A few days after the dinner with Celestia, Starlight Glimmer was going around Ponyville early one morning for a jog. The sun was just beginning to pierce the horizon as she ran along the outskirts of the small town. She was wearing a simple black sweater with a red stripe across the chest and a small single pouch saddlebag Rarity made which she called, a backpack.
Starlight ran past one of the many bridges that followed a small artificial river that surrounded part of Ponyville first, then she would jog past Sugarcube Corner, then run around city Hall, back to Ponyville Elementary, and back to Twilight’s Castle.
Starlight ran twice around the castle passing by several guards along the way.
It seemed so strange to her to see so many guards. At first Twilight hated the idea of having so many guards around. Now after several events she has become more open to the idea of having them around.
Starlight herself loved having them around. It made the castle less lonely when Twilight was away. She made friends with several of them but her two favorite guards were Golden Claw and by some strange coincidence Thunderclap.
As she passed by the large brown mare, Starlight stopped right behind her and was about to yell ‘boo’ when she was stopped by Thunderclap’s raspy voice, “Do that and I will end you.”
“Aww, you’re no fun.” Starlight pouted through pursed lips.
Thunderclap chuckled, not moving any other part of her body. Starlight thought she looked like a laughing statue.
“Well, I’m just getting back from my jog. Nice to see you again.” Starlight said trotting past the guardsmare heading into the castle.
Along the way Starlight ran past Golden Claw who was flying through the castle halls to keep watch. Starlight waved to the griffon as he flew overhead and gave her a kind wave back. Going past the halls Starlight came across a room she never saw before that had a sign reading: DO NOT ENTER!
Of course that only meant Starlight would enter, if only to satisfy her curiosity. Pushing open the doors Starlight poked her head inside the room to see it abuzz with lights and technology she’d never seen before. Before her was a large pink mirror with several makeshift devices connecting to it from various sources.
Starlight could see her reflection in the mirror as she approached. It looked like a very interesting machine. No doubt it was one of Twilight's many projects she had stored away. A healthy mind was always working as they say. As interesting as this was it struck Starlight as odd, why would Twilight leave a machine of this caliber ON and then store it away? It made no sense to her.
Staring at the strange mirror Starlight felt drawn to it. The electrical currents running through made a slight humming noise. She walked up to the mirror and pressed her hoof against the glass only to feel her hoof go through it like it was liquid.
She gasped, quickly retracting her hoof and wiped it on herself frantically. She watched where her hoof went in and watched the ripples span across the surface. She could feel her heart racing with anticipation as she poked the mirror again getting a powerful suction force that wanted to draw her in.
She pulled her hoof out again and looked around to see if anyone was near. Finding no one she stuck her hoof in again and this time stepped completely into the mirror and was consumed by it.
Starlight screamed as she found herself in a white tunnel of light and was spinning out of control. Around her the light from the vortex became brighter and brighter until she came to the end of it and was blinded by a bright flash of light.
*Canterlot High*
Sunset was busy listening to some music her new friend Octavia provided for her. While she loved modern music like rock and roll, dubstep, among others she found she had a particular liking for classical music and orchestral types.
She loved to hang out with the classy girl sometimes. Being around someone with a bit more class made Sunset feel more refined and civil. Not that she didn’t have her wild side, she just didn’t want to be a total tomboy like Rainbow or Applejack, but she didn't want to be like Rarity either. She was happy being in the center of both worlds and finding a balance for it.
She was sitting near the Canterlot High statue minding her own business when someone came from behind her and tackled her to the ground. Instinctively she grabbed ahold of the person, thinking it was a mugger, and threw them over her shoulder and on their back to the ground.
She was surprised to see a young woman with deep violet hair in a ponytail wearing a periwinkle colored top and black pants with black boots on the floor. Her eyes were wide with shock, no doubt from the surprise of being thrown to the ground. *THank you Adagio for the self defense lesson.*
She was gasping for air as Sunset pulled out her phone with one hand to make call. She used her other hand to turn the woman over and pin her to the ground by bending her arm back and sitting on her. Sunset dialed 911 on her phone as she sat on the woman.
*911 what is your emergency?* A voice said over the phone.
“Yes, I was just jumped by an adult woman from behind. I think she might be a thief or something.” Sunset said to the voice.
