Chapter 3: Comin' around...

I woke up to a blinding light. It shone down on my and pierced thought my eyelids demanding my attention. Wow, the sun must be right up to my face. I extended my arm so that I could block the suns rays. I reached out and touched something...

'HOLY...!' I quickly pulled back my arm and frantically shook it trying desperately to ease the pain. It felt like I had just touched a hot iron fresh from the kiln.

"Oh, That looked like it hurt." said a voice. "Try not to touch the lights. Here, let me move them away from you so you can sit up." The intense light died down as I opened my eyes again. There was a man in a white coat carefully pulling back a large lamp with an assortment of large light bulbs on it.

"Thanks for warning me..." I grumbled slightly as I stuck my finger in my mouth, realizing what had just happened.

He just looked at me blankly and began to speak.

"Well, we kind of didn't expect you to be up for a little bit. We were actually hoping that we could run some tests on you while you were asleep."

Run tests on me while I sleep?

"What are you talking about?" I said as I shot the doctor a dirty look.

The doctor seem unfazed as he looked at his clipboard.

"Well we detected high extremely high levels of activity in all six layers of your neocortex. That is actually quite interesting because it says here that you were administered an anti-hallucination drug. That alone should of shut down most of your subconscious thinking processes. We wanted to do an MRI so that we could examine you as you were asleep. Can't really do it now since your awake..." The doctor said with a look of slight disappointment on his face. He quickly brushed that aside as he began scribbling down some notes on a note pad.

I was administered a anti-hallucination drug?

"Wait Doc, you can't give me that drug when I'm sleeping." Oh shoot...-

The doctor kept writing as he spoke to me.

"The one that came in that needle?"

"Yeah."

"Of course we can give it to you while you sleep. It's not going to have any different affects on you." He tapped the pen tip on his chin a couple times before scribbling some more notes down. He looked up at me and smiled lightly as he spoke. "Who told you we couldn't do that?"

"Well, uh, I had a dream about someone telling me I couldn't," I said. Would this guy believe me?

He looked up at me with a raised brow.

"Dreams?" He flipped through his notes.

"Yeah, there was a nurse that came up to me and told me that she was glad that I was up because she couldn't 'administer the medicine while I was asleep'," I said mimicking the nurse's tone.

I glanced over at the doctor. He was going to need a new pen soon with the amount of writing he was doing.

"Anything else?"

"Yeah..." I said recalling what had happened. "Everyone I meet were, uh, I don't know how to explain it..." How was I going to explain it to this guy? If I told him everyone in my 'dream' were ponies he might think I am crazy!

He must of noticed my expression as he calmed me.

"No need to worry..." He glanced down at his clipboard. "...Darcy. We are not going to throw you in an asylum or anything. If you tell us I'm sure we can figure this out. Believe me, I know what you have on your mind isn't as crazy as some things I have experienced." With that he smiled and waited for my response.

I hesitated for a bit, but figured since I had nothing to lose. I might as well tell him. What could possibly go wrong?

"Well... Everyone in my dreams were ponies. It was really weird, some of them were unicorns and pegasi..."

He just nodded and gestured me to say more.

"Anything else?"

"Well, some looked and sounded a lot like my friends..."

He stopped and looked at me, now this seemed to get at him.

"Hmm, that is odd. But not unusual... I mean you dream about stuff you remember, am I right?" He said.

I remembered things from my dream so vividly though. The window, the pillows on the ground, the Sun.

'Scootaloo...' You dream about things you remember. What do I remember...?

As he clicked his pen closed and with a one swift motion he ripped the top most piece of paper and crumpled it up before he threw it over his shoulder and into the trash can without even looking behind him to check if his makeshift ball had made it into the can.

"Like it? I have been working on me aim."

"Uh, what was that you just threw away?"

He just looked at me and smiled politely.

"Oh that was your release form, but I see that you might need a little more time here. You seem to be a little off." He said. "No offence... We only want to ensure your health." He said smiling in the nicest way possible.

