Twilight sat in the sitting room of her family’s townhome. Piled on the coffee table were books upon books, not an unusual sight for the studious girl. It was when her mother took a moment to see what it was she was studying that made Twilight Velvet pause and question her daughter,
“Beginning algebra, United States History, Biology? Twilight you surpassed these topics years ago.”
Looking up the spectacled girl smiled,
“Oh they’re not for me per say. I’m using them to help me make lesson plans for my new pupil.”
This was news for Twilight Velvet,
“You’re taking a tutoring position?”
“Principal Celestia asked me to tutor her cousin she’s taking care of. Apparently he wasn’t encouraged to learn in his previous living conditions. I was asked to help him catch up. Since it has been a while that I’ve covered this level I thought it would be good for me to review.”
Twilight Velvet smiled and hugged her daughter.
“Oh Twilight, I’m so proud of you. I was a little worried when you asked to transfer to CHS, but now I see that it was the best choice that you ever made.”
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
Mother and daughter looked towards the front door,
“Who could that be?”
KNOCK! KNOCK! KONCK!
Mother and daughter left their place in the sitting room and went to their front door. Opening the door Twilight Velvet spied a well-dressed man with red hair and a pleasant smile on his face,
“Good day ma’am. My name is Professor Colton Smith,” The man reached into his coat pocket and extracted a card. Reading it Twilight Velvet could see neatly printed next to the Yale shield,
Colton Smith Ph. D
Theoretical Physics, Yale University
A phone number and email were printed under his name and title. Twilight Velvet was taken aback by the appearance of an Ivy League School professor at her front door,
“Wha- What can I do for you Professor Smith?”
“I am currently consulting with the US government about unusual gravimetric and electromagnetic activity in the area of Canterlot High School. I was wondering if I may have a few minutes of you and your daughter Twilight Sparkle’s time and ask her a few question.”
Twilight did her best to hide her concern when Professor Smith announced his purpose for the visit. However, she was a thinker and not necessarily an actor; she could only hope that the Yale professor was more focused on talking with her mother than looking at her,
“Of course, we have a few minutes to spare. Please, come in.” The professor was lead into the sitting room where he spotted the books,
“I see someone likes to do a bit of reading.” He said with a warm voice.
“Oh Twilight just loves to read. When she was little she was reading Dickens, then shortly after that she was reading Homer. For her birthday last year, she asked for an index of mental disorders.”
Professor gave a light laugh,
“Just like my own sister. Had her nose buried in a book most of the time, trying to learn everything she could. She currently is attending grad school at Princeton.”
From somewhere in the house the sound of beeping came, a very familiar tone to Twilight.
“Could you excuse me for a second?” Without waiting Twilight hurried through the house to her room where Spike was currently covering his ears from the annoying alarm that was going off. The source of the offending sound was none else than her magic detector. Quickly she disengaged the faulty device and spent a few moments calming Spike down before returning to the sitting room where a very pleasant Professor Smith was making small talk with her mother while they waited.
“Sorry about that. One of my old inventions was malfunctioning.”
“Already making inventions of your own?” Professor Smith asked.
“Ye… Yah. I built a handheld device to measure what I thought was abnormal activity.”
“Is that so? How did it turn out? Make any interesting discoveries?”
“Nothing that I could confirm.” Twilight half lied. She knew that she couldn’t tell a Yale professor that she had found magic and nearly tore apart reality trying to find more. This seemed to satisfy the professor and he nodded,
“It is one thing to think you found something, it is another to confirm it and have others be able to repeat your process. Though I do admire your drive to investigate the unknown.”
The statement made Twilight blush with embarrassment. She was getting praise from a visiting Ivy League professor.
“Now, what can you tell me about Canterlot High School? I understand that you transferred there very late in the year.”
“Um yah I kind of did. My other school Crystal Prep wasn’t working out for me in terms of making friends. I made friends with some of the students at CHS and decided to go where my friends were.”
“I see. So have you heard any rumors about unusual phenomena at the school?”
“Um…” Twilight wasn’t sure what to say. She knew she couldn’t tell him about the portal but how could she still give him something truthful?
“I did hear rumors about an arura on the night of one of the school dances. There was also some strange atmospheric behavior during an event called Battle of the Bands.”
The man from Yale was taking down notes in some form of short hand nodding in agreement,
“Yes that seems to fit what we have found already. However, there is one incident that you didn’t mention. The Friendship Games I believe they’re called?”
If Professor Smith noticed the color drain from Twilight’s face he did not mention it. Twilight could only hope for a miracle now. Fortunately for her it came. The chiming of a ringing phone came from the man’s pocket, the Star Wars, “Imperial March.”
“Excuse me, that would be my superiors in the investigation.” The man stood up and withdrew to the entry hall. After a short phone call the man from Yale came back in,
“I’m sorry but there has been an interesting discovery made and I am supposed to take a look at it. So, I am afraid that I must cut our interview short.” Twilight let out as small breath of relief and replied,
“That’s alright.”
