Tour de Force
Twilight Sparkle yawned herself awake. The gentle sway of Spike’s body had gotten to her at some point in the night. The sheet she’d been abusing draped itself across her nose, filled to the brim with every butcherization possible of one simple phrase: “I am Twilight Sparkle.”
Her horn sparked and hovered the page in front of her face. She leaned on an elbow and grumbled. “Did my double have this much trouble with fingers at first?”
Yep. A pen invaded her space and scrawled across the few blank areas of the paper. Even after my second visit, I found it easier to write with my mouth.
“That’s just a little unsanitary.” Twilight rolled onto her back and looked up at the purpleish-orangey sky. The sun was just starting to peek over the horizon, casting a light glow through the green leaves overhead. Birds warbled and whistled over the sound of Spike’s feet crunching the undergrowth. “But if yah gotta write…”
Princess Twilight gave her a decisive nod. I learned how to overcome physical barriers a long time ago. Or at least how to try. Sometimes it’s a slow process.
Twilight looked at the blue scarf around her double’s throat. “How slow a process is that? Is there an end in sight, or is ‘try’ the only thing you’ve got to hope for?”
The doctors say it’s possible the vocal cords will grow back some day. Faint, but possible. Princess Twilight winked. Considering how many impossible things I’ve seen, a possibility is as good as a certainty.
“Right,” Twilight said with a weak laugh. “‘Anything you can imagine.’ That’s what Sunset said.”
Did she? Princess Twilight wrinkled her nose. Sunset was flopped over one of Spike’s green spikes, breathing gently. She’s not wrong, but it isn’t always easy. I can imagine quite a bit, you know.
“I think I know.” Twilight tried to adjust her collar with a twinkle of magic, and almost ripped apart the stitching. “Dang. But yeah, I’ve got a few things worth imagining, myself. Or would it be yourself?”
Princess Twilight giggled. I don’t know. Are we two halves of the same whole, two instances of the same object, or two completely different individuals?
“I’m sure as heck not a princess.” Twilight felt her ears lay back against her scalp. It was an odd feeling, like somebody was pressing their hands against her hair. She opted to ignore it. “Hey, mind if I ask your advice? Just while we got a moment?”
Princess Twilight nodded and waved a hoof.
“So, I just got some… pretty rough news.” Twilight patted Spike’s muscular back. “Spike, here, my dog… dragon… buddy is pretty old. Like, older than he really should get. The problem is that… well…” She trailed off, chewing the tip of her mane.
The princess held her hooves over her mouth. Oh no! He’s a regular dog where you come from, isn’t he? How old is he?
Twilight looked up at Spike’s massive head, which turned to look back at her. “Almost eighteen. He’s only got a year, if that.”
“You’re talking about me, aren’t you,” he said. “Am I gonna die?”
“No.” Twilight pressed her lips together to hide her grinding teeth. “So, Princess, do you have anything in your magical arsenal that can fix this?”
Princess Twilight spread her wings and flapped them gently, not nearly hard enough to attain liftoff. She brushed her bangs away from her forehead. Is he sick?
“No, he’s just—” Twilight coughed in the back of her throat. “Worn out.”
The princess leaped up and flew beside Spike’s head. She looked him in one eye, then the other. She placed her forehooves on her hips and floated a message to Twilight. Ask him how he feels.
“Uhuh. How do you feel, Spike?”
Spike sucked in his bottom lip. He looked up at the sky, rolling his eyes in thought. He grinned. “Just like a puppy. I’ve been walking all night, and I feel like I could still chase a Frisbee or two. Or a hundred. A hundred is a really big number, right? I’m pretty sure.”
Princess Twilight smiled wide. She flapped her wings to bring her to Spike’s side. I think I’ve got your solution! In your world he’s a dog, but in this world he’s a dragon. A very long-lived—ageless even—creature that has been known to live for several thousand years. All he has to do is hang around here, and he won’t have to worry about fading away for a good, long time.
Twilight’s ear stood straight up. She mirrored the princess’ joyful expression and leaped to her hind legs. “Yes! That’s it! That’s… that’s…” She plopped hard to her rump. “Ow. That’s great. He’d only have to…”
She furrowed her brow and sighed. “He’d only have to live in a completely different world. Forever.”
Spike looked between the two of them. “Wait, what? I don’t get it.”
Princess Twilight settled down beside Twilight and touched a wingtip to her shoulder. He’s welcome to stay with me. We’ve got plenty of room in Ponyville. And you could visit him any time you want.
