//------------------------------// // Chapter 6: Twilight Sparkle // Story: Fluorescence of a Tide // by Johnjohns //------------------------------// Fluorescence of a Tide By: Johnjohns2 Chapter 6: Twilight Sparkle “Spike,” the violet unicorn nudged the purple dragon. “Spike, wakey wakey.” The baby dragon rolled over in his basket, grabbed his pillow, and covered his head with it. “Twilight,” grumbled Spike. “What’s a dragon got to do, to get some sleep around here?” “Don’t worry, Spike,” she replied. “You don’t have to get up just yet, just listen to me for a second, ok?” The dragon did not reply. “Spike?” “I’m listening Twilight,” he said with an annoyed tone of voice. “Ok then,” she giggled. “When you get up, I need you to do some things. There is a list of chores, sitting on the kitchen table that must be done. When you are done, you are free for the day. I am going out to spend the afternoon with a friend, so I probably won’t be back until around four, or so.” “Ok,” spike grumbled. “Just don’t sleep too late, ok?” she asked. “Ok, Twilight.” The unicorn stepped away, and walked across the wood floor to the stairs. She could hear Spike start to snore again. Carefully, and quietly, the mare walked down the stairs. When she reached the bottom, she stopped, and sneezed. "I really hope that I'm not getting sick," Twilight groaned. Today, Twilight Sparkle had plans to have lunch with Fluttershy, and getting sick would surely take the fun out of it. After the mishap at the bookstore, yesterday, all she wanted was a peaceful afternoon. “That’s what I’ll do,” she said to herself. “I'll go get some medicine from Zecora.” The pony walked into the kitchen, and got ready to go out for the day. She had already eaten her breakfast. Buckwheat toast and coffee, the best start to any day. Looking out the window, she could see the sun steadily rising into the sky. By using her extensive knowledge of the celestial object, she could accurately estimate the time, based on the sun’s orientation. “The current time should be about a quarter to ten,” she said to herself, then looking at the wall clock for confirmation. The clock read 9:46. “Close enough,” she grumbled. On the kitchen table was the list of Spike’s chores. While the paper itself was not large, Twilight could write very small, as to fit the massive amount of writing, efficiently on a small note. She knew that, the list would keep him busy for quite some time. The less time Spike had to decide on something himself, the lesser the chances of him doing something stupid. The unicorn walked out of the kitchen, and to the front door. Hanging next to the entrance on the left, was a saddle bag. Twilight retrieve the bag, and strapped it onto herself. She shook it first, to check if she had enough bits to pay Zecora, and sure enough her ears heard the metallic jingle of coins. Fortunately for her, Princess Celestia did not require Twilight to pay taxes, nor did the law require it from the other Elements. On the right side of the doorway, was a large pile of supplies. Just a few days ago, Twilight had urgent business to attend to with Princess Celestia, and she was forced to spend the night in Canterlot. Fluttershy had been kind enough to take care of Spike, and Owloysius. To return the favor, Twilight had decided to take care of Fluttershy’s pets, by buying about a week’s supply of food, and other necessities. She knew that she didn't have to buy this much as a return favor, but she knew how difficult it was for Fluttershy to take care of all her animals, and care for herself, so if she could assist her friend in any way, then she was happy to do so. Using her magic, she levitated all of the items into the air, an easy feat, considering her vast knowledge of spells. Giving a quick glance into the mirror next to the rack, she checked to see how she looked. Not noticing any flaws, she simultaneously used her magic to open the door. She stepped out, and the levitating supplies followed closely. A wave of fresh air reached the smiling unicorn. The scent of summer wildflowers, mixed with that of freshly baked apple pie invaded her nostrils. She forcefully inhaled a few times, to savor the smell, before her senses adjusted, and became acquainted with the aroma. Other ponies walked by, unicorns, earth-ponies, and even a few pegasi walked along the road. Some happily walked and talked with friends, others simply walked on their own, smiling. Everypony seemed to be happy, why wouldn’t they be? Today was going to be a fantastic one. Normally Twilight would simply walk over to Fluttershy’s house, but since she was running low on time, and still needed to visit Zecora, she decided to teleport herself, and the supplies to the enchantress. Twilight closed her eyes and concentrated on the image of Zecora’s home, out in the middle of the Everfree Forest. Inside herself, she felt a familiar ‘tingle’ coarse throughout her nerves. This happened every time she prepared to teleport. Suddenly, her vision flashed a bright white, and then as quickly as it had come, the light faded away. When her vision cleared, she could see that she was no longer in Ponyville. She was surrounded by tall trees, and directly in front of her, was Zecora’s hut. Inside the Everfree, it was much darker. The forest canopy blocked out most of the sun, and only a few strands of faint light managed to pierce the thick, natural ceiling. Almost all of the light surrounding the unicorn came from the torches outside of the hut, as well as the windows. Upon arrival, she startled a flock of crows, and they dispersed throughout the darkness, rustling the leaves as they flew away. Not wishing to remain exposed in the dangerous woods, Twilight quickly stepped up to the door, and knocked a hoof against it. While she waited, she set down the supplies in an organized pile, at the doorstep. The door opened slowly, and a familiar black and white striped head peeked its way around the corner. “Twilight Sparkle, my dear,” rhymed Zecora. “Please come in, the Timberwolves draw near.” “Thank you,” Twilight smiled and stepped into the hut. In the forest, behind her, came a howl. Once inside, the unicorn caught whiff of a wonderful smell, originating from a boiling liquid, inside of a cauldron, in the center of the room. She had smelled this before, but could not remember when, or what it was. The home was well lit by candles, which cast a flickering yellow glow on everything in the room, which in turn, then produced many flickering shadows. Lining the walls, were many shelves, on which sat all kinds of glass bottles, and jars. Some were filled with liquid, others filled with powders, leaves, herbs, or other solid objects, such as mushrooms. Other bottles hung from the ceiling, by string. A small bookshelf was set against a wall, a miniscule amount of books compared to the librarian's massive collection. Decorating the upper wall, were several large, painted, wooden masks. In her culture, these were worn during large events, such as the Summer Sun Celebration. Of to the side, behind a curtain was Zecora’s bedroom. Twilight walked over to the cauldron, as Zecora closed the door. “What’s cooking, Zecora?” asked the purple pony. “Mushroom stew, a hearty and delicious brew,” replied the zebra. This jogged Twilight Sparkle’s memory. “Do you see anything good?” asked Fluttershy. Twilight scanned the menu of L'étalon Errant: Ponyville’s newest eastern-style restaurant. The food all sounded wonderful, and she was having a hard time making a decision. The restaurant was filled with ponies, all sitting at tables, or booths, in conversation. Fluttershy, and herself were lucky to have made a reservation in advance, and were able to get in, without a wait. The establishment had earned its popularity virtually overnight, and news of its success was spreading all throughout Equestria. Ponies from Canterlot, and cities even further away such as Manehatten had been flocking to Ponyville, ever since the grand opening, two months ago. The surge of tourism had been great for the town, and local businesses had been flourishing ever since. For quite some time however, it was almost impossible for local townsfolk to eat at the restaurant, it was far too busy. But now, although still packed twenty-four-seven, it was at least possible to place a reservation. “Everything looks delicious, I just can’t decide,” replied Twilight. “May I make a recommendation?” asked the timid pegaus. “Most certainly.” “Try the mushroom stew, it is wonderful,” replied Fluttershy. Twilight looked up at her friend. “Really?” “Oh yes, mushroom stew is one of my favorite meals, and theirs is superb,” said the yellow pony. Twilight wasn’t sure about this. She had an extensive knowledge of varying types of fungus. She knew what the fungus in nature were and what they did, and it was this knowledge that made mushrooms seem unappetizing to her. “I don’t know,” replied the unicorn. “I've never tried a mushroom before, will I like it?” “Really?” asked an amazed Fluttershy. “You've never eaten a mushroom before?” The unicorn shook her head. “Well then, I don’t know,” responded the pegaus. “I