Twilight was in the bathroom again. A shadowy figure appeared in the mirror and Twilght went into a trance again with her horn aglow, and her eyes went white.
As a face arose in the mirror, it began to speak. "How fairs the war, Twilight?"
"It's going well," said Twilight, "How far would you like me to push our forces, Mistress?"
"As far as you want to push, my dear Twilight," said the figure.
"But, I thought you wanted this? Isn't this why you asked for Celestia and myself to help you?"
"Is it? Do you remember who I am? You have completely forgotten haven't you," said the figure.
"I...I'm not sure. It's all fuzzy."
"What do you remember, Twilight?"
"Nothing, just that I've been here, for days, in Castle Canterlot negotiating war terms and strategy. Meeting with Pegasi and Unicorns to try to resolve this war."
"Well, when you wake up, tell me, we'll talk then," said the figure.
She came back out of her trance and stared at her hooves; Wondering what was going on and if what that figure said had any merit. She took off her uniform and went to bed. She could hear the voices of her friends in her head.
"..she's worried about her, Rarity...How can Rainbow help...."
Where were these voices coming from and why were they calling to her? Too many questions were in her head. She lied down and pulled the covers over her. Before long, she was awake again in the real world and a few days had passed. The sun streamed bright into her cell through a small window in the back. For the first time in months, she was able to see a part of the world she lived in. But her thoughts quickly went back to the war and she was engulfed in that mad desire to win it again. An hour later, an orderly told Twilight she had a visitor and he opened the cell door and Celestia walked over to Twilight.
"Ah, my dear, Twilight. It pains me to see you this way," she began, "I'm hoping I can take you to the castle to get treated so we can bring you back to the way you were."
"Ce-Celestia, th-the war. We need to mov-- no, the war room, have I dis-disappointed you, my princess?" Twilight started.
"No, my dear, Twilight. But we'd like to take you to Canterlot Castle for treatment, if that's alright with you," Celestia said sweetly to her student.
"O-of course, my princess. Any-anything you a-ask of me. But the war, my princess, I m-must move our p-pegasi toward C-Cloudsdale."
Celestia was perplexed but went along with what Twilight was talking about.
"Twilight, I'm sure, we can wait a day. Cloudsdale won't be going away anytime soon."
"Very well, m-my princess. Let us g-go to Canterlot."
She passed out almost immediately.
"Did you sedate her," Celestia asked the orderly.
"N-no, she gets a sedative usually around noon. She just passed out on her own," the orderly said, a little confused.
"Very well, I'll take her to Canterlot on my own," said Celestia, levitating Twilight onto her back.
Celestia talked with the receptionist about paper work and that the castle will cover whatever expenses Twilight might've had.
"Oh, it's on the house. Anything for our benevolent princess," said the receptionist as she blushed and let out an awkward laugh, "I'll waive all the charges. Had I known she was your student, we wouldn't have charged her at all. I'm terribly sorry, princess."
"It's no big deal," said Celestia as she walked out of the facility.
Hours later, they had arrived in the hospitol wing of Canterlot Castle. Twilight was asleep on the bed and Celestia had retired to her room. She though about what her plan was now. She had rescued Twilight, but she didn't have a plan for her student. She thought Luna might have some ideas. Twilight was twisting and turning on the medical table she was brought on mumbling about a war, her friends were in Ponyville wondering how to help her, and the wise ruler of this fair land was trying to find a cure with her sister. Why would all these ponies be helping one pony?
She woke up after tossing and turning for what seemed like hours. She steadied herself and she started seeing...ponies...walking around the ward. But they didn't look like they worked there. It was daylight in the castle when Twilight looked around and she stared around at her surroundings. But these ponies seemed to fade in and out, however, a few solid ponies seemed to exist. Was she...crazy? She couldn't be, but rubbing her eyes didn't seem to erase these images from her head. She got out of the bed and started to walk around for a bit. A yawn creeped up and her eyes were still fuzzy with these images. She knew she had to find Celestia and tell her about "the plans". Luckily for her, Celestia had just returned from Luna's room and found Twilight walking around in the main hall.
