???

...And I stand alone, surrounded by changelings, the circle growing smaller and smaller by the minute as they inch closer and closer. Desperate and afraid, I call out for my friends.
It's working! I can see the cocoo...
"Twilight! Rainbow Dash! Rarity!"
Nothing. Ponyville is silent as the circle grows smaller and smaller...
"Pinkie Pie! Fluttershy! Anypony! Help me, please!"
Still nothing. I look around for any sign, any way, any chance to escape...
Why isn't she waki...
One of the changelings is smaller then the rest. Faking an attack at another changeling, I dart towards the small one and jump over it, escaping the circle and taking off down a side alley. After turning a couple times, I come across my friends standing in a square.
"Where were you guys?" I ask. "I was surrounded back there and I really needed your help!"
They say nothing.
We still have to do more. They're still trapped in their illus...
Twilight's necklace glows, and a large ball of light appears and flies straight up into the air. Soon, the changelings come, surrounding the square, and still they say nothing and do nothing.
Then they start walking away, the circle parting as my friends abandon me to the changelings. Past the circle, I see Queen Chrysalis herself congratulating them. They walk off down a side alley...

...And my sword is broken.
I stand, held by magic bands, in a burning field, surrounded on all sides by changelings. My friends and I have been separated by the massive force, and I can hear them fighting, occasionally glimpsing flashes of orange as Applejack beats one down with a hammer or flashes of purple as one of Twilight's giant spikeballs slams into one of them, but there are too many.
There's gotta be some kind of spell I can...
As I stand there, trapped, wondering why the changelings have stopped attacking me, I hear a sound that stops my heart.
Fluttershy screams as a changeling hits her with something. I hear laughing, and then more screaming as the changelings close in on her. Soon the screaming stops.
Tears come to my eyes.
Fluttershy, dead? No! It can't be! She... She can't die!
Then Rarity screams next, a long, loud scream that is choked off halfway through as a changeling arrow hits her in the neck.
Rarity! No!
I see Rainbow Dash fly straight up, then fly straight down again, a cone of air forming around her as she prepares for a Sonic Rainboom.
Weren't you able to go into their...
A burst of green magic streaks towards her and hits her in the head. I hear the crack as she hits the ground headfirst, followed by a scream of rage from Applejack. Changelings are tossed left and right as she tries to reach her friend's body.
And all the while, the ones around me are just watching and laughing, taunting me, and my sword lies broken in the dirt.
The next one to fall is Twilight, a changeling dodging her giant spikeballs and maneuvering around her until he strikes at her head, cleaving it in two.
Then Applejack bursts into the circle of changelings standing around me, her clothes and body almost as blood-soaked as her hammer.
"Pinkie Pie!" she yells before a changeling tackles her from behind. The rest fall upon her, and I am helpless to watch as they trap her with magic. Tears streak my face as they hover her over so we face each other. Applejack manages to get a few words out before they kill her.
"Pinkie, the Elements-"
Yeah, but I don't even really know how it...
I wake up with a start, my head pounding and my heart racing. Gummy's head perks up at my sudden movement, and I pet him until he goes back to sleep.
What an awful dream.
Then I hear the screaming.
I jump out of bed, pick up my sword, and rush out the door. Changelings have surrounded Ponyville, and I join Twilight and the others to confront them. Soon, we are separated, and a changeling sneaks up behind me and blasts me with magic...

I dart towards Twilight to aid her as she fends off three changelings. She takes out one, but as she does so, two more attack her from behind.
You at least have to...
"Help!"
I rush from Twilight to Fluttershy, the latter being positively swarmed by the things. She tries as hard as she can to fight, but they overwhelm her and she goes down. From behind me, I hear Twilight scream as a sword cuts through her side.
"Rarity! Help!"
I turn and run to help Pinkie Pie in her efforts to hold back a veritable storm of changelings. Twilight is dead now, a sword arcing through her neck ending her life. Fluttershy is bleeding all over from different cuts on her body, swaying back and forth, tipsy from loss of blood.
But what if I cause more...
"Help!"
I turn and run to Applejack as she takes out another changeling. There's a horde of them around her, and it's all I can do to get to her. Fluttershy has collapsed now, changelings falling on top of her like wolves. There's no hope for her. Pinkie Pie has been slammed against a building and is now dazed, staggering to and fro while the changelings watch, laughing.
"Help!"
I go to Rainbow Dash's aid as she tries her best to deal with the ocean of changelings that has gathered below her. As I struggle to clear a path to her, the changelings cast a net of magic over her, trapping her and bringing her down to the ground. A rock dislodges itself from the building and hits Pinkie Pie on the head, cracking her skull and killing her instantly.
Applejack is under a pile of changelings, but I can still hear her struggling to break free.
Then they attack me.
If they were in...
My needles form a protective globe around me, and the changelings are stuck trying to pierce it. From outside, I can hear Rainbow Dash scream as they cut her to ribbons, I can hear the cries of exultation as Applejack goes down.
Then I hear a voice calling me. I dispel my globe and rush to help the owner of the voice...

