Chapter One Hundred Seventeen
The provided chair was too small.
That was Brick Wall's professional opinion as he regarded the piece of furniture parked on the other side of Princess Celestia's desk. It needed to be at least three inches wider than it currently was, for him to be able to comfortably squeeze his rump into without the risk of either getting stuck in an embarrassing manner, or otherwise breaking it apart from it being unable to contain his muscly flank.
Being the brute that he was, and standing only half a head shorter than Princess Celestia herself, it could sometimes be fun trying to fit the accommodations that other ponies took for granted without a second thought. It was for reasons like that he always got the bottom bunk in the barracks. It was for reasons like that, that he currently opted to stand at attention, rather than risk embarrassing himself.
"Lieutenant Brick Wall."
"At your service, Your Highness," he spoke firmly and clearly.
"I'm glad to know that," she replied. "Can you tell me why you're here today, Lieutenant Wall?"
"The only reason I can think of, is for evaluation to see if I'm fit for the Captain's position of the Royal Guard," he replied, unable to think of any other reason he might be here right now, rather than currently on duty.
He watched as Celestia simply nodded from behind the folder she was currently reading, before she continued onto her next question.
"So then, Lieutenant Wall, can you tell me what you might bring to the Royal Guard if you were promoted?"
"The best that I have to offer, Your Highness. I would bring the same dedication that I've always brought in my years of service to the Guard," he stated, although not without some measure of regret immediately after.
Were he a little more composed, and aware of what the questions might've been, he could've been better able to go into detail about how he intended to follow Captain Armor's lead in placing a strong emphasis on defense. But he hadn't been able to do that. Instead he'd simply have to roll with it as best he could.
"Along with doing my best to be an example to others of what they can become; not simply those within the Guard, but also beyond. Throughout the history of the Royal Guard, there's only been a hoofful of earth ponies who ever served as Captain, and I'd like to do the current generation justice."
"That's certainly a respectable goal to strive towards, Lieutenant. Ponies need those they can not only look up to, but also associate with. But being a symbol is far more daunting than most would consider," Celestia stated as she shuffled the papers withing the folder somewhat, before lowering it to look directly at him. "Be yourself first, but strive to be the pony who makes the legend reality, rather than the other way around."
Brick Wall easily found himself at a loss for words, opting instead to simply not in response.
If not for the sudden eruption of flames right in front of her as a scroll materialized out of thin air, he might've been able to say something in agreement of her points.
Silently, he watched as her brow furrowed in a manner he had never seen before, and quickly turned her focus to the scroll, opening it to see what it had to say. And as he did he saw something written on the front of it, now currently upside down. Unable to resist, he titled his head to the side in an effort to try and make out what had been written on the front, that had commanded her attention so urgently.
Defense Condition Level Two - Read Without Delay
A tense sensation was quickly working its way up his spine at those words. That was the second-highest level of alert the kingdom had, and was generally reserved for any bad situation below an enemy invasion already in the process, or an S.U.D event in close proximity to a populated area. If that was on the front of a note being sent directly to Princess Celestia...
"Should the Guard make ready to deploy at once, Your Highness?"
Celestia, her attention back in the room rather than the contents of the scroll, quickly shook her head as she rolled it back up again.
"I don't believe that's necessary at this time, Lieutenant. I am, however, afraid we'll have to cut this interview short. I have to tend to this immediately."
"Of course," he replied, understanding that this took precedent. "I'll just show myself out then..."
"Applejack," the purple alicorn squirmed uncomfortably, "you know that I could easily untie these ropes without any effort, right?"
"Ah know that, Surgarcube," Applejack confirmed and nodded. "An' Ah appreciate the fact ya aren't tryin' ta right now."
"I-" she grunted as she attempted to shift her position to something that was a little more comfortable than what she was in right now. "I still don't understand the need for all of this, though. What exactly is going on around here?"
"Ah wish Ah could say, but Ah'm as clueless as you are right now," Applejack admitted and shrugged her withers. "Hopefully we'll be gettin' some answers here soon enough. Jus' gotta be patient an' wait a spell."
"I suppose you're right," she sighed and slumped, figuring she wasn't going to get anymore comfortable than she currently was. "Just... could you please ask your friend to stop looking at me like he wants to eat me? It's really disturbing."
"Mr. Cifer, ya mind not lookin' at 'er like ya wanna eat 'er?" Applejack asked.
"I'm not," Ulquiorra replied from where he stood, currently watching the two ponies with unfettering focus and attention on where they currently were.
"Sorry, Sugarcube, Ah tried," Applejack replied and shrugged dismissively.
The purple alicorn merely gave a defeated sigh and slumped down, realizing that any further attempts at discussion were going to be pointless. It looked like she was going to be stuck in this awkward, hogtied position until Princess Celestia showed up to set things right. All she could do was try to be comfortable, and hope they didn't have to wait too long.
The one thing she had going for her right now was her location. They were all inside Applejack's barn at the moment, shielded from the intensity of the direct sun outside, and she'd been deposited on the relative softness of a hay bale rather than having to lay on the hard ground.
With the discussion apparently concluded for now, silence returned to the interior of the barn, disrupted only as Applejack slipped her hat off to fan herself, before returning it to its customary place atop her head.
Exactly what was going through Ulquiorra's mind, or the mystery Twilight's mind, Applejack couldn't really tell for certain. Probably a lot of questions, but that was as far as speculation could really take her at this point. All she knew was what was going through her own mind. And right now, that was the fact that she could go for an iced tea to help counter the heat of the day.
Her guests were probably in the same boat as her on that front, now that she thought about it.
Going back to the house and fetching them all some refreshments was probably a very good idea. But then again it had the potential to be a very bad idea. If Apple Bloom was currently home she'd ask questions, and she'd have to answer them, and the filly would possibly want to come and talk with Ulquiorra. Not that there was anything wrong with that. But if this new Twilight was here for nefarious purposes, it would be best to keep others away from her as much as possible.
In hindsight, hogtying her probably hadn't been the best of ideas for her to engage in. But at the time it'd seemed like a good idea, as it was the only thing either of them could think of to keep her from attempting to wander around and potentially try and get out of their sight. At least she'd been semi-cooperative and hadn't struggled too much at being informed of what was going to happen. The promise they'd let her go once Celestia got here probably helped with that a bit.
