//------------------------------// // Duality // Story: MLPs: Agents of Harmony // by Amante //------------------------------// Yesterday A small figure darted around the multitude of stacked crates. Female, humanoid, young, skin a slight tinge of purple, and hair a shade of violet with a purple and pink streak. Her expression was the definition of concentration as she carefully slid around the artificial labyrinth. For the past few minutes she had been careful not to draw the attention of a much larger figure. Truck-sized, lion head (with enlarged teeth), scorpion tail, bat-like wings, very angry. “Manticore,” the girl observed. She flexed her hands as she circled around the great beast, using every bit of cover she could to keep herself obscured. With its back to her, she took a quick glance at the gloves she had been wearing. They were pristinely white and had several symbols carefully embroidered in certain areas. With her eyes closed, she took several breaths as heat began to build up in her palms. She clasped her hands and jumped onto the box she was hiding behind. With the manticore still looking away, she quickly thrust out her palms in the direction of the beast. A sound, similar to glass shattering, echoed through the walls of the warehouse as a column of light, no wider than a basketball, shot forwards. The manticore, though, was much faster than its size would suggest and managed to jump out of what could have been a fatal shot; however, it was not fast enough to save its tail from being disintegrated into tiny sparkles of light. Rather than simply having lost a tail, a different one took its place. It was a thin furry tail with a tuft of hair at the end. Essentially the kind of tail that could be found on an ordinary lion. This did not make it happy. It spun around and immediately caught sight of the culprit. It bared its teeth and lowered itself to pounce. For a moment, the two just stood and stared, each waiting for the other to make a move. The girl proved to be the first as she jumped over the stack of boxes behind her and broke into a sprint. An enraged howl filled the room. The girl would have covered a far greater distance had she not had to make so many turns due to all the crates. Despite the situation, she still wore a visage of calm as she reached for her tiny, black earpiece. “This is Junior-Agent Twilight Sparkle, requesting immediate assistance,” she said to her only line to the outside. The manticore, on the other hand, had no such trouble with the box maze. Thanks to its significant size advantage, it merely swatted away any errant wall that stood between it and its prey. The distance between the two quickly grew smaller. Though the beast had her outclassed in size and strength by several orders of magnitude, it did not have her beat in terms of maneuverability. Using acrobatics-worthy movements, the lithe agent quickly found herself at the top of a particularly tall stack of crates. Offering a quick glance downward, she noticed the manticore but a few feet away from her stack. She balled her hands into a fist as her eyes gave off a quick flash of light. She took a step back and thrust herself onto the top of the next stack, easily ten meters apart. Right as she landed, the platform she had departed began to collapse as the orange beast snarled in rage. It seemed more determined than ever to catch Twilight Sparkle. She leapt for the next stack, then the next, with each stack previous falling almost exactly as she’d left. The manticore noticed her pattern and aimed instead for what would have been Twilight’s next platform. The moment the young agent’s foot made contact, the stack started to collapse, bringing her along with it. Thinking on instinct, she pushed against the closest box and flew away from the falling tower, right into another flying box. She landed with a thud and, miraculously, onto a box full of pillows. She rubbed her head as she regained herself and stood back up. The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was the maw of a very dissatisfied manticore. Her heart stopped as she felt the warm breath and what would be the start of a very painful process. Dinner was served for the manticore. Its meal was, unfortunately for it, interrupted by a sharp pain on its side together with being violently thrown aside. The sharp pain could be attributed to the shining silver staff wielded by a tall, grey-skinned woman with a striped, black and grey mohawk who sported a matching grey blazer. She seemed to have appeared out of nowhere and stood in front of the young agent. “Zecora!” said Twilight Sparkle, who had on a similar looking, if red, blazer. “My apologies for being late, and quite a mess you did create,” answered