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// Ch22 Teacher?... Prince?... Dreams! 
// Story: The Price of Harmony 
// by Priceless911 
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               “Princess Twilight? Princess Twilight? Um… are you ok?”
Twilight opened her eyes and realized that she was standing in front of a chalkboard using her magic to suspend a piece of chalk in front of the board. As she rubbed her eyes, her magic stopped as the chalk fell to the ground and broke into two pieces as it hit the tile floor. As she rubbed her eyes, a young voice asked, “um… Princess Twilight? Are you okay? Are ya tired?”
Twilight turned around as realized she was standing in front of a class of Unicorn foals. As Princess Twilight looked around, she noticed that her wings were back too. She mumbled to herself as she continued looking at her wings, “what? Where... um… how…
Before she could finish her thought, one of the colts raised his hoof as he asked, “Um… Princess Twilight? I have a question. If I use a spell to do something like change my age, and say I make it go too far… should I try to alter the effects of the spell by backtracking my magic, or should I use another spell to reverse the effect?”

Princess Twilight looked at the colt in confusion but despite how confused she was, she couldn’t help but answer the question, “Well… something like an age changing spell should only be used by the most experienced of magic users. But sometimes, the best way to work a spell gone wrong is to either reverse the spell’s effect, or to use another spell that was specifically created to counteract it. Using multiple spells that weren’t for the same purpose can cause your problem to get worse.”
Just as she finished talking, Twilight heard a school bell ring as all the foals gathered their books and start leaving the room as Twilight’s confusion continued, “am… am I teaching this class?”
just then princess Celestia entered the room as she smiled, “good afternoon Twilight. I just came to check the progress of your students. I’m happy to see that my most successful student has become and even more successful teacher.”

Twilight was amazed to see Princess Celestia as she spoke, “Princess! Thank goodness you’re alright. What happened? Where is the dark alicorn?”
Princess Celestia gave Twilight a confused look as she asked, “Dark alicorn? I don’t think I understand is that from a novel you’re reading?”
Princess Twilight replied, “What? No! You know, he attacked Canterlot. He destroyed Ponyville and Gryphus. He even killed you and Luna.”
Princess Celestia was shocked at what she was hearing as she replied, “Please Twilight, calm down. I don’t know what you’re talking about, but as you can see, Canterlot is fine, as is Ponyville and sister. But you may want to try calming down before you say anything to worry everypony. Now I don’t know anything about a dark alicorn. But perhaps you had a dream that got to your mind or something.”
Princess Twilight thought to herself for a few seconds as she tried to understand what was going on around her.

After a few seconds of thinking, Princess Celestia spoke up, “well since all is well, perhaps you will accompany me to the Crystal Empire. I heard that this year’s Crystal Festival is about to begin, and I also heard a rumor that there is a certain somepony there who wants to see you.”
Twilight was confused as Princess Celestia winked at her in a hinting jester, but… what about my friends… what about Eden?”
Princess Celestia gave Twilight a confused looked, “Eden? How do you know of Eden?”
Princess Twilight replied, “I know because I’ve been there. Commander Bolt, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Spitfire, and I were just there!”
Princess Celestia started to laugh as if it were a simple joke, “Twilight, I know you have a hard time making friends so I’m glad you finally found the time to make some… but if you and your friends were to step hoof in the site where Eden used to sit, you would be burned to a crisp.”

Princess Twilight was confused even more now, “what?”
Princess Celestia continued, “Well, it is true that a city called Eden did exist, but it was destroyed centuries ago. You see the city sat inside of an inert volcano but about fifteen hundred years ago, the volcano reawaken and destroyed everything. Sad to say there were no survivors. I was only grateful that sister and I were in Equestria attending a gala at the time.”
Princess Twilight sat down, “what… but, that’s not what happened. That’s not what happened at all.”
Princess Celestia smiled as she continued, “I am happy to hear you made some friends though. You have to introduce me to them sometime. I would like to meet them if I get the chance.”
Twilight gave princess Celestia a confused look as a guard entered the room, “Your Majesty? You are needed at the castle.”
Princess Celestia sighed as she started to leave the room, “Oh alright… a princess’s work is never done. You take care Princess Twilight; I'll see you this evening.”

