Twilight's eyes fluttered open as she slowly awoke, a strange buzzing sound making her ears twitch and in her sleep addled state she couldn't make heads nor tails of what it might be. She carefully removed Trixie's legs from around her and got out of bed to search for the source of the sound, the small amount of early dawn light coming through the curtains being enough to do so by.

She traced the sound to her saddlebags and facehoofed in the gloomy light as she realised what it was. She opened a bag and looked at the offending item; the book that was bonded to Sunset Shimmer's in Canterlot High. I really need to find out the name of their world, I can't name their entire world after a high school and I refuse to call the city she's in alternate Canterlot, Canterlot two or even bizarro Canterlot like Spike suggested. She opened the book quickly so that its flashing wouldn't disturb the others and read it in the glow of her horn.

Dear Twilight

Just checking in with you to make sure everything is okay. I haven't really written to you since the Anon-a-miss incident and I just want you to know that everything is going better now (although I'm getting tired of apologies).

I do have one small issue though that's been bugging me for a while. Why did my friends turn against me so easily? Why couldn't they see through what was, in hindsight, an obvious attempt to frame me? I'm not proud when I say this but back in the 'bad' old days I managed to tear their friendship apart without them suspecting me in the slightest. Do they really think I would do the Anon-a-miss blog in my own colours and use a silhouette of myself? Do they think so little of me to think I could be that obvious? And that's before I even get to the rest of the people at school, as not one of them was willing to give me the benefit of the doubt. Is this what it’s going to be like forever? Someone points a finger at me as a suspect and suddenly everyone jumps on the bandwagon because I'm Sunset Shimmer and therefore I must be behind everything bad that happens?

Sorry Twilight, I guess it’s not that small an issue for me. I didn't mean for that to become a rant even if it is in writing. I also can't thank you enough for backing my corner during that, really, it means so much that I can count on you.

Anyway, what have you been up to? I can't help but feel like the problems of a high schooler probably don't compare to the problems of being a princess. Can't wait to hear back from you.

Your friend

Sunset Shimmer.

Twilight frowned, saddened that Sunset felt like that, although she truly couldn't blame her for being angry. Even Twilight had to admit she was disappointed by the way Sunset's friends had not only refused to believe her, but had turned their backs on her as well. She got a quill and a small ink bottle out of her bags and thought for a moment before writing back.

Dear Sunset Shimmer

Don't undersell yourself like that. You're my friend and your problems are as important to me as anything I would have to do as a princess. That said, you wouldn't believe what I've been up to lately. I'll tell you at the end.

Have you approached the others about how you're feeling? I know they apologised for their mistake, but if that mistake is still hurting you then it’s not fixed yet. I can't suggest what to do about the rest of the pupils at the school, but these are your friends, you shouldn't be afraid to tell them how you feel.

I would suggest using nicer words though since you are bringing this up quite some time after it happened so they probably think nothing's wrong. Having a confrontation about this after this long would probably be counterproductive even if justified.

And now for the news. I don't know what you know of Mareitania so I'll give you the abridged version and say it’s the kingdom that ponies left after the exodus to Equestria. After the windigoes were defeated the country was taken over by earth ponies, who formed an oppressive government that treats unicorns as second class citizens and have enslaved the pegasi to be weather ponies. They also cut themselves off from the world which is why nopony really knows much about it.

There's more to it than that but it would take a long time to tell you in a letter. If you're curious I'll tell you in person when I next see you. Unfortunately that may not be for a while because Celestia has tasked me with effecting a change of government in Mareitania by any means possible and it could take months, especially considering that I have no idea what I'm doing. I've also been forced to leave my friends in Ponyville since they have responsibilities that they can't really leave behind, and also because Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash would be horribly mistreated while here. Thanks to magic I can hide my wings but they wouldn't be so lucky. I also can't tell them about what I'm doing either since its highly top secret.

Instead I've been given different companions to come with me, an earth pony musician called Octavia, who I'm sure has a counterpart in your school, a unicorn model called Fleur who is older than us so I don't think you might have encountered her counterpart at the school. And there's the pony equivalent of Trixie, who happens to be a unicorn. I know you can imagine what that would be like but fortunately she's a bit nicer than your Trixie. Different life experiences are probably to thank for that.

So far all I can say is things are not going great.

