//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Falling In // by OneOverTwo //------------------------------// The outside of Princess Twilight’s castle was almost absolutely crowded with teenagers with a few teacher aged people also strewn about. It would have looked like a school prep rally or something if it wasn’t for the fact that it was in front of an oddly shaped castle instead of a High School. No one really knew what to do. Princess Twilight Sparkle flew up over everyone and cast a spell to amplify her voice. “Attention people from the other world!” said Princess Twilight Sparkle, “I thank you all for your patience, especially given the circumstances! I would like you all to know that you are all welcome to stay in my castle for the time being, but please keep in mind that you will likely have to share rooms. Please wait while my assistant Spike gets my castle ready for you! Hopefully we will be able to find a solution to our predicament soon! Thank you!” With that Princess Twilight Sparkle flew back down to the ground and out of most of the people’s sight. Indigo Wreath looked all around him. He saw a portal hole that some people probably fell from in the distance silently imploding. He could see several students from both Canterlot High School and Crystal Prep Academy. He did not, however, see everyone from those two schools, let alone the entire world. ‘Did only some of us survive?’ thought Indigo Wreath, ‘That’s a scary thought.’ "Watermelody!," said a girl's voice, "Golden Hazel! Indigo Wreath!" "Sophisticata!" said Indigo Wreath, "Over here!" The girl made her way over to Indigo Wreath. "Thank goodness you're here," said Sophisticata, "I couldn't find any of the other drama kids." "Yeah, looking around it's clear to me that not everyone is here," said Indigo Wreath, "Only some of the students and staff are at this crystal tree castle thing." "Maybe they're all spread out across multiple places in this world," said Sophisticata. "I hope so," said Indigo Wreath. Rainbow Dash stood around Sunset Shimmer with the rest of the Rainbooms. The pony Fluttershy was doing her very best to stay away from her human counterpart so she decided to go home. They were mostly talking about what exactly they should be doing right now, but the weren't really getting anywhere at the moment. "RAINBOW DASH!" said Scootaloo. "Scoots!" said Rainbow Dash. The two humans embraced each other in a sisterly hug, complete with Scootaloo on the receiving end of a noogie. "Stop stop!" said Scootaloo. "Heh, alright," said Rainbow Dash, "I'm glad you're okay, kid." "Gyeh," said the pony Rainbow Dash, "somehow this feels really embarrassing." "Aw, I think it looks super sweet," said a tiny flying pony with a tiara and glasses." Scootaloo had been followed in her search. "Hi there hi there!" said the tiny pony, "I'm Zipporwhill!" "Uh, hey?" said the human Rainbow Dash. Applejack held Fluttershy back from approaching the tiny flying pony. “So,” said the pony Rainbow Dash, “you’re the me from another universe, huh?” The human Rainbow Dash stared at her pony counterpart. “Hello?” the pony Rainbow Dash waved her hoof in front of the other Dash’s eyes. “Gyeh,” said the human Rainbow Dash, “this is weird.” “Meh, I’ve probably been through weirder,” said the pony Rainbow Dash. Applejack and Rarity realized something when they looked at Scootaloo. “Uh hey Scootaloo,” said Applejack. “What?” said Scootaloo. “Where’re Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle?” said Applejack. “I- I don’t know,” said Scootaloo, “I fell from the sky and really the only ones I’ve really talked to are you all and those two pegasuses.” “Pegasi,” said the pony Rainbow Dash. “Whatever,” said Scootaloo. Rarity was visibly panicking, Applejack tried to reassure her. “There there,” said Applejack, “Ah’m sure our sisters are alright.” “And I am MOST certain that they are NOT!” said Rarity, “If they’re even here I just know that they’re starving or otherwise in incredible danger! What if they’re in the cave of a monster or- or-” “Easy there, Rarity,” said Applejack, “panicking right now isn’t goin’ to help right now.” “It’s helping me!” said Rarity as she dramatically collapsed to the ground in a kneel and set her face in her palms. Applejack sighed and rolled her eyes. Zipporwhill looked at the crying human, “You look like one of the Ponytones!” Rarity looked up from her hands, “Hm?” “You look like one of the Ponytones!” said Zipporwhill. “Um, what’s- what’s a ‘pony tone’?” said Fluttershy. “It’s like this super amazing singing group,” said Zipporwhill, “Does she sing?” “...A bit,” said Rarity. “We’re in a band!” said Pinkie Pie. “Yeah, but we don’t have