• Published 17th Jan 2012
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Dreams of Loyalty - Professor Coruptus



Rainbow Dash has been suffering from terrible nightmares, PinkieDash, and a few suprises.

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Chapter 8

Dreams of Loyalty Chapter 8

In which Twilight goes for a ride, Pinkie Pie comes clean, and Luna gives a warning.



The darkening sky above the Everfree Forest was not due to the setting sun, but rather due to a sudden gathering of swirling storm clouds. The weather coming from that “unnatural” area of the world was always strange and unpredictable for the local weather ponies, but this storm had come literally out of nowhere. In fact, it had formed so quickly the weather patrols barely had time to report it in before it was almost at the edge of town.

As the winds picked up even stronger, lightning began to pop and crackle within the swirling thunderhead. The impressive light show grew brighter and louder until a sudden flare of energy burst forth from its center and from it emerged a sleek black chariot. Pulling the carriage though the thundering sky were two of the most fearsome pegasi anypony had ever seen. Their coats were both identical shades of stormy grey, and their eyes were a dull golden yellow. They were clad in pale violet armor, somewhat similar to Celestia’s royal guards. Though unlike the royal guards, whose chest pieces blank, these ponies’ torsos were adorned with a large, sapphire-blue, cat’s eye. What truly set them apart, however, was their wings; devoid of feathers, they stretched out from their armor clad backs as if grafted on from a small dragon or exceptionally large bat.

Within the carriage road two more unusual ponies. One of them was none other than the ruler of the night herself, Princess Luna, clad in her traditional royal garments with a sizeable bulge under her right wing. Beside her sat an unrecognizable unicorn clad in armor similar to that of the two monstrous pegasi. Her coat and eyes were the same colors as theirs as well, but as she leaned forward and removed the crested helmet of her costume, the gray and gold of her face and eyes faded away, and was replaced by the varying shades of purple and single strip of pink that made up the recognizable features of Twilight Sparkle.

“That was amazing, Luna!” the armor clad librarian exclaimed. “I had no idea ponies could teleport in large groups like this!”

“Tis only the Alicorns and a select few unicorns whom have ever mastered the art of teleportation, Twilight Sparkle. Even after the spell has mastered, tis still a most dangerous endeavor to carry more than thyself and one or two passengers in a single endeavor,” the Alicorn warned. “Such attempts can lead to extensive scorching from magical energies, hence the necessity of the royal guard’s armor during travel. Of course, my personal guard is no exception, even though I have modified both the design and illusion spells of the uniforms for a more pleasing appearance then that gaudy gold and white appearance my sister is so fond of.”

“Yeah about that…” the unicorn said gently, looking over the fringed helmet her lap. “I’ve been meaning to ask, if you were trying to make a more… friendly impression when you came to Ponyville for the Nightmare Night Festival, why did you alter the armor to look so… scary?”

“Scary?” The Princess looked at Twilight in confusion. “I didst not design these uniforms to look, ‘scary.’ Tis quite the contrary! In truth, I didst take inspiration in their design from one of the most noble of all the night’s creatures, the bat.”

Now it was Twilight’s turn to look confused. With a heavy sigh, Luna closed her eyes and took on a well practiced air of pride and intelligence before explaining.

“The bat tis a most helpful and majestic creature. As a species they are both social and intelligent, and are excellent eliminators of bothersome insects such as flies and mosquitoes. They make only soft, charming, squeaks as they make their way through the night. Much unlike those loathsome, feathered beasts, which peck at farmers crops and do nothing save squawk and trill outside windows all day. But I digress, I adorned my personal guard in the likeness of such wonderful creatures as the bat so my subjects would see I came in good faith.”

Living in Ponyville, Twilight often found herself in situations in which she had no idea how to react, or how to feel about. This was one such occasion.

“Eer, and just what did Celestia have to say when she saw your… designs?” The unicorn asked, hoping her mentor’s reaction might give her some clue.

“Oh, she was thrilled of course,” Luna said smugly. “She said I was truly, ‘getting into the spirit of things.’ She even suggested that I add the Eye of Nightmare to the uniform, so that our subjects couldst know at a glance who created them. She seemed completely of the mind that I would leave a most ‘unforgettable’ second impression.”

Luna held her proud profile for few seconds longer before her eyes slowly opened as an unpleasant realization dawned upon her. Her posture soon changed, and her face to on an expression that was equal parts embarrassment, and furry. Twilight was quick to intervene.

