Sweetie Belle stared at the floor of Rarity’s boutique. She was pretty certain Rarity hadn’t stopped to take a breath since she had caught her sneaking in. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom were probably hearing the same from Auntie Lofty and Applejack.

“I simply cannot believe you, Sweetie Belle! I have been up all night, running myself ragged through the woods! I must look simply atrocious!” It went on like that for a long time. Rarity was furious they had sneaked out, particularly because they’d done exactly what Twilight and the others had told them not to. Sweetie Belle tried to explain about the peryton, but after all the differing accounts from the rest of Ponyville, Rarity didn’t want to hear it. She was so angry that she sent Sweetie Belle directly to bed and said they would discuss her punishment in the morning.

As Sweetie Belle’s mind buzzed with thoughts of the peryton, the fight at Horseshoe Hill, and Rarity’s lecture, it seemed as if she’d never fall asleep. But finally, her mind began to drift. One second she was going over the conversation with Lilymoon and Ambermoon, trying to think what they could have said differently, and the next, she was—

Pushing through a crowd of ponies, trying to get to the front of the stage. Songbird Serenade was about to perform!

Two large ponies blocked her view.

“Excuse me!” she called out. “I’m trying to see the stage?” The ponies turned to look down at her. It was Lumi Nation and Blue Moon! But instead of eyes, they stared at her with giant pools of shining white light! Sweetie Belle backed away from them—

And fell with a splash into the raging river! All she heard was the rush of water and the tinkling of bells.

Bells?!

Sweetie Belle looked up and saw a dark creature made of clouds galloping across the sky, blanketing the world in shadow. Instead of rain, hundreds of bells fell from the clouds, ringing all around her. She reached out and grabbed a large one as it splashed in the water.

And she was suddenly standing alone in the Ponyville Schoolhouse.

“I get it!” she said aloud. “It’s a dream.” The Schoolhouse looked as if nopony had been there in dozens of moons! Cobwebs stretched across the ceiling and a thick layer of dust coated every surface. The sound of bells echoed nearby. Sweetie Belle followed the sound out the front door. The peryton stood in the center of the playground.

“What should I do?” Sweetie Belle called out. The peryton cocked its head to the side. Unsure what that meant, Sweetie Belle mimicked it, cocking her head as well. The peryton trotted in place and the bells tinkled lightly. Sweetie Belle realized the peryton was laughing at her.

“Okay fine, smarty-hoof. What do you want me to do?” The peryton cocked its head again, more dramatically this time. Sweetie Belle’s gaze followed the direction of the peryton’s head to her right, where a large bell stood next to her. “Ahhhh. Got it.” Her horn lit up as she used magic to pull the rope back and forth. The bell’s chime was deep and powerful. When she looked back toward the playground, the peryton was gone. Instead, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom were there!

“That was a heckuva loud bell!” Apple Bloom said, trotting up the steps of the Schoolhouse. Apparently, the bell had called her friends to her!

“Uh… why is the Schoolhouse gross?” Scootaloo asked, wiping dust off her hoof.

“This is a dream version. I think,” Sweetie Belle explained. She thought for a minute. “Are you real Scootaloo and Apple Bloom? Or just dream Scootaloo and Apple Bloom?” The Crusaders considered that. Scootaloo leaped up into the air, flapping her wings. She quickly dropped and landed in a cloud of dust.

“Must be real me.” She sounded annoyed. “Dream me can fly.”

“Well, it’s a good thing we can see one another in our sleep,” Apple Bloom said with a sigh, “’cause accordin’ to Applejack, I ain’t leavin’ my room till I’m as old as Granny Smith.”

“But why are we here?” Scootaloo asked. “I mean, who wants to hang out at school in their dreams?”

“It seemed appropriate, as I have much to teach you this night,” a deep voice said from inside. The Crusaders turned. Princess Luna stood in the doorway. “I am glad you have finally arrived. Please come inside.”