I awoke to a light fanning. My head was spinning. I was in Marcy’s cafe, and she looked worried. “Are you okay now? I just barely managed to bring you inside.” It was cute seeing her fumble for a teacup and she placed it in front of me.
“I’m sorry…” I used the silence between us to survey how the interior of the cafe looked. Wooden tables and pillowy cushions were being used for seating. I was currently laying sprawled out on a few. The treat display case was already starting to be filled with treats. I was somewhat disappointed I didn’t get to see Peachy, unless I had and I forgot about it. That would suck. “How long was I out?”
“A few minutes.” Oh, that explains it. “I could…postpone the opening if it helps. I don’t want to be putting stress on you or anything. You did tell me you never did this kind of event before.”
“But you’re already prepping the food and I don’t want to let you down. If it was scheduled for tomorrow, it should be tomorrow! You wouldn’t postpone a birthday party if it rained would you?”
“I would, but knowing you…you probably wouldn’t. I just saw you today and I wondered if-“
“No, no. My sister just brought up a touchy subject.” I waved a hoof, and gave her a smile hoping to diffuse her worries. “It’s nothing about you or the grand opening.”
“Okay…did you find the balloons?”
“Now that I am properly thinking about them, I probably have some.” I remembered Peachy’s party planning box.
“Oh that’s great!” She beamed. “So…you are feeling okay?”
“Yes.” I nodded and then rolled my eyes to look at the ceiling. “So, I better go and…find Cider.” I stood up, albeit I still felt a little weak but slowly my strength was returning. “I’ll leave you to prepare more.”
“Honestly, I’m just taking inventory now. Would you like anything else? I did give you some tea. It’s a healing blend.”
“Thank you…I noticed but I should catch up to Cider Drip and let her know that I didn’t burst into a million pieces.” I joked. “I’ll be around later to go over the last few details.”
“Okay.”
I walked through town looking for Cider. It wasn’t an easy task. I had already been by the bakery and got an earful from Creamy about how he told me it was too much for me to handle. “I warned you.” He said, and then made me clean up the confetti and the result of my magical output. How was I supposed to know I would react like that? In the end, Cider wasn’t there but Creamy Mix did tell me she left in a hurry.
I stopped in my tracks after leaving the bakery and a thought came to my mind. The same one that’s been plaguing me all this time. “Am I…losing…” I trailed my words as I caught Cider’s blue hoodie in the crowd of ponies. I began walking over to her, and noticed she was talking to Pillow again.
“Hey,” I began as I approached her. I wasn’t expecting it, but before I could say anything else, Pillow raised her hoof and she almost hit me until I dodged it. “Hey!” I cried, “What was that for?”
“You nearly scared your sister…” I almost didn’t catch what she said, because her voice was so quiet.
“So you were going to hit me?”
Cider spoke next, “Pill, it’s fine…” I felt an overwhelming bout of confusion. “What happened back there?”
“I don’t know what happened. It was like a weird sugar rush burst.”
“No, like where did you go?”
“I accidentally fired a random teleportation spell and…ended up outside the cafe…”
“Oh my Celestia…are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m okay.” I nodded. “I just need to go home and rest for a little bit. Then, I can continue the party prep.”
“Okay, I’ll be here. Pillow Talk and I were just talking about having a meditation session.” There’s the confusion again, but I wasn’t about to ask.
“Sounds interesting.” I rubbed the back of my neck. “Well, I’ll see ya?”
“See ya.”
It was weird, from that interaction I was expecting at least a hug. Maybe Cider isn’t telling me something about the farm, but what could it be? Either way, I wanted to just flop down and fall asleep. Tying off balloons won’t take long and I can swing by the cafe after dinner to drop everything off for tomorrow.
I exhaled walking over to the bed, and collapsed on it letting all the air out of my lungs. Unlike last night, I actually fell asleep.
“Peachy?” My voice rang out but it wasn’t my own like similar moments. In fact, it was almost like I was awake. I was still him in the head as well this time. “Hello?”
“Why did you leave the farm?” A voice came from the side of the darkness. “Why didn’t you stay?” My heart began beating erratically as I struggled to see his face but inwardly I knew this voice, somehow.
“I-I could come back.” I shook and lay down as his hoofsteps began to walk towards me. “I’ll come back to the farm I-“
“You belong on the farm. Not as a blasted party pony.” His hoof reached up like he was striking the heavens. “I control your destiny not a cutiemark-“
Suddenly his thunderous voice cut out and was replaced with wings flapping. “Controlling one's destiny is simply outrageous. Hello Peachy…same nightmare as before?” The darkness and stormclouds cleared revealing the smiling face of Princess Luna. “I thought we grew past this.” She gestured to the smoke that was once an angry stallion.
“Luna…” I was awestruck. “Have we…met before?”
“You have this nightmare constantly. You were in all sorts when I soothed you from it before.” She explained. “Though, you do not give off the same presence as usual.”
“That’s a long story…” I whispered. “I thought I understood everything, but now I don’t. I don’t even know how to explain it to you.” Where would I begin without confusing her? Before I would have done anything to tell one of the Princesses my issue but now I wasn’t very confident it was just Peachy’s fault.
“Do you want to tell me?”
“Yes, but now I don’t know how to explain it.” I muttered, and a look of confusion spread across her face.
“Over the past few days I have realized that a dark smog had spread across my bay.” She started, and it made me gulp down a nervous lump in my throat. “It blots out my sister’s sun.” She rubbed her chin, looking quite perplexed. “Though, to achieve such a feat somepony would have to cast a very advanced spell. A spell only a few gifted unicorns could master.”