That was another reason she wasn't too eager to heed the call of liquid refreshments just yet. She honestly didn't want to be absent should Celestia respond immediately. Not that she would've been able to contribute much to the discussion, but she'd at least like to hear what did get discussed.
And then there was the matter of their guest. Alicorn or no, it was still Twilight in some sense. A very foreign Twilight who was talking about stuff she didn't understand, and not from their own world if Ulquiorra was right, but the idea of leaving the two of them alone together just didn't set right with her; not after how uncomfortable she'd been in his presence, even in the company of a familiar face.
So she'd just stick it out for the time being, and wait a while longer.
Over on the hay bale, their guest grunted and tried to move, but got nowhere against her bindings. She liked to think of that as being a good sign. After all, what sort of villain would willingly suffer the indignity of being tied up like they were? Not any sort she was familiar with, that was for certain. Chrysalis certainly refused to accept being tied up, even after they'd done their best to beat the crap out of her.
And then a thought struck her. Ulquiorra had resisted any efforts on the part of their guest to get answers to her questions, reasoning that until they had more information to go on, it was risky to reveal too much information about anything; even if the subject didn't have anything to do with national security. But maybe if she asked the questions, he'd be more willing to answer them. It might help the new pony relax a bit, as well as break up the near-stifling silence.
"Are ya sure yer message went ta the right pony, Mr. Cifer? Ya jus' burnt it with a lighter an' all..."
"If Princess Luna's explanation is accurate, then yes," he replied, simply and to the point.
That hadn't gone nearly as well as she'd hoped, as she'd been expecting him to go into detail as to how it would all work. Maybe she could ask him when he'd picked up the lighter and why as well. But he was being exceptionally tight-lipped right now as he kept his attention focused on the Twilight in front of them.
Before she could try and press further, however, her ears were greeted by the characteristic sound of a teleportation spell being performed. Turning around, she saw that Celestia had finally arrived. Now maybe they could get some answers around here.
"Finally!" the purple alicorn sighed exasperatedly, before turning her head to the side. "Hello, Princess!"
"Hello, Twilight," Celestia greeted in turn as she stepped closer, her voice just as warm and motherly as Applejack had ever heard it. "I'm sure you have a great many questions right now. I can assure you, we do as well."
"I do," the purple alicorn confirmed and nodded vigorously. "Normally I'd defer to you, Princess, but in this instance I have a very pressing question I need answered immediately. Can I please be excused to use the restroom? I don't know how much longer I can hold it!"
Applejack tried not the let out an amused smile at the question, while Celestia just continued projecting that same serene aura she was so well known for.
"I don't think there would be any harm," Celestia replied as her horn lit up, before the rope was enveloped in her magic. But just as soon as it was, she paused without untying it. "Um... Applejack, would you mind? I... never actually learned how to untie a bolson knot," she sheepishly admitted.
The absurdity of the admission, along with the bewildered look on the other alicorn's face following it, had been enough to get an actual laugh out of Applejack this time around. Not that she'd meant to, but it'd happened anyway.
"Ah reckon Ah can do that. Move aside, Princess, Ah'll show ya how it's done."
"Hotter than Tartarus right now, Ah tell ya what," Granny Smith grumbled to herself as she shuffled about in the kitchen, getting preparations ready for what would be dinner tonight.
She might've been slower in her old age than she would've liked, and maybe not as able to pack as much of a kick to an apple tree as her grandkids could, but those facts had never served to stop or slow her down before, and she wasn't about to let them get to her now. Not even if the kitchen was the hottest room in the house right now. But come heat or annoyances, she'd make herself useful one way or another. If that involved making the meals, then so be it.
"Apples don' shy away from honest work, no siree," she mumbled to herself as she consulted the recipe to make sure everything was being done properly. "Ya'd think at my age Ah'd know these by heart."
Her thoughts were quickly interrupted by a knocking at the back screen door, and then the sound of its hinges squeaking as it was opened from the outside. Odd, since her family wouldn't bother with knocking at the door to their own home, and a proper guest would have the courtesy to wait before entering as if they owned the place.
She had a particularly blistering retort readied for whoever would enter their home without so much as even a word. Although when she turned and saw Celestia stepping through the doorway, tilting her head downward just a bit in the process to let her horn clear the top of the frame, her mood immediately changed.
"Well! Howdy do, Princess! Haven' seen ya 'round these parts since ya showed up fer that city slicker's party!"
"Hello to you too, Granny Smith. How're you doing?" Celestia asked as she fully stepped into the kitchen.
"Eh, can't complain. Nopony wants ta listen," Granny stated, practically cackling as she did. "If ya don' mind mah askin', wha' brings ya 'round these parts? Not that Ah mind any, but don' ya have more important things ta be doin' than visitin'?"
"That's primarily why I'm here at the moment," Celestia replied. "I was wondering if we could make use of your parlor for a meeting."
The request was definitely an unusual one. Why her parlor? But Celestia had been the one who'd made it possible for her family to get the land that was Sweet Apple Acres in the first place. Who was she to turn down an old friend she'd known since she was Apple Bloom's age.
"Well Ah reckon Ah don' see why not. Come on in outta the heat an' inta the fryin' pan!"
Celestia stepped aside and allowed Applejack to step in next, as she made her way over to the refrigerator to fetch the pitcher of tea that'd been chilling. She was followed by Ulquiorra -a name she was certain she'd never get right if she tried pronouncing it- as he stepped in. Bringing up the tail of the train was Twilight. Or at least a pony who she felt looked like Twilight, but also different. Honestly it was a bit hard to tell right now.
"Am Ah missin' somethin' here?" she asked uncertainly as Appleack was in the process of setting out five glasses on the table, and filling them with tea from the pitcher.
"No more than the rest of us are," Ulquiorra commented from the spot he'd essentially claimed as his own off to the side.
"It's kinda complicated," Applejack admitted, before setting the mostly-empty pitcher down, picking up her glass, and just about chugging half of its contents down in one go. "We're hopin' ta get ta the bottom o' wha's goin' on 'round here."
"Well, don' let me stop ya. Ah'm jus' gonna be mindin' mah own business as Ah cook," Granny Smith replied and shrugged dismissively, before returning to her work. "Jus' be sure ta let me know how many o' ya are stayin' fer supper!"
