> Equestria's Mirage: Dream Warriors
>  by Alchemystudent
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> A perfect day
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        It was dark and in the Everfree forest, isn’t it always? Somewhere within the darkened woods, an orange mare struggled to stand after getting slashed in the side by a serpentine monster, “BUCK!” She swore out loud as she felt the pain in her side, “Ah can’t believe that this guy got us by the nose.” 

        Before she could say another word, the four-armed serpent swiped his tail at the young mare and throwing  her into a tree  leaving a dent, much to the horror of a rainbow maned pegasus, “APPLEJACK!” She cried out, watching her friend slump to the ground.

“I-I-It’s alright, she’s breathing,” said a yellow pegasus as she laid next to the orange earth pony, laying a hoof to the throat. 

Rainbow Dash looked to the struggling mare, seeing all of the cuts and wounds that laid on her friend’s body, “Thanks for the update, Shy, but you should rest there. You just let me finish this bozo off!” She said with a smirk, ignoring the blood trickling down her broken foreleg from the huge gash in her shoulder.

A white unicorn breathed slowly as she watched the blue pegasus walk forward slowly, trying her best to ignore the wounds on her friend. Trembling, she turned her eyes to where the broken winged yellow pegasus laid with the orange earth pony, neither moving that much and then she looked down at the badly injured pink pony in her forelegs, “Oh, I can’t believe this is how it all ends. Sweetie Belle, Spike, Coco, I’m so sorry,” Rarity whimpered as she held the earth pony close to her chest.

Rainbow Dash growled as she stood before the monster, her wings unfurled at full length as she glared her eyes at the giant snake. She knew that as injured as she was, she would not fare well against the beast; however, that did not mean she wasn’t going to give him a hell of a good fight. Letting out a deafening roar, the monster reared back his two clawed hands and prepared to slash at Rainbow Dash, only to find all four of his limbs ensnared by golden chains which then pulled his limbs back behind him. A guttural growl of frustration came from his throat as he looked up to the now parting trees of the Everfree, revealing the bright sunlight and a majestic purple alicorn flying in from the sky. As she landed, her golden shoes seemed to crackle with purple magic, “YOU WILL NOT HARM MY FRIENDS ANYMORE!” She commanded, her wings flaring as she stared the monster down.

“TWILIGHT!” Shouted Rainbow Dash and Rarity.

Twilight turned to her friends, smiling softly as she put a protective barrier over them, “Don’t worry, I’ll stop this monster from hurting anypony else,” and with that, she turned to face the monster with a determined look. Charging her horn up, she let loose a torrent of magical energy that began to shock and electrocute the creature. As he screamed in pain, the purple alicorn lifted him up with her magic and turned to buck him hard enough in the chest to send it flying into a nearby mountain. Not satisfied with her work, the purple alicorn sent out a wave of ice magic that froze the creature in the mountain for eternity. 

With a low sigh, she lowered herself softly to the ground and turned to face her friends. Making her horn glow with a soft pink light, she surrounded her friends with a similar light and healed all of the wounds, “THAT WAS SO AWESOME!” exclaimed Rainbow Dash as she ran to Twilight to give her a hug.

“Oh, thank you Twilight. You saved us all,” Rarity said as she ran to her best friend and joined in the hug.

As Applejack arose, she looked to her purple savior with a smile, “Yeah, thanks sugarcube,” she said, wiping the dust off of her hat and walking over to her dear friend. “Ah don’t know what we would’ve done without ya.”

“You were so brave,” Fluttershy smiled softly as she hugged her friend.

“You were super-terrific!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed, jumping onto Twilight’s back with an excited cheer.

Twilight let out a small chuckle, “It was nothing, really. I would do anything to save you guys.”

“Nothing? It was AWESOME!” Dash said.

“Thanks,” Twilight smiled as she returned the hug to her friends, “Now, let’s head back home. Everypony’s worried about us.”


...











Twilight, please, you need to wake up!




        

“What?” Twilight asked, raising her head from the guardrail, taking a quick look around for the source of the voice.

“I said, ‘wake up, my dear Twilight,” stated a white alicorn as she walked up behind her former student, “was last week’s battle so tiring that you are still feeling tired?”

Twilight blinked a few times as she looked up at her teacher, “Oh, no, it was nothing like that princess. I was just daydreaming about me and my friends, and how happy I am that they’re all here.”

“Yes,” Celestia said, a calming smile on her lips, “You and your friends have been through a lot in the short time that you have been friends. It is a cause for celebration, now come and let’s go and enjoy the peace and happiness that you and your friends have won us. Let’s rest in the glow of your many victories, for no teacher could be prouder.”

Twilight looked up to her teacher with a smile as she walked away from the balcony and followed her into the hallway, “You’re really proud of me, princess?”

“Of course, the things you have done, the ponies you inspired, and bringing back my sister. No teacher could be prouder,” Celestia said, a bright smile on her lips.

        A deep red blush came to Twilight’s cheeks as she followed her princess, unable to bask a little in the praise that her teacher was giving her. Too involved in the praise was she that she did not notice the small bump in the rug, making her trip and fall. Grunting as she fell face first onto the ground, she looked up to see an extended orange hoof, “Thanks Applejack.”

        “Come on Twilight, get up!” Applejack yelled.


        “What did you say?” Twilight asked.

        “Ah said get up ya silly filly,” Applejack chuckled, “Can’t have ya tripping on yer own two hooves now can we.” 

        “Thanks, Applejack,” Twilight said, before giving her a hug, “thanks for being my strength when I need it.” Twilight paused at that thought as she pulled away, “Why did I think that?”

        “Coming, Twilight?” asked Celestia as she continued to walk, “You must not be late to bask in your victory and finally rest.”

        “Yes, princess,” Twilight said, looking back at Applejack. Smiling a little, she continued to walk with her teacher, only to bump into Rainbow Dash’s chest, “Sorry Rainbow.”

        Rainbow looked down at Twilight, a serious frown on her face, “Twilight, don’t you dare give up! Don’t you even think about giving up and leaving us alone...I’ll...I’ll never forgive you if you give up on us!” 

        “Dash,” Twilight said with a chuckle as she hugged Rainbow Dash, “I’ll never give up on anypony, you know that. I’ll always do my best and I’ll always find a way to come back to my friends. Even if I feel abandoned, I know you’ll come for me...even if I don’t deserve it.”

      
  “Just making sure you remember not to quit. I don’t want to lose my best flying buddy, right?” Dash asked, nudging her friend before flying off as Twilight looked on confused.

        “Don’t forget Twilight, a hero should also rest after their victory,” Celestia said, smiling, “a young mare needs her rest.”

        “Of course princess, and I’ll rest after I’m done celebrating with my friends,” Twilight said, walking with her teacher. The warmth that she could feel from her maternal figure gave her a calming feeling, almost as if she could sleep forever. That is when she felt something hug her from behind, “Rarity?”

        “Twilight, I am sorry, I messed your mane. Don’t worry, we’ll fix that up when you come back. Just make sure you come back. Spike needs you, we all need you!” Rarity said, holding the side of Twilight’s cheek.

        
“W-what was that Rarity?” Twilight asked, looking into Rarity’s purple eyes.

“I said, do not forget to come to the boutique when you are done here. I have some new designs for both you and Cadence that I feel that you simply must try!” Rarity exclaimed.

“Uh, thanks, I’ll look forward to it Rarity,” Twilight said with a smile. “Thank you, Rarity. You keep reminding me how to believe in my own heart.” 


As this new thought entered Twilight’s mind, she stopped herself from walking alongside her mentor to look at a dark blue cat. Letting loose a gasp of surprise and curiosity, she followed the cat down the hallway, her mind thinking back to when she had encountered a similar cat in another time and in a dream. Racing after it, she quickly stopped as she reached the end of the hallway and let out a sad sigh as she watched the cat getting picked up by a white unicorn with dumpling hair buns, “Oh, I guess it was just a cat. Never mind.”

Turning around to rejoin her mentor, she found herself bumping into a yellow pegasus, “Oh gosh, I am so sorry Fluttershy.” 

Tears began to flow from the teal blue eyes as she hugged Twilight tightly, “Twilight, please don’t give up. We need you to wake up, we don’t want to know what this world would be like without you.”


“Fluttershy, what are you talking about?” asked Twilight, looking at the weeping pegasus.

A soft chuckle came from the pegasus’s mouth as she wiped a tear, “I just wanted to remind you how important to all of us. You know we all love you, right?”

“Of course I do, Fluttershy. I always know...you are some of the most important ponies in the world to me.” Twilight smiled as she gave a big hug to Fluttershy, “Thank you for loving me, for being so kind.” 


Again? Twilight pulled away from her friend at the sudden thought that came to her. For a few moments, she blinked in confusion as to why she had begun to think these thoughts and tried to figure out the why. Before she could continue to look into the reasons for thinking like this, she was taken by surprise by a small dragon grabbing her foreleg, “Spike, there you are! I was wondering where you were.”

“Please, Twilight, please wake up soon. I-I-I don’t want to be alone, don’t leave me,”  Spike whimpered as he nuzzled his head into Twilight’s foreleg.

“Spike, what brought this on?” Twilight asked, rubbing his spines gently, “You know that I will never leave you. I love you too much to let you go, just like I told you back at the empire. I will NEVER let you go, my special little guy.”  Shaking her head again to get the thoughts out of her mind, she lifted Spike up onto her back and let him ride with her as she found her way through the halls and back to Celestia.

“Something amiss, my dear student?” Celestia asked, looking down at Twilight with a look of concern.

“UH...no, nothing. I just thought I saw a weird cat,” Twilight responded, looking away from Celestia in embarrassment.

“It’s understandable, my student. You do tend to see weird things when you do not have enough rest, It why a hero needs her rest,” Celestia smiled softly and then nuzzled Twilight affectionately. “Rest is good, especially for a pony who has done so much like you have. As soon as you are finished celebrating with your friends, promise me you’ll get some rest.”

“I will, princess,” Twilight said, smiling at her teacher as she heard footsteps coming up from the hallway. Looking ahead, she saw a unicorn stallion with guard armor walking towards her, “SHINING!” yelled Twilight happily as she walked to her brother.

A grim look came to the stallion’s face as he looked down at her, “Twilight Sparkle, you have never given up on anything in your entire life, so don’t you DARE give up on us now!”


“Give up? Of course I won’t give up Shining, but on what?” Twilight asked, “Always watching over me, even when I don’t know it...aren’t you BBBFF?”


The stallion said nothing as he walked away, looking forward without saying anything to his sister. Turning around, Twilight began to try and call out for Shining in attempt to figure out what he meant, but was interrupted by a nudge from Celestia and was made to continue her journey down the hallway. After a few more feet, they soon found themselves in front of two large open doors enveloped in a bright light, “Here we are Twilight,” Celestia said, opening the doors for her, “Where you can go and celebrate all of the things you have done, the heroics that you have performed, the friends that you made, be loved by your friends, and a place where you can finally rest.”

Twilight smiled at this, but before she could walk through the doorway, her eyes caught sight of a straight maned pink pony, “Pinkie, what’s wrong?”

“DON’T leave us Twilight!” Pinkie Pie tearfully shouted, “Don’t leave me, don’t leave us. Please, just wake up and come home!”


“Pinkie, you know I’ll never leave you. Remember, that was the first thing I promised you guys back at the coronation. No matter what happens to me,” Twilight said, hugging her friend tightly, “I will do everything I can to stay with the ponies who need me the most, my friends. Pinkie Pie, the mare who can bring me so much hope to my life, thank you for being that little light in my life.”


“Ok then, just wanted to remind you of your promise! Remember, breaking a promise is the fastest way to lose a friend,” Pinkie Pie said.

“Forever!” Twilight finished with a giggle before turning to walk with Celestia. As she walked through the door and out into garden where she saw several ponies play and dance, Twilight paused at the steps.

“Something wrong, Twilight?” Celestia asked.

Wake up Twilight


“I’m sorry Celestia, it’s just...” Twilight said.

Come back Twilight

      
  “It’s just...”

        Please wake up!


        “It’s just...”

      
  WAKE UP!

        “I don’t think this is real.”


        And her dream world, remained unshattered.





      
  A dark blue alicorn quickly pulled back from the sleeping Twilight Sparkle, the bright white glow leaving her eyes. Shaking the cobwebs out of her head, Rainbow Dash turned to the blue alicorn, “Well? Did it work? Did you save her?”

        “We are sorry, Rainbow Dash,” Princess Luna said, dejectedly. Looking at the sleeping Twilight as she laid on the bed and attached to many monitors and magical machines, then back to the 8 ponies and one dragon that were also at the young princess’s side, “But it seems that, whatever has afflicted Twilight Sparkle, is powerful enough to keep me from helping her. It seems that she is trapped within that dream world for now. We are so sorry.”




Equestria’s Mirage 2: Dream Warriors.


	

> The dream of beginnings
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

---------------------------------------------------------4 days ago-----------------------------------------------------


        In the royal throne room of Canterlot, Twilight Sparkle began to walk around the large room allowing her mind to think back to the events of previous year after her coronation. The loss of the elements, the adventures her and her friends have been on recently, and most importantly, the growth of her friends. Looking at the glass window and at the afternoon sun, she let out a reflective sigh, it just seemed that her friends had been growing more and more apart. As if the loss of the elements had marked a much unwanted change in her relationships, one that had begun to make her doubt their deep bond. 

        A sorrowful sigh escaped her lips as she began to think back on the past few months, looking at seemed to be an endless onslaught of parties and duties. The work that she and her friends had been taking so much of their time lately that it seemed to take away from them spending time with each other. Not to mention the work that Dash had been putting into the Equestrian Games, Rarity had been putting in extra time at the boutique, and Fluttershy had been spending some extra time with helping the Breezies and other creatures, have been all events that seemed to put some distance between her and her friends. To make matters worse, it seemed like her duties had been increasing within the last few months, forcing her to spend more time in Canterlot and away from Ponyville and her home. Making her feel very alone, and separated from all that she cared for, “Will they always be there...?”

Shaking her head, she tried to get the doubts out of her mind and focus on her one year anniversary.

A soft smile came to Twilight Sparkle as she looked down from the window of the throne room at the small party that was being held in the courtyard. All of her friends were there to celebrate her first year anniversary of her coronation and the third biggest day of her life (the first being, the day she became Celestia’s student and the second when she came to Ponyville. A contented sigh escaped her lips as she looked over the courtyard at all the things her friends were doing. Applejack happily sharing her apple wares with the various ponies and talking to a cousin of hers and Rarity busying herself with the Canterlot elite, namely a white unicorn stallion with a stylish blue mustache.  Chuckling, she placed a hoof onto the window as if she wanted to touch them and to be down there with them. Looking to the sky, she watched as Rainbow Dash began to have a race with a yellow pegasus while Fluttershy sat on some grass surrounded by the animals she loved so much. Another chuckle escaped her lips as she watched Pinkie Pie mess around with some of the more, snobbish, of the elite.

        “You wanted me, Princess?” asked an orange stallion with a purple mane.

        “Ah yes, Swift arrow,” Twilight said, putting a serious and stern look on her face. “I command you to bring to me: Abbigail Jacqueline V, Rainbow Dash, Pinkamena Diane Pie, Rarity Belle, and Fluttershy Firewing. I want them to be brought to me at once. Let them know that this is a ROYAL command, that they are to be brought to receive some due justice.”

        “Due justice? For what? And what exactly are you going to give them?” asked Arrow, his eyebrow arched.

        “Oh, they’ll find out,” Twilight sneered, her eyes narrowing in anger, “Now, follow my orders and bring them to me!”

        “Yes, ma'am.” Arrow said, walking out the door that lead to the room and closing it.

        As Twilight watched the door close behind him, her stern facade quickly vanished a mischievous grin replaced it. In truth, she never wanted to sound like it was going to her head; however, in order for the deception to work she needed to look the part. Her smile growing wider, she immediately flew up into the sky in a flurry of giggles, “Oh this is going to be PERFECT! It’ll be a perfect joke!” After doing a loop in the air, she glided back onto the throne with a big smile on her face, “I can’t wait for them to come in and see the looks on their faces! I can almost see it now, first,” the purple alicorn said with a grin as she created small images of her friends walking through the door, “They’ll come in not know what to expect!”

        “Applejack will probably go ‘Now what in tarnation do ya think that Twilight wants us to come in here fer?’”

        “To which Rainbow will go, ‘Maybe she just wants to knight us for being so awesome! Maybe she just wants to remind us of how awesome we all are?’”

        “Fluttershy will then respond with, ‘Well, I uh, am, not...that awesome, really.’”

        “Rarity will then look at Fluttershy and tell her, ‘Oh, Darling! Don’t be ridiculous darling, you are just so fantastic darling.’”

        “Pinkie Pie would then say,” Twilight then stopped herself as she looked at the image spell, “Ok, I have no idea what she would say. It’s kind of hard to predict Pinkie Pie.” Looking to the front door, she continued her plan, “They’ll then walk through that door and see me sitting there on the throne and I’ll look as serious as I can. Pointing my hoof at them, I’ll say ‘YOU five are brought here to properly punished for your horrible crimes!”

        Twilight then let out a small giggle as she watched the illusion of her friends gasp in horror.

        “If it were not for you five, I’ll continue, I would still be back in the library surrounded by dusty books and scrolls. I would never venture out of the library and stay indoors all of the time just studying. I would never see the world, I would never LIVE! But now, thanks to you Pinkie, with your undying optimism, finding ways to keeping me happy and bringing me hope when I need it the most. Rarity with her ability to look beyond a pony’s looks to bring out beauty, reminding me to keep looking deeper for a pony’s good qualities. Rainbow Dash! Your devotion to your morals, your IDEALS, and wavering desire to stick to those when anypony else would fall keeps me going, even when I thought that it all was hopeless. Applejack, with your honesty, you remind me to keep true to myself. And then there’s you, Fluttershy, with your kindness and shyness, but hiding an inner strength that makes me feel a little weaker. Somehow, you...help bring out the best in us.”

        “‘Because of all of you! I’ve done more in the past four years than most do in their entire lifetime, I have gone out and truly lived for the first time, I have had become something more than I could have ever hoped to be, and became a hero. If I had never met you five, I would have stayed just a simple unicorn with vast power, alone with her books. It’s because of you that I got THESE THINGS,” Twilight then flapped her wings in response, “As such, for all of the above crimes, I hereby sentence you I’ll pause for effect, ‘To being my friends, for the rest of your days.”


        Twilight then made the illusions of her friends gasp in happiness.

        “And, I’ll continue, as punishment for scaring you and tricking you like I did, I hereby punish myself by exiling myself to Ponyville to stay with my dearest friends for as long as they will have me.” Giggling, Twilight flew away from the throne and into the air and gave herself a hug, “Then, we’ll all laugh together and have a big group hug, followed by me teleporting everypony to Ponyville where I’ll show the statue I made of them,” Twilight smiled softly as she looked at an image of a statue that she commissioned, “With them above me of course.”

        Hovering in the air, she began to think about why she was doing this. Though it was true that she was living in Ponyville still, she began to have a nagging doubt that she could keep her promise. She remembered the promise that she made to Applejack about staying together even without the elements, but lately she felt like it would be harder to keep that promise. The various events of the past few months began to make her feel like they would not be there for her, seeing how far they were becoming. Her eyes narrowed, knowing that she needed to do this, to further cement that she would always be there for them, “Even if they might not always be there for me.” Memories of certain events flooded her mind and she quickly shook her head to get them out, trying not to think of a certain wedding or some of the times that they had failed their elements.

        “Your majesty? Package delivery,” said a mare from the other side of the door.

        “Package? Why would somepony send me a package here? Why not send it to my home back in Ponyville?” Twilight asked herself as she flew to the door and opened it with her magic, “Thank you.”

        “You are welcome, your highness,” the mail pony said as the alicorn took the package from him with her magic. 

        As the door closed behind her, Twilight turned away and looked at the package in front of her, “Hmmm, the only label that on it says “From: an old friend, congratulations on one year of princess-hood,” and nothing else. She gave a small shrug as she tightened her magic around the package. “I guess whoever it was wanted to remain anonymous, or is just shy.” A small smile came to her lips as began to open it, but then quickly stopped herself. Lowering her head, she let out a regretful sigh as she began to cast spells to look for poisons, bombs, and dark magic that could be hidden inside. She hated the idea of doing this, but she knew it was a necessity. Although most were content with her accession, there were others in Canterlot who were not as content to have a new princess. They thought she didn’t really earn it, that her personality would make her unworthy of being a princess, or worse, she would take over all of Equestria and kill Celestia. She scoffed at the idea of becoming a mad tyrant, after all...there were worse things she feared.


        “There we are,” Twilight said as she tried to forget about the more jerkish members of Canterlot nobility. “No bombs, poisons, or anything wrong with it. Just a normal package from a secret admirer.” With a few tears from her magic, Twilight soon opened the contents of the box to reveal a photo of her and her friends standing together with her wings outstretched, “I remember this! It was the day after my coronation, when I promised that I would never leave them.”

        “Well, I guess this is it,” Applejack said, looking down, “Ah bet you’ll  probably be moving back to Canterlot now.”


        “What do you mean?” Twilight asked, looking at her friends.


        “Well darling, you are now a princess. Surely you don’t think that you could possibly live in that old library anymore,” Rarity said, sighing. “You’ll have to live in that lovely new palace and move away from all of us.”


        “It’s just that we heard from some ponies about how you might have to move to Canterlot since you became a princess,” Fluttershy whispered.


        “Girls, I’m not going anywhere,” Twilight said, shaking her head.


        “WHAT?!” A shocked Rainbow Dash asked, “But you’re a princess now.”


        “I don’t care!” Twilight shouted, “You guys are the ones responsible for everything I have. All the great things I have ever accomplished was because I had you guys behind me to make me more than just Celestia’s student. I wouldn’t be who I am without you guys, and a crown isn’t going to make me throw it all away. I promise,” she added, placing her hoof onto her heart, “That no matter what happens, what changes I go under, that I will do my best to make sure that I will stay with you. Even if...even if Celestia herself told me that I would have to leave, I’ll find a way to beat the system and come home. This won’t ruin our friendship, because I won’t let it.”


        Pinkie Pie said at that point, what they all were thinking, “WE LOVE YOU TOO TWILIGHT!” and with that, they gave each other a group hug, a photo being taken at that moment.


        A tear streaked down the violet face of the alicorn as she remembered those words, though there were times when she had doubts that she would be able to keep the promise. Her friends were growing up and moving further and further away it seemed like, too where she began to wonder if they could always be there for one another. The question was always at the back of her head, like a small scratch she could never get rid of. She then arched an eyebrow as she noticed two black spots on the tips of her wings in the photo, “Wait, those weren’t there before!” 

        A look of horror came to Twilight’s face as she realized that the trap had hidden itself well from her scrying spells and was now sprung. Dropping the picture, she tried to scream for help but could only let out a gasp of shock and pain as a black tendril shot from the photograph and pierced her neck, emerging from the other side and writhing around, “R-Rarity,” Twilight choked out as she began to stumble back, the tendril and photo disappearing. “A-pple-jack, Fluttershy, Rainbow D-D-Dash, Pinkie Pie...

...

...

Help me.” She gasped out as she collapsed to the floor, giving out a shuddering breath and closing her eyes while her breathing slowed to a halt.

        A few minutes later found the five friends of Twilight Sparkle walking to the door of the throne room, “Who does Twilight think she’s fooling anyway with that whole guard thing?” Dash asked, flying above their heads.

        “Ah, know, you think she thought we were born yesterday,” Applejack said, shaking her head in disbelief.

        “Now girls, Twilight has no experience at pranking before. I say we owe it to her to at least pretend to be surprised,” Rarity said, smiling.

        “Right, I’ll act super-duper surprised!” Pinkie squealed as she hopped to the door and opening it, “HEY TWILIGHT! We’re here...” the pink party mare then stopped herself at the threshold, looking at the still form of the purple alicorn, “Twilight? Twilight, this isn’t funny.” She said, tears coming to her eyes.

        Rarity came up next to Pinkie Pie, and before she could ask Pinkie about the situation she caught sight of the fallen alicorn. Letting out a soft gasp of fear, she put her white hoof to her mouth and shook her head in disbelief. Applejack came up next, and when she saw Twilight’s prone form, she immediately raced to her side, “TWILIGHT! No, Twilight don’t do this us,” Applejack said, shaking her friend slightly as memories of her mother and father’s bodies came rushing to her, filling her heart with terror. “Come on now, the joke’s over. Please, just get up now, don’t leave us, please Twilight.”

        “Twilight, no” Fluttershy said as she stepped into the room next, and collapsed to the ground in tears.

        “TWILIGHT?” yelled Dash as she saw the fallen form of Twilight and raced to her side, shaking her, “Get up! Come on, get up! Twilight, Twilight...TWILIGHT!!!”





        The next few hours in the castle were some of the most hectic in the castle’s 900 year history. Almost outdoing the events of the Everfree takeover a few months ago. The party was quickly dismissed as every medical pony that the castle had on staff quickly raced to the princess’s side, “What happened to Twilight Sparkle?” asked a large white alicorn as she raced to Twilight’s side, her normally calm demeanor quickly vanishing.

        “We don’t know!” Rarity said as she ran alongside the alicorn, “We just found Twilight laying on the floor and not moving.”

        “Is she breathing, at least?” Celestia asked.

        “IT took me and AJ a few moments, but yeah she’s breathing...barely,” Dash said, flying ahead of the group, watching the medical ponies hit Twilight with spells.

        As they made it to a special room for sick alicorns, the group of ponies found a young drake talking to a white unicorn and a pink alicorn, “TWILIGHT!” The purple drake yelled as he ran to the stretcher where Twilight was, but was stopped by an orange hoof.

        As the medical ponies put Twilight onto the table and began to hook her up to some small machines, the white unicorn walked to Celestia, “WHAT HAPPENED TO TWILY? Why is she like this?”

        “We don’t know!” Applejack yelled as she was forced out of the room with the others, “We found the gal like this.”

        “Anything I can do, Celestia?” asked the pink alicorn as she walked alongside Celestia and stood outside the door.

        The white alicorn could only let out a sad sigh and shake her head in response.

        After a few hours of waiting, a blue stallion with a white cross cutie mark stepped out, “Well, from what I have seen, she is healthy. Her organs, brain, and everything else about her shows her being as healthy as Princess Celestia herself. For all intents and purposes, she should be perfectly ok.”

        “Maybe, then, the problem is not in her body but in her head,” said a dark blue alicorn as she walked to the small group.

        “Do you have an idea, Luna?” Asked Celestia.

        “Maybe, but I need the time to perform the spell and I need all of you with me, just in case,” Luna said as she looked at the group in front of her.


-------------------------------------------------------Present time---------------------------------------------------

        “WHAT DO YA MEAN THAT YOU ARE SORRY?!” screamed Rainbow Dash in rage,  her flight being stopped by Applejack grabbing her forelegs from behind, “I thought you were supposed to be this great dream mage, now you’re saying that you can’t even save my best friend? WHATS THE POINT OF HAVING A GODDESS ON OUR SIDE IF IT CAN’T BE USED TO SAVE HER?”

        “Whoa there, sugarcube! Ah’m sure, PRINCESS Luna is doing all she can to help Twilight,” Applejack said, trying to empathize to Dash who she was yelling at.

        “If she was doing her best, then Twilight would be awake by-” Dash continued, only to be interrupted by the royal canterlot voice.

        “RAINBOW DASH!!! THOU ART LUCKY THAT THOU ART A FRIEND OF TWILIGHT SPARKLE, A BEARER OF HARMONY, AND MY SAVIOR. OTHERWISE, WE WOULD SMITE THEE WHERE THEE STAND FOR SUCH INSUBORDINATION!!” Luna’s scream shook the room as she glared at Rainbow Dash, making the pegasus back up a little, “Now, we do have an idea to who did this to Twilight, and how to save her. But we need the time to gather our forces if we are to be successful. For now, you must stay and watch Twilight, make sure she doesn’t get worse. We’ll be busy gathering preparing.” With that, Luna walked out the door, followed shortly by Celestia.

        “Are you sure you know?” Celestia asked, walking with Luna, her face unchanging.

        “Yes,” Luna said, looking up at Celestia. “You can cry you know, nopony is watching.”

        Tears flowed from the white alicorn’s eyes, “I haven’t cried this much since over a 1000 years ago. But I need to be strong, for all of them.”

        “So what does the public know?” asked Luna.

        “As far as they are concerned, Twilight is on a mission of peace to the Griffon kingdom. Nothing more needs to be known,” Celestia said.

        “Keeping them safe by making sure they don’t panic? Are you sure it’s wise?” Luna asked as she neared the balcony.

        “No, but Mirage wants us to panic and be scared. We can’t give her the chance,” Celestia said, a weary sigh coming from her lips. “Are you sure you know what you are doing?”

        “Trust me, my student hasn’t failed me yet,” Luna said, flying off.

        Under the bright lights and sparkling signs of Las Pegasus, a light blue unicorn came out and threw her hooves up, “COME ONE AND ALL! It’s time to be amazed at the power of the great and powerful, TRIXIE!”





> Welcome to the show
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Trixie smiled to herself with a very satisfied grin as she listened to the crowd around her. It had been over a year since the alicorn amulet incident, and over a year since she was pulled into being Luna’s student. Since that day she had helped the bearers of the elements escape from Mirage’s trap, she had been hard at work trying to reclaim her glory and become famous. After a lot of work, and a little help from her six friends, she was soon able to break free from her past. Judging from the large crowd that had awaited her in the stadium, it had seemed that she was successful in regaining her fame...being Luna’s first student didn’t hurt either. A slick smile came to her as she appeared in a flash of smoke and fireworks to the crowd, “ WELCOME ONE AND ALL TO TRIXIE’S MARVELOUS SHOW! Tonight!” She exclaimed, thrusting out her hoof, “You will see spells, magic, and daring tricks that you will never see again in all of Equestria!”

        The crowd began to cheer as they watched the lights flash around her, then change their attention to the stage as two ponies began to put Trixie in a straight jacket.

        “To start, the great and powerful Trixie will escape from this straight jacket,” Trixie said, using her magic to levitate a jar of yellow liquid above her head.

        “What’s so great about that?” yelled an orange pegasus.

        Trixie smirked, “She will break out using only her hooves. Also,” she then drenched herself with the yellow liquid, “she must do it before this fireball touches her. Otherwise, she will die a horrifying and painful burning death.”

        The crowd oohed at this as the light blue mare summoned her fireball and began to work on the escape. In the back of the stadium seating, a midnight blue pegasus with a full moon cutie mark walked silently in, “Welcome miss Moonbeam. I must say,” the stallion said as he guided the mare to her seat, “It’s rare to see you here. Have a particular interest in this magician.”

        The mare simply smiled as she watched the show go on, “Let’s just say...I have a particular love for this performer.”

        “There, uh, seems to be a problem!” Trixie exclaimed as the fireball neared her mane. As the crowd gasped in horror, Moonbeam just sat back and smirked, “Trixie seems to be...stuck! HELP!” Screamed Trixie as the fireball landed on top of her, causing her to burst into flame, “AHHHHHHHHHHH!”

        The crowd screamed in shock and horror as they watched the performer burn alive, but then turned their heads when they heard, “Well, good riddance. What a horrible way to start a show,” said a blue mare sitting in a chair, “Now, Trixie would’ve started the whole thing off with a bang. Something so unexpected that it would make the crowd break out into cheers,” Trixie said with a smirk as she got off from her chair and ran past the roaring crowd as they applauded her. “Trixie hopes that all of you will enjoy her show, because trust her...you haven’t seen anything yet!” She shouted as she teleported to the stage and released a torrent of cards and birds above the audience’s heads.

