Stellar slowly woke up and stretched, as she'd done for the last three days, in her quarters aboard the Stellar Wind. But today would be different. Today, they were going to be at the Farm, and she would finally see Twilight again. The anticipation filled her with an inner joy that Thunderlane could almost see, as he lay there watching her. "Somepony's in a good mood this morning." He said, before he lifted his head and nuzzled Stellar.

Stellar leaned her head down and nuzzled Thunderlane back, then kissed him deeply. "Oh yeah. The big day today. We get to the Farm, we get to meet the other ponies... I get to see Twilight again." Stellar sighed happily. "This is the day we've been working up to, Beloved. Bringing the nearly fifteen-hundred Ponies we have on-board now Home with us."

Thunderlane nodded as he rolled onto his back and stretched his legs up, as his wings stabilised him like that for a time. He pedalled all four legs, stretching them every way he could, as Stellar dropped off the bed onto the floor and did her stretching routine, a trail of magenta sparks coming from her horn as she whipped her head around. "I have to admit, this has been an amazing trip, Stellar Love." Thunderlane said to her as he looked at her upside down. "Only... what? Six days ago? We were leaving Australia, just the five of us flying in-line in that magic ramjet of yours, across Asia and Europe, then the Atlantic... then we see that Air Force jet get taken out, and everything goes haywire." He grinned. "Then you get a surge of inspiration, and here we are, flying in the world's first cloudship."

"I know. I can hardly believe it myself sometimes." Stellar admitted. "I have to pinch myself when I wake up to make sure I'm not dreaming." She moved to Thunderlane again. "Then I feel you in my forelegs, and I know I'm not dreaming." She kissed him again, getting a soft murr from Thunderlane. He rolled over again, stood up and dropped to the floor as well. The pair pressed themselves together, wings raised, and just rubbed against one another for a time as they snuggled, enjoying the intimate contact.

"Shower?" Thunderlane asked as he nuzzled under Stellar's jaw and chin.

"Shower." Stellar agreed, and they headed for their bathroom.

They opened the door to the bathroom, to become wrapped in a cloud of steam and moisture, the sound of many voices filling the bathroom. Stellar looked at Thunderlane, and they started drawing the cloud out of the bathroom, compressing it until they could push it back into the bathroom and squeeze all the water out of it down the drain. "What is going on in here?" Stellar asked.

"Sorry, Miss Stellar." Came a chorus of nine young voices, and the couple could now see ten foals in the bathroom, all of them grooming themselves out after a long shower.

Rumble was in the middle of them. "Sorry, Bro, Stellar Sis." He said.

Stellar chuckled as Thunderlane gave Rumble a look of brotherly authority. "Rumble Bro, what were you told about your squad using our shower?" He asked in a serious tone.

"But the main showers are full!" Rumble protested. "We tried the two closest blocks and they had line-ups."

Thunderlane sighed as Stellar smiled at Rumble. "All right. This once." Stellar told them, and the foals cheered. "BUT... before you go, clean up, okay? Others have to use this space as well."

"Okay, Stellar." The ten said together, Stellar noticing the line-up of Rumble's pegasus squad had changed a little. Four fillies and two Thestral foals had become part of it, and a number of the colts were no longer there.

"What happened to the rest of your squad?" Stellar asked Rumble quietly once she got him relatively alone.

Rumble gave a very adult snort. "Raven Wings didn't want to let the girls in, and when I said they were in, he took five of the colts with him and formed his own squad." He explained.

"Ah." Stellar nodded as she gently stroked Rumble's mane into place. "I'm glad to see you're being so welcoming of the fillies and the Thestrals, Cuddle-colt." She said to him.

Rumble smiled. "Not their fault they're girls, 'cept for Nightwish." He stated, mentioning the name of the Night-wing colt. "And some of them can really fly well."

Stellar gently nuzzled him. "Then I'm glad they meet with your exacting standards." She told him, as the newcomers looked on in awe.

"Wow, Rumble, you really DO know the Princess personally!" They said as they gathered around Rumble, the bathroom almost immaculate again.

"Told you!" Rumble grinned. "She's gonna be my big sister one day."

Stellar could barely stop herself from laughing as the little group moved out of the cabin and headed for breakfast. "Hopefully, one day very soon." Stellar commented in a soft voice as she joined Thunderlane in the shower, and they proceeded to make a mess of their own...

It was just before Eight O'clock that Stellar entered the bridge, dressed in her uniform. She approached Coralite Rings, who was the commander on duty. A unicorn Crystal Pony, she grinned as she saw Stellar approach. "Good morning, Commander." She greeted Stellar.

"And a good morning to you, Commander." Stellar replied. "Good morning, everypony." Stellar added, getting a chorus of replies. "How goes it?" she asked Coralite

"Quietly." Coralite answered. "The contingent of local news helicopters are yet to join us, and we're just about to pass over the town of Sheffield, Iowa. ETA has us at Muscatine at about nine-thirty local time."

Stellar nodded. "That's good." She replied. "I am here to relieve you, Commander." Stellar said formally.

"I acknowledge you, Commander. I hand the ship over to you." Coralite replied as formally, and she stepped down from the Command Seat. "I am relieved." She added once Stellar had taken her place.

"I bet you are." Stellar grinned back. "The midnight-to-eight AM run isn't the easiest to do."

"True, but I've always been an early riser, so it's no stress on me." Coralite told Stellar. "Have fun." She said, as she turned to leave the bridge.

Stellar smiled a wide smile as Coralite left the bridge. She spent half-an-hour going over things with the bridge crew, taking their reports and reviewing things with the O.D., Lt-Cmdr Morning Mist, a female pegasus who'd served with Captain Weather aboard the Northern Wind, and the sister of Evening Mist, who was also serving on the Stellar Wind. Between former airship crew members and Guards-ponies, a few Wonderbolts and others, they'd managed to put together quite a good crew for the Stellar Wind. They could have used three times the number, but with Engineering being so simple and without the complex systems that almost every other vessel of the Sky used to counter gravity and other forces, the Cloudship was almost maintenance-free. Only the electrical and plumbing systems needed to be looked after, and that was mostly for the eateries and shower blocks. They hadn't had any major problems in either areas, most likely because the systems were so new, but the few engineers they had on-board were keeping their eyes on the systems, just to be sure.

