The prodigal daughter has returned. After a long struggle, Sunset Shimmer has righted her wrongs to return to Celestia's side. But all is not well in Equestria or on Earth, as a familiar face aims to exploit both worlds. Can the threat be stopped?
The prodigal daughter has returned. After a long struggle, Sunset Shimmer has righted her wrongs to return to Celestia's side. But all is not well in Equestria or on Earth, as a familiar face aims to exploit both worlds. Can the threat be stopped?
She could feel the flames all around her, reaching out towards her skin in anticipation. Trying to pull her into their all-consuming mouth.
Smoke.
She felt its grimy little fingers grasping her poor neck, trying to squeeze out more of her precious oxygen. The air around her was hot and dry, of no comfort to the haggard girl.
"Help...help me." Her hoarse whisper couldn't even raise an echo.
Through the deafening roar of the flames, she could barely hear voices around her. Unlike the frantic fire, the voices were lower and softer, but just as emotional. Was someone crying?
She didn't have time to think about that now, as something else pulled her attention away.
"SPARKLE!"
In front of her, the flames parted, and the newcomer walked through them. It was a horrible reptilian beast, the slight of which made her skin crawl. Unlike herself, the blaze around them didn't affect it at all. Reaching down, it hoisted her by her neck, licking its lips as the heat intensified.
"You're weak! Just like the ideals you represent. Your friendship couldn't save you, your teacher, or even yourself. You've failed, Sparkle, them and yourself."
"No...please."
"And now, you DIE!"
"No. No!"
"CELESTIA!"
Twilight started awake. Hyperventilating, she wrapped her arms around herself until she could calm down. Another nightmare. Another awful nightmare.
In the three weeks that she'd been in the human world, she'd been having quite a few of those. Sometimes, she was choking in a fog of green haze, sometimes she was watching her friends attacked, and sometimes she was being chased.
The most recent ones were the worst, however. She kept reliving her near-death at the hands of Adagio Dazzle. The Siren had withstood her most powerful attacks and even broken her pony form's horn. It had only been thanks to Sunset Shimmer's intervention that Twilight was still alive to have these nightmares.
Sunset Shimmer.
If someone had told her a few months ago that that girl would end up saving her life, Twilight probably would have laughed it off. But no, Celestia's first pupil had made a remarkable turnaround between Twilight's two visits. From high school mean girl to hometown hero in just six months. Upon seeing the progress she'd made, Celestia had even allowed her to return to Equestria and forgiven her faults.
Twilight just wished she could have been there to see it. With her horn broken, she couldn't go through the portal without hurting herself and was therefore stuck on the other side until it healed. That was what she hated the most about this, the waiting.
Absentmindedly, she reached up to her forehead. It had been a bit jostled in her sleep, but her crown was still there. Pinkie and Maud had commented on the strangeness of sleeping in her regalia but had been ignored. The crown was a reminder of her home in Equestria; keeping it with her kept her hopeful that she'd soon return there. Already getting drowsy again, she repeated a mantra she'd adopted in response to these night terrors.
That's it, Twilight. You're okay. You're okay. You'll make it through another day.
The next morning, Pinkie had been nice enough to make breakfast for her, something Twilight really appreciated. With no school on a Saturday, she was left to her own devices. So, she decided to browse the nearest possible source of literacy, the morning paper.
Curious Anomalies Strike Canterlot High: Band competition held at the school left several students traumatized due to unknown circumstances. Secondary sources report bizarre changes occurring all around the city. The Foal Free Press offering monetary reward for any information explaining these events.
It wasn't very surprising. With two mystical events taking place in half a year, all the leftover magic wouldn't just vanish into thin air. And if she wasn't so hard pressed to get home, it would have made an interesting observation of how a non-magical world would react to such a concept.
Of course, that's assuming they don't freak out about it first.
While there had always been stories of humans in Equestria, most of them were said to have existed even before the time of the Wendigoes. As such, they remained flights of fancy, restricted to the mindset of either the drunk or the obsessed. And if the discovery of magic in their own world was revolutionary enough, how would one of them react in Equestria?
Probably the same way I did when I met my future self.
She giggled at the memory. In any case, it was something to take her mind off of her horn. She began scouring the paper, looking for more information on the changes. If she was going to be stuck here, she might as well help out.
Later that afternoon...
The application process had been simpler than she'd expected. She didn't know whether that was because of her remarkably high intelligence or the low standards of the school. Regardless, it meant she was one step closer to figuring out the mysterious events, she'd been keeping track of. Although the school obviously wasn't open on weekends, she was still allowed to explore its grounds.
To the untrained eye, Canterlot High looked fairly ordinary. Standard white building, standard classrooms and requirements, even standard people. But she was hardly untrained.
The air reeked of an unfamiliar scent. The outside plants were growing rather too well. The atmosphere around her was far too energized for such a mundane establishment. She could feel it. There was something here.
Her brain sparked, already formulating possibilities when someone bumped into her.
"Oof! Oh, sorry about that." A purple-haired girl helped her up.
She gave what she thought was a pleasant smile and straightened her clothes. "Quite...all right, thank you."
"I haven't seen you around before. Are you new here?"
She groaned inwardly at the question. Small talk was not her forte by any means, and she loathed pointless inquiries. "Yes, I am."
"Then let me be the first to welcome you to Canterlot High." The girl offered an handshake. "I'm Mystery Mint. And you are?"
She merely nodded back, slightly flustered by the thought of touching that no-doubt filthy hand.
"My name? Very well then. My name is Twilight Sparks."
Today marks three weeks that I've spent in the human world. Homesickness has been a problem, but with what I found out today, I doubt I'll be idle much longer. It turns out all the magic we expended at the Fall Formal and from fighting Adagio has expanded and spread across the entire city of Canterlot. Who knows what affect that will have on the human world. It might even help my horn heal faster.
Meanwhile, school's back in session at CHS. And yours truly got a gig with the science club; there so much to learn in that regard and it helps stave off homesickness. Of course, that means I can't use my pony form while I'm there. I know us saving the school wasn't exactly a secret, but the last thing I need is someone trying to experiment with my wings and magic. I can see the dissection table now.
So yeah, I'll be keeping busy for a while now. How are things on your end? How did your transition back to a quadruped go? And where are you staying now? Are my friends all right with me not being there? And what have you been up to?
Write back soon,
Twilight Sparkle
Feeling her bookbag vibrate, Sunset perked up. She was just about to reach for the book when she heard a knock on the door.
"Is that you, Proper Setting?"
"Yes, Ms. Shimmer. May I come in?"
"Please do."
In walked a burgundy-colored earth pony with a silver mane. Celestia had insisted that since Sunset had ascended, she deserved her own personal attendant like Twilight and Spike. Proper Setting had a habit of being snarky at times, but was loyal and friendly, and Sunset appreciated his help. Also, nothing surprised him. Ever.
"Good morning, Ms. Shimmer. Already hard at work, I see."
"Are you kidding? The only reason I got any sleep last night was because you confiscated my flashlight!"
"My apologies, Ms. Shimmer, but I felt you needed your beauty sleep more than you needed to study."
"Whatever. It's my first day at my new job, and I don't want to blow it. I'm still not sure if that's what I'm meant to do as a Princess."
"My suggestion? Don't over-think it. If it works, you'll know it, and if not, you'll find something else."
She smiled to herself before walking out. "Thank you, Proper."
"Anytime."
As she headed down the hallway from her room in Canterlot Castle, Sunset felt a sense of gratitude wash over her. A single day didn't go buy that she didn't give thanks for her clean slate, a chance to stand at the Princess's side once again. It hadn't been easy. Making up for her past misdeeds had taken a lot of hard work, and enduring six months worth of hatred and bile had nearly broken her more than once. But it had all been worth it to hear those three glorious words from Celestia's mouth.
I forgive you.
She'd never forget the rush of relief and renewal she'd felt on that day. And she'd decided to do her best to help others feel the same way.
"Good morning, my faithful student."
Ah yes, that was another phrase she'd thought she would never hear again.
"Hello, Princess Celestia."
Sunset had to stop herself from bowing in her mentor's presence and gave a smile instead.
"I take it, you're doing well today?"
She rubbed a hoof behind her head. "As well as one can be who's about to step completely out of her comfort zone."
"Is there something I can do to help?"
"Not really. I just....I spent so much time wanting to become a Princess. And now that I am one, I kinda don't know what I'm supposed to do next."
This brought out a sympathizing nod. "You know, Twilight said something similar when she ascended. Your adjustments might be difficult and may take a couple of attempts, but satisfaction of finding success will be well worth it."
Sunset took a breath, releasing some of the tension that had hung over her that morning.
"Where are you headed now?"
"I was thinking about how to apply myself now that I'm a Princess and decided that I wanted to try being a guidance counselor. That way, I can help other ponies avoid making the same mistake that I did."
"That's a good motivation. And I know several ponies that will certainly appreciate your guidance."
"Yeah."
With nothing else to say, Celestia turned to leave, only to be stopped by Sunset's sudden embrace.
"Oh!" came the surprised grunt. "And what's this for?"
"Thanks for not giving up on me. I know it must have been hard for you. Knowing everything I--"
A hoof against her lips cut her off in mid-sentence.
"Please don't bring yourself down by dwelling on your past. Because if you do that, you can never move forward. You attempted to atone for your sins and made me very proud when you succeeded. Now, forget those things which are behind and reach forward to that which is ahead. Can you do that for me, Sunset Shimmer?"
She's right. I don't need to think about that anymore. Even from the perspective of being grateful she forgave me. I guess I haven't let go as much as I thought.
"I'll try my best, your Momjesty."
Celestia smiled and reciprocated the hug. "That's all I need to hear. Good luck with your endeavors today."
"I appreciate that. I'll certainly need it. Oh and Princess?"
The retreating figure turned around. "Yes?"
"Thanks for being here for me."
"Contrary to my human counterpart, my door is always open." And with that, she was gone.
As Sunset continued towards her new study, she felt her saddlebags vibrate again and pulled out the journal. Seeing that Twilight was keeping herself occupied was a good sign; Sunset could easily imagine herself going stir-crazy if put in a similar bind. She made a mental note to write back later and kept walking.
"Let's see. 1014, 1015, 1016, here we go, 1017. And it looks like I'm a few minutes early."
Inside was a waiting room likely designed to relax the patients before they moved to the sessions. A fountain stood off the the side, while speakers played soothing music overhead. Instead of chairs to sit in as they waited, several small couches were scattered around the room's left side. On the right side was a gray desk with an equally grey mare sitting behind it. When she saw Sunset, she smiled and adjusted her glasses.
"Hello there. Are you Sunset Shimmer?" For such a mundane looking mare, she had a surprisingly upbeat voice.
"I am." Sunset hoped she didn't look as dumbfounded as she felt.
"The Princess told me you were coming. Let me be the first to welcome you to your office. My name is Mercy Newstart, and I guess I'm your secretary. If you need anything, just let me know."
"So if you're here, where am I supposed to be?"
Mercy gestured to a room beyond the desk. "Right through there. Your first appointment should be here in about ten minutes. Get yourself comfortable in the meantime."
"Sure thing."
Behind the next door, was a smaller room with a simple couch for the patient and a desk for her. Slightly bewildered, she sat down, still taking it all in.
Eesh. Something tells me that fighting Adagio again would be easier than this. But then again, I wouldn't be here now if I'd taken the easy way out. If you could turn yourself around, then you can help others do the same thing. Just take it slow at first.
With the time she had left, she wrote a reply to Twilight's letter and did some last-minute studying. All too soon, her intercom beeped.
