Meadow looked at the unfamiliar landscape and looked at the bar with curiosity, 'What are we going to get?'

'Steak.' Twilight said as she sat on the stool and the bartender poured her a glass, smiling.

"Afternoon Commander. Rough day?" She asked as she gave the disguised Commander the drink.

'Commander?' Meadow asked. 'Steak sounds really good. I haven't had meat in a couple years...'

"And what would Meadow like?" The bartender asked.

'Wait… is he talking to me? How? I thought no one could see me.'

'This place is weird. Didn't you notice how she recognized me despite me being in disguise and didn't need to ask what I wanted to drink?'

"We have one of the largest selection of drinks and food available in all of the Equestrias." The bartender said proudly.

'I didn't… that is weird.' She replied before testing something, separating herself from Twilight to take a seat next to her and nodded at the bartender, asking “So what would you recommend?”

"We have good burgers, made from non-sentient cows." The bartender said, watching Meadow and looking right at her.

“I do enjoy burgers, hold the pickles and onions though.” She said nervously, replying privately to Twilight, 'I don't know how they can hear me though, or think I'll be able to eat separately from you... Still, it’ll be nice.'

The bartender wrote down the order for both the mares.

'Oh I’m sure you will.' Twilight smiled.

"And to drink?" The bartender asked.

“A good root beer would be awesome.” She said with a smile, rather happy she could interact before she looked around while the bartender wrote the order on a slip, "Hey! Normally I can't see much more than your perspective, yet I can look around like I used to! Just what is this place?"

"This is the Ivory Wheel. I'll have your order out in a moment." The bartender said simply before she headed for the back.

'Been here often?' Meadow asked, turning to Twilight and studying the mare for the first time outside of a mirror.

"Often enough to be seen as a regular." Twilight said, dropping her disguise and beginning to sip her drink.

Meadow was surprised as the root beer slid down the counter. She moved to catch it and the drink stopped perfectly in front of her, making her smile in delight at the simple trick of precision. Carefully, tried to lift the glass, afraid she couldn’t or that she’d spill it because she didn’t have a body. She was delighted when it lifted like she expected, and grinned for a moment as she realized she had a body of her own again here, she could even see Twilight fully.

“I… I'm really holding and tasting this… It’s amazing…” Meadow smiled widely, a tear crossing her eye briefly in happiness before she looked over her companion. “You look different than I remember Twilight being… may I ask what happened?”

"War is hell." Twilight said downing her shot. "And some people are monsters who need to be put down."

“Oh, I…” Meadow said, startled and worried she touched on something she shouldn’t have, “I'm not trying to judge, I just… sorry.'

"Sorry for what?" Twilight looked at Meadow, confused.

'I don't know, I thought you were uncomfortable...'

"If I was uncomfortable, I'd be hiding." Twilight shrugged as the bartender came by, pouring another shot into the glass still held and left the bottle.

Meadow nodded and returned to her drink, sipping again before asking, “How did you know about this place? Will I need to get my own bits so I can come here?”

"Found it a lot g time ago, conducting a raid here on some criminals who assaulted three EDF personnel, just because they were changelings."

'Interesting, but you haven't been to this Equestria, right? Why is it here too?' Meadow asked.

"No I haven't. As I said universal constant. It's in every version of Equestria."

'Uhm, when did you say that?' Meadow asked, confused.

"Ah, thought I did. Either way, this place is a universal constant, meaning it exists in all realities that are Equestria, even if the nation isn't called that."

'Interesting… So how should I pay for my food?' Meadow asked.

"I'll pay." Twilight said.

'Thanks...' Meadow said quietly, sipping her drink, happy to be on her own, yet still disappointed at just how dependent she had become after her lost battle. A frown started to form on her face, not wanting to be a burden.

"Hey, relax.” Twilight told her, “We all need help sometimes. I wouldn't be here if not for my friends."

“I'll…” Meadow hesitated, “try to relax. It'll help once we feel full though. How good is the food here?'

"Great." Twilight said, smiling.

"Awesome. I’d love to be a regular here in that case"

"Well stick with me kid, and soon enough, you will be." Twilight said, starting to chuckle.

"Yes ma'am." Meadow replied with childish enthusiasm.