Up on the Flight Deck, Thunderlane had taken over from Cimmerian Shade and welcomed Flitter and Cloudchaser, now his Senior Lieutenants. "Heya girls." He said, giving them a hug each.

"Hey Thunder..." Cloudchaser started to say.

Flitter stopped her, though, and they both came to attention and saluted him. "Good morning, Lieutenant-Commander." They said formally.

Thunderlane chuckled. "Okay, okay." He saluted them back. "Good morning, Senior Lieutenants." He replied formally, to giggles from the Twins.

"What's on the go today, Thunder?" Cloudchaser asked.

"Aren't we getting near that farm?" Flitter then asked.

"Yep." Thunderlane answered. "We'll be sending out scouts once we reach Muscatine to fly down and get visual confirmation and a location for us to land, or hover close to until we find a landing site." He explained. "Briefing's by Commander Sparkle once we get close. The Captain's apparently going to take over once we get close, and she'll be telling us all what we'll be doing as the Stellar Wind waits for us to have confirmation of the farm site."

"Cool." They replied together, then grinned at one another. "Normal patrols up to that point?"

"That's the routine, yep. So let's get the night patrols in and get the others out." Thunderlane almost ordered.

The Twins nodded, saluted, then headed to their stations as Thunderlane got his headset in place.

As Captain Weather walked onto the bridge at Nine AM sharp, Stellar smiled at him. "Good morning, Captain." She said.

"And good morning to you, Commander, and everypony else here." He said, getting a chorus of replies. "I am here to relieve you, Commander." He said.

"I acknowledge you, Captain. I hand the ship over to you." Stellar said, standing and, turning towards him, the pair saluted. "I am relieved." Stellar added once she was down from the seat and Salient was in her place.

"How are things going?" Salient asked.

"Everypony's getting ready to make landfall once we find the location of the farm." Stellar reported. "The scouts are receiving their radios and gear, the briefing is in five minutes' time, and apart from four news helicopters following us, it seems we're no longer major news. Oh, and the pegasi have finally finished painting the Equestrian flags on our upper and lower tailfins." Stellar added.

"Excellent." Salient said back. "At least people will know who we are... if they're Ponies, that is." He chuckled. "Otherwise, it at least proclaims we are not of any one particular Earthly nationality."

"Not that that matters much." Stellar said back, as Salient nodded. "But I know it's an important point to any overseas Ponies that might be watching. They have to know they're as welcome aboard us as any are... plus it does tell governments that we aren't under their control any more than regular air traffic is."

"Indeed, Commander." Salient agreed.

"I'll be back in about twenty minutes, Captain." Stellar said as she turned to head for the bridge exit.

"See you then, Commander." Salient replied as Stellar smiled at him, then walked off the bridge.

Stellar walked down through the Stellar Wind, heading for the classroom-cum-briefing room. She entered to find close on eighty well-equipped pegasi there: waiting, talking, planning out where they'd go or be sent. All the chatter died, however, as Stellar reached the front of the room. Then they all stood in rows and saluted Stellar, who returned their salutes.

"All right, Ponies. Have you all received your assigned patrol areas?" Stellar asked. A loud affirmative answer reverberated through the room. "Good." Stellar said with a smile. "Now, you all know what we're looking for: Any sign of a farm that has a large number of ponies on it, specifically my sister Twilight or any of the Element Bearers. You all have been briefed on them, and we need to find where they are. They are somewhere around the city of Muscatine, so that's where we'll start our search. You can head out as far as you can reach, but don't over-tax yourselves; there's a lot of ground to cover, and while it's not as bad as finding a needle in a haystack, it won't just leap out at you and say 'I'm right here!'."

That got a laugh from the assembled Pegasi. Stellar grinned widely, then went on "So, keep your eyes and ears open and alert, and your radios ready. When we find out where the Farm is, we'll be heading straight there, so come back to the ship only if it's on the way. Otherwise, head for the farm and await the Stellar Wind's arrival. We'll need your help in landing the cloudship on the farm." As the Pegasi nodded and looked serious, Stellar nodded back to them. "Okay, get out there and find that farm." She ordered.

The Pegasi scouts snapped to attention and saluted, their medium-blue flight jackets and equipment harnesses making them look most professional. "Aye, Commander!" They replied as one, then headed out by their rows for the Top Flight Desk.

Stellar followed the last of them out, and watched as they flew away. She sighed with resignation. She wanted so badly to be leading them personally, but her duties kept her on her ship. She could see Muscatine in the distance from the bow of the ship. They'd be there within ten minutes, Stellar estimated. Turning, she headed down the rampway and back to the bridge.

Captain Weather greeted Stellar again as she returned to the bridge. "I take it everything went well, Commander?" He asked.

Stellar saluted Salient Weather and nodded after he'd returned her salute. "The scouts are away and heading along their scouting routes, Captain. We should have an answer within the hour, I expect."

Salient Weather nodded with a smile. "Then we should be there fairly quickly, then." He replied. "You may remain on the bridge if you desire to, Commander." He added, knowing how frustrated Stellar was feeling right then.

Stellar gave Salient a warm smile and answered "Thank you, Captain." She turned and headed towards the front windows, taking an observer's position and watching where they were going.

Stellar was looking out over the small city of Muscatine, Iowa, as they started flying over it, when the mare at Communications looked around. "Captain, Commander, the airwaves are going crazy! There's panicked chatter about a missile heading for Des Moines!"

"A missile?" Stellar asked. "How far away are we?"

"About five hundred miles as the pegasus flies." Came the reply.

