Twilight blinked several times as her eyes adjusted to the starry sky above her. Her head throbbed profusely as she awoke, memories of her most recent conscious moments slowly banishing the confusion and disorientation she felt as she tried to rise to her feet but immediately fell back down as a headache split across her skull. From the sound of things, it looked as if Nightmare Moon was aware of her activities back in Ponyville, and most likely knew she was an imposter in this world.

She was still on the edge of Canterlot Mountain, although from the sight of it she was completely alone this time around. Not even Fluttershy was around to greet her as the outlines of the lake and distant plains revealed themselves to her.

"Perfect." Twilight spat, realizing she was completely alone with no means of entering Canterlot Mountain, and with the town of Ponyville under such heavy surveillance, she probably couldn't even return to the Mirror Pool to go home.

Where could Fluttershy had gone? Surely she wouldn't just leave her here...

"You're awake..." A familiar voice whispered, her tone one of complete relief. "Thank heavens. Here, this should help your head a bit."

Fluttershy placed an odd, repulsive looking black flower onto the ground next to Twilight and sat down herself. Her coat was dripping water, and Twilight could only assume she had gotten the odd plant from the lake somewhere. Twilight simply prodded the flower and looked to Fluttershy for an explanation as to why they were still outside.

"I'm a changeling, apparently. And you're hell-bent on slaughtering everything Rainbow holds dear. And she's taking a huge chance just by letting you live." Fluttershy let out an exasperated sigh and motioned towards the flower. "These are the sort of things that grow in the night. I know it looks disgusting. It'll probably taste disgusting, too, but its pretty good for treating insomnia, headaches. That sort of thing."

Compliantly, Twilight lifted the vile flower to her mouth and, squeezing her eyes tight, swallowed it whole, trying her best to not let it touch her tongue on the way down.

"So, what next, Twi?" Fluttershy asked, once she had finished. "How do we convince them we're not what they say we are?"

"Urgh...I...I have no idea! I would say Rainbow is being too stubborn, but she really has good reason to not trust us. More reason than she has to trust us, anyway."

Fluttershy looked utterly heartbroken, but nodded in agreement at Twilight's words.

"Yeah...I just thought Rainbow would be happy to see that I was still alive, but she has the safety of The Resistance to think about."

Suddenly, as if by some divine coincidence, the stone door in front of her once again shifted and shimmered and none other than Rainbow Dash stepped out, followed closely by Applejack.

"Rainbow..." Fluttershy whispered, looking up at her friend with pleading eyes. "Please...I'm not a changeling...you have to believe me!"

"I don't know what to believe, Fluttershy. But I know what I need to do. It's my job to protect my friends, and the integrity of the Resistance. I don't know what sort of stunt Twilight and Nightmare Moon are trying to pull, but we're not buying it."

"Good! Rainbow, I'm glad you feel that way!" Twilight said suddenly, causing Fluttershy's hopeless expression to change to one of confusion. "You're the Element of Loyalty! And...Applejack!"

Twilight turned her gaze to the orange earth pony, whose dirty blond mane looked naked without her familiar Stetson. Applejack had been refusing to meet her eyes, but now that she did, Twilight already started to regret addressing her. The look of absolute hatred she received from one of her closest friends was crushing. Twilight tried to muster a few words about Honesty but stopped when she realized she was simply babbling like a foal.  

"Element of Loyalty." Applejack repeated, not to the unicorn in front of her but to Rainbow Dash. "Is she talkin' about what I think she's talkin' about?"

"Probably. She really thinks we're dumb enough to trust her. And, for the record, Fluttershy, no, I don't think you're a changeling. But whatever sick things Twilight did to you to make you trust her, I don't want to know."

"I know you don't believe us..." Twilight asserted. "But I'm telling the truth. I'm here to help you guys defeat Nightmare Moon. I know Celestia. And I know all you guys, but its...you're different. Please, you have to trust me!"

