//------------------------------//
// 3 Through the Mirror 
// Story: The Reunion 
// by Bronyxy 
//------------------------------//

One week after the party at Elusive’s, Dusk was as ready as he was ever going to be to see the Prince and tell him that all his friends were set to go. He had been disappointed that Blitz had made it his business to tell everypony about the prospect of meeting the mares and fillies, not least because he had been hoping to fabricate some story to keep Silver Bell in this world as a lever to ensure that Elusive could be trusted not to run off with his glamourous dressmaker friend.

At least Blitz had redeemed himself by settling poor Butterscotch whose intense reaction he hadn’t understood and whose recovery had likewise taken him by surprise. The two had been close friends since they were colts, so perhaps if anypony could talk to him it would have to be Blitz.

He allowed his mind to wander wistfully whether his ‘sister’ was having the same problems in her world, and felt a warm touch of togetherness that she was probably at the same point on the process right now, harbouring the same reservations. How he wanted to see her again!

All of the potential travellers had come to see Dusk at some time over the past week, some returning on a daily basis to ensure that they knew what to expect and what was expected of them in return. The fact that there had been so many well considered questions, especially from the younger members had raised his spirits into believing that everypony, and dragoness, was taking the endeavour seriously. They were as ready as they would ever be.

With his head spinning happily, Dusk set off for Canterlot. He would ordinarily have chosen to secure final approval from the Prince by dragon mail, but because Spines was scheduled to be one of those travelling, he couldn’t allow that conflict of interest and so boarded a train to make the journey instead. While he could have ordered a chariot from Solaris or Artemis, or even insisted upon a Royal Suite in the train, he was quite happy mingling with the other ponies and finding good company amongst his fellow passengers, passing the time and catching up with events which he may otherwise not have heard about.

After a journey filled with good conversation, not to mention some cheeky gossip, the train pulled into Canterlot station and he emerged onto the platform, not to a red carpet or any kind of formal fanfare, but as anypony else, eager to attend to whatever business they had in the capital. It was only now, as he got closer to his destination that the butterflies started and doubts that he had long dismissed all raised their heads in unison to sing a chorus of warning and self-doubt.

Upon reaching the castle, he beheld the first recognition of his status as the two guards by the main entrance snapped sharply to attention upon seeing his approach. Inwardly, he changed in an instant from regular unicorn to regal alicorn, the Prince of Friendship and set off smartly for the audience chamber where he knew Prince Solaris would be at this time of day.

The Prince had told him when he received his wings that they were all his students now, but somehow faced with the raw display of majesty that this castle represented, he did not feel this status, but instead felt dwarfed and utterly insignificant. How could he be on a par with the two Princes, let alone consider them to be his students? That would mean that his judgement would have to exceed theirs, and right now he doubted that he would be able to consider challenging them on anything. He had seen Artemis go off the rails with the whole Anarchy Apollo business, and this was an alicorn with well over a thousand years of experience; so what hope had he, the newcomer, of making the right judgement call?

His hoofsteps had become slower and less certain than when he had first entered the castle.

Maybe the whole idea of meeting up with their other gender selves once more was foalish; they had only just managed to avert a global disaster when the mares had reached them across the interdimensional void by chance, so surely it couldn’t be a good idea to jeopardise their two worlds by trying to repeat the exercise on purpose? The more he mulled it over, the more like utter madness it seemed; maybe he should just turn around, go away and just forget all about it? But somehow, he didn’t want to.

Suddenly he found himself in front of the audience chamber and one of the two guards on duty had knocked to alert the incumbent within. The door opened. He couldn’t back down now.

“Dusk Shine” greeted the Prince warmly “Do you fare well?”
The warm greeting.
The confident smile.
He shrank inwardly.
It was now or never.


***


“Princess Celestia, it’s lovely to see you again; how are you?”
“Very well, thank you Twilight. I was only just thinking about you. Would you care for a piece of cake?”
Twilight smiled inwardly – Celestia was well known for finding any opportunity to have another slice of cake.
“Only a small piece, if you’re having some then please.”
She saw her hostess’s lilac eyes sparkle in anticipation; only asking for a small piece would leave more to be finished later.