the older agent. The manticore began to stir from its impromptu nap, no more relaxed than when it began. If anything, it was angrier. Zecora raised her staff and took on a ready stance. Twilight noted how impressive she looked and took on a similar position with her hands at the ready. She felt the energy in her hands begin to build up once again. The beast leapt into the air, intent on crushing the newcomer. Twilight reacted by firing several bolts of light at it, merely singing its fur. Zecora’s method seemed much more effective: a quick dodge to the right coupled with bringing her staff to bear against the monster’s snout. The floor and the manticore were once again made close as the grey agent gave another smack to its side. Pushing itself up, it threw a clawed paw in the direction of Zecora. Too late, as the agent sailed overhead, landing on the other side of the beast and offering it another quick concussion. Reaching into her pocket, Zecora pulled out a piece of metallic string which quickly extended into a length of chain. With the beast dazed, she wrapped it around its front paws, fastening them together, and drove the chain towards the ground where it began to burrow on its own. She looked behind the now raging beast and saw that Twilight had done the same to its back legs, completely binding the large monster. It snarled and growled in vein at its captors. “Thank you, young Twilight. I shall now end this beast’s blight,” said Zecora as she raised her staff above the manticore’s head. The tip facing the beast retracted slightly exposing an edge that had several runic symbols etched onto it. She lightly tapped the manticore on its head and the beast began to shimmer. Slowly, its wings began to recede into its back as its size gradually diminished.When the light dissipated, an ordinary lion lay in its place, still bound by the agent’s chains. Twilight sighed as she approached her superior. “Thanks Zecora. I don’t even want to think about what might have happened to me.” Zecora released a breath as her staff shrank and wrapped itself around her wrist until it was the size and shape of a bangle. She gave the younger a flat look. “You claim that you don’t need assistance, yet this beast nearly ended your existence.” Twilight cringed at her tone. “I know. I’m sorry,” she said as she looked towards the ground. When she felt the presence of a hand on her shoulder she looked up and was met by a smiling face from Zecora. After a moment, she began to smile and even gave out a slight chuckle. The moment ended when another entered the building, all of them uniformly dressed in blazers similar to what the two were wearing with the exception that theirs were a striking midnight blue. One of the arrivals, who had pink hair and pale skin which contrasted greatly with her outfit, approached the two fighters. “Whoa. What the hay happened in here?” she asked. Twilight rubbed her arm as she said, “Well, I kinda sorta made it really angry.” She looked around at the rubble formed during their ordeal. “Sorry, Twinkleshine.” Twinkleshine scratched her head in response. “Well, I guess we really got our work cut out for us this time. You okay? Need a white coat?” “No thanks,” Twilight said as she shook her head. “Aside from a few bruises, I don’t think I’ll need any real medical attention.” After taking a last look at the battlefield, the red coat and the grey coat made their way out of the building. As the doors closed, a number of the blue coats held their arms up in front of a pile of rubble—each of them wearing gloves similar to Twilight’s—and the pieces that were scattered around slowly began to reform into what they once were.  At the same time, a different blue coat picked up the lion as easily as one would lift a child and carried it out. When the pair made it outside, they were greeted by the overly anxious rays of the sun. Twilight held a hand towards her face whilst Zecora squinted slightly. A number of unmarked, midnight blue vans were parked not too far from the warehouse. The sound of gulls and waves crashing against the docks filled their ears. Twilight inhaled the sweet smell of the ocean, much better than the questionable scents inside, as they made their way to a sleek, grey sedan sitting just outside of the vicinity. Zecora entered first and pressed a button on the car’s dashboard that made a small screen pop-up. She nodded to the younger before she closed the door and began her report to the local Control Center. Twilight got the message and decided to kill some time by taking a walk along the coast. In a few minutes, Twilight found herself leaning on a railing and staring blankly at the horizon. Her eyes aimlessly followed a particular fish staying far too close