//------------------------------// // Truth // Story: Portal to Another World // by Backburner //------------------------------// Twilight regretted saying that as soon as it was out of her mouth, but through her frustration and tears she let silence fill the void her words left. Rainbow held Rarity beside her, the weak unicorn trying to disguise her heavy breathing in order to prolong the emptiness of the moment, or guard against asking the question everypony wanted to. Roger made a quick series of signs to Pinkie who whispered a translation. “He wants to know why Twilight shouted, and why we’re so quiet.” Twilight stared at the ground and didn’t speak. Pinkie started to repeat herself slightly louder “He wants to know why we’re so quiet!” When nopony responded she started again louder HE WANTS…” “We heard you Pinkie.” Rainbow Dash said. “Then why won’t Twilight say anything?” Pinkie asked. “Oh please don’t cry Twilight.” Fluttershy said. “Pinkie and I have already cried since we got here and if you cry everypony else is going to start crying and if Rainbow Dash starts to cry then I don’t know what I’ll do!” “Sugar cube, it’s not that bad.” Applejack said, placing a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. This was the last thing Twilight wanted. Throwing off Applejack’s hoof she looked her straight in the eyes. “Applejack you don’t understand, we might not go home! We might never see Ponyville again. It’s all my fault for bringing us here without more help from the book and my responsibility to get us back. I know how much you girls want me to get this over with, but the truth is I don’t think I can do it.” “Twilight it’s ok, even if ya can’t do it ya told us Equestria ain’t too far away. We’ll walk back if we have ta but we’ll get back somehow.” “Applejack you don’t…” “I don’t nothin, we’re going home.” “No we aren’t.” Twilight said. “But… Darling…if we know where it is why not?” Rarity said, still collecting her breath. “Because we can’t” Twilight said; now turned to Rarity. “What do ya mean we can’t, why would we be doing all this if you knew it wouldn’t work?” Rainbow Dash said, eyes narrowing at Twilight. “No, it can still work but…” “Now which is it Twi, will this thing help us or not?” Applejack asked. “That’s the point! If this doesn’t work there’s no other way back home!” “No way home?” Fluttershy said. “But… why not?” Twilight didn’t want to tell them, how could she? How could she tell her friends they don’t exist? “Because,” she said, “we just can’t.” “Why not? Twi you’re not make’n a lick a sense ” Applejack said. “Because, because…” “Twilight what is it?” Rainbow Dash said, as she moved herself directly in front of Twilight forcing Rarity to support herself. Twilight felt like she was being backed into a corner, Rainbow Dash’s nose was nearly touching her own. “THERE IS NO HOME.” Twilight sobbed, she couldn’t hold it in. Everything she knew, they knew, was farther away than they could ever know. Everything rode on her to get them back to a place that didn’t exist. “Twilight that’s a bigger lie then I ever heard you say before, what do you mean there’s no home.” Twilight didn’t respond, but ran around to the back of the house. Grabbing the bundle she had thrown from the second story the day before, she dragged it back to her group of friends. Roger stood as if to stop her, but Twilight pulled open the comforter before he could make it over to her. The ponies stood around looking at the picture imprinted on the fabric. Twilight unfolded the poster to show them the gathering of ponies it displayed. “Did I miss that party, or did I drink too much cider, because otherwise I’d never forget a party THIS big.” Pinkie said. “Darling, what is this?” Rarity said, eyes transfixed on the objects before her “Roger’s world has a television show about us, in this world we… we’re characters, like from the Hearts Warming Eve play. Made up figures they watch for enjoyment.” “Twilight you must be mistaken, I knew I was turning heads but the thought of creatures like Roger watching me, that can’t be right.” Rarity said. Twilight sat down in the grass, a weight from her shoulders lifted in exchange for one on each of her friends. What could they do now? Roger walked over to the comforter and inspected the computer. Without saying anything, he gathered the items Twilight had brought together, and carried the bundle inside. Nopony moved until he returned a few moments later and motioned a few words to Pinkie. “He says he’s sorry, but there’s good news. He didn’t know if the portal would work or not, so he invited his daughter over tomorrow so we could have another friend to help us get home.” “Oh great.” Said Rainbow Dash. “Another surprise, it just gets better and better.” Twilight agreed, how would Lilly react to seeing characters from a television show in her old house? How would they introduce themselves? Oh hello, you may or may not know us from our show, but we’re trying to get back to the fictional world we came from so if you would just sit down with your father this will all go by quickly ok? In the middle of Twilight’s thought however, a sudden burst from Pinkie Pie startled the group. “WHAT, NO ROGER THAT CAN’T BE RIGHT.” She blurted out temporarily stopping Roger’s signs. “What now.” said Twilight. “Rogers telling me what a television show is! Is it true we’re on that big screen in his dinning room!?!” Twilight nodded prompting Pinkie to rush inside, returning after a moment to stand in the doorway and bounced wildly. “Comeoncomeoncomeon lets see what we look like!” “Pinkie no offense but I’m still warp’n my noggin around this, I don’t know if we…” Applejack started only to be pushed by