really like them, but I’m not sure if you will. Do you want to try some of mine, if I get some?” “Oh no,” refused Twilight. “You don't have to do that.” “Oh, but it would make things easier for you to decide, it’s really no big deal,” insisted Fluttershy. “Well, alright,” Twilight gave in. “Thanks again Fluttershy.” “Oh, it’s no problem...” began the pegasus. “I’m not talking about the stew. Thank you, for what you did before,” Twilight gave Fluttershy a very warm smile. Fluttershy blushed. “It was only a natural instinct, but you're welcome,” she smiled back. It was then that the waiter trotted over to their table. He was a tall, handsome grey stallion, wearing a suit, and held a pad of paper in his mouth. “Good afternoon, mademoiselles,” he greeted. “Are you ready to order?” “Yes,” replied Fluttershy. “I would like the ragoût de champignons, and my friend here is going to try some, to see if she likes it. Is that ok?” “Of course, Mademoiselle. Is that all for now?” he asked. “Yes,” replied the pegasus. “Alright, I will be back in a few minutes,” he bowed and quickly walked away. The two friends talked for a couple of minutes, until the waiter returned with a steaming bowl of stew, balanced on a tray, on his back. With one hoof, he picked up the bowl by sliding it off his back and set it down on the table. “Careful, it’s hot,” he told them. “Twilight, please try some,” Fluttershy invited. The unicorn picked up her spoon, and scooped up some of the stew. It was dark brown in color, and smelled good. Twilight could not deny that the stew smelled wonderful, and this made her want to try it much more, than before. Carefully, she blew across the spoon, cooling the liquid. After a few seconds, she took a sip. The stew tasted wonderful. Who knew she would like mushrooms? Twilight was unable to hold back her smile. This made Fluttershy smile herself. “Do you like it?” asked the waiter. “I love it!” she declared. “Would you like some, yourself?” he asked. “Yes please!” she replied, eager to indulge in more of the heavenly soup. “Are you a mare, who likes what I prepare?” asked Zecora. “Wha... oh, yes, I love mushroom stew,” answered Twilight, her mind suddenly coming back to the present. “Would you like some, yourself, or do you seek something else?” inquired Zecora. “I would love some, but I am running on a timetable, so I’m afraid I must go straight to business,” answered Twilight. She didn’t want to be late for Fluttershy. “Then I must inquire, what is it you require?” asked Zecora. “Do you have any allergy medicines?” responded Twilight. “Let me see. Might I interest you in some black tea?” asked the Zebra. “Black Tea?” asked the unicorn. “Do you have some? I ran out a while ago.” “Indeed I keep the tea you seek,” said Zecora. “I’ll take a box then,” said the grateful pony. “How much do I owe you?” “Five bits,” Zecora walked over to a shelf on the wall, and retrieved a small box. Twilight opened up her saddle bag, and rummaged around for five coins, and after finding them, exchanged them for the box of tea, which she neatly stored inside the bag. “Thank you, Zecora,” said Twilight. “I really wish that I could stay longer, but I really should be going.” The Zebra walked over to the door, and opened it for the mare. “Farewell, Twilight Sparkle.” “Goodbye Zecora,” the pony stepped out of the hut and the door closed behind her. Twilight hoped that she hadn’t been rude, but she had a commitment to make, and she wasn’t going to be late. She turned to face the pile of supplies outside the hut. A single, brown squirrel was getting a little curious, and was slowly inching its way to a bag of food. “Hey! Shew!” Twilight charged the small rodent, which promptly scurried off into the bushes. In the distance, a Timber Wolf howled, causing a chill to creep up the unicorn’s spine. A light breeze rustled the tree canopy above, causing shadows to dance all around the forest floor. Along the ground, a mist had begun to form, ever increasing in density, swallowing the dirt, and roots below it. Twilight, not wishing to stay any longer, used her magic to levitate the items, and then concentrated on Fluttershy’s cottage. She felt the unique, magical tickle course through her nerves once more, and then she suddenly vanished. The mare opened her eyes, to a newfound brightness that the forest lacked. After a few moments, her eyes adjusted, and directly in front of her, was Fluttershy’s home. A few of the farm animals outside looked up in surprise, to find a purple unicorn, which had seemingly materialized from thin air. The mare quickly walked up to the wooden entrance, and knocked her hoof against the door. A few seconds later, the door opened to reveal the yellow pegasus. She had a slightly confused look upon her face, but Twilight thought nothing of it. “Oh there you are Twilight!” said Fluttershy with a big smile. “Sorry about being late Fluttershy,” Twilight apologized. “I had just stopped over at Zecora’s place, to pick up some herbal medicine.” “Oh, what for?” Fluttershy asked. “Oh its nothing,” Twilight said. “I just had some sniffles and coughs last night, and I thought that I might be catching a cold, so I bought some black tea from Zecora, that will help me feel better. It’s probably just allergies.” “Oh... well I hope you feel better,” said the pegasus, she had a worried look on her face. “Thanks Fluttershy," said Twilight Sparkle. "Although like I said, I'm sure it's nothing but allergies.” “Alright, well come in,” ushered Fluttershy. Twilight Sparkle walked through the doorway, and using her magic, Fluttershy’s supplies floated in behind her. Then she neatly began to arrange the items onto the counter, and the kitchen floor. As each item passed by, she read them out loud. “Now, I wasn’t sure whether or you wanted whole grain, or oat rabbit food, so I got both...” Twilight began. “Oh Twilight, you didn’t have t...” said Fluttershy, but was quickly interrupted. “I also bought twenty cans of tuna cat food, two bags of kitty litter, four bags of feed for the cows, a bag of feed for the chickens...” Twilight announced item, after item, as she stacked them onto the pile. She thought that Fluttershy looked amazed, and nervous at the same time. “...and lastly a box of chocolates, you know... just as a thank you for watching Spike.” “Twilight, it was nothing really. Please, you didn’t need to buy all of this for me, I am perfectly fine with...” the pegasus began. “Fluttershy, I didn't buy this for you, I bought it for the animals. The chocolates are for you. Isn’t that right Angel?” Twilight asked, looking at the bunny, who sat upon the staircase. He stared greedily upon the pile, and then nodded his head. “See,” Twilight said, turning her attention back to Fluttershy. “Angel approves.” “Well when you put it that way...” Fluttershy said quietly. “Exactly,” said Twilight with a grin on her face. She sniffled. “Now, were we going to go on a walk or not?” The unicorn started for the door, but quickly stopped, and fell to the floor. A massive wave of nausea, and dizziness impacted her like a freight train. “Twilight!” yelled Fluttershy. “Are you alright?” “Yes... just a little lightheaded is all,” Twilight tried to get up, but she wobbled on her hooves, and fell back down. “Whoa.” “Here, maybe you should take a seat,” Fluttershy said, while leading Twilight to the couch in the living room, and sitting her down. “Now just stay there, and I will go get you a drink, what would you like?” she asked, with a nervous voice. “Just some water please,” Twilight whispered, unable to put strength behind her voice. The yellow mare rushed into the kitchen, and back into the room, a large glass of water and ice balanced on top of her outstretched right wing. Twilight used her magic to levitate the glass to her lips, and she took a sip. Fluttershy watched her friend anxiously. “Thank you Fluttershy,” she said with a small smile. “You're welcome. Let’s put off the walk for now, and just stay here for a bit until you feel better,” said the pegasus, the concern evident in her voice. “That sounds good,” replied the purple unicorn. Fluttershy and Twilight spoke for about ten minutes, talking about nothing in particular. Twilight said that she was beginning to feel a little bit better. Angel was lying at the head of the couch watching the two have their conversation. “So, I went to the bookstore the other day, and the stallion behind the counter said that that they had misplaced my copy of Daring Doo: And the Quest for the flaming Silver Scroll that I had pre-ordered, so I said what about one of the copies that were behind the counter, and he said that those copies were reserved for other customers, so I said well what about this customer right here, and he said I’m sorry ma'am but we have a new shipment arriving in a couple days, you can get your copy then, so I said thank you very much, and then I left.” Twilight was feeling much better, and she was regaining her energy. “Wow, to think that he could just deny you a copy like that,” Fluttershy said. They were just talking gossip. “I know right!” Twilight exclaimed. “I was about to file a complaint, but