Arrest and Conviction
Twilight Sparkle watched the last of Spike’s dragonfire-sent messages disappear over the horizon. She was nudged from behind by Princess Twilight as the alicorn bustled past, leading the way to the train station. A few unsteady hoofsteps carried her down the stairs leading from the castle’s front door.
“You got everything?” Little Spike asked. He slung a sack over one shoulder, filled to the brim with paperwork and writing utensils. “Want a book for the trip over? It’ll be a few hours.”
Twilight scrunched up her muzzle. “What do you have with you?”
“I’ve got Daring Do, a magical encyclopedia, a bestiary…” A book from the bottom of the bag caught his eye. “You might have already read this… Fire in the Mountain?”
Twilight shrugged. “Why would I have read that?”
Little Spike’s scaly lips pursed, crinkling together as he decided how best to say it. “Well, my Twilight wrote it, so I thought maybe you did something similar.”
Twilight rolled her eyes. “No, I’m no author.” She was a reader, though. Not many people could say that they’d read a novel written by their alternate-universe counterpart. “Hand it over. I’ll take a look at it.”
“It’s really good,” Little Spike said. “At least, I think so.”
Before he could say another word, the princess shoved a sheet of paper into his hands. He read it over, cleared his throat, and turned to the castle. He only had to wait a moment before Sunset Shimmer, Big Spike, Rumble, and the crusaders stepped out. “In the interest of taking the quickest route to Fillydelphia, the princess has decreed that we travel by train.”
He raised an eyebrow at the three teenagers. “And since we’re headed into some pretty heavy stuff, she’d rather you guys stay behind where it’s safe.”
“Shunted off from another adventure,” Scootaloo sighed, her body dipping in midair. “Mark my words; someday I’ll do something awesome.”
Rumble crossed his forelegs. “You already are awesome, Scoots—”
“Sucking up will get you nowhere.”
“It’s worked well for me in the past.” He polished his hoof on his strong chest. “Sycophancy is my ally, and a powerful ally it is.”
Scootaloo blinked. She bit her lip to hold back the grin threatening to spill forth. “Eh. You’re not wrong…”
Apple Bloom loomed close to Twilight, but her focus was on Little Spike. She placed her hoof on the dragon’s shoulder and squeezed. “You don’t fret none, you hear? It’ll work itself out.”
He touched his fingertips to her leg, giving her a wry smile. “Most things do. You don’t fret any either. I’ll find out if you do.”
“Wouldn’t have it any other way.” Apple Bloom looked to the princess with a pronounced frown on her face. “You sure you don’t need us?”
Princess Twilight nodded, most of her attention on the paper she was scribbling on. She ripped off a small corner to write a short message on. Yes. You’re needed here. Thanks.
Twilight felt her ears lower themselves across her head as Sunset Shimmer shuffled up. Sunset winced when Scootaloo’s voice broke over the mild rumble of the townspeople. “You guys stop by anytime, alright? We’ll give you the real Ponyville experience!”
“They did already meet Pinkie,” Apple Bloom said.
Scootaloo stuck her tongue out. “That’s still only the first taste.”
Big Spike squeezed through the double-doors, his claws making fresh cracks in the pavement. Twilight Sparkle edged close to him, making a short distance between herself and the others. She did her best to ignore the way his leg twitched when she rested a foreleg against it. “You okay, Spike?”
He swished his tail. “Just don’t wanna hurt you.”
She trailed his leg with her eyes, giving up, up, up to the strong, rock-crushing muscles in his shoulders. “Right. Guess that’s a concern.” She patted him. “Considering you’ve already saved my life, you’ve got a good track record going.”
“What?” Big Spike jolted. He looked down with one eyebrow raised. “When was that?”
“At the mountain. I almost fell off the cliff.” She smiled. “You were there to catch me.”
Big Spike sat and looked at his hands. He flexed the fingers, his large, glowing green eyes flicking between them. “Huh.”
“Everybody ready?” Little Spike asked again. “I think Twilight might have an aneurism if we don’t head out right this minute.”
Princess Twilight gave him a scowl, though one with no real anger behind it. She extended a wing and waved it vigorously, prompting them to follow her. Scootaloo and Rumble waved before flying off in the other direction, but Apple Bloom followed.
It was a brisk trot to Ponyville Station. Most of the crowds parted like waves, and those that didn’t all but scattered when the full-grown dragon came into view. Twilight Sparkle took a moment to admire the town without being lugged around by a crazy pink-coated pony. It reminded her a little of the old pictures of Canterlot, the ones Granny Smith took when her family had first started their farm. Ponyville was old and old-timey, but also entering a bit of a boom, judging by the new construction project she could just see on the outskirts.
She tried to ignore the market when they passed it. She tried not to stare at the tall, red-coated stallion manning the Sweet Apple Acres applecart. She failed.
The mare he was talking to was vaguely familiar. She’d seen Sunset talking to her occasionally. She was the school librarian at Canterlot High. Here, she was… kissing Big Mac. He kissed the foal being carted in her saddlebag-baby-carrier combo. He smiled a wide smile, one that stretched from ear to ear. It lit up his whole face and the surrounding area.
