My Little Persona

Chapters

Prologue
Awakening
The Waking World I
The Velvet Room
Earth Part I

Prologue

PrologueMy Little Pony is the property of Hasbro, and Persona is the property of Atlus. I take no credit for the characters in this story. Only the words written within.

Time never waits.

It delivers all equally to the same end.

Those, who wish to safeguard the future,

However limited it may be.

Go forth without falter,

with your heart as your guide.

“Twwwilight…” A voice groaned, piercing the comfortable atmosphere of Ponyville's solitary library abruptly, “This is the third time today I’ve looked through all of the shelves in the library. It’s not here. I’m bored outta my mind, can’t I do something else pleaseeeee?”

“No Spike.” Twilight Sparkle replied patient though firm, as she calmly turned a page in her current read before adding, "And what else are you going to do anyway? It's not like you can go outside right now."

"I dunno..Anything other than looking for a dumb book." Spike answered dejectedly, though he said nothing more.

Soon after sounds of books sliding in and out of their shelves, joined with the rough pitter-patter of heavy rainfall, and worked well together to fill the library with an ambiance Twilight could thoroughly enjoy as she continued to read.

When Twilight heard books moving again, she nodded approvingly, unaware that it had gone unnoticed, "Glad you could see reason Spike. It's better to be busy on days like today anyway."

"Yeah, Yeah.” Spike answered in a way that caused Twilight to roll her eyes. One final book was slid in and out before Spike spoke again “There, I'm done again Twilight. It's not here, I'm sure of it. Someone must've checked it out."

“It’s not checked out.” Twilight answered confidently, “I’ve told you that a dozen times already. I’ve checked, double checked, triple checked, octuple checked even! It’s still in this library somewhere, and we’re going to find it even if it takes all day!” Twilight shouted a little angrier than she intended. But that did not stop her from also stamping a hoof against the wood desk to emphasize her point even as she turned another page of her book, "Look one more time please. It has to be found." She finished curtly.

“You know…We’d have a much better time finding the dumb thing if we helped look.” Spike grumbled, the complaint coupled with the sound of a book being slammed back into place. A hoot of agreement answered the baby dragon.

Twilight wanted to sigh, but forced herself to keep it in. There was little point in getting mad at her assistants, they were trying their best after all, and even she could understand their frustration, “Look Spike…” She started, finally taking her nose out of her book, though not before placing a hoof on it to mark where she’d left off, “I’d love to help but I have this report to the Princess to finish, and I have to get as much as I can out of this book she asked me to read to do it. I just don’t have the extra time. It’s due in a three weeks, and I don’t even know what in the hay I'm going to write about.”

“As much as you can?” Spike asked walking over to Twilight a clear tone of disbelief in his voice, “You’ve already read that dumb thing five times now, I’ve been keeping count. And it hasn’t even been a week since you got it from the Princess.” Spike spoke incredulously, “Five. Times! You’ve been reciting the whole thing in your sleep for Celestia’s sake. Loudly, I might add. It keeps us up at night, isn’t that right Owlicious?” He asked, looking up. Though Twilight could not understand why, she was sure he could not actually see her pet owl that had taken roost on the tiny dragon’s head.

“Hoot!” Owliious responded, fervently nodding his head up and down.

“See, even he agrees…That makes it two against one. You really oughta take a break Twilight.” Spike stated, as he folded his arms across his chest nodding like he had just, without a doubt, won the argument, “And us! We need a break too don’t forget that.” He added quickly after a quick scratch, and annoyed hoot from Owlicious.

“I do not recite the whole book in my sleep Spike. That’s just nonsense.” Twilight replied indignantly. True she may have read the book a few times already, and true she sometimes went a little overboard in the studies department. Even she could admit that. Well, at least she could admit it now, after having lived in Ponyville with all of her friends for so long. But to be reciting an entire book word for word? In her sleep to boot? There was no possible way in Celestia’s sun she would ever do anything so farfetched. No, this was probably another scheme to get out of working early so he could go to Rarity's or some other sort of nonsense, and Twilight was going to have none of it this particular day.

A book was missing from her library, missing. Just the thought of it alone physically pained the unicorn to even think about. She was sure that if it was not found soon there would, without a doubt, be repercussions from the Princess, or possibly even the Mayor for shirking her duties. It was easily enough to make her visible cringe. No, the book just absolutely had to be found, no matter what. Even if Spike did get mad at her for a little while.

“Oh yeah?” Spike challenged, breaking Twilight out of her increasingly negative thoughts. She noticed he had a cocky expression plastered all over his face, and she mentally face hooved. That look never meant anything good, “Owlicious, if you would please.”

At Spike’s command, Twilight watched her owl quickly take flight, disappearing up the only set of stairs in the library. The brown ball of feathers was gone for only a few moments, and on his return Twilight could see he had a small plastic device gripped tightly in his claws, “What is that?” She asked, as she watched her owl return warily. She suddenly had a slight feeling of nervousness for a reason she could not, for the life of her, place a hoof on.

“You want proof well I’ve got your proof right here.” Spike stated with a devious grin as Twilight watched him take, what Twilight could now tell was his recorder, from Owlicious’ claws. He placed it next to her on her desk, and pressed the button clearly marked play almost instantaneously.

Not a second after the loud click of the recorder turning on, the sounds of incredibly loud snoring filled the library floor, “Chapter 14.” A voice that was unmistakably Twilight’s own filtered through the solitary speaker in between snores, “Crystal Gems and Their place in Magic Use.” The recorder played back, and Twilight felt her face go hot from embarrassment, “Someponies thi-“

The recorder had not been on for more than a few lines before Twilight had already decided she had heard enough. In an instant her horn tingled with a well-known feeling, a purple tinted sheet of magical energy coalesced across the recorder in that very same instant. Without much effort she willed the thing to be destroyed, and as soon as the destructive thought was out of her head the recorder flew faster than anything she had ever seen, Rainbow Dash included. It hit the back wall of the library with such force that it shattered on impact, dozens upon dozens of tiny plastic pieces littering the air.

“Ok break time. Definitely, definitely break time. You guys earned it, yep, no doubt about that. Time for a very long break yes indeed. Report? What report, no reports needed to be written here.” Twilight rambled nervously, and in rapid fire, “I’m…I’m just going to go upstairs, and take a break just like you said. Ok? Ok, excellent.” Twilight finished with an equally nervous giggle, as she snapped her book shut and slid off her study chair.

“My recorder!” Spike yelled clearly distressed sprinting over to the remains of his toy, “Why’d ya hafta go and do that Twilight.” He said with a sniff, gathering up the scattered pieces in his arms.

“I’m sorry Spike. I don’t know what came over me.” Twilight lied slightly, though as she did guilt pierced her heart painfully at the distraught look on her assistant’s face, “Tell you what, how about we go to the gem store tomorrow, and you can pick out whatever you want?”

At the mention of gems, Spike’s face knowingly lit up. The premature death of his little toy seemingly forgotten in an instant, “Anything?” Spike asked as if he did not quite believe Twilight’s proposal.

“Anything.” Twilight confirmed with a nod, a slight smile adorning her face at seeing Spike excited again.

“Hmm…” Spike brought a claw to his chin as if in deep thought. Though Twilight knew there was no way he was going to pass up getting a free gem she amused his theatrics, “Well, all right I guess. But you said anything, so no backing out ok?”

“No backing out, promise Spike.” Twilight answered, “We’ll go first thing tomorrow.”

“Alright!” Spike arm pumped, “I’ll go put it on tomorrow’s checklist!” He exclaimed, as he turned and headed towards the stairs.

Twilight heard him mumble something about sapphires, and rubies on the way which caused her to giggle softly, “Sometimes it’s just a little too easy.” She mumbled contentedly to herself as she turned back towards her desk. Though in hindsight it probably was not the best move to let him pick anything in the store she thought to herself, “Celestia knows he’s going to pick the biggest one there.” She again spoke aloud to no one, her mood instantly became melancholy.

She sighed softly, “I suppose I’m not going to be eating out for a week or two…”

“Hello? Is anybody in there?” A voice unexpectedly called out from the library’s foyer.

Twilight was slightly surprised that anypony would be out in the terrible storm that was raging outside, but she quickly shoved the speculation aside, going to greet her mysterious guest. When she arrived at the foyer she was doubly surprised to find a well-kept, or at least as well-kept as a pony could be after walking through a deluge, stallion. He sported a rather bushy brown mustache, or at least Twilight assumed it would have been bushy had it not been stuck flat against his muzzle from rain. The brown heavily contrasting with his stark white coat. A hood covered most of his head, and flowed directly into a large cloak that covered his body in it's entirety. Both were slick with water. Twilight winced as she saw the clear liquid seeping into the floor. It would take ages to magic all the water out of the wood.

“Can I help you?” Twilight asked a little amazed as she watched him fight to close the front door, a howling wind his opponent.

“Yes yes, one second. Maybe…Do you think, do you think I could have a little help here?” The stallion replied in a tone that screamed high-society.

“Oh, Oh! I’m so sorry.” Twilight answered hastily. That familiar tingle filling her horn, as her trademark purple energy covered the door, slamming it shut with ease. She mentally berated herself for not doing it sooner. No doubt the obviously well-to-do pony would think less of her, and that in turn made her think likewise.

The stallion let out a breath of relief as he turned to face Twilight, “Thank you my dear. The weather is positively dreadful out.”

“Mmm, tell me about it.” Twilight answered slightly hesitant. She was never very good at handling the higher class ponies of Equestria, and she hoped to Celestia it did not show, “Why are you out in the first place?” She asked before quickly adding a rushed, “If you don’t mind me asking!”

“No, no. It’s no bother my dear, and well it is quite a long story, one that I shant bore you to death with.” The stallion answered readily, “Suffice to say I was on my way to Canterlot to drop off an item of importance, when our carriage hit a slight snag on the route. I proceeded to get stuck right here in Ponyville when the storms, that I had so very meticulously planned around, hit. Now an emergency back home in Manehatten has need of my immediate attentions, and I cannot possibly deliver my cargo, and make it back in time.” The stallion rattled off, giving Twilight no room to interject.

“But then I remembered a very peculiar tale I had once heard. Celestia’s own pupil is staying right here in Ponyville, and at their library no less! It seemed like divine providence from her highness herself. So I thought to myself, well if anyone could get my cargo to Canterlot with ease, it would be said pupil. So here I am, now if you’d be a dear and go get her, so I could get this mess over and done with so I may return home to my family. I would be most grateful.” He finished giving Twilight an impatient stare.

It took Twilight a moment before she registered that the stallion had finished talking, “Um, I am Celestia’s student. What is it exactly that I can do for you?” She asked a little more hostile than she had intended. It always seemed that the holier-than-thou rich ponies never seemed to take her seriously, and she could feel her coat bristling.

“Oh, really?” The stallion asked shocked his snooty facade gone for a split second before it returned in full force, “Terribly sorry, you just seemed so young. I meant no offense.”

“Right…” Twilight muttered, “Now again, what is it that you need?”

The stallion cleared his throat, “Well…” He began, before he craned his neck downwards, his head disappearing into his cloak. From out from under the large garment he pulled a rather large book, it’s covering as black as a moonless night, “I was to bring this book to Canterlot’s illustrious Grand Library. But as I said I must be getting back to Manehatten. Could I entrust it to you to bring it there in my stead?”

Twilight peered at the black book in interest, “May I?” She inquired as she prepared to take it through her magic.

“Ah, be my guest.” The stallion responded, letting it out of his mouth.

Before it hit the ground Twilight caught it with her magic, bringing it close to her inspecting the book with a jeweler's gaze. Though she focused mostly on two very odd things about the item; One there was no title, rather there was no writing at all on the covering, and two the rather large strip of material fastened to a lock on the tomes face, something she had never seen on any book, “What is it about, and why is it locked like that?” Twilight wondered aloud without realizing it.

“I honestly cannot say I know. I recently acquired it through a passing in the family. What I do know however is that it used to be an ancestor’s. Whom, it turns out, was a unicorn. I naturally would assume it would have something to do with magic. However seeing as my family, and I are all Earth Ponies now it never really dawned on me to inquire more about it. It is why I have decided to donate it to the library, and all. But speaking of the lock, I almost forgot. I have the key right here as well.” He again ducked his head into his cloak and protruded a large key that glinted gold in the library light, which Twilight took with magic as well.

“So will you help a fellow pony out my dear?” The stallion asked, voice screaming impatience. She briefly wondered what could have made him turn back home, this far into his journey. It was only a few more hours if he continued onto Canterlot himself. It was not that much farther away.

“I suppose it won’t be any trouble. I’d be glad to.” Twilight answered truthfully, deciding it would be better to not to ask why he could not do it himself. She was due to visit Canterlot in a week’s time anyway. She could migrate two parasprites with one banjo, as the saying went.

The stallion breathed a sigh of relief, “Ah, you’re a lifesaver my dear. Thank you. Now if you pardon my hasty exit, I must be leaving.” Without another word, he opened the door and was gone.

Twilight quickly shut the door behind him, a little put off with his hasty exit, “Mmm, in how much of a hurry can you be in? Honestly.” She wondered aloud looking out the window at the pounding rain. She quickly decided however that it was none of her business, and she was not bothered enough about it to be caught dead in that rain. Without a further thought on the matter, Twilight turned on a bit, and trotted back into the main part of the library.

“Hey Twilight…Are you ok?” Spike’s voice filtered through the purple unicorn’s ears, as she briefly registered him taking a seat next to her at the Libraries main table.

“Yes Spike…” Twilight mumbled exasperatedly, her gaze fastened onto the odd book she had acquired earlier in the day. She felt herself dying a little bit every second the book remained closed. It seemed as if she had spent an eternity looking between the book and the large golden key she had placed right beside it.

If the book was indeed filled with all sorts of magical secrets, she felt she was required to look through it, at least if only for a little bit. She was Celestia’s very own student after all, and that meant she was important enough to inquire about old books filled with magic. Or at least Twilight hoped that it did. But then there was always the possibility that,the stallion had not wanted anyone to look at it until the head librarians at the Grand Library had a chance to leaf through the book’s contents. The constant barrage of thoughts with no clear answers were fighting a neverending war in Twilight’s mind, and it was a perfect stalemate. She moaned in frustration.

“Are you sure? You’ve been staring at that book, and making weird noises, for like... An hour now. I don’t think it’s very healthy. Maybe you should get some sleep.” Spike offered.

“How can I sleep when I have this book sitting right here? Think of what knowledge could be inside it.” Twilight stated matter-of-factly, a hoof slightly fiddling with the large lock on the front cover.

“Oook. So why don’t you just open it?” Spike asked in return.

“Wha?” Twilight replied rather dumbly, as if the option had never crossed her mind.

“Just…open…it? I mean…you said he was donating it to a library right? So anyone would be able to look at it then. Don’t see why you just can’t do the same.”

“I…” Twilight began, before she realized exactly how dumb she was being, “Spike your totally right! You’re a genius.”

“Hehe…” Spike giggled proudly breathing on a claw a few times before polishing it on his chest, “I know.”

Twilight paid the little dragon little attention though. The book still screamed to her silently, the pull seemed to increase exponentially as she prepared to open it. Quickly, unable to wait a second longer, she took the key in hoof, and jammed it into the lock hard. So hard she was afraid that she might have broken it. But she was thankfully proven wrong when she turned the key without resistance. With a quick, and easy twist the lock gave way with a tiny 'pop', and the binding strap fell away.

Twilight looked at the now opened book, a giddy smile slowly spreading across her face. She tentatively reached a hoof out, ready to dive into the mystery tome. But as she turned the front cover she was dismayed to see that with it a good half of the book came up as well. Try as she might, be it with hoof or magic, she could not, for the life of her, move any of the pages in between.

“What a useless book!” She yelled in frustration, as she tried one last time to separate cover from page before slamming it shut, “What’s a pony supposed to do with a book that’s stuck together like this?” She asked herself more than Spike.

“Well what’s with that part that actually comes apart?” Spike offered.

Twilight let out a deep breathe, curbing her rising ire, “I don’t know…” She answered truthfully, and turned to the natural splitting.

To say she was surprised would have been like saying the sun was bright. She stared at the pages in awe. Scribbled across the pages were no words, instead it was filled with a rather intricate pattern of shapes and lines. Four circles sat on each page in seemingly random positions, connected to one another by the myriad of thick strips. In the middle of it all was a single line of script, but it was written in a language Twilight had never come across before. As Twilight continued to look at the book, she could have sworn to Celestia that the lines were moving around the page, almost as if it were guiding her along a particular path through an unseen maze in the patterns. As she moved her eyes along, they came to the first of the fourcircles, and as she looked at the empty space a flash of white hot pain flared agonizingly in her head right behind her horn. It happened so suddenly that she yelped, falling backwards out of her seat.

