An Epilogue of Sorts

After everything was said and done, Twilight and Dream Runner had gotten back to the library about an hour later. The inside of the library was warmer than Twilight had left it. It turned out Spike had anticipated a quick return and fed the fireplace with logs to keep the temperature up. He also made snacks for them, and now they were all lying in front of the warm glow of the fire, exchanging questions and answers about what had happened.

"…and when I thought about how she was in trouble", Dream was saying, "I snapped. It seems that I was some sort of warrior or something before becoming a Dream Chaser and it just kicked the instinct in."

"That's so cool!" Spike exclaimed. "So what happened to the bandits after you kicked their flanks?"

"We tied them up and left them", Twilight explained over her scribbling, "I'm actually writing to the Princess about it. She'll probably send guards to arrest them."

A small silence fell over the three, leaving them to bask in the soft crackle of the popping wood of the burning fire. Spike sipped his cocoa, mulling over more questions his curious mind was creating. He ran through them until he found one that really needed to be asked. "I don't know much about the Dream Chaser stuff", he said, "But didn't it cause you to lose your memories? Have you gotten them back?"

Dream sighed and shook his head. "No. But it doesn't matter."

Twilight raised a brow questioningly. "It doesn't?"

In reply to her question, Dream wrapped a hoof around the unicorn. "Nope, because I'm more interested in my future."

Twilight giggled. "I'm sure it will be amazing", she cooed, planting a kiss on his cheek. She sealed her letter and sent it off to Princess Celestia. "Well, that's two down. When should we tell our friends?"

The Pegasus sighed incredulously. "Not for a couple of days at least." He rubbed his stomach. "I don't think I can take another party for a while. It's been nonstop every week since my birthday."

"I understand where you're coming from!" Twilight laughed. "I guess we can hold off on that for now."

Dream closed his eyes after muttering a "thank you", and fell into deep thought. Twilight started a conversation with Spike to let the colt absorb the impact life hit him with. The talk was mainly small conversation concerning what was too come now that Dream was a permanent roommate, but ended with the conclusion that nothing had to change.

"He's already been here for a few months", Twilight reasoned, "We can keep it the same what we have."

"Okay, that can work I guess."

Dream finally opened his eyes. "Twilylight?"

"Yes, Dreamy?" she giggled.

"There's one last thing that I have to do."

She furrowed her brow. "There is?"

He nodded. "Yes, but I want you to help." Without another word he stood up and left for the back of the library.

Twilight quickly followed behind. They found him stopped in front of his alchemy lab. He flipped the pages over and over, searching for a recipe in the back of the notebook. When she peered over his shoulder, she saw ingredients and mixtures she had never laid her eyes on before, even though she had gone through the whole book with him before.

Almost feeling her curiosity, he said, "Enchanted notebook. When turned upside down it opens up a new book altogether."

The unicorn merely nodded as her gaze fell upon some pretty nasty potions that she prayed Dream never used. The pages kept turning until finally he reached a page containing the title: Ultimate Buffer. His hoof ran down the penciled notes as he mouthed the ingredients to himself. "Perfect."

"What is?" Twilight asked, scared of what the answer might be. The page contained no description of the title she had zero reassurance was not a poison.

"I may no longer be a Dream Chaser, but there is one thing holding me in the past." He grabbed vials and jars from the surrounding shelves, tossing the contents haphazardly into the middle of the table. It didn't take him long to get to the point of adding the seawater into the mix. "This potion is the one I have found to eradicate anything that touches it. Complete cellular, atomic, and magical reversal, leaving no evidence but memory that the solvent even existed."

Twilight gulped. "Wh-what are you going to do with it?"

He pointed to the rack of test tubes he had shown her months before. But he pointed at one in particular. "Destroy this."

Twilight's heart flopped to the bottom of her chest. "But that's your life's work!"

"And the last reminder of how horrible it was." Dream reset the retort to its regular position. "Will you help me put it behind me?"

Realizing the true nature of the situation, Twilight nodded dutifully. Dream scooped the freshly made potion into a beaker. "Will you do the honors?"

"My pleasure." From the shelf to the left of the alchemy lab, she levitated the test tube containing the fizzy potion.