“What’s wrong, Twilight?”
Twilight gave Sunset a cool stare. She made sure Apple Bloom was out of earshot, then pointed her horn at the couple. “Over there.”
Sunset studied the crowd for a moment before coming up with a small “Oh.”
“Yeah.” Twilight ground her teeth together. “He’s never smiled at me like that. Not even when… not even when we…”
She brushed her loose bangs out of her face and looked ahead, trying to ignore the redness in her cheeks. “Whatever. This world is driving me crazy one step at a time.”
When they reached the station, she hung her head and let out a low moan. “Ugh, and there’s the last straw.”
There was the train, whose engine was about the size of a central park horse-drawn buggy. She’d seen toy trains more convincing that that mess of wood, wheels, and pink hearts. As a matter of fact, it probably should have been a toy train. “This is supposed to get us across the country?”
“Naw, this is the Friendship Express,” Apple Bloom said. “First train that ever made its way to Ponyville. Pert near ready to be retired. They usually just use it for kiddie rides nowadays.”
Twilight jerked her head back at a sudden thought. “Waitaminute.” She waved a hoof to get Princess Twilight’s attention, then gestured at her dog-turned-dragon. “You wouldn’t happen to have a car big enough for him, would yah?”
One of Princess Twilight’s eyes widened, while the other squinted. She clapped a hoof to her face and screamed a noiseless curse to the sky. Apple Bloom, would you be so kind as to keep Big Spike out of trouble while we’re away?
“Um…” Apple Bloom shrugged. “Sure, Twilight.”
Big Spike narrowed his eyes at the little scrap of paper. “What’s she say?”
Twilight Sparkle scoffed, but held back a grunt. “She wants you to stay behind. Apple Bloom ’ll take care of y—”
“No.” Big Spike’s head shook. “No, you’re not leaving me behind.”
Twilight tapped a hoof against the ground. “It’s not like I’m leaving you for good—”
“Not just yet.” Big Spike sniffed. He blinked a sizzling tear from his eye. “But I’m not going to abandon you just yet. I’m not ready. I might never be ready.”
Little Spike wrung a scroll between his hands. “It’s not like they’re gonna go back to the other world—”
“No.” Big Spike sat down with a hefty thoom of finality. “There has to be another way.”
Princess Twilight flared her wings. Until you manage to spontaneously sprout wings, I’m afraid you’re going to be locked to this particular part of Equestria for the time being.
“Freight train.”
All eyes turned to Sunset, who sat quietly on a nearby bench. She lifted her head, her ears low. “The freight train. Their cargo cars carry loads like you wouldn’t believe. They’re bringing wood and metal in for the new building, right? How long until the next train?”
Little Spike went over the train schedule posted on the wall. “About thirty minutes.”
“Huh.” Twilight Sparkle smirked at Big Spike. “Do you suppose tracking down a fugitive might be more important than delivering goods?”
That’s a dangerous question for a princess to ask, Princess Twilight wrote. But I suppose I can see if they’d be willing to rent a car or two out.
***
Twilight Sparkle looked out the tiny window in the rear door of her car. Big Spike took up most of her view. His body was chained to the bed at fairly comfortable spots across his back and at his hips, assisted by his firm, gripping claws. He held his head just above the back of the previous car to reduce wind resistance.
His mouth was wide open, allowing his tongue to flap in the wind. Twilight managed a brief giggle.
She sighed and turned back to her book. Well, to the princess’ book. It was a lighthearted story about a friend who traveled the world to save their friend from a monster. It had the typical sappy fairytale ending, where even the bad guy was made to see the error of their ways. A few clever wordings jumped out at her, and the pacing was decent enough. It just wasn’t all that memorable.
Twilight closed the back cover. “Maybe I’m just not in the mood.”
The far door to the car, the one closest to the engine, opened to admit Little Spike. He carried a tray in one hand, balancing it like a skillful waiter. “Hay, Twilight. Wanna snack?”
“Hey, uh, Little Spike.” She tapped her hooves. She couldn’t sit up like a human, so she’d taken to lounging like she’d seen Spike do back home. “Sure. What do you have?”
“Hay fries, of course.” He set the platter on the seat across from hers. “A few tiny cucumber sandwiches. There’s a taste of sunflower if you want it.”
She wrinkled her forehead. “Sunflower seeds?”
“There’re sunflower seeds in it.” He lowered himself onto the cushioned bench. “Do you want some company? I’ve noticed that everybody’s kind of—” He gestured around the empty car. “—doing their own thing.”
“It’d just be rude to send you away after bringing me food.” Twilight gripped a cucumber sandwich and drifted it over to her lips. “Are we almost there?”
“About an hour out.” Little Spike pointed a thumb out the window. “We just zipped past Manehattan.”
“Manehattan?” Twilight shook her head. “I thought Fillydelphia was a bad pun. That’s just not even trying.”
