10 years after the last chapter…
It was first day of summer vacation and Twilight was able to relax after another hard year of teaching. She was relaxing in her favorite rocking chair on the porch of her house, facing the islands as the sweet, salty air greeted her lungs. From her island, she had a beautiful view of the town that contently sat on the specks of land, hardly changing, living at one with nature.
This was Twilight's favorite spot from the house as the view and air eased her. Especially this particular year after hearing the terrible news. Her husband, John, was working at an archeological dig in Egypt when one of the support beams broke, trapping John and several workers in the tomb they were excavating. According to the workers, John dug furiously to help get the workers out before the collapse could finish them.
Unfortunately, John never made it out in time.
Hearing the news was one of the worst days of Twilight's life. She was grateful for the faculty to give her paid leave to mourn and received a surprise from her former and present students: cards and handmade crafts that showed their symphony.
But the one person she was most grateful for was her own daughter: Aurora.
Despite her own sorrows in losing her father, Aurora was the one who kept Twilight's depression in check, calling for help whenever it got too deep. It was near Thanksgiving when it finally got into the new widow's head that John wouldn't want her to be so depressed. He would've wanted her to continue to live and raise their daughter.
Besides, she had a promise to keep to him.
With her slow recovery, Twilight was able to teach the second semester and relieve the students and faculty. Now, she was able to relax and plan for the future.
The sound of the front door opening was enough to break Twilight out of her stupor and turn her attention to that particular direction. Standing in front of the door was a human girl about ten. She had indigo hair with two pink stripes like Twilight's, only her hair was wavy. She was dressed in a teal one-piece swimsuit and held a windsurfing board under her arm. Hanging across her body was a satchel with a button made from an animal claw she found.
The girl set her amethyst eyes to the former unicorn.
"You ok, Mom?"
Twilight nodded at the child.
"I am, Aurora. I'm just relaxing in the breeze."
The girl, Aurora, placed a hand on her mother's shoulder and spoke again.
"You know, I don't have to go."
But Twilight shook her head as she smiled.
"No, sweetheart. You should go out and have some fun. It's the first day of summer vacation, after all, and aren't you looking for new shells for your collection?"
Aurora was hesitant. Since her father died, she had been worried about her mother non-stop. While she was happy that Twilight was making a recovery, she still worried about a possible relapse.
"Well…I'll come back at lunch, just in case."
Twilight hugged her daughter, letting her know she had nothing to fear.
"Don't worry. The most I'll be doing today is grocery shopping. No need to call the hotline."
It took a while before Aurora could agree with her mother.
"Alright, Mom. Just take it easy, ok?"
She then headed down to the island's beach.
"I'll see you at lunch!"
"I'll see you then, Aurora!" Twilight called down as her daughter began to sail off to a neighboring island on her windsurfing board.
Once Aurora was out of sight, Twilight went inside her home and collected her purse and grocery list after she got dressed from her pajamas and into a lavender sundress and her hair was brushed, soon donning a white sunhat with a magenta flower on it.
Once she ready, she grabbed some shoes and headed down to Fortuna's docks. She placed her purse and shoes into a sailboat she often used to reach the other islands. Her bicycle and its trailer were already in the boat as she got in and unmoored from the dock. It was her late husband who taught her how to sail and found the experience quite relaxing.
As she sailed to the largest island, Solis, she found herself going over her memories and focused on the ones where she took her baby down to the boat and let the sea rock them to get Aurora to calm down. Especially since she was fussy as a baby.
After docking in her usual spot on the large island, Twilight got her bicycle onto the dock and hitched the trailer before putting her shoes on and pedaling off. This was another thing her husband had taught her during her first year as a human and like him, preferred this method of transportation than the automobiles on the island.
It didn't take Twilight long to reach the local grocery store. After locking her bicycle, Twilight took the list out of her purse and began to shop. She hit the produce section heavily since she and John had decided to stick with her vegan diet and passed this on to Aurora. Something they took into preparing if the three of them ever make it to Equestria.
As she examined the apples, she couldn't help but think of Applejack and the Apple family. This, in turn, would make her think of everypony she was forced to leave behind. And eventually, turned towards her late husband. Thankfully, her thoughts broke as a familiar voice called out to her.
"Twyla! Hello! How've you been, dear?"
Twilight turned her attention to where the voice was coming from and found it belonged to one of her friends on the faculty.
It was John's suggestion that her name be changed to Twyla to avoid suspicion and used it in her relations outside her family.
Talking to the teacher kept Twilight's thoughts in check as she continued to shop. Once she was done, she bid the teacher farewell and loaded her groceries onto the trailer and returned to the boat.
But as she sailed back to Fortuna Island, a flash of light caught her eyes. It fit the description John had told her when she arrived in this world.
So could this mean…?
Having only used it for storms or emergencies, Twilight moved to the back of the boat and turned on the motor. Once she reached the island and moored, Twilight left the groceries behind and dashed toward the area where John had found her.
