Mystical Mirror
April 3rd, 2014
7:46 PM
The whistle on the Friendship Express bellowed as the locomotive approached the Crystal Empire train station. Tomorrow was Twilight's very first princess summit and everypony was excited as can be, although Twilight admitted she was a bit nervous. I too was excited and happy for her, but I was also very distracted at the same time.
"Attention everypony, we are now pulling up to the Crystal Empire! Can you all believe it everypony? It seemed a lot quicker than our last visit." Pinkie announced to only the girls, Spike, and I myself, followed by a short-lived silence.
"Woo-hoo." Fluttershy quietly cheered.
"Ahem. Thank you very much, Pinkie Pie. The rest can be left to me." the conductor said from behind Pinkie.
"No problem. Just thought I'd make your job a teensy bit easier, Mr. Conductor." Pinkie said, returning to the group.
Once stationed, everypony started exiting the passenger car, but I remained seated, staring out the window, but still aware it was time to get off.
"You awake there, Caleb?" Applejack nudged.
"Yeah, yeah, I was just about to get up. I'll be right out." I replied.
I then wrapped my camera bags strap around my right shoulder and proceeded out of the car where Twilight and the others waited for me before trekking a quarter-mile to reach the Crystal Empire.
"Is it just me, or the Crystal Empire looking more shinier than the last time?" I asked Spike, staring up at the glimmering crystal castle.
"Considering the fact that the love and unity in the empire is stronger than ever, I'd say yes to that," Spike replied. "Hey, you get some footage of the empire with your camera."
I unpacked the out-of-date video camera and flicked the on switch before pressing the red record button. As the lighting adjusted from removing the lens cap, I began monologuing and panning up, down, left and right.
"Okay, so here is the majestic Crystal Empire that I've mentioned in the other video..... There's the castle where we will be staying. Oh, and here is the new Princess of Friendship arriving for her princess summit." I said, pointing the camera towards Twilight.
"Technically, it's tomorrow, but that is why we're all here. Do you have enough footage for the summit?" Twilight said.
"I got, like, 513 minutes left. I'll be sure to get the good parts." I replied.
"And ya'll cannot believe how over the moon Twilight is for her summit." Applejack said, directed at the camera.
"Oh, I am excited. But, to be honest, I'm a little nervous, too." Twilight said.
"You're 'nervicited'! It's like you want to jump up and down and yell "YAY ME!" But you also want to curl up in a teeny-tiny ball and hide at the same time," Pinkie explained, contorting herself back to a normal stance. "We've all been there."
"I've been there almost every day." Fluttershy said.
"You've got no reason to fret, Twilight. Everything's gonna be--" Applejack incompletely stated.
"TWILIGHT!" Rarity shouted in surprise, prompting myself to shut off the camera and startling Twilight. "Oh, sorry, darling, but I just realized you weren't wearing your crown. You didn't forget it back in Ponyville, did you?!"
"It's in my bag. Just feel a little self conscious wearing it as often. I haven't been accustomed to these yet." Twilight said in regards to her new wings. Yeah, Twilight didn't get too far using her wings yesterday.
"But you're a princess now, Twilight. Embrace it! I'm telling you, if I had a crown like that, I would never take it off. Why, I'd sleep on the thing." Rarity said.
"Really? Because that doesn't sound comfortable at all." Pinkie said.
"I would not hesitate." Rarity confidently poised.
Upon entering the crystal castle, I equipped the video camera once more to capture some footage of the unique interior. It felt nice to actually take admiration of the Crystal Empire now that there was no dark magic wielding unicorn posing a great threat against it. It sure did make time fly because we soon entered the throne room, blasted by royal fanfare in respect for Twilight's presence. It surprised Twilight so much that she didn't pay attention to where she was going and bumped right into an orange coated royal guard.
"Her highness, Princess Twilight Sparkle!" the royal guard declared.
"Twilight!" Princess Cadance said with excitement. "I haven't seen you since the coronation!"
"I'm so glad to see that all of you could make it." Princess Celestia said as she approached us beside her sister.
"Well, we are her friends. It's what we do." I said.