our instruments right now,” said Applejack. “I always have an instrument on me!” said Pinkie as she pulled out a kazoo. All the others looked bemused at her when she played it. “Anyways…” said Sunset Shimmer, “What do you want, my little pony?” “Oh I’m just interested in what’s going on right now,” said Zipporwhill, “You look different from all the other ones. You’re glowier.” “Yeah, well, it’s a long story that I really don’t want to get into right now,” said Sunset Shimmer. “Mmhm,” said Zipporwhill. Zipporwhill flew down to Scootaloo. “Hey, do want to see the town?” said Zipporwhill. “Maybe?” said Scootaloo. “Follow me!” said Zipporwhill. Princess Twilight Sparkle looked among the humans and traveled amongst the crowd, trying to see who she recognized. “You play guitar?” said Lemon Zest, “That’s totally rockin’.” “Thanks,” said Flash Sentry, “Though I don’t really have one with me and I’m not sure this place has any at all.” “Flash!” said Twilight Sparkle excitedly. “Twilight?” said Flash Sentry confusedly. “Yeah… that’s me,” said Princess Twilight Sparkle. “Uh…” Flash Sentry as he kept staring at the creature before him. “So…” said Princess Twilight Sparkle, “What have you been up to?” “...Nothing much?” said Flash Sentry. “Sorry about my, um, counterpart,” said Princess Twilight Sparkle. Flash Sentry pretended that he didn’t just put together the fact that he had met more than one Twilight Sparkle. “It’s fine,” said Flash Sentry. Lemon Zest looked back and forth between the two awkward dorks. “I feel like I’m missin’ something here,” said Lemon Zest, “There somethin’ between you two?” The two she referred to both blushed. “Uh, I’ve got to go… think somewhere for a while,” said Flash Sentry right before walking as far away as he could. “Huh,” Lemon Zest walked up to the purple alicorn and patted her hand on Twilight’s shoulder, “well this means one of two things, snub nosed pony.” “Huh?” said Princess Twilight Sparkle. “He’s either really bothered by what ya look like or not really bothered by it enough,” said Lemon Zest. “Not bothered enough?” said Princess Twilight Sparkle, “I have to go, um, think somewhere for awhile.” “Bye Twilight!” said Lemon Zest as the princess made her way back to her room in the castle, “You are a different one from the crazy evil one, right?!” Scribble Dee and Starlight (just Starlight) walked on the edge of the crowd. “So what are we doing, exactly?” said Scribble Dee. “Ya know, look for a guide,” said Starlight, “I wanna really SEE this place.” “I guess I don’t really have anything better to do either,” said Scribble Dee. “Man, that’s not my reason, I wanna get a good idea of where I am even,” said Starlight, “Hey! Maybe that pony can help us!” Starlight pointed to a unicorn with purplish pinkish coat and purple hair with greenish bluish streaks in it. The unicorn gawked at all the humans visible right outside of Twilight’s castle. Momentarily she appeared to feel a bit guilty about something. “NOT MY FAULT THIS TIME!” said the unicorn as she ran off somewhere. “What was that about?” said Scribble Dee. “Nevermind, maybe that pony can help us!” Starlight pointed to a mint green unicorn this time. Lyra Heartstrings was fascinated with the humans. Though the main thing she was trying to do was finding her alleged human counterpart which was a goal that she had yet to achieve. “Hey mint colored unicorn!” said Starlight, “Can ya spare some time to show the town. Lyra snapped to attention, “Uh, sure.” Sunset Shimmer sulked in the corner of a room in Princess Twilight Sparkle’s castle. the human Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Rarity were keeping her company. The human Rainbow Dash had decided to follow the human Scootaloo and Zipporwhill. “Aw cheer up, Sun Shimmy!” said Pinkie Pie, “Things could be worse.” “Though the destruction of our universe is pretty bad,” said Fluttershy. Everyone gave her the ‘not helping’ look. Fluttershy backed away and did her best to make her smaller. Sunset Shimmer sighed, “It’s not just that. Our world’s Twilight is out there somewhere in Equestria.” “OUR world, huh?” said Rainbow Dash with a smirk. “Heh, it’s- well Princess Twilight said that I still might be able to stop her,” said Sunset Shimmer, “I just… I really wish that- that I…” “It’s okay, Sunset,” said Applejack as she did her best to put a reassuring arm around her friend, though the huge glowing and flaring wings of light made trying to do this quite awkward to attempt. “It’s not, but…” said Sunset Shimmer, “if we can find her I definitely want to get through to her next time.” “I’m sure that we will,” said Rarity, “I’m sure that we will.” “That over there is the