//------------------------------//
// Thoughtful Reflection 
// Story: A War 
// by Comma Typer 
//------------------------------//

It was still deep night.
At an uptown intersection, cars whizzed by, shadowy blurs with huge lights ahead of them. Streetlights glowed white, casting a sharp glow on the sidewalks prettied up by the occasional tree. Some people strolled up and down those paths, showing a gaudy diversity in their fashion with expressive clothes. A giggle went up in the air, giving the slumbering night a merry note.
A light pink woman dressed in yellow coat, purple slacks, and yellow tie—she walked past the only lit building on the block. She could see what was going on inside.
There, inside the roomy café, arponed waiters and waitresses strode about the place, taking orders and giving orders. Some steam and smoke could be seen from the open kitchen behind the counter, their equipment covered in metal sheens as large sandwiches were wrapped, tall burgers were prepared, and fries were fried.
The diners themselves had that diversity in their clothes, too. Among them were some students in purple-black uniform, conversing with each other around a table with some half-eaten grub.
At the corner, sitting alone, was another student. She had the same uniform as the others. Her dark blue hair was frayed, her glasses was a little hazy. She gasped and took them out and wiped the lenses. Put them back on and continued her intense research which involved two calculators, one ruler, five sheets of paper, some circuitry, and seven folders of photos and notes—all on one table.
The woman outside looked at that curious student.
Bumped and fell down.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Principal Celestia!" she heard as the figure pulled her back up on her two feet. "I was in such a mighty rush an' my head's about up on the orders of apple pie tomorrow!"
The principal gave a soft laugh, dusted herself off, and placed her hand on the person's shoulder.
That one had a country hat, a green-white shirt, a denim skirt, and a pair of heavy boots.
"It's OK, Applejack," Celestia said, smiling. "The night is often the time for thoughtful reflection...although, I must admit, you seem to do that while running around the city at midnight."
Applejack blushed, scratched her yellow hair. "Well, ma'am, I was gettin' late—big line at the groc'ry an' all."
"That would be quite alright," she replied before glancing back at the lone student at the corner inside.
"Uh, Principal Celestia?" Applejack spoke up. "Why are you checking on Crystal Prep students?"
"I am much interested in one of them specifically," she said, not looking away.
Applejack stepped forward, the lights glowing on her, too. "You mean Twilight Sparkle? The odd Shadowbolt out?"
Celestia nodded as she crossed her arms. Then, she stepped back, about to walk away.
"Wait," Applejack said, raising up her hand. "What's so interestin' about her?"
Celestia stopped. Turned around. "I am figuring that one out myself."
"Uh...alrighty, then. I trust you're doin' it for something good, ma'am."
Celestia nodded again. "And, it was nice bumping into you."
Applejack's smile dampened at that. "Oh, uh, OK! Well, see ya' tomorrow!"
Celestia snickered, covering her mouth with a hand. "It's already tomorrow."
She gasped. "The pies! I hope they ain't overburnt!"
And the farmgirl ran away, into the night.
Celestia stood there for a few seconds, watching the spot where Applejack was.
Then, walked away from the café, her figure no longer covered in its artificial blaze of light.
She turned to her left at the next building which was a small two-floor apartment-esque brick house. Its roof was a dull yellow, its door was orange, and a tiny potted cactus rested on the side.
Walked up the few steps to the door.
Knocked on it.
Stood, waiting. Tapped her shoe.
Hard footfalls inside.
Louder, nearer.
Jingle of the knob.
Opened, revealing someone who broke out into a yawn. She wore a jacket, a shirt, and a skirt. Holding a cup of coffee. "D-Don't you know it's the...what?" Looked back inside, rubbing her heavy eyes. "Half past twelve?"
Celestia let a smile go over her face. "When has that prevented me from checking up on you, Sunset Shimmer?"
Sunset gasped.



Her living quarters was mostly made up of, technically, one room. The living room, the kitchen, the dining room, the study, the bedroom: none of these were separated or divided by a wall. Only the bedroom stood out a little more from the rest since it was on the second floor, and it was not a room—the whole floor was merely a wooden platform connected by stairs, overlooking the rest of the interior.
A faint scent of coffee could be detected.
Windows were closed.
On a couch, with a small table before it, were the two people. On the table was the cup of coffee half full.
"So, the rest of Canterlot High still haven't figured out that you used to be a pony?" Celestia began.
Sunset nodded. "Yeah. At least, no one's acted strangely around me recently, nor have they found any holes in my cover story."
"Which means that my other self and her sister remain the only ones knowledgeable about your...unique past."
Sunset nodded again.
"That is good." She looked out the window. Then, realized it was closed. "Are you sure that there has been nothing else strange going on as of late?"
Sunset shook her head. "I've been keeping tabs on the sirens. No serious moves yet, but I'm still finding a way to get them without causing a lot of attention."
"Hmm." A pause. "Of course, it would be difficult to pull off without resorting to magic. This world has not witnessed magic, and I dread the consequences if someone were to show it to everyone."
Sunset nodded once more. "I don't think that's all, is it?"
"No."
