//------------------------------// // Shattered Reflections // Story: In the Absence of Twilight Sparkle // by MyHobby //------------------------------// Starlight Glimmer sat on her office chair, her head in her hands. She peered through her fingers at Dr. Twilight. “You can’t be serious.” “Serious as a heart attack.” Dr. Twilight Sparkle paced back and forth in the tiny office. She didn’t have much room to move before invading others’ personal space. “It seems that while you didn’t make much of an impression on the populace, the upper echelons of the hierarchy were all too quick to take notice.” There were five of them in the office, Starlight and Double Diamond on one side, Dr Twilight and Dulcimer on the other, and Sunset seated between them. The night dragged on into its darkest hours, where neither moon nor sun showed their face. Starlight Glimmer would already have been testy after having been woken in the middle of her rest, but with the added news of the coming invasion… “You gotta have proof, right?” Double Diamond spoke wisdom into the tense room. “You aren’t just telling us this on a hunch, and we’re not about to take Dulcimer at his word.” “I’m deeply touched,” Dulcimer said. “But I’m afraid your mistrust is misplaced.” He produced a phone from his pocket and set it on Starlight’s desk. An audio file was queued up to be played. He gestured her onward. She pressed the play button and sat back. The unmistakable voice of Prime Minister Fancy Pants flew to her ears. “The riots are getting to be far more than police can realistically handle! It’s gone far past mere protest to complete civic unrest. And for what? Blueblood taking the throne? The royalty haven’t had real political power for years! He couldn’t do more than ‘embarrass’ us on the international front!” A second voice, this one much less suited for television, answered him. “Appearance matters far more than policy when it comes to politics, sir.” “Quite right! Which is why I feel my solution to the problem could have long-lasting effects for us all.” Starlight Glimmer gripped her armrests tight, digging into the fabric with her carefully-manicured nails. He was speaking to a member of parliament, one who held office in her hometown. Another grey-haired narcissist who had more power than he was worth. Fancy Pants continued: “The fact is that no matter how destructive these riots are, to match them head-on would give their supporters enough ammunition to vilify us in the public eye. What we need is a show of force that does not mark us as villains, but saviors. To show these malcontents that we are not weak, and not even the crowning of Blueblood can change that.” “You’re suggesting another target? An indirect target?” “How would the general public feel if they found out that known anti-monarchist Starlight Glimmer was raising a school of militants subversives right on Highborn Isles soil?” Starlight swore. “We’re not militant!” “Is she?” “Appearances matter more than facts, Upper Crust. And I think the populace would feel downright threatened.” “Take that bullplop and toss it in the sea!” Starlight swung herself around, rolling right up to her jar of hard candy. She popped a watermelon-flavored sweet into her mouth. “I always protested peacefully! Always! I don’t have the stomach for damaging public property, burning mom and pop shops, or throwing bricks through the windows of families! And I’m certainly no f—” “Starlight,” Sunset muttered. “—fffriggin’ terrorist!” Starlight Glimmer rolled her eyes. “What do you have against expression?” Sunset let out a puff of breath. “It hurts my ears.” “Unfortunately,” Dulcimer said, cutting in with a keen glance, “if Fancy Pants says you are a militant, they will have to believe him. He’s the one they’re going to report on. He’s the one with actual authority in this government.” He shrugged, then crossed his arms. “If he says you’re arming civilians against the crown, who are you to disagree?” Double Diamond’s already-pale face blanched all the more. “Do we have a time-table?” “Your freedom is measured in days.” Dulcimer stuffed the phone into its secret pocket. “Not nearly enough time to relocate in an area where Fancy Pants has no influence. Nobody’s going to accept refugees from the Highborn Isles.” All eyes in the room turned to Sunset Shimmer. She locked eyes with Starlight, her breath caught up in her throat. “Sunset…” Starlight swallowed hard. “Are you willing to open a door to your world to save the school?” “Knowing what I know…” Sunset clenched her fists and rested them on her knees. “Yes. We can’t let this place die. It’s not fair. Not to you, not to your students, not to the world. This knowledge has to be protected.” “Then it’s settled.” Dr. Twilight Sparkle rested a hand on Sunset’s shoulder. “Sunset and I will work to locate a portal. The rest of you need to help the others pack. We’re going