Twilight... I'm sorry... Twilight...
Casey slowly opened his eyes as he began to stand up, but he was still weakened from his (now former) master's attack.
Once he was able to stand on all fours, the Earth Pony's muzzle almost dropped to the ground at the sight in was in front of him.
I'm back in Ponyville? Casey wondered, surprised. But, what happened to-
"Are you okay?"
Casey turned around, and saw somepony that instantly made him feel better... and that somepony was Twilight Sparkle. "It's you!"
"Um, yes, but - oof!" Twilight stopped speaking after Casey suddenly gave her a hug.
"I'm so glad you're safe..." He said, starting to feel a whole lot better than he was a few minutes ago.
However, the Princess of Friendship now felt confused. "Er, thanks...?"
Casey then released her from his hug, and said, "Okay, um... I know that you want an explanation..."
Twilight, still feeling confused, simply nodded her head. "Yeah, that would definitely be useful in this situation."
"And I know you're probably going to hate me..." said Casey, who was ready to accept anything that she had to say to him.
"Well, not unless I have a reason to," shrugged the magical alicorn.
Letting out a sigh, Casey continued on, knowing that he was about to ruin his chances of ever being in a relationship with her. "Well, remember when you said that we needed to get to know each other better?"
Twilight then started to frown. "I never said that."
"The reason why I brought that up was because I..." Casey suddenly paused mid-sentence after realizing what Twilight had just said. "You didn't... what?"
Twilight shook her head, and replied, "It sounds like you're implying that I agreed to be in a relationship with you... which I never did."
Before he could give a response, Twilight added, "And, we've never even met."
So, now, Casey was the pony that became confused. "Yeah, we did... back at the train station in the Crystal Empire, remember?"
Twilight shook her head, raising an eyebrow. "You sure you aren't mistaking me for somepony else?"
"No, why would I..." began Casey, but he stopped after noticing a necklace around her neck. "When did you get that?"
Twilight looked at the special gift she had received from her special somepony, and she started to smile.
"I've had this for quite some time now... why?"
Before Casey could answer, he heard another voice from a pony that was approaching them.
"Phew! Sorry, love, I was busy fixing the mess that Pinkie made at the... oh, who's this?"
Standing next to Twilight was a somewhat gold-colored Earth Pony, whose brown-colored mane was not exactly well-groomed.
In fact, it looked... well... a little messy for somepony that Casey had imagined would be dating an alicorn like Twilight.
"This is, um..." said Twilight, pausing because she did not yet know what the stranger's name was.
"Casey." He replied, but still wondering what was going on.
"Sorry... this is Casey," continued Twilight. "And he was about to tell me an interesting story."
"Oh?" The newcomer said, looking at Casey. "About what exactly?"
The Earth Pony chuckled a little, starting to feel nervous again. "Er, well... w-who are you again, sir?"
"Stardust Balance," replied the golden-colored pony, offering a hoofshake. "Nice to meet you, Casey."
"Likewise..." replied Casey, politely accepting it. "Er, nice beard and, um... mane-style... I've never seen one like that before."
Stardust gave Twilight a smug look, making the alicorn roll her eyes. "See? I don't always have to keep it a certain way."
"Oh, sure," replied Twilight. "Just because Rarity isn't here to..."
As they continued their conversation, Casey began to look at the two of them, noticing how closethey were to each other...
He also took another look at the necklace around Twilight's neck, which was completely different from the one he was wearing.
A silver book? Spinning star? thought Casey. If she has a beautiful necklace like that... then, that means-
"Oh, um, and apparently I agreed to go on a date with him." Twilight said, nodding her head towards the Earth Pony.
Casey gulped, feeling afraid as he started realizing what was probably about to happen.
Oh, great, I'm screwed.
"Oh, is that so?" Stardust replied, glaring at Casey. "Did she mention the fact that I'm her special somepony?"
"Well, no," said Casey, in a nervous tone. "But I was starting to figure that out."
"Well, you'd better start talking more, then," replied Stardust, showing a small and suspicious frown.
Casey looked around, trying to figure out what was going on.
"Hey, your answer isn't up there, friend," retorted Stardust. "Who exactly are you?"
"Um..." said Casey. "Well, the truth is that... and I'm just assuming.. I am not actually 'from' here."
Stardust raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"
Casey sighed, and said, "Well, like I said, it's an assumption... and I am from Equestria... but in a different world."
"Like the one Sunset Shimmer is in?" Twilight asked, joining in on the conversation.
"Kind of, but more complex, and she's in trouble, too," replied Casey, remembering how she fit into the cloaked pony's sinister plot. "I came from what you could call an... alternate version of Equestria, and where-"
Stardust suddenly interrupted, waving his hooves in the air. "Hold up a sec, how is that even possible?"
Did we not just return from a predicament like this, boy?