"Shit." Stellar said as she looked forward and her horn lit up. As the clock ticked to nine-thirty local time, she saw and felt a massive explosion of magic energy, and the sky lit up with an enormous flood of multi-colored light, surging out from one point above the distant city.

"What the hell?" Captain Weather asked.

"That's a Sonic Rainboom!" Stellar stated as she moved right up against the front transparencies. She looked back at the Captain. "Sir, that is the real thing! I know that magic signature beyond a shadow of a doubt."

Captain Weather nodded. "Well, we must be in the right area, then." He said. "Do we have any reports from the scouts?"

"Not yet, Captain." Communications answered.

"All right, then. Hover here until we get a reply. The authorities shouldn't be bothering us too much. We've pretty much proved we're not a hostile... I hope." He looked at Stellar.

"Let's hope they still think that way about us indeed, Captain." Stellar agreed.

Sky Skimmer was flying low over the farmland that surrounded nearby Muscatine, when she saw a streak of multi-colored light race above her, heading down. As it got closer, she saw a pegasus at its head... and she instantly recognised Rainbow Dash. Sky Skimmer grinned. "Follow the rainbow..." She said to herself and raced off, moving to follow Dash home as she lost her rainbow tail-trail.

After a brisk flight, she saw Dash duck down and land near a farmhouse inside a big home paddock, well within a walled property. Grinning, Sky Skimmer landed at the gate to the property and saw a second confirmation: A big sign that read: 'Mac & Applejack's pony farm: Hooves welcome! Any persons caught trespassing will be fined on sight'. Sky Skimmer chuckled to herself. "If ever there was confirmation..." She checked her GPS and got her location fixed. "This is Scout Sky Skimmer to Stellar Wind Control, come in Control, Over..."

The Lieutenant at Communications looked about at Captain Weather and Commander Sparkle. "Sir, Ma'am, we've just got a reply from Scout Sky Skimmer. She's spotted Rainbow Dash and followed her to a farm. We also have visual confirmation of a sign on the gates saying 'Big Mac and Applejack's pony farm', unquote."

Stellar looked at Salient. "That's a pretty positive identification." She commented.

"Indeed." Salient replied. "Helm, steer us to those co-ordinates; speed, twenty knots. Communications, tell Traffic Control we will be descending to below five hundred feet at that location, and remaining there for the time being."

"Aye, Captain." Come the replies from the crew.

Stellar looked at Salient Weather. "Captain, I'll prepare a group to go down and greet our new/old friends." She told him.

"As you will, Princess." Salient grinned. "Have fun."

Stellar saluted the Captain, and left the bridge. She strode out through the Stellar Wind, gesturing at a number of uniformed pegasi, rather than those in armor, and had them follow her.

On the ground, Rainbow Dash was talking with Applejack as a massive shadow fell over them. Rainbow Dash frowned. "What the Hay? That's not..." And Applejack saw her eyes open wide, her jaw dropping open. Turning around, Applejack looked up as well, to see the enormous shape of the Stellar Wind descending towards the farm.

"What in all of...?" Applejack started to ask...

"That's... that's an airship!" Dash yelled out.

Applejack chuckled. "Well, duh." She replied.

They looked back down to the ground as they heard Shining and Big Mac yelling as they came galloping back towards them. "GET INSIDE!" Shining was yelling.

Then the two mares saw Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie coming back from the forest at a slower pace. Behind them, Rarity walked out onto the deck. "Oh my! Where did that come from?" She asked as she joined Dash and Applejack.

"Ah'm more worried about where it's goin'." Applejack replied as the rest of the ponies reached the deck. They saw a large number of winged shapes take off and circle around the airship as it came to a hover overhead, more of them coming in from all directions of the compass to join the constellation circling the massive airship...

"Do we have clearance?" Captain Weather asked.

"Pegasi patrols report we can fit in between the forest and the nearest farm buildings, Captain... just." Communications reported.

"Very well. Helm, bring us to fifty meters. Bow and Stern Stations! Ready the restraints." Captain Weather ordered.

"Aye Captain!" Came the reply, as the Stellar Wind slowly sank down...

On the ground, the seven friends watched as the airship sank lower and lower as pegasi swarmed around it, watching the clearances very closely. As it reached a certain height, there were bright flashes from either end of the ship and glowing cables shot towards the ground, sinking into the earth.

"What the hay?" Applejack asked.

"What're they doin'?" Big Mac added.

"It... it looks like they're anchoring themselves to the ground." Shining Armor then said.

As the cables went taut, the seven heard the airship's engines go to idle and it sank to the ground slowly, until the gondola-deck made contact with the ground as well. Once it was landed, four more bright flashes happened, and they saw more cables fired out from the bow and stern, anchoring the airship sideways as well. Then the faint hum of the engines ceased. The seven looked up as the cheers of over a thousand voices filled the air, faces looking out from every deck, as several hundred pegasi and thestrals in armor and uniforms as well as wearing nothing landed before the great airship. Shining could now see the Equestrian flag painted on the sides of the vertical tailfins. "Ponies?" He asked, confused.

"It's full of Ponies!" Pinkie Pie yelled happily as she headed off towards the grounded gondola-deck. Then she came up to the landed ponies and stopped, for she had spotted the biggest pony she had ever seen here on Earth, right before her.

Stellar had landed with her guards and personnel, once the Stellar Wind had touched down on the earth. She could see seven Ponies there, watching them with wide eyes and dropped jaws. Chuckling, she was about to start moving towards them, when Pinkie Pie raced forward and come to a halt before her. She also saw Shining Armor take off into the house. Looking down again, she said "Hello, Pinkie Pie."

"Wow! Hello, Princess!" Pinkie replied.

"Will you excuse me, Pinkie? I have to go see someone." Stellar asked.

"Sure!" Pinkie grinned, and Stellar vanished.

Pinkie looked up and waved to all the Ponies looking down at her and the others. "Yay! This is the best day yet!" She said, as she got hugs from the pegasi and thestrals before her, then headed for the opening rampways.