instead I took a deep breath, and I let it go.” she said. “That’s what I always do,” said Fluttershy with a giggle. “That’s what I’ve always liked about you Fluttershy, you never let anypony or anything bother you for too long, you just let it go,” Twilight giggled as well. Fluttershy said nothing, but just looked at Twilight and smiled. The living room clock ticked in the background. They sat there silently for another minute before Twilight Sparkle spoke up. “Well, I’m feeling a little bit better, perhaps we can go for a short walk to a place to eat, perhaps Sugarcube Corner?” she asked Fluttershy. “Only if you feel up to it, I don't want something to happen to you,” she said in a quiet tone. “Oh, I’ll be fine, we will grab something to eat, maybe we will see Pinkie Pie there, and we will have a good time,” Twilight said, eager to get out of the house. “Well...alright,” Fluttershy gave in. “Great, let’s go!” Twilight said as she started to get up. Suddenly she closed her eyes and the muscles in her face tensed up. A second wave of dizziness and pain struck her like the tail of a manticore. She tried to open her eyes, but they failed to comply, and all she could see was darkness. Soon her mind grew weak, struggling to function, but it was a losing fight, and then the darkness took her. The sun radiated it’s light and heat onto the waking Equestrian landscape. All around the two mares were wildflowers opening their petals to face the never-ending light source. Birds nestled amongst the trees, sang a beautiful harmony, which when combined with the sweet scent of the flowers, produced an incredibly, immersive pleasure to one’s senses. Over the past few days, it had rained almost nonstop, and the grass was still damp underneath Twilight Sparkle’s hooves. Today was the first break in the chaotic weather pattern. The purple mare walked alongside a muddy path that cut through the park. The brown scar which cut through the grassy earth, would soon end at the peaceful town of Ponyville. To Twilight’s left, walked Fluttershy. “It’s nice to finally see a break in the weather,” said Twilight. “Tell me about it, the animals hate being stuck inside for days,” said Fluttershy. “I bet. Being trapped in a house for an elongated period of time can drive anypony crazy. Spike was bored out of his mind,” said the unicorn. “Speaking of Spike,” said Fluttershy. “How’s he doing?” “Oh, he’s been well,” replied Twilight. “He’s just growing up so fast. He won’t be a baby dragon for much longer.” “That must be hard to deal with,” said the pegasus. “It is,” answered the unicorn. “However, he is growing up to be a very mature dragon, and he knows that I will always be there to help him as he grows up. He is going to long outlive me, anyway.” “That’s right,” replied Fluttershy. “Dragons live a long time don’t they?” “They do indeed,” answered Twilight. She felt her eyes water up a little at the thought of that. There was a long silence between the two mares before Fluttershy spoke up. “Do you think...” began Fluttershy. “Do you think that in a few hundred years from now, Spike will remember ponies like us?” “He had better remember us,” replied the purple pony. “After all the trouble I got him out of, he better remember.” The two ponies burst into laughter, as they continued to walk towards Ponyville. Columns of steam rose in the town ahead. The sun continued to rise in the sky, and the warm morning air was becoming hot afternoon air. The path they walked upon had been drying in the sun, and only small patches of mud remained, where the earth was covered in the shadows of a trees. Twilight could smell sweet, baked goods in the air. This activated her sweet tooth. “Hey Fluttershy,” asked Twilight. “After lunch, do you want to stop by Sugarcube Corner, and get some dessert?” “You smell pastries, don’t you? asked Fluttershy. “Yeah.” “I was just about to ask you the same thing,” giggled the pegasus. “Then it’s decided,” stated the unicorn. “Sounds good to me,” said Fluttershy. “Anyway,” said Twilight. “So, Fluttershy. This new restaurant we are eating at, is it really that good? I mean, I've heard good things about it but...” Twilight was stopped by a loud cracking sound to her right. Before she could turn around, Fluttershy shouted. “Twilight! Watch out!” A yellow mass tackled Twilight to the ground at the few feet from where she stood. Right after she hit the ground, an even louder crack sounded, followed by a forceful impact that came from behind her, and then it was quiet. Fluttershy, who had tackled Twilight, rolled off of the mare, and stood up, and looked behind. Twilight did the same. Lying across the ground, in which they formerly stood upon, was a very large oak tree. Only moments ago, the tree stood alongside the path, now it was uprooted, and broken. Had it not been for Fluttershy’s quick reflexes, they would likely have been crushed. The two mares stared at the tree, the adrenaline rushing through their bodies, caused by the near-death experience. “Thanks Fluttershy,” said a shocked Twilight. “Don’t mention it,” whispered Fluttershy. Bright light began to filter through Twilight Sparkle’s eyelids, as she slowly awoke. Her head felt heavy, and numb. She let out an unpleasant groan, before forcing her eyes completely open. She was lying in a bed, donned with white bed sheets. Twilight was clothed in a mint-green hospital gown, and a needle in her foreleg was connected to a drip. The windows on the wall were cracked slightly open, which allowed a small breeze to flow throughout the room, along with the overpowering light from the sun. Using simple logic, Twilight was able to determine, that she was indeed, in a hospital. However, regardless of this fact, she spoke. “Uh...what, where am I?” asked Twilight Sparkle. “Twilight!” exclaimed Fluttershy. ”I am so glad that you are alright!” “What...oh hi Fluttershy,” she said as she turned her head to face the yellow pegasus. The expression on her face seemed to be literally dripping with joy. “Twilight, when you were at my house, you passed out, and I didn’t know what to do, so I brought you here,” said Fluttershy. Twilight thought about her dream, as she looked at Fluttershy. She had read a few studies on how actions in real life, can influence dreams. Was it possible, since Fluttershy had saved her in real life, that her dream was influenced by the pegasus’s actions? The unicorn always found this field of study interesting, and she made a mental note to herself, to re-read some of her books. “How are you feeling?” asked Fluttershy. “Oh... I feel really weird, it’s just that... I had a strange dream, and you were in it,” Twilight continued to look at Fluttershy. Fluttershy opened her mouth, like she was going to speak, but stopped abruptly when the door opened. “Twilight!” yelled a happy blue pegasus with a rainbow-colored mane. Rainbow Dash flew over to the purple unicorn and gave her a hug. Walking into the room behind her were the rest of the Elements of Harmony. “Well I'll be! Ms. Twilight Sparkle has finally woken up to spend time with her friends. Isn’t that nice,” joked an orange earth-pony as she walked into the room. “Hi Applejack,” smiled Twilight Sparkle, trying to give all of her friends some attention. Twilight was still very weak, and although she could not express her gratitude through over-excitement, she was very happy to see her friends. “Twilight hi hi hi hi hi, over here, over here, over here, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey Twilight!" "Yes Pinkie!" shouted Twilight, finally turning her attention away from Applejack, and to the pink earth-pony who was bouncing up and down. "Twilight, I just wanted to say that I am glad you are awake. Did you see the flowers that I got you?" Pinkie asked, obviously wondering whether or not Twilight had seen her gift. The unicorn turned to look at the flowers in the vase beside her. She leaned over and gave the flowers a sniff. "Oh, Pinkie Pie!" thanked Twilight. "They smell wonderful, how thoughtful of you!" Pinkie Pie ran over to Twilight, and gave her a hug, as a white unicorn with a purple mane walked into the room. A small purple dragon, with green spikes sat on her back. "Why hello Twilight!" said the unicorn. “I am very pleased to see that you are feeling better." "Thank you Rarity," she said with a smile. turning her attention to the dragon. "Spike!" exclaimed the bed-stuck pony. "How is my number-one assistant doing today?" "Oh I'm alright," said Spike. "I'm just glad to know that you are alright. I thought you were going to die or something." Twilight thought that she saw him breathe a sigh of relief. "Oh Spike, you are so silly, I'm not going to die," said Twilight playfully. "Well that's good to hear, it's just that somepony made it seem that you were dying," Spike shot a glance at Pinkie Pie, who looked away. “Well then Twilight,” began Rarity. “We all wish you well, and we hope that you get out of here soon, so that we can get out, and do things together again.” “Thank you all very much. You have no idea how much that means to me,” thanked Twilight. “I’m sorry, I wish I could stay and chat