Princess Twilight nodded her head, but she really didn’t pay attention to princess Celestia since her mind was still on her last sentence. After a few minutes of thinking to herself, she knew she had to see it for herself. In complete disregard for everything around her, Twilight quickly rushed out of the room, building, then into the sky to try to find out what was going on. As she flew through the sky, she looked at everything around her and realized that she really was in Canterlot. However, the city was completely intact. There was no sign of damage anywhere, not in plaza where the sand pillar sat, the foundation that held the city in place. There wasn’t even a sign of concern from anypony in the streets who were going about their normal routine. Seeing all of this from the sky made Twilight think, “was it all a dream?... what about Ponyville?”
In a fit of worry, Twilight flew from the Canterlot as fast as she could until she approached the sky over Ponyville. As she looked down, things here were the same as in Canterlot. There was no sign of danger or damage anywhere. So she decided to see if her friends were safe. 

As Twilight landed in the streets, everypony around her looked at her with complete shock as they quickly bowed in respect. Feeling awkward, Twilight looked around as Applejack came out of the crowd and bowed, “Welcome to Ponyville your majesty. My name’s Applejack. If you need anything then just ask and I'll see to it that you’re treated with the finest of Ponyville hospitality.”
Twilight looked at Applejack and hugged her with joy, “APPLEJACK! I’m glad to see you’re alright! I was worried for a second.”
Applejack felt a little confused for a second but then she replied by smiling awkwardly, “Well course I’m alright… uh… why wouldn’t I be your majesty?”
Twilight was confused, “What?... but… you were trapped under a tower in Eden. We had to leave you behind because you told us to.”
Applejack thought to herself, “Nope… ain’t ringin’ any bells. Maybe you have me confused with somepony else.”

Princess Twilight was even more concerned now than when she first arrived, but judging by everything going on, she had only one more question to have answered before she could understand what was happening, “Say Applejack? Have I ever been to Ponyville before?”
Applejack smiled innocently as she replied, “I don’t believe so your majesty. Well, I know it ain’t much, but this town is full of some of the most humble little ponies you could ever meet. And I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
Princess Twilight understood now, so she just nodded her head as she replied, “oh don’t worry, I think I know for a fact that the ponies in this town are some of the nicest ponies I could ever meet. But, I’m just passing through for now, maybe… in the future we could become great friends.”
Applejack smiled, “Well thank ya kindly Princess, I hope so too.”
Applejack bowed in respect as Twilight did the same, “I know it is… well… goodbye.”
With a sad expression on her face, Princess Twilight turned back towards Canterlot and took to the skies. As she continued flying back, she mumbled to herself, “Something has change the past… and whatever it was must have affected my arrival in Ponyville… but what?”

Back in Canterlot, Twilight arrived at the room she used to stay in before she started living in Ponyville. When she went inside, she saw Spike organizing books just as she expected. Spike looked at Twilight and spoke, “Oh, back so soon? I thought you would be in class the rest of the day?”
Twilight trotted past him as she replied, “I canceled them… something more important came up, say Spike, can you get me Starswirl’s latest spell book? I want to take a second look at a particular spell of his.”
Spike went to the shelf and pulled out the book as Twilight grabbed it with her magic and held it in front of her, “alright lest see, “time travel, time travel… wait… there is only one effective time spell in this entire book.”
Spike replied, “Well yea, time travel was too dangerous so other than that one spell to have two minutes in the past, there are no time spells. Why? Is something happening that would lead you to need to control time?”
Twilight thought to herself, “hmm, if it isn’t a changed past… then… maybe an illusion?”

Spike gave Twilight a funny look as he repeated, “An illusion?... what are you tal…”
“Spike! Get me the magical book of survival.”
Spike rushed to another shelf and pulled out the next book as he replied, “survival? Why would you need something like this?”
Twilight dropped the last book and picked up the next as she used her magic to search for a specific page, “hmm… alright here it is, how to overlook a mirage.”
Twilight studied the book for a few more seconds, then she put it on the ground as she started focusing on the spell, “alright here goes.”
As her horn started to glow bright with magic, a bright flash filled the room for a brief second then faded away as Twilight looked around, but she was confused when nothing around her changed, “alright… it isn’t an illusion or mirage… then what could it be?”

