I found myself walking amongst the cobblestone roads once again early the next morning. The clock tower bells linger in my head well after its seven gongs have been gonged. All my friends wanted to see me today; Rainbow Dash wants to show off some stunts she's been practicing, AppleJack wanted my help with gathering apples for a party, Pinkie wanted help preparing for the actual party, Fluttershy wished to demonstrate an orchestra for me, and Rarity requested I aid her get her latest dresses on the train to Canterlot.
... ... ...Quite the busy schedule I have today! Ugh, but I never have been good at making decisions... Maybe I'll ask Twilight to teleport me to one of them... Wait a minute. Twilight wanted to share something with me as well. The mentioning of her name in my mind recalls what I remember from last night. I may have been dreaming, but it seemed all so real. I remember her barking at me to stay, but after all that seems like a complete blur.
I snap back to reality as I bump into somepony.
"Whoa! Uhh, whoops! Sorry, I was on a snooze cruise, I guess," I say with a slight smile to lighten the mood, and pick up several things that have been scattered around. I look up just soon enough to get a faceful of these bulgeous, turquoise eyes inches away from mine. My first reaction would be to lose my balance and fall back, but I'm used to this pony's self-announcements by now. I now knew how I was going to start the day. I was going to help Pinkie prepare for a party.
"Oh its all fine and dandy! These particular things are gonna get ruined anyway!" Pinkie said, then backed her head away. "Come on, Blaze! The party's gonna be a HIT!" She jumped up into her usual bouncy pace. I rolled my eyes and caught my breath as I braced for some 'fun' work.
Two hours took their sweet time rolling by while games and decor were set up in Sugar Cube Corners. My front hooves have a slight twitch in them from the constant stretching. I know I contain the power of magic, but a good physical workout once in a while does wonders for me, and having been in a hospital for the past few days has left me itching for one. With one task out of my to-do list, I now ponder upon which objective I should accomplish next. But, as usual, my mind can't decide. So, I make a little game out of it.
I mark an 'AJ,' 'R,' 'FS,' 'RD,' and 'TS' on five leaves for their respective initial owners. This is as simple as it sounds: I pick a leaf with my eyes closed. My travels today will depend on the order nature helps me with my decisions.
And the first winner is...!
"Twilight Sparkle."
Wow. What a coincidence. To have what I think was a dream haunting me with fate. I put the letters back and shuffle, somewhat out of fear. However, I pull Twilight's initials a second, and then a third time. My thoughts race with possible introductions. If that wasn't a dream, then how should I react to this? I don't have that kind of emotion for her; I thought I was merely comforting her. But if it WASN'T real, then, oh well, right?
I guess there's only one real way to find out.
For the sake of delaying our meeting as long as possible, I decide to cheat my way as letters "TS" now lay on the ground to my right. My next leaf reads "Rarity."
The short trot to Carousel proves beneficial. I managed to get something in my system that WASN'T cupcakes. The inevitable knock on the upcoming door is denied as once again I fall due to my clumsiness. I was so occupied with watching my hooves that I hadn't noticed the other figure coming out the other side.
"Wahh!" I shouted as I lost my balance and fell over. "Hey, sorry. I'm just not all with it today."
"Oh..." Rarity's pitch and the look on her face suggested she was in a rush. "It's not a problem in the least! I'll just... ... have to clean and fold all the dresses again..." She finished with hanging her head and dropping her ears.
"Here. Let me lend a hoof with that."
Color again rose from her regal cheeks. Guess I gave her some hope? I quickly begin to pick up several dresses and the like to assist.
"Oh, hello Blaze! My my, I hadn't suspected it would be you bumping into me this early."
"Uhh, Rarity? It's nine o'clock."
"I know. Believe me when I say, dear, that THAT is early for an elegant pony such as myself." She gets her smile back and starts to fiddle with the back of her mane. When I snap her back, we get the articles of clothing back in shipping condition at record speed. "Thanks, Blaze. Maybe I can make it on time after all!"
"Hey, what are friends for?"
A giggle leaves her lips as she disappears into the distance. Friends... I again become haunted by memories of my deceased friends.
Of Faded Ivory.
That's it. I'm Golden Oaks bound. Twilight's got to have some memory spell stashed away in her seemingly endless knowledge. I break into a full-out gallop.
The seemingly infinite road to Twilights takes my breath away fast. I knock on the door with what little strength I have left in my front hooves. I would've bucked it open, had it not been opened by some other force. I look down to see a baby dragon.
"Oh, hey dude! Twilight's expecting you. C'mon in!"
He opens the door further for me to enter. I nod respectfully as I pass the little man. He then hastily slams the door shut behind me.
"Easy, bro. You could've woken the dead, had that been any louder."
"Where is she!?"
"Huh?" I get caught off guard by a simple question. "Who?"
"Twilight! She went out late last night and hasn't come back!"
"Whoa whoa wait. You mean you don't know where she is?" I say as my 'dream' finds its way back into my head.
"Uhh, duh. What point have I been trying to point out the past few seconds? She said she had to see you, said that it was urgent, and since then, I haven't seen her anywhere! What did you do to her!?"
That clinches it. That was no dream. "I didn't do anything to her, but I think I might know where to find her. Come on! Hop on!"
The dragon struggles onto my back as I step out and unfold my wings. My hooves leave the ground with a good kick and a flap, and I'm off. If that wasn't a dream, then the last place I remember seeing her was that lake. Careful not to drop the passenger on my back, I locate the body of water. I slow my speed to descend through the thick canopy. Fear shoots up when I land and find where we sat that night.
Because she's still right there, sleeping.
"Twilight!" the dragon panics and jumps off my back.
"It's okay. She's sleeping."
In almost immediate response to my voice, the violet pony began to stir. I fix my poker face on as she picks herself up slowly.
"Blaze?"
"Hey," I wave. I suddenly get a flashback of Ivory again as excitement exposes all of her familiar face. She starts to walk in my direction, completely ignoring the baby dragon in front of her.
"How'd you sleep, Blaze?"
"Uhh..." I am faced with a seemingly simple question, but if I don't answer it correctly, I'll paint the wrong picture for our audience. "...I didn't sleep."
"*impatient sigh* Oh, Blaze. You're going to drop from fatigue if you keep up that kind of schedule." Ivory continues to haunt my thoughts as she speaks.
"Oh, well." I say nonchalantly, trying to scare her maybe. This has the desired effect as she bolts up toward me.
"Don't talk like that!"
"Easy, Twilight! What's gotten into you? That's the second time you flipped out when I said something that suggests my death--"
I get a hoof across the face for that. "Don't say that!!" She's sort of choking now, and she also seems to be fighting tears. I don't get it. This mare has a reputation for being oblivious to personal feelings. Why does she demonstrate them so fluently now?
"Okay, okay! Jeez, the way you worry, you'd think you'd known me for years... ... ..." The sudden consequences of what I said takes almost immediate effect. Faded Ivory.
That's it. I'm going back to the village. I need some closure.