        For the next 2 hours, Trixie entertained the crowd with tricks and illusions that left them all speechless. All the while, Moonbeam watched with a look in her eyes that showed both approval and pride in the young mare. As the show neared its end, Trixie walked away from her last illusion and faced the crowd, “For the last part of the evening, Trixie,” she said, panting a little and wiping her brow, “Trixie will entertain you with a story from Equestria’s past. What shall it be, Tirac’s fall? The sealing of the Smooze? The fall of Titan? Or shall Trixie tell a story about a possible future that our land may face? Any suggestions?” Trixie asked as she looked around the crowd before looking up at the back row, “Yes! You, the mare...with the...moon cutie mark.”

        The blue pegasus smiled as she lowered her hoof, “How about the story of ‘Mirage’? I have heard that it was quite the adventure.”

        Trixie’s eyes opened in shock as she looked at the mare, before shaking her head and making her horn glow, “Ah, that one is entertaining, for Trixie herself was apart of that adventure.” walking across the stage, she created a small image of a cat-woman holding 6 little pony shapes in her claws, “You see, over a year ago, an embodiment of evil known as Mirage came to our universe and targeted our world for one reason. She desired to plunge our world into despair and hopelessness. Destroying our hopes and dreams, leaving us all in a time of darkness not seen in eternity. To do this, she took the bearers of the elements and bounded them in their worst nightmares.”

        “Seeing the trouble, Princess Luna sent her student to go off and free the six mares for her,” Trixie then produced a small image of herself, shaking hooves with Twilight and racing off to each pony image as she said their name, “and together, they reminded Honesty of her strength, Loyalty of her ideals, Generosity of her inner beauty, gave Laughter hope, and saved Kindness from itself. When they were united,” Trixie said, no showing the six mares together firing a bright shining rainbow beam at the cat creature, “they defeated the embodiment. This, in turn, turned the creature back into a normal mare and banished the spirit of the embodiment into the void.” Trixie then finished off her show with a bright blast of lights and a quick bow to a thunderous applause. 

As the show ended, the pegasus mare nodded to the waiters and walked out the stadium as Trixie left the stage.

A few minutes later, Trixie walked happily towards her  wagon. While being Luna’s student could’ve given her the chance at a much larger wagon or anything better, Trixie had always felt more at home in her own wagon, it was a little more personal. As she neared her home, she quickly turned her head to look behind her at a noise. Shaking her head as she saw nothing behind her, the blue mare turned back to walk home. Using her magic to unlock her door, her attention was then quickly drawn to the sound of hoof-steps behind her. Quickly, she turned around and saw...

Nothing.

Trixie again shook her head at the nothing and chalked it up to just the wind, entering her home quitely. Once inside, Trixie turned on the light and walked to her kitchen area, taking note of the pegasus pony on her couch, “And what does Trixie owe the pleasure of the visit, Moonbeam. Or should I say, Princess Luna?” 

The dark blue pegasus smiled proudly as she glowed a dark blue and changed her form into a dark blue alicorn with an etherial mane,  “Impressive,” she said calmly, watching Trixie get some tea from the top drawer, “you saw through my illusion quickly.”

A smug smirk came across Trixie’s lips as she prepared the tea for her guest, “Of course. It was only a level 3 illusion spell, one that can be only seen through by the best magicians. You were having Trixie see through those illusions on her third month.”

Luna beamed with pride, “And I have to say, the speed at which you mastered your duplication spell is quite astounding.”

“Yes, though,” Trixie said, using her magic to generate a clone of her while she began to get a peanut butter cracker, “Trixie must confess, it was hard at the beginning for Trixie to maintain two clones at once for a long time without wasting all of her mana. Now, however, Trixie can create...”

“Two,” a second Trixie said as the levitated a cup of tea to a third Trixie.

“ Three,” the third said.

“Four,” a fourth Trixie said as she took the saucer away, “or even...”

“Five Trixies, before she,” the illusions of Trixie vanished as she turned off the illusions, “tires out.”

“Most impressive,” Luna said, taking the tea in her magic and sipping slowly. “You have been well surpassing my expectations.” She said, smirking with a sense of pride and planning.

“But, what brings you here, mistress?” Trixie asked, walking to Luna’s side, “Surely you did not come JUST to be amazed at Trixie’s prowess.”

“We have a mission for you, student. We require you to be at Canterlot immediately,” Luna commanded.

“Hmmm, Canterlot is a day’s travel from here, but,” Trixie began as a flash of light envolped both her and Luna, “She will leave as soon as possi...ble?” Trixie asked as she saw Luna had teleported both her and Trixie into the Canterlot throne room.

        “When we state, ‘immediately’, we meant immeaditly.” Luna said as she walked away from her student.

“Uh, yes, of course mistress,” Trixie said as she followed Luna from the throne room and down a nearby hallway. “What do you request of Trixie?”

“It is Twilight Sparkle,” Luna said somberly.

“Twilight? What happened to her?” Trixie asked, a little worried for her rival.

“She has come under a spell, one that has put her into a deep sleep,” Luna said.

“How long has she been like this?”

“Four days, all of her other life-signs show that she is all right. She is just in a deep sleep,” Luna said as they neared the door where Twilight was.

“And you didn’t tell the public because you didn’t want to raise a panic,” Trixie said.

“There is another reason, one that you’ll find out when you see her,” Luna said, opening the door with her magic.

As the alicorn and unicorn walked through the door, Pinkie Pie looked from the group and ran over to Trixie to give her the hug of her life, “TRIXIE! I HAVEN’T SEEN YOU IN FOREVER!”

“Trixie? Where have y’all been? We haven’t seen you in almost a year,” Applejack said, looking away from the sleeping Twilight with a smile on her lips.

“Hello, Trixie,” Fluttershy said.

Rarity walked over to Trixie and lifted up part of her cape, “Do you still insist in wearing this old thing? I could make you a much more dazzling one.”


“Yeah, you would think that you have time to visit once in a while,” Dash said with a shrug, “After all we did to help you with you show back in Ponyville.”

“Trixie has been busy since that day she should let you know,” Trixie said as she glared at Dash. Looking beyond the small group of friends, she saw Twilight laying in the bed with a small purple dragon asleep with his head in the matress, “ Ah and there is my greatest rival! Trixie knew from the sound of things that this was just a small trick and you had just missed Trixie. Well, now Trixie is here and you can get up. GET UP!” Placing a blue hoof onto Twilight’s side, she feverously shook her side. Upon notcing no movement coming from the still frame of the alicorn, Trixie lowered her head and gave a small whimper.

“As you can see, Trixie,” Luna said as three other figures walked into the room, “Twilight would never pull off such a trick.”

Trixie gave a small sniffle, “Trixie, just was hoping that her rival wouldn’t have fallen so easily. All right,” Trixie said, a cunning smirk coming to her lips, “everypony stand back, Trixie will get Sparkle out of there.” As the blue unicorn put her horn to Twilight’s forehead, Cadence used her magic to pull the dragon away from the bed to give Trixie time to work. The room seemed to become earily quiet as the two unicorns became wrapped in an etherial glow, one purple and one a light blue.

“She seems to be quite powerful Luna,” Celestia whispered to Luna as the spell continued.

“Of course she is. In all of this world, she is the only one whose control over the dream world is close to mine! Her illusion magic is also something to see, second only to Twilight,” Luna beamed with pride. A soft sigh came from her lips as she continued,  “Mirage knows me and the others, she probably found a way to block us from freeing Twilight Sparkle. Trixie hasn’t been with Twilight very long, she might be able to find something that we missed that could help us free Twilight-”

“AHHHH! No, IT can’t BE!” Trixie screamed as the spell was quickly dispelled and Trixie was flown back from Twilight, caught only by a quick grab from Rainbow Dash.

“Trixie! Are thou all right?” Luna said, drifting back into her old way of speaking.

“Y-yes, Trixie is fine,” Trixie said, getting back onto her hooves and levitating her hat back onto her head, a look of shock in her eyes. “What that creature did to Twilight...its unbelievable, just, shocking. Trixie has never heard of somepony using magic to do that to somepony’s mind and dreams like that before.”

“What did she do?” Fluttershy asked, trembling.

“She split Twilight’s mind into seven parts and then placed those parts into a dream world on their own. It’s,” Trixie said, her eyes wide with fear and admiration, “almost beautiful.”

By now, Spike had woken up and saw Trixie standing there with other five bearers and the two alicorns. A hopeful smile came to him as he cheered, “YEAH! Now Trixie’s here! It’ll easy to save Twilight now and...” Spike then looked at the sad faces on the mares as they talked and began to tear up a little, “no, you can’t mean.”

“Are you saying that its impossible to save her?” Shining Armor asked, takeing the crying drake in his hooves.

“Trixie did not say that, she only said that it will be hard,” Trixie said, looking at the white unicorn behind her.

Luna looked up at her older sister, whispered something to Celestia, and then back to her student, “Trixie, with what you have given me, I request your presence in my chambers immeaditly. We have much to discuss.”

“Yes mistress,” Trixie said, following her mistress out the door.

“What are we supposed to do?” Dash asked.

Celestia sighed sadly, “Until my sister and her student finish their plans, I am afraid all we can do now is wait.”

Dash let out an angry snarl as she punched a wall and walked out of the room, muttering under her breath, “I hate waiting.




	

As Luna and Trixie walked down the halls of the castle, Trixie still had a look of shock in her eyes at the sight of the spell, “That spell, its almost too much. Uhh,” Trixie then looked up at her teacher and resumed a look of over confidence,” Heh! Not that its a problem to the great and powerful Trixie. Just give her a few moments and she’ll defeat that spell in an instant!”

“It’s all right to be nervous, my student,” Luna said, looking over her shoulder and at the blue unicorn. “Mirage wants fear, dispair, and hopelessness to over take you and use it as a weapon. Remember, she lives off of misery and fear, she feeds on the grief and hopelessness of others.”

“T-Trixie isn’t afraid in the least!” Trixie denied, following her teacher into the room, “ Trixie is afraid, however, for her friends.” 

“Oh?” Luna asked, a soft smile on her lips as she grabbed five folders off of her bed.

“Yes, Trixie is...worried that she won’t be able to help any of them when she gets them into the dream worlds. It might be too much for m-them,” Trixie said, looking down in defeat.

“We know, that is why we came up with this plan,” Luna said, handing Trixie the set of five folders, “We have been looking over the dreams of several of our subjects for the past few months, ever since Mirage’s first attack. From our observations, we figured that these ponies might be the best ones to help us.”

Trixie looked over each folder in curiousity, “Hmmm, Trixie knows of this mare, she had been to one of her shows before. This one she had seen in Ponyville a few times, while the other three Trixie has never seen before. How will these five help us?”

“Trust me, when you meet them you will see why I have picked them,” Luna said with a smile as Trixie bowed and walked out the door.

As the door closed behind Trixie, a laugh could be heard from Luna’s mirror, “OH, how cute, you have a team at the ready to fight me. That is so adorable Luna.”

“Hello, Mirage,” Luna said calmly, not looking at the mirror at the pair of green eyes.

“Hello, princess,” Mirage hissed, a low growl heard in her voice, “I was just checking to see how you and your sister were enjoying my work.”

Luna began to snarl, “You have tresspassed into my realm, took away a close friend of mine, and now threaten the safety of my only student!” Luna then turned to the mirror and made her horn glow with a bright flame, “The only opinion of your work we have is THAT YOU SHOULD BE EXECUTED WHERE YOU STAND AND BUTCHERED LIKE THE ANIMAL YOU ARE!”

        The eyes in the mirror looked back in shock, “You wound me Luna. I thought you would appreciate the long nap that I have given to your friend. Now, please send your student and her new friends at me, Twilight Sparkle is getting lonely in her dream world and she needs the company.” 

        Luna watched as the eyes disappeared from the mirror and turned away, intending on stopping the creature no matter what.


> Music of Kindness and harmony of Loyalty
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Celestia walked into the room where Twilight slept, taking the time to let out a very sad sigh, “Hello, my faithful student,” she said, closing the door. Walking slowly, as if she was afraid to disturb the sleeping mare, the white alicorn neared the bed. Her progress was stopped by something hard and a little scaly, however. Looking down, she saw the sleeping form of a dragon, his face buried deep within the mattress, “Oh look, you have another visitor. I don’t think you’ll mind if he sleeps with you tonight.” Taking him in her magic, Celestia lifted Spike up and put him next to Twilight, tucking the both of them in.

        Twilight stirred, moving in her bed with a frown on her face, “Uh, CELESTIA!”

        “Shhh, its ok my faithful student,” Celestia said, running a gentle hoof along Twilight’s forehead, trying to calm her.

        The words from Luna echoed in her mind, “Whatever dream spell that Mirage has Twilight under is going to try keep her in the dream realm. Until I can find a way to free her, there should be one of you on guard at all times. This way she will have a link back to the real world and a reason to keep fighting.”
        
        Celestia let out a small sigh as she looked to the mare in the bed, “Y’know, seeing you like this, makes me think of back when you were a little filly. Sometimes, you so homesick or scared of imaginary monsters that you would run into my room, begging to sleep next to me. Of course I would let you and help chase the monsters away. I would tell you that there are no real monsters in the castle, that it would all be all right, and then you would fall asleep under my wing,” the white alicorn smiled down at Twilight. “ Then you grew up and became capable of chasing away monsters all on your own.”

        Twilight moved a little in her bed, moaning softly, “Celestia, mother...”

        Celestia pulled back and lowered her head, “Want to know a secret?” She asked, lowering her head to whisper in Twilight’s ear, “I’m jealous of Velvet. Why? Because she had you, and could call herself your mother.  Ever since Sunset, I told myself, ‘never again. I would never get that close to a student again.’ but then, you...you somehow broke that promise. Somehow, you wormed your way into my heart and became a member of my family. On the day you ascended, I told myself that I could never be more proud of somepony I call my daughter. And now,” tears threatened to fill her pink eyes, “here you are again, still that same filly that needs me to chase away the monsters, wanting that wing to protect you. But I cant, I can’t save you when you need me the most.”

        “Sister?” asked Luna as she stepped through the door, “Shining Armor and Cadence are here to take over the next watch.”

        “Right, send them in,” Celestia said, wiping away all evidence of her tears or her crying from earlier. 

        After watching Cadence and Shining Armor walk into the room, Luna followed Celestia out into the hallway, “Sister, if you wish to cry, you can do so now. No one is around to see it,” Luna said, walking with her sister.

        “No, “ Celestia said plainly, “I must keep a straight face, and be strong for everypony...no matter how hard the pain is.”

        “This is hurting you, isn’t it?” asked Luna.

        “I have only felt this useless one other time,” Celestia said, looking into Luna’s direction, as she walked to a window to overlook the garden. As she watched the ponies milling about, she looked off into the city, “How goes your little plan.”

        “My personal student should be arriving to pick up the first member of her team in just a few moments,” Luna said, a soft smile on her lips.





        Trixie walked along the hallway of the Canterlot apartment, unsure how to approach the pony for this mission. Looking down at the manilla envelope that she carried with her, she reread the name and looked back up at the apartment number, “I do hope Luna is right about this.” Reaching back, she gave the door a few light taps.

        “Yo, I’m coming I’m coming,” said a tired and exhausted voice from within the room. Upon unlocking the door, the occupant revealed herself, “Yeah, what do ya...OHMYGOHSITSTRIXIE! This is so rad!”

        Trixie looked back at the white unicorn with a little bit of shock before smiling wide, “So, Trixie takes it that her name and her exploits have reached all the way here in Canterlot? That she has become so famous that she is known even in places of high regard such as this.”

        “Well, I don’t know about that. I just take in your shows whenever we happen to play in the same town. And I think they are so totally awesome! I mean the way you cast all of those illusions, those wild spells of yours, or some of those really great tricks of yours,” the frazzled unicorn said, her red eyes opened wide in excitement, “So, uh, what brings you here?”

Trixie, for the moment too caught up in the praise and adulation, had to shake her head back into the real world, “Uh, Trixie was wondering if she could talk to your roommate. Is Octavia Melody around?”

        “Oh yeah, sure!” The unicorn said, before turning around to yell out, “HEY YO! TAVI! There’s a really awesome visitor here for ya. Well, don’t stand out there too long, come on in!” The unicorn said, leading Trixie into the room.

        “Vinyl, what did I tell you about yelling in the apartment. I was in the kitchen you did not need to...oh,” the grey earth pony said, looking at Trixie, “Hello miss, I apologize for my roommate's loudness.”

        “It is no big problem. The GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE! Is always glad to have such enthusiastic fans,” Trixie said with a flair, before turning back to look at Octavia, “However, Trixie still needs to talk to you, may we sit down.”

        “Sure, follow me,” Octavia said, guiding Trixie into the living room of the apartment.

        “Uh, privately, if you don’t mind,” Trixie said, looking at Vinyl.

        “Hey! Anything you got to say to Tavi, you can say it around me,” Vinyl said.

        “Vinyl, please,” Tavi objected.

        “If you do, Trixie will tell you how she did the ‘fireball card trick’ without her horn,” the blue unicorn offered.

        “AW Sweet!” Vinyl said as she walked out of the room and turned on her headphones.

        “So, what is so important that you need to talk to me in secret?” asked Octavia.

        “Princess Luna has requested you for a very important mission,” Trixie said.
        
        Octavia’s eyes opened wide in shock as she pulled back, “W-what?! P-P-Princess Luna wants me for a mission? What? Why? What is it?”

        Trixie looked down in sadness, “Its Twilight.”

        “The princess?” asked Octavia, “I thought she is off on a diplomatic mission?”

        “That’s the cover story,” Trixie said plainly, “the truth is, she has been put under a magical dream sleep by a monster known as Mirage. She has entrusted Trixie with finding a group of ponies to help save her.”

        “But, what can I do? I am just a musician,” Octavia objected, “there is nothing that I can possibly offer to the team.”

        Trixie shook her head,” Trixie doesn’t know why Luna has picked you, but yours was among a few names the Luna had given her. You could always refuse, but Trixie thinks that Luna wants all six of us there.”

        Octavia looked at the envelopes and then back to Trixie. Several thoughts went through her mind, mainly of the dangers ahead, but that was all diminished by the thought of helping another pony, “It will be dangerous, and a little insane, but I’m in!”

        Trixie smiled, “Good, Trixie is glad to have you,” she said as she reached over to shake the earth pony’s hoof. As their hooves touched, Trixie’s eyes flashed a rainbow glow and she fell back in her chair.

        "Octavia, who helped and calmed the helpless and scared, represents the spirit of... Kindness!"

        “What?” asked Trixie as an image of Octavia appeared before her, the element of kindness attaching itself to her, “Octavia isn’t...”


        Trixie was interrupted by another voice, her own “And now, for Trixie’s next act, the fire swallowing maneuver.


        “Trixie, it’s been said, ‘one should be careful around fire, for those with hot heads will find themselves burned,” Octavia said, watching Trixie placing a fireball in her mouth, only to spit it out five seconds later, “See? Here, let me help with that.”

        “Thank you,” Trixie said with a smile, before giving Octavia a hug.


        “Why is Trixie...” Trixie stopped herself as she saw one final image, of her standing with Twilight Sparkle and Octavia along with 3 other ponies, “What is...



        “Miss Trixie, are you alright?” asked Octavia as she helped Trixie to her feet.

        Trixie shook her head for a few moments, “Yes, I’m fine,” she said, forgetting her stage voice for the moment. Once back on her hooves, she turned to look at the Earth Pony mare, “Octavia, this will sound strange, but have we met before?” 

        “Beyond Vinyl’s constant bragging of you? No, we’ve never met before,” Octavia said, walking to the door, “Why do you ask?” 

        “N-No reason, none at all,” Trixie said, looking down in confusion.

        “Vinyl, I will be leaving with Trixie for the moment. I should be back in a few days, do try and not destroy the apartment while I’m gone,” Octavia said as she left the room with Trixie.

        “Right, have a while party while you’re gone...got it,” Vinyl said with a smirk.

        Octavia let out a low groan as she closed the door and followed Trixie, “Now come,” Trixie said, “We still have a long way to Ponyville.”





        As Luna looked over the courtyard, she took note of five ponies milling about below, “I see that Twilight Sparkle’s friends have yet to return home,” she noted, watching Rainbow Dash doing wing-ups and Fluttershy talking to a small bird.

        “They have not left since the day that Twilight fell ill,” Celestia said with a smile, watching Rarity and Applejack talk to one another and Pinkie Pie writing something down on her hoof. “My student has picked some wonderful friends. I can only hope that it will be enough to save her,” Celestia sighed, then she looked at Luna, “I cannot help but notice that you have remained calm through most of this. I thought you would hate Mirage the most.”

        “Oh, believe me, I am more engaged than I was when Discord killed mother and father;however, all of my rage is currently focused into nothing but hate for that miserable creature!” Luna growled, her face seething with anger.

        Celestia rubbed Luna’s back softly, “So, what can you tell me about your little team?”

        “Well, for one, I requested a musician, the other,” Luna hesitated as she walked with Celestia, “might be a little weird. For two others, I brought in horticulture and last, I went unique.”

        




        The train winded through the many tunnels and caves that littered the mountain upon which Canterlot stood. Inside, Octavia sat on one on of the seats, calmy writing some music down on paper. Looking towards her companion, she arched an eyebrow, “Trixie, I can’t help but notice that you are a lot quieter on this trip than I imagined.”

         Trixie shot her head up from looking at the documents that she kept, “Hmmmm? Oh, Trixie is busy looking over the profiles of the other mares that we are to get. Trixie is unable to figure out why Luna has picked out these five ponies to aid us.” Trixie then looked to Octavia, “If Trixie may ask, why do you hang around that loud and wild DJ? You two seem so...different.”

        Octavia put away her paper and smiled softly, “If that isn’t the question of the whole year. If you pardon the cliche, I’ve felt like I’ve known the girl my entire life. We met because her brother and my sister liked each other, really liked each other.”

        “OH,” Trixie said, nodding in understanding.

        “Well, sometimes, my sister would take me along with her on some of her dates and Vinyl’s brother would bring her. That was how we met, when were just 10 years old,” Octavia said with a smile.

        “And you became fast friends?” asked Trixie.

        “Oh no, I thought she was a nutcase and I would dread seeing her when I came over. But after a time, things changed,” she put away her pen and looked to Trixie, “she began to make me smile and I never know why. Somehow, I began to appreciate her antics, her insanity, her ability to think outside of the box, and so much more.”

        “What changed?” asked Trixie.

        Octavia sighed and smiled softly to herself, “I guess, overtime, I began to appreciate all of her loudness and rudeness. I began to realize that there was something more to my and the unicorn’s relationship than I realized.”

        “What was that?” Trixie questioned.

        “That she was my friend because she genuinely liked me. She wasn’t intimidated by my class and my snooty ways, she just wanted me to live,” the grey pony chuckled. “ All the time I thought that I was better than her, that she was beneath me, and that I didn’t need her, she would would see me as another friend. Then I saw what she brought into my life, all of her loud antics, her madness, and everything would help me to see things in a different way. I would become inspired by all of the things she would show me, make my life just a little more...exciting.”

        “Trixie guesses that sometimes it just takes time to realize why you are friends with somepony,” a soft sigh escapes Trixie’s lips, “or to get to know them.”

        “Or get used to them,” Octavia said with a smile.

        “What do you mean?” Trixie asked.

        “When I began my story, you were on the other side of the car. Now you are sitting next to me,” Octavia smiled.

        “Well, uh, Trixie just wanted to hear your story better,” Trixie chuckled.

        “I see,” Octavia retorted, “Now, it hasn’t always been pleasant. She does wake me up rather rudely.”

        “Trixie feels your pain,” Trixie said, “One time she had to put her wagon next to a rock show. She is certain that, after that week, she is currently deaf in one ear.”

        “Oh, really,” Octavia said, leaning to Trixie’s ear and whistling in it.

        “Trixie heard that,” Trixie smirked.

        “Hmm, I guess you were wrong,” Octavia chuckled, making Trixie chuckle in response.

        So it went on for the next few hours as the train rolled on, the magician and the player talked about their lives and history. Talked about their close friends and how they came to have the jobs that they currently had. And soon, they had reached the station, “Come on, her house isn’t too far away from the station,” Trixie said as she led Octavia down a few blocks to a small little house.

        “Hmmm, not a bad little place,” Octavia said, looking at the name on the mailbox, “‘Heartstrings’? Why does that name sound familiar?”

        “Trixie doesn’t know, but for now, let her do all of the talking,” Trixie said as she knocked the door. After a moment, a beige earth pony opened the door and looked at Trixie. As she did, her eyes narrowed in rage and let out a snort of hot air through her nostrils, “Hello, Trixie was wonder-UGGH!” Was all she could get out before she was sent flying thanks to a hoof to the right side of her face.

        Octavia walked over to where Trixie fell and began to calmly help her up, “Fan of yours?”

        “Believe it or not,” Trixie said, rubbing the side of her face, “That wasn’t the worst reaction that Trixie had when somepony met her for the first time.”

        “Maybe I should try to talk to her,” Octavia said, walking to hear the the voices coming from the other side of the door.

        “Hey, Bonnie, who was at the door?” Asked a feminine voice.

        “No one,  just Trixie,” Bon Bon said, a bit of anger in her voice.

        “Trixie? Who was that?” asked the mare as she walked to the door and opened it. As the mint green unicorn  looked at the two ponies before her, she narrowed her eyes at the grey mare, “Oh, hello Octavia. My old rival.”

        Octavia reacted with a small scoff, “We aren’t rivals Lyra, we hardly even play in the same cities.”

        Lyra glared into Octavia’s purple eyes, “Perhaps, but one day, we will finish our great rivalry and as for you,” she looked at Trixie, “I think I remember you. Wait, aren’t you that pony who took over Ponyville over a year ago?”

        “Yes, Trixie was. Let Trixie guess, you have a bone to pick with her,” Trixie plainly stated.

        “HECK NO! I want to thank you for that awesome magic show you and Twilight put on, it was fantastic. I hadn’t had anything that exciting happen to me in years, come on in!” Exclaimed Lyra as she waved a hoof to invite the two ponies in.

        As they walked into the house, Trixie opened her eyes wide in recognition, “Trixie remembers you now! You were that unicorn who was drinking a milkshake during Trixie’s duel with Twilight!”

        “Yes,” Bon Bon sighed as she walked towards the kitchen, “Ponyville was at stake, our lives were in danger, and my wife choose to enjoy the milkshake without a care in the world.”

        Lyra smirked and kissed Bon Bon as she walked to the living room, “A come on, it was interesting fight. And besides, Twilight had a hoof on it, it didn’t seem that big.”

        Bon Bon let out a growl and shook her head, “Look, I’ve got to make some candy for work, you can have a talk with the mad mare.”

        “Sure thing sweetie,” the green unicorn said, smiling as she walked to her couch and sat there, “So, what brings you here.”

        Trixie looked up at Lyra, “The princess has chosen you for an important mission. She has decided that, due to something unique about you, you have the appropriate skills to help us.”

        Lyra had a big smile across her face as she heard Trixie talk, but then frowned, “Why?”

        “Can your wife hear us?” 

        “No,”

        “It concerns Twilight Sparkle,” Trixie said plainly.

        “WHAT?! Twilight is in trouble? I knew it, I told Bonnie that Twilight was on no diplomatic mission, if she was then the other mane 6 would’ve gone with her. We would’ve seen a train pass us by,” Lyra said, putting a hoof to her her chin.

        “Wait, how did you figure out what happened to Twilight?” asked Octavia.

        “I’m...kind of a fan,” Lyra said sheepishly. “I mean, who wouldn’t be. Top of her class in almost everything, Celestia’s personal student, smart, and has seen more mythological creatures than I have even thought of! I always dreamed of meeting her and becoming her friend, but I was always too shy to do anything about it. Heck, its why I left Canterlot to live in Ponyville, well that and...” her vision turned to look at the kitchen where Bon Bon was working, “Other reasons. If its to help her, count me in!”

        Trixie smiled, “We are happy to have you, Lyra,” she then reached over to shake the mare’s hoof. As their hooves touched, a rainbow shine went over her eyes and she was flung back into the couch.

        “What happened, where is Trixie?” She asked, looking around to find herself in a deteriorating castle, “Is that...me?” 


        Her eyes caught sight of her standing before a fiery Celestia, while beside her stood five other ponies, “Loyalty, that is who I am!” called Lyra, a smirk on her face.

        
       
 “B-but Lyra isn’t-” her thoughts were interrupted by the scene changing to a field, where she and Lyra sat on a blanket.


        “Ok, I give up, why did you invite me to this place, alone?” asked Trixie as she drank some of her juice.

        “Because today is probably the third best day of my life,” said Lyra.


        Trixie let out a small chuckle, “Oh? And what would that be?”

Lyra smirked, “The day I met you and became my friend.”

“Really? You find it that important?” Asked Trixie, smiling.


“Well yeah,” Lyra said, smirking, “You’ve gotten me here, reunited with my mare friend, and probably put me on some crazy adventures. I don’t think I could thank you enough.”


“Well, of course, I mean after all-” Trixie’s eyes then shot up in realization, “Wait a moment! You mean that Trixie’s friendship is third on your priorities?”


“Too be fair, the love of my life agreeing to my engagement is a little more import-” the unicorn was then interrupted by a cake to the face, as thorn by Trixie.


“Than having your face clean?” asked Trixie, only to get hit by some cake thrown by a smiling Lyra.


“Is Trixie and that unicorn...friends?” asked Trixie as she watched the world turn black, only to be replaced by the images of six mares standing before her. One of them was Lyra, with a familiar necklace on her neck, “The element of loyalty? But Lyra isn’t Loyalty here, thats the suici-” her thoughts were interrupted as she got a look at the mare next to Lyra, “No, it can’t be, no.” Trixie said, walking to the center of the group, only to see her with an all too familiar crown atop of her head, “The element of magic? Trixie?” 


“Hey, Trixie, you ok?” asked Lyra, shaking Trixie for the moment.


“Yes, Trixie is ok,” said the blue unicorn, before looking up at Lyra, “Have we ever met before?”

Lyra chuckled, “Trust me, if we had ever met before at the school, I think we would’ve become fast friends.” Turning away from the two ponies, she walked to the kitchen, “I’ll talk to Bon Bon and I’ll join you gals in a bit.”  Smiling, she draped her hooves over Bon Bon’s shoulders and kissed her cheek, “Hun? I just got a very important mission from Luna, I’ve got to go.”

Not turning to face her wife, Bon Bon sighed and rested her head against Lyra’s shoulders, “Just promise me you’ll come back from this one alive. You know I worry you wherever you go on these expeditions of yours.”

Lyra nodded and kissed her lover's cheek, “Yeah, I know.”

“Maybe, when you meet the princess you could talk to her about, you know...” the beige earth pony said, rubbing a hoof along her stomach.

“I’ll see, sweet flanks,” Lyra said, walking out the door after the two mares, “So, when do we leave for Canterlot?”

        “Not yet,” Trixie said, looking at her three envelopes, “we still have three more stops to make. Maybe in the meantime, I can figure out why I have been getting those visions as of late.”





        “Hey kid, it's me,” Shining Armor said, running his hoof through her mane, “You know, when I asked you to stop saving my hide so often, I didn’t mean it like this. I wanted you to be awake and alive to do it. Please Twilight, I need you to make it through, because...because,” he then looked to the pink alicorn next to him.

“There is something we need to tell you,” Cadence finished, smiling softly.




        

> New and old bonds
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Applejack walked into the room where Twilight slept, opening it carefully so she would not disturb Spike is he were asleep. As she walked in, she was greeted with the sight sight of a white unicorn sitting at the bedside of Twilight, “There we are! Just because you are currently in a coma, does not mean that  you shouldn’t be treated like royalty. Give me time and I could even design some exquisite pillow covers for you,” Rarity said with a smile.

