//------------------------------// // Nightmares and Daydreams // Story: The Amazing Spider-Man: The Web of Friendship // by Time Pony Victorious //------------------------------// TWILIGHT SPARKLE The morning light spilled into the room through the thin, translucent, billowy curtains and onto Twilight’s face. She stirred in her sleep and woke up slowly but surely. Sitting up slightly, her mane stuck up in comical and ridiculous manner, flattened on one side like she lost a fight with her pillow. Her expression was dazed and sleepy, halfway between awake and asleep. She blinked, looking around in confusion for a moment. Expecting to see the rustic, simplistic design of her bedroom set up on the second floor of the Golden Oak Library, she was thoroughly surprised to see the sleek, silver crystalline walls staring back at her. Her mind briefly fell into panic as the dreaded memory of that fight filled her mind. The intense heat that blistered her skin, the shockwave that took all of the air in her lungs, and the adrenaline that pumped through her veins as she protectively wrapped herself around Owlowisicous’s tiny form and slammed into the ground. Since that day, she’s had that nightmare almost every single night.  It was horrible. Twilight caught her breath, trying to ignore how uncomfortable her damp coat felt. She felt embarrassed that she cried in her sleep. Twilight couldn’t even go back to where her house used to be anymore without bursting into tears. It wasn’t because she lost her home or anything; it was because she was so useless in protecting it. Getting out of bed, Twilight wiped her forehead of sweat, brushing her wings off and stretching it to get rid of that icky feeling. The discomfort wasn’t enough to keep her in bed, she had gotten used to waking up after that nightmare after a few weeks. Granted, the very first time she had the nightmare she woke up in absolute tears. Thank Celestia there wasn’t anypony nearby who saw her. “But I had, Twilight Sparkle.” Twilight jumped as Princess Luna materialized from the shadows before her. Princess Luna appeared in her regal outfit and stately expression, usually it was hard to read her emotions but her eyes spoke volumes of concerns, as if she had experiences with nightmares. “Pr-Princess Luna!” Twilight stammered, folding her wings back and magically fixing her bed, hoping that she didn’t look as bad as she felt. “There is nary a need for worry, Twilight,” Luna assured her. “I have no concerns over your home’s present state, but merely have come here for a purely social visit.” That didn’t exactly relax Twilight. Princess Luna radiated with power even without meaning to, it felt like standing next to an unstable nuclear chamber, that one wrong word would cause an apocalyptic meltdown. True, since her promotion to Princess, Twilight’s magical prowess has increased over time and since harnessing the powers of all three alicorns she has gotten a better grip on her own magic; but even still, she felt dwarfed by Princess Luna. Princess Luna regarded Twilight kindly and sat down on her bed, patting the spot next to her. Hesitantly, Twilight took a seat beside her. “It is quite a beautiful place,” Princess Luna remarked, looking around the castle. Twilight’s “room” was really a little attic area that overlooked the Grand Library. After years sleeping on top of bookshelves, Twilight only felt comfortable using a large tome as a pillow. “Certainly a place worthy for you.” Twilight bowed her head, blushing. Whenever she got compliments like that, she always got embarrassed, it didn’t matter who it was from. Compliments like that just make her feel like she wasn’t worthy. Like, Wow, you stopped Tirek? That’s so cool! You’re awesome! It’s like, well, Twilight was only doing what she thought was right, it wasn’t anything special and it wasn’t awesome. It was terrifying, every second during her fight with him she thought it might’ve been her last. But that’s why she did it. Because she’s the only one who could. If she had the power to do the right thing, then it’s her responsibility to do so. Was that deserving of praise? Twilight didn’t think so. She looked up and noticed Luna was staring intently at her. Embarrassed she blushed again and was about to scoot away but then Luna wrapped her wing around her. “I understand your concerns, Twilight,” Luna told her. “You feel you aren’t worthy of the praise and commendations you receive.” Twilight nodded. “Because it isn’t anything special,” she said. “I was just doing the right thing. Anypony would’ve done the same.” “Hmm.” Princess Luna looked across the room at Owlowisicous who slept in his little bed. “I do not agree, Twilight.” Twilight frowned, raising an eyebrow. “What? Of