Lavender

Part 3: Welcome

“Twilight! Wake up, its morning!” Spike shook her through the covers. “Come on, Twilight. Let’s go get breakfast.”

He’d never seen anypony move so fast, especially not just to sit up in bed. Twilight nearly threw Spike back off onto the floor. What really made him gasp was her face, peeking out underneath the blanket she held curled over herself. “Jeez, Twilight, did you get any sleep?”

“I slept... until three in the morning,” Twilight growled. “Then I couldn’t get back to sleep. Whatsoever.”

Spike frowned and shook his head. “Do you want to go see a doctor?” he asked in a hushed voice.

“No—well not yet,” Twilight sighed and let the back of the covers down; the sunlight beat down on the back of her head like a jet of flame. “Ugh, why’s it so hot lately?!”

Spike helped drag the rest of the blanket off of Twilight, then offered help getting down. She refused, jumping out of bed herself and making way for the stairs. As he was brushed aside, Spike sighed too. “Twilight, I feel like you’re not telling me something. Like you’re mad at me.”

“What’d make you think that?!” Twilight exclaimed. Oh no, was he awake? How could he—better question: what was I doing at his bed?

“Look, I’m sorry if I did anything wrong. And I’ll take better care of Owloiscious if I’m ever here by myself again, I promise.”

Twilight hesitated to respond, and Spike’s heart sank right before her eyes. “Wait,” she said. “Spike, I’m not mad at you. I’m just confused, and my sleep’s all messed up, and...”

“You sure?”

Twilight snatched him up in her magic and returned the favor of his hug from the day before. “I’m sure.”

Spike snickered happily in her hooves. “S-so does that mean you want breakfast?”

Breakfast? Oh, right, morning! Let’s see, what do I—but I’m not hungry. At all. Why am I not hungry? “Well, what do you want?”

“Forget about me, Twilight, you know I’ll eat anything. What about you? It’s sort of a belated birthday for you, after all.”

Drat. Twilight shifted her eyes. “I, umm, well I’m not that hungry...”

Spike tapped his foot impatiently. “You gotta eat sometime, Twilight. You missed dinner yesterday, too!”

And lunch and breakfast, too. “W-well, I, uhh, the umm, birthday cake, and uhh—”

Spike tugged on her leg. “Why don’t we just walk around town until we see something that looks good?”

“Yes!” Twilight blurted out. “That! Let’s do that! I-I’ll just get my bags.”

She hurried past Spike, down the stairs and for the door. That is, until she came across an open window; she slowed down and carefully hopped around the sunlight shining through, then continued on her way.

Spike laughed at the top of the stairs. “I know it’s hot, Twilight, but what are you so afraid of? You think you’re gonna burn up or something?”

“You know what they say: If you can’t take the heat...”

Twilight froze; she didn’t think that. Pink Twilight did, complete with a colored filter re-appearing on the fringes of her vision.

It happened once, Twilight told herself for the twentieth time since they left the library. I imagined it. It won’t happen again.

Oh, but for the love of Celestia, I could do without this scorching sun.

Twilight miserably trudged through the streets, with Spike acting as a lookout on her back. She favored the shady side of any given street, but there wasn’t always one. Whoever built a perfect East-to-West street oughta be set on fire themselves.

Or I’m just overreacting. Clearly I’m not thinking straight, anyway. Maybe I caught something in that cave? If there was water, there could’ve been bacteria—

“Oh hey, Twilight, look over there!” said Spike, tugging on her ear.

She expected something like another donut shop, or perhaps someplace selling imported fruit, not, as it turned out, the sight of half her friends sitting around the same table. Rarity, dressed unusually formally as usual, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy all took their place around a table in the small patio of some fancy place with a name written in too flowery of a script for Twilight to even bother trying to interpret. But the best part was something much more subtle and simple; the tables at this restaurant were each equipped with their own umbrella.

“Yes,” said Twilight. “Yes, there.”

“Well, lead the way, Twi—whoa!” Spike barely held onto Twilight’s mane as she galloped over to the patio.

Between their conversations, Pinkie Pie spotted Twilight coming; she bounced and waved, nearly knocking Rarity and Fluttershy out of their seats. “Oh, over here! Over here!”

Twilight hopped up on the fence without thinking, knocking Spike off her back. “Hey girls!” she called.

“Oh, just hop the fence,” said Pink.

“Wait. Ask if they have room. What if they wanted to talk about your birthday?” said Purple.

