"So... every single one of these... err... 'sims' were built by the alicorns, huh?"
"YES."
"Using their hearts' or minds' desires to sculpt the places out of the dreamscape?"
"YES."
"But... none of them are around anymore."
"NO."
Rainbow Dash looked over her shoulder as she landed in the center of a floating palace's courtyard. "So, like, why did all of the alicorns decide to ditch the awesome stuff that they created?"
In a flicker of light, Epcot materialized, trotting alongside Rainbow. "It's like I said earlier. The dream became them!"
"Yeah, but why?"
"I would give anything to know." She paused, tapping her fuzzy gray chin. "Hmmmm... I sometimes speculate that they found a deeper pocket within the dreamscape to explore."
"Huh?"
"I'm theorizing a far more intricate level of consciousness." Epcot smiled aside at the pegasus. "Sometimes you have to descend to transcend. And—let's face it—if you're an immortal, what more could there be above?"
"So... you resort to exploring what's below?"
"Righto!" Epcot trotted ahead, humming to herself. "Hmmm-hmm-hmm... Tomorrow's childddd. Tomorrow's childddd. Charting a brand new waaaaaaay."
Rainbow Dash blinked, glancing to her left as they passed a cylindrical building with flashing lights that strobed through the crystalline windows. "Huh... what's happening in there?"
"For the Future World is bornnnnnn todaaaaaaaay."
"Hey. Egg Colt."
She looked over. "'Epcot.''" She giggled. "What is it?"
"You sure all the alicorns are gone?" Rainbow motioned towards the building and trotted for the entrance. "Cuz I think some sort of crazy party is happening in there. I hear music."
"Erm..." Epcot fidgeted. "You're not going to find any clients in there anymore."
"Huh? Clients?" Rainbow stuck her head in, then instantly jolted. "Gaaauckh!" She hopped out, kicking her hooves up and grimacing. "Yuck yuck yuckkk!" She winced at Epcot. "The heck kind of alicorns built that place?!"
"The same alicorns with natural urges who built any other place."
"But... but..." Rainbow tried to keep her lunch in. "Th-that place had furniture in it that... that..." Her muzzle twisted. "It'd be more appropriate to say that the chairs sat inside you! And the pictures on the wall... geeeugh!"
Epcot tilted her head to the side innocently. "Do mortals not have entertaiment centers like that in the real world?"
Rainbow frowned. "I know you've been stuck here in Cider Space for a few gazillion years, gal, but ponies from the real world are a bit more... more..." She shuddered all over. "Chaste than that." A gulp. "For real? What kind of immortals would make a brothel out of their dreamscape?"
"Heehee... for a pegasus who can fly, you really don't use your eyes much." Epcot smiled. "We flew past several hundred since you arrived here."
"For r-real?!"
Epcot gestured at the multiple buildings around her with flashing lights. "Where do you think we are right now?"
Rainbow blinked. Biting her lip, she flapped her wings so that she wouldn't be touching hooves with the ground anymore. "I just... I dunno." A shudder. "Princess Celestia and Luna have always struck me as super wise n'stuff. It seems crazy that any of their kind would be so... gross."
"If you had the opportunity to realize all of your dreams, what would hold you back from letting every single comprehension manifest itself?" Epcot winked. "Please don't be so swift to judge the alicorns who built this place. They're just as respectable as you. Only, in this place, they got to establish a new domain! A second life, so to speak!"
Rainbow stared at her. "Is that so?" She turned to look at us. "A Second Life." She turned back towards Epcot. "How fascinating."
"I gotta say, you don't seem too thrilled with this place." Epcot pouted. "Am I... am I-I being a bad chaperone?"
"No, Epcot, it's..." Rainbow sighed. "All of this stuff is nifty and all, but it's..."
"Not what you wanted?"
Rainbow squinted. "Do you really think I'm here to make my own home here in Cider Space?"
"Why else would you be here?"
"I've told you a billion times!" Rainbow's voice cracked as she flailed in midair. "I'm trying to find my friend Applejack! She's lost in here, abducted by a bunch of mortals who wanna do something really nasty to the souls in their captivity! My other friend—Stu—came in here shortly before me!"
