//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 // Story: Twilight's Twinlight // by Autum Breeze //------------------------------// Chapter 4 ___________________________________________________________ I whine as I return to consciousness, shivering slightly. Where are the covers of my bed? As I shift, I become aware of how odd my body feels. After a moment, I sigh. So that wasn’t a dream. I really have somehow turned into a purple pony in another dimension. I sigh again, before frowning and glance over my shoulder. My wings are extended, the covers of my bed having been risen by them. Well, at least I know why the covers aren’t on my body... or are they? Does covering just my wings count? I shake my head. That is honestly a question that, had you told me about forty-eight hours ago that I would be thinking, I would have called you crazy. Sighing for the fourth time in less than a minute, I lift myself up, before tumbling off the bed in a splay of limps, a deadpan on my muzzle. This falling over because I’m still getting used to walking as a pony is going to get really old, really fast. “Ken?” A knock on the door is followed by it opening to reveal the baby dragon. He gives a snort. “Uh... what are you doing?” “Trying to learn how to ice-skate,” I deadpan, struggling to right myself and stand on my four legs. Once my balance seems okay, I look to the little drake. “Where’s Twilight?” “Gone to help Fluttershy,” he replies, moving back towards the door. I cock an eyebrow. “Is that another of her friends?” He nods. “Yeah. You met her at the party. She kept confusing the two of you.” He snorts. “It was hilarious how she talked about how grateful she was you agreed to helping her clean her animals today, before she realized who you were.” I cock my head, then nod, vaguely remembering the mare. She had been rather adorable when she hid behind her mane like that. I grimace as I remember the party though. How I don’t have a hangover from whatever that crazy pink mare put in that punch I don’t understand. Maybe it has something to do with being an Alicorn? From what I’ve gathered, they... or I guess for the moment we are the most powerful pony race, so maybe my body is now designed to handle that kind of thing? I shake my head. I’ll chalk this up to magic. The world’s apparently filled with it, so I wouldn’t be surprised if it stops hangovers. Though, if that’s true, that magic must get a serious work out whenever Pinkie throws a party. I follow Spike down the halls into what I can tell is a dining room. It’s pretty sparse, to be perfectly honest. All there really is is a golden table and several golden fancy style seats with plush velvet cushions on them. On the table are two plates, one I’m guessing for Spike and the other myself. Both plates cause me to raise an eyebrow. The one clearly meant for me, as Spike has not sat down in front of it, has a sandwich, but I think there’s a flower inside it? Next to is an apple, not too odd and a glass of water. However, Spike’s plate makes the flower in my sandwich seem less weird. Aside from a glass of water and an apple, he has a small pile of what look like gemstones. Before I can even ponder why they’re there, he lifts one up, a sapphire, I think, and eats it. ... No, I’m serious. He just lifted it to his mouth and bite down, taking a chunk with it and chewed for a moment before swallowing. Spike seems to notice me staring because he glancing at me, an eyebrow raised. “Yeah?” “How...?” I ask, lifting a hoof to point at the gemstone with a massive bite out of it. “How did you...? How...?” Spike glances from the gem to me, before chuckling. “What? Nopony told you dragons can eat gems?” I slowly shake my head. He shrugs, then tosses the remainder of the gem in his mouth and chops away. My brain is protesting greatly at the moment with the logic of this world. Magic, pegasi, unicorns, dragons and now I learn a species can eat gemstones. I know certain Pokémon were said to in the Anime and Pokédex entries in the games, but to meet a creature that can really do that kind of thing? It... I... I turn to my food and lean down, taking a bite of my sandwich without thinking, only remembering a few moments after chewing that there was a flower in between the bread. I’m about to spit it out when I pause, my brain having trouble processing what information it is receiving. The flower tastes... well, like nothing I’ve really had before, to be honest. It’s a light, fluffy flavour, with a freshness I can’t really place. It doesn’t taste bad either. Odd, but not bad. I find myself taking another bite, this time in enthusiasm, before turning to Spike. “So, what happened to Twilight last night? I don’t think she came back with us.” He shrugs as he bites into a green gemstone. “Once the party was over, she insisted on going back to Sweet Apple Acres to help her, seeing as Pinkie’s party plan kinda stopped them from finishing whatever it is they were doing.” I finish the sandwich a short time later as he continues to tell me about the party, moving my tongue around my equine mouth, trying to savour the unusually delicious flavour. However, I am cautious as I look at the apple. I’ve never liked apple skins, preferring to peal an apple first before eating it. However, I don’t think I’m