In the Absence of Twilight Sparkle

by MyHobby

First published 17th of March, 2017

Twilight Sparkle isn't the only human learning magic, as Sunset discovers when she is invited overseas to visit a school run by Starlight Glimmer. She appears to have good intentions, but Sunset's doubts rise when a magic-powered murderer strikes

Continuity diverges after Rainbow Rocks.

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Twilight Sparkle's power over magic has grown since she visited the strange parallel world populated by ponies. She's trained under Sunset Shimmer, learning new spells daily, earning herself greater focus and stronger friendships.

However, magic can be found outside their small circle of friends. Sunset Shimmer is invited overseas to visit a school that is dedicated to teaching humans the mystic arts. The headmistress, Starlight Glimmer, appears to have good intentions, but Sunset's doubts rise as she meets the source of their knowledge: Another visitor from the far reaches of the multiverse.

Meanwhile, Twilight encounters a murder committed through the use of magic. Danger closes in on every side as she unravels the mystery clue by clue. With Shining Armor at her back, and magic flowing through her veins, she's sure she can conquer any challenge.

But the school and the murder are connected, and when the plots converge, Twilight will have to face her greatest challenge yet...

In an infinite multiverse with infinite possibilities, there is a third Twilight Sparkle.

And she's made Sunset Shimmer's home her own.

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Rated Teen for

Muchas Smoochas
and
Severe Butt-Whooping

---

Part of The Heart's Promise Continuity
Lord Mayor Applejack
Fahr Drill
The Unmitigated Disaster
Scootaloo Will Fly!
Nature in the Wild
DayBreak
Lightning Struck Home
In the Absence of Sunset Shimmer
An Equestrian Griffon
If You Weren't Afraid
The Worst Kept Secret
Rhythm and Rhyme
In the Absence of Twilight Sparkle
The High Pariah of Breezy Bastion

In Memoriam

Fog covered the streets of Canterlot. Gargoyles and grotesques hung from gnarled architecture, their jaws open wide in a bevy of silent screams. Rain dripped from the corners of rooftops to soak the scarred pavement below. Thunder rumbled.

But the thunder did not hail from the dim overcast.

Blazing light flashed from the windows of Sombra’s School for Extraordinary Foals. Wind whipped within the auditorium, scattering papers and ash. Magic poured in great waves towards a small cart, which held a single egg. Incalculable powers raged. Lightning flashed and fire sparked. Force with the power to shatter bone spilled from a small filly, one who had not yet chosen a cutie mark.

She stared at the egg, which refused to yield until cracks formed along its surface. She needed the egg to hatch. Everything counted on that egg hatching.

She couldn’t stop. Not even if she wanted to. The floodgates had been opened by that final push; that last desperate plea to succeed in her test. She would prove that she was good enough, if only the egg would hatch.

A scream jolted into her ears and crawled down her spine. She twisted her head away from the cart, just for an instant. She saw her mother and father, clothed in what rags they were able to gather for the momentous occasion. They were so proud of her for making it this far. They, too, needed her to succeed. Maybe even more than she needed it.

She frowned. They weren’t cheering her on. They were screaming in fear. Shouting that she should stop. Pleading with her to pull it back. She couldn’t. She was so close to hatching the egg. So close to making them proud again. The magic blazed forth, uncontrolled save for the guiding need buried deep in her chest.

Another shout, almost unheard in the dreadful din surrounding her. This one came from the bleachers, voiced by one of her judges. He raced towards her, his horn aglow, motioning for her to stop.

He wanted to shut her down! No! He couldn’t!

She shoved with all her might to ward him off. He vanished in a cloud of red-hot smoke.

Her heart caught in her throat. He was gone. Gone-gone. Super-gone. Nothing remained but a pile of ash. She didn’t mean to. She didn’t want to.

She ran to the egg and placed her hooves upon the cart. If only she hatched it, everything would be okay. Everything would be better. They’d live in the palace. They’d eat nice food. They’d be able to bring her brother back home. Tears streamed down her face as she begged with all her heart for the egg to hatch.

The metal seats of the bleachers rusted and crumbled. The windows shattered outward as the wind seeped out. Magilights popped, one by one, as they were stressed beyond their limits.

Somepony called her name. Screamed for her to stop. She wouldn’t, and she told them as much.

The next wave of magic from her horn turned skin and bone to wood.

Her ears shot up as the voice registered far too late. Her father had told her to stop. Her father, who had always encouraged her. Who had always said that if you worked hard enough, you could do anything. Her father who had told her never to give up, or else she’d turn out like he did. He didn’t want her to end up like him. He wanted better for her.

She turned around, and saw two potted plants where her parents once stood. Their leaves turned brown and died, drifting down and disintegrating before they reached the ground. The wood hollowed before her eyes, drying like driftwood on the shore.

She shook her head. She could save them. If she just wanted it hard enough, she could save them. Fix them. She pulled magic from the egg and shot it towards the plants. If she could do it, she could undo it, right?

A booming voice, somewhere between rage and terror, stuck her to the core. She gazed at the newcomer, who dwarfed her utterly in his looming shadow.

King Sombra stood over her, his broad shoulders as wide as a carriage. His blue locks spilled from beneath his silvery crown, and his shining breastplate reflected the lavender light of her spells. Kind blue eyes, wide with adrenaline, stared at her. Through her, to something deep inside her soul.

His voice, normally so even-keeled and friendly, rang strained and insistent in her ears. King Sombra, the ruler of Equestria, the one she hoped to impress most of all, who inspired her in everything he did, who had no equal in all the land, told her she should not succeed.

Her response was immediate, passionate, and unbridled.

The egg centered in her focus. She saw the small cracks running through its surface. The jagged lined that offered a small peek at the new life inside. She thrust her magic into those imperfections and ripped the shell apart. She felt the newborn’s first breath, heard the cry of a baby, experienced every ounce of hunger and fear and want.

Behind her, the plants withered away.

Sombra called, but she couldn’t hear it. She’d succeeded. She’d hatched the egg. She looked upon the baby dragon she’d birthed. He was beautiful. Purple scaled that shimmered like her magic. Green eyes to match his soft belly. A cute little tail that wriggled as he pleaded for food in the only way he knew how.

She had won.

Sombra gripped her, but released just as quickly. Her body burned his hoof with the barest of contact. He told her to stop. He told her it was over.

She tried. She tried to reign in the magic that was swelling from her horn, decimating the auditorium, wreaking havoc throughout the school. She found the tide could not be stopped. Like a hole in a dam, every moment just brought more and more magic.

She gasped. Her parents! She still had to fix them! She still had to heal them! She swung around, called to them, but found no answer.

They were gone. No more. Vanished into thin air.

Tears and snot mingled as she wept. They had to be okay. She had won. She had passed the test. They needed to be there to see it. They needed to be proud of her. They needed to know they were right about her.

She looked up at Sombra. He had to be able to bring them back. He was the most powerful wizard in Equestria. Maybe the world. He would know what to do.

His eyes softened as the skin around them grew tight. He opened his mouth, but said nothing. He sighed and bowed his head.

He touched his horn to hers, and everything went black.

Twilight Sparkle thrust her hands into her jacket pockets. She slid down in her seat as her brother’s car jolted over a pothole. Buildings and trees flashed by, barely serving as landmarks as Shining Armor sped towards their destination. “I have got to stop letting you talk me into these things.”

Shining didn’t take his eyes off the road. He still found the presence of mind to raise an eyebrow and smirk. “What? And leave you to your own devices? I don’t think the world could survive a Twilight Sparkle with free-time.”

Twilight groaned under her breath as Canterlot University rolled into view. The school bustled at any hour of the day, but especially at midmorning. Cars lined up outside the college, dropping off students, picking them up, or just waiting in line for the parking lot. Someone had gotten into an accident on the far side of the lot, and several students were gathered around, hashing out phone numbers and calling up security.

“Strangely enough,” Shining Armor said, “attendance at the driver’s class is at an all-time low.”

“Was that supposed to be a joke?” Twilight slid a hand out of her pocket long enough to push her glasses higher up her nose. “Please tell me that wasn’t your A-game. I would die of embarrassment if that was the best you could do.”

“I was being astonishingly sincere.” Shining put the shifter into park. He waved a hand to the front doors of the college, offering his little sister a smile. “Have a good time, Twily.”

Twilight sighed and glanced at the bustling crowds rolling through the gates. People of every imaginable size, shape, and color were present. Shouting, roughhousing, texting, anything and everything that wasn’t educationally productive.

“I’m not tutor material, Shiny.” Twilight pushed the car door open. She slipped an arm behind the seat to grab her way-too-heavy backpack. “I don’t like people enough.”

“Hey.” Shining Armor put a warm hand on her shoulder. He favored her with a reassuring grin that only seemed to be a little synthetic. “You’re an awesome person, with more knowledge to share than most people will learn in a lifetime. Big Mac is a good friend of mine. I’m sure you’ll get along just fine.”

“Yeah,” Twilight said, rolling her eyes and getting to her feet. “Because the first thing I think of when I wanna get academic is your old football buddies.”

She leveled a finger at him before he could respond. “And if you’re not here to pick me up at three-o’-clock sharp, I will sic Spike on you.”

“I love you, too, Twily.” Shining laughed as she slammed his car door shut. She stood at the curb to watch him speed away. He gave the accident a wide berth, took a left out of the lot, and was gone.

She was stranded. Nowhere to go but forward.

She blew a quick raspberry at her absent brother and marched into Canterlot U.

It was a mercifully short walk to Collegiate Hall. Down a flight of stairs just inside the entrance. To the right of the rowdy Student Union. Past a wall of posters proclaiming the wonders of extracurricular activities, reporting abuse, and safe sex. Through a pair of glass doors designed expertly to keep out the noise.

Collegiate Hall was usually fairly peaceful, when it wasn’t being used for blood drives or the occasional public presentation. It was an open room, with one wall made entirely out of windows facing the college’s inner courtyard. Round tables were scattered around, each holding a variety of seats and a wider variety of students. Tutors mingled with their charges, textbooks and notepads scattered everywhere.

One table, on the other hand, was empty save for its single occupant. He leaned heavily on his elbows, his head in his hands. He wore a button-up, red plaid shirt, and faded jeans. His sleeves were rolled up above his elbows, showcasing incredible biceps.

Twilight Sparkle blinked and shook her head. She gave the room a once-over; everybody else seemed to be engaged in conversation. Through process of elimination, she supposed the young man had to be the one she’d been hired to tutor. She gave herself a steadying, bracing breath, and approached the table.

She thrust a hand towards him, trying with all her might to not sound bored or disinterested or anything else people were known to call her. “Macintosh Apple?”

His head shot up like he’d sat on a bee. He rose to his feet and pulled his lips back in a friendly sort of grimace. “You must be Miss Twilight. I, um, I’m mighty grateful you’ve agreed to help me.”

It was a second later he seemed to realize she wanted to shake his hand. He took hers with a light grip, cradling her fingers as if he was afraid to break them. He slipped away and cleared his throat, pulling out the chair beside his and motioning to it. “I saved you a seat, ma’am.”

She took the chair, jerking her jacket down to sit more comfortably across her torso. She blew a soft breath between pressed lips, letting her eyes roam around the table. A trigonometry textbook sat front and center, surrounded on all sides by graph paper and pages of notes. Chicken scratch scrawled beside drawings. Homework was marked in red. A used scantron served as a bookmark, hiding its results from view.

Twilight pulled her mouth to the side. “It looks like you’re fighting a war.”

“Feels like a war. All these fancy mathematics.” Big Mac picked up a pencil covered in teeth marks. He glanced her way with tired eyes, but snapped away the instant he thought she noticed. “Shining says you’re a genius, though. Maybe you can help?”

“That’s why I’m here.” Twilight forced a smile and adjusted her glasses. “Where would you like to start?”

“Sine, cosine, tangent. The unholy trinity.” Big Mac flipped through his trig textbook, wincing as every new topic loomed into view. Twilight leaned close to watch the subjects fly by. His hands shook slightly as the page turned over, just enough to make him hesitate.

He paused on the first page of the subject. He gathered a pile of paper to his left and pointed at the numerous red marks. “All these sine calculations are mucked up. Workin’ on these A squared, B squared, C squared triangles gets my thoughts in a jumble. I get that C’s the longest side, but how’m I supposed to know the difference between A and B?”

Twilight sucked in her lower lip. Her cheeks tinged the slightest shade of red as the response popped up. “A is the shortest side of the triangle. Always.”

His eyebrows shot up. “Really?”

“Pretty sure, yeah.” She crossed her arms to lean on the table, tempted to just let her forehead rest against them. She shifted in her seat as she awaited a long, long tutoring session. “Oh boy.”

Big Mac stared at his paper. It crinkled between his fingers before dropping to the floor. “I don’t got time for this.”

A spark shot though Twilight’s nerves, first taking the form of embarrassment, then a flare of anger, then settling on a slew of confusion. She managed to stutter a response, “I—I beg your pardon?”

Big Mac’s mouth dropped open as he raised his hands. He blathered for a solid few seconds. “I didn’t… I mean, I’m sorry, I was—

He pinched his nose and leaned his elbow against the table. “I’m sorry. I am thankful you’re willin’ to help. I just… I don’t got time to keep makin’ stupid mistakes like this. I got a farm to run. Family to feed. I’m four years goin’ for an associates degree, for cryin’ out loud.”

Twilight swallowed. She leaned back in her chair and folded her hands across her lap. Her heart sank at the sight of the man; tired, worn out, just looking for help.

And what else was she there for? “What’s your major?”

He turned his eyes to her. They were bright green, she realized with a start. She didn’t quite know why that detail seemed so important to her, but darned if they weren’t the greenest eyes she’d ever seen.

“Associates in Agribusiness,” he said. He tapped his pencil against the textbook, his forehead wrinkling slightly as the gears in his head turned back. “My family’s owned the farm at the edge of town for three generations, now. Pretty as a picture. Got corn, got cows, but mostly we got the best dang apple farm this side of Peopleburg. We felt that if we wanted the farm to keep up with the times, I needed some solid secondary schoolin’. Been takin’ a couple classes every semester, paying for it a little at a time. It’s slow goin’.”

Big Mac’s voice took on an easy, smooth drawl as he spoke about his farm. Dripping pride with every word.

“What about you?” He nudged the textbook away, scowling at the glorified pile of wood pulp. “What’s your major? Rocket scientist? The way Shining talks, you’d think you were gonna build a base on Mars.”

She snorted. “Probably not this lifetime. I’m studying forensics. I wanna join the police department, help them solve cases, discover the mysteries of the world. Do some good.”

She unclasped her hands, becoming aware of just how tightly she’d been holding them. “I… I think I’d like to start with helping you put—put two and two together.”

Big Mac brushed his sandy bangs back. “I guess we can’t spend the whole time just talkin’.” His eyes sparkled, even if the smile didn’t quite reach his mouth. “Shame, that.”

Twilight, on the other hand, felt free to smile wide. “Why don’t we go through what you’re learning right now, and see what you need the most work on.”

Sunset Shimmer all but dragged a bag of groceries up to the farmhouse. The stifling summer heat penetrated right through her t-shirt and threatened to start up a monster-grade sweat. She stuck her tongue out at the thought. There was too much to do for her to be slowed down by biology. Balanced precariously on the porch, she raised a hand to rap at the doorway.

Applejack answered not a second too soon. She reached down and took the bag with an easy, smooth motion. “Glad you’re here, sugarcube! Got a heck of a time roundin’ up the food, but looks like we’ll be A-Okay from here on out.”

“Please let me in the air conditioning,” Sunset said as moisture beaded on her nose. “Please, please let me in the air conditioning.”

Applejack stepped aside and let her friend rush into the house. She chuckled and shut the swelter outside. “Good thing y’ got here quick as you did. Turns out we got a couple extra places at the table today. Big Mac’s bringin’ his new girlfriend.”

Sunset Shimmer jerked her head around and followed Applejack into the kitchen. She pulled a few vegetables from the bag and started dicing them into a salad bowl. “Girlfriend? What, did his shyness finally implode the universe? Who’s the lucky gal?”

“Heck if I know; he ain’t mentioned her name.” Applejack lifted the lid on a pot of corn cobs, relishing the smell. “If he did, I wasn’t listenin’ on account of him dronin’ on and on and on about it.”

Sunset shrugged, never slowing in her preparations. “You said there were a couple new places, right?”

“A’yup.” Applejack slid the window open and whistled. “Mac! Get your butt over here and put the steaks on the grill! We got mouths to feed!”

Applejack counted down on her fingers. “We got Mac’s new girlfriend and her brother. One of Mac’s college buddies. The two of ’em don’t got nobody to spend Memorial Day with, on account of their folks bein’ out of state. Mac asked Granny if he could invite them, an’ she gave her blessin’.”

Big Mac lumbered in and grasped the plate of steaks, seasoned to perfection. He gave Sunset a nod—“ma’am”—and zipped back out to the blistering heat.

Sunset sent Applejack a wry grin. “And there was such a great cry in all of Canterlot City, such as never has been or ever will be again.”

Applejack waved a spatula at her. “If y’all wanted to ride that particular bandwagon, y’ ought to have made mention a little earlier than now.”

Sunset tore leaves from a head of lettuce and filled the salad bowl to the brim. She set about tossing it, adding her diced veggies as the meal demanded. “Not gonna lie. Feeling just a liiiiitle bit jealous of ol’ what’s-her-face. Guess that’s the luck of the draw, though.”

She covered the salad and slipped it into the fridge, giving it some small protection from the summer heat. “It’s not like I have the time, though. The professors have me working overtime for this degree.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Thought you were already the master of all things academic.”

“There’s more to teaching than teaching, AJ.” Sunset paced around the kitchen, slipping a handful of fresh pea pods into her hand and crunching down on them. “There’s how to teach, there’s how to treat the kids, how to deal with hard cases, when to discipline, why to discipline. I think I’m going crazy.”

She smiled, leaning against the counter and flipping a pea into her mouth. “More than anything, my respect for Celestia’s grown time a billion.”

“God bless yah, is all I say.” Applejack pulled a pie from the oven, which radiated with pure—nearly physical—deliciousness. “Had a hard enough time raisin’ Apple Bloom without dealin’ with a dozen more just like her.”

“It’ll be taxing, yeah.” Sunset rolled the last pea pod though her fingers as she looked out the back window. She took a decisive bite. “Gotta believe it’s worth it, though.”

Applejack slapped an oven-mitted hand across Sunset’s back. “That’s the spirit, sugarcube! It’s like Granny always says, y’ can’t till a field without plowin’ a lot of m—”

The timer on the stove interrupted her with a whistle. Applejack rolled her eyes and hopped over. “A’right, a’right, I hear yah. Mash potatoes coming right—”

The doorbell chose that moment to ring its merry little jingle. Applejack’s face scrunched up in the sort of light scowl that she reserved for naughty puppies. “Sarsaparilla! Sunset, would you be a pal and go let them in? It’s probably the guys I was talkin’ about. Just stall ’em till I get there.”

Sunset flashed a faux salute. “Aye, aye, Cap’n.”

It was a quick walk through the living room to the front door, past a meticulously arranged sitting area and a decade-old television. She checked that her shirt was covering her stomach, ran her fingers through her hair, and pulled the door open.

She was met with a bespectacled—but otherwise keenly familiar—face. She blinked. “Twilight Sparkle? What are you—?”

Twilight jerked her head back. She narrowed her eyes and looked Sunset up and down. “Have we met?”

“Uh.” Sunset choked, her twitching gaze examining this new, strange Twilight Sparkle with a slacked jaw. “Haven’t we…?”

Twilight wrung her hands, a frown overtaking her features. “Pretty sure we haven’t, Miss…?”

“I am…” Sunset took a breath to steel herself. It was too early for multiversal shenanigans. These were multiversal shenanigans, right? It had to be. Unless Twilight had somehow gotten wammied by Discord, or they were playing the dumbest April Fools prank in the history of foolishness…

She was face-to-face with the human Twilight Sparkle. The alternate-universe version. The mirror twin.

It was then she brought herself back to reality and focused on the other girl. Existential crises be darned, she was still playing temporary host to a potential new friend. “My name’s Twilight Shimmer! I—er—Sunset Sparkle! Gak—” Smooth move, Sunset, she thought to herself. Smooth. “I’m sorry. It’s been a long day. My name’s Sunset Shimmer.”

“You clearly know mine.” Twilight Sparkle hesitated before offering a hand. “It’s… nice to meet you?”

Sunset smiled warm as she took Twilight’s hand and shook firmly. “It is very nice to meet you. I’m really sorry for jumping at you like that. I think the heat’s getting to us.”

Twilight Sparkle glanced up as she stepped inside the house. She rubbed her elbow, shuffling around with tiny steps, just taking in the room. “I’ll drink to that.”

Sunset drummed her fingers across her shorts. She snapped her fingers as she stumbled upon a topic. “So, Applejack’s in the kitchen, Apple Bloom’s keeping the dogs out of trouble, Granny Smith and Big Mac are out back grilling. So… I guess you can pick your poison.”

Twilight snorted. “Arsenic.”

“Touché.”

Twilight smiled. She pressed her hands against the back of the couch, taking some of the weight off her feet. “Actually, I’d like to meet everybody and then make sure Spike’s doing okay with the dogs.”

Sunset Shimmer choked on her spit for the second time in as many minutes. “Spike?”

“My beagle.” Twilight slipped her hands into her pockets and shrugged, perusing the family portraits that seemed to cover every available surface. “My brother Shining is swinging him around to the barn until it gets cooler out.”

And with that, Sunset was three for three. “Shining Armor?”

Twilight reached up to twist a strand of hair around her finger, wry amusement dripping from her words. “Wow. I guess Big Mac can’t shut up about us, huh?”

“Come on, Twilight,” Sunset said, as dry as possible. “We all know that Big Mac’s fatal flaw is his blabber mouth.”

They shared a quiet laugh together in the cool living room. Sunset motioned for Twilight to follow her.

“So, hey,” Twilight said. “May I ask how you’re related to the Apples?”

“I’m not, actually.” Sunset rubbed the back of her neck, leading her way into the kitchen. “I’m an old friend of the family, just staying with them until I can get back on my feet.”

“Stayin’ with us sometimes.” Applejack stood over the pot of mashed potatoes, treating it with a signature Apple Family recipe. “When you ain’t stayin’ with Pinkie Pie, or Rainbow Dash, or Rares.”

“Applejack.” Sunset stood with her legs ramrod straight and her hands cupped behind her back. “I’d like to introduce you to our new friend, Twilight Sparkle.”

“Come again?” Applejack glanced over her shoulder. She appeared to nearly twist her neck around when she gave Twilight a double-take. “Great Caesar’s Ghost!”

Twilight’s eyebrows came together. “Is this just how you guys say hello?”

Applejack widened her eyes at Sunset, who mouthed “yes.” Applejack grinned with all her sparkling clean teeth, in a smile that was just shy of sending small children into years of therapy. “Yeah, sure as shootin’. I’m just real excited to meet you, Miss Sparkle. I… I think Big Mac’s lookin’ forward to seein’ you, so I won’t keep you, none. We’ll have plenty of time to talk durin’ supper. Yep.”

Twilight’s mouth jerked up, as if she just remembered that she was supposed to be happy to be there. “I know better than to get in the chef’s way when they’re at work so…” She pointed past Applejack towards the back door. “Sure as… shooting?”

“A’yup.” Applejack gave her a none-too-gentle nudge towards the stifling outdoors. “Pleased to make your acquaintance; lookin’ forward to that talk.”

Twilight Sparkle bobbed her head and slipped out the door.

Applejack’s smile melted away in an instant. “What in the name of Aunt Mildew’s Super Duper No Kids Allowed Special Cider was that?”

Sunset Shimmer waved her hands in front of her face. “No. No, no, no. You don’t get to say anything, Miss ‘I Can’t be Bothered to Listen to my Brother Talk.’ No. Now’s not the time to be upset—”

Applejack crossed her arms over her chest. “You’re doin’ a bang-up job of that yourself.”

Sunset clenched her fists. She lowered her hands slowly to her sides. “Touché. Okay. As weird as this is, it’s not the time to freak out. It’s… She’s pretty clearly this world’s version of Twilight Sparkle. So… So I guess this just about confirms it.”

Applejack glanced out the window and caught sight of Twilight Sparkle embracing Big Mac. She grumbled, her mouth scrunching like she’d eaten something sour. “Confirms what, exactly? What are we dealing with, here?”

“We’re dealing with the fact that everybody has a double, somewhere.” Sunset placed her hands on the rim of the sink to stand beside Applejack. She chewed her tongue behind a closed mouth, mulling over the very thought of it. “This Twilight… She doesn’t know any of us. She doesn’t realize the history we have with her double. She doesn’t even realize she has a double.”

“Hokey Peat.” Applejack slid the curtain closed and went about setting the table. “Sunset… Sunset, I don’t think that’s a secret we can keep. Not if she’s gonna be so close to Macintosh.”

“No, we can’t keep it.” Sunset Shimmer sighed. “We shouldn’t keep it.”

She snapped her fingers. She rested her hands on Applejack’s shoulders and gave her a friendly squeeze. “Tonight, we treat her like anybody else when we meet a new friend. Later, we’ll have a meeting with the other girls and get some input from the princess. We’ll figure this out together, like we always have.”

“Well…” Applejack slapped a friendly hand across Sunset’s shoulder as she passed. “I expect any plan you think up’s gonna be a good one. I’ll try an’ be civil, but…”

She hoisted the potatoes and gravy, moving them to their proper spots on the table. “But land sakes it’s hard to be friendly when you’re hidin’ somethin’. I can’t lie to her face like that.”

“It’s not a lie.” Sunset winked, jabbing a finger Applejack’s way. “It’s a truth not yet told.”

Applejack clicked her tongue and rolled her eyes. “Whatever you say, Sunset.”

Spike hopped onto Twilight Sparkle’s lap as her laugh rang out across the farmyard. The gathering had moved outside the moment the sun went down, bringing with it a cool, refreshing night sky. Stars danced overhead as the bonfire crackled within their open circle of friendship. Sunset found the laugh infectious and joined in.

Twilight removed her glasses to wipe tears from her eyes. “Oh my gosh, Sunset. How did you get out of that one?”

Sunset giggled. “I didn’t. I spent the next three days cleaning the laboratory, the next four weeks in detention, and Green Sleeves still hasn’t forgiven me.”

Applejack tipped her hat back to better frame her satisfied smirk. “Serves you right for dragging Pinkie into that mess. Vice Principal Luna couldn’t sit for a month. “

Twilight slipped her hand into Big Mac’s and bumped her shoulder against him. She used her free hand to scratch Spike behind the ears, which he responded to with a frantically-wagging tail.

Shining Armor stuck a stir-stick into the fire to turn over the coals. “So you were the troublemaker at your school, huh?”

Sunset folded her hands atop her knees and rocked back. “I prefer to think of it as ‘chemically expressive.’ Science has always been the cause of, and the solution to, all my problems.”

Shining nodded to his sister. “You and Twilight, both. I think if you two joined forces, the world would not soon forget it.”

Sunset held herself up imperiously, thrusting one shoulder forward and flinging one arm back. “What say you, Twilight Sparkle? Shall we take control and show the world its new masters? Shall we once again reveal that science is the one true master, the pathway to greatness? Shall we reign as its Overlords of Science?”

Twilight snarled, growling at the back of her throat. “Only if I my title is Sultaness of Supreme Sciences. And I get to live in Buckingpork Palace.”

“It is decided,” Sunset said. “The rest of you may be our flunkies.”

“Well,” Granny Smith said, “if’n you can hold off on the world domination rigmarole for a night, I think it’s pert near time to break out the s’mores.”

Apple Bloom shot up from the log she was using as a seat. “I’ll help you get the marshmallows and chocolate, Granny!”

“Best hop to it, then!” Granny Smith walked with her youngest granddaughter back to the farmhouse. “The rest of you sit tight and don’t let the fire go out.”

Sunset stifled a yawn. She looked over to Applejack, who was lying back and resting her head against a log turned sideways. “I think I’m gonna do a little stargazing. Keep the fire warm without me, will yah?”

Applejack nodded. “Mind you don’t scare the cattle.”

Sunset Shimmer walked away from the light, into the gentle glow of the silvery moon. The apple trees bloomed across the orchard, their pink flowers muted, yet still discernible among the shadows. Overhead, a milky tapestry spread across the infinite vastness of space, spanning a million worlds.

One of those worlds was hers, she supposed. But not the one she called home.

She held a hand to her chest and felt power prickle at her fingertips. A flame appeared from thin air, swirling around her index finger. She held the hand to the sky, adding her light to the stars, hoping for some sort of inspiration. Some sort of direction.

A branch snapped behind her. She extinguished the flame and hid the hand from sight. When she turned, she could still see the campfire burning against the silhouette of the farmhouse. Another shadow stood between the fire and her, with broad shoulders and blue hair.

“I’m sorry,” Shining Armor said. “I know you wanna be alone, but… I just wanted to say thank you.”

“No. No, not alone.” Sunset turned back to the sky, stuffing her hands in her pockets. After so long at the campfire, the air felt especially chilly in her shorts and t-shirt. “I spent way too long being alone, and I didn’t like it. I just wanted… a quiet moment. A moment of solace.”

She motioned for him to stand beside her and continued to watch the sky. “I just like to look at the stars every now and then. It makes the world feel bigger. Full of possibilities.”

It finally registered, what he said. “Thank you for what?”

Shining looked down at her, looping his thumbs through his belt loops in an effort to appear nonchalant. “For being so friendly with my sister. I… I’ve never seen her open up to someone this fast before. You’ve just met her and it feels like you already care a lot about her.”

“Oh. Well.” Sunset hugged herself to warm her arms against her palms. “I guess… Honestly, she reminds me of someone I care about very much.”

Shining raised his eyebrows. “So you’re saying it just comes naturally?”

“To a point.” Sunset tilted her head towards the farmhouse. “I am pretty good at making friends.”

“Hadn’t noticed,” he said with a laugh. “But still, thank you for letting her in. I’ve been… trying to get her to open up for years. Figures the instant I let her go and do her own thing, she’s making friends left and right and… Heh. Her and Big Mac. There’s a real pair.”

“I dunno, Shining.” She wagged a finger at him. “From what I’ve been hearing, it was you who orchestrated their meeting. Seems this whole thing is your fault.”

Shining tilted his head back to stare at the stars. “Yeah. My old girlfriend was a real matchmaker. Some of her worse habits wore off on me.”

Sunset rolled her eyes, hiding her smile by sweeping a glance over the orchard. An owl hooted in the darkness, showing that even the most empty corners of the world held life.

“What about you?” he asked. “What’s your story? How’d you go from being the terror of Canterlot High to somebody who makes friends so easily?”

A shiver ran down her spine, not so much from the cold air as chilling memories. “Being a troublemaker comes at a price. I burned a few bridges. Hurt a lot of people. There are relationships you can’t get back, after all that.”

The lightness in Shining’s voice flattened out, lowering to a whispered treble. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t feel bad,” she said quietly. “It was a learning experience I had to go through, or I wouldn’t be here. I decided I never wanted to miss the chance to make a new friend. I never wanted to lose another relationship. Not with anybody.”

She smiled a sad sort of smile at him, tilting her head to the side, flashing him a wink. “My past does not define me, ‘cause my past is not today.”

Crickets chirped across the field, playing nature’s concerto. “I like that,” he said after a moment. “I like that sort of conviction.”

Apple Bloom’s cry of “S’mores!” carried across the farmyard, jolting them out of their conversation. Sunset jerked her head towards the fire, and Shining nodded.

“I’m glad we’ve met you,” he said, falling into step beside her. “I look forward to getting to know the Sunset Shimmer of today.”

Sunset giggled at the back of her throat. “I look forward to getting to know the mysterious entities known as ‘Twilight Sparkle’ and ‘Shining Armor.’”

“Either way”—Shining Armor took the stir-stick in hand to prep his corner of the bonfire—“it’ll be an adventure.”

Twilight Sparkle leaned against the door as Shining drove them to their home on the edge of Canterlot City. She rubbed her eyes to remove the lingering sting of the smoke. A yawn rolled up from her chest as she finally felt the effects of the day’s activities.

“I’m proud of you,” Shining said.

“For what?”

“For coming this far. For growing this much. You really seemed happy, tonight.”

Twilight roiled her arm behind the seat. She felt Spike’s breath brush her palms as he slept. “They were so genuine. I can’t really think of another word for it. Big Mac, his grandma, his sisters… Sunset. They’re really, genuinely nice.”

Shining sighed, sharing a genuine smile of his own. “I think they could be lifelong friends, if we let them be.”

“Friends…” Twilight Sparkle scratched Spike’s chin, making him mumble quietly. “And maybe also answers.”

“Answers?”

“High school. Remember all those strange readings I found?”

“On your little homemade seismograph thing?”

“It’s not a seismograph, it’s a—nevermind. The source of all those energies revolved around Canterlot High, and each event centered around one name. One name that kept coming up again and again.”

Shining’s forehead wrinkled. He took his eyes off the road for the briefest of seconds, taking a look at his grinning little sister.

“Sunset Shimmer,” she said. “I think we’re going to learn a lot from each other.”

Rain fell in buckets from the sky, drenching the landscape from the rooftops to the cellars. Three figures walked into the streets, exiting a smoky little hole-in-the-wall tavern. Yellowed street lamps dotted the highways and byways of Griffon Rock, contrasting heavily with the pink neon sign above the door; a wine glass that had seen better days.

The three of them huddled beneath the awning, all glancing around for their designated driver. One ran his hands through his curly mop of hair, a little wobbly on his feet. “Why is he always late? We told him we were done.”

“Because he can’t always just drop what he’s doing.” A short woman at his side socked him in the shoulder. “His life doesn’t revolve around you, Party Favor.”

The third person behind them groaned, pressing a hand to her forehead and nudging back her beret. “I’m not drunk enough for you two to be arguing like this.”

“I am,” Party Favor said. “If life has to suck so much, why shouldn’t I share it with the world?”

“Because nobody cares.” The short, pudgy woman sat down, heedless of the rainwater soaking into her pants. “Stick your face in a rain barrel and put yourself out of our misery.”

“Knock it off, you two.” The beret-clad lady waved a hand into the street, catching the attention of a car speeding towards them. “You’re not gonna be sober for the rally tomorrow if you keep railing on each other now. Night Glider is counting on us to—”

“So what?” Party Favor threw his hands out, getting inside the taller woman’s personal space. “Sugar Belle will bake a few brownies, I’ll cut out a few signs, you’ll make a big, stupid speech, and nothing will change. Because nothing ever changes!”

He stalked off towards the car, pulling a hood tight over his face. “And getting punch-drunk every Friday isn’t helping anymore.”

The shorter woman moaned from her seat on the sidewalk. She looked up with reddened eyes. “What are we doing here if we can’t make a difference?”

“We can too make a difference, Sugar Belle.” The taller of the two reached down to hoist her friend to her feet. “We’re gonna strike a blow for equality, or my name isn’t Starlight Glimmer!”

A flash of lavender light crackled from a nearby alleyway, brushing raindrops aside. A steady, droning buzz reached their ears and struck straight at their hearts. The hair on Starlight Glimmer’s forearms stood on end, and static hummed through her wavy hairdo. She glanced at the car to see that Party Favor and the driver, Double Diamond, were also staring at the strange phenomenon.

It wasn’t just her, then. She wasn’t going crazy.

Her heart beat stronger, faster, but more erratically. Something warm touched her fingertips, but when she looked, there was nothing there. She flexed her hands and walked slowly, step-by-step, towards the light.

“Starlight!” Double Diamond stuck his head out the window of his rusted beater. “What are you doing? That could be dangerous!”

“But it’s not,” Starlight said, her voice echoing in her ears, as if she was under water. “It calls me. It calls out to me. Don’t you feel it?”

“No!” Double Diamond jumped out of his car and raced to her side. He grabbed her elbow, his breath coming hot. “Don’t go. We’ll call the constable. Get the authorities on it—”

“The authorities?” Starlight Glimmer scoffed. “Are you listening to yourself, DD? What are they going to do?”

“Keep you from getting yourself killed.”

“I’m not going to get killed.” Starlight’s head swam. She yanked her arm from his grasp and strode forward with sure steps. “It calls to me. It needs me. Almost as much as I need it.”

Double Diamond looked to Sugar Belle and Party Favor. Not finding a response in their dumbfounded expressions, he reached out to Starlight. “But what is it?”

Starlight Glimmer stopped at the entrance of the alley. The air was filled with lavender particles, drifting like dust in a sunbeam. The brick walls of the adjacent buildings shimmered and flickered, broken by ever-shifting fractals of glass-like reflections. Raindrops fell to either side of the alleyway as the all-encompassing, drawing voice pushed them back.

Starlight reached her hand into the cacophony of sound and sight. Power surged through her nerves. Light flashed through her blood. Life tore its way through her bones. She felt something soft, something warm, and took hold of it.

The alley exploded in blinding white. Starlight was knocked to her rump, but otherwise unscathed.

She looked up, and saw a young woman, near her age, lying naked on the cold pavement. The rain was faint, but still bone-chilling. She pulled the coat from her back and rushed to the woman’s side. “Oh my God, are you okay? Double Diamond! Call an ambulance! There’s someone here and she looks hurt—!”

The woman raised her head with a start and threw her hand out. “Don’t touch me!”

Starlight felt like she’d been punched in the chest. By a professional boxer. Who was taking steroids. And had a serious grudge against berets.

Her back hit the far wall and knocked the air from her lungs. She gasped for breath even as her eyes found the source of her injuries.

The woman from the alley held a hand out, glowing with the brightest, most beautiful purple Starlight had ever seen. Energies similar to before swirled about the woman, surging around her, through her, from her. Power incalculable. Power unimaginable.

Starlight held her coat out, moving inch by inch to get closer to the stranger. “Please. I just want to help you. How are you… what is that?”

The woman’s damp, straight hair clung to her shoulders. Her chest heaved with every shallow breath she took. She looked down, befuddlement coloring her features. She ran her free hand across her body, as if surprised by it. Confused by it. Disgusted by it. “It’s… it’s magic. Why won’t my magic work?”

“Magic? It’s really magic?” Starlight edged ever closer, then came to a stop an arm’s-length away. She held the coat out. “Please, take my coat. It’ll keep you from catching your death of cold.”

The woman stared her in the eyes. The stranger’s eyes were striking, piercing, filled with the same magic that poured from her fingertips. She snatched the coat away and wrapped it around her body, shivering violently as the air within rose to her body temperature.

Starlight sat on her knees, barely daring to breath in the presence of the magical creature. “Where did you learn to do that? How can you?”

“I… learned back home. In a faraway country.” The stranger’s eyes snapped down the alleyway, towards the others who watched with wide eyes. “Who are they?”

“They’re friends.” Starlight spoke in her warmest, gentlest voice. She contained her drive, her excitement, with all the strength she had. “We’re all friends. We want to help you.”

The stranger gritted her teeth, glaring at the ground. She hissed out a pained breath before whispering, “Who are you and where am I?”

“I’m Starlight Glimmer.” Starlight lowered her head to look into those eyes again, the ones she was convinced could divine the soul. “This is Griffon Rock, a city in the Highborn Isles. Where do you come from? What’s your name?”

When the stranger didn’t answer, Starlight finally allowed herself the question she wanted to ask most. “Can you teach me to use magic?”

The stranger lowered her eyebrows, curled her lip. Starlight spoke as quickly as possible before she ran out of breath. “I’ve felt it my entire life, since I was a child. It calls to me. It sings to me. I’ve wanted it more than anything, and I never even knew what it was until now. Tell me you can teach me, and I’ll give you anything you want. I’ll do anything!”

Starlight reached out to grasp the woman’s hand. She recoiled at the touch, but Starlight refused to let go. “Please. Please say you’ll teach me. I don’t know where else to go.”

Their eyes met, and Starlight felt her insides scramble under the scrutiny of the stranger. Those eyes that were filled with light, yet seemed so dark and judging. She held her breath until it felt like she would puke.

“I can teach you.”

Tears collected in Starlight’s eyes. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”

She gestured to the group milling around at the edge of the street. “Please… please come with us. We’ll take you to a place you can get a warm bed and a decent meal. We’ll—uh—we’re here to help you, Miss… Who are you?”

The stranger looked over the group with the same examining glare she gave Starlight. She wobbled on her surprisingly muscular legs, before they gave out altogether. She leaned against Starlight for support, her face softening, weariness overtaking it. She pulled the coat tight and let out a slow, sad sigh.

“I am Twilight Sparkle.”

New and Old, Fresh and Familiar

Sunset Shimmer stirred as sunlight traced its way across her face. She clutched her covers and pressed her cheek against her pillow, letting out a yawn. She half-considered closing the blinds to more easily get another few minutes of shut-eye, but decided she was lazy enough to ignore the light.

She ran her fingers through her hair and rolled onto her back. Her elbow brushed against skin, drawing her attention to the man beside her. He snored gently, his short, blue whiskers scratching against the sheets pulled up to his chin.

She pressed up against his arm and touched her lips to his cheek. “Hey. Good morning.”

His eyes fluttered open. He looked around cross-eyed for a moment before settling on her. “Hey.” He grinned. “Your hair’s on fire again.”

Sunset let a breath hiss through her nose. “That’s your opening line, huh?”

He tilted his head, reaching up to brush her bangs out of the way. “How’s this: When the sunlight hits you just right, as it crests over yonder hill, a fiery halo surrounds you, shining with holy beauty.”

She raised a single eyebrow.

“Or will ‘You’re hot’ suffice?” he said.

She giggled, resting her hand on his shoulder. “Class act as always, Shiny.”

Shining Armor rolled his free hand behind his head and shut his eyes. “Call me lazy, but I think I’m gonna try and sleep for a few more minutes—”

Thundering footsteps raced down the hallway. A shout like an approaching army hailed. “Mommy, Daddy, Mommy, Daddy, Mommy, Daddy!”

A young boy burst into the bedroom, leaping through the air to land squarely on Shining Armor’s stomach. Shining bolted upright, the wind knocked from him, his eyes bulging.

“Mommy, Daddy!” the boy said. “Family reunion today! We’re going to the family reunion!”

Sunset, at a loss for words, could only gasp the boy’s name. “Sunny!”

Without acknowledging his mother, the boy leaped from the bed and careened through the rest of the house, shouting at the top of his lungs.

Shining Armor rested a hand on his middle and wheezed. “Never mind.”

Sunset threw the covers back and opened the curtain. The suburbs of Canterlot City sprawled before her, shining yellow in the warm summer morning. A few early-morning risers could be seen tending to their gardens, or playing catch in their backyard. Without looking away, she took a ring from her nightstand and slid it over her finger.

Shining Armor wrapped his arms around her waist and lowered his chin to her shoulder. “I think your magic’s getting stronger.”

Sunset leaned against him, twirling the ring between her fingers. “Why’s that?”

Shining Armor’s bright, blue eyes trailed down to her hands. “Because you pulled that thing from across the room without even thinking about it.”

“I didn’t—” She turned to the nightstand, which lay several feet away. Just a little bit farther than her arm could reach. “Huh. I guess teaching Twilight’s paying dividends.”

Shining laughed lightly, his voice warbling. He stared out the window, his eyes unfocused. “Well. Good. It’s something you love.”

“That’s putting it lightly,” Sunset said. She winked at him. “And I’ve got the magical tattoo to prove it.”

Shining’s mouth quirked at the corner. “I have been wanting to take a closer look at that—”

Something heavy and potentially expensive landed with a thud on the far side of the house. Shining choked on his words and made haste through the bedroom door. “Sunny! What’s up, buddy?”

“I didn’t do it!”

Sunset smiled to herself, hugging her elbows and sliding the curtain closed with her magic. She closed the door and set about disrobing. She’d picked her outfit for the day last night; a yellow sundress, light and cool. “We’re gonna have to do something about that fibbing streak.”

The door rattled. “Sunset? Can you give me a shirt?”

Sunset hopped over to the door with a cottony t-shirt in hand. She cracked the door open and held it out until she felt Shining tug it away. “What’s the damage, Shiny?”

“The hibiscus will never play the violin again,” Shining said, “but the vacuum cleaner ’ll get the dirt in a jiff.”

Sunset tapped the door before he could walk away. “Get Sunny dressed, okay? And pack up his swimsuit for the pond.”

“Sure thing. Make sure you bring yours, too.”

Sunset grimaced, biting her lip. “I don’t think I’m swimming today, Shiny.”

“I know you can’t resist dipping your toes in.”

“When you’re right, you’re right.” Sunset pulled the sundress over her head and wriggled through the folds of fabric. “And I know you shouldn’t jump in until you’ve let Granny Smith’s Famous Baked Beans digest for a little while.”

“Noted,” he said as his footsteps receded.

Sunset sat at her small vanity mirror and applied a hint of makeup to her face. Not much, since she didn’t want it to run, but just enough that it brought out her eyes. Much, much easier, she thought, than combing her coat back in Equestria.

She ran over the contents of their kitchen in her mind. Eggs for breakfast? Maybe there were still waffles in the freezer. Farm Flakes cereal would be faster. Were they out of milk again? Shining didn’t like his cereal dry, and Sunny wouldn’t eat it without a spoonful or two of sugar…

A hustle brought her to the kitchen, where Shining sat at the table, the paper in one hand, a mug of coffee gripped in the other. She shook her head when she saw it was murky brown, rather than dark; Shining tried to drown out the taste with cream and sugar again. “You’ve brewed a Café-Mocha Diabetes again, huh?”

Shining smirked over the brim. “I’d have mixed a milkshake if I didn’t need the caffeine.”

“It sounds healthier if you call it a smoothie, Shiny.” She patted his shoulder as she passed. “And there’s probably plenty of caffeine—and real energy—in a banana smoothie.”

“Nanners!” Sunny leaned over the table, dangerously close to getting Oaty-O’s on his shirt. “I wanna have some nanners!”

Sunset came behind the boy, cupping his head between her hands. “Maybe later, Sweetheart. Mommy’s gotta get us ready for the re—”

“Family reunion!” He squirmed in her grip, more from excitement than from dislike of being touched. “Is Apple Bloom gonna be there?”

Shining took a sip to cover his mouth and muffle his words. “Applejack ’d be pissed if she wasn’t.”

Sunset shot her husband a white-hot glare, then turned tender eyes on her son. “Yes, I’m pretty sure Apple Bloom will be there.”

“And Sweetie Belle and Aunt Scootaloo?”

Sunset cracked a smile. “Yes, Aunt Scootaloo and her friend will be there, too.”

“And Nana and Papa?”

“No,” Shining said. “Nana and Papa are home in Micronia. We’ll see them at Hearth’s Warming.”

“Oh.” Sunny’s head shot towards his mother, pulling his ears from her warm touch. “Will Aunt Twilight be there?”

Sunset blew a soft breath through her lips. A glance at Shining told her he was busying himself with cleaning his mug, his mind ostensibly on some other subject. She kissed Sunny on the forehead and walked off to gather essentials for the party. “She’ll come as soon as she can. She’s working really hard right now.”

“Okay.” Sunny gripped the back of his chair. “How soon?”

Sunset smirked to herself. “‘Grown-up’ kinda soon. Sometime after ‘maybe.’”

Twilight Sparkle leaned back and took a breath of fresh air. The lab was chilly today, necessitating a sweater beneath her lab coat despite the blazing summer heat outside. She’d been bashing her head against a brick wall all night long. Figuratively, of course, but her head still hurt. She rubbed her hands together to return life to her chilled, rubber-wrapped fingers. She gagged and pulled the gloves off to clean up with hot, soapy water. A sip of Booyah Energy Drink lent some sugar-fueled, caffeinated power to her aching limbs.

The cadaver lay on the table, lifelessly staring at the ceiling. Although staring was difficult, considering the non-existence of its eyes. The poor thing was basically skin and bone, leathery and dry. Perfectly, pristinely, impossibly mummified. Nothing had decayed, not even the internal organs. The moisture had simply disappeared en masse.

Twilight jotted down the thought on a nearby yellow notepad. Normally, when all the moisture in an object evaporated at once, it tended to end in an explosion of steam, destroying whatever had spontaneously combusted. Mummies were created under special conditions, in a dry environment with specific chemicals to preserve the skin, muscles, and bones.

They were not created on the side of the road, fully clothed, with no wounds to be found anywhere on the body.

Twilight swore under her breath. She glanced over her team’s notes to give herself a little more time away from the cadaver. Female; mid-fifties; four foot, eight inches; upper-class judging by the gold wristwatch and pricey shoes; cream-colored skin; almond hair; five fillings; a pin in her knee; three days from retirement.

She scratched that last note off. Black humor didn’t quite seem appropriate.

The only identification she had on her was engraved into the back of the wristwatch; a small inscription that read “Happy Birthday, Ray. From Lesti.” Because nicknames were so very helpful when identifying a mummified body.

Moondancer walked into the room, holding a bundle of paper sheets. “Blood’s work’s back. Looks like she’s AB pos—” The woman paused. She looked over her glasses and touched a finger to her temple. “You look deader than the corpse.”

“Oog.” Twilight Sparkle ran her hands through her hair. They didn’t make it far before getting caught in her hairband. “What time is it?”

“Tomorrow-o’-clock.” Moondancer eased herself around the cadaver to stand at Twilight’s side. “You’ve got the weekend off, right? Get some sleep, Twi.”

“Sleep.” Twilight removed her glasses to rub her eyes. “Sounds wonderful. I’ll get right on that after the family reunion. And my date. And my workout. And… whatever the heck else I’ve decided to cram into the next couple of days.”

Moondancer drummed her fingers on the countertop beside the can of Booyah. “Did you at least schedule time to eat? Something to tide you over until your next caffeine high?”

“Didn’t you hear me?” Twilight Sparkle put on a fresh pair of gloves. She set about the unenviable task of preparing the cadaver for storage. “The family reunion is with the Apples. If I ever leave that house hungry, it’s because somebody sewed my mouth shut. Granny Smith’s a monster with the fryer, Big Mac was born and raised on the grill—and his fireside vegetables are divine—Applejack’s a madwoman when it comes to everything else. I’m gonna have to go on a diet just to maintain my weight after—” Twilight hiccupped. The clock on the wall read ten-o’-clock in the morning. The reunion was starting in… minutes, really. It was an all-day event at the least, all-weekend event at the most. It wasn’t like she wouldn’t get to experience most of it, even if she was a little late, but…

Every moment spent at the lab was time away from people who loved her.

Pace yourself, she thought, handling the tools of the trade with a delicate touch. Only fools rush in. She had time. She had plenty of time. No need to—

A blade fell from her grip. She reach out with sheer instinct and snatched it before it hit the ground. It hovered in midair, glistening with faint purple sparks.

Twilight glanced at Moondancer, who was busy looking over her notes. She hadn’t seen. Twilight breathed a sigh and set the tool next to the others. She flexed her fingers, from which power still flowed in streams of light. A deep breath, in through her nose and out of her mouth, slowed her heart and brought the magic to a standstill.

She was dangerously tired to make a slip-up like that. To use magic so close to a coworker? In a lab, where untamed magic could cause unknown reactions with chemicals? On a sheer blade, which if mishandled could cause serious injury? No, it was time to find a dark corner to curl up in and sleep forever.

Twilight blinked as she rolled the body into its assigned container. A forgotten Jane Doe, her identity completely lost, if only for the moment. A tragedy which had lost its chance for a happy ending.

For the moment, it was no longer Twilight Sparkle’s responsibility.

Twilight cleaned herself off once again. Germ-free and cadaver-bare, she headed for the exit.

