Having gone through a phase all alicorns do in time, Twilight must now deal with the annoyances her new outlook brings her.
There comes a time in every alicorn's life when they gain a new set of colors. Nopony can predict when it will happen, but happen it will. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna went through theirs long ago. Now it has happened to Twilight.
Unfortunately, it left her with a new set of colors that she doesn't like. Also, unfortunately, there is no way to undo the change. Now Twilight must deal with a lifetime of being the only red and black alicorn in Equestria.
Twilight's life since her recent, color scheme shift, had not changed all that much. She still got up at the same time and had the same morning routine.
Wake, watch the sunrise, shower, make a cup of coffee, then breakfast with Spike or at Sugarcube Corner depending on her mood, pick a book to read, and hope something interesting happened.
One that didn't involve dragging Discord to the ends of Equestria thank you very much.
Her recent shift in colors though had brought some lingering annoyances. Most of Ponyville had seemingly grown used to it by now, even if she did still get an occasional odd look or giggle.
It was her friend's reactions Twilight worried about. Spike and Rarity already knew of course, but Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie didn't.
Twilight still felt a little guilty she had first blamed the two of them for this. She hoped they wouldn't be too mad at her about it.
So far none of the girls had visited her, but that wouldn't last forever, and she couldn't stay in the Friendship Castle for the rest of her life.
However long that was. It was something Twilight was anxious to answer before she had to find out the hard way.
The same could be said for Cadance as well. As far as either of them knew, both of them had a normal life span maybe a little longer. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna on the other hoof?
Well, nopony really knew for sure. Most thought the sisters were eternal. Twilight had never asked either her mentor or her sister. It hadn't seemed important at the time. Now the thought wouldn't leave her alone.
She made a mental note to change that at some point in the future. Right after she handled this latest change to her life.
Today was her weekly get together with her friends in the Throne Room. It would also be the first time most of them would see her new look.
Twilight could only hope everything went well.
***
In hindsight, she should've seen this coming. Really, what else did she expect to happen?
Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie were rolling on the floor laughing while the others tried to process what Twilight was showing them. Only Applejack seemed to be taking it the best, or so Twilight hoped anyway.
"Um. That's not very nice you know," Fluttershy tried to tell Rainbow and Pinkie but neither was listening.
Twilight sighed. "No. Let them get it out of their system. I kind of deserve it at this point for not telling you girls sooner."
Applejack pushed her hat up to her brow a little. "I'm wondering how in the hay this happened to ya and why now?"
Twilight shrugged. "Princess Luna said it's something that happens to all alicorns in their lives. We morph into a new set of colors." She pointed at herself. "This is mine I guess."
Fluttershy tapped her chin as a thought came to her. "Princess Luna did seem to look different when we first met her. Not as Nightmare Moon I mean."
Twilight nodded. "Exactly. This was going to happen to me sooner or later. Guess it was sooner for me."
"But why now?" Rainbow asked as she and Pinkie got their laughter under control.
Twilight shrugged. "Our best guess is that me having all the alicorn magic in Equestria may have jump-started the process. It was going to happen no matter what."
"But why like this?" Pinkie asked.
Twilight threw her hooves up in exasperation. "I have no idea! I can live with a new set of colors if I knew it was coming, but not like this. I can't change back either."
"No magic?" Rarity asked.
Twilight shook her head. "I'd have to keep the spell running constantly, and I've got too much else going on to concentrate on it all the time."
Everyone shared a look as Twilight crossed her legs and harrumphed. Pinkie was the first to rush over and pull Twilight into a hug. The others soon followed.
Twilight kept her pout up a moment before relaxing into the hug. "Thanks, guys. You're the best. I needed that."
As the group held the hug, Twilight's mind turned to another. She was visiting her parents for a week in a few days. She wondered how her parents would take her new look.
And for that matter, what would Princess Celestia say?
***
in her long life, Princess Celestia had seen few things that could make her burst out laughing and most of those that had were Discord's doing.
Her former student, Twilight Sparkle's new look though was sorely testing that limit at the moment though. Luna had told her about it of course, but seeing it for herself was altogether different. For the moment she was keeping it to herself, but it was a losing battle.
Twilight though saw it and crossed her hooves and pouted. "Oh, go right ahead and laugh. Everyone else has. Maybe then we can talk about this like the civilized adults were supposed to be!"
That did it for Celestia as she burst out laughing. It was a sound few in the castle had ever heard the normally calm Sun Princess make. One look at Twilight Sparkle though and few couldn't help but laugh too. Even the Royal Guards couldn't keep a straight face.
This went on for several minutes, during which Twilight just sat there and glared at her former mentor. She would've never considered doing this a few months earlier.
At this point though she was done with this whole thing. "Feeling better?" She snarked once the laughter began to die down.
Celestia wiped away a few tears. "I am sorry Twilight. But you must admit that this is just a bit funny."
"Not to me, it's not," Twilight replied. "I'd rather be anything but this. I can take getting a new set of colors eventually." She waived a wing. "But this? I look some stupid mary-sue in a fanfic written by some idiot author who doesn't know a thing about writing a good story!"
Celestia's smile softened. "I truly am sorry Twilight, but as Luna said, we cannot reverse this. You can, of course, hide it with magic."
Twilight sighed. "But I can't keep the spell up forever. I just wish I had more time to prepare for it before it happened."
Celestia nodded. "It tends to happen out of the blue. We rarely have time to prepare for it. Neither I or Luna did for sure."
While she didn't like the sound of that, it had roused Twilight's interest. "What did you use to look like Princess Celestia?"
Celestia looked sheepish for a moment. "I honestly can't remember after so long. Luna on the other hoof does. Remember how she looked after her release from Nightmare Moon?"
Twilight nodded. It was hard to forget that sight. Whether Luna agreed with it or not, she had been so cute that first morning.
"That was as near to her original look as she has looked in a long time," Celestia explained. "We are not sure why though."
Twilight nodded. It wasn't much, but this talk with the princess had helped calm her nerves about all this by a large margin and she was grateful for it.
Now came the part she dreaded the most. Telling her parents.
***
This, Twilight felt, was why she should spend more time with her family. They didn't see each other near enough, and it broke her heart. She vowed to change that in the future.
While she was still in Canterlot after her meeting with Princess Celestia, she had felt it was time to tell and show her parents what had happened to her recently. To her surprise, she wasn't the only one visiting.
Cadance and Shining Armor had come down from the Crystal Empire for a weekend visit as well. While Twilight was always happy to see her brother and sister-in-law, she hadn't thought how she would explain this to them.