“Twilight!” Spike yelled worriedly, accompanied by the sounds of a chair scraping against wood.

Twilight felt a pair of claws gently try and help her up, “I’m…” Twilight began, as she struggled to get her hooves under her, “I’m fine…”

“Are you sure?” Spike asked.

“I, I think so.” Twilight responded truthfully, able to stand again. The pain had gone as quickly as it had come, though in its place, a feeling of intense nausea had taken root, “That…That was weird.” Twilight mused aloud, and instantly wished she hadn’t as the feeling of vomiting threatened to overtake her.

“What happened?” Spike asked, Twilight could tell he was still worried, though was trying his best not to show it.

“I don’t know Spike.” Twilight answered truthfully, slowly sitting back down which brought a welcome respite to the sickly feeling.

She looked back at the book, careful to not look at any of those circles. But as she scanned the pages for a second time, it was almost a completely different book. While it looked exactly the same, the lines no longer seemed to shift, and move under her stare. What’s more, the circle she had looked at was no longer a blank space on the page instead it was filled in with a purple hue that glowed slightly. To add even more to her already ample surprise was the fact that Twilight could now read the line of text that spanned the pages.

Stranger, Thou have been blessed with the divine providence of experiencing the Twenty-Fifth hour. Rejoice for thy hath been chosen.

Twilight cocked an eye as she read the single cryptic line. Twenty-fifth hour? What did that mean, and being chosen? What did that mean? What did any of it mean at all? It felt like her brain was going in double time. She had trouble thinking straight due to a rising headache, and that vomiting feeling in the pit of her stomach had returned in full force, and attracted most of her waning attention.

“Twilight…you really don’t look so good. Maybe you should get some sleep.”

“I…I think your right Spike.” Twilight agreed without a hint of opposition. She had so many questions, but in her state, she doubted she would be able to do anything to find out any answers.

“Good. Comeon, I’ll help you upstairs.” Spike offered, and Twilight felt his a claw brace itself across her back.

“Mmm, Thank you Spike. You get another gem tomorrow ok?” Twilight offered, fighting down another wave of nausea, as she slid off her chair to stand.

“Hey, don’t worry about that. Just worry about getting better all right?”

Twilight was silent on her assisted trot upstairs to her room, worried that if she opened her mouth she would be unable to keep her stomach from spewing its contents all over the floor. All she could think about as she was helped into her bed was if she had gotten a new one recently, because hers had never felt so good.

When Twilight woke, she was surprised that it was still night out. She was also pleasantly surprised that she felt completely fine now. The splitting headache was nowhere to be felt, and there no trace of potential hurling. She thanked Celestia for recovering so fast, as she tossed and turned underneath the sheets trying to find a comfortable position to fall back asleep in. It took her a moment before she realized that something seemed off. It was a few minutes later before she finally placed a hoof on the cause of her unease.

“The rain stopped?” Twilight wondered aloud, her voice seemed uncharacteristically loud in the stark quiet of the darkened library.

Tossing her covers off, Twilight shakily stood, the throes of sleep still heavy on her mind. Blinking a few times, and shaking her head in a lame attempt get her mind to wake up with the rest of her, she slowly got out of the bed. As her hooves hit the floor, she quickly noticed them making much louder noise than she was used to, and she suddenly realized how absolutely silent everything else was. Apprehension started to creep its way slowly across her mind.

“I thought the storm was supposed to keep going for a few days now…” Twilight mused as she walked over to her window, “I wonder what made the-“ Twilight’s voice caught in her throat as she reached her window to stare outside in awe.

“The moon’s green?!” Twilight exclaimed as she looked up at the full moon.

It indeed was a greenish hue, and cast a foreboding light across Ponyville. The mere sight of the anomaly caused one part fear, and one part fascination in Twilight’s now suddenly alert mind. What kind of magic would make the moon green, and why would Luna choose green of all colors? She wondered. But Twilight quickly came to the conclusion that it was her moon, the Princess could do what she pleased with it.

“Why didn’t she tell anypony though?” Twilight wondered aloud as she continued to stare in awe, it seemed like such a waste to not have everypony see the magically enhanced body, “Spike! Come look.” She yelled over her shoulder, as she went to her bedside journal to make a report of the event. She wondered what kind of tests she could run to see if she could tell just how Luna had done it. She was getting giddy just thinking about it.

“Spike?” Twilight called again, “Comeon wake up, you’ve gotta see this!” Twilight yelled, but received nothing which immediately sent a small warning bell through her mind. Even if the baby dragon never seemed to want to leave his basket, he at least always woke up slightly and told the unicorn so.

“Spike?” Twilight asked again, as she rounded the foot of her bed, intent on rousing the baby dragon, “Are you-

“Spike?!” Twilight yelled in shock.

Atop her assistant’s basket sat a coffin laid flat across the brim.

Awakening

Chapter 1 - Awakening

“Spike?!” Twilight exclaimed rushing over to the casket that had taken residence in her assistant’s bed.

She banged on the side of the coffin with a hoof, trying to elicit some sort of response from within. But when she received no answer from her dragon, she attempted magic. But as her thoughts drifted towards breaking the casket, and freeing her assistant, she was shocked when nothing happened. There was no tingling of her horn, no sheet of magic covering the casket, just her normal every day thoughts.

“My magic?!” Twilight exclaimed again, her voice echoing loudly in the expansive silence that surrounded her, “Oh no, oh no, oh no. This cannot be happening.” Twilight murmured to herself, though it still felt like she was shouting. First a green moon, then Spike being replaced with a creepy coffin, and now she was suddenly unable to use magic? She had trouble wrapping her usually structured mind around such obscene developments.

“Dream!” Twilight exclaimed for a third time, “Yes…This is all just a terrible, terrible dream. Nightmare even. I’ll just…” Twilight paused looking back at her unkempt bed, “I’ll just lie back down, go back to sleep, and when I wake up everything is going to be just fine Twilight. Just, fine.”

Twilight laughed nervously, the way every sound seemed amplified ten-fold was starting to get the better of her slightly, but the feeling was strong enough that she resolved to stop making noise as much as possible. She could not help but feel as if there was something creeping in the darkness just beyond her vision, stalking her. Some odd creature that was following her every sound, because it had no eyes, waiting for its chance to have pony for dinner. The thought absolutely terrified her.

“Ok Twilight. Easy girl. You’re going to be ok.” She muttered, wincing as even the smallest of whispers seemed to be a shout. Carefully, and as silently as she could, the unicorn slowly made her way back to her bed, lying down and quickly covering herself completly with her comforter.

“Just go to sleep Twilight. Go to sleep and everything’s going to be just fine when you wake up. Just fine.” She repeated the last part like a mantra, taking a single deep breathe in between each repetition.

“You sure about that?” Another voice echoed in the darkness, just as Twilight thought she had finally gotten a handle on the situation.

“Agh!” Twilight screamed jumping out of the bed, grabbing her bedside clock in hoof as she did, ready to physically fight whatever it was that had just talked into submission. Twilight was not going to go down without a hoof swinging, “Wh-Who’s there?” She tried to demand, but the shakiness of her voice was not going to fool anypony much to the unicorn’s dismay.

“Hmm…Never been asked that before. Well actually never been asked much of anything before. Usually it’s just ‘raghhh’, and ‘urrrrr’. Before they try and eat me.” The voice seemed unaware of Twilight’s very terrified state, “But I thought I heard something different, so I decided to check it out, and here I am. To think I found someone else that can actually talk? It must be my lucky hour.”

“Where are you?!” Twilight yelled into the darkness, clock still in hoof, “Come out where I can see you.” She demanded, though as soon as the words were out of her mouth, she silently debated if making such a demand was even a good idea. Without her magic, there was little she could do if whatever the creature was tried to eat or kill her. Though, she reasoned, it was probably better to see your attacker before you died than being surprised. As the morbid thought seemed to come to life with each passing second. Twilight prayed to Celestia, and Luna both for some sort of sign as to escape this nightmarish place intact. Her only solace was that this just had to be a dream, and if so then she had nothing to really worry about. But it was hard to will her heart into believing in what her mind thought was perfectly sound reasoning.

“Geez, you’re a little pushy aren’t you? Fine.” The voice answered, and was followed instantly by the sound of stomping hooves.

A moment later, and a pony entered the dim green light of the moon shining through the window, much to Twilight’s surprise. But she seemed a little odd, for lack of a better term in Twilight’s frazzled mind. She had neither horn, nor a set of wings, nor the physic of the usually stout earth ponies. No cutie mark adorned her flank, despite her looking like she was at least Twilight’s age. A pitch black mane fell naturally across the pony’s neck and back. Likewise both her coat, and tail were the same unnatural black. The only thing not black on the mystery pony were her eyes, which mirrored the odd green of the moon. She was unlike any pony Twilight had ever seen before.

“Is there something on my face?” The newcomer asked tilting her head, and cocking an eye at Twilight, “And why are you holding that thing?”

“Who, who are you?” Twilight asked, her brain unable to function at a higher intellectual level to form a better question, like ‘Are you going to eat me?’

“Hmm…” The newcomer thought for a moment before frowning, “I’m me…who’re you?”

“T-Twilight Sparkle.” Twilight answered simply, grip still tight on the plastic clock.

“Twilight?” The pony asked, and Twilight could have sworn an odd look crossed the dream ponies face, but it was gone to fast for Twilight could tell for sure. The black pony shook her head before speaking again, "Never heard of that kind before. But oh well, can't say that I care to much. You never answered me about that thing in your hoof.”

“Thing in my hoof?” Twilight asked, not realizing what the pony was talking about right away. Though when she did, she instantly dropped it. Worried that her new acquaintance would put two, and two together and figure out Twilight was ready to pummel the mare into unconsciousness at the slightest provocation. It did not look like the pony was going to harm her, and she wanted to keep it that way.

But a moment later and Twilight wished she had just set it down like a normal pony. If the sound of her whispers sounded like a shout to her, then the clock hitting the floor was like a sonic rainboom. The noise reverberated all around the library, taking a few agonizing moments before quieting down entirely, and afterwards a slight ringing had settled itself annoyingly between Twilight’s ears.

“Shhh!” The pony shushed, pouncing on the clock to keep it from making any more noise, “What the heck do you think you’re doing? Do you want them to find us?”

“Them?” Twilight asked hesitantly, unsure if she wanted to know about anything that could make this nightmare worse.

“Yes them.” The pony answered, carefully retracting her hooves from the clock until she was content it had stopped making any noise. If Twilight had not been scared out of her mind, she would have thought the act slightly amusing.

“What exactly are them?” Twilight asked again, the thought of knowing the unknown, and not wanting to know the unknown in this nightmare warring inside her mind. Though at this point, she doubted there was much worse that could happen to her.

But as soon as the thought crossed her mind, the library started to violently shake, "Oh crap." The black pony muttered, "Get away from the window, quick!"

"Wha-" Twilight started before the pony grabbed her by the hoof and, with a grunt dragged her onto the bed.

Twilight just went along with it, to shell shocked at the rapidly changing events to fight as the pony quickly threw the blankets over the two of them. Again the library shook, rattling Twilight's already rattled brain. She could feel another headache coming on. Every few seconds, the shaking would assail the library, a brief moment of nothing, then another bout of shaking. It was almost as if something huge was walking around outside, a thought Twilight really did not want to dwell on.

Twilight went to open her mouth to ask her new found companion what exactly it was that could be making an entire building shake. But before she could get even a squeak out, the other pony had clamped Twilight's mouth shut with her one hoof while making a shushing motion with the other. Twilight hoped it was not a hydra or worse, a dragon, two of the only creatures she could think of that could cause such a commotion. But seeing as how the dream had been going thus far. Now that she thought of it, there was little doubt in her mind that it was indeed going to be one of the two, or more likely some horrible mutation of both smashed together.

Twilight stayed deathly still her heart pumping faster, and faster as each supposed footfall got closer, and closer together. Then suddenly after one particularly violent tremor the shaking stopped, and Twilight could only wonder in horror if the thing was waiting right outside the library ready to crush her, and the other pony. Or set the library on fire, or...The possibilities seemed to be endless, and each new thought was worse than the last.

Seconds, felt like minutes that dragged into what felt like hours. Nothing happened, the footfalls had not restarted, and both Twilight and the black pony made no sounds, nor did either dare move an inch. Twilight could just imagine the nightmare creature standing outside the window, peering inside looking for a little pony to eat. The thought made her shake violently, and she whimpered softly as silence retook everything in its oddly threatening grasp.

Beside her the black pony just sat, ears alert, somehow managing to look unfazed by the whole ordeal. Twilight had to wonder if this was the first time the pony had ever done something like this before. But then she remembered that this was all just some sort of elaborate dream. A pony that seemed totally fine when confronted by green moons, people in creepy coffins, and giant hydra dragons, was the by far the least unimaginable thing that had happened to the unicorn so far.

Then suddenly, there was a cry unlike anything had ever heard before. It was utterly inpony, inanimal even. The loud wail sounded like something straight out of a horror movie, and it chilled Twilight to her very bones. Twilight had thought it impossible she could feel any more terrified than she already was, but that cry, whatever it was, had managed to do it. She hoped to Celestia she would never see whatever kind of horrible creature made such a sound, dream or no.

After the cry, silence again reigned supreme over the two ponies. Twilight made no thought to move. She had yet to hear the large creature move away, so logic clearly dictated that it was still outside the library waiting for the opportune moment to strike. However her partner, appeared to think otherwise. Because in the next instant she tossed the covers off the pair, and got off the bed as casual as can be.

“Wha-?!” Twilight gasped before she clamped her mouth down quickly. She did not want to make a sound. She kept forgetting that one important piece of information, and mentally berated herself for it.

“Relax Twilight.” The pony spoke normally, getting up from the bed, “It’s gone now.”

‘How could it be gone?!' Twilight wanted to scream but kept it in. She looked towards the window afraid of seeing a bunch of dragon heads peering back at her, but instead all she found was a green-tinted skyline, “It’s…gone? But…how?” Twilight could not help but wonder. There was no sound of the obviously large creature retreating, how could it just disappear into thin air?

The black pony shrugged, “That’s how they work.” She stated matter-of-factly, “Thankfully it decided to walk around like normal in the first place. It’s the worst when they sneak up on you, and then you feel their breath on your backside all of a sudden.” She shivered, “I won’t ever get used to that.”

“But it had to be huge!” Twilight exclaimed, but kept her voice to a hoarse whisper, “How could it just disappear?” She asked again, unable to wrap her head around the idea.

Again the pony shrugged, “I’ve come to realize that the bosses can do whatever the heck they please. It’s a shame you had to come here on a full moon. That’s when they come out by the way, wel…that and when it’s a full sun too. Usually it’s a lot less dangerous. But on those two hours you’ve gotta watch out, they go absolutely insane.” The pony rambled, trotting over to the window to stare outside, “Though actually now that I think about it, it’s the absolute worst when it’s an eclipse. Usually I just find a hide hole, and hide when that happens. Thankfully that only happens twice a year, instead of twice a month.”

“Bosses? Shadows? Full Moon? Full sun? Eclipse?” Twilight muttered utterly confused, her headache starting to flare up to unmanageable levels with every new thing she learned about her dream. It was not helping her get a handle on her current situation in the least.

‘Dream, not situation.’ She thought with a renewed fervor, ‘it’s just a dream, and not real. I don’t need to get a handle on the situation, because there isn’t one!’ She yelled at herself as she tried to will her mind into believing. But everything seemed so terrifyingly real. She had never had such a realistic dream, and she was finding it hard to be absolutely certain at this point. She made a mental point to find, and read a book on dreams when she woke up.

“You ok there?” The black pony asked. Twilight snapped her head to the pony to find her staring at her.

“Fine. Fine, just a little confused as to what’s going on.” Twilight admitted, feeling a tiny bit better as she did.

“Hmm, that’s understandable. I know I was my first time here.” The pony replied, before she suddenly sniffed the air, “Uh oh…” She muttered just loud enough for Twilight to hear.

“Uh, oh?” Twilight asked, fear once again taking hold of her, “What’s that mean?!” She demanded.

“It means run!” The pony commanded, as she dashed past the confused purple unicorn, disappearing into the black void of the stairwell.

Twilight froze confused, why did she need to run? There did not seem to be anything amiss. Should she trust the pony? The black pony had yet to do anything that warranted Twilight’s distrust, in fact she had probably done a lot to earn it. But it was a dream, and who knows what could have been running through the dream ponies mind. Could it have all been a ruse to lull her into a false sense of security? Twilight’s thoughts were interrupted quite rudely however when that terrifying scream shattered the silence, as well as Twilight’s mind.

After that she did not need to be told twice, she sprinted towards the stairs, but paused just before them, she could not just leave Spike. Quickly she turned towards the coffin, but just as she there was a loud crash. Twilight stared in both fear, and awe as the biggest claw attached to the biggest arm she had ever seen crashed through the roof of the library, shattering glass, and wood alike like it was made of terra cotta. Glass shards and wooden splinters alike peppered the room like a swarm of angry wasps, and Twilight nickered as she felt bites of hot pain lance her all over.