“How do you think we felt coming to your world?” Little Spike asked with a chuckle. “You have the same names we do with all the fun parts taken out.”
“The fun parts?” Twilight picked up a hay fry and gazed at it hesitantly. “There’s never been much love lost between puns and myself.”
“I love ’em. It’s a way to bring fun to the most mundane things.” He shrugged and scratched himself behind one filmy ear. “It annoys some ponies, I know, but I don’t think anything’s completely inoffensive.”
“Gotta take your fun where you can find it.” Twilight sighed. “Sounds like something Pinkie would say.”
“Something like that.” Little Spike nibbled on the tip of the sunflower head. “How are Pinkie and the others? In the other world, I mean.”
Twilight steeled herself and tossed the hay fry into her mouth. After an instant of chewing, she decided she vastly preferred potato fries. “I assume you know what they’re all doing in life, right?”
He nodded.
“So you mean more like ‘how are they doing emotionally,’ right?”
He nodded again.
Twilight flopped onto her side and rested her cheek on the cushion. “I don’t know. I don’t think I ever knew. They were always… they were Sunset’s friends, you know? Not mine.”
Little Spike clasped his hands, scratching a few loose scales loose in the process. “Why’s that? I’d think they would want to be your friend, too. Just from what I know.”
“I… it’s really…” Twilight stuffed another cucumber sandwich into her cheek. “You ever seen a kid lose their doll? Or, like, their favorite blanket? You can replace it, but the new one isn’t the same. It doesn’t have the same warmth or love put into it. It doesn’t have the same wrinkles, or comfortable soft spots. It can look exactly the same, but it’s still different. It’s not quite right.”
She rolled onto her back and let her legs hang in the air. “I’m not their Twilight. I’m not the person they want to be friends with. I’m a replacement. They wanted the super-cool princess pony from another world, and they got the quiet nerd from across town.”
Twilight shut her eyes and sighed. “They’re only friends with me out of obligation to her.”
Little Spike’s bench creaked as he shifted his weight. “It shouldn’t have to be that way.”
“Oh yeah?” Twilight peered out of the corner of her eye. “Any other words of wisdom you’d like to share with the curious onlookers?”
“I mean…” He rubbed his forehead while he clutched his tail in his other hand. “Well, just because you’re not my Twilight, and I’m not your Spike, that doesn’t mean that we can’t be friends. It just means we need to have a different sort of friendship. We need to learn to see each other as our own persons.”
Twilight rolled back to her belly and swallowed. “Yeah. You tell them that.”
“No, you tell them.” He held his hand out to her, sweeping it along. “The—the key to a lasting friendship is communication, so I hear. Be frank with them, tell them what’s bothering you. Open up to them, and it’ll strengthen your friendship something fierce. At the least, it’s a step in the right direction.”
She folded her forelegs. “I’m not the most open person ever.”
“It’s different for everybody. Just try it out.” He picked up the book the princess had written. “What did you think?”
“It was okay. A nice way to kill a few hours.” Twilight bit into the last cucumber sandwich. “I admire the obvious care that went into it. I don’t think I’d have the patience to write a book.”
“She worked on this for years.” Little Spike hefted the novel, tossing it from one hand to the other. He gave her a small smile. “She wanted it to be just the right amount of sappy, while still being a rollicking adventure, you know? It’s like chemistry; if you get the correct measurements, the whole thing comes out right. Just one ingredient out of whack tips the balance in favor of an explosion.”
“Years, huh?” Twilight flicked an ear. “What made her finish it?”
Little Spike let his shoulders droop. His smile turned a little sad. “Getting hurt. She finished it within two months of the attack. She said something about not wanting to leave things hanging.”
Twilight stood up to stretch all four legs. Her knees popped after having been bent for the better part of several hours. “So the sappy ending was a coping mechanism?”
“If you wanna look at it like that.” Spike climbed to his hind legs and set off with the tray in his hand. “You might say she was reminding herself that life isn’t just one bad thing after another. There’s happiness if you know how to look for it.”
He paused with his claw on the door handle. “It’s there if you’re willing to fight for it.”
Twilight Sparkle stood alone in the empty car, listening to the train rattle across the tracks. She took a swig from a water bottle she’d kept close since leaving the station. It hovered close to her chest in the grip of her magic as she went to the back door. She looked out the window to see Big Spike having the time of his life in the best car ride he’d ever seen.
“Well, like Sunset Shimmer said,” Twilight muttered, “I am a fighter.”
***
Sunset Shimmer stood on a hill overlooking the city-state known as Fillydelphia. It stretched for miles in every direction, though not all of it was built-up city. Countryside and patches of farmland united several small towns into a cohesive whole, built around the high-population central city. Its place on the border of Equestria made it a melting pot of various species and cultures, from ponies to zebras to leprechauns.
And apparently, one siren.
She could see a small town just below them. Ponies, griffons, and a minotaur or two bustled about their daily lives. A local schoolhouse bell rang, inviting the foals inside to continue their courses. A farmer hauled a cart through the streets bulging with last season’s dried corn.