"Yes Mercy?"
"Your first appointment's here? Are you ready?"
"Send her in."
The door opened slowly, betraying that the pony on the other side was even more nervous than Sunset. The mare looked first at Sunset, then at the couch she was supposed to sit on, before ending up with her eyes on the floor.
"Good morning," came an attempt at an icebreaker. "My name is Sunset Shimmer. And what can I call you?"
Shifting her eyes back to Sunset, the mare slowly shuffled over to the couch and sat down.
"Lightning Dust," came the reply. "My name is Lightning Dust."
The extra crust in her eyes had given her away. Twilight rubbed them clean and turned towards Pinkie Pie.
"Yep, I'm fine. Everything's fine."
She didn't know what was faker: her tone of voice or her jaw-hurting smile. Pinkie wasn't convinced.
"I may act cuckoo from time to time, but I'm not stupid. That's the kind of smile you see when your great aunt gives you a sweater for Christmas that's so long it has it's own zip code."
"And you're not going to stop pestering me until I tell you why, right?"
"Abso-positiva-lutely. Lack of communication divided us once already. Let's not let it happen again."
"Ugh, fine. I've been having...nightmares."
Pinkie started to speak, but then slapped a hand over her mouth and motioned for Twilight to continue.
"Sometimes I'm abducted and left to starve under the school. Other times, I'm running for my life, and she's hunting me." Her voice began to crack with the painful memories. "In another one, I'm just burning, burning alive."
A small gasp escaped Pinkie's lips.
"And then, there's the worst one of all." An involuntary shudder hinted that the girl was dangerously close to a breakdown.
A hand on Twilight's shoulder made her look up. "If this is too much for you, you don't have to tell me this."
"I'm under Adagio's spell again. Attacking wildly in a blind haze while that monster looks on. When the fog clears, I've...I've...."
"I killed you, Pinkie. The dream ended with me standing over your dead bodies. The image burned into my mind, and it stays there even when I'm awake."
"But it's all right now. We're okay. Sunset beat--"
"THAT'S NOT THE POINT!" Like flicking a switch, Twilight went livid and began shaking her. "Our 'victory' was only the result of an unknown factor; Sunset's ascension was something neither Adagio nor us took into account before the fight. If that hadn't happened, she would have killed herself trying to save me!"
The fury disappeared as quickly as it had arrived, and she slumped down in chagrin. "Sorry about that. But you need to understand: I'm the Princess of Friendship. That means that I place great value on the people and ponies that I care about. The thought that one of you could have died on my watch is...unbearable. I can't let that happen. I won't let that happen."
"You didn't know the Sirens knew you were coming. You did the best you could."
"But it wasn't enough." Twilight jerked around again, with a clenched fist and steely stare that made Pinkie jump. "I need to be stronger, be better. So that nothing like this ever happens again."
"You're being unrealistic. We've had to deal with crises even before Equestria was involved. You can't fix everything by yourself."
"I'm well aware of that, thank you. But I can protect you." The determination in her voice gave cause for uncertainty.
"What do you mean by that?"
"No matter what it takes, I'll fight to my last breath to keep you safe." She started to leave.
"Wait a minute! Should you really be going outside right now?"
"I'm tired of being scared. I have to do something." With that, she left the house, letting the door slam behind her.
Staring after her, Pinkie didn't know what to think. Her friend was obviously hurting, but talking about it had seemingly made it worse. Pulling out her cell phone, she started calling the others. Hopefully, Twilight wouldn't have to make good on her words.
At the school...
"Preliminary analysis of the school's exterior reached completion at approximately 3:47 PM, Sunday afternoon." Twilight Sparks spoke into a voice recorder.
"Compared to control samples ascertained from home, Canterlot High's vegetation seems to be growing at a rate far greater than standard plants. Examination of the two sets of soil determined the only difference to be that of an unknown substance, henceforth referred to as Substance X. Earlier experiments with the concrete and asphalt revealed little to no concentration of Substance X.
"Query: Is Substance X at its most potent within organic lifeforms?
"Listing the most ideal procedure to move forward. Step 1: Observe students for further indications of Substance X. Step 2: Find a way to isolate Substance X for further experimentation. Step 3: Ascertain potential uses. Test subjects might be required. Current applications involve botany, biology, medical science, and possible weaponization.
"Off-record statement: This could be the greatest scientific discovery since the human genome project."
"Who are you talking to?" A figure popped up behind her.
Ugh, another dull-witted plebeian interrupting my studies. Why Professor Solaris wanted me to associate with these ingrates, I'll never know.
She switched off the voice recorder with an annoyed huff and tried to appear pleasant. "No one. I was merely making an observation about the soil."
"Why are you looking at dirt?" Her name tag read Lyra Heartstrings.
Unlike Mystery Mint, who had been only marginally interested in what Sparks had been doing, this new green girl seemed too curious for her own good.
"I'm a new student here, and wanted to be sure that the foliage didn't set off my allergies."
She scratched her head. "A new student? I thought you already registered six months ago, Twilight."
"I assure you that you're quite mistak--How do you know my name?"
The other girl stared at her. "Everyone knows who you are, Twilight. You saved the whole school from a raging she-demon."
It wasn't very scientist-like to gawk, but Sparks did so nonetheless. "That's impossible. I only just registered yesterday. And what do you mean 'raging she-demon'?"
"How do you not remember that? You were the one who did it. Maybe you should talk to the school psychologist about your bad memories."
This place has a shrink too?
"I am in no need of counseling, thank you very much."
"Ah denial. The first sign."
"I DON'T NEED HELP!"
"Anger."
"Please leave me alone."
"Bargaining."
"What have I done to deserve this?"
"Guilt."
"You're not going to stop, are you?"
"Depression. Just one more step to acceptance."
Oh, screw it.
"Can you take a look at something for me?"
"What is it?"
Sparks held up a finger between Lyra's eyes and began swaying it like a metronome. "Just relax and focus. You'll see it soon."
"See what?"
"This." She snapped her fingers, and her victim's eyes went blank.
"Uhhhh."
"That's better. How anyone can tolerate your incessant chatter is beyond me. Now, explain the 'she-demon'."
"One of the other students used a magical crown from another dimension to turn into a horrible monster." Lyra droned, her eyes rolling in her sockets. "But you defeated her and turned her back to normal."
Magical Crown? Another dimension? I'd write these statements as delusional ramblings of an idiot, but there might be sense to be found here.
"What else do you know?"
"There was another incident during our last Musical Showcase, but I can't say much about that. You'd have to talk to Vinyl Scratch."
"Vinyl Scratch? Who's she?"
"The school's DJ. Purple glasses, blue hair, and white skin. You can't miss her."
"Then I'll add her to the checklist. As for you, go find somewhere to sleep for three hours and forget everything about me."
"Sure thing. Bye."
After Lyra left, Twilight pulled the voice recorder back out.
"Updated Information: This is bigger than I thought. If an alternate world is involved, then the possibilities could be boundless. Such a phenomenon must be analyzed and exploited. My current goal is to find out the secret behind this so-called magic. Signing off.
While the inside of the school was still inaccessible until Monday, Twilight Sparks had already found enough information to move forward from the outside alone. But as more students arrived, she had to stop in order to avoid suspicion.
What are these idiots even doing here? The school isn't open on weekends, and there isn't anything marked on the schedule. So why are they cavorting around like that?
Scanning the grounds again, she took statistics on the students:
The gleeful laughs of three kids tossing a ball back and forth.
The sound and smell of sizzling meat on a grill as Lyra, Mystery Mint, and a grey girl with cross-eyes had a barbecue.
Off to the side, an orange teen and a white teen were wrestling for dominance as other males looked on. The testosterone was enough to make her eyes water.
In the background, five weird looking girls seemed to be out for a stroll.
Sparks watched all of this...and remembered.
"Aw come on Twilight, just one time?"
"I already told you, I can't. The test is in a few days and I NEED to pass."
"I know, but you've been studying nonstop for three days, you've consumed over ten cups of coffee, and your hair looks like birds made a nest in it. I'm asking you, as a friend, to please take a break."
"But I need to be absolutely sure. I can't risk a bad grade."
"Plus, if you go to the testing center all wound up like that, it might leave a bad impression regardless of how well you do."
"That just shows I'm serious about this. I mean, just think about what could happen--"
"Stop right there. If you go on one of those wild tangents again, you'll never pass the test." The other put a hand on her shoulder. "You've been working so hard, Twilight. I'm worried about you."
"Then why are you trying to get me to stop? You of all people should know how important this is to me."
"Oh I know you can pass without a doubt. I'm just worried about what you'll give up in the process. You don't talk to anyone, you don't do any extracurriculars, and you go out of your way to avoid other people. That's just not healthy."
"You're not going to stop until I come with you, are you?"
"Nope."
"Hurrrgh. Fine. I guess one day of rest couldn't hurt. I think I'll come after all."
The other's expression was both joyful and relieved. "See, there you go. I guarantee you'll thank me later."
While one Twilight stood lost in thought on the grounds of Canterlot High, another Twilight battled with frustrations and fear.
"Ugh, I hate feeling like this. Without my horn, I can't use my magic, and without my magic, I can't help my friends. If any new threats show up, we're doomed."
She tried to take her mind off the subject; focusing on aspects she couldn't control would get her nowhere. And she needed to do something besides sit and mope.
Maybe you should talk to the other students, Twilight. With all this magic around, there's bound to be something going on.
She took a big whiff to confirm her suspicions and indeed, there was the faint scent of dormant magic.
"Let's see." The wheels started turning. "Unlike Equestria, the Human World seems to function involuntarily. So, if magic is beginning to integrate here, what would it have to affect?"
Unfortunately, she didn't have enough information to make a proper hypothesis. But what she did know was that magic wouldn't do anything without a catalyst to activate it. For her, it had been the Sonic Rainboom supercharging her magic. Sunset Shimmer had awakened hers through a similar test. For her human friends, Searing's attack that brought them together to defend the school.
And you had a hand in that too, remember?
But how would it work with regular people? If she was lucky, maybe she could get the science club to help figure that out. At that, she smiled and headed back to Pinkie's, once more with a purpose and a plan. Monday would certainly be fun.
Dusk had pulled its cloak over the school, and the students and Twilights had gone their separate ways. All except one girl who'd sneaked her way up to the school's roof, shivering in the breeze. This was the only place she could go. The only place she could get away from them.
"Freak."
Her hand rose to her cheek at the thought. Another bruise to add to her collection. Why did they think that attacking something ugly would somehow make it better?
"Eyesore."
Two attacks in one. And both were equally painful. Okay sure, she wasn't going to win any beauty pageants anytime soon, but that didn't warrant treating her like Quasimodo either. She'd begun to dread just looking in the mirror.
"Retard."
The worst insult of them all. Yes, she had a hard time picking up on what things meant. Yes, her cross-eyes made her look like a screwball. And yes, she had the lowest grades in the class when it came to abstract concepts like geometry.
"But I am NOT an IDIOT!" Frustration had turned her thoughts into words as the dam broke. The fallout over her poor choice of a band was only the most recent of attacks, and the most painful. As the memories swarmed through her mind, she felt tears starting to form and took a step towards the edge of the roof.
They won't miss me. They won't even care. Half of them don't even know my name.
This wasn't the first time she'd thought about it. But before, she'd always had a reason to keep going. And lost in grief and pain, she had no comfort now.
She took another step, her feet halfway over the edge, feeling the full force of the wind against her body. There was no going back now. Taking one final breath, she closed her eyes, spread out her arms, and let gravity do the rest.