Twilight chuckled at the response and ruffled Meadows mane, causing her to giggle. Twilight looked at the mare, and starting to smile softly at them, recognizing the mare was starting to come out of her shell. She could tell how they were a more damaged, hurting version of the princess she had come to know, and couldn’t help but feel protective of her as she downed another shot.

Any further thoughts were paused by their food being set before them.

Meadow smiled broadly, reaching tentatively for the food, as if she still couldn't believe that she was going to hold and eat her own food once more.

Twilight smiled and began to eat her steak.

Meadow slowly moved her burger to her mouth and bit down, smiling with unparalleled joy at the sensation of being able to eat, being able to move like this on her own. It was different than when she had shared the sensation with Twilight an hour or two before, and she had to hold back tears of joy at the feeling once more.

Twilight smiled as she ate, keeping an eye on Meadow to make sure she was ok.

Meadow sighed after a moment and giggled as she tasted the food, going between the burger and fries and drink as needed, occasionally looking at Twilight in clear gratitude for being able to experience it again.

"So how is it Meadow?”

“I mean, if we weren't in public I'd be hugging you so much or something embarrassing. This is amazing… Hell, even having my own body again I'm just… I'm so happy right now. Thanks for bringing me here." Meadow said quietly, not wanting to be overwhelming with her feelings right then.

"Why does it matter where we are?" Twilight asked.

"Cause ponies might think…” Meadow blinked at the question and blushed as she tried to figure out how to say it, “well…"

"Think what?" Twilight blinked at her, confused.

"That we're dating or something..." She said quietly.

"Why would anyone think that just because of a hug?" Twilight asked, not seeing the connection.

"I… I don't know." she admitted, before going back to her meal, feeling like she did something embarrassing.

Twilight put a wing around her and pulled her close as she ate. Meadow blushed at this at first, then smiled happily as she tried to relax again. Meadow moved her food in front of her now that she was staying close to Twilight.

"Thanks again…” Meadow said quietly, “You've been really nice to me where no one else had after I lost to Svik…"

"Well you've done nothing to warrant me not being nice to you kid." Twilight reminded her.

"And I hope I won't either…" Meadow replied, eating her fries slowly as she dreaded the idea, expecting that she’d do something bad without even meaning to.

"I’m sure you won't kid." Twilight assured her as she ate.

"What makes you say that?" Meadow asked, transparently curious.

"So far, you don't seem the type to cause trouble that isn't the fun type."

"I don't even want to make trouble that is the 'fun' type." Meadow replied, her eyes wide in surprise. "I- I mean… the other me might but-"

Twilight chuckled. "Oh I know deep down you like trouble.”

"Why do you say that?" she asked nervously.

"Because I met one of you."

"You mean the other me? But she could be very different or something..." She said, hesitating, unsure of herself.

"Maybe."

Meadow finished off her meal, feeling nervous in a different way now. She wanted to get along with Twilight, if she was going to be a part of her, but she didn’t know the first thing about them or what they knew of her. She set down the last bites of her food and spoke up again.

"So, what do you know of me then, if you have met her... are we the same?" Meadow asked.

"Well, you seem to be a lot more skittish so far, but are friendly and such. You want to help others and can at times have low self-esteem." Twilight said.

"I try at least...” Meadow nodded, “still, after a few years living in my car, getting tossed into another world, only to lose to a villain and watch him imprison princess Celestia and Luna until they admitted his superiority to them... I wanted to do so much more, but I didn't know what to do..."

"What now?" Twilight asked, on alert from this news.

Meadow looked at her concerned, "What?"

"What happened to the Princesses?"

"They were overpowered by Svik and imprisoned by him until they admitted he was the better spell user. They weren’t allowed to rule Equestria until he was allowed to experiment in peace with any spell components he wished and without any consequences ever…" She said.

"Then what happened?"

"He experimented, forced me to watch as he tested spells on various ponies, not always putting them back after he changed them, even when I reminded him. He kept mumbling about making them pay, but he couldn't mean the princesses. After all, he had already imprisoned them once… I don't know, he was strange…"

"I need to find that bracelet." Twilight said. She couldn't leave them imprisoned… or those other…

A small concrete pen with a steel barred door came into view, a food and water dish in the corner, the only light coming from outside the pen.

The view was from the corner of the pen, as if someone was lying curled up in it.