“I’m sure it was just a misunderstanding, Luna. The Princess would never intentionally try to embarrass you in front of your subjects like that.”

“Clearly, Twilight Sparkle, thou dost not know my sister as well as thy thinks,” Luna said, still glaring towards, though not at, the descending sun. “Though I suppose this does explain the absence of any strange additives to my tea that evening.”

Deciding it would be best to not to appear as if she were taking sides between the two most powerful siblings in Equestria, Twilight opted instead to change the subject as quickly as possible.

“How’re you doing, Spike?” she called to the large bulge at Luna’s side.

The Alicorn opened her wing slightly to reveal the curled up form of the Twilight’s number one assistant; only half awake as he lay nestled between the dark coat and feathers of the princess. He yawned and looked up at his caretaker blearily.

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine,” he said, giving her a dismissive wave. “Just close the wing already, it’s really comfy in here.”

Pulled out of her plans for revenge, Luna allowed herself a small smile as she looked down at the adorable baby dragon under her wing. It was a scene which reminded her of happier times, when she would carry wayward foals back to their parents at dusk. Her pleasant reflections were abruptly ended however, when Twilight suddenly yanked her passenger out by his telekinetically gripped tail.

“You only got to ride in there because we didn’t have any protective armor for you when we teleported,” the unicorn warned as she set her assistant down next to her, and away from Luna. “Don’t get used to it.”

Luna looked at the irritated unicorn in surprise before suddenly feeling dreadfully uncomfortable. Perhaps, she reasoned, she had inadvertently encroached upon Twilight’s maternal territory. She decided quickly that it would be best to leave the unicorn and her charge alone for while, so as not to risk further offending one of the few ponies she called friend. It did not even cross her mind that Twilight felt it was Spike who was done the ‘encroaching.’

“Geeze,” the young dragon grumbled, as he tried to get the feeling back in his marehandled tail, “somepony sure woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.”

At the mention of “bed” Twilight’s cheeks suddenly flashed scarlet, and quickly busied herself with intensely studying a passing puff of cloud. As she attempted to bring her blood flow back under control, her mind floated back to what had been inadvertently whispered in her ear during Luna’s embrace. The glow faded from her cheeks as she replayed the words over and over again. She couldn’t possibly have heard what she thought she had. It just couldn’t have been that voice, it was impossible, completely absurd. She must have imagined or misheard it. The stress of the day had probably gotten to her, that’s all. And yet, it had been so clear…

Twilight stole a sidelong glance at the pony behind her. Luna was busy watching the town pass by beneath them, seemingly trying to discern their destination amongst the buildings below. Shaking her head, the unicorn leaned over her side of the carriage, and Spike’s head, to help the Princess look. After a few seconds Twilight spotted the medical center and called out to the Princess and the drivers.

“There it is,” she said, pointing to a large red and white building with a peculiar looking device parked in front of it.

Luna nodded and spoke to the pegasi.

“Adam, West, set us down before the building. Thou may return to Canterlot at thy leisure, as I shall be returning separately.”

The two guards nodded and did as they were told, causing a small scene as they descended into the almost empty street below. It was perhaps fortunate that they had arrived so late in the day when most ponies were already either at home, or else just beginning to close shop. The last thing Twilight wanted now was to be hung up just outside the Medical Center by crowds of curious ponies asking questions she didn’t have time for. The chariot came to a stop beside the flying machine and the two ponies, and dragon, disembarked. Just as Twilight was reaching to unfasten the straps of her chest piece, they heard the thunderous pounding of hooves and turned to see a familiar pink earth pony galloping at them at full speed.

“Pinkie Pie!” Twilight called out to her friend, waving to her as she rapidly approached.

The charging pony leaned back and slammed on the brakes, sliding up to the armored unicorn and kicking up a large cloud of dust in the process. Fortunately for Luna, Alicorns had wings, and she was able to make use of hers to prevent the dust cloud from settling on her coach or herself. Twilight was not so fortunate however. After the dust settled, the now brown unicorn coughed once before opening her eyes to glare at the pink enigma in front of her, or at least she would have if said enigma had been in front of her. Looking around, they heard the tinkling of a door chime and turned to see Pinkie already had the hospital door open and was frantically waving at them to follow her. Twilight also noted the earth pony was somehow completely devoid of dust, and that she was carrying a small vial in her mouth. Sharing a quick look with Luna, Twilight scooped up Spike and the three of them accepted the invitation, the unicorn shaking her head first and returning again to her proper color.