Sure enough, there were two bare women lying unconscious on the forest floor next to a glowing portal.
One woman had pale pink hair that flowed gently on the ground and had equally pale sink. On her flank were three very familiar pink butterflies.
The second woman had a bit of a tan on her as well as some freckles on her face. She had blond hair that was tied at the end and not far from her was a Stetson hat. On her flank was also a familiar mark: three apples.
"Applejack?! Fluttershy?!" Twilight gasped.
She quickly checked their vitals only to find that they were only unconscious and not in the same condition she came in. But still, Twilight took her old friends to her house and gathered some clothing. She helped on Fluttershy a green sundress and a red one for Applejack. Once she had them dressed and propped on the couch that sat at the side of the stairs, Twilight returned to the dock to collect the groceries. It took her a few trips in order to get them all inside, each time she came inside, she checked to see if the other ex-ponies were awake. So far, nothing.
Sighing, she got to work on putting groceries away while she went over what she was going to say to them and the possibility of Aurora finding them here and the secret gets out. But as she kept herself busy, she failed to notice that the ex-ponies were awakening.
Upon awakening, Applejack rubbed her eyes as she sat up.
"Hoo-wee. What a trip. You ok, Fluttershy?"
Simultaneously, Fluttershy performed the same action as she answered the Element of Honesty.
"I…I think so."
But she fell silent as she realized that her hoof was no longer a hoof. Applejack also took notice before she and Fluttershy looked towards each other and found a different body instead.
A loud pair of screams came from the living room, nearly causing Twilight to drop a jar of jam on the table. Taking in a few breaths, she calmed herself before facing the archway that lead from her wooden kitchen into her living room.
"Looks like they're awake." She muttered.
Leaving the kitchen, she found the two women screaming amongst themselves as they examined their new bodies.
"What the hay happened to my body!" Applejack shouted.
Fluttershy fell silent as she saw a strange creature that looked similar to them behind Applejack. Clearing her throat, Twilight got Applejack's attention for the first time in twelve years.
"There's no need to scream. The portal you came through changed your body to fit in this world."
Applejack narrowed her eyes as she struggled to stand like the creature before her.
"And how do YOU know that?"
Calmly, Twilight answered her.
"Because it happened to me…twelve years ago."
Suddenly, a connection was made in the ex-ponies' minds. It was a possibility, but one they couldn't ignore. It was Fluttershy who dared to ask the question.
"Twilight?"
Twilight gave a nervous smile, nodding ever so slightly.
"Long time, Fluttershy. You too, Applejack."
To Twilight's surprise, however, despite the inability to walk on two legs yet, Fluttershy and Applejack got up and glomped her. Normally, this would be something she could see Pinkie Pie doing. But Applejack and Fluttershy? Could this mean…?
"Oh thank goodness! Twilight! We found you!" Fluttershy called happily with tears in her teal eyes.
"We was lookin' for ya since Cadence and Shinin' Armor defeated the changelings. When we found the gate, we were too late!" Applejack explained, tears in her emerald orbs.
Despite the many questions in Twilight's head, she let her emotions get out as she hugged the two women, for once crying in happiness.
"I missed you both so much."
After hugging, the two ex-ponies began to exchange their stories with the ex-unicorn. After discovering the Gate of Sleipnir and that it only opens for three days every twelve years, the ponies had to wait about a month before the real wedding could take place, although it was, as Rainbow Dash had put it, 20% less happy than it should. The reason they had to wait was for everypony to recover from the loss of Twilight Sparkle.
As time went, things had become sort of "grey" for the Elements of Harmony. Spike, Twilight's faithful dragon assistant since his hatching at her magic exam, had taken over as head librarian at the Ponyville library. Rainbow Dash still worked on her moves, but they weren't as dazzling as they used to be. Rarity still made fabulous outfits, but with less enthusiasm than before. In fact, she made an entire line star-themed in memory of Twilight. And Pinkie Pie deflated from her usual self, but continued to perform for parties. Although she was soon restricted to helping around Sugar Cube Corner when her depression went further.
Princess Cadence and Shining Armor soon after inherited a place called the Crystal Empire after it reappeared from a thousand-year disappearance. Twilight was proud of Spike once she heard that he with the help of Applejack managed to find a missing element to the Crystal Empire and saved it forever from the empire's wicked former king.
When the twelve years were coming to an end, Applejack and Fluttershy both returned to Canterlot to ask Princess Celestia if they could watch the gate for anything. Despite the gate being guarded since that day, Celestia agreed and a few minutes ago the portal opened.
"…and so here we are." Applejack concluded, her throat parched.
After teaching the ex-ponies how to hold a water bottle, Twilight told them of her time in the human world. Of course, both AJ and Fluttershy did a spit take once she got to the middle.
"You got married!?" Applejack coughed.
Twilight nodded as she got up to bring a picture of her and her family to her two friends.
"Yes. John was so wonderful and I couldn't help but fall in love with him. Soon after, I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl."
Immediately, Fluttershy took Twilight's photo and immediately went, "Aww!"
