Archmage: Beyond the Crystal Mirror - “Normalcy”

Tags: Normal/Erotic (Sex will be involved this chapter)

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“Right then,” Twilight grimaced at the clear surface of the mirror before her. “What’s different about the world you’re sending me to now?” Luna stepped up beside her, the princess’ face just as serious as Twilight’s.

“You decided to deny the position of Archmage and return to Ponyville. To live a normal life.” At Luna’s words, Twilight frowned with thought.

“Wouldn’t that cause the prophecy to fail? What sort of fallout can I expect?”

Luna shook her head slowly. “I’m sending you to a world where that prophecy was never made. There are several like it, but I think this one would be the best for you to return to after… After that first one.”

“Right.” Twilight sighed and gave Luna a gentle kiss on her cheek. “I will be back shortly.”

“I’ll be waiting for you.” Luna pressed into the kiss eagerly, smiling at Twilight. “And I expect stories.”

Twilight smiled right back and stepped into the portal.

After the initial vertigo, Twilight looked around at the world. She found herself in a grassy meadow, bright with early-spring flowers. The world was vibrant, alive and well. She almost had to remind herself that this was a mirror world, that it wasn’t her home. After marking the spot of the portal with the stake and scarf, Twilight began to expand her mind. This trip was her first expedition where she wanted to begin testing the differences between her world and the others. Specifically, how much she could interact with them.

She had landed on the edge of what appeared to be the small forest outside of Ponyville. There wasn’t anypony about, so she took a few moments to analyze the world around her. The texture of the magic in the air was not unlike Canterlot. There were only very few differences between her world and this one. In fact, she didn’t see any reason why her magic wouldn’t interact with this world. Cautiously, she found a small pebble in among the grass and gingerly gripped it with a telekinetic field. The pebble levitated up and out of the ground, hovering in front of her as if she had gripped it normally.

“Odd. I thought I couldn’t interact with this world.” Twilight frowned at the pebble before dropping it and turning to a nearby tree. She closed her eyes and laid a hoof on the trunk, feeling for the tree’s core. It responded readily. This tree was healthy and friendly, and was home to a small family of squirrels. Twilight smiled and dropped her hoof. The only conclusion that she could arrive at was that this world wasn’t terribly different from her own. Unlike the last world, which had been all but destroyed, this one was as close to parallel as could be. So she fit here better than she had in the other world. Thereby, her magic was more compatible and she could cast spells almost freely. She did so then, cloaking herself in an invisibility field. She was a princess now, and the sight of a winged Twilight in a world she had declined the position of Archmage in would most likely cause an uproar.

This time around, Twilight would observe. She glanced back at the red scarf and the stake before trotting off towards where she figured Ponyville would be. After maybe an hour or so of walking, she arrived in the outskirts of town, not terribly far from Fluttershy’s cottage. The yellow pegasus didn’t appear to be home, so Twilight bypassed the place and made for Ponyville proper. The town was alive with commerce. It was market day, and all the farmers had their stalls set up, hawking their produce and wares. Applejack’s stall was the first she visited. The homey farm pony was all smiles as she handled business with her usual weekly customers, laughing and chatting with all of her fellow farmers. Big Macintosh was absent, as was Applebloom. Memories came back to Twilight, of a different time and an almost completely different life. The Cutie Mark Crusaders running around getting into all sorts of mischief, all of Pinkie Pie’s parties, watching Rainbow Dash practice tricks, helping Rarity with dresses and Fluttershy with her animals…

Twilight used to have it so easy. She had graduated from handling the minor problems of a small town to saving Equestria from the hidden threats it never even knew existed. While in Ponyville, she had had the support of her friends. In Canterlot, she had that and the support of the princesses, her staff, assistants, students, advisors, and council members. In Ponyville, she was just another unicorn.

In Canterlot, she was the Archmage.

As Twilight weaved through the market traffic, she was unable to make up her mind as to which she preferred more.

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After a day of exploring Ponyville and re-acquainting herself with all the sights and sounds she had missed out on for almost two hundred years by now, she finally settled on an objective. Twilight needed to find herself. She had passed her library home a short while ago, but didn’t take much time to look inside. This time, Twilight returned to her old home and began to seek a way inside without being detected. She may have not been a princess in this world, but under-estimating her past self would be the first mistake. Carefully, Twilight squeezed herself through an upstairs window that somepony had left open.