Moondancer caught her shoulder. “Sparkle. The Chief wants the results. I’ve still got some cleaning up to do, so—”

“I’ll take care of it.” Twilight grasped the offered sheets of paper. “Dead-tree style, huh? I really wish Carrot would use her email more regularly.”

“I’ve always said she was born in the wrong decade.” Moondancer shot Twilight a mock salute with two fingers. “Godspeed.”

“Yeah, and may your lawn gnomes never fracture.”

Moondancer pursed her lips. “I suppose that’s a blessing I’m willing to take. Except I live in an apartment, leaving lawns and their gnomes a distant dream.”

“Whatever, just—” Twilight waved a useless hand and pushed the door open without another word.

Sunset Shimmer tapped her fingers against the steering wheel of her minivan. A captain at the helm of her vessel. A pilot of her starship through the cosmos. A lone soldier against a world of metal and mayhem, in which one wrong move could mean death for them all.

She activated the right turn signal and accelerated to twenty-five miles per hour. A glance in the rear-view mirror told her Sunny was happily scribbling away with his crayons. A muffled sigh from her right told her Shining Armor was having little success at his task.

Shining folded the newspaper in half to keep the windows clear. “Friggin’… Gimme something.”

Sunset suppressed a sigh of her own. “Shiny, save the job search for tomorrow.”

“I will.” Shining Armor plucked the pen from between his lips and circled an article in the want ads. “I swear I won’t even call anybody during the reunion.”

“You know what I mean.” Sunset eased the minivan out of the way of a biker meandering his way down the median. “Take today as a restful, relaxing celebration. Leave tomorrow’s issues for tomorrow. There’s enough stress to go around without you—”

“Sunset.” Shining tapped the paper against the dashboard. He shot her a half-convincing grin. “It’s fine. There’s no stress. I’m not stressed at all. Maybe you’re stressed, but I’m not. Not even a little.”

Sunset gritted her teeth behind tight lips. “You don’t act like it.”

Sunny looked up from his coloring book, a serious frown spoiling his adorable face. She could tell from the shine in his eyes that he was in full absorption mode, completely entranced by his parent’s conversation.

“Honey!”

Sunset slammed on the brakes. She skidded to a stop a few feet away from putting a dent in their neighbor’s car, which was half-pulled out of their driveway. Their neighbor waved at them—with just one finger—and drove off none the worse for the wear.

Shining Armor blew a breath through his lips, giving their neighbor a much friendlier wave. “You okay, Shimmy?”

Sunset gripped the wheel tighter. “Fine.”

“You want me to drive?”

“Not until we get your name on the insurance.”

“Fair’s fair.” Shining Armor pointed to the cars that had stopped behind them. “So, you wanna get rolling?”

Sunset stretched her neck rather than say anything. It was a fairly short drive to Sweet Apple Acres. Just a quick drive, and then she could unwind. Relax. Be among the friends who had become her family.

“Hey.” Shining touched her hand, sending tingles down her arm. “Summer’s not over yet, okay?”

She gave his forearm a squeeze, then sped onward and upward to their destination.

Twilight Sparkle squirmed out of the sweater as she stepped into the stuffy offices of Canterlot City Police Department. The air conditioning was acting up again, and the atmosphere of irritation was thick enough to swim through. Everyone who could be on their rounds was out, and the folks who remained… well…

The CCPD’s chief of police, Care Carrot, leaned against her desk as Twilight walked into her office. She fanned herself with a newspaper and grimaced. “Sparkle. Nice sweater. Perfectly seasonal.”

“Thank you, ma’am.” Twilight held out the test results, putting them within grabbing distance of the chief. “Not sure what else we can tell you. No ID tags, no discernable fingerprints, not even an eye color.”

“Awesome.” Care glanced over the bloodwork, found it uninteresting, and tossed it onto her desk. “So that’s one golden watch and a whole lot of dead. Think it was foul play? This sorta thing doesn’t happen by accident.”

“All due respect, this sorta thing doesn’t happen, period.” Twilight shrugged. “I’m heading out for the weekend. Try not to burn the city down while I’m gone.”

Care glanced down at the radio on her hip as it squawked. She blew a raspberry. “Any more days like today and a fire ’d be a nice change of pace. Keep your nose clean.”

Twilight Sparkle resisted the urge to simply tear off her dress shirt as she power walked between desks. She caught snippets of conversations as she walked by, recognizing various cases she was working on. Robberies, car accidents, domestic disputes, missing persons—

“She’s almost five feet tall,” one faintly familiar voice said. “A… pale complexion. Dark brunette hair. Ah… brown eyes. Last time I saw her, she was wearing a white dress—”

Twilight Sparkle halted in her tracks. That was a fairly strong coincidence if it was one. She glanced around for the voice, and was drawn to Officer Caution Tape’s desk, where he was interviewing someone.

“Can ye tell me anything more about Miss Raven?” he asked.

Happy Birthday, Ray. From Lesti. “Ray” checked out, but what did that leave “Lesti”?

Twilight Sparkle rounded a corner and ducked behind an officer. The woman Caution was interviewing came into view, and instantly, Twilight had a name for the face.

Principal Celestia sat with her arms propped on her knees, leaning over as if she was ready to vomit. She rubbed her temple. “I don’t know.”

Twilight Sparkle eased herself to the next desk over. The officer who usually manned it was probably in the restroom or something. She leaned her hands against it nonchalantly as possible, acting for all the world like she was supposed to be there.

“Anybody she’d be with? Local family? Enemies?”

“There was…” Celestia looked up with a chest-deep sigh. “She has no family. She’s never been anything but wonderful. I can’t think of a single person who’d want to hurt her. She’s been travelling for a few years, but I can’t imagine it’s changed anything.”

Caution nodded diplomatically. To Twilight, it seemed he was slightly more suspicious about Raven’s out-of-town activities than Celestia was. “Alright, Miss. Call us if you can think of anything else that might lead us to Miss Raven. And we’ll let you know what we find as soon as we can.”

“Thank you.” Celestia stood up slowly and reached out to shake his hand. “I appreciate the help, Officer Tape.”

Twilight Sparkle took that as the opportune moment to step in. “Excuse me.”

Caution raised an eyebrow. “Sparkle, we were just finishin’ up.”

Celestia’s eyes lit up, if only for an instant. A smile tugged at her lips as she moved her outstretched hand towards Twilight. “Twilight! Twilight Sparkle! How nice to see you! I was wondering if we’d run into each other.”

Twilight took the offered hand and shook gently. “The pleasure’s all mine, Celestia. It’s been a while.”

“Since Sunny’s fourth birthday party, yes.” Celestia’s smile shifted to slightly mischievous. “And I hear you and Sunset have a bit of a celebration ahead of you today, don’t you?”

“That’s for sure—” Twilight caught Caution’s souring disposition in her prereferral vision. Time to move the conversation forward. “I couldn’t help overhearing, and I think… I might have an answer for you.”

Celestia’s smile crumbled. Her eyebrows came together. Her voice, previously strong and chipper, lowered to a harsh whisper. “You do?”

“I think so.” Twilight Sparkle found herself wringing her hands together. “I was wondering… did you and Raven have nicknames for each other? Specifically, Ray and Lesti?”

Celestia was quiet for a long moment. She sat down, her eyes staring at nothing, the very color seeming to drain from her wavy locks. “Oh God.” She swallowed hard, and acknowledged Twilight with a tearful blink. “You found the watch, didn’t you?”

Caution Tape scowled at Twilight. “Sparkle, wot’s—?”

Twilight drew a line across her throat and silenced him with a glare.

Celestia no longer looked sad. Her eyes dried as if on command. Her mouth became a grim line. She folded her hands on her lap and took in a quick, steadying breath. “The watch is gold, with platinum trim, sealed with crystal, engraved with a birthday message from me to her. Th—the only three people who actively used those nicknames are me, my sister, and Raven. The only people still alive, that is.”

She shook her head. “You work in the morgue, don’t you?”

Twilight shook her head. “I’m a forensics lab technician, first and foremost. I mostly run the equipment and leave the… the medical diagnoses to doctors.”

Celestia’s eyebrows raised. “But she’s gone, isn’t she?”

Twilight waved an arm, pointedly ignoring Caution as he turned away in exasperation. “We don’t know that for sure. Someone could have stolen the watch, or—”

“Twilight.” Celestia grabbed her hand. “We are both smart women. We can put two and two together. It’s why you’re here.”

Twilight looked down at her shoes. She felt regret tugging at the corners of her mind. Regret for Celestia’s situation, or for getting involved, she wasn’t sure.

“Was is painless?” Celestia asked. “Please tell me she didn’t suffer.”

Twilight met Celestia where she was. Eye to eye, truth bared, voice steady. “I’m sorry. I don’t know the answer to that.”

Celestia’s mouth twisted. “Can I see her?”

“Absolutely not!” Caution said. He bumped his knuckles against Twilight’s shoulder as she stepped back from Celestia. He took her out of earshot and leaned in close to hiss a whisper. “If Raven is the Jane Doe you’ve got stuffed in the fridge, seein’ her ain’t gonna do Celestia any favors, mentally speakin’. And where do you get the spikenard to push into my Q and A session like that without talkin’ to me first?”

Twilight wanted for all the world to roll her eyes, but kept a professional face. Barely. “I connected the dots on your investigation before you started. You’re welcome.”

“I swear, Sparkle, one of these days—” He stepped to the side to allow another officer to pass between the desks. “—one of these days you’re gonna step on the toes of due process and get yourself in a problem you can’t get out of.”

Maybe one of these days you’ll discover breath mints, Twilight thought. “I’ll keep that in mind, Scotch.”

“Scotch was my father’s name.” Caution bustled back to his desk, leaving Twilight to watch the scene from afar. Celestia glanced at her, but her attention soon fell away as she discussed with Caution regarding the new revelation. Twilight considered sticking around, but she was no longer on the clock, and making Caution miserable was a fool’s errand.

With her sweater slung over her arm, her pistol tucked securely away, and her destination set, Twilight Sparkle left the CCPD for the weekend. She suspected it wasn’t the last she would hear about Celestia and Raven.

But for now, there were more important things to think about.

Sunset Shimer rolled up to the farmhouse. She was not the first to arrive, it seemed, as she had to navigate around a veritable parking lot that had spontaneously appeared on Sweet Apple Acres’ front lawn. A long paved path through the grass snaked its way around trees and stopped just short of the first of a few barns. Tractors and plowing equipment had been shifted aside for a photo display. Streamers trailed between branches and rooftops. Balloons hung with care from a giant sign, as tall as a person, which proudly announced the reason for the festivities.

Shining rolled the paper up and tucked it into the glove compartment. Once the engine turned off, laughter and conversation radiated from the farm all around them. He shared a smile with her and set about freeing Sunny from his confinement.

Sunny practically vibrated. “I wanna go swimming!”

“Gotcha, buddy.” Shining laughed as he strained over the back of the seat. “Gimme a sec—”

Sunset Shimmer opened the passenger door, reached over, and unbuckled Sunny with a flick of her fingers. She winked at Shining—“Beat ya to it”—and moved to the side to allow the young boy to bolt into the open air.

Walter and Wilbur, the Apple Family’s most recent batch of puppies, collided with Sunny and nearly knocked him over. The three of them ran around like mad, barking and yipping up a storm. If Sunset didn’t know better, she’d say Sunny was barking louder than the dogs combined.

Shining Armor hugged Sunset from behind and gave her a peck on the cheek. “Is there anything you can’t do effortlessly?”

Sunset laughed in the back of her throat. “Fly.”

She pulled away from her husband, raising an arm to wave at a figure approaching them across the field. “Applejack!”

Applejack whistled, calling Wilbur and Walter to her side. She tipped her hat and returned the wave with a flourish. “Welcome, one an’ all, to the Apple Family reunion! We got games, food, prizes, an’ just plain good company.” She encased Sunset in a hug made of iron, but cushioned with love. “An’ the best part is that Granny Smith finally let me plan another reunion, so you know it’s gonna be good.”

“Uh oh,” Shining said, crossing his arms. “Is fun mandatory again this year?”

“Har-de-har, loudmouth.” Applejack chucked him in the shoulder with enough oomph to lay low a wildcat. “B’sides, I had a lot of help from Pinkie and Cheese. So I can’t take all the credit.”

Sunset led the way towards the reunion proper, located between the farmhouse and the grain barn. “That does explain the streamers.”

“Streamers, nothin’. They were this close to making the pond a giant punch bowl.” Applejack punched a fist in the air and hollered at the top of her lungs. “Soup’s up! Come an’ get it while the gettin’s good!”

A crowd of friends and family, familiar and otherwise, rolled across the lawn. People of every size, shape, color, and walk of life crowded around with smiles to spare. Sunset cast a glance for Sunny in the melee, and was relieved to find him safe in his father’s arms.

In a flash, Sunset was the center of attention for the other most important people in her life. Rainbow Dash leaped up to press down on Sunset’s shoulders. “Sunset! You made it!”

“As if there was any doubt,” Rarity said, giving Sunset a peck on each cheek. “Wild boars couldn’t keep her away.”

Pinkie Pie shoved a plate overflowing with goodies into her hands. “Have you tried the punch? It’s a little underwhelming compared to what it could have been, but—”

Fluttershy grasped Sunset’s hand and giggled. “It’s most definitely a reunion now that you’re here. I can’t tell you how happy I am to see you.”

Applejack parted the ranks with strong, patient hands. “Alright, y’all, you’re gonna smother her b’fore she even has a bite to eat. Give the girl some space.”

Rarity sniffed, holding her nose in the air. “Well, if I must maintain a certain distance from Sunset, then I shall have to settle for spoiling her darling child. Come to Auntie Rarity, dear!”

Sunny was quick to accept. He hugged Rarity’s legs and gave her a wide smile. “Can I have candy, Auntie Rarity?”

Rarity ruffled his reddish hair. “Dearest Sunny, it’s a Pinkie Pie Party at Sweet Apple Acres. You have only yourself to blame for not eating yourself sick.”

“I don’t wanna get sick.”

“I didn’t mean—” Rarity rolled her eyes and nodded to Sunset. “He has a head on his shoulders. I approve.”

Granny Smith’s voice carried over from a table laden with victuals of every kind. “You kids better bust a move on over here! These apples ain’t gonna eat themselves, now, hear? Gotta put some meat on your bones for the games!”

Rainbow Dash crossed her legs and leaned an elbow on Sunset Shimmer’s shoulder. She plucked a bite of monkey bread from the plate and tossed it into her mouth. “I love being an Apple for a day.”

Sunset passed the plate to a slightly-confused Fluttershy. She shielded her eyes from the morning sun, scanning the reunion for others. “Has Twilight gotten here yet? Did you guys see her?”

“Nope!” Pinkie Pie pulled a list from behind her back. It trailed down to her spindly knees. “I can say with utmost certainty that of the guests invited, only thirty-seven have failed to arrive, and twenty of those RSVPed that they couldn’t come. Twilight Sparkle finds herself number sixteen of the unaccounted for.”

Shining Armor scratched his forehead. “I think Twilight’d be proud of that assessment.” He rested a hand lightly on Sunset’s shoulder to get her attention. “I’m gonna grab a few of the guys and see if I can’t drum up a football game. You’ve got Sunny until he’s inevitably swooped up by his adoring public?”

“Too late for that.” Sunny stood by Rarity’s side, who had brought him to Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom. The two young ladies were already cooing over him with reckless abandon, spoiling him with treats from their plates and laughing at his four-year-old skill-level jokes. Sunset slipped her fingers around Shining’s. “Go have fun, and get a touchdown for me. Just don’t get too hurt.”

Sunset paused her scan, landing on a face closer to her heart than most. “Excuse me, please. I need to say hi.”

Pinkie bobbed her head, sending her curls dancing wildly. “We’ll be here!”

Fluttershy passed the plate to Rainbow Dash, who gave up all pretenses of merely nibbling. “You’re going to say hello to Scootaloo?”

“Yeah.” Sunset Shimmer brushed her hair behind her ear with the tips of her fingers. “Wish me luck.”

Applejack nodded. “Godspeed.”

Scootaloo stood in line, waiting her chance to pull meat from the foil trays set along the table. She reached for a rib, thought better of it, and grabbed a few chicken wings instead. An extra dollop of barbeque sauce found its way to her plate, carefully avoiding any chance to soil her leather jacket.

“Hi, Scoots.” Sunset Shimmer took a plate in hand and followed Scootaloo down the buffet. “How’s things?”

“Hm?” Scootaloo glanced up, quirked her mouth to the side, and returned her attention to the food. “Hey, Sunset. Things ’re good. Got that job at Petal Metal’s Garage. Seems like a good fit.”

“Good. I’m glad.” Sunset felt her cheeks heat up. Ribs would absolutely destroy her dress, but that might be a small sacrifice to make. Yes, that seemed a good idea; concern herself with food rather than the person she was talking to. Much more gooder idea. “Are you still taking classes at the community college?”

“Nah. Taking a break. Building up my coffers.” Scootaloo snorted. “I’m gonna need to work for years if I wanna even get close to… eh. You know.”

Scootaloo grinned. She nudged Sunset in the side. “Hey. Almost got my pilot’s license. Just need a little more airtime.”

Sunset breathed a sigh. There was something to grasp at. An actual conversation. “Still taking off from Whistler Fields?”

“Yeah, old man Bunsen still keeps his planes in working order.” Scootaloo looked to the left, then the right. She leaned close and hissed just above the dull roar of the reunion. “Know what? Last time I went up, I totally did a roll.”

Sunset gave her a double-take. “You did not!”

“Totally.”

“Oho ho gosh.” Sunset laughed, shaking her head in incredulity. “Oh gosh, how are you not dead?”

“Because I didn’t tell Mom.” Scootaloo held up a hand, hesitating before touching it to Sunset’s shoulder. “Don’t tell Mom. She’d die, then come back as a zombie to kill me. And then she’d ground me. As a zombie. Please.”

Sunset looked her foster sister in the eye for the first time that day. She nodded slowly, certainly. “Your secret’s safe with me. Just don’t crash next time you do that.”

“I didn’t crash the first time.” Scootaloo pointed at Sunset, then turned away to head for Apple Bloom and Sweetie. “One step closer to the dream, am-I-right?”

“That’s right, Scootaloo.” Sunset Shimmer set her plate down, all but ignored. She hugged her bare arms, wishing for words worth speaking. “Keep following that dream.”

Twilight Sparkle followed a familiar road towards the farmland. It was a road she’d driven many times the last six-or-so years, to meet with a special friend. A special friend who grew into something else.

A couple special friends, really. Big Mac lay heavy on her mind, but Sunset as well. It was the place she’d first met the magical woman. It was the first time she’d ever felt home anywhere outside wherever her parents lived at the time. At least, when they weren’t staying at some random army base. That never quite felt like home. Not for her.

Spike had helped. Shining had helped. But things don’t last forever. Shining had joined the military and flown overseas, and Spike…

Twilight drove to the edge of the property. Her little purple car barely made a noise as she took the key from the ignition. Her tires fit neatly into her favorite parking spot. The reunion would be in full swing by this point, but she had another stop to make.

She walked through wet grass. Rain had been strong that year, and even though the sky was blue and cloudless, the ground was still heavy with moisture. Barely a birdsong broke through the stillness of the little plot at the edge of Sweet Apple Acres. Marble memorials dotted the grounds, broken by the occasional taller stone.

She knelt beside one memorial in particular, lying in the outermost portion of the property. A humble little plot with modest plaques. She brushed droplets aside and read the words inscribed therein.

Spike. Beloved dog and fearsome dragon.

She hugged her knees and knelt by the grave for a while. It was peaceful, calming, quiet. A time to empty her mind of the worries of work, or the troubles of tomorrow. Just a little moment spent between friends.

A heavy footstep broke the reverie, but it was not an entirely unpleasant interruption. Twilight Sparkle looked over her shoulder to see a big, tall man, with sandy blond hair and amazing biceps. “Hi, Big Mac. How’d you know to look here?”

“You always stop by and see Spike first.” He reached down to help her to her feet. He practically lifted her off the ground as effortlessly as he might pick up an errant sheet of paper. “I saw your car drive by, and figured I’d greet you before things got too crazy at the party.”

Twilight rested her hands on his chest and leaned close. “Good idea.”

A gentle kiss was shared beneath a lone apple tree in the cemetery. A birdsong serenaded the couple, following them as they walked slowly towards the party, hand-in-hand. Twilight adjusted her glasses with her free hand to push them higher on her nose.

“I’m glad you could come,” Big Mac said. “I know work’s been rough on you, lately.”

“It is kinda terrible.” Twilight blew a long breath through pursed lips. “I had the honor of telling somebody their loved one passed away today.”

Big Mac lowered his eyebrows. “Wanna talk about it?”

“Not now.” Twilight shook her head. Her loose ponytail batted her shoulders. “Not today. Not when we’ve got so much to be happy for.”

Big Mac smiled. It was a small smile, sad at the edges, but sincere. It was a special smile, one that he saved for her and her alone. “I can think of one thing in particular.”

“Oh yeah?” Twilight winced at the tension in her shoulders, but managed to force a curious smile. “Hit me with it.”

“Well,” Big Mac said, “I do know that bein’ with you, and talkin’ to you, and walkin’ beside you… well, that kinda makes me happy all by itself.”

Twilight squeezed his hand. The sounds of the party grew warmer as they approached, beating the heat and humidity for prevalence. Magic tingled at her fingertips. She stuffed the sparkling hand into her pocket to hide it from view. If there was one thing she still lacked skill in, it was controlling her magic despite her emotions. Feeling that light, that spark of friendship, still tended to draw out the deepest part of herself.

Big Mac looked down at her left hand, the one he was still holding. “Kinda tingles.”

Twilight felt her face heat up, but wasn’t going to pull away unless he asked. “Yeah. It’s still taking a while to get used to. I mean, the studies are absolutely fascinating, but it doesn’t remove the fact that it’s still so bizarre. So out of this world…”

She held her free hand up. Pinpricks of light flitted around, dancing between her fingers, tracing shapes in midair. “To think, this power lived in me all these years and I never knew it.”

A spark touched the tip of Big Mac’s nose. He blinked and twitched his nostrils, chuckling from the back of his throat. “You think other people have that power?”

“Maybe.” She shrugged. “Who can say for sure unless they have an encounter with magic?”

“Couldn’t tell yah,” he said. “Ain’t had much sense of it myself, even spendin’ time with you.”

“You’ve got a magic all your own.” Twilight glanced behind, to catch the last glimpse of the cemetery. Spike’s memorial sat beneath the old apple tree, highlighted by the sun. To her front, the party was in full swing, with friends and food and fun awaiting her arrival.

Big Mac cupped the side of her head and laid a kiss atop it. “I love you, Twilight.”

“I love you, too, Mac.”

Celestia sat at her computer, her head in her hands. She peered between her fingers to see the screen. The search engine had found her an answer. In zero-point-one-seven seconds, no less, as the data proudly proclaimed.

Ursagryph University, est. 1863 by King Andean Ursagryph as a sanctuary of higher education. Located in the Highborn Isles on the Lake Isle of Inasmuch. Alumni of this university include every member of the Royal Family, from King Periwinkle the Just in times past to our very own Prince Blueblood the Second.

Luna wandered in behind her, munching on a burrito and clutching her robe tight around the chest. “Not thinking of jumping ship again, are you?”

Celestia snorted into her palms. “Luna, if I wanted any other position besides High School Principal, I’d have left decades ago.”

Luna leaned on the back of the office chair. “Oh. Ursagryph University. It’s been a while since I saw that name.”

“No kidding.” Celestia leaned back, offsetting Luna’s balance. “I found Raven.”

“Huh?” Luna grasped Celestia’s shoulder. “Where? Did she go back to the school? Take up a teaching job?”

Celestia’s rough, reddened eyes met Luna’s own. “The police found the watch. She never took that thing off, Luna. They found it on a body.”

The burrito dropped from a limp hand. Luna cupped her mouth, stumbling back. Her eyes flicked to the screen, and shimmered with its light. “Oh. Oh, Celestia, I’m sorry—You’re going to tell him, aren’t you?”

“As soon as I can.” Celestia scrolled down the page until she found a small tab labeled “Contact Us.” A click sent her to a page with email links, street addresses, and a few phone numbers. She picked up the cell phone set beside the computer and punched in the front desk, preceded by the country code. Foreign calls were expensive, she knew, but money was no object. Not to her, and not in this instance.

“Hello, you have reached the front desk of Ursagryph University. How may I direct your call?”

Celestia steeled herself from her core. Her hand gripped the cell phone tight. “I need to speak with a professor there. Would you connect me to Dr. Sombra?”

“I’m afraid Dr. Sombra has taken a holiday.”

Celestia held the mic away from her mouth to groan.

“Would you like me to give him a message?”

“Yes, please.” Celestia’s mouse cursor flitted across the screen and selected a tab marked “Staff.” A long photo appeared, filled with people old and young, proud and disgruntled, familiar and unknown. Near the center, with the senior staff, stood a tall, strong man, held up with a cane. The wrinkles were new, coursing across his face and cracking it with age, but the eyes were the same. The flowing black hair was unchanged as well, if streaked with gray.

She, too, was fighting a losing battle with age as far as gray hair went. She was half-certain she’d be pure white if not for the constant hair color she assailed her head with.

“Please state your message, and I shall give it to Dr. Sombra as soon as he returns.”

“Please tell him… it’s from Celestia.” Celestia sighed. Luna put reassuring hands on her shoulders, even as she leaned forward to listen closer. “Tell him I have… very important news about his sister.”

Endless Possibilities

Evening came to Sweet Apple Acres, but the party did not abate. Classic games like bocce ball, the sack race, and the egg toss competed with each other for prominence. Blindman’s Bluff monopolized the pond. Piñatas were set up for the younger kids all over the farm; that was probably Pinkie Pie’s idea.

Cheese Sandwich snorted as he tried to hold his phone steady. A video displayed on the touch screen, showcasing a variety of wild animals dubbed over with various accents from the Highborn Isles. Two giraffes played the part of a couple in the midst of a lovers’ spat.

Big Macintosh watched from over Cheese’s shoulder, his mouth not quite betraying emotion, but his eyes lighting up all the same. Shining was in hysterics, the video having hit his funny bone juuust right.

Big Mac ran a towel over his head to dry it from his time in the pond. Sunny had challenged him to make a bigger splash than he did. He had obliged with a little help from the tire swing. Applejack had muttered something about knocking all the water out of the pond, but the kids loved the waves. After that, Twilight had challenged him to a race across the water, and had almost beat him. Combine that with a touch football game with Shining, Cheese, and the others, alongside helping set the party up, and Big Mac was just about ready to relax the rest of the day.

He looked across the pond and saw Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer sitting together. A couple of their other friends were close by, having not yet left for their homes.

A few of them would be back the next day, as their schedules allowed. Most of the out-of-town family would be staying on the farm, nestled into barns or campers or tents. After the most recent growing season, there was plenty of food to go around, and plenty of firewood to cook it over. For just this small moment, nobody had work to do, or places to be, or worries to ponder. Not unless they brought such things for themselves.

“We have fun,” Cheese said, putting his phone away and leaning back against the grass. He opened one eye to look Big Mac’s way. “You know, I woulda had that touchdown if you’d just thrown the ball to me.”

Shining took a breath long enough to finally speak around the titters. “Seriously? Cheese, there’s a reason we gave you the kicker position.”

“Blah blah, it’s touch football. The rules have changed.” Cheese cupped his hands behind his frizzled, curly hair. “I coulda caught it. Maybe.”

Big Mac sat cross-legged and pulled his shirt over his head. The sun set behind Twilight, framing her through the trees. Her beautiful smile outshone the celestial object by several orders of magnitude.

Cheese nudged his knee. “Somebody’s distracted.”

Big Mac chuckled. “It’s not a distraction if it’s the main focus.”

Shining Armor propped his chin up on a fist. He checked on Sunny, who sat a few yards way getting pampered by Granny Smith. Satisfied that his boy was occupied for the moment, he tossed the football Big Mac’s way. “So. You gonna pop the question or what?”

Mac caught the football one-handed. He shook out his hair in an attempt to get himself the least bit presentable. “What question?”

“You know the one.” Shining not-quite-surreptitiously touched the ring on his left hand. “I mean, you guys ’ve been dating for longer than Sunset and I’ve known each other.”

Cheese raised himself to rest on his elbows. “In Mac’s defense, you guys tied the knot in less time than it takes to buy a house.”

Shining Armor twisted in his lawn chair. He took a sip of juice. “When you know, you know, right?”

“I know you know I knew.” Cheese Sandwich tapped the side of his nose. “But there’s more to knowing than knowing who, you know?”

Big Mac gripped the football tight. He tossed it to himself gently, mulling over his response to his friend. “I know a few things. I know Twilight’s more’n I could imagine. More’n I deserve. I know she deserves more’n I can give right now.”

He threw the ball Shining’s way, who snatched it out of the air. “I also know,” Big Mac said, “that the time ain’t right yet.”

Cheese took in a long breath through his nose, quiet-like. He tapped his teeth before finally releasing his thoughts into the wild. “Pinkie and I got married too soon. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t take it back for all the sassafras in the world, but we were just kids. We hit a lot of roadblocks that we wouldn’t have had to face if we’d just waited a couple years after graduation.”

Shining attempted to spin the football on his finger, but mostly just succeeded in letting it flop to his lap. “You were both self-supporting, though.”

“Not just money troubles.” Cheese ran a hand through his curls. “Nooot just money. Experience more than anything else tells you how to deal with stress. We had next to none. Car troubles, house hunting, living with the Cakes for the first two years… Oh boy that got awkward.”

He lay full in the grass and leaned his head back. He pointed a thin finger towards the makeshift parking lot, where they could see Pinkie hugging Rainbow Dash and Rarity goodbye. “Toooootally worth it.”

Mac rested his elbows on his knees. “Big awkward thing right now: I’m a full-time farmer and she’s a full-time science-magician.”

“So?” Cheese slipped a morsel off of Shining Armor’s plate of goodies. “Move in with her and make her drive you to work every morning. Bright and early.”

Shining Armor moved the plate further away from his friend. “Every relationship has rough patches. You can either smooth them over, or you can stumble endlessly around them.”

Mac gave his friend a sidelong glance. He bobbed his head noncommittally. “We both want the same thing, Shining. We wanna see her happy.”

“Truer words,” Shining said.

“So it’s a recurring thing, now?”

Twilight Sparkle held her hand outward, across the water. Purple sparks gently drifted on the wind, dancing across the reflective surface. “It feels like every time I’m even a little bit relaxed or happy, my magic just… lights up. My fingers tingle, pencils start floating around, it’s weird.”

Sunset Shimmer took Twilight’s hand and examined it closely. A little hint of orange light met Twilight’s purple. Flickers of magic power traveled in and around the veins in Twilight’s arm as Sunset’s spell did its work. “We established long ago that magic is intrinsically tied to the mental state of the individual. It drives that intent, the force, the badda-bing badda boom.” Sunset shrugged and intertwined her fingers with Twilight’s. “I dunno. There’s nothing wrong with you. I think your body’s just understanding magic faster than your mind is.”

“Huh?”

“Like, you’re building up the muscle memory before you’ve learned to walk.” Sunset gave her a shallow grin. “That doesn’t explain much, does it?”

Twilight raised her eyebrows. “Does this look like the face of a woman who comprehends?”

“Fine, fine.” Sunset danced her toes in the pond, checking that yes, Sunny was still in the tender care of his adoptive granny. “It’s like your body discovered a new sense. One that has its own load of instincts tied to it. Like, you don’t think about smelling, you just know how to smell. You don’t think about how to see, you just see.”

Twilight wiggled her fingers. A flush of power unknown soared from her heart to her hand, creating an empty bubble of magic energy. “I don’t think about creating a lavender light show…”

“Right.” Sunset raised her hand to showcase a palm alight with flame. “But it takes time to differentiate one smell from another. Or to learn the difference between green and turquoise. It’s the same with magic. Some stuff comes automatically, but most of the finer details come with concentration and education.”

Twilight clenched her hand. A popsicle rose from a nearby cooler and landed deftly in her palm. “Q.E.D.”

“Of course, you’re lucky it only manifests when you’re happy.” Sunset snickered and doused the fire in the pond. “Take it from one who’s been there. If you were super-angry all the time, those sparks would probably more likely kill small birds than tickle my hand.”

Twilight slipped her hand away and rested in it her lap. She swallowed hard, nearly choking on the large piece of ice she’d bitten off. “Yeee… So… might be time to bring up my temper—”

“Just keep from casting spells when you’re angry.” Sunset brushed grass from her thigh as she stood up. She slipped a light coat over her shoulders as cool evening air overpowered the heat of the day. “Just do as best you can.”

“Easy for you to say.” Twilight lay down, spreading her arms out and allowing the magic to dissipate. “I suppose magical tantrums are just part of life in Equestria.”

“More or less,” Sunset said. “But kids generally have less destructive capability than you.”

Twilight sighed. She lay quietly, still and calm. Her heart slowed, and the tingle left her fingertips. “It’s a lot of responsibility.”

“Yeah.” Sunset hugged her stomach. She blew Shining a kiss from across the pond. “But it’s also a lot of fun.”

She grinned. “You know what’s really fun? Teleportation.”

That got Twilight’s attention. She sat up a little, her brow furrowed. “You’re kidding.”

“Nope.”

“You cannot be serious.”

“I’m totally serious.”

“How?” Twilight stood up and grabbed Sunset’s forearm. “You need to tell me. Need.”

“Don’t get too excited. I haven’t been able to do it since I left Equestria.” Sunset waggled a finger. “But I’m figuring it out. I think that if we put our heads together…”

“Two minds working on the same problem!” Twilight Sparkle hopped once, using Sunset’s arm for balance. “Sunset, do you realize what this means?”

Sunset shifted her stance to support the both of them. “That we’d be able to teleport?”

“That we’d be able to teleport!” Twilight slapped her forehead. “Can you just imagine the practical applications? What we could learn about physics and the lack thereof? We are talking literal teleportation, right? The displacement of matter? Crossing distances in the blink of an eye?”

“That’s the only teleportation I know of.”

“This is amazing!” Twilight Sparkle staggered away from her friend, lightheaded and dizzy. The sun dipped towards the horizon, sealing the day and summoning the night. “I can’t… even imagine.”

She snapped her head around, holding out a hand. “You have to explain the theory. We need to get on this as soon as possible! How long have you…” Twilight blinked as reality set in. A crushing weight descended on her chest. “You’ve been trying to figure it out since high school, haven’t you?”

“With improvements every day.” Sunset clasped her hands and glanced away. “I mean, it wasn’t even until recently that I even started practicing magic again. I have you to thank for that.”

Twilight crossed her arms and pouted.

“Look, I can do light shows all day, but…” Sunset gave her an uneasy grin. “This is a high-level spell. It’s not something that gets uncovered in a single day.”

Twilight bobbed her head and hid a smile. “So when you say you’ve been working on it—”

“I’ve been working on the theory since early January.” Sunset tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “It’s been a few months, but, you know. I’ve had other things to worry about.”

Twilight sent her brother a knowing glance. He tossed a football to himself, staring into space, only half an ear on the conversation between Cheese and Mac. “That’s for sure.”

“But! Anyway!” Sunset moved behind Twilight and touched her shoulders. “Long story short, once we understand the theory, you are not to attempt to teleport yourself. The first step is always to teleport inanimate objects first.”

“Sounds like commons sense to me.” Twilight held up a hand, which flashed a pale lavender. She allowed a spell from Sunset to guide her hand, carving intricate motions through the air. “But I’m curious. What happens with a bad teleport?”

“Magical overload’s the most dangerous thing.” Sunset narrowed her eyes in concentration. “Ruptured fairy strings and or blood vessels. Heart failure. If the teleport is performed, but the destination’s wrong, you could end up appearing encased in solid rock. It took three days to dig Litterbug out of the foundations of Celestia’s School.”

“Um.” Twilight felt sweat trickle down her back. “Dead?”

“Nah. Just really, really traumatized.” Sunset snickered. “You’d be surprised how much of the preliminary casting is just a series of failsafes. Personal forcefields, safety areas, good old reality checks. It’s all interwoven so that if anything gets missed, the spell just plain won’t work.”

Twilight scrunched her nose. “That’s awful thoughtful of the spell’s designer.”

“Starswirl never missed a trick.”

“Who?”

“I’ll tell you later.” Sunset released Twilight and took a measured step back. “Right now… voila!”

The etchings in the air burned themselves in Twilight’s mind. She saw the equations, the order of operations, the sheer emotion to be poured into the spell. She understood most of it; the rest would come with practice.

She licked her lips. “This stuff could change the world.”

“Yeah, it could.” Sunset bumped shoulders with Twilight. “So be careful who knows this, alright?”

“Right.” The magic image dissipated with a wave of Twilight’s hand. “So…”

“Yeah.” Sunset grinned down at her friend. She pointed across the pond. “I think I need a s’more. You need a s’more?”

Twilight followed Sunset’s hand to see Mac, Shiny, and Cheese attempting to build a bonfire. Shiny of course was building it in a tent-shape, like his scouts training always told him. Cheese, on the other hand, was quick to provide lighter fluid. While they were arguing, Big Mac was laying the logs in and fanning the weak flame, happy in his own stoic, levelheaded way.

“Yeah. S’mores seem like just the thing to end the evening.”

Dr. Sombra’s braced leg clomped against the floor of Ursagryph University. His cane kept balance and time, step by laborious step. Most people said he should just bite the bullet and get a wheelchair, but he couldn’t bear the thought of it. So he walked painfully down the halls, his pride and his well-trained muscles keeping him aloft.

Save for the horrific mess that had once been his knee.

It was an old wound, but one that would affect him to his dying day. Earned during a terrible war. Bit of a redundancy, that, but still. But the holidays always helped. Relaxing in the country. Breathing in the fresh air. Riding the horses that reminded him so much of his younger years…

He had gotten himself a haircut to reflect his younger years as well. Trimmed short and smartly, akin to his days in the military. At the least, it was easier to take care of than the voluminous mane he normally sported. The side burns that led down to his cheeks always gave his students a laugh, but he tolerated the mild disrespect. Just barely.

There was another thing that eased the pain. Something wonderous and magical, yet something he was hesitant to share with the world at large. It was a tiny magic spark that lit deep in his breast and trailed down to the injured limb, soothing as it went.

Magic. Now there was a concept physics professors weren’t known to genuinely entertain thoughts of. Yet there he was, his mind brimming with possibilities and powers. All thanks to one woman.

One woman, and her little community in the countryside.

He doffed his hat and hung it on the rack as he stepped into his office. He gave his personal assistant a nod. “Litterbug, anything to report?”

“Yes, actually.” Litterbug handed him a stack of papers. Possibly the usual ungraded paperwork and various rubbish he received in the mail. “You received a message from overseas earlier this week, and you have an appointment with someone from the Prime Minister’s office.”

The visitor from the Prime Minister’s office was not unheard of, but Fancy Pants usually got in touch with him personally. Strange on its own, but the other matter seemed far more unique. “Overseas? What country, exactly?”

“It was from some province in Libertas.” Litterbug sucked on her lips. “I can’t keep all their territories straight. The information’s all recorded, so…”

Sombra took a seat behind the desk and let some weight off his leg. He supposed he couldn’t expect Litterbug to retain everything. “Very well. When is the appointment?”

“As soon as possible.” Litterbug rubbed her hands together. “He’s sitting in the lobby.”

Sombra clasped both hands on the head of his cane. Curiouser and curiouser. “Let’s not keep him waiting. Send him in.”

“Yes, sir.” She left with a click of her heels on the floor. She was unnerved, that was certain. Sombra suspected she was as curious as he was about the unexpected forced appointment. Unlike her, though, he knew the Prime Minister of the Highborn Isles as a personal friend. He had little to fear.

And yet…

The man who entered Sombra’s office was young. Mid-to-late twenties, at the most. His sharply trimmed beard exuded an aura of control, while his tight, mid-back length ponytail spoke of a freer spirit than Sombra would attribute to a government agent. A noble, perhaps? His snappy, expensive suit said as much, or that he had more money than he knew how to spend. A businessman? All of the above?

Sombra stood and offered his hand to the gentleman. “I am Dr. Sombra, Professor of Physics.”

The man took the hand with a firm shake. “Viscount Dulcimer. Pleasure to meet you.”

A viscount. A non-hereditary title, often granted to companions of high-ranking individuals. Was Dulcimer connected to Fancy Pants in some way other than politics? “Please, take a seat,” Sombra said. “Tell me what brings you to Ursagryph University.”

“I’m actually alumni.” Dulcimer took his chair and propped one leg on the other, smoothly and easily. A bit too familiar, in Sombra’s opinion. “It’s been a few years since I attended. It feels like coming home.”

Sombra raised an eyebrow. Was it hilariously off-subject, or was he leading into something? “What year did you graduate?”

“Two-thousand twelve.”

A number familiar to the school, and to Sombra himself. One of his most troubling students had graduated at that time; none other than Blueblood, Crowned Prince of the Highborn Isles. The teachers reasoned that the only way he could have graduated was help from a dear friend of his, named Hammer.

“Hammer Dulcimer,” Sombra said quietly, yet audibly. “You’re Prince Blueblood’s friend.”

“Practically a retainer, really.” Dulcimer leaned forward, propping his chin up with a hand. “In the classic sense.”

“Of course.”

Dulcimer smiled. “Now that we both know each other, you’re probably hoping I answer the question directly.”

Sombra said nothing, content to merely glare at the viscount.

“Prime Minister Pants and I have been working together a great deal recently.” Dulcimer gestured vaguely with his free hand. “What with King Bluemane’s failing health, Prince Blueblood’s taking on of his duties, the whole ordeal. We’re hoping to pave the road for a smooth transition. Practically, that means keeping tabs on the goings on in the Isles.”

Sombra’s mind flashed to a particular “goings on” that he had been careful to keep under wraps. Had word gotten out? What did Litterbug or his colleagues know? “These are difficult times.”

“And about to get even more difficult.” Dulcimer lowered both feet to the floor, all illusions of comfort and familiarity slipping away. “The word is that you’ve been keeping company with a known subversive. A political activist. An anti-monarchist.”

Sombra tightened his grip on his cane. “Speaking one’s opinion is not illegal.”

“No, of course not.” Dulcimer smiled, tapping a knee. “But we both know that Miss Starlight Glimmer is capable of far more than mere words.” He leaned back, steepling his fingers. “What I don’t know is: Just what is she capable of?”

Dulcimer stood and eased the door shut. He looked at Sombra over his shoulder and held his hands out. “Relax. I’m just here to talk, and it’ll be better if nobody eavesdrops. I know there’s something different going on in the little village you holiday in.” He leaned on Sombra’s desk to bring himself eye-to-eye. “Prime Minister Pants wants to regulate it. Bring it into the fold. Make it taxable.”

Sombra maintained his seat and his gaze. He curled his lip just enough to allow Dulcimer to know that he tread on very dangerous ground. “She would never agree to such a thing.”

“I know.” Dulcimer shook his head lightly. “But also know that if she doesn’t comply, we can shut her down for running a school without a license. She has no credentials. No backing. Just a bunch of very loyal followers. In Fancy Pants’ eyes, it is a very dangerous thing that you’ve made yourself a part of.”

Ah, there was something. He kept maintaining that these were the opinions of Fancy Pants, whereas before, he had regarded their team as “we.” Perhaps he had differing thoughts. “And what do you think, viscount?”

For the first time since he’d arrived, Dulcimer gave him a smile that Sombra saw as genuine. “I want to find out just what this school of yours is teaching. Learn the ins and outs of it. Glean some idea of what you’re all about. Under the guise of studying it for the Prime Minister’s sake, yes, but… well…”

He took the chair once more, a faraway look shimmering behind his eyes. “I’ve always had some intertest in magic. Not the occult, of course, but something more real. Something, I think, you know quite a bit about.” He pointed at Sombra. “It scares Fancy Pants. As does everything he sees as potentially becoming more powerful than he is. And this Starlight Glimmer has real power. Dangerous power.”

Sombra lowered his head a touch. He was right, of course. Starlight Glimmer was not shy about expressing her opinions. She was not shy about her plans to enact change. Good intentions or no, if she was allowed to run unchecked, there could be catastrophe. “And how would you handle things?”

“I want to legitimize the school.” Dulcimer ran a hand over his beard. “Not regulate it, legitimize it. Bring it into the public consciousness as a real source of knowledge and strength.” The smirk resurfaced, chilling Sombra. “Of course, in order to present it the best I could, I would need to educate myself in the very things Miss Glimmer teaches.”

Sombra breathed softly through his nose. “And I am your best way of reaching her.”

“Bingo.” Dulcimer crossed his arms. “Can we make it happen?”

“I will need… time to contact her.”

Dulcimer stood and unlatched the door. Before he went through, he offered his hand. “Take as much time as you need, but no more. Remember, if Fancy Pants isn’t happy, then she’ll end up with a far more direct confrontation with Parliament than she’s ready for.”

Sombra stood and shook. “And you will be without access to magic.”

“Truer words.” Dulcimer waved as he left, leaving Sombra alone in his office.

“Strange times.” Sombra shuffled through his papers, prepping his mind for his conversation with Glimmer. The woman could be difficult, but she may very well see reason. At the least, he could spin it as free advertising.

Message. He still had the message to listen to. He brought his desk phone to his ear and pressed the corresponding key. His generic voicemail said its piece, then a real person began to speak.

It was a dearly cherished voice. Older, yet so very recognizable. A friend of friends. A noble companion.

And oh so very sad.

“Sombra, it’s Celestia.” He gripped the handle tighter, causing the plastic to creak. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for… not speaking for a long time. For stopping my messages. For… Everything, I guess. And I hate—”

There was a bit of quiet, which he refused to fill with his own speculation. Instead, he listened, and listened intently.

“I’m so sorry,” she said, and it was harder to speak now. “I have terrible news about Raven. She passed away, Sombra. She went missing a few weeks ago, and we found her and—and I need to talk with you about… about funeral arrangements.”

The cane clattered to the floor. Sombra leaned heavily on his desk, cupping his forehead in his free hand. He nearly lost the phone itself, but his sheer willpower kept his ear glued to the speaker.

Raven. His sister. His friend.

“I’m so sorry it took this to finally…” A course correction. A thought suppressed. “Please call me back. My number is five, five, five—”

He wrote the number down quickly, replaying the message to make sure it was absolutely correct. He replayed the message once more to banish thoughts of being mistaken. There was no questioning it.

His sister was gone, and there was nothing he could do. His only family.

His only family save for Celestia.

“Litterbug,” he said, his voice hoarse. “I need to book a flight to Libertas.”

Moondancer muttered to herself as she placed a sample in its requisite petri dish. It was true enough—the clothes on the mummified corpse were the same ones she was wearing when she died. And, even though she was clearly dried to the core, all signs pointed to her dying only a day or so before she was found. It was impossible, incomprehensible, unsolvable.

It was right up Twilight Sparkle’s alley. Day in and day out, she had seen Sparkle’s incredible knack for investigating the unknowable and deciphering its idiosyncrasies. She’d seen it ever since their time together at Crystal Prep, learning under the stringent eye of Principal Abacus “The Witch” Cinch.

But, Twilight couldn’t weave her magic if Moondancer didn’t gather the pieces for her. So gather she did, and quickly. Data by the bucketload weaved its way through the computer systems. Samples were used to their fullest potential. Sweat was wiped away, and tools were sterilized.

Still, nothing seemed to fit.

She carefully carried the petri dish from one table to the next, bringing it towards her favorite microscope. The one that took the best pictures, the one that had the smoothest zoom, the one with the happiest “ding” noises. Twilight usually used it because, well, she had definitely earned the right, but she wasn’t here right now. Aside from the microscope, the table was overflowing with various devices and baubles Twilight used. Test tubes, a pocket calendar, electronics Moondancer couldn’t recognize…

As she passed the edge of the table, a crackling noise caught her attention. She glanced over, finding nothing out of the ordinary. Although, considering it was a forensic lab, anything making noise out of turn was just a little strange. She moved again, and the noise returned; something akin to white noise from a disconnected analog television. It rose and fell in pitch as she moved from one side to the other. The noise finally ceased when she took a step back, putting a meter between her and the table.

She set the petri dish down and gently leaned over the table. Finding no crackling, she brought the dish closer. Yep. Just as she thought. Something on the table was reacting to the dish. Or maybe its contents.

There. Right in the middle. A handheld device; some sort of meter with a needle display, like an old voltmeter. When she moved the dish closer, the crackling intensified.

She set the dish down, making sure it was secure, and grasped the meter. The needle bounced up and down, never quite settling on a value. No numbers were on the face, only notches. “Not a very efficient design, Sparkle. You didn’t even label—”

She looked back, adjusting her glasses with a bent wrist. The cadaver lay silently, as it would for the rest of its tenure in the morgue. If the sample had set the device off…

She took careful, measured steps towards the covered corpse. At first there was no reaction, but once she breeched the three-meter mark, the needle bounced. It rose unsteadily as she drew closer, shaking with the fluctuations of whatever it was sensing. When she came alongside the body, the meter reached its limit, its faint crackle having evolved into a high-pitched whine.

Whatever substance the device sensed, the body was utterly awash with it.

“You and your homemade devices, Sparkle.” Moondancer turned the meter end over end, examining screw holes, plastic seams, the rubber grip, and anything else she could get a glimpse of. “As if I didn’t already consider you a mad scientist.”

A mad genius as well. The more she thought, the more she recognized the device—or, at least, its origins. Twilight had made a similar device when the two of them were high schoolers, in that selfsame horror show of an academy. When stories of magical mishaps in a nearby school reached their ears, Twilight had set about trying to understand them. Study them. Record them for the sake of science.

She might have made ground, too, if not for the illness.

Moondancer took careful notes. Where the device started to react in relation to the body. What level the needle read at each interval. What sound it made—just in case it was relevant.

With that done, she returned to the petri dish and continued her earlier experiment. It seemed much less urgent after the encounter with the strange technology. Clearly, whatever Twilight was looking for all those years ago had resurfaced in some strange way. Some strange, dark, murderous way.

Twilight would figure it out. But first, Moondancer needed to gather the pieces. Perhaps, between the two of them, they’d find out what happened and put a stop to it.

With Twilight Sparkle, the impossible just seemed like a stepping stone toward the unimaginable.

Through the Hills and Valleys

The alarm clock sounded, and Twilight Sparkle was having none of it. She reached across the small space between her bed and the nightstand and nearly knocked the lamp from its perch. A wild, blind scramble later, the lamp was upright and the alarm silenced. She lay still for a moment, her ears ringing lightly in the silence.

She rolled onto her back and stared at the plain white ceiling. An arm reached out to her left and slid through the space beside her. She found cold, plain sheets devoid of warmth or life. An empty bedroom surrounded her, which was in turn surrounded by an empty house.

She used to wake up to the sound of Spike barking.

She swore to herself and hauled herself upwards, letting the sheets slide off her body of their own accord. It was her first day back to work after her sweet-yet-short vacation; it would not do to be late. She pulled her pajamas off on the way to the shower and locked the bathroom door out of sheer paranoia. She only allowed herself fifteen minutes for the shampoo, soap, and rinse combo, even if another thirty minutes would have done some good for the stress in her muscles. Perhaps she was due for a longer bath when she got home after work. Yeah, that’d do the trick.

It was as she was toweling off her hair that she realized the thing smelled like “Wet Twilight,” which was only a short step above “Wet Dog” in her opinion. Might have to save the bath for after the laundry was done.

