Don't Fall Asleep

by Damination

Panacea

It was a quiet morning in Ponyville after Nightmare Night. Rainbow Dash could feel the silence, like a tangible force, a clandestine effluence emanating from the shrouded buildings below--it even muted her wings, which silently rode the foggy air. She flew toward Sweet Apple Acres, eyelids held open only by the rushing wind. Rainbow Dash waking up this early was nigh unheard of, but she deigned to do so for her friend Applejack, who wanted to talk about something urgent.

They were supposed to talk last night, but Rainbow Dash had been sick. As a result, she missed most of Nightmare Night. An errant sneeze even now shook her light form, and she sniffled in the cold air.

Rainbow Dash reached the purlieus of Ponyville--below her, apple trees blurred by in bucolic splendour. She curled up for a sneeze, after which her eyes rose to descry a barn’s silhouette. The pegasus landed, sneezed one last time, then knocked. A couple of ponies whispered behind the door, and she became impatient. The pegasus knocked again. The whispering stopped, and the door opened.

Applejack, standing in the doorway, looked like a conflation of tired, bored, and sick. Rainbow Dash supposed the lighting was responsible for the yellowish tint of the mare’s coat, but the bags under her eyes and expressionless countenance were enough to have the pegasus feeling concerned for her hearty, early-rising friend.

“Hey AJ--sorry I didn’t show yesterday, but hay, I got sick. So what did you wanna talk about?”

“Hello Rainbow Dash,” said Applejack. “What are y’ talking about? Yeah... why don’t y’ come in?” Woah. Applejack’s colorless greeting and odd speech caught the pegasus off-guard. Maybe the farmpony really was sick.

“Uhh, you ok? You don’t look so good...”

“Oh yes, simply a cold, not t’ worry,” said Applejack, looking away. “Come on inside, I’ll get ya a glass o’ cider.”

“Actually, I was kinda hoping we could make this quick...” Rainbow Dash gestured behind her, “I’m gonna have to help clear this fog in a bit, and I wanted to go catch a quick nap first.”

“Oh?” said Applejack. Each waited expectantly for the other.

“Uhh,” said Rainbow Dash, “you wanted to tell me something? Y’know, yesterday morning?”

“No...” The earthpony looked off as if thinking, then continued, “no, y’ must be mistaken.”

“AJ. You said it was urgent...”

“No,” Applejack gainsaid, firmly this time. Her tone was cold. “You should go take that nap.”

She shut the door, leaving a very confused Rainbow Dash sitting on her doorstep. Was Applejack angry? She didn’t look it; AJ was usually expressive, but what else explained that abrupt goodbye? And did AJ ever forget something ‘urgent’?

The pegasus flew off uneasily, deciding to take Applejack’s advice and nap. Maybe it’d clear her head. In a corner of her mind, a tincture of foreboding sprouted, a seedling that would soon grow very large indeed.

Back inside the farmhouse, Applejack turned to her brother, then shook her head. The stallion began writing out a note. Soon, Applebloom came, took the note, and left via the back door. The filly walked with purpose all the way to town hall, went in, and soon exited without the paper. She then returned home with the same gait through the empty streets.

The clammy air made sleeping on an errant cloud uncomfortable, so Rainbow Dash began flying home. However, upon entering the town limits, she heard a filly wailing and clopping along at a gallop. She stretched her wings, then flew down, tracing the sound to its source. It was Scootaloo, hurrying blindly past the hovering pegasus, tears streaming from her eyes. Rainbow Dash caught up, and flew alongside the filly.

“Hey, Wait up.”

“Keep AWAY,” she shouted, changing direction. The blue pegasus matched her move.

“It’s me... Rainbow Dash.” This seemed to give the filly pause. “Slow down a minute.”

She looked at the pegasus, slowed down, then stopped.

“Prove it,” she said, wiping her eyes then settling down into a weary crouch.

“Uhh, what?” Of all the things the filly could have said, this was off the chart.

“Tell me something Rainbow Dash would know.”

“Why?” asked Rainbow Dash. The filly backed up a little.

“Just... just tell me,” said Scootaloo.

“O....k. You’re Scootaloo, right? My ‘number-one fan’?” said Rainbow Dash in a confident tone, offering a wink. The filly relaxed--her eyes still brimmed with tears, but she seemed no longer afraid of the blue pegasus. That’s not to say she wasn’t afraid. Her voice trembled, though it was uncertain whether this was nervousness, or something else...

