My Little Pony: Echos of Dream Valley

As Twilight and her coltfriend lay in their bed basking in each other's presence. Twilight softly stroked the side of his face with her hoof. As she absent-mindedly did this his breathing grew soft and steady. She stopped and looked over at Bryan's face, his eyes were closed. His eyelids fluttered lightly, she could literally smell the stress coming from him however. She silently gazed at him wanting to comfort him.

"Dinky asked him about Megan and by Celestia it hurt him to answer her." she thought to herself quietly "Dinky didn't mean anything by it, she was just curious. And he did answer even knowing that it would hurt to do so. I just want him to feel better, I'm his marefriend. I have to do something to help him, anything no matter how small." Twilight continued to caress his cheek while thinking, her thoughts were consumed with only his well-being.

"He still loves Megan, even after all this time." she smiled at his dedication, knowing that this was her fate as well. Twilight decided to try something that her mother had done for her when she was a filly. She gently took his head in her forehooves and ever so gingerly moved head so that it now rested on her chest. He nuzzled into her chest fur and sniffled sightly, but the calming sound of her heart had him resting comfortably in seconds. She raised the blanket up over his head so it would shield him from the sun in the morning.

She quietly sang a lullaby that she had heard Ditzy sing to Dinky on a number of occasions. It was working. Twilight softly squeed to herself as he finally began to calm and fully relaxed into a deep sleep. "Bryan I don't know if you hear me right now." she spoke softly. "But I'll always be here for you, I love you. And if Megan does somehow come here to Equestria. I will do what I can to keep you happy." Twilight thought about it "Even we have to form a herd with her and some pony else. I will see you happy!" "I want you to be happy, my love." she cooed softly as she drifted off to sleep.

And still the malevolence in Everfree stirred...

In a classic cliche, morning came all to soon for the newly minted lovers. Twilight saw the warming rays of the sun as they flooded through her window. She reveled in the feeling of holding him so close. Two years, she had waited two years for this, and she wondered why. She gently lifted the blanket from over his head just enough to watch him sleep. His position hadn't changed in the slightest. Twilight looked on him with great fondness, she wondered to herself how she'd ever tried to live life without friends and without this, without love.

Twilight sighed happily. "I don't want this moment to end. I want to always be like this here, with him and tha..." her thoughts were abruptly cut off by the growling of her stomach. Twilight scowled angerly at the treacherous organ, in spite of not actually being able to see it, only to have it growl again. "No no no no no... please stop that! If you don't stop that he'll...," Bryan stirred his green eyes opening. " wake up." her thought was now finished. She was now looking into his eyes as she said "Good morning Bryan." with some forced cheer.

"Wow you're so," he hesitated searching for the right word "chipper this morning." he smiled up at her. He nuzzled into her chest again cutting off any retaliation from her. "This is great I have no motivation to move from this spot for the nex..." he was then cut off by his stomach growling. Bryan's expression was now sour. "Crap!" he said.

Twilight giggled and stroked his cheek in a soothing gesture. As he leaned into the caress she spoke to him. "We should get up Bryan. We can take a shower together and I'll take you to the Lunar teahouse for breakfast, how about that?" she softly kissed him on the forehead

Bryan sighed and nuzzled her chest once more. "Alright Twily, that would be great." he replied as he got up and headed toward the bathroom Twilight smiled and got up and followed him to the bathroom. Her mood had improved by that point.

Bryan turned on the water after getting into the bathroom as he waited for it to heat up he turned to Twilight and smiled at her.

Twilight smiled back as she trotted up to him and kissed him once again. She wrapped her forelegs around his neck she rubbed her body against his and gave him a half lidded gaze, after kissing him twice more she asked him a question. "Bryan would you like to have some fun with me in the shower?" she nuzzled him as she spoke and stroked his sides with her wings.

He got into the shower and she joined him awaiting his answer. "Not this morning Twily." he replied. "I just want to take a shower with you, get clean, and have breakfast at the moment."

Twilight reached out with her magic and grabbed a bottle of lavender scented body wash and a pouf. She used her magic to squeeze some of the liquid on to the pouf and began washing him with the pouf. "Why not Bryan? Is there some reason you sound like you don't feel well?" Twilight reached up to his forehead with her hoof and felt it to check his temperature. "Your not getting sick are you?" she asked concern creeping into her voice.

