A Dream To Share
The sun had set, the moon had risen and the residents of Ponyville were steadily beginning to retire to their homes to turn in for the night and get some much needed rest. Lights were flicking off one by one, slowly plunging the little village into darkness and silence. But the lights in the Golden Oaks Library hadn’t even dimmed.
Twilight sniffled slightly as she turned to yet another page in the photo album. She had been doing as Spike had asked, and he had stayed with her the entire time to make sure she did. Although he was starting to look a little guilty, as over the last hour or two, Twilight’s composure had gradually faded more and more. Finally, Twilight came to the last page that Spike had managed to get to with his photos, and her breath hitched in her throat.
It was a picture of the massive party they had thrown in Ponyville not even three weeks ago to celebrate the defeat of Discord. A small smile appeared on Twilight’s muzzle when she noted that she and Rainbow were locked in a furious hoof-wrestle in the shot, glaring with a sort of friendly competitiveness in their eyes. Rainbow’s face was a little flushed from the cider she had been imbibing in that night, and Twilight couldn’t help a small snort of amusement as she thought back on that night. It had been one of Pinkie’s best to date.
Her smile slowly faded, however, and with another heavy, shaking breath, she quickly flipped back to the first page, where the group photo stared back at her. The red x over Rainbow’s head stood out like an open wound.
“Oh my gosh…” Twilight choked out, a hoof flying up to her muzzle as tears began to form in her eyes. “...Spike… what have I done?”
Spike reached out a claw and touched it to Twilight’s shoulder in an effort to comfort her. “Nothing, yet… and that’s the problem.”
Twilight’s eyes screwed shut and her entire body shook from a sob that she couldn’t keep contained. She felt Spike’s grip tighten on her shoulder. “What… what do I do, Spike?”
“Go to her,” Spike suggested with a reassuring smile. Twilight opened her eyes and looked up at him questioningly. “Well, just as soon as you’ve cleaned yourself up, anyway. No offense, but puffy eyes and tear stains do not look good on you. Your mane is all kinds of messed up, too.”
Twilight managed a weak snicker at that before lightly smacking Spike’s claw off of her shoulder. “Hush, you!” she said before looking back down at the album and sighing. Her smile faded away. “...I’ll go to her tomorrow, okay? We could all use some rest.”
Spike frowned and crossed his claws over his chest. “You’re procrastinating,” he pointed out bluntly.
“I’m not, really!” Twilight defended herself while sliding out of the chair. “I just… I need to figure out what I’m going to say to her, not to mention how I feel about all of this. I promise, Spike, I will go to her tomorrow, first thing in the morning.”
Spike didn’t look convinced. “You also promised me you’d get rid of your Smarty Pants doll five years ago. Guess what I found hiding under your bed while I was looking for my album?”
Twilight blushed a little. “Sh-shut up,” she said while looking away. Her blush faded away as she focused her attention where it was needed. “Look… this is Rainbow Dash we’re talking about. She’s my best friend, and… she sees me as more than that, okay? This isn’t something I’m going to take lightly. Tomorrow morning. I promise.”
Spike slumped somewhat and dropped his arms to his sides. “I’ll hold you to that, Twilight. I grew up with you two… it hurts, seeing you two so… distant.”
Twilight’s ears drooped. “Yeah… it hurts being distant,” she muttered before a large yawn escaped her. “Oi… I think it’s time for sleep. C’mon.”
Spike hopped from the arm of the chair onto Twilight’s back with one motion. That done, Twilight ascended the stairs to her room.
Stars. All around her, for miles and miles, all Twilight could see were countless hundreds of thousands of tiny stars, ever so slowly drifting around each other in a mesmerizing slow-dance. Wisps and tendrils of pale blue light weaved through the expanse, creating solid surfaces upon which her hooves rested. “Wha… what is this place?” she asked out loud, taken aback than by how her voice echoed and reverberated all around her. “Where am I?”
“You stand in the Dream Realm, Twilight Sparkle,” a voice spoke gently from over Twilight’s head. Looking up, the unicorn spied a full moon turning into existence in the sky high above her. It shown with a brilliant, almost blinding light before slowly fading back to normal levels of illumination. In place of that bright glow, a dark blue alicorn with an aetherial mane and tale lowered down until she stood face-to-face with Twilight, her hooves lightly touching down on the glowing platform. “It has been a long time since we last met, Twilight Sparkle.”
“Princess Luna?” Twilight mouthed like a fish, trying to wrap her mind around what she was seeing. “Wha…?” After a moment, she regained her faculties enough to drop into a low, low bow.
“Rise, Twilight Sparkle,” Luna’s voice carried a slight edge to it that made Twilight stand upright without question. “Do you know why I am contacting you?” she asked, her eyes narrowed sternly.
