Pony POV Series Gaiden:7Dreams/Nightmare Patch1of2

Seven Dreams/Nightmares
Patch 1/2
By Sherlock18
Edited By Alex Warlorn, Kendell2, & Louis

Before Revision/Disaster:
So here I am with my boyfriend Buddy and a bunch of other ponies friends. Some of which have wings or horns, (crazy thing, yeah. At first, I don't know whether to be weirded or jealous!) and we're all waiting for a powerful magic spell that'll make the world rock.

To think back, when I was younger, I wanted to be a circus clown! But then, I encountered a ghost and a group of magical glowing ponies. That made me decide I ought to become an adventurer instead! Because as much as I love throwing cream pies and wearing oversized squeaky shoes, one thing most clowns DON'T get is to travel to exotic places to prove that impossible things exist. Of course my friends tried to convince me that I was just being silly and that I wasn't likely to find anything. But, as a wise pony once said, 'the absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence.' Truer words for me have never been spoken!

Lancer, as it turned out wanted to be an explorer, and was a lot more polite about it, since the two jobs were kinda joined at the flank.

Stay on track? Okay I'll try my best.

I was making my way through a thick forest down an old abandoned pathway in an obscure Ponyland territory. Finally, I emerged in a wide open space. Besides the forest behind me, I could see a river, some mountains, lots of grass, and off in the distance I saw what looked like...a pink house? Out in the middle of nowhere? And not marked on my map?

It was then my cell phone decided to ring. (Thank goodness for satellite connection! Saved my bacon more than once.)

"Hello?" I said, answering it.

"..."

"Oh, not this again, Buddy."

"..."

"I know. Look, I love you, but I'm just not ready for something like marriage."

"..."

"Look, Buddy, can we talk about this later? I think I may have just discovered something. We'll meet back at the motel when I'm done."

"..."

"I love you too. Bye." And I hung up, sighing.

I cantered towards the structure. Closer inspection showed the structure was much larger than a house...more like a villa or some sort of estate. It just seemed to have this feel about it...like it wasn't a normal place. Same twinge of the extraordinary I got from seeing Squire's ghost and Brightglow. And just as with those times, I started getting a little excited. "Hello? Anyone here?"

I walked through the gates. One of the first things I noticed were the flowerbeds. "This garden seems to be surprisingly well preserved," I told myself.

"Why, thank you," spoke a voice behind me, making me jump. I whipped around to see a yellow mare with a pink mane and tail, and five roses as her cutie mark.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"Oh! I was going to ask you the same thing. My name's Posey," said the pony. "Um...sorry I startled you..."

"My name's Patch," I answered. "And it's fine, I just wasn't expecting to run into anybody out here."

"If you weren't expecting to run into anybody...then who were you talking to?"

"Just me," I replied. "I really didn't think I'd find someone living out here by themselves."

"Uh..."

Before Posey could say anything else we were interrupted by a pony with a pink coat, a blue mane and tail, and two blue lightning bolts for her cutie mark. But the truly incredible thing was...she had wings! She was flying! Like Brightglow! The newcomer (well, newcomer to me) didn't notice me right away.

"Hey, Posey, I wanted to ask you something, I...Uh, who's this?"

"Oh, this is Patch. Um...Patch?" For the way my mouth dangled open at her winged friend, Posey only tilted her head in confusion.

The winged pony waved a hoof in my face. "Hello? Anyone in there?"

"Y-You have wings," I finally managed to blurt out.

"Umm...yeah. Pegasi have wings."

"ALL peggy-sai wings?" I parroted back.

"Well, unless they've had some really bad accident, but that's never-, Wait, don't tell me you've never seen a pegasus before!"

I shook my head. Okay, that wasn't true. Brightglow and her other magical glowing pony friends I had met years ago all had wings. But I couldn't think straight.

The pegasus was shocked. "Well, what about unicorns?" she asked, "Surely you've seen some of them."

I shook my head again.

The winged pony's shock doubled. "What, have you been living under a rock?" That actually snapped me out of my stupor, and my eyes narrowed at her. Okay, maybe I'd been rude to stare, but I'm pretty sure I've gotten out a LOT more than her. Otherwise, we'd have had more reports of winged pony sightings, wouldn't we?

"Wait a tick, are you from the other side?" Firefly asked.

"Other side?"

"Umm...excuse me," interrupted Posey, "But perhaps we should introduce Patch to the others?"

"Others? How many ponies are living out here?" I exclaimed. "What exactly is this place? And who are you?" I asked the pegasus.

"The name's Firefly and welcome to Paradise Estate," she answered proudly.

I was soon introduced to the other ponies of Paradise Estate. Among them were other normal ponies like Posey (although they used the term 'Earth Pony'.) These 'Earth Ponies' included Applejack, Ember (who appeared to be the only filly), Shady, Lickety Split, and Magic Star.

I met more winged ponies or 'Pegasi' like Firefly: Surprise, Wind Whistler, Masquerade, Medley, Flutterbye, and North Star.

And finally there were the horned ponies, or 'unicorns': Twilight, Galaxy, Mimic, Moondancer and Gusty. Oh, and also, one weird unicorn on roller-skates calling herself Glory and a blue unicorn named Sparkler with four diamonds as her cutie mark. Am I forgetting anything? Oh yeah! Masquerade, Galaxy, and Mimic, all had gem eyes! Not only were they glitteringly gorgeous to look at, I bet they crack walnuts with their eyeballs. How cool was that?

One odd thing I noticed all the Paradise Estate ponies shared in common were bows tied to the base of their tails. A dress code, on top of everything else! Made me feel almost underdressed.

Twenty-three total. In spite of the size of the herd, I was surprised at the number of empty bedrooms I passed by when they treated me to a tour of the Estate. Names on the doors included 'Paradise' 'Whizzer' and so many others.

