Twilight stepped away, her horn still glimmering slightly. “There is some fading chaos residue in your mantic aura,” she said. “Though, honestly, I still find your story difficult to believe.”

“Likewise,” Sunset remarked as she brought in a tray from the hallway, some food on it. “It’s hard to believe that Twilight or myself wouldn’t help a friend that asked, no matter how jaded we might become with age.” She set the tray down on a table and nudged it over to where I could reach the items on it. “Especially if Spike felt it was important enough to stay and help.”

“The entire time I was there, nothing felt right,” I whispered, glancing over at where Trixie dozed. “You and Sunset ruling Equestria and not speaking to each other, Flurry Heart not understanding how the Elements worked, even the events not lining up with what I was hearing between you and Echo.”

“It’s an eerie thought that she managed to latch onto you and pull your mind into the future,” Twilight said with a shiver. “We both know the kind of damage that can have on the timeline. And just to get a spell, too.”

“For a while after we got you here, you showed no brain activity,” Sunset mused. "That must have been while you were waking up in the alternate timeline. Then you started seizing here, your body trying to pull your mind back.”

“I had some seizures there, too,” I nodded. “And I could hear the doctors shouting.It didn’t make sense at the time, though.” I tried to levitate a spoon of peas to me, but my horn just sparked. “And apparently I’m in the middle of mantic burnout.”

“Well, that’s to be expected,” Twilight giggled. “Between your concussion and the fact that you burned through part of a Royal Regalia’s stored mana in the other timeline, you’ve been a pretty active filly.”

“It was pretty gutsy towards the end, Starlight,” Sunset grinned. “And despite what you said, I think you’re important enough to the world. You’re one of my friends, after all.”

“Agreed,” Twilight smiled. “Though it was really noble, being willing to sacrifice yourself to save your friends. That takes true courage, such as you’ve demonstrated before. I’m so glad you were willing to learn friendship from me!”

I giggled as well and patted my hooves in the air. “I wouldn’t go that far," I whispered nervously. “I was operating on the edge of my horn most of the time when my other self revealed herself. The whole thing with the Pony of Shadows was a wild gambit.”

“That paid off,” Sunset rebutted. “You think I knew what I was doing when I faced Twilight down at the Friendship Games? For all I knew, throwing that amulet of hers down could have just broken the thing.”

“Or when we rescued Nightmare Moon,” Twilight added. “I didn’t know any of those ponies, especially when AJ told me to let go. I was scared stiff.”

I smiled. “Seems like we do an awful lot of last ditch moves,” I quipped.

“It is kind of our thing,” Sunset agreed.

A doctor poked his head in. “Alright, now,” he spoke kindly. “I know she’s been asleep for a while, but I must insist she get some rest after the ordeal.”

I looked at the stallion. “Doc,” I began with a groan. “I’ve been in a coma for a week. I think I’ve rested enough.”

“Nonsense,” he puffed. “Comatose states are not adequate rest for the brain. You’ve passed the observation window for concussions, so its safe for you to try to sleep now.”

I slid down, my eyelids suddenly heavy. I looked at my two friends, then at the sleeping Trixie in the corner.

“Will you be here when I wake up?” I asked, a tiny shred of fear worming it’s way up my spine.

They both smiled.

“Of course we will,” Twilight said.

And I smiled, closing my eyes.

“Good,” I slurred as sleep came up on me.

“I’ve had enough of missing my friends for one lifetime.”