I turn another corner, heading deeper into the changeling hive, two drones following me. As I walk, I pass five cells. I avoid looking in them, but I can still hear them.
I can still hear my friends yelling at me.
No. You're...
"Why, Rainbow Dash? Why?"
"Rainbow Dash, I trusted you, and you, you... How could you!?"
"Ah can't believe you'd do somethin' like this, Rainbow!"
"Don't just walk away and leave your friends behind! Save us, Dashie!"
"Face it, girls. Rainbow Dash is a traitor."
Stand back. I don't exactly...
The word 'traitor' echoes in my mind as I leave them behind. Soon, we come to the general.
"As agreed, Rainbow Dash." it says, holding out a large sack of gold.
I say nothing, tears streaming down my face as I take the bits and start off down a different tunnel. I take a left, then a right, then another left, then two rights...

...And I stand alone, surrounded by changelings, the circle growing smaller and smaller by the minute as they inch closer and closer. Desperate and afraid, I call out for my friends.
"Twilight! Rainbow Dash! Rarity!"
Nothing. Ponyville is silent as the circle grows smaller and smaller...
"Pinkie Pie! Fluttershy! Anypony! Help me, please!"
Still nothing. I look around for any sign, any way, any chance to escape...
One of the changelings is smaller then the rest. Faking an attack at another changeling, I dart towards the small one and jump over it, escaping the circle and taking off down a side alley. After turning a couple times, I come across my friends standing in a square.
"Where were you guys?" I ask. "I was surrounded back there and I really needed your help!"
They say nothing.
Twilight's necklace glows, and a large ball of light appears and flies straight up into the air...
...And another Twilight walks out of a side alley.
"Applejack!" she says. "Quick! We've gotta get out of here before the changelings come again!
"Again?" I ask. "They're comin' right now! Speakin' of, what were ya thinkin' lettin' off that flare like that and leadin' them to me? And why are there two of ya? You've got a heap of explainin' to do, Twilight!"
"Look." she says, grabbing my arm and pulling me down a side alley. "I can explain everything later, but right now we need to break the cycle!"
"Cycle? What cycle?"
"Just come with me!"
We both turn to the square filling with changelings as the other Twilight and her friends walk away from an empty circle of Chrysalis's soldiers.
"Now for the important part." Twilight says. "Watch."
After half a minute, the changelings scatter, leaving the square empty...
Until Twilight and her friends appear out of thin air and turn towards something that isn't there. Twilight shoots off a blast from her necklace, and the changelings swarm in, surrounding...
Nothing.
"What's goin' on here?" I ask quietly.
"It loops, even without you, Applejack. No matter what you do, they'll still always appear right there, do the exact same things, and then walk off, only to reappear in the same spot. The trick is that they've got you stuck in a loop where you're tricked into repeating your actions as well."
"What loops? Who's 'they'? Twilight, explain what's goin' on right now!"
"I can't!" she says, frustrated. "If I told you outright, there's no telling what damage it'd do to your psyche! As it is, I'm pushing it." She turns to me and looks me in the eye.
"You need to make the decision yourself. You need to realize on your own what's happening."
Her face falls, and she starts leading me back towards the square.
"Unfortunately, you need to get back in there. However, I have one simple request: When you escape - and you will escape - instead of turning left, then left, then left again, turn right, then go straight as long as you can. See what happens."
"Twilight! What're ya-"
She cuts me off, pushing me into the square with a "Sorry, Applejack!" before running off as the other Twilight fires off a blast from her necklace. Soon, the changelings swarm in...
...And I stand alone, surrounded by changelings, the circle growing smaller and smaller by the minute as they inch closer and closer. Desperate and afraid, I call out for my friends.
"Twilight! Rainbow Dash! Rarity!"
Nothing. Ponyville is silent as the circle grows smaller and smaller...
"Pinkie Pie! Fluttershy! Anypony! Help me, please!"
Still nothing. I look around for any sign, any way, any chance to escape...
One of the changelings is smaller then the rest. Faking an attack at another changeling, I dart towards the small one and jump over it, escaping the circle and taking off down a side alley.
What was it she said? Right, then straight?
I turn right instead of left, and the world grows wavy, the very buildings seeming to bend as if they were reflections in a pool of water.
"What the hay is happenin'?" I ask, going straight at the next intersection, the buildings growing more translucent as I run on, thinking about what Twilight said.
It loops, even without you.
What loops, though? What've I seen that ever loops? A circle.
I mentally scoff at myself.
Well, duh. What else loops? A racetrack...
A spark of an idea forms in my head.
A racetrack! The racers always make certain turns; they always go the same way every time, all because the track curves to the left. If they turned right...
I look up at the wavering buildings.
They'd go off the track and be out of the race until they got back on!
The trick is that they've got you stuck in a loop where you're tricked into repeating your actions as well.
Whoever 'they' are, they've got me running some kind of race!
The buildings waver even more, the very ground rising and falling under me in waves.
And somehow I've managed to get off the track. Who would want me to keep running a race like this, though...
I see a large ball of light shoot up into the air and explode, and then I hear the changelings running towards the square...
The changelings! Of course they'd want to keep one of the Elements of Harmony trapped!
I struggle to keep my balance as the whole world twists and turns in on itself.
This is an illusion!
Then I fall through the ground, and everything goes black.