She never hit the ground.
"Hey! What?" Her eyes snapped open. She was inches away from the pavement. She shook herself and looked again. She was still alive, and she felt...different.
"What's going on?" A grey aura surrounded her lifting her back into the sky. "What-what is this? Put me down!"
Then things got weirder. Her upper back suddenly got very hot as if something was trying to force its way out, jerking her around like a marionette. Closing her eyes again, she forced herself through the pain.
A few minutes later, the thrashings subsided, and she felt the ground under her feet once more. For a moment, she wondered if she'd hallucinated the whole thing. But all the thoughts dripped to a stop when she saw her new additions.
"Are those...wings?"
Rubbing her eyes, she checked again. They were still there. And she could feel them too, a new pair of limbs on her back. She moved first one and then the other, still in a daze. Both responded naturally as if they had always been a part of her.
Her expression changed from confused, to awed, and finally excited.
"Stop the bus, stop the bus, you forgot me!"
Twilight's shouts were to no avail as the last bus back to Crystal Prep closed its doors and rolled out of the depot. She'd wasted far too much time on a failed search for this Vinyl and then tripped over her lab coat in her rush.
But at least I have something to think about over the entire two mile walk back.
With an annoyed sigh, she began the slow trudge, already anticipating tomorrow's plan of attack. Finding out how everyone seemed to know her was a high priority as was finding the DJ. But the overall goal remained the study and exploitation of substance X. If for no other reason than to explain all these weird happenings.
"Fast-growing plants, giant color explosions, raging she-demons, can it get any weirder?"
At that very moment, a blast of wind nearly swept her off her feet. She steadied herself and looked up, only to be blasted from the other direction.
"What the heck?!"
"Look at me! Look at me!" came a squeal of pure joy. "I'M FLYING!"
Sparks stared slack jawed at the newcomer...and then promptly fainted.
Twilight Sparkle had returned to the Pie residence only to find the rest of the girls waiting for her. A bit embarrassed, she offered a hasty explanation for her behavior and an apology for making them worry. And since everyone was already there anyway, Pinkie Pie insisted on a slumber party at her house. Everyone obliged, if for no other reason than to give support against any more nightmares. But when the time finally came for slumber, they hit a little snag.
"What are you talking about, Rarity? I'm perfectly fine sleeping like this."
"Out of the question, darling. While the crown you're wearing is lovely for accessorizing, it's completely impractical for sleeping. I mean, no wonder you keep having bad dreams with that thing pushing down on your head." She began ruffling through her knapsack purse. "I'm certain I have a nightcap in here somewhere. Maybe between the eyelash curler and the thermal underwear."
Twilight stepped back, holding her arms up defensively. "This really isn't necessary, believe me."
"Ah, there it is. Right next to the portable sowing machine." Rarity pulled it out with a triumphant grin and moved towards her. "Just plop it on, and you'll be asleep in no time."
"But my crown."
"I promise, you can put it back on first thing in the morning."
She fidgeted, hesitating. And that hesitation gave Rarity just enough time to reach over.
"Hey!" A rather loud squelch accompanied the crown's removal.
A bit taken aback, Rarity stared at her friend.
"How long were you wearing this thing? It left an imprint on your head!"
"I've tried to avoid taking it off ever since my horn broke. It's important to me." She began swaying on her feet.
Confusion turned to concern. "Twilight. It's just a crown. Wearing it won't make your horn grow back any faster."
"I know that." It was getting hard to concentrate. "I just needed something...t-to remind me of home."
What's happening to me. Why do I feel so weak?
Rarity noticed it too. "Are you all right? You've gone pale."
She was more than just pale. Her throat ached. Her head throbbed. She tried to take a step and lost her balance.
"Twilight!"
Twilight didn't hear her. She was already falling. Everything fading into a black void of nothing.
"It's...so...hot."
With a dull thud, she collapsed on the floor, unconscious.
The streets of Canterlot had gone silent. One by one, each of the street lights were extinguished; as anyone with half a brain in their head would be inside and asleep by now. And so it was that when Twilight Sparks recovered from her fainting spell, she was in complete darkness and utterly alone. Not letting herself dwell on that, she practically sprinted back to Crystal Prep's county. Normally, two miles of running for someone so athletically challenged would have left her exhausted. But in this case, her mind was racing just as fast.
"I still can't believe it. That girl had wings. A-a-and she was...flying."
But that wasn't right. Humans. Couldn't. Fly. Determined to resolve this conundrum, she began running down other possibilities.
"A hallucination brought on by some bad food? No, that's can't be right. I'm on a strictly regimented diet. Maybe it was some kind of stunt show...in the middle of the night...with no equipment...or audience to see it. Yeah right. Maybe it was some sort of genetic mutation caused by a rapid evolutionary growth spurt. No, that's just stupid."
This didn't make any sense. And the more she mulled it over, the less sense it made. She kept puzzling until her head ached from exertion.
"I've got nothing." With growing horror, she repeated herself. "I've got nothing."
Logic and reason had failed her. Her train of thought had wrecked. There was just no way to explain what she'd seen. Unless.
"No. N-n-no way. But that can't be. That's IMPOSSIBLE!"
And yet, it had happened. She'd seen it with her own two eyes. And with no other possibilities, only the truth remained. That grey girl had been flying. What did it mean? If the very rules of reality could be bypassed like that. What did it mean for the world if the impossible became possible? She had to figure it out.
She was so busy musing that she didn't even notice that she'd arrived at her home. She didn't care that it was past midnight; she had to put her findings in writing.
"It's Substance X. It has to be. Nothing like this ever happened before Substance X. So, it can do more than just make plants grow. Somehow, it lets p-p-people fly. What else can it do?"
Her mind went back to what Lyra had told her. How she, or someone who looked like her, had saved the school from a "raging she-demon." She'd filed the word away as mere hyperbole before. But now, she wasn't so sure. No doubt Substance X was responsible again.
Her mind blazed with the prospect of possibilities. Or were they impossibilities? She couldn't tell anymore. She thought and wrote and wrote and thought until a hand cramp forced her to stop.
"This is just amazing. Substance X could be the catalyst for whole new fields of study. Increased food production, rapid transport, total bodily alteration. Why, I bet something this potent could even r-r-raise the dead."
She had to find out more. To really see how far she could take this. The science lab would suffice for experimentation, of course, but she needed a way to isolate the substance for testing. Which meant, she'd need test subjects.
One way or another, she'd figure it out. She had to.
"Back so soon, Princess?"
Both the voice and the dreamscape were painfully familiar to Twilight. Another nightmare.
"What do you want with me? Why can't you just leave me alone?"
Instead of a horrible monster, all she could see in the surrounding darkness was a pair of glowing green eyes. Blanching back, she tried to crawl away.
"What do I want? I'll make this simple. I want your spirit broken, I want your friends dead, and I want the power you possess." A toothy grin appeared beneath the eyes.
"Why? What did I ever do to you?"
The figure gave a small huff. "You didn't do anything. I'm just taking advantage of an available opportunity, and you're just along for the ride."
"You're not the first malevolent creature I've faced. And you'll do no better than the rest."
The mouth opened, releasing a loud cackle. "'You've faced'? Don't you mean 'we've faced'? Judging by your memories, I'd say your friends have been major contributors toward each of your so-called victories."
"Yeah? What of it?" The irritation in her own voice caught Twilight by surprise. "My friends are the whole reason I became a Princess. They've helped me overcome obstacles I'd never have beaten on my own. Since you've apparently been inside my head, you should know they're what make me strong."
The grin returned, larger this time. The sight made her think of a lion about to pounce. "But what if I told you I could bring all of that crashing down with just one question?"
With crossed arms and a defiant glare, Twilight didn't back down. "I'd say that you're overestimating yourself. Do you really think one sentence can make me turn my back on everything I've ever known?"
"If you're all that confident, then surely you're not in any danger if you answer it."
The bait had been set. Poking Twilight's pride and encouraging overconfidence to get her to lower her guard. She could either bite the hook and try to silence the figure or refuse and let it keep tormenting her. No contest.
"No matter what happens, I will not be afraid. Ask your question."
"What is the Princess of Friendship without her friends?"
"I--uh--what?"
The girl was struck dumb. Celestia had asked the same thing after Tirek's defeat. At the time, the words had been an affirmation of her new role; but now, this thing was using them against her.
She'd never really given it much thought. It was always her and her friends, ever since Nightmare Moon. The six of them working together to save the day. But even so...
"If all your accomplishments come from your friends, then that just makes you worthless on your own."
Twilight fired back. "I'm still a magical prodigy, Celestia's chosen student, and one of the most intellectual unicorns in Canterlot, if I do say so myself."
"But you're not the only one in that category." The figure sneered again. "Sunset Shimmer held all three of those positions before you."
"Hmph. I'm not jealous of Sunset, if that's what you're going for. In fact, I'm quite proud of her. She fell into darkness, but fought her way out. Not many ponies can say they've done the same."
"Not even you. Especially not you. Don't you get it? She's the prodigal daughter, Just as powerful as you if not more-so. That's why Celestia let her come back and left you stuck here."
"W-what?" That thing had struck a nerve. "Celestia would never abandon me."
"Oh of course not." The figure chuckled in mock sympathy. But it doesn't change the facts. Sunset's just like you. She's there and you're here. And Equestria doesn't need you two Twilights."
The alicorn faltered, uncertain against the shadow. "You don't know what you're talking about. She's not going to replace me."
"If it wasn't for her, you'd be DEAD. So in a sense, she already did. Who sent for Celestia? Who set you free from the spell? Who single-handedly saved the school? Not you, that's for sure."
"No."
"She's got your magic, your drive to succeed, and your friends. And that means--"
She was so hot. Beads of sweat dripped down her forehead and into her eyes, stinging them. Her throat was dry and parched from the heat, but the light beaming down on her offered no respite.
Where am I?
She didn't recognize her surroundings. The walls and floor were bright white, only adding to the harsh glare from the overhead light. She shifted, trying to shield her eyes, and made another discovery.
What happened to my clothes?
Her skirt and vest had been replaced by a blueish white gown that pressed lightly against her body. She tried to sit up for a better view...only for a dizzy spell to force her right back down.
Rubbing her eyes, she took another look around. There was a sink on one wall and a door marked "Bathroom" next to it. On another wall was another door without any markings.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
And someone was knocking on it.
"Hello?" She grimaced at how hoarse she sounded, cleared her throat, and tried again. "Hello?"
"You're awake?" The muffled voice on the other side quickly turned into a shout. "You're awake!"
A few seconds later, the door opened, and Rarity burst into the room with tears in her eyes.
"Twilight! Thank the Lord, you're all right!"
"Rarity? What happened? Where am I?"
The other girl's voice was choked with sobs. "Y-you're in the hospital. After you passed out, we didn't know what to do. So, we ended up calling 911. An ambulance brought you here."
"Why are you so worked up? How long was I out?"
"It's Tuesday now, so about two days. We were worried sick."
Oh great. As if I didn't give them enough to worry about already.
"Are you all right now? Do you need anything?"
"Where are the others?" She tried to sit up again and again dizziness forced her back down.
"They're at school. I got an excuse note in case you woke up."
"Y-you didn't need to do that."
"Of course we did. Rainbow Dash came yesterday; I came today; and if you were still out tomorrow, it would have been Applejack's turn. All of us were hoping and praying you'd get better."
"I'll bet you were." Twilight slumped down in the bed, giving up on standing up. "Ever loyal companions holding out for their wounded friend."