to make it. One way or the other.” Double Diamond narrowed his eyes at Dulcimer who, to Starlight’s mind, seemed far too satisfied for his own good. “Is there anything we can do to help?” Diamond asked. “I have a list of equipment we need.” Sunset passed him the handwritten page. “It’s going to be rough and makeshift, but self-made is self-assured.” Dulcimer steepled his fingers. “Shall we, then?” *** Twilight Sparkle lifted a manhole cover with ease, setting it to the side and peering down into the murky depths. “It doesn’t smell too bad.” “We’ve barely scratched the surface.” Shining Armor set a bunch of orange cones around the open cover, supplied by Vice Principal Luna. He passed Twilight a heavy flashlight. “Who’s going down?” “That’ll be me,” Big Mac said, hefting a rope. “Twilight… both Twilight’s, that is. Spike. An’ you.” “I’m coming, too.” Princess Celestia hobbled close, leaning heavily on her cane. Sturm and Drang brought up the rear, protest in their eyes, but having not quite made it to their lips yet. “At least to see the portal. This is as close to Sombra as I’ve been in over twelve years.” “I have to advise against it.” Princess Twilight stopped Celestia with a hand upon her cane. “It’s going to get cramped down there, and your maneuverability is reduced.” Sturm and Drang nodded firmly. Little Spike trotted past with a wagging tail. “Besides, we’ll be fine. Two super-mages and two of the strongest people around, plus a fire-breathing dragon? We can handle any trouble we find.” Celestisa shut her eyes. “I have no doubt in your capabilities, Spike. It’s not about that. It’s about… closure.” “I’m sorry, princess.” Princess Twilight gave Celestia a gentle hug. “Sometimes things go unsaid. I know you’ll get your chance someday, but… right now, we have other concerns.” “Yeah.” Little Spike descended into the manhole first, a headlamp tied to his forehead. “I doubt we’ll even find Sombra in the first place. He’s probably being held back by the Reflection’s Celestia and Luna. And Captain Goodguy. And the others…” Princess Celestia closed her eyes with a heavy sigh. She gently pulled away from Princess Twilight’s touch. She turned her back to the manhole and bobbed her head gently. “I see. I understand. You have the right of it. It’s just…” She turned, and Twilight was taken aback by the devilish gleam in her eye. “You’ll have to catch me, first.” She spread her hands and blinded everyone with a flash of pure white light. Twilight fell back against Big Mac, who caught her with a strong grip. She held onto his arms tight until the dazedness cleared. By then, all she saw of Celestia was a trail of sparks leading down into the sewers. Sunburst’s jaw dropped. “Ulp. There she goes.” Little Spike rubbed his eyes and peered downward. “Wha—! She just jumped down! How?” Princess Twilight pushed past Sturm and Drang, gritting her teeth. “Celestia! Get your butt back here right now!” “Incredible!” Sunburst knelt by the manhole, grasping his glasses so they didn’t slide into the darkness. “When she was visiting other worlds, she must have learned how to harness other forms of magic—!” “Thank you, Dr. Science!” Twilight Sparkle slung herself over the edge of the roadway, taking the rungs two at a time. Little Spike hurried up so that he wasn’t run over. “If we don’t wanna lose her between worlds, we probably wanna move it!” “I swear, Celestia!” Princess Twilight shouted. “If I gotta pull your bacon out of the fire because of Sombra again—” “Less talking.” Shining Armor eased himself down, but not before checking that his pistol was secure in its harness. “More climbing!” Big Mac checked the safety on his rifle and strapped it to his back. He gave Sunburst, Strum, and Drang a small wave—“Nice tah meet yah.”—and climbed after the others. As Sturm began his descent, Princess Twilight shouted up. “You two stay here and help Skyhook protect our families! That’s an order!” Unable to protest without a breach of duty, the two soldiers glanced at each other with dour expressions. Sunburst turned to see Principal Luna running towards them. He gave her a lopsided grin. “So. Any idea how to replace a manhole cover without pulling a muscle?” Twilight Sparkle’s legs got soaked up to the shin immediately. The water was stale, but not quite repugnant. She continued to move forward, following the trail of Celestia’s magic-assisted charge. There could be only one place the princess was going. There was only once chance to stop her before she did something they’d all regret. Deep in her heart, she knew there was no way to convince Celestia not to go. Twilight would have done the same if Big Mac was in jeopardy. The best shot they had to keep her safe was to be by her side. Before long, they found her dead ahead. Celestia was breathing heavily, her hand on a wall. She glanced up at the approaching flashlights and headlamps. “I… I