More Than A Dream

by nanashi_jones

Chapter 8

Twilight Sparkle knew about battle magic. Her brother was captain of the guard, after all. She had a top-notch shield spell, a magical grasp that could carry tonnage if pushed, and she could fire concentrated magic bursts so quickly that another pony just had to aim her while she casted to loose a barrage on par with a unicorn squad. Which is to say nothing of the spells she’d learned in her life that could be turned to martial applications. Fire spells, transformation spells, even her teleportation had battle use. Twilight Sparkle was a unicorn with options in a fight.

Unfortunately, Twilight Sparkle was also a Jack of All Trades thanks to her special talent. She could do pretty much any spell put in front of her, but trying to remember all of them? Forget it. Her special talent was magic, not memory, and as bright as she was, she could only remember so much.

Aurora Amaryllis wasn’t as shackled, nor as concerned about variety.

Aurora may have backed off of the ponies she thought she dreamed in her youth, but she still liked genre fiction. Despite her brutally rational personality, she really enjoyed a good fantasy story. It didn’t take much tweaking from her end to modify Twilight’s magic into some pop culture spellcraft of her own.

“Forzare!” Aurora Sparkle yelled, sending out a wave of purple energy that bowled over a gang of changelings.

“You’re such a geek!” Rainbow Speede laughed, plowing through changeling swarms with subsonic force.

“You got the reference!” Aurora Sparkle yelled back, making a shield to push another squadron of changelings to the wall.

As soon as Celestia had dropped the shield, the girls had acted. Aurora Sparkle released a wave of raw magic to stun the surrounding changelings and AshleyJack slammed her fist into the floor, shaking anypony else standing off their hooves. From there it had become a mess of merged pony/humans kicking and punching through the hordes of changeling drones with Celestia and Chrysalis horn-locked above them all.

“Your kingdom’s love has made me perfect!” screeched Chrysalis. “You have no power over me!”

“Don’t do this, Chrysalis,” Celestia said, blinking away the green arcs of energy that sparked from her foe’s jagged horn. “You play right into the Smiling Pony’s hooves.”

“He plays into mine!” Chrysalis shot back. “You have been removed from Harmony too long, Celestia! Down here? I and my hive communed with it. It speaks to us! It tells me its secrets! It has let me see the Light and I know that Light will burn the Smiling Pony away forever!”

Celestia didn’t have to be Sherclop Homes to see that Chrysalis had gone beyond paranoid with caution to bloodthirsty with conviction. It was the most dangerous combination she’d met in her long life.

As Chrysalis seethed, Celestia ran her options behind an exceptional pokerface, not liking what she pulled up. She couldn’t teleport the queen now- she was still too powerful. There was the possibility of bodily dragging her, but that would be... Complicated. And messy. So that was a last resort. The girls were still in play though. They were proving themselves amazing, from what Celestia could see out the corner of her eye, but they were also just six. Six pony-powered humans performing admirably, but six against a swarm that was growing exponentially.

Still. Celestia did not get to where she had by giving up. This held especially true to her people and their allies. She ultimately chose to keep Chrysalis occupied, her madness focused. And she hoped that something good came. Soon.

Aurora Sparkle sent out another blast. She checked the battlefield.

Rarity Jewele was doing impressive things with magical manipulation and conjured string as she tied up wave upon wave of changeling drones, AshleyJack was slamming whole squads up and over each other while Rainbow Speede was diving amongst them like an air cone piledriver, scattering their numbers. Pinkie Di and NovaShy had rounded up the dazed or knocked out changelings and put them in what could only be called an ever-growing “Party Corral.”

Aurora had wondered how Pinkie could have multiplied under Diane and the results were no less impressive than anything she could have imagined: a party to end all parties where one had difficulty keeping track of where Pinkie Di actually was at any given moment. Most amazing of all was that she was throwing this massive celebration for the enemy, bringing droves into a streamer filled, disco-light, music-thumping excitement. Pleasure Island wished it had looked so tempting.

“C’mon! Follow NovaShy! She’s such a great dancer doncha think?!” Pinkie Di hollered to her dazed, semi-captive audience.

Indeed, NovaShy appeared to be the central attraction of the celebration, though Pinkie Di had merely sprung up around her actions. After merging, NovaShy had glided quietly and surely through the throngs, parting them by some unseen will, to a corner where she began to sing and dance.

