//------------------------------// // VIII. She's Back // Story: Twilight's Dollhouse II: Lyra's Quest // by Kaidan //------------------------------// Trixie closed the door to the Cutie Mark Crusader clubhouse quietly, and walked down the stairs into the apple orchard. She had just finished putting Apple Bloom to sleep, inside the filly’s own dream. The nearest apple tree would be as good a place as any to cast her spell. The tree began to ripple and expand outward slightly, sparkling in the moonlight. A moment later, a small doorway appeared and Trixie stepped through it. On the other side of the door lay a vast starfield, lit by the moon. From here all the ponies in Equestria who were dreaming could be reached. Trixie tapped her hoof on the floor, sending out ripples into the endless puddle. The water was black as obsidian and only an inch deep, the stars shimmering as they were reflected in the expanding waves. As she walked along to enjoy the ambiance for a bit, the silence was broken by the sounds of ponies dreaming. By focusing her attention on a voice, a large wooden door appeared. It was white and looked freshly painted, and gleamed in the moonlight. She wasn’t sure whose dream it was, as she had cast no spell to summon it. Trixie wondered if it was possible to browse dreams or get lost in this vast emptiness, and debated casting the spell to wake up. “Well, I’m already here and I’m really curious who might be in there,” she said to herself. A light blue glow formed around the door as Trixie pushed it open. As she did, a wind picked up and pushed her through the door, slamming it shut behind her. Trixie landed on her back in some bushes in Ponyville, staring up at a familiar looking building. It only took her a moment to get back on her hooves and adjust her familiar hat and cape. Then she looked back in surprise, she hadn’t worn this outfit since she was doing her magic show in Ponyville. Perhaps this was how the pony having this dream remembered Trixie. She stepped out into the road to look around, the town was surprisingly empty, and clean. Something moved in the corner of her eye and Trixie turned to see a pony rushing into a Boutique and closing the door. “Hello?” Trixie went over to the door and knocked, only for it to open and the pony inside to grab her and pull her inside. “Quickly, she’s coming!” The pony rushed to the window and pulled the curtain back just enough to let in a glimmer of light, so she could see outside. “Rarity?” Trixie was surprised to see her. “I thought you were captured by Twilight.” As if on cue, a shadow loomed over the boutique, and Rarity closed the curtains. “Shh! She’ll hear you!” The walls trembled and there was a scream from outside. “Oh, right, I’m Trixie and you’re dreaming.” Her horn lit up as she used her magic to assist Rarity into a lucid state. The sound of loud hoofsteps outside got a little more distant as something crashed into another building. Rarity looked at Trixie from her head to her hooves a couple times in disbelief. “It’s… you? Why not Luna?” Trixie motioned over to a nearby table and went to take a seat. “Luna has tried but hasn’t been able to find your dreams, or any other dolls. She assumed that dolls were incapable of dreaming, but if it’s really you then maybe it had something to do with Twilight’s defenses?” Rarity sat down at the table and started pouring some coffee into a couple of cups. “I hope you’re not here to discuss magical theory, darling, but to rescue us?” She dropped a sugarcube into her cup and began sipping at it. “Oh, well we’re doing our best to rescue you, in fact, Luna was just tracking a spell on Soarin. She may have already captured Twilight.” She took the cup of coffee offered to her and took a sip. There was a rich flavor to the drink for a dream, Rarity must have really loved coffee back when she was a pony. “Or been killed by her, she’s already escaped Luna and Celestia once, has she not? She’s not the mare we remember, Twilight’s as powerful as she is damaged,” Rarity explained.  “Do you have any idea where you are?” “No, we’re making our own attempts to escape but haven’t been able to breach the spell holding us all captive. If I could at least get Sweetie Belle out it would be worth it, but I can’t reason with Twilight anymore.” Trixie nodded. “Don’t give up hope, if I can find a way to visit you again we can start passing information back and forth. Just don’t do anything to let Twilight find out we’ve spoken or that we’re getting closer to tracking her down. She could fix whatever fluke allowed me to find you.” “Understood.” “Why don’t I try to return tomorrow, I should really talk to Luna and Celestia and figure out what to do. I’m new to this whole saving the world thing.” Rarity was about to speak when Trixie noticed she had become transparent. Waves were passing along the walls, the floor, and the ceiling. The dream was getting blurry and Trixie jumped out of her seat. Rarity was saying something but Trixie couldn’t hear it as the world vanished, replaced by the vast dark gateway world between dreams. Rarity woke up with a start, Sweetie standing on top of her and shaking hard. “Wake up! Twilight’s back!” “Oh, buck me…” she sighed and sat up, using her hoof to push Sweetie aside. “I had better go see what fresh hell awaits us this time. And you had better get into the safe room downstairs.” “But sis! Pinkie is throwing a party, every pony is going to be there!” Sweetie complained. She jumped down from the bed and walked over to the dresser, pointing to a small pink flyer that Pinkie had been passing out. “I know, and I promise to bring you back some cupcakes, but there will be adult business to deal with and we can’t be certain something bad will happen. I’d do anything to free you, like Apple Bloom, you know that right?” “Yeah, I know.” Sweetie sighed, “You’d even hurt other ponies to do it, but I don’t want you to!” “Hurt?” Rarity finished making her bed and sat down in front of her sister. “I hope it doesn’t come to that, but if I have to hurt somepony to rescue everypony, I will. And if that proves unattainable, I’ll at least save you. So I need you to do as I say and not take any risks. Twilight would use you against me in a heartbeat to get her way, that’s—” “Why I can’t go outside, or have a life.” She sighed and headed out of the bedroom. “I know! I’ll be down in the basement.” Rarity had always butted heads with her sister, but she knew the ends would justify the means. With the knowledge that Trixie could reach her dreams, she even had the advantage on Twilight for once. Twilight walked into town via the road outside Sweet Apple Acres. She was smiling and appeared to be in a great mood after capturing several ponies and outsmarting Luna. The magical defenses of Canterlot had proven difficult to circumvent, but Twilight felt encouraged with the knowledge she could do it again and again if she wanted to. For now, she needed to find everypony and announce the good news. She stopped in surprise when she saw all of the dolls waiting around in the town square. Nothing was on fire, every tree and bush seemed in its place. She even saw Dash chatting with Fluttershy and instantly knew something was up. She cleared her throat, getting the attention of any of the residents of the Dollhouse who hadn’t already seen her looming over them. “I’m back, what are you all up to here?” “Surprise!” Pinkie jumped out from one of the trees as confetti shot into the air. “It’s a ‘Welcome home’ party!” Dash muttered, “it’s also a please don’t go insane and torture anypony party.” Fluttershy shushed her, “please just let us have this.” “I told you, we weren’t planning anything, and I meant it.” Dash sighed and kept her voice down. “She’s ten gallons of crazy in a two gallon bucket, doesn’t need my help to snap.” Twilight, oblivious to the conversation, had approached Pinkie and levitated up a tiny platter of muffins. They were stacked in a pyramid, about two dozen cupcakes total. “You baked me cupcakes Pinkie? That’s… very sweet!” She giggled and ate the cupcakes. Pinkie wouldn’t have had access to anything to poison them with anyway. It was more akin to finishing up some crumbs of toast than a meal, but the frosting was rich and her teeth ached slightly at the sweetness. “Thanks, Pinkie, you did a good job. And what perfect timing, because I brought gifts!” Twilight cackled and opened her saddlebags. “Oh presents? Awesome!” Pinkie shouted. “Hear that everypony?” A moment later a tiny doll-sized oven with baking implements was set down next to Sugarcube corner, followed by bits of new furniture which she distributed around the homes. “I tried to get something for everyone, so apologies if I forgot anypony.” She noticed the ponies didn’t seem too happy, instead they were mostly staring at each other in confusion. Unsure what they were apprehensive about, she focused on her gifts instead and started to recount her trip. “So I know we’ve had more colts and fillies lately so I got a school teacher.” She levitated a frozen Cheerilee out of the bag and set her down over by a small group of children. She didn’t see Sweetie, but Snips and Snails were there with some other kids Twilight couldn’t be bothered to remember the names