It has been about a week since Twilight’s coronation. It was hard to believe Twilight became a princess already. I knew the day would come and all, and I did get used to her wings back in my old world, but it was still a hard pill for me to swallow initially.
One day, the girls and I were summoned to the Crystal Empire. The other princesses, Celestia, Luna, and Cadance, were waiting for us there for a royal summit. It was going to be Twilight’s first since her coronation. Twilight herself was feeling both nervous and excited.
“You're 'nervicited'!” Pinkie shouted. “It's like you wanna jump up and down and yell ‘YAY ME!!’ But you also wanna curl up in a teeny-tiny ball and hide at the same time!”
“You've got no reason to fret, Twi,” Applejack. “Everything's gonna be just—”
“TWILIGHT!” Rarity shouted. “Oh, sorry, darling, but I just realized you're not wearing your crown. You haven't forgotten it back in Ponyville, have you?”
“It's in my bag,” Twilight replied as she pointed to the bag I was carrying. “Just feel a little self-conscious about wearing it. Haven't really gotten accustomed to these yet, either.” Twilight unfurled her wings.
Hey, it took me about a year to get used to them, Twilight.
“You are a princess now, Twilight,” Rarity said. “Embrace it! I'm telling you, if I had a crown like that, I would never take it off. Why, I'd sleep in the thing.”
“Don’t the other princesses do?” I asked.
“I don’t know,” Twilight replied. “I doubt it. They can’t wear royalty all the time.”
We headed into the crystal castle and up to the throne room. We greeted the other three princesses.
“We have so much to discuss,” Celestia said. “But it can wait until tomorrow. You all look tired from your journey. Now, off to bed, all of you.”
Later that night, Twilight and I got ready to go to sleep. Twilight put her crown on and sighed as she looked into the mirror.
“Still worried about being a princess?” I asked.
“Can you blame me? Princess Cadance was given the Crystal Empire to rule over. What if, now that I'm a princess, Celestia expects me to lead a kingdom of my own?”
“I shouldn’t worry. The mayor of Ponyville isn’t considering retirement anytime soon.”
“What if it’s another place? Just because I have this crown and these wings, it doesn't mean I'll be a good leader!”
“Twilight, you already are. You’ve helped the girls and I through many situations. You’ve done so much to prove that you’ve earned those wings. You’d be perfect as a leader.”
“Spike, there’s a difference between leading five ponies plus a dragon and a whole community of ponies.” Twilight put her crown on the nightstand.
“Let’s just get some sleep. We’ve got a big day tomorrow.”
Twilight and I went to bed. I couldn’t sleep, though. I knew this was when “Equestria Girls” took place. I had to keep watch so that I could see Sunset Shimmer. I thought maybe I could try to keep her from getting into the mirror. If that happened, we would have to find a way to reform her.
Hours passed, and I was getting ready to fall asleep for real. That’s when I heard the bedroom door opening. I quickly covered myself with the blanket as the door opened. I peeked through the covers to see a black, hooded figure entering the room. I knew who it was.
Sunset Shimmer.
I saw her approach the nightstand. She pulled out a fake crown to replace Twilight’s. That was my cue. I jumped out of bed and grabbed her front hooves.
“Gotcha!”
“AUGH!!” Sunset stumbled backwards and slammed her head against the bedpost. “Ow! Mother of—!”
“What’s going on?!” Twilight turned on the light. She then noticed Sunset without her hood. “Hey! Who are you?!”
Sunset quickly grabbed the crown that she dropped and ran out the door.
“Stop that pony!” I shouted. “She stole Twilight’s crown!”
I swiftly ran out of the room. Twilight hopped out of bed and followed suit. The other girls awakened and joined us with the chase.
“Where’s the guards when you need them?!” I asked.
Quickly, Twilight teleported right in front of Sunset to stop her, but Sunset quickly teleported away. We continued to chase the yellow unicorn. Twilight pounced on her and the two bounced into a room that contained a familiar mirror. Twilight’s crown fell out of Sunset Shimmers bags. I dove for it, but Sunset grabbed with her magic and threw it into the mirror. Sunset stopped fighting with Twilight immediately and ran into the mirror as well. The girls were shocked as to what happened.
Bright and early next morning, we explained the situation to Celestia. Just like in the show, she told us that Sunset Shimmer used to be one of her students before Twilight, but she turned cruel when she didn’t get what she wanted. That’s what drove her to villany.
“She tried to replace Twilight’s with this fake one,” I said as I showed it to Celestia.
“I suppose Sunset Shimmer thought you wouldn't notice right away that this was not yours,” Celestia said. “And by the time you did, it would be too late to go after your crown and Element of Harmony.”
“It’s a good thing I noticed her right away, huh?”
“But I don't understand. Where did she go?” asked Twilight. “Where did she take the crown?”
“You'll soon know more about this place than even I do,” Celestia replied.
We all went to the room that had the mirror. I handed Twilight the fake crown.
“You might need this,” I whispered. “That way you could switch the crown back.”
Twilight nodded and took the crown. We arrived at the magic mirror.
“This is no ordinary mirror,” Luna said. “It is a gateway to another world. A gateway that opens once every thirty moons.”
“What kind of world is it?” I asked.
“It’s a world that’s full of mystery and confusion, much different than Equestria. It would only be familiar to those who have been in such a place.” Luna removed Pinkie’s hoof from the mirror. “It has always been kept in the throne room of Canterlot Castle. But when Princess Cadance took over the Crystal Empire, we sent it here for her to watch over.”
Celestia sighed. “I had always hoped that Sunset Shimmer would someday use it to return, to come back to Equestria seeking my guidance. Obviously, this is not what has happened.”
The princesses told Twilight that she needed to travel to this world in order to retrieve her crown. Otherwise, there would be disastrous consequences between both worlds. Twilight put on her saddlebags. The girls and I wanted to join, but Celestia forbade it.
“Sending all of you could upset the balance of this alternate world,” she said, “creating havoc that would make it impossible for Twilight to get the crown back from Sunset Shimmer. This is something Princess Twilight must do alone.”
“Time is of the essence,” Luna reminded. “On the third day, when the moon reaches its peak in the night sky, the gateway will close. And once it does, it will be another thirty moons before you will be able to use it to return.”
The girls gave some words of encouragement as Twilight approached the mirror. One she stepped in, I prepared myself to run.
Okay, you can do this, Spike. It’s only a few days. Hopefully, the fleas won’t be as bad as they say it is. 3, 2, 1, GO!!
I dashed to the mirror, ignoring the mares shouting at me to stop. Once I got through, I was introduced with many swirling colors and bright lights. I felt my body stretch and squeeze like I was in a taffy-making machine. I never felt like this the last time I went to a different world. Then again, I was asleep for the whole trip.
After appearing on the other side of the portal, I saw Twilight on the ground. Just like in the show, she was a human being with purple hair. She wore the same light blue blouse, purple skirt, and purple boots. What was different was her skin was actually a light tan color instead of lavender. I also noticed that I was almost at eye level to her. I assumed I became a bigger dog.
“Twilight?” I asked.
“Spike!” Twilight replied. “You're not supposed to...Spike? What happened to you? What...are you?”
“What do you mean? I’m a...” I looked at my paws.
Except they weren’t paws.
They were hands. Human hands.
What? This can’t be right. I thought I was going to turn into a dog. Oh well.
“I...don’t know,” I said to Twilight. “Probably whatever happened to you.”
Twilight looked at herself, and just like in the movie, she was freaking out. She frantically looked at each part of her body, wondering what they were.
“Twilight! Pull yourself together!” I shouted.
“What does the rest of me look like?!” Twilight asked.
“Well, uh…your muzzle is small. So is your ears. Other than that, you look pretty much the same. Now d-don’t panic. There has to be a reason why we look different.”
“Well I don’t see why I have to wear these weird clothes. I’m taking them off.”
“TWILIGHT! DON’T!!”
Twilight quickly snapped her hands away from her bowtie. “Why not?”
“I think I know what’s happened to us. We turned into humans. The furless skin, the clothes, the two legs. We’re humans now.”
“Oh, great.” Twilight rubbed her forehead.
“Don’t worry, Twilight. Lucky for you, I’ve been secretly reading that anthropology book, so I can help you know a thing or two about humans. First of all, clothes are mandatory, so we need to leave ours on.”
“Okay...”
“Secondly,” I said as I stood up, “we need to get into the habit of walking on two legs. Here, I’ll help you walk.”
Twilight draped one of her arms over my shoulder as I slowly picked her up.
“Okay, that’s it. That’s it. Keep yourself steady,” I said.
“Woah! Woah! How are you used to this?” Twilight asked.
“Well, seeing how humans stand on two legs just like dragons, it was pretty easy.” I looked at my backside. “The only problem is the lack of a tail.”
“Alright, we need to find my crown as soon as possible and get back to Equestria. I suggest we start searching the castle first.” Twilight pointed at the building in front of us.
“That looks like a school to me.”
“Huh? But it says ‘Canterlot High’ on it. Whatever ‘High’ means.”
“High? Oh, it must be a high school. I’ve read that in the book. Humans go to this place to learn stuff, like in Celestia’s gifted school.”
“Then let’s explore that school.”
“Okay. Just follow my lead. Left foot front. Now right foot front.”
Still holding on to me, Twilight followed the same foot pattern as I was. A few bystanders were weirded out by what we were doing.