Twilight froze, unable to move as she held back the tears that so often accompanied getting hurt. But that was the thing that really made her stop, she was hurt? Everything she had heard of dreams from everypony she had ever met said that pain in a dream usually woke a pony up. Had they all been lying to her? Twilight did not have long to ponder the question, as the sounds of wood falling all around snapped her back to her senses.

Twilight watched in horror as the claw lifted itself out of the room, and was replaced by a giant pure black masquerade mask. It had no eyes where the holes of the mask were, but Twilight could feel the thing was staring right at her, and it paralyzed her with fear. A moment later the thing opened it’s mouth, and that same soul-piercing screech filled the interior of the library.

Twilight watched as the mask disappeared, replaced by the clawed arm. It reached directly towards her, quickly. Twilight barely managed to jump to the side as it careened into the wall just behind where she had been standing, smashing the entire section to pieces. Again wood assaulted her, though this time it was not so painful.

Twilight rushed forward, instinct taking hold of her rather than thought for once. She ducked underneath the massive arm that seemed to have gotten stuck in the wall, and galloped straight for the coffin that was Spike. But as she tried to move it, she found herself unable to. It seemed as if the thing weighed tons.

“Comeon you stupid…” Twilight grunted, wishing she had been born an earth pony for a moment, as she tried to duck her head under the small space between head and basket to get it onto her back. Behind her she heard the claw finally dislodge itself, accompanied by another shriek of the creature.

“No, no, no…” Twilight mumbled as she strained to move the coffin to no success, “Why won’t you move!” She yelled in frustration, kicking it.

Twilight turned to look for the deadly claw, getting ready to dodge it again, only to find it heading straight towards her. She gasped as time seemed to slow to a crawl. There was no time to move away from it this time, it was going to crush her, and Spike. They were both going to die. Then she remembered it was a dream, ‘why did she run to help Spike?’ She thought to herself in desperation. He would have been fine when she woke up. Instead she helped a stupid coffin, which may or may not have even had Spike in it in the first place, and now she was going to get crushed by a giant monster. She briefly wondered if there was truth to the rumor that if you died in your dreams you died in real life, or if that was another lie as well.

She winced as the claw loomed over her. She closed her eyes as she looked away, afraid to see certain death coming straight for her. But the moment never came. It all happened in the span of second. Behind her she felt a warm, almost benevolent presence. Twilight to open her eyes just in time to see a bright white light fill the room. She quickly found the source to be emanating from the coffin, white symbols now covering the blood red wood, just before she was quite suddenly blasted away from the object quite violently.

She screamed in surprise as she flew through the air, just as the creature let out a cry of pain. Twilight briefly saw the creature’s arm disintegrate as the light from the coffin engulfed it, before she flew straight down the library’s stairwell.

She hit the ground floor with a painful thud. The sounds of the creatures agonized shrieks duller, but still quite loud a floor away. Twilight moved to stand, being extremely careful for anything that might have been broken in her fall. But as she found her hooves beneath her, she found that she was still in one working piece, to which she breathed a sigh of relief.

It was a short lived moment of respite however when another loud crash shook the libraries foundations to the core, coupled with another loud shriek. Twilight could tell the creature was furious, and she had a good idea why. She had to get out of here, and find somewhere she could hide before it could find her again. She just hoped that Spike would be safe if he was indeed inside that coffin.

“Quickly! This way.” Twilight heard her pony companion shout from the foyer, and Twilight was quick to listen.

As Twilight entered the foyer, she only caught a glimpse of a black tail outside the front door, as it moved to the right of the door, and out of view. Twilight tried to speed up, but the myriad of tiny wounds all over her body screamed at her in protest. She never was one for physical exertion, and her adrenaline rush from trying to save Spike was quickly wearing out.

Not a few feet outside the library she had to pause, already out of breath. Her vision was dimming, and she could feel a few spots on her coat that stuck to her skin. Even as she thought of going on, she just could not bring herself to take another step.

“Hey! What’s wrong we gotta go.” The black pony spoke, galloping back to Twilight, her voice curt, and slightly annoyed, “Stop standing-. Oh geez, you’re hurt.” The black pony’s voice instantly became softer.

“I-I’m fine. Don’t worry. It’s all a dream, I’ll be fine just as soon as I wake up.” Twilight panted, behind her the creature screamed again.

“Dream?” The black pony asked confused, “This is no dream! Come-.”

The black pony did not get to finish her statement, Twilight watched as a large ceramic looking ball crashed into the pony’s side. Twilight saw the black pony skid across the ground, a whine of pain escaping her as she hit the dirt. Twilight tried to go, and help but found her body to be unresponsive to her demands.

She watched in terror as the ball hit the ground, and bounced up to float in mid air. It seemed to spin in several slow circles before it stopped, and much to Twilight’s dismay it split in half. A large black tongue lolled out of the divide. It was a giant floating mouth, could this dream get any crazier? Twilight thought as she watched the mouth close in on her. Behind her she felt, rather than heard the giant creatures stomping, which could only mean the beast had figured out it’s prey was no longer inside the library.

Twilight gulped, even if it was a dream, she still did not want to die. It already hurt so much, and she figured that dying was only going to feel even worse. She tried to keep an eye on both the floating ball, as well as the larger creature but they were on both sides of her. She tried one last time to run, but she quickly thought against it. She could not bring herself to leave the black pony to her fate, even if it was a dream. With a low whiney she lowered her head, ready to accept her fate, hoping that she woke up before the inevitable happened.

I am thou.

An odd voice echoed through her head, seeming to come from everywhere at once. She perked up, a renewed fire burning behind her eyes for a reason she could not place.

Thou art I.

The voice continued, as both her head, and chest exploded in massive pain. But still Twilight felt determined she was going to see this through.

It is time. Open thy heart, and take hold of the power within!

Twilight knew what to do. She did not know how she knew, just that she just did, “Per-so-na.” She muttered, enunciating each syllable clearly.

Then suddenly, the pains in her head, and chest were gone, just as the area around her burst into blue flames. Twilight panicked for a second, trying to escape the sudden inferno that licked at at her hooves. But she quickly found that it did not burn. In fact it was quite cool to the touch, and it even looked like the creatures were afraid of it.

Twilight let out a soft sigh of satisfaction, glad that she was safe for the moment. However the feeling did not last long as it quickly turned into a grunt of pain, her headache returned worse than before. She watched in surprise as her horn started to glow so bright even she could see it. But the glow was not the familiar purple energy of her unicorn magic. This was energy of a pure white, and it caused an intense pressure at the base of her horn.

The intense feeling in her head, as well as the brightness of the white continued to build until the struggling unicorn thought she could handle it no more. It easily outclassed both the many cuts, and bruises she had acquired throughout the course of her dream, and she wished to Celestia and Luna both for it to stop. It reached such a fevered pitch, that she had to close her eyes for fear of going blind, and to keep the feeling of her eyes about to pop out of her head abated.

Then, with a culmination of a sound not unlike glass shattering the whole event seemed to be over.

“H-Huh?” Twilight wondered aloud, eyes still shut. Everything was silent again, and she was terribly confused as to what exactly had just happened.

When she opened her eyes, Twilight fell back on her rump. In front of her stood one of the most wondrous creatures she had ever seen. It stood nearly twice her height, standing only on two legs instead of four, and looking entirely comfortable doing so. She, for Twilight instantly thought it as such, wore a fantastic suit of armor that covered her from head to toe. A large star embroidered cloak fell majestically down her back, and both cloak, and armor were a brilliant shade of amethyst. In her left arm she held a tome not unlike the black one from the day close to her chest. However this one was not the same ominous black, but a brilliant white. In her right armored-claw she carried a massive scepter of pure gold, a wonderfully cut pink diamond inlaid in it's tip. Twilight guessed that it was nearly as long as herself, snout to tail-tip. From the back of her helmet flowed hair of brightest gold that freely ran down to her waist. A sharpened ivory horn peaked out from its forehead, a space in her crested helmet reserved just for it.

Twilight stared in awe, not even caring if this new creature wanted to kill her as well. If she had to die by anything, the unicorn would much rather die by such a majestic looking beast, than the creepy black creatures that were plaguing her.

The giant turned to face Twilight and knelled beside the unicorn, bright purple eyes stared at her from behind the helm, 'I am, Cassiopeia, and I am yours to command my mistress.' A calm and soothing, yet still firm and strong, voice echoed through Twilight's head.

Twilight could do nothing but nod, "Protect us!" She yelled without thinking, feeling that it was the right thing to say.

The armored giant nodded, and stood. It's armor barely making a sound as she did, As you wish.

Without another word the giant charged past Twilight, and she watched in awe as it brought the great scepter down on the giant beast's head. It connected with a sickening squish, black goo filled the air like a water balloon had just popped. The beast let out a roar, and tried to swipe at the armored giant, but the book in her hand started to glow, and as the creatures hand started to near Cassiopeia a shield of light not unlike the light that had appeared from the coffin materialized. The creatures hand collided with it, and evaporated into black smoke.

But while Twilight watched her new found ally fight the beast, she could not help but feel like she had forgotten a key piece of information.

"Auuu." A moan came from behind Twilight causing the unicorn to freeze, just as she remembered that there was a second monster in the equation.

She turned to find the mouth-ball creature just inches of her face. She screamed, jumping backwards with renewed vigor just as the word, "Agi!" Left her mouth.

Instantly the monster burst into flames.

A few seconds later and the giant creature now behind her let out another horrific scream, this one hoarser, and stopping way to soon compared to the others it had done throughout the dream. Twilight turned to refocus on the fight between giants. Far to exhausted to try and piece together what had just happened between her and the mouth-ball. She was surprised to find that the black monster was slowly disappearing into a cloud of equally black smoke. Cassiopeia seemed unharmed in even the slightest.

Happy to see that she was, at least for the moment, safe. Twilight fell to the ground letting her exhaustion take hold, hoping that the armored giant would protect her until she woke up. With as all of the spare energy she had left, she looked over to the black pony, who was in the middle of the process of getting herself up off the ground, and Twilight could not help but smile happy with herself that she had not abandoned the dream pony. Everything looked like it was going to be ok. She was not going to die tonight, despite the odds, and while the library might have been in shambles, and Spike may or may not be ok stuck inside a creepy coffin. Twilight was going to wake up in a little while and everything was going to be just fine.

With that final thought, she let a much needed sleep take hold of her.

The Waking World I

Chapter 2 - The Waking World I

Twilight’s first thought when her brain started to function again was of how absolutely terrible she felt. It was uncannily similar to the day she had experienced her first hangover, In no thanks to an idiotic prank by two ponies that would go nameless, of practically force-drinking her glass after glass spiked punch. It was not a welcome way to start her morning. Especially after having such a strange nightmare.

Letting out a hoarse groan, she cracked her eyes open, but had to instantly reshut them, the bright fluorescent lighting threatening to melt her eyes out of their sockets. Or at least that’s what it felt like to the purple unicorn. It was then that Twilight noticed even her body felt as unimaginably sensitive as her eyes. Both sheets and mattress were sending uncomfortable shivers across her everywhere. Even her ears were tuned up, every sound she made was making her headache slightly worse..

“Definitely the same…” Twilight mumbled, her voice ugly, as she took her bedsheets in hoof pulling them up over her head in a vain effort to try and protect her sensitive vision even a tiny bit more. Even through her closed eyelids the light had still managed to burn.

It was only after she had been conscious for more than a few seconds that Twilight realized that she was not home in her library. The bed was to stiff, the sheets to clean, the lights to bright, and the dull consistent beep of a machine somewhere to her left was the final clue that ran the thought home. Twilight quickly retracted the coverings off her head, opening her eyes pushing through the pain that assailed her, far too concerned with where she was to care.

White, everything was white, or at least everything in her immediate vicinity. Twilight instantly recognized a hospital room when she saw one, “Why am I in a hospital?” She wondered aloud, wincing, disgusted at how raspy her voice sounded.

‘Had she been pranked by Pinkie, and Rainbow again?’ She thought bitterly. Her miserably state felt uncannily like her first experience with alcohol. After it had happened once the purple unicorn had vowed to herself not to let it happen a second time, but she had trouble denying the suspicion when she was laying miserably in a hospital bed. But would they have gone so overboard to send her to the hospital? Even if the duo were far to prank-happy for their own good, Twilight knew the answer to be a resounding no without having to give it much thought at all. The last time the two were so sorry they helped Twilight around the library for a whole week without so much as a single complaint. There had to be another likely reason for her being hospitalized.

“Well Twilight...think back to yesterday and look at the facts.” She murmured to herself, talking aloud helping her to think straight, “It is what your best at after all.”

“One, I spent most of the day reading, because of the rain.” Twilight started, pausing briefly to look outside. She was beyond happy to find that it was still raining, and very relieved that there were no more green moons in sight, before she shook her head in dismay, “It was just a dream Twilight, don’t dwell on it to much.”

“Moving on...Two, Spike was looking for the missing,” Twilight cringed, “book in the library. Three I got mad, broke his recorder, promised to get him some gems to repay him.” Twilight cringed again when she remembered breaking her assistant’s toy. Everytime she did something rash because of her studying she always felt absolutely miserable afterwards. She had thought she was getting better at it, but apparently she still had some more work to do.

“Four,” Twilight pressed on. More interested in figuring out what was going on, than worrying about anything else, “The rich pony from Manehatten came, gave me that book, I looked in it, got sick, had to go to sleep. Maybe the book is why I’m here?” She asked herself.

It was a logical thought in Twilight’s mind, the book was obviously magic in nature, she knew that the instant it had made her sick. But she did not understand why anyone would create a magical book that made people sick. It seemed to the unicorn that such a prank, if it could even be called that, would just be malicious and cruel. Not funny, and clever like most pranks were.

Though even if the book was indeed some terrible joke, Twilight had a sneaking suspicion that the black tome was not the sole reason she was here. Nasuea, and a migraine usually did not land a pony in the hospital whatever the reason. No, it had to have been something else entirely.

The sounds of movement, and a soft sigh alerted Twilight to the fact that she was not alone in the room. Slightly surprised that she had not noticed earlier, she turned towards the source to find a sleeping Rarity uncomfortably scrunched up in a small armchair. Below the white unicorn, she saw Spike curled up into his basket tucked underneath the chair, and a wave of relief passed through Twilight immediately. Seeing the baby dragon only solidified that the, all-to-real, nightmare of the night before was just that, a nightmare, and Twilight could not have been more grateful.

But while she could realize that everything was fine, and there was nothing for Twilight to worry about. She could not help but drift to thoughts of a world without her assistant. The thought of having lost him, real or otherwise, threatened to push her into a depression. It was not a line of thinking Twilight wanted to go down, but had problems doing otherwise. Last night’s nightmare still far to fresh in her head.

Even worse, Twilight vividly remembered the part that had her questioning her decision to try and save him when she was faced with her own death because of the rash action. Was she that pathetic of a pony, to readily abandon Spike, the dragon she cared for like her own brother, when her own well being was at stake? She was the Element of Magic for Celestia’s sake, the tie that bound all the others to each other. If she was willing to abandon Spike in his time of need, what was to say she would not do the same to anypony else.

A sudden eagerness to leave the hospital, and get back to her library filled the unicorn. She felt utterly alone in the harsh, sterile environment. She wanted to curl up in her own bed with a book, and forget everything about magic books, nightmares, and her own ineptitude.

Twilight muffled a sob, not wanting to wake her current roommates. She went to bring a foreleg to her eyes, but stopped when she found that an odd tension was keeping her from fully extending it. Worried as to why, Twilight quickly sat up, tossing the rough sheets from her. But the action caused what felt like fire to spread across her midsection.

Twilight groaned in pain, instantly falling back to the bed.

Cranning her neck downwards, she found herself covered nearly neck to tail in bandages. Her purple coat practically invisible beneath a sea of white covering. All trace of self-loathing vanishing in an instant, replaced by both pain, and panic.

“What the hay happened?!” Twilight yelled, throat screaming in protest, completely forgetting about the two sleeping members of her room, to worried about her poor state. When she did remember she clamped down on her muzzle with a hoof, struggling with the bandages that tried to keep her forelegs from even moving an inch. But the damage had already been done.

“H-Huh?” Rarity mumbled groggily, as she woke with a stretch, the usual ladylike facade of the white unicorn non-existant in her throes of only slight consciousness.

Twilight offered a nervous smile of apology, as her eyes met her friends, “G-Good morning?” She asked lamely.

“T-Twilight?!” Rarity exclaimed, all trace of grogginess gone in an instant. The exclamation serving to rouse the sleeping dragon beneath her.