can’t get through… I need help.” “Are you crazy!” Princess Twilight echoing shout was not a question in any sense of the word. “We almost lost you once and the entire kingdom erupted into chaos! Is that what you want? Another Cloudsdale Incident?” Celestia’s eyes shone with unshed tears as she strained her jaw. “Twilight, please, try to understand.” “No! I understand perfectly!” Princess Twilight’s finger was inches away from prodding Celestia in the nose. “I should never have let you come to this world in the first place! But noooo, I had to make the mistake of trusting you!” Little Spike pushed them apart with his forepaws. “Twilight, stop it! You’re just upset and saying things you don’t mean!” Princess Twilight pushed Little Spike’s head down. “Look at me, Celestia! Look me in the eye and tell me you’re marching right back to Sturm and Drang and staying put!” “I have to know, Twilight!” Celestia reached out to put her hands on Princess Twilight’s shoulders. “Even if there’s no hope, I have to know for sure! Please, just let me have this—” Princess Twilight scowled, a dark expression that scared Twilight to the core. Her voice was hushed, yet sharp. “You’ve already risked both our worlds over this fillyhood crush. You wanna do it again?” Princess Celestia, Diarch of Equestria, hung her head and stepped back from her former student. Twilight Sparkle glanced down at Little Spike to see him glaring at the younger princess. He let out a huff and walked away, to pace behind Big Mac and Shining. Twilight sucked in a breath and reached for her counterpart. “Hey.” “What?” Princess Twilight swung around to bring her white-hot gaze to Twilight. Twilight flinched, but didn’t back down. “Haven’t you ever wanted something so bad you couldn’t live without it?” The princess closed her eyes with a sigh. She looked past Twilight and pointed to the wall. “We don’t always get the luxury of prioritizing what we want.” Twilight turned. The wall was full of cracks and loose bricks. She held up her magic sensor and was rewarded with a crackle of energy. “This is it. This is where the portal is.” Big Mac gripped the strap of his rifle tight. “So… we can’t bring our firearms on school grounds—” “By the time we get close enough, we’ll be in a whole other world.” Princess Twilight touched the wall and sent magic to her fingertips. “No good. I can’t budge them.” She turned to Twilight with an expectant look. Twilight Sparkle nudged her aside with an elbow. None too gently, at that. Princess Twilight threw her hands up and sulked off down the tunnel. Placing her hands on the wall, Twilight pushed magic deep, deep, deep into the stone. She felt pure lifeforce slide between bricks, encircling loose dirt, reaching forward until she found a hollow spot in the earth. The magic within was odd, yet familiar. Much like the portal to the princess’ Equestria, yet with a resonance all its own. They had for sure found it. She shuffled the wall in her grasp, edging aside anything that was loose, shoring up anything that could crumble. Sweat trickled down her back as her heart pumped a strong, steady beat. Magic flowed through her body and into her work, gleaming in the tunnel brighter than any flashlight. She sucked in a breath, let half of it out, and shoved with all her might. The wall came away and transformed into a tunnel straight from the sewer to a dark room, hidden beneath the foundations of Canterlot High. Twilight Sparkle eyes her handiwork with a sigh of relief. She took a swig from a water bottle Shining passed her. “Everyone… douse your lights.” Big Mac and Shining Armor raised their eyebrows, but Little Spike complied immediately. The two princesses followed soon after. With a bit of visible reluctance, Shining flicked off his flashlight. For a moment there was darkness, then a warm glow filled the distant room. “Of course,” Shining whispered into the gloom. “Bioluminescence. Just like the other portal.” Big Mac stepped forward, taking point as the group moved slowly forward. “Y’sure it’s bio-luminescent? Don’t look like anythin’s alive in there.” “Unless the portal itself is a living organism.” Twilight Sparkle stepped aside and lifted a hand to indicate the new tunnel. “Princess?” Princess Twilight took a step, but Twilight stopped her with a shake of her head. “No. I meant Celestia.” The younger princess crossed her arms. “This is bigger than just us, Twilight.” “Yeah. It’s got to do with true love.” Twilight matched the princess in her stance, even if she could never match her in stature. She tilted her chin back to look the princess in the eye. “Or at least as close to true love as can exist in the world. Are we or are we not super-wizards capable of protecting a third super-wizard?” Princess Twilight Sparkle’s eyes lost their hardness, replaced with a deep-seated pain. “You’re making a mistake.” “You’re not always right.” Twilight