Pinkie barely waited for them, and was already turning a corner as they entered the building. They were only just able to follow the fleeting glimpses of her cotton candy tail to Dash’s room, arriving a good few seconds after the pink mare. Inside the room was Rarity, Applejack, Nurse Redheart, the unconscious Dash with her foreleg now hooked up to an I.V., and a concerned Fluttershy seeing to a panting and now thoroughly exhausted Pinkie Pie; the glass vial of red liquid still held safely in her mouth.

“Twilight, there you are!” Rarity exclaimed, relief filling her voice. Then she noticed the other unicorn’s apparel. “What are you wearing?”

“Later,” the unicorn dismissed, as she stepped inside with Spike riding uncomfortably atop her armor clad back. Princess Luna followed closely; causing everypony in the room to bow, save for Pinkie Pie, who simply collapsed.

“Please, my subjects, let us spare the formalities,” the Alicorn said quickly. “Tell us, how fares Rainbow Dash?”

As most of the ponies stood up and looked at each other uncertainly, Nurse Redheart stepped over the still horizontal Pinkie Pie and answered.

“She doesn’t have much longer I’m afraid. The nightmares seem to be putting a great deal of stress on her body, as well as her mind. Judging from her facial expressions, she seems to be stuck in some kind of loop, with less than a forty five second gap in between each relapse. The severity of her concussion has made it impossible to administer any sleep aids, without risk of stopping her brain functions completely.”

Luna nodded once, and then spoke.

“Pray, let me see her.”

The Head Nurse stepped aside as the Alicorn approached the bedridden pegasus. Closing her eyes and directing her horn at Dash’s head, a pale blue glow began to cover both. After a few seconds, Luna frowned and the glow intensified, moving around Dash’s head to the back of her skull and lifting her head from the pillow slightly. The glow became stronger and stronger until it appeared the unconscious mare had a small star fixed to top of her spine. Then the glow dimmed back to its previous intensity expanding to encompass her whole body. For a few minutes, nopony spoke or moved as they watched the Alicorn concentrate on her unknown task.

Then suddenly, Luna flinched as if she had been struck across the face. Dash moaned and the princess gasped as she flinched again. The ponies watched as Luna’s breathing became labored and the blue glow surrounding Dash’s body turned a sickening crimson. It was the same exactly shade red as the lightning emblem on Element of Loyalty, but as it quickly swallowed up the flowing blue magic like an infectious blight, the color looked angry and menacing. The princess growled as she fought with the strange magic, struggling to keep it at bay, but her voice quickly changed to a pained yell as the blue glow surrounding her horn began to form streaks of crimson as well.

Thinking quickly, Twilight pointed her own horn at Luna’s and cast her failsafe spell. There was a bright flash and both colors vanished from the Princess’s head.

“Luna! Are you alright?” Twilight cried, rushing to the Alicorn’s side as she collapsed onto her knees. The glow surrounding Dash faded away as the princess shakily gasped for breath.

“I… I shall recover, Twilight Sparkle, though it seems I am yet again in thy debt,” Luna gasped, smiling weakly up at the unicorn. Twilight returned the smile and helped the Princess to her feet. “However,” the Alicorn continued, “it is as we feared. The Element of Loyalty is responsible for thy friend’s nightmares. I was able to mend her injuries and breathe some life into her body, but when I didst attempt to peer into her mind, I felt the presence of a corruption similar to that which once consumed me. Upon sensing my intrusion, the element did as it was designed, and protected its bearer from any outside influence.”

“Now wait jus’ one minute, Nelly,” Applejack spoke up. “What’a ya mean, ‘the Element of Loyalty is responsible?’”

Spike and Nurse Redheart were asked to leave to room as Luna and Twilight retold the story of the Alicorn’s fall into madness. The others were completely silent as they spoke, listening with rapt attention as Luna spoke; Twilight sometimes taking over when the memories became too much to bear for the younger Princess. By the time they had finished Fluttershy was nearly in tears again, and Pinkie was now leaning over the bed, her precious vial carefully placed on the bedside table as she gently stroked Dash’s mane. Applejack was the first to break the silence.

“Whew… so that’s what’s going on. But hold on a tick, does this mean our element’s migh’ turn on us the same as Dash’s?”