So now here the five of them sat, in the Living Room of the Sparkle Estate. Night Light and Twilight Velvet were taking this rather well all things considered. Neither of them was laughing at all and were more in a state of shock at their daughter's new look.
Cadance was as surprised as her parents. But Twilight could see a part of her wasn't all that surprised. Twilight had to remind herself that the same would happen to her one day. Hopefully, she came out looking better than Twilight had.
Shining on the other hoof? He looked red in the face, and Twilight had a pretty good idea as to why he would look like that at the time. It was the last straw for Twilight.
"Shinny. I swear that if you even so much as snicker, I will expose all of your dirty secrets to Cadance," she grumbled as she glared at him. Cadance looked excited at the prospect.
That shut Shining up real fast as he glared back at her. "You wouldn't," he retorted.
Twilight just smiled innocently as she crossed her hooves. "Try me."
Cadance snickered as Shining grumbled. "Aunt Celestia mentioned that this is something that happens to all alicorns. I just didn't expect to happen to you now Twilight. Or like this."
Twilight relaxed a little. "I know. I just wish I had more time to prepare for it. I wasn't ready for this."
"But why now?" Velvet asked.
Twilight shook her head. "Princess Celestia thinks that me having all of the alicorn magic in Equestria against Tirek jump-started the process. I would've been happy knowing it was coming."
She slumped in her chair. "Heck. I would've even gotten used to a new set of colors in time. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna went through the same thing. But not like this."
"So why these colors?" Her dad asked.
Twilight shrugged. "I don't know. And I can't even hide it with magic. I would have to keep the spell running all the time, and I have way too much going on to do that."
"How did Ponyville take it?" Cadance asked.
Twilight rolled her eyes. "Aside from all the giggles and odd looks, rather well. Guess they're used to all the odd stuff that happens to me or around me any more."
"What about your friends?" Shining asked.
Twilight chuckled. "Aside from Pinkie and Rainbow laughing at me like a couple of maniacs, they took it just as well as the rest of Ponyville." While that helped ease most of their concerns, one thing remained. "What about your friend Sunset? Does she know?" Velvet asked.
Twilight stopped as the question registered with her. In fact, Sunset didn't know about any of this. None of her Canterlot High friends did. How was she going to explain this to them?
What would she even look like now across the World Mirror? She slumped as she thought about it. "No. Sunset doesn't know. I think that this is something that I need to show them in person though."
"Person?" Night Light asked.
Twilight knocked herself upside the head for that slip. It wasn't known about the other world. Only Cadance did aside from Twilight here. She smiled after a second. "In pony. This is something I need to show her and our friends in pony."
Twilight and Cadance shared a quick glance. Neither of them liked lieing to their family. But it had been decided that knowledge of the World Mirror and the Human World wasn't ready to be known by all.
Twilight didn't like the idea of hiding it even less. But she knew why it had to be kept a secret, at least for now. While most ponies probably wouldn't care all that much, some would be interested in it. Some to an unhealthy degree maybe.
Some might even go as to try and steal the mirror from the Castle of Friendship if they knew what it could do and what it was. Or worse to try and get access to it.
That was why Twilight kept it disconnected most of the time. That and she didn't know what her tampering with it had done to the magic that made it work in the first place.
No reason to take any chances. But with her family now in the know, it was time Twilight told her human friends. They deserved to know as much as anyone.
In all her life, Starlight Glimmer had seen some weird things. Some of those she had made herself during her time at Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, and then more so as she grew up.
If she was being completely honest with herself, Our Town also counted among the stranger things she had ever seen in Equestria. And she had helped found the settlement.
But seeing one of the ruling princesses, with that color scheme? It took the cake for her.
Double Diamond had told her that they had visitors. Starlight was always glad to see new ponies come to the town. Very few of those who did stayed anymore, but she had to remind herself that was the whole point of Our Town.
As for those who did? Well, let it never be said Starlight Glimmer pried into other pony's pasts unless they told her. And not many had. But she didn't mind too much.
Okay, maybe she did a little. She was still equine after all.
So when the news had come that new ponies had arrived in town, she had been over the moon to meet them. It had been a while since anyone new had come by.
Her excitement had risen when she had first seen them. Of course, she recognized Equestria's greatest hero's. You had to live under a rock if you didn't know them.
She wondered what had brought them all the way out here, but that could wait for a time.
What had excited her more though, was a chance to meet one of the ruling princesses. Twilight Sparkle might not have much in the way of political power at the moment, but her word still bore weight if she wanted it to.
Maybe, just maybe, this was the chance Starlight had been waiting for. Maybe she could help spread her idea to all of Equestria. It was something she had hoped for a long time now. But that too could wait.
And then she had gotten a good look at Twilight's coat and mane color scheme. It took all of her self control not to at least snicker at the sight.
Twilight for her part appreciated that nopony was commenting on her look here. It was some comfort at least. But she still had a lot of questions for this Mayor Glimmer. "You don't seem to mind my, look," she commented. She couldn't help it.
Starlight smiled. "In Our Town, we don't judge ponies based on what they look like."
Twilight smiled as well. "Glad someponies are mature about this," she said as she shot Rainbow and Pinkie a pointed look.
Starlight seemed to catch the meaning behind the look. "That's not very friendly to make fun of somepony just for what they look like. Is it that bad?"
Twilight shook her head. "No. I still get the occasional odd look. But everypony seems to have gotten used to it."
Starlight smile grew. She may not have known the full story, but it warmed her heart to hear that. "So what brings you all out here? We're not exactly a well-known town."
Applejack rolled her eyes. "The Cutie Map sent us out here for some sort of, Friendship Problem."
Starlight blinked in confusion. "The what sent you out for a what?"
"That's what we're trying to understand ourselves," Rarity added. "We don't fully understand why we're here either. I personally don't see anything wrong here."
Pinkie crossed her hooves. "Those smiles everypony has can't be normal. I say something is up."
Starlight winced internally. That was something she had been working on for some time now with no luck. One day she hoped she could get rid of it. Nopony though, had said it affected them too much. Aside from a sore face for a while afterward.
Twilight must have seen something for her brows rose just a little. "Do you have an idea of why that is?"
Starlight nodded. It did her no good to lie to them. "I do. But you may not like it."
"Why is that?" Fluttershy asked.
Starlight gulped. "Have you noticed how everypony has the same cutie mark?"