I know he didn't mean to offend me, but seriously?! 'Oh you are a little crazy so we aren't letting you out until you are right in the head!'

"Well we better get you back to your room. You have a friend waiting for you." He said as he gestured me to the door.

I got up slowly off the bed I was in, It was when I put my hands down on it to help myself off when I noticed something.

"Holy crap..." The bed was extremely plush.

"I know right?! We just got these new tables for our MRI's. It helps the patients relax so we can get accurate readings. It just like sleeping on a cloud!" He said.

The last sentence floated around in my head for a while before I mad my way to the door.

"Yeah..."

"Okay your room isn't far from here. It's the fifth one on the left." He pointed to one of the doors.

I nodded politely as I started to walk down the halfway. Whoa... I must of hit my head really, really, REALLY hard. Everything was so vivid, so believable, so real... Each time I woke up, I felt like have been dreaming and everything I experience only tells my that my last dream was just that, a dream...

'Dream within a dream. How confusing...' I thought to myself.

I was still wearing my Blue Angels shirt, it was a deep blue like my highlights with cyan sleeves that I rolled up. On the front was the official logo for the Blue Angels. I turned around to look at my back. Nothing was there.

'Aww...' Having wings was so liberating...

I let the door swing open, it was quiet. Just a little to quiet for my taste. To be honest I was half expecting a Pink pony screaming 'surprise!' as I was hit with a barrage of party favors. Okay, that might of been a random though, but some part of me tensed up and got ready for it. It wasn't going to take any chances with a wild pony embodiment of a party hard friend.

I walked into the room. Tia was sitting quietly reading a rather large book. It looked like she didn't even hear me walk into the room.

"Hey Tia, you reading the dictionary again? You look like your around 'o' for 'obsessive'. That part is the best." I said with my usual amount of edge.

She just looked up at me with a blank expression which made me feel a bit uncomfortable.

"No Darcy... This," she said as she closed the book. "is the encyclopedia of mental disorders."

I facepalmed.

"Not you too! I just had the doc down there call me loco in the coco!" I said as I rolled my eyes around.

Tia rolled her eyes too as she looked at me.

"Well I was looking up what you might have. I was the one who told the doctor that you were tossing and turning in your bed." She said. "The final straw was when you started crying. So I called the doctor over. He said he wanted to run an MRI since you should be out cold. I don't want to see you crying like this."

She looked at me with the familiar expression of genuine concern.

"Are you okay..?"

I flashed back to the images of Scootaloo.

'See you later Rainbow!'

I must of spoke my mind because Tia just looked at me funny.

"Rainbow..? It hasn't rained for days, Darcy are you okay?"

I shook my head scattering my thoughts.

"Uh, yeah! It's nothing really." I bit my lip. Could I tell Tia..?

"It's okay Darcy, you can tell me what's wrong. I promise not to tell anyone else." She giggled lightly and spoke again. "I am not going to judge you, I really just want to help you out."

I didn't know what to do. Sure, she wouldn't think about me differently, but what about the rest of my friends? What would they say about me. I looked around the room, no one else was there, Tia was just sitting there in a small chair in the corner of the room with a couple of books on her lap, patiently waiting for a response.

"Well Tia... It's kind of hard to explain..." I began. "Every time I fall asleep..." I looked at her. She was sitting there still concerned and was listening attentively to me.

"Every time I fall asleep. People turn too, uh, ponies..." I closed my eyes fearing the look in Tia's face. I didn't want to see her expression whatever it might be. But instead of a gasp of shock coming from the corner of the room I felt a hand on my shoulder, loving and kind. I slowly opened my eyes to see that Tia was now standing next to me, hand on my shoulder, trying hard to help me.

"Nah, it's okay Darcy." She said as we sat on my bed. "Tell me more."

I began to tell her about how many of the ponies I encountered resembled people I have seen. How many things that happen here happen there too.

She just shook her head as she processed the information.