Flashes of six needles going into a purple furred arm all at once as she screamed, the device holding her arm in place no matter how hard she struggled, as who knows what was in them pushed into her. Flash to standing at the end of a gun range as a dozen, blue armored guards opened fire with assault rifles. She barely got her shield up. The pain bounded in her as the bullets impacted the shield, eventually cracking and shattering. She felt pain down her horn as her magic feedback coursed down it and she suffered magical burn out as the guard stopped firing.

The sadistic face of one guard sitting across from her at a table twirling a small button between his fingers.

"You know you sent my buddy to the hospital during that little escape attempt of yours, you little mutant horse. Not to mention kicking me in the groin… I figure I'll return the favor and see what this little thing can do…" he said as he pushed the button.

The shock collar she wore went off, making her scream as she fell off the chair and spasmed on the floor. Smoke started to rise from her neck as the contact points started to burn her as the guard held down the button, smiling at her suffering as the minutes stretched on and on and on. Eventually after that eternity, a knock came at the door, and she knew it was time to go to the Lab.

Meadow watched those events, horrified. It was all she could do to keep herself from reacting out in public, beyond looking on in shock "W-wha! That…"

Twilight blinked and shook her head.

"Huh? What?" She asked, slightly slurred as if waking up.

"I… I saw something, needles, and guns shooting at… us? Someone saying we kicked him in the groin...." Meadow said quietly, rather scared at what she just witnessed and trying not to quake

Twilight blinked, refocusing. "I… think I had a bit of a flashback. Happens occasionally… been years since I had one last. Sorry, I… was reminded of Daminal Labs. A very… unpleasant place to say the least. I almost escaped once, was only a few meters from the gate when I was shot by a sharpshooter… I got fitted with a shock collar after that that would go off if I left the perimeter, as well as the guards having a control for it."

Meadow leaned in and gave her another hug, shaking as she did at the idea, "You're one tough bitch… I don't know what I would do if that happened to me."

"Not tough enough. I didn't get out of there unscathed, and certainly didn't make it home ok." Twilight said quietly, picking up the shot glass in her cybernetic fingers and knocked it back.

Meadow hugged her tight once again, "I will do everything I can to help… I don't want you to go through that, or anything like that."

"And I don't want anyone to go through that either. It's why I am going to go to your world and rescue them all." Twilight said firmly. It was clear, come hell or high water, this was happening.

"Uhm, they aren't imprisoned right now, they just let him do what he wants..." She clarified.

"Then I’m going to fix what he has done after I make him pay."

"Uhm, Svik is here with me. He was in Manehattan before he found an abandoned lab in Fillydelphia then put me in the other bracelet."

"Yes, I know. Figured that out by you being here, and I plan to ensure he pays for what he did. Then I am going to go to your world and do what I can to help his victims."

"You can travel between worlds?" Meadow said in amazement.

"Not by myself, but we have a device, yes."

"Wow." Meadow replied, struck quiet with admiration and amazement. Her food was eaten, and her drink was finished.

"Want more of either?" Twilight asked

"I'm stuffed…” Meadow shook her head, “Thank you so much."

Twilight nodded and smiled as she poured herself a drink.

Meadow looked around, curious about the decor. The place was simple. Stools along the bar area and party room, a few tables in the middle, booths along one wall. A pool table and even a small dance floor near a jukebox was in another part of the building. On one wall there was a symbol of a sun with a Crescent moon around one side and a strange symbol that looked like a dumbbell in the middle paint red on one wall.

"So how would you go to the version of Equestria I'm from?" Meadow asked. "What would you do there?"

"That bracelet comes from there. We can use it to find the world's signature, and I will fix whatever he did."

"There's a few ponies who are stuck as other creatures or can’t speak anymore… said he was trying to figure out changeling magic at the time. But that’s all he’s done that wasn’t fixed… that I know of anyway." Meadow said, thinking about how Dawn was tasked with fixing Twilight and Twilight took offense, yet Twilight was about to try and force fixes on that Equestria…

"I will fix it." Twilight repeated.

"Thank you.” Meadow said, thinking it didn’t matter to her in the end. “I don’t mind not having my body now, but those ponies turned into pigs, cows, wolves, cats, dogs n so on… not everyone can adapt like I had to."

"I will be fixing them. I'll bring the full might of the EMSD if I have to."