Inside, the library was just as she remembered it. From the vast collection of books to the dust motes floating through the late-afternoon sun, Twilight remembered the finest details. Below, her past self was sorting through a small stack of books. She would pick one up, scan the title, and levitate it to one bookshelf or another where it belonged. Twilight gingerly flapped up to the top of one such bookshelf and perched there, watching herself go about the mundane tasks of a small-town librarian. In her observations, Twilight found a profound sense of calm. There was something relaxing about watching her past self sort books, update ledgers, place orders, and clean up. Though no matter how much she seemed to dust, the motes still swirled in the air. Twilight was glad she had had a strong resistance to allergies.

Eventually, daytime began to give way to the night, and the almost-alien purple mare went about making herself breakfast. The delicious scents made her mouth water, so Twilight decided it was time to rustle up some food of her own. Slipping out of the same window she came in, Twilight went to the Sweet Apple acres, and surreptitiously plucked three ripe-looking apples. She had food of her own, but she didn’t know how much longer she’d be here. Feeling guilty, Twilight ate the delicious dinner and returned to the library.

What she saw when she returned nearly blew her mind. Twilight was sitting at her dinner table, but she wasn’t alone. And the guest wasn’t one of her friends. A handsome stallion, slight of build, with delicate-looking wings was seated opposite Twilight, both of them laughing and chatting amicably. Who was this colt? Twilight had never seen him before. Curiously, she inched into the dining room to listen to their discussion.

“I dunno. I find Starswirl’s earlier work to be far more profound than his later papers,” The stallion waved a hoof as he spoke, and Twilight’s alternate body nodded sagely.

“I’ll have to agree with you there. But the 5248 paper about compound extrapolation theory was-“

“Absolutely unparalleled! I was astounded, considering the relative mediocrity of his previous findings! I mean, before that, nothing could hold a candle to his papers on changeling behavior.”

“Thank you! Someone who finally agrees with me!” Twilight began to connect the dots here. This pegasus was a friend of hers in this world. Perhaps more than that, but that remained to be seen. Twilight sat in the shadows, watching as the two conversed late into the night. Well after everypony else would have gone to sleep, the two of them appeared to only just begin tiring. After cleaning the dishes, they both retired to the library, bending their heads over the same book. They seemed awfully close. Twilight wondered how long this had been going on. Still, the night wore on, and under the candlelight the two powered through one book before getting started on another. It was well past two in the morning when the pegasus stretched his wings.

“I think we should call it a night.” He yawned.

“Aww. We were just getting to a good part.” Twilight pouted, but smiled shortly thereafter. “Are you staying here tonight?” That caused Twilight to tense up. She herself had been nodding off, not having been close enough to read whatever it was they were reading. But this new development had her at full attention.

“I was hoping you’d let me… You know…”

“Oh! That. Y-yeah, we can… Come on.” Twilight’s blush could have lit up the room more effectively than the candles burning all around. With a small glimmer of magic, Twilight extinguished the candles and made her way up to the balcony bedroom. Once there, the two were lost in the shadows. But Twilight didn’t miss the heated moans and passionate noises they were making. Blushing rather furiously herself, Twilight left the library, allowing the two a little privacy. As she found a solitary cloud close to the edge of the forest to sleep on, Twilight reflected on the day’s events.

How long had the romance between herself and this stallion been going on? Who was he? What was his name? How serious were they? All these questions and more harried Twilight into her dreams. Still, as she drifted off, it was with a smile on her face. It was nice to know that in some worlds, she was able to find peace outside of her duties as Archmage. With or without the title, it seemed, she had hope for a nice life.

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In the next few days, Twilight learned more and more about her alternate self than she might have wanted to. Twilight had become a go-to pony for much of Ponyville’s problems. The mayor, her friends, and just about everypony else sought Twilight’s assistance on a daily basis. She seemed to be their catchall solution. While she had learned to handle stress while becoming the Archmage, it seemed this Twilight hadn’t acquired that particular skill. She suffered frequent breakdowns because of it, and while everything appeared to be peaceful on the outside, Twilight could find her alternate sobbing helplessly almost every day.

She still managed, however, and her triumphs were greater than her downfalls. Not only that, but she found enjoyment in helping others. Hers was a life of service. And Twilight discovered that, be it in the position of Archmage or otherwise, she was naturally inclined to assist other ponies. Maybe she handled it a little less well in this world, but she still helped everyone where she could.

And she had found love as well. While twilight had found Luna, this Twilight had discovered her partner in the meek pegasus named Quill. He was an author and an avid reader, and began to stay with Twilight more and more over the next few days. Before Twilight even knew it, her week was coming up. She returned to the clearing where the portal was, standing at the spot with the scarf and the stake. She frowned at the spot for a long while, but a strong sort of conviction came over her. This world was so much more pleasant than the last she had visited. She wanted to see things out to the end. Turning away from the portal, Twilight made her way back to Ponyville, back to the library.

