Heartache: Cherished Friendship {Book the First}

“What in tarnations happened?!” cried Applejack for the fiftieth time. Rarity facehoofed.

“I told you already, Applejack,” she said for the fiftieth time. “Twilight attacked you with her magic, and before we knew it, you and I were trapped in a dark blue smoke, which turned out to be the so-called Nightmare. So, here we are in ugly, black nothingness which is, supposedly, Twilight’s mind. Quite some time ago the Nightmare explained everything to us, so you shouldn’t be asking again, Applejack.”

Applejack knew all of that. She just couldn’t believe it. All this time, ever since they defeated Nightmare Moon, she always thought that their worries concerning the Nightmare were gone. The idea of the Nightmare coming back is simply not welcome in her stubborn mind.

Just as she opened her mouth to ask the same question again, they heard sobbing. Off in the distance, they saw a purple glow. They trotted towards it. The purple glow was none other than Twilight Sparkle herself. Or Twilight’s soul. Applejack and Rarity were no different themselves now. They have no idea where their bodies are now, so they’re souls in Twilight’s mind.

“Twilight?” Applejack asked. “What’s wrong?”

Twilight raised her head, looking at them with sad eyes.

“Everything’s wrong.”

Rarity crouched down. “Whatever is the matter, darling?”

Twilight inhaled and exhaled shakily.

Then, she shouted in an agonized voice, “Me! I’m what’s wrong! All of this is my fault! I should have told all of Equestria about my horrifying nightmares! But instead, I let the Nightmare continue to drive me mad and, eventually, possess my body! I let my nightmares convince me that you guys are my enemies! All of Equestria is in danger because of me! We’re here, trapped and helpless, because of me! I’m crying because of me! I lost my own element because of me!”

She broke down again, crying her eyes out. Rarity and Applejack stared in shock.

Twilight sighed sadly. “Everything’s better off without me.”

As she continued to break down, Rarity and Applejack saw something. The glow from Twilight’s alicorn soul was slowly fading away. Her soul was dying. Not her body, her soul. If it died, it’ll disappear from the universe forever, all memories of her eventually fading away if that happens.

“Now look here, Twilight,” Applejack said firmly. “Look me in the eyes.”

Twilight raised her head, staring at her with tearful eyes.

“Admit it, Applejack,” she muttered. “I’m a worthless, useless soul.”

Applejack put a hoof under Twilight’s chin.

“Now listen to me here,” she said. “You’re not worthless. If you are, why are you here? Why are you an alicorn? Your body’s an alicorn, and your soul’s an alicorn. We all see that right now. You’re obviously not worthless because you’ve obviously done something incredible multiple times to earn your status. To become who you are. You’re not worthless.”

Twilight smiled softly, wiping her eyes.

“Applejack,” she murmured. “That was amazing! I’m glad you’re all here.”

She stopped.

“Wait, where are the others?”

“Well,” Rarity answered. “Our other friends are out there in the real world, trying to save us and Equestria. They are perfectly fine. I hope.”

“Well, I’m glad for that,” Twilight said. “There might be a chance that everything will be okay. Friends are always the best.”

“Ah’m just wondering,” Applejack said. “What did you mean earlier when you said that you lost your element?”

“It’s true,” Twilight sighed. “I’m not the spirit of the Element of Magic anymore. The harmony and friendship sort of crumbled after all of this.”

She sighed again.

“Look at all of this, my friends,” she said, gesturing the darkness with her hoof. “There is something familiar. And that is the chandelier. Remember the gemstones? They were black, holding no memories. My mind is the same now. It seems like my mind and the chandelier are connected somehow.”

Rarity and Applejack still have a lot of questions, but they thought that now is not the time to ask them.

“We’re here for you darling, don’t worry,” Rarity said.

“Thanks, guys,” Twilight smiled. “It’s great to know that you’ll always be there for me, and that I can always turn to you, to all of you.”

Suddenly, there was a flash of light in the distance. They turned toward it, and saw a white glow far ahead. They glanced at each other.

“What in the hay was that?” Applejack asked.

“I don’t know,” replied Twilight. “Let’s go find out.”

They walked toward the mysterious glow together, and it was great for them to know that Twilight’s mind isn’t completely dark.