Chapter 2: Magic Can't Explain Everything
Spike was pacing back and forth across the library, making a groove in the floor. Twilight hadn't come home last night. He knew because there was no sign of that book, her saddlebags, and there was no sign of entry from last night.
Spike decided to look around Ponyville for Twilight, but all he got was the attention of the rest of the Mane 6. They helped look for Twilight, but there was no sign of her anywhere in Ponyville, or back at the Hedge. They all decided to go back to the library.
The girls tried to get Spike to calm down. But he kept pacing back and forth. Rarity then said, "Spike. I know you're worried, but we're just going to have to wait."
"Yeah, but the last time Twilight went missing, she said that she would be back three days after that trip," said Spike. "It's been five days that she and you girls have been gone."
"Oh, yeah," said Pinkie Pie. "You're referring to the time that we planned on going to Manehattan, but we ended up in another dimension where everypony was the opposite gender!"
"Yeah, that was freaky," said Applejack. "It even broke mah heart that Apple Buck was not Apple Bloom, but at the same time, he was. Ah was so nervous, Ah couldn't think straight."
"There were many things in that dimension that was wrong for us," said Rainbow Dash. "Especially when I was checking my counterpart's house to see how much similar we were. Then he called me a filly faker. That colt crudder."
"Didn't you have feelings for him when we were leaving that dimension?" asked Rarity, making the other girls laugh and Rainbow blushing.
"Said the one who used getting sunflower oil as an excuse to meet your male self, who you fell head over hooves with!" Rainbow countered.
That made Rarity bow her head in shame, and said, "Yes. I'll admit. I did do that. But when Silver Belle came in, I was reminded of what I would leave behind. My sweet little sister, Sweetie Belle. I couldn't just leave her there all alone."
"Well, at least ya were reminded because of who Silver Belle reminds ya of," said Applejack. "At least yer counterpart didn't share the exact same name as ya."
"Wait, what?" Spike asked, confused by Applejack's statement.
"Applejack's male counterpart had the same name, but was as big as Big Mac," said Fluttershy. "To our male counterparts, she had to go by J-J."
"Weren't that easy tryin' ta keep mah identity a secret," said Applejack. "Although, the strangest counterparts o' that world was Mr. and Mrs. Cakes."
"Yeah! I saw them!" said Pinkie Pie. "I can confirm to Applejack that they looked like they swapped colors and cutie marks instead of genders."
"Yeesh," said Spike. "I can almost imagine it." He then shuddered. "Weird." He then looked at the time. He then headed for the door and said, "I'm gonna look for Twilight again. Hopefully, somepony would've been bound to see her."
Spike then opened the door, but outside of the door, there was a certain zebra they all knew too well.
"Zecora?!" asked Spike and the girls.
"What are you doing here?" Spike asked.
Zecora looked down at Spike and rhymed, "I know you for your friend, you were afraid. But last night, at my hut, your friend has stayed."
"Wait, Twilight was at your hut last night?" Rainbow asked. "Why?"
"To learn on why Twilight, at my place, had to stay... I shall explain on the way," Zecora said. Then the seven of them headed on out and towards Zecora's hut. After Spike locked up the library, of course.
Earlier that Same Day...
Twilight was waking up from her slumber. She looked around and saw that she was in Zecora's Hut. She wondered why she was in there, until she saw a colt in the bed with her. Then she remembered the events of last night. The missing book, the trip to the Hedge, the mysterious tunnel, sliding down it, finding a suspicious garden, getting pollen sprayed in her face, becoming pregnant, and giving birth to a colt that looks like a younger version of her counterpart of the dimension where everypony was the opposite gender.
Twilight couldn't believe what happened to her last night. She didn't know how to explain it to her friends... and possibly her family. But, she couldn't worry about that at the moment. She had to find a way to get out of bed without disturbing the colt. Twilight tried getting out of the bed, but then the colt started stirring.
The colt then woke up and looked around. He looked around in confusion.
"Wh-where am I?" the colt asked. Twilight was a little surprised to see the colt was able to speak. The colt then started getting out of bed, but he got a little unbalanced as he got out. "Whoa-oa-oa!" He then landed on his chin. "Ow!" He was confused until he looked at his hoof, and went wide-eyed. "What the--?!" He then sat up and leaned on the bed, looking at his body. "What's happened to me?!"