"Oh, Twilight, you need rest. Here, let me get you back into bed," she said with a gentle smile.
"Mom? I-is that you?"
"No, it's your teacher, Celestia."
"I'm s-sorry, Mom. I shoul've came home the moment I knew something was w-wrong with the s-spell."
"Let's get you back to the infirmary. I'll call a nurse," Celestia said.
"Alright, M-mom, if you want me to rest, I'll rest."
Celestia got Twilight back into the bed in the infirmary and tucked her back in.
"Well," Celestia thought, "It can't get any worse than this. I better get the girls."
Just before she left for Ponyville, she went to get a nurse to watch over Twilight. She gallopped toward the castle's entrance and flew off into the afternoon daylight.
* * *
Back Rarity's place, Rarity was sobbing in her room over the loss of Pinkie. Maybe the friends she had were gone forever. Six ponies who were once friends can't even greet each other like they normally did. It seemed like this would be the end of the beautiful friendship that these ponies had. Rarity got up from her bed and walked toward the livinging room couch. Just then, a knock came at the door. Rarity looked through the peep hole of her Canterlot home and saw Princess Celestia along with Applejack. She opened the door almost immediately.
"Oh, my dear princess, had I known you were coming, I'd've prepared a much grander welcome," Rarity said with a sheepish laugh.
"It's alright, Rarity, we just need to have a little talk," the princess said with a smile.
"This isn't about my job is it?" Rarity asked nervously, "I really do enjoy working with Ponio. Even if it doesn't always seem that way."
"Relax, Rarity, I'm here about Twilight. I'm concerned about her well-being as well as you."
"I see...Very well, Applejack, why are you here? We already know Pinkie won't help us."
Applejack started to talk but couldn't get the words out right. "Well, you see...The thing is..."
"Applejack said she couldn't convince Pinkie either, so how about I take you two to see Pinkie? But first, I'd like you two to come to Canterlot Castle with me. Twilight Sparkle would like to see you two."
The two mares looked at each other and readily agreed to go with Celestia to canterlot. The royal guards took the two mares to Canterlot Castle swiftly and the 3 ponies rushed inside to the medical wing. Twilight was awake but lying in her bed, she saw a white mare and an orange-ish mare. She didn't recognize either of them, but she stayed in her bed and didn't try to fight it.
Applejack walked up to her friend and asked, "Twilight? Is that you?"
"Who..who are you? I don't recognize you."
"I'm your friend, Applejack," she started.
"Apple..jack?"
Applejack walked closer to her friend.
"Do you remember me now?"
Applejack was now face to face with her friend now. She could see the deep violet eyes of her friend. She could see her friend looking back trying to grasp some fragment of her old memories back. Twilight had this sad look on her face that told Applejack that she just wanted to come back to how she used to be.
"I...kind of...remember...who's the other pony you came in with?"
Rarity was hesitant, but proceeded toward her friend cautiously.
"Twilight, I'm so sorry about what happened that day," Rarity began.
"It's alright Rarity."
Rarity stared at her in shock, "You...you remember me?"
"I can't forget my first lieutenant. Come here, please."
Rarity went close to Twilight and stared into those deep violet eyes. How does she remember her while not remembering Applejack. Just what happened in her head that made her remember her friend Rarity.
"Rarity, you need to deliv-" Twilight shook her head, "I'm sorry, I can't see straight. I'm going back to sleep."
And with that last statement she closed her eyes and dozed off.
"I see she's recovered somewhat," said Rarity to Celestia.
"I'm not entirely sure how. It might be my presence, or it might be simply that she's struggling to regain control of her own surroundings. Either way, there's nothing we can do for her until she comes around again."
"I'd like to stay here in the castle, i-if that's alright with you, princess," Rarity said.
"Of course, you're both welcome to stay until this is over."
"Well, I have to go, Rarity. Ponyville still has need of our farm and our services, so I'll see ya around I guess."
"Alright, Applejack, I'll see you around."
And with that they bid their farewells for the day.