"Twilight! Please, Twilight, open the door!"
Spike was desperately pounding the library's door, but no answer could be heard.
"I don't know what has happened, but it can't be that bad!" Spike said.
Inside the library, Twilight was lying down on her bed, crying and breathing heavily.
Right then, Rainbow Dash landed behind Spike. "What's wrong, Spike?"
Spike turned around to see Rainbow Dash. "Twilight has locked herself inside and she won't let me in."
"Hold on a moment. I'll check it out." Rainbow Dash flew to the window that was just above Twilight's bed. She looked inside and saw Twilight on the bed, not moving at all and her eyes were closed.
She then saw them. Tears sparkling and running down Twilight's cheeks. Rainbow Dash knocked on the window. "Twilight! Twilight!"
Twilight didn't move or answer. Instead she made her unicorn horn glow and suddenly a small part of the window in front of Rainbow Dash cracked up.
"Twilight?" Rainbow Dash said as she noticed the window cracking up. "Twilight, what's wrong?"
Twilight still didn't answer or move. This made Rainbow Dash worried as she went back to Spike.
"Something is definitively not right." Rainbow Dash said to Spike. "She's not responding at all. Spike, we have to break the door. Stand back!"
Before Spike could respond, Rainbow Dash went and bucked the door with her hind legs, breaking the door open. They both quickly went inside and checked on Twilight. Rainbow Dash touched Twilight's forehead, but quickly removed her hoof away.
"By Celestia, she's burning up!" Rainbow Dash said alarmingly as she turned to Spike. "Spike, stay here and watch over her while I get the nurse.
As soon as Rainbow Dash flew quickly out of the library, Spike looked at Twilight, who looked like she was in pain, highly worried. "Twilight…"
*My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic opening*
The nurse pony examined Twilight, while Spike and Rainbow Dash waited impatiently downstairs. When the nurse pony tried to feel Twilight's pulse and listen to her heartbeats, her expression showed confusion.
"How is she, nurse?" Rainbow Dash asked.
The nurse looked at Rainbow Dash and saddened. "I'm afraid I have no idea what's wrong with her. She has a very high fever. Quite a lethal one, in fact. Furthermore, her pulse is weak and her heart is beating very irregularly. I've never encountered or heard of anything like this."
"Is… is she gonna die?" Spike managed to ask, tears nearly forming in his eyes.
The nurse shook her head. "I honestly don't know. But in any case, I don't think I have any means to cure her. At least not until I know exactly what's wrong with her and there's no way for us to move her to the clinic. Not with that kind of a fever." The nurse pony lowered her head. "I'm sorry, Spike."
Both Rainbow Dash and Spike couldn't say anything as the nurse pony sadly left the library.
"What do we do now?" Spike asked, tears now forming in his eyes as he looked at Rainbow Dash. "Twilight is going to die!"
Rainbow Dash tried to think. Wasn't there truly any way to help Twilight? Then she had a thought and she looked at Spike. "What about Zecora?"
Spike shook his head. "She's not at her house and she won't return for two whole days."
Rainbow Dash looked at Twilight. "I don't think we have that much time, Spike."
Twilight suddenly tensed up and gritted her teeth as she shed a new wave of tears.
"She's in so much pain, that even I can feel it." Rainbow Dash said as she went closer to Twilight. When she was right next to her, Rainbow Dash began to shed tears of her own. "Please, Twilight. Please tell me what's wrong."
Right then Twilight's horn began to glow weakly. Both Rainbow Dash and Spike heard something dropping and as Spike turned around, he saw a red book on the floor.
Upon closer look, Spike managed to read the title. "The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide?"
Rainbow Dash went wide eyed upon hearing the title. She looked at Twilight then, seeing that glow had faded from the horn. "Could it be…?" After a few seconds, Rainbow Dash's sadness changed into determination as she turned to see Spike. "Spike, write a letter to Princess Celestia! Tell her about Twilight and ask her to come here along with the Elements of Harmony as soon as possible."
Spike looked at Rainbow Dash for a while before nodding and running to get a scroll and a quill.
"I'll go and get the others here in the meantime." Rainbow Dash said as she flew out of the library.
At the royal palace of Canterlot, Princess Celestia was at her throne room, watching out of a window as some dark clouds began to form in the skies. She heard someone behind her and as she turned around she saw her sister, Princess Luna.
