One month after the Ponyville incident.

Lyra was awoken by a guard knocking on the door to her chamber. Part of her wanted to ignore him until he went away, but she knew it didn’t work like that.

“Come in,” she shouted.

The guard opened the door slowly causing it to squeak. The light from the hall glimmered off his obsidian armor, which gave away who sent him before he had spoken. “Lyra, Princess Luna has requested your presence in the throne room.”

“Thanks,” she groaned. Lyra carefully slid out of the comfortable indent in the mattress so she didn’t collapse. She recalled how weak her muscles had been after being turned from a living toy doll back into a flesh and blood pony. Everything from her appetite to her magic returned slowly over that first week as she realized how much she was missing out on as a doll. Now she appreciated every little thing: brushing her teeth, stretching her legs, or the feel of a gentle breeze.

Lyra walked out the door and towards the throne room, wondering what was more important than a good night’s sleep. She stepped into the room only to find it dark and deserted. “Luna?” There was no reply. “Celestia? Scootaloo? Anyone?”

“Aren’t you forgetting someone?” a voice asked. “Or, have you forgotten me just like everypony else?”

A chill ran down Lyra’s spine as she froze in place. Twilight stepped out of the shadows with her disheveled mane and a large wound covering her entire left shoulder. Blood was trickling down from her shoulder and pooling on the floor. There was no joy in her narrow eyes as she glared directly at Lyra.

“You failed me, Lyra. I’m not just upset you lied to me—your actions led to Bon Bon’s death. You said she was your friend, just like you said I was.”

Lyra felt her legs shaking. “T-Twilight, I—”

“You left over thirty ponies behind. . . of course they all hate me. I’ve had to kill several of them after you left me to die in the Everfree.” Twilight grinned from ear to ear. “Now, I don’t need you anymore. I’ve finally made new friends and I’ve come to punish you for running away.”

“But y-you set me free! I’m s-sorry, Twilight, I t-tried!” Lyra blurted out.

“It’s too late for apologies. I survived everything Celestia threw at me after you left. You aren’t worthy of my gift of immortality or having your life back.”

Twilight’s horn glowed, and Lyra gasped as she felt her muzzle solidify into plastic. Her mouth and nose were sealed shut as she struggled in vain to breathe. She tried to pry the plastic off by hooking her hooves under it. It had melted into her skin and wouldn’t budge. She then tried to use her magic to tear it off. Nothing happened, and Lyra realized she couldn’t feel her horn. She felt the plastic dripping down onto her eyelids. Instead of hardening like wax, it was seeping into her pores.

“You said you were my friend. You promised you’d never leave me.”

Lyra’s legs went limp and she collapsed onto the ground. Twilight cackled as she made Lyra’s legs twist around her chest and stomach like a straight jacket. She tried again to force a scream past her solid plastic lips as her joints popped out of socket. Soon the feeling turned ice cold as they morphed to plastic The only warmth in her icy prison passed briefly as her legs fused to her skin, melting into a permanent embrace.

“An eternity as a rubber ball seems fitting for a traitor.”

Lyra felt her mane and tail encase her and tighten up while pulling her head down to her chest. She tried to scream and struggled as the plastic fused her into a mint green ball. Lyra continued to thrash and weep inside her prison until she was sealed into a solid sphere. A few seams were the only indication of where her limbs and head had once been.

“Don’t let the guilt eat you up,” Twilight mocked. “Eternity is a long time, and we’re just getting started.”

As she lost the last of her senses, Lyra felt a comforting presence. She began to notice the moonlight as her body reverted to normal and began to tremble. She found herself whimpering like a foal in the middle of a soft cloud. All around her was the night sky, far darker and more pristine than would be visible from the ground.

“It’s alright, you’re dreaming.” Luna trotted over and pulled Lyra against her side and placed a wing over her. “You are okay, Lyra. It was just another nightmare.”

She continued sobbing. “It’s a-all my f-fault. I’m s-sorry, Luna, I’m sorry. . .”

Luna lifted Lyra’s chin to look at her, and smiled. It was something Celestia insisted made ponies feel better, and after a few seconds, Lyra managed a small smile of her own.

“You must stop blaming yourself for what has passed. It pains me to see you going through the guilt I once passed through. Many nights on the moon I wish I had just one pony to comfort me, like I am comforting you.”

Lyra nuzzled against her flank, afraid that if she moved from under that wing she would see Twilight, Bon Bon, and the others watching her. “T-they all needed me, they treated Twilight l-like a monster. She j-just wanted one friend to comfort her, b-but I ran away.”

“She let you go. Twilight valued your friendship enough to let you go.”

“Then why do I feel so horrible?” Lyra sniffled. “Why won’t the nightmares stop?”