Of course, there was one important question I had to ask: "Firefly, do you, or any of your friends know a flying-pony, er, pegasus named Brightglow?"

The ponies looked at each other and shook their heads.

"Why do you ask?" Firefly questioned.

"You could say she's...a friend." Then I told them the story of my balloon adventure. The ponies were very surprised to find out I had met a horned Pegasus, and we're quick to assure me no such ponies existed in Paradise Estate.

"So, Patch," said Twilight, during a brunch break. "How exactly did you manage to find this place?"

"Well, I discovered this old unmarked pathway in the forest and decided to see where it led."

"Wait," interrupted Galaxy, "You discovered a lost path to Dream Valley? Just like that? Interesting."

"It wasn't that special. It was just something I managed to come across almost by accidental."

"Oh, but it is special Patch," Twilight countered, levitating a scone to her mouth to chew. "For centuries, Dream Valley has been protected by a spell to prevent Paradise Estate from ever being found by anyone or anything we would be better off never meeting anyway."

I blinked in surprise. "Just what do you mean by that?" I asked cautiously. "'Better off never meeting?'"

"Oh, you know," Galaxy waved a hoof neutrally. "People who either had evil, impure intentions, or would never have accepted us."

"I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't accept you."

Galaxy snorted. "You'd be surprised how many small-hearted souls would want to see as us as mutants or aliens...anything other than the ponies we actually are."

"It's been ever so long since we've had a guest!" Gusty cut in. "We figured rest of the ponies in the world didn't want to meet us! I was worried there weren't any nice ponies left."

I laughed uncomfortably. "We're not...THAT bad."

"Clearly," said Galaxy. "Somewhere in your heart, you must have been hoping to find us."

"Well, I was hoping to find something amazing. And I guess I found it!" Smiles and blushes and appreciative laughter all around the table. Saying my heart didn't start going a mile a minute would be lying. "Wait, so you're telling me the only the pure-of-heart can find Paradise Estate?"

"Or be ready to accept who you met… or someone one of us had invited in," said a new voice behind me. I turned to see a tall, bluish purple reptilian creature looking at me.

"Who or what are you?"

"I'm Spike. I'm a dragon," he deadpanned.

"A dragon? Like the ones that steal treasure and kidnap damsels?"

"I'm offended by that stereotype! But the answer is yes."

"Wow, a real dragon! This day keeps getting cooler and cooler! ...Oh! Do you know a dragon named Basil by the way?"

"Can't say I do. Why?"

"Just something a friend asked me once." I turned back to the others, "Say, when you gals say that this place has been protected for centuries, you mean that your families have been here isolated all this time?"

"Not exactly," said Twilight as she brought out a heart-shaped locket, "See this? This is the Rainbow of Light."

I examined the locket. "That doesn't look like a rainbow."

"The rainbow's inside the locket," said Firefly.

"Ah...But what does this thing have to do with anything?"

Wind Whistler spoke up, "The rainbow generates an intense magical field around Paradise Estate that causes those who are in current residence to stay in a magically induced physical growth lock at what ever age they happen to be at. It also negates cellar entropy while stimulating tissue regeneration at a hyper-accelerated rate. Or it might simply be reverting us to the chronological state when the field first came in contact with us since our manes grow back in seconds in spite of not being technically alive. Though starvation, exercise, exhaustion, etcetera, still have normal biological effects on us.

Crickets chirped. Bees buzzed. Somepony dropped a pin. "Huh?"

"She means that the rainbow's magic keeps us from aging or dying of natural causes," said Mimic.

"The Rainbow of Light's long term effects only occurred to us after we noticed our children weren't aging at a normal rate."

"Oh," I looked at young Ember, who seemed...sad? Then something dawned on me, "Wait, so you're telling me that you guys are immortal!?"

"All except Spike," said Masquerade.

"Yeah, but dragons live a lot longer than ponies. Especially the easygoing ones like me. So I'm the next best thing to immortal." said Spike.

"Also, the immortality has limits. We can still die. Getting hurt, wild animal attacks, getting sick, starvation, slipping in the bathtub...we're still vulnerable to all those things and more. And our immortality only lasts so long as we live at Paradise Estate," explained Galaxy.

"This doesn't bother you? Does it, Patch?" Asked Posey.

I grinned. "Are you kidding!? This is amazing! I have to call Starlight and the others! They are going to freak when they meet you! Oh, and I guess I should call Buddy as well."

"Who's Buddy?" asked Medley.

"He's just my boyfriend. ...Oh, you guys don't mind if I invite them, do you? They're all good ponies!"

"By all means," said Wind Whistler without hesitation.

"Might be fun!" Glory chirped.

"I've wished and wished and wished that we'd meet new friends," Said Twilight, "Go ahead and make my wish come true."

I called all of my old friends right away. They were all highly skeptical of what I told them over the phone, accusing me of pulling a prank, or eaten bad mushrooms again, but I pleaded and begged and assured until they promised to come. When they saw Paradise Estate for themselves, they all freaked magnificently (just like I said they would! Bonbon even fainted seeing Spike!) Eventually, they calmed down, and I was able to properly introduced my friends to the Paradise Estate ponies.

Brights Eyes and Wind Whistler wouldn't stop talking with each other.

Starlight ate up every bit of their history that I hadn't thought to ask about. She made good friends with Ember, who loved having company in the empty foals' house.

Sweetheart and Applejack were instant best friends.

Clover asked Twilight if she had magic to improve her dancing.

"You've been here all this time with no stallions?" Melody asked.

"There used to be dozens of us. But too many ponies can't deal with immortality," Wind Whistler said calmly.

"Slugger and the others colts said the Estate felt more like a prison than home." Galaxy added. "The Big Brother Ponies LIVED to roam, so they, and Buttons, choose to give up eternal life and left."