"My dear sister, shouldn't you be resting?" Princess Celestia asked, kindly smiling. "Night is still hours away."
"I can't sleep." Princess Luna said, a hint of worry in her voice. "There's something in the air that feels different today."
Princess Celestia turned to look outside again in wonder. "Something different?" She closed her eyes as she seemed to concentrate. However, her concentration was soon broken by a sudden appearance of a scroll. As Princess Celestia looked at it, she noticed the "urgent" marking on the seal.
"Another letter from your dear student?" Princess Luna asked.
"Yes, but it's way too early and this one is marked as 'urgent'" Princess Celestia said as she opened the scroll and read the message. Very soon her face turned pale as she kept reading.
Princess Luna noticed this and got worried. "What's wrong, dear sister?"
"It's from Spike." Princess Celestia said as she turned to look at Princess Luna sadly. "Twilight is…" she trailed off as her expression changed to serious one. "There's no time to lose. My dear sister, please go and tell the guards to prepare the chariot." She began to run out of the throne room. "I'm also going to need you to come with me."
Princess Luna watched as Princess Celestia ran out of the throne room in a hurry. "Dear sister, what has happened!?" She began to run after her sister. She had never seen her sister so sad or so serious before. Not even during their first battle against Discord.
After sending the letter to Princess Celestia, Spike went back to Twilight with a bucket of water and a small white rag. He drenched the rag in the water and squeezed all the extra water out before placing the rag on Twilight's forehead. He could see how the water practically turned to steam almost immediately.
Soon Rainbow Dash came back with Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy right behind her. All of them looked very worried, including usually happy and cheery Pinkie Pie.
"How is she, Spike?" Rainbow Dash asked as all five of them came upstairs.
Spike shook his head sadly. "I think she's getting worse."
Twilight's breathing did seem heavier than before. Before anyone could say anything, Twilight tensed up again and gritted her teeth hard, making other ponies lift one of their hooves up in fear.
Fluttershy was the first to go and touch Twilight by holding one of her hooves, almost crying.
"Spike, how long has she been like this?" Rarity asked.
"Most probably since early morning." Spike said. "I was going to buy some scrolls from the shop when I noticed Twilight still being in bed. Thinking nothing of it, I went out. When I returned and opened the door, Twilight suddenly closed it and locked it up. I thought she was mad at me for something."
"Now why would she do that?" Applejack wondered.
"Who cares?" Pinkie Pie said, her voice being surprisingly serious. "What matters is that we have to somehow cure Twilight."
During this, Fluttershy was trying to feel for Twilight's pulse.
"An' exactly how are we goin' to do that, sugarcube?" Applejack asked. "Zecora is away an' the nurse can't help us."
Fluttershy gasped. "Her pulse is weakening, girls. At this rate…" She trailed off.
Others looked at Fluttershy and saddened. They were losing Twilight.
Rainbow Dash looked at Spike. "Did you send a letter to Princess Celestia?"
Right then they all heard a chariot landing in front of the library.
"I sure did." Spike said as others ran downstairs.
They all saw Princess Celestia and Princess Luna coming in and bowed their heads.
"No need to be so formal, my little ponies." Princess Celestia said. "The letter said Twilight has fallen fatally ill." She looked up and saw Twilight.
The ponies raised their heads. Princess Celestia was carrying a jeweled case with her magic. The other ponies knew immediately what it was and what was inside it.
"How is she, Rainbow Dash?" Princess Celestia asked.
Rainbow Dash sadly shook her head. "She seems to be getting worse by the minute."
Both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna flew up next to Twilight and looked at her.
"Dear sister…" Princess Luna said, her eyes widening as she looked at Twilight. "I can feel she's in excruciating pain without even touching her."
"Indeed." Princess Celestia said. "She's struggling for her life. This is no ordinary sickness. Even her magic feels much weaker than usual." She turned to see Rainbow Dash. "I understand you were the one who asked me to bring the Elements of Harmony, Rainbow Dash? May I ask why?"
"It's because Twilight used her magic and managed to draw the book about the Elements of Harmony." Rainbow Dash said.
Princess Celestia looked serious. "That is not possible, Rainbow Dash. When a unicorn is ill, especially like this, they cannot use their magic properly."
"But in that case, dear sister, how is it possible that Twilight Sparkle's horn is glowing?" Princess Luna asked.
