Twilight and company arrived at the school, where Celestia looked... well, not frantic but a lot less collected than she normally is. The place was lousy with cops, people of authority, and including a few parents
"What's wrong? Is something happening?" Sunset asked.
"Girls, I called you here to talk..." Principal Celestia said, putting a hand on Twilight's shoulder. "We... it's..." She took a deep breath to try and collect herself, the group looking at one-another.
"Is something wrong? D-do we need to fight someone?" Applejack suggested.
"Girls, I wish it were something that simple. I really, really do. Wh-when you... become more than just girls, when... when your magic and abilities come out, and you show us who you really are, it's almost always a good thing. Y-you show us that the power of friendship is a real force, a real feeling that lives in all of us. And... I have talked it over with Vice Principal Luna, and between the worried parents and the police investigations... we need to tell the truth."
"Th- Principal Celestia, we can't! They'll never believe it! You'll be locked away and we'll have to get a new principal!" Spike said, popping out of the bag.
"I just don't see any other alternative. This didn't happen over the cover of night, we couldn't get rid of evidence, and nothing we did convinced them. We have to tell all."
"J-just buy us some time, we'll think of something! We can get through this!" Rarity pleaded.
"I hope you're right... I can't hold them here forever though, they'll start demanding explanations."
The group sat in front of the school statue, thinking deeply about how to advance.
"...Oh no, I forgot about Princess Twilight!" Sunset Shimmer realized, taking out the book and skimming to the page she was cut off on. The group huddled around her to read what was written down.
"Dear Sunset Shimmer, Twilight's not here right now. But it's me Spike! I'm not quite sure how to work Twilight's portal machine but I've sent her a letter asking how! She's still off saving Equestria from the gunderstank, but I should be there in... how long is an hour and a half our time in your world again? A day? Two? ...Anyways, I'm doing all that I can, and please try to hold out until then!"
"Should we write back?" The dogged Spike asked.
"Wait, how long has it been since we got this?" Pinkie asked, leaning against the portal and nearly falling through as it opened. Rainbow saved her by quickly grabbing her legs and pulling her back.
The rest of the group stood up and out of the way, hoping whomever would come out would be someone helpful. It was about a minute before the group realized nothing was happening.
"...Pinkie, what did you see in there?" Applejack asked.
"Well, I saw... It was sorta like a... kinda like a... I don't know how to describe it, but it certainly wasn't that swirling vortex of colors and magic I saw last time!"
"Oh that's just GREAT!" Rainbow said, unhappily. "Not only is Princess Twilight not coming, but now we have a portal to who knows where, Spike's probably lost in some other dimension, and Principal Celestia's about to be publicly declared legally insane! How could this get ANY worse?"
At that moment, every cell-phone in the city rang at once. Thousands of millions of obnoxious ringtones cluttered the air and were suddenly silenced as they were answered.
"Hello girls!" A familiar voice came from the speakers.
"Inapan!" The girls all shouted, Spike blinking and trying to climb up onto Twilight's shoulder to hear more clearly.
"Now that I have ALL of your attention, I think it's time I make a few announcements!" Inapan said, smiling to herself within the captain's quarters. "First off, if you have not met me, I am Princess Inapan. CAPTAIN Princess Inapan Sentry. I've come from the planet you call Venus to research your pathetic little race. Secondly, you're probably wondering how I'm calling you right now on your primitive Earth communicators! Thank Rainbow Dash, she so kindly lent one to me and my boyfriend, and so it was just a matter of getting my crew to attach it to our comm system. Thirdly, did I say "boyfriend"? I mean husband. Yes, Flash Sentry and I are married!" The girls gasped, except for Sunset Shimmer, who looked very, very angry. "I have him with me, right now. Say hello to your species, honey~"
"U-uh... I was not awake when this happened, for the record!" The undeniable voice of one Flash Sentry said from the phone speakers.
Sunset Shimmer glared at her phone, furious. "You horrid, cruel-"
"Fourth, do not try to talk back to me. Your technology can only receive my messages." Inapan interjected. "Finally, I have good news and bad news. Bad news is that you ALL failed my study! Particularly the members of Canterlot High School, who have all but guaranteed your final destiny. Before you start rioting, kidnapping, and burning those responsible at the stake, you do have the good news: Flash being my lawfully wedded husband, has talked me into giving you ONE MORE CHANCE. I was initially going to tell him to be quiet, but I figured that if he IS one of yours, you can't ALL be terrible insects. Show me your world is worth saving, show me your puny culture is worth preserving. Fix your messes: Flash has shown me three places that means so very much to him, and I'm afraid two of them have been messed up by YOUR actions. What were they called again, sweetie?"
"Well Canterlot High, The Googolplex Cinema, and The fairgrounds?" Flash said, unsure of where she was going with this.
"YES! The school where me and my dear husband met, the cinema where I saw my first piece of Earth culture, and the very fairgrounds were we became engaged." Inapan said, delighted. "Such wonderful places, but then again any place with my dear Flash is wonderful by default." She sighed. "But you didn't understand our love, or my mission! You beat up my sister! You threatened me with Earth weapons! You... well, nothing bad happened at the cinema but it still needs cleansing! Show me how much you care for your Earth by literally caring for it! My sister and I will come around occasionally to see your progress. You have one Earth week to do this, but if ANYTHING happens to me or my sister, ALL of mankind will suffer for it! Here with more information is my sister, Tested."
"Hello humanity." She said rather drably. "They're not answering, did I not do it right?"
"I hope not, but keep talking. They can give no input regardless." Inapan said.
"Can I go home now?" Flash asked.
"Oh Flash, you are home!" Inapan giggled as Tested returned to her comments.
"I'm Tested Wearily. I'm not exactly for the whole "destroy humanity" thing, but you guys are really, really secretive and unfriendly and stuff. I got locked up on a roof and I think someone stole my belt. Anyways, I can give you another chance, I guess, but really it's my sister's choice, and not mine. But yeah, I guess I'll inspect."
"There, now get to fixing or Earth gets the Zyglon treatment!" Inapan cut in.
"I have no clue what that means guys, but you should probably do what she says!" Flash plead. "I'll see what I can do, ju-"
"Quiet honey, the girls are talking." With that the call ended and the crowds all across the city looked at one another in sheer confusion.
"Well!" Principal Celestia said on the pedestal before the crowd, clapping her hands. "Let's get to work!"
The group stared at one another, unsure what to say or to do. They were given a goal to reach, and any means to reach it, but they never anticipated the consequences to be so... dire. They turned to look at the school building, the entire place close to ruined from the brawl between The Principals, Tested, and Sunset Shimmer. The police's investigations didn't help, they had torn the place apart looking for evidence of what had happened.
"OK, well. We need a starting point." Twilight determined, her voice shaking.
"W-we'll also need a group to look at the fair and cinema." Sunset Shimmer stammered.
"And more hands and powers than we have." Spike said, gulping.
"Do you think she means it?" Rarity asked.
"Do we dare risk the chance?" Rainbow muttered.
"What if we fail?" Fluttershy asked
"What if she just says we failed?" Applejack asked, bitterly.
"The real question is when do we get started?" Pinkie Pie said, smiling as the group turned to her. Even with the world in the balance, the entire human race with a gun to their head, and she was still bouncy and happy as ever.
"Pinkie's right." Twilight said. "This is far from the most difficult task we've been given. We just need to... think about this, get some friends, and get to work."