//------------------------------// // Graduation, pt. 1 // Story: Double Twilight Love // by Mystic Sunrise //------------------------------// “Isn’t it a little too early in the morning to be packing?” Pearl yawned as she dragged herself into the Map Room with a grumble. “You know I hate mornings, Twilight.” Twilight chuckled, as she finished packing her saddle bags. “Normally, perhaps. But this is an important occasion, Pearl. One I refuse to be late for.” Pearl eyed her teacher dubiously. “Yeah? Like what? If this is another damn princess meeting, you’re on your own. Me and my big mouth last time.” Twilight giggled. Pearl had been bored out of her mind when they had visited Canterlot two weeks ago. More so once the meeting started. “This is much more fun, Pearl. We can’t be late.” Pearl blinked as Twilight floated her bags onto her withers, revealing another set of saddle bags behind them. “What do you mean ‘we’?” Twilight smiled as she lay a wing around the Pegasus. “Tomorrow is graduation at Canterlot High. While I am not technically part of the class, Principal Celestia has personally invited me.” Pearl nodded. “Okay. That makes sense, I guess. But what does that have to do with me? Sis and Kohaku aren’t part of the class either. I’d feel a little weird being there.” Twilight nodded. “Perhaps. But we do not need them. I am asking you to join me, Pearl Rose, as my date for the weekend. I’ve already spoken with your parents, and they are fine with it.” Pearl’s heart skipped a beat. Part of her was still annoyed at what had happened during Prom. Okay. A large part of her was still annoyed it had even gotten to that point in the first place. But dancing the night away with the girls she loved? It had made it the best night ever. Twilight saw the hesitation and sighed. “Twi is more than happy to have the both of us all weekend. It might be a bit tight, but I don’t mind. But this has to be your choice, Pearl.” For a moment, Pearl thought about it. This was everything she had been wanting for months now. Here was her chance she would not get again for years if all went well, assuming she didn't do anything stupid between now and then. With her luck, she would though. But it was all she needed as she squeed and rushed over to the saddlebags and quickly pulled them on, before rushing off to the World Mirror. “Why didn’t you start with that?! Let’s go!” Twilight rolled her eyes before joining her student in the Small Library as well. Twi was waiting for her as Twilight came through the portal with a smile. “Glad you could make it, Twily. And early as well.” Twilight giggled. “And miss this? Not for every book in Equestria or the Crystal Empire.” The two giggled helplessly as Pearl came stumbling out momentarily with a groan. “Oh, I hate that feeling. Why can’t we make this any smoother?!” She grumbled. Everyone chuckled as Twi took Pearl’s hands. “You don’t mind any of this? This is not like how Prom was.” Pearl nodded, as she took Twilight’s hand as well. “You’re not getting rid of me this time, you two. We won’t be able to do this for a while after tomorrow. Assuming you survive.” Twi rolled her eyes as Twilight giggled. “I managed to do just fine so far with Professor Everfree, Pearl. I think I can handle four years. And I won’t be alone either.” Twilight blinked, as they headed for the bus stop. “What do you mean? I know there are several more in the class with you.” Twi smiled widely. “Applejack is also going to Canterlot Community College. It’s probably a long shot that we end up as roommates, but I’m just happy that we’re not all splitting up.” Twilight nodded. Having a friend close by always made things better, in her opinion. “What about Sunset? She said something a while back about staying here after speaking with her family." Twi shrugged. That had been an interesting weekend. “I have no idea. She hasn’t been packing, so I assume she is staying for at least a while longer. I’m not sure what she could do though, since she never applied to college or university.” Pearl looked back at the school. She could already see the banners and the gym set up for tomorrow's celebration. “Are sis and Kohaku coming? They came for Prom.” Twi shrugged. “Our Pearl and Kohaku already got their diplomas and she left earlier in the week with your Rainbow Dash. They won’t be back from Indianapolis for a month. The Grand Prix is this weekend, and they’re staying for the 500 at the end of the month.” Pearl blinked. “Oh yeah. Still don’t understand what they see in racing. But what do I know?” Twilight giggled, as a bus pulled up. So that's where Rainbow had vanished. “Join the club, Pearl.” Twi rolled her eyes. Ponies. “As for Kohaku? I’m actually not sure where he is. Professor Everfree was rather tight-lipped about where her brother was when I last saw her.” Pearl frowned. “Is this another family drama we don’t know about? He hasn’t told me anything, and nopony’s seen him in Ponyville. Let alone the rest of Equestria. You know how much he sticks out like a sore wing." Twi shook her head. “No. Something tells me that he has something planned. What it could be, I don’t know. His sister didn’t seem any more annoyed with him than she usually is, or worried.” Twilight sighed. Just once, could Kohaku not be up to something? Was that too much to ask? “You sure you don’t mind, Miss Sparkle?” Pearl asked, trying not to fidget. Velvet only smiled. “Of course not, dear. My home is your home. And I know the three of you won’t do something you shouldn’t, will you?” her gaze glared at the three, particularly the older pair. The trio shook their heads rapidly, seeing the deadly look in the older woman’s eyes. “I’d ask Sis or Kohaku. But she’s out of town, and good luck getting inside his house now,” Pearl sighed. Twi nodded. “We tried asking earlier. But their butler said no one is allowed to see the family until the after-party tomorrow. Even us.” Velvet’s brows rose. With how often they were together anymore, that seemed a bit much, as the trio headed upstairs. “You need more models up here, Twi,” Pearl grumbled as she looked around. All she saw were some completed Genesis Chapter Intercessor and Hellblaster squads, and various bits and pieces in various stages of completion. Twi giggled as she set her backpack on her bed. “Says the filly who filled up her room with Gunpla within a month. Luckily, Shiny still had the Space Marine half of the Dark Imperium box. I think he