Why... why can’t I move my legs?

Twilight’s eyes fluttered open as she took in her surroundings. From what she could tell, she was in Sugarcube Corner. Decorations littered the floors such as hanging balloons and streamers. In the corner, the Cakes were playing Peekaboo with their foals. In the center was a room was a table. Her five friends were there. As Pinkie Pie balanced a plate of cupcakes on her back, she hopped across the room. Her friends looked like they were laughing but Twilight couldn’t hear anything. She tried to move, but her legs were surrounded by a blue aura, binding them like a boa constrictor.

“Pinkie? Rainbow Dash! Rarity! Fluttershy! Applejack! Help!” They continued on, completely oblivious to her.

“Talk all you like. They can’t hear you,” said a voice besides her, which came from a blue pegasus with a white mane.

“Who are you?” Twilight asked, grunting as she struggled to free herself from the unknown magical presence.

“Oh, nopony of importance. But you can call me ‘Doctor Weaver.’” He drifted in front of her. “What’s wrong? Not comfortable? Let me help with that.”

With a clop of his hooves, the blue bindings disappeared and Twilight fell forward.

“Oompf,” she uttered. As she stood up, she brushed herself off. She moved towards her friend and tried to grab Rainbow Dash—the closest one—but her hooves went straight through her. “What the?!”

“Sorry to tell you this, but they’re not real.”

“I don’t understand.” Twilight stumbled backwards.

Doctor Weaver placed a hoof on his chin. “Hmm... let me spell it out for you. You’re in a dream. Apparently, you fell asleep. Here, watch this.” He clopped his hooves again and the color drained from the world.

As Twilight watched, the colors shifted from vibrant pastel colors into a monochromatic look. She looked around, but the others carried on as if nothing had happened.

“If this is a dream, then I think it’s time to wake up.” Twilight pulled back her hoof and poked herself in the eye. Instantly, she regretted it.

“Ow.” She tenderly rubbed the area she had poked. “What the? If this is a dream, why did that feel real?” She reached over to grab Rarity, but her hooves went through her.

He shrugged. “Well, to be fair, I never said it was your dream.” He held out a hoof. “Stop.”

Everything in the room froze; Rainbow Dash’s mouth was wide open with a cupcake suspended about a foot above. Mr. Cake’s face was frozen in a silly grin, his tongue waggling out of his mouth. Pinkie Pie beamed, her smile so wide that it didn’t seem possible.

Doctor Weaver waved a hoof towards them. “Don’t they look so happier this way?”

Meanwhile, Twilight continued to try and wake up by pinching herself. He just shook his head.

"Twilight Sparkle, why do you struggle so? Can't you see? This is a perfect world. There's no suffering here, no more pain. There is only... happiness."

“Why can’t I wake up? If it’s not my dream, then why am I here?”

“The answer to that question... well I can’t really answer that. That would spoil the fun, you see.” He beckoned over to Twilight’s friends. “Here’s a hint: who’s the happiest pony here?”

Twilight squinted. Although her friends were all having fun, one of them stuck out the most. Realization dawned on her as Twilight poked her friend in the face and found that she was solid.

“Yes, you’ve guessed it. Seems obvious, when you think about it. In real life, she may have seemed happy on the outside but deep down, she felt like it could all go away at any time. But in her dreams, she doesn’t have to worry. She can always be happy.”

Twilight grabbed Pinkie by the shoulders and shook her. “Wake up, Pinkie! Wake up.”

Weaver frowned. “Now Twilight, why would you want to do that? Are you trying to take her happiness away?”

"No! It's not realistic to live this way. She has to come back to reality!"

“Are you sure you want to do that? Then she would have to face the harsh reality that the good times might end. Where there are disappointments, misunderstandings, and pain. Is that what you want for your friend?"

"You're wrong! She's stronger than that.”

“You say that now, but just wait till she inevitably breaks down. But if you insist...”

He clapped his hooves and everything went white.