"You're not helping," muttered Stardust, talking to the voice of Sombra that was inside of his head.
But then, to his surprise, Casey asked, "Who was that?"
"Who was what?"
The Earth Pony looked around, as if he was trying to find somepony else. "I just heard another pony speak, right after you asked me a question."
Stardust shook his head. "No, you didn't, you only heard me."
But Casey could have sworn that he had heard somepony. "Yeah, and it even sounded familiar... like some ancient-like voice I once heard back at the Crystal Empire..."
Starlight started to gulp now. Sombra, did he...?
We've been over this plenty of times, you dimwit. Only you and that elderly annoyance can hear me.
"There!" Casey exclaimed. "I heard it again, just now!"
Anything else you want to add, your Highness, thought Stardust, who did not know whether to be surprised or more suspicious at the possible fact of this newpony being able to hear the fallen king.
Before Sombra could respond to Stardust, however, Twilight asked, "Is everything alright, Casey? You seem afraid... and concerned."
"Um, that's pretty much true," admitted Casey. "The other Equestria that I came from has a Twilight, as well, who is probably now in trouble because of me."
Before continuing on, Casey revealed to the two of them his own special necklace that was currently held by his hoof.
"Turtledoves..." whispered Twilight. It even looked almost familiar to her.
"The last thing she said before giving me this was-"
Is that what I think it is, up there in the sky?
Stardust looked up, and realized what Sombra had meant. "Casey, look out!"
"What are you-" said Casey, breplied is above them began sucking him in. "Aaaauggghhh!"
"Casey!" Twilight was about to go and help him when a strong force sucked him into the portal, which then disappeared in a brilliant flash of light.
"Twilight?" Stardust walked over to the princess, who was blinking her eyes a few times. "You okay?"
She nodded her head, and walked over to where Casey had been standing at. "Oh, no..."
Stardust watched as Twilight picked up an object that was on the ground, and saw that it was the necklace that Casey had shown them.
"It's beautiful..." said Twilight, admiring the turtle-dove pendant.
At first, Stardust didn't know what to say, but then, he could see the gears turning inside Twilight's head, and realized what she was probably about to suggest they do.
"Oh, no, no, no, no..."
Twilight looked at Stardust, who was shaking his head.
"Nope, nope, nope... I am not going to have us get involved in another time-travel incident."
Twilight frowned, even though she knew what he had been referring to. "Jack, we have to do something."
"No, we do not," replied Stardust, whose real name was Jack, in case you were wondering. "He'll probably come back anyway."
"And what if he doesn't?" Twilight said, glaring at him.
Stardust shook his head, not wanting them to get involved. "He has to, Twilight, so let's just-"
"Jack, come on," pleaded Twilight. "He needs our help... he even mentioned Sunset being in trouble!"
Stardust tried to find another reason for them not to help. "Well, he didn't say those words exactly-"
I would like to know exactly how in Equestria was he able to hear me.
You're still not [Beep]-ing helping right now, thought Stardust
But Twilight wasn't giving up. "What would you have done if you were in his situation?"
Stardust chuckled. "Well, first of all, I wouldn't have mistaken another Twilight for you-"
"Jack..." she said, now giving him an annoyed look.
And this is the part where you end up agreeing with her.
Not even bothering to respond to the former ruler of the Crystal Empire, Stardust looked at Twilight, and said, "Well, what exactly can we do, love?"
Twilight looked at the necklace in her hoof, and up at the sky where the portal had been.
"I don't know yet..." admitted the princess. ""But... I have a bad feeling that something terribly wrong is happening right now."
"Twilight?"
The alicorn stood up on all fours, and opened her eyes to see another familiar pony in front of her.
"Sunset?"
The former student of Princess Celestia gave her a warm smile, and said, "Nice to see you too, Twi - oof!"
Her sentence was cut off after Twilight gave her a tight hug. "I was so worried... I thought something terrible happened to you."
"Well, I mean, I'm still breathing, thank goodness," replied Sunset, trying to be a little comedic.
Twilight chuckled, and said, "I can see that, thanks..."
But then, her expression went from joy to sadness. "My friends were turned to stone by some cloaked pony that I've never even met."
Sunset nodded her head. "Yeah, he mentioned doing something like that before he used his staff to send me... wherever the heck we are."
Twilight looked around, and didn't feel too sure herself about their current location.
"Neither do-"
*gasp* "Oh, my gosh, more talking ponies!"
Sunset looked at Twilight, and asked, "Why are you talking like Pinkie Pie?"
"Huh?" Twilight said, looking at her friend like she was crazy. "I didn't even finish talking."
"Well, then who was-" started Sunset, but then, there was a trio of "whoosh" sounds.
"Wow, Bubbles, you were right!" The voice belonged to a small girl, who was wearing a pink dress with a black stripe, as well as a small red bow in her hair.
