//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: Return to Canterlot // Story: A Canterlot Wedding: Aftermath // by Black Kyurem //------------------------------// "Why would my friends not take me seriously? Am I really not that important to them?" The train arrived at Canterlot and everypony got off at the station. Shining Armor had to guide Twilight because she was still crying from all the stress she had suffered from. Her tears dripped from her face onto the ground. "I'm gonna take her home," said Shining Armor. "I'm sure our parents will be glad to see her. And... they must know about this." Of course he knew that meant telling them those hurtful words he said to Twilight. Even if it was but a week ago, the fact that what was said had been said would never go away. Not only did his words hurt her, but her friends chose to turn their backs on her and even Celestia got mad at her. But no one saw or heard what Twilight had been through shortly after being abandoned, so the post-event stress she was suffering from could have been worse than they thought. "It's been a long time since you came home," said Spike, as he, Shining Armor, and Twilight were on their way. "Come to think of it, I don't remember your old home at all." "That's because you had only just hatched," Twilight wept. "Aw, Twilight," said Spike, deeply saddened by Twilight speaking through tears. Shining Armor brought Twilight to her old home along with Spike where her parents were living and knocked on the front door. Twilight's parents answered it, but they were initially shocked upon seeing Twilight crying while rubbing her eyes with her hoof. "Oh, Twilight, honey!" her mother cried, taking her into an embrace. "What happened?" "It's a long story," answered Shining Armor. "We should go inside." Twilight was then in her old bedroom, sobbing on her bed. Spike was also in tears, heartbroken over Twilight's condition. She wiped more tears out of her eyes and then walked to her door to listen in on Shining Armor talking with their parents. "I don't believe this," said the father, sounding exasperated. "But why?" asked the mother, Twilight Velvet, practically in tears. "Why would you even think of saying something so awful to your own sister?" "Well, she was being mean," Shining Armor replied, though he knew it was not an excuse. "We didn't know she was a fake. She had us all fooled." "In any case," said the father, a bit sternly now. "I thought I once taught you that two wrongs never make a right. Mean or not, fake bride or not, those words you said were very hurtful and quite possibly the meanest thing you've ever said to your sister so far. You have brought shame to your family." "I'm sorry, dad," said Shining Armor. "Twilight was right. I should have listened to her. I put Cadance ahead of her when I shouldn't have. I underestimated my own judgment. I was wrong. We were all wrong." Twilight Velvet was tearing up, so she left the conversation to check up on her daughter. "What else can I say?" said Shining Armor despairingly. "What else can I do?" "Nothing," the father sighed. "What's done is done. But... I'm at a loss, son." Shining Armor lowered his head in shame. Meanwhile, Twilight heard her mother coming to the door and stood back. She came in and embraced her daughter. "Oh, my little girl," Twilight Velvet cried. "I'm so sorry." "It's not his fault," said Twilight as the two went to sit on her bed. "Oh, honey, yes it is." "But that imposter fooled us all," Twilight insisted. "She didn't fool you. And besides, either way, your brother should not have said those things to you. Didn't he hurt you?" "Yes, mom," said Twilight, tearing up again. "You're right. I don't think I've been more hurt and lonely than that night." She started to cry again. "I was trying to protect him because I love him. I would never want to ruin anything for him. I don't know why he would ever think that about me." "Oh, honey... Don't cry. Don't cry." "I thought I lost everything that night. My friends, my brother... my teacher... Why would my friends not take me seriously? Am I really not that important to them? I'm scared, mom!" "Come on, Twilight!" Spike begged. "Don't say things like that! Your friends love you!" "Then why did they walk out on me when I needed them most?!" she cried. Spike knew that he too had abandoned Twilight in her moment of need, so he could not answer her nor could he justify his mistake. "When I first moved to Ponyville, I learned how wonderful it was to have friends for once in my life. And now, after all this time, they could always choose to turn their backs on me again. What if I find myself back where I started? An egghead with no friends because of my silly, stupid studies! I don't wanna be alone! I can't! I just can't!" Twilight cried in her mother's warm embrace, both of them shedding tears. "Twilight, honey, why don't you just get some sleep for now," she suggested. "Your father has signed you up for a therapy session tomorrow. I'm sure it will be just what you need." "Okay." Twilight crawled into bed and her mother, after looking back at her once more, left her alone to sleep with Spike by her side. But that night, Twilight had the worst nightmare of all time... She dreamt that the royal wedding and everything up until the reception was all but a blissful dream, and the real world was in fact ruled by Queen Chrysalis where everypony was imprisoned in cocoons having lived the same lie. And as Chrysalis was preparing for her victims' final transmigration... Twilight woke up shrieking at the top of her lungs in a cold sweat. It was the middle of the night. She was breathing heavily and her whole body was shaking and quivering with fear. Spike, who had been sleeping with Twilight in her bed, had also woken up when Twilight screamed. "Twilight!" he said. "Are you all right?" "I... I don't know," she murmured. Spike looked worried. "I think we're both gonna be glad when morning comes." Spike dropped off to sleep in an instant. But Twilight was still awake in the dead silence of the night. Were these awful dreams trying to tell her something? Perhaps Twilight was more worried about her friendship and had forgotten her first nightmare, which hinted that the Changelings could still be at large. She needed her friends more than ever, but with all her afterthoughts regarding the wedding rehearsal night, she did not know who to turn to or trust for support and comfort. She laid back down in her bed and cried herself to sleep. ~ Day 3 ~ Twilight was not feeling well when she woke up the next morning. She had a knot in her stomach. At around 8:30 in the morning, her mother knocked on the door. "Twilight, honey?" she called. "Are you up?" "Yeah, I'm up," moaned Twilight. Hearing her not sound so good, Twilight Velvet came into the bedroom and sat on the bed with her daughter. Spike was seemingly still asleep. "Do you need anything? Are you okay, sweetie?" "My tummy hurts." "Oh, sweetheart. You must be stressed out from everything. Just take a few deep breaths and try to relax." Twilight did so, and her mother stayed with her the whole time. "Your therapy session begins at 1:30 this afternoon. You'll be just fine, I know it." Twilight managed to show a bit of a smile and then they shared a warm hug. The uncomfortable feeling in her stomach even started to go away after a while. "Mom?" Twilight then asked. "Yes, dear?" "You and dad weren't too hard on my brother, were you?" "No, of course not. We were disappointed with him, but your father was reasonable. Your brother's too old to be punished, if that's what you're wondering. And besides, you two are no longer under our jurisdiction anyway." "Um, will you and dad come with me to my therapy session?" "Of course we will, honey. But I just want you to know that you'll probably be telling the therapist everything. And since some things will be emotionally painful to talk about, it might make you cry. But you'll feel a whole lot better when you're through." Spike had his back turned to them, so while he appeared to be asleep, he actually wasn't. There was a look of sadness on his baby dragon face because he felt sorry for Twilight.