“Hey, are you alright?” a nearby person asked.
“Yeah, we’re fine,” I replied. “She has just got a twisted ankle. Nothing to worry about.”
“Ah, okay.” The people walked away.
“A what?” Twilight asked.
“Just some lingo I’ve read in the book,” I lied. “Now keep walking.”
We continued our awkward walk until we reached the steps. Twilight grabbed onto the rail as we headed up the steps.
“I do not wanna be like this for longer than I have to,” Twilight said.
“Look on the bright side, Twilight,” I said. “You don’t have to worry about those pesky wings anymore. Or your horn for that matter.”
Twilight petted her forehead and gasped. “I don’t have a horn?”
“Humans don’t have wings nor magic, Twilight. I know it’s absurd, but it’s true.”
Once Twilight got the hang of standing and walking, she released her grip from me. I opened the door, and we entered the school.
“Woah, I can see why this is a high school,” Twilight said. “Looks like it’s fit for high-class ponies.”
“People, Twilight,” I corrected. “You need to say people instead of ponies. We don’t want others to think we’re from another world. We need to fit in.”
“Right, right.” Twilight then looked at the nearby trophy case. “Look. What do ya think, Spike? Other artifacts she's stolen from Equestria?” She then noticed her reflection. “I don’t think I like being a human.”
I looked at myself as well. My skin was slightly tanned like Twilight’s. I had green puffy hair that closely resembled my spines, and I had a hint of peach fuzz. If I were to guess my age, it would have to be about 13-14 years old.
As for my clothes, I was wearing a light-green striped t-shirt, a purple hoodie, blue shorts that reached my knees, and purple sneakers. Surprisingly, I’ve noticed a spiked collar around my neck. It was the same one that Dog Spike had in the show.
“Uh...me neither...” I lied. “But we aren’t gonna be here for long anyway. Let’s just find that crown.”
Suddenly, a bell rang out, and soon a crowd of students came in all directions. Twilight and I leaned against the wall.
“Alright, hold my hand,” I said. “It’s the thing I’m showing you right now.” Twilight grabbed my hand. “Now follow me.”
I eased my way into the crowd with Twilight following me.
“Excuse us. Excuse us. Please excuse us. Coming through, excuse us.”
Unfortunately, Twilight lost her balance. She toppled over me, sending us colliding with another student. Thankfully, he wasn’t knocked down.
“Oww...” Twilight groaned.
“Woah, are you two okay?” the student asked. That’s when I recognized his voice.
Oh, snap. Don’t tell me…
I looked up, and sure enough, a blue-haired person with a black leather jack appeared before us. He was Flash Sentry. I had mixed feelings about him when he showed up, and while I didn’t ship Twilight with anypony else, I didn’t approve of the Flashlight ship.
“Yeah, we’re fine,” I said as I brushed myself off. “Come on, Twilight.” I grabbed Twilight's hand and dragged her away. “We gotta find that crown.”
“Hey, look.” Twilight pointed at two doors ahead of us. “Restrooms. Could we stop a bit actually? I need to go.”
“Alright, I guess so,” I sighed. “But you need to take off your pants once you get into the stalls.”
“I thought you said we needed to wear clothes.”
“I know, but humans apparently pull down their pants before using the restroom. The rest of the procedure is the same as for ponies.”
“Okay.”
When we approached the restrooms, Twilight looked at the two signs.
“What’s this? ‘Mehn’? ‘Woo-mehn’?” Twilight scratched her head.
“Oh, that’s how they determine the difference between genders here,” I replied. “‘Women’ are mares, like you. And ‘men’ are stallions, like me.”
“Ah, that makes sense.” Twilight opened the door. “You stay here while I try to wash up.”
“Just remember to put your pants back on when you’re done.”
“I will.”
I waited outside as Twilight walked into the womens’ restroom. A few minutes later, she walked out without any problems.
“It seemed really easy,” Twilight said. “They had toilets and toilet paper just like in Equestria. The sinks and soap dispensers were no different either.”
“It’s nice to know some things stay the same when you travel to different worlds.”
“Oh, I'm really sorry,” A voice called out. “I-I just found it, and-and I thought I should give it to her.”
“That voice...” I said. “We need to investigate. Let’s go!”
We peeked around the corner. There we saw a girl with red and yellow hair talking to a shy girl with pink hair. I knew who those two girls were. Sunset Shimmer and Fluttershy.
“I didn't know you had dropped it,” Fluttershy said.
“Well, I did!” Sunset barked. “And I was about to get it before you swooped in and ruined everything! You shouldn't pick up things that don't belong to you. It's as good as mine, and you know it. You really are pathetic. It's no wonder your best friends are all stray animals.”
I know Sunset would be reformed later, but she’s really just asking for it at this point.
“How dare you speak to her that way!” Twilight called out.
“What did you say?” Sunset glared at her.
“I said, ‘How dare you speak to her that way!’”
Both Twilight and Sunset gave death glares to each other like they were about to fight it out. Then Sunset smirked.
“You must be new here,” Sunset said. “I can speak to anyone any way I want.” She then left in a huff.
It’s no wonder why everyone else had trouble trusting her in the sequel.
“I can’t believe you did that,” Fluttershy said.
“I couldn't just stand there,” Twilight said.
“Well, it's just that nobody ever stands up to Sunset Shimmer.”
“Sunset Shimmer? I’ve heard of her...” Twilight looked away.
“I don't think I've seen you around before. Did you just transfer to Canterlot High from another school?”
“As a matter of fact we did,” I said. “My name is...”
Fluttershy’s face lit up the second she saw me. “Oh, my goodness!” She ran to me, nearly knocking Twilight over. “Who's this sweet little guy?”
“Uh, my name is Spike,” I said. “The girl is my...sister, Twilight.” Twilight shot me a confused look.
“Hi, Spike. I’m Fluttershy. It’s so good to meet you.”
“Likewise.” I cleared my throat. “Anyway, we couldn’t help but overhear your conversation with Sunset. She said you picked something up. What was it exactly?”
“I think it was a crown of some sort.”
“What a coincidence. Twilight and I lost a crown earlier today. Do you have it with you?”
“No. This morning, I was passing out flyers for the animal shelter like I do every Wednesday. That’s when this crown appeared out of nowhere. I have no idea how it got there. But I didn't want anything to happen to it, so I decided to give it to Principal Celestia.”
“Then I’ll guess we’ll ask her. Where is she?”
“Probably in her office. It’s the third door on your left.”
“Great, we’ll head there now. Thanks, Fluttershy.”
“You’re welcome.”
Twilight and I quickly hurried to Celestia’s office.
“Okay, let me do all the talking,” I said.
“But this is Celestia we’re talking about here,” Twilight said.
“Yes, but it’s not our Celestia. I studied that anthropology book more than you have, so I have an idea about what I should say to her.”
Twilight sighed. “Fine.”
I knocked on the office door.
“Come in,” Celestia’s voice said on the other side.
I opened the door as Twilight and I headed inside. There, we saw Celestia reading from a file.
“Good afternoon,” I greeted. “You must be Principal Celestia.”
“How may I help you?” Celestia asked.
“My sister and I just transferred here. We’re here to retrieve a lost item.”
Celestia sighed and looked up. “Let me guess, another phone? Why they let kids have them is beyond me.”
“Uh, no. One of the students reported finding our crown. They said they gave it to you.”
“What do you mean, your crown?”
“Oh, it’s a little trinket my sister and I carry around,” I lied. “You know, for good luck and all that.”
“Well, we were given a crown. I've had Vice Principal Luna put it somewhere for safekeeping. No idea how it ended up in the front lawn.”
“Yeah, that must’ve been ours. We have a replacement for you if...” I looked at Twilight who just bit her lower lip.
“I forgot about it,” Twilight whispered.
“Seriously? After I reminded you?!” I hissed quietly.
“Were you interested in running for Princess of the Fall Formal this year?” Celestia asked.
“The what?” Twilight asked.
“It's Canterlot High's big Fall dance. Here at Canterlot High, the students select one of their peers to represent them. She receives her crown at the Fall Formal.”
“That does sound interesting,” I said. “Maybe you should join, Twilight.”
“Well, if it gets us the crown, then sure,” Twilight said. “How do I get in?”
“You just need to let the head of the Fall Formal planning committee know you'd like to be on the ballot,” Celestia replied.
“Alright. We’ll get right to it, thanks,” I said.
As we left the office, Twilight had a worried look on her face.
“I’m sorry about the fake crown, Spike,” she said. “I knew I forgot something when I went through the mirror.” Twilight sighed. “Looks like if I want my crown back, I'll have to become Princess of the Canterlot High Fall Formal. So that's what I'm gonna do!”
“But...how?” I asked.
“I have no idea,” she said.
Suddenly, the bell rang again. The clock read 12:00, so I assumed it was lunch time.
“We should find Fluttershy again,” I said. “Maybe she knows what we should do.”
We followed the crowd until we appeared in a big room with lots of tables. I told Twilight that this was called the cafeteria. It was where humans ate when at school. Sure enough, we found Fluttershy grabbing a tray for her food.
“Uh, hey Fluttershy,” Twilight said as she and I grabbed a tray ourselves and put food on it. “I know we've just met, but I was wondering if you might be able to help me with something.”
“Of course,” Fluttershy replied as she grabbed a fruit salad.