As I open my eyes, I see a wooden ceiling and a concerned face looking down at me.
"F-Fluttershy?" I ask, making out the face against the bright light of... wherever I am.
"Oh, wonderful! You're coming to!" she says, smiling widely and turning to look back at something. "She's coming to!"
Another face joins the first.
"Trixie?"
"Yes, Applejack." Trixie says, visibly relieved. "It's me. Glad you've finally snapped out of it."
Snapped out of what?
Then I remember, bolting upright as memories fill my head.
"The illusion!" I say. "Ah was surrounded, and they left me, so Ah ran, and got surrounded again..."
I trail off, looking around.
"Is this Zecora's place?"
Fluttershy nods.
"We took you and the others here after we escaped."
"The others?"
"Of course." Trixie says. "What, did you honestly think we'd rescue you without rescuing the rest of the Elements?"
I notice the cocoons then, all with large holes in them, and Twilight slumped on the floor. I look down and see the remains of what must have been the cocoon I'd been trapped inside.
I stand up, my legs wobbly, and lean on Fluttershy for support as I step over the cocoon bits and walk over to Twilight.
"What happened to her?" I ask.
"I don't really know." Trixie says. "From what she's told me, she's... not in her body right now."
"Not in her-" I say. "Well, where is she, then?"
"With Pinkie Pie." Fluttershy says. "Doing the same thing that she did for you."
I think back to the conversation I'd had with Twilight, and how I'd realized that I'd been under an illusion...
I look at Fluttershy closely, examining her for a sign that she was fake.
"Wh- What are you doing, Applejack?" Fluttershy asks, backing away from me.
"How do I know Ah'm not under another one-a them illusions?"
Trixie looks thoughtful for a minute or so while I continue to examine my friend.
"Tell me." Trixie says, stepping towards me. "In the first illusion, were you ever in pain? Did the changelings ever hurt you?"
"No." I reply. "They just kinda... let me escape, only to catch me and let me escape again."
"Good." Trixie says, walking closer to me with a smile on her face.
"What're ya-"
My words are cut off as Trixie's fist slams into my cheek, hurling me to the ground, pain exploding from where the punch had landed.
"Why, you..." I say, picking myself up and cracking my knuckles. "Ah always knew ya were a no good, lousy, lying..."
"Wait." Trixie says, backing away. "Stop and think first, as hard as that might be for you right now. How hard would it be to simulate pain?"
I stop, and think.
"Ah reckon it'd be pretty difficult." I turn and glare at her. "But not impossible."
Trixie nods. "I understand. You still don't trust me." She reaches for a small vial of an orange liquid, uncorking it and dripping a single drop onto her tongue before swallowing.
"It really does taste like apples." she says.
"What'd ya just drink?" I ask, stepping towards her.
Trixie tries to say something, but her words are cut off as she starts choking on something, her face going red.
"Wow." she says, after recovering. "I don't envy the poor changeling I made drink that. It hurts!"
"What'd ya just drink?" I ask, curling my fingers up into a fist and raising my arms threateningly.
"A truth potion." she says. "I physically can't lie now, or else I start choking, like you just saw."
"Alright..." I say, lowering my arms to my sides. "So tell me: am Ah under an illusion?"
"No." she says. "I really did rescue you, Fluttershy really helped, we really brought you to Zecora's, and Twilight really knows how to 'astral project'."
"Ah believe you." I say. "I know how to tell if someone's fakin' somethin', and that truth potion you took is real."
We sit in silence for a minute or two.
"How long until it wears off?" I ask.
"Depends on the dosage." Trixie says. "I took the smallest amount possible, so it should wear off in about half an hour."
"Good." I say.

???