Stellar appeared inside the house, having scanned it from outside. She nickered softly to herself. Only a door stood between her and Twilight now. She could hear Shining in another room, rummaging through something, but she ignored him for the moment. She moved up and knocked on Twilight's door, shrinking herself down to match Twilight's present-size. At the reply from within, she slipped inside the room...

Shining Armor came out of his room wearing the makeshift armor he had managed to cobble together. He just saw Twilight's door close quietly beside him, then shrugged and raced outside again. He came to a halt, however, as he saw the others talking to a large number of ponies other than pegasi gathered around them all.

Then a chorus of voices from above started singing:

Shining blinked... then realised that even with everything... there was no threat. He could see Pinkie was inside a group of others, dancing around to a lively tune with another pony he didn't recognise, while others pronked in a circle around them. He looked up to see Dash surrounded by a group of pegasi on the wing, as she talked to a stallion he saw was... Thunderlane? Applejack and Big Mac were surrounded by others they seemed to know, as was Rarity. Fluttershy wasn't on the ground, but he finally found her up at one of the open decks, talking to a number of others as she hovered there. Shining slowly got out of his armor and piled it on one of the outside chairs, then shook his head. Then he just had time to see a mass of grey fur heading his way, before a ten-year-old colt gently impacted with his head, holding onto him tightly. "Prince Armor!" He heard ten voices say, as he turned his head and saw seven more young pegasi and two young thestrals hovering in front of him.

Pulling the clump of colt off his face, he looked at the youngster, and something registered in his memories... of a colt that had done exactly the same thing to him ages ago. "Rumble?" He asked the colt, who giggled.

"Yep!" Rumble replied, as the others landed and moved to hug Shining, while Rumble hugged his muzzle again.

"Um, hey, little friends. Good to see... you... all of you..." Shining was a little taken aback by the warmth shown to him by young foals, no less. "Are... you lot together?" He asked, searching for something to say.

"Uh-huh!" Came the reply from all of them.

"This is my squad." Rumble answered, and then Shining noticed the little vests they all had on, in medium-blue.

"Your squad?" Shining asked Rumble.

"Yeah!" He answered with a big grin. "My Big Bro is Commander of the Pegasi Sky Guard on the Stellar Wind, and I put together a squad of my own to help him with stuff." Rumble said proudly.

Shining then got it. "Oh, like cadets, then." He said, smiling.

"YEAH!!" The ten proud foals said emphatically.

"So... that big airship's called the Stellar Wind, is it?" Shining asked

"Uh-huh!" They all answered.

"Okay... and who's the captain?" Shining asked.

"Captain Salient Weather." They answered.

"Salient... Wasn't he the captain of the Northern Wind?" Shining asked, having flown on the other airship from time to time, he remembered.

"Yeah." The ten foals chorused.

"So he's now the captain of this airship." Shining stated. "Where did it come from?" He asked, but the foals' answer was interrupted as Shining saw Thunderlane land behind them, in his new armor.

"Heya Captain Armor." Thunderlane said as he saluted Shining, who grinned and saluted back.

"Heya Thunderlane... Oh, excuse me, Lieutenant-Commander Thunderlane." Shining replied, noting Thunder's new rank. "Nice armor."

"Yeah. It's a bit different from the Wonderbolt jumpsuits, but it suits my new assignment better." Thunderlane admitted.

"I think I was just told about that." Shining said, looking at Rumble. "So... Commander of the Sky Guard?" Shining asked.

Thunderlane nodded. "During the daytime, at least. There's the Sky Guard and the Ship Guard, who are under the command of Lt-Cmdr Heavy Shades. We work to protect the Stellar Wind from any threats which, fortunately, have been few and far between." Thunderlane said with relief, as Rumble and his squad took off again. "I share the Sky Guard with Lt-Cmdr Cimmerian Shade, who commands the Night Patrol."

Shining chuckled. "Sounds like you've come up in the world since getting here." He commented. "So... you still with the twins?" He asked.

Thunderlane shook his head. "They were born here as my cousins." He told Shining, who winced. "Yeah, I felt the same way." Thunderlane agreed. "They may still be cute and cuddly, but it's... just too close to home for comfort any longer."

"Ain't it the truth." Shining agreed back. "I've got somepony new, too." He revealed to Thunderlane as they walked to the verandah of Applejack's house.

"You? The happily married Prince... have got somepony else?" Thunderlane asked.

Shining sighed. "Yeah... I mean, I haven't even heard if Cadance is here or not, to be honest. And I found somepony new while we were changing... and she and I click so well." He admitted. "Things are just... too different now." He looked depressed.

Thunderlane gave Shining a sad smile. "I know how you feel, mate, I really do." He sympathised with Shining.

Shining nodded. "Thanks, Thunderlane. Really." He took a deep breath and slowly released it. "I just hope she hasn't pinned her hopes on getting back with me, if she is here." He told Thunderlane. "I really don't want to break her heart... just... give it back to her, I guess." Shining speculated as he and Thunderlane sat down. "Thanks for listening, pal. Sometimes there's just way too many mares here to talk guy-stuff over with, you know what I'm saying?"

"Sure do, mate." Thunderlane answered. "I had the same problem for a while... but things have really looked up recently." Thunderlane gave a smile.

"Is that an Aussie accent I hear there?" Shining asked with a smile.

Thunderlane grinned and gave Shining a wink. "Too right, mate."

Shining chuckled. "The cultural side of Equestria is going to take a huge leap of diversity, I'd say." He commented. "So... has the great Thunderlane found himself somepony yet?" Shining asked. Thunderlane just sighed happily and gave Shining another wink. Shining laughed softly. "So... after all the tail-chasing, somepony finally caught you?" He asked.

"Yep. And there's no way in heaven and earth that I'm gonna give up on her, Cap." Thunderlane told Shining. "She is a once-in-a-lifetime catch, and I'd be certifiably crazy if I gave up on her."