The girls thought about it for a moment. Now that she mentioned it, they had noticed that. But that didn't make any sense. "How the hay did that happen?" Rainbow asked.
Starlight sighed as she stood and walked to her front door. "Follow me and I'll show you. Just, try and save the Rainbow Friendship Lazers until you hear the full story."
The girls all shared a confused look but decided to follow her anyway to see what she meant.
***
In the end, whatever the Mane 6 had been expecting Starlight to show them fell far short of what they now looked at. It didn't make sense. It couldn't make sense. But there it was all the same.
An entire wall full of cutie marks, all held in their own individual bubbles. A quick pulse confirmed to Twilight that the whole vault was indeed made out of magic. A part of her was impressed Starlight could keep it running without her constantly providing magic to it.
But this whole thing raised more questions than it answered. She knew, of course, it was possible to mess with a pony's cutie mark. Her ascension had been based on redoing Starswirl's spell that had switched her friends' marks around.
That whole mess still made her head hurt when she thought about it. But that was beside the point as she looked at Starlight, who herself didn't look as confident as Twilight expected.
Starlight looked up at the vault. "We call it the Cutie Mark Vault. Every cutie mark from the village is here. All but mine that is. I can't cast the spell to do this without it."
"Why would anyone ever want to give up their cutie mark? It ain't natural," Applejack said.
Starlight bit back an angry retort at that. "Let me ask you a question then Applejack. Have you ever met a pony who hated their cutie mark? Hated what it meant for their future?"
Applejack's silence said all Starlight needed to hear. But Twilight wasn't phased by this. "It represents a pony's destiny. What they're meant to do in their life."
Starlight laughed. "Destiny? That's a load of horseapples if I ever heard any. Destiny is what we make for ourselves, not some cosmic force that governs everything."
She walked over to Twilight and looked her right in the eyes. "Tell me something. Did you ever ask to be a princess? Did Princess Celestia ever ask you if you wanted all that came with being an alicorn? Or did you just accept it and not even think to wonder what your life could have been?"
Twilight's ears drooped as she actually thought about that for a moment. No, she had never asked to be a princess. Princess Celestia had never even asked her if she wanted any of this. She had just accepted it.
Starlight's voice softened. "Would you have said yes if you had known all that would have happened if you had known before all this?"
Twilight's head bowed. "I don't know. It can't be undone now. And I have done a lot of good since I became an alicorn."
Starlight nodded. Igniting her horn, she removed the equal sign from her flanks to show her actual cutie mark. She looked at it a moment before looking back at the group. "My cutie mark is supposed to mean magic, and maybe it does. But I've never fused myself to that idea. My mentor taught me to think for myself and not be bound by anything as hollow as destiny."
The girls shared a look. "Who was your mentor?" Pinkie asked. "She sounds pretty smart."
Starlight blushed and smiled sheepishly. "You know? She never actually said what her name was. She found me one day and took me under her wing. She taught me to actually think and not follow blindly what other ponies did."
"So is this a permanent thing?" Fluttershy asked.
Starlight shook her head. "No. The spell lasts for only a day, and then the pony's cutie mark goes back to them. I'm not going to make it permanent."
Everypony shared a look. On the face of it, it didn't sound as bad as it could. But several things still needed answering. "So what about all the ponies in the village?" Rainbow asked.
Starlight looked out toward the small town. "They come here, to see what it's like to not have what they call destiny hanging over their heads. Even if it's just for a day. Most go home happy and with a new perspective on life. Some even come back."
"And those who stay?" Rarity asked.
Starlight's ears fell as did her expression. "Most don't have lives to go back to. For one reason or another. I don't ask. It's not my place to pry. I let them stay as long as they want, and renew the spell when I need to."
Pinkie looked at Starlight's cutie mark. "Do they know about this?" She asked, pointing at it.
Starlight nodded. "They all do. A lot don't understand why I have to. But they accept it."
The girls shared a look. At that moment, something passed silently between them and they all nodded before Twilight turned back to Starlight. "Starlight Glimmer. I might have an idea you might like."
***
Dear Princess Celestia.
I know you've told me before that I'm no longer your student and that I no longer need to send you letters like I used to. But I feel I must now.
Recently I met a pony who opened my eyes a little to something I never really paid much attention to. The day I became an alicorn, I never asked for it, nor did you ever ask me if I wanted it.
I wouldn't change all that's changed for me at that time. But now that I think about it, a little warning would have been nice before you dropped it on me.
You called it destiny. But a mare once told me that destiny is what we make for ourselves, not some cosmic force that controls us.
I've enclosed a map to a rather remote village. It did me and my friends a world of good when we stayed there for a few days. Our host, and mayor, Starlight Glimmer knows somethings about magic that even I don't.
I think it might do us all some good if we visited her small town. I know I don't regret it.
While Princess Celestia was always happy to come to Ponyville to see her former student, and fellow ruler, Twilight Sparkle, she felt that this was not just a regular visit.
The fact that Twilight had also asked Luna to come as well seemed to suggest something was going on. It was only reinforced when they found out that Cadance had been asked to come down from the Crystal Empire as well.
Celestia took some solace in the fact that Twilight's letter did not indicate anything was wrong in Equestria at the moment, nor had anything been said from the Crystal Empire also helped.
So it was safe to say that all were curious as to why Twilight had called them all here as she had. Cadance was always happy to see her favorite sister in law, but even she felt there was more to it.
As they all took a seat in the Throne Room, Luna's eyes were drawn to the roots above them. "That is new," she remarked. "Taken from Golden Oaks Library?"
Twilight nodded as she looked up at what she liked to call her Memory Roots. "The girls dug it up and filled it with all the memories we've made since we came to Ponyville."
Celestia nodded as she caught a glance of something that wasn't a pleasant memory for her. The so-called Lesson Zero incident. She tried not to think about that one as she smiled. "Your friends did a remarkable job putting it together."
Twilight blushed at the praise. "I'm still getting used to all of this though. But this helps."
Cadance looked around. Spike was nowhere to be found it seemed. "Where is everyone? I'd think at least Spike would be here."
Twilight rolled her eyes. "Getting ready for the Grand Galloping Gala. Rarity is working overtime so our dresses are ready." She smiled slightly. "She had to redesign mine after my color shift."
Luna gave her sister a stink eye, for she knew what Celestia's plans for the Gala were. "And Discord?"
Twilight rolled her eyes. "Fluttershy made him her plus one and a half after he found out she was going with her friend Tree Hugger. We asked him how much he enjoyed being a statue when it looked like he might try and do something."
