//------------------------------// // The Equestria I Live In... // Story: A Twist In The Tale // by StarlightGem2803 //------------------------------// All the friends I have... The joys and sorrows we shared... The adventures we had... I-I love them s-so much. And we'll always be friends. Forever. *** "Nurse! Stabilize her!" "TRIXIE! CALM DOWN!" "Oh, dear! Please! Listen to the doctors!" "NOOOO!!!" *** "NOOOO!!!" A mare of purple screamed causing her to fall from her bed. Her head hit the floor with a loud thunk! A blanket then followed and dropped onto her head. She squirmed out of it and began massaging her head, hoping to ease the burning pain. She felt a bump on her head and sighed. "Twilight!" a dragon burst into the room and looked around. "Are you okay?!" Twilight Sparkle quickly turned to look at him. Her lips forced a smile as she said, "I'm fine, Spike. Just a silly 'ol dream," "Oh, okay..." Spike paused for a while, "...but what is it though?" Twilight picked up her blanket with her magic and spread it over her bed. She fluffed the pillows and stroked her indigo mane, trying to lose that messy bed-mane of hers and replied, "The one where some crazy ponies think I'm some kind of mental patient," She chuckled softly. Her dream was truly odd. On some weary nights, she has dreams of living in a hospital. She would be strapped down to her bed and two ponies guarded her. A nurse would also come and give her calming pills. Sometimes, she could also see her parents. "Do you think it means anything, Twilight?" "Of course not, Spike. I'm perfectly fine. I don't get all crazy." He puckishly retorted, "You once did," Twilight smirked and rolled her eyes at him. "No need for that mention, Spike." she replied with a faint giggle. Twilight walked along the streets of Ponyville. A bright smile on her face displayed as always. Today, she was going to Sugarcube Corner. Pinkie Pie planned something special and you know her parties are always special so how could anypony refuse. On the way, she passed a few of the locals. As usual, they waved and greeted her and she did so back too. It always felt nice to feel a pony's friendship towards you, to know that they really do care. A simple greeting is enough to see that somepony would notice you. One's determination for friendship is a crowning aspect, Twilight knows that and she would do anything for her friends. She even recalled the time they all went discorded and went against her. More and more memories began flooding her head. All with a happy ending and a lesson that they all would remember forever. She soon reached her destination. She stood before the colorful frosting-decorated confectionery. The sound of party music from the top floor could be heard. And Pinkie's energetic loud voice too! They surely were having a fun time. Twilight quickly went in. She climbed the stairs and halfway, she could hear the voices of her other friends too now. It made her more interested of the event Pinkie was hosting. "Hello there, everypony!" she greeted. Pinkie Pie swooped to her side and threw confetti and streamers all around her. Twilight snickered a little at her antic. "Hey, Twilight!~" she started jumping around her, "Glad you came!" Twilight looked around the festive scene: streamers, confetti, balloons and more. The usual things you see in a party. Applejack and Rainbow Dash came to welcome her with punch on their hooves. Dash started, "Heya, Twilight!" "Good 'ta have 'ya here, sugarcube! The party just started." Applejack continued for her. Twilight turned to look at Pinkie and asked, "What's the occasion, Pinkie Pie?" Pinkie giggled and replied, "Silly Twilight! Lookie there!" She pointed her hoof at the banner nearby. It was decorated with pictures of diamonds, apples, thunderbolts, balloons, butterflies and stars: the six friends' cutie marks. The words were written with pink bold frosting and were seemingly dripping from the banner. It read, "HAPPY FRIENDSHIP ANNIVERSARY!" Twilight read it aloud with glee and then, as if on cue, Rarity and Fluttershy came up the stairs and heartily greeted their fellow friends. "A lovely day, isn't it?" said Rarity, "I heard from Pinkie that this was a very special day so I took the liberty of wearing my very new scarf!" she glanced down admiringly at the sea-blue striped scarf. It especially matched her eye color. The two both