Seven mares, six humans, and one dragon sat in a spacious banquet hall on the second floor of the castle proper. Spike and the two Pinkies had whipped up tea and snacks for the group.
Twilight remained grouchy as the others tried to engage her in small talk. Even being turned human again hadn't improved her mood—mostly because the second she found out Princess Twilight could've turned her human again at any time, she'd gotten angry.
"I'm sorry, Twilight!" Princess Twilight said. "I just...didn't think it'd be an issue! But then I had two of everypony to deal with, and..."
"Don't be all grumpypants, Twilight!" Human Pinkie said, wrapping an arm around Twilight. "Now that we know you're around, we're gonna be the bestest of bestest friends!"
Twilight glared at her coldly, removing her arm. "You are data to me," she said. "The only interest I have in you is your role in the phenomena associated with Canterlot High School and..." She frowned at her surroundings. "Equestria. Once I've completed my research, I don't expect to see any of you ever again."
"Wow," Human Rainbow said. "I can't believe you're such a b—"
"Twilight," Princess Twilight interrupted, with a reproachful glare at Human Rainbow, "don't shut them out. These girls...they're my friends. They're some of the most special people I know. I'm lucky to have these amazing friends in two different worlds. Please..." She gave Twilight a pleading look. "Please give them a chance."
Twilight gave her a flat stare. "I'm still thinking about all that stuff you told me about how important friendship is," she said. "And...you are right about one thing. I'm too young to live my entire life without friends." She adjusted her glasses. "BUT...that doesn't give you the right to choose my friends for me. Just because these girls are your friends...that doesn't necessarily mean I want them to be my friends." She looked around the table and frowned. "Besides, they're...crazy."
"And you're a jerk," Sunset said with a frown.
"Sunset...please," Princess Twilight said. She frowned. "It's true that this Twilight is...well..." She frowned, then looked at her friends. "Was I ever this rude?"
The five mares looked at one another, shifting uncomfortably.
"Well..."
"You do have your moments..."
"Oh! Like the time you slammed the door in that mailpony's face! On his birthday!"
"You're...usually nice, but...I guess sometimes you can be a little...not as nice?"
Princess Twilight sagged, her ears falling flat against the sides of her head. "Wow," she said. "Just...wow."
"Sorry sugarcube," Pony Applejack said. "You know we love ya t' pieces. But heck, ain't none of us perfect."
"And you've changed a lot since you came to Ponyville!" Pony Pinkie said. "Like, remember that huuuuuuuge fit you threw over my Pinkie Sense? You haven't done anything like that in a LONG time!"
"Thanks, Pinkie," Princess Twilight said dryly. "I feel so much better now."
Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Looks like my holier-than-thou 'better half' isn't so perfect herself," she said.
"Girls! Please," Sunset said. "Honestly! I'm supposed to be the friendship student here, don't make me be the friendship...tutor...person!"
"Whatever is the ruckus here, my little ponies?"
Princess Celestia entered the room. She looked around, blinking in confusion. "And...my little...humans, apparently?"
"Princess Celestia!" Princess Twilight said. "I'm so sorry to have disturbed you!"
"Oh, you didn't disturb me," she said. "I needed to...ahem..." Her cheeks turned faintly pink. "Little filly's room." She frowned. "Apparently, it has been quite an eventful night..."
Sunset frowned. "Hey...Twilight...how come you woke me up to deal with all this, but not her?"
Princess Twilight blushed. "I...figured the two of us could handle it without disturbing Celestia," she said. "I mean, what kind of Princess am I if I can't handle some intruders in my own castle?"
"Right," Sunset said, clearly unconvinced.
Celestia sat down, a politely puzzled expression on her face. "Exactly what is happening here, Princess Twilight?"
"Oh! Well...I forgot to close the portal behind us, Your Majesty," Princess Twilight said. "When me, Twilight, and Sunset came through, I mean. And...well..."
"We wanted to check out Equestria, Your...uhh...Ponyness," Human Rainbow said. "So we went back to Canterlot High after dark and jumped through the portal."