Bryan laughed "No Twily, I'm not feeling sick I'm just not up for what I need to do today. But I've long owed you all an explanation for the some of the things that you've been wondering about. And after we round everypony up, I'm gonna give you all that explanation. It's long overdue any way."

Twilight continued her ministrations and thought for a moment. "Oh ok, I was just worrying about you that's all."

Bryan smiled again as he knelt down and took her face in his hands and kissed her under the cascading water. "Twily you're just like Megan. Always taking care of me, protecting me, and loving me. Thank you." he said and he kissed her again holding much longer this time. After breaking the kiss he said to her "By the way I heard what you said last night, and I'm grateful."

Twilight resumed washing his body. She finished gently scrubbing him she had him sit down so that he could wash her body. It was her turn for him to clean her body.

He stopped for a moment and admired her beautiful, wet form under the cascading water from the shower head. He started washing her with the pouf after applying the body wash to it and lathering it up. "We're going to need more soon." he said.

After he had finished washing her body Bryan had Twilight turn her back to him so that he could wash her mane. He reached for the lavender shampoo on the shower rack and squeezed some into his hands and as he started to wash her mane he stopped briefly and leaned forward and nuzzled the back of her right ear.

Twilight leaned back into the nuzzle and moaned softly. "That feels sooo nice Bryan, please don't stop." she relaxed as he nuzzled her for a few moments longer. he pulled away and resumed washing her mane. Twilight gave a small squeak of disappointment but didn't stop him.

After he had finished washing her tail she washed his hair for him. He sat there in the shower with her as she finished up her task, she decided to try it on him. She softly leaned forward and nuzzled the back of his ear. He tilted his head and leaned into the affectionate gesture. They exited the shower and dried each other off. After they got ready they headed down the library's stairs they encountered Spike who was sitting at the kitchen table.

"Oh hey there you two." he said "do you want me to make you guys something?" he said looking up from his comic book.

Twilight smiled at her young assistant "No Spike I'm taking Bryan to the Lunar teahouse for breakfast so you can just do whatever. Well provided you clean up anyway. Twilight giggled.

Spike brightened up "So does that mean I have the day off?" he asked hopefully.

Bryan replied "That's right Spike. Just one thing though."

"Oh" Spike replied.

"Yeah," Bryan said "don't stray to far from the library today. We need everypony here for an announcement."

Spike chuckled "You guys don't need to tell everypony that you got together, we all know that all ready."

Twilight shook her head "That's not it Spike. Bryan is gonna tell us about his past."

Spike's eyes were wide, then his expression changed. "Well it's about time." he said with a broad smirk. "All right then see you two later."

Twilight waved before they left. "We'll see you when we get back Spike."

As they walked through Ponyville they watched every pony go about their morning routines of setting up stands and opening shops for the day's business. "Life in Ponyville sure has it's moments doesn't it Twily?" Bryan asked his marefriend.

Twilight smiled at him "It certainly does Bryan, I wasn't born here but I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. Bryan?" she asked suddenly.

"Yes Twilight?" he responded

"What are going to tell the princesses, about well... you know?"

He looked thoughtful for a moment before answering. "All I'm willing to say about it is that I think that you're ready Twilight. But we'll discuss this farther when we're alone later ok?"

Twilight nodded in confirmation and kept walking towards the teahouse with Bryan. She huffed slightly at not being able to trot to close to him or wrap a wing around him for fear of knocking him down. "I love him sooo much, but that upright posture of his is sooo unfair. If I do what I want to do I could knock him down." Twilight lamented this for a moment, and moved closer to him nuzzling under his right arm.

He held her under his arm and smiled again as she snuggled up to him a little as moved through town.

They arrived at the Lunar teahouse and walked inside and sat down at an available table. Bryan and Twilight sat at the table and chatted a bit as they waited for their waitress to come to the table. As they did Bryan noticed that Vinyl and Octavia walking into the teahouse, although Vinyl looked to having trouble walking. Bryan called out to his friends.

"Hey Vinyl, Tavi, how are you two doing this morning?"

"Sup Bryan, Tavi thought it would be a good idea to have breakfast here, and it looks like you and Twilight had same idea." Vinyl said happily as she and Octavia trotted up to the table.

"Good morning Vinyl, Octavia, why don't the two of you join us?" Twilight said cheerfully.

Octavia smiled at the lavender alicorn and said. "Oh Twilight I've told you many times, you can just call me Tavi, all of my friends do."

