//------------------------------// // Chapter I: Awakening // Story: A Reverie of Lost Twilight // by XangelMusic //------------------------------// I jolted awake from a dreamless sleep as immediate gasps escaped my lips. But soon, my bed enveloped me in its comfort as my eyes began to droop; fatigue began to overwhelm me. Not that I’m complaining, but every morning I’d often feel like I was hit with a brick, run over by a truck or had one of Pinkie Pie’s special cupcake surprises laced with chili sauce or some other bizarre concoction. I didn’t ask what she had put in that muffin last week and I didn’t want to know. It might work as a morning pick-me-up, but I didn’t think I’d need something like that today. Although my mind seemed to be vivid as I tried to fight against the bed’s fluffy exterior. A losing battle blatantly obvious, but my refusal to give in (if you could even call it that) allowed me the luxury to at least flutter an eyelid. I shuffled around in my sheets, a sign of permission for the enemy to win. Why should my bed be my enemy? After all, the sunlight radiating through the room was reason enough for me to welcome my comforting friend. It was a pure sign that today was going to be a fine day for relaxation and there was no way I could pass the chance to sleep in and bask in the sun’s glow. But even after saying all that, I was having this peculiar feeling in my chest. Alarm bells had been ringing in my head ever since I had woken up. Much like my abrupt awakening, they were odd signals that required further investigation. I finally had the motivation to rise from my bed, my sheets still wrapped around me like a gown. I scanned my surroundings and recognised a familiar setting, provoking an outlandish question to pop inside my head. Why am I at Twilight’s castle? It was Twilight’s room all right, but I couldn't recall how I had even gotten here. I looked down at myself and recognised two familiar hooves with the same fiery amber coat attached to my body. This reinforced another interesting question. Why am I in Equestria? The room had the same purplish-blue crystalline walls prominent throughout the entire castle, while the furnishings somehow brought the room to life, assisted by Celestia’s sun shining into the room. The study desk decorated with quills, inks and parchment papers, and bookshelves which I suspected was filled with intelligent academic literature, courtesy of Princess Twilight. There was also a large purple bed containing a queen-sized, fluffy mattress and matching lavender quilts which embraced me in their robust texture, and a stylized red-and-gold Saddle Arabian rug on the floor. Twilight sure had some taste with the rug, but the room was nonetheless suitable for the studious bookworm. As much as I’d like to admire Princess Twilight’s dwelling, I needed to find her as soon as possible. I trotted off the bed, untangling myself from the pristine fabric. I headed out into the hallway pertaining the same crystalline walls as the bedroom. Nothing was out of the ordinary, at least from the last time I visited this place. It still didn’t explain why I woke up here instead of my own home. There was no sign of life either that might provide me that answer. All the while I’ve been racking my brain, searching for my most recent memory that could give me some explanation. Alas nothing was coming up except for the strangest sensation. I could remember going to college ‘yesterday’. The image was so vivid that it might be proof that I wasn’t going through amnesia; at least, I didn’t think I was since amnesia I believed was when you’ve lost some memories and I was doubting I lost anything. I contemplated my bearings and tried to initiate a plan as to where I should go next. I finally decided on a destination and came to a staircase at the end of the hallway. If the library was anywhere it would be downstairs on the ground floor, one of the most likely places Twilight might be, if not the only place. At least whenever I went to go look for her, she would usually be there. I headed down into the main hallway. Much like upstairs, there was the same purplish-blue infrastructure albeit wider and much longer. I was beginning to understand the concerns Twilight spoke about when living in her castle. The rooms and hallways were too spacious to house only two residents, which reminded me that Spike might also be around. Still there was no sign of him or Twilight as I scanned around. The deafening silence echoed throughout the hallway that you could hear a pin drop. It was kind of getting on my nerves. The library was a few steps away, and I powered towards it. I flung open its doors, the creak resonating throughout the castle as if making up for the perpetual silence. Books lined up, housed within the bookshelves along the walls; several tables were scattered throughout the room, each touched with a mahogany finish. It was, however, the lack of a certain alicorn that got most of my attention. “Hello?” I called out within the vicinity. I went further into the library making thoroughly sure I didn’t miss the Princess of Friendship or her dragon friend, alas to no avail. I frowned and retreated back the way I came, that was, until I saw Spike waltz into the library just then. The same green frills