“Hoo.”
Fluttershy looked up and smiled. Owlowiscious was actually Twilight’s pet that she had found when they were freshmen. Fluttershy had been happy to help her hatch and care for him and when Twilight was hurt, her parents asked Fluttershy to take care of him until Twilight was well enough to take him back. “Don’t worry Owlowiscious, Celestia wants me to bring you too. She says that you are in Twilight’s dream.”
“Hoo.” The owl ruffled his wings, as if preparing himself to see his owner. It made Fluttershy smile as she opened the door to his travel cage. “I know you don’t like it but it’s Doctor Armor’s rule. You can come but until we get to Twilight’s room you must be in your cage.” She sighed as he gave her a love nip and climbed into his cage. “That’s a good boy. Now, is there anything else I need…” Fluttershy looked around her room. It hadn’t changed much though since highschool, except that her desk was now covered in veterinary textbooks. “No, I think we’re good.” She grabbed her purse and then picked up the cage slowly walking downstairs. “Mom, Dad I'm going out.”
Fluttershy’s mother poked her head out of the kitchen a small smile not quite reaching her eyes. “Are you going to visit Twilight again Fluttershy? This isn’t the normal day you go.”
Fluttershy set the cage down and turned to face her mother, remembering the many talks they’d had over the past five years about Twilight, and how more than once they become outright fights. Her mother just didn’t understand why she kept going to see someone who wasn’t even aware. Fluttershy shook her head If Twilight didn’t know I was there, maybe I could stop… but she does. I know she does! “Mom, I recieved an email from Twilight’s main nurse, Celestia, you remember her don’t you?” Fluttershy saw her mother’s nod and continued. “She asked that all of us come to see Twilight this week, as she is showing signs that she may be getting ready to wake up and hopes that our presence will help.”
“I see, well I wish you all the best luck then my dear. If you plan to be out past dinner. call, so I’ll know to only make enough for your father, brother, and myself.” Fluttershy’s mother nodded before heading back into the kitchen.
“I will.” Fluttershy shook her head, picked up the cage, and walked out to her car.
Fluttershy tucked her hair behind her right ear as she thought about the email again. She knew Twilight’s nurse fairly well, having gotten close to the older woman during the times she visited her friend. She closed her eyes, thinking back to the accident. At first they had all gone to visit as often as they could. But, slowly, ever so slowly, the visits stopped.
First they started only coming a few times a week then every week, then every month, and then came the day that Applejack stopped coming. Not that Fluttershy blamed her! AJ was busy in her own right taking care of Sweet Apple Acres once Granny Smith had well… Fluttershy didn’t like thinking about that day.
Then after AJ stopped coming Rarity got that scholarship to that fashion school in Paris. Fluttershy had come in while Rarity was telling Twilight about the chance, how it was an opportunity she couldn’t say no to. And when Twilight had answered… but no, no she was only talking to the Rarity in her dream. Fluttershy hadn’t seen Rarity since.
Then Pinkie, she chewed on her lip before sighing. Fluttershy wasn’t exactly certain what had happened to stop Pinkie from going to see Twilight. All she knew was that there was an incident of some type.
That left just herself and Rainbow Dash, the both of them had gone to see Twilight as often as they could though Rainbow normally was only able to stay a few minutes or was late. Once she made the US team she stopped being able to come all together. That just left Fluttershy.
Fluttershy walked into the long term care ward to see Luna at the desk working on her computer. She cleared her throat causing Luna to look up. “Good afternoon Luna.”
Luna smiled, “Hey Fluttershy, I guess you got the email Tia sent?” She sighed as Fluttershy nodded. “Well you can go back in just a bit. Doctor Armor is giving Twilight her weekly check up. I suppose you’d like to know what is going on?”
“I-if you wouldn’t mind? All the email said was that Twilight was showing signs of waking up and she hoped that having us all visit within the same week might help…” Fluttershy trailed off as Luna stood up.