"You see? They're so pretty and colorful!" cried the young girl who was floating in the air next to her.
She had on a similar dress, but her color was blue instead of pink, and her yellow hair was tied up in two pigtails... and, for some reason, she sounded similar to Twilight, but at a higher speaking pitch.
"Well, then let's make sure that these two don't escape from us this time," replied the green-dress-wearing little girl.
Sunset gulped, and asked, "Um... any ideas so far, Twilight?"
The alicorn shook her head, yelling, "Run!"
Whoosh!
As they took off, Blossom had a look of determination on her face. "Alright, girls, guess we're going to do this the hard way."
Whoosh!
"Hey, wait for us!" yelled Buttercup, as she raced after her sister.
Whoosh!
"Ooh, ooh, I call the purple one with wings!" exclaimed an excited Bubbles, before joining her sisters in chasing the talking ponies.
Inside the Crystal Castle, the young dragon was still searching for his friends.
"Twilight? Pinkie?" He cried. "I'm sorry I ate the rest of the cotton candy I brought, but I can get mo - whoa!"
He stopped in front of a door that he didn't remember ever seeing before.
"Wow," admired Spike. "It looks a lot like Twilight's Cutie Mark..."
He also noticed the surrounding carvings of the Cutie Marks that belonged to the rest of the Mane Six.
"Twilight!" Spike called out, knocking on the door. "Are you in there?"
Suddenly, Twilight's Cutie Mark started to light up, and Spike stepped back while the doors began to open sideways.
"Twilight...?" Spike carefully entered the room, looking for any sign of-
*gasp*
The little dragon couldn't believe his eyes.
"Spike?"
Before going in, however, Spike turned to see Princess Cadence.
"Oh, hi, your Highness," greeted Spike. "Where's Flurry Heart?"
Cadence smirked at the young reptile. "She's with Shining Armor... but may I ask why you're in this room?"
Spike chuckled nervously, and said, "Well, um, I was looking for Twilight and the others, but then I saw this cool-looking door and-"
Before he could finish, however, Cadence entered the room herself. "Huh..."
"I didn't touch anything!" Spike cried.
The princess laughed, and shook her head. "No, Spike, I'm just surprised that the statues were already done."
Spike went after her, and took a closer look at the five statues of his friends.
To Cadence's amusement, his eyes turned into hearts as he walked over to the one that looked like Rarity.
"Whoever built this was full of talent," said the lovestruck dragon. "They even got her eyes and mane-style right."
Cadence shook her head. "Alright, come on, Romeo, your friends are probably back outside... wouldn't want to damage that perfection, would you?"
"Oh, no, m'am," replied Spike. "I'd hate to think what would happen if Rarity ever found that out!"
He walked away from the statue, and followed Cadence out of the room, with the princess closing the door.
"Well, well, well," chuckled the cloaked pony, floating down from the ceiling. "This might be easier than I thought."
For some reason that she didn't really care about, Pinkie Pie had found herself running across a grassy field.
Huh, I wonder if Stardust - began Pinkie, but then, she heard a familiar voice.
Come on, and smile, smile, smile...
Ooh, I wonder who MisterDavey and Dave Davey are?
Come on, and smile, smile, smile...
Pinkie Pie had a confused look on her face. Why is my voice singing that faster than usual? And who is Foo - oh, my gosh!
She looked in front of her, and saw three of her friends having a picnic by a nice-looking tree.
"Hi, Twilight!" Pinkie Pie yelled, waving her arm in the air.
She saw her friend look up from the book that she'd been reading, and happily waved back at her.
Then, when she finally caught up to Twilight, Pinkie Pie stopped running.
"What's up?" greeted the cheerful pony.
"Hey, Pinkie," said Twilight, smiling up at her. "For a minute there, I didn't think you would stop."
Pinkie Pie rolled her eyes, and said, "Well, duh, if I didn't, then something bad would have probably happened."
Rainbow Dash felt like she had been in a tornado, trainwreck, and thunderstorm all rolled up into one.
I seriously need to stop eating that much at parties.
But before Rainbow could do anything else, she heard a familiar voice.
"Soooo, are we making cupcakes or not?"
The winged pony saw that she was inside a kitchen, with all kinds of mixing stuff in front of her, and next to her was-
"Pinkie Pie? You're okay!"
The pink pony replied, "Um, duh, why wouldn't I be? It's just cupcake baking."
"But you... we... Twilight..." said Rainbow, trying to remember what had happened earlier. "Um... shouldn't we go find the others?"
Pinkie Pie thought about it for a moment, and said, "Okie dokie loki!"
Rainbow chuckled, and began to walk out of the door. "Alright, let's go..."
Pinkie looked at the mallet nearby, simply gave a shrug, and followed Rainbow out of the door.