//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 // Story: More Than A Dream // by nanashi_jones //------------------------------// “Rarity?” “Yes, Keiko?” “Can I just note how much I envy you right now?” “You can. My heart goes out to you, darling, this is harrowing enough for me and I’m not all here. It must be positively dreadful for you.” “It’s just a little muck,” Ashley muttered. “It’s just a little Rarity,” Applejack whispered back. “You’re sure about this way, Pinkie?” Aurora said. “Sure as sugar! How’s everypony doing?” “Oh...” Aurora muttered, looking down at her ruined pants and shoes, which were squelching along in sewer water. “We’re doing.” After Pinkie had mentioned an alternative way into the kingdom, the girls had all returned to Zecora’s hut where they were given provisions and a good meal. Zecora wished them all luck and that she would stay behind to slow anypony who even looked at the Everfree funny. The trip had gone smoothly for the most part with Rainbow Dash staying as high as her invisible tether to Iris allowed, scanning for anypony they’d run into. Oddly enough, they met nary a soul on the road. Aurora had suspicions and she imagined Twilight did as well, but since her friendly little unicorn wasn’t talking, she kept the worries to herself. No need to panic everyone further. About a mile outside Canterlot, Pinkie led them down into a cave whose narrow back gave way to a twisting labyrinth that joined into Canterlot’s major sewer system. While Twilight and Rarity were still not entirely there, the light they cast from their horns illuminated well enough so everyone could see in the dark tunnels. “Pinkie,” Twilight asked as Aurora scraped something wretched from the cuff of her pants. “How did you find this place anyway?” “Epic hide n’ seek with the Princess. You have to be reaaaaally good to play with her. And I’m the champ!” Before anyone could follow that train of thought, Aurora’s foot collided with something firm and unyielding, shimmering up in a purple-pink light. “Uh oh...” Twilight and Aurora said at the same time. “Whaddya mean ‘uh oh?’” Applejack said, her vision obscured by backs and semi-transparent ponies. As the group drew up against a gently curving, sheer wall of shining, magical energy, Ashley lifted Applejack over everyone’s heads. “Oh,” Applejack said. She tilted her hat up. “Yep, that’s an uh oh.” “Shining Armor?” Aurora asked, sizing up the shield and running her hand across it. “Shining Armor,” Twilight confirmed. Twilight’s horn came alive with a new light as she cast it about the energy wall and Aurora quietly tapped along the surface as if listening for something. The rest of the girls rested while Twilight and Aurora inspected the obstacle. Nova handed out the veggie wraps she’d made with Zecora then approached Aurora with a smile. Aurora glanced back, noticing Nova and her offered goods. Smiling tiredly, she accepted the food and looked back at the glittering wall. “So it’s one of Shining Armor’s shields?” Nova asked. Aurora nodded, mouth full of veggie wrap. Tasted a bit bland, but she doubted she’d find curry in this setting. Swallowing, she said, “And better made than when the Changelings were around.” “How can you tell?” Aurora blinked. “Um.” Her brow furrowed. “A little of that’s me,” Twilight said as she peered close, waving her horn over the expanse of sparkling energy. “You’re getting feedback from my horn.” “My life,” Aurora breathed. She bit into the wrap, deciding to give herself something else to focus on. After a few more passes, Twilight made a growling noise. “What?” Aurora said. “I can’t- I can’t disrupt it,” Twilight spat. “This is the same weave that Shining always uses- I’ve been getting around it my whole life, but it. Won’t. Work!” She thrust her horn, tip bright, at the shield to no effect. “Maybe it’s because you’re not really there,” Applejack said. Twilight turned a questioning eyebrow on Applejack, her expression revealing more frustration than curiosity. Applejack rose to that expression and walked over to the wall. Frowning, she bent her head down and trotted through the shield. Her whole body wavered like she was a heat mirage as she passed, but everyone stared as she stopped on the other side. She took a breath and returned. Aurora watched the same distortion as before intently. “Whoo. Like runnin’ through a thicket of zap apple trees, but ain’t a problem.” “Except for us,” Aurora said. “We’re not ghosts here, AJ- I mean, Applejack.” Applejack gave Aurora a brief, knowing look and nodded. “Just means we gotta work on gettin’ y’all in rather than every one of us.” Twilight was rubbing her chin thoughtfully. “That’ll make things easier... Aurora, if you could come here please?” Aurora knelt into the squelchy muck, both her and Twilight wincing in the process. “Sorry,” Twilight