going to have that luxury today, so, sucking it up, lean forward and take a bite of the apple, skin and all. As I chew, however, my eyes widen for several reasons. First, this has to be the most delicious, fresh and juicy apple I’ve ever tasted in my life. Second, I don’t find any discomfort from eating the peal along with the apple. My new pony teeth are making such fine work of it; it’s as if the peal isn’t even there. Not too long after, Spike and I are both finished with our breakfasts. “So... what do we do now?” I ask, as Spike takes the plates, following him to the kitchen where he swiftly cleans them and places them in a holder to dry. He looks to me, grinning. “Twilight told me to show you around town, get you used to the place, ya know?” I cringe a bit. “Uh... Spike? I look just like Twilight. Don’t you think that’ll cause some confusion? I don't want to have to correct everyone... I mean, everypony that calls me Twilight." The little dragon shakes his head, still grinning. “Twilight’s let everypony know how to tell you two apart.” He reaches behind him and pulls a small light-green clip from... somewhere, (off one of his scales and I didn’t notice because it blended in?) and holds it out to me. “She told me if you wear this in your mane, everypony will know which of you is which.” I roll my eyes and move to take it... before remembering something and blushing. “Uh, Spike?” “Yeah?” he asks, still holding out the clip. I look away. “Could... could you put it in my mane, please? I’m still getting used to working with hooves.” He cocks an eyebrow. “Why don’t you use your magic?” I look back to him, this time my expression a deadpan. “Spike, I’ve been an Alicorn for less than two days. I don’t think I’m going to grasp how exactly I’m meant to use magic that quickly.” He looks up as if in thought for a few moments, before nodding and comes over. I lean my head down so he can reach higher and he attaches the clip just above my forehead on the right said, parting my mane up the tiniest fraction there. “There,” he says, stepping back. “Now everypony will know you’re not Twilight.” I glance up at it. “If you say so.” ___________________________________________________________ I glance around as I walk into the town. Twilight’s castle is a little outside the boarder of the town, something I can understand, considering its size, so it took about a minute to walk into town. As I do, I see lots of ponies pause whatever they’re doing, before giving me a friendly smile and wave, some wishing me good morning. Due to years of mental reinforcement to be polite to others due to the walks I would take on my days off back on Earth and go around the neighborhood I’d lived in there, I automatically respond to each greeting, only realizing what I’ve done the moment the words have finished leaving my lips. “Wow, you’re being more friendly than I expected,” Spike comments. I glance over my shoulder at the little drake riding on my back, a slight frown on my face. “I can’t help it. I’ve kinda got a compulsion whenever someone...” I groan, “when somepony greets me to respond. Kinda happens when you do as much walking around as I do back home.” Spike shrugs. “So, where shall I show you to first?” I would point out that, since he’s riding on my back, I’m technically leading him, but put that aside to answer a more obvious mistake with that question. “Spike,” I deadpan, “aside from Sweet Apple Acres and Twilight’s castle, I’ve not been anywhere in Ponyville but the train station. I can’t tell you where to show me when I don’t know a thing about this town.” He blinks, before chuckling. “Yeah, guess you’re right there. Well, technically you’ve also been to Sugar Cube Corner; that’s where Pinkie held your party.” I grimace at the thought. “Yeah. How about we avoid that pony as much as possible when introducing me to this place? I... don’t think I can handle her... at least, not right now.” If ever, I don’t say. Spike nods sagely. “Good point. Then how about we first visit the school? The foals should be out at recess by the time we get there, and we can stop by Bon Bon’s on the way.” I open my mouth to ask, but close it. I’ll just let Spike talk and try not to get too confused. Though, at this rate, that won’t last long. As we walk I can’t help feeling a little less anxious as I look around at the town. The majority of houses have what look like hay for roofing. An odd choice, but I guess I can’t criticize them by comparing my own world. From what I can guess, this world is closer to the medieval era than my own. Making those kinds of comparisons would be completely unfair on this world’s part. Those thoughts and my guessing of era are shattered when we pass a particular house and I see what looks like a refrigerator in the kitchen through an open window. The only response to that my brain can come up with is “Uh?” “Hmm? You say something, Ken?” Spike’s voice snaps me from the downward spiral my brain had just started and I realize I’d spoken out loud. I really need to learn to stop thinking out loud. It’s a habit I got into back during my last two years of primary school and it kinda stuck. As we walk through the park on the way to the school via Spike’s directions, I hear two sets of music and pause, my ears flicking in their