In the Absence of Sunset Shimmer

Chapters

A Day in the Absence
Lies by Omission
Anything You Can Imagine
Accidentally on Purpose
Plenty of Time
Tour de Force
Naked in an Elevator
Keep Your Distance
Arrest and Conviction
Twisting the Truth
Messages for the Absentee
A Shot in the Dark
An End to the Absence
The Aftermath

A Day in the Absence

Twilight Sparkle stood a few feet away from the chalk outline on the sidewalk. She thrust her hands into the pockets of her long coat, fighting against the bitter chill of a foggy, early spring morning. She released a breath and groaned when her glasses misted over. She busied herself wiping them down with a ready cloth and took the opportunity step away from the scene.

“You okay, Twi?” a Canterlot City police officer said. “You’re looking a little green.”

Twilight’s cheek twitched in the presence of a light breeze. “I’m not exactly a stranger to dead bodies, Care. It’s just… this is the first time we’ve found somebody I actually know.”

The officer flipped through her notebook, a pencil poised for scribbling. “She was a friend of yours?”

“No, not in the slightest.” Twilight’s ponytail swung back and forth as she shook her head. “More like an old pain in the butt. Haven’t seen her in years.”

Care smirked. She dotted an I with a flourish. “High school?”

Twilight pulled a pair of rubber gloves from a nearby box. “How’d you guess?”

“You’re fixated on the darn place.” Care raised an eyebrow. “Sometimes I wonder if you’ve even graduated yet.”

“I am not fixated!” Twilight gathered a few tools; tweezers and plastic evidence bags. “I just know that a lot of weird things happened there—”

“Ten years ago.” Care shut her notebook with an audible thwap. “If you’re so interested in uncovering ancient history, talk with your buddy, the teacher. Shimmer was there, wasn’t she?”

Something glimmered on the ground beside the outline. Twilight went on one knee to take it carefully between her tweezers. She held it close to her face and looked at it over her glasses. It was a red gem with one jagged edge, as if it came from broken jewelry. She slipped it into a bag and sealed the cover. “Sunset doesn’t open up much.”

Care snorted. She tilted her head back, turning to the balcony five stories above them. The entire apartment complex was in a mild panic as officers combed over the victim’s room. “What about the rest of the freak squad you hang around with?”

Twilight sent her a blazing glare.

Care held her hands up. “Whoa, sorry. Didn’t mean it like that. They’re nice ladies. Really. It’s just—” She extended her index fingers and put her hands above her head. She wiggled them like bunny ears. “People still joke about the weird horse thing they have going on.”

Twilight held her gaze for a moment before turning away with a shake of her head. “They don’t know much more about it than I do.”

An officer came running out of the building, his large frame heaving as he fought for breath. Care turned to a fresh page. “Got something, Caution?” she asked.

“Best we c’n piece t’gether,” Caution Tape said, “izzat somebody came to visit, there was a tussle, an’ the one person ended up tossing ’er o’er the balcony.”

Care glanced up at the open balcony window. “Gee, I would have never guessed.”

“It rules out suicide, at least,” Twilight muttered.

Caution rubbed the back of his neck. “Anythin’ forensics can pick up, Sparkle?”

“If Moondancer finds any fingerprints up there, maybe.” Twilight shrugged. “All I have down here is her blood and broken jewelry.”

“Well, do your best tah scoop it up.” Caution tipped his hat. “Care, looks like the stories all match up. Every witness so far says they heard an argument through the walls and then a scream. No one can tell us who visited. Said they tried to avoid the victim on principle.”

“She had that effect on people,” Twilight said. She found a ceramic shard that had once been part of a vase. “Dare I ask if you have any leads?”

Caution furrowed his brow. “None especially.”

“Why?” Care chewed on her eraser. “You think you know something?”

“Ye—yes and no.” Twilight Sparkle grimaced. “The question isn’t really ‘who wanted to kill Aria Blaze,’ it’s ‘who got to her first?’”

***

Sunset Shimmer fought against electronics in a righteous battle for children’s souls. Or at the very least, their attention. The hour ticked down second by second as she hurried to explain an altogether too complex mathematic formula. Her hand carried the marker across the whiteboard like a poet scribing his magnum opus.

She could swear Pumpkin Cake was texting her brother instead of copying down what was effectively a cheat-sheet. There was little time to stop for discipline, though. The clock was striking three. The bell rang. The chairs scratched against the floor in concert as the children scrambled to escape the confines of the classroom.

“Remember to check online for homework!” Sunset called out, hoping to catch at least a couple ears with her instructions. “I expect you to review those practice tests in preparation for the exam next Friday!”

She slumped into her chair, her daily personal war in a brief peacetime. The weekend had begun, and with that came a bit of a relief. No extracurricular activities to lead, no fussy students ignoring her lesson, nothing but a few quizzes to grade.

“You look like death warmed over.”

Sunset lifted her eyes to the doorway. A tall woman in a suit about thirty years out of style leaned against the frame, her arms crossed and her mouth pulled into a satisfied smirk. Behind the smirk, however, the eyes sparkled. “Ready for a break from the happy laughter of children?”

Sunset rubbed her eyes and let out a huff. “I’ve stopped guessing why you never had kids, Celestia.”

Principal Celestia’s smiled disappeared, but the sparkle didn’t. “They’re all my children, in a way.”

“Yeah, well, you’ve raised some real brats.” Sunset winked. “Thanks for that.”

Celestia bent down to pick up a dropped sheet of paper. She hissed and pressed a hand to the bottom of her back. “Oog. Remind me not to do that.”

Sunset stood up and slid the chair toward Celestia. “Have a seat.”

“I won’t be staying long; I just wanted to say hi.” Celestia laughed in the back of her throat. “And to ask how little Sunny is doing.”

“He’s doing great.” Sunset Shimmer grabbed her purse and fished her phone out. She flicked the camera on and showed Celestia the gallery. A young boy, two years old, was the subject of most of the pictures. The principal took the phone and gingerly shuffled through the pictures, a warm smile overtaking her face.

“He’s got your nose, you know,” Celestia said.

“My attitude, too,” Sunset said with a wry drawl. “Cheese Cake was learning to stand by grabbing the side of Pinkie’s couch. He got mad and pushed her over.”

“Little scamp!” Celestia returned the phone, an irrepressible grin on her face. “Please tell me you’ll bring him to parent’s day. Please, please, please.”

“Alright, alright.” Sunset met her grin. She felt a little energy return to her body as they talked and the stress of the last few hours passed. “I guess I’ve probably teased you enough.”

Celestia ran her fingers through her hair, tucking a stray gray sprig underneath. “You can say that again. I don’t think I’ve seen him in months. It isn’t healthy for me in my old age to be deprived the joys of youth.”

Sunset paused with her hand over a jar of pencils. She set a stray number two upright and shuffled them around. They talked about it often enough, why not extend the invitation? “Why don’t you and Luna stop by for supper tonight? You’ll get to spend a little time with Sunny, we can catch up on things outside of work, it’ll be fun. I’ll whip up some ziti.”

Celestia pressed her lips together. “I wouldn’t want to impose.”

“I know.” Sunset grinned. “That’s why you’re bringing the garlic bread.”

Celestia cupped her chin. “Clever. My counter-offer is that we bring the garlic bread, the soda pop, and the dessert.”

“Deal!” Sunset Shimmer placed her students’ papers in her folder and slid it under her arm. “Six-ish sound good?”

“Impeccable.” Celestia squeezed Sunset’s shoulder. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure.”

***

Sunset was the only person in her carpool who owned a minivan. Nobody else had much need of them, and a select few would have died before stooping low enough to purchase one.

Riding in one to save on gas didn’t seem to faze them, though.

The first of these particular people moved at a fast walk out the door of the YNOP news studio, her powerful legs drumming the road like a marching band. She slid into the front seat beside Sunset, her rainbow hairdo falling out of its carefully controlled style. “Good afternoon, weather fans!”

Sunset pulled the shifter out of park. “Might wanna work on that catch phrase just a little bit.”

“Hey, I have to get my kicks somehow.” Rainbow Dash pulled off her sport coat and tossed it behind her chair. She leaned over and grinned at the young occupant of a car seat. “Whassup, Sunny? Gimme some fist.”

The boy giggled and punched Rainbow Dash’s hand as hard as he could. The two of them mimicked explosions with their lips. She slumped back into her chair and buckled up. “I love the job, you know? The hours work for me, I get to mess with all sorts of doohickeys and gadgets, I get to appear on TV…” She covered her mouth to muffle her voice. “And now to our weather forecast with Rainbow Dash!” She reached her elbow across the center consol to nudge Sunset’s arm. “Crappy weather this weekend, by the way. Wear a raincoat.”

Sunset Shimmer pressed the gas pedal lightly as she brought them through an intersection. “Thanks for the heads-up. Your coworker still giving you grief?”

“Eh…” Rainbow leaned back and propped her feet on the dashboard. “Lightning Dust and I are cool. She’s still gunning for my job, but I think she realizes she doesn’t have to get me fired to do it.” She bit down hard on her lip to suppress a snicker. “I think part of why she backed down was because she found out about my black belt.”

Sunset turned the wheel and rolled the van towards their next pickup: A frilly building nestled between Sugarcube Corner and an art supply store. “Because the best way to get rid of borderline harassment is to go for the assault charges.”

Rainbow Dash lowered her hands to her lap. She narrowed her eyes. “Your special talent in the other world was shattering fantasies, wasn’t it?”

The minivan jerked within its lane in time with Sunset’s coughing fit. She gave Rainbow a slow-burning look that said smarmy remarks would go unappreciated. Rainbow Dash cupped her hands and twiddled her thumbs. “Sorry.”

Sunset sniffed and rolled to a stop. She pressed the unlock button on her armrest. “For the record, the only fantasy I shattered was my own.”

The van’s side door slid open, admitting a woman who could easily be said to sparkle, if only due to the sequins in her dress. “Hello, girls!” she sang. She lowered herself gently into her seat and nodded to Sunny. “Hello, young man.”

“Hi, Miss Wardy!” the boy said.

Rarity squinted one eye, but her bright smile only grew. “It’s Rarity. With an ‘R’. Can you make the ‘R’ sound? Rrrr-Rarity.”

“Rrr…” Sunny wrinkled his nose as he growled. “Rrrr-Wardy.”

“I’d call that progress.” Rarity leaned forward, resting a hand on the back of Rainbow’s seat. “I’m afraid I must protest this weekend’s forecast, my good lady. Tomorrow is a simply awful day for rain.”

“Whadda yah want?” Rainbow shrugged. “It’s not like I can tell the clouds what to do.”

“Of course not, that would be ridiculous.” Rarity crossed her arms. “I simply took mild offense to the way you seemed overjoyed to say we’d be experiencing a downpour.”

“You see these?” Rainbow stuck a finger in her mouth and pulled her cheek back. “These pearly whites are the money makers. I get paid to smile, dude.”

“True enough, ‘dude,’ but a bit of feigned remorse would have gone a long way.”

Sunny extended his thumb. “Wardy cool dude!”

Sunset snickered. She waited for her chance to turn left at a traffic light. “That’s high praise coming from a two-year-old.”

“Well aren’t you a sweet thing?” Rarity said, kissing Sunny on the head. She gave the floor a double-take. “Rainbow Dash! Is that the sport coat I made for you? On the floor?”

Rainbow tilted her head back, not enough to see but enough to show she heard. “Huh? Oh, yeah. Looks great, Rarity.”

“It’s on the floor!” Rarity stomped a heel. “The floor! Great art should not be put on the floor!”

“Great art?” Sunset murmured under her breath.

Rainbow Dash opened her mouth to speak. After a moment’s thought, she went with the softer answer. “It’s safe there, Rares. Nobody’s gonna step on it or anything.”

Rarity leaned over to hoist the garment into the air. “It’s the principle of the thing, you utter vagabond!”

“Butter bagavond!” Sunny agreed.

“You better keep it PG, Rarity,” Sunset said with gritted teeth, “or I’ll have words with you when my son starts learning cusses.”

Rainbow Dash snorted. “It’s better if he learns swears from his mommy.”

A right turn-signal led their way downtown. Sunset Shimmer clicked her tongue. “Rainbow, Rainbow. You keep forgetting that I have my finger over your ejector-seat button.”

“Anything to get airborne.” With an apologetic smile to Rarity, Rainbow scooped up her coat. She spread it across her body and watched the buildings roll by. Rarity gave her a satisfied sniff. With the entertaining argument over, Sunny busied himself with his red toy truck.

Rainbow Dash lowered her eyebrows at the oncoming brick building. “I don’t think I so much as looked at the police station before we started carting Twilight around.”

“Mm, really?” Rarity said. “I took you for the child delinquent.”

With the minivan at a dead stop, Sunset leaned over her seat. “Trust the real delinquent, she’s squeaky clean.”

“I am not squeaky,” Rainbow huffed. “Though I am very clean.”

The door slid open. The three of them peered out at the woman waiting at the curb. She pulled her overcoat tight against the drizzle. “Hi, guys.”

“’Sup, Twi?” Rainbow gave her a small wave.

“Darling.” Rarity nodded.

The hem of Twilight’s coat swished around her shins. She grasped a leash tight in her fist, leading a knee-high beagle towards the van. She patted the dog at her side. “Come on, Spike. That’s a good boy.”

Spike scrambled into the van, his wet feet pattering across the floor where Rainbow’s sport coat had lain. Patches of grey shone in his purple coat. He looked around with bright green eyes, his shaggy ears flopping around his head. His tail wagged as he sniffed Sunny’s pudgy, outstretched hand. “G’boy, Spike. G’boy.”

Spike rested his head on the side of Sunny’s car seat while Twilight Sparkle climbed into the back seat. She rubbed her wrist as the minivan fell into heavy silence.

Rarity tickled the dog under his chin. “He really is such a dear.”

Spike yelped in agreement.

Twilight smiled, patting him on the head. “Yeah, he’s a big softy.”

Their words drifted off, leaving the van quiet except for the steady thunk, thunk, thunk of Spike’s tail. Twilight scratched behind his ears and stared out through the windshield.

Sunset glared into the rearview mirror, catching Twilight’s eyes. She jerked her head towards Rainbow and gave a meaningful twitch of her eyebrows.

Twilight drummed her fingers over her jeans. “So, Rainbow, how’s work?”

“Huh?” Rainbow Dash looked over her shoulder. “Oh. S’all good. They haven’t’ pulled me off the air, yet. You?”

“It’s… okay…” Twilight ran her fingers through her ponytail. “I mean, you know, the crime and… stuff. I mean, it’s low. Kinda.”

She tapped her forefingers together. “Just started a new investigation, actually. Somebody got pushed over a balcony railing. I spent this morning looking the scene over.”

Sunset Shimmer rolled her eyes when she heard Rarity gag. She passed an elderly couple on what looked like a slow Sunday drive.

“M-murder?” Rarity gasped. “In our little town?”

“You don’t watch the news much, do yah, Rarity?” Rainbow Dash flicked a bang out of her eyes. “It’s not unheard of.”

“Since when is Canterlot a small town?” Twilight said. “It’s been a bustling city for years.”

Rarity shrugged. “Be that as it may, I never forget my roots.”

Rainbow laughed. “Yeah, well, the roots tend to grow into a stinking tree.”

Rarity shook her head and gave Rainbow a small smile. “Be that as it may.”

The conversation petered out for a third time. Sunset watched Twilight through the rearview mirror. She stared out the window, her eyes dim, her mouth pulled down in a frown. Spike’s thunk, thunk, thunk only grew more distinct.

The clatter of Sunset’s keychain joined the beat. Her eyes widened as a smile crept along her lips. She tapped a foot beside the brake pedal and whistled an upbeat melody.

Rainbow Dash looked at her with one eyebrow cocked. She smirked, bobbing her head to the beat. She added her own sounds to the mix, mimicking electric guitar riffs between her teeth.

Rarity patted her knees and sang soft background notes. Twilight looked around the minivan, her eyes jumping from person to person. She chuckled lightly. “You guys are the cheesiest.”

She breathed deep and sang to the tune.

“The sun is high, the fields are golden
You and I together sing
The bonds we’ve forged cannot be broken
From the east to west it rings

“Our friendship will continue
No matter the distance flown
Our hearts are one, our bones and sinew
Nothing can kill what has been grown
We are our own”

The song dissolved into sputtered giggles. Twilight pulled her glasses off and rubbed the lenses with a soft cloth. She settled them on her face just in time to catch Sunset’s wink.

Sunset pulled the van into park beside an apartment complex near the middle of town. “First stop, Chateau R & R.”

Rainbow Dash slid her arms into her sport coat’s sleeves. “Come on, roomie. Let’s see if the DVR caught my forecast.”

Rarity slid the door open. She held a hand in the light rain before grasping an umbrella. “I think the clouds got the message, too.”

Rainbow Dash and Rarity scampered through the drizzle towards their shared apartment, shouting goodbyes behind them. Twilight Sparkle crawled through the minivan, going over Spike on her way to the front seat. She nestled herself in and buckled the seat belt.

She looked at Sunset over the edge of her glasses. “Thanks.”

Sunset nodded, her eyes firmly locked on the road ahead. “For what?”

“For helping.” Twilight’s finger found a tiny hole in the knee of her jeans. “Drat. I just bought these stupid things.”

“Have Rarity look at it. She’ll patch it up better than new.”

Twilight rested her cheek in her hand. “Yes, because adding a ‘client-businessperson’ angle to our relationship will only strengthen the friendship.”

“It won’t be business,” Sunset said. “She’ll do it as a favor to a friend.”

“She’ll do it out of obligation,” Twilight muttered, stretching the word like taffy. “I can’t ask that of her.”

Sunset rubbed her thumbs over the steering wheel and gnawed her lip. “It’s what friends do.”

Twilight shook her head. “Everything they do is out of obligation.”

They came to a stop light. Sunset turned to look Twilight in her tired eyes.

“And it’s not obligation to me,” Twilight said quietly.

Sunset Shimmer swallowed a sudden lump. “They see you as a friend distinct from her.”

“Yeah.” Twilight held her hand behind her seat. Spike licked her palm, a small whine answering her. “That’s why they give me a double-take every time they see me.”

“We just… don’t know each other well enough.” Sunset tilted her head. “It’ll just take time for the friendship to grow. It’s a slow process sometimes.”

“A year or two is a slow process.” Twilight leaned against the headrest. “Ten years is laughable.”

Sunset Shimmer sighed. “We’ll figure it out. I know we can.”

Twilight barked with laughter.

Sunset lowered her eyebrows. “What’s so funny now?”

Twilight winked. “I love how you always treat it like the fate of the world rests on me making friends.”

“Well…” Sunset gave her a toothy, uneasy grin. “It’s not an impossibility.”

Twilight slouched in her seat. “Ahuh. There’s that mysterious shadowy past thing again. You have a cryptic way of being candid.”

“It’s a defense mechanism.” Sunset tapped the side of her head. “Plausible deniability.”

“You? Deniability?” Twilight groaned. “You have about as much plausible deniability as Tirek Odolwa.”

“Not for me, for you. And don’t compare me to a terrorist.” Sunset Shimmer turned in to a side road and slowed down. “I just mean that you can’t be accused of knowing anything besides what everybody else knows.”

“That ten years ago you guys turned into freaky horse people and zapped pure evil in the butt.” Twilight snapped her fingers. “Remarkably vague for how ludicrous it sounds.”

Sunset leaned heavily on the wheel. Her shoulders hunched as she scanned for their next stop. “What do you want from me, Twilight?”

“The whole truth would be a nice start.”

Sunset’s mouth pulled back at an angle. “And if I don’t tell you?”

Twilight shrugged. “Then I keep asking you until you’re ready to tell me, I guess.” She rubbed Spike’s side from his position over the center consol. “Unless you don’t want me to. I’d… rather not hurt you.”

Sunset drove into a parking lot, half-full with cars. A sign with the words “Whitetail Veterinary Clinic” stood front and center before the main building. Sunset Shimmer shut the car off and sat in her seat, gazing at her limp hands.

“Mm.” Sunset shifted her eyes to Twilight. “Nah. Don’t stop asking. I might be ready to answer one of these days.”

Twilight squeezed Sunset’s hand. “Thanks.” She unlatched her seatbelt and reached back for Spike. She touched her nose to his. “Now, somedoggy’s due for his checkup. Isn’t you? Isn’t you a good boy?”

Spike let out a yelp that woke Sunny, who had drifted off to sleep at some point during the droning adult conversations. His face scrunched up as tears sprang to his eyes. Sunset opened his door and lifted him out of his seat. “Oh no you don’t! You’re just fine, honey.”

The boy still looked about ready to bawl before he got a look at his surroundings. “Fuddashy’s house.”

Twilight giggled. She led Spike by his leash. “I wouldn’t be surprised to find out she lives here.”

Sunset carried Sunny with one arm, struggling to keep him from squirming too much. “Only when there’re animals to take care of.”

“All the time, then.” Twilight nodded. She stopped up short when she got a good look at Sunset. “Hold up. Are you wearing mom jeans?”

Sunset looked down at her high-waisted pants. “What’s wrong with my jeans?”

“They’re mom jeans.” Twilight took point as the four of them headed for the front door. “Sunset, those are dang ugly.”

Sunset frowned severely as only a teacher can. “They’re comfy.”

“They’re mom jeans.”

“I am a mom, and these are my jeans. Deal with it.”

“Mom jeans.”

Sunset jutted out her lower lip. “At least I’m not sporting the serial killer look.”

“Captain Crunch cereal!” Sunny squealed.

Twilight huffed and adjusted her coat. “You of course can’t be referring to my awesome trench coat.”

“It hails from the trenches alright.”

Spike barked when they reached the door.

Sunset smirked. “Spike agrees.”

“Traitor.” Twilight gave Sunny a pleading look. “You agree with me, right? Only together can we save the world from the threat of mom jeans.”

“Mommy jean!” Sunny hugged his mother close.

Twilight’s arms fell limp. “It’s a coup. I am utterly alone.”

“Butter bagavond!” Sunny said.

Twilight Sparkle raised an eyebrow at the boy. Sunset reached around her and turned the door handle. “Trust me,” Sunset said, “when I say it’s best to just let that one slide.”

***

“Spike? The vet will see you, now.”

Twilight smiled at the person behind the desk. She gave Spike an extra rub behind the ears and led him over to the offices. She looked back at Sunset Shimmer, who gave her a thumbs-up.

Twilight Sparkle rubbed an itch at her neck as she walked through a thin hallway, Spike at her heels. His pants became the loudest sound in the hall. She looked down at the dog, who moved with plodding steps. There was once a time when he would run ahead to greet the smiling woman who waited for them.

“Hello, Spike!” Fluttershy said. She bent down to speak at his level. “Have you been a good boy for Twilie? I’ll bet you have.”

“He sure has.” Twilight knelt to rest a hand on Spike’s back. “He’s been looking forward to his checkup all day.”

Fluttershy bit back a smile. “He might be the only dog who does that.”

“I think it’s because he knows you’ll be giving it.”

The three of them walked into the office, where Spike jumped onto the examination table. Fluttershy set about cleaning her hands. “Is there anything specific you want me to look at? Anything you’re worried about?”

“Uh…” Twilight sat in an uncomfortable metal chair against the wall. “He’s been kinda… just tired lately, I guess. He’s not as sunny as he used to be, if you get me.” She gestured as the dog rested his head on the table. “He’s barely done anything today and he looks exhausted.”

Fluttershy opened her mouth, but Twilight didn’t notice. “I’ve been feeding him the food you recommended,” Twilight said. “Giving him walks aplenty. Making sure his heart gets pumping. Making sure he gets the right amount of rest.”

Twilight clasped her hands in her lap. “Tell you the truth, I’m scared.”

The water in the sink shut off. Fluttershy turned around, drying her hands thoroughly. She blinked aside moisture. “I… think…”

Spike’s tail wagged at her approach. His long coat shook from the movement.

Fluttershy shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “He’s seventeen, isn’t he?”

“Yeah, almost eighteen. He’s a real juggernaut.” Twilight laughed. “I’ve read that most beagles only live—”

“About fifteen years,” Fluttershy finished.

Twilight’s smile faded. “Yeah. Yeah, just about that.”

Spike let his tongue hang out as Fluttershy looked him over. A while later, she spoke up. “He’s very well taken care of, Twilight. Extremely well-loved. You should be proud.”

Twilight shrank in on herself. “But?”

“He is an old dog, Twilight. But he’s strong.” Fluttershy passed Spike a treat. “He has no illnesses, no bone issues, and no heart problems.” She looked at Twilight with bright eyes. “I say… enjoy the time you have together for as long as you possibly can.”

Twilight Sparkle stood up. She hugged Spike close. “How long is that?”

Fluttershy fidgeted. “About a year.”

Twilight reached her fingers past her glasses. They came away wet. “Th-thanks, Fluttershy.”

“Hey.” Fluttershy drew her arms close to her chest, careful not to touch her plastic gloves. “If you need somebody to talk to, I’ll—I’ll be available after my shift ends.”

Twilight rubbed her eyes again. She sniffed and looked past the droplets on her lenses. “N-no. That’s fine, Fluttershy. Thanks again.”

“Oh,” Fluttershy squeaked. “Okay.”

Twilight plodded down the hall, Spike leading the way. She moved in a daze past the front desk. The clerk reached towards her. “Ma’am? Ma’am, can you please sign—?”

Twilight turned reddened eyes to the woman. The clerk blushed. “Um. Here, here, and here.”

Twilight did so, and then hurriedly joined Sunset Shimmer and her son playing in the lobby. Sunset touched Twilight’s arm. “Hey, you okay?”

Twilight swallowed hard. “I’ll tell you in the car.”

***

The drizzle passed as the evening approached. The sunset poked through the clouds, casting its ruddy glow over the city. Twilight Sparkle sat atop an old hay bale, watching the show from the fields of Sweet Apple Acres.

She had been dropped off by Sunset an hour before, with a promise that she’d call later. She draped her overcoat along the edge of the bale, revealing a button-up shirt and a complete absence of mom jeans. A pistol was strapped to her chest, normally hidden beneath either a coat or a jacket.

“Carryin’ the forty-four today?” a voice said from behind her.

Twilight bent back and leaned on her palms. She watched Spike play with two puppies a few yards away. “I’d carry a cannon if I thought it’d fit in the holster.”

Big McIntosh walked past, a bale carried aloft in one arm. He let it fall to the ground and took a seat on it. “Gettin’ tah be that kinda world.”

“A’yup,” Twilight said, scrunching her nose. “But then, it’s always kinda sucked.”

She watched Spike carry the smaller of the two puppies, Wilbur, on his back. The bigger puppy, Walter, nipped at Spike’s longsuffering heels.

Big Mac chewed a sprig of straw. He rested his muscular arms on his knees. “You took Spike tah see the vet today, didn’t yah?”

“Yeah.”

“What’s the news?”

Twilight stared at Spike for a long time. The graying dog rolled around, the puppies crawling all over him. “Spike’s old.”

Mac chuckled, a deep, throaty laugh. “He’s a geezer. Sure enough.”

When Twilight said nothing, Big Mac continued, “You’re worried about him.”

Twilight kicked her feet in the air. “Of course. When Shining got sent overseas, he was all I had.”

Big Mac dropped his straw to the ground. He pulled himself to his feet, rubbing his back. “He looks good, Twilight. He looks happy. And trust me, ah know happy dogs.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Trust meh, ah know apples. Trust meh, ah know dogs. Trust meh, ah know cars. Trust meh, ah know guns—”

This time, Mac laughed from his belly. “Ah get the message, Twi. Ah’ll try to be a little less all-knowing from now on.”

Twilight got to her feet. She spotted a pair of headlights leading from the city. “Looks like Apple Bloom’s on her way back.”

“With the pizza,” Big Mac groaned. “Ah’m sure glad you could join with the Apple Family for a good old-fashioned homemade meal.”

“Applejack did mention homemade apple pie earlier.” Twilight put her hands in her pockets and nudged Big Mac in the ribs. “Or was that a fib?”

“Applejack don’t fib.” McIntosh shook his head firmly. “That’s why she’ll never win the election for mayor.”

Twilight snorted. “I thought it had to do with her campaign budget amounting to a couple of pennies and some pocket lint.”

“Never underestimate the intrinsic value of pocket lint.” Big Mac smiled warmly. “Ready to head to the house?”

A droplet fell from the sky and landed on Twilight’s head. She pulled her coat over her shoulders. “Just in time. Come here, Spike!”

Big Mac whistled. “Wilbur! Walter!”

Twilight’s coat pocket vibrated. “Huh?” She pulled her phone out and read the caller ID. “Care Carrot? Sorry, Mac. I should probably take this.”

He gave her a nod. “Ah can wait.”

Twilight brought a finger to the touch screen. “What couldn’t wait until morning, Care?”

“It’s freaky, Sparkle.” Care’s voice was harsh and grainy through the phone’s speaker. She sounded like she was whispering and shouting at the same time. “I wouldn’t normally bring you into stuff like this, but it’s right up your alley.”

Twilight Sparkle gritted her teeth, sparing Big Mac a glance. He pretended he wasn’t eavesdropping by washing his hands at a waterspout. “Cut to the chase, Care. I’m in the middle of something.”

“We’ve got a witness to the Blaze case,” Care’s voice crackled.

“Then get somebody in Investigation on it.” Twilight shielded her phone with a hand as drops came down harder. “I’m forensics. Unless the witness grew from a test tube, I’m out of it.”

“The witness’ name is Sonata Dusk,” Care said, “and she says she’ll only talk to Sunset Shimmer.”

Spike nuzzled Twilight’s leg. She scratched his head absentmindedly. “Sonata Dusk, huh?”

She glanced at Big Mac as he splashed his face with water, disregarding the water already falling from the sky. She twisted the toe of her boot into the dirt. “I’ll be there in a couple hours. I can’t promise Sunset will come, but you never know.”

She hung up without waiting on Care’s answer. She dropped the phone back in her pocket. “Mac?”

“Ah can drive yah to the station, if you need it.” Big McIntosh pulled his red sleeveless shirt away from his body, giving his skin room to breathe. “Unless you just wanna head home an’ get your own car.”

“That might be the best choice.” Twilight lifted her coat over her head. “I’m gonna have a lot of driving to do, and you need to get up early tomorrow.”

“Ah get up early every mornin’.” He held his hand out to help her climb over the bales. She took it with a grin. Mac ran a hand through his shaggy hair. “How much of that was ah supposed to hear?”

“About none of it, but as long as you don’t blab…” Twilight looked to the left and the right. “Remember a few years ago when your sister got into that whole pony mess?”

“Ah don’t remember much actually.” He took her by the waist to carry her down a steep incline. “All ah can recall is somethin’ about magical transformation and alternate universes.”

“It was like if Sailor Moon and Star Trek had an obnoxious, singin’ baby.” Applejack rolled a wheelbarrow over the softening ground. “Ah don’t think there’s much more to it, Sparkle.”

Twilight’s mouth went askew. “Hi, Applejack.”

“Hey.” Applejack tipped her hat towards the farmhouse. “Let’s get in outta the rain, huh? Leave talk of magic and whatnot for another day.”

“I’m sorry, Applejack.” Twilight rubbed her forearm. “Like I was telling Mac, I need to get to the station to help with a murder case.

Applejack’s forehead wrinkled. Her hands squeezed the handles of her wheelbarrow. “Gonna have tah skip out on the gatherin’, then?”

“Ah know Twilight’d only jump to it if it was important,” Big Mac said. He looked down at Twilight. “Isn’t that so?”

Twilight ponytail bobbed. “Sonata Dusk is one of the witnesses. I don’t know how much this ties in with the Dazzlings’ past deeds, but—”

“Go on, then.” Applejack stepped under an awning and removed her hat. “If you get done any time before eleven, feel free to stop in. We’ll save yah a slice.”

Twilight pressed her lips together. “Thanks.”

“Stay safe out there, Miss Sparkle.” Applejack waved her hat and jogged inside the house.

Big Mac dug through his pockets with a grunt. “Left the keys inside. Be right back. We’ll take the truck.”

“Sure. Sounds good.” Twilight huddled under the awning, watching the rain pour. She felt Spike’s collar catch on her jeans, making the hole in her knee wider. “That explains that.”

She felt bad about it, but she couldn’t quite restrain the grin that spread across her face. “Let’s see if Sunset’s in an ‘explaining’ mood tonight.”

Author's Note

Does a mirror ever give a perfect reflection?

While this is part of a series, it is a standalone story that should require no further reading to enjoy. If you only came for Equestria Girls Twilight, rest assured that you'll be sated.

That said, if you do read The Heart's Promise and are paying attention, this story should raise many, many questions and answer a few others. :raritywink:

Lies by Omission

Sunset Shimmer pinched the ring on her left hand, turning it around on her finger. She smiled as she watched Luna play a silly game with Sunny. The woman and the boy would build sprawling cities with blocks and knock them down in a heartbeat.

“I don’t know which one of them is enjoying it more,” Celestia said.

“Sunny is. He doesn’t usually get somebody who’ll do everything he says without question.” Sunset twirled a lock of hair with a pinkie. “He’s got her wrapped around his finger.”

A ringing from the kitchen grabbed their ears. “That’s the ziti,” Sunset said. “Sit tight, I’ll have it out pronto.”

Celestia nestled into her chair and sipped a glass of diet soda. “If you insist.”

Rain slapped against the windows of Sunset’s small suburban home. She hummed to herself, pulling the meal out of the oven with mitts decorated with her cutie mark. She narrowed her eyes at the vibrant image. The oven mitts had been one of the many housewarming gifts she’d received from Equestria’s Princess of Friendship a few years back. The present was well-meaning enough, at least.

She cast away thoughts of the other world and stuffed the mitts in the drawer. She transferred the ziti to a tray to carry it to the dining room. “Dinner’s ready! Luna, could you grab Sunny’s bib on the way?”

“Sure.” Luna lifted the smiling boy into her arms. “You’re getting big, you know that?”

“Bigger!” Sunny said.

Four chairs sat around the table, one of which was moved aside for Sunny’s highchair. Sunset usually kept it in the kitchen so she could feed the both of them on the run, but tonight was special. She set the plates into place, arranged the forks just so, and then set out the garlic bread. She looked closely at the table for whatever she’d forgotten. A snap of her fingers brought it to mind: The parmesan cheese!

“Hold still and let Auntie Luna—hold on!” Luna struggled against Sunny’s fidgeting. She barely managed to pull the bib over his head. “There! Now we’ll give mommy less trouble with the laundry. Doesn’t that sound nice?”

Sunny pointed at the purple dinosaur on his bib. “Sp’geddy shield.”

Celestia lowered herself slowly into a seat. “Oh? Is that what mommy calls it?”

“It was daddy’s idea, actually.” Sunset Shimmer hopped back into the room with the missing cheese in hand. “Now do I have everything?”

Celestia rubbed her chin in a wry attempt to appear contemplative. “I suppose napkins are optional?”

Sunset Shimmer slapped her forehead and excused herself. She trekked to the ottoman in her living room where various linins had been stashed for just such an occasion. “Paper napkins wouldn’t hold up to ziti of this magnitude.”

She hurried back with an armful of fabric. She tossed the napkins onto the table, where they landed just-so beside the placemats.

Luna crossed her arms. “Sister, I thought you kicked that nasty little passive-aggressive habit.”

Celestia matched her pose. “It’s my attempt to counter your aggressive-aggressive habit. It comes from years of experience herding students.”

Sunset tried to smile. It ended up looking a little like she’d swallowed a lemon seed. “In my experience, they won’t listen to a thing I say unless I’m aggressive-aggressive-aggressive.”

“You’ve only been doing it for one school year, Sunset,” Luna said. “You’ll learn the ins and outs of student politics soon enough. I think at its core, it’s about finding a reason for them to care about the subject.”

Celestia tapped her cheek. “Is that before or after putting the fear of God in them?”

Luna leaned on her elbow, a smirk crawling across her face. “Well, as vice principal in charge of discipline, I do have certain advantages to call upon in my hour of substituting.”

“A death glare that could stop a bull elephant,” Sunset snickered.

“That comes with age.” Luna pointed across the table. “Just look at my sister, for example.”

Celestia’s eyes widened before shrinking down to slits. “Luna.”

“A prime example of what I’m talking about. I’m the boogeyman lurking in the shadows, yes, but she is the person with her finger on the light switch.” Luna squinted one eye and cradled her chin with a hand. “She has just the right demeanor for a school principal, one of a crotchety old maid slapping her ruler against her palm.”

“Luna,” Celestia said.

Sunset’s face scrunched up in an effort to suppress any potentially-embarrassing outbursts. Sunny’s eyes bounced from Luna to Celestia as they spoke in turn.

“But that’s just the result of a lifetime of preparations. If it’s not her arthritis, it’s her graying hair.”

“Luna.”

“If it’s not her graying hair, it’s her students.”

“Luna—”

“And if it’s not her students,” Luna finished with a smirk, “it’s her sister.”

Celestia sat back, closed her eyes, and clasped her fingers. “It seems somebody is waking up with honey and birdseed in their hair tomorrow morning. Won’t Philomena be pleased?”

The three women let out sputtering giggles. Luna spread her napkin over her lap. “Well, enough tomfoolery. I heard something about ziti begging to be eaten.”

“Zeedee!” Sunny thumped his highchair’s tray with a robust fist.

Sunset picked up her spatula. “Alright, alright. Hold your horses.”

The door rattled. Not from the rain, but from the force of a fist.

Sunset Shimmer leaned over in her seat. She could see the front door through the small hallway into the living room. “Huh? Wasn’t expecting…”

She glanced at Celestia as she stood. “Keep an eye on Sunny, please. I’m gonna see who it is.”

Luna scooped a heap of pasta onto her sister’s plate. “Do you know who it might be?”

“This late, in this weather, it’s either really important or really bad.” Sunset cracked her knuckles. “I guess I’m ready for both.”

The person knocked again just before Sunset reached the door. She peered through a small peep hole at eye-level, catching a glimpse of a familiar pair of rectangular glasses. She pulled the door open with eyebrows lowered. “Twilight Sparkle? I thought you were at the Apples’.”

“Something’s come up.” Twilight stepped into the entryway, water dripping from her long coat and wide-brimmed hat. A blush flared up on her cheeks when she caught a glimpse of the women in the dining room. “Sorry. Didn’t know you were having dinner.”

Sunset gritted her teeth, but covered it up with a smile. “Could have called ahead.”

“I tried. You weren’t answering.”

Sunset reached for the pockets at her hips and came up empty. “Gee. Must have left my phone in my other mom jeans. What’s wrong, Twilight? What’s so important that you had to show up in the middle of a rainstorm?”

“Yeah…” Twilight looked away, focusing on some point in the living room carpet. “There’s this case I’m a part of… We just got a lead that’ll only pan out if you help out.”

Sunset choked. She staggered back into the wall. “Th—this is the murder you were talking about, isn’t it?”

“Sunset—”

Sunset’s voice came out a hoarse whisper, “Isn’t it?”

Twilight Sparkle stuffed her hands in her coat pockets. “Yes it is.”

“I am not getting involved in a murder in any way, shape, or form.” Sunset Shimmer’s hair danced as she shook her head. “I have a son, Twilight! I have students!”

“I know!” Twilight gnawed on her bottom lip. “Sunset, I wouldn’t come to you with this if I didn’t think it was the best way.”

Sunset poked Twilight in the chest. “Nothing you can say will convince—”

“Aria Blaze is the victim and Sonata Dusk is a witness.”

Twilight Sparkle raised an eyebrow and pouted. She looked Sunset up and down as the woman struggled for something to say.

“You didn’t even let me finish my ultimatum,” Sunset muttered, lowering her hands to her sides.

Twilight looked as though she had a smug grin for a moment, but it quickly morphed into a calm smile. “I came to you because Sonata won’t talk to anybody but you. You could be the key to closing the case and getting another killer off the streets.”

Sunset hugged her body tight. “Or it could be the key to getting my family and friends into a big mess.”

“Hey, you won’t be alone.” Twilight touched Sunset’s arm. “I’ll be beside you the whole time. It’ll be fine. We’re just going to head to the station and have a talk with Miss Dusk.”

Sunset stepped in one of Twilight’s puddles, accidentally soaking her sock. She rubbed the foot against her opposite leg. “The Dazzlings weren’t a joke. They were really dangerous people, Twilight.”

Twilight Sparkle nodded. “And who were the ones who stopped them? Who’s the expert on all things cockamamie?”

Sunset clutched her wedding band with the fingers of her right hand. She tried to siphon some calm from the smooth surface. “Yeah. You’re right. It’s just—”

“If everything goes well,” Twilight said, “we’ll be done by the end of the night. I swear, I’m not gonna let anything bad happen.”

Sunset gave Twilight a flat stare. “You can’t promise that.”

“Maybe, but the police station is the safest place to be when speaking with a degenerate about degenerates.” Twilight let her head dip down to look her in the eye. “Please, Sunset? I really need your help on this one.” She gave her a plastic smile. “I’ll owe you one?”

Sunset’s face burned. She sucked in a sharp breath through her teeth. “Crap it.”

Twilight Sparkle blinked. “Uh. I’m sorry?”

“You do need me.” Sunset slapped her forehead, somehow managing to hit the same spot she’d hit earlier. “No, you need her, but— Just hold on. I have to come.”

Sunset ran the full length of her house, leaving Twilight standing in silence. She charged into her bedroom and stopped in front of a bookshelf bending from the weight of uncountable books. Her finger ran along the spines until she found one in particular. One with her cutie mark stamped on the cover. She clutched her diary to her chest.

“Crap it.”

Her coat twisted and bunched up over her shoulders as she teetered into the dining room. “Celestia, Luna, I’m so sorry—”

“What’s wrong, Sunset?” Luna looked over her shoulder. “Who’s that at the door?”

“A friend who… Gosh, how do I explain?” Sunset scratched her head. “No, I gotta sum up. Something really bad happened with the Dazzlings, and I gotta make sure it doesn’t turn into some sort of world-domination scheme. I’ll have the princess help out.”

Celestia reached out her hand to touch the young boy in the highchair. “You need us to stay with Sunny?”

“Would you please?” Sunset Shimmer rubbed a tear from her eyes. “I’m sorry. I just really—”

“We understand.” Luna stood up and wrapped her in a hug. “It’s been our bacon you’ve pulled out of the fire, too, remember?”

Celestia hugged her from the other side. “We’ll be here when you get back. Stay safe.”

Sunset tried to moisten her dry lips. “Yeah. I will.”

She separated from their hug and walked up to Sunny’s highchair. She bent down to pluck him from his perch. Sunset held her son close. “You be good and do what Auntie Celestia and Auntie Luna tell you.”

He looked at her with a level brow, his eyes searching her face. He took her cheeks in his chubby hands and planted a kiss on her nose.

Sunset touched her forehead to his. “I love you, too, Sunny.”

She set him back in the seat, where he was tempted with the aroma of red sauce and five different kinds of cheese. She walked slowly as she zipped up her leather jacket, hiding the book against her stomach to protect it from the rain. “Ready to go?”

Twilight Sparkle eased the door open. “Heck yes.”

***

Twilight Sparkle drove a few miles per hour slower than the speed limit. The new roads were slick with rain and the old roads were dark in the moonless night. Her headlights burned through the droplets, but only far enough to see a couple car-lengths ahead. Her windshield wipers were losing a war of attrition with the torrent, blocking out what little view remained.

She heard Sunset drumming her fingers against the cover of her book. It mirrored the rapid tattoo of water outside. “Please stop. I’m trying to concentrate.”

Sunset Shimmer’s fingers halted. “Sorry.”

Twilight flipped on a turn signal that cut through the murk. “You don’t have to be nervous, you know. We’ve got this.”

“Nervousness isn’t something you can flip like a switch.” Sunset leaned her seat back a couple notches. “You of all people know that.”

Twilight pressed the brake, giving them ample time to stop at the light. “Just trying to reassure you.”

Sunset balanced her book on her lap. She twiddled her thumbs over the image of her cutie mark. “Thanks.”

Twilight’s car came to a stop in the police station’s parking lot. She unbuckled her seatbelt and put her hand on the door handle. “What finally made you decide to come?”

Sunset flipped the book end over end. “Because you were right. I’m the expert on weirdo stuff around here. I need to find out if it’s serious or not.”

Twilight hit the unlock button. The car’s two doors clicked. “Preliminary results indicate that it’s serious as a heart attack.”

Twilight opened her umbrella and walked to Sunset’s side of the car. They huddled under the fabric, side by side, and made their way through the inch-deep water flooding the lot. Twilight grumbled to herself. “Stupid storm drains got plugged again.”

“Thanks, Mayor Mare,” Sunset muttered back. That got a chuckle out of both of them.

Twilight shook her coat off the instant they were inside the station. She hung it up on a rack as Sunset Shimmer stood off to the side, waiting for her friend to lead the way. Sunset gave her a double-take. “You’re wearing a gun?”

Twilight lowered an eyebrow and glanced over her shoulder. “Yeah. Kinda a nice thing to have in my line of work.”

Sunset Shimmer shifted her weight to her heels. “Forensic technician?”

“Well, yeah, but…” Twilight rubbed her nose underneath her glasses. “Look, if you’d seen half the crazy stuff I have, you’d be paranoid, too.”

Sunset Shimmer looked into the Canterlot City Police Department. Cubicles and desks dotted the floor, with people in and out of uniform either milling around or rushing from end to end. “I don’t doubt it.”

She unzipped her coat and hung it beside the others. Twilight gave her a sparing glance. “Really, Sunset? Mom jeans?”

Sunset snorted. “Just drop it.”

“I’ve seen lounge pants more flattering.”

“Drop it!”

Twilight picked her way through the office, going around officers, over abandoned chairs left in the aisles, and through a few packed cubicles. She led them to a small office framed with wide windows. Two figures sat inside: Care Carrot and a small figure hunched over in a chair.

Twilight knocked as she entered. “Sooo… This is her, huh?”

Sonata Dusk sat backwards in her seat, her chin lying on the top of the backrest. She picked at a bare spot on the chair’s cushion and stared into space. Her cheeks sparkled from recently-dried tears. The hood of her sweater had been pulled back, allowing a long mess of a hairdo to trail down her back. Her foot twitched irregularly, nervously.

Care eyed Sunset. She flicked on a recorder and set it next to Sonata. “You managed to bring her over, huh?”

“Yeah.” Twilight Sparkle moseyed over to another chair and motioned for Sunset to sit down. “Turns out she’s up to it.”