"Look, Twilight..." Rainbow Dash said coldly, still watching them from the entrance way. "I'll humor you. Explain why you're here. And then I'll decide whether or not I need to stop you from ratting our location out to your murdering mentor."

"Rainbow!" Fluttershy pleaded. "You heard what Nightmare Moon said! She's helping us now!"

"I don't care. Even if I DID believe her, we don't need any help."

Twilight wondered how she could possibly explain her situation to Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy had been easier, she was rather naive, but Rainbow...

"Is Pinkie Pie around?" Twilight asked, getting an idea.

Rainbow Dash sighed in frustration and turned to leave, the magic barrier reassembling itself behind her. Applejack, however, stayed behind, and continued staring at Twilight with those cold, terrifying eyes. She was quite obviously avoiding Fluttershy, given the fact that she never once acknowledged or even looked at her supposedly-deceased friend.

"Please don't be mad at Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy said softly to Twilight. "She's not normally this mean. She's really a nice pony."

Twilight nodded. "I know, Fluttershy. You were the same when I first met you," Twilight had meant this to be lighthearted, but Fluttershy obviously didn't think it so.

"I'm sorry, Twilight," Fluttershy muttered, looking at the stone ground.

In time, the stone door once again shimmered and Rainbow Dash reappeared, followed closely by Pinkie Pie.

"Alright, I got her. Now ask—"

"Oh wow!" Pinkie Pie said excitedly, jumping up and down. "Is this really THE Twilight Sparkle! Like, the all-important, everyone in Equestria hates her, helps Nightmare Moon, EVIL Twilight Sparkle?"

Twilight couldn't help but giggle at Pinkie's strange reaction of joy at being greeted with her worst enemy.

"Not exactly, Pinkie. Rainbow Dash here wants to know why I'm helping you guys now, and I thought maybe you could help prove my point. Do you remember any incident where you were suddenly transported to a different version of Equestria?"

"She can't be serious..." Applejack muttered under her breath.

"Well, there was the time I had this CRAZY dream where I was in a super-duper party filled Ponyville with a bunch of my friends."

Twilight smiled with delight. "Exactly! And I was there, right, and I teleported you back here?"

"Whoa...that's sorta creepy, Twilight...you had the same dream?"

"No, Pinkie, it wasn't a dream at all!"

Now that Twilight had a trustworthy testimony from one of Rainbow's close friends, she proceeded to explain her whole story from the moment she traversed through the mirror pool.

"Its true..." Fluttershy whispered nervously when she was done. "She was the one who helped me escape..."

Rainbow Dash apparently didn't hear Fluttershy, and looked cautiously from Pinkie Pie to Twilight, unconvinced.

"I still don't understand why you're here"

"Princess Celestia sent me," Twilight replied, and Rainbow Dash intensified her glare on the purple mare. Even Applejack broke her resolve and looked genuinely interested. Obviously caught off guard, Rainbow simply motioned for Twilight to continue.

"I think it has something to do with Nightmare Moon, and the mirror pool. She didn't directly tell me, but I think I understand why now."

"Well then enlighten us," Rainbow Dash was pacing now, refusing to make eye contact with anypony except Twilight.

Twilight thought of how best to explain without casting suspicion on herself. "The mirror pool is a doorway between two worlds. Its molecular compound is unique, and unlike anything else in Equestrian histo—"

"Cut to the chase, egghead," The cyan pegasus cut in peevishly. "I really don't have the time or the patience for your scientific mumbo-jumbo."

"Alright, fine! So, the mirror pool allows for streamlined access across our Equestrias, right? I got in here by just jumping in. So what if Nightmare Moon does the same thing?"

"Why would she do that?" Fluttershy piped up. "What would it accomplish?"

"Look at this Equestria, Fluttershy. I hate to break it to you guys, but I don't think its got a long life ahead of it. So what do you do with something that isn't any good to you?"

"Re...replace it..." Fluttershy murmured, her voice dropping considerably as she realized how horrific it would be if Nightmare Moon was allowed access into such a carefree and innocent realm.