Twilight was getting a little worried for the colt. She then asked, "Are you okay?"
The colt then turned his head to see who spoke, and he saw Twilight. He then stood up on his hind legs, trying to keep his balance, and tried stepping backwards, away from Twilight. "Who or what are you?" the colt asked nervously.
"Whoa, whoa," said Twilight. "It's okay. Everything's going to be alright." She then got out of bed, and walked over towards the colt. The colt then tried turning away and running for the door, but Twilight grabbed him with her magic, and pulled him over for a hug, and gently rubbed his back. "Just relax." Twilight then pushed the colt's chin so he'll be able to look at Twilight. "Can you please tell me your name?"
"I'm... I'm... I'm Henry," said the colt.
"Henry?" Twilight asked. "Never heard a name like that." Twilight then thought of something and said, "According to one of my friends, you were once a completely different species. What species were you? And where did you come from?"
"I... I was originally a human being," Henry said, trying to explain where he came from. "And... I believe I was from an entirely different world. My parents were working in a few different countries. They left me with my aunt and cousin. Unknown to my parents, my aunt and cousin treated me more like a slave then a family member. They made me clean everything, and barely fed me. My parents came back to see me. I was really sick. My parents got sad. And I... I..." His eyes then started tearing up. He then said, "I'll... never see them again."
Twilight tightened her hug, and rubbed Henry's back. She said to him, "Shh... Shh... It's okay." Twilight then put Henry down and looked into his eyes, which were even the same color as Twilight's eyes. Twilight then said, "I'll make sure that you'll be under good care, and not what that cruel old aunt and cousin of yours did to you."
Henry looked up at Twilight, gaining a sad smile. He then said, "My wish..."
"A better life, I'm guessing?" Twilight asked. Henry could only nod. Then both his and Twilight's stomachs growled. Making both of them blush nervously. "Guess we both need something to eat."
"Good thing to. I've prepared a feast. Enough that would fill the stomach of a beast," came the voice of Zecora. Twilight and Henry looked towards the voice and saw that Zecora had prepared a lot of pancakes. "You two sure need something to eat. I shall go out and tell your friends where to meet."
"Good call, Zecora," Twilight said. "My friends deserve to know the truth." Twilight then looked down at Henry and said, "C'mon. Let's go eat." Twilight then lifted Henry with her magic, and headed towards the table for breakfast.
Later, after Zecora gathered the other girls and Spike, they were confused on what happened to Twilight.
"Wait, wait, wait," Rainbow said. "So, what your saying is that Twilight came across a mysterious flower, made her pregnant, and gave birth to a colt that almost looks exactly like her?"
"That is really odd," said Rarity. "A foal that looks exactly like the parent that gave birth to it has never been done before." She then leaned in and whispered into Fluttershy's ear, "Although, I do wonder what Dusk Shine looked like as a young colt himself."
That made Fluttershy giggle, and quietly respond, "Yeah. I bet he looked cute as a colt."
They eventually made it to Zecora's Hut. Twilight and Henry finished eating. Henry even rubbed his belly, knowing that he was satisfied with the meal.
"That was delicious," Henry said.
"It sure was," said Twilight. She then sighed. Twilight then noticed that her friends have arrived. "Girls! Spike! You're here!"
"Twilight!" Spike said, running towards her. He eventually hugged her and said, "I was so worried! You didn't come home last night!"
"I'm sorry, Spike," said Twilight. "But, I kinda had a few... complications."
"So, what happened?" Applejack asked.
"Well, as I arrived at the Hedge, I got the book, but then I saw that there was a tunnel at the other end of the Hedge," Twilight explained. "I went to investigate it, and I slipped and slid down the tunnel, and I was deep in the Everfree Forest. Then the light of the full moon lit up the area. There was a bunch of beautiful flowers. I found this one flower and got curious about it. When I got close to it, it sprayed some weird pollen in my face. As I was trying to head back to town, I felt hungry, and I also felt the straps on my saddlebags feel even tighter. I looked towards my saddlebags, and I saw that my stomach had gotten bigger. Not by fat, but... well... Well, let's just say that this colt is the result." Twilight pointed a hoof at Henry.
"Oooooh!" Pinkie said. She then got closer to Henry. "Oh, wow! He looks exactly like you, Twilight! Funny!"
"Well, not to him," said Twilight. "His spirit was of one who had recently passed from a completely different species. His old aunt and cousin treated him more like a slave then a family member while his parents were out of the country where he's from."
