//------------------------------//
// Bad Dreams 
// Story: My Little Space Empire: Mechs are Magic 
// by Wheezyandbreezy 
//------------------------------//

Since her ascension Twilight had only ever bothered to sleep when she was with her little pink cupcake. She'd had a secret joy in being able to read, or to study, or do research all through the night without having to wake up and peel her drooling face off of a book anymore. But now, in her emotional state she wept pitifully on her bed until she mercifully fell asleep.

Twilight dreamed of hearing waves crashing on the beach and the salty smell of the sea filling her nostrils. She rose and knew she wanted to see someone, someone that she loved, someone who loved her. She walked naked onto the beach and saw an enormous machine standing there. On top of the machine was the woman she'd been looking for and her heart warmed at the sight. The woman stood there, in the late morning sun, her long pink curls flowing behind her in the breeze.

Twilight knew she wanted to be close to that woman and stretched her long wings out to fly to her. She felt her love grow as she neared the woman on the mech. She hovered mere feet from the woman when she turned around. 

Twilight's dream turned to a nightmare as she saw her face. It was drawn and Twilight could see she'd been crying. It broke her heart to see the woman she loved so sad. She began to reach out for her when suddenly the woman drew her sword and slashed at her. She tried to fly away but wasn't fast enough and the blade caught her across the eye.

Twilight's eye snapped open and she rocked forward into a sitting position as she screamed. "PINKIE NO!" She gasped for breath and put a hand to her face. It was still there, the gouge that Pinkie had left her was still there. The woman she'd loved most in the world had attacked her and destroyed her right eye. She put her hands to her face and wept bitterly. 

Twilight cried herself out and felt a crushing emptiness afterwards. She had fallen asleep in her uniform and her feet carried her automatically to the command deck. She wasn't even aware of the officer's and deck hands saluting her as she entered. She plopped down in a gunner's chair and idly looked about the room. She made eye contact with Rarity and only nodded.

Rarity inhaled deeply and attempted to make conversation. Anything to ease the terrible tension in the room. "Good afternoon Twilight." Twilight just stared silently. Rarity cleared her throat and continued. "The repairs are going slowly but steadily, I'd say we're at about sixty percent capacity currently. Umm, recruiting is going well, and we've been able to spread about the crews to cover the two ships that have been made operational since. . ." Rarity slowed and stopped.

Twilight was glaring at her. She wasn't saying anything telepathically, but Rarity knew what she was asking. She sighed heavily, having to hold back a tear as she did so. "No. We still don't have any idea where she is." Rarity said softly. 

Twilight leaned forward heavily and sat in silence for a long while. Rarity squirmed desperately inside herself, trying to think of something to say. When it came to her she instantly regretted her choice of topic as she reflexatorily spat out the question. "How's Applejack?" She internally kicked herself at the question, but she'd already begun so she may as well continue as she was genuinely concerned for her friend. "She can't speak because of the surgery, and I was wondering if you could umm. . ." She pointed to her head.

Twilight sighed deeply and bent her will towards the hospital in Canterlot where Applejack had been transferred. "Not good." Twilight rose frowning. "She blames herself for Fluttershy's death." 

Rarity sighed hard. "Poor thing." She inhaled in preparation for sticking the other foot into her mouth. "And Rainbow."

Twilight rolled her eye. "She ALSO blames Applejack for Fluttershy's death." She shook her head in exasperation. "So dramatic those two."

Rarity couldn't help but think, "hello pot, my name's kettle."

Twilight was unfamiliar with the expression and didn't question the thought. She rose and stared out into the void surveying her crippled fleet. One of every three ships had been damaged, and so many had died that several ships weren't in fighting condition. She sighed heavily. "I'm so sorry Rarity. I should've been there." She unconsciously touched the black leather eyepatch that Rarity had made her to cover her wound. "If I had been here to lead the fleet, maybe you wouldn't've. . ."

Rarity put a hand on Twilight's shoulder. "Now now, none of that Darling. None of us could've expected Pinkie to be a turncoat. We j~"

Twilight slapped Rarity's hand off of her shoulder like it was a venomous serpent. Her aura flared and she roughly grabbed Rarity in her telekinetic grasp. Her eyes glowed with anger as she growled. "Never. Say that. Again." She ground her teeth as she squeezed Rarity tight with her mind. She dropped her heavily to the floor with a huff and began to stomp out of the room when the door slammed in her face.

Rarity rose slowly to her feet, her face hard as stone. "Pardon me Viceroy, but EXCUSE THE FUCK OUT OF YOU?!" She stared daggers at Twilight. "HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT AFTER WHAT SHE DID TO ME?! TO YOU?! She destroyed your face and stole a ship. What the fuck do you call that if not treason?" She projected an unnecessarily large screen an inch from Twilight's face. "Because as far as the dictionary is concerned assaulting your sovereign is the LITERAL DEFINITION of treason!"

Twilight turned, her eyes still glowing. She walked solemnly step by step until she was nose to nose with the Admiral. Rarity didn't move an inch, she stared into Twilight's eye unblinking, unafraid; she had fought fleets, pirates, and cloners, fear and she had long since parted ways. Twilight whispered, "Rarity I understand you're upset, but try to think for one fucking second. She had me at her mercy but didn't kill me. The cloner fleet was completely undetected until Pinkie broke their cover. If she was a traitor why would she have done any of that?" Twilight's face fell, "I've seen her kill a Viceroy before." She ground her teeth as she shouted, "IF SHE WAS A TRAITOR THEN WHY DIDN'T SHE JUST KILL ME THEN?! I was unconscious and at her mercy, it would've taken zero effort."

Rarity looked away and her face softened slightly. "That's. . . Hrmm." She was silent for several seconds before looking back. "Well then what in the hell is she up to then?"

Twilight turned away from Rarity and leaned heavily on the railing. "I don't know Rarity." She sighed hard. "I just don't know."

The crew of the bridge had spent this entire conversation cringing in fear at their stations. A tech's screen was blinking brightly at her and it managed to distract her from her shock. Her eyes went wide and she leapt up from her station. "MADAM VICEROY, MADAM ADMIRAL!" 

Both women glared daggers at the tech and she heard, "Now is not the time." echo in her mind.

The tech went stalk still but managed to squeak out in her mind. "wefoundher."

On the Changeling homeworld Pinkie turned away from the console she'd just been working on, the large red letters "transponder activated" still blinking behind her. She plopped down into her chair and sighed heavily. "Step two complete." She idly chewed a bite of emergency ration bar and grimaced at its taste. "Now we wait for Rainbow."