to the surface of the water. Unsurprisingly, a gull swooped down and plucked the poor thing right out. She shook her head as she turned to continue walking. With the mission done, she and Zecora were expected back at Canterlot, the capital city, soon. She dread to go back. All that awaited her there was a disappointed mentor. Here she was, the star pupil, making such rookie mistakes. Her heart began to race as she considered the consequences. She could be dropped from her position, or reassigned to some forsaken place like the frozen north. She knew she wasn’t built for cold weather. So caught up in her own fears was she that she did not notice she was about to smack right into a couple taking their own walk along the coast. Quickly stepping aside, she gave a small sigh. She even forgot to dispel her cloaking illusion. With a thought, she felt a certain pressure around her blazer release. The couple then did a double take at the girl who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. With a shrug, they just kept walking. Twilight mentally chastised herself for forgetting such a simple detail. Yet another justification for being stripped of her privileges. With a glance towards the sky, and the sun in particular, she made her way back to the warehouse. Along the way back Zecora’s car appeared and pulled up next to her. The window rolled down revealing its owner; who looked to the younger agent with an icy, urgent stare. Understanding the situation she dashed to the other side and got in. Once she was buckled up, the car sped away. “What’s going on?” asked Twilight. “We must go to the center at the behest of your mentor,” said Zecora. “Sunset Shimmer has gone and tried; and succeeded in returning to the otherside.” “Sunse- Wha- How?” Twilight’s mouth tried to, unsuccessfully, voice a barrage of questions. Her mind tried its best to assess the situation and its implications. When things simply got too chaotic, she brought everything to a screeching halt. Physically, she sat there in stunned silence. Zecora recognized what she was doing and left her to her thoughts. It wouldn’t do well to try and engage the poor dear right away. Mentally, Twilight collected herself and started from the beginning and what she knew about Sunset Shimmer: She’s a fugitive from the other side, the pony world. She is kept under tight surveillance and is unaware of our presence. She is considered to be dangerous, but contained. She has no idea how to use her natural abilities on this side. She is- She is- Twilight was shocked to find that she knew so little of someone they knew to be such a threat. One thing she did know, though, was that whenever she discussed this with her mentor, she had always spoken warily of Sunset. Anxiety started to build up within her again as she looked to the ocean. The grey sedan pulled-up on an unassuming street in an out-of-the-way corner in the city of Fillydelphia. Its two passengers stepped out and made their way towards a simple clothing shop. On a bench outside, a man was casually reading a book on miniature equines. There was nothing too remarkable about him besides a familiar blue blazer. His eyes met the new arrivals’ with acknowledgement. Once inside, the two made their way to the dressing rooms in the back. When they had stepped inside and locked the doors, the girl at the counter reached underneath and, pushing aside a hanging grey blazer, pressed a button. Silent machines went to work and lowered the two agents. A moment later, the doors opened and the agents found themselves several hundred feet underground. They stepped onto a large cement hall that had three of the dressing room elevators on one end and a large ornate door on the other. They began to cross the hall. Twilight decided to release some of her anxiety. “So what’s the plan? What are we supposed to do about Sunset Shimmer? What are we supposed to do if she’s on the other side? Has Cen-” She paused when Zecora looked at her with a curious eyebrow. She gave an awkward grin. “Heh. Sorry. Guess I’m just a bit nervous.” Zecora smiled in return. “I understand the feeling, young one, but we’ll decide our next move when we are done. We need to know the whole situation before we can begin our preparation.” Through the large doors was yet another hall, but comparing it to the one they had been could very well be a crime. It was large and octagonal in shape, with a door on each side which each had two large stone columns flanking and framing them. It had polished marble tiles with long, red carpets extending from the doors to the center of the room. Above was a grand, crystalline chandelier that bathed the room in a warm, inviting glow. The door opposite the one they emerged from opened