Twilight shook her head.

“No. From the Princess’s explanation, it seems that the only element prone to forming a paradox like this is Loyalty.”

“Ah pair o’ what now?”

“She means an unsolvable problem, Dear,” Rarity answered the cowpony. Then she turned back to Luna. “But if that is the case, is there anything we can do to stop it?”

The Princess shook her head sadly.

“I fear the element has pulled her too deeply into her mind for even I to reach. Were she an Alicorn, or perhaps even a powerful unicorn such as fair Twilight, she wouldst undoubtedly have already been consumed by her own magic, and been transformed into a creature similar to that of Nightmare Moon. If I had only been made aware of her plight to her sooner, I may have been some assistance. As it is, I am only able to keep her body alive with my magic, and with no means of reaching her mind, all that I may hope to accomplish through such action, is to prolong her pain.”

“Don’t worry, you’re not gonna have to prolong anything,” Pinkie said, a fierce fire in her voice. “In fact, we’re about to proshorten some things, cause I’m gonna rescue her!”

The other five shared looks of complete confusion.

“Pinkie, what in Equestria are you talking about?” Twilight asked. “Look, I know you’re … impossible at times, and I mean that literally, but surely you don’t think you can just jump into Dash’s nightmare and pull her out?”

“That’s exactly what I’m gonna do,” Pinkie replied, “and don’t call me Shirley.”

The pink pony gestured towards the vial.

“I got this from Zecora,” she explained. “It’s a special potion that lets ponies share each other’s dreams. She said I can use it to go into Dash’s nightmares and save her!”

“Zecora…” Luna said softly, “she is the zebra whom I met at the festival, is she not?”

“Yes she is,” Twilight said, looking at the small vial with reverence, “and she’s helped us more times than I care to remember.”

“Well, looks like we’re all gonna owe her again big time after this,” Applejack added. “But Pinks, how come there’s only a little bit o’ the stuff? ”

Pinkie Pie swallowed. “We only need a little bit because… I’m the only one who can use it to help Dash. If any of you drank it you’d either go into another pony’s head or… or you’d die.”

“Die! Darling, you don’t mean to say that stuff is poisonous?” Rarity asked, aghast.

Pinkie closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Well, she was going to have to tell them eventually.

“It’s only deadly to ponies who aren’t… who aren’t in love with each other.”

“But then how can it help you get into…” Rarity began, but then gasped dramatically. “Darling, you don’t mean to say you and Rainbow Dash are… an item?”

Pinkie fidgeted uncomfortably, playing with the hem of Dash’s sheets and trying her best to look anywhere but at her friends.

“Well… no, not really. But… I do… kind of… like her… and Zecora said she’s pretty sure Dash likes me, so... It should work.”

“Should?” Twilight echoed, looking at the vial uncertainly. It could have just been the fading light from the window, but the potion inside seemed to turn a little darker as she looked at it.

“Look,” Pinkie snapped, “I love her okay! I love Rainbow Dash! She’s more important to me than anything else in all of Equestira! I know it’s kind of a slim chance, but I’ve gotta try. She gave me my life, so if I have to risk it to save hers, well, that’ll just make us even-Stevens, right?”

Twilight and the others looked doubtful. Pinkie sighed and took a deep breath. When she spoke again, her voice soft, and fragile.

“I owe her, Twilight. I owe her everything. I wouldn’t be the Pinkie Pie I am today without… Eeerrr, I’ve already made this same speech like twice today! Can we just cut the drama and get to the part where I kick some nightmarish patootie already?”

Everypony in the room nearly fell flat on their faces as Pinkie completely shattered every shred of tension in the room. The potion, however, was once again a vibrant pink.

“Well, least we know she’s back to normal,” Applejack commented as she recovered from the emotional whiplash. Then she looked at Rarity. “But Ah reccon she does have a point.”

The fashionista nodded.

“Indeed, but Pinkie Pie,” Rarity added, turning to the exasperated earth pony, “be careful in there.”

The pink mare looked at her nervously. “So… just to be clear, you guys are okay with me being a…”

“A fillyfooler?” Applejack finished for her. “Why shoot, course we are. What’n the world’d make ya think we wouldn’t be?”

Pinkie looked around the room at her friends. They were all smiling back at her supportively, just as she knew they would. All except for Luna, who looked slightly confused as she tried to figure out what the word “fillyfooler” meant.

