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// 1 Double Duplicity 
// Story: All That Glitters 
// by Bronyxy 
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It was a perfect day in Ponyville, one of those rare occasions when the six best friends promised themselves that they would all agree to postpone their chores so that they could meet up together at Sugarcube Corner.  In recognition of this treasured alignment, even the weather had turned out to be perfect too, although that was probably due to the resident weather pony, who was at that moment, sat back casually with her forelegs resting over the back of her chair looking cool.

Pinkie came out of the shop wearing an apron and fake moustache, looking like the phoniest waiter ever.  The friends all giggled at the cliché apparition except for Rainbow who threw her head back, shielding her face with a forehoof and laughing loudly.  The faux waiter then lowered the platter she held raised in one hoof and with a deft flourish, whipped off the linen cover to reveal the tasty treats underneath.  The gathering of friends all thanked her at once and began the joyous task of choosing which delight they were going to gorge on first.

Good natured banter was being batted around the friends like a ball, whoever was the butt of the most recent comment swatting it straight back again amidst a mixture of giggling and laughter.  When they reached a natural pause, Pinkie tentatively broached something that had been on her mind:
“You know” she said through a fake moustache covered with muffin crumbs “I’ve been having the oddest dreams recently.”
Everypony round the table immediately stopped in mid bite.
“About the Mirror Pool by any chance …?” drawled AJ.
“A force drawing us back there for some reason …?” Rarity chipped in.
“Actually, yes” admitted Twilight “But it didn’t seem important enough to mention …”
Rainbow stared, mouth agape and Fluttershy spoke up for them both: “Oh my …”

“Well girls” said Twilight “I think it’s time we went back and paid it a visit.  Something’s going on, and I think we need to be there together.”
Then almost as an afterthought:
“Oh and Pinkie, no duplicating yourself this time, OK?” she added, fixing the pink equine with a beady eye.
“Okie Dokie Lokie” giggled Pinkie “I learnt my lesson last time!”
All ponies present heaved an audible sigh of relief – Ponyville wasn’t ready for another plague of Pinkies anytime soon.

An air of anticipation hung over the friends as they finished their treats in a more reflective mood; no more banter, just knowing looks exchanged between friends each of whom having had the same dream.  Once all were ready, they set off together for the Everfree; the further they got, the more the pool seemed to be calling to them.

They arrived at the boulder that Twilight had used to seal the entrance last time they had been there and stopped, each pony looking at every other, all feeling the same doubts.
“Well, we’re here Twi” drawled AJ “D’yuh think we should jes leave it well alone?”
“Well, part of me thinks that’s a really sensible idea, but the other part of me would like to get a better night’s sleep and I think the answer is down there.”
There was a general murmur of agreement and in response, Twilight lit her horn, the magenta glow reaching out until it clung around the boulder and then lifted it like a cork being pulled from a bottle.

Some of those present expected to see a cloud of ethereal vapour or hear a popping sound as it was pulled free, but the absolute nothingness they experienced was in many ways even more chilling.  With a distinct feeling of trepidation, they set off down the winding tunnel that opened out onto a gradual incline leading down towards the pool.

The enchanted grotto was quiet and tranquil, illuminated by a shaft of light that seemed to turn the pool a beautiful translucent blue where it struck, dominating the scene.  The glow from the pool permeated every feature of the grotto, from the few randomly placed stalagmite shaped rock formations to the occasional flowers that had rooted on the floor and up the rough-hewn walls.  Nothing dared to stir lest it broke the idyllic serenity of this place.  All was as it was supposed to be, yet some unseen and inescapable force continued drawing them in.

They moved closer until their hooves were nearly at the water’s edge, the sense of expectancy almost palpable.

Then it happened.

The line that separated the surface of the pool from the air above rotated round over their heads and two alicorns appeared in the pool as if from nowhere.  The six friends all looked shocked momentarily, then moved forward to help pull out the two new arrivals.