said. Aurora waved her hand with a sigh. “Just add it to my bill. You have an idea?” “Maybe,” Twilight said, licking her lips. “But it’s going to be a bit of a long shot.” “We seem to be specializing in those. I’m up for it,” Aurora replied. “Okay.” Twilight took a deep breath, closing her eyes. After a moment, she released and opened her eyes to look squarely into Aurora’s own. The effect was slightly disorienting- again, Aurora had that near-instinctual feeling of looking into a mirror that didn’t quite sync. “Aurora, I want you to close your eyes.” She did so, grateful to leave the mirror-feeling behind. “I want you to look for where you felt me before. When I was looking over the shield with my horn. Look for that feedback you got.” Aurora took a breath and tried to find the feeling again; that twinge and knowledge that had just... Been there. After a minute, she couldn’t find it. Head shaking, she told Twilight as much. “Okay,” Twilight said. Aurora felt heat then. Something small, like a candle flame nearby. “How about now?” “Yeah... Yeah, I can- There.” She had it then, the little path that ran between her and Twilight. To her surprise, she thought it felt like a river, like invisible water flowing between them. Specifically from her... Heart? No, it was just a little... There. Was that her heart chakra? Was she sharing a chakra with a pony? That didn’t make any sense! That was imposs- The path wavered, her sense of flowing water getting thin. Mentally backing away from her uncertainty, she focused on the path being, existing. And it did. Aurora suddenly felt like she was ten and sitting in meditation with her grandmother. “Breath in and out, child. In and out. This will help you discipline your mind,” her elegant grandmother had said. “I’m already dis’plined, Nani.” “You are curious, child. This will focus that.” Her grandmother assumed a lotus pose that seemed to defy the bent posture she’d held ever since Aurora had first met her. She’d heard her Mom tell Dad once that Nani used to be a dancer and a martial artist, which made her super cool to Aurora. She didn’t know girls could be both. “See what you want. No doubts now. Doubt will be for later. Now, you must decide on what you want. It will help you walk the path in life.” “I wanna learn more,” young Aurora had said. “Good child. A grand start. Focus on that and only that. Now, clear your mind, save for that thought, and hold it tight...” So Aurora had and the focus paid off in her studies. Now she needed to bring that same focus to another side of learning- doing. That meant letting go of questions and concerns for the time being. Stop worrying about how none of this made sense. Stop wishing she could just go back to her life. Accept that right now was right now and deal with it later. She had people and ponies counting on her and they didn’t have time. The longer they stayed down there, the better their chances of being caught. She needed to focus on just this. Walk now, figure out how she was walking later. Taking a deep, calming breath, she let go of her concerns. She was on a Path. She hoped her feet didn’t sink between the stones. “Feels like you have a handle on it,” Twilight said. “Yeah. Can we move it along? This is... Weird.” She realized she could feel Twilight nodding. Okay, this was epic weird. “So. I want you to think of a ball. A clear one. Focus on it.” Aurora did so. Picturing a clear ball in her head, it was done. She held it in her mind’s eye. “Good. Now, imagine an opening in the ball.” Again, it was easy. Done. “Good. Now, I’m going to fill that ball. Don’t stop focusing. Okay? Keep focusing on that ball.” Aurora nodded and soon she felt Twilight’s horn on her forehead. Then, she felt the river between them widen. The ball she imagined started to shimmer, filling with a purple light. “Oh... Wow,” Aurora said. “Keep focusing,” Twilight said. “What’s goi-mmph!” Rainbow and Iris were muffled immediately by the other girls before they could break whatever tenuous thing that Aurora and Twilight had built. Aurora “watched” as the ball filled all the way to the top. She didn’t just see purple light glittering in there. She could feel something in it. Something alive in a way she’d never encountered. Like... A living wish. Or a dream. “Whoo. That’s tricky,” Twilight said. “Okay, Aurora. Now, I want you to close the ball...” Done. “Good. Now pick the ball up. You can do it with your own hands if you want. Just feel like you’re taking the ball.” Aurora’s hand moved slowly and she wrapped it around the make believe ball and- “Whoa!” Aurora yelped. “I can- I can really-” “Focus!” Twilight shrieked. “Focusfocusfocusfocus!” Aurora brought her mind back to bear and held the ball tightly in mind and hand. Twilight breathed out. “Okay. Let’s... Don’t do that again.” Aurora nodded. “Can I open