I jump out of bed, pick up my sword, and rush out the door. Changelings have surrounded Ponyville, and I join Twilight and the others to confront them. Soon, we are separated, and a changeling sneaks up behind me and blasts me with magic...
...And Twilight is standing behind me, intercepting the blast with a magical forcefield.
"Pinkie!" she says. "We have to get out of here, quick! Before-"
Then Fluttershy starts screaming.
I race towards the spot, desperate to get to my friend, but Twilight stops me.
"I need to explain something to you first!" she says.
"Twilight, have you lost your marbles?" I ask, trying to push past her. "Fluttershy's dying over there, and you want me to stop so you can explain something?"
"Yes." she says, as if the idea were perfectly reasonable. I keep trying to get to Fluttershy, but Twilight conjures up a wall of magic that stops me.
Fluttershy stops screaming, and I turn on Twilight.
"You just let her die, Twilight!" I yell, picking up my sword. "She was scared and surrounded and hurt and alone and helpless and... And you just LET HER DIE!"
I rush her, blade held high, but she steps to the side and trips me, sending me sprawling on the ground.
"Pinkie, calm down! You can save her next time! Right now you need to listen, because we don't have much time before the others go too and you get reset!"
I get up, puzzled and angry.
"Next time? Do you honestly believe there'll be a 'next time'? You really have gone crazy!"
Rarity screams, and I move to save her, only to be stopped again by Twilight.
"Pinkie, have you ever had a lucid dream before?" Twilight asks as Rarity gets hit with an arrow.
"A lucid-" I stutter. "Twilight, Rarity's dead now because you wouldn't let me help her! Why on Earth are you talking about lucid dreams!?"
Twilight looks back and grimaces.
"Not much time now..." she mutters. "Look: soon you'll find yourself surrounded again."
Rainbow Dash hits the ground, and Applejack yells, her voice full of anguish.
I run to their aid, but once again I find myself stopped by magic, this time boxed in on all sides, preventing any escape.
"Twilight, let me GO!" I yell.
"Only if you promise to watch carefully and not interfere!" she snaps.
"Fine!" I yell. "Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!"
The box disappears, and I watch as Twilight dies...
"Ouch. What a way to go." the Twilight next to me says.
"Wait a sec." I say. "You're over there, dead, and you're also right next to me..."
Twilight nods. "Which means..." she says, as if encouraging me to say something.
"You can clone yourself?" I ask.
She facepalms, then shakes her head.
"I can't explain right now. We're coming up on the important part, so watch closely!"
I watch as Applejack bursts in, staring intently on something that isn't there.
"Pinkie, I have a warning for you." Twilight says. "When you get surrounded, look behind you!"
"Pinkie, the Elements-"

And then I am in my bedroom, sitting upright in bed.
Wait... How'd I end up here? I was just barely surrounded by changelings!
I look around the room.
And where's Twilight?
Then I hear the screaming.
I jump out of bed, pick up my sword, and rush out the door. Changelings have surrounded Ponyville, and I join Twilight and the others to confront them. Soon, we are separated.
I'm fighting as hard as I can, when I remember something from earlier, a fuzzy memory...
Pinkie, I have a warning for you. When you get surrounded...
I turn just in time to dodge a large blast of magic aimed straight at me.
All of a sudden, the changelings step back, forming a circle as they all laugh at the middle of the circle, even though there's nothing there.
Then Fluttershy starts screaming.
I rush to help her, but there are too many changelings. As Fluttershy's screams grow louder and more desperate, I close my eyes.
I need to get over there!
Suddenly I am standing next to Fluttershy as she is mobbed by three changelings. I take care of them easily, but as I go to help Fluttershy up, something starts happening.
Wounds start to appear all over her body, although nobody's attacking her. Cuts and gouges run up her arms and legs until they get to her neck and silence her for good.
What just happened? How'd I get here? And how did she die even though I saved her?
Then Rarity starts screaming, and I try to reach her, but am foiled again by the changelings.
These things are so annoying! I wish they were gone!
Suddenly all is quiet except for Rarity's screaming.
I open my eyes to see my friends, fighting... air. Rarity is running around in a small circle as if being chased by something, until she suddenly drops to the ground, holding her neck.
What on earth...
Rainbow Dash flies up into the air and dives, preparing for a Sonic Rainboom...
Until she suddenly swerves and hits the ground headfirst, her neck snapping upon impact.
I don't understand!
Applejack cries out, hitting the air with her hammer as she gradually moves towards Rainbow Dash.
One of Twilight's spikeballs zooms past me, and I turn to see her shoot them at nothing before her head splits in half for no reason.
What's going on!?
Applejack manages to fight - if swatting the air could be considered fighting - through to somewhere, stopping for a second to breathe.
"Pinkie, the Elements-"

...And I am back in my bedroom.
But- But I was just on the outskirts of Ponyville with my friends!
Another memory comes to my mind.
Pinkie, have you ever had a lucid dream before?
A lucid dream...
Suddenly I realize.
I'm dreaming!
Then the screaming starts again, and I smile.
Not so fast! I wish...
After a minute of thinking, the world around me changes, until...
We're all in Sugar Cube Corner, a giant cake on a table in the center of the room and music playing from a gramophone in the corner. I look up and see a large banner strung across the ceiling, one word written on it in bright red.

Congratulations!