“Y-yeah... thanks. Wow, yeah...” The obsequious filly stared up at her in awe.

“So what’s got ya so upset, kiddo?” asked Rainbow Dash. At the question, Scootaloo sat and looking down.

“Everything,” she said, then continued. “I... got stuck in a closet by accident last night and missed Nightmare Night. Then I fell asleep and when my parents found me this morning they acted really weird. They made me breakfast then grounded me for no reason. They didn’t even look angry... Anyway, I snuck out and went over to crash at Featherweight’s house for a bit but he... he--” she faltered, clenching shut her eyes. A few more tears fell.

“Hey, come here,” said Rainbow Dash, and the filly jumped up to hug her... and she soon returned the gesture. She knew high school and boys could be tough, injurious torments of the callow years. And to be stuck in a closet all night AND miss Nightmare Night? Rainbow Dash would have died. She felt mad at the parents--they sounded like her own--but there wasn’t much she could do except comfort the filly. Something else about the story tickled at Rainbow Dash though. Her parents hadn’t seemed angry... just like Applejack. Conflating the events sent a chill through her, only broken by a whopping sneeze.

“Why’d you ask if I was really Rainbow Dash?”

“Well... things’ve been so weird today, I was thinking... maybe... maybe it wasn’t real. Or something,” said Scootaloo, her words falling off as if she doubted their own worth. She looked back up at Rainbow Dash, and said with a solemn finality, “But I guess it’s real.”

Rainbow Dash empathized with the little pegasus, and looked around. They were close to Carousel Boutique, and that gave her an idea.

“Hey, I’ve gotta go, uhh... work.” Scootaloo instantly saddened, but then livened up when Rainbow Dash continued, “but y’know, I think Sweetie Belle’s staying with Rarity for a couple days. Wanna go hang out with them?”

“Ok,” said Scootaloo, and the pair walked through the fog to Rarity’s boutique. Rainbow Dash found the sisters awake, and left the filly with them, declining Rarity’s offer of tea and giving a quick explanation. They seemed neither pleased nor upset--apathetic perhaps, though Rainbow ascribed this to exhaustion. She then flew off, looking forward to a nap and trying to ignore the amorphous whispers of her subconscious. Something was up, but she was too tired to figure it out at that moment. A nap would help.

When Rainbow Dash reached her cloud house, floating just above the fog and tinted a refulgent orange by the rising sun, she encountered something unexpected and arresting. Two pegasi guards waited on her doorstep, watching her approach. They were expressionless as she landed, and she suspected they’d be silent as well, but then the smaller one spoke.

“Good morning, ma’am. Are you,” he said, checking a clipboard before continuing. “...Rainbow Dash?”

“Yeah...”

“Might we talk inside, ma’am?” It seemed the world was out to keep her from her bed, this particular pegasus made her nervous, probably because of his overly formal demeanor.

“About what?” she asked. The guards looked at each-other.

“We’re with the census, we just have to ask you a few questions,” he said.

They stood there, blocking her entrance and looking intimidating. Finally, she consented--whatever would get these ponies on their way--and they escorted her into her own home. They entered a spacious living room that faded into a cloud kitchen.

“Do you live here alone, ma’am?”

“Erm, got a tortoise.” She smiled at the pegasi, but they just deadpanned back. “No ponies though.

“Can I get you something to drink?” the small pegasus asked, noticing a snow-cloud fridge. Rainbow Dash wondered why the pony was offering her a drink in her own home, but in her sleepy state she didn’t cogitate on it.

“Uhh, no thanks, but help yourselves.” Neither moved toward the fridge--instead, they started walking toward her.

“Right, on with the census thingy.” Rainbow Dash glided a short distance, landing on a couch. She expected the pegasi to take the chairs facing the couch, but instead they landed on either side of her, a bit too close. Creepy. Uncomfortable with the seating arrangement, the blue pegasus got ready to flap over to one of the chairs--but two adamantine wings, like crossed swords, restricted her passage.

Her reaction was immediate. She bolted, but the larger guard rose with her, keeping pace despite his armor, and tackled her midair. The entwined pair convolved for a moment, but the assailant succeeded in bringing the mare back to the couch, where his compeer assisted in restraining her.

“Try to relax, we’re doing this for your sake,” he said. He then took from under one wing a syringe full of grey liquid. “This will make everything clearer.”

The athletic pegasus squirmed, bucked, and screamed, eyeing the needle, but the guards had her pinned, and nopony heard her. The pegasus inserted the point into her neck, held steady by the other’s choke-grip, and before she could react it was over, and the pegasus put away the empty syringe.