of. “And I know how much you’ve all missed being pampered, so I got us a couple spa ponies.” She set down Lotus and Aloe in the middle of the town square. “I had a personal errand to attend to, and I know we don’t really need medicine, but maybe you’ll be able to enjoy some good campfire stories.” Twilight set down Zecora. “And the best gift I saved for last. Dash?” Twilight looked over at her. “Uh, yes Twilight?” Dash kept her legs bent, ready to dive for cover. “I got you the new daring do book, and your favorite Wonderbolt!” She set down the book and the figurine of Soarin near Dash. The shock on her face wasn’t easy to miss, and soon it had turned to anger. “Why would you kidnap him for me? I didn’t ask for this!”  Fluttershy grabbed Dash’s tail before she could stomp off and start a fight. Twilight either didn’t notice, or care, still giddy from the eventful weekend. “Oh you wouldn’t believe how much Equestria has changed. It was so good to get out again, I even out-smarted Luna! And then I get back and you’ve thrown a party just for me? This may be the best day ever!” She finished passing out a few gifts while watching Pinkie passing out cupcakes. She levitated another doll out of her pack, setting it down in the Ponyville prison. “Who was that?” Fluttershy asked. “Don’t you need me to welcome them?” “Oh her?” Twilight chuckled. “We best let her have some time to think. Can you believe she tried to steal my cutie mark?” She laughed again. “I mean, who does she think she is? I’m the mare that makes Celestia afraid to answer the door!” She looked at the assembled ponies who seemed to be inching backwards slowly. “Oh don’t be like that! Now why don’t I unfreeze these ponies so you can welcome them to their new home? I need to chat with Big Mac and see how everypony has been while I’m gone anyway.” Magic washed over the ponies, allowing the newly captured ones to move. Twilight turned away and went to talk to Big Mac, who had been waiting just outside of town. It was about half an hour later and the party was still going. Big Mac didn’t have anything big to report, mostly the usual escape attempts. Ponies digging basements, threatening each other, and so on. Twilight would have to have some words with Dash and Rarity soon, but she had learned from the past escape attempts. They could dig all they wanted, the cave consisted mostly of rock, so there was no going down and under. Twilight looked down and found Dash talking to Soarin, and decided to check in. “So, Dash? Aren’t you glad I got you another Wonderbolt to hang out with?” Dash huffed, and flared her wings. “Yeah, a pony to do stunts with and my wings are clipped.” She rolled her eyes. “How lucky am I?” “Really?” She sighed and her horn lit up. “You haven’t been insufferable so I guess you can have your wings back, don’t make me regret it or next time I won’t just clip them.” It took her a moment, but finally Dash muttered “Thanks, Twilight… now uh, you meet me later Soarin I better go make sure my stuff is still in my house now that I can fly.” She turned to leave, giggling under her breath as she went. “What’s she laughing about?” Twilight asked. Soarin walked over to her and shrugged. “I don’t know, I was telling her about the past year and she seemed pretty interested until I mentioned Lyra. Seemed to think you’d be interested to hear that part, before you came over.” Twilight nodded. “Oh yes! How is Lyra doing?” She kneeled down to get closer to the tiny doll pegasus. “Pretty good, I think, until you kidnapped me…” “Oh, don’t pout, we were having such a nice party.” “It’s not that,” Soarin corrected. “It’s just, well, Lyra was convinced she could get through to you as a friend, and I told her it was too dangerous. We’d been dating for months and Lyra convinced me to let her go look for you, saying it’d be safe and well…” he gestured a leg around, “I end up being the one caught.” Twilight’s pupils narrowed and the air temperature seemed to drop. Behind her several of the ponies were already being directed by Rarity into their homes to hide. “What did you say?” “That uh, Lyra was trying to find you?” Soarin replied. He smiled weakly as he stared up at the alicorn’s horn, which was dripping a sickly green magic. Her voice was monotone as she bore down on the pegasus. “The. Other. Thing.” “That I was dating Lyra?” Soarin started to back away, but bumped into a building. “No no no!” Twilight stood up and looked around frantically. “This can’t be happening! She’ll hate me for sure now? How long were you dating? Was it serious?!” Soarin gulped and looked up at Twilight. “I… I loved her, and I’d do