"Nice work, Pinkie!" Twilight says, appearing next to me with a slice of cake. "I knew you'd figure it out. Normally I'd have had to be a bit more subtle with it so that you'd realize on your own, but with you, I can be a bit more direct: your mind is a very strange place."
"So I was dreaming?" I ask.
"Yes." Twilight says. "And you still are: you've just managed to change the dream is all."
I fall to my knees as relief washes over me.
"So Fluttershy and the others-"
"They're all okay." Twilight says. "Well... Relatively okay. They need your help, Pinkie."
I get back to my feet, wiping tears of joy from my eyes.
"I'll do anything I can." I say, smiling determinedly.
"Good." Twilight says, a small green tint coming over her eyes for a second. I blink, and it's gone. "All you need to do right now is wake up."
"Right." I say, concentrating...

I open my eyes and see Applejack, Fluttershy, and - for some reason - Trixie standing above me.
"You've come to!" Fluttershy says.
"That's two down." A voice says. I sit upright and turn to see Twilight picking herself up off of the ground. "Only Rarity and Rainbow Dash left."

???

"Help!"
I turn and run to Applejack as she takes out another changeling. There's a horde of them around her, and it's all I can do to get to her. Fluttershy has collapsed now, changelings falling on top of her like wolves. There's no hope for her. Pinkie Pie has been slammed against a building and is now dazed, staggering to and fro while the changelings watch, laughing.
"Help!"
I go to Rainbow Dash's aid as she tries her best to deal with the ocean of changelings that has gathered below her. As I struggle to clear a path to her, the changelings cast a net of magic over her, trapping her and bringing her down to the ground. A rock dislodges itself from the building and hits Pinkie Pie on the head, cracking her skull and killing her instantly.
Applejack is under a pile of changelings, but I can still hear her struggling to break free.
Then they attack me.
My needles form a protective globe around me, and the changelings are stuck trying to pierce it. From outside, I can hear Rainbow Dash scream as they cut her to ribbons, I can hear the cries of exultation as Applejack goes down.
Then I hear a voice calling me. I dispel my globe and rush to help the owner of the voice...
...And something holds me in place.
I turn to see Twilight standing next to me, a determined look on her face.
"Twilight?" I ask, confused. "How on earth did you get over here?"
"That doesn't matter." she says. "I have something very important to tell you."
"What is it?" I ask.
"Run." she says. "For once in your life, Rarity, think of yourself. Forget about saving us and just run. Get out of the square down one of the side alleys."
"Why would I do that?" I ask. "You'd all-"
"No!" she yells, pushing me away. "No arguing! No debating! No regrets! Run!"
I turn and run, hearing my friends scream behind me.
"One more thing!" Twilight yells. I stop and look back as she smiles and waves at me.
"Enjoy the show."
As I watch, she turns towards the crowd of changelings, raising an arm and grinning.
"Let's see if I can't get some practice in..." she says as the changelings charge her.
Her hand glows, and the changelings are lifted up into the air, each one enveloped by a purple aura. Twilight closes her fist, and the changelings zoom towards each other, slamming together into a large mass.
Twilight lifts her other arm and turns it palm upward, snapping her fingers. A fireball ignites in her palm, and her eyes narrow as a drum of oil appears out of nowhere and pours itself all over the jumble of changelings.
"Do you believe in magic?" she says with a chuckle, flicking the fireball at the ball of changelings and turning around as the mass ignites. "'Cause I do."
Maniacal laughter echoes through the square as the changelings burn.
"Oh, I haven't had this much fun in a loooong time!" she says, giving me a wink and beckoning me towards her.
"Don't worry: it's safe."
As I walk back towards her, her smile fades, replaced by a thoughtful look. Her eyes flash green as she taps her foot impatiently.
"You're a lot more intelligent than I'd have ever imagined, Rarity." she says.
"I beg your pardon!" I say. "Are you insinuating that-"
"Maybe. You're really, really smart, Rarity. Almost as smart as I am, and that's saying something. I can all but outright tell you what's going on, and it won't hurt your mind."
"Twilight." I say. "You're not making any sense! How were you able to defeat so many changelings so easily? Why are they still floating if you're not using magic to keep them up? What exactly is going on?"
Twilight sighs, and I feel myself being lifted off of my feet.
"This'll tell you more than I could in so short a time." she says, levitating me into the air and pointing me at the fire.
"Twilight , what are you-"
She flings me towards the ball of burning changelings, a sad smile on her face.
I scream, preparing for the searing heat of the fire and the sensation of my body being burned away.
Instead, I land on a changeling, perfectly fine. I look around at the flames swirling around me, some even touching me.
"How's the temperature in there?" Twilight calls.
"It's... actually quite cool." I reply, shocked.
"Really? Mind if I join you, then?"
Twilight steps into the flames, stopping as she notices me glaring at her.
"What's with the death stare?"
"You threw me into a fire!"
"As if you were going to get hurt."
"I didn't know that! You could have at least told me!"
"I guess. Now think: I'm using mysterious powers, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack are still screaming even though we can't see them, and we're standing in the middle of a fire chatting about everything as casually as we would about the weather. Put two and two together already! You're smart enough to take something much more obvious than a silly old bonfire!" she says, exasperated.
For the first time, I notice the screaming of my friends, elongated into an almost unnatural monotone.
What does all this add up to? So much is going on! This can't be happening. This has got to be some kind of...
"Dream..." I say, realizing.
A lightbulb appears above my head and turns on.
"Finally!" Twilight says, snapping her fingers as her eyes flash green again. The lightbulb disappears. "Now wake up. We need your help."
And with that, she fades away.