Twilight remained standing behind Sunset Shimmer while she sat down. She rested a warm hand on her shoulder, doing her best to let her presence be felt.

Sunset opened her book and picked up a pen from a nearby countertop. “Sonata?”

Sonata Dusk continued to stare silently into space.

Twilight sighed. Of course it wouldn’t be that easy. Nothing was ever easy where this magic stuff was concerned. The scratch of pen on paper itched at her ears. She looked down to see Sunset scrawling a quick message into her book.

Princess, this is Sunset Shimmer. I need your help. Somebody has murdered Aria Blaze, and I don’t know why. I’m going to speak with Sonata Dusk, and if I find anything Equestrian in nature I’ll need you to research it.

Message me when you get this text. If you’re there, I’ll give you the information in real time. If not, you can read it all in one go. Talk to you soon.

Twilight Sparkle read over the message again. Her mouth dipped open a little. “Princess?”

“Shh!” Sunset nudged her in the stomach. She held the pen loose between her fingers. “Sonata Dusk? It’s Sunset Shimmer. From Equestria.”

“I know.” Sonata brushed the salt from her cheeks. “Thanks. For coming, I mean.”

Sunset tapped her pen against the page. “Y—N—Okay.”

“You’re wondering why I wanted to speak with you, aren’t you?” Sonata’s breath filled her chest to the brim and deflated in a huff. She gave her head a little shake before meeting Sunset’s eyes. “Because you’re the only one who’d understand.”

Care scribbled away at her notepad while Sunset made notes in her book. Twilight Sparkle listened with rapt attention to every word that came from Sonata’s mouth. She resisted the rising urge to add input of her own. Surely that would only derail Sonata’s train of thoughts. Or worse, get her to clamp up altogether. Instead, she settled for lightly kneading Sunset’s shoulders, just to give herself something to do.

Sunset tilted her head to reach Sonata’s level. “Understand what?”

Sonata’s voice wavered. “Wh—why Adagio killed Aria.”

She rubbed her cheeks again. Newborn tears trailed down to her chin, where they dropped onto her sweater sleeves. “We… we went our separate ways after… after the incident at the high school. For a while. We’d spend a few days with each other sometimes, but…” She pulled her hands inside her sleeves. “Well, we never were the best of friends, I guess. Didn’t really like Aria. Didn’t hate her, either. And Adagio was always so bossy.”

She pinched the bridge of her nose. “After you destroyed our sigils, we didn’t have much reason to stay close.”

Twilight Sparkle nibbled the tip of her hair. Sunset destroyed the sigils? What sigils? When? How? Twilight sent a glance Care’s way to find the officer just as lost as she was. Still, the cop continued to jot down shorthand.

“It was kinda confusing when I got a message saying to meet up at Aria’s place.” Sonata teased a thread loose from the chair. “She’d been a little successful, weird enough. Learned how to sing for real. Got a job doing commercials for something called Easybake. Had a nice apartment on the west side of town.” She looked over at the officer. “But I guess you guys already knew that. Didn’t yah?”

Sunset Shimmer jumped when something flashed and whirred in her lap. She hunched over her book and cleared her throat. “Sorry. Phone’s on vibrate. Sorry.”

Twilight smirked. “Sunset Shimmer, Master Sleuth,” she whispered.

Sunset stared at her book for a long moment. She lifted her head with a touch of fire in her eyes. “Sonata, do you know why Aria invited you to her apartment?”

“She didn’t,” Sonata sighed. “Adagio did.”

Sunset’s pen moved as she spoke. “And… why did she?”

Sonata bit down on the inside of her cheek. Her already reddened eyes took on a darker tinge. She sniffed loud and hard. “Aria discovered another portal to Equestria.”

Sunset’s pen fell from her limp fingers. She bent over to snatch it off the ground. “Ah. Huh. Um. Wow.”

“Yeah, wow.” Sonata’s back straightened as she sat up. “She stumbled on it a while ago, too. Years and years ago. She’d drop off the face of the planet one day and we wouldn’t see her for a few years. Just ‘poof!’ Gone! Nothing but nothing.”

She flung a hand towards the offices. “Then ‘poof!’ She’s back. Not so much as a ‘how yah been?’ We thought she’d been, I dunno, traveling the world like we did in the old days. Rustling up a little magic. No. She’d been in Equestria the whole time!”

Sonata shut her eyes against hot tears. “She… she found a new route and never told us! We could have gone back any freaking time and she never told us!”

“Sonata!” Sunset Shimmer pressed a hand against the woman’s shoulder. “Please! You have to calm down. Okay?”

Sonata rested her hands on the chair’s backrest. She took several deep breaths, groaning with the effort. “I dunno how Adagio knew she’d found a portal. I really don’t. She just did. And… and…”

Sonata’s control over her voice failed with a squeak. “Adagio was mad when she found out Aria had kept it a secret. She tracked her down and made me come, too. We both talked to her in the apartment. Adagio d-demanded Aria tell her where the connection was. But…”

Sonata fought off powerful sobs. “I-I-I tried to s-stop her, I swear.”

Sunset’s phone whirred again. She glanced at her book, scratched a line, and brushed a bang away from her face. “Sonata, what happened? You can tell me.”

“Aria didn’t wanna tell her. I don’t know why, but she didn’t. Adagio hurt her so bad and I couldn’t stop it.” Sonata clenched her fists until they shook. “Aria couldn’t help it. She had to tell Adagio where the other portal was. But then—”

She ran her fingers through her hair, her entire body shaking. “Adagio, why? Why did you push her like that? You got what you wanted! Why?”

Sunset Shimmer leapt to her feet. She seized Sonata in a sudden embrace, stroking her back. “Shh. Shh, it’s okay now. It’ll be alright.”

“All my friends are gone.” Sonata grasped Sunset’s sleeves and pulled her closer. “They’re all gone and I’m alone.”

Twilight Sparkle let loose a gasp and stumbled back. She rubbed her forehead as she watched the two women embrace. Care Carrot walked up behind her and spoke into her ear. “Is this a good turn or a bad turn?”

“No clue.” Twilight wrung her hands. “We aren’t supposed to hug the witness, are we?”

“No, but it’s pretty weird for a civilian do the interrogation in the first place.” Care Carrot cocked an eyebrow. “But then, we don’t usually work with whatever this thing is that you guys call ‘magic.’ What do you make of all the ‘portals’ and ‘Equestria’ talk?”

“Portals are however these guys travel from place to place. I’ve got some data on them at home.” Twilight Sparkle moved towards Sunset as the hug ended. “Dunno what Equestria is.”

“All this talk of portals is sounding suspiciously like quantum physics.” Care shook her head. “I didn’t pay any attention to quantum physics.”

“In another universe, you did.” Twilight leaned on Sunset’s chair. “How you doing?”

“Fine.” Sunset read over a few paragraphs in her book. She nodded, scribbled “one moment,” and looked at the recovering Sonata. “Do you know where Aria’s portal was?”

Sonata shook her head, her eyes glued to the floor.

Sunset wrote down the answer. “Thank you, Sonata. I really… appreciate you coming forward with th—”

“She can’t get away with what she did,” Sonata said. “You understand, don’t you?”

Sunset brought her head back, bumping against Twilight’s chest. “I’m… not sure I do.”

“Adagio. She’s in Equestria by now. You have to stop her.” Sonata’s mouth twitched back and forth between a frown and a scowl. She shut her eyes tight to hold her voice in check. “Sirens don’t hurt their own. Never ever never.”

Sunset shut her book and tucked it in the crook of her arm. “I promise, we’re doing everything we can to make sure she doesn’t hurt anybody else.”

Sonata Dusk cleared her throat. “Good.”

Twilight Sparkle got a good look at the Dazzlings’ face. Beneath the worn expression, the tear tracks, and the tired eyes, the woman just looked old. Twilight knew she was about the same age as Sonata—they’d both been high schoolers at around the same time—but the woman looked a good ten years her senior. Probably a case of living a hard life, Twilight decided. A bad year could age you way more than a good decade.

“Is there anything else you can tell us about last night?” Care asked. “Where she might have gone afterwards? What she was wearing, who she’d be traveling with, anything?”

“N-none of that really matters, considering.” Sonata rose to her feet, her knees shaking. “But she’d be alone.”

Sunset Shimmer also stood. She rocked back and forth, her face brooding, before giving Sonata a nod and heading for the door. “Thanks again—”

Sonata’s hand shot out to grab Sunset’s forearm. The fiery-haired woman let out a yelp as the fingers clasped tight, jerking her back and halting her retreat. Twilight moved the chair aside to reach Sonata, but came up short when she smiled pleasantly.

“Thanks for understanding,” Sonata said. She released Sunset and backed away, her hands behind her back.

Sunset rubbed her arm. She gave Sonata a shallow grin and escaped through the door. Twilight Sparkle followed close behind, giving Care a nod goodbye. The officer tilted her head in response, incredulity in her eyes.

“We can’t talk about this here.” Sunset rolled up her sleeve to reveal red marks ringing her skin. “Geeze, she grips like a metalworker.”

“What do you mean we can’t talk about it here? I brought you here because you’re the expert.” Twilight Sparkle gave her friend’s arm a quick once-over. “You’re gonna bruise.”

“Nuts.” Sunset’s fingers tightened around her book. “I mean that even if these guys could help, Adagio’s a little outside your jurisdiction right now.”

Twilight ran a hand over her face, nudging her glasses out of whack. “This is why departments work together, Sunset. You ever heard of the long arm of the law? It crosses the state line.”

“How about interdimensional boundaries?” Sunset asked.

Twilight narrowed her eyes. She touched Sunset’s shoulder to lead her away from the heavily-populated central office hub. “If they hear me talking about alternate universes, they’ll think I’m the crazy one and not you. Are you telling me these girls came from the other world? I thought it was just… ‘me’ who crossed over.”

“You assumed it was just you.” Sunset Shimmer pressed her lips tight, sending flickering gazes Twilight’s way as they walked. “But there’ve been a few others.”

Twilight Sparkle’s eyes lit up. “Are you talking about Pinkie Pie? Because that would explain so much—”

“No.” Sunset rolled her eyes. “As far as I can tell, Pinkie’s a native.”

“Oh.” Twilight Sparkle leaned against a doorframe and crossed her arms over her chest. “Alrighty then. There’s Mirror-Me, the Dazzlings, anybody else?”

Sunset Shimmer licked her lips, holding the book as if to shield herself with it. “Um. Hi.”

Twilight’s face paled. Her small smile melted like an ice cube in the oven. Her mouth opened wide enough to swallow an entire hamburger. “You what?”

She was about to add to that when she noticed the entire office looking their way. She sent them a death-glare over her glasses until they’d all returned to their work. “We should take this somewhere private.”

They retreated to an empty office. Twilight Sparkle sealed the door behind them with click that sounded loud in their ears. She stayed at the doorway, her hands on the handle, while Sunset slumped against the desk.

Sunset set her book down beside her. She tapped her fingers against the cover. “So, you gonna say anything—?”

“Son of a—!”

“Twilight!” Sunset snapped.

“—gun,” Twilight said quietly. She sucked in a breath through her teeth and let it out in a huff. “You’re telling me that after all these years, you kept that a secret from me?”

“It’s a secret I keep from almost everybody, okay?” Sunset said breathlessly. “Only a very, very small number of people—”

“Including your entire horse-lady cavalry?” Twilight held up five fingers. She remained standing in the same place, her face towards the office windows. “Maybe your husband? How about those two ladies eating supper with you? Heck, let’s throw in the entire Apple Family. Have I steered wrong yet?”

“Apple Bloom and Big Mac never found out,” Sunset whispered.

Twilight snorted. She removed her glasses and stared into a muddled world. “Why?”

Sunset. “Why, what?”

“Why’d you keep it a secret from me?” Twilight clenched her fists at her sides. “Even after all the searching I’ve done, the researching into the magic at the school, the questions I’ve asked, you didn’t think to maybe tell me that you’re from an alternate universe? Why?”

“I told you, I want to keep it a secret from everyone.” Sunset slid her book across the desk. “The fewer people who know, the less chance it has of getting out and—”

“You thought I would blab?” Twilight said.

Sunset shook her head. “No, that’s not what I—”

“You thought I would blab. You didn’t trust me to keep quiet? To know when something’s really important to my friend?”

“I didn’t mean it like that, Twilight.” Sunset Shimmer hunched over, laying her arms on top of her knees. “I’ve done… a lot of bad things in my life. Most of them have to do with the other world. I wanted a fresh start, and I thought I could get that by ignoring Equestria.”

Twilight Sparkle arched her brows. “How bad are we talking?”

“Grand theft, destruction of school property, attempted mind control of the student body…” Sunset twisted away. “Destroying several friendships…”

Twilight’s shoulders slumped. She took a seat beside Sunset, leaving the book between them. “So… pretty bad.”

“Oh yeah.” Sunset turned her eyes to Twilight. Her fiery hairdo framed her strained expression. “It’s not that I wanted to keep it from you. It just hurts. I don’t want my past to… to define me, you know? I wanna be in the here and now. I want that to be all that matters.”

Twilight shrugged one shoulder. “It’s not like you owed me an explanation or anything.”

“It really is none of your business.” Sunset gave her a half-grin. Her eyes jumped towards Care’s office. “Until today, at least.”

Twilight blinked. She slid her glasses over her face and blinked again for good measure. “Does this mean I’m getting the life story of Sunset Shimmer?”

“You’re gonna need it, I think.” Sunset patted her book. “Because I’m not going to track down Adagio Dazzle all on my own.”

The picture on the cover vibrated and flashed. Twilight Sparkle’s mouth hung open as she watched magic dust fly through the air. “That… That wasn’t your phone, was it?”

“Nope. Like I said, I left it in my other mom jeans.” Sunset flipped through the book to the first blank sheet. Words scrawled their way onto the page in flowing script. “Might be dangerous going through the portal.”

Twilight stood, goosebumps popping up along her arms. “I’m going with you?”

“Unless you think Officer Carrot would be a better fit.”

“No! No, no, no. Of course not.” Twilight bit down hard on her lip, suppressing a grin. “I’d be happy to come. Ecstatic, really.”

She felt a shiver of excitement run up and down her back. She let a smile jump across her face as she twiddled her fingers together. She was about to squeal when Sunset’s smile fell. “What’s the matter?”

Sunset Shimmer traced her finger across the text, making sure she didn’t miss anything. She rubbed her cheek and sighed. “Our side of the portal is a statue on Canterlot High’s grounds. Equestria’s side of the portal is a special mirror.”

Twilight smirked. “Magic mirrors. I shoulda guessed.”

“Yeah, yeah, funny.” Sunset Shimmer closed the book, wrapping her fingers around the edge of the spine. “The problem is that somebody went and stole the mirror.”

Author's Note

Insert your own "the plot thickens... again!" line here.

Anything You Can Imagine

Rain poured through the locks of Sunset Shimmer’s hair. She stood a couple feet away from Canterlot High School’s statue: A horse rearing back, its front legs kicking the air. It was lit by three spotlights at its base, casting large shadows over the yard.

Shadows with long, regal necks. Towering, powerful legs. Manes that seemed to flow in the rain-soaked grass.

“You okay, Sunset?” Twilight asked. She held the brim of her hat as the wind threatened to blow it away. Her glasses fogged up in the cool air. “Where’s the portal?”

“Right here.” Sunset pointed at the statue’s marble base. “We came through right here.”

Twilight shined a flashlight at the horse’s head. “You guys really have some kinda equine fixation, don’t you?”

“Y-you might say that,” Sunset chuckled. Her brief smile melted in the downpour. She reached out a hand and laid it on the monument’s flat surface. As expected, she didn’t go through.

“The portal only opens once every thirty moons.” Sunset turned to Twilight. “As in thirty months, which equals—”

“Two and a half years,” Twilight said. She knelt down beside the base, running her fingertips over the cool material. “But you came through ten years ago, which means this is the right year. So why isn’t it open?”

“It only opens for three days.” Sunset jerked her head towards Twilight’s car. “You miss that mark, it’s like the portal isn’t even there.”

Twilight pulled keys from her coat pocket and clicked the unlock button. Her car’s headlights flickered in response. “And those three days are… when?”

Sunset wrapped her fingers around the door handle. “Right around CHS’s Fall Formal dance. Six months from now.”

“What?” Twilight slapped her hands on the car’s roof. “We can’t wait six months to go after Adagio! We need to track her down now before the trail goes cold!”

“I know!” Sunset waved an arm in the statue’s direction. “But without the mirror on the other side, the princess can’t make the connection manually. We’re sunk before we’ve even begun.”

Twilight flung herself into the car, doing her best to keep most of the water outside. Sunset followed suit, grabbing a handful of her hair and squeezing it out before slamming the door. She peered at the statue as it guarded the school.

“I had to try, though.”

Twilight Sparkle glanced at the backseat, where Sunset’s book, her diary and connection to the other world, sat high and dry. “So, what? It’s up to the ‘princess,’ now? We’re just gonna leave it?”

Sunset leaned her elbow against the door. “Unless you’ve got a better idea.”

“I think I do.” Twilight tapped her index fingers against the steering wheel. “We gotta find Aria’s portal. If Adagio really went to the other world, it could lead us right to her.”

Sunset Shimmer shook her head. “The only people who know where it is are either dead or worlds away. Do you have an ace up your sleeve I don’t know about?”

Twilight snapped her fingers. “We have an ace. Your book. You said that it’s always connected to the other side. Always.”

“Yeah.” Sunset reached backwards and pulled it to the front. She let it fall open to the middle. “It’s how I’ve kept in touch. Their copy was how we were able to connect the portal even when it wasn’t open naturally.”

“And like an internet connection,” Twilight said, tapping the cover, “the signal goes both ways.”

Sunset’s eyes widened. After a moment’s thought, her shoulders slumped. “But I don’t have the equipment to make the connection from this side.”

“No, that’s not what I’m talking about.” Twilight laid a hand on Sunset’s forearm. She grinned. “If something’s giving off a signal, or any kind of energy, that energy can be detected, can’t it?”

Sunset’s brow furrowed. “If you have the right kind of receiver.”

“Uh huh.” Twilight cracked her knuckles. “Guess who’s been tracking magic activity for ten years?”

Sunset pressed her lips together. Her head tilted to the side as one eye narrowed. “You’ve got magic sensors?”

“It’s how I found out about your school. It’s why I started sticking my nose everywhere.” Twilight crossed her arms over her chest. “It’s how I met you, I think. Tracking down whatever weird things were happening. You were always in the middle of it.”

Sunset shifted in her seat. She touched her wedding band and let a deep sigh run through her body. “Years later, I still am.”

Twilight gave her a tiny smile. She pulled a cloth from her pants pocket and wiped down her lenses. “All we gotta do is calibrate the machine to search for whatever kinda magic your book’s putting out, and it’ll lead us right to the other portal. And Adagio.”

“In a perfect world.” Sunset Shimmer tossed the diary into the back.

“Hey, in a perfect world, there wouldn’t be any reason to go on adventures.” Twilight Sparkle turned the key. The engine started up with a roar. “Then where would people like us get our fun?”

Sunset buckled up. “Not every adventure has to start with something awful.”

“Every one I’ve read does.” The windshield wipers jumped back and forth at full speed as Twilight pulled away from the curb. “You’ve gotta have a reason to want things to get better, right?”

Sunset let out a low “Hmm.” She stuck her hands into her warm jacket pockets. She gave one final glance at the towering statue in front of the school; a statue that was only one pair of wings and a horn away from being spot-on. “And if you’re not sure things can get better?”

Twilight Sparkle peered through the falling rain, looking for the roads that would take her home. “Then at least it gives you the chance to stretch your legs.”

***

Spike lifted his head at the familiar sound of keys jangling. He pattered out of the bedroom, his tongue hanging out in his effort to suck in some cool air. Twilight Sparkle opened the door to their little house, scuffing her boots on the welcome mat. “Hi, Spike. Been taking a nap, boy?”

He yelped in what Twilight assumed was agreement. She rubbed behind his ears and watched his tail wave behind him. He bolted past her to sniff the hands of the surprise guest in the entryway.

“Hi yah, Spike,” Sunset said. She ran a hand along his side and unzipped her jacket. She hung it on a nearby coat rack and proceeded to twiddle her thumbs. “Now what?”

Twilight unbuttoned her long coat and hung it beside Sunset’s. “Now, I’m gonna need that book.”

Sunset looked down at the cover. She tightened her grip. “You’re not gonna hurt it, are you?”

“No.” Twilight pinched the book between her fingers. “I’m just gonna use it to calibrate the machine. It’ll be over before you know it.”

Sunset swallowed a breath. She let her hands slip away. “Alright. I trust you.”

Twilight met her eyes. A lopsided grin spread across her face. “Thanks.”

Twilight motioned for Sunset to follow her down a flight of stairs, into a dark basement. Twilight’s hand ran along the wall, searching for a light switch. “I think whoever designed the wiring in this house hated his job. The switches are never by the doors.”

“That’s an oversight, alright.” Sunset rubbed her forefinger and thumb together. She smiled as a spark jumped out from beneath her fingernail. “Hold on, I’ve got a light.”

“I didn’t take you for somebody who’d carry around…” Twilight’s jaw dropped as she looked over her shoulder. “A lighter?”

Flames danced across Sunset’s hand, providing a little light to the stairway. She pointed with her other hand. “Found the switch.”

Twilight’s eyes were locked on Sunset’s hand. She reached up without looking and flicked the switch, sitting an arm’s-length away from the door.

Sunset blew the fire out and rubbed her hand on her jeans. She blushed under Twilight’s intense stare. “So, um… machine, right?”

Spike smelled her hand from behind. He gave Sunset an unquestionably quizzical look.

Twilight pulled her glasses off to rub her eyes. “Sunset… Sunset. You can’t just go and break my mind like that. Give a girl a little warning, alright?”

Once they had reached the bottom of the steps, Sunset laid an arm around Twilight’s shoulder. “Your mind has not begun to be blown. Just consider this a preview of what’s to come.”

“A preview, huh?” Twilight Sparkle moved alongside a large metal box, covered in dials and switches. She reached out and flicked one with her thumb. “Can everybody across the portal do that?”

“Not exactly.” Sunset Shimmer circled the giant computer, watching the lights flicker and listening to the innards chuff and whirr. “I’ve just always had a talent for magic.”

Twilight cranked a dial. She went to the side of the machine and pulled out a drawer, on which several black sensors were arranged in a circle. She set the book on top of them, watching white text appear on a black screen. “Is now a good time to ask how magic works?”

Sunset sat in a dusty office chair. She lifted her legs and spun around. “I’ll try to answer your questions. It’s been a while since I’ve really practiced, though, just as a warning.”

Twilight Sparkle stuck her tongue out of the side of her mouth. She flicked three switched and twisted two dials. “I guess my first question is ‘what is it?’”

Sunset Shimmer set her feet on the floor. She squinted at her intertwined fingers.

Twilight Sparkle took hold of a roll of paper as the machine printed wavy lines on it. “Stupid question, I’m assuming?”

“Not stupid, just… not something I ever considered.” Sunset shrugged. “I mean, it just is. It’s like, somebody asking ‘What is sunlight?’ Everybody knows what sunlight is. It’s always there. You can always just…”

Sunset Shimmer grew quiet.

Twilight Sparkle went over the figures on the sheet, doing the math in her head. If her calculations were correct, there was a hint of the same magic energy running through the book. Not only that, but it was within driving distance. Just a little longer, and she could pinpoint the location.

She glanced at Sunset, who was staring into the middle distance. “Just what, Sunset?”

“You can always just reach out and touch it.” Sunset laughed humorlessly. Spike pattered up and sat beside her. He rested his head on her lap. “Magic is energy. Pure energy. We get the energy from sugar, which gets metabolized in our bloodstream. Our hearts produce it, and out of there, it gets spread throughout our whole body.”

“What?” Twilight giggled. “You guys get more powerful the more sugar you ingest?”

“No! No! We’ve got limits. If you eat too much sugar, you’ll still have the same issues we get here.” Sunset cracked a grin. “Even though there’s a rumor that some of the greatest wizards in history were morbidly obese.”

Twilight snorted. “Oh, so you’ve got wizards now. What’s next? Witches? Sorcerers? Stage magicians that actually use magic?”

Sunset lowered her eyebrows.

Twilight Sparkle’s face went blank. She slapped her forehead. “Sorry. This is just… weird.” She cleared her throat. “I’ll shut up now. Continue.”

Sunset nodded. “The magic is carried from our hearts to our limbs, or horns, or wings, or whatever we have, by little veins called fairy strings. It’s built like the nervous system, trailing all throughout the body. From there, we manipulate it to do whatever we want. There’s whole libraries full of magic textbooks teaching how to perform different spells, or to brew potions, or how to manipulate the weather, or anything you can imagine.”

Twilight Sparkle touched a pencil to her lips and watched Sunset’s eyes shine. She could see the energy building in her friend. Talking about magic was pulling a long smile across her face. It was pumping adrenaline through her veins, shaking her with excitement. She loved magic, Twilight realized. Loved it.

“Anything you can imagine, huh?” Twilight said. She shook her head. “Why would you want to leave a place like that?”

Sunset Shimmer clenched her fists. The fire died in her eyes, but it was replaced with something else. Something Twilight couldn’t quite identify. Something sad.

“I was the personal student of the most powerful, wisest magic user in the world.” Sunset rubbed Spike’s head, while he whined in sympathy. “I studied under her every day, learning and growing. But it wasn’t enough. Not for me. I wanted something… something that I considered my birthright. I wanted to rule.”

“Rule?” Twilight Sparkle ran her eyes over the numbers etched on her paper. Getting closer. “Like a king or something?”

“Exactly like a king,” Sunset sighed. “One with more magic than they knew what to do with, and an eternity to abuse it.”

Twilight let the paper fall to the ground. She pressed her palms together and looked away. “Eternity?”

“I found a spell that I thought would lead to everlasting life.” Sunset Shimmer bit down hard on the inside of her cheek. “When I learned my teacher was hiding it from me, I freaked out. She said I wasn’t ready. I didn’t listen.”

Twilight Sparkle blew a long breath between her lips. “Anything you can imagine, huh?”

Sunset smirked sadly. “That’s only the half of it.”

Spike put his paw up beside his nose, looking at Sunset with his green eyes. He yawned wide.

“I ran away,” Sunset said. “I was furious with my teacher. I was embarrassed with myself. So many plans were all falling down around me.” She blinked back the sting in her eyes. “For reasons I’ll never fully understand, the mirror was open at just that time. I jumped through to escape Celestia and start my own life.”

Twilight’s lip twitched. “Celestia?”

“My teacher.” Sunset held up a finger. “And also the name of the principal at my school. You’re not the only one with a double.”

Twilight stretched out her arm and rested her back against the computer. “You’re gonna have to explain that to me one of these days.”

“I think you’ll get it soon enough.” Sunset ran her fingers through her damp hair. “When I got here, it took me all of an hour to realize I was in over my head. I didn’t know anybody, I didn’t know how things worked, and…” She opened her hands palm-up. “I couldn’t do magic.”

Twilight waved at the staircase. “Three things that have, clearly, changed.”

“Right. But that’s ten years of change.” Sunset watched Spike’s sides heave with every breath he took. “Took about a week for the police to pick up the young girl stealing food and living in dumpsters. With no known next of kin or legal guardians, I was put into the system.”

She slumped in the chair. “Thus ensued a couple months of house-hopping because nobody knew what to do with the megalomaniac with a horse fixation.”

Twilight rolled another office chair next to Sunset’s. She sat down and took her friend’s hand.

Sunset squeezed. “By the time I was carted to Davenport and Roseluck’s, I was just happy to have a roof over my head.”

“Davenport and Rose—” Twilight’s eyebrows jumped as she leaned back. “You’re Scootaloo’s foster sister?”

A grin brightened Sunset’s clouded face. “Yeah, I am. How do you know her?”

“She’s one of Apple Bloom’s best friends. I was usually dodging water balloons while I was tutoring Big Mac.” Twilight narrowed her eyes playfully. “If it was your idea to form the Crusaders Club, I may never forgive you.”

“I wasn’t that evil!” Sunset said with a guffaw. Spike’s head perked up as his tail wagged. “No. I was a victim just as often as anybody else was.”

“Good.” Twilight gave Sunset’s hand a final squeeze before letting go. “You know, you make yourself sound like a real piece of work. You’re not like that, though. You’re a good friend.”

“I’m a good friend now.” Sunset let Spike lick her palm. “I had to go through the fire a couple times to get here. I had to have all the nasty stuff burned away.” She sucked her lips in. “Your double, the Twilight from the other world, she was the first big one. Scootaloo and her parents helped. Until I screwed that up, too.”

She shrugged. “It would never have worked if our friends didn’t stick around to help me grow.”

Your friends, Twilight thought, but didn’t say.

“And you. Thank you for being there for me.” Sunset scratched Spike’s head. “I owe you a lot.”

Twilight Sparkle stood up and glanced at the rolls of paper the machine was still spitting out. “You mean mirror-me or what?”

“No, you. Just you,” Sunset said. “Coming in and saving the day is all well and good, but the most important people in your life are the ones who stay.”

Twilight frowned. She lowered an eyebrow and watched Sunset’s face. Her friend smiled gently, her fingers still scratching Spike in just the right spot. The silly dog was on cloud nine.

Something gripped Twilight’s heart. She coughed and turned away to stare at the numbers. Several calculations later, she had the location. “I’ve got it. Let’s get a move on.”

“You’ve got it?” Sunset stood. “Already?”

“I told you, I’ve been tracking magic for ten years. A decade is plenty of time to become an expert at something.” Twilight scribbled a few notes on scratch paper. She flicked off the machine and let it whir to a halt. “Or at least to think you’re an expert at it.”

“That’s a dangerous spot to be in,” Sunset muttered.

“Maybe so.” Twilight double-checked the pistol strapped to her chest. “But no time like the present to find out for sure, right?”

She marched to the stairs, a devilish smile touching her lips. Sunset held up a hand. “Wait a sec.”

Twilight skidded to a halt on her heels. “Huh?”

“We can’t just haul off now. We could be gone for days. Or weeks.” Sunset Shimmer pulled out her phone and started to dial. “I need to find a place for Sunny to stay. You might want to put Spike in a kennel.”

The breath caught in Twilight’s throat. She looked at her dog. His graying tail wagged behind him as he waited for a word from either of them.

Twilight blinked. “Anything you can imagine.”

Sunset gave her a double-take. “What’d you say?”

“Actually, I think I’ll just bring him with us.” Twilight took the stairs two at a time. “Come on, Spike! Come here, boy! Wanna go for a ride?”

Spike barked and hurried up the stairs as fast as his tired limbs could carry him.

Sunset Shimmer stared blankly up the stairs. Her phone clicked in her numbed hand. A squeaky voice spoke out the other end, grabbing the tip of her ear. “Oh, yes, honey. Could you put your mom on? I need to talk to Pinkie about something.”

***

“You’re sure this isn’t too much trouble?” Sunset Shimmer asked.

Pinkie Pie smiled as Cheese Cake, her toddler and current youngest child, crawled up her arms. “No problemaroonie, Sunset! You know Sunny’s always welcome here!”

Pinkie Pie’s arms were skinny, but deceptively strong. She lifted Cheese one-handed and cradled her in the crook of her opposite elbow. “Believe me, I’m always here to support your adrenaline addiction.”

Sunset scoffed. “It’s not an adrenaline ad—!”

“I know! I know. Sorry. Just trying to make a joke.” Pinkie shook her head, letting her pink curls bounce. “But seriously, I’d be happy to look after Sunny. Maybe this time he and Cheesy will become good friends. Right, Cheesy?”

Cheese Cake scrunched her nose. “No.”

“We’ll see about that, my sweet.” Pinkie smirked. “Danny! Can you come carry Sunny’s things to Cheesy’s room?”

Cheese Danish, a seven-year-old boy, hurried in. He tried to hide the fact that his mouth was dripping with whipped cream. “Yes, Mommy!”

“Danny! That was for after supper!” Pinkie rolled her eyes. “Is there enough left for the pumpkin pie Pound Cake made for us?”

Cheese Danish swallowed. “Um. I think so.”

“That’ll have to do for now.” Pinkie watched the boy scramble off. “And tell your sister to clean up! Daddy’s gonna be home in ten minutes!”

Sunset blushed. She let Sunny toddle away to where a bunch of toys were set out in the living room. “Sorry to spring this on you when things are so crazy.”

“Crazy? Girl, you have not seen crazy in this house.” Pinkie Pie giggled, letting a snort escape. “When three kids you reach, then can you talk to me of crazy.”

Sunset looked down at Pinkie’s belly. “With a fourth on the way?”

“Well, you know, we’ll probably take a break after this one.” Pinkie waggled her hand. “At least until Danny’s grown up.”

She took a deep breath in and snuggled Cheese Cake close. “There’s just something magical about my kids, Sunset. Something beautiful and amazing and fantastic. I love ’em to bits.”

She winked. “If you see the other Pinkie over there, remind her that she needs to hurry up and find her hubby. She’s missing out.”

Sunset jumped as Pinkie Pie whirled around, shouting at the top of her lungs. “Cherrileena Persephone Pie! You put that cookie back, get your buns into the bathroom, and wash your hands!”

On the other side of the house, Cherry Pie, a five-year-old girl with curly pink hair, slowly lowered herself from the countertop.

Pinkie Pie laughed. “Who needs eyes in the back of their head when they’ve got a mom-radar?”

Sunset smiled. She shifted her weight and angled for the door. “Well, thanks again for all your help, Pink—”

“Wait.” Pinkie rested her free hand on Sunset’s shoulder. She blinked rapidly to stall out a sudden onset of tears. “I, um, just wanted…”

She grabbed Sunset in a strong hug. “Just be careful out there, okay? Be safe. Come back to Sunny, okay? Please?”

Sunset hugged the shorter woman back. “Of course I will! I’m not letting anything happen to any of us. Trust me.”

“I’ll try.” Pinkie pulled away and wiped her eyes. Cheese Cake started squirming, so she let the little girl down. “I mean, I will. I will.”

Sunset held back a laugh as Pinkie’s daughter trundled over to smack Sunny on the back of the head. “It’s easy, Pinkie. All you gotta do is giggle at the ghostly.”

Pinkie stuck her hands in her pockets. She looked up at Sunset with watery eyes. “Sunset… these aren’t invisible, pretend monsters hiding in the shadows. These are real. These are the kinds who, when you sing at them, they just laugh back.”

Sunset Shimmer rubbed her chin. She danced her fingers through the air, letting magic build up around them. A wooden block lifted up behind Sunny, who was busy trying to knock down Cheese Cake’s tower. Pinkie crossed her eyes to see the block fly through the air and land on top of her head. She pulled it out of her curls and examined it.

“If we do meet any of those kinds of monsters,” Sunset said, “I’ll have a few tricks up my sleeve.”

She knelt down and held her arms out. “Sunny?”

The little boy couldn’t hear her over the racket running through the rest of the house. He alternated between building a castle and preventing Cheese Cake from setting up hers.

Sunset laughed deep in her chest. She picked herself up, walked over to him, and kissed her son on the top of his head. “Love you, Sunny. See you soon.”

“Love you, Mommy,” he said, stacking his walls inside a moat made out of yarn.

She stood up and zipped her jacket to her chin. She gazed out the windows at the constant, unrelenting downpour. Lightning flashed in the distance, followed by the faint rumble of thunder. She opened the door, stepped out into the cold, and gave Pinkie a smile.

“To Equestria or bust.”

***

Sonata Dusk sat in the office, surrounded by paperwork and scrambling police officers. Her hand was clutched tight around a small trinket, a tiny shard of a gemstone. It had once overflowed with power, but those days were far gone. The gemstone had been broken, and with it, the Dazzlings.

Caution Tape, that one hefty officer, opened the door and stuck his head through. “You gorra place tah stay, ma’am? Oi could give the shelter downtown a ring an’ see if there’s a spot for yah.”

“In this weather?” Sonata muttered. “Everybody from Canterlot to Barrelsville is gonna want a place to stay. It’s full.”

“Well, there was hope, but…” He jerked a thumb out the door. “We could set up a spot for yah to rest your head in ’ere. Not much, but it’s better than a back alley.”

Sonata held the gem shard between her forefinger and thumb, letting the sharp points dig into her skin a little. “Don’t bother; I’ve got a place to be.”

Caution pushed the door the rest of the way open and laid a form on the desk. “In that case, we need yah to fill this out so we c’n contact you again.”

Sonata turned around in the chair and leaned her head over the back. “Did you ever meet Aria?”

“No. Can’t say as oi have.” He shrugged and handed her a pen. “She had a bloomin’ pretty voice in those commercials, though.”

“She was grumpy. Rude. Mean-spirited. You probably wouldn’t have liked her anyway.” Sonata sighed, scribbling a phone number down on the sheet. “But when she wanted to, she could get your attention.”

Sonata moved down to the address, a smirk appearing on her mouth. “She could talk about anything, and she’d do it in a way that made you want to agree with her. She knew just what to say to either puff you up… or make you feel terrible.”

She licked the tip of the pen, an old habit that had never quite died. “That’s how we worked, you know. Adagio was the brains with the bazillion plans all going at once. Aria was the talker, the convincer, the silver tongue…”

She ended the address with a full stop. “And I was the ditz.”

Caution Tape took the form from her. “You miss ’er, then?”

“They sucked.” Sonata tucked her long ponytail into the back of her sweatshirt and pulled the hood up. “But I guess I loved them, too.”

Caution scratched his short haircut. “That’s the way th’ cookie crumbles. Even those you didn’t much like… they c’n still leave an ’ole.”

“Yeah.” Sonata got to her feet and stuffed her hands in her pockets. “Can I go now?”

“Sure.” Caution took a step back to let her through. “Do y’ need a ride? Oi could ’ave somebody bring a squad car around—”

“No, thanks.” Sonata shook her head. “I don’t have far to go. I’m halfway there already.”

She paused mid-step. She leaned back and turned her torso towards him. “Officer Tape?”

He squared his stance, clasping his hands behind his back. “Yes, ma’am?”

She didn’t look straight at him. She gazed at a spot on the wall just past his shoulder. “Did you ever want to be a soldier?”

Caution’s eyebrows came together. He scratched his temple. “Yes, oi did. When oi was little, oi thought oi’d like t’ be either a police officer or a soldier. Ended up choosin’ this ’cause oi wanted to stay local. Not a bad decision, oi think.”

Sonata smiled wistfully. “Somebody once told me that there’s more than one of everything. More than one kind of person in any given place. More than one idea in your head. More than one good decision you could make.” She shrugged one shoulder. “More than one bad decision.”

She tilted her head towards him. “I think you made one of the good decisions.”

He fidgeted, shifting his weight from foot to foot. “Well… thanks. Oi guess.”

Sonata walked away, making a beeline for the door. “You know the sad thing about there being more than one of everything?”

Caution Tape’s mouth dipped open. He made a small, dithering sound. “Uh, ah, no, what is it?”

Sonata pulled the door open. Rain prickled against her face. “It means nothing’s unique.”

She jogged into the rain, leaving a gaping Caution behind. Her clothes were soaked in seconds under the deluge. She moved with practiced ease, knowing exactly which alley to duck into, exactly which awnings she could run under, exactly which route would take her safely to her destination. She knew the city well after living there for a dozen-odd years. Every nook and cranny came to mind as naturally as breathing.

She came to the edge of downtown in a half hour. A highway led out of town, propped up by concrete pillars where it crossed a small river. Not many cars were out this late, especially after it had rained for so long. Still, she walked along the edge, not wishing to tempt fate.

She closed her fist tight around the crystal shard. It bit into her palm and let her focus on the painful sting, rather than her circumstances. Rather than what she’d seen that night. Rather than what she let happen.

“Hold onto your plot, Adagio,” she muttered. “They’re coming for you.”

She stopped at the base of a streetlamp and opened her hand. The gemstone, the last intact piece of her necklace, shined a deep, bloody crimson. She patted her pants pocket and heard several other shards jingle about inside. They were the last reminder of the power she once had, but would never have again.

“I’m gonna miss you guys.”

She lifted her head and saw lights in the distance. Houses big and small stood out in the darkness as people played, watched television, read, or whatever else they did on stormy nights. The suburbs lay open, warm and inviting. She quickened her pace and made way for her intended destination.

Accidentally on Purpose

Twilight gripped the steering wheel tight. She headed for the edge of the city, into the darkness left by a dwindling number of streetlights. It would be an hour’s drive to the portal, which wasn’t all that much considering it could have been anywhere. The rain had slacked a bit, becoming a dull thrum against the windshield.

“Twilight,” Sunset Shimmer said pointing down a road they’d just passed, “the kennel is the other way.”

Twilight mulled over her answer, tapping her thumbs against the wheel. “I know. I’m not taking Spike there.”

“Then where?” Sunset propped her cheek up on her hand. “He can’t just come with us to…” Her forehead furrowed. “No.”

“What?”

“No!” Sunset glanced at the dog sleeping in the small backseat. “No, no, no. Twilight, we can’t bring him to Equestria. He’s… It’s not…” She clenched her fists and growled beneath her breath. “He has a double, too.”

Twilight Sparkle huffed. “Can you please just tell me everybody who has a double and get it over with?”

Sunset blinked. “Uh. You, Spike, our friends, the principals, the Apple Family, Flash—”

“What.”

“I know, right? Actually, I’m pretty sure even President Cadenza has a double.” Sunset ran a hand through her damp hair. “Never met either of them, personally.”

Twilight’s eyes flicked to her friend. “Cadence, huh? Makes me wonder if she babysat the other Twilight, too.”

Sunset Shimmer gave Twilight a double-take. “You’re telling me you were babysat by the future president?”

“These politicians have to start somewhere.” Twilight Sparkle turned her high-beam headlights on when she left the city, rolling onto the highway. “So, what about you? Do you have an alternate universe double floating around somewhere? An evil twin? A shattered reflection of the goodness in your heart?”

Sunset sighed. “Are you making fun of me?”

“Yes.”

“Then no. None that I ever met. I looked for a few years, but…” Sunset adjusted her seatbelt to sit lower on her thighs. “Urgh. But I never found anything. It stopped being important to me, right around the time I met you.” She tilted her head. “There were more important things to do.”

“So it’s possible, at least.” Twilight Sparkle moved into the fast lane to pass a slower car. “What does any of that have to do with not bringing Spike?”

“Because his double is a dragon.”

Twilight spent the next few minutes laughing hard, right from the belly. She slowed the car as she tried to keep them on the road. Sunset gripped her armrests tight, praying fervently that the slick rainwater wouldn’t be the death of them.

Twilight regained control of the car and her laughter. She giggled, gritting her teeth together. “That’s the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard.”

“It’s a start,” Sunset whimpered. “How’s about I drive?”

“Sorry. No dice.” Twilight Sparkle caught a mile marker flashing in her lights. Twenty-or-so miles to go. “So the sweetest dog you’d ever meet is also a giant, fire-breathing, town-destroying dragon right outta Daring Do and the Scales of Leviathan?”

“No, he was a baby the last time I saw him.” Sunset Shimmer rubbed her wedding ring. “I’m looking at this from his perspective. He’s a dog. He doesn’t have to worry about high-concept stuff. Imagine what he might do if one day he woke up and he was suddenly a different species.”

Twilight’s eyes went to her rearview mirror. She could see Spike resting peacefully, his side rising and falling with gentle breaths. “Not sure I follow.”

“You and I, we’re sapient.” Sunset Shimmer counted down on her fingers. “We can remember. We can learn. More than that, we can think. We can reason. We can be convinced that something is not worth panicking over.”

“Some of us can,” Twilight muttered.

Sunset reached back and placed a hand on Spike’s head. “Spike here is not sapient. He’s sentient. He can’t reason; he can feel. He responds to outside stimulus. He lives according to his instincts.”

Twilight arched her back to relieve a growing stiffness. “And? What does that have to do with—?”

“What are Spike’s instincts going to say,” Sunset said, “when he gets there and finds himself in a new body? His brain isn’t going to be able to process ‘I’m no longer a dog.’ He’s going to panic. Have you ever seen a dragon freak out?”

Twilight’s shoulders slumped. “Can’t say I have.”

“But you can picture it.” Sunset Shimmer crossed her arms. She shook her head. “It wouldn’t be fair to anybody. Not to the people wherever we’re going, and not to him.”

Thunder rumbled in the distance. Twilight took a quick look at the sky to see the rainclouds rolling. The storm was about to get worse. “But I have to try.”

“Wait, what?” Sunset shifted in her seat, turning towards Twilight. “Did you not listen to a word I said?”

“I did. But I have to do it anyway.”

Sunset’s mouth fell open at an angle, her eyes flashing in the dark. “Are you nuts? We’re talking about a dragon, here! A gem-crushing, fire-blasting, bone-crunching—”

“It’s Spike!” Twilight shouted.

The wheels lost traction with the road. The car twisted to the left, then the right, the rear fishtailing. Twilight hit the brakes and slid the car over to the side of the highway, inches from diving into the ditch. The car they’d passed rolled on ahead, honking its horn.

Twilight fought to keep her breath under control. Her chest heaved as she gripped the wheel tight. She rested her head against the seat, using every breathing exercise she knew.

Sunset swallowed hard and stared ahead. Her fingernails dug into the leather armrests. Her stomach was flipping around like a drunken tumbler. “Excuse me.”

She unlocked the door, slipped outside the car, and heaved into the grass.

It took Twilight a second to realize that Spike was barking. Her shout had woken him, and the sudden movement had sent him flying into the side window. She unbuckled herself and reached back for him. “Shh, Spike, it’s okay.” She hugged him close, petting him in an effort to calm the both of them down.

Her door opened. Sunset Shimmer loomed over her, her face almost as dark as the clouds overhead. “I’m driving. Get out.”

A protest died in Twilight’s chest. “That’s probably a good idea.”

They switched seats, their knees shaking with a rush of adrenaline. Sunset Shimmer adjusted the mirrors, and then set off for their destination once more. She flicked the cruise control on with a grunt. “Why do you want to take Spike so badly?”

Twilight pulled her fogging glasses off of her eyes. They hung from her fingertips, dripping with water. “Spike is dying, Sunset. And magic…” She scratched behind Spike’s ears. “You said magic can do anything I could imagine. The immortality spell—”

“Wouldn’t work on him.” Sunset’s eyebrows furrowed. “I’m sorry I mislead you. Magic can do anything you can imagine… to a point.”

Twilight tensed up. “What point is that?”