That made the girls and Spike gasp, Rarity and Fluttershy covering their mouths with their hooves. Rarity then said, "Those nasty creatures. What kind of mare and foal would treat their own family member like a useless piece of trash?!"
"I agree!" Fluttershy said, angrily. "Nopony should ever treat a member of their family like that!"
"So, what are we going to do with the colt, now?" Rainbow asked.
"I have no choice," said Twilight. "I must be the one who has to take Henry in."
"Henry?" the girls and Spike asked, raising an eyebrow.
"That's his name," said Twilight, Henry nodding in response.
"Huh," Rarity said. "Not exactly a name here in our standards. Perhaps... we should change his name. That way, ponies wouldn't be confused when they hear his name."
"Do I have to change my name?" Henry asked.
"We'll worry about that later," Twilight said. "Right now, we should head out." She then used her magic to put Henry on her back. Then she walked towards the door, but before exiting, she looked at Zecora and said, "Thanks for helping me out, Zecora. I appreciate it."
"It was no problem, as you can agree. You would do the same thing for me," Zecora said.
Twilight nodded, then she, Henry, Spike and the rest of the Mane 6 went on out, and headed towards Ponyville.
Twilight and the group eventually made it to the Golden Oaks Library. Twilight kept Henry out of sight from the ponies as they went through town. But when they made it to the library, Henry got confused about where he was.
"Why are we in a library?" Henry asked.
"This is where Spike and I live," Twilight explained. "Right now, we're going to have to let Princess Celestia know about you."
"Princess?" Henry asked.
"We'll be happy to explain," Rarity said.
"Good call," said Twilight. "Spike and I are going to be upstairs, writing a letter to the Princess. My friends will explain how things work around here." Henry nodded as Twilight and Spike headed upstairs.
Spike went to the writing desk, grabbed a quill and piece of parchment and said, "Ready when you are, Twilight." Twilight cleared her throat, and started speaking out what wants to be in the letter.
"Dear Princess Celestia,
Last Night, as Spike and I were cleaning up the library, I noticed that there was one book missing. Apparently, I was reading it the day before yesterday at the Hedge. I left the book there by mistake and went to get it. But as I got it, I noticed a tunnel at one side of the Hedge, and wondered where it led. I found out quickly when I fell and slid down that tunnel.
I found myself somewhere deep in the Everfree Forest. I looked around and found a garden and those flowers were blooming in the light of the full moon. As I inspected a purple and pink flower, it sprayed some pink pollen in my face.
I then had to head on back to town, using the North Star to lead me back to Ponyville. But as I was walking, I was starting to get really hungry for some reason. And the straps on my saddlebag started to feel a little tight. But I was surprised on what I saw when I was about to loosen the straps. I became a pregnant mare.
Zecora explained on what that flower did to me. Apparently, that flower brings a recently deceased young soul and lets it inhabit the body of the newborn foal. And apparently, the soul was of a six-year-old by the name of Henry. H-E-N-R-Y. He's really confused on where he is. But that's not the weird thing. It's about his appearance.
If you received the letter about me ending up in another dimension, you would be surprised that the colt shares a perfect resemblance to my counterpart. Hopefully, you'll know what to do and respond as soon as possible.
Signed, your faithful student...
Twilight Sparkle."
"Okay," Spike said. He then blew his emerald flames on the scroll, and it was sent to Princess Celestia. Then Twilight and Spike headed downstairs after the letter was sent.
As they made it downstairs, Pinkie Pie shouted, "Twitchy Tail!" Then there was the sound of two loud, ground shaking thuds. All of the ponies and dragon in the library were surprised. Twilight carefully walked towards the door and opened it. Outside, there was Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.
"Princess Celestia?! Princess Luna?!" Twilight asked. "How did you two get here from Canterlot so fast?!"
"You'd be surprised on how fast we can read things, my faithful student," said Princess Celestia. "I believe my sister knows about that interesting garden you stumbled upon last night."
Then the two princesses walked in and looked around for the colt. He was no where in sight. Twilight got worried and asked, "Hey? Where's Henry?"
The girls looked around for Henry, and then Rarity saw Henry going up the stairs, and said, "Oh, there he is. Trying to hide by going upstairs."
