“Come on, Twilight,” Doug implores, standing at the exit to the archives. “This will still be here when we’re done with the meeting.”
“But Doug,” Twilight begs, hooves clutching as many books to her chest as she can, fumbling around and trying to walk upright like Pinkie Pie, “Just a few more! It won’t take long! Please?”
“We could be here for days, Twilight, and not make it through all those books.” Doug points at the raspberry haze behind her, dozens more books floating along. “Years, in fact. Now, put those back where you found them and let’s go.”
“Ugh, you’re no fun,” Twilight abjectly grunts out as she drops down to all fours, the books levitating back to the shelves. “And even after I refilled your tank by the statue of Star Swirl the Bearded!”
“Yes, that must have been excruciatingly painful for you.” Doug rolls his eyes as he walks out, waving to the archivist. “After all, books are only so comfortable to lie on, right?”
“No; I was just worried about another pony coming the entire time. ” Twilight snorts as they travel up winding corridors, gradually making their way higher and higher. “So what if it’s winter break. It could have happened.”
“Ah, yes; Twilight Sparkle, the Personal Student of Princess Celestia Herself, May Her Sun Shine as Long as She Deems Necessary, is a foal at heart who loves building book forts. Especially out of priceless first edition manuscripts. I’m sorry.”
“Hey, I make a mean book fort!” Twilight sticks her tongue out at Doug. “Next time I make one, you aren’t invited.”
“A dagger through my heart!” Doug clutches at his chest as the two arrive at the door to Princess Celestia’s office, not terribly far from the throne room. The two guards stare impassively at them. Doug coughs, standing up and straightening out his jacket. One of the guards smirks, her hoof rapping out a quick beat. A golden aura opens the door, the guards stepping to the side.
Doug and Twilight walk inside the spacious office. Gold and white accents mingle with blue, green, and pink decorations, none of it ostentatious. On the opposite wall are two grand double doors leading to the balcony where Princess Celestia had set the sun earlier that day. In the center of the room rests a large table in the shape of a ‘C’, completely covered in stacks of paperwork.
Celestia’s voice melodically lilts from behind one of the stacks, “Good evening, Doug; it is wonderful to see you again! And Twilight Sparkle, my most faithful student. I’m so glad you could make it!”
“Evening, Celestia,” Doug replies as he walks up to the desk, barely able to peer over the high stacks. Behind him Twilight drops to a bow, grimacing as Doug doesn’t join her. “Busy?”
“It never seems to end,” Celestia concedes, smiling up at Doug, her golden aura pausing the rapid swish of papers in front of her. “I do believe it is the primary reason behind the dearth of attempts to overthrow me. Well, that and a lack of unicorns willing to give up their power just to raise the sun.”
“Just?” Doug says with a smirk, reaching a fist forwards.
“Oh, none of that,” Celestia says, teleporting out of her paper cage. She wraps Doug in a hug, sneaking in a quick kiss, then bends down to nuzzle the still bowing Twilight. “I hope you don’t mind if I work while we chat.”
“Of course not, your Highness,” Twilight states as she rises.
Celestia clears her throat, “Raven Inkwell, I do believe I am done for now. Perhaps see if my sister needs any assistance at the Night Court.”
The white unicorn stands from the corner, pushing stacks of completed paperwork onto her cart and fishing an empty coffee cup from the desk. “Of course,” she says, bowing her tightly wrapped brown mane. She pushes the cart towards the door.
“Raven Inkwell?” Doug says, his mind going back. “Weren’t you an earth pony, back at Ponyville?”
“Um,” the unicorn nervously stammers, her pace increasing. “I’m sure you’re remembering wrong. Or you have me confused with another pony. Good night!” The door slams behind her.
Doug whirls to Celestia, his accusing question dying at her single, solemn nod. “S-so,” he asks, trying to cover his earlier haste, “what did you want us here for?”
Celestia’s normally pleasant voice turns hard. “Doug, do you remember Sunset Shimmer?”
“Of course,” Doug replies, his eyes narrowing and fists tightening. “Why?”
“I have a mission for you, Doug.” A hint of softness returns. “It is one that you are free to refuse, or ask for any assistance that you desire. However, you must do it alone, and I’m afraid any magical assistance will be unavailable.”
Doug considers her words for a few long seconds. Twilight glances up, brow knit in confusion. The events surrounding Sunset Shimmer’s abrupt disappearance are a complete mystery, though rumors of a dark magic experiment gone horribly wrong are the most believable.
“What would I be doing?” Doug eventually asks.
Celestia levitates a sturdy backpack, filled nearly to the brim. “In my throne room is a portal to another realm. It opens precisely every thirty moons for three days. The next opening is midnight, tonight. I wish for you to venture into this realm, locate Sunset Shimmer, and convince her to return home.”
“Pardon my bluntness, Princess, but that seems unlikely.” Doug grunts, folding his arms across his chest. “Given what she did, and how she left. Why would she?”