Since the school year was nearing its end, Sunset had temporarily disbanded their little carpool, leaving Twilight to fend for herself. A breakfast bar in her mouth and her wallet in her pocket, she started the car and rolled towards the police station. She cussed at just about every other maniac driver on the road. Even if they didn’t really deserve it. But to heck with it, nobody could hear her regardless.

Typical parking spot, typical muttered greetings to officers, typical avoidance of eye contact with Caution…

Atypical presence of Police Chief Care Carrot in the lab. Similarly strange was that Moondancer stood at her side, a small electronic device in her hands. Twilight slowed, but did not stop, as she pulled off her coat and hung it on a rack. “Hey, guys. What’s up?”

“Good question.” Care raised a hand and took the electronics from Moondancer. “Here’s another: What’s this?”

Twilight’s eyes bugged. Her first instinct was to reach out with her magic and grab it, but she suppressed the notion by clenching her fist. “I—it’s a scanner. Of sorts.”

“Of sorts?” Care looked the thing over. “Whatever it is, it goes crazy whenever we bring it near the cadaver we’ve identified as ‘Raven.’” She grimaced, and her eyes narrowed to smoldering slits. “Or should I say ‘Lady Raven Sombra Relámpago of the Highborn Isles’?”

Twilight Sparkle blushed. She gave Moondancer a pleading look. “It, um, it’s the same deceive I used to track those energy pulses. From… uh… You know—”

“From Canterlot High,” Moondancer said, obviously having figured that much out. “We were tracking pulses from two events, and would have continued had Twilight not fallen ill that year.”

Care scowled. “I knew you never left high school behind, Sparkle, but this is ridiculous.”

Twilight frowned. She crossed her arms over her chest and spread her legs just enough to hold a strong stance. “So what’s the problem? This tells us that the murder and the energy I detected ten years ago are connected.”

“There are two problems.” Care placed the sensor on the table and walked closer to Twilight. “One, that the body has been claimed by a family member—a lord of the Highborn Isles—in order to perform funeral rights. Two…” She stopped just in front of Twilight, her hand on her belt. “The device also goes crazy whenever we try to put it in your locker.”

Twilight became acutely aware that Care was about a head taller than her. Her heart turned to ice in her chest, but she was able to hide any outward signs of worry. “And?”

“If the energy from Canterlot High is connected to the murder,” Moondancer said, “how are you connected?”

Twilight Sparkle gaped at her longtime friend and coworker. She was unable to mask the shake in her voice. “I—I’m a suspect?”

Care placed a hand on Twilight’s shoulder. “The evidence isn’t strong, barely worthy of being called circumstantial, but this is a lead we need to follow. You need to put together whatever alibies you have—with strong witness backing.”

Twilight pulled away and circled around, running fingers through her hair. “Sure. Sure I’ll do that. I—uh—I know I can cover the timeframe we’ve figured out. Just give me a—”

She picked up the scanner and was immediately rewarded by a staticky shriek. She thumbed the power off and dropped it back on the table. She rubbed her arms, blowing a breath between her lips. “Oh God.”

Moondancer pushed her glasses higher up her nose. She wrote something down on her notepad. “They’re gonna question you and send you home, Twilight.” She tapped the pencil against the wooden edge of the clipboard. “I guess you figured out what the source of the energy is?”

Twilight’s face heated up. Moondancer avoided her gaze, content to reread her own words. “Yeah,” Twilight said.

“Good for you,” Moondancer said quietly. “Good for you.”

Twilight stared at Moondancer. Something clicked. Something deep down and dreadful. She and Moondancer—they were going to find magic together. When she had actually found it, she kept it secret to keep her new friends safe. To keep Sunset safe.

Moondancer was forgotten.

Twilight looked away and took a step back. “I can explain.”

“Good,” Care said. “That’s what I was hoping you’d say.”

The Q and A session honestly wasn’t as terrible as Twilight feared. Where was she on the days leading up to finding the body? Work and the farm, with very little in-between. Had she ever met Raven before? No, not in her life. How much contact did she have with Celestia? Basic acquaintances, nothing more.

Then they got to the interesting stuff.

“So,” Caution Tape said, licking the tip of his pen in the process. It didn’t help with the flow of ink, but he had gotten into the habit regardless. “What’s that little doohickey of yours sense?”

Now here was the tricky part, answering without giving Sunset away. Especially since it started to sound ridiculous about the time you mentioned a pony kingdom. “It’s a type of energy I first detected ten years ago during extracurricular activities at the Crystal Academy. Over the years, I’ve deduced it could be classified as a type of radiation. Usually, as far as my research has shown, it is unharmful to humans. Until we found Miss Raven.”

“Really now,” Caution said, his voice giving away the fact that he was keenly uninterested. “Strange radiation.”

Twilight forced herself to nod without throwing a barb.

“Moondancer said—” Caution looked back through his notes to find the specific wording. “—that you had found the source of the radiation you detected.”

“It’s actually generated by living things.” Twilight twiddled her thumbs and glanced at the door. “Generally in small quantities. Emotion and stress can give off the occasional bust of excess energy, but I don’t have statistics for that.”

“What? Like the Essence?” Caution Tape snorted. “Sparkle, this ain’t science fiction.”

“Technically, neither is Space Opera,” she muttered. In a voice Caution could hear, she said, “I only know what I’ve told you. Call it power, call it magic, it’s been used for something tragic and I want to get to the bottom of it. I can’t do that if I’m a suspect.”

“Darn right you can’t.” Caution Tape stood up and rounded the desk. Care moved aside to let him pass, but couldn’t hide the dirty look she gave him. He leaned over Twilight and grinned. “You’re involved with this someway and somehow. And if you’re not tellin’ us everything…” He patted her shoulder. “Lemme be the first to say ‘Oi told yah so.’”

“Ignore him,” Care said, pushing Caution bodily out of her office. “We’re all pretty sure you’re clean. He’s just been antsy since your encounter with the looney-bin reject a couple years ago.”

A twinge of pain and fear ran its way up and down Twilight’s arm—aftershocks from a forty-four caliber pistol. She rubbed the offending appendage and swallowed down the wash of anxiety that flooded her face. “I guess I can’t say I don’t feel the same…”

“It gets better with time.” Care pressed her lips together and held the door for Twilight. “All things do.”

Twilight Sparkle bobbed her head noncommittally and walked out.

“We’ll get you cleared soon enough, Sparkle.” Care waved. “Don’t leave town, though.”

Twilight Sparkle sat down in her car and slammed the door shut. She didn’t start it for a long time, content as she was to perform breathing exercise after breathing exercise. Her heart raced and her nerves danced.

She drove for an hour, meandering around town, avoiding the inevitability of an empty home. A red light beckoned her to stop, and allowed her far too much time to think. She cranked the radio in an effort to drown out the thoughts bludgeoning her brain.

Suspect. Secret keeper. Murderer.

Magic had to stay secret, she reasoned. They needed to keep Sunset Shimmer safe. Out of the public eye. Secure. She couldn’t betray her friend.

Betray like she’d betrayed years of trust from Moondancer, who’d been left by the wayside. Feeling forgotten. Perhaps she was right. Twilight had avoided that conflict by not telling her about magic. Neglected that aspect of her life. Neglected the one bright spot of an awful past.

And murderer… she wasn’t. She’d killed in self-defense and defense of others. That was all. That was all anybody called it.

She shouldn’t be alone. Not right now.

Big Mac and Applejack were working the farm. Harvest was approaching, and they had to work so very hard.

Sunset was in the middle of class. Shining Armor was at a job interview. Rarity had an important meeting about her magazine. Fluttershy had an appointment at the pet clinic. Pinkie Pie was planning a wedding and taking care of the kids. Rainbow Dash was on the air, giving the week’s weather.

But Twilight needed somebody.

The car made its way out of the city towards Sweet Apple Acres—almost of its own accord, like a horse that knew the road home. Twilight looked out over the lush orchards that surrounded the cozy farmhouse, and an immediate sense of longing overtook her. Perhaps, in some small way, a sense of belonging.

She parked in the driveway and stepped out. A barn lay before her, one that housed the various tractors and trailers the Apples owned. She touched a hand to Big Mac’s pickup truck as she passed. In the back of the room, she could hear power tools—probably run by Apple Bloom, acting handyman.

The redhead and her frazzled hairdo popped up from behind a pile of miscellaneous mechanical chicanery. She pushed safety goggles onto her forehead and waved. “Hi, Twi. To… what do we owe the pleasure?”

Twilight hated being speechless. That feeling of having too much to say to say it all. That sensation of not believing the words were worth hearing. The pain of burdening others.

She pushed it down, because it helped nobody. “W—where’s Big Mac?”

Apple Bloom stared at her for a moment that was perhaps too long to be comfortable. She wiggled a finger around in her ear. “Uuuuhhhh… Lookin’ over spreadsheets or some such hogwash. Check the office.”

Twilight Sparkle offered her thanks and headed for the farmhouse. The kitchen door was always unlocked when the family was working outside, so it was a simple matter to make her way in. She half-expected Granny Smith to be bustling about, but it wasn’t anywhere close to time for her to cook a meal.

The office was a small room overflowing with barely-organized paperwork. An older-model laptop chittered away, while the external hard drive blinked merrily. Big Macintosh sat at the desk, his head leaning heavily on his left hand while his right scratched down numbers. He dropped the pen and flexed his fingers, using his left hand to pull ill-fitting glasses from his face. He pinched his nose and heaved a sigh.

She rapped her knuckles on the doorframe. “Knock, knock.”

Mac jolted upright. “Uh.” He stood and rounded the desk, his head tilted. “What brings you here, Twi? I thought you were at work.”

She nodded softly. She tried to speak, but couldn’t find her voice. It was hushed, muted, constricted. She sucked in a breath and was repaid with a sob. Hot tears dribbled down her cheeks.

Mac took a step forward. “Twi, what’s—?”

She met him in the middle and buried her face in his chest. She gripped him tight, feeling for all the world like a shipwreck victim clinging to a lifesaver. He said nothing, content to wrap his arms behind her back and rub gently.

Twilight wept, and she hated herself for it.

Sunset Shimmer tapped a pencil absently as she graded math homework. The students were silent as they took their quiz—one of the last of the year. She double-checked that she was using the right answer sheet, then double-checked the answer given. Unfortunately, it all added up to Pumpkin Cake potentially needing remedial courses. It was just plain sad; Pumpkin was one of her brightest students, and one of the most brilliant young ladies she’d ever had the opportunity to meet. It’s just that she didn’t apply herself scholastically.

Contrasted with her twin brother, Pound. He wasn’t quite as quick on the uptake, but he doggedly pursued success until he grasped it in full. Their grades followed an equal and opposite incline, his increasing, hers decreasing.

Maybe she could talk with Pinkie. Her friend was a virtual adoptive aunt to the two kids. Maybe she could speak some wisdom into Pumpkin’s life. At least, when she wasn’t utterly bogged down with four kids of her own, plus a full-time party planner job, plus keeping the household running while Cheese was on business trips, plus—

She refocused on the papers and the pencil in her grasp. She set it down briefly to mark a problem with a red pen, then wrote a quick note as to which section of the chapter needed reviewing. The next down the line was a story problem, one regarding money. Of course it was money. It was always money.

Her mind briefly overheated at the thought of summer’s swift approach. Three months out of work, for all practical purposes. No real income. The library wasn’t accepting applications. Barnyard Bargains was only hiring teenagers part time, not adult women who would bog down the payroll with a need for a living wage. The savings were drying up as assuredly as the days rolled onward, and with Shining still looking for work…

“Mrs. Shimmer?” Pumpkin plopped the finished quiz onto her desk. “I think it was time up a whole minute ago.”

Sunset blinked and removed her hand from the side of her face. Her eye briefly clouded before she readjusted to the light. “Yes, I think you’re right, Pumpkin. Thank you. Please hand in your quizzes, and we’ll call it a day.”

With that, the bell rang as clearly, fervently, and panic-inducing as an alarm klaxon. Doors all over Canterlot High slammed open and released their hordes of students. Sunset’s students were no exception, as her desk was soon overcrowded with completed papers.

She split her attention between the ungraded homework and the soon-to-be-graded papers. Eight hours of school and her day had just begun. Perhaps she could convince Celestia to do all their grading via scantron, starting next year. But alas, not every problem was multiple choice.

The buzzer sounded, and was followed by a voice over the intercom. It was Principal Celestia, and the message was for her. “Sunset Shimmer, please come to the front office. Sunset Shimmer to the office.”

Sunset laid her papers in her briefcase and locked the clasps. No sense tempting students with access to the answer books. She breathed a sigh, smoothed down her dress, and set out at a swift gait.

She hadn’t really talked with Celestia since she’d heard about Raven. It honestly wasn’t really her business—she’d never met Raven in the first place—but she did feel the need to relate some sort of comforting words. Something to offer support.

It would be a fresh wound for Celestia. The funeral was just three days earlier. If Sunset had lost a close friend like that, she’d probably request a week off. She might not have gotten it, but she’d have requested it.

She walked in the opposite direction of most students. The principal’s office wasn’t exactly a popular hangout. It was only slightly less popular than the vice principal’s. Corrections notwithstanding, to Sunset, they were the typical locations for two of the most influential people in Sunset’s life. Dear friends.

Sunset opened the door to the office and stepped in. Celestia sat behind her desk, a smile on her face. That alone was unexpected, but further unexpectedness came from the other visitor to her office.

He was a tall man, perhaps even head and shoulders above the likes of Shining Armor or Big Mac. He was broad at the shoulders, strongly built. His short black hair betrayed a widow’s peak, and his downright archaic sideburns lent an air of ancient history to his personage. His green eyes shone bright from beneath a weighty brow, and his high cheekbones twitched with a smile similar to Celestia’s. He stood in Sunset’s presence and offered a hand.

“Sunset Shimmer,” Celestia said, “I’d like to introduce you to an old friend of mine: Dr. Oscuro Sombra Relámpago.”

“Sombra, please.” The doctor took Sunset’s hand gently. “It is an honor to finally meet you, Mrs. Shimmer.”

“Finally?” Sunset smiled with what she hoped was polite interest, rather than mortal terror. Sombra? That Sombra? The subject of bad jokes, history classes, and foal’s nightmares the world over in Equestria? The one whose atrocities—scientific mutations, national mind-control, regicide-matricide, temporal terrorism—had been unmatched for centuries?

“I first heard of you many years ago,” he replied, “when tales of your magical exploits reached as far as the Highborn Isles.”

Sunset shot Celestia a look. A firm look; one screaming “Please explain this right now!” Celestia responded with a laugh and joined the two of them near the door. “It’s alright, Sunset. I’d say Sombra has known about magic for longer than any of us. Though, I don’t think he really believed it until recently.”

No, Sunset decided. This was not the Sombra of her world. Just like it was not the Celestia, or Luna, or Twilight Sparkle of her world. This was a new person, to be treated as such. Easy, right? “Th—that’s something. Yeah.”

The three of them took a seat around the office. Sunset folded her hands in her lap and regarded the strange visitor. He seemed relaxed, and that might have set her at ease if she hadn’t brought her own issues to the table. Celestia steepled her fingers and coughed to get Sunset’s attention.

“Sombra and I reconnected in the wake of… well, you know about Raven’s passing.” Celestia’s eyes turned down as a great weight sagged her shoulders. She waited for Sunset’s nod before continuing. “During the conversation, we wandered to scholastics. He’s a teacher at Ursagryph University.”

Ursagryph University. That was a name with a lot of power. The single most ostentatious, high-priced money-sink on the planet. Requiring a literal king’s ransom at times. Of course, it got to be that way via a few centuries worth of academic overachievement. Famous the world over.

Just a little outside Sunset Shimmer’s realm of possibility.

“And, of course, how could I resist mentioning one of my brightest students?” Celestia gave her a sheepish smile. “He’s the one who brought up your connection to magic. And he has a proposition I think you’ll find very interesting.”

Sombra leaned forward, and for the first time Sunset noticed the cane he held loosely in his right hand, and the brace around his left leg. He leaned against the cane, which was capped with a gold lion’s head. “I first learned of magic many years ago, before either of you were born, I believe. I was but a child of four, living in the Highborn countryside. We were a small farming village, living simply. Until we received three strange visitors. Three women who spoke of other worlds and magnificent creatures as if they were real. They exhibited strange powers of their own: the ability to turn friends against each other with a mere song.”

Sunset Shimmer felt a shiver run down her spine. “The sirens?”

“They do coincide roughly with the old myth, do they not?” Sombra tapped his cane and shot Celestia a glance. “We seem to agree that the very same creatures confronted you ten years ago and were defeated, yes?”

“Closer to twelve, but sure.” Sunset danced her fingers against each other. “Two of them are dead now, but one of them’s mostly reformed. Kinda.”

Sombra lowered his eyebrows. “Indeed?”

“It’s a long story,” Celestia said quietly.

Sombra held her gaze for a moment, then tapped his cane. “Another time, then. I considered magic to be an invention of childish imagination. Even when I heard of the so-called ‘Canterlot High Hoax,’ I remained steadfast in my belief that it was all misremembered nonsense. That was until I met a most extraordinary lady.”

He smiled and held a hand out, as if offering a trinket of some sort. “Tell me, have you ever heard of Starlight Glimmer?”

Sunset nearly snorted with laughter, but her nerves helped keep it under wraps. “It might be a common name? I don’t think I’ve met the one you’re talking about.”

Sombra leaned back in his seat. “I suppose you wouldn’t keep up with the politics of the Highborn Isles, would you?”

“No, sir.”

“There will hopefully be time to ignore it,” he muttered. He brushed away the faint air of annoyance that flashed across his face. “Starlight Glimmer is a woman much like you. She has discovered magic, and become quite adept at its use. She wishes to share this power with the world, one person at a time.”

Sunset’s heart raced. Words failed her. Teach magic? To people around the world? Was Starlight a genius or crazy?

“Of course, those able to teach magic are a rare breed indeed.” He clasped his hands around the head of his cane, his brow furrowing in concentration. “It is such a new science that any knowledge in the field sets one person so far ahead of the rest. We are in need of instructors who understand the ability. Who respect the power involved.”

Sunset’s stomach churned as the ramifications hit her like a ton of bricks. Or tonne, as far as the Highborn Isles were concerned. Magic, introduced into a world that was very much built without it. A world to which magic was an outlier, to be feared and derided. Lumped in with bloody rituals and heretics to be burned at the stake. Something that was so very real, and so very dangerous in the wrong hands.

“Starlight Glimmer would like to invite you to the Highborn Isles to show you the school she’s built,” he said, breaking through her thoughts. “We are small, but willing to learn. It is her hope that, should you be a good fit, you would join us in sharing magic with all people.”

Something that Sunset Shimmer held so very close to her heart.

She swallowed hard, not quite removing the lump from her throat. Her fingers tingled with possibilities, even as her shoulders tensed with fear. Starlight Glimmer was a loaded name. But then, so was Sombra. Celestia trusted him. But what did she know? How long had they been apart? Celestia for sure hadn’t been to the Highborn Isles since the War of the Straight. What guarantee did she have—?

“Sunset?” Celestia stood up. “May I speak with you alone for a moment?”

Sunset Shimmer nodded, and Sombra stood. He quietly excused himself from the room, leaving the teacher and the principal alone.

Celestia took Sombra’s chair and slid it beside Sunset’s. She faced the younger lady and took her hands in her own. “I know… I know you have misgivings. I do, too.”

“Yesterday I thought magic was a secret.” Sunset raised an eyebrow. “Today I find out there’s a whole school dedicated to it.”

“That’s being pretty generous.” Celestia laughed lightly. “I think they only have about twelve students.”

“That’s a dozen more than I expected.” Sunset squeezed her hands. “You understand why I kept this secret, don’t you? It’s keeping so many people safe. Whether it’s the government, or the press, or the public, everybody would have a reason to hound our friends; or worse. And that’s without magic being spread to people who would misuse it.”

“Any tool can be misused, Sunset.” Celestia touched her hand to Sunset’s cheek. “You of all people know that magic is a two-edged sword.”

“It cuts both ways.” Sunset let out a huff. “It cuts deep.”

Celestia nodded and met Sunset’s eyes. “But you love it.”

“I do.” Sunset gritted her teeth and leaned back in her seat. “That’s what makes this hard.”

Celestia rubbed her forehead. She brushed her long hair over one shoulder. “So… How’s Shining’s job search been going?”

Sunset glanced through the fingers covering her eyes. “He’s got an interview at the auto shop today. It might be his best bet. Why?”

Celestia intertwined her fingers. “I… Well… I don’t want to…” She sniffed quietly, pressing her lips together. “Your financial situation is pretty strained lately.”

Sunset had no reason to deny it. “And how.”

“I… I think this might help.” Celestia tapped a forefinger against her lips. “Sombra has agreed to fund the entire trip to the Highborn Isles. This includes compensation for missed work.”

Sunset lowered her hands to her lap. She frowned.

“When I say compensate…” Celestia shrugged. “I mean he’s going to pay you an amount of money that completely embarrasses my yearly wages.”

Sunset’s ears burned. She imagined it might have been due to her brain overheating.

“You’ll be under no obligation to actually join the school.” Celestia gave Sunset a weak—but not insincere—smile. “You’d just be taking about a month to explore, meet the students and teachers, and find out as much as you can before making your decision.”

The smile gained a modicum of strength. “And I’d be with you the entire way. I’m going to the Highborn Isles whether you’re with me or not.”

Sunset nodded slowly. She wrung her hands together. “I’ll have to talk with Shining about it.”

“Of course.” Celestia got to her feet, and Sunset followed. “Take all the time you need.”

Celestia placed her hand on Sunset’s back. “But I think this’ll be good for you.”

Sunset said her goodbyes to Sombra, retrieved her briefcase, and headed to the minivan. Shining had bummed a ride off of Scootaloo—he was interviewing at the shop where she worked. Sunny was at Pinkie’s, probably fighting with little Cheese Cake over her toys. They’d be collecting together soon, and Shining had promised burgers on the grill that evening.

She had an interesting conversation in her future.

Twilight spent the day at the Apples’ residence. Staying close to Big Mac most often, but on the occasions he had to operate some machinery, she stayed in the living room. She sat on the couch in front of the old TV. Granny Smith insisted it was in perfect condition, but most colors seemed to be replaced with yellow and green.

She curled up, her knees to her chest, her arms wrapped around her shins. She peered between her kneecaps at the muted screen. All the better to drown in her thoughts. All the better to worry about alibies and murders and broken trust.

She ran out of tears three hours into the visit. After that, all she was left with was shame. She was stronger than that. To run blubbering to her boyfriend like some waif from a bad TV serial. Puh—lease.

She was supposed to be stronger than that…

Anger boiled in her chest. Anger at herself, her situation, at Moondancer for connecting dots that didn’t belong together. If only she could have just kept her hands to herself!

But that wasn’t fair, was it? Nah. Moondancer didn’t do anything wrong. She was just better at her job than anybody gave her credit for.

Twilight pulled her glasses off and set them on a side table. All the better to bury her face in her knees. All the better to squeeze her own head in an effort to contain an outburst of frustration. She managed to muffled the instinctive curse, but the meaning behind the words was loud and clear.

“Goodness,” a wizened, warm voice said. “I’d wash your mouth out with soap, but I suppose whatever that came from is better thrown to the winds than cooped up inside.”

Shame washed over Twilight Sparkle anew, this time for violating the hospitality of her host. “I’m sorry, Granny Smith. It just… jumped out at me.”

Granny Smith set a small teacup in front of Twilight. The scent of cinnamon floated freely about the room. “Gotcha a nice cuppa apple cider tea. Warmth helps with the nerves. Drink up while the gettin’s good.”

Twilight took the cup gently between her fingers. The ceramic material was still hot. She blew at the liquid before gingerly touching it to her lips. Satisfied that it wasn’t going to melt her face off, she took a ginger sip. “Thank you.”

Granny Smith took a seat on the couch next to her, lowering herself carefully onto the cushion. “Hope you don’t mind if’n I take a load off?”

“Be my guest.” Twilight Sparkle’s voice was weak, droning. “It’s your couch.”

“True ’nough!” Granny rubbed her back. “But it’s your quiet space right now.”

Warmth transferred itself from Granny’s hand to Twilight’s back, mingling with the soothing tea. She sighed and rested her head against her knees, a frown tugging at her mouth. “I’m sorry I cursed. I don’t mean to be disrespectful.”

“Aw, heck. I’d be worried if you didn’t need to get a couple things offa your chest.” Granny sighed through her nose. “You need to scream, scream. You need to cry, cry. You need to cuss… I’ve heard worse. Guaranteed.”

She touched Twilight’s elbow. “I wantcha to know we’ve got a nice cozy guest cot for you to sleep on while you sort out your issues. Applejack’s already movin’ things around in her room for yah.” She gave Twilight a squeeze on the shoulder. “We’re here for you, sweet pea.”

Twilight peered out from behind her knees. “Thanks. I think I’ll take you up on that.”

Granny waited for Twilight to take another sip. “Do yah know what you’re gonna do about it?”

Twilight switched to sitting cross-legged and leaned her forearms on her thighs. “Catalogue my visits. Verify it with firsthand accounts and social media postings. I’m lucky Pinkie’s such a shutterbug. And that I don’t spend much time at home these days.”

“Too busy?”

“It’s too… quiet. And empty.” Twilight twiddled her thumbs, furrowing her forehead. “I don’t… like it there anymore.”

“Well, don’t forget; you’re always welcome at Sweet Apple Acres.” Granny Smith brushed a lock of Twilight’s hair behind her ear. “Just wanted to make sure you knew you were loved.”

Twilight Sparkle leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Granny. “I love you, too, Granny Smith.”

“Ooh.” Granny stood up and made her way carefully to the kitchen. “Soup’s up in about a half-hour. Don’t forget to worsh up.”

Twilight slurped up the last of the tea. She felt a little better, she had to admit. Granny Smith had a way of unpacking the soul and putting it into order. Mostly through her skills in the kitchen, but a mother’s touch went a long way. Even when it wasn’t strictly her mother.

Not having to go back to the cold, empty building she owed payments on was a boon. Maybe if somebody went with her, but… not tonight. A sleepover with Applejack was in the cards. She had thought herself too old for real slumber parties, but here she was. Twenty-eight and bunking on a thirty-year-old friend’s cot.

It felt a little like home. A place to plan her next move.

She needed Sunset. They’d investigated a magic-related murder before. Maybe this time would be similar. Find the real killer and put a stop to them.

There weren’t many magic users in her world. All it would take was them putting their heads together and finding the critical clues that would lead them to the solution. Twilight could use her magic scanner again. Sunset would probably know a list of spells capable of dehydrating a body. Between the two of them, there was nothing to fear.

She’d call her tomorrow and set up a meet time. She’d feel better by then. Ready to get to work.

In the meantime, supper was just about ready.

Sunset pulled into the driveway with a smile. Their home lay bright and inviting, the windows glowing from within. She saw Shining jump out of his easy chair and race for the door, opening it before the minivan was even in park. His wide smile said all he needed to say, but Sunset still wanted to hear it aloud.

As soon as she stepped out of the van, he scooped her up and lifted her high. Her joyous shriek was drowned out with his triumphant shout. “I got the job! I start Monday!”

She bent her knees to better take the landing and allowed her husband to pull her tight. She laughed as her cheek brushed against his. She hadn’t seen him like this in a while. A long, long while.

He reached into the van and unbuckled Sunny. The excitement was just enough to pull Sunny’s attention away from his Transformers Rescue Bots toy. Rather than ask a question, he allowed Heatwave to drop into the car seat as his father hoisted him free of the vehicle. “Daddy finally got a job, Sunny! Daddy fixes cars now! Is that awesome or what?”

“You fix cars!” Sunny smiled a toothy grin. “I wanna see!”

“I’ll have to take you sometime later, buddy.” Shining winked at Sunset as they locked up the van. “After Mr. Petal Metal’s decided he likes me enough to keep me around.”

With Sunny in one arm and the other around Sunset, Shining led them towards the house. “The starting wage is pretty good. It should carry us through summer. When you get back to school, we can really start making progress.”

He snorted once they were inside. “Scootaloo’s my supervisor, if you can believe that. The girl’s a real taskmaster. Can’t imagine where she learned that.”

Sunset bit back a groan. It was the truth. Sunset had no small part in Scootaloo’s upbringing. “She’ll keep you in line. Believe me. You’ll known exactly when you’re doing something wrong, and exactly what that is.”

Shining Armor set Sunny on the floor and allowed the boy to roam freely. He headed for his room for some reason or another. Sunset took Shining’s hand before he too could move on. “Hey.”

Shining smiled at her, raising his eyebrows. “Yes, my love?”

“Ha ha.” Sunset swung his hand back and forth. She sucked in a steadying breath. “I found out about something important today, too. Something that could really help us. And not just us.”

Shining jerked his head towards the couch. The two of them sat side-by-side, their knees touching. Sunset kept his hand cradled gently in hers. “A friend of Celestia’s visited this week. He’s from the Highborn Isles. He’s a teacher at a university there.”

Shining nodded. His beautiful blue eyes briefly took on a distant look, remembering something but not quite willing to divulge. He waited for Sunset to continue and squeezed her hand.

“Dr. Sombra is part of a new school in the Highborn Isles…” Sunset gave her husband a lopsided grin. “One that teaches magic.”

Shining’s eyes popped. His jaw dropped open. “Huh?”

“Real magic.” Sunset leaned closer, her voice growing higher against her will. “Like the kind I use. It’s real Equestrian magic, Shiny. And they’re teaching it to people. And—” She swallowed. “—and they want my help. They need my help.”

Shining looked numb. His hand was limp at the least. His eyes took on that distant look again, wavering between the past and the present. “Sunset… that’s wonderful…”

Sunset brought her head a little closer to his. “Why don’t you think so?”

“I… do…” Shining bobbed his head back and forth. “That’s what I said, it’s wonderful. But…”

Sunset closed her eyes and called up the deepest bastions of her patience. “But what, Shining?”

“But…” He brought his eyes to hers, fully in the now, focused on her. “The Highborn Isles are going through a really rocky time right now. The monarchy is teetering and people are protesting. Violently. There’s practically a civil war between the people who want to keep the line of succession going, and those who want their government upheaved. Monarchists and anarchists and all sorts of bad vibes.”

He shook his head. He rubbed the back of her hand in that special way she liked. “When I was in the special forces, we were part of a mission to protect a diplomat and I saw firsthand what it’s like. It wasn’t that long ago, Sunset. I don’t feel safe letting you go over there right now. And… and with the new job, I wouldn’t be able to go with you.”

“W-we’d be out in the country, away from the cities and the violence.” She chewed her lip and crossed her legs. “It’s magic, Shiny. Magic.”

Shining Armor leaned back, staring across the living room with heaviness behind his eyes. He looked at her quietly for a moment.

“Celestia’s going, too, ” she said. “And Dr. Sombra will pay for everything. The flight. Room and board. Meals. And… and lost work.”

Shining tilted his head. “He’s paying you to teach.”

“Yeah. Exactly. Kinda.” Sunset waved a hand. “It’s a no-obligation deal. If I don’t fit, I can just toodle my way back to Libertas and be done with it. If it works…”

She shrugged with lack of anything better to do. “We could change the world for the better.”

Shining Armor leaned forward. He chewed on his forefinger’s nail. “Why don’t you want to keep magic secret anymore?”

“Because it’s a learning environment.” Sunset stood up and paced back and forth across the room. “It’s a chance to teach magic the right way. To teach people how to be safe, how to use it right, what the problems might be. It’s like teaching Twilight. And… if it’s already out in the world, don’t we want it being taught by somebody who knows exactly how dangerous it is? Who has a working knowledge of every form it takes?”

She stopped before him and leaned forwards, her hands on her knees. “They discovered it by themselves, Shiny. This is a huge opportunity to do things right.”

Shining’s lip twitched up at the corner. The ghost of a smile vanished into fog. “You really want this, don’t you?”

Sunset straightened up, hugging herself. “It’s my dream.”

Shining Armor stood as well. He reached around her and pulled her close. He pressed his lips against the top of her head. His voice was small, naught but a whisper. “How can I protect you if you’re not here?”

“Protect Sunny.” She looped her arms around his back, clasping her hands near his waist. “Get yourself back on your feet. Find joy in life. Call me every night. Skychat me; I’ll have my laptop ready whenever I manage to figure out the time change.”

Shining chuckled. “It’s about six hours difference.”

His hands ran up and down her back, a loving, comforting embrace. Comforting for them both, she supposed.

“If you really want to do it,” he said quietly, “I’ll be behind you the whole way.”

A spark lit in her chest. Relief, happiness, excitement; all thundered through her heart. “I love you, Shiny.”

“I love you, too, Sunset.”

Author's Notes:

Yes, fans of Blueblood's Ascension. His full name is Oscuro Sombra Relámpago. It means what you think it means.

Far and Away

Twilight Sparkle flopped back-first onto the cot provided by the Apple family. Her loose hair splayed out from her head, framing her face. She held her glasses in one hand and stared at the ceiling with intentionally blurry vision. Having an inability to focus on her sight allowed her to clear her mind. It was a refreshing experience, a microcosm of peace in the midst of the mind-numbing day.

Applejack hopped onto her bed and fiddled with her phone. She hunched over with her palm propping her face up as her right hand thumbed the touch screen. “C’n I get you anything? Snack, toothbrush, extra pillows?”

Twilight had brought her toothbrush and paste from her house. She’d grabbed the bare minimum: pajamas, a change of clothes, toiletries and deodorant. She spent as little time as possible in the bare, empty building. “Nah. I’m good.”

Twilight looked the other woman over. In comparison to her own pajama shorts and tank top, Applejack wore full-length flannel pajamas. She furrowed her brow and set her glasses in place. “So… does it get cold up here or what?”

“Huh?” Applejack placed the phone on her nightstand and leaned back against her headboard. “I just generally don’t use my blankets. Flannels feel better anyhow. You don’t gotta worry’ bout the chill. It’s just me bein’ me.”

“Fair enough.” Twilight folded her hands over her stomach. “Did you tell anybody about what’s going on?”

“Nope. Didn’t wanna overreach my bounds.” Applejack half-reached for her phone. “Y’want me to spread the word? I could IM folks for yah.”

“No thanks. I’ll do it. I only want a couple of people worrying about me.” Twilight held her phone in the air and stared at her contacts list. She’d probably add Shining Armor and Sunset. Maybe her parents. Maybe not. “I’m not sure what to say, really. ‘Hey, gang. Got accused of murder. El oh el. Probably going to jail. El em ay oh.’”

“You ain’t goin’ to jail.” Applejack spoke with a certainty that Twilight wished she felt. “On account of you not doing anythin’ wrong.”

“Nothing wrong.” Twilight removed her mother and father from the message recipients. “Yeah. Nothin’ at all.”

Before she could begin composing the message, her phone vibrated and a notification flashed on the screen. It was a call from Sunset Shimmer. Normally a cause for happiness. Now, though? “Huh. Speak of the devil.”

“Beg pardon?”

“Sunset’s calling.” Twilight pressed the green button and held the phone a little closer to her mouth. “Hey, Sunset. You’re on speaker with me and AJ.”

“Oh. Hi, Applejack!”

“Howdy.”

“Listen, Twilight, I have huge news. This day has been wild.”

Twilight Sparkle sighed through her nose, careful to angle her breath away from the receiver. “You don’t know the half of it.”

“You sitting down? ’Cause this is huge.”

Twilight sent a small, weak grin towards Applejack. “I couldn’t be sitting down any harder.”

“Okay. So. I’ve been invited to visit a school that teaches real magic.”

That got Twilight to sit upright. She stared at the phone with her forehead wrinkled, frowning as though Sunset could see her. “Come again? You talking real, real magic? Our kinda magic?”

“Really real magic, Twi.” Sunset’s voice vibrated with sheer excitement. It came through the audio as little pops of static, possibly caused by out-of-control glimmers of emotion-powered magic. “They want me to come and teach, and they’re gonna pay me just for showing up. I’m gonna have… oh gosh…. a whole classroom of people to teach magic to. People with just as much talent and excitement for it as we have. I mean, we don’t know if it’s gonna work out exactly, but if it does…”

“Wow.” Twilight didn’t have any other word for it. It was a bomb dropped into the idea-rich confines of her mind. They weren’t the only ones who had familiarity with magic? Now that she thought about it, of course a world as old as theirs would have plenty of opportunities to discover a natural force over the eons. If people could identify gravity, study the atom, explore the depths of space, why wouldn’t they find magic? To say nothing about the sirens having lived in their world for around a thousand years.

Wait. Hold up. Something was amiss. Twilight pushed her glasses higher up her nose. “Where’s the school?”

“It’s overseas. In the countryside of the Highborn Isles.”

Twilight nearly dropped her phone. Overseas? Across the ocean? In a whole other continent?

Her stomach lurched. Her ears burned as the weight of the revelation settled over her shoulders. She spoke quietly, more to verify what she already feared than to present an interrogative. “When are you leaving?”

“As soon as possible. We got the soonest flight.” There was a slight pause as Sunset weighed the conversation from her end. Her voice took on a lower, concerned tone. “Hey, are you okay?”

“I—” Twilight swallowed her breath. “Is Shining going with you?”

“No, he and Sunny are staying behind. I’m traveling light and fast.” Sunset’s volume shifted as she adjusted her grip on the phone. “Is something wrong, Twilight?”

“It’s… it’s a long story…”

And it was a long story, told through seemingly endless minutes of agonizing reliving. Sunset was mercifully silent throughout the tale, just allowing Twilight to pour her heart out. Applejack rolled to lie on her stomach, her phone held loosely over the edge of the bed. She, too, remained quiet, sitting through the story she’d already heard twice over.

When Twilight finished, there was an extended silence. Sunset breathed at last, followed by a sorrowful sentence. “Twilight, I’m sorry.”

“I just…” Twilight’s throat constricted as a sob threatened to rise from her chest. “I thought you could help.”

“I’m so sorry, I—” Sunset shuffled around. Twilight could hear paper flapping in the background. Her friend was fidgeting on account of having nothing else for her hand to do. “—I want to help you so bad, but… but we need… the paycheck will really help… I can’t… The plane leaves tomorrow.”

But it doesn’t leave today, Twilight thought. You could cancel. You could stay and help me and be a hero to me. The school will still be there, won’t it? If they really wanted you, they’d be willing to wait for you, right?

Out loud, she let out a whisper. “It’s your dream, Sunset. You can’t give that up.”

Sunset Shimmer made a few muffled “thinking” sounds. They grew in volume and frustration with each passing moment. “I think I got an idea. I might not be available, but I know somebody who will be.”

Twilight allowed herself a smile despite herself. “Shining Armor?”

“Yeah, yeah, him too.” Sunset Shimmer’s shuffling switched to tuning pages of a book. “He’s gonna have Sunny, but we have Pinkie watching him while Shiny’s at work. But there’s somebody else who has experience with this sort of thing. I think if we drop her a line, she’ll be able to help out.”

Experience? Twilight’s mouth curled into a light scowl. There was a very short list of people in her immediate circle who had experience with magical murders. One of who’s pure existence played with Twilight’s perception of the universe and her place in it. “You talking about the princess?”

“Exactly.” Sunset Shimmer stood up so fast her chair clattered to the floor. “Shoot! Sorry. Where are you guys? I wanna drop off my old journal and get you in touch with her.”

“Apple Family residence,” Applejack piped up. “Twi’s stayin’ here ’til this whole thing blows over.”

“I’ll be over in fifteen minutes, tops.”

The call ended with Twilight staring at the phone, unsure of what the heck she’d just gotten herself into. It wasn’t like she didn’t get along with her counterpart. It was just… there was that whole “me but not” aspect to get over. She hadn’t quite found a way to parse the thought.

“Huh.” Applejack slid off her bed and slid into her slippers in the same motion. “I ain’t seen the princess since—” She slipped Twilight a glance she wasn’t supposed to notice. “—well, since she visited last.”

“Spike’s funeral? Yeah.” Twilight Sparkle stuck her phone in a loose pocket and followed Applejack out the door. “Me either.”

While they went one way down the hallway, Big Mac walked the other. Applejack gave him a friendly punch in the shoulder. “Off to bed, Mac?”

“A’yup.” His voice hitched when he saw Twilight trailing behind his sister. He gave her a small nod. “G’night, Twi.”

Twilight’s first instinct was to leap into the man’s arms, to hold him tight and never let go. With that desire suppressed due to sheer decorum, her next challenge was to suppress a laugh. He cut quite the figure, dressed in loose-fitting cottony pajamas that buttoned up the front. His hair lay at funny angles, teased out of shape by the humidity of an evening shower.

She wrapped her arms around his middle, and he returned the hug without a second thought. “Good night, Mac. Love you.”

“Love you, too, Twi.”

Apple Bloom chose that moment to pop her head out of the bathroom, toothbrush in hand. “If’n I hear any weird noises durin’ the night, I’m gettin’ the hose.”

Big Mac broke out into a coughing fit, releasing Twilight and making his way towards his bedroom. Twilight caught a glimpse of a rare sight: Big Mac blushing as bright red as a firetruck in an apple orchard. Applejack silenced further comment from her little sister with a glare that had been known to churn butter, curdle cheese, and do the laundry all before suppertime. Apple Bloom said her goodnights and closed the door to the bathroom before further threat to life and limb could be made.

Twilight could only roll her eyes, having long been at peace with Bloom’s constant efforts to chaperone. She followed Applejack downstairs to the first floor, where Granny Smith lay asleep on the easy chair. The TV hummed quietly in the background, its faint light flickering with some late-night gameshow. They tiptoed past her and stepped into the cool summer night.

They stood quietly for a while as they waited. Twilight Sparkle rubbed her bare arms as the chill cooled her skin. She sent Applejack a sidelong glance. “So. Did Sunset ever try teaching any of you guys magic?”

“Not really. After a while it just sorta wasn’t a thing in our lives.” Applejack set her hands on her hips and leaned back against the door frame. “Don’t get me wrong, it was pretty neat gettin’ all glowy and savin’ the world and such. But eventually we all got on with our normal lives. Sunset wasn’t too keen on having any evidence that she weren’t from this world.”

“Yeah…” Twilight shrugged. “She never really told me anything about the other world. Not until we both visited it. Now, though…”

“We covered as much as I knew when we met yah. Believe you me, I never really knew anything b’sides we all had double-mint twins in Ponyland.”

“Ponyville.”

“Yeah, s’what I said.”

Twilight and Applejack shared a grin underneath the silvery moon. Applejack yawned and stretched her arms upward. “I’m glad it’s all a little more public nowadays. Helps to understand just what sorta crazy we all got into when we were kids. I almost miss the whole superpowers thing. Almost. I’m a bit simple when it comes to what I really want outta life.”

Twilight took off her glasses and polished them on the edge of her tank top. “What’s your dream?”

“Mostly jus’ ‘take over the farm.’” Applejack looked up at the stars, crossing her arms over her chest. “I figure I’ll work those fields an’ orchards ’til I’m old’n’gray. Like Granny did. Like my parents would’ve.” She nodded firmly at Twilight. “It’s the most satifyin’, fulfillin’, life-affirmin’ thing I ever done. And I can’t imagine doin’ anythin’ else.”

Applejack moved her hand like she wanted to adjust her hat, but found her head bare. She chuffed softly. “How ’bout you? I know you got that magic thing on lockdown.”

“Yeah, that’s a big part of it.” A flash of purple light appeared in the palm of Twilight’s hand, illuminating them brighter than the porch light. “It’s a dream to understand it more and more… I’m in the career I’ve always dreamed of… I’m on track, for the most part…”

Twilight must have been frowning, because Applejack pinched her eyebrows. “But?”

“But? I dunno.” Twilight shrugged and let the magic go out. “It’s hard to dream when you’ve had a day like today.”

Applejack laid a warm hand on her shoulder. “Nothin’ wrong with that. Just heal. And know we’re by your side.”

“Thank you, AJ.” The contact felt good to Twilight. A bright spot in the scum sandwich of a day she’d had. Still, if she allowed herself to remember that Sunset wasn’t going to be around, that joy soured. She pushed the thought from her mind and focused on what she wanted to say to the princess. It was gonna be weird communicating through Sunset’s magic journal—like handwritten text messages. She could probably draw pictures to illustrate her points, but the images rendered would still be completely foreign to a pony. It was time to call upon all her skill at interpersonal communication.

She also made a point to ignore the thought that her and interpersonal communication had a rocky history.

Sunset pulled up in her minivan, still dressed in her teaching outfit, her hair frazzled from what was probably frantic packing. She left the van running as she hustled up the driveway, the journal in hand. She and Twilight shared a quick hug, after which she gave one to Applejack.

“I’m so sorry, Twilight.” Sunset was near tears, wiping her eyes with a wrist. “The timing for this is so garbage. God, I can’t even—I’m sorry.”

She handed the journal to Twilight, who took it gingerly. “I took a sec to send a message ahead of time, just to get the princess up to speed. You can read it and add anything you think is pertinent. I just wanted her to get back to you as soon as she could.”

“That’s fine.” Twilight flipped open to the freshest page and speed-read the transcript, which described both Twilight’s and Sunset’s situations. It was fairly spot-on, with only a couple of spots that would require ironing out. She wasn’t actually under arrest, for one thing. “It’ll… it’ll work out. Somehow.”

As she was speaking, the book vibrated in her arms, shimmering with faint magic. She flipped the page and a message scrawled itself out before her eyes: We’ll be right over.

Twilight read it again. And again. And yet again. Still, she wasn’t sure she understood quite right. “Right over?” To where? To the library? She looked over the end of Sunset’s message and found no such call to action, just a request to help. It couldn’t mean—

Another vibration. Another scrawl on that same page. Tomorrow morning.

Sunset read over Twilight’s shoulder. She gave the page a double-take. “Wha—huh?”

Applejack appeared on the other side and gave it a similarly puzzled look-over. “Guys? Is the princess comin’ here, to this world?”

“It… would seems that way.” Twilight Sparkle looked up at Sunset, unable to feel anything but confusion. “So is she coming to help me, or to see the school?”

“I specifically asked her to help with you.” Sunset paced across the porch, rubbing her hands with every step. “She might just want to be here to help you hands-on. But it also wouldn’t hurt to be closer to the magic school, just to see what it’s all about.”

Applejack raised an eyebrow. “You could just ask her.”

Twilight took the pen from its place clipped to the cover of the book. She scribbled a quick message and, a minute later, received a brief affirmation that the princess was on her way to personally aid Twilight.

“Dang,” Applejack said. “Roll out the red carpet.”

Sunset was visibly relieved, the stress practically steaming off of her. “Oh, thank heavens. I feel so much better knowing she’s gonna be with you. Trust me, Twilight. If there’s one person who knows more about magic than I do, it’s the princess.”

Twilight Sparkle frowned deeply at the journal. She wished she shared Sunset’s ease. As it was, the whole situation just got a whole lot weirder. And more complicated. She didn’t doubt Princess Twilight’s competency, or good heart, or brilliance.

She doubted her own.

“I really need to finish packing,” Sunset said. She gave Twilight and Applejack another hug—the last for a long, long time. She trotted back to the minivan, waving as she went. “I love you guys!”

The engine revved, and she was gone.

Twilight Sparkle pressed the journal to her chest. She watched the van’s taillights vanish into the distance. Her eyes stung anew with unshed tears. She swore aloud, and for once, the Apple family had nothing to say about it. Instead, Applejack took her by the shoulder and led her slowly inside for a night that was sure to be anything but restful.

Sunset Shimmer walked through the airport the next day, plenty of time before the sun rose. Shining Armor was beside her, pushing Sunny’s stroller. Her luggage was checked. Her ticket was in hand. Her destination was certain.

Or so she told herself. On the inside, she was more nervous than the first day she’d spent as Princess Celestia’s personal student. Then, an orphan with more magical talent than she knew what to do with. Now, a magical expert in a world that was just discovering the science.

Magic was different in this world she called her home. It was harder to grasp. Tenuous and fleeting. Faint. It required a great deal of focus and even more practice. Could everybody eventually learn how to use it? Maybe. Perhaps people used it without knowing what it really was. At the moment, there was no way to know.

Up ahead, she saw Celestia and Sombra sitting together in the waiting area. The large man and the principal held hands, both smiling as they chatted. It seemed odd to Sunset; Celestia had never mentioned Sombra, but he was clearly a large part of her life. Even now, continents apart and years between them, they were able to reconnect as though they’d never left.

Shining Armor kept his voice low as they approached. “I didn’t know the principal had an SO.”

“You and me both,” Sunset said. “I think they had a relationship thirty years ago.”

“Thirty years?” Shining Armor cracked a grin. “The embers still burn.”

Celestia and Sombra stood at their approach. Sombra bowed his head at Shining. “Captain Armor. It has been some time.”

Shining Armor shifted in his stance, coming alongside the stroller to put himself between Sunny and the doctor. “I’m sorry, I don’t recall having met.”

“It was when you were part of the team to assist Prime Minister Fancy Pants.” Sombra extended a hand, which Shining gripped with a strong squeeze. “I was able to see the Libertas Military in full force when you rescued him from that mob.”

Sunset’s eyebrows rose as her heart dropped. A mob that required foreign military presence? What had she gotten herself into?

“Ah, I’m sorry, I didn’t recognize you with your new hair style.” Shining Armor sent his wife a look that was just bordering on I told you so. “I hope the political climate is a bit better these days.”

“We will be in the Insofar countryside. The… more zealous political unrest is localized on the mainland.” Sombra leaned heavily on his cane, his face a chiseled stone of seriousness. “I promise you, I would not have invited Mrs. Shimmer if I thought there was danger to her wellbeing.”

Celestia slid herself bodily into the conversation as only a practiced social butterfly could. “I would like to remind you that Sunset is no helpless waif. We’ll look out for each other, Shining Armor.”

Sunset intertwined her fingers with Shining’s. They shared a look that both of them knew. They had decided to trust each other, no matter what. It was only for a little while. They could handle it. They’d spent far longer time apart when Shining Armor was an active member of the military. They’d been in far more dangerous situations.

Doubt niggled at the back of Sunset’s mind, but she brushed it off as prefight nerves. “That’s right, Celestia. We’ll look out for each other.”

She knelt down to touch Sunny’s face. The young boy was sleeping, since it was still before five o’clock. She whispered and kissed his cheek. “I love you, Sunny. Be a good boy for Daddy.”

He blinked awake. His eyes searched the strange surroundings until they finally rested on Sunset herself. He tried to ask if they were at the airport, but his sleepy slur came out as a “Wetairpert?”

“Yeah.” She brushed his hair out of his face. “Mommy’s got to go visit another school now. I’ll call you tonight.”

“Wannagotoo.”

“I’m sorry, Sunny.” There was that pain in her chest again. The kind of pain she felt when she spent time with Scootaloo. She hadn’t connected the two before this moment, but there it was. She felt like she was abandoning him. Abandoning him, and Shiny, and Twilight. Like she was screwing them over.

She took a deep breath in. It was fine. She was doing this for the sake of her family, for the sake of the magic students, and for the sake of herself. It wasn’t selfish. It was important. It was world-changing. It was…

It was her boy. He had woken up more, though he was still dizzy. He was too young to truly comprehend what was happening and why, but he still understood that his mommy was leaving. He reached for her, tears already dribbling down his chubby cheeks.

She took his hands in hers and smiled, warm and familiar. “You’re gonna have so much fun with Daddy. And you’re going over to the Pie’s tomorrow to play with Cheese Cake and Cherry Pie. You’ll still see me when we video chat.”

After some time, the call came to board the flight.

