"Everything in working order?" Robert asked, taking one last glance at the gateway.
"It would appear so." Rosalind replied, snapping a panel of the console closed.
Robert glanced to a still-bound Twilight, who stared in fear at the both of them.
"She's been like that for a good while, you think we should prod her?" Robert asked.
"Might as well, a frozen unicorn certainly won't help matters." Rosalind replied.
"Not a sentence I thought I'd ever hear you say."
Rosalind trotted to Twilight, and gently sat her up.
"Anything I can get for you?" she asked.
Twilight remained silent.
"Not responding doesn't really help, you know." Rosalind stated, removing her goggles and slinging them over her horn.
"Although, this 'magic' does certainly have its uses." Robert said, attempting to fill in the silence "Certainly an interesting field to study, to say the least."
"You've n-never studied magic?" Twilight asked quietly.
Robert shook his head.
"Th-Then how will this work? If you've no concept of magic theory and the resulting event, you could possibly decimate this entire town!" Twilight shrieked.
"Oh, is that all?" Rosalind replied simply.
"Is- Is that all?! Hundreds of lives could be lost, you horse!"
"If that's an insult, it's lost on me."
Twilight snapped, and screamed in rage.
"Surprising someone didn't hear her..." Robert commented.
"My dear, this machine uses no semblance of magic, but rather science."
"But...but..." Twilight sputtered.
"Madam, please try to understand that what we're doing is the safer alternative for everyone." Robert stated, now glancing at the watch wrapped around his hoof.
"Safer for everyone? How can I be expected to believe that when what you're doing goes against everything I believe?"
"Faith, Twilight Sparkle."
'Hopefully she'll calm down when she's princess.'
Twilight remained quiet, and simply stared at the two of them.
"Maybe one day, Twilight Sparkle, we will understand each other."
"'We'? 'We' who?" Twilight responded.
Rosalind didn't respond, and instead stared dead-ahead, along with her twin.
"It appears she's early." Robert stated.
"Indeed." Rosalind agreed.
The small group was now upon them, the Big Sister, plus three small fillies.
"Who are y'all?" Applebloom asked.
"We're some...friends...of Needles."
"I think y'all are lyin'."
'Oh what a time for this...' Rosalind groaned inwardly.
"Enough of this," Robert stated, rolling his eyes "the short of it is, that Needles must come with us."
"But- But why?!" Sweetie Belle whined, clinging to Needles for dear life.
"Miss, what you need to understand- is that Needles doesn't belong here."
"But- but she's fine here! She lives with us! She's okay, really!"
"Miss..." Rosalind sighed, "that is not the point. It matters not how well adjusted she is- what matters is the result of what will happen as a result of her presence here."
"What...what will happen?" Sweetie asked, while Twilight thought the same thing.
"You've heard of Murphy's law?"
Twilight and the three fillies shook their heads.
"Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong." Robert informed all present.
They nodded- in confusion, but nodded nonetheless.
"The technology we have has the potential to cross worlds, and with that kind of firepower, miss, it could lead to the ruin of this world."
"But...but..."
"Well...if y'all put it like that..." Applebloom stated "maybe Needles should go with them, Sweetie."
Sweetie Belle was in tears, at this point- sniffling as she rubbed her muzzle and eyes.
"I...I d-don't want you to go!" she wailed, still tightly hugging Needles' leg tightly.
"It...seems like she'll have to..." Twilight stated slowly.
"Life isn't fair to everyone, Miss Belle." Rosalind stated softly.
Sweetie glanced between the group of ponies, and to Needles, biting her lip.