"I may not have ever gotten to see if it worked", he stated with a smile, "But now there's no need."

Twilight poured the contents of the test tube into the beaker. The two watched as the second they made contact, the solution glowed brightly and bubble until the liquid evaporated completely, leaving the inside dry as a bone and destroying the last bit of physical proof that Dream Runner was ever a Dream Chaser. He set the empty beaker down with a sigh and let his gaze fall down to the floor with an uncertain frown. Twilight immediately noticed.

"What's wrong, Dream?"

He shook his head. "I'm not sure, really…Up until this point, my life's goal has been to survive and find a way to cure myself…Now that I have control over my life I don't know what to do…"

Twilight put a hoof around his shoulder. She motioned to the whole library. "Why not this? Here with me like the last few months?"

"Well, duh", he laughed. He pulled out of her embrace. "I meant what's my new goal? I feel I should accomplish something nopony has before, but I just don't know what."

"I have an idea", Twilight said. "You may not be a Dream Chaser anymore, but you still haven't regained your memories, right?"

He shook his head in agreement. "I still don't have a single one. I know it's only been only an hour, but I don't think they're coming back…"

Twilight only felt sort of bad that he was now depressed. She smiled goofily at him. "Then doesn't that warrant a mystery?" she asked, elongating the last word.

Slowly, Dream's features brightened until Twilight was sure she would need shades to gaze upon it. "You said the magic word", he chuckled. "But…"

"'But?'"

He shook his head in exasperation. "How can I solve it? I'm going to need help! You saw how I kept my satchel before we cleaned it! Somepony's going to hafta help me keep my leads and notes organized!"

Twilight laughed, enveloping the Pegasus in a tight hug. "Don't worry, I'll be with you every step of the way!"

"Me too!" proclaimed Spike, sticking his head in the back wing of the library.

"Spike?" Dream asked. "Really?"

The dragon smiled. "And not just me."

"Us too!" Pinkie Pie cheered, leading the other Elements of Harmony into the room.

"What are you guys doing here?" Twilight asked. "Isn't the blizzard still going on?"

Ignoring her question, Rarity said, "We know about everything that's happened today. And we just had to come right over. Spike filled us in on the details that we didn't know upon our arrival."

"How", Twilight asked incredulously.

None of the ponies replied with words. Instead, they brought out the cases that Dream had given them the night before. When they opened them, it was revealed that the respective Emotion Orbs were glowing brightly. Dream gasped. "Just as I thought…"

"They started doing this earlier", Rainbow Dash explained, "Don't know what's up with'em."

"It's pretty cool though!" Pinkie Pie added brightly.

"Another mystery?" Twilight mused.

"Not at all", Dream said.

All eyes turned on him. He nodded with a knowing smile. "Just follow me, everypony."

He trotted into the foyer of the library where he dropped his equipment off by the door. Dream pulled the cases of the Emotion Orbs that he still had, and presented them to his friends. They all glowed brightly just like the rest. "This happened when I was on my way out of Ponyville", he explained. "I figured that they were somehow resonating with each other through some sort of two-way spiritual bond. What really happened was that these two, Anguish and Tranquility, sensed my deep bond with you five and projected your voices into my head to quell my sorrow. I'm sure that if I stared into them long enough I would have seen you too, as I'm confident that you could see me. The deep friendship we have ignited the emotions in these orbs—"

"Lame!" Rainbow Dash yelled, "Can we just hug already?"

"Please!" Dream implored, "I have no clue what I'm talking about!"

A barrel of laughter rolled through the library as the ponies shared a huge hug. Dream relished in his friends' love. When he finally opened his eyes after several seconds, he came to realize that he and Twilight were the only ones hugging each other. Even though he saw adoring expressions from their friends—except Rainbow Dash, who was faking disgust—he kept hugging Twilight. He let her go after he felt the warmness in his body was beginning to burn. Twilight realized for the first time that they were being watched and blushed profoundly.

"I guess we have some news to tell you", she giggled.

Everypony moved forward a bit with genuine interest. "Yes?" they all asked in unison.

"Dream and I…" she began.

"Are completely in love", Dream finished shamelessly.