I let a shaky breath escape and then coughed. “May I just say…that usually Peachy would be here with me.”
“Have you lost your mind, little pony? Surely you should know that you are the one called Peachy.”
“No, no I am somepony-someone else.” I grumbled correcting my slip-up. Ya see, Peachy cast a spell of dark magic, and at first I thought he brought me here to this realm but now I feel like this goes deeper than that.”
“Hmm…sounds like the colt is more powerful than I thought. However, I can not say for certain I truly believe you.” She spoke and then looked down. “If you truly are not who you say you are then where is he?”
“He is usually here with me and I look like myself from where I come from. Though, this time is different. And I’m sorry colt?”
She let out a hearty laugh, “Usually that offends him when I speak of him as a colt.” Then she was back to her serious composure. “If this is not a prank, then I can only assume, but I am not a master in these magics. I do think you should speak to Twilight Sparkle about the spell.”
Before I could say anything else, I fell into a vortex beneath my hooves. I tried to reach out a hoof for Luna to grab me but when I looked up she wasn’t there anymore. I screamed falling for what felt like minutes and then finally landed on a hard surface knocking the wind out of me. I gasped for air, and then saw a face in the darkness. “Spare me! I-“
“Relax~” It was like Peachy’s voice was soothing. “So…How are you?”
I sat up, the darkness clearing as I could only glare at him. As if to spite me, we were in a part of a Peach tree Orchard. “How am I?” I stood up, stepping toward him with anger. “I have been struggling with my identity throughout the day. I’ve been getting your memories.” I couldn’t even think straight. “And I just had a nightmare thinking it was my own…Luna showed up-“
“Princess Luna? You didn’t tell her anything did you?”
I rose an eyebrow, confused. “Peachy? Aren’t you a bit concerned that I look like you?”
“Well, considering you just came from the dreamscape-“
“That’s not the point.” I stomped and he backed away a bit. “I have been having your memories and…feeling your insecurities.” I pointed out. “I don’t understand how you’re always so calm here either.” I muttered.
“Well…I have a couple questions for you too.” He spit, turning his nose to the air. “How did you learn magic so quickly? Your first spell-luminescence was the same first spell I learned. Also, you did reciprocate the same feelings that I had for Rushy.” He was almost ranting, but he was ranting about things I didn’t even know he knew.
“How do you even know this?” I asked.
“Because it’s still me.” He growled and then before I could get a word in, he disappeared in a puff of smoke like he was never there in the first place.
“Peachy?” I asked. I spun around as the Peach Orchard scenery’s skies turned dark as night. The stars swirled in bright white patches. “Peachy?” I asked again. An eerie ghostly fog settled around me. I was highly wondering what led me to draw him in the first place? If there was some deeper meaning. “Come back…” I choked, “I’m kind of scared…” I whispered.
“Figure it out yourself.”
I awoke in a cold sweat, hyperventilating and shaking. That didn’t go the way I wanted. I was about to roll out of bed but noticed a soft, fuzzy ball cuddled up next to me. Confetti had slipped in underneath my foreleg, using it as a blanket as I slept. Why was he suddenly warming up to me? Maybe I had him all wrong and he was mad at Peachy, not because I wasn’t him.
I groaned and carefully stood up on the bed, leaning down into a downward dog stretch. I yawned, and then jumped off, moving over to the party box next to the dresser. I’ll think about the dream later, right now, I needed a break from my mentality. I slowly levitated out some balloons and with a heavy sigh began to blow them up. Looking at the time, I only lost about three hours from my power nap.
After about three balloons, I ended up taking some cardstock and doodling some drawings on it. I wish I had my markers though, it wasn’t the same as coloring it in and I hated pencil sketches. I picked up the cardstock and then trotted out of the bedroom to Water Rush who was seated at the table eating a sandwich.
“Hey Ruh-“ I cleared my throat, cringing at my slip-up. “Water…” I said, walking into the room.
“Hmm? Yes, Mysterio?” She laughed. “I’m sorry. I couldn’t resist.”
“Riight…anyways, I drew something.” I announced sliding it across the table. “It’s a little harder coordinating my magic to draw but…I tried. I also tried to draw with my mouth, but that attempt didn’t turn out too good.”
“Hmm…this is nice.” That’s not the reaction I was hoping for. “So, I heard a rumor that you…had a sugar rush induced…magical…the term escapes me-“
“How fast do rumors travel around here?” I interrupted. “But yes, I might have lost control of myself…a little.”
“And I rest my case why coffee doesn’t belong in this house.” She stated, taking another bite of her sandwich. “I thought I made it very clear to Creamy Mix to not sell you any coffee…”
“I might have uh…scared him.” I admitted. “What are you eating?” I asked.
“A dandelion hay sandwich. Do you want one?”
“No…uh…are there any other options? Perhaps peanut butter and jelly?”
“Haha, of course. I’ll make it for you.” She got up as she stuck the last bite in her mouth and then made her way over to the kitchen. “So how did breakfast go with Cider?”
“I could complain…in fact, this whole day has just been a rollercoaster.” I muttered. “After the grand opening is over…I think I’m just gonna sleep for the whole week.”
She didn’t say anything, only staying quiet, but her eyes narrowed in confusion. I knew what she was thinking, and I should tell her my concerns. Although, it worried me. Would it ruin her perception or even worse, make her own spirits drop? I didn’t want to do that to her.
“So…what were you going to say this morning?” I asked.
“Oh, don’t worry about it.” The way she dismissed it, made me wary. I thought back to what she was going to say, and couldn’t help to think that maybe she was coming to the same conclusion I was. However, I won’t know until she admits it herself.