"Indeed. Although we have so much to discuss in regards to Twilight's summit, it will have to wait until morning. You all look very tired from your journey. Now, off to bed, all of you." Celestia instructed.
"My guards will show you to your sleeping quarters." Cadance informed before we all exited the throne room and back out into the hallways.
I followed one of the transparent, crystal guards to a tall pair of double doors that turned out to be the entrance to my luxurious bedroom for one seven foot-ten human.
"As you can see, everything is accompanied to your stature." the guard said, showing off the bed, mirror and everything else.
"Not bad. Not bad at all." I remarked.
"I bet you don't get to sleep in a room like this so often." the guard said.
"Oh, psst, heck yeah." I scoffed.
"Well, if you need anything later on, we'll have guards patrolling the halls all night long." the guard said before closing the door.
"I'll keep that in mind. Thanks." I said, setting my suitcase on the smooth, checker tiled floor.
Grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl, I proceeded over to the window and gazed out at the view. Since the rooms were at least a hundred feet up high, I definitely got a nice, clear view of the fading sunset in the distance and the night sky taking it's place. Interestingly, I noticed the full moon was accompanied by three prominent stars that lied right above it; one on the left, right, and top.
"O' sleepless night." I said to myself, finishing the apple and discarding the core.
With not much left to do for the day, I unpacked my oral hygiene essentials, used them, threw off my shirt and pants, leaving only my boxer shorts, and just hopped into bed for the night without a care in the world.
I was dreaming at first. All I remembering seeing was the Element of Magic floating in a black void, or even outer space, perhaps. And then, without warning, Rainbow Dash barges right into my room, awakening me from my slumber.
"Eugh-- What?" I mumbled, looking at my watch. "Rainbow, it's six in the morning. What's going on?"
"Wake up, you dozy human!" Rainbow heeded, shaking me. "Some mare broke into the castle and stole Twilight's crown!"
"Oh, crap!" I exclaimed, throwing my covers off my body and putting a shirt. "Where is everypony else at?"
"They're all down in the artifact room. Come on!" Rainbow hurried.
I then followed Rainbow Dash all the down to the artifact room. Just before I could enter, there was great white flash, causing me to flinch.
"Who was that?" Fluttershy rhetorically asked.
Princess Celestia, Luna, and Cadance teleported right outside the artifact room, followed by a squad of royal guards led by Shining Armor.
"Where is the intruder?" Shining Armor asked.
"She jumped right into that mirror with my crown. We have to get it back!" Twilight replied, pointing at the horseshoe shaped mirror with a small set of stairs.
Princess Celestia did not respond, only staring at the mystical mirror in shock. After regaining her composure, Celestia looked at her sister.
"You do know what this means, my dear sister." Luna uttered.
"I do. Twilight, get ready for the day, retrieve your bag and meet me in the throne room. The same goes for the rest of you," Celestia instructed us. "Shining Armor, keep your guards posted at this door."
"Yes, your highness." Shining said.
I ran back into my room and put on a fresh pair of clothes, brushed my teeth and splashed some cold water on my face. I would've taken a shower, but I was too anxious to even care. Plus, I smelled fine. After that, I met with everypony else in the throne room where princesses awaited us.
"You're all here. Good." Luna said.
"Princess Celestia, why did you look so worried when you looked at the mirror?" Twilight asked.
"Because I know only one mare who would ever have the need to come through that mirror." Celestia replied.
"Who?" Twilight asked once more.
"Sunset Shimmer. A former student of mine. She began her studies with me not long before Twilight. But when she did not get what she wanted as quickly as she liked, she turned cruel and dishonest. I tried my best to help her, but she eventually decided to abandon her studies and pursue her own path. One that has sadly led to her stealing your crown." Celestia explained, much to my surprise.
"She replaced Twilight's crown with this one." Spike said, presenting the phony crown to Celestia.
"A replica. I suppose Sunset Shimmer thought you wouldn't notice right away that this was not yours. And by the time you did, it would be too late to go after your crown and Element of Harmony." Celestia said.
"But I still don't understand. Where did she go. Where did she take my crown?" Twilight questioned.