        Applejack merely shook her head in disbelief at the actions of her friend and walked in, “Could ya use some company?” 

        “It would be appreciated,” Rarity said as she finished tucking both Twilight and Spike in, “Look at him, such a doll.”

        “Yeah, he loves Twilight as about as he loves you,” Applejack said, looking at Rarity.

        “More so,” Rarity sighed, “To him, I’m just a crush, but her? She is like a mother and a big sister all in one. There isn’t anything he wouldn’t do for her.”

        “We would do the same for any one of us, sugarcube,” Applejack corrected as she sat down next Rarity.  Carefully, she ran a hoof over Twilight’s mane, “Ya heard anything yet?”

        “Some mumblings here and there, sometimes she’ll say one of our names or she’ll say she loves us, but beyond that,” a sad smile came to the white mare’s lips as she looked at her sleeping friend. “You know, talking about it like that, you think I was talking about her as if she was just asleep.”

        Applejack chuckled, “Yeah.”

        Rarity then looked closely at Applejack,  “Strange,” she stated, looking closely at Applejack’s face.

        “What is it?” asked Applejack.

        “I don’t believe I have ever seen you cry in all the time I’ve known you. I’ve seen Fluttershy cry to herself a few times since this began, Rainbow Dash will deny that she has but you can tell, and I know that Pinkie, bless her, has cried sometimes when she thinks we aren’t looking,” Rarity said, putting her hoof to her chin, “And then there’s you. Every time I’ve seen you, you are either working out, talking to one of us, or are in here. All that time, not a single tear shed.”

        Applejack looked back at Twilight, “The last time Ah’ve ever cried as was when my parents died. Ever since then, Ah kept telling myself ‘don’t cry, be strong. Be as strong as a tree for the family, for my friends, and for everypony around me. Your family needs you, you can’t afford to be weak.’ That’s all Ah’ve ever strived to be, to be strong and dependable, like her. Ah know  she has a strong will just like Ah do, and she needs just an equally strong pony to back her up. So, Ah stay strong for her, because I know she needs me.”

        “Well,” Rarity chuckled softly, “The more we spend time together, the more I am glad to get to know you. To be honest, if we didn’t go on that adventure together, I would’ve still figured you to be an uncouth heathen who wouldn’t know fashion if it strangled her. But, now I know better.”

        “And if Ah never gotten to know ya better thanks to this gal, Ah would still think think of ya as nothing but an annoying little lady who is too afraid to get her hooves dirty and is too prim to get an honest day’s work done,” Applejack chuckled as she looked at Rarity’s face turn into a frown. “But now Ah know better. Yer an awesome little mare, who does just about as hard work as Ah do. Sure, it ain’t a thing like buckin trees, but it ain’t any less hard. You work on something till it’s perfect, you create art. Truth be told, Ah admire that about ya.”

        “Just like I admire your  hard work, Applejack. Even if you would never see me doing it,” Rarity smiled. “And to think, had not Twilight forced us into that slumber party, we would never have gotten this close.”

        Applejack chuckled and then pulled Rarity close, “Ya hear that, Twilight? Ya gotta wake up soon so you can get other ponies together like this.”

        Luna stood at the door, watching, a smile on her face as she looked on at the two, “ Generous and Honest, two wonderful virtues to have. Just one pony made this happen, I wonder if...Trixie is beginning to learn the lesson yet.”





        At a humble little carrot farm, Trixie knocked at the door of a carrot farmer, “Hello, I am Trixie and I-OOOF!” Yelled Trixie as she was decked by a punch from a yellow hoof.

        “Oh dear, another one?” asked Octavia as she walked to help Trixie back on her hooves.

        Lyra chuckled as she levitated Trixie’s hat back onto her head, “Including me, that is what? two for two knockouts? Maybe I should go and answer the door.” Lyra then turned to the door and knocked on it.

        “Derpy, I keep telling you, you don’t need to,” a yellow pony with an orange mane said, answering the door. When she opened it, she was pleasantly surprised to see who it was, “Oh, Lyra! A pleasure to see you, I wasn’t expecting you here today. What brings you he-What is she doing here?” 

        “Carrot Top, I’m here to ask you something. Now, I know this is going to sound weird, but Trixie has something important to talk to you about,” Lyra said, moving to the side to let Trixie step forward.

        Carrot sighed and looked back at Trixie, a scowl on her face. Then she turned to look at Lyra, “Ok, you three can come in. But, this had better be on the level.”

        “Why do you not like Trixie?” Trixie asked, following the ponies into the house.

        “Oh, lets see, where to start?” Asked Carrot, walking towards her sofa, “You took over the town, ruined a good mare’s hair, and ridiculed Applejack. Look, I remember that little show that Applejack and the others helped you put on, but it is still a little hard to forgive becoming a tyrant.”

        “Trixie understands, and she is sorry for everything...really,” Trixie said, sitting down. “Do you forgive her.”

        “I’ll think about it, besides,” Carrot smiled, “It was funny to make Rarity’s mane green, even if my cousin was insulted. Now, what is it that you want to talk to me about?”

        “Twilight, she is in trouble,” Lyra said, sitting next to Carrot.

        “The princess? But I-” Carrot exclaimed.

        “It is nothing more than a ruse to keep the population from panicking,” Octavia said.

        “And Luna herself has picked you to become a member of a team to save her,” Trixie said.

        “M-Me?! But, what can I do? I’m just a carrot farmer,” said Carrot.

        “And I am just a cellist and she is just a musician,” Octavia said, plainly.

        “And Applejack and the others are just a farmer, party gal, caretaker, and a dressmaker. But that doesn’t stop them!” exclaimed Lyra as she stood on top of the couch, “What do they have that we don't? We can be just as brave heroes as they are, all we need is a little nudge.”

        “Besides, Trixie trusts her master. If there is something to you, then Luna must have seen it,” Trixie said, holding out her hoof. “So, what do you say? Are you in?”

        Carrot top looked down at the outstretched hoof and nodded, “Yes!”

        As Carrot’s hoof touched Trixie’s, the blue mare’s eyes glowed with a small rainbow, “Oh, no. Not again!” She exclaimed as she was thrown back against the sofa.

        “So, here again?” Asked Trixie as she looked around the castle of the two sisters. Turning her head, she again saw the group that she was with when she was with Lyra, “Wait, is that-”


        “But, I’m not generous!” Denied Carrot Top.


        “Sure you are,” said LYra with a smile. “You gave us a place to stay when you needed it and went through poison joke for me!”


        “Then,” the orange pony said as the jewel came to her, “That’s who I am! GENEROSITY!!”


        “But she can’t, that was who,” before she could object, however, she found her world changing to a small park. There she was in front of Carrot as they sat down on a blanket.


        “Tada, the last of the carrot cake, just for you!” said Carrot as she smiled at Trixie.


        “But, you didn’t have to,” Trixie objected.


        “Yeah, I had to, know what today is?” asked Carrot.



        “What?” Trixie asked Carrot, taking the cake in her magic.


        “The day, I became owner of Golden Harvest,” smiled Carrot.


        “Then shouldn’t you be spending that with your family?” asked the unicorn.


        The yellow earth pony chuckled and sat closer, “I am.”


        “Carrot Top...my friend?” Asked Trixie as she watched the world return to the black world. Standing there in the darkness, were the six bearers once again. This time, the group of shadows ponies and Lyra and Trixie, were now joined by Carrot Top, “Generosity, Loyalty, and Magic? What does this all mean? Are you trying to say that there is a place where Trixie was magic? And what does this have to do with these mares that Trixie is recruiting?”


        “Does this happen often?” asked Carrot as she helped Trixie up.

        “So far, it seems only when she was with us,” Octavia commented, lifting the unicorn up with a grey hoof.

        Trixie looked at Carrot, after shaking her head, “Carrot, this is going to sound weird to you, but have you ever met Trixie before she came to Ponyville?”

        “No,” Carrot said, shaking her head. “ This is the first time we’ve ever had a conversation with each other.Why?”

        “Not important for now, just something that Trixie is trying to figure out. Now come, we have two more ponies to recruit!” Trixie exclaimed, heading out.

        



        “HIIIIIIIIII!” Pinkie Pie squealed as she hopped into the room, taking her place next to Twilight. “Princess Luna said that talking with you would help keep you grounded here so I decided to start talking to you as much as I can. OF course, it’ll be pretty just me talking to a sleepy head you, but...I’ll just pretend you talking for you!”

        “That’s pretty creative, Pinkie! Thank you,” Pinkie said, talking in Twilight’s voice. “What is in the basket?”

        “OH, I just brought some cupcakes and muffins for you and Spike!” Pinkie giggled as she lifted the basket up and then laid a blue muffin next to Spike. “Here Spike, a sapphire muffin for you, a blueberry for Twilight, and a strawberry one for me. Now, I know what you are going to ask, and of course I know you can’t eat it now but you won’t be asleep forever.” The pink earth pony let out a soft sigh as she looked at her muffin and then back to Twilight, her smile never leaving her, “Because I know, deep down, that you’ll wake up soon and then we can have a big party with whoever Trixie is bringing here to help. And I know that the others know it too, they just need a little happy reminder, right?”

        “Right!” Pinkie imitated Twilight saying.

        Pinkie Pie giggled as she ate her muffin, looking at Twilight with a soft smile. After she ate some of her muffin, she continued, “That’s why I need to be so happy and cheerful, to give them a little light when they need it the most and to see the bright side of things. You know,” she chuckled, “I remember how you went into my dream not too long ago and met Pinkemena, how she was me throwing all of my bad and nasty feelings at her. I still do that, but...she is ok with that. No, really! We kind of made a deal, she keeps the bad stuff away and I help all of you forget all of your troubles. Why? Because, you guys are the only ones who got to see that side. I have many friends, but you? You five are my truest friends,” she added, giving an affectionate nuzzle.

        “Laughter springs hope,” Luna said, watching from the doorway. “So, Trixie, will you find such ponies on your quest?”





        “Uh, Trixie, are you sure about this?” Asked Lyra as she watched Trixie walk to the door.

        “Indeed, I do not think you want to get hurt again,” Octavia said, looking at the unicorn. “IT seems that this town doesn’t appreciate your talents as much as Vinyl did.”

        “Trixie will be fine,” Trixie said as she knocked the door and watched as it opened.

        “Oh, my...Trixie!” exclaimed the quiet pegasus as she looked at the unicorn.

        Trixie smirked as she put up an invisible barrier, “Yes, it is I!”

        “OH, do come in, please,” the green and purple maned mare said, walking in.

        “Wait, what?” asked Trixie as she walked in, followed by the other members in her party. “ Are you not afraid of Trixie after what she did, miss Blossomforth?”

        “Oh, I admit to being a little terrified after what happened to Ponyville two year ago, but you looked like you needed this more,” Blossomforth said as she flew to Trixie and handed a small cup of tea. “Here, it’ll help heal you.”

        Carrot top looked over the small house, seeing how flowers covered the room from wall to wall, with small pots hanging from the ceiling, “Wow, I knew you liked flowers, but I never knew this much.”

        “Tell me,” Lyra asked, not having the chance to meet Blossomforth before, “Do you know, Fluttershy, personally?”

        “Personally, oh no, not personally,” the light grey pegasus said softly. “But I hope to, one day. I admire her so much, she is one of the bravest ponies in Ponyville.”

        “She is?” asked Trixie, Lyra, and Carrot Top.

        “Yes, she is!” Blossomforth smiled softly, “Sure, on the outside she doesn’t seem all that brave, but who else goes to face a dragon, a dragoniquis, and changelings and still comes back for more. She may not look it, but being able to do all that while looking scared, is so brave.”

        Trixie smiled at Blossomforth’s admiration, thinking of her own fans, “Well, my dear, you may have a chance to help Fluttershy. See, Luna has asked of Trixie to bring forth a team together to help bring a team together to save Twilight Sparkle. And your name was on the list.”

        “M-M-me? Oh no, no nononono, this is some mistake. I-I can’t possibly go and do something like that, I’m only a florist...what can I do?” stammered Blossomforth.

        “Fluttershy, probably asks herself that same question,” Octavia said as she walked to the side of Blossom.

        “Princess Luna picked you, out of who knows how many other possibilities,” Trixie said, drinking her tea slowly. “She most likely see something in you that makes you valuable to this team. Besides, this is your chance to be like your idol, and to help out her best friend.”

        “To tell you the truth, the only difference between her and you that I see right now,” Lyra smirked, “is that she had a fancy necklace and you don’t. I bet if you were there when Twilight went into that library, you would’ve gone with her and you would’ve had that necklace. I know,” she said, sighing with a smile, “because I would’ve too.”

“But, I-” Blossomforth stammered for a moment, and then took a look at the four ponies around her. Seeing the looks in their eyes, and the desire to be more like her heroine building up inide her, she took a deep breath and sighed, “All right, I’ll do it.”

        “Excellent!” Trixie cheered, and then extended her hoof, “Welcome to the team.” As he hoof came into contact with Blossomforth, the blue unicorn felt a rainbow shine come to her eyes. Bracing herself as the familiar feeling came to her, she was flown back into the seat.

        “Ok,” Trixie began, as she looked around the top of the building she was on, “where is Trixie this time and wich one is this mare?”


        “and Blossomforth, who stayed with a group civilians no matter what! Represents the element of, Loyalty!” Twilight yelled.


        “Loyalty!? But Trixie thought she saw,” Trixie began before the scene changed before her, showing another version of the unicorn laying on a bed, drinking from a small cup.


        “Thank you Blossomforth, that drink was actually refreshing,” the Trixie in the vision said, smiling.


        “Oh, you’re welcome,” said Blossomforth smiling. “I have been wanting to try and make mana potions out of these flowers for a while now. I never understood why most medicine has to taste bad so I wanted to try something new to make it better.”


        “So, Trixie was your guinea pig?” asked Trixie as she sat up.


        “No, just a friend that needed a drink,” giggled the pony as she poured Trixie another drink.


        “This pegasus, was this Trixie’s...friend? My,” Trixie was then brought out of her thoughts as she was returned to the black void that she was at once before and again, she saw standing before her Octavia with Twilight standing at her side. Only now, beside Trixie, was the young pegasus wearing the element of loyalty on her neck. “Loyalty, Kindness, Laughter, and Magic. But in that other place, I was magic and the farmer and musician were the elements. What does this all mean? What are you planning Master?”


        “Hey, Trixie, are you alright?” asked Lyra, helping Trixie onto her hooves. 

        “Trixie is,” she stopped herself as she looked at Blossomforth. “Fine...just fine. She just has something to work out at the moment.”

        Blossomforth watched with worry as Trixie walked out of the house, “Are-Are you sure? You were out for-”

        Trixie quickly interrupted as she walked out, “These blackouts have been happening to everypony that Trixie has met before and she has been walking away from them just fine so far.”

        “Sounds like a problem we should look into,” Carrot Top said as she followed.

        “It’s nothing, just a spell that Trixie will have cleared up well before we get to the last pony,” Trixie said as she adjusted her hat.

        “And where would that be?” Asked Octavia

        Trixie smiled as she walked ahead, “Manehatten.”





        Listen to my heart
        Listen to my song
        Do you even hear me

        Is there something we can do
        To wake you, to make you happy
        Listen to my heart
        Listen to my song
        Can you even hear me?

        


        Rainbow Dash strolled into the room, afraid to disturb the yellow pegasus’s song. The soft melodies of her voice and the way her singing would always carry with it a motherly tone, seemed to lighten the air of wherever it was heard. A soft sigh left the blue pegasus’s lips as she walked next to Fluttershy,

        We are here, watching you
        We are alive, because we knew you


        Closing her magenta eyes, Rainbow Dash took in a deep breath and joined in with Fluttershy. The way that the pegasus sung, reminded her of the old songs that she would hear her mother play that wished Royal guards luck in times of war. Opening her mouth, she began to add her own lyrics to Fluttershy’s song.

        How long will it take, to bring her home
        Will our friendship be able to bring her out
        
        So long as we hold her hoof to show her the way
        We’ll stop her tears from falling
        Well make sure she comes home

        We are here, watching you
        We are alive, because we knew you

        Listen to my heart
        Listen to my song
        Do you even hear me

        Is there something we can do
        To wake you, to make you happy
        Listen to my heart
        Listen to my song
        Can you even hear me?

        Fluttershy looked at her longtime friend, smiling softly as she wiped some of her tears away, “Thank you, Rainbow Dash.”

        “No problem,” Dash shrugged, showing off her usual cockyness. “How is she?”

        Fluttershy sighed and shook her head as she looked to the fallen alicorn, “Still the same. She hasn’t even moved in the last few hours.”

        Dash then looked over the bed of the purple alicorn and to the little purple dragon asleep on the side, “What about him?”

        “Still the same, hasn’t eaten anything or left the bed since everything began,” Fluttershy said, rubbing her hoof along Spike’s spines. “Everytime I tried to offer or ask him to go, he’ll just tell me ‘I can’t leave her, what if she wakes up and needs something. What if she needs me to get her something really important while I’m gone. She needs me to be there when she wakes up!’ Then he just goes back to watching over her.” 

        “That kid,” Dash chuckled as she looked over the two sleeping forms. “Loyal to a fault. I thought I was the loyal one, but he can give me a run for my money.”

        “Oh, Rainbow, don’t be like that. You are just as loyal,” Fluttershy said, looking up at Dash, noticing that the blue pegasus began to shake her head.

        “How can you say that, I almost sold you off for a book, remember?” Dash said. 
        
        “You were just caught up in the moment, you were too excited about getting what you wanted. You just as quickly went back on the deal to get me back,” Fluttershy said, running a comforting hoof on her friend’s arm. “That shows how loyal you are.”

        “Yeah, and what a failure I can be sometimes. Look at this,” Dash said,squinting her eyes to hold back the tears. “ Ever since I was a foal I wanted to be the fastest pony out there. I wanted to be able to fly better than anypony else, so that way I could never lose anypony close to me. I wanted to be able to always be there for everypony, no matter where they were. That way, I can be there to protect them when they needed me. But now, look at this,” she then choked back a sob, “Fastest pony in the world, and I’m useless! I can’t even save one of my best friends when she needs me the most. Some Loyalty I am!”

        Fluttershy put a hoof onto Rainbow’s back, and looked back at her with knowing eyes, “It’s ok, you can cry if you want to.”

        As if she needed no other provocation, she wrapped her hooves around her oldest friend and began to cry on her shoulders. As the tears flowed without stopped, Rainbow shuddered, “What's the point of being the fastest if it can’t save her? I...”she sobbed, “never felt so slow.”

        Unknown to the two ponies, a dark blue alicorn watched, “So, we see just how much pain you’re hiding Rainbow. But, yet, you have a friend that you can shoulder the pain with. I wonder, Trixie, are you finding the same comfort in the team that I have selected?”





        “Ok, lets go over this again,” Trixie began thinking to herself as the train continued to roll down the tracks to Manehatten. She took the time look at her fellow passengers as they talked, Lyra sitting with Carrot Top and Octavia with Blossomforth. “In one of these visions, Trixie is magic while Lyra and Carrot are loyalty and generosity. Yet, in the other, Trixie is Laughter while Blossomforth is Loyalty and Octavia is Kindness. Is what Trixie experiencing visions of alternate worlds? Alternate timelines? Worlds where Trixie made another choice in her life that did not leave her poor and wanting revenge?” 

 
       “Hey, Trix, you there?” Asked Lyra, waving her hoof in front of Trixie.

        “Huh? Oh, yes. Trixie is listening,” Trixie said, looking up. “You were saying.”

        Carrot Top looked to Trixie, “We were talking about just why would Luna pick each of us for this. I mean, Lyra has some talent in music and archaeology, Octavia is a good musician, by then there is the three of us.”

        “HEY!” Trixie objected.

        “I’m sorry, but what I mean is, I’m good at farming but nowhere near as strong as Applejack. Blossomforth is nice but is nothing compared to Fluttershy, and you, you are good at illusions but Twilight has you beat.

        “ Perhaps, that is the connection. We all have something that connects us to the six bearers,” Octavia began. “Carrot lives on Applejack’s farm, Trixie considers herself Twilight’s rival, Blossomforth is Fluttershy’s fan, Lyra has had some dealings with Rarity, and I was-”

        “Assaulted by Pinkie at the Gala?” joked Lyra.

        “Oh, like that was the weirdest or worst encounter any of us had with those mares!” exclaimed Carrot. “Let me tell you about when Applejack got overprotective. I don’t know what happened, but I do know it ended with pillows piled up to the window of the farmhouse!”

        Trixie heard this and began to giggle a little at this, “Oh yes, miss guardian angel.”

        “Wait, what about Fluttershy and her ‘outburst’,” Lyra said.

        Blossomforth shook her head, “I, uh, don’t remember. I do remember that one time, at tornado duty, when she bravely conquered her fears and turned into-”

        “Fluttershy, the monster!” Squealed Carrot.

        “”No, that was um...” Blossomforth turned her head away, “after that seminar with Iron Will.” She then said in a low voice, “No pony’s perfect.”

        “Ah, like Rarity and her ‘country phase’,” Lyra said, waving her hooves in air quotes.

        “Ah, all of the wonderful stories that Trixie has heard about, maybe she can get them somepony else’s point of view,” Trixie said, moving a little closer to the ponies.

        “Wait, how did you hear of it?” Asked Lyra.

        “Ever since Trixie’s adventure with those mares in the dream world, Twilight has been sending letters to her about the adventure that they have been having,” Trixie said, smiling at the thought.

        “Wait, Twilight has been talking to you the entire time?” Asked Carrot.

        “Why yes. Trixie may be Twilight’s best rival, but she is also her friend,” Trixie said.

        Octavia arched an eyebrow at this, “Wait, if that is true then why weren’t you at the coronation? I was there with my group to play the music but I don’t think I saw you.”

        “Then you must not have been looking clearly, because she was clearly there in the front row! Trixie had plans to appear in front of the new princess and put on such a show that it would astound all who saw it!” Trixie shouted, thrusting her hooves into the air in excitement. She then sat back down,”But, when Twilight got up to the throne and that crown was laid upon her head. Trixie decided not too. She knew that no pony would pay attention to her act and so, left. Trixie would rather not be embarrassed at such a large of gathering.” 
        
        “Oh, of course,” Carrot said, sighing.

        Lyra then looked into Trixie’s eyes, and nodded, “Oh, I see. So, anymore stories, girls?”

        “Now arriving at Manehatten, all passengers departing for Manehatten may now depart,” said the conductor.

        “Ah, our stop,” Blossomforth said.

        “So, Trixie,” Carrot Top began as she followed Trixie, “Who are we supposed to find?”

        “According  to Luna’s papers, she is a pegasus that lives in the lower parts of the city,” Trixie said, taking out a map and looking at the streets.

        “OH! I know where that is,” exclaimed Blossomforth. “I used to live here.”
        “Great! Lead the way, Blossom!” cheered Lyra.

        Nodding, the light grey pegasus flew in front of the girls to lead them to the apartments and mazelike buildings of the lower Manehatten streets. After a few hours of walking and traveling, the five mares found the apartment building where their quarry lived. Heading up to the top floor, they looked down the long hallway that was littered with various doors and pictures. Walking down the long corridor, they reached the last door where the sign read the name of who lived there, “Here we are,” Trixie said as she knocked on the door.

        Almost immediately, the door opened to reveal a light blue pegasus, “Yeah, what do ya want?” she asked, running a hoof through her blonde mane.

        “Lighting Dust?” asked Trixie.

        “Yeah, who's asking?” Dust asked, her scratchy voice tinged with aggravation and boredom.

        “I am, the Great and Powerful TRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRIXIE! And,” the blue unicorn announced, reaching into her saddle bag with her magic, “we are here to request you to join us on a mission to help somepony.”

        “And why should I join?” Asked Lighting.

        “Because Princess Luna has specifically requested you, its to help Twilight Sparkle,” Trixie stated.

        “So, let me get this straight, you are expecting me to go off on some mission to save the new princess? The new princess, mind you, that is responsible for me getting kicked off the academy? The same princess that is responsible for getting my dreams crushed? LEt me think, no!” Yelled Dust as she slammed the door.

        “Well, that was a bust,” Lyra said.

        “Maybe we should try somepony else?” asked Octavia.

        “No! Princess Luna specifically requested this particular pony!” Trixie said as she lifted up her hat with her magic and brought out a lockpick.

        “Wait, you have lockpicks under there?” asked Carrot Top.

        “Why yes, any good magician worth her salt has a series of lockpicks for their escapes!” Trixie said with a smile. As soon as she unlocked the door, she got a good look into the room. Her eyes widened at the sight of the blonde tail of their target slipping out the window, “Oh, no...you are not escaping Trixie! Lyra, Carrot Top, I need some glass and rope! Octavia, Blossomforth, you two lived here before, you keep an eye out for her.”

        “What are you going to do?” asked Lyra as she and Carrot began to run.

        “Trixie is going hunting,” the blue mare smirked as she ran into the room. A look of determination on her face, Trixie jumped through the window and onto the fire escape. Turning her head to the steps, she ran up them as fast as she could. 

        Once at the top of the building, she looked to where Dust was flying away. Thanking her lucky stars for Manehatten flying laws, the unicorn ran after the escaping pegasus. Running to the edge of the roof of the building, she looked up to where Dust stood on the other side, smirking confidently. Lowering her head so her hat covered her eyes, Trixie let out a low chuckle before she back up from the ledge and ran to it, jumping with all of her might and landing on the other side. Standing up, trembling from the force of the landing, she smirked confidently at the pegasus.

        Shaking her head in disbelief, Dust ran away, making a few more leaps  over the series of rooftops in an attempt to dodge her. Turning her head to look over her shoulder, she opened her eyes in amazement when she saw Trixie following along perfectly. Not just perfectly, but not looking like she was tired in the least. Shaking the image out of her mind, she turned to try and run from the incoming Trixie, only to be stopped by Trixie appearing before in a flash of smoke, “Hello! Surprised?” Asked Trixie. “You should be, because she has the one companion that you would never see coming! DISCORD!”

        “Discord? But he isn’t...AHHHHH!” screamed Dust as she saw Discord standing behind her, waving his lion paw. 

        Not phased at the sight of the Draconequus, Trixie summoned up a rope and tied it around the pegasus, “There, now lets make a deal, shall we?”

        “But what about?” Dust asked before watching in shock as the glass was lowered by a golden aura. Elsewhere, glass on other roofs were removed, “But, how?”

        “Blossomforth and Octavia lived here before, so they told Trixie where you were running. By the time you made it to the second rooftop, Lyra and Carrot Top had brought Trixie the rope and glass that she needed to make some of her illusions complete. From there, it was a simple task for her to use her duplication spell to make it look like Trixie was chasing you without being tired while she anticipated your arrival. In truth, it was a very lucky guess, but I won’t tell her that.” Trixie said, looking down at her quarry.

        “I’m still not joining this little club or whatever it is you got going,” Dust said.

        “Trixie did not want to do this, but she is willing to make you a deal, from Luna,” Trixie began. “See, the princess has begun to notice that the Wonderbolts are getting too...complacent in recent years. Everypony knows that they are the best and thus, nopony challenges them. With nopony to challenge their ranks, what is the point of trying to beat them. So they don’t try to get better. Luna is going to change that by making a team that will be able to challenge them on their own level. The Shadowbolts, and she has picked you to be their captain.” Trixie smiled, “Think about it, Celestia in your debt? The chance to show off to all who have wronged you, the horrible choice when they kicked you out. The chance to show everypony...your greatness?”

        Dust looked down, before looking back up, “Ok, I’ll do it!” She exclaimed lending out a hoof. Trixie smiled as her hoof touched Dust’s, and she prepared herself for a new vision as the rainbow shine came to her eyes.

        “Ok, Trixie has seen the pattern now. Which element is this one?” Trixie asked as she watched an image appear before her, fuzzy and buzzing.


        “You see?” Asked Dust, “We are the elements reborn! Me...heh, I’m freaking magic!”


        “And Trixie is,” she stopped, looking at Dust, smiling “LOYALTY!”


        “But then who is...” Before Trixie could ask, she was sent back into the world.


        “Hey, is she ok?” Asked Dust.

        Trixie shook her head,” Trixie is fine, she just thinks she finally has some answers she needed.” She said as she walked away, “Come! Canterlot awaits!”


__________________________________

        “A musician with a love for myths, a cellist, a farmer, a botanist, a magician, and a rejected Wonderbolt,” Celestia said, walking with Luna. “You seemed to have picked an odd assortment of team members for this. You must have been thinking about this for a while.”

        “I have, sister,” Luna said, looking out the window. “When she stopped me from entering Twilight’s dream that first time, it hurt me more than you could know.”

        “Why?” asked the white alicorn.

        Luna sighed, “ Its hard to explain. For ages, Equestria and the waking world had always been ours. Ours, the two princesses ruling as one over the ponies of this land. But, the dream world was always mine. It was the one thing I could say that was mine and mine alone. Even when we were,” Luna stopped herself, “Corrupted, the dream world was mine! But then that...MONSTER took it from me. She took my only sanctuary from me and took what was always mine. I felt violated! I couldn’t let the witch get away with it, so I decided it was time to build a team to stop her the next time she showed her face. Sister, this wasn’t just to save your student...this was revenge!”

        

> The dream of meetings
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        The train sped quickly down the tracks, rolling across the hilly roads towards the mountain city of Canterlot. Inside a private car, Trixie sat on a seat away from the talking mares that had made up her team. One part of her mind was listening to the mares acquaint themselves with their latest member, Lightning Dust, while the other was on the papers before her. She looked carefully at the list of ponies she had managed to recruit, and then at the list of strange visions that she had received upon meeting each member of the team,“Let’s see if  Trixie has this right-In one world, Trixie is magic and am friends with Lyra and Carrot Top, who are Loyalty and Generosity. In another,Trixie is Laughter and am friends with Tavi and Blossomforth. Lastly, I am Generosity and Dust is magic. 


        Now, the fact that Trixie is these elements makes sense since, as a magician, Trixie needs to be generous about her talents, laughter comes from the stories she tells, and as for magic...well, Trixie is the most powerful unicorn in Equestria now that Twilight is an alicorn. But, Trixie has never met these particular ponies before, so why in Equestria did Luna-”


        Trixie was quickly taken out of her thoughts by an exclimation from Lyra, “Oh my gosh! I just realized where I remember Dust from. It was so obivious!”

        “Where?” Asked Dust, looking at the mint-green unicorn.

        “Ok, think back, back to when you went to Canterlot for a semester,” Lyra said, taking a part of her mane and pulling it over her eye.

        “One eye?” Dust asked, seeing the way Lyra had set her mane and face. “I can’t believe I  didn’t recognize you!”

        “Well, it kind of helps that I didn’t have my mane parted like it did those years ago,” Lyra chuckle.

        “Wait, wait, you two know each other?” Asked Trixie.

        “Well, we weren’t close friends, but I remember sometimes paling around with this unicorn I used to call one-eye,” Dust said, smirking.

        Feeling the mare’s looks of confusion on her, Lyra added, “I had a real bad problem with my right eye for a few weeks when I moved to Canterlot. There was a lot of surgery involved and I had to wear something over my eye to hide the bandage. So, I used my mane for the first few weeks of the semester, the look was popular with ponies and I kept it. I met Dust and she has been calling me one-eye since.”

        “You moved to Canterlot?” asked Octavia.

        “Yeah, from Ponyville. Not a lot of music schools in there, so when I got my mark, I moved to Canterlot to study,” Lyra said, looking down at her cutie mark for empathsis.

        “Wait, I remember now,” Octavia exclaimed as the memory came to her. “ You and Dust used to cause so much trouble back at the music school I attended.”

        “Sitara’s string academy?” Asked Blossomforth, “Oh, my! I used to work there with my mother at a little flower shop across the street.”

