopony. Your mother left to pursue her own dreams without being held back by a horrible stallion like him. But, you’re nothing like your father. You’re somepony. Somepony special, who is overflowing with dreams and inspiration that are begging to come true. But, that can never be if you remain with your father,” Rarity said.
“No. She can’t tell him that. It’s not what friendship is about. There’s always hope to reconcile with family,” Twilight thought to herself. In spite of her hopeful thoughts, she felt she was simply denying some unknown truth.
“But, what will I do? If I leave my dad, what can I do next?” Nopony wondered.
Twilight’s heart stopped mid-beat when she saw Rarity smile slightly, and brush her hoof against Nopony’s bangs.
“Come with me,” Rarity said.
“Where?”
“I don’t care where. But, I want you with me. Wherever I go, I want you to be there. Please, Nopony. Stay with me,” Rarity beckoned.
“You want me to be…” Nopony began.
“Yes,” Rarity finished.
“...With...you…?”
Twilight watched in silence as Rarity and Nopony tenderly nuzzled one another’s faces. Watching them, she could feel Nopony’s muzzle on her face. Feel his warm breath against her skin.
“Come. Let’s find Twilight. We’ll see if she can bring Mickey to his senses. And then we’ll all continue our quest. Together,” Rarity said.
“Together. With you,” Nopony said, as a smile bloomed across his face.
“Yes. Always together.”
Twilight watched the two ponies happily leave the room to search for her. Once they were gone, she remained.
A dry, choking sob escaped Twilight’s throat. She knew that no matter how she changed herself, no matter what she learned of this new magic, there was no coming between the two of them.
She wanted to cry, but her tears refused to escape.
All around, Twilight did not realize how the world darkened and turned to black. With every dry sob, a light appeared. Blurry at first, but it soon took the shape of a lit candle.
Unaware was Twilight of the presence behind her.
Souris walked to Twilight’s side from behind, the fabric of her skirt silently rustling with every step she took. In spite of the light around her, Souris was draped in shadows, hiding her form from plain view.
“I’m so sorry. I never meant for you to be hurt," Souris said.
Twilight knew then that she was nowhere near ready to do anything with the magic Souris was teaching her. In order to master it, she had to dedicate herself to its practice. At any cost.
“Souris...I want to stay with you,” Twilight shuddered.
“But, what about all of your friends? Don’t you think they’d want you to stay with them?” Souris asked. Unseen by Twilight was the lady-bat’s demonic smile.
“They can manage without me. They’ve been doing that. I want to be like you. I want to be able to reach my dreams, and take what I want from them,” Twilight said.
Without looking, Twilight sensed that Souris had knelt beside her. She felt Souris’ hand on her shoulder, and turned around to embrace the lady-bat again. For the first time, she felt warmth from Souris’ touch instead of an arctic chill.
The feel of the lady-bat's claws stroking her mane quieted Twilight's dry sobbing and settled her shaking nerves. It was like being a filly, held in the embrace of somepony she knew she could trust. As things were now, Twilight felt as if Souris truly were the only creature she could trust at all.
“There, there, Twilight. I’ll make you everything you want to be,” Souris cooed.
Twilight deepened her embrace on Souris, resting her head on the lady-bat's shoulder, silently accepting her new mentor’s promise. Then, she realized something that made her heart freeze.
“Um...Souris? I don’t remember telling you my name,” Twilight said.
Looking up to face Souris, Twilight gasped at what the lady-bat had become.
No longer was her face attractive or beautiful. Everything about Souris Chauve had turned monstrous and demonic. Even her warm, red eyes shone with a devilish light that bathed Twilight in their glow.
“Don’t be afraid, sweetheart. This is only another one of those shadows,” Souris said, as she stroked her claws through Twilight’s mane. “You must keep going. Follow through with your convictions, and defeat what holds you back.”
For as afraid as Twilight was, she knew Souris was right. Even if she was afraid, she had to continue.
“Remember: I’ll always be there for you,” Souris said, more tightly embracing Twilight.
Twilight sighed and sank into the lady-bat’s arms.
From the open back of her dress, a pair of wings magically sprouted from Souris’ back. With a quick flap, they enveloped Twilight, and all of the candles were extinguished, leaving only darkness.



In the still sunny plaza, Mickey looked around for anywhere Pete could have been. For a fat, peg-legged cat, he was surprisingly hard to spot, considering the amount of other cats roaming the plaza.
“Pete! Where are ya!?” Mickey shouted.
No sign of the heavy was to be seen. Now that he had his sought objective, he was fast becoming frustrated with being unable to find Pete.
When he tried running forward, he found that he was suddenly caught.
Looking down, the mouse saw a pair of massive hands reaching up from a manhole cover. Before he could even yelp, he was pulled into the dank sewers below the plaza.
With a splash, the mouse landed in the putrid waters below. After standing up, he faced the one who accosted him and wrung out his mantle.
“Ain’t no call to go pullin’ a guy into the sewers!” Mickey grumbled.
“I just thought it’d be a fittin’ place to meet wit’ a pest,” Pete chuckled. “So, given how ya been hollerin’ all over de plaza, I trust ya found my jewel.”
“Yeah. Here,” Mickey said, presenting the green jewel to Pete. “Now, let Minnie go!”
“Hold yer horses, runt. I got every intention o’ takin’ ya to her. Just gimme dat jewel first, an’ I’ll trade her off,” Pete said, holding out a hand to accept his prize.
Mickey twisted up his wet mantle and used it to whip Pete’s hand.
“OUCH!!” Pete shouted.
“Minnie first. Then, jewel,” Mickey said.
Pete growled quietly at the terms of the exchange. But, this little complication was no obstacle. Even though Pete was never too bright, when it came to being sneaky, underhanded, lowdown, no good, under-the-table, corrupt, shifty, shady, dishonest, disloyal, devious, greedy, and just plain mean, he was the expert in every field.
“Alright. I’ll take ya to yer honey,” Pete said.
The heavy reached into his pocket and produced a cluster of glittering starlight.
Mickey watched as the starlight drifted to the end of the tunnel they were in, and expanded into a complete doorway.
“Follow me. She’s just through here,” Pete said.
Mickey watched as Pete stomped ahead. Always knowing he could never trust Pete, he cautiously followed after through the starlit doorway.