"I see," Princess Celestia said. "Well then, welcome to Equestria." She raised an eyebrow. "I'm curious to know why you didn't turn into ponies upon entering this world."
"We did," Human Applejack said, "but Twilight did some kind of magic that turned us human again."
"How interesting," Princess Celestia said with a smile. "Of course, you will have to cancel this spell before you send them back home. We don't know how your transformation magic will interact with the portal."
Princess Twilight nodded. "Don't worry, I've already thought of that. I'll turn them all back before they go through."
"May I ask a question?" Twilight asked, looking directly at Celestia.
"You may."
"I've been told that you raise the sun in this world. I'm having difficulty believing that; it goes against every scientific principle I know. I'm curious: is that little show you and your sister put on some elaborate tribal ritual?"
The Equestrian natives gasped in shock and stared at Twilight.
Celestia gave her an odd glance. "Let me tell you a little story.
"A very long time ago, when my sister and I first came to Equestria, we were simply two alicorns, chosen as mediators between the three pony tribes. Back then, we had no connection to the sun or the moon.
"In those times, it was the unicorns who raised and lowered the sun and the moon. The wisest and greatest of all unicorns led the team of powerful unicorn mages who ensured that all the ponies of Equestria had light in which to work and play and to grow the food they ate, and quiet, peaceful moonlit nights in which to sleep.
"But what neither I nor my sister knew is that those very unicorns were sacrificing everything that made them who they were for the good of all ponykind. For you see, it took the combined might of a large number of unicorns to raise the sun, and the task was so great that every unicorn who volunteered for this task was completely drained of their magic in a few short years.
"I was aghast when I learned of this, and this is what led my sister and I to take charge of the sun and the moon, for our alicorn magic is powerful enough to control the heavens without draining our power, and in turn, the very heavenly bodies we move sustain and rejuvenate us."
Celestia smiled. "So to answer your question: to suggest that my sister and I are charlatans who merely put on a performance, day after day, night after night, to ease the minds of our subjects...is to dishonor and disgrace the sacrifices of generations of unicorns who sacrificed the very essence of their beings for the good of Equestria."
Twilight shrank into her chair, suitably cowed.
Celestia looked out the window. "It won't be very long until morning," she said. "Would you girls like to have a look around Ponyville?"
"We'd absolutely love to!" Human Rarity said, starry-eyed.
"Uhh...don't you all have school?" Sunset asked. "I mean, I do too, but...I was pretty much counting on at least one of you to tell Principal Celestia I'd be absent today..."
"Oh yeah," Human Pinkie said, wilting.
Celestia raised an eyebrow, a thoughtful look on her face. Princess Twilight noticed this and tensed up. "Princess Celestia...what are you planning?"
Celestia smiled. "You'll see..." Her eyes twinkled.
* * * * *
Principal Celestia pulled her subcompact electric car into the faculty lot, locked up, then dug out the keys to the school. As she approached, she saw two people standing outside the locked entrance. One, she recognized as Twilight Sparkle.
The other...was herself. She stared, slack-jawed, at the other Celestia.
"Ah, good morning!" The other Celestia said with a smile, walking down the steps. "You must be Principal Celestia."
"Y-yes," Principal Celestia said. "And...and you are...?"
"I am Princess Celestia," Princess Celestia said. "The ruler of the world Princess Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer hail from. I believe you know the general details?"
"M-more or less," Principal Celestia said, staring at this unfamiliar familiar woman.
"It is delightful to meet you," Princess Celestia said. "I'm afraid I can't remain for long. I've simply come here to tell you that several students will be absent from your school today." She smiled. "Sunset Shimmer and her friends are visiting Equestria for the day. I assure you they'll return tomorrow." She tilted her head. "Well...except possibly Sunset Shimmer. I may ask her to remain an extra day."