Behind the hill, a small army of Royal Guards assembled with Princess Twilight at their head.
“This is the spot where the machine picked up the signal,” Little Spike said. “And the pulse continued that-a-way for about twenty meters and then stopped. You picking up anything, Twilight?”
The princess nodded, her horn competing with the sun for sheer brightness.
Sunset could feel it, too. A mild uneasy feeling at the base of her horn. A slight churn in her stomach. It wasn’t just nerves; it was magic. It was a power both familiar and terrifying.
But it was dormant. There wasn’t the constant chill or pull she’d felt from the Dazzlings when they haunted the school ten years before. It was quiet, subdued. Weak? Broken?
Or just waiting?
“I can’t wait to get this over with,” Twilight said. “Then we can get to working out the important stuff.”
“Big Spike, right?” Sunset asked.
“Of course. I don’t want to just leave him, but I can’t let him die.” Twilight sat down and watched the people wander around below. “There’s got to be something I missed.”
“I wish I could say.” Sunset hugged her chest. “I feel a little lost, myself.”
Twilight fidgeted for a moment before leaning against her friend. “Was it Scootaloo?”
“Yeah.” Sunset touched the side of her head to Twilight’s. “You know how long it’s been since she talked to me?”
Twilight wrapped her foreleg around the other unicorn. “What happened between you two?”
Sunset focused on the clink of magical metals. The soldiers gathered together, hoping for a quiet arrest, but preparing for a battle. Their many-colored coats turned white when they latched the seal on their armor.
“I was a bully,” Sunset said.
“You whatnow?”
“I was a bully.” Sunset Shimmer bowed her head as Twilight’s grip slacked. “I was the tyrant of Canterlot High. I knew… I could make friends with anybody, it felt like. People would come to me with their problems because they felt they could trust me. Because they thought they saw warmth in my face. Because I could be a friend. And I could have been. I could have been content with that, but I wanted more.”
Sunset smacked a hoof into the soft soil. “I wanted power over them. Over anything I could get my hands on. I used what they told me against them. I blackmailed, threatened, obfuscated, lied. If I wanted something done, I would hurt people to get it. Only a few people ever caught on before… before Flash spilled the beans on me. By then, though, I knew too much. They knew I was bad news, but they were afraid of what I could do. Of who I would tell. Of what secrets I would reveal.”
Sunset felt Twilight shuffle a few steps away. She decided to ignore it. “So when they couldn’t get back at me for making their lives miserable, they turned to the next best thing.”
She wiped her eyes with the side of her leg. “God help me, Twilight, not a day went by that Scootaloo didn’t come home bruised and bloodied, or grubby and wet, or just plain crying.”
Her voice dropped to a whisper. “And she hates me for it.”
Sunset turned to Twilight and saw her friend’s face coated with a mix of confusion and anger. “Now,” Sunset said, “to hear her voice say to ‘stop by anytime…’ it’s too much.”
Twilight let her hoof hang in the air. She drew it back to her chest and let out a sigh.
“Sometimes I wonder…” Sunset brushed the grass around her body, picking at it with the tip of her horseshoe. “I wonder if Equestria is better than home.”
A spark of light drifted from the tip of her horn and nestled itself into the pad of her hoof. “The magic’s better here, anyway.”
“I don’t know what to tell you.” Twilight ran a hoof through her tail, straightening it out alongside her body. “Except that we’re about to take part in the arrest of an evil, mind-controlling fish-monster. Back home it was just a murder case. Pick your poison.”
The voice of one of the soldiers called everybody towards Princess Twilight. Sunset Shimmer hefted herself off her rump. “Sunny would love this place.”
“Alright,” Commander Skyhook said. He flared his bat-like wings to grab everybody’s attention. “We’re going in quickly and quietly. Team one covers the north side of the house, while team two gets the south. Spike, you and your buddy get the east-side rear entrance. I’ll be with Windblown, the princess, and the visitors to actually make the arrest.”
Princess Twilight turned to Little Spike. Did you get word back from the mayor?
“Lord Mayor Priscilla Palette hasn’t gotten back to me, but I did get the warrant from Judge Rhapsody.” He handed the wax-sealed scroll to the princess. “When we find Adagio, we’re cleared to search the house for signs of illegal mind-altering magic.”
Big Spike grinned. “Is this the part where I get to sneak around to the back?”
Little Spike snorted. “If you can sneak anywhere, it’ll be a feat.”
Big Spike flicked his tail from side-to-side. Several soldiers dove for cover. “You’re not exactly subtle yourself, pun guy.”
Princess Twilight approached Twilight and Sunset as the soldiers moved on to their assigned positions. The three of them watched the Spikes lumber off, then gathered in a huddle. Are you guys ready for this?
“Born ready,” Twilight said. “Let’s nail this b—”
“Language, Twi,” Sunset said.
“—b-bad excuse for a pop star.”
Commander Skyhook and Windblown looked at each other with raised eyebrows.
