Bitter Sweetness

by Zuzanna

Rating: everyone
Tags: Tragedy, Adventure, Sweetie Belle, Sad, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Cutie Mark Crusaders, Rarity, Other
Length: 4270

Sweetie Belle finds herself in a dream-like universe, perfect enough to be imperfect, to find somepony that she truly does miss.

Here, everything is perfect. If it's perfect enough to just be perfect, what could go wrong? A curious filly's dream is what ails her, as there is no way out of this dream. If you live the same dream, over and over, any dream this hellish would sure to make you cry in un-forgiveness.
What do you do, though, when your entire world crumbles around you? When you can't remember your friends, your home, or your family? What if this one simple wish was a mistake?

"I... I just wanted my sister back,"

Note: I changed the slice of life tag to Adventure, as it kinda changes a little as you read through. But it's still probably a bit of both, nonetheless.

Published 2014-01-27 12:30:05 UTC
Last updated 2014-02-23 22:41:40 UTC

Dreams

The hard rain poured down on my coat. Everything had a surreal pink aura to it. The sky was starless. I sighed as I imagined the sweet smell of fresh rain and freedom. I wandered out into the starless night. Why it was starless, instead of gleaming with them?

Perhaps, maybe, it wasn't reality. Not even close. But Equestria was so far away, and here, it was so... perfect. Perfection has limits, in the real world, which is what makes this world... more than perfect.

I could hear whispering, not too far off in the distance.
"Hello, my dear sister," it sang, in a voice that was unmistakable. The harsh rain turned to a soft snow.

I smiled softly. "Rarity!" I exclaimed quietly. "You didn't forget me!"
I ran up to her and hugged her, snuggling up to her happily, underneath the warmth of her fur and breath underneath an umbrella.

"Why would I ever forget you?" She said, snuggling back. I embraced the moment. After all, it would have been way too good to be true. Even though I knew it most likely wasn't. I hadn't the slightest clue whether this was dream or reality, but I guess it's neither for now. I cannot sleep, nor shall I wake up.
For this is how it shall be.

Hours and hours had gone by, second by second, as we played and sang and cuddled as perfect sisters would. Dream come true, right? What little I would have realized was the more I stayed, the more things would change, both here and in the real world.

After years and years, I would have forgotten nearly everything and everyone. Who I loved so dearly, my friends and my more-than-friends, my parents and my home, everyone who had ever meant anything more to me. Except, for her, my one sister. My true sister. Nopony can replace her, ever. I told myself, and with me it stuck.

There were great dangers I could not have understood. After all, what is the point of understanding when you can just know? But one day, I stopped. I felt like something was missing. Something I must have remembered from before I came here... but... what was it? What could it have possibly been?

"Now, now, darling," said Rarity, placing an endearing hoof on my shoulder as I stared off into the starless night once more, "What has you so down?" She handed me a cup of cocoa, my favorite, with three marshmallows in it. Three exactly. Perhaps it meant something, but perhaps not. I was sure not to know.

But then I asked. "Is there something - anything, that you know... about... life?"
Rarity cocked her head at my odd question. "Why, whatever do you mean darling?" She stroked my mane. It was still comforting, but now, redundant.
"Everything seems perfect. Too perfect." I sighed.
She frowned. "What's wrong with perfect?" She asked.

I looked up at the sky, and imagined teeny little white figures... stars, I could say. "This isn't right... you're not Rarity, you're not anything like Rarity!"
She gasped. "Now, Sweetie Belle..."
I pushed her away. "No! The real Rarity isn't perfect... I..."

My surreal sister patted me on the head. "Perhaps not, but you can't do anything about it now... perhaps... and why would you want anything different? Anypony else wouldn't care about you now. But I do-" I ran off. I kept on running. If I got lost in time and space, so what? It would be better than knowing this was too good - or, not good - to be true. All I wanted now was reality. If I could remember what reality was like. But how?

After laying into now what was hard, painless, rain, I thought I could hear voices. Yes, voices, faint voices - laughter. Cheerful, happy laughter. I could not piece out where it was coming from.
My left? No, my right... or... my head. I could hear it in my head. They kept getting louder. What if I tried to piece them out? I heard myself. My own voice. And there were two others, distictly different from one another. Yes...