"Hmmm..." Epcot fluffed her sparkling black mane. "I recall a ripple in the cider shortly before you came. But I never got to speak with whoever it was!" She glanced at Rainbow with bright, purple eyes. "I'm actually surprised I got a chance to speak with you! I mean, being a mortal—heehee—I figured you'd be too busy carving up your own niche within the dreamscape!"
"But I haven't—" Rainbow's muzzle hung agape as she blinked. "Do you have any idea why that is?"
"Well, maybe you just haven't concentrated yet!"
"On what?"
"Heehee! On your heart's desire, silly!"
Rainbow blinked. Slowly, her ears drooped as she glanced aside.
Epcot gazed at her sympathetically. "What's the matter?"
"There's only one thing in life that I desire," Rainbow muttered. "And... and I've known for a long time that I can never... h-have her."
"Ohhhh..." Epcot slowly shook her head. "Tsk tsk. That's not good. That's not good at all."
"Huh?" Rainbow looked up. "How do you mean?"
"Because I assume you wanna find your friend Applejack, right?"
"Abso-friggin'-lutely." Rainbow nodded. "And I've gotta save Stu and a handful of other mortals while I'm at it."
"They're likely locked away in their own sims. Or—if what you say about these meanie heads is true—they're locked away in somepony else's sims."
"Right. Okay. So how do I cross over and get to them?"
"Well, I'd tell you to use your imagination to sculp the dreamscape and make your own path!" Epcot said, gesturing at the kaleidoscopic atmosphere looming high above. "But, if you've blocked yourself from grasping what you want the most—"
"I haven't blocked myself!" Rainbow frowned. "I just... h-haven't found the right timing, is all."
Epcot giggled and giggled some more.
Rainbow glared at her. "What's so dang funny?"
Epcot smirked aside. "I just wonder how many alicorns thought the same thing, only to throw themselves in here and disappear in the wake of their lost chances."
"Well, I hate to break it to ya, but I'm not exactly thrilled to be here." Rainbow gestured wildly. "My home is back there! In the real world! In Equestria! Right now, time's of the essence! If I don't find Applejack and the others quickly enough, who knows what will happen!"
"Then we're going to have to get you to be a little bit selfish."
"Huh?"
Epcot smiled. "In this place, the dream may be your wind, but your desires have to be your sails."
Rainbow Dash shuddered. "But... but I can't just—"
"Hmmm?"
Rainbow gulped. "I can't just dream up her. Because I know it won't be real."
Epcot blinked. "Wowsers. You've really got it bad."
"Like I need a giggly phantom in a cheap uniform and name tag to tell me that," Rainbow muttered.
"But for realsies!" Epcot cocked her head to the side, squinting curiously. "I guess mortals are a lot more complex than I took them for! You have such limited lifespans, and yet such infinite scope. Why would you rob yourself of something that was right in front of you?"
"Maybe cuz that one thing... that one pony is too awesome to ever be bogged down with an undying crush—" Rainbow gnashed her teeth, clutched her head, and groaned. "No. Not here. You're not Lancie Mark Two. Just... j-just help me find another way to cross the dreamscapes and get to my friends, okay?" She sighed. "Can you do that for me?"
"Hmmm..." Epcot smiled. "If we can't get you to dream about something you desire now..." She paced around the mare, studying her like a tailor might size up a client's figure. "...then we're going to have to go backwards a bit in time."
"In what way?"
"By focusing on what you used to desire, ya silly filly!"
Rainbow twitched at that. "Buh?" FLASH! She glanced down, only to see her body clad all over in the black, blue, and gold streaks of a Wonderbolt uniform. "Uhhhh..." Her jaw hung agape as her heart beat through her chest.
"Way to go, Rookie!"
Rainbow glanced aside, her pupils shrinking beneath her mask.
Spitfire, Soarin', and Fleetwood lifted their goggles in time to wink at her simultaneously in mid-flight. "Keep this up, and you're gonna make us look like retirees!"
"YAAAAAAAAAY! RAINBOW DASH! RAINBOW DASH!"
Rainbow looked down to see a ginormous stadium full of cheering equines, all flashing letters and signs with her name and face. Fireworks exploded, forming the shapes of her cutie mark and profile.
The mare gulped. "Oboy," she squeaked in a girlish tone.