“But it’s not the ideal solution!” Twilight got to her hooves and paced across Spike’s shoulder blade. “I want to keep him around, not send him away! He’s my friend, and I don’t want to just—”
“Twilight!” Spike’s heavy voice boomed. “Tell me what’s wrong!”
Twilight fell to her back, knocked over by the overwhelming volume. She held her legs close to herself, her entire body shaking. She looked up with watery eyes at the full-grown dragon above her.
Spike raised a hand, his jaw dropping open. “I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m sorry. I—” He wiggled his fingers before continuing to move forward. “Please tell me what’s wrong. I wanna help.”
Twilight blushed bright. She jerked away from an unexpected warmth, but relaxed when she saw it was a recently-awakened Sunset. She let her friend wrap her forelegs around her shoulders. “I’m sorry, Spike,” Twilight said. “You’re dying, yeah. But only when you’re a dog. Now that you’re a dragon, you won’t have that problem anymore.”
Spike frowned at his claws. His snaking tongue slithered across his fangs. “I’m not a dog anymore at all, am I? Not even a little bit?”
Twilight Sparkle fell silent. Sunset spoke over her shoulder. “We don’t really understand what’s going on, Spike. Most animals here are smarter than the animals back home, so maybe it’s… something about the magic in the air. I don’t know why it affected you so much, but you really aren’t just a dog anymore. You’re a person.”
Spike wrinkled his nose. “So why are you sad?”
“Because you need to stay here to stay a dragon.” Twilight shook her head, pushing her glasses higher up her snout. “Because if you come home, you’ll be a dog again, and you’ll die.”
Spike thumped his fist on the loamy ground. “So we’ll stay here. We can do that, right?”
Twilight tapped her hooves together. “I can’t just abandon my life. I’d be leaving behind too many things.”
“But then I wouldn’t be with you!” Spike snorted smoke. “I wanna be with you.”
“The princess offered you a place to stay.” Twilight shut her eyes tight against the growing sting. “You’ll be taken care of, and I can visit—”
“But I want to live with you, Twilight.”
“I know, Spike, but it isn’t right to let you waste away—”
“I’m okay. I can deal with it. I don’t want to abandon—”
Twilight’s face grew red. “Darn it, Spike, just let me save your life!”
“How can I protect you,” Spike shouted, “if I’m in a whole other world?”
Twilight swallowed hard. She looped her fetlock around Sunset’s. “Maybe you’ll find something new to protect.”
“No.”
“Spike…”
“No!” Spike turned away, his eyes falling on the guards and their chariot. They glanced back at the dragon occasionally, their neck muscles tensed. Spike’s thick neck flexed, dwarfing their bodies all on its own. “I’m coming home with you.”
Twilight swore under her breath. Then she swore over her breath. “Back to square one.”
The princess passed a note to Sunset, which Twilight just managed to get a glimpse of. I’m starting to understand what you mean about her foul language.
“You haven’t seen foul language, Princess,” Twilight grumbled. “Try growing up on a military base.”
I’ll admit, that’s something I haven’t experienced. Princess Twilight hovered over Spike’s head, nodded, and returned with a flash of magic. Better table the discussion. We’re coming up on Ponyville now.
“Ponyville.” Twilight Sparkle leveled her eyebrows and pulled her lips back. “Ponyville.”
“Hey, we didn’t name it.” Sunset shared a shallow grin with Twilight, who didn’t return it. “It, uh, could be worse.”
“Of course.” Twilight lifted her glasses off her nose and rubbed her eyes. “We could have stumbled upon the ancient civilization Loadabull, or the sparkling city of Horsecrap, or—”
She stopped up short. She sucked her lips in and tilted her head. One ear swiveled around of its own accord, searching for the source of a new sound. “You hear that?”
Sunset shook her head before her ears twitched. “Um… kinda? It sounds like somebody’s…”
Twilight hinged her jaw to the side. “Singing?”
Princess Twilight sighed in apparent relief, her wings relaxing at her sides. She took wing beside Spike and flew carefully between the trees.
They broke through the tree-line, and the voice came clear all at once. It sang softly, gently, like a mother waking her children after a good night’s sleep. It rose like the morning sun, every note clear and glistening.
“Ponyville, such a lovely city
Every year bringing brand new life
Ponyville waits on new arrivals
So we all can say…”
Twilight Sparkle shrieked as a pink puff of something leaped over Spike’s side and landed right in her face. “New friends!” it screeched.
It wrapped her in a strong, unyielding embrace. Twilight could feel the cartilage in her spine popping. “New friends!” it hollered again.