Shining Armor bent down to take Sunny from the stroller. He held the boy close with one arm, and wrapped the other around Sunset. They shared a kiss, all too brief, and then parted. He spoke to his son, warm and calm. “Wave goodbye to Mommy, Buddy.”

The three of them waved to each other, and Sunset felt her heart being ripped from her chest. A welcoming pat from Celestia urged her forward. She hesitated at the gate, her breath catching. She turned to catch a glimpse of her husband and son.

“Please don’t hold up the line, ma’am.”

Sunset Shimmer boarded the plane with a nine-hour flight ahead of her. Celestia allowed her to have the window seat, while the far taller Dr. Sombra required the aisle seat. Sunset fastened her seatbelt and pulled open the sliding window. She could see the large window in the airport that faced the airfield. A shape, indistinct yet unmistakable, stood in the midst of the glowing room. She pressed her hand against the glass.

“Gum?” Celestia passed a six-pack of mint gum to her. “It’ll help with the pressure. You’ve never flown before, have you?”

Sunset laughed lightly. “Not in an airplane.”

“It’s terrible.” Celestia leaned against Sombra’s shoulder and closed her eyes. “You’ll be much happier if you can get some shuteye. Get some rest and look forward to the nasty breakfast they serve.”

Sunset didn’t know that she was going to be hungry. Her stomach was all butterflies. A new country. A new continent. A new culture. She didn’t know that she could handle it.

It’ll be fine, she reasoned. She’d completely restructured her life once, and this was a far less permanent and drastic change than that. It was only for a time. Unless she just decided to teach magic for the rest of her life. That was always a possibility. She had to at least consider it, right?

Considering it made her feel ill again.

Twilight Sparkle awoke with a start. Her nightmares that night had taken an especially dark turn. Nothing horrifying enough to scare her awake, but enough to drown her in a seemingly endless morass of depression and unease. If she wasn’t drowning, she was racing against the clock to save someone from a looming darkness. Sonata appeared a few times, mocking her with that chilling, broken laugh of hers. Moondancer sat alone in the morgue, stating they couldn’t be friends anymore.

Principal Cinch expressed disappointment at Twilight for forgetting a locker combination. That one confused her more than anything.

It was all so slapdash, so overwhelming, so nonsensically put together. Twilight couldn’t stand to think about it another moment. She sat up in bed to find herself alone in the room. It was already midmorning. Applejack had long ago gotten to work on the farm. The same could probably be said for the other members of the Apple family. Twilight reached over to pull up the shade and let the sunlight in. The farm was peaceful and beautiful, as ever. It calmed her. Let her know that even if her world was crumbling, there was something to hold onto.

A dog’s bark—either Wilber’s or Walter’s—broke into the stillness. Both dogs ran across the field as Granny took them for a walk. The old woman kept up despite her years. Heck, from the smile on her face, Twilight figured she reveled in it.

Seeing no chance to ogle Big Mac from afar, Twilight took a quick shower and got dressed for the day. Since she didn’t need to go into work, she figured it was fine to keep it casual with a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. It was most certainly warm enough this time of summer. Just a chance to chill and prepare for—

The door rattled just as she got finished dressing. So much for relaxing, then. It was already time to face the awkwardness of her mirror from another world. She walked downstairs, being the only one in the house to answer the door. She paused with her hand on the knob, took a steeling breath, and pulled it open.

Nobody met her eye, so logic dictated she look down. She found herself toe-to-toe with a purple dog.

The dog raised a paw and waved. “Hi, Twilight!”

She slammed the door as her mind went on the fritz. It was Spike, in the prime of his life. Purple and green coat. Strong muscles from lots of exercise. A gleefully wagging tail. He wasn’t old, and tired, and worn out like he’d been in the years leading to his death.

The next moment, things clicked into place. He’d spoken. It wasn’t Spike… No, actually, it was. It just wasn’t her Spike. It was the Spike from the other world. The young dragon. He’d come to help her.

Aaaaand she’d just shut the door in his face.

“Sorry,” she said, pulling it open. “Sorry, my mind is just—sorry. I didn’t realize it was you.”

He rubbed the tip of his snout. He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. “Get a lot of talking dogs around these parts?”

“No, just… no.” She rubbed one of her wrists as shame heated her cheeks. “I wasn’t expecting you to come with the princess.”

“Oh, totally. You guys are my friends, too, you know?” He sat on his haunches, gesturing with a paw as he talked. A painful-looking scar split the fur of one shoulder. “Twilight headed to Sunset’s house to talk with Shining Armor. We can get started, though. What do you have so far? Any leads on the culprit?”

I have jack squat, Twilight thought. She stepped away from the door to let Spike in the house. He wiped his paws carefully on the rug before continuing. Twilight noticed that he carried a pair of tiny saddlebags, which held pads of paper and various writing utensils. How he thought he was going to be able to use them with dog paws was beyond her.

“Oh, wait.” Twilight reached for her phone and thumbed through her contacts. “The princess is going to find an empty house. Shining’s at work right now.”

Spike waited patiently for one moment before interjecting. “You know Twilight doesn’t have a phone, right?”

Twilight blew a breath through pursed lips. Duh. “Did she bring her journal?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll be right back.” She ran up the stairs to Applejack’s bedroom. She pulled the book to her from where it sat on the nightstand, and a pen followed suit. She returned to the entryway to find that Spike had made his way to a couch. He was shuffling through his detached bags, trying and failing to grasp the pens with his paws. She sat next to him and opened the journal to a fresh page. “You, uh, doing okay there?”

“I’ve dealt with useless appendages before.” Spike bit down on a pencil and tried to write for a few brief moments. The lame scribble that resulted almost made Twilight laugh. He spat the pencil out and lolled his tongue. “Yuck.”

Twilight sighed and wrote her quick note to the princess. She leaned back and let out a long breath. It was gonna be a long day.

“Hey.” Spike smiled and put his paw on her chest. “Don’t worry about it. We’ll get through this. I promise.”

Twilight Sparkle froze, her entire body tensing up. She looked at his paw, then looked at his face. “What are you doing?”

“Uh…” He tilted his head, his brow furrowing. “I’m putting my ha—paw on your chest. It’s a sign of friendship in Equestria.” He gave her a half-grin. He knew she wasn’t exactly buying it. “Isn’t it—um—isn’t it a gesture of affection here?”

She gently removed his paw. “Oh yeah. Definitely affection.” She narrowed her eyes at him. “Sexual affection.”

Spike practically leaped off the couch as the color left his face. His ears blazed a bright red. “Oh-kay! Sorry about that! Let’s just pretend it never happened, right?”

Twilight laid her head in her hands. Maybe meeting the princess wouldn’t be as awkward by comparison. Maybe, maybe, maybe. “Whatever you say, Little Spike.”

“Don’t call me L—” Spike cleared his throat, brushed his paw against his snout, and set about cleaning up the mess of pens he’d knocked over. “Probably not the time,” he muttered.

Author's Notes:

It's so good to be out of the hiatus. Welcome back to the world of Equestria Girls!

Stay safe. Stay smart. Stay on your toes. I wish you all good health.

Imperfect Reflections

Shining Armor wiped his hands with an oil rag in the hopes of getting even the top layer of grime off. The car parts he’d just installed hummed perfectly as the engine ran. Quite the difference from the state it’d been in when it first arrived at the shop. A few more tests and they’d be able to deliver the car back to the customer.

Not bad for his first day.

“Shining!” Scootaloo called him from across the shop floor. “Take a break, you’ve got a visitor!”

He gave the signal to shut the car off and walked towards the lobby. He looked to Scootaloo as he passed. “Who is it?”

“Dunno, but she looks like your sister.” Scootaloo hoisted a hefty toolbox and pulled it towards the car Shining’d finished up. “Got a cousin I don’t know about?”

“We don’t really have cousins.” Shining shrugged. “Only one uncle on my mom’s side, and he never had kids.”

Scootaloo snorted, waving him off. “M’kay. I hear everybody has an evil twin somewhere in the world, and I think we just found Sparkle’s.”

Shining furrowed his brow. Evil Twin? What the heck was Scootaloo talking about? Did it have something to do with Sunset’s home world? Had he just been visited by—? Yup. Shining entered the lobby and picked her out of the crowd immediately.

Twilight Sparkle sat in a chair nearby the entrance. But it wasn’t. For one, she wasn’t wearing glasses, and Twilight had a well-documented hatred of contact lenses. For another, she wore a knee-length dress, which Twilight was loath to wear on even the most formal occasions (save for being a bridesmaid). For yet another, she seemed to be smiling for the sake of it, which was a rare enough occasion for his little sister that it was worth noting.

Last but not least, when she stood up, she stood eye-to-eye with Shining Armor. Twilight was at least two heads shorter than Shining wearing high heels.

Shining moved to offer her a well-greased hand, thought better of it, and settled for a bow at the neck. “Princess Twilight, I presume?”

“That’s me!” The purple gemstone she wore around her neck glimmered lightly as she spoke. “May I just say I’m very glad to be able to see you again. It’s been quite some time.”

That was an understatement. She had shown up in the background of his and Sunset’s wedding, silently supporting her friend. That had been well over five years ago. Long enough for Shining to put alternate universes and their ways out of his mind. “Yeah. I guess you’re here to help with Twilight’s problem?”

“That’s it exactly.” The princess nodded, her smile still bright. “Afterwards, I also plan to follow up on what Sunset thinks about the new magic school, but that’s for another day. I was hoping we could get everybody to meet somewhere so we can plan out our investigation. Any good ideas?”

“Probably the Apple house,” Shining Armor said. “I get out of work at five, so I’ll meet you guys there.”

“Sounds like a plan.” The princess glanced this way and that, then leaned closer to him. “Do you have any leads so far? I might be able to investigate on my way to their house.”

“Not really.” Shining shrugged. “I only just heard about it last night. I don’t even know who the victim is.”

“Fair enough.” For the first time since Shining had met her, irritation sizzled within the princess’ eyes. That was more the Twilight he knew. “There’s gotta be something. Maybe I should stop by the police station.”

Shining felt his breath catch. “Twilight and Sunset have been careful to keep magic away from the station. I don’t think it’s a good idea to—”

“Don’t they already know?” Princess Twilight put her hands on her hips. “If magic is already a known cause, maybe they’ll be able to shed some light on the subject.”

“Yeah…” Shining Armor gritted his teeth behind pursed lips. “Or maybe they’ll get it in their heads that you’re a likely suspect as well.”

Princess Twilight blinked. She rested her forehead in her palm. “Yeah. Yeah, I can see that. I’d rather not go to jail.” She crossed her arms and blew a long breath through her nose. “Alright. Straight to the Apples’ it is. See you later, Shiny.”

“See you…” Shining leaned over to look out the glass door. He saw a man loitering around the sidewalk, but no sign of transportation. “You’re not gonna walk all the way there, are you?”

“Nah, Skyhook’s ordering a taxi.” Princess Twilight’s eyes lit up. “Oh! I didn’t introduce you!” She leaned out the door and waved the man in. “Commander! I need you to meet someone!”

The purple-haired man was a little shorter than the princess, but quite a bit more strongly built. Clearly a man of action. His skin was pale, as though he’d never before seen the sun. His eyes seemed to glow as he entered the relative dark of the auto shop lobby.

“Commander Skyhook is captain of my personal guard.” Princess Twilight placed a hand on Skyhook’s shoulder. “He’ll no doubt be a fantastic asset on the mission.”

“I insisted she bring me,” Skyhook said. “Things are getting more dangerous lately. In all worlds.” The commander narrowed glittering golden eyes at Shining. “You guys don’t have trouble with the Unseelie Court around here, do you?”

“I, uh…” Shining wracked his brain, but the name was unfamiliar. “I’ve never heard of them before.”

“One problem at a time, Skyhook.” Princess Twilight sighed, touching her fingers to her amethyst necklace. “Is that taxi close?”

“About ten more minutes.”

“In that case, I should probably get to work.” Shining Armor nodded to the princess and Skyhook in turn. “It was nice to meet you. I look forward to working with you.”

Skyhook smiled. His canines seemed abnormally large to Shining’s eyes. “Prince Shining Armor is a personal hero of mine. From what I hear, you’re his equal in every sense.”

If Shining had been drinking, he would have showered the two of them. Prince? It took a second for the memory to click. Right; the other Shining Armor was prince of his own kingdom.

Shining Armor could barely take care of his own family, let alone a kingdom.

He plastered a smile on his face and trotted back to his work area. At least working with his hands would take his mind off of things.

Sunset Shimmer pulled her baggage from the claim. The sounds of an unfamiliar land surrounded her. They all spoke the same language as her, but the inflections and accent were different. The slang was unfamiliar. They even drove on the opposite side of the road.

Unique scents trailed in from the airport’s food court. Visitors from various nations of the world clustered with their brethren. All around was a bustle that Sunset likened more with Manehattan than anything else.

“You okay, Sunset?” Celestia hoisted her backpack as Sombra struggled with his suitcase. “You look a little lost.”

“Yeah, but who wouldn’t be?” Sunset Shimmer sent a grin Celestia’s way. “It’s not the first time I’ve stepped into a whole new world, you know. I know what not to expect.”

Sombra pointed his cane towards one of the many pathways leading through the airport. “Our ride will be waiting for us that way. I’m anxious to get out of this awful din.”

It was the work of a few moments, but pushing through the crowds still felt like an exercise in patience. A pale, white-haired man approached them and touched a hand to Sombra’s shoulder. “Doctor! I have the car parked in lot B. Follow me, please.”

Once the crowds thinned, and they reached the open air of the car lot, the man fell into step with them and introduced himself. “My name’s Double Diamond. I’m a friend of Starlight Glimmer’s. You’re Sunset Shimmer, right?”

It wasn’t the accent Sunset was expecting from someone from the Highborn Isles. He sounded like a stereotypical surfer dude from some kid’s TV show. “Yep. That’s me.”

“Rad. Glim’s been looking forward to meeting you.” He offered a hand to Celestia, who took it lightly. “And you’re the Doc’s old buddy?”

“Just Celestia, Double Diamond.” Celestia looked ahead to where they were walking. A sad little car awaited them. “Are we… going all the way to the island in that?”

“Nah way.” Double Diamond unlocked the doors manually. “This is a rental. It’s just gonna take us to the harbor. We’ve got a couple new students arriving. We’ll meet them there.”

Sombra gingerly lowered himself into the passenger’s seat. He hoisted his braced leg with a grunt and adjusted his large frame to just barely fit into the rickety car. Sunset sat with her legs crossed and her suitcase on her lap, while Celestia did her best to stuff herself behind Sombra’s seat.

“It’s only a fifteen minute drive,” Double Diamond assured them. “Tops.”

The car sputtered to life. Sunset wrinkled her forehead. If this was the level of finance the school was able to throw around, how did they have the funds to pay her that truly absurd fee Sombra had promised? She’d even checked that morning—they’d already delivered a sum to her via direct deposit. If anybody was flush, it appeared to be someone other than Double Diamond.

The drive through the old city was disorienting, not least of which was due to the traffic flow. Sunset thanked her lucky stars she didn’t have to navigate it herself. Though, if she accepted the position, perhaps she eventually would?

The smell of seaweed and fish flowed into the car as they neared the harbor. Fishing boats moored side-by-side, and a cargo barge could be seen at the mouth of the inlet. The sea was choppy and green, the rocky shore slime-covered, and the sky perpetually overcast. The cool wind tugged at her hair as she extracted herself from the deathtrap that had the audacity to call itself a car. It felt like a call to adventure. A promise of excitement and newness that filled her heart with a steady beat of magic.

“Ahoy!” A woman in a rain jacket waved at them from beside one of the fishing boats. Purple bangs trailed out from beneath her hood. “We’re over here!”

Double Diamond slammed the door and rushed to her side. “Ahoy yourself! We ready to shove off?”

“Soon as you’re ready, Captain!” The two exchanged a quick hug, which the woman ended by giving him a firm pat on the back towards the boat. “The other passengers are getting settled. You handle the boat, I’ll handle the rest.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Double Diamond hoisted himself onboard and set about untying this and that. The flip of a switch ignited the hum of a motor, and the twist of a dial activated the churn of a propeller.

The woman removed her hood and revealed the pale-blue stripe threaded through her hair. “Welcome to the Highborn Isles! I am your host, Starlight Glimmer. It is my greatest pleasure to welcome you, of all people, to our humble little school of magic.”

Sunset Shimmer and Starlight shook hands. Sunset forced herself to overlook the awkwardness of knowing this woman’s pony counterpart—still a strange task even after dozens of similar encounters. “It’s an honor to be invited. After my experiences were labeled ‘The Canterlot High Hoax,’ I was surprised anybody would take this stuff seriously.”

“I, for one, take magic very seriously.” Starlight smiled, but the expression faded as she turned to Sombra. “Was the service nice?”

Sombra sighed. “Beautiful. Raven would have been delighted.”

“I wish I could have come.” Starlight’s cheeks tinged red as she looked down at her shoes. “I should have come.”

Celestia leaned on Sombra’s arm. “You knew Raven as well?”

“She was one of our first students.” She shook her head, rubbing her eyes and turning their attention to the boat. “Sorry. Sorry, this is supposed to be a good time. We carry on! Please watch your step when boarding. It won’t be a long trip, but do make sure your luggage is secure.”

Sunset couldn’t quite place Starlight’s accent either. If she didn’t know better, she’d say she hailed from the Midwest, like herself. Maybe a bit more northy-sounding. A couple of words still had a slight Highborn twinge, so maybe she was just well-practiced in masking her accent.

She hauled her suitcase onboard and nearly tripped immediately. The boat rocked in time with the waves, and every step seemed to throw her center of gravity in a new and strange direction. She steadied her hand against a crane in the middle of the deck. The whole place smelled like fish, only barely covered with a heavy dose of cleaner.

A man in a black turtleneck shirt and sporting a purple goatee came up from the lower deck. He put on a friendly face as he approached Sunset. “Don’t quite have your sea-legs?”

Sunset Shimmer kept herself from sighing and matched his smile. “I don’t sail much, Mr…”

“Viscount Hammer Dulcimer.” He moved with practiced grace across the swaying deck. “Dulcimer to my friends.” He reached a hand for her bag. “May I?”

“Thank you… Dulcimer.” The name rang a bell, but not one she knew the tune of. “I’m Sunset Shimmer.”

“Ah. The magic prodigy from Libertas.” He hefted her suitcase with the same ease he used walking. “I hear you learned magic completely separate from Glimmer’s little operation, correct?”

“That’s right.” Should she specify? Was her world of origin open knowledge among these people? She decided to hedge her bets and keep quiet for the time being. “I’d say I know a thing or two. Are you one of the new students?”

“Exactly.” A quizzical look passed across his face, which was quickly replaced with a more confident one. “I’m a bit of a test market, so to speak. I’m here at the Prime Minister’s behest. To see what exactly this school looks like from the inside.”

Prime Minister? How high up did this conspiracy go? Sunset reminded herself that she dealt with princesses on a daily basis. Surely Prime Ministers and their ilk weren’t much different.

Still, proximity to such power left her uneasy. “Does that mean you’re looking to make the school a bigger thing?”

“Not necessarily. Not yet. We’re just getting started with a whole new science, after all.” He glanced to the left and the right. Sombra and Celestia had disappeared belowdecks, and Starlight was conversing with Double. “I admit, I’m mostly in it for myself. I’ve always had a desire to learn about magic. Real, true magic. The kind that billows up from the heart.”

Sunset nodded. “Sounds like that’s exactly what you’re gonna get.”

“I hope so.” Dulcimer shifted his footing as the ship began to move out to sea. Sunset clung to the crane to avoid being flung to her butt. Dulcimer raised a hand to get Starlight’s attention. “Miss Glimmer! What’s our ETA?”

Starlight Glimmer had the look of someone who lifted a rock and found a dead rat. She plastered a plastic smile across her mouth and spoke to him with strained friendliness. “About two hours, Viscount. Please don’t muss your perfect hair in the interim, m’kay?”

Viscount Dulcimer scratched his goatee as his admittedly-nice ponytail waved in the breeze. He muttered a dark “takes all kinds” and brought Sunset’s luggage belowdecks.

Starlight might have sworn, but it was swallowed up by the wind. She gave Double Diamond a pat on the shoulder and moved towards Sunset. “I want to thank you again. It’s so wonderful to find other people who have discovered magic.”

She stopped at Sunset’s side and stuffed her hands in the pockets of her raincoat. “From the sounds of it, you’ve known about it longer than any of us. We’ve only been able to practice it for about… six, seven years? But you’ve been at it since high school.”

So she didn’t know about Equestria. Good. All things considered, it was for the best. “That’s only a few years longer than you guys. And there was a period of time when I just didn’t practice it at all.”

“Oh?” Starlight furrowed her brow. She looked Sunset from her head to her feet, as if sizing her up. “May I ask why not?”

“I was starting a family at the time.” Sunset shrugged. “Finishing school. I had a lot on my plate, and it seemed like magic didn’t have much impact on my life. I just let it go for a while. But then…” Sunset thought it over. She’d have to do more than abridge, she’d have to sum up. “One of my friends discovered magic, and it reignited my spark. We’ve studied together for the past couple of years. A lot of the old stuff came right back, and the rest never really left.”

Starlight chuckled lightly. “Sunset, having had a taste of magic, I can’t imagine ever letting it go. It’s like breathing for the first time. Discovering a sensation previously hidden. It’s being alive.”

Sunset smiled. She thought back to her and Twilight at the pond, discussing teleportation with their adrenaline pumping and their eyes aglow. “Yeah. There’s no comparison. It’s the best thing.”

Water sprinkled across the deck. Starlight pulled her hood on and moved to stand beside Double Diamond. “I’d recommend getting yourself below, unless you like being soaked down to your pants.”

Sunset looked to her ankles, where the edges of her pant legs had already taken on water. “My pants are always the first thing to get soaked.”

Starlight’s mouth fell open as her eyes popped. She let loose a wheezing laugh and covered her eyes. “I meant your—never mind. Just keep dry, Sunset.”

Twilight Sparkle sketched in the air, lavender lines emanating from her fingertips. The equations Sunset had taught her formed one digit at a time. She had burned them in her memory, recalled as easily as she could recall the names of her closest friends. Her memory had always been sharp; a skill which had served her well in her field of choice.

Little Spike looked up from his pile of scrolls. He lounged on a bale of hay as stars began to prick through the light cloud cover. The two of them had migrated to the outdoors in lieu of something productive to do. He had managed to find some middle ground in holding the pen between the toes on his paws. It was a loose grip, but it was enough to get the ink flowing. “Is that a teleportation spell?”

“Yeah. Sunset and I’ve been trying to use it.” Twilight continued to write, sparing him a single glance. “She says the magic is different here, so it’s taken her a while to work it out.”

“Yeah, that stuff is pretty high-level even back in Equestria.” Little Spike’s tail wagged as his eyes followed Twilight’s hand through the air. “I only know of, like, three unicorns who can do it. Well, two unicorns and a couple alicorns.”

“Alicorns…” She mulled the word over in her mouth, as if she was tasting a strange new food. “Like Princess Twilight?”

“Twilight, Celestia, and Luna can do it. I don’t think Cadence ever learned it.” Little Spike rubbed his chin. His wagging tail knocked a scroll off of its perch. “Nuts. The unicorns I know of are Mom, Starlight Glimmer and… I guess Sunset counts. Counted. Something like that.”

“Your mom’s a unicorn?”

“Twilight’s parents raised me, so she’s ‘Mom’ to me.”

Twilight frowned to herself. The complete equation lay in midair, waiting for some sort of ignition. She supposed it would have to be an emotion. Something to put intent into the spell. “Sunset was a pretty powerful unicorn, huh?”

“One of the best.” Little Spike leaped from his bale and walked around, looking at each of Twilight’s symbols. “She even got the drop on Princess Twilight the first time they met. She teleported around Twilight to steal her crown, which held the Element of Magic.”

Twilight swung her hand to one side. The digits spiraled around an invisible axis. “‘Steal?’ Was this back when Sunset was a delinquent?”

“You got it. She planned to raise an army of brainwashed high schoolers to invade Equestria!”

Twilight gave him a sidelong glance. “Are we talking about the same Sunset?”

Little Spike shrugged. “Hard to say. She was pretty swallowed up by her own jealousy back then.” He grinned halfheartedly. “The thing about friendship is that it takes all six Elements to create harmony. If even one Element is missing… it turns into something ugly. Sunset only had Magic—a spark—the stuff that brings friends together. That’s why she was able to build herself up so much, and also why it came crashing down hard.”

Twilight clenched her fist. The symbols glowed alongside her fingernails as magic poured from her heart. “But she found the other Elements.”

“Sure did. Just like Twilight.” Little Spike cleared his throat. “My Twilight. The princess.” He looked over his shoulder to see Applejack walking across the field. “Though it looks like you found them, too.”

“Maybe I did.” Twilight pushed magic into the spell. Sparks covered her body from head-to-toe. She closed her eyes and concentrated. “Occupying two spaces simultaneously. A leap through time that takes no time at all. A bridge with no length.” She stretched her hand out and ignited the spell. “Teleport!”

The magic burst from her in a whoosh of air. The grass danced. The sparkle of light faded.

She remained standing in the exact same place. “Crap.”

Little Spike scratched behind his ear. “Yeah, that’s what usually happens during the first casting of the spell. Give it time and you’ll get it.”

Applejack finished her walk to them with a hasty jog. “If I may ask: What in tarnation?”

“Just practicing a spell.” Twilight sat down on the hay bale. “A spell that just a liiiiitle too advanced for me.”

“Just so long as you don’t turn nothin’ into a frog.” Applejack propped a leg up on the bale and reached down to pet Little Spike’s head. “Shining Armor just got here. The princess was supposed to get here sooner, but I guess she and the taxi driver got into an argument over payment.”

Twilight’s eyebrows shot up. “What?”

“Equestrian bits look an awful lot like play money, is what I’m sayin’.” Applejack pointed a thumb towards the farmhouse. “Big Mac’s drivin’ over to bail them out. Dunno why they didn’t just bum a ride offa us sooner.”

Little Spike covered up a snort by faking a cough. It was almost convincing. “Twi—Princess Twilight didn’t wanna impose. She figures if she’s gonna spend some time in this world, she should start getting used to it.”

Applejack pulled her lips to the side. “There’s a gold buyin’ store downtown if’n you’re strapped for funds.”

“I’ll make a note of it.”

Twilight pulled herself to her feet and walked towards the farmhouse, the others close behind. A quick walk through the kitchen and down the hall brought them to the sitting room, where Shining Armor and Sunny waited. Sunny was already in the middle of a board game he, Apple Bloom, and Granny Smith were playing. Shining met Twilight halfway and embraced her.

Twilight shut her eyes to hold back the sting of fresh tears. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

“Sorry it couldn’t be sooner.” Shining took a step back as they released each other. “We’ll get through this. We’ve been in worse situations.”

Little Spike peered around Twilight’s knee. “Name one.”

Shining Armor looked down. He gave the dog a double-take. “Uh—?”

“Yeah, hi. Name’s Spike. I’m a dragon.” Little Spike patted Shining’s shin as he walked by. “Can we skip the whole ‘oh my golly gosh, a talking dog, I never seen the like’ bit?”

Shining Armor looked at Twilight with bugging eyes, pointing a firm index finger at the scientific anomaly.

Twilight let her shoulders hang limp. “All I can say is try to keep up. We’ll have to backfill the details later. He’s Princess Twilight’s Spike.”

Shining rubbed his forehead. “Is Spike just a universal constant, or what?”

“I don’t really have the data to say one way or the other.”

Sunny’s eyes lit up. He leaped off his seat on the couch and raced for Little Spike. “Hi, doggy!”

“What’s up, Sunny?” Little Spike smiled as he was petted on the head by the young boy. “You’ve gotten big, haven’t you?”

Sunny jolted back like he’d been shocked by lightning. His face took on a very similar expression to what Shining’s had been only seconds before. He looked to his father with a mixture of confusion and requesting reassurance.

Shining’s attempt at smiling reassuringly failed spectacularly. “It’s okay, buddy. Spike is a talking dog. He’s friendly.”

Apple Bloom scratched Little Spike all along his back, prompting his hind leg to thump repeatedly. “An’ he’s cute as a dang button, is what he is!”

Little Spike’s face shimmered with a volcanic blush. He gave the young woman a cheesy sort of smile and cleared his throat. “Ahem. Thank—um—thank you for saying so, Miss Bloom.” He attempted to ease away from her, but Apple Bloom either didn’t notice or ignored it.

The door opened in the next moment, prompting Little Spike to rush across the room. “Twilight! You made it! Just in tim—right on cue. Yeah. As expected.”

Twilight Sparke stood on the far side of the room as the princess entered the house. She was no different from how she appeared two years before, when she’d visited for Big Spike’s funeral. Tall. Graceful. Not a spot or wrinkle to be seen. She walked with an assurance that seemed to say she knew she was the most powerful person in the room.

But, of course, it wasn’t a power she would hold over others. Twilight knew that. It was just a power that Twilight could never hope to match. Compared to the princess, she felt like she was in high school again. Mousy and isolated, with much prettier girls around every corner.

“Hello, everyone!” the princess said. “It’s great to be back. I know we can figure out how to clear Twilight’s name in no time at all.” She moved to the side to allow a pale man to enter. “This is my personal guard, Skyhook. Skyhook, this is the Apple Family. Applejack, Apple Bloom—”

As she continued down the list, Big Mac walked into the house and shut the door behind him. He moved over to Twilight and hugged her from behind. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a brief flash of… some sort of dark emotion from the princess. Anger? Jealousy? She wasn’t certain, and it was gone in an instant.

“That mighta been the strangest car ride I’ve ever been part of,” Mac said.

He slid a hand over her stomach, and she intertwined her fingers with his. “Care to enlighten?”

“Hmm.” He furrowed his forehead and shook his head. “Just relieved to know that you’re still you.”

Twilight quirked an eyebrow. “As opposed to the six-foot-five Empress of Ponyvania?”

“A’yup.”

Princess Twilight approached Twilight Sparkle. She smiled; a bright, genuine thing that would have put her at ease had it been on any other person’s face. “So, Twilight, do we have any leads?”

Twilight glanced at Apple Bloom, then nodded towards Sunny. She got the idea and took the boy into the kitchen to peruse the sweets. With little pitchers and their big ears taken care of, she sat on the couch and spread out Spike’s notes. “The victim was found on the side of the road, fully clothed in what seems to be the outfit she wore at the time of the murder. Her entire body was dehydrated, from the edge of her skin, to her internal organs, to even her blood. Known associates include Principal Celestia and her brother, the Highborn Lord Oscuro Sombra Relámpago.”

Skyhook winced. “Sombra?”

“Yeah.” Twilight leaned an arm on her knee. “Heard of him?”

“You might say that.” Skyhook looked at Little Spike, who chewed on the tip of his pen. “Though, there’s probably no relation.”

“He’s not the first Sombra I’ve heard of,” Little Spike said. “Or even the second. Princess Celestia traveled to another world and found a good King Sombra, and they became good friends.”

Big Mac leaned against the couch back, his lip quirking up in a light sneer. “Whadda ya mean ‘good’ king?”

Princess Twilight took a seat in Granny Smith’s easy chair. “He means that the King Sombra of our world was a tyrant who enslaved another nation. Clearly, he doesn’t share these traits with all the people he shares a name with.”

“Maybe.” Shining Armor paced back and forth, looking over the notes with a perpetual air of confusion. “But could this world’s Sombra be a suspect? Does he seem like the sort of person who could murder his own sister?”

Twilight Sparkle threw her hands out. “I’ve never met him, so I dunno. Can’t exactly talk to Celestia about it, since she’s overseas with Sunset.”

Shining’s eyes lit up. He seemed lighter on his feet as he rounded the corner of the sofa. “What about Luna?”

Twilight narrowed her eyes at her brother. She pushed her glasses further up her nose. “Who?”

“Celestia’s sister. She’s the vice principal at Sunset’s high school.” A smile tugged at his lips as he thought it over. “If we can’t talk with Celestia, maybe Luna’s available.”

Skyhook read over Little Spike’s shoulder as the dog wrote. “If nothing else, we might be able to learn more about who Raven spent her time with.”

“It’s a start.” Twilight rested her elbows on her knees, looking across the room to where the princess sat. She drummed her fingers against her pants. “Any idea what spell could have done this to her?”

Weight settled on Princess Twilight’s brow. She took on a slightly paler pallor, with her face scrunching up as though assailed by a wave of nausea. “I’ve done… research… into the darker arts. This seems like more than simple dehydration, since removing that much liquid should have left some sort of noticeable damage to the skin and organs. Was there any indication that something else was missing?”

Twilight clicked her tongue. “Nothing our instruments can detect. Why’s that?”

“I’ve seen corpses like hers before. In Equestria.” Princess Twilight brought her knuckles together, resting her chin on two fists. “Completely dry. Shriveled and shrunken. Their cells clearly having been alive the previous day. An impossible mummification.” Now the green tinge to her skin was unmistakable. Her expression devolved into a morose grimace. “Their magic had been ripped from their bodies.”

Little Spike offered a leery expression. “Like when Tirek ate magic?”

“No, not quite. Tirek stole the magic built up inside the individual. He devoured magic already produced.” The princess rubbed the corner of her eye. A soft breath brought her equilibrium back into check. “These ponies had their fairy strings forcibly ripped out.”

Applejack glanced between the two Twilights. “What the hey’s a fairy string?”

“Veins carry blood. Fairy strings carry magic.” Princess Twilight sent a spell towards her fingertips. She turned her arm so that the bottom faced Applejack. Golden lines traced their way through her skin, just visible at the surface. “The heart metabolizes it and the fairy strings carry it to whatever body part uses the magic. I’m pretty sure most living creatures have them, with a few notable exceptions. Your technology is just unable to detect them.”

“Wait.” Big Mac spoke slowly, deliberately. “This spell basically pulls veins from your body to kill yah?”

Princess Twilight nodded. “It was invented by King Sombra over a thousand years ago for his wicked experiments. Since then, I’ve only known of one pony evil enough to try it out for themselves. But Viscount Dulcimer’s been dead for more than two years.”

Shining crossed his forearms. “You sure about that?”

“Uh huh.” Princess Twilight’s sigh dragged her further downward. A weight pulled on both her body and soul. “I helped kill him.”

The room became as quiet as a graveyard. Just as cheerful, too.

Shining Armor coughed lightly. “I’ll call Luna and get a meeting set up between her and Twilight. And also Twilight. Tomorrow work for you guys?”

Twilight Sparkle smiled joylessly. “I have no plans otherwise.”

“Ditto,” the princess said.

“In the meantime…” He looked to Applejack with a small, hopeful light in his eyes. “You guys feel like having company for supper?”

“Heck yeah. Wouldn’t dare think otherwise.” Applejack flipped her hat through the air, where it landed perfectly on her head. “Don’t y’all go nowhere, soup ’ll be up in a few.”

Sunset Shimmer accepted her suitcase back from Dulcimer and made her way to the upper deck. Their destination loomed close—an isolated island off the east coast of the Highborn Isles mainland. The “countryside” was an assembly of rolling green hills and a lightly-populated forest. Most likely manmade, due to the even clusters the trees grew in. Their rickety fishing boat rolled up to an equally-rickety dock, and was soon tied down and shut off.

Starlight Glimmer leaned over the side of the boat and shouted to somebody onshore. “Skyhook! Get your butt over here! Be a dear and help us unload!”

A pale, rough-faced man pulled his knit cap over his ears. He checked the strength of a nearby knot before leaping onboard and grabbing one of the boxes Double Diamond was stacking near the prow. Dulcimer approached with a friendly grin. “Care for another set of hands?”

“Suit yourself, mister.” Skyhook nodded briefly to Sunset before he disembarked. She returned the greeting in kind, unsure of whether she recognized him or not. The name at the least rang a bell.

Sombra eased himself onshore with careful shuffles. He sat on a wooden crate and set about unbuckling his leg brace.

Sunset stepped onto the deck and felt immediately off balance, as if the entire world was rocking on its axis. Celestia caught her before she could twist an ankle. “Easy does it,” Celestia said. “The first step’s a—”

“Real doozy, I know.” Sunset rested her hand on a wooden pole that anchored the dock. She turned a concerned glance Sombra’s way. “Are you okay, sir?”

He removed the brace fully. His face broke into a wide grin, which seemed at odds with the chiseled wrinkles that made up his visage. “I’m better than fine, Mrs. Shimmer. Watch the magic at work.”

He raised a hand. His fingernails lit up with swirling purple magic. Strands of starlight snaked their way down his leg to his shin. They wrapped themselves around the knee, connecting the upper and lower leg. Before Sunset’s eyes, they hardened to solid crystal. Sombra stood up with no sign of pain or weariness. He bounced from one foot to the other, light as a feather.

A deep, booming chuckle came from the back of his throat. “I haven’t felt this alive in decades.”

Celestia covered her mouth with her hands to suppress her laughter. Her wide gaze flipped between the empty brace and his new crystalline prosthetic. “What is—?”

“This is the sort of magic they teach here.” Sombra took Celestia’s hand and tugged her towards shore. A devilish twinkle gleamed in his eye. “I’ll race you there.”

The two of them took off down the road, Sombra leading the charge, Celestia laughing breathlessly as she fought to keep up.

Starlight Glimmer smiled wide as she knelt down to pick up Sombra’s discarded brace. She slung it over one shoulder, raising an eyebrow at Sunset. “I was gonna give them the grand tour, but maybe I’ll let them have a little privacy.”

Dulcimer bent at the neck to lower himself to Starlight’s eye-level. “Well, worry not. I’m already very impressed with the school, Miss Glimmer.”

The mirth fled from Starlight Glimmer at a speed to rival Sombra’s. “Double Diamond, would you please show the viscount to his room? Thank you.”

Viscount Dulcimer shrugged and allowed himself to be lead away by Double Diamond and Skyhook, all three carrying boxes of supplies.

“I’m afraid I can’t show you to your room just yet,” Starlight said. “There’s somebody here who’s really interested in meeting you.”

Sunset tilted her head. “Someone here knows me?”

“No, I don’t think so.” Starlight tapped her lip and ultimately came up with a shrug. “We’ve all heard about your activities in Canterlot High. Most of us never thought we’d meet you until Sombra suggested bringing you here.”

Starlight held a hand forward and began to walk across the island. A building could be seen from shore; what appeared to be a large metal-sided warehouse. Windows were cut into the sides, revealing what seemed to be two floors. “There she is. The culminations of seven years of work. We were lucky Double Diamond could acquire the old abandoned army base from the war.”

Sunset Shimmer could see a few people walking here and there around the warehouse. One girl practiced spells in the corner while others watched. A couple of young men tossed a frisbee back and forth, guiding it to each other with both raw skill and a hint of magic when the wind took it. Celestia and Sombra crested a nearby hill, with naught but a few scattered helloes to delay their race.

Sunset turned to Starlight as they reached the warehouse. “Which war was that?”

“The war. The Great War.” Starlight held the door open and allowed Sunset to enter. “The last one fought on Highborn soil. I believe both Sombra and Celestia were combatants. It’s how they met.”

Sunset muttered to herself. Try as she might, she still struggled with this world’s history. Events seemed to blur into indecipherable dates, even though their modern history only went back a couple hundred years. Yet Equestria’s thousand-plus year existence still came to mind as naturally as breathing.

The inside had been heavily modified from the one-room warehouse it had once been. The second floor did not encompass the full floor-plan, but acted as a sort of balcony. A series of rooms lined the upper and lower levels of the school, leaving the center open as a makeshift courtyard.

“Our bunks are in the rear. Ladies’ room on the right, mens’ on the left.” Starlight spun with her hands outstretched. “This is our central lecture hall. We’re still a work in progress, unfortunately, but we’ve made great strides!”

Metal stairs led to the second level, which was lined with a metallic, waist-high railing. Steel mesh made up the floor until it reached the rooms, where it became a more foot-friendly sort of surface Sunset couldn’t identify. She and Starlight headed for the back of the warehouse’s upper level, where a few closed doors awaited their arrival.

“It’s my pleasure to introduce you to the woman who taught me magic.” Starlight Glimmer rested her hand on a handle. She gave the door a knock and turned apologetic eyes on Sunset. “She’s a bit short with people. But she warms up quickly once you get to know her.”

Sunset gazed into a dark room as Starlight opened the door. Only the light from outside illuminated the place, and only for a few feet.

Starlight leaned on the door and slapped the hard surface. “Ha! She’s finally here! Didn’t I tell you she’d come?”

Two lights appeared in the back of the room. Like two cats’ eyes shining out of the gloom. A book closed as someone stood up from a chair. As the lights drew closer, Sunset could see that they were indeed eyes, but two that belonged to a human. They lit up from within, charged by a magic spell.

She was a slim figure of a woman, unsure in her strides. Cautious. The book she held was inches thick, and apparently handwritten. Her expression was as uneasy as her gait. That said, there was strength in evidence. Her eyes pierced straight into Sunset’s soul. Searching the deepest parts of herself. Prying into her darkest secrets. Begging to understand.

The face was all too familiar to Sunset Shimmer. She took a step back and nearly stumbled into Starlight. Her mouth went dry as she took in the sight, her mind unbelieving of what her eyes knew to be true.

The woman slid a finger through her bangs and brushed aside the pink stripe tracing its way through her lavender locks. A voice as near and dear to her as could possibly be issued forth from the stranger’s mouth. “Hello, Sunset Shimmer. I am Dr. Twilight Sparkle of Equestria. Perhaps you’ve heard of me?”

The Bygone Days

When Sunset Shimmer said nothing, Dr. Sparkle raised a hand. The lights in the room flickered on. It was a fairly standard-looking school laboratory. Tables with Bunsen burners sat at regular intervals. Laminated posters decorated the walls with various formulas. An old computer with a CRT monitor chittered away at the back of the room. The new Twilight raised an eyebrow and waved Sunset into the room. “Judging by your stunned silence, you have to know something about me.”

“I—” Sunset finally found her voice, though it still sounded froggy. “I’m sorry, why would you think I’d heard of you?”

“Inductive reasoning.” The doctor grabbed an office chair as she passed by and rolled it towards the computer. She sat down and jiggled the mouse. The screen showed a few articles made in the wake of the “Canterlot High Hoax.” “To this point, the only people of this world who have contact with magic have also had contact with those not of this world. Sombra with the Sirens. Starlight with me. You with…” Dr. Twilight swiveled her seat and steepled her fingers. “That is to say, either you come from my world, or you know someone who has.”

Starlight Glimmer looked as confused as Sunset felt. She looked at Sunset Shimmer as though she were a strange alien. Maybe that’s just what she was?

Knowing what she did of the multiversal theory… Sunset was still befuddled. Another Twilight Sparkle? Not from her Equestria nor her current world? That meant that she either came from a heretofore unknown world… Or one that was thought to be sealed off. She found a hard chair and sat down before she could fall down.

Dr. Sparkle folded her arms. “I also see that you believe me. I was half-expecting an argument about the sheer existence of alternate worlds. At least this can expedite the conversation to more constructive things.”

“No, no, I know other worlds exist.” Sunset folded her hands on her lap. She caught herself before she could allow her toe to tap nervously. “I take it your Sunset Shimmer isn’t much of a public figure?”

The doctor raised her eyebrows slightly. “You also know about duplicate personas.” Not a question, but a statement.

“Right.” Sunset glanced at Starlight, who examined the two of them with an intense interest. “I know of at least one other Starlight Glimmer.”

“At least.” Dr. Twilight Sparkle’s eyes glinted with magic—the same magic that caused them to glow in the dark. If Sunset was right, it seemed to be a vision-correcting spell, an alternative to glasses or contact lenses for the magically-gifted. The most advanced forms of the spell allowed the blind to see, but those usually required a relic to work. “Perhaps your surprise is not that you’ve seen me, but that you’ve seen another me?”

Sunset drummed her fingers on her leg. “I think we might be getting off on the wrong foot.”

Dr. Sparkle sighed. She shook her head and brought herself to her feet. “I’m sorry. My curiosity got the better of me. Perhaps real introductions are in order?”

“It might give us a… solid starting point.”

“May I say something?” Starlight asked.

Sunset turned to her. Starlight’s continence was slightly downcast, yet with an air of resignation. Did she have this conversation before?

Starlight folded her hands and brought her index fingers to her lips. “Were you ever going to tell me you already knew me?”

“I don’t know you.” Sunset clenched her jaw as her forehead creased. “I only know somebody who looks like you. You’re two different people.”

Starlight held her gaze for a moment, but eventually nodded. She sat down and folded one leg over the other.

Dr. Twilight gave Starlight a tiny smile and an equally small nod. The smile vanished as she looked up at Sunset. “Perhaps I should go first.”

“If you want,” Sunset said.

The doctor’s fingernails shimmered purple. An illusion spell crafted a facsimile of a unicorn mare out of thin air. “I am a unicorn from a country known as Equestria. Our world does not have a name, but we call our planet ‘Earth.’ Most people do, it seems. I am the personal student to Equestria’s king, Sombra.”

Sunset’s blood ran cold. King? Did this third world contain a timeline where Sombra destroyed the Crystal Empire? And Twilight was his personal student? She desperately hoped her earlier hunch was true. “W-what’s he like?”

The chill in her voice showed. Dr. Twilight tilted her head, but brought no additional attention to it. “He was once a wise, noble king. One who loved his people and fought bitterly for them. In my lifetime, he was the only thing separating us from utter annihilation.” There was a hint of bitterness to her voice. A harshness with the way she delivered the words. There was an old wound, deep down. “He took me in after my parents died. He taught me everything I know of magic. He was… a father to me.”

A pit settled itself in Sunset’s stomach. She had an idea of where this was going. “What happened?”

Dr. Twilight took in a deep breath. She had the appearance of steadying herself, but Sunset saw something else. She was thinking over every single word Sunset said. Picking it apart. Dissecting it to understand things Sunset didn’t realize she was saying. Perhaps this Twilight was learning as much about Sunset as Sunset was learning about her.

“He fought against two alicorns, who were corrupted by a being of dark magic called the Tantabus.” Dr Twilight clenched one of her hands into a tight fist. The illusion of the unicorn shifted to show two horned, winged ponies flying around a dark cloud of power. “He sacrificed himself, taking the Tantabus into himself and allowing them to regain their right minds. The magic drove him mad.”

The illusion flickered until it showed the unicorn again, reading a book at a desk, a lamp illuminating her. “While the alicorns took charge of the world, I alone stayed by his side, seeking a cure.” Dr. Twilight’s eyes looked away from the image for a brief moment. Her expression changed. The confidence and bitterness left her voice, replaced by barely-concealed weariness and unshed tears. “I failed.”

Dr. Sparkle steeled herself. The image vanished, replaced by an intricate, full-length mirror. “Through my research into powerful magic, I was able to discover the existence of other worlds. I learned of Sombra’s own dalliance within them. The mare he loved came from one such place, though they were forced apart by the boundaries between their worlds.” She allowed her hand to drop, and the illusion dissipated. “When he grew too violent to be around… when I feared for my life… I found a portal to this world and forced it open, with no way to follow me, and no way to go back.”

She stretched a hand out to indicate Starlight. “And with Miss Glimmer’s help, I’ve started a new life helping people.”

Sunset nodded slowly. “It must have been hard, deciding to leave your home.”

“It wasn’t home anymore,” Dr. Twilight said, perhaps too quickly. “But… yes, of course.”

Rubbing her hands together, Sunset offered a smile. “It’s kinda weird how similar our stories are. Except I was the one at fault.”

Dr. Twilight Sparkle took to her office chair and bobbed her head. “Perhaps you might elaborate?”

Sunset traced an image in the air. It wasn’t quite as elaborate or lifelike as the doctor’s, but it equated a rough approximation of her pony body. “I am also a unicorn from Equestria. However, I was the personal student to Princess Celestia.”

Dr. Sparkle leaned forward. She frowned, and her eyes would have turned dark had their irises not been consistently glowing. “Princess?”

“I think my Princess Celestia,” Sunset said, “is the mare your King Sombra fell in love with.”

The doctor released a breath Sunset didn’t know she was holding. Dr. Twilight stared at her feet, clasping her hands together. “How do you know?”

“We’ve always called your world the Reflection.” Sunset allowed her sketched illusion to vanish, and turned her full concentration on the other Twilight. “My Celestia came to your Sombra’s aid when your evil versions of Celestia and Luna encroached on his kingdom. He sacrificed himself to save everybody when both worlds neared the point of collapse.”

Dr. Twilight didn’t say anything, but hummed, content to listen.

“And to seal the deal…” Sunset grinned halfheartedly. “I hear you have a Princess Trixie Lulamoon, Virtue of Humility. And Discord calls himself Captain Goodguy.”

The doctor held her head in her hands. “Yes. That’s my world. That son of a—”

Sunset spoke out of the side of her mouth, on instinct. “Twilight…”

“—gun,” Dr. Sparkle finished. She raised her head slowly.

Sunset knew she was blushing, but could do nothing to hide the fact. Old habits had brought her to stop a Twilight Sparkle from cursing as vehemently. She usually only did it to her sister in law.

If Dr. Twilight noticed something was off about the exchange, she didn’t acknowledge it. “Discord was convinced nobody could decipher his secret identity. I think we were too nice to tell him to his face.”

“Probably for the best,” Sunset said with a small voice.

Dr. Twilight Sparkle rolled her hand. “Please continue. How did you find your way to this world?”

Sunset laid it out, as bare-bones as she dared. Her time as Celestia’s student. Her desire to become an alicorn. The wedge she and the princess drove between each other. Her escape through the mirror. Her time at the high school. Her attempted theft of the Element of Magic.

Her redemption. Her friends.

She didn’t mention Princess Twilight or Twilight Sparkle. Not yet. She didn’t give any names. Not until she was sure what kind of person this Twilight was. It would be a difficult thing to take; she knew from experience. She would break it gently during her time at the school.

She suspected it was only a matter of time before she and this Twilight trusted each other.

“I guess that’s it in a nutshell.” Sunset shrugged. “Over a decade later, and I’m a wife, mother, math teacher, and magic aficionado.”

Dr. Twilight sat cross-legged on the office chair’s seat. She pursed her lips. “Did you ever pursue your dream to become an alicorn after that?”

Sunset wasn’t sure how to answer that. She hadn’t really thought about it in a while. Having that taste of power from the Element of Magic… it only resurfaced as a bad memory. A time when she had truly lost herself. The low point in her life. “No. I’m… I’m pretty sure that’s not my path anymore. I screwed up when it counted most. I’ve rededicated my life since then. It’s not…” She shook her head. “I don’t think it would be good for me.”

Dr. Twilight again said nothing to respond. Instead, she artfully shifted the subject. “Well, it’s clear you have a great deal of expertise in magic. It seems we were right to seek you out.” She gave Starlight a sidelong glance. “Wouldn’t you say, Headmistress?”

Starlight had been silent throughout both stories, having clearly already heard Twilight’s, and merely absorbing Sunset’s. Her expression was guarded to not reveal any sort of emotion, and her voice was similarly deadpan. “Yeah, she’s the girl for the job. Funny how we keep running into your old friends.”

“Not necessarily old friends,” Dr. Twilight said. “We’re all different people. Right, Sunset?”

“Yeah, pretty definitively.” Sunset sucked in a steadying breath. “I’m sorry for the deception, but I really want to keep my friends safe. In both worlds. You know?”

“I understand completely. You’re not at fault.” Another sidelong glance flew towards the doctor before Starlight stood. “Why don’t I get you settled, Sunset? Twilight usually takes this time for private study, so we ought to give her space.”