“I've decided to run for Princess of the Fall Formal!”
Just as Twilight said that, Fluttershy dropped the bowl of fruits in shock. Some of the juice spilled on Twilight’s shirt. Fluttershy gasped and grabbed some napkins.
“Sorry. It's just, oh, running for Fall Formal Princess is a really bad idea,” Fluttershy said as she wiped Twilight clean.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Sunset Shimmer wants to be Fall Formal Princess, and when she wants something, she gets it! She'll make life awful for anyone who stands in her way. Just ask the girl who ran against her for Princess of the Spring Fling.”
“I have to try,” Twilight said as we followed Fluttershy to a nearby table.
“I don’t think you understand. You'd have to convince everyone here to vote for you instead of her: the athletes, the fashionistas, the dramas, the eco-kids, the techies, the rockers...”
“Why’s everypony...er, body separated this way?”
“Maybe it was different at your old school, but at CHS, everybody sticks to their own kind. One thing that they do have in common is that they know Sunset Shimmer is gonna rule the school until we graduate.”
I signaled Twilight to follow her and my hand movements so she could eat properly.
“Not if I can help it,” Twilight said as she picked up the apple with her fork and took a bite.
“Twilight, you don’t have to use your fork for that,” I whispered. “Just use your hands.”
“Sorry.” Twilight removed the fork. “So, where would I find the head of the party planning committee?” Twilight asked.
“In the gym,” Fluttershy replied. “I would be careful, though. That party planner has their own way of throwing parties.”
Twilight and I continued to eat our lunch. The second I bit into the burger, the nostalgic taste of meat filled my mouth, and this was just cafeteria food.
Oh, man! I almost forgot what meat tasted like. I really need to visit the human world more often.
Judging by Twilight’s reaction, she enjoyed it as well.
“This sandwich is delicious, what's in it?” She asked.
“It’s a hamburger,” Fluttershy replied. “You two never had ground beef before?”
“Beef?” Twilight swallowed.
“Yes, like from a cow.”
Twilight instantly dropped her burger and shoved it away. I pretended to be grossed out as well, even though the burger still tasted good.
“Oh, I’m so sorry! I didn’t know you were vegetarians. So am I...partially. I can eat ground beef, but I’m against steak and ribs sometimes.”
“Y-You people are sick,” I said.
“Yes, I know. But there’s no way to prevent everyone from eating cows. It’s inevitable, and cows don’t live forever.”
“Yes, but eating them?” Twilight asked.
“I’m afraid it’s the only way to...” Fluttershy gulped. “...get rid of the elderly cows. I’m so sorry for scaring you, but nature isn’t always nice. Sometimes people and animals have to do unkind things to move on.”
After Twilight and I finished our lunch, Fluttershy gave us the directions to the gym.
“Why didn’t you warn me that humans ate other animals?!” Twilight asked as we were on our way.
“I was afraid the fact would shock you,” I replied, “but don’t worry. None of the humans eat ponies or dragons, so we should be fine.”
“But still, it’s a crazy thing to consider. And people somehow act like it’s no big deal.”
“Yeah, I know. But like what Fluttershy said, nature isn’t nice. Sometimes humans have to eat what they can in order to survive. Even if it’s a cow, pig, or chicken. At least no one eats humans. I’ve read that they ethically opposed the idea.”
“Let’s just not talk about it anymore,” Twilight said. “We need to find the gym.”
We approached a pair of double doors.
“This must be the place,” I said.
As we entered, we saw the place decorated by streamers.
“Incoming!” A familiar voice shouted.
Twilight and I ducked for cover as more streamers rained down on us. Once the barrage was finished, we brushed off the debris to see a girl with pink, fluffy hair blowing a balloon.
Twilight greeted, “Hi, my name's Twilight Sparkle and...” She took a closer look at the girl. “...Pinkie Pie?”
The girl released the balloon from her grasp and ran over to Twilight.
“Are you psychic?!” Pinkie asked.
Twilight chuckled. “I don't think so. Unless of course that's something you can do here.”
“Not usually.” Pinkie blew up another balloon.
“Fluttershy said this is where we'd find the head of the Fall Formal planning committee.”
“We assume that’s you?” I asked.
“That’s right,” Pinkie said as she tied up the balloon. “Don’t know why Fluttershy of all people would tell you. She can be a real meanie. That whole ‘shy’ thing is all an act.”
“Huh? What did she do that made you dislike her?”
“Waited a bit to get your name on the ballot, huh?” Pinkie asked Twilight. “Dance is day after tomorrow.”
“We’re brand new here,” Twilight replied.
“Oooh! I thought you didn't look familiar.” Pinkie scrutinized Twilight and me. “Though, now that I'm really lookin' at you... Do you have a twin sister who lives in the city, has a pet dog named Spike that looks just like that one only he’s a puppy dog and not a human being?”
“Uh...yes! We do!” I replied. “And you say Twilight’s the psychic one.”
So Mirror Spike is still a dog in this world. That doesn’t answer how I turned into a human, though.
“Thought so,” Pinkie said as she pulled a clipboard and pen from her hair. “Anyhoo, just need to fill this out and you are officially up for the coveted Princess of the Fall Formal crown.”
Pinkie handed Twilight the pen. Twilight looked at it with confusion.
“Excuse me, Pinkie,” I said. “But is it okay if I write her name? My sister has a disorder that prevents her from writing well.”
“Okie dokie loki!” Pinkie handed me the pen and clipboard.
That’s when I decided to mess around a bit.
“Uhh, where’s the ink bottle?” I asked jokingly.
“Ink bottle?” Pinkie chuckled. “Did you two grow up in the Dark Ages or something? There’s already ink in the pen, silly.”
“Oh, that’s convenient.” I wrote Twilight’s name on the clipboard and handed it and the pen back to her. “Say, how come there isn’t a Prince of the Fall Formal?”
Pinkie shrugged. “Eh. Not much demand.”
“Somebody order a dozen cases of fizzy apple cider?” A voice called out.
We turned to see a blond girl and an orange-haired man carrying a bunch of cases to the nearby table. It was Applejack and Big Macintosh.
“Hey, I know you,” Applejack said to Twilight.
“You do?” Twilight asked.
“Sure.” Applejack opened a bottle for herself. “You're the new girl who gave Sunset Shimmer the what for today.”
Pinkie told Applejack that Twilight was signing up for the Fall Formal. Applejack was shocked to hear that, and she told Twilight how dangerous it was to run against Sunset Shimmer.
“About the only girl in this school you can trust less than Sunset Shimmer is Rainbow Dash,” Applejack said.
“Rainbow Dash?” Twilight asked.
“She's the captain of, like, every team at Canterlot High,” Pinkie said as she bounced on a balloon.
“She's also the captain of ‘sayin' she's gonna do somethin' for ya, and then turnin' around and not even botherin' to show up’.”
I said, “Well, thanks for the advice, miss...miss...”
“Applejack. The name’s Applejack.”
“Thanks for the advice, Miss Applejack, but this is something Twilight and I really need to do.”
“Suit yerself.”
“Well, it sure was nice meeting you both,” Twilight said. “I'm sure we'll be seeing you around.” She quickly left the gym. I quickly followed her.
“Oh, one more thing,” I said to Pinkie and Applejack. “From what I’ve heard, I don’t think Dashie or Fluttershy would be the ones who’d ditch you or be mean.”
I caught up with Twilight.
“Okay, so we signed up for the crown. That’s a start,” Twilight said. “The next part is trying to convince everyone to vote for me instead of Sunset.”
“That should be easy, given Sunset’s behavior,” I said. “Though, I’m concerned about how some of the girls aren’t friends with each other.”
“That is concerning. I mean, back home they were just acquaintances before we came along, but here they’re practically enemies. I wonder what happened that made them angry with each other.”
“Probably Sunset Shimmer, no doubt.”
“You really think she caused all of this?”
“Given what she does to get what she wants, I’d be surprised if she didn’t.”
That’s when we turned to a certain area of the hall that was dark. The only source of light was a flicker fluorescent lamp right above us.
And...cue Sunset.
“Can't believe I didn't recognize you earlier.”
There she is.
Twilight and I turned to see Sunset Shimmer leaning against the lockers.
“Should’ve known Princess Celestia would send her prized pupil here after my crown, and one of her friends, too.”
“It's my crown!” Twilight rebutted.
“Whatever. This is just a minor setback for me. You don't know the first thing about this place, and I already rule it.”
“If that's so, why do you even need my crown? You went to an awful lot of trouble to switch it with the one that belongs here.”
“Pop quiz: what happens when you bring an Element of Harmony into an alternate world?”
“All life as we know it stopping instantaneously?” I replied. “And every molecule in our bodies blowing up at the speed of light?”
“Seriously?” Sunset chuckled. “You let a kid speak for you? And you're supposed to be Princess Celestia's star student?”
“Hey, I’m mature for my age.”
Sunset turned to Twilight. “Then again, what were the chances she'd find somepony as bright as me to take under her wing after I decided to leave Equestria? Bit embarrassing that you were the best she could do.”
“Now see here, Sunset Shimmer,” I said. “You may always get what you want, but so do we. We’re getting that crown back one way or another, so you’d best watch out...”
“Or else what? You’ll tell my parents? Inform Princess Celestia? Burn me into a crisp? You can’t breathe fire as a human, ‘whelp.’”