brushed her bangs away from her glasses. “And when we get back, we are sitting down and having a long conversation with the doctor.” “Then I hope we find what we need.” Princess Twilight moved aside so that Celestia could walk towards the glimmering, reflected light. The pool was nearly identical to the one in the woods, save for perhaps a slightly different shade of blue-green to the water. The crystals shone all around with their warm, inviting power. It was as lovely as it was mysterious. The water tingled at the touch, and reflected perfect images of each of them as they stood around it. The water rippled out from Twilight’s fingertip. Her mirrored face split to pieces as it was lapped away. “Who goes in first?” “I will.” Everyone turned to face Little Spike, who knelt before the pool ready to leap. “I can make sure everything’s ship-shape on the other side. Why don’t you follow me, Twilight? Then my Twilight can come in with Celestia.” Princess Celestia bowed her head respectfully. “That sounds wise, Spike.” Princess Twilight gave him a shallow nod, her mouth a grim line. Little Spike gave them a halfhearted grin—“Bottoms up.”—and jumped into the pool. He vanished without a trace. Twilight’s smile at her brother and boyfriend was a little more sincere, and a little more regretful. “You’re about to experience something so weird, words can’t do it justice. You know, the whole ‘pony’ thing?” Shining Armor smirked, in that way he smirked before doing something he knew was going to suck. “I’m sure I’ve seen worse.” Big Mac just stared into the pool with wide eyes. Twilight Sparkle gave her counterpart a nod, pinched her nose, and jumped in feet-first. Even having experienced it before, she was unprepared for the bizarreness of it all. She felt her body morph as she fell through a kaleidoscope of impossible colors. The one thing she had over her previous trips was an understanding of magic, and she felt the transmogrification spell work overtime to reconfigure her into a denizen of this strange alternate world. At the same time, she felt her connection with her own magic strengthen. Intensify. Like removing weights from her limbs. She felt lighter than air, and stronger than an ox. She felt like she was breathing clean air for the first time in her life. The sensation ended as she spilled out of the other side of the pool. She found herself clawing at sandy soil in an effort to pull herself from the water. She couldn’t get a good handhold, because she had no hands. Two hard hooves lay at the end of her forelegs. She forced her four legs to move in concert, the hind legs shoving, and the forelegs scooping. Eventually, she found herself on dry land, the water spilling off of her of its own accord on its way back to the pool. She checked her forty-four caliber handgun. It was safely strapped to her chest, just beneath her jacket. Although, she thought as she peered at her horn, perhaps she had more powerful weapons at her disposal now. The cave she was in was shallow, with the entrance mere feet away. The sky outside was dark and gloomy, clouds and dust filling the air. She stumbled her first few steps, but soon allowed instinct to take over. “Spike! Spike, where are you?” Dry grass covered the entrance to the small cave. It crackled as she pushed it aside. “Spike! Are you there? Sp—” A blood-chilling roar split the air and did its best to stop Twilight’s heart. She spun around and saw a wall of claws and teeth bared and baring down on her. She had time to send a quick spell through her horn, just enough to bat the beast off course. It crumped to the ground and was swallowed up with a cloud of dust. Twilight skittered backwards as fast as she could, sending more magic to her horn. She kept her eyes on the churning dust, which thrashed and roiled as the beast within got to its feet and let out another horrific roar. The monstrous thing leaped at her once more, glaring at her with blazing, green eyes. A purple dragon rushed past her and decked the beast across the face with a blow that Twilight felt rattle her bones. Little Spike grappled with the beast, grasping at its jaws and attempting to wrestle it to the ground. “Twilight, run!” The beast’s horrible roar clawed against Twilight’s ears, and she heard a distinct word: “No!” Twilight’s mouth fell open as her ears hung limp beside her head. The dust cleared and the beast came into view. Purple and green scales covered its body. Green fire licked from its mouth. Glistening eyes glared daggers of rage. Scars covered every inch of the monster’s body. Little Spike saw it at the same moment she did. His grip loosened for a critical moment. “Oh no—” The beast threw him to the ground. It wrapped its claws around his neck and squeezed with all its might. Little Spike clawed with equal force at the frenzied creature’s muscular arms. He tried to choke words out, but nothing