direction. I adjust my course, following the sounds until a come to an area where two mares are sitting on the bench, playing instruments. One is a unicorn mare with a really bright green coat with a similarly, if lighter mane and tail with a white streak, with a Cutie Mark that looks like a harp, the very instrument she’s playing. The other is, shockingly enough, and Earth Pony. She has a dark gray mane and tail, a light gray coat. Her Cutie Mark is some kind of note that I think has to do with music, as I remember seeing it a lot during my music classes in primary school, though never learned the name. Around her neck is a pink bow-tie with a white collar. It looks rather nice on her, really. She, however, is playing a large instrument that looks like a large violin. Yeah, I never bothered to learn too much about instrument, so its name eludes me. What also eludes me is how she’s playing it with hooves. This world just loves to keep on defying all senses of logic I know and have been brought up by, doesn't it? I can’t help feeling this won’t be the last time, either. The two are playing in rhythm with each other, the music of the harp and the other instrument blending into a gentle, beautiful melody I’ve never thought I’d hear until now. I would lose myself in the music, but my attention is draw to the small jar by the harpist side of the bench, seeing passing by ponies dropping golden coins into it. “This is rare,” Spike comments from my back. I turn my neck to glance at him. “What is?” “Lyra and Octavia playing together in the park,” he replies, shrugging. I cock an eyebrow. “Why? Do they not get along?” This causes Spike to chuckle. “You kidding? They’re like rivals. From what Bon Bon has told me, Lyra and Octavia would compete in school for the top marks and places in the orchestra. They’re great friends though.” My brain pauses for a moment at the word orchestra, a part questioning that ponies have such things, before I shake it off. With all the other things they have in conjunction with my world, should I really be surprised? I can’t help chuckling at his mention of them being friends though, despite being rivals; reminds me of Ash Ketchum and Gary Oak in the later series of Pokémon. I look back at the ponies, who are still playing the gentle tunes from their musical equipment. “So, who’s who?” “Octavia’s the Earth Pony playing the cello—” well, now I know the name of the instrument, “—and Lyra the unicorn playing the lyre.” My brain halts, my right eye twitching. The pony’s name is Lyra... and she plays a lyre? Okay, Pony World. You’re really pushing it now. What next, I learn Applejack’s family are all named after... I dunno, apples? I take a deep breath, before letting out and decide to leave and return heading towards the school as originally planned, my liking for the music suddenly diminished thanks to that little nick on my brain from Lyra’s naming and her instrument of choice. ___________________________________________________________ Several minutes later I’m walking up towards what I can tell is a school. It’s wooden walls were painted in rich, welcoming reds and they place was surrounded by a lush green yard. Festive hearts decorated the whole building in areas; even the weather vane on the top of the bell tower featured a heart, looking almost like Cupid’s arrow. I could see a playground behind the building, where I can see many young ponies running around and having fun... though I noticed a fair bit of their playground equipment looked kind of hagged. I walk past a flagpole and a hedge sculpture of a pony wearing a square, flat-topped hat with a tassel and move to knock on the door, but a gasp causes me to turn my head. A very small Earth Pony who’s colour scheme I can best describe as that of rocky road ice cream is standing there, a ball in front of him that he’d clearly been about to grab before spotting me. He turns her head back and calls out, “Hey, everypony! It’s the princess!” “Oh no,” Spike and I say in unison. Within moment a horde of small ponies has gathered around us, each spouting off questions too fast for me to even understand one before another is asked of me. “Hold up, everypony!” Spike calls out, holding his claws in the “time out” gesture of sports. “This isn’t Twilight. It’s the other pony, the one Pinkie welcomed yesterday.” That causes gasps throughout the group, before another barrage of questions is thrown my way. These ones I can at least identify, them mostly all being questions of why I look and sound just like Twilight. Others ask where I came from, who my family were or if I’d ever met the other princesses. I try answering a few, telling them I don’t actually know why I’ve become Twilight’s double, which is the honest truth. However, no sooner have I finished explaining my lack of knowledge as to my becoming Twilight’s identical, than I hear a snort, followed by one of the most arrogant voices I’ve ever heard in my life, and I spent a year at St Pauls collage for boys. “She’s not a real princess. I bet her wings aren’t even real.” The young ponies all part to reveal two Earth Ponies. They’re both female, of that I can tell. One is pink with a mixing white and purple colouring of her mane and tail and a Cutie Mark that looks like a five pointed tiara, very much