The voices’ interruption was visible unsettling for Twilight, if but for a moment. “Would you mind if I joined you?”

Rarity and Fluttershy smiled and waved once they caught sight of Twilight. “Oh, of course we don’t mind!” said Rarity. “Come on in, the gate’s over there.”

“Thanks! Come on, Spike.” Twilight hurried off, leaving Spike in her dust.

“My way was quicker,” said Pink, pouting as much as a disembodied voice could.

Your way was impolite, Twilight thought, rolling her eyes as if that might help her face the voice. You lost. Get over it.

An employee of the restaurant opened the gate for Twilight and Spike, and they both rushed inside. Twilight was careful not to bump into anypony, while Spike had to make sure he wasn’t bumped into, being shorter than anypony there.

Rarity pulled out a chair for Twilight, who happily took the spot. It wasn’t until she settled in place that she noticed the direction of the sun; despite the umbrella, sunlight was still beating down on the back of her head.

“So,” said Rarity. “Fluttershy? Where were you?”

“Oh, yes, umm, so I was out by the chicken coop, when...”

“Swap places with somepony else. We have enough power. You could even teleport them out of the way.”

Purple chimed in immediately. “Ask to switch. They’re our friends, why wouldn’t they understand?”

“So whose dog was it?” asked Pinkie Pie. Twilight shook her head, trying to find her way back into the conversation. Only Spike, snickering and shaking his head by her side, seemed to notice her daydreaming.

“Um, excuse me,” said Twilight. “Could I please switch places with somepony? This sun is killing me.”

“Oh, sure!” said Pinkie, hopping out of her chair. “I don’t mind, go ahead!”

“Thanks, Pinkie.” The conversation went on hold for a moment as Pinkie and Twilight squeezed by the chairs and tables on either side of theirs. Once Twilight sat down, the searing heat gave way to a cool, soothing breeze.

And accompanying this, that same shudder passed over her as when she had seen Spike; sounds muted, colors faded... only every one of her friends looked different, not just Spike. Their colors faded completely, short of a faint pink, in an odd pattern projected over each one. Something of a shimmery conglomeration of cobwebs, criss-crossing white and pink.

Just as quickly as before, however, the visions faded. Twilight felt her heart pounding in her chest, still barely able to hear their voices. In disgust and panic, she winced and turned away, blinking her sleepy eyes repeatedly. What was that?! That’s too many times not to be real. And the voices, and my eyes, and... and...

“Whoa, ahh!” Before her, one of the waiters carrying a platter of food slipped; it wasn’t clear whether it was because of the grass or his uniform, but he fell face-first, while the platter and all the food smashed into the dirt.

“Hah! Walk much?” said Pink.

Rarity gasped. “Twilight!”

Fluttershy and Pinkie both stared at Twilight with raised eyebrows.

Even Purple gasped. “Now just think how embarrassed he must feel!”

Yet Twilight felt her mouth shut. She hadn’t just thought those words. But I didn’t say any... I mean she, no, Pink, not—

“I’m sorry, I—” Twilight began, only to once more lose control: “Sorry I zoned out and missed the beginning of that. That was hilarious!”

“Don’t you dare go any further. Just think of the damage you’ve done. You should be ashamed!”

Twilight managed to catch herself just before literally kicking the poor colt, but not before garnering the uncomfortable attention of half the ponies in the patio area.

“My apologies,” the colt muttered. “I-I’ll just go...”

“We couldtrip him again...” said Pink.

Twilight managed to perfectly predict Purple’s response. “No, we won’t!”

“Well?” Pinkie demanded, grabbing Twilight’s attention. “What’s got your panties in a bunch today, Ms. Meaniepants?”

“Th-that was funny?” Twilight didn’t know what to think. Fluttershy cowered away, just slightly.

Pinkie shook her head. “While true, the faceplant is a classic in the art of the slapstick, it’s not funny when you keep rubbing it in!”

“Were we still laughing? Of course it’s funny! He was an idiot!”

“This has gone on long enough. Just apologize already before you make it any worse with our friends.”

“I-I’m sorry,” Twilight stammered. “I don’t know what came over me.”

“Liar,” said both voices at once, Pink’s considerably more snide than Purple.

Quiet!

“Well I wish you’da said that sooner,” said Pinkie. “Tell ya what, I’ll go find him later so you can tell him yourself, okay? I mean, he’s the one you should be saying ‘sorry’ to.”

