Twilight’s hoofsteps echo down the hall as she trots down the empty corridor. Although dinner had provided her with much insight regarding the two humans, their arrival continued to plague her. There was only one way of travel she knew of between Equestria and the human realm she visited, and she made sure to close it.
She sighs as she completes her third lap around the castle floor. How long has she been up now?
Something tugs at Twilight’s chest and she hardens her gaze. Stopping, she raises her head to the right to the large double doors. One last check, then bed.
The handles glow in a purple hue as she swings the doors open. Further into the room, a large mirror attached to machinery greets her entrance. Taking a deep breath, Twilight steps through the threshold, closing the doors behind her, and approaches the Crystal Mirror.
Circling the machine, Twilight takes her time examining the various pipes, tubes, and gauges, but she catches herself as she nears the other end, stopping herself before her eyes reach the reflective surface of the mirror. She doesn’t know why, but her hooves suddenly feel much heavier than before. Taking a deep breath, she trots into full view of the glass.
Before her stands an average sized pony, purple in color, with a horn and wings to match. In her scattered examination of the mirror, her golden crown’s shifted to an awkward angle, and a few strands of hair can be seen poking out of her mane. Twilight chuckles as she straightens out her crown and mane with her magic. What’s she so tense about? Even if the mirror was calibrated, it’s not even powered.
She turns to leave when a soft whirring noise perks her ears. As she turns back, her eyes widen.
Before her in the mirror, stands Twilight Sparkle, a smile on her face under a pair of black spectacles. She’s wearing casual attire: A pair of dark blue shoes, sky blue socks, a purple skirt, and a striped t-shirt. She waves as a small purple dog jumps into view from out of frame. The image of a sunny high school courtyard appears behind them, a large white star stained in glass above a large pair of glass doors.
“N-no.” Twilight stammers. She walks closer to the mirror and rests a hoof on the glass. It’s stiff, and the stillness indicates the machinery behind it isn’t running. “No, that’s not possible. This can’t...how?”
In response, another figure walks into view. Her red and yellow hair shines like fire over her amber skin. She’s wearing a black, sleeveless biker jacket over an orange T-shirt, with a violet skirt underneath. Twilight and the dog greet her as she approaches, hugging her tightly before turning their smiling gazes back to Twilight.
“Sunset!?” Twilight gasps. She takes a step back, but trips, landing on her haunches.
Two more people walk in from the background: a blue girl with rainbow hair juggles a soccer ball off her knees, and an orange girl with blonde hair and a stetson bites into an apple as she approaches. The blue one kicks the ball too hard, and it knocks the hat off the other girl. Almost immediately, an argument breaks out between the two.
A faint smile grows on Twilight’s face as she watches the exchange.
“Oh stop it, girls.” she laughs. “Rainbow Dash, Applejack; it was an honest mistake, I’m sure.”
The two turn to Twilight as she speaks, then back to each other and laugh. The blue girl picks up and dusts the stetson, before handing it back to the orange girl. Hooking an arm around each other's shoulders, they approach the others in the mirror.
Another pair walk into the frame: a pale girl with purple hair fussily messes with a pink girl’s vibrant pink mane. The hairy mess seems to resist any change from its natural shapeless mound, much to the pale girl’s dismay, and the pink girl wears a visible frown.
Twilight raises an eyebrow, cocking her head. “Oh quit fussing, Rarity. Pinkie Pie’s hair is pretty just the way it is.”
The pale girl’s eyes go wide as she looks at Twilight, then at the pout on Pinkie’s face. They laugh together and run up to join the others. Then, a small patch of light pink catches Twilight’s eye, scooting in and out of view at the edge of the mirror.
“Fluttershy, we can see you.” Twilight says, rolling her eyes with a chuckle. “It’s okay, come on in. You’re always welcome with us.”
A yellow girl shuffles into view, cloaking her face behind a waterfall of pink hair. She looks around before smiling at Twilight, and joining the cast together.
Twilight stares into the mirror, unsure whether this was all real or if she was just hallucinating. She stops when she feels something wet fall down her cheek. Raising a hoof, Twilight rubs at her face.
“No.” She says. Gritting her teeth, Twilight struggles to her hooves. “No, those days are behind me now. I am a princess of Equestria. I have more responsibilities now, than ever. Princess Celestia and Luna are going to be stepping down soon, Canterlot needs to be rebuilt; there’s so much to be done here. I don’t have time for this.”
“You hear me!?” Twilight braces her legs, raising her voice at the reflection. “I don’t have time for you, so just leave me alone!”
Turning swiftly, she stomps toward the doors. As she reaches them, she grasps the handles with her magic, but stops. Taking in a breath, she casts one last look over her shoulder. The mirror is barren again, reflecting only a single pony in the empty room.
“I...I’m sorry.”
Twilight stumbles out of the room, closing the door behind her and locking it shut with her magic. Her hooves echo louder as she walks down the empty corridor, her shoulder sliding against the wall.