Twilight giggled sheepishly. "Sorry Tavi, it's old an Canterlot habit, it comes back ever so often. So how are you this morning?"

Bryan chuckled and cut in "Yeah, and is there a reason you're trotting funny Vinyl?" Octavia blushed while Vinyl laughed boisterously.

"Tavi just rode me a little hard last night is all, it was great!" Vinyl laughed "She rode me hard and put me away wet, it was fantastic!" Octavia kept blushing and punched her marefriend lightly in the foreleg. "Tavi you're so abusive." she said teasingly and turned her gaze on their friends and decided to give them some of her humor. "Hey Twilight I'm surprised you can trot right or sit down today. I thought he he was gonna give you a real ride for your first time!" Vinyl laughed at her own very crude joke.

This was followed by a distinct whacking sound a moment later.

Octavia was not amused to say the least "Vinyl Elizabeth Scratch! You do not joke about a mare's first time! That's exceptionally rude."

It was then that their waitress trotted up to the table to take their orders. "Hey everypony what can I get for you this morning?" said a familiar voice. The table's occupants turned to so Lyra standing there with a pencil and pad held in her levitation spell.

Bryan smiled at their sea-foam colored friend. "Speaking of inappropriate things I though you'd be a coma after last night Lyra." he laughed.

"Last night was great I feel better than ever!" Lyra said excitedly.

Bryan deflated "You cheat Lyra." he said defeated by her good mood. "Oh yeah I had heard from Bonnie that you got a job for the off season, so you're working here?"

Lyra nodded. "Sure am." she said with a big toothy grin.

Everypony went about placing their orders and turned to light conversation as they waited.

Lyra returned with every ponies food and drinks and placed everything oh the table and turned to leave Bryan called to her. "Hey Lyra hold up for a minute."

"Yeah Bryan what do you need?" she eyed him for a moment "You don't want to hear about last night do you? Cuz this is not the right time."

He snorted a laugh. "No greeenbean that's not it. I need you and Bonnie to come by the library later, and you and Vinyl, Tavi. Before any of you ask I need to tell you all the truth about my past. Please understand that I've only kept quiet about it because it was to painful to talk about, not because I was trying to lie to you."

"Ok Bryan." Lyra said Vinyl and Tavi nodded in affirmation.

Earth...

Megan exited the house in a huff, she had sought out Bryan's parents hoping that they would help her to get back in touch with him. She should have realized that they didn't want to change their view of her. Ever since she had fallen in love with Bryan twelve years ago, and encouraged him to be his own person they had disliked her. Maybe they even hated her. "This is just sad, why can't some parents can't just be happy for their children." Megan mused thoughtfully.

As she got back in her truck she absent mindedly stroked the locket she had worn for twelve years. She shut the door and turned on the engine. "They said he just ran away and disappeared." Megan said to no one in particular. "That's not him, there's no way he would do that." She said to herself as she pulled out of the driveway. As she drove down the street she thought about how every lead had been a dead end. She sighed and looked at the locket in the rear-view mirror.

She came to a red light and stopped. "I suppose you don't have a way to find him do you?" she asked the locket containing the Rainbow of Light. "I really miss him and want to be with him again." her stomach growled "I might as well get lunch and put gas in the tank." she thought. Megan drove up a gas station with a restaurant across the parking lot from the station.

Megan pulled her truck into a gas station across the parking the parking lot from the fast food place, she sighed looking at the restaurant. "Bryan would probably laugh at me a little right now, for even thinking about going in there. Still he never complained when I took him to these kinds of places." she smiled at the memories. "I know you're somewhere Bryan and I'll find you, no matter what. And then we'll be together just like we always wanted."

Megan still mused about it as she went inside the station to pay for her gas. As she left that station she walked to her truck and drove it the short distance to the fast food place, she got out of the truck and went inside rather than use the drive through. "Bryan would definitely lecture me for driving while eating." She stepped up to the counter and placed her order of a cheeseburger, french fries, and a large chocolate shake. After she received her food she sat at an unoccupied table and began to eat. She thought about the many times away from Ponyland when they would sit together in place like this and eat. As she sat and ate remembered a more distant memory, a much more fond memory.

