//------------------------------// // The Alternate Sister // Story: A Completely Normal School Board Meeting // by Mouse-Deer //------------------------------// It’s safe to assume that interdimensional travel is probably a bumpy ride, especially when your driver is a draconequus who cares very little about your physical well-being. One would not assume, however, that they would be offered complementary snacks for the trip while they felt their insides twisting into, well, outsides. Discord grabbed another handful of trail mix, ignoring the Canterlot High School Board of Education’s screams and the roar of the interdimensional wind as it whipped past their ears. “You know, if you stop and enjoy the ride a little bit, you might even think it’s fun.” “Discord,” Celestia screamed, “Put us down!” “I need the all-clear from traffic control first,” he said nonchalantly. “I don’t care!” He shrugged, snapping his claw. “Passengers these days.” With nothing more than a heavy thwump, they found themselves scattered across a rough wooden floor, insides intact and trail mix unfortunately spilt all over. Upon first glance, they appeared to be in a cozy library, books and sofas lining the walls in a carefully organized pattern. What quickly became apparent, however, was that where the floor was supposed to stop—the intersecting corner between ground and wall—continued up into the wall with a smooth curve. In fact, the floor, walls, and ceiling were all made of the same interconnected wood. They were inside of a big tree. Discord floated to the center of the library, above the table which Granny Smith and Principal Celestia had landed. Blueblood, Filthy, and Fancy were propped against a few bookshelves lining the wall—whether it was intentional to place Blueblood under the For Dummies section, we may never know—and Shining had landed on the upper level, flopping down gently onto a sofa. “Ohh . . . “ groaned Blueblood. “I think I’m going to be sick.” “Restroom’s on your left,” Discord motioned. “I’ll be back in a minute,” he groaned hurriedly, closing the door behind him. “Whew, that was a rough landing,” Discord said. “Can’t win ‘em all, eh?” he gave a little nudge to Celestia. “That was uncalled for, Discord,” the principal reproached. “You could have softened that landing for us.” Discord pouted. “It’s not exactly an easy feat, transporting this many people across universes, time, and space, you know,” he explained. “Frankly, the fact that none of you phased into the wall or found a book stuck in your arm is quite impressive. You know, that reminds me of a flight I made to Las Pegasus where this little foal kept screaming—” “Enough, Discord,” Principal Celestia interrupted. “Remember that you’re on thin ice here. Be gentle next time.” “Oh alright, I’ll put extra care into making sure no one gets hurt,” he said begrudgingly with a cross of his shoulders. The members of the Board had taken the time to get themselves up and begin examining the library, skimming through a few books. “I can’t read any of these,” said Filthy Rich. “It’s all gibberish.” “That’s because they’re in Equestrian. Interestingly, Equestrians don’t seem to have a problem reading English. But, well, maybe that’s the portal’s doing,” Discord pondered. “This place isn’t just a library,” Shining called from upstairs, “It’s a home, too!” “Hey, don’t go snooping around in her bedroom, please!” Discord called back. “I’m already in enough trouble as is.” Shining shrugged and headed downstairs to join the rest of the members, meeting them at the center table. Fancy Pants picked up another novel and began gently flipping through the pages. “The bindings on these novels are exquisite. I would say that they are in perfect condition, but you can tell there’s some gentle wear to them. Someone has been reading these novels with the utmost care taken to preserve them.” “Yes, yes,” Discord said, “We’re in a very cozy Equestrian library that keeps itself up to standards that even the princess herself doesn’t understand.” “What are we here for, then?” asked Granny Smith. “Well, a story of course,” grinned the draconequus, “But not one you’re going to find on any shelf. We need to hear it first-hoof from the head librarian of this little abode. She probably won’t be happy to see me, but she’ll want to help, I’m sure of it.” “Well, where is she?” asked Shining Armor. “I assume she lives here, but she’d probably have shown up by now