Do Longnecks Dream of Magical Ponies?

by Moon Flame

Rating: teen
Tags: Twilight Sparkle, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Sad, Mystery, Crossover, Death
Length: 5298

After centuries of ruling, Princess Twilight Sparkle is left without her original childhood friends. It is now up to a longneck child to save her from falling into a existential loneliness that might threaten Equestria if left unchecked.

For centuries Twilight Sparkle has worn the crown. Her subjects loves her and her heart fills with their love.

But after the passing of one of her oldest friends her rule takes an unfortunate turn. She calls four of her most trusted ambassadors to sort things out.

But not all is what it seems during the meeting. Random things are moved and added to the room. The ambassadors starts to behave oddly and their voices sounding ominously familiar.

A spine-shuddering notion of possibly evil orgin starts to creep up on Twilight that someone is watching her.

Published 2019-11-14 22:00:02 UTC
Last updated 2019-11-14 22:00:02 UTC

Do Longnecks Dream of Magical Ponies?

The marble statue represented that of a prancing pony that towered six times her height. It had its head turned at the castle windows, for now. In total there were two of them. Each stood symmetrically on each side of the red carpet and presented a majestic entrance to the throne room.

It didn’t seem like anything now. But a moment ago Twilight Sparkle swore the right statue had been looking at her. Creepy.

“Princess?”

“Yes?”

The mouth of the kirin ambassador rose into a dimpled smile. “Is everything alright, your majesty?”

Right. The meeting.

She returned. “I apologize. I was lost in my mind. Everyone gathered?”

“Everyone is gathered your majesty.” The dragon ambassador made a polite nod. His manners made Twilight smile.

“It’s nice to be here princess.” Wild Beam piped, admiration beaming in her eyes.

Twilight couldn’t help but admire how far the kirins had come since she was a filly; From a remote village, hid away in the Peaks of Peril, to a trading empire with a queen and everything. Twilight had to lean forward to hear her soft voice. “What I was saying before princess, is ---"

“Speak up, no one can hear you!” The griffin ambassador barked.

“The meeting hasn’t even started yet and you’re already turning it into a shouting match Elder.” The Manehattan ambassador Fancytrotter sneered at him. Twilight thought she sounded like a city pony.

“Shouting?! A dead wind is more audible than her. I’m being honest.”

“You’re being rude.”

“And that is coming from a Manehattaner! I thought my people was rude until I visited the backstage of one of your fashion shows. Nopony left alive by the end of that ordeal, I tell you.”

The dragon with purple scales gazed directly at her, which made Twilight feel he seemed as straight and respectable as those marble statues. “What we meant to say, princess, is that we are honored to be here.”

She put on a commanding smile. “Thank you, all of you; Mr. Karkh. Miss. Fancytrotter. Wild Beam. Elder.” Each name she spoke she gave a nod. The others returned. She let her commanding presence beam across the room by spreading her wings.

“The four of you have been called here to discuss the matter of our relations. As you all know...” Twilight swallowed the lump in her throat. “My old dragon --- Assistant --- Spike. Has died. His happy marriage with the mother of your lord brought the longest period of peace ever between our races.”

The dragon ambassador was a young male that Twilight thought he was always booming confidence. But now he fumbled with his words. “Pardon --- your majesty. If this feels early for you, I am sure our kingdoms can wait.”

This made Twilight feel less lonely. “Thank you for your sympathy Karkh, but I’m not the only one. For hundreds of years Spike the Elderly was probably the best advisor in Equestria. We have all gone to his cave at least once for advise, and he always had answers to give. And even when he didn’t, he always had wits to share, to make us smile in the face of doubt and face our fears with confidence.”

“But you knew him since he was a baby.” Wild Beam dared to ask.

Twilight decided to let go of her facade. She felt her emotions radiate from her face “I hatched him, yes. He followed me to Ponyville when my studies in friendship began. He was my assistant for centuries until family responsibilities got in the way. Still, he stayed my most trusted advisor and only seemed to become wiser with age, even more so than myself I admit.”

“He shall be missed.” Fancytrotter commemorated.

A chorus of ayes went across the room.