The sarcastic tone in her voice didn't go unnoticed by the other girl. And just like before, she pressed forward. "Darling, are you all right?"
"Yes...No. Melancholia has taken over me."
"Oh Twilight."
"Look at me, Rarity. I'm completely out of my depth in this world. I had to relearn how to walk, figure out how to use the most basic technology, and I still don't understand how the sun and moon can move by themselves. I just don't belong here."
"But you saved us, remember? If you hadn't come to our world, then Sunset would have won the Fall Formal unopposed. And then we'd have had no way to stop her when she turned into Searing; that raging she-demon would have brainwashed us along with the rest of the school. Don't you see? It's only thanks to you that we're having this conversation at all."
The response was a weary sigh. "Yeah, I helped stop Searing. But then came the sirens. And how did I help then?"
"You took Adagio off balance long enough for Sunset to smash her pendant."
"That was Sunset's idea. A last-second gambit to exploit the siren's ego. Any of you could have easily done the same thing."
"But we didn't. You did. And let's not forget, you fared longer against that creature than any of us did."
"Except Sunset, you mean."
"So is she the reason you're upset?"
Twilight's eyes shot down. Rarity didn't miss it.
"That's not the only reason."
With nothing to do but lie down and heal, all of her problems were rising to the surface. She told Rarity everything: her recurring nightmares, how helpless she felt without her horn, and the confrontation she had with the shadow.
"Well, you've certainly had quite the ordeal." Not knowing what to say, Rarity began rubbing her arm.
Another sigh. "The worst part about this is that that thing was right. Unless the school's in crisis again, you girls really don't need me anymore."
"You don't know that. Just because we're not seconds away from the end of the world, doesn't mean we're not needed. You're thinking too big, Twilight."
"What do you mean?"
"Let me use myself as an example. When I'm not in school, I spend my spare time working at the Carousel Boutique. It's my job to help customers find the best possible outfits to wear. Do you know why I do that?"
"Because you want everyone to look good?"
Rarity shook her head. "No. It's more than that. A good outfit is more than just a fashion statement. What you wear acts as a first impression to everyone around you. Someone dressed sharply and in good colors shows the world that they're confident and proud of themselves."
"Clothes can do all that?"
"Absolutely. Why I remember just the other day when Lyra came the store. She told me she was too embarrassed to start conversations, because she felt like no one really noticed her. It was plain to see why. The shirt and skirt she most frequently wore were a dingy pink and faded robin's egg blue. So to help her stand out more, I gave her a shimmering amber orange. Just bright enough to catch someone's eye but not so bright that they'd stop and gawk. Within a few days, she was doing much better and had already hit it off with Bon-Bon."
"So that's what you do? Help people improve themselves through personal style?"
"Now you're getting it." She grinned and spread her arms out. "Rarity Belle, changing the world by changing your clothes. That new ensemble was just the confidence boost she needed. And I didn't have to defeat a raging she-demon in the process."
For the first time that morning, Twilight smiled. "I get it. You just do what you can to help out whenever. Even if it's just little things."
"Exactly."
"OW! OW! Rarity, don't hug me. I'm still sore--OW!"
"Oops. Sorry about that. But you see my point, right?"
"Yes I do. Thanks."
"You're very welcome. I'm just glad I got the chance to help you after all you've done for us." A beeping sound made her glance at her watch. "Good grief. It's already noon? Really sorry to have to dash out like this, Twilight, but I have to help design team uniforms for an upcoming sports competition. The other girls will be coming by in shifts once I tell them you're awake. Listen, I'll see you later."
Ever so flustered, she quickly gathered her things and departed, leaving Twilight to settle down for a nap. Once more encouraged by a friend.
The sound of a ringing phone awoke Twilight Sparks from her doze. After staying up all night on Sunday trying to figure out Substance X, she'd been way too exhausted to head to school on Monday. Even now, after a day of rest, she was still a little groggy. So, she just let the cell phone go to the answering machine.
Beep!
"Hello, you've reached Twilight Sparks. Please leave a message."
Beep!
"Hello Ms. Sparks. This is Vice-Principal Luna. You might not be aware, but your first day of classes was scheduled for yesterday afternoon. I realize adjusting to a new school can be hard and organizing yourself can be even harder. So you were not marked tardy today. But I do encourage you to try and be more punctual in the future. Thanks, and I hope your enjoy your classes."
Humph. Typical. She thought with a yawn. Principal's always trying to play catch-up. But I should probably head in today anyway. Don't want to draw attention to myself by missing classes. Not if I want to find and test Substance X.
She checked the time. More than an hour to go. She had plenty of time. But right now, the little symbol at the bottom of her phone meant there were more messages.
Welcome Twilight Sparks. You have two new messages. Message 1: new from 8:23 PM on Sunday.
"Hey Twiley. It's your brother. I just called to see if you wanted to come see my track meet next weekend. Don't worry about Ms. Harshwhinny, I got a ticket with your name on it and everything."
He paused for a moment, as if figuring out the right words to say.
"Look...Twilight. I know things have been awkward since you withdrew from Crystal, but I really miss the two of us hanging out together. I don't know if you left because of the incident or for something else, but I really wish you'd come back. Call me back when you get this, okay? Bye."
"Big brother." A pang of guilt crept its way into her heart, but she quickly forced it back out. She missed him too; but no matter what happened, she could never go back. Even going near the place was too much. Angrily, she shook herself and checked the next message.
Message 2: New from 9:43 AM Monday.
"Hello Twilight. It's me. I was wondering if your recent school transfer would interfere with our trip to Peacock Grove on Friday. I know we go there every year, but I'm not sure how long it would take for you to adapt to your new studies. Anyway, if I don't hear from you by then, I'll just assume we're still on and swing by to pick you up. How's the new school? Met any new friends? Can't wait to see you again.
Your former teacher,
Professor Solaris."
Sparks never understood why he always put a signature on his phone calls; but at least, it was a consistency she could count on. She immediately sent him a message confirming she'd be there. Regardless of her studies, that trip took top priority. She'd go up right after school let out.
Speaking of school.
Yeah, it was probably a good idea to start heading in now. After all, there could be other transformations to witness. Getting her things together, she headed out the door. Off to her first day at Canterlot High.
The sun was nearing its zenith on a new day at Canterlot High. And just like before, Twilight Sparks could feel the change in the air. She sniffed the air to confirm her suspicions and found that one particular scent overpowered all the others.
"Substance X."
Earlier, she'd tried to rummage up parts to make a scanner to help her search. But the flora she'd brought back with her lacked enough material to isolate. So, she went on instinct instead; a hazardous move for a scientist. But since logic and reason had already failed her once, she had nowhere else to turn to.
And I certainly don't have anyone to turn to. A twinge of bitterness tainted that thought.
Taking a deep breath, she transferred the sensation from her nose to her mouth. The substance tasted sweet; it reminded her of fresh, green grapes, appetizing to the mouth yet healthy for the stomach.
Let's see. I can feel it, smell it, and taste it. Can I hear it?
With her other senses suppressed, she stretched out her ears. Wrinkling her brow in concentration, she tried to isolate the other noises around her, straining for the slightest indication of...of....
What exactly am I listening for?
She couldn't find it if she didn't know what it was. Well, four out of five wasn't bad. She'd already seen what it could do. It made her nervous. And that nervousness only increased as she approached the school's door.
While her senses were practically screaming at her to investigate the statue first, the lack of other students outside offered little excuse if she got caught. Besides, her first class would be starting soon, and she didn't want to make a bad impression. It was a crash course in the study of--
"Chemistry." More memories began to seep back in.
"See Twilight, isn't it nice to just relax for a while?"
"All right, I admit it. I did need a break from studying."
"Then say it." Her companion gave a cheeky smile.
"Do I have to?" came the groan.
"Say it."
"Best friends always know best. They'll stand with you through time and test. They'll take that big load off your chest. Having a best friend is the best. You're my best friend."
"See, that wasn't so hard."
"Ugh, why did we ever come up with that stupid rhyme?"
"We were kids. So young and foolish. So, do you think you'll be ready for tomorrow?"
She felt herself over, her stress and concerns melting away in a confident smile. "Yes, I do. That test won't know what hit it."
"That's what I want to hear. And with that, I think we should call it a night. Thanks for coming with me."
"Thanks for inviting me. It's not everyday we find our own special place every from everyone. What do you want to call this place?"
"Hmm, we saw a family of peacocks on our way in so how about Peacock Grove?"
"Peacock Grove. I like the sound of that."
They spent a few minutes walking in silence before inevitably reaching the point of parting ways.
"Well, I guess this is it. See you tomorrow, Twilight."
Twilight gave her a hug before they parted ways. "See you tomorrow, Sunset."
"Okay class. You have your assignment for tomorrow. If there are no further questions, then you're dismissed."
The gaggle of students filed out of the room while Twilight lingered behind, utterly bored out of her skull. It was becoming quite clear that the adults of the school would be of no help. Her teachers' questions had been child's play, nothing she hadn't already seen at Crystal Prep. So with that over with, she turned her mind back towards her search.
Questioning the principals had gotten her nowhere; indeed, they seemed completely oblivious towards the school's previous events. Any information she could actually use would have to come from the students. And that was the first oddity.
Wherever she went, people kept giving her strange looks. While she was eating her lunch, she caught five girls staring at her with mouths agape.
Do more people besides Lyra think they know me?
Was Substance X to blame once again? Perhaps someone had used it to create an exact duplicate of her for impersonation. Though that seemed improbable even by its standards. What motive would anyone have to copy her?
Her eyes swept over the room again and found something of interest. At the farthest table, one girl was eating all by herself. Seemingly unaware of the chatter around her, she was bobbing her head to a pair of headphones. She wore purple shades and a baseball cap. She matched Lyra's earlier description perfectly.
Twilight moved quickly and took a seat next to her before anyone could notice. Now came the unpleasant part: more small talk.
"Um, excuse me."
The other girl took her headphones off but said nothing.
"I'm looking for someone named Vinyl Scratch. Would you happen to know where I could find her?"
As she'd suspected, the girl pointed at herself and nodded.
"You're her?"
Another nod.
"Not a very talkative person, are you?"
She'd intended that as a joke, but she could have sworn that the girl looked a little sad. Right after that, Vinyl pointed at her mouth and slowly shook her head.
"You can't speak?"
Again, a nod.
"Oh...I'm sorry."
Vinyl shrugged and motioned for her to keep going.
"I feel strange asking this, but do you know who I am?"
The response was a cocked head and a confused glance followed by a slow nod. Of course I know who you are. Everyone does.
"You do?"
Nod.
"But that doesn't make sense. This is my first day here."
Lifting her glasses, Vinyl rubbed the bridge of her nose, equally confused.
"When was the last time you saw...uh...me?"
Vinyl held up three fingers.
"Three days ago?"
Nod.
"That can't be right. What did I look like?"
Pulling away from her words, the DJ began scribbling through her phone. After a few seconds, she showed Twilight a video of herself. But this Twilight had wings and a horn on her head. Five other girls stood with her, each with their own transformations, and in front of them was--
"What in the world is THAT?"
Using a nearby napkin, Vinyl wrote the word demon.
"Demon?! Just what kind of school IS this?"
Now the white girl held up her arms, palms facing away from her. Calm down.
"Right. S-sorry." Twilight shook herself. "This is all just so strange to me. Flying girls? Another me? Horrible monsters? It's like something out of a fantasy novel."
Another shrug.
"Do you have any idea how this stuff is happening?"
