//------------------------------// // Return to Reality ... Maybe // Story: I Am Twilight Sparkle // by Mike the Red //------------------------------// Using the power of the amulet I had been given, I managed to trace Nick/Rarity's magic signature. "Trixie, take my left fore-hoof -- I'm going to teleport us to one of the Element Bearers," I offered, smiling warmly. "Trixie hopes this isn't a trap," she offered almost meekly. "You have that amulet and I have one as well. They should provide us with enough power to face any challenge we might encounter," I replied confidently as we teleported into what appeared to be a hotel room. An alabaster unicorn mare, a pink earth pony mare, as well as an orange earth pony mare were huddled around a television set which had been turned to FOX News. I frowned in disapproval at the channel choice. "Hello, girls, how are things going?" I asked the group. All of them turned around to gawk at me, though Pinkie was the first to answer -- not vocally, but rather by rushing to embrace me in a very tight hug. "Oh, Twiley, we've missed you so much! We feared the worst! We've gotta throw you both a great big welcome back party!" she exclaimed very excitedly, bouncing me along with her. I had no idea she was this strong! "What's been going on? How long have we been gone?" I asked. "You've been gone for about fourteen days, darling -- the company has been continuing to take us around the country and perform for audiences, but things have been getting a bit more chaotic since you've been gone," Rarity replied flatly. "So what day is tomorrow?" I asked, a hint of trepidation in my voice. "Tomorrow is LBJ Day," Applejack replied glumly. "Ta be honest, sugarcube, we'd almost given up on ya." "Trixie, what happened to Gwen?" asked Pinkie. "Discord took that weakling out of Trixie's body, turning her into a green pegasus," the show-mare replied flatly. This elicited shock from the others who started asking a bunch of questions, talking over each other in the process. "Please, calm down, everypony. Time is running short for us, though we just got done escaping from Discord. He made the mistake of showing us his lair, so we know where he's staying. We need to find the Elements, and we have to do it soon," I averred, a look of renewed confidence on my face. "My counterpart has been helping me, as has Princess Celestia -- at least two or three of them, I think -- so we have that going for us. It looks like it's pretty late now, so perhaps Trixie and I can get some sleep." "I will let the others know you've returned. Trixie, are you going to sleep with the others?" asked Rarity. "Trixie thinks she'll sleep with Sparkle," she replied, flashing just a hint of a grin. "She doesn't want to sleep alone." "The execs might not like that very much," Pinkie offered in a sing-song voice, grinning broadly. "Fuck the execs, we've got work to do," I stated rather bluntly. "And to be honest, I don't like sleeping alone, either." My bluntness caused the others to flinch a little as they weren't expecting me to drop an F-bomb on them. I grinned sheepishly. "Sorry about that, it's just that I've been through a rather trying time these past several days or so." "Twilight, darling, would you care to enlighten us with all the details?" asked Rarity. She seemed almost eager to listen to my story. I shook my head in response. "Rarity, I'm tired, I've been through a lot, I need to get some sleep -- tell you what -- I'll fill all of you in on what's been going on tomorrow morning. Right now, I need to rest and formulate a plan of action. Trixie, are you coming with me?" The show-mare chuckled and said, "Yes, Sparkle!" as she followed me to one of the beds in the room. I hopped onto it before Pinkie shoved me off. "That's MY bed, silly filly! Find another one!" the pink pony giggled. I glared at her and looked around the room to see there were only enough beds for her, Rarity, and Applejack. "I thought there were four beds here," I mused. "There were, sugarcube, but since ya've been gone, they took the other one away," Applejack commented. She gave me a sympathetic glance before turning her attention to her own bed, choosing to hop onto it. She fell asleep almost immediately. "Okay, it looks like I'm going to have to have a little talk with one of the execs after all," I grumbled. "Trixie? Are you coming with me?" Trixie started laughing before squeezing a "Yes, Sparkle!" between her laughs as she trotted after me again. I opened the room door and trotted down the hallway to try to find one of the execs, though I wasn't exactly sure where to find them. I decided to visit the hotel lobby and find the concierge to see if he or she might know of their whereabouts. I pushed the elevator button and waited on it to get to our floor. When the doors opened, an exec stepped out and greeted us. "Well, well, well! I see our rogue magicians have returned! We've been worried sick about you! Where have you two been?" he asked. He seemed to flash a menacing smile, causing me to frown just a little. "I was hoping to get a bed for myself -- I'm willing to let Trixie share it with me -- I've been through a lot and don't have time to give you all the details. Let's just say that Discord has a twisted sense of humor and leave it at that, shall we? Now, about that room?" "We will need a full debriefing tomorrow morning. I'll get you two a room -- please follow me," he stated flatly. We accompanied him to the hotel lobby where another room was procured for us, then back to the floor the others were on, then to a room adjacent to the one we were just in. This room had a single king-sized bed, which I could have sworn was singing a siren song of relief to me. Trixie's reaction seemed to mimic mine, or at least she seemed to be thinking along similar lines. "Thank you very much, sir. I shall see you tomorrow morning then," I stated cheerfully. "We look forward to having you two perform for us again," he responded, almost as cheerfully. He closed the door behind us as we made our way to the bed and hopped onto it, sinking into the luxurious memory foam pillow top mattress. "Trixie wants you to cuddle her from behind, Sparkle," she cooed to me as she turned off the lights. I giggled and snuggled up close to her, wrapping my left fore-leg around her barrel. "Thanks again, Trixie," I whispered softly into her ear as I drifted off to sleep. I felt Trixie's hoof on mine, but didn't pay attention to anything that happened after that as I fell into a deep slumber. I think a smile came to my face as the sensation of her warmth comforted me, allowing me to sleep quite soundly.