my eyes?” “Not yet,” Twilight said. “You might- You’re not ready for that. Now, I want you to turn until you can feel the shield again.” Done. Wow. She could see it too. She told Twilight. “Good. That means your mind is adapting to recognizing magical constructs. That’s very good. Now, Aurora, here’s the tricky part. You’re going to throw that ball at the shield and when you do, you’re going to feel it hit and feel the wall push against you. But you have to be firm. You can’t let the wall push you back, Aurora.” The girl smirked. “I’m nothing if not stubborn.” She felt Twilight smile, delighted. “Good to know. Okay, everyone. Get ready to run. I don’t know how long this is going to hold.” The girls rose, wiping grime from themselves. Once they were ready, they nodded. “Alright. Aurora, you’ll need to get ready too.” Aurora nodded, and rose slowly, still focusing on the ball, which was deceptively simple. She could feel the weight of the living... Whatever she held, like a wad of electricity in her mind. She could also feel the eight-million things she would rather be thinking about trying to crowd in (itch on her arm, water around her feet, what was she even doing here, etc.). Aurora was very glad her grandmother had done those meditation exercises so young. What she did was hard, but without those little rituals of mental discipline, she knew it would have been that much harder. She resolved to send Nani a gift on the next holiday. Something really nice. “I’m ready,” Aurora said. “Okay... Throw the ball!” Twilight commanded. Aurora did so and felt the strike rattle up her arm with a weird jolt and she still felt the ball as it pushed into the wall and- Suddenly there was a new weight, an impossibly massive and heavy weight, and it was all in her head all at once. Her eyes snapped open and she grunted and had to redouble her focus. She realized she was muttering mantras she hadn’t used since she was ten. Whether the mantras helped or her discipline held or she was just plain stubborn enough, her will locked in and she shoved back as if her brain had grown arms and could slam something away. More specifically, a magical something. The shimmering shield waned as purple light danced across it and then a hole opened. Not really large, but certainly big enough for an average sized human being to squat down and scoot through. The girls stared in wonder. “Go!” Aurora yelled, leaning against the wall. “This isn’t easy! Go!” Iris and Rainbow were the first through followed almost immediately by Pinkie and Diane. Rarity and Keiko ducked through with a thankful smile to the girl as Applejack and Ashley ensured Fluttershy and Nova made it through. “Hard part,” Twilight said. Aurora nodded. Her focus shifted and this... Spell didn’t like it if she moved around too much. She shuffled to just in front of the hole and realized, she could feel her concentration slipping. Yelling in brash defiance she gave one last, mental push, followed by a physical one. She went through the hole as it snapped shut behind her. Rolling in muck, Aurora came up against Ashley and Applejack who cushioned her with their shared bulk. “Whoa, pardner,” Applejack said. “That... Was awesome,” Iris said, her voice rising in excitement. “Indeed. First rate spellcraft,” Rarity added. “Good job, Aurora,” Twilight commented, shuddering as she passed through the shield. “That wasn’t an easy spell and you did it right on your first try.” Aurora broke into a bit of a mad grin. “Ha! Ha ha! Yeah!” She punched the air in triumph and was suddenly washed by a bone-deep fatigue and a headache that went from her eyes to her toes. “Oh. Ow. Ow, ow, ow.” She shuddered, curling up slightly regardless of the sewage she lay in, her hands over her head. “Yeah. You haven’t built up your muscle yet. It’ll-” Twilight was cut off as something caught her attention. A little nimbus of light appeared at the tip of her horn, shining a tiny pink. “What?” the unicorn whispered hotly. “What is it Twi?” Applejack said. “There’s an alarm. A silent, magical alarm! Shining never- No. Nevermind. We have to go. Now!” “But Aurora can barely stand!” Rainbow pointed out. “Then we’ll just have to help!” Ashley said, hoisting the girl across one shoulder. Iris slid under Aurora’s other side and Applejack got under her feet. “This... Stinks...” Aurora gasped, feeling like a cork in the water. The pain and fatigue were mixing into some new thing in her that made her dizzy and giddy all at once. “Gonna stink worse if we don’t get movin’. Let’s go everypony!” Ashley said and the group took off. Aurora jostled limply between Ashley and Iris, feeling stupid and useless. She also felt strangely detached. Like all of this was happening to somepony else. Or was it somebody else? She thought she should be mad at herself and- Oh, she was mad at