"Please keep this quiet, Principal Celestia," Princess Twilight said. "I...don't think any of their families know they snuck through the portal last night, and I don't want them to be in trouble. It's...it's my fault for leaving the portal open in the first place."
"You...left the portal open?" Principal Celestia asked, confused. "I...don't entirely understand..."
"Sunset Shimmer ran into the Twilight Sparkle from this world yesterday," Princess Twilight said. "It's...a complex situation. We, uhh...took her to Equestria yesterday afternoon."
"And the rest followed at some point during the night," Princess Celestia said, smiling. "It's quite a confusing scene at Twilight's castle."
Principal Celestia swallowed. "I, uhh...I'll be sure to let their teachers know, then," she said.
"Excellent. Well, happy day to you!" Princess Celestia and Princess Twilight walked to the horse statue and, with a final wave, disappeared.
Vice-Principal Luna walked up, a confused frown on her face. "Tia? Was that...?"
"You know what, Luna? Don't ask," Principal Celestia muttered as she unlocked the school doors. "I need more coffee..."
Confound these alternate selves, they drive me to drink.
5367334 Now, now, she didn't imply it was Irish Coffee. Let's give her the benefit of a doubt. It is a school day, after all.
Trollestia strikes again!
I got a real Dumbledore vibe from Princess Celestia there. :)
5367334 *Offers 10 barrels of the Apple Family's Hard Apple Cider* "I know what you mean..."
5367358 Never specified it was alcohol. Though I did hear that if you are going to sing an Irish drinking song you have to have a really good Irish accent and to be half drunk, if you're going to sing a Scottish drinking song you need to have a good Scottish accent and to be completely drunk.
Wow, it was just a question. Had no idea this stories Celestia was Uberbitch
That bit at the end in the human world was hilarious!
Also, I think Celestia was a bit harsh with Human!Twilight. She comes from a world without magic, and her entire understanding of things is based in science. She has no other way to understand things except through the lens of science. Admittedly, she was rude in how she voiced her inquiry, but still...
Maybe instead, they could have explained why the sun and moon don't raise and lower like the ones in her world do, and why it's necessary to do so via magic.
And this is why we can't have nice things: they'll just duplicate.
5367417 Celestia overreacted, but Twilight kind of phrased her question poorly. Plus, it was like, three in the morning. Do you handle being called a fraud well at three in the morning?
Wouldn't that make it more suspicious? If there's reason not to suggest Celestia and Luna not being charlatans besides them not being charlatans, then people not accusing Celestia and Luna of being charlatans is not as good evidence against them being charlatans. If ponies were free to make those accusations, either Celestia and Luna would have to thoroughly prove they can really move celestial bodies or ponies would stop believing that they do. As it is, anypony that makes that accusation would be accused of dishonoring and disgracing the sacrifices of generations of unicorns, so Celestia and Luna would have no need to prove it.
Yes. Don't tell their families they're perfectly safe. Just let them worry about why their daughters didn't come home and nobody has seen them.
Uh, Principal Celestia. I think it's best if you lay off the coffee--or anything else that may cause hallucinations.
lol Very nice.^_^ She was pretty accepting of them being from another world in the first movie, but yeah, that would be a more awkward scenario for her alright. XD
Well said, Twilight.
Oh, and I'm guessing Lyra will become involved somehow soon? I don't think she'd likely know about humans... but be fascinated by them is another matter. XD
But, your choice in the end.^^
The human world truly is the human's world. Things tend to be more prone to darkness.
The gloom might fade that night.
The light may find you soon and hold you tight.
For within this space of fantasy,
"lies" and illusion,
there is hope,
daring you to believe in the warmth of such magic
as the friendship uniting every creature beneath the sun
of our little ponies.
Awaiting further releases.
5367435
A valid point. Still, I would like it if later - possibly the next chapter - Celestia sat Human!Twilight down, apologized for how she reacted - and accepted an apology in return - and actually addressed the root of the question, why the sun and moon have to be raised here as opposed to the natural cycles of Earth. Given how much studying Twilight's done, that's something she'd definitely know enough astrophysics to question, and be eager for an answer.
you know. the whole turning the human ones back to human seems a cope out to me. I wish you didn't do that.