Smiling, moving and spreading music outwards, she was like some benevolent pied piper, causing changelings to halt in their attacks and wander her way. She didn’t command, she didn’t direct, she just asked and the changelings stopped fighting to go and bask in the comfort and goodwill NovaShy offered.

Aurora Sparkle found she had to actually look away herself, lest she be pulled in. If only she could offer such serenity by force of personality alone.

Everypony noted and busy, she ducked out of the main action. Moving along the wall, she found what she had been focusing on since the start: Spike in his cocoon.

“Hey Spike,” Aurora Sparkle whispered, running a hand along the green material. “Let’s get you out of here, okay?”

She reeled back her fist and slammed it into the wall, with painful results.

“Ow! Booger! Ow ow ow!”

Aurora Sparkle hopped briefly around, shaking her hand. Sticking her knuckles into her mouth she decided maybe her physical strength and fortitude hadn’t been affected by the merge. No matter, just need to use the better tool at hand.

She raised her hand and loosed a bright flash of pure, purple energy. When the violet smoke cleared, Spike was still slumbering, untouched, the cocoon undamaged.

Frowning, Aurora Sparkle cast a shield over herself. She needed to think and she didn’t want to be interrupted. As she tapped along the edges of the crystal, she realized she felt something approaching fatigue at the back of her mind. She had been moving a lot of magical energy and in a short amount of time. She also suspected the merge was physically taxing for Aurora’s body. Even with her skills enhanced, she had limits. She’d have to work quick.

Moving her fingers along the edges of the cocoon, she cast out with her magical senses and sought its cracks, weak points, the places where the sweater dangled its loose threads. As her tiredness moved from theory to reality, creeping closer to overwhelm her, she realized the other girls would be feeling the same soon. They needed to get out of that hive and soon. She wasn’t leaving without Spike though.

Just as exhaustion started manifesting as sweat with no small amount of panting, she found the gap she needed. A fracture within the cocoon that was required to make the varying layers. Not large, but it would do.

“Gotcha!”

Whoa, that was woozifying.

Shaking her head to clear it, Aurora Sparkle brought her mind to bear on the crack she’d found in the cocoon’s construction. She was quietly impressed too. Chrysalis must have done this herself.

Then, she heard a noise behind her and turned from her work. Her worst fears were met: Iris was against a wall, with a semi-transparent Rainbow Dash gasping as she leaned heavily against her leg. The pair were staring down a group of changelings. They looked beyond exhausted. They didn’t stand a chance.

Just to the side of that, Aurora Sparkle could see Celestia groaning under the effort of handling Chrysalis in all her crazed intensity. A quick glance confirmed the others were flagging too and while she could estimate who would hold out longest, she knew their time was short.

Pressing her mind against the cocoon again, she started magically chipping at it and little green chunks came off.

“C’mon... Come on!” she pleaded, her forehead pouring sweat, her knees sagging, her body slumping.

She realized in empty horror that she wouldn’t be able to run out of here. Much less carry Spike.

Shaking her head again, she reasserted her will. It didn’t matter, she had to finish.

Behind her, she heard as Rarity and Keiko separated, as Nova and Fluttershy gave way. Applejack and Ashley came next. Pinkie Pie and Diane held out longest, using an impressive conga line to great hypnotic effect, but then they broke and collapsed.

“Your subjects fall while mine grow in number, princess,” Chrysalis hissed, baring her fangs at Celestia. “What would you do now?”

“Hold to hope,” Celestia said with quiet determination.

“What hope do you have?!” Chrysalis shrieked in triumph.

“In my student and her friends!” the Sun Princess of all Equestria bellowed.

Maybe it was that shouted faith, maybe it was her doubled determination to free Spike, maybe it was just blind luck. Either way, Aurora Sparkle felt the cocoon give and break. A rain of green glass-like bits burst over her, turning into ichor and muck on contact with her clothes and skin. Spike groaned and tipped forward.

As Spike fell from the shattered cage, exhaustion took Aurora Sparkle. With one last gasp of effort, she simultaneously caught Spike and released the spell she’d been holding since the fight started.

It was a last ditch effort. Just in case. Only to be used if there were no other options. For Aurora and Twilight were nothing if not prepared.

