Twilight opened her eyes to find herself in a dark, mysterious area. There was nothing but darkness. Twilight raised her hoof in front of her. She couldn't even see it somehow.
"Hello? Princess Luna?" Twilight called out, confused. She started walking on seemingly nothing. She was a little scared about not being able to see in front of her, but if she were to fall from a ledge somehow, she had her wings to back her up. However, the only thing she was scared about it bumping into someone or something.
This has got to be the strangest dream I ever had— Oof! Twilight thought as she bumped into something, knocking her off of her hooves. Twilight squinted her eyes to see if she could make out a shape, despite the dark. Somehow, she could make out a figure of a pony, and a pony that Twilight knew.
"Starlight! I'm sorry, I didn't see you there. It's so hard to see in this dark area." Twilight told her while she got up from the fall. However, her head tilted in confusion when Starlight didn't say anything. "Starlight?"
No answer.
"Hello?" Twilight waved a hoof in front of her face. "Starlight! Can you even hear me?"
Just then, she felt a claw touched her hind hoof. Spooked and alarmed, Twilight jumped. She backed away in a startled manner until she realized that it was Spike that touched her. Unlike Starlight, she could see him perfectly clear. Although his eyes were closed.
"Spike! Don't startle me like that." Twilight told him, still startled.
No answer.
Getting back to her senses, Twilight rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Oh come on! Why would you touch me with your claw and ignore me—"
She stopped when she heard Spike whimper, then tears were coming out of his eyes. Twilight became even more confused. Since when did he become sensitive?
"Spike, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you. You just scared me." Twilight tried calming him down by rubbing his scaly head.
Finally, Spike opened his eyes. But instead of his usual green pupils, his eyes were a solid, light green color. As it glowed, purple wisps came out of his eyes, replacing his tears.
Twilight jumped back by the sight. "Spike?!" she gasped.
"Why did you abandon us?" Spike asked her sorrowfully.
"What do you mean? I haven't abandoned you." Twilight told him, worried and confused at the same time. "And why do you look like you're controlled by Sombra? He's been defeated!"
"Does it matter? You still betrayed us." Spike sniffed.
Twilight felt a pang in her heart. "No! I would never do that..."
"Actions speak louder than words. You of all ponies should know that." she heard Starlight's voice. She stepped besides Spike, her body finally visible to Twilight. Unfortunately, her eyes glowed the same hue as Spike's. Although no purple wisps came out of her eyes.
Twilight couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You too?" Twilight asked Starlight is disbelief.
Starlight shrugged. "Of course. After all, you betrayed both of us and share the same anger and pain."
Twilight felt her legs start to shake. "H-How did I betray you? What have I done that makes you think that?"
Starlight scoffed as a reply. Spike took a step forward. "You... didn't protect us when Sombra roamed around Ponyville."
"And you told me to look after your precious school." Straight added bitterly.
Twilight felt like she was about to have a headache. "I had to make sure that the students were safe. I would never send you to the school if it wasn't important!"
But Starlight got even angrier. "I did go to the school. But by the time I got there, Sombra already took control of me. It's as if you set me up."
"Set both of us up." Spike finished.
"I would never do that!" Twilight retorted. "Are you both insane?"
"And you wanna know the worst part of it all? This is the second time you have betrayed me. You pushed me aside for your idol, who spat in my face, and you did nothing. And now this?" Starlight told her, this time her expression had shifted to sadness. "I don't know if I should be your friend at all."
"What? No! Those are just tiny slip-ups!" Twilight felt like she was about to cry. Would Starlight really disband their friendship all because of that?
But she shook her head. "I can't have my heart be broken again. I just can't."
Afterwards, Starlight disappeared into the darkness, and it wasn't too long that Spike followed her.
"Wait! Come back! I'm sorry!" Twilight begged.
Suddenly, the darkness disappeared. Instead, she was outside of the castle. Confused, Twilight looked around. At least I'm not in the dark anymore.
She jumped when she heard the castle doors open. Starlight and Spike were by each other's side. Starlight had her saddlebag packed and full, and Spike carried a giant briefcase.
"What a beautiful day." Starlight sighed as she breathed in the air.
Spike nodded. "At least we're leaving on a nice, sunny day."
Leaving? Twilight echoed in her mind. Were they moving out?
"Although..." Spike had a look of hesitation. "This seems a bit cruel that we're moving out without Twilight's knowledge. Should we tell her?"
Starlight looked on in thought. But she eventually walked down the stairs. "No. I don't want to talk to her ever again." she said angrily.
Spike watched Starlight go, and looked back at the castle. After hesitation, Spike shrugged and carried his briefcase and followed Starlight.
Twilight felt like she was about to cry. This can't be real. This can't be! They would never do this!
Suddenly, the world flashed around her. Twilight cowered in fear as her surroundings glitched, and she closed her eyes. Opening her eyes again, she found herself back in Ponyville... although it looked like it had been enslaved by Sombra again.
"Why am I back here?" Twilight asked out loud.
Her ears twitched when she heard hoofsteps behind her. Twilight looked behind her, and gasped by how many hypnotized ponies stared at her. They were the residents of Ponyville, and they all glared at her. Worst of all, Starlight and Spike were at the front.
Twilight felt her hooves start to shake in fear. "Guys? What's going on—"
"Traitor!" Big Mac shouted at her.
