//------------------------------// // Chapter 20 // Story: These Dreams // by lorettafox //------------------------------// "Now who in Equestria is knocking on the door at this late hour?" Rarity grumbled as she used her magic to open the door. It was the Sparkle family at the door. "Twilight's family? What in Equestria are you doing here at this hour?" "We need to get Twilight out of Cloudsdale before the princesses can get here!" informed Shining Armor. "Why in Equestria for?" Rarity asked, confused. "May we come inside so we can explain?" asked Cadence. Rarity moved out of the way as the four family members shuffled into the hotel room. "Whose at the door, Rarity?" asked the quiet voice of Fluttershy when she noticed Twilight's family. "Twilight's family?" Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash also came to the living room to see who had knocked on the hotel door so late at night. They were all just as surprised when they saw it was Twilight's family. "What is going on here?" Rainbow asked. "We need to get Twilight out of Cloudsdale and to Las Pegasus. The princesses won't look for her there." explained Shining Armor. "Why in Equestria for?" Applejack asked. "If we don't, the princesses are going to place her and Discord under a powerful sleeping spell and no one here is going to be able to wake them up!" Cadence explained in a panic. "Discord? But he's a stone statue in the Canterlot Gardens." Rainbow explained. Shining Armor sighed. "He should still be here. They're most likely sleeping together. Where is Twilight sleeping?" "The second door on the left, but I don't see how Discord could have been-" Rainbow said before Cadence put a hoof to her mouth. "Just follow us and we'll prove that she is with Discord at the moment." Cadence said as she used her magic to quietly twist the knob to the room Twilight was in. Everypony was gathered around Cadence to see if she was indeed right about Discord. The door opened without a sound and there laid Twilight, fast asleep and she slept in the center of the semi-circle that Discord's body had created when he curled around her to sleep. The five friends gasped in silent shock to see that Cadence was indeed correct and Discord was free. "What do we do? What do we do?" panicked Rainbow Dash. "Take these two out of Cloudsdale and get them to Las Pegasus." Cadence. "But why do the princesses want to place them under a sleeping spell? It doesn't make any sense..." Rarity asked. "Because they're worried that Discord will cause more chaos once again. As for Twilight, Tia told me she can't separate two lovers..." said Cadence as she used her magic to surround the couple. "Please help! We can move them without waking them up!" Rarity and Shining Armor used their magic in combination with Cadence as Rarity spoke up. "T-They're lovers? F-For how long?" she asked as the others were to in shock to ask themselves. "They've been together since Twilight had the week-long sleeping episode. He was the cause of it. After you all sealed him again, she missed him terribly." Cadence said as the sleeping couple were now coming to the bedroom door. "Now, carefully get them through the door." The three unicorns managed to get the sleeping couple through the narrow bedroom door without any troubles. "Now, we need to get through the main door and we can get to Las Pegasus through our hot air balloon!" Cadence explained as they made their way towards the door, until there was another knock. Oddly, being in the magic field prevented the sleeping couple from even stirring. "Oh no. They're already here." Shining Armor panicked. The door quickly opened by magic as two guards opened it and Luna and Celestia walked in to see the sleeping couple being levitated by the three unicorns. "Set them down. I guess you all know why I am here this early morning." Celestia said with a sad tone. The three unicorns obeyed and set them softly on the ground. Celestia's horn quickly glowed with magic and surrounded the sleeping couple. "It is only a sound blocking spell so I may at least explain what is about to happen." Celestia spoke sadly. "As you know, I am here to place my student and Discord under a powerful sleeping spell." "B-But why, princess?" asked Pinkie Pie sadly. "It's because I must think of Equestria's safety because I do not know if Discord has be truly changed as Twilight once told me when she was back in Canterlot. I don't want her to suffer as well, so this is why she and him must be placed under the spell, so her heart won't break and Discord won't have a chance to wreck havoc on Equestria once more. It'll also give me time to convice Equestria he perhaps has changed during the time they are asleep." replied Celestia. "But Princess, there must be another way! Can't you take his powers away or something?" asked Applejack. Twilight began to stir, but everypony was too worried about the sleeping spell to take notice of her. The sound blocking spell Celestia had casted broke as once Twilight began awaking, she unknowingly used her magic to repel the magic casted by the sun princess. "I've considered it but it cannot be done. He is more powerful than I and can simply reverse it on myself and Luna." "B-But there has to be another way!" cried out Pinkie Pie, who was now crying so hard rivers of water were coming out her eyes. "I'm so sorry but I just don't know if Discord's truly changed like Twilight's said. I trust her, but I cannot completely trust Discord after he broke from his stone prison the first time." Celestia spoke sadly. "I wish I didn't have to perform this spell but I have no other choice. It's for Equestria's safety and well being." "He's changed I tell you!" Twilight yelled in outburst, scaring everyone in the room as none of them noticed her waking up. Twilight's yelling was enough to startle Discord awake as well, but kept low to overhear what was happening. Twilight stood on her hooves and shot daggers at Princess Celestia. "He's changed I tell you! I know I'm your faithful student, but how can you think he hasn't changed after I told you myself that he has! Discord hasn't done a single chaotic deed to affect Equestria!" Twilight yelled. "And now you're going to place us both under a sleeping spell? How dare you, Princess! How can you do such a thing?" Celestia's eyes teared up. "I wish I didn't have to Twilight! I do trust you but it's Discord who I don't have complete trust in! After the events of his rule over a thousand years ago and the events after he broke free of his stone prison, I cannot trust him!" Twilight's eyes were just as teared up as Celestia's, but they were tears of anger. "But he's changed since those events! He's changed I tell you! But how could you even think of using a spell on him, and especially me! I thought I was your number one student." "You are my number one student." Celestia cried. "But if I just put him under the sleep spell, then your heart would break and I couldn't bare that. If you're asleep together, then you could be together in your dreams and neither of you would be hurt!" "Oh, Celestia cares about her student's feelings? This is interesting." Discord spoke finally. "I don' want to break her heart, Discord! She doesn't deserve it!" Celestia cried out harder. "Celestia caring about her student. I am surprised." Discord smirked. "This isn't funny, Discord! This is serious!" Celestia yelled. "ENOUGH!" Twilight yelled out in anger. "Princess, I can't believe you didn't believe me when I said he's changed. Your experiences with him may have not be the best, but with me, I can tell that he has changed for the better!" "Twilight, I-" Celestia began, but got cut off by Twilight. "If you don't believe my word that he's changed, then you don't believe me as a pony." "That isn't true, Twilight! I do believe you!" "If you do, then believe this, good luck trying to find us!" Twilight yelled as her horn began to glow and the magic engulfing Discord and her. Twilight looked at her family and friends, most especially Cadence and Shining Armor, who all had tears running down their cheeks. "Thank you for trying to protect us. We'll be safe and please take care of Spike for me. I love you all." she said a sad smile as tears ran down her cheek. With that said, Twilight's magic completely engulfed her and Discord, causing them to disappear from the room. The second the left, the second Cadence broke down. "Please be safe, Twilight, and please protect her, Discord." she cried.