One of them's got an accent. And the other one was slightly raspy.
I couldn't remember much more of them... But I knew they were there with me, in my heart.

I slept soundly in the rain. Who knew what would come next?
It seems like ages I would be stuck there. Years, Decades, Centuries. But every night I wake up to the same thing. Or are they dreams? What if reality was just... too good to be true?
The Land of Dreams can wreak havoc if you're not careful.

I wake up now, in my bed. I ponder upon whether life really worth living.
I get up, and look out the window. It's snowing. Really.
Fillies and colts are dressed up warmly. I gasped. How could I forget?

I suddenly hear a knock on my door. "Coming!" I exclaim.
Opening it, I saw the two fillies you'd expect to see.
Apple Bloom and Scootaloo.
"C'mon!" Said my yellow friend, filled with eagerness and excitement.
I plastered on a fake smile, and followed them out to the town.

Today was the Mid-Winter Snowfall Celebration. Ponies from all over Equestria come to ice dance and have fun.
The streets fill with the sweet smell of cinnamon, and the busy townfolk chatter. I'd be happy on a day like this.
normally, I am... Just, not today.

My sister has been gone for eight weeks, with no signs of return. Ponies have been supportive, but it doesn't really work.
The one time she needed me, I wasn't there. I wasn't there for her, and now...
I sighed. Silvery tears welled up in my eyes. I watched my two friends skating on the ice, having fun. Apple Bloom noticed me and skated over.
"Aren't ya alright?" She asked, worriedly.
"I'm fine," I lied.
"Ya know, ya can't hide it from me forever. I'm your friend, and I'll always be here for ya, no matter what. You can tell me anythin', and I'll still be yer friend. Ah know how hard it is to give in to somepony sometimes, but even in the hardest of times, I'll be there for ya."

I gave a little smile, which quickly faded.
Even though I knew for sure she was still there in my heart, there were some doubts. I might never see her again... and... I never got to say goodbye.

Sometimes there are things that hurt me to think about, but that's what dreams are for, right?

Author's Note

Oh. My. Goodness! Fell in love with this idea as soon as it popped up into my head. Whee! :D

It was kinda inspired a little by Everlost and Coraline, but only slightly.

A Winter Crusade

"C'mon, there's got ta be a way to cheer ya up!" Exclaimed Apple Bloom
"Yeah," agreed my Pegasus friend, "Just like how we did when Apple Bloom was upset... you know, like this!"
The earth pony smiled.
"It's not the same thing!" I whined. If only I could go back to dreaming now... that would be nice...

A gentle snowflake fell on my nose.
AB smirked. Tapping Scootaloo on the shoulder, she whispered something in her ear. Scootaloo smiled, confident.
"That is a great idea!" she said, chuckling.
I hadn't the slightest idea what they were talking about, and I'm not sure whether it's a good thing or a bad thing. All I knew was that something was going on.

"So... Sweetie Belle... How 'bout we go crusadin'? Winter crusadin'?" Apple Bloom suggested. "Ya'll could earn yer cutie marks..."
I thought about it some. It does tend to cheer me up, well, at least until we fail.
But she was right. I needed something to distract me from it.
My friends winked at each other with a quiet hoof-bump.
"Maybe... maybe we could... y'know..."

I thought about it for a while. Ponyville was always so lovely, so filled with joyfulness everywhere. But now, some things seem to be a little... bland. I don't think they've closed down Carousel Boutique, but if we don't do something, surely it will. Black sheer curtains would drape over the windows, outfits would be donated or auctioned.
Thankfully, I had an idea. Perhaps it wasn't the best, but it's worth a shot.

"Ah know you'd do anythin' for yer sister, but... Are ya absolutely sure this is the best idea?" Apple Bloom hung a purple scarf around my neck. "Ah mean, just going out in this weather-"
I looked her straight in the eye. "Desperate times call for desperate measures! Anyways, I'll be fine. It's just snow. It's not like it's the end of the world, right? I'll be back soon, I promise!"
"You should at least take us with you. You know, for backup - In case anything happens!" Scootaloo wrapped her hoof around me.
"Yeah! Like... like... jus' us three gals, together..."
That's when I made the mistake. The mistake of saying no. "Sorry... but I feel like I need to do this on my own."
I knew it wasn't exactly the brightest choice, but it was of that moment... I... I had to. There was nothing else to say.
I turned away because I didn't want to see the look of disappointment in their eyes. I didn't like it.