"I see..." Meadow said. As much as she said she didn’t mind not having her body, she missed the agency, even though she will always appreciate survival above all else.

"I cannot stand such actions being committee on others in the name of science."

"Yeah, gotta have ethics and empathy." Meadow agreed

Twilight nodded and took a drink straight from the bottle.

Meadow faltered, unsure what to talk about before asking, "So is your Equestria a lot more advanced? I haven’t seen prosthetics like yours before."

"They are, but not to this level yet. I'm the only one with my steel hooves." She said tapping them together.

"Another world did it I'm guessing." Meadow nodded.

"Yes. First contact with humans. They were non magical before I ascended."

"So they're magical now? What did that do to them?" She asked, careful not to ask why they were needed.

"Allowed me to feel through them."

"That’s a good thing, right?"

"Yes. Before, I couldn't feel anything from my limbs."

"Are there things you could do now that you couldn't before?"

"Besides look more natural and able to feel and my blades being longer, not especially."

"Ah..." Meadow said, unsure what to ask next. It was the most she had gotten to talk in a while.

"Feel free to ask anything, as this is now your body as well."

"So… What’s it like being an alicorn?" Meadow asked, embarrassed at the idea of asking since it sounded like a foal's question to herself.

"Interesting. Higher need for food, as well as having traits of all three tribes."

"So you're strong, can fly, and use magic." She grinned, "Not to mention immortal… granted, living forever might be a curse, depending on how you look at it too."

"It's both. Most people never think of the consequences of a long life." Twilight said before she downed another shot.

"I thought about it a bit after I learned of Luna being on the moon for a millenia."

"Yeah… there is a steep price. Few can pay it. We all find ways to bear it."

"Well, even if others can’t, I don’t think I'd mind the journey with you, if it helps." She offered slowly, moving a hoof to Twilights, hesitating just before she reached it.

"Will be an interesting one." Twilight said as she watched, letting the mare reach.

"I can live with that, if you don’t mind my staying with you anyway"

"Don't see why not." Twilight said, yawning as she looked at the sun going down. "Think it's time to find a hotel to get some sleep."

"Not going back to the castle?" Meadow asked.

"No. I just need to relax."

"As you wish, thank you again for the meal."

Twilight nodded as she finished her last shot and tossed some bits onto the bar before starting to head for the door

Meadow walked to catch up with her and as they left, was disoriented briefly as she rejoined their perspective, deciding to not project herself into twilight’s vision

"Did you pay already?" Meadow asked.

"Yes. That's what the bits were for." Twilight said out loud before remembering she needed to speak in her head as she went to find a cheap motel.

'Oh right. I missed that.' Meadow hummed, embarrassed.

'Hard to know what I'm doing when not fully in my head huh?' She chuckled.

'Gotta give you some privacy right?' She teased to cover her missing that detail.

'Eh, I don't mind if you want to watch me in the shower.'

'Hey… I-I like mares so… might be a good idea if I didn't.' Meadow blushed.

'Oh? Am I not hot enough? Is that it?' Twilight asked.

'You're really damn hot, that's what I'm saying.' Meadow replied quickly, thoroughly embarrassed at that confession.

'Oh? So then it's my personality is it? Want one of those bubbly air headed bimbos who can't tell the difference between Greenwich's teleportation theorem and Sky Box calculations of levitation.' She said and huffed putting her nose in the air

'The hell are you talking about! … Dammit, I'm saying you're very much my type.' Meadow blustered, feeling like her fur would have changed colors to red at what they were saying.

'Awww thank you, you can watch me in the shower any time.' Twilight said sweetly with an innocent mental smile.

'I… I…' Meadow tried to reply, her mind breaking at the conflict, her conscience wanting to turn it down out of respect but not being able to without causing offense.

'It's not like you have a choice but to watch me in the shower, since we share the same body.’

'Well, yeah.' Meadow said, slowly realizing they were teasing her. 'The question is, should I leave you alone when I'm in the mood.'

'In the mood?'

'To take advantage of us sharing the body?' Meadow said before shaking her head, 'Nevermind...'

'I’m… not understanding?'

'Guess that's one thing that the other me and I share… we aren't easily understood. Sorry. I'll try to be better.'

'Just explain what you mean.' Twilight instructed as they walked.