“I appreciate it.” Dr. Twilight Sparkle took her homemade book and set it on her lap. “I’m very glad to have met you, Sunset Shimmer.”

“The—ahem—the pleasure’s all mine, Twilight. Doctor. Twilight.” Sunset cleared her throat, smiled as genuinely as she could, and followed Starlight out the door. A glance behind her won her a smile from Dr. Twilight, and a peek at the cover of the book. Half of the title was obscured, but what she could see said “Grimoire.” A magic tome, obviously. Made sense.

With a flick of her wrist, Dr. Twilight Sparkle closed the door, switched off the light, and began to read in total darkness.

Twilight Sparkle hovered near the back of their little procession. Princess Twilight took point, with Little Spike at her heels, while Shining Armor and Big Mac clumped up in the middle. The princess maintained her ever-present friendly smile as she knocked on the door. It was a smile Twilight couldn’t bring herself to match, or even verge upon. Everything in her body told her to crawl into a corner and mope until her coworkers came to take her away to the “big house.”

Big Mac eased himself beside her and rested his arm behind her back. His titanic meat-hook of a hand encased her narrow shoulder like a suit of armor. It was nice to have him nearby. He had so much to do, but here he was, helping her in any way he could. Some of her anxiety faded, though its core remained dark and pulsating.

Vice Principal Luna opened the door. Pensive was the word of the hour as she led the lot of them into her and her sister’s house. It was a fairly simple affair, with few pictures and fewer adornments. The most elaborate decoration seemed to be the lamps placed next to their respective cozy-looking chairs. Twilight did spot what appeared to be a family photo placed on a desk, situated beside an old laptop computer. The subjects of the photo were Luna and Celestia themselves, both in their early twenties, wearing the signature styles of the time.

Twilight gave it a second look. A third woman stood between them, one with a stony face and white hair. A vicious scar ran down her left cheek. Was it their mother?

A series of fabric-cushioned folding chairs had been laid out in a circle. Luna took one for herself, offering the easy-chairs to whoever wanted them. “Sorry I don’t have much else. We don’t have people over all that often.”

Twilight took a chair that slid close to Big Mac’s. Princess Twilight sat beside Luna, while Shining Armor and Little Spike each took one of the nicer chairs. When Luna gave Little Spike a wary glance, he pulled a lint roller from his ever-present bag. “I came prepared. And I’m not shedding. Much.”

“It’s nice to see you again, Principal Luna,” Princess Twilight said. “Thank you for agreeing to this.”

“It’s the least I can do.” Luna covered her mouth with a hand, her eyes taking on a distant look. “For both Celestia’s sake and Raven’s.” She stood up from her seat, her voice taking on a higher pitch as she forced a little congeniality into it. “Hold up. If we’re gonna talk about this load of horsecrap, we might as well have snacks to go with it.”

“Here, here,” Little Spike said, carefully placing a pen in his paw.

Luan returned with a paper plate full of crackers and cheese and set it on a folding table between them. Nobody moved to partake for a good minute.

“To start…” Princess Twilight gave the room a once-over. Like Twilight, she apparently didn’t find anything of interest. “Can you describe your relationship with Raven?”

“Well… we were friends.” Luna crossed her arms as though she felt a chill in the room. “She was mostly Celestia’s friend, honestly, and I was the tagalong. They met during the Great War. You know the one. Celestia was a combat nurse serving the unit Sombra was part of. Those two hit it off pretty well. It wasn’t long after the war the four of us were meeting up and hanging out and stuff.”

Shining Armor nodded. “That was the war my mom fought in. She was one of the first female fighter pilots.”

Luna let out a laugh, staring at the ceiling. “Yeah. So, the years went by and my sister and Sombra parted ways. Their dreams led them to different continents. You know how it is. But Raven came with us. She went on this whole globe-trotting adventure. Celestia and I went with her while she was in Libertas. But when she went south, we parted ways again. She’d show up every once in a while to celebrate a holiday or something.”

She took a cracker from the plate and held it, never bringing it close to her mouth. “Last I heard, she went back home to the Highborn Isles to learn at some sort of spiritual-awakening kind of school. Inner power and that kinda stuff. It’s the one Celestia’s visiting right now.”

That got Twilight’s attention. She raised her head and grabbed the sides of her chair. “The magic school?”

“If you wanna call it ‘magic.’” Luna shrugged, looking more confused than anything. “Look, my experience with magic amounted to making sure my students were safe whenever some freakshow attacked with their sparkly fish powers. I left understanding the stuff up to Sunset Shimmer and Twilight here.” She jerked a thumb in the princess’ direction. “I can accept a talking dog exists, but don’t ask me to explain it.”

Princess Twilight waited for Little Spike to stop writing before asking another question. “Do you know of any other people who associated with Raven?”

“Aside from Sombra, not really.” Luna finally took a bite of the cracker, more to mull over her thoughts than to sate her hunger. “The whole reason she left the Highborn Isles in the first place was so she didn’t have to be around the nobility over there. Not a day went by that she didn’t complain about how dumb Fancy Pants was.”

Shining Armor tilted his head upwards. “The Prime Minister?”

“Probably. I didn’t vote for him.” Luna hunched over with her arms on her knees. “I dunno, guys. She spent more than half her life outside her own home country, and she was only in my life about half that time. I don’t know… know…”

Luna pressed her lips tight. “She contacted us about a month ago. Said she was coming into town again. She wanted to set up a meeting. Then we lost contact for a couple of weeks… and then she was gone.”

Princess Twilight touched a hand to Luna’s shoulder. “Did she say where she wanted to meet?”

“Um…” Luna laughed humorlessly. “I only remember because of how out of place it sounded. There’s this club downtown where apparently all the cool cats hang out. Dunno how kindly they’d take to three women in their fifties getting their groove on.”

“Nobody I know turns away paying customers,” Twilight Sparkle said. “Which club was it?”

Luna bit into another cracker. “Ever heard of the Party Favor?”

“Yeah.” The word came out as a defeated sigh. More than once the place had gotten rowdy enough to have the police escort people home. Thankfully, the activities had never needed Twilight’s involvement, and the infamy was more a running joke than an actual danger. She had never been drawn to the place—crowds, booze, and electronic dance music didn’t exactly entice her or Big Mac—but Caution was known to frequent the joint. “It’s only been open for about five years, so I don’t know how she would have come to choose it.”

She might have been trying to throw somebody off her trail, but Twilight didn’t want to vocalize it. Try as she might to hold it together, Luna was obviously breaking down bit by bit. It stung Twilight’s heart, though she knew she didn’t have the ability to comfort her.

Twilight sighed. She knew so much about the human body, but the human heart still left her altogether helpless.

Princess Twilight spoke softly to the older woman. “It’s okay if you need to take a break.”

“Maybe.” Lunas voice was shaky, and her eyes jumped from face to face. “I don’t know what else I can tell you.”

Shining Armor waved a little to get her attention. “How well do you know Dr. Sombra?”

“Even less than Raven, if you can believe it.” Luna breathed softly as she leaned back. “After their dreams pulled him and my sister apart, what was he to me, really?”

They stayed for another hour, but had little to do but visit. Luna had no more information to give aside from a few phone numbers for Celestia’s cell and Sombra’s workplace. They bid her goodbye, left her alone, and didn’t speak until they were headed back to Sweet Apple Acres.

Shining Armor tapped his fingers against the steering wheel of his and Sunset’s minivan. “Am I right in assuming that was a bust?”

“You kidding me?” Little Spike said from the back seat. “I’ve got ten pages of notes!”

Princess Twilight leaned around from her place riding shotgun. She reached back, and Twilight Sparkle passed up Little Spike’s sheets of paper. The princess looked them over, nodding appreciatively. “I see you’ve also taken note of the club’s name being familiar.”

Big Mac scowled lightly. “The ‘Party Favor’s’ popular in Equestria?”

“Party Favor is the name of one of Starlight Glimmer’s friends back home.” Princess Twilight taped the page with a flickering index finger. “Starlight Glimmer is also the name of the person running the school Raven learned at. It’s an odd coincidence if it is one.”

Twilight leaned her cheek on a closed fist, propped up on her bucket seat’s armrest. “I woulda thought Party Favor was a common name where you come from.”

“Not so common I can’t single it out.” Princess Twilight shuffled the pages absentmindedly as she looked out the window to watch the world roll by. “I think we should take a moment to investigate the Party Favor and see if there’s any connection to Starlight Glimmer. Meanwhile, Sunset Shimmer can be our eyes and ears in the magic school. You said she’s calling you tonight, Shining?”

“Yeah,” he said, turning on his left signal and waiting his turn to go. “A teleconference for Sunny and me. I suppose you’re all invited, too. It’s at noon, six her time.”

“Just a few hours, then. Good.”

Twilight Sparkle felt her face scrunch up of its own accord. The princess’ voice lit up every time the school was brought up. She had a feeling the place was the real reason the princess came to the world, rather than just corresponding via the magic journal. Perhaps it was for the best, if the school had anything to do with the death of Raven.

It made sense, if Twilight thought through it. A bunch of humans given magic power, with no supervision from those aware of its potential. There were bound to be bad eggs in the bunch. Maybe the whole bunch was rotten. Maybe that’s why Raven left them.

Pointless speculation. Until she knew more, there was only conjecture. And conjecture didn’t prove Twilight’s innocence or find the guilty party.

“Hay.”

Twilight Sparkle turned to Little Spike, who rested his paw beside her elbow. He smiled as his tail wagged in an oh-so-familiar way. He spoke quietly. “We’ve got this. With us on your side, there’s nothing you gotta worry about, okay?”

Big Mac’s hand reached across the center aisle and wrapped his fingers around hers. His mouth didn’t quite smile, but his eyes dazzled her with the cool confidence to be found within. “A’yup.”

Twilight’s mind still whirled with painful possibilities, but she couldn’t deny the cozy feeling that warmed the bottom of her heart.

“I hate it!”

A shoe zipped across the room to thwack against the far wall. Starlight Glimmer glared at it, her rage prepping the other shoe to fly harder and fiercer. A similarly-disappointing whap greeted the other shoe’s arrival at its sister’s destination.

Double Diamond looked up from the newspaper he was reading. He peered slightly down and to the right, where the shoes had ended their brief flightpath. “Hate what?”

“That brilliant, perfect little mind of hers!” Starlight stripped off her raincoat and left it slumped over the back of a metal folding chair. She stalked across the room to slouch into a rickety office chair that never quite kept its balance. “She’s always thinking in twenty different directions, plotting a dozen different outcomes, and I can’t follow it worth a darn.”

“Yep.” Double Diamond brought the newspaper back up. “The doc’s up to somethin’ again.”

“Inviting Sunset Shimmer wasn’t about getting more teachers, oh no, that’s far too shortsighted for her.” Starlight slapped her palm against the desk, causing Double to jump. “She suspected Sunset was from another world like she was. And she was right.” She spun in her chair and nearly careened to the floor before Double Diamond caught her. “Did she feel the need to share this information with little old me? Noooo, of course not. Why bother to clue in her personal student, confidant, and supporter of her livelihood!”

Double Diamond took a moment to process the information. He ended his musings with a quizzical shrug. “Dr. Sparkle’s always kept her secrets, Starlight. We knew that when she started tutoring us.”

“It keeps happening, Double Dee.” Starlight undid her hair and let it flow over her shoulders. “Chrysalis, Dr. Sombra, Sunset bleeding Shimmer. Every time she seeks out somebody to invite to the school, it’s because she knew their double from her world. I really should have expected it by now.”

“She’s probably just lookin’ for familiar faces, y’know?” Double Diamond folded the paper and set it within her reach. “I don’t really blame her. I know what it’s like to pull up roots. It does things to your heart.”

“Oh and I totally fully support her coping mechanism.” Starlight yanked the newspaper from its place and glanced at the first page. A picture of Crown Prince Blueblood waved to a crowd of spectators. She wanted to rip the offending face from the article. In fact, maybe she would. “I just wish she would open up a little. Talk to me once in a while. I might be able to actually help her if she just…”

Double Diamond gave Starlight a small smirk. “Dr. Sparkle also likes to be the smartest person in the room.”

“God, that woman.” Starlight rolled her eyes and began to skim the article. “I love her to death.”

She frowned when she caught the main headline: King Bluemane passes away. Blueblood to be crowned shortly. She cursed, folded the page over, and presented Blueblood’s handsome mug to Double Diamond. “This moron—this boy in a man’s body—is gonna be the death of the whole ruddy country.”

Double Diamond propped his legs up on the desk and folded his hands behind his head. “You’ve been saying that for years.”

“It’s been true for years.” Starlight clenched her fist. Magic wrapped around the picture of Blueblood and tore it cleanly from the page. She crumpled the paper to pulp and tossed it in a wastebasket. “He’s got no business acumen, he’s got no cause to fight for, he’s just a stud horse for the next generation of pompous halfwits to take charge of our lives.”

She jabbed her pointer finger at a smaller article near the bottom of the page. The headline read: Violent protest leaves three businesses in shambles. “Look at these idiots. Those riots sure as hell aren’t going to move his butt from the throne. Not that our protests ever made a dent.”

Double Diamond sighed through his nose. “Night Glider thought our rallies were important.”

“Yeah.” Starlight Glimmer let the newspaper slump to the desk. She hunched over until her forehead rested on the wood table top. “That’s why she and Party Favor hopped on the first ship to Libertas.”

She rolled the chair across the floor and nearly lost her balance again. “I feel like I’m on a sinking ship and I’m the only one with the mental fortitude to carry a bucket!”

Double Diamond straightened himself out. He opened a jar of hard candy and tossed one to Starlight, while popping another in his mouth. “We knew it wasn’t gonna be easy, when we starting this whole thing. But that’s what the magic’s all about, right? It equalizes people. It’s gonna put people like Blueblood and people like us on the same level. It’s not about blood relations, or being born into privilege, or race, or credo. It’s somethin’ we can all learn.”

He waited a beat, during which Starlight stewed. She knew exactly what he was about to say.

“It’s why I think Dulcimer being here is a good thing.”

“Blech! Dulcimer, Dulcimer, Dulcimer!” Starlight bit down on the hard candy. The crunch could be heard in the next room. “He’s worse than Blueblood! Shoved into power just because he knew the right people—”

“You don’t even know him, Stars.” Double Diamond watched Starlight pace back and forth across the small office like a caged tiger. “I hear he’s a smart businessman. Done good things for the economy. Dr. Sombra said he was the reason Blueblood graduated.”

“And then Blueblood appointed him master of all his business affairs.” Starlight crossed her arms, her feet shoulder-width apart. “Coincidence?”

“Probably not.”

“Definitely not.” Starlight turned away from Double Diamond, seething at the locked door that led to the “courtyard.” “I loathe the thought of teaching that man magic.”

“Hey.” Double Diamond put his hands on her shoulders. The gesture was nice, though it failed to break through her wall of ire. “We wanna give everybody the chance at equality, right? Put everybody on the same level? I think that should include everybody. And you do, too.”

“Presumptuous of you to say so, Double Dee.” Starlight raised her eyebrow at him, her mouth formed into a tiny pout. “Even if you’re right.”

Double Diamond patted her shoulders and took a step back. “Anything else you wanna get inordinately pissed about?”

Sunset kicked her office chair. It spiraled through the room until it collapsed to the floor. “I wish we could have used Sombra’s “grant” for equipment instead of a new teacher.” She blew a raspberry. “But she might not have come without it.”

Double Diamond laughed. “So it’s up to us to get her as sold on the cause as she is on the cash?”

“She strikes me as the earnest sort.” Starlight slipped three hard candies from the jar and bit right into the first one. “How hard can it be?”

Dr. Twilight Sparkle exited the dark laboratory, her book tucked underneath her arm. She went to the edge of the walkway and put her hand on the railing. Her students were starting to come indoors for the day. A few were still practicing a spell or two as they made their way to the eating area.

They had made great strides since the day Starlight Glimmer had found her, seven years before. Comparatively great strides. Most had the magic acuity of a first-year student of magic in Equestria. Some, though, like Starlight Glimmer, stood head-and-shoulders above the others. Perhaps part of it was passion. Part of it was the ability for magic to “click” with them. Some of them were still struggling to believe it was even real.

But then, Starlight had quite the gift of persuasion. The rest was in the presentation.

“Excuse me, are you Dr. Twilight Sparkle?”

Dr. Twilight’s ear twitched. In her original body, it would have swiveled to catch the man’s words. In this realm, she was forced to turn her head to look at him. He was one of the new students; one Starlight had warned her to be wary of. He was a handsome man in his late twenties, around her age. A noble not by birth, but by appointment. “Speaking. You are Viscount Dulcimer?”

Dulcimer smiled, stepping closer to her with his hand sliding along the railing. “The one and only. I have to say, it’s an honor to finally meet you.”

She frowned at that. She clutched her book tighter to her chest as she strengthened her grip on the rail. “Very few people know of me before they come here.”

“Perhaps. But I’m not most people.” He stopped a single step away from her. He was taller than her by at least a head, but he had little hope of intimidating her. From the friendly expression he wore, it seemed he had no desire to intimidate her in the first place. “You’ll have to forgive me for doing my research. I’m on official business for the Prime Minister’s office, after all.”

“I’m aware.” Dr. Twilight Sparkle tilted her head back. She added a little intensity to the spell in her eyes. “As is everyone you’ve spoken to for the past few hours. Afraid of your legitimacy coming into question?”

“Alas, you’ve caught me.” Dulcimer’s smile verged more towards a smirk, but his eyes twinkled with genuine mirth. “I’m a slave to my own insecurities.”

For her part, Dr. Twilight kept her face neutral. “Then what do you know?”

“I know that you are actually a foreigner. And that the paper trail that is your existence ends about seven years back.” He glanced around at the warehouse they were in, though only long enough to indicate that it was the subject of his next statement. “I know that this place was the brainchild of Starlight Glimmer and yourself. Coincidentally, your arrival also signified the disappearance of Miss Glimmer from the public eye. She was quite the outspoken individual for a while.”

Dr. Sparkle tapped a finger on the rail. “The years have not softened her stance.”

“So I suspected.” His laugh was dry. Nearly a verbal wince. “Most of all…”

He looked her in the eye. Most people were unnerved by the spell she used in lieu of spectacles. Luminous irises were most often seen as dangerous. Otherworldly. But he seemed quite comfortable. Perhaps he was a good actor. Perhaps he was too dimwitted to understand the implication.

No, she decided. His gaze did not hold the dull glaze of an idiot. Much as he joked about his insecurity, he was certain of his stance. Whatever it might be.

“I know that what you teach here,” he said, his voice warm and quiet, “is real. It is powerful. It is beautiful.” He bowed at the neck, a smooth, practiced motion. “I look forward to learning from you, Dr. Twilight Sparkle. Thank you for this opportunity.”

Energy radiated off the man. A light she had only rarely found in the people of this world. Starlight had it. Sombra had it. Raven once had it. He had the potential to learn magic at an accelerated pace. He had the drive and will to keep at it, practice it to its fullest.

Whatever his ultimate motive was, he was to be the perfect student.

“Very well, Viscount Dulcimer,” she said. “I look forward to instructing you.”

“Just Dulcimer to my friends, Doctor.”

“We’ll see.” Dr. Twilight grasped her book in both hands and began to walk the other direction. “I have an appointment to keep. Please help yourself in the dining hall.”

“Thanks.” He offered her a faux salute. “’Til next we meet.”

She continued along the walkway towards the west wing, where the computer lab was held. She knocked on the door three times before stepping in. A gaunt, thin-faced woman leaned over her monitor, which was a sight more high-end than Dr. Twilight’s personal PC. The woman input a series of keystrokes that were as foreign to the doctor as could possibly be, then turned to face her. The woman’s straight, thinning green hair fell over one eye.

Dr. Twilight Sparkle took a seat beside her. “What can you tell me, Chrysalis?”

Chrysalis cracked her knuckles one by one. She opened a document with a list of names she’d noted down. “Sunset Shimmer keeps off of social media for the most part. Even the profiles of her most active friends are pretty much bereft of information. Everything with her name on it seems to link back to the ‘Canterlot High Hoax.’ I know she’s married, but I still haven’t been able to access her records.”

Dr. Twilight frowned at the notes. She already knew all of that. It was what drew her to this Sunset Shimmer in the first place. “Most people aren’t this difficult to research.”

“Don’t I know it?” Chrysalis returned to the computer and brought up another file. This was an old article from Canterlot City about the high school’s Fall Formal dance. It was barely a paragraph long, but the face in the picture was familiar. It was Sunset Shimmer at age fifteen, wearing a pretty white dress and a crown that she seemed surprised to have earned. “I did find some evidence that she was a foster kid. Her foster parents are named Davenport and Roseluck. Davenport owns some sorta sofa store with a website ten years out of date. It uses JPEGs of all things. I mean, holy crap.”

Dr. Twilight furrowed her brow.

Chrysalis cleared her throat. “Right. Sorry. I forgot you were allergic to technical jargon.”

“I’m unfamiliar with your technology, not opposed to it.” Twilight placed her elbows on the desk and interlaced her fingers. One benefit hands had over hooves was that they offered better brooding poses. “You combed the images of her friends’ social media posts?”

“Pretty thoroughly.” A folder’s worth of pictures sprung up from its minimized position. Two folders labeled PP and RD were tucked into the top left corner, with the rest of the images remaining at the folder’s top level. Chrysalis set the pictures to have large thumbnails, enabling Twilight to see their previews. “I think I deserve some credit for being able to get past the privacy screens.”

Dr. Twilight took the mouse from Chrysalis and used the wheel to scroll through the pictures. “You can do that in your sleep.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” Chrysalis draped a lanky arm over the back of her chair. “It’s just my own special kinda magic.”

One of the pictures caught the doctor’s eye. It had a cowpony hat. A very familiar one. She’d never seen the person wearing it before, but the face’s lines, angles, and expression were unmistakable. “Well, well… Even worlds away, I can’t escape—”

Another picture with the same woman. Beside her stood a large man who barely fit into the frame. His eyes gleamed with a perfect, brilliant green. “Big Mac?”

“Who?” Chrysalis leaned in and let out a laugh when she saw him. “Oh, yeah. Now that’s a sight for sore eyes. He looks like he could fit his hands around my waist.”

Dr. Twilight scrolled back to the top. PP and RD. “Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash?”

“Yeah. How’d you guess?”

Her pulse quickened as she peered through the images. She was able to pick out Pinkie immediately, though she had never seen that level of joy on the mare’s face. Rainbow Dash was even more cocksure of herself, if that was possible. Anger continued to build. Seeing Fluttershy as a veterinarian almost made her throw the mouse across the room.

When she found the woman who was sure to be Rarity, she had to step away from the computer.

“Whoa.” Chrysalis watched her from a distance, a shade of fear falling across her features. “You okay, Doc? Did these girls break your favorite toy, or what?”

Dr. Twilight Sparkle tightened her fists. Sparks of magic shot out of her fingernails. She could tell her face was reddened with blood flow. She forcibly unclenched her teeth. “These… are not the mares I know. I need to remember that.”

She took a deep breath in through her nose, held it for a moment, and then let it flow from her mouth in a continuous stream. She forced the rage from her body and allowed serenity its rightful place. She sat down and continued to scroll, seeking out appearances from Sunset Shimmer.

“Um…” Chrysalis shivered, even though the room was perfectly temperate. “If you need a break, I can grab us some grub from the mess hall—”

“I’m fine.” Dr. Twilight perused onward, guarding herself against further outbursts. “It was a mere slip, and won’t happen again.”

“That’s…” Chrysalis tilted her head. “Good.”

The doctor paused near the bottom of the main folder. She found exactly what she was looking for: A sight that would have caused most hearts to stop dead in their tracks.

Big Mac had his arm around a small woman in her late twenties. She wore glasses over her intelligent lavender eyes. Her hair was held back in a messy bun, but her bright pink stripe still shone through. The face was, of course, an exact mirror to Dr. Twilight’s own.

Chrysalis gave the picture a double-take. She looked at the doctor, then back at the picture, then settled on the doctor. “Wait.”

“I see realization has finally taken hold.” Dr. Twilight leaned back and folded her hands on her lap. “I trust I don’t have to explain this?”

“What—” Chrysalis peered closer at the picture as her jaw dropped. “What the actual hell?”

Dr. Twilight let out a subtle sigh of resignation. “You recall what I said about your mirror counterpart?”

“Goody Two-shoes? Yeah…” Chrysalis’ slight form practically melted onto the desk as she beheld what her mind considered to be an impossibility. “What is she, your evil doppelganger?”

“That remains to be seen.” Dr. Twilight double-clicked the picture to make it viewable at full-screen. It was a grainy phone picture, but the likeness was clear as day. “As does why Sunset Shimmer thought to hide her from me.”

“Might just keep to herself.” Chrysalis swallowed hard, tapping her nails against her knee. “Rare quality in this day and age, but…”

“Moreover…” Dr. Twilight Sparkle rubbed her chin, running her eyes along her duplicate’s body. They seemed a perfect match. “Is this the Twilight Sparkle of this world, or Sunset’s?”

She stood and touched a hand to Chrysalis’ shoulder. “Cross-reference the name Twilight Sparkle with Canterlot City. Also be on the lookout for the names Shining Armor, Twilight Velvet, Night Light… and Spike.”

Chrysalis switched back to the document and typed the names in with incredible speed. “More friends of yours?”

Dr. Twilight gave her a humorless smile. She left the room without another word. What more could be said?

She clutched her book tight, its front cover closest to her heart, and made her way to her special office at the very back of the school. Few people were allowed entry, and only under her supervision. She stepped in, left her book on the counter, and locked the door behind her. She had worked up an appetite after the revelations of the day. It would be good to sit with Starlight and forget some of the stress.

She had nearly slipped up by reading the book when Sunset had arrived. She wouldn’t make that mistake again. If Sunset had seen the full title, there would have been an immediate argument. All of her hopes and dreams could have been placed in jeopardy.

Only those who had studied at the feet of their land’s most powerful mages had even heard of the tome. If Sunset was indeed the student of that reality’s Celestia, then she was privy to a world of information most ponies would be unable to fathom. Including those things that were to be avoided.

Those who knew of the Grimoire Alicorn knew enough to fear it.

Dr. Twilight Sparkle knew quite a bit.

Breaking Bread

Fish and chips. Sunset couldn’t have thought of a more cliché first meal in the Highborn Isles if she tried. Not that she was complaining. The fish was beyond fresh, having been caught just off their island, and the chips had a fantastic crunch. She found herself sitting at a table with a few of the students who had gathered in the hopes of meeting their new magic teacher.

Gloriosa Daisy sat across from her. She was an immigrant from Libertas who had lost her family’s campground when her parents’ loans had proved too steep to pay back in the wake of their deaths. With no direction and less money, she’d put as much distance between her failure and herself as possible. “It was actually my little brother who found this place. Timber found good work at a state park and kept us afloat for a while. I… was depressed for a long time. He thought maybe this could bring me out of it. Give me purpose.”

Sunset watched in awe as a flower bloomed at Gloriosa’s touch. “He was right. This place is amazing. I’m hoping he can come someday. Or maybe I just have to learn enough to teach him.”

The things she saw Gloriosa do were enough to put even the proudest earth pony arbor mages to the test. She had hand-grafted a branch onto a tree in a matter of seconds, with no additional materials needed. The tree had simply accepted the branch. Sunset couldn’t begin to imagine the woman’s power over plant life should she ever make it to Equestria.

Come to think of it, if somebody with this level of magic capability were in Equestria, wouldn’t she have heard about it?

A thought for another time. At the moment, other students were sharing their stories from around the table. A woman named Fleetfoot who had uncovered the ability to fly at high speeds under her own power. A man named Coldstone who could transform portions of his body into unbreakable crystal. A woman named Torch Song who could project her voice as though she had an entire stadium of sound equipment.

Sunset laughed. “You guys are starting to sound like a superhero team.”

“Nah, you want a superhero team,” Coldstone said, pointing at the head table in the dining hall, “you look no further than Headmistress Glimmer and her crew. When Starlight invited me, she did so by lifting my car, my neighbor’s truck, and a nearby minivan with nothing but a thought.”

Torch Song smirked as she lifted a fried potato chip to her mouth. “The hunky guy sitting next to her, Double Diamond, I hear he’s got enough reflexes, agility, and strength you’d think he was bit by a radioactive spider.”

Sunset had seen Starlight’s other close friend, Sugar Belle, when she got food from the kitchen. The woman was moving at speeds the eye couldn’t track, hopping from place to place as she prepared a meal for the whole compound by herself. Hot as the kitchen was, she hadn’t even broken a sweat.

Gloriosa turned to look at the table with something approaching spiritual reverence. “And it’s all thanks to Dr. Twilight.”

Sunset’s smile almost faltered, but she kept up appearances well enough. Every time she thought she could relax, the question of the hour was brought back to the forefront. Twilight Sparkle, MagD; doctor of magic. A graduate of Sombra’s School for Extraordinary Foals and complete master of the science. Sunset would give anything to be a fly on the wall should Dr. Twilight and Princess Twilight ever have a conversation.

And why the heck not? Sunset stuffed a chip in her mouth and mulled over both the salty flavor and her own thoughts. Twilight Sparkle, MagD, already came from a reflection of Equestria. The secret was out, and it was a secret the doctor knew how to keep. She had already surmised that another Twilight existed before Sunset dodged the question with all the grace of a sleeping hippopotamus. Why not confirm it?

Because something seemed off about the doctor, that’s why.

Sunset wasn’t sure if it was her own preexisting notions about Twilight Sparkle as a multiversal entity, but something was different about the doctor. She had the magical prowess and charisma of Princess Twilight, the intensity and shrewdness of the human Twilight, but with another special something rolled into the mix. It wasn’t necessarily a good thing, either. It was anger. Deep-seated, boiling anger, hidden just below the surface.

Sunset recognized it as the same anger she had felt, many years ago. A sense of betrayal. Injustice. A desire for retribution. The only question was who Dr. Twilight wanted revenge against.

It was most likely somebody from her world. Sombra? She had only exhibited remorse when she spoke of him. Trixie? Discord? Neither of the two brought up anything but a wry irritation. Further conversations would be required before Sunset could suss out the source of her ire.

Suss it out and help her grow past it.

Coldstone stood up and reached a hand for her empty plate. “Can I take care of that for you, Teach?”

Sunset glanced at her phone to check the time, which had helpfully updated automatically as she crossed time zones. “Thanks, Coldstone. I lost track of time. I’ve got to call my family really soon.”

Fleetfoot grinned as she hovered four feet above the ground, legs crossed. The air behind her back shimmered with translucent wings. “You said you had a little boy?”

“Sunlight Shields.” Sunset Shimmer felt warmth envelop her heart as she turned her phone towards her eating companions, a picture of her son smiling like his namesake. “Sunny for short.”

Much cooing ensued from Torch, Gloriosa, and Fleetfoot, while Coldstone offered an approving nod and a chuckle. Sunset said her goodbyes and edged towards the other end of the repurposed warehouse, where the women’s quarters were. Starlight’s quick tour of the sleeping area had ended with the door to the showers and pointing out the bunk Sunset would be using for the foreseeable future. It was little more than a fold-out cot, but the comforter was cozy enough. Sunset regretted not bringing pillows from home.

The room was mostly unoccupied, with the students either catching up with each other or performing cleanup in the wake of the meal. One lady could be seen nestled into her bed, one leg bent over a high knee and a phone held above her face. She laughed quietly as she watched some sort of comedy video on a streaming platform.

Sunset got her attention out of politeness. “Hey, mind if I make a call, Miss…?”

“‘Miss’ nothing. Call me Chrysalis.” Chrysalis paused her video and offered a lazy handshake without sitting up. “You the new teacher? Sunset Sunrise or somethin’ like that?”

Sunset nearly snorted at the woman’s careless manner. She accepted the handshake and found Chrysalis’ to be cold and limp. Chrysalis the Tyrant she was not. “Shimmer, actually. Sunset Shimmer. And yes, I’m the prospective teacher.”

“Cool beans. Hope you don’t give too much homework.” Chrysalis returned to her video without a care in the world, though she turned the volume down. “Make all the noise you want. I’m just passing time until lights out.”

Sunset Shimmer took that to be the end of the brief, snappy conversation. She pulled a carryon bag from underneath her cot and unzipped one of the pockets. A small laptop slid out into her hands, which she placed on the cheap bed. She sat beside it and clamshelled it open. She glanced at Chrysalis. “Do you guys have Wi-Fi or are you on data?”

“Look for Ourtown84, password e-q-u-a-l-i, capital T, three.”

“Thanks.” The laptop churned as the screen lit up. Sunset typed her account password without conscious thought. It was the work of a moment to log onto the Wi-Fi network, and another moment to log onto a messenger program.

Sunset began the call and awaited Shining. She plugged a set of earbuds into the computer and wore them, setting the volume lower so that she didn’t burst her own eardrums should an unexpected sound happen. She angled the screen away from Chrysalis on a whim. No sense tempting somebody to snoop, even if it was only accidental.

Shining’s face appeared, then moved back to reveal a few more callers than she expected. She of course saw Sunny on his lap, where the young boy waved gleefully. However, less expected were the talking dog and duplicate Twilight Sparkles on either side.

“Hi Mommy!” Sunny leaned forward to grab Shining’s laptop, but a firm hand on his chest kept him in his place. “We’re at Granny Smith’s!”

A gap appeared in Sunset’s heart. She wanted nothing more than to hold her son close as Shining enveloped the both of them in his strong arms. Her ears burned as she clutched at the cot’s linens. “Hi buddy! I miss you so much! Have you been good for Granny?”

“Yep!”

“Good.” Sunset turned her gaze to Shining. She hated that she couldn’t look him right in the eye—the camera was just that far away from the screen. “How was your first day at work, Shiny?”

“Good enough,” he said, his smile small but sincere. “Scootaloo’s quite the harda—um… tough customer, but still a pretty good boss.”

He shifted in his seat, his eyes going to her image on his screen, which led to him staring at her keyboard. “You guys have a safe flight?”

“It was extremely boring, so I guess that means it was a darn good flight.” Sunset smiled back, but her eyes kept flicking to the stereo Twilights and the singular Spike. “How’s… everybody else doing?”

Princess Twilight waved with a chipper “Hello!” while her Twilight looked down and to the left, clutching the knees of her jeans. “We’ve made some progress in the investigation and found a strange connection. It seems that Raven was a student of the very school you’re now attending.”

The pleasantries were over far sooner than she expected. They were over far, far sooner than they would have been had it just been her, Shining, and Sunny. She considered calling Shining later, just so they could have a moment of privacy. A moment not diluted by—still welcome, but not conducive to intimacy—friends. She leaned forward and placed her elbows on her knees. “Starlight said as much when she and Sombra talked about the funeral. She was frustrated that she couldn’t go. It probably has something to do with legal mumbo-jumbo. She’s kinda reclusive when it comes to Highborn Isles government.”

Princess Twilight nibbled on the tip of her long, straight hair. “Be careful, Sunset. Somebody there might have something to do with the murder. I know you’ve got good intuition, but don’t let your guard down. From what I’ve gathered, the murder was committed using a spell that rips the fairy strings from your body.”

Sunset jerked back, her face aflame as her stomach dropped. “Seriously?”

“Yes. The kind of spell only detailed in something like the Grimoire Alicorn.” Princess Twilight folded her hands on her lap, sending a quick glance at Little Spike, who met her gaze with equal weight. “I have the only copy of the Grimoire that we know of, and it’s been close by my side since the Cloudsdale Incident.”

Little Spike flicked an ear. “I thought we agreed to call it the Battle of Cloudsdale?”

“‘Battle’ implies it wasn’t an act of domestic terrorism.” The princess deflated, leaning against the couch back. “Something for the historians to argue about. In the meantime, while we don’t have any suspects from Equestria I could name—everybody confirmed to know the spell is dead—I’m worried that the school could be a petri dish of sorts for evil wizards.”

Little Spike tapped the pen on his muzzle. “No strong evidence to support it, but keep your eyes peeled for unstable individuals.”

Sunset noticed that Twilight, her Twilight, had kept her gaze off to the side of the computer. Her eyes took on that distant look she got when she felt separated from the conversation, with the edges of her mouth pulled down in a limp frown. “Twilight?”

She didn’t react. The princess was savvy enough to realize that Sunset wasn’t talking to her, and turned to her counterpart. Shining nudged his little sister in the elbow and let Sunny scamper out of view.

Twilight jerked upright, her eyes coming alert. “Huh? What was the question?”

She never thought she’d hear that from Twilight Sparkle, investigator of the unknown and genius to the highest degree. After a moment’s pause, she spoke again. “How are you feeling?”

“It’s whatever.” She shrugged, and a smile without mirth appeared for but an instant. “We’re doing everything we can, right?”

Twilight brought her legs onto the couch and hugged them close to her chest. “What about you? What’s the school like?”

On one hand, Sunset was glad to have both Twilights on hand for the bombshell she was about to drop. On the other… She glanced at Chrysalis from the other side of the room. Her phone still droned on with comedy shows, coupled with occasional shakes of laughter from her body. Sunset leaned closer to the computer and lowered her voice. “For the most part, it’s amazing. More than I could hope for. Starlight is really helping people here. Giving purpose to the depressed. Giving full function to the disabled. Opening up a whole new world for so many people. I’ve seen people here who, even with this world’s weird low magic, could put our finest wizards to shame.”

Princess Twilight leaned forward with great interest, while the other Twilight bobbed her head noncommittally. Shining Armor smiled as she gushed, his pride felt even through the airwaves. Little Spike’s tail wagged as he jotted down notes.

Bombshell dropping in three, two, one. “So… their head teacher, the one who taught Starlight magic, is named Dr. Twilight Sparkle.”

From a certain point of view, it was comical the way the same expression flashed across all of their faces. Quirked eyebrows, pursed lips, in Little Spike’s case a twitch of the nose. The Twilights looked at each other, as if verifying that Sunset had indeed said what they thought she said.

Little Spike sighed, scribbling the note at the bottom of his page. “And with that, I’ve officially filled out my Multiversal Shenanigans Bingo Card.”

Princess Twilight about lifted right off her seat. “Have you met her?”

Sunset pulled an earbud out to make sure there was nobody around to eavesdrop. She didn’t hear anybody… “She’s a pretty exact duplicate for you guys. Right down to sharing height and lens prescription with, ah, not-princess Twilight. The voice is spot-on. She comes from the Reflection universe, where Sombra was king before—”

“Before he took the dark magic into himself.” Princess Twilight rubbed her forehead. “That was ten, eleven years ago. Give or take. We locked off the portal to that world to keep the connection from tearing both our and their world apart.” She looked at Sunset from beneath a heavy brow. “How long has she been in your world?”

“The school’s been around about seven years.”

“And you’ve had no sign of instability? Worldwide earthquakes, things appearing out of thin air, people completely inverting their personalities?

Shining Armor crossed his arms over his chest. “I think we woulda noticed by now.”

“Right, right.” Princess Twilight stood up to pace around the back of the couch, her voice coming in and out of focus. “So whatever connection was made to bring her over is far more solid than Starswirl’s prototype mirror. That, or she closed it behind her. That, or it’s a crystal pool portal like the one Spike and I used to travel here.”

“Still not sure if that thing’s natural or not,” Little Spike added.

“Besides the point.” Princess Twilight’s voice was maybe a little harsher than she meant. She sucked in a breath and blew it out slowly. “Sorry, Spike. No, you’re right…” The princess peered through her fingers at the camera. “You said she’s teaching there? Helping people with magic?”

“Most people ascribe their abilities to her and Starlight.” Sunset Shimmer stifled a yawn. It was only a little after noon back home, but the sun was on its way downward in the Highborn Isles. Jet lag at its finest. “I’ve only met her once, but she seems sincere. I just need more time with her to get a real grasp on what happened to make her want to come to this world.”

Shining nodded lightly. “You’ll figure it out. You’re the expert on that kinda thing.”

“World-jumping?”

“People.” Shining smirked. “I meant people.”

Princess Twilight leaned her palms on the back of the couch. “What are her magical capabilities? Did you see her perform any spells?”

Sunset tilted her hand back and forth. “I saw her perform a pretty flawless illusion spell as she was telling me about herself. Other than that, she has a vision-correcting spell active at all times.”

Princess Twilight let out a murmur. “Never put too much time into illusion magic myself.”

Twilight twiddled her thumbs as she rested her chin on her knees. “Should we talk with her?”

Princess Twilight frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Should we talk with her?” Twilight pushed her glasses up her nose, accidently smudging them on her forehead. “Connect with her? Explain to each other how this whole multiverse thing works?” She waved a hand vaguely towards the laptop. “Show her she’s not alone?”

An uncomfortable silence spread across the call. Little Spike looked to Princess Twilight for an answer, while Shining and Twilight remained on the screen. Sunset had to admit that she still wasn’t sure herself. It might help to put all the cards on the table… or it might screw up everything.

“I want to hold off on it,” Sunset said quietly. More quietly than anything else she’d said up to that point. “There’s something the doctor’s upset at, back in her homeworld. She’s… very angry at whatever happened. I want to learn more about it, and her, before I risk exposing you guys to whatever she’s got pent up inside.”

“Sunset,” Shining said, his face becoming akin to solid stone, “do you feel like you’re in danger?”

“No.” Sunset swallowed hard. She certainly didn’t feel in danger from Dr. Twilight herself. Nor from any of the students she’d met. “No, I think I’m fine. And besides, Twilight, she invited me because she already figured out I was from another world. That’s why she thought I’d be a good teacher here. She just wasn’t sure whether I was from her world or another one.”

Twilight Sparkle tilted her eyes down. “So you’re just not telling her about us.”

“I haven’t mentioned any of you guys. Just Princess Celestia.” A few students started to shuffle their way into the sleeping area. She raised her voice to make it seem like she wasn’t holding a clandestine meeting between members of multiple worlds. “I’m, um, gonna hold off until I get a better read on the situation. Get to know people more, you know?”

She flicked off her view of the other side of the call. “I think I gotta end the call pretty quick. This place is filling up pretty fast, so…”

“Sunny, come say goodbye to Mommy.”

“I love you, Mommy!”

“I love you, too, sweetheart.” Sunset smiled into the camera as well as she could. “I love you all. Be safe out there.”

“We will.” The confident cadence of the voice could only belong to the princess. “Update us on the situation soon. We’ll hopefully have news.”

“Thanks.” Sunset pulled her last earbud out as the call ended from the other end. She sent a quick text Shining’s way—“call you ltr”—and closed the laptop. More greetings came her way as women found their cots and prepared for the evening respite, which she returned in like kind. It would take a bit of time for her to learn everybody’s name, but there weren’t so many people that it seemed impossible. Active though it was, Starlight’s school was a small one.

She hadn’t seen Celestia in a while, though she didn’t much worry for her. Being around Sombra was a far more pressing matter for the principal than hanging around the school.

Sunset sighed as she stretched her legs, both of them having fallen asleep. At least one pair of star-crossed lovers had been reunited.

As students entered the sleeping area, Chrysalis paused her playlist and tucked the phone away. From around the same area, she pulled another phone, one with a bit more processing power to it. The laptop’s meager security had cracked without a single word of warning to Sunset. The low encryption of the call had fallen almost as quickly.

The call had been recorded and sent straight to her personal computer upstairs, ready to be examined by her, and later by the doctor.

She’d listened in a little. Not much, but enough to confirm that at least one person on the other end of the connection sounded suspiciously like the doctor herself. Enough to confirm that Sunset and her cronies back home were interested in the murder of Raven.

If Sunset was gonna be snooping into that, she’d have to be watched carefully.

Especially after the second murder went down.

“Soup’s up!” Granny Smith said. “That’s subs for everybody, an’ a veggie for the princess an’ Skyhook.”

She gave Little Spike a wary glance, rubbing her chin. “Hmm. Don’t quite feel right givin’ you kibbles an’ bits, come tah think of it.”

“I’ll have whatever Princess Twilight’s having.” Little Spike trotted past Twilight on his way to the dining room. He caught a glimpse of the fully-loaded club sub and gave it a double-take. “On second thought, I’ll have whatever Mac’s having.”

Mac walked in from the kitchen, having just left the fields. He gave Little Spike a nod as he took a seat at the table beside Twilight. “Fella knows what’s good for him.”

Twilight bit into her sandwich as the rest of the family and guests assembled at the table. A significantly smaller than footlong sub had been placed in front of Sunny, catered to his particular penchants. A high concentration of pickles on the side likewise enticed the boy. Apple Bloom sat beside him, helping him eat and attending to him, as she had the entire morning while they were away at Luna’s.

Shining had taken the seat between Twilight and Sunny. “I’ve got good news. A military buddy of mine knows the owner of the Party Favor. He agreed to get us an interview this evening.”

“I’m coming this time,” Skyhook said. When the princess gave him a light glower, he raised a hand. “I’m here to protect you, princess. I’ll stay discreet, I promise.”

“He’s got a point, Twi.” Little Spike pawed briefly at his sandwich before giving up, leaning down, and taking a bite of the ingredients. “You’ve got personal guards for a reason. Accidents can happen in a club.”

“I know, I’m sorry.” Princess Twilight rubbed her temples. “I just… a lot on my mind. I’ve got a lot.” She lifted the sub to her mouth. Before taking a bite, she offered Skyhook an apologetic grin. “I agree. A clubs a bit more dangerous than the vice principal’s house.”

Applejack crunched on an apple slice. “So which of your buddies has deep connections tah the club scene?”

Shining wiped a streak of mayonnaise off of Sunny’s chin. “Flash Sentry.”

The choking gasp from the princess’ side of the table drew eyes immediately, and was subsequently followed by a fine mist spraying from her water cup. Twilight’s glasses took the brunt of the deluge.

Princess Twilight slammed a hand on the table, bringing the other up to wipe her dribbling mouth. “Sorry,” she coughed. “Sorry.”

Twilight Sparkle removed her glasses and pulled a microfiber cloth from her shirt pocket. She wiped down the lenses, taking care to not let them fog up. “Truly doth the blessings of the princess rain down upon me.”

Princess Twilight’s face lit up, from her cheeks, to her ears, to her forehead. “I’m so sorry, Twilight. I—”

“Lemme guess,” Applejack said, cutting in with a wave of her sandwich, a smile at the edge of her lips. “Still carryin’ a torch for that boy?”

Little Spike tried and failed to hide a snort. “Ooh boy.”

Skyhook wisely took a very large bite of his sandwich that would take quite some time to chew.

“We danced when we were both teenagers.” Princess Twilight daubed her napkin over the front of her dress. She very pointedly didn’t look at anybody else at the table. “That was it. We haven’t even spoken since then. It’s been a decade at least.”

Twilight gave Shining a long, dour grimace. “Is that why Flash was acting so weird when you introduced us?”

Shining Armor glanced between the two Twilights with something between utter confusion and growing panic. “I didn’t know anything about the princess, so I didn’t—”

“Shinin’.” Big Mac’s drawl issued from a mouth that rarely cracked a grin, but Twilight could see his eyes glittering with barely-concealed laughter. “Just how many of your old buddies did you introduce Twi to before yah were forced to settle fer me?”

“I’ll…” Shining Armor shrugged and tore a piece off his sub to eat it easier. “I’ll admit there were a couple—”

Twilight felt a smile neatly slide her frown away. Big Mac was anything but “settling,” and the two of them knew it. “Come to think of it, after Flash I met your buddy Soarin from the Crystal Academy.”

Shining winced. “Twilie—”

“And there was the time you and I had dinner with Slab Bulkhead.” She leaned over her shoulder to pat Big Mac’s chest. “Nice guy, but he didn’t know a stethoscope from a spectrometer.”

“I just thought maybe—”

“And there was Wheeljack, and Windcharger, and—”

“Okay.” Shining Armor held his hands up in surrender. “I’ll admit. I meddled.”

“—and Martial Paw and—”

Little Spike let loose with a deep belly laugh, leaning back in his seat with his mouth wide open. Shining Armor and Twilight joined in within a heartbeat. Before long, giggles and chuckles came from everybody at the table. Even Big Mac smiled just enough to let a low chuckle out, reaching out to hold Twilight’s hand. For her part, Princess Twilight only let out a light, polite laugh, but Twilight could see relaxation take hold as the conversation shifted off of her.

“Regardless of the above evidence,” Shining Armor said at last. “I’d say it turned out alright.”

“For once, I’d say you’re right.” Twilight gave Big Mac’s hand a squeeze before they both returned to lunch. She looked up and noticed that the princess had just polished off her sandwich and was waiting for the rest of the table to finish. “So, princess.”

Princess Twilight raised her eyebrows, her mouth a wary line. “Hmm?”

“What do you know about the third Twilight?”

The princess’ shoulders sagged. “About as much as you know. I suspected there might be others out there, but… with no way of finding them…”

She looked to the head of the table, where Granny Smith sat. “May I be excused, Granny? I have an idea.”

“Go right ahead, sugarcube.” Granny Smith gestured to the kitchen door. “Just throw your plate in the trash on the way over.”

Princess Twilight folded her paper plate in half, thanked Granny, and headed for the living room. She returned a moment later with Sunset’s magic journal. “I left my journal with Princess Luna just in case we needed to communicate back and forth. If she’s keeping it close…”

Twilight watched her write a message:

Luna,

I need you to talk with Celestia. I need to know if she ever met a Twilight Sparkle on her trips to the Reflection universe. Sunset met a third Twilight Sparkle whose world matches a description of the world in question. It is imperative that we find all we can about her immediately. Sunset might be in danger.

With Love,
Twilight Sparkle

The princess tapped her pen against the page, leaning her elbows on the table. “Well, all we can do is w—”

The journal buzzed as magic coated its pages. A message scrawled out in concert with the unseen Luna’s pen strokes:

Twilight,

Luckily, I have my sister right here. She says that she did not have much connection with Sombra’s world in modern times, but she did meet his personal student once. She was a very driven and skilled wizard, on her way to rival Starswirl the Bearded in sheer brilliance. Yes, it appears she was a third Twilight Sparkle, and Celestia says she kept it to herself for the same reason she never told us about her relationship with Sombra until it was too late; pride and shame in equal measure.

From what she remembers, there is nothing to suggest that Sunset is in danger, but we agree that time changes people. It is possible Sombra’s turn to darkness may have had adverse effects on the young mare. I am afraid we cannot tell you more from this end.

Advise Sunset to caution. I advise you to the same. Be safe, all of you.

With Love,
Luna

Princess Twilight sighed, retracting her pen’s point and letting it fall on the journal’s spine. She lowered her head to her hands. “Another secret. Oh, Celestia.”

“Yeah,” Little Spike muttered. “Looks like the chickens are coming home to roost again.” He reached over and tugged the journal closer to him. With a little scrambling of his paws, he was able to write out a quick note of his own:

Luna, it’s Spike. Any sign of a third Spike in there? I remember the Reflection world, and I didn’t really like what I saw there. I hate to think of what kind of life a Spike would have had living there.

Luna’s reply was concise:

No sign of any dragons, baby or otherwise. Sorry, Spike.

“Huh.” He passed the journal back, but the princess didn’t react. “Dunno what I was expecting, but not that.”

Twilight Sparkle ran her eyes over the messages a couple of times. She touched a finger to the part where Luna mentioned adverse effects. “So… this other world… You’ve been there?”

When the princess didn’t respond immediately, Little Spike took up the slack. “Yeah. It was kinda a messed up situation for everybody. In our world, Sombra was this massive enslaving monster, but in the Reflection, he was a benevolent ruler. A pretty cool guy all around. On the flipside, Celestia was an absolute freak, willing to sacrifice anybody to get her way. She really screwed their world up, and the people with it. We only later found out it was the influence of some major dark magic mojo, but the facts are the facts. Our Celestia found their Sombra and they hit it off in a big way.”

