Luna's Dreamcatcher

>Twilight ran trough one of the many corridors in her university, Canterlot's Royal University to be precise.
>She had been studying in the libary on this spring afternoon when spike had coughed up a scroll.
>It had been a letter from princess Celestia and it had told her to visit her at their usual private turoring spot in the castle.
>Twilight was of coursed stressed since she assumed that she most have forgotten that they were suppose to have a meeting today or something.
>The letter had actually just said that she should come an visit her but Twilight had precieved it as, "why arn't you here?"
>Therefore she galopped, which Spike with his short legs barely could keep up with.
>Spike called out to her from behind but had to interupt himself at times to breathed.
"Twilight, slow down! *Huff*"
"Not now Spike. Princess Celestia wants to see me in the castle immediately."
>They exited the university.
>Spike brought up the letter to his face as he ran after her.
"But in this letter it doesn't say that she wants you to come immediatly. It just tells you to come."
"Obviously, she didn't point that out since I am late to a schedauled meeting with her that I totally forgot about. Uhg! I can't believe it! How could I forget?"
"Maybe you didn't forget. *Puff* Maybe you she just felt like meeting you today."
"Ha, likely story. Spike, Celestia is the princess of Equstria. She rules the enitre Equstria. Do you thinkshe doesn't plan ahead. That she just spontanously meets with ppoines without planning for it in advance? She doesn't. I have learned a great deal from about planing and schedauling. I know she has a tight schedaule and a lot of responsiblities. She doesn't just meet ponies willy-nilly just because she feels like it."
>Even though she ran, her focus was not on what was infront of her but on her current situation. She was beating herself up in her mind and imagining worst-case senarios so she almost crashed into ponies who stood in her way. She just barely avoided collision with three mares. When she spund around to apoligise quickly she saw that it was her classmates, Lemon Drops, Minute and Twinkle Shine. They seem to recognize her as well.
"There you are Twilight," said Twinkle Shine.
"We have been looking all over for you," said Minutte.
>Twilight forced a smile on her lips.
"Oh, you have?"
"Yes, you see Moondancer is having a little get togather in the castle courtyard. Do you wanna come?" asked Twnikle Shine.
"Oh, I am sorry girls but I am in bit of a hurry. I have a meeting with Princess Celestia today."
"Oh, I see. Well, we will tell monndancer that. Don't let us keep you," said Twinkle Shine.
>They all looked dispointed. It went from Minutte who looked lest dispointed to Lemon Drops who looked downright dejected.
>They pun around again and began to run towards the castle. Spike saluted the three before running after her.
>They were going to take a chariot to the castle but Twilight discovered that she didn't have enough bits on her so she went back to her apartment for her wallet. '

>As Twilight was about to leave, she heard a voice from behind her call out to them.
"Hi, Girls!"
>She turned around to see who it was. It was Lyra, another one of her classmates. The three classmates she had just talked to did a one-eighty in their mood when they saw Lyra.
"Hi, Lyra!" Shouted Minute as she made frantic and large waves with her entire hoof in the air. "How did it go? Did professor The-Rope-for-Typos give you permission for being absence next week?"
>Twilight had just been about to excuse herself to the Lyra by explaining to the newcomer why she couldn't stay when Minute had asked Lyra these questions. Twilight got the feeling that Minute tried to keep Twilight from leaving the last question just because how it was worded. It was like tried to pique her interest by telling her more than nothing but still withholding some information such as what Lyra was going to do next week. Unintentionally or not, Twilight felt curious about what Lyra was going to do so she lingered for the moment.
"After a lot of lot of pleading and reassurance that it would play a major part of my examination project he finally gave in." She beamed at them. "I will have an expedition and the university will pay for most of the expenses."
"Congrats!" Minute bounced into her and gave her a strong hug.
"I take it that it is an archeological expedition then?" Asked Twilight. She told herself that she would leave any minute now but now when Lyra had appeared she felt it was harder to leave than before.
>Lyra looked up from Minute. Lyra seemed a bit surprised that Twilight showed an interest in her work while Minute fought to keep her nice smile intact and not letting it turn into a knowingly smug smile.
>There had always been a silent but mutual respect and liking between Twilight and Lyra. They both considered themselves as intellectuals and viewed the other as such [s]But they were actually just pretentious ;P[/s]. Lyra had on several occasions impressed Twilight enough for her to view her as such. On occasions had they gotten stuck conversing in a subject in a very autistic and nerdy way. But Twilight nor Lyra for that matter had never really made an effort to form a bond nor had they meet outside of school. They were just acquaintances and classmates in school.
"Yes, it is. I'm going to visit the tomb of Sombra, which is hilariously enough placed in the everfree forest far away from where the crystal empire's border should be if it existed today. There are no relic or any other objects left there now. Just architecture and wall paintings after the first expeditions confiscated everything. And because it is in the everfree and has nothing of material value, anyone is free to enter the place if they can that is." Lyra lost herself in her rant but her enthusiasm was self-evident.
>Twilight had been in the same class as her in middle school as well and knew that history was her favorite subject back then so it hadn't surprised her when she switched over from studying magic in high school as Twilight and she did to study history in college.
>Lyra seemed to realize that she had jabbered on so she stopped and looked sheepishly at Twilight.