???

I turn another corner, heading deeper into the changeling hive, two drones following me. As I walk, I pass five cells. I avoid looking in them, but I can still hear them.
I can still hear my friends yelling at me.
"Why, Rainbow Dash? Why?"
"Rainbow Dash, I trusted you, and you, you... How could you!?"
"Ah can't believe you'd do somethin' like this, Rainbow!"
"Don't just walk away and leave your friends behind! Save us, Dashie!"
"Face it, girls. Rainbow Dash is a traitor."
The word 'traitor' echoes in my mind as I leave them behind. Soon, we come to the general.
"As agreed, Rainbow Dash." it says, holding out a large sack of gold.
Suddenly, Twilight appears out of nowhere and punches the changeling in the face.
"No offense," she says, eyes glowing green. "but I never expected you to be as smart as me. I can actually outright tell you, thank Celestia!"
"Twilight!" I shout, taking a couple steps back. "W- What are you doing here?"
"Rainbow Dash: You're dreaming! Wake up, now!" she says, slapping me in the face. "I'm tired of all this illusion business! Wake up so we can get to saving everyone!"
Everything goes black as I fall through the floor...

...And wake up in a cocoon on the floor of a wooden hut.
"What the hay just happened?" I ask.
"You woke up." Twilight says. "Now, let's get going."
I take a look around and notice the others all staring at Twilight and me in... shock? No, the looks on their faces look more like trepidation, like...
Fear.
For the first time I notice that Twilight isn't casting a shadow.
"Twi-" I say, but stop when I notice it. The aura of blackness that's started swirling around Twilight's feet and legs.
"Yes?" she says tensely. "What is it, Rainbow?"
I look at the others, and see Applejack shake her head slightly, mouthing 'best not to mention it.'
"Nothing." I say. "I'm just... still confused from that... dream? Was that a dream? Is this a dream? What's going on?"
Twilight's glowing green eyes narrow.
"I'll tell you what's going on." she says. "I finally understand exactly how much pain and suffering these... things have put you through! I've finally realized exactly how cruel the changelings can be!"
She leans in towards me, and the aura around her grows.
"I've finally realized what they've done to our friends!"
She turns away, and walks towards the door.
"Rainbow: You'll smash their pitiful little wall with a Sonic Rainboom, opening the way for Rarity and Pinkie Pie to attack the hole while me and Applejack attack from behind, cutting them off."
She turns back to us and beckons us forward.
"We end this. Now."
"Twilight." Applejack says. "Ya need ta calm down and think about this. There're six of us and at least a hundred of them! We'll get killed faster than you can say 'apple fritter' three times fast."
"Applefritterapplefritterapplefritter." Pinkie Pie says. "Wow; that's pretty fast."
"You don't understand!" Twilight yells. "None of you do! You didn't have to see her kill them! You didn't have to see Blues and Caramel and Berry Punch and Shoeshine get killed right in front of you!"
We all gasp.
"When did this happen?" Rarity asks. "Just how long were we trapped in a web of lies?"
"A week!" Twilight says, her eyes glowing ever brighter. "You were trapped in there for a week and I had to break out and save you but then Zecora died and Trixie died and then I captured a changeling and he told me what they've done!"
She looks at us all in turn.
"We're the last ones left! They've killed Vinyl, and Octavia, and Time Turner, and Sweetie Belle, and Applebloom, and Scootaloo! They've even killed the Princesses! The Princesses! We need to strike back! It's now or never!"
The aura around her has reached her midsection, cloaking her lower body in darkness.
"We need to avenge them!"
"What's going on in here?" a voice says. we turn to see Trixie walking through the door with Zecora. "We leave for one minute to gather some herbs while Twilight frees you guys, and we come back to..." she gestures at Twilight, her eyes glazed over and her entire body save her head wreathed in shadow. "What even is this?" Trixie asks. "Twilight, what's going on?"
"You!" Twilight screams, charging at Trixie. "I'll kill you for what you've done! Nobody messes with my friends!"
Applejack grabs Twilight and holds her back as she struggles to reach Trixie, practically frothing at the mouth.
"You killed them! You killed them all! Celestia's dead and Luna's dead and Fluttershy's dead and Applejack and the rest of them too! They're all dead and I'm going to kill you for killing them!"
Twilight's no longer visible any more. She's now just a dark, Twilight-shaped shadowy figure with green, glowing eyes that almost blind me when I look at them.
"Twilight! Calm down!" Applejack says. "If Ah'm dead, who's holdin' ya back!"
Twilight answers with a guttural roar that actually scares me.
"Twilight! What's happening?" I ask. "What are you doing?"
Suddenly, there is a shattering sound and broken glass scatters from behind Twilight. She pitches forward, falling to her knees as the aura dissipates, her glowing eyes closing as she falls to the ground, unconscious.
I look and see Fluttershy standing behind her, a broken bottle in her hands and tears streaking down her face.
"I'm sorry..." she says. "I'm so sorry, Twilight! You were freaking out, and I got scared, and you were trying to kill Trixie, and I didn't mean to hit you that hard, and, and..."
Fluttershy falls to her knees, sobbing.