Luna gave Celestia a knowing look while her sister silently stewed at the idea. But it was not something she could do much about. That didn't mean she had to like it.
Twilight gave the Cutie Map the stink eye. "And Rainbow and Pinkie are in Griffonstone. I don't why, but I feel it might have something to do with the Idol of Boreas."
Celestia perked up a bit at that. It was a name she hadn't heard of in a long time. Not since King Grover's day long ago. She wondered how it would playout for the two of them.
Twilight's smile returned. "And Ponyville is getting ready for Matilda's and Cranky's wedding coming up. They asked me to help plan it so it goes off without a hitch. Pinkie being gone wasn't part of the plan. But I can manage."
Cadance hid a squee. She was always happy to hear about two getting married, and though she didn't know the two Twilight had mentioned, she was happy for them nonetheless.
Princess Celestia meanwhile, while no less happy for the two, wondered back to why they were all here in the first place. "As much as I love hearing about life in Ponyville Twilight, I get the feeling you did not call us all here just for that."
Twilight sighed as her head bowed a little. "No. Do you remember the letter I sent a while back?"
Celestia nodded. "I admit I do not know a pony named Starlight Glimmer, but she sounded interesting from what you described," Luna said.
Celestia nodded. "I admit I have wondered what happened to her. She was one of the top students at the School for Gifted Unicorns at the same time you were Twilight." She smiled at a memory. "If I'd had more time, I might have even made her my student alongside you."
Twilight nodded, not too surprised at this bit of news. "Did she ever talk about herself much?"
Celestia took a moment before she responded. "Not much. She didn't try to make very many friends during her time at the school. Her only one I remember was a childhood friend named Sunburst. But he flunked out not long after she arrived."
Twilight nodded. "I'm not sure how much you will like what she's done in the years since then. From what she told me, it was Sunburst's departure that changed her for, as she saw it, the worst."
"How's that?" Cadance asked.
Twilight's ears fell. "She blamed cutie marks for taking her only friend away." She saw the confused looks she got at that and shrugged. "I know, it sounds stupid, but that's what she told me."
She rolled her eyes. "After that, she swore she would find a way to remove pony's cutie marks. In what she called "Equality for all." She swore that she would remake Equestria the way she viewed the world."
Her fellow princesses shared shocked looks. This kind of magic was unheard of as far as they knew. Only Starswirl's unfinished spell was close to it, and that only switched cutie marks.
"What changed then?" Luna asked.
Twilight smiled. "Somepony knocked the sense back into her. Starlight could never describe who she was, or even what she looked like, but she called this pony her mentor."
Everypony sighed at that, but that still left several questions. "I feel that is not the whole story though. Starlight Glimmer was always known for never giving up on something once she set her mind to it," Celestia said.
Twilight nodded. "Her mentor showed Starlight a better way to redirect her feelings. Her vision could never work as she wanted it, but there was still a way to use it."
"How?" Luna asked, dubious of the thought.
Twilight smiled as she looked back at what Starlight had shown her before they had returned to Ponyville. "She did, in fact, create a spell to remove cutie marks. But it only lasts a day before it wears off and the cutie mark returns to the pony in question."
She gave her fellow princesses a thoughtful look. "A whole village has built up around Starlight's idea. Ponies come and go all the time from Our Town. It's a dumb name I know. But the idea behind it isn't."
Celestia, Luna, and Cadance shared a shocked look. "Where is this village? How come we have never heard of it?" Celestia asked.
"It's north of Manehatten. It's out in the middle of nowhere, so I'm not surprised nopony much knows about it," Twilight responded.
Cadance though had another question. "Why would anypony ever want to remove their cutie mark?"
Twilight gave her a small smile. "Let me ask you all a question first. Have you ever wondered what life would be like if you didn't have what your mark meant hanging over your head? What life could have been had you never got them in the first place?"
That caused Celestia, Luna, and Cadance to pause as they really thought about that. They would be lying if they said the thought had never crossed their minds.
Celestia and Luna especially wondered what their lives could have been had they never made their connections to the sun and moon over a thousand years ago.
Twilight smiled a little as she saw the thought stick. "As for those who do go there? Most don't have homes to go back to for some reason or another. Others hate what their cutie mark means for their lives."
Twilight looked out a nearby window toward the north. "Starlight gives them a chance, however brief, to see what their lives could be in another time and place. Most go home happy and with a new perspective on life. Those who have no other place to go stay."
"And you know this how?" Luna asked though she was afraid she knew the answer already.
Twilight steadied herself before answering. "I and my friends had Starlight use her spell on us. We spent three days there without our cutie marks to see what that other side, to see what life could be without them." Her smile grew. "It did me, no. It did all of us some good I feel. Even Applejack, who was most against it in the beginning, said it helped her in the end."
The others were horrified. The very idea went against everything they knew, everything they believed in. Yet, something in the way Twilight told them the story, told them that there was more to it.
Just for a moment, Celestia thought she felt something beyond their sight shift as if something long in gestation had come to pass. The next it was gone and she shook off the thought as she focused on the here and now.
Her first question would have been what had changed, if anything, about Twilight in the time since this little adventure, but then Celestia looked closer at her former student. Outwardly Twilight seemed fine. But a closer look revealed something had indeed changed since they had last seen her.
Twilight sat straighter in her throne now, more erect, more commanding when she spoke. There was just the right amount of dignity and edge to her words that had not been there before. Her eyes shone in a way they never had before.
In effect, Twilight looked like a princess twenty years older than she actually was. Her age had not changed, but she now carried herself like a ruler sure in herself and her decisions.
Celestia would be lying if she wasn't proud of her former student at this moment. Whatever had happened in Our Town, it seemed to have made quite the impact on Twilight's life, and as she looked at Luna and Cadance, she could see they saw it too.
Cadance finally found her voice. "So what do we do now then?" She asked.
Twilight smile grew if possible. "I've already given Starlight as much support as I can. I can't make anything official, but that doesn't mean I can't do some things for her."
Luna considered this a moment. "What would you have us do Twilight? While I am intrigued by this, we cannot support this officially. Equestria would be in an uproar within the day if we made the announcement."
Celestia nodded. "As much as I too am intrigued by this, Luna is right. Very little can be done at this moment if that is what you wished to hear. Maybe someday in the future that might change. But that day will not be soon."
Twilight nodded. She was not too shocked and surprised by this. She had known it was unlikely to happen as fast as Starlight wished it could be. But that wasn't all she had to say. "There is one thing we can all do right now."
