Thunder cowered in the darkness. He couldn't see anything, not even his own muzzle, but he could hear. Dear alicorns above, he could hear, and he wished he couldn't. The darkness was alive with sound—not just sound, but noise. Horrible, grinding, deafening noise that covering his ears did nothing to block out. It was like dirty, ragged claws scraping across his eardrums; like catastrophic accidents and the screams of tortured ponies; like the sound of all his mistakes and failures thrown in his face.
He tried to run, but there was nowhere to go. His legs moved slowly, so horribly slowly that he did not think he was covering any ground at all. As he ran, or tried to run, he saw brief glimpses of things in the dark. A pegasus, pulled into the black void; a beautiful gray mare with a broken cello; a flash of pink; a pair of all-too-distinctive sunglasses. Those sunglasses rose up in front of him, baleful red eyes glaring out from behind them.
No, Thunder thought, panicked, her eyes aren't red, they're violet!
Red eyes; horrible, soul-rending sounds; a door; a red unicorn screaming in agony...
A door?
A large wooden door was clearly visible in the darkness, the only thing that did not shift and vanish among the phantasmagoria. Thunder ran, and it seemed that he was getting visibly nearer to it. He threw his shoulder against the wood and it gave way.
He found himself in a calm, quiet, moonlit field. The tranquility around him was completely at odds with his own terror, but it soon took hold, beginning to wash away the effects of his nightmare.
As Thunder breathed in the cool night air he began to look around himself. The garden was lined with bushes too high to see over, and a large tree marked the center of it. He got the feeling that beyond those bushes was simply nothing, that they marked the boundaries of this little bubble in his dreamscape. The remainder of the garden was filled with flowers in gentle blues and violets, all washed by the silver glow of the moon. His hooves clicked on stone as he followed the only visible path, which led straight to the tree and to the dusky blue alicorn beneath it.
"Thunder Growl," Luna said, "are you alright?"
"Princess Luna?" Thunder began to bow, but she stopped him with a raised hoof.
"Nay, you need not bow to me," Luna said with a smile. "Your dreams are your own kingdom, and you are its ruler, not I. Will you sit with me, Thunder Growl?"
Thunder, caught up in the unreality of it all, did so without question. Luna settled down next to him. The two sat in silence for a timeless moment, then Luna turned to him.
"Would you care to tell me about your dream?"
He had known the question was coming, but he was not sure how to answer it. He shrugged. "You saw it, right? I assume that's why you're here. I had a nightmare. What's there to tell?"
"Dreams, and indeed nightmares, can tell us quite a lot if we care to listen," Luna chided him. "You were being confronted by your friends, were you not? Those you lost to Cacophony?"
Thunder nodded. "Yeah," he sighed.
"Why tonight, of all nights?" Luna pressed him.
"Bucked if I know." In his dreamy haze, Thunder didn't even realize that he had cursed in front of royalty.
"Something is different about this night," Luna insisted, "or perhaps about the day?"
Thunder stared at the ground as he thought, and then it came to him. "Pinkie Pie."
"You feel responsible for what happened to her." It wasn't a question.
"Well, it was my bucking fault, wasn't it? It wasn't like the other times. I didn't just not save her, Cacophony came because of me. She got caught because she was protecting me."
"I see." Luna tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Have you shared these concerns with your friends?"
Thunder snorted. "What am I supposed to say? 'Hey guys, sorry I called a monster and got your best friend captured?'"
Luna gazed down at him. "A burden shared is a burden lessened, Thunder Growl. I know that only too well. Cacophony is not of your making, and you should not take its actions upon your own shoulders. I do not think the others blame you."
Thunder sighed miserably and laid down. "I just don't know anymore, Luna. Everything I do gets bucked up. Every time I try to help I make things worse." The words poured from him. Something about the dream made him feel uninhibited, free to share anything and everything with her. It was almost like being drunk, though it came with a feeling of serenity that he had never found in a bottle.
"It is normal to feel these things during difficult times," Luna reassured him. "That does not make them true."
"So what am I supposed to do?" He was whining like a foal, but somehow it didn't bother him. The strange unreality of the dream and Luna's presence had dulled any sense of self-consciousness.
