Author's Notes:

This is the first chapter back in a long, long while. I apologize if it seems rushed or incomplete; I know that I have some trepidation in publishing it.

To new readers: This chapter was published shortly after I had cancelled the story, and a long, if much-needed hiatus from writing. I hope to the heavens above I can see this through to its completion, and I apologize for the break of pace.

To old readers: As you know, this is the first chapter this story has seen in many long months. It's an exercise for me; one meant to reiterate some long-lost points and (hopefully) set me back on the path I need to be on for this story to be what it needs to be.

For more information regarding the break of pace and my decision to get back to writing this story, please Check this blog post.

Without further adieu,
-Loyal

Archmage: Beyond the Crystal Mirror "Breather"

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Tags: Normal

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Twilight emerged from the mirror into a familiar landscape. A soft breath escaped her before she took stock of where she was and what she saw. Then panic set in when she realized she was still in Canterlot, still inside the royal palace.

"Uh-oh-"

"Another one?"

"I- What?" Wheeling around, Twilight saw a bored-looking unicorn stallion holding a clipboard. "Who are you?" She asked, almost instinctively.

"My name is Writer. That's writer, as in author, not 'Rider' like a train or other vehicle." He sighed, speaking with what was unmistakably a Canterlite accent. "And you are... Well, Princess Twilight Sparkle, if the wings are to be believed."

"E-excuse me?" She blinked, staring incredulously at the stallion. "How do you know who I am?"

"You're the fifth through that portal," the stallion gestured empathetically towards the Crystal Mirror and their joined reflections. "It's been two weeks since our last visitor, and I welcome you to our world. Hmm, you don't look like any of the others that visited, though... Your world can't possibly be that bad..."

"I... What?" Twilight blinked at the stallion. "'That bad?' What do you mean by that?"

"I mean of the four that visited before you, they were all scarred, battered, broken, and destitute. You seem to be much more well-put-together. Dare I say, you even seem sane." He sniffed and levitated his quill up to the clipboard. "Very well. I'll put you down for at least one week. Would that suffice?"

"I... 'Put me down?' 'Suffice?' What are you talking about?"

"Your vacation." Writer smiled at her warmly. "How long would you like to stay at Destination: Equestria?"

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"So you've found a way to make a profit out of inter-dimensional travel." Twilight surmised, sitting in her 'orientation meeting' with Princess Celestia and the current Archmage of this world, a mare by the name of Nocturna.

"We have indeed. It's come to our attention through our previous visitors that their worlds are less-than-ideal. And, it would seem, this world is the opposite. Allegedly, things are going so well here that we've become somewhat of a... Heh, forgive the expression, a tourist destination. Is that not the reason you came here?"

"No, it is," Twilight sighed. "I've... Seen some of the other worlds through the mirror. They are not ideal at all. Luna suggested I visit one that was nice, and, well, here I am." She looked up at Celestia and the dark-coated Archmage. "But to charge for my visitation?"

"A paltry sum, I'm sure." Celestia waved a hoof. "Just two thousand bits. We'll give you access to any number of ideal destinations in and around Canterlot, and luxury accomodations. And, should you so desire, we can help you with a disguise, or even a cloaking spell. Complete with a tracking arc so we can keep tabs on you, ensure you don't cause too much havoc. For an extra fee, we can even arrange an interview with your counterparts! Temporal anomalies and timeline fractures guaranteed not to rip your homeworld apart!" Celestia seemed awfully chipper, playing the salespony more than the dignified Princess. Twilight glowered at her.

"How much would this interview cost..."

"Well if you'd like, we can include it piecemeal, or if you spring for the deluxe package, we'll give you one of the royal suites, a ticket to Diamond Bay, deluxe room service, and two interviews included!" Twilight half expected Celestia to pull a pamphlet out with various pricing options on it.

"Ah huh. I suppose it's too much to ask to just... wander around for a bit?"

"Oh come now." Celestia chuckled. "Where's the fun in that? Besides, allowing you and your counterparts through the mirror into this world is an incredibly risky maneuver. We have to compensate somehow."

"Risky?" Twilight scrunched her nose. "How so? You act like I'm going to blow this place to pieces."

