//------------------------------// // Nightmare // Story: Coronation of Compassion // by Echo Breeze //------------------------------// I walked up to the girls, them too busy with their conversation to notice me walking up to them. As I got closer, I could see Dash stop her conversation, and stare at me with intense hatred. I could feel my heart shatter at the sight of it. “What do you want, Shimmer?” she asked in a hostile tone of voice. I didn’t react. I just stood there, not knowing what to do. “I asked, what do you want?” Dash said, raising her voice a bit more, causing me to flinch. “Please, just stop and listen to me, I’m begging you.” I replied, on the verge of tears. “No. You’re nothing but a liar.” she said. “Snowflake, please stop?” I asked, my voice a whisper, quaking with unspent emotion. “Don’t call me that!” Dash yelled, barely controlled rage written in her features. “Why should we stop? You’re the one who stole everyone’s secrets.” Rarity said, her voice full of scorn. “Stop.” I said, a little louder, a firmer grip on the emotions bubbling to the surface. “Yeah. And posted them online.” Pinkie agreed. “Stop.” I practically yelled. I heard my voice mix with another. “STOP!!” the newcomer yelled. The vision dissipated before my eyes, and I then realised it was another nightmare. “Who’s there?” I called out to the abyss. Suddenly there was a blinding flash of light, and from it, out stepped Luna. “Peace, child. We are not here to hurt you.” Luna said, seeing the panic in my eyes. “Then why give me these nightmares?” I asked with little enthusiasm, knowing deep down, I was wrong. “We did not give you these nightmares, Sunset Shimmer.” she replied with a smile. “Though these dreams have been plaguing you oft of late.” Her smile was replaced by a look of curious concern as she said that. I nodded and began to break down again. Luna came up to me and wrapped me in a warm embrace. I just continued to sob while she held me. “I just feel like everything that happened was a lie. Dash saving me, the girls seeing sense and the error of their ways, Mom forgiving me, her making me an alicorn, and Dash and I.” I said once I managed to tone down the sobbing. “I still don’t feel as though I’ve done enough to deserve my friends, my crown, my mother’s forgiveness and Dash’s love.” “Firstly, here she is Snowflake, not Dash. Secondly, Snowflake does indeed love you, I saw her dreams before this, but don’t tell her. Thirdly, Celestia has really missed you. She still faults herself for the pony you became.” Luna replied once I had finished my little bit of a monologue. “Whatever happens, Sunset Shimmer, know that you are never alone. You have your Mom, Twilight and I on this end of the portal, and on the other end, you have your friends. And if Snowflake didn’t love you, she wouldn’t have travelled to another dimension with you.” She came up to me and wrapped me in another embrace. Once we broke away, she started to fade away, and I knew that I was waking up. I opened my eyes to see that Snowflake had turned over in her sleep, and was now facing me, a cute smile on her face while she still lay sleeping. I giggled softly and gave her a light kiss on her lips. Her eyes fluttered open, and I was suddenly staring into her beautiful cerise eyes. “Now that’s a wake up call. Morning babe.” she said, returning the kiss I had given her. “Good morning. How’d you sleep?” I asked. “Like a foal.” she said with another uncharacteristic giggle. “Wow. Not even a day in Equestria, and you already sound like a local.” I giggled “Well, is it a crime to want to get along with everypony in my marefriend’s world?” she asked with a teasing tone. “Of course not, you silly mare.” I replied, booping her on the nose. “Come on. Let’s go see if the chefs have started preparing breakfast yet.” We got to the dining room some twenty minutes later to see my mother sitting at the table happily munching on pancakes, not a chef to be seen. There were three plates sitting with pancakes on them, waiting to be eaten, but my Aunt had yet to arrive. "Where's Aunt Luna?" I asked as Snowflake and I sat down to eat. "Oh, she'll be along." my Mother said. Just then, the door to the balcony burst open, and in walked Luna. She looked tired, but smiled when she saw me. I smiled back and continued chewing my triple berry surprise pancakes. "So, what have you two got planned for today?" my Mother asked after swallowing her mouthful of pancakes. "Oh, nothing much. Just a light bit of a tour to show Snowflake my favourite hangouts. And maybe a trip back to Ponyville." I replied. "What are you going there for?" I heard Twilight saying from beyond the door. A second later she emerged, followed by Everypony else I knew from this side. "Yeah, we're already here, silly." Pinkie Pie said after bouncing up to us and wrapping Snowflake and I in a tight embrace. "Pinkie. Air." I tried saying, struggling for oxygen. "Oopsie doopsie." she replied, releasing us. I heard my Mother giggling in the background. "You have come a long way, my child." she said before getting up to leave. I looked over to where her and Luna had just disappeared. "What are you guys doing here?" I asked. "Well, darling. We are here to help plan your coronation." Rarity said, taking a quill and a bit of parchment out of her saddlebags and writing something down. "I have already got part of your gown completed, just got to put in the finishing touches." "And AJ and I are in charge of the feast afterward." Pinkie said animatedly. Hell, everything she does is animated. "Uhh, Pinkie. Ah'm sure she already knew that." Applejack said. "I know that, silly. I was talking to the readers." Pinkie replied. "The readers? Actually, ya know what? Ah'm not gonna ask." Applejack said, causing all of us to laugh.