“He’s dying of old age, Twilight.” Sunset Shimmer decreased their speed as the rain grew harsher. “We have age-changing spells. But they can only be cast by the most powerful mages, and only last a day. If he was sick, we could fight to find a cure, but…” She felt Spike sniffing her jacket. “But he’s just worn out.”

“But…” Twilight stuffed her hands in the pockets of her long coat. “I have to save him. I have to try.”

“Save him from what?” Sunset reached across the car and gripped Twilight’s elbow. “It’s okay. He’s had a good, long life. Filled with love. He’ll be gone, but he’ll always leave something behind in our hearts.”

Twilight looked at Spike. He looked back, his tongue hanging out and his tail wagging. She blinked tears away. “Do you think dogs have souls?”

Sunset Shimmer frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Do they have something… more?” Twilight rubbed her eyes. “Or are they just bags of flesh and instincts?”

Sunset let out a low “hmm.” She flashed her friend an uneasy smile. “‘Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter.’”

Twilight scoffed. “Leave the movie quotes to Scootaloo. It’s not you.”

Pain crossed Sunset’s face. She gnawed her lower lip, placing her gaze dead ahead. “Yeah, sure. Leave it to Scootaloo.”

She clicked the right turn signal and took an exit. One side of the road was thick with overshadowing trees, while the other was dotted with farmhouses. Another right turn took them out of the rural area, the only sign of civilization in this part of the county. The land they entered was thick woods and rocky ground, not quite mountainous, but on the cusp.

“Turn here,” Twilight said, consulting her phone’s GPS. She pointed to a dirt road that was unmarked on the map. “It’s down that way.”

The road was more of a two-track. No paving or gravel, and only the regular hikers to wear it into a recognizable path. Mud slurped under the car’s wheels. Twilight briefly worried about getting stuck, but Sunset halted the car.

“I’d say we’re close enough,” Sunset Shimmer said.

“Right.” Twilight Sparkle reached for the handle.

“Twilight.” Sunset touched her friend’s shoulder. “We’ll scout it out. We’ll see if there’s any sign of Adagio. Then we’ll pile back into the car and take Spike to a shelter. I’m sorry, but we can’t take him with us.”

Twilight sucked in a deep breath. She hugged Spike, who stared out the windshield with his eyes wide and his floppy ears perked as much as he could get them. “Okay.”

Sunset turned the key, shutting the car off. “About what you said… Spike loves you.” She unbuckled her seatbelt. “I don’t know if he has a soul, or if that means he goes somewhere when he dies or just sleeps or what. All I know is that he loves you, and love is not an instinct. He’s got something magical.”

Twilight pulled her glasses out of her pocket and set them on her nose. She smiled. “Thanks, Sunset. It means a lot to me to hear you say that.”

“I mean it.” Sunset laughed lightly. “Probably not the best conversation to have when tracking down a murderer, huh?”

“Maybe just the right one.” Twilight Sparkle pushed her door out. “Now let’s do this—”

Spike leaped over Twilight and bolted into the rain, barking up a storm.

Twilight stared after him as he disappeared into the trees. She turned back to Sunset with a choked giggle. “Uh-hum… Oops?”

“Follow him, follow him, follow him!” Sunset jumped out of the car and nearly stumbled into a mud puddle. “Don’t lose him! I think he senses something!”

Twilight half-ran, half tripped through the forest, chasing the sound of Spike’s rapid barking. She slipped on moss, she stubbed her toes on rocks, she nearly slammed into a tree or two, but she kept pushing through the darkness. She moved between two trees, and the world fell out from under her. Her legs went in the air and her head swung towards the ground before she slid on her back into a deep valley, screaming.

She groaned in her own personal mud pie, which squelched as she sat up. She reached up with grimy hands to wipe rainwater from her glasses. “Sunset? Sunset!”

“Up here, Twilight!” Sunset called out. She stood at the top of the hill, her hand blazing with light. The rain sizzled against her magical flame. “I’m coming down!”

“Careful, it’s slippery!” Twilight stood up and almost fell flat on her back. She gripped a nearby sapling like her life depended on it. “I lost Spike! Do you see him?”

“Yeah, his barking is coming from down there!” Sunset leaned on a branch, using it to lever herself downward. “You sure you don’t see him?”

“No!” Twilight strained her ears. Over the hiss of the rain against the leaves, she could just make out an echoing woof. “I know what you mean, though. It sounds like he’s coming from…”

Sunset Shimmer slipped the last few steps down. Twilight caught her with both hands. Sunset lifted her hand, illuminating the immediate area.

Twilight sighed through her nose. “It sounds like he’s in there.”

She pointed ahead, indicating a dark, mossy cave mouth. It was overgrown, easily missed unless you were right next to it. Long grass dangled before the opening, while jagged rocks lined the bottom.

“Inside the mysterious cave,” Sunset groaned. “Yeah, that’s par for the course. Did you bring a flashlight?”

Twilight reached into her trench coat. Past the gun lay a deep pocket, from which she pulled a long, heavy flashlight. “I kinda figured your magic had us covered.”

“Well, if it gets any brighter than this it’ll start setting things on fire.” Sunset nodded at the dark mouth. “Kinda nice to have a backup if I get tired, you know?”

Twilight crept to the entrance. She set a foot inside, flicking her light on. The ceiling was low, so they both had to bend over to walk through. “Fair enough. I have spare batteries, too.”

Sunset flipped the collar of her coat down as she moved out of the rain. “You have anything else interesting in that trench coat of yours?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” Twilight said with dancing eyebrows. At Sunset’s muttered curse, she added, “Not too much. Just my pistol and a couple protein bars.”

Sunset eased past her, her flickering hand held high. “And a metric ton of notepads and pencils?”

“You know me too well…” Twilight closed her mouth as her voice echoed within the tunnel. “Do you hear that?”

“Hear what?”

Twilight doubled her pace, balancing herself with a hand on the rocky wall. “He’s not barking anymore.”

After a few near-slipups, they reached the end of the tunnel. It opened up into a house-sized cavern. High overhead, the stalactites shimmered in their light. Far below, a pool of water rippled outward.

Twilight Sparkle flashed her light around the room. There were no other entrances. “He’s gotta be in here.”

Sunset Shimmer clenched her hand tight. She let her fire die down and wiggled her fingers. “Twilight, douse your flashlight.”

“Douse it? What is this, the eighteen-hundreds?”

“Just trust me.” Sunset closed her eyes and took in a long, savoring breath. “Turn it off.”

Twilight took one last look around the cavern. She jumped at a dark shadow, which soon revealed itself to just be an odd rock formation. “As you command, ma’am.”

She clicked off her flashlight and nearly jumped out of her skin.

The water was glowing. Not the faint, vanishing maybe-glow of glow-in-the-dark toys. Not the odd shimmer of bioluminescent lichen or animals. It was bright light spewing forth from the heart of the pool like a dazzling, bright-blue spotlight. The cavern walls reflected a strange turquoise flicker in return.

Sunset Shimmer’s red and yellow hair turned purple and green in the light. She knelt beside the pool and dipped her hand in the ripples. “‘Where the brambles are thickest… there you will find a pond beyond the most twisted of vines. Into her own reflection she stared, yearning for one whose reflection she shared. And she solemnly sweared not to be scared…’”

She looked down into the water, at her own face mirrored in its depths. “‘At the prospect of being doubly mared.’”

Twilight Sparkle stood behind her, a hand on her hip. “What the heck’s all that supposed to mean?”

“It’s nothing. Just a silly nursery rhyme.” Sunset paddled her hand in the water before standing up. “I keep trying it any time I see a pool, just to see if it’s real or not. Call it a habit.”

“Smoking is a habit.” Twilight hugged herself. “This is… a little terrifying. Where’s the portal?”

Sunset gestured to the pool.

“You’re kidding.” Twilight scowled. “You’re kidding, right?”

Sunset shrugged, a small smirk on her face.

“You said you came through a mirror.” Twilight rubbed the back of her neck. “And the other side of the portal came out of a high school’s statue. My gosh, can’t these things ever stay consistent?”

“We should hurry.” Sunset got down on her hands and knees at the edge of the pool. “Spike probably already went through. Who knows what’s happening on the other side?”

Twilight Sparkle clasped her hands beside her mouth, extending her index fingers over her lips. “Yeah. Yeah, we should get him back.”

Sunset cupped water in her hands and let it dribble through her fingers. She looked up at Twilight. “Are you ready for this?”

Twilight knelt on one knee, propping her elbow on the other. She reached for Sunset’s hand, who took it with a smile.

“Alright,” Twilight Sparkle said. “I’m ready.”

The two of them fell over into the water.

***

Sunset Shimmer screamed as she fell through the spinning vortex of light.

Magic ran in torrents through her body. Her limbs prickled as she was forcibly molded from a human body to a pony. Her fingers disappeared first, followed by her toes. Her arms and legs shrunk while her spinal column realigned. It wasn’t painful, she was thankful to say, it was just excessively weird.

There was a pop, a tingle, and a flash as her horn appeared on her forehead. Sunset grinned, suppressing a squeal. That had been missed.

She exited the far side of the portal, setting her hooves on firm, rocky ground. She looked around the room, a domed cavern exactly mirroring the one they’d just left. She took a step forward and kicked a pebble across the floor. A smile crawled across her face as she lifted it with her magic. Another pebble lifted into the air. Then another. Then several others.

Her grin widened while her horn flickered and sparkled with energy. It flowed from her quickening heart to her limbs, eventually spouting from, her forehead. She directed the pebbles in a dance around her, flying around in an intricate dance. She kicked up her hooves and laughed aloud, giddy from having such a strong connection to her magic again.

“Where the heck are my fingers!”

Sunset Shimmer spun around. She beheld a small, thin unicorn mare cloaked in a long trench coat. The unicorn stared at her purple hooves. Her gaping, disbelieving mouth gathered air for harsher profanity.

“Twilight,” Sunset said. “Please calm down.” She couldn’t help it anymore. She burst into a series of light giggles. “We’re in Equestria! Oh my God, I can’t believe it!”

Her horn flashed with spiraling streaks of light. “I forgot how good this feels! Isn’t it amazing?”

“I have no fingers!” Twilight Sparkle tried to stand on her hind legs, but soon fell to all fours. “And I can’t stand! And my—” She looked to her rear. “I have a tail! What have you done to me?”

“I didn’t do anything.” Sunset completely forgot herself and pranced around the room. “It’s just something that naturally happens when we move between this world and ours! Isn’t it cool? Isn’t it awesome?”

“Are you high? I have no fingers!” Twilight screeched. “I can’t survive without my fingers!”

Sunset was about to reply, when she noticed an uncomfortable itch over her entire body. She looked down at her jacket and jeans. “Aha! That’s gotta go.”

Twilight Sparkle stared in mystified fury as Sunset Shimmer pulled off her pants. “Why in the name of everything everywhere are you stripping?”

“Duh. The fabric’s messing up my coat.” Sunset cast her clothes to the side in a bubble of magic. “It’s okay, Twilight. As humans we need clothes to be decent, but everything’s covered up when we’re ponies.”

“You’re naked! Nothing’s covered up!” Twilight blinked. She looked down at her own chest. “Sunset… Sunset, where are my breasts?”

Sunset blushed a bright red. “Urgh. Well—”

“Actually, don’t answer that.” Twilight tried to slap her forehead with an open hand, but clocked herself in the eye with her hoof instead. “Ow! You know what? I actually thought you were just a weirdo with a horse fetish. I had no stinking idea that you were actually a bug-eyed, nudist alien from the planet Crayola!”

The buzz in Sunset’s horn began to die down under Twilight’s onslaught. “It’s Equestria, actually.”

“The planet?”

“No, the country, but—”

“The country!” Twilight Sparkle smiled with a mad gleam in her eye. “Dare I say that makes you an… Equestrian?”

“Actually yes, but—”

Twilight tried to take a step forward and fell to her knees. “Is your entire world built on stupid puns, or is it relegated to you pony types?”

Sunset Shimmer squirmed. “The minotaur and cow homeland is called ‘Beefland…’”

Twilight’s glasses sat askew on her nose. “I changed my mind. That’s the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard.”

Sunset tapped her hooves together. “Does this mean you’re not taking off your clothes? You’d be a lot more comfortable without—”

“Aw, shut up.” Twilight reached up to flip her collar over her neck. Her blunt hooves were unable to grasp the fabric, naturally. She glared at the limbs. “This isn’t what I expected when you described a land of magic and dragons.”

“Sorry.” Sunset Shimmer rubbed her foreleg. “I kinda thought you knew. Or guessed. Or…” She shrugged. “Sorry.”

Twilight Sparkle sat on her rump with a sigh. She held her forelegs out. “Whatever. Help me up. It’s time to learn to walk.”

Instead of grasping her hooves, Sunset walked around to the back and nudged Twilight’s rump.

“Yipe!” Twilight hopped up. She wobbled a few feet forward. “Watch where you’re sticking your schnoz!”

Sunset Shimmer smirked. “Well, are you walking or aren’t you?”

Twilight looked down at her feet. She furrowed her brow and took a deliberate step. When she moved her rear legs, one got in the way of the other.

Sunset caught her in a flash of magic. “Easy. Don’t think about it so much. It’ll just come naturally.”

Twilight frowned. She spread her legs out and waddled.

Sunset coughed. “You’re walking like you’ve got a stick up your—”

“Shut up, Sunset.”

Sunset came alongside her friend. Twilight tottered like a foal, but was at least mostly mobile. A nudge here and there kept her on track.

“Please stop touching me when you’re naked,” Twilight said.

“It’s only weird if you make it weird.”

“I’m actually begging you to put your mom jeans back on.”

Sunset Shimmer rolled her eyes. “No. Just try and accept that this is the social norm around here.”

“Twenty-six years, Sunset,” Twilight growled. “Please accept that after living twenty-six years in a society with a nudity taboo, I think I’d like to remain dressed.”

“Your loss,” Sunset mumbled.

Twilight stopped with a little difficulty getting her hooves aligned. She glanced around the cave, examining the tunnel ahead with narrowed eyes. “Do you know where we are?”

“I might when we reach the outside.” The tip of Sunset’s horn blinked. “I can pick up a faint something, but I’m not sure if it’s another pony, or a creature, or what.”

Twilight pressed her lips tight. “Is it Spike?”

“How the hay should I know?”

“Because of the two of us,” Twilight said, “you’re the one who’s a magical unicorn wizard.”

Sunset smiled. “It sounds silly when you say it like that.”

“Imagine that.”

Sunset nodded at the passageway. “Only way to find out is to take a look.”

Twilight looked at the darkened hallway. She leaned against her friend and swallowed hard. “Yeah. To boldly go where no human has gone before.”

Sunset nudged her forth. “Now who’s quoting movies?”

“It’s a TV series.” Twilight locked her eyes on the ground between her hooves. “Totally different.”

Sunset felt the presence get closer. Somebody else was using magic nearby, but she was too out of practice to say exactly what sort. “While you’re down there, keep an eye out for signs of Adagio. She had to have come this way.”

“Recently, too. The murder was this morning.” Twilight lifted a hoof to point, and almost rolled head first into the ground. She was stopped by Sunset’s foreleg. “Thanks. There, on the ground. A footprint.”

Sunset bent low. In the dust of the cavern, the faint imprint of a hoof could be made out. “How did you even see that?”

“It’s my job.” Twilight pushed her glasses up to her forehead and squinted. “Made not too long ago, by my count. It probably belongs to our pony.”

Sunset lit her horn, illuminating the dim tunnel. More hoofprints appeared as the light grew brighter. “Some of these are scuffed. Was she in a hurry?”

“She could have b—” Twilight Sparkle choked on her next words. She sat on her rump and gestured at the wall.

Sunset looked up. Deep furrows ran through the rock in patterns of four. Cracks spider-webbed around a deep indent, the sign of a heavy impact. She took a hesitant step closer.

“Claw marks?” Twilight Sparkle shook her head. “What could be strong enough to make claw marks in solid stone?”

Sunset Shimmer gulped. “A drago—”

“Spike!” Twilight toddled down the tunnel. “Spike! Here boy!”

“Twilight!” Sunset hissed. She hopped up to her friend and clamped a hoof over her mouth. “He’ll hear you!”

“That’s the idea—” Twilight Sparkle’s eyes popped. “Oh crap. You were right, weren’t you?”

“I usually am.” Sunset bounced on the tips of her hooves, her lips pulled back in a grimace. “Oog. We need to go after them.”

Twilight gritted her teeth. “And then what?”

“And then hope Spike didn’t just eat our suspect!” Sunset galloped down the corridor, leaving Twilight hobbling in her wake.

“Wait!” Twilight stomped a hoof. “Dang it, Sunset!”

Sunset Shimmer skidded to a stop. She blew a loud breath through her lips and flicked her horn, encasing Twilight in a magical grasp. “As undignified as it is…”

She draped Twilight Sparkle across her back. “Desperate times call for stupid measures. Now hang on tight!”

Twilight wrapped her forelegs around Sunset’s shoulders. “You are really naked, you know that?”

“Get over it,” Sunset hollered, gasping for breath, “and keep a look out!”

The tunnel twisted and turned, leading them upwards and outwards. Cool air blew past them, guiding them to the exit of the cave network. A roar echoed in their ears, sending chills down their spines.

“That sounds suitably dragon-esque,” Twilight whimpered.

Sunset merely charged on, her chest burning from the exertion.

Faint light appeared ahead of them.

“The exit!” Twilight yelped. “Go, go, go!”

“I’m going!” Sunset said, her voice hoarse. “Pipe down, you freeloader!”

They passed the cave mouth and found themselves on a rocky ledge. A very brief, very sheer rocky ledge. Sunset reared up to keep herself from going over. The weight of Twilight on her back dragged her backwards and sent them both tumbling to the ground.

Looking up, they saw a starry sky, a brilliant silvery moon, and two large, green eyes.

Twilight screamed. She rolled to her hooves and bolted on instinct. She ran smack-dab into a wall of purple scales. Though dazed, she tried another direction, only to trip over a long, snaking tail. She tottered on the edge of the cliff, looking at the valley hundreds of feet below. She let out one final yell before she went over the edge. “No!”

A massive, scaly hand snatched her out of the air.

Sunset watched as the dragon lifted his arm to his face. She kept her horn charged with magic, but she had no idea what to do. She’d never dealt with dragons before. She’d rarely even seen one in her whole life, let alone one this unspeakably big. He was as tall as a two-story building, verging on a third. His tail was thick, but tapered to a point about a bus-length down. His claws could crush cars and his mouth could bite aged trees in half. His eyes glinted in the dark, lit from within by dragonfire.

He pressed its nose against Twilight’s side and sniffed deep. She whimpered and curled up into a ball.

“You smell like Twilight,” the dragon said.

Twilight opened her eyes and Sunset opened her mouth.

“Uh…” Twilight cleared her throat. “I do?”

“Yeah. And you sound like Twilight, too.” The shimmering emerald eyes blinked. “But you don’t look like Twilight.”

Sunset Shimmer shook as she addressed the dragon. “What… what does Twilight look like?”

The dragon lifted his free hand above his head. “She’s tall! Huge! She’s got glasses…” He narrowed his eyes at the little purple unicorn. “Just like those. And her eyes sparkle when she’s happy and she laughs and gives me treats… And…”

The dragon paused. He shut his eyes tight, wrinkling his nose. “And she’s always there when I really need her.”

Twilight Sparkle reached a hoof over to touch the dragon’s thumb. “Spike?”

The dragon gasped. He looked down at his body, then at the little pony in his gentle grip. “You really are Twilight, aren’t you?”

He sniffed the air, bringing his head close to Sunset. “And I know you, too. You’re Sunset! You belong to the little boy!”

“That’s one way of putting it,” Sunset mumbled.

“And… his name is Sunny. And the really pretty lady is Rarity! And the lady on television is Rainbow Dash! Hey!” Spike gave them a toothy grin. “Hey! I can say all your names! I… I can say my name!”

A blank expression overtook his happy one. He stared off into space, his eyebrows low. “I can talk. When did I learn how to talk?”

Twilight could only babble. “Ah… guh…”

“Spike,” Sunset Shimmer said, “we all just went through a portal into another world. We all changed, but it’s clear that yours was the most dramatic.”

“You can say that again,” Spike chuckled. He swished his tail around behind him. “When I first jumped into that lake, I felt really tingly. But nothing happened until after I jumped out. Then I started growing, and my bark got louder, and fire started coming out of my mouth! How cool is that?”

Sunset nodded. “You might not want to do that around people.”

“Yeah! Because fire’s hot and hot stuff can hurt!” Spike itched his chin. He looked down at his hand. “Ooh! I can really scratch myself with these babies!”

Sunset Shimmer bit down hard on her tongue. “Ahuh. You do that. So, was anybody else there when you jumped out of the pool?”

Spike’s head bobbed. “Yep! There was this really weird lady who was yelling at me, but I don’t know what she said. When I started growing and breathing fire, she screamed and ran away.” A faint dark tinge touched his cheeks. “I thought she was playing a game, so I chased after her. I don’t think she really liked it. I’m sorry.”

He pointed down the mountain, at the forest below. “She left that way. It was a long time ago, I think. I didn’t really know what else to do, so I was napping.”

Sunset lay down and let her hooves hang over the edge. “A long time ago, huh? Did she leave anything behind?”

Spike frowned. “Yeah. She dropped her bags a couple of times. A couple of little rocks fell out. They’re probably still in the tunnels.” He tilted his head to the side. “What do you need them for?”

Sunset walked to the cave entrance, her horn lighted for a thorough search. She thought hard before answering Spike. “They might help us find her. She hurt somebody really bad, and we’re gonna make sure she won’t hurt anybody else.”

The scales around Spike’s eyes shifted as he frowned. “I’m helping.”

Sunset looked up at him. “What?”

“I’m helping you. I’m not gonna let anybody hurt you guys. Not you, not Twilight, not Sunny, not anybody.” He snapped his fingers. “I know! I can guard the entrance while you guys search! I’m a good guard dog.”

Sunset pressed her lips tight. She didn’t really know how to answer that one.

Twilight Sparkle’s head popped up from behind Spike’s thumb. She giggled distractedly, her eyes glazed. “Sunset?”

“Yeah, Twilight?”

Twilight grinned. “My dog is talking to us.” With that, her eyes rolled back in her head, and she flopped over unconscious.

Spike’s brow wrinkled in concern, before his smile returned in full force. “Look, Sunset! Twilight learned to play dead!”

Sunset Shimmer slowly, firmly rubbed her aching temples. “Put her down gently, Spike. She fainted.”

Spike’s thin ears flopped down. “Is she hurt?”

“She’ll be fine.” Sunset took a step back to give the dragon room as he set the purple unicorn down. “She just needs some rest.”

Spike crouched before his friend. His eyes flicked between Twilight and Sunset. “Is there anything I can do to help her?”

“Watch over her.” Sunset trotted into the caverns. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

Sunset slowed her pace to a cautious walk. The Equestrian side of the cave was larger than back in the mirror world. There were far more rooms, and they were much more spacious. She followed the claw marks to keep track of the correct route, only moving off the path when a stray hoof-mark caught her attention.

There! A thread of fabric, snagged on a stalagmite. She lit her horn and lifted the stitch on a current of magic. She searched her memory and soon came up with a spell that could deduce the composition.

After a moment, she realized she didn’t really remember how the spell went. She groaned and continued looking.

The next clue was a pony-sized mark in the dust where somepony had fallen over. Scattered rocks and pebbles lay around the outline. Most were the normal dull gray and brown she could find on any mountainside, but two in particular stood out.

The first was a tiny, translucent blue fragment. A little green was added into the shade, making it closer to cyan; the same color as the bright light in the portal. A quick once-over with her telekinetic touch revealed pathways etched into the stone, where magic could flow around and through the material. It was enchanted to carry magic currents to some sort of activation or ignition device.

“Did she want to take a piece of the portal with her?” Sunset muttered. She rotated the chipped fragment in front of her face, examining it from every angle. “Is it from this side or the other side?”

She floated it along beside her, next to the thread. The second stone caught her eye and sent a sharp prickle down her back.

It was a shattered, red gemstone fragment.

It had etching similar to the portal stone, but was made for a much different purpose. It channeled negative energy into the user, adding to their power. It could modulate the wearer’s voice to be hypnotic on a level far above mere suggestion. In its prime, it could give its owner access to magic utterly unknown to most scholars. Unknown and alien. Mysterious and dangerous.

It had been shattered by the Elements of Harmony ten years before. It had lost its power. What was Adagio carrying the pieces around for?

Sunset wasn’t sure she wanted to know the answer.

***

Twilight Sparkle’s eyes popped open as she came awake. “Huh? What happened?”

Spike’s razor-sharp teeth came into view. “Hi, Twilight! You’re awake!”

Twilight moaned. She tried to sit up before she realized her muscles probably weren’t built for that anymore. She rolled onto her belly and rested her chin in the dirt. “Hi, Spike.”

Spike flicked his tail back and forth. There wasn’t enough room to lie down on the ledge, so he leaned against the mountainside. “Why are you sad?”

“Huh?” Twilight’s head came up. “I’m not sad.”

“Yeah, you are.” He brought a finger to his cheek and pulled his eyelid down. “You’ve got your mopey face on.”

Twilight sighed. “Am I that easy to read?”

“I can tell what you’re feeling. Some of the time, anyway.” Spike crushed a stone between his fingertips. “You get this pouty lip thing when you get angry. You tap your fingers when you get excited. And when Big McIntosh comes over, you smell really, really weird. Like a flower, but times a bajillion.”

Twilight’s cheeks grew warm. She snickered. “That would be the lavender perfume, I guess.”

Spike stuck his tongue out of the side of his mouth. “When you’re frustrated, your back gets all tense. Like now.”

Twilight rolled her eyes and huffed. “Yeah, well… I’ve been looking forward to this day for years. I didn’t think it would be like this. It’s a little… confusing and disappointing and amazing all at the same time.” She clomped her hooves together. “I don’t know how I feel.”

“Choose excited!” Spike’s tail wagged, knocking boulders down the side of the cliff. “Excited is a good choice! Being excited feels great!”

Twilight scoffed. “I can’t just choose how I feel.”

“But you can try, right?” Spike sat on his haunches and propped himself up on his front claws. “You’re Twilight Sparkle! You can do anything if you try hard enough!”

“Yeah?” Twilight looked up at the unfamiliar stars. “Anything I can imagine…”

Spike lifted his head. He sniffed hard, a frown overtaking his face. “Huh? You smell that?”

“No?” Twilight stood up on shaky legs. “Not really.”

Spike scratched deep furrows into the stone. He sucked in a deep breath through his sensitive nostrils “It’s just plain weird. It smells like—”

His eyes widened. “You.”

The flutter of wings and the melody of twinkling magic caught their ears. They looked up saw a winged pony fluttering down from the sky. Her coat was a bright shade of purple, her mane a bit darker. Her eyes sparkled as she looked down at them, as if they carried silent laughter. She smiled and waved a forehoof.

Twilight and Spike waved back.

The new pony settled down next to Twilight and bent a knee in a shallow curtsey. A quick flash of her horn adjusted the blue scarf around her neck. She took a sheet of paper out of her saddlebags alongside a feather pen. She scribbled a quick message before handing it to Twilight. She smiled and waited quietly for Twilight to read the message.

Twilight gaped at the sheet of paper. She read it over and over again, but she never quite brought herself to believe it.

Hi! You must be Sunset’s friends. I’m Princess Twilight Sparkle, and I’m here to help you track down Adagio.

It’s nice to meet you! I’m sure we’ll be great friends!

Author's Note

Snarky Twilight is best Twilight.

Plenty of Time

Twilight Sparkle stared at the pony claiming to be Princess Twilight Sparkle. Her first instinct was to think that she was looking at some bozo artist’s caricature. The hair covering her entire body was new, as was the horn, but she could still see herself. As she continued to look, however, details started jumping out at her. The pony’s mane was meticulously groomed, not a hair out of place, while Twilight usually settled with a quick hairclip. The pony was taller than Twilight by almost a head, and not nearly as thin.

And where were the glasses? Maybe in this world she wore contact lenses, nasty little vermin that they were.

She heard the rocks shift to the left. Spike’s purple claw scraped the ledge beside her. “What’s the note say, Twilight?”

The princess’ eyes widened and her mouth popped open. She shifted her attention between Twilight and Spike, bobbing between the two. She took the page back to scribble a new note. Twilight Sparkle, I presume?

“Yeah, that’s me.” Twilight cleared her throat. She cleared it again. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Yes. It is nice to meet you, too. The princess tightened the scarf around her neck. She plastered a grin to her face. How’s life on the other— She paused mid-message. She scratched it off and started over. Do you like being a human— She scratched it off once more. Where is Sunset?

“What’s the note say?” Spike said, his head leaning close. “Why is she scratching it off?”

Twilight Sparkle skewed her muzzle to the side. “I half expected you to be literate.”

Spike shrugged. “I can’t see the note. It’s too tiny.”

The princess lifted an eyebrow. Who’s your friend?

“This is…” Twilight waved a hoof, her ears drooping. “My dog, Spike.”

The princess shook with silent laughter. She glanced up at Spike and shook harder. She let out a hissing breath and wiped her eye. Tell him I said ‘hi.’

“Spike…” Twilight chewed on her lower lip. “Princess Twilight Sparkle says hi.”

“Prin—” Spike scratched behind his ear. “Huh.”

“Yeah.” Twilight and the princess nodded. “Yeah.”

The princess ran a hoof over her already meticulously, mathematically straight mane. Soooo… Where is Sunset Shimmer?

“She’s in the caves, looking for clues.” Twilight rolled her eyes. “I fainted and I can’t walk yet, so I guess I’m just gonna sit here with my dog.”

Spike smiled. “I’m a good boy.”

The princess looked from the full-grown dragon wagging his tail to her mirror image. Okay. I’ll go in and say hello. You guys—she paused, her pen in the air—sit tight.

“Yes, Your Highness,” Twilight muttered, a small smirk on her mouth. “Are you as weirded out with this as I am?”

Princess Twilight clamped her mouth shut against a sudden soundless giggle. Oh yeah. I’m sure we can work through it, though.

Twilight scootched herself to the side to let the princess into the cave mouth. “If you say so.”

Before the princes disappeared into the depths of the cavern, Twilight piped up, “Hey, what’s up with your voice? Got a bad cold or something?”

Princess Twilight Sparkle halted mid-step. Her body sunk in a deep sigh. She floated a sheet of paper over to Twilight and continued on her journey.

Twilight Sparkle tried to grasp the page in her hooves and only succeeded in bunching it up. She settled for spreading it across the ledge.

I’ll tell you later. Being a princess isn’t always all it’s cracked up to be.

“That bodes well,” Twilight said.

“Is she sick?” Spike asked. “Does she need to see the vet? Er… Doctor?”

“She didn’t say.” Twilight Sparkle rested on her rump and almost tipped over. Her legs wheeled in the air until she could right herself. “Son of a—”

“Language, Twi.”

“Whatever, Spike.” Twilight shook her head and looked out over the moonlit valley. She brought a hoof to her temple. “My dog is telling me not to swear. What a world.”

***

Sunset Shimmer found herself back beside the pool. She walked slowly around the edge, examining the magic-etched stone beneath the surface. She carried the chip at her side in a current of magic. She stopped and held it up to what looked like a crack in the otherwise shining surface. She drew the shard close. It fit perfectly, but it was only a small part of a larger missing chunk.

So Adagio had taken it from this side. At the least, she’d taken one chunk from this side. She still had most of it, unless Sunset had missed it while combing over the corridors.

She blew a lock of hair out of her face. This was something Twilight should be doing... as soon as she could walk faster than a toddler. “I should probably teach her a couple of spell, too. It’s why she wanted to come, after all.”

Her orange ears swiveled towards a buzzing sound from across the cave. She looked up and noted that it was coming from the pile of her clothes. She tossed her mane with a laugh. “Right. The book. Here I was, gonna leave it behind.”

A quick trot over a flashing horn later, the book hovered in front of Sunset’s face, sparkling and shimmying. Her eyes widened when she read the message. Talking to yourself is the first sign of insanity.

Sunset rolled her eyes as she turned around. “You know, Twilight, most friends would just say ‘hello.’”

A silent flap of Princess Twilight’s wings brought her soaring into the cavern. She grinned at Sunset and hefted her copy of the diary. What say we skip the pleasantries and go right to the tearful reunion?

Sunset wrapped a foreleg around her neck when she landed. The princess did the same. Sunset brushed her cheek against Princess Twilight’s. “Tracked us down with the diaries once again, huh?”

As usual, you’re a hard mare to find. The princess pulled away and surveyed the room with narrowed eyes. Geeze. This has been here forever and nopony knows about it.

“Not nopony.” Sunset caught her double negative the moment it left her mouth. She lifted her fragment of the sirens’ gemstones. “I mean, I wouldn’t say that. Sonata said Aria had been using it for years, and who knows who she told. And now there’s the problem of Adagio.”

Princess Twilight Sparkle took the fragment and let her magic run through the etched pathways. Do you trust Sonata to tell the truth?

“Well—” Sunset sucked in a shallow breath. “She seemed really broken up about this whole thing. She was sobbing pretty desperately in my arms.”

Uhuh. The princess gave the crimson shard one last once-over before stuffing it into her saddlebags. I trust you, Sunset, but I’m not sure I trust her.

“There’s something else.” Sunset showed her the chip from the portal. “We think Adagio was here pretty recently. At the very least, Spike saw somepony in here who just so happened to be carting off a bit of crystal. And since the necklace shard was right next to it…”

The princess rubbed her chin. What time did you say the murder took place?

“Sometime this morning. Real early.”

Princess Twilight’s wings twitched. She spread them out and angled the feathers. Seems weird she would murder somepony, race to Equestria, and then just wait around in the cave until a dragon jumped out.

Sunset Shimmer shifted her weight from one hoof to the next. “She might have been planning to stay here for a while.”

We’ll have to ask her when we track her down. For now, let’s head back to my place. Princess Twilight snorted. And try to get my evil twin acclimated.

Sunset stared at that note for a moment before diplomatically tearing it into little tiny pieces. “‘Evil’ is going a bit far…”

Well, of course. Princess Twilight walked alongside Sunset, lighting the cave with an illuminating spell. I’ve just read enough books to know we’re about three chapters away from the part where she shoves me off a cliff and takes my crown for her own.

Sunset glanced at the princess’ wings. “Yeah. No way of getting out of that predicament.”

She slid the portal fragment into Princess Twilight’s saddlebags. “What’s your grand plan to track down the suspect? An all-city-state bulletin? Nationwide marehunt? Trekking around train stations with a picture and saying ‘have you seen this fish-pony?’”

Those were all possibilities, Princess Twilight wrote, but after seeing the gemstone shards, I got a better idea. I’m gonna need my evil twin’s help to put it together, but I’m certain it’ll work.

“Oooh,” Sunset chuckled. “You wanna see how her magic scanner thingamado works.”

Princess Twilight nudged her shoulder with a wingtip. Guilty as charged, but don’t tell me it wouldn’t work.

“It actually just might.” Sunset carefully stepped over a hoofprint in the dust. “Unless the scanner gets muddled by all the magic around here. We don’t have much of the stuff in the other world, you know. We might have only broken through because of that.”

Interesting hypothesis. Perhaps it deserves a test?

They walked into the cool spring night. Twilight stood on four shaky feet, her tail flicking behind her. “So, what’s the plan? We’re going after the pain in the butt, right?”

“Not much chance of finding her in the dark like this,” Sunset said. “Twilight wants to head to her castle and rig up a magic sensor. We’ll be able to pinpoint her location. Hopefully.”

Twilight tilted her head. She leaned against Spike’s foot for support. “You don’t have magic sensors? Pardon my inquiry as to why the heck not.”

Princess Twilight lidded her eyes. She levitated a scrap of paper to her double. I haven’t spent half my life just trying to prove magic exists.

“Touché.” Twilight hobbled closer. “But you can’t just tell me you have nothing like what we need.”

The princess nodded. I have a sort of sensor, sure, but it doesn’t have nearly the range we’d need. That’s where you come in.

Twilight sucked on her teeth. “I’ll need to see your equipment before I can tell you what we need.”

Fair enough. The princess let out a sharp whistle. She pointed a wing at the treetops below. I’ve got a chariot that can carry you guys to Ponyville. Spike’ll have to fly.

Sunset Shimmer glanced at the former dog. Her eyebrows shot up. “How?”

The princess looked over her shoulder. He’s a dragon, right? Full-grown? Kinda figured dragons flew.

“But he’s got…” Sunset gestured to Spike’s back. “He’s got no wings.”

“What about my wings?” Spike’s tail stopped wagging. He lifted his arm and craned his neck around to see his back. “Am I supposed to have wings?”

Princess Twilight was writing when Spike spoke up. Her pen tore straight through the page. She sputtered, her muzzle scrunched up and her eyes glaring. She looked from Twilight to Sunset, her hoof stretched outward. How can he not have wings? Where the heck are his wings?

“No need to throw a hissy-fit over it,” Twilight said, crossing her forelegs. “Maybe not all dragons have wings.”

Without all four hooves to balance her, she fell flat on her chin. She ground her teeth together. “Oh, that sinks it…”

Sunset Shimmer felt a jolt run down her spine. She had seen this before. She knew what came next. On instinct, she cast a cone of silence around Twilight Sparkle’s head, which shimmered a bright blue.

Twilight Sparkle screamed into the night, her voice muffled by the spell. Swear words of every type, flavor, and level of obscenity exploded from her mouth. She stomped her hooves and danced around, blasting everything in sight with every conceivable curse, and some she made up herself. To the nearby listeners, it was just a low murmur.

Princess Twilight watched with a cocked brow. When I get that mad, I usually just burst into flames. What’s she saying?

Sunset grimaced. “Trust me when I say you don’t wanna know.”

Spike tapped his clawtips together. “Is she gonna be okay? She’s saying those things she said when she fell down the stairs a month ago.”

“She just needs to let off a little steam, Spike.” Sunset felt a tickle at her side. She looked back to see a sheet of paper bumping against her flank.

Hay, Sunset, it said.

Sunset Shimmer frowned at Princess Twilight, whose smirk showed some teeth. “What?”

Another paper fluttered over. Horseapples.

Sunset Shimmer heaved a sigh. “Twilight, you know I don’t appreciate obscene—”

Pony feathers

“Cut it out.”

Flying feather.

“Twilight, would you st—”

Rut.

Sunset’s orange face glowed bright red. “Twilight!”

Rut rut rut rut rutting rut rut rut rut rut rut rutting rut rut.

Sunset wrapped her magic around the note and burned it to a crisp. While she was distracted, the spell around Twilight’s head faded.

“—and spoon-feed it to you!” Twilight’s chest heaved. She reached up to adjust her hairclip, but settled for awkwardly bumping her hair into place.

Princess Twilight clutched her belly, her smile wide, as she rocked with gale-force laughter. She wiped her eyes and scribbled a quick note. Shining Armor was right, I do look ridiculous when I’m angry. She gave Sunset a smarmy grin. But not as cute as you look when you’re embarrassed.

Sunset laid her ears back on her head. “Yeah, I’m stinking adorable.”

The clatter of reigns and the flap of wings caught their ears. They all scrambled back from the ledge as a sky chariot, pulled by two royal guards, came in for a landing. They cast nervous glances at Spike, which were replaced with puzzlement when the dragon smiled and waved.

One of the guards, a bat pony, saluted. “Your Highness, we’re ready to take you and your guests back to Ponyville on your mark.”

Thank you, Captain Skyhook. Princess Twilight gritted her teeth and gave a single flap of her wings. We might have a problem. There’s no way to fit Spike into that, is there?

The other guard, a pegasus, furrowed his brow. “Sorry, Your Majesty, but I thought Spike was staying at the library.”

Not that Spike, this one. Princess Twilight pointed to the massive dragon behind her.

“Oh,” Skyhook said. “That could be a problem.”

Spike rubbed his knees, his tail waving slowly across the rocks. “I’m starting to get really uncomfortable with all this note passing. Especially when they’re about me. Can somebody please tell me what you’re talking about?”

Princess Twilight’s ears drooped. She sucked in her lips and turned to Sunset with hopeful eyes.

“Spike…” Sunset turned to the former dog. “Well, it’s just that we can’t carry you in a chariot, but we’re not sure how else to get you to Ponyville.”

Spike’s eyes lit up. “We could go for a walk. I like walks. I get to smell so many cool things!”

Twilight wobbled until she stood beside the princess. “Are we within walking distance?”

“In a sense,” Skyhook said. “But even at a dragon’s pace, it would take all night.”

Twilight shook her head. She almost tipped over before Princess Twilight caught her with a wing. “Then we’ll walk. I’m not leaving Spike behind.”

Sunset propped her cheek against her hoof. “Shame. It’s been a long time since I rode in a royal chariot.”

“You could ride me!” Spike lowered himself to all fours. “My back is huge! There’s space for at least five of you up here!”

The pegasus guard smiled. “Much as we appreciate the offer, I think we should stay airborne to lead the way.”

“Just what I was thinking, Windblown.” Skyhook bowed his head to the princess. “By your leave.”

Princess Twilight nodded, and they took to the sky. She watched them go before turning to Spike with a wry smile.

Twilight Sparkle sat beside the dragon and reached her hooves into the air. “Okay, how do I get up there? You got a ladder or something?”

Lavender sparks surrounded her body. She yelped as she was lifted into the air by magical forces. She looked down to see the princess grinning at her with a glowing horn.

“Stupid asks a question,” Twilight murmured, “Stupid gets an answer.”

The princess gave Sunset a boost, then followed up on her wings. Spike gripped the rocky face of the mountain tight with his claws and made his way ponderously to the ground below. Skyhook and Windblown kept close, the light from the golden chariot beckoning the dragon forward.

Twilight Sparkle absently ran her hoof across Spike’s scales. “Thank you, Spike. Good boy.”

Spike beamed.

Sunset Shimmer sat beside Princess Twilight, who watched her double with keen interest. The princess wrote hastily into a notepad, and just as hastily erased a large chunk. Instead of interrupting her to ask what she was writing, Sunset glanced at the text itself.

I had a run-in with the politically disinclined.Last year, my claim to princesshood was contested.Some jerk decided to If you wanted to eavesdrop, you could have at least been subtle about it.

Sunset Shimmer’s eyes rescanned the last sentence. She jerked her head back and turned away. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to.”

Princess Twilight shrugged. I’m writing a first draft. I’m trying to think up a softer way to say “Your mirror-universe double almost got assassinated last year,” but it’s not exactly coming easy.

“I say be blunt.” Sunset bumped her shoulder against the princess’. “She’s the same as you in that regard. I mean, do you think you’re gonna be able to top the royal freak-out she had just a moment ago?”

“I can hear you,” Twilight called back.

“Then quit eavesdropping and get over here!” Sunset said. At Princess Twilight’s lidded look, she replied, “I wear my hypocrisy on my sleeves.”

“You’re not wearing sleeves. Or anything. In case you forgot. Nudist.” Twilight lurched the final few steps across Spike’s back and plopped down before the other two ponies. “What was I eavesdropping?”

Sunset pointed her horn. “Twilight here has something to tell you. About why she can’t talk.”

“Oh good. Another mystery solved.” Twilight pushed herself into a precarious seated position. “What’s up? Cat got your tongue?”

Princess Twilight blew a breath through her lips. She pulled the scarf from her neck.

Twilight Sparkle shuffled back a few scales. On her double’s neck, right in the middle of her throat, was a long, white, hairless scar. “Holy—”

“Twilight!” Sunset snapped.

“Mackerel.” Twilight winced, unable to tear her eyes away. “Um. H-how’d you get that?”

An assassin attacked me last year. It didn’t exactly go well… Princess Twilight’s pen trailed off. She flicked her horn to wrap her blue scarf around her neck. Point is, her blade wrecked my vocal cords. It could have been worse.

Spike glanced back. “What’s she say about not being able to talk?”

“Ugh—” Twilight’s hoof subconsciously went to her throat. “A r-really bad lady tried to kill her.”

“Where?” Spike snarled. The three ponies were treated to the sight of a full-grown dragon with glowing eyes and smoking nostrils growling at them. “Where is she? I’ll stop her! I won’t let her hurt you guys!”

“Spike, easy!” Sunset waved her hooves. “This was a long time ago! The assassin’s already taken care of!” She gritted her teeth. “Right?”

Yeah, it’s taken care of. We’ve got enough to worry about as it is. Princess Twilight gave them a decidedly false smile. Just bear with me, okay?

Twilight bumped a hoof against her glasses, knocking them even more askew than they already were. “Yeah, sure.”

Princess Twilight hissed a laugh. First things first, we need to teach you a little something about magic.

***

Twilight Sparkle’s heart thrummed in her chest. Jolts ran through her entire body; a tingling, tangible feeling of something. It was electricity and fire and light all rolled into one sensation. A bead of sweat rolled out from behind her bangs.

“Okay, looks like your heart-rate’s good.” Sunset Shimmer examined her with horn alight. “Do you feel the magic?”

“O-oh y-yeah,” Twilight muttered, her eyes wide.

“Yeah, I can tell.” Sunset closed her eyes and took a steadying breath in. “That initial boost gets easier if your body’s fit.”

“What are you implying?”

“That you’re one skinny unicorn.” Sunset frowned. “Would it kill you to put on some muscle weight?”

Twilight closed her eyes and wrinkled her snout. “It might kill you.”

“Never mind, then.” Sunset took another breath before continuing her instruction. “Now see if you can funnel all that energy into one place. Your horn. Right there on your forehead.”

Twilight stuck her tongue out of the side of her mouth. She could feel the magic crawling its way upward, through the pathways Sunset had called “fairy strings:” Little veins that carried power, rather than blood or nerve signals. They sprawled throughout her head and spiraled up her horn. The tip of the bony protrusion flashed.

“That’s it!” Sunset said. “Feel the life coursing through your fairy strings. Let it rise to the tip. Direct it steadily, certainly. You are in complete control.”

Twilight crossed her eyes to stare at the sparking horn. “Is this the part where I can do anything I can imagine?”

Sunset snickered. “Not especially. You need to learn how to do it first.”

“Verily, magic doth spew forth.” Twilight twitched when the princess wiped the bead of sweat away. “Direct me to where it should go.”

Princess Twilight passed a note to Sunset. Sunset gave her an exasperated sigh. “She says to tell you that wizards don’t talk like that.”

“I’m not a wizard.” Twilight let out a weak chuckle. “Seriously, what’s the secret to this magic thing?”