If Sunset had rolled her eyes any harder, she would have done cartwheels in the grass. She noted that as Twilight adjusted her coat over her shoulders, the little unicorn also checked the pistol hiding under the folds of fabric. They locked eyes, and Twilight gave her a nod. Everything was set.
“I’m ready,” Sunset said. “Lead the way, Twilight.”
Princess Twilight cantered into town with Twilight, Sunset, and her two bodyguards close behind. Several ponies stared as they went past. Those with quicker wit bowed almost immediately, while several just gaped. A vase was dropped, breaking apart when it hit the dirt road. A few started to follow the strange procession, but were dissuaded with a glare from the Guards.
They came to the house: A small, one-story, ranch-style building with plain, brown wood siding. As nondescript as they come, in Sunset’s opinion. It took a good few seconds of looking before she could see the glint of armored soldiers lying in wait on either side. Big Spike’s head popped over the top, and he waved.
Princess Twilight clomped onto the porch, steeled herself, and knocked. There was silence in the house, and then a quiet thump. The princess counted to ten before knocking again. The door eased itself open with a low whine of ungreased hinges.
An old, orange-coated earth pony mare, with a graying mane and baggy eyes, answered the door. She was almost as tall as Princess Twilight, but not quite. She still had to raise her head high to look her in the eye. “Hello, there. What brings you to this part of Fillydelphia, miss…?”
“Excuse me, ma’am,” Skyhook said, stepping forward. “This is Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Equestria. I am Commander Skyhook of the Equestrian Royal Guard, and we are looking for somepony.”
“Looking for somepony?” The old mare smiled, bearing white, cared-for teeth. “Aren’t we all, sweet-flanks? I hope nopony’s in too much trouble.”
Skyhook glanced at the princess, who nodded. “We’re under orders to find and arrest Adagio Dazzle.”
The mare’s purple eyes lit up with understanding, then darkened with suspicion. “Well, well, well. I always figured you’d come looking for me one of these days, Princess.”
Sunset gave the mare a double-take. There was no way. This pony had to be at least seventy, from the way the skin hung from her body in wrinkles. Adagio had gone to high school with Sunset. They had to be around the same age!
Right?
“You’ll have to excuse us, ma’am,” Skyhook said after a moment’s silence. “The Adagio Dazzle we’re looking for is a siren, not a pony.”
“But I am a siren,” Adagio said. She clicked her tongue. “I’d sing and prove it, but somebody shattered my sigil about a decade ago. You might just have to go and take my word for it.”
She looked from one pony to the next, a smirk gradually widening on her face. “You guys are so cute when you’re clueless. Come on. If you’re going to arrest me then do it right. What’s my crime? Breaking my banishment? I was banished by a senile old coot a thousand years ago. I think the sentence is over. Illegal immigration? I paid my dues. I’m a certified citizen of Fillydelphia. Use of illegal mind-altering magic? I’ve been clean for a decade now.”
She held her forelegs out, her smirk having reached critical mass. “So slap me in irons, big boy. Take me to the local hoosegow and put me in the system. I’m squeaky clean. I’ll be out in two days, tops.”
Adagio raised her hooves towards Princess Twilight, letting her eyes linger on the princess’ scarf. “So what’s my crime? What could you possibly think would warrant the two-dozen royal guards encircling my friend’s house?”
Sunset Shimmer sidestepped Twilight Sparkle as the mare pushed her way to the front. Twilight leveled a keen gaze at Adagio over her glasses. “Adagio Dazzle, you are under arrest for the murder of Aria Blaze.”
Adagio’s smirk shattered. Her jaw dropped as her eyes flashed. “What?”
Skyhook moved forward to chain her legs together. Adagio backed away, her chest heaving. “No! Hold your horses, dipstick! I didn’t kill Aria! I swear! I couldn’t!”
“Look on the bright side, Dazzle,” Twilight said, “you’re squeaky clean, so all this is just a minor inconvenience.”
“Shut up!” Adagio kicked a leg, but Skyhook was fast enough to catch it with the clasp. “Who do you think you are, accusing me of murdering—?”
The breath left Adagio’s body in a whoosh. Her knees trembled inside the cuffs. She fell to her rump with a defeated choke. “Aria’s dead?”
“That tends to happen when you push somebody off a fifth-story balcony.” Twilight gave her a glare meant to curdle blood. “So we’ll be having a nice, long conversation back in the CCPD.”
“But…” Adagio’s slacked jaw turned tight and bitter. “I… didn’t… kill her.”
“You have the right to remain silent—”
“I know my rights!” Adagio snapped. She sent her burning gaze after the princess. “So where’s the horseapples-encrusted warrant for my arrest?”
Princess Twilight turned to the side to procure the document. Sunset Shimmer sucked on her lips, watching the soldiers come out into full view. They were swift and professional, but there was a hint of unease in each of their faces. Most of them watched the princess carefully, ready to pounce at a moment’s notice.
“Wait…”
Sunset’s ears snapped up. Her eyes jumped towards Adagio, who was staring straight at her. The mare’s head tilted to the side as her forehead wrinkled.
“Sunset Shimmer?” Adagio’s lips parted. “Is that you? Is it really you?”
