//------------------------------//
// Just a dream 
// Story: The Wrong Hoof 
// by ChainGunDragon 
//------------------------------//

	“Wake up!” Twilight could barely hear the words being shouted at her as she slowly came to. “Twilight, you slept in.” As the alicorn slowly opened her eyes she saw Spike at the side of her bed, trying to wake her.
“Spike, calm down,” she whispered, still half asleep. “What’s going on?”
“You slept in Twilight. It’s already noon.”
“What?” she bolted out of bed, heading straight for the clock to see for herself.
“You never sleep in Twilight, what happened?”
“Well I-” She paused, trying to recall what happened. It was all rather blurry and she was in a pretty deep sleep only moments ago. Could it all have just been a dream? There was no point getting anyone worried over something that may have never happened to begin with. “I lost track of the time and was up later than I should've been when I was catching up on my studies.” She went for her schedule, hoping she hadn't missed anything too important.
“I’m sorry. I would've helped you study but I was too exhausted from re-shelving books all day I must have dozed off.”
“The picnic!” Twilight shouted, ignoring Spike’s apology. “Sorry Spike, I have to go.” She quickly found her saddle bag, swinging it over her back as she opened the door and started running.

Twilight made it to the picnic, panting from exhaustion as the other five elements of harmony stared at her.
“Sorry I’m late,” the alicorn panted, pausing to catch her breath.
“I understand you not wanting to be late Twi,” said Applejack, offering her a place to sit. “But you really need to stop stressing over being on time.”
“Yes Twilight, we’re your friends. We won’t mind if you’re just a little late,” Said Rarity. Unmistakably her this time from her overdressed hat, down to the way she sits on a neatly prepared cushion.
“But I’m a whole hour late.”
“Don’t sweat it,” said Rainbow Dash, flexing her wings. “Even if you didn't show up at all, I’m sure you’d have your reasons.”
“Thanks girls. I just don’t know what happened, I don’t normally sleep in that late.”
“Or at all. Is something bothering you, sugar cube?” Said the orange mare before passing a piece of cake to Twilight.
“Just a crazy dream I had.” Twilight shook her head and took a bite of the cake, savoring it for a moment before swallowing. “Nothing to worry about.”
“Please, tell us,” said Rarity, sipping her tea. “It can’t be any worse than Rainbow Dash going on about her sonic rainboom for the hundredth time.”
“Hey!” The pegasus shouted. Applejack just looked back at her, raising an eyebrow. “Yeah, sorry,” she said, kicking her hoof at the ground.
“Does anyone want to hear about my dream?” said Pinkie pie. “I dreamed about a huge cake!”
“Pinkie, you always dream about cake,” said Applejack.
“Yeah, well why wouldn't you? Especially if it’s chocolate cake.” The pink mare licked her lips and lost her train of thought.
“It was about the changelings,” said Twilight as she set down her plate. Everyone stared at her while she wiped leftover crumbs from the corner of her mouth. “How many were there at Canterlot? That can’t have been all of them could it?”
“I don’t know Twi,” Said Applejack. “There were a lot of them. But we got rid of all of them, it’s over now.”
“Yeah, Chrysalis is done, end of story,” Said the rainbow-maned pegasus, now leaning against a tree.
“But what if it wasn't? Those all looked like regular changelings. What if they had soldiers or royal guards or something that they never sent to Canterlot?”
“That doesn't make any sense,” Said Rainbow Dash, barely raising a hoof to wave away the idea. “If they had soldiers, then why didn't they send them?”
“Exactly! What if they weren't trying to win?”
“Then what do you think they were trying to do?” Said Rarity.
“What if they were trying to distract us?” Everyone stared at Twilight. Even Pinkie pie snapped out of her daydream. “They attacked the biggest city we have, on the day of a royal wedding, and they announced the attack beforehand? It doesn’t make any sense. Not unless they wanted attention.”
“I think you’re over thinking it a bit Twilight,” Said Applejack.
“Chrysalis trapped me in a cave to keep me out of the way. But she trapped me in the same cave as the real Cadence and didn't put much of an effort into keeping us there. She wanted to get caught.”
“Or maybe she’s just not as bright as you think she is. This was just a dream remember?” Said Rainbow Dash, starting to relax again and taking another piece of cake.
“Maybe.”
“Definitely,” said the pegasus as she started eating the delicious cake. Twilight calmed down a bit. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that this was real, but it was clear she wasn't convincing anyone.
“I just remembered, I have to get back to studying,” said Twilight, making an excuse to leave. “I think I’m almost at a breakthrough with this age spell.”
“That’s cool,” mumbled Dash with a mouth full of cake. “See you later then.” She waves her hoof, still lying against the tree.
“Bye.”
“Goodbye.”
“Have fun.”
“I should probably get going too,” said Fluttershy as the alicorn had turned around and started walking. “Angel bunny will get upset if I don’t get him any food. And I’d hate to upset him twice on the same day.” She waves and starts walking next to Twilight.
“That’s the first time I've heard your voice today. Did you have a bad dream too?” asked the purple alicorn.
“The attack on Canterlot is a sensitive topic,” the shy mare said quietly, almost in a whisper. “I’d rather not risk upsetting anypony by saying the wrong thing.”
“We’re your friends, you couldn't upset us.”
“I know, but still...” Fluttershy looks behind her to make sure they’re out of earshot of the rest of the group. “You don’t think they’re evil, do you Twilight?” The alicorn just looks back at her, slightly surprised by the question.
“I don’t know if they’re good or bad. I just don’t think we know the whole story yet.”
“But they could be good?”
“Maybe.” The pegasus smiled at hearing that.
“I think anyone can be good if we gave them a chance,” She said, looking up at Twilight. “We even thought Discord was evil once. Now he and I are best friends. I think we all just need to be shown a bit of kindness once in a while.” Twilight stopped in her tracks as Fluttershy continued walking off ahead back to her cottage. She could barely hear the pegasus say goodbye over the thoughts repeating themselves in her head. Maybe Fluttershy was right. Maybe the changelings could've been telling the truth. But that just leaves one hole in the problem. Celestia.