Applejack carefully set the tray with four of the five glasses of tea down on the coffee table, before claiming a spot on the couch for herself, getting comfortable for what was likely going to be a very involved, complicated discussion, relating to just what the hell was going on around here. She knew it was Ponyville and all, so some amount of weird was to be expected. But this was weird even by those standards. She was pretty sure even Pinkie couldn't out-weird this one even if she tried to.
"To be honest, I'm not entirely sure where to start. This really isn't in my area of expertise," Celestia admitted uneasily.
The look on Twilight's face was, again, one of confusion. Maybe even discomfort, like she was being confronted by news she simply wasn't prepared for.
"I still don't understand how that's even possible," she offered up weakly, even a bit desperately. "You're Princess Celestia! The sole monarch over Equestria for one thousand years! You have knowledge about every subject in the entire kingdom!" she continued, the desperation in her voice only increasing as she went along.
Celestia slowly shook her head in response. "Only one of those three is correct, I'm afraid. It's true, I am Princess Celestia. But I was never sole monarch, merely the one who was present for one thousand years. And despite what many in the kingdom would like to believe, there are a great many things I simply don't have knowledge of. I'm very sorry, little one, but whatever mental image you may have of me, I'm afraid it's quite mistaken."
The look on this Twilight's face was a painful one for Applejack to see for herself. She hadn't really seen that sort of look since the fallout from the changeling invasion. It was the look of one having to confront the fact that long-held notions of belief were wrong. And if her reaction was anything like the one their Twilight had... yeah, that wouldn't be good.
"A'right then," she spoke up and set her glass of tea back on the tray. "If ya big, fancy talkers don' mind, Ah'm gonna take the lead an' explain this one."
Neither Celestia nor Ulquiorra spoke up in objection, and Twilight's attention was immediately focused on her from where she sat.
"It's like this, Twi'. About a month ago, Discord dropped some perdy disturbin' news on us. First, multiverse theory is real. Let that sink in fer a moment, but not too long. Second, somethin' happened between yer brother's weddin' and the Crystal Empire reappearin'. We don' really know what, an' Discord couldn' rightly explain it, but somethin' in the multiverse happened and knocked our 'verse right off its axis. So long story short, an' not knowin' any better way ta put it, Ah'm guessin' ya wound up in an alternate reality to yer own," she explained as best she could.
The finer details from it all were missing, she was sure of that, but she'd done her best to hit the highlights of the discussion. If the other Twilight was here, she could probably do a much better job of it.
For her part, the Twilight they had present just sat there in silence and listened, eyes going mildly wide, ears perked up, and jaw slightly slack. Now she looked like her mind was trying to process the newfound information she'd just been given, but at less-than-optimal speeds for the task at hoof.
"... I want to say that makes a disturbing amount of sense, based on what I've seen and experienced for myself. And there's a tiny part of me that wants to scream in sheer terror at the implications behind everything you just said," she slowly admitted. "I'm just having a hard time making sense of it all. I wasn't really doing anything at the time that could theoretically explain falling into a... well however you'd describe an alternate reality; there's far too many terms to keep straight which is which and how they differ. It's not that I don't believe you, Applejack, I'm just really curious about your reasoning. Just what makes you so sure that I don't belong here? "
"Because the Twilight Mr. Cifer an' Ah talked to a few hours ago wasn' an alicorn like ya are, Sugarcube. She's still the same unicorn Ah met back when she first came ta Ponyville fer the Summer Sun Celebration, an' complainin' that Celestia wasn' takin' 'er concerns seriously 'bout Nightmare Moon returning," Applejack explained.
Twilight could only smile sheepishly as she glanced over towards Celestia, uncomfortable about one of her less than stellar moments of behavior being tossed out so casually.
"That's actually a very good reason. But there are other explanations that would explain such. I think. It could be... no, now that I think about it, that wouldn't account for inconsistencies in memory. Hmm..." she mumbled as she rubbed her chin in thought, brow furrowing as she tried to figure something out. "I... have nothing on this one. I'm sorry."
Applejack simply chuckled in response. "Welcome ta the club, Sugarcube."
"Alright," Twilight sighed and sat up a bit straighter on her spot. "Does anypony mind if I ask a few questions to get things rolling? Even if I allow for the possibility of my being stuck in an alternate dimension/reality, that still only explains so much."
"I don't think there would be any harm in that," Celestia replied, before turning her focus to where Ulquiorra presently stood. "What about you, Ulquiorra?"
"At present I can voice thirteen reasons for why sharing any degree of information can amount to a potential security threat to the well being of the kingdom, and those that reside within it. I could easily go into detail, methodically explaining point by point, why this Twilight sparkle could potentially be the worst threat this world has ever faced," Ulquiorra explained, simply and bluntly. "But as has been alluded to in the past, friendship sometimes requires tolerating a potential security threat, in the interest of the greater good."
"Well that's certainly a pessimistic way of looking at Equestria's teachings," Twilight muttered. But she shook her head, and decided that now was simply not the time to get into such a discussion. Time spent hashing out those details was time spent not getting the answers she was after. In the interest of learning, she'd save the bickering for later. "How exactly are you here, and in your current form? Humans aren't supposed to be able to cross through the portal to Equestria without being transformed into a physical form that's appropriate for our world. Just like Equestrians can't pass through the portal without being transformed into humans, or in Spike's case a dog."
"The answer to your question is as simple as it is convoluted," Ulquiorra began as he stood with his hands tucked into his pockets. "How I came to be here in my present form is due to Discord's involvement. I was brought into the equation to act as a safeguard in response to the event Applejack spoke of. Discord warned that the original future of this reality was no longer set, no longer guaranteed, and the threats your counterpart and her friends would face as a result could be unpredictable. Threats that he could not stop, and threats that they were unprepared to encounter, and unable to deal with on their own. So while they protect Equestria, I protect them so they can carry out that mission."
Though the explanation was short, it was easy to see that it had Twilight's full, undivided attention, as she carefully listened to what he had to say, all the while leaning forward on her seat to the point she was dangerously close to toppling over if she shifted her weight wrong, as if reducing the physical distance between them would serve to enhance his words.
It was only once he'd finished speaking, and made no move to continue, that she finally spoke up in response.
