//------------------------------// // Ch. 3: Where The Answer Lies // Story: Trapped in Slumber // by Megabrick //------------------------------// “I thought you said you just saw trees?” Spike busily helped himself to a hastily-made sandwich as he walked alongside Twilight and Minuette, passing shelf-after-shelf of books: The library of Celestia’s school was sparsely populated otherwise. “I… lied,” Twilight admitted, lowering her head as Minuette continued to scan the shelves. “I didn’t want to scare you.” “Pff, come on Twilight. What do you take me for? … Just fire and glow-y eyes? Sounds like something out of Power Ponies!” Spike shrugged his shoulders with a confident look… before stuffing his face with the rest of a daisy sandwich. “I know, Spike, but something about this was different. It didn’t feel right.” “Don’t sweat it, Twilight,” Spike replied, adding: “Seriously, don’t. I still smell like you from earlier.” Twilight rolled her eyes. “She’s right, Spike,” Minuette added as she gently pushed a book back onto the shelf. “It took me nearly an hour to calm Lemon Hearts down after she woke up. She was shivering-up a storm, the poor thing.” “Y’know, maybe this is just a spell-project gone wrong?” Minuette offered before putting a hoof to her chin. “I wonder if they’d get an A or an F for this?” Twilight didn’t care to entertain the thought. “I doubt it. I’ve never heard of somepony controlling dreams before. If it has happened, it wouldn’t be a bunch of magic students.” “Aw come on, Twilight. You’re telling me you couldn’t do this?” Spike gently nudged her leg. “Of course not, Spike. I’m not that good.” Twilight replied with a bemused grin, which was quickly replaced by a discerning squint. “Would you two please be quiet for a moment?" She looked down to read through the book sat in front of her: Predictions and Prophecies. “Moon, Moon, Moon… Mare in the Moon?” Something about that stood out to her. She flipped through to the right page, keen on any information. “Is she… always like this out of class?” Minuette asked in a whisper. “Only to her friends,” Spike added in anything but a whisper, eliciting a glare from Twilight who was otherwise too focused to protest otherwise. Minuette giggled quietly behind her hoof. The Mare in the Moon, myth from olden pony times. A powerful pony who wanted to rule Equestria, defeated by the Elements of Harmony and imprisoned in the Moon. Legend has it that on the longest day of the thousandth year, the stars will aid in her escape, and she will bring about nighttime eternal! Even if it were true, it's a little early. Or very, very late. “... We’re still a little ways off from ‘the thousandth year’,” Minuette mumbled over Twilight’s shoulder. Twilight looked back, and with a frustrated sigh, pressed the book closed and stood up. “It’s just a myth anyway,” Twilight added as she returned the book to its shelf forcefully… then pulled it back out, checked it for damage, and returned it with a sheepish glance toward the librarian. Spike raised an eyebrow. “I haven’t seen this much research since Lemon Hearts and Twinkleshine began their study on Equestrian royalty,” Minuette explained. “You might’ve even outdone them.” She nudged Twilight’s shoulder with a grin. Twilight ignored her, took a deep breath, and waved her hoof outward with a sigh. She then turned away from the two and held a hoof to her snout in deep thought. Okay, think. Both dreams and the Moon have been a dead end. What other commonalities are there? … Everypony had not dreams, but nightmares. Possibly all about monsters? Walking away from Minuette and Spike, she arrived in the section of the library dedicated to flora and fauna. She would spend the next several minutes searching through the selection of books on offer, skimming quickly for anything similar to the creatures she encountered, any with dream powers. By the time Minuette and Spike found her, there were a dozen books stacked neatly on the floor, and several more enveloped in purple magic as they drifted around Twilight like a slow whirlpool. “Should we…” Minuette moved toward Twilight, only to be stopped by Spike’s short arm. “And what, catch a book in the nose? Besides, she’s in the zone,” Spike emphasized with a wave of his claws. “You’re not just trying to get out of having to help, are you?” Minuette gave Spike a sly grin, and he was unable to reply. “Thought so,” Minuette concluded with a giggle. Before she could move to assist, the tornado gave-way, and books were - gently - scattered everywhere. Twilight slumped over, resting her head on a stack of books nearly her height. “There’s nothing here…” Only an ancient shield of a bygone era held information on these creatures. Twilight glared at the stack of books. This was the foremost school in Canterlot, its library rivaled only by Canterlot Castle itself! She had spent weeks of cumulative time here, and it had never failed her before. And yet today saw two dead ends in the span of hours. Minuette sat down beside Twilight, looking into her sullen eyes. “Hey, uh… we haven’t tried everything yet.” “What do you mean?” Twilight turned her head slightly to break eye-contact with Minuette; It made her uncomfortable. “Weeell, we’ve tried your way… maybe now you’d be willing to try mine?” Minuette offered with a gentle hoof to Twilight’s shoulder, which she promptly shrugged off. Minuette wasn’t deterred. “Maybe instead of burying our heads in books looking at the obvious stuff, we should see how everypony’s dreams differ.” “Hey… yeah, that actually kinda makes sense. Maybe it’s like a puzzle, and the pieces will make more sense together?” This uncharacteristic show of reasoning from Spike got Twilight to raise her head and look at Minuette. Pieces of the wrong puzzle... “How are we supposed to know what everypony else had dreamed?” Twilight retorted. Minuette couldn’t help but grin mirthfully, trying and failing to hide it behind a hoof. “Seriously, Twilight? You really have been in books too long. We ask them.” “Uh oh,” Spike interjected knowingly. Twilight grunted in annoyance, though she knew Minuette was right. This may be the best option they’ve got. But she didn’t like it. Not a single bit. She’d tolerated Minuette to be courteous, but her patience was wearing out - and definitely couldn’t handle more than one other pony. Spike didn’t count. Besides, he was here to distract Minuette. On cue, Spike waved a claw and turned to leave. “Well, good luck with that Twi! I’ll be back in our room. Later Minuette!” And with that, Spike disappeared around the corner. “Twi?” Minuette giggled to herself, “I like that. Come on, Twi! We can try Lemon Hearts first.” Twilight begrudgingly stood-up, and the two used their magic to quickly and carefully return all the books to their proper places, Twilight needing to correct more than a few of Minuette’s placements. After a few minutes the two made for the door. As they approached, it opened and Professor Inkwell stepped inside. “... I hope you two are goin’ to your rooms, because classes are canceled. Celestia’s orders.”  “Oh, of course Professor. We’re heading that way right now,” Minuette lied. Professor Inkwell nodded her head and passed the two as she continued into the library. Minuette stepped out into the hallway, Twilight following behind begrudgingly. “She’s probably with Twinkleshine, working on that project I mentioned. Come on, this way.” The two would walk in silence for a while… at least, if Minuette let Twilight walk in peace. “As part of our new friendship, it’s only fair that we-” Minuette began. “We’re not friends,” Twilight hastily replied, something that only fueled Minuette’s bizarre determination.  “Whatever you say, Twi,” she chuckled before rephrasing: “Since we’re working together, it’s only fair we become familiar with each other. Y’know, so we can work better together.” She winked at Twilight, who looked away and walked ahead. Twilight hoped she would take a hint. She didn’t. “So, let me in on a little, age-old secret. Why’d you come to Celestia’s school?” Minuette asked the back of Twilight’s head. “Aside from learning about magic, I mean. Was it the books? I bet it was the books.” Minuette continued. “I came here to get away from my brothers.” Twilight’s ear twitched, though she tried to keep that from Minuette’s attention. Brothers, multiple. Twilight wasn’t entirely sure what that was like, though if they were anything like Shining, she… supposed she wouldn’t mind having two. “They’re okay and all,” Minuette added, “but they can be such jerks sometimes. But that’s brothers, am I right?” Twilight couldn’t stop herself from interjecting. “My big brother’s great, and he’s always been there for me.” … She stopped and silently scolded herself for biting. But it was too late as Minuette smiled slyly. “Oo, you have a brother too? What does he do?” Minuette asked, genuine interest in her voice, at least as far as Twilight could tell. She hesitantly replied. “He’s… in the Royal Guard,” Twilight explained, up-turning her snout in discipline. “He does... Important guard stuff… for the Princess….” Her voice trailed quiet near the end. “Wow, guard, huh? He must be pretty busy,” Minuette replied knowingly. “He… is,” Twilight replied with a somber expression. “And you miss him, don’t you?” “I… do,” Twilight sighed, her ears lowering in sequence. It’s been months since she and her brother had spent time together, his promise of some kind of promotion having taken all of his time lately. “I can’t say I know what it’s like to miss a brother,” Minuette began, “Celestia-knows mine aren’t anywhere near royal quality,” she added, “But… I am sorry.” Twilight looked up at Minuette, her face adorned with a genuine, sincere kind of smile. Twilight… wasn’t sure how to take this. “... Thank you,” she awkwardly replied, telling herself it was only social obligation. Right? Not before long, Minuette finally stopped at a door. “What’s this?” Looking at it, taped to the middle of the door was some kind of note. Minuette leaned-in close to read it before Twilight got the chance. “...’Gone to the nurse’s office, back in a few hours. Twinkleshine.’" Minuette turned to face Twilight. “Probably another headache. I keep telling her she needs glasses,” Minuette shrugged apologetically, and turned to lead the way again. Twilight stamped her hoof. “Hold on,” she stopped Minuette. Twilight turned her head downward to focus. It didn’t take long for Minuette to recognize what she was doing, and she placed herself beside Twilight in preparation. With heavy concentration, Twilight brought a magenta glow to her horn. Focus… the clinic, the clinic, the clinic… She then focused on herself, and the tips of her hooves gradually got all tingly. In only a moment’s time, a large flash of light seized her vision. She fell onto her side, her thin coat barely protecting her from the hard, cold floor. “Whooaa…” She opened her eyes to see Minuette standing over her, with wide eyes. “That. Was. Incredible!” She took Twilight’s hoof and pulled her up, Twilight nearly recoiling from the whiplash. “I haven’t met anypony here who could pull-off teleportation like that! You really are one smart cookie, Twilight Sparkle.” She gently nudged her. “All those books must’ve done more for you than I thought.” Twilight grinned shyly, rubbing the back of her neck and looking away. “Uh… thanks. It still needs more work though, I keep forgetting to account for the rotational axis’...” Her voice trailed off as she looked around, seeing that they had, indeed, arrived in roughly the spot they expected. The doors of the clinic were just ahead. She felt a small flutter of accomplishment in her heart. “Good thinking, by the way. My hooves were getting kinda sore anyway,” Minuette explained as she passed Twilight a sideways glance, a grin on her face after seeing Twilight’s own happy expression. Twilight looked away once she realized this. Minuette threw the doors open and stepped inside. Twilight heard an audible gasp, and moved beside Minuette to look inside. Inside, she saw two mares looking back at her from the side of the room, one fraught with frustration, sitting on her haunches with crossed forehooves while her friend seemed deeply worried and distracted, slouching over. Looking to Minuette, Twilight saw a distracted gaze. Following it to the center of the room, she barely recognized the cream-colored, red-maned mare.  Her old study partner, Moondancer, was lying motionless on the central bed.