herself. Wait. No. That wasn’t her. What was that? As she listened through ringing ears, the girls shouted directions and a noise like clanking metal soon became apparent. She also heard a smaller voice. It was near that inside river, wasn’t it? She went closer and yep! There it was. How could I have been so stupid?! Of course Shining would change his shield spell! And now I’ve hurt Aurora further. She’ll never trust me now... “Hey...” Aurora mumbled. Celestia, she felt like horseapples. Why not try thinking at the noise? That seemed to be what was happening anyway. Hey, Aurora thought at the river. She giggled. She was thinking at a river. What? Twilight skidded in the muck. “Twilight!” Fluttershy shrieked. “Coming! Coming!” Who...? Aurora is that you? Oh wow. I wasn’t imagining it. Isn’t that neat? Look, don’t feel bad. You didn’t- You thinged. That’s all. It’s okay. Twilight cringed. The spell had been way more complicated than a first time user could handle. But she’d had no choice. Now Aurora was in one of the worst magically induced near-exhaustion states Twilight had ever seen. The girl needed rest, not more running. And certainly not any kind of telepathic communication! It’s not okay, Twilight thought at Aurora. I should have found another way around the shield instead of running you through the wringer. I’m so, so sorry Aurora. Just... Just relax, okay? Nah, it’s cool, Aurora thought. You’ve been messing up my life so much I’m like, eh, whatever. What’s more? Twilight cringed. No, wait that’s not- No. Okay, don’t- Arrgh, don’t tell anyone, but... I was holding back your magic back home. I knew it! Twilight’s eyes widened and Aurora felt the accusatory glare on the back of her neck. Yeah, yeah. We could do... Little things inside. I couldn’t understand why the rest of ‘em were like- hey, ponies can do whatever. It’s your body and... And it needs more respect than that. I felt like you were... Stealing me. They turned left at Pinkie’s direction and the clanking suddenly started coming from another direction. Rainbow was shouting something, but Twilight and Aurora could barely hear it. But, you weren’t. You totally respected my body. You tried really hard to let me stay in charge- No, let me finish. And you only happened when Pinkie did her magical hypnotist bit. So. Yeah. Sorry I’ve been a jerk. It’s alright, Twilight said. I should have figured whoever took care of me would be a bit... Stubborn. A silent chuckle passed between the pair. Aurora was quiet and the sound muted further about her. It was almost time for bed, but she wanted to say something. I’m really jealous of you, you know, she thought to Twilight. Like, your life is just... Really interesting and well supported and warm. You get to read obscure tomes and talk to a Princess who’s old as dirt and that’s- Wow. That all is- I’m super jealous. You’re jealous of me? Twilight squawked back completely forgetting her intent to ignore the girl’s mental communications. I should be jealous of you! Your family is such an impressive part of your life, you have the respect of multiple professors, not to mention more peace than I see in an afternoon. I barely get a chance to read and you were under a tree last week with a really fun novel. And your technology! I’d give my left hoof for the Internet! Heh, Aurora thought. Grass is always greener, ain’t it? Yeah... Twilight thought, then whipped around, more keenly aware of her surroundings once again. She could see the white of the official Canterlot guard and definitely make out their expressions. I’m sorry, Aurora, but could we pick this up later? We’re kind of being chased right now. Aurora’s head bobbed in what Twilight figured was a nod. “Halt!” came a reply from closer than Twilight liked. “Run faster!” Rainbow yelled. Gimme a hug. What? Twilight blurted, her concentration splintering. C’mon. Hug time. Let’s go. We’re totally bonding here. This is a really bad time, Aurora. Aurora wriggled in Ashley and Iris’s grip and though the girls tried to compensate, she fell, toppling over Applejack and nearly into Twilight. “Aurora! What are you doing?! You have to get up!” Twilight yelled. Aurora rose. And looked Twilight in the eye. She was soaked to the bone in sewage and looked like she’d scraped herself in her fall. Ashley and Iris were already trying to grab her again, but Aurora swung her arms like a ragdoll, forcing the pair back. “Now isn’t the time, Sugarcube,” Applejack whispered trying to get a grip on her pants. You know, you’re good, Aurora thought at Twilight. You’re good for me. She reached out and Twilight didn’t just hear Aurora’s thoughts any more, she felt them. She felt the gratitude, the warmth this girl offered. Blinking, Twilight moved closer and she could also feel the confusion rolling beneath Aurora’s mind- how lost she felt in this strange