Cadance was confused. "And what would that be?"
Twilight leaned back in her throne. "I promised Starlight that I would visit again. She knows things about magic that I never even considered possible. I'm interested in learning what she knows."
She lowered her hooves to the Cutie Map. "And maybe you could all come with me? I know it's a long trip. But I think it could us all a lot of good to visit. I mean, look at what it did to me," she giggled.
The others chuckled as well. The idea did sound fun, and Celestia and Luna could use a break from Canterlot's hustle and bustle, as could Cadance from the Crystal Empire.
"We will think about it Twilight," Celestia replied, though those who knew her best could already see what her answer would be when the time came.
Twilight wasn't sure she had heard her mentor right as she rubbed her ears just to be sure. "You want me to do what again?"
Celestia smiled. "I want you to stand in for me while I go on a short trip."
That was what Twilight was afraid she had said. "But why me? I'm woefully underqualified to fill your shoes. Who would even raise the sun? I can't do it."
Celestia nodded. She had planned for this actually. "I would still move the sun when needed. I am not asking you to try that just yet. As for asking you? Why would I not? You are more qualified than you give yourself Twilight. Your handling of Discord's Plundervines showed that."
Twilight blushed at the praise, but she still wasn't convinced this was a good idea. "Why not ask Luna? She knows more about this than I do."
Celestia sighed as she looked out a nearby window. "Unfortunately, Luna is in Horsehoe Bay dealing with a Carcinus problem that has been going on for some time. She has no idea when she could be back."
Twilight frowned. She had heard rumors that something strange was going on in Horseshoe Bay. It was strange though Carcinus were not known to be unfriendly like this. "Should I ask Fluttershy to go and help Luna?"
Celestia thought about it for a moment. "Not for the moment I feel. Luna needs this, not just for Equestria, but for herself. Her recent mess with the Tantabus showed me that. I will give her all the room she needs and only send help if she asks for it."
Twilight tried not to think of the Tantabus mess. She was glad all of Ponyville had been able to help of course, but she still felt bad for Luna and what had lead to it in the first place.
That still left several questions though. While she was glad for Celestia's vote of confidence, Twilight was still unsure of some things. "Where are you going anyway?"
Celestia's smile returned. "An old friend of mine, Dutchess Diamond Waves of Monacolt, has asked me for help. Her city is in trouble, and the students at the Monacolt Magic Academy have failed their exams and seem unable to help her."
Twilight frowned. She knew the name Monacolt of course. While not as large or as powerful as Equestria, the seaside city was known across Equus as one of the most beautiful locations in the world.
Something else though stood out to her. "How could an entire academy fail their exams? One or two I could see possibilities. But all of them at the same time?"
Celestia shook her head. "I do not understand it either. And I fear what it could mean. That is why Diamond Wave has asked for my help, and I will not let a friend's plea for help go unaided."
Twilight smiled at that. She could understand the sentiment, even though she did not know the pony in question. "And Cadance has too much going on in the Crystal Empire. Not to mention she's going to be a mom."
Celestia's smile grew as she nodded. The news had gone all around Canterlot and Equestria by now that Princess Cadance was pregnant. Questions were being asked left and right what the baby would be, seeing as this was the first known alicorn pregnancy Equestria had ever known.
Celestia and Luna, of course, predated Equestria, and nopony had ever thought to ask the two that question. Both of them were glad of course. Celestia had never been able to find somepony to settle down with and have a family. It didn't matter that her taste tended more toward mares. It was a very common thing in Equestria.
And Luna had been gone for a thousand years and was still readjusting to the modern world, and therefore had never given much thought of seeking out a partner.
Twilight sat straighter in her chair as she tried to get her mind back on the task at hoof. "I won't let you down Princess Celestia."
Celestia smiled. "I know you won't Twilight. I have all the faith in the world that you will do a fine job."
"When do you plan to leave?" Twilight asked, pulling out a quill and parchment so she could begin to plan how she would make this work. It wouldn't be easy.
Celestia frowned. "Later today. The sooner I can get to Monacolt, the sooner I hope we can have this solved. I hope to be back in a few days. But it could be longer."
Twilight nodded as wrote all of this down. It was a good start.
***
As the latest petitioner left court with a content smile on her face, Twilight let out an exhausted sigh. Who knew Court could be so tedious? She had a new found respect for Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.
How they did this day in and day out, she had no idea. Maybe it was just a long experience. It also made her Pinkie Promise herself to not start a court of her own in Ponyville.
At least not in the near future anyway.
Most of the requests from the Canterlot Elite were simple to take care of. Despite what some of them had shown at her birthday party some time back, more were like Fancy Pants than they let on.
Oh sure, there was the occasional really dumb one she had to say no to, but they were few and far between. Even Blueblood wasn't being an insufferable twat for once. A major improvement for him.
Shaking her head, Twilight turned to the pony next to her. "Okay, whose next?"
Raven Inkwell had taken to Twilight being in Celestia's usual seat rather well. Having been around the mare for so many years now, she was used to Twilight's odd quirks. Some of which she seemed to be doing her best to get rid of or tone down.
Pushing the thought aside, she looked down at the list before her. "You know this one actually. A Spike Drake."
Twilight blinked in surprise as the door to the Throne Room opened and in walked her Number One Assistant. "Hey, Twilight."
Twilight smiled. It was nice to see a friendly face. But she was lost. "Spike? Not that I'm not glad to see you, but I thought you were staying with Rarity?"
Spike rolled his eyes. "Yeah well, I can only take so much of Sweetie Belle before I go crazy. Plus you need your #1 Assistant remember?" He said with a smirk.
Twilight chuckled. "Fair point. But does Rarity know where you are?"
Spike nodded. "I told the girls where I was going. Honestly, they were so bored out of their minds with nothing to do, that they're spending the weekend doing fun stuff with Discord."
Twilight and Raven shared a look. "Really?" Raven asked. She didn't know the girls as well as Twilight, but she knew enough about them that this seemed like something they wouldn't do.
Spike rolled his eyes. "Yeah, that's what I thought too." He gave Twilight a look. "You're not mad you're missing out on something with your friends?"
Twilight gave him a rather hurt look. "Spike. As much as I love hanging out with them, we literally don't need to do everything together. So no. I'm not mad they're doing something without me. More power to them in fact."
She rolled her eyes. "Besides, I got stuck with Discord bonding time with Cadance a while back, remember? That was enough for me, thank you very much."