“Whaa?” Spike moaned, “What’s the big deal?” He asked as he wiped his eyes before he looked over towards Twilight, “Twilight?!” He mirrored Rarity in both tone, and voice.

Twilight watched slightly confused, as both Rarity, and Spike rushed over to her. The white unicorn, rearing up as she got close. It was obvious she was getting ready to give Twilight a hug, but the white unicorn quickly stopped short. Twilight saw her friend look at her bandages before letting out a curt cough of embarrassment as she lowered herself back to the floor. Spike did similar motions.

“Oh my, I almost forgot.” Rarity mumbled, “Sorry darling, I almost did something terrible without thinking. It would have been positively dreadful if I re opened all those nasty cuts. It’s just...Oh, well we-we were starting to think you weren’t going to wake up.” She finished with a sniffle.

“Cuts? Not wake up?” Twilight asked, brief visions of her dream returning. But she quickly shook them loose. ‘It was a dream, stop thinking it was real Twilight’, she told herself.

Rarity titled her head as if she were confused, “Do you not-?” She caught herself mid sentence before looking at the door, “One moment dear, let me get the others. They’re all waiting in the lobby, we’ve been taking turns staying in the room with you. Those boorish doctors told us that they didn’t want all of us in the room at the same time, the uncaring brutes.” She finished with a dainty huff.

“But I digress.” She continued, “Oh, they’ll be ecstatic your awake, I can’t keep you all to myself can I? Be right back darling.” She finished in her typical sing-song fashion, which managed to bring a slight smile to Twilight’s face. Without another word, Rarity uncharacteristically rushed out of the room. Twilight listened to her friends running hooves echo loudly down the hall until they slowly faded away into nothingness.

With Rarity gone, Twilight turned to Spike. She wanted some answers, and Spike was the only one she could figure would know exactly what was going on. He was the last to see her awake after all.

“Spike, what the hay happened?” Twilight asked looking at the purple dragon who had managed to clamber up onto the hospital bed. Though he remained near the foot, which brought a brief pang of hurt to the purple unicorn. But she quickly reasoned that he was afraid of reopening her supposed wounds as well, and suppressed the negative feeling before it grew.

“You mean you don’t remember?” Spike asked, his voice close to tears. The forlorn sound threatened to make Twilight tear up again as well.

Twilight merely shook her head, not trusting her voice to not crack. Twilight saw that her answer was not the one Spike wanted to hear. He stared down at the bed, and sighed fiddling with his claws.

“Spike whats wrong?” Twilight asked, worry starting to hammer away at her mind, “What happened?” A long list of possible scenarios started to flicker through her mind, each worse than the last.

“Wha? Nothing!” Spike answered readily, “Well, not nothing...but...” Spike paused for a brief second as if he was trying to find the right words, “we were all just kind of hoping you could have told us. Cause we don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” Twilight repeated slowly, unsure of what to make of the answer.

Spike was the one to shake his head this time, seemingly ashamed that he could not provide Twilight with an answer, “Sorry Twilight.”

“It’s ok Spike, it’s not your fault or anyth-” Twilight started but was interrupted by the door to her room being flung open violently.

“Twilight! Oh my gosh, you are awake!” A voice that could have only belonged to Pinkie Pie exclaimed, a pink blur rushing into the room. Twilight had to fight not to flinch as she came muzzle to muzzle with the all pink pony before the door had even managed to crash into the wall,

“Oh man, oh man. I knew it!” Pinkie pie exclaimed as she bounced up, and down in place, a grin spread from cheek to cheek, “My back’s been itchy for hours, and you know what that means. This is soo great, I’d give you a hug, and all, but Rarity keeps telling me not to. Something about bandages...” She finished with a pout before getting right up to Twilight’s ear to whisper, “You know. I think the hospital is turning her into a party pooper,” Pinkie made sure to emphasize the last two words as strongly as she could, “She keeps yelling at me whenever I try and do anything fun!” The party pony finished with a shudder, her smile disappearing for the smallest of instants.

“You don’t say?” Twilight feigned surprise, suppressing a giggle. She could not help but feel her mood rise, Pinkie’s boundless energy rubbing off on the unicorn. Even her ills seemed to lessen considerably.

“Yeah!” Pinkie replied, nodding so fast Twilight was sure she would give herself a concussion, But the earth pony continued on without a hitch, “So it’s really good your awake so we can leave, and get her away from here. I tried finding her some medicine for it. Ya know, since this was a hospital and all, but I couldn’t find a single thing to cure her. Which doesn’t really seem like a good thing for a hospital, you know? They should probably try, and fix that.” Pinkie stopped for a breath for the briefest of moments, “But anyway, what I wanted to say was that; Twilight your going to just love the par-.”

Twilight cocked an eye in confusion, as she watched Pinkie freeze. The pink ponies eyes, and mouth going wide, as if in complete shock, “Um, Pinkie?” She asked concerned, not exactly sure what had happened to illicit such a reaction out of her friend.

“Oh my gosh. I forgot, I can’t believe it!” Pinkie yelled, pacing around the room a distressed look across her face, “I mean I know I was all concerned, and stuff. But that made me just want to do it more, and, more, and, and, and, and...Oh my gosh, how could I forgot the par-. I-I I forgot the par-. But Pinkie Pie never forgets a par-. ” The pink pony could not seem to finish the last word of her sentence for the life of her. Every time she tried, her voice cut out, and she let out a soft whine.

“Pinkie?” Twilight called out, trying to get through to her energetic friend.

“Be right back Twilight! Don’t. Go. Anywhere!” Pinkie commanded, as if she did not hear the unicorn at all. Without another word she dashed out of the room in another blur of pink, leaving a speechless Twilight to wonder what the hay had just happened.

“Pinkie Pie! How many times have I told you to stop running around!” Twilight heard Rarity’s voice yell through the hallway, “This is a hospital for Celestia’s sake. Could you at least try and be courteous to the patients? Honestly.” The fashionista finished with an annoyed huff, her voice a normal pitch as she walked into Twilight’s room.

“I don’t know why you keep trying Rarity. You know she doesn’t listen.” Rainbow Dash replied, the cyan pegasus close on the unicorn’s flank.

“Hmph.” Rarity huffed again, “You say that like I don’t already know Rainbow. But if I say these things enough something is bound to stick eventually. I’m telling you, it’ll work, and I’ll get that pony to calm down, if only a little bit.”

Rainbow laughed, “Oh that’s rich. Get her to calm down? That’s like saying your going to move a lightning cloud with your bare hooves. And that’s impossible. In case you didn’t know, I mean that’s only natural and all. Since it is a-.”

“Pegasus thing.” Rarity finished as if she were bored, “That’s what you always say darling, can’t you think of anything new for once?”

“What?!” Rainbow exclaimed, stamping a hoof on the ceramic floor before she quickly rounded on Rarity, “Do you really wanna do this? Here? Really?”

“Why, whatever do you mean Rainbow? I’m not doing anything. I’m just talking.” Rarity replied a knowing smirk on her face.

Twilight watched the exchange wondering if she should do anything. On one hoof she was a little saddened that two of her best friends had decided to start one of their signature arguments in the middle of her hospital room. It seemed in poor taste when Twilight was injured, and unable to remember exactly what had happened to her. But on the other hoof, the familiar sight was a welcome distraction from her own thoughts. The act playing out in front of the unicorn was quite amusing, as they always were.

“U-Um, girls. Do you really think this is the time to be arguing?” Twilight could barely Fluttershy’s soft voice over the increasingly loud duo. When they paid no attention to the timid pegasus Twilight heard her continue, if only barely, “O-Oh, ok... I-I guess it is then. Well don’t get to loud ok? There are sick ponies that need their sleep.”

Twilight watched as the yellow pony squeezed through the tight space between the hospital room’s door, and where Rarity, and Rainbow had decided to have their argument. In the her mouth was a bouquet of tulips of various colors, and Twilight cringed as the idea of food made her stomach roll.

“Hi Fluttershy.” Twilight greeted the pegasus when she reached her bedside, fighting the feeling to throw up.

“Oh,Twilight. It’s so good to see you awake, I-We’ve all been so worried.” Fluttershy answered softly setting the bouquet on the bedside table.

“How long have I been asleep?” Twilight asked.

“It’s almost been a whole day now.” Fluttershy answered, raising a foreleg to Twilight’s forehead as if to check the unicorn’s temperature, “How are you feeling? Do you want me to get a doctor?” She asked worriedly.

“No-No that’s ok...” Twilight lied with a slight sigh, her middle was still burning, but she did not want to worry anypony, “I have a slight headache, and my stomach doesn’t feel to great. But other than that, I’m ok.”

“Hah!” Rainbow Dash’s voice suddenly shouted victoriously, her argument with Rarity seemingly forgotten as she winged her way over to the bed opposite Fluttershy, “I was right! You were drinking weren’t you?”

“What?! No I wasn’t.” Twilight answered slightly offended at Dash’s accusation. Though it was to be expected. Rainbow Dash was probably the least tactful pony in all of Equestria.

“Then what did happen?” Dash pressed, “I really gotta know.”

“Rainbow Dash! Stop that this instant.” Rarity yelled at the rainbow maned pegasus, “The poor dear has just woken up from an obviously terrible ordeal, and your peppering her with questions about her getting drunk. That is just not what you do at all.”

“What?” Rainbow replied shaking her wings in annoyance, “We’re all wondering it arn’t we? She’s awake now, so let’s get some answers Twilight!”

“I-I don’t remember...” Twilight admitted sullenly, more images from her nightmare flashed through her head, but she suppressed them as quickly as they appeared.

“You don’t remember?” Dash repeated slowly, and Twilight could tell the pegasus was trying her best not to laugh, “So let me get this straight, you have a headache. You feel like your going to throw up, and you don’t remember last night. And your gonna lay there, and tell me you weren’t drinking at all.”

“Dash!” Rarity yelled again, “Be more considerate for Celestia’s sake.”

“What?” Rainbow again shook her wings in annoyance, “You saw the library too, it’s just like last time, remember?”

Rarity huffed, her cheeks going red in embarrassment, “I thought we agreed to never mention that particular night ever. Again. Dash.”

“But it was funny!” Rainbow exclaimed defensively.

Twilight opened her mouth to stop the escalating fight between the two but she was beaten to the punch by a newcomer to the room, “Now girls. Ah know you two jus’ love ta go at each other like a pair of ornery old bulls. But yer friend is in the hospital right now. So why don’tcha act like yer the grown mares ya are, and quit the bickerin’.”

Applejack admonished the pair, a scowl that could cower a dragon on her face as she strode into the room with several pairs of saddlebags laid across her back. Instantly the two fighting ponies stopped, both looking as if they had been on the receiving end of a nice kick in the flank. Twilight gave the earth pony a look of gratitude, which was met in kind.

“S-Sorry Twilight.” Rainbow was the first to apologize, as she scratched her neck in embarrassment, “You know how I get...” She added lamely, as if she realized how bad the excuse was before it was even was out of her mouth.

“Me too dear. I feel absolutely dreadful. I don’t know what came over me.”

“It’s ok girls.” Twilight spoke with a smile, trying to allay their guilt as much as she could. It took Twilight a second to realize a key piece of information from the two mares’ spat, “What did you say about my library?” She inquired, a knot forming in her stomach.

No pony rose to answer the question. Twilight split her worried gaze evenly between each of her friends. But each looked away from her every time she tried to meet their eyes. It was Spike who broke the silence, “Our rooms totally wrecked!”

“What? How?” Twilight asked as she thought of giant black claws, and glowing red coffins.

“Well I dunno.” Spike continued, “I went to sleep as soon as I made sure you were ok last night. Next thing I know Pinkie’s waking me up going crazy about you being hurt. And then I look up and there’s giant holes in the roof, and the wall. I didn’t even hear anything at all during the night.”

“What?” Twilight repeated. She felt sicker than ever, as more images from her nightmare ran through her mind, “But that was a dream...” She mumbled quietly looking down at her bandage covered body, the memory of being assaulted by glass and wood making her shudder.

“What was that sugarcube?” Applejack asked worriedly, bringing Twilight back to reality.

“Nothing!” Twilight yelped quickly, not wanting to explain her horrible nightmare to her friends. At least not yet, not until she felt capable of telling the story in a coherent fashion, and definitely not while she was fighting an ever increasing doubt that last night’s escapades were not in fact a dream like she desperately wanted to believe.

Twilight winced when she caught Applejack’s eye. The orange earth pony was giving her a disapproving stare. Twilight quickly averted her gaze, she knew her friend did not believe her, and the guilt of lying did not do a single thing to help get her over sickly feelings. But Twilight was not surprised, her friend was the Element of Honesty after all. There was never getting anything past the earth pony. Thankfully Applejack did not pursue the question, but Twilight knew it was not the end of it, it was only a matter of time until she had to come clean.

“So ya don’t remember anything at all Twi?” Applejack asked in a tone that seemed to convey the fact that she did, in fact, know Twilight was keeping a secret.

Twilight grimaced, “No?” She replied, the word coming out as more of a question than a reply, and it was then that she decided to talk, “Well, kind of...but it’s all a jumbled mess, and I don’t think I can explain it at all right now.” She came as clean as she was willing to. The act actually managing to bring slight tinge of relief to the unicorn.

“Don’t push yourself on our account Twilight. It’s to be expected honestly, take your time, you can tell as all about it when you’re all better, and out of this dreadful place.” Rarity said consolingly. There was a round of confirmations from everyone else in the room.

“Thank you all...” Twilight murmured appreciatively, a smile gracing her lips.

A stern cough from the hospital door, brought an abrupt halt to the heartwarming moment. Everypony in the room turned to look at the originator, and Twilight was not surprised to see a white coated unicorn stallion standing there in full doctor’s garb.

“Good evening girls. I’m sorry for interrupting, but since our patient here is awake now, I’d like to give her a quick checkup.” The doctor said apologetically.

“Is that really necessary?” Rarity asked slightly put-off, “Shouldn’t she be able to rest, and spend time with her friends?”

“Yeah, all you guys keep doing is telling us we can’t see our friend, when she’s obviously hurting. That’s not right!” Rainbow added, flexing her wings and taking a hostile stance.

“I’m sorry girls, but this is necessary.” The doctor answered unfazed by Rainbow’s grandstanding, “I have to make sure your friend here hasn’t reopened any of her wounds. It’s quite common for patients to do when they wake up in a place they don’t recognize. I do also have to remind you that visiting hours are technically over. I know we agreed to let one of you stay with your friend at all times. But we do have all the other rules to be followed. Again I apologize”

“Hmph, well at least you apologized, that’s loads better than that other doctor that came in before.” Rarity replied.

“It’s ok girls. I’ll be fine, it’s only one more night.” Twilight chimed in before anyone else had a chance to speak. She did not want another fight to break out while, especially not with the staff. That, and she was more than slightly concerned about what the doctor said. Her midsection was still hurting quite badly, and she worried that might have indeed reopened whatever wounds were there.

“Are you sure darling?” Rarity questioned.

“I’m sure, thank you for caring though.” Twilight said with a smile, trying to press the point that everything was going to be fine.

“Well, if your absolutely sure....” Rarity replied, Twilight could tell she was not happy with the idea but she knew her unicorn friend was not going to keep arguing.

“I’m sure.” Twilight repeated, “Besides, the quicker they have a chance to look at me, the quicker I can leave isn’t that right?” She asked, looking straight at the doctor.

“You’ll be out of her soon enough, you have my word on that. But, that will only happen if we can make sure none of those nasty scrapes have managed to reopen themselves.” The doctor answered with a smile, “Now if you could please let me have some time alone with Miss Sparkle?”

“Fine.” Rainbow was the first to answer, her tone still hostile, “You better not be lying about getting Twilight outta here soon. C’mon Fluttershy.”

“O-Ok...” Fluttershy answered meekly as she went to follow Rainbow though she paused before she went out the door, “Remember to take it easy Twilight, and make sure you get lots of rest. We’ll be in the lobby if you need us, ok?”

“Yes, don’t hesitate to call at all darling. We’re all here for you, don’t you forget that. Even if some of us.” She whispered as she looked at the retreating form of Rainbow Dash quickly before turning back to Twilight, “Are not very good at showing it.”

Twilight smiled, “Thanks everypony.”

“It’s the least we could do Twilight. That’s what friends are for, is it not?” Rarity finished, before she too went and followed Fluttershy out.

“Ya don’t mind if ah stick around do ya doc?” Applejack pipped up, Twilight looked over to see her staring at her knowingly, and Twilight winced.

“Hmm? No I don’t mind, it is what we agreed upon after all. As long as Miss Sparkle is ok with it that is.”

“No, of course I don’t mind.” Twilight answered trying to not let her hesitation show in her voice. She did not like thinking about having to talk with about her possibly not-dream quite yet, but knew that Applejack would not let it rest until Twilight came clean. She was quite single-minded sometimes, and Twilight found it best to just go along with the earth pony instead of trying to fight her a long time ago.