world and this strange experience, and how her doubts cropped up as she worried about everything. At the top, she worried if she was nothing more than Twilight the Human, followed immediately by concern about making sound decisions. Hidden deep beneath all that was the bone-deep phobia that she was just locked in a padded room, drooling in a straitjacket. Twilight could tell she definitely found Aurora’s fear. She also found Aurora’s will. She was a storm inside, but it was less a storm that engulfed her and more a storm that fueled her. Though she doubted her identity, she would prove that she was more than some pony’s echo. Though she didn’t understand all this, she would figure it out. Though she doubted her very sanity, she would get back home and live her life on her terms. Twilight dove deeper into these feelings and found understanding. Part of living life on her terms meant accepting Twilight. The pony was another academic who Aurora just had a lot in common with and had shared an experience that defied all known logic. She recognized that Twilight hurt her, but that had never been her intent. She recognized that Twilight was trying to help too. Most of all, Aurora recognized that Twilight was earnestly trying to be her friend. After a lifetime where she felt like the only companionship she had were with her parents and her nani, Aurora knew she could use a friend and was trying to welcome Twilight with all the feeble energy she had to offer as she lay in the muck of Canterlot’s sewer. Twilight Sparkle, personal protégé of Princess Celestia and bearer of the Element of Magic of the Elements of Harmony, learned all this in the blink of an eye and was overwhelmed. Risking the nearing ponies splashing through the sewage, Twilight leaned forward for a quick embrace. The affection between Aurora and her blossomed open- a flower happily greeting a rising sun and its warmth. Moving on instinct, she wrapped her forelegs around the girl’s neck eagerly, drinking in the warmth. You’re good for me too, Twilight thought. The guards were close enough that Twilight could make out the sound of their individual armor. Oddly, that didn’t matter. What mattered was this girl. This girl who needed Twilight, and who Twilight needed too. Fluttershy’s ear was the first to twitch to the low hum that was now climbing from the pair holding each other tightly. Before she could tell anypony else though, there was a flash of light and the other girls blinked rapidly, briefly dazzled. “What the hay-” “Where’s Twilight?” Iris said, turning around. “Freeze right where you- Uh...” said the lead pegasus. He stopped. He could just barely hover in the low ceilings of the sewer and had thought he’d caught up with the fleeing suspects. He came up short as he saw six... Things just milling in the scum and water. One was rising, getting to what must have been its legs. Light was too poor for a proper description, but these suspects had gotten through Captain Armor’s shield so they had to be handled. “Right!” the guard said, recovering from his surprise. “Stay right where you...” He trailed off again as he locked on the creature in front, whose eyes were glowing a soft white. “Sorry for the inconvenience, sir,” it said in a feminine voice that sounded... Doubled somehow. Like it echoed within itself. “We’re just passing through.” The guard once again shook off the shock and directed his men to flank the group. “Girls, get in close,” the thing said and after a confused pause, all the shapes gathered to one another. “What’s...” “I’ll explain in a minute,” the glowing-eyed thing said. “Just... Hang on. This isn’t going to be easy.” Before the guards could lower their weapons, before the lead could even direct his unicorn to stop any spells in progress, the thing with the glowing eyes tilted its head back and the group was engulfed in a bright sphere of white. The guards all turned as light flashed outward leaving trails of purple spots in their eyes. When their vision cleared, they found nothing. Just the sewer, trickling water and grime. “Sir?” one of the wingponies said, her confusion apparent in the sudden dark. “Let Shining know. We’ve got unknowns in the area and they’re magic capable.” ~ Darkness. Aurora knew only a black, dreamless sleep until she felt herself coming to the surface of awareness, surrounded by pillows. And the smell of books. And the drool out of the corner of her mouth. Eyes creaking open, she breathed steadily, looking around. The walls were high and blue and she could see shelf upon shelf of books out of her periphery. She wiped the spittle and thought that this all looked familiar somehow. “She’s awake!” came a soft, yet excited voice. Nova. Or maybe Fluttershy? Attempting to rise, Aurora immediately felt brief, sharp protests all through her body, but they quickly quieted