I exhaled sharply.
“You wanna be a princess here?” Sunset asked Twilight. “Please. You don't know the first thing about fitting in.” Sunset left.
“We did a great job so far!” I rebutted.
“Spike. Enough.” Twilight put her hand on my shoulder. “There’s no point in angering her further.”
We left the dark hallway. Twilight did seem a bit uneasy from Sunset’s threat.
“You alright?” I asked. “You know Sunset said all that just to destroy your confidence.”
“I know, but...” Twilight sighed. “Sunset Shimmer is right. I don't know the first thing about this place. Don’t get me wrong, Spike. I was grateful that you could help me with walking and stuff. But if I'm gonna really fit in and win votes, we need to do some research.”
“You’re right. We need to learn about this school in order to get those votes. Fluttershy said that the school is divided into different groups and that we need to convince each group to vote for you, but we’ll need more information than that.”
“I think I have an idea where. This place has a school. I have to believe it's got a...library!”
Twilight and I entered the school’s library. There were a lot of books, maybe even more than the library back home.
“Alright, you look through the books, I’ll try to see how those blocky things work,” I said as I pointed at the computers.
“Good idea.” Twilight nodded.
“Remember, use your hands, not your mouth.”
Twilight and I split up. I quickly sat down at one of the computers. Not wanting Twilight to get suspicious, I decided to play dumb.
“Uhm, excuse me,” I whispered to a human named Cheerilee. “How do I use this?”
“You never operated a computer?” Cheerilee asked as she put some books on the book cart.
“No...”
Cheerilee approached me and pointed at the mouse. “You use that to navigate the computer.”
“Really?” I picked up the mouse and held it like a microphone. “Uh...Hello, Computer.”
Cheerilee rolled her eyes. “Not like that.” I put the mouse down, and she used it to double-click on an icon on the screen, pulling up a search engine. “Here, you can search for anything as long as it’s for research purposes. You press the buttons right there…” Cheerilee pointed at the keyboard. “...to type what you want to find. Then you press the enter key to search.”
“Oh, so it’s like a typewriter. I get it.” I cracked my knuckles.
Cheerilee sighed. “Just remember if the site says you won or it’s selling something, don’t listen to it.” She then walked away.
I proceeded with my internet searching. I wanted to look myself up in case another version of pre-Spike me existed in this universe, but I decided not to. I checked the date and noticed it was in the year 2013. I don’t think I even touched social media at that point.
Huh. So, it’s 2013 here when in Equestria, it’s 2011. Either time moves quicker in this world, or it’s two years ahead of Equestria.
I did some research on Sunset Shimmer. Unsurprisingly, there wasn’t much said about her. The earliest story I could find was that she appeared from nowhere less than two years ago.
I looked around the library. I knew that Snips and Snails were going to record Twilight to set up an embarrassing video. I hoped that my attempts to help Twilight fit in would mostly help prevent that.
What is it with those two working for the enemy? First Trixie, then Sunset. I’m surprised they never became minions for Starlight or Cozy Glow in the show.
After hours of searching the web, I noticed how late it was getting. I decided to call it a day and prepare the book bed like in the show. I hurried up to the upper floor and got some books. I arranged them to make a couple of beds in a secluded area.
I then headed over to Twilight. She wasn’t hard to find, given the enormous stack of books.
That’s when an announcement rang out. “The library will be closing in five minutes.”
Twilight yawned and gasped. “I hadn't even thought about where we're gonna sleep tonight.”
“I’m way ahead of you,” I said. “Follow me.”
I took her to where I made the book beds.
“It’s not much, but it’ll have to do for now.”
“It's perfect, Spike.” Twilight patted me on the head. “How did your research go? You were surprisingly skilled in using those square things.”
“I’m a quick learner. Anyway, the research didn’t go so well. I tried to find something about Sunset to learn about her and maybe find something to use against her, but I decided not to.”
“The last thing we need is to get caught for blackmail, Spike. Even if Sunset is rather nasty, we can’t stoop to her level.”
“I know. I did find some information about this high school, like when it was established and why they chose Wondercolts as their mascot, but I don’t think it’s gonna help us. Did you have any luck?”
“As a matter of fact, I did.” Twilight showed me a book with the Wondercolts’ logo on it. “It's called a ‘yearbook.’ It seems to be something they use to keep a record of things that have happened at the school.”
“Huh, that’s convenient. Looks like it’s been made before Sunset showed up, if my research proved anything.”
Twilight flipped through the pages until she found a familiar picture. “Look. That's Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, and I'm gonna bet the girl on the far right is Rarity.”
I looked at the picture she pointed. “Looks like they were friends once.”
“Exactly, Spike. The girls used to be friends, but now they’re rather ticked off at each other.”
“It could be the work of Sunset Shimmer,” I said.
“It might be, now that you mentioned it.” Twilight closed the book and lied down. “Still can’t believe something like that would happen to them.”
I handed Twilight one of the cloths. “We’ll have to figure something out. Let’s just get some sleep and we’ll decide what to do in the morning.”
“Good idea, Spike.” Twilight covered herself with the makeshift blanket. “You know, there’s something I don’t understand. When we went through the portal, we suddenly got clothes on bodies. Why is that? Wouldn’t it make sense for us to appear without clothing?”
“I have one theory,” I replied as I lied down on my book bed. “You know about the theory of beauty?”
“You mean how different ponies and non-ponies would consider beauty? Yeah, I’ve read about that once.”
“Well, maybe the same goes for modesty. The standard outfit for a pony or dragon is almost nothing, while a human’s is a shirt, pants, and shoes. When we went through the portal, we went from what Equestria sees as decent to what this world sees as decent. That’s probably why we were given clothes.”
“I never thought there would be different views on how much you should wear. But what would happen if a human went through the portal without any clothes?”
I thought about it. “Maybe they’ll end up with a shaved coat or missing scales.”
Twilight shuddered. “I can’t imagine seeing a pony without their coat. Well, goodnight, Spike.”
“Goodnight, Twilight.”
As I went to sleep, I couldn’t help but think about how I could use my new form to my advantage. I could vouch for Twilight in case things go wrong, present evidence that Sunset was trying to frame Twilight, and even talk to some of the students without being weirded out.
But then I realized a downside to being a human. In the show, the girls believed Twilight was from another world because Spike was a talking dog. Now that I was a human, it was possible that the girls wouldn't believe us. I didn’t have any proof that I was a dragon, and neither did Twilight for being an alicorn. My assistance with helping Twilight fit in worked too well.
I decided not to think about it right now. I’ll just have to figure something out tomorrow.
The next morning, I woke up with a very stiff back. I grunted as I tried my best to straighten up.
“Ugh...Spike?” Twilight moaned.
“Sorry about that, Twilight,” I whispered. “I’m not used to this bed.”’
“You and me both.” Twilight clutched her back as she struggled to sit up. “I can see why nopony considered making beds out of books. What time is it?”
“Pretty early,” I replied as I looked up at the dome. “I don’t think the sun has appeared yet. Why don’t I find us some breakfast? Maybe that cafeteria has something.”
“Alright, hurry back if you can. And make sure you don’t get anything with meat this time.”
I nodded as I made my way down the stairs. I stealthily headed for the exit when…
“Excuse me,” a voice said behind me.
I turned around to see Cheerilee looking at me.
“The school’s not open for students yet,” she said as she crossed her arms.
“Oh, my sister and I came early today so we could familiarize ourselves with the layout of the school,” I lied. “Don’t want to be late for the first period.”
“As a former student of this school, I can understand your stress on punctuality, but you do realize that we provide maps to all new students on their first day, right?”
“Really? We haven’t received ours yet.”
“You’re welcome to go to Principal Celestia’s office. It’s to the left and down the hall. She should be there right now, and will be happy to provide you with one.”
“Thank you.”
I quickly left the library. Not wanting to arouse suspicion, I headed in the direction that Cheerilee provided. I picked up a few maps from the box outside of Celestia’s office. I looked through them and made my way to the cafeteria.
When I got there, the place was entirely empty. I headed to the counter.
“Hello?” I called out to the kitchen. “Anypo...er, body here?”
“We ain’t open yet, youngin’,” Granny Smith said as she walked out. “We don’t serve students ‘til much later.”
“Don’t you guys have some extra food? Something you’ve been meaning to get rid of?”
“Well, we’ve received a few extra cups of applesauce...”
“That will do for now. I’ll take two, please.”
Granny Smith went back in the kitchen and returned with two applesauce cups.
“Thank you,” I said as I took them. “I promise to pay you back.”
“No need, youngin’. We’ve got plenty of them cups.”
I grabbed some plastic spoons and headed back to the library. There, I saw Twilight writing a list.
“Here, Twilight,” I said as I handed her a cup and spoon. “Some applesauce. It’s all I could get from the cafeteria, and I doubt they’ll let us in the teacher’s lounge.”
“Thanks, Spike.” Twilight opened her cup and dug in. “At least we could get some familiar food here. Was there any trouble?”
“Just a little. I was thankful Granny Smith gave them to us for free. Did you bring any money?”
“Only a few bits,” Twilight pulled some coins out of her backpack. “But I don’t think this world will accept them.”
After we ate our breakfast, Twilight finished up her list. It took a while for her to write everything she needed to talk to the other students.