“Thank you, guys. Knowing you’re mourning with me makes it much easier. The fact that we all share our sorrows, as well as happiness, is what makes our friendship strong.”

Elder stepped forward. The bulgy eyes behind his eagle face shook with senility. His lion tail squeezed as the old git seemed to struggle with his sentiments. “We are all sad that old Spike has --- uh, passed. Gone for a better place, I’m sure he has. But not to waste our time telling cry stories, that I’m sure our lives aren’t like all the time anyway. Maybe we should get down to business?!”

Twilight brought back her facade in full force. “Straight to the point as always Elder. Very well.” A second of panic coursed through Twilight. She suddenly couldn’t remember what the meeting was about.

“Yes!?” Elder blurted.

“What I believe Elder is referring to, your majesty, is the griffin and dragon incident over the Badlands.”

Elder sneered at Karkh. “I wasn’t finished!”

“That they started!” Smoke hissed out between the dragon’s teeth.

“Oh you…”

“Enough!” Twilight flashed her horn and amplified her voice. The fighting stopped. Her centuries long experience as ruler of Equestria allowed her to sink back into calmness with the tap of a hoof.

“I know things haven’t gone as smoothly as they used to after the rivalry between Spike’s children started. And knowing your people’s traditions Karkh, I say we need to give these things time to play out while staying true to what Spike would have wanted.”

Twilight walked down from her throne along the red carpet. Her muffled hooves sent Ko Klonks echoing across the room as she reached the stone floor. She spotted an apple laying on a table near the entrance.

Who left that there?

She eyeballed the griffin. “I know you know what I mean. You two used to be friends.”

The griffin itched his neck nervously. “Despite my ways, I meant no disrespect toward the old git ma.am. He was the most respectable flea between the feathers in Equestria. A darn clever dragon, that I can bet the Idol of Boreas on.”

“Then you know he would have wanted the dragons and the griffins to remain ‘friends tied together with ugly knots’, as he used to describe it.”

“Yea.” Elder turned to Karkh. “Sorry for lashing out at you. I’m easily annoyed.”

“And I’m easily angered.” Karkh shot him a respectful smirk. The griffin returned.

The meeting had gotten off to a rocky start. This moment brought Twilight’s worries to rest.

Like they usually did whenever you had my back. Rest in peace old friend.

Karkh cleared his throat. “As I was saying; The dragon and griffin mishap over the Badlands is what started the arguments between my land and the kirin.”

“Indeed Karkh. “Twilight turned to Wild Beam. “This is why I brought you here. As the kirin ambassador, I expect you have full view of you rulers assessment of the situation.”

Wild Beam curled her green mane that went around her head like a lifebuoy. Compulsive swallows followed each phrase. “She has --- I mean, I have. She talked to both the griffins and the dragons and she feels she can compromise good with each one of them.”

A chirp accompanied Wild Beam's soft voice. A bird landed on the head of the left statue. Twilight saw no open windows in the room.

How did that get in here?

“What worries her is the growing tensions in Manehattan.” Wild Beam ended.

“What kind of tensions is she worried about?”

“There has been reports of wild bunnies running amok in the garden.”

Twilight felt interested. "You don't say.”

“Yes. I tried Twilight, but I wasn’t able to gather them all.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll send out a team to investigate.”

Ambassador Wild Beam smiled modestly before attempting to join the others talk. Sha backed off when Elders eagle eye pounced upon its prey. Twilight was left with a feeling of complete normality, with one small edge in her front lobe.

Did that conversation just happen?

The bird flew to another end of the room, leaving the prancing pony. She noted the statues eye move back to looking at the window again. Twilight blinked repeatedly to make sure she imagined that.

“We moved those playgrounds, just like your mayor asked.” Karkh replied an earlier statement.

“And yet the dragon smoke covers the Manehattan sky every holiday. Do you have any idea how much bits we lose in tourist income every year?” Fancytrotter argued.

“I could tell you.” No one paid attention to Wild Beam.

A griffin. A kirin. A pony and a dragon. Twilight felt someone was missing.

The door to the throne room slammed open. The purple pegasus colt raised his hoof in salute.