for a while, but I have a client who ordered a dress, and I need to have it ready for tomorrow. I better get going,” said Rarity. “Ya, and I still got some trees to harvest before sundown, or else Granny Smith will have my flank,” explained Applejack. “I need to go too. There are some loose ends that need tying up,” Pinkie said this with a sinister voice. Twilight could have sworn that the room grew dark for second. “Plus, I need to plan your Welcome-Home-Twilight-Sparkle-Party. I already have the date chosen, can you guess when?” “Um, when I get back home?” Twilight asked. “Yes! Wow, you are really good at this game, we should play more often, some other time though, I need to get going,” said Pinkie. “Alright everypony, have a good night!” said Twilight, as Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie walked out of the room. Spike, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash remained. “Hey Twilight?” said the blue pegasus. “Yes Rainbow Dash?” asked the violet unicorn eagerly. “I, uh... I got you something, wait here,” said Rainbow as she flew out of the room, regardless of the fact that Twilight wasn’t going anywhere. After a few moments, she flew back into the room with a book. “I picked this up for you,” Rainbow held the book out to Twilight. The title of the book was; Daring Doo: And the Quest for the Silver Scroll. “Oh Rainbow, you didn’t have to give me this, I bought one already,” said Twilight, attempting to give the book back. “Oh, well then, did you read it yet?” asked the pegasus. “No, I went to pick it up the other day, but they had lost my copy,” explained the unicorn. “They were going to give me my book, when a new shipment comes in.” “Oh, well then you can have this one, and then you can give me yours when you get out of here,” said Rainbow, giving the book back. “But don’t you want to read it?” asked Twilight. “Ya, but I think you should read it first, let me know if it’s any good,” said Rainbow with a smile. “Oh, well that is very thoughtful of you.” smiled Twilight. “Anyway, I'll leave you with the book, I better get going,” said the pegasus. “I’ll try and stop by tomorrow, so you can tell me how the book is.” “Alright Rainbow, have a good night.” “Thanks, you too!” As Rainbow Dash left the room, Fluttershy and Spike remained seated next to the bed. nurse Redheart walked into the room. “Twilight Sparkle, good to see that you are awake. How do you feel?” asked the nurse. “I just feel weird, like something just isn’t right, like something bad is going to happen,” explained the purple mare. “But physically, do you feel fine physically?” asked Redheart. “Any aches or pains?” “No, I feel fine,” said Twilight. “Alright, but I think we should keep you here a little longer, until the blood work comes back, and we are sure that nothing is wrong with you,” explained the nurse. “Whatever you say.” “Alright, well if you need anything just push that red button next to you,” said Redheart. “This button?” “Yes, that one. By the way dinner will be ready in an hour, if you are hungry.” “Ok, thank you nurse.” smiled the unicorn. Nurse Redheart walked out of the room. “Is there anything that I can do for you, Twilight?” asked Fluttershy. “No Fluttershy, you’ve done enough for me already today. Go on home, I know you need to take care of your animals,” said the unicorn. “Really, are you sure?” asked Fluttershy. “Because I can easily just have...” “Fluttershy. It’s alright, go on home, I'll be fine,” said Twilight. “Well, ok, but I will come over first thing in the morning to check on you, ok?” asked Fluttershy. “Alright, and could you do me a favor and take Spike home at well?” asked the violet mare. “Sure.” “Alright Spike, you get the house to yourself tonight. No parties, and no mares over please. Ok?” asked Twilight, with a nervous stare. “Ya ya ya, I know,” Spike blushed. “I’ll probably just organize the science-fiction books into alphabetical order, or something.” “Alright, goodnight you two, and Spike?” said Twilight, calling Spike’s attention once more. “Can you send Princess Celestia a letter explaining all of this, and tell her that I will get out of here soon?” asked Twilight with a pleading smile. “Sure thing Twilight, have a good night,” Spike waved as he and Fluttershy left the room. “You too.” After the two left the room, Twilight simply stared off into space for a few minutes, thinking. She thought about the day, her friends, and her new health issue. Thinking back, she attempted to remember any event that could have caused her to fall unconscious. She hadn't been injured, she was most certain that she didn't eat any tainted food, and she definitely didn't have any health problems, in which she knew about. Deciding to drop the chain of thought as to not work herself up, Twilight picked up the novel, gifted to her by Rainbow dash. The book was a hardcover, and covered in green velvet. The book itself was covered with a jacket, colored the same as the book. On the front cover, was a picture of the protagonist, Daring Do, galloping down a temple corridor, while clutching a silver scroll in one hoof. Pursuing Do, were three pony-shaped silhouettes, wielding curved blades. “Daring Do: And the Quest for the Silver Scroll,” Twilight read aloud. “This is going to be good.” She opened the novel to the first page, and began to read. Daring Do opened her eyes, to find herself in a dark chamber. The cobblestone floor was mossy, and moist, and black mold grew on the walls. The only source of light, illuminating her surroundings was a small, oil lamp, sitting upon a wooden table, behind the rusty bars. The bars. Suddenly remembering the events of the previous day, Doo rapidly scrambled to get off of the floor, but fell when her right, rear leg was yanked from underneath her. Groaning from the hard impact, the mare looked down to find that her leg had been chained to the wall. She grabbed the chain, and gave it a strong pull, but it didn’t budge. She stood up, and attempted to stretch out her wings, but her body screamed in protest. A jolt of agonizing pain shot from her right wing, and down her spine. She collapsed to the ground from the pain, unable to move. Suddenly she heard the sound of hooves on stone. The steps grew louder, and closer to Do’s cell. Desperately, she scanned the floor of the cell for something to help her escape, but there was nothing, not even a loose stone to throw. She checked the walls. Nothing. She glanced at the ceiling. Nothing. Realizing escape was impossible, she backed herself, as far as the chain would allow, into a dark corner. Whatever pony was approaching, whatever their intentions were, Daring Do was about to find out. The hours flew by, as Twilight Sparkle read. As she did so, the sun grew lower in the sky, and the light outside slowly faded away. The overhead fluorescent lights soon began the dominant light source in her hospital room. As the time passed, so did the chapters. Twilight was a very fast reader, and at the same time was absorbing every single word. She could probably recite the book every single day, for a week, before needing a refresher. The lion charged across the sandstone floor, barreling straight for Daring Do. The pegasus took her stance, Her face unflinching. Her eyes unmoving. The ferocious beast closed the distance between itself and the pony within seconds, opened its maw and lunged at its prey. The lion was fast, but she was faster. Waiting until the last possible moment, Daring Do sidestepped out of the beast’s trajectory. In an act of desperation, the lion swung a paw at do, but the pegasus ducked underneath the claw. The large cat attempted to stop itself, but only stumbled, as its own momentum carried it into a steel support girder. The cheering audience suddenly quieted as a section of the overhanging seats shook violently. The audience began to panic as the beam broke free, and fell to the ground. The loss of the support caused the overhanging concrete to crack. The remaining girders groaned under the newfound weight. Cracks spread from the weakened bleachers, to the other sections of seating in the pentagon-shaped arena. The lion climbed to its feet, only to suddenly be crushed by falling concrete. The audience screamed as an entire section of seats collapsed, burying one of the arena entrance tunnels. The onlookers were all screaming, as they rushed for the exits, all trying to escape at once. With the room collapsing around her, Daring Do looked for her own escape route, out of the arena. The only way out, in which she could see, was the tunnel on the opposite side of the arena. The tunnel that lead to the animal cages. Without wasting any more time, Do rushed into the mouth of the tunnel, just as the arena ceiling collapsed, burying the chamber. Dinner was served about halfway through the novel. Mashed potatoes, and green beans. The unicorn tasted the potatoes, and then decided that she wasn’t hungry. Text-on-paper was all she needed for sustenance. The tray of food sat abandoned on the bed-side table. Soon the sun was completely absent from the world, and the moon took its rightful place against the