could get past the beast’s deadly grip. Figuring fire wouldn’t affect what was clearly a dragon, Twilight let loose with a cone of ice. She froze the creature’s head solid for a critical moment. Little Spike kicked with his hind legs and flung the beast away. Green fire belched from the beast’s mouth, shattering the ice and vaporizing it in an instant. Little Spike got to his feet and braced himself for another impact. “We don’t wanna hurt you! W—” The beast leapt, ready to continue the tussle, but halted in midair. He struggled in the midst of a bubble of solid magic. He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw who was holding him. Princess Twilight Sparkle marched forward, her head low, her horn ablaze. Princess Celestia walked slowly behind her, her walking stick strapped to her back. The younger princess brought the beast close to her. When she spoke, her voice was firm, yet her eyes were—simply and undeniably—sad. “Please, they told you the truth.” Princess Twilight Sparkle set the beast on the ground, but did not remove the magic seal. “We don’t want to hurt you. Will you trust us just that far… Spike?” The mirror Spike swiveled his gaze between Princess Twilight and Twilight Sparkle. He looked close at the princess, his eyes narrowing, until realization and sorrow overtook him in equal parts. “You aren’t my Twilight. Neither of you are.” He raised a claw to point at Celestia. “You, though. You’re his Celestia, aren’t you?” Celestia put a hoof to her scarred chest. “I don’t know what you mean.” The other Spike shook his head, his eyes turned downward. “Yes you do.” Princess Twilight released him from the magic cage. He put a hand to his mouth and shouted. “It’s alright to come out! We’re not in danger!” Twilight Sparkle jerked her head around as ponies appeared over the crests of the hills that surrounded the cave. They were all dressed in light armor, wrapped in rags, and armed with a variety of homemade spears. She counted ten, twenty, thirty… a chill ran down her spine at the thought of fighting them all. Even surrounded, Princess Twilight didn’t look concerned. Neither did Little Spike for that matter; he just looked ready for anything. The newly-revealed army drew around them in a circle, until they were practically shoulder-to-shoulder. One unicorn mare with an orange coat and a pale-green mane stepped forward. Her one good eye, a light shade of pink, glared at them. Judging from the scars on the left side of her face, the black eyepatch wasn’t just for show. “What is your business here?” Twilight Sparkle’s heart jittered to a stop for a moment. She recognized that voice. “Chief Carrot?” “I prefer ‘General Care’ around here, actually.” General Care Carrot pulled a face as she looked Twilight up and down. “You sure she’s not the doc, Spike?” “Yes.” The other Spike’s eyes met Twilight’s. He looked away before she could say anything. “I’d stake my life on it.” “Not mine, I hope.” General Care gave him a smarmy grin that he didn’t return. With a wave of her spear at the others, she said, “I’ll say it again: What’s your business here?” Twilight Sparkle cleaned dust off of her glasses with a flicker of magic. “It’s a long story.” “I’m a patient mare.” “We’re mostly here about… your Twilight.” Twilight gave her a sheepish grin, one that was about as weak as a toddler’s boxing skills. “The Twilight from your world?” The other Spike huffed a smoke-filled breath. “I was worried about that.” Celestia took a step forward and lifted a regal foreleg. “I am also curious about the state of your world in regards to Sombra. May we set up a meeting with your Queen Celestia and Princess Luna?” One of the soldiers let out a low whistle. General Care looked like she had eaten bad shellfish. “Boy, you guys are really out of touch, huh?” Princess Twilight rubbed her forehead. “I don’t like the sound of that.” Little Spike looked to his personal reflection. “Did we come at a bad time?” “It’s always a bad time.” The other Spike squeezed a fist tight, shutting his eyes against a sand-strewn breeze. “This world is not the same as you left it.” Splashing came from the cave as two distinct voices screamed in unison, their sense of self having been overturned for perhaps the third time in as many days. The other Spike growled and skidded to a halt, but Celestia reached out a wing. “Peace, Spike,” she said. “They are more of our number.” The other Spike’s eyes flashed green in the dim light. Care raised her good eyebrow at Celestia, then sent a questioning shrug to her Spike. He calmed down, and the fire within him went quiet. Twilight and Little Spike ran into the cave to help Big Mac and Shining Armor get their bearings. Twilight pulled on Big Mac’s foreleg, helping him stumble while trying not to be flattened herself. “Don’t know what I expected,” he muttered. “Don’t know what the heck I expected.” Twilight felt