Pinkie toward the door. “Applejack this is great! I don’t know why Twilight didn’t tell us sooner! If Roger has a show about us maybe it could tell us how to get home!” Pinkie said desperately shoving Applejack. “Pinkie hold up now” Applejack protested to no avail. When Pinkie realized she couldn’t budge the stubborn pony she tried forcing Rarity to much greater success. “Pinkie stop! You’ll scuff up my coat!” “Girls please,” Pinkie said. “What do we have to lose? Rarity you told us once Unicorn magic always has a reason, maybe this whole thing is just so we could see this show! Please!” Rarity wormed her way away from Pinkie and stared at the pink pony. “That is NOT what I meant.” She huffed. Pinkie turned to Twilight now. “You’re with me right? Why else would you show us this?” Twilight looked back at the poster Pinkie was now waving her hooves at. The thought had crossed her mind to watch the show, but how strange would it be to watch yourself in third pony like that? “I don’t know Pinkie, we don’t know what we’ll see.” “That’s the point!” Pinkie replied. Twilight wanted to respond, but before she formed the words Rainbow Dash interrupted her. “I’m with you Pinkie. If we’re not going home today it’d be nice to see what we’re trying to get back to so we can try again tomorrow.” Rainbow Dash walked toward the house a bit before turning back to Twilight. “I trust you Twilight, I don’t know why you kept this from us or what this all means but I’m glad you told us. I trust you even if you don’t trust yourself, and I know everypony else thinks the same.” “That’s a wonderful speech Rainbow but forgive me if I say I may have confidence in Twilight, but none in this… portrayal of us.” Rarity said. “Rarity please.” Pinkie pleaded. “Just come in and see it with us.” Rarity tried to ignore the groveling statement, but found herself faced with a stare from Rainbow that spoke more volume than anything Pinkie could have said. “If looks could kill.” Rarity muttered. “Alright.” “So that’s it then?” Applejack said. “Twilight just revealed a mind blowi’n secret and we’re all gonna go look at ourselves prance about on a wall? Alright, I ain’t got any better ideas.” Applejack walked past the other ponies and into the house Pinkie, Rarity, and Rainbow following. “Twilight,” Flutershy said. “I’m confused, how can Pinkie think this will help us?” “I don’t know Fluttershy, but if it keeps our friends occupied until I decide how to handle Lilly’s arrival tomorrow, I won’t complain.” “What just happened?” Roger looked to Twilight. “They all seemed, so calm as they went inside. Did I miss something?” Before Twilight could answer she heard Rainbow Dash’s call from inside the house. “Hey how do you work this thing?” Twilight turned from Roger to the house, and then back to Roger. “Whatever’s happening, it’s not happening out here.” Twilight said as she headed inside. Roger followed and complied with the request to put on the show. Apparently he had all three seasons on demand. As one by one the episodes played, Twilight translated word for word phrases and scenes they all remembered. Discord, Nightmare night with Princess Luna, The Grand Galloping Galla. Everything spot on to how it actually happened. “It’s like they were there.” Rarity said. “I never told anypony about half this stuff, how could they know.” Rainbow Dash said. “Oh man remember that party? That was great! And that one time nopony came to my party and I got all sad but I found out it was my birthday and you all threw me that party in applejack’s barn! And that other time we had that party after Cranky Doodle got together with his long lost love!” Came Pinkies constant comments. Roger was the only one to focus on other things besides the television screen. Constantly gauging the ponies’ reactions as early dawn turned to midday, and midday into night. When they had seen several episodes, finishing out nearly all of season one and two, Twilight turned to Roger. “How do you know all this about us? Where did you…who could of told you this? How did you get all this information?” Roger shifted in his seat before responding. “Well a number of people work on the show, but if I had to point out one specific person responsible for it I’d have to say Lauren Faust. She created the show and helped design all the characters.” That was a hard one to swallow, Equestria and by extension Twilight, had a creator. Twilight wasn’t very fond of that idea. “I’m sorry if I have to leave you empty…hoofed, but I think we should get some sleep before Lilly arrives tomorrow. We’ve been up all night watching this show and you’ll need your strength once we convince her to help you try to get home. “Roger you can’t go to bed now, I have so many questions. Who is this Lauren Faust and how does she know about us? Where is she and who exactly works with her? And those are just the foremost questions on my mind, my friends doubtlessly have more!” “I’m sorry Twilight, but I think it would be better if we waited until morning for questioning.” Roger tried to stand up and leave, but Twilight rushed to the door, blocking his way. “Roger this is important, anything I learn about the show could help us get home, and right now you’re the only pony…err person, who can tell me about it.” Roger took a minute to think over Twilight’s words. “Well… in all fairness I’m not the best person to ask about this, there are thousands of people around the world who are better authorities on the show than me. I think I might have a way for you to talk to them though. But if I do, you have to promise to get some sleep.” At this point the other ponies had started to stare at them. Something was better than nothing Twilight