considering the ruckus we’ve made.” “We should probably find her quickly,” added Fancy Pants. “I do not mind waiting, but this appears to be a public library. The longer we wait around, the greater chance we have of giving an incoming patron the scare of a lifetime.” Discord raised a claw to his chin. “Yes, I suppose you’re right. I’ll just bring her here.” He raised his claw to snap his fingers, but Celestia cut him off. “Discord,” said Principal Celestia sternly, “We can always leave and come back. She may be doing something important.” Discord waved her off. “Eh, it’s Twilight. If she was doing something important, I’d know.” He snapped his fingers and in the center of the room popped a purple alicorn munching down on a hay sandwich. “Bwuh?” she exclaimed, choking on her food. “What’s going on—” she turned around to see the draconequus looking at her with a grin. “Discord,” she growled, flaring out her wings. “Hello Twilight,” Discord said calmly. “How have you been today?” “Do you recall that teleporting a public official without their consent is a serious crime?” The draconequus snorted. “Twilight, I’m the Lord of Chaos! I don’t follow public order.” “Touché,” the alicorn admitted. She glanced around and, upon noticing that she was not alone in the library, turned to Discord and hardened her gaze even further. “Why have you brought humans here?” Discord looked back and forth between the humans and Twilight and slapped a claw on his forehead. “Oh dear me, where are my manners? Introducing her majesty, Princess Twilight Sparkle, Equestria’s very own Princess of Friendship!” Airhorns sounded off in the distance. “Nice to meet you all,” Twilight said with a little wave. “Um, who are you, exactly?” Discord facepalmed. “Oh my, I’m just completely off of my game today! Twilight, these are some members of the Canterlot High School Board of Education, plus a few special guests. I’m sure you’re familiar with them. Granny Smith, Fancy Pants, Filthy Rich, Blueblood’s in the bathroom, and Shining Armor.” The police officer had been standing carefully off to the side, eyeing Twilight closely. “Twily?” he said hesitantly, inching a small step closer toward the pony. “Is that really you?” Twilight gasped in surprise and flew over to Shining, tackling him in a hug. “Oh my gosh, Shiny! You’re human!” She paused. “Well, that was obvious, but still! You must be my BBBFF from the human world! And that means that I have a counterpart too! I sort of figured that out already, but now that it’s confirmed it means I can conduct a thorough study about the differences between our worlds!” She straightened herself out. “Tell me, Shiny, how similarly do I hold myself to your Twilight? Do we have the same mannerisms? Personality? Ooh, how about old school friends? I need to know!”  Shining pushed her off and took a step back. “You’re not really similar at all,” he said warily. “Are you really my sister’s counterpart? Because, well, I don’t know if I’m ready to wrap my head around that.” “Yes, she’s your Twilight’s parallel,” Discord said, “And she’s also the key to understanding what happened at the Fall Formal. Twilight, I know you’d like to catch up—or perhaps I should say compare—with Shining, but my dimensional portals aren’t exactly known for being stable. So, if you’d please, I need you to retell your side of the story about what happened at the Fall Formal.” “Why should I?” asked the princess. “Why do they need to know?” “They’ve been chosen to decide Sunset Shimmer’s punishment,” Principal Celestia chimed in. “Or, the lack thereof.” “Oh, hi Princess Celestia!” Twilight exclaimed, giving a quick bow. “No, no, Twilight, I’m just the principal.” “Oh. Right, got it, sorry,” she chuckled nervously. “So which of you are specifically part of the Board, then?” She glanced around the room. “Granny Smith, Fancy Pants, Filthy Rich—” “Please, just Rich,” he said. “My apologies. And then Shining, too?” She furrowed her brow. “Actually, I’m just tagging along with this one as an additional voice.” “Ah, okay! So that’s the Board. I hope you’re all thinking of giving Sunset another chance.” Behind them the bathroom door slammed open, revealing a disgruntled Blueblood. “We are most certainly not,” he growled. “The girl blasted a hole in the school and tormented our students for months. No amount of sappy pleading can change my mind, she has got to go.” “Oh, Blueblood,” Twilight groaned. “Some things