"Let me just start by saying thank you. That makes me feel a lot better, knowing that some version of us is getting the support they might need. I know we've been able to manage some truly miraculous wins against various villains in the past, but there have been times that I swear we've been a hair's breadth away from loss and Equestria falling into ruin. I'd honestly hug you for being there for our counterparts, but I really don't know if that would be appropriate."
"It would not be the first time I've been hugged by ponies since my arrival. I doubt it would truly be the last."
The dismissive statement may as well have been an engraved invitation from Twilight's perspective. She needed no further prompting to climb down from her seat and trot over to Ulquiorra, before rearing up on her hind legs in order to throw her forelegs around him.
Ulquiorra merely remained stationary in his spot, paying the embrace no mind. Although Applejack and Celestia took the opportunity to appreciate the quiet moment for all the sweetness it carried with it.
"That still doesn't explain why you're still human, however," Twilight eventually pointed out.
"Well ya see, Twi', Mr. Cifer ain' exactly human, even though he kinda looks like one. He's wha' ya call a Hollow," Applejack stated.
Twilight looked back at Applejack, before looking back up at Ulquiorra, before pulling back just enough to tap at his sternum with her right hoof.
"He sounds quite solid to me."
"Pfft!"
Celestia had been able to keep her amusement contained to a polite giggle. But Applejack had succumbed to a full-on belly laugh, and was currently clutching at her sides as she leaned back on her seat.
All Twilight could do was continue looking up at Ulquiorra in confusion, as her ears slowly went limp as the realization set in that she was being laughed at.
"The friends of your counterparts can be immature idiots at times," Ulquiorra stated dryly. "In the simplest of terms, a Hollow is essentially a ghost. The earthbound spirit of a deceased individual, that has gained a physical form enabling it to interact with the living world around it," he explained.
Twilight looked at him with confusion etched deeply across her face, before her ears practically rocketed back upright into their previous position.
"A spirit? Y-you mean as in a soul? An actual, honest to goodness soul!?"
"Correct," Ulquiorra confirmed.
"This is amazing!" Twilight exclaimed and re-tightened her hold on him. "Philosophers have been arguing for centuries over the possibility of this, but nopony has been able to prove anything, it's all just been guesswork. Do you know what this means for Equestria at large? You're actual, tangible proof that there really is more to existence than just this mortal coil! Please! Tell me, is there an afterlife we go to when we die!?"
The degree of enthusiasm Twilight was currently showing, was something Ulquiorra hadn't found himself subjected to since early on after his arrival. But apparently Twilight was still Twilight, regardless of what reality she came from.
"I have seen evidence that suggests it exists. However I can't confirm what that afterlife may actually amount to," he explained.
By now Twilight was squealing through tightly pursed lips, practically vibrating with the amount of excitement she was trying so desperately to contain.
Before she could launch into any further questions, she was quickly enveloped in a golden aura, and practically peeled off of Ulquiorra like a banana peel, before she was levitated away from him.
"Twilight," Celestia spoke firmly to get her attention, but also gently. "I can understand how this is all very exciting. But would you mind answering a few of our questions now?"
"Oh! Right!" Twilight stated, only now realizing just how far ahead of herself she'd gotten in light of this new information. "I apologize for that. What would you like to know?"
"For starters," Celestia began as she set Twilight back down on her hooves and released her, "you can tell me about this portal you referred to earlier. I know you said something about the "human world" and about how beings who step through it are transformed into a form that's appropriate for whichever world they step into, so it's logical to conclude some sort of transmogrification spell is attached to it. What else can you tell us about it?"
"I can try, but since this is an alternate world, that might be a bit difficult. Did this Equestria have the Sirens?" Twilight asked.
"It was quite some time before Luna and I came into power, but yes. The tale of Starswirl the Bearded defeating and banishing them was well known back then," Celestia confirmed.
"Right then. In the Equestria I came from, Starswirl banished the three of them to a world that was devoid of equestrian magic, leaving them unable to amount to a threat to those around them. In this case that was the human world, or at least some equivalent of the human world; what with the revelation of multiverse theory being a thing, I don't know exactly which human world it might be, if there's more than one. All I really know is that their world and our world is connected via an interdimensional doorway in the form of a magical mirror. Or at least it's a mirror on our side, while on the human side it's the base of a large statue," Twilight stated.
"Did you just say a magic mirror? As in Starswirl's magic mirror?" Celestia asked. Twilight nodded in response.
"Is that significant?" Applejack asked as she turned to look at Celestia.
"We actually have that mirror in this world, stored securely back at the palace in a restricted wing," Celestia replied. "There were stories about it and its capabilities, although I never verified them for myself. Supposedly the portal opens to another world for a three day period every two and a half years."
"That jus' sounds right plum stupid if anypony asks me," Applejack commented flatly. "If yer gonna make a portal to another world, why have it open fer only a few days? An' why so long in between? An' if these "Sirens" are so dangerous they had ta be banished to another world, why even have a portal tha' can be opened afterward anyway? Why didn' Starswirl jus' close it off fer good if he was so smart?"
"I'm inclined to agree," Ulquiorra added as he turned to better face the others, specifically Celestia. "If the existence of this portal poses a risk to the safety of Equestria, it should be destroyed rather than merely locked away."
"What!?" Twilight practically shrieked as she turned back to face Ulquiorra, utterly horrified by what he was saying. "No, you can't do that! If you destroy the mirror then this world's Sunset will never be able to come home again!"
"Sunset?"
Everyone's attention in the room was immediately turned to Celestia as she stood there, a look of disbelief on her face as she spoke.
"Did you say Sunset? As in Sunset Shimmer?" she asked further. Twilight immediately nodded in response.
"Who's Sunset Shimmer?" Applejack asked.
"A former student of mine, before I ever met Twilight and took her on as my personal student. A filly of great magical potential, but even more focused on her studies and advancement than Twilight ever was. She simply couldn't see the importance of friendship for what it was. We... parted ways on less than positive terms and I never saw her again, never even heard of her again," Celestia explained, her tone heavy and solemn as she addressed the group, before releasing a long sigh and returning her attention to Twilight. "For so long, I was afraid she'd died in some faraway land on a quest for knowledge and power. But to know she's been alive all this time..."