“Now,” muttered the pegasus, “for the tranquilizer.” Rainbow dash suddenly lost her desire to sleep.

“What was that?” The pegasi ignored her.

She couldn’t let them have their way. Having no plan, she stopped her futile struggling, and sized up the pegasus who held her neck. He was fast, strong... and distracted, watching his companion pull a syringe from under his other wing, this one clear. Rainbow Dash saw her opportunity--now or never--and viciously punched the pegasus right below his rib cage while simultaneously biting into his side. The grip loosened, and she bucked behind her, getting a lucky kick at the other pegasus’s face. He spiraled to the ground, the syringe falling to the floor.

Rainbow Dash nimbly winged herself out of the pegasus’s grip, then seamlessly switched directions, shooting straight up. The guards would find it quite difficult to chase the fastest pegasus in Ponyville in a vertical climb, especially weighed down by their armor. However, when the blue pegasus finally glanced down, she found no pursuit. Only a single hole marred her roof, and there was no sign of the guards.

In the house of Rainbow Dash, the two dazed guards faced each-other, each recovering. The more muscular of the two suggested pursuit, but the talkative one shot down the idea. “Besides” he said, “what’s she going to do? She’ll sleep eventually.”

“She’ll sleep eventually. Who’s next on the list?” asked the other guard. The talkative one picked up his clipboard, and read the name.

“Miss Rarity, Carousel Boutique, Unicorn.”

Rainbow Dash hovered around the welkin, gasping in the rarefied air and trying to calm down. Those ponies put some black liquid inside her. Goosebumps rose across her coat, and she itched all over. Who could help her? Get it out of her? The pegasus thought for a moment, but it only took a short run down her list of friends to hit on the answer.

“Twilight,” she said aloud, before angling toward where she guessed the library was in the fog.

When she finally found the library by following still empty streets, she didn’t bother to knock, but instead hurtled on through an open window. She dodged a bookshelf, only to crash into a stack of books, sending them hurtling into a table. The pegasus stood up, unscathed, and ignored the mess, glancing around the dark library.

A door above slammed open and a sleepy unicorn in pajamas walked through. She lit a few torches before looking at the disheveled pile of books, then at Rainbow Dash.

“What the hay. Rainbow... what are you doing here? The sun isn’t even up.” Her tone was irritated, and she wiped an eye. Spike emerged after her, curious about the disturbance.

“Twi, I need your help. Everypony was acting weird then guards attacked and put some black stuff in me and I don’t know what it was.” The blue pegasus looked frantic, and her words came out all at once and unintelligible. However, Twilight understood that her friend was worried, and she chose not to remind her that this was a library, not a demolition derby. Not like it would have done much good anyway.

“Wait, sit down,” she said, then walked down to Rainbow Dash. The pegasus sat, shaking. “I’m getting some coffee, do you want something?”

Oh no... was Twilight one of them? Applejack, the guards... they all offered drinks.

“No thanks,” she mumbled, nervous. Twilight heated up a cup then came back, and Spike went back to bed. The unicorn took a sip of the steaming liquid and seemed revitalized.

“So, what’s going on?”

“Well...” Rainbow Dash decided to start from the beginning, yielding to the growing sensation that all the days events were somehow connected. “I woke up early to go visit Applejack. She said she had something important to talk about...” And so she went, recounting all she could remember. Twilight remained silent, listening more and more intently. “...so I came here. Please help me.”

“Well, the hospital might have been a better bet, but if what you say is true... we’ve got to tell the princess.” Twilight considered waking up Spike, but she didn’t want to scare him with all this, so she pulled out some parchment and proceeded to write the letter herself. However, when she had finished, she realized she’d have to wake Spike anyway to send it. Twilight walked into their bedroom, then returned without the letter.

“The princess will know what to do,” she said, putting a hoof around her friend.

A few minutes later, Spike emerged, carrying a scroll. Twilight took levitated it over, broke the princess’s seal... and out fell a syringe. Rainbow Dash recoiled in recognition, while Twilight ignored it as she read the letter aloud.

“My faithful student, I am sorry to hear about what happened to Rainbow Dash. I will make an inquiry to ensure those responsible for this rough treatment are apprehended. However, do not worry about the medicine, for they were acting on my order in distributing a vaccine for a deadly new disease that recently had an outbreak in Ponyville. I should have sent you a letter sooner. Enclosed is the vaccine. Please take it, and get some rest for it to take effect. Once you wake up, everything will be made clear.”