Excellent update. I like this human Twilight. YESSS
5367465 The "Lyra and humans" thing is one of the fandom memes I despise above all others. Just behind "Scootaloo is an orphan".
Pffff
For some reason, I don't think that will help.
5367585 Why? Coffee fixes everything!!! ( Not to mention, if she has enough, she'll crash, and might not remember.)
PHHHFFFFTT HAHHAHHAHAHHAAA
Yet another wasted opportunity to ask about raising the sun and moon...
5367334 Tell me about it.....
And Just what is THAT supposed to mean?
N-Nothing!
No! Celestia's nickname is Tia! Um, anyway, good chapter! I kind of like how "portal Twilight" is so stubborn, and the way that she talks about science can be pretty funny.
5367544 Oh.
5367544 So doesn't that mean in the EQG universe Lyra is obsessed with ponies?
i see no reason for Celestia to apologize for anything. One, she didn't actually do anything wrong. Two, she's the Princess. She can do what she wants. Haha.
Cool chapter! Also nice to see human twi knocked down a notch.
Also I enjoyed the whole principle celestial thing, minus the celie thing, but that's a small complaint. Keep up the good work!
"I need more coffee..."
I was overjoyed to see that this had updated. And this line was PERFECT.
Am I the only one now imagining both Celestias working together to prank other people/ponies?
(Human) Princess Celestia: "Are you sure I have to wear this goatee?"
Principal Celestia: "Trust me, it's traditional."
Two Celestias?!? That made me smile after Five Nights at Freddys!
I feel like if there are not more shenanigans involved in world crossing then there is fun being missed. It would be funny, if unlikely, given what we've seen this far, if the human Celestia/Luna crossed over and -was- an alicorn and mucked up the schedule by thinking it should be day or night and causing celestial motions.
You know it just occurred to me reading that line here that I can't decide which is scarier. That line uttered by Pinkie or Celestia....
5368128
*whimper*
Celestia, definitely Celestia...
I'm Liking this story just for that coffee line.
Well... the chapter was nice. I'm a bit shocked that you gave Human-Twilight some personality. That was nice.
I wasn't a fan of the Celestia parts (Princess and Principle) cause the "resolution" felt... fake...
But I'm glad that the story is still able to surprise me.
This is gold btw.
5367544 I like you.
You rock, Human Twilight
That chapter was Hilarious! Especially Principal Celestia meeting her other self! Cannot wait for the next update!
5367806
Maybe
5367726
No, it isn't. As of the publishing of Journal of the Two Sisters, it's now CANON that Luna calls Celestia "Celie".
5367806 Don't make me hurt you.
5367896 See above about "Celie" being canon.
5367806 If so, then... talking ones, maybe. Or just unicorns and pegasi.
Of course, it's all based on her sitting "like a human" in the background of a single episode. Not even her talking about humans or anything. Since then, we've seen Daisy sit on a stool in "Magical Mystery Cure". You could make a stronger case that Twilight and Pinkie are obsessed with humans, honestly.
5368591 You know you want to...
5368615 Just had a thought: Human Twilight meets Discord!
Principal Celestia has always appeared to me to be a much more boring & mundane character than Princess Celestia, so although I would have liked their meeting to be much more of a meeting of equals & for them to have some kind of rapport, this played out pretty much how I thought it would with the Princess being totally together & in control & the Principal just being at sea & at a loss as to what's going on.
Celestia rules the whole world? Or is she just padding her resume?
5368591 Although you say its canon, I prefer Tia, but that's just me. I don't think it's worth the effort to fight about it, but if you want to keep calling her celie, then i wont stand in your way . I, frankly don't care at this point. Its your story, and it was only a minor complaint, and ive never heard celie used before, so I'm not used to it. I don't get the books and stuff for the show, so I wouldn't know
Anyways keep up the good work, I like this story!