"Coward!" Mayor Mare added.
"Left us to rot!" Ms. Cake agreed.
Tears streaming from her eyes, Twilight cowered to the ground, trying to block out the insults. But they kept ringing in her head.
"Stop! Stop! Please!" Twilight screamed.
When the calls got louder, Twilight woke with a gasp, and tears stained her blankets.
The sunlight streamed through the open window of the reading room. The fire crackled in the fireplace, and a tiny breeze swept by.
Inside the room, a pony sat on one of the reading chairs next to the fireplace. Her magical aquamarine-colored aura levitated the book as she read through the pages. She was casually humming a tune and drank some tea from a nearby table. She shivered a little from the wind, but didn't seem to be bothered from it.
She wasn't alone, however. Next to her was a dragon with a broom in his hands. With his eyes closed, swept the red, carpet floor with the broom. He also played himself a tune via whistling. Occasionally, he would stop to yawn. His hand would cover his mouth in order to avoid his breath stinking up the room. Afterwards, he went back to sweeping while he blinked his eyes in a slow, sleepy manner.
The unicorn looked up from her book. She frowned when she saw the empty reading chair in front of her. The tea next to the chair was starting to get cold, and the candle's wax started depleting greatly. Next to those was a book that was straight from the shelf. A book that was planned to be read today.
A little disappointed, the unicorn closed the book and turned her head to see the whistling dragon, to which he didn't seem to notice her gaze. "Spike, do you know where Twilight is?" she asked him.
Spike stopped whistling and looked at his friend. He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I haven't heard her today. She probably didn't leave her room yet."
"Really?" She said in a shocking manner as her eyes grew wide. She looked at the clock that was up on the wall, above the fireplace. "It's 2 o'clock!"
However, Spike didn't seem to be bothered by Twilight's absence. "Don't sweat on it too much, Starlight. The battle with Sombra happened like three days ago. After what she had been through during that time, I think she needs more rest."
Starlight's pupils dilated with pity.
Spike waved one of his claws. "She'll be fine. This isn't the first time that she saved Equestria."
Starlight scoffed playfully. "Oh yeah, I know this isn't the first time."
As if ignoring the jab towards her past, Spike looked to see the empty chair. He saw that the candle's light had extinguished and all of the wax nearly the bottom.
"Were you waiting for Twilight?" Spike asked as he grabbed the candle holder.
She nodded as she sipped her tea. "I wanted us to read a book together about discussing about the future of the school and—"
Slam!
She and Spike jumped from the sound of a door slamming upstairs. They were also followed by the sounds of hoofsteps going down the stairs.
Starlight and Spike got out of the room to greet Twilight. Twilight went around the corner, but when she saw Starlight and Spike waiting for her with a smile, Twilight stopped dead. She started gasping in short breathes the longer she looked at the two, her pupils turning smaller by the second.
Starlight and Spike's smiles immediately turned into concerned frowns. Starlight noticed that Twilight's mane looked unkempt and unbrushed. Starlight eyes directed downward to see her legs were shaking a little.
"Twilight, what's wrong?" Starlight asked her worriedly.
"What happened?" Spike asked, sharing the same amount of worriedness.
Twilight blinked quickly and looked like she was trying to calm herself down. She took in deep breathes as her legs started getting still. Meanwhile, Starlight and Spike looked at each other in concerned and confused stares.
"I'm fine." Twilight spoke finally. "I thought I saw something, that's all."
Skeptical, Starlight squinted one of her eyes and tilted her head. Meanwhile, Spike only looked concerned. Twilight chuckled nervously as she shuffled one of her hooves, clearly looking uncomfortable.
"Are you sure?" Spike asked her gently.
"You don't look nor sound like yourself. Are you sure you're alright?" Starlight continued afterwards, adding some firmness at the end.
Twilight gasped and looked at Starlight in fear. She violently shaked her head. "I told you, I'm fine!"
Without even waiting for them to respond, Twilight walked by the two, her head raised high and her eyes closed. She grabbed one of the yogurts from the fridge. Starlight and Spike followed her in the kitchen.
Spike cleared his throat. "Twilight, we're not playing around. We're deeply concerned about your mental state and we want to see—"
Before he could finish his sentence, Twilight disappeared with a bright, purple flash, and not long afterwards they heard a door slam shut. Starlight and Spike were alone again.
Spike scratched his scaly head with one of his sharp claws. "What was that about?" he asked in a puzzled expression.
Starlight looked up at the roof in a disturbed expression. "She's freaking out again." she answered grimly.
"Yeah, there's no denying that. But about what?" Spike put his claw on his chin. "Maybe a nightmare?"
"Well, whatever it is, we'll find out right now." Starlight told him as she marched out of the room, and headed towards Twilight's room. Spike scurried after her.
"Wait!" Spike got in front of her and put both of his claws onto her chest.
"What?"
"Should we let Twilight handle this on her own?" Spike suggested as he pointed his claw at the door. "She could've been processing a nightmare."
"Spike, I've had nightmares about my past sometimes, yet I never acted like that." Starlight told him with half-closed eyes.
"Everyone is different, Starlight." Spike told her.
"Well, if she's processing something, then it's our job as her friends to comfort her about it..." Starlight used her magic to open the door, but the door wouldn't move.
"What happened?" Spike asked as he rushed up to her.
"It's locked."