“That’s fine,” said Twilight. Might get my conscience off my back.

“I’m just trying to help us,” said Pink.

“I’m just trying to help us do what’s right,” said Purple.

And I’m just trying to live my life without being crazy. Or mean!

“... she’s here, perhaps we might discuss a little of Twilight’s birthday party.” Rarity looked at Twilight, awaiting an answer.

The voices silenced so quickly it left Twilight a little disoriented. “Oh, umm, I’m sorry? I-I didn’t quite catch that.”

Rarity rolled her eyes. “Please tell me you remember what you said yesterday. At the train station?”

“Oh! Uhh, asking if you could hold my party off, right?”

Pinkie jumped in, almost literally if not for the table in the way. “So can we have the party today? Huh? Huh?”

Twilight shuddered at the thought. Not so long as I’m hearing voices, we can’t. “Well, as you can see, I’m still not feeling so good...”

“Are you sick?” asked Fluttershy. “Maybe you should see a doctor. If you’re still not feeling good, that is.”

Probably. “No, don’t worry. I’m just having a hard time sleeping.” Twilight smiled uneasily, but nopony was buying it. “Okay, a horrible time sleeping. I can’t think straight, I can’t see straight, and sometimes I can’t even listen when I really want to.”

“And you’re sure you don’t want to see a doctor?” asked Rarity. All of her friends, even Spike, gave her a sympathetic look like she was some poor lost puppy.

Pinkie groaned. She couldn’t quite look Twilight in the eye herself, but still asked, “Are you sure you don’t want to just call the party off?”

Twilight couldn’t bear to see the looks on their faces. “Look, if I’m still feeling bad tomorrow, I’ll go straight to a doctor. But I am not going to call of my birthday party.” Pinkie looked up, a glimmer of hope in her eye. “You’ve all put too much work into this. I don’t want to miss it, even if I have to have my party next week.”

“You’re sure?” asked Pinkie.

“Yes!” Twilight insisted.

Pinkie shook her head. “I mean, are you sure you’re all right? A party’s one thing, but if you’re sick—”

“No, we’re not ‘fine’. You know that.” said Pink.

“Why worry somepony who can’t do anything about it?”

“I’m fine,” said Twilight. She winced, trying to fight down the voices. Go away! It’s all your fault this is going so wrong!

Spike made his way to Twilight’s side and put his hand on her shoulder. “Twilight, what’s wrong? Did you get something in your eye?”

“I’m not hungry,” she said. “Please, excuse me.” There’s got to be a book on this. Back at the library. Voices in my head, something like that. Best case, sleep deprivation. Worst case, family ritual thing that defies half of the known laws of magic.

Without a clear path around the table, Twilight took the easy way out; teleporting to the nearest clear spot. Spike hurried on his way after her, but when Twilight turned to watch him, she felt another shudder coming on. Just as the sounds began to fade, she violently shook her head.

Spike shyed away. “Twilight, what’s wrong? Talk to us!”

I’m going crazy, that’s what. Spike was close enough, so with another flash of her magic, the two teleported away, leaving a crowd full of bewildered, confused ponies.

Long after the sun had set for the evening, Twilight frantically swirled some thirty or so books around herself. She read snippets of each, in turn, with nothing but the light of her magic to see by.

“Those presents are useless,” she groaned. “Nothing to do with this... this... thing in my head.”

Spike peeked his head down from the top of the stairs. At the sight of the swirling magic, he rubbed his eye and groaned. “Twilight, it’s late! What happened to sleep?”

“I’m wide awake, and sleep makes it worse!” It makes sense to me, that’s good enough. She passed over a few books on psychology and stopped, flipping all of them open somewhere in the middle and scanning down each page. “No, no, no—”

“Seriously, you’re scaring me. What could be so important to lose even more sleep over?”

Even more sleep. Hmm... “Spike, not now!”

“Look at yourself, Twi! You’re a wreck!”

He wasn’t far off; her hair was beyond disheveled from the frantic swirling of all the books around her, and the bags under her eyes had doubled in intensity from just yesterday. “I’m trying to fix that, so if you don’t mind—”

Spike sighed. “Come on, Twilight. I’m tired, you’re tired... We don’t have to fight.”

“Good, we’re in agreement,” Twilight snapped. “Now go get some sleep! I’ll come up when I’m done!”

Spike stomped his foot. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it!”