The spell released, and her shield, which was paper-thin at this point, shattered. A wave of purple light, chased by deep indigo fading to white cascaded out into the room.

After Chrysalis attacked Canterlot, Twilight had requested several books on changeling anatomy as well as corresponding with Celestia and Luna about various pacification and restraining spells. In her studies, she found a particular spell that she had tweaked and adjusted appropriately. She’d never had a changeling to actually test it on, but as the purple/blue/white light rippled through everyone and everything in the hive, Aurora Sparkle had to smile.

The swarm was going to sleep.

The spell was a mishmash of efforts from the princesses and the favored student. While researching, Twilight found that changelings actually had an odd similarity to bees, such that when surrounded by smoke, they became docile, lethargic and sometimes went straight to sleep. Bouncing this idea off the princesses as well as the spectrum spell she’d found, they worked together to build a low-end, mental suggestion.

The suggestion was simple. Something that would ping right off any changeling’s hive hind mind: you are surrounded by smoke.

Ponies and any other creatures wouldn’t be affected as the suggestion existed only on the same wavelength as the changeling’s hive mind. A pony’s own brain structure would dismiss it before the suggestion even reached conscious thought. The spell was more complex than it was strong, and Twilight was completely uncertain it would work, so she’d held onto it for what Aurora had called, “an 11-th hour bid.”

Yet, it got the job done as Aurora could see and- Aurora...? Oh.

She was sitting now with her legs splayed out. Propped against the wall, Aurora Amaryllis looked down slightly to see Twilight, with her near-transparent head laying on Aurora’s leg. The pony smiled up at the human before her gaze went over to Spike, who rested on Aurora’s stomach, a protective arm about him.

“Spell worked,” Aurora said, thickly.

“Yeah... I see,” Twilight replied.

“Let’s not do this merge thing anymore. I feel like a bag of butts.”

Twilight nodded just enough to confirm her agreement.

Chrysalis was stronger than her subjects, but the spell managed to fuddle her. Blearily she swept her jagged horn back and forth as she floated down, her wings flapping uncertainly.

“Stay back!” she grumbled, her legs wobbly.

“Sleep, Chrysalis,” Celestia said decorously as smoke conjured from her horn. “And dream of large stallions.”

Chrysalis growled at the dark smoke wafting about her, then she teetered, snorted and collapsed, falling into a deep, dream-filled sleep. Where Luna waited.
~
“Any luck my sister?” Celestia asked the following morning.

“None,” Luna said, entering through the large doors. “She is caught in a particularly self-destructive nightmare.”

Celestia arched a perfect brow, curious.

Luna huffed, affecting offense.

“Entirely of her own making, sister, I assure you.”

Celestia held her brow for a minute longer, then a wry smile blossomed. Luna shared it.

“So, what’s that mean for us?” Iris asked.

The girls were gathered in one of Celestia’s guest chambers, eating an impressive meal. Aurora had been conscious enough to witness everything. Once Chrysalis was subdued, guards were summoned to detain the drones, contain the Changeling Queen and dismantle as much of the hive structure as deemed safe. Nothing could be done for the cocoons around the Elements’ bodies: there was too much changeling magic and power still in them. In a way, they were still quite safe.

The humans had been ministered to by confused medical staff and then carried by surprised guards into a spare guest room used by visiting dignitaries and their delegations. Discretion was expected of the staff, but to ensure there was no confusion, Celestia swore everyone to secrecy. In the sprawling, white, marbled room with a commanding view of Canterlot, the girls were all supplied with soft pink and purple pillows and warm sheets with the opportunity to recuperate.

They were also supplied with no shortage of suspicious looks from castle staff cleared to see them.

“That means we have spirit companions till the month is up,” Aurora said, poking at her salad.

Merging apparently burned calories big time if a nap didn’t happen immediately after. She had inhaled five bowls thick with dressing, a forgotten number of pastries and quite a few glasses of water. Aurora was content to idly move a tomato about the greens at this point.

When it was apparent she’d quieted the room, she looked up and with an apologetic tone added, “I figured it was obvious.”

“Not to sound, well, callous,” Keiko said, raising her finger. “But we can’t wait a month. We’ll surely be missed.”

“We’re probably already missed,” Aurora said, leaning against her fist.

