Double Trouble: The Flaws Within

by Masterius

Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty‑two

There’s just too many ponies inside. I’ll just…hang out here. In the hallway. So the doctors can take care of her, Sunset Shimmer reasoned. Yeah. That’s it.

And, in truth, a veritable herd of very senior physicians of every stripe and caliber was filling the room and surrounding the luxuriously appointed bed located central to the equally sumptuously furnished bedroom. Assuming, of course, that in order to notice the latter, anypony standing just outside the doorway could actually see past the medico mob.

Or spy the extremely enervated, exhausted and drained Sun Princess firmly blanket‑and‑comforter ensconced atop said luxuriously appointed bed.

But Sunset Shimmer didn’t need the chamber emptied to see, or recognize, the furnishings, decorations, or appurtenances to know where they were or how they appeared.

It…it’s like I never left, her throat tightened as memories surged to the forefront. The flowers in the vases may have changed, true. But nothing else has. Except for…

Throat now closed with grief and pain, Sunset Shimmer closed her eyes tightly, feeling thick tears welling up. Except for Princess Celestia. She…She’s so very sick! We…We can’t lose her. I can’t lose her!

So lost in heartache and sorrow, at first Sunset Shimmer didn’t notice the room grow quiet. Not until…

“Sunset Shimmer.”

Head jerking up and back, ears rapidly flickering back and forth, Sunset Shimmer blinked the tears from her spangled vision. “Y‑yes, Your Highness?”

Princess Luna merely smiled; a gentle, tender expression so warm and kind. “My Sister wishes to speak with you,” she quietly informed, and only then did Sunset Shimmer notice the serried ranks within forming an aisle between them…and Princess Celestia’s bed.

A passage now completely clear, as Princess Luna stepped to the side, gesturing with a wing for Sunset Shimmer to approach her sister.

Still weak and wobbly from her recent “cure”, Sunset Shimmer’s legs now felt as if quivering rubber upon finally facing her “moment of truth”. For the first time since her arrival, about to be presented before her former mentor; face-to-face with a now‑conscious Princess Celestia who had, just this very moment, requested her presence.

Taking a deep breath and swiping dry lips with a curled tongue, Sunset Shimmer braced herself, and started…

…walking through the doorway…

…into Princess Celestia’s personal, private bedchambers…

…exactly the same way as she had…

***

Standing at the end of the hallway, Sunset Shimmer smothered a giggle as she observed the two stern and solemn Solari standing watch just outside Princess Celestia’s bedchamber. Light cyan eyes merrily danced and sparkled with the realization she didn’t have to stifle her amusement, for her Silence Sphere completely muted any and all sound from within.

Nevertheless, she hooftipped around the corner then crept out into the corridor, now in clear view of the Royal Guards…

Who saw nothing at all…and now Sunset Shimmer did giggle, feeling quite secure within the integrated Globe of Invisibility. Step by cautious step, until she stood between the two and right outside the door. Now came the tricky part: the young filly, barely past foalhood, squinched her eyes as tonguetip peeked out past lips. Since she wasn’t allowed to use proper mind spells―a pretty yet fierce pout appeared for a moment, altering her appearance into resembling an older filly…assuming, of course, that anypony could have seen her―this next part was trickier.

Several minutes passed before giving a tiny nod, heavily breathing as if having just galloped. Now, if she’d cast those illusions correctly, she should be able to…

Moments later, and she―very carefully!―nudged the door closed behind her. Now her face erupted into foalish glee, spotting her target dead ahead, and fast asleep! One cautious step at a time, Sunset Shimmer crept closer…and closer…and closer yet, stopping once within booping range. Lifting up a little forehoof, Sunset Shimmer was just about to reach out to her target when…

“Boo!”

With a startled shriek, Sunset Shimmer landed on her posterior, both Globe and Sphere instantly dissipating as her concentration was broken by Princess Celestia’s sneaky, underhoofed ambush.

“Awww!”

***

One tremblyanxious¹ step at a time, staring at the thick, plush rug beneath her hooves, Sunset Shimmer slowly approached Princess Celestia, stopping a single pace before the bed. Heart already hammering like a kettledrum, that rapid beat faltered as ice coursed through her veins as her mind went suddenly blank, as all her carefully rehearsed words evaporated like mist in the sun.

And then, suddenly, none of that mattered.

“My little Sunshine. Welcome home.”

Silently mouthing, “Shoo! Shoo!” Princess Luna suited actions with words as she firmly nudged recalcitrant hangers‑on out into the hallway with her wings. Pausing a moment on the threshold, she looked back at the tableau behind her: Sunset Shimmer weeping, body shuddering and shaking with the release of long held, pent‑up emotions being released at last, tucked against her sister’s side and sheltered beneath her wing, while ‘Tia gazed down with such a tender, loving, forgiving expression, as tears silently traced their way down her cheeks.

That wasn’t an unfamiliar expression for Luna, having been the recipient of that herself after Nightmare Moon had been vanquished, Princess Celestia rejoicing with the redemption and return of her beloved Sister.

“Hush,” she instructed the evicted physicians. “Give them time together. Alone,” she lightly stressed…a gentle emphasis with the same implacability of a massive glacier grinding its way down. “This is healing of another sort, and one which is not only needed but is long overdue as well.”