        “You know, now that I think about it, I used to deliver carrot cakes to that shop with my father sometimes. I think I probably saw you girls there,” Carrot Top added, the happy memories flooding her mind.

        “So, somehow, we all met before in Canterlot and never even knew it? Wow, what are the odds?” Lyra chuckled, looking down at the floor.

        “Very high, you girls just seem to flock to me,” a smirking Lightning Dust said, giving a confident shrug.

        “All of you, except for Trixie,” Trixie said. “Back in the old days, Trixie was far more into being glamorous and the greatest show-mare and powerful unicorn in all of Equestria to make friends. She had fans, not friends.”

        “Don’t be so sure, my little pony,” Lyra snarked. “ I seem to remember catching sight of a fellow unicorn leaving Celestia’s school in a huff. She looked really ticked about an ‘unfair retest’ and  ‘what do they mean that Celestia’s student position was filled’, along with a few other terms.”

        Octavia’s eyes shot up, “That was you?” At Trixie’s nodding, Octavia continued, “I tried to talk to you about what had happened and probably would’ve helped you if you had stayed for a little longer.”

        “Heck, I know I would've helped you out. Maybe even made friends with you,” Lyra said, smiling. “Like we are now.”

        “You would've...considered Trixie a friend?” Trixie asked, her face showing disbelief.

        “Well of course! Who wouldn't want to pal around with an awesome magician like you. Who knows what type of stories you had,” Lyra shouted, throwign her hooves in the air.

        “I would have to agree,” Octavia muttered. “I know it would seem weird, considering our professions. However, when one takes in the company I keep,” she said, smiling as thoughts of Vinyl came to her mind.

        “If I had seen you, I would've offered a sandwich or something to comfort you,” Blossomforth remarked sweetly.

        “All of you? You don’t mind and would've be-” Trixie asked but was interrupted by Dust.

        “Hey, any gal that is as determined and crazy as you, would definitely be worth talking to and paling with,” Dust said, patting Trixie on the back.

        The group then turned their eyes to Carrot Top, expecting an answer. The yellow earth pony then let out a deep sigh, “ When you first came to Ponyville, I had you pegged for nothing more than a trickster and a liar. I was right, and then believed you to be a maniac when you attacked with the alicorn amulet. However, I've begun to see that there is a little more to you than the world’s biggest egotist. That there is some layers to you and...I think I wouldn't mind getting to know more about the mare under the ego.”

        “But will we have the chance?” asked Blossomforth, looking at the group with a slightly worried expression. “ You all seem like such nice ponies, and I want to know more about you all, but after we finished this mission for the princess...we won’t need to see each other again. Me, Carrot, and Lyra live in Ponyville, but everypony else lives so far away. I don’t really want to go through all of this, become friends with you, and never see you girls again.”

        With a soft breath, Octavia looked up to the ceiling, “ You know, I think I could make a few shows in Ponyville once in a while, and I could drop in on a few friends while there.”

        Lyra smiled, “Yeah, and me and Bon Bon could have a few carrot cakes and share some tea or take in some flowers.”

        “Trixie could spend some time traveling to Ponyville more often,” the blue unicorn said, looking at the others. They then turned to Lightning Dust, waiting for her response.

        “What? Are you expecting something?” Dust asked, looking at the group of mares. After a fe moments of silence, she let out a grunt of frustration, “Fine! I’ll see if I can’t work something in my busy Shadowbolts schedule to visit you gals and have some ‘bonding time’. There, happy?  We’re all one big group of ragtag friends, who are all saving a princess we barely know. Satisfied? But, we see how this little thing goes first, then I’ll decide if you’re worth keeping around.” 

        “I think we’ll see if you are worth it first,” Lyra snarked, a little giggle escaping her lips.

        “Hey! I’m worth it,” Yelled Dust, before chuckling a little at the reaction from Lyra. 

        At Dust’s little reaction, Trixie joined in the chuckle and joy at watching Dust getting flustered. The blue mare then scooted over to the pegasus and placed a hoof on to her shoulder, “Don’t worry, we’ll accept you soon, perhaps after you have been decked by one of us at least once.”

        “Ok, but only once. Then I’m fighting back,” Laughed Dust, causing the others to laugh in return.

        As they laughed, Trixie began to look over the five mares she had gathered, her mind thinking back to the papers she had drawn durning their ride, “I think I see it now, Princess Luna...why you picked these mares.” A smile came to her face as she continued to look, her mind replacing the girls before her with the friends of the other worlds, all laughing and all together. 





        
         With a loud hiss and slow crawl, the train rolled into the Canterlot station. As Trixie and her five friends walked off the private train, they found a bat-winged mare waiting for them, “Miss Lunamoon? Moonlight Shadow,” the bat pony said, saluting, “Princess Luna was expecting to arrive with your team. Is this them?”

        Trixie nodded before looking back to the bat pony, looking into her slitted yellow eyes, “Yes, these are the mares that Luna has requested for the mission.”

        “Good,” Moonlight said, looking over the five other mares with observing eyes. “I have been given orders from Princess Luna to escort you and  your team to the throne room immeaditly. Once there, you are to meet with the other bearers and get aquainted before the mission starts.” With that, the bat pony then turned and walked away, allowing the six mares to follow in her wake.

        It did not take long for the group to reach the courtyard of the palace, and it did not take long for their arrival to be noticed by Luna as she watched from inside one of the hallways in the palace, “So, your team has arrived at last,” Celestia said, walking up behind her sister.

        “Yes,” the blue alicorn responded with a soft sigh. “Now their mission can finally begin.”

        Celestia noticed the tone in her voice as she walked with her to the throne room, “Is something wrong, Luna?”

        “Huh? Oh, it’s nothing,” Luna said, turning her head away from her older sister.

        “Luna,” Celestia said, her tone taking a more authoritative tone, “I thought we agreed, no more hiding our feelings from each other. Now, what is it?”

        Luna sighed and looked up at the taller alicorn, “It’s just that, I have never led something like this before. I have always been the one on the front lines, the soldier, the fighter, but not this. I’m not like you, I’m not a leader. You are always the one in the back, planning strategy and ploys, making the enemy do your work for you. I don't think I can do that.”

        “Oh Luna,” Celestia said, smiling softly as she draped a wing along Luna’s back and held her close. “ I’d be lying if I told you that no leader has ever felt this way, but they have. Feeling like this and worrying about it shows that you know how serious this is. You know how careful you have to be when leading them, and what e all stand to lose if you fail. I know, because it is the same weight that is on my shoulders every time I make a decision for this kingdom. Every time I send Twilight out there to save everypony, I wonder if I had made the right decision or if she was ready for the large task ahead of her.”

        “But you are so good at it!” exclaimed Luna.

        “Practice,” Celestia smiled.

        “It’s just that, I know that if I fail, then we lose the princess of magic and Mirage gets what she wants. Worse, if this fails, if I chose wrong or if I failed in teaching Trixie, then you lose one of the most precious ponies in your life and I,” Luna stopped herself as she looked out the window once more, “will lose one of my dearest friends.”

        Celestia used her wing to drag Luna into a deeper hug, and then gave her a comforting nuzzle, “You won’t fail, Luna. I have the upmost faith in you. You have chosen your student well, taught her everything you could, and gave her a good team to lead. You have done everything in your power to make sure that she will succeed. It is all up to them now, and I know you will lead them to greatness.”

        Luna looked up to her sister and smiled softly, “Thank you, sister.” She then got herself out from the embrace and walked down the hall, “Now, if you’ll excuse me, its time to meet the troops.”

        Meanwhile, in the throne room, the bearers of harmony milled about as they awaited the arrival of the other six. Their waiting was soon rewarded as the door to the throne room opened slowly to reveal the mares, and as soon as Pinkie got a good look at one, she let out a squeal and ran towards Octavia in a blur of pink, “TAVI!!!!!!!! EEEEEEEEE!!!”

        “Hello, Pinkie,” Octavia said, a little tired as she  was immediately glomped by the pink mare.




        “Pinkie, I know, that’s why I’m here,” Octavia said, managing to find a way out of the back breaking hug that she was in. 

        “Wait a second,” demanded Applejack as the others walked into the throne room to join the bearers. “How do you know her?”

        “Oh, Tavi is my cousin!” Pinkie said with a smile as she walked with Octavia, “She used to come by the rock farm all the time when we were fillies and play her cello for me and the other girls. Oh, I am so glad that you are going to help us save Twilight!”

        “It is my pleasure,” smiled Octavia as Pinkie hugged her again.

        Applejack, turning her head away from the small family reunion for the moment, looked at Carrot Top and growled, “Carrot!”

        “Apple,” Carrot Top growled as she walked up to the orange mare and placed her forehead against the other earth pony, “ I have, so far, made over a thousand bits in carrot sales. What about you?”

        “nine hunred nintey, but will pick up again in cider season, and you know it,” Applejack smirked.

“We’ll see, we’ll see,” Carrot smirked, before breaking into laughter and giving Applejack a hug.

“Uh, did I miss something?” asked Rainbow Dash, looking at the two ponies with an arched eyebrow.

“Oh, its just a little friendly rivalry between competitors. Helps to get ponies more interested in our services if they think that there is a big carrot/apple war going on,” Carrot giggled.

“ Um...hi?” squeaked Blossomforth as she hid behind Trixie to avoid Fluttershy’s sight.

“Hi,” Fluttershy squeaked in return.

“Wow, it seems like almost everypony here is getting along huh?” Lyra asked Rarity.

Rarity calmly nodded as she looked around, only to be shocked as she heard Rainbow Dash yell at seeing Lightning Dust, “What the buck is she doing here?”

        “I was invited,” Dust said as Dash flew right up to her face, nose to nose.

        “Look, Dust. This is a very important mission to save my friend and we don’t have room for a hot headed egotist around here to mess things up,” Dash said, pressing her forehoof onto Dust’s chest.

        “Pot and Kettle, miss deserter!” growled Dust as she pushed back, “ I was invited here to save your princess from whatever is hurting her. So don’t blame me for being here. Besides, at least with me, they have a chance. Unlike you, who’ll abandon their wingmare for one little mistake.”

        “MISTAKE! You almost got my friends killed!” Dash yelled, “You almost got my friends killed!” 

        “You should’ve backed me up when I was-”

        “Oh, don’t you start! I tried to get you back but you had left already!” Dash shook her head to get her mind back on target, “Look, my friend’s life is on the line and if you think I am going to let a reckless mare endanger us all!”

        “The only danger I see is you and I-”

        “WILL YOU BOTH SHUT UP!” yelled Trixie, putting a wall of magic between the two pegasi. “This is no time for petty squabbling, we have something far more important to do.”

        “We agree!” Luna said, strolling in regally to the throne room. 

        “Princess,” the mares said as one, bowing to the diarch.

        “This is the time for all of us to come together and work as one to save a dear friend, not for personal struggles. We will leave all of that behind us for the time being and all disagreements will be handled after this mission is done.” Luna then walked next to Trixie, “Trixie, come, we have some thing to discuss. The rest of you, take this moment to get antiquated with one another and work out your problems. Then, in thirty minutes, you are to meet us in the meeting room to discuss the details of the plan.”  With that, Luna led Trixie out of the throne room and down a hallway alone, “Tell me, Trixie, do you understand why I chose those five mares for your team?”

        “Trixie, thinks she understands mistress,” Trixie said, looking back at the throne room and smiling softly. “It was to show that if things had been different, if Trixie had done something else, or made a different choice, then when she had lost everything she would not have been alone. She would’ve had true friends who would’ve helped her, kept her from grabbing amulet, and not make a mess of her life.”

        “Then you have learned a very important lesson, my student,” stated Luna, a sense of pride coming to her face. “It is one that Twilight Sparkle had learned not too long ago. That it doesn’t matter how you are born or how different your life has been from world to world, but it is what is in here, in your soul that is most important. The bonds of comardarie that we have formed in this world are as eternal as we are. Those bonds of friendship, will always lead you back to each other in some way, no matter what world you live in. It is those bonds that we will use to fight Mirage. She has already studied five elements, she will not be expecting five more.”

        “Five more?” Trixie asked, arching an eyebrow.

        “That was the other part of the lesson, to show you something important. That the key to being a bearer is more than just being a representation of your chosen virtue, but you need the will to act upon the chance to save others. If things had been different-” Luna began but Trixie finished.

“Then they would've become bearers themselves,” Trixie said.

“Yes, that rainbow shine you may have been experiencing was your inner bonds with the other bearers shining through. The deep connections that your souls had made in other worlds is reaching out to one another, binding you once again as friends,” Luna said.

“A trust that we will see each other again,” muttered Trixie.

“Hmmm?”

“Nothing, mistress,” Trixie said, shaking her head.

A small smile came to Luna as she looked down at her student, “One last question, Trixie. One I will trust you to answer truthfully,” Luna said, watching Trixie nod in response, “IF, I were to give you the same oppertunity that my sister had given Twilight not too long ago, would you take it?”

“You mean, make Trixie a...a...” Trixie studdered.

“Yes, an alicorn. If I were to give you the chance to become one, with all of the power and prestige that came with it, woud you take it?” Luna asked.

Trixie stood there for a few moments, shocked at the offer. For a few seconds her eyes went back and forth across the room, trying to think of a response before taking a deep and breath and say, “Trixie would...”



	

The royal meeting room sat a few hallways away from the throne room and wasn’t hard to find for the eleven mares. Once there, they sat in the cold white room at the round table that lay within. They looked at one of the only two things that were inside the otherwise plain room, a chalkboard with a drawing of a pony brain on it. The only other thing was attached to the ceiling, a small six faceted diamond. After a few minutes of waiting, Trixie walked in with Luna close behind her, “Good, now that we are all here,” the lunar dairch began, “Trixie will fill you in on the details of your mission.”

Trixie smiled with conifdence as Luna looked to the blue unicorn, “Thank you, mistress. Now, as you may well know, dreams come from the middle part of the brain while ignoring the logic side of the left and imaginative side of the right. What Mirage is doing to Twilight, is allowing her brain to feel all of the trauma and euphoric high of both the dreams and nightmares. She accomplishing this by subjecting Twilight to seven dream worlds all at once.”

Lightning Dust arched an eyebrow at this, “Wait, seven different dreams? Is that even possible?”

“Mirage is a very powerful mage, with powers over illusions and dreams that rival even princess Luna’s. It would be easy for her to subject the princess to such a trap,” Trixe said as she turned from the chalkboard and fired a spell at the diamond above the heads of the other ponies. The diamond charged with magic before firing a light into the center of the table that formed a hologram in the center.

“So, pretty. Can you make the crystal do light shows too?” asked Pinkie.

Trixie shook her head, “This crystal is only meant for holograms. Trust Trixie, she tried,” the unicorn chuckled before turning the hologram into an image of Twilight laying in bed, with various dreams surrounding her. “As Trixie has said, Twilight’s mind is current split into seven parts: six pairs of dreams and nightmares with a final dream locked behind six psylocks that prevents us from accessing it.”

Fluttershy watched in awe as the hologram began to show a series of locks leading to a Twilight in a fatal position, before changing back to her in the bed, “But, why would we want to take her out of a dream?”

“Have you ever had a dream so pleasent, so perfect, and happy that waking up from it leaves you feeling miserable the next morn? Or a dream that you want to never wake up from? That is what Twilight is experiencing in the world of dreams.”

“And that is why we need to hurry,” Trixie said, turning the hologram into two Twilights, one in pain and the other smiling. “Twilight’s logical mind right now is having a hard time trying to figure out what is real and what is a dream. She is slowly losing her grip on reality and soon, her mind will pick one of the worlds as the real one. If she picks the dream, then she will fall into a deep coma from which she will never wake up from again.”

“What if it’s the nightmare?” Applejack asked,fear in her eyes.

“Her mind will keep her in a constant state of fear and terror, pushing too much adrenenalene through her body that her heart will not be able to take it for long and she will die of a heart attack,” Trixie said, showing the image of the Twilight in pain  panting and soon dying.

The mares all let a gasp as they saw the images. Octavia then turned to look at Luna and Trixie, “What excatly are these dreams that she is stuck in.”

Luna began as Trixie assited through the use of the hologram, showing Twilight in a world full of sunshine, “The same ones that we all have had, once in our lives. We all have had dreams, my dear ponies. Sometimes they are the dreams of perfection where we achieve everything we want, even when it seems impossible.”

Lyra looked down at her hooves, holding one in front of her face as she whispered, “Bon Bon.”

“Dreams  of our childhood and happier times,” the midnight ble alicorn said, looking at the image of a filly Twilight playing with Shining Armor.

“Oh, adorable!” Squealed Pinkie.

“Dreams of conquering your fears and achieving all of your goals,” Luna said, noting Trixie’s smile at the last one, as if she was anticipating it. “Then we have the nightmares, the nightmare of loss,” the images darkened to show Twilight sitting in front of a grave. “A nightmare of sacrifice.”

“Oh my,” muttered Rarity as she looked at the image of Twilight walking away from a fallen alicorn.

“Then, the nightmare of abandonment,” Luna finished, an image of Twilight sitting alone in a throne room passed by.

The bearers let out a gasp and looked to one another as they saw that image, quickly remembering one of Twilight’s worse fears. Carrot top was the next to speak up, “You said that there was seven dreams, what is the last one.”

“Sadly, Trixie had to pull out before she could get a look at it. She currently has no idea until we unlock it. Now, we are going to split up into teams of two-”

“Why two? Wouldn’t it be better for us to go all at once?” asked Lightning Dust.

“ Because we run the risk of spending too long on one dream this way,” Trixie said. “By splitting up, we can hit more dreams this way. We have to hurry, because in twelve more hours, Twilight’s mind will make it’s decision and we will be too late. Besides, there is another reason for us to be in teams.”

“Why?” asked Blossomforth.

“Mirage is expecting me and the bearers. She knows we’re coming and has had time to study us, to know how to handle us, and to hit us where it hurts. If we went in alone,” Trixie said, showing an image of the bearers being dragged into the darkness by monsterous hands, “Then she would be able to destroy us and lock us into those dream worlds much like Twilight is now. However, she doesn’t know you,” Trixie said, showing images of the other members of the team standing by the bearers. “This gives us an edge. Mirage will try to attack the bearers and if that happens, the partner pony will be there to back her up or will try and save her, maybe even get Twilight themselves.” 

“So we’re using the buddy system!” Pinkie squealed.

“Yes,” Trixie agreed. “We’ll split into teams of two, then Trixie will insert those teams into one of the different dreams. Their task will then be to convenience Twilight that this is a dream, get her out of the world she is in, and grab a piece of her mind. This will then be one of the keys that will unlock the psylock’s surrounding the final dream. We then go as a group to get her out of it. Understand?” As she watched them nod, she then put up an image with the ponies together, “Rarity is with Carrot Top.”

“Well, that sounds pleasant,” Rarity said smiling.

“I don’t mind,” Carrot top said.

Trixie then smirked as she went to the next team, “Applejack is with Octavia.”

“Well, all right,” Applejack said, smiling to Octavia. “Always wanted to meet Fiddlesticks’ best pen pal.”

“Well, Fiddle did say you were ‘interesting’,” Octavia said.

“Pinkie is with Blossomforth,”

“YAY! I can’t wait to show you what I can do in a dream world!” Pinkie exclaimed.

The white pegasus gulped, “ Uh, maybe I should go with Flutter-”

Trixie interrupted, not hearing the pegasus’s plea, “Lyra will go with Fluttershy.”

“Sweet!” Lyra said, raising her hoof to Fluttershy in support.

“Finally, Rainbow Dash with go with Lightning Dust,” she then turned to look at the two pegasi who were about to complain. “No, arguments!”

“But, that means you will-”Blossomforth began.

“Yes, Trixie will be heading into the dream of competition. It is all right, that was the dream Trixie went to when she first went into Twilight’s mind. It was opening, welcoming, like Mirage was expecting me,” Trixie said, turning off the hologram.

“All the more reason not to go alone!” Dash exclaimed.

“Then if she is in trouble, Trixie will have to trust in that eleven brave mares will come to her rescue,” Trixie said before walking in front of them. " Old friends, new friends, Trixie knows that each of us is different. That each one of us are as unique as we can be and by all rights, shouldn’t have anythign to do with one another. But, let us not forget that three years ago, six mares as different as can be banded together to save all of Equestria by trusting in their freindship and their bonds. Today, Trixie has brought together five more to do a task far more important, to save a dear friend of hers. Trixie now asks all of us to put aside our differences and show the bitch the power of Luna’s DREAM WARRIORS! Who’s with me?”

The cheer from that group of ponies was almost as good as any applause.



	



“Uh, Trixie, are y’all sure you have enough mana to get us all into the dream world?” asked Applejack, looking with worry as the mares walked into the room with Twilight in it.

“You’ll find that, since training with Luna, Trixie’s mana reserves have increased 10ten-fold, “Trixie smirked as she lowered her horn to Twilight’s head. “Now, each of you stand with your partner and stand behind Trixie.” As they did so, her horn began to flare up in an azure glow. She then lowered her forehead to touch her horn to Twilight’s.
        


> Dream of perfection
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

        “We all have dreams, the dream of perfection for one.  A world where all we could ever want is achieved.”

        Those words that Luna had given them at the briefing echoed through Fluttershy’s mind as felt the realm of dreams take her over. At first, it felt like her mind was in an eternal free-fall, much like she did when she fell from the clouds, but then her mind felt calm and light. Slowly, but surely, she began to look around her as her eyes opened up to the world around her. Turning her head to look at her companion, she made her way to Lyra, “Lyra, are you ok? Are you awake?”

        The mint green unicorn took a few moments to get to her hooves, shaking the sleep and tiredness from her, “Yeah, I’m up. Trixie should’ve warned us what happens to us when we enter the dream world. Where are we?”

        “I don’t know, it looks like the mountain where Canterlot is, but I can’t see it,” Fluttershy said.

        “Maybe it’s a different mountain. I mean, how many could there-SWEET CELESTIA WHAT HAPPENED TO CANTERLOT!?” Lyra exclaimed, looking up towards the city.

        “What do you mean? Wh-oh, MY!” exclaimed Fluttershy as she followed Lyra’s stare to the city that both looked like Canterlot, but yet was not. Though its structure and shapes had remained the same, the buildings and interior were changed. Gone was the marble stone towers and majestic spires of old, now were replaced by metal and steel. From the distance, it seemed that the city had been replaced by the bright sheen of Manehatten. As Lyra looked at the massive city before her, her golden eyes caught something else, “Hey, what’s this?”

Carefully, Fluttershy walked next to the light blue tower and read the plauqe on the side, “  ‘Weather Control...spire’?” as she asked herself this, a computer readout immeaditly began to read ‘cloudy’ and with a might shake, the tower came to life. With a squeak, the buttery pegasus backed up and watched in awe as the tower began to produce a few clouds that would cover the Canterlot sky, “Oh, my. I know what this is!”

“What?” Lyra asked, watching as the strange tower began to prouced a cloudy day.

“Twilight once told me she had some ideas to help the pegasi with making weather. She was going to make towers that would collect  water from rain and make clouds,” Fluttershy said looking at the clouds and then back at the city.

“But wouldn’t that take away jobs?” Lyra asked, concerned.

“Not nessecarily,” a spirit of Trixie said, looking at the device.

“AH! How did you-”

“As long as Trixie is connected to the dreamer, she is able to communicate with all of you for a short while. It isn't a permanent way to help and it is limited to how long Trixie can talk, but she can still communicate with you. Still, as Trixie said, what Sparkle is constructing is sound. This will save on Tornado days and will make it so that weather factories will only have to work a little bit. At the same time, ponies who normally do a job that makes weather can help with the towers and weather teams can keep it in check. Twilight has made the weather independent, interesting.”

“But there would still be problems, this would never never work,” Lyra said, looking at the tower in disbelief.

“That’s why this is a dream,” Fluttershy said in awe. “Twilight threw this idea away because she couldn't see it working, but here it is! In here she found a way to make it work.”

Taking a few more minutes to admire the giant tower before her, Lyra turned around to look at the capital city, “Come on, if Twilight’s mind is anywhere it’s probably in the city.” 

Hesitantly, the yellow pegasus nodded and followed her unicorn companion into the city. Once they entered, the changes to the capital became more evident. the capital city was a strange mix of the mechanical and crystal. As if someone had reached into the city proper and replaced all of its natural parts with robotic parts. All around the two mares, they could see the improved lives of ponies: Earth ponies using magical lifts to reach a top floor, ponies with cyborg legs, food dispensers, and more were all at their hooves. As they continued their journey into the heart of  the city, there was another change they began to notice, “Lyra look at all this,” Fluttershy said.

“Yeah, it's like Twilight turned this place into a techno-magic wonderland,” Lyra said with a happy chuckle.

“No, look closer,” Fluttershy said, pointing to a pair of creatures walking by. “See the changeling? The pony? the Griffon?”

“Yeah and-” Lyra swished her head to see other creatures walking with each other and talking to ponies. Some were equine, like Elk and deer, but others were not so, such as Minotaurs and Griffons, “My Celestia! I've never seen something like this before, most of these guys are normally hated enemies and they...they're friends.”

“I know Fluttershy, and one day, I want to change that. I think if I work hard enough I could help a lot of creatures bond together. It might not be world peace, but I can make it so that there are less cultures fighting each other,” Twilight’s voice echoed in Fluttershy’s head. The yellow pegasus then caught sight of a large shop, “Oh, my goodness! Lyra look at this!” Fluttershy said as she ran to the shop and then smiled. “ Fluttershy animal shelter, Canterlot branch? I have a branch!? That means-”

“You’re not the only one who is doing big business, look,” Lyra said, her eyes wide with shock as she looked at the large dress shop before her. “Faboulous Boutique industries, Rarity Belle propitor. And...is that a party shop?” and indeed, it was, across from the Boutique was a large pink store that read, ‘Pinkie and Cheese’s party palace, for all your party needs.’

        Looking over her shoulder, Fluttershy was able to catch the sight of a newspaper, “Look at this, ‘Rainbow Dash announces Wonderbolt chariot competition: Rainbow Dash, now in her fourth year as Wonderbolt captain announced a World Tour event for charity. Sponsering the event is Apple family inc'.” 

        “Guess that answers what Applejack and Rainbow Dash are doing,” Lyra said plainly, trying to see if she could catch word of where Twilight was via word of mouth.

        A tearful chuckle came from Fluttershy as she put away the paper, “Of course, this is Twilight’s dream. In a perfect world, she would want all of us to be happy and have everything we wanted.” 

        “Look!” Fluttershy quietly shouted, pointing to a collection of giant screens that began to appear around the square. 

        After a few moments of music played, underneath a purple starburst that flashed on the screen, the image changed to that of a balcony from the castle. Stepping out from the entryway of the balcony, accompanied by a stallion and a small filly, was a purple alicorn, “Twilight!” exclaimed the two mares together.

        “My dearest subjects, I thank you for your continued support and love throughout the past few years. I hope to continue earn your support, respect, and friendship that you have given me,” a small blush came to the young princess as she smiled. “Today, I have a special announcement. The royal family is about to get bigger, my daughter is going to be a big sister soon.”

        At the mention of another child coming, Lyra looked closely at the small pegasus filly with a blue mane and a purple streak running down the middle of it, “That kid is her daughter! Can you believe that Fluttershy?” for a moment all Lyra could hear was the small murmurings of the crowd, “Fluttershy? Fluttershy!?” Exclaimed the green unicorn as she began to swish her head back and forth.

        After a few minutes of running through the crowded square, Lyra found herself alone and without her friend, “This is not good. Trixie,  I just lost Fluttershy.”

        “How can you lose her!?” Trixie’s image exclaimed, “Look, Trixie is right now helping some of the others out the best she can. Just think, where would a mare like Fluttershy go?”

        “Probably the place with the most animals,” Lyra muttered under her breath, looking down at the ground in thought. After thinking for a few moments, her eyes shot up, “I got it! I think I know where she flew off to!” Lifting her head back up, she turned her head to look down the street and ran off.

        As she ran down the street to her destination, she began to hear a small conversation between two young mares, “I’m so glad Twilight was able to cut some strings and let us have a child together.”

        This caused Lyra to stop, a memory running through her mind...

        “It’s ok Lyra...we’ll get a sprem donor. It’s not  like adopting is the only way,” chuckled Bon Bon.

        “No, I’m fine. I mean, sure...there might be problems...”

        “Bon Bon,” Lyra wispered to herself, before shaking the memory away and getting back onto the path to the animal shelter. However, she stopped her run when she looked to a large cherry tree and caught sight of a butter-yellow pegasus. A smile coming to her lips, she trotted over to where Fluttershy laid on the ground, “Come on, Fluttershy, lets get to the castle and get Twilight out of here.”

        Fluttershy looked at the little squirrel in her hooves and said calmly, “I’m not going.”

        At this, Lyra’s yellow eyes opened wide in shock, “What?”

        “I said I’m not going!” Fluttershy, just a little bit louder. “I-I- I can’t do it. I can’t go there and take her away from all of this. I can’t take her away from someplace that fills her with so much joy, away from her DAUGHTER!”

        “But none of its real,” countered Lyra.

        “I know that,” Fluttershy said with a sniffle. “But to her, all of it is. Here, she has everything she could want. Everything that she has ever dreamt of is possible, all of her dreams are real, and most importantly...she’s happy. We’re all happy and safe. She’s made it so we don’t have to risk our lives as often, made it so we all lived our dreams, and have what we wanted.” By now, tears began to flow from her eyes, trailing down her cheeks, “And you expect me to ruin all of that for her! To take her away from everything that made her happy?!”

        Lyra’s eyes narrowed as she stared at Fluttershy, “I know it's hard to ask, and I understand why. I would give anything to live in a world like this, where ponies don’t think you’re nuts for believing in impossible things. Where Bon Bon could get everything she wants, and where we all can be happy together. I’d give anything for that right now, but,” the green mare stopped for the moment, holding back her own tears. “But, I think Twilight would rather see these become real on her own terms and see you girls achieve your dreams on your own.”

        “But what kind of friend would I be, if I took her away from all of this?” Fluttery asked, her voice soft and defeated. “It goes against everything I am to hurt her like this.”

        “But Flutt-”

        “Doesn’t she deserve this!? Doesn’t she deserve a place where she can forget everything for a while and have a world where she can be happy without having to be put under pressure. After everything she’s one for us, doesn’t she deserve a reward for all of it?” Fluttershy asked through tears, while the bird’s green eyes glowed brightly.

        “But...but...”Lyra studdered, feeling her resolve fading as she looked at the small bird. Letting out a long and sorrowful sigh, she fell to her stomach in defeat, “You’re right. Defeating chaos, becoming a princess, saving the world who knows how often, and helping ponies out. Why shouldn’t she be given a bit of paradise for herself, and be placed in paradise. She has everything she could want-”

        “Are you serious?! Don’t you remember why you came here? Twilight is going to die,” Trixie yelled, walking in front of the two mares. “What is wrong with you!?”

        “She won’t die, she’ll just be asleep,” replied Fluttershy calmly, a small chuckle coming to her. “That’s a good thing right? She’ll be happy in a world where she has everything she wants, in paradise.”

        “Trixie does not believe this!! You can’t abandon her to this, to leave her in this illusion. Think about why you’re fighting, think about why you came, anything! Lyra, would Bon Bon want you to quit?” the blue unicorn argued.

        “It isn’t a death sentance Trixie...it’s a gift,” Lyra said, wistfully.

        “But,” Trixie said, feeling woozy. Quickly shaking her head, she looked straight at the two, “You won’t be here!”

        Fluttershy began to look up from the bird, blinking her eyes a few times, “You’re right...we won’t be. We’ll never see her again, never talk to her, and I can’t let that happen to her.”