“You’re pretty calm about this ‘Ro,” Ashley noted through an apple fritter. Whether it was from sharing with Applejack or her own preferences, the cowgirl had favored the apple flavored dishes to almost the exclusion of everything else.

“Too tired,” Aurora said with a crooked smile. “I’ll throw my usual tantrum later.”

The girls chuckled.

The ponies sat beside their matches, most of them gazing in pure envy with a dose of confusion at the food.

“It’s weird. I’m not hungry, but I could eat that whole spread,” Applejack breathed.

“With all due respect, sister,” Luna interjected. “I do not believe we can hold out another month.”

That got everyone’s attention.

Celestia nodded. “You are aware of the dangers as well?”

“Ever since you pointed them out to me.” Luna’s voice then shifted, taking a more pronounced tone with hints of the Royal Canterlot Voice. “We have scoured our dreamscape and attended to our creatures of the Night. His poison struck there first and he threatens our rule at every turn. Our forces are strong, but it will be but days before he breaks through- he has simply accumulated too much strength.”

“And how fare you, dear sister?”

“I manage,” Luna said, her voice tired, but her back staying straight and proud. Celestia saw through this bluster, noting all too clearly the burden her sister endured.

Celestia nodded again and turned to the assembled girls.

“Save your breath,” Aurora said, as Celestia opened her mouth. “We’re taking him on.”

Everyone turned to Aurora, varying shades of shock to her declaration to aghast that she would presume to speak before the princess. The spirit ponies were especially boggled when Celestia actually smirked and snorted, as if amused.

“We are?” Nova asked, gulping audibly.

Aurora nodded, steepling her hands.

“He’s coming through dreams, spreading through minds, poisoning the land and its people- just like Zecora said,” Aurora continued. “He’s not going to stop until somepony, or someone, stands in his way.”

Sighing, Aurora leaned back. “Besides. We’re in this deep, I figured we’d see it through.” She looked off, a frown etching across her face. “Now we get to take the fight to him.”

Everyone absorbed that notion as they realized they had all been thinking the same thing. Luna’s information meant they could no longer wait and plan. The Elements of Harmony and their humans were their strongest option, even as out of sorts as they were. They had nothing else.

“Zecora said a shaman stood in his way,” Rarity said quietly, hopefully.

“Well, we’re no shamans,” Rainbow Dash said, puffing up her chest. “But we’re best friends with a three-oh record of defending Equestria. I think we got a shot.”

Chuckles rippled across the table and Aurora noticed when quietly confident grins started blossoming on everyone’s faces.

Luna smiled especially broader. “Rainbow Dash speaks well. And all of you, your bravery speaks for your character.”

Everyone blinked.

“You can see them?!” came the unanimous shout from the humans as the ponies exclaimed, “You can see us?!”

“I walk among dreams and the unseen all the time,” Luna responded, as if confirming she knew about the moon. “The Elements are indistinct, but I perceive them.”

Celestia was almost taken aback before she squinted her eyes and knocked a hoof on her crown.

“Oh, I am getting old. I completely forgot you would sense them clearer than I do, sister.”

Luna smirked.

“It is fine sister. You know that I am partial to my own council. It would not behoove me for you to know all my secrets, yes?”

Celestia settled her withers and a twinkle came to her eye. “Secrets? Of course, sister. Like the charming stallion you had a crush on back in-”

“Sister!” Luna shrieked, wings flaring.

Pinkie and Diane cracked up.

“You guys need your own TV show,” Diane said, tittering.
~
With Luna added to the circle that could understand the spirit ponies, the girls were washed, given a day’s rest and equipped for their journey to the Smiling Pony’s last location. Before they left, though, Aurora and Twilight asked to attend to something personal.

Spike slumbered in a private room in the medical wing of the castle. He was administered by one nurse at all times on top of a team of professional vets trained in dragon anatomy. While the girls were in cocoons that nurtured and held them stable, Spike had been tossed in the equivalent of changeling cold storage, which hadn’t done him any favors.

Aurora remembered the doctors explaining that had Chrysalis done this to a pony, they would not have survived. Only the fact that Spike was a dragon had kept him alive.

“Hibernation?” Aurora asked from the stool at the edge of the bed.

“Close,” Twilight said from her position near the head, where Spike rested. “Since it’s something dragons do from time to time, he’s better than he could be, but...” Her jaw tightened.