It wasn't long before we were spilling the beans to the media, (Don't judge us! We're bad with secrets!) And once the newsponies had their look and snapped their pictures, and conducted their interviews, me and the Paradise ponies became world-famous! They didn't mind in the least, they wanted ponies to know they existed.

And when the average pony, heh, I mean Earth Pony accepted that Pegasi and Unicorns were real, it was like a wall of painted glass shattered in our minds, and not just ours. Pegasi and Unicorns too, living in areas we Earth Ponies perceived as lifeless, from 'desert isles', the craggiest mountaintops, and within clouds, to frostbitten tundras. All across the planet! Pegasi were shocked to realize there was civilization below the cloud layer! And those reports of flying machines weren't all kooks. And Unicorns got a clue their magic wasn't the only magic. It was like our awakening had triggers their as well.

All determined to show each other that we existed, and see how much bigger the world actually was outside their self-imposed boundaries.

Turns out THEY thought they were the only species of pony existence too!

And on the heels of the pegasi and unicorns came the seaponies and flutter-ponies. First in trickles, then in huge schools and swarms, once they were assured that no one was going to vivisect them.

I actually visited the pegasi cloud cities a few times. None of the locals there had heard of a pegasus named 'Brightglow' let alone a unicorn with wings or a pegasus with a horn. It was kinda a tease really. I had wanted to make friends with the pony who had saved my life and Bon-Bon's more than anything. But I couldn't find her or her friends. Who were they?

Ah, well! No point being ungrateful. I've been blessed with more than enough miracles to make up for Brightglow...Miracles that (unlike Brightglow) I've actually been able to show off to the rest of the world! She'll be 'the one that got away,' I guess.

---

I ended up becoming a sort of liaison for Paradise Estate, constantly moving between it and the outside world. Of course, Buddy traveled to Paradise Estate with me a few times. During my stays at the Estate, the paradise ponies told me great stories like that of the human Megan and her siblings, the unstoppable Smooze, the bush woolies, Tirek, and a lot of other stuff. I told them a little bit about my own adventures, but they paled next to the swashbuckling epics they'd lived through. And many of their adventures (like the new return of Grogar) seemed...recent.

"You guys are like out of a fairytale!"

They actually chuckled at that one. "Not quite. We've kinda met fairytales before." North Star had said.

I got along well with Firefly, Surprise, and Ember. They enjoy pulling pranks as much as I do! Although, I can't help but feel sorry for Ember, being hundreds if not thousand of years old but stuck as a filly. And she didn't even seem to enjoy it anymore...I may have suggested to her that she leave Paradise Estate so that she could have a chance to grow up, but she was scared by the idea of leaving her friends behind. Not needing to grow up, just how many grown-ups would've happily traded places with her?

Then came the day that Starlight and Bright Eyes came to Paradise Estate with their crazy idea (as in crazy awesome!), to use the Rainbow of Light's magic to cast a global spell that would make the world a better place for everyone. Even though she was still new to magic, Bright Eyes took to it like a bird to the air! I was a little unsure, but the Paradise ponies seemed intrigued and they went over their plan. Using my old friend from the orphanage-turned-princess, Rosy, as a contact, a plan was set in motion to erect and modify seven castles in seven specific positions and have each castle have a piece of the Rainbow of Light put somewhere its foundation.

The paradise ponies seemed interested in the plan and gathered together to discuss something, but I couldn't hear what they were saying though the bedroom door (despite my best efforts). Finally they came back to Starlight and Bright Eyes. Twilight was the first to speak, "We've talked about your idea, and we've decided to give you the Rainbow of Light."

"Thank you," smiled Starlight, "You won't be disappointed." At this, Starlight, Bright Eyes, Twilight, Galaxy, and Mimic got to work on separating the Rainbow into pieces safely without accidentally destroying it.

We needed seven castles to house the seven separated pieces of the Rainbow Of Light. Three of them, (including Rosy's,) needed to be modified, refurbished, and modernized. Four of them needed to be constructed from the ground up. It took YEARS, (and don't even get me STARTED on how much a single castle costs, or all the rich tycoon ponies Starlight had to wine-and-dine to bankroll it all!) But now finally, the plan was finally ready to go.

So, now here I am waiting at Paradise Estate with my still-coltfriend, Buddy, (give him credit for tenacity,) and the Paradise ponies and Spike for a spell that will cause everyone's innermost (non-evil) desires to come true. Buddy turned to me, "So, Patch, I was thinking. Maybe after this, to celebrate we could maybe..."

"How many times do I have to tell you? I'm not ready for marriage yet. I love you, but I'm just not prepared for that kind of commitment," I told him.

"Actually I was just going to suggest we watch some of those old cheesy kung-fu movies we both enjoy," said Buddy.

"Oh." I blushed.

"But since you brought it up..."

"Not now, Buddy!"

Twilight approached me. She looked nervous about something. "Patch?" she said, "There's something you should know."

"What's that?" I asked.

"Well, with the pieces of the Rainbow of Light about to focus all of their magic on creating this new world, they won't be able to keep us immortal anymore."

"So, you just won't be immortal? That doesn't sound too bad."

"It's more than that. Due to the enormity of the spell, the new world replacing this one won't have a place for us since we spent so much of our lives fighting monsters...We-We won't exist anymore."

"What?! What do you mean you won't exist anymore!?" I shouted. Buddy stared in horror.

Galaxy spoke, "Wind Whistler and I realized it when Bright Eyes first laid out the spell's details. This spell won't just conjure up things ponies want, reality itself will change to fit them. And the wish inside all of our hearts is for everlasting peace, and happiness. The spell's magic will alter reality to the point where conflict itself, doesn't exist, or ever existed. But since all of us here at Paradise Estate, except for you and Buddy, have fought for all our lives against monsters and villains, we'll have no reason to have ever existed."