Her alternate was out that day, but Quill was in. He was diligently writing in his journal on the main library floor as Twilight surreptitiously slipped into the window, and didn’t appear to notice her. She looked over his shoulder as carefully as she could, trying to peer at his writing. What she saw nearly made her blood freeze.

Flitter has been more and more aggressive of late. Last night, she cornered me on the street on my way home from buying groceries. I almost didn’t have the chance to pull her up to the nearest cloud before somepony else passed us. Trying to keep up with her, Blossomforth, AND Twilight is beginning to wear on me. But I swear. The three are as different from each other as possible. Twilight is reserved and almost shy between the sheets, but once she gets ramped up, she’s open to anything. Flitter is wild and unpredictable, but there are certain things she will never try. Blossomforth is… Well, she’s something else. That’s about all I can say.

This bastard! He was cheating on her! Twilight very nearly revealed herself then and there, but only barely managed to stop herself. She felt the flush rise to her cheeks as he went on detailing several heated encounters with the three mares, going into such depth that would have made even Luna falter. He certainly was a talented writer. Twilight just wished he was writing something other than the truth. Her heart was pounding in her ears as she watched him pen almost two whole pages in his journal before flipping it shut. Done with that, Quill spread his wings and fluttered out of the same window Twilight had come in herself. She followed after him, intent on seeing if his journal entry had any credibility to it.

Sure enough, Quill was hardly a few minutes away from Twilight’s library home before another pale pegasus tackled him mid-air. The two turned over several times, but managed to veer towards a nearby cloud and negotiate a crash-landing onto the dewy surface. Twilight watched, her heart pounding in her ears, as they got right down to some of the filthiest, hardest sex she had ever had the displeasure of seeing. He even had the audacity to kiss her after they had finished. And just like that, Quill was off again, flying towards the forest where Twilight’s portal was. She felt sickened that her poor counterpart could have fallen in love with such a dishonest and lying pony such as this, but the portal had already closed. She had another week to wait before she could return.

Quill stopped just outside of the tree cover, going towards a spot not too far removed from the stake Twilight had placed marking her entrance to this world. Much to her surprise, another pegasus mare emerged from the treeline, beckoning Quill over. She didn’t have to poke her head into the bushes to know what was going on. But she did catch snippets of the hushed, panting conversation.

“Seen Flitter already today?”

“She says hi.”

“We really should do it together again sometime-“

“Uhn! Not after last time!”

They were at it for almost half an hour. Twilight hovered nearby, feeling her anger rise more and more. In the end, she just couldn’t take it. With several powerful flaps, she left her alternate self’s coltfriend behind and went to find the poor, victimized Twilight of this world. It didn’t take long, though the place she found her clone wasn’t entirely ideal, either.

Twilight was seated at an outdoor cafe, sharing an early lunch with none other than Flitter, who still seemed to be flushed from her encounter with Quill. Twilight swooped into an alleyway and inched as close as she dared. Invisible as she was, she didn’t want to be bumped into. She managed to find a spot close to the railing that separated the outdoor café’s patio from the street and prayed to the heavens nopony decided to stop nearby, or cut the corner she had claimed too close. She was just close enough to make out the conversation the two were sharing.

“Oh he was very energetic today. It almost hurt.”

“Ooh, I love it when he gets like that.” Twilight sighed, laying her chin on her hoof. “Are we still on for this weekend?”

“You betchya! I think it’s time we drop the ball on him. That poor fucker.” Flitter and Twilight shared a laugh. Stranger and stranger still. Just what was happening here? Listening intently, Twilight leaned in closer.

“Where is he now? Do you know?”

“I think he went off to his ‘thinking spot.’ So Blossomforth will have him nice and worn down tonight.”

“Hmm. Perhaps. You know, he’s been entranced with this thing he found last week, though.”

“Oh? What is it?” Flitter leaned in, making Twilight get even closer. She was uncomfortable being this close to the street on a busy afternoon, but this whole business with Quill had her intrigued. The way they were talking it was almost as if…

“He said there’s a mysterious red scarf tied to a wooden stake in the clearing where he and Blossomforth usually meet…” At that, Twilight had to excuse herself. She nearly bowled over some young filly in her haste, but managed to recover with a graceful twist. The filly looked up curiously, but his mother tugged him along insistently. Twilight breathed a sigh of relief and flew fast as she could. She had some tracks to cover.

