The Many Sparkle Interpretation

by chillbook1

The Citadel

Twilight couldn’t believe just how different X-215 was from her own reality.

Ponyville C-317 was a small, quaint little village, while its X-215 counterpart was a bonafide metropolis, full of massive skyscrapers. The city shined with light and energy, even in the dead of night as was the case when Twilight and TX left for Canterlot. Twilight was amazed at the technological advances that X-215 had made; the street lanterns of Ponyville C-317 had been replaced by bright, blue fluorescent lamps. Overhead, initially startling the C-317 transplants, large crafts flew overhead (TX referred to them as interplanetary cruisers, likening them to the skychariots that Twilight had known). Even the trains were different: The coal-powered Equestria Express was absent, stood in by a sleek, electric “bullet train”, which TX assured would bring them to Canterlot in a matter of minutes rather than hours.

Twilight barely had time to marvel in this strange version of her home before the train arrived in Canterlot. The capital of Equestria was even more advanced than Ponyville, a feat Twilight didn’t know was possible. The streets were filled with large metal carriages, powered by some internal mechanisms as opposed to a pony physically pulling it along its way. TX didn’t allow Twilight time to ask any questions, all of her attention focused on the journey to Canterlot Castle.

The Castle itself barely resembled its namesake. It looked less like a castle and more like an industrial complex or scientific facility. It consisted of a large, dome-shaped building which TX said was called the Citadel. Surrounding the Citadel stood six massive spires, each taller than any building Twilight had ever seen. TX began to tremble slightly as they neared the Citadel, which Twilight found more than a bit concerning.

“Is everything okay?” asked Twilight.

“Let me do the talking,” said TX, ignoring the question. “Queen Celestia won’t be very happy with me, but I’ve talked my way out of trouble with her before.”

“You don’t seem to be as friendly with your Celestia as I am with mine,” noted Twilight. TX chuckled hysterically, shaking her head at the very notion.

She led the way to the Citadel, explaining the situation to the guards standing outside of the main doors. Curiously, the guards seemed unarmed, save for their hooves, which appeared to be covered in some sort of metal armor or gauntlets. After a moment of conversing, TX offered her hoof to the nearest guard. To Twilight’s shock, a section of the guard’s leg split open, scanning TX with a quick beam of light. It beeped affirmatively before closing, at which point the guard stepped aside to let them in.

The interior of the Citadel was sleek, pristine, and labyrinthian. There were so many doors and turns in the hall, Twilight knew that she would find herself lost immediately, were she alone. Luckily, TX knew the way and was able to direct her through the Citadel’s halls. Soon enough, they reached two massive, glistening platinum doors. TX took in a deep breath before pushing open the doors and stepping into the room.

The two Twilights journeyed across the massive throne room, past lines of a dozen or more stoic, unwavering guards. TX stopped before the throne, with Twilight doing much the same, and the two bowed before the looming shadow of the Queen of Equestria.

Celestia looked much the same in this reality, with a few stark differences. Her mane was one solid color, the green that would be accompanied by several others in C-317. Her expression was stony, cold, calculating. She carried with her an aura that the Celestia of Twilight’s home didn’t possess.

“Guards,” said Celestia, her cold voice was soft, yet carried the force of a shout. “Leave us at once.” The guards immediately filed out of the room, leaving the two dimension hoppers alone with the Queen. “Speak.”

“We are honored to be in the presence of her Royal Highness, the Queen of Canterlot, the Lady of the Sun, Our Eternal Light, Her Majesty, Queen Celestia,” said TX. “We hope to be of some use to Her Majesty, who shines upon our lives with her beauty and her grace, we—”

“Enough. Do not grovel, Sparkle, it’s unbecoming.” Celestia rose from her throne, which made TX flinch. Queen Celestia was noticeably taller than her C-317, which made Twilight exceedingly nervous. “Explain to me why I should not have you imprisoned for treason.”

“T-treason?” stammered TX, visibly paling. “With respect, my Queen, I’m n-no traitor.”

“I hardly believe that to be for you to decide. If I recall, I allowed you to go on your little adventures, so long as they did not affect my kingdom.” Celestia stepped down from her throne, approaching the two. “The spare’s very being here illustrates that they are affecting my kingdom. This means you’ve disobeyed me, and that is grounds for imprisonment.”