        Lyra looked up to Fluttershy as the pegasus rose to her feet, “Doesn’t that sound selfish?”

        Fluttershy closed her eyes and nodded solemnly, “Yes, it does and you’re not wrong. I know it sounds selfish of me to try and take her away from all of this. I feel horrible for doing it, but I know Twilight. She wouldn’t want everything to be given all of her dreams on a platter, she would want to work for it, and she would want the same for us. She would want us to have our dreams because we earned it.”

        “But, don’t you remember the weather tower? Some of the stuff that she dreams about are impossible to work,” Lyra commented, looking up at Fluttershy.

        “But, that’s what dreams are for,” Fluttershy said with a heartfelt smile. “They need to show us that there are great and wonderful things out there for us out there to reach for. We need that so we have something to reach for.”  With a soft sigh, the yellow pegasus ran a hoof through her pink mane,” Sure, it might not always be what we want, but t its something to work for. It gives us hope.”

        Lyra smiled as a memory came back to her

        “Lyra, I have great news...”

        “And more importantly, if this were paradise,” a smile crept across the pegasus’s face, “she would want all of to be here with her.”

        “You’re right, what is the point of having everything if you’re all alone?” Lyra asked, shaking her head,” Why were we giving up?”

        Trixie looked up at the dissipating bird,  “Mirage, she wanted to try and mess with your mind. But she didn’t count on Fluttershy’s kindness or your paitance. Trixie has to admire that about you.”

        “Patient, me?” asked Lyra.

        “You waited for Fluttershy, and talked to her until she got out of her funk. You weren’t affected at all,” Trixie smirked.

        “Hey, that’s all part of the myth hunting game,” the unicorn smiled. “But, now the big question is how the buck are we gonna get Twilight out of this world. I mean, how can you pass up on perfection.”

        “Perfect means to wait around in a chair with a...Pinkie’s right!” Fluttershy exclaimed as she took off, “Lyra, come on I have an idea.”
        



        Twilight walked into the library, her daughter in tow. Today would be one of the many study days that she had planned for her and she would not pass it up. However, as she began to walk through the corridors, she overheard some of the guards conversations, “You know who I haven’t seen in a while? Rainbow Dash.”

        “Wasn’t Applejack supposed to come last week?”

        “Where’s Fluttershy?”

        “That’s odd,” Twilight said to herslef as she walked further into the libray. “Didn’t they come yesterday? No, that was some of the ambassadors. What about...no. Wait, then there was...no that wasn’t them either.”

        “Mom, what's wrong?” the filly asked.

        Twilgith stopped her walked and began to back with her eyes wide in fear, “But, they were here a few days ago...right? And,” she then looked to her daughter, “Why can’t I remember her birthday? Why do I only know so little about her life, and my husband-what was his name?”

        The young filly arched an eyebrow, and walked shakily to her mother, “Mom? What is going on, you’re starting to scare me.”

        “Only one conclusion...” the purple started to shake at this, her mind trying to process the horrifying truth. “No, nononono.” Shaking with fear, she looked down at  her young daughter and wrapped her forelegs around the orange filly, “Oh Starburst, my little one. I can at least remember the day you were born. How I held you in my hooves, and how tiny you were despite your big wings.”

        “M-mommy?” the filly asked, tears coming to her as her mother began to cry as well.

        “I know you’re not real, that all of this is a dream, but I promise to keep all of the memories of this world close to my heart. When I do have a child, I hope he/she is every bit as great as you are. And I promise you, I will do everything I can to be the best mother I can be when you are born,” Twilight said, as the world began to fade around her.

        “Twilight, I’m sor-,” Fluttershy was interrupted by a hug from Twilight.

        Twilight kept a tight hug on her dear friend, “Just needed to be sure that you are real.”

        “Aren’t you sad that we took you from there?” Lyra asked as Twilight let go.

        Shaking her head, the purple alicorn responded, “A little, but that world was always missing something. I felt like there was an important piece of my life missing and,” Twilight turned to look at Fluttershy, “I’m glad to be reminded what it was. Besides, I’ll make that world happen one day, maybe not the same way, but I’ll make it so. Now, who are you?”

        “Lyra Heartstrings, me and Fluttershy are here to spring you out of Mirage’s trap,” Lyra said.

        “Mirage? That explains a lot,” Twilight said with a sigh. “I can only imagine the other dreams. Ok, lets get ot of here.” 

And with that, Twilight became a small star shard and floated ino the hooves of her friends.
        

        


> Dream of Youth
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


“We all have dreams, my little ponies. Dreams of youth,”


        Blossomforth laid on the grass within the dream for a few moments, giving her her body a chance to reoirent itself. With a small groan, she slowly lifted her head only to be face to face with an energetic pink pony, “Morning, Blossomy!!” Pinkie squealed before bouncing away.

        “Pinkie? H-how did you recover so quickly?” Blossomforth shyly asked, slowly getting up.
        Almost as if she didn’t hear the question, the pink mare began to hop away, “Ok, so now the question is, where is Twilight.”

        “Pinkie, are you brighter?” the white pegasus asked, getting up slowly and ooking at Pinkie.
        
Pinkie looked down at her brighter body, “Oh my gosh you’re right! And look at you!” she added, pointing to her friend’s brighter coat.

“But why?” Blossomforth asked.

“Simple, Blossy!” Pinkie giggled as she hopped away, “You remember your best childhood memories with a brighter shine.” 

As Blossomforth began to think about what the pink mare said, a small smile came to her and nodded in agreement. With a flew flaps of her wings, she took to the sky in order to catch up with the little pink mare. Together the two mares walked through the park of Canterlot, “How are we going to find Twilight in all of this?” Blossomforth asked, watching all of the ponies walking by her.

“Hmmm, if I were Twi-Twi where would I hide?” Pinkie asked herself as she ran from dream rock to dream tree and to pony. The faster she ran, the more the pink pony turned into a bright pink blur.

“But if this is the princess’s youth, then why aren’t we near a  library or a-

“There she is!” Pinkie Pie squealed, standing on top of Blossomforth’s head and pointing her hoof at the small filly sitting under a tree.

Looking ahead, Blossomforth saw a small purple filly with a book in front of her. Though lacking a pair of wings and a cutie mark, it was not difficult for the white pegasus identify the small purple unicorn as Twilight Sparkle. A smile came across her face as she looked on at the filly, “Great, but why is she all alone?”

Pinkie hopped off the head o Blossomforth and put her hoof to her chin in thought, “Hmmmm, well this is before she met us...maybe Cadence isn’t here yet!”

“Oh, ok,” Blossomforth nodded, a soft smile crossing her lips. She smiled even brighter when a pink alicorn flew above Twilight’s head and covered her eyes.

“Guess who, Twilight?” Cadence giggled as she smiled.

“Cadence!” shouted Twilight, beore turning around to hug her foal sitter.

Blossomforth giggled and smiled at the scene, beore turning to look at Pinkie Pie, “How do you think we are going to get Twilight out of this dream? We can’t interact with her directly so we can’t convince her to get out of this dream.”

Pinkie Pie looked at the young filly, playing with her foalsitter. She stared and smiled as several different plans began to churn and boil in her mind, and then jumped up in excitement, “I GOT IT!!”

“What is-”

“No time to explain,” Pinkie Pie said, grabbing Blossomforth by the shoulders and staring straight into her eyes. “Just keep an eye on Twi-twi for me and I’ll be right back.”

“But ho-”

Before Blossomforth could complete her sentence, the pink blur raced off into the distance, shouting, “I’ll find you!”

Blossomforth raised her hoof, attempting to stop the pink pony from running away. She then lowered her head and hoof in defeat as the pony dissappeared into the distance and turned to look at the purple filly and her foal sitter. She chuckled contently as she watched the two play and talk with one another, the little filly speaking about every single book that she had read that day.

“Peaceful, isn’t it?” Trixie said, her dream image appearing next to Blossomforth.

The white mare jumped back a little, “T-Trixie? B-

“Trixie is able to keep in contact with each of you for a moment. She can use it to make  sure that you are all making excellent progress on getting Twilight’s mind back,”  the blue unicorn looked around Blossomforth with an arched eyebrow. “Where is the pink mainac?”

“Gone,” Blossomforth sighed.

“She does that. Trixie is sorry that the excit-”

Blossomforth interrupted with a shake of her head, “Oh no, its all right. It’s one of the things I like about her. Her songs, peppiness, and just unbridled optimism are what get me going in the morning. I can’t help but love her for it all, being able to bring such happiness to everypony.” then, with a turn of her head, the white pegasus looked to Twilight as she and Cadence, “Kind of what that little filly nees right now.”

“Her? But she has-”

“Family, and a caretaker. Not real friends, like Pinkie and the others, just those few. It’s kind of sad to think about it. She doesn’t realize what type of friends she has now, no wonder she needed the lesson,” Blossomorth said, walking behind Twilight. “It’s so weird to see her with a smile on her face now, unlike her fake smile in the past.”

Trixie sighed, “Maybe you’re right.” and with that, the mare was about to dissappate when she heard voices.

“Wow, grandpa! That was one of the most amazing magic shows I ever saw,” said a small unicorn filly as she ran around an earth pony stallion.

The blue earth pony gave a flick of his mane and a confident smile to his granddaughter, “Of course! Was there any doubt?”

“Wow, I am going to be as a great magician and wizard as you one day! As a matter of fact, even better, they will all be amazed at the power of the Great and Powerful Beatrix Lulamoon!!” the young filly shouted to the chuckles of the stallion.

Trixie watched the scene before her and sighed, “A happy and hopeful childhood. Maybe I needed somepony like Pinkie or Blossomforth to keep that feeling in.” she then lookedown at her hat and sighed, “Still haven't achieved that dream, but maybe one day...”

Blossomforth turned to watch the Trixie image fade away, “What was that? Oh,” she said, lowering her head and turning away to continue her flight behind the two ponies to Twilight’s house. Once there she was  quickly grabbed by a pair o Pink hooves.

“There you are!” Pinkie Pie wispered, looking into Blossomforth’s eyes. “I got what I needed, are the targets in the house?”

“Well, yes but-”

“Good, now we just need to get dream Cadence out of the house and then our little plan can begin properly,” chuckled the pink mare, rubbing her hooves together.

“But, how are we going to do that?” asked Blossomforth, looking into the window at Twilight and Cadence playing together.

Almost as if to answer her, a royal guard came to the door and knocked on it. From outside of the house, Blossomforth watched as Cadence walked away from her charge and to the guard to have a conversation. Then, she watched as the pink alicorn talked to Twilight before leaving the house, “Wait, I couldnt hear. Why was she leaving?”

“Oh, ‘Princess Celestia’ wants to have a few words with her. She should be gone for,” Pinkie then looked at a hoofdrawn watch on her left forehoof, “about a few hours. Should give plenty of time for the plan to kick in.”

“What plan?” asked Blossomforth.

“Just watch,” Pinkie giggled, taking the pegasus by the hoof to the window. Opening it just a wedge from the outside, she leaned her head in closer for her and Blossomforth to listen in.

*KNOCK*


“Cadence is back,” Twilight said with a smile, walking to the door and opening it with her magic. She then jumped back at the sight of a little pink filly with a frizzy pink mane.

“HI!” Squeaked the little filly as she walked into the house and past Twilight before she could ask questions. “Oh my gosh, I am so glad to have found you! If big me was right, and I think I was, then you need a party and tons of friends STAT!” and with that, she ran into the house and began to set up balloons  and decorate the house.

“A...party? But I didn-” she was interrupted by a series of hard knocks on the door.

As the door opened, it revealed an orange pony with a blonde mane and series of freckles dotting her face, “Well, howdy there! My name’s Applejack and Ah am here for the party.”

“P-”

“Now, don’t worry about catering, I’ll just use whatever’s in the kitchen. Ah’ve been having plenty of practice makin meals for whenever ma got one of her weird cravings,” Applejack said, pushing past Twilight and into the kitchen.
The confused purple filly raised her hoof to say something else, only to be interrupted by a series of fast knocks on the door. Turning to open it, she was taken by the sight of a bright blue pegasus floating in air, “HEY! My name is Rainbow Dash and this is-” the blue pegasus stopped talking and looked to her side, letting out a groan of frustration. “Uggh, excuse me will ya?”

“What on earth?” Twilight asked before closing the door. No sooner had she done so than another series of knocks came from the door, these being a little daintier than the others.

As the door opened, a white unicorn filly looked in and smiled, “Oh my, so this is what a real Canterlot house looks like. It is just as beautiful as I imagined it would be,” she said stepping in. “I hope you forgive my boldness or stepping in, but I had to see this place.”

“Um, no problem at all,” Twilight said, her look of confusion still on her face.

“OH! Where are my manners,” Rarity asked, stopping mid-way through the door. “My name is Rarity Belle, but you may call me Rarity.”

“A pleasure,” Twilight said, shaking Rarity’s hoof.

The purple mane unicorn then began to walk into the house, “Hmmm, not much for the interior decore, but I think I could work with it. Oh! Maybe I could-”

The young purple cocked her head in curiosity and was about to say something to the unicorn’s presence, only to be interrupted by the fluttering of wings, “Sorry about that,” the cyan mare said, bringing along a yellow pegasus behind her. “Fluttershy here wanted to run away back home. Its ok Fluttershy, she’s a friend, you don’t have to worry. Come on. say hi.”

“Hello,”  the pegasus said in a tone that could earely be called a whisper.

“Um, hi?” Twilight said as Rainbow Dash and her friend walked into the house. For a few moments, the little filly stood there, watching as the five girls began to get themselves settled and mingle in the group. Her face held a look of weirdness mixed with an unfamilar feeling that was blossoming in her heart, “Excuse me?” 

Pinkie Pie was the first to turn and look at Twilight, “Yes, Twily?”

“Just what are all of you doing here?”

“Well, this bigger version of me-,” Pinkie began.

“Must mean older sister,” Twilight thought to herself.

“-Came over to my rock farm and told me that a pony was all alone today and needed a friend. So, I came by to make sure that you weren’t lonely and all sad because you didn’t have any friends to stay with,” Pinkie Pie smiled, jumping over over to Applejack and hugging her. “Then she took me to these girls and asked them to come over with me.”

“She kind of shocked me, but when she said that yah needed some company, Ah decided to join her,” nodding, the orange mare tipped her head.

Dash smirked, “And there was no way I was gonna leave a pony by herself. Especially i it meant that Fluttershy could get out of her house once in a while.”

“Of course, dear, I jumped at the chance to see a Canterlot home up close,” the white unicorn  smiled as she put out some cushions for them to sit on.

“But I didn’t...that is I-” Twilight began.

“Look, sugarcube. We are just here to provide company, not trying to impose on ya. If you want us to leave, we will,” Applejack said, looking to Twilight with comforting eyes.

Twilight looked into the soft green eyes of the mare before her, and then to the four ponies behind Applejack. Her expression changed from one of confusion and irritation to one of calm serenity, “No, stay. I could use the company.”

Blossomforth let out a gasp as she saw the scene before her, “But how did you-”

“This is her dream silly,” giggled Pinkie. “She is going to dream o us as happy foals and as close to what she thinks of her friends as possible.”

“But, how will this help her?” the pegasus asked.

“Watch, and enjoy the show,” Pinkie said, bringing out popcorn from inside her mane.

Turning around to watch the scene in the house play, Blossomforth began to see something appear on the young unicorn’s face. Something that she notice was missing from Twilight when they first met her, “Wait, is that-”

“So, I flew into a triple spin and then BOOM! tripped everypony up,” Dash smirked.

“Rainbow, is racing all you think about?” Rarity asked.

“Heck no, sometimes I think about being awesome!” Dash grinned.

Twilight looked to Rainbow Dash and smiled, “Well, I could show you some books-
“I think I see it,” Blossomforth wispered as she began to smile as the ponies began to move on singing together, and telling each other about their families.

“Oh, your mother is expecting? How wonderful, I just became a big sister myself recently, maybe I can help,” Rarity said, smiling.

“It’s there, growing slowly but I see it!” 

“Ok Fluttershy! Ready and blow!” Pinkie giggled as Fluttershy held a small leaf to her lips and began to blow.

The yellow pegasus let out a gasp as she blew some soft music from her leaf, “Oh, wow. T-thank you Pinkie.”

“Her happiness, her smile! It’s becoming, brighter,” Blossomforth cheered. 

Enthusiastically, Pinkie Pie nodded and continued to watch, smiling softly as her friend began to grow a small fire in her heart. The fire of friendship that would slowly glow brighter, and a true smile came to her. A smile that comes not just from family, but the smile that one finds when you find true friends, the friends who will stand by you even in the darkest of times. 

So it went, amidst the singing, dancing, and storytelling, did the fires of friendship grow brighter between six close friends. Six ponies, from different sides of Equestria, found deep bonds of friendship that would last forever, and memories that would last among them forever. However, as with all things, the evening and the party came to an end, “Sorry about this gals, but Ah’ve gotta be moving out. Pa’s waiting fer me.”

“Yeah, me too,” Dash said, nodding and taking Fluttershy by her hoof.

“Wait, you guys,” Twilight said to the quintet as they headed for the the door, raising a hoof to stop them. “You’ll come back, right? This...this won’t be the last time we’ll see each other, right?” 

“Of course not sugarcube,” Appleack said, walking up to Twilight. As she placed a hoof on the purple unicorn’s shoulder, Applejack seemed to grow older, her body turning into the adult mare of Twilight’s memories, “Just ‘cause we say goodbye doesn’t mean we’ll leave forever.”

“I suppose,” Rarity smiled, her body too becoming older, “I could convince mother and father to come up sometime.”

Dash sighed, her ears drooping a little as she and Fluttershy became older in front of Twilight’s eyes, “Me and Fluttershy have got another week back at flight camp, but I think we come here next week.”

“I would like to see you again,” Fluttershy softly smiled as she spoke.

Pinkie Pie, now an adult mare, smiled as wide as she could and wrapped her forelegs around the five girls, “Hey, lets call this a promise that we’ll see each other again.” 

“Right, we’ll see each other agian,” Twilight said, beore wispering. “I promise.” She then pulled back and watched with tears as the five girls walked out of the door. As she sat there watching them leaving, the world around her began to fade away to blackness, leaving only her and a plush of Pinkie and Blossomforth.

“Pinkie,  what is with the plushies?” Blossomforth asked, holding hers in the air.

Pinkie Pie turned to look at her pegasus friend, “We can’t interact with Twilight directly, remember? This is to help us interact with her.”

“But when did you have time to make them?” asked Blossomforth, her eyebrow arched.

“Oh, I made them while we were watching the girls having fun. Had to do something for those few hours while my plan worked,” Pinkie giggled as she held her doll up.

“Pinkie, you are,” Blossomforth began, before chuckling, “ One of the most hopeful, happy, and energetic ponies I have ever met. You always think outside of the box to make others happy, thank you.”

“Its what I do,” Pinkie smiled.

Their conversation was interrupted by a deep sgih from Twilight Sparkle, “IT was so easier back then,” she said, her adult voice coming from her small filly body. “I didn’t have two giant targets on my back and nopony wanted me just because I was the princess’s personal student. I didn’t have to keep pushing myself in order to prove my worth to my friends, family, and the mare who was like a mother to me! Nopony was expecting me to be perfect and be able to do everything. I wasn’t so scared that one mistake would make everypony hate me and the princess would take everything away from me,” the young filly began to storm around the black void, throwing her arms in the air. “Didn’t have the weight of the world on my shoulders and was expected to solve everypony’s problems. I was just...me,” Twilight finished, letting out a sigh. 

Blossomforth nodded, her doll mimicking her movements, “ I know how it feels, everything seems clean and pure when you are a foal. I can remember when I was just a little filly and I got my cutie mark. I thought I could always just show off my flowers and raise my lovely little garden in peace. But, then reality set in when I grew up,” Blossomforth sighed and looked down, but her smile remained.  “I had to make sure I made a profit, got the right materials for keeping my plants alive, and making sure I had enough money to eat.”

Pinkie Pie nodded, her plushie nodding as well, “Adulthood has that way of sneaking up on you. One moment you are a little filly having the time of your life and the next, BOOM! A whole bunch of responsibilty falls on you.” the pink pony looked at the surprised looks from her two friends, “What? I know all about responisbilty, I’m not that stupid. I’m a just a foal at heart really. I keep all of my youthful energy inside me, all of the memories and happiness of being a foal deep in my heart and that helps to make the harsh adult stuff easier. Sure, I love foalish things like parties and pranks, but that helps keep my optimism up and helps makes others happy too!”

Twilight sighed and looked away, “It’s just, I wish I could keep being like this forever.”

Pinkie’s plush self put a hoof onto Twilight’s shoulder, “But, Twily...if you don’t grow up, you’ll never get to do all of the fun adult things. You’ll never get to learn new stuff, and,” she then looked ahead of Twilight and at the image of five mares and a dragon. “You’ll never get to meet your friends. Do you really want to leave them, for this.”

Twilight looked at the five mares and dragon beore her and siffled, before narrowing her eyes in determination. Getting up, she found her body changing from a foal, into an adult, and then into her alicorn form, “You’re right Pinkie. Growing up is hard, but the rewards at the end are definatally worth it. As long as I keep the child within me happy, and my friends by me, I can handle becoming an adult again. You can’t stay in the past forever,” she finished, turning to face the two ponies, “I’m ready to go back. Thank you Pinkie and-”

“Blossomorth, Twilight,” the white pegasus said with a bow.

“Blossomorth, thank you,” Twilight said with a smile.

And with that, her dream self turned into a small star and flew into the hooves of Pinkie Pie.








        

Insert Kahn imitation here.


Sweet Celestia I love that moment from KH.


Pinkie Pie, always the hardest for me to write for, but always love the chance to o it.


> Nightmare of loss
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


We all have dreams, but then we have nightmares. The nightmare of loss...



        Applejack let out a small shudder as the cold wind blew over her coat, her eyes slowly getting used to the darkness that was surrounding her. After a few blinks to adjust her eyes, she quickly realized where she was, “Oh buck no.”

“We seem,” Octavia said, walking up behind Applejack as she looked at each gravestone around her. “To be in the middle of a graveyard.”

Another shudder came along her spine as she felt the unnaturalness of the graveyard come over her, “Ah can see that. But why in tarnation would Twilight be having a nightmare of a graveyard.”

“Indeed,” Octavia remarked, looking at the gravestone that surrounded her. “I do hope that Mirage’s nightmares would be more creative than just a threat to kill each one of her friends.”

“Y-yeah. Me too,” Applejack said, shaking. She never did like graveyards, whether it was from her own lost of parents or the feeling of death that permuted such a place, she had no idea. All the orange mare knew at that moment was that she wanted out and fast. The dead leaves crunched beneath the two mares as they walked through the lifeless grounds, while the cold wind continued to blow through the area. The wind carrying with it a mournful sound that resembled the moans of all who were dead in that landscape, the ones who missed the living and the ability to be with the ones they loved. Reaching up with her hoof, AJ pressed her hat against her head to stop it from blowing away thanks to the wind; then something caught her eyes. Looking at one of the graves, she let out a gasp and backed up, “Oh no, don’t tell me she-”

Octavia watched as Applejack stopped in mid sentence and ran off. Reaching out with a hoof, she tried calling to her to stop the quickly disappearing mare. Eyebrow arched, the musician looked down at the grave that AJ had gotten done reading, “Now what on earth could’ve had Applejack...oh my.” Octavia let out a gasp as she read.

Apple Bloom
age 85 years

“T-that witch,” Octavia muttered under her breath as she followed Applejack through the graveyard. Names continued to pass them by, all of  them ponies they knew, all of them lost because of the passage of time.  The crisp crunching of leaves, the howling wind surrounded them as they continued to run through the graveyard. Octavia’s light purple eyes continued to look over each headstone, dreading the moment she might find her own.

As they continued their run, the howling and wailing wind slowly morphed into the soft whimpers of a mare in sorrow. Nearing the source of the wailing began to turn howling wind into the sorrowful wails of a young alicorn. Applejack began to slow her pace as she saw the alicorn, sitting in the middle of a plot that was separate from the rest of the graveyard. As she began to near the first gravestone, what she read there filled AJ both emotions of cold and pure rage, “Oh, Mirage, Ah swear when  we find ya Ah’m gonna ram that tail down your throat,” she growled as she looked at each grave over the shoulder of the weeping alicorn.

Abigail Jacqueline III aged 94
Rainbow Danger Dash- aged 95
Rarity Belle-aged 96
Fluttershy Firewing- aged 98
Pinkemena Diane Pie- aged 97

“Celestia above,” Applejack said under breath, looking to Twilight. “Ah am so sorry sugarcube.”

“It is all right Applejack,” Twilight sniffled, much to the shock of the two ponies. “IT’s alright, you two are not the first Applejack I heard this day, or week...or month. I hear them all the time I come here, their voices. I can sometimes even see their faces.”

“Princess, how long have you been coming here?” Octavia asked, an eyebrow arched.

“Everyday, for the past seven months,” Twilight said calmly, looking over the flowers that she had left on each grave.

“Oh, Twilight,” Applejack thought as she reached out her hoof to comfort her friend, only to watch as her hoof passed through her body.

“I see them all the time when I come here, you know. Them alive and running around Ponyville or talking to me. I-I see their smiles and I watch them smile so happily when they leave me,” Twilight began to say as she lowered her head and began to cry. “Damn that Celestia, I wish I had never had gotten these wings.”

“Sugarcube, you know you don’t mean th-”

“The buck I DON'T!” shouted Twilight, interrupting Applejack. “If she had never sent me that book, then I would never have gotten these stupid wings. ”

“Hey, Celestia never gave those wings to you, they came from us because of how close we all had become. Nopony made you read that book but yourself, and nopony told you to read it out loud like ya did!”

Ignoring Applejack’s argument, Twilight muttered under her breath, “If these wings were a gift for being such a good friend, wish I never came to Ponyville.”

“Twilight, you better not say something you can’t take back. Reading up on Nightmare Moon, studying like you did? All of that was you. Are you really saying that you would throw it all away, our friendship, the things you did, and all of the ponies you helped?” Applejack asked, her brow furrowing in rage. After seeing Twilight turn her head away in silence, she let out a growl, “Ah don’t bucking believe you! If you get like this when we died, what were you going to do when your parents died? Just hold yourself up in your little tree forever?”

“What do you know?” Twilight yelled, her anger stopping her from thinking calmly. “I just lost my five best friends, like you lost any-”

“DON’T YOU DARE TELL ME AH DON’T KNOW THAT AH DON’T KNOW WHAT IT’S LIKE!!!” Applejack yelled, letting out a snort of hot air in anger. “Ah lost mah parents when Ah was only twelve.”

“This is different,” Twilight objected.

“Like buck it is,” Applejack growled, being held back by Octavia.

Looking worried, Octavia whispered, “Applejack, sometimes we need to hold back before we say something we regret.

Letting out a sigh, Applejack turned her head away from Twilight in disgust and said wiht a growl in her voice, “And Ah thought you were stronger than this.”

A long and sad sigh left Twilight as she spread her wings and turned around, “You thought wrong,” and with that she flew off.

With a frown, Applejack turned away and walked off, Octavia walking closely behind her, “Applejack, you are not planning on abandoning her are you?”

“No, Ah just need a moment to think and clear mah head!” Applejack said, kicking a nearby gravestone. “Ah just can't believe she gave up like that! We die, and what happens? She gives up on everything...never thought Ah would see the day,” the orange mare solemnly said, while OCtavia stood back, allowing the mare to continue her rant. “On the day mah parents died, Ah was a wreck. For a whole week, Ah barely did anything, got out to see anypony, and barely said five words to mah family. Then Big Mac came to mah room one night, and he told me ‘Applejack, you’ll have to be strong for me now. Applebloom needs all the love she can get from you and you need to do the things Ah can’t do.”

“So you became their tree,” Octavia said, watching Applejack nod in response.

“Ah did everything Ah could to support them. Ah pushed mahself to the limit: extra chores, baking, planting, reading stories,  going to market, all of it. Ah did it all, and when Ah met mah friends, Ah did not less. Any problem they had, Ah would put it on mah shoulders. Their pain? Mine, Ah would shoulder all of the pain for them, but you know what? Ah still had hope,” slowly, Applejack looked over to the slowly fading purple dot that was her friend, “Because Ah had figured that, even if Ah had ever fail, she always had mah back. Ah could trust her to support me whenever Ah failed and she would always help me do the things Ah couldn’t. And now, to see her like this, Ah-Ah...”

Octavia placed her hoof on Applejack’s shoulder and sighed, “Sometimes, even the strongest of us fall. The ones we believed to be our strength, are the ones that need our love and help the most.” 

Taking a deep breath, Applejack readjusted her hat and turned back around to look at the slowly fading Twilight. Putting her hat over eyes, she narrowed her eyes in determination and began to walk away, “You’re right, and Ah think Ah know how to help her.”

As Applejack trotted away, Trixie appeared next to Octavia, “And you did that without having to knock some sense into either one of them. Color Trixie, impressed.”

The grey earth pony sighed, “When one is a musician, you need to be able to sit back and listen to both your music as well as your bandmates. I have long learned that one should just sit back an listen to others rant and yell before you say something. It is an annoying habit that Vinyl hates.”

“Trixie thinks its more of an, admirable trait,” Trixie said, smiling softly.

Octavia nodded in response, then quickly ran off to catch up with Applejack. 

Luckily for her, she did not have far to run in order to catch up with her famer counterpart, as Applejack had already slowed to a trot to approach Twilight, “Twilight?”

“If this is another argument waiting to happen, I don’t want to hear it. Especially from a dead friend,” Twilight spat.

“No, not an argument, just a question sugarcube,” Applejack said, walking slowly. “Are ya really alone?”

“What a stupid question, yes I am!” Twilight yelled.

“No you aint, and here are four reasons why,” Applejack stated, not changing her motherly like tone. “Spike, Cadence, Luna, and Celestia. Three o them have to deal with immortality and one has to deal with living longer than any of us. Do you know what all of this moping around is doing to them? Are you saying they don’t count as friends or family?!”

Twilight turned her head away, “They’re different.”

“How? Are you saying you are better than they are because you are dealing with a loss? Or worse? You don’t think Cadence is upset because of how she lost yer brother? Ah’m sure Celestia has lost plenty of close friends by now. And now she is losing her daughter,” Applejack said, looking Twilight in her eyes.

Twilight sighed, “They’re different because they lived with this. I-”

“What, you can’t? They seem to have been able to pretty dang well.”

“Are you saying I should face eternity alone? That I should just forget about all of you!?” Twilight yelled.

Applejack shook her head, “Ah’m saying you should learn to move on, to remember what you do have. You have a sister-in-law, a gal who thinks of you as an niece, and a mare who thinks of you as a daughter. Then, there’s Spike.”

Twilight paused at this, “S-Spike? What does he have to do with this?”

“Think about it? And Ah want you to think real hard about it, but, before ya got those things, who was going to outlive you?” Applejack asked.

“Spike,” Twilight said, her eyes opening wide as she began to realize something.

“If anypony was goign to be alone when we die, it was going to be him,” Applejack said. “His mother figure gone, the mare he loves, dead, and is more of a pony than a dragon. Yeah, Ah think he knows a little something about being alone. Now think of how much it must be hurting him right now. One of the few ponies out there who could live as long he is and she is busy moping. Think of how heartbroken he is.”

“I-I never thought about...”Twilight drifted off.

“And do you know what? He aint letting that get him down,” Applejack chuckled. “Ah mean, just look at all of what he is doing. Making friends, having fun, and livin.”

“The worst thing one can do with a long life, is to squander it by dwelling on those who are gone,” Octavia interjected. “After all, a pony is more than just her flesh. The heart and memories are far more important.”