and out stepped a tall, lanky, very obviously stressed young man in a red blazer. Relief overcame his expression as he caught sight of the two. “Thank goodness you’re here. Central just contacted us. The Overseer would like a word would you right away,” he said as he ushered them into the Fillydelphia Control Center. To say the Control Center was modest was insulting; to say it was regal was adequate; to say it was grand was much more appropriate. Standing tall at three storeys, in the center hang a fixture of complex, fractal design that seemed to change shape depending on the direction that you looked at it. On the far wall stood three floor-to-ceiling windows that magically projected a picture of absolute serenity: the calm ocean. The floor itself was made of light granite buffed to a shine, yet enchanted to prevent any accidental sliding. Several pairs—all of whom were wearing red blazers—were scattered throughout the room in an arrangement that resembled a ballroom dance. Each of them had four poles surrounding that projected several ethereal screens of information into the air with which they used to interact with the Center’s mainframe. In the center of it all was short, well-built man with five o'clock shadow and horn-rimmed glasses. He wore a white blazer that had a beige stripe on the upper left arm. His eyebrows were currently furrowed as he noticed the two field agents approach him. He spoke in an octave higher than was expected. “Perfect timing. Central said she’d be contacting us again soon, hopefully with you present this time.” Zecora opened her mouth so speak, but was interrupted by her more excitable purple companion. “Overseer Rally Point.” Twilight nodded respectfully. “Is it true that she left? Do we know if she plans to come back? Did she find out about us? What about the portal?” Overseer Point smirked at the youth’s initiative as he approached them. “Yes, no, and no. The portal is currently under heavy watch. It opened up a few hours ago and will stay that way for a few days, three at the most. So tell me, Miss Sparkle, what was it like almost being something’s lunch?” Twilight’s enthusiasm came to a stop as she suddenly took significant interest in the patterns on the floor. Point placed a hand on her shoulder (which was higher than his) and gave her a smile, “Don’t worry too much about that, kid. All things considered, you handled yourself pretty well against a Class 3 like that. You’re one of our most promising juniors and you’ve basically read up on everything there is to know. But there’ll always be a difference between learning about it, and actually doing it. We don’t expect you to be some kind of super-agent on your very first real assignment.” It took a moment for Twilight to respond with a smile on her own. She had to admit, it helped. Point returned to his position in the center of the room. “Central Officer’s been waiting for you to get back. Looks like you’ll be playing a pivotal part in regards to Sunset Shimmer. Apparently she’s been-” He was interrupted by one of the operators. “Sir, incoming transmission.” Her eyes widened as she read who was hailing them. “From the top of the ladder, sir.” Overseer Point’s eyes similarly widened. “Well, what are you waiting for? On screen!” he barked. The image in the center window began to shimmer and fade until it was that of a woman at a desk. It was difficult to say how old she was; her pale face was smooth and clearly young, yet her amethyst eyes glimmered with the wisdom of time immemorial. Her hair was the shimmering color of an aurora that seemed to sparkle and flow to some non-existent breeze. She wore a neatly pressed and well-fitting beige blazer, and her expression was blank as she observed the Fillydelphia Control Room. “Central Officer Celestia,” greeted Overseer Rally Point as he gave a respectful nod. A nod which everyone else present followed. A warm smile graced her lips. “Overseer Rally Point, may I speak with Miss Sparkle?” “Of course, ma’am.” He motioned to Twilight, who took his place in the center of the room. The moment she saw her, Celestia’s eyes lit up. “Twilight Sparkle! My most faithful student.” Twilight’s mood had also improved now that she was talking to her mentor once again. “Central,” she said with a smile. “Though it would warm my heart to catch up with you, I’m afraid now is not the time. As I’m sure you’ve heard, Sunset Shimmer crossed over several hours ago. Around an hour later, she returned to this side. I’ve spoken to my counterpart on the other side, Princess Celestia, and she tells me that Sunset may have gotten hold of something dear to her and, as such, has sent someone from her side to retrieve it,” said Central Officer Celestia. “She will be