Rainbow Dash stared horrified at the syringe then at Twilight. There was no way those guards were giving her a ‘vaccine’. And what disease? Something else was up. Twilight levitated the fallen syringe, examining the grey liquid inside.

“Twilight, you can’t take that.” said Rainbow Dash.

“But the princess--”

“The princess is lying--or being tricked, or something...” Rainbow Dash was certain. However, Twilight felt torn--on one end, there certainly seemed to be something else going on, but on the other, this was her mentor, practically her mother, and she’d never had reason to doubt the princess. Was the letter specious or sincere? Her indecision showed, and Rainbow Dash made a final attempt. “Look, just let me go find more proof.”

“You...” Twilight thought for a moment, “you should go get our friends, if this is really what you say and the princess is... we’re going to need the elements. I’ll... try and figure out what this stuff is.”

The pegasus prepared to leave, standing up and stretching her wings. A concerned expression crossed Twilight's face.

"Wait just a minute... I want to check something." The unicorn focused on the syringe, sending a sliver of magic through it. Soon, a crack appeared, and she stopped. "I thought so. Rainbow, I think this might only work when ponies are asleep. So... don't fall asleep--"

"Ok, gotcha, Twi. Good luck."

“Be careful,” said Twilight, but Rainbow Dash had already flown out the window.

Rainbow Dash started with Fluttershy’s cottage. She suspected that only ponies who’d gone to Nightmare Night were the ones acting different. Fluttershy always stayed home on that particular night of the year. However, the house seemed empty. The door was unlocked, so she let herself in and looked around, but her shouts yielded no response, and she found no sign of Fluttershy.

Rainbow Dash prepared to leave, but then something tugged her hoof. It was Fluttershy’s pet, Angel. The bunny gestured frantically, but all she got out of it was that it wanted her to follow. So she did, and it led her to a closet adjoining Fluttershy’s bedroom. It pointed at the door.

Inside the closet, Rainbow Dash found Fluttershy. Asleep. Two pinpricks of blood had dried in the same spot the guards had injected the blue pegasus. Rainbow Dash had to wake her up. She tried shouting Fluttershy’s name and slapping her, but she hadn’t really expected that to work--so she got a bucket of cold water from the kitchen, and poured it on the pegasus. That did the trick.

“WHAH-w...w-what,” gasped Fluttershy, approaching a state of shock. However, she managed to retain control when she saw Rainbow Dash standing over her. “W-w-what h-happened...”

“Sorry.”

“Oh... oh R-rainbow, I had a... had a t-terrible dream...” The yellow pegasus burst up hugged Rainbow Dash, rocking back and forth. Tears and water droplets fell alike onto her friend’s withers.

“I don’t think you were dreaming... but hey, don’t worry. Just get over to Twilight’s, I’ve gotta go get the rest of our friends. Can you do that?” They separated, and their eyes met.

“Y-yes...”

“Good, I’ll be there soon,” said Rainbow Dash, before flying out.

Pinkie Pie was next, as Sugarcube Corner was closest. The fog was beginning to clear, and a few ponies roamed the streets. Rainbow Dash opened one of the upstairs windows, hoping to avoid the cakes. Of her six friends, Pinkie and Applejack were the Nightmare Night celebrants, but she had to give Pinkie a shot. However, Pinkie’s room was empty, her bed untouched, and no pink pony slept in the closet.

Hearing no noise downstairs, Rainbow Dash decided her friend was probably outside. She left and initiated an areal sweep of the area. Finding no pink ponies, she expanded her search parameters, heading toward town hall, and sure enough, there was Pinkie Pie trotting alone across a bridge. She looked a bit haggard, with bloodshot eyes, and wore a serious expression coupled with a strict stride, even as Rainbow Dash landed right in front of her.

“Hey, Pinkie Pie... you ok?”

The pink mare just stared back, and the two stood like that for a good ten seconds, until, as if on cue, her face burst into a smile and she bounced over to Rainbow Dash.

“Dashie! They didn’t get you.” she hugged the pegasus. What was that, the third hug in one day? Rainbow Dash soon put aside this observation, thought, when the two separated.

“Who’s ‘they’?” asked Rainbow Dash

“Oh, lots of ponies this morning, Dashie--they make me go all a-twitch-a-twitchin, which tells me something’s up.”

“Why’re you out here?”

“I couldn’t sleep after the party last night, and Mr. and Mrs. Cake were acting funny this morning, so I left and here I am.”