“Alright then. Spike, c’mon let’s get outta the Doc’s way fer now.” Applejack smiled at Twilight as she made her way to the chair Rarity had been occupying not ten minutes before.

“Ah...right, good idea.” Spike said nodding, quickly hopping off the hospital bed.

“Ok then, let’s get started shall we?” The doctor started as he walked to stand beside Twilight’s bed, “My name is Dr. Lifesaver Miss Sparkle, and this shouldn’t take to long, and there’s nothing you need to worry about, ok? Now, I’m going to lift you up slightly with my magic, is that ok with you?”

“Mmm, yes that’s fine.” Twilight answered, and almost immediately she felt her body lift up. A slight tingling feeling spreading throughout her as she felt the other unicorn’s magic cover her.

“Ok, good, now just relax a bit for me, and this will be over before you know it.” Dr. Lifesaver spoke gently as he looked over her bandaged form, “Now, is there anywhere in particular that’s hurting you at the moment Miss Sparkle?”

“Um, well my middle does really bad. I sat up really fast earlier, and I think I might have reopened something like you said.”

“Ah, ok then let’s take a look then shall we?” The doctor asked rhetorically, and instantly Twilight felt the bandages around her midsection start to unwrap, “Hmm, well it doesn’t look like you managed to break any of the stitches. The movement probably just irritated the area. How would you rate the pain? Would you like some painkillers?”

“Um, it’s not too bad. At least not anymore...” Twilight trailed off. In reality it still did hurt quite a bit, but Twilight never was one to take any kind of medicine, it always seemed to end up making her worse off than before, “How bad is it doctor?” She asked worriedly.

“You shouldn’t worry at all, you’ll make a full recovery. There were definitely a lot of cuts, but thankfully none of them were deep at all. We did have to remove quite a bit of glass shards, and splinters, but there were no complications with the procedure. I can safely say there won’t be any scarring or the like.”

“Oh thank Celestia.” Twilight let out a sigh of relief she did not even know she was keeping in. The thought of potential scaring had not even crossed the injured unicorn’s mind at any point.

“Well then, I’m all done here.” Lifesaver announced after a few more moments of checking Twilight, “Your wounds are already healing quite nicely. You should be back on your hooves in no time, we could probably even let you go tomorrow or the next day. Provided you promise to be careful with your movements for at least a week or two.” The doctor continued with a warm smile as he re-wrapped all the bandages he had taken off, “Did you have any other questions you wanted to ask? Or would you like to rest now?”

“Um, I’d like to rest if that’s ok? I don’t really have any other questions.” Twilight replied.

“Very well, if you need anything just press that button right down here.” Lifesaver said as he put Twilight back down onto the hospital bed gently, then indicated a large red button on the side of the bed, “Press it, and someone is sure to come.”

“Thank you doctor.”

“Don’t mention it Miss Sparkle. I’m just doing my job. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a few more patients to see before the night is over.” Lifesaver said as he turned from Twilight, and walked out, “Have a good night.” He finished before closing the door behind him.

“Are ya sure yer feelin’ ok Twi? Ya sure don’t look it sugarcube.” Applejack started worriedly as soon as the door was shut.

“I’m ok, honest AJ.” Twilight answered, “It’s just my stomach, it hurts a bit. But I didn’t want to take any drugs. I don’t do very well with them.”

“Ah...well if yer sure about that, then ah guess it’s ok.”

“It’s not so bad, I just have to make sure I don’t move to much.” Twilight said with a weak giggle, trying to lighten the mood. She was worried how the coming conversation was going to go.

Silence reigned supreme over the room for the briefest of moments. Though to Twilight’s over active mind, it seemed to stretch on into infinity. It was only until Applejack got up, and started rummaging through the saddlebags she had laid on the floor, that Twilight could focus on something other than the overbearing silence.

Twilight watched as Applejack pulled out the black book from before, “What do ya know about this here book, Twi?” Applejack mouthed around the book, her voice so distorted from the intrusion, that Twilight could barely register what she had said.

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out.” Twilight mumbled, she did not want to have to deal with this now. But she supposed it was better to get it over with now, than have to deal with it later, “Did you look inside of it?” Twilight wondered aloud, unsure exactly why she had asked.

“Ah sure did.” Applejack answered, setting the book down next to Twilight.

“Um...” Twilight fumbled for the right words before settling on, “Did anything weird happen?”

Applejack nodded, “Sure did. Got the worst headache ah ever had the displeasure of gettin’.”

“You too, huh?” Twilight mumbled, as she reached for her magic. For a second she worried that it would not come to her, just like it had abandoned her in her dream. But she was pleasantly surprised when that familiar tingle made itself known. With a new found smile, she grasped the book in her magic and opened it, which immediately made her smile falter. Another of the circles had lit up, this one glowed orange.

“So lemme guess. That purple one lit up when ya looked inside?” Applejack asked, peering over Twilight’s shoulder to look at the book as well.

Twilight nodded, to engrossed in potential meanings for the lit circles to answer her friend.

“Spike told me, that ya went to sleep after ya looked inside it. And ya don’t remember anything after that?”

“No, nothing.” Twilight answered shaking her head, “All I remember is having a really bad nightmare, and then I woke up here.”

“Well ain’t that the darnedest thing. Don’tcha think ya should tell the Princess about this book doohicky. Seems to me it’s bad mojo.”

“No!” Twilight exclaimed hastily. She was starting to come to the frightening conclusion that she had actually lived last night’s horrors, and until she was certain she wanted as few ponies as possible to know about the magical black book. Especially her mentor. If that world was no dream, and Twilight was unable to use magic, there was a chance that the Princess would be unable to as well. The purple unicorn could not, and would not, show the book to Celestia on the off chance that the Princess would be transported to that weird place if she herself looked into the book. If her mentor ever got hurt because of her, Twilight would never be able to live with herself.

“Are ya totally sure about that Twi?” Applejack pressed again, and Twilight could tell the earth pony was more than a little apprehensive about the book.

“I’m sorry AJ, but yes, I’m sure. I can’t really explain it right now, but I can’t tell anypony about this. Not even the others, this has to stay a secret for now, until I can figure out more about whatever this thing is.” Twilight answered firmly. With a quick thought she took the book, and put it under her pillow, to make sure no one would chance a look at it.

“Well alright Twi, ah’ll keep it a secret for now. But ah gotta tell ya. I don’t have a good feeling about this whole thing.”

‘Me neither.’ Twilight thought, but kept from saying aloud. She knew Applejack was not the most stoic of ponies when it came to being involved with magic. But Twilight did not want to cause her friend anymore stress than she already had. ‘Though’ Twilight continued to think, ‘if last night was potentially real, would Applejack be sent to that world now as well?’ She wondered solemnly.

“Your going to stay here in the room tonight, right Applejack?” Twilight inquired.

“Of course sugarcube. Ah ain’t gonna leave ya alone in this dang hospital. T’wouldn’t be right at all.”

“Alright, good.” Twilight said with a nod. If that otherworld was indeed not a dream, Twilight would make sure she protected Applejack from the monsters that lived there.

Princess Luna was not in a good mood.

The alicorn had spent all of yet another day listening to ponies do everything from begging for her help on one matter or another, to outright yelling at her for things she had no control over. Both of which were done with such fright that Luna was surprised the ponies that came to see her, were even able to talk at all. Especially the ones that liked to yell, and curse. By the time evening rolled around, she was so frustrated with the going-ons of the kingdom for the umpteenth time. That she was, for once, thankful most ponies went to sleep during her nights. It meant she could take a break without feeling too bad for the few ponies that did try, and seek her out when the moon was high in the sky.

“How did Celestia manage to do this day, and night for a thousand years...” Luna muttered to herself as she closed the ornate throne room doors behind her. The thought of her thousand year banishment no more than a cursory thought in her mind now. A wonderful fact that made her smile brightly to herself whenever she thought of it.

It had been quite some time since she was freed from that awful Nightmare’s grasp, and she had never felt better. Though that was not to say It was still hard for the alicorn to adjust to the day to day of modern Equestria, a lot had obviously changed in a thousand years. But every day she found herself catching up more, and more. It was only a matter of time before she would feel confident enough to make more public appearances in her kingdom. She had a lot of image saving to do, so ponies would start trusting her again.

It also helped that her elder sister had began to trust her explicitly ever since Luna’s return. So much so, that Celestia had trusted her to run the kingdom for a whole week while the Sun Princess acted as an intermediary between the Dragon tribes, and the Gryphons. It did wonders for Luna’s self-esteem.

“Though it did seem like such a grander proposition a few days ago...” Luna again muttered to the empty air as she strode towards the western tower where her room had been located. Running the entire country during the day was so much more work than watching over Equestria at night.

“Your highness!” Memo, Luna’s personal assistant called out. Luna let out a slight sigh but did not stop her pace. The Moon Princess had already decided she was done holding court for the day, and any pony who wanted her for her usual night court could go eat a barrel of hayseeds for all she cared. The Princess of the Night needed rest, and she was going to get it, no other pony was going to tell her otherwise.

“Yes?” Luna asked simply, as her assistant caught up to her.

“Where are you going your highness? Isn’t court still in session?” The brown pegasus stallion asked.

“We...” Luna started but stopped quickly, wincing. If there was one thing the Moon Princess was having the most trouble getting used to, it was definitely the current day vernacular, “I.” She corrected herself, “Am canceling tonight’s court. I am tired, and I would like to rest for at least a night. I have been going non-stop ever since Celestia left a few days ago.”

“Ah...I see.” Memo replied, “Very well, I will see to it that everypony knows not to disturb you, your highness.”

“Thank you Memo.” Luna replied with a grateful sigh.

“But there is one thing your highness.” Memo asked, and Luna could hear him rummaging around in one of the saddlebags he always carried around with him wherever he went as they walked.

“And what is that?” Luna inquired.

“This, your highness.” Memo stated pulling out a sealed letter, that Princess Luna instantly recognized as a letter from Twilight Sparkle, her sisters little protege, “The maids cleaning Princess Celestia’s room were scared witless when it appeared out of nowhere. They thought you should take a look at it, since Princess Celestia isn’t here at the moment.”

“Hmm...” Princess Luna mused as she took the letter from Memo with her magic. Luna thought it odd that the letter would have gone to her sister’s room, instead of straight to the elder alicorn like usual. ‘Perhaps it is because she is so far away?’ Luna reasoned, as she stared at the rolled up parchment.

“Should I have it sent to Princess Celestia by courier?” Memo asked.

“Thank you but no. I will take care of it Memo. Thank you though.” Luna said as she undid the seal without care. It was not the first time Luna had conveniently pre-read a letter meant for her sister from Twilight, and she had gotten quite good at replacing the seal on them. As far as Luna was concerned, she placed as much value in the purple unicorn as her sister did. Saving one from a living nightmare, and giving her another chance at living in society did tend to do that to a pony. It was only right if she be allowed to read the mare’s letters as well. Even if her sister did not know she did it.

However Luna was unprepared for the cryptic words contained within, and as she read the short letter she dropped the scroll almost immediately upon finishing.

Princess Celestia,

Twilight’s hurt library wrecked Ponyville hospital.

Spike

“Your highness? Is everything ok?” Memo asked deeply concerned.

“Prepare a chariot Memo. I am visiting Ponyville first thing in the morning.” Luna commanded before she teleported the rest of the way to her tower, her tiredness replaced by anxiety, not bothering to hear Memo’s reply. Confident that he would do as she asked. Luna had her own preparations to make before she rose the sun in the morning.

The Velvet Room

Chapter 3 - The Velvet Room

“Don’tcha think ya should try, and get some rest Twi?”

“Uh huh...” Twilight answered absentmindedly. In truth she had no idea what her friend had actually said, her focus completely on the black book she held in front of her face. The purple light of her magic doing surprisingly well to gently illuminate the darkened room. Her sight had yet to dull from their hypersensitivity, and as a result all the lights, save a small beside lamp were mercifully shut off.

As she stared at the pages with all of her concentration, Twilight held onto a glimmer of hope that if she looked at the odd glowing circles, and ominous lines long enough, some sort of breakthrough would hit her. Then in a stroke of genius she would figure out all of it’s potential secrets in one smooth thought, and she would no longer have a thing to worry about it. She could go back to being the boring old librarian of Ponyville, spending days doing mudane tasks, and laughing with her friends. And she would most definietly not be the bed-ridden invalid she was now. The same invalid who was starting to believe that there existed twenty-five hours in a day instead of twenty-four. It was a foal’s errand, Twilight knew that, but it did not stop her from trying.

“Ah know ya said, ya wanted to stay up all night, and all.” Applejack spoke, Twilight barely registered the movement of hooves, “But ya look terrible sugarcube, ya should really try and get some sleep.”

“I can’t, I told you that...” Twilight argued lamely. In the past few hours she had explained to Applejack the ins and outs of her nightmare, leaving nothing out. She wanted to make sure her friend knew everything that could potentially happen to them tonight. It was clear during Twilight’s recantation that Applejack thought the unicorn had knocked a few screws loose during whatever had hospitalized Twilight. But the injured pony was thankful that her friend had mercifully held her tongue.

It was after her tale, that Twilight had resolved to stay up all night. The plan seemed to be the most logical move for the young unicorn. The only reliable conclusion she could gleam from her ordeal the previous night was that it had obviously happened at some point during the moon lit hours. However, as determined as she was to see the night through, it was harder than the unicorn had thought it would be. Somehow, even after sleeping for nigh on fifteen hours or so, Twilight was still exhausted.

“Ah know ya did Twi. But if this dream world ya told me about is really as dangerous as you said. Goin’ in exhausted is sure ta get ya hurt even worse than you are now.” Applejack said as she closed the book with her hooves, taking it away from Twilight’s magical grasp, “Stop bein’ a silly filly sugarcube, ah told ya I’d stay up, and wake ya if anything did happen.”

Twilight was unable to even summon enough energy to protest the stealing of her book, “I-,” She yawned before she sighed, “Maybe your right...” She admitted, as she eased herself down slowly from her sitting position without complaint. Her stomach had stopped hurting at some point during her conversation with Applejack, and Twilight was trying her hardest to keep it from happening again.

“A’course ah am Twi.” Applejack replied with a slight grin, as she walked back to her seat. Disappearing into the darkness of the corner.

“But...” Twilight yawned again, as she pulled her covers over her. Admitting to herself that it was probably a good idea to go to sleep had opened the flood gates as it were, and she could feel herself going under already, “Won’t you be tired if you stay up though?” She mumbled, fighting to keep her eyelids from drooping.

“Ah shucks Twi. Ah been up many a night workin’. T’won’t be nothin’ at all. Don’tcha worry about it.”

“If you say so Applejack...” Twilight muttered, before she succumbed to the sweet embrace of sleep.

Twilight was surrounded, in every cardinal direction, by white. Even the space below her seemed to be made up of the absence of color. No matter which way she turned, and no matter how long she seemed to walk for she could not, for the life of her, find a path out of the seemingly soul crushing void. She felt as if at any moment the whiteness would solidify around her and squeeze the life from her. Or the invisible ground beneath her hooves would give way, and she would fall through the endless expanse of white space for eternity.

Whenever Twilight had thought of what a void could possibly be, she had always though it as a black expanse of nothingness. The thought had always scared her to think about. An expanse of nothing to see but darkness was a terrifying thought to anypony surely. But something about the whiteness of this particular infinity terrified the purple unicorn much more than if she had been experiencing a similar one in black. It felt as though she could see everything there was to see, yet at the same time there was nothing to actually see. It messed with her thoughts, and made her eyes hurt far more than any hospital light could.

Then, suddenly, a blue light appeared on the horizon as if a switch had miraculously turned on. Though Twilight was unsure if such a place could actually have a horizon since she seemed to be walking in the exact middle a giant invisible cube. However she quickly suppressed her over active thought processes. Color had appeared in her land of white, it could very well mean an escape from this place. She had no time to waste on thinking, a second too late and the light could disappear, and she would be trapped again. She raced to it as fast as she could.

Even though the blue dot had been just a spec when she first saw it. Twilight found herself arriving at her destination in record time. It seemed like she had only been running for all of ten seconds before she almost careened face first into the blue mass. The fact did little to quell her apprehensions about the void space.

Twilight looked up at the colored object, and quickly concluded that she had found a door. The tallest door she had ever seen in fact, it towered over her some three or four times more than even Canterlot Castle’s large doors. But she cared little for such a fact. She had found her way out, she thought with hidden glee. But upon closer inspection she was dismayed to find that there was no handle. Cursing Twilight kicked the teasing exit way in frustration, then watched in surprise as the door slowly opened by itself.