speckled void. House lights in Ponyville slowly started to disappear, as the inhabitants went to sleep. At some point, nurse Redheart came into the room, and closed the blinds on the window, but Twilight was too engrossed in her book to notice. “Are you done with this?” asked a voice. Twilight nodded. The tray of food disappeared. She continued reading. Around seven o’clock, the nurse came into the room and turned on the bedside reading lamp, then shut off the overhead lights. The reading light was decently bright, and covered the room in a warm, orange glow. Twilight adjusted herself underneath the bed sheets, to a more comfortable position. Her lavender eyes flowed amongst the text. Two flowers in a sea of light and dark shades. “Are you seeing this?” asked professor Slate. Daring Do trotted over to where the professor stood. Aided by the light from his torch, she was able to see what he was so interested in. The symbols on the wall before him all looked the same to Do. The flickering flame cast dancing shadows all over the underground corridor. “What?” asked Do. “What do you see?” “Do you see these symbols here?” called the professor. Do could have sworn that she heard a crack in his voice. “These two symbols are the same as the ones back in the temple.” He pointed to a curved line, bisecting an upside down V. “Great,” said Do. “Isn’t that what we have been looking for? What’s the problem?” The educated stallion had grown pale, and he had begun to shake. He was breathing heavy, and had a fine layer of sweat on his coat. “Hey,” Do turned his head to face her own. “What’s wrong.” He gulped. “These two symbols are indeed the same, yes. But this one...” he trailed off. “What, what is it?” “The symbol back in the temple looked like this,” He held up a notebook, with a sketch of a complex pictogram. “I had believed that this was the complete symbol, but now...” He ripped the page out of the notebook, and pressed it up against the wall. The diagram covered up most of the stone-etched symbol. “Now I know that the image in the temple was incomplete,” he whispered. “It is not a symbol of light. The symbol represents darkness.” Daring Do’s eyes widened with horror. Her heart rate increased exponentially. She was now just as panicked as the professor. “We were wrong the whole time,” he said. “Oh no,” she said. “Lemongrass, she’s out there by herself!” Without waiting for a reply, she turned around, and sprinted down the cobblestone corridor. “Wait, Do!” the professor called. She paid him no heed, and only ran faster. “Wait!” The end of the book drew close now. Twilight was impressed; this was probably the most suspenseful novels in the series, yet. She breezed quickly through the final few chapters, until only one remained. She couldn't wait to find out the story would end. She was about to turn the page to start the next chapter, but she stopped. Looking up at the clock, she realized that she had been reading for hours, and it was now nine-thirty at night. She yawned, and realized that she was indeed, quite tired. She saved her place with a bookmark, and closed the book. She decided to get a good night’s sleep, and finish the book tomorrow. Save the best part for another day. She set the hardcover down on the table, and turned off the lamp. The room was dark now, and only a small amount of light came through the square window, into her room. She adjusted herself under the covers, and rolled over onto her side. She stared at the wall for a few minutes, just thinking about the story, and what its outcome could be. She thought, but her fatigue was stronger than her brain. Soon enough, Twilight closed her eyes and fell asleep. A warm current of air blew through Twilights mane, moving it so that it covered her eyes. She flicked her head to the side, setting her hair back into its place. She was standing in a field of wildflowers. Countless stalks of greens, yellows, purples, reds, and blue consumed the earth with a flowing, growing, living wave of color. She stood upon a tall rise in the landscape, surrounded by rolling hills, as far as she could see. The scent of the wildflowers was overpowering, invading the unicorn’s nostrils with the many sweet fragrances, the strongest being lavender. The perfectly blue sky was dotted with a few fluffy clouds, and directly overhead was the sun. It illuminated the multicolored land, and the land gave a silent “thank you”. The exact same scenery surrounded Twilight Sparkle. In all directions, there was no hint of civilization, or anything else, save the natural, untainted expanse of nothing. Without any destination in mind, without using any particular landmark as a guide, the unicorn began to walk. It was as if she had been possessed by a mysterious force. She didn’t know why she was walking, there was nowhere to walk to, but she was indeed moving forward. Forwards to an unknown destination. Forwards to an unknown goal. Forward. The tall grass and flowers in which she had trod upon flattened underneath her, and brushed against her belly. She was carving a path through the wildlife, as far back as she came from, and as far forward as she needed to go. The only sounds around her, were those of insects. Butterflies gracefully danced between colorful petals, while honey bees buzzed from flower to flower, collecting ingredients to form their unique, sweet, golden substance. The terrain rose and fell as she crested one hill after another. She had been travelling for quite some time now, and she hadn’t seen anything new appear on the horizon. Just the same colorfully engulfed mounds of earth over, and over again. The sun hadn’t seemed to move from its position in the sky. Yet, the mare kept walking, as if guided by an unseen hand, or an invisible light. Another hill stood before her, and she began the climb up the sloped side. It wasn’t very steep, but climbing uphill did slow her down from her normal pace on flat land. Upon reaching the summit, she gazed down upon the next dip in the land. Halfway between herself and the next hill, was the first new thing she had seen on her travels. Something she hadn’t seen before. Somepony, she had never expected. He stood there, facing away from Twilight, unmoving. He was tall, and grey, and his brown mane blew around in the breeze. Twilight blinked. He was gone. Her surroundings had changed entirely. The rolling hills, and breathtaking natural scenery, was now replaced by dull, artificial structure. Twilight stood in a long dimly-lit hallway. No. She wasn’t standing. Looking down, she realized that her hooves did not touch the floor. She didn’t have hooves at all, she didn’t have a body. Her mind was present, but her physical being was non-existent. From her perspective, she was floating only a few feet above the speckled tile flooring. Doors ran along both sides of the corridor, and faintly glowing fluorescent lights ran down the length of the ceiling. Directly in front of Twilight, about thirty feet away, was the end of the hallway. She began moving towards the open door at the end of the hall. The sound of her hooves against the polished tile being absent was strange to the unicorn. As she approached the opening, she noticed a pale blue light being emitted from inside the room. The entrance came closer and closer. Twenty feet. Fifteen feet. Ten. Five. Twilight was extremely anxious to know what the room contained. Pausing in front of the doorway, she prepared herself for what might be inside, and then she stepped across the threshold. Slowly and deliberately, she rounded the privacy wall. What she saw on the other said, made her freeze. Lying in the bed in front of her, was herself. The body of Twilight Sparkle was unconscious, and softly breathing. She was tucked under the covers, and had three pillows supporting her head. Twilight found herself in complete shock. Here she was, her conscience existing without a physical tether, looking down upon her own body. Her body. Twilight moved closer to the bed and positioned herself above herself. Twilight used to wonder whether or not out-of-body experiences were possible, and now she knew. Not only did she know that it was possibly, she didn’t like it one bit. She wanted to be back inside of her skin, her fur. She wanted to look out of her eyes, not her mind’s eye. Suddenly, Twilight could hear the unmistakable sound of hoofsteps approaching from the hallway. Her essence turned to face the doorway. The sound of hooves-on-ceramic echoed throughout the room, getting louder with each step. Twilight looked around for a place to hide, but then realized that since she was present without a body, she was most likely invisible to everypony else. The approaching pony rounded the corner, and into view. Her pink mane hung gracefully from her head. Her wings were tucked tightly against her yellow coat. Her blue-green eyes shone with moisture in the light, as she looked upon her unconscious friend. Fluttershy slowly walked up to Twilight’s bedside, and leaned up against the head of the bed. The pegasus took the unicorn’s right hoof, into her own, and bowed her head. From Twilight’s view position above, she could