Twilight sat patiently on the floor, her travelling bag next to her. Spike had been gone a full ten minutes and she was just considering to go and look for him when he stumbled through the door gasping.
"Twilight..." he wheezed "No trains...to Canterlot...today"
"What?!" screamed Twilight "What do you mean no trains?!"
"There's something blocking the track, it's being removed tomorrow" he said, his breathing returning to normal.
"But that's too late! I have to get there today!"
"But we can't take the train and it's too far to walk, how will we get there in time?"
Twilight frowned, deep in thought.
"It's too far for me to teleport. But there might be someone who can help."
"Great! Who?"
"Your not gonna like it."
Spike's eyes widened.
"You can't mean...?"
"He's our only hope of getting to Canterlot in time"
"But can you trust him Twi?" he asked "Fluttershy and Celestia do but I sure don't."
"I don't like it any more than you do Spike but we have no choice" replied Twilight
"This will not end well."
***
"What in the hay are they doin'?" asked Applejack as they looked at the growing mass.
The darkness was moving slowly towards the fortress, slowly reforming itself as it went till it was a multitude of individuals. Claws and tentacles, fangs and wings.
"They are preparing to attack" stated Luna matter of factly.
"Attack?! Attack what?"
" These creatures consist of nightmares. Pure concentrated fear. But fear cannot persist when one is logical about said fear."
"What does that mean?!" said Rainbow.
"Logic and reason allow one to see fear for what it really is. An illusion." said Luna "For these monsters to thrive they must first remove the logic from this place."
Rarity's eyes widen as she understood.
"Twilight rarely thinks with anything but logic."
Luna nodded.
"Twilight's mind is a logical hot spot in the dreamscape. These creatures cannot stand it so they seek to destroy it."
"What happens if they do?" asked Fluttershy shakily.
Luna's head dropped.
"Her mind would be consumed, driving her to insanity. All rational though would be dislodged from her mind and replaced with fear. A never ending stream of nightmares."
The ponies fell silent as they watched the darkness expanding.
"What can we do to stop it?" asked Pinkie, her eyes filled with concern.
"Normally Twilight's own mind would fight this threat. But she is awake and not connected to the dream consciously."
She looked at the six ponies before her.
"We must defend this fortress at all costs. Twilight is your only hope of escape. We must buy her more time!"
Her words were met with a cheer from the others as they rushed off to prepare their defences.
Luna looked over at the approaching shadows, a vast army that she knew the five ponies were no match for, no matter the strength of their friendship.
It was David verses Goliath.
But this time David would lose.
***
"Discord!" yelled Twilight, her voice bouncing of the library walls.
They waited a moment but nothing happened. There was no sign of the trickster.
"Maybe he can't hear you? suggested Spike.
"He's an omnipotent Lord of Chaos, of course he can hear me!" said Twilight
"Right you are Twilight! Although you really don't have to shout that loud" came a disembodied voice.
"Where are you Discord?"
"In plain sight" said Discord as he appeared on the bridge of the muzzle with a flash. He was supporting a pair of ridiculously over sized sunglasses and was laying on a sun lounger despite still being indoors.
Twilight tipped her head forward, sending the miniature Discord plummeting. He clicked his fingers and with a flash was standing full sized in front of them.
"Really Twilight, Is that any way to treat your friend?" he smirked.
"I haven't got time for your games Discord, I need your help."
"You need my help?!" gasped Discord in mock suprise.
With a flash he stood before them in a waiter's outfit and bowed deeply.
"How may I be of service mi'lady?"
"I need to get to Canterlot as soon as possible."
Discord's face dropped.
"That's all?! You call one of the most powerful beings in Equestria and all you want is to go to Canterlot?!"
"I need the doctors there immediately!"
Discord clicked again and Twilight was laying on a surgical table. Discord stood next to her in surgeons swabs.
"Discord!" yelled Twilight "I'm not fooling around!"
"That's a shame because I am" he said smugly.
"My friends are in danger!"
Discord stopped and looked at her.
"Even Fluttershy?"
Twilight nodded gravely.
"Well why didn't you say so?" he cried "Let's go!"
He grabbed Twilight and Spike in one arm and click his fingers.With a flash of light the three of them teleported.
To Twilight's bedroom.
Twilight frowned at Discord who just smiled back mischievously.
He clicked again. The cold air hit them as they began to fall from the sky. Twilight looked up to see the bottom of Cloudsdale above her.
Another click.
Everfree Forest
Click
Crystal Empire
Click
Appleoosa
Click
Canterlot Gardens
Click
Manehatten
"Discord stop!" cried Twilight "We don't have time!"
Discord sighed and mumbled something about no sense of humor. He clicked again and they appeared once again in Canterlot Gardens.
Discord let them go and they fell to the grass, their heads spinning.
"There we go!" said Discord "Here without a hitch!"
Twilight stood up slowly, her legs wobbling. Spike made no attempt to lift himself, his face looking rather green.
"That wasn't funny Discord!" scowled Twilight.
"Oh I don't know, I thought it was pretty funny." said Discord "Anyway, we're here aren't we?"
"I suppose...Thank you, I guess"
Discord clicked, appearing dressed in a suit.
"Anytime at all" he said, handing her a business card.
He laughed at the unamused expression on Twilight's face and with a flash he was gone, leaving a shower of chocolate rain in his wake.
Spike, now partially recovered from the trip, stumbled over to Twilight.
"We are never, EVER doing that again."
Twilight nodded in agreement.
"Alright Spike lets go, I don't know how long the girls have."
With Spike sat on her back Twilight galloped off towards the quarters of the Royal Physician and her only hope of saving her friends and, unbeknownst to her, her own sanity.