Twilight looked into the door dismayed, she could see nothing on the other side. Only more white. However this white seemed to sparkle, and glow, almost as if it would lead Twilight somewhere else like some sort of mystical portal. The purple unicorn hesitated on the cusp of the infinity around her, and the infinity that seemed to exist beyond the door. She had trouble determining which would ultimately be the better option. She was safe here in this void, sure her eyes hurt. But she could close them, and all would be ok. Twilight had no idea what lay beyond the glowing light in the doorway. For all she knew it would take her to that otherworld, right into the grotesque arms of a giant black goo creature, and she would die a horrible death.

But before she could continue her internal debate, she felt a curious wind pick up around her. Twilight could see her mane start to be pulled towards the opened door. It happened gently at first, but quickly the strange pull gained in intensity. She tried to fight it, but in the space of a few seconds the sucking wind was already too strong for her to move away. Quickly she tried to use magic, but for the second time in less than a day, Twilight found herself unable to do so. With a brief cry of surprise Twilight felt herself lift off the ground like she was nothing more than a feather, and could only watch as she was slowly pulled into the doorway.

With a dull thump, Twilight found herself deposited rather harshly onto a lush carpet of sea blue. With a light groan, she picked herself up eager to find out where she was now. However a plush blue chair, several heads taller than she, was was directly in front of her effectively blocking most of her vision of her new accommodations. Twilight was moderately surprised that she had not crashed into it during her deposition into the room.

“Ah, it seems our guest has finally arrived. I was wondering when you would find your way to this place.” A light male voice interrupted her wondering.

Twilight looked around for the owner of the voice, but from her position behind the chair, she had little luck in doing so. Cautiously she moved around the giant upholstery, eager to find somepony she could talk to. The white void had left her wanting physical contact desperately.

As she rounded the chair she took note of her surroundings in better detail. The room was a small thing, no bigger than her bedroom back at the library. Each wall was covered in fine silk drapery of the same blue as the carpet. Each piece of fabric rippling slightly as if constantly being disturbed by a calm unseen, and unfelt, wind. A large chandelier hung high in the ceiling, and again each light bulb atop the ornate decoration was blue. It seemed as if she traded in one void, for another just of a different color. Though, she reasoned, at least this one had comfortable looking furniture, and ground beneath her hooves. It also had another pony to talk to, or rather she had thought it had been a pony, and not the thing she had laid her eyes on.

Thing was the only noun Twilight could use to describe the creatures, for there were two of them, that were before her adequately. One sat down in a chair similar to the one she stood next two, a smile on his coatless face. The other stood beside, and a little behind, the other’s chair stoically on it’s forelegs. It was incredibly tall, and stared down at her impassively, it’s stare unnerving her.

“Please. Don’t be afraid, come. Sit down.” The sitting thing spoke, his warm inviting voice betraying the oddity that was his very being. The sitting thing motioned with what Twilight could only suspect was it’s foreleg towards the chair she was standing beside. But the action by the strange being only served to elevate the unicorn’s anxiousness. Twilight briefly looked behind her, but the door she had been looking for had seemingly disappeared, much to her displeasure.

“Um...” Twilight started, staring at the creatures, she was unsure exactly what she wanted to say, “What are you?” She asked, her mouth speaking without her brains permission.

If the creatures were offended they did not show it, “Hmm, a reasonable question.” The sitting down creature said his smile growing to almost unbelievable proportions. Twilight stared harder at the speaker, and she shivered as she noticed his eyes, large white orbs with only the smallest of pinpricks of black for iris’, “My name is Igor, and this is the velvet room, of which I am master. Now please, sit down, you are entirely safe here. We have much to discuss, and little time to do so.”

Twilight obliged Igor, she did not understand why, but she felt as if she could actually trust the strange creature. Even with his odd face, and disproportionate body, “Discuss what?” She asked settling into the large chair.

“First things first. A little fortune.” Igor said, bringing up what Twilight could only assume was a foreleg in front of him. It was then that Twilight noticed his hooves were not in fact hooves. Instead several odd spindle looking digits extended from the end of his forelegs, she counted five in total.

“What are those?” Twilight asked, pointing a hoof at his extended foreleg. She was finding herself relaxing into normalcy, and her inquisitive side had come full swing as she examined the odd creatures more closely.

Igor paused, “What these?” He asked, and Twilight watched in awe as the digits moved one of another, curling up into the middle. She nodded excitedly. Igor laughed a little laugh, “We call them hands.” He answered simply. Twilight watched in awe as he brought two of the “hands” together, and with a deft movement created an odd noise not unlike a higher pitched hoof stamp. How she wished she had something to take notes down with. She could just imagine the accolades she would get from discovering a new species. It made her giddy with excitement.

At the odd sound, Twilight was surprised when there was a burst of white light in the middle of Igor’s hands. Where there was nothing, there was now a deck of cards. ‘And it can do magic?!” Twilight thought excitedly, the prospect had instantly erased any of the lingering doubt in her mind that she was in any danger.

“Now then. Let us see what sort of information the cards have to show us shall we?” Igor asked before he immediately tossed the deck of cards high into the air. As soon as the mass of cards filled the air, he swiped a foreleg across the coffee table that separated Twilight from him. Twilight watched in awe as several cards fell into a peculiarly organized fashion across the table, while the rest of the deck fell neatly into an ordered stack well away from the others.

“Now, let us see what the future holds in store for you shall we?” Igor said as he made that hoof stamping noise again. Twilight watched in even more awe as three of the cards flipped over. She stared at them intensely, but frowned when she saw the faces of the cards. They were unlike anything she had ever seen before, each had a solitary picture, almost like a painting. Instead of the atypical clubs, spades, hearts, and diamonds she was used to.

“Hmm...” Igor mused, and Twilight focused on his every word, “Very interesting. The Magician in the upright position, covered slightly by the Emperor also in the upright position, placed above Temperance in the sideways position. Next we have...” He trailed off as he did the hoof stamp noise a third time. The next two cards flipped over.

“The Tower in the upright position. The Lovers atop The Tower also in the upright position. And finally we have...” There was a fourth hoof stamp, and the last card flipped over as Twilight looked hard at the table, trying to understand what the whole display was supposed to be telling her.

“And lastly we have” Igor murmured again to himself, Twilight could almost sense the joy pouring out of him, “Death in the upright position. What an odd reading. I do not think any has been so complex in all my years of divination.”

“What is it supposed to mean?” Twilight asked eagerly. She placed little belief in actual fortune telling. Most ponies that labeled themselves as seers were all phonies looking to make a quick bit off of gullible people. But for some odd reason she could not help but be enthralled by this so called “reading”. She was genuinely excited to see what Igor had to tell her.

“Well, first we have the first set of cards. The Magician is one who is logical, and driven in their pursuits, almost to the exclusion of all else. But covered with the Emperor, The Magician is also a leader, a shining light in the dark to those that gather under The Magician’s banner, whom are signified by The Temperance.” Igor started, “Then we come to the next set of cards. The Tower is a sign of great trials, and hardships. However covered by The Lovers, the power of The Magician’s bonds to others will see The Magician through even the toughest of times. Then we come to the final card. Death in the upright position, is the succumbing to the natural order of things. There will be a profound change in the way The Magician’s world will end up after The Magician’s trials, though for better or for worse the cards do not foresee.”

Twilight could feel her earlier eagerness drain away instantly, “D-Death?” She asked worriedly.

“Yes my dear, Death. However Death is not the be all, end all. Sometimes Death means leaving the old to let the new burst forth. It is not an entirely ill omen. How your world ends up, will ultimately be up to the choices you make in the coming months however.”

“What?” Twilight gulped, again she could not pin down the exact reason why she believed every word this creature had told her. Just that she did, “It’s all up to me?”

“Yes, it is.” Igor stated simply, “Which reminds me.” He “hoof stamped” again, and the cards disappeared, replaced with a single piece of paper attached to a clipboard, “If you would be so kind as to sign this before you go.”

Twilight peered at the paper. It only held one line of text.

I hear by declare that I -blank- take full responsibility for any, and all decisions I make throughout the next year regardless of their consequences.

“What is it for?” Twilight asked warily, as she looked at the large X, and blank line at the bottom where she would put her signature.

“Exactly what it says my dear. There is little room for error. And there is no fine print if that is the cause of your hesitation.”

“Do I have to sign it?” Twilight asked even as she grasped the pen that had appeared beside the contract, in hoof.

“If you would like my help in the days to come, then yes. Your foray into this room is only free this one time. Only contract holders may return a second time.”

“What. What exactly is this place? Aren’t I just dreaming?” Twilight asked leery.

Igor laughed, “Yes you are, but only slightly. The velvet room is a place that exists between dream, and reality. Mind, and matter. Such a common ground makes it much easier for people across many dimensions to find this place.”

“Other dimensions?” Twilight asked with renewed curiosity.

“Yes indeed. But I believe we are straying away from the topic that really matters. Our time is close to ending, if you wish to talk more at another point in time I would suggest you sign the contract.”

“I-” Twilight began but paused when she felt her shoulder shake involuntarily.

“Twi...” Applejack’s voice filtered through the room, and Twilight looked around in surprise trying to find her.

“It appears as if someone is trying to gain your attention in the waking world.” Igor stated, “You will wake up soon, and with it your chance at aid. Unless the contract is signed.”

Twilight put pen to paper, and quickly scrawled her name across the line. She grimaced as she sloppily wrote her name, finding it much harder to write free hoof. She was so used to using magic for everything, not being able to practice was really putting a perspective on how much she relied on it for everything.

“Excellent!” Igor exclaimed “hoof-stamping” again. Twilight flinched slightly as the paper disappeared right in front of her face in a puff of smoke, “Theodore, if you would please.”

“Of course master.” The other, taller, creature answered with a slight bow.

Twilight watched warily, as the creature called Theodore strode over to her. As he neared Twilight tried her hardest to sink farther into the chair. While she was ok in her dealings with Igor, this other one still frightened her. With it’s impassive gaze, and towering height, it was an imposing pair of traits that Twilight could not help but fear.

“This is for you.” Theodore stated simply, and in his hands appeared a tiara not unlike Twilight’s own Element of Magic. He gently placed it upon her head, before quickly rejoining Igor’s side.

“What is it?” Twilight asked, in a vain attempt to look at it while it rested atop her head.

“Think of it as an amplifier. You’ve seen what you are capable of doing have you not? Well this will help you cast those spells without tiring yourself out as much. I must also tell you, whenever you gain one who can use a Persona. Come back to me, I will have something to suit their talents as well.”

“Twi, wake up surgarcube.” Applejack’s voice filtered through the room incredibly worried. Twilight felt her shoulder shake again, this time much more urgently.

“But, now that we are all settled, I do believe you should return to your friend. She seems quite adamant on waking you up. I wish you luck in your endeavors. And I must say, it was a joy conversing with you. Usually those that find their way to the velvet room, are such minimalists when it comes to conversation.” Igor stated his grin going even wider, a feat Twilight did not think was even possible until she was proven otherwise.

With another of his “hoof stamping” motions, the room around Twilight started to disintegrate into tiny spheres of light. Breaking away from the top down, Twilight was unable to even react before the chair under her was whisked away, and she found herself falling into a pit of black.

With a scream, Twilight found herself staring into near darkness. Wide awake. She took a few deep breathes, the feeling of falling still fresh in her mind.

“S-Sorry Twi. Didn’t mean ta frighten ya.” Applejack no longer spoke in the distant way she had sounded when Twilight was in the Velvet Room, “But uh...Ah don’t think you were lyin’ with that story of yers anymore, fer what it’s worth.”

“What, why?” Twilight asked still reeling from her ‘experience’. Twilight could not bring herself to call it a dream, not at this point. It had felt all too real, and she just knew it had been. She briefly wondered if it was one of those ‘gut feelings’ Rainbow was always talking about.

“Well...” Applejack started before taking a one-moment too long pause. Twilight could easily tell just how worried the usually headstrong pony was, “Jus’ take a look.” She said as she motioned to the window.

“All right.” Twilight carefully eased her way out of the hospital bed, though she already noticed the distinct lack of rain coming from outside.

Twilight was surprisingly un-surprised to see the green beams of moonlight filtering through the sides of the closed curtains. She slowly walked towards the lone window in her room, each step sending small shivers of pain up her legs, but she dealt with the minor pains without complain. There were to many other things she had to worry about.

Reaching the curtains, she pulled them back as quickly as she could allow herself to without hurting herself, making a point to not stare at the coffin that had replaced Spike not a few hoofsteps away. Twilight shuddered as she stared out of her hospital room window. The green light of the moon made the forest surrounding the hospital look far more sinister than even the Everfree at night. The solitary cobblestone path into Ponyville abruptly ended in a veil of black as soon as it touched the arch that led into the thick line of trees.

She could she the shadows of creatures skitter through the trees, and over the open grounds deftly. Try as she might, Twilight could never quite get a good enough look at any of the roving shadows tell what kind of creatures they were. But if they were anything like the things she had seen yesterday, the trek into Ponyville to explore was going to be difficult. Still the injured Unicorn knew she had to go, even if it meant putting herself in harms way.

She was the one that had to save Equestria after all. Or at least that was what Igor’s reading had said. Twilight could not help but wonder why she was so readily believing a fortune telling, but thinking about it did little to sway her determination, all that mattered was that she did, and as Celestia was her witness she was going to save her home no matter the cost.

Though that was the big question, she found herself asking inside her mind. She was wholly uncertain what exactly Equestria needed saving from. This special world seemed to have no direct consequence at all on the real one. At least, other than her wounds, and the damage to her library. But if she had never been there to draw the creature’s ire, would anything have even happened? And if every normal pony spent this time in those protected coffin’s how could anything from this side threaten anything from her side?

“Agh I don’t know. None of this makes sense!” Twilight muttered angrily stamping a hoof in frustration, but immediately wished she had not as pain shot up her leg, “Ow...”

“You ok Twi?” Applejack asked trotting over to stand beside Twilight. Out of the corner of her eye Twilight could see her friend’s face go into a look of pure shock as she looked out over the land, “Well ain’t that somethin’...” She trailed off.

“Fine, I’m fine.” Twilight answered hastily before turning to Applejack, “This isn’t a dream right? I need to make sure.”

“Ain’t no dream Twi. I’m sure of it.” Applejack answered confidently, “Though, I do wish it were.” She added a little more hesitantly.

“What happened?” Twilight asked, “You know, when everything changed. You were awake right?”

Applejack nodded, “Sure was. But ah dunno if ah can explain it all too well.” She said turning away from the window, and going to sit down.

“Try, please Applejack. Any bit of information could really help right now. I’m just as blind about this place as you are.” Twilight pleaded, following her friend to sit beside her.

“Well...” Applejack started, bringing a hoof to the back of her neck to scratch it.

Twilight grimaced at the motion, she knew the earth pony did it whenever she was in an uncomfortable position, and the unicorn lamented over the fact that she had not been wise enough to lock the book back up, or do something, anything, to keep other ponies from looking at it. If anything happened to Applejack it was all on her head, and it ate away at her conscense.

“Ah was sittin’ right here.” Applejack motioned to the very chair she was sitting in, “Mindin’ my own business, when suddenly everything went totally quiet. Was the strangest feeling Twi. One moment the rain was going, and I could hear a lot of things goin’ on outside the room, and all. Then next thing ah knew, there was nothing. Was like somepony put the world’s best earplugs on mah head without me knowin’. Then ah noticed the weird green light outside, and remembered ya said that the moon was green, and all. So ah felt ah should wake ya. And here we are.”

“I see...” Twilight murmured. Applejack’s answer had not been a particularly eye opening one for the unicorn, and it disappointed her. Though Twilight could not figure out what it was she had wanted to hear exactly. Perhaps some sort of explanation in magical terms would have been of more value, but she could not fault Applejack for not being able to provide that, she was an earth pony after all. That was the very reason Twilight had wanted to stay up herself. Surely she would have been able to come up with something other than just physical changes. She could already see physical changes, she needed more.

“Uh Twi...”

“Huh, wha?” Twilight snapped out of her internal monologue.

“You ok? You were kinda talkin’ to yerself like a crazy pony for a second there.” Applejack replied worriedly.

“Oh, was I? S-Sorry Applejack, kinda went into think mode for a moment.” Twilight answered apologetically. She needed to get her act together, she had to be strong for Applejack. She was the on that had already been here, no doubt the earth pony was looking to her for all the answers. The cards had said she was going to be a leader, and a leader Twilight was going to be.

“Well...What’do we do now?”

“Uh...” Twilight faltered, her recently kindled bravado gone in a flash. She was entirely unsure of how to proceed. She had not really thought of doing anything past the point of actually getting here, “Let’s explore!” She determined. It seemed like a good plan.

“Are ya sure that’s such a good idea?” Applejack said, her eyes darting towards the open window for a moment, before training on Twilight.

“I’m not gonna lie AJ. It might be a little dangerous. But we’re not going to learn anything just sitting around here. Besides, if things get bad I can protect us, don’t worry.”