"...But Tia, The more things change... the more things stay the same... I just don't know what to do." I said as I finished speaking blushing furiously.

Tia didn't say anything for a while. She just sat next to me with her hand on my shoulder.

"Darcy, as your friend, I think I know how I can help you." She stood up off the bed and walked towards her small pile of books that she left on the seat. Slowly she pulled out the book on the bottom of the stack and flipped it open as she began to skim the pages.

"What's that Tia?"

"Ah, here it is!" She said. She didn't even notice me talk to her. I swear, Tia and her books...

Gently she put her hand back onto my shoulder and gestured me to lie down on the bed. She looked at her book once more then turned to face me.

"You don't want to have dreams about ponies anymore?" Tia said to me.

I thought for a bit. What was she planning. Would she erase my memories? I thought of my winged pegasus counterpart for a while. I would never be able to be free like that... No, it had to be like this. I wanted to live a normal life. I had a family who friends who cared for me. I still had a long life to live. No, it had to be like this. I have so much I want to do in life.

"Yes, I'm sure."

She just smiled at me.

"I know you can get through this Darcy. I know you are-" Just then Tia was tackled to the ground with a loud Thump!

"Oh my God! Darcy, are you feelin' okay! The doctor said that you were about to get your brain checked! And when we came in we saw you and Tia and we though that-"

Abigail immediately put her hand up to Paula's mouth muffling her words.

"We heard everythin' Darcy. Are you okay?" Abigail said as the others stepped inside. Faith and Rachel came close to my bed and knelt beside me. They were all now around my bed, a comforting smile on all of their faces.

I felt tears welling up in my eyes.

"I am so lucky to have you guys... I don't know what I'd do without friends like you guys."

Paula just came up and gave me a big hug.

"It's okay Darcy! We are your friends, and that's what friends are for!"

I looked at the others in the room. She was right, it broke there hearts to see me like this. Slowly I released Paula and i turned to face my friends.

"I am going to see this through for you guys... I can't stand to see you like this."

Tia just smiled as she began to flip through the pages of her book.

"When you fall asleep you will recall your life as is and I want you to tell those ponies that they aren't real. Now if I do this right while your asleep then you shouldn't be having these dreams, okay?" She said.

I nodded my head slightly. Recall my life so far? I tried remembering the events before the car crash. It was very hazy now. I could only remember the sudden impact and the blinding lights...

"Alright Darcy." Tia said. "I'm ready."