With a wide grin, Vinyl reached up and pulled off her baseball cap revealing a white unicorn horn underneath.
"What the!--"
A purple glow appeared around the pen and napkin, and Twilight watched in amazement as the pen lowered to the paper and wrote another word all by itself. But another look at the horn was all it took for her to put two and two together.
Levitation.
Sparks just sat there staring into space, and she stayed like that long after the DJ had finished eating and left. Once again, she'd been thinking too small. Once again the rules of real and not real had changed. And once again, she was at a loss for words. Trying not to faint again, she turned her attention back to the napkin. The second word Vinyl had written was just as clear as the handwritten one. And that one word scared her even more. More than anything else she'd seen, that word was supposed to be impossible. Why, even acknowledging the concept would blow her mind into pieces. And at the same time, it was the only thing that made any sense. Even if sense made no sense.
The sweet release of sleep continually evaded Twilight's grasp. She'd tried dozens of ways to get comfortable but none worked.
What's wrong with me? Right now, all I can do is rest, and I can't even do that right.
Washing her face, getting a snack, and even changing the sheets didn't help. She was just too hot and restless to sleep.
"Yeah, that's the reason. It's too hot in here."
Of course, all she'd have to do to fix that was summon the nurse. And then he'd (yes he, she'd been surprised too) gladly turn down the thermostat for her. Problem solved.
B-b-but she couldn't do that, could she? After all, the staff had far better to do than to cater to her every whim. Surely she could endure the discomfort if it meant they could help someone who really needed it.
Right?
"Oh who am I kidding?" She finally gave up. "I know perfectly well why I can't sleep. Going to sleep means I'll have to deal with that THING again. And that's the last thing I want to do right now or at all."
She still had no answer. No way to counter its cruel words. No way to prove that she still had value. And that knowledge hurt her even more. Previous threats she'd faced had set their sights on places or ponies she cared about. But this was different. Personal attacks were something she hadn't really dealt with before.
And it's not like I can lie to someone who's looked inside my head.
It didn't really matter. She wasn't a very good liar anyway. It came with having the Element of Honesty as a friend. After their misadventure at Dodge Junction, Applejack had told her that no matter how painful the truth could be, lies, even if they were just half-truths, only made things worse.
"Ow! What the?" Her headache was back, a flare of pain drilling into her skull. Squeezing her eyes shot, she pushed through until it subsided.
Okay then, lying was out. But what else could she do? If she brought up her magical accomplishments, the Shadow would dismiss them in favor of Sunset. And since Sunset had saved her life and set her free from Adagio's spell, that made it a hard argument to counter.
But wait. Now that she thought of it, two ponies with the same talent had caused a conflict before. Pinkie Pie had gone through something similar when she'd planned Rainbow Dash's birth-iversary. Another party planner had come to help and accidentally upstaged her, leaving her feeling like her parties didn't matter if he was better than her. She'd nearly given up on her whole career. But at the end of the day, her friends had reassured her that it didn't matter that someone else was better than her. She would always be Ponyville's best party pony no matter who else came along.
"Aaaagh! Again?" The pain returned, stronger than before. She spent several minutes banging her head against the pillow in agony. This time, it took longer for her head to stop throbbing.
Despite the ache, she was starting to feel better. A drop of clarity had trickled into her sea of confusion. Settling herself down, she took a deep breath, once again thanking Cadance for teaching her that technique.
I wonder if she had her own stress issues when she became a Princess too.
She'd have to ask her sister-in-law about that...if she ever got back to Equestria. As intriguing as the human world was, it just wasn't home. And barring Equestrian threats, she didn't have much of a role here either.
Or did she?
It occurred to Twilight that this wasn't her first identity crisis. When she'd first become a Princess, she had had no idea what her purpose was. Sure, she had extra authority in times of crisis; but other than that, it just felt like a formality. And the times she'd been summoned for special events only added to the irony and frustration of it all. But to her credit, she had figured it out eventually.
And it only took the near-total destruction of everything I knew and love to do so. She thought with a chuckle.
Now was no different. She'd been cut off from her home, and lost her magic, but none of that mattered as long as she still had her friends. It didn't matter whether it was a new town, a new title, or a new world, she'd find a way to move forward.
"And I won't let anything stop me either." Her head was flaring up again, but she ignored it. "Especially not you."
"Well that's just swell." Her shadow peeled itself off of the wall and took on the familiar form. "How'd you know it was me?"
Blowing her hair out of her eyes, Twilight faced her foe with a grin. "My head only started hurting when I started making those personal revelations. After the second time, I knew it was you trying to throw me off the trail. Just like how you knocked me out when Rarity took off my crown."
She noted with a bit of satisfaction that its smirk changed to an irritated frown. "Wipe that grin off your face. This doesn't change anything. You're still helpless without your magic."
"I'll adjust. I already did once."
"For about two days. The smirk returned. "Big whoop. If a new threat marched through that portal, all you'd be able to do is watch it rip your friends to shreds."
There was a opening. "Sunset didn't have any magic either, but that didn't stop her from saving me. After all, she had no guarantee that she'd ascend from taking that hit. She could have just died instead."
"A nice attempt to deflect the issue with 'could-haves' and 'might-have-beens'," it applauded sarcastically, "But she still saved you and--"
"Without magic," Came the cut in. "Which makes your whole argument invalid. Horn or no horn, I can still keep my friends safe."
It faltered for a second, then flared up, the top of its head catching on fire. "IRRELEVANT! Weak, worthless, little brat. You're deluding yourself into thinking you have value when you don't. She has magic and YOU. HAVE. NOTHING!"
Twilight's eyes widened. Wait a minute. That's just what...
"I have friends. I should have seen it before, but I was too scared. Too scared to see that I already had the answers all along. And you wanted that, didn't you? Because if I was scared, I'd alienate them."
"You don't--"
"And since I get weaker without them, that would make me just weak enough for you to take over."
"That's not--"
A purple glow accompanied Twilight's new-found resolve. It was time to end this. "But your shortsighted gambit missed a critical flaw. When you looked through my memories to make your attack, you never imagined I'd do the same thing for my defense. That's why you failed before, and that's why you'll always fail.
"Isn't that right, SEARING?"
The blistering fury on the figure's face told her all that she needed to know.
"You. You. You..........GAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"
Once more, fire erupted around her, burning away her shadow into wisps of black smoke and exposing her orange skin underneath. As her disguise deteriorated, she became more and more solid. Mass became flesh. Tendrils became claws. And when it was finally over, Twilight once again found herself face to face with the She-Demon.
"I knew it."
"Ugh. No. It wasn't supposed to be like this." Searing hissed, losing the boom in her voice. "You were supposed to break. Why didn't you break? Why couldn't I break you?"
"You were right before. I am nothing without my friends. Why if it wasn't for them, I'd probably end up how Sunset was: jealous, vengeful, and power-hungry. But I'm okay with that. Because I'm not some parasite leeching off of others to support my own ego; my relationships are a give and take. With each exchange, we sharpen each other; and in doing so, we both get stronger. But I wouldn't expect a creature who sees people as assets to understand that. Am I right?"
"Oh spare me your sentimental speech." The demon clutched its heart in mock agony. "I think I'd prefer getting blasted by another Rainbow."
"That can be arranged."
"Whatever." In an instant, she'd gone from angry to nonchalant. "So you beat me again. What now? Gonna try and befriend me?"
"How about you get out of my head first? Go find yourself a new host. Then we'll talk."
"Fine." Came the sigh. "But this isn't over. Remember, I still know everything about you. And everyone you care about."
And with that sinister warning, she was gone.
Twilight took another deep breath. Somehow, the air tasted cleaner. A great burden had been lifted from her shoulders. Her headache vanished. Her mind was clear. She was free.
Too exhausted to think of anything else, she fell asleep. It was the first perfect, dreamless sleep she'd had since losing her horn.
"Um, Rarity, I think we have a problem...if you're not too busy, I mean."
"Whatever is the matter Fluttershy? You've gone pale."
"Well," She tapped her fingers together, "It's just that I was on my way to the hospital to check on Twilight and give her her things back, but they wouldn't let me in since she was sleeping, and then someone bumped into me, and we dropped all our stuff, and I think I-"
Rarity put an arm on the girl. "Don't get nervous, Darling. I won't bite. Just tell me what happened."
Too squeamish to say it aloud, Flutters resorted to whispering instead.
No wonder logic and reason had failed her before. Magic defied those principals by its very nature. And at the same time, that opened up far more possibilities than before, more than even the cause of science could offer. Levitation and flight were just two of them. And what about the spells? What else could this magic do?
She had to find out more. But how? Observation and notes could only take her so far, and she couldn't exactly going around stalking students with a clipboard in the hopes that something would happen. She needed a better way to get results.
Let's see. I probably don't want to hypnotize anyone. Who knows how the magic within them would react?
That was the problem. She didn't know. A scientific mind such as hers was completely out of its depth when it came to the supernatural. Outside of this school, anyone she consulted would likely be as dumbfounded as she'd been. And snow would fall in the Sahara desert before she went back to Crystal Prep.
As she pondered what to do next, she scanned the room again. Re-consulting Vinyl was always an option. And seeing how the grey girl wolfed them down, cross-eyes could be coaxed to talk with some muffin bribery. That wouldn't enough for a full experiment, but it was a start. Especially, if it got her closer to finding...
Hey!
There they were again. Those five girls she'd seen earlier were staring at her and whispering among themselves.
Why do they keep doing that?
She felt her face clench.
They've been paying more attention to me than anyone else here. Why?
She snapped her head around and glared right back at them. Noticing this, they quickly turned aside, but it was too late. With quick, snappy stomps, she marched their way.
"That's her girls; I'm sure of it. Twilight's twin who lives in the city."
"You mean our world's Twilight, Darling. But what is she doing here?"
"The only other place I'd seen a uniform like that was at that fancy-schmancy private school a few miles away."
"You mean Crystal Prep?"
"Yeah. That one."
"Why would she go there? That place is dark, unfriendly, and the people there are so judgmental."
"How do you know that Dashie?"
"My old friend Lightning Dust goes there. They turned her from upbeat and helpful to cutthroat and cold-hearted in just one school year. It was like she was a completely different person."
"Uh girls?"
"One year there did all that? Do ya think magic was involved?"
"I don't know. She doesn't really talk much anymore. And what happens at Crystal Prep, stays at Crystal Prep."
"Girls."
"Then whatever she's doing here can't bode well for us. What should we do?"
"Well, if she's anything like our Twilight, trying to get her to leave will only make her more suspicious. "
"But we can't just leave her all alone. Twilight wouldn't like it if we just ignored Twilight like everyone did to Twilight."
"And what if she discovers the portal? Then the wrong Twilight could end up in Equestria and cause some sort of paradox."
"Well that's the last thing we need right now. What on Earth are we going to do with her?"
"Well, you better figure it out soon; because, she's coming this way!"
"WHAT?!"
As one, the five girls rose and retreated, hastily scrambling into the hallway.
"H-hey! What are you doing? St-stop!"
Sparks didn't wait for a response and charged after them.
"Come back here!"
They raced through the hallways, the gymnasium, and the foyer, nearly crashing into Vice-Principal Luna in the process.
"Cease this tomfoolery at once. Running in the hallways is strictly-"
But even while she was speaking, they had already burst through the door and ran off.
"-prohibited." She finished with a frustrated groan. "Ugh, first Sunset Shimmer runs amuck, and now everyone flagrantly disregards the rules? I told Celly our school policy was too lax. I will have to address this later."