"So it's all about YOUR Equestria," Rainbow Dash said, her voice changing from suspicion to disgust. "You really couldn't care less about us, could you?"

"What?! Of course I do! The only way I can help my Equestria is to save Nightmare Moon the trouble of saving yours!" Twilight looked at the gawking faces of her friends. "Please, just trust me!"

Rainbow and Applejack looked at each other and back at Fluttershy and Twilight. Looking at the faces of these ponies, Rainbow Dash knew she should feel nothing short of hatred, anger, and perhaps fear, but, as much as she wanted to deny it, she knew there was something else there, too. Saying all this to Applejack, she was startled to hear that the earth pony felt the same.

"I mean...what do we have to loose..." Applejack muttered. "If anythin' goes wrong, we outnumber them by thousands."

Rainbow Dash let out a frustrated 'humph,' before slamming her hoof down hard onto the rocky ground, the sound echoing across the dark water below.

"Fine, Twilight Sparkle. I can't believe I'm actually doing this."

Nightmare Moon approached the landing chariot, and addressed its passenger with a booming voice.

"Twilight Sparkle! Explain to me right now what is going on!"

Twilight Sparkle ran up to the Princess as soon as the chariot landed.

"I have no idea, Princess! I was hoping you could explain to ME what is going on."

Nightmare Moon examined her student carefully. This was definitely not a changeling. It was easy to tell when you knew what you were looking for. Nightmare Moon suddenly started barraging Twilight with questions. Where she had been, what year it was, how she had been appointed as her student. Twilight answered each of these questions clearly and concisely, unlike her vague and panicked explanations back in Ponyville.

How exactly could she be certain that this was her loyal student? She decided the best way was to ask her a question she knew she had only told her students. She hadn't been lying when she expressed her confusion, and, most importantly, Nightmare Moon felt a certain amount of trust when talking to her.

"Twilight Sparkle, one last question, if I may. Where is Princess Celestia?"

And Twilight answered.

Rainbow Dash led Twilight Sparkle from the small grotto into an immense crystal cave. She recognized this as the cave where Chrysalis had sent her and Cadence, but this one was hugely inhabited by ponies.

"All refugees," Rainbow Dash said, seeing Twilight's gaze of wonderment. "Escapees, survivors of wars, newborns. We've formed a whole community right under Nightmare Moon's nose."

Twilight thought of the ponies back in Ponyville, their terror and suppressed freedom, and herself as the leader of it all. She shuddered at the though.

In time, they reached a smaller cavern, albeit much larger than where Twilight had been during her slumber. There, she saw Rarity sitting with a multitude of mare and colts, many of which had the signs of malnourishment Twilight had seen in Fluttershy back in Ponyville.  This must be important members of The Resistance. Twilight recognized many of the ponies, including what she remembered as a mailmare pegasus back in Ponyville, a white earth pony nurse (who, even in this reality appeared to be some form of doctor,) and even the mayor of Ponyville back home. Twilight could have sworn she'd even saw Trixie when she had first entered the hall, but if she had really been amongst the gathered ponies, she must have left swiftly upon seeing Twilight.

From the looks of things, Rarity was trying to calm the panicking ponies.

"It's alright!" Rainbow Dash announced, seeing the anger flicker into the eyes of the ponies in the hall as they glared at Twilight Sparkle. "She's just here for a few hours."

"No..." Twilight asserted. "I'm here for as long as it takes to defeat Nightmare Moon."

"Indeed?" Rarity questioned. "Pray-tell, Rainbow Dash, what exactly is this all about?"

"Well, believe it or not," Rainbow Dash began. "It's pretty much exactly what Fluttershy said...do you remember when Pinkie Pie told us about her weird dream?"

"I don't understand why we are digressing from Twilight's story with these irrelevant details..." Rarity urged.

"Well, Pinkie Pie's dream wasn't a dream at all...she was teleported into my Equestria through the mirror pool."

Twilight Sparkle entered Nightmare Moon's throne room nervously. Nightmare Moon was gazing at Ponyville in the distance, but turned when she saw Twilight approaching.