"You'll soon know more about this place than even I do." Celestia replied as she walked down towards us, followed by Luna and Cadance.
"Let us return to the artifact room at once." Luna directed.
After being admitted access to the artifact room, we all huddled in and closed the door. There stood the mirror. One would mistake it for not being magical because it looked just like any ordinary mirror. But the true nature of the mirror truly astounded my imagination.
"This is no ordinary mirror. It is a gateway to another world. A gateway that opens every thirty months." Luna explained.
"Sparkly!" Pinkie said, pressing her hoof against it before having it quickly removed by Luna. The pressure caused the mirror to shine and rippled like a liquid.
"It has always been kept in the throne room of Canterlot Castle. But when Princess Cadance took over the Crystal Empire, we sent it here for her to watch over." Luna continued. Celestia then sighed in a disappointed manner.
"I had always hoped that Sunset Shimmer would someday use it to return, to come back to Equestria seeking my guidance. Obviously, this is not what has happened." Celestia said.
"What can we do about it now that my crown is in another world?" Twilight asked, confused.
"You must use the mirror to go into this other world and retrieve your crown. Without it, the other Elements of Harmony have no power and Equestria is left without one of its most important means of defense." Cadance replied to Twilight's question.
Twilight stared deeply at the mirror now, almost as if it was beckoning her to come closer. Although I was amazed by what this mirror truly is, I was also deeply concerned about what lied in this world.
"Your crown does not belong in the place Sunset Shimmer now calls home. And in her possession, your Element of Harmony will no doubt be used to bring harm to the inhabitants of this other realm. They will not have the power to defend themselves." Luna said, lighting up Twilight's face.
"Do you understand the importance of your task?" Celestia asked Twilight.
"Of course." Twilight replied without hesitation.
"Good. Then you must go at once." Celestia finished.
Taking a sigh, Twilight was just about to reach the first step of the mirror before she was blocked by Rainbow Dash.
"Woah, woah, woah! If she's going, we're coming with her!" Rainbow said, now joined with the rest of girls.
"I'm coming too!" I said, stepping up with the rest.
"We always do need our trustworthy human." Rainbow said.
"Oooh, I'm so 'nervicited'!" Pinkie exclaimed.
"You do realize that not a real word, right?" Applejack asked.
Twilight smiled at us all, flattered and in thanks by our courage, but our volunteer time would be short-lived.
"I'm afraid I can't let you go." Celestia halted, causing Twilight to gasp in shock.
"Why not?! Let me and my friends go with her!" Rainbow retorted.
"You must understand," Celestia heavy-heartedly began. "Sending all of you could upset the balance of this alternate world, creating havoc that would make it impossible for Twilight to get the crown back from Sunset Shimmer. This is something Princess Twilight must do alone." Celestia said.
"Time is of the essence. On the third day, when the moon reaches its peak in the night sky, the gateway will close. And once it does, it will be another thirty moons before you will be able to use it to return." Luna warned Twilight as we all moved out of the mirrors way.
"You got this, Twilight." I encouraged.
"You'll be back before you know it." Rainbow also encouraged, followed by the other girls clamoring in support of Twilight.
Finally, Twilight stepped right up to the mirror and gently pressed her hoof onto the surface, causing her to flinch back and look back at Princess Celestia for assurance. Celestia replied by giving one last nod of said assurance, giving Twilight the go. And so, Twilight walked right into the mirror and disappeared from the present world.
My attention at the mirror was instantly broken when the girls shouted out Spike's name. Before I knew it, Spike was sprinting after Twilight. I then sprang into action.
"SPIKE, NO!" I shouted, sprinting after him as well, but tripping over the stair in the process and tumbling right into the portal.
My heart dropped and it was too late. The portal was mix of multicolors that rushed in a cylinder, swirling motion. The best I could describe the feeling is saying that it felt like I was traveling through light-speed. Through my travel, I managed to pry my eyes open to the sight of my body swirling around like a streamer on a stick and the speed towards the bright light beginning to pick up, creating a sensation of G-Force that terrified me.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.........."