Spike started picking up the books and taking them to the shelf as he asked, “so… what exactly are you trying to do Twilight? You’re acting a little strange.”
Twilight sat down as she replied, “well… to be honest I think it’s everything else that’s acting strange. All I know is that nothing is the way I remember it. It seems like everything around me has completely changed.”
Spike shelved the books as he replied, “really? Like what?”
Twilight continued, “Well, everything in Canterlot is intact. The last time I saw this city was at the bottom of the valley in ruins.”
Spike gave her a funny look, then replied, “Wow… sounds like a pretty scary dream to me. I’m glad that isn’t true.”
Twilight stared to replied, “Well it’s not as much as that, bu… wait a second what did you say it was?”
Spike hesitated before replying, “uh… a dream?
Twilight started thinking about his words then she looked at Spike and smiled, “Spike! You’re a genius!”

With that said, Twilight stood up and ran to the closest bookshelf as Spike smiled, “well, I can’t argue with that… but uh… how am I a genius again?”
Princess Twilight pulled a book off the shelf and replied, “Simple! I know there are no spells to change the past, and I know that everything around me isn’t an illusion so there is only one scientific explanation for all of this. It’s all a dream!”
Spike thought about what she was saying then asked, “A dream?... Really?”
Princess Twilight replied, “Of course it is, but luckily I have just the spell that can be used in just such an occasion. And luckily, since this spell is by feelings and not thought, I can use it even in my sleep. This should be the perfect way to make everything the way it was.”
As soon as Twilight found the page, she took a step back from the book as her horn started to glow, “Alright here go…”
“WAIT! Twilight, think about this for a second! If this is all just a dream, then what you say is true, and when you use this spell, everything will go back to the way you remember it… Is this what you really want?... a destroyed Canterlot?”

Twilight smiled as she hugged Spike, “Oh Spike… you really are the best assistant I could ask for… but, none of this is real. And I can’t live in my dreams, when I know that my friends are still living in the real world. I… I'll miss you.”
Tears started running down Twilight face as she started using the spell. all Spike could do was step back and wave to his friend, as he, and the surrounding slowly started to fade away until Twilight found herself standing alone in a black abyss. After the spell was used, Princess Twilight looked around but there was nothing as far as her eyes could see. Princess Twilight called out, “HELLO!?!...”
There was no reply, as Twilight took a step forward to start looking around, but as her first step touched the ground, a massive red colored crack appeared on the black ground as if she were standing on black marble. Slowly the crack began to spread until everything around her to include the distant abyss, turned into a cracking crumbling world.





“Your majesty?... Your majesty?... Your majesty!... SPARKY!!!”
Star Bolt opened his eyes to find himself standing on a balcony. He started rubbing his head as he started mumbling to himself, “Wha... what happened?...”
the voice continued, “Welcome back… I know you’re going through a lot right now, but spacing out like that doesn’t change what’s happening here.”
After rubbing his eyes, Star Bolt looked forward as he started to ask, “What are you talking abo…”
When he looked off the balcony, Star Bolt couldn’t believe his eyes, “Canterlot… it’s… its Canterlot…”
While looking into the city Star Bolt couldn’t believe that Canterlot was all in one piece… but it wasn’t the Canterlot that was destroyed by Osiris… it was the Canterlot as it stood one thousand years ago. Star Bolt continued looking into the city as the voice replied, “Um… yea, it’s Canterlot. Ya know it ain’t changed since the last time you saw it… like… three seconds ago. I mean what kind of pony doesn’t recognize his own city?”

Star Bolt turned to the voice as he replied, “His own city? What are y…”
When Star Bolt saw who he was talking to, he was even more amazed as he took a step back, “C-Commander Mist…”
the old pony laughed as he replied, “Commander? I ain’t been called commander in nearly three years or at least since, I retired. I thought I told you just call me Mist. Or if you want to be formal, Chancellor Mist.”
“Chancellor?”
Mist smiled, “Well yea… unless you want to fire me or something. Are you ok your majesty? You’re acting a little… strange… make that stranger.”
Star Bolt shook his head, as he put his hoof on his forehead, “What? Wait, why are you calling me your majesty?... what’s going on?”
Mist started to reply, “Look you’re frustrated right now… I completely understand. I remember the day I was in your horseshoes. Wow, going into that room and seeing Serenade sitting there with an expression of… well… she had an expression that says I’m going to kill you for this. But eventually she calmed down an…”