“Good morning, students, and happy Thursday,” Principal Celestia’s voice rang from the speakers. “Just a reminder to pick up your ballots for the Princess of the Fall Formal today. They are due at the time the dance starts tomorrow night, so don't forget to turn them in and make your voice heard.”
“Looks like the other students are here,” I said.
“Fluttershy said I'd need to win over all those different groups if I wanna become Princess of the Fall Formal,” Twilight said as she rolled up her list. “So I've compiled a list of talking points.”
“You think that’ll work?”
“It should. I'll start introducing myself, sprinkle in some things I learned about their world into the conversation, show them how I fit in here!”
Twilight and I headed to the double doors.
“Okay, Spike. Time to make a good first impression on my fellow students. The whole world sorta depends on it.”
Once we stepped into the hallway, we noticed all the students walking around. However, as we passed them, some of them whispered and giggled at us.
“Why is everybody looking at us funny?” Twilight whispered.
Before I could reply, we were both grabbed by a student and shoved into a classroom. The student then slammed the door behind us. That’s when we recognized the student.
“Rarity?” I asked.
Rarity quickly took Twilight’s measurements. She then ran to her bag and pulled out a green dress and blond wig. She slipped them onto Twilight.
“Oh, yes. This is good,” Rarity said. “No one will recognize you.”
Twilight cocked her eyebrow. “ Why wouldn't I wanna be...?”
“And we’ll need a disguise for the little one.”
I assumed Rarity was referring to me.
“Let’s see,” Rarity said as she rummaged through her bag. “I know I have something that can change your hair color...”
“Hey, I like my naturally green hair,” I said as I put my hands on my head.
Then the door on the other side of the classroom opened. Applejack came in.
“There you are, Twilight,” Applejack said.
Rarity sighed. “So much for the disguise.”
Pinkie and Fluttershy came in as well. All three of them were looking for Twilight and me, and they were acting pretty sour to each other.
“Why were you all looking for us?” Twilight asked as she removed her wig. “What's going on?”
“Oh, they haven't seen it yet...” Fluttershy said.
“Seen what?”
Pinkie pulled out her laptop and put on a nearby desk.
“What’s with the folding rectangle?” I asked jokingly.
“It’s a laptop, darling,” Rarity replied. “What time period did you two come from?”
Pinkie opened up the laptop and clicked on a website. She then clicked a video. Just like in the show, it showed Twilight having a few embarrassing moments with Sunset Shimmer, as the narrator, dissing her. There were a few scenes that were different, but the message was pretty much the same.
Twilight closed the laptop in distress.
“But this all happened yesterday!” She cried. “At the library! Has everyone in the school seen this? Is that why they were all looking at me that way?”
The girls nodded.
“And they believe this?” I asked.
“People would believe anything they see on the internet these days, sugarcube,” Applejack replied. “No matter where it’s from.”
“What am I gonna do?” Twilight asked in despair. “No one is gonna vote for me after seeing this!”
“Not that it'll make any difference,” Fluttershy said, “but I'll still vote for you.”
“I’ll do the same,” I said.
“If ya still wanna run, maybe there's something I can do to help!” Pinkie declared.
“Word of advice?” Fluttershy whispered. “Don't accept her help. She doesn't take anything seriously.”
Pinkie wasn’t amused by this. Rarity also offered to help while also calling Pinkie and Fluttershy out. Soon the girls started arguing, and Applejack joined them.
“Girls, stop,” I said.
I did my best to keep my cool, but the fact that my voice fell on deaf ears didn’t help.
“Stop! Please!” I yelled.
Once again, no pony heard me. I couldn’t take it anymore. I let it all out.
“SHUT THE TARTARUS UP!!”
I slammed my hand on the desk as hard as I could, making all the girls jump.
“What is wrong with you ponies?!” I yelled. “Why are you acting like this?! You all used to be friends in your freshman year! What in Celestia’s name happened with you all?!”
“Spike, calm down right now!” Twilight commanded. She then took a deep breath. “But he’s right, you all used to be friends.” She then pulled out the yearbook and flipped through the pages. “See?”
The girls looked at the photo Twilight pointed at. They all remembered the photo.
I sighed and cleared my throat. “Twilight and I found this at the library. We believe that Sunset Shimmer was the reason you all separated. I did some research on one of those computers in the library. Sunset Shimmer arrived sometime after the year the yearbook was published. It couldn’t have been a coincidence.”
“Well, it's a nice theory, darling, but Sunset Shimmer had nothing to do with it,” Rarity said.
“She's right,” Fluttershy said. “Sunset Shimmer isn't the one who ruined my silent auction for the animal shelter by bringing fireworks and noisemakers! It was supposed to be a serious event, and Pinkie Pie ruined it!”
“What are you talking about?” Pinkie pulled out her phone. “I got a text from you saying that you didn't want a silent auction. You wanted a big party!”
“I never sent you a text...”
“You didn’t? You mean this isn’t your number?” Pinkie showed Fluttershy her contact page. Fluttershy looked at it.
“No, it’s not. My phone number doesn’t end with those last four digits.”
“You don't think she's the one who's been sending me those emails, do you?” Rarity asked. “Every time I volunteer to help with the decorations at a school function, I get an email from Pinkie Pie saying she has plenty of volunteers! And then I find out she's done everything herself.”
“I never sent you any e-mails,” Pinkie replied.
“Your email address is not ‘partygirl127’?”
“Of course not. Even I wouldn’t have an obvious address like that.”
“Maybe Sunset's the reason Rainbow Dash didn't show up for my bake sale,” Applejack said.
“Didn't you ever ask Rainbow Dash why she didn't show up?” Twilight asked.
Applejack removed her hat. “Heh, I guess I kinda stopped talkin' to her at all after that.”
“Then maybe now’s a good time to start,” I said. “Do any of you know where she might be?”
“Probably outside on the soccer field,” Pinkie replied.
“Then that’s where we’ll head,” Twilight said.
“By the way...ya might want to keep the vandalism a secret, kid…” Applejack said to me.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
Applejack pointed at the desk I slapped my hand on. I looked to see it had a giant crack down the middle. My eyes widened.
“Yer pretty strong for someone yer age, I’ll give ya that,” said Applejack. “But ya might want to keep yer cool next time.”
“Sorry about that. This place has a woodcutting class, right?”
The girls and I headed to the soccer field. Rainbow Dash was kicking soccer balls at a goal. We sat in the bleachers as Applejack approached Dashie. None of us could hear the conversation, but the hug the two gave indicated they made up. As it turns out, Sunset tricked Dash into thinking Applejack’s bake sale was moved to a different day, and Dash thought AJ flaked out on her.
Rainbow Dash agreed to help Twilight out on one condition: Twilight can beat Dash in a one-on-one game. Unfortunately, I knew how this was going to turn out, considering Twilight’s athleticism would make Sheldon Cooper look like Tony Hawk.
Alas, my intuition was true. Twilight scored zilch while Dashie got a clean sweep. Despite that, the rainbow-haired girl still joined our group. Twilight was surprised to hear that.
“The Fall Formal Princess should be someone with heart and determination,” Rainbow said. “You've proved that you've got 'em both!”
Later after school, we all went to a cafe named “Sugarcube Corner.” I ordered a milkshake while Twilight ordered a latte. Rarity already paid for us.
“Could I get mine with extra oats?” Twilight asked.
“Oats?” Mrs. Cake asked.
I quickly nudged Twilight.
“Uh, scratch that” said Twilight. “However you normally make it is fine.”
Mrs. Cake handed us our cups. I quickly turned around to see Flash approaching us.
“Heads up, Twi...” I started to say.
But it was too late. Twilight bumped into Flash and spilled her drink all over his shirt. Flash didn’t seem to mind.
“We've got to stop bumping into each other like this,” Flash said.
“I couldn’t agree more,” I said as I handed him some napkins. I then picked up the cup and wrapped my elbow around Twilight’s. “Let’s go, Twilight.”
We quickly headed to where the other girls were.
“I guess you already know, little one,” Rarity said to me.
“Know what?” Twilight asked.
“Flash Sentry used to be Sunset’s boyfriend before they broke up a couple of weeks ago,” Fluttershy replied. “It’s a wonder who she didn’t do anything to him yet.”
“Maybe she's just waiting until she has the power to do something really awful.”
“Alright girls...and Spike,” Applejack said. “Dance is tomorrow night, and we still don't know how we're gonna get Twilight the votes she needs to be named princess. Right now, folks only know Twilight from the videos Sunset Shimmer posted online. We need to help 'em see her differently.”
We all agreed on that.
“I was thinking we could report the video as fraudulent activity,” I said. “Once the school finds out Sunset was behind the video, she would be kicked out and Twilight would win by default.”
“That would be a good idea in the short run,” Applejack said. “But Sunset ain’t one to take no for an answer. She might take drastic measures to ensure she gets the crown.”
“She might even try to deny it,” Rainbow added. “Say that she never made that video. She didn’t win the previous dances by playing fair.”
“Not only that, she might steal the crown,” Twilight said. “Once she does, there’s nothing we can do.”
Rarity gasped. “I'VE GOT IT!” Everyone in the cafe looked at her. She blushed and toned her voice down. “I mean, um, perhaps I have a solution.”
Rarity went to her bag and pulled out some fake pony ears and a tail. She suggested that by showing their school spirit and how Twilight reunited the girls, they could show the school how Twilight can win the crown. The girls agreed on it.
