"A young unicorn was sitting at the edge and looking up at the stars, until he was interruptus by someone calling after him."

Why did you ran of? We were looking all over you!

"The unicorn didn't answer to the light brown pegasus who seemed worried."

Come on, nopony got hurt. It was just an accident...

Accident? Didn't you see that I almost killed the princess'! Can't you see I can't control my magic!

"His horn glowed with a dark blue aura inside a iron hornshield, but the pegasus just smiled a little bit."

It's nothing Nighty. Just few magic training and some practices, you'll be a great knight.

...

What if I don't want to be a knight...

Huh?

I... I never wanted to be a knight... I only did it to make my uncle proud. Even my brother and father...

It's just nonsense, Nighty. You can't just sit in that dusty library and ready books. How are you gonna defend yourself?

I have magic...

"The pegasus laughed like it was a joke, but the unicorn wasn't pleased by that. The pegasus apologizes and said that all will be forgotten and being a knight is the most awesome job in Captain Hurricane's garde."

No Lightning! It's not, I hate it! I've never wanted to stay outside and guard a stupid wall while being bored to death!

"The pegasus just stared at him with confusion"

You have no idea how it feels to have this thing on my head! They might think that I have a magic condition, but I felt it more that that! Maybe I can't control it, but I can't hide myself just to please my family. They will never accept me, if I told them that I want to become a wizard like Starswirl. I'm just a black sheep to them!

Calm down Nighty. I´m sure they´ll understand, if you just tell them how you feels...

Easy for you to say! Your parents are proud gor your career of doom, but what about me? They expects ME to be something greater than living in the dark and staring at the stars!

...

They´ll never understand me! I wishs mom was here... she understands me...

"The unicorn ran into the forest and his friend shouted at him to come back, but the unicorn already disappeared."

Twilight woke up gasping after air. It was the same dream again, but it's really annoying that she can´t remember it. It was also the second dream since yesterday.
She looked very confused and saw that her friends were eating in front of the burned bonfire. She got up and ate with them. Sweetheart told her that she and the others had gone through the riddle since morning. Twilight was absolutely astonished that they were up all night to solve the riddle for her? But it also seemed that they got along pretty well, despite the terrible incident. But it also seemed that they had already forgiven Sweetheart, which made Twilight happy.
Sweetheart also said that they might have solved it and it makes more sense tnhan previous riddles. Twilight was relieved to hear the good news. She sat down at Pinkie's side and mumbling at the scroll:

The sky as dark as night
And the moon as bright
I now give you my last riddle:

Through the dark forest, you´ll see a path
A path, that leads to a mountain
You will find the center of darkness
But never be lead by the Queen's wrath

"Alright girls. Now we know this time, it shows the right way." Twilight said very confidently. The others agreed and got ready to march on. "Don´t worry, Twilight. We can do this, together!" said Rainbow Dash very faithfully. Twilight smiled and they left immediately. "Hold on, Astral... We're coming soon..." Twilight thought hopefully...

They marched through the woods until they reached a small meadow with little trees. They also saw a huge mountain at the horizon, which means they are already here. But they already decided to camp and rest a little. Even if it's only one day left, but only until midnight so why not.
They camped and sat at the fire to eat grilled vegetables. It also seemed that they had fun, despite the troubles, they've been through. Twilight immediately noticed that Sweetheart was gone, but she sat on a rock and looked at the stars again. Twilight excuses her friends and went to Sweetheart to sit by her side. They sat silent again, without speaking to each other, "You know... I've never got to say that I was grateful for you and your friends... for all..." Sweetheart said, so Twilight got a scare. It got a bit awkward, but Twilight then said that she and her friends would always be there to help a friend. She saw Sweetheart's childish and sweet smile, she knew. She then realizes what she had often thought about, when she began their quest, so she asked very carefully, "I was just wondering... How did your met... her?".
They glanced at each other with hesitant eyes. Twilight immediately knew that it was a bad idea, so she quickly changed the subject.

"You just asked a question, what's wrong with that?" Sweetheart said quite calmly, but her gaze was still empty.

"I know, but I'm just ruining everything," Twilight says doubtfully.

But Sweetheart just smiled and quoted from their previous conversation that any question is a question. "In fact... she wasn´t always like that..." mumbled Sweetheart very quietly.
Twilight asked her what she meant with it, but still looked surpirsed like they were old friends. Sweetheart had to tell her how Nightmare was before. She told her that she used to be very caring and kind. Everypony from the past always depended on her and she helped them all the time. And her appearance, where back then, she have dark brown mane and the light-colored coat, expecially her gentle and chewed smile.
"What happened then after?" Twilight asks curiosiously. But Sweetheart hesitated and looked down. Twilight knew immediately that she would not talk about it, so she said it was okay.

"Mother... became someone she's not..." muttered Sweetheart completely despised.

Twilight looked completely surprised on her. Did she refered Nightmare as... No, she properly heard wrong. She got up and asked Sweetheart to get ready. Her friends had already packed up and got ready to go further up to the mountain. Fortunately, they saw a path that leads to the mountain. Twilight felt that there´s still hope that they can save Astral from the wicked witch.
While they talked a bit about their new plan, Applejack interrupted them. "Did you hear that?" she said quietly. "I can´t hear anything," said Rainbow Dash, but Twilight shushed at her and listening too. There was something growl around the the trees. They looked around very carefully and tried to listen to the sound. Then a shadow appeared, the shape was large and looked like a lion, but the tail was thin and sharp. Like a scorpion tail.
"Run..." Sweetheart whispered. And they ran with all forces to a little trail, but were stopped by the figure so they had to find a way out, or else they had to split to lure the beast away. But it caught Twilight and its sharp claws tores on her chest. Sweetheart was trying to save her and luckily, Rainbow Dash was just in time to fight against the beast, and Applejack swung on her lasso and caught it. They distracted it while others helped Twilight to safety. They succeeded to escape from the beast and found a safe place to camp again.
"Now what! How are we gonna pass that monster?" asked Rainbow Dash angrily. Fluttershy suggested that she could calm the beast, which wasn´t a bad idea and it worked before. But Rainbow was pretty impatient and told Fluttershy, that they don´t have less time. While others discussed about plan B, Sweetheart took Twilight somewhere else and nursed.