“O...k. Well, don’t fall asleep. And get over to Twilight’s, tell her I think this all has something to do with Nightmare Night. Fluttershy should be there too.”

“Okie-dokie-loki,” she said, cheerily, then, resuming her serious facade, she said, “and Dashie, I’ve got a bit of advice you might need really soon. These ponies can be tricked. If you look all serious and don’t show any emotion, they’ll think you’re with them.”

“Thanks for the tip, Pinkie. I’ll meet ya at the library.” With that, Rainbow Dash flew off and Pinkie Pie continued solemnly walking along.

Rainbow Dash knew that Applejack was probably changed, so she decided to leave the farm-pony for last, heading instead toward Carousel Boutique. She arrived, knocked, and was let inside by the dressmaker.

“Welcome back, Rainbow Dash. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle are... playing upstairs.” Something about her voice put Rainbow Dash on edge. “What can I do for you?”

Rainbow Dash smiled at her friend, hoping to lighten the mood. Rarity simply cocked her head to one side slightly.

“Have you had your vaccination yet?” asked Rarity, and the pegasus’s blood ran cold. Oh no. The unicorn now blocked the door, but Rainbow Dash could probably make it to the staircase... She backed up slowly, breaking eye contact only to sneeze.

“Uhh, yeah... you said Scootaloo’s upstairs?”

The unicorn didn’t answer, only taking a step forward. But Rainbow Dash knew what she needed to. Rarity was one of them, and she had to find Scootaloo before the filly fell asleep. Pinkie’s advice came to mind, but it was a bit too late to blend, so she bolted for the stairs, flying on up in a tight curve that sent pictures rocking on the walls. She flew into the bedroom, heading straight for the closet. Inside she found two sleeping fillies. She scooped them up, then turned--coming face to face with Rarity.

“It does not have to be like this, Rainbow Dash. ” said Rarity. However, the words came off flat, emotionlessly, and the pegasus didn’t believe them for one second.

The blue pegasus flew forward, carrying the sleeping fillies--but the unicorn was too quick. Rarity’s magic enveloped the door, and it began swinging shut. Unable to stop, Rainbow Dash ran right into the sharp edge, bouncing back.

And her world became a black void.

Rainbow Dash woke up alone in the dark, with a pounding headache. The thin line of light from under the door hurt her eyes tremendously. The pegasus tried to remember what had gotten her into this situation, but all she remembered was being sick and Pinkie Pie telling her she could fool them by acting emotionless. As to who this ‘them’ was, nothing came to mind. After her eyes adjusted a bit, she opened the door and stepped out.

Big mistake. She fell to the ground, covering her face with a hoof. The ambient sunlight filtering in the windows felt like iron tines piercing her retina and spearing through her brain. However, her eyes once more adjusted, and she looked around the room... what the hay was she doing in Rarity’s bedroom? Rainbow Dash wandered unsteadily over to a mirror, observing the ugly weal right between her eyes and the dried blood encrusting her nose.

She walked out, then down the stairs, and found Rarity and Sweetie Belle sitting at a table, sipping tea. This image brought on a torrent of memories from this morning, and it took Rainbow Dash all her effort to keep a straight face. Rarity put down her cup in a saucer as Rainbow Dash approached, and the unicorn addressing her.

“Good day. Is everything clear?”

Rainbow Dash had no idea if things were clear, but Pinkie’s voice whispered to her. She nodded, dissembling, afraid that her voice would betray her.

“Very well, but first, Scootaloo is having a little trouble adjusting... I have done everything I can for her, but I was going to let you give it a try before killing her. Our benefactors won’t mind--they need every pegasus...”

“Bene-factors?” blurted out Rainbow Dash. Rarity instantly became suspicious.

“Yes, the benefactors. Do you not know?” The unicorn stood up from the table, walking toward her.

“Uhh...” Rainbow Dash cast around for something, anything. “That collision with the door, must a’ messed up my memory.” She suppressed the instinct to smile.

“Ah, you should commune at town hall then,” said Rarity, still regarding her with suspicion but no longer advancing. “But first, see if you can do anything for Scootaloo. She only has an hour left on protocol.”

Rainbow Dash turned around warily, and walked back up the stairs. She had to escape, with Scootaloo. It sounded like the filly hadn’t turned. And why hadn’t Rainbow Dash turned? She’d been injected with that stuff... maybe the concussion had something to do with it? Her head still pounded. She checked each room, until she found Scootaloo, sitting on a guest bed. She entered, closing the door behind her.

