“And that’s when I woke up. I couldn’t fall back asleep, so I came downstairs and tried to read, but I couldn’t get that nightmare off my mind. So I just… cried, for a while… and then you come downstairs, and now we’re here.”
“Whoa… That sounds like a pretty rough night, Twi. Are you sure you don’t wanna go back to bed? I’m fine to watch the library for a little while on my own.”
“N-No, that’s okay, Spike. Even if I wanted to sleep right now, I don’t think I could.”
“Why not?”
“I… well, I’m… I’m still kinda scared.”
“Scared? Of what?”
“That if I close my eyes again—if I fall asleep again—I’ll be right back where I was in that twisted nightmare. That I’ll be a villain again, laughing at my f-friends’… at their pain—at what should be my pain. I… I can’t face that right now… not again, Spike…”
“Aw, Twilight, please don’t cry. Come here.”
“Thanks, Spike.”
“You know it’s just a dream, Twi. None of it was ever real. None of it ever will be real. The Elements are fine. Our friends are fine. The princesses are fine. And you’re fine. You can rest easy knowing that you’d never do something like in that dream!”
“Can I?”
“Huh?”
“That’s what scares me more than anything, Spike. Everything in that dream… all of the evil things I did… I should’ve realized none of it was real. I should’ve known it couldn’t have been real, because I would never do something that… like that. But I didn’t realize it until I woke up, and that scares me, Spike. It scares me because… b-because…”
“Need a tissue?”
“Y-yeah. Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“It scares me because I feel like I could do something like that. I know I could do something like that, because I have that power.”
“Well… maybe you could do something that evil, Twi, but it doesn’t mean you would.”
“It doesn’t matter, Spike! No one should ever have enough power to… to destroy lives like that! Especially… especially so easily. All of my friends. All of my family. Everyone I love and trust… and who love and trust me… If my heart was set on it, do you know how easy it would be to make that nightmare a reality, Spike? I-It makes me sick to even think about it! And I’m so, so scared that I might see it again if I go back to sleep. See what I’m really capable of…”
“…I guess I never thought of it like that. Are you gonna talk to them about it?”
“Talk to who?”
“Our friends.”
“W-what? Of course not! Haven’t you been listening, Spike?!”
“Yeah, I have, and I think you should talk to them about it.”
“No way!”
“Why not?”
“Because then they’ll know that I know what I’m really capable of! What if I tell them about all this and they become scared of me?”
“What in Equestria makes you think they’d be scared of you?!”
“Because I’m scared of me, Spike!”
“Twilight, look. You told me about all this, right?”
“Only because we live together. I knew I wouldn’t have been able to keep it from you for very long.”
“Doesn’t matter. Point is: I know. And I’m not scared of you.”
“You’re not?”
“No. I’m scared for you, Twi. Obviously this dream is really getting to you, and you’re not gonna get anywhere keeping it to yourself. All you’re doing is upsetting yourself, and that’s making me upset, too. And… well, I dunno if there’s much I can do or say to help you through this by myself. But the rest of our friends, our family, the princesses—they all care about you just as much as I do. They’d want you to tell ‘em. They’d want to help, and you know it.”
“…I still don’t know, Spike. I don’t know if I could stand all of our friends knowing how scared I am of myself, even if they did want to help. It’s… it’s hard.”
“Well, what if you start by telling just one friend?”
“Besides you?”
“Besides me.”
“…I suppose I could try. But how do I choose who to tell?”
“How about the one friend who didn’t actually appear in your dream? She might be interested.”
“The one who didn’t appear? What are you—”
“The fire, Twilight. You told me about that f-fire… and about how she wasn’t even there on the hill with the rest of us.”
“Oh… right…”
“She should be up by now. You can go talk to her if you want.”
“We.”
“Huh?”
“We can go talk to her now. I don’t think I can manage this alone. Come with me?”
“Yeah… yeah, you bet, Twi. Let’s go.”
