I awoke with a headache. I hate headaches, I got enough when Kara was younger. I held my throbbing head for a few minutes before deciding to look around and see where I'm at. I saw gray... tons of gray. I turned and little more to see bars. Only one logical explanation for those... I'm in prison. No doubt locked up for supposedly impersonating myself.

"Twilight, are you there?" Asked a voice inside my head.

"Yes, I'm here," I said.

"Oh, thank goodness, I've been trying to get a hold of for two hours," The voice said, "What's going on?"

After my remaining senses came back, I recognized the voice as that of mother.

"Well, I'm currently locked up in a dungeon cell," I explained.

"I had a feeling that was the case," Mother said, "Fear not, you'll be coming home soon".

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"When I couldn't get a hold of you for about ten minutes, I sent out a rescue," Mother explained, "They'll be there shortly to help you out".

Oh dear...

"Call them back,," I said, "I want to start talking about an alliance with the princesses, but I won't be able to do that if I get broken out of here and taken back to the hive. Please, call off the rescue".

Silence. I hate silence over the hivemind, it's always so unnerving. It didn't last too long, however... thankfully.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Twilight," Mother said, confirming wordlessly that she did call off the rescue.

"I'll let you know if I need that rescue," I said, "But, unless I ask for it, please don't send one".

Closing my eyes always helped with hivemind communication. When I opened my eyes again, I noticed a tall blue alicorn sitting just outside my cell.

"You are finally awake," She said.

"And have been for a short while," I pointed out.

"I am very confused about something, and I hope you can explain it to me," The blue alicorn said.

"Ask away," I said.

"You are a pony, yet I can not see into your dreams," She said, "I want to know why that is".

"Mother?" I asked.

"Yes, Twilight?" Mother asked.

"Can you remotely sever one from the hivemind?" I asked.

"Yes, I can, but why?" Mother asked.

"I have a feeling being severed for a little while will help me out," I explained, "I have no time to properly explain, so please just do it".

"I really hope you know what you're doing," Mother said.

Shortly after, I felt a sharp, stabbing pain in my forehead. I cried out and clung to my forehead tightly for a brief moment as the pain subsided.

"What did you just do?" The blue alicorn asked.

"I'll explain in a bit," I said, "For now, I need you to put me to sleep. You want to see into my dreams? You should be able to now".

I hoped that being connected to the hivemind was the problem. It doesn't allow external communication except verbal, and I hoped dreams were included in that. The blue alicorn did as requested, and I soon fell into a slumber. Within mere moments, I was dreaming, but my dream faded away after a bit, leaving me alone in a vast, empty space. I turned to face behind me, and came face to face with the blue alicorn herself.

"So, you really are Twilight," She said.

"Yes, I am," I said, "I don't know why I am not an alicorn, but I have a feeling it has something to do with me being basically reborn sixteen, almost seventeen, years ago".

"What do you mean?" The alicorn asked.

"I'll explain further, but not here," I said, "I want to speak with Princess Celestia. I want to give her the explanation she needs, but I don't want to repeat myself to her".

"My sister is currently in an unstable state, and it would be unwise to proceed with that course of action," She explained.

"Well, you won't get anything else out of me till I can talk to her," I said.

"Very well, but don't say I didn't warn you," She said before her horn lit up and we were taken back to the waking world of the living.

She then proceeded to open the cell door and let me walk out. After I said my thanks, she led me straight towards Princess Celestia's room. I could feel the alicorn's raging power from down the hall, and it terrified me. You didn't have to be a changeling to know I'd pissed her off. As we entered, the blue alicorn, who I learned is known as Luna, told me to stay behind her. I did.

"Hello Luna," Princess Celestia said as we walked in, "What's up?"

"Please, don't be mad sister," Princess Luna said as she stepped to the side, "I brought her here because she wants to explain something to you. And yes, I can confirm that this IS the real Twilight Sparkle".

"How do I know you're not under some spell?" Princess Celestia asked.

"Look at the ring placed upon the base of her horn," Princess Luna said, pointing to said ring, "Only the one who puts the ring in place can remove it without killing the wearer".

"True," Princess Celestia said, sighing, "Very well, then. Explain what is going on".

Over the next thirty minutes, I tell her basically my whole life story. She obviously doesn't like that part about me being raised by Queen Chrysalis, but it seemed to satisfy her. I could tell she was satisfied because she proceeded to remove the inhibitor ring from my horn after I finished.

"And that brings me to why I'm here," I said, "I want to strike up an alliance between my hive and Equestria".

"Such an alliance could benefit us greatly, sister," Princess Luna said, "And it would seem Chrysalis has changed as well, so perhaps it's even possible".

"Mother invaded seventeen years ago because she feared rejection," I explained, "Our hive was starving, and she was desperate. Now, I'm here to try and fix that mistake".

"I vote we give them a chance," Princess Luna said.

"Then I will too," Princess Celestia said, "However, I wish to speak with Chrysalis myself. She may bring a few guards if she desires. However, do also inform her that, should she come, I will require her to wear an inhibitor for security sake".

"I'm sure she'll understand," I said confidently.

"So, now that that's out of the way, mind explaining what happened earlier to allow me access to your dream?" Princess Luna asked.

"I asked mother to cut me off from the hivemind for a little while," I explained, "The hivemind prevents any external, non verbal communication. Being cut off allowed you to have that access".

"Well, that is most interesting," Princess Luna said.

"And it feels really weird and scary," I pointed out, "So I'll be getting reconnected when I go back to inform mother of your request for her presence and rules for the discussions".

"Then I suppose you will want to leave as soon as possible," Princess Luna said.

"As soon as my friends are freed," I said, "Their only crime is being changelings, they've done nothing wrong, so I would like them to be set free. They're the same two that got discovered shortly before that misunderstanding in the throne room".

"I suppose that's fair," Princess Luna said, "And let it also be a sign of good intentions on our part".

That went WAY better than expected. We went down to the dungeon, and I kept looking around for possible traps. There were none, though. Jade and Swift were set free, and the inhibitors were safely removed from their horns. It was too good to be true, really. Perhaps they did all this because of who I am. I mean... I AM supposed to be a princess.

Anyway, before we left, Princess Celestia gave me two sheets of paper. Docking vouchers for the royal docks at the castle. One for mother, the other for me and anyone I choose to travel with. I'll be coming back for sure, and I'm bringing everybody. Kara's gonna love this place.

Author's Note

And Twilight is freed by the power of dreams. Next chapter starts the adventures you've all been waiting for.