Twilight

"I don't understand." Fluttershy says. "Why aren't they waking up?"
"I don't know." Trixie answers. "Whatever the reason, Twilight looks like she's having a hard time. Let's leave her to concentrate. C'mon; I know a quiet place for us to talk without disturbing her."
She's right. I think to myself. I really am having a hard time with this. I don't understand! I've been able to break Chrysalis's illusions before, but this one just keeps changing! As soon as I try and subtly nudge their subconsciouses in the right direction, the illusion conjures up a fake me that ruins everything! I need to find another way, something that can get through to them!
I think back to when I'd first discovered that I'd been trapped in an illusion, and how I'd broken out by reciting some of my lessons to myself...
That's it! They just need more of a push!

Rarity
"What do we do now?" I ask. Twilight is lying in front of me, bleeding where the bottle hit her. Fluttershy is still sobbing uncontrollably.
"I- I..." she stammers. "I hurt her... I-I hurt my friend! I-I really am a monster!"
She runs off into the night, sobbing.
As we all stand there, Rainbow Dash looks at us all in turn.
"Can anyone else hear that voice?" she asks.
"What voice, darling?" I reply. "I can't hear anythi-"

"So Twilight Sparkle, did you learn anything about friendship from this experience?"
"What in tarnation?" Applejack says. "Where'd that come from?"
"I did, Princess. But I think Rarity learned even more than me."
"Rarity? What? Mysterious voice, you're not making any sense!" Pinkie Pie says.
I certainly did. I learned how important it is to keep your hooves on the ground...
"...and be there for your friends." I finish.
Suddenly, the world starts to go dark, and I start falling into... nothing. I can't see, hear, or feel anything.
"What's going on?" I ask, my voice echoing in the darkness.
"Come on, Rarity!" a voice says. "Wake up! We need you!"
"Twilight?"
"Wake up!"
"Where are you, Twilight!"
"WAKE UP!"
"Twilight, what's going on?"
"RARITY! WAKE UP!"

I bolt upright, sweating, as Twilight rushes to me and wraps me in a giant hug.
"You're finally awake!" she says. "Oh, I'm so glad you're back!"

Applejack

"Did Rarity just disappear?" Rainbow asks.
"Yep." Pinkie says. "Right after she said that weird thing along with the voice, she just went poof!
"It's hard to believe that two ponies that seem to have so little in common could ever get along."
Speakin' of which, there it is again!" I say.
"But I found out that if you embrace each other's differences..."
"Ya just might be surprised ta discover a way to be friends after all." I finish.
Then everything goes black.

Rainbow Dash

"Now Applejack's gone too!" Pinkie says. "What's going on here, Dashie?"
"I used to think the most important traits to look for in a pet, or any best friend, were all physical competitive abilities. "
"I dunno, Pinkie." I say. "But whatever it is, it isn't good!"
"But now I can see how short-sighted and shallow that was."
"Whatever happens, we've gotta promise to watch out for each other, okay?"
"Today I learned what the most important quality really is. A certain kind of spirit."
"Promise."
"A stick-to-it-ive-ness. A never give up, can-do attitude that's the mark of a real winner. And this tortoise has it..."
"Cross my heart, hope to fly..."
"...Tenacity." I say.

...Then I start falling.

Pinkie
"Please, oh please, mysterious voice..." I say. "Don't take me anywhere bad! Take me to my friends! Please!"
"I've always had fun playing with little kids and I thought babysitting them is just more playtime, right? Wrong!"
"Oh, I remember this!" I say. "Man, were those babies were a handful!"
"Being a caregiver is way more responsibility than just being a playmate, and today I learned that sometimes..."
"...Our desire for responsibility can outrun our actual ability to handle it." I finish, smiling. "Boy, was that day fun! I wonder how the Cakes are doing right now."
There's a long pause.
"Aren't you going to make me disappear?"
"Pinkie..." a voice calls. "Wake up!"
"Oh, I get it!" I say. I'm dreaming! That makes waaaay more sense than Twilight being under an illusion! Silly dream."
"Pinkie!" the voice says again. "Wake up!"
"That must be what happened to the others! They must have woken up before I did!"
"PINKIE! WAKE UP!"
"All right, all right, I'm coming!" I say, falling into darkness. "Sheesh! Impatient much?"