Princess Twilight rubbed her eyes and spoke with a croak. “They only broke it off when they found out Starswirl’s prototype mirror was imperfect. It was causing imbalance between the world and threatened to shatter both of them.”

“Long story short,” Little Spike said, “to save Celestia’s life, Sombra sacrificed himself by absorbing the evil magic into his own body, setting their Celestia and Luna free. We had to destroy the prototype mirror, and only one fragment of it remains.”

“Remained.” Skyhook leaned his head forward as he let loose weighted words. “I read a report recently that the shard had gone missing, alongside the magic mirror that leads to this world.”

Princess Twilight Sparkle frowned at Twilight, her eyelids heavy. “I guess we could never have the luxury of solving one puzzle at a time, huh?”

Twilight nodded. The princess was worn down in a way that made her think she was looking at a near-perfect reflection of her own agony. The queasy feeling returned to her stomach, in a way that had nothing to do with Granny Smith’s excellent sandwiches. If only Sunset were there! Then they could put there heads together and figure something out, like they did the last time…

Twilight Sparkle blinked. The last time a magical murderer had struck, they figured out a way to detect pathways between worlds. Maybe they could do so again.

“Question.” She adjusted her glasses and crossed one leg over her knee. “Do you have any artifacts from the other world?”

Princess Twilight furrowed her brow, subconsciously twisting her body to a more defensive posture. “Why?”

“Because something from that world might have residual magic from that world…” Twilight rubbed her hands together as a spark of genius surged through her heart. “And I can tune my devices to detect said magic leaking into this world. Therefore, if any portals connect this world to the Reflection—”

“We can note its location.” Princess Twilight’s foot tapped against the round as her mind clicked with the idea. “Skyhook, did the report mention the other artifact going missing as well?”

“Other artifact?” Skyhook shook his head. “No, it only mentioned a mirror shard.”

“Excellent!” Princess Twilight Sparkle scooped up the journal as she stood. She scribbled a sentence or two to Princess Luna and waited a moment. When the book vibrate, she snapped it shut with a decisive nod. “I have just what you’re looking for, Twilight. Tomorrow morning, Celestia herself is going to bring the artifact over and we can use it to find out just where our Twilit friend came from.”

Skyhook jumped up as if he was sitting on an ejector seat. “Celestia’s coming here?”

“It’s her most treasured possession, Commander.” The princess waved her pen in his face. “She’s not letting it out of her sight.”

“But—” Skyhook looked around at the table, but only received a chorus of confused shrugs as a response. “Well I suppose there’s nothing I can say, is there?”

Little Spike patted the guard on the knee. “Trust me, dude. Duck and roll. Bob and weave. It’s the only way to survive these princess types.”

Princess Twilight grinned at Little Spike. “Says the guy who took a volleygun to the chest for his friend.”

Little Spike gave her a rueful smile. “Just one of my many scars.”

Shining Armor took that as his moment to stand as well. “In the meantime, we should get ready for our meeting with Party Favor tonight. We might be able to learn quite a bit from him, too.”

“Absolutely. Everything in its time.” Princess Twilight gave Twilight Sparkle a nod. “The more we know, the better chance we have of clearing your name.”

“That’s what they tell me.” Twilight and Big Mac shared a quick hug before he returned to work. “At least we’ve got a plan now.”

Moondancer glowered from her seat beside Caution Tape. It wasn’t that he was bad company. He was just… a lot louder than she was used to. The two of them watched from the windows of his unmarked police cruiser, parked down the street from one of Canterlot City’s most bustling clubs.

“I hope the hunch was right,” she muttered, cradling Twilight Sparkle’s magic detector in her hands. “It doesn’t seem like the sort of place Raven would frequent, knowing what we know.”

“It’s the best the boys down in trackin’ could come up with,” Caution said, more of a series of frustrated grunts than human words. He squinted at the Party Favor, taking a long draught from his thermos of coffee. “Just wish oi were part of the interrogation. Can’t stand stakeouts on the best days.”

“I can’t say I’m overly fond of them either.” Moondancer lifted the magic device and, finding it silent, returned it to her lap. “Sitting around waiting for things to happen isn’t my style.”

She gave Caution a frown. “Are you sure we can’t drive closer? The detector has a limited range—”

“Moony, this is primo stakeout territory right ’ere.”

“Please don’t call me that.”

“Just the right distance tah get a look at the losers goin’ in an’ out of the club, lookin’ for suspicious folks.” He rapped his fingers across his door-side arm rest. “Like your pal, Sparkle.”

“I highly doubt Twilight Sparkle murdered Raven.” Moondancer peered over her spectacles at the officer. “Though I believe she knows more about magic than she let on.”

“You say that…” Caution took a swig from his thermos and swished it around between his teeth. “But she’s killed before. You remember, just two years ago, when she gunned down the perp on the boardwalk.”

Moondancer clutched the magic scanner tight. “She was defending herself and her family, Caution.”

“Yeah. From an old homeless woman who just so happened to be a witness in a recent murder case.” Caution lowered his thermos to his cupholder and gripped the steering wheel. “We only got hers and her sister-in-law’s word on it. The whole thing smelled fishy, and it wasn’t just ’cause of the pier.”

Moondancer sighed. She couldn’t argue with the thought that Twilight Sparkle kept secrets. Not after the revelations of the week. Sure, there could have been something more to the standoff on the boardwalk… but she couldn’t imagine Twilight hiding something malevolent. She remembered Sonata and the victim both had ties to the same magic they’d been hunting. That was about all she knew for certain.

It wasn’t enough to just know that.

“Twilight Sparkle is not a murderer.” Moondancer nodded as decisively as she could. “I have no reason to disbelieve that she had due cause to kill Sonata.”

“But if she would kill for her family once…” Caution Tape narrowed his eyes at Moondancer, wrinkling his nose at an imagine odor. “What if she thought Raven was a threat to them as well?”

Moondancer answered without hesitation. “She would have reported it immediately.”

“Yeah.” Caution Tape chuckled joylessly. “Wish oi had your belief in human decency. You an’ Chief Carrot both. Oi’ve seen what happens to people after they take a life. Takes healin’, yeah, an’ it takes a steady hand tah bring them back. Sparkle ain’t had neither. She’s a cold fish; a standoffish genius type. She weren’t built to take on that kinda stress.”

“Your prejudice is clouding your perception.” Moondancer extended a finger pointedly at The Party Favor. “Keep you thought on the job at hand and keep your voice down.”

Caution grimaced. He patted his firearm, hidden from view, and resumed his part of the stakeout. “When Sparkle breaks, Oi’m gonna be the first to say oi told yah so.”

Draining Memories

Celestia sat on the shore, looking out over the choppy waves surrounding the Isle of Insofar. The rocky crags swallowed the waves before they could reach land, sending a constant mist spraying through the air. It was a sensation, an atmosphere, unmatched in all of Libertas. She looked over at the tall man standing a short distance away, his injured leg perched on a stone. His magic’s healing touch removed the pain and strengthened the joint that had been blow apart by a stray shot. He stared out across the sea, his steel-like face calm and introspective.

She closed her eyes against the brief flash of memory. Screaming. Blood. Death. Her time in the infirmary caring for the injured soldiers left a mark on her. One she didn’t usually feel comfortable admitting. But here, back where she’d experienced the horrors…

She opened her eyes to bring Sombra back in focus. Meeting him was the only good thing about the war. The only good part of living in Hell for years.

But she’d still left.

She frowned and turned back to the open sea. After her little vacation was over, she’d do it all over again. Leave Sombra behind and run back to Libertas. Despite the fact that the spark remained. Despite the fact that now that Raven was dead, they needed each other to heal. Despite the fact that they’d lost enough time already.

“How long are you staying in the Isles?” Sombra asked, his voice just above the surf. He could not read her mind. She’d asked, once she found out the capabilities of the students. Even so, he retained his magnificent ability to read her mood.

His tone of voice was weighted. Nearly as much as her heart was. She didn’t want to face cold reality so soon after being reunited. Nearly thirty years they’d been apart, separated by time and their own life goals. “A month. Maybe two. I’m not sure how long Sunset intends to stay, but at least as long as her.”

The corner of Sombra’s mouth twitched. He turned a knowing glance to her. “Your dream continues to pay dividends.”

She gave him a halfhearted smirk. The sunset regained her focus as it shifted from orange to purple, seagulls calling across the water. “She was nearly the one that got away. Without her friends stepping in…”

Sombra sat on the rock, his back to the sea. He cast a long shadow across the shore as the sun lowered itself behind him. “Do not forget, Celestia. You created the environment that she needed to find herself. You’ve stood by her side over the years. You fostered her growth as much as anybody else. Do not discount your contribution.”

He bowed his head to look at the dirt beneath his shoes. “Do not discredit the beauty of your dream.”

Her smirk fell away the instant his eyes left her. “Nor you yours, Dr. Relámpago.”

He laughed once, in the back of his throat. “Would that more of my success stories were Sunset Shimmer rather than Prince Blueblood.”

He lifted his head ever so slightly to bring her into view. He stood with a slow, agonizing climb to his full height. He offered her a hand, and they both spent a moment getting her to her feet. She pressed a hand against her lower back as it twinged. “Oh, God, I hate getting old.”

Sombra’s strong grip offered her a great deal of support while she braced herself for walking back to the compound. His fingers slid across the soft skin on the back of her hand. He waited until she could stand freely on her own before speaking. “We both have our own kingdoms to attend to, Celestia. But I am glad, if even for this brief period, that we can be together.”

Celestia looked up at him, an easy smile coating the surface of her face. The twinge in her back was outpaced by the one in her heart. She took his hand, and the two of them walked back to the warehouse with a slow, steady pace. “We have done good things. Both of us.”

“Quite.”

“And I have… missed good things…” She gave him a solid nod. “I’m glad we can see each other.”

Sombra’s frown hovered beneath somber eyes. “But?”

But… she had still left. Despite how they both felt, she had still left.

And he hadn’t come after her.

“No buts.” She gave his hand a squeeze. “And no regrets.”

Her words seemed to relax him. They continued on in silence until they reached the school itself, where Sunset Shimmer could be seen speaking on her cell phone. She waved, and Celestia waved back.

They stopped inside the building, in the middle of the central “courtyard.” Sombra bowed his head to her and spoke in a low voice. “Until we meet again, my dear. Tomorrow, perhaps you can learn something of magic.”

“I look forward to it.” They shared a soft, quick embrace, and he headed for the men’s sleeping area. Celestia made as if to go to the women’s area, but paused at the door. She looked to the front, where she could still see Shimmer walking back and forth, probably talking with her husband.

She walked towards Sunset, keeping her distance so as to not pry into the conversation. She waited just on the edge of Sunset’s voice and focused on the crashing waves. Even so, some bits of the conversation seeped through.

“—can’t tell you much more than that so far.” Sunset laughed, though not very heartily. “I don’t really know right now. This could be amazing. World-changing. But only if we do it—Yeah, sure, ‘the Sunset Way.’ Sounds good to me.”

Sunset looked at the sun’s position on the horizon and sighed. “I’ll let you go, Shining. We’ve both got our work cut out for us, huh? Yeah. I love you, too. Kiss Sunny for me. Bye.”

She tucked her phone away and turned to Celestia. “So? Enjoy yourself this evening?”

“I don’t kiss and tell.” Celestia snorted as she moved beside her former student. “Things are good. Feels like nothing’s changed in… in thirty years…”

Sunset furrowed her brow. She caught Celestia’s eye contact and folded her arms over her stomach. “Do you wanna talk about it?”

Celestia’s eyes shot for the horizon and the last glimmer of sunlight. “Talk about what?”

Shimmer shrugged. “Anything. The school, you, Dr. Sombra…”

The principal let out a titter she didn’t quite feel. “I’m too old to be gossiping about my drama like a middle schooler.”

“You’re too young to have given up on figuring yourself out.”

Celestia’s mask of congeniality fell away. The weight in her heart caused her arms to ache. “Am I that easy to read?”

Sunset shook her head. She chanced a glance at the warehouse, which remained silent. She gave Celestia an uneasy grin. “No, you’re not. But I know when you get that easygoing, it’s because you’re hiding something.”

“Remind me never to play poker with you.” Celestia tried to stuff her hands in her pockets, but found them too meager. She settled for resting them on her hips. “I’m just… dealing with thoughts that have simmered beneath the surface until now. I’m forced to focus on them. And I feel like there’s no good answer.” Without giving Sunset enough of a pause to respond, she continued: “How do you and Shining make it work?”

As expected, the question caught Sunset off guard and magicked away whatever clarification she was going to request. Although it was tactically applied to steer the conversation, it was still something she wanted to know. Sunset gathered her thoughts back together in record time. “How do you mean?” she asked.

“He was in Special Forces for years before and during your marriage.” Celestia rubbed her hands together as a chilly wind blew across the sea. “He only resigned, what? Two years ago?”

“Yeah.”

“So how did you make it work with him being so far away for years at a time?” Celestia kicked idly at a loose stone in the path. “He left you alone for so long, with so much on your plate.”

“He didn’t leave me alone.” Sunsets voice was firm and decisive, brooking no argument whatsoever. “I had a whole support network in my friends and his family.” She continued in a much softer voice, and laid a gentle hand on Celestia’s shoulder. “We both had our dreams, Celestia. I wanted to teach the students of Canterlot City, to bring them the same kind of hope that I found. He wanted to defend our country and our security with his life. We knew we’d be pulled apart… but we still wanted each other.” She laughed as a blush touched her cheeks. “Sunny was… a welcome surprise. We both… we both spent some time reexamining our dreams after that.”

Celestia nodded. She examined the stone path, because it hopefully protected her from Sunset’s apparent ability to see into her soul. “So he left the military for Sunny?”

“For Sunny, for me… and for himself.” Sunset frowned towards Libertas, though the curvature of the Earth hid it from view. “After Sunny was kidnapped, he knew things couldn’t be the way they were before.”

“But you stayed at the school.”

“Well, circumstances were in our favor, as far as that’s concerned.” Sunset rubbed her arms to quell the goosebumps. “It helped that it was our only source of income for a while.”

Celestia closed her eyes. A small laugh escaped; a more genuine emotion than she’d allowed for far too long. “That it would.” She peered at Sunset, who looked at her expectantly. “So do you have your new dreams sorted out?”

“We… have a shared dream,” Sunset said. “To give Sunny the best life, the best family, he could possibly hope for.”

Celestia sighed. “And Shining completely gave up on his dream?”

“It wasn’t given up, it was—” Sunset turned around as the front doors of the school opened. “—it was reexamined,” she finished in a rush.

Starlight Glimmer exited the school with another woman close behind her. “Sunset! I’ve been looking for you!”

“Sorry.” Sunset Shimmer waved a hand at the sea. “Just watching the awe-inspiring sunset.”

“No need to apologize.” Starlight looked to Celestia with a smile. “Ah, and you, too, Miss Celestia. You haven’t been formally introduced to our head teacher: Dr. Twilight Sparkle.”

Twilight Sparkle? Was it a common name? Celestia looked down to see a woman with an uncanny resemblance to another Twilight Sparkle she knew; Sunset’s sister-in-law. An odd coincidence if it was one, but she’d seen stranger things where Sunset Shimmer was concerned. “Hello, Dr. Sparkle. A pleasure.”

Dr. Twilight took her hand with a polite shake. Her eyes shimmered in the low light of the evening. Magic, perhaps? “The pleasure is mine, Miss Celestia.”

“Please, just Celestia.” Celestia placed a hand over her heart. “‘Miss’ makes me feel like either a grade schooler or somebody’s granny.”

“Very well, Celestia.” The doctor seemed to have some trouble getting the name out, judging from the way her jaw tightened ever-so-slightly. The doctor then turned to Sunset, and the nearly-invisible tension faded. “I would like to request the both of you attend our first class tomorrow morning. The Awakening.”

“Awakening?” Sunset asked, voicing the question on Celestia’s mind. “What’s that?”

Starlight Glimmer smiled brighter than before. Celestia suspected it was because the joy finally reached her eyes. “Every time we get new students, we gather them together and help them to connect to their innate magic for the first time. I believe you wouldn’t have that in Equestria due to magic simply being part of the upbringing there, but for humans it’s quite helpful to have the proper environment and instruction before magic comes within their grasp.”

Celestia looked down at her open palm. Her skin lay looser over the years. Thinner, too. She couldn’t imagine magic shooting forth from the tips of her fingernails.

But if Sombra could do it… “I suppose you’ll get the chance to teach me after all, Sunset.”

Dr. Twilight’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly. “You haven’t learned magic from her, yet?”

“I never asked for it.” Celestia smiled at the doctor. “But they say you’re never too old to learn.”

“That’s the spirit!” Starlight Glimmer led the four of them back into the school, out of the night chill. “Once you try magic, there’s nothing better.”

Celestia caught a sigh of relief from Sunset. Was it due to the conversation being interrupted, or something else? She couldn’t begin to guess.

Honestly, she was also glad to end the conversation.

If Twilight Sparkle had to describe the Party Favor in a word, it would be “stifling.” A mush of bodies, soundwaves, and colors that would have been overwhelming had she been alone. She felt overdressed and underdressed at the same time, wearing her usual button-up shirt and jeans among the silky finery and gaudy revelry of the other patrons. The only one of their group who stood out more than she did was Big Mac, whose red plaid shirt was muted among the glowing neon of the club.

Just ahead, Skyhook seemed to melt into the shadows as he trailed the princess. No one gave him a glance, because there was nothing to focus on. Just another face in the crowd doing whatever he pleased.

Princess Twilight followed close behind Shining Armor as he searched for Flash Sentry. He was taller than most present, aside from Big Mac, but it was still far too easy to get lost in the crowd.

Little Spike waited outside in the car with Applejack—animals weren’t allowed in the Party Favor at all, whether they were magical talking “animals” or not. Applejack remained behind so that at least somebody with a cell phone was on the outside.

Someone who had too much to drink stumbled into Big Mac, who helped the patron to his feet. Muted apologies were exchanged briefly before the man was escorted out by his party. Big Mac found Twilight’s hand and held it tight. He muttered something that she couldn’t catch above the thrum of the music.

“Hey, hey, Shining!”

“Flash!”

Twilight’s attention was drawn to her older brother as he met Flash Sentry near the bar. The two of them clasped hands and exchanged a few words while Twilight was still out of hearing range. She and Mac closed the gap in short order and stood beside Shining.

“It’s been ages, Shining!” Flash’s easygoing smile greeted the rest of them as they gathered around. “Mac, how’s it goin’? Nice to see you again, Twilight.”

With Skyhook remaining incognito, Twilight still detected an omission from his greetings. She turned her head to see the princess hiding behind Shining’s body, her head hunched and her eyes wide. She met Twilight’s gaze with a smile that bordered on panic.

Twilight was saved from making the decision to reveal or conceal when Shining Armor turned his profile to expose the princess to view. “Flash, I don’t suppose you remember Princess Twilight, do you?”

Splashing her with cold water would have shocked her less. The princess froze like a deer staring down an oncoming freight train.

Flash narrowed his eyes as she came into view. “Princess—?” His eyes widened with realization. They widened further as he took in the sight before him. “God, of course! Twilight! It’s been, like, a decade.”

“Twelve years…” Princess Twilight’s voice trailed off into a weak putter. “Actually.”

Flash’s eyes snapped to Twilight, then back to the princess. “So I’m not actually crazy.”

Twilight crossed her arms and shifted her weight to one leg. “No moreso than any of us are.”

He laughed at that. He extended a hand, which the princess shook—despite her knees shaking all the more. “Wow. I almost thought I’d never… Well, it’s cool to see you again. You’re looking like you’re taking care of yourself.”

“You look—yeah.” Princess Twilight chuckled weakly as she absently pawed at her bejeweled necklace. “I’m… I’m doing my best. Taking care of Equestria and doing… research…”

When the princess let his hand go, hers immediately clasped in front of her stomach with a white-knuckle grip. Twilight supposed she could be thankful that the colorful lights of the club’s interior hid the unmitigated reddish discoloration in her face.

“Flaaaash—” Another voice rose above the sound wall of the Party Favor. It was slightly raspy, but undoubtedly full of energy. It was familiar to Twilight in a way that made her stomach twist. “Is this another one of your old girlfriends?”

Her concerns were confirmed when a lady bounded up to Flash Sentry and slipped her arms around his. She balanced on the tips of her feet, as if she was ready to spiral onto the dance floor then and there. The beads on her top sparkled in the light and drew the eye to places Twilight had no intention of looking.

“Old buddies, Zesty.” Flash grinned as he turned to Shining. “Have I introduced any of you to my fiancé, Lemon Zest?”

Lemon Zest’s eyes immediately drew to Twilight. Her mouth popped open as a smile spread like wildfire. “Oh my literal God, Sci-Twi! Is that really you? You haven’t changed a bit!”

Twilight Sparkle frowned at the woman. Considering how long ago high school—the cussable Crystal Prep Academy—actually was, she believed she’d changed quite a bit, thank you very much. “Zest. Hi.”

Lemon Zest grabbed Twilight in a quick, but decidedly unwelcome, embrace. “You’re adorable! Did you guys know Sci-Twi was a super-genius? There wasn’t a single bigger brain in the entire Academy!”

The hug caused the headphones hanging from Lemon’s neck to press against Twilight’s cheek. She gently pushed both the hugger and her accessories aside. “Yep. That’s me. Crystal Prep Academy’s resident mad scientist.”

Lemon Zest gave the princess a double-take. A sly smile crawled across her face as she turned back to Flash. “Oh, and this girl is—”

“A friend from Canterlot High.” Flash Sentry’s easy smile faltered for a brief second. “Twi… Light…”

The princess’ eyes remained wide, her mouth dipping open in a slack-jawed pout. A stuttering “uh-uh-uh” was all she was able to give to the equally speechless Flash.

Twilight stepped in, seeing as how both the princess and Flash were borderline catatonic. “The name Twilight runs in the family.”

“Yeah, I know how that is.” Lemon Zest leaned against Flash again as he resumed his comfortable expression. Her forehead furrowed as she bent closer to Twilight. “So, hey, we kinda didn’t see you a whole lot after you got real sick that one time. Thought you were gonna win us the Acadecathlon. Did you have the flu, or—”

“I’d rather not discuss it, thank you very much.” Twilight’s words surprised her with their venom. Although, she supposed she had no real wish to soften them. Not when looking at one of the Shadowbolts of yesteryear. At least it wasn’t somebody really terrible, like Sour Sweet or Sugarcoat. Just somebody with a little too much energy and not enough respect for personal space… or personal privacy. “I don’t suppose we could save the pleasantries for after we see Party Favor?”

Skyhook appeared at the princess’ side like a ghost out of fog. He whispered in her ear, and she turned towards the door. When Twilight followed her gaze, she saw Officer Caution Tape striding confidently through the crowd, Moondancer scampering on his heels. Moondancer held one of the magic-detecting devices in her right hand, raising it above her head on occasion.

“Skyhook’s right,” the princess said, her voice strained with a light marinade of stress. “We should get to Party Favor before we become the ones answering questions.”

Lemon Zest nodded, her face downcast. “I just had a talk with Night Glider. She said she and Party are ready for us.” She turned on the balls of her feet and walked with Flash towards the back of the club. With a little hustling, the group of them were out of sight, leaving Caution and Moondancer alone in the crowd.

Caution rubbed his forehead as he turned this way and that. “Son of a—The hell did she go?”

The needle on the magic detector fluctuated wildly, with little rhyme or reason no matter where Moondancer held it. “No clue. I saw a bunch of them all talking near the bar, but…”

Caution swore with a mouth that would have a sailor faint dead away. “Keep lookin’. She couldn’t ’ave just left.”

“There might be more important things to investigate than Twilight Sparkle.”

Caution looked over his shoulder, his sour mood unfitting for the lively atmosphere. “Such as?”

She turned the detector’s readout towards his face. “Whatever radiation was coating Raven’s body, this whole place is swimming in it.”

Twilight found the office to be inexpensively lush, if such a thing were possible. The walls and seats were a vibrant red, though the quality of the threads was a little bare. The desk was mahogany, though perhaps a few decades old, chipped at the edges. Party Favor’s suit was as lively as his club, made up of stripes and colors that would make Pinkie Pie squeal with glee. He was a shorter man, only taller than Twilight due to the towering crown of curls he molded his hair into. He smiled congenially as the lot of them piled into his office.

The woman sitting in the corner was less inviting. She stared at them with dark, suspicious eyes, only softening the heat of her glare when Lemon stepped inside. Threads of her short, white hair stood out of alignment as sweat trickled down her forehead. She and Lemon Zest exchanged kisses on the cheek, after which Twilight’s old schoolmate remained at Night Glider’s side.

“Soooo—” Party Favor leaned an elbow on his desk and grinned at the group. “How do you like the club? Pumpin’ tunes? Tantalizing drink? Magical atmosphere? Eh? Eh?”

The princess cleared her throat and took a seat across the desk. “Yeah. It’s a… very nice place.”

Skyhook rubbed his chin as he took up position next to the door. “Reminds me of the Keen Bean back home.”

“Yeah, that’s an appropriate comparison.” Princess Twilight’s eyes jumped to Flash before she deliberately tore them away. “You know we’re here to talk about Raven?”

“Lady Relámpago, yeah.” Party Favor’s smile revealed itself to be a shallow ditch dug through his face, easily obliterated with a brush of the hand. He sighed and leaned back in his seat. “Yeah. She was gonna stop by sooner or later, but…” His breath hitched, the sigh becoming a low whine. He spoke in a hushed rush. “Dr. Sparkle?”

Night Glider rose from her seat, taking an aggressive stance with one shoulder forward. Her hand disappeared behind her body, possibly grabbing something pain-inflicting.

It took Twilight a second to realize they were referring to her. It took Shining and Big Mac slightly less time, and they moved between her and the interrogees within a breath. Twilight Sparkle took a step towards the door, her hand reaching for the handle.

“No, she’s not. No more than I am.” Princess Twilight spread her empty hands toward each of the club owners. She sought their gaze, one after the other, until both of them had their attention on her. “If you know the doctor, you know that similar people can be found across the boundaries of the multiverse. Dr. Sparkle came from one world, I came from another, and this Twilight is from yours.”

Night Glider brought her hand back into view, unarmed. “Can you prove you’re not the doctor?”

Twilight Sparkle blew a breath through her nose. “Logical loop-de-loops aside, I can pre-tty concretely prove I’m this world’s Twilight.”

Party Favor looked at his friend. “She sounds like the doctor…”

Twilight bent over to look around Big Mac’s arm. She spied Lemon Zest and gave her a sardonic smirk. “You and Indigo stole my gym clothes during the first week of our second year. I later found them frozen stiff in the cafeteria freezer. I believe Indigo’s exact words were ‘We thought you needed to chill out.’”

Lemon’s already very-pink face blazed as bright as a sunburn. “I think she’s the real deal, guys.”

“Aside from that, I’ve got identification, papers back home—” She jerked her thumb at the other people in the room. “—and several witnesses willing to corroborate my claim.”

Party Favor sank back in his seat. He turned to Night Glider and shrugged. She returned the gesture with a grimace. He pushed aside a stack of papers, folded his hands across the desk, and looked to the princess. “What do you wanna know?”

Twilight gave his wild hair a double-take and found it to be sagging more than a little bit. Comical under normal circumstances, but now she just found it distracting. She pulled out a notepad and licked the tip of her pen out of habit. Without Little Spike to serve as minute-taker, the task had fallen to the only one in the room who knew shorthand. With Big Mac’s comforting hand on her shoulder, and the ever-present Shining just off to the side, she felt a little stronger as she took on the trappings of her chosen profession.

Princess Twilight offered Party a sad smile. “Would you start with telling us about your relationship with Miss Relámpago?”

“Woof.” Party Favor let out a weak chuckle. His hands fiddled with something on the desk while he talked. “We were two of the first students the doctor had… Students of magic. We were with Starlight Glimmer when she found Doc. A couple years later, when the school was still young, Raven joined up. We all took some of the duties of teaching her, but the doctor was the one she worked the closest with.”

Night Glider bobbed her head. “Dr. Sparkle took a real shine to Raven. Before any of us knew it, she had pretty much overtook the progress of almost everybody else at the school, except the ‘first class.’ We thought Raven was gonna become a new teacher.”

“But if you knew anything about Raven,” Party Favor interjected, “you knew she had a wanderlust streak a mile wide. Didn’t want to keep in one place too long. I think it shook the doctor up pretty bad.”

“Right?” Night Glider reached down beside the desk and pulled out a bottle of something club-related and poured it into a glass. “I guess you could say we were a mix between student-teacher and coworker. Close enough that we were pretty hyped to meet up with her again when she came to Libertas.”

Princess Twilight nibbled on the tip of her hair. She sent another nigh-missable glance at Flash before continuing. “What brings the two of you to Libertas? I believe you were born and raised in the Highborn Isles?”

Night Glider swished her drink around, taking a tiny sip. “You wanna get into it, or should I?”

Party leaned so far back that Twilight thought he might tip over. “Ugh. Yeah, I guess.” He spun his chair in a gentle circle before stopping himself with a hand on the wall. “Long story short, we just didn’t care for the politics of the Isles. Night Glider, Starlight, and the rest of us tried for years to change… anything. But injustice is still the byword, the social structure is still unbalanced, and Prince Blueblood is still a moron.”

Flash Sentry crossed his arms over his chest. “Score one for President Cadence.”

Night Glider choked on her drink. After clearing her throat with a series of sputtering coughs, she sulked against the wall. “Yeah, yeah. Don’t get cocky, G.I. Joe. After years of fighting for reform, Blueblood was still in line for the throne, and Fancy Pants was still throwing around his power like he owned the place. I… I gave up. I got out.” She shared a look with Party that Twilight suspected held the weight of a conversation. “We got out. Starlight figured we abandoned her. So we ended up burning a couple bridges.”

“Best decision of my life.” Party Favor finally found a smile that went to his eyes. He threw his hands out and swiveled to look at his office. “God, I love free enterprise.”

Night Glider hid a smirk behind a mild growl. “We had free enterprise back in the Isles.”

“Yeah, but the money flows better here.”

Princess Twilight’s shoulders relaxed ever-so-slightly. “So Raven left a while before you guys?”

“Two years, at least,” Party Favor said.

“And you hadn’t met with her since?”

“Nope.” Night Glider stretched her arms skyward and yawned. “First we heard from her was when she sent us that phone call saying she wanted to meet up. I guess she had a bunch of old friends living in the area.”

Princess Twilight tapped her fingers against her knee. “Did Raven have any enemies at the academy? People jealous of her achievements, perhaps?”

“Not that I can think of?” Night Glider scratched the side of her head. “Everybody was pretty cool with her. She even tutored a couple of the newbies before she left. Everybody was sad to see her go… nobody was mad. Not even the doctor.”

The princess clasped her hands together and leaned forward. “Is the doctor normally an angry person?”

“Perpetually irritated.” Party Favor tapped a finger against his lips. “She’s pissed, but she’s usually polite. She seemed more resigned to see Raven go than anything.”

Twilight Sparkle narrowed her eyes at the last note. Before the princess could voice another question, she spoke up. “May I ask why you panicked when I stepped into the room?”

Party Favor and Night Glider exchanged a silent conversation, just as weighty as the last. Party Favor’s foot tapped in time with the rumble of distant music. “Raven left on good terms. We didn’t. Starlight about freaked out when she found out we were leaving. She and the Doc, they’re pretty tight. You hurt Starlight, you’ve gotta go through Twilight.”

“I don’t think she’s been outside the Highborn Isles since she came to our world.” Night Glider hugged herself, turning her eyes downward. “Seeing you… thinking it was her… I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know whether to be afraid or angry or what.”

The princess looked over her shoulder at Twilight. When she saw her counterpart didn’t have anything to add, the princess continued. “Does she seem like a violent person?”

“Violent, nah.” Party Favor grinned at his friend. She did not return the favor. “Machiavellian, maybe. She’s smarter than a roomful of computers, and I really don’t wanna know what sorta schemes that mind can concoct.”

“What?” Night Glider scowled, tilting her head at an inquisitive angle. “You think she’s behind Raven’s death?”

“We’re investigating every possibility.” Princess Twilight leveled her gaze at Night Glider. “And we’ve ruled nothing out.”

Night Glider rolled her eyes. “So we’re under suspicion, too, huh?”

A slight upward twitch of the princess’ eyebrows presented a complete lack of reassurance, feigned or otherwise. “No moreso than anybody else.”

Night Glider accepted a comforting side-hug from Lemon Zest. “Alright. Keep asking the questions so we can get back to work.”

Moondancer could do no better than wander aimlessly through the club. The detector’s needle rose and fell, the information as useless as a broken thermometer. She extracted herself from a cluster of bodies and moved closer to the wall. She and a few others held a vantage point to observe the dance floor and nurse drinks. She wasn’t about to drink on the job, and she had a feeling drinking alone in this place wasn’t the safest venture for her.

She spotted Caution Tape a few steps away, still peering over heads in his mission to locate and interrogate Twilight Sparkle. Moondancer grumbled beneath her breath. They were getting nowhere, and were likely to miss Sparkle’s party as they walked right out the front door.

Something changed in the atmosphere. The constant crackle in her hand shifted pitch. She lifted the thaumometer—the name she’d just coined in a fit of brilliance—and observed the display. The needle held steady on the highest measurement the device was capable of.

Just like it’d done when Twilight Sparkle held it.

She shifted it to her left hand. The needle went down. Back to her right, the signal was once again at full strength. She had her back to the wall, so looking down her right shoulder she had a clear view of the other patrons hanging back from the dance floor. The closest one was leaning against the wall, a glass held with both hands. It was an adult woman, mid-twenties, with long, green tresses of unrestrained hair. Her face was plain as could be, with little makeup of any sort being used to enhance her unremarkable features. Not to say she was bad-looking, just… hard to pick out of a crowd.

The same could be said for the rest of her apparel. A striped sweatshirt looked out of place in the Party Favor, just as much as the lack of makeup was an oddity. Loose-fitting jeans were obviously more for comfort than style.

The more Moondancer thought about it, the more she decided the woman should have stuck out like a sore thumb. But here, at the wall, she was barely noticeable.

Caution drew closer. Moondancer caught his attention with a wave of the hand. She jiggled her thaumometer and tilted her head towards the plain woman. Caution pursed his lips and nodded. He approached the woman from one angle as Moondancer took the other.

Caution tipped his hat to the woman. “Miss.”

She raised her head slowly, her eyes half-lidded. The main defining feature, Moondancer decided, was the freckles on her cheeks. “What?”

“The name’s Caution Tape, officer of the CCPD. This here’s moi partner, Moondancer.” He pulled his badge out of his pocket to show the woman, and her eyes widened to full alertness. “Oi’m investigatin’ some suspicious occurrences roundabout these parts. Hopin’ you’d be willin’ to answer a few questions.”

The thaumometer crackled as it got closer to the woman. Moondancer thumbed it off, but not before the woman sent a glance towards it. “Perhaps we could go somewhere more quiet, miss—?”

“Wallflower,” the woman said quietly, her face grim. “Wallflower Blush.”

Moondancer thought she saw the woman’s fingernails glow, but it must have been a trick of the light. Caution led the three of them towards a door to the outside. He nodded to the bouncer as they passed. Moondancer stuffed the thaumometer in her bag.

When Caution turned to begin the questioning, Wallflower interrupted with a raised hand. “Officer, since I was about to leave anyway, could we just walk to my car?”

A renewed gloom descended upon Caution’s demeanor. “It should only take a few minutes.”

Wallflower blew a breath through pursed lips. “Sir, it’s been a really, really long day, and I’d just like to go forget about it, you know? Believe me, being questioned by police isn’t even the roughest thing today.”

Caution rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Awroit, awroit, s’fine. Lead the way, miss.”

“It’s just around the corner.” Wallflower Blush walked around the side of the Party Favor, to the darker portion of the parking lot. Moondancer noted with some dismay that the sun had sunk below the city skyline; it was well past eight. They’d spent the entire day on their silly stakeout and found little to show for it.

Little, that is, save for this strange woman.

“Do you come to the Party Favor frequently?” Caution Tape asked.

“Not really.” Wallflower sent a glance Moondancer’s way. Something caused her cheek to twitch. Moondancer couldn’t know for sure, but she was developing a theory as to what. “Wanted to try something new. Don’t think it worked out.”

“Fair dues, mate.” Caution nodded. “Noticed anythin’ strange around here lately? Anythin’ out of the ordinary?”

Wallflower gave him a side-eye. “Not really.”

A car came into view. Wallflower pulled a set of keys from her pocket and unlocked it from afar. Moondancer knew their time was dwindling. Detaining a woman for setting off untested, unstudied technology would be a hard sell to the higher-ups and any passing reporters. Still, it was their best lead by far.

Maybe, Moondancer thought, they could entice her to stay.

“Excuse me, Wallflower?” Moondancer earned a raised eyebrow and a grimace from Caution, but he held his tongue. “What do you know about magic?”

Wallflower Blush stopped dead in her tracks. She breathed lightly, facing away from the two of them. Her car hummed as the automatic starter kicked in.

Wallflower spun on her heel and stretched her hand towards Moondancer. Her fingernails blazed a brilliant green. Energy shot forth and enveloped Moondancer from head to foot. She stood poleaxed, indefensible. Her life flashed before her eyes. Images of her coworkers at the police station, her high school friendship with Twilight Sparkle, her investigation into crimes the city over.

As she watched, her memories peeled away.

It fell away in streams, one thought at a time. First to go was the afternoon, which vanished into Wallflower’s palm. The thaumometer became nameless and worthless in her sight. The memory of Caution Tape was torn apart, piece by piece, until he was barely an afterthought in Moondancer’s head.

The name “Moony!” was shouted, and she didn’t know who it belonged to or who was shouting it. The city rose around her, large and scary. She knew she wanted her mommy, but she couldn’t bring her image to mind. Where once was a comforting face and warm words was an empty void. She fell to her knees as the glasses fell from her face. The lenses shattered on the concrete.

Twilight. Twilight could save her. She didn’t know who “Twilight” was, but she knew she was important. She was smart. She always knew what to do.

She reached inside her bag for her phone. Instinct drove her, muscle memory filling in gaps where her mind could not. She typed an SOS into her phone and sent it just before she curled up in a helpless, thoughtless lump.

Twilight would figure it out.

She was the best.

It's Like I Don't Exist

Twilight Sparkle’s phone vibrated against her hip. She waited a moment to finish writing her most recent note, something about the date they left the school, then checked the screen for the message. A spike of adrenaline shot through her shoulder as her hand tightened. It was from Moondancer. A queasy feeling roiled around in her stomach. She didn’t think there was much room for friendly words spoken between them at the moment.

The second spike of adrenaline hit her heart as the message itself came into view: SOS OUTSIDE.

“Something’s wrong.” Her voice was shaky in her ears. Her legs moved her towards the door. Moondancer wasn’t one to mess around with stuff like this. She was a straightforward woman. She wore herself practically on her own sleeves. Whatever this was, something was going down right now. “There’s trouble outside.”

Skyhook exchanged a questioning glance with the princess. “What sort of trouble?”

“I don’t know.” Twilight reached behind him to twist the door handle. “Something really bad. Moondancer and Caution are in danger.”

“I’ll come with you,” Night Glider said. When the interrogators turned questioning expressions to her, she shrugged. “What? We don’t allow weapons into the club. We know you’re all unarmed.”

She was right. Twilight had left her forty-four at the Apples’, locked in Big Mac’s gun chest with his rifle and his dad’s old shotgun. Shining’s handgun was at his home. The most any of them were armed with was razor-sharp wit.

Well, Twilight had her magic.

Party Favor pulled a small pistol from a drawer in his desk and set it gently on the top. Night Glider slid it into a concealed holster. She glanced at Flash Sentry. “Unless somebody objects?”

Flash and Shining Armor moved beside the door. Flash gave her a shallow bow. “Armed combatants take point.”

Twilight pushed the door open and made way for Night Glider. Glider moved steadily, deliberately down the hall, with no hesitation to her march. Twilight couldn’t help but note a military precision to her movements, much like she’d seen at various army bases she’d lived on in her early life. Night was certainly a capable individual.

Capable of what, though?

She, Shining, Flash, and Big Mac followed Night Glider, with Skyhook bringing up the rear. The door she led them to was a rear exit for the Party Favor. Night pushed it open and found the alleyway between their building and their neighbor’s empty. She put a finger to her lips, then pointed upward. Magic shone across her back, bathing her in a corona of energy. Two gossamer wings appeared and carried her to the roof.

Flash let out a low whistle. “Maybe I wanna go to their school.”

Twilight heard a scream from around the corner. It sounded like Caution Tape. He was in pain. She slid along the wall of the Party Favor and peered around the corner. She saw the street come into view. The sidewalk held three figures: Caution struggling in hand-to-hand combat with a young woman, and Moondancer lying in a fetal position on the concrete.

The green haired combatant struck Caution in the stomach and twisted his arm behind his back. She kicked the back of his knee to send him to the ground. Even from the distance, Twilight could see magic radiating from the young woman’s fingernails. The woman grasped Caution’s arm with both hands and prepared to twist.

“Hey!” Twilight stepped into full view. Not out of stupidity, but as a calculated response. She could easily slide back out of sight should the woman reach for a firearm, well before she came under attack. In her mind’s eye she pictured Night Glider taking a position on the edge of the roof, away from the assailant’s scrutiny.

Shining Armor hissed something that Twilight couldn’t hear. Big Mac reached for her, but paused before he could expose himself.

The attacker halted before she could break Caution’s arm. Her eyes went wide when she saw Twilight. She dropped Caution and took up a solid, spread-legged stance, her right hand facing forward. The magic on her hand intensified before shooting straight towards Twilight Sparkle, on a bee-line to her eyes.

Twilight sucked in a breath. She had to admit, she wasn’t prepared for this. To see somebody else using magic so casually, in the midst of a fight… The next thought was that she had no idea what the spell was capable of. Would it change her into a newt, or simply blast her to atoms? If she dodged the first strike, would the second be hot on its heels? Did it have tracking capabilities?

She wished more than anything to have access to the teleportation spell.

A mass tackled her in the side and threw her bodily to the ground. The spell passed by overhead, dissipating to nothing as it impacted the brick wall behind her. Skyhook picked himself off of her just as quickly as he’d pushed her out of harm’s way. He sprinted towards the attacker in a heartbeat, his head low and his limbs pumping.

It was the attacker’s turn to be taken aback. She shuffled backwards down the sidewalk, her hands outstretched towards the racing Skyhook.

Flash hopped to Twilight’s side and helped her to her feet. His face twisted in confusion and anger. “Is that… Wallflower?”

Skyhook moved faster than Twilight could keep track of. He rolled beneath another blast of Wallflower’s magic, coming up to strike her in the chin. The punch had little outward effect on the woman. She grasped the collar of his shirt and threw him over a shoulder.

Night Glider landed with her pistol trained on Wallflower’s back. “Hands in the air or I’ll shoot!”

Wallflower was inches from slamming her fist into Skyhook’s nose. She twisted her grip on him to place his body between her and the muzzle of the gun. Her back was to a running car. To one side was the aching but ready Caution, to the other was Shining Armor and Big Mac. Twilight felt her limbs shaking as the standoff continued for a couple of seconds, neither party moving a muscle.

Twilight spent the moment with a glance at Moondancer, who had not moved in the time they’d been outside. Her chest rose and fell, but that was all the evidence that she was still in the land of the living. Whatever Wallflower had done… it looked serious.

“Nobody else has to get hurt,” Night Glider said. “Let the man go.”

Night Glider could only see the woman from head-on. Twilight still had a side-view. She saw one of the woman’s hands hiding behind Skyhook’s back. The fingernails emitted a vibrant green as she gathered magic for a sneak attack.

“Skyhook!” Twilight shouted. “Spell!”

His elbow struck Wallflower in the side of her stomach. He dropped to his knees, sliding out of her grasp. Wallflower’s jaw dropped as she looked straight down the barrel of Night Glider’s pistol.

Wallflower reached behind her back, grasped the edge of the running car’s door, and ripped it right off its hinges.

Night Glider took to the air on wings of gossamer just before the door crashed into her position. Wallflower kicked once, and the blow sent Skyhook skidding like a rock across a pond.

Shining Armor had been charging her, but he stopped when he saw the sheer extent of her strength. He thrust out an arm to hold Big Mac back. “Whoa! Keep your distance!”

Big Mac’s expression of strong determination melted into fear and confusion. “What the hell?”

Both of Wallflower’s hands shone with power. She aimed one at Shining, one at Mac. They were close enough to her that there was no hope of avoiding the attack.

The adrenaline running through Twilight’s body reached its peak. Anger and horror mingled in her heart and boiled to the surface in a shriek. She reached out towards her brother and her boyfriend, to pull them aside, to shield them, to do anything.

She caught the severed car door in her peripheral vision, and knew what to do.

Her fingers burned as she pushed magic through them. She wrapped Mac and Shining in a strong glow, while at the same time grasping the car door. With the same spell, she tugged the men away while propelling the door towards Wallflower. Push and pull. Give and take. The sight of Twilight’s magic caused a quizzical look to pass across Wallflower’s face, just before aluminum contacted skin.

It sounded like a car hitting a dog, and Twilight hated herself for the comparison.

The force of the impact slammed Wallflower into the hood of her car, just as the engine shut itself off. She slumped to the ground, her hair in disarray, her body mostly hidden by the door. Twilight could see the woman’s face through the spider-webbed cracks in the window. She was dazed, not dead.

Twilight lowered her shaking hands to her sides. “Somebody needs to restrain her!”

Caution rushed forward, pulling a pair of handcuffs from his side. He glanced between them and the car’s busted hinges. “Oi… Oi don’t think this’ll do it.”

Flash Sentry lifted the door from Wallflower’s body. Night Glider approached his flank, her pistol trained on Wallflower’s torso. She swallowed hard. “I don’t suppose you have your sidearm handy, officer?”

“Naw, just came outta the club.” Caution rubbed his shoulder and leaned against the hood. He glanced around the gathered faces and lingered on Twilight. “Sparkle.”

Twilight stopped to check that both Mac and Shining were well. They were fine, save for a few bruises and scrapes. Better than the alternative, whatever that was. She pointedly ignored Caution as she sprinted to Moondancer’s side. “Moondancer? Moon? Look at me, Moon.”

She shook Moondancer’s shoulder; she finally opened her eyes and looked at Twilight. Her mouth opened as if to say something, but closed in silence. She looked away from Twilight to stare at the sidewalk.

Twilight touched Moondancer’s hand, but her longtime friend recoiled. “Moondancer? Can you tell me where it hurts? What do you feel? What did she do?”

A whine escaped Moondancer’s throat, but there was little else to even show she was aware. Twilight waved a hand in front of her eyes. Rather than follow the movement, Moondancer shrunk away.

Twilight knelt beside her, her hands balled into fists on her knees. Her breath became shallower and shallower the more her emotions stirred. This wasn’t like Moondancer. This wasn’t like her at all. She was hurt badly. “Somebody please call an ambulance.”

Caution swore beneath his breath and pulled his radio from his belt. He asked headquarters for backup and a ride to the hospital. He noticed Flash Sentry helping Skyhook to sit up, and mentioned they needed two rides.

Twilight reached over to the side and picked Moondancer’s glasses up off the ground. The shattered remains of her lenses had been further crumbled in the scuffle. She rose, her fist tightening around the busted frames. She looked over her shoulder at Wallflower, whose eyes had just managed to uncross. “What,” she said, her voice hoarse, “did you do?”

Wallflower moved as if to stand, but stopped after a glance at Night Glider’s pistol. She remained seated, her brow furrowed. She stared at Twilight Sparkle, but made no move to answer.

Twilight marched towards Wallflower, her voice rising to a shout. “What did you do to her?”

Wallflower winced, but said nothing. She shook her head slightly before lowering it.

Twilight stomped a foot beside Wallflower’s leg. “Answer me!”

“Twilight!” Shining snapped. “Don’t get too close.”

Twilight Sparkle narrowed her eyes at Night Glider. “You know how to use that thing?”

Night Glider maintained her position, keeping Wallflower pinned down with the threat of a trigger pull. After a moment, she answered with a quiet “Yes.”

“Good.” Twilight lowered herself until she was crouched, balancing on the balls of her feet. She tossed the useless glasses towards Wallflower, who allowed them to land on her lap. “Tell me what you did to my friend. Tell me where you learned magic. Tell me who you are or so help me…”

“I know who she is.” Flash Sentry approached. He helped Skyhook walk by allowing the other man to loop an arm over his shoulders. “Wallflower Blush. We went to Canterlot High together. Didn’t know her well, but we had a few class assignments together. She was the photographer for the yearbook in our sophomore and senior years.”

He shrugged. Skyhook could stand on his own, but moving was difficult because of what appeared to be a broken leg. He allowed Skyhook to lean against a street lamp and came closer to Blush. “We went our separate ways after graduation and I haven’t heard from her until now.”

Wallflower glowered at him. “Figures that Flash Sentry of all people would remember me.”

Flash frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“High school was years ago. I’ve moved beyond that.” She brushed a lock of hair out of her eyes. “Ask Sunset Shimmer next time you see her.”

“Maybe I will,” Twilight said, her voice dangerously low. It took all her strength to keep from punching Wallflower right in the face. “But you’re gonna tell me what you did to Moondancer. Right. Now.”

Wallflower scowled. “I don’t have to tell you—”

Twilight held up a hand with her fingernails blazing with lavender light. The glow drew Wallflower’s eye immediately. “Tell me what the spell you were casting does. I’m no slouch with magic, myself. I can cast lightning bolts from my fingers. I can freeze water at a touch. I’m fairly proficient at lighting fires.” Twilight’s frown bared two sets of clenched teeth. “And you’ve seen what I can do with car doors. So tell me. I’ll probably understand it.”

Wallflower slowly shifted her gaze from the unrestrained magic to Twilight’s fiercely burning eyes. She let a soft sight escape her nose. “A memory-erasure spell.”

The bottom dropped out from Twilight’s stomach, and her heart fell into the yawing abyss. “What?”

“I erased her memories. Anything to do with the name Moondancer.” Wallflower Blush’s voice warbled as she spoke. Her eyes kept flicking back to Twilight’s upraised hand. The intensity left her expression, little by little, until fear appeared past the stubborn shell. “Look, it’s just how my spell works—"

“Give it back.” Twilight’s arm ached as magic coursed through it. Sparks flew from her fingertips. Golden lines traced themselves beneath her skin; her fairy strings at work. “Give her every single memory right now.”

“I can’t.” Wallflower inched away from Twilight as much as she could without getting shot. She turned to look at the prone Moondancer. “The memories are locked away in a talisman. I don’t know how to—”

“Give it to me right now!” Twilight thrust out her hand, causing Wallflower to jump. “I’ll save her myself!”

Shining Armor’s hand clapped down on her shoulder. She glared at him, but her expression softened when she saw the concern in his eyes. “The ambulance is almost here,” he said. “She’ll be safer to talk to in jail.”

“With that kinda strength?” Flash muttered.

Twilight lowered her glowing hand. She straightened up to stand beside Shining. “She hurt Moondancer…”

“I know.” Shining hugged her close. “We’ll figure it out. We always—”

Wallflower slammed her fist into the concrete. A crack appeared in the ground, glowing with a sickly green. A chunk of the sidewalk zipped up to crash against the bottom of Night Glider’s gun. Her aim went wide, and the gun fired across the street. Wallflower leaped to her feet and raised her hands to cast her memory-erasure spell on Twilight and Shining both.