“I… no, I don’t,” Twilight admitted hesitantly, shrinking back from the lunar princess’s harsh gaze. “...Well… I have an idea, actually…”
“Enlighten me.”
“...Rainbow Dash?” Twilight guessed solemnly.
Luna nodded slowly. “You guess correctly. Twilight Sparkle, have you any idea what my niece is going through right now?” she asked, no small amount of bitterness lining her words.
Twilight lowered her head and screwed her eyes shut. “I don’t need to be reminded, your highness. I know it’s my fault and I have every intention of going to her in the morning.”
Luna lifted her head a little higher, looking down on Twilight with scrutiny. “In the morning? You intend to put it off for so long?”
“We need the rest, Princess,” Twilight tried to explain, though she didn’t dare lift her head. “And… I have to figure out what I’m going to say to her. I need to figure out how I feel about this.”
“No.”
Twilight blinked. “...Huh?”
Luna’s eyes narrowed. “For every moment you waste trying to sort out complicated emotions that you have no experience with, my niece is suffering from nightmares and guilt the likes of which I had hoped to never see again. She has suffered far too much already and it is time that those pains come to an end.”
“What are you-”
Luna stamped a hoof down onto the glowing platform beneath her. The world shuddered and a thunderous crack echoed all throughout the abstract environment. One of the stars came racing out of the distance until it hovered just in front of Princess Luna. Within the small sphere of light, Twilight could see Rainbow Dash… crying. With her frown never wavering, Luna’s horn lit up with a blinding light. Twilight shielded her eyes as well as she could with a foreleg before the light faded as quickly as it had come. She peeked out from behind her leg, squinting slightly. Her eyes then widened and her jaw dropped.
“Rainbow Dash?!”
Rainbow Dash was sitting directly in front of her in a cold, empty cavern. The Pegasus, who was facing away from Twilight, went rigid. “No… please don’t,” she whispered between chattering teeth. She was freezing…
Twilight looked around, examining her environment. She stood inside of a small and empty cave, with a blizzard raging just outside of the entrance not far away.
“Just leave me alone…” Rainbow said shakily, not bothering to turn around. “Forget you ever saw me… please.”
“What are you going to do, Twilight Sparkle?” The voice of Princess Luna whispered into Twilight’s ear. “Are you going to let her be buried in the snows of her own guilt? Are you going to let her freeze with self-doubt? Or are you going to help her? Are you going to be there for her when she needs you most?”
For a moment, Twilight stood still, unable to form words. Rainbow glanced over her shoulder at Twilight, revealing lines running down her cheeks where the fur had been frozen. “Leave me, Twilight… you’re better off without me.” she seethed out through clenched teeth.
“You… you can’t be serious…” Twilight choked out, taking a step forward. “How… how can you say that?!”
“Because it’s true!” Rainbow snapped back at her, standing up and flaring out her wings. “What I did is unforgivable! I’m dangerous and I am not going to let myself hurt you again!”
“Rainbow Dash-”
“How can you look at me and not be angry with me?!” Rainbow demanded, a hoof flying up to her chest with tears streaming down her cheeks. “How can you stand to be around me?!” she looked down and drove her hoof into the stone floor of the cavern.
“Because, Rainbow, I-”
“YOU SHOULD HATE ME!” Rainbow Dash screamed, screwing her eyes shut. “I WENT AGAINST EVERYTHING I’M SUPPOSED TO BE! I was selfish, not loyal! I hurt you instead of protecting you! I dragged all of you down with me when it was my problem!”
“STOP IT!” Twilight cried out, lunging forward and yanking Rainbow Dash into the tightest hug she could. “Just stop it, right now! You hear me? Stop it!”
Rainbow squirmed, trying to pull herself out of Twilight’s embrace. “Let me go, Twilight!” she shouted, though her words were rapidly losing their strength.
“It’s okay, Rainbow, It’s okay,” Twilight began saying, keeping Rainbow close and starting to slowly rock back and forth. “I got you… it’s okay.”
Rainbow’s struggles swiftly vanished into nothing but uncontrollable shakes. “...How can you say that?” she whimpered, burying her face into Twilight’s shoulder. “How can it be okay… after what I did?”
“Because I forgive you,” Twilight whispered into Rainbow’s ear.
Everything went quiet. Even the blizzard raging outside the cave entrance seemed to die down to little more than a gentle breeze when Twilight said that. Rainbow leaned her head back and looked into Twilight’s eyes disbelievingly. “You… y-you wh-what?”
“I. Forgive. You.” Twilight reiterated before gently pulling Rainbow in again, running her hoof comfortingly along the back of the pegasus’ head. “What you did was wrong, yes, but… but it’s not worth losing you over.”
Rainbow shuddered slightly, a small sob rattling her system. “T-twilight…”
“It’s okay, Dashie,” Twilight whispered to her, nuzzling Rainbow atop the head. “Go ahead… let it out. Let it all out. I’m here for you.”
