//------------------------------// // Dream of perfection // Story: Equestria's Mirage: Dream Warriors // by Alchemystudent //------------------------------//         “We all have dreams, the dream of perfection for one.  A world where all we could ever want is achieved.”         Those words that Luna had given them at the briefing echoed through Fluttershy’s mind as felt the realm of dreams take her over. At first, it felt like her mind was in an eternal free-fall, much like she did when she fell from the clouds, but then her mind felt calm and light. Slowly, but surely, she began to look around her as her eyes opened up to the world around her. Turning her head to look at her companion, she made her way to Lyra, “Lyra, are you ok? Are you awake?”         The mint green unicorn took a few moments to get to her hooves, shaking the sleep and tiredness from her, “Yeah, I’m up. Trixie should’ve warned us what happens to us when we enter the dream world. Where are we?”         “I don’t know, it looks like the mountain where Canterlot is, but I can’t see it,” Fluttershy said.         “Maybe it’s a different mountain. I mean, how many could there-SWEET CELESTIA WHAT HAPPENED TO CANTERLOT!?” Lyra exclaimed, looking up towards the city.         “What do you mean? Wh-oh, MY!” exclaimed Fluttershy as she followed Lyra’s stare to the city that both looked like Canterlot, but yet was not. Though its structure and shapes had remained the same, the buildings and interior were changed. Gone was the marble stone towers and majestic spires of old, now were replaced by metal and steel. From the distance, it seemed that the city had been replaced by the bright sheen of Manehatten. As Lyra looked at the massive city before her, her golden eyes caught something else, “Hey, what’s this?” Carefully, Fluttershy walked next to the light blue tower and read the plauqe on the side, “  ‘Weather Control...spire’?” as she asked herself this, a computer readout immeaditly began to read ‘cloudy’ and with a might shake, the tower came to life. With a squeak, the buttery pegasus backed up and watched in awe as the tower began to produce a few clouds that would cover the Canterlot sky, “Oh, my. I know what this is!” “What?” Lyra asked, watching as the strange tower began to prouced a cloudy day. “Twilight once told me she had some ideas to help the pegasi with making weather. She was going to make towers that would collect  water from rain and make clouds,” Fluttershy said looking at the clouds and then back at the city. “But wouldn’t that take away jobs?” Lyra asked, concerned. “Not nessecarily,” a spirit of Trixie said, looking at the device. “AH! How did you-” “As long as Trixie is connected to the dreamer, she is able to communicate with all of you for a short while. It isn't a permanent way to help and it is limited to how long Trixie can talk, but she can still communicate with you. Still, as Trixie said, what Sparkle is constructing is sound. This will save on Tornado days and will make it so that weather factories will only have to work a little bit. At the same time, ponies who normally do a job that makes weather can help with the towers and weather teams can keep it in check. Twilight has made the weather independent, interesting.” “But there would still be problems, this would never never work,” Lyra said, looking at the tower in disbelief. “That’s why this is a dream,” Fluttershy said in awe. “Twilight threw this idea away because she couldn't see it working, but here it is! In here she found a way to make it work.” Taking a few more minutes to admire the giant tower before her, Lyra turned around to look at the capital city, “Come on, if Twilight’s mind is anywhere it’s probably in the city.” Hesitantly, the yellow pegasus nodded and followed her unicorn companion into the city. Once they entered, the changes to the capital became more evident. the capital city was a strange mix of the mechanical and crystal. As if someone had reached into the city proper and replaced all of its natural parts with robotic parts. All around the two mares, they could see the improved lives of ponies: Earth ponies using magical lifts to reach a top floor, ponies with cyborg legs, food dispensers, and more were all at their hooves. As they continued their journey into the heart of  the city, there was another change they began to notice, “Lyra look at all this,” Fluttershy said. “Yeah, it's like Twilight turned this place into a techno-magic wonderland,” Lyra said with a happy chuckle. “No, look closer,” Fluttershy said, pointing to a pair of creatures walking by. “See the changeling? The pony? the Griffon?” “Yeah and-” Lyra swished her head to see other creatures walking with each other and talking to ponies. Some were equine, like Elk and deer, but others were not so, such as Minotaurs and Griffons, “My Celestia! I've never seen something like this before, most of these guys are normally hated enemies and they...they're friends.” “I know Fluttershy, and one day, I want to change that. I think if I work hard enough I could help a lot of creatures bond together. It might not be world peace, but I can make it so that there are less cultures fighting each other,” Twilight’s voice echoed in Fluttershy’s head. The yellow pegasus then caught sight of a large shop, “Oh, my goodness! Lyra look at this!” Fluttershy said as she ran to the shop and then smiled. “ Fluttershy animal shelter, Canterlot branch? I have a branch!? That means-” “You’re not the only one who is doing big business, look,” Lyra said, her eyes wide with shock as she looked at the large dress shop before her. “Faboulous Boutique industries, Rarity Belle propitor. And...is that a party shop?” and indeed, it was, across from the Boutique was a large pink store that read, ‘Pinkie and Cheese’s party palace, for all your party needs.’         