BOOOM!
An explosion rocked the crystal castle just outside Ponyville. Inside the makeshift lab a light-plum unicorn mare groaned as she slowly picked herself off the floor. Her sky blue on blue-violet mane hung in front of her eyes; ruffled and poofy. She took a few seconds to straighten her coiffure with her magic before the door behind her opened.
She turned to see a small purple dragon, with green ridges and belly, peeking in the open door. “What happened Starlight?”
“Just a magical backfire, Spike; nothing to worry about” came Starlight’s cheerful reply.
“What are you trying to do?” Spike entered the room “Could Twilight help?”
“NO! Um, no thanks.” Starlight didn’t exactly want ‘Princess Twilight Sparkle’ to know what she was doing. She only worked upon this spell when she knew she was alone in the castle. Well, thought she was alone. Everypony else was supposed to be gone for three days.
“What are you doing, I thought you went with Twilight to Canterlot.” Starlight really needed a spell to check if she was alone in the castle. She added that to her mental to-do list.
“Well...” Spike started before having an idea “I’ll tell you if you tell me what you are doing.”
Starlight sighed “Remember when I caused alternate Equestrias when I tried stopping the sonic rain-boom?”
“Yeah?” Spike was nonplussed as he folded his arms.
“I was just curious if Starswirl’s spell could be modified to visit those worlds again.” Starlight was worried.
“Why?”
At Spikes question, Starlight realized she had no good answer. She had just woke up with this idea, but no reason to pursue it.
“I have no idea, please don’t tell Twilight.” Starlight responded.
“Nothing good can come from this, but I won’t tell Twilight.” Spike said before leaving the lab.
Starlight smiled, until she realized that Spike didn’t tell her why he was here.
“What was that explosion as we entered, Spike?” She heard Twilight say from down the hall.
Oh great, everypony was home.
“Starlight’ll tell you” Spike responded.
Daughter of a b-… Starlight ignited her horn with magic and teleported her arcane research to it’s hiding spot. A few seconds later, a darker purple alicorn with striped purple, pink, and indigo mane walked in.
“I everything okay, I thought I heard an explosion?” Twilight asked.
“Uh, sorry, Twilight; I was practicing a few light combat spells and put too much power behind one.” Starlight knew it was a bald-faced lie.
“Well, do that outside next time.” Twilight admonished “I know this castle heals itself, but the sound reverberates like a bell.”
“Sure,” Starlight responded “I’m still a bit jarred from the explosion; so I’ll take a nap after cleaning up.”
“I understand, but I’d rather you saw a doctor; in case of a concussion.” Twilight smiled.
“Sure” Starlight sighed. Satisfied, Twilight left. A piece of chalk fell from the ceiling.
*****
Starlight had cleaned up the room, returned everything to it’s proper place, hid her notes, and went for a quick checkup. Being Twilight’s protege did come with great medical and dental support, but Twilight tended to be a bit nosy.
Laying down, Starlight was annoyed when sleep would not come. She had spent the majority of the past three days awake, but something still nagged at the back of her mind. Taking her notes from their hiding space, she looked them over. The spell should have worked, it was similar to the modifications made when starlight tried to… better Equestria. Not her finest moment, but she had repented of her sins and was trying to better herself. Except, she was trying to do almost the same thing just for curiosity.
Then she saw it, the literal missing piece. Her previous spell was simple, goto temporal point; return after temporal change. This allowed it to use the parchment it was writ upon as a casting anchor. The new spell was a more complicated matrix, so it needed a better anchor. Thinking about the mirror world Twilight had told her about, she realized a polished gem from the tree of harmony would do perfectly. So would a unicorn horn, but that was a bit macabre. A crystal that could hold memeories would suffice. Starlight wondered where she could get that without going to the tree of harmony itself.
***
Several minutes, and one awkward question to Spike later, Starlight was looking through the castle’s storage room. Apparently, Twilight had stored some gems from the tree of harmony; for adding memories to the throne room’s chandelier. Starlight rummaged through several dusty boxes before finding the one with the jewels in it.
Starlight spirited the jewel back to her room. She spent the night constructing a small remote-like box with the jewel inside. It was roughly six inches long, four inches wide, and two inches deep. The jewel within doubled as an info screen on top and thaumatic emitter from the front. There was a small keypad on its face, and it had thaumatic circuitry within. Satisfied with the device, Starlight slept.