a warm, fuzzy feeling in her chest as she looked up to see his familiar, if quite pony, face. “Well, you’ve still got your rugged good looks.” Little Spike assisted Shining Armor by giving him a shoulder to lean on. Shining wobbled, almost sending both him and Little Spike to the ground. He turned to talk, and got a full view of Twilight and Mac for the first time. “Ha—Haaaaaaaaaaa!” He nearly doubled over, breathless, his eyes leaking tears. “Oh my G—hahahahaha!” Big Mac grimaced, Twilight straining to lift his massive hoof. “Tah think I of all folks ’d get self-conscious…” “I’m sorry—” Shining coughed into what used to be his fist. “It’s just—hehehe—I wasn’t rea—haha—wasn’t ready for it.” His laughter died when he looked out the cave entrance and found himself faced down by several grim soldiers. He glanced down at his hooves and sucked in his lips. “How’m I supposed to use my pistol with these?” “You can’t. You’re here for brute strength.” Twilight gave Mac a light shove on the bum that caused him to hobble forward a few tense steps. “Lucky for you, nobody in this world’s invented anything more advanced than a spear.” “I take a high amount of offense to that,” General Care said. “Now, if you’re all finished invading my country, why don’t we get indoors?” *** Sunset Shimmer called Twilight’s phone again, once again unable to connect. She sighed and rested her forehead against the doorframe. “They’ve already gone to the other world.” “Call Luna… or one of your other friends.” Celestia drummed her fingers on her knees, bouncing her leg with nervous energy. “Somebody needs to know what’s going on, Sunset.” “I know.” Sunset glanced through her contacts. There, Applejack. Sunny was staying at the Apples’. She might be able to get a message around. She pressed the button to call and was rewarded with a familiar ring. “Hello? Yes, hello?” The voice was unfamiliar and faint. There was a ruckus as the person on the other end fiddled with the phone. Applejack’s voice spoke, low and frustrated. “No, yah speak into that end and—no, your ear’s on the side of your head now—for gosh sake, just—” The first person, one with a nasally male voice, came through the speaker loud and clear. “Hello, this is Applejack’s phone! I’m Sunburst, a mage in service to Princess Twilight Sparkle. I assume this is Sunset Shimmer?” “Um. Yes. This is Sunset Shimmer. Teacher in service… to… Principal Celestia?” Sunset shrugged at Celestia with a mild grimace. “Listen, the situation here has changed. Can you relay a message to the princess?” “Not at the moment, unfortunately. She left her magic journal back in Equestria.” “Dang, right.” Sunset Shimmer blew a hot breath through tightly-pressed lips. Magic flames danced before her face before she doused them with a wave of her hand. “The government of the Highborn Isles is going after the school to arrest everybody. I… I’m going to do my best to get everybody here out of their jurisdiction.” Applejack’s shout of “What!?” was swallowed up by Sunburst’s own. “The only way to save the school is to take everybody out of the country. Out of the world…” Sunset Shimmer rubbed her forehead. “Get a message to Princess Luna that about fifty people are going to suddenly appear in Equestria.” Sunburst blathered for a long moment. “Ma’am? Is that wise?” “Doesn’t matter. It’s our only option right now.” Sunset Shimmer gripped the phone tight. “Tell Sunny and Shiny I love them.” She hung up. Sombra walked swiftly through the school’s large central room. He raised a hand to hail Starlight. “Madam! Please, a moment of your time!” Starlight continued on a beeline towards Sunset. Sombra trailed in her wake. “Wait! Before you do something rash, let me speak with Fancy Pants. He’s my friend! I have to let him know how important this school is. How vital magic is to the world at large. Surely then, he’d—” “Then he’d know that we know he’s coming!” Starlight whirled on Sombra, and he skidded to a stop. “He’s a politician! They’re all the same! He’s going to squelch any chance he has of word getting out, and right now, that amounts to taking us all into custody. Including you!” “Yes, my world also lost its sense of joy and freedom a long time ago.” Sombra’s grim expression belied the fire behind his eyes. “That’s why this school is so important! It shows that the gloom and mire of our world is merely a shallow veil over the true vibrance of life, easily pushed aside if one knows how.” “That ‘gloom and mire’ has the authority of the Royal Guard, Sombra!” Starlight stomped a foot as her fingernails glimmered a bright blue. “That ‘gloom and mire’ is coming for us with arrest warrants! Pretty words aren’t going to stop the school from imploding; only actions can change that!” She spun further to come face-to-face with Sunset Shimmer. “You ready to start or what?” Sunset nodded and followed her to the back room of the