The alicorns were both full grown females, each with a grey coat that shimmered like silver and a mane and tail of the purest spun gold.
“Thank you” said the alicorns together “We are grateful for your help.”
“You’re welcome!” said Pinkie Pie with a big smile on her face, bouncing on the spot.
“Oh darling” fawned Rarity in admiration “I have never seen a coat and mane so fine …”

The alicorns both gave a light nod in recognition of the compliment at precisely the same time:
“I am Sunaj” they said in unison, each then gesturing for the other to proceed with their story.
“OK” said Rainbow “This is freaky.”
“I think we’d all find it a little easier if only one of you spoke at once” said Twilight, taking charge “You on the left, you’re ‘it’.”
“Thank you fellow alicorn” said Sunaj “I entered the pool alone and when the two of us emerged, we saw you.  I am a little confused because I could have sworn I was alone.  Who are you?”
“I am Twilight Sparkle” responded the lilac alicorn, wearing the kind of smile that she put on for formal occasions and then went on to introduce her friends.
“Where we come from, alicorns are all Princes and Princesses” said Sunaj “Are you a Princess?”
“Well, yes” affirmed Twilight, chest swelling with pride while a smile crept across her face “As a matter of fact I am.  I’m the Princess of Friendship.”

The two new alicorns shot each other a quick glance, barely noticed by anypony except for AJ, who for some reason suddenly felt that she should be a little guarded.
“Sunaj, huh?” she interjected “So are we to believe you’re Princesses too?  Where is it you’re Princesses of anyway, and how come we didn’t see yuh go into the pool in the first place?”
“AJ” admonished Twilight “Don’t be so pushy.  There’s probably a really interesting explanation possibly involving parallel universes and time travel or something.”
“Uh, huh” said AJ, unimpressed.
“I could ask you just the same questions” said Sunaj indignantly “I have never seen you in our land before either.”
“So where is it you’re all from then?” asked AJ who picked upon a brief pause before the answer came:
“We are here in Reinsville” said Sunaj “I look after my ponies and protect our borders, that is why my cutie mark shows me looking out in two directions.  Increasingly, the complex and often contradictory duties of handling both internal and external affairs have become too arduous for just one to handle, so when I heard about the legend of the Mirror Pool, I wanted to try it out.  However, I wanted to do it in private because I would not want my ponies knowing there were two of me as we both pursue different aspects of my duties concurrently.  That is why I am a little surprised to see so many of you having seen my, ermm, duplication.
“Ain’t never heard of no ‘Reinsville’” muttered AJ, eyeing the alicorns suspiciously.
“AJ!” hushed Twilight, feeling obliged to extend a more formal greeting of the type befitting two Princesses on a State visit.

“Do you rule over your land too, Twilight?” asked Sunaj directly.
“Oh no” responded Twilight “Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are our co-rulers.  I’ll take you to meet them.”
“Perhaps we should work out whose land we are in first, shall we?” commented Sunaj a little acerbically.
At this, the party made their way up the slope out of the grotto, each with their own ideas about the strange turn of events.

Five of the six friends were not remotely surprised to see that the Everfree looked just as it always had in spite of the suggestion that Sunaj may have been a visitor from a parallel universe, although Twilight did look a little disappointed.

The party broke into two groups; one with Twilight and Rarity who were starstruck over one of the alicorns, whilst the other new arrival was in conversation with Rainbow, Fluttershy and Pinkie who was bouncing along, at that very moment working out the details of the party she would throw for them when they returned.  Behind them followed AJ, alone with her suspicions.

The closer they got to Ponyville, the more friends and acquaintances stopped to say hello and introduce themselves to the striking new alicorns, the slower their progress became.  As a crowd formed round them, they all missed one of those running up to meet them who was a bit smaller than the rest, but more eager than any to meet the returning librarian.

