Counterparts

Brother and Sister

"So, she's been taken."

After seeing how Feather had disappeared, the mares had a guard alert the prince of their situation. They were now all back in the workroom, with the prince pacing back and forth and Nadi, now in her true form, sleeping in a plush chair in the corner. Just like any little sister, she had insisted on following her brother, but it wasn't long before she fell fast asleep.

"She let her desires take over her." The Prince said with a look of worry. "And from the sound of it, she won't be easy to get back."

"But we have to do something!" Breeze panicked. Mocha put a wing on Breeze's back, trying to calm down her frantic friend.

"I understand your concerns." The prince stopped pacing to look at the mares with his pale eyes. "And I've thought about your idea, Breeze."

"About fighting our desires?" Cloud asked. The prince nodded.

"The pony who started it all was fighting his counterpart entirely wrong. He used physical attacks which didn't help much because they were equally matched in strength. However, if you are able to overcome your desires, your counterpart should disappear."

"But, what if we don't know our desires?" Mocha asked.

"I've also questioned that, and the only way to fgure that out is to come face to face with it."

"Like how Feather wants a cutie mark." Breeze said softly. The ponies looked at her as she stared at the floor sadly. "Her counterpart told her that it was my fault she never earned her cutie mark...because I took away her happiness...her purpose."

"But that isn't true!" Cloud said. "You know that something was bound to happen!"

"But even I didn't understand it!" Breeze cried. "I didn't know it was a prediction. Had I have known that, I could have done something."

"How?" Mocha asked. "Did you know her mother was in danger in the prediction?"

"I mean, no, but-"

"Then there's no way you could have stopped what was already determined by fate." Mocha stated. "The only thing you can do is give a warning and that's exactly what you did."

"But what good is my power if I can't use it to actually save ponies?"

"Because your power can only go so far in changing the outcomes of life." Prince Shan stepped forward and smiled softly at Breeze. "It's not your job to save everypony. That burden alone can cost you your life. However, guiding ponies can do just as much saving."

The pomies were quiet as they let his words sink in.

He was right. Saving ecerypony was her job at all, but guiding definitely seemed like the answer.

"Then we need to figure out how to guide Feather back to us." Breeze stated. "She's lost in a darkness of lies. If we're not quick enough, she may mever be able to escape."

"And there is a way to do that." Prince Shan made the same book from yesterday float in front of them. He flipped it open to the page that had a picture of the Crystal of Life on it.

"Breeze, it seems that your power has gotten stronger." The Prince commented. "You were able to see Feathers dreams in the form of a prediction."

"I don't understand. What do you mean?" Breeze asked.

"I think he's saying that your nightmare was Feathers dream." Mocha said. "Almost like you entered her dreams without knowing because you saw it as a prediction. A current prediction."

"I walked in her dreams?" Breeze said in awe. "But...I don't understand. How is that possible?"

"It must have something to do with how strong Feather dreamed of you." The prince said. "She reached out to you unconsciously. Almost like she was pulling you into her nightmare."

"How does this help with the situation?" Cloud asked.

"But you said that Feather pulled me in." Breeze said. "He doesn't know me. How will I be able to enter his dreams?"

"I'm sorry." The prince said with a shake of his head. "But I can't tell you the answer to that."

"So what are we going to have to do now?" Cloud asked.

"Do we..." Mocha swallowed in hesitation. "Do we have to go to the mountain?"

"Unfortunately, yes." The prince answered.

"Will you be coming with us?" Breeze asked hopefully.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot." He turned to his little sister, who was still sleeping soundly. 

"However, I will make sure you have the aid you need to make the journey."

The mares looked at one another, each with a look of worry on their faces. They knew the situation had gotten serious. With Feather gone and counterparts roaming, their hearts and minds were going to be put to the test.