I did say that this is top secret so don't tell anypony anybody, not even your friends. The only reason I'm telling you is because you're in a different dimension so it probably doesn't matter too much, and I trust you. I need to go now but please write back soon.

Your friend

Twilight Sparkle.

Twilight sat back, watching as the letters flashed and crossed the divide into an entirely different world, unsure whether she should have told Sunset anything different to what she told her friends in Ponyville, not that it really mattered since it was too late now.

She was about to get back into bed but saw that Trixie had rolled into her spot and decided that it wasn't worth the effort trying to get her to roll back, especially if she risked waking both Trixie and Octavia in the process. Instead she unrolled her sleeping bag and lay on top of it and settled down to try and get more sleep.

An hour later and Twilight hadn't got to sleep and had instead spent the time reading back through Sunset Shimmer's old letters to Celestia. It had felt intrusive at first, like reading someone's diary but Twilight wanted to know what had shaped Sunset to be the pony she used to be. She was surprised to find that despite their identical roles as Celestia's personal students, they were very different.

Sunset had sought power through her knowledge and considered herself to be heir to whatever legacy Celestia was going to bestow upon her and thought making friends to be beneath her. Twilight hadn't thought herself heir to anything and considered herself blessed to be taught by Celestia. She had never once thought that Celestia owed her anything and was a good deal more humble. Her own approach to friends was also different. She didn't think it was beneath her but that it was less important than being the princess's student.

How wrong she was. Would things have turned out differently if Sunset had reached out to others? Twilight might never have become Celestia's student and she might have been one of the ponies witnessing the coronation of Princess Sunset Shimmer. A small shiver went down her spine at the thought of never being Celestia's student.

She put the book back into her bags and thought that perhaps it was time that she woke the others. Not that it mattered much; their current plan was in the hooves of a pony that wasn't even there. They could have spent the entire day in bed for all it mattered right now.

She glanced over to the bed and had to fight back a laugh at what she saw. Trixie had rolled over and had wrapped herself around Octavia and was very gently chewing on Octavia's ear while drooling down her face. Octavia, for her part, hadn't appeared to notice and was slowly moving her legs like she was dreaming. Never before had Twilight wished so much to have a camera.

Twilight gave Octavia a gentle nudge with her magic, before giving her a harder nudge when the last one didn't do anything. She watched as Octavia slowly came about and took extra care to watch as Octavia discovered what Trixie was doing to her.

"Wazzit? Huh? Stop touchin' m' ear..." Octavia blinked a few times as her awareness grew and suddenly froze, eyes wide open as Trixie chewed a bit more. Suddenly she lept out of bed; "Ew ew ew ew ew ew ew! Trixie!" She rubbed her cheek with a hoof, a sticky string of saliva forming when she pulled her hoof away. "Eeewwww! Trixie!"

Her shouts woke Trixie who thrashed about wild eyed in her half asleep delirium. "What? Wha's happening? We bein' 'tacked?"

"Yes! I'm being attacked by you Trixie!"

Trixie stopped thrashing and rubbed her eyes a few times before blinking owlishly at Octavia. "What d' y' mean I'm attacking you? That's stupid."

"You were chewing on my ear in your sleep! And you've drooled all over my face!" Octavia grabbed a corner of the blanket and did her best to wipe it off.

"There is no way Trixie would do something like that! Maybe Twilight was doing it?"

Twilight cleared her throat noisily and tried to keep a straight face, but failed miserably and burst out laughing. "I've been down here for the last hour so it wasn't me. Besides, even if I were still in the bed you'd be between me and Octavia." she said once she had calmed down.

"Trixie would never perform such a lewd act. Perhaps it was you, Octavia, who put your ear in my mouth! Or maybe Twilight set up the whole thing!" Octavia shook her head and growled slightly before going into the bathroom to wash. "What are you doing down there anyway?" Trixie asked Twilight.

"I thought I heard something and woke up. I thought I'd leave you two to it rather than wake you up getting back into bed."

"Fine, fine. Did you have to do that to me and Octavia though? Couldn't you have entertained yourself with something else?"

"I swear I didn't do anything to either of you!"

"Hmmph, likely story." Trixie got out of bed and stretched like a cat would, a series of clicks emanating from her joints. "Is there a plan for today? Hanging around doing nothing doesn't sound like a lot of fun."

