Part One: A Disturbing Dream
I trotted down the dusty roads of Ponyville. The sun was shining, the sky was clear--a regular perfect day. I felt the soft breeze brush my mane gently. Everypony was happy, going along their business normally. I smiled. What a perfect day for a picnic with my five best friends...
"Twilight? You ready?" Spike's voice from behind my ear jolted me away from my flight of fancy. I shook my head, clearing it. "Oh, yes, of course."
I cleared my throat. "What's first on the list?"
"We have to go pick up the bread and sandwiches from the deli for the picnic," Spike replied. I nodded cheerily. "Okay then."
Bon Bon waved to me from the side of the road. "Hey, Twilight! Have you seen Pinkie Pie? She was supposed to have picked up some customized candy from the sweet shop an hour ago."
I shook my head, slightly confused. Pinkie was normally quite punctual. Too punctual, sometimes. "Sorry, I haven't seen her yet today. Maybe she's just a little late...?"
Bon Bon sighed. "Oh, okay then. Yeah, maybe she just got caught up in party planning again... Well, thanks, Twilight Sparkle. See you around!" She smiled and trotted away.
As Spike and I neared the deli, I thought about that. Pinkie had been dying of boredom lately because of no excuses to throw a party. Is it really that she just got caught up...? I shook my head to clear my irrational worries. "I'm sure it's nothing," I muttered under my breath.
Pinkie Pie was probably just being herself, not anything to worry about.
Spike hopped off my back and hurried into the deli. He came back a minute later carrying a bag which he dropped into my saddlebags. I levitated the checklist with my magic, and took a quill from my bag. "Item One: Check!"
Spike smiled and pulled himself back onto my back. At that precise moment, Scootaloo came running around the corner, panting heavily. "Hey, Twilight. Have you seen Rainbow Dash? She promised she would give me some flying lessons today! She wouldn't ditch, would she? I mean, she's so loyal and awesome, I don't think she would ditch on me!"
I cut off Scootaloo before she could start going on one of her Rainbow Dash rants. I felt worry pricking at my side now. It was not like Rainbow to ditch. Maybe she was just being lazy. Yes, that must be it. "No, I haven't seen her, sorry, sweetie."
Scootaloo's eyes were wide with sadness. "I thought she would help me... She promised she would teach me to fly!" The young pegasus hurried away, looking very disappointed.
Spike shrugged. "Ah well. Rainbow's always a little late, it's probably no big deal."
Just then, Applebloom skidded towards me, her amber eyes wide with panic. "Twi! Have ya seen Applejack today?"
I gasped. Three of my friends were missing? This was uncanny. "N-no, I haven't, dear. I can help you search, maybe she just got up early to harvest some apples...?"
Applebloom began to tear up. "Twilight, she just... disappeared. An' B-Big Mac has b-been searchin' for her, and w-we don't have any idea w-where she is!"
I felt my heart drop. I turned to see Spike jump off my back. We exchanged glances. I could tell we both knew this wasn't an innocent mistake. It was no coincidence.
"I'm going to go check Rarity's house," I said frantically, my throat tightening. "Applebloom, you just stay here, okay, sweetie? Everything will be okay. I promise." I nodded to Spike. "Come on."
I galloped towards Carousel Boutique. Without bothering to ring the doorbell, I rushed into the dress shop to see Sweetie Belle staring, silent, at the floor. Fabrics were scattered messily around, and Rarity's gem box had toppled over. Emeralds, rubies, and sapphires glinted and glimmered on top of the soft fabric.
"Sweetie Belle?" Spike cautiously walked towards her. "You okay?"
Sweetie's eyes were blank, and she shuddered. I hurried towards her. "Where is Rarity?"
Sweetie's eyes closed. "I... I heard her scream from upstairs. Something along the lines of 'GET AWAY FROM ME, YOU BRUTE!'. I hurried downstairs, and she was gone..."
I managed to catch Rarity's little sister just as she slid to the the ground in a dead faint. "Spike," I said in a quiet voice. "Get her to Nurse Redheart. Now."
Spike, not one to disrespect Rarity's sister, gently began dragging her away as I galloped outside. I skidded to a halt.
Fluttershy's bunny, Angel, was leaping into the air, his eyes wide and frantic. I didn't need to check her cottage to know Fluttershy was missing too. I stopped, my feet glued to the ground. I trembled, my eyes beginning to water.
I felt horror rising in my chest. Something was happening. Something simply awful.
My breathing began rapidly accelerating. Darkness pressed at the corners of my eyes, and fuzziness overtook my thoughts. This was no coincidence.
I sank to the ground just as Lyra and Merry May rounded the corner.
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"Twilight Sparkle. The Element of Magic. Such an honor it is..." A wicked, sinister voice echoed throughout my mind.
"D-Discord?" My dream-self blinked, and a faint image appeared. Silver, misty flashes surrounded the scene. Discord himself was smiling crookedly down at me. I felt anger seize my body, and I tried to power up a spell, but I was, seemingly, utterly defenseless.
"Oh, yes. Long time, no see. Your friends, on the other hand, I have seen only a few minutes ago..." An evil laugh shook my mind.
Those words took a moment to settle. I then stepped forward him, raising my hooves in a fighting position. "How... how dare you!"
Discord smiled. His uneven feet landed next to me, and he snatched me up in a lion's paw. I struggled to free myself.
"Tell you what, Twilight. Remove Princess Celestia from the throne of Equestria, and I will release your friends, good as new." His voice boomed in my ear, but it was the words that pierced my heart.
I stared blankly at him. "What? No! Of course not! There has to be another way!"
"We'll see about that. I will take over Equestria one way or another. You either get your friends or you don't. I'm being quite generous, aren't I, beautiful Rarity?"
I heard a faint yell. "Twilight! Darling, help us! Don't let me be selfish again, PLEASE!" Rarity's voice was real. I could tell, it wasn't deception. This was actually a message from him, not just a dumb hallucination...
"It's the loyal thing to do, Miss Sparkle. Am I right, Rainbow Dash?"
I heard another familiar scream. "Twilight! Get me the hay out of here so I can kill this monster!"
I yelled back. "Rarity! Rainbow! Don't worry, I'll get you out of this!"
A chorus of yelling met my words. I heard Applejack's beloved drawl, Fluttershy's screams, Pinkie's shouts. I was overwhelmed by the need to help them if it was the last thing I did.
"So, Twilight Sparkle. What'll it be...?"