"Yeah..." Shining sighed. "I thought that, too, when Cadance decided she wanted me... And now, I've discovered Rarity's grabbed me for her own."

"Owch, mate. Not good." Thunderlane stated. "You sure Cadance is gonna give you up without a fight?"

"I have no idea." Shining admitted. "I'm hoping so... twenty-five years is a long time to be apart from each other."

"Yeah, it sure is." Thunderlane agreed. "Say, you want to come and have a look at the Stellar Wind? She's not like any other airship you've ever seen before." Thunderlane offered.

"Yeah, sure." Shining replied, glad to be off the touchy subject. "Oh, wait. I want to get Twilight out here, too. She has to see this or she'll never believe it!"

"Sure thing, Shining. I'll be here waiting." Thunderlane said as Shining turned and headed back inside the house. Thunderlane hoped he'd given Stellar enough time for her own reunion...

Twilight was working on the figures for her log lift, when there was a knock at her door. She sighed, then said "Come in."

The door opened and closed quietly, and Twilight heard hoof-steps coming across the floor. They stopped behind her but the pony said nothing. "Is there something I can help you with?" Twilight asked, feeling a little annoyed.

"Well, not so much help, but I thought you might like to know about the enormous airship that's sitting outside at the moment." A voice said... a voice that Twilight thought was extremely familiar.

"What do you mean, an airship...?" Twilight asked as she turned her chair around... and found herself looking at her own face. "What the...?" She asked softly.

"Hello." The doppelganger said with a cheeky grin.

Twilight squeaked and shot backwards, her magic pushing the chair along until it hit the wall. "Who the buck are you?" She whispered.

The figure, whom Twilight could see was wearing a strange blue uniform, walked closer to her with a wicked grin. "Why Twilight, can't you tell? I'm you!" She said.

Twilight began to shake her head, her mouth moving but nothing came out. The other Twilight walked right up to her, still grinning, then planted a kiss on Twilight's nose. Twilight gave another squeak, but her entire countenance changed from fright to puzzlement as the other her started to giggle. "Oh Twilight! You are so easy to rattle, as usual." Her copy said to her.

Twilight's face changed to one of frowning anger. "Okay, who the buck are you?" She asked.

"Why Twilight, don't tell me Discord took ALL the memories of me from your mind?" The other Twilight said with some sadness. She took a deep breath, then answered. "I am Princess Stellar Light Sparkle, Knight-Commander of the Royal Canterlot Guard; Knight-Commander of the Crystal Guard... and your twin sister, Twilight." Stellar informed Twilight.

Twilight's jaw headed for the floor again. "Yousa whatnow?" She finally asked.

Stellar giggled again, grinning at Twilight's confused face. "Okay, to put things in order of importance for now... I'm your twin sister, Stellar Light Sparkle."

Twilight blinked. "My... twin sister." She then replied.

Stellar nodded. "Kind-of obvious, don't you think, to see us together?" She pointed out.

Twilight frowned. "And... you just got here?" She asked.

Stellar nodded. "Yep. All the way from Australia."

Twilight blinked, surprised. "Australia? Is THAT where you ended up?"

Stellar nodded. "Yep. Me and some old friends." She confirmed.

Twilight frowned again. "Okay... say I believe you... after all, you do look exactly like me..."

"Not completely exactly, Sis." Stellar turned and showed Twilight her cutie-mark.

Twilight's eyes widened as she saw Stellar's cutie-mark. "That's... incredible. I've never seen a cutie-mark like that before."

Stellar sighed. "You have, Twi. Obviously that bastard made sure all your memories of me were suppressed." Stellar told Twilight. "But I might be able to help with that."

"You can? How?" Twilight asked.

"You and I shared a lot of memories when we were younger, sis." Stellar explained to Twilight. "As you gave me your memories, I should be able to give them back again."

"Huh? You have my memories as well as your own? How'd you manage to keep all that from Discord?" Twilight inquired, now looking very interested.

"Okay." Stellar sat as well. "I was five days after you in being caught by that bastard. That gave me time to find out what had happened when I got back near Canterlot. Once the survivors told me what spell Discord was using, I used my Tome to download a copy of my memories into it and seal it from his influence, then I hid it from him so he couldn't find it." Stellar said with a grin.

"Okay... so, how did you get it here?" Twilight asked.

"Sealed in a hammerspace pocket with a spell to hide it from his senses." Stellar answered. "Once my magic kicked back in completely, the spell auto-activated and opened the pocket, shunting my tome out to where I could open it. The first spell I said from it retaught us all Equish, and from there, I downloaded all my memories back into my mind again... along with all my spells." Stellar grinned widely.

Twilight looked amazed. "That's... impressive." She had to agree. "So... you included all my memories in there too?"

"All the ones you gave to me, yeah." Stellar confirmed. "And I have a lot of your spells, too." She informed Twilight.

Twilight looked absolutely delighted. "Oh, Celestia, yes! I have been so frustrated trying to make my magic do what I want it to. I've mastered levitation, but I think that's a pretty basic skill."

"Yeah, it is, Twily." Stellar agreed. "Most unicorns can do basic lifting from a young age, but it takes training and practise to improve control and capacity. How much have you lifted so far?" Stellar asked.

"Uh," Twilight grabbed her figures from the desk, "About two-point-five metric tonnes, so far." She told Stellar.

"That's pretty good." Stellar admitted. "I'm about the same, I think. I lifted a dual-cab ute on a trailer and with the bed loaded up with about three hundred kilos worth of foods."

"That's about six-sixty pounds, right?" Twilight asked, scribbling on a pad with a pencil in her magic.

"Yeah, about that." Stellar agreed. "The ute weighs about one-point-seven tonnes gross-empty, the trailer about six-hundred kilos."

Twilight nodded as the pencil scribbled like crazy. "Yeah... that's about the same as me." She agreed. Twilight grinned. "So, even with my magic hampered by lack of spells, my ability to dead-lift is about the same as yours." She said to Stellar.