Before Mist could finish, another familiar face entered the room as she spoke, “Your majesty?... She’s ready to see you.”
Star Bolt stared at the mare in shock as he replied, “G-Gem…”
Gem Stone gave him a funny look as Chancellor Mist Replied, “Thank you Colonel. Tell her we will be there in a second.”
Colonel Stone bowed as she turned and left the room. After she was gone, Star Bolt looked at Chancellor Mist and asked, “Colonel?”
Mist replied, “Yea… you yourself promoted her last month. Why, you forget already?”
Star Bolt put his hoof back on his head as he tried to think to himself, “I… I just don’t…”
Chancellor Mist sighed as he used his magic to start pushing Star Bolt down the hall, “Alright come on sparky… if she’s ready for you then we better not keep her waiting.”

Star Bolt followed Chancellor Mist down the hall as he looked at his surroundings, “I… I don’t get it… everything is as it was back then… but… this can’t be right, can it? I mean… am I dead?”
Chancellor Mist sighed, “No… you ain’t dead… look, I know you’re going through a lot right now… but I think you better return to reality for a few seconds… I know you of all ponies wants to make a good first impression for her.”
Star Bolt looked at his old mentor and asked, “Good impression? What are you talking about… who exactly are we going to see?”
As the two approached a door Chancellor Mist replied, “um… your wife.”
As the old pony started to open the door Star Bolt replied, “My wife?...”
Before Star Bolt could continue, the door opened to reveal a medical ward where Princess Luna was lying in a bed with Colonel Stone, Ardent Viscous, and a number of royal nurses standing around her. As the door opened completely, Princess Luna looked over at him and smiled as she carried something in her hooves, “… there he is… come in and meet the newest member of the royal family.”
Star Bolt felt completely out of place. He felt as if he wasn’t even controlling himself as he entered the room and approached the bed. 

With a peaceful smile on her face, Princess Luna spoke as she looked at what she was carrying, “Little princess… meet your father. Don’t worry he isn’t as clueless as he looks.”
Luna held out the little filly as Star Bolt took her and looked at her, “little… princess?”
Luna smiled, “Yes… little Princess Umbra… our daughter.”
Star Bolt was speechless, as he looked at the little princess as she opened her eyes and looked up at her father. Viscous smiled as she spoke, “Congratulations Prince Bolt. When will you announce the new princess to the citizens of Equestria?”
At that moment, those words started racing through his mind at a groundbreaking speed. Star Bolt looked at the newborn alicorn’s face as his mind started going crazy with thoughts. Prince Bolt, Colonel Stone, Chancellor Mist, these words alone with the newborn princess and the standing Canterlot made him feel dizzy as he tried to talk, “P-prince… my daughter… Umbra?... this… I…”
Star Bolt started swaying back and forth, as he gave the little filly to Viscous and tried to calm himself down, but it was no use. His mind started racing through so many thought that he could hear his own heart rate as it raced out of control causing his sight to fade. As Star Bolt fell to a knee, the royal nurses quickly surrounded him as Chancellor Mist spoke, “Your majesty! Are you all right? Calm down!”
Colonel Stone tried to help him up as she called, “Get the doctor back in here! Hurry! His heart is racing.”
With his head filed with traumatizing thoughts, Star Bolt fell to the ground feeling his heart rate slowdown, as he passed out under his own stress. 

The next thing he knew, Star Bolt opened his eyes to find himself lying in Luna’s royal bedchambers, although when he looked around, he could tell they remodeled it to accommodate for him as well. As Star Bolt sat up, he looked around the room and saw a foal cradle sitting on the other side of the room and Mist talking to Iron Storm, “I can’t say I blame him… having a foal is a huge responsibility. But he’s been a prince for two years. He should be used to this by now.”
Storm nodded his head, “give it time… he’ll get used to it. Besides, if he needs it we can give him advice. I mean, my daughter is fully-grown and your son is what, eight? If he needs any help, all he has to do is ask us. Anyways, I had better get going, Colonel Drib and Major Snow are waiting downstairs. The united counsel is gathering and you know how Chief Rafi can be.”
Chancellor Mist nodded his head, “alright, you be careful on your trip commander.”
As Commander Storm left the room, Mist looked over at the bed and realized that Star Bolt was awake, “Oh your majesty… back from the great beyond I see. Scared the mane off us for a second.”