And while she mused about that, the chase kept going. Her chest getting hot, Twilight forced herself to keep running, not wanting to let her answers get away.
I knew I should have taken Phys-Ed.
A nearby sign told her they were headed towards the school's amphitheater, and she noted with a note of satisfaction that the other girls were tiring too. They slowed from running, to jogging, and finally stopping once they climbed up on the stage.
"I (pant) got (pant) you (pant) now."
The white girl spoke up. "We (pant) weren't trying to (pant) escape."
"Then why did you (pant) run?"
"We wanted to be sure (pant) that no one was around when we talked to you."
"Why? So I wouldn't blab about your magic?"
Their eyes narrowed. "Tell us how much you know."
So many glares made her gulp. She started sweating. "Well, Vinyl showed me that everything that's happened here is because of this magic."
Rainbow smacked a hand to her head. "I knew we should have sworn her to secrecy."
"That wouldn't have changed anything, Dashie."
Sparks nodded. "She's right. I was already investigating even before I found out about that."
"Then why are you here?" The question came out a bit more forceful than Rarity intended; but after two attacks in a row, she wasn't taking any chances.
She winced. "I just wanted to find out what made this place so strange. Everything's different from Cry--er--my old school. The people, the plants, even the air feels different. Did magic really do all that?"
"It most certainly did. And it's still doing it now."
"Wow." Twilight tapped her chin, processing the information.
"So, uh, what are you going to do next? Um, if you don't mind me asking that is."
"I'm sorry; I don't quite understand."
"Well, you didn't come all this way just to ask questions, did you? Now that you know that Canterlot High has magic, what are you going to do with it?"
"'Do with it'?" Red began to flow into her cheeks. Sure, there were the potential applications she had thought of already, but those were just practical not personal. She hadn't really thought about using it herself.
"Yeah." Pinkie chimed in. "Do you want to learn how to use magic yourself? Or do you want to fly?"
"Do you want to improve your endurance so you won't get so winded when running?" Dash continued.
"Do you want to use it to improve your studies? Or your work ethic?" This came from Rarity.
"Or ya could just make yourself stronger." Applejack.
All of those ideas rushing around in her head made Twilight feel a bit faint. She had to sit down. Without even intending to, these girls had cut right through her. And once again, her mind come up blank.
"I...I...I don't know."
"And you're certain she's still there?"
"I talked to one of the staff members; she checked in a few days ago, Mr. Solaris. Plus, I set up a camera by the entrance. When she does leave, we'll know."
"Good job, Sweetie Drops."
"Do you think we should make our move now?"
"Not yet. She's not ready yet."
"But we need to make our move soon. What if they--"
"Calm down. If they had found us, we'd have been caught by now."
"So what do we do?"
"We wait. As long as we keep covering our tracks, they won't get suspicious. And once she's fully healed, we'll go for Twilight Sparkle."
Twilight's stomach was about to implode. Each tick of the clock synchronized with her beating heart. She was beginning to wonder whether or not one could drown in their own sweat. Glancing around her, she took note of the other students around her. Some were just as nervous as she was. Some were slumped over their desks in defeat or exhaustion. And some trained their eyes firmly toward the front of the room, where Ms. Cinch sat, grading their exams.
Out of the two hundred applicants who had qualified for the entrance exam, only the twenty highest scoring students would be given admittance into Crystal Prep's Program for Advanced Students. Succeeding here would gain her a decisive advantage for her future and possible scholarship opportunities. Failure would mean...well she didn't want to think about what that would mean.
Lost in thought, she didn't notice Ms. Cinch standing in front of her until the vice-principal tapped her foot impatiently.
"Oh. I'm sorry." Twilight straightened herself. "Can I help you?"
She crossed her arms. "Miss Sparks. I know students your age tend to have short attention spans, but I would hope you'd make the effort for something this important."
"Sorry Ma'm."
An exaggerated harrumph preceded the next reply. "Really, if you get this fatigued from just one exam, it's a wonder why you even applied in the first place." She paused for a moment then ground her teeth together. "Ne-ver-the-less, I suppose congratulations are in order."
Twilight allowed herself the tiniest of grins. "R-really?"
"That's what I said. Through some miracle, you managed to pass the test. In fact, your score was the best of the class. You start your new studies next Tuesday morning. Your class schedule will be mailed to you in a couple of days along with your room number, textbooks, meal plan, and rule book. Do not be late."
"All RIGHT!" Cinch may have been about to say something else, but Twilight didn't stay to listen. Leaping up from her desk, she dashed out of the classroom. Ignoring the confused or angry looks around her, she soared out of the building, laughing wildly all the while.
"Yesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyesyes!"
She wasn't alone in her joy. Sunset was ecstatic for her friend's success. Together, they ate, drank, and made merry in celebration. Victory had come at last.
BREEP! BREEP! BREEP!
For the second time, an untimely noise jolted Sparks out of her memories. Though instead of a cell phone, this time, it was her alarm clock. Morning had come once again; and once again, it was time for school.
Though in all honesty, it was a stretch to really call it that at all. Canterlot High seemed to put more effort into its school-wide events and social interaction than ensuring its students were learning. Sparks figured that they were going for increased incentive by increasing morale. She didn't know if it worked, but it certainly made the place more friendly.
Friendly. Such a word didn't even belong in the same sentence as Crystal Prep.
"Let's see." A few days later found Twilight in the school library perusing over the rule book for the Advanced Program. "'To keep Crystal Prep Academy successful, the following requirements have been implemented for all of the participants and MUST be followed to the latter. NO EXCEPTIONS.'"
"Eeesh," Sunset groaned from nearby. "It's like Cinch herself in book form."
Twilight shrugged. "The Advanced Program is supposed to be the cream of the cream of the crop. I guess they take their methods very seriously. Anyway, 'Rule number 1: Students are to be in their seats at EXACTLY 8:00 AM; anything less is unacceptable. Rule number 2: Students are forbidden from bringing or consuming any outside food on class days. All three meals will be provided by the school during appropriate intervals and in accordance with the provided meal plan.'
That was a little strange but not something she couldn't handle.
"'Rule number 3:," she continued. "Students will be subjected to a series of rigorous physical examinations and tests to ensure they learn in body as well as mind and spirit. Rule number 4--'"
"Oh just skip to the end, I'm begging you." Sunset cut in.
With a snicker, Twilight skimmed over the other rules. There were certainly quite a few. As soul-crushing as Ms. Cinch was, they had to admit she was thorough. There were instructions about what color backpacks they could wear, how many seconds they were allowed in the bathroom each day, the maximum noise level allowed for coughs and sneezes, and the strangest one: no singing except in a minor key.
"You know, all those rumors about Miss Cinch being a former prison warden make sense now."
The two had a good laugh about it until they came to the last rule. Unlike the others, this one was bigger and in all capital letters, impossible to miss. Twilight glanced over it, blanched back, and then read it to Sunset.
"RULE 50: THIS RULE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT. ANY STUDENT CAUGHT IN VIOLATION WILL BE EXPELLED FROM THE PROGRAM IMMEDIATELY WITH NO CHANCE FOR REAPPLICATION. IN ORDER TO ENSURE OPTIMUM LEARNING CONDITIONS, CRYSTAL PREP HAS DEDICATED ITSELF TO THE COMPLETE ERADICATION OF ANY AND ALL FACTORS THAT WOULD DISRUPT THE LEARNING PROCESS. THIS INCLUDES MOBILE DEVICES, CHEWING GUM, WINDOWS, WARM ROOMS ETC. HOWEVER, A RECENT ASSESSMENT TAKEN AMONG THE STUDENTS HAS DETERMINED THE MOST DETRIMENTAL DISRUPTION TO BE THE PURSUIT OF ENJOYMENT WITH FRIENDS. AS SUCH--
"All forms of social interaction both inside and out of school grounds are explicitly prohibited." She finished.
"What?" Sunset's look of shock reflected Twilight's own. "She can't do that. She doesn't have the authority to control what you do outside of school."
"That's ridiculous. Having friends doesn't interfere with school. She can't possibly expect anyone to follow this rule."
"As a matter of fact, I do." In that moment, Cinch herself entered the room. Twilight and Sunset both leaped from their seats.
"Ah! Uh, Vice-Principal Cinch, ma'm. What a surprise." Twilight stammered.
If it was a surprise, she was hardly amused and directed a particularly disdainful glare at Sunset. "Leave us."
Fighting back dissent, Sunset nodded at a worried Twilight and left the room. After she left, Cinch continued.
"What you read here is no joke, young lady. The rules of Crystal Prep are absolute and eternal. Every waking moment at this school is about the advancement of our education. That priority takes precedence above all else." She slammed the desk making Twilight jump. "And NOTHING is allowed to detract from that."
"What are you saying?"
"The Advanced Program is a rigorous experience, Twilight. You knew that when you applied, did you not?"
"Um y-yes?" She shied away as Cinch began circling around her.
"And someone who invested enough time to get the highest score on the entrance exam would certainly have a lot to live up to. Especially if her work could end up being on exhibition for future students, correct?"
"Yes."
"Then wouldn't someone as devoted as you are want to be absolutely sure they'd accomplish their goals?"
"Yes." Each affirmation made her more uncertain.
"Then you can certainly understand how important it is for me to keep our students on the path to a brighter future, right?"
"I do."
"Which would include eliminating possible pitfalls or obstructions."
That struck a nerve. "You're talking about Sunset like she's a burden or a liability, but she's NOT. She's my friend!"
"And if Sunset truly is your friend," Cinch stopped circling. "Then shouldn't she understand just how important this is for you? To throw yourself into the program with your entire being?"
"What makes you think she doesn't?"
"The fact that the security cameras saw the two of you leaving school grounds a day before the exam." She grinned in triumph.
Twilight's heart suddenly dropped out, and she began sweating. Busted.
"One would think that that the day before such an important test would be spent studying as if your life depended on it. But not only did you not do that, but you played hooky instead. Did SHE talk you into it?"
"You could say that."
"If that's the case," Cinch sat down again, looking Twilight in the eyes. " If she kept you from doing what you wanted to, then how can you look at her and still call her a friend?"
That was a excellent question. To which she had no answer.
BREEP! BREEP! BREEP!
Across town in a hospital bed, Twilight Sparkle woke up. Now that Searing was gone, so were her nightmares, and she was ready to go back to school.
All right. I've kept everyone waiting long enough. Time to go back to school.
Once the test results confirmed she was healthy enough to leave, Twilight wasted no time in packing up her things. Thankfully, the fact that they hadn't done any actual procedures meant she didn't have to pay any bills. Dressed once more in her school clothes, she headed to the lobby to check out.
"Ow!"
"Oops. Sorry about that." And bumped into Sweetie Drops on her way out.
"No problem Twilight." Sweetie took the offered hand. "I heard you weren't doing so well, so I thought I'd stop by. Though from the look of things, I see I'm too late."
"Not at all, Bon-Bon. I just appreciate your concern."
"Well actually," Sweetie scratched her head. "It wasn't just concern that brought me here. I found this on the floor last time I was here and wanted to give it back."
It took all of Twilight's willpower not to flinch. "My crown."
Part of her wondered if Searing was lurking inside it again; part of her wondered if the nightmares would return if she put it back on; and part of her wanted to just throw that stupid piece of metal away and never see it again for the rest of her life.
She tried to sound as disinterested as possible. "Eh, that old thing has seen better days. You can keep it if you want."
