//------------------------------//
// Long Overdue Gift 
// Story: Double Twilight Love 
// by Mystic Sunrise 
//------------------------------//

No matter how many times she did it, Princess Twilight was never ready for the feeling of her body being twisted and contorted as she passed between worlds. She at least now knew to brace for the exit on the other end, as she shot from the base of the Wondercolt statue.

This time, like last time, she landed on something soft. "Did we finally get a permanent mattress for this stupid thing?" She grumbled.

Sunset chuckled as she helped her friend up. "Only today actually. It looks too weird to leave it out any longer. We have enough trouble keeping the portal a secret. No matter who might be helping us."

Twilight sighed as she looked around and saw that it was just the two of them. "Where is everyone? I know it's Lunch period. I thought you girls ate out here on a nice day like this?"

Sunset nodded sheepishly. "We do. Twi got called away by Professor Everfree actually. She did not say why, but Twi looked like she was being led to her execution. I have never felt so small before. Not even with Princess Celestia. And I think this was her in a neutral mood. I do not wanna think what she's like when she's angry."

Twilight gulped. Knowing now what they did about the family, she could only imagine what a kitsune as old as the professor was like when she was mad. She dug around her backpack, though, trying to put those distressing thoughts aside. "Well. I wanted to give her this. I totally forgot about this for months."

Sunset's brow rose, but she smiled as she saw a familiar journal was revealed, now with Twilight's starburst cutie mark on it. "I had almost forgotten about this. It would be nice not to have to share with you two. You use up pages like it's going out of style or something."

Twilight giggled as she held the journal close. "Princess Celestia gave it to me after the Friendship Festival. Since you didn't take your journal with you all to the coast, and with school just starting, I felt it wasn't right to say anything."

Sunset rolled her eyes as the duo entered Canterlot High. "Well, I'm sure your girlfriend will be more than happy to get it. I know how hard it was for Princess Celestia to make mine. And that was before my evil phase as well. Do you need to go back so soon?"

Twilight shook her head. "No. I cleared my schedule for the day. The Canterlot Elite was not happy about it, but I really do not care. How Princess Celestia and Princess Luna do so is beyond me."

Sunset giggled. "Trust me, I know. The girls should still be at Lunch right now. You can fill us in. We wanna hear the full story of the Friendship Festival."

Twilight managed a smile at that.





Sci Twi breathed an audible sigh of relief as she left the office she and Professor Everfree had been meeting in. "And I thought that first exam was stressful," she mumbled, rubbing her forehead.

A chuckle came from behind the closed door. "You must learn to relax, Miss. Sparkle. Riko already has enough on her hands. I do not want to add to it with you. You act like I will bite your head off."

Twilight's eyes twitched. Darn it. She really needed to learn to keep her thoughts to herself. Kazumi could hear much better than she could. Of course, she had heard that. "Yes, ma'am."

Kazumi chuckled. "If you hurry, you should be able to meet your friends for lunch. And maybe more if I am not mistaken."

Twilight wondered what she meant by that last part, but decided to hold the question for now, as she headed for the Cafeteria. She was hungry, and she could use some of Pinkie's energy right now. All of it actually.

When she got to the Cafeteria, however, she was surprised. Seeing her friends together was always a good sign. It was who sat with them that shocked her, as she headed for the line to get her food.

"You never said you were visiting today, Twilly," she said, scooting next to her girlfriend, who was happy to make room for her. "That is just rude."

The princess just smiled widely. "Surprise. Sunset told me where you were. How bad was it?"

Twi slumped a moment. "I would almost have done the first exam all over again. At least then, it was not just me. But now? I have never felt so small before."

"Was she mean?" Fluttershy asked with a worried gulp.

Twi shook her head, beginning to eat. "That's just it. Professor Kazumi was nothing but professional and nice. But that does not change the fact that I was a nervous wreck the entire time."

Twilight put an arm around her girlfriend, who was more than happy to lean into the embrace. "Well. I might have something that could help with that. I know you have been wanting this for a long time now."

Twi's brows rose as the princess dug around in her backpack. Her eyes widened in surprise as a journal was revealed, the familiar starburst cutie mark on its cover showing what it really was. "Is that?"

Twilight nodded happily. "Our very own Cross Dimensional Journal. Now we don't need to use Sunset's anymore! It was getting harder and harder to keep it user-friendly. With this, we won't need to anymore."

Sunset rolled her eyes as Twi squeed, holding the Journal close. "Thank you! What took so long? It's been almost a year since we first went to Mount Aris."

Twilight nodded, pinching her nose. "I know. Real-life got in the way. And honestly? I kinda forgot about it for months. Princess Celestia just gave them to me after the Friendship Festival. I was able to make time for them today, but not for long I'm afraid."

Twi just smiled, before kissing the princess on the lips, earning a contented sigh from her twin. "Well, I think it was well worth the wait. You can't stay though?" 

Twilight smiled a little. "Not for long. Applejack wants my help tonight for something, and it's the middle of the afternoon in Equestria right now. So, I've got a few hours to waste at least."

The present Applejack briefly wondered what it could be but decided to keep her nose out of her counterpart's business. It had been weird enough at the party. This was too much even for her. "Better not waste it then," she smirked.

It was a sentiment Princess Twilight could whole-heartedly get behind, as she finished off the lunch that Granny Smith had been kind enough to give her.