“How’re ya gonna do that sugarcube? I thought you said yer magic didn’t work here.”

“I...” Twilight hesitated. She had gracefully left out the information on summoning a giant armored two-legged monster. The rest of her story had been grandiose enough, Twilight had thought adding that part in might have just made the entire thing far to unbelievable, “Just, don’t worry Applejack, once we get outside I can show you what I mean. You’ll just have to trust me.”

“Well ah do trust ya Twi, you should know that. It’s yer condition I don’t trust. Even if the doc said ya weren’t hurt that bad, it’s still pretty bad sugarcube. Ah don’t think you should be doing much to tire yerself out.”

“I’ll be fine. I’m feeling better all ready.” Twilight reassured her friend standing up from her seat, making sure not to wince at the dull aches that made themselves known the moment her muscles moved.

“Ya don’t look like yer feeling much better...” Applejack accused.

“Hehe...” Twilight giggled nervously, a little embarrassed that she had been caught in the white lie, “Don’t worry Applejack, please?” Twilight pleaded. She really wanted to at least accomplish something, even if it was the most minuscule something to have be accomplished. Even if Igor had told her she had a year to figure this all out, she already felt like she had wasted enough of her time to last for the rest of Twilight’s life.

“Well...alright.” Applejack relented, “But if I see ya so much as struggle even a little bit. I’m dragging ya right back here to this bed, and yer not allowed to put up no fuss. Got it?”

“Got it.” Twilight answered with a nod for emphasis, “Now let’s go.”

“Alright, lead the way then Twi.”

Twilight made her way to the hospital room door eager to be on the way to finding some answers, finally. With a grin on her face she reached for the handle, and pulled. However she was wholly unprepared for the creatures that fell into the room as she did so. She got only the smallest of looks at them before her face was covered by a silky smooth piece of clothing.

“What in the...” Twilight heard Applejack mutter from behind her.

“Gah! Run for it brother, we’ve been made!” A voice shouted practically in Twilight’s ears. A second after the exclamation the cloth obscuring Twilight’s vision lifted up and away, before speeding out of the door. Twilight got a small glimpse of what she thought looked to be a floating pumpkin wearing a witch’s hat before it was out of view into the darkened hallway.

Twilight was too shocked to act, but it seemed that Applejack had not been as paralyzed by surprise as her. The earth pony quickly passed by Twilight, and slammed the door shut, before chomping down on something wriggling around on the ground.

As Twilight slowly regained her composure, she stared in wonderment at the thing now held firmly in Applejack’s mouth. It was pure white, and looked like some sort of plush child’s doll, complete with it’s own jesters costume. Twilight cocked an eye, and tilted her head at the strange creature. She could see it shivering uncontrollably in fear.

“Um...Hello...” Twilight greeted the white doll-like creature hoping to absolve it of it’s fears. It looked entirely to adorable to be any danger to her or Applejack. Not like those shadows.

“Don’t eat me!” The creature pleaded, struggling to get out from Applejack’s grasp.

“We aren’t going to eat you little guy.” Twilight answered, fighting to keep a grin from creeping it’s way onto her face. The creature was far to adorable for it’s own good.

“You aren’t?” The creature questioned warily. Though Twilight could see it’s shaking lessen considerably.

Twilight shook her head, “No we aren’t. Applejack put him down, I don’t think he’s gonna hurt us.” Twilight emphasised her point with a nod, when she saw the tell-tale look of ‘are you crazy?’ on her friend’s face.

“If yus shay sho.” Applejack answered with the creature still in her mouth.

“So...you really aren’t gonna eat me then?” The creature asked, dusting itself off after being released. It already seemed as if it was no longer afraid in the slightest.

“No we really aren’t going to eat you.” Twilight repeated, “Um, what or rather who are you?” She asked inquisitively.

“Me?” The creature asked pointing to itself, “I’m Jack Frost, and I’m a demon, hehe!”

A/N: Well this chapter was supposed to be part of one big chapter that went all the way through Applejack's trial, and the end of our MC Twilight's second foray into the midnight hour. However I'm having a bit of trouble getting Applejack's trial to go exactly how I want it, and I fear it might be a bit before I can break through that particular problem. So I figured I would cut it at a natural break point, and post this by itself. I feel as though it works well enough.

Also, if anyone would be interested in being a pre-reader for me, I'm open to recruits. I had one, but he was not a huge fan of both MLP or Persona so while he was ok at glaring grammar problems. He was not a big help when it came to bouncing ideas off of, or when I felt as if a part didn't align to well with either series. If anyone is interested go ahead and give me a PM about it.

Earth Part I

Chapter 4 - Earth Part I

“Demon?!” Both Twilight and Applejack exclaimed in unison.

“Did I stutter? Hehe...” Jack Frost asked tilting his head, Twilight noticed that it’s black velvet like mouth did not move as it talked. It gave the little guy’s voice an oddly surreal feel.

“Demon’s ain’t real...” Applejack murmured, shifting uncomfortably. Her gaze worried as it locked onto Twilight’s. The unicorn could tell her friend was getting more weirded out by the second, and the fact did not rest easily on Twilight’s mind.

“Ho? Yeah, well...neither are weirdly colored...” Jack Frost paused for a second, bringing a claw to his chin as if thinking deeply for that brief moment, “What the heck are ya guy’s anyway never seen anything like ya, hoho.”

“Ponies.” Twilight answered, cocking an eye. So ponies did not exist in this place? Having trouble believing the question as soon as it crossed her mind. She had seen one the other night. Surely there had to be more than just one pony in this entire place.

“Ho? Ponies?” Jack Frost echoed, tilting his head like a dog, “Dunno what those are, but sounds kinda tasty hehe...”

“W-What?” Twilight asked, taking a step backwards, the creature’s constant erie laughing noises were making the once cutesy looking monster much more frightening in her mind. Especially when coupled with the idea of getting eaten by such a creature.

“Now listen here ya little...” Applejack started, advancing on the demon dangerously.

“Geez, take it easy, hoho. I ain’t gonna eat you, hehe.” Jack Frost interjected running away from the menacing earth pony before Applejack could finish, “I said ponies sound tasty, not that they are tasty, ho. But I suppose that’s cause I’ve never tried one before. Wanna volunteer? Hehe.”

“No!” Twilight, and Applejack protested.

“Alright, alright. Geez, ho. No need to destroy my ear drums. I was just jokin’ hehe.” Jack Frost replied defensively.

“That wasn’t very funny...” Twilight murmured, retreating a few paces away from the demon. It’s constant laughing noises, and flippant attitude were making it hard to tell if it was being serious nor not.

“You don’ really eat ponies do ya?” Applejack asked for confirmation, giving Jack Frost a wide berth as she moved from the door to stand next to Twilight.

“Ho? No, though I’m sure the shadows would love ta, hehe. They like to eat anything. But your safe enough around these parts. The shadows stay away from here, too many of those boxes, hoho.” Jack Frost announced proudly, “Besides, meat is so overrated, I’ll take a Life Stone any day.” He finished, procuring a glowing stone from seemingly empty air .

“Wh-What is that?” Twilight asked staring at the stone in Jack Frost’s hand. The stone was a wonderfully colorful object. The small pearl-like item slowly changed a multitude of colors, with such brightness that, by itself, managed to illuminate a good portion of the darkened hospital room.

“What?!” Jack Frost exclaimed clutching the stone tightly in shock, the light cutting out, and thrusting the trio back into green moonlight, “You’ve never heard of a Life Stone?”

“N-No?” Twilight replied self-conciously. Though she had no idea why, she was not a denizen of this place, how was she supposed to know the local cuisine?

“Ho, how the heck do you live?” Jack Frost asked tilting his head, bounding up to Twilight in a hopping motion that made Twilight instantly think Pinkie Pie. A shiver ran through Twilight, as Jack Frost came face to face with her and wave of frigid air hit her straight in the face. The small demon seemed to make the air around him plummet to sub-zero temperates, and Twilight wanted to know how Applejack had managed to keep the thing in her mouth without freezing.

“Ya mean you eat those? But it’s a rock. That don’t make a lick of sense...” Applejack stated.

“Hmph, show’s what you know, hehe.” Jack Frost replied unperturbed, “Here try it!” He shouted.

“Wha-?” Before Twilight could speak another word, or even react. Jack Frost stuffed the hand with the Life Stone in it right into her mouth, and she knew right then and there why Jack Frost had the word frost in his name. The feeling like she had just bit into Equestria’s coldest ice cube shattered her brain, and gave her the worst case of brain freeze she had ever had the misfortune of having.

“Guh...” Twilight managed to huff as Jack Frost retracted his hand from Twilight’s mouth, her lips too cold to move in a pattern to relegate a proper word. Twilight could see the end come out as just a stump, though with a little grunt from the white demon, a new hand formed from the stub.

“Uh, Twi...You ok there?” Applejack asked. Twilight barely felt her friend’s hoof touch her side gently, “Oh sweet crab apples. Yer colder than pond water in the winter time. What did you do to her ya little rascal?” She demanded, rounding on the little demon.

“Rascal, ho? What the heck is that?” Jack Frost asked confused, taking a few defensive steps back, “I’m a snowman...”

“A snowman?” Applejack repeated slowly, “But it ain’t even winter.”

“Winter? What the heck is winter ho? You guys sure are weird...”

“We’re weird?!” Applejack started, but Twilight quickly stopped her from continuing. She could just imagine a fight breaking out.

“I-I’m, f-f-f-fine A-A-A-J...” Twilight stuttered out as fast as she could. Her entire being shaking from cold.

“You are most certainly not fine Twi.” Applejack stated, stamping a hoof in frustration, “Just look at’cha. Yer shaking up a storm.”

“Bite the Life Stone!” Jack Frost added gleefully.

“Now listen here...you’ve already done enough damage, just keep quiet for a second.” Applejack admonished the little demon, as she ran to the bed, “Hold on Twi, I’ll warm ya up.”

“O-Ok...” Twilight stuttered not really registering what exactly Applejack was doing. Her interest moving towards the globe in her mouth now that she was able to feel her tongue once more. She played with the smooth stone, though Twilight thought stone was not a good describer for the perfectly spherical item. ‘Orb perhaps?’ She thought, as she rolled the tasteless Life Stone around with her tongue.

In a moment of uncharacteristic bravado, and perhaps a little bit bad judgement, Twilight bit down hard on the supposed piece of food too intrigued to pass the opportunity up. She let out a small gasp of amazement as the orb shattered into smaller pieces in her mouth like a piece of hard candy. However the stone certainly did not taste like any hard candy she had ever tasted before. In fact it did not really taste like anything. Instead as the orb broke an odd tingle spread quickly throughout her body, just as the stone in her mouth seemingly melted into nothing.

It was not unlike the feeling she got when she used her unicorn magic. Though instead of being centered around her horn, the feeling spread throughout the very essence of her being. Almost instantaneously, Twilight felt as though everything about her was rejuvenated. Her frigid temperature returned to normal. All the aches, and pains from the night before, and her surgery vanished. She felt like a brand new pony.

“Th-That’s incredible!” Twilight shouted in glee, hopping up and down in place for a brief moment testing her new found health. She felt just as incredible as the idea of a miracle cure-all was. She would have to put more research into them when she had the chance. Perhaps she could bring these back to Equestria. She could just imagine the ponies she could save, she would undoubtedly go into the pony history books. Immortalized as the pony who saved pony kind from illness, and pain.

“Twilight! What in the hay do ya think yer doing?!” Applejack shouted worryingly. Interfering with the unicorn’s grandiose plans for the future, “You’ll open up your wounds!”

Twilight turned to look at her friend, only to find Applejack mid-stride, holding Twilight’s bed sheets firmly in mouth. Twilight giggled a bit, “I’m fine, really...look!” She stated, jumping up and down a few more times to show her new found good health.

“How does that work?” Applejack asked confused, letting the bed sheet fall unceremoniously from her mouth.

“Well, You know what they say, hoho. A stone a day keeps the Reapers away!” Jack Frost announced, happily hopping to the window.

“Reapers?” Twilight asked, unfamiliar with the term. She wished she had something to use to keep notes of everything she learned. It would have been so much more helpful to her when she started to decipher everything she was learning about this place. She never was one to rely on her own memory to recant past information.

“Never heard of Reapers either, ho? I know I keep sayin’ it, but man you two are weird. I thought everyone knew what Reapers were.” Jack Frost announced, still staring out the window.

“Yeah we get’cha. We ain’t from around here ok, so how ‘bout ya just tell us straight this time?” Applejack said, and Twilight could just hear the rolling of her friend’s eyes in the earth ponies voice. It seemed that the orange earth pony was starting to get a little comfortable, even in the strange circumstances. The thought was enough to let Twilight relax slightly.

“Ho...so serious. Reapers are bad news alright? They usually just float around the Prison, and stay there, heh. But if ya ever see one, make sure ya run, and run fast. The Reapers are the worst things you could run across ho...Even worse than the giant shadows.” Jack Frost finished with a shudder, and Twilight wondered how bad a Reaper could be. The giant shadow had been bad enough, and there were things that were even worse?

“There’s a prison here?” Applejack asked, “What do ya keep in there, these shadow things?”

Jack Frost scoffed, “I wish, hoho. Would make our lives a whole lot easier.”

“Then, what do you keep in there?” Twilight asked, joining Jack Frost at the window. Curious as to what he was looking at, though became dismayed when she could not see anything other than what she had already seen.

“Ho, that’s the million Soma question hehe. No one knows, the Reapers keep it locked up tight, and it’s a sea of shadows between here, and there. Only chance to ever get there is during the New Moon or New Sun. But even then, your probably gonna die hehe.”

“D-Die?” Twilight repeated. Checking out the prison was quickly cut from her list of things to do while here.

“Ho, yep.” Jack Frost answered solemnly with a nod, “Reapers aren’t nice, they kill anything that moves.”

Twilight was going to ask more, eager to learn from this creature that called itself a demon. But before she could there was a loud crash. Twilight turned just in time to see the door to her room fly clean of it’s hinges, barreling straight towards Applejack. Thankfully the earth pony’s reflexes were top notch, and Twilight breathed a sigh of relief as Applejack cleanly ducked the dangerous piece of debris with easy. It sailed clean across the room before slamming into the back wall, and landing neatly on her bed

“Brother! We’re here to save you!” A voice shouted from the darkness of the doorway, a moment before the flying pumpkin from before flew into the room, “Agi!” The pumpkin demon yelled, and Twilight watched in horror as a large gout of flame erupted from the little lantern it carried, and roared straight towards her.

“Bufu!” Jack Frost yelled in retaliation. Twilight felt a wave of cold rush past her flank, and a large spike of ice rocketed past her near centimeters to scraping alongside her face.

The two spells collided, and exploded in a burst of thick steam. Quickly the already poor vision in the dimly lit room all but disappeared, as the grey mist filled every corner. Twilight could already feel her coat become sticky with sweat, and she panted heavily as the temperature seemed to raise ten fold in an instant.

“Wait brother! Hoho!” Jack Frost yelled, “I’m a.o.k, hehe!”

Twilight paid little attention to the continuing conversation between the two demons. Her recent recovery dampened by the sudden, and overbearing heat in the room that seemed to sap all the strength from her hooves. Struggling she turned back towards the window, and with a good deal of effort, raised a hoof, sliding the window open.

The action brought immediate relief to Twilight’s sweating form, as a wave of significantly cooler air blasted her in the face. Slowly the grey mist started to seep out of the room, returning vision to all of it’s occupants. With a pleasurable sigh, she turned back towards the scene unfolding in her room.

“A-Applejack?!” Twilight shouted concerned, as she found the earth pony sprawled out on the ground. Quickly she rushed over to her friend, “Are you ok?” She asked kneeling beside the downed pony.

“Ah? Wha?” Applejack moaned shaking her head as if her mind was a haze. Twilight tried to get her friend to the cooler spot near the window. But before she could try Applejack thankfully slowly got to her hooves, “Ah, ah think so, Twi. Wooie, did it get hot in here quick...”

“Ho? Hot are ya? I can cool you down, hehe!” Jack Frost exclaimed, bounding over to the two ponies.

“Th-That’s ok!” Applejack exclaimed in return, getting up quickly, and backing away from the closing-in snow demon. Though Twilight could see the movements were unnaturally slow for the usually quick pony. Twilight looked at her friend worryingly, but could understand her reaction. If she could live the rest of her life without ever being touched by the little white creature ever again, she could die a happy mare.

“Ho? Really?” Jack Frost answered, slight confusion lacing his voice.

“Really!” Applejack confirmed nodding, backing up a few more steps.

“So...these guys aren’t really bad, brother?” The pumpkin headed demon asked, floating over to the duo.

As the demon floated closer to Twilight, she noticed that other than it’s head, and a pair of white gloved hands. It seemed as if the creature had no body to speak of, which raised far to many questions in the unicorn’s mind.

