Between Magic and Science

Twilight had gotten herself settled in Nexus’s guest bedroom, and had met his roommate, Burning Star. She seemed nice enough, her fiery orange hair and yellow highlights stood out, but it matched her red sleeveless top and the blue pants made of the same material Nexus and her own were made of. Her eyes were a blue color, and seemed to contrast her overall orange tone. She noted the implants she had were red, and ran along her arms. Upon her lower left arm was an orange and yellow flame. She also noted that she smelled of the vehicle they rode in.

“So, Twilight,” Burning Star said, “you’re from another world too, eh?”

“Yeah...” Although she was welcomed, she felt bad for being a burden, “I’m not going to be a problem, am I?”

“Hey, don’t worry about it, you’re welcome here. Nexus hasn’t found a way to his own world, but I’m sure he can get you back.”

Twilight said nothing.

“Well, I guess I better head to bed, g'night,” Burning Star began to walk down the hall to her room.

“Goodnight...”

Twilight had just now thought of what things might be like back in Equestria, back in Canterlot. Did they even know she was gone? Did time even pass the same way in this world? It had been a long day, and she supposed she should get some rest. She’d have to take things day by day, as she didn’t know what to expect.

The bed and the stand next to it was about all the room had in it, but there was space for more. On the bed was a single thick blanket, with the night sky printed upon it. There was even a moon in the top right. Although the moon rose by itself in this world, it still made her feel a little more comfortable, with memories of the Princess Luna.

She looked at the clock on the stand. It was indeed more advanced than the clocks she was used to, but it served the same purpose. It’s green display read 11:17, a late time in her world, and obviously this one as well, but she just didn’t feel tired for some reason. Perhaps it was all of the questions she had about this world still. Her conversation with Nexus had cleared up a lot of history, but they only briefly had delved into this topic of electricity that Nexus briefly mentioned, and then there was the weapons. As much as she disliked war, she had to admit, she was curious about what they were and how they worked.

She heard a loud clanging noise from below her.

In the throne room of a castle, at the heart of a land called Equestria, a pure white alicorn princess had gathered two earth ponies, two pegasi, and two unicorns before her. The princess’s wings portrayed peacefulness, folded in at her sides, and her crown rested just below her horn. Upon her flank was a orange sun, signifying her raising of said celestial object. She spoke.

“You all know why you were called here?”

An orange earth pony, wearing a cowpony hat, looked up. Her voice had a southern accent to it.

“Umm, ya’ll said Twilight was missing, right?”

The princess of the sun nodded.

A white unicorn with a curled purple mane spoke next, her voice reflecting a bit of an upper class descent.

“Princess Celestia! You didn’t tell me that she was gone! Whatever had happened the dear?”

A cyan pegasus with a rainbow coloured mane rose above the other two.

“Twilight’s missing? What happened?”

A blonde yellow pegasus just had behind her pink mane, which fell over her face quite well.

Celestia looked over to the other, off-white unicorn, whose eyes were concealed by purple sunglasses. Her lighting blue mane hung down past her muzzle, but the sunglasses kept it out of her face. Celestia spoke again.

“Miss Scratch-”

“Princess, excuse me, but please,” the unicorn in question took her sunglasses off in respect, “Just call me Vinyl.”

Celestia nodded, and continued.

“Vinyl had witnessed the disappearance of Princess Twilight Sparkle yesterday. Would you describe what happened?”

“Of course,” she said, “I was on my way back from a DJ gig near the edge of the Everfree forest, was an outside party, see?” she realized that she was getting off track, “Anyway, after everypony else had left, I was packing up my stuff, and was about to go home, but then I saw the Princess approaching me. I hadn’t known she was at the party, but she seemed to like my choice of music. She didn’t seem to mind me asking what somepony like her was doing out on the edge of the Everfree forest, and she said she was just taking a walk when she heard the music and came to see what it was all about.”

The white unicorn listening to her spoke up.

“Didn’t anypony realize that she was the Princess?”

“Well,” Vinyl hesitantly replied, “They were all kinda drunk, but she didn’t seem to mind. She seemed real talkative with me. When she turned to leave, I saw a light in the sky, and had looked up at it. I was going to ask her what it was, but when I looked back down, she was gone. I thought it was some sort of joke, and she had just teleported away, but I don’t think she would’ve left her crown behind.”

There was a pink earth pony, who had just been quiet the whole time. She seemed rather down for some reason.