“I came as quickly as I could!”

Twilight felt it was about time. She faced the Wonderbolt leader. “Runway. Nice to see you.”

“You asked for me princess.”

“Yes I did.” Something felt weird to Twilight. She remembered sending for Runway, but not why. And the weirdest part was; She felt totally okay with not knowing.

I’m getting so god at this job I don’t even need to recall my decisions for them to make sense.

Runway had a permanent rasta mane due to his extended time in the Wonderbolts. Despite this, he had an unfortunate voice that made him sound like a preschool colt. But his determination had still brought him all the way to the top. Seeing him now made Twilight feel she had a loyal rendition to the meeting attendance. Runway raised his wings halfway in a hesitant manner. “Did I interrupt something?”

”Nothing.” Elder turned to Fancytrotter. “Only some lollygagging unicorns who’d complain about there being nothing to complain about.”

”The air our fillies breathe being contaminated is nothing to joke about.”

“Maybe we could…” Wild Beam drowned among the others.

”We moved those playgrounds, just like you asked. We can’t stop the games; it has been a dragon tradition for over a thousand years.” Karkh seemed to be getting tired of repeating himself.

This meeting is becoming sidetracked; The coming headache spoke to her. Twilight’s clenched and covered her face with her wing. She needed darkness.

Now she had a feeling she was being watched again. No wonder. What am I doing!? – I'm the princess. I can't lose my concentration like this!

Nopony seemed to remark on her absence; The argument kept going. It suddenly dawned to Twilight why she had sent for Runway.

The blinding light of the room stabbed her brain as she removed her wing. The others grew silent as her gaze fell over them.

”Alright. I think that’s as far as we’ll go. Karkh and Fancytrotter, I’ll send out a pegasus team to evaluate the situation. Maybe we can form a weather solution for this predicament.”

Twilight confirmed her intensions by gaining eye contact with Runway. The pegasus made another salute. “Will get it done as soon as I get back, Twili.”

This made Twilight feel invaded. She let out a giggle. “Twili?”

“Yes!” Runway’s mouth rose into a rad smirk. “Ten seconds, flat!”

Silence festered between her and the pegasus. Twilight felt her smile fade.

Had he said that before to me?

She put on the smile again. “Ideally!”

“Great!” Runway turned to the others. “I will round up the team and create a draft that will keep the smoke from reaching the coast.”

”That will probably be best.” Karkh said.

”Traditions are important.” Fancytrotter admitted.

This made Twilight feel accomplished. Just as she thought nothing would surprise her she noticed another change. A Cake had been placed on the table with some colorful mugs. Some confetti had been spread around them.

“What’s with the party décor?”

“That’s me your majesty.” Fancytrotter wiggled her ears over her rising cheeks.

“Please, call me Twilight."

When did she have time to do this?

"I didn’t take you for a party prance, Fancytrotter.” She said politely.

“I thought this place needed a little lighten up after all the pouting.” Fancytrotter casted a bitter glance at Elder.

This made twilight feel happy inside. - Happy and confused.

Have I been here before?

There were still loose parts of the meeting that needed resolving, and judging by the look on Fancytrotter, Runway and Kark, Twilight thought it was clear who was the problem right now.

“Say what!?” Elder leaned closer to the nervous kirin.

“I said; I understand your point. But…”

“Speak louder! Burn you kirin do just fine --- but talk is another thing completely.”

Twilight stepped up. “It’s alright Wild Beam. Just raise your voice a little. You’re doing a terrific job.”

“No! She ain’t!”

This made Twilight feel really angry. She turned to Elder. Her tone hardened. “Listen Elder. I appreciate your presence here but, I’m going to have to insist that you keep a good tone.”

“I am! It’s called honesty.”

“It’s called rudeness.” Fancytrotter corrected with burning eyes.

Everyone turned to Karkh. “I’m sorry sir, but I must agree with Fancy there. This meeting would go along better without you.”

“Without me? What about snuffle here? She hasn’t been clear about anything for a whole hour. She’s supposed to be an ambassador for crying out loud!”