Star Bolt rubbed his head and asked, “How long have I been out?”
Mist replied, “About three hours. The doctor said you just had a stress induced episode, so we thought it would be better that you come in here while the princess rests.”
Star Bolt tried to stand as Chancellor Mist rushed to his side to help, “Easy now… no need to overdue it.”
Star Bolt looked at Mist and asked, “is… is that my daughter… in the cradle?”
Mist smiled, “yea, but she is asleep right now so I'd suggest leaving her be.”
Star Bolt approached the cradle and looked at the sleeping alicorn. As he looked at her, Star Bolt asked with a serious tone, “what’s going on here?”
Mist smiled as if it were a joke, “you tell me… first impression of your daughter, and you pass out? Doesn’t sound like the Prince that I kn…”
“No… I mean what’s going on… What happened to the dark alicorn?”
Chancellor Mist looked at Star Bolt with confusion, “Dark what?... you mean Luna? That’s not a very nice way to talk about your wi…”
Star Bolt shook his head, “no, no, no, I’m talking abo… okay how about this? What happened with Nightmare Moon?... what about the Nightmare Crusade?”

Chancellor Mist thought to himself for a few seconds then replied, “Um… is that some kind of book or something? I’ve never heard of either one of those.”
Star Bolt replied, “But… I was commander of the Nightmare Legion for over a year.”
Chancellor Mist shook his head, “What? No, you were commander of the night for a year. At least until you gathered the courage and proposed to Luna.”
Star Bolt shook his head in disbelief, “This doesn’t make sense… Luna was depressed; the depression caused her to turn into Nightmare Moon.”
Chancellor Mist was confused, “Nightmare who?... Luna was depressed for a few days, but then you told her how you felt and then she was better, no fuss no foul.”
Star Bolt thought to himself, “Did… did he change the past?...”
Chancellor Mist asked, “Change the past?”

Star Bolt shook his head and replied, “Never mind, it’s nothing. Uh… Comma… I mean Chancellor?”
Mist replied, “Yes your majesty?”
Star Bolt gave him a serious look as he asked, “can I ask you something? Well… if all of a sudden, everything you loved, and knew were taken from you all at once and without warning. What would you do?”
Chancellor Mist thought to himself as he sat down in a chair and replied, “Well…first I would like to know what was responsible… then I would strive to rebuild everything I lost.”
Star Bolt asked, “But, what about your loved ones? You can’t simply rebuild them.”
Mist nodded his head, “true… but I think remembering them would be just as good. When we are young, we become afraid of change because we know that eventually, thing will change. Parents will die, todays friends could be tomorrow’s enemies. And everything, even simple possessions will decay and wither away. But, good memories of those things will last as long as we make them. I would like to think that when I’m dead and gone, that you would remember me too. Just as your daughter will remember you when you’re gone.”

Star Bolt looked back into the carriage as he thought about those words, then he trotted over to a mirror and looked at his reflection for a few seconds. He looked carefully at the royal armor he was wearing along with a royal sword on his side. Then he looked carefully at his ear, to see that the continuous reminder of his sins, the scar on his left ear, was gone. Then he turned and looked at the simple smile on Chancellor Mist’s face as he nodded his head, “You’re right… remembering what made the ponies you care about is everything… isn’t it?”
Commander Mist nodded his head as he replied, “well yea. The alicorn princesses may live forever as immortals. But memories are also a way to keep somepony alive.”
Star Bolt trotted to the double doors that lead to a balcony as he opened them and looked into the night. As he looked up at the moon he nodded his head with a smile that seemed to be a little too calm for the situation he was in, “You’re right… memories keep us all alive. I remember the beauty of Luna’s nights… I remember sitting day by day in the wilderness hiding from royal guards just so I could continue enjoying her night.”
“Yea… wait… what?”

Star Bolt turned back into the room as he trotted back to the cradle and looked into it with a smile that seemed more sinister than normal, “and I remember, spending one thousand years looking at the night of another’s reading every flaw, studding everything that made this night different from Luna’s. And I even remember those I lost, and how each and every one of them died.”
Feeling a little nervous, Chancellor Mist started to ask, “Um… sparky? You ok? You seem a little…”
Star Bolt looked at Commander Mist and smiled with a smile that seemed only half-sane, “but this isn’t her night… is it? And all the ponies here… they are dead. None of you are alive, just as this little filly here… never existed.”
Feeling a little concerned while listening to what seemed to be less than sane babbling of a stresses out prince, Chancellor Mist stood up and trotted to the door as he opened it and spoke to a guard standing outside, “Go get Princess Celestia and the doctor… I think the prince is still feeling a little stressed.”