“Nothing,” the earth mare answered, smiling back at them. “Nothing at all.”

Fluttershy was the first to move forward and hug the pink pony, the other three soon joining in.

“Oh, you and Dash are going to make the most adorable couple!” the yellow pegasus squealed as she gave the earth pony a final squeeze around the neck.

“We’re all behind you on this, Pinkie Pie,” Twilight said. “Now, go get your girl!” She added with an enthusiastic wink.

“Ooooh,” Rarity cooed, as they broke apart. “This is going to be simply fabulous! To think there would be another couple in our group already! Oh I simply must call Siegfried’s to set up a double date, once this horrid nightmare business is over with, of course.”

“Double date?” Twilight asked, looking at the other unicorn curiously. “With who? Didn’t you say Spike was a little too young for you?” She added teasingly.

“Spike?” Luna asked, now even more confused. “Thy dragon assistant?”

The seamstress blushed deeply.

“No, um, I… I’ll explain later. The important thing is we should be focusing on Rainbow Dash now!”

“An’ you say Ah can’t keep a secret.” Applejack whispered, just loud enough for Rarity to hear, although a certain pink ear also gave a slight twitch in her direction, followed by a knowing smile.

After that, Pinkie explained how the potion was to be administered, and asked Twilight to help her measure out the correct dosage. Nurse Redheart was also called back in so they could request a second bed for Pinkie Pie. She agreed, but only on the condition that only the ponies who absolutely had to be present be allowed to remain in the room, so as not to crowd her patient.

Unfortunately, when it was explained that the nightmares were being caused by a rouge Element of Harmony, it was agreed that the remaining four should be present while Dash and Pinkie were unconscious. Princess Luna, being not only an Alicorn but also an ex-Element of Loyalty herself, also insisted upon being present as well. In the end, the only ones the Head Nurse had managed to keep out of the room were Spike, and herself.

“Remember Twilight, three drops,” Pinkie repeated. The unicorn nodded and carefully tipped the potion into the sleeping pegasus’s mouth while Fluttershy held it open. Dash gagged a little as the first drop hit the back of her dry throat, but after Twilight quickly added the remaining two drops, Fluttershy released her and the unconscious speedster swallowed them greedily.

“She must still be really dehydrated from all that sweating and crying,” Fluttershy remarked quietly as she looked down at her friend. Her rainbow mane was still weighed down by heavy perspiration, and the dried trails of countless tears made her cheeks sparkle with salt crystals. All in all, she looked terrible.

“Right, you next, Pinkie.” Twilight said, turning to the mare on the bed behind her. Pinkie nodded and stuck out her tongue as the floating vial slowly tipped forward.

“A moment, Twilight.”

The vial pulled back up as every head turned towards Luna. Twilight stepped aside as the Alicorn approached the pink pony, her expression grim.

“Before thee enters the mind of thy lover, I must warn thee-“

“Yeah I know,” Pinkie interrupted, “I’ll see terrors beyond my wildest dreams and stuff, Zecora already warned me, but don’t worry,” She added with a wink, “Scary stuff is kind of my specialty. Well, that and parties. And my twitches. And Inventing, that’s kind of a specialty too I guess.”

“I pray thee, listen,” Luna interrupted, her teal eyes cold and unwavering. Pinkie stopped in her list and blinked at the Alicorn.

“There shall be no monsters or phantasms such as thou might find within the Everfree where thou is destined. Within the mind of your tortured mare, thou will find nothing save pain, betrayal, and death.”

Pinkie was taken aback by the Alicorn’s words, as was everypony else.

“Within her mind, thou will see true horror. Atrocities of such cruelty and scale, that the only words which might describe them have been lost to our tongue since the discovery of harmony. Whatever paradox it is which drove her to this state, thou shall see the very worst possible outcomes, exaggerated to a terrifying intensity. There will be misery. There will be suffering. There will be bloodshed, and the world thou will enter will be nothing less than apocalypse, of this I do assure thee. Thou may very well see thyself becoming victim, or even perpetrator, of such wicked and evil acts, that not even the twisted heart of Discord would take joy from their execution.

“Even if, by some miracle, thou dost somehow manage to cure thy love of this affliction, the memory of the visions she has witnessed will continue to haunt her until her dying breath; just as they shall haunt thee as well. Thy love may never recover, condemned to live out the rest of her life as nothing more than an empty shell of mistrust, and fear. It was only through the power of the elements that thou prevented me from suffering such a fate, though even now I still feel the ghosts of paranoia and guilt haunting my mind.”