to a dull ache once she was sitting up. She saw an improvised strip of cloth as a bandage on her arm where she remembered scraping it in her fall. “Easy there,” Nova said, putting a hand on her shoulder. “You’ve been through a lot.” “I just need to catch my breath,” Aurora grunted with a small smile, laying a reassuring hand on top of Nova’s. “Where are we?” “My personal library,” said Twilight as she cantered around the corner. “It’s a shame I can’t touch any of the books. I’ve seen at least twenty I could take back to Ponyville for further use and research.” She trotted close to Aurora and put a hoof on her knee. Aurora noticed that she had been placed in what looked like a cot or giant cushion that was loaded with pillows and a thick blanket. Then, she remembered why it had seemed so familiar. Twilight used to pass out here after particularly intense evening study sessions. Turning her gaze to Twilight, Aurora asked, “What... What happened?” Twilight looked down, removing the comforting gesture. Aurora waited this time. She was learning that yelling at her fellow academic did nothing for Twilight’s mood and just made her more stubborn. For the first time since this all began, rather than suspect part of her lost identity, Aurora admitted to sharing some common ground with her friendly, little unicorn. “I think we merged,” Twilight said. “Merged,” Aurora responded, flat. “It looked like that from the outside,” Keiko noted as Twilight nodded. She was at a nearby table, a teacup close by and a book of Equestrian history with plenty of pictorial references available. “There was a flash of light and Twilight had disappeared, but you sounded... Doubled. Like you and Twilight were speaking over one another.” Aurora tried to remember what happened and she recalled being worn out and talking to Twilight in her head then bringing Twilight in closer and... Blank. Maybe some emotion, but mostly blank. Shaking her head, she said, “But that didn’t happen last time. I mean, you were in my body back on Earth for a month and actually using it for, like, two days.” Twilight nodded. “I was, but one of us was dormant at either time. This time, we were both active. From what I’ve been told, we brought everyone here in a massive teleportation spell. I never would have been able to move this many this far on my own, even with my body. We did something back there that not only gave you direct access to my magic and how to use it, but we were... It was like we were exponential. Twilight times Aurora was just me squared in some way, really boosting my magical ability.” She shrugged. “The best I can think is... We merged.” Aurora blinked as this sank in. “Wow,” she said softly. “Yeah.” Twilight shrugged. “It’s only a theory though. Spirit magic is turning out trickier than I thought.” Aurora settled under her blankets in thought. Raising her head and an eyebrow, she asked, “Is this going to get any weirder?” “If I said, ‘no’ would you believe me?” Aurora nodded in understanding, a wry smile on her face. “Okay. We can... Merge. Okay. That’s-” Aurora then caught on to how drafty she felt. Glancing down, she noted her bare chest and body. Pulling the blanket up to ensure her modesty, she said, “Um, where are my clothes?” “We did a wash,” Keiko said. “After all that nastiness in the sewer, I couldn’t just let our friends and saviors go about all filthy. What kind of image would we have presented?” Rarity added. “That’s nice,” Aurora said. “Where are my clothes?” “They’re fine, we’re taking care of them,” Rarity said soothingly. Aurora pinched the bridge of her nose and sought patience in this time of ponies and people trying to assure her rather than answer her question. “Where. Are. My clothes?” she said as kindly as she could manage. “Drying,” Iris replied from a far bookshelf. “We’ve got ‘em hangin’ on a window that faces a brick wall and a good breeze. Rainbow’s keeping lookout.” “How long was I out?” The girls all shared looks, working their mouths in non-responsive uncertainties. Aurora slumped, rubbing at her face. “That long, huh?” “Just the rest of the day,” Nova said. “We needed to rest too.” “It was like a sleepover only with funky mud and clothes washing and making sure you could still breathe!” Pinkie chimed in. “Oooookay,” Aurora said. “Shouldn’t we be- I dunno- worried that we’re in the freaking castle?!” “Not really,” Twilight said. “This place is pretty much mine. Celestia keeps it clean, but nopony else uses it.” “Oh. Oh, yeah,” Aurora said, remembering the set up. Recalling two lives at once was trickier than she’d thought “Can I have my clothes, please?” Aurora asked. “On it!” Iris said, disappearing around the shelf. “What’s next?” Aurora asked. “We should get to one of the princesses,” Twilight said. “They’d be able to let us into the caverns so we can get back into