'You were teasing me about sharing your body, and how I should watch you in the shower, you made me admit I liked what I saw,' She said, starting to sound more flustered at that bit, more so as she finished, 'so I tried to joke that I might do something if I get too turned on by you... or something. Sorry...' She apologized again, feeling awkward and out of place all over again.

'Oh, feel free to do so. Honestly seeing as we share the body I think if you get turned on I will as well, if earlier was any indication.'

'I mean, possibly, yeah...' Meadow admitted.

'Hmm....I seem to still have a penis.' Twilight said as she spotted an out of the way hotel.

'I noticed.' Meadow blushed, feeling the bounce and sway.

'That is a very strange feeling.' Twilight said, then thought to herself as she walked to the office. 'I really need to try and find a use for it.’

A few minutes later, she walked out with the key to a room and headed up to it.

'It's a little handy... no need to squat to pee, and it is a pleasure all its own, but not my taste... I've had one.' Meadow said, trying to be helpful

'Never had one so wouldn't know. I'll worry about it tomorrow.' Twilight yawned as she walked into her room and closed the door. She dropped the disguise and made her way to the bed to flop into it.

'That's fine by me...' Meadow said, scratching their back where there was a mild itch.

'Good night.' Twilight said getting under the blanket and letting herself slowly drift off to sleep.

Meadow sighed contentedly, happy with the events, yet wasn't tired, it was like she couldn't feel tired. Even as the blackness of the body enveloped her vision briefly as Twilight slept, she was unable to feel tired.

There was a small cracking of light, as if coming from under a door to her right. She blinked in surprise, noticing this light and wondering where it went. Having nothing better to do, she turned to it and approached, slowly.

It was a crack of light, no different then what would be seen coming from under a door into a dark room if there was light on the other side. It was oddly familiar, though that still made her cautious.

Meadow approached, looking for some sort of knob, and unable to see well in the dark, she moved to knock on the door.

There was no response, though she could just make out a door handle on the door.

Meadow looked at the knob and turned the handle, slowly opening the door. She discovered it was unlocked and opened easily.

Meadow looked out past it, calling out, "Hello? Is anyone here? Where am I?"

No response came.

Meadow looked around more closely as the surroundings became more clear and she began recognizing what she saw. It looked remarkably like a barracks. Tiles on the ground, drywall walls, tiled ceiling, it was close to what she would have pictured a barracks to be like. She looked around, wondering where she was.

There was a camera with a small blinking light in one of the corners and a door on the far side past the rows of beds.

Meadow blinked, not expecting to see the camera, and looked up at it before inspecting the rows of beds, wondering where she was still and what symbols she might find as clues.

There was a gold shield with two crossed swords behind it and the letters EDF on the top of the footlocker at the ends of the bed on one side, while the other side the beds were less organized. Some of the beds were just duffle bags or other containers, and the walls seemed older and less maintained.

The blankets were randomly assorted, and some had patches on them. Some were cots while others were just a mattress on the floor. There was a table with four chairs around it in the corner near the camera.

Meadow spoke quietly out loud, "Am... am I in her memories? What is this 'EDF?' Equestria has to be the e, but… f might be force, so Equestria Defence Force? That sounds too simple..." she thought out loud as she looked over to the cots and then looked for windows to see outside.

There weren't any, just the door on the far side and the lights overhead. The EDF side of the room was clean, with proper beds and well maintained blankets. It was just the one side that was ragtag.

She went over to the side that was ragtag, hoping to find other clues or companionship.

It was empty, like the room. She discovered the beds were a mix of proper beds, cots, mattresses on the floor and one was a set of couch cushions with random blankets, some in disrepair and the containers at the end of them were random items from luggage to duffle bags to trunks as well as the wall being stained or cracked, as if the side of the room belonged to an entirely different group.

Meadow moved on, intent on the next room, to find out where she was, why she saw what she did, and to look for company.

Outside the door was a long hall that seemed to be a combination of a school hallway, a bunker and… a sewer maybe? She could see grating with water running under it.

Meadow had to admit, she was stumped, she kept looking for windows, but didn't find any. She looked for any other signs of life, listening for anything beyond the water.

As she walked, she ended up in a nice clean white hallway with bright fluorescent lights humming overhead and the smell on chemicals in the air. All the doors had card readers beside them.