Twilight pushed Shining away with one hand and thrust the glowing hand towards Wallflower. She cast a spell on instinct, not conscious of what it was or what it would do. All she knew was that if she didn’t do something, she and Shining would be as good as dead.

Frustration, anger, sorrow, and terror sliced through the air towards Wallflower.

The lavender light enveloped Wallflower from head to toe. Wallflower Blush’s eyes widened as her spell bled throughout the magic cocoon Twilight had constructed. She opened her mouth to scream as she closed her hand to silence her spell, but it was too late. She was irradiated with the memory-erasure spell down to her very bones.

Her eyes glowed a blinding white. Trails of magic, looking for all the world like rolls of film, spooled out of Wallflower’s forehead. She looked on, terrified, as her life flashed before her eyes and then spiraled around her body. The memories vanished somewhere beneath her sweater.

Wallflower fell back against the hood of her car. She slumped to the ground, her eyes wide but comprehending nothing. A small glimmer of awareness returned to her, just as the final memory slithered away. “If they find out, I’m dead.”

She collapsed, the shock of the spell sending her into a deep unconsciousness.

Twilight clasped her hands over her mouth to cut off the scream. Tears welled up in her eyes. Her stomach churned—she was almost certain she was about to puke. Shining caught her before she could fall over. He held her tight as sobs wracked her body.

She’d practically killed Wallflower Blush. If the spell worked like she said, the woman was for all intents and purposes dead.

The whine of sirens pulled her back to the moment. She looked on as a fire engine pulled up to the scene of the battle, followed by a number of patrol cars. Officers jumped out, some checking on injuries, some discussing how to restrain someone with the power Wallflower possessed.

The first ambulance arrived. Firefighters transferred care of the near-catatonic Moondancer to the EMTs, who lashed her to the stretcher and loaded her onboard. The second ambulance loaded Wallflower, while Skyhook insisted he would be able to ride in a car to the hospital for X-rays.

Before the door closed, Twilight heard the EMTs talking. “Take off her necklace so she doesn’t strangle herself.”

Caution Tape brushed off his comparatively minor injuries. “Oi’m fine.” He took a seat on the hood of a nearby police cruiser. He worked to steady his breathing, his hands on his knees. He waited until Twilight met his gaze, then spoke, his voice quiet. “Oi had you wrong, Sparkle.”

Twilight’s foot came down on the fractured remains of Moondancer’s glasses. She all but jumped back, her breath caught in her throat. She couldn’t respond to Caution. Not without blubbering incoherently.

“I’m sorry,” he muttered. He rubbed his face with a meaty hand. “Oi had you wrong… but it might be time for a sit-down, yeah?”

The ambulance carrying Wallflower wailed as it sped away.

Captain Carrot herself stepped out of a cruiser and surveyed the scene. She swore when she saw the severed car door. “What happened here?”

“Oi’ll give yah the full report soon enough.” Caution hoisted himself upright and shuffled to her side. “Long story short, oi think we just caught our key suspect.”

Care Carrot crossed her arms and surveyed the gathered combatants-turned-witnesses. “I hope you all don’t mind answering a few questions?”

The response was a unanimous shake of the head.

Twilight Sparkle found herself once again sitting in Captain Carrot’s office, rubbing her hands together and wishing to be anywhere else. They were interviewing people one at a time. Taking things slowly. Methodically. Gradually building a larger picture of what had transpired that evening outside the Party Favor. The club itself had closed its doors for the rest of the week, to the chagrin of the patrons. There wasn’t much Party Favor the man could do to alleviate them.

Knowing what she knew, Twilight could almost exactly guess what each of the interrogees would say about the incident. Flash Sentry would speak about his brief history with Wallflower. Shining would recount the moment-to-moment events of the fight. Big Mac…

She actually didn’t know what Mac would say. The guy looked confused. Troubled. Out of his element in a way Twilight hadn’t seen before. He seemed like, for the first time in his life, he had no foundation to build his worldview upon. None of the cool, quiet confidence she found so attractive in him. He had seen the impossible, and it scared him.

Beyond that, Party Favor and Lemon Zest would have little to add. Party Favor had never met Wallflower, so either she had gone to the school after he left, or she had nothing to do with Starlight’s school.

The same could be said for Night Glider, but her more active role in the fight would give the police something to chew on. Applejack hadn’t been in either the club or the fight, so she was in all honesty not going to provide much info.

Then it came to the princess and Little Spike.

Twilight raised her head as Care walked into the room, Caution right behind her. The captain took to her desk chair and faced Twilight with a frown. The door closed before anybody said a word. “So,” Care said, “magic.”

The only response Twilight could come up with was a weak shrug.

“That’s what I said.” Care glanced at Caution, who took the role of note-taker for the session. “How long have you been studying it?”

“Since high school.” Twilight Sparkle wrung her hands until the skin turned white. “I carried on my studies until I got sick in my sophomore year.”

“What was the illness?”

“Meningitis. Viral Meningitis” Twilight rubbed her forehead as the painful memory crossed her mind. “It… it takes a lot out of you. I didn’t really look into magic again until two years ago. When… when I went to the princess’ world.”

Care tapped her fingers together. “Equestria.”

“Yeah.”

“Frankly,” Caution said, his voice even more gruff than usual, “if oi hadn’t seen what oi saw today, and then met a talkin’ dog, oi probably wouldn’ta believed a word of this.”

“He’s a dragon,” was Twilight’s weak response.

Care leaned back in her seat to stare blankly at the ceiling. She let out a low whistle. “What a day. I can’t even begin to think up a way to report this higher up the chain of command.”

Twilight rested her head in her hands and groaned.

Caution grunted. “How do we report this without gettin’ our badges laughed right off?”

“Right?” Care swung her chair around. She leaned her elbows on the desk and halted her whirl. “So, Her Royal Highness Twilight Sparkle and the gol’-darned talking dog say they might know a way to get both Moondancer’s and Wallflower’s memories back, but they’ll need time. In the meantime, I think… I think we want you guys to continue the investigation.”

“What?” Twilight Sparkle slid to the edge of her seat. “You’re kidding, right? Isn’t there some sorta rule that says I can’t conduct my own investigation or something like that?”

“Look, the fact of the matter is we’re not equipped to deal with magic.” Care pointed her index finger. “You, Twilight Sparkle the perfectly ordinary human being, are the only subject matter expert we have on the force. You and your connection to Ponystan are our only way of making any sense out of this murder case. And from your own words…” The captain raised a sheet of paper she had on her desk; notes from the earlier Q and A session. “Wallflower’s last words were ‘If they find out, I’m dead.’ She wasn’t working alone. If we have any hope of unraveling this conspiracy… it’s in you.”

Twilight rubbed her eye beneath her glasses. “No pressure.”

“We’ll have your back, Sparkle.” Caution blew a light breath through his nose. “You can take that to the bank.”

Care nodded. “You’ll have full use of the forensics lab, and we’ll have a cruiser parked outside the Apple residence at all times. Anything else you need, just talk to me.”

Twilight Sparkle furrowed her brow. Her heart ached, but some distant part of her brain understood this to be a good thing. She wasn’t alone, she reminded herself. She didn’t have to do this solo. She had her family, her friends, and now her coworkers. “Thank you.”

“Thank you.” Care stretched her arm behind her head. “I suggest we all get some sleep, if we can. We’ve got… issues to work out.”

Caution bobbed his head. “I’ll say a prayer for Moony.”

Moondancer. Twilight felt her ears burn hot. If she had just shared magic with Moondancer. Wouldn’t she have been able to fight off Wallflower? She couldn’t shake the thought, no matter how irrational it was.

But that sensation of guilt niggled at her.

Dr. Twilight Sparkle’s eyes opened as her phone vibrated beside her cot. She cast a quick spell on her eyes to glean clarity, then checked the contact information of the incoming caller. There was no name, but she had dedicated the number to heart. She silenced the call, slid out of bed, and slipped a robe around her body. She tiptoed towards the outside of the school. From what she could see, nobody else stirred.

The hiss of the sea and the faint mist of crashing waves hailed her exit from the old warehouse. She moved a ways from the door and pressed a button to return the call. The phone rang a few times before the other end picked up. When the call connected, she spoke quietly. “The apple is rotten.”

“The crystal is fractured,” came the coded answer. “Doctor, we have a severe problem.”

Dr. Sparkle let out a hiss as her response. “That’s not what I wanted to hear, Neighsay.”

“Indeed not, but these are the facts.” The man’s voice hissed with static as he let out a breath right on the receiver. “Not only did we not hit the target, but Wallflower was discovered by police officers investigating Raven’s death. She was caught in the open—”

The doctor’s voice rose in volume and venom. “And you didn’t help her?”

“And have us both captured or worse? Risked the entire operation? Given up everything we’re fighting to achieve?” Dr. Sparkle could envision Neighsay’s smug face curling up in a self-righteous scowl. “She fought tooth and nail and was still defeated. I highly doubt my skills would have been of much use in open combat.”

Dr. Twilight Sparkle wanted for all the world to call the man a coward. To berate him, chastise him, cow him. She knew it was useless to do so. He was ultimately correct. With him in police custody, their plan would be set back far too much. Maybe too much to recover. “What happened?”

“She attempted to use her memory-erasure spell on several of the combatants, but was thwarted by…” He hesitated, his voice taking on a degree of uncertainty. “There was another spellcaster at the Party Favor. One who bore an uncanny resemblance to yourself.”

The other Twilight. Perhaps she was indeed from another corner of the multiverse. The raw power and skill required to match Wallflower spell for spell sent a shiver running down the doctor’s back. “I have heard of her. Another refugee from the worlds beyond yours.”

“Alright.” From his tone, the thought did little to ease Neighsay’s discomfort. “This other Twilight used a counterspell which reflected the memory-erasure spell back at Wallflower. She was hit full-force with the effects of her magic. I believe her memory to be completely destroyed.”

Dr. Twilight hissed a curse. “No. Not destroyed. Trapped in that little bauble she discovered in the garden.”

“I see.” Neighsay’s voice lost its nervous edge, replaced with curiosity. “So she might be restored?”

“Only with direct intervention from you.” The doctor leaned against a tree that had grown close to the wall. She stared at the moon as it hovered overhead. It was strange to see it unmarred, even all this time later. “I will send you the details. But—and I cannot stress this enough—your first priority should be to complete the mission. We need those fairy strings, Neighsay.”

“I’m well aware, doctor.” Neighsay’s words came slowly, hesitantly. He was, as always, unwilling to write checks he didn’t know for certain he could cash. “I feel the task will be far more difficult without the assistance of Wallflower’s… physical and magical prowess.”

“You will have to use your own wit and skills.” Dr. Twilight Sparkle gripped her phone tight. She was putting an awful lot of faith in this man. “Understand what this means for the future. For all mankind. You can’t rely on brute strength and memory-erasure for this one.”

“Pioneering has never been a safe, cozy endeavor.” Neighsay grumbled lightly, then spoke with slightly more clarity. “Very well. I shall inform you when the mission is a success.”

The call ended then and there. Dr. Twilight wiped the phone of evidence that the conversation had taken place. She tucked the phone in her robe’s pocket, shut her eyes, and leaned her back against the sturdy tree. She allowed a moment’s respite to ease her nerves. Perhaps they had not waited long enough to strike the second target. Perhaps they had gotten in over their heads. But… she was running out of time on her end, too. They needed three sets of fairy strings, or nothing would come of all they’d accomplished.

“That was an interesting conversation.”

The doctor’s eyes snapped open. They shimmered in the darkness as they sought out the speaker. He was easy enough to pick out, standing plain and unconcerned in the middle of the stone path. “Viscount Dulcimer.”

She didn’t move to show aggression, but she didn’t need to. Power gathered at the edges of her fingertips. She ran a hundred different spells through her mind. Some to incapacitate. Some to injure. Some to kill. She waited for him to speak before passing judgement, but there would be no regret for his passing should it come to that.

“Sorry to bother you, but I’ve been having trouble sleeping.” Viscount Dulcimer winked as he approached. “I suppose it’s excitement for the beginning of the new school year.”

Dr. Twilight lidded her gaze. “What do you want?”

“Knowledge and power in equal measure.” Dulcimer shrugged as he thrust his hands into his pockets. He turned his back to her to face the moon and the silver-soaked shore. “I suppose that’s what we’re all after, isn’t it?”

He smiled, turning his head to one side so that she could just see the edge of his expression. “I particularly liked the part about memory-erasure and untold strength. Will those be on the syllabus, or do I need to apply for an extracurricular activity?”

Dr. Twilight sneered. “What else did you hear?”

His smile grew into a grin. He raised his eyebrows and held his hands at his sides. “I heard you talk about how you’re doing something for the betterment of mankind, of course. Trust me, Twilight, I am in service to the crown. I’m very familiar with doing terrible things for the good of all.”

He paced at a leisurely rate, outwardly unconcerned with whatever the doctor was doing. “For instance, I know that right now, you’re deciding whether or not to kill me and let the sea swallow my lifeless corpse.” He chuckled. “I’d rather not. There’s no reason for us to confront each other. I can keep a secret even from the likes of Starlight Glimmer. Even—” He tapped the side of his nose. “—from the Prime Minister.”

The doctor crossed her arms and pursed her lips. “You are beholden to no one, then.”

“Far from it.” He presented her with a shallow bow. “I am loyal to those who deserve my loyalty. Neither Minister Fancy Pants nor Prince Blueblood have earned my fealty.” He looked up, still bent from his bow. “But you… teach me magic, my lady, and I shall follow you straight into Hell. Give mankind the ability to rise above its wretched state and I shall be by your side all the way. Murder people by the threes or the three-hundreds… I shall be there to pull the trigger.”

Dr. Twilight stepped forward, which forced him to stand upright. “These are not the words of a sane man.”

He scoffed, his hand over his heart. “I am sane by comparison.”

“Compared to what?”

“To the human condition!” Dulcimer laughed as he took a step closer to her. She did not back away. She didn’t dare to show any sign of weakness. “We have had this power buried right beneath our skin for as long as humanity has existed. It took your arrival to cast the scales from our eyes and help us reach our true potential! To usher in the next stage of evolution!” He lowered his head slightly, so that he could look her right in her glowing eyes. He quieted his voice. She could feel his breath on her face. “Future generations will adore you as the one to begin our ascension.”

She didn’t know whether to admire his conviction or despise his zeal. Truly he had magic potential. Verily he had a standard in his heart that flew higher than any flag. He could be useful… if properly handled. If he meant what he said, if he was able to keep such a secret, then he could become a great asset.

If he was not, then she would have to snuff him out like any other threat.

“So tell me,” he said, his smile hiding the depths of his schemes, “beyond sharing magic with the world, beyond saving us from our own meager existence, what is worth the price of the lives you have taken?”

Dr. Twilight Sparkle smiled in return. A more careful smile. Less outwardly friendly and reassuring than secretive and closed off. A smile that she knew said a thousand words to the perceptive viscount. But verbally, she only spoke one:

“Immortality.”

Wants and Needs

Twilight Sparkle undid her ponytail and let her hair sprawl down her back. She stood among the desks that occupied the main office of the Canterlot City Police Department, glancing to and fro, unsure of if she even had a destination. She spotted Party Favor and Night Glider seated at a table with Flash Sentry and Lemon Zest, muttering back and forth.

None of them were much more than acquaintances. Flash was slightly more known to her, being Shining’s longtime friend and fellow soldier, but even he’d only exchanged a few words with her. The four of them seemed to have a close-knit conversation going on. No need to try to break the mold.

Big Mac was outside with Applejack, talking with Shining Armor about… probably the struggle with Wallflower. Probably trying to unload the bombshell that had landed in his perception of the world. Even Shining Armor seemed shaken. Twilight had to admit that she was, too. Even if she had a good baseline for the power that magic provided, what Wallflower was able to accomplish was beyond what even Sunset had shared. Tearing steel and aluminum asunder with a single hand.

She understood what would cause them fear. But she wasn’t sure she had words for them. She wasn’t even sure she had words to comfort herself.

Sunset would know what to say.

Twilight slapped a hand over her face and immediately got fingerprints on her glasses. She took a cloth out of her shirt pocket and wiped them down. Robbed of accurate, clear eyesight, her sense of hearing took precedent. She heard herself talking not too far away. A quick deduction said it was not a recording, but a multiversal duplicate. The princess. She and Little Spike sat at a vacant desk, examining the bauble Wallflower had been wearing around her neck. The one reeking with Equestrian magic.

Moondancer would have loved to study it.

Twilight huffed as she put the glasses on her nose. She was going to be of no use to anyone if every thought of her absent friends sent her into a tizzy. She walked to where the princess was working, set her arms atop the computer monitor, and leaned her head in. When she spoke, her voice was low, so as not to travel. “So. Decided to spill the beans, huh?”

“Not all of them.” The princess used tongs to maneuver the trinket so that her skin didn’t come into contact with it. “I only explained where I come from, and that my world is likely the source of Wallflower Blush’s magic. Night Glider and Party Favor may have mentioned the school, but we have no clear connection.” She lowered a magnifying glass and met Twilight eye for eye. “I never mentioned Sunset. She, at least, gets to keep her anonymity. But if the police have no idea what we’re up against, more people could get seriously hurt.”

Twilight leaned her cheek on the ancient monitor. Its heat, mingled with the general lack of working air conditioning at the station, served to raise a sweat behind her ears. “Do you know what we’re up against?”

“Not exactly.” Princess Twilight tugged a strand of hair to her mouth and started chewing. “Spike and I looked into finding the Equestrian Wallflower—”

Little Spike raised the princess’ magic journal, open to the most recent page. “Recently moved to Our Town to practice gardening, quote, ‘in an environment suited to bringing out the best in everybody’s talents.’”

“—and of course, there’s no link between her and her double’s actions.” An uneven smile cracked the princess’ face in twain. “It’s almost like they’re completely different people living completely different lives in completely different worlds!”

Twilight nudged her glasses up. “Almost.”

“Very nearly so!” Princess Twilight waved at the magic doohickey. “This thing looks familiar, but without access to a library I’m buck outta luck. Up Shifty Creek without a paddle.” She picked up the tongs and gave the relic a prod. “I can see how it’s made. How it functions. It uses mind-altering magic on a very high level. It actively drains memories and contains them within its inner workings… like a cage. But a cage that gradually destroys what’s inside.”

Twilight stood upright, clawing the top of the monitor with a white-knuckled grip. “The memory loss could be permanent?”

“If we don’t open it up, yes.” Princess Twilight bit back a yawn and held a hand in front of her mouth. “’Scuze me. It has a spell process that takes the memories and, for lack of a better term, dissolves their magic and releases it as waste. I haven’t been able to deduce exact timing, but I’d say we have a couple of days at the most.”

Twilight Sparkle could have cracked the monitor if she didn’t let go. She clenched her fists and took a step back. “Can we break it open? Just let all the memories fly free?”

“Not an option. Not with how complex these workings are. The memories would be destroyed if their container collapsed.” The princess tapped the cover of the journal. “I have people working on this back in Equestria. Good people who know their stuff when it comes to magic artifacts. Once I have a counter spell, or a reverse switch, we’ll save Moondancer. I promise.”

Twilight crossed her arms. “Until then, we do nothing?”

“What can we do?” The princess shrugged. “Wallflower can’t be questioned. Princess Celestia is arriving tomorrow. We’ve already burned through all the information we currently have.” Princess Twilight leaned back in her chair. She went a little too far and lost her balance, arms pinwheeling. Twilight reached out and caught the chair in a vibrant shimmer of magic.

The princess kept her expression neutral as Twilight placed her upright. After a moment, she breathed a slight sigh of relief. “Thanks. That was embarrassing.”

“Maybe you need a nap,” Little Spike said. “Or, like, actual sleep, since it’s almost ten.”

“Or maybe I just need to sit in a chair that doesn’t wanna murder me.” The princess used the tongs to lower the artifact into a heavy bag. She leaned her elbows on the desk, her hands curled to approximate her natural hooves, and raised an eyebrow at Twilight. She gestured to a nearby office chair. “So… you’re coming along with your studies.”

Twilight took the offered chair and sat cross-legged. She used her sleeve to wipe sweat from her nose before rolling it further up her arm. “Sunset’s a great teacher. And… I suppose I’m a determined student.”

“I’m not going to obfuscate.” The princess shared a tiny smirk. “In the two years since you came to Equestria, you’ve made leaps and bounds in your capabilities. I’m darn sure I wouldn’t have been able to turn mind-altering magic back in my second year.”

“No…” Twilight pointed at the purple dog beside her. “You were just able to hatch a dragon egg during your entrance exam.”

Little Spike laughed lightly.

“Believe me,” Princess Twilight said, “it wasn’t due to skill or conscious thought. I was riding purely on instinct.”

“So was I.” Twilight picked up an empty manilla folder to fan her face. “You think I wanted to erase Wallflower’s memories? I was just as likely to punch her with magic and smoosh her body all over the sidewalk as anything else.”

“Right. That’s right.” The princess idly rapped her knuckles against the desk. She sent a glance at Little Spike before turning concerned eyes towards Twilight. “Self-control isn’t an easy thing to learn. I think that’s your next step. You’ve uncovered great power. You’ve explored amazing possibilities. Now, you’ve gotta get ahold of yourself.”

Twilight frowned as she looked into her duplicate’s eyes. “I’ve got plenty of self-control. I’m an adult. I don’t just go throwing tantrums everywhere I go.”

“Twilight…” The princess pressed her lips together for a moment. Twilight could practically see her thoughts assembling into organized rows. “There is a difference between self-control and self-suppression. With self-control, one can feel their emotions, acknowledge them, and then refuse to allow them to control their actions. With suppression, you refuse to feel your emotions, tell yourself you shouldn’t have them, and then let them build up pressure in secret.”

She held her hands out, palm up, towards Twilight. “When the pressure becomes too much, you burst, and people get hurt.”

Twilight let her lips curl. She pushed her glasses further up her nose. “You know me so well, huh?”

“No. I barely know you.” Princess Twilight allowed her hands to drop to her lap. “But I know myself. I know that I have had the same trouble. I’ve done some really messed-up things because I didn’t accept help for my problems. People have gotten hurt for sure, and it would have been much worse without my friends bailing me out.”

Twilight snorted. “The perfect Princess Twilight—?”

“I had an issue with mind-altering magic: the Want-It-Need-It spell. A dangerous thing in the hooves of somebody who doesn’t know what they’re doing. And even more dangerous with someone who does know.” The princess’ voice lowered to a near-whisper. “I’m not accusing you of anything. I’m not giving you any responsibility beyond what I’ve had to carry. I just want you to know that whatever problems you face, I’m someone you can talk to about it. Magic-related or otherwise. I’ve been there, too.”

Twilight didn’t doubt it. The princess had clearly seen and experienced much. The scar on her neck proved that, if nothing else. But still… There was something holding Twilight back. Something said she should remain closed off. Hidden. Out of the way. “Thank you… very much for the offer.”

Princess Twilight took a measured breath, gave her duplicate a tight smile and a nod, then turned her attention back to the computer. “In the meantime… data.”

“Yeah.” Twilight glanced at the screen. She already knew every piece of information the princess had written. It had been burned into her memory. “Data.”

Little Spike twisted his weight to swing his chair closer to the princess’. He raised his head over her back. “And everything said between you two remains in confidence. Dragon’s Honor.”

“I appreciate that.” Twilight unspooled her legs and rose, stretching her arms high. “Actually, we should probably head back to the Apples’. Make sure Sunny, Granny, and Bloom are okay.”

“I’m down for that,” Little Spike said.

“Yeah.” Princess Twilight rubbed her eyes with a curled hand. “Yeeeeah. It’s been a full day.”

Twilight moved towards Flash and the others to let them know they were leaving, and instead caught sight of Caution Tape leaving their table. She crossed her arms over her chest, but otherwise showed no outward hostility. He jerked a thumb over his shoulder. “Told ’em we’d send a police escort to bring them home and keep watch. Same goes for you and yours, Sparkle.”

“Probably a good idea.” Twilight bit her lower lip. “Did you hear anything from Moondancer?”

“No updates.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Same as b’fore.”

Twilight sighed. She eased herself to the side to give the princess and Little Spike room to maneuver. The bunch of them walked toward the exit and Shining Armor’s minivan, weary and frustrated.

“So,” Shining Armor said to the pale man in front of him. “Where’d you get moves like that?”

Commander Skyhook bobbed his head. His body was almost invisible in the low light of the evening. His eyes reflected just a little bit brighter in the lamp light around the Canterlot City Police Department than other people’s. “Princess Twilight travels here occasionally. As Ponyville’s Captain of the Guard, I’ve got to be able to protect her wherever she goes. I lead training sessions on this world every couple of months to keep the guards at an acceptable skill level.”

Big Mac came out of his trance-like stare into the darkness long enough to raise his voice. “Thought your rank was Commander.”

“Commander is a rank. Captain of the Guard is a noble title.” Skyhook let out a chuckle as he shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “See, my old CO Stonewall gets the same thing, except she’s a Centurion. People were always joking that her first name had to be Lieutenant to round out the impossible rank combination.”

“Centurion?” Shining’s lopsided grin offered a slight relief from the stress constantly permeating his neck. “Now there’s a rank that hasn’t been used around here for a couple thousand years.”

“Of course, a hundred soldiers is small potatoes to me.” Skyhook’s joviality faded ever-so-slightly when he looked at the moon overhead. His expression corrected itself in short order. “If I have anything to say about it, she’ll never live it down that I literally outrank her, even if I technically don’t.”

The door swung open, and Flash Sentry sauntered his way out. He gave Applejack a nod, and she returned it before turning back to her phone and the messages she was exchanging. Flash gave Shining a grin that said he was trying to make the best of things. “Speaking of ranks, I got your old job.”

“Really? Great job!” Shining Armor clapped a hand on Flash’s shoulder. “I had zero doubts, man.”

“It was pretty grueling work trying to fit your oversized shoes. But I managed.” Flash’s smile shrank to next to nothing. “You know I’ve gotta say it.”

Shining’s own smile turned down at the edge. “Yeah. Give it to me straight.”

“There’s still a spot for you on the squad.” Shining must have let something slip past his carefully-guarded expression, because Flash pressed the point. “Even Sunstreaker of all people misses you. We were a real machine under your command, Armor. The best of the best. Something’s missing without you.”

Shining gave Flash’s shoulder an extra squeeze. “You’re still the best without me.”

“That’s beside the point.” Flash Sentry tilted his head back as several people exited the police station at once. He took a step back from Shining on his way to meet them. “Point is, offer’s still on the table. We’re ready when you are.”

“I’ve got different priorities now, Flash.” Shining Armor’s neck stress returned in a wave. He watched as Flash, Flash’s fiancé, and the two owners of the Party Favor climbed into patrol cars to be led back home. He rubbed his face with a hand, letting out a long breath into his palm.

“You miss it too, huh?” Big Mac said. He was sitting on the steps leading up to the station entrance, his forearms on his knees. He looked at Shining from beneath a weighty brow. “Bein’ part of all that?”

Shining Armor stared after the retreating police cars. He placed his hands on his hips and shook his head. “Sometimes.”

Big Mac nodded after the retreating vehicles. “You ever gonna go back?”

“No,” Shining said without thinking. “Sunset and I decided we both wanna be here, in Canterlot City. We’re staying put and giving Sunny and ourselves the stability we never had as kids.”

He didn’t think. He couldn’t think. He wouldn’t dare think about it. Because he was afraid that he would be able to convince himself to change his mind.

He and Sunset were in unity. Of one mind on the subject. It was settled.

Big Mac stood and walked to the minivan as the Twilights approached. He gave Shining a friendly slap on the back. “You’re a good man, Shinin’.”

“Yeah…” Shining Armor muttered to himself as he pulled the keys from his pocket. “A good man.”

Twilight Sparkle sat on the couch in the living room. Granny and Apple Bloom had long ago retired to bed. Sunny was sleeping in Big Mac’s room. Princess Twilight had passed out in Applejack’s room, where Applejack herself was getting a good night’s sleep to prepare for work tomorrow. Skyhook was chatting with the police officer who was parked across the street, the both of them keeping watch.

The scratch of Little Spike’s pen could be heard in the kitchen, where he was writing back and forth to somebody in Equestria. He was using Princess Twilight’s magic journal, and his unseen pen pal was apparently using Princess Celestia’s. He laughed softly every so often, when he wasn’t giggling like a lovesick puppy.

Twilight went to the kitchen to get a glass of water. As she poured water into her cup, she thought to ask: “Who’s your friend?”

“Oh, uh—” Little Spike blushed a deep, dark purple. He rubbed the back of his head and laughed again for good measure. “The other Apple Bloom. We, uh… we’re kinda, um… We’re dating.”

“Oh!” Twilight’s head snapped around to look at him. “I didn’t know… dragon and ponies could… um…”

“We can’t, really. We’re still figuring that out.” He tapped his pen against his lips, then scribbled sweet nothings onto the page. “But I love her. No matter how far apart we are.”

Twilight breathed a sigh, glancing out the window into the darkness of near-midnight. “Distance isn’t always physical, huh?”

“Nah, but when it is, it’s really physical.” Little Spike leaned against the table, covering his words with his forelegs. “Something on your mind?”

“You mean besides the murder mystery, the secret school, and the memory mangling?”

“Well if you wanna put it that way—”

“It’s fine.” Twilight drank deep and then placed the cup in the dishwasher. “I think I’d rather just spend these few quiet hours soaking in the stillness of night. Let tomorrow worry about itself.”

“Fair enough. Don’t let me stop you.” Little Spike quietly resumed his near-instantaneous messaging, worlds away from the one he loved. “Good night, Twilight.”

“G’night, Spike.” Twilight went back to the living room couch. She flicked on the TV and perused the available options. The Apples didn’t have much in the way of available channels—public broadcast being the be-all-end-all—but they had a subscription to one streaming service. Twilight idly flipped through the available shows and movies until she settled on a film that she had seen dozens of times. Something to put on and not take up too much focus.

She put her feet on the couch, hugged her knees to her chest, and allowed her glasses to slip lower on her nose.

The rumble of Big Mac’s truck heralded his return, alongside Shining Armor. The two of them had gone for a late-night snack run for old time’s sake. Shining came in first and gave Twilight a gentle pat on the head. He muttered goodnight and headed upstairs to join his son in slumber.

Big Mac came in next, a bag in each arm. Most of what he’d bought found its way into the fridge, but he set a strawberry soda pop next to Little Spike. He then sat beside Twilight Sparkle and set two drinks on the coffee table in front of her. “Got you one of two things, dependin’ on your mood. I got you one of those Booyah energy drinks you like in case you wanna stay awake. Or, I got you a caffeine-free tea if’n you wanna relax some.”

“I’ll take the teas, if you please.” She stretched an arm out and he set the drink in her palm. The faint hint of raspberry felt good against her throat. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure.” Mac slurped what appeared to be a blue slush. He glanced up at the TV. “Darin’ Do?”

“And the Sapphire Stone.” She swirled the drink around in the glass bottle. “Just felt like something familiar.”

They watched in silence for a long while, allowing the familiar fight choreography and accompanying music to keep their attentions locked. Big Mac shifted, and Twilight could tell from his body language that he had something he wanted to say. Maybe he just didn’t know how to say it?

She didn’t know if she should pry.

“Until I get back my five thousand dollars,” Martial Paw said to Daring Do as his bar burned in the background, “you’re gonna get more than you bargained for! I’m your Go—”

“Twi?”

“—mn partner!”

Twilight looked up at the big man. That same expression returned; the one he’d had after witnessing Wallflower’s magic. Uncertainty. Fear. A hint of trepidation. He set his drink on the coffee table and leaned back in the couch. “Can we talk?”

Twilight lowered the movie volume a few notches, shifting the dialogue and orchestra to a mumble. She swiveled towards him, sitting cross-legged and sideways on the couch cushion. “What’s up?”

“I…” He took a soft breath. He rested his right arm on the back of the couch and twisted his torso to better face her. “Twilight, first of all, I want you to know that your magic is beautiful, and what you can do with it is beyond amazing.”

An ache entered Twilight’s heart, atop the negativity already overflowing its coffers. “But?”

“No.” Big Mac shook his head. “No buts about that.”

Twilight pursed her lips. “Buuuut?”

He let out a frustrated huff. “Twilight, I’ve always seen myself as a strong guy. I’ve always seen myself as bein’ able to handle everythin’ life throws at me. Ain’t always true. Needed your help to get through school, need Applejack’s help with farmwork, need Granny Smith for hundreds and hundreds of little things… An’ sometimes I feel like I need your help just to get from day to day. Somethin’ to look forward to… Somethin’ to get outta bed for.”

She felt a rosy glow touch her cheeks. She rested a hand on his, leaning her head against the back of the couch.

His eyes turned down to match his downcast expression as her fingers intertwined with his. “Today I felt helpless. There was nothin’ I could do against… that woman with the magic. I was at her mercy. Completely outmatched. Without you there, we woulda all been dead or near enough.”

His voice lowered until it was a hum in his chest. “I couldn’t do anythin’ to protect you. You had to do the heavy liftin’.”

“But I’m the one who’s been trained in magic.” Twilight Sparkle touched her free hand to his knee. “I’m the one who had the… I don’t know if you can call it knowledge, but the skill to stand up to her. It was my turn to keep you safe.” She smiled despite herself. “You do so much every day, isn’t it alright if I take care of this one little thing?”

“But it ain’t even one little thing.” Big Mac’s fingers pulled her much-smaller hand in until they were palm to palm. “There’s more than just the woman. We’re gonna be facing people just like her, an’ there’s nothin’ I can do about it.”

“It’s not your job to do anything about it.” Twilight pulled his arm gently from the back of the couch and held it close to her heart. “Even if you can’t be on the front lines, matching the enemy spell for spell, that’s not what we need you for. Mac, you’re the strongest person I’ve ever known. Kind, loyal, patient, honest, hardworking. How could I ask for more? You’re…” She dared to look in his gorgeous green eyes, cool and soothing, even if laced with pain. “You’re my safe-place, Mac. Not because you can beat up all the monsters, but because you invited me in. Where it’s warm. Where I can be myself. I…” Whatever was left of her smile fell from her face. Her hand trembled. “Can I be that for you, t-too?”

Big Mac stared at their linked hands. His expression returned to calm, collected normalcy little bit by little bit. “Of course, Twilight.”

She rose to her knees and wrapped her arms around his neck. He returned the embrace tenfold. They held each other in silence, with nothing but the muted murmur from the TV and Little Spike’s pen scratches to break the stillness.

“Also,” she whispered in his ear, “bring a gun next time. That’ll help a little.”

A single, unverbalized laugh shook his body. He pulled away and cupped her cheek with one hand. “Love you, Twi.”

“Love you, too, Mac.”

The two of them sat close beside each other on the couch, sipping their late-night drinks and watching Daring Do with the volume down low. Eventually, long after the two of them had drifted off to sleep, Little Spike covered them with a nearby blanket before heading for bed himself.

Shining Armor nudged the blinds aside to look across the street. He could see the cop car parked down the road, watching over them so they could all get a good night’s sleep. He could just make out Skyhook exiting the passenger’s seat and making his way to the farm. The Captain of Princess Twilight’s Guard would spend the evening patrolling the farm from every angle.

Shining remembered pulling all-nighters before. He remembered missions where he and his team were on their own, in the wilderness, with no time to stop and rest for days on end. Constantly in danger. Constantly ready for action.

It wasn’t even that long ago. Sunset and he had decided he would resign two years ago, and a year after that, he’d left the service. He’d come home to his wife and son. Some didn’t understand it, but his friends stood by him. Without the kidnapping scare, he might’ve never left. He might’ve continued on until retirement.

But neither he nor Sunset would have been able to forgive themselves if something happened again.

So they agreed to stay home.

But now he was at home, and she was the one doing great things overseas. He couldn’t help but think about it that way. He didn’t even know if he had that right, or if he was just being selfish. He rubbed his eyes as weariness gnawed at his muscles. Maybe he should mention it to Sunset. Get the feelings on the table in plain view.

Maybe mentioning it would just put undue stress on her when she already had so much to think about.

He chided himself. Wasn’t that the point of marriage? To carry each other’s burdens and thus make them easier to bear? To trust another person so completely that you could bare your entire soul? To have one person you could remove every barrier in the presence of?

He wasn’t ultimately sure.

She probably didn’t want to stay at the school for good. She’d mentioned as much before leaving. Sure, her dream was to learn and teach about magic to anyone who would listen. But his dream had been to be one of the protectors of their country. They’d both mellowed.

Hadn’t they?

“Mommy?”

Shining turned at the sound of his son’s voice. Sunny stirred beneath his super-hero sleeping bag they’d brought from home. Tears poured down the boy’s face as he called for his mother again. Shining moved away from the window and knelt at Sunny’s side.

He rubbed the boy’s forehead. “Daddy’s here, Sunny.”

“I want Mommy.”

“Yeah,” Shining sighed. “Me, too.”

He sat on the floor and rubbed the young boy’s hair. Four years old and so full of life and personality. So sure of what he wanted and how he should get it. “Mommy’s still at the new school. She’ll come home soon. But until then, we get to hang out. Just the two—” He was about to say “the two of us,” but circumstances made that a lie. “—we get to hang out with everybody at Granny Smith’s house.”

“But I want Mommy now.”

“I know.” Shining Armor yawned. He reached down and lifted Sunny in his arms. Sunny was a bit too big to carry around as much, but Shining was a strong man. He held his son tight as an stroke of genius sparked in his mind. “We’re gonna call Mommy every night until she comes home. And… I have an idea.”

“What?”

“When Mommy gets home, why don’t we have a present waiting for her?” Shining smiled at Sunny as the boy’s eyes lost their sorrow and gained a hint of curiosity. “Something special to show her how much we love her? Doesn’t that sound nice?”

“Yeah.”

“So let’s think about what to get her.” He rocked Sunny gently. Even after just a moment, he could see the boy’s eyes grow heavier. “What does she like more than anything else in the world?”

“Um…” The wheels spun in Sunny’s head. “Um…”

Shining wriggled a finger in Sunny’s armpit. “She loves you.”

Sunny shook and laughed, pushing his dad’s hand away. “She loves you, too!”

“That’s right.” Shining smiled wide. Of course she did. What did he have to worry about? “What else?”

“Magic!” Sunny’s little hand was dwarfed by Shining’s, only able to wrap around two of his father’s fingers. “She really likes magic! She’s gonna teach me when I get big enough.”

Sunny was stopped by a sudden yawn. With one hand around Shining’s index and middle fingers, and the other grasping his thumb, his face took on a serious mood. “Are you gonna learn magic, Daddy?”

Shining allowed his son to manipulate and puppet his hand around. He rocked the boy with his other hand, musing on his words. “I don’t know. Probably not.”

Sunny’s brow furrowed. “Why not?”

“I don’t even know if I can.” Shining Armor shrugged. “Maybe Mommy will teach me a little when she comes home.”

Sunny blinked rapidly. The little guy was barely holding on. “That’d… be… cool…”

Shining kissed his forehead and laid him back on the sleep mat. He tucked the sleeping bag around him. “I love you, Sunny.”

“Love you… Daddy…”

Shining Armor looked around the dark room. It was well past midnight. Big Mac hadn’t followed him upstairs. He probably wasn’t coming up at all, content to snooze in Granny Smith’s chair or the couch.

He sighed, pulled off his shirt, and lay down on his own sleep mat. Tomorrow had enough cares of its own. He’d learned early on how to get a good night’s sleep even when the world didn’t make sense.

Another glance at the clock brought his thoughts back to Sunset. She’d be waking up right about now, in her place on the other side of the world.

Shoot. She still needed to be informed about what had happened that night. Now that there was going to be a tense conversation.

But that, like most thoughts that happen just before one succumbs to unconsciousness, would have to wait.

The First Light of Morning

Sunset Shimmer rose before the sunrise. She took the chance to get showered and dressed before almost anybody else even stirred. The night hadn’t been long enough, but a little caffeine would help offset the jetlag. She couldn’t help but be jittery. Excited. Today was what Starlight and Dr. Sparkle had called the “Awakening.” The time when new students would discover their connection to magic in a real way for the first time.

It wasn’t something Sunset remembered experiencing. Her first memories were of learning simple spells with her grandparents. Too soon after, the memories morphed into those made while wandering the streets of Fillydelphia, an urchin with no guardians to speak of. Stealing to survive. She’d never learned the names of her parents or grandparents. She’d never even learned her birth name. Celestia found her and gave her a home and identity.

Both of which she cast aside in the throes of pride and rebellion.

She breathed in the cool morning air, closing her eyes in the first light of dawn. “Don’t worry, Sunny. You’ll never have to know that sort of pain.”

The breath ended in a surprise yawn covered by a hasty hand. When she lowered her arm, she caught sight of the doctor mirroring her movements. The Twilight from the Reflection stumbled her way towards the dining hall, rubbing her glowing eyes with a curled hand. Sunset took the opportunity to catch up to her.

“Good morning, Doctor.”

“Good morning, Sunset. Just Twilight is fine.” Dr. Sparkle glanced at her newfound companion. Sunset could see prominent bags beneath her eyes. “Even the students don’t bother with the title most of the time.”

Sunset nodded, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. “Is that a full MagD degree?”

“From Sombra’s School for Extraordinary Foals, yes.” The doctor was dressed in a simple button-up shirt and jeans combo, much like Sunset’s Twilight Sparkle would wear. The resemblance was, now more than ever, extremely uncanny. “That school was my life… for most of my life.”

“Same here.” Sunset gave her a lopsided grin. “Short night?”

“Unfortunately… sleep doesn’t come easy to me.” Dr. Twilight chuffed. She waved a hand vaguely towards the food counter. “A bottle of OJ and I’ll be right as rain.”

“Twilight! Sunset!” Starlight Glimmer waved from her seat beside Double Diamond. “Bring your food over here! We’ve got a big day ahead of us!”

“I’d recommend a lot of protein for the day,” Dr. Sparkle said. “Especially if somebody’s Awakening is powerful enough to require teacher intervention. We have vegetarian options if you need them.”

“Not especially.” Sunset felt a touch of heat warm her cheeks. “I fell in love with cheeseburgers about a month after coming here.”

“Fair’s fair for an omnivore.” The doctor passed her a tray, loading her own with a bowl of fruity oatmeal. “In that case, Sugar Belle’s making sausage skillets today. She tells me they come highly recommended.”

“I’ll look into it.” Sunset did just that, greeting the sunny-dispositioned Sugar Belle and receiving a hefty helping of sausage and eggs. She caught up with the doctor soon after, whose own disposition was brightening visibly with each sip of her orange juice.

Once she’d taken her seat, Starlight leaned in over her plate of eggs. “We’ve only got three students Awakening today. Celestia, Truffle Shuffle, and—” She pulled a face. “—Dulcimer. Sombra’s agreed to assist Celestia, and he’s got the chops to pull it off. I’d appreciate it, Twilight, if you would handle Dulcimer’s, if only so I don’t get the urge to twist his ears off. That leaves you with Truffle, Double Dee.”

Dr. Sparkle swallowed a bite of her oatmeal before replying. “Have you perfected the failsafe spell? If not, then you’ll want me observing.”

“I think I’ve got a good handle on it.”

“Failsafe?” Sunset Shimmer gave Dr. Twilight a wide-eyed stare. “That’s a really high-level spell. You got it to work in this world?”

“It takes a lot of concentration.” The doctor rolled her spoon between her fingers, her eyes turning upward in thought. “The emotion required is just short of sheer panic. We’ve only needed to use it a couple of times during Awakenings. Sometimes, the event acts much like a magic spike you see in developing foals. The dam breaks, and magic rushes forth. People usually don’t have enough magic that it’s a problem—”

“But you shoulda seen Sombra’s Awakening,” Double Diamond chuckled. “Crystals everywhere. It took a week to get the school opened back up.”

Sunset frowned as she turned to Starlight. “Um, there’s something you might wanna know about Celestia…”

“I don’t think it’ll be a problem.” Dr. Twilight gave Sunset a small, if confident, smile. “In your world and mine, she is certainly an alicorn. But in this world, she is an unremarkable schoolmarm. Middle-aged and appearing to lack in any sort of magic talent.”

“Unremarkable?” Sunset snorted. “You clearly don’t know Celestia.”

“Be that as it may—” Dr. Sparkle tapped her spoon against her bowl, her eyes taking on the faintest hint of a glower. “—I have a talent for reading other peoples’ magical giftings. She does not have the depths of potential our brightest students have, nor does she seem to have much connection to this world’s faint ambient magic. I suspect she will be one of the slower-progressing students, if she attempts to pursue the field at all.”

“Oh, come on, Twilight.” Sunset noted herself taking on a slightly harsher tone than intended. With her next words, she forcibly put a little more effort into politeness. “You of all people should know that talent isn’t worth much without perseverance. Celestia’s not the type to give up.”

Starlight clapped her hands once in an effort to put a period on their digression. “Well, in the end, it’s up to her to decide. Sunset, I would like you to observe as well. This is…” Her smile grew bright and contagious, genuine excitement building in her voice. “This is without a doubt one of the most exciting things we accomplish here at the magic school. To give people their first taste of real magic is such a gift, to us as well as the students. Real, tangible power. This is what helps remind people of what living really feels like, absent from the idiocy and fear of what people call the ‘real world.’ This is the realest real world, Sunset.”

Sunset kept her face neutral, though she thought Starlight’s words seemed a bit… much. Magic wasn’t a denial of reality, it was simply part of it. “An escape?”

“A rescue.” Starlight grinned at Sunset, wagging an index finger. “I see the doubt in your eyes, but I truly feel that we can change the world for the better here. One person at a time.”

Dr. Sparkle laughed lightly. “She’s right, you know. Starlight can be a little extreme—”

Sunset nearly choked on her eggs.

“—but sometimes it takes someone extreme to make real change.” She stirred her oatmeal, a faint spark in her eye. “I just want a world where people don’t have to trudge through the murk. I want a world where they can stand with their heads held high. Where life isn’t just a series of painful accidents.”

Sunset stewed on that thought for a while. Her life had been one long string of accidents and bad choices. It seemed she couldn’t even commentate on what this Twilight Sparkle said without knowing her situation. Aside from that, how could she say anything without completely understanding her own situation? She could definitely relate. Abandoning Equestria, causing her foster sister Scootaloo to be bullied, briefly becoming a demonic human-alicorn, nearly losing her son to an insane siren…

Sunny.

For some reason, Sunny stood out in her mind. The child she and Shining hadn’t planned on. The one who had changed their lives. “Not all accidents are painful.”

Dr. Twilight Sparkle looked up from her oatmeal. “Beg pardon?”

“Nothing, sorry. Just musing to myself.” Sunset finished chewing a chunk of sausage before continuing. “I’ve made plenty of mistakes in my time. Most of them terrible.” She shrugged. “But not all of them.”

Double Diamond raised an inquisitive, doubtful eyebrow. “Never heard of a positive mistake before.”

“You’ve never met my friends.”

Starlight Glimmer folded her napkin and stood, lifting her tray in the process. “As tantalizing as that hinted backstory was, we’ve got a school to run. I’ll get to work setting up the courtyard. Double Dee, you know what to do. Twilight, help Sunset get settled in.”

Dr. Twilight’s fingernails shone with magic. Her tray and Sunset’s glided across the room, first dumping their garbage, then finding their way to a sink. “By your leave, my liege.”

“Don’t get cute.” Starlight’s smile and wrinkled nose said that her true thoughts were very different from her spoken words. With a wink at Sunset, she said “Today’s gonna be amazing. Trust me.”

Sunset walked side-by-side with the doctor. Bit by bit, more students entered the mess hall as the teachers made their way out. Sunset greeted familiar faces with a hello, and unfamiliar faces with a smile.

“So…” Sunset leaned her head close to the doctor’s. “You gonna teach me how the failsafe spell works?”

“I can show you how it works.” With a raised hand, Dr. Twilight summoned a series of floating, luminous symbols without breaking stride. “The idea of the spell is the same as it is in Equestria. Designed to break apart other spells to their individual components, rendering them harmless. The process is similar, though the charge-up time is longer, due to the lack of ambient magic. It’s the emotion that was the most difficult part of the breakthrough.” Dr. Sparkle furrowed her brow, rubbing her chin with a cupped hand. “You have to push past the intense concern of Equestria to something much more frantic. It only truly goes off correctly if you manipulate yourself into a very desperate mental state.”

“Sounds…” Sunset winced. “Traumatic.”

“High-level spells have always taken a toll on the user.” Before long, Sunset realized that Dr. Twilight was taking her to the lab where they’d first met. They climbed the stairs quickly, the doctor leading the way. “Teleportation, transmogrification, sustainable shields, mass illusions… One requires a strong body and a stronger mind to be adept with them. The climb just gets steeper in this world.” She flashed a glance over her shoulder to Sunset. “I wouldn’t even have shown you if I didn’t know you were a master wizard in your Equestria.”

Master wizard dropout, but the thought was nice. “Have you attempted any of the other high-level spells?”

They reached the top of the stairs and headed towards the rear of the building. Dr. Twilight kept a hand on the railing. “I’ve always been a prodigy when it comes to illusions. Those come pretty easy for me. Transmogrification and teleportation are way, way beyond my current expertise.” A sadness enveloped her for the briefest moment before she brushed it aside with a breath. “Powerful shields have always run in the family. My brother taught me everything I know.”

Sunset Shimmer pressed her lips tight. She thought to speak, thought better of it, then spoke anyway. How could she and Twilight grow closer if she didn’t open up as well? “Shining Armor?”

Dr. Twilight Sparkle paused before the door to the lab. She lowered her head and cupped her hands, intertwining her fingers. “Will you tell me how you know that name?”

Sunset felt her heart sink at the sight. Dr. Twilight’s face came into view as she half-turned towards Sunset, revealing something between heartbreak and resignation. A sense of being half-dead. She’d lost something, and Sunset had a good idea as to what.

“I’m his wife” came to mind. “He’s the father of my child” was also considered. Before she jumped that deep into it, she thought to start relatively small. “He’s a public figure in my Equestria. He was once Canterlot’s Captain of the Guard. Now, he’s the Prince of the Crystal Empire.”

This Twilight remained silent for a moment, apparently waiting for her to continue. When Sunset hesitated too long, she filled the silence. “Do you know any of his family?”

“You might say that.” Sunset brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. “Shining didn’t come to power until I’d already left, but his mom was Captain of the Guard when I was Celestia’s student. I always liked Missus Velvet. Real no-nonsense, but still warm-hearted type.”

Intelligence sparkled in Dr. Twilight’s eyes, belying her frown. “You must know what my next question is.”

“I… yeah. Yeah, I do. Twilight.” Sunset twisted the toe of her shoe against the floor, wondering if it was the right moment to be sharing this information. They were about to enter into a huge part of the school’s operation. Distraction couldn’t be good. “It shouldn’t really surprise you that after I abandoned Equestria, she became Celestia’s only personal student.”

Dr. Twilight bobbed her head. She twisted the door handle and pushed her way in. “So you have kept tabs on your home world.”

“Yes?” Sunset followed her in. Dr. Twilight went right to the desk and collected a pile of papers. Apparently notes she’d taken of the new arrivals, since she saw the names of Truffle Shuffle, Celestia, and Hammer Dulcimer at the tops of the sheets. “Every thirty moons, the walls between our worlds fall away, and we can walk through unhindered at a specific location.” Sunset spread her arms out, turning her head to the ceiling with an exasperated huff. “At least we could until somebody stole the mirror on the Equestrian side. Now it’s sealed off until the relic is recovered.”