"What!" I yelled, "Why didn't you tell anyone sooner! Maybe there's still time to stop Starlight!"

"Patch, stop!"

This time it was Posey who spoke up. "There's a reason we never told anyone. We knew what was going to happen, but we chose to go through with it anyway since we decided that it would be for the best if ponies lived in a world without evil overlords or pony-eating monsters to worry about."

"But that's not fair!" I think I was actually starting to cry. They were going to vanish? But...they...there were my friends...they couldn't just vanish...

"Nobody said life was fair," said Magic Star. "Actually, if you think about it, our sacrifice will be the last unfairness the world will ever have to know. A fair trade-off, wouldn't you agree?"

Glory sighed, "Witch families and Grogar always keep popping up. Not just a thousand years ago but back in yer highschool days too."

"But you don't need to face those monsters alone anymore! You all can't just want to die!" I pleaded.

"Modern technology and superior numbers do not fix all evils, Patch. I...We're all sorry," Wind Whistler said, her calm tone nearly breaking into pieces.

Firefly turned to Buddy. "I really wish you had mentioned those old cheesy kung-fu movies a lot sooner. I would have loved to see them."

"Yeah," agreed Masquerade.

I was still upset. "Cheer up, Patch!" said Surprise, nuzzling me, "We'll meet again someday. Somehow. Don't know where, don't know when. But that's what makes it fun!"

"But you said you'll all just vanish."

Surprise smiled, "Maybe we'll come back as something new."

Ember nuzzled Spike, "Thanks, Spike, for you and your family staying with us."

Spike hugged her, "You guys always looked after me and my dad, I just wish I could have guided and watch over you in exchange."

I didn't know what was in my heart, not anymore, somewhere in me I just wished my friends didn't have to be apart!

After Revision:

I couldn't believe what the paradise ponies had told me. Buddy tried to comfort me, but I was too shocked at what I was just told to notice him. It wasn't fair. They shouldn't have to be just forgotten, to not be, not after everything they've done. I didn't want to have to be in a world without them, not after having to get to know them. But if they never were, then how I'd remember them? Maybe it would be better if I just forgot.

Buddy hugged me, "Don't be so sad, Patch, it doesn't suit you."

"I was such a go-getter when I was small. I just wanted to do something with myself."

"If this is really going to change the world for the better, then I want to see you smile. Heh, truth be told. I wish I had done more with my life. I've just drifted from one job to another. I wish I had a job that meant something to others."

I wonder what Rosy, Starlight, Sweetheart, Bright Eyes, and all my friends are all wishing for.

"I wish, I wish, I wish," Twilight whispered as she nuzzled me her horn glowing.

That's when I noticed everything was starting to glow. I looked down at myself and saw that my coat had turned a dark pink and my mane and tail became a mix between dark pink and purple, while my cutie mark became a kite and a butterfly.

I looked over at Buddy and saw that his body was becoming more feminine (okay, I've got to say I'm not into that sort of thing) and his coat had turned purple; his mane and tail became a mixture of orange, two different shades of pink, and one other color that I wasn't sure what it was called. Was this supposed to be happening? Why was my boyfriend turning into a mare? (Was there something he wasn't telling me?)

I looked over towards the paradise ponies and only saw a bunch of shadows, and one small blue dragon. Then I couldn't remember what I was looking at. But it's okay, I feel so at peace. Nothing is wrong. My friends are with me. Everything is okay. I don't need to worry. I feel happy. The world is wonderful. Everything turned white...No, everything was beautiful rainbows.

---

Hi! It's super special awesome to meet you! My name is Skywishes. My best friend is Twinkle Twirl. She's a dancer, in fact she's Ponyville's resident dance teacher and coordinator! She's always coming up with new routines! Her students think she's great and so does everypony!

For as long as I can remember I've had the ability to make wishes come true, if they were super special wishes! This isn't exactly something that's normal among earth ponies (the only other earth pony that I can think of that has an unusual ability is Pinkie Pie with her Pinkie Squink), but nopony treats me any differently because of it.

It was thanks to one of my wishes that I was able to meet my pegasus friend Star-Catcher. It happened when Twinkle Twirl was having trouble coming up with a dance for the Extra-Special Friendship Ball, and I wanted to help so I made a wish and Star-Catcher came and taught me how to dance on the clouds!

Then later on, I wished for the earth ponies and pegasi to be able to meet, because who doesn't like to make new friends?

I didn't meet Star-Catcher and the other pegasi until I was a full-grown mare, and it was thanks to me that the other earth ponies were able to meet them. And we didn't know about Unicornia yet either.

Huh. Everything I just said, just now sounds kinda-sorta...what's the word? Out-of-sequence?

And why do I remember Pinkie Pie and some of her friends being friends with Sweetie Belle and a pegasus as fillies? And why can't I seem to remember the pegasus' name? And why is Ponyville gray!? I ran through town hoping that somepony would tell me what's going on. I saw a pegasus fly overhead, but why did she look like Rainbow Dash gone wrong?!

I bumped into Twinkle Twirl, "Twinkle Twirl! Are you okay!? What's going on!?"

"I don't know!" said Twinkle Twirl in a panicked voice. "None of my students were at the dance hall!"

"I wish I wish I wish we knew what was going on!" I cried.

"That's the least of your problems. The voice seemed to come out of nowhere, I saw something grip Twinkle's head, "Delete."

I saw Twinkle Twirl fade away right before my eyes. I looked up at what had tapped her on the head. It was a strange looking menagerie of creatures. Weirdest of all, I got a sense that it was distinctly not-female! Like Spike. "Who are you?" I asked, "What did you do with Twinkle Twirl?"

"Anarchy's the name, rebellion's my game. And as for your friend, I deleted her." said the creature.