“Don’t worry,” Luna said. “Just lay down your head and close your eyes. When you do, I’ll make sure you have no further dreams tonight.”

Lyra continued to mumble apologies until she calmed down enough to close her eyes. She had lost count of how many times Luna had stepped in and helped her control the nightmares. They haunted her almost nightly, ensuring she could not escape what had happened. True to her word, Luna eased her into a deep sleep and blocked Lyra’s ability to dream.

Luna sighed, remembering how hard it had been for her to get past her own guilt, before she vanished from Lyra’s dream.

Lyra picked a spot in the tall grass and laid down, letting it cushion her. She was finally able to put the past couple of months of nightmares out of her mind. Ever since she found this serene glade to spend her afternoons in, she had found peace of mind. Luna no longer needed to dream walk and protect her. Instead, Lyra now spent her days wondering what had happened to Twilight and her friends.

From her new sanctuary just outside Canterlot she could lay on the gentle slope of grass and look out over the Everfree and the distant speck that once was Ponyville. From her private spot amidst a few scattered trees she could be alone and focus on relaxation techniques she had learned. She had spent every day navigating her emotional issues and trying to sort out her thoughts.

The sound of hooves touching down reached her ears. Scootaloo would visit her here once or twice a week. Lyra turned around and to her surprise, saw Soarin instead. She just glared and didn’t even bother to get up. This was her place of solitude, and he was intruding.

“Uh, hi,” Soarin said. Lyra groaned loudly, and he gulped and kept what he hoped was a respectful distance. “You know, I see you out here every day, and Scootaloo said we should give you some space. . .” He glanced away and poked a hoof in the grass.

“Why is such a nice mare always out here alone?” Soarin asked. “Do you. . . need somepony to talk to?” He had seen Lyra soaking up the sun every day for months while he practiced. It bothered him that she was always alone, and at the same time, he couldn’t deny wanting to get to know her.

Lyra tilted her head back to look over the Everfree. For several moments she listened to the wind rustling through the grass.

“I don’t need anypony to talk to.”

Soarin lowered his eyes and frowned. “Okay, well uh, see you later.” Soarin turned and spread his wings to take off.

“Wait—” Lyra took her own deep breath. “Maybe you could stay awhile and not talk?”

Soarin smiled and walked over, laying down several feet away from her to leave her some personal space. “I’d like that.”

The two lay there, staring wordlessly out at the clouds. As much as Lyra wanted someone to talk to, she couldn’t quite put it into words. Neither Luna, Scootaloo, or her doctor seemed willing to just listen. She wasn’t sure who Soarin was, aside from knowing he was famous.

After a couple of hours, Soarin found himself nodding off to sleep. He had stolen a few glances at Lyra to see if she was still awake. He had no problem enjoying a relaxing day in the sun. However, the fact she hadn’t spoken was starting to worry him.

“It’s my fault,” she stated.

Soarin looked over, not sure if she expected a response.

“Nopony seems to understand. I thought being Twilight’s friend would be enough, but I failed everypony. I don’t know what to do, and Scootaloo doesn’t understand. Luna is still working on her social skills, and Celestia is always off scouring the Everfree. I almost talked to Trixie about it, but she’s busy working with Luna to restore the Element of Magic, and well. . . she’s Trixie.” Lyra let out a loud sigh. “Twilight wasn’t evil, at least not at first. She was so depressed she shut everypony out, and the loneliness ate away at her. She let me in, but I couldn’t fix it.”

Soarin took a moment to gather his thoughts. He knew what he wanted to say, but wasn’t sure if she wanted him to talk, or just to listen. As he looked into her golden eyes he noticed her lip quivering slightly. “You can’t blame yourself. You just said you reached out, you were her friend. I bet you did the best you could.”

Lyra turned her head and stared at him. “If you’ll stick to listening, I’ll start from the beginning.” Soarin caught on, and gestured with his hoof to zip his lips and throw away the key. If just laying here and listening would make her smile, it would be worth it.

“I never imagined so much military tradition existed in the Wonderbolts,” Scootaloo said. “It’s only been a few months and I’ve already learned so much!”

She was walking down a main street in Canterlot alongside Spitfire. They weren’t in their uniforms, having just finished practice and showered.

“Well, now you know. Pegasi have always had a strong belief in the military and protecting the flock. It’s a tradition we share with the Griffins, and in times of war, we are the first ponies to respond.” Spitfire turned a corner and walked towards a cafe with Scootaloo.

“Still, all that tradition when there hasn’t been a war in a hundred years?”

“A hundred and forty two,” Spitfire corrected. “You know, it’s tradition that builds the camaraderie and trust between us. Sure, most think we’re just stunt ponies, but formation flying and air-to-ground combat are key. If you’re serious about finding Dash, you’re going to need all the training you can get.”