"Wow! Really?" By contrast, Sweetie suddenly became more interested. "Thanks so much. I can't wait to show Lyra." Popping it on her head, she turned on her heel and dashed out. Twilight stared after the retreating girl for a moment before giving a heaving sigh.
Ugh. Maybe I'm not completely better after all.
Even though she'd driven the demon away, the planted doubts in her mind weren't so easily uprooted. Just like before, Twilight had nearly been broken through her friends. Adagio had dangled the danger they faced and left her to stew on their fate while Searing had questioned her worth without them. To her building frustration, both attacks had succeeded, and having her emotions crippled twice was two times too many.
They're too easy of a flaw to exploit. That's why I need to keep them safe.
Once again, she found herself lacking, needing to help them but not knowing how. Stumped again, she decided to just head to school and figure it out later.
I have to hurry. If Searing does find a new body, then they'll be her first target.
.
Upon entering the school, Twilight Sparks felt the hair on her skin stand up. CHS's magic was much more palpable now; though she didn't know if it was because she was growing more accustomed to it or because the overall amount had increased. The students had noticed too. Word had spread fast about Muffins and Vinyl, and the magic was spreading as well. All throughout the school, people were either gushing about magic or showing off their own transformations.
How do I get in on the action?
Would she have to get one of those mutations in order to use it? Or was that just a side-effect from when the magic activated itself? Every new discovery just led to more questions. The five girls could probably answer some of them, but they'd clammed up when she'd tried to ask earlier.
They probably think I'll go Dr. Frankenstein on them.
She had to admit the idea was appealing. Though at the same time, it was also impractical. Too many ethical roadblocks involved. Plus, she'd learn much more from live subjects than she could from cadavers. But regardless of what she did, the question still remained.
She still didn't know what to do with it. Changing her physique seemed too small for something so powerful; plus, she could get the same result just from exercising. Her studies and work ethic needed no improvement. She'd seen to that herself. Increasing her stamina was another option, but that still felt underwhelming. If she was going to experiment with physics-defying magic, then she wanted to do something BIG.
The question is "what?"
She had to force herself not to just settle for more knowledge. While being able to understand the foreign force would normally left her content, Vice-Principal Cinch had beaten into her head that knowledge alone was worthless without a purpose, a way to apply everything she had learned.
Well until she figured out what that purpose was, she'd just have to settle for continuing her research. And now that she knew what she was looking for, she could start getting samples. The pencil and paper that Vinyl had left her were covered in magic residue, and there were plenty of discarded feathers lying around. That combined with what she'd already learned would finally give her a chance to isolate the magic.
And THEN comes the fun part. She thought with a grin. Experiments. And the school science lab will help me do just that.
For the briefest of instants, her eyes flashed blue.
Sparkle didn't want to admit it, but part of her was glad her friends weren't waiting for her when she got to school. She didn't think she'd be able to handle more badgering about her condition. Of course, they'd be worried. They had every right to be. She'd been knocked unconscious for two days with no plausible explanation. But worrying now would only waste time; and right now, time was precious.
I can't just sit around and wait anymore. I need my magic back.
Even after everything, her magic wasn't working. So from now on, fixing it was her highest priority. With that in mind, she activated her transformation.
"Yep, still cracked." But there was more to it than that. Unlike her wings, which still felt charged with energy, her horn was cold and lifeless to the touch. Closing her eyes, she concentrated, trying to at least make a spark, but nothing happened. She couldn't feel it at all. Two more attempts yielded the same result.
That wasn't right. Damaging her horn would naturally disrupt her body's magic flow since she couldn't release it as fast. But if it wasn't activating at all, that meant something else entirely. Somehow, the magic was being blocked before it could reach the horn.
That must have been how Searing got her power back. She siphoned my magic so it would heal her instead of me. But she's gone now, so why is it still not working?
Well if the hospital said she was perfectly fine, then the only other option was to figure it out herself. That meant she'd have to run some experiments. Fortunately for her, the school's science lab would help her do just that.
Later that afternoon.
Ah, Canterlot High's Science lab. Personally funded by the superintendent himself, the area took up most of the building's top floor. Inside was everything a scientist could ask for: test tubes, operating tables, beakers, burners, flasks, electroscopes, microscopes, and more. On one side sat monitors and equipment meant for scanning and measuring the human body. Another wall held bookshelves filled with textbooks and instructions on scientific procedures. And at the far end was a crate filled with spare parts for anyone interested in building their own devices.
Twilight Sparks stood in front of that very lab, barely able to contain the maniacal grin on her face.
This. Is. PERFECT! Just look at all this stuff. I can spend entire days running experiments, devoting every fiber of my being to such wonderful research. The plants, the wings, the demon, the horns, I'll solve all those mysteries right here. There's a brand new world at my fingertips, a world FILLED with magic! And with these machines I can understand it all.
"Excuse me, can I help you?" Her delusions of grandeur came to a screeching with the tap of a hand on her shoulder. Turning around, she saw one of the school's staff members with a concerned look on her face.
"Oh! Uh, sorry." Twilight grinned sheepishly and adjusted her shirt. "I was just looking to use the Science Lab. Twilight Sparks, nice to meet you."
"Clover." The woman cocked her head. "Was that 'Sparks'? Not 'Twilight Sparkle'?"
So that's her name.
"Nope, just Sparks."
Clover shrugged. "Well, you need to use the sign-in sheet to mark when you go in and out. Have fun."
"Sure thing." She wasted no more time and dashed into the room.
Before throwing herself into studying, Twilight Sparkle decided to eat a late lunch first. The way things were going, she needed as much energy as she could get. The girls were sitting in their usual spot, thought she couldn't tell what they were talking about. She was sorely tempted to just walk over there and surprise them with her new-found wellness.
"Hey Twilight, here's an idea." She muttered to herself. "If you want to keep them safe so badly, just TELL them about Searing. We beat her once, and we can do it again."
"So I tell them and then what? What good will that do? We still have no idea where Searing is or how to stop her from finding a new body. Not to mention that we can't use Earth's Elements of Harmony as long as I don't have my magic! So all that would lead to is unnecessary paranoia."
"So you're gonna do their worrying for them? Brilliant plan. Do you want a repeat of the Ms. Smarty Pants incident?"
"Of course not. Don't you think I've moved beyond that by now, Twilight? I'm just trying to do as much as I can on my own without asking for help."
She gaped for a moment, surprised by the words that had come out of her own mouth. "That's stupid. Why would you do something so stupid? You know perfectly well that you need your friends. You always have. Why are you depriving yourself of something so important?"
"I-I-I just want to do this alone. To prove just this once that I can handle myself."
"And you're willing to risk their lives to prove that? If they don't know about Searing, then they won't see her coming."
"They won't need to know about her, because I'll stop her as soon as I get my magic back."
"Why is it so hard for you to just admit to yourself that you need them?"
"BECAUSE THEY DON'T NEED ME!"
Heads turned in her direction; looks of concern abounded. Quickly covering her face, she grabbed the rest of her lunch and retreated to the hallway. Bracing herself against one of the lockers, she slid down to the floor. It was true. They didn't need her. And judging by what happened with the Sirens, she'd likely just make things worse if she tried to help.
She felt so trapped. If she sought her friends for aid, then Searing would use that to further her previous argument that Twilight was worthless without them. If she didn't, then they'd be walking into danger completely unawares, and anything that happened to them would be on her hands. A no-win situation.
With no solution in sight, she'd just have to cross that bridge when she came to it. For now, she would go back to fixing her magic. Which meant it was time to head to the lab.
Upon reaching the top floor, Twilight noticed something odd. All of the upstairs lights had been turned off; the only source of illumination came from the lab itself, a weird, eerie green glow. She found a second oddity when she reached the door. Her name was already on the sign-in sheet. The last name was slightly different but it was still her handwriting. Just to be safe, she wrote her name again; and taking a deep breath, entered the lab.
There was someone else there. And whoever she was, she seemed quite infatuated with a pile of feathers. It was hard to tell from across the room, but it looked like she was trying to charge them. Suddenly nervous, Twilight took a few steps in her direction only to trip over an unseen chair leg.
"Hey!" The girl whirled around and marched toward her. Twilight stood up all ready to explain herself, only to stop slacked-jawed and stare at her own face.
The other Twilight looked equally stunned, and the two just gaped at each other, unable to say anything. Other than different clothes and hair, the two were perfectly identical. And after sizing either other up for several minutes, both girls came to the same conclusion.
This is the strangest thing that's ever happened to me!
The two Twilights said nothing for several long minutes as each one sized up the other. One of them had heard tales of what her other could do and seen her power in action, but was completely unprepared for meeting her in the flesh. The other one knew absolutely nothing about her own counterpart since she hadn't spoken to her friends beforehand; and therefore, she was completely in the dark. After an even longer silence, Sparks spoke first.
"It's you." She tried to keep her voice from trembling. "You're the Twilight everyone here keeps talking about."
"Uh, yeah I am." Sparkle gave an awkward grin. "But I don't know who you are."
Sparks huh? So she's the Human World's version of me? Where exactly does that put us then?
"And I'm Twilight Sparkle. But you knew that already. What brings you to our school?"
What do I want to say here? If she's connected to those other five girls, then they'll probably tell her all about me. But wait a minute. If she knew that, then she wouldn't have asked me. This could be my chance to learn more about the magic. All right Sparks. Gently now.
"I was investigating the strange events happening at this school. Something about this place is different from the rest of the city."
Well, she's just as curious as I am if nothing else. Which probably means that she won't stop until she knows everything there is to know. Okay Sparkle, you need more information. Time to probe.
She gave a innocent look. "And what have you found out?"
Sparks bit her lip, suppressing the urge to gush about all she'd learned. If this girl disapproved of the magic being studied, then nothing was stopping her from blasting Sparks like she had with the demon.
But how am I supposed to lie about something like this? Genetic alterations like this can never be classified as 'normal.' Okay, don't outright lie. Stick with the obvious until you can't.
"Well the students here are definitely different. They have wings, horns, and super strength."
Hmm. That doesn't necessarily mean she knows about the magic. I'll have to narrow it down.
"And what do you think caused such bizarre changes?"
Once again, Spark's small taste for small-talk was proving a fatal flaw, and she couldn't keep the irritation at bay.
Ugh. She's playing dumb. It'll take forever to get to the point at this rate.
But at the same time, she couldn't reveal the ace up her sleeve just yet. That would leave her at the other Twilight's mercy.
I got it. Use secondhand information.
"Well, from what the other students tell me, everything that's happened here is connected to this...what was the word they used?" She stroked her chin. "Ah yes, magic. So naturally, I wanted to understand such an oddity."
Twilight couldn't help chuckling at the situation. Without even intending to, they'd turned a simple conversation into a battle of wits, fighting hard for each piece of information. This was fun.
"So, is that what you're doing right now?" She pointed at the lab equipment.
"That's exactly what I'm doing." A scowl appeared in response to her smile. "I'm analyzing this magic. Your magic."
"What makes you think it's--"
'Ah, ah, ah," Sparks raised a hand, cutting her off, "Now it's your turn to answer a question."
"All right, shoot."
"What are you?"
"Excuse me?"
She put her hands on her hips. "The universe hasn't exploded, so you're not me from a different time period. So you're either a clone, a replica, a robot, or you're from an alternate universe. Which one is it before we go any further?"
Oh, where's Pinkie Pie when you need her? This would be so much easier if she was here.
"Uh bear with me, okay? This might sound a little weird."
"Can't be any weirder than what I've already seen."