The clearing was easy to find, and the portal easier still. Twilight recovered the stake and the scarf as quickly as she could, hoping Quill wouldn’t note its absence. Even if he did, it wouldn’t be of consequence. She just had to be more careful than this in the future. But the entire way there and back, Twilight replayed the conversation in her head. Flitter and her counterpart appeared to be in league, even though Quill was technically cheating on both of them. Not to mention this other mare, Blossomforth, was in the mix as well. The way they made it sound, she was in on it as well. Twilight was glad she had elected to stay longer. This was beginning to get not just interesting, but she found herself actually kind of enjoying it.

She returned to the library after retrieving the stake and scarf she had left in the clearing. True to her word, Twilight was in deep with Quill. This time, they were doing the deed in the kitchen. Twilight allowed herself only a moment to watch before leaving once more. She decided it was time to check on her other friends.

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Late in the afternoon as it had been, Twilight wasn’t surprised when the only pony who was even remotely active was Applejack. She was busy packing away some apples in her cellar. Ultimately, it was boring to watch her. Twilight ended up just taking a short flight around the town, letting her mind wander. As night settled on Ponyville, she found another cloud to sleep on and drifted off into the night. Surprisingly enough, sleep came easy to her. And it helped her mark the passage of days and nights. Twilight snoozed well into the morning and woke feeling refreshed and relaxed. It was Saturday night, and the little she had gleaned from the conversation with Flitter and her counterpart seemed to indicate they were going to make their move this weekend.

Rather than try to keep track of two ponies, Twilight settled for one. Quill would be on the receiving end of whatever cruelty herself and the other two pegasi had planned, so she sought him out first. Luckily, he was found enjoying an early-morning flight over town. Twilight followed him, flitting from cloud to cloud, watching him carefully. After his exercise, he lighted in the town square and went into a café. Twilight stayed there until he finished his breakfast. When he re-emerged, Twilight followed after him, thankful her transparency spell had thwarted anyone from discovering her thus far. As an extra precaution, Twilight added a muffling spell to her aura, further quieting her hoof falls. She didn’t want to risk detection at all.

Quill finished eating promptly and returned to the library. Twilight slipped into the window that seemed to always be conveniently open and perched atop a corner bookshelf. Quill seemed to be engrossed in a fairly large book. She wondered if he’d be reading it all day. Her counterpart was absent, but that didn’t matter. She stayed atop her bookcase, watching Quill read.

The hours stretched on. Quill took two breaks, one for the restroom and one to eat lunch. Yet, with evening approaching, Twilight and her friends remained mysteriously absent. Quill had nearly finished the large tome when he marked his place and shut the cover. If the look on his face was any indication, he was wondering the same thing Twilight was. Where were the others? He appeared to be debating whether or not he should make dinner for two. Just as he went towards the kitchen, a soft knock came from the front door. Quill put a smile on his face and went to answer it. This was a library, after all. While they might normally have been closed right now, Twilight had been known to make several exceptions for late-night intellectuals.

“How can I help- Blossom?” Quill started as soon as he saw who was on the other side of the door. Blossomforth glanced around furtively before slipping inside and kicking the door shut behind her. “What are you doing here? I thought we agreed we wouldn’t do this in to-“

“Take me.” Blossomforth’s blush could have warmed Twilight from her perch atop the bookshelf.

“What?”

“Take me. Right here. Right now.”

“WHAT?! Blossomforth, I can’t! Twilight could be back any minute!”

“She’s gone.” Blossomforth reached into the saddlebags she wore, pulling a piece of parchment out and shoving it into Quill’s face. “That was on the door.” Quill read the note quickly, blushing a little.

“Canterlot? Three weeks? Why didn’t she tell me?”

“I told you, that was on the door. What, did you come in through the window and not see it?”

“Y-yeah, actually.” Quill flushed, re-reading the note. “Well then, I don’t see why not. Come here.” Quill tossed the parchment aside and wrapped a leg around Blossomforth. They made it maybe six feet inside. Twilight grew still as she watched Blossomforth assertively push Quill over and pin his back to the ground. Right before her eyes, Blossomforth and Quill did the deed right there on the library floor. Blossomforth didn’t hold back even a little. She rode him hard and fast, moaning loud and long.

When she peaked, it was actually a rather admirable sight. She was incredibly flexible, and the way her back arched and twisted was mind-blowing. Twilight watched, completely enraptured, as she came down from the orgasmic high with a grin. The way Quill was panting, he had reached his limit as well.

“Did… Did anypony see you come here?” Quill muttered.

“I don’t think so.” Blossomforth smiled and stood up, slipping him out of her. Twilight’s suspicions were confirmed by a thin stream of milky-white liquid dripping out of Blossomforth’s core. She still straddled him, though, grinning knowingly.