“Sorry princess. ---” Wild Beam turned away. The others grew silent when they heard her sniffle. Elder cleared his throat while looking away from the group.

Runway ruffled his wings. “Well --- Whatever you decide, make it fast! Our friends all over Equestria is counting on us. And each moment we lose on ourselves, we lose to them.”

This made Twilight feel bold inside. “The pegasus is right, Elder.” The entire room went quiet.

The griffin fumbled with his eyes before festering on Wild Beam.

“That’s the reaction I usually get anyway so why stop now? Fine! I’ll go. I tell my king to send someone less peachy.” Twilight felt his voice cracked before he turned tail. As the griffin was leaving he passed the apple.

“Wait.”

Elder glanced back at the princess. “What now?”

“Don’t go. Please.”

“Are you begging me, princess? Why?”

Twilight got down on Wild Beam's level. “Elder is a griffin that thinks out loud and I know he can be hurtful sometimes, but he has a point. Are you alright?”

Wild Beam seemed relieved that someone was taking Elders side for once. “I’m fine princess, and I’m sorry. I know I can be unclear. I guess I figured I would do better today than I usually do.”

“It’s alright. No one is hurt.” Twilight’s smile cooled down to indifferent honesty. “But your people need a voice that isn’t afraid to speak up when negotiations don’t go their way.”

Wild Beam’s agreeable look turned to contemplating. She started walking toward the exit. Twilight shared a sad look with Elder. The kirin stopped next to the griffin. Her soft voice boosted with each important word. ”I can see you are a nice griffin Elder, even if it doesn’t always appear that way to others. If you promise to stay with us, I promise I will be braver.”

Twilight though she heard the bird chirp.

“That is the first nice thing anycreature has said to me in decades.” The griffin glanced at Runway before continuing with Wild Beam. “If you are loyal to me, than I am loyal to you.”

“And honest?” Wild Beam smiled.

Elder shot her an evil eye. “You bet.” The kirin let out a playful giggle.

Twilight thought the meeting went on much smother from that moment. In fact, after an hour of bickering, it didn’t even last five seconds. The relation between Elder and Wild Beam had improved, even blossomed.

“Then it is settled!” Karkh finished.

“Great. Then I commence this meeting; adjourned!” She gave her ambassadors a nod. She saw them leave the room when she decided to add softly. “But not this gathering.”

Runway preened her wing. “Come again?”

“You all have shown me something today.”

She looked at Runway. “Loyalty - You showed me how Loyalty to our friends can focus us on a single goal and help our friendship overcome differences across the board.”

She looked at Karkh. “Generosity – You sacrificed duty and offered to return to your kingdom as a failure to give me time to grieve my friend. With that you showed me how giving can be a force that gives colors to friendships”

She looked at Elder. “Honesty – Despite how it made you look; you have shown me how telling true words can make friendship stronger when virtue signaling turns stale.”

She looked at Wild Beam. “Kindness – By showing kindness to someone who seldom got any, you showed me how that can make us communicate clearer than ever before.”

Lastly, she faced Fancytrotter. “All that’s left now is you - Laughter.” She motioned the tables filled with cups, balloons and confetti. ”The props are set. You’re right Karkh, our kingdoms can wait.”

Twilight threw away all sincerity. She put her words were her muzzle was. “LET’S PARTY!”

At first, the others looked hesitantly at one another. Almost all of them ended up smiling. Fancytrotter nudged Elder. “Eh, there’s a first time of everyone. Come on, you old bird!”

“I’m a lion!” Elder’s outburst turned to a surrendering mumble. He looked at Wild Beam and chuckled slightly.

Twilight hadn’t had this fun in years. They all ate cake, played games, danced and shared silly talk. Fancytrotter was everywhere at once. She pranced around whilst her bouncy laughter jittered the air. Each time someone seemed down, she was there to lighten them up.

Once again, Twilight had this funny feeling inside. - This déjà vu. She rose up from the table. The others looked at her.

“I wanted to thank you guys by giving a toast.” She used her horn to hoover a mug of cider. “To friendship.”

“To friendship!”

“Loyalty. Generosity. Honesty. Kindness. Laughter. Was it magic too? Those are the elements of harmony.”