The student looked wistful, eyeing here and there. "It's about the war back in Equestria. There's no other way."
Celestia turned her head away, downward.
"Principal Celestia had private conversations with me ever since she heard of it from you. I...I couldn't keep that out of my head for a long while. To imagine...that my home is in turmoil while here, wherever this dimension is...it's peaceful." A pause, a downward head, too. "At times, I feel like I'm cheating. I get to hang out with some good friends, learn more about this weird new world, and I even have a little job connected to Equestria—thanks to you, Princess. I don't even know what to say, really..."
Celestia then lifted up her head, to look at her.
"That takes me back...to the first time you came here," Sunset continued, earnest. "Told me that saving your sister from Nightmare Moon revealed to you some startling truths. Changed you."
Not a word.
Sunset sighed. "Now, I'm here and you're...here, too. I 'frolick' in the field of friendship while Equestria..."
Celestia placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's not your fault that this happened, Sunset."
"I know that," she said, about to snap, waving her hands about. "But, I can't just stay here! I have to do something to help out my fellow ponies, my family—to help you out, too!"
"You are already helping by safeguarding this world from magic," Celestia replied in that reassuring tone. "What would have happened if you weren't here? The sirens here would've spread their hatred and discord throughout this land, which is something I do not wish upon it. The fact that they have delayed their plans means that you've already made a lasting impact on this world for the better."
"How is that helping?" Sunset whined, her face contorted.
Celestia heaved a sigh. "In certain ways. I myself do not know many of this world's intricacies. What you and I both know is that there is a balance between here and Equestria. Not a perfect one-to-one correspondence, but a balance, nonetheless. By spreading friendship wherever you go...you are helping all of us hold up the friendship we have back home, to unite us to end the war as soon as possible before the cost..."
Hesitated. Winced.
"Before...it becomes too much to bear."
A hand on her shoulder.
Sunset's hand.
Silence. That reassuring hand.
Celestia straightened up.
Sunset took her hand back.
"One more thing," Celestia said, eyeing the computer and the tackboard in the study. Then, turned back to her. "How much progress did you make on Twilight Sparkle?"
"The Shadowbolt you told me to spy on since last time?" she asked, standing up.
Celestia stood up as well. "Yes. Her." Gave her a disapproving expression. "And, I didn't ask you to spy."
The two walked their way to the study area.
"Well, you haven't told me exactly why you want me to research all about her. I know she has a pony counterpart drifting about somewhere, but you just gave me a name and that was it."
Celestia kept silent.
They reached the study where a long table resided beside a refrigerator, and on top of that was a microwave. The tackboard was nailed to the wall, displaying notes, photos, strings, ribbons—connections. The computer with its keyboard lay there, and so were a few books.
Sunset sat on the office chair, booted up the computer, and swung another chair at Celestia.
The Princess took a seat beside her.
Monitor flashed bright, showing a black background with a few files on the desktop.
One of them was labeled "Starlight Glimmer".
Celestia flinched. "Huh. There's a Starlight Glimmer here as well."
"What?" Sunset turned around. "Who's that?"
"The mayor of a new town," Celestia replied. "Funny that you know, since I've never told you nor the other Celestia about her."
"Actually, I don't," Sunset said. She clicked on the file. "I don't want anyone snooping around and think I have an evil plan against Crystal Prep. They're not that pragmatic, but I wouldn't be surprised if they just sneaked into my house and open this up. So, I took Twilight Sparkle's name, switched it around with some similar words, and out came 'Starlight Glimmer'."
A white window glowed on screen.
"Neat coincidence if I've ever seen one," Sunset topped off.
"Yes, a coincidence," Celestia murmured as the loading bar on the monitor zipped to 100%.
Then, a messy chart was present. Mini-windows of phrases and sentences, arrows and lines connecting them together, and pictures of everything that could be related to Twilight Sparkle: the shiny exterior of Crystal Prep Academy where a parking lot and a soccer field existed within the premises, class photos where she appeared in, stores and restaurants where she was not looking—or even aware of—the camera, other places deemed as "Frequent" by the caption underneath, multiple angles of her manor, and family photographs where she, her parents, and her brother all smiled.
"It's hard to wade through all of this," Sunset said as she rolled her chair away, giving Celestia more space, "but here's the major points I've learned," and, counting with her fingers: "One, she's a Crystal Prep Academy student, and even a Shadowbolt, but I guess you know that already. Two, she is very scholarly; studys a lot and is regarded as a star student. Three, despite what I just said about her, she's pretty much treated as the weird girl; socially awkward, basically—doesn't have that many friends if she has any."
Celestia tapped her chin, drinking as much information from the screen as she could. "Anything else?"
Sunset waited a few seconds, a shudder across her face. "She's curious. She's been on lots of websites researching things like, um, the 'fabric of reality'. Dimensions, time travel, spacetime...that kind of thing. What's worse, I discovered that she already has blueprints of...I can't tell what it was, but, judging from the research she's doing...it's a good thing I know for sure that she can never travel through time or twist reality since magic isn't here."