It bounced up and down, somehow adding an equally-startled Sunset Shimmer to the embrace. “New friends, new friends, new friends!”
It dragged them off Spike’s back to lead them to a springy landing on the ground below. The dragon watched, wide-eyed, as the pink thing hauled his friends across the trimmed grass ahead. He started to growl, until Princess Twilight rested a hoof on his head. She winked at him, and then waved him forward.
As they approached the city of Ponyville, Twilight saw that it was mostly made up of two-story buildings. Storefronts topped with second-floor living-spaces dotted freshly-paved streets. Ponies of every size, shape, and color milled around in the early morning, setting up canopies and stocking stalls.
With little-to-no warning, the pink vice clamping onto her started up her song with a lively beat.
“My name is Pinkie and I’m pleased to meet you
Assistant mayor and baker, too!
As a welcome-to-town gift
I can give you both a lift
To show you the sights and sounds—Oh dang, oh shoot!”
Pinkie stood still on her hind legs, one unicorn tucked under each forehoof. “Where was I gonna take you first? I had the whole dang thing organi—Aha! The Corner! Let’s go!”
She skidded to a stop next to a close approximation of a gingerbread house. The immediate sensation of cinnamon in the air tickled Twilight’s nose and resulted in a tiny sneeze. She waved her legs in an attempt to get free, but was left hanging helplessly in the stranger’s grasp. Naturally enough, the blur continued her odd little a cappella song.
“Sugarcube Corner makes the best treats in town
The Cakes and their kids work with me”
A little blue pegasus filly followed an older pegasus colt as they set up tables and chairs outside the business.
“This is Patty and that’s Pound
Are Pumpkin and Rice around?
Never mind, we just have too much more to see!”
The galloped through town on two legs, leading Twilight Sparkle to feel just a little bit of jealousy rising above her mortal terror at being kidnapped. A comparison ran through her mind as she searched the pink pony’s face. It finally registered that she had called herself “Pinkie” during the song. Pinkie Pie’s double, then. It figured. It was so improbable that it looped back to probable, and the whole thing was baffling enough to make perfect sense.
“New friends!” Pinkie called out to random passerby. “New friends! Just get a load of the Ponyville life!”
She trotted right up to one of the tallest buildings in town. It was rounded, with a second floor held up by evenly-spaced pillars. “This is City Hall! I’m so excited, we just upgraded from a town to a city this last year. We had a huge influx of visitors and ponies staying here after the whole Cloudsdale Incident!” She leaned close to Sunset’s ear and whispered loudly enough to be heard across the street. “Don’t mention that to Twilight! She has kinda a big traumatic experience recently, and talking about the Cloudsdale Incident might draw up bad memories. Um, and for like half the citizens of Ponyville, too. Best to just not mention it. At all. Period.”
She coughed and lifted Twilight to point the unicorn’s horn at the flag atop the municipal building. “But here’s where the magic happens! Every day, you can find Lord Mayor Applejack and her staff working diligently to make Ponyville a better place.” She grinned sheepishly. “Just try to get here before the protesters do.”
“I have no context for any of this!” Twilight growled.
“Context is overrated.” Pinkie winked. “Come and take a quantum leap with me!”
“Aaaarrggghhhh!” Twilight ground her teeth. “You’re Pinkie Pie, alright.”
With nothing more than a whoosh of air as warning, Twilight Sparkle was placed in the middle of a pony-packed street. People milled around, nudging each other aside and handing out greetings. Market stalls lined both sides of the wide street, stocked with fruits, vegetables, and all sorts of knickknacks.
“The Mane Street Market’s full of bustling commerce
We’ve carrots, blankets, cherries, lamps!
But the apples are the best,
They can outshine all the rest
You can bet that if you shop here, you’ll get cramps!”
Twilight was bumped from behind by a strong wall of fuzziness. She skittered to the side, drawing her tail between her back legs. “Hey, watch where you’re touch… urgh…”
A tall, muscular, red-coated stallion loomed over her, a blade of straw clutched loosely between his lips. His shaggy mane mirrored his orange beard. “’Pologies, ma’am.” He lumbered past her, lugging a fully-loaded apple cart behind him.
Twilight’s jaw fell unhinged. She stared after the stallion, her face heating up like a cheap stove. “B-Big M-M-Ma-Ma…”
She turned to a complete stranger and pointed. “Big Mac—Big Ma-Mac is so pony…”
The stranger glanced after Big McIntosh and chuckled. “I know the feeling, hun, but he’s taken. Barkin’ up the wrong tree right there.”