Sunset Shimmer sat with her back straight and her shoulders square. The perfect teacher’s pose. “Magic is one part emotion—”

“I’m feeling pretty stressed, thanks for asking.”

“—one part mathematics—”

“Hey, I actually like where this is going.”

“—and one part crochet.”

Twilight Sparkle’s shoulders drooped. “You wanna run that by me again?”

“It’s a metaphor.” Sunset let a spark drift off of her lit horn. It dangled in the air, guided by her directions. “The emotions form the core of your magic. They’re the most basic part… the intention of the spell. They’ll control the power behind it. The magnitude. The force.”

The spark trailed a phantom line behind it, like a tangible afterimage. Twilight reached up to touch it, but Sunset slapped her hoof away. “Stop it. I’m writing.”

She drew out a set of numbers. “Mathematics comes in as a way to combine individual effects. A spell to levitate something has a basic formula: You need to know how to lift and how to push.” She drew out two symbols with a plus sign between them. “Put together, you’ve got a way to move objects without using blunt hooves.”

Twilight grinned. “Be still, my beating heart.”

“More complex spells naturally require more complex equations.” Sunset Shimmer wrote out an equation with multiplication, division, and various other mathematic processes, all using symbols Twilight was unfamiliar with. “Teleportation requires so much thought and foresight that only the most proficient unicorns even attempt it.”

“Like you?”

“You’re darn right.” Sunset Shimmer whisked the light away and started over. “The crochet part is mostly a joke they tell to first-year students. But it’s still important to understand how the spells weave together.”

She drew a straight line in the air. She followed up with a loop, a zigzag, and a square, which all overlapped and intersected. “It’s not enough to simply know what elements to a spell to use, or what proportion they have to each other, or even what the final numbers add up to. Each equation, each process, has its own way to connect the different elements. You could have the right push and lift for telekinesis, but if you connect them wrong, you could end up crushing the object instead of moving it. If you put enough force into it, that is.”

Sunset coughed. “Believe me when I say you’d have to be using a heck of a lot of force, so don’t be worried. Too much.”

“Okay.” Twilight shuffled her hooves. “Okay. It’s weird, but all new things are. How to I know how to… ‘push’?”

Sunset took Princess Twilight’s pen and set it in front of Twilight. “First, reach out and touch the pen. Just let magic fly from your horn, towards the object.”

Twilight lowered her eyebrows. She stared hard at the pen. She resisted the urge to stretch her hoof out, because only Sunset would get that reference. She pushed more magic to her horn, right up until it overflowed. A lavender glow, identical to that of the princess’, flared out from her head and shot towards the pen.

The pen jumped up and bopped Sunset on the nose. She wrinkled her snout. “Let’s try that again. Don’t push magic through your horn, just let it flow.”

Twilight gave her the most sheepish smirk she had, but was already focused on the pen. She let the magic flow at a gentler pace this time. It slid out of the tip of her horn and drifted to the pen. Soon, the entire object was encased in a purple bubble.

“Now, like a fishing line,” Sunset said, “lift!”

The pen rose into the air. It hovered in place, right before Twilight’s face. Her jaw dropped. A slow, disbelieving smile pulled at her mouth. “I’m doing it.”

She clapped her hooves together. “I’m doing it! I’m doing magic! I can’t believe it! It’s real magic! Real! One-hundred-percent, bonafide, amazing, awesome magic! Woo-hoo!”

The pen plopped onto Spike’s scales as Twilight danced around. “Magic! Magic! Magic!”

Sunset turned to the princess. “Were you like that when you first picked something up?”

Princess Twilight winked.

Spike craned his neck around, his sharp teeth flashing in the light of Twilight’s horn. “You really did it?”

“I really did it!” Twilight leaped up and wrapped her forelegs as far around Spike’s neck as she could reach. “I’m really doing magic! It’s amazing!”

“It’s incredible!” Spike laughed.

“It’s astounding!”

“It’s fantastic!”

“It’s indescribable!”

“It’s…” Spike floundered for an adjective. “Pretty cool!”

Twilight all but galloped back to Sunset. “I take back everything I said earlier! What’s next? What more is there to learn? Can I move it around? Can I change its color?” She placed her hooves on her friend’s shoulders. “Teach to me your secrets, my master.”

Princess Twilight held up a sheet of paper in her magic. Sunset Shimmer nodded. “Sure, there’s one other thing we can teach you tonight.”

She lifted the pen and scribbled across the page. “For young unicorns, the first real test of telekinetic skill is to be able to write their own name. Life is much easier once you can do that.”

Sunset took a step back and surveyed her perfect penmanship. “What do you think?”

Twilight came close on legs that had gotten noticeably steadier in the last few minutes. She read the note Sunset had left: I am Sunset Shimmer. She bared her teeth and flicked her tail. “Bring it on.”

The pen flew across the page, trailing ink. Like an artist at their easel, she struck with passion and precision. Sweat beaded on the tip of her nose. Her eyes narrowed in concentration.

When she had finished, Sunset read over her shoulder. “‘Yam Twiiit Sperdin.’ Eloquent.”

Twilight Sparkle clicked her tongue as she studied the smudged, unsteady lines she had made. “That just means I gotta try again, and again, and again, until I do it right.” She flipped the pen around in her magic grip. “It’s like your guard said, Princess. This ride is gonna take all night. Looks like I’ve got plenty of time to study.”

She turned her head to look at Spike, whose focus intently followed the golden chariot. “Yeah,” she said. “We’re gonna have plenty of time.”

***

Sonata Dusk was soaked to the core. She had discarded her hoodie in one of her hideaways in exchange for a burgundy raincoat, but the base damage had already been done. She knew that lesser constitutions would have caught hypothermia long ago.

Luckily enough, there were some benefits to being a mythical creature from a parallel world. She could stand a little rain. She could stand a lot of rain.

The rain blotted out the light from the streetlamps until she was right under them. She navigated more from memory than sight, picking out this road or that. The quiet suburban area had little to no traffic in the middle of the downpour, especially this late at night. She was alone as she made her way to her chosen destination.

There! That was the house. It was a smallish two-story building with a remarkably gaudy flamingo lawn ornament. Who the heck ever actually owned one of those? Who the heck owned one in this day and age? Sonata rolled her eyes. There really was only one answer to that question.

She walked slowly up the walkway, towards the covered porch. She almost tripped over an unseen skateboard before she kicked it out of the way. She felt a small measure of relief once she was under the protective porch roof. She lifted a fist and tapped the door.

“Coming!” came a light voice from inside. “Coming! Don’t go anywhere!”

Sonata hunched her shoulders and clasped her hands behind her back, smiling just so. She figured she didn’t need to pull out the puppy-dog look, but she knew it couldn’t hurt.

The door swung aside, revealing a short, thin woman with bouncing curls. She leaned one outstretched arm against the doorframe and shifted her hips. “Hubby! I was afraid you were—” The woman’s pose shifted from excited and mildly seductive to cool and reserved in a heartbeat. “You’re not Hubby.”

Sonata waved her fingers. “Hi, Pinkie.”

A little girl appeared behind Pinkie Pie’s back. She hid behind her mother once she saw Sonata. “Where’s daddy? He should have been home hours—”

Pinkie covered her daughter’s mouth. “Go see what Cheesy and Sunny are doing, okay? Make sure they’re still asleep.”

The little girl ran off. Pinkie closed the door just enough to put it between her and Sonata. “What are you up to? What’s got you visiting at—” She glanced at the clock on the wall. “Quarter to twelve?”

Sonata shut her eyes tight and pressed her palms together. “I’m so sorry to come at a time like this, but life got so crazy and I don’t know who to turn to and… and…”

Pinkie rested her cheek against the doorway. “Spit it out, Sonata.”

Sonata swung a foot back and forth. “Um. Can I stay here tonight?”

Author's Note

Because pony cuss words are hilarious.

Tour de Force

Twilight Sparkle yawned herself awake. The gentle sway of Spike’s body had gotten to her at some point in the night. The sheet she’d been abusing draped itself across her nose, filled to the brim with every butcherization possible of one simple phrase: “I am Twilight Sparkle.”

Her horn sparked and hovered the page in front of her face. She leaned on an elbow and grumbled. “Did my double have this much trouble with fingers at first?”

Yep. A pen invaded her space and scrawled across the few blank areas of the paper. Even after my second visit, I found it easier to write with my mouth.

“That’s just a little unsanitary.” Twilight rolled onto her back and looked up at the purpleish-orangey sky. The sun was just starting to peek over the horizon, casting a light glow through the green leaves overhead. Birds warbled and whistled over the sound of Spike’s feet crunching the undergrowth. “But if yah gotta write…”

Princess Twilight gave her a decisive nod. I learned how to overcome physical barriers a long time ago. Or at least how to try. Sometimes it’s a slow process.

Twilight looked at the blue scarf around her double’s throat. “How slow a process is that? Is there an end in sight, or is ‘try’ the only thing you’ve got to hope for?”

The doctors say it’s possible the vocal cords will grow back some day. Faint, but possible. Princess Twilight winked. Considering how many impossible things I’ve seen, a possibility is as good as a certainty.

“Right,” Twilight said with a weak laugh. “‘Anything you can imagine.’ That’s what Sunset said.”

Did she? Princess Twilight wrinkled her nose. Sunset was flopped over one of Spike’s green spikes, breathing gently. She’s not wrong, but it isn’t always easy. I can imagine quite a bit, you know.

“I think I know.” Twilight tried to adjust her collar with a twinkle of magic, and almost ripped apart the stitching. “Dang. But yeah, I’ve got a few things worth imagining, myself. Or would it be yourself?”

Princess Twilight giggled. I don’t know. Are we two halves of the same whole, two instances of the same object, or two completely different individuals?

“I’m sure as heck not a princess.” Twilight felt her ears lay back against her scalp. It was an odd feeling, like somebody was pressing their hands against her hair. She opted to ignore it. “Hey, mind if I ask your advice? Just while we got a moment?”

Princess Twilight nodded and waved a hoof.

“So, I just got some… pretty rough news.” Twilight patted Spike’s muscular back. “Spike, here, my dog… dragon… buddy is pretty old. Like, older than he really should get. The problem is that… well…” She trailed off, chewing the tip of her mane.

The princess held her hooves over her mouth. Oh no! He’s a regular dog where you come from, isn’t he? How old is he?

Twilight looked up at Spike’s massive head, which turned to look back at her. “Almost eighteen. He’s only got a year, if that.”

“You’re talking about me, aren’t you,” he said. “Am I gonna die?”

“No.” Twilight pressed her lips together to hide her grinding teeth. “So, Princess, do you have anything in your magical arsenal that can fix this?”

Princess Twilight spread her wings and flapped them gently, not nearly hard enough to attain liftoff. She brushed her bangs away from her forehead. Is he sick?

“No, he’s just—” Twilight coughed in the back of her throat. “Worn out.”

The princess leaped up and flew beside Spike’s head. She looked him in one eye, then the other. She placed her forehooves on her hips and floated a message to Twilight. Ask him how he feels.

“Uhuh. How do you feel, Spike?”

Spike sucked in his bottom lip. He looked up at the sky, rolling his eyes in thought. He grinned. “Just like a puppy. I’ve been walking all night, and I feel like I could still chase a Frisbee or two. Or a hundred. A hundred is a really big number, right? I’m pretty sure.”

Princess Twilight smiled wide. She flapped her wings to bring her to Spike’s side. I think I’ve got your solution! In your world he’s a dog, but in this world he’s a dragon. A very long-lived—ageless even—creature that has been known to live for several thousand years. All he has to do is hang around here, and he won’t have to worry about fading away for a good, long time.

Twilight’s ear stood straight up. She mirrored the princess’ joyful expression and leaped to her hind legs. “Yes! That’s it! That’s… that’s…” She plopped hard to her rump. “Ow. That’s great. He’d only have to…”

She furrowed her brow and sighed. “He’d only have to live in a completely different world. Forever.”

Spike looked between the two of them. “Wait, what? I don’t get it.”

Princess Twilight settled down beside Twilight and touched a wingtip to her shoulder. He’s welcome to stay with me. We’ve got plenty of room in Ponyville. And you could visit him any time you want.

“But it’s not the ideal solution!” Twilight got to her hooves and paced across Spike’s shoulder blade. “I want to keep him around, not send him away! He’s my friend, and I don’t want to just—”

“Twilight!” Spike’s heavy voice boomed. “Tell me what’s wrong!”

Twilight fell to her back, knocked over by the overwhelming volume. She held her legs close to herself, her entire body shaking. She looked up with watery eyes at the full-grown dragon above her.

Spike raised a hand, his jaw dropping open. “I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m sorry. I—” He wiggled his fingers before continuing to move forward. “Please tell me what’s wrong. I wanna help.”

Twilight blushed bright. She jerked away from an unexpected warmth, but relaxed when she saw it was a recently-awakened Sunset. She let her friend wrap her forelegs around her shoulders. “I’m sorry, Spike,” Twilight said. “You’re dying, yeah. But only when you’re a dog. Now that you’re a dragon, you won’t have that problem anymore.”

Spike frowned at his claws. His snaking tongue slithered across his fangs. “I’m not a dog anymore at all, am I? Not even a little bit?”

Twilight Sparkle fell silent. Sunset spoke over her shoulder. “We don’t really understand what’s going on, Spike. Most animals here are smarter than the animals back home, so maybe it’s… something about the magic in the air. I don’t know why it affected you so much, but you really aren’t just a dog anymore. You’re a person.”

Spike wrinkled his nose. “So why are you sad?”

“Because you need to stay here to stay a dragon.” Twilight shook her head, pushing her glasses higher up her snout. “Because if you come home, you’ll be a dog again, and you’ll die.”

Spike thumped his fist on the loamy ground. “So we’ll stay here. We can do that, right?”

Twilight tapped her hooves together. “I can’t just abandon my life. I’d be leaving behind too many things.”

“But then I wouldn’t be with you!” Spike snorted smoke. “I wanna be with you.”

“The princess offered you a place to stay.” Twilight shut her eyes tight against the growing sting. “You’ll be taken care of, and I can visit—”

“But I want to live with you, Twilight.”

“I know, Spike, but it isn’t right to let you waste away—”

“I’m okay. I can deal with it. I don’t want to abandon—”

Twilight’s face grew red. “Darn it, Spike, just let me save your life!”

“How can I protect you,” Spike shouted, “if I’m in a whole other world?”

Twilight swallowed hard. She looped her fetlock around Sunset’s. “Maybe you’ll find something new to protect.”

“No.”

“Spike…”

“No!” Spike turned away, his eyes falling on the guards and their chariot. They glanced back at the dragon occasionally, their neck muscles tensed. Spike’s thick neck flexed, dwarfing their bodies all on its own. “I’m coming home with you.”

Twilight swore under her breath. Then she swore over her breath. “Back to square one.”

The princess passed a note to Sunset, which Twilight just managed to get a glimpse of. I’m starting to understand what you mean about her foul language.

“You haven’t seen foul language, Princess,” Twilight grumbled. “Try growing up on a military base.”

I’ll admit, that’s something I haven’t experienced. Princess Twilight hovered over Spike’s head, nodded, and returned with a flash of magic. Better table the discussion. We’re coming up on Ponyville now.

“Ponyville.” Twilight Sparkle leveled her eyebrows and pulled her lips back. “Ponyville.”

“Hey, we didn’t name it.” Sunset shared a shallow grin with Twilight, who didn’t return it. “It, uh, could be worse.”

“Of course.” Twilight lifted her glasses off her nose and rubbed her eyes. “We could have stumbled upon the ancient civilization Loadabull, or the sparkling city of Horsecrap, or—”

She stopped up short. She sucked her lips in and tilted her head. One ear swiveled around of its own accord, searching for the source of a new sound. “You hear that?”

Sunset shook her head before her ears twitched. “Um… kinda? It sounds like somebody’s…”

Twilight hinged her jaw to the side. “Singing?”

Princess Twilight sighed in apparent relief, her wings relaxing at her sides. She took wing beside Spike and flew carefully between the trees.

They broke through the tree-line, and the voice came clear all at once. It sang softly, gently, like a mother waking her children after a good night’s sleep. It rose like the morning sun, every note clear and glistening.

“Ponyville, such a lovely city
Every year bringing brand new life
Ponyville waits on new arrivals
So we all can say…”

Twilight Sparkle shrieked as a pink puff of something leaped over Spike’s side and landed right in her face. “New friends!” it screeched.

It wrapped her in a strong, unyielding embrace. Twilight could feel the cartilage in her spine popping. “New friends!” it hollered again.

It bounced up and down, somehow adding an equally-startled Sunset Shimmer to the embrace. “New friends, new friends, new friends!”

It dragged them off Spike’s back to lead them to a springy landing on the ground below. The dragon watched, wide-eyed, as the pink thing hauled his friends across the trimmed grass ahead. He started to growl, until Princess Twilight rested a hoof on his head. She winked at him, and then waved him forward.

As they approached the city of Ponyville, Twilight saw that it was mostly made up of two-story buildings. Storefronts topped with second-floor living-spaces dotted freshly-paved streets. Ponies of every size, shape, and color milled around in the early morning, setting up canopies and stocking stalls.

With little-to-no warning, the pink vice clamping onto her started up her song with a lively beat.

“My name is Pinkie and I’m pleased to meet you
Assistant mayor and baker, too!
As a welcome-to-town gift
I can give you both a lift
To show you the sights and sounds—Oh dang, oh shoot!”

Pinkie stood still on her hind legs, one unicorn tucked under each forehoof. “Where was I gonna take you first? I had the whole dang thing organi—Aha! The Corner! Let’s go!”

She skidded to a stop next to a close approximation of a gingerbread house. The immediate sensation of cinnamon in the air tickled Twilight’s nose and resulted in a tiny sneeze. She waved her legs in an attempt to get free, but was left hanging helplessly in the stranger’s grasp. Naturally enough, the blur continued her odd little a cappella song.

“Sugarcube Corner makes the best treats in town
The Cakes and their kids work with me”

A little blue pegasus filly followed an older pegasus colt as they set up tables and chairs outside the business.

“This is Patty and that’s Pound
Are Pumpkin and Rice around?
Never mind, we just have too much more to see!”

The galloped through town on two legs, leading Twilight Sparkle to feel just a little bit of jealousy rising above her mortal terror at being kidnapped. A comparison ran through her mind as she searched the pink pony’s face. It finally registered that she had called herself “Pinkie” during the song. Pinkie Pie’s double, then. It figured. It was so improbable that it looped back to probable, and the whole thing was baffling enough to make perfect sense.

“New friends!” Pinkie called out to random passerby. “New friends! Just get a load of the Ponyville life!”

She trotted right up to one of the tallest buildings in town. It was rounded, with a second floor held up by evenly-spaced pillars. “This is City Hall! I’m so excited, we just upgraded from a town to a city this last year. We had a huge influx of visitors and ponies staying here after the whole Cloudsdale Incident!” She leaned close to Sunset’s ear and whispered loudly enough to be heard across the street. “Don’t mention that to Twilight! She has kinda a big traumatic experience recently, and talking about the Cloudsdale Incident might draw up bad memories. Um, and for like half the citizens of Ponyville, too. Best to just not mention it. At all. Period.”

She coughed and lifted Twilight to point the unicorn’s horn at the flag atop the municipal building. “But here’s where the magic happens! Every day, you can find Lord Mayor Applejack and her staff working diligently to make Ponyville a better place.” She grinned sheepishly. “Just try to get here before the protesters do.”

“I have no context for any of this!” Twilight growled.

“Context is overrated.” Pinkie winked. “Come and take a quantum leap with me!”

“Aaaarrggghhhh!” Twilight ground her teeth. “You’re Pinkie Pie, alright.”

With nothing more than a whoosh of air as warning, Twilight Sparkle was placed in the middle of a pony-packed street. People milled around, nudging each other aside and handing out greetings. Market stalls lined both sides of the wide street, stocked with fruits, vegetables, and all sorts of knickknacks.

“The Mane Street Market’s full of bustling commerce
We’ve carrots, blankets, cherries, lamps!
But the apples are the best,
They can outshine all the rest
You can bet that if you shop here, you’ll get cramps!”

Twilight was bumped from behind by a strong wall of fuzziness. She skittered to the side, drawing her tail between her back legs. “Hey, watch where you’re touch… urgh…”

A tall, muscular, red-coated stallion loomed over her, a blade of straw clutched loosely between his lips. His shaggy mane mirrored his orange beard. “’Pologies, ma’am.” He lumbered past her, lugging a fully-loaded apple cart behind him.

Twilight’s jaw fell unhinged. She stared after the stallion, her face heating up like a cheap stove. “B-Big M-M-Ma-Ma…”

She turned to a complete stranger and pointed. “Big Mac—Big Ma-Mac is so pony…”

The stranger glanced after Big McIntosh and chuckled. “I know the feeling, hun, but he’s taken. Barkin’ up the wrong tree right there.”

Twilight stood alone in the crowd, lifting her head to catch a glimpse of the unbelievable sight. A word registered a moment too late. “Wait, what do you mean taken?” She bopped herself in the forehead. “Duh. Princess Twilight.”

A new voice rose above the rumble of the shoppers. One that sounded incredibly familiar to Twilight’s ears. She followed the sound to the middle of the market, where a fountain trickled with clear, sparkling water. Sunset Shimmer draped herself along the edge of the pool, dipping her hoof in the cool liquid.

Twilight rolled her eyes as Sunset sang.

“Ooh, it feels like I’m dreaming
I can touch the magic in the air
Everywhere light is gleaming
It’s almost like I can live life without a care”

Twilight grasped Sunset by the hoof and dragged her upwards. “Since when were you such an improv artist?”

“I’m telling you, Twilight,” Sunset giggled, “there’s something in the air.”

“That makes perfect sense.” Twilight glowered and pushed Sunset to the edge of the crowd. “Your atmosphere is made entirely out of drugs.”

Pinkie popped out of the front door of a nearby tree. As if that wasn’t strange enough on its own, she was pushing a dragon with her forehead. The dragon was purple and green, just like Spike, but was only about a head taller than the average pony. He sat on his haunches, waving an unsure claw. “Hi?”

“This here is Spikey, he’s the librarian
The books are in the tree, alright?
He’s a dragon, super cool
Though he’s purple, he’s true blue
He’s the king of randomish odd jobs
His strength has placed him on the top
I think he likes corn on the cob
It’s Spike!”

Spike tapped his clawtips together, giving the two unicorns a sharp-toothed, tiny grin. “Can’t argue with that last one. Especially when it’s grilled. So, hi, I’m Spike.”

Twilight Sparkle tried to suck her lips in, but already found her mouth full of mane. She spat the hair out and tried to speak. “Whaaaaaaaa—?”

“Hi, Spike!” Sunset bobbed her head, nudging Twilight in the shoulder. “It’s been a while. I’m Sunset Shimmer!”

Spike’s eyes bulged. His head swiveled between Sunset and Twilight as smoke trailed out of his filmy ears. “So that means she’s… whaaaaaaaa—?”

He snapped a claw. “You guys are here about the Adagio thing, aren’t you? Twilight told me all about it. You guys need help with anything, I’m your dragon!”

One of Twilight’s eyes twitched. “Sunset, my dog is in two places at once.”

Spike’s chest deflated. “Dog?”

“Spike,” Sunset said, “I don’t suppose you remember your time in the other world?”

“Oh.” Spike tried and failed to suppress a shudder. “Not… especially fondly. I mean, I could deal with the whole dog thing, but those dang fleas were—”

A spurt of flame jumped past his lips as he jumped. “You brought her dog over, didn’t you?”

“Not entirely by choice.” Sunset gave Twilight a pointed, sidelong glance. “But yeah. Don’t be too freaked out.”

Spike stood on his hind legs, bringing himself over their heads. “Well, might as well get the emotional scarring out of the way. Where is the little fella?”

A cry of alarm rose from nearly the entire town. Thunderous footsteps shook the ground, running hairline cracks over the roads. Ponies parted like waves in the face of the full-grown dragon.

They were only stopped from completely losing their minds by the presence of Princess Twilight Sparkle, who had taken a seat between his head frills. She waved, a nervous smile touching her lips.

The large dragon took a deep breath in and belted out for all he was worth.

“Please don’t be frightened at my size and fire
I am a good guy, this I swear
I won’t pillage or plunder
Or tear buildings asunder
I just need to get to my friends over there”

A nearby flower shop was sealed up from the front door to the windows as three mares scurried to gather their goods inside the greenhouse. They spared the dragon a glance or two, sweat pouring down their foreheads as they shrieked.

“Look there! Dragon! It’s super scary!
Look out! Monster! He’ll eat us all!
I need my pills, my heart can’t take it
So this is how Equestria will fall!”

“All the ponies in this town are crazy,” Twilight muttered.

“Guh…” Spike the Librarian scratched the top of his head, letting a few dead scales drift loose. He turned to Pinkie with a helpless shrug.

“This does raise the question of what we’re gonna call you guys.” Pinkie rubbed her chin and rested her other hoof on Twilight’s back. “I figure we can just call the Twilights ‘Nudist Twilight’ and ‘Bashful Twilight,’ but both Spikes are entirely naked. Big Spike and Little Spike?”

Spike stuck his tongue out. “I am not letting you call me Little Spike.”

Twilight sighed deeply. “You’re naked, too, Pinkie.”

“I am?” Pinkie Pie looked between her front legs. “No I’m not! I’m just wearing a dress that can only be seen by the pure in heart.”

“No you’re—” Twilight paused, blinking into the middle-distance. She shared a quick glance with Sunset. “Is she?”

“You’ll never know,” Pinkie cackled. “Now come on! There’s another landmark in town that you just gotta see! There’s one more taste of the Ponyville life!”

Twilight snorted. “The tension, I could cut it with a knife.”

Pinkie Pie tucked the unicorns under her forelegs again, hoofing it towards the far end of the town. Little Spike stood on the library steps, one finger held in the air. He blew a breath through his scaly lips, dropped to all fours, and scrambled after them.

Pinkie ran through crowds, leaped over individuals, and careened off random walls on her war path through the city. Twilight’s stomach churned as if she was on a roller coaster that had long ago overstayed its welcome. They rounded a final corner, bringing into view a sight that Twilight had to admit was… beautiful.

A spire of glimmering blue jutted out of the ground, breaking off into several branches. It sparkled in the sunlight, taking on a slight purple tinge. Stained-glass windows dotted the sides, with a few open windows letting in light and air. The spire was as large around as a city block, and as tall as a skyscraper. Double doors, large enough to admit a dragon, opened at the beckoning of a purple spell.

Pinkie smiled.

“Ponyville’s castle is a treat, no question
The crystal’s shine is quite a sight
A reminder to our friends
That the magic never ends
And for one brief moment all is right
Though shadows creep in through the night
If we stick to it we can fight
For light!”

All together, Big Spike, Little Spike, Princess Twilight, Twilight Sparkle, and Sunset piled into the castle. The doors closed behind them with a muted thump.

Pinkie Pie bounced off, and life in Ponyville went on as usual.

***

Sunset Shimmer leaned against the door, doing her best to brush her windswept mane down. “Does she greet everypony like that?”

Princess Twilight hissed a laugh. Nope. For me, she threw a surprise party. I guess she took my advice when I said to keep it on the down-low this time.

“A city-wide musical number is ‘on the down-low’?” Twilight Sparkle looked up at Big Spike, her mouth skewing to the side. “And where did you learn to sing?”

Big Spike let his fangs part in a smile. “Same place I learned how to talk, I guess?”

Twilight furrowed her brow. “But you can’t read.”

“Not that I know of.”

“M’kay. This magic thing is really hit-and-miss, ain’t it?” Twilight Sparkle leaned against Sunset. “Anything you can imagine, as long as you’re a few sandwiches short of a picnic.”

Sunset laughed lightly. She craned her neck to look up, up, up at the vaulted ceiling of the entryway. Even Big Spike’s head didn’t reach the top. “You guys get many gigantic visitors?”

Not especially, Princess Twilight wrote. One or two, when time and weather permit.

“Only a couple,” Sunset repeated to Big Spike.

“Thanks,” he said. He placed a hoof further down the hallway, moving his bulk deeper into the castle. “Anything I need to watch out for? Squishables and the like?”

Little Spike crawled beside him. “Nah. Just a table or two.” He narrowed his eyes. “So. What’s the story behind you being so big?”

Sunset Shimmer trotted along, her head raised in a perfect teacher’s pose. “I think I get it. Big Spike and Little Spike—”

“Don’t call me Little Spike.”

“—are both eighteen years old.”

Big Spike cleared his throat. “Actually, I won’t turn eighteen for a couple more months.”

Little Spike cocked a brow. “Really? Because that’s when I turn nineteen.”

“Anyway,” Sunset said, stretching the word out, “I think it has to do with how dragons and dogs age very differently. You see, after eighteen years, Little Spike—”

“Don’t call me Little Spike.”

Sunset gave him the stink-eye. “—has grown for eighteen years of a dragon’s life-span. It’s only a fraction of the whole thing. While Big Spike has matured for eighteen years of a dog’s life. He’s well into his elderly years.”

Little Spike flicked his serpentine tail. “In the other world he’s a geezer, so he would be in this world, too? Weird, but I kinda get it.” He scrunched his muzzle. “Which means that if I went over there, I’d still be a puppy. Yech. No thanks.”

Big Spike blew smoke rings and stared at his counterpart. “Watch who you call geezer, pup. I’m more spry than I’ve ever been.”

“Watch who you call pup, grandpa.” Little Spike chuckled. “I didn’t hatch yesterday.”

Big Spike smirked and went back to sniffing the air.

Princess Twilight hovered beside Little Spike and handed him a note. He looked it over and smiled. “Sure, Twi. Follow me, guys! I’ll take yah to the laboratory. Wait’ll you see what Twilight’s set up in there!”

Sunset Shimmer turned to follow the two dragons and Twilight down a corridor that looped around the trunk of the castle. Princess Twilight landed beside her and stopped her with a wing.

Sunset tipped her head to the side. “What’s up?”

Princess Twilight jerked her head towards the far corridor. She set off at a steady clip with Sunset on her tail. An archway half as high as the ceiling led into the room at the center of the castle—the heart of the entire structure.

Sunset gasped. Six thrones sat equidistant around a center table, with one smaller throne besides. The high-backed seats each held a glowing glyph of one of the Elements of Harmony, taking the form of the cutie marks of those who wielded them. The table flickered with the faint outline of a map, which grew brighter as Princess Twilight approached.

A network of roots hung on the ceiling above the open circle of thrones. Suspended from their tips, a series of crystal shards sparkled with the same faint glow as the castle’s walls. Sunset focused on one in particular that seemed to grasp her attention.

A vision flashed in her eyes, like a photo album in motion. The Element Bearers gathered around one of their members, Applejack, as they partook of fresh cider. A banner hung behind them, congratulating the farmer on being elected Mayor of Ponyville.

Sunset closed her mouth with a teeth-numbing snap. “I… wow… I like what you’ve done with the place.”

It wasn’t me, really. It was the others coming to my rescue, as usual. Princess Twilight blushed and motioned Sunset close to the throne with a purple star. Sorry about the sneaking around. I needed to talk with you privately.

Sunset nibbled the tip of her tongue. “Is it about Twilight? Or Spike? I know it might have been a bad idea to bring them along, but it’s really her mission to track—”

Princess Twilight rested a hoof gently against Sunset’s lips. She let out a deep sigh and adjusted her scarf with a nervous twitch of her horn. It’s not them. It’s something much worse.

She paced around the table map, touching her wing to one location or another. She wrote carefully and swiftly across her notepad. When she finished, she handed the page to Sunset and collapsed into her chair with a sigh.

Sunset’s eyes widened as she clutched the paper. We believe that the people who hired my assassin, the goons who stole the mirror portal, and the creeps who wrecked Cloudsdale are all part of the same conspiracy. I think they might be the same folks who got Adagio back to Equestria.

It’s been one terrible thing after another for the past year or so. I’m getting tired of it. I want something to go right for once. I think Adagio might be that window of opportunity. If she’s in bed with the bozos who are messing up Equestria, we’ve got golden opportunity to get back at the bad guys. To hopefully stop them for good.

I’m kind of thankful you brought Big Spike, actually. An adult dragon would be invaluable against these guys…

I want you to be sure you know what kind of danger you’re getting into. These are murderers and terrorists. Scum of the earth. I’m going to do everything I can to keep you safe, to make sure you get to go home to your family… But I can’t guarantee it, no matter how magical I am.

Whatever comes, I want you to know I’ll be by your side.

Sunset rolled the note up. She held it beside her head and looked into Princess Twilight’s reddened eyes. “I’ll be by your side, too. I want to help you make things right.”

The princess smiled, her cheek pressed against her throne’s arm rest. She sat upright with a muted groan, her wings popping at the joints. She let out a soundless, humorless laugh. I’m getting too old for this.

“Oh, hush, you’re only twenty-six. Prime of your life!” Sunset crossed her left foreleg over the other. “Now, if you were twenty-seven like me, then we could talk.”

Princess Twilight blew a raspberry. I couldn’t!

Sunset took a step back, tilting her head towards the way the others had gone. “Now come on, show me that lab of yours. I haven’t seen a real magical laboratory in… holy cow… a decade! Time’s overdue.”

Princess Twilight jumped up and tapped the table twice. The map disappeared, leaving the surface plain, smooth crystal. She smiled at Sunset and walked towards the hallway, her hooves moving at a steady clip-clop. I think you’re gonna like a decade’s worth of advancements in magical science. I’ve got aaaaallll the toys.

Sunset Shimmer squeed with barely-repressed glee and hurried after her friend. They could hear Little Spike’s voice echoing through the corridors ahead, interspersed with a smattering of questions from Twilight.

“Don’t call me Little Spike,” Little Spike grumbled.

Author's Note

The musical accompaniment to Pinkie's little song is none other than "Belle (Little Town)" from Disney's Beauty and the Beast.

Naked in an Elevator

“Step right this way, ladies and gentle… dragons… Step right up and see the first wonder of the scientific community! Princess Twilight Sparkle’s Superior Magic Scanner!” Little Spike bowed with a flourished hand, keeping his eyes on his audience of one dog-turned-dragon and one human-turned-pony.

Twilight Sparkle walked under the high archway and into the laboratory. It wasn’t large enough for Big Spike to fit inside, but he could poke his head in. Twilight smiled as she looked around the room, listening to the various beeps and boops of technology at work. “Now this… this I can understand just fine.”

Much like her basement back home, the walls were lined with gizmos and doohickeys all clicking away, recording one thing or another. Unlike her basement, however, the room was huge enough to house two semi-trucks with room to spare. The machines, too, were supersized; towering monstrosities that would have put the largest Space Age computer to shame. The largest sat in the center of the room, its lights dark and its graphs silent. A chair was place in front of it, over which hovered a wired helmet.

Twilight trotted up to it as Little Spike spoke: “Designed by Professor Merlot of Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, it was originally created to study the amperage of magic flowing from a unicorn’s horn. Twilight Sparkle later refined the design to record the flow of magic through fairy strings, repurposing the scanner to be used by any type of pony.”

“Any type?” Twilight Sparkle circled around the chair, tapping tubes with her hoof. “You mean like those winged soldier kinds?”

“You are really new around here, aren’t you?” Little Spike held up three fingers. “Three kinds of ponies. Unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies. Horns that control magic, wings that control the weather, and legs that control nature.” He scratched his chin. “Well, those and bat ponies, crystal ponies, breezies, Arabians, Clydesdales, changelings are kinda ponies…”

He crossed his arms and let out a snort. “Huh. Why do we say there’s only three kinds of ponies?”

Twilight Sparkle sat in the seat and lowered the helmet on its crane. Its construction made sense, to a point. Wires lead from diodes on the inside of the hat and led to the main machine, where the signals would be transformed into data. Not electrical signals, though. It was all magic. Magic powered, magic sensing, magic reading…

Back home, her own magic sensor had been based around electricity, though it was designed to sense a form of energy she hadn’t truly understood. Still didn’t. That’s where Princess Twilight and Sunset would come in handy.

Spike patted the computer. “The first one was destroyed in the Tirek attacks of the year one-thousand and one. But it’s been rebuilt to be bigger and better than ever. It can sense fluctuations up to one-thousands of a tinker.”

“Tirek?” Twilight pursed her lips. “You mean Tirek Odolwa the terrorist?”

“No. Tirek the Demon King.” Little Spike glanced back at the entrance, his brow wrinkled. “You know? Centaur, eats magic, lacks a moral compass?”

“What does magic taste like?” Big Spike asked.

“Uh.” Little Spike shrugged. “I dunno. Sparkly, maybe?”

Twilight Sparkle squinted at the helmet. Copper coils surrounded two protrusions made of a material she couldn’t identify. “So what about the ponies with both horns and wings, like the princess? A Fluttercorn? An Ubersus? An Excessive-corn-asus?”

“Alicorns,” Little Spike said. “After the material unicorn horns are made of.”

“Not keratin?” Twilight Sparkle’s horn glowed. She snapped the wires off of the helmet and hovered the diodes before her eyes. “Interesting.”

“Buh-wha—?” Little Spike’s jaw dropped. “You broke it!”

“I’m fixing it.” Twilight snatched a long metal rod from a work table across the room. “Improving it.”

“You tear apart the helmet and you call it fixing it?” Little Spike tapped a claw against his palm as smoke trailed out of his nose. “You just destroyed the thing that makes the entire… thing work right! If you wanted to see the parts, I got the stinking blueprints right here!”

Twilight smirked, peering over her glasses. “Then if the princess wants it back the way it was, she can go right ahead and follow those blueprints, can’t she?”

Little Spike furrowed his brow. He let his shoulders slump and looked away. “She has a name, you know.”

“Yeah, and it’s Twilight Sparkle. Same as me.” Twilight went to work twisting the copper wires up the length of the bar. Catching the smaller dragon’s dim expression, she let out a low grumble. “Yeah, yeah. Call it my way of differentiating us. Just to keep myself from going nutty with confusion.”

His mouth went from a frown to a straight line. “That’s fair. Kinda. I guess it’s better than picking out dumb nicknames for the both of you.” He snickered. “I can see it now: Feathers and Glasses. One’s sarcastic. So’s the other. They fight crime.”

Twilight tapped the side of her glasses. She licked her lips as she ran her eyes along the side of the scanner. “‘Feathers?’ I don’t get it.”

Little Spike tapped a metal panel, which popped open to reveal the inner workings of the device. He stepped back to give her full view. “The wings? She’s got ’em, you don’t.”

Big Spike smiled. “I don’t have wings either.”

“Yeah” Twilight said, “you and the little guy both—”

She jumped in her seat. Her mind went blank for a good, long moment. She looked at her back with squinted eyes, running over the fabric of her long coat. She slid it down her shoulders to expose the thinner material of her shirt. She got a glimpse at the skinny contours of her body; not a single wing-like bulge could be found.

She shrugged her coat back on and adjusted her glasses with a push. “That’s weird. What happened to the princess? How come she has wings? Some sort of genetic experiment? A mutation, maybe?”

“What? No, that’d be stupid.” Little Spike placed his hands on his hips, a far-away smile touching his face. “She learned the magic of friendship and crafted a new kind of spell. I don’t really get the specifics, but the magic that joins her and her friends together somehow combined and gave her… kinda an upgrade. A reward for doing a good job, or maybe a boost to get her through rough times ahead.”

“Yeah.” Twilight Sparkle shut one eye to look down the length of the rod. “The ‘magic of friendship’ thing is far less stupid.”

“Don’t knock it ’til you try it.” Little Spike skittered towards the scanner, feeling at the buttons with his clawtips. “You just gotta win folks over with that charming sincerity of yours.”

“Whadda yah mean ‘till you try it?’ I have lots of friends!” Twilight Sparkle rested her forehead in her hoof. “Now I’m engaged in a battle of wits with my dog from an alternate universe. Will the wonders never cease?”

Little Spike pinched a switch between his fingers. “Not so long as you keep forgetting that I’m nopony’s dog.”

He flipped the machine on. It came to life with a mechanical ka-chunk and a deep thoomp. The rod sparked in her telekinetic grasp, causing Twilight to yelp and drop it to the ground. She pulled her four legs into the chair and stared at the metal bar like it was a hissing snake.

The computer let out a whirr as it spat out paper. Little Spike ripped off a sheet and compared it to one held in his other claw. “You’ll be happy to hear that your fairy strings are operating on a level far above most unicorns. Still not quite where Twilight was… before she got her wings.”

“You mean ‘before she learned the magic of friendship’?” Twilight gave him a humorless grin. “You trying to tell me I don’t have many friends.”

“Nah, there’s a bajillion reasons you don’t have as strong of magic.” Spike counted off on his fingers. “You haven’t learned much about it, you haven’t practiced much, your body isn’t strong enough to move that much energy…”

“Practice and exercise, my two favorite words.” Twilight glared at the mess of wires inside the machine. “What’s taking them so long? I can’t rewire the scanner if I don’t know what the wires do. This is just a little bigger than the one back home. Just a little.”

Little Spike glanced at the doorway. “Twilight… Princess Twilight’s had a lot on her shoulders lately. I think she might just need a friend for a little bit.” He grinned. “You know, to talk things over.”

Twilight removed a wire with a glimmer of magic. An arc of electricity jumped across the gap with a pop. She took a step back and stuck it back in its socket. “She could do it on her own time.”

“Hay. If she needs it, she needs it.” Little Spike reached over her shoulder, twisted a dial down to zero, and removed the same wire. No zaps were forthcoming. “If you run into high-stress situations with something on your chest, it’s gonna weigh you down. You’re gonna get distracted. It’s best to get it off your chest.”

Twilight leaned her chair back, balancing it on its back legs. Her hoof touched the ground just enough to keep her from toppling over. She looked at Big Spike’s green eyes, then at her own intertwined forehooves. “Sometimes talking about it just makes it raw.”

Big Spike twiddled his thumbs.

Twilight leveled the chair with an exasperated grunt and a wooden thud. She levitated the rod off the floor and continued to wind the wires. “Besides, there’s nothing to discuss. I’ll figure it out. I’ll fix it.”

Little Spike lowered one eyebrow. He looked from Twilight to Big Spike, worrying his lower lip. “Sorry. Did I touch a nerve?”

Big Spike’s ears drooped. He tapped his claws against the crystalline floor. “It’s just… You’re not the first Spike she’s argued with today.”

“Oh.” Little Spike almost mirrored his counterpart’s pose, instead tapping his claws against each other. “I am sorry. But you guys can work it out. I mean, Twilight and I don’t always agree, but we’re still…”

Twilight stared at him over the tip of her glasses. Her lips pressed together, holding back a sarcastic quip. In the end, she wasn’t quite able to keep it in check. “I’m beginning to think that we’re a little more different than you realize.”

Little Spike set his feet shoulder-width apart. “You’re still Twilight Sparkle. I think that counts for something.” He trundled on his hind legs towards the hallway. “You guys wait here and try not to break anything. I’ll go whip up some cookies. There’ll be enough for all of us—” He glanced up at Big Spike’s house-sized belly. “—to have a taste. Later.”

Twilight Sparkle smirked when she saw Sunset Shimmer pass him on her way to the laboratory, the princess trailing slightly behind. Twilight waved her over. “Come on, let’s get the show on the road. One slightly-unhinged murderer is running amuck, just waiting for us to run her down.”

“Would that it was just one,” Sunset groaned. “We might be facing an entire cabal of siren wannabes.”

“What the—” Twilight shook her head. “It’s not just gonna be us against the world, is it?”

No. I have several guard outposts ready to assist. Princess Twilight flapped her wings and carried her to the top of her scanner. What work have you done?

“I fashioned a makeshift antenna.” Twilight held the rod in her hooves. “It won’t get much range, but it’s a start.”

The princess landed beside her and examined the device. She munched the tip of her mane. Her eyes lit up at the same moment she clapped her hooves. Aha! Just like a radio antenna! I can weld a good one together in a jiffy.

“Did she say ‘radio’?” Twilight Sparkle’s jaw dropped. “Did she just say ‘weld’?”

Princess Twilight trotted through the laboratory, gathering up bits and pieces of metal in a growing cloud of magic. They arranged themselves in a cross-pattern around the largest bar. Flashes of lightning lit up the ends where the metal met, fusing them together into a single piece. Wires wound themselves in and out of the tubes, then snaked to connect to the scanner itself.

Princess Twilight Sparkle settled the newly-crafted antenna before them with a smile. Careful. It’s still hot.

Twilight Sparkle stood up and bit her lip. “Okay. Magic is way cool again. Can you teach me that?”

Sunset bumped her shoulder. “I think we’ll have to wait for the advanced classes.”

“Spoilsport.” Twilight trotted around the branching metal pole. “Let’s get it fired up. Maybe we can start the scan before Li’l Spike gets back with the snacks.”

“You’re really new around here, aren’t you?” The dragon in question waddled back into the room, a plate balanced in one hand. “Then I guess this is your first time tasting chocolate chip cookies cooked to perfection with dragon fire?”

“Ha!” Sunset Shimmer reached across the room with a spell and snagged two cookies. “Stop snarking and start snacking.”

Big Spike sniffed the air. A tiny bit of drool was slurped up before it could hit the floor. “From what I can smell, those things kick dog treats right in the butt.”

“You don’t know the half of it, bro.” Little Spike tossed one into the air, which was quickly snatched by Big Spike’s jaws. “Enjoy your first taste of real food.”

Big Spike chewed for a brief moment, but needn’t have bothered. The chocolate chip cookie practically melted in his mouth. Tears pooled in his eyes. “Spike, you might be my new best friend. It tastes like… heaven.”

Twilight Sparkle snickered. “Hey, what does that make me? Chopped liver?”

“No! You’re way better than chopped liver.” The huge dragon shifted his body, fitting his shoulders into the archway. “He can be my pony-world best friend, but you’ll always be my SSSBFF.”

Her faint laughs died off. She swallowed hard before continuing. “What’s that mean?”

“Super-Special Spectacular Best Friend Forever.” He waved a hand. “Or something like that. I haven’t really figured it out. Been thinking about it, though.”

Twilight conjured up a tired smile. “You were always my Super-Special Dog Best Friend Forever, but that’s probably not quite right anymore.”

They stood facing each other, shuffling their feet and generally not looking at each other. Twilight at last gained the strength to speak. “I don’t want you to die, Spike.”

“I know.” He lay his chin on the ground. “Generally speaking, I don’t wanna, either.”

Twilight lifted a hoof and rubbed his nose. She turned away with an extended exhale and gave him one final pat before walking back towards the princess. “So what have we got? What sort of magical scent are we sending this technological bloodhound after?”