Applejack looked at the picture and did the same thing, with added dialogue.
"Why, Twilight. She's purdier than the last Zap Apple blossom on the tree."
Twilight laughed, despite the confusing lingo.
"Thank you, Applejack. Her name is Aurora."
Fluttershy beamed.
"It's a perfect name for her. I hope we get to meet her and your husband."
That made Twilight's face sadden, catching the attention of the ex-ponies.
"Twilight? Everything ok?" Applejack, concerned for their friend.
Sighing, Twilight answered her.
"I'm sorry, girls. But…John died a few months ago in an accident."
This caused the two to gasp as they hugged their friend.
"Oh, Twilight. I'm so sorry. I had no idea-"
"None of you had any idea, Fluttershy. To be honest, I'm still getting over losing him myself." Twilight interrupted them.
She then stood up and walked over to a fireplace and took something from the mantle: a Ming urn about the size of a watermelon.
"But before he died, we made a promise."
"And what promise is that, Twilight?" Applejack asked, eyeing curiously at the urn.
Cradling the urn, Twilight answered her.
"I promised him that when the opportunity arises, I would take my family to Equestria, to see where I came from. He was the one who asked that his remains would be cremated, so that even in death, I could still fulfill my promise and take him with me."
Now the former ponies understood. The urn held John's ashes.
"But what about Aurora?" Fluttershy managed to ask.
Twilight sighed as she placed the urn back on the mantle.
"To be honest, I never told her of her Equestrian heritage. As far as she knows, she's a normal human child."
This caused the women to gasp in shock.
"You never told her? But what about Equestria? Your promise to your husband?" Fluttershy asked.
Sighing, Twilight looked out to the window, seeing Aurora beginning to sail back as promised.
"I know I should tell her soon. But I'm afraid for her. Afraid she'd become an outcast in Equestria and here."
Managing to stand, Applejack spoke as she struggled to walk to Twilight.
"We understand, Twilight. You want what's best for your daughter. But the longer you keep it a secret, the harder it will be once she eventually knows. And the portal will stay open for another two days. Once they're up, it'll be closed for another twelve years. Do you really want her to know once she's grown up instead? Don't ya want to go back to Equestria?"
Twilight knew Applejack was right. For years, she longed to go back to Equestria with her family. But her fears kept her from doing something important during the past ten years.
Seeing Aurora approaching the house, Twilight made her choice.
"I'll try and tell her tonight. If she's ok with it, we'll move to Equestria. But could the two of you keep this a secret until then?"
Applejack nodded.
"Sure thing, sugar cube."
"Of course, Twilight. If you need us to help in any other way, we'll be happy to help."
Smiling at the pair, Twilight spoke.
"Thank you both."
She then headed to the kitchen.
"But for now, how about I treat you both to lunch? You must be quite hungry after your trip."
Growling stomachs answered her question as she went into the kitchen to make a meal for four just as Aurora came in.
"Mom! I'm home. You should see the lagoon. It's covered in shells…"
She then trailed off as she saw the two strange women sitting on the couch in her house.
"Mom?"
Twilight then called out from the kitchen.
"I heard you, sweetheart. Those two in the living room are friends from my hometown: Applejack and Fluttershy. Girls, that's my daughter: Aurora."
The two smiled at the girl as she walked forward.
"Well nice to meet ya, sugar cube. I'm Applejack. And this one's Fluttershy."
"Very nice to meet you, Aurora." Fluttershy spoke.
Aurora didn't know what to make of this. These two were strangers with strange names in her home, yet her mother, who also had a strange real name, was familiar with them. Yet, she could somehow sense that these two are ok.
So, being polite, she spoke.
"Nice to meet you, too." She then look to herself. "Sorry for my appearance. I was shell-collecting. I'll be back down in a minute."
She then left the others and headed up the stairs to get changed. Once she got back down, the four of them began to enjoy a nice meal. It relieved her greatly that her mother was truly smiling again and not half-smiling as she's done for the past few months. And despite some obviously chopped up bits, she enjoyed the two women's stories about her mother.
Perhaps things will be back to normal soon.
Once lunch was done and Aurora went back to her room to tend to the new shells she collected, the three ex-ponies gathered around the hidden portal.
"Ok. So you'll tell everypony about what you've learned?" Twilight asked.
Applejack nodded as she spoke.
"Eeyup. And we'll make sure that, if Aurora says yes, Pinkie will only put on a small party. Don't wanna scare the little darlin', do we?"
"And we'll also let Princess Celestia know about this. I'm sure she'll be happy to meet you both."
With a nod, Twilight spoke once more.
"Alright. We'll meet back here in the morning. Hopefully, all goes well."
Placing a hand on Twilight's shoulder, Applejack spoke before she and Fluttershy returned to Equestria.
"Good luck, Twilight."
Once her friends were gone, Twilight was now charged with the most difficult task she ever had to take: telling Aurora the truth of her heritage and convincing her to move to Equestria.