Celestia sighs. “Yes. I’m afraid it is a long shot. But, Equestria is her home, and she does not belong in that place.” She motions to the backpack. “If she demands an apology for the way I treated her, for not earning her complete trust, she has it. If she desires forgiveness for what she did to Rainbow, that is for you and Rainbow to provide, but I believe she would have it.” She pauses; it takes Doug a second, but he nods. “Should she wish to return as my student? Well, I have had multiple students before, and Twilight needs little more than occasional guidance from me.”
“Thank you,” Twilight Sparkle says with a reserved smile, practically leaping for joy inside.
“Should she wish to… continue her studies into beneficial uses of dark magic…” Celestia sighs. “It would have to be under strict controls. Every stage of testing approved, and not just by myself." Her eyes narrow, staring off into the heavens. "There are dangers out there, that cannot be underestimated.” Her gaze returns to Doug, looking him in the eyes. “But I would be willing to hear her out.”
“All well and good, but I’m sensing a but,” Doug replies.
Celestia sighs heavily. “I’m afraid that what she desires most, if she were to return, she cannot acquire here.”
“...And you aren’t telling me what that is, but I can assume she knows.” Doug frowns at Celestia’s nod. All three turn as a crackle resounds, sparks erupting from one corner of the room. Only Celestia’s calm demeanor keeps Doug from diving behind the desk, though he does inch his way behind the alicorn.
A pinprick of dark blue appears; it gradually expands, becoming a teal oval roughly a foot taller than a pony, midnight blue wafting off the top while bolts of teal stab through the purple haze swirling inside.
A white unicorn with a black goatee and slicked back mane steps through, his cutie mark a twisted smirk over a curled goatee, a gold amulet around his neck. His eyes flick to Doug and Twilight, then back to Princess Celestia. He clears his throat. “Excuse me, Princess. If I had known you had company, I would have dressed the part.”
“It is no problem, Chancellor Neighsay. Allow me to introduce-”
“Twilight Sparkle, your most faithful student.” Chancellor Neighsay’s eyes narrow as his gaze goes up, taking in all of Doug. “And Doug Apple. I can’t say that I’m pleased to see you.”
“O-kay?” Doug hesitantly says, slowly withdrawing the hand he was stretching forwards. His eyes flick to Celestia. “Did I do something wrong?”
“No, Doug. Chancellor Neighsay was one of the ponies involved two and a half years ago. He has my complete confidence.”
Doug turns to the white unicorn. “Right. And what happened?”
Chancellor Neighsay’s back straightens. “Then, I was one of two who went through the portal. We were transformed, though we did not have the time to fully explore our new abilities. We were almost immediately accosted by those not unlike yourself. Without magic or other tools to defend ourselves, we immediately scrubbed the mission, barely able to retreat through the portal before being detained. We magically barred this side, keeping any from following, though we are unsure if any attempted.”
Doug turns to Celestia. “And you think it will be safe for me to go through?”
“I do, yes,” Celestia replies. “If your form does not change, perhaps you will be able to blend in.”
“Right.” Doug turns to look at the white unicorn. “Why were you chosen?”
Chancellor Neighsay motions to the gold amulet. “With this, I am able to open portals from one location to another. We thought that I might be able to use it to return, should our mission last longer than three days, or if we were captured. Our attempts to use the stored magic were unsuccessful. Here in Equestria, I am the head administrator of the EEA, or the Equestrian Education Administration. I’m also one of Princess Celestia’s advisors.”
“Yes,” Celestia says with a chuckle. “You might say he’s my Grand Vizier. I often use him to espouse and argue uncomfortable or unorthodox opinions, since he has no trouble at all expressing views contrary to, how shall I say, the prevailing opinions of everypony else.”
“Indeed.” Chancellor Neighsay looks Doug up and down. “The most important part of education is not memorizing facts and figures and dates. Instead, it is learning and practicing the ability to discern when an argument is properly formed and solidly grounded. Along with that, being able to defend your opinions against all comers, and in equal measure recognize weak points in other’s arguments and have the ability and inclination to attack them. It is a position I take a good deal of pleasure in, especially when whomever I am testing manages to adequately defend their views.”
“Really?” Doug asks with more than a little trepidation.
Chancellor Neighsay nods. “Even though I hate being beaten, and will try my hardest to keep that from happening.” He spins on a hoof, pacing around Doug to regard him from every angle. “For example. Doug, I believe you are unqualified to send on an expedition into unknown lands, through untested means. Even if you return, there is no guarantee that anything you learn can be applied to any ponies that follow in your… footsteps.” He says the last word with disdain, glancing down at Doug’s feet. “As well, should anything happen to you, or you not able to return, then you leave behind seven mares and eight foals, ponies who would then be in a financially precarious position,” he nods towards Princess Celestia, “were it not for their status as the Elements of Harmony.”
Doug’s eyebrows raise. “How do you know so much about me?”
