"Shimmer!" I awoke with a shout and immediately regretted it, my head was pounding and my mouth dry as sandpaper. "Twi?" I gasped looking around. I found myself in wholly unfamiliar surroundings. A tiny barren room with one door and no windows. I was lying on a small steel framed bed rusted and frail a thin none too clean mattress and a holed sheet, no pillow in evidence.
Above me a single bare bulb hanging from a wire lit the room. I pulled myself to my feet slowly finding myself to be wearing a hospital smock of some sort, it too dirty and ragged. I rubbed my forehead and stumbled to the door, it was an imposing edifice looking to be made of steel and fixed securely in the wall.
Thankfully it was slightly ajar or I never would have been able to open it, I reached out to push it open and noticed my hand... My finger! It seemed fine no scars or anything, it simply looked dirty and worn like how I felt all over.
I poked my head out into a hallway that stretched as far as I could see which wasn't far as it was poorly lit by stuttering florescent lights most of which seemed to be burned out. I managed to croak out another. "Twi?" Twi? Nothing...
My 'room' was at the end of the hall and I stumbled across to the adjacent door to see if anyone resided within. I could hear a mumbling inside but the door was securely locked. Door after door I passed each secured and behind each I could hear something, talking, crying even screaming. No one within them responded to my calls or weak thuds against their doors so I continued on.
After what felt like hours I came to a pair of double doors that I hoped would lead me to someone who could tell me something! What was I doing here? This certainly didn't seem like a section that would be in Canterlot hospital.
Pushing the doors open I was dismayed to find another hallway very much similar to the last. As I trudged along thirsty, tired and sore something dawned on me... Florescent lights?! That’s not... I looked around in a bit of a panic and began walking down the hall faster no longer bothering to check any of the doors simply desperate to find something... Anything!
I burst through another pair of double doors dreading finding another long hallway but instead there was a reception area with a nurses desk, I was separated from it by a set of bars another hallway leading left and right as I walked up to them I noticed there was no one there the whole place abandoned and looking as run down and dirty as everything else I'd seen. "Twilight!" I screamed. Nothing, not even an echo. I sank down to my knees gently thunking my head against the bars trying to figure out what could be happening, how did this...
Then I heard something very faintly, like the echo of an echo.
Rick...
"Twilight!" I pulled myself up looking around franticly, seeing nothing I began walking in the direction I thought I had heard it come from, down the left hand hallway. There were rooms dark and uninviting on either side which I ignored as I searched desperately.
Up ahead I saw an open doorway light beckoning to me, I lurched through it and found another nearly empty room, no Twilight but a flimsy table and chair as well as a glass of water! I greedily gulped it down barely noticing when the door closed behind me, I sank into the chair trying to think of what to do when the light dimmed and another lit up revealing what I had thought to be a solid wall to be instead a wall of Plexiglas and seated behind that wall were four humans!
Two men and two women all wearing typical hospital garb sitting behind a table and holding clipboards. Before I could even think of what to say they began speaking.
"Patient number three four six seven one, placed into our care for delusional behaviour and psychosis..."
"Wait! Where am I? Who are you people? Where is Twilight?!" I broke in.
All four of them fixed me with bemused looks as one of the men flipped through his clipboard. "Yes... This 'Twilight', a purple pony who also happens to be a unicorn correct?"
"Y... Yes..."
They all shook their heads still with that annoying bemused expression on them. "And you lived with her in 'Equestria' was it?"
"Yes." I stated firmly.
"No such place exists as we've told you many times before. No Twilight, no Equestria no race of happy multicoloured ponies running around another dimension. Be honest with yourself."
"What?! No, I've been there... I remember... Her touch... Her scent..."
Just then I felt something, the lightest of caresses across my face and for the briefest of moments my nostrils were filled with her scent and still a so faint echo…
Rick...
"There! Did you hear that?! She’s calling me!" I gasped stumbling to my feet.
Their bemused expressions gone all four of them just stared at me stone faced for a moment. "Sit back down please. We're not through here."
I sat back down still confused and not at all feeling like myself.
"This is the... Fifteenth time we have reviewed you and I see very little progress."
