"Where...Where am I?" was the first thought that went through Twilight Sparkle's mouth as she slipped into dream land. Her voice echoed into the black void. Completely lucid, her first command was to transform the nothingness. The void turned, blinking into the Canterlot landscape, with her on the balcony of the castle. She heard the flapping of wings and turned, gazing at the presence of the lunar princess.
"Welcome, Twilight Sparkle, to my realm of dreams." She gracefully welcomed the purple alicorn.
"Princess Luna!" Twilight Sparkle bowed in her presence.
"Rise, Twilight. No need for formalities. I hast seen thy dream before thou awakened, so to speak."
"You mean dreaming lucidly? I was dreaming before? I don't remember what I was dreaming." Twilight got up and looked into the eyes of the princess. Her night-sky eyes showed a little worry, but masked in joy that the two conversed. She pulled her starry flowing mane away from her face and looked toward the city.
"My dearest sister gave...you his memoirs, didn't he? You had him in...your dreams, the seafoam stallion along with the rustic mare. Their names escape me." Twilight saw that Luna attempted to drop the old pronouns of their language with hesitant precision.
"Radiance and Memory Sparks, your highness."
"Thank you. They were in your dreams. Along with Sombra, who was Umbra, at the time. A petty change, as their names are one and the same." Luna chuckled a little in spite of the corrupt ruler. "They hold a significance to you. I know not how, but they do. Their fate intertwines with yours."
Twilight Sparkle put a hoof to her chin and began to think. She wasn't as great as a dream interpreter as Princess Luna, who knows just about anything and everything when it comes to dreams. But she guessed that today would be a good to start interpreting these dreams. She couldn't remember what happened in her dreams, but if what she says is true, then they might have left her a message within the contents of the pages in which she's reading. She wasn't a cipher of some sort, but she has seen messages within horror books. Maybe those messages would come in time. But there was an off-chance that she could be interpreting that statement wrong.
"Still there, Twilight? Trying to understand what my interpretations with your own?" Luna snapped her out of her thoughts with her questions.
"I'm here. Yes, Princess. I'm thinking that they've left a message in the book I read. Radiance has interacted with me in those books. He knew I would read the book. He knew how I would react. Could he have had a spell in seeing the future?"
"Clairvoyance? I doubt that he had such power. But, I understand your thoughts." Luna saw the dreamscape crumbling and wobbling slightly. She turned to Twilight Sparkle and spoke, "Listen to me, history has changed his views on Star-Swirl. Cross-examine the facts and believe what you believe. We must part."
"Luna, wait!" Twilight held her hooves out, only to feel air and see wood. She was back in her bed, with the covers thrown over Spike's head.
"Wha, huh? Who turned out the lights!?" Spike panicked, his claws pushing at the blanket. A few tears from his claws formed on the blanket, making Twilight gasp.
"Spike! Stop! That's my blanket!" Her magic reached out and uncovered the panicking baby dragon. He breathed slowly, seeing the damage that he inflicted on the comforter. He blushed in embarrassment and scratched his head.
"Uhhh...hehe, sorry." He stammered.
"It's fine. I guess a trip to Rarity's won't hurt. This book deserves a break from my reading." Twilight decided on part of the day's events. Folding up the torn blanket, she opened the door and trotted down the stairs. Her stomach started grumbling for sustenance. "Let's get some food, first. What would you like?"
"Cinnamon toast with a ruby on top?"
Twilight Sparkle nodded and cooked what they desired. Spike obtained his cinnamon toast with a shining ruby and Twilight Sparkle cooked herself some pancakes with some fruits on the side. The tastes of both dishes satisfied their taste buds and their stomach, respectively. Though, for Spike, he saved the best for last. He chomped on the ruby and smiled at the metallic taste of cherries, red apples, and strawberries. It was delicious for him.
"Can I still ask what's in that book?" Spike asked, feeling a bit confident that he'll get his answer. Twilight Sparkle put down her orange juice and sighed, contemplating whether to tell him or not.
"Do you promise not to speak a word of this? Not to any pony at all?" She gazed into his eyes sternly.
"I promise." He responded. She nodded and smiled at his enthusiasm.
"A book about the origins of Star Swirl the Beard, written by himself. No edits, nothing omits, just him retelling his tale and thoughts." She grinned and continued to shake like a little filly who has a crush.
"Isn't that the clown you dressed up as on Nightmare Night?"