Applejack’s eyes opened wide in realization, and then lifted up her hoof, “Ya think that this is us? This aint anything but a bunch of hair, a pony is here and here,” she added, pointing to Twilight’s chest and head. “We aint going away as long as you do two things, remember us and live. Ah know ya Twilight, Ah’ve had four great years to get to know ya, and while Ah don’t know if ya will become immortal or if these wings of yours is just you getting more powerful, Ah do know one thing...The Twilight Ah’ve grown to know and love would take this time of becoming immortal to study and live life as best as she can.”

“But what if I-” Twilight, tears welling up in her eyes, was about object but was stopped by Applejack’s hoof.

“Because the moment you stop living, the moment you just shut yourself in, that is gonna be when we truly die,” Applejack said plainly. “ We want you to live, go an make new friends, share the memories of us with them.”

“But they won't be you,” Twilight said.

Applejack shook her head, “Ah aint asking ya to replace us, Ah’m telling you to go and make new friends, then share the memories of us with them. Let the things we taught ya go to them, make new memories, and grow. Then you’ll have made us just as immortal as y’all. Heck, you know what,” Applejack then turned to walk towards a cliff.

“Applejack, what on ear-” Twilight began, but was quickly interrupted.

“All right, listen up Heaven, death, or what have ya! Ah, Abigail Jaquline III, am making aa promise right here and now! When Ah die, Ah’m going to say hello to mah folks and then Ah’m going to find mah way back to the land of the living and put mahself in a new body. IT might take me a few years, but Ah’m gonna do it!” Applejack yelled out. “That way, Ah can be sure that my best friend is never alone and is going to live life to the fullest.”

“Hmph, leave it to Applejack to deny heaven,” the ghost of Rarity said. She then smiled, “But I supposed that her plan will need somepony to help. I wouldn’t be much of a lady if I left her alone.”

“Hey, I’m coming too!”

“Oh, that sounds exciting! I’ll come too!”

“ I don’t want to face eternity alone, I’m coming too.”

As Applejack listened to the voices of her friends, a smile came across her face. Chuckling, she turned to look back at Twilight, “Ya hear that, we are all willing to come back to see ya again. So, no more moping around or crying around here, ya got that. Because when Ah get back, ah don’t want to see ya wasting your life crying over us. Especially not when there are so many things ya could be studying and researching. Who knows, ya might see me come back as a pegasus. Could ya imagine that? Me as a pegasus, flying around and all that? Might even do more than Rainbow Dash.”

“I would actually like to see that,” Twilight said with a smile, wiping her tears away.

Applejack then placed a hoof onto Twilight’s shoulder, “Now, come on Twilight, don’t let Mirage’s little nightmare get ya down. Not when you know that there is a whole world for you to discover, and as long as you live, we’ll be alive too. Right next to ya.”

Twilight smiled, and nodded, as she began to fade away into a star, “I think I would like to head home now.”

“Ya already are, sugar,” Applejack smiled.
	

> Nightmare of death
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Then you have the nightmare of death


        Rarity stepped out slowly onto the windy plain just outside of Canterlot, rubbing her hoof through her mane to clean out some of the dust, “I have to say, these dream worlds are not exactly the most welcoming of places.” Turning her head back and forth, the young mare began to look for her companion, “Carrot Top, are you still with me?”

        Wearily, the earth pony stumbled behind Rarity, “Y-yes, I am still here, just a little woozy from the entry. I didn’t think that falling into a dreamworld would be this harsh. Or hurt my eyesight.”

        “It’s probably the night affecting your eyesight, my dear,” Rarity said, looking up at the sky and then back to the shadowy city of Canterlot. “Though to be honest, it does seem to be a smidge darker than usual for this time of night.”

        Carrot Top looked up to the sky, her green eyes scanning over the line before returning to look at Rarity, “How so?”

        “There are no stars,” replied the white unicorn, before turning to face the gates of the now shadowy city. “Come, maybe if we find some ponies then we can discover what on earth it is that Twilight is dreaming about and how to get her out.”

        Nodding, Carrot Top followed Rarity into the city proper, only to gasp in horror as she took in the sight of what became of their city. Her breathing came in short gasps as she looked at the destroyed city. The ruins of the larger buildings falling in on itself while ponies everywhere were trying their best to fix the buildings that they could, “What happened to Canterlot?”

        “My word,” Rarity said as she put a hoof to her mouth in shock. Taking a few steps ahead of Carrot Top, she began to make her way to  newspaper stand.

        “Was this a war? Is Twilight having a nightmare about a war she can’t stop?” asked Carrot Top.

        “No, it wouldn’t be something that simple,” Rarity said, looking down at a paper. “I have been through Mirage’s nightmares before, she attacks your heart and your mind. She wouldn’t use war, too impersonal. She would ra-No! The insufferable witch! I swear she is going to pay for this!” 

        Shocked by Rarity’s outburst, Carrot Top turned and looked at the departing Rarity, “Rarity, wait, what’s going on? What did she do?” she asked, running after her partner. “Where are you even going?”

        Running as fast as she could through the streets of the city, Rarity looked over her shoulder, “To the Canterlot graveyard, there is something that I need to see.”

        “What is it?” Carrot asked, sighing as Rarity picked up speed without answering her. After a few short minutes, the two ponies soon entered the lifeless graveyard. The cold and unfeeling area giving off an unwelcoming presence as they walked slowly in. 

        It did not take long for the two mares to discover what Rarity wanted to find. With a growl, Rarity turned her head away from the sight of the graves, “Mirage, you miserable wench! I swear I am going to make you pay for what you are putting my friend through.”

        Carrot Top, her curiosity piqued, looked over at the names on the graves. Upon the stone faces was the name of an element bearer, all except three


        Here Lies 


Celestia and Luna Von Solaris


        May their bodies forever shine



Here Lies


Mi amore Cadenza Armor


The once and future princess.


        “She’s afraid of somepony killing all of you?” Carrot Top asked, confused.

        With a sigh, Rarity shook her head and turned to look at the castle, “More to it than that, I’m afraid. Tell me, darling, what do you think of Twilight Sparkle?”

        Carrot Top sighed and looked down, “Well, she is a good mare, very nice, always willing to help others even though she could always have had just stayed behind, and is very well read.”

        “Of course, all of that is true. Both you and I know that, but you’d be surprised what the word is at Canterlot,” the fashionista said, looking down and sighing. “While I am not as into the gossip scene as I used to be, you cannot possibly keep up with the latest fashions without keeping an ear out for the latest trends.”

        “What have they been saying?” asked Carrot Top.

        “‘Her personality is not right for princesshood.’ ‘Her paranoia will kill us all’, ‘she will become power-mad’, ‘her mind is the right type to lead to a tyrant’, and more. I have heard it all, and so has Twilight, sadly. But fortunately, she just laughs it off.’ After all’, she told me once,’ even if I do go mad, it will be eventual that I will fall. You guys will find a  way or millennia later some brave band of ponies will rediscover the tree of harmony, remove the gems, and defeat me. It’s all eventual.’” the white unicorn sighed and ran a hoof through her mane to keep the wind from blowing it into her eyes. “No, she once confided in me that she is afraid of something much worse.”

        “What is that?” asked Carrot Top.

        “Do you remember when I was turned into Nightmare Rarity? And how I was saved,” asked Rarity.

        Carrot Top nodded, “Yes, the five of your friends used the power of your inner magic to reach into your inner soul and pull you out.”

        “Now what would happen if there was only one of them?” Rarity asked.

        “Why would there be-” the earth pony stopped as the realization hit her hard. She let out a gasp while raising a hoof to her mouth, “Celestia, no.”

        “You see what she is truly scared of?” Rarity asked, turning to face Carrot Top. “ She is afraid of one day, facing down somepony she loves: Me, the others, Shining Armor, Cadence, Luna, Trixie, or even Princess Celestia, and seeing no other way to save them but to...” her voice trailed off.

        “Kill them?” squeaked Carrot Top.

        With a solemn frown, Rarity nodded and continued on, “It was just a  thought she had once, and it has been haunting the poor dear for a while. I was able to hold myself back when I was a Nightmare, but what if I didn’t and decided to kill all of them but one. As long as the one is alive, and she hasn’t been deemed unworthy of the element she bears, then it is up to her to befriend a new set of ponies to become bearers. So, the plan would be for the corrupted pony to leave Twilight alive and to stop her attempts at making any new friends, by whatever means necessary. Keep her alive and free, but kill everypony else. Quite the stroke of genius, no?”

        “But wouldn't she just be able to find a way to turn the corrupted pony?” Carrot Top asked.

        “It was only by the friendship of my five friends that I was able to pull through, but if Twilight stood alone,” Rarity shuddered. “ The poor girl can barely conceive of killing a monster like Discord, how can she be expected to do the same to somepony she loves dearly.” with a growl, she slammed her hoof into the ground, “And that miserable contentable she-devil just forced her to endure that nightmare again and again. Forced her into a situation where she can’t find a third option and would be forced to take the life of her friend!”

        Trixie, who had been listening, shook her head, “That witch!! How are we supposed to pull her out of this one? She took away-”

        Rarity interrupted Trixie, blinking away a few tears of rage, “Everything that she could possibly rely on to help save the day. Friends? Dead. The idea that her friend is somewhere is in there? If that were true then she wouldn’t have killed the others!  Being able to believe in herself? The poor dear is very modest, and I think this would break her resolve,” with a shudder, the unicorn look straight into Carrot Top’s green eyes, “When she told me about this nightmare, I didn’t have any words of comfort for her. How am I supposed to save her now? What can I tell her to believe in that would show her that it will be all right?”

        Carrot Top stood there for a few moments, listening to the wind and the tiny sobs of Rarity’s voice. With a look to the graves and then back to the weeping mare, the earth pony narrowed her eyes in sheer determination and walked up to her, placing her hoof on to Rarity’s chest, “In this.”

`        Rarity raised an eyebrow at this, “What?”

        “You should know more that I do, that your friendship with her is far deeper than flesh and blood,” Carrot said, smiling a little. “You should remember that what you guys have, is something eternal and will stay with you for a very long time. And I think Twilight should know that, in the end, she will not be standing alone, but all five of you will be at her back.”

        “Well, I know that, but what does have to-”

        “Which means,” interrupted Carrot Top, “that she will find a way to reach the heart of the other pony. It’s who she is, isn’t she? Even if the third option isn’t that obvious, she will find a way to make one!.”

        As the realization dawned upon her, a small smile came across Rarity’s lips, “You’re right. she can. After all, she wouldn’t be Twilight Sparkle if she couldn’t,” and with that, the white unicorn walked away towards the castle, “Now, the question becomes, how can we remind her of that fact.” 

        “Nice job, even Trixie wouldn’t have thought of it,” Trixie said.

        Carrot Top watched as Rarity left, smiling softly to herself, “Of course. Call it naive or foalish, but I am never one to give up completely. As long as I know I am alive, there is always a bit of hope in us, we just have to make it ours.”

        Trixie smiled at this bit, as she began to fade away into the ether to check on the other members of the team. Rarity,on the other hand, continued to walk down the path to the castle, deep in thought, “Now, I can’t interact with her directly, so talking to her is out.”

        “If only we could project something to her,” Carrot Top said.

        Tapping her hoof to her chin, a thought began to come to her mind. After a few moments, her eyes shot up in a sudden realization, “IDEA!!”

        “What?” Carrot Top asked as she was grabbed by the shoulder by Rarity’s magic.

        “Just watch...”

        



        Twilight sat at the balcony, letting out a deep sigh as she watched the moon overhead. Sure, she had the power to lower the moon now, but she chose not to at the moment. There was no point to it anymore, she knew what was going to happen soon. She would have another blackout and the timeline would reset. She would end up fighting either the princesses once more in mortal combat, or her friends turned nightmare, or even a combination. A tear rolled down the purple alicorn’s cheek as she looked beyond the horizon, “Why? Why doesn’t it just restart and get it over with? I know I can’t win, no matter what I do. I can’t even think of a way to-”

        “Now, where did all of this come from,” Rainbow Dash’s voice echoed from behind her.

        “Yeah, that don’t sound like the Twilight Ah know!” Applejack’s voice echoed.

        “You don’t understand, I have nothing to use when I the nightmare starts again,” Twilight argued. “No friends to rely on, no backup plans, and nopony to help me. It happens everytime, I walk into that castle, face down one of you, and kill you. I haven’t figured out a way to beat it and I can’t win! There isn’t any way for me to win that doesn’t end with somepony I love dying!”

        “Maybe you just haven’t thought about it, yet.” Fluttershy’s voice also piped in.

        “But how?”

        “You are the element of magic dear,” Rarity said. “And even though you can’t see us, you know we will be right there to help you. If not in body, then in spirit. We would never leave you behind, even if we’re dead.” 

        Twilight sighed, “But how, I have nopony to...” as she trailed off, she began to think about a plan. “But, if it wasn’t me. If I made myself unworthy of the element, then I could take six ponies and make them new bearers. Could I really do that though?  Send them out alone against something that should be-no! They won’t be alone, I’ll follow them if I have to!” 

        “That’s the Twilight we know!” Smiled Rarity as the dream-world shattered and Rarity’s illusion disappeared with it. 

        Turning around, Twilight smiled at Rarity, “Thanks, for reminding me of something important. There is always a way, even if I have to make it. Its what you guys always taught me after all.” and with that,her body faded away into a small shard and flew into Rarity’s hoof.

        

> Nightmare of Loneliness 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


“And then, there is the nightmare of loneliness”



        “Hello?” Rainbow Dash shouted, looking up from the cavern floor.  The only sound that greeted her was the faint echo of her voice and a cold blast of wind. Stepping forward, she began to scan across the wide chasm for any sign of her companion. While on the path, Rainbow Dash couldn’t help but take note of how the chasm, or cave, was neatly arranged. Just big enough for two ponies to walk in side by side and lined with reflective crystal.

        “There you are!” called out Lighting Dust from above as she landed next to Dash.

        Rainbow let out a growl as she watched Dust land next to her, “Where did you go, and what were you doing?”

        “I was up there,” Lighting Dust pointed up above their heads, “trying to see if this was a cave or not and where the buck those walls end. Strangely, they don’t.”

“That’s impossible, they can’t just... end! They have got to stop at some point,” Rainbow argued, looking above her head.

“Trust me, I flew as high as I could go,” Lighting Dust turned her yellow eyes to the skies, “They don’t end.”

“That’s just...  weird.” Rainbow Dash said, shaking her head before taking a step forward. “Come on, maybe Twilight is down this path.” she commanded, turning away from Lighting Dust and making her way down the path. As the two pegasi walked, a cold breeze blew down the hallway, making both ponies shudder from the cold.

“H-H-hey, is it getting cold here, or is it just me?” Dust asked, trying to shake off the cold.

“No, it’s getting really cold,” Rainbow Dash said, blowing out a puff of air and watching it form out of her mouth. “Weird, it wasn’t this cold when we landed and-”

go away!

 “What was that?” Rainbow asked, twitching her ear at the sound of the noise.

“What was what?” Lighting Dust asked, already walking a few steps ahead of her blue partner.

“I just heard-”

GO AWAY! LEAVE!

“There it is again,” Rainbow Dash said, looking around from all directions.

Lighting Dust tapped a hoof against her head, “You’re letting the cold get to you, it’s nothing!” 

“No! I’m positive I he-”

GO AWAY!

Rainbow Dash held her foreleg over her eyes to block against the cold, “Now, I know you heard that!”

“No,” Dust said, walking forward, as the ground and walls around them began to shake. “But I sure felt that.” 

As Dust finished her exclamation, Rainbow’s magenta eyes opened up in utter horror, before taking flight, “Look out!”

GO AWAY!!!!! 

Lighting Dust turned her head to look at an incoming black spike from the wall and leapt before it could impale her. From behind, two more spike erupted from the wall and at the two pegasi. Moving with a quick pace, the two fliers swooped under the spikes and over two more that appeared from the other wall.  Moving forward with a speed of a squall, the ponies began to fly under, over, and around several spikes of various widths. Rainbow Dash managed to dodge three spikes by flying in a quick S shape, while Dust flew above three that slammed hard in a vertical line. After several minutes of flying, the two found a spot on one of the black spikes to land on and catch their breath, “Ok, just what on Celestia’s given earth was all this?” asked Dust, holding her side with her hooves as she panted.

“W-w-wait, d-d-didn’t Luna say that there were dreams of loneliness? I wonder, if,” Dash stopped herself as she panted a little more to catch her breath, “ all of this, isn’t just her loneliness?”

“And how would you know that?” Dust asked, getting back up.

Narrowing her eyes, Rainbow muttered, “I know.” shen then turned to look down the path that they had been traveling down, “Twilight? Can you hear me? I promise ya, we’ll never leave you! We’ll be right by your side always.”

LIAR!!!! LEAVE ME BE!

At these words, the chasm came to life with a flurry of images before stopping on a particular scene. A scene that stop Dash’s heart cold, “Oh, no. Not this one, anything but-”

“Come on y’all, the princess needs us.”

“You have a lot to think about,”

Rainbow Dash took a step back, her hoof to her mouth in utter horror as the images of that day played before her, “Twilight, we-we,” she was interrupted by another repeat of that day, but this time it was followed by other more disturbing images. 

The bearers of the elements out in the reception while Twilight Sparkle laid in the caves beneath the town. Forgotten, unloved.

Twilight, proven wrong about Cadence, is banished to lands beyond Equestria. Friendless, replaced.

The bearers, too focused on the party to see Twilight leave. Get attacked, but do not care to look for her.

Each one of bearers walk away from a broken Twilight at the reception, forgetting all about her.

“Twilight, please stop,” Rainbow Dash said, feeling the burning tears flooding her eyes as she slammed her hoof onto the black spike. She let out a few choked sobs as she whispered, “We talked about this. We never- We would never-We couldn’t.”

Rainbow Dash was taken out of her sobs by the low chuckling from her partner, “Well, look at the hypocrite. All this talk about loyalty and friendship is nothing but utter bullshit!”

Getting back up, Rainbow’s magenta eyes narrowed in rage as she demanded with a growl, “Say that again.”

“Fine,” Lighting said, with a cocky grin.

“Lighting, Trixie wouldn’t,” Trixie’s ghost form said, watching as Rainbow Dash slowly turned to face her fellow pegasus.

“You guys only  pretend to be friends with Twilight, but in reality” Dust coked her head to the side with a smile,” You will abandon her the moment something better comes along.”

At that, Rainbow Dash let out an animalistic roar and charged at Lightning Dust, pushing the surprised pegasus against the wall with her foreleg against Dust’s throat. Thought she tried her best, Lighting could not pull the hoof away from her vulnerable throat. The blonde pegasus began to let out chokes and gasps for air as Rainbow Dash pushed a little further into the throat, “Rainbow, stop!” Trixie shouted, watching the pegasus continue to gasp  for air. “You’re going to kill her!”

If Rainbow Dash heard her, she didn’t show it as she pulled back her left foreleg with a desire to punch Dust. The blonde pegasus could see the murderous intent in Dash’s eyes and closed hers in response, trembling in fear as the cyan mare brought her hoof down hard at Lighting’s head. 

At the sound of a loud thunk, Lighting dared to open her eyes once more to see Rainbow’s hoof buried deep into the wall next to her. Collapsing to the ground after Dash let her go and putting her hoof to her heart to see if it was still beating, Dust looked up to Rainbow Dash as she panted to catch some air or her burning lungs, “You-you-you could've...”

“Don’t talk like you know us,” Rainbow Dash said with a calm anger. “We had a long talk with Twilight after the reception was done. We were never really angry with her, mad sure, but not angry. We have been through hell together, do you really think we would hate her after all that? DO YOU?!”

“Well-”

“You know what I saw when I saw her storm in that day? I saw my best friend, who I thought was smarter than I was, one who I could trust to do the right thing, attack and accuse an innocent mare of being evil for the simple crime of being a Bridlezilla! That Twilight wasn’t the one I knew, that was a little baby who was so enveloped by jealousy that she couldn’t stand losing her precious BBBFF. The Twilight I knew would’ve got off her rump and came back with some solid evidence, not ‘Oh, I saw her eyes glow green, though nopony else did.’” Rainbow Dash stepped further towards Dust, a fury building in her eyes. “But, we still cared enough for her. We still loved her, and you know what we were going to do, after she had her cry and went to her room. We would’ve found her, talked to her, and forgave each other. We would’ve hugged and had a good long cry about it, like friends do!”

Rainbow Dash backed her partner up against the wall, and pointed a hoof against her chest, “And even if that didn’t happen, even if Twilight never came back to the castle with the real Cadence and we found her room empty?”

“Y-Y,” Trembling Lighting tried to get out a sentence, but was stopped by Dash. 

“NO! You don’t get to talk,” Rainbow growled as she glared daggers into Dust’s eyes. “I will tell you what we would’ve done! If we found her gone, we would’ve turned that damned city upside down hunting for her. And, for Pinkie Pie? That would be a literal upside down. Rarity would use whatever connections she had, Applejack would be interrogating ponies on the ground, and me? Well, I would’ve been practicing how fast I could catch falling ponies. And if Celestia tried to stop us or said ‘she’s been replaced’? I would’ve-”

“Punched her in the face?” Dust asked.

“Oh no, because Applejack would have dibs on that, I’d be punching her in the vag hard,” Rainbow Dash said, smirking and turned away. “See, she’s our friend, we aren’t going to turn away from that just because of an argument. If she was in real trouble, we would fight Celestia herself to save her.  Maybe you would abandon her for something that petty, but I think that says a lot more about you than me.” Unfurling her wings, Rainbow Dash took a deep breath and gave herself a few good flaps before taking off.

Trixie let out a sigh as she watched the prismatic blur go off, “Maybe Luna was wrong. Maybe this was a bad team, and maybe I should. Wait,” Trixie paused as she watched Lighting Dust fly off, “where are you going?”

“Look, I’m her wingpony and I am going to stand with her,” Lightning Dust said, narrowing her eyes and taking off.

“Tenacious, aren’t you?” Trixie said as she watched Lighting fly away. As she began to fade, her mind began to go over the past few dreams she had been in, “Patience, Happiness, Wisdom, Life, and Tenacity. Virtues just like them, I wonder, did you plan this Luna?”

Far away from Trixie’s body, Rainbow Dash  kept flying over and past every spike that came at her. Occasionally, she would look behind her to see Lighting Dust trying to catch up, “Ok, you want to play it that way, Dusty. We’ll play!” and with a few more flaps of her wings, the cyan pegasus flew faster, using her stunt tricks to effortlessly dodge each spike that came at her. Giving one more look to her rival, her eyes opened in shock as a spike began to near Dust, “Look out!” she screamed and noticed that Lighting seemed to just hover in the air for a few moments. With a quick turn, she banked to the let and pushed Lighting Dust away from the incoming spike.

“Thanks,” Lighting said, smiling as she got up.

“Ok, what was that all about?” asked Rainbow Dash, her forelegs crossed.

Lighting Dust chuckled, “What was what?”

“You could’ve dodged that spike easily, why didn’t you,” Rainbow then took a step back in horror as it hit her. “You wanted to let that thing to hit you, didn’t you?”

“So?” Lightning Dust said, trying to walk away, but was stopped by Rainbow stepping on her tail.

“So?! You’re telling me that this is a suicide run for you! That you are going out here trying to get yourself killed, why!?” Dash asked, glaring daggers into Dust’s soul.

“Why? You want to know why?” Dust asked, pulling her tail away from the cyan pegasus grip and jabbed a hoof against the chest. “Because ponies like you and Spitfire took everything from me. I have nothing left!”

Rainbow Dash cocked her head to the side in confusion, “What about the Shadowbolts? Trixie said that was what she used to convince you to join.”

“Oh sure,” Dust rolled her eyes. “Join a team of Wonderbolt wannabes that have the sole purpose of just making the other, better team work harder. What a prize.” Turning away, Lighting Dust looked into the dark void that was overhead, letting out a regretful sigh. “And you’ve just told me why I have no place on a team with other ponies.”

“Well, I just- when I said that I was-” Rainbow Dash stammered.

“No, you’re right. I stink being a part of a team, and I know that if I had been in your spot, I would’ve abandoned Twilight, and not even try to save her. I get it, I do...” Lighting Dust began to nudge a rock in circles with her hoof. “When I was a filly, I admired the Wonderbolts, who didn’t at that age right? I saw just how awesome they were and what they could do! So, I trained and trained. Pushing myself day by day to my limits and beyond. Then, I got into the academy and met you, a pony who was like me. But, then I made that tornado and I saw that you weren’t like me,” Dust sighed, and shook her head, “you were my better.”

“Better?” Dash asked as she stepped a little closer to Dust.

“Yeah! My better, I could see it in just the way those five acted when they saw you, how happy they were when they were near you. I always try to better myself and push my limits just for me, because I wanted to be better just because I wanted to prove myself. But you, you were different, you trained so you could be the best for others. You like to inspire other ponies to be the best and you push yourself to the limits because you love flying, not because you want to be better than anypony else.”

        Rainbow Dash raised a hoof to argue, but held back, “Because I like being there for the ones I care about and I love the art of flying.”

        “That’s what I am talking about! Me, I just saw how reckless I was being, that if I was on a team? I would get somepony killed, and I couldn’t live with that,” a shudder came from the blue pegasus as she let out a sob. “So, I left. I began to realize that there was no place for me and that I could never really achieve my dream. So, I gave up, but I was not going to let myself die all alone in some Manehatten apartment. No, I was going to let myself die like a winner and be remembered like that! So, when Trixie offered me that position, I saw my way to go out like how I’ve always wanted.”

        “That is a stupid way to die!” Rainbow Dash yelled. “Suicide is a gutless and coward’s way out. Dieing like that means nothing, and all it does is make you look like a coward for doing it! You’re just hurting others like that!”

        “What do you suggest, Rainbow Dash? I don’t anything to live for anymore! My dreams are crushed, my family’s gone, and I have nothing to go back to!” Lighting Dust screamed, pressing her nose against Dash’s.

        In response, the cyan mare reached into her wings and pulled out a photo, “This filly’s name is Scootaloo.”

        Lighting Dust looked at the photo of the young orange pegasus jumping in the air, “Who is she?”

        “My adoptive-no, she’s my little sister. Even if she isn’t blood, she’s my little sis and I would do anything for her,” Rainbow sigh and put away the photo. “Did you know she can’t fly? Weird huh? And I can’t even figure it out, and one day I saw her feeling so bad about it that she was starting to act like you, suicidal. She was ready to throw it all away because she couldn’t fly. I told her that maybe one day she’ll fly and maybe she won’t, but she is still the most awesome pony I met.”

“Was that supposed to make her feel better,” Dust asked with a scoff.

“No, it was supposed to give her something to live for,” Dash said, walking to Lighting’s side. “ See, I told her that even if she couldn’t be the best flier, she still had me beat on that scooter of hers. Who needs to fly when you can beat everypony with those skills!? I was trying to show that there are other things worth living for and that is what you need. There is always something worth living for, even if you can’t find it!”

“Like what,” Dust asked, turning her head away.

Rainbow Dash put a hoof onto her rival’s shoulder, “Me.”

“Whoa, I’m not gay,” Lightning Dust said, backing away a little.

Dash rolled her eyes, “Not like that. I mean, live to beat me. You already said that you think I’m better than you and that I beat you! Well, prove yourself wrong. Lead this little team of yours to new heights and make the Wonderbolts look like chumps, beat me in speed, do whatever you feel like it takes to make me a loser. Just start living to become my rival and my better.”

“You mean, make you my limit?” Dust asked.

“Yeah! If you think I am so much better than you, then beat me! Keep making yourself better until you can finally win,” Dash smiled. “I would love to have a rival like you, keeping me on my toes and making me strive to keep my title as the best. But,” she then held out her hoof,” I am not going to stand here and have a quitter as my rival, got it? I want only the best there is.”

Dust smiled and then hit her hoof against Dash’s outstretched one, “Fine, just remember that I will always be there to beat you, so don’t you quit either!”

“No problem,”  Rainbow Dash chuckled, giving a sly wink to her rival. Then, when she took a glance over the shoulder of Dust and let out a gasp at the sight, “Lighting, look!”

Turning around to look behind her, past Rainbow’s outstretched hoof, Dust’s eyes opened wide at the sight of a large glowing white orb in the distance at the end of chasm. Putting a hoof to her chin, Dust began to think, “That must be where the princess is.”

“Hey!” Rainbow exclaimed, before setting herself into a launching position. “Her friends call her Twilight.”

Lighting smiled at this, and got into a launching position herself, “Right. Lets go see Twilight.” and then launched herself into the air, with Rainbow following close behind. Her early lead did not last long, however, as Rainbow Dash quickly caught up with her. Looking to her side to watch her chosen rival match her speed, Lighting nodded and began to try and speed up, dodging the incoming spikes all the while.

No longer were the two streaks separate, now the two pegasi flew as one unit, matching each others rhythm with perfect timing. Their contrails now a mix of Rainbow’s rainbow plus Lighting’s electric yellow, and each pegasi moving in a speed that could not be matched by any black spike or incoming drill. At times, a spike would almost hit them, but was quickly dodged by one or the other’s quick timing and thinking. This pace continued until they reached the end of the chasm and landed just at the entrance of the large circular entrance. As their hooves touched the ground, they were blown back by a mighty gust of air.
 
GET OUT!!!!!!!!!

“No way, Twi!” Rainbow Dash shouted, taking a step beyond the ring of ice that encircled the room. “We’re not leaving without yo-AHHHHHHH!” A sharp pain shot through her hoof as it touched the floor, and when she pulled it back, the pegasus saw it covered in ice.

“Dash! Are you ok?” Dust asked, watching as the ice melted off her hoof.

“Yeah,” Rainbow Dash panted, looking back to the orb in the middle of the room. “Hang on, Twilight, we’re coming in!”

“No! You’ll just abandon me! Like the wedding!”  screeched the howling winds as the currents began to pick up.

Rainbow Dash gave a shrug as she took another step forward “That again, Twilight? We’ve been through this, we-AHHHHH!” she screamed as her hoof hit the floor, the foreleg freezing at just below the knee. 

“Come on Rainbow Dash! You’ve walked with a broken foreleg before, you can walk through this,” Rainbow Dash thought to herself as she took a few more steps forward, her foreleg freezing completely. “Remember Twilight? We came to you and apologized or what we did. We told you that we’d never abandon you, remember? That we would always be your friends.”

“Lies, Lies, Lies, LIES!!! You will abandon me again as soon as I mess up.”

“That is a load o manure and you know it. AHHHHHHH!” Dash screamed in pain as sht wind blew again, forming ice on her sides. Looking at her wings, she noticed that the blue tips had begun to collect ice.

“She isn’t buying it!” Dust said from outside the room. “Come on! Get out of here and we can fly over.”

“NO!” Rainbow Dash shouted over the howling wind. “ The wind’s too strong for either one of us.” Then she turned and began to walk slowly towards the orb, her limbs freezing over one by one. “Twilight, d-don’t you remember?  The first thing I told you when you said you were worried that Celestia might banish you or exile you? I said that we would be there too, no matter what. T-t-that she would banish us too, after what we did to her. I would be the first one to punch her in the gut for even thinking of exiling you, with Applejack close behind me. Rarity and Pinkie would have the back and Flutters...well, you don’t want to see her mad.” She chuckled before slipping on her frozen leg and collapsing to the ground.

The voice’s tone changed, now carrying a bit of worry on it “Lies! Now leave, you are starting to freeze!”

Panting, Rainbow Dash struggled to get up. The ice now covering her wings and trailing up her back, “D-D-Don’t you get it Twilight?” she said, her voice strained as the ice encased her body. “Snow, demons, gods, or even Celestia herself, it doesn’t matter who. There is nothing that will stop us from coming to you. So what if we fight? So what if there are times when we get mad at you? That’s life! But, le-ahhhh” she screamed, feeling a crack forming on her leg, “let me tell you something. If you are in trouble, you can bet that I’ll be there to stand by you the first thing. We all would!”