Twilight sighed and shook her head, "I wish I had a plan. Ideally we would find Fleur and have her explain what exactly she's up to, but I get the feeling you only found her because she wanted you to."

"She does seem to have quite a large skill set for somepony who's 'just a model,'" Octavia said as she emerged from the bathroom. "You'd be forgiven for thinking she was some kind of spy or secret agent."

"Yeah," Trixie agreed. "I mean Trixie knew she could be stealthy but this is full on ninja skills here, sneaking around, gathering Intel and stuff like that."

"Or," Twilight suggested, "it could be that this is the city she grew up in, living on the streets. She would know her way around and she would know the right ponies to ask. I'm not trying to put her down but I think you're getting a little caught up in thinking she's something she is not." Both Trixie and Octavia nodded vaguely.

"What are we going to do today then?" Octavia asked. "Could I also suggest that we do it together? I don't think any of us want a repeat of yesterday’s misfortunes."

"How about we start with breakfast?" suggested Trixie.

Twilight shrugged in return, "Sounds like a plan."

The three ponies headed downstairs to the bar and paid a small pittance for what the bar pony called 'you get what you're given.' Apparently that was a bowl of lukewarm and stodgy porridge, which they ate with little complaint, their palate's being somewhat altered by the weeks of subsisting on whatever food they could get.

As they ate Twilight kept glancing out of the window, concerned by the number of soldiers she could see patrolling up and down the street. "Excuse me," she said to the bar pony, "has something happened? There seems to be more soldiers than usual out there."

The mustard coloured earth pony spat on a glass and polished it with a grubby rag, which made Twilight's stomach turn, before answering. "Some unicorn attacked a bunch of soldiers yesterday, trapped them in their own cages and stole their memories. Soldiers are going nuts trying to track down something that they have no idea how to find."

Twilight swallowed and tried to keep the fear she now felt from entering her voice. Octavia and Trixie also had the wits to not give their shock away. "Do they know who they're looking for? I mean, male, female, hair colour?"

The bar pony put the glass away and picked up another which he again spat on and polished. "Don't know. It's not like they like to share their information freely, not 'less they beat it out of somepony else first. What I do know is that they already arrested one pony who they think might be the pony they're looking for."

Twilight nervously glanced at the others, reading in their expressions the same thing that she was thinking, please don't be Fleur. "Do you know who that might be?"

"Not a sodding clue. I reckon the whole thing was done by those mares what I heard of in Stalliongrad what did that rescue. If the soldiers captured one of them then it must have been intentional on the mare’s part. Truth is they probably just arrested the shiftiest looking unicorn mare they could find, an' now that poor girl is going to face the noose for something she didn't even do."

"Hold on," said Trixie, "if they've already arrested somepony then why are they still looking? You said they were going nuts looking for somepony they didn't know how to find?"

The bar pony started rubbing the bar down with the same cloth that he used on the glasses, both Twilight and Octavia squirming as they watched him do it "Beats me," he said. "Maybe they're trying to find their accomplices or something."

"By marching up and down the streets? Hah! Good luck."

"Standard search pattern for the grand army, least it was back when I was in it. Basically just walk round in circles until you find somepony who looks suspicious or guilty."

"You were in the army?" Twilight asked, surprised that the stallion would be so dismissive of the army's methods after he was in it.

"Sure was, and I'll tell you now that there's two things the leaders of this so called 'grand army' lack; subtlety, and guile. Why try to do things sensibly when you can send a bunch of boys in screaming 'n' hollering and making a mess of things? Couldn't have been happier when I finally got out. Being around that much stupidity on a daily basis can leave a pony feeling pretty stupid themselves."

"Wait wait wait," Trixie interrupted. "If you were in the army, does this mean you know why they put this place under martial law?"

The bar pony stopped cleaning the bar and rested on it instead, giving the three ponies a long, cool stare. "Fear. The Duke's a paranoid old bastard who thinks everypony around him is one step from starting an open rebellion. He's put this place under martial law to cow anypony who might think unpatriotic thoughts, and to set an example to the inhabitants of other cities. Likes making examples does the Duke. Made one in Neigh Orleans about twenty years ago where he got some ponies who tried to escape out of the country and... 'executed' them, just to set an example to anypony else thinking of escaping." The stallion visibly shuddered, "Even kept me and the others in the dark about what they was going to make us do until we had no choice but to do it. Told us we were just escorting them back to the city at first."