arriving any moment now, which is why I ask that you also monitor the portal from over there.” The Overseer signaled to an operator. The window to the right of Celestia shimmered until it was the image of a horse statue that stood in the middle of a wide courtyard. The Central Officer’s smile grew just a bit larger. “She’s here.” One side of the marble base of the statue began to ripple like water. Slowly, the distortion became greater and greater until a flash of light erupted from the center as it ejected the latest trans-dimensional traveler. Female, humanoid, young, skin a slight tinge of purple, and hair a shade of violet with a purple and pink streak. It was Twilight Sparkle. As if on cue by some constant of the universe, they reacted in the same fashion and the same manner, but for differing reasons. “AAAAAHHHHHHHH!” shouted Twilight Sparkles. The eyes of those present in the control center expanded to some impressive sizes as a few jaws similarly fell. When the Twilights were finished, they both began to hyperventilate. One due to the fact that she was now in two places at once, and the other to her fascinating new phalanges. They both took a breath and were about to scream were it not for an intervening force. A grey hand for one, a purple paw for the other. When Twilight Sparkle, the one in Fillydelphia, regained her composure, she looked to Celestia who merely smiled in response. “I know you must have quite a bit of questions, my dear. But now is not the time. I have arranged the fastest available transport for you to return here to Canterlot at once. When you arrive, I will gladly oblige any and all the questions you might have. I’m afraid you’re field training with Zecora will have to be put on hold for now.” When Celestia finished, the window reverted back to displaying the ocean. The Black Train was the fastest land vehicle in existence. A milestone of engineering, capable of both physical and magical feats, it was reserved for only the most important of tasks. Twilight Sparkle was currently using it to return to Canterlot. She sat at a special desk whereupon several dossiers were left for her to go over. They were all about one thing: Twilight Sparkle. She still could not believe she was reading about the exploits of an equine version of herself. Apparently, her counterpart had made quite the name for herself. She sighed. At least a version of her, pony or not, was clearly having success in life. She looked over some highlights of her other’s adventures. Nightmare Moon, she thought. That was the name that Officer Luna took when she was infected by that malicious entity. King Sombra, apparently some evil unicorn that ruled over a place called the “Crystal Empire.” Queen Chrysalis, a matriarch of a race of emotion eaters that tried to conquer their Canterlot. Finally, she paused as she read the next name on the list, Discord. It couldn’t be, could it? Discord, the instigator of the great Chaos War. The very reason that magic was sealed away in their world apparently came back for an encore on the other side. Did that mean that- No. It couldn’t possible be. Besides, magic isn’t as widespread on this side as it is over there, she thought, reassuringly, to herself. She continued looking at the rest of Twilight’s adventures and noticed as they got progressively mundane. Galas, cider season, parties, weddings (of her brother no less, which did make her wonder), family reunions, Hearth’s Warmings. Although some surprising things did happen once in a while. A visit from Cerberus, time travel, becoming some masked super-hero, and apparently a coronation. She had to double-take as she read the cover of the latest dossier. After going through it, she was in wide-eyed shock. Apparently her counterpart had achieved “alicornhood” and was thus granted  a position of royalty. As far as she knew, alicornhood on that side translated to full mastery of one’s abilities on her side. She slumped against her chair in awe at her analog’s accomplishments. She had done so much in so little time, and here she was, a mere Junior-Agent who couldn’t even properly contain a manticore. Another thing that her counterpart had that she did not was something that really was alien to her. Friendship. It wasn’t the familial friendship that she had with her brother or parents, nor was it a bond between student and teacher. It was simply true friendship between companions. Her mind began to wonder as she imagined what it must be like to have friends like those. Applejack. Rarity. Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy. Pinkie Pie. As she looked at the file, something inside her was telling her that they all seemed familiar somehow. She dismissed the feeling, though, as the train had now arrived at the Main Canterlot Station. As she emerged from the underground railway system, she saw a figure she knew very well leaning against a grey convertible. It was a young man, a few years older than her, with snow white skin and partially styled electric blue hair. He wore a well fit shirt and skinny jeans as he scanned the crowd. He smiled as he watched his little sister approach him. “Shining Armor!” exclaimed a very elated Twilight Sparkle. “Twiley!” came the loving reply. A quick hug later and the two got into the vehicle. “So can you tell me what in the world is going on?” asked Twilight. “Sorry, kiddo. Central’s been keeping most everyone on a need to know basis. She said that we are only to move if Sunset Shimmer actively tries something reckless.” “Really? She hasn’t told you to do anything? At all?” “She’s mostly been in her office discussing this whole thing with the other four head officers and even to her pony self. Did you know she’s only left her office once this whole day?” “Bathroom?” Twilight asked teasingly. Shining smiled in response. “Nope. She had to go and talk to you.” “Me?” Twilight wondered. “Oh! Pony-me!” “Yup.” Shining nodded. “Not long after she arrived, she went to Central’s office over at Canterlot High. Guess you two really are similar since her first thought was to go to Celestia.” “Yeah.” Twilight said, half-heartedly. “Guess we are similar…” Shining, just as any brother, picked up on these signals. “Twiley?” he asked. Twilight, for her part, noticed how she slipped and immediately put on a happy face. “It’s nothing.” Shining sighed inwards and focused back on the road.. The sun and moon had just traded places when they arrived at a two-storey parking building. It was around two blocks away from Canterlot High School. Shining drove his car to a secluded corner that was reserved for those in his profession. When the convertible was perfectly in place, the parking spot began to descend, taking the vehicle and its passengers with it. The second time that day, Twilight found herself several hundred feet below the ground. When they had reached the absolute basement, Shining parked in the spot that actually was reserved for him. The two of them exited and made their way to the large (about twice of Twilight’s height) mahogany doors. The Fillydelphia Control Center looked like a slum when put up against the Canterlot Control Center. The doors opened up to a large hallway that had a long red carpet running through it resting neatly atop the polished marble floor. Along it were several decorative archways that reinforced the regality of the hall. In between the arches were small, ornate, crystal chandeliers that didn’t so much emanate light as they did glow from within. Every once in a while it would intersect with another hallway that went across and into different parts of the facility. The two siblings would exchange the odd greeting with almost everyone whom they passed. Some wore grey blazers, some blue, others white, and others still wore red. Shining himself had put his back on. A snazzy grey blazer that had a beige stripe on his upper left sleeve. At the end of the hall was a grand atrium with a large fountain right in the center of it all. Magical water spouts sprayed water into amazing shapes that flowed exclusively above the fountain. Above the fountain was what looked more like a star system than a chandelier. Thousands of tiny lights connected by nigh-invisible metal rods graced the ceiling, bathing the room in bright and gentle light. They approached one particular door that was flanked, not by sculptures or columns, but by two very large, very tough looking grey coats. Twilight stopped just outside the door and gave her brother another hug before he went elsewhere into the facility. “Please come in, Twilight,” said a voice from within. One of the guards reached for the door knob and opened it for the Junior-Agent while giving her a slight nod. Twilight smiled in response. Celestia’s office was actually simpler than the display of elegance right outside it. On one wall stood a wide bookshelf that carried tomes from across history with a handful even predating the invention of writing. Across was a display case that held some of Celestia’s most treasured mementos and trophies including a bone from the Great Lich of the South, a scrap of cloth that was from the flag of the Draconic nation whose name has been lost to time, and even the very first letter that Twilight Sparkle had sent her. That last one never failed to make its writer blush. The middle of the room had a simple, short table, with sofas on either side. Perfect for tea. Finally, at the end of the room was a large desk that looked to be made of