This made Twilight feel familiar. “You are well read Karkh. Indeed it is.” She squinted to make sure she was seeing right. She giggled.

“Are you wearing a dress Karkh?”

“I am.” The male dragon streaked his claw through its blueness. “Isn't it fabulous?”

“Yes! I, eh. --- will not incline further.”

“Weren’t the elements represented by ponies once?” Elder asked.

“I am the element of magic, my friends---” Twilight felt her words fail her. The others looked at each other.

“Never mind! Forget I asked.”

“It’s alright Elder. Yes, ponies represented them once. But --- Well. That was over three hundred years ago. They’re gone now.”

“But you knew them when they were fillies.” Runway said.

“Yes?” Twilight asked herself. She felt her smile fade.

Am I a ruler or a fool?

“Tell us about them.” Fancytrotter preened her.

“I don’t --- know.” She hoped nopony heard her.

“Don't know what?”

“Hold on to your apples! Can’t you see that its botherin’ her?!” Elder ecolded Wild Beam.

Twilight felt like she was looking at a ghost. Silence fell between her and Elder. She thought she heard a piece of the statue hit the floor.

“What is’t Twailite?” Elder countryismed.

Twilight felt happy again. She decided to use the moment. She raised her glass. “All that really matters is that you all are here, and that our friendship remains strong.”

“What is this?” Runway picked up the apple from the table.

“Ah have no buckin’ of a clue!” Probably one of yem’all apple farmers. Creative bunch, I tell ya.”

Who are you?

Twilight felt she was becoming hysterical. She walked away from the group while holding the cup.

What is going on here!?

“Well I’m hungry!” Runway ate the apple. He coughed violently. “Ogh!”

Fancytrotter gasped. “Swallowed wrong?”

“Ugh, it’s alright.” He gurgled and swallowed.

“Better?”

“Better.” His voice still seemed affected. “Whoever left this apple here anyway?” Runway asked with a raspy voice.

Twilight felt her soul freeze.

“I admit, it’s kind of random.”

“What’s random about Apple Jack? Besides, you’re random Pinkie!”

Twilight felt her mouth drop open like a hangar, filling her lounges with so much air her ribs hurt. Her gasp echoed between the white walls of the castle. The room turned blurry by the layer of emotion that flushed over her eyes. The cider cup splashed against the castle floor. She flung her royal attention back at the party.

Complete Silence. Elder, Fancytrotter, Runway, Wild Beam and Karkh was gone.

Twilight felt her brain go numb.

“What the---?"

The table stood unset. It was like the party had never taken place. The statue had its head completely turned at the throne she sat on earlier. Feeling her spine shudder from her tail to her teeth, Twilight made her way past it. She did not take her eyes of it until she was out of the room.

She glanced back at it as she was trotting down the hallway. Part of the statues face was now visible from behind the frame. It seemed to be facing the party table.

Twilight started galloping. She tripped and fell, accidentally facing it again. "Waaaaah..." Cold sweet poured down over her horrified face.

The statue was peaking at her from around the frame. It had the face of a blue reptile.

Twilight's hooves rattled the floor like a pair of maracas’. Behind her were the sound of marble against stone.

“Boom. --- Boom. --- Boom. --- Bom. Bom. Bom! Bom! Bom! BOM! BOM! BOM!”

The statue let out a thunderous roar that caused every window down the hallway to break. Shattered glass rained down over her mane. Twilight felt she was running from herself. She tried in vain to use magic.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Ahead the corridor parted. Her hooves skied against the floor as she turned its corner.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOOO… RACKT!” The sound of a hundred teeth rattled behind her. Twilight thought the statue chasing her sounded like it was running on two legs. The horrid image of a giant, prancing marble pony with teeth painted her eyes. Another roar filled the Canterlot castle.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Ahead the corridor went on for hundreds of meters with a door at the end. It was closed.

This is it. I’m dead.

The statue was still chasing her, but the air stood still. A chirp cut through its silence. The bird was bigger than Twilight had imagined. - In fact, she tought it was different in almost every way. The creature’s wings did not have a feather growing. The skin was leather. The yellow beak was not short and pointy, but long with a bulgy end. The body of the bird looked more like a bat. Twilight thought his eyes seemed friendly.