Sunset winked. “I was counting down the minutes until you made a dog analogy.”

“Stuff it, Shimmer.”

Princess Twilight dug through her saddlebags. She let out a snort of exasperation and dropped them to the floor to give herself a better angle. She gave a satisfied nod and lit her horn.

A red gemstone shard rose out of the bags. It twirled in the air, glinting in the bright lights of the laboratory. Princess Twilight sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly to relax her trembling knees.

It almost worked, Twilight noticed.

“Recognize it?” Sunset asked. “The sirens were the ones who finally showed you magic was real. Our battle with them, anyway. This crystal is a shard of the pendants that gave them their powers.”

“The ones you broke?” Twilight bit her lower lip as hard as she dared. A cold chill ran down her spine in the presence of the gemstone. Nerves, she assumed. Just a little memory of how she felt when she first took the readings. A little taste of the adrenaline. She took a deep breath of her own, but her knees were just as disobedient as the princess’. “It’s… something else, alright. I could almost swear it’s…”

“Chilling you to the bone?” Little Spike supplied. “Sending a creepy-crawly down your spine? Making you fear for your soul? Yeah, I’m getting that feeling, too.”

Big Spike nodded. “It feels like a stupid cat that’s just out of reach. Just taunting me with its stupid cat meows.” He rolled his eyes. “Stupid Opalescence.”

“Hey, it’s just a broken gemstone.” Sunset Shimmer took it in her glowing blue grip. She rolled it end over end in front of their faces. “It’s lost its power. It can’t do any harm or good in its current state.” She flashed an uneven smile at Princess Twilight. “Right?”

“Hand it here,” Twilight said, holding out her hoof.

Sunset froze in place. “Why?”

“So that I can finally create my doomsday device to take over both worlds.” Twilight bopped Sunset over the head. “So that I can see it, goofball.”

The glow around the object shifted from blue to lavender. Twilight Sparkle drew the shard close to her face, examining it from every angle. With a small push, she could feel pathways running through the crystal. Like wires on a circuit board, or the subway system beneath the city. She cut off her magic and let the fragment drop into the middle of her hoof. “Aria.”

“What’s that?” Sunset asked.

“I’ve seen this before. Or something very much like it.” Twilight Sparkle pushed her glasses up her snout. “When they found… At the crime scene this morning, there was debris around the body. A few pieces of glass, a couple ceramic shards… and a sliver of red gemstone.”

Sunset Shimmer sat down, a frown covering her face. “Even after all these years, they still hold on to them. Were they hoping to repair them? Maybe just keep souvenirs? Did they still hold a little power?”

Princess Twilight Sparkle scribbled down a quick note. Did Sonata still have hers?

“If she did, I didn’t notice.” Sunset shrugged. “Did you see anything, Twilight?”

“Nadda.” Twilight sat down and crossed her forelegs. She wobbled until she found her center of balance. “Which could mean anything or nothing. My question is: Do you think the pendants could be repaired?”

Princess Twilight wrinkled her nose. It would be like putting together a ten-thousand-piece puzzle with several pieces missing.

“So within the realm of possibility.”

Pretty much, yeah.

Twilight ran a hoof down her face. “Goody. Let’s track the sucker down and put an end to it. We can worry about their endgame after we’ve thwarted phase one.”

“Speaking of that,” Sunset said, “how do we plan to track them via the shard? There’s no energy emanating from the fragments, is there?”

You’re thinking of a passive scanner, Sunset. Princess Twilight Sparkle scribbled up a storm as Little Spike read over her shoulder. That’s how a normal radio works. It just picks the signals out of the air. What I’m hoping for is an active scanner. It sends out a signal and records what bounces back. Like a sonar.

“Aha!” Twilight Sparkle clapped a hoof against the floor. “So you’ll send out a magical spell that resonates with the shard and see if you can find anything that reacts in the same way. We follow the bouncing signal and voila!”

“That’s cool,” Big Spike said. “Whatever that means.”

Little Spike patted his side. “When Twi gets like this, I’ve learned to just smile, nod, and get outside the blast radius.”

You’ve got the idea. Princess Twilight gritted her teeth. There’s just one problem.

Sunset Shimmer cringed from her ears to her tail tip. “To make a spell that resonates with the shard, you’ve got to mimic the siren’s song.”

“That doesn’t sound too terrible,” Little Spike muttered. “Except for the ‘siren’ part. And the ‘song’ part. And the whole ‘using evil magic’ thing.”

Princess Twilight flashed him a grin, which faded almost instantly. She twitched her horn towards the scanner and hovered the shard at neck level, licking her dry lips.

Little Spike skittered up to the control panel and cranked a few dials to higher numbers. He held his finger above a red switch. He hesitated, his breath caught in his throat. “Are you sure about this, Twi? You can’t talk, much less sing.”

Neither could the Dazzlings, Princess Twilight wrote. Trust me, Spike.

He sighed. “You know I do, Twilight.”

The machine thrummed to life at the flick of his finger. Lights blinked and diodes buzzed as they sucked in information from the world around them. Twilight and Sunset took several steps back from the princess, their hearts in their throats.

It wouldn’t be too bad, Twilight thought to herself. Even if the princess did make the spell, she wouldn’t use it. She didn’t seem the type to use mind-altering magic to make people do things. Nah. She was nice like that. It wasn’t like anything could go wrong and totally mess up anybody’s psyche.

The magic sparks around the princess’ horn brightened to a new intensity, flaring at a renewed vigor. The color, a pretty lavender to compliment her purple coat, shifted to a sickly green. The shard shivered in her little bubble of influence. Twilight looked closely, but she couldn’t tell if it was glinting in the light or glowing all on its own.

Princess Twilight held her breath, and then breathed lightly on the siren’s pendant.

“Ahh-ah-ah, ahh-ah. Ahh-ah-ah, ahh-ah.”

The chord ended in a shriek as Princess Twilight’s eyes flashed green. She dropped the shard, which clattered to the crystal floor. It danced end over end to settle at Sunset’s hooves.

The princess stumbled back and fell to her rump. She clutched her chest, which did nothing to slow her shallow breath or thundering heart.

Twilight yelped as she noticed green fog gathering around her hooves. She jumped away and watched it drift to the red gemstone of its own accord. A hissing sound like distant, muted screams wailed out of the stone as the fog was absorbed into the magical trinket.

After a moment, the room lay still, save for the whirrs and clicks of the magic scanner.

The princess flapped a wing to cool her heated, blushing face. She let out weak coughs as she struggled to catch her breath.

“It worked.” Little Spike ran up to her and held her foreleg. He eased her gently to her hooves. “Twilight… you did it.” Wetness glistened in his eyes. “You sang again.”

Princess Twilight hiccupped. Her wide eyes jumped from the young dragon, to Twilight, to Sunset, and back again. They settled on the small shard of gemstone, lying at her friend’s feet. Her lips trembled, tears wetting her cheeks. She lifted her pen and scratched out a haphazard message.

I think I’ll just

That might be

I need to

I’ll be back.

She stampeded out of the laboratory, her flapping wings giving her an extra burst of speed.

“Shoot.” Little Spike let out a mighty, smoke-laden sigh. He twisted a knob on the machine and flicked the switch to the “off” position. “She needs somepony to talk to, Sunset. I’d go to her myself, but… I think she needs you for this one.”

Sunset Shimmer fidgeted. She flicked her tail and glanced at the scanner. “Well…”

Little Spike studied the displays. He waved her off with a flick of his wrist. “The elevator’s two lefts and a right down the hall. Bedroom’s on the sixth floor. I can get the scanner working while you guys are gone; plenty of data to work off of.” He lifted his hand towards the full-grown dragon at the entrance. “Whadda yah say, big guy? You can help me set the antenna up outside. We deserve a little guy time, right?”

“Sounds okay.” Big Spike’s tail waved in the air behind him, narrowly missing the stained-crystal windows lining the hall. “What’s guy time? I’ve heard Big Mac talking about it, but I’ve never had it before.”

“It’s a magical place, my friend.” Little Spike’s tail swayed, shooing Twilight and Sunset from the laboratory. “A magical place indeed.”

Sunset set off, first slowly, then with increasingly solid steps. Twilight trailed along behind her. “I… don’t know that I should come,” Twilight said.

Sunset raised an eyebrow and slowed her pace, coming side-by-side with her friend. “Why not? I think it’ll be fine.”

“It’s just…” Twilight hemmed and hawed. She leveled her eyebrows and let out a grunt. “I’ve never done something like this before.”

Sunset’s left ear dipped down. “Something like what?”

“I dunno. Comforting, commiserating, sympathizing, any of it! I never had the opportunity.” She gestured with a foreleg as they walked. “I grew up basically an only child, ever since Shiny joined the military. I never really had friends until I started to tutor Big Mac, and he’s not exactly emotionally unstable, you know? If I hadn’t heard the stories, I could have sworn he’d never cried a day in his life!” She let out a loud bark of laughter. “I’m the least sympathetic person I know, and I went to the same school as Suri Polomare!”

Sunset Shimmer giggled quietly. She parted her lips slightly to give Twilight a tiny grin. “I remember that you sympathized just fine when I was talking about my past.”

Twilight blinked. She frowned, shaking her head. “That’s… different. You’re my friend. I know you. I care a lot about you. It just… came easy.”

“It doesn’t have to be all that different.” Sunset rested her foreleg across Twilight’s shoulders. “Sometimes, all you have to do is be there for somebody. We can lend a sympathetic ear and a shoulder to cry on.” She cast her eyes to the ground. “Or, in Princess Twilight’s case, a sympathetic eye.”

They walked to an elevator, which had a purple feather settled near the doors. Sunset pressed the button marked “Up.” “Empathy isn’t just something you’re born with. You have to exercise it like a muscle. You have to learn to love somebody. If you work at it, you get better at it.”

“Gee, there’s that ‘exercise’ word again.” Twilight climbed into the elevator, which was hewed from crystal like the rest of the castle. It glowed from within, powered by the fire of friendship or some such nonsense. “And you complain about me using offensive language.”

Sunset brought her forelegs up to her mane and puckered her lips. “You, too, could have a physique as stunning as mine, if only you did a few dozen sit-ups every morning.”

Twilight’s eyes jumped to Sunset’s flanks of their own accord. Her teeth snapped together in an equally-involuntary shudder. “I’ll thank you for never, ever again reminding me that you are butt-naked.”

“Ha.” Sunset let out a small breath as the elevator came to a stop. “But seriously, magic requires you to be fit in your mind, body, and soul. You’re gonna have to get some exercise if you wanna reach your potential.”

“You’re really gonna turn magic into work?” Twilight tripped over the elevator’s threshold. Her forelegs crossed to catch her, saving her from plummeting right into her nose. She smirked. “Looks like I found my sea legs. Kinda.”

Sunset Shimmer patted her shoulder. She set her eyes straight ahead, where an ornate set of double-doors hung half-open. Translucent windows of purple crystal stars sat centered in the wood, surrounded by a small cloud of silvery pinpricks. “If that room isn’t Twilight’s then it’s missing a good opportunity to be.”

“It looks fit for a princess, but so does everything in this place.” Twilight paced to the side of the hall to get a straight-on view of the design. “What sets this particular ‘too expensive’ door apart?”

Sunset shrugged. She pattered to it with a set jaw. “It’s got her cutie mark on it, of course.”

“Oh, yeah, sure.” Twilight Sparkle nodded with an earnest expression on her face. “How silly of me. Of course it has her cutie mark. Why didn’t I see it before? It’s so clear now.”

Sunset raised one eyebrow as high as it would go.

Twilight Sparkle gritted her teeth. “Do I even wanna know what a cutie mark is?”

Sunset laughed quietly. “We’ll make a pony out of you yet, Twi.”

***

Rainbow Dash lay across the couch with her hair splayed across the cushion. She wiggled her fingers in the air, playing a song on a pitch-perfect air guitar. One leg kicked into the air with the strum of a particularly awesome chord.

“When dat lighting strikes
Got you dead to rights
You know the Weather Team is on the scene!”

The wide-screen television mounted on the wall was the subject of many an argument over which one of the roommates actually owned it. Most of these discussions erupted when one of them wanted to watch something the other couldn’t stand. Rainbow Dash thought the Fashion Network was either completely boring or offensive on a personal level, while Rarity considered Adrenaline Network equally so.

“And just who would dare
To face the rainbow hair?
They’ll be beaten, bruised, and creamed!”

Rainbow Dash continued to sing as she waited for the commercial break to reach its end. She lowered her voice slightly when she heard a chair scrape across the kitchen floor. A heavy sigh accompanied the whirr of a laptop booting up.

“’Cause you know it’s
Weather Girl!
Oh yeah
Weather Girl!
She’s got the moves

“And she’s coming for you
Whether you’re ready or not
She’s the super-cool
Unbelievably hot

“Weather Girl!
No way
Weather Girl!
You’re gonna get schooled

“When that lightning strikes
You’ll know it’s Weather Girl”

Slow, steady applause reached Rainbow’s ears. She sat up in a brief approximation of a bow. “Thank you, thank you. You’re a lovely audience—”

Her stomach twisted when she caught sight of the woman sitting just a few feet away. Rarity’s face was covered in that weird green mud she swore “rejuvenated her skin.” Despite that covering, the sour expression on her face couldn’t be hidden. She ceased clapping and turned her grimy face back to her glowing screen.

“So…” Rainbow Dash wrapped her fingers over the back of the couch. “You’re still friends with the swamp monster, huh?”

Rarity didn’t look up from her work. “Make another joke about my treatment and I swear on my favorite curling iron I will shave your head while you sleep.”

“Noted.” Rainbow Dash twisted around to plant her bottom on the cushion. She fingered the hem of her favorite pajama shorts. “What’s got you up at one in the morning?”

Rarity let out a forced breath. “Trenderhoof’s latest article has so many typos and downright blatant errors that it’s taking me overtime just to get it in order. How the heck he still has a job is so far beyond me I can’t see it with a telescope.”

“Gee,” Rainbow Dash said, “it’s almost like he has somebody to cover his butt every time he makes a mistake. Who could that be?”

She could feel Rarity’s eyes burning a hole in her skull. “Trend’s articles reflect the entire magazine, Rainbow darling. If I don’t make Carousel as fabulous as possible, it would be the death of me.”

Rainbow Dash smiled as the program finally returned to the screen. “You could, I dunno, fire him.”

“The man sells magazines, unfortunately enough.” Rarity propped her cheek in her palm. “So here I am at one a.m. on a Friday night. Sitting in my bathrobe and editing an article about the Sandidry Desert Oasis Café. Listening to my roommate make up her own theme song.”

Lightning flashed outside their window. Thunder struck immediately after. Electronic noise clouded Rainbow’s screen. “Dagnabbit. It’s only supposed to storm when I’m on duty! How come Cloudkicker always gets the good weather?”

Rarity covered her eyes, getting mud all over her hands. “I’m so pathetic.”

Rainbow Dash bit her lower lip to suppress a smile. She spoke in as soft a voice as she was capable of. “Aw, come on, Rares. It’s the weekend! So what if you’ve gotta work? So what if you’ve got a crappy coworker? Seize the day and make your stand! You know you’re—”

“I’m awesome
Take caution
Look at me
I’m awesome as I wanna be!”

Rarity let out a ladylike snort. “That would be your phone, I presume? Who would be calling you at this hour?”

Rainbow jumped off the couch and scurried to her bedroom. A leap brought her belly-flopping onto her bed. She grasped the phone off her nightstand and read the caller ID. “It’s… Pinkie?”

“When it comes to making music, I’m the ruler
You wish you could be twenty-percent c—”

“Hey, it’s Dash.”

“Dashie! Oh my gosh, I’m so glad you’re still up!”

Rainbow Dash rolled onto her back. “Yeah. Having no curfew is nice like that. What’s up, Pinkie?”

“I’m so sorry.” Pinkie’s voice sounded strained even through the heavy tinny tinge added by the phone. “I just wanna say sorry in advance.”

“Uh oh.” Rainbow shook her head gently, a smile on her lips. “What’re you apologizing for this time, huh? Not enough sprinkles on the—”

“I’m serious, Dashie. This is really serious.” Pinkie’s voice fell to a hush. “I need your help.”

Rainbow’s face fell. She stood up and tucked the phone against her shoulder. She pulled jeans from her dresser and started to slip them on. “What’s wrong?”

“Sonata Dusk—you know, the Dazzling from highschool?—just showed up on my doorstep and asked for a place to spend the night.”

Rainbow cinched her belt tight. “That’s random. She just showed up out of the blue?”

“Yes, and…” Pinkie took a deep breath, which hissed loud over the speaker. “Oh, Dashie, I can’t give her a place to stay. Not now. I’ve got all the kids, and she’s an ex-villain, and it’s just not safe for her to be near them and Cheese was supposed to be home hours ago and I’m so afraid he’s gotten hurt and I don’t even know where he is and Sonata’s in the next room and I don’t know what to do!”

“Easy! Pinkie Pie! It’s okay!” Rainbow slid her jacket over her pajama top. “I’m coming over right now. Maybe she’ll agree to spend the night with Rarity and me. I’m sure we can make the couch comfy for her.” She ran one hand through her hair. “I’ll be over in, like, ten minutes—”

Rainbow’s window rattled on its hinges at the crash of another mighty bolt from the sky. She swallowed hard. “M-maybe twenty minutes. I’ll be there soon. Y-you can count on me.”

“Oh, thank you!” Pinkie nearly screeched. “Thank you, thank you, thank you! I just didn’t know what I was gonna do!”

“Relax, Pinkie.” Rainbow Dash nudged her door open. “You got me as a friend, remember?”

Rarity turned from her laptop as Rainbow hung up. “Pinkie? What did she want?”

“One of the Dazzlings showed up and asked for a place to stay.” Rainbow flicked her hair over her shoulder as she knelt to tie her shoes. “She doesn’t wanna put the kids at risk, you know? I thought maybe we could let Sonata stay the night here.”

Rarity intertwined her fingers. “When were you going to consult me on this?”

“Just as soon as it came up.” Rainbow Dash stood tall and crossed her arms over her chest. “Pinkie needs us, Rares. She needs us to do this thing for her.”

Rarity threw her hands into the air. “Well, it’s not as if I was going to say ‘no’ to Pinkie. I’m not in the habit of kicking sweet puppies.”

Rainbow paused with her hand on the door handle. “Hey, you mind if I take your dad’s old golf club?”

“You mean my self-defense sledgehammer?” Rarity gestured vaguely off to the side. “It’s resting against the kitchen wall. If you think you might need to brain Sonata, please be my guest.”

Rainbow chuckled. She gripped the club tight between her fingers. “‘Brain.’ Heh.”

Rarity lidded her eyes. “What’s funny about that?”

“‘Brain.’ ‘Sonata.’ Kinda an oxymoron, right?” Rainbow danced her eyebrows. “Huh? Huh?”

Rarity sighed. “Oh, just be off with you and try not to kill anybody. There’s too much paperwork involved.”

Rainbow Dash glanced out the window, the club balanced on her shoulder. She skewed her mouth to the side. “Huh. Sonata. It’s been, like, ten years since we’ve seen her, right? I wonder if she’s changed at all.”

“If God grants mercy on us.” Rarity wagged her hand. “Now shoo! Pinkie’s counting on you!”

Rainbow stepped out of their apartment and into the hallway, twirling her keychain around her finger. She wouldn’t be able to take her motorcycle, but Rarity wouldn’t mind if she borrowed her car. She wasn’t going anywhere that night. Rainbow pressed the car starter on the key and followed the sounds of a revving engine through the garage.

A moment later, she was rolling through the streets, seeking out familiar sights through the blanket of water pouring out over the city. Roads flooded as drains backed up in the sewers below. Other cars were few and far between. A tree branch fell beside the car, eliciting a screech from Dash.

She gripped the steering wheel tight, humming to herself.

“When that lightning strikes
She’s got you dead to rights
You’ll know that Weather Girl is on the scene…”

Keep Your Distance

Big Spike tapped his claws together and watched the smaller dragon bustle around the laboratory. Little Spike took a large coil of wire and effortlessly tucked it underneath his arm. “Alright,” Little Spike said. “First we need to carry the antenna outside. Think you can handle that?”

“Sure!” Big Spike opened his mouth wide and craned his neck across the room.

“Whoa, buddy!” Little Spike waved a hand. “You know how powerful dragon jaws are? You’ll twist it into scrap! Pick it up with your fingers. Gently.”

Big Spike closed his jaws with a snap. He grinned as he stretched out an arm. “Sorry. Don’t have too much practice with these things yet. But let me tell you what, I’m sure looking forward to it!”

“Personally,” Little Spike said, “I’m not sure how most ponies live with themselves.” He waggled his clawtips and walked down the hallway. “Writing, holding things, picking your nose—none of that is possible with just hooves.”

Big Spike nodded. “Yeah. I know how it goes. Dogs don’t have much in the way of manipulators. You can only get so many boogers with your tongue.” He held the antenna between the forefinger and thumb of both hands, using his hind legs to slide himself along on his belly. He noted with a frown that he was scuffing up the polish on the floor. “How do earth ponies pick their noses, anyway?”

“Cotton swabs.” Little Spike shivered. “Barring those, you’re pretty much stuck with a crusty schnoz.”

“Gross.”

“I know, right?”

Big Spike glanced down and saw that as he walked, Little Spike unwound the wire. It trailed all the way back to the laboratory. “That hooks up to the machine, right?”

Little Spike glanced back. “Yup. If you look close, you’ll see it’s actually two cords stuck together. One to carry magic up to the antenna—”

“And one to bring the data back to the scanner?” Big Spike brow furrowed. He twisted the antenna in his grip. “So some of these… spike thingies shoot out magic and some of them collect it.”

Little Spike stared hard at the towering dragon. He tilted his head to the side and pushed the front doors open. “You’re catching on pretty quick for somebody who was a dog yesterday.”

“Well, it’s just really… logical. Straightforward. Like a long line of dog treats.” Big Spike ducked his head under the archway and came out into the bright midmorning sunlight. He shielded his eyes with a flick of his long, tapering tail. “You eat one piece, and that leads right to the next one, and eventually you can pretty much predict where the next one’s gonna be, even when you’re eating the others.”

Little Spike walked backwards into the street, surveying the outside of the castle for a good spot to mount the antenna. His eyes locked on a promising tower as he gave the coil a bit more slack. “I think that’s why Twilight appreciates magic so much. One of the reasons. It’s this, therefore this, therefore this. No surprises, no randomness, no sudden left turns. If something happens, it’s because you did something to make it happen.”

Big Spike set the antenna down on the road, next to a pony-sized footprint in the pavement. “Huh. It really is science.”

“Yup. Totally and completely, one-hundred percent.” Little Spike chuckled. “You wanna get Twilight really riled up? Ask her about the people who say magic is communicating with evil spirits and conjuring cheap tricks. Her face turns a real snazzy shade of magenta.”

The larger dragon wrung the end of his tail between his hands. “I don’t need any help making Twilight upset. Either of them, I bet.”

Little Spike dismissed the comment with a flick of his wrist. “Friends disagree. It’s a thing. If you guys are anything like me and Twi, you’ll work through it.” He pointed at the spot on the shining spire he’d selected. “Think you can lift me up to that spot? I’ll start securing the antenna in place.”

Big Spike lowered a hand to the ground to let his smaller counterpart climb aboard. He stood tall on his hind legs and set both the antenna and Little Spike on the distant rooftop. “No offense, I’m sure you’re an expert on this stuff, but I think our relationship might be just a little different than yours. Plus, you know, changing in a big way after the whole ‘dog gains sapience’ thing. It’s a stinking emotional rollercoaster that I didn’t buy tickets for.”

He raised an eyebrow. “How’re you gonna keep that thing from falling, anyhow?”

Little Spike balanced himself on the sloping rooftop of the spire, guiding the bottom of the antenna with one hand while Big Spike kept it from tumbling to the ground. The smaller dragon winked. “By using Wit and Charm,” he said.

He clenched his fist and twisted the metal around the tip of the tower. A loop and a knot later, it was completely secure. “That’s what I named my biceps, by the way.”

Big Spike wrinkled his nose. “Even I know only a dork names his muscles.”

“Don’t let Applejack hear you say that!” a voice called from below. “She and her legs are liable to run you right outta town!”

Big Spike looked down, down, down. Standing between his feet was an earth pony mare. She was tall and muscular, coming up to the height of his big toe; a head above most other ponies he’d seen in town. Her scent was familiar, as was the giant bow holding her red mane back. “Apple Bloom?”

Her eyebrows came together. Her mouth went into a tiny pout. Her eyes rolled as the gears in her head turned, and she shouted up to Little Spike with an unsuppressed grin. “Ah guess you already told your pal here all about me, huh?”

“Oh, no!” Big Spike said. He bent down to place his hands palm-down on either side of her. “I know you. Kinda. I know another you, I guess. A different you. But I know you.”

Apple Bloom’s eyes went wide. She backed away from his smoking snout. “Ah’m afraid ah can’t say the same for you, mister…”

“Big Spike!” Big Spike said.

Her mouth became a flat line. “Big Spike.”

He nodded. “Yup! My name’s Spike, but people call me Big Spike because it might get confusing with him around.” He jerked a thumb at his doppelganger on the rooftop. “So… Big Spike. Kinda like Big Mac when I think about it. You’ve got a Big Mac around here, too, right?”

“A’yup.” Apple Bloom cleared her throat and hollered up at the other Spike. “Is anypony else as confused as ah am? ’Cuz this is a might confusing. Does the name Spike just run in your family?”

Little Spike snapped his fingers to get Big Spike’s attention. “Gimme a lift so that I can explain stuff.”

Big Spike finally peeled his eyes away from Apple Bloom. “Huh? Oh, yeah, sure! Just a sec!” He stood on his rear legs, balancing himself with an earth-shaking step. He held his hand out for Little Spike to ride down. Before he could move, an orange-coated pegasus fluttered in front of his face.

“His name’s not the only thing that runs in his family,” the pegasus mare said. “Check it out; purple and green scales, no wings, even the eyes are spot-on.”

A muscular stallion hovered beside her, rubbing his chin. “Since when do you pay such close attention to his eyes?”

“Jealous?” she said with a grin.

Little Spike let out a snort and motioned towards the ground. “Better set me down so I can make some proper introductions, otherwise this’ll take forever.”

Big Spike set his other self down as the pegasi landed next to Apple Bloom. He sat on his haunches and waited patiently for Little Spike to start speaking. The smaller dragon opened his mouth, but was interrupted by the orange pegasus. “So are you the physical manifestation of his conscience or something like that?”

“What? No!” Little Spike drew himself up on his hind legs and held an arm to the side, standing like a royal herald. “This is Spike. We call him Big Spike to avoid any confusion.”

“You sure nailed that one,” Apple Bloom said.

Little Spike took a deep breath and ignored her. “This dragon is none other than yours truly from an alternate, parallel universe.”

While the three ponies’ jaws dropped, Little Spike turned to his mirror version. He pointed at the tall mare. “The ponies standing before you are Applebloom—” He gestured to the orange mare. “—Scootaloo—” He waved a hand at the stallion. “—and my good buddy Rumble.”

“Oh! I do know Scootaloo.” Spike brought his nose close enough to Scootaloo that his breath rustled her feathers. Her wings were purple, he noticed, not orange like the rest of her. Probably a dye job. Cool. “Hi, Scootaloo.”

“H—” Her voice cracked. “Hi. What the heck are they feeding you in that alternate, parallel, divergent, mirror universe?”

“Yeah,” Rumble said. His eyes widened as his mouth closed. “I kinda imagined an alternate you would be more… I dunno… the same except with a goatee or something.”

Little Spike smirked. “Huh. I’d look good with a goatee.”

“No,” Apple Bloom said.

“But I could really pull it off—”

Apple Bloom scrunched her muzzle. “No!”

“But if I could get Twilight to perform this one spell—”

Apple Bloom’s eyes narrowed. “No.”

Little Spike threw his hands up. He waddled on his hind legs over to Rumble and grinned. “You think I could pull it off, right?”

“I learned pretty dang early on,” Rumble said, his eyes glazing over, “that you just can’t argue with mares.”

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom looked at each other with a longsuffering sigh.

Big Spike moved his lips as he counted silently on his fingers. “Apple Bloom… Scootaloo… Hey, do you two know a girl named Sweetie Belle?”

“Are you kidding?” Scootaloo laughed and loop-de-looped through the air. “She completes the terrifying trio that is the former Cutie Mark Crusaders!” She cupped a hoof beside her mouth. “Word on the street is that she stepped out to get her morning paper, saw a dragon walking through town, said ‘nope,’ and scurried back into her house.”

“Smart mare,” Little Spike said. He crossed his arms, swishing his tail through the air. “What brings the rest of you here?”

Apple Bloom bent her head back to get a look at Big Spike’s head. “Mostly keepin’ an eye on him for Applejack. She says she trusts Twilight not to let a dragon rampage through town, but she wants to be sure.”

Scootaloo bit her lip and fidgeted with her dangling forelegs. “I’m here to reassure my mom that the new dragon’s not gonna eat our house. And then us.”

Rumble frowned. “Roseluck saw the dr—Big Spike? How’d she take it?”

“About how you’d expect.” Scootaloo plastered her best smile onto her face. “She’ll get over it. At some point.”

He rested a wing on her back. “If you need me to help, just let me know.” He sucked on his lip to suppress a smile. “As for me, I’m just here to see the new dragon rampaging around town.”

Big Spike lowered his brow. “I’m not on a rampage.”

“Aw, shucks, we know that, Spike.” Apple Bloom winked at him. “The people of Ponyville just can’t help rememberin’ the last time a giant Spike went for a walk around town.” She tilted her head towards Little Spike, framing her face with a smile. “And it weren’t really his fault then, neither.”

“I’m not too sure about that.” Little Spike heaved at the castle’s doors, pulling them outward and aside. “Come on in, guys. I’ll show off what Twilight and I’ve been working on.”

Scootaloo flapped through the air over his head. “Yes, but will there be snacks?”

“You literally just missed the chocolate chip cookies.”

“Curse my rotten luck!”

Apple Bloom glanced at the antenna above their heads. “Ah also wouldn’t mind gettin’ a closer look at the doohickey you guys put on the roof.”

Big Spike jumped forward, creating a localized earthquake. He reached his hand for her. “Sure thing! Hop aboard and I’ll get you—”

“Don’t touch her, don’t touch her, don’t touch her!”

Little Spike skidded between Apple Bloom and the bigger dragon, his claws making long lines through the crystal steps. He held his arms out to shield her body, his chest heaving. He gasped out a pained breath. “Y-you can’t do that.”

Big Spike jerked his hand back, his eyes darting between Little Spike and Apple Bloom, who was inching away with a deep frown. “What?” Big Spike asked. “What did I do?”

“Y-you can’t…” Little Spike gripped his fists tight. “Remember our talk earlier? About how if you weren’t careful you could have crushed the antenna?”

With a shuffle of his feet against crumbling pavement, Big Spike leaned away. “Yeah. Kinda hard to forget.”

Little Spike closed his eyes. “The antenna is made of metal. Apple Bloom is not.”

Apple Bloom’s ears dipped down. She looked at the floor as her shoulders slumped.

Big Spike gasped. He looked down at his massive hands and nodded. “I’ll be careful.”

“Were you not listening?” Little Spike snapped. “You can’t touch her, you could hurt her! If you can bend metal, how much easier would it be to—?”

“But I won’t hurt her.” Big Spike squared his shoulders and set his jaw firm. “I’d never hurt her, or any of our friends. I promise.”

Apple Bloom spared Scootaloo and Rumble a glance. They stared back with concern etched on their faces like carved stone. “It’s fine, Spike,” she said. “Ah wasn’t gonna—”

“It’s not that simple.” Little Spike snorted to cut off the smoke trailing from his nostrils. “All it takes is one mistake, one little accident, and you’ll end up with something that you can never, ever take back.”

Big Spike looked down at his body, from the armored scales to the razor-sharp claws. “I don’t want to hurt her. So I won’t.”

“Then you’ll keep your distance.” Spike waddled between the waiting ponies, who watched him wordlessly. “We both will.”

Big Spike watched the four of them enter the castle, then followed once they’d gone a certain distance. He closed his eyes halfway, bringing Twilight Sparkle’s face to mind easier than it’d ever come to him when he’d been a dog. An itch appeared behind his ear, which he was able to scratch without breaking stride. It wasn’t quite the same. “Maybe I don’t want to keep my distance.”

***

Twilight Sparkle stayed at the door while Sunset Shimmer strode confidently into the room. She tapped her hooves against the shiny blue floor, considering her options. Once she’d narrowed them down to “Suck it up” and “Run away like a little mouse,” she sighed and passed through the entryway.

Princess Twilight Sparkle’s room was surprisingly familiar. The glowing walls were new, as was the impressively-opulent princess-sized bed, but the rest was all… home. There was the small writing desk in the corner, holding far more paper than was really necessary. There were the hanging mobiles of constellations and molecules. There was a radio in place of a flat-screen television, but she was willing to bet that the old-timey, relatively-antiquated projector in the corner worked just fine.

Then there were the books. Shelves and shelves of them. There were enough to keep Twilight busy for years, and this wasn’t even the actual library room. It took her breath away.

She heard a sniffle from the other side of the room. Princess Twilight wasn’t lying on her bed like Twilight had expected. Instead of curling up underneath her quilt, the princess was hunched over a drawing board, a few tools hovering around in her magic bubbles. A pencil made a plumb-straight line and connected two points on the graph paper. Two quick strikes with a compass centered the next pass of the pencil, and were followed up with a scuff from a length of charcoal.

The princess wiped her eyes, which still dripped a constant stream of tears. Sunset laid gentle hooves on her back, just above her wings, giving her a hint of warmth and support. A quick message was scratched out. Got to copy it down while it’s fresh.

Twilight got close enough to see over Sunset’s shoulder. As more lines were added to the paper, they started to come together in her mind. “You’re copying down the magic paths in the shard.”

Princess Twilight nodded as a new flood of tears spilled onto her forelegs.

Twilight hazarded a guess. “So that you can replicate the effects.”

The princess shook her head vehemently. She wrote down one word and underlined it several times. Understand

This time, Twilight kept her thoughts to herself. Understand. Not replicate. She wanted to modify the spell to get her voice back without worrying about the other effects. Clever, even if she said it about herself. Or her mirror counterpart.

Princess Twilight continued drawing for several minutes, while Twilight busied exploring the room more thoroughly. She saw a quality telescope sitting beside the window, which brought a smile to her face. Were the constellations similar in Equestria, she wondered, or were they completely different? It was something to ask at a better time.

Twilight’s ears perked up when she heard the princess setting down her tools. She rubbed her ears, a grimace spreading across her face as she realized just how huge they were. She didn’t exactly have dainty ears on a normal day, but this was ridiculous. She trotted over to the other ponies and did her best to dedicate the princess’ drawing to memory. With a thought, the lines became numbers denoting lengths and angles. The digits were filed away in the back of her mind.

Princess Twilight looked at her out of the corner of her eye. Twilight ignored the princess until it got just the least bit too uncomfortable. “You okay?”

The princess lifted a notepad in her magic. You have an eidetic memory, too, don’t you?

Twilight gave the princess a double-take. She dithered, coughing in the back of her throat. “It’s borderline photographic, but I’ve said that the film gets a little grainy sometimes. Why?”

Everything stays fresh. Princess Twilight rubbed the base of her horn, closing her eyes lightly. Sunset wrapped her in a tighter embrace. Sights, sounds, smells, it’s all there. Just as clear as they day you experienced it, if you just probe deep enough. It doesn’t go away. She glanced at Twilight, the corners of her eyes wrinkling. So why did I forget the sound of my own voice before today?

Twilight turned away. The only answer the came to mind was a slight shrug.

Princess Twilight reread her message, let out a grunt, and then tossed the page into a nearby garbage can. Sorry. I shouldn’t have dumped that on you. That wasn’t fair of me. I shouldn’t let it get to me.

Twilight crossed her forelegs and thumped to her rear. She angled herself towards one hanging constellation in particular and went about deciphering it. “Why not? You lost your voice. You got it taken from you. I think you’ve got a right to be mad. Heck, maybe you’ve got a right to be furious.”

Sunset ran a hoof down the edge of the princess’ wing. “Twilight…”

“I’m just saying I don’t blame her.” Twilight rolled her eyes. “Or me. Or whatever we are to each other.”

Princess Twilight extended her wings halfway. Getting mad doesn’t help anything.

“It keeps me from exploding.” Twilight adjusted her glasses with a glimmer of magic. “I think you can physically explode if you keep your feelings suppressed for too long.”

Princess Twilight let out a single, light laugh. It’s half-true.

Sunset sighed and gave her a small smile. “Because an out-of-control outburst does so much less damage.”

“That’s a rare occurrence, but…” Twilight waved a dismissive hoof. “Whatever. What do I know? I’m not the princess in the room.”

The princess in question shook her head and patted Sunset’s hoof. We should go back and see what Spike’s come up with. I got the schematics down and— Her pen trailed off. She held it above the page, her eyes flicking from one side to the other. I think I feel better. Just had to get over the shock, you know?

Sunset lifted the sheet of paper in her telekinetic grip. She raised an eyebrow as she surveyed the drawing. “Just needed time to get those gears turning?”

Something like that. Princess Twilight uncapped a cardboard tube with a satisfying pop. She gestured to it, and Sunset rolled the page up and slid it inside. The princess grabbed a marker from across the room, stuck her tongue out in thought, and then labeled the tube “Project New Song.”

She set the tube beside the desk, in an out-of-the-way corner. A flash of her horn dabbed a handkerchief against the corners of her eyes. She squared her hooves and set out at a snappy pace, Twilight and Sunset trailing behind.

Twilight leaned close to Sunset and whispered, “Did we just commiserate? She recovered awful quick.”

“She’s a resilient person, like you.” Sunset kept her voice low, but the princess’ ears still swiveled back to listen. “Always ready to bounce back, fists swinging.”

The three climbed on to the elevator. The princess tapped the button for the ground floor and settled back, her wings folded and a bright little smile on her face. Twilight switched her weight from one set of hooves to the other as silence filled the little crystalline room.

As they passed the fourth floor, Twilight leaned against the railing that lined the walls. Her hoof brushed against a hairy cheek. She scratched the spot, a grim frown crawling across her face. Did ponies have to shave? Did they have different summer and winter coats? She wasn’t sure she actually wanted to know.

But there was something she wanted to know, she remembered, recalling her little jaunt through the town. Maybe it would help break the ice. Maybe she and the princess would find something else in common. “So, how are you and Big Mac doing?”

The silence in the elevator hit a sour note.

Twilight sucked on the inside of her cheek. She turned her head slowly towards the other two ponies.

Princess Twilight Sparkle tilted her head. One ear flipped down, while the other twisted halfway around. Her lips came together and stretched to one side of her face. She studied Twilight’s face as if the little unicorn was a complex math problem begging to be solved.

Sunset Shimmer stared as well. Her eyes were wide, her mouth tiny. Her ears lay back against her mane. Twilight had seen that face before: On a deer in a semi-truck’s headlights.

Twilight cleared her throat.

Princess Twilight shook her head. What do you mean? What would we be doing?

“Er… are you guys doing anything? Together?” Twilight Sparkle reached up to her neck and fumbled with her shirt’s buttons. Since she was using her hooves, she made little headway in giving herself more room to breathe. “Like, say, hanging out? Spending time on the farm? Taking long walks on the beach? Complaining about life’s issues?” She bobbed her head from one side to the other, her voice coming out as a squeak. “Stuff like that?”

Sunset Shimmer let out a brief strangling sound.

Princess Twilight narrowed one eye. She shook her head with all the speed of a glacier. No. Why would we?

“You… Aren’t…” Twilight cringed from her head to her tail tip. “Together?”

The princess jumped back. She sprung into action, her pen flying across the page. No! No, heck no! I couldn’t do that to— He’s been married to Cheerilee for four years! They have a baby! No!

Sunset laid her head against the doors with a dull thud. She nearly fell over when they slid open.

A furiously-blushing princess marched off of the elevator with her tail hiked. She clomped her way through the halls, making a bee-line for the lab.

Twilight Sparkle balanced the note in her hooves, her eyes dry, her chest burning. She looked up to see Sunset flapping her mouth soundlessly.

“Huh?” Twilight said.

“I’m sorry, Twilight.” Sunset rested a hoof on her friend’s shoulder. “Yes, I did know. I just didn’t expect you to randomly bring it up like that—”

“It wasn’t random!” Twilight’s hooves shook. “It was so quiet in the elevator and I didn’t know what to say but I saw Big Mac in the market and I thought…” She coughed up phlegm, and then swallowed it back down. “He’s married?”

“Don’t worry about it.” Sunset leaned against the wall next to her and gave her a hug. “It’s a different Big Mac. He’s not the same person, so there’s no compar—”

“Yeah,” Twilight said firmly. “Different Big Mac. Different Twilight. Different…” She let the paper drop. “Oh, God. Different Cheerilee. What if he—”

“Twilight, it’s not worth worrying about.” Sunset Shimmer slapped herself in the face. “No, sorry. It’s not worth beating yourself up about.”

“Of course not!” Twilight flapped the note through the air with a flashing spell. “Why should I care that the only guy I’ve ever loved is married to another girl? It’s just an alternate universe! It’s not like anything that happens here could ever happen anywhere else!”

“Twilight, breathe!” Sunset Shimmer gripped Twilight’s shoulders. “Just take a deep breath and sort it o—”

Twilight Sparkle impaled the note on Sunset’s horn. She ground her teeth together. “Are there any other secrets you’re keeping from me because you’re afraid I’ll get upset? I’m getting just a little bit tired of them.”

Sunset wilted beneath the page. “I’m sorry.”

Twilight shrugged her coat higher on her shoulders. She trotted away, her head low. “Be glad you don’t have a double. It’s confusing as heck.”

***

Big Spike took up his nearly-comfortable position at the entrance to the laboratory. Little Spike had been stiff and silent the entire way, his jaw clamped shut. The others had followed suit, Rumble and Scootaloo keeping to the air while Apple Bloom stayed close by the younger dragon’s side.

Apple Bloom split away, edging close to Big Spike. She watched the others crowd around the magic scanner. “He don’t mean nothin’ personal, Big Spike.”

Big Spike’s eyes snapped to her position down below. “What do you mean?”

“He was just scared. This is somethin’ he’s been dealing with for a while, now.” Apple Bloom gave the dragon a thin smile. “Ever since he tried holdin’ the door for Sweetie and me and accidently pulled it right off its hinges. That was a few years ago.” Her bow danced merrily behind her mane as she spoke. “So don’t take it personal. He’s hard on himself, too. He just wants to keep everybody safe.”

Big Spike leveled his brow. He nodded. “I feel the same way. I don’t know what I would do if you guys got hurt. In either world.”

She giggled. “Speakin’ of which, what’s the other me like? Tell me she ain’t a grumpy old mare or somethin’ like that.”

“No, no, she’s still pretty young.” Big Spike grinned. “She’s bouncy, and happy. She talks a mile a minute and always has something to say. She’s always scratching me behind the ears, or sneaking me dog treats, or stuff like that.”

“Dog treats?” Apple Bloom blinked.

“Yeah. Didn’t Little Spike tell you that I’m a dog? Or was one?”

“Dog?” Apple Bloom hiccupped, a crazed smile zigzagging across her face. “‘Little Spike?’”

Big Spike tapped his claws to a beat in his head. “Yeah! We figured we need to use the nicknames to keep us separate until I head back. It takes away the confusion.”

Apple Bloom burst into deep, ringing belly-laughs. She flopped onto her back and held her sides tight, her legs kicking in the air.

Big Spike smiled. Then he grinned. Soon, he joined in the laughter. Together, they echoed across the laboratory, their voices drowning out the buzz of machinery.

Scootaloo and Rumble giggled up a storm, while Little Spike did his best to keep a straight face. It broke a moment later with a stuttering snort. “Okay,” Little Spike said, “I’ll admit. That is pretty funny.”

He pushed a button on the control panel. Information spewed from the machine in short spurts. He looked up at Rumble, who was coming in for a landing. “So what did the Royal Guard say? Are you in?”

Rumble let himself catch his breath before replying. He leaned against the side of the machine, spreading his wings out across its warm surface. “Yeah. I’m in. I’m shipping out at the end of next week, sailing straight up the coast.”

“Eastwind. That’s where Shining Armor trained.” Little Spike held his fist out, which Rumble met with a hoof-bump. “We’re proud of you, Rumble. All of us.”

“And we’ll be even more proud when you come back safe and sound,” Scootaloo said, gliding down and bumping the stallion’s shoulder. “Don’t get caught up in any adventures without me, you got it?”

“Aw.” Rumble cocked an eyebrow and gave her a lopsided grin. “Not even a little adventure?”

“Maybe a little one.” She angled her lavender wings back to glide upside-down through the air. “Just a little one, though. Don’t go getting yourself hurt.”

Apple Bloom bit down on the end of her tail. She halted just before she knocked over a microscope. “An’ you watch where you’re goin’,” Apple Bloom said. “Don’t need to go recreatin’ every fool thing Rainbow Dash ever did.”

Big Spike snapped his claws. “Just every cool thing she did?”

Rumble barked out a laugh. “He’s a Spike alright. That ‘wordplay’ was right up your alley, dude.”

“I’d argue with that,” Little Spike glanced up, “except he beat me by two seconds.”

“Uh huh.” Scootaloo let her legs dangle in the air while she hovered overhead. “You guys have a pretty sharp wit for a dog.”

The jocularity was broken by the quick, steady click-clack of hooves against crystal. Princess Twilight didn’t so much as send a nod Big Spike’s way when she entered the room. Her face sizzled with redness. Apple Bloom’s chipper “Hiyah, Twilight!” gave her a jolt. Her wings flared out and her eyes widened, like she hadn’t even seen the ponies gathered around the scanner.

She let out a low whoosh of breath. Hello, everypony. It’s good to see you. She ripped the page off of her notepad and floated it over to Apple Bloom’s waiting hoof. While Scootaloo and Rumble crowded behind her to read it, the princess went straight for the machine. Have we made any progress with locating the fragment? It the antenna working properly?

“Yeah, Twilight. It’s working fine. The scan’s already gone as far as Manehattan.” Little Spike waved a hand over the paper rolling out of the slot. “Nothing yet, but we’ll know when we find it.”