gave Big Mac the Death Guard half." Pearl sighed as she and Twilight set their bags on the bed as well. Nerds. Oh, why did she have to fall for a couple of nerds? Twins at that! “You two are gonna be the death of me.” Twilight nodded proudly. “You signed up for this, Pearl. Please do not complain about it now. Plus I’ve seen how you look at mine and your counterpart’s Stormcast Eternals.” Pearl snorted. Maybe, but like hell she would ever admit it. Not yet anyway. Plus, she wasn't even sure which army she wanted to play yet. Since she had started to play Chaos & Conquest on her phone, Pearl was seriously considering starting a Slaves to Darkness army, though. Or maybe Nighthaunt. Nobody else in Canterlot played them, and Pearl didn't want to play an army someone else already did. How she’d managed not to make a fool of herself when she and Twi had gone to the store was beyond her. But it had been worth it in the end. Seeing Chancellor Neighsay as the store manager had been a shock, but Pearl managed not to blow her cover. Somehow. The gleam in Neighsay's eyes said he suspected something was happening with their little group. Twilight, though, frowned. “There is something else I’m kinda worried about. We found another portal just inside the Everfree Forest three days ago.” Twi blinked. “Okay? It’s not like it’s the first one you and the girls have found. Way more than I’m comfortable with. Where did it lead?” Twilight shook her head. “We don’t know. My magic began acting up as we came close to it. When we tried to close it, nothing worked.” Twi rolled her eyes as she kissed Twilight’s nose. “Maybe you weren’t trying hard enough, Twily.” Twilight shook her head furiously. “No. Nothing we did affected it. We threw everything and the kitchen sink at it. Pinkie threw a kitchen sink at it. Still nothing. I even asked Discord to help. He took one look at it, and quite literally ran the other way.” Pearl rolled her eyes. Drama spirit. “So now what? We have some kind of mystery creature running around from gods know where?” Twilight nodded gravely. “It appears so. Whatever created the portal, they erased their tracks so thoroughly that my magic can’t even find a whiff of a trail.” Twi frowned. “Were you going to ask Starsong or Akihiko? This seems like something they could perhaps help with.” Twilight nodded. “I was. Now I’m not so sure.” Twi growled. This was not what she needed right now. “Well, it can wait till after graduation! I’ve had it up to here with magical nonsense, thank you very much!" Pearl and Twilight backed up, as Twi’s pearl flashed dangerously. Nearby, her crown glowed for a moment before fading. Pearl looked over at it. The whole story still made her head spin a little. “What about that? You still look better wearing it if you ask me.” Twilight nodded. Twi sighed, calming down using Cadance’s old breathing exercise. “It is staying here. It would be too easy to lose it. Gods only what might happen if someone discovers how to use the Pearl.” Pearl eyed the crown curiously. “Can someone else even use it? And when do I get one?” Twi rolled her eyes. “I’m not sure, Pearl, and I do not want to find out.” Twilight nodded. “As for you getting one?” She shrugged. “This is no longer in our hooves.” Twi nodded. “I would give you one as well. But I have no idea how to. The Pearl didn’t come with an instruction manual. Even less so now.” Pearl groaned. Just her luck. “So now what? There has to be something we can do tonight. Give me a model, or something to do. You won’t like me when I go stir-crazy! Trust me.” The twins giggled, as Twi used her magic to pull open a drawer on her desk. “You’re in luck, Pearl. I in fact do have an extra model lying around.” Pearl blinked as Twi floated over an Assault Intercessor, before looking it over. The scenic base was new. “Where did you get this?” “Micro Chips gave it to me,” Twi nodded as she sat on her bed. “It’s from the old Getting Started with 40k magazine. He kept the Necron Warrior that came with it, though. I know you're not looking at playing 40k. But this is a good way starting spot for Games-Workshop's models, even if it is just a one-off thing." Pearl sighed as she took the marine. She couldn't argue with that, she supposed, and she would be lying if she said she didn't think Space Marines were cool. Now she just needed to think of a Chapter. “We are glad you could make it, Princess Twilight,” Vice Principal Luna smiled, as Twi joined her classmates in the side gym. Twilight giggled, as Pearl and her parents went looking for seats. “After everything that’s happened? You couldn’t keep me away if you tried. Even if I wasn’t seeing anyone.” Principal Celestia chuckled. “We thought that might be the case, but we had to ask anyway. And we would be honored if you join us on stage.” Twilight blinked and frowned. She had been afraid this might happen. “And just how can you explain two of the same person? It was easy enough with the students. But their parents…” Luna nodded. “Indeed. Professor Everfree was here several days ago, however, and said she would take care of it. I am inclined to believe she understands this better than we do.” Twilight’s frown deepened as she extended her senses. To her surprise, she found the entire gym was saturated in powerful mind magic, and directly targeting the parents of the students. Her friend's parents remained unaffected, however, which she could understand. They already knew all about her. Digging deeper though. Twilight found the magic only targeted those who did not already know all about everything that had happened at Canterlot High. What it did, she didn’t know. But there was little she could do, as she joined the staff and guests on stage. None of which batted an eye at seeing a double of Twilight Sparkle. From afar, Pearl watched in shock as Twilight did not join them in the stands. She and the princess locked eyes for a moment, and Twilight could only shrug helplessly. Looking over at Twi’s parents, they were as confused as she was. “Least it isn’t just me then,” she grumbled, getting a chuckle from Night Light. Velvet lay an arm around Pearl's shoulders. So what if, technically, the princess wasn't her daughter? She had been incredibly upset and disappointed in the deception that had gone on during Prom. Even if everything had worked out in the end, Twilight should have known better. At least this time, there seemed to be nothing the princess was hiding.