"'Bout time", Applejack laughed, "Ah was wonderin' when Twilight was gonna admit it."

"As was I", Rarity added.

A wave of nods accompanied Rarity's statement. It seemed that all of their friends could see what the two love birds clearly could not until it took a force of nature to slap them with it. Dream scratched the back of his mane sheepishly. "Was it that obvious?" Another round of nods.

"It doesn't matter", Twilight said, "What does is that we now know that and are happy."

"You know what this calls for?" Pinkie Pie asked rhetorically.

"Oh, no", Dream groaned as everypony else rolled their eyes.

"A PARTY!" she exclaimed, beginning to bounce to the door only to be stopped halfway by Rainbow Dash.

"Look, Pinkie. We're all pretty partied out", she said honestly.

The mare pondered the statement, looking around to be met with admitting nods. "Hmmm…Then how about a round of Special Pinkie Pie Cocoa?!"

"I wouldn't mind a cup", said Fluttershy.

"Me neither", Dream added.

"Well, Ah guess it's settled! Hot cocoa at Sugarcube Corner!"

"Alright!"

"Yay!"

"We'll be right behind you, girls", Twilight called as her friends began to leave. She stepped into her boots and squeezed into the rest of her winter gear as Dream wrapped his scarf around his neck. Spike followed suit, only putting on his winter hat and mittens. Twilight left after the boys did since she had more to cover herself with. Just as she crossed the threshold, a letter appeared in a flash of flame and opened itself in front of her face.

"That was fast", she commented to herself, seeing Princess Celestia's hoofwriting.

To My Dearest Twilight Sparkle,

It is wonderful to hear of Dream's curing! Though I must say that it is unfortunate he has not recovered any accounts of his life. Rest assured Luna and I will do our best to assist the two of you in finding out who he used to be. Just like before you have any tools you need at your disposal. I just also congratulate you on your new relationship with him. I'm very proud of you. We wish you the very best with your love and hope to see you soon.

Sincerely,

Princess Celestia

Twilight only barely noticed how the letter seemed rushed and how the Princess missed a few points to which to reply. But that didn't matter, Twilight got the message of what she meant and simply rolled the parchment up and sent it to her nightstand for later sorting. The only thing on her mind now was the distance Spike and Dream were gaining from her. She quickly galloped up to them and together they all caught up to the rest of the group.

From the top of a large hill of snow, two cloaked figures watched the seven merry ponies and dragon trot to Ponyville's source of all things sugary and sweet. The echoes of laughter and chatter did little to change the scowls glued to their features.

"Enjoy today, Dream Runner", the taller one, a colt said menacingly.

"For now you have to conquer the second phase of your curse", the other, a mare finished coldly.

"Us", they said together.

The End?

And we have our final conclusion…

Chapter Trivia:

This entire chapter is mostly useless for the plot of this story and is mainly written for the plot of its sequel.

This epilogue was incredibly difficult to write, and I even had to completely rewrite it with a twin chapter just to make sure I was doing okay.

Story Trivia:

Character Trivia:

Dream Runner is my second OC for My Little Pony Friendship is Magic. His timid side actually came from my own before I took life by the horns and started to take control.

Development Trivia:

With the plot being only my second developed for my Mane Six Stories, I had much time to configure Dream's many plights. The reason there are a lot of time jumps in this story is to skip the time he and Twilight spent fixing the small things. I mean, seriously, who wants to read eight chapters filled with nothing but helping out a colt become more sociable?

Misc. Trivia:

If you are a reader of my other stories, you may have noticed a trend of my OCs having a small crush on another pony early in the story. However, Dream is the only OC who didn't. I don't know how this happened, but I just couldn't think of a better match for him than Twilight.

Easter Eggs: *Non-plot Spoilers*

For those readers who read across my stories: you may have noticed three things are very odd about the timelines. I wrote them in such a way that I have three "Easter Eggs", so to speak. They are:

Event Difference: Instances where stories feature the same events, but with many different aspects.

Time Paradox: Instances where events happen at seemingly different times in Equestria.

Pony Arrival Paradox: The fact that each story hints that the main OC may or may not have been the first in Ponyville, whereas evidence from another story suggests the opposite.