Keep me posted. She lifted her head in time to see Twilight enter the room, her face red and her eyes puffy. Are there still filters for the coffee machine?

At Spike’s nod, she cantered towards the back of the room, out of sight.

Twilight slumped to the ground beside Big Spike. He shuffled a little to the right, making a wider space between them. When she gave him a confused glance, he coughed. “I… um.. wouldn’t want to squish you. Accidently.”

“I’m sure you’re fine,” she said, laying her chin on the floor. “I’m sure it’s fine.”

Big Spike scratched his claws against the floor. Then he tapped them. Then he pointed at the assembled ponies a few meters away. “We have company.”

Twilight opened her eyes with a groan. She swore underneath her breath.

“So that’s Rumble, she’s Scootaloo…” He watched her carefully as he gestured at the final pony. “And that one’s this world’s Apple Bloom.”

He had to admit, he expected a reaction, but not a full-bodied flinch. He spent a second wondering what he’d said wrong before she stood up, made her way to the ponies, and held out a hoof.

“My name is Twilight Sparkle,” she told them, “and I’m not the weirdest thing you’ve seen all day.”

Apple Bloom looked to Big Spike, then to Little Spike, before settling on Twilight. “Maybe not, but ah can’t say ah ain’t surprised. Nice to meet you.”

“Are there alternate versions of all of us?” Scootaloo asked, buzzing overhead. “How many are there? Is there, like, a universe where I’m a wonderbolt? Or maybe one where I’m some sort of freaky bipedal thing? Oho! How about one where we’re dinosaurs!”

Rumble flicked an ear. “Maybe there’s one where you’re a dog, too?”

“Oh ha, ha.” Scootaloo turned away from him and crossed her forelegs. “If so, I would be a greyhound.”

“Ah’d have guessed ‘Chihuahua.’” Apple Bloom shrugged one shoulder and looked down at the significantly-shorter Twilight. “You okay? You’re lookin’ a lil’ tired.”

“I’ll—” Twilight lifted her glasses and rubbed her face. “I’ll be fine. This is all just… a little confusing.”

Big Spike gripped his hands together. “Confusing and scary.”

Twilight met his eyes. She scrunched her muzzle. “You, too, huh?”

“Miss, um, Miss Twilight…” Rumble stood tall, his wings extended to a precise stance. “If there’s anything we can do to make your stay in Equestria more comfortable, just ask.”

“Darn tootin’!” Apple Bloom said.

“Right on,” Scootaloo agreed.

Big Spike looked at Twilight again. This time, they shared a small smile. She turned back to the ponies with a warm sigh. “Thank you,” Twilight said. “That… is a comfort.”

Something beeped.

All eyes shot to Little Spike, who shrugged. “Don’t look at me. I don’t beep.”

When the sound hit again—a high-pitched, ear-grating wheep—their attention slowly crawled its way to the giant scanner dominating the room. It sounded again and again, getting higher and louder with each progression. Little Spike tore a sheet of paper from the chattering device and carried it to a nearby table. He scribbled down numbers and equations from the graph, lining them up against a handy map of Equestria. With a satisfied nod and a period, he lifted the page high.

“We’ve got her.”

***

Sunset Shimmer sighed beneath the page stuck to her horn. “Oh, God, I’ve become Celestia.”

She slid it up and over, her eyes combing the jagged lines Princess Twilight had put into the words. She crumpled the sheet up and tore little tiny pieces off, leaving them scattered across the floor. Limp hoof steps drew her along, making her way to that wondrous destination called the Castle Laboratory. “What’s next, Twilight? How about I tell you the story of how Shining’s a prince; married to Cadence, of all people. How about how one of your friends thinks of the laws of physics as being old-fashioned? What about the time you charged head-first into an army of shape-shifting monsters?”

She ran a hoof through her mane, which threatened to tangle itself into a massive bacon-colored mess. “But that wasn’t you. It was the princess. None of this is—”

Sunset groaned and snapped her mouth shut. She was talking to herself again. Out loud. She couldn’t help it if the stress got to her. She just needed to calm down and try not to think about how angry Twilight was. At her.

“Oh, God. I didn’t mean to keep secrets.”

She ran at a pace slightly slower than a gallop, just to give herself time to think of what to say. She needed to say something. Some sort of apology that wouldn’t just come off as dismissing Twilight’s feelings. Something that wasn’t just saying “I’m sorry, but I was right all along.” Something not stupid.

Was she sorry?

She moved alongside Big Spike’s tail. She was getting close. “I’m sorry, Twilight. I didn’t want to make you mad. Anything but that.”

She didn’t want Twilight mad at her. Not that mad. The last time somebody was that mad at her, they didn’t talk to each other for almost five years. Even then, they only spoke at parties they attended together. She didn’t want Twilight to end up like—

“Scootaloo!” Apple Bloom shouted. “Ah warned you about lookin’ where you were goin’!”

—her foster sister.

Sunset Shimmer froze in place beneath the arch. She saw a short pegasus mare fly overhead, a devil-may-care grin on her face, spiraling on purple wings. Sunset nearly fell onto her back.

She jerked to the side as a cloud of green smoke billowed past. She traced it back to its origin: Little Spike using his enchanted fire breath to send messages. He huffed and puffed, sending messages as fast as Princess Twilight could write them.

“Howdy, ma’am,” a tall mare said from the right. She rose head-and-shoulders above the unicorn, her strong limbs making Sunset’s toned legs look like twigs. “Name’s Apple Bloom. Ah might be mistaken, but ah don’t think we’ve been introduced. ’Least not in this world.”

“S-Sunset Shimmer. I’m a friend of Twilight’s.” Sunset waved a hoof across the room. “Both of them.”

“Neat.” Apple Bloom smiled. “Ah’ll admit ah ain’t heard much about yah, but any friend of Twilight’s is a friend of mine.”

“Thanks.” Sunset just hoped it stayed that way.

Scootaloo dropped to the ground. Sunset jumped. “Hay,” Scootaloo said. “I heard you guys are headed to Fillydelphia.”

Sunset was only able to squeak out one word. “Fillydelphia?”

“Yeah.” Scootaloo’s familiar purple mane waved as she fluttered her wings. “Normally, I wouldn’t count that as super-exciting, but you are tracking down a dangerous fugitive fish-monster. It evens out.”

Sunset tried and failed to take her eyes off Scootaloo. “It’s pretty crazy no matter which way you slice it, Kid.”

Scootaloo lowered her ears. “Yeah. I guess so.” She squinted. “Do I know you from somewhere?”

“Probably not?” Sunset shrugged.

“It’s just that my dad always calls me ‘Kid.’ You sounded just like him.” Scootaloo rubbed her chin. “You’re not related to a Davenport by any chance, are you?”

“N-not that I know of.”

“’Kay. Funny coincidence, then.” Scootaloo’s head popped up. Rumble waved her over to the maps with a gray wing. “’Scuse me. See yah later.”

“Bye.” Sunset blew a long breath between her lips. She turned to say something to Apple Bloom, but the mare had already walked over to speak with Big Spike. She nibbled her lip and sat where she stood.

She felt a presence at her side. “I’m not the only one you keep things from, huh?”

Sunset turned so fast that her mane flipped over her face. She hurriedly brushed it out of her way, revealing the sour expression on Twilight’s face. A cough lead the way for a sentence, “Only when they hurt.”

Twilight gave her a light scowl, which faded quickly. It was replaced with a loose, tired sigh. “Better get your stuff together. The princess wants to move out pretty quickly.”

Sunset bowed her head. A flash from her horn brought the journal from its resting place on a nearby table. She clutched the link between worlds to her chest. “I’m ready. I guess.”

Author's Note

And to think this chapter started with a conversation on boogers.

Arrest and Conviction

Twilight Sparkle watched the last of Spike’s dragonfire-sent messages disappear over the horizon. She was nudged from behind by Princess Twilight as the alicorn bustled past, leading the way to the train station. A few unsteady hoofsteps carried her down the stairs leading from the castle’s front door.

“You got everything?” Little Spike asked. He slung a sack over one shoulder, filled to the brim with paperwork and writing utensils. “Want a book for the trip over? It’ll be a few hours.”

Twilight scrunched up her muzzle. “What do you have with you?”

“I’ve got Daring Do, a magical encyclopedia, a bestiary…” A book from the bottom of the bag caught his eye. “You might have already read this… Fire in the Mountain?”

Twilight shrugged. “Why would I have read that?”

Little Spike’s scaly lips pursed, crinkling together as he decided how best to say it. “Well, my Twilight wrote it, so I thought maybe you did something similar.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “No, I’m no author.” She was a reader, though. Not many people could say that they’d read a novel written by their alternate-universe counterpart. “Hand it over. I’ll take a look at it.”

“It’s really good,” Little Spike said. “At least, I think so.”

Before he could say another word, the princess shoved a sheet of paper into his hands. He read it over, cleared his throat, and turned to the castle. He only had to wait a moment before Sunset Shimmer, Big Spike, Rumble, and the crusaders stepped out. “In the interest of taking the quickest route to Fillydelphia, the princess has decreed that we travel by train.”

He raised an eyebrow at the three teenagers. “And since we’re headed into some pretty heavy stuff, she’d rather you guys stay behind where it’s safe.”

“Shunted off from another adventure,” Scootaloo sighed, her body dipping in midair. “Mark my words; someday I’ll do something awesome.”

Rumble crossed his forelegs. “You already are awesome, Scoots—”

“Sucking up will get you nowhere.”

“It’s worked well for me in the past.” He polished his hoof on his strong chest. “Sycophancy is my ally, and a powerful ally it is.”

Scootaloo blinked. She bit her lip to hold back the grin threatening to spill forth. “Eh. You’re not wrong…”

Apple Bloom loomed close to Twilight, but her focus was on Little Spike. She placed her hoof on the dragon’s shoulder and squeezed. “You don’t fret none, you hear? It’ll work itself out.”

He touched his fingertips to her leg, giving her a wry smile. “Most things do. You don’t fret any either. I’ll find out if you do.”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way.” Apple Bloom looked to the princess with a pronounced frown on her face. “You sure you don’t need us?”

Princess Twilight nodded, most of her attention on the paper she was scribbling on. She ripped off a small corner to write a short message on. Yes. You’re needed here. Thanks.

Twilight felt her ears lower themselves across her head as Sunset Shimmer shuffled up. Sunset winced when Scootaloo’s voice broke over the mild rumble of the townspeople. “You guys stop by anytime, alright? We’ll give you the real Ponyville experience!”

“They did already meet Pinkie,” Apple Bloom said.

Scootaloo stuck her tongue out. “That’s still only the first taste.”

Big Spike squeezed through the double-doors, his claws making fresh cracks in the pavement. Twilight Sparkle edged close to him, making a short distance between herself and the others. She did her best to ignore the way his leg twitched when she rested a foreleg against it. “You okay, Spike?”

He swished his tail. “Just don’t wanna hurt you.”

She trailed his leg with her eyes, giving up, up, up to the strong, rock-crushing muscles in his shoulders. “Right. Guess that’s a concern.” She patted him. “Considering you’ve already saved my life, you’ve got a good track record going.”

“What?” Big Spike jolted. He looked down with one eyebrow raised. “When was that?”

“At the mountain. I almost fell off the cliff.” She smiled. “You were there to catch me.”

Big Spike sat and looked at his hands. He flexed the fingers, his large, glowing green eyes flicking between them. “Huh.”

“Everybody ready?” Little Spike asked again. “I think Twilight might have an aneurism if we don’t head out right this minute.”

Princess Twilight gave him a scowl, though one with no real anger behind it. She extended a wing and waved it vigorously, prompting them to follow her. Scootaloo and Rumble waved before flying off in the other direction, but Apple Bloom followed.

It was a brisk trot to Ponyville Station. Most of the crowds parted like waves, and those that didn’t all but scattered when the full-grown dragon came into view. Twilight Sparkle took a moment to admire the town without being lugged around by a crazy pink-coated pony. It reminded her a little of the old pictures of Canterlot, the ones Granny Smith took when her family had first started their farm. Ponyville was old and old-timey, but also entering a bit of a boom, judging by the new construction project she could just see on the outskirts.

She tried to ignore the market when they passed it. She tried not to stare at the tall, red-coated stallion manning the Sweet Apple Acres applecart. She failed.

The mare he was talking to was vaguely familiar. She’d seen Sunset talking to her occasionally. She was the school librarian at Canterlot High. Here, she was… kissing Big Mac. He kissed the foal being carted in her saddlebag-baby-carrier combo. He smiled a wide smile, one that stretched from ear to ear. It lit up his whole face and the surrounding area.

“What’s wrong, Twilight?”

Twilight gave Sunset a cool stare. She made sure Apple Bloom was out of earshot, then pointed her horn at the couple. “Over there.”

Sunset studied the crowd for a moment before coming up with a small “Oh.”

“Yeah.” Twilight ground her teeth together. “He’s never smiled at me like that. Not even when… not even when we…”

She brushed her loose bangs out of her face and looked ahead, trying to ignore the redness in her cheeks. “Whatever. This world is driving me crazy one step at a time.”

When they reached the station, she hung her head and let out a low moan. “Ugh, and there’s the last straw.”

There was the train, whose engine was about the size of a central park horse-drawn buggy. She’d seen toy trains more convincing that that mess of wood, wheels, and pink hearts. As a matter of fact, it probably should have been a toy train. “This is supposed to get us across the country?”

“Naw, this is the Friendship Express,” Apple Bloom said. “First train that ever made its way to Ponyville. Pert near ready to be retired. They usually just use it for kiddie rides nowadays.”

Twilight jerked her head back at a sudden thought. “Waitaminute.” She waved a hoof to get Princess Twilight’s attention, then gestured at her dog-turned-dragon. “You wouldn’t happen to have a car big enough for him, would yah?”

One of Princess Twilight’s eyes widened, while the other squinted. She clapped a hoof to her face and screamed a noiseless curse to the sky. Apple Bloom, would you be so kind as to keep Big Spike out of trouble while we’re away?

“Um…” Apple Bloom shrugged. “Sure, Twilight.”

Big Spike narrowed his eyes at the little scrap of paper. “What’s she say?”

Twilight Sparkle scoffed, but held back a grunt. “She wants you to stay behind. Apple Bloom ’ll take care of y—”

“No.” Big Spike’s head shook. “No, you’re not leaving me behind.”

Twilight tapped a hoof against the ground. “It’s not like I’m leaving you for good—”

“Not just yet.” Big Spike sniffed. He blinked a sizzling tear from his eye. “But I’m not going to abandon you just yet. I’m not ready. I might never be ready.”

Little Spike wrung a scroll between his hands. “It’s not like they’re gonna go back to the other world—”

“No.” Big Spike sat down with a hefty thoom of finality. “There has to be another way.”

Princess Twilight flared her wings. Until you manage to spontaneously sprout wings, I’m afraid you’re going to be locked to this particular part of Equestria for the time being.

“Freight train.”

All eyes turned to Sunset, who sat quietly on a nearby bench. She lifted her head, her ears low. “The freight train. Their cargo cars carry loads like you wouldn’t believe. They’re bringing wood and metal in for the new building, right? How long until the next train?”

Little Spike went over the train schedule posted on the wall. “About thirty minutes.”

“Huh.” Twilight Sparkle smirked at Big Spike. “Do you suppose tracking down a fugitive might be more important than delivering goods?”

That’s a dangerous question for a princess to ask, Princess Twilight wrote. But I suppose I can see if they’d be willing to rent a car or two out.

***

Twilight Sparkle looked out the tiny window in the rear door of her car. Big Spike took up most of her view. His body was chained to the bed at fairly comfortable spots across his back and at his hips, assisted by his firm, gripping claws. He held his head just above the back of the previous car to reduce wind resistance.

His mouth was wide open, allowing his tongue to flap in the wind. Twilight managed a brief giggle.

She sighed and turned back to her book. Well, to the princess’ book. It was a lighthearted story about a friend who traveled the world to save their friend from a monster. It had the typical sappy fairytale ending, where even the bad guy was made to see the error of their ways. A few clever wordings jumped out at her, and the pacing was decent enough. It just wasn’t all that memorable.

Twilight closed the back cover. “Maybe I’m just not in the mood.”

The far door to the car, the one closest to the engine, opened to admit Little Spike. He carried a tray in one hand, balancing it like a skillful waiter. “Hay, Twilight. Wanna snack?”

“Hey, uh, Little Spike.” She tapped her hooves. She couldn’t sit up like a human, so she’d taken to lounging like she’d seen Spike do back home. “Sure. What do you have?”

“Hay fries, of course.” He set the platter on the seat across from hers. “A few tiny cucumber sandwiches. There’s a taste of sunflower if you want it.”

She wrinkled her forehead. “Sunflower seeds?”

“There’re sunflower seeds in it.” He lowered himself onto the cushioned bench. “Do you want some company? I’ve noticed that everybody’s kind of—” He gestured around the empty car. “—doing their own thing.”

“It’d just be rude to send you away after bringing me food.” Twilight gripped a cucumber sandwich and drifted it over to her lips. “Are we almost there?”

“About an hour out.” Little Spike pointed a thumb out the window. “We just zipped past Manehattan.”

“Manehattan?” Twilight shook her head. “I thought Fillydelphia was a bad pun. That’s just not even trying.”

“How do you think we felt coming to your world?” Little Spike asked with a chuckle. “You have the same names we do with all the fun parts taken out.”

“The fun parts?” Twilight picked up a hay fry and gazed at it hesitantly. “There’s never been much love lost between puns and myself.”

“I love ’em. It’s a way to bring fun to the most mundane things.” He shrugged and scratched himself behind one filmy ear. “It annoys some ponies, I know, but I don’t think anything’s completely inoffensive.”

“Gotta take your fun where you can find it.” Twilight sighed. “Sounds like something Pinkie would say.”

“Something like that.” Little Spike nibbled on the tip of the sunflower head. “How are Pinkie and the others? In the other world, I mean.”

Twilight steeled herself and tossed the hay fry into her mouth. After an instant of chewing, she decided she vastly preferred potato fries. “I assume you know what they’re all doing in life, right?”

He nodded.

“So you mean more like ‘how are they doing emotionally,’ right?”

He nodded again.

Twilight flopped onto her side and rested her cheek on the cushion. “I don’t know. I don’t think I ever knew. They were always… they were Sunset’s friends, you know? Not mine.”

Little Spike clasped his hands, scratching a few loose scales loose in the process. “Why’s that? I’d think they would want to be your friend, too. Just from what I know.”

“I… it’s really…” Twilight stuffed another cucumber sandwich into her cheek. “You ever seen a kid lose their doll? Or, like, their favorite blanket? You can replace it, but the new one isn’t the same. It doesn’t have the same warmth or love put into it. It doesn’t have the same wrinkles, or comfortable soft spots. It can look exactly the same, but it’s still different. It’s not quite right.”

She rolled onto her back and let her legs hang in the air. “I’m not their Twilight. I’m not the person they want to be friends with. I’m a replacement. They wanted the super-cool princess pony from another world, and they got the quiet nerd from across town.”

Twilight shut her eyes and sighed. “They’re only friends with me out of obligation to her.”

Little Spike’s bench creaked as he shifted his weight. “It shouldn’t have to be that way.”

“Oh yeah?” Twilight peered out of the corner of her eye. “Any other words of wisdom you’d like to share with the curious onlookers?”

“I mean…” He rubbed his forehead while he clutched his tail in his other hand. “Well, just because you’re not my Twilight, and I’m not your Spike, that doesn’t mean that we can’t be friends. It just means we need to have a different sort of friendship. We need to learn to see each other as our own persons.”

Twilight rolled back to her belly and swallowed. “Yeah. You tell them that.”

“No, you tell them.” He held his hand out to her, sweeping it along. “The—the key to a lasting friendship is communication, so I hear. Be frank with them, tell them what’s bothering you. Open up to them, and it’ll strengthen your friendship something fierce. At the least, it’s a step in the right direction.”

She folded her forelegs. “I’m not the most open person ever.”

“It’s different for everybody. Just try it out.” He picked up the book the princess had written. “What did you think?”

“It was okay. A nice way to kill a few hours.” Twilight bit into the last cucumber sandwich. “I admire the obvious care that went into it. I don’t think I’d have the patience to write a book.”

“She worked on this for years.” Little Spike hefted the novel, tossing it from one hand to the other. He gave her a small smile. “She wanted it to be just the right amount of sappy, while still being a rollicking adventure, you know? It’s like chemistry; if you get the correct measurements, the whole thing comes out right. Just one ingredient out of whack tips the balance in favor of an explosion.”

“Years, huh?” Twilight flicked an ear. “What made her finish it?”

Little Spike let his shoulders droop. His smile turned a little sad. “Getting hurt. She finished it within two months of the attack. She said something about not wanting to leave things hanging.”

Twilight stood up to stretch all four legs. Her knees popped after having been bent for the better part of several hours. “So the sappy ending was a coping mechanism?”

“If you wanna look at it like that.” Spike climbed to his hind legs and set off with the tray in his hand. “You might say she was reminding herself that life isn’t just one bad thing after another. There’s happiness if you know how to look for it.”

He paused with his claw on the door handle. “It’s there if you’re willing to fight for it.”

Twilight Sparkle stood alone in the empty car, listening to the train rattle across the tracks. She took a swig from a water bottle she’d kept close since leaving the station. It hovered close to her chest in the grip of her magic as she went to the back door. She looked out the window to see Big Spike having the time of his life in the best car ride he’d ever seen.

“Well, like Sunset Shimmer said,” Twilight muttered, “I am a fighter.”

***

Sunset Shimmer stood on a hill overlooking the city-state known as Fillydelphia. It stretched for miles in every direction, though not all of it was built-up city. Countryside and patches of farmland united several small towns into a cohesive whole, built around the high-population central city. Its place on the border of Equestria made it a melting pot of various species and cultures, from ponies to zebras to leprechauns.

And apparently, one siren.

She could see a small town just below them. Ponies, griffons, and a minotaur or two bustled about their daily lives. A local schoolhouse bell rang, inviting the foals inside to continue their courses. A farmer hauled a cart through the streets bulging with last season’s dried corn.

Behind the hill, a small army of Royal Guards assembled with Princess Twilight at their head.

“This is the spot where the machine picked up the signal,” Little Spike said. “And the pulse continued that-a-way for about twenty meters and then stopped. You picking up anything, Twilight?”

The princess nodded, her horn competing with the sun for sheer brightness.

Sunset could feel it, too. A mild uneasy feeling at the base of her horn. A slight churn in her stomach. It wasn’t just nerves; it was magic. It was a power both familiar and terrifying.

But it was dormant. There wasn’t the constant chill or pull she’d felt from the Dazzlings when they haunted the school ten years before. It was quiet, subdued. Weak? Broken?

Or just waiting?

“I can’t wait to get this over with,” Twilight said. “Then we can get to working out the important stuff.”

“Big Spike, right?” Sunset asked.

“Of course. I don’t want to just leave him, but I can’t let him die.” Twilight sat down and watched the people wander around below. “There’s got to be something I missed.”

“I wish I could say.” Sunset hugged her chest. “I feel a little lost, myself.”

Twilight fidgeted for a moment before leaning against her friend. “Was it Scootaloo?”

“Yeah.” Sunset touched the side of her head to Twilight’s. “You know how long it’s been since she talked to me?”

Twilight wrapped her foreleg around the other unicorn. “What happened between you two?”

Sunset focused on the clink of magical metals. The soldiers gathered together, hoping for a quiet arrest, but preparing for a battle. Their many-colored coats turned white when they latched the seal on their armor.

“I was a bully,” Sunset said.

“You whatnow?”

“I was a bully.” Sunset Shimmer bowed her head as Twilight’s grip slacked. “I was the tyrant of Canterlot High. I knew… I could make friends with anybody, it felt like. People would come to me with their problems because they felt they could trust me. Because they thought they saw warmth in my face. Because I could be a friend. And I could have been. I could have been content with that, but I wanted more.”

Sunset smacked a hoof into the soft soil. “I wanted power over them. Over anything I could get my hands on. I used what they told me against them. I blackmailed, threatened, obfuscated, lied. If I wanted something done, I would hurt people to get it. Only a few people ever caught on before… before Flash spilled the beans on me. By then, though, I knew too much. They knew I was bad news, but they were afraid of what I could do. Of who I would tell. Of what secrets I would reveal.”

Sunset felt Twilight shuffle a few steps away. She decided to ignore it. “So when they couldn’t get back at me for making their lives miserable, they turned to the next best thing.”

She wiped her eyes with the side of her leg. “God help me, Twilight, not a day went by that Scootaloo didn’t come home bruised and bloodied, or grubby and wet, or just plain crying.”

Her voice dropped to a whisper. “And she hates me for it.”

Sunset turned to Twilight and saw her friend’s face coated with a mix of confusion and anger. “Now,” Sunset said, “to hear her voice say to ‘stop by anytime…’ it’s too much.”

Twilight let her hoof hang in the air. She drew it back to her chest and let out a sigh.

“Sometimes I wonder…” Sunset brushed the grass around her body, picking at it with the tip of her horseshoe. “I wonder if Equestria is better than home.”

A spark of light drifted from the tip of her horn and nestled itself into the pad of her hoof. “The magic’s better here, anyway.”

“I don’t know what to tell you.” Twilight ran a hoof through her tail, straightening it out alongside her body. “Except that we’re about to take part in the arrest of an evil, mind-controlling fish-monster. Back home it was just a murder case. Pick your poison.”

The voice of one of the soldiers called everybody towards Princess Twilight. Sunset Shimmer hefted herself off her rump. “Sunny would love this place.”

“Alright,” Commander Skyhook said. He flared his bat-like wings to grab everybody’s attention. “We’re going in quickly and quietly. Team one covers the north side of the house, while team two gets the south. Spike, you and your buddy get the east-side rear entrance. I’ll be with Windblown, the princess, and the visitors to actually make the arrest.”

Princess Twilight turned to Little Spike. Did you get word back from the mayor?

“Lord Mayor Priscilla Palette hasn’t gotten back to me, but I did get the warrant from Judge Rhapsody.” He handed the wax-sealed scroll to the princess. “When we find Adagio, we’re cleared to search the house for signs of illegal mind-altering magic.”

Big Spike grinned. “Is this the part where I get to sneak around to the back?”

Little Spike snorted. “If you can sneak anywhere, it’ll be a feat.”

Big Spike flicked his tail from side-to-side. Several soldiers dove for cover. “You’re not exactly subtle yourself, pun guy.”

Princess Twilight approached Twilight and Sunset as the soldiers moved on to their assigned positions. The three of them watched the Spikes lumber off, then gathered in a huddle. Are you guys ready for this?

“Born ready,” Twilight said. “Let’s nail this b—”

“Language, Twi,” Sunset said.

“—b-bad excuse for a pop star.”

Commander Skyhook and Windblown looked at each other with raised eyebrows.

If Sunset had rolled her eyes any harder, she would have done cartwheels in the grass. She noted that as Twilight adjusted her coat over her shoulders, the little unicorn also checked the pistol hiding under the folds of fabric. They locked eyes, and Twilight gave her a nod. Everything was set.

“I’m ready,” Sunset said. “Lead the way, Twilight.”

Princess Twilight cantered into town with Twilight, Sunset, and her two bodyguards close behind. Several ponies stared as they went past. Those with quicker wit bowed almost immediately, while several just gaped. A vase was dropped, breaking apart when it hit the dirt road. A few started to follow the strange procession, but were dissuaded with a glare from the Guards.

They came to the house: A small, one-story, ranch-style building with plain, brown wood siding. As nondescript as they come, in Sunset’s opinion. It took a good few seconds of looking before she could see the glint of armored soldiers lying in wait on either side. Big Spike’s head popped over the top, and he waved.

Princess Twilight clomped onto the porch, steeled herself, and knocked. There was silence in the house, and then a quiet thump. The princess counted to ten before knocking again. The door eased itself open with a low whine of ungreased hinges.

An old, orange-coated earth pony mare, with a graying mane and baggy eyes, answered the door. She was almost as tall as Princess Twilight, but not quite. She still had to raise her head high to look her in the eye. “Hello, there. What brings you to this part of Fillydelphia, miss…?”

“Excuse me, ma’am,” Skyhook said, stepping forward. “This is Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Equestria. I am Commander Skyhook of the Equestrian Royal Guard, and we are looking for somepony.”

“Looking for somepony?” The old mare smiled, bearing white, cared-for teeth. “Aren’t we all, sweet-flanks? I hope nopony’s in too much trouble.”

Skyhook glanced at the princess, who nodded. “We’re under orders to find and arrest Adagio Dazzle.”

The mare’s purple eyes lit up with understanding, then darkened with suspicion. “Well, well, well. I always figured you’d come looking for me one of these days, Princess.”

Sunset gave the mare a double-take. There was no way. This pony had to be at least seventy, from the way the skin hung from her body in wrinkles. Adagio had gone to high school with Sunset. They had to be around the same age!

Right?

“You’ll have to excuse us, ma’am,” Skyhook said after a moment’s silence. “The Adagio Dazzle we’re looking for is a siren, not a pony.”

“But I am a siren,” Adagio said. She clicked her tongue. “I’d sing and prove it, but somebody shattered my sigil about a decade ago. You might just have to go and take my word for it.”

She looked from one pony to the next, a smirk gradually widening on her face. “You guys are so cute when you’re clueless. Come on. If you’re going to arrest me then do it right. What’s my crime? Breaking my banishment? I was banished by a senile old coot a thousand years ago. I think the sentence is over. Illegal immigration? I paid my dues. I’m a certified citizen of Fillydelphia. Use of illegal mind-altering magic? I’ve been clean for a decade now.”

She held her forelegs out, her smirk having reached critical mass. “So slap me in irons, big boy. Take me to the local hoosegow and put me in the system. I’m squeaky clean. I’ll be out in two days, tops.”

Adagio raised her hooves towards Princess Twilight, letting her eyes linger on the princess’ scarf. “So what’s my crime? What could you possibly think would warrant the two-dozen royal guards encircling my friend’s house?”

Sunset Shimmer sidestepped Twilight Sparkle as the mare pushed her way to the front. Twilight leveled a keen gaze at Adagio over her glasses. “Adagio Dazzle, you are under arrest for the murder of Aria Blaze.”

Adagio’s smirk shattered. Her jaw dropped as her eyes flashed. “What?”

Skyhook moved forward to chain her legs together. Adagio backed away, her chest heaving. “No! Hold your horses, dipstick! I didn’t kill Aria! I swear! I couldn’t!”

“Look on the bright side, Dazzle,” Twilight said, “you’re squeaky clean, so all this is just a minor inconvenience.”

“Shut up!” Adagio kicked a leg, but Skyhook was fast enough to catch it with the clasp. “Who do you think you are, accusing me of murdering—?”

The breath left Adagio’s body in a whoosh. Her knees trembled inside the cuffs. She fell to her rump with a defeated choke. “Aria’s dead?”

“That tends to happen when you push somebody off a fifth-story balcony.” Twilight gave her a glare meant to curdle blood. “So we’ll be having a nice, long conversation back in the CCPD.”

“But…” Adagio’s slacked jaw turned tight and bitter. “I… didn’t… kill her.”

“You have the right to remain silent—”

“I know my rights!” Adagio snapped. She sent her burning gaze after the princess. “So where’s the horseapples-encrusted warrant for my arrest?”

Princess Twilight turned to the side to procure the document. Sunset Shimmer sucked on her lips, watching the soldiers come out into full view. They were swift and professional, but there was a hint of unease in each of their faces. Most of them watched the princess carefully, ready to pounce at a moment’s notice.

“Wait…”

Sunset’s ears snapped up. Her eyes jumped towards Adagio, who was staring straight at her. The mare’s head tilted to the side as her forehead wrinkled.

“Sunset Shimmer?” Adagio’s lips parted. “Is that you? Is it really you?”

Sunset held her head high, squaring her hooves as if ready to be knocked off her feet. It didn’t hurt to be prepared, after all. “Hello, Adagio. It’s been a while.”

“Ten years, give or take?” Adagio nodded. “Oh yes, it’s been a while.”

She looked from side to side, then got to her feet. She jerked her head towards the door. “Alright, then. Take me away, guys. I want to have a chat with my old acquaintance.”

Twilight bumped her hoof against Adagio’s shoulder. “I don’t think so—”

“Get one thing straight, copycat. I want to find out exactly what’s going on here.” Adagio flicked her tail, almost snapping Skyhook in the rump. “I suspect you do, too. So this’ll all go so much faster if we just cooperate.” She sneered. “Do you have all that, or should I use smaller words?”

Twilight lit her horn. “I swear, if you even think about hurting her—”

“You’ll do what?” Adagio shook her head slowly. “What are you? Her jealous lover?”

“No, but I know who her jealous lover is.” Twilight prodded Adagio in the chest. “And he’s not somebody you wanna mess with.”

“I quiver with fear,” Adagio yawned. She rattled her chains at the Royal Guards. “What are we waiting for? Let’s move this little tête-à-tête somewhere more comfortable…” She flashed Sunset a low grin. “Like the Fillydelphia Police lockup?”

“Oh my God!”

Sunset Shimmer jolted in place. The voice had come from the street. “That doesn’t sound right,” she muttered.

Twilight and the princess joined her on the porch. Their jaws dropped in concert as they looked over Sunset’s shoulders. Sunset leveled her brow, digging her hoof into the wood. She spun around slowly, achingly, until the three of them faced the same direction.

A unicorn mare sat in the middle of the dirt road. She clutched a young, school-age filly to her chest. “Why are all these soldiers at my house?”

“Um…” Twilight Sparkle coughed. “Um, you see…”

The mare blinked through panicked tears and tried desperately to smooth down her prickling orange coat. “Wh-why are you arresting my friend? What’s going on here?”

Sunset Shimmer walked down the steps, taking them one at a time. She crossed the short distance to the mare and knelt down to look her in the eye.

The mare brushed her yellow and red mane from her face. She hugged her daughter tighter. “Oh God, it’s you.”

Sunset Shimmer licked her lips, trying desperately to speak evenly and calmly. She almost succeeded. “H-hello, Sunset Shimmer. I’m sorry we had to meet like this.”

Author's Note

Your Headcanons, surrender them to me.

Twisting the Truth

If the outside of the house was bland, it made up for it with the interior. The walls were painted warm colors, which brightened or dimmed with the magical lamps. The floors were polished hardwood, on which a few minor scuffs could be seen from overzealous hooves. Every chair around the dining room table was a different style, though it still felt as though they belonged together. Pictures hung over the fireplace, depicting smiling ponies that Twilight couldn’t recognize… save for Sunset Shimmer.

She stopped before the largest picture. Sunset had her foreleg around a tall, brown-maned, paunchy pegasus stallion. Sitting in front of them were two foals, a filly and a colt. Their names were written on a plaque at the base of the frame. “Hoops, Sunset Shimmer, Stardust Shimmer, Dribble Drabble.”

Twilight Sparkle licked her lips. “Son of a gun.”

“We found the saddlebags, Your Highness.” Skyhook clomped his way into the living room, the bags in question looped around his foreleg. “We thought you and the visitor might want to take a look.”

Princess Twilight nodded and dismissed the commander with a flap of her wing. She took a steeling breath and waved Twilight closer.

“So…” Twilight shrugged her coat further up her narrow shoulders. The pistol strapped to her torso pressed against her chest. “Sunset… The two of them… Do you think they’ll be alright?”

Princess Twilight nibbled the edge of her perfectly-straight mane. She offered Twilight an apologetic smile. They’ll probably handle it better than we have.

Twilight lowered her eyebrows. She looked down and cocked her ears, catching the sound of several soldiers scouring the rest of the house. “Ouch, girl.”

The princess clenched her teeth together and forced out a sigh. She rubbed her cheek, just under her eye. I’m sorry about getting mad. I shouldn’t have let what you said affect me so much. It’s just kind of a shock.

She ran her eyes over the decorations lining the mantelpiece. She pointed at the portrait of the mirrored Sunset’s family. As you can probably tell, things are a lot different around here. More so than I imagined.

“Yeah. I’ve never even met a ‘Hoops’ before.” Twilight poked the saddlebags. They held the image of an orange gemstone overlaying a clef. “What I take away from this is that Big Mac isn’t your boyfriend.”

Don’t get me wrong, I had a huge crush on him. Princess Twilight smirked. Me and every other mare in town. Never acted on it, though. That’s life for you. She cringed, lighting her horn to flip the top flap off of the bags. Never really been lucky with love. The last guy I thought I liked tried to take over the kingdom.

Twilight gave the princess a double-take.

Long, long, looong story. Princess Twilight held up the saddlebags to hide her blush. How about we solve the mystery and save the torch songs for later?

“I’ll take you up on that.” Twilight sat down. “What magical mishaps do we have in store for today?”

A cloud of red gemstone shards floated out of the bag, carried by the princess’ magic. Princess Twilight clicked her teeth, examining them from every angle. One by one, she slid them together. Several minutes trickled by as the puzzle came together. At long last, it was complete, save for a tiny sliver near the top.

The red hexagon glinted in the light of the lamps. Twilight Sparkle swallowed the lump in her throat. “That’s it? That’s her… ‘sigil’?”

Princess Twilight nodded. She lifted the final fragment from her own saddlebags and clipped it into place. She twisted the jewel, showing off the hairline cracks than ran through the entire construction. No second guesses. I’ll bring this back to my laboratory to conduct controlled experiments. There can be no margin for mistakes with something this dangerous.

Twilight Sparkle pulled a chunk of rock from the bags. It flashed green and blue in her lavender magic grasp. “Looks like this is a piece of the portal. There’s a couple others in the bottom of the bag. If Sonata was telling the truth, then she came through the portal and spent the day chipping off bits of the pool-portal-wormhole-thingy.”

Princess Twilight Sparkle paced around, the siren’s sigil bobbing along beside her. It fits with the theory that she’s behind the theft of my mirror portal. She could be gathering bits and pieces of various portals for some nefarious scheme. In which case, we’ll be able to question her about whatever endgame is in store.

The portal fragment fell back into the saddlebags. Twilight rubbed one foreleg over the other. “If Sonata was telling the truth.”

The princess narrowed her eyes. She shrugged and tapped a hind leg against the floor. That’s a scary if, Twilight.

“I’m not one to shy away from scary things.” Twilight Sparkle held out a hoof. “You?”

The two Twilights locked eyes. The princess’ horn flickered, tightening the scarf around her neck. She shook her head back and forth.

“Okay then.” Twilight let out a little laugh. “Some things never change.”

***

Sunset Shimmer shuffled her feet on the dusty road. The Royal Guard troops had set up a perimeter around the property, keeping out curious onlookers while the Twilights did their work. Sunset forced a breath down her throat. She ended up just swallowing it.

She chanced a peek at her double. The mare huddled beside a prisoner wagon, the young filly clenched tight in her embrace. Iron bars separated them from Adagio Dazzle, who wore a solemn expression on her face.

Sunset braced herself and took a step closer. “Excuse me, but—”

“What do you want?” the other Sunset snapped. “Why did you even come here? What do you want?”

Sunset backed up. She held a foreleg up, hovering it over the dirt, ready to take a step in any direction. “I… I was helping them track down a murderer.”

A scowl crossed the other Sunset’s face for a brief moment. It simmered back down into a quiet frown. “Is that it? Is that all? Is that the only reason you revealed yourself? To track down a supposed criminal? To imprison an old lady and scar a child’s memories forever?”

Sunset looked down at the filly, who struggled to get out of her mother’s grasp. “I… I was just trying to do the right thing…”

“Oh, of course.” Adagio leaned against the bars. “What do all heroes desire but justice?”

The filly won the struggle against her mother. She squirmed away, her frizzy blue mane bouncing, and propped herself up against the carriage. “Aunt Dagi, are you going to jail?”

Adagio smirked and gestured to the guards all around. “Looks like it, Stardust, if these handsome fellows have their way.”

“Cool!” Stardust wriggled further as her mother tugged her back by the tail. “Momma, stop!”

“No. Stay by me.” The mirrored Sunset glanced at her counterpart and rolled her eyes. “Alright. Maybe you haven’t scarred her memories forever. But you’re wrong. Adagio didn’t kill anyone. Pony or otherwise.”

Sunset huffed. “Maybe not, but all the evidence points to her.”

“If I may…” Adagio touched a hoof to the cold iron between her and the others. “What so-called evidence do you have?”

“I don’t know if I’m allowed to tell you.” Sunset noticed Stardust’s eyes on her, but ignored the filly. “I don’t exactly do this as a regular thing.”

“That in itself is interesting.” Adagio rustled around inside the prison carriage. She moved her curly mane to one side of her head. “A rookie in all things but friendship is thrust into a whirlwind adventure with a dastardly villain and heartfelt revelations. It would make for a good movie, I think.”

Stardust gasped. “Are you the villain, Aunt Dagi?”

“Maaaybe,” Adagio chuckled. “We’ll have to see what justice says about it.”

“No!” The other Sunset stomped a hoof. “No, don’t be ridiculous! You’re not a villain!”

“I was at one point.” Adagio glared at the other Sunset, her eyebrows level. “You know it. I know it. And denying it will not make it go away, Shimmy.”

The other Sunset shut her eyes. “That doesn’t mean you need to be punished now.”

“Actions have consequences.” Adagio flicked an ear at Sunset Shimmer. “Sometimes the consequences of our actions fall on someone else.”

Sunset felt a hole in her heart ache. She rubbed her chest and ventured to speak. “I didn’t mean to hurt anybody. I just want to keep people safe.”

The other Sunset cracked her back. She stood up and made her way slowly to Sunset. “Where were you?”

“Me?” Sunset swished her tail, swatting a passing fly. “What do you mean?”

Her mirror counterpart shifted as Stardust hid underneath her chest. “I looked for you for years. All I ever found was some rumors about one of Princess Celestia’s personal students. Is that where you’ve been all this time? Is that your life? What—” She wiped her eyes. “How fair is it that the time we finally meet is when you’re here to tear my family apart?”

Sunset blinked away the sting behind her eyes. She brushed her mane behind her shoulder. “I’m not here to destroy your family, Sunset. I’m not here to take your place, or send you away, or shatter the friendships you’ve built.”

She reached out and touched her mirror’s shoulder. “I think I know your story.”

The other Sunset Shimmer wrinkled her brow. “What do you—?”

“You come from a land where there isn’t much magic.” Sunset spared Adagio a look to see that the mare was smiling lightly. “What little there is, it’s hidden deep in the hearts of people. It’s a land where people walk on two legs. Everybody has fingers. It’s a land of cars, and computers, and airplanes, and baseball. You were born there. You grew up there. You lived there…”

She pressed her lips together. “You lost something there, didn’t you?”

The other Sunset opened her mouth, but didn’t say anything.

“You lost…” Sunset sighed. “I dunno. Respect? Hope? A loved one?”

“I—I lived with my grandparents.” The other Sunset rubbed her daughter’s back. “But… High blood-pressure… They got sick, and…”

“And you ran?”

“Yeah.”

“With nowhere to go, you went the only place you could go.” Sunset sat down in the dust and brought her head to her double’s eye-level. “You found a portal there.”

The other Sunset choked down phlegm. “How do you know all this?”

“Because something very similar happened to me.” Sunset drew circles in the dirt with her hoof. “I… I grew up as one of Princess Celestia’s personal students, yeah. But something happened and I didn’t trust her anymore. I wanted to get out. I found the portal by accident, but I saw it as an opportunity. I didn’t even think about it; I just jumped in. I gave up my life and found a new one.”

The clank of armor interrupted them. Two Royal Guardsponies hitched themselves to the carriage and tugged it towards the central city. Adagio gave them a wink as she vanished down the road.

“Do you miss your old life?” The other Sunset whispered.

“Sometimes…” Sunset looked out over the little countryside town. A knee-high leprechaun, his red beard standing out like fire on his green skin, tottered along, speaking with a breezie in an airy, warbling language. “Sometimes I wish I could start over and see where that road would have taken me. Sometimes I wish I could just come back and start again where I left off. Sometimes I just want to move my entire life back to Equestria—husband, son, and all…”

The other Sunset placed her hooves on Stardust’s shoulders. “Sometimes I wish I could go back. Look up old friends. Eat a cheeseburger again. Catch up on ten years’ worth of Saturday morning cartoons… And then I think about… about what I have…”

Sunset Shimmer couldn’t ignore the filly staring at her anymore. She smiled at the foal, and got a grin in return. “What do you have here?”

The other Sunset kissed Stardust’s forehead. “Obviously, I have two adorable children”

“M’not adorable!” Stardust protested.

“Are too.” Sunset’s counterpart gave her a half-smile. “I don’t think I would have survived for long without Hoops. He’d just moved here from Cloudsdale, I’d just popped in from the other world… We sorta bumped into each other and kept each other afloat.” She raised an eyebrow. “You aren’t married to the mirror-world Hoops, are you?”

Sunset gave her a tight smile. “Nope.”

“Huh. I dunno if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. At least there won’t be confusion between your Hoops and my Hoops.” The other Sunset stroked Stardust’s mane. “That means you don’t have these kids, right?”

“My son’s name is Sunny. And he’s adorable, too. Just getting into the terrible twos.” Sunset chuckled to herself. “And I have more friends than I can count. A loving husband who could definitely be home more often, but… I guess when you come down to it…”

After a moment of silence, her counterpart shrugged. “I guess it’s like the thing I think to myself whenever I want to go back. I remind myself that I couldn’t take it all with me.”

Sunset Shimmer bit her lower lip. She felt something slide down her cheek, but she couldn’t help her small smile. “The worlds we’ve found ourselves in. They’re home now.”

“Yeah.” The other Sunset looked down the street, trying to catch a glimpse of Adagio’s carriage. “It’s really home.”

She drooped, scuffing her hoof along the road. “So… you really came to find a killer? Beginning, middle, end?”

“I’m more of a liaison between the two worlds.” Sunset rubbed the back of her head. “Between the two Twilights, really. They’re doing all the heavy lifting.”

The skin around the other Sunset’s eyes grew tight. “You know Adagio isn’t the pony you’re looking for, right? There’s no way. She had her bad moments, but she’s turned it around. She hasn’t even been to the human world in the last six or so years.”

Sunset flinched. “Wait, what? What did you say?”

“Adagio isn’t the murderer.”

“No, the other thing.”

Sunset’s counterpart shrugged. “She’s lived in Fillydelphia for the last six or so years. She’s been a good friend for a long time. Really helps with the kids, what with Hoops and me working at the school all day—”

“That…” Sunset Shimmer rubbed her eyes. “That can’t be right.”

A voice hailed from behind them. “Sunset Shimmer!”