"Yet," Celestia spoke. "As long as magic stays away from this world, then you can let Twilight do what she wants. I believe that she does not have any ulterior motives. She is curious, as you've said, and that is nothing wrong by itself."
"You...you're right." Sunset arranged herself better on the chair. "But, that still doesn't explain why her. There are at least one or two like Twilight who study at CHS."
Celestia made one more sigh.
A sorrowful sigh.
She took out two pictures from her coat pocket.
Handed to her.
Sunset received them, holding them up to the monitor's light.
"One look is all it will take," Celestia said, lower, quieter.
Her voice, a hint of pain.



Celestia brisked her way on the sidewalk.
Across the road were the suburbs. Not a single house had a light on save for, maybe, a porchlight or two against the bleak night.
On the road itself, no cars. Not a whir far off.
At her side of the road, there was a massive brick structure, flooded with windows. On the roof was a giant glass dome with a red flag flapping over it; on the edges of the building top were yellow busts of horses' heads.
Several meters from the entrance and its white steps, there rested a marble white statue of a rearing horse.
Celestia approached the statue, quickening her pace.
Saw another woman standing there. A blue one.
"I assume that you are done with your important task," that person said.
She nodded slowly. Sober. "Sunset knows more than almost anyone else in Equestria about the situation."
Celestia then took out her yellow tie and gave it to her.
"As always, give it back to your sister, Luna."
She nodded, wearing the tie around her neck. "Are you completely certain that you do not need our assistance?"
Celestia shook her head, sweat going down her face. "I am completely certain. Besides, you and your Celestia have already done more than enough to help Sunset in her job here. If we all keep to the plan, then we may end this tragedy much sooner."
Luna leered at the statue's base. "Which means that you are ready to transport yourself back to your war-torn world?"
Celestia wavered, her hand twitching as it stopped an inch before the marble surface.
"Take care of yourself," Luna said.
Placing a hand on her shoulder.
"I and Celestia—" coughed "—my sister, Celestia...we may not have a clear idea of what a magical world might be facing with this war. But, whatever you seek to do...do not forget the wisdom you have gained over your thousand-year lifespan."
Celestia stayed there for a moment.
Turned to face her, hand still near the surface. "Thank you for reminding me of that. I hope I will never throw away your wisdom, Luna."
Placed her hand.
Walked through the statue's base.
And disappeared.
Luna stared at where she had been. "I hope so, too."



The mirror glowed bright.
And appeared Princess Celestia on her four hooves, back to her normal alicorn self.
With Princess Luna standing in front of her in the same room.
Celestia widened her eyes. "Luna?"	
"Yes, sister," Luna replied, her horn glowing blue as she magically lifted the book on the table. "It is I."
Celestia bowed her head down.
"When I took a break from my duties in the dream realm," Luna explained, "I wanted to look for you, to see if you had gone on yet another midnight trip to the frontlines to inspire our soldiers. As it turns out, I was not entirely incorrect—you were not in your bedroom, and you could not be seen in any of the public spaces in the castle. I decided to check this room; I knew that if this book was in the machine—" she motioned the book about "—then that means that you have traveled to the other side."
"And that is true," Celestia replied.
Nothing as they were surrounded by the same shelves of brooms, toothpaste, and buckets of paint.
In the dark.
"Celestia," Luna spoke, looking up to her, "you must rest."
The book glowed from blue to yellow as Celestia gained control of it, her horn glowing.
"You cannot go to and fro at such a length. While you have proven to be an inspiring force to our brave and loyal troops, they already trust in you—and this you know. Your absence would hurt their morale little, if at all."
"I cannot rest," Celestia responded, giving her sister a frantic glare. "If I rest, I won't rest easy, knowing that sending our ponies to battle is something...criminal, even if it is an evil necessity." She paused, trotting. "Seeing how our citizens, our subjects, our dear ponies not only get hurt but even die only because some mad king thought that the world rightfully belongs to him and that he should be its sole ruler...how could I not be there for them?"
"There is oversleeping, sister," Luna curtly replied. "If you oversleep, you'll raise the sun too late, which will spell disaster for high command's coordination."
Silence.
"That, however, would be the least of our problems if you tire yourself out, Celestia."
The two Princesses looked at each other, Luna with a commanding air about her.
Celestia with a thoughtful face of reflection.
Contemplative.
"Trust me," Luna spoke, almost pleading; her eyes asking. "The whole of Equestria trusts us, that we are more than capable and willing to fulfill our responsibilities as Princesses during these troublesome times. You must rest, lest you send our ponies to a fatal future by your well-meaning carelessness."
And silence.
The door glowed yellow and opened, showing a dim hallway.
"I shall take your advice, Luna." Turned to her. "Thank you for telling me, sister. The both of you."
"The both of us?" she said back, balking.
Celestia walked out the door and in the hallway, floating the book along.
Luna could hear a loud yawn.
Then, she nodded. "Ah, yes. I understand what you mean. The both of us, indeed. The other Luna has helped you, also."
The Princess of the Night exited the room, locking it with twenty locks and a spell before following her sister.
A whiff of lavender.