Twilight stood alone in the crowd, lifting her head to catch a glimpse of the unbelievable sight. A word registered a moment too late. “Wait, what do you mean taken?” She bopped herself in the forehead. “Duh. Princess Twilight.”
A new voice rose above the rumble of the shoppers. One that sounded incredibly familiar to Twilight’s ears. She followed the sound to the middle of the market, where a fountain trickled with clear, sparkling water. Sunset Shimmer draped herself along the edge of the pool, dipping her hoof in the cool liquid.
Twilight rolled her eyes as Sunset sang.
“Ooh, it feels like I’m dreaming
I can touch the magic in the air
Everywhere light is gleaming
It’s almost like I can live life without a care”
Twilight grasped Sunset by the hoof and dragged her upwards. “Since when were you such an improv artist?”
“I’m telling you, Twilight,” Sunset giggled, “there’s something in the air.”
“That makes perfect sense.” Twilight glowered and pushed Sunset to the edge of the crowd. “Your atmosphere is made entirely out of drugs.”
Pinkie popped out of the front door of a nearby tree. As if that wasn’t strange enough on its own, she was pushing a dragon with her forehead. The dragon was purple and green, just like Spike, but was only about a head taller than the average pony. He sat on his haunches, waving an unsure claw. “Hi?”
“This here is Spikey, he’s the librarian
The books are in the tree, alright?
He’s a dragon, super cool
Though he’s purple, he’s true blue
He’s the king of randomish odd jobs
His strength has placed him on the top
I think he likes corn on the cob
It’s Spike!”
Spike tapped his clawtips together, giving the two unicorns a sharp-toothed, tiny grin. “Can’t argue with that last one. Especially when it’s grilled. So, hi, I’m Spike.”
Twilight Sparkle tried to suck her lips in, but already found her mouth full of mane. She spat the hair out and tried to speak. “Whaaaaaaaa—?”
“Hi, Spike!” Sunset bobbed her head, nudging Twilight in the shoulder. “It’s been a while. I’m Sunset Shimmer!”
Spike’s eyes bulged. His head swiveled between Sunset and Twilight as smoke trailed out of his filmy ears. “So that means she’s… whaaaaaaaa—?”
He snapped a claw. “You guys are here about the Adagio thing, aren’t you? Twilight told me all about it. You guys need help with anything, I’m your dragon!”
One of Twilight’s eyes twitched. “Sunset, my dog is in two places at once.”
Spike’s chest deflated. “Dog?”
“Spike,” Sunset said, “I don’t suppose you remember your time in the other world?”
“Oh.” Spike tried and failed to suppress a shudder. “Not… especially fondly. I mean, I could deal with the whole dog thing, but those dang fleas were—”
A spurt of flame jumped past his lips as he jumped. “You brought her dog over, didn’t you?”
“Not entirely by choice.” Sunset gave Twilight a pointed, sidelong glance. “But yeah. Don’t be too freaked out.”
Spike stood on his hind legs, bringing himself over their heads. “Well, might as well get the emotional scarring out of the way. Where is the little fella?”
A cry of alarm rose from nearly the entire town. Thunderous footsteps shook the ground, running hairline cracks over the roads. Ponies parted like waves in the face of the full-grown dragon.
They were only stopped from completely losing their minds by the presence of Princess Twilight Sparkle, who had taken a seat between his head frills. She waved, a nervous smile touching her lips.
The large dragon took a deep breath in and belted out for all he was worth.
“Please don’t be frightened at my size and fire
I am a good guy, this I swear
I won’t pillage or plunder
Or tear buildings asunder
I just need to get to my friends over there”
A nearby flower shop was sealed up from the front door to the windows as three mares scurried to gather their goods inside the greenhouse. They spared the dragon a glance or two, sweat pouring down their foreheads as they shrieked.
“Look there! Dragon! It’s super scary!
Look out! Monster! He’ll eat us all!
I need my pills, my heart can’t take it
So this is how Equestria will fall!”
“All the ponies in this town are crazy,” Twilight muttered.
“Guh…” Spike the Librarian scratched the top of his head, letting a few dead scales drift loose. He turned to Pinkie with a helpless shrug.
“This does raise the question of what we’re gonna call you guys.” Pinkie rubbed her chin and rested her other hoof on Twilight’s back. “I figure we can just call the Twilights ‘Nudist Twilight’ and ‘Bashful Twilight,’ but both Spikes are entirely naked. Big Spike and Little Spike?”