Apple Bloom sighed. I climbed up into the orange train cart, which was quite warm and cozy compared to the outdoor weather. It was near a blizzard. I sure hope that the pegasi of Ponyville don't let it get too out of control without any warning.
I watched out my window sorrowfully as the train pulled away from the station. It felt a bit smoother than usual because of the thick sleet.

I always hated saying goodbye. To my friends, to my home, to my sister - But it will only be a matter of time before I can say 'Hello!' again. I remember the glimmer I saw in Rarity's eyes before she left. The gift of courage, determination. Things I wish I had right now. To be honest, I'm scared. I don't know what to do, or where to go, I'm just hoping this will lead me in the right direction.
"Follow your heart," Rarity would say.

I know that moment. The terrifying anger that was born inside of me. It was the Reality Moon. It was the last thing I remember her saying. Reality Moon. Reality... What does it mean? I closed my eyes. Maybe now would be a good time to rest. I thought about everything. Or at least, everything there was to think about.
I find it strange that I feel so... different.

I just always have had that energetic burst, that eagerness to make sure nothing stands in my way. But now, I feel like I've got nowhere to go. So there I lie, as I waited for the right moment to come. But not yet.
For now, I will just sleep. Let me come back to those dreams... They're my only hope for helping me through this.

If I could have one star represent a night I've been having them, I'd probably have enough stars to fill up the town of Appaloosa. I've had these dreams since, well, for a few months, even before she'd left - In fact, I'm still kinda confused to why I've still got them. I had an image in my head the other day which might give me some conclusions, but I'm still not sure if they're the right kind of answers I'm looking for.

Maybe I should look into this some more. I'd have to ask somepony about it, and I knew exactly who to ask.

Perhaps I wasn't sleeping quite soundly enough to actually dream, but I guess that's okay - less distractions.
The train stopped with a "SCREEEEK!".
"Canterlot!" I exclaimed, excitedly.

I haven't gone to Canterlot that much before, so it was quite the sight just looking around the place.
I was surprised when I bumped into somepony I was, well, sort of expecting.
"Oof!"
I gasped, and bowed.
"I'm terribly sorry-"
"It's alright, dear filly... we've been expecting you,"
I cocked my head to the side. "You... uh... you have?"
"Why yes, I see thee every night..."
I laughed, fakely. "Yes, about that - look, Princess, I was... um... hoping you could help me with something... something important,"
She nodded. "Ah... yes... follow me, we have somewhere to go..."

~

Author's Note

I didn't add Luna to the list of characters, as she would have spoiled this for you - so here we go!

Fantasy Choices

Let's see... trying to focus... Ah, yes... "Ow... my head..."
I sit up as I rub my eyes squinting. I have absolutely no idea where I am right now. This definitely isn't like the dreams I've had before - not at all, in fact - but... why does it feel like a dream?
"Hello? Is... is anyone there?"

I look around cautiously. "Where... where am I? Where is this place?"
"Oh, you don't need to know that," whispered a mysteriously unfamiliar voice.
I jerked back at the sudden whispers in my ear, and turn around to see nopony.

I'm in some sort of grove... or a cave... like, a garden - I'm not sure...
There are glowing blue flowers lining a path I cannot see, birds chirping in the night I cannot hear.
"I know why you're here," said the voice, a little more forgiving, but still with a tone that would be less forgiving than anything I think I've ever heard.
"You... you do?" I asked, curling back shyly.
"Why, haha - of course," it laughed, "How else would you repay us for what you've done?"
I winced slightly at it's use of us.
What could it - or she - mean by us? Are there others? Is she like Luna, whom once spoke with royal language that's older than all the books in Twilight's library?

"We are the Reality Moon, and we would thank you - but we cannot. We want vengeance, and we have no other way to do it. Within you is all the power we could ever ask for, and now, we shall take it. Sisters, arise!"
I gasped. Reality Moon... So it is true... whatever that was.