Indeed, Twilight's horn had begun to glow again, weaker than before as Rainbow Dash noticed. Suddenly Princess Celestia felt the case she was carrying with her magic move. The case floated towards Twilight and stopped right above her.
It was then Princess Celestia understood. "This isn't Twilight's magic."
"What?" All the other ponies and Spike said.
"Something else is causing her magic to work like this." Princess Celestia said. "Her magic is weakening so this shouldn't be possible at all and yet she is able to use her magic almost flawlessly AND pull the case that contains the Elements of Harmony from my grasp."
"Are you sayin' there's somethin' living inside Twilight?" Applejack asked.
Princess Celestia shook her head. "I wouldn't exactly say 'living', dear Applejack. It's her element, Magic, that's doing all the magic now."
"How is that possible, dear sister?" Princess Luna asked. "The Elements of Harmony never did anything like that when we had them."
"We've never fallen ill before, dear sister." Princess Celestia said. "It is possible, that the spirit of the Element of Magic is trying to keep Twilight alive since she is the one carrying it inside her. But since Twilight's magic is getting weaker, the spirit of Magic can't do it for long anymore and so it is asking for help. It would explain how Twilight was able to move that book about the Elements of Harmony."
"But what can we do then?" Rarity asked.
Princess Celestia looked at the jeweled case and opened it with her magic, revealing five golden necklaces with jewels of different colors in the center and one golden crown with a large purple star-shaped jewel in the center, and took them out.
"Since it is the spirit of Magic that's asking for help, you are the only ones that can do this." Princess Celestia said. "The spirits of the elements you five are carrying will enable you to help Twilight, just like you all did during the Nightmare Moon incident."
Princess Luna saddened at the mention of Nightmare Moon.
Princess Celestia noticed this and saddened. "I'm sorry, dear sister. I know you want to forget the whole thing."
"It's okay." Princess Luna said, sighing. "I will carry that painful memory with me forever."
Princess Celestia gave a quick smile, before looking at Twilight again. "We better hurry then. Would you be so kind, dear sister, and move Twilight downstairs to the center of the room?"
Princess Luna nodded and surrounded Twilight with dark blue glow, lifting her up. Right after that the glow on Twilight's horn faded, releasing the jeweled case. Princess Luna carried Twilight and lowered her to where Princess Celestia had said, noticing at the same time that Twilight's body felt both weak and lighter than it should.
After Princess Luna had put Twilight on the floor, Princess Celestia landed right next to Twilight as Princess Luna walked to the opposite side. The other ponies followed them and surrounded them, forming a pentagonal shape around the two princesses and Twilight. Spike came down too, not once taking his eyes off of Twilight. Outside, the day had darkened as storm clouds had formed above Ponyville. It began to rain.
"Umm… so what are we supposed to do exactly?" Fluttershy asked.
"You silly filly." Pinkie Pie said uncharacteristically quiet. "We're going to save Twilight."
"I know that, but how are we supposed to do that?" Fluttershy said.
Princess Celestia looked at Fluttershy and then all the other ponies. "Well, like I said, only the five of you can do it and with the Elements of Harmony with you, you can actually talk to the Element of Magic."
"Talk to it?" Rainbow Dash wondered.
"Yes." Princess Celestia said. "The Elements of Harmony are a part of you even without these, because you have their spirits." She looked at the five necklaces and the crown. "In other words, part of Twilight resides with the spirit of the Element of Magic."
"So it should be like we're talkin' to Twilight then." Applejack said.
Pinkie Pie's usual smile was returning upon hearing this. "Yay! We can then ask what's wrong and help Twilight."
Princess Celestia nodded. "That's right, Pinkie Pie. That's what you have to do." She made the five necklaces float towards their respective owners. "The Element of Honesty…," The necklace with an orange apple-shaped jewel was equipped to Applejack. "… the Element of Generosity…," The necklace with a purple diamond-shaped jewel was equipped to Rarity. "… the Element of Kindness…," The necklace with a pink butterfly-shaped jewel was equipped to Fluttershy. "… the Element of Laughter…" The necklace with a blue balloon-shaped jewel was equipped to Pinkie Pie. "… and the Element of Loyalty." The necklace with a red lightning-shaped jewel was equipped to Rainbow Dash. Princess Celestia looked at the crown and saddened. "I will trust the life of my faithful student, Twilight Sparkle's life, to you. Once I equip this to Twilight, you will most likely lose your consciousness as the Element of Magic draws your spirits inside Twilight's mind along with your elements and collapse here. When you'll wake up, you will be inside Twilight Sparkle's mind."