“Princess need not worry. Me rob ugly from dinner.”

The flyer made a spiral past her head. “Petri have present for you!”

Twilight thought the statue made a whimpering sound behind her. His teeth slammed shut repeatedly in the air. Twilight flung the door open with her now working magic. The commotion behind her immediately turned silent with the locking of the mechanism.

Twilight was faced with another corridor.

What dark magic have I galloped myself into!? Sombra?

The umbrum king was her first guess. But he had been gone for hundreds of years. Maybe she would find some answers in the library?

“Twilite!”

“Where are you?!”

The shadow of five ponies casted the wall at the end of the corridor.

“Girls?”

“What in the haystack is it with all the hiding!?” Elder ranted.

“Hiding is fun! But only if you let Somepony else do it for a change!” Fancytrotter spouted.

Twilight could see the shadow of Runway flap herself airborne. His raspy voice drummed. “Turn away from those books of yours now and get over here!”

“Twilight darling. I have a dress for you, part of my new collection!” Karkh presented.

“We’ve missed you Twilight.” Wild Beam sounded sad.

The pain inside her chest disappeared. Finally, things would go back to the way they were before.

“Girls! I’m here!”

She felt a falling sensation. “What?” Her hoof had sunk into the castle floor. She proceeded wading toward them

“Maybe she went this way?” The shadows moved away.

“No! I wanna see you!”

Twilight glanced back. The door was wide open.

“Girls! Don’t leave me!” Her mouth sunk below the stone floor.

Boom. Boom. Boom! BOOM!

Twilight noted a huge shadow cast over her. It opened its mouth wide. Twilight took a huge breath and dove through the floor.

She used her hooves to swim deeper. As she looked up she saw the creatures face. His eye slashed with a red scar. His sharp teeth dripped with something thick. His miniscule pupils blurred away above the surface.

Twilight thought the underside of the wall separated the hallway with a library above. She swum through the liquid stone and reached the floor. She lost her crown on the way. She saw it spiral down into the darkness below.

The paper air of her favorite place in Equestria filled her lounges. Twilight heaved herself out of the floor, which turned into merely a rug behind her once she got on her hooves.

Book shelves stranded all the way. There was a burning fireplace in the middle that had the wooden sculpture sky-bridging it. Twilight made her way toward it. The room seemed to be without an exit. Around her were mounters that contained things Twilight recognized.

Broken pieces of each element of harmony. The chest keys that gave birth to her old Ponyville castle. The idol of Boreas, a cleverly made copy of the griffin relic. The Princess Dress.

Twilight felt lump start to form in her throat.

A party-cannon. A propeller made to be strapped on a turtle. An old plow. A bear-whistle. A withered away copy of the book of friendship, its letters rotten and unreadable. The wooden sculpture seemed to be of a traditional eastern dragon. A part of its back had been ripped apart. It was red. Twilight thought it was blood. She reached out her hoof and touched it.

She had the broken scale in her hoof. It was not made of wood. She felt her lump break and her face twist. Her vision got blurry with tears. She stumbled up to the head of the dying dragon. His raspy breath had her head go up and down as she sobbed on him. “I lied --- to you before. I don’t --- remember them ---. I don’t remember my --- friends.”

His breathing got heavier; his eyes lost their green.

“I’m sorry --- Please don’t leave me ---. I can’t be --- without you.”

Barely a hiss exited his nose.

"No ---." Twilight sniffled. "No --- Please."

The breathing stopped.

Spike?

"Spike!?"

The wind gained with intensity. Twilight Sparkle tried to use her tail to warm herself. Where she was, she had no idea. One moment she had been with Spike, the other in this eerie forest with twiggy trees without leaves. The ground smelled of rotten wood and there was no road out of there to speak of.

If this was indeed a dream, maybe it was trying to tell her to move on?

But why am I still hearing you? Whoever you were.

Whoever you were. The phrase made Twilight sniffle out a lonely tear. It made her cheek cut in the cold.