"Well 'undelete' her!" What was this feeling? This completely not-pleasant feeling? "Bring her back from wherever you sent her!!"

"I can't. Once someone's deleted they can't be brought back except as a shadow of existence. Besides I really don't want to do this. For soulless bags of sugar, you sure put up a fuss at being retconned. It's such a hassle."

"So why are you doing it!?"

Another, more feminine voice answered my question. "Because it is the only way." I looked towards the source of the voice and saw a really tall pony with both wings and a horn. She had a silver and black coat and her mane and tail appeared to be made up of stars. Her cutie mark was a spiral galaxy. "Your world is falling apart and this is the only way to fix it."

"If our world's falling apart, then shouldn't we be allowed to fix it?"

"I'm afraid it's not that simple. The damages to this world are too severe for it to be allowed to continue. I'm sorry. I really wish there was another way," explained the horned pegasus.

"ENOUGH with the endless apologizes! Geeze! It's not like she's going to remember in any of this," said Anarchy, "So..."

"I said bring back Twinkle Twirl!" I butted the monster in the stomach without even thinking about it.

He looked more shocked at what I said than the hit. "Huh?! How the heck can you even remember her name-?!"

"She's my best friend!" This was being...Ang-gar-ree? Angry? Yes. Angry. So angry. I didn't want friends to vanish. "I wish, I wish, I wish, I don't ever forget her! I wish I wish I wish she'd come back and we won't be apart ever again!"

"Being friends shouldn't make any difference. And I'm getting kinda sick of this 'being sucker-punched by ponies' routine. So you can just stand still and you can be-Hey! Get back here! Oh just go."

---

"Aren't you going to go after her?" asked Galaxia.

"Nah, she wasn't scheduled for a deletion, so why should I bother?" said Anarchy.

"Because she's supposed to be remade for the new world."

"After the whole incident with the pink pony, I've honestly stopped caring which pony are supposed to be deleted or recycled or brought over. Besides, isn't the 'remaking' part more your family's schtick? Not my problem."

"I swear I don't understand you draconequi sometimes."

"Then you're one-up on me. I never understand you Alicorns EVER."

---

I didn't want to be 'deleted.' I still had to rescue Twinkle Twirl! But something inside told me to run if I wanted my wish to come true! So I ran as far away from the two deleters as possible. I wished with all my heart that I'd make it to Butterfly Island. I knew we'd all pull through. I wish and wish and WISHED with all my heart that we would!

After The Disaster:

Everything rocked like a dozen earthquakes at once. Heirlooms fell off the shelves and shattered, the Estate shook madly for forever. Medly flew up and slammed her head into the ceiling in pure panic. Posy covered her head.

I couldn't believe it was really just a few seconds.

"What was that!?" shouted Applejack.

Was this supposed to be how the spell worked?

I don't know if anyone answered. A knife went through my brain and I screamed. I heard Buddy scream and Spike roar. I fell on my sides, convulsing. It felt like someone had begun a to give me a warm hug and drove a hot poker through my brain midway through. The fire in my head spread to every nerve ending in my body.

By the time I could I could think and breath again, Galaxy was healing me while Mimic saw to Buddy. Twilight and Glory concentrated on helping Spike, who had left a dent in the floor when he fell in agony.

"Well, at least I can't find any permanent damage, give a second to fix you up," Galaxy said. I stayed close to Buddy, I was more worried about him than me...

"I'm going to go see if I can find out what's going on," said Firefly.

"I will go with you," Wind Whistler offered.

"Count me in too!" North Star added not even hesitating.

And they all flew off.

"I don't like this surprise, not one bit," Surprise said to herself.

"Me neither," Applejack added.

Medley seemed to have gone into shock that had nothing to do with her bump. Sparkler busied herself comforting her.

I shook my head to clear it. "Hold-hold on, just let me call Starlight to see what happened and-Dang! My cell phone provider is on the fritz, I knew I shouldn't have switched companies!"

"Guys," said Mimic, "There's something else, I can't sense the spell that's supposed to be protecting Dream Valley anymore. It will take me forever to remake it."

"Is that bad?" asked Buddy.

"Very bad," answered Twilight.

"But..." I said suddenly smiling, my body still trembled, "You're all still here! Isn't that great? You're all still here! Together! You haven't disappeared! It didn't work! That must mean everything is okay! Maybe the spell just worked differently! Yeah! Come on guys! Let's smile!"

Galaxy slowly shook her head, "Patch. If we're still here, then our Make-The-World-Better spell didn't work, and if it didn't work, then something went terribly wrong."

"You mean terribly right," I said still smiling, hugging Buddy and kissing him on the muzzle. "Come on! Let's watch all those cheesy kung-fu movies now!"

The others looked a little afraid for me (don't ask me why, their being alive was good thing!) and nodded.

I guzzled down soda and munched on popcorn like I was Bon-Bon, as we popped our first kung fu classic into Buddy's portable VCR and started our movie marathon off right with Ninjas Verus Lawyers 5: The Revenge of Habeus Corpus. This was great, this was totally great! My friends were okay! We went through every movie Buddy had brought with him.

We fell asleep on the couches and next morning I convinced Posey and Ember to make a great feast of a breakfast for everyone! I had never felt so relieved or so alive! I knew a lot of powerful ponies were gonna be angry, (not the least of which our generous finaceers who paid for all those castles to be built) but maybe the spell just worked differently than Galaxy thought it would! Yeah! Everything was just fine! How could anything be wrong?!

Eventually Firefly, North Star, and Wind Whistler returned. "The news isn't good," said Firefly, "The castles exploded."

W-What?

"A-All of the castles exploded? H-Hang on! Weren't Rosy and Starlight in...?"