“Y-yes, of course, however… These were extenuating circumstances. I couldn’t leave Twilight C-317. She’s helping me search for a… an off-model Twilight Sparkle.” TX looked up, immediately regretting her decision to meet eyes with her Queen. “A rogue, of sorts. She’s killing other versions of us, and if I let C-317, the Rogue would surely kill her and possibly even destroy her reality.”

“And how does that concern me?” asked Celestia.

“Er… Well, this Rogue isn’t killing her fellows for fun. She has a goal in mind, and that goal does not bode well for the rest of the multiverse.” TX paused for a moment, her legs still trembling. “The Rogue is from Equestria S-169.”

Celestia stomped her hoof, causing the entirety of the throne room to tremble. Sparking, golden light shrouded her horn, nearly as heart-stopping as the fury in her eyes. TX bowed her head in surrender, bracing herself for what was to come.

“I was under the impression that she was dead!” barked Celestia, the light around her horn growing bright, hotter, more intense.

“Frankly, my Queen… So was I.”

Celestia fired a crackling jet of golden light from her horn. Twilight leapt in front of the blast, raising a wall of shimmering lavender light.

“That’s enough,” huffed Twilight. “Respectfully, your highness, I think you should calm down.”

“What are you doing?!” hissed TX. “You’re going to get me banished!”

“Another magic-user? And one powerful enough to oppose me?” Celestia tilted her head curiously, as if Twilight was a girl in her mother’s clothing. Not something to be taken seriously. “Who are you, who dares oppose the Queen of Equestria?”

“I apologize for her behavior, my Queen,” said TX quickly. “She knows not your power or your stature, for, in her world, she knows you as but a princess. Please, do not punish her for—”

“If I wanted to hear from you, I would have asked,” said Celestia, silencing TX at once. “I want to hear from her. It would do you well not to speak out of turn again, Sparkle.” TX bowed her head again, holding her tongue for the time being.

“I meant no disrespect, your majesty,” said Twilight. “But I could not stand idly by while you hurt my friend. And, while I respect your desire to protect your kingdom… Well, I have a similar duty to my own kingdom. Twilight S-169 is a threat to my world and yours. The smart thing to do would be to work together to stop her.”

“If you believe things to be so simple, you are almost as dangerously incompetent as my own Twilight Sparkle,” said Celestia scathingly. TX seemed to shrink down at that, but said nothing to defend herself. “Simply put, Twilight Sparkle, you are a threat to my people. S-169 has only qualms with Twilight Sparkle, so I will remove Twilight Sparkle from the equation. Twilight Sparkle, you are guilty of endangering the Kingdom of Equestria and posing a threat to the Queen’s rule. The sentence for these crimes is banishment.”

“My Q-queen!” TX sputtered in shock, looking up with fear and desperation. “B-b-but this is my home! All of my research, my data… Everything I have!”

“You should have considered that before you made my kingdom a target.” Celestia returned to her throne, her horn still sparking with magic. “Leave at once. You may return when S-169 has been neutralized. With proof, this time.”

“Y-yes, your grace.” TX tapped her Container, opening a rip in reality. “Thank you for this opportunity to redeem myself.”

“If you return empty-hooved, I will not be so merciful,” said Celestia. “And magic-user. Do not show yourself in my kingdom ever again. I will allow you leave to deal with this threat, but, in any other circumstance, I would have you executed on the spot.”

Twilight’s blood ran cold in her veins. Even in her irrational, unfounded, hysterical paranoid spirals she’d had regarding upsetting Celestia, she never even considered that she might be executed for her transgressions.

“TX… I’m so sorry,” said Twilight. “I didn’t know that—”

“Don’t worry about it. I would’ve gotten myself banished eventually, with or without you,” sighed TX. “Through the portal, TC. We’ve got to grab some things, then find a new lead.”

Twilight met eyes with the cold, harsh queen, feeling a chill down her spine. She shuddered slightly, then stepped through the portal, hoping that she would never have to meet with this Celestia ever again.

Author's Note:

Slightly shorter chapter to ease myself back into this story after an impromptu hiatus. Sorry for the delay!

Comments

[DeltaXeno1138]

Damn. That bitch gave me chills.

[GrimmWolfDragon]

Nice and short can't wait to read more.

[Aurora Dimmet]

This is a low-magic world... their Celestia is only around Twilight C-317's level of magical power. They probably have some anti-magic weapons and such, but... Twilight could just straight up conquer this Equestria right now by assassinating their Tyrantlestia.

[sadron]

This is never going to update again is it? :/