then approached Twilight and took a glance of the banner. "It's our friendship anniversary then," said Twilight. "Happy friendship anniversary, guys!" "You too, darling." replied Rarity. "Ain't no better friends like you five." remarked Applejack. "Everything looks amazing, Pinkie." Fluttershy complimented. "Awww! Thanks girls!" Pinkie settled in the center of the group and pulled all the five friends into a big tight group hug. Rainbow Dash who was flying mid-air was even dragged in too. The five ponies were squeezed under Pinkie's embrace. Rainbow Dash squirmed and said, "Easy Pinkie...and Happy Friendship Anniversary, guys..." Pinkie released her grip and they all fell to the floor, trying to catch their breaths. And after a minute or two, they broke it with a collective laugh making Pinkie squeal in joy. "Hehe!~" laughed Pinkie, "Sorry, guys! It's just that it's been a year since we first met Twilight! Oooh! And remember that face she had and and that meanie Nightmare Moon who tried to take away our beloved prin-" Applejack shoved a hoof into Pinkie's mouth and said, "We know, Pinkie. No need for a recap." She removed the hoof away allowing Pinkie to start the party. Pinkie dashed to the corner of the room where a gramophone sat on a table. She slipped a record from behind her back and placed it on the gramophone. Music quickly filled the room and soon everypony was dancing to the sound of music. It was funky, a little fast but mellow and had a catchy beat. Twilight, on the other hoof, felt her sight slowly fade before her. The first second she danced, the other, a flash of darkness consumed her eye sight. She felt light on her hooves and slowly, she started losing the feeling to her hooves. She stopped and stood still. Everypony looked back at her with confusion. Another flash of darkness and it lasted for more than second. Darkness and darkness flooded her sight. Before it finally took over, she blurted out her last words, "W-What's going o-on?" *** Twilight Sparkle blinked a few times. Like before, she couldn't feel her hooves. Her head refused to turn and look around. In fact, her whole body refused to move. The unbearable sense of immobility felt somewhat familiar... Wait...oh, no... Finally, her eyes fully opened. She wriggled to move but to no avail. She then locked her stare at the pony nearby the table on her left side. She was facing the other direction, working on something on. She wore a nurse's uniform. She looked down and inspected to be tied to something. White strong linen wrappings were straining her to move. They were tightly tied to the bed. One detail caught her eye. The surrounding exactly resembled a hospital. She squirmed even more to get loose. She then noticed breathing on both her sides. She guessed two ponies were behind her or something. She struggled her eyes to see the two ponies. She took a quick hard glance and her suspicions were horrifyingly true... "No...No...NO!" "Here we go again," one pony behind her said. The nurse took notice and turned her direction to Twilight Sparkle who was strenuously trying to loosen the ties bounding her freedom. The nurse levitated a syringe filled with strange-looking liquid and pointed it at Twilight Sparkle. Twilight narrowed her eyes at her and threatened, "Don't you dar-" The nurse sighed and replied with a snicker, "Oh relax, Lulamoon. I was just kidding. Behave and I won't need to use this, okay?" "LET ME GO!!!" "I'm sorry if I had to wake you up early. I needed to run some tests on you and it required you to be awake." Twilight gritted her teeth. She took a deep breath and exhaled. She muttered to herself, "Relax, Twilight...this is just another dream an-" The nurse rolled her eyes at her. "Trixie Lulamoon...for you to get better: cooperate! Listen to us when we say this is not a dream." "Why do you keep calling me Trixie?! I'm Twilight Sparkle!" Twilight continued to struggle as the nurse ignored her and picked up a few pills and a glass of water from the table. She brought it to Twilight's tray that was positioned beside her. She placed it down and said, "As always, drink your daily pills and you...err...um...go back to sleep," Twilight bitterly looked at the tray. She bit her lip and looked away scornfully to spite her. The nurse groaned and levitated the pills, ready to shoot it into Twilight Sparkle's mouth. But she first