“Stop it! Go away!”

Rainbow Dash was about to say something else, but felt a warm body on her side, helping her up, “L-l-lighting Dust.”

“Hey, I can’t let my rival die right? I got to make sure she’s alive,” the blue pegasus smirked as she began to walk with Rainbow Dash across the ground.

A rainbow shine seemed to flash in Rainbow Dash’s eyes as she smiled, before turning around and continuing her walk, “And you know what? I think under all that doubt and fear. You know it too. That,” Dash grunted as sht two neared the howling orb, “We have been through too much just to let it end, because you had a little temper tantrum. That you could separate us by death or just a thousand miles, but you will not keep us apart for long. We would go through hell for you Twilight. And if you don’t believe me after all this,” she said, feeling the ice coming over her as her hoof reached the ob. “Then just let me freeze.” and her hoof reached the orb.

In a blinding flash, the two pegasi found themselves sitting on the cold floor, their bodies restored. Before Rainbow Dash could say anything, she found herself in the forelegs of Twilight Sparkle, how puller her into a tight hug, “I am so sorry Rainbow Dash! It was the memories and nightmares. They kept reminding me of-”

“No, I’m sorry for ever making you think that about us Twilight,” Rainbow Dash said, hugging her friend back and crying into her shoulder.

“No, I’m sorry. I should’ve remember what you said and took it to heart,” Twilight cried.

“No, I’m sorry, I-”

“Hey!” Dust interrupted, “Can’t you both just admit that you both made mistakes, but you forgive and forget, so lets just go home? I’m kind of cold.” 

The two mares looked at each other, before giggling as Twilight turned into a shard and flew into Dash’s hoof, “Now, it's all up to Trixie.” the cyan pegasus whispered.
	
	
	
	
	

> Dream of Victory
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Dream of Achievement


        Trixie slowly shook her head as she felt the last of her spirits return to her. Her body felt weak and a little woozy, as if she had ran a marathon, “Note to self, splitting your mind six ways is not the best plan.” Giving herself a few more minutes to compose herself, she smirked a little at her recovery time.  Since training with Luna, the showmare's ability to recover her mana and strength from pushing her limits had been growing exponentially.She let out a confident breath of air as she walked down the darkened hallway, “Where is Trixie?”

        As if in answer to her question, a light violet flame appeared on a torch next to her. As she took another step, another light appeared, followed by another and another until it reached the end of the hallway. As the room she was in became brighter thanks to the violet flame, Trixie saw that what she thought was a long hallway was in fact, rows upon rows of bookshelves. They extended from where Trixie stood, both in front and behind her, in a seemingly endless length that went on for miles, “Makes sense. This is her dream of victory, so of course Twili-”

“Hello, Trixie,” a voice said from behind Trixie. Her soft feminine tone carried above the hoofsteps that sounded against the echoing marble floor.

“Who...”Trixie asked, but was stopped when she gazed upon the mare who spoke. “Twilight?” she gasped as she gazed upon the alicorn. No longer was she Trixie’s size, but now matched Celestia in size, her mane now flowing in the breeze as she stood before Trixie, “But how?”

“Lucid dreaming,” Twilight responded plainly as she walked to stand before Trixie. “Something I figured out how to do around the three-hundredth year or so.”

“Three hundred...how long have you been here?” Trixie asked, eyebrow raised.

“Two thousand, four-hundred and eighty seven years. Time moves differently in the dream world after all,” Twilight said, pulling a book out with her magic and looking in it.

Trixie was about to ask the question about how she lived so long, but stopped herself and asked, “If you know this is a dream, then you know that Mirage is behind all of this, and that you have to get out.”

“No,” Twilight said, putting away the book and walking past her.

“What? Wait, WHAT?! Why?” Trixie asked, following behind Twilight.

“Well, you see,” Twilight said, creating an image out of thin air for Trixie. “When I first was waylaid by that trap, which I shouldn’t have fell for,  I found myself stuck in this library with nothing but books for company. At first, I was confused, but then I began to read the books on the shelf. Then I read some more, and then some more, all the while shocked that I felt no hunger or thirst as I read. Around year ten, I had read about a tenth of the books in this room and solved the solution to curing diseases like cancer. Year twenty, and I began to feel the affects of aging take me, and by twentyfive, I fixed that problem. Year one-hundred was fun, as I began to solve the problems of how to beat different opponents and by the end I had the knowledge of how to beat every opponent I would ever come across. And so it continued until this point, where we are now.”

Trixie watched as the image faded, blinking a few times in an attempt to figure out what has been going on, “So, if you know all this, then why aren’t you leaving?”

“Simple, because I came to the realization that there is no more challenge left for me,” Twilight remarked, looking down the different bookshelves. “After I had started to solve the problems of the world, I began to realize that with enough time that I could conquer any challenge. There is literally nothing I could not beat with enough time and effort. What’s more, I realized that I have learned and seen everything there is to be seen and to be discovered. If I wake up, I will eventually encounter the same problem there as I did here. I will eventually see that there is all to be seen and learn everything. There is nothing left for me to conquer.”

“Then what about your friends?” Trixie asked.

“Give them my regards,” Twilight said, giving Trixie a photo album. “Tell them I love them dearly and that I love being stuck in this particular dream.”

“Are you saying you don’t care?” Trixie growled.

“Oh no, I do care. I love my friends dearly,” the princess stated, “however, I also know that I will eventually see all that there is to be seen with them. I will run out of things to do with them and will surpass any gifts they may have.”

Stamping her hoof in rage, Trixie ran in front of Twilight and put a hoof to her chest, “Are you saying you would abandon your life and everything you love, just because you think you have surpassed it all!?”

“Yes,” Twilight said in a plain tone. “What is the point when you know that eventually, you will reach a point in your life when you have seen and done everything.”

“Because there is always something new to learn, something new to challenge, and something there to challenge you. Trixie once thought she could beat everypony at her own game, but a mare showed her that there is always somepony better,” Trixie said, glaring at Twilight.

“Then prove it, tell me something shocking that I would not expect,” Twilight said.

“Fine then, earlier today, Luna took Trixie into a private room and said...

“One last question, Trixie. One I will trust you to answer truthfully,” Luna said, watching Trixie nod in response, “IF, I were to give you the same opportunity that my sister had given Twilight not too long ago, would you take it?”



	“You mean, make Trixie a...a...” Trixie stuttered.



	“Yes, an alicorn. If I were to give you the chance to become one, with all of the power and prestige that came with it, woud you take it?” Luna asked.



	Trixie stood there for a few moments, shocked at the offer. For a few seconds her eyes went back and forth across the room, trying to think of a response before taking a deep and breath and say, “Trixie would...”



        “What is surprising about this? I know what you are going to say,” Twilight closed her eyes. “You are going to say yes.”



        Trixie smirked, “Actually...



        “Trixie would have to say,” Trixie said, bowing before Luna. “She would have to humbly, reject your offer.”



        “What!?” Yelled Twilight, a look of shock in her eyes as she stepped back. “But why? Why would you give up the chance to become a goddess? You would finally have the power you have always desired! You would finally be able to match me in power.”



        “Let Trixie put this in perspective,” Trixie began, walking around Twilight. “Let's say, Trixie becomes an alicorn and beats you in combat. It wouldn’t be that special, all that would be said is ‘Alicorn beats alicorn.’ Our final battle would just be a mere footnote in the annals of history. It would be nothing special, nothing grand, and it would be plain. But,” Trixie held up a hoof and smiled. “If she were to beat you now, as she is, just a normal unicorn with no title and no power.. .then think of what the papers will say! ‘Unicorn beats alicorn!’ ‘Trixie greatest mage in the world!’ ‘Trixie proves that anypony can win!’ ‘Trixie is the best mage in the world!’ Trixie’s name would go down in history as the greatest mage in all history!”



Twilight raised an eyebrow at this, and then began to laugh out loud, “Oh, so is this how you plan to beat this dream? With lies?”



“Trixie does not lie!” Trixie growled. “You know that Chrys-”



“Chrysalis only won thanks to being hyped up on love magic, as well as Celestia holding back. Discord’s plants absorbed magic, but I could overload them. A unicorn, especially one like you, stands no chance. A unicorn, who’s only ability is being the best with illusions and mere parlor tricks, stands no chance against me.”



“Trixie begs to differ,” Trixie said, running a hoof through her mane. “She knows how to beat you.”



“Really?” Twilight asked, giving a look of disbelief. “Then prove it.” She looked at the mare with narrowed eyes.



“Fine!” Trixie said, pointing her hoof at the alicorn. “She challenges you to a magical duel, here and now. If Trixie wins, then you have to admit that there will always be a new challenge for you to conquer, and that there is alway someone out there to beat. There will alway be something for you to learn.”



“Fine,” Twilight said, looking down at Trixie. “And if I win?”






“Then, Trixie will renounce her magic,” Trixe said plainly. “She will never cast another spell, make another illusion, or do another show ever again.”



“What?!” cried Trixie’s friends from the ether.



“Y-you can’t. You love performing, you can’t give up your magic like that,” shouted Lyra.



“Please, Trixie, don’t do this. I’ll take back everything I have ever said,” Carrot Top shouted.



“You can’t just get rid of an important part of yourself,” Octavia said. “It’s like killing you.”



“Think about what you’re doing!” shouted Blossomforth.



“Don't!” Screamed Lighting.



“Sounds like you have some important and concerned friends,” Twilight said hearing the screams.



Trixie smiled, “Yeah, I do.”



“So, when does the match start?” Twilight asked.



“It’s starting now,” Trixie said, her horn glowing as she began to move the books around the shelves out of order.



“Really?” snarked Twilight, grabbing a few books in her magic. “That’s it? Just moving my books around?”



“That is not all Trixie is doing to your books,” Trixie smiled. “Look inside.”



Twilight shrugged her shoulders and opened one of the floating books, only to let out a gasp of shock as she saw the blank pages, “W-What did you do!?”



“Some of the books that Trixie is moving around, she is erasing the words from their tomes,” Trixie chuckled as she began to move more and more of the books. “Oh, and one more thing.”



“What?” Twilight asked, frantically grabbing the books she could and trying to reorganize them.



“Could you help schedule some appointments with your friends,” Trixie asked, blinking her eyes frantically.



“Um, sure! What do some of them want?” Twilihgt asked, getting a pen and paper out.



“Well, Rainbow Dash wants to show off her newest stunt, Rarity has a show in Manehatten, Fluttershy wants to check up on Owlowiscious, Pinkie Pie has a party planned, Applejack wants some help with a barn, Spike wants to perform a comic book run, Lyra has some music lessons that she is going to need help planning, Raindrops has some problems with her brother that she wants you to help with, Cheerilee wants you to be a guest, Carrot Top has a magical problem with her mom’s house, Ditzy wants some lessons with her daughter, Blossomforth and Octavia want to start a band, Orange Sherbert is having money issues, AK Yearling is missing a book, Lighting Dust needs medical help, and...”



As Twilight began to write everything down, she started to look over the list, “Slow down! I need time to schedule everypony, I can’t do them all! Wait, I have an idea!” and with that, she ignited her horn and produced three of her, “There. Now, you two handle the books, and I’ll handle the scheduling.”



“Oh, that is not all,” Trixie smiled as she walked  away from her illusionary clone that kept adding pony after pony that wanted some of Twilight’s time. “Trixie wants you to try and solve some of her illusions.”



Creating a new clone, Twilight watched as Trixie produced a pack of cards, “You use your horn, there...is...no...cha-”



Whatever Twilight was about to say, was interrupted by Trixie making the cards fly from her hoof and turning into birds, her horn not glowing once, “Trixie never uses her horn for her stage magic. Ever. See,” the azure mare began, creating a stage from nothing, with a giant neon sign that read ‘The Great and Powerful Trixie!!!”, “Trixie doesn’t think you know who you are messing with. Maybe you might need a reminder, and allow her,” and with a flick of her hoof, spot lights turned on her and the stage flashed in a brilliant glow of light. “To remind you!” and a upbeat and jovial tune began to play as Trixie smiled.



I'm Trixie Welcome to the show


Got Magic tricks so here we go



At the word go, Trixie began to ddouse herself in flames and then walked to an icec ream stand and began to eat it. As Twilight began to try and figure out how Trixie did it, she began to hear the crackling of flames right behind her. Letting out a gasp, she saw some of her books on fire.



We're gonna have some fun


hold on to your hats



With that, Trixie began to adjust her hat, before throwing some onto Twilight. Angered, the alicorn began to respond to Trixie’s song with her own voice.



Twilight: I don’t care who you think you are


Just give up and leave me alone


You claim you will succeed


Don't make me laugh



Trixie rolled her eyes at Twilight’s insult, instead choosing to create three new illusions for Twilihgt to try and solve. Then she created a new clone of her that walked next to the alicorn princess, and smirked



 I  am something more



At that, she threw a lightning bolt Twilights way, followed by a few other select spells. Twilight shrugged each blast away and began to respond in kind.



 I've seen it before



Trixie shrugged as she responded in her usual upbeat tone.



It's much more special



Twilight let out a shudder as she felt Trixie run her hoof along her chin and flew up. Only to meet a Trixie in a floating balloon. Growling, she shoved Trixie aside, singing back



I rather be dead



As Trixie floated, she smiled at Twilight, creating a chalkboard and a table from thin air. and then returned the song in kind with an almost bragging tone.



 It might be the same act


be patient you'll see


you will call this fake


but this is real magic...






real magic...



Trixie went to the chalkboard and began to write down a series of complicated math, magical, and science equations. In her hoof sat, ‘complicated equations for great and powerful students, by Beatrix Lulamoon.’ Trixie smirked at Twilight as she calmly began to set up a chess game with her rival.



As Trixie began to create more tasks for her to perform or to beat, Twilight looked around her library and at all the clones of both her and Trixie that littered the place. It seem like the library was covered with Trixies, each one performing a task that was becoming harder and harder for her to beat. Her mane began to become frazzled as she heard Trixie startede singing in her jovial tone.









Look as I make  this library levitate


Turn your mane into a snake


Twilight let out a scream as she began to try and get her mane back to normal while trying to dispel Trixie’s magic.


and of course, your enemies


appearing from from a hat!



From behind the real Twilight, Trixie appeared with a giant hat. Tapping it with a magical wand, a bright light flashed and from out of it: Nightmare Moon, Trixie, Discord, Chrysalis, Nightmare bearers of harmony, Sombra, Sunset Shimmer, Tirek from days gone by, three women who Twilight had never met before but had magical jewels on their necks, a pink unicorn with a blue mane, Mirage, Titan, Red Eye, Checker Monarch, a killer angel bunny, an evil Cadence, and the world snake came with a look of murderous intent. As all of them growled, Twilight got herself into a fighting stance and charged, only to discover that some of them were fake, while others were all too real. Without missing a beat, Trixie landed back onto the ground with cards in her hooves and she began to sing,



Got magic cards


And so much more



With a flash of magic, Trixie created a human version of herself with Twilight’s friends and a red and yellow haired girl standing with them in rock and roll outfits. With the Rainbooms at her back, the human Trixie began to sing her own song that didn’t interrupt Trixie current one. This shocked Twilight as she quickly began to try and create her own band to fight Trixie’s in a battle of the bands. From out behind the stage, another Trixie clone appeared and lit up her horn, singing in a sultry tone.



I will even create some fireworks


For you to watch and enjoy



At that, a group of fireworks launched all around the area, blinding and distracting some of the Twilights while taking out some of the others, causing Twilight to try and replace some of them again. Watching around her, at all of the chaos and madness that this little duel was causing her, Twilight’s mane became more and more frayed. Her eye twitching, she laid down and began to beat the ground, singing



I don’t care about this


This is just the same thing


Everything here is stuff


I've seen before



Trixie appeared before Twilight as she began to beat the ground, a small chuckle in throat and a smirk on her lips as she sung her up beat song again, even adding a skip as her horn glowed one more time. 



It is the same again


but this is special you see


you can call it fake


but this is real magic...



Trixie created a clone that started go on a long rant to Twilight that the alicorn had to try and argue with, while another clone began to write down a speech that she had to edit. All the while, Trixie began to walk away with a cunning grin on her face.



real magic...






Twilight growled and charged at Trixie with her horn, only to watch as the showmare vanished from sight, appearing on top of the 
shelf. Letting her clone chase after Trixie, Twilight turned to a Trixie that was standing still, drinking a bottle of bourbon with some peanut butter crackers in a bowl of chocolate chilli sauce. Angrily, she pointed her hoof at the sitting Trixie, singing,



Why do you still want to succeed?


I keep trying to tell you


That this act is old!


You are failing at winning



Trixie shrugged her shoulders, and took a slow sip of her drink before biting down on the cracker.



 I heard all what you have said


But I don't think I should be mad


the most important thing


Is to enjoy what you do!



Twilight took a step back as the weight of the clones, the tasks, and trying to win all were beginning to weigh down on her and she began to shake her head.



I am not failing



Trixie chuckled



You are getting tired



Twilight shook her head again, mouthing out the word no as she began to sit down on her haunches



I say this is impossible



Trixie simply smirked as she began to make each one her clones to ignite their horns in a brilliant pink glow.



And I am still performing!



Trembling, her mane a  mess, and breathing hard, Twilight held up her hooves in defeat.



 I give up at this point!



A smile creeped onto Trixie’s face as she looked at the beaten mare.



be patient you'll see


you can call it fake



Trixie then stood on her hind legs, throwing her hooves into the air as the other Trixies joined in, each causing their horn to glow brightly as they threw their forelegs into the air. Combined, the mares all stood in a shape that resembled Trixie’s cutie mark, complete with the horns glowing ot make little stars.



but this is real magic...





real magic...






“STOP! You win,” Twilight whimpered as she dismissed all of her clones and laid on her stomach. “Y-y-you beat me. You actually beat me.”



“Was there any doubt?” Trixie smugly said, fixing her cape in triumph.



“How?” Twilight asked.



“Simple, Trixie attacked your greatest weakness, other than your friends,” Trixie smiled as she gave Twilight something to drink and finished her own cracker. “Your OCD and perfectionist attitude. Trixie has studied you and she knows that you have to do everything by the book, and you want it to be perfect. It has to be, otherwise you are afraid of disappointing your friends or Celestia. You need to have checklist upon checklist to do a task, and you see every task until the end. But, have too many, and having to break your focus, and you lose your greatest strength, your control and focus. It was Trixie’s method to defeat you.”



“Wait, you thought about this?” Twilight asked.



“Yes, just in case it was up to Trixie to take down any of the princesses, she had come up with a number of ways to defeat each one of you. Five for Cadence, four for Celestia, two for Luna, and one for you. Sadly,” Trixie sighed, “now she has to think of a new way to beat you.”



“W-what do you mean?” Twilight asked.



“Well, now that Trixie has played her card, you are already thinking of how to beat it. You probably already have a few tricks to beat this weakness and to overcome her strategy. You have to, you wouldn’t be Trixie’s rival otherwise,” Trixie said. Then she arched an eyebrow as the purple alicorn began to laugh her head off, “What’s so funny?”




“Hahahahahahahahahaha! I’m sorry, but do you realize what this means?” Twilight asked. As Trixie said nothing, Twilight smiled, “You could only ever beat me... in your dreams!!”



Trixie began to think about this for a moment, and then as she began to realize the truth, she began to laugh just as hard as Twilight,. Leaning in, she began to hold Twilight close, laughing on her shoulder. The two began to share a special kind of laugh in that library, a laugh shared not between bitter rivals or hated enemies, but between two close friends who trusted and cared for one another. As Trixie finished laughing, she looked at Twilight, “So, what did teacher Trixie teach you?”



“That there is still something for me to learn, and that no matter how old I get, there is always something new to experience with my friends, a new lesson to learn, or a new adventure to be had with them. There is always something new just waiting for me, when I am with my friends,” she said, as she began to turn into a gem and fly towards Trixie’s hoof. “I am ready to go home now.”



“You are home, “ Trixie smiled as she was glomped by ten mares.



“TRIXIE!!” cried the girls.



“Trixie, would you really ha-” Applejack was about to ask,but was interrupted by Trixie.



“Like Twilight, Trixie has friends that she can’t disappoint,” Trixie said, looking at the mares around her. “If she could not have saved Twilight, then she did not deserve to be with you. Through this adventure, Trixie has seen you do things that are quite admirable, and she is glad to call you all, her friends.” smiling, Trixie watched as the six gems flew out from each mare’s hoof and combined into one, before latching onto a nearby door.



“Trixie...”Lightning Dust asked.



“The final nightmare, the nightmare of corruption,” Trixie said, adjusting her cap, “It’s where Twilight’s continuous lies and the rest of her soul. It’s going to be tough, but I believe in all of you. Are you girls with me?” The bearers and Trixie’s team stood alongside the mare, a determined look on their faces. 



“Lets go and save Twilight!”











As Cadence sat in her bedroom, awaiting word, a sinister laugh began to echo through the chamber and a claw reached out for her. At the same time, one reached for Shining and Spike, “Well, let’s get the end game ready them?” Mirage began to laugh.





        

> Nightmare of Corruption
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Lastly... the nightmare of corruption...



The dream world opened up and sent the bearers and Trixie’s vision into near total blackness. If it were not for the small slit of light coming from the door in front of them and the small bits of light coming from the bearer’s necks, it would be impossible for them to see anything. As she began to take in her surroundings, Trixie could feel something heavy on her head, “What on ear-”

        “What the hey?” Applejack exclaimed, looking down at her chest to see a golden necklace with an orange gem in the center, “Mah element?”

        Rainbow Dash ran her hoof along the red lighting bolt gem, “What is going here, why do we have the elements?”

        “I agree, are they not back in the tree. Didn’t we give them back?” Rarity asked, admiring her diamond.

        “Trixie has no idea,” Trixie said, looking at each mare in the dim light.

        “Perhaps,” Octavia said, walking to look at Fluttershy’s gem, “Whatever scenario this dream is supposed to be, the elements are an important part of it.”

        “Hey, look!” Pinkie Pie said, bouncing to Trixie. “Trixie has Twilight’s element.”

        Trixie looked up and noticed that the element of magic, now with a purple gem in the shape of Trixie’s mark, was fitted on top of her hat. Tapping her hoof to the crown, she was a little shocked at how real it felt. Her eyes looked up at the crown in wonder, but then turned her head back towards the door, “Admire crown later, save Twilight now.”  she thought to herself as she used her magic to open the doors.

        Once the doors were opened, the ponies’ senses were hit with the smell of blood and decay. The light that seeped into the room before had been coming from a small throne that sat at the end of the chamber. Steeling themselves, the group of eleven pushed through the smell of rot that permeated the room and began to walk through it. The only sound that was heard, beyond the breathing, was the occasional squish of a hoofstep hitting something soft and fleshy. 

        Soon, their walk slowed to a stop when they neared the light and found Twilight on top of a blood red throne, her coronation dress in tatters, “Well, this is a surprise. Normally when the cycle begins, it is usually only five of you, but instead, you brought six others.” Twilight said, her voice was low, lacking in any of the usual kind tone she once had.

        “Cycle, what cycle?” asked Lighting Dust, as Twilight rose from her throne.

        “Oh, very simple. You see, after I am done killing Celestia,” As Twilight said this, the throne became brighter to reveal Celestia at the right of Twilight’s throne. The neck of the sun goddess was snapped, a look of horror was permanently etched onto her face, “Or Luna,” the light then revealed Luna on Twilight’s left, crucified against the wall. She then let out a chuckle, “or sometimes, even both. One of the princesses will go out and get you five to gather the elements and defeat me. Then you stupidly try to stop me! Did you really think that you can use the power of the elements with only five of you? They are called the elements of harmony, they need six mares to work properly, and only if you six are friends. I said as such when we first came together! But, you fail to think through your actions and then watch as the Rainbow of Light fails, and then... well, I think you can see.”

        “Oh, my Celestia,” Rarity gasped in horror as the room began to brighten up, revealing it to be littered with the bodies of the bearers of the elements in various states of decay.

        “Y-You,” Lighting Dust found herself unable to say anything as she looked at the heads of some of the bearers, while others looked to be screaming in frozen agony.

“Then, after I have finished killing that set, a new scenario begins where I go through the process again,” Twilight said, sitting back onto her throne with her hoof on her chin. “You come in, try to stop me, you fail, and I kill you. Rising and falling on an endless loop. As you can see-”

        “No, please, no,” Fluttershy whimpered as she backed up to Rainbow Dash. She stood trembling as she looked at how some of them were crucified on the ceiling, while other versions of them were hacked into pieces. All around her, 
        
“I have become quite... proficient at killing my own friends,” Twilight chuckled as she looked at a small bit of ash that.

        Pinkie looked up at the princess as she sat on her throne, “T-T-Twilight, why?” a whimper escaped her lips as she turned away from seeing a Rainbow Dash that was impaled into a wall by a spear. “Why do this?”

        “Simple logic, my dear Laughter,” Twilight said looking down at Pinkie with a sneer. “You see, I came to the conclusion that I was one of the most powerful beings on the planet. As such, since I ruled magic and power, I had no need to follow this!” she lifted up Celestia’s corpse with her magic and threw it away, “A pathetic excuse of an alicorn that couldn’t defeat her sister, Discord, or a simple changeling.”

        “You know that isn’t true Twilight!” shouted Rarity. “You said it yourself, if Celestia went full power on the queen, she would’ve killed us all!”

        “A small loss,” Twilight said. “The needs of the many after all.”

        “And you know she lost the connection to the elements!” Rainbow Dash objected.

        “So throw a few expendable guards his way and leave us out of it. We didn’t need to be there against Sombra, we could always get more guards. Power of numbers and all that,” Twilight said coldly.

        “And are you really expecting her to fight her own sister? She couldn’t fight against her in the first place,” Applejack said. “What, were you expecting her to...to...no.”

        Twilight raised an eyebrow at Applejack’s hesitation, “Yes, I am. What is wrong with that. Just kill her, or beat Nightmare Moon, imprison her, and then execute her for her crimes.” she then looked at the shocked looks of her friends, “What? She is a criminal, plain and simple.”

        “That was her sister!” screamed Carrot Top.

        “So? If my brother was doing the same thing, I would imprison him and sentenced him accordingly. Those who have power must know how to handle it properly, after all. Which is why I had to do this. So many ponies kept coming to me, begging me to help. Asking me to do things that they could’ve easily done themselves, making me waste my power on so many frivolous things. I just simply took my place as true ruler, its logical after all. Now, come on, time to end this. Though,” she smirked, “It probably will end the same way as before. Can you honestly tell me that you have formed a strong enough bond with Trixie that you can use the elements properly? Look at her, she is trembling in fear as I speak, trying to find a way to escape with her tail between her legs.

        Applejack turned to look at Trixie, who was grimacing in determination and could faintly hear her muttering, “If I teleport Octavia and the others out of the room, that should leave me alone with this mare. If I can trick her with some illusions, maybe we can all get out and think of a new plan.”

        “Well, come on. I have done this so often that killing you girls is now second nature,” Twilight said, smiling.

        Applejack looked down at her decapitated head, to Trixie, and then to her friends. She watched as Fluttershy stood with Rainbow Dash, trembling but strong, and then looked to Rarity who was still in shock. Her green eyes looked at Pinkie, who was shaking, and then to Twilight and sighed as she stepped forward, glancing over her shoulder at Carrot Top, “Hey, take care of the farm for me, ok? You’ll have to hire more workers, but Ah think you and Big Mac can handle it. Tell Granny to  take it easy, and Applebloom,” the orange mare sniffled as she felt tears come to her eyes, “Tell Applebloom that she is a great little filly with fantastic mind. If she sticks to construction and potion making, Ah’ll know she’ll go far. Just a shame Ah won’t see it.”

        Twilight let out a low chuckle as she watched Applejack step forward, “Oh, one at a time? Fine, I am always up for a new trick.”

        Applejack then sighed as she reached behind her neck and undid the clasp of her necklace, before dropping it to the ground. As it hit the ground, the orange gem began to turn a dark grey, “Yer majesty,” she said with a bow, “Ah, Abbigail Jacqueline III, do humbly offer my services to you.” as she said this, the gem and necklace dissipated from the ground before turning into a ball of light. The light then flew straight onto Octavia, materializing as a necklace with an orange gem in the shape of her cutie mark.

        “What on earth?” Octavia asked in shock.

        “Services? What kind of services could a simple country hick offer an all powerful god?” asked Twilight, her cold expression changing a little.

        “Simple, you said it yourself. You hate hearing ponies talking about their little problems and I bet you don’t want to deal with all of the normal day to day proceedings of the court. So, here Ah am! Your grand viser, Ah’ll make sure all of the ponies who talk to ya will be on the up and up,” Applejack smiled.

        “But,” Twilight argued, her voice returning to its normal tone, “what about Sweet Apple Acres? Your farm?”

        “Hey, Ah’m going to be the right hoof mare of the most powerful alicorn on the planet. Ah can make Sweet Apple Acres the biggest farm on the planet,” Applejack said.

        “Fine, you can be my visier. Come to my side,” Twilight said, sitting back on her throne.

        Rainbow Dash watched in shock as Applejack began to walk away, raising her hoof to yell, but a look from Applejack told her everything, “Oh, I get it.” she said, stepping forward as well, before turning to look at Lighting Dust. “She likes to have cereal and toast in the mornings when she stays over. Pick her up exactly at three from school, otherwise she’ll miss out on her training. Make sure she stretches, the little tyke forgets.”

        “Who?” Lighting Dust asked as she watched Rainbow Dash begin to remove her necklace.

        “Scootaloo,” Rainbow Dash said plainly, taking off her necklace. “If I’m not going to be there, somepony has to be.” Then, she looked up at Twilight Sparkle. “Rainbow Miriam Dash reporting for duty, princess.”

        “Duty, what-” Twilight began, her voice changing back to normal as she looked on in shock. “Are you really abandoning your dream? Them? What about the Wonderbolts?”

        “Wonderbolts, smunderbolts,” Rainbow Dash said, waving a hoof. “Why do I need to be a part of a sports team when I can be the captain of the royal guard of the most radical princess on the planet? And you know you are going to need guards, who else will handle the small fry for you?”  As she chuckled, the color of her gem faded and the necklace flew to Blossomforth, turning into a red version of her cutie mark.

        “Ugh, fine!” Twilight said, beckoning Dash to her side. Growling she looked at Rainbow Dash, “What do you think you are doing anyway? You are sacrificing something important! for what?”

        Rainbow Dash could only smirk at her friend as they heard the footsteps of another pony. Rarity sighed and looked into Octavia’s eyes, “Octavia, I want you to teach Sweetie Belle about music, and take care of her. She has a marvelous singing voice, the dear just needs to get over her stage fright. I-I-I’m just sorry I couldn’t appreciate it as I should. Oh, and Opal will need a home I assume. Does Vinyl like cats?” and then she turned away, her horn glowing with magic. Her magic then took off her necklace and laid it down gently onto the floor. 

“Oh, what is this?” asked Twilight dismissively as she watched her friend step forward and bow. “What could you offer me.”

“My name is Rarity Belle, my liege, and I can offer several things. While Applejack and Rainbow Dash are excellent in their respective fields, they are no business ponies or diplomats. I, on the other hoof, can be both,” the white alicorn smiled, while her necklace faded in color and flew to rest on Carrot Top’s neck. The necklace shimmered and turned into a group of carrots. “Ruling one country is all well and good, but what about the others? You can’t just subjugate them all, that would take too much money and assets. You will need somepony who can help with trade, treaties, and other diplomatic problems.” 