"Fif... That’s not possible I don't remember..."
"Of course not. The deluded state of your mind continues to blank itself out replacing reality with fanciful illusions. For the sake of procedure let’s go over it again... You were on your way to work crossing a field when you were struck by a lightning bolt. A freak accident that should have killed you but instead left you in a coma for..." Again flipping through the notes on the clipboard. "Five years..."
"No... That can't be right."
They all shook their heads favouring me again with bemused expressions and condescending smiles. "When you finally awoke your family was elated at first but you had locked yourself into a dream state, a 'perfect' world where you had plenty of friends, a wife and lover even an adopted daughter. Even setting aside the bestiality issues your impressive, and disgusting imagination combined with your brain created a world where you were free of everything you disliked in this world."
I just sat there stunned, could it be? I always worried it might all have been a dream or fantasy of some kind but... No I couldn't believe it Twilight was too real to me, our love too real.
They whispered among them selves for a moment then another of them spoke up. "The first institutions your family put you in were quite prestigious, quite expensive. Unfortunately your delusion remained impossible to crack and you were passed from doctor to doctor, institution to institution. Until you wound up here with us, it’s been how long now? Oh yes six years..."
"You’re lying. Where’s Twilight? What have you done with her?! She would never leave me!"
He sighed rolling his eyes slightly to his associates and adjusting his glasses. "She never 'left' you because she’s just a product of your mind. A facsimile, your idea of the perfect... Mate. Your current lucidity can only be attributed to the every changing cocktail of drugs we experiment with to see if we can help you. Although why we keep trying I'm not sure, you really have nothing to go back to. Your family’s resources all wasted on you they haven't visited since leaving you here as their last ditch effort, pawning you off on the government really."
I sat there staring at the table my mind racing doubts growing... This all felt real, too real...
Rick...
I started in my chair looking up to find them all studying my critically.
"The drugs seem to be wearing off. Perhaps we should increase the Amisulpride as well as the Periciazine..." They began discussing various drugs and treatments ignoring me completely now.
I knew she was out there... I had to get back to her! I shoved the table aside coming to my feet angrily. "Where is she!? Let me out of here! I have to find her!"
They sighed as one and regarded me solemnly; one of the women spoke up pulling something from the purse at her side. "Come here please." I shuffled over cautiously.
She flipped open a simple makeup compact pressing it to the Plexiglas. "What do you see?"
I stepped close squinting at the small mirror, my eyes grew wide at the sight I saw. Me but not me at all, streaks of grey all throughout my long scraggly hair a long dirty and patchy beard. My face lined and scarred long scratches from what looked to be my own nails down the side of my face. I stared for a moment then ripped open the front of the smock I was wearing revealing a boney and hairy chest, no mark, no scar... I looked up again and saw the first of myself I recognised, my eyes still a steady brown, plain but I couldn't see any madness in them... Or would I even recognise it? I leaned against the wall as she took the compact away closing it with a snap.
Rick!
It came to me clearly but still only as loud as a whisper.
"Time to go back to your room now. Clearly you've had enough excitement for one day."
"No." I glared at them pulling myself erect.
"Don't be stubborn now. We've made a bit of progress today, we'll try something..."
"Shut up!" I slammed my fists against the Plexiglas. "Where is she?! I want her! I need her! Please! Twilight! Let me go!"
They turned and ignored me gathering up their things.
"GIVE HER BACK! TWILIGHT!" I continued to smash my hands against the glass heedlessly.
One by one they left their small room without a backwards glance the last shutting the light off. As the room went dark I sank down sobbing curling into the fetal position.
"Give her back..."
Rick...
.....
....
...
..
.
"Twilight!" I came to with a shout looking around wildly. The same room, same bed, same door closed this time. "NOOOO...!!!" I screamed.
"Enough!" A voice rang out. The room became brighter and brighter, I covered my eyes watching through my fingers as the walls, bed even the floor disappeared into a sea of white blinding me...
When I opened my eyes and looked around I found myself seemingly on a cloud nothing but other clouds and a dark star lit sky as far as the eye could see. As I looked around confused the cloud parted before me and Luna rose up her wings spread wide and her horn aglow.