Awakening from her slumber, Starlight looked around; groggily. Eying the device, she resolved to give it a test run. After using the bathroom.
After relieving herself, and waking up a bit, Starlight checked her notes. She calibrated the device to choose a random alternate Equestria. Figuring an ounce of prevention was worth a pound of not being stranded some verse else, Starlight made sure she would be brought back after thirty minutes. She didn’t want to wait for breakfast after working on this for so long. Twilight be blasted if she interfered, or if the device exploded; especially if the device exploded. Starlight pressed the activation button and hoped for the best.
A blue portal that segued toward an orange center opened before Starlight. Grabbing her saddlebags; she stared at it, walked around it, gathered her courage, and stepped through.
Starlight felt like she was sliding through a tube. Only a few seconds elapsed, but it felt far longer before she emerged from the other side. The exit portal deposited her in the castle foyer.
“Well that didn’t work,” Starlight looked at the familiar surroundings “all it did was teleport me to the front door.”
With that, Starlight left for Sugar Cube Corner to get coffee. Pinkie always had the best brew ha-ha; as she put it. Had Starlight bothered to check the throne room, she would have noticed a crack in one of the chairs.
***
Outside it was gloomy and drizzling. The forecast was supposed to be clear for the next two days and then rain at night. Starlight assumed that a certain rainbow-maned pegasus was taking an extra nap duty. She’d hit the errant mare with her rather weighty, malfunctioning remote. Either that, or the forecast was changed on a snap decision (more like nap decision). That did happen, and it would explain why nopony else was winging Rainbow Dash’s slack.
***
Along the way to Sugar Cube Corner, Starlight noticed something. She was a bright pony, no really. Her coat colors stood out amongst the other ponies she passed. Even her mane was more voluminous. Assuming it was because of the rain, Starlight ignored it. It was the downcast faces and minor changes to Ponyville that Starlight could not ignore. Many of the buildings had different, more stable, architecture and the air felt different.
Soon, however, Starlight turned the final corner to Sugar Cube Corner and stopped in her tracks. Before her was a Doughnut Joe’s. Maybe she wouldn’t use her remote to skeet-shoot a pegasus. Apparently it must have worked, or Pinkie was quick with a remodel. Starlight wouldn’t put it past that mare for a prank.
The interior to Joe’s was bright and warm. It reminded Starlight of Sugar Cube Corner, but more subdued. Instead of the Cakes welcoming her, there was a pink earth mare at the counter. The cashier had a flat pink mane, dingy pink coat, and subdued blue eyes. Starlight trotted to the counter.
“Hello, welcome to Doughnut Joe’s. My name is Pinkamena, may I take your order?” Starlight was speechless.
“What happened to Sugar Cube Corner?” Starlight finally found her voice.
“Oh, you must be from another town, welcome to Ponyville.” Pinkie responded “Sorry, but I don’t throw parties anymore, not after...” her voice trailed off.
“But what happened to Sugar Cube Corner?” Starlight vaguely noticed the sadness in Pinkie’s voice.
“Oh, Tirek crushed that; but Doughnut Joe was looking to expand and now I own a branch store.” Pinkie looked happy, for an instant “He was nice...” and back to despondent.
“Well, let me have some coffee and a cupcake.” Starlight didn’t want to upset Pinkie any more, and she knew she’d have to return to her own verse soon.
“Sure” Pinkie turned to a coffee pot and grabbed a cupcake from a display case. “By the way, I never caught your name, you look... familiar.”
You know those kinds of questions; it’s mere inflection causing dread. Knowing you’re in trouble, that you shouldn’t answer. Like your parents using your full name, you knew the implications were horrible. Unfortunately, Starlight was not having a clever day.
“I’m sorry I didn’t introduce myself, my name... is Starlight Glimmer.” Pinkie’s mane drooped even farther as she slowly turned toward the counter.
“I don’t know who put you up to that, but it’s a fucked-up joke.” There were tears in Pinkie’s blue eyes.
“I’m being serious, Pinkie, we’re friends; remember?”
“This is on the house if you get the fuck out of my store!” Pinkie slammed the cupcake and coffee on the counter. By now the few patrons were staring.
“But...”
“GET THE FUCK OUT OR I’LL GET MY PARTY CANNON AND SHOVE IT SO FAR-” Starlight grabbed her breakfast and left before Pinkie could finish.
Starlight’s remote beeped from her saddlebags, reminding her she had a minute left. She went into an alley and opened the portal home, glad to be returning.