*A mugger you say? Are you alright?* The voice asked with concern.
“I’m fine. I managed to restrain her. I’m a student from Canterlot High school I’m out front by the schools statue.” Sunset said as the woman wriggled from underneath her.
“Get off of me!” The woman said. “I did nothing wrong!”
Sunset adjusted herself to hold the phone with her shoulder. She then used her second hand to push the would be thieves face to the ground.
“Stop struggling!”
*Miss are you okay?*
“This woman is very strong I can’t, gah!” Suneet was thrown off as the woman started waving her entire body like a worm having a spaz attack.
The phone went flying into the storm drain leaving Sunset alone with this stranger. Unarmed Sunset got to her feet quickly and took a defensive stance. She watched as the woman struggled to gain a footholding. Seemed to struggle with her two legs and instead tried to get down on all fours.
Sunset thoguht it was very strange yet so familiar to see. This went on for a minute or two before it dawned on her where she’d seen this before. Suddenly a the sound of sirens broke her t=out of her thoughts when she saw two Police Patrol cars pull up to the school. Several officers including one Shining Armor she had come to know recently stepped out of the car.
Sunset looked at him with his imposing figure in blue. He recently graduated from Crystal Prep and became an police offocer and quickly became one of the best. As the other officer struggled to get the woman cuffed Shining approached Sunset.
“Morning Miss Shimmer.” he greeted the yougn girl.
“Hello sir.” Sunset replied.
Shining laughed taking off his sun glasses. “Don’t worry Sunset. You aren’t in trouble.”
“Yeah, how’s twilight doing these days?” She asked.
Shinng tapped his chin. “She’s doing well and-”
“WAIT! You know Twilight? I know Twilight! She’s my mentor! A princess even! I’m not a criminal!”the woman suddenly cried out as the other officer dragged her to the car.
Shining turned to face the other officer. “Have you read her rights?”
The other officer nodded. “Yes, sir,” he said pushing her to the car. “She’s a fighter though.”
Shining looked at the woman and met her eyes. She was scared. He could tell. She wasn’t expecting to get caught clearly, but the fear she had seemed too deep for someone who got caught.
Sunset herself was watching the scene with peaked interest. She made a mental note to ask Princess Twilight about this later, that is until she heard what this woman had to say after.
“Please I didn’t do anything! I came through a portal of some sort! I don’t even know where I am-” She was stopped by the door slamming in her face.
The first officer got into the car with the prisoner and drove away. Shining remained behind with Sunset both giving the strange woman a look like she was completely bonkers.
Shining took a glance at Sunset, and playfully rubbed Sunset’s fiery hair. Sunset swatted at him in annoyance.
“You alright?” He asked her.
Sunset nodded dumbly. “Uh, yeah. I’m alright. Thanks for showing up.”
“Just doing my duty Sunset.” Shining said, heading back to his car.
He then slowly opened his door and sat down in the seat of his cruiser. He overturned the engine then rolled down the passenger side window to look at Sunset. “I’ll let Twilight know you said, hi”
“Thanks.” Sunset said waving to Shinning.
“See ya later Sunset.”
Shining then drove off in his patrol cruiser leaving Sunset alone by the statute. She stood there for several minutes before she sat down on the steps by the statue of CHS and grabbed her backpack and pulled out her favorite notebook.
She opened it up to an new page and took a pen from her backpack. She opened the book to a new page and took the pen in hand and began to write: Dear Princess Twilight, just had the strangest encounter…
Back in Ponyville Twilight was busy reading a book in her personal library when the journal she got from Celestia that connected to its counterpart in the human world began to glow and vibrate. The unicorn looked up at the journal and pulled it down from its own personal perch on a shelf and opened it. She quickly read over the new entry that appeared in it from Sunset.
She read it over glad to hear from her old friend again after dealing with the sirens and the events of the Equestria games. As she read something about what Sunset wrote caught her attention. She reread it over and over again and then began to grow worried. If somepony she knew went through the portal they would have no idea what to do or where to go for help. As it stood, she felt she needed to go through and find out from Sunset what happened to the pony who inadvertently went through the portal.
She quickly wrote a note to Sunset telling her she would arrive soon and immediately left to head for the portal room, and then to the human world.