Bonds

Twilight woke up in a cave. She sat up from the cold floor and looked around, confused. "Wasn't I just at the inn? Where am I now?"

She stood up and started walking, choosing to look for an exit rather than waste her time thinking about it.

"What is this place? It doesn't look very welcoming."

She made her way down the path and continued her search, looking at the cave walls for any sign of a way out. When she couldn't find one, she sped up her walking and, unbeknownst to her, entered a much larger, much more complex, area of the cave.

Her legs carried her all the way to a wall, which, if not for the fact that she looked up from her thoughts at the last second, she would've bumped into.

But there was something different about this wall. She couldn't put her finger on it, but somehow Twilight felt that this wall, was alive. Not in a way that it could walk or talk, but more like, it would only open for certain people.

Twilight had a sudden thought. Was this fate of some sort? Could she be one of the people the door chooses to open for?

She had to know.

With that thought in mind, she took a few steps back, took a deep breath, and walked forwards once more, headed straight for the door. It opened just as she expected, and she made her way inside.

Twilight had no idea what she had been expecting. Did she really believe that some almighty door of destiny would just appear before her and grant all her wishes, whatever those wishes may have been? As she stood on the other side of the door, face to face with nothing other than more walkways, she mentally kicked herself for being so stupid.

And even if the door wasn't a fake, a fact that was quickly making Twilight regret her decision more than she already did, what would she have wished for? Its not like she ever needed anything so badly before as to wish for it.

Perhaps she just wanted an exit? A way to return to the village she had so abruptly left? Did the village even exist to begin with? Was it all just a dream conjured up n her head?

No, she couldn't think like that. It was real, she knew it. But what of this then? Was this all a dream?

Yes! It was a dream! She'd never seen a place like this in her entire life! What else could it be if not a dream?

That being said, the chill up her spine spoke volumes about how real this felt. It was so cold, and it seemed to grow just a little bit colder with each step she took.

She came upon a particularly well off looking room, just before a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach stopped her in her tracks. Something was wrong.

She looked around frantically, trying to see what the source of the feeling could be. What she saw, was not what she expected.

Out of the complete darkness that seemed to have enveloped her while in her state of panic, a pair of dark green eyes shone brightly in front of her. They started moving as Twilight watched them. They circled her, mesmerizing her with their eerie green glow, and Twilight could only wonder what horrid beast hid behind those eyes.

Finally, after surveying their target for the longest time, the eyes closed, reopened, and fixed their gaze upon her once more, joined this time by a disembodied voice.

"So, you've finally come, my child."

"Wh-who are you? Did you bring me here? Why? What do you want from me?" Twilight fired off question after question at the voice, too scared to do anymore than this in order to get her answers.

"My, aren't you curious? All those questions will be answered in due time, my dear. All you have to do is be patient, and soon, you will know all you must. However, I will answer one question for you. I did not bring you here."

"Then who did?" came Twilight's question once more.

"Why, you did my dear."

"I...did? Why? Why did I come here?"

"Yes. You did. Don't you see? You want answers, my child. Answers you cannot get on your own. And I can help you find them."

"Y-you can? But I thought you said you couldn't give me the answers I wanted."

"I cannot. You must find those on your own. I am simply a guide of sorts. I point you in the right direction, but whether you take that path is up to you."

"I see...well then, if that's the case then...I accept your guidance. Help me to find my answers."

"That I will, Twilight Sparkle. That I will. Now run along. The time of your awakening draws near."

"Oh right. This is a dream." Twilight closes her eyes, blocking out the darkness with that behind her eyelids. When she reopens them, she has awakened back in the village, right at the inn where she met Trixie.

Speaking of that, where was she?

She looked around and was once again, surprised to find Trixie's face, inches away from hers.

"Wha- Trixie!" Twilight yelled as she tried to sit up. Trixie sat up herself to allow Twilight room.

"What's going on. Why do you keep doing that?"

Trixie had a serious look on her face. "I could ask you the same question, you know? What's going on with you."

"What do you mean?" Twilight said, trying to figure out what she meant.

"You know exactly what I mean. First that episode last night, and now this. You're sweating all over!"

Twilight looked down at herself. She was suddenly aware of a damp feeling on her back. Trixie was right.

"Did you have a bad dream or something?"

Twilight looked up at that, and thought about the conversation she'd had with the disembodied voice. She couldn't tell her about that. She'd think she was crazy. She already figured something was seriously wrong with her. She couldn't worry her anymore.

"Yeah, that's all. A bad dream. Ehehehehe..."

Trixie gave her a suspicious look, but said, "Oookay, If you say so."

Trixie got up off of Twilight's bed and grabbed a bag that the other girl was sure hadn't been there before. And then she looked back at Trixie, and realized that she wasn't wearing her hat or her cape anymore.

"What's with the bag?" Twilight asked, gesturing to the dark blue duffel bag Trixie was currently holding.

"What, this?"

"Yes. I didn't see you with it before. Did you always have it?"

"Yeah, um... sorry about that. When I first got here I asked the innkeeper to store my things away so that they wouldn't be stolen."

"Stolen? But who would-"

"You'd be surprsied."

Twilight had no words to respond with.

"So, I guess i'll be seeing you later then?" said Trixie, taking up her bag.

"You're going somewhere?" Twilight asked, finally realizing that she was still in bed and getting up to walk around the room to where her friend was standing.

"Yeah, I have to get back home."

"Home? You mean you don't live here in the village?"

"No, I don't, unfortunately. I'm a traveling magician. I go all over equestria, putting on shows for the public. After all, I am," Trixie's horn lit up and her hat and cape seemed to blink into existence, placing themselves properly on her head and shoulders. She spun in place. "the Great and Powerful Trixie!"

Twilight watched as music, confetti and lights seemed to appear out of nowhere. She had noticed the light of her horn couldn't help thinking that she must be a great magician if she can pull that out of thin air.

After her little showing, she returned to her more relaxed manner, but Twilight thought she could see where Pinkie was coming from when she called her a showboat, even if she didn't quite know what the word meant yet.

"I actually live on the outskirts of ponyville, somewhere near the Everfree Forest."

Twilight's eyes widened. "Did you just say forest?"

"Uh...yes, why?"

"I lived in that same forest all my life, but I never knew what it was called! This is so great! We're neighbors!"

Trixie was shocked. "You...live...in the Everfree?"

"Y-yes? Is that so wrong?"

"N-no, but...isn't it dangerous?"

Twilight thought for a moment, then she hung her head. "Yes, it is."

"Oh no...no, no, no..." Trixie said as she walked over to Twilight and hugged her. "I'm sorry. Trixie brought up bad memories, didn't she? I'm so sorry."

Then, she had an idea. "Hey, Twilight!"

Twilight looked up, startled out of her thoughts by Trixie. "What is it?"

"You wanna come to my wagon?"

"Sure!"