like the one she is wearing. The one next to her has a grey coat, with a silvery mane and tail, the former of which was tied into a long braid. She was wearing blue glasses and her Cutie Mark looked like a silver spoon of some kind. “Yeah,” the grey pony said, smirking along with the pink one, the different voice telling me she wasn’t the first who’d spoken. “I bet she’s just really came from the Mirror Pool and Princess Twilight just doesn’t want anypony to know about it.” Okay, that’s twice now I’ve heard of this Mirror Pool. I can only guess it creates copies of ponies, or anything that goes into it, I guess. “Oh, shut it, Diamond Tiara,” an orange Pegasus with a purple mane and tail said, glaring at the two. “Yeah,” a white unicorn with curling, bubblegum (I guess?) coloured mane and tail says, glaring just as hard. “You two don’t have the right to talk about her like that.” “’Sides,” a yellow Earth Pony with a red mane and tail, the former with a pink bow atop it said, giving a sly smirk, “with how ya’ll an’ Silver Spoon are always actin’ so prissy, Ah have thought tryin’a fool the new princess inta thinkin’ yer nice ponies ta get in her good favour woulda been yer angle.” The two ponies’ faces suddenly become horrified, probably realizing what they’d failed to think themselves, which I could agree with, saying as they’ve already given me a bad impression. However, my mind is halted after hearing their names and being able to figure out who was who... despite my brain screaming in protest. Seriously?! The filly wearing a tiara and with a tiara Cutie Mark’s name is Diamond Tiara? And the filly with a silver spoon for a Cutie Mark is literally named Silver Spoon? I get the feeling I’m going to need medication for headaches whilst I’m in this world, or I’m going to blow a blood vessel! “Hi, there, princess!” the voice snaps me out of my thoughts and I look down to see the yellow pony from before is standing in front of me, smiling. “Ah’m Apple Bloom.” “Hello,” I smile, holding out my hoof, before my mind catches just what she called herself. “You... wouldn’t happen to be related a pony named Applejack, would you?” She nods, taking my hoof and shaking it enthusiastically. “She’s mah big sister. Have ya might mah granny, Granny Smith, or mah brother, Big Macintosh.” My brain is able to answer as I go through those names, processing them. I remember that Macintosh is the name of a computer company... but also that it means apple. This quickly processes along with Granny Smith being linked to an apple by the exact. Same. Name, causing my mind to blank for several moments as it rejoined that tumbling train it had gotten off of moments ago after hearing the other two foals’ names. Seriously?! Applejack’s whole family’s names are apple related?! Are you kidding me?! What the hell is up with the naming system in this world?! “Um... hello?” I jerk, pulled from the spiral my brain was suffering from and look down to see a greyish unicorn. She has a blonde mane and tail, though I notice no Cutie Mark on her. Actually, glancing around, I can see a fair few ponies without Cutie Marks. Huh. It’s a bit odd, really, seeing flanks bare of any markings after seeing all the varying Cutie Marks that I had on the train to Ponyville and our walk to get here. I smile down at the young pony. “Yes?” I ask, putting my discomfort away for now. No need to trouble these kids with my brain suffering from illogical overload. I’ll just let that all out once I get back to the castle and inside my room. The foal glances up at me, giving a warm smile. “Will you play with us, Your Highness?” This is followed by the other foals all agreeing, asking them same. I’m a little taken aback by her question. One, the fact that they’d want to play with me when I’m not only an alien creature from another world that looks like their princess and an adult, but from being called Your Highness. It wasn’t something I’d have expected and if you’d told me I’d be called it two days ago, I would have laughed in your face, calling you crazy. Glancing around at all the eager faces, I can’t help caving in. I never could deny little kids, probably a side effect of having so many younger cousins and siblings as I grew up. We spend a bit of time playing, myself and joining in with games like tag, or ball, with me even pushing a few of the younger ones on the swings. At the point where I was pushing ponies on the swings, they ask what my name is, though I don’t get to answer before all the children start suggesting names, like Nightfall, Nova Star and other names that remind me of space. All in all, it was pleasant and fun, a nice reprieve after all the stress I’d been through in the last forty-eight or so hours. However, when the school bell sounded, they all groaned, before heading inside, their break time having ended. They all called goodbye to me, each calling me by one of the many suggested names, which I replied to in kind, before Spike and I head away to continue my tour of the town. “You sure had fun,” the drake on my back says as we head down the path. I nod, giving a small smile. “I did. I’m glad we came. I needed some stress relief and playing with those foals was just the thing.” ___________________________________________________________ “Is Twilight still