Chancellor Neighsay shrugs. “I make it a point to know about all the creatures living in Equestria, and their abilities, in addition to keeping up on current events. Call it a hobby of mine.”
Doug stares at Chancellor Neighsay for a few seconds before he turns to Celestia. “It seems like now is a poor time to be having this sort of discussion. Like, this is something we should have hammered out weeks ago.”
Celestia nods. “Yes. And we did. We have played it very close to the chest, to keep any knowledge of how to access other worlds from escaping into the wrong hooves. I am sorry I did not come to you earlier, and am willing to answer any questions you have. But the other Elements cannot know about this portal. I know it pains you to keep secrets from your herd, Doug, but I’m afraid I must insist.”
Doug sighs. “Yeah, I guess I just wish I had a little more time to prepare myself. Mentally, that is, since it looks like you’ve packed just about everything I might need that fits into one backpack.”
“Yes, we thought it best you travel light. You have enough supplies in there to last three days, and a small collection of valuables to barter away should the worst happen.” Celestia lays a concerned hoof on Doug’s shoulder. “Please, do try to make it back before the portal closes.” She levitates a piece of parchment and quill to Doug. “I would hate to have to give them this letter.”
“Yeah, me too.” Doug takes the parchment, dreading putting parting words to paper. He glances back at Chancellor Neighsay, “So, to answer your earlier argument. I already know of the existence of other worlds, though maybe not the means to travel to them, so the number of ponies in the know is kept to a minimum.”
“And yet, even I know of your fantastic claim to have come from another of these worlds,” Chancellor Neighsay retorts. “You have done a poor job guarding that secret.”
“True, but I’ve done basically nothing with that since I got here, and kept discussions of it to a minimum. As to your other points, they are all valid, but perhaps learning how whatever magic the portal has interacts with me might help compare to how it interacts with ponies who go through it.” Doug shrugs. “I’m very fit, intelligent. I might not blend in, but hopefully I can retreat through the portal should that be necessary, like you did. If the worst should happen, the girls will miss me, but they can make do on their own. And it’ll only be two and a half years until I’m able to return.” Doug shrugs, trying to keep his voice jovial. “Or they’ll move on, if I’m lost.”
“And, knowing the dangers, you still wish to go?” Chancellor Neighsay raises an eyebrow at Doug’s nod. “Perhaps.” He shakes his head. “Princess, I did not come here for this. I have taken your recommendations regarding the upcoming curriculum into account. Was there more you wished to discuss?”
“I believe I have made my stance clear, Agent Fathom. Thank you for your time.”
Chancellor Neighsay raises an eyebrow. “Is that all? Perhaps a letter would have sufficed, Princess.” He follows her brief glance to Doug. “Ah. I see. Well, good evening, Princess. Twilight Sparkle.” He pauses briefly. “Doug Apple.” Doug nods in return, Chancellor Neighsay stepping through the portal. It fades away, leaving no sign of ever having been there.
“So,” Doug casually remarks, “where do I get an amulet like that?”
Celestia smirks back. “I’m afraid magical artifacts like that are few and far between.” She gets up, heading to her throne room. “You’ll have to find your own.”
Doug snaps his fingers, “I knew there was a catch.” He grabs the backpack, following Twilight and Celestia to the empty throne room, just a single golden chair in the middle of the raised dais. Doug looks over at the moon; nearly midnight. “I feel like we aren’t sending nearly enough ponies in to study this.”
“You are probably right, Doug,” Celestia concedes. “But the last thing I wish is for there to be an invasion force, on either side of the portal. Or to upset the balance of the worlds, in a way that might lead to something far worse.”
“Yeah, I guess.” Doug drops the backpack to the ground, wrapping a surprised Twilight in a tight hug. He softly whispers, “I’ll miss you.”
“And I’ll miss you,” she quickly returns, hooves squeezing hard. “And so will the rest of the herd, if you don’t come back.” Twilight pushes just far enough away to kiss him - a long, deep kiss, full of yearning and passion and regret. “You better not make me send them that letter.”
“Oh, right,” Doug says, releasing Twilight with a wave of sorrow. She lays in his lap, letting him use her as a writing desk, unwilling to read the words he spends a seeming eternity agonizing over.
Only when he is done comes a quiet cough from the alicorn, patiently waiting by a purple horseshoe studded with eleven pink diamonds. A blue-gray mirror shimmers, though without reflection.
“Is it time?” Doug asks, reluctantly standing.
“Nearly,” Celestia answers, wrapping Doug in one last hug. “Your herd won’t be the only ones who will miss you if you do not come back. Oh, and one more thing.” She pulls back, glancing down at Doug’s jacket. “We don’t know exactly what form you will take, or what time of year it is. Be ready for anything.”
Doug sighs. “Yeah, you’re probably right.” He strips out of his jacket and pants, holding them in his hand. He leans down and kisses Twilight; after a moment of hesitation, he kisses Celestia. “See you in three days,” he says, walking through the shimmering surface.