"Well, we ARE twins, Twily." Stellar reminded Twilight. "Your raw magic ability and mine were always at a similar level, we just went in different directions with our studies."

"Oh, okay." Twilight replied as she got lost in facts and figures.

Stellar grinned as she felt somepony familiar coming their way. "Hey, want to give Shiny a near breakdown?" She asked Twilight.

"Huh?" Twilight asked, now distracted. "Why would you want to do that, and how?"

"Because it's fun, and it's extremely easy to do with both of us here, especially if he doesn't know we're together." Stellar explained. "Wait until he comes in looking for you and sees us together." Stellar winked.

Twilight's jaw dropped... then she grinned and giggled. "Oh yes! I owe him, too." She told Stellar.

Stellar grinned wickedly. "Okay then, this is what we'll do..." And she began to brief Twilight...

Shining Armor had finished talking with Thunderlane and he headed in to get Twilight. "She has GOT to see this thing! That cloudship is awesome!"

He opened the door and looked in, to see Twilight standing near her computer. She turned and looked at him. "Hey Shiny. What's up?"

"Sis, you have GOT to come and see this Cloudship! I've never seen anything like it!" Shining said as he walked inside.

Then the door closed and locked behind him. Shining turned to see a second Twilight at the door. "Why Shiny! I'd love to come and see it with you! It sounds fantastic." The second Twilight said as she walked up to Shining, who spun around so he could see both mares with just a turn of his head.

"Uh... wha...?" Shining asked as he turned his head back and forth.

"Yeah, Shiny, you really have to take me out to see it." The first Twilight stated as she drew closer.

"Uh... wha...?" Shining reiterated as the mares drew closer. "Twi'...?"

"Yes, Shiny?" They both asked him as they got up close to him.

"Has... your magic...gone haywire or something? 'Cause I swear... I'm seeing two of you."

"Do you?" They both said at once, their voices merging perfectly.

"Uuuuuuuuhh..." Shining was finding his mental processes were starting to short-circuit as they tried to make sense of this, as both mares gently nuzzled him in exactly the same way, save for being mirrored.

"I love you, B.B.B.F.F." They said as they gave Shining a kiss on both cheeks, touching their horns to his and holding him there.

Shining's eyes took on a new aspect, as Stellar downloaded memories of them interacting into both his and Twilight's minds, as her horn touched both of theirs. It was tricky to do, but Stellar knew she was doing it correctly when they fed information back to her. Then, as they finished the kiss, the girls moved away, and Shining shook his head, Twilight blinking and nodding her own. "That was... wow." Shining stated, and he looked at Stellar and said "Stellar?"

Stellar grinned back at Shining Armor. "Hello, B.B.B.F.F." She replied. "Good to see you again, after all of this." She nuzzled him lovingly, and Shining nuzzled her back this time, a huge smile on his face.

Twilight's eyes stopped spinning as she finished assimilating all the memories Stellar had given her. "Whoa... So. Much. MAGIC!" She stated with a massive grin. "So many spells! Thank you so much, T.S.B.F.F.!" She then hugged Stellar as well.

Stellar laughed as Shining entered the hug, too. "You're both welcome." She replied.

"So... did you just help us regain our memories?" Shining asked.

"Some of them, yeah." Stellar answered. "Those that relate to ones I share. It'll take a while for the reaction of your minds to fully remove the shroud that Discord placed over them, but that should help your brains get into gear a bit faster than most."

"Thanks." Shining replied. "I must admit, things occasionally get wierd when things come out outside of context, and our memories can't tell us what the context is." He explained to Stellar.

"I know that feeling all too well." Stellar agreed. "Hey, come on outside, and I'll show you around my cloudship." She grinned.

"A cloudship?" Twilight asked as she and Shining took up positions either side of Stellar.

"Yeah. It's made with the same magic that helped hold Cloudsdale together for so long." Stellar explained. "I put it together, with a fair bit of help and a lot of my money, so it's been agreed that it technically belongs to me." She said as they reached the living room and headed outside.

Twilight looked up as she saw the golden shape out in the back yard, her eyes going up and up... "By Celestia! That is enormous!" She stated.

"Told ya, Sis." Shining said as he grinned at Stellar.

Stellar gestured them forward. "Come on, I'll show you around." She told them as she led them towards the rampways that led into the Landing Deck.

Twilight and Shining looked around as the multitude of ponies greeted them with warmth and hugs... lots of hugs. The happiness and joy they were radiating filled Twilight to the brim in a way she was just barely starting to remember. She could see Stellar was grinning from ear-to-ear, almost, as well, as those about them either hugged or bowed to her... and Twilight saw the ponies were now doing the same to her. She fluffed her wings out a little, but she couldn't feel threatened, not in the slightest. She just sighed happily and hugged back. There was little else she could do...

As the afternoon progressed and after returning to her room, Twilight felt more and more of her memories returning to her... at least, she thought they were hers. A lot of them had Stellar in them... but a lot that were very similar didn't, as if she didn't exist. There were foalhood memories, of playing together, with Stellar as a pegasus to her unicorn... memories of them being separated as Stellar and her grandfather, Canopus Star, went to live in Cloudsdale, so Stellar could learn to be a pegasus properly. Memories of the pair meeting from time to time, through the years, especially as She and Stellar ascended when they were four...

"No, that's not right." Twilight said to herself as memories of her growing up as an alicorn filled her memory. But the alternate version told her she grew up as a unicorn. Both sets showed her as being personal student and protegé to Celestia, but the memories flowed side-by-side, events being similar, yet very different as well in some regards. Stellar only appeared in the memories that showed Twilight as an alicorn, and even then it was very seldom that she was there after Canopus Star and Stellar returned to Cloudsdale after a massive fight with their mother. Things only truly converged again after Twilight and her friends found the Elements of Harmony and freed Luna from Nightmare Moon. The two proto-princesses finally met again in Cloudsdale when Celestia rewarded Rainbow Dash for her spectacular display and her sonic rainboom, Stellar in the armor of a Lieutenant in the Royal Guard. Twilight shook her head. "Why... does that seem so... wrong?" She asked herself

From then on, the events in Twilight's life differed a great deal. Stellar remained in Canterlot as Twilight moved to Ponyville, although she often was there when Twilight needed her, as she rose through the ranks of the Guard. Stellar was there as a Senior Lieutenant in the Guard when Chrysalis invaded Canterlot. A lot more changelings died that day. Stellar managed to cut Celestia free of the cocoon she was trapped in as Twilight got Cadance to Shiny and Shiny's love-re-energised shield blasted the changelings out of Canterlot.