“So you have another form of communication with them?”

Sunset’s eyes snapped to the doctor. Had she overshared? Under-shared? The topic was certainly interesting, but if she didn’t miss her guess, Twilight seemed to be zeroing in on one aspect specifically.

“You have to, in order to know what’s going on right now.” Dr. Twilight slid the pages into a manilla folder and tucked it under her arm. “Do you have a way to transfer messages? Or some other communication method?”

Sunset decided to play it cool. She crossed her arms and smiled. “You thinking you wanna visit?”

It was unnerving how much Dr. Twilight’s eyes and her mouth told very different stories about the doctor’s mood. Two different expressions; two different mindsets. The smile was friendly, but it didn’t reach her eyes. It never reached her eyes.

The eyes were endlessly sad. Endlessly cloudy with anger.

“Yes, someday.” Dr. Sparkle waved for Sunset to follow her back to the ground floor. “Everything I’ve heard about your world is wonderful.”

“Oh, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows.” Sunset cracked a grin she didn’t quite feel. The false congeniality in the air was almost overwhelming. “They have their fair share of problems.”

“You should tell me about it sometime.” Dr. Twilight nodded—half to Sunset, half to herself. “When we’re not tied down with schoolwork.”

When they reached the ground floor once again, most of the students had already turned out and were seated or standing along the edges of the indoor courtyard. Sunset waved to Celestia, who had been given a chair in the center of the room alongside Viscount Dulcimer and a newcomer Sunset had briefly seen on the boat ride to the island. Starlight motioned for the teachers, Sunset included, to gather near the entrance doors of the old warehouse.

Starlight took a single step forward and addressed the assembly. “Ladies and gentlemen, the time has come once more to invite new students into the school. These three people are about to experience the most amazing, wonderful thing any of us have ever known for the first time. Because of the awesome power soon to be unleashed, I would like to remind our students to please stay back while the newcomers come to grips with their newfound magic. Trust the teachers to take care of it.”

She smiled at Celestia and Truffle, while pointedly ignoring Dulcimer. “The three of you are about to embark on a journey into mystery. To find your own sense of purpose where society has failed to grant you one. To be more than you ever thought possible. Prepare for your Awakening.”

As Dr. Sombra, Double Diamond, and Dr. Twilight Sparkle stepped forward, Sunset couldn’t shake the niggling feeling that it all felt a little ostentatious for something that she saw as a completely natural, borderline mundane thing. Well, as mundane as magic could ever actually be. Listening to Starlight talk was basically broadcasting Sunset’s internal thoughts about magic… But hearing them spoken out loud, Sunset felt just a little silly.

It was probably just nerves, she told herself. With nothing else for it, she decided to stop overanalyzing things and just enjoy the show.

Sombra sat across from Celestia, his face like a statue carved from stone, reeking seriousness. “Are you sure you want to go through with this?”

Celestia laughed nervously. She swiveled her bracelet around her wrist, cutting off a little blood flow as she tightened her grip. “W—well, I thought so. Is there something I don’t know?”

“Just that once you know your own magic, there’s no going back. You’ll never be the same again.” He reached over and took her hands in his. “It’s not a bad thing, no, but it is a vast change. An immediate difference. Are you ready?”

Celestia closed her eyes and took in a deep, steadying breath. She tried to force her limbs to stop trembling, but soon found it to be a fool’s errand. “Yeah. I think so.”

Hammer Dulcimer’s eyes brightened when Dr. Twilight took the seat across from him. “Well, well, well, the doctor herself. I almost expected Professor Glimmer to be saddled with my Awakening. You’re looking lovely as always.”

Dr. Twilight sighed through her nose, lightly enough that most people couldn’t see it. However, she figured Dulcimer was just perceptive enough to catch it. “Very few people have an understanding of what you’re about to experience. You’re about to touch upon a part of yourself that has been locked away by this world. Hidden from all but the most astute. It is not something to be taken lightly.”

“I assure you, Doctor,” Dulcimer said, leaning in, “I understand the weight of the situation. It has long been a dream of mine to wield magic, just as it has long been a dream of mine to meet you.”

Dr. Sparkle’s mouth lowered at the corners. “Yes, your clandestine inside information. I’ll admit to being curious about that.”

“It’s more than a job, Doctor.” Dulcimer smiled with a shrug. “It’s a… passion. You’re about to change my life for the better.”

With the feeling that she was about to uncage a tiger, Dr. Twilight Sparkle glanced at Sombra and Double Diamond. Celestia’s Awakening was already underway, and Truffle was full of questions for Diamond. No time like the present. “The first thing you need to do is focus very closely on your heartbeat.”

“Take my pulse?”

“If it helps.” As Dulcimer put his fingers to his wrist, Dr. Twilight sent magic running through her fingertips. “You’ve been here a day, now. You’ve seen some of the classes, you observed the students. If you had never seen magic before coming here, you would now know what it looks like. What it feels like. Do you believe you know it?”

Dulcimer nodded slowly. His normally smiling face took on a more introspective look. “Yes. I believe I do.”

Both of Dr. Twilight’s hands shone with luminous purple. “I am going to charge the air around you with ambient magic. As your heart-rate picks up, I want you to feel that magic, then look within yourself. The more your heart pounds, the more your body is manufacturing its own magic. When it seems its reached it boiling point, I want you to allow it to come out.”

“Allow it?”

“If you push it, you could hurt yourself.” Dr. Twilight closed her eyes and directed her magic. It was not quite ambient, unlike what the other teachers were doing. She was searching his depths even as she guided him upwards. Judging his magic and what might come of it. “Just let it flow. To your hands, to your legs, to whatever part of yourself seems natural. We can work from there.”

There was a strange shape to his magic. Unlike any of the other students. Most of them she could categorize into having the basic abilities of an earth pony, pegasus, or unicorn. Some variation was seen, such as Chrysalis, who very much had the abilities of a changeling. No surprise there. His, though… He had the power of a unicorn, but a talent for something only the most powerful mages and wizards could even attempt.

She opened her eyes. He was breathing heavily. A faint shimmer of magic twinkled from his eyes. His hands trembled as he pressed his fingers against his wrist far harder than was necessary.

“Magic is power incarnate. It is the soul given form.” Dr. Sparkle touched his hand. He nearly flinched away, but all that came of it was a wince. “Do you have the self-control to hold yourself back?”

There, on his fingernails… a spark. As green and brilliant as his eyes. Like flaking snow, first a few, then a flurry danced from his hands. He stared at the miniscule motes of magic with his mouth agape. Dr. Sparkle allowed herself a sense of satisfaction; the Awakening was nearly complete.

In the next moment, though, something changed.

Lightning arced between his fingers. He was attempting to cast a spell before even understanding the mechanics. Anger flashed through Dr. Twilight. “No,” she said. “You have to let the magic flow for now. If you try to push it, you could hurt yourself and those around you.”

She sent a glance to Starlight, who rolled her eyes and began to conjure up the required components to cast the failsafe spell. She wouldn’t actually unleash it until the situation got out of hand, but Dr. Twilight didn’t want to take a chance.

Still, Dulcimer poured magic into his spell. Power flashed between his fingertips as the last of his confidence drained from his face. “T-Twilight…”

“You have to gain control, Dulcimer.” Dr. Twilight grabbed his hands at the wrists. The magic of his spell ran up and down her arms, but didn’t hurt her. It was evidently not a damaging spell, but without knowing exactly what it would do, she didn’t know how to counter it. “Slow your heartbeat. Resist the urge to push it. You have years ahead to learn how to understand magic. Take a breath, and—”

“Stop.” The space between Dulcimer’s hands flashed, and all was still.

Dr. Twilight released him. He slumped over in the chair, but retained the strength to stay seated.

His heavy breathing continued. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, I couldn’t… I couldn’t stop.” Tears poured down his cheeks. “It was everything I ever wanted.”

It didn’t make sense to Dr. Twilight. The flash hadn’t been the failsafe spell; that would have enveloped the whole room in Starlight’s magic. She glanced at Starlight to see her still in the middle of casting.

Starlight was barely moving.

Dr. Twilight watched for a moment, only to find that Starlight’s actions had moved to a crawl, her embers of magic nearly frozen in midair. The doctor looked around, her head on a swivel. Celestia and Sombra were much the same, their ambient magic a hazy cloud surrounding them. The other students appeared almost completely frozen, including one man who was in mid-stride.

Only the slightest of movements were visible.

She knew that Hammer Dulcimer’s specialty lay with time magic, but to see it used to this effect, this soon after his Awakening?

“I couldn’t stop,” he whispered. “I had to know.”

Dr. Twilight glared at him, her fist clenched. “How did you do this? This is a spell even my teacher wouldn’t have been able to cast. How do you know it?”

Dulcimer shook his head. He smiled to himself. “My grandmother wrote it. Dozens of years ago. She met a strange, elderly traveler who taught her magic before passing away. She could never figure out how to unlock her own magic… but she understood the science of it.” He rubbed his face before gazing wide-eyed around the courtyard. “I had to know… that she wasn’t crazy.”

“Are you crazy?” she snapped. “You could have killed everybody with that stunt!”

Dulcimer pointed at Starlight. “I thought that’s what she was here for.”

“She’s backup!” Dr. Twilight stood up, pushing her chair back with the force. The chair’s fall slowed to a crawl the instant she was no longer in contact with it. “You were literally playing with forces you didn’t understand.”

“If I didn’t understand them,” he said, “how could I have cast the spell?”

She sneered. “Dumb luck?”

He grinned. He unbuttoned his collar and flapped his shirt to cool himself down. “I was prepared, Twilight Sparkle. I had spent years studying that spell. Attempting it myself. When I heard about your school, I thought it might be my chance. My chance to see that life is more than all this.” He waved his hands along the length of his body. “Politics, underhanded dealings, none of it matters because magic is real. I don’t care who sits on the throne, or what the Prime Minister is spewing this week, or any of it.”

He stood up, rising a head taller than her. His grin faded away, replaced with seriousness. “Flattery doesn’t have much of an effect on you, does it?”

Rather than speak, Dr. Twilight crossed her arms.

“Then let me be candid. Fancy Pants wants to shut the whole operation down. Not because Starlight is an anti-monarchist, but because she has real, tangible power.” He slid his hands into his pockets. “I want this place to be open. Not because I want to spread magic and harmony, but because you need this place in order to study magic. To make it more real every day.”

“I don’t need your help.”

“Can you stop a bullet?” Dulcimer raised an eyebrow. “Or a hail of bullets? All that needs to happen is for Fancy Pants to declare this a rebellion in order to make the place a target.” He glanced around at the building. “I’m here for me, and I’m here for you. And that’s enough for me. I’ll do whatever you ask.”

Whatever she asked? He knew so much and was still so clueless. “You can’t possibly know what you’re promising.”

“What could be worse than murder?” He let out a small bark of laughter. “Think of me what you will, but I’ll always be grateful for your teaching.”

“If you want to be a help and not a hinderance, do us all a favor and stay in line.” She jabbed his chest with a firm index finger. “No more stunts. No more dangerous spells without proper conditioning. Are we clear?”

“Absolutely, Twilight.” He pressed his lips together, his brow furrowing. “May I ask how you were able to join me in the spell? It’s only built for one person.”

“End the spell. I can tell it’s draining your reserves.” Dr. Sparkle righted her chair with a glimmer of magic and sat across from him. She gestured for him to take his seat. “We’ll have time to talk later.”

Sunset breathed a sigh of relief when the spell building up around Dulcimer flashed and fizzled without effect, except that both his and Dr. Twilight’s chairs scraped a few inches back. Starlight allowed the failsafe spell to die down, uncast. She sent a slightly irritated look Sunset’s way before she continued to observe.

Sunset joined her. A golden glow of magic came from Celestia’s hands, coaxed forth by Sombra’s coaching. She had to admit, she was expecting more from the human equivalent to the most magical alicorn in Equestria… but she remined herself that they were different people. With different skills, aptitudes, and physiology. Princess Celestia was a thousand years old and more, while Principal Celestia was a scant fifty-odd years young. One was ruler of a nation, one was the caretaker of several generations of education.

They wouldn’t have been comparable if they didn’t share a name and voice.

Yet Sunset almost couldn’t help but compare.

She seemed to have the capacity of a young unicorn foal who had never practiced magic. It made sense, of course, but it still boggled Sunset’s mind. Even Truffle Shuffle, a pony who made his living as a secretary back in Equestria, seemed to have magic enough to completely outclass her here.

It was confusing. Enlightening, certainly. Beautiful, of course. But also confusing.

But then she saw Celestia’s face, and she felt she understood a little more. Celestia was beaming. Shimmering like the sun her counterpart raised. The meager magic she had danced between her and Sombra, guided by his hand and hers. She was laughing, and crying, and experiencing something she once thought impossible.

For someone so versed in the magic of friendship to finally see it made manifest… Yeah, Sunset thought, this was what it was all for. This was what made all the hard work and pain worth it. The simple discovery of magic, with the promise of so much more to come.

All of her doubts about the school aside; all of her misgivings about its leadership and location; all the worry surrounding her financial situation; all the fear for Twilight Sparkle’s accusations… It felt a little more manageable here in the midst of so much magic. Seeing joy alight faces, lives changed for the better, and hopes come alive. Regardless of anything else, there was magic here.

And if Sunset Shimmer knew one thing for sure, it was that magic was awesome.

“Looks like they’re wrapping up.” Starlight Glimmer smiled at Sunset, her hands on her hips. “Seems like you saw something you liked.”

“Yeah…” Sunset nodded, a weight leaving her chest. “I think I did.”

“Gooooal!” Starlight spun in her office chair, her arms waving in the air. “Two points for team Starlight!”

Dr. Twilight Sparkle sat in the other chair in Starlight’s office, sipping a soda pop through a straw. Her smile might have been sardonic, if there wasn’t a slight playfulness to it. “Somebody’s happy. Did Prince Blueblood put in his letter of resignation?”

“Abdication, Twi.” Starlight paused in her gyrations enough to wag a finger at the doctor. “Not as great as that would be, but close! It looks to me like Sunset Shimmer’s buying in to our ideals. I knew the Awakening would be important, and it looks like it touched her heart. Mission—” She pumped a fist. “Complete!”

“Step one complete,” Dr. Twilight said. “She’s still got a whole life back in Libertas. Not only that, but she’s been uprooted at least one other time in her life. She’s not ready to hop aboard the next plane to collect her family and property and bring them here.”

“Yes, but it’s an important first step.” Starlight sighed as she stretched out, balanced precariously on her chair as it inched along the floor. “Can you just imagine? Two former dwellers of magical lands as teachers in this school? It boggles the mind.”

“It’s unprecedented, I’ll give you that.” Dr. Twilight moved the straw around in her cup to get past the wall of ice to the beverage below. “I don’t know that she’s the be-all-end-all teacher, though.”

“What makes you say that?”

“She’s been out of practice for the better part of ten years. She said so herself.” Dr. Twilight frowned as the drink vanished down the straw, resulting in a brief, loud slurping sound. “Sorry. Until she gets caught up, she’ll be as much a student as she is a teacher.”

“But she understands the mechanics of it. That’s huge.” Starlight’s feet clomped against the floor as she leaned upright. “How many people come to the school with that much foreknowledge?”

“You…” The doctor stirred her ice, waiting for it to melt into something she could resume drinking “Have a point.”

A knock on the door interrupted further comment. Chrysalis poked her head in, her thin hair wafting around her face. “’Scuze me, Teach. Got a report for the doc.”

Dr. Twilight reached out and took a bundle of pages, glanced at them briefly, then tucked them away in her folder. “Thank you, Chrysalis.”

“No prob.” Chrysalis gave them a noncommittal wave before exiting the office.

Starlight glanced at the folder. “Extra-curricular project?”

“Not so much.” Dr. Sparkle briefly patted the report before continuing to stir. “Chrysalis asked for more personal instruction on spell-weaving.”

“Cool. I think she needs it.” Starlight checked the clock, found she had a few minutes before her next class, and pulled a hard candy from the jar. “I can tell she’s got potential for something, but for the life of me I’ve got no clue what. Have you seen her do anything besides basic levitation?”

“No.”

“Dang.” Starlight bit down on the candy and held another towards Dr. Twilight. “Want one?”

“No thanks.” The doctor smiled. “Don’t wanna spoil supper.”

“Fair enough.” Starlight made way for the door. She paused just before she touched the handle. “You see it too, right? Chrysalis’ potential? It’s not just me?”

“Yeah, don’t worry.” Dr. Twilight also stood, tucking her folder out of sight beneath her arm. “She’s got depths even she isn’t aware of. She just needs the proper instruction. Which we’re giving her.”

“Right, right.” Starlight gave Dr. Sparkle a brief hug, which the doctor returned with her free arm. “Honestly, Twi… I don’t know what I’d do without you. Thank you.”

Dr. Twilight Sparkle blinked, pulling away from Starlight and nodding. She gestured to the door. “Shall we?”

The two of them went their separate ways, each headed to a class.

Dr. Twilight Sparkle peered at the “report” Chrysalis had prepared. It was a list of names, coupled with a series of email addresses, home addresses, and phone numbers. Information pulled from Sunset Shimmer’s phone and laptop. She skimmed the list, her breath held for what she might find.

Applejack

Apple Bloom

Granny Smith

Shining Armor

Twilight Sparkle

She sucked in a breath. The list went on, but she couldn’t see past those last two names. From the sounds of it, her world’s Shining Armor and Twilight Sparkle were still in Equestria. There would be no reason for them to have phone numbers. Her memory flashed to the picture of a Twilight Sparkle embraced with a Big Mac.

It had to be this world’s Twilight Sparkle. There really was a third Twilight. But Sunset Shimmer wouldn’t mention her. Sunset wouldn’t mention any of these people.

Sunset was afraid of her. Hiding her life and loved ones. Did she suspect something?

On the next page, Chrysalis had scribbled a note: “Got a recording from SS video chat last night on my computer. It’s weird.”

She made a mental note to watch it that evening. Possibly after everyone else was asleep. She was walking a tightrope. If anybody knew what was going on behind the scenes, everything would crumble.

Everything up to and including what Starlight had spent her whole life working towards.

Dr. Twilight Sparkle didn’t have time to regret. She didn’t have time to be sorry. She had to push forward and hope her plans all worked out. She was relying on Chrysalis and Neighsay to do what they did best.

But if they failed, she had only one last course of action.

She flipped to the first page of the report, memorized Twilight Sparkle’s phone number, and put the rest through Starlight Glimmer’s paper shredder.

Facts Revealed, Truth Concealed

“Different people seem to have different aptitudes for different magic.” Starlight Glimmer led to way to a grove of trees some ways around the island. “Twilight tells me that in your respective worlds, your people have three tribes, divided by physical attributes, correct?”

Sunset Shimmer nodded. “Unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies.”

“Ponies.” Starlight rolled her eyes with a small smile. “Magic must be a helluva advantage if ponies are the dominant species in your world.”

“Wouldn’t say ‘dominant.’ There are other sapient races. Lots of them.” Sunset looked ahead and saw a few people milling around inside the tree line. Some sat on benches, but most appeared to be expecting Starlight’s arrival. “So the people here seem to have the same divergences?”

“Those exactly. Twilight can pick up almost instantly whether somebody has an affinity to what she calls Ether magic, Sky magic, and Earth magic.” Starlight shielded her eyes with a hand. “Aaaaand—yep! Your buddy Celestia fits nicely in with the other Ethereals.”

As more people came into clarity, Starlight’s mood soured at the fringes. “Aaaaaand so is Dulcimer. God help me.”

Sunset Shimmer looked back at the compound, where she could see other students arrayed around the front door. “And Double Diamond teaches the earth ponies?”

“Earth mages, yeah.”

“Who’s your resident p—Sky mage?”

Starlight grimaced fully this time. She ran a hand over her face and stood still on the path. “It was my friend Night Glider, until she left. Twilight’s standing in for her until another Sky mage becomes knowledgeable enough… and wants to stay.”

Sunset frowned, cupping her hands behind her back. “Have you had many students leave?”

“Not many.” A sardonic grin spread across Starlight’s face as she glanced towards the waiting students. “I’m still able to count our… eh… ‘dropouts’ on one hand. Raven, Night Glider, Party Favor, Wallflower Blush, and Neighsay.”

Sunset was almost sure that two of those names belonged to members of the pony Starlight’s one-time cult. Almost. Wallflower didn’t ring a bell, but Neighsay was a prominent leader in the Equestrian education system. She’d even met him once or twice at galas. He didn’t seem like the type of person to leave a school like this.

At least, his pony alternative-reality duplicate didn’t. Different people. Even twelve years after investigating the ins and outs of parallel worlds, Sunset occasionally caught herself forgetting that critical detail.

Starlight continued, having composed herself enough to let her anger die down to mild irritation. “Wallflower and Neighsay only left a couple of months ago. Not a huge tragedy, but it irritates me. They never mentioned being dissatisfied with their progress or my teaching. Haven’t answered my calls. Haven’t provided a forwarding address. Haven’t the human decency to drop a line or a how-do-you-do.”

Sunset shrugged. “You can’t really control who walks in and out of your life.”

“No, but it’d be nice to find out why.” Starlight tossed a light sneer towards the ocean before moving them forward towards the waiting class. “If only to get closure.”

“Closure’s a rare and valuable thing,” Sunset muttered.

Starlight’s tutelage covered a broad range of topics, never hovering too long on any one. A refresher of the three elements of spellcasting (math, crochet, and intent), explaining that the body metabolized sugar into magic, the basic stuff. The lesson was clearly meant to fill in the knowledge gaps for the newer students. After that’s he split people into groups which, judging by their observable skills, were divided by how advanced their knowledge was.

Though Sombra was clearly a highly skilled mage, he remained with the newer students. More precisely, he remained with Celestia. Sunset sat in on her practice, observing her attempts to levitate simple objects. She was still a bit clumsy—that is, extremely accident prone—but then, she had only just discovered magic that morning.

This proved to confuse Sunset when she looked over the other new student’s progress and found him to have the careful certainty of someone with years of experience. He was already adept at lifting several object simultaneously, and moving them independently. He looked up and saw her watching him. “Impressed, Professor?”

“I’m not a professor. I’m just a teacher.” Sunset sat on a rock beside him, trying and failing to not look mystified at his apparent magic genius. “It’s rare for a mage to go from unaware to proficient in three hours, Sir.”

“Dulcimer is fine, Mrs. Shimmer.” Several small rocks orbited around each other in intricate patterns. “Perhaps I just have a knack for it.”

“Sunset!”

Sunset Shimmer looked up to see Celestia giggling as she drew illusory images in midair. “I’m a skywriter!”

Sunset only spared Dulcimer another brief glance as she moved onward to her friend. Something about the man itched at the back of her memory. Try as she might, it was still impossible to place him… and there was something sinister about him.

But, again, maybe she was just conflating this Dulcimer with some half-remembered pony she hardly knew.

Focusing on Celestia brought a smile to her face. The woman was scribbling nonsense in the air, wide-eyed and excited as she tested out the limits of her newfound abilities. It was a little like watching Sunny play with finger-paints. Adorable and heartwarming.

Sombra was a few feet away, conversing with Starlight. They’d have a few minutes alone.

Celestia shook her head as the magic faded into an afterimage. “I can’t believe… I just had no idea, Sunset.”

Sunset sighed. “I’m sorry for keeping it from you.”

“Bullplop, you didn’t keep anything from me.” Celestia touched a hand to Sunset’s. “I just… never knew it would be this easy. Or this wonderful.”

“And I didn’t even know you could do it.” Sunset sat side-by-side with Celestia so she could watch the other students work. “I never even guessed.”

Celestia smirked and patted Sunset’s shoulder. “You have that look in your eyes.”

“What look?”

“The focused one that says you’ve got a goal in mind.” Celestia winked and resumed her idle scribbles. “May I ask what?”

Sunset joined Celestia’s small-scale skywriting. She drew a picture of a unicorn, then wiped away the horn to give the pony a set of wings. “Not sure, actually. I guess I’m just considering what I’ve been missing out on all this time.”

“Oh?”

“Like… magic isn’t limited to people who come from Equestria…” She raised an eyebrow and swirled a finger through the pegasus, causing it to become a glittering smear in midair. “And it’s not limited to people who’ve visited it.” As the image vanished, a flame lit on the tip of her pointer finger and hissed as it danced around her hand. “I think we can teach literally everybody.”

She pressed her lips together and quenched the fire in a closed fist. “Even if I can’t join the school here, maybe I can start a new one back home?”

Celestia laughed lightly as she looked over her shimmering fingernails. “Trust me when I say running a school is quite an undertaking.”

“Oh, I know.” Sunset took a proverbial backseat as Celestia resumed attempting to lift a hand-sized stone. “I probably wouldn’t even start until after Sunny was grown up.”

“Hmm.” Celestia turned her eyes to the sky as if a thought had just occurred to her. “But you will be teaching Sunny.”

“Well, yeah.”

“And you’re already teaching Twilight Sparkle.”

“Sure.”

Celestia grinned wide. “Sounds to me like you’ve already started.”

“Well, fair enough.” Sunset crossed her arms. “Nothing wrong with starting small.”

“Nothing wrong at all!”

Dr. Twilight Sparkle dismissed her students for lunch. If she was right about Sunset’s hometown, they were exactly six hours behind the Highborn Isles. She slipped a hand into her pockets to check, for the third time in the last fifteen minutes, that her phone was still there.

She had to make the call. Otherwise, she’d be unable to focus on anything else for the rest of the week. She needed to be sharp.

But what if…

What if the human Twilight told others about the call? What if Sunset, Starlight, literally anybody found out about it? How would she explain how she found the number? It was a breach of trust few would be comfortable forgiving… Unless she lied about how she came across the number.

That’s all she would say; that she’d found the number while researching the Canterlot High Hoax. That she’d stumbled across the existence of the other Twilights while trying to discover a way to contact Sunset herself.

It was almost not a lie. She could tell it convincingly enough.

She stepped into her personal laboratory in the rear of the old warehouse. The one she kept dark. The spell that corrected her vision also allowed her a bit of night-vision. Here, she could be completely concealed.

She sat in a chair beside a large glass tube and dialed, her breath held.

The first thing Twilight Sparkle noticed when she awoke was that she was very, very warm. It felt nice, and she saw absolutely no reason to leave her blanket.

The second thing she noticed was that she’d left her glasses on all night, and they were askew on her face, which was pressed up against the source of her warmth. The cold metal and the hard plastic felt uncomfortable for the drowsy sleeper.

The third thing she noticed was that the warmth came from a very tall, very muscular source. Her first thought was to pull away, but it was quickly overturned by a desire to remain exactly where she was forever. Big Mac muttered in his sleep, her head lying against the back of the couch.

It was only after all of that had filtered through her head that she noticed what had initially woken her up: Her vibrating cellphone. She had forgotten to turn the sound back on after they’d gone to the Party Favor. Good thing, too, or Big Mac might have decided to wake up as well. And worse, he might have left to get ready for work. Twilight stifled a yawn and looked at whoever was calling before sunrise.

She didn’t recognize the number. She rolled her eyes and silenced the call, letting the phone drop to the cushion beside her.

The phone vibrated again. The same number showed up. This time, Twilight noted that it was an out-of-country call. Weird. Sunset would normally just call with her cellphone… unless something had gone wrong. Twilight gave Big Mac’s unending warmth and comfort one last look, then slowly extracted herself from the blanket. She left him snoozing on the couch while she took the phone into the kitchen.

She took a swig of water and pressed the answer button. She tried not to sound like she’d just woken up, but she sounded groggy even to herself. “Hello?”

“Is this Twilight Sparkle?”

Twilight leaned a palm against the tabletop. If she allowed herself to be paranoid, it already sounded like a scam. “Speaking.”

“Okay. Good.” There was a deep breath on the other end. “I am Dr. Twilight Sparkle of Equestria.”

A jolt ran down Twilight’s back, waking her up in a hurry. “Er… you mean—?”

“Please don’t tell anybody we’re talking,” the other Twilight said in a rush. “Sunset doesn’t know I have your number.”

Twilight narrowed her eyes. “Why doesn’t she know?”

“Because for some reason, she doesn’t want me to know about you.” An exasperated huff came from the speaker. “She keeps dodging around the question.”

To Twilight’s dismay, the first reaction she thought of was “Welcome to being friends with Sunset,” but she refrained from speaking it. Instead, she went for a slightly more aggressive “Yeah. It’s almost like she doesn’t want to reveal details of her life to a complete stranger.”

Her answer was silence. She was about ready to speak again, when the doctor finally continued. “I suppose it’s fair, and there would be no harm to it if…”

Twilight scrunched her mouth to the side. “If you didn’t already know about me.”

“That exactly.”

“Well…” Twilight pulled a chair from the table and took a seat. She hissed as the cold wood of the chair touched the bare skin of her legs. “Okay then. Hi, I’m Twilight Sparkle. We have the same name and hair. Nice to meet you.”

A small chuckle made its way across the ocean. “I see you’ve made peace with the concept?”

Twilight laughed, quietly enough to not disturb the rest of the house. “My brother married a pony from another dimension. I’m pretty well armored against mind-blowing possibilities.”

She leaned her elbows against the table and frowned at the clock. Maybe Applejack and Big Mac had decided to get a late start today after the previous night’s excitement. She thought they’d be up by now. She supposed she couldn’t put it past them. She was dog-tired, too. “So, how’d you make your way to this world?”

The doctor sighed. “Accident, mostly. I was trying to get away from King Sombra, my teacher, when he went mad. The mirror to this world was my only escape.”

Twilight took a gentle sip from her cup. “Sombra sounds like a really chill guy.”

“He was. A long time ago.” There was a shuffling sound from the other end of the line. “Can I ask you a few questions?”

“You can ask them, sure.” Twilight went over in her mind what was appropriate to share. Probably not addresses, not that this other Twilight couldn’t get them some other way. Probably not intimate details of Sunset’s life, even though she was certain Sunset had been flashing Sunny’s picture around to anybody who would look. If she kept it general, what could it hurt? “I can’t really promise to answer them, though.”

“Understandable.” A tapping sound came from Dr. Twilight’s side, like she was drumming her fingers. “Your brother is Shining Armor, correct?”

“Yeah.”

“And you said he was married to Sunset Shimmer?”

Twilight winced. Half-asleep slip-up. “Yeah, I did.”

“Is he… happy?”

Twilight’s forehead creased. “What do you mean? Career, life, currently?”

“Just anything.” Dr. Twilight’s voice grew slightly weaker. “My older brother was taken as a slave when I was very young. I searched for years, but never learned what happened to him. I just… want a little peace. I wanna know there’s a chance he’s okay, here if nothing else.”

Twilight’s heart dropped. The thought of Shining Armor as a slave was ridiculous to her. He would fight to the death for his freedom.

Maybe Dr. Twilight’s had, too.

“You know they’re different people, right?” Twilight said after a moment. “Whatever happens to your Shining Armor has nothing to do with—”

“I know. I know you’re right.” If Twilight read it correctly, the doctor’s voice was verging on tears. “Just please, give me this.”

Twilight frowned deeply. She pushed her glasses onto her forehead to rub the corners of her eyes. “Shining is fine, here. He’s happily married to Sunset. He’s the proud father of Sunny. He spent most of his life in the military, but recently decided to pursue a civilian career to be closer to his family. He is happy, Doctor. He’s so happy.”

“Thank you.” Dr. Twilight cleared her throat. “And… do you know a person by the name of Spike?”

Twilight’s eyebrows shot up. “My dog?”

“Uh—” Dr. Twilight’s voice could not have been more confused. “What are you talking about?”

“I knew a Spike. He was my dog.” Twilight found that it was her turn to feel loss to the very core. She set her glasses down on the table so that she could rest her forehead in her palm. “He was my best friend for a long time. He died… two years ago. He sacrificed himself to save me, and Sunset, and Sunny.”

“That… does sound like Spike.”

“Yeah.” Twilight let out a chuff as she considered the other Twilights she knew. “I take it your Spike was a dragon?”

“Yes. A dear companion for many years.” The voice had gone flat, having switched to a rote recitation of facts. Twilight couldn’t read an emotion. Granted, that was difficult enough for her face-to-face, let alone over the phone, but the difference was marked. “Sadly, he was left behind when I escaped.”

Twilight nodded out of instinct, despite neither of them being able to see each other. “I’m sorry. It’s gotta be hard, leaving all that behind.”

“Yeah. It was.” The squeak of a chair punctuated that sentence and started the next. “I need to get back to my students, but may I ask you one last question?”

“Shoot.”

“Have you ever been to Sunset’s world?”

Twilight’s hand gripped her phone tight. Was it safe to tell the truth? Was it smart to lie? Dr. Twilight was technically a suspect, but… how was that possible? Did they really think she was masterminding a continent-hopping murder conspiracy? Then again, if anybody could pull it off, a Twilight Sparkle could.

She couldn’t not answer, because that would be the exact same as a firm “yes.” And she couldn’t wait to answer any longer, or—

“You don’t have to answer. I understand your hesitation,” the doctor said. “I hope we can talk again soon. Good bye, Twilight Sparkle.”

The doctor hung up.

Twilight stared at the phone for a good minute. She was way too keyed up to go back to sleep now.

The sounds of Applejack and Apple Bloom getting ready upstairs played as a background to the sleep-deprived buzzing in her head. She sent a quick text Sunset’s way—Dr. Twilight called me. We talked about her Shiny and my Spike. Try not to be mad when you confront her about it.—and slid her glasses back on her nose.

Apple Bloom walked into the kitchen looking as chipper as ever. “Howdy, Twi. What’re y’all doin’ up?” She poured herself a bowl of cereal and dumped a heaping dose of sugar on it.

“Got a call.” Twilight yawned and accepted the bowl Apple Bloom passed her. “Not sure what to do about it.”

The phone vibrated. Twilight grimaced at the message from Sunset: K let me know if she calls again

Apple Bloom frowned. “More bad news?”

“I dunno yet.” Twilight took two bites of the dry cereal before she realized she hadn’t put milk in it. She rectified that right away. “I dunno what any of this means.”

Apple Bloom tilted her head. “Anythin’ I can help with?”

“I’m not even sure what I should do.” Twilight stirred her cereal until it started to get soggy. “Thank you for the offer, though.”

Apple Bloom smiled, though to Twilight’s eyes it seemed to be a weak one. “What’re sisters for, anyhow?”

Twilight’s smile was equally weak, but no less sincere.

Sunset Shimmer wasn’t sure how to feel besides confused. How had Dr. Twilight got a hold of the number? How had she even knew Twilight existed? Maybe she was just frustrated at how little the two of them had communicated over the past couple days. On one hand, they hardly knew each other. On the other… they hardly knew each other.

She stuffed the phone in her pocket. Celestia stood up and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Trouble?”

“I don’t know.” Sunset brushed her hand through her red-yellow streaked hair. “I need to have a talk with the doctor.”

“She’s on the southwest side of the island,” Dulcimer said as he walked past. “With the Sky students.”

“Thanks.” Sunset tapped Starlight’s shoulder. “Mind if I go have a talk with Dr. Sparkle?”

“Um. Not at all.” Starlight Glimmer muttered an apology to Sombra and broke away from her conversation with him. “Is something the matter?”

Sunset waved her phone. “She’s apparently been calling my family back home. I’d like to find out why.”

Starlight looked as if Sunset had sprouted a second and third head while she watched. She shook her head as her brow furrowed. “What? How… why would she…?”

“Like I said, I’d like to find out.” Sunset Shimmer walked down the southwestern pathway, peering at the tops of the trees to follow the glow of magic. “We don’t exactly broadcast our existence.”

Starlight started after Sunset, but paused ever-so-briefly to speak with Sombra. “Doctor, would you see to the class? Thanks.” She moved on before waiting for his reply.

“I’m sure it wasn’t meant to be underhanded.” Starlight’s easy jog caught up to Sunset immediately. “We were looking into the Hoax for ages before Sombra actually stumbled across you. Maybe she just found your family member’s number?”

“This person had nothing to do with the Hoax. I’d never even met them until seven years ago.” Sunset took a deep breath in. If Dr. Twilight had a reasonable explanation, then there was really nothing to be mad about. Just like she’d searched for the other Sunset Shimmer, so too she practically expected a Twilight to look for her counterparts.

But if she’d been digging through her family’s personal information… Sunset wasn’t sure what she’d say.

Dr. Twilight Sparkle turned at their approach, her expression souring in an instant. Her shimmering eyes turned upward as she spoke to a student. “Fleetfoot, would you keep an eye on everybody? I might be a minute.” She couldn’t help a smirk. “The Sparkle family is honest to a fault as usual.”

The sight of so many grown men and women fluttering around on transparent wings was… comical, to say the least. Pegasi looked majestic in flight, but humans were obviously not physically built for the sort of aerial acrobatics they were performing. Even the smoothest maneuver looked awkward when the person’s legs pinwheeled through the air.

Sunset crossed her arms and got right to the point. “How did you get Twilight’s number?”

Starlight Glimmer gave Sunset a double-take. “Wait, what?”

“She doesn’t put it online, she barely gives it to her family and friends, let alone her coworkers.” Sunset forced herself to take another deep breath. “She doesn’t even use it to back up her email, so unless you give me a good excuse, I have to assume you stole it.”

“I found it while studying the Canterlot High Hoax—”

“She was never part of the Hoax.”

“How could she have stolen it?” Starlight Glimmer said incredulously. “We’re on the other side of the bleeding world!”

“Please, ladies.” Dr. Twilight held up her hands in half-surrender, half-imploring. “I got the number the same way anybody would: Calling around. I never touched your belongings, Sunset, if that’s what you’re implying. I just—” She clicked her tongue and let her hands drop to her sides. “I just want some sort of closure.”

Before Sunset could speak, Dr. Twilight held a hand towards her. “And I certainly,” the doctor said, “wasn’t going to get answers from you any time soon, so please forgive me for taking a risk like this.”

Sunset Shimmer bit back a harsher remark and replaced it with “I’m trying to be cautious about my family’s safety.”

“So I’ll just go over what I know.” Dr. Twilight’s voice lowered to a hissed whisper as she took a step closer to Sunset. “I know that I’m the third Twilight you’ve known. I know that you’ve visited your old home recently. And I know that…” She sucked in a breath, her forward charge hitting a stumbling block. “I know that Shining Armor’s your husband. He’s okay here.”

She shut her eyes, cutting off the ever-present glow. For that moment, she looked exactly like the Twilight Sparkle back home. “Just knowing that… it’s such a relief, Sunset. It’s so soothing to know that in at least one world, things turned out okay.”

She opened her eyes, and the illusion distorted. But only slightly. “I’m sorry I went behind your back. I just needed to know. So very, very badly.”

So, Sunset thought, she had lost her Shining Armor. Her older brother. Apparently, her anchor to peace. The thought of Shining Armor not being there for her—with her—shook Sunset to the core. The very concept sent shivers down her spine and bats fluttering through her stomach. She could understand wanting closure. Even if it was just vicarious.

Was that what she was so angry about? Maybe, and yet, maybe not.

But it still didn’t answer how she’d found the phone number. It didn’t answer why she felt it necessary to contact Twilight behind Sunset’s back. It didn’t answer whatever else she was hiding behind a smokescreen of empathy.

“I understand that,” Sunset said. “I understand wanting closure. Or maybe just comfort.” She didn’t know whether or not to press the source of the number. It seemed like the doctor was going to simply clamp down on the obvious lie. That alone made Sunset Shimmer nervous. “And I’m trying to be more open. It just doesn’t come naturally.”

“Back up a bit…” Starlight Glimmer looked back and forth between the two former ponies. “Three Twilights? There are more of you?”

“There is one Twilight from Sunset’s world…” Dr. Twilight gave her friend a small smile. “And there is one from your world.”

Starlight looked like she wanted to speak, but didn’t know how to proceed without resorting to profanity. Lots and lots of profanity. “I need a drink before you drive me crazy.”

“You get used to it eventually,” Sunset mumbled.

Sunset Shimmer found the doctor looking at her expectantly, awaiting her final word on the subject. Sunset could do little more than sigh. “I obviously have no reason for or ability to prevent you from talking to the other Twilight. And I suppose I can only marvel at your abilities as a private investigator. I’m just… sorry I made you feel like you had to take those measures.”

Dr. Twilight bobbed her head. “I’m sorry for making things awkward. I hope you know I truly wasn’t trying to be malicious.”

“Yeah, I know.” Sunset brushed a lock of hair out of her face as an errant wind swirled it around. “I guess we need to get back to our classes.”

And so they did, with Sunset returning with Starlight, and Dr. Twilight remaining with the pegasi. It didn’t sit right with her, despite the doctor’s words. Or maybe because of the doctor’s words. It was still hard to know what to feel, what to expect, what to think.

There was still something very important that she was missing. But she had no idea how to figure it out.

It was a quiet ride out to the mirror pool that led back to the princess’ Equestria. It was several miles outside Canterlot City, out past Peopleburg and halfway to Caramelton. The trees were thick by the road, part of the forest that surrounded the Rich Enterprises Camp Resort. They were acres away from the resort itself, so there was little chance of anybody stumbling on the cave that held the magic pool.

But two years ago, Twilight had found it with Spike and Sunset’s help. Two years ago, she had traveled to a new world full of magic, dragons, and sirens.

She had been invited back, but she’d never taken up the offer. Even now, it was going to be nothing more than a brush with this strange alternate world. Sometimes she wondered why she’d declined to visit.

Her thoughts always ended up going back to Spike.

It hurt to go back.

Shining Armor parked the minivan at the edge of the woods. It was only him, Twilight, Princess Twilight, and Little Spike. They needed at least three extra seats for Princess Celestia and her two hoof-picked guards. Skyhook was loath to remain at the Apple Farm, but he contented himself with making sure their home base was secure.

They proceeded through the forest carefully. Exposed roots and mossy rocks peppered the dirt trail leading back to the cave, and one trip could turn into a trip to the hospital. Shining moved easiest, having been trained to navigate far worse terrain. When the princess stumbled, he easily caught her by the hand and helped her lean against a tree.

They came to a valley. The last time Twilight had been there, it was in the middle of a rainstorm. The hills had been slick with mud and treacherous to traverse. It was still steep, here in the morning sunshine, but the dry dirt and angled trees made for much better footholds.

Shining helped Little Spike descend without getting his purple coat dirtier than necessary. “So, you guys walked all the way from here to Canterlot City?”

“It wasn’t too bad,” Little Spike said. His legs wobbled as he perched between two sturdy trees. “Just about a half-day’s walk, and we got here early in the morning. Blame Twilight for not hiring a cab.”

“We ordered a cab once we got to the city.” Princess Twilight dropped one foot down on a rock to test her footing. The rock came loose and tumbled to the ground below. She settled for sliding on her thigh along the hillside. “We only had so much of this world’s money from our last visit. You’d think people would be more willing to take pure gold as payment.”

Twilight looked upon the princess’ bits in a new light. “Just how pure is it?”

“At least twenty karats. Why?”

Wow, Twilight thought as her pulse quickened, Gold Fever kicks into gear real quick. “Uh… no particular reason.”

They reached the bottom of the valley without too much struggling. Twilight pressed forward, pushing aside the bushes and dangling vines that concealed the entrance to the mirror pool. Once inside, she switched on her flashlight and beckoned the others forward.

The cave was deep enough that they had to walk for a minute or two before they could reach the back, where it opened up to a sizable cavern. A few stalactites dotted the edges of the ceiling, dripping ichor to the insects and slugs that populated the hollowed earth. The mirror pool lay before them, flat and clear, not a ripple to be seen.

Twilight switched off her flashlight, and the room changed. Where before it was dark save for her light, now it was awash with luminescent gemstones that lay at the bottom and sides of the pool. The warm pink and orange glow invited Twilight to jump in and splash around for the sheer joy of it.

Before she could process this sudden desire, Little Spike stepped forward. “I’ll let them know we’re here.” He made a leaping dive into the pool. The splashing water mingled with the sparkle of magic as both swallowed him up. A few ripples later, there was no sign of him.

“Holy cow.” Shining gazed wide-eyed at the cavern, the pool, anything else that could catch his eye. “How is this even possible? How has nobody found this place?”

“We did find it,” Twilight said with a smirk. “We just never told anybody.”

The pool churned. Twilight thought she saw the scales of a dragon for a brief moment, but they quickly shifted to the damp hair of an adult dog.

“Princess Celestia ’ll be over in a minute,” Little Spike said. “And we’ve got good news for the memory stone!”

Princess Twilight knelt down beside Little Spike. “News they couldn’t just send to me with the journal?”

He shrugged noncommittally. The water in his fur seemed to seep away back to the pool of its own accord. He was dry in seconds. “Apparently.”

Two tall, strong-built men rose from the pool first. They saluted Princess Twilight the instant they were on dry ground. “Princess, Royal Guards Sturm and Drang, reporting for duty.”

“We’ll be reporting to directly Commander Skyhook, but we are also at your complete disposal.”

“Thank you, gentlecolts.” Princess Twilight Sparkle gestured for them to stand to the side and looked back to the pool.

Shining Armor leaned close to Twilight’s ear. “Complete disposal? Why’d they make her sound like some sort of evil empress?”

“I think Equestria’s a little…” Twilight grimaced as she thought it through. “Backwards when it comes to politics. It’s an absolute monarchy… or tetrarchy, I guess.”

Little Spike cleared his throat near Twilight’s knee. “It’s not an absolute tetrarchy. There are plenty of rules and checks and balances and mandates that the princesses all have to follow.”

Twilight raised an inquisitive eyebrow. “But the princesses are indisputably the highest power?”

“Well, kinda, but—”

She patted Little Spike’s head. “That’ll do, Spike. That’ll do.”

He rolled his eyes. “It’s a little more nuanced than that.”

The pool stirred. All eyes turned to watch the next person emerge.

She was recognizably Celestia, at least to Twilight’s eyes, but… she wasn’t. She was somehow both older and younger than the Celestia from Sunset’s school. Her face was smooth and pristinely porcelain, but the bags under her eyes made her look like she hadn’t slept in a decade. Her arms were clearly strong and able, yet her posture was hunched, like she was dragging a stone behind her. Her limp belied the youthful look to her body, and the cane she leaned on looked akin to some wizard’s magic staff.

Simultaneously the very picture of grace and beauty, while also appearing to be the epitome of weariness and wear.

Princess Twilight’s eyes lit up, if only to cover the sudden look of concern that washed over her face. She stepped forward to help Princess Celestia from the pool. “Celestia! Welcome! Thank you so much for agreeing to help.”

Princess Celestia’s free hand took Princess Twilight’s, while she levered the cane against the crystals to pry herself out of the enchanted water. “Of course, Twilight. I could do no less.” She smiled serenely at both Shining Armor and Twilight Sparkle. “A friend of Sunset’s, and a friend of Twilight’s, is most certainly a friend of mine.”

Twilight had to admit, even seeing how old Princess Celestia acted, she still cut a startlingly impressive appearance. She was taller than even Shining Armor, thin and lithe, with a sureness in her voice that caused Twilight to stand up a little straighter. Her dress was pulled from a fairy tale, glimmering and glistening with sparkles and interweaving colors. Gold decorated her wrists, neck, and forehead. Her hair was long and flowing, pink-hued but with subtle hints of other colors.

The cane caught Twilight’s eyes and held her attention hostage. It was shoulder-height compared to Twilight, made from a dark, twisting wood. At the top, in front of the handle, a green gemstone glittered with inner fire.

Twilight pointed at the cane. She sounded like a small child, even to her own ears, but curiosity has a way of taking charge. “Is that a wizard’s staff?”

Princess Celestia’s brow furrowed briefly, before being replaced by a tittering laugh. “I’m afraid not, Miss Sparkle. It’s just a walking stick. However…” She twisted the handle and caused the cane to come apart. A long, transparent purple blade slid from beneath the wood. “I do have a means of defending myself.”

Another splash from the pool served to distract Twilight away from the awe-inspiring woman. It was a man with fiery orange hair and a blue robe that went down to his ankles. The robe seemed to be the source of his struggles as he attempted to reach the edge of the pool. “Ah! Can I—hugh!—can I get some help here, please? Maybe a little?”

Twilight stood at the edge of the water and reached her hand towards him. He took it with a grateful smile and used the opportunity to get a better foothold. The water fell from his robes as he emerged from the pool, turning what was a hefty burden into a flowing, lightweight mage’s uniform.

His goatee turned fuzzy and unruly as it dried far too swiftly. He fiddled with it a moment before eventually just giving up and leaving well enough alone. He held a scroll close to his chest and gave Twilight a big smile. “Princess Twilight, I must say it’s so nice to be able to work with you again! This research project has been fascinating, as the adventures of Clover the Clever often are. It’s been too long! Um—”

He searched the folds of his robe for a second before eventually coming up with what seemed to be a newspaper ad. “If we have time in the next couple of weeks, there’s a new curio shop that opened up just south of Fillydelphia. It’s been a long time since we had the opportunity to go antiquing, and I hear this one’s just drenched in history!”

Twilight pressed her lips tight. She felt bad popping this guy’s bubble of enthusiasm, but— “Iiiii’m not the princess, actually.”

“Oh…” The man’s eyes widened. “Oh, excuse me, Miss Sparkle! How rude of me to… assume?” He shook his head and took a step back. He nearly tumbled back into the pool, but was saved by Twilight grabbing the edge of his cloak. “Ahem. Thank you. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Sunburst, history teacher and magic tutor at Princess Celestia’s School for Extraordinary Unicorns.”

“And a good friend,” Princess Twilight said as she stepped beside them. There was no hiding the mischievous smirk on her face. “Sunburst here was studying the memory stone while we were sleeping.”

Sunburst pulled a pair of glasses from his sleeve and slid them onto his nose. His eyes widened as he looked up at Princess Twilight. “Oh. Oh! Yes, I can see the difference. I was going to ask when you’d started wearing glasses.”

Twilight crossed her arms as she spoke to the princess. “Contact lenses?”

“Nope.” With her hands spread, Princess Twilight subtly led the three of them away from the edge of the mirror pool. Sunburst nearly tripped over his robe on the first step. “After I ascended and became an alicorn, I just didn’t need them anymore. And I got wings. And I got taller. But mostly my eyes corrected.”

Twilight’s eyes widened. “Where can I sign up for that little package deal?”

Sunburst hunched his shoulders as he glanced at the princess. “Invent a new kind of magic and it just sorta happens. Apparently.”

“I’m not sure that’s the case,” Princess Twilight said. “Starswirl’s invented hundreds of new kinds of magic and he’s still just a unicorn.”

Sunburst nodded, his hand finding his frizzy goatee and stroking it gently. “I see. So it was more the specific spell you completed than it was simply discovering new magic?”

“That’s my current proposition, but unless we get more empirical data, it’s only—”

“Excuse me.”

The conversation died in an instant as all eyes turned to Princess Celestia. She leaned against the damp wall, her cane held loosely in her hands, her guards on either side of her. “I believe we should move quickly. There is a great deal at stake.”

Little Spike waved from the cavern entrance. “Right. The memory stone’s waiting at Canterlot City hospital. You got the goods, Sunburst?”

Sunburst patted the scroll he was holding with a deathly-strong grip. “Got it all right here.”

Shining Armor spoke up, glancing between the two princesses. “I was only expecting three more people. We don’t have enough seats for one trip.”

“It’s cool, Shiny,” Little Spike said. “I’ll sit on the floor. Just… try not to drive too crazy.”

Twilight Sparkle breathed a sigh. Things were looking up on this side of the ocean. For once. “Hold on, Moondancer. Help is on the way.”