Spike stuck his tongue out. “I am not letting you call me Little Spike.”
Twilight sighed deeply. “You’re naked, too, Pinkie.”
“I am?” Pinkie Pie looked between her front legs. “No I’m not! I’m just wearing a dress that can only be seen by the pure in heart.”
“No you’re—” Twilight paused, blinking into the middle-distance. She shared a quick glance with Sunset. “Is she?”
“You’ll never know,” Pinkie cackled. “Now come on! There’s another landmark in town that you just gotta see! There’s one more taste of the Ponyville life!”
Twilight snorted. “The tension, I could cut it with a knife.”
Pinkie Pie tucked the unicorns under her forelegs again, hoofing it towards the far end of the town. Little Spike stood on the library steps, one finger held in the air. He blew a breath through his scaly lips, dropped to all fours, and scrambled after them.
Pinkie ran through crowds, leaped over individuals, and careened off random walls on her war path through the city. Twilight’s stomach churned as if she was on a roller coaster that had long ago overstayed its welcome. They rounded a final corner, bringing into view a sight that Twilight had to admit was… beautiful.
A spire of glimmering blue jutted out of the ground, breaking off into several branches. It sparkled in the sunlight, taking on a slight purple tinge. Stained-glass windows dotted the sides, with a few open windows letting in light and air. The spire was as large around as a city block, and as tall as a skyscraper. Double doors, large enough to admit a dragon, opened at the beckoning of a purple spell.
Pinkie smiled.
“Ponyville’s castle is a treat, no question
The crystal’s shine is quite a sight
A reminder to our friends
That the magic never ends
And for one brief moment all is right
Though shadows creep in through the night
If we stick to it we can fight
For light!”
All together, Big Spike, Little Spike, Princess Twilight, Twilight Sparkle, and Sunset piled into the castle. The doors closed behind them with a muted thump.
Pinkie Pie bounced off, and life in Ponyville went on as usual.
***
Sunset Shimmer leaned against the door, doing her best to brush her windswept mane down. “Does she greet everypony like that?”
Princess Twilight hissed a laugh. Nope. For me, she threw a surprise party. I guess she took my advice when I said to keep it on the down-low this time.
“A city-wide musical number is ‘on the down-low’?” Twilight Sparkle looked up at Big Spike, her mouth skewing to the side. “And where did you learn to sing?”
Big Spike let his fangs part in a smile. “Same place I learned how to talk, I guess?”
Twilight furrowed her brow. “But you can’t read.”
“Not that I know of.”
“M’kay. This magic thing is really hit-and-miss, ain’t it?” Twilight Sparkle leaned against Sunset. “Anything you can imagine, as long as you’re a few sandwiches short of a picnic.”
Sunset laughed lightly. She craned her neck to look up, up, up at the vaulted ceiling of the entryway. Even Big Spike’s head didn’t reach the top. “You guys get many gigantic visitors?”
Not especially, Princess Twilight wrote. One or two, when time and weather permit.
“Only a couple,” Sunset repeated to Big Spike.
“Thanks,” he said. He placed a hoof further down the hallway, moving his bulk deeper into the castle. “Anything I need to watch out for? Squishables and the like?”
Little Spike crawled beside him. “Nah. Just a table or two.” He narrowed his eyes. “So. What’s the story behind you being so big?”
Sunset Shimmer trotted along, her head raised in a perfect teacher’s pose. “I think I get it. Big Spike and Little Spike—”
“Don’t call me Little Spike.”
“—are both eighteen years old.”
Big Spike cleared his throat. “Actually, I won’t turn eighteen for a couple more months.”
Little Spike cocked a brow. “Really? Because that’s when I turn nineteen.”
“Anyway,” Sunset said, stretching the word out, “I think it has to do with how dragons and dogs age very differently. You see, after eighteen years, Little Spike—”
“Don’t call me Little Spike.”
Sunset gave him the stink-eye. “—has grown for eighteen years of a dragon’s life-span. It’s only a fraction of the whole thing. While Big Spike has matured for eighteen years of a dog’s life. He’s well into his elderly years.”
Little Spike flicked his serpentine tail. “In the other world he’s a geezer, so he would be in this world, too? Weird, but I kinda get it.” He scrunched his muzzle. “Which means that if I went over there, I’d still be a puppy. Yech. No thanks.”
Big Spike blew smoke rings and stared at his counterpart. “Watch who you call geezer, pup. I’m more spry than I’ve ever been.”