Stellar was also there when Tirek attacked. She'd managed to hide Shiny from Tirek's rage through Canterlot, and she distracted Tirek at a critical junction after Tirek pulled the magic of the Alicorns out of Twilight, just before the centaur was about to blast Twilight into oblivion. That gave Twilight and her friends time to get to the tree and release the power of Harmony. But instead of Tirek going back to Tartarus, Stellar had removed his head from his shoulders, and that had freed the princesses from Tarterus as well. Celestia was there when Twilight had accused Stellar of cruelty for having done so, telling Twilight that if Stellar had not killed Tirek, then she, Luna and Cadance would still have been locked away in the underrealm, unable to return. Twilight apologised to Stellar, who forgave her sister very easily, and the pair were even closer together, with Twilight being crowned Princess the next day.

But Twilight realised the memories, while not false, were not the ones she knew so well. While she knew that it was her in those memories, she also knew it wasn't, and it confused her greatly as she compared what she knew with what she had. Eventually, Twilight realised that the only way to resolve things was to confront Stellar. Nopony else was questioning Stellar being there, Twilight had noticed. Was she the only one who felt her 'sister's' presence was wrong somehow? She finally got to her hoofs and headed out of her room.

Stellar was sitting some distance away from the Farm. She could see the Stellar Wind easily from where she was sitting, but this was a time when she wanted to be alone. She felt Twilight taking off from the farmhouse and searching for her, so she let out a little spark of magic along the shared 'consciousness' the Twins had, and Stellar felt Twilight instantly change course to head towards her. She waited patiently as her sister drew closer and closer...

Twilight had been wondering where Stellar could be as she took off from the house. She couldn't sense her twin in the enormous cloudship that sat there between the buildings and the forest, but before she could start scanning, she felt a little tweak of magic in that part of her mind that had opened up to her when Stellar had touched horns with her. Twilight frowned at that. Having a part of her mind accessible to somepony else was something she wasn't used to, and scared her a little. Still, Stellar had not attempted to do anything to her through it, save for sending familial love and wonderful feelings through it... as well as letting Twilight know where she was then and there. Twilight turned and flew off towards the source of the feeling...

Eventually she saw Stellar sitting on a hilltop under a huge, beautiful tree with a picnic blanket, relaxing. She landed before the spread of the tree's canopy and walked steadily towards her twin, her face neutral even as Stellar gave Twilight a very warm smile. "Hello, Sis." Stellar said to Twilight as she stopped next to her.

Twilight frowned. Stellar looked... bigger than she remembered; taller, with a longer horn, bigger wings and a more muscular body. "I.. I don't even know if I should let you call me that." She replied, a little tension in her voice.

Stellar nodded her head. "Does it matter, Twi?" Stellar asked. "You can scan me all you want. All that will tell you is that you and I are almost totally identical Twins, save for the infinitesimal differences Twins have between them." Stellar said. As Twilight looked Stellar over, Stellar added. "I know you've found... discrepancies in what you remember now and the memories you got from me." She told Twilight, who looked a little shocked. "Don't look so surprised, Twi'. I knew you would." Stellar revealed. "And I am willing to explain, if you're willing to have an open mind to understand what I'm going to reveal to you."

Twilight searched inside herself for any answers... then she reached out in that place they shared, and found Stellar there as well. Twilight searched Stellar's feelings, finding that her twin was an open book at the moment. All Twilight could find was patience, trust, understanding... and Love: a kind-of Love she had never felt before. Not even Velvet's love for her was the same as what Stellar was showing her. "You... really do love me, don't you?" Twilight asked, as she sat down on the blanket.

Stellar grinned. "Of course I do, Sis. More than just about anypony else, Twilight." Stellar replied, as she shuffled to Twilight and hugged her close. Twilight slowly sank into the embrace. Something about the Love she felt coming from Stellar made her let all her guards down and embrace it. It felt so familiar, yet unfamiliar, but it didn't feel wrong to her heart: just... different. The two twins hugged for nearly five minutes before they moved slightly apart, then stretched out together. "Sandwich?" Stellar offered. "They're cucumber, lemongrass and daisy sandwishes."

Twilight grinned at that. "Of course you'd know what I like." Twilight retorted.

"Not that I don't like them myself, of course." Stellar said back. "But I do prefer freshly-made fish wraps."

Twilight hummed in pleasure as she ate the sandwich. It was perfect, but she said "Almost as good as Spike's sandwiches, but there's something... different..."

"I think the mayo isn't quite as good as the one we used to have in Equestria." Stellar suggested as she poured two glasses full of brewed non-alcoholic apple cider, from a town in Australia called Bundaberg.

The sisters sat, enjoying the light dinner, then once they were both full and content, Twilight looked at Stellar and said "Okay. Now that you've bribed me with such excellent fare, why do I have two sets of memories, once where you're present and one where you're not?" She asked.

Stellar smiled at Twilight. "To begin: You know about the Multi-verse theorem?" Stellar asked. Twilight nodded. Stellar went on "It's true. There is such a unbelievable number of alternate realities just in the Equestrian multi-verse segment that it is very hard to encompass all of them in ways that can be told of in less than sixteen months' telling." She revealed to Twilight.

Twilight's eyes widened at the revealed facts. "So...you're from an alternate reality?" She asked.