Twilight put a comforting hoof on Trixie's shoulder, Trixie having gone still and quiet with her mouth slightly agape. "Do you know what's going to happen here?" she asked the stallion.

He sighed wearily and pulled a bottle out from behind the bar and took a pull before putting it back. "Same thing that happens every time they try something like this; randomly arrest some ponies, torture some, and make others disappear before finally making a big show of executing the leaders of some rebellion they made up. Probably just some ponies they found breaking curfew the night before. Happened in Bitmark 'bout ten years ago, almost exactly the same, all so he can keep ponies afraid of him and his army. Someday he'll go too far and start something that he can't finish and between you an' me, I'll laugh when it happens." A mare suddenly shouted from somewhere behind the bar, "Yeah yeah, I'm coming!" the stallion shouted back. "Excuse me ladies, if you need me just holler," he said before disappearing.

Trixie squeaked and started hyperventilating, "That was my parents he was talking about! It had to be!"

"You don't know that," Twilight said as Trixie started to rock back and forward. "I'm sure other ponies from there have tried to escape and... failed." She hugged Trixie, unable to think of what else to say.

"I don't mean to sound cruel," Octavia interjected, "but I fear we may have more pressing concerns, like finding out the identity of the pony they arrested. More specifically, making sure it’s not Fleur."

Twilight was about to tell Octavia off for being so insensitive when Trixie pushed her off. "Yeah, I know. I'm fine honestly, it was just a bit of a shock." She stood up, her legs shaking slightly, "Come on, we need to find Fleur. Again."

"This is pointless." Trixie exclaimed as she collapsed onto her rear at the foot of a statue depicting some deceased military pony and massaged her hooves. "It's going to be impossible to find her if we stick together and let's be honest here, if she's been arrested then we're not going to find her at all are we? We've been at this for hours and haven't seen a trace of her."

"We're not splitting up Trixie. Do you even remember what happened to me and Octavia yesterday?"

"Of course I remember, I'm not stupid. It seems to me though that we're slowing ourselves down just to make you two feel better."

"Says the pony sat on her flank, whingeing," Octavia said snarkily. "I do agree that this is pointless though. Fleur isn't liable to suddenly just cross our path. Nothing's ever that simple."

"Actually, statistically speaking, that is quite possible," Twilight said as she tapped her hooves together nervously. "If we keep at it it's bound to happen."

"Oh good!" Trixie said sarcastically. "It might happen today, tomorrow or next month but we can rest assured it will happen. Eventually."

"I never said it would happen quickly, although technically we could turn the next corner and find her."

"'Statistically speaking,'" Trixie added with hoof quotes.

Twilight threw her hooves out in exasperation, "Do you have any better ideas then Trixie? Besides splitting up. If so I would love to hear them."

"No, admittedly I do not, but not having a better plan is no excuse for sticking with a bad one. Give Trixie a minute and I'll come up with something." Trixie folded her legs and looked out across the square at the other ponies, leaving Twilight looking like she wanted to explode. She was about to when Trixie suddenly gasped and charged off into the crowd.

She came back a minute later carrying in her magic a small yellow filly who was complaining about her treatment. "I mean seriously, why is it always by the neck? Do ponies not realise that it hurts? The best part is I didn't even do anything wrong this time!" She was dumped in front of Twilight and Octavia and rubbed her neck with a hoof. "Oh hey, I recognise you two! You’re the ponies that don’t put sauce in their hay bacon rolls," she said once she bothered to look at them. "Does this mean your idiot friend is around here too?"

Trixie's magic glowed around the filly as she spun her round in a half circle. "Hi," Trixie said in a low growl.

"Hi yourself. Now seriously, where's Trixie?" There was moment of quiet as the filly studied the blue pony in front of her. The moment ended when the filly lifted up the side of Trixie's cloak to see her cutie mark. "Huh, didn't know ponies could change colour. Guess that's what blueerr-grey meant. Anyway, how you been Trixie? What's up?"

"Don't get friendly, you don't like us and we don't like you. We need information and you are going to give it to us."