Twilight smiled, shook her head, and then she used her magic and brought Henry downstairs. She then turned so Henry could be seen by the princesses. "Princesses, meet Henry. He claims that before he ended up in this body, he used to be known as a human."
"A human?" Luna asked. "Peculiar. No human has been seen in our world for 1000 years. Thou colt sure is interesting."
"Princess Luna. We talked about the speech here," said Twilight. "Remember on Nightmare Night?"
"Right," said Princess Luna. "Sorry. Still not use to the speech here. We are... I mean, I am still trying to get use to it. Anyway, I am surprised that the colt shows a strong resemblance to you, Twilight."
"I've never seen anything like this before," said Princess Celestia. "I didn't even think that there was even possible. And I was wondering when you would get to test out a portal to another dimension."
"Wait, you received my letter about that?" asked Twilight.
"From Solaris himself," said Princess Celestia. "It was quite interesting to him that you ended up there. He even told me that you shared the bed with your counterpart."
That made Twilight blush and the other girls quietly laughing. Twilight said, "It's... it's not what you think. I was..."
"Don't worry, Twilight," said Princess Celestia. "I understand that he offered you to take his bed while he slept in the spare bed, but you didn't want to trouble him."
"But, I think we should at least introduce Henry here to the rest of Equestria," said Princess Luna. "Although, there are some ponies who will think that this colt should not be among us."
"Yeah," said Twilight. "It wouldn't be easy to explain to the other ponies."
"Might... I make a suggestion?" Rarity asked, raising a hoof. "His name doesn't really fit here in this world. Don't you think we should change it?"
Celestia nodded and said, "I believe that we should. The little colt should have his name changed so that the ponies won't be confused by his unusual name. Even to him, it is a common name among his old world." She then looked at Twilight and asked, "What do you think his new name should be, Twilight?"
Twilight looked at Henry. Since he now has a body that looks like her gender swapped counterpart, only younger, and since her counterpart's name didn't exist in Equestria, she smile and said, "Dusk Shine."
"Oooooh!" said Pinkie. "Naming him after your gender swapped counterpart since he looks like him."
"An interesting choice, Twilight," said Princess Celestia. "And I'm pretty sure your counterpart went through a similar situation and renamed that filly that's probably there after you."
Twilight rolled her eyes while the other girls and Spike started laughing. "Guess I can't argue with you there. Although, I wonder how it would go for Dusk there. Only a mare could give birth to a foal."
"I'm sure that the flower of that dimension would find a way," said Princess Celestia. "I shall make contact with Prince Solaris as soon after I make the announcement."
"Yes," said Princess Luna. "Let us go, sister."
Princess Celestia nodded, then she and Luna took a step back, and right as they lit their horns, Celestia said, "My faithful student, do me one thing. Take care of our newest citizen like he's your own foal."
Twilight nodded, pulled Henry, or now should we call him, Dusk Shine, in for a hug, and said, "I will. He deserves a better life than what his abusive aunt and cousin put him through."
Princess Celestia nodded, then the two princesses teleported out of there. But after they teleported, a small sack took their place. Twilight walked over towards it, and there was a note tied to the sack. It said, "For Dusk's new bedroom." Twilight smiled and said, "Well, looks like we got some bits to pay for some furniture. Good thing we cleared out that old storage room so we could turn it into a guest room. We'll wait until the announcement has spread across Equestria. Then we'll do some shopping."
Dusk nodded and said, "I guess. My aunt didn't want me to do anything but clean the apartment. She didn't even let me go to school. I already missed school."
Twilight smiled and said, "Well, as soon as you've settled in, I'll get you registered at school." She then started smelling herself, then Dusk. She then said, "C'mon. We're both going to need a bath after what happened last night."
"Good call," said Rainbow Dash.
"We'll leave you to your business," said Rarity.
"See ya, Twilight," said Pinkie Pie as she and the other girls left. Twilight lifted Dusk with her magic, and they headed upstairs to the bathroom.
"How are you able to do this?" Dusk asked.
"Do what?" Twilight asked.
"This. The glowing and lifting thing," Dusk tried making it clear.
"Unicorns are able to use their horns to lift things with a magical aura," said Twilight. "I'll teach you how to use your magic later. Right now, Dusk, let's get cleaned up." They headed into the bathroom, and Twilight started up the tub. She set Dusk down, in the tub and got in with him. She started cleaning both herself and Dusk. They're going to be doing a lot of quality time together.