stay the same across any universe.” She turned to Discord. “I think I see the issue now. What do you need from me?” Discord snapped his fingers and all the members found themselves sitting cross-legged on the floor with Twilight positioned on a chair up front, as if it were storytime. The alicorn had a book in her hooves labeled My Little Pony: Equestria Girls. “I just need you to tell your story, is all,” Discord snickered. Twilight tossed the book out of her hooves and it disappeared in a cloud of smoke. “Fine, but I’m not doing this for you, Discord. I’m doing it for Sunset.” And so Twilight regaled the events that led to Sunset’s downfall. A trip to an unwelcoming world. Warming herself up to the locals, forming new friendships. A successful bid for the crown, and Sunset’s unsuccessful attempt to stop her, leaving her reduced to a shell of her former self. And then, an outstretched hand and a promise for forgiveness. “When we used the Elements of Harmony—or at least invoked through the strength of our friendship—to defeat Sunset, we literally blasted all of the evil that had manifested inside of her out. She’s a blank slate when it comes to friendship right now. And those girls are ready to help her. “I know this is a hard sell for you all. If I were in your situation, I am sure it would not be easy to allow Sunset to stay. But, I am pleading with you, on behalf of all Equestria, that you give her one more chance. If you expel her, I don’t ever know if she’ll be able to get herself back on her feet. She needs guidance, from people who are equal to her—her fellow students. And I know it isn’t going to be easy for her, or for them, but I believe that friendship will prevail. I have to.” Twilight leaned back, her story finished. The members of the Board glanced at each other, uncertain of what to say. Principal Celestia shared a covert smile with Discord. “If I may speak, Your Highness,” asked Filthy Rich. “Please do.” “Thanks,” he cleared his throat. “I feel as if you misunderstand our position. You’re a princess in this land, yes?” “I’m still in training, technically, but I am.” “And considering what Discord has told us, this means you have some sort of administrative power over the country? Laws to enforce?” “Usually that’s left up to Princess Celestia, but I do technically have the authority,” she admitted. “So you understand, then, that the reason we cannot allow Sunset to stay in this school is not because of a personal vendetta, or a belief that she can change, but because it just simply isn’t allowed by the laws and policy we abide by? You’ve touched me with Sunset’s side of the story, really. I know you feel as if Sunset deserves another chance, but this is a matter of tough love; Sunset broke the rules, even if she regrets it. She can’t get a free pass on remorse alone.” Granny Smith sighed in frustration. “You know, Filthy, I recall you had a different opinion when we found out what your daughter was doing to Applebloom.” Filthy turned to her with a silent glare. “Leave that out of this, Mrs. Smith. You know that situation is different.” “Yeah, ‘cause it was your kid that time—” “Mrs. Smith,” Filthy said sternly, “We can discuss this later if you wish, but that’s off-topic.” Granny shrugged and turned away. “Just seems a bit hypocritical, is all.” “I also have a question for the princess,” said Fancy Pants. “You’re the Princess of Frienship, yes? Surely that means you have expertise on the matter.” Twilight smiled sheepishly. “Well, there’s always more to learn, but I suppose I’m the main authority on friendship in Equestria.” “Then have you fully considered how the rest of Canterlot High School will feel about Sunset staying? Do you really believe that anyone will want to be friends with her? Or even that her presence won’t be a triggering event for some of the students she used to bully? This isn’t just going to be ‘hard’ for some students, it could be like finding out your walking nightmare was given the chance to roam the halls freely.” Twilight frowned. “You’re right, this is a lot to ask of the students. I entrusted Sunset to five of the friends I made over there, and I know that they will look out for her as best as they can. And I won’t lie to you in saying that at first, Sunset’s presence will be tough on everyone. But I know that Sunset truly wants to change, and eventually the rest of the students will see that. The path Sunset is on is not the