For a moment, Twilight and Spike swore they heard a certain Spirit of Chaos rage and scream in denial as his plans to annoy the horseapples out of a certain red and black alicorn went up in smoke. Neither paid it any attention.
Spike smiled after a moment. "That's more mature of you than I thought Twilight. And here the girls thought you wouldn't be happy about missing out on all of it."
Twilight chuckled. "Maybe I would have been at one time, Spike. But I'm trying to move past all of that. One step at a time if I have too. I can't be a neurotic wreck about things all the time now. No matter how much I might want too on some occasions."
Spike gave her a knowing look. Ever since she and the rest of the girls had come back from Our Town, they all had been different in some ways. Still, as Spike remembered them of course, but even Ponyville could see the changes.
The biggest changes though seemed to be coming from Twilight. Even the youngest filly and colt could see how she handled herself differently now than she used to. More like what a princess was supposed to be, as some would say.
Spike was just glad that she hadn't gone into one of her patented Library Resorting For No Reason episodes in over a month now. He could get used to this as he walked over to Celestia's throne. "So what's it like sitting in the big chair?"
She sighed. "I am so glad I don't have to do this every day. It's tiring after a while. I don't know how Celestia and Luna do it as they do."
Spike gave her a big grin. "So no plans to start your own in Ponyville then?"
Twilight giggled. "Definitely not. At least not any time soon."
***
Twilight managed to hold her regal pose and serene smile until the caribou ruler and his entourage were out of the room and the Door Guards had close the doors leading into the Throne Room, before sighing with relief and deflating noticeably. "I am so glad that went well."
Spike nodded, not bothering to hide an eye roll. "Who knew they could be so stubborn? They make Applejack look normal."
Raven nodded, having seen this before. "King Dain is a very proud and stubborn buck. His father was even worse if possible. But I believe this was the first time I have seen him smile."
Twilight looked at her in surprise. "Really?"
Raven nodded. "Oh yes. The king and Princess Celestia have often butted heads over many things. She has never been a fan of the system his kingdom runs on."
That was something Twilight could understand. Cervin was a kingdom where males were dominant in every way, while the females were lucky to rise high in leadership positions.
It wasn't impossible of course, and the kingdom was well on its way to changing that, but it would be a long time before it became obvious. King Dain was as much for tradition as many of his kin. But he had also been the one to push for many changes.
His queen, whose name Twilight had forgotten to ask for, now stood on the same level as her husband when it came to the reigns of power. She was the one who ruled Cervin in Dain's absence at the moment.
Of course, that did not mean he had taken to Twilight in Princess Celestia's chair easily. While he had some respect for the young princess, based on her past deeds, he had also demanded that she prove herself before he gives her his full support.
Twilight had to hold back a shiver when she had heard that, fearing the worst, for she had heard of the caribou's way of determining one another's worth. Luckily, it had only been a battle of wits.
Something Twilight was proud of herself if she was being honest. The contest had lasted for over an hour, King Dain throwing questions at her, seeking to trip her up, or back her into a corner with potential scenarios.
But Twilight was the personal student of Princess Celestia. She had grown up with many of these running through her mind all the time. While she was better at handling it now, they were still there.
And so Twilight had been able to counter the king's questions with those of her own, some of which had left Dain lost for several minutes before he continued. In the end, he had bowed to Twilight, admitting he had no more to throw at her, and that she had his full support.
That had left Twilight on Cloud 9 if she was being honest. She had never thought the day would come when something like that would happen to her. It was humbling, and it only made her more determined to make her mentor proud of her.
She sighed as she looked again at Spike. "Okay. Whose next Spike?"
Spike looked at his list of appointments. "Um. That was it actually. King Dain was the last appointment scheduled for today. Fancy Pants did have something to discuss, but he rescheduled for tomorrow for some reason."
Twilight was concerned. He was one of the few Canterlot Elite she knew by more than a name. "Is he alright?"
Raven nodded, looking at her own list. "Yes. He said something had come up at home that he couldn't miss today and sends his apologies. His was something that could wait another day it seems."
Twilight nodded, hoping everything was okay for the stallion. While Rarity may have known him better, Twilight still liked him, from the few times they had interacted. She did, however, notice, again, a letter Spike had with him. He'd had it since this morning. "Spike, mind telling us what's in that letter you have?"
Spike blinked as he looked at it. He had forgotten about actually. But as he picked it up, he smiled. "It's from the girls in Ponyville. They're wondering what's taking you so long, and wish you'd come home already."
Twilight giggled. "I bet. But I can't leave until Princess Celestia comes back."
Spike chuckled as well. "Yeah, I know. Oh, and apparently, you have a visitor at the Friendship Castle. They don't say who she is, but she's staying with Fluttershy it seems."
That left Twilight confused, as she and Raven shared a look. Who could that be? Before either could ask, Spike clutched his stomach a moment, before belching out a scroll.
That left Twilight smiling. Only one pony she knew could send letters via Dragon Fire magic. "Is it from Princess Celestia?" She asked as Spike read it to himself.
The drake nodded. "Yeah. She says that whatever was going on in Monacolt has been resolved and she's on her way back now. She should be back in Canterlot tomorrow if she's lucky."
That left Twilight smiling even more. And it gave her an idea as well. "Spike. I need you to send a letter to Pinkie Pie. We have a party to plan."
While Canterlot Castle was used to big parties, and on short notice on occasion, the party Pinkie Pie had planned for Princess Celestia's return came as a surprise to all.
But since Princess Twilight had approved it before hoof, they could only bow and nod, making the Ball Room ready for when the princess returned to Equestria.
What was concerning though, were the reports coming in from all over Equestria. Random portals seemingly appearing out of nowhere, were popping up more and more.
Even as the girls welcome Celestia back to the castle, and enjoyed seeing a rare look of shock pass over her face, before breaking into a smile, another report came in of another portal.
And while Pinkie tried her best, even she couldn't keep the mood happy for long.
"Why is this happening now of all times?" Twilight asked with a huff as the group enjoyed the buffet table, excellent as always. Courtesy of Applejack and Pinkie.
"Yeah! It's ruining the party!" Pinkie moaned.
Celestia nodded, nibbling on a cupcake. "I do not know myself. On my way back, I saw one large one open over Ponyville. So diverted and tried to help."
"Did it work?" Applejack asked.
Celestia shook her head. "I could not do it myself. But I had help from somepony you all might know."
The girls and Spike shared a look. "Who could that be?" Rarity asked.
"Um. High girls."