gave a warning, "Now, Lulamoon, be good and drink the pills." Before Twilight could reply, they heard a knock at the door and a familiar voice. It said, "Um..hey? It's me Twilight Sparkle. You wanted to see me?" The nurse sighed again and narrowed her eyes back at her patient. Twilight Sparkle, the one strapped in bed was confused and scared. How could that be me when I'm me? Is that even possible? She asked herself. But she dismissed the thoughts for she knew it was just a dream... "Come in, Sparkle!" said the nurse. This pony peeked her head out of the door before revealing herself. The Twilight Sparkle who was the patient had her mouth agape at the sight. She knew this could never be real but why was the atmosphere so surreal every time in this dream... No, this could never happen, right? Just a dream? She shrieked in her mind, "TRIXIE?!" Standing before her was absolutely Trixie! Or so is... It was surely Trixie! She had that exact brilliant azure coat, whitish-blue mane and dark grayish violet eyes. She wore a smile and held flowers on one hoof. She warmly greeted, "Good morning, Trixie! How are you feeling today?" "Trixie?! Me?!" Twilight Sparkle cried. "I'm not Trixie! You're Trixie! Why am I even complaining?!" Her visitor utterly looked baffled and puzzled. The nurse approached her and whispered into her ear, "Let's talk outside." She followed the nurse quietly. They started with introductions, "Hello, Twilight Sparkle, I am Nurse Heartbloom. Trixie Lulamoon's parents called you here, yes?" "Yes, but why though?" "Our patient, Lulamoon...err...I'll cut to the chase. I have three more other patients to tend to so I can't stay here long. Through, a very very long period of depression and isolation, Trixie has somehow...well...broken a fuse. She believes that she is you and you are her. She believes the friends you had-" "You mean...Applejack, Pinkie, Dash-" "Yes, yes. Well, we thought it would be helpful if you would be here and assist us in this. She, after all, in her own world, thinks she's you and has everything you have. What's worse is that she thinks that this is all just a dream to her." "Oh my..." The two entered the room as soon as they finished their talk. Using the friendly approach, the real Twilight Sparkle walked up to the patient, Trixie Lulamoon. Twilight Sparkle wore an uneasy frown as she stared deep into Trixie's eyes. "Hello, there...err. I'm just here to visit you and see how things are going." Twilight looked back at the nurse who gave a nod of approval. The nurse said that she could have normal interactions with Trixie as long as it doesn't go as far as talking about them. It might only anger Trixie. She had to be cautious of her actions as well. Nurse Heartbloom observed and took notes of Trixie's responses. Twilight Sparkle handed a bouquet of flowers to her. They looked fresh and beautiful and she placed them on Twilight's tray. For a moment, Trixie was calm and quiet but as soon as she had a glimpse of Twilight Sparkle's flank, she gasped and screamed... "Y-You...have my...CUTIE MARK!!!" On Twilight's Sparkle's flank, a picture of a five-pointed star was to be seen and five stars surrounded it. The surprising part was, instead that the five-pointed star was colored pink, it was color blue...matching the coat and mane colors of hers. Nurse Heartbloom immediately ran to Twilight Sparkle's side. She looked to be enraged and confused at the same time. Trixie's ears started ringing in the eerie sound of many voices. One significant one was shouting "Friendship is Magic!" It was stinging her ears like fire. She started screaming as Twilight Sparkle started backing away from the crazed-mare. "TRIXIE! CALM DOWN!" "GET THE SYRINGE!" "I'm s-sorry, Trixie...I-I" "STOOOPPP!!!" *** All the friends I have... The joys and sorrows we shared... The adventures we had... I-I love them s-so much. And we'll always be friends. Forever. *** "STOOOPPP!!!" A mare of purple screamed causing her to fall from her bed. Her head hit the floor with a loud thunk! A blanket then followed and dropped onto her head. She squirmed out of it and began massaging her head, hoping to ease the burning pain. She felt a bump on her head and sighed. I am Twilight Sparkle...no matter what anypony says... I have five amazing friends and I will always have... And I will never let go of them... Because they're MY friends.