The next morning, as Princess Celestia begins raising the sun. Twilight and Courageous are already up and walking down the hallway to the kitchen…ready for an early breakfast before their training begins.
The two are a bit nervous, but as long as they stick together and do their best as a team, they will soon become the rulers that the Island of Tambelon deserve; Even the new citizens deserve leaders like them.
As the two married ponies walk down the hall, they are quickly greeted by their friends: Pinkie, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow, Fluttershy, and Spike; They got up early just so they can be with their two best friend and help them through their first day of training.
“Today’s the big day, Twilight!” Pinkie Pie squeals, “Are you excited?! I’m so excited! Although I’m a little nervous! Are you nervous? I know I am!” Pinkie jabbers on, “Ooooooo….I’m both nervous and excited! I’m nevicited!!!”
Applejack sighs and corrects her friend, “Pinkie. How many times must I tell ya dat is not a real word?”
Twilight giggles and says, “It’s alright. Honestly, I am feeling both nervous and excited.”
“See?” Pinkie informs the orange earth pony with a big smile, “She is nervicited as I am!!”
Applejack rolls her eyes, while the others laugh, “If ya say so…”
Courageous smiles and nods, “I am as nervicited as the rest of you,” He admits, which brings a bigger smile to Pinkie’s face, “I do not know what Princess Celestia has in store for us, but whatever it is, I do know Twilight and I are going to-” Courageous stops suddenly…and his horn and eyes glow with the power of the Light.
“Going to what, darling?” Rarity asks the brown stallion when his speech is suddenly cut short.
Twilight notices that same look in her husband’s eyes, “What is the matter, Courageous?”
The young prince can feel a small presence of Darkness…somewhere in the castle; The very same he felt last night, but dismissed. This time, he can sense where it is coming from.
Even as the other mares and one dragon try to get his attention, Courageous runs off…with the Light guiding him to the very place he senses this evil presence, “Follow me!!”
The little ponies do not know what is going on, but they follow behind the prince and wonder where he is heading.
*************************************
The ponies follow behind Courageous as the Light guides him through the Castle…to a location unknown.
As they run, the group manage to pass both Shining Armor and Cadance along the way, without so much as a “hello” or “Good morning.” Concerned, they both follow the group…while hoping to get some answers.
“Where is everypony running to, Twili?” Shining asks his little sister as he runs beside her.
“I don’t know…but I think Courageous senses something evil within the castle…” Twilight explains as she takes a moment to summon the Light. Once she does, she gasps, “…and I think I sense it too!”
Shining and the others now grow more concerned; After all the evils they have vanquished, one would think they deserve a break from it all, but it seems something new has arisen…in the Crystal Empire once more.
Everypony continues to follow Courageous…until he arrives at a door, leading into a room where the Royals store many antiques and magical items. Two crystal guards stand by the door, sworn to protect it always.
“Let us pass, please,” Princess Cadance orders her soldiers, who step aside immediately.
Once the door is opened, they all run in and looks around. The place has many items around…but they are searching for something that is out of place. Everypony is about to look around for it, until both Courageous and Twilight point and yell:
“There it is!!!”
Everypony turns and looks at where they are pointing at…and gasps when they see what it is: The Magical Mirror that links this world to another; This very mirror that Twilight once entered some time ago.
“The Darkness is coming from…within the mirror…” Courageous concludes.
Twilight cannot believe it, but since Light does not lie, she can feel that both her husband and the Light speak the truth: A dark, and familiar presence is coming from inside the mirror…on the other side.
“Inform Princess Celestia and Princess Luna! Make haste!” Courageous turns to the guard and orders.
“Yes, your Highness!” The two Crystal Guard rush off to retrieve the Princesses.
As the ponies wait, Courageous and Twilight do not take their eyes off the mirror for a second. They watch it ever carefully…and hope something can be done soon before the worst happens.
********************************
Once the Princesses of the Sun and Moon arrive, they sit and listen to what Courageous and Twilight have to say on what they have discovered about the magical mirror.
Every other pony does the same and hear what their friends have discovered…and hope that this problem can be fixed soon.
“So, you are saying the Darkness is coming from the mirror…from the other side?” Celestia questions.
Courageous nods, “Yes. But it is not just any Darkness: It is the very same that invaded Equestria a year ago…and took control of the Crystal Empire as well as the rest of the major cities.”
“Are…you saying that…it’s…?” Fluttershy mutters in fear of the answer she wishes not to hear.
“Yes…” Courageous sighs and confirms, “Whatever is inside, is from…HIM!”
Everypony is completely shocked and disturbed by the very thought of it, but they know it not to be untrue. When the Supreme Master of Darkness…know by the name of Tirek…invaded Equestria, his Darkness spread all over. Somehow, it managed to get inside the mirror…and into the “other world that lies beyond.”
“But…I don’t get it?” Rainbow questions, “How did the Darkness get inside…and if it did…is the other side a dark world now?”
Courageous shakes his head, “I do not think so…”
“How are you so certain, darling?” Rarity implies politely.
“Well, I am not sure exactly…but I don’t sense a heavy presence of Darkness in this “other world” so I believe it is still intact…for now anyway,” Courageous explains then adds, “Besides, I myself don’t know much about this “other world” on the other side of this mirror anyway…”
Princess Luna stands and steps forth, “I believe I can answer that for you, young prince.”
Courageous nods and sits with his wife Twilight, and listens to the story behind the mirror; Although everypony there knows about it already, the young brown stallion does not.
“This mirror is a gateway to another world…one that opens once every thirty moons,” Luna explains, “Twilight Sparkle once entered this world not too long ago, to retrieve her Element of Magic…when it was stolen by a former student of my sister.”