“Let’s move this somewhere else, then.” Quill began to get up, but Blossomforth held him in place with a firm hoof.

“Not yet, stud.” She panted, her half-lidded eyes betraying lust and desire. “I’m not done with you.”

“What are you- hey! Woah!” Quill gasped as Blossmforth slid onto him once more, her hips already gyrating. “You’re insatiable! Alright then, let’s do this!” He went into round two with gusto, his hips bucking in time with Blossomforth’s own movements. They kissed and panted and groaned all the while. It wasn’t until they reached a fever pitch that Twilight realized something.

The two weren’t alone. Perched on the windowsill, watching with a blush and the same half-lidded eyes as her partner in crime, Flitter observed the goings-on. Just as soon as the two ponies on the floor reached their peak, she flapped down off of the sill and onto the floor. Her landing caused Quill to jump up with shock. His eyes were as wide as dinner plates.

“Flitter! What are you doing here?” Quill tried to sit up, but Blossomforth kept him pinned. Flitter closed the gap between herself and the two copulating ponies, a wicked grin on her face.

“We decided with Twilight out of town for three weeks, we’re going to have you to ourselves for as long as we’d like. Now just lay there and let me…” Flitter straddled Quill’s face, flattening her crotch against his face. Quill gave several muffled cries and squirmed to try and get away, but between the two dominant mares atop him, he could do little. Flitter’s throaty moans signaled Quill’s acquiescence. The two mares began to ride him, mouth and stallionhood, kissing and moaning just as loud as they dared. Twilight was made to watch as they went at it hard and fast. At one point, they switched positions, and even later on, took turns letting Quill take them from behind. By the time the sun sank beneath the horizon, all three were lathered in sweat and panting.

“That… That was…”

“Oh my Celestia…”

“I can’t feel my legs.”

The three lay spread-eagle on the floor, where a healthy mixture of sweat, orgasmic fluids, and feathers littered the warm wood planks. Pegasi were accomplished squirters, and Flitter and Blossomforth were no exception. Twilight might have been able to count the number of orgasms the two had shared by the arcing dark spots on the ground. Quill appeared to be at the brunt of the exhaustion, though. It was then that Twilight remembered he had been involved with all three mares for the past… Well, who knew how many days? He had to have been tapped.

But several questions still nagged her: Twilight had been speaking with Flitter about Quill’s exploits at the café just yesterday. They had mentioned ‘dropping the ball’ and revealing their knowledge. Why had Flitter said her bit about Twilight being out of town? Where was Twilight now? What did these three have planned?

It was then she felt it. A bubble passed over her, a field of magic. She recognized it almost immediately. It was the precursor to her teleportation. Thankfully, Twilight had thought ahead and cloaked her own magical interference. Her counterpart wouldn’t be able to tell she was there. Still, the other Twilight flashed into existence in the middle of the three pegasi, causing Quill to jump. Flitter and Blossomforth stayed where they were, unsurprised by Twilight’s appearance. Quill began to back away, stuttering.

“Twilight! This isn’t-! They-! I-!”

“Oh, trust me, Quill.” Twilight followed him, her steps slow and measured. “I know.”

“What? Are you telling me you three are in league?” Quill stuttered, his wide eyes flickering between the three of them.

“Have been for three weeks now. But that’s not as long as you’ve been playing me, is it Quill?” Twilight continued to walk towards him. Quill backed up against the bookshelf Twilight had perched herself on, so she got to look straight down at the proceedings. Her counterpart loomed over Quill, while Flitter and Blossomforth stood to her left and right. The silence stretched on for a few moments before Twilight smiled.

“You should have told me sooner. I’d have arranged a foursome for you.” Twilight’s horn glowed, and she gripped Quill firmly. “Instead, you backstabbed me, lied to me, cheated on me.” Quill was turned over in mid-air, and his rear thrust into the air. It was then that Twilight realized her counterpart wore a strap-on, the large thing dangling between her legs lewdly. “So we’re going to see something, Quill.” Twilight held the poor brown pegasus in place with her magic, while Flitter and Blossomforth flanked him. They lifted his tail out of the way, and in their mouths they held several bottles. Twilight was just able to make out the labels. One was a numbing agent, the other was lubrication. Twilight reared up onto her legs just as Flitter and Blossomforth began pouring the liquids onto Quill’s tight pucker.

“We’re going to see how you like to be the one getting fucked.”