"Luna!" I gasped stumbling forward to wrap my arms around her, holding her tight to try to assure myself this was real... Was something I could believe...
She sighed softly one of her fore hooves soothing my hair. "Relax its over. I must say I've never had to expend quite so much energy to pull someone from their nightmare. If all humans keep so much bottled up inside its no wonder some of you are so angry."
"Luna... It was a dream wasn't it? Please tell me it was all a dream!" I begged.
She smiled stepping back and lifting one of her fore hooves smacked me lightly across the face. "Did that hurt?" I shook my head; it had felt like nothing more then a light caress.
"You are still dreaming, but I felt you had tortured yourself enough. I try not to interfere with the dream process everything must be worked out, fears and hopes." She shook her head sadly. "So many fears in you. Losing Twilight Sparkle, all this being nothing but a delusion, insanity, losing your family old and new even your fear of growing old alone. So much for one to bear alone. There’s much to talk of but I won't keep you to myself, when I sensed you beginning to come to I sent messengers to Twilight she will be along soon you best be awake for her don't you think? Awaken..."
"Luna... Is this real...? How can I...?"
"Awaken..." She whispered as she faded away everything going black each star going out one at a time until none remained...
I gasped and awoke... Or did I? Looking around I again found myself in a hospital room though this one with a window, clean but dark the moonlight streaming in through the window. I sat up rubbing my forehead trying to sort everything out when I heard frantic galloping outside the door glowed purple lightly and flew open as a purple blur launched across the room knocking me from the bed.
A soft beautiful armful lying atop me kissing me and crying her beautiful eyes red rimmed, I hugged her back so tightly kissing her and burying my head in her mane breathing her in as tears streamed down my face as well. "I love you Twi, I love you so much please don't let this be a dream. Please, please..."
She leaned back surprise showing in her face. "A dream? This is as real as it gets, this is our life. Together my love until the end..."
I kissed her passionately wanting to believe so badly... It felt even more real her scent, the sweetness of her lips, the saltiness of her tears, her body pressed against me, our hearts beating as one. "I had such a horrible nightmare... The worst I've ever..."
"That you did." A voice came from the door as Luna entered two of her night guard standing outside as she closed the door. "An exceedingly long one fuelled by your own fears and the poisons injected into you by the Miasma."
"The... Shimmer! Is she...?"
"She is fine. It is a long story perhaps you would be more comfortable... And covered. In the bed?" She asked sweetly with a wink.
I looked down and found myself naked, again. But I suppose pony doctors and nurses wouldn't find that to be a problem. I also noticed my... Twilights mark and my scar on my chest where they should be I ran my hand over them gently as if I feared they would wipe off. I stood beside the bed my head still swimming.
"Luna... Is this real? I... I still don't know..."
She smiled again and quickly drew back her fore hoof again smacking me across the face, thankfully not as hard as she could but more then enough to make my head ring and shove me back onto the bed.
"Luna! That wasn't necessary!" Twi exclaimed.
"Not for you or I perhaps but for him..."
I rubbed my jaw my head finally clear. "Thanks Luna." I settled down in the bed Twilight beside me I wrapped my arms around her never willing, never wanting to let go as Luna began to explain.
"When young Scootaloo noticed the change in Shimmer I cannot say she did the right thing nor can I say she didn't. We may have been able to remove the Miasma more easily then you and perhaps not. Clearly time was of the essence and she did what she thought was best. We still don't know the whole story why... How the Miasma was able to change, our theory is that when it could find no hold in Shimmer and with the various wards and barriers in Canterlot blocking it, it... Manifested itself physically, an amazing feat for a creature of pure energy malevolent or not. As hard as it is for me to show any admiration for a thing like it."
She paused for a moment to whisper to one of her guards outside before closing the door and continuing. "Its purpose as well we cannot be sure of. To control her mind physically? Or perhaps seeking a way out of her entirely? We'll never know your interference saw to that thankfully. Not to worry it remains trapped within the artifact you placed it in well guarded until such time as we can figure out what to do with it, to study it further or destroy it utterly."