Twilight knew -or was at least willing to accept- that this wasn't her home world. And by extension, this wasn't her Princess Celestia. But those facts didn't really matter right now. Without a word she stepped forward, and reared up on her hind legs to wrap her forelegs around the taller alicorn's neck to offer up what she was certain was a much-needed hug, before unfurling her wings to wrap them around her barrel as best she could.
As she felt the hug being returned with a foreleg around her back, she was convinced she'd made the right decision.
"Thank you. I understand that our realities might be different, but you've managed to give me a hope I was afraid to hold onto," Celestia stated softly.
"I don't know how many similarities our worlds have to one another, but you didn't fail her, Princess. And in the end, she doesn't blame you either. She eventually learned how to take your teachings to heart. She just... needed a little time, and a helping hand, to see the error in her ways," Twilight continued, although it was easy to tell her from her tone that she was holding certain details back. "It's reasonable to conclude the same applies over here as well."
"That remains to be seen, considering what Discord had to tell us" Ulquiorra commented.
"Oh, jus' shut up an' let 'em enjoy a moment, would ya," Applejack retorted. "We can discuss the finer details o' stuff like that later."
"Very well then," Ulquiorra conceded, "but there are still questions in need of being answered at some point. Questions that now pertain to this Sunset Shimmer individual, and the relevancy she has in events that transpired. Specifically, what type of threats she may pose in this world."
"What!?"
Despite not wanting to break the hug she was currently sharing, Twilight knew it was necessary to do so, in order to turn back around and face Ulquiorra again. Although when she confronted those eyes practically boring through her again, she honestly regretted it.
"I can tell with a mere glance you're withholding pertinent details to your tale," he stated, causing the purple alicorn to flinch almost as if she'd been physically struck right across the face. "If I'm to ensure the safety of your counterpart and her friends, I need to know what you know about potential threats we may be faced with."
Again, Twilight flinched. She wanted to protest and argue that he was playing dirty, that what she would have to say would only serve to hurt Princess Celestia by giving her reason to feel like a failure. To desperately try and claim that the sequence of events that transpired in her world didn't necessarily mean the same sequence of events would transpire in this world.
But despite it all, she couldn't do that. She knew that he had a point, even if it was being made brutally. And as much as she wanted to spare this version of Celestia whatever emotional pain she might experience, she didn't want to think about how she might unintentionally hurt this world's equivalent of her friends if he was right.
"Alright," she sighed and nodded as she sat down on her haunches, slouching down as she did so.
Reluctantly, she began to tell them the less-than-glamorous tale of events that'd transpired in her world. Her ascension to an alicorn, her coronation as Princess of Friendship, the public ceremony of said being held in the Crystal Empire, the arrival of Sunset Shimmer through the magic mirror and ensuing battle for her crown -the Element of Magic, she stressed- and her own journey into the new and unfamiliar world on the other side of the mirror.
As much as she wanted to hold back certain details, she found it impossible to do such under Ulquiorra's gaze, leaving her feeling compelled to speak honestly about Sunset Shimmer's own evil ambitions, what she'd attempted, and what had ultimately led to her defeat and reformation. Along with her own failures at preventing the entire mess from transpiring in the first place.
By the time she was done, she felt like she wanted to cry. And the longer they went without speaking, the worse that want became.
"Well now," Celestia began slowly. But whatever she was trying to say simply died before getting past her lips. "I'm sorry, I just can't do this. Not on my own," she admitted, before turning her attention to Ulquiorra. "Would you mind if I plagiarized a page from your book for this?"
"Not at all," Ulquiorra replied.
"Thank you," Celestia replied, before turning her attention back to Twilight. "So let me see if I understand you correctly. My counterpart in your world, knowingly removed a dangerous magical artifact from its secure storage, had is transported all the way to the Crystal Empire in time for your coronation ceremony, a ceremony that she herself knew about because she put into motion in the first place. And knowing that it was around the time the portal would be open, she didn't bother to take proper security measures once at the empire, didn't ensure an adequate contingent of guards were present for the big event, didn't lock the doors to the room the mirror was going to be stored in, and didn't even think to turn the mirror to face the wall so anything that might try to come through would run face first into the wall and fall back through the portal. Furthermore, she didn't even think to secure a plastic replica of the Element of Magic for the ceremony, so one of Equestria's most valuable treasures wouldn't be a separate security issue that would have to be taken into account. And she had the nerve to be surprised when something went wrong?"
Twilight looked up at Celestia, confused and dumbfounded by her summation of events, helpless to do anything but nod in confirmation in response.
"Um... I guess you could say something like that?" she offered up weakly in response.
"Just... how fucking stupid is my counterpart in your world?"
Twilight gasped in response, wide-eyed and red-faced at what she'd just heard.
Applejack didn't know which was funnier, hearing Celestia curse so freely, or seeing Twilight's reaction to actually hearing it. Either way she had to bite the inside of her cheek to avoid succumbing to her own laughter again. But it sure wasn't easy.
"I know that I'm not the wisest pony in all of Equestria, and I'll admit that I've had periods where I've made bad decisions. But what you described is such a painfully glaring absence of logic, I can't help but question what sort of thought process was behind it. Was Discord behind that one? Please tell me that was Discord's meddling and not her own idea. Because if my counterpart did that on her own then so help me, I will not hesitate to slap her if I ever meet her. That's ignorance to a degree and extent I simply can't forgive!" Celestia continued.
The more Celestia went on, and the more shocked/flabbergasted Twilight looked in response to what she was hearing, the more Applejack was positive she was going to have a bloody hole in the side of her face from biting down on the inside of her cheek so hard to keep from laughing. She couldn't take much more of this!
By the time Celestia got to the idea of bringing Luna along for the meeting, and letting her slap the shit out of her sister's counterpart as an apology for sticking her on the moon for a thousand years, and Twilight's horrified reaction to such, she was dead. She collapsed right on the ground and laughed so much harder than she had previously, uncertain if she would even be able to recover from this one as her back leg repeatedly smacked against the floor boards. Her entire body was convulsing as her chest heaved, tears ready to stream down the sides of her face, as she struggled desperately to breathe through the soundless laughter her body was producing.
All the while, Ulquiorra continued to stand unmoving, and wearing the same expressionless look on his face.
"Princess Celestia!" Twilight whined pitifully in protest, unable to put up with anymore of what she was hearing. "Please don't say things like that!"