Sunset held her head high, squaring her hooves as if ready to be knocked off her feet. It didn’t hurt to be prepared, after all. “Hello, Adagio. It’s been a while.”
“Ten years, give or take?” Adagio nodded. “Oh yes, it’s been a while.”
She looked from side to side, then got to her feet. She jerked her head towards the door. “Alright, then. Take me away, guys. I want to have a chat with my old acquaintance.”
Twilight bumped her hoof against Adagio’s shoulder. “I don’t think so—”
“Get one thing straight, copycat. I want to find out exactly what’s going on here.” Adagio flicked her tail, almost snapping Skyhook in the rump. “I suspect you do, too. So this’ll all go so much faster if we just cooperate.” She sneered. “Do you have all that, or should I use smaller words?”
Twilight lit her horn. “I swear, if you even think about hurting her—”
“You’ll do what?” Adagio shook her head slowly. “What are you? Her jealous lover?”
“No, but I know who her jealous lover is.” Twilight prodded Adagio in the chest. “And he’s not somebody you wanna mess with.”
“I quiver with fear,” Adagio yawned. She rattled her chains at the Royal Guards. “What are we waiting for? Let’s move this little tête-à-tête somewhere more comfortable…” She flashed Sunset a low grin. “Like the Fillydelphia Police lockup?”
“Oh my God!”
Sunset Shimmer jolted in place. The voice had come from the street. “That doesn’t sound right,” she muttered.
Twilight and the princess joined her on the porch. Their jaws dropped in concert as they looked over Sunset’s shoulders. Sunset leveled her brow, digging her hoof into the wood. She spun around slowly, achingly, until the three of them faced the same direction.
A unicorn mare sat in the middle of the dirt road. She clutched a young, school-age filly to her chest. “Why are all these soldiers at my house?”
“Um…” Twilight Sparkle coughed. “Um, you see…”
The mare blinked through panicked tears and tried desperately to smooth down her prickling orange coat. “Wh-why are you arresting my friend? What’s going on here?”
Sunset Shimmer walked down the steps, taking them one at a time. She crossed the short distance to the mare and knelt down to look her in the eye.
The mare brushed her yellow and red mane from her face. She hugged her daughter tighter. “Oh God, it’s you.”
Sunset Shimmer licked her lips, trying desperately to speak evenly and calmly. She almost succeeded. “H-hello, Sunset Shimmer. I’m sorry we had to meet like this.”
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Just came here from the feature box and I'm wondering if the previous stories in the continuity need to be read for this one
6253515
Depends on who you ask.
Yes and no. Everything you need to know to read this story is in this story. However, there are references to the stories that came before.
It's a little like asking "Do I need to see 'Bridle Gossip' before I watch 'Filli Vanilli'?" The answer is "No, you can understand the episode, but you might miss something."
*sees a new MyHobby story*
*Readies herself*
I think my brain may have malfunctioned a little...
So, the other Sunset lives after all?
6253946 You don't even have to do that, just call the original 'Twilight' and the human version 'Sparkle', or Dawn as a sort of opposite of Twilight.
6253515 Not really. You just have to know that this is set ten years after the show, and sirens are Bad News. Everything else is laid out pretty clearly in the story.
Dun dun Dun! How could Adagio be friends with other Sunset if she just learned about the portal? Why is "Sunny" a filly instead of a colt? Was Sonata the real killer, and are EqG Rarity and Rainbow Dash in danger? Tune in next time!
Are you crazy, that would let the
hologramenchanted comic book characters come to life and take over theshipcastle!Not to quibble with the fantasy sci-fi, but my esteemed sources have always maintained that dragons are indeed endothermic, and rather resemble scale-covered cats in their musculature. pre03.deviantart.net/f6a0/th/pre/i/2012/070/f/4/wyvern_musculature_by_katepfeilschiefter-d4shms7.jpg
Re-read it, oops.
It's a European plumbing fixture, and that is all we need to say on the matter.
So magic as a science up until a certain level, then magic as art/myth? I would say that Twilight has certainly demonstrated a Proof either way.
HA! More like Pudgy McGillicutty!
That would be interesting. I wonder if Garble has started sleeping most of the time? Mainly, I want to see Garble meet Spike and BIG Spike one of these days.
"I dunno, Hobs, the same heart-wrenching drama just isn't getting the same reaction anymore." "That just means we have to step you up to the stronger stuff, Howie! Have I told you that Scootaloo and Sunset Shimmer haven't talked to each other in years, and Scootaloo was bullied to get back at Sunset?"
"There we go, that's the ticket..."
Like that time Celestia wished somepony really close to her would become an alicorn? Good times.
Ah, the handsome young photographer who flies through the air, quite a catch indeed! orig04.deviantart.net/eb0c/f/2012/091/3/e/spider_sense_tingling__by_songoharotto-d4unaxq.jpg
Wh-what? Scootaloo never got an older sister of any kind?
