Applejack walked down the hallways of the Castle, muttering to herself. Celestia had dismissed her, likely because she wanted to spend some time alone with her faithful student.
She just looked at the carpet. It was bad enough back before this happened, when she could keep her feelings under control. But now she was around Twilight far too much. Every new revelation was painful for her. Having to sleep right next to her, Luna liking her... oh sweet merciful Creator...
She sighed as she looked at the tiles.
...Wait...
The elaborate carpet had, at some unknown point, transformed into plain tile. She blinked, then looked up.
A hospital.
She blinked. She looked around. There were nurses and doctors, marked with various medical-themed cutie marks, running around with clipboards and tools while going in and out of doors. She looked to her immediate left, in which sat a pony she didn’t recognize, shaved bald for some reason. The right was another story.
“Twi!”
Indeed, Twilight lay, her face bruised and swollen, her horn wrapped tightly in bandages (“They snapped it right off... might not be able to reattach...”). There were gashes up her forelegs (“Blood loss... very severe.”) that ended with an IV tube stuck just above each hoof. She knew what lie beneath the covers, what the doctors wouldn’t let any of them, not even the Princess, look at (“They were intentionally aiming to cripple... it doesn’t bode well.”).
“No... no... it ain’t real! It ain’t! Twi was okay... she came through...”
Twilight’s eyes opened. She looked at her, her eyes looking dull and pleading. Slowly, one of the scarred forelegs raised up, pointing it at her.
Accusing her.
“No, please, Twi... I can’t...”
You... it was Twilight’s voice, made raspy from dehydration. You led them. You let them abandon me...
“No! no! This ain’t real! It’s a nightmare! A nightmare! No, I’ve had it too many times already!”
A bright white light seemed to answer her pleas. It didn’t shine in from anywhere, but rather, it ripped through the world as the scene fell apart. Had Applejack not known she was dreaming, she would have panicked, but she only welcomed it. Still, the sheer intensity made her hide under her hat until the light dimmed.
“Applejack?”
Her ears perked up.
“Fair Applejack?”
She looked. The hospital and, thankfully, the terrifying apparition of what Twilight could have been, was gone. There was merely a deep, empty white space. And the only pony with her was Princess Luna, looking at her.
“Yer Highness?”
“You were dreaming, Applejack,” she said. “You fell asleep waiting for Twilight to return to you.” Without another word, she placed a foreleg around her and pulled her close.
Applejack opened her mouth to say she was fine, but tears came spilling out instead. She pressed her face up against Luna’s chest and cried.
“I’m sorry, fair Applejack,” Luna sighed. “I should have kept a closer watch on you and your friends’s dreams.”
“W-what do ya mean?” she shuddered through tears.
“My sister suffered this nightmare herself for months after the wedding,” she sighed. “I was so determined to comfort her through that, I missed that you and your friends might be suffering the same.”
By now, Applejack had regained control of herself somewhat. Her tears were still falling, but she was at least in control enough. “I... you don’t need to worry none, Princess. I--”
“Applejack,” she cut her off simply. “You should not try to be stubborn about this. There is no use lying to me about this.”
Applejack looked at her, then at the floor. “I... I led everypony out on her...”
“They followed without hesitation. You did nothing.”
“But Twi coulda gotten hurt!” Applejack cried. “What if them changelings had beaten her down? Or... or..”
“Ah, ‘what if?’... truly the most bothersome question in existence. What if I had resisted Nightmare... what if I had talked to my sister about my troubles better... what if my sister and I had tried other tactics to prevent Discord from rising to power? I have had many sleepless days pondering those questions.”
Applejack suddenly felt an odd sort of shame. She often forgot her experiences were trivial compared to the Royal Sisters. “Princess... I’m sorry, you’ve been through so much and I...”
“Have been through much as well,” she said simply. “And your feelings are no less important in the matter. My point was only this: wondering ‘what if’ will solve little. Instead, think of this as opportunity to become the friend you feel Twilight Sparkle deserves.”
Applejack only nodded. “I will, Princess.” The sadness was still in her voice.
“You love her, don’t you?”
Applejack looked at her with wide eyes. “Huh?”
“This wedding. You wanted it, didn’t you?”
Applejack felt her face light up. “H-how did you...”
“Please. I’m the Mistress of Dreams. And yours have been... interesting. That one where Twilight Sparkle wears all that leather was especially entertaining.”
Applejack officially wanted to crawl under a rock and die.