“Nope brother! They’re actually pretty nice, hehe.”

“It seems as if your haste was unwarranted Pyro Jack.” A creature not unlike Igor, and Theodore spoke, as it walked into the room. Twilight looked over the newcomer briefly, still not able to wrap her head around the coatlessness of such a being. It seemed odder to Twilight than jester snowmen, and floating pumpkin heads. The newcomer sheathed a massive sword as he strolled into the room with a calm elegance that betrayed the amount of muscle Twilight could see he owned.

“It’s jus’ one strange thing after another ain’t it...” Twilight heard Applejack mutter beside her, and Twilight nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, I guess not, Siegfried...” Pyro Jack murmured, flying over to the two legged creature.

“And who might you two be?” Siegfried asked, crouching down in front of Twilight, and Applejack so he was eye level with the two ponies.

“Twilight Sparkle, Applejack.” Twilight, and Applejack responded respectively.

“Hmm...is that so? Odd names...” Siegfried mused, and Twilight could tell something important was running through the newest creature’s mind. She wanted to ask, but felt that it was not her place to do so, and kept her thoughts to herself, “Well no matter. You seem to be unlike the shadows, and so you may stay here. No matter your oddity. As long as you vow you will do no harm to me, and my kind that is.”

“We are definitely not like those black things!” Twilight yelled defensively, the thought of even being compared to such creatures infuriating her. Realizing her hasty, and down right hostile response she quickly amended herself, “S-sorry. I didn’t mean to yell so loud.”

“I apologize if I caused any offense...” Siegfried apologized, bowing to the two deeply, “It is just...Not everyday do new species appear in this place. It is hard to judge you, your smells are...Odd I suppose is the best way to describe it, though I am loathe to use the same adjective twice to describe you.”

“Ah smell? But ah haven’t been buckin’ or anything today.” Applejack asked confused. Twilight found herself sneaking a sniff of her coat to try and pick up on anything foul smelling, but could not pick up on any traces of odor.

“Do you not differentiate members of your species by smell?”

“N-No?” Twilight answered with her own question. She knew that all ponies had their own unique scents, but being able to differentiate between ponies just by using that one sense? The thought seemed preposterous.

“I-” Twilight began but was cut short by a loud whistling noise piercing the quiet of the night. Twilight looked out the window just in time to catch a large red ball shoot into the air. At it’s apex it burst into a brilliant red flame, before fizzling out, and lazily falling back to the ground.

“Ho, looks like someone found something!”

“Indeed it does, I apologize on having to cut our first meeting so short. But it seems that we must go to work.” Siegfried spoke walking away from the window, “You will be safe here if you choose to remain, the shadows do not come close to here.”

“Wait, what was that?” Twilight asked, wanting to learn more about how this world operated.

“Ho, it was a signal!” Jack Frost answered, hopping towards Siegfried.

“Signal?” Applejack echoed, “Signal fer what?”

Siegfried paused, turning back to the two ponies, “Whenever there is a full body in the sky, the shadows come out in droves. When they cannot find things to eat, they turn on one another. Those that are stuck down often times leave valuable supplies behind.”

“Like the life stones, hehe!” Jack Frost interjected

“Yes, like the stones.” Siegfried confirmed, “After the bodies go on with their rotations, we have to make sure we can gather as many of those supplies as we are able to keep ourselves going.”

“I see...” Twilight murmured, intrigued, “Can we come?” She asked. It was a perfect opportunity to explore more of Ponyville, and she would be with several creatures who knew the in’s and out’s of the shadowy version of her home.

“If you wish. More eyes would indeed be helpful, you’re not worried about the Shadows?” Siegfried asked.

Twilight shook her head, though she felt as if she was lying slightly. She was indeed afraid of the shadow creatures, but her want for answers outweighed her fears, “Applejack are you ok with it?” It was more important to the unicorn that her friend was safe.

“Ah...” Applejack faultered for only a moment, “Well ah can’t right leave ya by yourself out there Twi. Ya know I’m ok with whatever yer ok with.”

“Are you sure?” Twilight asked, trying to stress the fact that if her friend was uncomfortable with going out into the unknown, it was fine.

“Ah’m sure...” Applejack answered with a determined nod, walking past Twilight to stand beside the tall two legged demon.

“Very well. Let us be off then.”

Twilight, and Applejack along with their new found ‘friends’, if Twilight could count them as such so soon, crossed the shadowed Ponyville with surprising ease. Having had to listen to both Jack Frost, and Pyro Jack’s incessant panicking of getting attacked by shadows every step of the way; Twilight had feared that at some point their makeshift group of ponies and demons would be overrun, and they would never have made it to their destination. When Siegfried had finally announced that they were here. Twilight let out a long deep sigh of relief, one that she had been holding in ever since stepping hoof outside the hospital’s front doors.

“Isn’t this...” Applejack spoke first, her voice halting as she, and the rest of the group looked over the odd anomaly they found themselves in front of.

Twilight had a hard time making out what exactly they were looking at. A gigantic gate had sprung up between Ponyville, and what seemed to be the path that would have led them to Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack’s apple farm. But instead of just letting the group go through, a large wall of alternating red, and black lines swirled from gate post to gate post. It heavily reminded Twilight of the portal from her dream, and she had a vague understanding of what was going to have to happen. They would have to go through.

“ ‘Ello...What do we have herrre?” A figure sauntered out of the shadows like a cat stalking it’s prey.

Twilight looked at the figure, unconsciously taking a few steps to stand behind Siegfried’s protective bulk. The new comer looked somewhere between a cat, and one of the two legged creatures like Siegfried, and Igor were.

“Hello Nekomata.” Siegfried hailed the newcomer, and Twilight felt herself relax when she realized the two knew each other.

“Grrretings Siegfrried. What are these two things you brrought with you?” Nekomata asked, but Twilight’s attention diverted elsewhere.

“Twi, this is the way to Sweet Apple Acres right?” Applejack asked in a hushed whisper, seemingly oblivious to the new demon. Her voice conveying the fact that the earth pony was as unfamiliar with the giant gate blocking their path, as Twilight was, “Cause I don’t remember anythin’ like that here, and I thought ya said this place was just like our home, just a little different.”

“Mmm, yeah. I thought so too...” Twilight responded half-heartily, too interested in wondering where this portal was going to end up taking her, and her friends. She had a terrible feeling about this one as she stared at the lines. A feeling she definitely did not feel when confronted with the strange blue door from her foray into the Velvet Room. It seemed to her as if the red, and black seemed to pulsate, moving almost as if the lines were alive. She felt as though the gate was assuredly an ill omen.

“So, what now?” Nekomata asked, taking a few steps towards the gate. Before backing off, thinking better of the idea.

“Hoho! Last one through is a rotten soul!” Jack Frost announced merrily, breaking out in a full on sprint as soon as he was finished.

“W-Wait, I don’t think that’s a good idea!” Twilight shouted, willing her horn into being in an attempt to reign Jack Frost in. But her horn refused to answer her call, staying dim, and she quickly was reminded that her magic did not work her.

“Hoho, comeon how bad can it-.” Jack Frost stopped mid sentence, as he careened face first into the red and black wall as if it were solid stone. His body smashing against the wall like a snowball, pieces of himself going every which way.

“Oh my...” Applejack muttered, “That didn’ look to good. Is he gonna be ok?”

“Eh...He’ll be fine. He does it all the time.” Pyro Jack answered with a shrug, “Just give him a minute.”

“He shoulda listened when I said stop...” Twilight muttered as she looked at the pile of mush with a grimace. She would have to work on her leadership skills, she had no doubt about that. Letting someone who had signed up under her leadership run full tilt into a wall had “bad leader” written all over it, in magic-non removable ink.

“Getting that one to listen to anything is a fool’s errand.” Siegfried responded mirthfully.

“Well, at least now I know we can’t go through it. Didn’t try that when I came across it...” Nekomata stated, as she sauntered up to the wall, tapping it a few times with a claw, “Kind of weirrrd though...doesn’t look very solid when you stand back from it, does it?”

“No, ah reckon it doesn’t...” Applejack answered readily, as she too walked up to the wall. Twilight was glad that the earth pony seemed to be taking the whole ordeal a lot better now. It gave her a slight peace of mind that at least she had somepony else to talk to about this whole situation, “In fact, it don’t look mighty solid at all.” She finished as soon as she stood hoof to hoof with the odd gate.

“Ah wonder...” Applejack started, and Twilight watched as her friend put a hoof through the wall, “Well now ain’t that strange.”

“Woah...why the heck can you go through it, and we can’t?” Pyro Jack answered, testing his own mettle against the wall. He tapped his lantern against it, his efforts only awarded with the dull pinging noise of metal hitting something.

“Well ah don’t rightly know...” Applejack said with a grunt, as she tried to extract her hoof, “Uh guys, ah think I’m stuck...” She stated, as she tried to pull away from the mysterious wall again without success.

“Oh comeon, do you think we’rre gonna fall for some dumb trrrick like that?” Nekomata snorted.

“I ain’t kidding ya’ll. Ah really am stuck.” Applejack tried to move a third time, “Twi, anyone? A little help here?”

“H-Hold on Applejack.” Twilight called, rushing over to her friend. But before she could reach her, Twilight watched in dismay as the red, and black portal started to spread over the earth pony like an amorphous blob. Before Twilight could reach Applejack, the unicorn watched as it engulfed her friend, sucked back into itself as soon as it had covered the earth pony, pulling Applejack with it.

“Applejack!” Twilight shouted, not stopping her breakneck pace. She charged the wall, not caring if she was denied access like her demon friends.

Twilight hit the portal full-tilt, and thankfully was not greeted with a new concussion. She went right through. It was a surreal feeling, halfway between solid mass, and nothingness. Twilight could only describe it as having run face-first into a wall of gelatin. Her inertia from running gave out almost immediately after having left the shadow world, and entered the space of reds and blacks.

She spent a few seconds of stomach wrenching weightlessness, before she was deposited harshly into a new environment. Twilight hit the ground, back first, with a dull thump. With a short cry of surprise rather than pain, she rolled herself over, moving to stand almost immediately, but stopping short as she noticed she had landed onto a bed of grass. She marveled at the fact that she seemed to have found her way back home.

Ponyville was spread out before her, in all of it’s vibrant glory. Even from her perch atop the hill that lead to Ponyville’s main gate, Twilight could see Ponies walking to and fro without a care in the world, and while Twilight found it slightly odd that she seemed to be at the village’s main gate, instead of on the path to Sweet Apple Acres, where she had taken the odd portal. She dismissed the arrant thought as quickly as it had appeared.

Twilight had gone far past the point of questioning every single oddity that the shadow world seemed to throw at her. Rolling with whatever came up seemed to be doing her usually over-analytical mind a world of good, and wondering why she was not where she had supposed to end up mattered little. What did matter was that the unicorn had seemingly arrived home safe and sound, and had managed to see Applejack through a night in that nightmarish place.

“Isn’t this great Applejack? We’re home!” Twilight found herself grinning, as she looked to her sides in an attempt to find her earth pony friend, “Applejack?” She called out, and was greeted with only by the rustling leaves of trees, and the calls of birds.

Applejack was nowhere to be seen.

“What?” Twilight found herself questioning the air, utterly confused as to where her friend could have gone. If she had been deposited at the entrance by the strange portal, why had her friend not as well?

Twilight looked over Ponyville, as possible answers raced through her mind in rapid fire. But the one that seemed to dominate was the nagging feeling that possibly she had been taken back home, while her friend had been taken somewhere else entirely. The thought made her sick to her stomach.

“Ok Twilight...” She murmured to herself, “No use standing around here worrying about nothing. I’m sure Applejack is fine, I’ll just head into town and make sure. She’s probably just at her farm or something. No need to worry your self to death about it.” She reasoned to herself as she descended the hill.

By the time Twilight had traveled halfway through Ponyville, she was convinced that something was wrong. But while she had the nagging feeling of restlessness, she could not yet place a hoof as to why the feeling was there at all. To her it seemed that there was little to cause her to worry. Everything looked fine. The sun was high in the sky, shinning with it’s usual warmth, unimpeded by clouds. Ponies were busy doing everything ponies did throughout Ponyville. The Birds, and other animals were doing their common routines as well. Everything seemed to be normal, but Twilight felt that everything was far from it.

“M-My Library?!” Twilight exclaimed to herself, having to do a double take as she froze on the spot.

Her library stood in front of her, perfectly fine.

“I thought Spike said it had gotten destroyed...” She questioned confusedly, as she stared at the pristine condition of her tree home. Unable to resist the lure of her now fine home, Twilight made her way to the door. Surprisingly it had been left open.

“Hello?” Twilight called out as she entered the quiet of the library, “Is anypony there?”

“One second!” Came a call from inside, and Twilight could recognize it instantly as Spike’s.

Twilight let out a sigh of relief, if Spike was here then everything had to be fine, “Thank Celestia.” She murmured to herself, as she walked further into the library. Eager to find her assistant.

“Spike, where are you?” She called out to her baby dragon.

“Oh Twilight. You’re back already?” Spike called back, and the sounds of running hooves echoed through the wood hall. Twilight stared, open-jawed, as a small purple colt dashed into the room. A mane of neon green, arranged in individual spikes gelled to statuesque proportions adorned his head.

“S-Spike?!” Twilight exclaimed, unable to believe what she was seeing.

“Y-Yeah?” The colt answered taking a step backwards as if frightened, “You ok there Twi-” The colt froze for a second, “What the hay happened to your forehead?!” He shouted a moment later, pointing a hoof at her as if she had been caught with her tail held too high in public.

“W-What do you mean?!” Twilight yelled, bringing a hoof to her forehead afraid something terrible had happened that she was unable to see. The only thing she could feel was her horn.

“That thing! What happened? Did Pinkie feed you some weird cupcakes again?” He asked trotting up to Twilight, peering intensely at her horn.

“N-No?” Twilight questioned. Unable to comprehend what was going on. Demons, shadow worlds, and now assistants turned pony. Could anything get worse? Twilight pondered.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt something odd touch her horn. She stared as she saw the pony-Spike poking at it with a hoof. But it did not feel right to the unicorn. Instead of something hard, it seemed as if the fake Spike’s hoof was made out of some sort of rubbery substance. It bent, and conformed to curve around the cone shaped horn.

Twilight backed away immediately, “Don’t touch me!” She shouted, now certain that she had not been taken home as she had thought.

“W-What?” The fake Spike asked, a confused look gracing his face, “Are you ok Twilight? Is that thing poking through to your brain?! Is it some sort of brain poking parasite?! I can go get a doctor if you want!”

Twilight turned, and ran as fast as she could ignoring the calls to wait by the fake Spike. Even if it seemed to have his mannerisms, Twilight was not going to let whatever that thing was confuse her. She had to find Applejack, and get out of this place before something terrible happened.

Twilight ran straight down Ponyville’s main street, her pace only slowing when she was well away from the library. She had no idea how she would find Applejack. The town was by no means small, and without her normal magic, Twilight was afraid she would never find her friend.

“Hey! Twilight!” Twilight instantly recognized Rainbow Dash’s voice. Twilight looked skyward bewildered as to where the pegasus was coming from, “Um...Twilight, you alright there?” Rainbow’s voice came again, and Twilight brought her gaze to ground level, “H-Holy...what happened to your forehead?!”

Upon seeing her friend, Twilight instantly took a few steps backwards too surprised to answer. Rainbow had no wings.

“R-Rainbow?” Twilight asked unsure if she was actually seeing what she was seeing. Though after seeing her assistant turned pony, the thought of Rainbow without wings was much easier to digest, and only solidified the fact that she was not home, like she had initially thought.

“Uh, yeah?” The Rainbow maned pony answered, confusion evident in her voice, “You feeling alright Twilight? That looks like a hell of a bump...”

“B-Bump?” Twilight repeated, then remembered how the fake Spike had reacted to her horn as well, “Yes bump...I got hit kind of hard, but I’m ok...really.” Twilight rambled quickly, taking a step backwards, as the wingless Rainbow took a step towards her.

“A~lright...” Rainbow looked entirely unconvinced.

“Have you seen Applejack?!” Twilight asked suddenly, hoping that her spur of the moment idea would work. It seemed to Twilight as if all these fake ponies were trying their hardest to be the real thing, so perhaps all she had to do was treat them like the real thing.

“Applejack?” Rainbow repeated, “Yeah...she was in the town square, I just was talking to her. Why?”

Twilight broke into the fastest gallop she could muster, “No reason, just wanted to know. Thanks!” Twilight shouted over her shoulder as she ran passed the fake Rainbow, a grin on her face as she thought of how ingenious she was. Now all she had to do was get to the town square, get Applejack, then find a way out of this horrible manifestation of her home.

It seemed like an easy plan to the unicorn.