our proper bodies and take the Smiling Pony head on.” “Sounds good to me,” Ashley said. “One question though- actually, it’s the same one we’ve been workin’ on- how do we get to the princess? I took a peek through the curtains and it looks like a military base out there.” “What?!” Twilight shrieked. Applejack’s ears went flat in embarrassment. “Sorry sugarcube. After we got here, you and Aurora were both kinda out of it. Guess in all the excitement, we forgot to tell ya.” Going over to the window, Twilight attempted to pull the curtain, failed, made a face and stuck her head through the wall. Below, she could see guards in their golden armor marching the city in squares, armored pegasi flying in formation above and around and regular, civilian ponies moving nervously about- It wasn’t a military compound, it was practically martial law! Pulling her head back inside, Twilight shuddered. “That doesn’t make any sense...” she muttered. Aurora sighed. She didn’t like what she had to say, but sometimes, you had to bring the patient there if they just weren’t seeing what was in front of them. “I’m sorry, Twilight, but you’re still not getting it,” Aurora said as kindly as she could. “This guy is in all of their heads.” She bit her lip. “And... I think he’s in yours too.” Twilight’s gaze flattened. “What.” “I could... “ Aurora shook her head at how silly she was about to sound, but pushed on. “Besides feeling the disharmony in you back in the sewer, I could tell just by your reactions that you have it in for him. You’re afraid, but you’re on one of the other sides of fear: anger.” “Angry? I’m not angry!” “Um, actually, Twilight...” Pinkie said, getting close to her friend. “You kinda sorta scared me a bit back at the kinda sorta Everfree when you kinda sorta said you’d kinda sorta find a way to kinda sorta get the Smiling Pony.” Pinkie smiled weakly. “Kinda sorta.” It was like Twilight had been slugged across the face. Temper piqued, she was about to mount a counter argument when she caught her other friends nodding quietly. “And since getting back, you’re getting worse,” Aurora said. “They have the military out, they’re on high alert- that’s to be expected with what’s going on. This is something you should acknowledge, Twilight.” “If someone’s lookin’ funny at my kin, I know we circle the wagons,” Ashley said. “Only natural.” “Not for us!” Twilight said. “Don’t you see- this is completely against our culture! We’re not like...” Her protestations died before she said something she’d really regret. To their credit, the humans present didn’t openly take offense, but their resigned gazes spoke volumes of their shared understanding. “No. No, you’re not,” Iris said solemnly, coming back with a bundle under one arm. “You guys’ve had Princesses and Elements of Harmony and all kinds of stuff watching out for you.” “I know this is bad,” Aurora said. “But it’s not as bad as you think. Everypony is just coping with a new danger.” “We’ve coped with danger before...” Twilight said, hedging. “Different kinds,” Aurora said with a shake of her head. “Ones you could handle with the tools you have. Now you have the Smiling Pony and he’s taken those away, so you’re falling back on harder, more basic tools. But it’s okay.” “How’s that?” Applejack said. “You have us,” Iris said, handing the clothes to Aurora. “He came looking to mess with some ponies,” Diane said with a wicked grin. “Don’t think he’s prepared for our monkey shines.” “But we couldn’t ask-” Fluttershy started, before she was quieted by Nova placing a comforting hand on her back. “You don’t have to. You shared your lives with us. This is a good place. It’s worth keeping that way,” Nova replied. Fluttershy blushed. “Don’t know about y’all,” Ashley drawled. “But I’m down for more than just gettin’ these girls back in their bodies and tellin’ the Princesses what’s what. Think I wanna have a word with this Smilin’ Fella.” “Me too,” Iris said, stepping forward. Keiko smiled a not-too-kind smile from her table and nodded. “Pinkie and I gotta get our crunk on,” Diane said, dropping down and wrapping an arm around her. “No way I’m backing out now.” The ponies then looked at Aurora, who was sorting through her clothes. Becoming aware that eyes were on her, she glanced up. Her face melted into a sardonic smirk. “Oh, don’t look at me like that. I’m in, I’m in...” she said, returning to dress. “Wow,” Twilight said. “Yeah,” Pinkie said, wiping her eyes with a hankie. “Cool,” Rainbow said. “Shucks,” Applejack muttered. “I have never been so touched...” Rarity murmured. Fluttershy ducked her head again, blush deepening. Everyone could feel it. Something special was blossoming. Support, caring and the knowledge that they were there for one another, mixed into something potent and powerful. And it was something that could take on any enemy and