"Has your research hailed anything?" Nightmare Moon asked.

Twilight nodded her head. "Indeed it has, Princess, although it appears to be an unproved observation from an ancient lunatic. He claims that a location known as "the Mirror Pool" is capable of cloning, and he even stipulates that he himself had cloned himself, passing the doppelganger as a clone before killing it when it started taking over his life. Like I said, a lunatic. No records of any "mirror pool" exist..."

The Princess of the Night nodded. "Unproven, certainly, but so far its the best explanation we have. The Twilight Sparkle I saw in Ponyville was most definitely not a changeling. Did he write anything about how the pool functioned?"

"Only that it was a mystery that he planned on solving. That was the last thing he wrote. What is our next course of action then, Princess?"

"Simple. We arrange a meeting with the other Twilight Sparkle."

"And you think she'll simply come on request?"

"There is a significant chance she will. Remember, she is your clone after all...she'll most likely attempt to commandeer your life, similar to the plans of the 'ancient lunatic."'

"A clever deduction, your majesty. As always."

"You're loyalty is appreciated, Twilight Sparkle. Let's hope I'm not wrong in believing it is present."

"So, wait a minute, Twilight not only knows how to kill Nightmare Moon, but is willing to help us do it?"

"No, Rarity," Twilight replied. "Not kill. And as a matter of fact, without my co-operation it is completely impossible," She cast a sideways glance at Rainbow Dash. "That is, unless any of you are capable of advanced magic."

"And these...Elements of Whatever," Applejack questioned. "Where'd you think they would be?"

"That...is where we are sort of stuck," Twilight confessed. "If she somehow managed to banish Princess Celestia to the sun, she would have had to been wielding them...chances are she still is."

"And...umm...there's no other way she can be defeated?" Fluttershy stammered.

"As long as we're working together...I don't think we need them. You see, in the Equestria I come from, the six of us each represent the Elements. As long as we work together, the Elements will answer to us regardless of who is wielding them."

"And you're sure about this?" Rainbow Dash asked skeptically.

"Well...no."

A collective murmuring rose through the other five ponies. Finally, Applejack spoke up.

"So, lemme get this crystal-clear," She jeered. "You want us to walk up to Nightmare Moon's castle, with nothin' but our bare hoofs, and expect some magical rocks help defeat Nightmare Moon, all just 'cause you said so?"

"I WANT TO HELP YOU PONIES!" Twilight snapped. "What else do I have to do to prove that? In my Equestria-"

"In your Equestria," Rainbow Dash repeated. "That's all you ever seem to talk about. Why don't you just go back to your perfect little world and let us deal with our own problems."

"Because it just so happens your problems are the reason I'm here in the first place. Your problems are the reason I saved your friend, your problems are the reason I blindly teleported through a lethal fence, and your problems are the reason I was almost eaten by a giant lake monster today. Your problems  are also why as soon as I get back to my 'perfect little world,' I have to answer for deliberately disobeying Princess Celestia's orders and endangering my 'perfect little world.' Your problems are why I'm going to have to say goodbye to everything and everyone who ever mattered to me as soon as I return. So, if I'm most likely going to get banished as soon as I go home, its not like I have anything to loose anyway. Do you? Or would you rather live in darkness forever?"

The murmuring began again, but Twilight knew she'd gotten through to them. Fluttershy, who had remained silent for some time, walked up to Twilight.

"So...what's our plan?"

"I...I need some time to think about it."

Twilight shook her head in a fruitless attempt to clear her line of sight from her own disheveled mane as she looked across the faces of a thousand expecting ponies, some with narrowed eyes and pursed lips, others clamoring amongst themselves and casting sideways glances at the nervous pony in front of them, and the other five off to her right.  Rainbow Dash was kicking the ground idly, Rarity and Applejack stared at her between their own personal whispering. Pinkie Pie was bouncing around, chatting with any and every pony she could find, and Fluttershy gave Twilight a supportive grin.  

