The train whistle blasts as the train stops at Ponyville, the doors open as Twilight and Raindrop exit the train car and head for Rarity’s boutique. “We’re heading towards Rarity’s boutique, you know her right?”

“Of course,” Raindrop replies, recalling Celestia’s teachings, “the wielder of the Element of Generosity, a unicorn.”

“Correct.” The two enter the building as the doorbell rings, prompting Rarity to speedily trot into the showroom.

“Hi Twilight,” Rarity cheers, “Who’s this you brought, and where did you get those gorgeous saddles?”

“Rarity, this is my new friend, Raindrop, a very close student of Celestia.”

“Hello,” Raindrop timidly speaks, causing Rarity to take a closer look around the new friend.

“Have Rainbow, Applejack, or Pinkie shown up recently?”

“Uh, Twilight,” Rarity asks Twilight and whispers to her ear, “is she alright? Her eyes look a bit hazy and she doesn’t have a cutie mark.”

“She’s blind, and be respectful, she’s a unique type of pony that doesn’t get a cutie mark.”

“What do you mean, ‘unique type of pony’?”

“I’ll tell you when the other four and Spike are around, I don’t want to explain six different times.” Rarity holds back her uneasiness and comfort her,

“So, welcome to Ponyville Raindrop, I’m Rarity, very close friend of Twilight,”

“Wielder of the Element of Generosity,” Raindrop completes her statement, “Celestia’s told me all about you.”

“Oh she has? Anything else did she say about me? Like maybe my talent, my dresses, my gorgeous looks perhaps,”

“She says you’re very talented in using jewels and gemstones to make the most wonderful gowns.”

“That’s all and good, but anything directly about me?”

“You’re a unicorn…” Rarity’s excitement dies down as she just glances at her,

“Well, that just goes without saying,”

“I’ve heard of your latest line, Rainbow Glistening, and have a few ideas that you can use.”

“Yes, yes, do tell, what ideas do you have?”

“I’ve heard from critics at castle balls that the dress are too ‘simplistic’ and ‘one dimensional’.”

“They’re probably just jealous,”

“My idea is that instead of using simple gemstones, how about you use carved prisms, they release more glowing light and colours in day. They can also serve as elegant night gowns for they’ll use the moon’s glow to keep a decent shine.” Rarity snaps from her small mood and finds the idea genius,

“That’s incredible, how do you know so much? And did you say that you VISIT royal balls?”

“Well, I merely just overhear them and Celestia talks to me after they’re done. And I’ve learned about prisms and gemstones last month with the princess teaching me nearly every day.”

“Nearly every day?! You must live very close to the castle,”

“I live in the castle.” Rarity gasps and becomes completely attached to Raindrop,

“YOU live in the castle, so you’re close to Celestia?”

“Yeah, she takes care of me and she teaches me about the wonderful things in Equestria and tells me about your adventures.”

“Oh my Celestia, I have so many questions, so many-“

“AAAAHHHH” A scream echoes into town,

“That sounds like Rainbow Dash!” The three mares head to the window and Twilight and Rarity see the two Rainbow Dashes running charging at the boutique with tears streaming in their eyes. Rarity opens the door and the two gallop in and slam the door shut. “Two Rainbow Dashes?! Which one of you is the real one and how’d you access the Mirror Pool?” The two Rainbows shiver against the door, teeth chattering, barely able to speak. The first one attempt to create understandable speech,

“Tree, second, world, minions, mind control, Midnight, forest, giant, flying, claws,” Twilight levitates the traumatic pony and shakes her up and down rapidly before setting her back down.

“Come to your senses Dash, tell us what’s going on?” A massive silver claw smashes through the door, shattering the windows in its wake.

“EMPRESS MIDNIGHT!!!” Rarity, Twilight, and the two Rainbow Dashes huddle in a corner, whimpering in fear as the claw swings blindly around inside the showroom.

“Wait, where’s Raindrop?!” Twilight then sees Raindrop slowly back away from the heap of metal, looking around frantically as the chaos orchestrates an orchestra of noise. “Raindrop, over here!” Her screaming doesn’t catch Raindrop’s ears as the blind pony bumps into the back of the wall. “Rainbow, save her!” The first Rainbow Dash gulps and musters up her bravery as she slowly sneaks around the claw towards Raindrop. Broken glass shiver and shake as the pegasus avoids the larger pieces while keeping an eye on the flailing appendage.

CRACK!

“Uh oh…” Rainbow lifts her hoof up and finds flakes of glass pour down, realizing she’s messed up big time. The metal monstrosity swoops down and snatches Rainbow, claws firmly pressed against her fur. “Help!” The claw pulls her out of the building as Rainbow is held upside down, getting closer to its user outside.

“Ha ha ha,” the armoured unicorn cheers and starts twiddling her captive around with the fingers of the arm. “Caught you once more my old enemy, and this time, I’m not letting go.”

“Wait, I’m not the one you’re looking for! This isn’t the Rainbow you’re looking for!”

“Oh really, then where is she?”

“Right here!” The empress turns to where the voice yelled from and is met with a light blue hoof to the face. The large pony drifts back, leaving a pair of grooves in the ground, she shakes her head as the free arm to her left projects two energy flaps from its sides as the right presses its new toy against Midnight’s back.