"Sounds scary." Fluttershy managed to say.
"Well, of course it is scary, darling." Rarity said. "We won't have any idea what we'll be facing."
"It doesn't matter now, does it?" Rainbow Dash said, her eyes looking serious and determined. "I mean this is Twilight we're talking about. The smartest unicorn in Ponyville, in all of Equestria, and our friend. No matter what obstacles we'll face, we'll overcome them and save Twilight."
This made all the other ponies smile and determination could be seen in their eyes. Even within Fluttershy's eyes. Before they even realized it, all of their fears vanished.
"Pardon me, Princess Celestia, but what can I do to help?" Spike asked, not wanting to be left out.
"Me and my dear sister will watch over Twilight and try to keep her alive, buy her time." Princess Celestia said. "I will need you, Spike, to watch over the others and take care of them."
"You can count on me!" Spike said, saluting at Princess Celestia.
"Oh, this is getting exciting!" Pinkie Pie said, now with her usual cheery voice. "Let's do this!"
Princess Celestia closed her eyes. "Thank you, my little ponies."
As Princess Celestia lowered the crown to Twilight's head, Princess Luna could swear she saw her dear sister shedding tears. She could tell Twilight Sparkle was important to her. Almost as if Twilight was her foal.
Right after the crown was placed on Twilight's head, Twilight tensed up and was trying to scream as if she was feeling unbearable pain, but nothing could be heard.
"Hold on, sugarcube." Applejack said to Twilight. "We're comin'."
Right then Twilight's eyes opened up, shining white, and covered the whole room in a blinding light. After a while the light faded. Spike had covered his eyes, but Princess Celestia and Princess Luna hadn't moved an inch. Around them, the five ponies had collapsed on the floor.
"Good luck, my little ponies." Princess Celestia said with a hint of worry in her voice.
Rainbow Dash opened her eyes slowly, feeling a slight headache. Soon she wondered if her eyes truly were open. All she saw was darkness.
"Ugh… where am I?" Rainbow Dash wondered, but then gasped as she looked around. "Where are the others?"
"Right here, sugarcube."
Rainbow Dash turned around and saw Applejack standing there. Behind her were Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy.
"Everypony alright?" Applejack asked, looking at Rarity.
"I think we're all fine, darling." Rarity said.
Fluttershy was shivering. "Umm… where are we?"
"Well, this should be Twilight's mind." Rainbow Dash said.
"It's so dark and scary." Fluttershy said.
"Gotta admit she's right." Applejack said. "It feels mighty strange here, don'cha think?"
"Yeah, I actually thought we'd… meet the Element of Magic right away." Rainbow Dash said.
"I wonder if something happened." Rarity wondered.
"Don't know." Pinkie Pie said. "Anypony know where we should go now?"
Everyone looked around them, seeing nothing but darkness around them.
"This is just great." Rainbow Dash said, getting a bit angry. "We just came here and we're already failing."
"We ain't gonna give up that easily now." Applejack said. She looked at her necklace. "Maybe the Elements can do something to help us find the Element of Magic."
"And just how do you suppose the Elements can do that?" Rarity asked.
"Maybe like this." Pinkie Pie said and just stood there happily with a goofy smile and her eyes closed.
"Um, Pinkie Pie, what are you doing?" Rainbow Dash asked, thinking Pinkie Pie looked so silly now.
Suddenly Pinkie Pie's necklace jewel began to shine. The other ponies watched, wide eyed, as a blue balloon-shaped light shot out of the necklace, disappearing into the darkness. Rainbow Dash and Applejack looked at each other just as Rarity looked at Fluttershy and then they all smiled. What Pinkie Pie just did was the same thing they had all done during their battle with Discord.
"Pinkie Pie, you're a genius." Rainbow Dash said while walking right next to Pinkie Pie and facing the same direction as her.
"No I'm not. I'm a pony."
"A'right! Let's do this!" Applejack said as she closed her eyes too
Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Fluttershy did the same thing. Soon all of their necklaces shone brightly and shot out a beam of light at the same direction as the first one. Soon a single light shone in the darkness.
"I bet that's where we'll find the Element of Magic." Rainbow Dash said.
"Then let's hop to it." Pinkie Pie said as she began happily hopping towards the single light, others following behind her.