"Ahem. Hello, citizens of Canterlot. My name is Twilight Sparkle. Please do not be alarmed or confused by my presence here, as I'm sure many of you are. I assure you I mean no harm, and am in fact here by decree..."

Rainbow Dash looked up at this pause, and waved a hoof at her to continue.

"...by decree...of Princess Celestia."  

Unsurprisingly, the cavern instantly exploded in uproar, and Twilight's next words were lost in the din of a thousand pony voices, all asking her for an answer she couldn't possibly provide. Trying without avail to silence the crowd, Twilight found herself pacing backwards, nearly falling off the stone table she was standing on. It was all over, so suddenly. There was no way she could explain to so many furious ponies that she meant to help them.

"Hey!" A familiar voice screamed over the din. "Can't you see she's talking? For Celestia's sake, everypony shut up and listen!"

Struggling for words as everypony instantly quieted down and resumed their disturbingly synchronized staring, Twilight instead faced her friends as she spoke again.

"Th...thank you, Rainbow Dash. Ahem. As I was saying, I'm here by decree of Princess Celestia. Whether you believe me or not, Rainbow Dash has assured me that you will be following my every command as I lead you all towards a sunny tomorrow. I realize I'm asking for an amount of trust nopony in this room wants to give me. I realize that many of you have seen your own kin..." just say it and get it over with, Twilight told herself internally. "...killed...at my request. I'm not here to rationalize what has been done, nor am I here to admit that I am responsible. I don't agree with the actions of Nightmare Moon. I don't agree with the laws put in place in Ponyville, or in all of Equestria. I despise this world as much as every last one of you here. That is why I've come to help you all."

As soon as they had seen she was finished, the cavern exploded in chaos again, causing Rainbow Dash to bring a hoof to her face and motion for silence, something she promptly received.

"...Well, that was certainly...something, Twilight. Very cheery. I especially liked the part about you killing peoples kin. Anyway, you all heard the mare. You're listening to her now, for better or for worse. I'm not exactly keen about it myself, but I don't really see any other option anymore. She seems to know how we're going to bring back the sun, and we're going to need to trust her if we hope to see it. So I don't want to see any more glares or hear any more hushed whispering. Is that understood? Good. Now then, Twilight, if you will, I believe they all have questions. For the love of Equestria, one at a time, please."

Nodding politely in response, Twilight stepped forward and faced the crowd. Dozens of hooves shot up, and Twilight pointed to one at random and smiled at him.

"If Princess Celestia sent you here, where is she?! Why would she leave us all here to die?" He screamed, receiving a multitude of agreed mutterings.

"Umm, well, it isn't exactly that simple." Twilight began. "You see, while Princess Celestia did send me, she isn't exactly...here. As a matter of fact, I'm not really supposed to be, either...." While she hated to do so, Twilight turned around and gesticulated wildly for help from Rainbow Dash, who simply blew her mane out of her eyes and stepped forward.

"Why Twilight is here isn't important, alright? She just is. Next question."  

Twilight gazed around her grotto sleeping quarters to make sure she was not being watched. Considering the immense distrust every single pony in the Canterlot Caves had been taught to feel towards her, the past few hours had really gone incredibly well. She had answered most questions successfully, although one recurring inquiry continued to disturb her the more she thought about it.

Tonight, she would finally be getting some answers as to what had caused Equestria to be like this. She found her saddle-pack, still damp, and withdrew the scroll Celestia had given her. She'd nearly forgot she had it. It was, (thankfully) undamaged by the water, and the ancient characters still clearly legible. She used her magic on the scroll, unsure about what it would do.

"I know you said to use this scroll when it was completely necessary..." Twilight said to the empty cavern. "Well, it's necessary now. I need answers."

The scroll began sparking with light, shooting electricity every which way, the sound reverberating around the room at a deafening volume. She heard hoofbeats running towards her chamber, but the room was completely white with electricity at this point. Suddenly, without warning, Twilight felt herself being pulled violently by some unnatural force, as the last lights of the cave disappeared with the dissonance of light and sound.