//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Twiligth and the friends in the world beoynd the mirror // Story: Friendship carried on through the ages // by keam //------------------------------// Eclipse and Sparkler brought Twilight to a small downtown cafe located at the bottom floor of a pink two-floor house. The cafe was owned by Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle’s eccentric friend from so long ago. Eclipse immediately dragged Twilight inside, not being able to wait another minute on sharing the fantastic news. It never occurred to her, however, that everyone might not find them as fantastic as she did. Gathered around the big table by the window were four girls. Two of them, Twilight recognised as the two girls that had ran past her after she had first woke up on this side of the mirror. the third girl, Twilight didn’t notice at first as she was constantly hiding behind the golden haired girl in the middle, and the last one was almost overwhelming, waving her hand frantically in some kind of greeting. Each of the girls reacted differently as they spotted Twilight. The blue haired girl sitting on the right seemed annoyed and angered by her presence and the golden haired girl in the middle looked at her like a child spotting a exotic animal at the zoo, absentmindedly hugging the third girl, who’s reaction best could be described as ‘intimidated’. The last one, a curly yellow haired girl wearing a dirty chaperon, was practically jumping up and down in her seat. “Hey, girls, guess what? I got some fantastic news!” Eclipse exclaimed, obviously ignoring the mixed emotions expressed by the different members of the group.. “Finally decided that we’re worthy of your company, princess? And who is the girl that you got in your entourage? Your maid?” The blue haired girl mocked, glaring at Twilight. Hearing the girl’s mocking, Sunset’s enthusiasm faltered noticeably. She lowered her head and looked down on the floor. “I’m sorry, Firefly. I had to stop by Principal Luna’s office with Twilight Shine here.” Eclipse apologized, grabbing Twilight and pushing her upfront as to use her as a defense against the other girl and her accusations. “Nice. I’m Firefly” The girl with spiky blue hair said, smirking. “I’m Jackie, and my scared little friend here, is Posey.” the golden hair girl said, speaking for the shy girl wearing the green jacket as well. When it became the last girls turn to introduce her self, she took a deep breath before opening her mouth. "HIMYNAMEISSURPRISEANDTHISISAWESOMECUZIKNEWYOUDCOMEBUTNOTWHENANDNOWYOU’REHEREANDOHMYGOSHYOURCLOTHESAREREALLYNICE!" The girl screamed at the top of her lungs. "Uh...um...hi...what?" Twilight sputtered, completely and utterly confused by the girls loud rambling. "Hi, my name is Surprise and this is so awesome cuz I knew you'd come but not when and now you're here and oh my gosh you're clothes are really nice." The girl repeated, slowly, with practiced ease. "Understand now?" Twilight nodded. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Twilight remembered that she knew exactly who this girls were, and the others too. She had met them in another universe, in another form. Surprise, Jackie, Firefly and Poesy, all of them were the children of her mother’s friends, back in her universe, and though she wasn’t close to any of them, she had met them several times. "Anyway girls, now that you introduced yourselves, we can get down to the real news." Eclipse said, the excitement and optimism back in her voice and stature. "Twilight Shine is the daughter of Twilight Sparkle!" Being so excited over what having Twilight Shine on her side of the mirror possibly could mean, she had totally disregarded if any of the other girls might have another opinion. But no matter what reactions she might have expected, it was not the first one she got. No, it swooped in like a hurricane, almost giving everyone but Surprise a heart attack. "OH MY GOSH TWILIGHT SHINE LOOK AT YOU YOU’VE BECOME SO BIG AND ADORABLE AND OH YOU LOOK JUST LIKE YOUR MOTHER WHEN SHE WAS YOUR AGE!” From the middle of nowhere, a woman in her early thirties carrying two trays with food appeared. She had long curly pink hair and was wearing a pink blouse and skirt combination, with an extremely dirty chaperon on top. Once the initial shock had settled, it was not hard for Twilight to figure out that the mare was Surprise's mother and owner of the cafe, Pinkie Pie. Ignoring the woman’s intense stare, Twilight took a deep breath and gathered her composure before answering. She knew exactly who the woman in front of her must be, but she prefered to start out from scratch in a try to find the differences between her and her pony counterpart. “I’m afraid I don’t really understand what you’re talking about, miss. But your name is Pinkamena Diane Pie, right? Nice to meet you Mrs Pie. I’m Twilight Shine, and I believe you knew my mother.” Twilight reached out with her hand and grabbed the pink woman’s dirty hand, shaking it. The put down the food trays and shook Twilight’s hand, too, smiling. “Oh, please. it’s Pinkie to you, not Mrs Pie. I’m not even married.” She let go of Twilight’s hand and