"By the way Lyra, are you free for the rest of the day? Moondancer is having a small party. It is only us six here who are invited. I know it is sudden but do you wanna come? The more the merrier I say," Minute said.
>Before Lyra could answer her, Twilight said:
"But you"-She motioned her head towards Lyra.-"should know that I have already declined. I have a meeting with Celestia that I am late to already so I have to go now."
>Minute pouted.
"Oh, come on Twilight. The party will continue into the evening. Can't you come after you had your meeting with Celestia? Moondancer would be really happy if you came."
>The way Minute had said her things had made Twilight feel a little guilty. Twilight guess she meant well though and didn't do it on purpose. Afterall, she didn't explicitly say it if you don't show up, Moondance will be sad and it will be all your fault. Not because saying that would prove that she did it on purpose but the sentence was more clear on who was guilty of Moondancer's unhappiness. All the same, it still tugged at her heartstrings.

>Twilight had never been much for parties. She didn't like crowds and felt uneasy among strangers. Neither was she that interested in talking to other ponies since they usually didn't share her interest.
>However since only ponies she knew would come and they wouldn't be that many, she felt as might go to this party. She would be able to talk to Lyra there.
[i]Maybe I should go but I don't know how long Princess Celestia will keep me or if she is going to give me an assignment that will occupy my time. Oh, no! That's right I am late to my meeting with her. Ugh, how long have I been standing here? [/i]
>Twilight clenched her teeth and eyes together, made a grimace, and put a hoof to her forehead when she realized that she had wasted a lot of time just standing there.
"Sorry, I don't know how long my meeting with Princess Celestia will take. So I don't think I will come and I got to get a move on. I am already late as it is," Twilight said.
>Minute gave Twilight a pleading look but then gave up and hung her head.
"Okay, I understand but if you get the time, then you know where we are. I think it would mean a lot to Moondancer."
>Twilight resisted the action of scowling at Minute. She didn't need to guilt trip her like this. It was weird she usually didn't do this either. Had she made a promise of on her behalf, that she would come?
>Instead she instead she tried to give her a compassionate smile.
"If I get the time after the meeting I will come but don't I can't promise anything."
[i]Except that I just did. How did I get coax into this? [/i]
>Minute's head rose up and lit up.
"That is great."
"But I have to go now. Goodbye, everyone!" Twilight turned and waved them all goodbye before turning around and race towards the castle with Spike after her.

[EDIT]
>Shning Armor exit the castle through the front entrance. He had brief Celestia on their, the equestrian guards', preparations for the coming war. At the end of their talk, Celestia had sent a letter to Twilight, asking her to come.
>Shining had asked why Twilight had been sent for and Celestia had told him that she had intended for her to participate in a specific part in the coming war. When she had told him everything he had gotten mad. He didn't want Twilight to be involved in something dangerous like a war. Celestia had told him that her role in it would be on of support and that she shouldn't really be in any danger but.
>He could actually understand his mother's perspective when he joined the military or when she found out that he was interested.  She had been opposed to the idea but had given in when he got his qt mark.
>After their talk Shining had fulfilled his duties for the day and took his leave. As he walked through the royal garden towards the castle gates, he thought he would wait for Twilight to pass by if she didn't take to long, that is.
>It took about twenty minutes to walk from the university to the castle and it was about ten minutes since Celestia sent her a letter.
[i]Maybe this will take too long. Well, I can wait five minutes till it is twenty minutes since Celestia sent the letter before I leave[/i], he thought as he arrived at the gate in the fence that led into the garden.
>The sun stood high and its heat beat down on everyone below. He didn't know why Celestia had decided to have so much heat this spring. Maybe she had some fixed idea about variations per year since this year was definitely hotter than the last. It had been like this since last week and it kept getting warmer.
>Suddenly, he saw someone running on the road ahead of him that lead to the castle's outer walls. It was his beloved sister, Twilight.
[i]Why are you running?[/i]
>Since he stood on a little hill he saw her even if she wasn't that close yet but she closed the distance by making a small teleportation jump.
>Now when she was closer, she was quite the sight. She panted loudly, beads of sweat ran down her forehead, there were few spots of her regular purple color instead most of her fur had darkened from sweat,[s]I don't know if ponies sweat. Do they?
 In my story, they do that now anyway.[/s] her mane was the messy and poor spike that he just noticed looked like was he was about to die from thirst.
>Shining was about to tell her that Celestia doesn't execute ponies for walking when he realized what was going on.
>He shook his head and sigh. A mischevious idea was born in his head and he was her brother, after all, it was only natural that he would carry it through.
>He ran down from his position towards her and shouted from the top of his lungs.
"TWILIGHT! Where have you been? Celestia is furious. You have made her wait for hours. Get in there!"
>Twilight, who hadn't noticed him before, looked at him with a face of devastation and shock. Her eyes were wide, her pupils had shrunk and her lips shaped "O".  It made him feel a little guilty and it almost made him stop but he wanted to see how far he could go.
>What he had said had caused her to magically regain some energy as she sprinted past him towards the castle.
"Wait for Twilight
"What?!
"Remeber you don't have to do everything Celestia tells you. She can't force you I won't allow it.
 >Spike, however, had not regained his energy. He had stopped next to Shining and just stood there trying to recover. He panted loudly, sweated profusely and held his upper body up by grabbing onto his knees and push the rest of his body up. He looked up at Shining with an annoyed look.
>Shining was surprised how had he realized?
"That wasn't funny, Shining, "said Spike.
"Yes, it was!" Shing laugh. "But how did you know that I was bluffing?"
"Because I knew all along that she hadn't missed any meeting. As if Twilight the neat freak could miss such a thing." Spike looked at him with a deadpan look. He had caught his breath again and stood up.
"I guess I better get going," Spike said.
>Shining's face hardens again.
"Yeah, there is something you should know. Princess Celestia just wanted Twilight to attend and another mare. It is a secret meeting so you are not really prior to that information but I  going to let you in on the gist of it. Let's talk about it at my place. Come one I treat you to ice-cream on the way there.