Shining Armor never left Twilight's bedside. He stayed there all night, never letting go of her hoof. During the night, Cadence came in to check on him. She found him asleep, but instead of waking him and making him go to bed, she just put a blanket over him. Shining didn't want to leave his sister.
Twilight was still under, and Shining was still asleep when Cadence came back in the room. She gave her husband a kiss on the head and put a hoof through Twilight's mane.
Cadence stood there with tears in her eyes. Tears for Twilight, and tears for the now mending relationship between Shining and Twilight.
Princess Celestia quickly ran inside the room not long after.
"Cadence, I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner. There were... complications."
"That's alright, the doctor said Twilight will still be out for a couple more days."
"Out? Can't they just heal her with magic? What is the meaning of this!? I must speak to them immediately." Celestia turned to leave but a gentle hoof on her shoulder made her stop.
"Auntie, they can't just heal her. Even though the magical medical field has made great advances, her bones are still too fragile, and they might set improperly. The doctors don't want to take the chance."
"This does not sit well with me, but I guess the doctors know best." Celestia said, then glances at the still sleeping Shining Armor. "What is he doing here?"
Cadence sighed, "He came back here and looked genuinely apologetic. He wasn’t thinking straight... he slept here all night."
"He will still have to be punished. Hitting somepony with her high standings cannot go unnoticed."
"I understand, just... don't go too hard on him.... Please"
Celestia nodded, and Cadence decided it was time to wake Shining up. She gently nudged her husband.
"Shining, honey, its time to wake up."
Shining Armor slowly opened his eyes, and mumbled something. Shining spotted Princess Celestia and immediately stood upright, giving a polite salute.
"Good morning, Your Highness."
"At ease, Shining." Shining relaxed. "You have some explaining to do."
"Alright, Shining, I understand where you were coming from. But that still doesn't make up for what you did."
Celestia had just finished listening to Shining's explanation. He had made a stupid mistake, and he knew it.
"I know, Princess, and I accept any punishment you seem fit."
"Very well I-"
Celestia was interrupted when Princess Luna came into the room, followed by their parents, and lastly Twilight's friends. The five ponies, and Spike, ran up to Twilight's bed. Spike gave Twilight a gentle hug, making sure not to hurt her.
"Oh, Twilight!" Spike cried. "When will she wake up?"
"In a few more days. Don't worry, Spike, she'll be fine." Cadence said.
While the rest of Twilight's friends were questioning Cadence, Shining kept staring at the King and Queen with a confused expression.
The Queen didn't notice his glare, but Equestor did.
"Boo." Equestor yelled at Shining, who jumped back, and fell to the ground.
King Equestor began to laugh, but Lunesta did not appreciate what he did. She promptly smacked him in the back of the head with her hoof.
"Ouch."
"I'm sorry, Shining Armor, he can be a bit immature at times." Lunesta apologized.
"Shining, Cadence, these are our parents. King Equestor and Queen Lunesta." Celestia said.
Shining Armor gave another polite salute to the King and Queen.
"Relax, Shining, I don't bite." Equestor teased.
Lunesta hit him again, "Honestly, I can't take you anywhere."
"Um, if you don't mind me asking, what are you doing here?" Cadence asked, "And where have you been all this time?"
"That is a long story, and will be saved for another time. " Luna began, "However, we have some things we need to do."
"Yes, and I am so sorry to ask you all this, but could you all kindly leave the room?" Lunesta said.
"B-but we just got here." Spike said.
"I'm sorry, Spike, it will only be for a couple minutes. I promise." Lunesta said.
"Do you Pinkie Promise?" Pinkie Pie asked.
"What is a Pinkie Promise?" Equestor asked.
"Well-"
"Never mind!" Rainbow Dash yelled as she put a hoof in Pinkie's mouth and dragged her out the door.
The rest of the ponies, and dragon, left the hospital room. Celestia, Luna, and their parents were the only ponies left in the room.