I nodded again as I rested my head on the soft pillow and pulled the cyan covers up. It was hard at first... but I... eventually... fell... asleep...

~~~~~

My mind slowly drifted back into a state of consciousness. Gradually my senses came back to me... My sense of hearing was the first to return. I heard the wind screaming past my ears at deafening levels of sound. My sight came next, I was rocketing towards the ground at amazing speeds. What the hell was going on?! And finally my sense of touch came back. I felt the wind rushing past me trying to pull me back. My hair was blow back all the way as I fell. I started to tear up as the air battered my eyes relentlessly. I could feel myself going faster and faster. The ground rushed up to me, but suddenly... I turned up and I rocket into the sky. My body shaking slightly as the adrenaline was pumped through my veins.

I remembered this...  I always loved to skydive... But why haven't I opened up my parachute? Why did I come straight up?

I looked behind me and I was in pure shock. I opened my mouth to gasp but quickly closed it fearing that if it was open any longer it would detach itself from my face.

Behind me was a giant rainbow. It shimmered in the light of day and only lengthened as I rocketed across the sky. I felt a little tingling sensation on my flank as I looked straight ahead. There was a finish line with a checkered banner handing above it and many small ponies with wings sitting on clouds beside it. I couldn't stop myself, I tried to stop but I just kept on going. I couldn't control my actions. I went blind for a moment as I went through the banner.

The banner ripped and I could see again. My eyes were met with the familiar view of my little white room.

"So Dash did you tell those 'humans' they weren't real?"

I sat up straight and opened my eyes wide and faced my friend. There sat a purple unicorn, her horn glowing with magic.

"Dash are you okay?" The unicorn looked genuinely concerned.

'no, no, no, no, no..!'

"No, no,, NO, NO, NO!!" I shouted. This can't be happening again!

The unicorn's horn quickly flickered off as she looked at me with fear.

"Rainbow Dash?! Are you okay?" She started to bring up her hoof to put on my shoulder, but I angrily swatted it away.

"No! You aren't real!! You ponies aren't real! I'm dreaming!! I'm dreaming!!!"

I flew out of the room and through the door. My mind was racing as I flew down the hallway. This was met with surprised looks from ponies everywhere. I turned sharply around the corner only to be stopped by a little pink mare. I had bumped into her and spilled a tray of new cupcakes that she was holding in her mouth onto the ground beside us.

"Dashie..?"

"No my name is Darcy! Darcy!!!" I screamed.

The pink mare was in shock. She started to tear up as she looked at me. Her normally curly hair fell lifeless and flat.

I felt something crack within me. It broke my heart to see this. No... No it didn't... This wasn't really happening...!

"No, you are just a figment of my imagination! Your not my real friend!" I screamed at the pink filly.

This struck her hard, her pupils shrunk and her eyes were on the verge of breaking out in tears. I heard a familiar quiet voice

"Rainbow Dash...?" It was shaky and uncertain. I looked over and I saw Faith standing there crying. I blinked the tears out of my eyes and my friend turned into a trembling yellow pegasus with a light pink mane.

I couldn't bear to see anymore of this. I flew in the opposite direction of the two mares, not even bothering to look back. I just passed up the door to my room when and turn the corner when a white unicorn and orange pony blocked the hallway.

"Rainbow Dash! What in tarnation has gott'n in to yew?! I can hear yew from all the way down the hall!"

"Rainbow Dash! Dearie! Please calm down! We are your friends!"

I turned back around, the pink and light yellow mare were on the other side of the hallway, blocking my path.

"Rainbow Dash... Please listen to us... Think about what your saying..." The yellow pegasus calmly. The pink mare next to her was a mess. She was all shriveled up and crying. They were slowly walking towards me. I stepped back, I looked around. I found myself in my room again...

"Rainbow Dash... Why are you doing this..." Said a voice behind me. She sounded like she was in a mixture of shock and terror.

"Because you aren't real..." I responded flatly still looking at all the ponies in front of me.

"But we are real! We are your friends! Twilight, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie!"

"No! You aren't real those aren't your names Tia!"

There was a silence in the room. I turned around to speak to the voice face to face.

"Those aren't your names! Your real names are Tia, Faith, Rachel, Abigail and Paula! You aren't my real friends, you are just made up!"

The purple unicorns teared up and tears ran down her face.

"Think about what you are saying Rainbow! We are your friends! Remembered how we vanquished the forces of evil with the power of our friendship?! Twice!"

I couldn't take it anymore, I spun around. The other ponies were slowly encircling me as trapping me with in the room. I frantically looked for a way out. The window still had that piece of plywood on it. I stretched out my wings and poured all my willpower into bursting through the thin piece of wood. I felt the wood crack and splinter as I sailed out of the window and into the night sky.

"Rainbow Dash...!" They called out behind me.

I didn't look back, I flew out as far away from the hospital as I could. And I kept flying until I couldn't even see the lights on the horizon. I was deep in the forest when I finally decided to stop. Carefully I lay back in a near by tree and closed my eyes. After a bit I opened them.

I was still sitting there.

~~~~~

Author's Note: A pretty fun write as usual. Not many mistakes, although I am going to say that when going once over the story I caught me spelling 'Tia' as 'Twi' Like a billion times... :(

Again, thanks for reading! I am open to comments, suggestions, and opinions. I am open to critique in general. I take everything to heart and I really mean it! <3

~Athanix,

Peace.