As the guards trotted off, Chancellor Mist trotted back to Star Bolt as he spoke, “I don’t know what joke you playing your majesty, but I think you should sit down for a second. I don’t know if you’re thinking very clearly.”
Star Bolt chucked for a second, “actually Mist… nothing could be clearer… I think this is all fake. That night out there isn’t Luna’s… I should know. Nopony knows her night better than I do. In addition, this Filly… she isn’t even my daughter. Just another cheap trick.”
All of a sudden, the newborn alicorn awoke and began crying as Chancellor Mist spoke again, “Sparky… I think it would be a good idea if you laid back down. I think the stress is getting to you.”
Star Bolt reached up and touched his ear that was supposed to have a scar as his devious smile slowly turned to a smile of insanity. Though he could feel his hoof touching something, the part of his ear that he was actually touching had no feeling. It was as if that part of his ear was actually missing so he continued, “actually… I think I'll remain standing. The fact that I am, is the only thing real here anyway. You… this room, this city, and even this filly aren’t even here right now… are you?”

Chancellor Mist was now afraid as the door opened and Princess Celestia and a few guard’s entered. As they entered, Star Bolt looked over at them and continued smiling as his hoof went from touching his ear to resting on his sword, “and here comes another illusion…”
Princess Celestia asked, “Prince Bolt?... are you alright?”
Star Bolt nodded his head, “but of course I am princess… I’m standing here with everypony I cared about who died more than a millennium ago.”
“What?”
Star Bolt’s smile of insanity faded as it went back to peaceful, then he looked Chancellor Mist in the eye and spoke, “it was nice talking with you commander… but I think it would be best, that those who died, should remain dead. And those who were never born…”
Star Bolt looked back down at the crying princess as he quickly drew his sword and raised it above his head, “SHOULD NEVER EXIST!!!”
The room quickly reacted as Chancellor Mist, Princess Celestia and the rest of the guards yell all at once, “NO!!!”
Star Bolt closed his eyes, as he dropped the sword down, feeling the blade as it pierced the cradle, and hit the marble floor beneath it. Suddenly, everything went silent, the sound of the crying filly, the sound of the rushing guards, everything. Star Bolt continued standing there with his eyes closed while he waited for anything to happen. But nothing did.

Slowly Star Bolt opened his eyes to find that everything around him was different from before. The royal sword he used was now his normal sword. The royal armor he was wearing was now his cloak. And the foal cradle, the room around him, and even the ponies in the room with him, were now gone. Everything around him was a black empty abyss as Star Bolt looked around in confusion, “Hello!?!... Is anypony there!?!...”
There was no reply, Star Bolt looked around as he pulled his sword from the ground and sheathed it leaving a red crack in its place. As Star Bolt, looked at the crack, it started to spread on all directions as it quickly covered the black ground beneath him. Then the cracks not only covered the ground beneath him, but they also started to spread across everything he could see in the furthest distance, until everything was covered in cracks. A slight hesitation passed before everything around him shattered, as Star Bolt fell to the stone floor below him.

Star Bolt rubbed his head as she stood up and started looking around, but when he did, he was amazed to find himself standing in a large dome shaped tomb that had five pillars in the center, with a sixth on the ground in pieces. As he continued to look around, he also saw four large dark crystals sitting next to where he hit the ground. When he approached the one closest to him, he placed his hoof against it, “What is thi... wait…”
Star Bolt took a closer look at the Crystal as he started to see something inside. At first, he thought it was a shadow, but then he was amazed to see that it wasn’t a shadow at all, it was a pony, “Spitfire?”
Star Bolt then turned and looked at the one’s next to it as he could see the ponies inside them too, “Dash, Rarity, Twilight!... What’s going on?...”
Star Bolt started trotting by each crystal as he continued talking to himself, “They’re not dead… but… are… are they dreaming? Was that what I was doing too?”
“But of course… yet that still bears a question… Why would you deny what you care about the most?”

