//------------------------------//
// The Rainbooms and Sci Twi 
// Story: Twilight's Life As a Red and Black Alicorn 
// by Mystic Sunrise 
//------------------------------//

Twilight would admit freely that hadn't felt this nervous about traveling to Canterlot High since that first time in what felt like a lifetime ago now. So many things could have gone wrong, and she just hadn't heard about it yet.

While the fact that all the portals across Equestria had seemingly vanished for good the day before, a part of Twilight felt this wasn't over yet, and while her friends had done their best to make her better, her mood was still down.

She, Spike, and Starlight had returned to Ponyville as soon as Twilight had officially hoofed the reigns of power back to Princess Celestia. Her friends were returning by train from Canterlot though, and wouldn't be back for some hours.

Twilight still had many questions for Starlight. Not least of which was why the unicorn was in Ponyville, to begin with. Starlight hadn't explained her reasoning yet, and it was driving her crazy.

As she had feared, Sunset's Journal had a lot of new messages, all of which seemed to be asking for her help with strange things that were happening at Canterlot High. Unfortunately, all of them had come while she was away.

And as the World Mirror hummed to life, she hoped she wasn't too late to help.

"So this really leads to another world?" Starlight asked as she examined the mirror and its machinery.

"Yep. It's a doozy ride on the way there too," Spike replied. "Both times I and Twilight have been there."

Twilight giggled at the memories. "I've been meaning to look into whether we can make the journey less crazy and the exit less painful. But I've had too much going on to try anything."

Starlight could only nod, looking at some of the jury-rigging Twilight had done to get the mirror to work whenever she felt like it. It was a complicated piece of spellwork, to say the least. "So who built the mirror?"

Twilight sighed. "Nopony knows. I used to think Starswirl the Bearded made it, but Princess Celestia said he had never once worked on something like this. So it's a mystery for the moment."

Spike though didn't look happy about something. "Are you sure you don't want me to come too Twilight?"

Twilight nodded. "I'm sorry Spike. But I feel it would be safer if you stayed in Equestria this time. I don't want to have to worry about you if something is wrong."

Spike huffed as he crossed his arms, but he could tell that Twilight meant every word she had said. Starlight though had one last question. "Do they know about your new look?" She asked, gesturing down at Twilight's body.

Twilight's eyes shrunk in horror. "Oh. Horseapples. I completely forgot about that! No, they don't know, and I have no idea how I'm going to explain it to them. I don't even know what I'll look like now on the other side."

"You mean besides being human?" Spike asked.

Twilight rolled her eyes. "Besides that." She took a moment to calm down, repeating the breathing exercise Cadance had taught her many years before. "But I don't have time to think of something."

Stepping up to the World Mirror, Twilight sighed as she looked back at Spike and Starlight. "Take the Journal down in a few minutes. I'll write as soon as I know something. If there's nothing going on, I might stay a while. I haven't seen the girls in too long."

Spike nodded, smiling as he gave her a thumbs-up, while Starlight only smiled. One that Twilight returned as she stepped through the portal.

***

With the excitement, and almost end of the world, of the Friendship Games, now behind them, the Rainbooms were happy to have a quiet day for once.

Even with the addition of this world's Twilight Sparkle, or Sci Twi as Pinkie Pie had begun to call her, things were almost back to normal for the group.

At the moment though, Twilight's thoughts were on something Sunset had told her. "So there is another world out there? I wasn't just seeing things?"

Sunset nodded. "Yep. It's called Equestria. Full of pastel-colored, talking, ponies, and a lot of other creatures too. It's really complicated honestly."

"And there's another me there as well? And she's a princess?" Twilight asked, hardly believing any of this. But she had seen much of it herself.

Sunset smiled. "Yeah. I'm not sure how we're going to explain all of this to her though. Whenever she feels like answering back."

"Does it usually take her thing long?" Applejack asked.

Sunset hugged her legs, her expression worried. "No, and I don't know why she hasn't either. I hope everything's okay."

At that moment, the portal in the statue based glowed, and a figure came rushing out. All of the girls' jaws dropped as they got a look at the stranger, even as she began to babble.

"I am so sorry Sunset! I didn't get your messages till now since I was filling in for Princess Celestia, and then there was a bunch of other things going on, and honestly, it's the weirdest thing to happen to me!" Princess Twilight said in a huff.

And then her eyes fell on her counterpart, who was looking at her in shock and confusion.

Twilight blinked, her mouth dropping open, before pointing at Sci Twi with a hand. "Make that the second strangest," she said sheepishly, even as she got a look at herself.