"You've tried before." Nocturna chipped in at last, speaking with a low, gravelly alto voice. "The second one, she went crazy. Took Princess Twilight and Luna together to subdue her and throw her back through the mirror. 'Twas the third one that helped us figure this deal out, and you're the first we're charging." She cast a glance Celestia's way. "I suppose we could give you a discount for helping us break ground."

"I..." Twilight faltered. Despite their strange demeanor, Twilight couldn't help but see their point. Any one of the worlds she'd visited could likely come here and wreak havoc. Some of them might even succeed in destroying or irreparably damaging this alternate world, which she had to believe was more ideal than even her own. To protect not only its integrity but its pristine quality, they had to make compromises.

"I don't suppose there are any contracts I'm going to have to sign or anything?" She muttered.

"Nothing major, I assure you." Nocturna's horn lit up as she lifted a heavy-looking leaf of paper onto the table; easily two hundred and fifty sheets. "Just a few signatures and waivers."

"Ugh. This had better be worth it." Twilight grabbed a nearby quill and inkwell before setting in on the paper.

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As it turned out, the contracts were actually rather concise, despite there being many of them. A lot of them had to deal with a secrecy pact, one placed the moment the third of her counterparts had departed the mirror. Not everypony in Equestria knew about the mirror, and not a lot of them would be told. The contract went into depth about how Twilight was only allowed in specific areas, and could only converse with specific ponies. Others were to be avoided at all costs, even if she had to resort to an invisibility spell or a disguise. For those of her counterparts less skilled than herself, they offered enchantments that could be flicked on with a mere thought, giving a suitable disguise and a high-level invisibility spell to escape any unwanted situations.

Furthermore, the clauses about world-shaping or catastrophic magic were very concise. Twilight knew the risks behind casting those spells in her own world, so insuring they weren't used in this one seemed almost commonplace. Twilight signed the rest of the contracts, chiefly loans since she didn't bring the bits they required with her. It'd take a little bit of shuffling, but she had it on good authority she'd be able to retrieve the bits she needed and come back to pay them what she owed after the week was over.

Following the mind-numbing ordeal, Nocturna escorted Twilight through the castle, pointing out minute differences here and there. "See, the North Wing's art gallery is on the fourth floor instead of the third."

"But won't that conflict with the courts...?"

"Second floor." Nocturna shrugged. Twilight grimaced at the revelation, and how startlingly accurate the Archmage was in pointing out the discrepancies between this world and her own. She called attention to it outside of the quarters she had been given for the week.

"How is it you know the differences between my world and this one?"

"I was just spitballing." Nocturna shrugged. "The first of your counterparts spent almost six months here, telling us about all the things that were different between this world and hers. After being told how wrong it was that the Mezzanine fountain was on the sixth floor instead of the seventh, I tended to pick these things up."

"Yes, but to be so specific?" Twilight grimaced. "You've yet to call attention to anything that's the same."

"Just call it luck, then." Nocturna shrugged once more, opening the door and leading Twilight inside. She noticed that these quarters were the same ones she had been afforded when she was named Archmage in her own world, so many years ago. Before she opened her mouth, Nocturna answered. "Yes, these are the same quarters you had before you ascended in this world. It's comfortable, is it not?"

"Kind of..." Twilight sighed, looking at a section of wall that, in her world, had been demolished to give her and Luna more room. "In my world, I still live in these quarters, alongside Luna."

"Aah, so you're like the third, then." Nocturna surmised with a soft smile. "The first one through was married to a stallion. Had a foal of her own, in fact."

"I've come across one like that." Twilight smiled in rememberance of how cute her counterpart's daughter had been. "In this world, I'm...?"

"With Luna." Nocturna nodded. "Though it sounds like Luna moved in with you in your world. Here, our Twilight took up residence with Luna instead. Thus, we offer these quarters to any counterparts who come through the mirror. What would you like to eat for dinner?" The sudden shift in conversation caused Twilight to blink.

"I, uuh... Crumb Bake, if I could."

"And would you like to have one of your two interviews now or later?"

"I... Later, if I could. Give me some time to unwind, as it were."