"Speak with your friends, Thunder Growl. Unburden your heart. You cannot run from your fears forever, for they will catch you." She nodded toward the door through which Thunder had entered her garden. "You experienced that tonight."
They sat in silence a while longer, then Luna rose to her hooves. "I must go. Our time together is at an end, for now."
"Is it morning already?" Thunder asked.
Luna smiled. "Nay. Believe it or not, it has been but a few minutes in the waking world, but I have many more ponies to visit this night. There seem to be more and more nightmares about of late. Pleasant dreams, Thunder Growl." She took to the air and vanished into the night sky.
Thunder awoke feeling both refreshed and uneasy. Though he had feared that the nightmares would return once Luna left, that had not happened, and he had spent the remainder of his night in the peaceful garden that she had made for him. In the timeless manner of dreams it had seemed as though he would have eternity to rest there, yet in the next moment he found himself awakening in the Apple family's guest room.
As he got out of bed and stretched the kinks from his legs and neck, Thunder reflected that there was definitely something to be said for waking up without a headache or an upset stomach. It didn't happen very often. He nosed the curtains aside and blinked in the sunlight, surprised to see that it was barely past sunrise. The blizzard had passed and the sky was clear, leaving the ground blanketed in white.
Thunder had no idea what time they had ended up going to bed, but he supposed it must have been quite early. It made sense for farmers, but the hard-partying musician wasn't used to it.
Thunder walked out into the hall and made for the bathroom. As he passed the living room he was surprised to find the entire family already awake. Applejack was setting the table, and the delicious smells coming from the kitchen said plainly that Granny Smith was making another of her feasts.
"Mornin', Thunder!" Applejack called. "Good timin', ah was just about ta come wake ya up. We'll have some breakfast, then go find the others."
"Sounds good. What time is it, anyway?"
"'Bout seven."
"Seven... seven?" he looked at her in mock alarm. "I've never been awake at seven before! What do I do?"
Applejack laughed. "Well, you sure are chipper today."
Thunder dropped the panicked act. "Yeah, I'm feeling pretty good, actually." For the most part. "Just give me a minute here," he said, continuing on his way to the bathroom. Once his business there was done, he returned to join the others as they sat down to eat.
The Apples were as friendly and the food as plentiful as last night, and it was with a smile and a bulging belly that Thunder said goodbye to them.
"Thanks for everything," he said.
"Any time," Granny Smith said. "Now you come back and visit us again, y'hear?"
Thunder jumped as something wrapped itself around his foreleg. He looked down to see Apple Bloom hugging him. She looked at him with those wide eyes of hers. "You will come back and visit, won'tcha?"
Thunder shook his foreleg as if trying to dislodge her. "Hey, come on now, how am I supposed to look cool with you doing that?" Apple Bloom refused to let go until she'd gotten a promise that we would come visit them again as soon as possible. He and Applejack said their goodbyes and started toward town, the snow crunching under their hooves.
It was cold but not bitter, and Granny Smith had refused to let Thunder leave until he put on a scarf that she had given him. The scarf was bright green, not his style at all, but at least it was warm.
Thunder's thoughts wandered as they walked. He wanted to bring up what he and Luna had been talking about in his dream, but he wasn't sure how to approach it. He'd never bared his heart to another pony like that before, and he wasn't quite sure how to do it. Still, these ponies had all been good to him. They'd seen him at his worst—a couple of different ways—and had stayed by him. He was surprised at the depth of the connection he felt with them, and more surprised still to realize that he'd met them all less than a week ago. Twilight really was good at the whole "friendship" thing.
Still, he thought it might be easier to talk about this with just one of them to start, and Applejack seemed like the most down-to-Equestria out of the group. He would never get a better chance, but he was running out of time.
"Hey, Applejack." He did his best to ignore the nervous feeling twisting his stomach into knots.
"Yeah?"
Thunder scuffed a hoof through the snow. He wasn't sure how to say this, but maybe it would be best to just say it. He took a deep breath. "Do you blame me for what happened to Pinkie?"
Applejack's eyes widened in shock. "Of course not! Why in Equestria would'ja think that?"
"Because it was my fault," Thunder said. "Cacophony only showed up because I was singing. She got caught protecting me."