"Are you kidding? I like you, you guys are great! Especially you Trixie. Anyway, I don't know what you expect me to know because despite my mature, outward appearance I am in fact but a mere filly. Knowing stuff is adults business."

"We'll give you money," Twilight said slipping some coins out of her bag.

"Now you're speaking my language! So what can I do you for miss, miss and miss?"

"We want to know who the unicorn was that the soldiers arrested last night," Twilight said, "and if they've arrested anypony else involved in that... attack on the soldiers yesterday."

"I have no idea!" the filly said cheerfully. "I do know that two other ponies were arrested last night, but I don't think it had anything to do with that attack."

"You mean you have no idea who that unicorn mare might have been?"

The filly shrugged lightly, "There's only one kind of mare that would risk being out after curfew if it meant making a few coin for the trouble."

"Drug dealers!" Trixie shouted out loud, causing a few passers-by to look in their direction.

"Ooookaay, make that two kinds of mare who would stay out after curfew like that," the filly said as she rubbed the bridge of her nose.

"That doesn't tell us if Fleur's been arrested though," said Octavia. "All that means is she could be one of three possible ponies."

"Fleur ain't been arrested, I saw her this morning. Bought me breakfast in fact. By which I mean she stole something and gave it to me and I ate it because it’s easier than stealing it myself. I'm telling you, you unicorns have a real advantage when it comes to sleight of hoof seeing as how you don't need hooves to do it. Hey, are you guys even listening?"

They weren't listening in the slightest, all of them distracted with relief that Fleur was safe. The distraction ended when Trixie grabbed the filly in her magic again when she noticed she was going through Octavia's bags. "Why do you have stockings in your bag? Seems a bit weird."

"They're for bandages okay! Quit asking! And don't go through my bags!" She glared at Trixie who didn't even try to disguise her snigger.

"Yeesh, defensive much? And it’s not my fault you all started ignoring me. I get antsy when that happens and I have to do something to distract myself."

"Nevermind that," Twilight said, hoping to direct the conversation somewhere helpful and not into an argument about Octavia's possessions. "Where did you see Fleur? Is she nearby?"

"Nah, this was ages ago. She could be anywhere by now."

Twilight stomped a hoof in frustration. There was no way that one pony should be this hard to find. She tossed the coins to the filly, "Here. Thanks for helping."

"Don't give her money!" Trixie whined. "Now we'll never get rid of her!" she said, making Twilight roll her eyes.

"If you should happen to see Fleur," Twilight said to the filly as she directed a glare at Trixie, "could you ask her to find us? We really need to talk to her."

"Sure! Although if you want to find her you could try your luck tonight."

"Tonight? What do you mean tonight?"

"The executions in castle square! Loadsa ponies go to that sort of thing, maybe you'll find Fleur there!"

Twilight licked her lips, her mouth suddenly dry; "Oh, exe- executions? Really? I didn't know they were treated like a- a... spectator sport around here. Are you going?"

"Yeah, but only because it’s good pickings at a thing like that. I don't actually care about the... killing bit." She scuffed her hoof in the dirt, her eyes averted. "I think you've had your two marcs worth of my time so I'm going to go now. If I see Fleur before tonight I'll pass on the message." She started to trot off when Twilight shouted after her.

"Wait! What time are the ex- what time is it happening tonight?"

"Just after sundown, around sevenish. It's always after sundown for some reason. Guess they think the dark makes it more dramatic."

Twilight watched as the filly vanished into the distance, her mind blank. She was shaken out of her reverie by Octavia, "Seems we got a date to keep. May as well get some lunch or something first, because if I see somepony selling hay-dogs at this thing then I might have to scream and I certainly wouldn't be buying one." Twilight nodded slightly and followed after Octavia.

"Pretty shitty date." Trixie muttered darkly. "And it’s definitely going to have to be 'or something' because I'm really not hungry now."

The three ponies had ended up back in the bar where they had stayed the previous night. They had tried a bar in the upper city near the castle but the bar tender had taken one look at them and immediately told them to leave. They hadn't bothered to get an explanation why. They didn't need one.

Twilight swirled her glass of wine around as she stared into it, as if looking for portents in the ruby liquid. Truth was that the wine actually tasted a little worse than vinegar and could probably be used to etch glass. She wasn't much of a drinker either so the initial taste was actually as far as she had gotten.