“Watch who you call pup, grandpa.” Little Spike chuckled. “I didn’t hatch yesterday.”
Big Spike smirked and went back to sniffing the air.
Princess Twilight hovered beside Little Spike and handed him a note. He looked it over and smiled. “Sure, Twi. Follow me, guys! I’ll take yah to the laboratory. Wait’ll you see what Twilight’s set up in there!”
Sunset Shimmer turned to follow the two dragons and Twilight down a corridor that looped around the trunk of the castle. Princess Twilight landed beside her and stopped her with a wing.
Sunset tipped her head to the side. “What’s up?”
Princess Twilight jerked her head towards the far corridor. She set off at a steady clip with Sunset on her tail. An archway half as high as the ceiling led into the room at the center of the castle—the heart of the entire structure.
Sunset gasped. Six thrones sat equidistant around a center table, with one smaller throne besides. The high-backed seats each held a glowing glyph of one of the Elements of Harmony, taking the form of the cutie marks of those who wielded them. The table flickered with the faint outline of a map, which grew brighter as Princess Twilight approached.
A network of roots hung on the ceiling above the open circle of thrones. Suspended from their tips, a series of crystal shards sparkled with the same faint glow as the castle’s walls. Sunset focused on one in particular that seemed to grasp her attention.
A vision flashed in her eyes, like a photo album in motion. The Element Bearers gathered around one of their members, Applejack, as they partook of fresh cider. A banner hung behind them, congratulating the farmer on being elected Mayor of Ponyville.
Sunset closed her mouth with a teeth-numbing snap. “I… wow… I like what you’ve done with the place.”
It wasn’t me, really. It was the others coming to my rescue, as usual. Princess Twilight blushed and motioned Sunset close to the throne with a purple star. Sorry about the sneaking around. I needed to talk with you privately.
Sunset nibbled the tip of her tongue. “Is it about Twilight? Or Spike? I know it might have been a bad idea to bring them along, but it’s really her mission to track—”
Princess Twilight rested a hoof gently against Sunset’s lips. She let out a deep sigh and adjusted her scarf with a nervous twitch of her horn. It’s not them. It’s something much worse.
She paced around the table map, touching her wing to one location or another. She wrote carefully and swiftly across her notepad. When she finished, she handed the page to Sunset and collapsed into her chair with a sigh.
Sunset’s eyes widened as she clutched the paper. We believe that the people who hired my assassin, the goons who stole the mirror portal, and the creeps who wrecked Cloudsdale are all part of the same conspiracy. I think they might be the same folks who got Adagio back to Equestria.
It’s been one terrible thing after another for the past year or so. I’m getting tired of it. I want something to go right for once. I think Adagio might be that window of opportunity. If she’s in bed with the bozos who are messing up Equestria, we’ve got golden opportunity to get back at the bad guys. To hopefully stop them for good.
I’m kind of thankful you brought Big Spike, actually. An adult dragon would be invaluable against these guys…
I want you to be sure you know what kind of danger you’re getting into. These are murderers and terrorists. Scum of the earth. I’m going to do everything I can to keep you safe, to make sure you get to go home to your family… But I can’t guarantee it, no matter how magical I am.
Whatever comes, I want you to know I’ll be by your side.
Sunset rolled the note up. She held it beside her head and looked into Princess Twilight’s reddened eyes. “I’ll be by your side, too. I want to help you make things right.”
The princess smiled, her cheek pressed against her throne’s arm rest. She sat upright with a muted groan, her wings popping at the joints. She let out a soundless, humorless laugh. I’m getting too old for this.
“Oh, hush, you’re only twenty-six. Prime of your life!” Sunset crossed her left foreleg over the other. “Now, if you were twenty-seven like me, then we could talk.”
Princess Twilight blew a raspberry. I couldn’t!
Sunset took a step back, tilting her head towards the way the others had gone. “Now come on, show me that lab of yours. I haven’t seen a real magical laboratory in… holy cow… a decade! Time’s overdue.”
Princess Twilight jumped up and tapped the table twice. The map disappeared, leaving the surface plain, smooth crystal. She smiled at Sunset and walked towards the hallway, her hooves moving at a steady clip-clop. I think you’re gonna like a decade’s worth of advancements in magical science. I’ve got aaaaallll the toys.
Sunset Shimmer squeed with barely-repressed glee and hurried after her friend. They could hear Little Spike’s voice echoing through the corridors ahead, interspersed with a smattering of questions from Twilight.
“Don’t call me Little Spike,” Little Spike grumbled.