“Oh, what, you were expecting me to just drop what I’m doing and make time for whatever it is you want? This is important!”

“So’s talking!”

With a wave of her hoof, Twilight turned back to her books. “Just go to bed already. This conversation is over.” Spike, if only you knew...

This only incited Spike to come stomping downstairs. “No! You’ve gotta talk to somepony about this, Twilight. You’re not yourself! Everypony can see that.”

Twilight grit her teeth and glared at him. “I’m fine, I’m fine, for the love of Celestia I’m fine!!”

“Listen to yourself for crying out loud! You keep telling me you’re fine, but you look like you haven’t slept in days!” He paused to take a deep breath. “I’m worried about you, Twilight...”

“Listen to yourself. Please, you sound like such a nosey little brat right now. It’s always what you want, not what I want!”

Spike’s jaw dropped. “No, that’s—I-I am not!”

“Spike, just stop it. You’re a whiny little baby dragon. This is an adult matter. See the problem yet?”

“But I—Twilight, why? This isn’t—

“Isn’t like me? I’ll tell you why: I’m done sugar-coating these things for you. You wanna act grown-up, but you aren’t. I can handle the situation on my own, and I don’t need your help. Frankly, you’re just getting in the way. Moreso by the second!” As she finished, she stomped her hoof on the hard wood floor, swinging the circle of floating books along with the motion.

Spike gasped, but bit his tongue. “W-well... fine!” He turned and stomped his way back up the stairs, trying and failing to hide his tears.

Twilight waited until he was out of sight, then nearly stomped her hoof again in her frustration. Great, now I’m lost. Where was I, psychology? Magical mishaps?

One book floating in front of her caught her attention: ‘The Magic of Sleep’.

Or perhaps Spike has a point. I’m running on... nothing. No sleep, pretty much. Just a hallucination-like dream.

She set the book down in a stand and flipped through to the table of contents, yawning before she found the word “deprivation.” Page two-oh-six. Two-oh-six, four, five, six. There. Sleep Deprivation.

“Stop reading, and slam the book shut. That’ll get more accomplished than any more of this stupid research.” Pink had returned at an inconvenient time, with the visual filter so intense that it clouded out the text on the page.

“Take the book to bed,” said Purple. “That way you won’t disrespect Spike, and you can still—”

“Oh shut up already!”

Pink’s outburst startled Twilight, not only due to the sheer volume, even in her head, but as the filter left her completely blind.

“I beg your pardon?!”

“You are the most useless side I’ve ever heard, you know that?”

“There is no need to be insulting—” Purple’s color faded almost immediately.

“No need to be insulting? What, and there’s a need to spare somepony’s feelings? Or some... dragon’s feelings. You have got to be kidding me!”

“Far from it, I—”

“Stop. Just stop. It’s your fault we’re in this mess. Always trying to do the ‘right thing’, eh? Ever think that’d be a problem?!”

Stop it, both of you. There’s got to be—

“Quiet!!” Pink screamed. Twilight felt the breath knocked out of her.

“Please, don’t do this to her, she doesn’t know—”

“The only reason you know is because I do,” Pink growled. “It’s about damn time we all did, don’t you think? Instead of all this fighting, why not agree for once?”

Isn’t that what I tried to say? Twilight thought softly.

“If we stand true to our morals, it doesn’t matter.” Purple’s voice and color finally matched Pink’s for intensity, but only for a moment.

“Shut up. Just, shut up. Morals? They’ll get us killed, do you understand that? Standing for what’s right... that’s a joke. Nightmare Moon? Discord? If not for our brother, trying to help Canterlot through his wedding would’ve gotten us killed before we ever had a chance! I wanted us to run. I wanted us to be safe. To leave. But no, you had to have your way!”

You were there then... so you’ve always been here.

“Bra-vo, Twilight! Now you’re getting it! Or are you? Do you understand why we’re going to get ourselves killed? We’ve become surrounded by idiots. Weak, unsensible idiots.”

You mean my friends.

“Our friends, Twilight. But to save them before ourselves? Are you kidding me?!”

I’d never abandon them.

“No, that’s Rainbow Dash’s job. But think of the day you can’t save them. What happens then? One day, it will, and you know it. Time’s cruel. And if you just wait, it’ll catch you with your guard down.”