First Shining Armor, then this, what else is wrong with EqG? Rainbow Dash never got a pet tortoise? The Braylin Wall never fell and Premier Starlight Glimmer still rules the USSR with an iron fist? Apple Bloom is still friends with Twist? 
I'm real confused. What's up with this Sunset Shimmer thing at the end?
6254033
It's not so much that they have a hard time as it is that the solution should be appropriate. Suppose that they each have gone by either, there is still confusion. There is absolutely no ambiguity if you call Equestria's Twilight Sparkle 'Princess'.
Further, 'Dawn' isn't either of their names. To do that makes no sense at all in the first place except to perhaps the reader or the author. It's like breaking the fourth wall.
6253302
Good.
It did? *reads extract* Oh yeah. So it did.
That is true. Except for Marvel characters, thing like dimension hopping is borderline commonplace in Marvel.
Wise move.
You already are awesome. How so? Simple. Ponies=awesome. Don't believe me? This Day Aria, Under Our Spell, and Twilight vs Tirek. I rest my case.
Tell Starscream that.
Starscream: Now you're starting to get it.
They already met Pinkie.
Whatever.
Oh yeah. Besides, you're a calm dragon, and it's easier to control your strength when calm compared to when you're angry.
Indeed.
Might be funny.
Indeed.
Dismally or miserably?
Heh.
Yeah.
Probably the fastest hunk of junk in Equestria. I mean, come on, the Falcon looks like it's about to fall apart, yet it's the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy.
Curses, foiled again.
I doubt she'd mind, she may have her faults, so does every being, but she's not stupid.
Spike, you're just too big...
Clever girl. But short of getting Gordon or Henry to pull it, you're not gonna be able to have something powerful enough to pull a massive dragon.
I'd say so.
That does sound amusing.
Perhaps not.
Let's find out.
Uh, yeah, you're a herbivore now.
EveryPONY. Also, your point?
Perhaps not. But it's f*cking hilarious.
True.
Aye.
Most likely.
I getcha.
... Yeah, I know exactly what you mean.
People. Not persons.
We know.
Ah. Right.
In a sense.
I see.
Leprechauns you say? Do you think that if I cut one open with my knives they would spill out Lucky Charms?
We'll soon find out.
Like?
I don't know.
Oh, oh god, that's just wrong!
...
A weighty choice is yours to make, the right selection or a big mistake, if the wrong choice you choose to pursue the foundations of home will crumble without you.
LORD Mayor? I thought the only one of those was AJ. Explanation please?
Ouch.
I f*cking loled.
OK...
Come again?
What about the murder of Aria Blaze?
We'll see.
Considering how scared she is, I'd say she's serious. But you'll need good proof.
Then who did?
Indeed.
Agreed.
I'm, confused.
Did Dagi get contacts, or is this going to be some other additional headcanon thing that has yet to be explained?
OK, now this is getting very confusing.
Mind=blown.
mybrainonapage.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/twist.gif
Well.
My mind has been thoroughly fucked.
6262025 Then we make up a list of names we think are cool, and roll dice instead, choosing names based on who gets the highest roll, and wear nametags or something. The list off the top of my head would probably look something like this:
John, Ash, Ezio, Merlin, Will, Drew, Doc and so on, borrowing heavily from pop culture. Top of the list would be nicknames and real names too.
While I was surprised of Adagio appearing this chapter, her reaction wasn't unexpected.
6253549
Ha! Mine is a specific brand of hilarity and feels, I think. Here's hoping you enjoy it!
6253824
Have you tried rebooting? Rebooting works for a lot of things.
6253844
Bingo.
6256017
Very impressive numbers, but I hold the opinion that any child comeing out of the Cheese/Pinkie union is gonna be worth at least five kids on the Richter Scale.
My mirror wouldn't dare settle for my middle name. Neither would I, of course. We'd have to hope that we each have some defining trait to differentiate us.
Considering I'm no princess, that may be a fail right there!
6254033
>>MustacheMerlin
The problem with nicknames is that they are meant for other people to use, so you'd have to go around correcting everybody every time they used the wrong name for the wrong counterpart. Is the Equestrian Twilight... Dawn or Morning or Sunrise? Or is Sunrise what we call Sunset's double? Who comes up with these names anyway?
6254178
Mm! Somebody's been taking notes for the final exam!
On that note, Mane-iac is a severely underutilized character. At least in this continuity.
Beautiful drawings. Basic logic dictates that they are endothermic to the extreme, what with the whole "fire breath" thing. But then, magic throws a wrench into everything.
Oh. Old faithful. I geddit.
Eaugh, that's more a failure in my own analogy. It's more that it's a particular field that hasn't been fully explored, and thus can't be fully understood yet. Twilight's working hard to break down the barriers, but 'tis slow going. There is science, yes, but she hasn't found all the links yet.
Naw, Garble's only a little older than Spike. He's got a couple centuries to go before his first hundred-year nap.
No, he's spending his time getting into trouble.
Now, once you come up out of your sadness low, don't forget to take a little heartwarming to get your blood pumping again!
Then you can try my Suspense and Terror offerings.