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What followed was probably one of the most debauched and arousing things Twilight had ever had the pleasure of witnessing. She tried her hardest to not think about it, but the whole scene had been among the most erotic things she had ever seen. Twilight and the two mares had taken turns violating Quill, who actually appeared to enjoy himself. After he had been exhausted beyond reproach, the three mares set in on each other with different strap-ons, while Quill was forced to sit in a magical hold and watch them reach orgasm over and again. The following morning, Twilight had packed his things and threw him out. She said the entire reason they had made him watch was so he knew Twilight didn’t need him to find her pleasure, and neither did the other two. One of her counterpart’s lines struck Twilight the most, though.

“It wasn’t that you’ve been fucking two other mares, Quill. It’s that you did it behind my back.”

Honesty, it seemed, was inherent in all of the wielders of harmony. Following Quill’s departure from Twilight’s household, word spread around town rather quickly. Quill was all but ostracized, and in the end flew away ‘back to Baltimare’ he had said. Somehow, Twilight felt justice had been done. In the days following Quill’s exodus, Twilight, Flitter, and Blossomforth were more involved than ever. Twilgiht decided to give the three their privacy, and instead went about catching up with her other friends.

She discovered that Applejack had actually settled down with a mail stallion. He stayed at Sweet Apple Acres alone with her. Big Mac still worked there, but he lived with his own wife, whom Twilight was shocked to discover was Fluttershy. The four of them had dinner together many nights, and it was witnessing one of those that Twilight discovered all that. The mail stallion’s name was Fleet Hoof. He was a skilled flyer, but strong. Whenever he wasn’t delivering for the mail service, he would work the farm, or relax with Applejack at home. Applebloom had moved to Manehattan to attend a school for mechanics there, and Granny Smith had regrettably passed away. The two lovers had the old farmhouse to themselves, while Big Mac and Fluttershy stayed together in her cottage.

Applejack was awfully happy, and during the same dinner Twilight had eavesdropped on, discovered she was expecting. The thought made her smile. Applejack would soon have a foal of her own to deal with, and Fleet Hoof struck her as a kind and supportive father. Fluttershy had already had a foal of her own, named Sprout. The young pegasus attended school, and already showed a talent for handling animals the way Fluttershy did. Big Mac couldn’t have been more proud, and Twilight was awfully touched.

Rarity, on the other hoof, was suffering. She had had several lovers come and go in the years, and none of them had stuck. It seemed Cross Stitch wasn’t in this alternate dimension, and if he was, he had left Rarity for one reason or another. Instead, the fashionista spent her time alone. Sweetie Belle had left for Canterlot to attend school alone some time ago. The boutique was awfully quiet. Rarity seemed rather withdrawn. She still went to the spa every week with Fluttershy, and reached out frequently to Applejack and Twilight and her other friends. Still, she seemed to be sinking lower and lower. Twilight was loathe to leave her friend in such a miserable mood, but she was compelled to see how Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash were handling themselves.

The bakery was as lively as ever under Pinkie Pie’s management. The cakes, it seemed, have moved to Baltimare a few years ago. Pinkie Pie had expanded on the bakery, offering a larger space for parties and social events. Ponies sought her out for wedding receptions, birthday parties, and other large events. She could even host concerts in the bakery’s large hall. She was always busy, hardly sleeping much at all during the nights. She would wake early, open the bakery for a small-ish crowd of coffee-drinkers and bagel-munchers, and spent much of the day cooking for lunch and dinner. If she wasn’t handling party business, she went to go be with her friends.

What was even more shocking than Pinkie’s success, however, was her choice of mate. Rainbow Dash had taken up official residence in the bakery, and the two loved one another fiercely. Rainbow Dash had moved up to the spot of local weather captain, and expanded her territory to several neighboring farming villages. Ponies like Flitter, Cloudchaser, and Blossomforth worked for her now, and seemed to be happy. Dash herself handled the responsibility well, and if the whispers were to be believed, Princess Celestia wanted Rainbow Dash to transfer to Canterlot’s weather team. Between that and being an alternate for the Wonderbolt’s touring team, she stayed busy but always made time for her friends.

Twilight was pleased with this alternate dimension. Things here were simple and uncomplicated. Her counterpart was happy with Flitter and Blossomforth as her two lovers, Fluttershy and Big Mac made wonderful parents, Applejack and Fleet Hoof were successful farmers, Pinkie Pie was a phenomenal baker, and Rainbow Dash was a star weather pony. But Rarity… Well, she was something else. On the eve of Twilight’s return to her own world, she went to visit the white unicorn once more.