"I understand. If you'll excuse me, Princess Twilight." Nocturna bowed low, smiling as she left the quarters. Twilight suddenly felt remarkably alone and out-of-place. The room was just like it had been when she was Archmage, before her ascendance. Down to the last bit of furniture, and even the covers she had slept under. It was a ghost of her home in her own world, where the bed was large enough for both her and Luna, and the living room was more open to accomodate the alchemy laboratory, and the balconies were-

"Ugh." Twilight shook her head with a groan. This world was so strange already, she failed to see how it could possibly be more ideal than her own home. "All things in time." She sighed, peering out of the balcony and down at Canterlot. Nothing much was different there, at least. Save one more statue in the gardens, and a newer park about three blocks away from the gates, where in her world, a department store had stood unless he was mistaken.

"Ideal, huh?" She muttered. "We'll see about that."

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"You mean to tell me you're Archer and Rainbow Dash's child?" Twilight sat at a dinner table with Nocturna, her own counterpart, Princess Luna, Princess Celestia, and even Princess Cadance. It was a strange experience, being seated with three other princesses and a different Archmage. The food was delicious, but paled in comparison with the conversation taking place.

"I'm guessing in your world my parents split up, huh?" Nocturna chuckled. "Yeah, I was shocked to learn that myself. I mean, come on. She's the element of Loyalty. Do you really think she'd have left Archer?"

"If I hadn't been there to see it myself, I'd not believe it. Wow." Twilight blinked, feeling rather taken aback. It had been almost two centuries ago that she had last seen Rainbow Dash in her own world. She and Archer had married shortly after her Archer took the commander position, and had had only a brief relationship before divorcing. Rainbow went on to be an admirable instructor at the flight academy, and Archer had been one of the best commanders in her memory. The two had never been together long enough to have a child, at least, not in her world.

"So, your parents, are they-"

"Afraid not." Nocturna sighed. "I might not look it, but I'm actually one hundred and seventy years old. Mom died forty-four years ago, and my Dad over a hundred."

"Wow." Twilight blinked. "You really don't look that old."

"You still haven't told me how you keep your coat so dark." Cadance pouted. Nocturna just gave the princess of love a teasing raspberry.

"That's a secret."

"Amazing. But, I'm guessing, not the most shocking difference between this world and mine."

"That's what we're here to answer." Twilight's own counterpart nodded, smiling at her. In this world, it would seem, her counterpart had ascended to a Princess, joining Celestia and Luna not unlike she did in her own world. But from what she could gather, this world's Twilight had lived over three centuries before passing away. For as old as Nocturna was, and her immediate relationship to Rainbow Dash and Archer, her counterpart must have been a relatively new Princess, meaning she'd only recently discovered the crystal mirror herself. It seemed to add up in her mind. Twilight mulled her thoughts over, trying hard to reconcile her questions for the mirror copy sitting opposite herself.

"Well, let's start as far back as I can remember where there are important questions. How old were you when you first were offered the position of Archmage?"

"I was only twenty-five."

"Two years younger than I." Twilight did the math quickly, smiling warmly. "So you got a head start on me. Alright, then, how long did it take you before you took over your constituency?"

"I picked it up in about three months, I think?" Twilight asked, glancing to Luna, who nodded with a mouthful of ice cream. She was still working her way through their dessert.

"Th... Wow, really?"

"Why, how long did it take you?"

"Oh, gosh, I forget... Somewhere around six? Maybe eight?"

"Let me guess, the library?"

"Yeah." Twilight grimaced. "It took me almost an entire month to travel out there and return."

"You... didn't think to have Rainbow Dash fly you and your friends out there in the hot air balloon?" Cadance asked. At the question, Twilight froze.

"... Oh my stars, I'm an idiot."

They all shared a laugh at that.

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The conversation went on well into the evening. Her counterpart, Celestia, and Luna excused themselves to the balcony to cycle the sun and moon, taking only five minutes out of the conversation that Twilight go to spend chatting with Cadance. Apparently Shining Armor was still alive in this world, and she was promised that should her contract allow her a journey to the Crystal Kingdom, she'd be able to speak with him as well. He was very old, though, and sickly. Cadance still loved him fiercely, but Twilight could sense the tension hanging over her, like the blade of a guillotine.