"Are you sure you can do this, Luna?" Celestia asked.
"Well, I've gone into ponies dreams before, but I have never brought anypony with me. So the answer is maybe."
Celestia facehoofed.
Luna's horn lit up, and soon the light engulfed all four ponies. Their minds were then all transported into the dreams of Twilight Sparkle.
The four alicorn opened their eyes to a strange world in front of them. Everything seemed to be a bit plainer, and have a duller color.
They were in a field, and heard voices coming towards them. They could soon see three pony looking creatures running down the hill. They resembled ponies, but they looked different. They had smaller ears, bigger muzzles, and smaller eyes.
"Hi!" One of the creatures yelled as they approached the four alicorn, "I'm Minty, what's your name?"
"What are you creatures?" Luna asked.
The three creatures laughed, "We're ponies, silly."
"You aren't ponies, we are ponies." Luna said, gesturing to the alicorn.
"Wow, I've never seen ponies like you before."
"Neither have I."
"Well, hello ponies, my names Pinkie Pie an-"
Celestia and Luna's eyes dilated.
Another Pinkie Pie.
Before the 'ponies' could say anything else, the four alicorn found themselves in a dark cave. Across from them was Twilight Sparkle.
"Twilight, thank you." Luna said.
"You're welcome."
"What are those things?" Celestia asked.
"They claim to be ponies, but I don't know. I've had the same dream for days now. I come here, and they act all girly and giggle all the time. Some of them even have the same names as my friends. This is a nightmare." Twilight said.
"I'm sorry, Twilight." Luna said.
"The worst part is... there is a pony who looks like Rainbow Dash, but she acts just like Rarity. It scares me."
Celestia, Luna, and Twilight all shivered.
"Alright, we can talk about this later, we have some more pressing issues to talk about." Celestia said.
Twilight raised and eyebrow.
"Twilight, we realized we have been very judgmental. I had no reason to treat you the way I have. I am sorry." Celestia said.
Twilight did a double take, "Wait, how are you here?"
"Well, Luna can go-"
"No, I already knew that."
"What?! That was supposed to be a secret!" Celestia said.
"I meant, how are they here." Twilight asked, pointing a hoof at the King and Queen.
"Long story." Equestor said.
"Twilight, the real reason we're here is because... Luna and I have though a long time about this situation, and decided that you can become an alicorn and Princess of Equestria again and resume your duties if you wish."
Twilight's mouth opened.
"What? Why such a sudden change of character?"
"I told you, we though about it, and we decided you shouldn't have been treated as harshly as we did."
"Thank you, but I don't know if I can make a decision this quickly." Twilight said.
"Don't fret, Twilight, you don't have to make this decision right away." Lunesta said.
"Alright, I'll think about it. But in the mean time, can you tell me how you got here?"
"So if we ever decide to come back, we will remain alicorn. Now that we realized this, we can visit often." Lunesta said
Twilight couldn't believe they could just go back and forth between worlds now. That would mean a lot to the Princesses, they could be a family again.
Family
"I've made my decision." Twilight said.
All four alicorn turned their heads to look at Twilight.
"I don't want to be an alicorn again. I don't want to out live my friends. They are the best ponies in all of Equestria, and I can't even bear the thought of living longer than they are."
Celestia smiled, "I respect your de-"
"Hold on, I'm not done." Twilight turned to Lunesta and Equestor, "Instead of me becoming an alicorn again, is there anyway you can bring back Cadence's foal?"
Lunesta smiled, "Ah, little Dream Charmer. She is a cute little filly."
"You named her!? It was a filly!"
"Yes, we found her before we found you. We brought her to The Land, and cared for her. Mysteriously, she came as a little filly, not as a foal. It baffled me."
"I wonder why." Celestia thought out loud.
"Twilight, I will try my hardest to get her back to Cadence. I promise you." Lunesta said.