***
“Welcome to Carousel Boutique! Where every garment is chic, unique, and—”
“Good morning, Rarity.”
“Oh, Twilight! And Spike as well, I see. Good morning to the both of you. I must say I’m rather surprised to see you at such an early hour, but I suppose it’s never too early for… Twilight? Darling, your eyes… Have you been crying?”
“Uh… a little, yeah. That’s kinda what I wanted to talk to you about.”
“Of course, darling! Whatever’s the matter?”
“This could take a little while. We’re not holding you up at all, are we?”
“Good heavens, no! Please, just have a seat in the foyer and I’ll prepare a bit of tea for the three of us. Then we can take as long as is necessary to discuss whatever has you so distraught.”
“Thanks, Rarity. You’re a good friend.”
***
“Then I remember standing on top of a hill, and all of our friends were facing me. They all looked so… angry, or upset at me. But I felt… I-I felt…”
“It’s okay, Twi. Just tell her.”
“I felt… happy. Happy at all of their pain. Happy that I had caused it. I have no idea why, either, and thinking back on it now… it really, really scares me.”
“Naturally. It sounds like a terribly traumatic dream. It’s no wonder you’re so upset.”
“Yeah… it was bad. B-But I woke up right after that.”
“Actually, there was one more little detail you told me, Twilight.”
“No, Spike. There wasn’t.”
“She needs to know, Twi. It’s the whole reason you wanted to tell Rarity in the first place.”
“Spike, no. She doesn’t need to know about that. That… that hurts too much.”
“Twili—”
“Please don’t pressure her, Spikey-Wikey. If there’s some small detail she wishes to keep secret, that’s entirely her right. You needn’t tell me, darling.”
“…Alright. Sorry.”
“It’s quite alright, Spike. Now, Twilight, about this dream—”
“You weren’t there.”
“Beg pardon?”
“At the end of the dream. When I told you that all of our friends were standing against me on the hill. You were the only one who wasn’t there.”
“Truly? Then where was I in this dream of yours?”
“I…”
“Oh, darling, it’s okay! I didn’t mean to upset you further. Spike, be a dear and fetch that box of tissues over there, would you?”
“On it.”
“S-Sorry, Rarity. I j-just—”
“No need to apologize, dearest. Have some tea and—oh, thank you, Spike. Now let’s clean up those tears.”
“It’s okay, Twi. It was just a dream.”
“I know, Spike. I know…”
***
“Are you calmed down now, Twilight?”
“I think so.”
“Very well. Now, in your own time, please tell me what about this particular detail is so upsetting.”
“Okay. Well, like I said, you weren’t there with the rest of us in my dream. And truth be told, I don’t remember seeing you anywhere else in the dream either.”
“Is that right?”
“B-But I still know where you were because… because I remember that we had had a falling out in your boutique, so I… I lit your home on fire and just… I just left you there. T-to die.”
“…I see.”
“I’m so sorry, Rarity.”
“You… you have nothing to apologize for, darling. I’m just… well, I’m rather curious as to why your mind singled me out like that in your nightmare. It seems just a tad strange. Have I done anything to upset you as of late?”
“Of course not.”
“That’s a relief. But… that doesn’t quite solve things, does it? Do you have any idea why you may have singled me out from our friends, Twilight?”
“No. None. I love all of you equally, and that’s why I’m so terrified of what I did in that dream.”
“Hmm… Well, at the end of the day, I suppose it was only a bad dream. Things do tend to make little sense in dreams. I suppose the best thing to do is to dismiss it and move on, hm? No sense in being so scared of something that never happened.”
“I… er, I guess not.”
“Twilight, aren’t you gonna—”
“Although, perhaps it would be a good idea to discuss this matter with someone more knowledgeable in this particular subject. Have you considered telling Princess Luna of your dream?”
“She probably would know best, wouldn’t she?”
“Undoubtedly. I’m positive that if anypony can clear this up for us, it’s her.”