I tell you what, these ponies need to be more specific with their wishes.
Don't tempt me.
She got Sunset. Whether or not that was good for her is up in the air.
6254195
You gotta wonder, with all the Twilights and Spikes running around, how long was gonna be it until they found another Sunset?
Lord knows ambiguity has been the death sentence for my stories before. It's just plain simpler this way, and with a story with this many doubles, simple isn't a goal, it's a mandate.
6254686
yes but if Ponies=Awesome, then All!Ponies=Awesome, which means Awesome=Commonplace, which means Ponies=Commonplace. If Scootaloo=Pony, then Scootaloo=Commonplace.
If awesome is commonplace, then she needs to do something even crazier to stand out.
To which Galvatron replied "Here's a hint!"
Miserably, because there was no doubt to whether or not she was miserable.
Not dismal, because she put forth a good effort.
The Millennium Falcon has Han and Chewie looking after it. The Friendship Express has Hayseed Turniptruck. The difference is clear.
If I wanted to write a crossover, then that would probably be the solution.
I think "persons" works better. "Persons" fits along the same line as "Persona," which is more to the point, but didn't sound like something Spike would say. He's saying that they're their own state of being, separate from the others.
You can try, but if you find yourself in Leprechaun Town, be prepared to fight for your gold. 'Tis a dangerous place for those seeking marshmallows.
Each city in Equestria has a Lord Mayor. Applejack is Lord Mayor of Ponyville, Fancy Pants is Lord Mayor of Canterlot, Gaston the Griffon is Lord Mayor of Cloudsdale, and so on. Most of the time they're referred to as "Mayor", with "Lord Mayor" being the full formal title.
6255343
No, that was a certifiable error. Thank you for pointing it out, it has been changed to the much-more-accurate "purple."
6255521
Hang in there, explanations are coming.
6260856
That right there is the power of a good twist, so I hear.
6264376
Keep that quote in mind going forward...
6312341
Do you know how hard it is to get highlighter off one's screen?
Oh man, if the maniac got out and the sisters gave her her own necklace, I bet she would be permanent and badass.
Not so much your failure as basically every writer ever. That reminds me, I always wanted to see some random scientist show up at the library/castle of the supposed expert on the magic of friendship and ask for assistance in getting a doctorate in Friendship Studiers, or pursuing double blind experiments on the effects of platonic social bonds on thaumatological potency or something. If Friendship = Magic, and Magic = Science, how come Twilight hasn't done any rigorous research on the science of friendship? At most she's done a few long-form observational studies where her objectivity has become hopelessly muddied.
I find that surprising. Spike at 10-12 is a "baby" dragon, I always assumed Garble and his gang were like 50-100 years old, since I doubt dragons really qualify as adult before that age. I guess it depends on whether their development is proportionately similar to a ponies or humans, or if they get it all out of the way as soon as possible (but then why the decade of infancy?)
In other words, you got uppers, downers, and everything in between.
I can't believe we haven't seen an episode of the show where somepony wishes for something from Discord and shenanigans ensue.
What does the little Cadance on your shoulder say?
It really isn't, unless it turns out a broken leg and all those beatings turned her into a UFC fighter or something. What's up in the air is if it could be good for her going forward.
Ok, I will grant you the point about Cheese Sandwich and itty bitty junior Pinkies. But this Pinkie lives in a town ruled by a venal and corrupt mayor. What if Cheese Sandwich breaks his neck driving home when he goes over a gaping pothole? What if Merry decides that she can be the only pink-maned gal in town and removes the competition?
On the flip side, what if pony Applejack finds out that in the human world, AJ never became mayor and convinced Pinkie to spend all her time being deputy mayor, and Applejack blames herself for pony Pinkie never getting a husband/family? That would be crazy though, it would only happen if Appplejack attached a huge amount of value to family, and also had a severe tendency to take on other's burdens as her own.
Cross dimensional travel, it's definitely not for the faint of heart and the jealous.
The plan is to leave Big Spike behind? That's never going to fly. (Just like Spike.)
That turned around quickly, into best car ride ever.
How meta.
Little Spike comes through with some excellent advice.
Nice way to subtlely drop that bit of world-building about the armor, though it may be something long since covered in one of the other stories.
Ohhh, that explains a few things.
Adagio? And she's old as dirt and has no idea Aria is dead? And she's living with human-turned-pony Sunset? Who also has a kid? Huh. I'm betting that the murderous Adagio is the originally human one, and that this one is the one from Rainbow Rocks and has been living in Equestria almost since then.
One thought about this bit. Since I'm pretty sure it been revealed that human Cadance is not with human Shining, I'm gonna make a wild guess that he is with Sunset instead and is Sunny's father. This contradicts my earlier guess of Flash, but either would be interesting.
I always thought that the two Sunsets had swapped places somehow. I wonder how exactly this happened and what human!Sunset has been doing in Equestria all these years? From what I'm seeing here, just living!
I screamed WTF about twenty times this chapter. This is one engaging read!
Current hypotheses include:
What's this is the plot thickening?