supposed. “Alright, what do you have in mind?” Roger stepped around Twilight and headed into the living room. When he returned he was carrying the plastic cube Twilight had thrown outside with the rest of the My Little Pony stuff. “Roger what are you doing?” Twilight asked him as he headed upstairs. “I’m hooking up my computer, if it still works you’re going to talk with not just one or two, but EVERY brony I can find.” “Brony?” Twilight said confused, but Roger didn’t respond. Twilight followed Roger, leading her group of friends to Lilly’s room. Roger plugged a tail like extension of the cube into a pair of holes in the wall before pressing a button on the front of the cube, and crawling under the desk to fiddle with the cubes back. After a moment the glass lit up and flooded the dimly lit room with light. Fluttershy shrieked and hid behind the others, as the group stood mesmerized. “What’s that Twilight?” said Pinkie, her pupils nearly swallowing her eyes. “I don’t know exactly, Roger calls it a computer, I think it’s used to communicate with other members of Roger’s species.” Roger paid little attention to the ponies as he continued to work. Using a small curved instrument in his right hand, and a large flat object with a hundred or so buttons he directed the computer through several screens before finally coming to rest on an astounding site. The My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Wiki. Twilight had no idea what to think. “Roger, what is this,” she said drawing closer. “This is a place where people go to talk about the show and everything to do with it. If it’s not on here it doesn’t exist.” Roger explained to Twilight how to work the computer, using the “mouse” as he called it, he showed them page after page about Equestria. “Feel free to explore this, just get some sleep ok?” “Roger this…I don’t know how to describe this.” Twilight said. “I know it’s confusing, but trust me if it came from my mouth it would be ten times worse. I hope you find some answers.” “Aren’t you going to help us search?” Twilight asked, a little overwhelmed with the idea of working this alien machine. “I’m going to sleep, I need to be rested so I can have a clear head when Lilly comes. No doubt she’ll freak when she sees you and I want to be as calm as possible so I can calm her down.” Roger stood and made a quick motion that Pinkie translated to mean goodnight. When Roger left Twilight turned back to the computer and stared at the screen. “So Twilight, I can’t believe I’m so accustomed to asking this but what did he tell you this time?” Rarity said. “What is that thing?” Fluttershy said, still a little frightened from when it originally started. Twilight explained what Roger had told her and the ponies gathered around the little cube. “What can these Bronies know about us that we don’t know?” Rainbow Dash said. “Try to keep an open mind Dash,” Applejack said, “This things just here to help us with a few minor questions.” “Minor, right.” Rainbow Dash said unconvinced. Twilight tried moving the mouse with her magic and managed to get the hang of it without draining any strength, at least some of her powers still worked. After looking over the page Twilight settled on looking over the list of ponies. It was a big surprise to see her and her friends as the top six members of that list. “Wait up, wait up, wait up, look at me! Move that pointer thing over to my picture.” Rainbow Dash said as she saw herself on the screen. Twilight clicked on Rainbow Dash’s name and the computer took them to a page summarizing Rainbow on the show. “Twilight what’s it say.” Rainbow Dash said. Twilight read the page and found herself surprised at how close to reality the description was. Once she had finished she couldn’t help but look at her own page and the others followed suit. After Reading their own biographies the ponies hopped form page to page looking at their friends, relatives, even pets. All of which fell nearly spot on. Twilight soon found herself reading aloud anything and everything she could find well past pony descriptions. “How do they know so much about us?” Fluttershy asked. “How was this supposed to answer our questions, if anything its brought up more.” Twilight said, but before she turned to her friends to speak again a name caught her eye. “Lauren Faust.” She said absent-mindedly. “Who’s that now Darling?” Rarity asked. “Roger said she created the show we’re on, she has a page here.” Twilight said selecting it. The smiling face of Lauren replaced the picture of a street in Cloudsdale they had previously been reading about and a lengthy description of Lauren soon had the ponies too shocked to speak. “That just can’t be true, I’ve been willing to put up with this whole thing thus far but there’s no way under Celestia’s sun I’m going to believe this lady did all that stuff.” Applejack said once Twilight had finished. “I agree, how could we know more than the show…um…showed, if she did that?” Rarity said. Twilight didn’t have an answer. The passage was rather straight forward, but there was no way it was true. “I think that’s enough of this.” Twilight said before pushing the button on the computer turning the room dark. “We have enough to think about.” “But Twilight that things lying to us right? Because if it’s not then...then…What are we?” Pinkie said. “Pinkie don’t ask that.” Rainbow Dash snapped. “Of course it’s wrong, tell her Twilight.” Twilight kept a straight face in the darkness. “I hope so.” She said. “That’s it” Rainbow responded. “You hope so or you know so, Twilight if anything this place is the imaginary one, tell us that thing was lying.” “I hope so.” Twilight said, and walked to Roger’s room.