Now that the excitement was over, Aurora could see just how tired Spike looked, how dull his scales were. Her heart tightened. She remembered him pretty clearly, for all that they were Twilight’s memories. That didn’t make the shared experience less real, nor did it ease the ache she felt when she looked at him laying there. He looked so limp, so weak.

“I don’t have a younger sibling,” Aurora said. “Or an older one.”

“I know,” Twilight said.

“Do you mind if I... If I think of him as family? Like you do?”

Twilight smiled. “I’d be honored,” she told the girl.

Aurora shared the smile and rose from her cramped position. Part of the outfitting meant Keiko had worked physically with the palace seamstresses and mentally with Rarity to make new “adventure outfits” for the girls. Aurora was in an off-white shirt and rich, purple pants covered by a deep-violet robe. After the beating her regular clothes had taken, plus all the cocoon goo, which had turned out to be mildly corrosive to fibers (including the improvised pants), it was nice to be fully dressed again.

She wished she just didn’t feel like she had gotten dressed to visit a dying family member. It was a too familiar feeling.

On the other side of the bed, she leaned down and ran a hand over Spike’s head. Memories of hoof rubs came back, but faded as she learned what he felt like under her own touch. Spike was smooth and a bit slick, though now he was... Splintery? She bet that was just his health. If he was healed, he’d feel much smoother, like velvet.

Twilight looked at him and Aurora felt the slight envy through their connection as she stroked the dragon comfortingly.

“‘Ro?” came Ashley’s voice.

The pony and human turned and saw the collection of their friends.

Iris was in bare legs with a short, sky-blue tunic covered by a silver chest plate with matching gauntlets for her arms. Ashley was in heavy, brown pants with a similar vest over her plaid orange shirt and a pair of gloves and rope tucked into her belt. Diane sported her jean jacket over ridiculous pink harem pants and a rose-colored, gypsy top. Nova wore a canary-yellow sundress covered by a grass-green, three-quarters, hooded robe. Keiko was in what looked like mother-of-pearl riding pants and a matching short-sleeved, fitted bustier trimmed in royal purple with little jewel accent bands on her upper arms.

They looked like something out of one of Aurora’s Dungeons and Dragons campaigns.

“Hey guys,” Aurora said, her voice mixed with relief and emotional fatigue.

“We figured you were here,” Applejack said, coming through the door. “We were wondering...”

“We’re his family,” Twilight said. “Of course you’re all welcome.”

Ponies and humans alike came through the doors, surrounding his bed. One by one, the humans touched Spike’s hand, his head, whispered private things in his ear and stood back to let the next friend pass. The ponies seemed to be speaking through the girls at this time and while Aurora could feel the pang of jealousy in Twilight, the others appeared content to offer proxy comfort.

“Time to head out,” Iris said once everyone had said their peace.

They nodded and trotted or strode out.

“Can I...?” Twilight asked.

“Of course, dear,” Rarity said. At the door, she and Keiko paused to look back at their Spikey-wikey, glanced at one another in silent conversation, then disappeared around the corner.

Though Aurora could sense the purple unicorn wanted privacy, she compromised the best she could by sitting at her stool to prevent the spiritual tether from pulling Twilight away from her baby brother. After a minute of silence, Aurora didn’t need their spiritual connection to see the want in Twilight’s eyes. She wanted to touch Spike, tell him it was all okay.

“You know...” Aurora said.

“Don’t. It’s draining and this isn’t that important.”

Silence.

“I think it is,” Aurora said.

She reached her arm out and wrapped it around Twilight. The now-familiar sensation of spirit magic began working instantly, drawing Twilight into Aurora and when Aurora Sparkle opened her eyes, she knew she was distinctly more Twilight-like and working to keep it that way. At least for now.

She ran a hand lovingly over Spike and tears sprung to her eyes.

“Oh Spike...” she choked in her echoey voice. “I’m so sorry...”

Spike groaned, making Aurora Sparkle flinch.

“Twilight...?” he said, his eyes flickering open. Barely.

Embarrassment rushed to her face and Aurora could feel that she and Twilight were about to break because the pony didn’t want her dear brother to see her this way. Yet, Aurora held tight to the bond and quietly prevented Twilight from escaping into her ghostly visage. Spike didn’t care what she looked like- she was Twilight. No matter what.