“How has your week been Celestia?”
“Oh, same old. I’ll let you into a little secret, shall I?” she shifted a little closer conspiratorially “If it gets really boring, I picture the more monotonous speakers wearing different styles of clothes, starting at “A” and then working through the alphabet!”
Both Princesses giggled at this clever trick before the question was fired back, “So what about you Twilight?”
“Well, it’s been a busy week trying to work out whether this interdimensional reunion is a good idea.”
“And what do you think?”

“To start with, my enthusiasm clouded my judgement and I was allowing my self-interest to drive the agenda. Then I hurt Fluttershy in my excitement and I had to stop and think whether I was doing it for my friends or just myself and whether I should even continue with it.”
“How is dear Fluttershy?”
“Rainbow Dash managed to calm her down after my making up gift of flowers got eaten by her squirrels.”
Celestia giggled at the image forming in her mind, then added “Those two have always been very close, you know. There was a time when they were each other’s only friends.”
“Rainbow can come over as being a bit brash sometimes” Twilight observed “But she has a heart of gold, if that wouldn’t make her too heavy to fly, that is; but there’s no doubting how much she cares.”

“So, what have you decided?”
“Initially, I didn’t want to stretch the invite to anypony beyond the six of us who made the journey last time, but as you know, somehow word spread to the Cutie Mark Crusaders and Spike too. Frankly, I was a bit worried about Rarity and thought it may be a good idea to keep Sweetie Belle anchored in our world, so she wasn’t tempted to abscond.”

“But wasn’t it you who painted the three fillies and their colt counterparts playing in the snow together?”
“Yes” said Twilight “But that was a romantic notion rather than a practical proposition.”

“And now?”
“Now; I actually think it could work. Everypony has promised to be on their best behaviour. If it’s ever going to work, then we’re all as ready as we’re going to be.”

“Very well, Princess Twilight Sparkle” said Celestia formally, taking her former protégé off guard “Follow me.”

Twilight was stunned at the change in her former mentor’s demeanour, but followed as she was led into the throne room. The guards held the doors open and were about to follow in, but Celestia bade them stay outside to ensure that the two Princesses would not be disturbed. They saluted smartly and returned to their posts outside, leaving the two alicorns alone in the large room.

“What you are going to see is something very special, something that only four ponies currently know about. Your absolute secrecy is required Twilight” said Celestia turning to look her sternly in the eye.
“Yes, of course Princess” she stammered out, like a rabbit caught in the headlights.
“Thank you, Twilight,” she rejoined with a warm smile wiping the sternness off her face.
“Just out of interest, who are the four ponies who know?” asked Twilight.
“Me, Luna, Solaris and Artemis.”

Twilight felt a shudder run down her spine as she fought for a response, but none came. There had to be a portal into the other dimension and it had to be somewhere in this room!All the times she had been in here and never known …

Celestia walked over to a full-length mirror hanging on the wall and touched her horn to it, focusing her mind on the frequency of magic. Twilight watched in barely contained excitement as the mirror’s surface began to ripple, progressively distorting the crystal-clear image of the familiar white pony she had grown to love. When Celestia pulled back, the image had settled once again, but this time she saw a more obviously masculine form with a mane comprising all the rich red, orange and yellow hues of the sun.

“Princess Celestia, what a delight to see you again!” he greeted warmly.
“Prince Solaris, it is a pleasure as always” she replied, “But I suspect that you, as I, have somepony else with you today.”
“Yes, indeed I do.Permission to enter your realm, Celly?”
“You are most welcome, Solly” she replied, pulling back to allow space for her two guests to step through the mirror.
Twilight gasped as the handsome white stallion placed one forehoof, then the other onto the stone tiles of the throne room floor.

“Prince Solaris” blurted Twilight, bowing respectfully “How wonderful to meet you, Sir!”
The stallion cleared the mirror and turned to face the younger Princess.
“You would be Princess Twilight Sparkle, if I am not mistaken?” he said with a warm and re-assuring smile “How nice to meet you at long last!”

As the regal white stallion pulled away from the mirror, they both heard a familiar younger male voice say “Princes Celestia, your Majesty, I am most honoured.”
“Dusk Shine” she replied, “I have heard many fine things about you and am delighted to meet you in person.”

The two leaders moved to one side and exchanged a gentle nuzzle, while the two lilac magicians closed the distance between them in a flash, each giving the other a deep and loving embrace, tears running down both of their muzzles.

“Sis …” he choked.

“Bro …” was all she could reply, and in the absence of any further words, drew him even closer and held him tightly.