The two pegasi looked at each-other, neither betraying any emotion. Neither knew whether the other was friend or foe. Scootaloo broke the silence with a sneeze. Then she spoke.

“You can tell Rarity that I, uhh, changed... for real,” said Scootaloo. Rainbow Dash looked at the window, and figured she could break through it if things went badly.

“Oh yeah?” Rainbow Dash smiled, and Scootaloo instantly reacted in elated surprise.

“You didn’t change!” whispered the filly. The blue pegasus simply shook her head in response and smiled widely. Another hug. The filly sneezed.

“We’ve gotta get out of here, does that window open?”

“It’s locked...”

“Ok, well, follow me then. Quietly.”

“Where are we going?”

“Twilight’s...”

The pair found an unlocked window, then Scootaloo climbed up on Rainbow Dash’s back, and they flew off in the direction of the library.

A young pair of eyes watched them fly away. Sweetie Belle shut the window. She’d heard the whole conversation.

The morning fog was gone, replaced by a gentle breeze and overcast sky. Piercing rays of sunlight revealed the sun’s position to be falling into the west. Based on the temporal orb’s position, Rainbow Dash ascertained that it was late afternoon. Ponies filled the streets, but there was not a pegasus among them, and none of the earthponies or unicorns looked up to see Rainbow Dash flying with Scootaloo clinging onto her back.

When the pegasus arrived at the library, she found the windows and balcony were sealed with plywood from the inside. She ended up using the library door, knocking and trying to remain calm as ponies passed rigidly by. Scootaloo disembarked, staying close to her idol. The door cracked open, revealing a Pinkie eye.

“Who goes there?”

“Let us in Pinkie.”

“Okie-dokie.” The door opened just enough for Scootaloo then Rainbow Dash to squeeze through, then was abruptly shut and bolted.

The interior of the library was chaos. The books Rainbow Dash knocked over remained in an unkempt pile, but many more books had been removed from their shelves and tossed about. A plethora of scientific apparatuses littered the room, fulfilling functions the pegasus could only guess at. Fluttershy chatted with Spike in a secluded corner. In the middle of it all, Twilight Sparkle examined something through a microscope, blindly making notes.

“Hey Twilight,” said Rainbow Dash. The unicorn didn’t answer, hard at work, and the pegasus didn’t press her. Several minutes later, Twilight finally removed her eye from the lense, and noticed the new presence.

“Rainbow! You’re ok...” Yet another hug.

“Yeah, hey Twi. We just escaped from Rarity’s...”

“So I guess Rarity and Applejack aren’t coming?”

“Ehh, no.” The two just looked at each other silently for a bit, then Twilight spoke.

“What happened?”

“They got to Rarity... and when I got there she knocked me out. Woke up, escaped with Scootaloo, and here we are.” Rainbow Dash’s head still hurt, and she had no desire to go into detail this time. She tried to redirect the conversation. “What have you been up to?”

“Wait a sec,” Twilight seemed not to have heard the pegasus’s question, “you said you got knocked out and are still here?”

“Uhh, yeah, Rarity thought I’d changed but I tricked her and--”

“Woah, this is great! You might hold the key to finding a way to stop this thing... Fluttershy didn’t seem affected, but I think she was only asleep for a little while. But you... you’ve been gone for hours. Tell me everything about you, and Scootaloo I guess; what do you two both have?”

“Uhh...” The pegasus’s head hurt too much for this, and her stomach rumbled. She realized that she hadn’t eaten anything all day... though chewing might be a problem, as her teeth felt ready to fall out.

“We’re both pegasuses.” chirped in Scootaloo. Twilight smiled at her.

“Well, I hope that isn’t it, because it’d be kinda hard to make everypony pegasi. Anyway, the guards were pegasi, and they weren’t immune. What else?”

On cue, they both sneezed, and a lightbulb went on inside the unicorn’s brain.

“Of course! You both have nasopharyngitis.” They stared at her blankly. “The cold. You both have colds.”

“So?” asked Rainbow Dash, a question her pounding head soon regretted.

“So” said Twilight emphatically, “I should have seen it before--the disease has a very similar structure to the common cold. It was probably made that way so that nopony could make a lasting vaccine against it. However, our bodies normally deal with colds naturally, creating antibodies. Since you both already had colds, you had a lot of antibodies in your system which then--”

“Can you cure it?” interrupted the pegasus.

“Well, I can’t cure the cold, but I think I can stop the Seriocyanitis.” More blank stares. “What? Might as well give this thing a name.”