As Twilight looked down at the unicorn, her expression softened and her voice returned to its normal tone, “ But, what about your dresses? Carousel-”

“Posh,” Rarity scoffed. “I will be making dresses for a queen! Why think about how high my fashion career will go with that kind of reputation. And as a diplomat, why, I could make Carousel Boutique a worldwide franchise!”

Twilight sat back into her throne and looked to Rainbow Dash and Applejack, “Fine!” she growled, the dark tone in her voice returning, “You can join. Goddesses, the way things are going, the next will be Fluttershy.”

Fluttershy could feel some tears roll down her cheek as she reached behind her neck, “Blossomforth, I am  going to ask you to do something that might be a little scary.” 

        “I think I can manage the animals,” gulped Blossomforth.

        To this, Fluttershy shook her head, “No, Discord. He... he’ll be so heartbroken when he hears the news.” she then closed her eyes to blink away the tears. “ Just tell him, that it’s going to be ok and that I know he has a good heart. He can be a good person, he just needs a little push. Tell him... I am so sorry for doing this.”

        As  she began her walk, Twilight began to shake her head and leaned forward a little, “Fluttershy, don’t.”

        “I am Fluttershy Firewing and,” Fluttershy said, thrusting out her chest and mustering her courage. “I may not know what I can offer to help you, but, whatever you might need, I’ll help.” the yellow pegasus said, as her necklace began to fly over to Lyra’s neck. 

        “What is all this?” Twilight said, tears coming to her eyes ass Fluttershy flew over to her. “You are all sacrificing yourselves for-for- what? You are all being foolish! You don’t see Pinkie Pie-” Twilight was interrupted by a clink of a necklace hitting the ground, “-Pinkie?”

        “Aw,” Pinkie Pie moaned as she looked at her fallen necklace and to Lyra, “All I have left is Lyra! Ok, what to say, oh! I know,” her face then turned stoic, “I am so sorry I won’t get to prepare your ‘adoption/surrogate/doner baby/ party. Tell the cakes that, they were a great second family, and I’ll send them postcards from heaven!” and with that, she bounded over to her friends, the necklace that once bore her mark, now flying to rest upon Lighting Dust.

        As Pinkie Pie took her place at her friends’ side, a black mist began to escape Twilight’s wings and pool around the hooves of the other mares. Tears began to roll down uncontrolably down the alicorn’s cheeks as she looked back from mare to mare, “Why?! This-This wasn’t supposed to be how it went. You were supposed to fight me, to die by my hooves! This is foolish, this is illogical, you are all throwing your lives away to stand by a mad-mare that will fall one day, why?”

        Pinkie Pie giggled as she black smoke arose around her, “Isn’t it obvious, silly?”

        “We’re your friends, Twilight. Come hell or high water, Taratus or heaven, we are always going to be by your side. No matter what happens to us,” Applejack said, running her hoof along Twilight’s foreleg.

        “Yeah, not even Celestia is gonna tear us apart! Because, Twilight, like it or not, you’re stuck with us,” Rainbow Dash chuckled. “I don’t care who you become or what you name yourself, you will always be a little egghead.”

        “If, it means staying with you, I will gladly do what it takes. We will all be here to help you Twilight,” Fluttershy said, coughing as some of the black mist began to enter her throat.

        “You need us, Twilight, like we need you,” Rarity said, her eyes beginning to shine with tears.

        Twilight shook her head, and looked to Trixie, the blue unicorn’s eyes now becoming pure white with a rainbow sheen, “Trixie! This was a trap! Mirage is using this dream to corrupt the other bearers and put them in the same spell! You know what you have to do!”

        Trixie nodded, feeling herself  being lifted into the air, “This is it, Trixie. They are all puting their faith in you to save them. No, not just them,”  her eyes looked to each mare as they began to be lifted into the air.

        “Kindness huh? Guess I can work with that!” Lyra said.

        “I guess that makes me Generosity!” Carrot Top said.

        “I am Honesty?” Octavia asked.

        “I am Loyalty,” Blossomforth said.

        “Heh, yeah, I guess I am Laughter,” Lighting Dust chuckled.

        “No, they aren’t just the elements. They are other virtues as well, Lyra’s Patience when she needs to, Blossomforth’s happiness for new things, Carrot Top’s love of life, Octavia’s wisdom to see beyond the veil, and Dust’s Tenacity to never quit. They are all here, because we are all connected somehow, by a magic that can cross dimensions,” the blue unicorn then looked at Twilight as a rainbow of light began to connect to each bearer, and they are all putting their faith in me to get them back home!” 

        With a chuckle, Trixie commented, “Ok Sparkle, just  get ready for the greatest trick in  your life!”

        As the rainbow began to rise from the six mares, Twilight began to blink back her tears as she looked to each of her companions, “You know, I don’t think my mind can take this. I have been through so much in the past month, that it might kill me instead of saving me. You girls would dietoo.”

        “Well, at least Ah had a chance to see you again,” Applejack said, tears falling down her cheeks.

        “Eh, had an awesome run. Besides, if this is how I’m going to go, then let it come,” Rainbow Dash said.

        “I am just sorry our time seemed so brief,” Rarity said, watching as the rainbow came closer.

        “Girls, good-” Fluttershy began, but was stopped by Pinkie, who looked up with a tearful smile.

        “No, lets not say goodbye. Goodbye is usually said when we don’t know if well see each other again, and we will... so, lets just say, see you later and hope for the best,” Pinkie said, hugging Twilight.

        “Ok, see you later girls,” Twilight cried, holding her friends together in a big wing hug as the rainbow of light stuck the six bearers of harmony.

        And with that, all seven of the dreamworlds shattered.






        Trixie awoke a few minutes later, her head swirling from the use of magic, “Uggh, Trixie feels like she just went on an all night bender” looking to her friends, she quickly asked, “Is everypony ok?”

        From the group, arouse a series of acknowledgements and confirmations. This caused Trixie to smile as she looked towards Twilight on the bed,” Well, Miss Sparkle, I do hope that you appreciate my assistance. Since this is the second time that Trixie has had to save you, she hopes that you-” she paused as she looked to the still form of Twilight Sparkle, seeing that the alicorn looked cold and lifeless. Placing her hooves onto Twilight’s chest, Trixie began to nudge her, “Twilight? Twilight? P-please, speak to me. Open your eyes! OPEN YOU EYES DARN IT!!!”

        From behind, Lightning Dust’s voice became heard, “Rainbow Dash, get up, come on! Get up! You were supposed to be alive for me!  iou were supposed to be my rival! What am I supposed to do now? That kid needs you, I can’t take care of her! She needs you, you have to be there for her!”

        “Pinkie, please, get up and smile. D-don’t do this, it isn’t funny,” Octavia cried, her tears falling down on the pink pony’s lifeless form.

        Carrot Top slapped Applejack a few times, “Applejack, you don’t quit on anything so don’t you dare quit here! Not on your family and not on your farm!”

        “Fluttershy, I can’t do this, I can’t take care of your animals, I can’t!” whimpered Blossomforth.

        Lya began to cry onto Rarity’s chest, “Rarity, what do you think you are to that poor girl? Sweetie Belle needs you.”

        As the mares tried to revive the fallen bearers, the door to the room opened as Luna and Celestia stepped in, “Trixie, rep-” Luna stopped herself as she saw Trixie over Twilight’s body. “No,” she gasped softly.

        Celestia looked at the scene, and placed her hoof to her mouth as she began to cry nonstop, her normally stoic face broken, “No, please, no...not both of them. I can’t lose Twilight as well as Sunset... ”




Here Lies


Twilight Sparkle 994-1015


Abbigail Jacqueline III 992-1015


Rainbow Miraum Dash 996-1015


Fluttershy Firewing 995-1015


Pinkamena Diane Pie 996-1015


Rarity Belle 992-1015



May the light of their harmony shine forever.





> A Perfect Dream
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


“The problem with nightmares is... you can wake up.”



        Luna took a deep breath as she looked to her crying sister, and hugged her. Carefully, she turned her eyes towards Trixie, “Trixie, as I said, report.”

        “Yes, mistress,” Trixie said through her own tears, trying to regain her composure. “At approximately five P.M Trixie and her five companions went into the dream world to free the princess. After many trials and a long battle in her mind, we... we... failed.” as that word fell from her lips, Trixie found herself beginning to cry harder.

        “Well, of course you failed. That was what I was expecting you to do,” Mirage's voice came in low and soft as a black fog crept in past the threshold of the medical room.

        Luna’s eyes opened wide in horror at this as the fog began to cover her body, “TIA!” 

        Celestia looked as Luna reached out a hoof for her and reached out one for her as the fog began to encompass her body, “LUNA!!!”

        “And look at all of you, mourning the death of your hope. Becoming lost in a sea of despair,” Mirage’s voice continued as the black fog began to fill the room, encircling Trixie and her friends.

        “Mirage,” Trixie growled, her face turning into an angry scowl as she grabbed Twilight’s crown in her magic and placing the golden circlet onto her hat.Her sadness now replaced with anger, she quickly began to look around the now black and darkened room. The fog had now left the room just a black void, devoid of the bodies of the bearers and the princesses, “Lighting! Carrot Top, Blossomforht! Octavia, Lyra! Are you girls alright?”

        “I’m here, and so’s Lyra!” shouted Lighting Dust. “I don’t know where the others are.”

        “Octavia and Blossomforth are with me,” Carrot Top said as she joined up with Trixie, the said ponies trotting behind her.

        “Trixie, where are we?” asked Octavia.

        “In Mirage’s illusion, I think,” Lyra said, looking around the empty void. “She probably wants a little-”

        “And now, you are all together, how sweet. I do love it when heroes fall together,” Mirage’s voice echoed in the small room.

        Trixie looked towards the direction of the voice, her face staring down with a look that was equal parts anger, revenge, sadness, and a little fear, “Show yourself, Mirage! We all know you are here.”

        “Very well,” Mirage said, stepping out of the shadows with a smile. “You have earned that much I suppos-”
        
        “Get out of that stupid disguise,” Trixie yelled. “I was there, remember? I know that the elements of harmony cured your original host of you a year ago. So, show your true form, witch!”

        “Fine, as you wish,” the feline woman said with a smile, her form dissipating. After a few moments, it was replaced by a shadow with two slitted cat eyes that quickly formed into a slightly larger cat being than before. Slowly, the fog began to form into a towering cat-like woman looming over the mares. Whereas her old fur was grey, her coat was now as black as night, with bits of the black fog still flowing off of it. A smile graced her lips as she looked at the the ponies,her dark green eyes sending a chill of fear down their spines, “Is this better, Trixie.”

        “A feline, like Katrina right?” Lyra asked, trying to settle her legs.

        “Yes, of as sort,” she smiled as the dark purple dress she wore flowed, looking down at the ponies. “The truth is, we embodiments tend to show our true forms so rarely, that we forget and pick one that we like the most. I just happen to prefer cats. Real nightmare fuel would be to see Discord’s real form.”

        Trixie shook that fear off and stepped forward, “So, is this your plan? Lure us here into the void and kill us slowly?”

        “Kill you? Oh no, my plans are far too extravagant to stop at simple murder, though trust me... your deaths are coming. What I plan is something a little more... inspired,” with a snap of her fingers, she revealed the bodies of Cadence, Shining Armor, and Spike, hanging by chains. Their bodies were covered in cuts and bruises.

        Carrot Top gasped as she looked at the bodies of the three, “What did you do to them?”

        “Nothing deadly, I can assure you,” Mirage said, snapping her fingers to dismiss the two ponies and young drake. “It’s just that, when I appeared from my void into their room, they challenged me. Apparently, giving their loved one a gift was offensive to them, so they attacked me, wanting to stop me in their heroic foolishness. I had better ideas...”

        “So, what is your plan?” Octavia asked.

        “Let me tell you what I see in your future,” Mirage said, the fog around her forming images for the ponies to see. “With the deaths of their students, Luna and Celestia will become reclusive. Luna will never risk another pony's life and thus will never take another student, and in her desire to protect Equestria alone, she will fall in battle,” Trixie let out a gasp of horror as she watched Luna stabbed through the heart by a pony clouded in darkness. “This will hurt the sun princess ever more, breaking her to a point where she will abandon Equestria.”

Lighting Dust growled, “Celestia would never abandon us!”

“If her family is dead, she would. No dragon whelp to raise, no student to care for, and no sister to keep her company. For a goddess, she certainly attached herself with many failings,” Mirage chuckled as she wiped away an image of Celestia flying away from Equestria.

        “It is a bigger weakness to think that friends and family are a weakness,” Octavia denied.

         Undisturbed by the musicians outburst, Mirage continues, “The ponies will begin to fall into despair, but, they will find a light of hope. Cadence, despite the loss of her husband and young adoptive drake, will present the ponies with a new light of hope. It will be a symbol for them to hold to, a way for them to believe that they will see the light of a new day. Then, I will rip the unnamed princess away from Cadence’s body before the child has a chance to breathe life. This will break her,” an image formed of Cadence crying over three graves as she held a small bundle in her forelegs. The image then changed to the pink alicorn holding a knife to her throat.

        “NO!” shouted Blossomforth as she watched the end of the scene, tears coming to her eyes.

        “With her death, all of Equestria will fall into a pit of despair that it will never come back from. It will be filled with an eternal hole of hopelessness and misery that it will never return from. This will become my greatest achievement, and what’s better,” she chuckled lowly. “Once I am done with you six, I will track down your harmonic connections with the other worlds and devastate them in much the same way. This multiverse will become nothing more than a black spot where no hope will come from ever again.”

        “And you think we are gonna take it?” yelled Lighting Dust as she flew off from the group, only to be slashed by Mirage’s claws.

        Raising a clawed hand, Mirage shook her head, “No, not at all. I expected you to do the hero thing,” she then unleashed a bolt of lightning from her hand that electrocuted the five other ponies. “And stop me. It makes the oncoming defeat so much mor-”

        “Don’t you know when to shut up?!” shouted a familiar, scratchy voice as a rainbow streak broke through the void, making a hole of light appear from where she entered.

        “What on -OOOOOF!” Mirage grunted as the rainbow trail hit her straight in the stomach. Looking up, she watched as Rainbow Dash flew up in front of her with a cocky smile. “No, how can this be-URK!” her question was stopped by a lasso wrapping itself around her neck, pulling her body backwards.

        “Now, Pinkie!” shouted Applejack through the rope as she held it in her teeth.

        “Yes ma’am, Applejack ma’am!” squealed the pink party pony as she got on top of the rope, and began to cartwheel along the long lasso, reaching up to Mirage’s head and began to lightly beat against her skull with her hooves.

        Mirage growled and tried to swipe at the pink mare, but only grasped at air. Her vision was then blocked by a set of light blue eyes, “Um, excuse me. I just wanted to let you know that I am a distraction for my friend who is about to hit you with a barrage of diamonds from the room.”

        As Fluttershy flew away, Mirage let out a flat, “What?” and then looked on in horror as Rarity lifted several gems from the ground and sent them flying at her, cutting deep cuts. “Ah! H-how can this be?”

        “Foalish, Mirage,” Trixie said with a chuckle. “Once again, the Great and Powerful Trixie, defeated you with another illusion.” As she adjusted her hat, she continued, “See, Trixie had a feeling you would be coming for her and the others, so she came prepared. Knowing that the bearers needed time to rest and heal up after the pain you put them through, Trixie put an illusion spell over them as they entered a healing sleep. Then, she proceeded to act her heart out!”

        “But you don’t have the power to cast a healing sleep spell. How on earth,” with a shudder of fear, Mirage stopped herself as a bit of fear came over her. “No, no, it can’t be!”

        A bolt of purple magical energy flew out from the void, hitting Mirage in the stomach. A young and soft voice came from the direction of the beam, tempered by a light growl, “You know, I don’t mind that you tried to kill me. That was something I have come to expect since I got these two large targets on my back,” Twilight Sparkle said as she walked to Trixie’s side, every step she took was punctuated by a crackle of magical energy around her hooves. “But really ticks me off, is that you tried to kill my FRIENDS!!”

        As Trixie watched Twilight hit Mirage with another magic missile, the blue mare smiled, “Good to have you back.”

        Twilight could only smile at Trixie, “Thanks, for everything. Oh, and you have something of mine.” Twilight then used her magic to take her crown and place it on her head.

        A chuckle came from Trixie as Twilight took her crown back, “It looks better on you anyway, Sparkle.”

        “Thank you, Lulamoon,” Twilight smirked as she adjusted her crown, and blocked a fireball from Mirage as her friends gathered around her.

        “Fine, if I have to kill you twelve myself, then I will!” Mirage said as she watched Trixie’s team gather to the magician. As she watched the twelve ponies form a line and face her with faces of pure determination, she thrusted out her hand with  lightning crackling from her fingertips.

        “Yer mind games couldn’t take us down, Ah am gonna guarantee ya that you ain't either!” Applejack bragged, putting her hat down over her eyes. As the lighting flew out from Mirage, several things happened at once. Rainbow Dash kicked three of the bolts meant for her friends while Trixie and Twilight made a combined spell to protect the rest, and Applejack raced out, rolling under a bolt and bucking Mirage in the leg.

        The cat woman screamed in pain as the hit connected and kicked the problem mare in the stomach, sending her flying. This left her open for Rainbow Dash to fly straight into her chest and repeatedly strike her with a series of fast punches. The cyan mare’s hooves struck so fast and so hard that her forelegs became a  indistinct blur. Mirage grunted and growled as Rainbow Dash struck her, and grabbed the speedster with her claws and pulled the rainbow maned mare off. In her claws, she began to slowly squeeze Rainbow Dash, listening to a slow crack of a rib. However, Blossomforth flew in front of her face, distracting her long enough for the grip on Rainbow Dash to loosen and let go.

        Fluttershy flew up and managed to help Rainbow Dash down to the ground. The cyan mare smirked to her best friend to show she was ok and then returned to her feet. A yelp from Blossomforth directed the two pegasi towards Blossomforth falling through the air with a gash on her stomach. But, before either pony could move to save her, Lighting Dust flew under her and carried her safely to the ground. Dust then struck at the thighs of the embodiment, only to have her back burned by a fireball from Mirage. As the blue pegasus began to fall, she was caught by a leaping tackle from Carrot Top. 

        As she set Lighting Dust down, Carrot picked up one of the dropped gems and looked to Octavia. Nodding, the grey earth pony drew a long screeching note along her cello. This sent Mirage reeling back in pain, her claws barely cutting into Fluttershy’s hind leg, and allowing for Carrot to get close to her back and slice into the grey fur with the diamond. Yelling in pain and rage, the monster spun and sent a piece of rock into the carrot farmer. With a smile, she raised her hand to burn Carrot, but stopped when she felt something sticky on her hand, stopping her magic. Turning, she shot daggers at Pinkie Pie, who was holding an extra large bazooka, “Pie Bazooka, MKII.” giggled the pink mare with a glee that was equal parts insanity and fun. 

        As Pinkie laughed, Mirage lifted up her arm to form another fireball, but a stare from Fluttershy caused her to stumble back. Fluttershy then began to beat her wings as hard as she could, causing the embodiment of cough violently. As she coughed, she managed to slash ice like claws across the buttery mares side and sending her flying towards the ground in a corkscrew. Fluttershy was saved by a use of magic from Rarity and was settled down by Applejack. The pink maned pegasus looked up to Applejack and smiled softly to reassure her that she was alright, “What on Earth?” Exclaimed Mirage as she recovered from her coughing fit to see Pinkie Pie holding Lyra in a giant slingshot.

        “FIRE!” screamed the mint colored unicorn as Pinkie Pie launched her from the slingshot aimed straight at Mirage. With a flash of her horn, the embodiment stumbled back and was barraged by Lyra’s lyre hitting her with the loudest sound she could hit. Howling in pain, Mirage slashed at Lyra, sending her straight to the ground. As she struggled to stand back up, the cat monster called down twelve bolts of lightning that struck the twelve ponies and forced them to their knees. As their coats began to crackle from the burning, Twilight began to counter the magic with her own, drawing the lighting towards her. Once the twelve bolts were collected to her, Twilight redirected them back at Mirage. 

        Flinching from the power of her own lighting, Mirage lifted two fingers and erupted three stone blades that cut into the sides of Rarity, Twilight, and Trixie. Wincing from the pain her in side, Trixie used her magic to grab the stones alongside Rarity. Together, the two flew them over to Carrot Top and Applejack as Twilight froze one of the stones into pure ice. Carrot Top nodded and kicked the ice stone, breaking it into several tiny spears that struck Mirage along with the stone that Applejack bucked into her. Roaring in pain, the embodiment  did not see Rainbow Dash grab the hooves of Lighting Dust, “Hold on, Dust!”

        “Got it, Dash!” Lightning Dust smirked, not needing to be given a hint of what the plan was. Thrusting their forelegs out in a torpedo formation, the two pegasi flew at Mirage, spiraling together in a twister. This had the effect of combining their two contrails into a helix corkscrew of rainbow and lighting energy. Flying as fast as they could, the pegasi struck hard into Mirage’s belly, sending her reeling back. Before she could retaliate, Twilight and Trixie froze her feet to the ground.

        “Octavia!” yelled Lyra as she held up her lyre.

        Octavia nodded, putting her bow to her instrument and ran it along the strings in time with Lyra’s musical playing. Together, the two created a hard rock riff that began to hit Mirage with powerful musical magic, hard light imagery, and powerful flames.

        Mirage growled as she looked to the mares, her body covered in cuts and burns. As a trail of blood slid down her arms, she couldn’t help but smile as she looked at the twelve ponies, all in pain and looking tired. This sight almost brought a laugh, but that was silence when a hole opened up, letting in powerful moonlight, “YOU DARE THREATEN THE WELLBEING OF OUR SUBJECTS? FOR THIS, INSULT, YOU WILL BE PUNISHED!!!” Luna yelled, flying through the hole and hitting Mirage with her magic. 

        As Mirage screamed from the force of the night princess’s attacks, she began to try and hit Luna with her own spells. This attempt was soon halted by another voice booming from the clouds, “ FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE TO MY FAMILY, I WILL SEE YOU BURN!!!!” Celestia shouted, hitting Mirage with a powerful  burst of sun magic. The beam burnt a black spot into Mirage’s stomach. 

        As the two princesses fired beam after beam of magic at Mirage, the twelve ponies all gathered together in a group. Twilight stood bravely with her friends, while Trixie stood with her group, their eyes narrowed in determination. As Mirage let out another scream of pain, Twilight looked up at the embodiment, “You know, I have to thank you Mirage,” the alicorn princess said with a smile. As she continued, Celestia landed behind Twilight, a prideful smile on her lips, “For the longest time since getting these wings, I have been afraid. Afraid of losing who I am, of losing myself, or even losing all desire to try anything new. What’s more, I was afraid of losing my friends.” Twilight then smiled towards Trixie, as Luna landed next to her team. “But thanks to you, you had my friends come together to teach me something important. That the bonds I made, the friends I met along my journey, will never die! As long as I keep their memories in my heart, and the lessons they taught me, I will never lose them. Even when they are gone, I will make new friends, new memories, and have them grow inside my heart along with my old friends. That way, they will stay with me forever.”

        Mirage screamed in defiance, firing a beam of energy at the two groups, only to watch in shock as a rainbow shield block the beams, “You claim to be despair? You claim to be fear? We are hope!” and at that, twin beams of rainbow light shot out from the collective group and flew straight at the embodiment. The cat woman looked on in  fear as the twin streaks of rainbow light flew into her. Pinkie Pie thrusted her hoof in the air, as Blossomforth smiled, in return the beams turned into images of a balloon and a pair of flowers. Lyra and Fluttershy both smiled, turning the rainbow beam into a lyre and a trio of butterflies. Applejack and Octavia nodded, with the orange mare tipping her hat, the beam became the representations of their marks. Rarity and Carrot Top cocked their heads confidently, making their marks appear and strike into Mirage’s body, sending her reeling. Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust held up their hooves in defiance, creating two unique lightning bolt cutie marks. Celestia and Luna looked to each other, smiling before facing Mirage with a smirk, a sun and moon blasting Mirage back onto the ground. Twilight looked to Trixie, smiling softly as if to say “thank you for saving me”. Trixie smiled back, and turned to Mirage, the two students of sun and moon hitting her with a starburst and a magic wand cutie mark.

        Struggling to her feet, Mirage let out a gasp of horror as the twin beams began to change, turing into twin alicorns. One alicorn was a dark violet with a rainbow mane that blazed white, orange, pink, purple, cyan, and yellow. The other alicorn was a deep blue with a mane of grey, blue, green, light white, light yellow, and azure. Mirage tried to run, but was struck hard by the two alicorn as they ran straight at her, firing beams of rainbow light that pushed Mirage through a black hole. Grabbing onto the edges of the hole, she screamed “Why, what makes you think you can beat back the darkness?”

        The purple alicorn smiled, “Because, I have friends who will help me.” and with the other alicorn, blasted Mirage through the hole, sealing it. Slowly, the black fog dissipated, leaving behind the medical room, the bearers, two ponies and a drake. Painting, Twilight smiled and looked to her friends, “Thank you...”





        The first thing Twilight could hear as she slowly opened her eyes, was the soft chirping of  birds outside her window. Lifting herself slowly out of the bed, she took a look around the white room and saw the different flowers and items that were left by her bed. Then, she watched a unicorn mare walked into the room, “You’re awake!” Trixie said with a happy smile as she ran in. Behind her, floated a pair of indigo flowers that she put into a vase. “Not that Trixie was worried, mind you.”

        Twilight rolled her eyes at this, “How long was I out?”

        “Four days, long enough for everypony else to heal. I told them that you were just tired and needed some real sleep and that you were no longer under a spell. But, your friends wouldn’t believe me. So, Luna ha to reconfirm it for all of them,” Trixie then chuckled. “This news, of course, didn’t stop Pinkie from trying to have a  ‘thank Celestia Twilight is alive and a-ok’ slumber party in this room the past four nights straight.”

        “Of course not,” Twilight giggled. “Did you all stay by my bed the entire time?”

        “No, regulations forced us to do it two at a time. Did you know the princess was this close to changing them?” Trixie said, walking to sit on Twilight’s bed. “The others are all outside, talking to each other.”

        “Are your friends leaving?” Twilight asked.

        “They don’t have the excuses your friends do, so they need to,” Trixie said, looking out the window. “Besides, Lighting needs to go for her new position in the Shadowbolts.”

        Twilight looked at Trixie with a soft smile, “Trixie, thanks, for everything.”

        “Your friends did all of it,” Trixie said.

        “Yes, and what they did, I’ll never forget. I was so afraid that those dreams would come true, that I would lose myself, but thanks to them I see it now. Those nightmares will never happen, because of how they changed me,” Twilight smiled softly. “But you did a lot too. You, who never led anything before, you kept cool and kept them all together. Even though you were worried and afraid.”

        “Trixie was ne-”

        Twilight cocked an eyebrow, “Really? Not once?”

        “Maybe a little. But, then she looked at her team and realized, she had to succeed... because they needed her. You needed her, and so did they,” Trixie said, looking out the window.

        “Friends have that effect on you,” Twilight said. “They tend to hold you up when you are weak, and help strengthen all that you are. They also make you want to try harder, because you want to live p to them. It’s why I am no longer afraid of losing them, because what kind of friend would I be, if I abused the gifts they gave me?” Twilight then got off the bed and walked to a window, “Now come on, let's go and say hi to our friends.”

        “Friends, yeah... I guess they always have been,” Trixie smiled and turned to walk out the room.

Twilight opens the window and takes a deep breath of air, before jumping and taking off. Her voice then began to sing in an upbeat and uplifting tune.
 
        A friend for life
That's what you are to me

Trixie: (Smiles back and walks to the courtyard where the others are)
A friend for life
That's what you are to me


Rainbow Dash finishes talking to Lighting as she hears Twilight singing. Turning, she smiles a beaming grin and flies into the alicorn with a giant embrace. As tears fell from her eyes, Rainbow Dash added her voice to the song.

I couldn't see what was
Right there in front of me
Turned my back
Got my mind off track

Lightning Dust looked down to where Trixie was walking under her and flew down to join her new friend. Giving Trixie a high hoof, Dust also joined in the song.

Yeah
You saw a world that was
Something new entirely
Helped me to see
All the possibilities



Rarity, hearing the voices overhead, beams a warm smile at seeing her friend alive. At a gallop, she runs after them, singing with a slow tone.

Oooooooooooooh......
Like a star in the day light
Or like a diamond at night

Carrot Top, seeing Trixie walking by her, smiles at the traveling companions and hugs Trixie. The look in her eyes saying that she forgave her.

Your light was hidden
From my sight


Trixie shook her head, and instead hugged her new friend. Then, with the two ponies following her, began to follow Twilight  and her friends, singing along with Twilight as she began to sing.

A friend for life
That's what you are to me
A friend for life
That's what you are to me

Fluttershy walked by some of her animals as she heard Twilight’s voice and Rarity’s hoofsteps, and began to sing quietly to herself.

Every friendship is tested
You say you're sincere

Lyra watched as Trixie approached, a soft smile on her lips as she added her voice to the song.

But it's all unclear now
But with a word

Applejack, putting her hat over her eyes to hide her tears, walked with Fluttershy. Helping the pegasus’s thoughts to be heard aloud.

Everything changes
And just like that
You and I are right back

In a nearby park, Shining and Cadence watched at Twilight and friends walked by, “Looks like she is going to be all right,” Cadence looked up to Shining. “Maybe later you should tell her?”

“I will,” Shining said, watching his sister fly away.

“That is what you said about the wedding. I don’t want to be in that delivery room and you just then finally remember to tell her,” Cadence said, lightly punching her husband in the shoulder.

“Ok,got the message,” Shining said with a blush..

Unaware of what was transpiring in the park, Rarity and Carrot Top sang together in a low soft tone. 

Oohhh....
Like a star in the daylight (Star in the day light)
Or like a diamond at night (Diamond at night)

Octavia, walking up behind the group with her cello in tow, smiled as she played and sung at a slightly faster tempo.

Your light will shine
When the time is right

Twilight and Trixie began to walk towards a bridge, their voices playing as one now.

A friend for life
That's what you are to me
A friend for life
That's what you are to me

Pinkie Pie, standing on top of a building, leaned forward a little. She then pretended to fall, but was saved by Rainbow Dash and Twilight, who sat her down as she sang in her usual upbeat melody

When I put my hoof out
And I thought I would fall

Blossom forth flew down to her friends and gave them a big hug, her voice joining in with Pinkie’s.

You knew what I needed
And you came around
To fix it all

Trixie and her team make it to the bridge first, and as she looked at all of them she felt her heart warm. Taking a deep breath, she sang what she felt in her heart.

A friend for life
That's what you are to me

Twilight lands with her friends, standing with them in a show that they will always be together. Her voice happy and upbeat, she sang the loudest of the group

A friend for life
That's what you are to me

Singing along with her sister, Luna lands behind Trixie, adding her voice to the group. Celestia then landed next to Twilight, singing with a high tone.

A friend for life
That's what you are to me
 
As the voices joined in harmony, Cadence  and Shining walk with Spike in tow. Using her magic, Cadence lifts Spike and places him on Twilight Sparkle’s back. A smile at the two member of her family.

Ooohh-wa-ooohh
(Like a star in the day light)
A friend for life
That's what you are to me
(Like a diamond at night)

Twilight, looks at her friends and smiles
That's what you are to me
        


The en-



        “So, they stopped me from causing despair. So what?” Mirage said, looking at the portal to the world of Equestria. “Never be said I am one to quit. I’ll just... oh, what is this?” She stopped herself from walking as she saw a small point of light fly into the portal. “Oh, what’s this? It seems that the world is going to have a few guests. Oh, well. I have another world in mind.” with a low chuckle she walked to another portal, “This one I’ll have to thank Luna for.”

Mirage will return in- Lunaverse: Nightmare’s Reign