Sadly, Rarity was alone in her bedroom, crying hysterically. Twilight stood outside of the door, listening to her friend’s miserable wailing, teetering on the edge of doing something very, very foolish. What had happened to Rarity? In her own world, Rarity had been beautiful and strong. She and Cross Stitch had a beautiful child and worked their way to the fore of Equestrian fashion. Their home in Trottingham was quaint, but from there, Rarity exported hundreds of beautiful dresses that made waves from Horseshoe Bay to Canterlot, and Appleoosa to Baltimare.

More than that, what had happened to the pony that followed twilight into the heart of death itself?! Rarity had been with Twilight at the library, and had nearly died. But her strength and support had helped Twilight the entire way there and back. Where was the generous, kind, loving soul that Twilight knew lived within this beautiful, hard-working unicorn?

Twilight emerged from her illusion spell with a flourish, and forcibly kicked the door down. Rarity jumped up from her bed at the sudden splintering sound, looking at Twilight in the doorway. “Twilight?! What are you- wait… Those wings. You’re not Twilight! Who are you?!” Rarity was on the defensive, her tear-stained face twisted with doubt and anger. Twilight lifted a hoof, her horn glowing as well. Gingerly, she lifted Rarity off of her bed and set the white unicorn on the floor in front of her. Rarity tried to fight it, but her meager magic was no match for Twilight’s.

“Hush now, Rarity.” Twilight whispered gently, standing in front of her friend with a gentle smile. “I am not the Twilight you know and love, but I am indeed Twilight. Come here.” Twilight opened her forelegs, smiling at Rarity knowingly. Rarity considered her for a few moments, but when she recognized her friend, broke out into tears and rushed into the embrace. Twilight held the sobbing unicorn close, stroking her frazzled mane slowly and carefully. Rarity cried long and hard, sobbing into Twilight’s coat all the while. It was only after she calmed down that Twilight began to speak again.

“I come from a different world, Rarity.” She began, still holding her friend close. “Do you remember when the Twilight here in the world had been selected to become the new Archmage?”

“Y-yes, I remember that. Seven years ago…”

“Well, in the world I come from, I accepted that position. I spent many years in service to Equestria, and upon my death, the gods above decided to grant me the same power Celestia, Luna, and Cadance all share. That is why I am this way. I am an alicorn now.”

“That’s incredible. But… You keep saying ‘other worlds…’ How did you get here?”

“There is a portal in the crystal kingdom. I’m afraid it’s been many years since any of you last drew breath in my world, so this may or may not happen a long time from now. But through that portal, I am able to cross to different worlds. These worlds are created when decisions are made, Rarity. You see, when a pony makes a decision, another world is created where they had chosen differently. This world, the one you and I stand in now, was created when I decided to decline the position of Archmage.”

“Amazing.” Rarity breathed. She appeared to have calmed down, and was content to listen to Twilight’s story. She continued.

“I came here simply to observe. Forgive me, but I couldn’t help but notice how miserable you seem lately…”

“It’s true,” Rarity sniffled, looking down at the floor. “I can’t find love, no matter how hard I try. All my friends have their loves, and are so happy. Why, Fluttershy even has a foal. Applejack has one on the way. Twilight had Quill, and now she has Flitter and Blossomforth… Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash, even. I just… I feel so distraught. I can’t find anypony.”

“Hey,” Twilight gingerly lifted Rarity’s chin, drawing her eyes up until they met one another’s. “You’re the element of generosity, Rarity. You have more love to give than anypony else. It breaks my heart to see you saddened so. Please, for my sake, and the sake of your friends… Keep your head up?” Rarity looked into Twilight’s eyes for a long while before breaking into tears again. She sobbed and collapsed into Twilight’s embrace, so Twilight held her close until she calmed again.

“It’s so hard, though…”

“Oh Rarity.” Twilight smiled and patted Rarity’s shoulder patronizingly. “If only you knew the amount of ‘hard’ things you have accomplished in my world.” Rarity sniffed and looked up at her with wide eyes.

“Really?” Twilight nodded. “Could you… Could you tell me about them?”

“It would be my genuine pleasure, Rarity.” Twilight smiled and slipped up onto Rarity’s bed. There, the two of them talked the night away…

---------------

The day came for Twilight’s return to her own world. She flew around town once more, just to see how everyone was doing. This early in the morning, Fluttershy was still asleep, as was Fleet Hoof, but Applejack and Big Mac were hard at work in the orchard. Pinkie Pie was serving breakfast while Rainbow Dash slumbered upstairs. Twilight, though, was responding to the summons of a friend in dire need. At the café in the town square, she met with a distraught and tear-stained Rarity. Twilight looked on to the meeting with a soft smile.