warehouse, where Dr. Twilight Sparkle’s private laboratory was kept. “Let’s get started on that scanner.” *** “I vote either ‘Angry Spike’ or ‘Edgy Spike.’” The group walked through the dusty landscape towards a structure that looked to be comprised of either concrete or solid stone. Twilight Sparkle flicked her ears backward to catch the conversation going on between the two dragons in the party. She couldn’t help but notice that the armed ponies had completely surrounded the new arrivals to the Reflection universe. The other Spike tilted his filmy ears towards Little Spike. “I’m not sure I understand the necessity of nicknames.” “That’s what I said, but it really kinda grows on you.” Little Spike waved a claw through the air, gazing off into the murky far-distance. “With all the alternate-universe counterparts running around, we need some way to make sure we mean who we mean, you know?” He gestured to Princess Twilight, then to Twilight herself. “For instance, we now have three different Twilights to deal with!” The other Spike clicked his tongue. “Yeeeeah, I noticed.” “So we know we’re talking about my Twilight when we say ‘Princess Twilight,’ and we’re talking about your Twilight when we say ‘Dr. Twilight.’” “Makes sense, I guess,” the other Spike said with a wince. “What about the third Twilight?” “Well… exception that proves the rule?” “That or a statistical anomaly.” “Fair enough.” Little Spike scratched a dead scale off of his chin. “Back home, whenever she gets brought up, we just sorta call her Sci-Twi.” Twilight raised an eyebrow. Apt, if a bit twee, as the inhabitants of the Highborn Isles would say. The other Spike narrowed his eyes. “It’s a bit on-the-nose. And I’m pretty sure all of our Twilights like science.” Little Spike’s eyes popped wide open. He snapped his fingers with a huff. “Yes, but for her, it’s specifically science over magic.” “Dude, she froze my head a few minutes ago. Science didn’t do that.” The other Spike placed his claws on his hips. “I’m just saying that if you’re married to this nickname idea, go all the way. Do it right.” Little Spike quirked his mouth to one side, baring about half of his razor-sharp teeth. “I’m just about ready to call you ‘Pedantic Spike.’” The other Spike snorted. “Only if you’re willing to be called ‘Half-baked Spike.’” “I’m already called ‘Little Spike;’ I have no pride left after that.” “In that case…” The other Spike rubbed his chin in a eerily-similar manner to that of Little Spike. “I’d like to be called ‘Purple Spike.’” “I’m purple, too!” “And yet ‘Sci-Twi’ gets a pass?” Twilight Sparkle turned around and walked backwards to keep the two of them in sight. “Alright, this is getting silly. Spike, what is a characteristic you know of that separates you from Little Spike?” The other Spike gazed at her with lidded eyes. “That I live in an apocalyptic hellscape where the only law is a thinly-held line of ponies standing between civilization and utter chaos?” “Definitely Edgy Spike,” Little Spike muttered. Princess Twilight threw her head back and moaned. “I don’t understand! When we left, King Sombra had taken the evil magic into himself and freed your Celestia and Luna! This place should be a paradise!” General Care scoffed, turning to the princess with a humorless grin. “What? Is your world a paradise?” “Well, no, not really.” “Can’t expect us to be one either. Paradise doesn’t exist in the temporal world we live in, princess.” General Care gritted her teeth and sucked in a breath. “Things went upside-down when you left. Not your fault… You saved both our worlds, so don’t be too down on yourself.” They arrived at the building, which was guarded by more ponies wrapped in rags like mummies, complete with eye-protecting goggles. The soldier at the door saluted General Care. “General. Sir Spike. Another dust storm is headed our way. We recommend staying inside for the rest of the day.” “I read you loud and clear, Sturm.” General Care’s one good eye blinked away a smattering of dust. “Looks like you kids get to stay here for a few hours at least. That’ll give us some time to get everybody’s stories sorted.” Princess Celestia bobbed her head to the mirror-verse Sturm as she passed him by. “Pardon me, but may I ask where Drang might be? I had assumed the two of you would be serving together.” Sturm sighed. He pushed the goggles up from his eyes, revealing them to be red at the edges. “We were fighting the enemy and got caught in a sudden dust storm. He stayed behind to give us a window to escape.” Celestia’s ears drooped. The unspoken part of the conversation resounded all the louder. “I’m sorry for your loss, Sturm.” He gave her a curt nod. “I’m sorry for yours, Your Majesty.” Water was passed around. Not much, but enough to clear their throats of grime. They circled around a cheap table in the heart of the fortress, though the head seat wasn’t taken by