They walked into the outdoor seating at the cafe. As they were talking, a stallion wasn’t looking where he was going and ran into Scootaloo, knocking her down.

“Oh, sorry,” he said and reached a hoof down.

“The hell is your problem?!” Scootaloo batted his hoof away. “Open your eyes next time!”

He took a look at the two of them before walking away with a grimace. Spitfire gave Scootaloo an apologetic smile. “It was an accident, you know.”

“I’m tired of putting up with all the idiots around here.” Scootaloo pointed around. “These aren’t my friends, they’re a bunch of strangers.”

Spitfire looked at her and rubbed her chin. “These angry outbursts are starting to concern me. Is there something you want to talk about?”

Scootaloo climbed into a chair at the cafe and watched as Spitfire sat across from her. “I’m going to find Dash and rescue everypony. And if Twilight tries to stop me, I’m going to snap her neck.”

Spitfire raised an eyebrow. “This isn’t something you can do for revenge, Scootaloo. We can teach you self-defense and how to fight. We do not teach ponies how to murder.”

“She deserves whatever she gets—”

The waiter walked up and interrupted. “Ready to order?”

“Hay fries, double tofu-burger with extra cheese, and two orders of deep fried onion rings,” Scootaloo said. She saw Spitfire staring again. “What? You wouldn’t believe how good this stuff tastes when you spent months as a doll.”

“I’ll take a salad and tomato juice,” Spitfire said. “Some of us don’t have that youthful metabolism and have to stay fit for flight.”

“Coming right up,” the waiter replied as he left to get their food.

“Scootaloo, I think I know a pony who can teach you to fight as well as control your anger. I get that you’ve been through a lot, but if you go out looking for revenge on Twilight, you’ll end up having to dig two graves,” Spitfire said.

“Ugh,” Scootaloo rolled her eyes, “ I’d only need one grave for that jerk.”

“It might be your own if you can’t control yourself. Ever since you came back you’ve bitten off just about everypony’s head but mine. I guess I’m lucky to be the hoof that feeds you.”

“Well, I really appreciate you taking me in and standing up to that smelly old hag they sent to homeschool me. I’m not a kid anymore.”

Spitfire chuckled. “That’s true, you’ve seen more horrifying things than most of the royal guard. You can’t just rush in to save Dash blindly, however, she’d never forgive me. Perhaps if you see this friend of mine you can go from honorary to full-time Wonderbolt when you get back from your rescue mission.”

Scootaloo bit back a witty remark and relaxed her tense muscles. “Fine, I’ll see this pony, but it better not take too much time.” She licked her lips as the waiter hurried back with their food. “But first, I need to show off my youthful metabolism.”

As soon as her plate touched the table, Scootaloo shoved half the burger in her mouth and began stuffing her face. Spitfire smirked as she recalled seeing Dash eat in much the same way at the Gala when she thought no one was looking. Dash and Scootaloo were more alike than they realized.

Celestia landed on her balcony and stumbled over to her bed, collapsing on it from exhaustion. She would have gone to sleep if Luna hadn’t been sitting in the room, waiting for her.

“Six days. It was six days this time, Tia. I assume you haven’t slept either or I would have sensed you dreaming,” Luna said.

“Lulu, not now,” Celestia whimpered. “I’m very tired.”

“And I’m very upset, Tia! You are a ruler, not a vigilante. You have to stop searching for Twilight personally. Our responsibility is to rule. Dispatch the guard if you wish, but your place is here.”

“This is not a conversation I want to have again. . .” Celestia buried her head under the pillow. “I will find her. . . I just. . . need a nap.”

“Tia, of course I do not wish to argue. I have stepped up to rule, I have generously raised the sun so you could spend more time searching. . . but it has to stop.”

“She’s still out there.”

“Please, be reasonable. There is no need to run yourself ragged. Look at you, gone for days at a time, scouring the one place in Equestria where magic still runs wild. You won’t find her there unless she wants to be found, or if her diary holds clues.”

“No!” Celestia barked. She tossed the pillow aside. “I will not have Lyra corrupted by that foul book. Twilight’s legacy ends now! Only once I find her body will we put this behind us. She had a reason to enchant it so that only Lyra could open it. Once again, I order you to destroy it.”

“And as your sister and your equal, I will not incinerate our only link to your pupil. She might still be alive, and either way, our subjects are trapped as dolls. It will remain locked up until we reach an agreement,” Luna said.

“Fine.” Celestia got up just briefly enough to get under the covers.

“And you will no longer search for Twilight,” Luna added.

“I. . . fine. I’ll delegate it to the guard, and to you.”