Star Bolt quickly turned around to see sand bundling up in the center of the room as it slowly formed to create Osiris. As Osiris formed in front of him, Star Bolt gripped his sword as he spoke, “What have you done to them?”
Osiris smiled, “It’s as you said… I put them into a dreaming state. What their heart desires most is what they are viewing as we speak.”
“What? But… why did you do that?”
Osiris started pacing as he looked at the elements still embedded in the pillars as he replied, “Eden… was once a place of dreams… everypony who lived here was completely content with their lives. There was no poverty, no disease, no threats of any king for the common stallion and his family. And all who earned it were graciously rewarded for their action. Whether they think they deserved it or not. The queen and king showed no discrimination to any who proved themselves worthy of praise… that is, until it was my turn. But I digress; you and your friends have proven yourselves worthy of that same praise. So, being the last of the alicorns I started to wonder, why should I simply destroy you when I can reward you with your dreams instead? However… for some reason you deny your own, so I have to ask… Why?”

Star Bolt drew his sword as he replied, “Dreams may seem real… but they are nothing but illusions. Subconscious scenarios that we hid behind when we want to escape the realities of life. Nevertheless, I refuse to hide. The world may be cruel… but unless I live in it like everypony else, all I’m doing is acting like a coward, when there are others depending on my help.”
Osiris wasn’t convinced, “but you gave up what you wanted most… you wanted nothing more than to tell the young princess how you felt, that night and prevent the war. This was your chance to do something that even I see as blasphemy. Yet… you still deny it? You still deny what you want the most?”
Star Bolt continued holding his stance as he replied, “Since when do I know what I want anymore…”
Osiris started laughing, “Well spoken commander… very well spoken indeed. Nevertheless, you turned down your reward, so I guess I won’t present you with one… perhaps I should just kill you instea…”
Before Osiris could finish his sentence, a bright flash started emulating from Twilight horn as the crystal around her started cracking up, both ponies looked at the bright light as Osiris spoke, “no… is it possible… does she deny her dream too.”
All of a sudden, the black crystal shattered sending shards in all directions as Twilight fell to the ground and struggled to pick herself up, “Where… where am I?”

Star Bolt quickly sheathed his sword as he rushed to Twilight side, “Twilight! Are you okay?”
Princess Twilight looked up at Star Bolt and replied, “Y-yea… I guess I’m back in the real world aren’t I?”
Star Bolt smiled, “It’s got to have you back your majesty.”
Osiris looked at her with intrigue as he started to speak, “So… even you, a false alicorn with no wing chooses the real world over her own drea… What?”
Before he could finish, the dark alicorn looked at the remaining two three crystals as they started cracking up. Star Bolt and Twilight shielded their eyes as the three crystals shattered one after another as Rarity, Spitfire, and Rainbow Dash fell to the ground. Star Bolt and Princess Twilight rushed to their side as Rainbow Dash rubbed her head and looked around, “Did anypony see that bus that hit me? Wait… Star Bolt! You’re alive! I guess that means I’m back!”
Star Bolt smiled as he replied, “Well, I guess in the dream you wanted more than any I was dead then… that’s cold Dash.”
Rainbow Dash argued, “Hey! It’s not like that’s what I wanted. Wait… the dream of what we wanted? That’s explains why I was Captain Spitfire’s wing.”

Rarity continued from that remark, “That also explains my dream. I wanted more then any to be known throughout Equestria as the duchess of Fashion… little did I know I would have to sacrifice my friends for such a thing. Well I say, if being known throughout the world must replace my friends… then I'd rather be known only by my friends.”
Twilight smiled, “I couldn’t have said it better myself… even though I have almost no idea what you’re talking about.”
Spitfire spoke from there, “I guess we all are a little confused as to what we just went through… but all I can say is this, Thanks commander, if it wasn’t for you, I would still be trapped in that nightmare. Even if it was a thrill that I always wanted to experience.”
Star Bolt could only smile at the complement, but then the mood was broken up when they were all interrupted by Osiris as he laughed at the group, “You really prefer to live in misery then in a paradise of your own choosing? You lower pony races really are fools. I find it hard that the King and queen actually saw you as equals to the alicorn race.”
Star Bolt Drew his sword as the rest of the group braced themselves for a fight, “Shut up! A thing like you has no place to dignify himself with any kind of pony race. Not even Alicorn!”
Osiris’s expression went from amused to annoyed as he replied, “Strong words… but let’s see how they fair. On your guard commander… this game, ends now.”