“Rarity, my goodness… Pardon me for saying, but you don’t look so well…”

“It’s fine, darling. Truth be told, I’m not doing so well.”

“We figured. I heard about your most recent catastrophe… What was his name?”

“Does it matter?” Rarity waved her hoof dismissively. “I can’t get him back. Or any of them, for that matter.”

“I’m sorry, Rarity. I didn’t mean to upset you…”

“Don’t’ worry about it, love.” Rarity managed a smile. “I know I still have you five here with me.”

“We’re more than five now.” Twilight mused, tapping her lower lip thoughtfully. “With more on the way.”

“You’ve got to envy that mare,” Rarity sighed wistfully. “Married with a foal on the way. And Fluttershy, too. I heard Sprout got her cutie mark last week.”

“A paw, so I hear.” Twilight chuckled, both of them smiling. “We know what her talent will be.”

“She takes after her mother, that much is for sure. I’m happy for them… For all of you.” Rarity sighed. “But I don’t really have any happiness to call my own…”

“Rarity? What are you trying to say?”

“I’m saying that… Well.” Rarity straightened her back and looked seriously at Twilight. “I think a change is in order. I’m done searching Ponyville for my special somepony. I think it’s time I leave. I’m moving to Canterlot in one month’s time.”

There was a silence between them for a short while. Twilight looked like she was on the brink of shock and denial, but eventually, her look dissolved into a warm smile. “That’s great! You always loved Canterlot, and there are certainly more ponies there than there are here. I’m happy for you, Rarity. Why, I think I might know a certain somepony who can help you get your hoof in the door, so to speak.” Twilight produced a quill and paper from her saddlebags. She always seemed to have stationery on her wherever she went. “I’ll tell Celestia of your arrival right away.”

“Twilight, that’s asking too much… I couldn’t possibly-“

“Nonsense, Rarity.” Twilight finished penning the page-long note in short order, and rolled it up smartly. Her horn glared for a few moments before wrapping the note in a blinding light and sending it away. “I’m certain Celestia would be pleased to have an element of Harmony in Canterlot. Why, last I heard, she was looking for a seamstress that could make a dress large enough to fit her.”

“Y-you don’t say…” Rarity appeared awestruck. “I don’t-“

“Ah. Her response.” Twilight smiled as a roll of parchment appeared in midair before them, glimmering faintly as Twilight spread it open. “Hmm. I think you’d best read this yourself.” Twilight passed the scroll off, and Rarity began reading it. At the end, she looked up, her expression awestruck.

“That’s more than I make in a year… Twilight, this is… This is incredible!”

“I’m happy for you, Rarity.” Twilight beamed, laughing as Rarity rushed forward to wrap her in a hug. “I’m sure the others will be as well. We’ll miss you, but you’re going to do incredible things living in Canterlot. I have to ask, though,” Twilight pulled away from the embrace with a worried look. “Who gave you this idea of moving?”

“Oh, you know…” Rarity waved her off, but she looked almost directly at where Twilight sat, watching the conversation. A smile crossed the unicorn’s face. “A friend.”

-----------

“Welcome back.” Luna beamed as Twilight emerged from the portal. In her absence, it seemed Luna had made the chamber housing the portal more comfortable. Several candles sat burning warmly in scones burrowed into the wall, and there was furniture, as well. A bed large enough for two, a writing desk, two comfy chairs, and several book cases as well. Luna was busy stocking one of the cases when Twilight emerged.

“How… How long was I gone?” Twilight breathed, shaking her head. Going through the portal was rather disorienting at times.

“One whole day.” Luna responded absently, placing books on the shelf as she scanned the titles one by one. “It’s mid-afternoon on the fifteenth. You left the morning of the fourteenth.”

“You don’t say…” Twilight regained her senses and stepped down off of the dias the mirror rested on. Behind her, the meadow she had originally went into showed for a few seconds before the mirror gave her her own reflection. Shrugging out of her saddlebags, Twilight approached Luna.

“How was it? How long did you stay?”

“Two weeks.” Twilight slowed, taking her time to admire Luna’s graceful body. Two whole weeks without any release. She let her eyes linger on Luna’s rump.

“So you decided to stay an extra week. Any particular reason?” Luna seemed distracted by the books. Twilight silently crept up behind her.

“My counterpart was having some… Interesting love problems. I decided to stay and see how they went.”

“Oh? You say that almost like-“ Luna turned, but froze when she was nose-to-nose with Twilight.

“Put it on.” Twilight lifted a strapon between them. “And take me. Right here. Right now.”

“… Remind me to send you back to that world sometime.”