She sighed in frustration, yelling out, "Hello! Where the hells am I?"

Meadow heard the sounds of boot steps approaching. She didn’t know what she expected, but instinct told her something bad was about to happen. She quickly looked for a place to hide, forgetting it was a long empty hall with card-reader doors. After looking around, she internally sighed and stood in place, waiting for them to come since she called out and hoped that the friendly approach would be enough.

At the end of the hall where it split into a T, a human dressed in a blue uniform with a security badge and a black armored vest came around the corner, a pistol holstered on his thigh. He spotted her immediately and put his hand on his pistol.

Meadow froze, eyes wide. She didn't know what to do, but recognized the pistol and the implied threat as the human came closer.

"Great, another one of you freaks escaped." He said with annoyance.

"Escaped? From what?" Meadow asked, shaking in place with anxiety.

The guard drew the pistol. "Come on little mutant horse, back to your pen."

"I'm confused. What pen? Why do you say mutant horse?" she said, trying to reason with them.

The human suddenly jerked upright and dropped to his knees before falling face down on the floor, a knife without a hilt in his back.

Meadow opened her eyes wide in horror and stepped back, wondering how this happened.

At the other end of the hall, a unicorn Twilight with an SMG slung on her back appeared, wearing combat armor and a helmet with a visor down, along the front of her was a bandoleer of similar knives. They were standing upright and their cybernetics were the wrong shade of purple as they started to walk towards her.

"By Celestia's flaming ass, are you stupid to stand there and let one of those fuckwits try and capture you?" She asked once she was near, pulled the blade out, cleaning it on the back of the dead human’s uniform.

"Twilight?" Meadow asked surprise, "I… where the hell am I?"

"Huh? No I'm Soldier." She said. "Get your blasted eyes checked."

Meadow frowned, looking for the cutie mark she expected, as was surprised to find there was no mark, just scar tissue on a square on her right side.

"Fine, you're not Twilight, whatever, where the fuck am I and what the hell is going on?" She asked, starting to curse as readily as her peer.

"What are you new or something?" Solder asked as she put her knife back.

"I'm Meadow Dawn, I wasn't originally a pony until I arrived in Equestria and was gradually being filled in by Celestia and Luna for a time… So yeah, new."

"OOOHHHH you’re the passenger." Soldier said. "Yeah, didn't meet you last night as you stayed in your room."

"The passenger? What?" Meadow said, surprised.

"Yeah, that mare from the bracelet." Soldier nodded.

"Yeah, that's me… How did you know? Where am I?"

"You’re inside Twilight," Soldier said, "and I know because I'm part of Twilight."

"Oh… what is this place, what are you doing?"

"Killing, and this is Twilight's head."

"Why are you killing, is Twilight in danger?" She asked, concerned.

"Because it's my job. I have to keep these fuckwits," She kicked the human, "and other things from spreading." She said and looked around. "We really shouldn't be just standing here. More will be on the way any second." She walked past Meadow and headed back the way she came.

"Should I be helping you?" Meadow asked, "I want to help Twilight, I just don't know how…"

"You can do whatever you want, even spend the night with Lust if you want. She'd enjoy the company." She chuckled.

"Lust?" Meadow said unexpectedly. "Just how many of us are in here?"

"Enough." Soldier said, turning around and revealing her mark was Twilight's star with a belt of bullets draped over it.

Meadow blinked, noticing the cutie mark as she followed then said, "So there you, Soldier, and Lust... should I go to her to find out about the others? Where would I find her?"

"She usually hanging around her room. You go to her if you'd like to have a good time." Soldier chuckled as they entered an area where the hall slowly ended and became a small town.

Meadow followed Soldier on, asking, "Where exactly is her room, and am I in danger if I don't go back to my room by the time Twilight wakes?"

"You should be fine." Soldier aid and then pointed at a building. "Lust’s room is there."

Meadow nodded, heading that way "Thank you for the escort Soldier, I might have to learn from you for self-defense if you have the time."

"Sure." She said, shrugging and continuing on her way, leaving Meadow to walk down to the building where Lust lived.

Author's Notes:

Ah an old favorite of the Commander and we seem to be getting a look into the Commander's mind....should be interesting.

I have a PATREON with fair rewards. Every bit is greatly appreciated and helps me out.