Ponyville was a peaceful town in Equestria that’s only a train ride away from the Equestrian capital Canterlot. Laughing was heard between two mares, both having shades of lavender with the other slightly darker and winged. Both were unicorns in nature, with the other who is winged an Alicorn. Twilight and Starlight were having a picnic that day…
The Alicorn Twilight sighed as she smiled at Starlight. “I’m glad to have you around, Starlight. I… I never really had an idea we could connect…”
Starlight chuckled while looking at Twilight, before looking away and started to frown. “Only been months, but you feel we’re really-?”
“Yeah. I guess… I guess you’re somehow-?” Twilight couldn’t bring out the words to say it and even blushed at it.
“Before you say anything…” Starlight finally had the courage to look at Twilight in the eye. “…I wanted to be sure. Twilight… Do you trust me?”
Twilight was surprised of this question that suddenly came from Starlight. Blushing, she even turned away before looking back at Starlight. “I… I don’t know what to say…”
“I know what I have to. Do you?” Starlight whispered to Twilight, hoping for the latter to get the message.
“Mmhm.” Twilight replied with a nod and a positive hum before she inched her face closer to Starlight’s while the other did the same.
The two mares eventually felt the other’s lips before their warmth was shared, with Starlight leading.
“I love you,” Starlight’s voice said. “I’m… Am I imposing?”
“Ehehehe… I love you too, Starlight.” Twilight’s voice replied to Starlight’s. “This is just right. You aren’t imposing anything. In fact… you’re helping me in this too. Thank you.”
“Good to know. There’s something I want to show you… a truth that even you should be aware of.” Starlight’s voice said to Twilight’s.
Later at that day, Twilight and Starlight were looking at a simple house up in the mountains near Canterlot. This spot in particular doesn’t have a good view of Ponyville unless effort in walking is done just before the view would come. The two mares looked at each other, before looking at the simple house…
“Um… I don’t want to doubt you.” Twilight said before looking at Starlight. “But why bring me here? Lavender Vine’s probably the same as Zecora who’s thinking outside the box when it comes to magic. Hm… Now that I think about it, I never saw her face.”
And Starlight smirked at Twilight. “What if I tell ya that you’re getting that chance?”
“Wait, what the hay?”
“You heard it right, Twilight. I’m gonna be revealing who Lavender Vine really is. Truth of the matter is… She’s just as clear as I see you.” Starlight was just about to look forward towards the door when she heard it slowly open. As she looked into the darkness inside the house, she called out. “Lavender Vine, it’s time.”
“Indeed,” a woman’s voice was heard from the other side of the partially opened door. Twilight noticed the voice was familiar to her, while she noticed this voice seemed to have a hint of a voice older than her own. “Have Twilight enter alone first, dear.”
But as Starlight was about to reply, Twilight replied first with a raised eyebrow. “Um… Are you expecting me? I don’t mind if you’re tracking any visitor at your doorstep.”
The female voice chuckled. “Don’t worry. I don’t have ill intent on you, Princess of Friendship.”
Twilight then whispered towards Starlight Glimmer. “You know, I respect your mom really likes privacy. But actually not showing herself for a long time because of the nature of her work?”
“And don’t forget,” Starlight whispered in reply then, “…that Princess Celestia once spoke to Lavender Vine about particular dark magic ethics. Even Celestia wasn’t one to always do that-”
“Hm… I always wondered why even if I didn’t press Princess Celestia that time when it happened.” Twilight muttered this to herself as she narrowed her eyes on Starlight. “I’m not one to press, but I have to be sure.”
“Go right ahead. I’ll be waiting.” Starlight said this pointing her hoof towards the door.
With no other doubt in her mind, Twilight walked into the house gently pushing the door open with her horn. It closed by itself behind her thanks to her magic and faced the darkness only temporarily as she was stunned to see an unbelievable sight. There were multiple shelves stacked with books even when the house by itself isn’t too big. No space was left unspent. The room by itself which she recognized as the living room was already equipped with two sofas and a table with two mugs filled to the brim with hot chocolate. Twilight even smelled the mugs’ contents just to smell if it’s the real thing.
“I’m sure you’re wondering who you’d really see.” That same female voice spoke from Twilight assumed to be another part of the house. Then she was seeing a lavender-colored mare wearing a brown-colored hooded jacket walk into the living room. Surprisingly to Twilight, this mare was somewhat taller than she is. And the distinction of the unicorn horn that was sticking out from the darkness of the mare’s hood made Twilight cringe a little. The mare noticed this. “I’m sure you’re already aware. Celestia and I meet secretly. Starlight mentioned that you were wondering about who I really am to Princess Celestia.”
Twilight sighed. “It’s nice to meet you, Lavender Vine. I don’t want to impose, but I know for a fact that Princess Celestia had been getting valuable help from you since you’re familiar with dark magic and how to handle it properly. She even taught me some things about it too.”
“Hm… Yes.” Lavender replied with a smile behind her hood. “Dark magic was something so volatile that even I’m aware of it. The two of us talk from time to time if that’s what you’re wondering.”
“You two like to be buddies,” Twilight said narrowing her eyes at Lavender who hid her face further into her hood. “But now you’ve got me suspicious. Why hide your face when you want to know about me and why I want to know about you as what Starlight expects? Did you set this up?”
“Yes. I set this the moment I was aware of your existence. At the very time you and Starlight finally close in to strengthen your relationship to each other, a bond that can never be broken.” Lavender sighed afterwards. “Hopefully. Now… You’ll be very baffled to know who I am. Because… This heavily involves changing the past, thus changing today. Today was the day you’ve given that speech about the origins of your cutie mark together with your friends… all happening because of Rainbow Dash making her name and getting hers after doing the Sonic Rainboom. All events following afterwards were factors to being destined to meet, your same circle was something I had… once. If only I had just Starlight from destroying the past… Instead, I chose to be a mother to her. I’m rather a bit selfish back then… And I lost my circle of friends altogether.”
“You mean you were originally from-?” Twilight gasped. “Okay, this is puzzling! That means you’re originally from…” Twilight had the right set of words when Lavender mentioned about today’s events. “…this very day? And you went back in time to-?”
“That’s right. I changed the past, while also saving the present along with it, while using power from the Tree of Harmony.”
“That’s… Impossible…” Twilight was feeling startled of Lavender and wanted to step back. “W-Who are you?”
“You won’t like what you’ll see at first, Twilight. But I’ll oblige what you wish of me… my identity.” And the mare raised her head, thus easing the hood backwards as her own action revealed her own head, the recognizable identically colored mane as to that of Twilight’s, and even her face on her head as well. As this mare was done unraveling her hood, she lifts her own jacket off her with her magic, eventually showing her body, also having wings on the side. This alicorn mare then used her magic and her flank glowed just before an identical cutie mark to Twilight’s had revealed itself. She then looked towards Twilight, too shocked and was heavily breathing. “Now you know, Twilight Sparkle.”
Starlight gently opened the door and saw Twilight breathe hard. “Oh no,” she thought. And eventually, she heard Twilight scream out loud in her own shock. And as soon as Twilight had stopped, the alicorn princess suddenly collapsed and fainted. “What the-? Twilight!!!” Then she turned her eyes towards… YOU. “See? Shocking. I hope you’re happy.”
The view goes outside the door of the house as Starlight kicks the door close to give them all privacy. Would Twilight be able to calm herself down after seeing her double, older than she is, live and breathe in the same space?