//------------------------------// // More Problems with a side of Changelings // Story: The Twilight and Moondancer Investigations // by KingJoltik //------------------------------// “Good grief! What is taking Twilight so long?!” moaned Moondancer as she continued to sit inside the portal room. It had been fifteen minutes since Twilight had left to get a ladder and it was fifteen minutes too many for Moondancer. She frantically paced around the room during the wait, though she fell over a few times due to her new pony body. More veins appeared on her head until she had finally had enough. “That's it! I don't care anymore! I wanna go home and get some rest! We have the data on the scanner...I'm going home and Twilight is coming with me!” Moonancer stormed out of the room and proceeded down the nearest hallway. Moondancer had to squint her eyes as she went through the castle at night. “Twilight?!” she yelled repeatedly. “Twilight?! Where are you?!” She then turned her head and saw a door, Moondancer glanced around and said to herself, “Guess I better start checking every room...” As she opened the door with her hoof, a chilly wind blasted through. “Whoa! Brr, that's cold...” Moondancer quickly noticed she was on a balcony now and a grand view was in front of her. She looked outside, seeing a small village a little bit away. There were a few lights on, but they were barely visible in the cloak of the night. 'Huh...' she thought as she stared at the sight before her. 'So...I'm in some rural country? Is that where this portal sent me?' Moondancer turned and looked up, seeing the Crystal Tree Castle behind her. 'Amazing...I'm in some sort of...Crystal Tree? Certainly a strange design, though it does make me feel like I'm in another world.' She soon went back into the castle, still yelling Twilight's name. As she wandered down another hallway, a door suddenly opened right beside her. SLAM! “Whoa!” she yelped as she fell over from the surprise. Moondancer tried to keep her glasses on as she stumbled to get up. “What the heck?! Don't just slam doors like that!” What came out of the door was Twilight Sparkle, her horn shining from a light spell. Her eyes were half open as she yelled, “Okay, who is...Moondancer?!” “Twilight! I have been searching everywhere for you! What took you so long?!” screamed Moondancer in a fit of rage. “What took me...what are you talking about? And why are you in my castle?” “What am I...” It was at this moment that Moondancer noticed something a little different about the Twilight in front of her. “Uh...when do you get wings? And why is your horn glowing?” “Why is my...uh, I'm using a light spell Moondancer.” Twilight said in a deadpan tone. “And I have wings because I'm an alicorn, remember?” Moondancer's head turned sideways in confusion. “What's an alicorn?” “What do mean what's a...” A lightbulb went off in Twilight's head. “Uh-oh.” Meanwhile, in a secret evil lair... “Wake up!” Chrysalis yelled at the cocoon that Twilight was now in. The purple pony slowly stirred as her hooves tried move. “I said wake up Twilight Sparkle!” “Okay...okay...” moaned Twilight as her eyelids tried to move. “Geez...what is...” Chrysalis did not see the next moment coming. She was expecting Twilight to lash out in anger or yell at her. Instead, she got this: “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!” screamed Twilight as she began wriggling in the green gooey cocoon. “Uh...” “What is this?! Where am I?! Why is this happening?!” Twilight yelled as her head starting throbbing up and down. Then she showed a face filled with fear and disgust. “Eeeewww! What is this stuff?! It's all gooey and gross!” “Er...” Twilight yelled for a few more seconds and suddenly stopped. She took a long deep breath. “Okay...got that out of my system...Sorry about that.” “Yeah...” Chrysalis said in a confused tone. “Now...where were we?” “I don't know. Who are you?” “Who am...wait. You don't know who I am?” Chrysalis said as she pointed to herself. Twilight shook her head. “Are you serious?” “Yeah. I've never met you before.” Twilight said as she looked Chrysalis up and down. “Though I must admit...I've never seen anything like you before...what exactly are you? Some sort of pony-bug hybrid?” “I...” Chrysalis opened her mouth, only for it to just hang there. A small changeling walked up and closed her mouth. Chrysalis just there in pure shock, not sure what to think. A few moments later, she finally spoke up, “Okay...so you're not Twilight...that's why you don't have wings.” “Hey! I am Twilight Sparkle!” Twilight barked back, only to put on a thinking face. “Though...why do you think I'm supposed to have wings? I've never heard of a unicorn with wings before...” “You've never heard-” Chrysalis stuttered as she displayed a dumbfounded look. “WHAT?! Who are you?!” “I told you before! I'm Twilight Sparkle!” “No you're not! If you were, you would know who I am!” “Well I don't! I've never seen you before till now!” “Why you little-” Two changelings watched the queen and the unicorn continue to yell at each other. One of the changelings turned his head and said, “This is gonna be a long night isn't it?” “Yup.” Back at the castle... “Okay...let me get straight...” groaned Moondancer as she rubbed the side of her face in frustration. She pointed her hoof at the alicorn and said, “You're the version of Twilight Sparkle in this world.” “Yes.” Twilight nodded. “And the mirror is a portal to my world and you've been experimenting on it.” “Yes.” “And you're a princess...which is why you have wings. And you can use magic through your horn.” “That's correct. Oh, and you can use magic through your horn as well. You are a unicorn after all.” “Yeah...” Several veins on Moondancer's head began to twitch. She then flailed her hooves in the air in anger. “That's it! I'm done!” “Huh?” “I'm leaving. I am too tired for this.” Moondancer said as she got up and walked over to the mirror. “Other world where I turn into a unicorn...this is so crazy it hurts.” “But it's the truth Moondancer. Besides, it's best we...uh...find the other 'Twilight' and have you both go through the portal. You said she wouldn’t leave without the scanner right?” “Yeah...we agreed to get the readings and go home but...she never returned from getting a ladder.” “You needed a ladder? Why?” “To...reach the book.” “But you could just levitate it with...oh. Right. You don't know how to use your horn yet.” Twilight rubbed her chin in thought. “Well...it is getting late. Do you think this version of me would go into town by herself?” “No. She's not much into interacting with others. Maybe she's lost in this maze of a castle.” “Yeah...I still get lost in it myself.” Twilight responded with a slight blush. “Though I just got it a little while ago.” “Hmmm...” Moondancer grumbled as she tried to think of what to do next. Twilight stood there in thought as well. After a little bit, Twilight clapped her hooves. “I've got an idea!” “Huh?” “Why don't I move some of my spare room beds down to the portal here? You said earlier you were sleepy, so you could just lay down and wait for her here. I'll even make us some coffee to help you stay awake if you want to do that instead.” “Well...that's not a bad idea...but she's been gone for like an hour! Doesn't that worry you?!” “It does...but we won't be able to find her in this darkness. Right now there's barely any moon out. Best to wait it out. If she doesn't come in the next hour...we'll do something else.” “Okay.” Moondancer replied with a nod. “Don't have any reason to argue with you there.” “That's great!” Twilight said with shining eyes. “Oh, while we're at it, you can tell me about your world! I've already been there before but only for two or three days! There's some parts of that world I want to know more about it! Well...except the part where I turn into those weird human creatures...” “I...uh...sure.” Moondancer said with hesitation. 'Why do I have a bad feeling about this?'