“So, you accidently lead me into this old version of Ponyville instead of my vast empire.”

“Months of your betrayal would make any pony forget about this peaceful land,” the second Dash announces, “and I’m gonna give it back to them.”

“You really think you alone will be able to stop me, even with one claw behind my back?”

“You mean your ugly excuses for wings, the ones you sacrificed your original ones to.”

“It does use a little more of my magic to use, but they’re twice as good as any of the finest wings in Equestria.”

“Let’s put your theory to the test then.” Rainbow digs her hooves into the earth and stretches her slightly tattered wings, feeling the grass and dirt rub against her hooves and the wind blow into her wings.

“Bring it.” Empress Midnight stomps her fisted wing into the ground, shaking everything in its wake.

“EVERYPONY STOP!” Twilight exclaims, causing the two to stop their banter and glare at the princess. “I demand an explanation for this right now and I want Rainbow Dash down this instant!”

“Allow me to enlighten you, Twilight Sparkle,”

“How do you know my name?”

“You see, I have a theory there are multiple similar worlds out there, some are exactly the same in appearance, some vastly different, each with their own unique timelines and history.”

“So what you’re saying is that you and this other Rainbow Dash are,”

“From another version of Equestria, it seems that this world is not as filled with incompetent fools as mine, or maybe just the same…”

“I’ve never seen you or any pony like you in my world.”

“That’s because I’ve gained a few upgrades, I once was an alicorn like you, but I refitted my wings with these beautiful helpers and became the strongest pony within all of my Equestria.”

“How’d you reach my world then?”

“Last night, I had a vision, and with my powerful magic, I followed my vision and found out the Tree of Harmony works as a gateway between these worlds, I just opened a portal to yours by chance, lucky you are.”

“What are you planning to do?”

“My empire I’ve built with my bare hooves is not as strong as my research led me to believe, so I’ve decided to give this world an upgrade.”

“Well I’m sorry, this world is occupied, please put our Rainbow Dash down and find a less occupied one for your conquests.”

“Oh, but population is just what I need, and yours is just the right amount, just enough for my Mork army,”

“I’ll never let that happen!” The otherworldly Rainbow yells and flies straight for Midnight, but the empress reacts in time and smacks her rival to the side with an energy panel. Rainbow crashes into the dirt, but quickly regains as Empress Midnight tries to squish her with the claw. The two struggle as Rainbow pours her strength into pushing up as Midnight uses her magic to increase the power of the claw. The pegasus slips away and the black nightmare revealingly smashes the arm into the ground, each getting closes and closer to Rainbow circling her. Rainbow begins a series of air kicks, but the arm maneuvers swiftly, having each kick being canceled by the energy panels. Rainbow begins her final attack by rocketing straight up in the air as Midnight, the hostage Dash, Twilight, and Rarity look up in wonder. Raindrop slowly heads towards the group with Fluttershy and Spike not too far behind, wondering what the commotion is all about. They see the fighter climb higher and higher into the sky, until disappearing.

“Well, well, it seems that she has given up on you all.” Suddenly, a loud boom can be heard from the sky, everypony regains their attention as they see the light blue blur dive bombing right at them, building a fwewing sound as she gains speed. Twilight picks up Raindrop as everypony except Midnight and her trapped pony run into the boutique. Midnight opens the energy flaps on her other arm and creates a shield with them, squishing the first Rainbow Dash underneath her. The second Rainbow Dash finally crashes into the shields, creating a solid ring of rainbow charged energy in the air, several stories above the ground. Dust scatters everywhere as everypony in the boutique cough from the explosion, Twilight tries to speak as the dust and smoke enter her through,

“Raindrop, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Spike, Fluttershy,” she coughs harshly before clearing her throat, “is everypony alright?”

“I’m okay,” Fluttershy coughs, completely confused on what just happened,

“Mildly dusty, but alright,” Spike replies, also confused,

“My boutique! My mane!” Rarity exclaims,

“Well Rarity’s fine,” Twilight remarks, “Raindrop?”

“I’m not hurt,” Raindrop replies, lying on top of Twilight’s saddle, “what about the two Rainbow Dashes and Empress Midnight?” They all turn to where the collision took place and try to see or at least hear through the dust for any life.

“Rainbow? Other Rainbow? You there?” The dust slowly settles as Twilight and the others begin to see a Rainbow Dash, standing at the edge of a small crater, huffing and puffing. “Are you our Rainbow Dash, or Midnight’s version?” The pegasus continues to stand there, panting, still trying to regain her breath. Raindrop’s ears begin flicking and her body begins to tremble on Twilight’s back. “What’s wrong Raindrop?!”

“She’s still alive.” Twilight slowly turns her head forward as mild thumping grows louder and louder from the crater. The all back up as the sounds of grinding metal disrupt the silence, creating a dark melody with the ever growing thumping. Suddenly, a large metal claw strikes the edge of the crate, creating a gush of wind, blowing away a mass of floating dust and smoke, revealing the red glowing eyes of Empress Midnight. She laughs for several seconds before stopping and utters,

“Resistance is futile…”