“Twilight,” Applejack trotted up to her purple friend, “ya weren’t at breakfast, so I brought you a plate of pancakes.” She set the plate down next to Twilight.
Twilight didn’t seem to notice Applejack until she saw the plate. “What?” she looked up from the pages of “Theory of the Space Barrier” and turned to face her friend.
Applejack smiled warmly, knowing Twilight hadn’t had a bit to eat since she started studying, “I said you missed breakfast, so I brought you some pancakes.”
Twilight’s stomach rumbled, causing her to blush, “Oh, I guess I was so busy studying that I didn’t even realize how hungry I was.” She moved the book to the side and pulled the plate of pancakes over to herself. She picked up a fork and knife Applejack had placed next to the pancakes using her magic, and started eating.
Applejack smirked, “You’re welcome, Twilight.”
Twilight stopped and turned to Applejack, “Oops, thank you Applejack.” She gave an awkward giggle and returned to her pancakes.
Applejack nodded “Any time, Twilight.” She sat down next to Twilight and looked down at the book. “So, what’cha find out about this barrier thing anyway?”
Twilight swallowed another bite of her pancakes before responding, “Well, according to the book, the Space Barrier is a sort of wall between dimensions, and if somepony manages to create a breach in the barrier, the will be pulled through and appear through an identical breach in space in one of the other universes.”
“Wait a minute,” Applejack raised a hoof, “universes? You mean there’s more than just the two?”
Twilight took another bite of her pancakes, then continued, “In theory, there is an infinite number of universes. Some are very similar to others, but some are drastically different.”
Applejack tilted her head, “And you’re sayin’ when Rainbow broke that barrier thing, she got sent to one of these other dimensions?”
“Exactly.”
“Do you know which one?”
Twilight frowned at this question, “Well, about that, it’s pretty complicated.”
“Just how complicated are we talking here, Twilight?”
Twilight finished her pancakes, “I think it’ll be easier to explain when all of you are present.” She picked up the plate and the book in her magic grip. “Come with me, we’ll meet the others in the courtyard.”
Applejack trotted alongside Twilight. “How did you know the others were waiting in the courtyard? Been practicin’ that locator spell already?”
“No,” Twilight shook her head and pointed to the right, “I just looked out the window.” Applejack looked to the right and saw the courtyard through the window, where Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Fluttershy were waiting for them.
The pair walked to the kitchen first, where Twilight put her plate in the sink, and then they continued down the hall to the castle doors. As the doors opened, Pinkie, Rarity, and Fluttershy all turned and watched anxiously as Twilight and Applejack stepped out. Twilight cleared her throat and began, “Girls, I have discovered a way to find Rainbow Dash.”
Everypony cheered and Pinkie gave Twilight a big hug, continuously repeating “Thank you thank you thank you!”
Twilight struggled to catch her breath until Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy managed to pry Pinkie off of her, and then continued, “As I was saying, I know how we can find which dimension Rainbow Dash has been sent to.”
“Which dimension?” Rarity asked.
“Yes, Rarity,” Twilight nodded. “You see, when Rainbow Dash’s speed was mixed with my magic, she broke through the Space Barrier, which transported her to another dimension. I don’t know yet which dimension she was sent to, but the book mentions a spell that can be used to find the spot where we need to break through.”
“Hold on a minute,” Applejack raised a hoof, “I thought ya said the spell was supposed to find what dimension Dash got sent to, not where to break through.”
“That’s just it, Applejack,” Twilight replied, “the key to discovering which dimension Rainbow Dash got sent to is to find the exact point in space where she broke through the barrier in the first place.”
Applejack scratched her chin, “And, why is that exactly?”
“Because,” Twilight continued, “every single point in space in a given dimension corresponds to a specific other dimension. For example, if I were to break the Space Barrier from the spot where I’m currently standing, there’s no telling what dimension it would send me to, but it certainly would not be the same dimension Rainbow Dash was sent to. The only way to find which dimension she was sent to is to find the exact point in space where she disappeared, because only that point in space will be able to lead us to the dimension she was sent to.”
“What are we going to do when we find out which dimension she was sent to?” Rarity inquired. “I assume there’s also a spell you can use to pull her back through the rift from our side?”
“I’m afraid not, Rarity,” Twilight shook her head. “There’s only one way to get her back, and that’s to go to that other dimension, retrieve her, and bring her back.”
Applejack raised a hoof, “An’ just which one of us do you suggest we send?”
Pinkie bounced up and down and flailed her hooves in the air, yelling “Oh, me! Pick me!”
Applejack thought about it for a moment, and nodded, “Yeah, pick her, pick her. Don’t worry about bringing her back at the same time as Dash, I’m sure I- I mean, she’d enjoy her vacation.”
Twilight frowned disapprovingly and shook her head. “Sorry, but Pinkie can’t go.”
“Aw,” Pinkie frowned and took off the “other dimension or bust” T-shirt she had inexplicably acquired.
“Sorry Pinkie,” Twilight patted her pink friend on the shoulder, “but if I sent one of you through the rift you’d be stuck there with Rainbow Dash. The only way to bring her back is to send somepony who can open the rift from the other side. In other words, I need to go to the other dimension myself.”
“Oh, oh!” Pinkie bounced up to her with renewed vigor. “Can I come with you? Please?”
“I’m sorry, Pinkie, but it’s just too dangerous” Twilight responded.
Pinkie gave her a sad look with her best puppy-dog eyes. “Pretty please with a cherry and whipped cream and chocolate syrup and crushed nuts and-”
“Okay!” Twilight shouted, “But only because every word you say is making me more hungry…”
“Alright!” Pinkie jumped in the air and put her ‘Other dimension or bust’ T-shirt back on. When she landed, she ran up to Twilight and put an identical ‘Other dimension or bust’ T-shirt on her as well.
Twilight couldn’t help but giggle a bit at Pinkie Pie’s enthusiasm, “Well, at least I’ll have an interesting travel companion.”
“Who?” Pinkie asked.
Twilight facehooved.
“You’re leaving already?” Princess Celestia inquired.
“Yes Celestia,” Twilight nodded, “I need to return to Ponyville in order to perform the detection spell that will show us where Rainbow Dash is. She was over Ponyville when she broke the Space Barrier, so that’s where I need to search.”
“I understand, Twilight” Celestia smiled warmly. “I hope that you and Pinkie Pie are successful in bringing Rainbow Dash home.”
Twilight tilted her head, “How did you know Pinkie was coming with me?”
Celestia laughed softly and pointed at Twilight’s chest, “Your T-shirt gave me a hint.”
Twilight looked down and realized she was still wearing the ‘Other dimension or bust’ T-shirt Pinkie Pie had given her. She blushed, “Oh, I forgot about that. Don’t worry, Celestia, I won’t actually wear it to the other dimension.”
“Why not, Twilight?” Celestia smiled, “I think it makes you look festive.”
Twilight laughed a bit, “Yeah, I guess it kind of does.” She turned and walked to the door. “I’ll be sure to write to you as soon as I get back.”
“Good luck, Twilight,” Celestia called, “and please don’t hesitate to bring me a souvenir from the other dimension.”
“Will do,” Twilight responded as she closed the door behind her.