“But before I leave I want to give you something.” Professor Smith reached into his coat pocket and produced a white envelope that was stamped with the Yale seal and handed it to her,
“When I heard about your academic achievements I contacted a friend of mine in the Admissions office. He contacted his administrator who in turn told the President of the University; and we are all in agreement, a mind like yours needs a place where it can be challenged.” He handed the envelope to Twilight who opened it and started reading it to herself. As her eyes traveled across each line they grew wider and wider, eventually they started to moisten. She looked hopefully up at the professor and asked with muted voice,
“Is this real?”
“Yes Miss Sparkle it is.” Twilight Velvet couldn’t stand waiting any longer,
“Twilight, what is it?”
“The President of the school is offering me a full ride academic scholarship to Yale. Any department.” Twilight responded to her mother.
“We all agreed that an individual like your daughter Misses Velvet deserved to be at Yale University. Academically, she deserves it. From our brief interview I have seen that she is an individual that is driven and focused. She would be a welcome addition to the halls of Yale.”
Mother and daughter embraced each other; both of their eyes moist with tears. At the scene before him Professor Smith couldn’t help but dawn a happy smile, pleased with his work.
Twilight Velvet looked at the stranger who had just opened her daughter’s future for her,
“Thank you Professor. Thank you so much.”
“It is my pleasure.” Then Twilight Sparkle released herself from the embrace of her mother and shocked the bearer of great news and hugged him. When she left Crystal Prep she thought that her chances of prestigious academic achievement were lost. Now they were open again. She couldn’t wait to tell her friends.
After a few minutes the man of Yale was out the door. Velvet turned to her daughter and was barely containing her excitement,
“You go call your friends and invite them for dinner tonight. I’ll call your brother and father and tell them to come home early tonight. I will also tell Shining Armor to bring Cadence. We’ll spring the news on them over dinner.”
Twilight hugged the letter close to her and ran to her room and the phone. Thoughts ran through her mind, plans for the future and a new sense of hope.
-Outside-
Colton Smith was very pleased with what he had done. The letter from the President of Yale was indeed real. Any professor of the American University of Magic was required to have a matching degree in a non-magical school. Fortunately for him and Miss Sparkle his credentials were at an Ivy League school.
At the same time his mind was occupied by the phone call from Field Agent Hankinson, the government agent in charge of the anomaly investigation, and the interview he had with the Yale hopeful. She was definitely holding something back. He wasn’t authorized as a full-fledged Legilimens, such power was reserved for law enforcement, he knew enough to detect every worry and concern that was going through her emotions.
Concluding to come back later and conduct a more thorough interview later, Colton ducked down a small alley and turned on the spot. The unpleasant feeling of being between everything and nothing surrounded him as he cleared the distance to the meeting site, in front of Canterlot High School.
Hankinson, a petite powerful witch that stood half a head shorter than him, and the rest of the team were waiting for him.
“What kept you Professor?” Hankinson asked in her no nonsense tone of voice.
“Got held up at the end of my interview. I made one young students dreams come to life.” He reported, “So what did you find?”
Hankinson motioned to two of the other researchers, brother and sister both experts in wards, to start,
“Well, we were doing our search around the school, looking for any kind of protection or ward when the statue caught our attention.” Harris Miller started; his sister Elise picked up at the end of the sentence,
“There weren’t any traditional runes or protection spells on it; but we did find this.”
The siblings placed the tips of their wands on the stone base of the statue and incanted a revealing spell. Twisting lines of rainbow colored energy began to flow like rivers across the stone surface. Designs with intricate detail began to form around the statue. Images and writing of unknown origin spread themselves around on the ground. When the designs stopped forming Colton was immediately on the case,
“Everyone start documenting everything. Don’t miss a single thing!”
Hankinson took charge and started barking out orders; demanding the photo equipment and for the supporting agents to get moving. Professor Smith was about to help when Hankinson stopped him,
“There is something else I need you for.”
She led him up from the statue towards the school. With a quick wave of her wand the door opened and the two entered the empty building. Hankinson marched him to the yearbook room where the school year’s Annual was sitting on a table.
“Go ahead.” She said, motioning for Colton to start reading the book.
The magical professor flipped through the pages trying to spot what the agent had found. Eventually he found what the agent had found.
“What is this?”
-Streets of Canterlot-
Sunset Shimmer was enjoying a nice summer day when she got the call from Twilight practically begging her to come to home that night for dinner. Sunset would have to catch the bus to the city, not having transportation of her own, but she promised her friend she would be there.
She was heading to the closest bus terminal to where she was before when her backpack started vibrating. Since her phone was in her pocket she concluded it was one thing. A message from Princess Twilight. Extracting the journal that served as the means of constant communication between her home world of Equestria and Canterlot High, Sunset turned to the last entry.