"This is so messed up," Trixie moaned for the hundredth time. "Sitting around drinking as we wait to go see a bunch of ponies get brutally murdered by other ponies for no good reason at all." Twilight winced at her words, like she had done so every other time Trixie had said them.

"I don't think we have to wait much longer," Octavia said, taking another tentative sip of her own glass of wine. "It’s almost time."

Twilight swirled her wine a few more times before putting it down. "I guess we should head up to the castle then." None of them moved a muscle.

"Do we, in theory, actually need to go?" Trixie asked. "There's no guarantee that Fleur's going to be there anyway. We could end up seeing this whole vile business for absolutely no reason if she's not."

Twilight got out of her chair and donned her cloak before hauling her bags over it, securing them in place before checking her sleeping bag was securely tied on. "Yes we need to go."

"But why?"

Twilight rounded on Trixie with her teeth bared, "You don't get it do you? I attacked those soldiers! Me! Now that poor mare is going to hang because of what I did!" She stopped, her breathing ragged as she let that sink into Trixie's head. "It's my fault, that's why we're going! If there's a way to stop this then I have to try!"

"Oh."

Twilight waited as the other two gathered their own belongings, ignoring the muttered protests from Trixie, and led the way out of the bar. She would have said goodbye to the bar pony but he seemed to have disappeared somewhere a while ago and hadn't come back since. The rest of the bar was empty so there was probably no need for him to be there anyway.

She led the way out onto the street and headed towards the castle, each step feeling like there were lead weights attached to her hooves. If this was the sort of thing Celestia had expected her to do when she gave her this mission then she might have considered giving her resignation as a princess right then and there.

As she led the trio up through the city she started to notice that other ponies were heading in the same direction, in twos and threes. She was also quietly relieved to note that none of them looked happy, every one of them wearing a sombre expression as they headed to the execution.

They soon came upon the entrance to castle square, the square itself being with the confines of the castle. Twilight was faintly surprised by how large it was. All the ponies she had seen so far had only just filled half of it and there was plenty more still coming.

She looked around, the torches lined around the walls providing just enough light to see by. At the far end of the square was the gallows, built adjacent to the main part of the castle. It was heavily guarded as though the soldiers were expecting trouble before things had even started. Gladly pulling her focus away from that she continued to search around, hoping to spot Fleur. "I can't see her," she said out loud to nopony in particular.

"Ponies are still arriving yet," Octavia responded. "Give it time." They waited, with more ponies entering into the square which added to the difficulty of trying to spot one pony amongst them. Twilight was sure she spotted her once, catching a glimpse of a white muzzle in a dark hood looking right at her. As soon as she had though her view was blocked by another pony and when she moved to try and find what she had seen again, the hooded pony was gone.

"This is hopeless, there's too many ponies here. Finding her in this crowd is going to be impossible."

"I wouldn't be so certain of that," Trixie said before nodding towards Twilight. Twilight turned around and saw the hooded pony coming towards her, because of their height they looked like a hooded shark moving through a sea of ponies. As it came closer it became obvious that the pony was in fact Fleur. Twilight smiled faintly but that smile was quickly faded when she saw Fleur's own expression of fury. Fleur closed the distance and shoved her face into Twilight's.

"Do you have any idea what you've done!?"

Dear Twilight

First things first, thanks for the advice. The others seemed a bit funny about me bringing it up this long after things had cooled down, but you were right, they did listen and I think we did sort things out although I did have to receive more apologies (yay).

When it comes down to it though I'm still a bit suspicious of why it happened. I thought we were past all of this. I guess the magic of friendship is something you have to keep working at. It doesn't just happen and stay happened.

Anyway, less about me and more about you little miss 'effect a change of government.' I mean, wow... That's a pretty big deal. I've heard some things about Maretania and none of them were very nice. I'm guessing the truth is even worse.

I wish I could be there to help you but obviously that's impossible now seeing as how the book is now hundreds of miles away from the mirror so there's no way I'm getting through it.

I guess all I can do then is wish you good luck. Celestia must have real faith is your abilities to ask you to do something as crazy as that.

Your friend

Sunset Shimmer

Author's Notes:

About time I got back to posting. Part 2 will be up next week because I'll be on holiday and more bothered to do things.