Banner, she came to learn, had a very short-lived life as an Archmage, but was still alive. His immediate student had been Nocturna, true to his friendship with Archer and Rainbow Dash. He retired at a moderately old age to spend time with his wife and child in the Crystal Kingdom, leaving Nocturna to learn under Twilight's tutelage. Not unlike in her own world, the position of Archmage was more of a formality than anything else. Twilight herself handled many of the duties the Archmage typically did, leaving the actual one to learn and live freely. Nocturna herself had a foal that had already grown up to have her own children, meaning there were four generations of Rainbow Dash's blood in this world that there wasn't in her own.

To her further surprise, the whole confrontation with Regal and his assassination attempt had been handled much more amiably. Twilight had confronted him before the Greater Canterlot Council, and with Luna's help, had reverse-engineered a spell that freed him from the insanity of Blaze's journal. He had confessed to his crimes and escorted Twilight, along with an enamored Rarity and her other friends to the desert library. There, they had dispelled the magic in much the same way Twilight had in her own world, but Regal remained behind with Bolt's ghost to help watch over and protect the library, as recompense for causing so much trouble in Canterlot.

Rarity had left him and gone back to Cross Stitch, whom she had the same children in Twilight's own world. That much, it seemed, had remained the same. In fact, save for Rainbow Dash, all of her other friends didn't seem to have changed at all. That, combined with Twilight having spent a month of her development as Archmage reconnecting with her sickly parents seemed to wrap up this world's differences. There were still times of strife and anger, like with Silver Crest's murder of his father and Harbinger, but it seemed her counterpart in this world was better equipped to handle those times. Her love for Luna was just as strong; if not stronger, and she had many more friends in the form of students, Archmages, and Nocturna's children, all of whom worked in and around the palace.

All-in-all, this world was actually quite amazing. Twilight thoroughly enjoyed her week-long stay, even taking the optional trip down to Diamond Bay for three days of surf, sand, and sun. Even in her extensive life, Twilight had never been able to visit the beach for recreational purposes. Her brief foray into the alternate's world Saddle Arabia excluded, of course. That world had left a bad taste in her mouth. This one, it would seem, was destined to leave her with a smile on her face indefinitely. Upon return to Canterlot, Twilight visited the improved Royal Canterlot Library, where her counterpart was busy putting the finishing touches on a copy spell that would take books from the library in the Valley of Knowledge and make them immediately available for reading in Canterlot. It was a joined effort between her and Regal's grandson, a gifted unicorn who had been born and raised in the library after Regal found love anew in a Saddle Arabian visitor.

This world was so diverse and amazing, Twilight wanted nothing more than to spend another week there. Alas, the week came to an end, and she had to return to her own world. It was at the portal she met up with her counterpart, Nocturna, and Luna once more.

"It was lovely seeing you, and learning of the differences between our worlds." Her counterpart smiled, embracing Twilight warmly. "I know it's a hassle to ask for compensation, but should you ever return, I'm sure I can coerce Celestia into giving you a discount."

"I appreciate that." Twilight smiled, wrapping her wings around her twin warmly. "I hope this world prospers with its visitors, and that they enjoy their time here as I have." Truthfully enough, the whole week had been spent enjoying some of the best and most restful slumber of Twilight's life, and really opening her eyes to how ideal these parallel worlds could be. "Destination: Equestria indeed." She smiled and embraced Luna and Cadance in turn before turning to the portal. It was then that Celestia entered the room, looking serious but not worryingly so.

"I do hope you haven't forgotten about your payment, Princess Twilight?"

"Oh! Of course not. Remind me; how much was it?" She asked, pausing with one hoof inside the mirror's surface.

"Thirteen hundred and twenty-seven bits." Celestia produced a manilla folder with a small ledger inside, detailing the expenses. Twilight glanced it over before nodding faintly. "A fair price. I will return momentarily."

"Hello, Twilight!" Luna stood on the other side of the mirror, looking pleasantly shocked. "Just one week this time, it looks like?"

"Yeah." Twilight sighed, feeling happy to be back after a week-long absence. At least, a week to her. Luna looked to have just settled down with a book, even though Twilight had told her it was okay; that she didn't have to watch the mirror all the time.

"How was it?"

"Good, uuh, listen." Twilight blushed, glancing over her side once more. "I need thirteen hundred bits."

"What? What for?"

Twilight grimaced at her lover.

"Travel Expenses."