The voice surprised them all, but Twilight could see a twinkle in her friend's eyes as she turned around and came face to face with...
"Starlight?"
Indeed, Starlight Glimmer stood behind Princess Celestia, looking bashful and out of place in the Ball Room. Her mane done up in a new way and her natural cutie mark showing were the only differences between her now and when they had first met her all those months ago now.
Fluttershy nodded. "Starlight came to Ponyville a few days ago, and since you weren't home, I let her stay with me. We invited her to come with us to this, but."
Starlight sighed. "I didn't want to intrude. We still don't know each other all that well. It wasn't right. But when all this started, I had to do something. I've been trying to close all the portals I can across Ponyville."
Celestia nodded. "I found her doing the same when I was in Ponyville. Together, we managed to close most of them. But I fear it is not yet over."
"But what's causing them?" Rainbow asked.
Starlight shook her head. "I don't know. But I saw something on the other side of one of them. I managed to get a photo of it before the portal closed." She floated a picture out of her saddlebags. "Maybe I'm missing something here. But this doesn't look like something in Equestria."
The moment Twilight and Spike saw what was in the photo, their eyes widened in shock, and Twilight's heart dropped in horror.
No one missed her reaction, but only Spike understood it. "What is it?" Pinkie asked.
Twilight's gaze was distant as she looked at them. "It's at Canterlot High. The other side of those portals. It's the Human World." She shook her head. "Something is trying to break down the barriers separating it from Equestria."
Starlight was lost. "The what now?"
Twilight shook her head. "It's a long story, and I don't have time to explain it now. I have to get to the portal. My friends could be in trouble. I won't let them face it alone."
Celestia shook her head. "Twilight. Even for me, it is a long way from Canterlot to Ponyville. You will never make it there in time if this keeps up."
Twilight rounded on her mentor, her eyes brimming with tears. "I won't abandon them! They mean too much to me. Maybe I don't see them nearly as much as I should. I don't care! They're my friends, and I won't leave them."
Finally giving in to her tears, Twilight fell to the floor and began to cry. The girls were at her side in a second, pulling her into a hug. Celestia was quick to join them as well, holding them all in her wings.
Starlight felt like the odd pony out. She had no idea of what was going on, but she felt horrible for Twilight all the same. But she didn't feel like she deserved to join in on this.
Pinkie though beat her to the punch. Pulling a leg around Starlight's neck, she yanked the unicorn over and pulled her into the hug. The effect was immediate. Starlight didn't care if she and Twilight still barely knew each other. She hugged as much as the rest of the girls.
At that moment, a surge of magic washed over all of them. Twilight, Celestia, and Starlight, felt it the most, but even Spike could feel it. It almost felt like the Elements of Harmony. But that couldn't be right. Could it?
They pulled apart, as they all shared a confused. "Okay. What was that?" Spike asked.
Nopony could answer as they wracked their brains. But their eyes were soon drawn to a nearby window. Rushing over, they watched in surprise as the portals the dotted the sky began to vanish one by one.
"Um. Yeah?" Fluttershy tried with a forced smile.
Celestia let her magic spread out across Equestria and beyond. "It appears that all of the portals are vanishing. I am not sure how or why. But they are disappearing all across Equestria."
"But why? We didn't do anything," Applejack replied.
Twilight shook her head. "I don't know. It felt like what I and the girls unleashed during the Battle of the Bands. But only one person did so. I don't get it."
Starlight groaned in exasperation. "Can somepony please explain what the hay you guys are talking about?"
Celestia wrapped a wing around Twilight's shoulders. "I believe she deserves to know Twilight. It seems that whatever was happening has ended. We will not stop you though if you still wish to go to your friends."
The girls and Spike nodded, and it helped ease Twilight's mood as she smiled slightly. "No. I trust the girls. I trust Sunset knows how to handle this. I need to learn to stop worrying about them."
Starlight smiled as she placed a hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "But it's a good thing you worry about them, right?"
Twilight giggled. "Agreed. And Princess Celestia is right Starlight. You came all the way here. You deserve to know the full story." Her smile grew. "Get comfy. It's a long story."
Twilight would admit freely that hadn't felt this nervous about traveling to Canterlot High since that first time in what felt like a lifetime ago now. So many things could have gone wrong, and she just hadn't heard about it yet.
While the fact that all the portals across Equestria had seemingly vanished for good the day before, a part of Twilight felt this wasn't over yet, and while her friends had done their best to make her better, her mood was still down.
She, Spike, and Starlight had returned to Ponyville as soon as Twilight had officially hoofed the reigns of power back to Princess Celestia. Her friends were returning by train from Canterlot though, and wouldn't be back for some hours.
Twilight still had many questions for Starlight. Not least of which was why the unicorn was in Ponyville, to begin with. Starlight hadn't explained her reasoning yet, and it was driving her crazy.
As she had feared, Sunset's Journal had a lot of new messages, all of which seemed to be asking for her help with strange things that were happening at Canterlot High. Unfortunately, all of them had come while she was away.
And as the World Mirror hummed to life, she hoped she wasn't too late to help.
"So this really leads to another world?" Starlight asked as she examined the mirror and its machinery.
"Yep. It's a doozy ride on the way there too," Spike replied. "Both times I and Twilight have been there."
Twilight giggled at the memories. "I've been meaning to look into whether we can make the journey less crazy and the exit less painful. But I've had too much going on to try anything."
Starlight could only nod, looking at some of the jury-rigging Twilight had done to get the mirror to work whenever she felt like it. It was a complicated piece of spellwork, to say the least. "So who built the mirror?"
Twilight sighed. "Nopony knows. I used to think Starswirl the Bearded made it, but Princess Celestia said he had never once worked on something like this. So it's a mystery for the moment."
Spike though didn't look happy about something. "Are you sure you don't want me to come too Twilight?"
Twilight nodded. "I'm sorry Spike. But I feel it would be safer if you stayed in Equestria this time. I don't want to have to worry about you if something is wrong."
Spike huffed as he crossed his arms, but he could tell that Twilight meant every word she had said. Starlight though had one last question. "Do they know about your new look?" She asked, gesturing down at Twilight's body.
Twilight's eyes shrunk in horror. "Oh. Horseapples. I completely forgot about that! No, they don't know, and I have no idea how I'm going to explain it to them. I don't even know what I'll look like now on the other side."
"You mean besides being human?" Spike asked.
Twilight rolled her eyes. "Besides that." She took a moment to calm down, repeating the breathing exercise Cadance had taught her many years before. "But I don't have time to think of something."