protruded from his purplish scaly body, and the same green, draconic slits for eyes. He had certainly grown over the past couple of years that he had caught up to my height. He also had a longer tail as well as his snout but only slightly. His voice was also noticeably deeper. I couldn’t help but feel proud for the little guy. Correction, he wasn’t so little anymore. “Morning Sunset. I was making breakfast just now. You sure were sleeping in later than usual today,” he said. He was wearing a white-pinkish apron with fluffy frills confirming he was indeed in the kitchen. You know for a male dragon, I’d like to protest his fashion sense, or maybe he had been hanging around Twilight and her friends far too long and were a bad influence on his taste in clothing. I would have to guess the latter. “So, what’s up?” he asked. “What?” “You called for me, didn’t you?” “Oh, right.” Well I didn’t exactly call for him specifically. Admittedly, I was taken aback by his earlier question, having traversed around the castle thus far without any indication of anyone had me at wits end and spacing out. Nonetheless I responded. “Morning Spike. You said you were making breakfast?” “Yeah, pancakes. I was about to come get you until I heard you call out. I just finished the first batch.” “Oh, ok. That’s great,” I said, as I started to relax a little. I gathered my thoughts as to what my next words should be. Doesn’t help when you’re not exactly sure what to ask. Guess I’d start with how I was feeling that morning. “Listen Spike, the thing is, I’m feeling a bit confused this morning and I was wondering if you could help me.” “Sure. What do you mean by confused though?” Spike inquired, tilting his head. “Like, I don’t remember anything yesterday. I don’t even remember how I got to this castle.” “You don’t remember how you got here?” Spike raised his brow. “Yeah, ever since I woke up, I’ve felt like my memories are a blur. Can you enlighten me what happened yesterday? What was I doing exactly?” Spike put his claw up to his chin. “I don’t really know what to say. I mean, yesterday was like any normal day. We didn’t have anything important going on so we just stayed here in the castle.” Yesterday was like any normal day? We just stayed here in the castle? “Hang on Spike, are you saying I was here yesterday?” “Yeah, you were… Where else did you think you’d be?” To answer that question, I would have said my dorm room at Canterlot College. I was still ways away from finishing my course and it was also around my semester exams, so it was impossible for me to be here. It just didn’t fit. But the way Spike said that as matter of fact, I doubted he was lying. There must be something more to this. “Was I staying here for a while? Like on vacation or something?” Spike gave me this nefarious look, like his eyes were piercing through me. I didn’t like that look. “What are you talking about? You live here Sunset.” I narrowed my eyelids at the absurd claim. While I did travel back here to Equestria on a few occasions, and met Twilight and her friends, I never planned on staying here. My plan was to finish college, spend some more time with my friends as much as possible then maybe, possibly consider moving back here. But this was way beyond my expectations. “Wait, what? What do you mean I live here? I don’t live here. I never decided to come back to Equestria.” I noticed my voice was getting cracked and rigid. His face hardened even more, clearly getting irritated for whatever reason. It wasn’t exactly fair—I’m the one who’s most confused about all this. But then Spike softened his expression, his irritation replaced with a dash of concern. He looked down for a moment before finally offering his next few words to me. “Are you all right, Sunset?” I didn’t care for pity—I had enough of it back at Canterlot High. Even though the girls back there were warming up to me after what I did, I still sensed some tension from them. But it was that face Spike was giving me that made me scowl, not that I should brush off the poor guy. “No, I’m not,” I said through clench teeth. “I did say I was feeling a bit confused this morning.” My hoof was plastered on my forehead while massaging its scalp to emphasise my point. “Yeah, you did mention that.” Spike nodded his head in agreement, while I was shaking mine in contempt. “Look, maybe, you can go ask Twilight. Maybe she knows what’s going on with me.” Now Spike was giving me a blank stare. What’s with all these faces he keeps pulling? I thought. I swear I was the one getting frustrated the most especially when Spike was emitting an annoying agitation from his expressions. “Spike, what’s wrong? What are you giving me that look for?” He stood like a statue as I awaited his reply, like something was wrong with the way I asked that question. Naturally his uneasiness was discomforting for me. He finally answered me with the same deadpan look on his face. “Who’s Twilight?” My pupils dilated and I took a step back. There was a moment when reality shattered and fell to the ground, breaking into a million pieces. Silence befell the room, filled only by quickened breaths as I began to hyperventilate. “Spike”—I gulped down my throat as if swallowing something I never realised was there before—“what do you mean ‘who’s Twilight?’ She’s your friend. Your guardian. Your caretaker. Your sister. The one who hatched you from an egg…” “I don’t know anypony by that name…” I knew I should’ve been calm and collected, but instead, my frustration that had been building up for the past few minutes spewed like venom. “Spike, if you are messing with me, stop it! I’m not in the mood right now!” That never helped any situation, evident with the way Spike flinched at my outburst. He broke away from his petrified state and began treading backwards out the library. His gaze never left my sight, containing what I saw was… fear? He was at a loss for words. I was at a loss for words. My quickened breaths were exasperated, tears clouded my vision, and heat rose to my cheeks. I wasn’t getting dizzy, but it felt like I was starting to get a headache. I massaged the base of my skull in a failed attempt to calm myself. Afterwards, I pushed forward. “How can you not know who Twilight is? This is her castle isn’t it?” “No, it’s yours, Sunset. It’s always been your castle. You’ve been living here soon after you became a princess.” “No I haven’t! I don’t live here Spike! I’m not even a princess! I’ve never been a princess!” “Yes you are! You even have your wings to prove it!” Spike said, pointing at me. I glared at him in bewilderment. To think Spike thought he could get away with such a ridiculous claim like that. I knew my own life to know there was no way I was or ever became a princess, let alone an alicorn. But then I turned to my sides and witnessed two feathery limbs attached to my body. I was able to outstretch them and deduced that these were indeed my wings. A thought came to mind as to how I didn’t notice them before, but more importantly, when did I even obtain them? Nothing was making sense. Spike made several assertions that I was an alicorn princess and this castle belonged to me and that I’ve been living here. He also claimed he didn’t know Twilight and yet I could recall her in my memories. I jerked my head up and ran past Spike into the empty hallway upon a horrifying realisation. Nobody needed to be familiar with this castle to know where I was headed. I threw those two doors wide open, again the creaking echo reverberated throughout the entire hallway and rushed in. There, the six thrones, tall, white, and majestic, adorned by the cutie marks of the Elements of Harmony. But the middle of the room was empty, missing a large map in the form of a round table. But I didn’t falter, as it made it more accessible for me to confirm my suspicions. I shot my head up at the cutie marks of Twilight and her friends as I inspected each one: a rainbow-coloured lightning bolt coming out of a cloud, three pink butterflies, three different-coloured balloons, three blue gems and three strong red apples. They were all there, except… No, it can’t be… Instead of a bright pink star surrounded by five smaller white ones was a red and gold bicoloured sun. I was dazed, parking myself in the centre of the surrounding thrones, staring at my own cutie mark. I suppressed any movement, or rather, my body refused to move. Even when I heard steps coming from behind me, I didn’t turn around to meet Spike’s attention. Moments passed while he hovered around me, not knowing what to say or how to act. Can’t blame him since my erratic behaviour earlier couldn’t justify a simple response. But things were now clearer to me as I finally understood why he was looking at me strangely, why he asked me those ridiculous questions and said those ludicrous claims which made it all the more terrifying. “Spike,” I began, as I slowly turned around and met his gaze. “I’m going to ask you a few questions, but I need you to be straight and honest with me. Can you do that?” “Yes, but what’s going on—” “Spike,” I interjected, getting his full attention. With a determined disposition I ventured forward with my inquisition. “Do you know a mare named Twilight Sparkle?” “No.” I simply nodded. “Do you know a princess known as the Princess of Friendship?” “No… I don’t.” I nodded again. It may have been a bit redundant, but I needed to make sure there wasn’t another princess with the same title. Surprisingly enough it wasn’t me. “When did I become an alicorn princess?” “A few years ago. You were chronicling the Magic of Friendship for Princess Celestia. She then made you an alicorn princess when she thought you were ready.” His answer was less useful than I hoped, but I did sense some form of memory adjustment since he ‘remembered’ when and how I became a princess, more likely a memory attuned to Twilight. “What title of princess am I?” “You’re the Princess of Hope.” Huh, that was unexpected. Admittedly I actually liked the sound of that, as if it was catered to me. “Do you know any of these mares: Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie?” I could’ve logically determined those mares did exist but it didn’t hurt to make sure. “Yeah, they’re our friends.” Satisfied, I contemplated upon his several answers. It wasn’t much to go by but it was a start, plus his answers painted a picture that reinforced my general conclusions and reflected my previous concerns—and it wasn’t a good one. “…Sunset?” “Spike”—I looked him straight in the eyes as I made my declaration—“I think something terrible has happened.”