anybody. It seemed reserved for a certain someone Twilight couldn’t guess at. General Care placed her hooves on the table. “Alright. Who wants to go first? Us or you?” “If it ain’t too much trouble,” Big Mac said, “I’m havin’ the darndest time just followin’ our side of the story, let alone yours. May I be the first to ask just what in the hey is goin’ on around here?” “I’ve been in spots like this before.” Shining Armor leaned on the table, his face flinty and immobile. “You guys are fighting a guerrilla war, aren’t you? On the run, low supplies, faced with overwhelming force, with even the weather against you. The question is: Who are you fighting?” Princess Twilight flapped the dirt from her feathers. “And why can’t we see Celestia or Luna?” “These questions both have the same answer…” The other Spike pointed northeast, judging by the compass on the table. “Sombra.” General Care nodded, spreading a map between them with a gleam from her horn. “After King Sombra took the Tantabus into himself, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna sealed him in his castle. Dr. Twilight Sparkle and Spike both remained in the castle to seek a cure for him.” “We failed,” the other Spike said. “It’s not your fault, Spike.” General Care placed a warm hoof on his shoulder. “You did nothing wrong.” “I’m sorry,” Princess Twilight said. “The Tantabus? Isn’t that…” She trailed off without specifying, clearly hoping for the general to fill the void. General Care looked sick to her stomach. She gave her Spike another pat and eased herself into a chair. “Spike knows more about that than me.” The other Spike stood up, walked to a shelf, and pulled a scroll from among the dust. “Years ago, Luna was the guardian of dreams. Protecting her people from the dark forces that lurked on the edge of consciousness. But it was too large a job for her to do alone, and so she and Sombra worked together to create a dream guardian, one that could patrol the Dreamworld automatically. Take some of the burden off her…” He laid the scroll in front of Twilight. Most of it was gibberish to her, but she could see that very powerful magic was at play. “Something went wrong. The artificial intelligence in the Tantabus was corrupted by the dark creatures in Dreamland. The Tantabus turned on them. It first infected Celestia, then later Luna.” “So,” Princess Twilight said, her brow furrowing, “what we’ve been calling ‘evil magic’—” “Yeah, the Tantabus. It feeds on fear and amplifies it.” The other Spike carefully returned the scroll to its resting place. “Rather than protect the people from Nightmares, it created a link right to them.” Princess Celestia sat up a little straighter. “And that’s what’s plaguing Sombra right now?” “That’s why Sombra’s plaguing us!” General Care checked the knot of her ponytail. Finding it satisfactory, she pointed a hoof at Celestia. “The seal on his castle broke, and he killed both Celestia and Luna a few years back. Since then, it’s been up to the Knights of Virtue and the Canterlot Regulars to keep the peace even a little. But we can barely control the sun, and we for sure can’t grow any crops while Sombra’s out there being a horseapple!” Twilight Sparkle glanced out the door, to where she could just barely see the dust storm rolling in. “No wonder Dr. Twilight wanted to leave.” A chair snapped in the other Spike’s claws. He looked down at his handiwork, muttered an apology, and walked over to Twilight’s side. “You’ve met the doctor? Actually spoken with her?” “Kinda?” Twilight eased away from the other Spike until her back was nestled safely against Big Mac’s side. “I talked with her on the phone… We came here to learn more about her.” General Care’s eye glared a singular, yet fiery, dagger of murderous intent at Twilight. “Where is she?” “I’m…” Twilight Sparkle’s spine tingled with a fierce sensation of “flee for your life!” “I’m not sure. She’s overseas. Were you… looking for her?” “Am I looking for the single most-wanted mare in Equestria next to Cadenza the Tyrant?” Care’s voice rose with every word, spittle flying from her mouth. “You’re rutting right I am!” Twilight’s stomach swam. She gave the outside world one last desperate glance before it was swallowed in dirt and whirlwinds. “Why? What did she do?” Care stood up so fast that her chair tumbled to the ground. “What didn’t she do?” “Care!” the other Spike snapped. “Sit down! They don’t know anything!” General Care flicked her chair upright with a spell and sat down in a huff. “Twilight…” The other Spike’s voice was soft as he sat on the ground beside her. He reached for her, thought better of it, and let his claws rest on his knees. “My Twilight was the one who broke the seal on the castle. She’s the one who set King Sombra loose on the world.” Tears gleamed in his bright green eyes as he stared straight into hers. “She’s a monster and she needs to be put down.”