wood, together with its current owner, Central Officer Celestia, Guide of the Compass, and the leader of their organization, MLP. She greeted her student with a smile that could melt the tundras. “My faithful student. It is always such a pleasure to see you.” She stood from up and motioned to the sofas. “Please, take a seat and let us have tea to go with what I’m sure is going to be quite a discussion,” she said, with playful emphasis on the last part. Twilight smiled and took a seat. It had been too long since they last got a chance to do this. The moment Celestia got settled in, the door opened and a white coat with a tray of tea and biscuits stepped in, delivered their snack, and took his leave. Twilight extended her, still gloved, fingers and the pot floated to serve the two a gracious amount of chamomile. Celestia smiled at the display. When the two had had a sip, Twilight decided to break the ice. “Central, what’s going on? You said Sunset Shimmer returned from the other side? Why?” “She did not, as I had hoped, go to reconcile with my counterpart.” Celestia frowned. “Instead, she bring over a key component of the Elements of Harmony.” This only raised more questions for the young agent. “Elements of Harmony? Is that related to Project Harmony?” Her furrowed brows then raised themselves as her eyes grew. “Did she succeed?” “Yes.” Celestia nodded grimly. “The Crown of Magic is on this side.” “Bu-bu-but- Central? What are we supposed to do? Who knows what someone like her could do with that kind of power?!” Twilight hand’s began to shiver as she tooks shorter and shorter breaths. Celestia looked to her student with eyes that could stop a storm. When her student relaxed, she calmly stated, "But it is currently in my possession." Twilight released a breath. "Wait. If you already have the crown, why did pony me come over here?" Celestia's smile returned as she thought about the meeting earlier. "You know, Twilight, the two of you really are each other's counterpart. Although it was rather amusing how she addressed me like royalty." She took another sip. "She knew I had the crown, but she never asked for it directly. Instead, she asked how she could earn it." Twilight raised an eyebrow at this. "Why didn't you just give it back? Isn't it important to them?" "Because Princess Celestia believes this adventure can help Twilight prove to herself that she is worthy of her title." "Oh." Twilight quickly looked to her mentor. "Does that mean you'll be sending me over to the other side?" Celestia shook her head. "No, Twilight. You have your own mission to accomplish on this side." Her arm motioned as if to raise something as a large screen emerged from the floor. It was currently displaying the other Twilight sleeping soundly on a mattress of books. “But first of all, we need to keep watch over our guest.” Twilight gazed intently at her other’s sleeping form. “Huh. Central, is it weird that I find watching myself sleep kinda enjoyable?” A warm giggle escaped Celestia’s lips. Twilight herself was also smiling, worries about Sunset drowned out by the wonder of seeing herself. “Do you think I can meet her?” “Perhaps,” said Celestia wistfully. “But not now. Not yet. For reasons I do not know, Princess Celestia never disclosed to her subjects about the existence of this world. To be honest, I agree with her reasoning, if for my own reasons.” “So what are we supposed to do about her?” Twilight said, never taking her eyes off the screen. “About me?” “For the moment, we will observe her actions. I assured the Princess that I would not intervene in any way unless it was absolutely necessary.” The Canterlot Control Room was hexagonal with large windows similar to those at the Fillydelphia Control Room on the three adjacent sides opposite the door, but rather than display the calm ocean, it instead displayed a large meadow, gently blowing with the breeze. The number of ‘dancers’ was also double that of Fillydelphia and each looked significantly more busy with their arms flying around and interacting with the floating screens. In the center of it was a throne whereupon sat Central Officer Celestia. On either side of her were Twilight Sparkle and her brother Shining Armor. The middle window was currently displaying the football field almost directly above them. On it, Twilight Sparkle was losing a one-on-one match of the beautiful game against a blue young lady with a messy, prismatic hairstyle. Shining Armor could not help but comment on Twilight’s performance. “Yeesh. And here I thought you were out-of-shape,” he said to Twilight. Twilight opened her mouth to respond, but then closed, then opened. She looked thoughtful for a moment. “I really don’t know whether or not I should take that