“Cadance, I'm taking a short break. Think you can handle the desk for like the next ten minutes?” Luna glanced over to where the younger girl was reading over another patient’s file. The young woman nodded giving Luna a thumbs up without even looking up. “Alright, come on Fluttershy.”
Fluttershy followed after the blue haired woman into the employee’s lounge “Am I even allowed in here?”
“Normally? No, but I'm here so it’s fine. Coffee? Tea?” Luna looked up from the counter nodding at Fluttershy to sit down which the young woman did finally setting Owlowiscious’ cage next to her chair.
“Um, tea please if you wouldn’t mind?” Fluttershy blushed. Normally when she came to see Twilight she dealt with Celestia. Not that Luna wasn’t nice but, she just didn’t know her as well.
“Yeah, Tia normally wants tea too.” Luna shrugged preparing Fluttershy’s tea and her own coffee before sitting down “Alright so, what all do you know about Twilight’s condition?”
“Um, do you mean after the accident?” Fluttershy asked taking a sip of her tea while Luna nodded. “W-well I know she is in a coma, but that she is sometimes vocal. I think Doctor Armor told us it was a type of waking coma?” At Luna’s nod she studied her tea with a frown “I know she is dreaming, and that we’re all in her dreams.”
“That’s basically correct. However things have recently begun to change ever since Twilight became a… oh what did Tia say Twilight was now calling herself an all a corn? Anyways ever since then it seems like Twilight’s dream is starting to break.”
Fluttershy frowned as she took another drink of her tea. “Is it hurting her?”
Luna sighed, “Really? It’s hard to tell. The last time her dream really broke she woke up crying that she wanted home. I must stress that she wasn’t exactly waking up. It was… like she was between her dream and reality.”
“I think I understand Luna. Um, do you think that all of us coming here and visiting will really help Twilight wake up?” Fluttershy asked, catching Luna’s eye who sighed rubbing the bridge of her nose.
“I-I really don’t know Fluttershy but Tia seems to think it will…” Luna shrugged catching sight of the clock and gulped down the rest of her coffee. “Well Doctor Armor should be done with Twilight’s check up so grab the owl and head on in. Tia will probably stay in the room with you, in case Twilight wakes up at all. She is really the only one capable of handling one of well, hopefully you won’t have to see it.”
Fluttershy trembled as she gripped Owlowiscious’ cage and followed after Luna, walking into Twilight’s room to see Celestia covering Twilight with a light blanket. Fluttershy’s eyes widened as she saw Twilight’s wrists had been strapped to the guard rails, Celestia looked up at Fluttershy’s gasp and smiled sadly.
“Hello Fluttershy, I know it’s not easy to see Twilight restrained like this, but Doctor Armor decided and I agree that with how violent Twilight’s awakenings have been, this will keep her from hurting herself or anyone else in the room. Thank you for coming and bringing Twilight’s pet. Rainbow Dash was here yesterday.” Celestia nodded to Luna who smiled shutting the door “Why don’t you let Owlowiscious out? He usually likes to perch near Twilight’s head.”
Fluttershy nodded opening the cage after a few moments Owlowiscious stretched his wings and took to the air to perch on the headboard looking down at Twilight’s peaceful face. “Hoo.”
“Oh Owlowiscious I'm glad you are up! Would you go help Spike in the…” Twilight’s voice trailed off as her eyelids twitched.
Celestia took Fluttershy’s arm and led her to the chair next to Twilight’s bedside and nodded for her to sit down. After Fluttershy had sat down she felt Celestia’s breath by her ear. “She has been very alert since you walked in but if she hears my voice I'm afraid her concentration will be centered on my dream self. Go on and say hi to Twilight.”
Fluttershy took a deep breath as she stared at the still form of one of her best friends. “H-hi Twilight.”
For a few moments Twilight didn’t seem to react before. “Oh! Fluttershy I'm sorry I was just reading, and well... you know how I can be! I’m so glad you came by. I wanted to talk to you about what happened yesterday.”