"Itis for short?“ asked Rainbow Dash.

The unicorn decided not to grace such an absurd suggestion with a reply, and instead went about her work.

Dusk came, and with it, progress. The three mares, pegasus filly, and one dragon emptied the pantry, and occasionally peeked out through holes in the boarded up windows, but the unicorn was restless in her pursuit. The piles of tossed aside books grew as shelves emptied. Most of the scientific equipment sat around unused and in the way, but was far too delicate to be moved by anypony other than the busy unicorn.

Twilight began to say that she was ‘nearly there’ around an hour ago, and hadn’t stopped. Her friends were confident in her ability, but they worried that the spell might not be ready in time. Pinkie Pie confirmed their fears when she looked outside a slit in the plywood boards covering the windows, then backed away in surprise.

“Uh oh. I think they might be on to us,” said Pinkie. Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow and the pink pony elaborated. “There’s a crowd of ponies outside.”

Twilight froze--everypony froze. Then she spoke, running toward a door leading to the basement.

“Come on, I’m really close. We’ll make it...” Her friends followed, Rainbow Dash extinguishing the torches with powerful gusts of wind. It was probably too late for that, though.

The ponies and dragon retreated to the basement, Twilight levitating two books. Spike proceeded to light the torches, and the unicorn walked over and sat down in the space cleared by bringing most of the scientific equipment upstairs. Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Scootaloo began barricading the door with books, and Fluttershy stood to one side.

“If they try to break through, this isn’t gonna hold Twi...” said Rainbow Dash, watching an imbalanced stack of books collapse back into the room, almost landing on Scootaloo.

“Oh...” said Fluttershy. “D-do you think they would go so... far?”

Nopony responded, and after all the books were painstakingly removed from the shelves and thrown against the door, they sat down and waited. Spike scribbled away something on a note, perhaps a goodbye, but he stopped half way, crumpled it up, and chose to pace instead. Twilight worked in complete concentration, halting only to say that she’d reached a critical, and final stage.

“I’m almost there, now I just have to construct the spell...”

However, no sooner did she finish this sentence then a booming voice penetrated into the room. They recognized that voice, from that Nightmare Night not so long ago--Princess Luna.

“TWILIGHT SPARKLE, WE MEAN YOU NO HARM. COME OUTSIDE, LET US TALK TOGETHER.”

“Hey, “Rainbow Dash said, noticing Twilight freeze up at the familiar voice of the princess. “It’s not really her... the real Luna would want you to keep going. Ok?”

“...Ok.” Commitment returned to Twilight, and her horn began subtly glowing.

There were no more sounds from outside, until a deafening crack--muted by the wall and books--sent the house shaking. Everypony, except the unicorn, who was now in her own secluded world, heard countless hooves filing into the room next door. It wouldn’t be long now before they broke through.

“THE ONLY ESCAPE IS IN OUR HOOVES, TWILIGHT. JOIN US. THE PANACEA, IT IS BEAUTIFUL, TWILIGHT... JOIN US, AND BE BLINDED NO MORE.“

Rainbow Dash decided to do a little shouting of her own, forgetting that it would give away their position. Not like the library was that big anyway.

“Hey Princess, Twilight’s kinda busy right now. Why dontcha come back later?”

“RAINBOW DASH... WE WERE SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR IMMUNITY. BUT WORRY NOT, THERE WILL BE A PLACE FOR THE IMMUNE IN THE NEW WORLD.”

“Sorry to break it t’ya, but there’s not gonna be a new world,” said Rainbow Dash.

“She’s right, Rainbow.” The new voice surprised them as well, though no more than the princess’s had. It was Applejack. “Why don’t ya open this door... I was hopin’ to talk t’ya face t’ face.”

“AJ...” Rainbow Dash cast around for something to say, suddenly at a loss. Her friend seemed sincere; AJ always seemed sincere... could these ponies fake sincerity? It wasn’t a risk she even considered taking. “I can’t do that.”

“Then I’m comin’ in there.” A powerful buck shook the door, and it opened a crack as books were sent tumbling back. Then another, and another. It wasn’t until the fourth buck that Pinkie started pushing back, and the rest of the ponies followed.

“STAND BACK” shouted Luna. Oh no.

The friends jumped clear, just before the door exploded into kindling, along with a good chunk of the books, which actually caught fire. Three ponies walked through, easily stepping over the scorching paper and splintered wood. Princess Luna led them, and on either side stood Applejack and Rarity. Their focus remained on the group of ponies in front of them, which cowered in shock for the most part.