Looking over her shoulder, Fluttershy was able to catch the sight of a newspaper, “Look at this, ‘Rainbow Dash announces Wonderbolt chariot competition: Rainbow Dash, now in her fourth year as Wonderbolt captain announced a World Tour event for charity. Sponsering the event is Apple family inc'.”         “Guess that answers what Applejack and Rainbow Dash are doing,” Lyra said plainly, trying to see if she could catch word of where Twilight was via word of mouth.         A tearful chuckle came from Fluttershy as she put away the paper, “Of course, this is Twilight’s dream. In a perfect world, she would want all of us to be happy and have everything we wanted.”         “Look!” Fluttershy quietly shouted, pointing to a collection of giant screens that began to appear around the square.         After a few moments of music played, underneath a purple starburst that flashed on the screen, the image changed to that of a balcony from the castle. Stepping out from the entryway of the balcony, accompanied by a stallion and a small filly, was a purple alicorn, “Twilight!” exclaimed the two mares together.         “My dearest subjects, I thank you for your continued support and love throughout the past few years. I hope to continue earn your support, respect, and friendship that you have given me,” a small blush came to the young princess as she smiled. “Today, I have a special announcement. The royal family is about to get bigger, my daughter is going to be a big sister soon.”         At the mention of another child coming, Lyra looked closely at the small pegasus filly with a blue mane and a purple streak running down the middle of it, “That kid is her daughter! Can you believe that Fluttershy?” for a moment all Lyra could hear was the small murmurings of the crowd, “Fluttershy? Fluttershy!?” Exclaimed the green unicorn as she began to swish her head back and forth.         After a few minutes of running through the crowded square, Lyra found herself alone and without her friend, “This is not good. Trixie,  I just lost Fluttershy.”         “How can you lose her!?” Trixie’s image exclaimed, “Look, Trixie is right now helping some of the others out the best she can. Just think, where would a mare like Fluttershy go?”         “Probably the place with the most animals,” Lyra muttered under her breath, looking down at the ground in thought. After thinking for a few moments, her eyes shot up, “I got it! I think I know where she flew off to!” Lifting her head back up, she turned her head to look down the street and ran off.         As she ran down the street to her destination, she began to hear a small conversation between two young mares, “I’m so glad Twilight was able to cut some strings and let us have a child together.”         This caused Lyra to stop, a memory running through her mind...         “It’s ok Lyra...we’ll get a sprem donor. It’s not  like adopting is the only way,” chuckled Bon Bon.         “No, I’m fine. I mean, sure...there might be problems...”         “Bon Bon,” Lyra wispered to herself, before shaking the memory away and getting back onto the path to the animal shelter. However, she stopped her run when she looked to a large cherry tree and caught sight of a butter-yellow pegasus. A smile coming to her lips, she trotted over to where Fluttershy laid on the ground, “Come on, Fluttershy, lets get to the castle and get Twilight out of here.”         Fluttershy looked at the little squirrel in her hooves and said calmly, “I’m not going.”         At this, Lyra’s yellow eyes opened wide in shock, “What?”         “I said I’m not going!” Fluttershy, just a little bit louder. “I-I- I can’t do it. I can’t go there and take her away from all of this. I can’t take her away from someplace that fills her with so much joy, away from her DAUGHTER!”         “But none of its real,” countered Lyra.         “I know that,” Fluttershy said with a sniffle. “But to her, all of it is. Here, she has everything she could want. Everything that she has ever dreamt of is possible, all of her dreams are real, and most importantly...she’s happy. We’re all happy and safe. She’s made it so we don’t have to risk our lives as often, made it so we all lived our dreams, and have what we wanted.” By now, tears began to flow from her eyes, trailing down her cheeks, “And you expect me to ruin all of that for her! To take her away from everything that made her happy?!”         Lyra’s eyes narrowed as she stared at Fluttershy, “I know it's hard to ask, and I understand why. I would give anything to live in a world like this, where ponies don’t think you’re nuts for believing in impossible things. Where Bon Bon could get everything she wants, and where we all can be happy together. I’d give anything for that right now, but,” the green mare stopped for the moment, holding back her own tears. “But, I think Twilight would rather see these become real on her own terms and see you girls achieve your dreams on your own.”         “But what kind of friend would I be, if I took her away from all of this?” Fluttery asked, her voice soft and defeated. “It goes against everything I am to hurt her like this.”         “But Flutt-”         “Doesn’t she deserve this!? Doesn’t she deserve a place where she can forget everything for a while and have a world where she can be happy without having to be put under pressure. After everything she’s one for us, doesn’t she deserve a reward for all of it?” Fluttershy asked through tears, while the bird’s green eyes glowed brightly.         “But...but...”Lyra studdered, feeling her resolve fading as she looked at the small bird. Letting out a long and sorrowful sigh, she fell to her stomach in defeat, “You’re right. Defeating chaos, becoming a princess, saving the world who knows how often, and helping ponies out. Why shouldn’t she be given a bit of paradise for herself, and be placed in paradise. She has everything she could want-”         “Are you serious?! Don’t you remember why you came here? Twilight is going to die,” Trixie yelled, walking in front of the two mares. “What is wrong with you!?”         “She won’t die, she’ll just be asleep,” replied Fluttershy calmly, a small chuckle coming to her. “That’s a good thing right? She’ll be happy in a world where she has everything she wants, in paradise.”         “Trixie does not believe this!! You can’t abandon her to this, to leave her in this illusion. Think about why you’re fighting, think about why you came, anything! Lyra, would Bon Bon want you to quit?” the blue unicorn argued.         “It isn’t a death sentance Trixie...it’s a gift,” Lyra said, wistfully.         “But,” Trixie said, feeling woozy. Quickly shaking her head, she looked straight at the two, “You won’t be here!”         Fluttershy began to look up from the bird, blinking her eyes a few times, “You’re right...we won’t be. We’ll never see her again, never talk to her, and I can’t let that happen to her.”         Lyra looked up to Fluttershy as the pegasus rose to her feet, “Doesn’t that sound selfish?”         Fluttershy closed her eyes and nodded solemnly, “Yes, it does and you’re not wrong. I know it sounds selfish of me to try and take her away from all of this. I feel horrible for doing it, but I know Twilight. She wouldn’t want everything to be given all of her dreams on a platter, she would want to work for it, and she would want the same for us. She would want us to have our dreams because we earned it.”         “But, don’t you remember the weather tower? Some of the stuff that she dreams about are impossible to work,” Lyra commented, looking up at Fluttershy.         “But, that’s what dreams are for,” Fluttershy said with a heartfelt smile. “They need to show us that there are great and wonderful things out there for us out there to reach for. We need that so we have something to reach for.”  With a soft sigh, the yellow pegasus ran a hoof through her pink mane,” Sure, it might not always be what we want, but t its something to work for. It gives us hope.”         Lyra smiled as a memory came back to her         “Lyra, I have great news...”         “And more importantly, if this were paradise,” a smile crept across the pegasus’s face, “she would want all of to be here with her.”         “You’re right, what is the point of having everything if you’re all alone?” Lyra asked, shaking her head,” Why were we giving up?”         Trixie looked up at the dissipating bird,  “Mirage, she wanted to try and mess with your mind. But she didn’t count on Fluttershy’s kindness or your paitance. Trixie has to admire that about you.”         “Patient, me?” asked Lyra.         “You waited for Fluttershy, and talked to her until she got out of her funk. You weren’t affected at all,” Trixie smirked.         “Hey, that’s all part of the myth hunting game,” the unicorn smiled. “But, now the big question is how the buck are we gonna get Twilight out of this world. I mean, how can you pass up on perfection.”         “Perfect means to wait around in a chair with a...Pinkie’s right!” Fluttershy exclaimed as she took off, “Lyra, come on I have an idea.”                  Twilight walked into the library, her daughter in tow. Today would be one of the many study days that she had planned for her and she would not pass it up. However, as she began to walk through the corridors, she overheard some of the guards conversations, “You know who I haven’t seen in a while? Rainbow Dash.”         “Wasn’t Applejack supposed to come last week?”         “Where’s Fluttershy?”         “That’s odd,” Twilight said to herslef as she walked further into the libray. “Didn’t they come yesterday? No, that was some of the ambassadors. What about...no. Wait, then there was...no that wasn’t them either.”         “Mom, what's wrong?” the filly asked.         Twilgith stopped her walked and began to back with her eyes wide in fear, “But, they were here a few days ago...right? And,” she then looked to her daughter, “Why can’t I remember her birthday? Why do I only know so little about her life, and my husband-what was his name?”         The young filly arched an eyebrow, and walked shakily to her mother, “Mom? What is going on, you’re starting to scare me.”         “Only one conclusion...” the purple started to shake at this, her mind trying to process the horrifying truth. “No, nononono.” Shaking with fear, she looked down at  her young daughter and wrapped her forelegs around the orange filly, “Oh Starburst, my little one. I can at least remember the day you were born. How I held you in my hooves, and how tiny you were despite your big wings.”         “M-mommy?” the filly asked, tears coming to her as her mother began to cry as well.         “I know you’re not real, that all of this is a dream, but I promise to keep all of the memories of this world close to my heart. When I do have a child, I hope he/she is every bit as great as you are. And I promise you, I will do everything I can to be the best mother I can be when you are born,” Twilight said, as the world began to fade around her.         “Twilight, I’m sor-,” Fluttershy was interrupted by a hug from Twilight.         Twilight kept a tight hug on her dear friend, “Just needed to be sure that you are real.”         “Aren’t you sad that we took you from there?” Lyra asked as Twilight let go.         Shaking her head, the purple alicorn responded, “A little, but that world was always missing something. I felt like there was an important piece of my life missing and,” Twilight turned to look at Fluttershy, “I’m glad to be reminded what it was. Besides, I’ll make that world happen one day, maybe not the same way, but I’ll make it so. Now, who are you?”         “Lyra Heartstrings, me and Fluttershy are here to spring you out of Mirage’s trap,” Lyra said.         “Mirage? That explains a lot,” Twilight said with a sigh. “I can only imagine the other dreams. Ok, lets get ot of here.” And with that, Twilight became a small star shard and floated ino the hooves of her friends.