helping Fluttershy?” I ask as I look out the window at the setting sun. "How long does it take to bathe animals?" The day had gone by rather well, if I’m honest. After the good time spent with the pony children, Spike had taken me to what was called Carousel Boutique, a name I realized fitted perfectly, as the building had what looked like a carousel on the top. I was pleased to meet with Rarity again. We had a light afternoon tea (I was surprised to learn I like mango flavoured tea, seeing as I thought I hated all tea). I learned that she was a fashion designer, though I inwardly deadpanned when she talked about her fashions going as far as Manehatten and Canterlot. The idea that this world has a version of Manhattan, yet it’s name has a pony pun is annoying enough, but to hear there is a place named so similar to Camelot? No one at home would believe this. Not one person. I did find it interesting to learn that one of the younger ponies I’d played with at the school, the white unicorn, Sweetie Belle, is actually Rarity’s little sister. We both exchanged stories of our sisters, Rarity being interested in my own, since she’d never met humans before until me, regardless of my pony body or not. We both laughed as we recited some of the ridiculous things our sisters had done over the years, she rather intrigued when I told her I had three sisters, not just one. By the time we’d finished our time together, Rarity and I had become rather good friends, I feel. I also almost couldn’t hold back the smirk at knowing Spike at the biggest crush on the unicorn. It was clear as day with how he barely paid attention to what were we saying half the time, his eyes always fixed on the white mare. We’d stopped by an outdoor cafe for lunch, Spike ordering something called hay fries, which, out of curiosity, I ordered too. Hay fries were a lot like normal fries back home, only a bit saltier and with another taste I just couldn’t place. During lunch I’d met two ponies who felt odd to me. One was a grey Pegasus mare with light-grey fur and a blonde mane and tail and seven bubbles for a Cutie Mark. I’d took notice off her yellow eyes, one looking a direction the other wasn’t and gave a warm smile, before inwardly frowning at something I hadn’t noticed til now. Like this mare, I’d had to deal with bad eyesight for a long time, since I was seven. Though, now, my eyesight seemed perfectly fine, better, really. The pony with the mare had been a brown, Earth Pony stallion with a brown coat, darker brown mane and tail, blue eyes and an hourglass for a Cutie Mark. When I looked at him... I don’t know. I got this odd feeling, like I should know him from somewhere. The mare introduced herself as Derpy Hooves and the stallion The Doctor. When he’d said his name my brain had again nagged at me, saying I knew him, but couldn’t figure out why. After that, they’d said their goodbyes and we’d headed on our way... and ran into Pinkie Pie. Thankfully she didn’t do anything as weird as the day before; simply telling me I was invited to a pancake breakfast at the castle tomorrow morning, before zipping off, leaving the two of us very confused. We’d returned to the castle after exploring more of the town at what I estimated was around 4:30pm, which I confirmed when I found a clock... which again reminded me this era wasn’t a medieval, despite the similarities to that era. Spike made a rather delicious vegetarian lasagne for dinner. Despite my not liking a variety of the vegetables he put into it when I was human, I seem to really enjoy them, now that I am a pony. Different tastes, I guess. Now, however, it was getting really late. The sun had set about two hours ago and Twilight was still nowhere in sight. “Should we be worried?” I ask as I glance out the window again. Spike shrugs. “Nah. Twilight usually comes home late these days. Maybe she decided to stay over at Fluttershy’s tonight.” I nod slowly, before heading to my room alone. As a walk down the long halls, I can’t help noticing just how big the place feels. From what Spike and I discussed during lunch, he and Twilight used to live in a library built into a tree (I’ll give this world credit for that joke, putting books inside a tree), but when Tirek destroyed it, they move into the castle. Considering how he talked about the size difference, I can’t help wondering if Twilight feels as small as I do now as I walk towards my room. I will admit I’m looking forward to tomorrow morning, though. Spike said Pinkie was making the pancakes, and, with myself haivng been invited by the pink mare today, I'll be getting to try some too. And if her pancakes are anywhere near as good as her regular cakes... my mouth is already watering at the idea. Once I get inside my room, I close the door, walk over to the bed and lie underneath the covers, ready for sleep... when my wings pop out, lifting the covers off of me. I grunt, using my forelegs to push them down, before the right wing shoots up again. I push that down with a growl, but the left ling pops up a moment later. I push it down and they remain folded, to which I nod and snuggle into the covers... before they both pop up again, flicking the covers into the air before they land on top of me, covering my face. I groan. This is going to be a long night.