Stop it! I’m not going to leave them, or abandon them, or—

“I never said that.” Pink paused, then started to chuckle. A low, sinister chuckle, that slowly rose up to focus. “As you are, you’re sad. You’re ten times more powerful than the next unicorn. That’s in your blood. But you hold yourself back for... what? Others’ feelings? For Celestia’s sake, Twilight, you’re letting yourself get bossed around by a baby dragon!”

Spike’s my—

“A juicy little runt, he is...”

The pink filter dominated Twilight’s vision, but small movements caught her eye. The subtlest changes in the mist... but it wasn’t mist.

It was a spindling mass of pinkish-red spiderwebs.

No. No, please, no, don’t! Leave him out of this, I—

“Do you see it now, Twilight? What I’ve been trying to tell you?”

You’re a monster! Get out of my head! Get out!!

The pink light before her now completely constricted her vision, and from the feel of it, her throat as well.

“Shut up! You idiot! Don’t you get it? I’m not a monster,—”

— — —

Twilight blinked her eyes open; she found herself standing, not laying. As her eyes adjusted to the light—the dull pink glow off her horn—she dared not move her gaze.

Her lips moved of their own accord, finishing the phrase as she saw, reflected in the far window, nothing but the glowing red-pink of her eyes.

“I’m me.”

Her eyes finished adjusting; before her lay some gray, shriveled mass, buried under shredded linens. A deep red, wet sheen glimmered on every surface around her, here and there: the window, the floor, the blankets...

Her lip.

I’m... me. Twilight’s tongue subtly lapped up the liquid off of her lip; the taste sent shivers down her spine. Just one drop, that’s all it was, yet one would never know with how she savored the moment. She danced it around in her mouth, around a line of jagged teeth, then, only once the flavor filled her mouth, dared swallow. It was bitter and metallic, yet sweet. The sweetest, most fulfilling sensation...

Blood... Twilight shivered at the thought. His blood. I just—but it was so... No, I can’t, I—but I...

She stared into her reflected eyes, haunted by their glow, that unnatural glow that only served to accentuate the stains around her. But after a moment, she began to smile. A faint smile, but a true one nonetheless.

I am one. My family... this is what they wanted. This is where I get it from. With another shudder, she shut her eyes. And it all just makes sense, in hindsight. The sun, the nights... now the blood...

Twilight glanced around warily at the other spots and stains. There’s so much. Everywhere. And he... all because he...

The glow on her horn intensified, and the aura spread around to each wet drop; it pulled up and out of the walls, the carpet, the fabrics in the bed, all extracted gently and silently as it funneled into a quivering sphere, glowing rich red through the magic that held it in place.

Twilight smirked, licking her lips. “He was a juicy little runt...”

As the sun began to set, street lamps turned on just outside the library in Ponyville. Balloons and streamers hung from the doorway, while a table with fruit punch and cups could be seen inside, among other decorations.

Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash were already inside, finding somewhere to put their presents that wouldn’t get punch on them. Meanwhile, Twilight Sparkle stood at her door, welcoming her remaining three invitees one-by one.

“Welcome, Fluttershy, come on in!”

“Oh, thank you,” said Fluttershy, accepting a party hat on entry. “I’m so glad to hear you’re feeling better.”

“Thanks,” said Twilight. “Now go on, get some punch.” She waved Fluttershy on, then turned towards her next guests.

“Likewise, Sugarcube,” said Applejack. “A little sleep does wonders for ya, am I right?”

Rarity snickered behind a polite hoof. “Well she did sleep the whole day away.”

Twilight smirked and nodded, providing both of them with party hats. “Come on in, Applejack. And you too, Rarity.”

“Don’t gotta tell me twice,” said Applejack as she trotted on in. “Happy birthday, Twilight!”

“Why yes, happy birthday,” said Rarity, watching Applejack go. But after Applejack was out of earshot, Rarity turned to Twilight and sighed. “You didn’t have to do this you know. We would’ve found a way to host it ourselves sooner or later.”

“Hey, you girls are like family, right? It’s my treat,” said Twilight, waving Rarity in.

Rarity sighed and headed inside. “Next year, Twilight. Next year we’re going to do something special.”

“I’m sure we will,” Twilight muttered under her breath. She looked outside, to either side of her home; this late, barely anypony was out and about. Perfect.

The blinds closed all over the library and the door shut tight behind Twilight, lock stuck tight with a magical bind.

“Well girls,” said Twilight, passively running her tongue over her sharpened teeth, “I think it’s time I taught you all an old family tradition.”