Courageous understand, but then asks, “I see…but wait! When did Twilight enter this world? I don’t remember this happening at all.”
Twilight tries to explain, “Well, it’s kind of a long story-”
“-and one we do not have time to discuss I am afraid!” Luna interrupts with a valid point.
Twilight agrees, “You’re right, your Highness,” She then turns to Courageous and frowns, “I guess I will have to tell you the story of my time in that other world there later.”
The young prince nods and smiles, “I understand…and I will look forward to hearing about it. My dearest Twilight.”
Princess Luna continues, “Anyway…I have no knowledge of how the Darkness entered the mirror, but as the keeper of the Night and Moon, I do believe the gateway to the other world opened sometime during Tirek short reign over Equestria.”
Courageous quickly agrees, “That makes sense. The gate must have been closed when the Darkness took over the Empire and the rest of the Kingdom. But right before the girls and I vanquished Tirek, the gate opened and the Darkness went through…though only for a brief moment before the Rainbow of Light cleared the world of that very Darkness.”
Twilight agrees with her husband without a second thought, “You’re right, Courageous! Whatever Darkness got in, as small as it was, remained even when Tirek was destroyed. But I guess it wasn’t strong enough to take over the other world.”
“No, it don’t think it was. But in over a year that it’s been there, it has no doubt begun to rise slowly and become more powerful. At this moment, while still not at full strength, it could get that way at any minute…and if it succeeds, it will take over that world…and possibly even find it’s way into ours…”
Everypony gasps and doesn’t even want to think about that possibility; They barely defeated the Darkness and it’s Master a year ago, and if they have to go through that ordeal again…there is no telling if they will get lucky and stop it a second time.
“Well…I say it’s pretty obvious what we need at do!” Applejack informs, “We need ta go dere, find the Darkness, get rid of it, and get back on home before supper time!”
The other ponies agree and are about to head into the mirror, until Luna halts them, “No, little ponies. I am afraid nopony is going to be using them mirror anytime soon.”
“Why not…?” Twilight questions her fellow princess.
Luna decides to show them instead of explain. She touches the mirror, but nothing happens; Her hoof does not go through it at all, since at the moment the mirror is nothing but glass at the moment, “The mirror opens once every thirty moons, remember?”
Twilight nods, “Yes…but…are you saying that it has not been thirty moons yet?”
Princess Luna merely shakes her head lightly.
The others moan and are at a lost.
“How long until it opens again?” Princess Cadance asks.
Luna thinks on it for but a few seconds, then answers, “Fifteen days.”
Courageous shakes his head, “We can’t wait that long! There is no telling how much time that world has left before the Darkness reaches it’s full strength and corrupts everything there! It already had a year to get this bad, and may strike at any moment!”
“Then what is it you suggest we do, Courageous Heart?!” Luna snaps at the young stallion, then calms down and apologizes, “Sorry young prince, but the magic of this gateway is powerful, and not even my magic…nor that of my sister…can change it’s course.”
“My sister is right…” Celestia supports, “I do not know what else we can do to open it.”
Courageous aims his horn at the mirror, “There IS another way; A power far stronger than magic: Light!” He summons the source of all good and fires a beam at the gateway, “AGOR!!”
Everypony watches as the Light enters the mirror…and opens the gateway to the other world. They all gasp and are really surprised at this; They have seen the many wonders the Light can bring, but this is one of the few that tops it all.
“You did it, Courageous!!” Spike cheers.
“Yes, but it will not last forever,” He reveals sadly, “The Light can only keep it open for a while; No more than three days. But only two at most can enter; I cannot because I have to stay here and hold it open…“
Twilight feels sad that Courageous will not be able to come with her, but she understands, “Okay…then I guess it is just me and Spike going through again…“
“Alright. But…“ He sighs, “I have not told you the worst part yet…”
Twilight hates to ask it, but does, “What’s the worse part…?”
He sighs, “Because the Light opened the door before it’s time, and now that the magical cycle is broken, by the high moon of the third day…the portal will close…forever.”
Twilight and the others gasp once more, but it is much louder this time. “What?!”
“I’m sorry, Twilight…but what I say is true: You have to find and defeat the Darkness in the other world by late evening of the third day…or…you will never be able to return here…” It hurts Courageous to even think this, but it is the truth.
Twilight does not know what to say and cannot even imagine what will happen if she becomes trapped there; Though she has friends in the other world, to never come back here…where her friends, family, and husband are, would just devastate her.
Suddenly, the little alicorn feels herself being hugged by all her friends and family; They know Twilight will return, because she always does. Smiling, she hugs them all back lovingly, “Thank you, everypony. I love you all so much, and I promise I will return as soon as I can.”
They all hug her more and hope so too.
****************************
After Twilight is given a saddlebag of supplies, plus her Element of Magic, she says goodbye to everypony and is ready to head into the mirror. However, before she goes in, she wishes to say goodbye to a certain pony she loves with all her heart.
“It’s not fair…” Twilight sadly admits to her husband.
He shakes his head sadly, “It never is…”
“We just got married…only to be separated…”
Courageous embraces her gently, “We will never be apart, Twilight. As long as you keep me in your heart, I will be with you…”
Twilight sheds a tear and hugs him back, “I love you, Courageous. I will always think of you while I am there…”
Courageous smiles and kisses her cheek, “I love you too, Twilight. Be safe…”
Twilight kisses his cheek lovingly, and smiles. She then lets Spike hop onto her back, “Ready, Spike?”
“I’m ready!!” He nods firmly while holding on to his friend.
With that, Twilight gallops towards the mirror. Everypony waves goodbye to her, as she steps into the gateway…and moves on into the world she once visited long ago.
Her mission to stop the Darkness and save both worlds from its terror…has begun.