Applejack shook her head. "Shoot," she said, "is that what's been eatin' at ya?" She laid a hoof on his shoulder and squeezed. "You didn't know that was gonna bring Cacophony. You were only doin' it in the first place because you were helping us. Hey," she said firmly, "look at me." Thunder reluctantly met her eyes. "Ah promise you, nopony think it was your fault. The only one blamin' you is you, and that's the honest truth."
Thunder forced a smile. "Thanks," he said. "I think I really needed to hear that." He shook his head ruefully. "All this dung is way over my head. A week ago my biggest problems were where I was going to get a drink and when my next show was."
The two ponies kept walking toward the town. "Ah hear ya," Applejack said. "Shoot, how do ya think I felt when I got mah Element of Harmony? Farmin' was all I'd ever known, and suddenly I was savin' all of Equestria. Ah reckon that, whatever happens, all anypony can do is their best."
Thunder nodded. They walked the rest of the way in companionable silence, each lost in his or her thoughts.
A short while later they reached the tree that served as both the town library and Twilight's home. The library's sign advertised that it opened at eight o'clock, so they reasoned that she would be awake by now. Indeed, as Applejack pushed the door open they were greeted with a brightly lit room and stacks of books.
"Twi?" Applejack called out.
"Morning, Applejack." An extremely groggy Twilight emerged from behind one of the piles holding a cup of coffee with her magic. "Morning, Thunder."
Thunder snorted. "Rough night?"
"I am not a morning pony," Twilight grumbled. She took a gulp of coffee.
"Especially when you're up half the night studying," Spike's voice added from behind a large tome.
Twilight rolled her eyes. "That wasn't necessary."
The baby dragon's giggle was her only answer.
"So what's the plan, Twilight?" Applejack asked.
"Right." Twilight set her cup down and levitated a small stack of notes. "I think we have everything we need to find and beat Cacophony. Today is the day!" She then spoiled the mood somewhat with a large yawn.
While Twilight and Applejack talked, Thunder went over to the saddlebags he'd left in the corner and nosed one of them open. He should still have... there!
Thunder walked back over and placed a small plastic bottle on the desk in the middle of the room in front of Twilight.
"What's that?" Twilight asked.
"Energy drink. I know a thing or two about late nights."
"An energy drink? Do you even know what's in those?" Twilight asked.
"Caffiene, taurine, more vitamins than you need in a week, some other stuff," Thunder rattled off.
"I appreciate the thought, but I'll stick with coffee." Twilight looked a bit disgusted.
Thunder shrugged. "Suit yourself."
Twilight yawned again. "So," she said, "I think we're ready. Let's just round up the others and we can put an end to this."
I've heard that before. The bitter thought came unbidden to Thunder's mind. He shook off the dark mood and did his best to show the enthusiasm that this deserved. "Awesome. What are we waiting for?"
"Ah'll go get Fluttershy and send her after Rainbow Dash. Thunder, ya mind roundin' up Rarity for us?"
"Sure. That big circus-tent-looking place, right?" He'd noted it on his walk through town before, thinking that it looked like someplace Trixie might like to live. He decided not to share that particular thought with them.
"That's the one," Applejack chuckled.
"Got it." Thunder trotted out the door, followed closely by Applejack as she went galloping for Fluttershy's cottage. The Boutique wasn't far off, and within ten minutes—he'd only made one wrong turn—he was knocking on the door. A few moments passed with no response, so he knocked a bit louder.
Rarity opened the door, looking for all the world as if she had been awake for hours. She had not a single hair out of place, as opposed to Twilight's messy mane—not to mention Thunder's—and her eyes were bright and clear.
"Shhh, you'll wake Sweetie Belle," Rarity gently hushed him.
"Who's Sweetie Belle?" Thunder asked.
"My little sister." Rarity shut the door behind her so that they could talk more freely. "She stayed up half the night with me, bless her heart. Celestia knows I needed it."
"You doing alright?"
"Quite well now, thank you, especially if you're here for the reason I think you are."
Thunder nodded as they turned toward the library. "Twilight says she's ready. We're going to find Cacophony and we're going to kick its flank."
"Well, that is the best news I've heard in weeks. And you, Thunder? How are you doing?"