The next day, the girls and I sat in the cafeteria. We all wore Wondercolt sweaters, tails, and ears. I was included because I was a human and all.
“Do you really think this is gonna work?” I whispered. “What if they don’t believe us?”
“Look, the dance is tonight, Spike,” Twilight whispered back. “Not to mention this is the last day the portal stays open. It’s our only chance. Besides, the girls know what they’re doing.”
“I guess I’ll take your word for it.” I scratched my stomach. “I wish they made these sweaters out of better material though. I feel like I rubbed my belly with itching powder.”
Twilight and I looked at the clock above us. It was almost time.
“Alright,” Twilight whispered. “I’ll get into position. Once the girls give the beat, start that music-playing machine in the corner.”
“Right.”
I quickly headed to the corner of the room as Twilight made her way out. In a few moments, the other girls prepared the beat. Once the beat was in full swing, I pressed the play button on the boombox.
And that was when “Helping Twilight Win the Crown” came on. While I initially had mixed feelings about the movie, I really enjoyed this song. I even got to sing some of the lyrics this time.
Thankfully, the girls’ idea worked as everyone in the cafeteria jumped up and made a sound. It almost looked like something out of a High School Musical scene. By the time the song, and lunch, was over, everybody was wearing fake ears and a tail.
“Doesn't everyone look just fabulous?” Rarity asked.
“It was a great idea, Rarity!” Twilight exclaimed.
“Who knew having a musical scene can convince everyone?” I asked.
That’s when the girls and I notice Sunset, Snips, and Snails. They all shot an evil smug face at us before approaching Vice Principal Luna’s office.
Within a few minutes, Twilight and I were summoned to Luna’s office. The room felt like we were in a noir film, with the room’s only source of light peeking from the blinds on the other side.
“I suppose you two know why I summoned you here,” Luna said.
“Look, I’m sorry about the desk,” I said. “I can pay to replace it.”
“Not that, I’m afraid. We have been meaning to replace them anyway. The desks have been getting debilitated over the years, so it was only a matter of time before one of them broke.” Luna picked up the folder from her desk. “I brung you here because I have firm belief that Twilight Sparkle was held responsible for ruining the Fall Formal decor of the gym.”
Twilight widened her eyes. “But...but I don't understand!”
Luna opened the folder and handed it to Twilight. Inside were photos of Twilight destroying various stuff in the gym. I knew they were fake, though.
“This is clearly you in the photographs, is it not?” Luna asked.
“Yes...” Twilight replied. “But...”
Luna peeked through the blinds. “I think it should be fairly obvious that the school cannot let someone who would do something like this compete for the Fall Formal crown.”
I stood up from my chair. “Vice Principal Luna, I know that you’re a very reasonable mare...er, woman. There is no possible way that these photos are real. I have been by Twilight’s side ever since we came to this school, and not once did we ever separate long enough for her to do such a task. While we’re on the subject, I know that Twilight would never do something as horrid as this.”
“You would say that, being her little brother and all, but if these photos were fake we wouldn’t be here having this conversation. Unless you can provide evidence that the photos have been manipulated in any sort of way, I’m afraid we have to disqualify your sister from competing this fall.”
As if he read my mind, Flash Sentry knocked on the door and came into the office. He was holding some cut-out photos.
“Vice Principal Luna. I found these in a trash can in the library,” Flash said. “Thought you should see them. Someone obviously combined these photos to make it look like Twilight was the one who trashed the gym.”
Luna looked at the cut-outs and compared them to the photos in the folder. She then returned to her seat.
“I appreciate you bringing these to my attention, Flash,” said Luna. She then turned to Twilight. “In light of this new evidence, you may of course continue your bid to be crowned the Princess of the Fall Formal.”
Twilight’s face lit up. She quickly hugged Flash as the room itself lit up.
“Thank you!” Twilight exclaimed. “You have no idea how important this is to me!”
“Uh, yeah. Thanks,” I said. That was a genuine thanks this time.
“What was I gonna do? Not prove your innocence? Wouldn't be much of a Canterlot Wondercolt, would I?” Flash asked.
“I am afraid enough damage has been done to the gym that we will have to postpone the dance until tomorrow night,” Luna said.
“Wait, tomorrow night?!” I asked. “Can’t we just clean up and redecorate?!”
“I’m sorry. In order for that to happen in such a short time, you would need more than just you three.” Luna got up from her seat. “If you will excuse me, I need to let my sister know about this latest development.”
Luna left the office. Twilight was shocked about hearing about the postponement.
“This is bad! This is bad!” Twilight panicked. “The dance can’t be delayed! It has to happen tonight!”
“What’s the rush?” Flash asked. “It’ll only be a day off. No big deal.”
“This is a big deal!” I retorted. “For both of us!” I scratched my chin. “The girls! We gotta find the girls! They’ll help us.”
“Right!” Twilight grabbed her backpack. “Rarity said they’ll be at a clothes shop near Sugarcube Corner! We gotta hurry!”
Twilight and I ran out of the office and the school. We dashed down the street hoping to find the boutique that Rarity mentioned.
“If the dance gets delayed until tomorrow, we’ll never get the crown!” Twilight shouted. “We have to tell the girls that we need to clean up the gym and decorate it in time so that the dance can happen tonight!”
“That sounds easy enough!” I exclaimed. “Right?”
“Not really! What if they ask why we want to make sure it happens tonight?! What should we tell them?!”
Eventually, we made it to the clothes shop. Twilight and I entered and she ran right into the dressing room. I stopped a bit to catch my breath and hurried after her.
“Darling, please,” Rarity said as she stopped me. “She needs some privacy in order to get dressed.”
I pushed her arm away. “I’ve seen her naked before. Nothing shocks me.” I entered the dressing room Twilight was in.
“It's not okay. It's not okay at all!” Twilight panicked again. “If I don't get my crown tonight, I won't be able to go back to Equestria for another thirty moons! Oh, what are we gonna do?”
I sighed. “We’ll just have to tell them the truth. If they realize what’s at stake, then maybe they can help us.”
“But what if they won't? What if when they find out how different I really am...?” Twilight looked at herself in the mirror.
“Twilight, we’ve got nothing to lose at this point. We’re running out of time. As much as I like wearing clothes 24/7, lacking a tail, and eating other animals as much as the next dragon, I really don’t want either of us to spend another night on the book beds. Look, the girls rallied around you because of what’s in your heart. They won’t care if you were a pony or not. They’re not gonna feel any differently about you.”
“I’m glad you followed me here, Spike,” Twilight said as she hugged me.
“Me too.” I hugged back. “Now, let’s tell the girls the truth.”
Twilight and I took a deep breath and exited the dressing room.
“You okay?” Applejack asked. “I know you two ain’t one for privacy, but ya really need to know when—”
“The dance isn’t happening tonight,” I interrupted.
“What?!” Pinkie shouted.
“It had to be postponed because Sunset Shimmer had Snips and Snails ruin all of Pinkie Pie's decorations,” Twilight added.
“WHAT?!”
“But the Fall Formal has to happen tonight,” Twilight and I said in unison.
“WHA—” Pinkie’s mouth was suddenly covered by Applejack’s hand.
Twilight sighed. “You see...it’s because...”
Pinkie quickly pulled a motormouth, “You two are from an alternate world and you're a pony princess and dragon there and the crown actually has a magical element embedded in it that helps power up other magical elements, and without it, they don't work anymore, and you need them to help protect your magical world, and if you don't get the crown tonight, you'll be stuck in this world and you won't be able to get back for, like, a really, really long time!”
The store fell silent. It was a good thing we were the only ones here.
I broke the silence by saying, “Okay, now I know for a fact that you have to be psychic, Pinkie.”
“Wha? Seriously?” Rainbow asked.
“You thought we were just some random humans from out of town? Didn’t you notice some of the clues Twilight and I provided?”
“Now that you mentioned it, it was weird how you asked to write Twilight’s name and for an ink bottle when you signed her up,” Pinkie said.
“And how sometimes you two kept saying ‘everypony’,” Applejack added.
“And how you two were disgusted when I mentioned meat,” Fluttershy added. “And how you were eating an apple with a fork.”
“And how when you ranted in the classroom, you kept using mythical words and Celestia’s name like she was a goddess,” Rarity said. “That and breaking the desk with the palm of your hand.”
“Well for the last part...” I rubbed the back of my head. “...Vice Princess...I mean, Vice Principal Luna said the desks were getting old and brittle. If that’s not enough proof for you, let me show you something.”
I unzipped Twilight’s backpack and pulled out some coins.
“This is the currency we use in our world,” I said as I showed the bits the girls. “We call them ‘bits’. I can assure you that no other place uses these exact coins.”
Pinkie took one and try to bite into it.
“Owie.” Pinkie rubbed her teeth. “Yup, they’re real.”
“So, lemme get this straight. You're a pony? And you're a dragon?” Applejack asked.
“You're a princess?” Rarity asked Twilight.
“And you're both from another world?” Fluttershy asked.
Twilight and I both nodded.
Thankfully, like in the show, the girls were delighted to hear that. I was relieved. The last thing Twilight and I needed was to be admitted to a psychic ward. I thought it would be difficult to convince them since I became human, but I guess my intentional and unintentional slip-ups helped.
When the girls and I arrived at the gym, the whole place was a disaster. It looked like it got hit by a tornado, hurricane, and earthquake combined.