The ground started to shake. Loose rocks from above tumbled down, careful to avoid me. out of the ground, appeared a figure - like a pony, sort of, at least. It was like a wood pony, with green glowing leaves and thick, sap-like veins around it. I looked around to see several others, as well. Spriggans. I've heard of them, perhaps in books or old mare's tales, but I had never expected to see one, or in this case, several, in real life, especially in a situation like that.

Five of them were spread almost evenly across the room. Out of the mist appeared a fancier-looking spriggan, whom was a bit bigger as well. "We are the Commanders of Nature, and thy princess has summoned us, as the call of nature requests."
I stared at her with wide eyes.
"So... so you're spriggans?" I asked, even though I sorta already knew the answer.
"Yes, I guess you could say that," whispered the one behind me.
"A disturbance in nature has occurred, I'm afraid."
I looked down at my hooves, then back up at the marvelous creatures. "And I'm here... why?"
The head spriggan looked me in the eye. "My name is Myra, and I am the leader of the Commanders. You are here because we know you are the only one who can help us... and we know there is something you need as well."

I raised an eyebrow. "And what would that be?"
Myra sighed. "We need you to help us with a certain mission - that is - since you are the only other one who knows the depths of the Land of Dreams-"
I interrupted her. "How did you know about the land of dreams? Is... is there something you know that I don't?"
Another spriggan trotted up to Myra and looked me in the eye. "Yes, now can we please, just get this over with? I was once a pony like you, but I got trapped in the land of dreams - Just the same dream, over and over again... And because of those dreams, I sent someone I loved into devastation. I met these ponies, and together we seek vengeance against the creators of the dream realm... those who have trapped and diminished the ones we cherish, and together we will find them - so what do you say, filly, come and join us."

I shut my eyes tightly. I breathed in, slowly. "I... I really want my sister, but... I don't want to be like this - I don't want to be a Commander of Nature, or a spriggan pony! I just want to live a normal life, with my friends, and my family... My answer is no... I'm sorry..."
"Then so be it," Myra smirked, "After all, if you can't help us, we can't help you. Isn't that right girls? So since you refuse to help us, we have no choice but to be on our way."
She flicked her chartreuse tail and left with the other spriggans, and disappeared back into the earth with them.

I felt cold vines starting to wrap around my hooves.
Shaking them off, I looked up.
I guess I'm on my own now.

I lay still in a bed in the castle suite, mind you the same one Rarity once stayed in, trying to piece together what had happened. I started to wonder if my parents cared about the situation, or if they were even aware of it.

After all, my mother is always working and my dad, well, isn't really the pony who would look deeply into stuff like that. It was simply 'Rarity is going on a trip!' thing.

What they failed to realize is that she was scheduled to return, what, five weeks ago?

There has been rumors going around that... that something happened to her.

I thought about those spriggans. Were they real? How come I went there instead of the Land of Dreams? What did they even want from me?

All sorts of questions stirred in my head. At least I don't have to worry about school.

I got up, perhaps had a little bite to eat, and opened the door. I was surprised to see two unicorn guards, whom were wearing an odd shade of green armor. "You have to come with us," said the left one, "Queen's orders."

I stumbled up in shock. "What queen?" I asked, "Equestria doesn't even-"

The right one looked down. "You know what we're talking about. Come on."

Author's Note

I'm only tagging the
MAIN main characters, not the ones you see later in the story... I DON'T LIKE SPOILING THINGS RGHETHFHRHTHRJ!!!!
Press F8 for more candy corn ;)
After I'm done with this story I'll tell you a little bit more about myself, heh. I wish I could change the tag from "Slice of Life" to "Adventure", since now, I guess it's kinda both, but FimFiction won't let me do both for some reason :S
Oh well :P

I'm Not Alone

"Who are you!?" I asked, "And what are you doing in my dreams?"
The filly looked at me like in a bored sense, as if I were clueless.
"What are you talking about?" She said, annoyed, but more so confused. "This is my dream!"
I had sworn I had seen her before, perhaps in reality, but in my dreams, I wouldn't have known. If it is her dream, then, it would be strange to know why I am here - After all, the aura does feel refreshingly... different.

The filly turned away from me, and flipped her white-and-purple mane. Then she came back to me and leaned closer. "At least, I'm sure it is, but it seems... different. I'm-"
I remembered, suddenly, and jerked away. "I know who you are," I said, calmly, "and I guess then this is neither yours nor mine. I think we aren't the only ones here."
She cocked her head to the side. "You mean... there are others?" She whispered, cautiously, but still rather hushed.
"I guess there are... I guess there are."