Her skin was as crimson as her fur was, and her hair was now just as black as her mane, her highlights the same shades of orange.

But it was her outfit that stole her attention. The only way to describe it was edgy, more akin to something a bad girl might wear. It kind of reminded her of Sunset's jacket in a way, only crimson and orange, her shirt sporting her cutie mark on a black background.

Twilight threw her hands up in exasperation. "Oh come on! Now the universe just hates me. I am not a bad girl. I look like a mary-sue in some hack job fanfic written by a sad excuse for a writer!"

Sunset stalked up to her, frowning. "Alright. Who are you, and what did you do to Princess Twilight?"

Twilight sighed, rubbing her forehead. "It's me Sunset."

Sunset wasn't convinced as her glare grew hotter. "Prove it. Tell me something only Princess Twilight would know."

Twilight wracked her brain for a moment, before smiling evilly. "You used to beg Princess Celestia to take you to the Sages of the Mountain headquarters in Vanhoover as a filly, seeing as you were a champion Magic the Gathering player."

Before Twilight could say more though, Sunset covered her mouth with a hand, a horrified blush coming to her face, but the rest of the girls had heard it all, and now Rainbow and Applejack were snickering at her expense. "Okay! Okay! It's you. Just don't tell anymore."

Twilight giggled as she pulled Sunset's hand off her. "I don't know Sunset. I could go on if you girls want too?"

The girls chuckled at Sunset's expense, even Sci Tw joining in after a moment. "As fun as it would be, I think we have more important things to worry about," Rarity replied.

"Yeah! Like why are you red and black?" Pinkie asked, examining Twilight's new wardrobe.

Twilight crossed her arms and harrumphed. "I have no bucking idea! It's supposed to be an alicorn thing. But why did I have to get the eyesore look?"

"Um. Maybe you can tell us the whole story? If you don't mind that is?" Fluttershy asked.

After a moment, the princess sighed and smiled. "You girls deserve to know the full story." She gave her counterpart a confused look. "And I get the feeling I'm not the only one with a story to tell."

***

"... And that's when you came through the portal," Rainbow finished, as she took a drink.

Twilight sat in stunned silence, trying to digest all she had been told. It was a lot to take in, that was for sure. If it had come from anyone else, she might not have believed it all. 

But she had seen the portals opening in Equestria, and what lay on the other side. But she had never expected it to be because of all this. Sge did have one question though. "Please don't tell me Principal Cinch is still at her job?"

Sci Twi shoo her head, more relaxed now. "No. Dean Cadance said she was fired as soon as what happened during the Friendship Games came out. Cadance is filling in temporarily."

Twilight nodded, thankful for that at least if this Cadance was anything like the pony she knew. That she and Shining weren't married surprised her, but she hid it well. "So what happens now?"

Sci Twi sighed as she looked back at the portal. "I still want to understand magic. There's just so much there that I barely skimmed the surface. But not like I did before."

Sunset nodded. "I've been trying to help her ever since the Friendship Games, but there's only so much we can do here."

The princess nodded. "The best place to learn more about it would be in Equestria. Magic isn't native to this world."

Sci Twi gave her a hopeful look. "Do you think we could visit? If it's even possible too."

Twilight rubbed her forehead. "I did have some plans set up with my Pinkie Pie in case you girls ever wanted to visit. I know you have since the Fall Formal. But. I don't think it's a good idea at the moment."

"Why not?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight sighed as she looked up at the sky. "There's just too much going on at the moment. Princess Celestia is still trying to calm everypony down from all the portals opening up all over the place, among other things."

Sci Twi looked down at her lap, her eyes downcast.

Twilight saw it and quickly placed a hand on her counterpart's shoulder, smiling. "I don't blame you for that, and I don't hold it against you. You're all more than welcome to come to visit. Just, not right now."

That seemed to lighten the mood a bit, as Sci Twi smiled. But she had one more question. "If you're me, then why don't I look like you do? I mean, I'm glad I don't. But still."

The princess pinched her nose, glad to be off that subject. "I have no idea honestly. I never expected we would meet if I'm being honest. There could be any number of reasons why."

Sunset smiled as a thought came to her. "You don't have to be back in Equestria soon, do you? Why not stay a while. We really need to spend more time together, and it does not involve the end of the world."

Twilight's smile grew as she looked around at the rest of the girls. "I don't have to be back in Equestria, and I would love to spend more time with you girls. It's not right we don't do this more often."

That was more than enough for Pinkie Pie, as she scooped them all up in a big group hug, of which no one complained.

And for Princess Twilight, it was the kind of thing she needed after the last few months she'd had.