It was only after, that Celestia seemed to take stock of her surroundings, and look down at the pathetic, embarrassed face Twilight wore as she looked up at her. It was a look that instantly broke her disgust and frustration with her counterpart from another world.
"I apologize for that, Twilight," she sighed as she reached up to gently stroke the smaller pony's head with her hoof. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. You're a visitor here, I should've made a better effort at making you feel welcome during your stay."
"No, no, it's alright," Twilight sighed and slouched, taking a moment to enjoy the physical contact, "just please don't use that kind of language anymore? Please? I've never heard you say such vulgar things before!"
"Under normal circumstances, I don't usually say such vulgar things; that's more Luna's shtick than mine," Celestia admitted. "But under present circumstances, I felt an exception was warranted."
"Why did Sunset Shimmer come through the portal?"
By now Applejack's laughter was subsiding, allowing her to compose herself and get her amusement under control. Which in turn allowed the others to hear Ulquiorra's question being presented, and turn their attention back to him.
"More specifically, why at that particular point in time, and not at any other point previously when the portal was opened?" he continued.
"To get the Element of Magic," Twilight stated. "I'm a little ashamed to admit that I didn't know it at the time, but apparently if you take a magical artifact through a portal from one dimension to another, whatever magic binding the artifact to its intended user is severed, making it possible for anyone to basically claim it for themselves. And, well, Sunset wanted all of that magical power for herself."
"The reasoning behind the heist isn't being questioned, as it makes sense even to myself," Ulquiorra replied. "What is being questioned is the timing to everything that transpired in your tale. Your ascension just happened to coincide with the period of time the portal between the two worlds was going to open? And Sunset Shimmer somehow knew about this sequence of events? And she chose this opportunity to return to Equestria, rather than at any time when the portal was opened previously? The timing of it all is far too coincidental to be written off as nothing more than mere coincidence."
"I..." Twilight opened her mouth to respond, only to pause and close it again as she tried to evaluate his words, and make sense of what he was saying. "I honestly don't know. I never gave that any thought before. But now that you mentioned it, I can't help but think of it. The statistical probability of those two separate, unrelated events just happening to coincide with one another is positively astronomical. I-I don't even think it's even possible to postulate that high, to describe how unlikely the odds of that happening even are," she stated as her brow furrowed, and she rubbed at her chin with her right foreleg in thought.
Applejack, having properly composed herself by this point and gotten her hat back where it belonged, wasn't sure just what to think as she watched Ulquiorra give this Twilight the same routine he'd given them so many times before. It felt weird watching it from the outside, rather than being subjected to it.
She felt somewhat bad for the mare, but at the same time also thankful that it wasn't her.
"Maybe it..." Twilight paused as she glanced upward, before shaking her head dismissively and set her hoof back down on the floor. "No, that couldn't be it. It's ridiculous."
"Sugarcube, yer talkin' to a ghost from another reality that Discord brought here ta save our furry butts 'cause our world's gone side-wacky. How much more ridiculous can what you're thinkin' really be?" Applejack asked.
"Touche," Twilight muttered and sat up a bit straighter. "Alright, just bear in mind that it's just a theory, based on what we've experienced back in my world, and having only about a minute to throw it together.
"The Elements of Harmony come from the Tree of Harmony. We don't really know for certain what it is, or where it came from, or how it created the Elements of Harmony. All we really know for certain is that Starswirl the Bearded was involved in its creation. Anyway, we've learned that the Tree of Harmony is, to some extent, aware of its surroundings and place in the world, and is capable of interacting with others, demonstrating at least some measure of sapience. Since the Elements of Harmony are its creation, maybe it's possible it can use its connection to the Elements to interact with others.
"At the time, I thought my ascension came from completing an unfinished spell by Starswirl the Bearded, that swapped the cutie marks of my friends; something that ordinarily shouldn't be possible. But now that I think about what you've said about the timing and all, it makes me wonder. We needed to use the Elements of Harmony to set their memories and cutie marks straight again. And it was the Elements of Harmony that activated and triggered my ascension -not Princess Celestia- just a few days before the portal opened. As farfetched as it may seem, maybe... the Tree of Harmony sensed the portal was going to be opened, and used its connection with us to exert its influence and set everything into motion? Maybe its influence extended beyond the portal to Sunset Shimmer, to bring her back to Equestria, so that we could help her?"
"And Sunset could only be helped by the alicorn you? Not the unicorn you?" Applejack asked in response. "Ah'm sorry, Sugarcube, but tha' doesn' make any sense ta me. Tha's more convoluted than some o' the crap Ah've heard Discord peddlin'."
"Well... in my defense... I did say the Tree of Harmony demonstrated sapience, not intelligence," Twilight offered up weakly. "I know it doesn't really make any sense. It's just the only thing I could think of the rationalize what your friend pointed out relating to the timing issue. The only thing I can really think of, is maybe the Tree made the conclusion that I was ready to ascend, even if I didn't feel it myself, and simply picked that moment to do it."
"Perhaps," Ulquiorra replied simply, but added nothing further.
Not that any of them would complain about such, however.
"Is he always like that?" Twilight asked as she looked to Celestia for answers.
Celestia shook her head in response. "No. Usually his theorizing goes into much greater depth than that. He must be going easy on you since you just arrived."
"... I honestly don't know whether to be impressed or terrified by that," Twilight admitted. "I've been privy to meeting some of the greatest minds Equestria has to offer, and I don't think any of them, not even Starswirl the Bearded, could keep pace with him."
"Starswirl?" Celestia asked. "Is Starswirl the Bearded actually alive in your reality?"
Twilight nodded. "He and the other Pillars all are. They put themselves into a state of limbo/suspended animation for a thousand years to keep Equestria safe from the Pony of Shadows. But we managed to find them and bring them back. Although doing so also brought back the Pony of Shadows as well, and we had to defeat him before he could wreck Equestria."
"O' course it'd go that route," Applejack grumbled, before giving a shrug. "Well, don' worry, Sugarcube. If the Pillars are alive an' we go that route in our own world, Mr. Cifer will prob'ly whomp the tar outta the Pony o' Shadows right quick."
Twilight quickly shook her head as she turned around to better face Applejack.
"Applejack, you don't understand. The Pony of Shadows isn't something that can be out-thought like that. We nearly lost the Elements of Harmony and the Pillars of Equestria in trying to defeat it the second time around."