Stepping up to the World Mirror, Twilight sighed as she looked back at Spike and Starlight. "Take the Journal down in a few minutes. I'll write as soon as I know something. If there's nothing going on, I might stay a while. I haven't seen the girls in too long."
Spike nodded, smiling as he gave her a thumbs-up, while Starlight only smiled. One that Twilight returned as she stepped through the portal.
***
With the excitement, and almost end of the world, of the Friendship Games, now behind them, the Rainbooms were happy to have a quiet day for once.
Even with the addition of this world's Twilight Sparkle, or Sci Twi as Pinkie Pie had begun to call her, things were almost back to normal for the group.
At the moment though, Twilight's thoughts were on something Sunset had told her. "So there is another world out there? I wasn't just seeing things?"
Sunset nodded. "Yep. It's called Equestria. Full of pastel-colored, talking, ponies, and a lot of other creatures too. It's really complicated honestly."
"And there's another me there as well? And she's a princess?" Twilight asked, hardly believing any of this. But she had seen much of it herself.
Sunset smiled. "Yeah. I'm not sure how we're going to explain all of this to her though. Whenever she feels like answering back."
"Does it usually take her thing long?" Applejack asked.
Sunset hugged her legs, her expression worried. "No, and I don't know why she hasn't either. I hope everything's okay."
At that moment, the portal in the statue based glowed, and a figure came rushing out. All of the girls' jaws dropped as they got a look at the stranger, even as she began to babble.
"I am so sorry Sunset! I didn't get your messages till now since I was filling in for Princess Celestia, and then there was a bunch of other things going on, and honestly, it's the weirdest thing to happen to me!" Princess Twilight said in a huff.
And then her eyes fell on her counterpart, who was looking at her in shock and confusion.
Twilight blinked, her mouth dropping open, before pointing at Sci Twi with a hand. "Make that the second strangest," she said sheepishly, even as she got a look at herself.
Her skin was as crimson as her fur was, and her hair was now just as black as her mane, her highlights the same shades of orange.
But it was her outfit that stole her attention. The only way to describe it was edgy, more akin to something a bad girl might wear. It kind of reminded her of Sunset's jacket in a way, only crimson and orange, her shirt sporting her cutie mark on a black background.
Twilight threw her hands up in exasperation. "Oh come on! Now the universe just hates me. I am not a bad girl. I look like a mary-sue in some hack job fanfic written by a sad excuse for a writer!"
Sunset stalked up to her, frowning. "Alright. Who are you, and what did you do to Princess Twilight?"
Twilight sighed, rubbing her forehead. "It's me Sunset."
Sunset wasn't convinced as her glare grew hotter. "Prove it. Tell me something only Princess Twilight would know."
Twilight wracked her brain for a moment, before smiling evilly. "You used to beg Princess Celestia to take you to the Sages of the Mountain headquarters in Vanhoover as a filly, seeing as you were a champion Magic the Gathering player."
Before Twilight could say more though, Sunset covered her mouth with a hand, a horrified blush coming to her face, but the rest of the girls had heard it all, and now Rainbow and Applejack were snickering at her expense. "Okay! Okay! It's you. Just don't tell anymore."
Twilight giggled as she pulled Sunset's hand off her. "I don't know Sunset. I could go on if you girls want too?"
The girls chuckled at Sunset's expense, even Sci Tw joining in after a moment. "As fun as it would be, I think we have more important things to worry about," Rarity replied.
"Yeah! Like why are you red and black?" Pinkie asked, examining Twilight's new wardrobe.
Twilight crossed her arms and harrumphed. "I have no bucking idea! It's supposed to be an alicorn thing. But why did I have to get the eyesore look?"
"Um. Maybe you can tell us the whole story? If you don't mind that is?" Fluttershy asked.
After a moment, the princess sighed and smiled. "You girls deserve to know the full story." She gave her counterpart a confused look. "And I get the feeling I'm not the only one with a story to tell."
***
"... And that's when you came through the portal," Rainbow finished, as she took a drink.
Twilight sat in stunned silence, trying to digest all she had been told. It was a lot to take in, that was for sure. If it had come from anyone else, she might not have believed it all.
But she had seen the portals opening in Equestria, and what lay on the other side. But she had never expected it to be because of all this. Sge did have one question though. "Please don't tell me Principal Cinch is still at her job?"
Sci Twi shoo her head, more relaxed now. "No. Dean Cadance said she was fired as soon as what happened during the Friendship Games came out. Cadance is filling in temporarily."
Twilight nodded, thankful for that at least if this Cadance was anything like the pony she knew. That she and Shining weren't married surprised her, but she hid it well. "So what happens now?"
Sci Twi sighed as she looked back at the portal. "I still want to understand magic. There's just so much there that I barely skimmed the surface. But not like I did before."
Sunset nodded. "I've been trying to help her ever since the Friendship Games, but there's only so much we can do here."
The princess nodded. "The best place to learn more about it would be in Equestria. Magic isn't native to this world."
Sci Twi gave her a hopeful look. "Do you think we could visit? If it's even possible too."
Twilight rubbed her forehead. "I did have some plans set up with my Pinkie Pie in case you girls ever wanted to visit. I know you have since the Fall Formal. But. I don't think it's a good idea at the moment."
"Why not?" Rainbow asked.
Twilight sighed as she looked up at the sky. "There's just too much going on at the moment. Princess Celestia is still trying to calm everypony down from all the portals opening up all over the place, among other things."
Sci Twi looked down at her lap, her eyes downcast.
Twilight saw it and quickly placed a hand on her counterpart's shoulder, smiling. "I don't blame you for that, and I don't hold it against you. You're all more than welcome to come to visit. Just, not right now."
That seemed to lighten the mood a bit, as Sci Twi smiled. But she had one more question. "If you're me, then why don't I look like you do? I mean, I'm glad I don't. But still."
The princess pinched her nose, glad to be off that subject. "I have no idea honestly. I never expected we would meet if I'm being honest. There could be any number of reasons why."
Sunset smiled as a thought came to her. "You don't have to be back in Equestria soon, do you? Why not stay a while. We really need to spend more time together, and it does not involve the end of the world."
Twilight's smile grew as she looked around at the rest of the girls. "I don't have to be back in Equestria, and I would love to spend more time with you girls. It's not right we don't do this more often."
That was more than enough for Pinkie Pie, as she scooped them all up in a big group hug, of which no one complained.
And for Princess Twilight, it was the kind of thing she needed after the last few months she'd had.