anything to get back to her.” “Celestia damn it!” Twilight looked over and shot a bolt of magic at Rarity, knocking her over frozen. “They put you up to this, didn’t they? They wanted to hurt me!” “No, it’s not like that.” “I promised Lyra she was free, she was my only friend! And now I’ve kidnapped her coltfriend?” She sent out a pulse of magic in all directions, then grabbed Soarin and rushed out into her lab. As she rushed past, Big Mac fell onto his side, frozen with the others. Twilight had placed Soarin in a vice to keep him still while she asked him some questions, and reanimated him. “Answer me honestly and I won’t hurt you, much.” “Twilight… please, you don’t have—” She cranked the vice, forming indents in the side of Soarin’s plastic body and making him gasp in pain. “To do this, seriously I need a sign… How much does Celestia know?” Soarin gulped, he was still a bit shocked at the course of events that had led him here. His wings felt so real that he could feel the feathers cracking and poking into his sides. “I don’t think she knows much! She sent Lyra and Scootaloo out to find you.” “Scootaloo?” Twilight wrenched the vice tight, causing the metal to whine out as it strained against the hard plastic doll. She heard him screaming and released the pressure, “sorry, I just really hate that pony. Her escape was the start of everything I’d worked so hard to achieve!” She glared at Soarin. “What does Luna know?” “Not much more than…” he panted for breath as he tried to unpin a leg that was stuck against his side. “Not much more than Celestia I think. We were just living our lives, it was mainly Lyra and Scootaloo who were determined to find you, most ponies thought you were dead.” “Dead? Oh no, I’m not, but I’ll make them wish I was. Do they know where I am?” “No, not until we found Apple Bloom at least. They think she might know. Look, maybe you can just let me go back to Lyra and explain it was a mistake?” Soarin gulped as the mad mare stared at him. He’d been filled in by Lyra on the entire chain of events from the moment she had been captured, until she was freed by Twilight. “Lyra won’t forgive you if you kill me like Bon Bon.” Twilight grit her teeth and barely kept her hoof steady on the vice. “I… I wouldn’t do that to Lyra, but I can’t let you go either. I was reckless, Luna came closer to catching up with me than I’d care to admit to the others. I can’t take you back right now.” She paced over to a corkboard and began examining some notes. Soarin could do little more than move his head as the two metal halves were digging into his sides. “How about letting me down, then?” After a few more minutes, she released the vice and carried him back into Ponyville. Twilight sent out a pulse to reanimate the dolls, and grabbed Big Mac. She then hurried back to her room before anypony could see her crying. Once she’d gotten into bed and gripped Big Mac close, she began to sob. After a few minutes, he spoke. “You didn’t know you were stealin’ somepony special to Lyra, she’d understand.” “How? How can I make friends when I keep screwing it up?” She wiped at her cheek with a hoof. “I just wanted to do something nice for Dash, and I hurt Lyra. What if I screw up our friendship too?” “You can’t, ah got nopony else but you.” Big Mac sighed and hugged her, rubbing her back slightly. “Ah am sure you’ll figure it out.” “Luna? Luna, where are you?” Celestia opened the door to her bedchambers and walked in.  The bedchambers were painted in dark blues and purples, helping to keep the room dark during the daytime when Luna would be sleeping. The large bed was empty, then she saw Trixie on a sofa, just waking up. “Ah, Trixie Lulamoon. Where is Luna?” Celestia asked. Trixie rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. “I was just coming to see you,” she yawned. “One of Luna’s tracking spells went off, she thinks Twilight is alive and kidnapped Soarin.” “What?!” Celestia shouted in the Royal Canterlot Voice. “Twilight is alive and Luna went off after her alone?” “I, uh… think she just went to check on Soarin,” Trixie explained. There was a loud pop and Celestia vanished. Trixie rubbed her head in confusion, before getting up and walking out of the bedchamber. There were two royal guards in the hallway who briefly saluted Trixie. “Hey fellas, so who’s in charge when Luna and Celestia both run off to get themselves in trouble?” The guard shrugged, “I guess you are, and dawn is in an hour. There will be petitioners in the throne room an hour after that.” “Great.” She rubbed her temples and let out a long sigh. “Things were so much simpler as a traveling magician.”