schoolhouse,” said Zipporwhill as she showed two people around Ponyville, “and that over there is the Hayburger.” “She doesn’t seem much for detail,” said the human Rainbow Dash. “Seems really excited though,” said the human Scootaloo. “That over there is our local bakery: Sugarcube Corner,” said Lyra to the two humans following her, “Want to go in?” “Yes!” said Zipporwhill. “Oh, hello,” said Lyra, “are you showing humans around too?” “Yeah,” said Zipporwhill, “though mine I’ve seen the ponies for.” “Ponies for?” said Scribble Dee. “Mines a national hero,” said Rainbow Dash: ready to use any excuse to brag. “One of the humans said that he had a friend that had my name,” said Lyra, “Though I haven’t really seen her myself.” “Whoa,” said Starlight. “Forget that!” said Zipporwhill, “Let’s get something from Sugarcube Corner!” When the two ponies and four humans entered they were greeted with a huge surprised gasp. “Canterlot High Schoolers!” said Pinkie Pie, “I have to make so many preparations!” With that Pinkie Pie the pony zoomed off to the back of the store. “Scootaloo,” said Rainbow Dash. “Yes?” said Scootaloo. “Let’s make sure that she never gets too close to our Pinkie.” “Yeah,” said Scootaloo, “That’s probably a good idea.” “Now how are we supposed to get pastries?” said Zipporwhill. “Something tells me we should go back to the castle,” said Lyra who may have been licking her lips. Three girls found themselves in the most frustrating situations they could have possibly imagined. After a painful but relatively unharmful fall they found that they were in a grassy field. Around them were a number of tiny ewes. The purple one looked at her hands. She balled them into fists and threw them into the air. “OH THIS IS JUST FREAKING GREAT!” said the purple one who had her hair held in twintails by respective star decorations, “This is EXACTLY what I wanted after getting back to Equestria!” “Really? That’s weird,” said the blue one who had her hair in a simple pony tail, “I would’ve thought that you’d have wanted to turn back into a siren and get your powers back.” “Ugh, Sonata… just… ugh,” said the purple one, putting her hand to her face in order to signal her frustration, “You’re the worst.” “Hey, it’s not like it’s my fault we fell back in, Aria!” said Sonata, “Adagio’s the one who said that we should spy on the Friendship Games!” “Well something magical happened like how I thought it would happen,” said the orange one who had poofy hair and a spiked hairband, “Though I didn’t expect that its negative effects would get this far.” “What do we even DO now?” said Aria, “Not only are we powerless, our dumb bodies make us obvious too.” “What do we do?” said Adagio, “I guess I don’t have an answer.” “Adagio doesn’t have an answer?” said Aria, “That’s- that’s actually a first.” “Hey, um, what was the plan for if a pony caught sight of us?” said Sonata Dusk. “To dispose of them,” said Adagio. “What about… several of them?” said Sonata Dusk. “What?” said Aria. Aria and Adagio turned their heads to see what Sonata was looking at. She was looking at a massive amount of armored translucent and glittering ponies staring hard at them. “Ah sh-” said Aria. “Hello! We intend no harm!” said Adagio. “We’ll determine that after we take you trespassers in for some questioning,” sternly said the one that seemed to be their leader. “I don’t like the sound of this,” whispered Sonata. “For once we agree,” whispered Aria Blaze. Princess Twilight Sparkle sat at a desk in her room resting her cheek on it and tried to and failed to think there. “You okay, Twilight?” said Spike when he noticed from outside her open door. “I will be, Spike,” said Princess Twilight Sparkle, “After a while at least.” “TWILIGHT!” said Pinkie Pie as she figuratively exploded into the room. “GAH!” said Princess Twilight Sparkle, “Don’t startle me like that, Pinkie.” “Sorry, Twilight,” said Pinkie Pie, “but why didn’t you tell me you were having Canterlot High Schoolers over? Also how come they haven’t been transformed into ponies?” “It- it wasn’t exactly planned, Pinkie,” said Princess Twilight Sparkle, “They didn’t come through the mirror; they fell into Equestria when my human counterpart destroyed their world.” “What? Human Twilight can’t be evil!” said Pinkie Pie, “And there’s no way she destroyed her own world.” “I want to believe that too,” said Princess Twilight Sparkle, “but it might just be wishful thinking on my part.” “Well if their world was destroyed,” said Pinkie Pie, “Then I have a lot of faces to put smiles on!” “Are smiles really what-” said Spike, stopping when it was clear that Pinkie Pie had already left. “Yeesh, I hope it’s not TOO disastrous,” said Spike.