“Okay. I’ll write to her as soon as we get back to the library.”
“Splendid. Now, if you two will excuse me, I do have—”
“Uh, actually, Rarity, Twilight had one more thing she wanted to talk to you about. See, even though it was just a dream, she still kinda—Hey!”
“I can speak for myself, Spike, and I’m saying it’s time to go. We’ve been keeping Rarity for far too long. Thanks for lending me an ear, Rarity.”
“Hm? Oh… yes, of course. Anytime, darling. Have a splendid afternoon…”
“And you.”
“But—”
***
“Twilight, what are you doing?! We didn’t even talk to her about the main issue! You know, how scared you still are of yourself?”
“I-I changed my mind, Spike. I’m just… gonna try to forget it. I'll go home, get some sleep, and just let this whole thing blow over. It’s easier for everyone that way.”
“Everyone except you.”
“What was that?”
“...Nothing. I’m gonna run back to Rarity’s real quick. I forgot that we were gonna go gem hunting later today, and we still need to arrange a time.”
“Spike, if you mention anything to her about my—”
“I won’t mention you at all. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye. Can I go now?”
“Fine. I’ll see you back home later, ‘kay?”
“You bet. Oh, and don’t forget to pen that letter to Princess Luna! I’ll send it off as soon as I get back.”
“Right. Luna…”
***
“Welcome to Carousel Boutique. How may I—oh, Spike? Did you forget something here?”
“Naw. I just wanted to ask if you’re okay.”
“W-whatever do you mean, dearest?”
“You know what I mean. Twilight may not’ve noticed it because of everything that’s on her mind, but I sure did. The way you kept avoiding eye contact with her. The way your voice lost its charm. The way your ears fell. The way your smile kept falling short of what it usually is. What’s up, Rarity?”
“...You do have the keenest eyes, Spikey-Wikey. I suppose there’s no sense hiding it now, but you mustn’t tell Twilight about this. Promise me?”
“Cross my heart, hope to—er… actually, I probably shouldn’t.”
“Huh?”
“I’ll try not to tell Twilight, but I might have to. She’s kinda going through a lot right now, and it might be something she needs to hear when the time is right. I-Is that okay with you?”
“That’s… very considerate of you, Spike. You’re becoming more mature by the day, aren’t you?”
“D’aw.”
“Very well. Now, this may sound quite silly of me, and I’m sure that it will pass in time, but…”
“But?”
“But… I feel somewhat hurt by Twilight. I know she had no control over that dream of hers, and I know it didn’t make any sense regardless, but I still can’t help but feel quite upset at her mind’s portrayal of me in that dream. She could’ve just spoken to me if she felt there were issues between us, but to find out in such a dark fashion as this… It’s difficult.”
“But, Rarity, there are no issues between you and Twilight. She said it herself, remember?”
“I realize what she said, but what ponies say and what they think can often be very different, Spike.”
“Rarity… are you saying you don’t trust Twilight?”
“Goodness, no! I would trust Twilight with my life! It’s just… It’s rather difficult to explain. I suppose I’m just confused, and I’ll need to think on it for a while yet. I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about the issue.”
“Can I say anything to help?”
“Always the thoughtful one. But I’m afraid not, Spike. This is something I’ll have to consider for myself.”
“Okay.”
“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I really do have a business to run, and I’m running rather late on my schedule.”
“Sure thing! I’ll just—oh, wait! Gem hunting later today. What time did you wanna do that?”
“How does three sound?”
“Perfect.”
***
“Twilight, I’m back! How’d—Gah! W-What happened?!”
“Spike, take a letter. An urgent one. To Princess Luna.”
“But, Twi… your horn. And the floor! And… was that my bed?”
“Take. A. Letter.”
Author's Note
Experimenting with a different narrative style. Let me know if you liked it! Also keep in mind that this story is entirely unedited, just like its predecessor and its sister.