tell that Fluttershy was softly crying. “Hi there Twilight,” Fluttershy spoke through her tears. “I uh... mmm... I just wanted to tell you that... that we all still miss you very much.” Twilight could tell that Fluttershy was trying to maintain a smile as she spoke. “Things aren’t... they just aren't the same without you... around,” Fluttershy was obviously trying her best not to fall apart. “And I... I just... If you could just give me a sign that you can hear me...” she burst into tears. Twilight wanted to call out, wanted to speak, wanted to simply give Fluttershy a sign, but it was impossible, she could not interact with the world from her state of existence. She wanted to open her lips, but she had no lips to open. She wanted to place her hoof on Fluttershy’s shoulder, but she had no arm to extend. It was the worst feeling Twilight had ever experienced. All she wanted to do was to help her friend in her time of need, but all she could do was watch as the pegasus shed tears of misery. Twilight was screaming inside, as she watched the most kind pony she had ever known break down before her. It was worse than any kind of physical torture in which the librarian could think of. Fluttershy suddenly stopped herself from crying. “I know, I know, I'll stop,” she told Twilight. “Just... just know that... that if there’s anything you need, I won’t be far away.” Fluttershy stood up, looked at twilight’s body one last time, and then abruptly left the room. Twilight followed Fluttershy out of the room, she didn’t want her friend to leave. She tried to call out to the pegasus, but her efforts were in vain. Fluttershy walked further, and further down the impossibly long hallway. Twilight began to encounter resistance about 20 feet from the doorway. She slowed down to an agonizingly slow pace. Twilight thought that it felt like she was swimming through clay, the solid mass of moist earth slowing her down incredibly, but being just malleable enough to allow for a slow passage. All the while, Fluttershy was growing further, and further distant. The force moving against Twilight grew stronger, and suddenly she was being forced backwards, back towards the hospital room. It was almost as if the same unseen force that had brought her here, was now fighting against her will. She tried to fight the invisible entity, but it proved to be far stronger than herself. No no no no no, Twilight thought. Fluttershy was fading away into the darkness of the hallway, now. She had to fight this. She couldn’t let fluttershy get away. In an act of desperation, she focused as hard as she could on moving forward. For a moment she stopped moving backwards, and crept forward just a hair, but the force counteracted with a far greater push, and she was forced through the doorway, and around the corner. Fluttershy slipped away from her view. “No!” she cried out in her mind. She was swiftly moving across the room in the direction of her body. She turned around to face herself, and saw that her horn had begun to glow a faint white light. The light grew brighter and brighter, and she moved closer and closer to it. It blinded her, enveloped her, consumed her. She felt the rays penetrate her soul. It was warming, soothing. She embraced the comfort of the light, and it embraced her. Her thoughts were no longer of Fluttershy, but the joyous, surreal, perfect sensation she was currently experiencing. It reminded her of a beach. Lying down, and letting the warm sun warm her front, while the warm sand warmed her back. Her mind began to blur, and she was having trouble focusing. All that she could see was light. Soon all thought completely slipped away, and the light took her. Twilight could vaguely feel a distant sensation of warmth. However this was only for a brief period of time, and soon she lost the feeling. At a later time, she felt the warmth again; however this time is was far more pronounced, far stronger. She found it, and put a firm grasp around the feeling, she didn’t want to let it go. Not this time. This sensation was the only thing she had. The warmth grew even stronger, and so did she. She increased her grip of the warmth, it was not getting away. Suddenly, she felt a pulsing sensation. A rhythm. An increasingly loud rhythm of two thumps, then a pause. Two thumps, and a pause. A beat. A heartbeat. Her heartbeat. She knew what it was, it was her heartbeat. It grew louder, and as it did, she became even warmer. She began to see faint hints of light. Little specks of white against the black backdrop of her mind. They were small at first, only the size of pinholes, but they grew larger. Larger and brighter. The dots turned into small circles, and those circles let in streams of pure, white light, which flushed away the darkness. Suddenly, she let all of the light in. She opened her eyes. The light was blinding at first, and Twilight found herself unable to see. When her vision cleared, everything appeared slightly blurry, but even that slowly began to pass. She felt disoriented at first, she wasn’t in her bed at home. She was lying in an unfamiliar bed in an unfamiliar room. No, not unfamiliar. She knew where she was. She was in the hospital. Suddenly she remembered all of the events from the previous day. She also remembered the dream. She struggled to sit up. For some reason, she was extremely weak, and everything else felt... off. The door to the room was open, and she could hear the sound of a busy hospital outside. The blinds on the windows were open, and the world outside was sunny. The clock on the wall was ticking. Ten thirty in the morning. Twilight looked over at the nightstand. The Daring Do book was gone. The vase of flowers that Pinkie had bought her, had been replaced with a larger vase, filled with even more flowers. A balloon that read: ‘Get well soon, Twilight’ floated, attached by a strand of string to the vase. Twilight was confused, what had happened to her book, she wasn’t finished with it. Her chain of thought dissipated, when a pony walked into the room. She was wearing medical garb. Twilight assumed that she was a medical assistant. The mare stood next to the door, and looked over a clipboard attached to the wall. She didn’t even notice Twilight sitting up in the bed. When she was done with the clipboard, she gave a glance over at Twilight. She staggered back, when she saw Twilight awake in bed. “Goddess Celestia!” she exclaimed, and ran out of the room shouting. “Nurse! Nurse! She’s awake!” Before Twilight had a chance to react, the pony returned, along with nurse Redheart. “Oh my goddess!” the nurse exclaimed. “She is!” Redheart rushed over to Twilight’s side. She raise a hoof and waved it in front of the librarian’s face. Twilight looked at the hoof, and then at the nurse. She was starting to feel nervous. Had something happened last night? Was there something wrong with her? “Twilight, can you hear me?” asked nurse Redheart. “Yeah,” replied Twilight. “What's going on?” “Thank Celestia,” said the nurse. “She’s responsive. Twilight, how are you feeling?” “Fine, I guess. I just feel a little weird, that's all.” “How many hooves am I holding up?” “One.” “Good, now just stay there for one second,” instructed the nurse. She took a light, and shone it in Twilight’s left eye, and then moved over to the right eye. “Alright, good,” said Redheart. “Now can you sit on the side of the bed please?” Twilight adjusted herself so that her rear legs were hanging off the bed. Redheart took a small, hammer, and lightly tapped the sensitive area of Twilight’s right knee. Twilight kicked instantaneously. The nurse did her other knee, and received the same result. “Very good,” the nurse seemed happy. “All of your senses are responding naturally, so it appears that no long-term damage has been done.” “Long-term damage? What happened to me?” asked Twilight. She was getting very nervous. “Now, Twilight,” began the nurse. “This may be difficult for you, but...” “But, what?” demanded the unicorn. “You’ve... you have been in a coma for the past two months.” “What?” Twilight asked in confusion. “You mean to tell me that I've been unconscious for two months?” Nurse Redheart bowed her head. “Yes.” “But... but... but what about?” “Twilight,” Redheart looked directly into the unicorn’s eyes. “What exactly do you remember?” “I...I...I don’t know,” Twilight was starting to get nervous. “I don’t know what I remember. I don’t remember when real life ended, and my dreams began. I think that I remember, but I can’t be sure. You see! I don’t know what’s real, and what’s a dream! This might not be real! This might be a dream too!” “Twilight, please calm down,” requested the nurse. “I can assure you that this is not a dream.” “How?” asked the librarian. “How can you prove that!” “I...” started Redheart. “I could tell you what happened, but... but I feel that it should be your friends, who do so.” “My... my friends?” Twilight was starting to tear up. “Are they here?” “No, but they will be shortly. I had them contacted as soon as we found out that you were conscious. They will answer your questions. If you need anything just shout, but for now, I need to do some work.” Twilight Sparkle watched the nurse turn around, with her head held low, and somberly walk out of the room, and close the door. She was worried, did something terrible happen? Part of her wanted to find out, but the other didn’t. Fear of the unknown. Time seemed to slow as Twilight waited in her room. In a way, she was quite anxious to see her friends. If what the nurse had said was indeed true, and she had been in a coma for a couple months, then her friends would surely be glad to see her. Wouldn’t they? After what seemed like hours, there was a knocking upon the door. “Come in!” called Twilight. The wooden door swung open quietly. Twilight held her breath. Rarity was the first to enter. Her violet mane was well groomed, as always, and when she saw Twilight, her face was covered in an expression of pure amazement. Her eyes were glistening with happy tears. “Twilight Sparkle!” she exclaimed. “Oh thank Celestia, you are alright! You’ve been gone so long!” Rarity wasn’t usually one for hugs, but this occasion seemed to be an exception, and the white unicorn ran over to Twilight, and wrapped a foreleg around her. Twilight hugged Rarity back. Things were still very strange to Twilight, and she didn't know how to react. After a few seconds, Rarity broke away, and regained her composure. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash entered the room a few moments later. The orange earth pony was holding her hat to her chest, and she was crying. Her mane was slightly unkempt, and she had dirt in her coat. Twilight assumed that she had been working. “Goodness gracious!” said Applejack. “Twilight, is that really you?” Twilight nodded her head, tears forming in her eyes as well. The earth pony calmly walked straight up to Twilight, looked her in the eye, and grabbed her. Applejack was crying uncontrollably into Twilight’s shoulder. In all the years in which she had known Applejack, Twilight had hardly ever seen her cry, and never before to this extent. “I...we... we all missed you so much,” Applejack managed to stammer in between her tears. Twilight was at a loss for words, so she simply hugged her friend as closely as her weak body would allow. Applejack broke away. “It’s good to have y'all back, Sugarcube,” said the farm pony. “It’s good to be back,” the unicorn replied. Pinkie Pie was separated from the rest of them, mainly because she was the only one not tearing up. In fact, she was practically bouncing off of the walls with excitement. Twilight could tell that the pink pony was doing her best to be patient and wait her turn, but that effort completely fell apart when Twilight turned her attention to her. The grin that she was desperately trying to hide exploded into an ear-to-ear smile in an instant. “Twilight Twilight Twilight!” Pinkie pie was almost shouting. “You’re awake, you’re finally awake!” “Yes, Pinkie, I am awake,” Twilight replied calmly, desperate to keep her friend from going off on a... “Oh my goodness, yes!” she cried. Too late. “It’s been no fun at all these past couple months! Nopony ever wants to have parties with Pinkie any more, but now you’re awake, so we can have parties again! As soon as you get out of bed, I’m going to throw you a surprise party! Oh wait. Well I guess it’s not a surprise anymore, but who cares! I wanted to bring my party cannon in here, so I could shoot you in the face with confetti, but the boring nurse said it was ‘not a good idea’. What does she know about parties! Anyway, after your part we will all go out and...” “Pinkie Pie!” Twilight shouted. “I really appreciate your enthusiasm, but I’m starting to get a headache. You wouldn't want me to end up in a coma again, would you?” The pink pony calmed down. “No. That wouldn’t be good.” Twilight looked past Pinkie Pie, and at Rainbow Dash, who was awkwardly studying the painting on the wall. “Hello Rainbow Dash,” said Twilight. The cyan pegasus turned around to face the group. She cleared her throat. “Oh, hey Twilight,” her voice cracked. “How...uh...how are you feeling?” “Oh, I’m alright. Just feeling a little off, that’s all. How are you?” asked Twilight. “Oh, I’m alright, it’s just... it’s good to have you back,” Rainbow Dash looked away to hide the redness in her cheeks. Twilight pretended that she didn’t notice Rainbow’s embarrassment; she didn’t want to ruin her dignity. There was a long pause, and silence filled the room. Twilight looked around, somepony was missing from the group. “Hey,” Twilight began. “Where’s Fluttershy?” All three ponies immediately looked away from the floor, the look of happiness had vanished from each of them. They all exchanged nervous glances. “You... you mean you don’t...” “Remember?” Twilight stared at them blankly. Applejack stepped forward, and held the unicorn’s hoof in her own. “Twilight,” tears were forming in Applejack’s eyes once more, only these were not happy tears. “Fluttershy passed away two months ago.” “What?” began Twilight. “What do mean?” “Twilight,” said Applejack. “Fluttershy is gone.” Everything around the unicorn seemed to stop, nopony moved a muscle. Twilight’s mind was spinning around, and around in circles. She wanted to throw up. She wanted to pretend that she didn’t hear Applejack. She wanted to curl up into a ball and disappear. She wanted the element of honesty to lie to her. “But she... she was...” Twilight stammered. “How... how did she die?” Both Rarity, and Rainbow Dash were looking away, their head held low, their faces somber. It seemed that they didn’t wish to speak, so Applejack cleared her throat, and began. “It happened exactly two months ago. The same day that you fell into your coma.” The sun radiated it’s light, and heat onto the waking Equestrian landscape. All around the two mares, wildflowers opened their petals to face the never-ending light source. Birds nestled amongst the trees, sang a beautiful harmony, which when combined with sweet scent of the flowers, produced an incredibly, immersive pleasure to one’s senses. Over the past few days, it had rained almost nonstop, and the grass was still damp underneath Twilight Sparkle’s hooves. Today was the first break in the chaotic weather pattern. The purple mare walked alongside a muddy path that cut through the park. The brown scar which cut through the grassy earth, would soon end at the peaceful town of Ponyville. To Twilight’s left, walked Fluttershy. “It’s nice to finally see a break in the weather,” said Twilight. “Tell me about it, the animals hate being stuck inside for days,” said Fluttershy. “I bet, being trapped in a house for an elongated period of time, can drive anypony crazy. Spike was bored out of his mind,” said the unicorn. “Speaking of Spike,” said Fluttershy. “How’s he doing?” “Oh, he’s been well,” replied Twilight. “He’s just growing up so fast. He won’t be a baby dragon for much longer.” “That must be hard to deal with,” said the pegasus. “It is,” answered the unicorn. “However, he is growing up to be a very mature dragon, and he knows that I will always be there to help him as he grows up. He is going to long outlive me, anyway.” “That’s right,” replied Fluttershy. “Dragons live a long time don’t they?” “They do indeed,” answered Twilight. She felt her eyes water up a little. There was a long silence between the two mares, before Fluttershy spoke up. “Do you think...” began Fluttershy. “Do you think that in a few hundred years from now, Spike will remember ponies like us?” “He had better remember us,” replied the purple pony. “After all the trouble I got him out of, he better remember.” The two ponies burst into laughter, as they continued to walk towards Ponyville. Columns of steam rose in the town ahead. The sun continued to rise in the sky, and the warm morning air was becoming hot afternoon air. The path they walked upon had been drying in the sun, and only small patches of mud remained, where the earth was covered in the shadows of trees. Twilight could smell sweet, baked goods in the air. This activated her sweet tooth. “Hey Fluttershy,” asked Twilight. “After lunch, do you want to stop by Sugarcube Corner, and get some dessert?” “You smell pastries, don’t you? asked Fluttershy. “Yeah.” “I was just about to ask you the same thing,” giggled the pegasus. “Then its decided,” stated the unicorn. “Sounds good to me,” said Fluttershy. “Anyway,” said Twilight. “So Fluttershy. This new restaurant we are eating at, is it really that good? I mean, I've heard good things about it but...” Twilight was stopped by a loud cracking sound to her right. Before she could turn around, Fluttershy shouted. “Twilight! Watch out!” The unicorn was forcefully shoved from behind. She was knocked about two feet forward before she hit the ground. Milliseconds later there was a loud crash, originating from where she previously stood. She had landed in a mud pile, but she paid the grimy substance no mind, and she turned around. A very large tree, an oak tree, which stood tall only seconds earlier, had been uprooted, and now lay broken across the path. Twilight saw none of this. Instead, Twilight saw Fluttershy. Saw a very heavy object that had collapsed upon her