course they would. Everpony understands basic morality, doing the good thing because it’s good. It’s really quite simple.” “Then what of Discord?” “That doesn’t—“ “Bravery in the face of danger is uncommon. The most natural reaction to danger is to flee,” Luna interrupted. “In fact, that reaction is perfectly fine. It protects everypony and keeps them safe.” “Ponies aren’t cowardly,” Twilight argued. “They can fight and be brave, that’s their nature. Discord doesn’t count, he obviously isn’t a normal pony.” Princess Luna fixed those dark eyes on Twilight. Her eyes were so motherly and so caring that Twilight had a stray thought that Princess Luna was a mother at one point. “To run, to flee like that, and to protect yourself isn’t cowardly,” she insisted. “It takes a certain kind of bravery to protect oneself, much like protecting others. Besides, your bravery against Tirek has underlying consequences, correct?” Twilight looked down, ashamed and embarrassed. The Great Princess Twilight Sparkle has nightmares, it felt shameful. “Everypony has their nightmares. Their fears. Nopony is infallible, Twilight.” “But it doesn’t make sense,” Twilight argued. “I… won. I beat Tirek. Why am I still scared?” “You do not fear your victory, you fear your eventual loss,” Luna answered. “If one thing had gone wrong, just one thing, the outcome of your battle would’ve gone in another direction. That is what you fear.” Twilight thought about it. She had a point. Those nightmares often ended with Tirek in complete victory, her friends captured and thrown into the endless primordial abyss of Tartarus while Twilight was forced to watch as the world she loves fell to chaos. Just thinking about it now sent shivers up her back. “How do you know?” she asked. Princess Luna looked at her straight in the face. Despite the magical glow that radiated from her, she looked so old and tired at that moment. “Because my nightmares are exactly the same.” **** Twilight went downstairs and headed for the kitchen for a good breakfast to start off the day. She woke up relatively early today, an abhorrent fact for a librarian, and she wasn’t in the mood to go back to sleep. Princess Luna’s words still rang in Twilight’s ears. She wasn’t sure how she was supposed to feel from Princess Luna’s confession. One on hoof it made her feel a little better that she wasn’t the only one who felt this way, but on the other hoof she felt completely guilty that she hadn’t considered it from Luna’s point of view. Of course Luna would have those nightmares. She rebelled against her sister and was banished for a thousand years, something like that wasn’t going to go away so easily, even now. Twilight wanted to say something to encourage Luna but the words never came. Princess Luna seemed to understand Twilight’s predicament and stood, “This is not something you must endure by yourself, Twilight,” she had explained. “You have many friends. Though they may not understand completely, they are there. Do not forget as I once had.” Twilight promised she would and Princess Luna disappeared in a mist of shadows. It felt like their entire conversation had been a dream but Twilight pinched herself, nope, she wasn’t dreaming. She considered Luna’s words but they still didn’t compute. The most default state for everypony was bravery, everypony had something they wanted to protect. Ponies were not inherently cowardly. Still, Luna had been around for a very long time. Maybe there is some merit into what she said. But Twilight couldn’t accept that there were ponies who were fine with running away. She had more hope in ponies than that. Twilight was so distracted from her thoughts, she didn’t even know her friends were in her kitchen cooking. Applejack looked at Twilight and a bright smile came to the farm pony’s face. “G’morning, Twi! Do ya fancy some—um…” Twilight maintained her blank expression, like she was lost in a daydream, as she walked around the kitchen as if in autopilot. Magically grabbing a bowl and a box of cereal and pouring them, perfectly maneuvering around the girls as they were in the middle of cooking. She walked around Rarity who stood by the oven with Pinkie wearing a jewel-encrusted apron, Twilight magically lifted Pinkie up and out of the way and the party pony giggled from the ticklish touch of her magical grip. Twilight walked in-between Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash who were precariously carrying a bunch of cooking pans and pots without touching either of them. Finally, she approached Applejack, blinking slowly and deliberately as if she were in a trance. “Twi?” Applejack asked, waving her hoof in front of the princess’s face but she didn’t respond. “TWI!” Twilight jumped, eyes