“Oh, no need to be embarrassed. What you do in bed is your own business... and mine, since I patrol dreams.” Despite herself, there was a hint of amusement in her voice. “Though I’ll try not to intrude, but I can’t tell what dreams are until I enter, you understand.”
“Y-yeah,” she grumbled.
“I cannot say I blame thee, Twilight Sparkle is quite a lovely mare.”
“Yeah... you were enjoying her earlier, I noticed.”
Luna was surprised at the anger that had crept into Applejack’s voice, but only for a moment. “You needn’t worry. I do truly think Twilight is a lovely mare, but doing so would damage my relationship with Celestia.”
Applejack looked at her. “Huh?”
“Oh, not that badly. But she knew Twilight when she was a wide-eyed foal. I think part of her wishes she still were. My sister cares for her like her own child. I’ll look, but not touch, as it were.”
“Oh. Well... thank you,” Applejack said. She rubbed her front leg.
“So, you’ll tell Twilight Sparkle tomorrow, I trust?”
“What? No!”
“Why?”
It was a minute before Applejack realized that Luna was honestly confused. She was looking at the farmpony like a foal might look at an adult participating in a peculiar activity.
“Well, she’s outta my league! She has royalty gawking at her! She’d never...”
“Foalishness!” Luna said, in a tone that made it clear she wanted to hear no more. “A coward’s cry. Tell her on the morn!”
“What? No! Why does everypony gotta try an’ run my love life? I won’t!”
“Then I shall tell her.”
No!” Applejack’s pride failed her. She threw herself at Luna’s hooves, wrapping her forelegs around hers. “Please, Princess! Please! Don’t!”
“I will,” she said coldly. “I have always thought secret... ‘crushes’, I believe they’re called now, were foalish! The world will not end if she says no.”
“But...” She tried to get out the other half of it, about Twilight dragging her into a life she wasn’t prepared to live, but Luna was adamant.
“No buts! You tell her on the morn, or I shall!”
“Please, Princess... please listen...”
Luna stayed quiet, but her look was one of a pony prepared to hold her ground.
“Princess...” It hit her then. “Princess, do you know what yer sister is preparin’ Twi for?”
Luna blinked. “Well... yes. Are you worried about that?”
Applejack nodded. “I don’t want to keep her in Ponyville if Celestia has plans fer her, and...” She thought about what Rainbow Dash said, then decided she needed to be honest about it. “I ain’t sure I could stand bein’ away from Ponyville if we left.”
Luna was calmer now. She nodded. “I suppose that is a legitimate concern. Yes... wouldn’t want to pull Twilight Sparkle into anything until you’re sure.”
“What is your sister planning?”
“I cannot say,” Luna said. “She made me promise to keep it a secret from all. But...” She seemed to reconsider for a moment. “I trust you will stay quiet about this?”
Applejack nodded.
“It will come to fruition very soon. Very soon. I take it you will talk to Twilight Sparkle afterward?”
“Huh?”
Luna’s expression got narrow. “You will talk to Twilight Sparkle at that time. You will discuss it amongst yourselves.”
Fear gripped Applejack again, and in that fear, anger came out. “What business is it of yours?”
Luna leaned in, and Applejack’s anger evaporated. The Princess of the Night could look very intimidating. “Twilight Sparkle is my liberator. Her happiness is my business. I will not let her miss a potential mate because you refuse to speak up. Now, wake up!”
Applejack obeyed. Her eyes opened to the roof of the room they were sharing. Twilight still wasn’t there.
She took some deep breaths. This wasn’t good. Luna had threatened her over the whole thing.
...Or had she? It had been a dream, after all. Was it really Luna walking in her dreams, or just regular vanilla dreaming? Or was it even the rings, with another trick? Luna had seemed unusually aggressive...
She looked at her jewelry. “Was that yer doin’?”
YOU KNOW, TALKING TO INANIMATE
The words faded, replaced with the second line.
OBJECTS IS A SIGN OF INSANITY
She growled. Before she could go on, the door to their bedroom opened.
“Applejack?” Twilight said. “Is something wrong?”
The farmpony was silent a moment before shaking her head. “No. Nothin’.”
“Well, alright,” she said, climbing into bed. Applejack tried to keep her face straight. These rings might be messing with her dreams, but how could she explain that to Twilight without revealing exactly what her dreams were?
She sighed. She doubted she'd be sleeping tonight.