"How are they, Spike?" Princess Celestia asked.
Spike was checking on other ponies while the two princesses concentrated on Twilight. "All five seem to be doing fine."
Princess Luna was breaking a sweat while she concentrated her magic at Twilight, who was glowing in a mixture of dark blue and white light. "Dear sister, I do not know how much longer I can keep this up. Twilight Sparkle's body feels like it has shattered into many pieces and the fever feels like it's rising. If it rises any more, I don't know if she can survive it."
"She can, dear sister." Princess Celestia said. "She can and she will with our help." But upon looking at Twilight's face, Princess Celestia looked worried. Twilight's breathing had slowed down and she was beginning to look like she was on fire. Princess Celestia bit her lower lip. "She will… survive this."
"How much longer do we have to go?" Rarity asked. "It feels like we've been walking on forever."
"Quit complainin', Rarity." Applejack said. "Y'all can see we're getting closer."
"It feels funny hopping inside Twilight's mind." Pinkie Pie said. "I wonder if she feels us."
"I hope she doesn't." Rainbow Dash said. "I wouldn't want her fever to get any higher than it already is."
"Speakin' of which, anypony else feel it's getting' mighty cold in here?" Applejack asked.
"Yeah, I can feel it." Rainbow Dash said as she looked behind her, looking at Fluttershy.
Fluttershy was practically freezing despite being a pegasus pony. Either that or she was just scared.
"This doesn't make sense." Rarity said, shivering a bit. "How can it feel so cold in here? Oh, I knew I should have taken a scarf with me."
"Can it, sugarcube and keep goin'." Applejack said.
"Actually, umm, I think Rarity is right." Fluttershy said. "It shouldn't be this cold in here."
"How would you know that, Fluttershy?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"I don't." Fluttershy said. "But why would it suddenly be cold in here while just a moment ago it felt normal?"
Pinkie Pie suddenly stopped on her tracks, stopping everyone else in the process, and looked at her tail. It was twitching. "Girls, something is about to fall."
"What?" Applejack asked. "How's that even possible? We're inside Twilight's mind."
"Don't know, but my tail's twitching." Pinkie Pie said.
Everyone looked at each other for a while and then they all looked up.
Right then, they felt like a blizzard hit them as a strong wind separated them from each other. From above them, a shiny light blue crystal shaped like a star landed in front of them. All five got up quickly.
"What happened?" Rarity asked.
"I think THAT happened." Rainbow Dash said, pointing at the crystal.
"What is that thingy." Applejack asked.
Rainbow Dash slowly approached the crystal. Something caught her eyes as the shining dimmed a little. She looked at the center of the crystal and gasped.
"Twilight!?" Rainbow Dash yelled.
Now that the shining had dimmed more, all five of them saw Twilight Sparkle inside the crystal, not moving at all in the middle of the air, her eyes closed. They all approached the crystal.
Fluttershy shuddered at the sight. "Is she… … is she…?"
No one answered her obvious question as they were all clueless.
"We have to get her out of there!" Rainbow Dash said.
"Ah don't think it'll be that easy, Rainbow." Applejack said. "Just look at that thing. It's huge."
"We can't just leave her there!" Rainbow Dash said.
Suddenly they all heard a familiar voice all around them.
"You do not belong here. Be gone and never bother me again."
Right then another blizzard hit all of them, much stronger one this time, surprising them and causing them all to fly at different directions, disappearing into the darkness in a purple flash, screaming in pain.
The two princesses had their share of trouble. Not only was Princess Luna starting to sweat, Princess Celestia was also starting sweat as they both tried to heal Twilight.
"Dear sister…" Princess Luna said, her voice sounding weak.
"Concentrate, my dear sister!" Princess Celestia said, her voice sounding desperate. "I will not give up! We have to buy the others more time."
Suddenly they both heard a loud gasp.
"What is it, Spike?" Princess Celestia asked without taking her eyes off of Twilight.
"Everypony's temperature just dropped!" Spike yelled. "They all feel so cold."
Princess Celestia's eyes widened and she stopped what she was doing as a thunder suddenly stroke outside.
Princess Luna looked at her sister sadly. "My dear sister… are they…?"
Princess Celestia didn't answer. Instead she looked at Twilight, who was shedding another wave of tears and breathing deeply, with sorrowful eyes. "Twilight…"
~~To Be Continued~~