"Twi', Ah don' think you understand. Mr. Cifer here might not look like a powerhouse by pony standards, but Ah witnessed 'im jus' 'bout beat, Ah repeat beat, a fully grown dragon ta death wit' his bare fists. The only reason it's still alive is 'cause Fluttershy stopped 'im at the last second before he could finish it off. Ah don' think there's a thing in our reality he couldn' kill in short order if he tried an' used both hands."
At hearing this, Twilight reeled back in obvious disbelief, looking between Applejack, then at Ulquiorra, then at Applejack again.
"I... I'm honestly not sure how to feel about that..." she weakly admitted as she tried to wrap her head around such a notion. "I never considered such pure brute force as being a legitimate option when it came to the safety of Equestria. It just... goes against our teachings."
"And yet your own account of Sunset Shimmer's efforts to conquer Equestria, detail how pure brute force was needed to show her the error of her ways," Ulquiorra commented.
"T-that was different!" Twilight protested.
"Is it? You outright dominated her through overwhelming force, leaving her no choice but to give up her ambitions and finally, begrudgingly, accept Equestria's teachings, when she really had no interest in doing such of her own volition in the first place. You essentially told her that her outlook was wrong, and forced her to abandon it and adopt your own outlook, deeming it the only correct one to be had. Simply because you left her alive, doesn't serve to change the facts of the matter. Whatever doesn't neatly fit within your narrow definition of "harmony" or "friendship" you simply crush into submission or oblivion," Ulquiorra stated. "Regardless of whether or not you wish to admit to it, your approach is no different from my own."
Twilight flinched away, uncertain if it was from the hard, piercing stare she was being subjected to, or the brutal accusations being leveled at her, or perhaps a combination of both factors. To have what they did compared to what he did was just... just... horrible! The very notion that they were similar in how they approached a problem made her feel physically ill to even contemplate. There was no similarities between them, there simply wasn't! None!
"Ulquiorra..." Celestia growled in a tone of voice that commanded all of their attention simultaneously. "You've already done enough to traumatize and corrupt one Twilight Sparkle. Please don't try to go two for two."
"That may require my refraining from speaking with her for the duration of her stay in this reality, however long that may be," Ulquiorra pointed out.
"Huh. Mr. Cifer, Ah think yer onto somethin' there, an' Ah'm not really sure Ah like it," Applejack stated before swiveling back around to face Twilight. "Twi', Ah don' wanna come off as inhospitable, but how long are ya gonna be here anyway?"
"I... that's actually a good question. I'm not really sure," Twilight replied, her mind instantly snapping back to a discussion she was far more comfortable with. "I don't even know what I did to wind up here in the first place, or even where "here" is specifically. This could be a problem..."
"It certainly could be," Celestia agreed. "You're welcome to stay at the palace until we get this matter properly sorted out."
"I'd like that," Twilight replied, smiling and nodded in the process. "If nothing else, it'll give me a chance to compare notes and see how the royal library of this reality compares with the one back home. Maybe I can even find something there, that can point me in the right direction of figuring out how to return home."
"Uh... what exactly is goin' on in here?"
Three of the four sets of eyes in the parlor pivoted around to the doorway to see a very confused Apple Bloom standing in the threshold.
"Uh, hi Apple Bloom," Applejack offered up weakly, uncertain of what else to say at the moment after her train of thought had been interrupted.
"Hi," Apple Bloom replied, her voice sounding a bit skeptic in tone as she spoke. "Wha's Princess Celestia doin' here? An'-" she squinted, "is Twilight an alicorn now? When did that happen?"
"Well..." Twilight took the initiative to speak up first. "The thing is, Apple Bloom, I'm not really the Twilight you know. I'm... sort of from another reality, just like, um... him," she tried to explain and used one of her wings to gesture in Ulquiorra's direction. "I guess you could say I'm from out of town, and just waiting to go back home."
"Oh, Ah get ya," Apple Bloom replied and nodded in understanding. "Are ya stayin' fer supper? Granny asked me ta find out how many o' ya she should be cookin' for."
At Apple Bloom's question, Twilight's stomach immediately started growling in response. She didn't know if it'd actually been audible, but it's certainly felt audible in her gut, provoking an embarrassed/apologetic smile and giggle on her part. Instinctively she started looking between Applejack and Celestia for answers.
"Is it alright if I stay for dinner? With the way my schedule's been, I haven't been privy to your family's cooking in months."
"Months!?" Applejack blanched in response, disgusted by the statement. "Well dang, Sugarcube, that jus' won't do! You park yer royal purple butt down at the dinner table, yer stayin' an' that's final. Celestia, how 'bout you?"
Celestia simply shook her head in response. "As much as I'd like to stay and enjoy your family's cooking, Applejack, I still have a lot of work that needs to be done before the day is over. I'm afraid I'll have to decline," she explained.
"A'right then. Apple Bloom, tell Granny we've got two stayin' over," Applejack stated, sending her sister on her way out of the room, all the while grateful for just how easy things had gone.
Once Apple Bloom was out of the room, Celestia returned her attention to the others. She wasn't about to quibble over where this Twilight stayed for dinner, but there were still other matters left to address before she could return to Canterlot.
"Ulquiorra. I appreciate the fact you informed me of what was going on, rather than trying to deal with the situation yourself, with your usual approach to taking care of business. And frankly I've seen enough to believe that this situation isn't a serious threat in need of a heightened state of awareness or concern."
"I disagree," Ulquiorra replied. "But ultimately it isn't my call. So until such time this Twilight Sparkle does something that would conclusively prove she demonstrates a threat to this Equestria, I will simply defer to your judgement on the matter."
"I... honestly don't know if I should feel insulted or not by that," Twilight admitted to Applejack. "Should I feel more upset by the fact he considers me a threat, or the fact he's dismissing me as being a threat?"
"He's got a real talent fer that kind o' stuff," Applejack grunted, unable to really give a proper answer one way or another. "Before ya leave, Princess, Ah need ta know somethin'. This kind o' thing is bound ta get out sooner or later. Should we let our Twilight know that there's another one here?"
Celestia couldn't deny that it was a good question to be presented. But at the same time, it was one she simply didn't have an answer for. Twilight certainly deserved to know about this, but whether or not she should know, and at this particular time, was another matter entirely. There was still the question of just how much mental strain she was really up to at the moment.