"Well... It wasn´t according to the plan, but it could be worse," Twilight laughed, but her wound stings.

"Sorry!" Sweetheart apologized, but Twilight was okay and has been through this before. But Sweetheart looked very serious at her, yet a bit scared. "Just promise me... you don´t freak out...".

Twilight seems to be confused by her words, Sweetheart sighed, she cloesed her eyes and started to hum a gentle melody. It doesn´t seem special to Twilight, but suddenly she began to shed a tear and more tears shedded from her closed eyes. "Sweetheart... what´s wrong?" asked Twilight a bit panicking, but then she heard more hummings and it came from the tress. She saw them glowing very yellowish and some golden syrups came out. But those syrups looked pretty different than normal acorn syrup. She saw it floating around, until they reached her chest. She looked surprised, but when she looked at Sweetheart, she noticed that her tears turn into gold and they runs like a river.
When she stopped humming, the lights and the humming trees also stopped. She stared at Twilight with her deer eyes, while Twilight removed the bandage and suddenly noticed that the wound was healed. She gasped in shock and was about to scream, but Sweetheart stopped her and reminded her not to freak out. Twilight tried to calm down, but she starts to blabbering with questions and how long she´s been doing that. Sweetheart responded that she has this in her whole life. She even told her, that she don´t remember how she got this ability. All she ever remembered was someone, she befriended, betrayed her and lost her faith to trust somepony again.
Twilight couldn´t say anything while staring comepletely astonished at her friend. She never realized how hard it must be to live in solitude and never trust anybody else besides Astral. "What... about me..." she asked to Sweetheart, but she just stared at nothing. Twilight didn´t want to press her to talk, so she stands up walks towards her friends.
"I´ve always believe in you..." she heard Sweetheart´s voice. She turns around and saw her standing up from the ground and stared at her. "I don´t think you are a bad pony... but I have this feeling that you´re is pure... Not because it made you a alicorn and being the Princess of Friendship. But you are more than just special...".
Twilight smiled a bit, even though it didn´t make sense, but she knew what she was telling. Sweetheart walks towards her and together, they walked to the bonfire, where her friends were.

They came up with a plan to distract the beast, but they don't have food enough. So one of them must distract it until other were safe. Rainbow Dash volunteered to do it, but Twilight refused it because of the dangerous risk. Rainbow doesn't seem to approve it, but they almost argued in silent.
"I'll do it." Sweetheart said confident. Twilight and her friends looked at her with surprising looks. Twilight still refused to let her do it, but instead tried to lure it away withher magic, but Sweetheart still insisting to try. "She's right Twilight... There's no options..." Fluttershy said as a surprise for others. Twilight doubted, but gives it a try. Sweetheart smiled and promised her that she'll come back. She found a sharp stone and ripped on her leg. Rarity gasped and fainted, so Applejack quickly grabbed her. Twilight was a bit shock by it, but Sweetheart just smiled and told them to hurry, before she ran through the meadow. The other quickly hurier towards the small path, but Twilight looked back in a worry, but ran as fast as she could.

They reached the path without any signs of the beast and they ran and ran up to the mountain top, where they saw a big cave. Twas a loud roar above them and Twilight looked down in hope of seeing Sweetheart, but no sighs of her. They finally reached at the top, they need to get inside before the moon stands over the mountain top. Twilight looked around, still hopping to see Sweetheart, but Applejack convinced her to com with them before it's too late. Twilight sighed and followed them.
Suddenly, she heard steps behind her. She stopped and waited to see. Her friends stopped too and even asked her why she just stood there. She waited and saw a figure coming closer and closer. The figure revealed itself as Sweetheart who smiled at Twilight. Twilight was about to cry, but she ran to her and hugged her. Her friends were surprised too, but they too ran toward Sweetheart to give them a hug too. They were really happy to see her, especially Pinkie who jumped hysterious and being extremely joyful.
"How did you escape?" Twilight asked curiously, but Sweetheart just smiled and said that it was a long story. But Pinkie interrupted them and yells that she's so happy that everything is alright now, but informer them that they need to hurry. Twilight and Sweetheart realized the goal and they rushed to the cave. It was pretty dark here, Sweetheart reminded them that there might be traps around here. "Aren't you gonna be punished for that?!" Twilight asked worried. But Sweetheart told them that's okay now. They're already reached their goal.
But their moment were again interrupted by not Pinkie. It was Rarity who got distracted by the most beautiful gem inside the cave. She rushed to it and admired the shiny stone. "No Rarity!" Sweetheart yelled after her, but it was already too late. Rarity tried to take the gem from its spot, but suddenly something opens under them and they fell down into a big hole, where they glides and got separated from each other...

Author's Note

Done with chapter 9. Sorry about the last riddle, I know it didn't rhyme but I think it sounds okay.

Just to note that the dialouge colors of the dreamscape part were a part of a important role later on. If you see the blue one, you´ll understand later, when the the time has come.