Stellar nodded. "Sometimes I'm called upon to go to realities where I don't normally exist and do damage control." She explained. "Unlike you, I am only normally in about a third of the realities encompassed in our segment of the Multi-verse, so I can easily be slipped into realities where I don't exist; mostly as myself, but sometimes as others." Stellar continued.

"So... do you do this by yourself, or do you have help?" Twilight asked.

"Okay, new explanation thread." Stellar clarified. "There are only thirteen Discords in all of the Multi-verse segment we exist in." Stellar told Twilight.

"Thirteen?" Twilight asked, becoming very interested in what Stellar was telling her.

Stellar nodded. "Yes. The one who cursed us and sent us all here is Discord-Thirteen, as the others have designated him." Stellar said. "Now, Discord-Prime, the appointed leader of their Council, is extremely upset that Thirteen has done this, even if he understands why it's been done. Discord-Prime is the one I work with. He sent me to Your Equestria five days after Discord Thirteen went on his rampage, and I allowed him to curse me as well, sending me here." Stellar took a sip of her drink as Twilight absorbed the information. "I'm actually a clone of the Me we designate as 'Stellar-Prime'. I'm not going to disappear after my work here is finished, because I am meant to be part of this reality from now on. That's why everypony I go near accepts me totally as meaning to be here, save for you. And that's because of our sympathetic magic, Twi'. While you don't need to accept me as your twin sister, and I could understand if you didn't, things will be so much better for us all if you do. But the choice has to be consciously your own, Sis. I can't make you accept me. You have to accept inside yourself that I am truly Stellar Light Sparkle, your twin sister and part of your life from our beginning, from now on and for all eternity." Stellar told Twilight.

Twilight nodded. "I understand the 'sympathetic magic' you've told me about." Twilight replied. "I can almost see the strands of magical 'sympathetic vibrations', gathering about us here. They're... incomplete. Some of them are so strong, so powerful... But, as you said, I have to make the final connections myself." She looked at Stellar. "What happens when I do? How much does History change?" Twilight asked.

Stellar smiled. "No more than the memories from your other self I gave you, Sis. It will be as if we have always been together. But your other memories won't be erased, just... disconnected and re-filed. You could still access them, if you wish, and maybe gain insight from them; but everything we do from that point on will be of our own making, fresh and unique." Stellar answered.

Twilight nodded as she though this over. Stellar refilled Twilight's drink twice as her sister mulled things over. "So... if I don't do this... everypony else will still feel as if you've always been a part of this reality, just as I have been." Twilight asked.

Stellar nodded. "As far as those who are here on Earth are concerned, yes." She confirmed. "I don't know if that will hold when everypony who goes back to Equestria returns there. It could stay that way, or ponies' memories might revert partially or completely. But if you accept this, let the threads between us meld together, then as far as I can see, they will always feel as if I was always with you, Sis."

Twilight was still unsure. "I think... I need a hug, Sis." She said to Stellar, who was more than happy to move up against Twilight and wrap her forelegs and wings around her. Twilight reciprocated and the pair sat there for a time, just being close. Twilight felt that the more she was with Stellar, holding her so close, the sympathetic vibrations of their shared magic became stronger, more solid. It felt so wonderful, almost as wonderful as how she'd felt when she ascended; her alicorn body filled with the power of the magic of all three types of Ponies, and then the Alicorn magic that swelled in her as she became connected to all the new magic she'd received. Twilight realised their shared magic was on the Alicorn level, unique to the pair of them, and unlike any other she'd ever felt. Not even the power of Harmony was this... this intimate. Smiling, she made her decision...

The ponies back on Applejack's farm all turned to look as a huge star blazed off in the near distance. The purple twelve-pointed star had a massive pair of golden wings, and six smaller-but-no-less-brilliant stars were arrayed around it. Then it slowly faded in the light of the setting sun. There were those who wondered what it could mean, but nopony there denied the wash of accompanying magic was full of Love and felt wonderful as it filled them. But the other bearers of Harmony and most of the Ponyville ponies felt they'd seen something like this before.

The sisters slowly separated, wing-tips and fore-hoofs touching and linking them for they-had-no-idea how long a period, but only as the moon started rising in the east did they realise it was dark. They were glowing softly in the darkness, their magic showing even as the night tried to cover them. They grinned at each other, then giggled as they realised how late it was.

Twilight felt so wonderful. Her magic, she swore, was even more powerful than it had been, and her mana pool was much bigger. She also realised she'd grown a little as well, and now she and Stellar were truly twins. "So... what happened?" Twilight asked Stellar.

"Well, if you remember, in our new reality, you and I have been alicorns since we were four." Stellar pointed out. "So we've had a little more time to develop and grow as alicorns. Naturally, we're more powerful and more developed, so you just caught up to where I was."

"Oh, yeah." Twilight said. "Hey... my cutie mark's changed." She said as she looked at it. "I remember... the others told me that, as I returned as an alicorn before, the huge cutie mark that blazed in the sky had six secondary stars, not five like my cutie mark had." She reminded Stellar. "But now it does have six other stars."

Stellar smiled. "Who knows? Maybe that sixth star is for me."

Twilight snorted as she looked back at Stellar, then she grinned. "Maybe." She replied.

Then the sound of a mass of wings raced around them, and almost every Pegasus and Night-Wing that were on the farm came to land around them, Rainbow Dash and Thunderlane in the lead. "Are you okay, Twilight?/Stellar?" Both of them asked together, then they looked at each other.

Twilight and Stellar looked at each other too, then burst out laughing, rolling onto their backs and letting the mirth envelop them.

Thunderlane and Rainbow Dash just glared at the twins. "Yeah, they're okay." Thunderlane said with a little disdain in his voice, as all the others around them began to laugh too.

Author's Notes:

Okay! Last chapter here for a while, as this is the end of Part One.
Don't worry, though, there is going to be a Part Two, I just want to finish up another story and correlate the plans for where Part Two will be going.
As always, Feedback is welcome, and I hope this proves as fun for everyone as it has been for me as I wrote it.