The purple dragon ran up behind the forest of legs that formed the outer reaches of the crowd, but no matter how he tried to force his way through, he kept being forced back out again as ponies jostled to get in closer.  Time after time he was pushed further away from his goal until eventually a tawny owl perched on a branch in a nearby tree shook his head and stretched his wings, leaving his branch and gliding silently over the crowd to land on Spike.
“Oh hey buddy” greeted Spike dejectedly.
“Hoooo” said Owlowiscious holding out a claw.
“What ...?” queried the little dragon, and then the penny dropped “Oh … right!”
Spike scrawled two words on a scrap piece of paper and gave it to his fellow assistant librarian who took off to deliver the message to the lilac alicorn.

The tawny owl circled around and as soon as Twilight saw him she extended a forehoof for him to land on.
“Hoooo” he said extending the message in his claw once he had landed.
“Oh, Owlowiscious” said Twilight appreciatively, gently stroking his chest feathers “You are a clever little assistant.  Thank you.”
She uncrumpled the note and read the hastily scrawled characters spelling out ‘home now’.
With this, Twilight spearheaded a push through the crowd and forged her way back to the Castle of Friendship where Spike was waiting at the door.
Twilight left the throng of ponies outside and broke free to enter the castle.

“Twilight, am I pleased to see you!” exclaimed the little dragon.
“OK Spike” said Twilight calmly, sensing from the assistant librarian’s agitation that something was not well “What’s up?”
“It’s Princess Celestia and Princess Luna – they’ve both disappeared!”
Whilst the news was shocking, it was not the first time this had happened.  Twilight had matured into her role as Princess and was now much more prepared to take charge than she had been when Discord’s plunder seeds had abducted them just after she had got her alicorn wings.  However, the disappearance of both Royal Princesses at once signalled that there was sure to be trouble ahead and she would have to be on her guard.

She was taking in the news and the coincidental arrival of two new alicorns when the door opened again and in came her friends with the two alicorns known as Sunaj.
“Twilight” intoned Sunaj “I must say I am impressed with the reception, but have to confirm that neither the village nor the ponies are familiar to me and must assume therefore that I am the visitor in your world and not you in mine.  Please accept my apology for having assumed it to have been the other way round.”
Twilight immediately responded with formal platitudes to put her guests at ease, but behind her eyes, she was mulling things over.
“Perhaps now would be a good time for me to introduce ourselves to your ruling Princesses?” enquired Sunaj.
“Maybe that should wait” replied Twilight.
Sunaj looked interested:
“Why would that be?”
“Because I bet Pinkie’s going to be throwing you a big party this evening” said Twilight, playing for time and adding with her starched smile “And it’s a tradition to welcome our guests.”

Sure enough, Pinkie was readying a party for the two new arrivals in the Castle of Friendship’s ballroom and word was being spread among the eager populace. Twilight allocated Sunaj two adjoining rooms in the castle and allowed them to prepare whilst she met with her other friends.
”Girls” she started “What did you think about meeting Sunaj?”
“Well I don’t trust either of them one little bit” said AJ earnestly “They’s jest ‘bout as slippery as a pocketful of pudding.”
“Oh really, Applejack darling” interjected Rarity “They’re utterly delightful company and the manes and tails are so beautiful …”
“OK girls” aid Twilight having established a distinct split in opinions amongst her friends “I’ve got serious news – the Royal Princesses have disappeared, and just about the same time as Sunaj arrived.”
The ponies all looked shocked:
“Oh how awful” said Fluttershy in her reserved unobtrusiveness.
“Yeah, I side with AJ” said Rainbow pensively, forelegs crossed and a forehoof stroking her chin “Something’s not right here.”
“I clearly can’t take them to Canterlot, so I’ll write to Cadence and in the meantime keep them here while we try and figure out what’s going on” said Twilight “Let’s have this party and see what happens.”

Then she left to do some research in the library before the evening’s entertainment started.