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Mm, RealDragon Spike is considerably more cyincal than Dog Spike, it appears. Probably less comfortable with who he is in general... of course, we already knew that about Dragon Spike.
Seems like he, aside from teasing, gets along pretty well with his counterpart.
6070652 Also take note that DragonSpike has been fully sapient for far longer than DogSpike. More time for a personality to develop.
First thought: dammit, I can't upvote again.
I wonder if Twillight will revise her statement once she realizes not every pony is an unicorn.
I can't really argue with that. (EDIT: ... that's quite insightful of Princess Twilight now that I think of it)
I like how the whole 'dog!Spike dying of old age' issue gets resolved simply by asking him his opinion now that he can have one and decide by himself (even if it's a bit grim to learn he decided to die by Twilight's side as a human and her dog). I wonder how to make him pass through the portal though; I'm pretty sure he's too bg to fit the portal back to the human world now.
I wonder if her reactions will be worse to names of the other places, considering that for her will be all sorts of horse puns.
Nice musical, and good for Twilight to learn a multiversal constant: no matter the world, Pinkie Pie is Pinkie Pie.
And again, Sunset Shimmer loves her magic.
Nice to see some lightness and fun, delivered by Pinkie of course. I like how the meaning of your version of that song is almost diametrically opposite the original. The original is about a standoffish girl looking down on the provincial village she has moved to and the rest of the town returning the favor, here the parody is the pony at the heart of the village using that song to heap praise and wonder on her town.
Speaking of song parodyists, if only some stallion had been able to burst in on the middle of that song and be all "Just watch, I'm going to make Pinkie my wife!"
Drop more truth bombs, Twilight! I bet non-unicorns never share their pens and pencils.
Dangit Spike, if you stay a dragon and she visits you a few times a year every year, you'll end up with more time with Twilight than if you go back!
Funny how this is almost the exact opposite of some older fics where Spike doesn't want to leave Twilight behind because he wants to maximize his time with her before she dies of old age.
Interesting, looks like Equestrians in general keep it fairly clean. I like to imagine Sunset was still like this at her worst, and even as a despotic bully made sure Snips and Snails kept it PG in her presence. Also, Princess Twilight grew up with a brother in the guard and an uncle in the guard, she was definitely somewhat exposed to military life.
Twinonamous, and I'm not referring to the ship!
Then you should have
read Daybreakgotten to Equestria sooner, Twilight!Probably best Snarkle doesn't find out the truth, I would hate to see her friendship with the librarian back home ruined.
When you find you've, got the music, got the music in you and all that.
I laughed pretty hard at the flower trio pulling their usual shenanigans. Then I thought about how that night, Davenport and Scootaloo probably had to stay up with Roseluck and talk her down from a panic attack. Curse you author, how could you have forgotten that worldbuilding is a two-edged sword?
Definitely Little Spike!
Oh Pinkie!
Also, looks like Twilight doesn't really know Sunset that well after all, does she?
Aww yeah, I love it when the heroes get to be pro-active and force the villains to react, rather than the other way around it usually is.
Wait, what? WHAT? Time dilation, Sunset being the elder student, etc! If Twilight Sparkle is 26, Sunset's Equestrian birth certificate must have been issued at least 36 years ago!
That ship has sailed and been declared an OTP, Little Spike.
so, I don't see that mirror taking away something like sentience. When Spike goes back he'll be human. But since he has almost no experience as a sentient he'll be a child
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It turned Little Spike into a dog. A talking dog, but still a dog.
It might turn Big Spike into an old talking dog, or just back to a normal old dog. Assuming he goes back that is.
Yep.
Exactly.
Maybe. Also, this had better be foreshadowing.
I dunno, my cat's at the very LEAST 18 and she's in perfect shape, thinks she's the Queen of Sheba and everything.
Not at the moment.
It is.
Yep.
In other words, you're sentient.
Loyal to the end, eh Spike?
I hesitate to ask.
Loadabull? Not that is a load of bull!
Pinkie.
Assistant mayor? Oh right, Lord Mayor Applejack and all that stuff. Someone give me context please? Also, I can imagine a record scratch, this was hilarious!
No.
Yep.
Taken?
SO much yes.
As are my sidews!
You were saying?
Riight, like that will work.
You don't know the half of it.
I, don't, know.
My sides!
For Pinkie, yes.
I suppose so, yes.
From time to time.
-Snark to Snark Combat is Best Combat.