“Hello darling, how’s the head? Thank you for... informing me of this little get together,” asked Rarity.

“Wha-I didn--”

“Oh, but you did. Always so talkative... you never know who might be listening. But we can fix that, Rainbow Dash. Panacea fixes many things.”

“Uhh, no thanks. Hey, why don’t we go talk in the, uhh... kitchen?” Her ploy to get them away from Twilight achieved only suspicion, but these single-minded ponies had yet to simply look over at the purple unicorn completing the cure-spell. “No? Ok, so... what’s up? What’s panisee-a?”

“Enough,” said Luna, no longer using the Royal Canterlot Voice, but still commanding. “You will know soon, but first--I see only four... where is Twilight Sparkle? and the dragon?”

The princess of the night finally looked around, and she found the unicorn, eyes still closed as uncontained spark spurted from her horn. Rainbow Dash hoped Twilight was ready. There’d be no second chance.

“What is this? Twilight” said Luna. The unicorn didn’t respond--the spell took all of her concentration. So the princess reached out with her magic... and recoiled in shock at what she found.

“STOP HER” she yelled, and everypony exploded into action. Rainbow Dash barreled into the night princess, and they both crashed tumbled onto a pile of books, trading blows. Pinkie Pie took Applejack, and was at first easily brushed aside--but the persistent pink pony kept coming back, harassing the farmpony at every turn, and dodging her attacks. Nopony checked Rarity, and readied some spell, focused on Twilight--but it was interrupted by Scootaloo, who bit into her hoof. Just a few more seconds...

“ENOUGH.” Luna spread her wings, buffeting away the blue pegasus, then flying out into the main section of the room, stopping directly above Twilight. Her eyes became brilliant white sockets as she gathered her magic, then she dove, chasing a dark ball of energy that crackled with electric death.

However, at that same moment, Twilight also rose into the air, and her eyes also opened... and they held the same ocular brilliance as the princess’s. The awestruck onlookers all ceased their struggles to watch. The spell, a product of skill and luck beyond even the bookish unicorn’s description, was finally released, appearing as a bubble that grew with increasing speed. But this was no shield, and Luna’s oblique projectile passed unhindered through its membrane. And it struck the unicorn.

Twilight instantly collapsed to the ground, immobile at the center of the expanding dome. When the dome reached Luna, the alicorn fell unconscious, landing next to the unicorn. Applejack and Rarity also fell, one landing in a pile of books and the other in Fluttershy’s waiting hooves. Indeed, the soft thuds of unconscious ponies collapsing soon resounded from the room beyond. It seemed Equestria had been saved.

However, Rainbow Dash cared nothing for these happenings, focusing only on her fallen friend. She flew over, cradling the unicorn’s head in her hooves.

“Wake up, Twilight... please, wake up. Don’t d-... Don’t fall asleep. Come on...” She repeated this, over and over, getting louder each time. Her friends friends stood in a loose circle. Fluttershy hurried forward, putting aside her fears to try and help the unicorn. Scootaloo stood next to Pinkie Pie, both wearing mirror expressions of brutal shock while Spike buried his face in the pink earthpony’s fur.

Rainbow Dash looked back down at her friend. The unicorn wasn’t breathing. Anger rose in her chest, but she suppressed it, instead reiterating the obsolete and now nonsensical advice one last time before giving Twilight up to Fluttershy.

“Don’t fall asleep...”

But Rainbow Dash didn’t let go... she could feel something. Twilight’s body was heating up. For the first few seconds, she ascribed the sensation to her imagination. But then the unicorn started glowing, and became too hot to carry. The blue pegasus backed away in surprise, awe, and--above all--hope.

The glow became brighter, until Twilight’s body was too bright to behold, and everypony turned away or covered their eyes. After several minutes--and a noticeable rise in the room’s temperature--the light disappeared. And standing in the middle of the room, with a broad smile plastered on her face, was a very much living Twilight Sparkle.

“Twilight!” The shout was unanimous.

The friends took only a moment to gape before rushing all at once for a group hug. No words were said--laughter and smiles and tears told all. That is until they separated--though Spike remained at her side--and Rainbow Dash asked the all important question.

“How... w-what the hay happened?”

"I... I don't know. Did it work?"

She looked around, and soon noticed the pile of charred papers that once filled the bookshelves. Her expression turned to abject horror.

"The books... this is terrible!"

Oh, the horror...!