friend. Fluttershy cried out in pain. The tree had landed right on her lower back, and her legs were splayed out around her. Without thinking, Twilight used her magic to levitate the log off of her friend. The unicorn’s blood had been instantly replaced with pure adrenaline. She let the log fall off to the side of the path. She could tell that Fluttershy was hurt bad, her left rear leg was bent at an odd angle, and her lower back, and pelvis were...no. Twilight didn’t want to think about her friend’s injuries right now. She had to get Fluttershy to the hospital Twilight’s was crying, as she used her magic to put a purple telekinetic field around her friend. This was the only way to keep Fluttershy in a stable position, and move her at the same time. Twilight gently lifted the whimpering Fluttershy off of the ground, turned around, and started for the hospital at a full gallop. “Don’t worry twilight,” whispered Fluttershy. She was having difficulty holding her eyes open. “I’ll be alright...” “I know you will,” gasped Twilight. She was running faster than she ever thought she could. “I just need you to stay awake for now ok? You can rest later, but right now you need to stay awake.” Fluttershy nodded, but she closed her eyes anyway. The world flew past Twilight at an alarming rate. She began to see in tunnel vision, only able to see her destination in the distance. Everything else flew past in a blur of color. Colors that dulled down to shades of grey the faster she ran. Twilight could feel Fluttershy growing weaker and weaker inside the bubble of magic. Twilight’s legs were burning, but the pain only made her run faster. At that moment, nothing was more important than the life of her friend. “Hold on Fluttershy,” wept Twilight. “Just hold on.” “You carried her all the way to the hospital,” Rarity continued where Applejack left off. “At that point, she was unconscious and the doctors said that she was far too weak for surgery.” Twilight could tell how difficult it was for her friends to be telling her this. It was difficult enough simply listening to the story. Twilight’s memory of the event was slowly coming back to her, little fragments at a time. She was reliving every word that poured from Rarity’s mouth. Applejack placed a hoof on rarity’s shoulder. Rainbow Dash simply stared out the window. “They actually managed to keep her stabilized on life support for a few hours, but she was in really bad shape. We... we lost her around noon that day. She died from severe internal bleeding, and spinal injuries.” “We were all mourning at that point, but the grief took its toll on y'all the worst,” Applejack relived the white unicorn. “Soon after the doctors told us the bad news, y'all just... just went crazy. Ya’ll started running around yelling at everypony, and talkin nonsense. We tried to get you to calm down, but y’all just weren't yourself. After about ten minutes you just... passed out. Y’all never woke up.” “We lost two of our friends that day,” Rarity stammered through her tears. “You and Fluttershy, just gone. Do you have any idea of what that’s like?” Twilight could only begin to imagine what her friends had been through. Learning of Fluttershy’s passing was difficult enough to deal with, but losing two friends? How could one possibly cope with that? From six to four, in only a day. “It’s all my fault,” Twilight mumbled. “No,” came a powerful voice from the doorway. Twilight and her friends all turned at once to face the speaker. Before them stood a tall, pearly-white alicorn. Her majestic, colorful mane flowed with an eternal grace, it’s elegance requiring no wind to manipulate its form. The golden sun that was her cutie mark seemed to shine with light. She stepped completely into the room, and focused her attention on the purple unicorn. “It was not your fault,” said the sun-goddess. “You mustn't blame yourself for what happened that day.” Upon seeing her princess, her teacher, her friend standing in the room, she became filled with a previously nonexistent strength. Throwing her bed sheets to the side, the unicorn jumped down from the mattress, ran over to, and buried her head into Celstia’s mane, sobbing. “Oh, princess!” Twilight wept. “I’m so sorry!” “There there, my little pony,” Celestia nuzzled Twilight. “We all miss Fluttershy. Equestria has lost a great pony, and a great friend, but you must listen to me. You cannot beat yourself up over this. It was not your fault.” “But... but it was my idea to take a walk through the park,” Twilight stammered. “If I had just decided not to go that way, none of this would have happened!” “I know, I know,” the princess said. “It all doesn’t seem fair, but think about how Fluttershy would feel right now. She wouldn't want you to be grieving over her, she would want you to be happy. Instead of focusing on the bad, think of the great life that she lived, and all of the wonderful memories she shared with all of you. It is important that we do not dwell on the past, but instead move on with our futures.” Twilight sniffled, and nodded her head in agreement “Hey Spike!” called Twilight sparkle. The violet unicorn stood upon the second-to-top rung of a tall wooden ladder. The ladder was leaning up against one of the cut-out bookshelves in her library. On the solid-wood floor, countless books stood in messy, yet organized towers. Many of the shelves were barren, however the one directly in front of Twilight, as well as a few others, still held books. Twilight was organizing her literature, again. “What is it Twilight?” Spike came walking up the stairs from the kitchen. “I wanted to show you this,” she said. The librarian climbed down from the ladder, while simultaneously using her magic to carry a thick book, with a purple velvet cover. The pages themselves were also thick. “What’s that?” asked the purple dragon. “Over here,” Twilight walked over to her desk. She cleared away the items dwelling on the wooden desk surface, and placed the large book down. “What is it?” Spike asked again. “My photo album,” she replied, and turned the cover to the first page. On the first page, was a large photograph of two adult unicorns, a mare, and a stallion. The stallion was wearing a tuxedo, and the mare wore a flowing white gown. They both were leaning their heads into each other, and smiling. “This was taken on my parent’s wedding day,” she said with a smile. “Those are your parents?” asked Spike in disbelief. Twilight nodded. “Wow, they look really young!” he said, Twilight looked at him. “Well, not that they look old, they just are a lot younger in the picture,” Spike attempted to save himself. “Don’t worry Spike, I know what you mean,” she winked, and turned the page a few times. “Oh, Spike, look!” Twilight got excited. “There’s you when you were just an egg.” “No way,” he said. “That can’t be me.” “Yes it is!” Twilight explained. “This picture was taken just before I hatched you.” “It was?” he asked. “Wait, didn’t you have to hatch me as part of a test?” “Yes, I did,” she explained. “The instructors took this picture before I hatched you because they were planning to make one of those before-and-after photos, but in the end they decided against it, so they let me keep the photo.” “Why does that not surprise me?” he rolled his eyes. She giggled, and continued flipping through the pages. Countless photos of Twilight studying magic, in Canterlot flew past. Eventually, newer pictures of Twilight living in Ponyville dominated the remaining pages of the scrapbook. There were pictures from the Nightmare Night festival, Hearth’s Warming Day, The Grand Galloping Gala, and the royal wedding. Spike seemed to get bored and walked away to look out of the nearby window. Twilight couldn’t tell what he was looking at. On the very last pages, there was a page-sized portrait of each of her best friends. There was Applejack, and Rarity, and Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash, and... She paused upon seeing the portrait of Fluttershy. It had been nearly two months since Twilight had awoken from her coma, and nearly four months since Fluttershy had passed away. Twilight ran her hoof down the length of the photograph. The bad memories still lingered with the portrait, but Twilight remembered what Princess Celestia had told her. She pushed the bad memories out of her mind, and smiled. “She saved my life, Spike,” Twilight said. “And then gave me the strength to live it again.” The young dragon turned away from the window. “What was that, Twilight?” he asked. The unicorn looked one last time at Fluttershy. “Nothing,” she said, and closed the book. “I’m feeling rather hungry. How about we go out, and get ourselves some lunch?” “I thought you would never ask!” he exclaimed. “What restaurant do you have in mind?” “I’m not sure,” she replied. “But I’m in the mood for some mushroom stew.” “Mushroom stew?” he seemed puzzled. “Twilight, have you ever even had mushroom stew?” “No,” she replied. “But I’ve always wanted to try it.” Twilight and Spike both walked downstairs, and she put on her saddlebag. Spike opened up the front door, and they both stepped outside into the warm, afternoon air.