Twilight had never heard Rainbow Dash scream the way she did just then, letting out so much pent-up emotion and pain in one long, impassioned howl. And all the while, Twilight held her close and told her it was going to be okay.
The world shook and there was a deep boom that sounded from outside the cave, like an explosion. Twilight’s eyes widened when something tugged at her. “What the?!” she gasped when the cave wall behind Rainbow shattered and dissolved, revealing the Dream Realm behind her. Rainbow turned around, seeing the expanse. She wilted.
“Heh… should have known it was too good to be true,” she muttered in disappointment.
Twilight, despite the force trying to pull her out of Rainbow’s dream, managed to reach out and grab Rainbow’s hoof, holding on as tightly as she could. “Rainbow! It is true! I’m not a part of your dream!” she shouted, drawing the other mare’s attention. “I’m really here! I promise-”
The world was jolted to the side.
And the dream ended.
Twilight awoke in her bed in Ponyville, sitting bolt upright with a cold sweat breaking out all over her body and matting down her fur. Her breath was coming in ragged gasps and her whole body was shaking.
“Twilight?” Spike asked drowsily while lifting his head out from under his blanket. “You okay?”
“I… I think so,” Twilight breathed, putting a hoof on her chest and taking a deep breath. “What happened…?” she thought aloud. Glancing at a clock, Twilight sighed somewhat. It was about nine in the morning.
Outside of her bedroom window, Twilight heard a the shrill cry of a panicking mare. Slowly, on shaking hooves, Twilight slid out of her bed and looked out of her window. The mare in question had her back to the window, looking up towards Canterlot. When Twilight looked that way as well, her blood went cold.
Great pillars of black smoke rose out of Canterlot and into the sky. Even from here, Twilight could see the sickly green glows of the fires… she reached a hoof up to rub at her eyes as if to dispel some sort of optical illusion. “Green…?” she asked disbelievingly.
Her eyes did not deceive her. The fires were green.
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Yup, your timing is truly impeccable chryssy. So, did twi not even get an invite to the wedding this time, or is the timeline different enough that said engagement hasnt happened yet?
I just hope twi can get through the awkwardness enough to tell dash that the dream was real.
Oh snap...
Oh yeah, she did have one hell of a hangover afterwards didn't she.
Because nothing could happen between now and then, like, in a completely ludicrous hypothetical... changeling invasion?
FFS Luna, do you think RD is the only one feeling hurt?
Well shit.
8815525
This is a little under a year before the Canterlot Wedding would have happened as far as canon goes.
Well it hit the fan dead on
8815551
She's being protective of her family, man.
8815570
And being a little hurtful towards someone else in the process, the whole incident wasn't a one way thing. Luna could have done the same thing without the bitterness that, well, wasn't exactly called for or necessary.
And I mean, Twilight may be family one day.
CLIMAX APPROACHING
INTENSITY RISING
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA--
8815614
8815558
Huh, I wonder what pushed the schedule up so much
8815645
It was the element bearers disappearing, giving the Changelings a window of attack. In canon I like to think they were watching and waiting for a good long time; at least since the Nightmare Moon incident. In canon, their window of attack was a royal wedding, an event that had the attention of all of Equestria. Perfect opportunity to slip into place while everyone is gushing over the proceedings.
feelsbadman
Damn changelings. Can't they let them have one night in peace?
8815558
Personally, I'd put it a little under a little under a year.
8815573
Fast forward a few years, and that would make Rainbow Dash the aunt of Flurry Heart.
8815624
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This isn't over yet, but for now a crisis gets to take priority...
Canterlot is just as unprepared (if not moreso) than the last time.
It's actually interesting to ponder on what the Elements would do to the Swarm if unleashed upon it...
Keep going! ;)
And so the Assault on Canterlot has begun... shit...
8816595
I.... what?
While I fully admit this is a fantastic story with a great premise, it also contains easily the most annoying incarnation of Rainbow Dash I have had the misfortune to witness. She acts almost exactly the same way she did in the previous story but reading that was somewhat more bearable because she was just a small child. I see no development in her character so far, which is a damn shame since none of the other characters seem to have the same problem. The plot is great, though, so I'll keep reading on.
8877139
'Pierce to the City's Heart' has some pretty big moments of development.
And I'm kind of curious as to how you came to the conclusion that she acts exactly the same as in the previous story. In glimpses sure, she had emotional issues, but she also managed to maintain her confidence and cockiness throughout. In choices, though, she's significantly more unstable, emotionally distraught and loaded with insecurities thanks to Discord taking a sledgehammer to her mind and filling her with doubts. She's doubting herself at every turn, and lost a lot of her own self confidence and esteem due to all of the mistakes she wound up making.
shone
tail
Well fuck.
8815525
The discord episode was just a few weeks ago.