Twilight Sparkle found herself sitting on a bench in a crowded train cabin, as books and official document littered the floor, and all but filled the compartment. For once a distraction greater than a room full of books was present as a doppelganger Twilight sat in supreme focus, examining three separate documents and a reference book floated in front of her gaze.
Twilight was feeling a bit beside herself to say the least. Before she could try to get a hold of situation realization hit.
"Oh no. Oh sweet Celestia what have I done. Celestia just dropped a massive proverbial incendiary incantation on her, just abject moments before she found herself in the cabin. She had enslaved her fellow alicorns! She had started wars and conquered countries! She had enslaved Celestia and made her do..things!" She was all set and ready to engage in a full on panic when suddenly an cacophony enveloped the cabin, as the overhead compartment exploded.
With confetti and balloons.
"Suprise!" yelled a crazed pink mare who ejected herself out of the very same compartment.
The other Twilight recovered first.
"Pinkamina Diane Pie what the bucking hay do you think your doing?!" her reading twilight screamed, while the no longer panicking Twilight was still in shock.
"Hi Twilight! Hi Twilight! We're on our way to the Griffon Empire for diplomatic talks with High King, Blacktalon," Pinkie Pie bubbled loudly ignoring the question.
"Pinkie, I know that. In fact, I was the one who explained that to you just a couple of days ago," she reminded the bouncing earth pony, who hopped into an open sliver of bench near the panicking mare and across from her.
"What I don't know is why you felt the need to scare the daylights out of me." Book-Twilight demanded.
"Oh that's easy silly. My Pinkie sense told me to." Pinkie chirped.
"Why would your Pinkie sense tell you that?" Pinkie's extraordinary senses had always been constructive in the past, Both Twilight's disliked the idea of them suddenly turning on anypony.
"Hmm," She hoofed her chin in thought, "Maybe you suddenly got amnesia and had to come back in time using one of Zecoras potions to learn about stuff that happened, and you where panicking for some reason, and I had to shock you out of it?"
Twilight, both past and future, stared dumbfounded at the pink disciple of crazed saneness. Twilight had seen her friend do something similar to this when she met an alternate version of her in another dimension, it was still disconcerting.
Past-Twilight spoke up, "Was that why you felt the need to say hello twice?" she asked tentatively.
Pinkie Pie beamed while bouncing like a tiny joyful spring in her seat. "Don't know, just felt like the thing to do."
Past-Twilight sighed, "This is going to be an odd conversation isn't it," she asked resigned.
"Yep, " Pinkie chimmed in cheerfully, "So whatch'a doing?" she continued.
The memory alicorn began to re-organize the books and papers disturbed by her friends explosive entrance, as well as clearing up the confetti spread around the room.
"I'v been studying up on our politics regarding the Griffon Kingdoms,"
"Wait I thought you said they where the Griffon Empire?" Pinkie interrupted curiously enough that Twilight coulden't really get annoyed with her.
"It's complicated." Twilight began as she shifted into lecture mode.
"The Griffons are organized into a collection of hundreds of tiny kingdoms that cover a vast area of the continent just to the east of Equestria across the Eastern Equestrian Straight. The most powerful Griffon is the High King, in this case High King Blacktalon. As a general rule, someone who takes over and rules multiple kingdoms is also known as an emperor, or empress if female. So in this regard both terms are correct. As such, you would refer to them as The Griffon Kingdoms when working out minor dealings any number of the multitude of kings, or as reference the multitude. The Empire always refers only to dealings with the High King, or with the empire as a whole."
Twilight wished she had a notepad to take notes, it wasn't often you got to listen to a lecture of new information from yourself, and she'd hate to disappoint herself later by forgetting anything.
"Anyways, " The past self continued, " I've been studying our policies with the Kingdoms and Empire, as well as a few other countries, just for reference purposes so I would have a basis to compare. So far I've gotten through the last two hundred years of agreements for the griffons, and the previous fifty for everyone else." Her past self smiled with satisfaction, which the present felt herself mirror in pride.
Pinkie tilted her head, "Is something wrong?" she asked, which caused the alicorn to slump
"Unfortunately yes, I've been reading through these agreements and well. They're frankly terrible, and they just get worse as time goes on." Twilight sighed exasperated.
"I think I know why Celestia wanted to go in person now instead of just sending delegates. Based upon what I've read thus far its like the Griffons simply want to fight us, and Celestia has been throwing away bits left and right just to meet their demands so we wouldn't have to. On an individual level they push us so they don't send raiding parties, or more politically, so they can 'afford to keep unaffiliated factions within their respective kingdoms in check so they don't raid us'. I guess I just never really though of Equestria really having all that many problems, yet now that I'm a princess im finding out all kinds of ugly little truths."
Her past self slumped down in her chair looking depressed.
Twilight felt terrible that she had forgotten, and worse that she didn't know the current state of affairs with the Griffons. She would have to re-research anything her past self missed just to be sure she had a good handle on the political field. Wait, she was told-
"Don't worry Twilight its all going to work out okay in the end." Pinkie said interrupting her thoughts.
Past-Twilight perked up "Did your pinkie sense tell you that?"
"Nope!" She continued in a completely serious tone, "mares intuition." she said sagely while crossing her hooves, and nodding.
Both Twilights snorted. Then they laughed, which Pinkie joined in readily.
Equestria had lucked out when the Pink mare of laughter discovered her special talent for making others cheerful, as the only party the joy championing mare wouldn't allow was a pity party. Unless she was invited, in which case expect it to be hijacked into a more traditional one shortly thereafter.
"Thank you Pinkie Pie," Twilight past self said.
"Yea, thanks Pinkie" addendum the present.
"Your double welcome!"
Twilight froze, "Pinkie," she paused "can you hear me?"
The pink mare had a series of odd spasms for a moment, thereafter she paused in thought before saying. "Hey Twilight I just want you to know, that I'm always willing to listen. Even if I can't hear you!"
Twilights past self looked confused, before she accepted the comment at face value.
"Thanks Pinkie, if there is every anything I can do in return, please let me know."
"Actually there is!" she spoke up immediately before continuing, "My pinkie sense also told me that you're going to have a super cake party, and I want you to promise to invite me. "
Both Twilight's paused, "A super.."
"-cake party!" The other mare finished nodding seriously. "Please promise you'll invite me!"
Twilight chortled once before giving in "Okay, okay, I promise ill invite you to my next super cake party"
"Pinky Promise!" she jumped jovially in her demands.
Twilight sighed, "Fine, I Pinkie Promise. Cross my heart and hope to fly. Stick a cupcake in my eye" she finished ending up actually poking her eye.
'I never could get the hang of that'
"Yay super duper cake party! I feel like I can leave now so, I'll let you get back to your studying, 'cuz it seems like its super important and princess'y "
And with that pinkie left the compartment and Twilight's view of the world blurred into an entirely new visage.