Fluttershy turned to Celestia and mouthed “yesterday?” Celestia thought for a few moments before shrugging and mouthing back “play it by ear.” Fluttershy nodded and bit her top lip knowing her dream self seemed to be very similar to her real self so it was likely... “I’m sorry Twilight I...I was just so scared…”
Fluttershy waited her breath held hoping that had been the right thing to say and sagged in relief as she heard Twilight giggle. “I know Fluttershy; stagefright isn’t any fun. I mean, the only reason I was able to sing at Shining Armor and Cadance’s wedding was the fact that I cast a courage spell right before. I was just hoping that, well…”
“What is it Twilight? What can I do?” Fluttershy sat forward, her eyes wide, this was the first time that Twilight had been so alert. it’s like she’s awake, well almost… Wake up, please Twilight…
“Well, it’s silly but I was hoping that maybe we could sing together? For just a few minutes? Spike is in the basement area so nopony will hear us.” Twilight sounded nervous and Fluttershy could see her lips turned up in a familiar nervous smile, one which she feared she’d never see again.
“Of course Twilight, I’d love to sing with you. What shall we sing?” Fluttershy desperately hoped she chose a real song not just something from inside her dream. She glanced back to see Celestia holding out a recorder her eyes wide as they both waited and hoped for Twilight to answer.
“I was thinking we could sing the song you were singing with the Ponytones.” Fluttershy felt like she wanted to cry the likelihood that she’d know a song from Twilight’s dream… “You know Find The Music in You?” All at once Fluttershy felt like she wanted to cry for another reason That’s a song we sang in choir, I think, yes!
“Sure Twilight we can do that which part would you like to sing?” Fluttershy licked her lips as she ran through the lyrics in her mind.
“Oh well, I don’t know it as well as you so I thought we’d just sing one verse together if that’s alright?” Twilight cocked her head to the right her eyelids twitching.
“One verse is fine. How about the last verse?” Fluttershy smiled as she watched Twilight move around. Oh Twilight…
“Of course. I hope you don’t mind if I sing mainly the chorus?”
“Not at all Twilight.” Fluttershy took a deep breathe and began to sing “There's music in the treetops, and there's music in the vale. And all around the music fills the sky. There's music by the river, and there's music in the grass, and the music makes your heart soar in reply.” She smiled as she heard Twilight actually singing the backup. Actually singing!
“When you find you've got the music.”
“You've got to look inside and find” Fluttershy closed her eyes sent back in time.
“Find you've got the music.”
“The music deep inside you.” To five years ago when she stood next to Twilight singing this very song.
“Find you've got the music.”
“'Cause when you look inside, you'll see it.” Both girls had been nervous to join choir having stage fright, but Rainbow was wanting to form a band…
“Find you've got the music.”
“You're gonna find it, gonna find” So they had promised to try. Both girls had grown to love choir as they could sing but didn’t have to be the center of attention. They had gotten so close…
“You've got the music Got the music, got the music Got the music in you!” A smile beamed on Twilight’s lips as they both finished the song and Fluttershy gasped as Twilight’s hand opened her fingertips touching Fluttershy’s palm.
“Thank you for coming I know how busy you are with your animals Fluttershy.”
Fluttershy couldn’t breathe, was Twilight waking up? Really waking up? Was she talking to her? Or the dream her? She couldn’t look away as she smiled placing her hand under Twilight’s gently gripping it. “I-I’ll always have time for you Twilight, I had fun singing with you.”
“Me too Fluttershy, we’ll have to do it again, but I need to get back to this project I'm working on…” Fluttershy felt Twilight’s grip lessen.
“I don’t have to go yet Twilight! Tell me about your project, please!” Fluttershy felt desperation set in as Twilight began to babble again. Tears dripped down her cheeks. “Twilight please! Tell me! I want to help! Don’t leave me again Twilight!” She bowed her head as Twilight stopped responding, her shoulders trembling as she felt Celestia’s hand on her shoulder. Fluttershy turned burying her face in Celestia’s chest where she sobbed.