“I will not spend weeks looking for her either.”

Celestia felt herself melting into the mattress, barely able to stay awake. “I’m closing the School for Gifted Unicorns. I will not repeat my mistakes. If you want to continue teaching skilled unicorns to control their abilities, you will have to open a school.”

Luna chuckled. “Tia, I don’t know the first thing about running a school.”

“Well, it’s time you learn. I need a break, Lulu. A thousand years ruling alone, my pupil going crazy. . . why don’t you take that unicorn you like so much to be a pupil? What was her name? Trixie? It’d be good for you. You’ve come this far in learning to rule. Take over for me and let me handle the Twilight problem myself.”

Luna sighed, deciding to accepting greater responsibility for her sister’s own good. “Fine, you will no longer vanish for days to search, and I will do as you’ve suggested.”

She waited for a reply, but instead was rewarded with the sounds of Celestia’s boisterous snores.

Lyra sighed as she slowly recounted her story to Soarin. It had taken most of the day and the sun was setting. From the glade, they had a wonderful view. The sky had turned orange as the red sun sank below the horizon.

“Well, that’s the whole story. Twilight set me free, and did something to modify her spell. Celestia and Luna were able to reverse it easily, yet it took me nearly two weeks of bed rest to get my strength back. It took them a few days to reverse the spell for Scootaloo. . . Twilight hadn’t left them an easy way to break her spell.”

Soarin lay there in silence until he was sure she had finished. “I still say it’s not your fault. You tried your best to reach her. Yes, you may feel guilty for escaping when the others didn’t, and I agree, it’s a tragedy what happened to Twilight, but none of that is your fault.”

Lyra shrugged. “I wish it were that simple, Soarin. Every day I’m out here trying to make sense of the events and replaying them in my head. What I did wrong, how I could have saved them. . .”

“Well, maybe it’s time you got out of this glade and let somepony buy you dinner,” Soarin said.

“It was really nice to have somepony just listen—” Lyra finally realized what he had asked. She turned her head to look at him in surprise. “Are you asking me out on a date?”

Soarin’s eyes went wide. “I uh—yes—I mean if you want—or you know, just some coffee.”

Lyra slowly grinned and began to giggle as she watched him stutter. There was something liberating about feeling an emotion other than sorrow and guilt. The soft chuckling soon turned into rambunctious laughter. It was wonderful to finally let her guard down and let her worries slip away.

For several minutes Soarin could do little more than sit there blushing, as Lyra rolled around in the grass in a fit of laughter. Of all the responses he had received when asking a pony out on a date, this was a first.

Crest had lost count of the days. From the moment Twilight had walked into the dentist’s office, she had known something was off. The mare’s smile just looked wrong. Twilight had come to the dentist’s office looking for Colgate. Seconds after telling her she would be back in fifteen minutes, Crest had been turned into a miniature doll.

Now, Crest had nothing to do but replay the events of that day in her head.

She had been separated from Colgate and kicked under Twilight’s refrigerator when somepony walked into the kitchen. Twilight never came back to retrieve her. Since then, she had stared uselessly out at the sliver of light that came in from under the fridge.

Not long after, there had been loud noises from outside and a crew came through to investigate and clean up. Crest heard them discussing the poisons in the pantry, and the missing dollhouse downstairs. She struggled and screamed but to no avail. Crest was completely frozen, hopelessly stuck in her prison of plastic.

Eventually the crew finished investigating and cleaning. They spoke for a while about how Ponyville was rapidly turning into a ghost town. They even lamented the ponies trapped as her living dolls for eternity.

Eternity.

As the workers left the house, Crest realized rescue may never come.

She would be trapped here forever.

Crest could do nothing but wait. She had time to piece it together, realizing Colgate and other ponies must be trapped just like her. She imagined the other ponies in the same nightmare: frozen solid, trapped in the shell of their bodies, and Twilight playing with them like toys. She wanted so badly to move, scream, or feel the touch of somepony. Being trapped within her mind was starting to eat at her, like a small itch that was growing.

The sun was setting and the light flowing under the refrigerator vanished. Crest tried to recall how many days it had been, and decided it had been twenty-three. Surely, somepony would find her soon. It mattered little to her that yesterday had been twenty-three days, and that tomorrow would be twenty-three days. It had always been twenty-three days.

Crest knew on the twenty-fourth day, somepony would finally free her from her eternal prison. She giggled in her head and knew she only needed to wait until the day after twenty-three.

Author's Notes:

The sequel to Twilight's Dollhouse is finally here! Expect the updates hard and fast, except while I'm at BronyCon.

Not excited enough? I have plans to continue this story, possibly farther out than 4 more sequels. If I don't, Twilight says I'm next.