They turned simultaneously. “Yes?” “Yeah?”

Little Spike froze in his tracks, one foot in the air. He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Um. First of all, we’re all headed for Central Fillydelphia. Second of all, we need to give you nicknames.”

“Why?” the mirrored Sunset Shimmer asked. “I’m me and she’s her. I don’t see the problem.”

“Well,” Little Spike said, “she’s her and you’re you, but you’re also her and she’s Shimmer and…” He shook his head. “No. If I have to deal with the lame nicknames, you do, too.”

Stardust popped out from under her mother. “I just call her Momma!” She blinked. “Wait, does this mean I have two Mommas?”

Sunset Shimmer slapped her forehead, snorting out a sudden burst of laughter. Her counterpart giggled lightly.

The other Sunset gave the dragon a closer look, rubbing her chin. “You have a counterpart in the other world? Are you a human, too, or what?”

Little Spike rolled his eyes. “Well, no…”

Big Spike’s foot came down like thunder. The ground shook and sent ponies, diamond dogs, and one griffon scrambling for cover. He lowered his face towards the ground and let his tongue hang out. “Hi, there! I’m Spike, but everybody calls me Big Spike. You smell like Sunset. Are you the other Sunset?”

Sunset Shimmer stared up, up, up at the full-grown dragon. “Hi. There.”

Little Spike patted Big Spike’s toe. “Dog. I’m a dog over there.”

Stardust opened her mouth in a wide, gap-toothed smile. Her frizzy mane danced as she whirled on her mother. “Momma! Can I ride the dragon? Pleeeeeease?”

***

Sunset Shimmer sat quietly beside Twilight Sparkle, awaiting their chance to interrogate Adagio. The metal chairs were cold, as were the gray walls and tiled floors. It felt as much like a jail as any Sunset had ever seen. She was sorry to say she’d seen a few.

Hoops had arrived a few minutes after they did, carrying his newborn son Dribble Drabble in a baby-carrier/saddlebags combo. He hugged the other Sunset from behind, whispering comforting words into her ear.

Twilight nudged Sunset. “That doesn’t make you feel weird, does it? Seeing your other self be all lovey-dovey with another guy?”

“At first.” Sunset tilted her head. “But you know what? We’re different people. Completely. Different lives. Different memories. Different experiences. Comparing myself to her is an exercise in nuttiness.”

“And yet, she is Sunset Shimmer.” Twilight rubbed the lenses of her glasses with the edge of her shirt. “The original human, I might add.”

“Yeah, and I’m the original pony.” Sunset rested her head against the chair’s back. “But it’s a complete reversal.”

They sat together in silence, Sunset dangling her hooves over the ground, Twilight tapping hers to a beat.

“I wanna apologize,” Twilight said.

Sunset flicked an ear. “About what?”

“Lots of things. Apologize and thank.” Twilight Sparkle slid her glasses over her eyes. She nudged them into the perfect position. “I’m sorry for my outbursts. My cussing. I’m sorry for getting mad at you…”

Her zipper jingled as she bumped it with her hoof. “I’m sorry that I was so cold when you opened your heart to me about Scootaloo. I should have said something nicer, or maybe just said nothing.”

“What I did to her was really bad,” Sunset whispered. “I don’t blame you.”

“Yeah, but that was the past. Even I, the least empathetic person on the planet, can see that you’re different now.” Twilight raised her hoof, bit her lip, and then touched Sunset’s shoulder. “I wanted to thank you for taking me here and teaching me about magic. I’ve learned and done things I could only have dreamed about. It’s too awesome for words.”

She sighed and let her leg drop. “And I’m sorry for tricking you into bringing me.”

Sunset pursed her lips in a tight frown.

“I used you,” Twilight said. “I shouldn’t have brought you to question Sonata. I had them bring you in so that you would take me to the mirror world, gimme some answers, and teach me magic.”

“Oh yeah?” Sunset scooted her chair closer. “Well, I’m sorry for holding out on you.”

One of Twilight’s eyes narrowed. “Huh?”

“I could have told you at any time, taught you at any time, taken you here at any time.” Sunset stared at the magical lamps fastened to the ceiling. “I was afraid, though. I was afraid that if I ever went back here, I wouldn’t go home. Or that I would, and it would turn sour. I was afraid that I would mess things up and confuse you, or lead you down the wrong path, or teach you something that could hurt you.

“I was so scared, and I don’t know that I had to be.” She gave Twilight a shallow grin. “As much as you suck at empathy, I suck at knowing when to share something good. We’ll work on those.”

Twilight Sparkle crossed her forelegs. “Is that one of the vaunted Friendship Lessons I keep hearing about?”

“Something like that. We keep learning things, no matter how old we get.” Sunset jerked her horn towards the embracing couple down the hall. “Speaking of which, get this: Sunset over there teaches Equish as a second language at the local university. Hoops is the PE instructor at the secondary school.”

“Well, gee,” Twilight giggled, “and you’re just the humble high school math teacher.”

“Secondary school is the high school around here, Twilight.” Sunset lifted her hoof to eye-level. “University is one step beyond.”

“Whatever. We don’t have time to go over the Equestrian education system.” Twilight rested a foreleg on Sunset’s shoulder. After a moment’s hesitation, she grabbed her in a firm hug. “I just want to make sure we’re friends again.”

Sunset returned the tight embrace. “We never stopped, Twilight. I like to think we never will.”

Twilight sniffled lightly. “Not if I have a say…”

The door beside them opened. Princess Twilight walked out, flanked by a pegasus mare wearing a cravat. “—papers all check out,” the pegasus said. “And truly, between the community service and the testimony of several townspeople, she’s irreproachable.”

The princess rolled her eyes and signed off on a sheet of paper. The pegasus took it and flew off with a nearby entourage of ponies. That was Mayor Palette. She’s unconvinced we’ll find any fault with Miss Dazzle. And I do mean any fault. Apparently, she’s so clean you could eat off her she’s practically an angel.

“Regardless, there’s evidence against her.” Twilight Sparkle hopped off her chair. “At the least, we need to dig until we get to the bottom.”

Sunset Shimmer turned to look over her shoulder. The other Sunset and her family filed into the next room, where they would wait for the interrogation to be over. Sunset mulled over whether she should say something, but they were gone before she could think of it. “You sure it’s okay that Twi and I ask the questions?”

It’s your investigation. You’ll know better than I what she did or didn’t do. Princess Twilight winked. It’ll be fine. Skyhook will be there to nail her if things go upside-down. Trust yourself.

Twilight drew herself up to her full, unimpressive height. “If it is to be us, then forward we march to victory. Sunset, are you by my side?”

Sunset Shimmer nodded. “All the way, Twilight.”

They walked into the room, which was lit by a single, bright, overhanging light. A metal table dominated the otherwise sparse room, around which sat three chairs. Adagio took her seat in one, her knees creaking with age. “Sit down,” she said. “Sit down before you fall down. Don’t stand on ceremony on my account.”

Sunset Shimmer took a chair, while Twilight Sparkle chose to stand behind her. Sunset sighed as she felt Twilight’s hooves rest comfortingly on her back.

Sunset leaned forward. “Adagio, where were you between yesterday morning and nine-o’-clock the night before?”

Adagio rested against the table, making sure that the chains around her legs made as much noise as possible. “Friday, you mean? Honestly, I was staying with Shimmy’s family. Ask any of them.” Her eyes flicked between Sunset and Twilight. “I suspect you’ve already confiscated my saddlebags and discovered the contraband therein? Shimmy and I went to the portal yesterday. We chipped a few pieces off for research. Turns out the two of us are just as eager to learn how they function.”

She stretched her forelegs out behind her head. “Doesn’t look like they work after they’ve been taken from the cave. Maybe Princess Twilight will have more luck with them.”

“We’ll be sure to make certain your stories match up,” Twilight said.

“Oh, naturally! It’s just the smart thing to do.” Adagio squinted one eye and grinned. “You’re sharper than you look.”

Skyhook coughed loudly. Adagio skewed her muzzle to one side. “Point taken,” she muttered. “Smarmy remarks to myself.”

Sunset Shimmer scribbled down the gist of what Adagio was saying. Her pen hovered over the page. “Alright. How did you find your way back to Equestria?”

Adagio’s eyes popped. She lowered her head as her brows peaked. She nibbled on the tip of her tongue before speaking. “After you destroyed our sigils, that was pretty much the end of us. No more magic. No more singing.” She tugged at her loose, wrinkly skin. “No more everlasting youth.”

Sunset sucked on her lower lip. “Time caught up with you?”

“Yeah. Two millennia of youth came crashing down in a matter of years.” Adagio gritted her teeth, straining her jaw. “And then the real problems started. You took something very precious from us, Sunset. But I’m sure you already understand what it’s like to lose everything.”

Sunset felt that tug at her heart again, but said nothing.

“Aria confided in me one cold night.” Adagio rested her mouth on her hoof. “She said that she’d found a portal years ago, but never told us. She’d gone back and lived in Equestria. I hated her for it, you know. I asked her why she didn’t come and get us, bring us back, go back to the way things were before Starswirl the Dipstick banished us…”

Adagio looked to the long, one-way mirror on the wall. “She never did tell me. All she said was that it hurt to go back. After the two of us shared a few choice words, she sent me on my way… with the location of the portal.”

She reached across the table and nudged Sunset’s paper. “Understand something, here. Even without mind-control powers, sirens are masterful manipulators. We know how to get our way.”

Adagio shuffled her chair back so that she could stand to her aching hooves. “Me, I’ve never needed anything besides the truth. The truth is a harsh thing, you know. It shatters friendships. It starts wars. If you choose just the right little snippet of truth, you can disarm a person completely.”

Sunset Shimmer tapped her pen against the page, leaving several ink splotches. Her shoulders tensed up under Twilight’s hooves.

Adagio made sure Skyhook wasn’t moving to stop her before continuing. “Remember high school? I knew all about you, Sunset. Your bullying, your foster sister, your shadowy past in Equestria. I used it all against you. A few well-placed words almost eliminated your entire defense.”

Sunset took a deep breath in. “The same tricks won’t work a second time.”

“Well, duh! I knew that!” Adagio waved a hoof as her massive, curly mane bobbed. “I don’t need to trick you, understand? I just need to tell you the truth.”

She scratched her neck where her magical necklace once hung. “Now Aria, on the other hoof, she lied right through her teeth. The truth wasn’t her tool of choice, oh no. No, she manipulated others by getting them mad.” She folded her hooves at the fetlock. “If you can get a person mad at this thing or that, well, you’ve got them completely under your control. All you have to do is get them riled up and aim.”

A gray strand of mane fell over her eyes. “After all, what better way to get me out of her life than by getting me mad, making me hate her, and leading me to bail out and decide she isn’t worth the trouble?”

Sunset sat silently, her thoughts churning but going nowhere. She laid the page gently on the table and set the pen beside it.

Adagio turned away from them. She let out a heavy breath, her shoulders hanging limp at her sides. “You… idiots!”

Twilight Sparkle lit her horn, lighting up the room with purple. “Excuse me?”

“Don’t you get it yet?” Adagio stomped towards them, her chains tangling between her legs. “Don’t you see what’s right under your nose? Do I have to spell it out for you?”

Twilight bumped nosed with her. “Maybe you should! If you have this great truth, why don’t you share it with the class?”

“Sonata’s your witness, isn’t she?” Adagio spat.

Twilight Sparkle frowned. She trotted back to Sunset’s side. “Why do you say that?”

“Come on,” Adagio said. “You come tromping all the way to Equestria to track me down, dead set on me being the murderer. From how you’ve been talking, you sound like you’ve been tracking me straight from Aria’s apartment. I’ll bet Sonata told you that I killed her to find the location of the portal.” She growled Sunset’s way. “Didn’t she?”

Sunset and Twilight said nothing, the breath caught in their throat.

“Didn’t she?” Adagio shouted, the veins on her neck turning purple.

Skyhook’s strong foreleg clapped over her back. “Ma’am, I’ll have to take you to a cell if you keep having outbursts.”

“Fine.” She shrugged him off with a snort. She cast a sneer Sunset’s way. “I imagine your counterpart has told you how long I’ve been in Equestria. Six years, thereabouts?”

“Thereabouts,” Sunset muttered.

“Yeah.” Adagio closed her eyes and twirled a hoof in the air. “Why in the heck would I murder Aria, my friend, to find the location of a place I’ve been living for the past few years?”

Sunset Shimmer looked her in the eye. “That’s what I’m trying to find out.”

“I know.” Adagio slumped back into her seat. “Sonata was the most devious of us all. She skirted around the truth. She avoided getting people mad entirely. What she did was far more dangerous.” She clenched her jaw in a false smile. “She made you want to believe her.”

She flicked an ear downward. “You wanted to believe her because she was cute. She was ditzy. She was always the funny one, the goofy one. How could somebody so bubbly ever do something wicked?” She rolled her shoulder back to relieve a dull pain. “She had everybody wrapped right around her pinkie finger. Everybody. Even Aria and I would fall for it sometimes.”

She slammed her hoof on the metal table. “And you idiots took a siren at their word!”

The clang echoed into nothingness. Adagio hunched over as Skyhook took a hold of her chains. “I’m not done yet, soldier boy.”

“She’s not.” Sunset Shimmer stood up and made her way to Adagio’s side of the table. “Let her be. I’ll handle it if she goes out of control.”

“Lucky for you, my magic dug its own grave.” Adagio glowered at them from beneath her eyebrows. “I’m nothing more than an old crone. No need to worry. Really.”

She looped her foreleg around Sunset’s and held her tight. “After you broke our sigils, our livelihoods, we went our separate ways. Aria set out to relearn how to sing. She wanted to be a songwriter. I think she did okay for herself. I obviously snuck back here, once Aria told me where the portal was. I think things are just peachy here. But Sonata? She went completely bonkers. You destroyed her completely, Sunset. She’s crazy, homeless, and lost in a world meaner than a manticore with constipation. Aria and I rebuilt. We moved on. She didn’t.”

Adagio pulled Sunset closer, until she was able to whisper in her ear. “If Sonata lied about how long I’ve been in Equestria, what else was she lying about?”

Sunset Shimmer jerked back as she was released from Adagio’s iron grip. She staggered a few steps away and stumbled. Twilight caught her and held her close.

“I don’t get it,” Twilight muttered. “What’s going on?”

Sunset’s eyes glazed over. The breath left her chest in a rush. “The others—”

Twilight turned Sunset around and grasped her shoulders. “What about the others? What’s the matter, Sunset? Talk to me.”

Sunset blathered quietly under her breath.

Twilight touched her hoof gently to Sunset’s cheek. The adrenaline coursing through her veins lent volume and urgency to her voice. “Come on, Shimmer! Say something!”

“Oh, rut.”

It clicked in Sunset’s mind. Sonata hadn’t been told the location of the portal, but she had found out about it. So did she kill Aria in retaliation for years of lies? For keeping her from her home?

No. From the sound of it, Sonata could have gotten the location of the portal from Aria easily. She wanted something more.

Murdering Aria caught Sunset’s attention; who else would have been such an expert on Equestrians? A well-timed testimony sent her running off on a wild goose chase. With her connections, there was little doubt she could find her way back to Equestria. She would be outside the boundaries of space, in an entirely different world. She would discover the truth eventually, but that still gave Sonata plenty of time to do whatever she wanted.

Something like getting revenge.

“Rut!”

“Um…” Twilight Sparkle ventured forth a smile. “Language, Sunset.”

“The others,” Sunset gasped. She held her chest tight. “Our friends are in danger. All of them! She… Oh, God. The sirens’ gemstones… They broke when I sang.”

Sunset blinked tears from her eyes. “She did all of this to get back at me.”

Adagio Dazzle nestled into the harsh metal chair. She nodded lightly. “Now you’ve got it.”

“W—we have to go back!” Sunset tapped the one-way mirror frantically. “We have to go back right now!”

***

Sonata Dusk yawned wide. She rested her fists against Pinkie Pie’s dining room table. One of her hands held the last fragment of her gemstone she’d been able to hold onto. The last shard of her mighty sigil.

The jagged edge bit into her palm, drawing blood.

Pinkie Pie bustled into the dining room. Her pajama pants swished around her skinny legs as she set a cell phone down on the tabletop. “Okay. Okay. You, um, understand why I can’t let you just stay here, right? It’s not that I don’t want you here, or that I can’t be your friend or anything. I just want to keep the kids safe.”

“Oh, sure, sure. I know you wouldn’t just turn somebody away, Pinkie.” Sonata hid her bleeding hand underneath her left palm. “You’re just too good a person for that.”

“But!” Pinkie held up a finger. “But that’s not to say you’re gonna have to stay out in the cold. I have in my circle of friends a couple of ladies who would be more than happy to take you in. You remember Rainbow Dash and Rarity, right?”

“Oh, yeah! Who could forget those two?” Sonata giggled. “‘I’m awesome as I wanna be!’”

“Yep, yep, yeppers! They have a spot for you. A nice comfy couch, I think. Or maybe a cot.” Pinkie danced on the tips of her toes. “So… You want a coffee or something?”

“Sure!” Sonata jumped up, her damp ponytail slapping against her back. “With lots of cream and sugar?”

“Is there any other kind?” Pinkie’s nervous laugh regained a little hint of sincerity. “I don’t usually drink coffee at… one-thirty at night… but this is a special occasion!”

Sonata Dusk followed Pinkie into the kitchen. The linoleum floor felt cool against her soles. “So, about how long do you think it’ll be until they get here?”

“Oh, Rainbow Dash said she’d be by in ten or twenty minutes.” The windows rattled from the force of a nearby thunder crash. Pinkie Pie winced. She reached into her cupboards to gather up the ingredients. A bag of coffee grounds chuffed at it hit the counter.

Sonata edged over to the sink. A blender sat off to the side, having been used to make several fruit and chocolate smoothies. She gripped the handle in her vice-like grip. “Ten to twenty, huh?”

Pinkie stuck her finger into the sugar and took a small taste. “Mm. Yep! The storm might slow her down a little, but nothing can stop Rainbow Dash!”

Sonata loomed behind Pinkie Pie. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

She hit the blender across the back of Pinkie’s head.

Pinkie screamed. She was able to catch herself on the countertop, but the next blow sent her to the floor. A final impact drove her into unconsciousness.

Sonata tossed the hefty appliance to the floor. A whimper drew her attention to the doorway, where a small child stared wide-eyed at the proceedings. “Hey, kid. You’re Cherry Pie, right?”

The little girl screeched and ran for the bedrooms.

Sonata Dusk sauntered out of the kitchen. She slid Pinkie’s cell phone into her pocket and looked for the stairway. “Sunny? Suuuunny! Time to wakey-wakey…”

The blood from her palm stained the handrails as she clomped up the steps. “Mommy and I have a play-date!”

Messages for the Absentee

Twilight Sparkle dragged her hooves along as Sunset Shimmer practically flew up the mountain path. Her forelegs ached from trying to keep up with her friend, but she didn’t dare voice a complaint. Not with what was at stake. The thoom of Big Spike’s footsteps came from behind her, nervous energy guiding his path.

Princess Twilight winged by overhead. She had left her scarf somewhere along the two-hour hike from Fillydelphia to the pool, once the high sun got to her. A few royal guards had come with them. Twilight wasn’t sure what they were there for, but she got a hint when they started to set up a perimeter around the cave mouth.

Sunset stumbled over a rock, but she didn’t let it halt her forward momentum.

“Easy, Sunset,” Twilight huffed. Her skinny legs wobbled inside her too-warm sleeves. “Face-planting won’t do anybody any good.”

Big Spike scooped her up from behind and set her on his back. He did the same with Sunset a moment later, never breaking his stride. “It’ll be easier for me to climb the mountain, guys. Just sit tight.”

“Hurry,” Sunset whispered. “Hurry, please.”

Twilight grabbed Sunset in a one-foreleg hug. “It’ll be okay, Sunset. We’ll get back and be able to warn everybody. I’ll contact my buds on the force. They’ll know where to find Sonata.”

“What if we’re too late?” Sunset said. “What if she’s already hurt somebody?”

“Don’t speculate,” Little Spike said. He shuffled his was across Big Spike’s scales, his bag of writing utensils tight against his side. He looked up at the mountain to spy the cave mouth halfway up. “Speculating won’t help. Plan instead. Answer the question: What are you gonna do when you get there?”

“G-get back into town.” Sunset took a deep breath in and let it out slowly. “Track down my friends and warn them while Twilight calls the cops. If—if they’re prepared, Sonata won’t be able to do anything. I hope.”

Big Spike craned his neck around. He felt his way up the craggy, tree-covered mountainside. “I’ll help protect you, Sunset. Don’t worry. No way is anybody getting past me—”

“No, Spike,” Twilight said. She turned aside so that he couldn’t meet her eyes. She bit her lip hard before she could force out her next words. “You have to stay.”

Big Spike’s eyes glowed green. “What?”

“You’re staying.” Twilight shut her eyes. Every muscle in her body tensed. “You have to stay in Equestria, Spike. You have to stay here or you’ll die.”

“Twilight.” Big Spike clenched a fist. He held it steady before driving it into the ground, shattering a boulder. “No! We’ve gone over this. I won’t leave you behind—”

“I won’t leave you behind either!” Twilight stood up and threw her coat off. She wiped the sweat from her forehead before it could mingle with her tears. “I’ll visit. I’ll take my vacations in Equestria. I’ll stop by on the weekends. I’ll freaking spend Hearth’s Warming here if that’s what it takes! You’ve always been my best friend, Spike…” She slumped to her rump. Her glasses slipped down her snout. “I’m not ready to lose you.”

“Don’t you understand?” Big Spike rubbed his face, shaking a few dead, gray scales loose. “I love you, Twilight. I love all of you! Sunset, Rarity, Sunny, Pinkie, Rainbow, Applejack, Fluttershy, Big Mac, everybody! I don’t want to live my life away from you. That wouldn’t be living.”

“You can have a life here, too.” Twilight sniffled. She rubbed one of Big Spike’s large, green spines. “A good life. A darn good life. And we’ll all still be part of it.”

Big Spike wrinkled his snout. He turned back to his nearly-vertical climb. “We’re not discussing it. I’ve made my decision.”

“Even though you could lose the ability to make that decision?” Twilight made her unsteady way across his back. She slipped her forelegs around his neck to get a firmer stance. “You’d give up your newfound intelligence? Your sapience?”

“I told you,” he growled. “I love you, Twilight. I’d do anything for you!”

Twilight shook her forelegs, which didn’t so much as budge him. “Then stay!”

Big Spike paused a few meters from the ledge. His ears drooped alongside his head. He turned to the passengers riding on his back.

Twilight slid down his scales until she rested against his spines. Sunset Shimmer, her own eyes full of tears, nuzzled her back to her feet. Little Spike caught Big Spike’s eye and nodded, gesturing towards the valley below.

“If you won’t stay for yourself then stay for me.” Twilight spoke quietly through her hiccups. “St-stay so that I have someone I know will be there for me, no matter what. Stay and let me make more memories with you. Don’t make me watch you fade away a minute at a time.”

He crested the edge of the ledge and set them down. He sat with his back against the mountain as Royal Guardsponies moved to accommodate his bulk. Twilight looked up, feeling her heart melt at the frown on his face.

“You can do whatever you want here, Spike.” Twilight rubbed his claw. “Even spend time with me.”

“So I get to watch you fade away instead?” he muttered. “I get to sit here and stay the same while you get older and older?”

Twilight Sparkle flicked an ear downward. “W—we’ll still have more time.”

“How much more?” He lifted his pinkie finger and brushed it gently against her face. “Fifty years? Sixty? Will it be enough then, or will we be scrambling to save your life?”

Twilight shook her head. “At least then it’ll have been a whole lifetime.”

“Not for a dragon.” Big Spike’s snout twitched. He gestured towards where Sunset and the princess were discussing their next move. “You should join them.”

“Spike…” Twilight propped herself against his knuckle with her forelegs. “Please stay. Please stay for me. I’ll come back as soon as Sonata is taken care of, I promise.”

Big Spike blinked sizzling tears away. He stared solemnly at the ground far below. “I’ll stay.”

“Promise?” Twilight leaped a little, using his hand as a base. A tiny light of hope touched her heart. “You promise you’ll stay?”

A tooth poked its way between his lips as he gave her a small smile. “Promise,” he said, his voice cracking.

She hurried off, leaving the giant dragon heaving an enormous sigh.

***

“You’re sure you can’t come with us?” Sunset asked.

Princess Twilight mouthed a swear word and shook her head. Sorry, no. I’ve got a few things that need to be settled here. I want to know exactly what Adagio wanted those portal fragments for, and I want to know what she was thinking when she became friends with your counterpart. I’ll join you no later than tomorrow morning, but for now I’m tied to my duties.

The room shimmered with turquoise light as the pool rippled, beckoning them forth. Sunset Shimmer pulled her clothes on as quickly as she could, her magic flashing in the shadows. “I suppose you have to tell the judge what happened with the investigation.”

Princess Twilight kicked a rock into the drink. There’s that, yeah. Not to mention spending a little time improving public relations with the other Sunset’s family. They’ve got to be pretty broken up about all this.

“Less than you might think.” Sunset stepped out from behind the rock, once again clad in her full outfit. She sniffed. “Everything’s gonna be alright. Right?”

“Of course it will.” The voice came from the mouth of the cavern, where Twilight Sparkle entered with a few stifled hiccups. “Everything ’ll turn out right. The CCPD isn’t a force you wanna mess with.”

Princess Twilight groaned. I wish I could send a few guards with you, if I didn’t think they’d need to be led by the hand. It’s not easy getting used to a new body.

Sunset Shimmer joined forelegs with Twilight. “Did you convince Spike to stay?”

Twilight nodded, her lips trembling.

“Come here,” Sunset said, pulling her into a hug. “He’ll be fine.”

“Will I?” Twilight cracked an unconvincing smirk. “We don’t really have time for this.”

“I know.” Sunset looked to Princess Twilight and squared her hooves. “See you tomorrow, my friend.”

Princess Twilight bowed at the knee and flashed a wink.

Sunset looked to Twilight, and Twilight looked to Sunset.

“Ready?”

“Ready.”

“Go.”

They jumped into the pool and shouted as their bodies were remade by magicks unknown.

***

Big Spike scratched deep furrows into the rocky outcropping. The soldiers paid him no mine except when he was in their way. He hunched over, a gargoyle on the side of the mountain.

Little Spike scurried up beside him. He tapped his clawtips together, mulling over his words. “So, it sounds like you’re a permanent fixture in Equestria now, huh?”

Big Spike hunched lower.

Little Spike snapped his fingers. “You know what? I think the first thing we need to do is introduce you to the utter deliciousness that is gemstones! Quartz is kinda bitter, but once you get past the low-grade stuff, it’s taste bud heaven for yah.”

Big Spike flicked a rock into the ether.

A shrug accompanied Little Spike as he peered over the edge. “Most dragons we know are real jerks, but I think you’d like Shardscale. She’s a chronicler. She travels the world and records everything she can about history and stuff. You’d like her.”

He glanced back at the full-grown dragon. “You know, if you really work at it, you’re gonna love life here. Your Twilight will, too. They aren’t kidding when they say it’s a land of enchantment. Not just referring to magic, either. There’s friendships waiting everywhere if you’re just willing to step out and take ’em—”

“Spike,” Big Spike said.

The small counterpart looked up. He swallowed hard. “Yeah?”

“You don’t have to be afraid, Spike.” Big Spike lifted a claw and touched it to Little Spike’s chest. “You should be careful of your strength, yeah, but being careful isn’t the same as being afraid.”

Little Spike looked down. He pushed the claw away. “Yeah, I get that. I’m not—”

“Be brave, Spike,” Big Spike whispered. “You don’t have to live your life in fear. Take a stand for what’s right—go with your gut. Don’t be scared of hurting people, just take a healthy amount of caution. Be prepared and be smart about it.”

Little Spike stopped pushing. He held the claw and stared into the large, green eyes that so closely mirrored his own. “I thought… you were supposed to be a dog…”

Big Spike smiled. “I was yesterday. Today, I’m not so sure.”

He prodded Little Spike again. “And don’t be afraid to get close to that certain little filly. You know who.”

Little Spike chuckled, his cheeks heating up. “Don’t tell me what to do. I’m a year older than you, you know.”

“And a day.” Big Spike sighed, leaning his head against the rock face. “Spike, would you do me a favor?”

“Yeah, sure.” Little Spike rocked on his heels. “Name it.”

“Would you take a note, please?” Big Spike’s mouth split in a half-hearted grin. “I have something I need to say.”

“Sure.” A scroll and pen were in Little Spike’s hands faster than a blink. “Who’s it to?”

“Twilight,” Big Spike said. “My Twilight.”

Little Spike scratched out the introduction. He gazed up with expectation written on his face as clear as any message.

“Dear Twilight,” Big Spike said. After a moment’s hesitation, he continued, “I’m sorry I lied.”

***

Twilight Sparkle cursed as she crossed her legs and fell to her knees, splashing in the wet forest floor. She reached her hand towards the one Sunset offered.

“On your feet,” Sunset said. “We gotta move.”

“Easier said than done.” Twilight threw a foot out and shuffled along the ground. “I feel like I took a five-year voyage on a rowboat.”

Sunset gripped her tight and practically dragged her along. Rainwater snaked through her hair and down her back. “So what you’re saying is that you aren’t driving.”

“Not right away.” Twilight held her arms tight against her chest, flexing her hands. Her glasses fogged up in the cold air. “Gimme an hour to regain control over my fingers.”

Sunset held the keychain outward and clicked the panic button. The piercing wheep, wheep, wheep of the car alarm called out to them through the murky trees. “Crap, we almost got off course.”

“It’s close, though.” Twilight Sparkle wiggled her thumb and index finger. She reached into her coat pocket and pulled out her cell. No bars. “I don’t have any reception out here. How about you?”

Sunset stuck her hand in one jacket pocket, then the other. She slid her hands into her jeans next, her face rapidly growing even more strained. “It’s not here.”

“You didn’t leave it back in Equestria, did you?”

“N—no.” Sunset hissed through her teeth. “Crap it. I must have left my phone back home.”

“In your other mom jeans?” Twilight frowned at Sunset’s flashing eyes. “What?”

“Not the time for jokes, Twi.” Sunset pushed her way out of the tree line and made her way to the driver’s door. “Really not the time.”

“Sorry.” Twilight stumbled up to the passenger’s side and tugged at the handle. When the door didn’t budge, she waved at Sunset. “Little help?”

Sunset thumbed the unlock button and slid the keys into the ignition at the same moment. “Hop in and hope we don’t run into any of your cop buddies on the road.”

“Huh?” Twilight wrinkled her brow. “Why not?”

“Because that speed-limit thing?” Sunset pulled the car out of park and pressed the gas pedal to the floor. “Not happening.”

The tires dug into the loose soil for a long moment, before the entire car kicked backwards. Twilight pressed her hands against the dashboard in an effort to not have her teeth knocked out. “Easy! Lemme put on my belt!”

Sunset swung the car around, careful to slip between the trees. “I’m not stopping you.”

“Get a grip, Sunset.” Twilight held tight to the seat belt. “We just need to get in range of the satellite towers, then we can call our friends.”

The engine revved loud in their ears as they shot out of the woods and onto the road. The windshield wipers worked overtime to keep their view clear. Twilight felt the car swerve to the side, the tires sliding on the slick pavement. “Sunset. Listen to me. Get. A. Grip.”

Sunset’s fingers turned white as she gripped the steering wheel. “I’m not letting our friends down.”

“No one’s gonna be there for them if we’re stuck in a ditch!” Twilight slapped the dashboard. Her glove compartment fell open, spilling maps and insurance forms onto her lap. “Aw—gugh. Sunset, don’t panic. Don’t fall into that trap of being afraid. Just do what you know is right.”

“That’s what got us into this mess.” Sunset scanned the road ahead. It was wide open. The ten miles-per-hour of excess she’d put on wouldn’t shave the time by much. “I sang with the Rainbooms and started us all down this path. I listened to Sonata and took her at her word. I shipped us off to Equestria because I thought it was the right thing to do.”

“And you wanna throw it all away by sending us careening to our deaths?” Twilight gripped her shoulder tight. “Think, Sunset. Think.”

Lightning struck a tree a few miles to the rear. Thunder struck them soon after.

Sunset sunk into her seat and flicked on the cruise control. “I’m scared, Twilight.”

“I am, too.” Twilight pressed her hand to the armrest built into her door. “We’ll stop by your house first and grab your phone. Then we can call everybody up. What time is it?”

Sunset pressed a button on the radio. Numbers glowed in the gloom. “Six in the evening. Happy Saturday.”

“M’kay.” Twilight drummed her fingers on her knees. “Gone overnight and most of the day. No problem. No problem at all.”

Sunset gritted her teeth. “Not. Helping.”

“Shutting up.”

The gray clouds overhead still churned with wind and rain, and the wind swept by even stronger than before. The storm had gone through a lull and was reaching another crescendo. The sky was so dark that even the street lamps had continued to shine. Sunset slowed to a more sedate pace as they entered the city. Traffic lights glared against the windows, other cars honked in irritation, and all around people hunched over on a miserable walk.

It took longer than usual to make their way through the city, but they entered the suburban area soon enough. Sunset Shimmer pulled into her driveway and jumped out the door, keeping Twilight’s car running. She was in and out quicker than a flash.

Twilight tested her fingers by wrapping them around a pen and writing out a simple message on some junk mail she’d left between the seats. It came out legible, but hardly praiseworthy. “Looks like my penmanship needs work in both worlds.”

Sunset pulled her mouth to the side. “Keep on practicing and you’ll get…” She flipped her phone up and stared wide-eyed at the glowing screen. “Huh.”

Twilight leaned across the median. “What’s up?”

“It says… I have fourteen messages.” Sunset flipped through the list. “Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Rainbow Dash again, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rainbow Dash, Rainbow Dash…”

She pressed a button and Rainbow’s scratchy voice came through the tinny speakers. “Sunset! Oh gosh, pick up! Whatever. You need to get to Pinkie’s place right now, you hear me! There’s… You need to get here. Police are on their way. Something really bad ’s happened to Pinkie and… Crap! Hold—”

Sunset Shimmer’s hands shook. “Oh God.”

The phone chimed, “Message from ‘Rarity, darling!’”

“Sunset, it is Rarity. Don’t worry, dear. I’m on my way as fast as the roads will allow. I’ve called up Fluttershy and Applejack, and they should be on their way as well. We’re here for you.”

“Message from ‘Rainbow Danger Dash!’”

“Where in the heck are you, Sunset? Look, Pinkie’s been hurt really bad! And… and oh gosh. I think they took Sunny! You need to get over here because I really don’t know what to do. Come on, Sunset. Pick up. Pick up! Pick up the freaking phone! Gah!”

“Message from ‘Um… Fluttershy?’”

“Sunset, I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry. The police say they’re searching as hard as they can for Sunny, but we’re not sure where Sonata might have taken him! Where did you go? Oh, please come back.”

Sunset’s breath came short and shallow. The phone fell to her lap, playing messages automatically.

“Message from ‘Howdy, it’s Applejack!’”

“Don’t you worry about a thing, you hear? That sucker’s dealin’ with the Apple Family, and we ain’t gonna take this lyin’ down! Ain’t nothin’ we won’t do to see Sunny safe and sound back home. You can count on us, Sunset. You’re family, and Sunny is, too. Just… Get back to Pinkie’s quick as you can, okay, sugarcube? Quick as you can.”

“Message from ‘Rainbow Danger Dash!’”

“Sunset, get your butt over here! Pick up the phone! Gragh! Pinkie’s got a concussion. They say they might have to take her to the hospital. We need you here, Sunset! We need you here right now!”

“Rainbow Dash, enough!”

“Gimme my phone back, Rar—”

“I believe she knows well enough to come back and will do so at… Oh, bother—”

“Message from ‘Rainbow Danger—’”

Twilight pressed her hand over the phone, silencing it. She closed it and cut off the remainder of the messages. She looked to Sunset Shimmer, whose cheeks were turning purple. She grabbed her friend’s shoulders and shook her lightly. “Sunset! Sunset, breath. In and out. Slowly. In and out.”

Sunset shuddered as tears poured out of her eyes. “It’s all because of me…”

“Snap out of it!” Twilight shouted. “This isn’t the Sunset I know. The Sunset Shimmer I know is a planner. She makes things up on the fly so fast you’d think she could plan for anything. She’s strong, maybe stronger than anybody else I know. She’s smart; quick as a whip and sharper, too. She finds herself in tight spots but she fights through it. That’s the Sunset Shimmer I know. Show me you can be her!”

Sunset shook her head, wiping her nose. “I—I don’t…”

“Sunny.” Twilight gripped harder. “Sunny needs you to be that Sunset. Do you understand me? Sunny needs you to be strong right now. Press on.”

Sunset took in a phlegmy breath. She nodded her head, her eyes closed tight.

“Good.” Twilight backed out of the car and walked around. “Now get out. It’s my turn to drive.”

Once they had taken their seats, Twilight pulled the car into reverse. “Which way is Pinkie’s house?”

Sunset pointed. “Sh—she lives two miles that way. Take a right on Curd’s Way.”

***

Spike pattered through the rain on four paws. He sniffed the ground. Their scent was faint, but it was there. Stronger was the smell of burnt gasoline from the car. He had to remember what he was here for. He had to find Twilight and… and…

Find Twilight. Protect Twilight.

They had tried to stop him. The… soldiers? Ponies. They didn’t want him to go through the portal. They weren’t mean, they just wanted to protect something. Him? Or the princess?

He just knew he had to protect Twilight. Twilight, Sunset, Sunny, and everybody else he loved.

Thunder crashed. It hurt his ears. He whimpered and tucked his tail between his legs.

His eyelids blinked away the raindrops. He wasn’t allowed to be scared. He had a job to do. He had to protect Twilight.

He set out at a quicker pace, through the loam and the ferns. Before long, the acrid scent of gasoline led him to the road. The smell was everywhere. He couldn’t follow it anymore, not without getting lost. He squinted into the storm. He couldn’t see very far. Everything turned blurry. He couldn’t see any sign of Twilight or Sunset.

He sat down in the middle of the smooth ground and tried to think. Twilight wanted to go to the city, right? Which way was the city? The smell of cars led both ways. The storm muddled everything else. Was he just stuck? Lost before he even started?

A sound like thunder, though muted, hailed from down the highway. Lights flashed at Spike, blinding him, stunning him. He tried to bolt, but he wasn’t sure which way to turn. The big thing appeared in front of him on an unstoppable collision course.

The pickup truck stopped. The lights dimmed somewhat. Spike peered past the wheels.

The door opened, emitting a tall, skinny man with absolutely insane curly brown hair. He knelt down before Spike and held out his hand. “C’mere, boy! You know me, right? What are you doing way out here?”

Spike approached with caution, a growl held at the ready should it turn out to be a trap. He brought his nose close to the person’s hand. He sniffed deep. He smelled… cheese? No, not cheese, it was Cheese! Cheese Sandwich, Pinkie’s husband!

He leapt up to slather the familiar face with kisses. Cheese giggled and held onto Spike.

“There we go!” Cheese said. “That’s more like it, old timer! But what the heck are you doing out here? You aren’t running away from home, are yah?”

Spike wanted desperately to tell this friend exactly what was going on. Everybody was in danger, and only Spike could help them. He wanted to say how much he needed to get home.

All that came out was a bark.

“What’s that? Danny fell down the old well again?” Cheese cackled at his own joke. “Never mind. We need to get the both of us home. Pinkie isn’t gonna be happy to find out the car broke down. I spent all day trying to get a rental and then she didn’t even answer her darn phone.” He tapped his chin. “I wonder if they’d install a payphone on our front lawn. It’d be a nice conversation piece, at least!”

Spike hopped into the truck with a little help from Cheese Sandwich. Maybe things would work out alright after all. Maybe they could get home in time to help. Maybe Twilight could finally be happy.

As Cheese’s ride rumble down the road, Spike’s tail wagged.

***

Two other cars were parked in Pinkie’s driveway, not counting the police cruiser at the roadside. Twilight recognized them as Rarity’s cute little bug and the Apple Family’s hard-working, mildly-rusted pickup. She heard Sunset’s breath catch in her throat, followed by a rustle of movement as she tried to clear her nose and eyes.

Twilight reached into the back seat to retrieve her wide-brimmed hat. “Must be they’re waiting for you.”

“Yeah.” Sunset ran her fingers through her hair. “I’m almost afraid to hear what they’ll say.”

They were halfway to the house when Rarity cracked the door open. “Sunset! Sunset, hurry! Come inside, please!”

Twilight followed Sunset at a quick jog, stepping through right behind her. She shook the rain from her coat and shuffled to the side. Rarity had already gathered Sunset up in a tear-filled hug.

Rarity pulled back long enough to wipe her cheeks dry. “Oh, I can’t… I’m sorry. I wish there was more I could do.”

Sunset bobbed her head, her trembling lip threatening to spill forth sobs. “What happened?”

“Sonata stopped by Pinkie’s askin’ for a place to stay.” Applejack heaved herself off the couch, her face all but chiseled from stone. “She attacked her an’ took Sunny someplace. Ain’t heard a word since. Rainbow an’ Flutters took her an’ the kids to the hospital, an’ we waited here for you.”

Twilight rubbed her forehead beneath her hat. She looked to the far side of the room, where an officer was speaking into a radio. He clicked it off and nodded. “Miss Sparkle.”

“Hi, Caution.” She tilted her head towards the window. “Care’s in the cruiser?”

“Yeah. She’s monitorin’ the airwaves. Oi’m keepin’ an eye out for the victims’ family.” He pointed his radio’s antenna at Sunset. “Both victims. Seems Missus Pie’s husband ain’t been heard from since late last night. He’ll need somebody tah fill him in once he gets here.”

Twilight Sparkle hissed. “When things go belly-up, they go belly-up bad. Any leads at all?”

“Not a wit. The contact information the suspect left us was bogus. Number’s been disconnected for a long time.”

Twilight raised her eyebrows. “Did you investigate the number’s point of origin?”

“Tried that right away.” Caution scratched the back of his thick neck. “Led us right to the Rich mansion, and you can imagine Diamond Tiara wasn’t happy tah see us.”

“Yeah…” Twilight crossed her arms. She met Sunset’s eyes and shook her head slightly.

Sunset Shimmer pulled herself away from Rarity and sunk into the couch. She planted her elbows on her knees and cradled her head in her hands.

Caution’s radio squawked. “Hold up. Oi’ll be outside.”

Twilight peeked out the window to see him and Care discussing something fervently in the rain. Their muffled voices couldn’t rise above the rumble of the storm.

“Where’d you two go off to?” Applejack said.

Twilight jerked her head around. “What?”

“Where were you two while all this was goin’ down?” Applejack rested her arm against the wall. “You left in quite a hurry last night.”

“Equestria,” Sunset said.

Applejack pushed her hat higher. “Ponyland? What were you doin’—”

“Trying to track down a murderer.” Twilight Sparkle flipped her hat off and hung it on the coat rack. “Turns out we had the wrong person all along. Sonata’s the real culprit.”

“A murderer?” Rarity covered her mouth. “There can be little doubt of her being a vicious malcontent, but murderer?” She waivered on her feet. “Oh, Sunny.”

Sunset gripped her phone tight. She glared at it. “There’s got to be something I can do.”

Applejack touched her hand to Sunset’s shoulder. “Sorry, sugarcube. ’Bout the only thing available is tah just pray for everythin’ to work out.”

Sunset leaned back into the plush cushion. “How is Pinkie doing?”

“The poor dear took quite a spill.” Rarity clasped her hands behind her back. “Pinkie called and told us that Sonata needed a place to stay. Rainbow hopped right over, just as you might expect. She was in hysterics when she found Pinkie hurt. She couldn’t help but try to get your attention…”

Applejack kicked out a foot. “We were all upset, but Rainbow took it real hard.”

“I could have guessed that.” Sunset Shimmer held her phone up and thumbed through the messages. “She left me more voicemails than I can…”

Her eyes scanned the list. She went over it once more, just to be sure. “Pinkie?”

Twilight moved to stand behind the couch. “What?”

“Who called me with Pinkie’s phone?” Sunset held her cell out. “Anybody?”

“Certainly not Pinkie,” Rarity said. “She could barely talk, let alone stand or dial.”

Applejack, Rarity, Sunset, and Twilight all exchanged glances. “If ah was you,” Applejack said, “ah’d take a listen.”

Sunset Shimmer clicked her teeth. She lowered her eyebrows and thumbed the button.

“Message from ‘Pinkie Pie with a smile!’”

“Hiyah, Sunset. This is Sonata. Just stopped by Pinkie’s place and asked to borrow her phone. She’s such a sweet lady, you know?”

Twilight spoke a very colorful and intricate curse.

“Impressive,” Applejack muttered, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

“I’ll just get right to the point,” Sonata continued. “If you’re back from Equestria, that means you’ve probably figured out what’s going on. If not, then as Pinkie would say, ‘Surprise!’”

Twilight Sparkle gripped the couch back. “C’mon. Make a mistake, make a mistake, make a mistake.”

The electronic sound coming from the phone crackled. “So, hey, I’ve got somebody here who wants to talk with you. Say hello, Sunny!”

“Mommy!” Sunny’s sobs came through the speakers, muffled by wind. “Mommy!”

“That’s a good boy.” Sonata’s voice took on a lower timbre. “Now don’t you worry about a thing, Sunset. I’m not going to hurt him. Not yet, anyway. I want you and me to have a little get-together. Sunny’s really excited about it. No cops, though.”

Applejack gritted her teeth. “Low-down, slimy—”

“If I so much as hear a police siren coming near me…” Sonata cleared her throat. “Aria’s gonna get some company.”

Twilight watched the phone with rapt attention, her heart racing and her chest heaving. “Make a mistake…”

“Meet me at the pier. You know, the old carnival? I’ll be waiting for you down by the docks. Careful, it gets slippery. And hurry it up, before I change my mind.”

The phone beeped. “Message from ‘Rainbow Danger Dash!’”

Sunset flipped the phone closed. She stared into space.

“Sunset,” Rarity said. “Darling. I know what you must be thinking right now, but—”

Sunset stood up in a rush and stampeded for the doorway.

Applejack reached out to stop her. “Hold your horses before they get—!”

Sunset tossed the cell phone to her. “Give this to the cops. Tell them I’m already on my way. Tell them to be sneaky about it.”