Twilight sighed. "All right. Well, I'm from an alternate world where instead of people, ponies are the dominant species. I myself am one of these ponies. As a whole, we are divided into three races: Unicorns, which use magic, Pegasai, which can fly, and Earth Ponies, which have incredible strength. There are also alicorns, of which I am one, that have all three of these traits. Are you with me so far?"
To her surprise, Twilight was hanging on to every word instead of gaping. "You know. That explains a lot. And to think, I just thought this school had an obsession with horses. But why are people transforming here?"
The ball was in her court now. "I'll answer that as soon as you answer this question. Where do you come from?"
The girl tilted her head. "I used to go to a private school across town called Crystal Prep Academy. But I don't see what that has to do with anything."
This world's Crystal Empire, no doubt. Which means Cadance and my brother are probably there too. And since this Twilight isn't a quivering wreck or mindless slave, we can assume Sombra's not in charge. Principal Cadance has a nice ring to it.
"Eh, it's not really that important. I was just curious." Sparkle shrugged. "And to reply to what you asked before, people are transforming because this school is a hotbed of magic. And since the students come here every day, it's only natural that they've started absorbing it into their bodies. After that, they just need a catalyst to activate the dormant magic and boom, transformation."
"So in theory, an exposure to a large amount of magic could jump-start a transformation."
"Well technically yes, but I wouldn't recommend it." The thought brought back memories of one of her adventures. "If Spike's comic books have taught me anything, it's that what you just described is a quick path to becoming a super-villain."
"Super-villain?" The girl cocked her head. "That's ridiculous. I'm not doing anything villainous."
"Uhh, I never said you were." Now it was Sparkle's turn to look confused. "You okay?"
Sparks, you idiot! Now she thinks you're a threat. Change the subject. Change the subject!
"So, how does this magic work?"
Her other noticed the attempted misdirection but decided not to comment on it. If nothing else, this would finally let her talk about a familiar subject. "That depends on what you're trying to do. In my world, magic controls everything: from the weather, to the sun and moon, to the ponies that live in it. You're gonna have to be more specific."
"Fine. What sort of magic do you know?"
The Princess couldn't help puffing her chest a bit. "As the former protege to our nation's monarch, I can safely say I've learned quite a lot: transmutation, transformation, teleportation, shadow magic, elemental spells, cloud-walking spells, memory spells, spells to give others wings, energy beams, mustaches, fireworks--"
"Wait-wait-wait, back up for a second." The Scientist waved her arms in front of her. "What was that about memory spells?"
"Memory spells?" Twilight rubbed her chin. "That was back when my friends and I were corrupted by a mischievous spirit of chaos. Once my teacher snapped me out of it, I used the memory spell to remind my friends of the connection we shared. It restored them to their senses."
For the first time since they'd started talking, Twilight Sparks was at a loss for words. Her eyes shifted back and forth, mulling over her next words in her mind. After a moment she looked up; her face shifting from a suspicious scowl to a genuinely pained expression.
"C-can. Can you...teach me?"
The sudden vulnerability in her voice caught Sparkle off guard. Curiosity changed to concern. Taking care not to move too quickly, she moved to address this new subject.
"'Teach you'? You want to learn magic?"
The girl nodded though her eyes stayed downcast.
"I'm sorry. But I can't."
Sparks's face fell. But before she could get upset, Twilight kept talking.
"A few weeks ago, my friends and I got in a fight with a creature from my world, and she ended up breaking my horn. Until it heals, I can't use my magic without hurting myself."
"Oh." As expected, the mask of apathy returned. "I see."
"Why did you want to know about the memory spell?"
"It's nothing. Just forget it." She slumped down and resumed working. Silence reigned once more.
A world that's defined by magic instead of scientific principles? And they control it instead of the other way around? That's incredible. They don't just defy the laws of physics, they MAKE them. Sure, there are probably rules and limits as to what the magic can and can't do; but put that kind of power in our world, and you're basically a god.
That thought made the hair on her skin rise. Once more, her simple mind had been thinking too small. There really was a WORLD of magic at her fingertips. Experiments were all but pointless now. The lab equipment that once seemed promising now felt woefully inadequate. Sure, some knowledge would definitely be gained, and there was still value in studying the enhanced humans; but at that rate, even a lifetime of measurements would merely scratch the surface. That left the most salivating prospects far beneath her grasp. The weather magic alone would no doubt take years to decipher.
It was too much work for too little gain. It wasn't fast enough. It wasn't enough period.
I need MORE! She felt like a shark that had just sniffed blood. Everything I've seen so far is just the leftovers from Thanksgiving Dinner. Why should I waste time with these puny scraps when I can go straight to the source? But... She paused. But how do I do that? I can't ask her, or she'll DEFINITELY think I'm a threat. And if she tells those other girls, then they'll likely blast me into another dimension.
Another dimension.
Another...dimension?
Wait a minute. The wheels started turning.
She said she came here from her world. And since all of the magic is centered around this school, then that means her port of entry must be somewhere here too. Now obviously the citizens of her wouldn't be to happy about an uninvited guest; but if I can find the portal, I can work directly on the hardware. Until then, I think I'll put this lab to good use.
Meanwhile, Twilight Sparkle was lost in thought as well.
That brief flash of pain before. I know I didn't imagine it. Is she covering something up with all this studying? And why does she want to learn a memory spell of all magic? Does she want to remember something? Does she want to help someone else remember something? Ugh, I don't know. And that seems to be a sensitive subject for her so prying's no good now. Ugh, I want to help, but there's nothing I can do.
Not without her magic anyway. Even though Sparks was using part of the lab, Twilight noticed that the body scanners were still unoccupied.
Meh, might as well get a baseline reading.
Not expecting much, she started up the machine. It gave a low hum while it slowly warmed up. Across the room, the other Twilight glanced in her direction upon hearing the sound, then shrugged it off. Once it finished booting up, she checked the interface. A red ring of lights on the ground told her where to stand, and an on-screen diagram demonstrated the correct position. When the ground lights changed from red to green, she stepped into the circle and held her arms out. The device gave a series of whirs and beeps as a laser grid moved over her body, first horizontally, then vertically, and finally diagonally. The sensation made her shudder for some reason; her body temperature felt warmer too. After a few more minutes, the scan completed, and a readout printed with the results. She took the page in hand and examined it closely.
"Let's see. Normal. Normal. Normal. Normal. Norm--wait a minute." She checked again. "That can't be right."
"What can't be right?" Curiosity overtaking her interest in her experiment. Sparks set her work aside and walked over to her.
"This thing must of malfunctioned or something."
"What do you mean?"
"Look at this. If my brain activity really registered this high, I'd fall unconscious at any moment. And this. My metabolism's at about double from where it's supposed to be, and it's showing two heartbeats instead of one. If that's not a malfunction, I don't know what is."
"Let me see." Twilight Sparks reached over to have her own look.
That was a mistake the entire school would regret.
Their hands had just made contact; when without warning, an electric shock enveloped their bodies. Originating first from Sparkle before moving to Sparks.
"AAH!"
"OUCH!"
The surge slammed their palms together and stuck them there like the opposite poles of a magnet. Struggling to break free, all they accomplished was getting their other hands stuck too.
"What's going on?!"
"I have no idea!"
The shock increased in intensity, flowing between the two of them. Both of them felt like the room was on fire. Stray bolts of electricity singed their skin and shocked their bones. One Twilight felt as if someone was tearing out her soul; the other felt like something was boring into her body. The machines around them all went haywire, sparking and beeping into a deafening crescendo. Hundreds of sparks rained down around them. The fire alarm started blaring.
"Make it stop! Please!"
"I can't!" The charges kept growing. Too much higher, and they both would die.
And then everything went white-hot.
"What's happening?"
"Is it another magic attack?"
"Is Adagio back for revenge?"
"Oh not again!" The students were in an uproar.
"ATTENTION EVERYONE," came Celestia's voice on the loudspeaker. "THIS IS NOT A DRILL. PLEASE EXIT THE BUILDING IMMEDIATELY IN A CALM AND ORDERLY FASHION WHILE WE ASCERTAIN THE PROBLEM."
Without hesitation, everyone turned and left, even the Rainbooms. All of them wondered what on Earth was going on.
Pain.
It was a sensation that Twilight was all too aware of by now. Upon reaching maximum voltage, they'd both been flung backwards, slamming into the opposite walls. Fortunately, the emergency-shut off system had kicked in right before that, so they didn't have to worry about exploding machines. Even the lights had gone out except for the harsh glare of a red warning light that cloaked the whole room. Feeling herself over, Sparkle was relieved to feel no serious injuries. Another trip to the hospital wasn't needed. On the other side of the room, Sparks groaned and pulled herself to her feet.
"Are you all right?" Sparkle brushed herself off.
"I'm a bit frazzled but uninjured. What WAS that? A magic spell?"
She shook her head. "I have no idea. I've never felt anything like that." Despite of or perhaps because of the severity of the situation, she found herself chuckling. "Though I don't think either one of us wants to experiment on that."
"I'm crazy, but I'm not THAT crazy. Random electric charges out of nowhere aren't meant to be studied, they're meant to be...." Taking another look at Twilight, her voice trailed off. Her eyes scanned over the girl in front of her as if seeing her for the first time.
Sparkle tilted her head. "Are you all right?"
"You...you...Your Majesty." The girl gave a small gasp and knelt on the ground. "Why didn't you tell me you were a Princess?"
"Wait WHAT?!" Twilight's jaw dropped. "How'd you figure that out without me telling you?"
"I-I don't know how I know, b-but I do."
Sparkle stared at the girl, trying to make sense of it all. And as she kept looking, she felt a series of unfamiliar images storm into her mind. There was another school and people she didn't recognize. Except one.
"Oh my. Oh my goodness. You're as close to this world's Cadance as I am to mine." More images appeared. "And she's just as close to your brother."
Sparks looked up absolutely mortified. "We're seeing each other's memories or something. Did that zap cause this? And who is 'Searing'?"
Both of them were equally embarrassed as their laundry went on display. And yet, both of them couldn't help commenting on what they were seeing.
"So that's what ponies look like."
"You change your leader every four years?"
"Your holidays all have different names."
"So many different languages."
Then the visions became more personal. The comments weren't really directed at each other now. Rather, they were trying to understand what they were seeing.
Sparks winced at the next one. "You...You spent so much of your life without friends; that now that you have them, you're terrified of being alone again."
More pictures of Cadance appeared. "Oh no. I'm so sorry. I-is that why you left?"
"You can't go home until your horn heals? That's awful."
"Crystal Prep tried to tear you away from your friend?!"
"You saw a mirror that showed you your worst fear?"
"Years of working at Crystal Prep made you even more afraid of failing than I am."
"Searing told you you friends don't need you anymore?"
"So that's why you wanted to learn the memory spell."
Tears ran down their cheeks as the connection between them faded. Neither one could think of anything else to say. For a brief moment, they'd understood each other perfectly. Two souls that had endured so much pain. It was almost unbearable. Wordlessly, they each packed up their things and left, humbled by the experience.
Neither one of them noticed the second readout on the body scanner machine. Unlike all of the others, it was designed to work even at low power in case someone got injured. During all the confusion, they'd missed it.
The readout showed the same information as before; but this time, for the OTHER Twilight.
I know what I want to use the magic for now. All this time, I was thinking just about me and how I could use it. But...I don't really need to use it, do I? Physical alterations don't really mean anything in the long run. Neither do study applications. I don't need those either.
But there is one thing I do need. Something I kept pushing away, because I thought I didn't. Cinch said it was completely unnecessary, that I could work just as well with it as without it. But I can't. I need it. I need her.