Boom. Boom. Boom!

Twilight felt she might as well let the monster statue take her now.

“Is something wrong dear?”

Twilight faced the female voice.

“Up here.”

The reptile face looked down at her.

“Are you Rainbow Dash?” Twilight asked indifferent.

The blue reptile chuckled. “And what in the world is a rainbow dash?”

Twilight forced a chuckle. “Can you help me find Rainbow Dash? I can hear her everywhere, but I can't find her.” Her eyes welled up again. “I can’t find any of them.---”

Despite her huge body, the female lizard had a giant neck that allowed her to descend all the way down to her level. Her eyes were red and caring. “There, there. Tell me their names and we’ll sort this out.”

Twilight swallowed her cry and sniffled away her tears. “Pinkie Pie. Apple Jack. Rainbow Dash. Rarity. Fluttershy.”

“You say you can hear them everywhere.”

Twilight answered by flickering her eyes.

“What do you mean by ‘Everywhere’?” The lizard asked.

“I don’t know.” Twilight stopped sobbing. “Who are you?”

“My herd simply call me Mother Longneck.

“Twilight Sparkle.” She noticed her back had the same wound as Spike. “You’re hurt.”

“That doesn’t hurt anymore, unlike other things. Tell me, Twilight Sparkle; What do you remember of your old friends?”

“It’s just that. It has been so long since I last saw them.” Her eyes welled up again. “They were my best friends and I feel worthless that I don’t remember what they looked like.”

“Easy there. That’s guilt, not your memory. It’s not your fault Twilight.”

Mother longneck mumbled agreeably at her own statement. Twilight blinked away her blurry vision.

“It is nobody’s fault. Death is a natural part of life. It’s the great circle, you see --- Not all of us arrive together at the end.”

“Equestria needs me. But how can I do my duties when I feel so empty without them?”

“Loss is different that way. You will always miss them, but as long as you remember the friendship you shared; you won’t have to feel distant from them.”

Twilight felt less lonely as Mother longneck spoke “How?” She heard voices. She raised her ears. “Rarity?” She scanned the forest frantically. “Rainbow?!”

“What are you looking for?”

“Girls!?” She galloped away from Mother Longneck.

“Where are you going?”

She fumbled in the middle of the meadow. She looked at Mother Longneck. “You’re high up. Where are they?”

“Here.”

“Where?”

Mother longneck used the tip of her nose to touch Twilight’s chest. “Here.”

“Twilight.” The voices came closer.

“Twilight.” Even closer.

Twilight?” They came from right behind her.

“Twilight.” Apple Jack spoke in her ear.

You’re here.

Twilight felt hooves embrace her from behind. First two, then two more, then six more. She felt the warmth of their souls still her shivers.

Twilight closed her eyes. A smile formed across her ears. “My friends.”

“You may not be able to see them, but they will always be with you. As long as you remember the things they taught you; In that way you’ll never be apart---” Mother Longnecks voice changed into a male. “--- For you are still a part of each other.”

Twilight opened her eyes and looked into the similar red eyes of an Apatosaurus child. He had no wound on his back. On his flank he had a cutie mark in the form of a five-edged leaf. His lips dented with his smile. “Hello Twilight.”

“Who are you?”

“My name is Littlefoot. And this---” He used his neck to motion the forest. “--- This has all been a dream.”

Twilight felt herself laugh.

I was chased by a marble statue. I kind of figured.

Twilight investigated the area.

"You’re looking for Luna. She’s with me.” The muscles on his face lowered. “I’m sorry about the Sharptooth. This is my first mission in the dream realm and Luna trusted me to handle things on my own. I’m still trying to figure out this dream magic thing.” Littlefoot wobbled his tail. It glowed green and sent out sparks.

You took your sweet time, Littlefoot.

“I’m sorry.”

Don’t be. --- What you just gave back to me, an alicorn would wait a thousand years for.

Twilight thought Elder. Runway. Wild Beam. Karkh and Fancytrotter walked up behind Littlefoot. She thought they all smiled at her.

She felt her old friends from Ponyville let go of her. She turned around to see them.

Twilight woke up.

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