stop any force. They could do this. They could do this and succeed. “Where are my pants?!” Aurora yelled, breaking the reverie. ~ As the girls snuck through the East Wing, Aurora scratched her leg. Again. “Sorry again,” Keiko murmured. “If we’d had access to-” “Don’t worry,” Aurora cut her off. “If Scarlett O’Hara can wear drapes as a dress, I can wear them as pants.” Though everyone else’s clothes had dried without issue, apparently a swift wind had come along when Rainbow Dash was distracted and taken Aurora’s pants far and away. Aurora was certain they were wrapped around a flagpole somewhere; seriously confusing a pair of local ponies. Oh well, at least her purse was still back in her car. Upon discovering the dilemma, Rarity and Keiko had lept into action saying that Aurora couldn’t go saving the day in her underwear. Pulling from the purple curtains in Twilight’s library, Keiko was able to use Rarity’s magic to construct a pair of pants. In fact, she used Rarity’s magic with better results than Aurora had. While everyone looked on as Rarity and Keiko worked in perfect tandem, Keiko assured Aurora she was only keeping up with so much magical activity because levitation was apparently much less complicated and mentally taxing than the spell Aurora had performed. Aurora grumbled something about marathoning before learning to walk and left to flip through a tome on amniomorphic spell variation. Halfway into flipping, she gave way to actually reading. Twilight soon joined her, looking over her shoulder. By the time Rarity and Keiko were done, both academics were equally engrossed and required excessive prodding to break out of the trance. Once in makeshift trousers, complete with clever-looking, tassel belt, Aurora had led the group quietly through the palace. Thanks to a childhood of wandering, Twilight knew the castle pretty much in and out. With the bonus of having invisible ponies who could look around corners and not worry about being spotted, the girls were making good progress. What’re we going to tell the Princess? Aurora thought at Twilight. As she’d waited on her pants, she’d gotten the hang of keeping her thoughts to herself and how to direct them like speaking. Still... Working on that part of the plan, Twilight replied as she stuck her head through a wall to look for pursuers. “How’re you doing that mind thing?” Iris asked Aurora, noticing the girl’s gaze at Twilight. “Best I can figure, I think at her,” Aurora replied. “At her?” Iris said. Aurora shrugged. “I assure you, Iris, if I understood it better, I’d explain it better.” “Oh...” Iris said. Looking over at Rainbow, Iris squinted and Rainbow froze in the air, an ear twitching as if someone had yelled. Glancing around, she zeroed on her human and broke into a huge smile. Iris shared it. Giving Aurora a thumbs up, Iris said, “Got it.” Aurora rolled her eyes. “Of course you do.” I think I’m going to call Spirit Bonds, “Just Because,” Aurora thought. It works just because you want it to. I think it’s more complicated than that, Twilight responded. I mean, there are clearly limits at play. Maybe after all this is done you and I could write down our experiences and see about broadening the study and understanding of the field. Interdimensional co-authored thesis, Aurora commented. That’d blow a doctorate board out of the water. Twilight chuckled and beckoned the group along. Before the team could move too far though, Applejack whistled. “We got company! Scatter!” she hollered. The girls broke apart, Diane hopping in a flowerpot, Nova dipping behind curtains. Keiko flung her hand out as Rarity’s horn glowed, and a soft blue light wrapped around the handles of a side door, opening them quietly. More blue light eased the door closed once Keiko was inside. “I love unicorn magic,” Keiko whispered to Rarity with a grin. Aurora was starting to panic. Ashley and Iris had found some place and she was still dithering as Twilight pulled her head out of a room. “This is clear!” the unicorn said. Aurora quickly grabbed the handle and slid in just as the tromp of guard armor went by. She held her breath listening to its jostle and clank. Twilight stayed outside to ensure all was clear before Aurora could come out. After what seemed like too long for a prolonged heart attack to kick in,  Twilight stuck her head in the room. “Okay, Aurora,” she said. “You’re- oops.” “I’m oops? What-” Aurora turned to see what had caught Twilight’s attention and facepalmed. Just in the doorway to a royal bathroom stood a pony. Resplendent with a vanilla, pink and purple mane, rosy coat and wings, she bore a gold varnished tiara, necklace and royal shoes as mark of her office. Princess Cadance stared wide-eyed at the sudden appearance of what must have looked to her, like quite a strange creature. “Clear room, eh?” Aurora grumbled.