After our little dust-up with Discord, we got what we could situated, so to speak -- this was basically Trixie and I discussing strategy while Discord looked on with mild amusement until he considered we had spent long enough chatting with each other. We had made a plan to escape while we were in the library, though I wondered (silently) whether or not such a plan would actually work. Trixie had reluctantly agreed to accompany me once we had gotten enough distance between ourselves and the dragonequus.
"Okay, you two, time to get going," he grumbled as we turned to face him. Both of us gave him sullen looks of resignation, hoping this might keep him off guard or disguise our intentions. He gathered us close to him and teleported us to the aforementioned library, which was gigantic. I had never visited this library, but to say it was big was the height of understatement. I gawped at the shelves, as did Trixie. Discord cleared his throat loudly to signal his displeasure at our hesitation.
"Enough time looking at the shelves, get to work!" he snapped. We both glared at him and proceeded to trot in opposite directions, haphazardly pulling books off the shelves, letting them fall to the floor randomly. I heard the sound of chuckling off in the distance and continued trotting along the aisles between the shelves, then rounded the corner to find Trixie-me and his/her traveling companion, though it was difficult for me to determine whether or not it was this universe's Trixie or the other one.
"What are you doing here?" I asked them, the surprise evident on my face.
"Sparkle? Trixie should ask you the same question!" she retorted.
"Ah, we meet again, Mike! What happened to that sexy outfit you were wearing the last time I saw you?" my counterpart inquired, a mischievous grin on his/her face.
"Sometimes I wonder about you, Mike," I muttered. "I have no idea how you manage to track me down, but it looks like you're arrived in time to pull me out of another tight spot. Discord abducted Trixie and me and took us here to disorganize the shelves in this library."
"Trixie was not brought here to do that, Sparkle," she grumbled. My partner showed up to witness this spectacle and an expression of surprise made its way onto her face.
"Trixie is surprised to meet two of herself again," the show-mare said in her befuddlement.
"Hey, Mike, you've got good taste in mares!" Trixie-me chuckled. "Let's get out of here, I know a safe place."
We all joined fore-hooves and my counterpart teleported the four of us out of the library, the sensation of teleporting being quite disorienting for me. We materialized in Canterlot Castle's Royal Throne Room to see a very bewildered Princess Celestia nearly gawping at the sight of three Trixies and a unicorn Twilight Sparkle. I bowed before the Solar Princess.
"Would one of you care to explain to me what is going on here?" asked the Alicorn. I rose to face her, then raised my right fore-hoof to answer her, though my Trixie counterpart did so as well. Both of the other Trixies simply stared at each other, neither one happy to see the other. "Interesting," she mused. "Twilight, you go first."
"Your Majesty, my tale is long and convoluted, though I have a sneaking suspicion that you might be the original Princess who came to my home world some time back and beckoned me to return," I offered. The Alicorn shook her head slightly in response.
"No, Twilight, that might be another of my counterparts. I am familiar with Trixie here, who has informed me of meeting you on a few occasions. The last time she met you and returned to inform me of your whereabouts, she had let me know you were wearing a certain outfit, one which --"
I blushed in embarrassment. "Your Majesty, that was given to me by Nightmare Moon, though how we managed to escape her clutches seems to defy logic to me. I was taken from my home world -- I don't know if I'm in a dream state or if any of this is real --" I turned to Trixie-me, "Mike, is this your universe or yet another one? How do I get back home?"
My show-mare counterpart chuckled. "Mike, this is my home world now -- I gave up on Earth quite a while back. Trixie and I are quite happy to stay here, and I believe Princess Celestia would welcome you two as well," he mused pensively.
"Twilight? You are --"
"Yes, your Majesty. I am Michael Walker as well, though Discord did a bad thing to me -- my mind and Twilight's have been merged together -- that damned dragonequus has a terrible sense of humor," I muttered.
"So now there are two Michael Walkers and two Trixies in my realm? I am sorry to disappoint you, Twilight, but you will have to return to your home world. Fortunately, I can send you there if you wish," the Alicorn offered, smiling warmly.
"Princess, I was just there. Discord had taken them to the Library of Congress and was having them mess it up," Trixie-me stated flatly. "If you send them back, they don't have a way of combating him, nor will they be safe for any serious length of time."
"Twilight, other Trixie, please come forward. I shall provide both of you with a special amulet to protect you from Discord. These amulets will augment your magic abilities, though they will not provide you with enough power to defeat him. You will have to find the Element Bearers if you can and use the Elements of Harmony to return him to his prison of stone."
Trixie and I trotted up to the Solar Princess, who levitated a golden triangular amulet with a blue diamond inset to both of us, then placed them around our necks. We both felt the sensation of magical power surging through us, causing me to smile and Trixie to grin.
"Thank you very much, your Majesty," I stated reverently.
"Trixie wishes to thank you as well, Princess Celestia," she said, matching my tone.
"My request is that you two use those amulets responsibly. I would also request you return them to me once you have succeeded in your mission," the Alicorn advised somewhat sternly.
"Yes, your Majesty," we both replied simultaneously, bowing before her.
"Best of luck, Mike, Trixie," Trixie-me stated optimistically, flashing a smile.
"I hope to see you again some time," I responded warmly, returning his/her smile. Trixie simply nodded her head to concur with my sentiment, also smiling at my counterpart. Using the power of the amulets, we teleported back to our home world.
"Looks like we've got some work to do, Trixie," I observed, striking a hopeful tone.
"Trixie hopes you know what you're doing, Sparkle," she replied, sounding somewhat apprehensive.