easiest one, but it is the right one. She needs to form the social connections that she’s skipped out on her whole life, and she needs to earn the trust back of Canterlot High. If you don’t give her that chance, then I don’t think Sunset will ever recover. She’ll just waste away for the rest of her life.” “It sounds as if you speak from experience,” said Shining Armor. “Why are you so . . . different, Twilight? Where did your path diverge from the Twilight I know?” Twilight turned to him, a gentle smile forming on her muzzle. “I take it your Twilight isn’t in the best of positions right now, is she?” A worried gaze crossed Shining’s face. “Yes, she’s . . . she’s having some trouble in high school. Regarding her friends, specifically. She just can’t seem to connect with anyone.” “I was the same way,” Twilight responded, her expression darkening. “I spent all my time studying. Friends weren’t that important to me. Of course, I was still lonely, no matter how much I lied to myself and everyone around me. I just studied harder to fill that void.” “How did you get out of that?” Shining asked, his eyes silently pleading. “Because I’ve tried to help her, but it just seems like I make things worse. I just can’t seem to reconcile how my Twilight is even somehow connected to you. It’s like you’re two completely different people.” “Well, I got a really good kick in the flank, to be honest,” chuckled Twilight. “For me, it was literally ‘make friends or the world ends’. But then I stuck around, and the friends I had found turned out to be ones that I didn’t want to let go. Just . . . give her some time, and support her in what she wants to do, even if that means she won’t make friends immediately. That being said, perhaps you should try introducing her to some of the kids at Canterlot High. I know there are good people there.” “And put her in Sunset’s proximity?” sneered Blueblood. “I wouldn’t bring a girl with social issues anywhere near CHS right now if I knew what was going on. That’s a recipe for disaster.” Twilight shook her head. “You’re wrong, Blueblood. If there’s one thing I know, it’s myself. And I know that the position I was in—that your sister is in, Shiny—is very similar to Sunset’s right now. They both have everything they need, except the support network of friends to help them grow. They both need friendship. I want you all to give Sunset that chance, please. I won’t force you, but I want you to all seriously consider it.”  “ . . . I just don’t know what to trust anymore,” said Shining quietly. “How can I make a decision after all of this, now?” “You can trust two things,” Twilight said. She aimed a hoof at her horn, and then down at her chest. “Trust your head and your heart. And don’t let anything pressure you apart from those two. Not Discord, not Celestia, and not even me. Just you.” Shining paused, but eventually he gave her a wan smile. “Thanks, Twily.” Twilight offered a brief smile before she stood up and trotted over to Discord, who was floating in the air silently. “Is that all you need, Discord?” Discord wiped his eye with a tissue, and wiped his tissue with his eye. “Yes, yes, that was magnificent Twilight.” The other members stood back up and made their way to the center of the library. “Now, does anyone else have any questions before we go?” “Yeah,” Shining said, “Just one more thing. If you’re a princess, does that make me a prince in this world?” Twilight laughed. “You are a prince, but it’s not because of any relation to me.” “Oh, well how did that happen, then?”  “Marriage.” Shining furrowed his brow. “With whom?” Twilight grinned mischeviously—something Discord took a small bit of pride in, even if he’d never admit it. “I’ll give you a hint: sunshine, sunshine, ladybugs awake!” She clapped her hooves together in a familiar pattern. A furious blush appeared on Shining’s face. “Oh boy.” “And on that note,” Discord said with a chuckle, “I say we head out. Thank you, Twilight. I’ll stop by for tea sometime.” “That’s not necessary, but I’ll have an emergency plan ready just in case,” said the princess. “And Shining?” “Yeah?” “Make sure you tell Twilight about it before the wedding invitation!” At that sound, Discord let out a hearty guffaw and snapped his fingers, levitating the humans into the air with a gust of wind. And with a boost of energy, the Canterlot High School Board of Education found themselves rushing headlong back to their home world.