Wind Whistler interrupted me, "I'm sorry Patch," She gritted her teeth,"...They're gone. No pony could have survived those explosions."

Rosey? Starlight? Dead? No. No, it can't be. They were wrong! The explosions couldn't have been that bad! Everyone knows everyone survives blasts 'no one could have survived!' The pieces of the Rainbow of Light were so small! They couldn't make a blast that big! They had to be wrong!

"Starlight." Ember broke down crying.

"How could this have happened?" asked Gusty.

"This isn't what I foresaw, this doesn't make any sense!" Mimic whispered, her eyes huge with shock.

"I don't understand," said Twilight, "Wind Whistler and Bright Eyes checked everything! They prepared for everything! This shouldn't have happened."

"Well, apparently you forgot to put in a failsafe for your wonderful Rainbow of Light being a weapon of mass destruction!" snapped Buddy. Rage had been bubbling within him ever since Firefly first broke the news.

"Buddy, calm down," said Posey. She looked like she was struggling not to break down in tears herself.

"No! None of this would have happened if you guys hadn't decided to show yourselves to my girlfriend!"

"We didn't 'decide' to show ourselves to her," said Galaxy, "She found us all on her own, because she was pure of heart!"

Buddy ignored her and turned towards me, "And you! All I wanted was for us to get married, settle down and enjoy a nice, normal life. But noooooooo, you weren't READY for marriage, not until you'd unearthed sonething so groundbreaking, so world-shattering, that you did just that! SHATTERED THE WORLD! . So are you satisfied, Pookie-bear?! Have you left an indelible impact on civilization?! Has it finally been a big enough ADVENTURE for you, Patch?"

"You're right," I said, tears starting to appear in my eyes.

"You're damn right I'm...wait, what?" Buddy was looking at me, then himself, with wide eyes.

I paid no mind. I ran off.



+++

Posey slapped Buddy, "How dare you?" she said, glaring daggers, "If you want to hate us, that's fine. The Rainbow of Light was ours, not hers. But Patch is your girlfriend. She doesn't deserve to be treated that way."

"Patch never actually loved me," spat Buddy. "She was always ignoring me in favor of trying to find magic ponies. She kept rejecting me whenever I proposed."

"You're wrong," interrupted North Star.

"I'm wrong?! Oh! Forgive me! I briefly lost track of reality, and mistook this for a world where Patch and I weren't both still single!"

"Patch does love you. Practically every time she came here, while you were elsewhere she would talk about you and how great she thought you were. So much on the great part...Unless we're referring to what a great JERK you were!"

"Yes! I was such a 'great' guy, that she turned down more than THIRTY marriage proposals over the course of seven years! Kindly explain that to me!"

"BECAUSE SHE WAS SCARED!" Ember snapped in tears, reminding everyone she wasn't the filly she looked like.

"Patch isn't scared of anything!"

"No, she's musophobic! But she didn't want you to think she was a coward! And she's scared to pieces of things she can't back out of later because she'd disappoint those who she gave her promise to! She doesn't want to break her promises! Because her friends mean that much to her!"

"Marriage is a huge commitment," Posey had spoken up again, "It's only natural that Patch would be afraid of such a commitment, and besides, if Patch really didn't love you don't you think she would have left you by now? She was more worried about you than she was about herself when you collapsed."

Buddy wilted under the mares and filly. "I guess I didn't think of it like that."

"For richer for poorer, for better or worse. Tell me, Buddy, are you the type of guy a girl can count on to be there, on her side, when things are at their absolute worst?"

"..."

"Big decision for a girl to make."

"I...I...I..."

"Well?" said North Star, "what are you waiting for? Run to her!"

"Uh, right," and Buddy took off after Patch.

---

I ran wildly. Rosy was surely dead. Starlight also had to be d-NO! I refuse to accept that! Starlight is alive, she has to be. I'll find her, I know I will!

I then noticed my surroundings. I was now in a new part of the woods. There were giant mushrooms surrounding a small cottage. I had never been here before, but I knew it had to be the home of the Moochick, thanks to all the stories the paradise ponies told me about him. Maybe he could help me find Starlight...

As I approached the cottage I noticed a small gravestone that was marked 'Habit'. Habit? Oh, now I remember, he was the Moochick's pet rabbit. I slowly opened the door.

"Hello?" I called out. No answer, guess no one's home. However, as soon as I entered the cottage I noticed a small old creature lying on a bed. His white beard extended from his bed to the other end of this one-room cottage. He looked like how the Paradise Ponies had described elves or humans. It dawned on me that this old man was probably the Moochick.

"Oh, I'm sorry," I said, "I didn't here anyone answer when I opened the door so I thought there was nobody here."

"It's been a while since I've seen one of you ponies. At first I was relieved that you had stopped coming to me for help, but then I started to miss it," replied the old man.

"Well, I'm sure that the others meant to visit you but just couldn't find the time."

He ignored me. "Would you like some tea?"

"Umm...no, thank you."

"That's good. I doubt I'm in any condition to brew any. Do you know if the ponies of Paradise Estate are doing well?"

"Yeah. They're all fine...though some have moved on..."

"Ah. Just as well. The world has moved on. Best that they get a chance to see the world. Please, tell them I said hello, and farewell."

"I'll...remember to do that."

The old man let out a raspy sigh. "So what brings you here, my little pony?"

I let it all out. I cried and told him everything. I hate crying. Crying was something Bon-Bon or Sweetheart did, not me. But I just couldn't help it...no matter how hard I tried not to I just couldn't stop. The Moochick patted me on the head. Normally I'd hate that...but it felt so comforting.

"I'm so sorry for your loss, Patch. So sorry for everyone's loss. How I wish they had come to me for advice. The Rainbow of Light was always rather temperamental, perhaps it just didn't like what all those ponies wanted to do with its power...and it reacted like any cornered animal would… So what do you plan to do now?"