Reassured, Twilight Sparkle smiled with Aurora’s face.

“Yeah...” she said soothingly, her voice alone.

“Transformation spell get out of hand?” he said with a fanged smirk.

“Something like that,” Twilight replied.

He blinked, sudden stress creeping into his bearing and he sat up with a hiss.

“Twilight! Chrysalis! She’s going to- Urrggh...”

“Easy there, Spike,” Twilight said, soothingly, and pushed him back into his sheets. “You’ve had it rough. We know all about Chrysalis and we’re working on it.”

“Good... Good,” Spike said, looking more tired.

“You rest,” Twilight said. “We’re taking care of things. I’ll tell you about it soon. You won’t be left out.”

“Y’better,” he mumbled. “You know how *yawn* good I am in a fight.”

“Sweet dreams, my brave little dragon.”

As Spike slipped back to sleep, Twilight slipped out from Aurora. Aurora noted how she didn’t feel even remotely tuckered out this time. More weird spirit stuff.

“Thank you,” Twilight said in a hushed voice.

“It’s what friends do,” Aurora replied.
~
“And that, my liege, is how we know the Earth to be banana shaped,” Diane said nasally.

“This new learning amazes me, Sir Bedevere. Explain again how sheep's bladders may be employed to prevent earthquakes,” Aurora replied in her plummiest accent.

Iris cracked up. “You guys are such geeks.”

“Monty Python and the Holy Grail is a comedy classic!” Pinkie Pie said.

“You’ve seen it?” Rainbow asked.

“Pretty much,” Pinkie replied with a bouncy grin.

“At least they’re not blastin’ on those trumpets anymore,” Ashley said quietly to Keiko, who nodded emphatically.

The girls had set out of Canterlot with a writ of Celestia’s approval to help clear the way, as well as arming Twilight with the same glamour spell the Princess had cloaked the humans in before. All Twilight had to do was hoof it to Aurora for casting and the group would be covered.

It hadn’t taken long before Pinkie and Diane pulled out trumpets and started playing the travelling music from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. This inspired Aurora to start quoting the film and Diane to respond appropriately. Iris had been softly chiding them the whole while. It certainly kept things lively for the long walk they had ahead.

“You know, you keep saying that,” Aurora said. “But you keep getting the references.”

“Yeah... But that’s because I...”

“I mean, you got my call of a Dresden Files spell back in that fight,” Aurora wheedled with a mischievous smirk. “Is someone in the nerd closet?”

“I am not!” Iris said hotly, her cheeks burning.

“What’s nerdy about Dresden Files anyway?” Rainbow countered. “Harry kicks major flank!”

“Not... Helping, Rainbow,” Iris grumbled into her hand.

“O-ho!” Diane said, throwing her arms around Iris. “It seems our little Iris is totally into the geeky stuff.”

“Just- Just the cool parts,” Iris said under her blush. “I’m not like... An egghead or anything.”

“Nothing eggheaded about butt-kickin’,” Rainbow soothed from above. “Remember Daring Do?”

“Yeah...” Iris mumbled, rubbing her hands on her bare legs. “Those’re fun...”

Aurora shook her head, laughing.

As they continued their on-foot journey, the conversation turned to shared interests and activities with most of the girls finding common ground somewhere. Be it from Ashley admitting to being a big fan of Firefly or Keiko’s obsession with the dashing leading men of the BBC or even quiet Nova’s interest in magical girl anime. They all shared bits of themselves and Aurora realized she didn’t feel nearly as alone amongst these girls as she had a day ago.

The group stopped to rest in a glen not too long after the topic wound down. The humans ate a late lunch while Applejack and Rainbow Dash kept lookout.

Iris noticed Nova hadn’t eaten much.

“Nervous?” she asked sitting down next to the quiet girl in yellow and green.

Nova inhaled deeply then released, nodding her head.

“Yeah. This...” Iris looked over at Rainbow, who scouted back and forth at the edge of her spiritual tether. “This is way over our heads, you know?”

“I do.”

“So, um. I gotta ask. How’re you keeping up? I mean, if you’re anything like Fluttershy... No offense.”

Fluttershy shrugged from her spot in Nova’s lap. “I am something of a scaredy pony.” She sighed. “That doesn’t mean I don’t care and can’t... Mare up when I need to.”