That didn’t go half bad! she delightedly admitted, as the crowd―and rather quickly, too―settled down. Now that ‘Tia is awake, and Sunset Shimmer cured, things are starting to look up a bit!

Her expression turned thunderous, however, as a commotion started at the far end of the corridor, a countenance growing fiercer as that hubbub grew closer, then closer yet.

Growling, ears swiveled back, Luna demanded in a low, deep voice, “What is the meaning behind this racket?

Her relaxation and confidence of mere moments ago swiftly plummeted as a clearly distraught and tragically wounded Spike approached her. “Princess Luna,” he choked out. “It…Twilight…she…”

A fist gripped her heart as Spike faltered. And as he continued, that fist squeezed like a giant clamping down in fury, as her vision swam with darkness.

“Twilight…she…she teleported out…and never reappeared.”

---

Although technically not his patient while she remained hospitalized, nevertheless Doctor Horse couldn’t leave Miss Sparkle alone. Which explained his presence inside the heavily‑sedated alicorn’s private room. Now, as for Nurse Redheart, who was also there as well?

Covering his lips and hiding his gentle smile, he merely needed to observe his partner as she kept silent sentinel over Miss Sparkle to understand her reason. Well, one of her reasons, that is.

“Can I get you coffee? A snack? Or, more to the point, a breakfast?” Nurse Redheart “asked”…as it would never do, of course, to call that nagged.

Each for their own reasons―which, as it happened in this instance (and often as not in others, as well) were the same―were unwilling to leave Miss Sparkle alone. To a laypony, it might seem a waste of time holding vigil over a completely‑unconscious and deeply‑drugged patient, but both Doctor Horse and Nurse Redheart knew that, even when this deeply unconscious, some ponies were still aware―even if subliminally so―of their surroundings and of what was spoken around them.

And, while it was true that, while Miss Sparkle was physically a pony, her psyche was anything but. And therefore, as he had no benchmark with which to compare Miss Sparkle, Doctor Horse was unwilling to risk anything with her, no matter how unlikely.

And he most certainly was not going to have Miss Sparkle wake up, be‑drugged and befuddled, all alone in a strange room in a strange world.

“A coffee would be nice,” he finally admitted. “And so would a snack of some sort.” Before he could clarify his choice of snack, the door burst open behind him. Both Doctor Horse and Nurse Redheart spun about and faced the now‑open entrance, a look of blazing fury in their eyes.

---

Oh, Sweet Sun above! Princess Twilight Sparkle fretted. I should never have asked Trixie to help. This is going to hurt her so badly! I…I can’t go through with this. I…I just can’t.

Trixie was just sitting there, gazing down at hands she was tragically washing atop her lap as a single tear trickled its way down her cheek.

“Trix…Trixie,” Twilight finally choked out. “I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”

“Sorry? For what?” Trixie asked, looking back up again and meeting Twilight’s gaze.

“For hurting you like this.”

She was gobsmacked when Trixie lopsidedly smiled, and all the more so realizing that was sincere and not contrived. “Thank you, Twilight. Honestly, thank you.” Taking a deep, cleansing breath, Trixie sat up straighter. “It…it’s not like Trixie feels―sorry, I forgot,” she sheepishly smiled. “It’s not like I dislike being Trixie…” she trailed off a moment, Twilight’s eyes contemplatively narrowing a bit as she did. “But I listen. A lot,” as now Twilight felt a knife stab her heart, understanding by that simple sentence that Trixie was lonely and friendless, “And I…I, well…”

“Daydream?” Twilight, so very quietly, offered.

A soft flush tinted Trixie’s cheeks as she nodded. “Yes.” Another deep, cleansing breath. “I’m happy―mostly―with who I am. Yes, I would like my ‘magic’ to work better. I like to perform, and I both want to and like to, well…‘wow’ my audience.” Gazing down at her hands again, which had once more returned to washing in her lap, she softly added, “Trixie also likes―and wants, too, she is afraid and ashamed to admit―approval and admiration. Validation.”

Looking back up, she continued, completely shocking Twilight, “But I don’t daydream of having your type of magic here. That would be like cheating. No. No, that would be cheating. I mean, being honest? Yes; yes, I guess I sometimes do picture doing your kind of magic here,” ducking her head a moment and adding so very softly under her breath that Twilight felt pretty sure and certain Trixie never intended to be overheard, “Especially with my Magician’s Exit.”

All of this, so far, had been intensely poignant; heart‑wrenchingly so, and Twilight couldn’t think it could possibly get worse.

She was wrong.

Eyes focused on the twisting hands in her lap, Trixie bared to Twilight her most secret of desires. “I daydream of being in your world. In Equestria. Of being a unicorn there. Not me me: a unicorn. Daydream of trotting; of cantering and galloping. Of feeling the wind as I do blowing through my mane as my tail streams out behind me. Of teleporting. Of levitating. Of feeling magic inside me. Real magic―not prestidigitation; not illusion or manipulation―but real magic. Of laughing with others as I do the most simplest of magicks. Like lighting a candle.”

Twilight’s heart was aching so very badly, tears filling her eyes and blurring her vision. Which explained why it took the both of them several long, hushed seconds to realize the lavender‑and‑vanilla scented, three‑wick centerpiece candle was now merrily flickering.

Author's Note:

¹Why should Pinkie Pie have all the fun with words?