Dear Sunset Shimmer,
Something is going on with the portal on my end. It keeps fluctuating. Could you please check to see if anything is going on at your end?
Princess Twilight Sparkle
It was rather short for one of Twilight’s letters, but if it had something to do with the portal she had better take a look. She pulled a pen from her pack and wrote,
Sure, I’ll check on it.
The former resident of Equestria turned her course to the bus station across from the high school. As the school came into view she noticed something was very off. The entire school looked like it was in a thick dirty fog that formed a perfect ring around the school’s boundary preventing the campus from being seen.
“What the…?” She saw some vans pulling out of the smoggy barrier and ducked behind a trash can. She saw some kind of image that looked like a variation of the United States seal plastered on the side. After the last vehicle passed by the smog around the school vanished revealing the school was untouched. Several alarms were going off in Sunset’s head,
“If the government is getting involved…” Her thought was cut off by the city bus pulling up next to her. She got on and took a seat towards the back.
She didn’t know what to think about what she just saw. That smog was not natural and the government was involved. She didn’t know what to tell Princess Twilight. Her thoughts occupied her so much that she nearly missed her stop. After a twenty-minute walk through city streets she arrived in Twilight’s neighborhood and soon thereafter ushered inside Twilight’s front door.
Dinner was ready but before the assembled group began Twilight Velvet stood and got everyone’s attention.
“Now, you may be wondering why we called everyone together for dinner on such short notice. I promise that there is a very good reason for it. Twilight?”
The intelligent girl stood up and produced the same envelope that Professor Smith had given her earlier.
“Well, today I was visited by a professor who’s investigating some abnormal atmospheric behavior. He apparently did some research on me and noticed my transcript and well…” Twilights voice cracked a small bit with the amount of emotion that was flowing through her, “I have been offered a full ride scholarship to Yale.”
“Hold on a second.” Pinkie said reaching for a glass of water. She took a long drink of it and was about to spew it out when Rarity slapped a hand over Pinkie’s lips.
“Sugar cube… Ya mean it?” Applejack asked dumbfounded.
Nodding her head Twilight handed the letter to her father who read it aloud. The president of the university praised Twilight for her achievements and extended an invitation to her with full housing and tuition paid on academic scholarship no matter what program she decided to enter. The news was too much for Shining Armor and the alumni of Crystal Prep hugged his sister, followed shortly thereafter by her old babysitter Cadence.
“That. Is. So. Awesome!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. Soon everyone was sharing their congratulations and possibilities were discussed over a merry dinner. After the meal and dessert, the girls gathered in the basement to listen to Sunset’s report of Princess Twilight’s message and what she saw at the school.
“So the government is getting involved?” Asked a very concerned Fluttershy.
“That must have been Professor Smith’s group. He said that he was investigating strange disturbances around Canterlot High.” Twilight commented.
“How are we supposed to stop them from finding the portal?” Rainbow Dash asked, “I mean, it’s not very hard to realize that when you place your hand on the glass you start to phase through.”
“I’ll write Princess Twilight and tell her to deactivate the portal for the time being.” Sunset said pulling out her two-way journal and a pen.
“That’ll be good for now but why is the government investigating the portal now?” Applejack asked.
“Maybe it’s because magical beings from Equestria have infiltrated the government and are looking to use the portal for their own nefarious purposes.” Pinkie added trying to sound as menacing as she could.
“Honestly Pinkie you have some of the craziest ideas ever.” Rarity countered her pink haired friend.
“Actually, I think Pinkie may have a point.” Everyone looked at Twilight who was deep in thought, “When Professor Smith came by the house my magical detector went off shortly after he entered the house. Perhaps my detector just doesn’t have the range I thought it did?”
“We’ll need to keep a close eye on the school in case those agents come back.” Sunset said, finishing her message to her friend back in Equestria.
“We should also do our best not to show our magic. Ah mean, that’s probably what their lookin’ for right?” Applejack suggested.
A sudden mumbled comment from Fluttershy caught everyone’s attention.
“Uh Flutters, we talked about this remember?” Rainbow Dash chided her shy friend for not speaking up.
“Um, I was just saying that there has been another time Twilight’s detector went off. Remember? At the Summer Fun Festival?”
“Oh ya!” Rainbow remembered, “That’s when we met Harry.” Everyone sudden caught the implications surrounding Fluttershy’s statement.
“But… But that’s impossible. Isn’t it?” The girls didn’t want to believe their new little friend could be in anyway connected to this.
“Ah didn’t want ta say anythin’ but when we were talkin’ I felt he wasn’t completely honest with what he was tellin’ us. He was holdin’ back somethin’ big.” Applejack said.
“Let’s not jump to any hasty conclusions guys.” Sunset intervened, feeling a kind of protectiveness for the little guy, “Let’s investigate a bit, see if anything strange goes on around Harry. In the meantime, let’s see if we can’t find out any more about this branch of the government that’s poking around the portal.”