Monday morning. Twilight's alarm went off but it was pointless; she had been up almost all night. She might have slept one to two hours total. A hour before her alarm was set to go off she had decided to start getting. Shower, shave, brush teeth, sculpt eyebrows, get dressed, make-up, hair. She walked in to her bedroom, fully ready for the day and shut the alarm off.

She gave herself one last quick look over in her bedroom mirror. She was a mixture of mad, scared, excited, but most of all - DETERMINED! She was ready now. The semi-haze she had fallen in was gone. She was here to do battle and battle she would.

"Looking good Twilight," Spike said. He was happy and proud to see her looking so ready.

"Thanks Spike," Twilight said, smiling at the talking dog. Then she turned back to the mirror and said to her reflection, "Let's do this!"

She walked down the steps to find that once again Flash was waiting for her. He looked at her briefly with an apologetic look on his face and turned away.

"Flash! I thought . . ." Twilight started before she was cut off by Mr. Sparkle.

"It's not his fault honey. I followed him home last night to make sure he got there safe. I talked to his parents and I'd feel better if you went to school with him. I don't trust you, I mean, your safety, on public transportation right now."

Twilight looked at Mr. Sparkle in shock, then to Flash, then back to Mr. Sparkle.

"Ok Dad," she said softly after she had composed herself. "I understand and I'm fine with that. You just should have told me first."

"You're right. I'm sorry."

With that, Twilight went to the dining table and ate the breakfast the Sparkles always made. Flash, Mr. Sparkle, and Mrs. Sparkle went over and joined her. They all ate in an awkward silence. Once finished, Twilight helped clear the dishes, grabbed her book bag, and started to the door. Flash got there first and went out to start the car.

Mr. Sparkle stood by the door as Twilight was getting ready to leave. He looked at her with a hurt, wounded expression. He felt sorry for not consulting or at least notifying his daughter what he was up to.

Twilight looked at him blankly for a second before giving him a hug and whispering in his ear, "Aishite imasu Chichi."

"I love you too Sakura," he whispered back

And so it was, everyone got up that morning with their own mixture of feelings. Fear, excitement, just like Twilight. It was an odd sensation to think that one was preparing to go to war. This was their town, their safe place. The morning ritual they engaged in today was exactly the same as it always had been. Nothing in the day said or suggested anything new or different.

But everything was different.

Now as they got ready, they knew it was to face an evil none of them had ever encountered before. This was something that killed and ate it's victims. This was acting on a level none of them had anticipated or could have prepared for.

As Twilight rode with Flash, her mind glanced over a multitude of different thoughts, emotions, and scenarios. Occasionally she would look over at Flash, but then she would go back to staring out the window.

"I'm not going to ask if you're ok," said Flash bluntly. "I already know the answer to that. And I'm not going to ask what you're thinking about. I got a pretty good idea about that too. I just want to know what I can do to make things better."

Twilight reached over and grabbed his knee and smiled. "That, that right there. Keep doing stuff like that."

"And I was for real yesterday. If I got to move to your world, I will. I mean, it might take me a while to get used to the whole 'pony' thing, but it's worth it for you."

Twilight gave a little chuckle. "In my realm, we don't have creatures that look like you. So I don't have any baggage when it come to your looks. You, I mean you guys do have types of ponies and horses. So I can see where it would be strange.

"Flash, I know how I feel right now but I don't know how things will work out. Let's just take it slow for now. After this is over, maybe you can find away to come into my world for a week or two. Or even just a day. Me here a little bit, you there a little bit, and if it works, then we'll call the moving vans. Ok?"

"So you do think I'll survive this then?"

Twilight grew gravely quiet before saying, "If I didn't, I'd go insane."

"Whatever happens, I've enjoyed getting to know you more. Listening to you tell me about your world, your adventures, it's been a gift. I'm honored just to be in your life."

Flash gave his awkward, pretty boy smile and Twilight's heart melted.

"You as well. I loved hearing about how your family came here, what they went through, and how it's affected you and made you who you are. You're my first boyfriend."

"And hopefully last," Flash said with a laugh.

"Hopefully," Twilight said and then went back to thinking.

*****************************************************************

The group had been buzzing with talk and a manic energy for about ten minutes when Sunset came walking over. Rarity, Fluttershy and Sandalwood, Pinkie and Sonata, Apple Jack and Micro Chip, and Rainbow Dash and Soarin. All were gathered at the remains of the statue; talking, wanting to know what to do next. As soon as they saw her, they all stopped. Some of it was surprise to see Sunset here since she had officially dropped out. Also because it was clear that she and Twilight were the leaders and when they showed up, you listened.