"I'm good. Just..."
"Just what?"
Thunder shrugged. "This won't be the first time somepony's faced Cacophony with what seems like a perfect plan."
"I see," Rarity said solemnly. "Everything is going to be alright, Thunder. You just have to believe that."
What if it isn't? Thunder bit back his retort. It wouldn't do any good. If this didn't work, he would. just.. well, he had no bucking idea what he would do. Probably go get drunk, which he would do anyway once all of this was over. It had been two extremely stressful days since he'd had a drink.
They returned to the library where they were shortly joined by Applejack, then by Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash a few minutes later. While they were gone, Twilight had quickly tidied up both the library and herself. Her mane was neatly combed once again, and the stray books had been put away. Spike shelved the last few as they waited for everyone to arrive.
"Alright, everypony," Twilight said once they had all gathered. "I think I've worked out how to trace the enchantment on Equestria back to its source. All we have to do it find it and break the Aggregation spell that's holding Cacophony together."
"Awesome!" Rainbow shouted. "So what are we waiting for?"
"Well, there's one problem." Twilight looked to the case that held the Elements of Harmony and sighed.
"Pinkie Pie," Fluttershy whispered.
"We can't use the Elements without her," Rarity murmured.
"What if I wore it?" Thunder stepped forward. "Could I just use the necklace thing instead of her?"
Twilight shook her head. "Sorry, it doesn't work like that."
"Believe me, we've tried," Spike added ruefully.
"Buck." Thunder gritted his teeth. "So after all of this, we still can't win."
"I think we can," Twilight said. "Pinkie Pie is part of Cacophony now. Maybe, if we got Cacophony to hold Pinkie's element, we could still activate it."
The others stared at her.
"Um," Fluttershy whispered.
"You want to give an Element of Harmony to Cacophony?" Rainbow exclaimed. "What is wrong with you?"
"Twilight, darling, you must realize that sounds a bit... unusual."
"No way am ah lettin' that thing lay a hoof on an Element!"
"Will it work?" Thunder's voice cut through the babble.
"Well, the theory is sound—"
"Twilight," Thunder gritted. "Cacophony has run free for way too long already. He's hurt so many ponies, and if you're risking an Element, you're risking our last chance to stop it. Will. It. Work?
Twilight took a breath and met Thunder's fiery eyes. "Yes." She held his gaze without flinching.
Thunder let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "Well, then I say we go for it."
"Thunder, you don't know what you're asking," Rarity said. "The Elements of Harmony represent the very things that make us who we are."
"I get that they're important to you, but who cares about a shiny necklace when Cacophony's already got your friend?"
"I think he's right," Twilight said. She looked less certain staring down her other friends than she had been facing Thunder, but she pressed on. "Without Pinkie Pie, the Element of Laughter is just a piece of jewelery. For the chance to get our friend back, it's worth the risk."
"Are you sure there's no other way?" Fluttershy asked.
"With as many ponies as Cacophony's gathered, I think it's going to be too powerful for us to break the spell by any normal means. We have to use the Elements."
"Twilight, ya realize that if anythin' goes wrong here, we'll be throwin' away the only thing that can save Equestria?"
"Of course I understand that, but I don't see what choice we have. Like you said, the Elements are the only thing that can save Equestria now, but I can't do this alone. We're all bearers, so it's everypony's choice. If you don't think this is the right thing to do, I won't try to make you do it."
"Um, well, I think it would be good to save everyone as soon as possible," Fluttershy said.
"So you're in? Cool," Thunder said.
"Well, perhaps I was a bit hasty," Rarity said. "It's just that the idea of that monster getting his hooves on an Element is rather upsetting.
"Are you sure we can make this work?" Rainbow Dash asked Twilight.
Twilight closed her eyes for a moment in thought. When she opened them again they burned with a determined fire. "Yes. We have to."
Rainbow nodded. "Now that's the spirit! If Twilight's sure, then I'm sure. Let's do it!"
Applejack nodded slowly. "Ah still cain't say I like it, but if this is what's gonna save Equestria and get our friend back, then ah'm in."
Twilight smiled, relieved. "Thank you, everyone. So, here's the plan..."