I open my eyes to see five concerned faces leaning over me.
"Hi there!" I say, smiling. "Where are we?"
"Zecora's." a voice says.
I sit up and take in my friends. Twilight looks exhausted from who-knows-what, Fluttershy looks really relieved, Applejack and Rainbow Dash both look kinda sad for some reason, and Rarity's just staring off into space.
"Whoa." I say. "What happened to you guys while I was out?"
"A lot." Rarity says. "Apparently all of us, save Twilight and Fluttershy, were put under some sort of spell."
"It made me think I betrayed you guys." Rainbow Dash says.
"Ah was abandoned by you five over n' over." Applejack says.
"Shaking off an illusion isn't something you can do quickly." Twilight adds. "It takes a while to adjust to the fact that the memories and experiences that happened under the illusion aren't real."
"It must be awful for you four." Fluttershy finishes. "I can only imagine what they might have done to me and Twilight if they'd gotten hold of us."
"Are you guys talking about that crazy dream I had where I broke my sword and had to watch you all die and then I woke up but then Twilight lost it and then everyone disappeared?" I ask, standing and stepping out of the crumbled cocoon scattered around my feet. "Cause that was super-duper freaky."
"I guess." Rarity says with a sigh. "Now we know what you were forced to endure."
"C'mon, Rarity. Cheer up!" I say, giving her a patented Pinkie Pie Smile. "It was just a dream. A really really really vivid dream, but it was still a dream."
"That's easy for you to say." Rainbow Dash says. "You didn't have to deal with the guilt of turning your friends over to the changelings."
"Or bein' abandoned in your very time of need by the people ya trusted most." Applejack adds. "It was horrible."
"Hey." I say. "I had to deal with that stuff too, you know! I had to watch you all get killed over and over knowing I couldn't do a thing to help! The point I'm trying to make is that your dreams don't need to affect you when you wake up. I mean, just look at you guys!"
I turn to them in turn, looking them in the eye.
"If you insist on being all sad and mopey like this, then what's changed? You're still not willing to fight and save our friends! If you're still hung up on what never happened, then you're just as helpless as you were when you were trapped in those!" I say, pointing to the bits of cocoon on the ground. "The only thing that's changed is the fact that the changelings won't bother putting you under illusions next time; they'll probably just kill you, and then you can't do anything to save Ponyville!"
"Yes, but Pinkie, try to understand our situation." Rarity interrupts. "We were just subjected to horrible situations over and over again!"
"Then why aren't you out there fighting right now, Rarity?" I ask her, fists clenched. "Get mad! These mean, nasty changelings put you under a spell and made you have to watch as your friends died again and again! Don't you wanna get back at them?"
"I do!" Rainbow Dash says. "I swear, the next changeling that I come across is dead meat! But that doesn't mean we have to go throwing our lives away! There are thousands of them!"
"Is that really how many there are?" I say. "Or is that just how many the changelings want you to think there are?"
"Pinkie, what're ya talkin' about?" Applejack says. "I saw how many there were for myself!"
"Yes, but you saw them while you were under an illusion! For all we know, the only changelings in Ponyville are Chrysalis herself and, like, five others! We could practically waltz right in and take back the town!"
"Sorry to break it to you, Pinkie," Twilight says, getting to her feet and wiping her brow. "But there are more than just a few changelings in Ponyville. From what I've seen and heard, there are at least a hundred."
"Then we get help!" I say. "Vinyl and the Cutie Mark Crusaders are up in Canterlot right now! The only reason they haven't come to take care of this problem already is that they don't even know what's going on! We just need to get Spike to send a letter to the Princess and they'll come running!"
"But they still won't be enough." Twilight says. "Are you forgetting about Queen Chrysalis?"
"What is this, Season 1?" I ask. "You have a brother, Twilight, remember? That guy who just happens to be captain of the entire royal guard, not to mention your sister who's an alicorn princess in charge of an entire empire!? They beat her once; they can beat her again!"
I turn away from them and head towards the door, picking up my bag on the way.
"I need to keep myself busy or else I'll go stir-crazy." I say, opening the door and stepping through. "I'm going to go scout out the town. If anyone wants to go with me, speak up now."
Silence. I sigh and close the door behind me.
I need to get help! There's no way we'll be able to save everyone with my friends like this!
I start walking towards the distant mountains.
Canterlot's only a few hours or so away, less if I run. I'll have to pace myself, but it should be manageable.
Taking a look back, I stop and turn towards Zecora's hut.
I should at least tell them where I'm going...
I quickly take a piece of paper from my bag and fold it into an airplane, writing a message on it before throwing it through the window of the hut.
There. Now off to save everyone.
I start walking, my shoes making a clopping sound on the dirt as I take off towards Canterlot.