As Bryan leaned against the wooden fence on the ranch that Megan lived on with her family he stared into the sky marveling over what they had just done. He spoke to himself out loud "Wow what an adventure!" he mused "We just saved a bunch of sapient ponies from a demon centaur." he grinned cheekily "Try that James Kirk, you can't do that with a star ship and fancy weaponry." Megan laughed at him, as she brought some iced tea out to where he was. She paused for a moment, looking him over. Sure he was skinny and kind of nerdy, but she thought he was so cute with way acted, that naturally dark skin, sparkling green eyes, and short brown hair just seemed so, unimportant. She still thought he was cute though.

Megan thought about that day more lost as she ate while in one of her fondest memories. "Bryan," she said as she walked up to him. he nodded meekly "Here have some tea."

"Oh thanks Megan." he chirped enthusiastically as took the offered glass and drank from it. He looked nervously at her for a moment. "Megan," he spoke up "do you think I'll ever get a girlfriend? I mean I know I'm not the bravest guy, but I've got stuff to offer. Ya know I'm smart and all that."

"Bryan," Megan began "you are brave, you stood up to Tireks's goons for Twilight and everyone else. And you don't need a girlfriend because you've got me." She moved in front of him she slipped her arms around his neck and kissed him on the lips. After breaking the kiss she looked at him, Bryan was blinking. She moved to his right side and took his hand interlacing her fingers with his, and resting her head on his shoulder.

"Um Megan," he said shyly "isn't this a little fast? I mean I do like you, but we've only know each other for six months. shouldn't we, I don't know take more time, maybe?"

Megan simply laughed. "Bryan we've known each other for six months, that's plenty of time. Besides," she said with a sly smile. "we just went on an adventure together. I think we know each other well enough."

Bryan blushed and set his glass on a fence post. He squeezed her hand. "You're right Megan, you know that I'm a little..."

"Shy." Megan finished for him. Giggling she replied "Yeah I noticed." she kissed him on the cheek. He kept blushing.

Megan looked down at the table to see that she had finished eating on autopilot. Sighing she picked up the tray and walked to the garage can and dumped her trash inside and headed for the door. She walked to her truck and got inside while drinking the shake. She put on her seat belt and started the the engine after putting the cup in the cup holder. She left the parking lot and got onto the freeway, feeling defeated for the moment she decided to drive back home and think about her next move.

She pushed the power button on the in dash CD player and the music started, the song that came on was one her favorites, and his. She listened to the song as the miles melted away in to the distance. Hours passed and stopped at an empty rest stop, hoping to soothe the ache in her heart. She parked her truck and slammed the door as she got out releasing some pent up frustration and she went into the woman's restroom. When she was finished she stepped in front of the sink to wash her hands, she looked at her reflection in the mirror and winced at what she saw. Megan looked tired and haggard, but most of all she looked defeated.

After drying her hands she slumped against the back wall of the restroom and started to cry. It had been years since she had shed tears over this, Megan didn't know what to do now. Bryan's friends he'd made while in that town had simply told Megan that he was alive, but in a "better place" for him. His parents had given her the brush off and basically told that it was her fault that Bryan was gone. Megan kept crying until she noticed the locket pulsing, she wiped the tears from her eyes and pulled it from under her shirt. Megan inspected the locket wondering just what was happening, "What's going on here?" she asked in confusion.

Megan continued to stare at the locket as it glowed and pulsed. She could tell that the rainbow of light was activating. This caused her a moment of severe alarm, it had never done that on Earth before! "I've got to do something!" Megan exclaimed. She stood trying to decide on what to do but it was to late, the locket shattered enveloping her in a spectacular pillar of poly-chromatic light. Megan was floating. "Am I dead? What happened to me? Why did the rainbow do that?" As these questions floated through her mind she felt as if she was being pulled in a specific direction. "Bryan, are you there? Bryan I need your help, I don't know where I am. I don't know what to do." As Megan spoke these words the "current" pulling her got faster and faster.

It continued to pick up speed until Megan felt herself falling. She tried to scream but nothing came out. All Megan heard was the rushing of the wind, and then she hit the ground hard. There was no pain, no sickening crunch of breaking bones, and no spray of blood. A thick could of dust blocked her vision.

Megan's ears had stopped ringing and could hear voices. The voices were unfamiliar to her but knew she heard someone telling someone else to run. But then everything stopped the sounds which had been those of fighting and panic, had just stopped. Megan could feel the eyes of the others on her, she slowly stood. The dust began to settle, and Megan opened her eyes to see... Ponies!

Ponies and some kind of upright dogs? Megan's face contorted in rage. "You leave my little ponies ALONE!" Megan's eyes glowed and her aura flared...