Twilight's Life As a Red and Black Alicorn

by Mystic Sunrise

Welcome Back

While Canterlot Castle was used to big parties, and on short notice on occasion, the party Pinkie Pie had planned for Princess Celestia's return came as a surprise to all.

But since Princess Twilight had approved it before hoof, they could only bow and nod, making the Ball Room ready for when the princess returned to Equestria.

What was concerning though, were the reports coming in from all over Equestria. Random portals seemingly appearing out of nowhere, were popping up more and more.

Even as the girls welcome Celestia back to the castle, and enjoyed seeing a rare look of shock pass over her face, before breaking into a smile, another report came in of another portal.

And while Pinkie tried her best, even she couldn't keep the mood happy for long.

"Why is this happening now of all times?" Twilight asked with a huff as the group enjoyed the buffet table, excellent as always. Courtesy of Applejack and Pinkie.

"Yeah! It's ruining the party!" Pinkie moaned.

Celestia nodded, nibbling on a cupcake. "I do not know myself. On my way back, I saw one large one open over Ponyville. So diverted and tried to help."

"Did it work?" Applejack asked.

Celestia shook her head. "I could not do it myself. But I had help from somepony you all might know."

The girls and Spike shared a look. "Who could that be?" Rarity asked.

"Um. High girls."

The voice surprised them all, but Twilight could see a twinkle in her friend's eyes as she turned around and came face to face with...

"Starlight?"

Indeed, Starlight Glimmer stood behind Princess Celestia, looking bashful and out of place in the Ball Room. Her mane done up in a new way and her natural cutie mark showing were the only differences between her now and when they had first met her all those months ago now.

Fluttershy nodded. "Starlight came to Ponyville a few days ago, and since you weren't home, I let her stay with me. We invited her to come with us to this, but."

Starlight sighed. "I didn't want to intrude. We still don't know each other all that well. It wasn't right. But when all this started, I had to do something. I've been trying to close all the portals I can across Ponyville."

Celestia nodded. "I found her doing the same when I was in Ponyville. Together, we managed to close most of them. But I fear it is not yet over."

"But what's causing them?" Rainbow asked.

Starlight shook her head. "I don't know. But I saw something on the other side of one of them. I managed to get a photo of it before the portal closed." She floated a picture out of her saddlebags. "Maybe I'm missing something here. But this doesn't look like something in Equestria."

The moment Twilight and Spike saw what was in the photo, their eyes widened in shock, and Twilight's heart dropped in horror.

No one missed her reaction, but only Spike understood it. "What is it?" Pinkie asked.

Twilight's gaze was distant as she looked at them. "It's at Canterlot High. The other side of those portals. It's the Human World." She shook her head. "Something is trying to break down the barriers separating it from Equestria."

Starlight was lost. "The what now?"

Twilight shook her head. "It's a long story, and I don't have time to explain it now. I have to get to the portal. My friends could be in trouble. I won't let them face it alone."

Celestia shook her head. "Twilight. Even for me, it is a long way from Canterlot to Ponyville. You will never make it there in time if this keeps up."

Twilight rounded on her mentor, her eyes brimming with tears. "I won't abandon them! They mean too much to me. Maybe I don't see them nearly as much as I should. I don't care! They're my friends, and I won't leave them."

Finally giving in to her tears, Twilight fell to the floor and began to cry. The girls were at her side in a second, pulling her into a hug. Celestia was quick to join them as well, holding them all in her wings.

Starlight felt like the odd pony out. She had no idea of what was going on, but she felt horrible for Twilight all the same. But she didn't feel like she deserved to join in on this.

Pinkie though beat her to the punch. Pulling a leg around Starlight's neck, she yanked the unicorn over and pulled her into the hug. The effect was immediate. Starlight didn't care if she and Twilight still barely knew each other. She hugged as much as the rest of the girls.

At that moment, a surge of magic washed over all of them. Twilight, Celestia, and Starlight, felt it the most, but even Spike could feel it. It almost felt like the Elements of Harmony. But that couldn't be right. Could it?

They pulled apart, as they all shared a confused. "Okay. What was that?" Spike asked.

Nopony could answer as they wracked their brains. But their eyes were soon drawn to a nearby window. Rushing over, they watched in surprise as the portals the dotted the sky began to vanish one by one.

"Um. Yeah?" Fluttershy tried with a forced smile.

Celestia let her magic spread out across Equestria and beyond. "It appears that all of the portals are vanishing. I am not sure how or why. But they are disappearing all across Equestria."

"But why? We didn't do anything," Applejack replied.

Twilight shook her head. "I don't know. It felt like what I and the girls unleashed during the Battle of the Bands. But only one person did so. I don't get it."

Starlight groaned in exasperation. "Can somepony please explain what the hay you guys are talking about?"

Celestia wrapped a wing around Twilight's shoulders. "I believe she deserves to know Twilight. It seems that whatever was happening has ended. We will not stop you though if you still wish to go to your friends."

The girls and Spike nodded, and it helped ease Twilight's mood as she smiled slightly. "No. I trust the girls. I trust Sunset knows how to handle this. I need to learn to stop worrying about them."

Starlight smiled as she placed a hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "But it's a good thing you worry about them, right?"

Twilight giggled. "Agreed. And Princess Celestia is right Starlight. You came all the way here. You deserve to know the full story." Her smile grew. "Get comfy. It's a long story."

Author's Note:

This is it. One more chapter and this story is done. I always planned for it to go up to the end of the Friendship Games and the aftermath, and that was it.

My only hold up on the last chapter is what Twilight's Human Form looks like now. Skin color and her hair is easy. But her clothes are another thing.

Comments

[Vaguely Demented]

I’d assume something edgy enough that it looks like she’d cut herself.

[Mystic Sunrise]

10290147
That would be funny. I just don't know of anything that would work, and I'm not an artist enough to try it from scratch.

[Brony of the Revolution]

High girls.

Oh-ho, I didn't realize it was that kind of party!

[tsaukpaetra]

Celestia: it's nice when problems resolve themselves, right, Twilight?

[Mystic Sunrise]

10290228
This was horrible, and you should feel horrible for even thinking it.