"Sunset, I'm surprised to see you here. I thought you had dropped out," Fluttershy said.

"I did, but Sunday changed all that," she said flatly. "I think we all need to be together now."

"So what are we going to do?" asked Apple Jack

"For right now, we wait until Twilight and Flash show up. Like I said, it's best if we're all together."

The wait wasn't long. Shortly after Sunset finished speaking; the two cam walking over.

"So who's ready to fight?" Twilight asked in a voice that was more upbeat than anyone thought was warranted.

"Twilight, darling, you seem different today, " Rarity remarked with some surprise.

"Well I'm me again. I got a little confused there for a couple days. I was starting to see myself as not a princess. But I am. I am a princess. And I became a princess by standing up for those who could stand for themselves, by helping others, by taking on those who would hurt and destroy. I did that in Equestria and I did that here because I'm not just a princess in Equestria, I'm a princess everywhere.

"I never had a true childhood. I mean I was a child, but I was closed off; all I did was study. I put everything I had into excelling academically. I had people who considered themselves to be my friends, but I never considered them to be mine. I shut everyone else in my pursuit to be the best, not from ego, just because I somehow thought that is what I had to do.

"Being here, especially that first time, where we shopped for clothes and dressed up and danced, it felt like I had discovered a missing piece to myself. And this time, as I settled into my human counter parts life, it felt like my life, my second chance, and my escape from having to always be the one who leads and protects.

"But now I know, this isn't my second chance but my destiny. That I AM the one who protects, who fights the monsters. And that's ok. It's more than ok. It's who I am and was meant to be and I'm ready to fully embrace that now."

"And you're not doing this alone," Rainbow said. "You got us. We've got your back."

"And I need all of you," Twilight said. Then she turned to Sunset Shimmer. "We need all of you. Sunset is a princess now as well. She is my equal, my friend, my sister."

Sunset felt tears build up. "Thank you. Together we can do this. I know we can."

"Alright," Twilight started again, "we need a battle plan. Fluttershy, Rarity, what about getting together at your house? Is that a go? And is there anyway we can move it up? If we have to wait until Saturday, we got to. However; everyday we wait, there's possibility of another person being killed."

"Saturday is the earliest. My parents don't like us having sleep overs during the week. At least not large ones. Also, they're not keen on having the boys over. As my dad said, he doesn't want be blamed for making any of the other parents grandparents," Rarity said

"Well can't you tell him that's not what we'll be there for?" Soarin asked

"And what should I tell him? That we're going to try and have a séance in order to find an extra dimensional monster that is eating people but don't worry because all of us, well the girls at least, all have new magical powers to allow us to face this terror?"

"Point," responded Soarin flatly.

"From his perspective it's his daughter asking if her friends and their boyfriends can spend the night together. What would you think?"

"He let's Sandal stay though," Flash pointed out.

"My parents are fairly progressive and they know Fluttershy is on the pill." Fluttershy blushed and shrank down into Sandals' arms in embarrassment. "Plus they've almost adopted her, making her family. You aren't family and they can't make decision or allow for that possibility for the rest of you."

"What if we bring our birth control with us and show him we're safe?" Rainbow said sarcastically.

"RAINBOW! That is most improper. And frankly, what would your own parents be more inclined to let you go to? - a sleepover with just your girl friends, or a mixed sleep over where everyone's boyfriends are going to be there?"

"Eh, point taken."

"I will work on it. We both will. I'm just saying, it might be a possibility it'll just be us girls."

"Ok," Twilight said a bit let down. "We'll hope for the best, but prepare for the worse."

"What about two sleepovers?" Chip asked "You girls go to Rarity's, us boys will have one of our own. We can Skype during them and that way we can see everything, be involved, yet no risk of any unwanted pregnancies."

Apple Jack placed a big kiss on Chips cheek. "That's my Chippy," she said full of pride.

"Great," Twilight said. "That'll be plan B if we need. Let's hope we don't though."

"So what do we do until then though?" Sandal asked, echoing Apple's original question to Sunset.

"Stay focused. Keep looking and listening for any possible signs of our adversary. Talk and plan everyday, as much as possible. Also, we need to start researching the history of our names and powers. Mystic, Healer, Earth Mother, Trickster, Warrior. You can't be the first to have those names. Check folklore, mythology, anything. And we need to start practicing using these powers. Twilight, you and I are going to have to start finding a way to access our powers here that doesn't involve us needing to put on a concert," Sunset said.

"Agreed. You can come to my house after school."

"Alright. And remember, no one get in trouble. You can't save the world if you're grounded," Sunset added.

They all nodded and then the school bell rang. Saving the world (or planning to) would have to wait until lunch.