I looked up into the endless night, now gleaming with stars. "The last thing I remember, I was in C... Can... uh... I don't think I remember the name of the place," I put my hoof on my forehead and tried to focus.
"You mean Canterlot?"
"Yes, yes - that's it! Canterlot,"
The earth pony looked into the sky, as I did.
"Funny... so was I... we should probably see if we can't find anypony else. Then we can see if we can't find out why we're here." She suggested.

I started to lead us through a rocky path. It would have been cold, but it's hard to be sure. Dreams are tricky like that. I gazed upon the scenery as we trotted through the mess. Vines tangled in with rusted, smooth, stones, and thin layers of ice glazed over it. There were big piles of them, and it was all blue.
If this were my dream, I'd rather it be pink, or purple at least.

We talked a bit as we traipsed through different places in other ponies' imaginations - from candy gardens with Skittles and Gumdrops to Sci-fi scenes taken right out of the movies, it seemed like we had found a way to escape our own dreams into
"The Land of Dreams!" I exclaimed aloud, finishing my thoughts. The pony looked at me strangely. "Heh, sorry..." I apologized. At least I'm not completely clueless. After all, I do feel different.
I peer into the near distance, and spot a group of foals... sleeping. In the... sand...
Odd, I wonder to myself, Why is everypony asleep?

The filly looked closer at the sleeping ponies.
"They can't be sleeping. Definitely not sleeping."
One of the colts jolted as she neared him. "She's right, you know," he mumbled.
Wide eyed, I slowly looked up at my (unlikely) companion.
I had an idea. "They seem to be in a trance of some sort! Come on, we should see if we can't do anything to get them up." I tapped one of the fillies with my hoof, and felt a quick shock.
"Agh!" I yelled, leaping back. The other filly rolled her eyes.

"Okay, so since obviously your little plan has failed, we should try a new tactic."
"And that is...?" I asked, rhetorically.
"Doing it my way, of course!" She boasted. "How else?"
I decided to roll with it. "So, what's your plan then?"
Looking up, she thought for a moment. "Okay, since you're a unicorn, you can go and talk to them using your... uh... magic... and talk to their minds. If they're not asleep, you should get a pretty clear response."

My first thought? I wanted to just shout in her face, 'That's RIDICULOUS! I don't even have the power to do that!'
But after looking it over a bit, it was worth a shot. Besides, this is the Land of Dreams. Anything can happen here, as long as it's for a reason. "Alright then... here goes..."

I closed my eyes and focused on my vital magic energy. It's supposed to be easy, this being the place where all your dreams 'come true', but never once in my life had I dreamed of casting spells. I imagined reaching out to the other foals, my spiritual thoughts connecting to theirs, and my inner soul had found a link. It worked.

Why are you on the ground, sleeping? I asked. No response.
Hello? Anyone there?
Hi.
Why are you on the ground? Did you hear my question?
No...
WHY. ARE. YOU. ON. THE. GROUND? I asked, for the THIRD time. I was getting impatient - I don't need to be wasting time! Ha, like there is time to be wasted...
I don't know! I can't get up though. Can I have some help?
Hi! Why am I on the ground? I'm tired.

I thought for a moment. If they're trapped here, we have to find a way to help them. They might know how to get up, but they don't know they know how. I thought about the one time that Rarity showed me - The Princess Mare. It was one of her FAVORITE movies.

So... where's the key?
What key?
Don't the keepers have keys? Right.

I got excited, unfocused, and sprang up. "That's it!" I exclaimed.
The filly looked at me strangely, like I was crazy. She calmed a bit. "Okay, unicorn, what's the hitch?"
"We need to find the keepers of the night. By what I'd guess, they should have all the keys we'll need in The Land of Dreams. I'm not sure where they are, but we should probably keep moving. The sooner we get out of here, the sooner we can do what we really have to do."
And by that, I meant finding my sister, which was still my main priority.

Author's Note

Who's this filly?
She's probably not who you think she is x3

Or she could be. You never know... Ponies tend to act DIFFERENTLY in their dreams.