laughed. Twilight joined in, nervously, and didn’t know what to do. ‘Pinkie’s’ friendly, open manner were just the same wherever you came in the multiverse, it seemed. Unfortunately for Twilight, she had never really felt comfortable around her mother’s eccentric friend. Suddenly, Pinkie stopped laughing, noticing Twilight’s discomfort. “Oh silly, stupid me. I must have scared you earlier. You couldn’t know that I’ve met you before. After all, you were only…only a baby.” Pinkie said, seemingly realizing something. Looking slightly concerned, Pinkie picked up a mobile phone from one of the pockets on her chaperon and turned to Jackie, who was slowly eating a simple tomato salad. “Hey, Jackie, Are you bringing Twilight here to the farm later today? Because if you are then maybe it’d be better if I contact AB or Big Mac, you know, so they’re prepared for your arrival.” Pinkie asked, frowning slightly. Not looking up from the salad, Jackie fiercely impaled a couple of salad leaves and tomato on her fork and quietly shook her head. “No, we probably won’t. Dad’s in town again and...Surprise kind of promised I’d get to sleep here.” As she glanced upwards and saw Pinkie’s frightened facial expression, she quickly added “Don’t worry! Uncle promised he’d keep an eye on them so they don’t get...physical. You know he would never let anything happen. Not even mom stands a chance against him.” Hearing this, Pinkie nodded and left to take up an order from another customer. Jackie put the fork aside and put up her legs on seat, wrapping her arms around them and pressing her legs against her chest, hiding her head behind her knees. Poesy, who had been peacefully leaning on Jackie, sat up, wrapping her small fragile arms around Jackie’s shoulders and carefully hugged her. Twilight was just about to say something, do something, anything, just to break the suffocating silence, but before she could do anything something else happened. Twilight’s backpack started vibrating, almost falling off her shoulders. The bag vibrated so violently that it opened up and the dolls fell out. But there was something more in the bag that fell out. Among the dolls that landed on the floor was a white book with Twilight’s cutiemark on the cover. the book was vibrating a glowing, attracting the attention of all seven girls. “Is it dangerous?” Poesy asked worriedly. “It looks like it’s radioactive. Why would there be radioactive objects in your bag, Twilight? Have you been to Chernobyl or something?” Sunset said curiously, seemingly not taking into account that it might be magical. Twilight picked up the dolls and put them back in her backpack before grabbing the book and sitting down on a chair. “It’s neither radioactive, nor dangerous.” Twilight said, opening up the book. “It’s an enchanted notebook my mom gave me so we could keep the contact and she wouldn’t have to worry about me...which she tends to do.” The other girls nodded, Jackie even smiling slightly and urging her to read what it said out loud. Twilight nodded and started reading. “Summer days and summer night’s you are here so it’s alright Summer sun and summer moon Promise you won’t leave me soon! Hi Twiny, how are you so far? Have you met Celestia? Have you found any friends? Have you been kidnapped? Please tell me you haven’t been kidnaped...anyhow, write back soon, okay? Please? Love you! And please return soon, Miss you already...sorry, got to go now. Aunt found me and she’s mad for some reason. Probably for taking the book. Oopsie! Anyhow, hear from you soon! Enamorada Twilight looked up from the book, her cheeks bet red. The other girls was staring at her, shocked. A tense silence stretched out between them, lasting for several seconds, before they started to giggle, the giggling quickly turning into full-blown laughter. “Twiny? Seriously? Why not Twily or Shiny? And who was that, really? Not your mother, that’s for sure!” ‘clipse exclaimed in between fits of laughter. Twilight blushed even more and shrunk in front of her friends laughing faces, trying to hide from their bent over figures. “Twily is my mom’s nickname, and Shiny’s my uncle.” Twilight frowned as the girls laughed even more. “ Yes, it’s ridiculous, and we tease him every time aunt uses it... Anyhow, that was my older cousin Enamorada. She’s the only one who, if even possible, worried more than my mother when I was going here...” Twilight explained, feeling slightly offended, before quickly scribbling down a small entry as a response to her cousin. Hi Enamorada, I’m okay, and not at all kidnapped. And don’t even dare consider it being sarcasm, cutie pox! So, now that we’re back on the same page: I haven’t met Celestia, because...well...it think she's dead... and Luna, who I have met, have taken over as principal. Yeah a princess equals a principal here. Kind of disappointing, don’t you think? i mean, a princess… anyhow, stay happy and I’ll see you soon! TS “Hey, ‘Twiny’? Are you coming with us to Poesy’s? Or do you prefer to go back to school for double hour with foreign language choices?” Surprise giggled, getting up from the chair and dragging Twilight along as she rushed out the door, the other girls alreadyin fornt of them.