"Spike!" Twilight coughed up her drink and glared at her assistant. "You didn't read the books he read?"
"Well, I can't cast magic." He shrugged. "And anyway, it seems really archaic. Anyway, Princess Celestia gave you his diary, basically?" He jumped off his seat.
"Well, not really. He basically wrote the autobiography himself. From what I gathered, he probably gave it to Celestia to keep. But then made sure it was given to me." Twilight took the blanket and put it in her saddlebags.
"Why's that? You came here by teleportation. Did the princess do it?"
"Yes. It seemed strange. But I read it. It was directed to me!" Twilight saw Spike look up at her with an incredulous look.
"That's impossible. He can't have seen the future, can he?" Spike didn't want to believe it, but Twilight was going to be sure that he knows. She ran up to grab the book and flew downstairs, handing him the book with the first page opened. He glanced through it momentarily, his eyes opening wider as he read through.
"Whoooaaaaaa...this is...have you checked if there's any magic that's in the book?"
Twilight took the book and scanned it for any foreign magical signatures, making sure that it was not tampered with. She grinned when she found none. "This is the real deal." She placed the book on the main table, telling her pet, Owlicious, to put it back in her room and to stretch her wings outside.
Walking out the door, she and Spike walked through the town, taking in the comfortable day that was taking place. The sky was dotted with bits of clouds and sunshine. The birds chirped and bathed in the fountain in the town square as they passed by. Vendors sold their items and conversed with their customers and friends about daily news. It was a normal day in Ponyville. Everything was how it was supposed to be, according to Twilight Sparkle.
Walking through the park, Spike looked to Twilight, "Are you going to tell the gang about it; you know, about Star Swirl being a pony named Radiance?"
Twilight contemplated the decision. She realized that out of every endeavor she had, rainbows were linked to her, her friends, and some artifacts that she'd come across. Luna's voice entered through her mind, reminding her that the fates between Radiance and Twilight Sparkle were linked. She nodded at his question, "Yeah. It seems plausible, but maybe coincidental, but there's a possibility that the seven of us are linked together with him. I might be wrong...I hope I'm not wrong, but it seems likely."
"How are we linked with him?"
"Well, Luna came to me in a dream and told me that. And that history changed our views on Star Swirl."
"I kinda believe it. It's just...you never know, right?" He looked up at Twilight. She nodded and opened the ringing door to the Carousel Boutique.
"Just a moment, darling!" the voice belonging to Rarity was heard coming from upstairs. Sitting down, Twilight Sparkle took a gander around. The mannequins wore floral-designed dresses, with a few materials littered around the base of the statue. Despite that one area, the rest of the place was spotless. The clopping of hooves became apparent and Rarity appeared from the stairwell. "Ooh, Twilight! To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Hey, Rarity. I just came to see if I can get this fixed up." Twilight opened her saddlebag and hoofed over her blanket. Rarity inspected the rips and tears from the blanket and nodded.
"I can do this in five minutes. Company me, darling. We haven't talked in a while! How was the trip to Canterlot?" Rarity asked, taking a thread and needle to fix up the blanket.
"Well, I went there to visit the princess. We conversed a bit but...just as I was given a book, she teleported me back home. It was odd to see her act like that."
"Huh, well, maybe she was on a tight schedule. You never know. The nobility is a drag to maintain, even with her expertise. It could probably be that." Rarity started to focus on one of the tears that happened to be proven difficult. "How did this happen, if I may be so bold as to ask?"
"I...woke up, threw the blanket on Spike thinking I was dreaming and he panicked, clawing his way out.."
"Hey!" Spike pouted when she mentioned him panicking.
"Oh, well, that answers it. Never mind me mentioning it. Voila!" Rarity opened the blanket. It looked good as new. There was no sign of it ever being torn up. Twilight grinned and held it in her hooves.
"Thank you! Here, 10 bits for your troubles." Twilight placed ten round coins in Rarity's hooves.
"Well, if you say so. You know that I do these things for free when it comes to my friends." She reminded the alicorn.
"No, I insist."
"Okay. I suppose that would be it? Don't want to accompany me and Fluttershy to the spa?"
"I have something important that's come up. How about you take Spike?"
"Wait, huh?"
"Oh, I'd love to!" Rarity giggled. "I do need help with a new dress that's come up."
"Oh, anything for you, Rarity!" Spike smiled when she mentioned needing help. Having things settled, Twilight bid Rarity and Spike goodbye before walking back home to continue reading Radiance's adventures.