She smiled at the look on my face. "Yes, destruction would be my choice for it as well but we must discover all we can of it so we can be ready for the future. Shimmer will be fine the healing Twilight gave her will leave her with some very small scars likely to fade over time and her young mind is already putting the ordeal behind her. The poisons it injected into her after it manifested we were able to remove fairly easily thanks to your spell."
Twilight rolled over in my embrace so we were face to face to kiss me softly smiling. "However the same poisons within you were far more difficult to eradicate..."
I looked at my finger and found it whole, raw pink new skin covering it. "Cadence came to us as soon as it happened and we quickly located where Scootaloo had brought Shimmer but not soon enough. We found her asleep in the entryway and the three of you deeper within. Shimmer sleeping peacefully wrapped in your bloodstained shirt and you passed out from your ordeal as well as the poisons coursing through your veins, Twilight too was unconscious laying atop you all her energy used healing Shimmer as well as you."
I squeezed her tightly kissing her both of us a bit misty eyed. "We brought you all here and when Twilight awoke she explained the situation. We tried time and again to purge the poisons from you but a small bit always seemed to survive and spread. It began to try to influence your mind as well throwing up barriers within to keep us out. Day after day we tried..."
"Wait?! Day after...? How long has it been?!" I interrupted.
Twilight nuzzled me comfortingly. "Almost a week, five days... I was so scared!"
"How? The dream seemed so short though hours maybe..."
"Time works strangely in dreams. And indeed her devotion to you was and is inspiring. She tried many times to remove the poisons and to break into your unconscious mind. We couldn't allow her to stay here unfortunately we had no idea if the poison of the Miasma would overcome you or what you might do if it had so we had you under guard and constant supervision."
"Thank you." I nodded understanding completely.
I tried every night to reach you in your dreams, nightmares truly. Little did I know Twilight was doing the same from her own room!"
She turned a scathing look to her and she cuddled closer to me hiding her face. "I'm sorry Luna! I... I just couldn't...!"
Luna’s look quickly turned to an understanding smile as she shook her head. "Twilight Sparkle you still have much to learn. To enter the dreamscape unaided and locate, even influence another’s dream should be impossible for almost anyone..."
"But she did! I... I remember I could hear her calling out to me. I could feel her, smell her..." I held her tightly looking into her eyes and saw my love returned back to me.
"Yes, amazingly so that was likely the first time I caught her lying atop you with her horn pressed to your forehead trying to make contact." She sighed heavily still smiling. "We had to keep her visits supervised after that. I would not wish to lose either of you to this malady; both would be too much to bear. But in the end she succeeded causing no damage to herself inside or out. My sister always tells me how talented you are Twilight I think I'm beginning to see just how much..."
Twilight rolled back over to face Luna blushing heavily. "Luna I... I just couldn't bear to let him go. I had to do something!" I squeezed her tightly kissing her neck.
"And now the poison has finally been purged from your system with no lasting damage to your body at least. Your mind... Well, that’s up to you. I am so glad you are well but the night is still young and I must attend to the night court. We'll talk later." She turned to go but I called out to her.
"Luna!"
"Yes?"
"Thank you. So much."
She smiled and nodded. "Anytime." And with that she departed leaving Twilight and I together.
We held each other tightly kissing and murmuring I love you’s.
"I'm so sorry Twi. I must have worried you so. And Scootaloo too, where is she?"
"She’s fine, staying with Cadence and my brother in their room in the palace. She’s been here to visit a few times but it upset her to see you like that... Me too. I kept thinking back to the first time... I almost lost you!"
"I'll always try to find my way back to you. Always no matter what."
"I know... Let’s just not let it happen again ok!” She smiled nudging me in the arm and kissing me.
"Ow! Let’s do that." I grinned kissing her fiercely.
We made love softly and passionately gazing into each others eyes cuddling together afterwards drifting off. Apparently I had been asleep for days but I was still exhausted.
We laid together warm and comfortable, as I drifted off to sleep I hoped for no dreams...
Or if I do...
Let them be of Twilight...