Iris chuckled.

“I like that.”

Nova smiled and stroked Fluttershy’s mane.

“I’m with friends,” the human girl said. “And I want to protect this place. I may not be brave like you or Rainbow Dash are... But I don’t want to see any more ponies or people hurt.” She shook her head. “It’s part of why I’m studying to be a vet. Even though I’m far from my home tribe, my mother raised me with the same values. We can’t just help ourselves, we have to be willing to help every creature- we’re all in this together.”

Iris smiled at Nova, who’d started looking off in her introspection. She caught herself and blushed, coming back in.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to get so...” She shrugged sheepishly.

“Nah, that was...” Iris smiled. “That was cool.”

Turning away from Nova, Iris surveyed the assembled girls. Aurora and Keiko were laughing, Ashley was laying back in the grass, head rested on folded arms, Pinkie, Diane and Twilight were in heated discussion about something, and Rarity had joined Applejack and Rainbow at watch.

Iris hadn’t known them long, but thanks to the shortcut the ponies provided by sharing so much, she’d gotten close to these other girls and was glad for the relief of friendship available. Relief had been in short supply when she had thought she really was crazy.

Iris had fully backed Rainbow Dash when she took over her body, letting the pony gain access to as much of herself as Iris could provide. She’d believed in her cause, but after getting locked up and having the doctors talk to her day after day... Iris had considered she had gone around the bend and she was just the last shred of something approaching a real, rational girl now locked behind this Rainbow pony forever.

Iris was relieved beyond words that what happened actually was some epic, Lord of the Rings adventure with brain magic in the mix. Having people to share in that experience only helped in calming her nerves.

Yet, there were some things that still nagged at her.

“Can I... Can I be honest with you girls?” Iris said, resting her arms on her knees.

“Of course,” Nova said.

“Sure,” Fluttershy added.

Iris measured her breaths, taking her time. Nova and Fluttershy waited with patient expressions. If Iris was as much like Rainbow as Nova and Fluttershy were like one another, then she’d take her time before speaking about her emotions.

“I’m scared,” Iris said after an almost too-long pause. “Like, woo scared. Rainbow is too. We’re- We’re way out of our depths here. We don’t mind pitching in, helping out, getting- ha! Getting physical. But...” Iris sighed. “This is so big. A whole planet hinges on us. And this Smiling Pony guy?” She shivered. “I don’t know how everyone else is doing it.”

Nova and Fluttershy were quiet a moment, sharing in council. Then, Nova rested her hand on Iris’s shoulder.

“We take it one step at a time. Together,” Nova said.

Iris nodded.

“Cool. Sounds... That sounds like a good idea.”

She wrapped her hand around Nova’s.

“Mind if- Mind if during the big deal, I use some of your bravery? I kind of need it,” Iris admitted.

“I don’t know how much I’ll have at that point,” Nova laughed softly. “But I’ll be there for you, Iris.”

“So will I,” Fluttershy said.

“Me too,” Aurora chimed in.

Iris glanced over and saw everyone was looking at her. She blushed, pressing her face into a hand.

“You guys hear all of that?”

“We heard enough,” Keiko said.

“Nothin’ wrong with bein’ scared,” Applejack said. “Especially now. We got plenty of time to think how bad it’s gonna get.”

“But don’t let the scaredies get ya!” Pinkie said, hopping over. “That’s when you do silly things like hide in the basement from zombies for a week.”

Everyone stared at her.

“It was a bad week!” Diane said, crossing her arms and standing by her pony.

“What I think Pinkie means,” Twilight said. “Is that you don’t have to let the fear get to you. You’re not alone. Not right now.”

Iris blushed again, looking down.

Head hidden by her arms, she said, “You guys are gonna hug me now, aren’t ya?”

“Yyyyyyep!” Pinkie crowed, launching first.

Soon, all the girls and ponies were held together in a firm group hug. Deep inside, Iris heard Rainbow whisper in her mind.

They’re the best, aren’t they?

Yeah, Iris replied. Best friends any pony or person could ask for.

Comments

[Rocket0007]

*imagine high-pitched robotic voice*
"I love this show!"
---
Something like this would have made the pilot episode (back in S 1) so much better, and it'd have given a better motivation for the Six to become such good friends

[Pinklestia]

Well, mushy stuff can be okay I guess.