“I simply cannot believe they did all this!” Rarity exclaimed in dismay.
“If I only had some kind of party cannon that could decorate everything super fast!” Pinkie declared.
If only…
“I know it seems impossible, but, maybe if we all work together?” Twilight asked.
“Now that's the kinda can-do spirit I'm lookin' for in a Fall Formal Princess!” Applejack shouted. “Let's do it, y'all!”
We all put our hands together like in a team rally, and then shot them up in the sky.
Twilight and I quickly grabbed the brooms, buckets, and more and we all quickly cleaned up the place.
“Say, Spike,” Rainbow said as she swept the floors. “Could I ask you a few questions? There’s something I’d like to know about dragons.”
“Uh...go ahead,” I replied as I dumped the dustpan’s contents into the trash. I had the feeling I wasn’t going to like the questions.
“So, Twilight’s a princess, and you’re a dragon. Does that mean you…?”
I snorted. “No, I didn’t! That is a very offensive stereotype, Dashie. I’ll have you know that even dragons wouldn’t go as far as to kidnap royalty.”
“Sheesh, sorry. I was just curious.”
“Besides, I’ve known Twilight before she even became a princess. In fact, she helped hatch me.”
“Okay, I’m afraid to ask this, but can you breathe fire?”
“Yes,” I bluntly replied.
“Do you have wings?”
“Not yet.”
“Where do you sleep?”
“On a bed.”
“How tall are you in your world?”
That question was hard. Aside from that blooper with Human Rainbow riding Pony Rainbow, I had no idea what the height of my dragon self was compared to the humans here. I decided to guess.
“I’d say about up to the bottom of your skirt,” I replied. “Now that I think about it, it does seem weird you of all people would wear something like that, given your nature and all.”
“Hey, it’s a sports skirt!” Rainbow retorted. “Besides, I don’t wear this all the time.”
“I have a question about dragons, too,” Fluttershy said. “What do you dragons eat? I know it can’t be meat.”
“Gemstones,” I replied.
“I’m sorry, ‘gemstones’?” Rarity asked. “If you don’t mind me asking, darling, are you referring to the same kind of gemstones used in jewelry?”
“Yep.”
“So you eat priceless jewels? They are minerals that take ages to form and you eat them like a haute cuisine?”
“Actually, gems are very common in our world, which is why they’re a reliable food source for dragons. In fact, I dare say that they almost act like plants, given how we can find some wherever we look.”
“In that case, remind me to visit your place whenever possible. I bet I could come up with a few fashion ideas.”
As the girls and I continued cleaning, some of the other students came in to help us. It was a good thing the girls stopped asking questions. Once everything was clean, we decorated and set up all the lights and music. In no time, the gym was prepared for the Fall Formal.
And it was just in time, too. Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna arrived and saw what we just did.
“All right, everyone!” Celestia announced. “Fall Formal is back on for this evening.”
We all cheered after that. Before we left to get ready, we all cast our votes, but I knew who was definitely going to win.
The girls and I returned to the clothing shop. We were all excited for the dance.
“Enough chatter, girls and Spike,” Rarity said as she pulled out a dress rack. “We need to get ready, and we need to look fabulous!”
We took the time to decide what to wear. It was a good thing the clothing shop sold suits as well. I picked out a black tux with a purple bowtie. Rarity complimented on my choice as she took my measurements.
By the time we got dressed, a loud honk was heard outside.
“Ooh, that must be the limousine!” Rarity declared.
“The what?” Twilight asked.
“I got one rented for all of us to ride to the formal. You don’t expect us to walk there, do you?”
We got outside to see a long black limo parked in front of the store. Rarity opened the back door and gestured us in.
“So how does it work?” Twilight asked as she sat down. “I didn't see anyone pulling it at the front.”
“No need to pull anything, sugarcube,” Applejack replied. “The limo has an engine that does all the work.”
“A engine?”
Applejack sighed. “We really need to teach ya a few things the next time ya visit.”
As the chauffeur drove us to the school, I thought about what might come next. I wondered if Snip and Snails would still try to capture me. If they did, I would have to defend myself, or keep myself occupied so that they wouldn’t try anything. The hard part would be trying to keep the crown away from Sunset. No doubt she would try to blackmail us somehow.
The limo stopped in front of the school, and we all stepped out. That’s when I noticed a sports car pulling up behind us. Out came Flash Sentry in a suit.
Good grief. I almost forgot about him.
I sighed and went along with the girls. I decided that it was best to let them be. He did help us clear Twilight up, and forcing him away would be ungrateful. I followed the girls until we arrived at the gym. We could already hear music inside.
“Ah, I see the festivities have begun,” Rarity said as she opened the door. “Let’s head on in, ladies and gentleman.”
We did just that. A few moments later, Twilight and Flash came in, and the crowd cheered. Flash went up to the stage. He then played a rock song as everyone danced. Even I couldn’t help but enjoy it.
I feel like I’m at my high school prom again. Without the awkwardness, of course.
“Anybody see Sunset Shimmer?” Twilight asked.
“Maybe she was too embarrassed to show!” Rainbow Dash shouted. “She's gotta know you won by a landslide!”
“Maybe…”
I looked around for Snips and Snails. I knew I couldn’t let my guard down.
After the song was done, Celestia appeared on stage.
“First off, I wanna say how wonderful everything looks tonight. You all did a magnificent job pulling things together after the unfortunate events of earlier. And now, without further ado, I'd like to announce the winner of this year's Fall Formal crown.”
Luna showed up holding the chest that contained Twilight’s crown.
“The Princess of this year's Fall Formal is...Twilight Sparkle!”
The entire crowd applauded. We gave each other hugs as Twilight walked up the stage. Celestia placed the crown on Twilight’s head, and it shined brightly.
“Congratulations, Twilight.”
I nodded. “Congratulations inde e—hmph!”
Suddenly, my mouth and nose was covered in a smelly white cloth! I tried to grab the holder’s hand, but then everything went black!
“Hey! What’s going on?!” I shouted. “Twilight! Help!”
I struggled to get out of the kidnapper’s grasp. Without seeing them, I knew it had to have been Snips and Snails. They must’ve tried to knock me out and put one of their big hats over me.
“Let me go, fatty!” I shouted.
“Hey! I’m big-boned!” Snip’s voice retorted.
“Then let me go, big bony!”
“You know what? Go back to ‘fatty.’”
“I said we should’ve used ether or chloroform,” Snails's voice said.
“I told you I couldn’t find any in the chemistry lab! That’s why I used vinegar! Now hurry and grab his legs! I can’t hold him much longer!”
As I wrestled to be released, I saw an opening at the bottom of the hat. That’s when I noticed Snails’s feet. I knew what I had to do. It wasn’t going to be pretty, but I had no choice. I took a deep breath, and swung my right leg forward as hard as I could!
WA-PUNT!
“AUGH!!” Snails's voice rang out as I heard his body collapse to the floor. “My snail shells!”
“What the?!” Snips released his grip from me. The hat slid right off my head.
“Sorry,” I quickly apologized. “I feel your pain.”
“How dare you! That was a low blow!” Snips barked.
I quickly turned around and punched Snips right across the cheek, sending him stumbling into the lockers before he fell to the ground as well.
“And that was a high blow,” I said.
“Spike!” Twilight called out as she and the girls ran towards me. “Are you alright?!”
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I said as I readjusted my bowtie. “Just call me ‘Sterling Spike.’”
“Glad you could escape those two, Spike,” Rainbow said. “Don’t know why they’d resort to kidnapping.”
“Well, we know they’re working for Sunset,” Twilight said. “But I don’t see...”
That’s when Twilight and I gasped.
“The portal!”
The girls and I quickly ran as fast as we could to get out of the school. My heart was racing.
“Should’ve known Sunset had one more trick up her sleeve!” Applejack shouted.
“You guys gotta get through the portal before it’s too late!” Dash cried. “Don’t worry about Sunset, we can take her on!”
I bust opened the double doors and ran down the steps with the girls following me. As we neared the statue and the portal, Sunset appeared with a sledgehammer.
“That's close enough!” Sunset shouted.
We all stopped right where we are. Sunset held the sledgehammer above her head. That’s when she noticed me.
“Ugh, those two idiots can’t do a simple task,” she snarked.
“How dare you try to kidnap Spike?!” Twilight asked loudly.
“Hmph. That doesn’t matter.” Sunset held out her hand. “You both don't belong here. Give me the crown, and you can go back to Equestria tonight. Or keep it and never go home.”
Twilight gasped.
“You do realize the hammer will just go through, right?” I asked.
“Maybe so, but the portal will still be closing on its own in less than an hour, and I can make sure you won’t make it in time. So, what's your answer?” Sunset asked.
Twilight took off and examined her crown. She then took a sharp breath.
“No.”
“What!? Equestria! Your friends! Lost to you forever! Don't you see what I'm about to do to the portal?!”
Besides sending a sledgehammer through it?
“Yes, but I've also seen what you've been able to do here without magic,” Twilight said. “Equestria will find a way to survive without my Element of Harmony. This place might not, if I allow it to fall into your hands. So go ahead. Destroy the portal. You are not getting this crown!” Twilight placed the crown on her head.
“Fine.” Sunset dropped her hammer. “You win.”