"I have to find Starlight, she has to be okay! Her and the others! We get through everything together! So she can't be gone! And we're gonna fix everything!"

"I see." Why was he looking at me that way? He said, "Will you do an old man a favor?"

"What is it?" I asked, leaning in closer.

"As long as you're trotting about the world, would you be a dear and bring the seven pieces of the Rainbow of Light back together, please?" he sounded so calm, as though he were asking me to buy an extra quart of milk from the supermarket.

"What?"

"A failed spell such as the one you've described would've released an untold amount of wild magic, but at least, the individual pieces of the Rainbow Of Light couldn't be destroyed by any pony's hooves. Best not to let them drift too far apart from one another. They'll be lonely. And I think, I see, you'll be doing a great deal of good in the process..."

His request shocked me. "I don't know. I was hoping to find my friends first and..." it was then that I noticed the Moochick had stopped moving. I tried shaking him, "Hey Mr. Moochick...Mr. Moochick get up!" No response. He was dead. I tested his pulse, and listened in vain for a heartbeat, just to be sure.

I thought for a long while.

I didn't want to get sidetracked from reuniting with my friends, but at the same time, it didn't seem right to ignore an old man's last request. Especially not this old man, who had helped the Paradise Ponies countless times in the past, and given them their home. Oh well, I guess I can try to find my friends and the seven pieces of the rainbow simultaneously!

As I left the cottage, I heard a voice calling for me. "Patch! Patch, where are you?!"

I recognized the voice instantly, "Buddy? Buddy, I'm over here!" I shouted as I ran towards him.

Upon seeing me he quickly gave me the biggest hug I've ever gotten from him, "I was so worried about you, Patch. I'm so sorry."

"Its okay," I said, "You were right about everything!"

"No I wasn't! I was just upset, lashing out in the heat of the moment! Please, I didn't actually mean those things." I was a little bit lighter that he wasn't angry at me anymore.

"Come on; let's get back to Paradise Estate. There are some things I want to take care of before we go."

"Go? Go where?"

"You'll see."

We made it back to Paradise Estate to find all the others waiting outside for us looking worried. North Star ran up to us, "Are you okay? Did Buddy apologize?"

"Uh...yes," I said, "and that second question is oddly specific but also yes."

"Well, we're glad to see you're alright," said Twilight.

"Yeah," I said, "and one more thing, I met the Moochick."

"Well, that's a surprise," said Twilight, "We haven't seen the Moochick in a long time. How is he?"

"He's...He's dead," I answered. "The Moochick died right in the middle of a conversation with me."

There was silence for a while as the paradise ponies processed what I had just said. Finally Posey spoke up, "How did he go?"

"He seemed to've just passed away from old age," I answered. "He told me to tell you hello...and farewell."

"Sounds just like him," Surprise said.

"It was bound to happen one day," said Applejack, shuddering. "I kept meaning to go see him just for the sake of saying hi but...."

"Before he...departed, he asked me to find the pieces of the Rainbow of Light, and I've decided I will."

Everypony and dragon looked at me.

"What about your friends?" asked Buddy, "I thought for sure you would want to find them?" Buddy really does know me.

"There's no reason I can't do both, is there? The best place to look first is the ruins of the castles, and I know where everypony lives." I turned to the others. "And I promise you guys, I will bring back the seven pieces of the rainbow."

"We have the utmost faith in you," said Wind Whistler.

"Thanks," I said. Finally I turned back to Buddy, "I think we should get married." That came as a real shocker to everypony present. They all stared at me with their mouths hanging open.

"What, are you sure?" asked Buddy.

"Yeah. Sooner the better."

"Okay, but let's do it tomorrow."

"No, let's do it today. I've delayed long enough."

"Are you sure? I can understand if you want to put it off for a little while longer."

"For what?! Selecting a wedding cake? Picking out the church? Mailing invitations to everyone we know? Getting ourselves fitted for a bridal gown and tux? In the middle of a disaster? I've chickened out long enough! We'll make do with what Paradise Estate has to offer."

"But..."

"Buddy! I've put this wedding off for far too long! Quit being such a wimp, and marry me already!"

"Yes, ma'am," he said in a scared little whisper.

Later that afternoon, we'd set everything up for the wedding. Buddy wore a tux that he got from his dad a few years back (he had been carrying it with him for years), while I wore an old wedding dress that North Star gave to me (apparently it was worn by her friend Heart Throb on her wedding day.) Twilight volunteered to lead the exchange-of-vows ceremony. For just a second, I swear her shadow transformed to something else.

Spike bore the rings from Sparkler's collection. Everyone gathered for the impromptu wedding in the great hall. Twilight turned to Buddy, "Do you, Buddy, agree to take this mare as your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do," he said.

She turned to me next, "And do you, Patch, agree to take this stallion as your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do."

"Then by the power vested within me, as the Keeper of the Rainbow Of Light… you may kiss the bride."

So we kissed and everyone cheered. Later that night, me and Buddy...actually, I think I won't talk about what happened that night, it's private, except to say that we relaxed by drinking champagne, eating ice cream, and playing romantic video games after round ten of the marriage consummation.

Anyway, the next morning, I was preparing to leave. The paradise ponies were promising to fetch the Moochick from his cottage and honor him with a proper burial later.

"I promise you guys" I said, "I'll find all the pieces of the rainbow even if it kills me."

"She just jinxed herself," Surprise whispered to Firefly.

"Geeze, thanks for the vote of confidence."

"Kidding!"

"We're going to miss you," said Ember.

"I'm going to miss you too," I said. "But hey, I'll be back soon, just you wait."

"Be careful," said Twilight.

"I will."