as an insult.” Her brother and mentor chuckled at her response. “But in all seriousness,” Twilight began. “Who is that girl?” Shining raised his gloved palm as a ghostly screen materialized on it. “Name’s Rainbow Dash. Captain of most of the school’s athletic teams. She also-” “Wait,” Twilight interrupted. “Rainbow Dash? Isn’t that the name of one of her friends from the other side? More importantly, isn’t she also part of their ‘Elements of Harmony’?” Shining tapped his tablet as a different file displayed itself. “You’re right.” “What about those other girls at the bleachers?” asked Twilight. “Let’s see,” said Shining. “We’ve got a Rarity, Pinkie Pie-” “Applejack and Fluttershy,” Twilight finished. She looked to her mentor whose brows were also furrowed in thought. It’s clear she was also thinking of the implications of this revelation. It was no coincidence that they were helping her. Several hours passed with nothing in particular happening with Twilight and her group of friends. Because of this, Twilight and her group of friends had a quick lunch before returning to the Control Room. The windows showed them the cafeteria of Canterlot High, packed with students with the five girls seated at different tables. Suddenly. the five of them began stomping a beat. Once they had the crowd’s attention, music began to echo. Hey! Hey! Everybody! We’ve got something to say! They were singing. As the five girls performed a flash dance at their school, the underground audience couldn’t help but be swept along by the beat. Shining was swaying his body in time with the music, whilst Celestia smiled and bobbed her head along. I’m gonna be myself! No matter what I do! When Twilight burst into the scene, Twilight was stunned that she was singing. She didn’t even know she could sing. The dance had been going great. Twilight had managed to win her crown back fair and square and was currently accepting it from Central Officer Celestia. Everything looked to be over until her dog had been kidnapped by Sunset’s cronies. The Twilight underground looked to her brother, who merely shook his head and pointed back to the screen. The Twilight aboveground, together with her five friends, were in pursuit of the two. After a quick confrontation, a mighty bluff, and a game of keep-away, Sunset Shimmer now held the crown in her grasp. She slowly put it on. Alarms and klaxons all around the Canterlot Center blazed to life. “Sir, magical readings are spiking. Sunset Shimmer is now a Class 10 magical anomaly.” Twilight was dumbfounded. Sunset had now taken the form of what could only be described as a demon. A Class 10 demon. The last time they had Class 10 anything, an entire city disappeared. “Call back every field agent in the city and get them here immediately!” commanded Canterlot Reactionary Officer Shining Armor. At the moment, him and his agents were all that stood between a fiery demon and the unspeakable. “Sir!” called one of the operators. “Major magical buildup at Vault 1. Project Harmony seems to be resonating with Sunset Shimmer’s magic.” The rightmost window shifted to display six pedestals with six orbs on top. Each orb began emitting light that got brighter and brighter. “Shining, I’m heading up there!” said Twilight. She was at the door when she felt something violently pull at the collar of her blazer. She looked back and saw Shining’s hand balled up into a fist. “You are staying here, Twiley!” shouted Shining. “It is way too dangerous up there!” ‘What?!” Twilight was incredulous. “Are you crazy? Look at her! She’s going to tear the school apart.” The moment she said that, though, something happened on the screen that showed the courtyard of Canterlot High. The six friends were engulfed in light and began to float into the air. The light was a perfect match to that produced by Project Harmony. Sunset’s demonic form screeched in pain as a rainbow of light launched itself from the group of friends. The window displaying the six orbs of Project Harmony had cracked from the magical pressure released by the artifacts. When the light of the rainbow faded, all that remained was a giant crater in the middle of the courtyard. It was over. The Control Room was silent. “Sir?” asked and operator. “Cancel the call back order,” said Shining. “Scan the students. Make sure there’s no trace of whatever that was. Get the blue coats to help the white coats scan each student individually. We have to make sure this thing was contained.” Twilight just stood at the door. Her face blank and stunned from what was apparently the magic of—and she could not believe she was saying this—Friendship. She slowly made her way out as Shining barked order after order to the waiting operators. She needed to lie down.