widened, and her wings popped to their full span, knocking Fluttershy off her hooves and into Rainbow who crashed into Rarity and Pinkie dropping pans and pots and causing all sorts of mayhem in their tumble. When the dust settled, the girls were sprawled on the floor, on top of one another, groaning in pain as icing had inexplicably caked their coats. Twilight looked at her fallen friends and blinked in confusion. “How long have you guys been here?” she asked. After they cleaned up the kitchen and redid their cooking efforts, the girls sat in the dining hall with their bountiful breakfast. Twilight sullenly chewed her pancakes. “What’s wrong Sugarcube? Is a book character havin’ trouble?” Applejack asked. Twilight shook her head. “Yer lookin’ more down than Uncle Fritter when his chickens got into his brewin’ equipment,” Applejack continued. Rainbow frowned at Applejack’s convoluted comparison. “Wait, what?” “What Applejack is trying to say, darling, is you seem positively down in the dumps,” Rarity gently clarified. “Yeah! I don’t think a ‘Let’s Cheer Up Twilight Sparkle and Welcome Her New Shiny Castle’ party would work!” exclaimed Pinkie, her face completely covered in maple syrup. “I’m fine,” Twilight promised. “I’m just a bit tired from the moving.” Rainbow raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. “Twi, half the stuff in the castle came with it. The other half was moved by mover-ponies.” “She does look a bit tired,” Fluttershy quietly remarked. “Perhaps a nice nap is in order.” “That’s what I’ve been saying all morning,” Rainbow complained. “But you guys said—“ “Rainbow,” Rarity interrupted. “This is for Twilight, not to enable your languor.” “Twi,” Applejack said, putting her hoof on Twilight’s. “What’s goin’ on, ya can tell us, ya know?” Twilight’s cheeks warmed and a smile tugged at her lips. That warm, fuzzy sensation spread from her hooves to her chest. She saw the concern in her friends’ eyes, even Pinkie when she took a break from her pancakes. What Princess Cadance told her came to mind. That her friends won’t go anywhere, even with this grand promotion she would never lose them. She smiled at Applejack and suddenly enveloped her in a warm hug. Applejack was initially confused but she was never one to refuse a hug, she squeezed Twilight gingerly. Rainbow crossed her forelegs and frowned. “Hey! Don’t leave us hanging!” Rainbow took flight across the table and hugged both Twilight and Applejack. Fluttershy was the next to join, then Rarity and Pinkie, until an impromptu group hug was formed. The hug melted away all of Twilight’s worries and concerns, like the rest of the world didn’t matter at that moment. After a few good seconds, they broke the hug and carefully watched Twilight for an explanation. She took a deep breath and counted to three. “I’ve been having these nightmares…” Immediately, their expressions became more concerned and worried, Fluttershy looked like she was close to tears. “About my fight with Tirek. I can’t get it out of my head. I was so scared.” Fluttershy fluttered in and gave Twilight a hug comparable to a vise-grip. “Aw, you poor little thing!” she squeaked into Twilight’s neck. “How long have ye been havin’ them?” Applejack asked. Twilight looked at her through Fluttershy’s mane but didn’t push the pegasus away. “Since I got this new castle.” “Oh my,” gasped Rarity. “And here we were under the assumption that everything was alright.” “Why didn’t you tell anypony?” asked Rainbow. “I didn’t want you guys to worry,” Twilight admitted. “So by tryin’ not t’ make us worry, you made us worry?” Applejack summed up. Twilight nodded meekly and finally Fluttershy broke the hug and stared at her with those caring, loving eyes. “We’re your friends, Twilight. Whether you want us to or not, it’s our duty to worry about you and love you. You’d do the same for us, right?” She looked at the girls and tried to protest but once she saw their sincere, kindly expressions she found that she couldn’t argue. Twilight nodded. “Of course.” “We’re here to help!” Pinkie said cheerfully. “In any way possible!” “I could read you Daring Do and the Turquoise Serpent to help you sleep,” Rainbow suggested. “Sweetie Belle once went through a period where she had chronic nightmares. My mother produced a lovely recipe for vanilla milk that helped her through it,” Rarity chimed in. “We can sleep over if need be,” Applejack said. “Only hopefully, it won’t end like last time.” She gave Rarity a knowing look and the fashionista blushed and nodded in agreement. Twilight felt a bit guilty about asking the girls to go out of their way for her but at the same time she really wanted to. So she grinned broadly and hugged Fluttershy again. “That sounds perfect!”