The girls praised Twilight and me for our selfless sacrifice. Sadly, I knew what was going to happen. After the appraisal, Sunset quickly tackled Twilight, sending the crown to the floor. The two quickly wrestled as Sunset tried to reach for the crown.
“Oh no, you don’t!” I stomped on Sunset’s hand as I picked up the crown. “Sorry about that!”
I quickly ran away until I saw Snips and Snails approaching me. I made a break for the school entrance. I climbed up the steps, but I suddenly tripped.
“You’ve made a big mistake, kid,” Sunset growled as she approached me.
“Rainbow! Catch!” I threw the crown right over Sunset’s head. Rainbow quickly caught it. The second Sunset’s back was turned, I quickly swept her legs, sending tumbling down the stairs.
“Why couldn’t you’ve been a dog or something?” Sunset groaned.
“Believe me, I’ve been asking myself the same question,” I replied as I got up.
The scene played out like in the show. The girls tossed the crown around like it was a hot potato, keeping Sunset and her minions away from it. Sadly, the last person to catch it was the bacon-haired girl herself.
“At last! More power than I could ever imagine!” Sunset maniacally laughed as she placed the crown on her head.
Shoot. I was trying to prevent this.
The crown suddenly encased Sunset in a beam of cyan light, hovering her above the ground as she transformed into a demon-like creature. Most of the students from the dance came out from the school and witnessed this phenomenon.
Right after Sunset’s transformation, she used her magic to transform Snips and Snails into demon-like creatures. Quickly, the other students hid in the school, but that was proven futile when Sunset blew the front doors down.
“We gotta do something!” I shouted.
“Like what exactly?!” Applejack shouted. “We don’t have any magic!”
“No...but you do have friends!”
Twilight raised her eyebrows.
“Spoiler alert: I was bluffing when I said I was going to destroy the portal,” Sunset announced. “I don't want to rule this pathetic little high school; I want Equestria! And with my own little teenage army behind me, I am going to get it!”
We looked to see all the other students brainwashed with glowing eyes. They moaned like a zombie hoard.
“No, you’re not!” Twilight declared.
“Oh, please! What exactly do you think you're going to do to stop me?” Sunset asked. “I have magic, and you have nothing!”
“She has us!” Rainbow retorted.
The rest of the girls and I lined up with Twilight.
“The gang really is all back together again!” Sunset laughed evilly as she produced a ball of magic. “Now step aside! Twilight has tried to interfere with my plans one too many times already! She needs to be dealt with!”
Sunset shot her magic straight at us. We huddled together in fear and braced for impact, but I knew what happened next. The magic collided with us and fizzled out, but we felt no pain. We opened our eyes to find ourselves enveloped in a magenta aura.
“The magic contained in my element was able to unite with those that helped create it!” Twilight announced.
A white light appeared from Twilight’s crown and struck the girls and me. That’s when I felt a burst of energy unlike any other.
Wait...am I…getting powers as well?
My question was soon answered as my hands turned purple and scaly. The scales spread until they covered my forearms like a pair of gauntlets. A tail grew behind me and stretched down to my feet. Two fangs protruded from my mouth. Finally, a pair of wings appeared behind my back and expanded until they were the length of my arms. By the time my transformation was done, I looked like a dragon-human hybrid from a fantasy role-playing game.
I just sprouted wings! Oh, that’ll do nicely!
“Together with a crown, they create a power beyond anything you could imagine, but it is a power you don't have the ability to control!” Twilight yelled. “The crown may be upon your head, Sunset Shimmer, but you cannot wield it, because you do not possess the most powerful magic of all: the magic of friendship!”
We all held hands. A blast of rainbow magic shot straight up and landed on Sunset, engulfing her in swirling colors.
“Here and in Equestria, it is the only magic that can truly unite us all!”
With a great burst of light, we defeated Sunset and saved the students from her trance. We almost collapsed from sheer exhaustion.
“You alright, Twilight?” I asked.
Twilight nodded. “Looks like your dragon self is kicking in.”
I looked at my hands. “Yeah, it kinda does.”
That’s when the girls and I noticed the giant crater that appeared between us and the school steps. Sunset was lying in the center in her original form. The crowd gathered around.
Boy, my desk slam is nothing compared to all of this carnage.
“You will never rule in Equestria!” Twilight said sternly to Sunset. “Any power you may have had in this world is gone. Tonight, you've shown everyone who you really are. You've shown them what is in your heart!”
Sunset sat up with tears in her eyes, and they were genuine. “I-I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't know there was another way.”
“The magic of friendship doesn't just exist in Equestria. It's everywhere.” Twilight looked at us. “You can seek it out, or you can forever be alone. The choice is yours.”
Sunset crawled out of the crater. “But...but all I've ever done since being here is drive everyone apart. I don't know the first thing about friendship.”
Twilight grabbed Sunset’s hand and helped her up.
“I bet they can teach you,” Twilight said as she pointed at the girls.
That’s my girls.
Principal Celestia showed up holding Twilight’s crown.
“I believe this belongs to you,” Celestia said. “A true princess in any world leads not by forcing others to bow before her, but by inspiring others to stand with her. We have all seen that you are capable of just that.” She placed the crown on Twilight’s head. “I hope you see it too, Princess Twilight.”
“I do,” Twilight replied.
We all cheered. Flash asked for a dance once more. Seeing how much time we had until the portal closed, I thought it wouldn’t hurt.
After a few minutes of dancing at the gym, it was time for Twilight and me to go home. We shared a group hug with the rest of the girls.
“You'll look out for Sunset, won't you?” Twilight asked.
“Of course we will,” Rarity replied. “Although I do expect some sort of apology for last spring's debacle.”
“I think she’ll be handing out a lot of apologies,” I said.
“I know we've only been friends for a short time, but we’re gonna miss all of you so much,” Twilight said.
Twilight and I turned and headed for the portal.
“You know, that crown really does suit you,” I said.
“You know what, Spike?” Twilight asked. “I am starting to feel a little more comfortable wearing it.”
“And your wings?”
“Don’t take this the wrong way, Spike, but I'm thrilled the wings are all I'll be dealing with back in Equestria.”
I shrugged. “I’m sure you’ll get used to being bipedal on our next visit.”
Twilight and I stepped through the portal. After witnessing the blinding swirling colors once again, we arrived back in Equestria with the other girls waiting for us. Twilight turned back into a pony, while I turned back into a dragon. I quickly patted my back and noticed my wings weren’t there anymore.
Aww...what a disappointment.
“Twilight! Spike!” Fluttershy exclaimed.
“You're back!” Rainbow shouted.
“You've got your crown,” Rarity said.
Pinkie grasped Twilight. “I knew you could do it!”
“Oh, we were so worried,” said Applejack.
“Sunset Shimmer, is she alright?” Celestia asked calmly.
“I think she's gonna be fine,” Twilight replied. “I left her in good hands.”
“I hope she is,” Rainbow replied. “Having one element stolen is bad enough.”
What? No “What are hands?” quote?
The rest of the scene played out like in the show. The girls bombarded Twilight and me with questions, and Twilight wanted to answer them, but she was too tired. Suddenly she bumped into one of the guards, who coincidentally was Pony Flash. The girls teased Twilight about having a crush, but Twilight quickly denied it, saying he just reminded her of someone else.
Twilight and I went to bed afterwards. It was pretty exhausting trying to defeat a villain from another world after all.
I stood firmly on the foggy ground surrounded by a night sky illuminated by the moon. I knew I had to have been dreaming.
“Princess Luna!” I called out. “Are you listening? I wish to speak with you.”
As if I saw this coming, the moon protracted a beam of light down on the floor in front of me. Princess Luna flew down and landed on the spot.
“Good evening, Spike,” Luna greeted. “I suppose you called me to talk about the world you’ve encountered.”
“Well, yeah.”
“It was rather nostalgic, wasn’t it? Briefly returning to your own kind, even if it was not your own dimension.”
“It kinda was nostalgic, but...there was something I wanted to tell you.”
“Go ahead, Spike.”
“I went through the mirror, I became a human. What’s odd was in the show, Spike turned into a dog. I’m not complaining, of course, but I want to know why there was a significant change like that.”
Luna scratched her chin. “That does seem rather peculiar.”
“You wouldn’t happen to have made any changes to the mirror, would you?”
“I have made no such modifications, and neither did my sister. I doubt Princess Cadance had as well.”
“Do you think Discord could have done it?”
“It could be possible. It is also possible that since you were once human, the portal reverted you to the form of a human when you passed through.”
“So you’re saying that the portal knew who I once was? Like it knew I still had a human soul or something?”
“That is a possibility. The capabilities’ of a creature’s soul has been a mystery for as long as creatures have first stepped on the planet. No doubt the same goes for your world.”
“Well, either way, it was rather a surprise that I became a human. At least I could return to Sunset’s world if I ever want to eat some of the food or use the gadgets there.”
“You would have to wait until another thirty moons have passed in order to do that.”
“I’ll be sure to count the days. Say, how long is a moon anyway?”
“It is usually about a month. To be exact, it lasts for 27 and a half days, but ponies round it up or down.”
“I see, thank you, Princess Luna.”
To be honest, I did enjoy becoming a human again. It was a lot better than being a dog. And while there were some complications, Twilight and I were still able to get the human girls to help us get the crown back. Though now, I wondered how I was given the powers to pony-up (or dragon-up in this case) like the rest of the girls.