Wrecked Cloudsdale? Explain fanfic explain! Also, you believe, that somepony hired a time traveling Commander Hurricane, thieves to steal the mirror portal, and ponies to wreck Cloudsdale, and you think it's one big conspiracy. You're aware of how absurd this is, right?
Hah, it's funny because she's mute.
I can imagine Sunset grinning like a kid in a candy story.
Hey, it's better than Little Green.
I just thought something: has Twilight been told why her pony counterpart has wings and she doesn't? Because that seems something I think the human would have asked about.
Curiouser and curiouser,
s6.postimg.org/5ul2jmext/continue_Monkey.jpg
Haha, nice. Can't come soon enough, though.
Okay SciTwi, there are two options. 1) leave Spike T. Dog in Equestria and be without him at home, or 2) bring him home, watch him die, and then be without him at home. Only one of these involve him dying.
Ahh, Pinkie, the second chapter in two days that you're single-handedly (single-hoofedly?) powering with your presence.
The mental image of this is just wonderful.
Hmmnn... SciTwi is going to be surprised once she (and we) find out who Mac is with. Maybe we're in for a surprise, but I have a feeling that it isn't the local Princess.
Little Spike, hahaha!
Bwhahahahah!
Hmn.
Interesting. I wonder if that means that guy who is Blueblood's assistant or whatever is still on the loose and cooking up trouble.
Really fun chapter.
Another fun breather chapter. Gotta say, I really empathize with human Twilight here. My own little guy is getting up there in years. He's blind and diabetic and probably has about a year left. As much as I love him, sometimes you've just gotta let nature take its course. I feel like Twilight's going to have to learn that at some point. We can only hope she takes it better than Rainbow Dash when the word "hibernation" comes up
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He's been dealt a few bum cards, so he's a little snarky about it, but Spike's a good guy at heart. Both of them. I think they recognize that in each other.
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I imagine a dragon's memories vs a dog's memories ought to have several interesting differences.
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Absolutely. I like the headcanon that she was being set up to be the Bearer of the Element of Magic before she went rogue. It adds another layer to the Sunset/Twilight rivalry/friendship.
I wouldn't say "resolved" quite yet, because Twilight won't give up that easily.
All it would take is a little work to widen the tunnel leading to the portal. It's a pretty nice-sized underground pool.
And Pinkie Pie is awesome, therefore, all worlds have copious amounts of awesome.
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I think reversals are one of the keys to a good parody. I'm no Weird Al, but I do appreciate that he can make a living out of this.
Exposed to it, yes. Did not live on a base. More like in a library. Who's the uncle? I can only think of Shiny and Velvet, and maybe Daring if you count her as an aunt.
Touche.
I forget nothing! Call it specially-crafted for maximum impact to series veterans.
Muhuahahahaha.
Time dilation is a real pain in the butt. Expect this to be called out at some point.
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It's possible the mirror didn't grant it, but something else.
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He would definitely turn into a dog. Beyond that, though, is a mystery.
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Different animals have different lifespans, too. Spike's just happens to be running down.
I revel in absurdity.
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3)Learn magic and FIX EVERYTHING
I'm just gonna point at Scootaloo Will Fly! and smirk.
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I'm sorry to hear that. I hope you get to spend some more good moments with him.
For Twilight, I think her reaction will depend on the timing and the situation. I hesitate to say more, for obvious reasons. She's gonna learn a lesson one way or the other.
You realize that this is the only context that joke works in, right? And, my gosh, it was so funny I was laughing for 10 minutes!
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I know I was giggling like a madman when I wrote it down.
You can find a lot of Emperor's New Clothes jokes around, but not quite on this level. I'm glad you enjoyed it!
I don't know why everyone has such a hard time with names and multiverse twins. Just call one Twilight and the other Sparkle! Decide which by flipping a coin. That's what I'd do if I ever met my clone. Flip a coin and whoever gets tails switches to our middle name.
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What if there were four of you?
Yes! I instinctively used the correct tune for Pinkie's song! I feel awesome!
6253946 or one twilight the other princess, spike and big spike.
6202105 dog spike is best dragon
That was a magnificent Pinkie Pie!
I like the implication - that either Twilight believes Sunset is pure of heart (or, at any rate, more likely to be so than herself) or she thinks Sunset can tell whether such a dress is there without seeing it.
Loved this chapter and bonus points for using one
of my favorite Disney songs.
126 years old? For a dragon? HA! He's still young when it comes to a dragon's age. Let's see here see if I can put it in simpler ways 126 years old for a dragon is basically putting him in the same category as someone who's in their early to mid teens or somewhere around that