"We should. And we will. But not right now. As much as I'd like to be honest with her about everything, I simply don't have enough time or even focus right now for all of the questions bound to be asked when she's informed about this."
"Yeah, Ah can understand that one," Applejack replied, not really wanting to think about what that sort of discussion might look like. "Before ya do go, Ah got one more question fer Twi', Ah'll make it short," she said and quickly turned to Twilight. "When exactly is that portal o' yers to the human world supposed ta open?"
"I... honestly don't know. If I had a calendar I could probably pinpoint the week it's supposed to happen, but not the exact days it would happen," Twilight reluctantly admitted. "Why do you ask?"
"Ah appreciate hard work as much as the next pony, especially when it's honest work. But Ah also appreciate workin' smarter an' not harder when it can be done. An' since we've got an idea o' what might be happenin' at some point down the line, Ah'm gonna make like Celestia an' take a page from Mr. Cifer's book as well," Applejack stated. "If we have an idea on when Sunset will be comin' through the portal, we can ambush 'er before she can steal the Element o' Magic an' take it back through the portal. We can avoid a whole lot o' trouble, an' she an' Celestia can patch things up."
"That's... actually a brilliant idea. The capital B-type of brilliant," Twilight stated, her eyes lighting up as a grin broke out on her face. "If we did that, then this reality would be spared a great deal of problems that mine had to go through. If we stop this Sunset from doing what our Sunset did, equestrian magic won't be introduced to the human world. There's an number of ancient and potentially dangerous artifacts currently over there, laying dormant since there's nothing on that side to power them. Applejack, you're a genius!"
Applejack blushed in response, unprepared for such a compliment to be thrown at her so freely.
"Except..." Twilight continued, her tone and mood suddenly dropping, "if we did that, it's going to wind up hurting a lot of people. Yes, those artifacts will still be dormant and harmless trinkets, and the Sirens will be powerless to do anything. But... if we do that, then a lot of the damage Sunset has already caused won't get fixed. The friendships she's managed to ruin over there will remain ruined, the people who've been hurt will remain hurt... and my human counterpart over there is going to likely remain stuck in a psychologically abusive situation, under the control of an individual who sees her as nothing more than a disposable tool to advance her own social standing."
"If the matter ultimately comes down to the choice of a few destroyed friendships, or an entire world being put at risk by exposure to a magic that doesn't belong there in the first place, then the decision that must be made is quite clear," Ulquiorra stated. "It would be quite idiotic to take the course of action that would put the lives of millions at risk. The most logical course of action would be to go the route of saving the most lives through the least amount of effort."
Twilight frowned in response. "Are you always this callous?"
"Are you?" Ulquiorra asked in turn. "You already said the number of potentially dangerous magical artifacts in the human world is unknown. Meaning you have no way of knowing how many avoidable threats will be inflicted on millions of innocent beings, or how long their world will be at risk of harm. As the Princess of Friendship, could you really live with the knowledge that the short-term gain of patching up a few friendships in a world that's none of your concern, could potentially end the lives of countless others, and possibly destroy many more friendships than you could ever hope to comprehend?"
Twilight flinched. His words were like venom, and every accusation leveled against her was like a knife being thrown directly at her heart. There was an utter cruelness in his delivery, a sadistic evil in how he spoke, as he verbally cut into her like a demented surgeon, verbally ripping and tearing her apart. It hurt horribly to hear.
But the only thing that managed to hurt worse, was just how on point and right he was throughout it. In less than a minute he'd taken her concerns, twisted them around, and turned them back against her in a cruel, undeniably logical manner that left her uncertain just how it'd happened so fast.
In less than a minute, before she'd even understood the proverbial chess match she was in against him, he'd already left her trapped and in checkmate.
"Mr. Cifer," Applejack sighed, "jus'... could ya throttle back a bit on bein' a bastard? Please? This Twilight's already got enough on 'er mind as is. We don' need 'er breakin' down like RD did."
"Rainbow Dash?" At hearing her friend's name, and the implication something bad had happened, Twilight's discomfort for herself evaporated, much like the tears that'd been threatening to fall. "What happened to Rainbow Dash?"
Applejack sighed, now wishing she'd simply kept her mouth shut. But she hadn't, and now that she'd stuck her hoof in it, it looked like she was going to have to see it through.
"Nightmare Moon came back and broke 'er. Broke 'er right hard, Twi'. Had that poor gal convinced we'd turned against 'er an' did downright horrible things to 'er. Broke 'er so damn hard even the Element o' Loyalty stopped resonatin' with 'er entirely. Nightmare Moon had us at 'er mercy an' there wasn' a thing we could even do 'bout it. Picked us apart one by one, turnin' us against each other an' even ourselves all at once. She even got ta Celestia. The only reason she's not rulin' right now is 'cause Mr. Cifer was here ta put 'er down permanently like a rabid dog."
She hadn't been planning to give quite that much of a recollection of events, but once she'd started talking it'd proven difficult to stop it all from flowing out.
"... Oh..." Twilight replied slowly and sat down on her haunches, head drooping as she did so, far too much on her mind for even her own comfort right now.
Celestia's only response at the moment was to glare unfavorably at Ulquiorra, putting as much fury into it as she could muster.
Ulquiorra's response was to simply look back at her, wearing the same dull expression he was so well known for, utterly unimpressed and unconcerned for whatever amount of displeasure she might have for him.
"This is a lot more ethically complicated than I thought it would be," Twilight stated, unaware of the staring match playing out around her. "He's right that this isn't my world, so what happens here really isn't any of my business, even if I think it is. I need to think of not only what I can do, but what I should do. When does helping become meddling? When does it become interfering? How... how do I make the right decision?"
Finally, Celestia broke away from her efforts at boring holes through Ulquiorra's carcus, to turn her attention back to Twilight. Ulquiorra could wait, but she doubted this little pony could.
"Try not to think too hard about it," she said as she rubbed the smaller alicorn's back again. "Whatever you decide to to, we'll be alright, one way or another."
Twilight simply nodded wordlessly, before turning around and reaching out for a hug, this time very much needing to be on the receiving end of it. And the moment she felt it, she latched on for dear life, simply closing her eyes and letting her weary self sink against Celestia's strong frame as she felt a downy wing drape over her.