Princess Celestia noticed the pink pony’s expression, and addressed her.

“Pinkie Pie, what has you down? You’d normally be much more energetic than you are right now.”

The orange pony spoke for her.

“Pinkie’s been a bit... sad ever since Twilight disappeared.”

“She’s gone... Applejack, she’s gone...” Pinkie muttered to her.

As Applejack tried to comfort her, the rainbow maned pegasus looked to her Princess.

“We’re going to have to help you find her, right? That’s why you called us all here?”

“Yes, Rainbow Dash. I’ll tell you the details momentarily, as soon as my sister arrives.”

Celestia noticed the yellow mare standing behind the two white unicorns, as if trying to hide from her. She addressed her, in attempt to relieve her tension.

“Is something on your mind, Fluttershy?”

The pegasus called Fluttershy spoke quietly, but everypony in the room was able to hear her.

“I... I’m worried about Twilight... What if she’s... what if she’s in d-danger?” Fluttershy’s voice quaked.

“Don’t worry,” the Princess’s tone was gentle, but at the same time, stern, “I’m sure she can handle herself, wherever she is.”

“She’s right, dear,” the white unicorn told her, “Princess Twilight is a Princess, after all.”

“Yeah,” Rainbow Dash added, “What Rarity said, she’s a Princess, and what Princess Celestia said, she can handle herself. And we’re going to be the ones to help her.”

“So, Princess Celestia,” Rarity asked, “When will Princess Luna arrive?”

“I’m not sure, she was supposed to be here now, but... I suppose I must carry on without her,” Celestia rose from her throne, “Princess Twilight is missing, and I’m going to task the six of you with finding her.”

Applejack quizzically tilted her head, “How in Equestria are we going to do that?”

“You see, Applejack, where she happens to be right now is not Equestria.”

The ponies before her all looked in shock and confusion, except for Fluttershy, who still hid behind her mane. Celestia even had Pinkie’s attention.

“Upon speaking with my sister, I learned that she had noticed a flash in the sky while watching her stars that night. When she had arrived at where the flash happened, she collected Twilight’s crown, and had brought it to our research division to study it.” Celestia paused, taking a moment for this to settle with her audience, before she delivered the point straight to them. “It appears that she has been brought to another universe entirely.”

“Another... universe?” Rarity said, utterly speechless. They all were, even Rainbow had settled on the floor of the throne room.

“Yes, another universe, one that I have no knowledge of. And I’m sending you 6 to it, in hopes that you can find her and bring her back.”

“How are we supposed to do that? We don’t know anything about this other world either!” Rainbow Dash raised her voice, obviously getting frustrated.

“Settle down, Rainbow,” Applejack put a hoof on her friend’s shoulder, “No need to get all riled up with the Princess here. With all due respect, though,” she turned to the Princess, “What is your plan for us?”

“I can send you to this universe, using what traces we could get off of her crown, but there’s no telling that you’ll be able to get back if you don’t find her. She’s the only one powerful enough to perform a teleportation spell of such a grand distance, and you need to make sure that she’s fit to perform it.”

Pinkie had perked up a little bit. “We’re going to find Twilight? That sounds... fun...” She said that last word like she meant it, but was still troubled.

“That’s the spirit, Pinkie, just like you!” Rainbow Dash said with a grin.

Celestia spoke once more. “I can send you whenever you’re ready.”

All of this time, Vinyl was silent. She wasn’t used to talking to the Princess like they were. She didn’t know what to say.

Pinkie seemed to cheer up quickly, “I’m ready! Let’s go!” She said with a small bounce.

“I guess we ain’t got nothin’ better to do. I’m ready.” Applejack said.

“Yeah! I’m psyched now! Ready to go!” Rainbow Dash pumped a hoof through the air and flapped her wings.

“I suppose now is better than later, so yes, let us go!” Rarity turned to Fluttershy, “What about you?”

“I... I want to find Twilight,” Fluttershy squeaked, “So I guess I’m ready.”

“That’s good to hear,” Celestia said. She then turned her eyes to Vinyl Scratch, who hadn’t said a word since she was asked to

Vinyl noticed the Princess’s gaze upon her, and knew that the others were waiting intently for her response. She didn’t know what to say. This whole separate universe was kinda weird, but it didn’t bother her much, she was sure it wasn’t that different from this one. She just slipped on her signature purple sunglasses.

“Let’s roll.”