Luna paused for breath as she gathered the courage to say her next words.

“I may sound monstrous, perhaps even evil to you for suggesting this,” the princess all but whispered, her eyes pleading with the pink mare, “but if thou wouldst stop now, before thou art forced to witness such scarring travesties, I have, within my power, the ability to slow thy lover’s heart. Slow it until it beats no more, and she may pass into the next world peacefully, rather than be forced to live out whatever time she has left in tortured insanity. It may be best for both of thee if thou wouldst… if thou wouldst let her go. If thy Rainbow Dash does love thee, I do not believe she wouldst wish for you too to be condemned to such an existence as I have described. I beg you, please heed my words. Do not force this upon thyself.”

Pinkie swallowed as Luna finished, her eyes drifting to the sleeping pegasus on the bed behind the Alicorn. For almost a minute, the room held its breath, as Pinkie watched Dash’s face wince and flinch under the terrible onslaught of her dreams. Then the earth mare did something that shocked the entire room.

She stood up, and got down from the bed.

“Pinkie!” Twilight exclaimed, looking at the mare in disbelief. “What are you-“

“I’m sorry,” the earth pony said, her head down and her voice almost a whisper.

Nopony in the room could believe what they were seeing. Nopony, except Luna. The princess closed her eyes and nodded solemnly.

“Thou art making the correct decision. Nopony shall think the worse of -“

“I’m sorry,” Pinkie repeated turning to face the Alicorn, “that nopony could save you, until it was too late.”

Luna’s eyes shot open as she gaped at the earth pony, who looked at her with the saddest blue eyes she had ever seen.

“I’m sorry for everything that happened to you, I’m sorry that we couldn’t have saved you sooner, and I’m so sorry that you still have to live the pain and loneliness of your scars. I understand what you’re telling me, and I am grateful for your warning, but… I think… you also made me realize something.”

Every eye watched as Pinkie pulled herself onto Dash’s bed, and carefully made her way to lie down next to the pegasus. She slipped a foreleg under the other pony’s neck to cradle her head, while she used her other hoof to stroke the cyan mare’s tear stained cheek.

“She’s been saving me since before I even met her,” Pinkie continued, “but she’s saved a lot of other ponies too, and even more ponies look up to her. I used to think I was one of them… another fan. Another pony who had fallen for the super cool, sonic rainbooming, Rainbow Dash. But I’m not… not anymore. She’s not just my hero, she’s Dashie. She’s my best friend, the one I love playing pranks with, talking to, or just lazing about with when there’s nothing to do… and that’s what I realized. It’s not the big things that really make me feel the way I do about her, it’s the little things. Those little moments that add up so quickly. Seeing her smile, hearing her laugh, those little things that make her the mare I want to spend the rest of my life with.

“You made it sound like even if I win, I’ll never get to have those little moments with her again. I can’t believe that. Maybe it’s my element, but something inside me says we can still have those little moments, if I’m only willing to try.”

Pinkie tore her eyes away from Dash, and looked back at the stunned Alicorn.

“You said that the Element is flawed, right? That it’s always going to turn on itself when it has to make a choice between two of its loyalties? Well, maybe it isn’t flawed so much as… incomplete? Sometimes, you just need somepony who will be beside you, no matter what choices you make. Somepony to be there for you through those tough times and those impossible decisions. Somepony who loves you, just for who you are. I mean, we call those kinds of feeling love, but… isn’t it also a kind of loyalty?”

The Princess stared back at her. She could feel something moving inside her chest; a feeling that was familiar, and yet at the same time very foreign. Though her eyes remained fixed on Pinkie, she suddenly felt the desire to look at the violet unicorn beside her.

“I hope you do find your somepony, someday,” Pinkie said, “but if you’ll excuse me.”

Pinkie Pie turned her head and stuck out her tongue at Twilight. The unicorn looked at her as if she had just gone completely insane, until she remembered that she was still holding the vial. Gently, she tipped out the three drops into her friend’s tongue. Almost as soon as she had swallowed the potion, Pinkie felt sleep threaten to overtake her.

“I have,” she yawned, her head slowly being pulled down to lay beside Dash’s on the pillow, “a pegasus… to save…”

And with that, she finally descended into sleep, and into the horrific nightmares of pony she loved.