One by one, the Paradise Ponies (and Spike) hugged and kissed me goodbye, all reluctant to let me go. Especially alone. Wind Whistler called me a fool. But I figured I'd cover more ground going solo, and one lone pony was a lot less likely to be noticed. I could take care of myself.

"Wait for me, Patch!"

"Buddy? What are you doing?" I asked.

"You didn't think I was going to let my wife go wander about a dangerous post-disaster country-side all by her lonesome, did you?"

"I'm going to regret marrying you, aren't I?"

"Never, ever, ever," he vowed with a smile, and we took off.

Four months later

I was in a marketplace, approaching a sleazy earth pony merchant, selling small trinkets. "Excuse me," I said to him, "I was wondering if you've seen a pony named Starlight?"

"The same Starlight who single-hoofedly pushed the world into ruin? The nag got blown into idd-bitty pieces," he smirked.

I barely twitched an eyebrow at that, keeping my best poker face. "So the rumors say." I turned to regard his merchandise. "I can't help but notice that you have a little piece of rainbow that seems to be more expensive than all your other items."

"You have a good eye," he smiled, "that is a particularly special item."

"May I have a closer look?"

"Be my guest," he said, and I picked it up to examine it more closely. Without a doubt it was one of the pieces of the Rainbow, the red one, but how did this pony get his hooves on it?

"Can I ask something? Something tells me you know what this really is, so why just...sell it?"

He sounded a bit insulted. "Lady, I'm a retailer. I'm not interested in any 'big picture.' When I see items like these; I figure that there's more to be gained from selling them off quickly. If you use something like that, you become a target for people that want it, and they're more likely to kill you for it."

I wish I could argue with that. The explosions caused by the Rainbow of Light hasn't merely ended lives and caused vast property damage. That would've honestly been a mercy. No: everywhere you looked infrastructure all around us was rotting. The magical residue wrecked even more havoc with our minds: permanently brain-damaged ponies sleepwalking through life with no one to care for them. And even that was nothing compared to what had befallen the sane. The majority of surviving 'unaffected' ponies...had just stopped caring, given in to nihilism and disregard, in some degree or another. It was like destruction itself has roared across the land. No pony was concerned with repairing the damage, with striving for a brighter tomorrow. Entropy was the new status quo, and for whatever unfathomable reason, ponykind had settled into it quite cozily, thank you kindly.

"It's too bad all your other stuff appears to be useless junk you probably cobbled together in your basement." I noted, eyeing the hodgepodge of items.

"Look lady, are you going to buy that or just make fun of my stuff?"

"I don't suppose you could lower the price of the Rainbow fragment by a few decimal points?"

"Not happening."

"It's to save the world."

"That's what the last dozen ponies before you looking for a discount said. And save the world how? Like Starlight did?"

I glared. He grinned.

"All things considered...perhaps my exorbitant asking price is the only thing standing in the way of the planet being split in two! Wouldn't that be a laugh!"

He laughed at first, but his expression soured after I remained silence. "Anyway, still interested or not?"

I looked at the rainbow piece still in my hoof, "Oh, I'm very interested in this item, but I don't plan on buying it. I'm just going to take it."

"Oh, you can't be serious." He began reaching under the table for something when recognition flashed in his eyes. "Wait a bucking second! I recognize you now, Lady! You're that Starlight nag's-!"

I flipped his table over and ran off.

"Come back here!" Shouted the now chasing merchant.

Thankfully, most of the police who -in better times- would've be chasing me too, were spread too thin trying to maintain what was left of law and order to focus on one common thief.

I turned down another street only to hit a dead end alleyway. "It looks like you don't have anywhere to run," the merchant snickered, closing in on me. All of a sudden something hit him from behind and he fell unconscious. I looked up to see Buddy.

"I could've handled it," I told him.

"I never said you couldn't. My way was just faster," he replied, "By the way, did you get what we were looking for?"

"Yep, looks like the info we got was right. There really was some pony trying to sell one of the pieces here."

"Well, if we keep having this kind of luck, we'll finish that rainbow in no time!"

"Let's hope so."

Two Years Later

We haven't found any new leads on any new part of the Rainbow of Light. On top of that, I've had to take a year off our quest to gave birth to our foal.

On the bright side, I've met up with five of my friends. Bright-Eyes didn't even recognize me, but was still courteous enough, in her own way. Thankfully, Lancer wasn't suffering from memory problems. We laughed, shared drinks, and he even gave us some of his old supplies; one adventure to another. Maybe it is ultimately better that Bright-Eyes cannot remember what she helped bring about.

Melody had to write down everything she wanted to say, but she was still 'all there,' still her friendly old self, still writing song lyrics. It broke her heart (and mine) knowing she could no longer sing.

Clover's family was the best off, so we had rested there the longest, I swear she's indestructible!

Sweetheart was living at the farm of a cousin of Teddy's working her hardest to use her medical talents for others while Bon-Bon's was just trying to raise what was left of her family.

Ten years later

"Patch...I think you and I should part ways," Buddy said, as we watched our son chew on a teddy bear.

"You've got to be kidding me, Buddy." I told him, "All those years you spent asking me to marry you, and now you want us to break up?"

"When I first wanted to travel with you on this never-ending journey it was because I loved you. I still do love you but we have a son to think about now and this quest is way too dangerous to take foals on. The first piece was easy, but who knows who has the others now or what it'll take to take them," He stumped me there. There was no use trying to deny that the quest was getting more and more dangerous. "Please Patch, I love you, but our son needs to have as much of a normal life as possible. Let me take him with me."

He was right. I didn't want to have to part with him or our son, but he was right. But I smiled at the both of them.

"This...this isn't the end for us, though, you know. As soon as I'm done searching for these other Rainbow fragments...I'll be right back home."

"Of course, darling, of course." Buddy said. "Take as long as you need. I love you...and I promise I'll be keeping the bed warm for you...until the day you arrive home."