Twilight Sparkle vaulted over the couch. She almost made it, but ended up flopping onto the seat. “Sunset, we need a plan.”

“I have a plan.” Sunset pulled on her coat. “Kinda. Part of one.”

“A potentially stupid and suicidal plan!” Rarity frowned at the looks she got from Applejack and Twilight. “What? It’s the honest truth! You could get both yourself and Sunny killed!”

“And if I don’t go?” Sunset Shimmer sucked in a deep breath to steady herself. “He will be killed.”

Twilight Sparkle dusted herself off. She strode forward. “I’m coming with you.”

Applejack held out an arm, catching Twilight in the chest. “Not you, too! Hate to say it, Sparkle, but you ain’t exactly a super-powered pony princess—”

“No, I’m not!” Twilight gripped Applejack’s wrist and pushed it down. “I’m my own person. With my own set of skills and abilities. More importantly, I’m her friend. I promised to stick with her.”

Applejack closed her eyes and shook her head. “I know,” she said quietly. “We all did, Sparkle… Twilight. Part of bein’ a friend is lettin’ them know when they’re makin’ a mistake.”

Sunset Shimmer stood tall. She gave Applejack a grateful nod.

She gripped Twilight Sparkle by the forearm and pushed the door open.

Applejack charged after them. “Hold it, you two! It’s too dangerous!”

Sunset said nothing. Twilight couldn’t say anything. She found herself shoved into the passenger seat while Sunset hopped behind the wheel.

Care and Caution stared at the car, dumbstruck. Applejack pushed past them, waving Sunset’s cell phone. “Stop right there! You’re actin’ like a crazy woman!”

The tires squealed, and Sunset drove Twilight’s car into the street.

Twilight gaped at Sunset, completely out of breath. “What the—what are you doing?”

“I have a plan,” Sunset said. She shot Twilight a look out of the corner of her eye and shifted into drive. “I think I have a plan. I hope so.”

***

Spike yelped as Pinkie’s house came into view. He could see Rarity on the front lawn, covered from head to toe in a long, flowing coat. She was speaking with a police officer. Spike couldn’t quite recognize him from this far away, but he was pretty sure Twilight worked with him.

“Uh oh,” Cheese whispered. “I don’t like the looks of that.”

The truck rolled to a stop. Spike was out the door the moment that Cheese opened the door. He ran up to Rarity and leaned against her.

“Spike! Whatever are—” Rarity looked up, eyes wide. “Mister Sandwich, it is about time!”

“Had a breakdown. Not a whole lot of luck on the road this time.” Cheese Sandwich ambled up to them, his hands in his pockets. “What’s wrong? Is Pinkie okay?”

Spike whined.

“She’s received a concussion,” Rarity said. “She should be fine eventually, but they are treating her at the hospital. Fluttershy and Rainbow have the children there.”

“W—I’ve got to get there right now!” Cheese turned on his heel and prepared to jump for the rental truck.

Rarity snatched the hem of his coat. “Please speak with the officer first, Mister Sandwich. He has a few questions, and he’ll be able to answer a few, too.”

Spike sniffed her hand. He still found the familiar scent of Rarity, with just a hint of perfume, but there were other things, too. Blood; somebody had been injured. Tea; a regular staple with Rarity. A hint of Sunset. Just a hint.

That meant she’d seen Sunset today. Maybe even just a few minute ago.

“We’ve found a probable location for the suspect,” Officer Caution told Cheese. “We should have her caught tonight, so your family can rest safe.”

“Oh yes, they have a veritable dragnet in place.” Rarity patted Spike’s head. “I just hope it’ll be enough. I feel so dreadful that this had to happen to Sunset.”

Spike twitched an ear. Sunset was in trouble?

“I’d advise you take the long way to the hospital.” Caution pulled a map out of his car’s window. He traced a path through the damp paper. “We’re gonna have all routes into and out of the pier blocked off. Ain’t no way she gets away.”

The pier? Spike growled. He paced around, putting a little distance between himself and the people talking. The pier. He could remember the pier. It smelled nice. Twilight had so much fun there when she was a little girl and he was a puppy. It smelled like fried food, and hot dogs, and sweaty people.

It also smelled like water. Like a lot of water.

He raised his nose into the air. It was strange water. Not like rain or a pool. It was salty. Salty and fishy. He remembered it all too well. He ran off in search of the salty water. Sea water.

Cheese Sandwich called out to him, but he was too far gone.

A Shot in the Dark

Sunset Shimmer squeezed the steering wheel with tight fists. The traffic lights flashed red, drawing a groan from her chest as she was forced to slow down. They waited at the intersection and watched the other drivers roll past on their way home from work.

“Sunset…” Twilight Sparkle twiddled her thumbs. “Do you have a plan?”

Sunset wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, leaving red marks on her cheekbones. “Yes.”

Twilight blew a breath through her nose. “Alright. Spill it.”

“Well—” The car jerked forward as the light turned green. “W-we’ll find them… and I can threaten her with my magic, unless…”

Twilight slumped into the seat. She shook her head and pulled her glasses off. “Are you sure this isn’t just… just you running through the portal without thinking again? Acting on impulse? Trying to justify your actions without—”

“Please,” Sunset said, her voice wavering. “Stop talking.”

“No. You know what? No!” Twilight thrust her finger towards her friend. “You have to think this through before somebody gets hurt!”

“You told me to be strong, so I’m being strong.” Sunset took a right without bothering with the turn signal. “You told me to plan, so I’m planning.”

“This isn’t a plan. This is a reaction. A base, animalistic reaction!” Twilight ran her hands through her hair, where they got stuck on a tangle. “Applejack and Rarity were right. You should be working with the police, not hoping they get the message in time to help.”

Sunset stamped her foot beside the break. “Then why did you come?”

“Because if you’re dragging yourself to Hell, I don’t want you to go alone!” Twilight Sparkle hoisted herself upright, her hands on her seat belt. “Because I… If I can do anything… I will.”

The car came to a stop at the road side. Sunset Shimmer leaned her forehead against the steering wheel, all her energy spent. The hollow in her heart ached, but the fire that had been flaring was extinguished. “She’s gonna kill Sunny…”

Twilight lowered her hands to her lap. She turned to her rain-drizzled window. “Oh, Sunset…”

Sunset pinched the bridge of her nose. “I don’t know what to do. I just know I need to do something. I have to protect Sunny.”

Twilight reached across the car and gave her a warm hug. “You’re starting to sound like my Spike.”

“That’s not a bad thing.” Sunset peered through the whirring windshield wipers. Lightning crackled across the sky, illuminating a small collection of darkened rides and market stands by the water. They had arrived. “Okay. A plan. A plan, a plan, a plan.”

Twilight shrugged. “Wait until the police arrive?”

“She will murder my boy!” Sunset slammed a fist against the center consol. “No, we have to make sure she doesn’t notice. Make sure she doesn’t realize what’s happening.”

She shut the car off. “We have to distract Sonata. Get her talking. W-we have to give the police enough time to take her down. She won’t notice them if she’s focused on me. She’ll have to surrender. She’ll have to give Sunny up. She has to. She just has to, Twilight.”

She pushed the door open. “I’m going. Are you sure you’re with me?”

Twilight wiped her glasses down before slipping them on. She blinked through the rectangular lenses. “Yeah. I’m by your side. And God help anybody who gets in the way.”

***

Spike ran across the road, his feet splashing in the water collecting by the sidewalks. The smell of gasoline was almost strong enough to overcome the smell of seawater, but not quite. More annoying was the piercing wail of sirens as police cars rolled past. He thought about following one, but realized he wasn’t nearly fast enough to keep up, even if they were headed for the pier.

He ducked through a hole in a fence cordoning off a back alley, behind a restaurant. More smells threatened to overwhelm his senses, but he pressed on. Neon lights flickered blurrily overhead, accompanied by speeding cars and hurried pedestrians.

His legs hurt. He took a rest beneath a tree. The leaves hadn’t grown enough to keep him out of the rain, but it was better than nothing. He hadn’t run this far this fast in a long time. He didn’t have the strength of his dragon body. Not by a long shot.

It would be nice to go back, but only after he found Twilight. Only after he saved Sunset and Sunny.

A snack would be nice, too. Maybe a nice nibble from the hot dog stand at the pier.

The thought put an extra spring to his step. He hopped up and narrowly avoided knocking over a grumpy man exiting the restaurant. The man shouted, but Spike didn’t care. He had somewhere to be.

A police car zipped past, but this one wasn’t playing its siren. Spike tilted his head and raised his ear. Maybe he hadn’t heard it right. No, it was silent. Quiet. So was the next one that rolled past. And the next.

Spike ran as fast as his old legs would take him. The burning in his chest soon outpaced the burning in his legs, but he pressed on. He couldn’t let himself quit. He had to keep going. He panted up a storm to rival the rain beating against his back.

He poked his head around the corner. He recognized the shops; selling t-shirts and knickknacks and postcards. He was very near the pier. But he wasn’t alone. Lots of police cars were collected along the sidewalks. Police officers were setting up barricades and directing people to take a detour. Horns honked, but the drivers complied.

Spike looked the other way. Out of the darkness, a bolt of electricity split the sky. He saw the merry-go-round Twilight always rode when he was a puppy. He saw the ice-cream stand where she snuck him a taste of Scooperman. He saw the little dining cart where Twilight first burned her mouth on a quesadilla.

Bad quesadillas, he thought.

His ears twitched. He heard something, just past the shouts and the beeps. Just above the rumble of thunder and the crash of waves. Just between the patter of raindrops.

“Mommy!”

It was faint, but unmistakable. Sunny. Sunny needed him.

Spike’s heart raced as he made his way across the road.

***

Twilight Sparkle kept close as Sunset Shimmer picked her way through the little carnival. It was set to open in a month, just in time for summer to officially start. For now, it was dark and gloomy, covered in dust and dotted with growing puddles. She stared into the shadows, but there was no sign of Sonata or Sunny.

A thunderbolt struck the waves a short distance away. She yelped; her heart skipped a beat.

Sunset took Twilight’s hand in her own. She gave her a reassuring smile and lifted the other hand. The tips of her fingers glowed a bright, cheerful blue, banishing the darkness. Fire licked at her nails before trailing down to her palm.

They passed through the carnival and came to the pier itself. It stretched out over the water, a series of wooden planks and metal structures. A small lighthouse stood at the end, its lamp unused. A wave rose above the pier and came crashing down, washing it clean.

“This…” Sunset Shimmer swallowed. “This is where she said to come, right?”

“That’s right,” said a voice from behind.

They turned as one. Twilight squared her feet shoulder-width apart, clenching her fists tight. “Sonata.”

Sunset held her hand high, letting its light shine as far as she could throw it. “Where’s Sunny?”

Sonata stood by a small market stall, little visible except for her general shape. One foot entered the light, followed by her leg, her torso, and then her face. She held a bundle in her left hand, which wiggled on its own. “He’s fine. He’s right here. Wanna say hello?”

“Put him down.” Sunset moved forward. “Put him down or I’ll—”

Sonata slid a small pistol out of her pants pocket. “Ut, ut, ut. Not another step.”

Sunset froze. The breath caught in Twilight’s throat.

Sonata used the pistol to flick a blanket away from Sunny’s face. The little boy curled up, sniffing as he cried in his sleep. She clicked her tongue “Isn’t he a cutie? He has your nose, you know. Reminds me of you every time I look at him. Every. Single. Time.”

Sunset’s body trembled. “Please give him back.”

“Huh?” Sonata turned her eyes back to the two women before her. She blinked, then nodded as if in sudden understanding. “Oh, sure. Sure. I’ll get right on that. But you gotta do something for me, first.”

Twilight reached for her coat collar. She stopped when Sonata turned the gun on her. “Stop it,” Sonata snapped. “Hands where I can see ’em, and no sudden moves. In fact, why don’t you just make like a popsicle and freeze.”

Twilight looked at Sonata’s face in that moment. She had been wrong, during that interview at the police station. Sonata didn’t look ten years older than her. She looked thirty or forty years older at the least. Without makeup, the siren looked bad. It wasn’t just age, either. Sonata was worn out. Beaten down. Lacking in vitality. The only thing about her that showed any sign of life was the eyes; bright and piercing.

Twilight held her hands at her sides.

Sonata turned the gun to Sunset. “And you. Put out your magic. Not a flicker.”

Sunset Shimmer lowered her hand, but didn’t extinguish the fire.

Sonata touched the pistol against Sunny’s head. “Lights… out.”

The area was covered in darkness as Sunset released the magic. Another lightning strike illuminated the grin on Sonata’s face.

Sonata paced just inside the shadows. “Now, Sunset… On your knees.”

Sunset licked her lips. “What do you want?”

“I want you on your knees!” Sonata stomped a puddle. The gun shone in the dim light of the city a few meters away. “Get down right now.”

Sunset bowed her head. She slowly lowered herself, first taking one knee, then letting the other fall. The rain slowed to a drizzle, which couldn’t do much to affect her already soaked hair.

“Good.” Sonata shook the boy in her arms. “Wake up, Sunny. Come on, up and at ’em!”

Sunny’s eyes blinked open. He instantly shied away from her, pushing with his small hands. “No!”

“Sunny.” Sunset reached out her hand. “Sunny, Mommy’s here.”

Sunny’s eyes lit up. He squirmed around until he could see the woman kneeling before him. “Mommy! Hugs, Mommy!”

Sonata held tight against his attempts to escape. She giggled. “You wanna see your mommy, huh?”

Sunny turned and hit her right in the nose. “Bad!”

Sonata slid him lower down her body so that she could grasp his wrist. She took a step back. “Now lie down.”

Sunset hunched her shoulders. “Sonata, please, let my son go—”

“You have to listen to me,” Sonata hissed. “You have to do as I say, understand? Do it!” She brought the gun close to Sunny. “Do it now!”

“Why did you do it?” Twilight shouted.

Sonata blinked rainwater and sea spray out of her eyes. She turned her attention to Twilight, alongside the pistol. “What did you say?”

Twilight swallowed hard. If she could keep Sonata’s attention on her… “I don’t get it. Why did you kill Aria if you just wanted to get at Sunset? It doesn’t make any sense. She was your friend. A fellow siren—”

“We stopped being sirens the day Sunset broke our sigils!” Sonata gave Sunset a look of sheer, unadulterated disgust. “She wasn’t my friend. We hated each other. It was just convenient. Until she left.”

Sunny reached for his mother, but Sonata shook him back into place. “She… She left us. She found a portal to Equestria and abandoned us! And then when she came back, she didn’t so much as bother to say anything!”

Sonata glared at Twilight, waving her gun indiscriminately. “You know what she was doing in Equestria? Would you even believe it? I don’t. It’s so stupid. She fell in love. You heard me right. A siren, thousands of years old, fell for some dork’s charms.”

She grinned, her teeth grinding against each other. “You know him. Well, you know his alternate version. The guy she fell for is a soldier over there. Here, he’s a cop. Heard of Caution Tape? I know you have.”

She stomped her foot, splashing Sunset’s face. “Why aren’t you lying down yet?”

“What happened?” Twilight took a step forward and found herself once again at the wrong end of Sonata’s barrel. “Why wouldn’t she have stayed? Why wouldn’t she go back?”

Sonata chuffed. She followed it up with a giggle. “That idiot got her pregnant. Then she got scared. Aw, poor Aria. Left her baby in an alley in some forgotten little town and raced back as fast as she could. Didn’t say a word…” Her smile twisted into a craggy growl. “Until I found her letters. You know that’s what sent me over the edge? It’s what sent her over the edge. Literally.”

Sunset got to her hands and slowly lowered herself into a puddle. Twilight kept an eye on her out of the corner of her eye.

“It was as she made a satisfying splat,” Sonata continued, “that I realized that I hadn’t seen Adagio in a long time. She abandoned me as readily as Aria did. Go fig’. How could I get back at her? Framing her was a good idea.”

Her grip on Sunny’s arm tightened. He let out a yelp.

“And the best way to tie it all together?” Sonata pointed the barrel at Sunny’s forehead. “Sunset Shimmer, the perfect dupe. So eager to be the hero, even all these years later. I’ve been watching you for a long time, kiddo. Waiting for just the right moment to drop into my lap.” She shook her head. “Or onto the pavement, as it turned out.”

She aimed right for Twilight’s chest. “Back away from Sunset.”

Twilight glanced behind herself and saw not much besides churning water. “Th—there’s nowhere to go—”

“Onto the pier, you dimwit!” Sonata gestured to the long, narrow boardwalk. Seawater crashed against the sides, swishing over the top. “Get onto the pier and start walking.”

Sunset Shimmer raised her head. She found herself nose-to-nose with the gun.

“Down,” Sonata said. She made a point of waving the pistol at Sunny. “Not a single spark of magic.”

Sunset laid her head against the wood. “Would you stop pointing that thing at my son?”

Twilight stepped backwards. She felt water splash against her boots. “You’re an idiot, Sonata!”

Sonata snapped upright, glaring with wide, burning eyes. She tightened her fingers around the grip. “You don’t get to—!”

“How did you think you were gonna get away with this?” Twilight set her arms akimbo, each pace taking her another few inches along the pier. “The police know you did it, Sonata. They’re gonna catch you. They’ll put you away for forever!”

Sonata took a step towards Twilight, her gun hand outstretched. “Do I look like I have anything to live for? Do I look like I have my whole life ahead of me? I’m dying! I died the instant my gemstone was shattered!” She took in a deep breath which did nothing to calm her. “It just hasn’t taken yet.”

She coughed, her voice hoarse. “But I get this one little thing. I get to take everything Sunset cares about and destroy it. While she watches. I get to make her understand what it’s like to lose everything.”

“I do understand what it’s like, Sonata,” Sunset said. “I lost everything, too. When I came here I didn’t have friends, or family, or money, or a home… But I found the strength to move on. I rebuilt. I got everything back and so much more.” A sob snuck its way out of her chest. “Both Aria and Adagio knew that. You could have had that, too.”

Twilight paused in her backwards walk. She reached for her top button.

“No!” Sonata screamed. “No, no, no, you’re wrong! You don’t know anything, you stupid hag!” She pointed at Twilight with a snarl. “Keep walking.”

Twilight held her arms at her sides, her hands shaking.

“You don’t know what it’s like to have nothing…” Sonata shifted her hold on Sunny and stuck a hand in her pocket. She tossed red gem shards across the ground. “Here! Look at it! Look at all the nothing you left me!”

A high wave washed over Twilight’s jeans, soaking her to the bone. She cringed and reached upwards, moving as quickly as she could to unbutton her coat while Sonata wasn’t looking.

“Aria’s shards, my shard, it’s all I have left!” Sonata swung her arms out. “Now look! Look out there!”

Twilight snapped her arms down. Her friend was still on the ground, and had to lift herself on her hands to look towards the boardwalk. Their eyes met.

“First, you get to watch her get swept away,” Sonata said. “Then, your son is next.”

“No!” Sunset pushed herself to her knees. “You wouldn’t dare—”

Sonata kicked her in the face. She backed away, a smile visible in the gloom. “Stay down! Stay down and let me enjoy this. Those look like some really big waves.”

Sunny screamed. “Mommy!”

“It’s gonna be okay, Sunny,” Sunset said. From where she stood, Twilight could see her hide her hand inside her coat, out of Sonata’s scrutiny. “It’s gonna be okay, I promise.”

Sonata covered Sunny’s mouth. She took careful aim at Twilight. “I have to make you understand. Because only you can really understand what it’s like.”

A rapid-fire series of barks caught Twilight’s attention. A purple blur ran through the carnival, making a beeline towards Sonata. Twilight’s jaw dropped. Spike?

Sonata spun around, shrieking as the dog charged. She squeezed the trigger once, twice. Two reports rang out across the pier. In the next moment, Spike’s teeth clamped around her wrist. He dragged her down, shaking her arm with jerks of his head.

Sunset Shimmer leapt to her feet. Her hands lit their surroundings with blue magic. She grasped Sunny and tore him away from Sonata’s embrace. She ran until she slipped on a puddle. Her knees slammed against the ground, where she covered her son with her body.

Sonata screeched, hitting Spike with punch after punch. He wouldn’t let go. With a growl of her own, she fired the gun. She jerked her bleeding arm away from the dog and sent him flying with a violent kick. She turned to the pier, her eyebrows jumping up when she saw Twilight.

Twilight reached under her coat and pulled out her forty-four. She chambered a round, let half her breath out, and took aim.

She sent six shots tearing through Sonata’s torso.

Gentle footsteps took her from the pier back to firm ground. She kept her gun trained on Sonata the entire way, waiting for some sort of movement; a twitch, a gasp, anything to show that she was still a danger. The former siren lay motionless.

Twilight stopped beside her. “Sunset?”

“Yeah?”

“Is Sunny okay?”

Twilight heard a deep sigh. “Yes, Twilight,” Sunset said. “He’s fine. He’s just fine.”

“Good.” Twilight stuffed her pistol into its holster and rushed to Spike’s side. He had fallen onto his side, his legs curled up against his belly. She knelt, resting her hands on his side. “Spike? Spike, it’s okay, boy. It’s over. We can go home.”

She wiped salt water from her forehead. She touched his neck, just below the ears. “Come on, boy, get up. Come on, Spike. Time to—”

Her hand came away red. She gaped, the breath moving at a stutter. She felt down his side, her heart quickening. She found a puncture wound on his rear left leg. Another in his right shoulder. She pressed her ear against his chest. No sound. Her fingers clenched his long coat.

“No, no, Spike. Get up.” She pulled her coat off and draped it over his body. Caring hands tucked him into the long, damp fabric. She crawled to his head and cradled it in her lap. “Wake up. You’re stronger than this. So much stronger.”

She ruffled his ears. “You’re better than this.” She slammed a fist into a nearby puddle, splashing water across her shirt. “You’re better than this! Get up!”

She pulled him closer, holding him tight. She rested her head on his. Tears fell from the corners of her eyes, dripping onto her overcoat. “You’ve gotta come home. You’ve gotta come with me.”

Sunset Shimmer sat beside her. She let Twilight lean against her, Spike still clutched tight. “C—can’t I…” Twilight choked. “Can’t I at least say goodbye?”

Twilight petted the top of his head. “Would you let me say goodbye? Please just give me that. I won’t ask for… Please, Spike.”

Sunny crawled out of his mother’s arms. He patted Spike, his face the picture of seriousness. “G’boy, Spike. G’boy.”

Twilight broke apart. She folded into Sunset’s arms, sobbing freely. Sunset rocked her back and forth, lending her tears. Sunny began to sniffle, though he probably didn’t know why.

Twilight looked up in the presence of a bright light. A team of officers flowed onto the carnival grounds, their weapons at the ready. They asked questions, but Twilight couldn’t register them. She knew Sunset would help. She knew Sunset would know what to say.

At that moment, Twilight just wanted to be with Spike.

***

At the edge of Sweet Apple Acres, where the trees turned from apple to a variety of other species, it bumped up against the city’s cemetery. The Apples themselves had a piece of land squared off from the rest of the grounds: A family mausoleum and a few smaller plots. Off in the north corner, several small tablets were embedded in the earth. Some people scoffed at the Apples having their own pet cemetery, but among the family, one thing was clear…

There was something real special about an Apple’s pet.

Sunset Shimmer leaned against Sunny’s stroller and enjoyed the feeling of the sun beating against her face. Stormy weather was nice every so often, but only from indoors. She sniffed the air as a warm breeze rolled past.

Beside her, Big Mac’s strong arms wrapped around Twilight Sparkle. The slight woman stared at the newest plot, the latest tablet to grace the green, lush lawn. She clutched a scroll between her fingers, one with the royal seal of Equestria. Her hands shivered as she unrolled it. Flowing script greeted her, scribed by one dragon and dictated by another.

“‘Dear Twilight,’” she read. “‘Sorry I lied. I promise that I’ll stay here for real next time, but right now you need me. Maybe I’m just being dumb, but I can’t just sit back when I know you’re in trouble. Any of you. And I know I can’t help, not really. I know I’m just a dog over there. But can you blame me? I guess I just want to be by you and it’s my own half-crazed optimism that says things ’ll turn out right.’”

She let her voice stop trembling, then read on. “‘I can already see Little Spike thinking of ways he can stop me from coming over, so I’ll wrap it up here. I’ll have him send you the message after I go through the portal, so you know that yeah, I do want to stay in Equestria. But only if you’re really gonna be there, too. I love you, Twilight, and I want to say thank you for all the amazing memories. Talk with you again soon.’”

She rolled up the scroll. “‘Love, Spike.’”

She hunched over and touched her fingers to the gravestone. Spike. Beloved dog and fearsome dragon. “I love you, too, Spike. And I’ll never forget the time we spent together. Thank you so much for being my friend.”

She turned around to see a small group of people standing in the Apple Family plot. She wrung her hands together and nibbled her lip. “I know this is really informal and stuff, but… Does anybody else want to say a few words?”

Fluttershy stepped out from the group of friends and laid a snapdragon next to the grave. “For my favorite patient,” she whispered.

Applejack pulled an apple from her pocket, the biggest, greenest she could find. She shuffled over and laid it next to the flower. “Yeah, ah know it ain’t original. But you were always at your happiest chasin’ the puppies through the apple baskets. Always made me laugh.”

Rarity came next, her dainty hands clasped together. “A gift I do not have, but memories aplenty. You are the noblest, kindest dog I have ever had the pleasure of knowing.” She winked. “And purple, I feel, is in this summer.”

Rainbow Dash stuffed her hands in her pockets and dug her toes into the soil. “I’m no good at mushy stuff, so… You’re awesome. Heh. Remember catching Frisbees in the park? Snatched it right out of the air.”

Pinkie Pie rubbed her bandaged head. She handed something to her eldest son and nodded. Cheese Danish pushed his way through the crowd and floated a weighted balloon over to the grave.

Sunset Shimmer danced her fingers through the grass. “Thank you for being there for us, Spike. No matter what.”

Two more figures stepped forward. One stood a head taller than Twilight Sparkle, and could have been confused for her sister. She flicked her unseasonal scarf behind her back and passed a sheet of paper to the purple-coated dog at her side.

The dog cleared his throat and spoke aloud. “Princess Twilight Sparkle, here, via Little Spike. She says ‘I didn’t know you for very long, but what little I did showed me that you were a very special person. Noble, steadfast, and loyal to no end. I am honored to have called you friend.’”

Little Spike pawed his way to the headstone. “You know, I was really weirded out when you showed up. I mean, my double became a full-grown dragon and he was a regular dog? I didn’t know what to think when you started talking. But…”

He sat on his haunches. “But you had something special in you. You weren’t just a dog. Like… like nobody’s just one thing or another. You had wisdom that felt like it sprang from optimism, if that makes any sense. If nothing else, you’ve helped me see things more clearly.”

He looked up at the people hanging on his every word. “But now I’m just rambling, aren’t I?”

“Tell the truth,” Big Mac said with a grin, “ah don’t think the ‘talkin’ dog’ thing is ever gettin’ old.”

A low chuckle ran through the small crowd. Sunset Shimmer joined in with a giggle.

Sunny reached for the dog. “Spike! M’ere, boy!”

Little Spike hopped up to the two-year-old boy. “Hay, little guy! Never seen a talking dog before, huh—?”

Sunny grabbed Little Spike by the ears and jerked him close. “G’boy!”

The laughs turned raucous as Little Spike struggled to free his head. He shot the boy’s mother a grin. “Heh… He’s a real cutie, Sunset…”

Apple Bloom joined Sunny in petting Little Spike, scratching him in several extremely delightful locations. “Sure is, but he’s got a real bundle of competition when you’re around, bud!”

Little Spike stopped struggling and let his tongue hang out. He rolled onto his side, his face full of goofy happiness. “Ooh, yeah. That spot right there. That’s really—”

His eyes shot wide open as he gave Apple Bloom a second look. He blushed, pulling himself upright and all but running back to Princess Twilight’s side. “It’s really nice of you to… uh… say so, Miss Bloom, but… uh… can’t let me get too comfortable here, you know. Not too comfortable.”

He gave Princess Twilight a plastic grin. She returned the expression with a severe eyebrow.

Sunset Shimmer shook her head, a large smile on her lips. The rest of the people gathered around Twilight, either offering her memories or condolences. Hugs were given, gifts were exchanged, and one or two fresh tears were shed.

Sunset looked outside the Apple’s site and saw a familiar face. “Apple Bloom, would you watch Sunny for a minute?”

“Huh?” Apple Bloom looked up from chasing Little Spike. “Yeah, sure. Long as yah need.”

Sunset Shimmer walked through the cemetery, her sneakers making little noise in the healthy grass. She came up to a modest tomb stone, which had a simple memorial on it. No dates, just a name and a thought: Aria Blaze. Music was her art.

She looked to the familiar face, which was framed by long tresses of graying orange hair. “Saying goodbye?”

Adagio Dazzle crossed her arms. “You might say that. It’s a long time overdue.”

She huffed, turning her head away. “Over a thousand years of friendship and the first time things got rough, we fell apart like wet tissue paper.” Her faint scowl melted into a limp frown. “I think it’s mostly my fault. They acted like idiots sometimes, but… But they were such a huge part of my life. I should have seen that when I still had a chance.”

She cocked a brow at Sunset. “Seems like every time the going gets tough for you and your friends, you just get closer.”

“Not… always.” Sunset shrugged. “We still make massively-stupid mistakes sometimes. And it costs us.”

Adagio nodded. “But?”

“But… we don’t let it tear us apart.” Sunset waved a hand. “We open ourselves up to get hurt, but we also open ourselves up to being loved.”

Adagio blinked, pressing her lips together. “I’d like that.”

Sunset Shimmer tilted on her heels. “Are we gonna be seeing more of you around here?”

“Heck. No.” Adagio smirked. “I found my way back to Equestria, and by golly, I’m staying. Keep your meatballs and five-o’-clock traffic, I’m outta here.”

Sunset laughed. “Not even for a visit?”

“Girl, were you listening? I’ve lived here for far longer than I’d care to admit or remember…” Adagio kicked at the grass. “And there’s nothing left for me.”

She chuckled. “No, what you need to do is visit Sun-kissed Equestria, with its excellent food and its delightful ponies. Not to mention about two-thousand miles of nude beaches.”

Sunset burst into laughter, clapping a hand over her eyes.

Adagio shook her head, laughing lightly. “Yeah. But seriously, I think you ought to get to know your double. Look us up, once you get over your hang-ups about your past.”

“I think I might have done that already.” Sunset let a few more titters escape. “I have been talking with my husband about alternative vacation spots…”

“There you go! No excuses.” Adagio sighed, then turned back to the grave.

Sunset Shimmer backed away. “I’ll let you go, then. Have a—”

“Hay, Shimmer.” Adagio locked eyes with her. “I’m following your example, you know. I want to make sure my new friendships don’t end up like… well…” She rested her hand on the memorial. “Before.”

Sunset rubbed her own arm. “I’ll have Princess Twilight mail you copies of the Friendship Reports.”

Adagio rolled her eyes. “I could just buy the book—”

“No, seriously. There’s some good stuff in there.” Sunset held her hands out. “Read up on them. Study them. It’ll help you.”

Adagio nodded. She flashed Sunset a grin that may or may not have been sincere. “Thanks, Shimmer. I’ll do that.”

Sunset turned at the sound of her name. “Coming!” She gave Adagio a little wave. “See you later, I guess. Have a safe trip back to Equestria.”

Adagio waved back. “Traveling with Princess Twilight, who wouldn’t?”

An End to the Absence

Twilight Sparkle looked up from her book as the airport sound system blatted forth the next arrivals. A familiar set of letters and digits flowed into her ears, eliciting a smile from her face.

Sunset Shimmer sat beside her, smoothing down the skirt of her red dress. “That’s them! They’ll be here any second.”

Twilight Sparkle tugged at her own, much more casual outfit of jeans and a button-up shirt. “About time, too. I’ve read almost the whole novel.”

Sunset leaned down and ruffled her son’s hair. “You hear that, Sunny? Daddy’s almost home!”

He lifted his red toy truck and crashed it against an airplane Twilight had bought at the gift shop. “Boom! Ckrsh!”

“Hmm.” Twilight cupped her chin. “Maybe I shouldn’t have let him watch the last ten minutes of that movie.”

“No, I’m sure he’d find out about explosions eventually.” Sunset Shimmer watched the boarding ramp, tapping her fingers against her knees. “Most likely from his father…”

She danced in her seat, her body wiggling like a kid waiting for the first day of summer vacation to begin. “Is my hair nice? Are my teeth clean? Is my slip showing? Please tell me my slip isn’t showing—”

“You’re fine, Sunset,” Twilight said. She gave her friend’s hand a squeeze. “Better than fine, you’re beautiful. Seriously, you think any of the other guys have all of this to come home to? You’re gonna inspire quite a bit of jealousy.”

The first few passengers began to disembark, filing out from the boarding area. Sunset Shimmer hopped to her feet. “Oh my God, I’m not ready. I need to make sure my makeup’s right, I need to check my lipstick… does he like the strawberry I chose, or would he prefer—”

“Sunset Shimmer,” Twilight said, clapping her hands to her shoulders. “Need I remind you that you’re already married to him?”

“Shush.” Sunset stood on her tiptoes, wobbling on unsteady feet. “Is that him? I can’t tell; the crowds are too thick!”

Twilight threw her hands up and spun away. Still, it didn’t stop her from watching the ramp very closely. She tapped her foot as anxiousness boiled up in her chest. Not to the level of Sunset’s, but close. A man stepped out of the crowd and called out to them. “Hi, Sunset! ’Sup, Twilight?”

Twilight tapped her glasses and gave him a small smile. “Hey, Flash. Nice to see you’re still with us.”

Sunset Shimmer gave him a half-hearted wave. She kept her eyes locked on the trailing throng of people. “Hi, Flash. Good to see you.”

Flash Sentry lugged a duffle bag over one shoulder. He raised a wry eyebrow before coming closer to them. “Good to be ‘seen.’” He shuffled his feet, not quite looking Twilight in the eye. “I’m sorry about what happened to Spike. I—I’m gonna miss the little guy.”

Twilight cleared her throat, rubbing her thumb across the pages of her book. They flipped by in a blur. “Yeah. Thanks. It’s been… a hard few weeks.”

She snapped the book closed. “So, I hear you guys finally found Tirek?”

“Oh yeah. Found the goon hiding out in a little village that was all too happy to sell the creep out.” Flash grinned, holding out his arms and squinting one eye like he was sighting a rifle. “When the guy saw us soldiers marching into the city, guns at the ready, he did the smart thing and surrendered. Dunno how long it actually extended his life, though. Can’t imagine the countries he’s terrorized are gonna be very kind in the trials.”

“He’s their problem now.” Twilight stood on her tip-toes. “Ut! Is that—?”

Sunset Shimmer dashed forward.

“Yep,” Flash answered. He tipped his hat. “I think I’ll make myself scarce and let you guys catch up. See you later, Twilight.”

Twilight bent down to pick Sunny up, who only protested until she gathered his toys, too. “See you around, Flash. Take care.”

Sunset Shimmer leapt into her husband’s arms. He dropped his luggage where he stood, lifting her into the air and spinning her around. Their laughter rose above the cacophony of the airport lobby. Their lips met in a tender, electrifying kiss, followed by several smaller, quicker smooches.

Twilight Sparkle didn’t even try to fight off her wide smile. “Welcome home, Shiny.”

Shining Armor pulled away from Sunset for just long enough to flash his little sister a smile. “Thanks, Twilie. Good to b—”

Sunset was having none of that, it seemed. She grasped the back of his head, linking her fingers through his short, blue hair. When the kiss ended, she let out a held breath. “Do you have any idea how much I’ve missed you?”

“A slight idea, maybe.” He took her hand and pressed his lips against it. “I missed you, too.”

He looked down at Sunny, who stared at him with wide, inquisitive eyes. He got down on one knee, barely daring to breath. “Sunny? That’s Sunny? You’ve gotten so big!”

Twilight set Sunny down. The two-year-old boy grabbed her leg, staying close by her side.

Shining held his hands out. “Can I have a hug, buddy? Give Daddy a hug?”

Sunset knelt next to Shining and laid her hand on his shoulder. “Come on, Sunny, it’s alright. This is Daddy. He’s okay.”

Sunny sucked on his index finger and hid himself behind Twilight. She sighed and touched the boy’s forehead. “Don’t be shy, Sunny. He’s a good guy. One of the best.”

Shining Armor leaned against his knee. He hoisted himself upright, sadness in his eyes. “Aw, it’s cool, guys. He just isn’t used to me, yet. He’ll get there.”

He beckoned Twilight forward with a flick of his fingers. She hugged him tight, doing her utmost to hold back joyous tears. She clasped her hands together behind his back. “I’m so glad you’re here, BBBFF.”

“Likewise, LSBFF.” She felt his chin rest atop her head. “Thank you for protecting our family,” he whispered.

“Yeah, well, it’s your turn, now,” she sniffed.

Sunset set Sunny into his stroller and buckled him in. He still stared at his father with uneasy interest. “We should get your luggage into the car. It’s a pretty long drive, you know.”

Shining Armor let go of his sister and nodded to his wife. “Sure thing, Sunshine. Lead the way.”

Twilight Sparkle stood in his way. She prodded his chest with an extended pointer finger. “One last thing, bucko. When exactly were you going to tell me you were married to a pony from another dimension?”

“A pony?” Shining Armor furrowed his brow. He turned to Sunset with his mouth agape. “Alternate dimension!”

Sunset slapped her forehead and dragged her hand downward. “Aw, darn it all, Twilight!”

Twilight Sparkle jumped back, able to do nothing but blather. “Uh, huh? I just—I didn’t mean to—”

Shining Armor clutched his fists against his chest, lifting his face to the sky. “You told me you were raised by wolves in the desert, Sunset! You told me your father was an ocelot! My entire life is a lie!”

“I had to hide my tragic past, Shining!” Sunset gasped, faking a swoon by laying the back of her hand over her eyes. “I couldn’t let you know the horror I felt being under the control of the dreaded Whopterdingle!”

Twilight Sparkle growled. She clutched her book against her chest and rolled her eyes. “Ha, ha, forgot how to laugh. The sad part is that I’m almost convinced the Whopterdingle is an actual thing.”

Shining Armor shook with silent laughter and winked at Sunset. He placed a warm hand on Twilight’s shoulder. “To answer your question: Exactly when Sunset was ready and not a moment sooner. I’m glad she told you when she did.” He grasped the handle of his rolling luggage and slid his backpack over one shoulder. “We ready?”

Sunset rested against the stroller’s handles. “Ready as we’ll ever be.”

Twilight shook her head. “Alright, you two goofballs. Let’s hit the road.”

It was early in the evening by the time Sunset and Shining’s minivan rolled up to the farmhouse. Sunny disembarked with a joyous shout of “Puppies!” Wilber and Walter yipped as they raced around the yard, trailed closely by the young boy.

Twilight smiled. Big Mac had decided to step up from his usual “jeans and sleeveless t-shirt” fashion sense, instead wearing a collared shirt and khaki pants. It was almost his Sunday best. He hustled up to meet them at the car. He and Shining clasped each other’s forearm and brought each other together in a rough hug.

“Canterlot U—”

“—maroon and blue—”

“—strong, noble, steadfast, and true!”

Applejack and Apple Bloom met them at the door, ushering them in with smiles and slaps on the back. No sooner had they entered the house than they were invited to sit in the recreation room, where a variety of hors d’oeuvres were laid out on folding tables. Apple Bloom sat on the floor, feeding Sunny’s infinite curiosity with a variety of toys and baubles. Applejack chatted with Twilight and Sunset, though Twilight kept most of her thoughts to herself. Big Mac and Shining Armor sat in front of the television, flipping through the channels and discussing upcoming summer sports.

Granny Smith poked her wizened, chubby face out of the dining room. “If you kids are done yappin’, get your hides in here an’ eat afore ah tan ’em!”

The Apple matriarch had outdone herself in her efforts to welcome the soldier home. Mashed potatoes butted up against steaming green beans. Baked beans covered in cheese and crushed corn chips sizzled next to the fresh rolls. Fried chicken ready to put any franchise to shame dominated the center of the table, drawing the eye away from the dozens of pies awaiting dessert.

Shining Armor said a prayer, and they dug in. Not a single person left the table hungry. In fact, due to Granny’s cajoling, nobody left without being absolutely stuffed and satisfied. A couple hours of feasting and conversation later, they helped to clear the table and wash the dishes.

The family gathered around Sunset Shimmer as she sat on the couch. She moved animatedly as she told a tale from childhood. “There I was, a second-year student of Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. Personal student of the princess herself. I had completed all my written work for the week and was heading to the lab for a little extra-curricular work.”

She waved her hands outward. “Suddenly, there was an explosion of color that filled the sky! Red flowed into orange, yellow mingled with green, and blue faded into purple. Everyone stopped and stared. Nothing like it had been seen for hundreds of years… a sonic rainboom!”

Twilight Sparkle leaned against the doorframe, watching her friend talk of magic and worlds far away. There wasn’t much of a secret anymore. It was probably for the best; the way Sunset smiled tugged at the corners of Twilight’s mouth, too.

“But it didn’t end there! Of course not!” Sunset cupped her hands and lifted them upward. “A loud crash came from the school, right where I was headed. Through the roof, smashing out of the eaves and shingles, was the head of a mighty, enormous dragon! I froze, not knowing what to do, if anything. I had never read anything like this, let alone experienced it. Before I could make a move, Princess Celestia flew through the air, casting a failsafe spell as she went. After a moment’s time, the dragon disappeared, leaving behind no evidence except for the big hole in the roof.”

Applejack came out of the dining room and stood beside Twilight. “Ah’ll bet that was your double’s magic debut, huh? Twi talked about the rainboom a couple times. Reminds me of our band name.”

“You’re probably right,” Twilight said. She clutched her arm and rested her head against the wood. She watched Sunny sleep soundly in Granny Smith’s lap. “It was something to link them from the very beginning. I’ve read the Friendship Letter.”

Applejack pulled her blonde braid over her shoulder. “You don’t mind me sayin’, you’re lookin’ mighty tired, Twilight.”

Twilight shrugged. “Mm.”

There was a sigh as Applejack stuffed her hands in her pockets. “Ah don’t say this to just anybody. Ah really mean it when ah say that if you got somethin’ layin’ on your heart, ah’m here to listen. You just say when.”

Twilight Sparkle flinched. She bit her lower lip. She blinked stinging eyes. “If Spike was still here, he’d be lying at Sunset’s feet.”

She gestured to Sunset Shimmer as the former pony spun her tale. “He’d have his ears perked so that he could catch every word. He’d probably understand a bunch of them, too. He would have sat patiently through the entire meal, and then been all jumpy and begging when we were trying to clean up.”

She let her hand flop against her side. “Except that he wouldn’t be. If he was still here, he’d be waiting in Equestria, his nose right up against the portal, waiting for me to cross over.”

She turned to Applejack’s kind, green eyes. She sighed. “I keep thinking of other things to say, different things to do. Stuff I could have used to make him stay, or make him happy. Or… If I had kept Sunset from going to the pier, then—”

Twilight blew a breath through her lips. “Then Sonata would have killed Sunny. So I’m back to square one, wondering how I could have made things better.”

Applejack wrinkled her nose atop her frown. “Sounds to me like he made his own choice. Since it ended up savin’ your lives, ah don’t know if ah can fault him for that.”

Twilight nodded. “Intellectually, I understand that.” She squeezed her eyes tight. “Emotionally, though…”

“Hey.” Applejack touched Twilight’s arm. “You know it’s okay to be sad, right? You know it’s normal to wish for somethin’ different, right? It’s somethin’ all of us face. The hurt don’t go away, but it gets dimmer as time goes by. Then you can focus on the good memories.”

Twilight’s lip trembled. “There are a lot of really, really good memories.”

“Ah know,” Applejack said, pulling her into a hug. “There always will be.”

They went unnoticed by Sunset’s spellbound listeners. The only set of eyes that carried over their embrace was old, wise, and satisfied. Twilight briefly caught Granny Smith looking at her, before the old woman turned back to the story with a creaky smile on her face.

Twilight let her arms drop. She removed her glasses to get at her puffy eyes. “God, I’m a wreck.”

“Give it time.” Applejack shrugged. “Ah hear time heals all things.”

“Yeah,” Twilight said. “That’s why you keep having to repair the barn every spring.”

Applejack snorted. “That’s more the Twilight Sparkle ah know. Alright then, allow me to rephrase: Time heals all things when accompanied by the right vision, good equipment, and hands willin’ to do the work. Better?”

“That’s a saying worthy of a farm girl.” Twilight pinched a button on her shirt between two fingers. She shook her head. “I appreciate the sentiment… and I like the simile. Thank you, Applejack.”

“Anytime.” Applejack clutched her hands behind her back. “Like ah said before, ah mean it.”

She took a seat beside Sunset and joined in the storytelling with a tale from Canterlot High. Twilight Sparkle closed her eyes and let time pass by uninterrupted.

Hugs and handshakes abounded as Sunset, Shining, and Sunny got ready to head out. The minivan pulled away, leaving Twilight Sparkle to spend a little extra time at the Apple residence.

She sat before the television, tucked under Big McIntosh’s muscular arm. She nuzzled against his chest, ignoring the way her glasses twisted against the bridge of her nose. Granny Smith snored on the rocking chair with Wilber atop her lap. Apple Bloom laughed at whatever show she’d picked out and spoiled Walter with tummy rubs. Applejack had mumbled something about making sure the barn was secure before excusing herself.

The other Big Mac’s face popped into her head as her Mac’s hand caressed her back. She saw his wide, toothy smile, directed at a certain teacher. A smile completely alien to her Big Mac’s face. He sighed, and she cringed.

He must have felt her tense up, because he moved his hand to her shoulder. “You alright, Twi?”

She let out a noncommittal “Mm” and focused on the television.

His fingers trailed down her arm and came to a rest at her elbow. “You wanna go home?”

“Not especially.” She sat upright, peeling herself away from him. She arched her back and yawned. “But it’s probably for the best.”

Big Mac got to his feet with a grunt. “’Kay. Ah’ll get the truck ready.”

Apple Bloom leaned back on her palms and gave them a mischievous grin. “You two gonna find someplace tah park?”

Big Mac gave her a dim look.

Twilight Sparkle cringed even more mightily than before. “I’m going to pretend your baby sister didn’t just ask us if we were ‘parking.’”

Apple Bloom turned back to the television. “If ah can’t be a present chaperone, ah can at least make the thought of it less appealin’.”

“That’s Bloom, always lookin’ out for me.” Big Mac shrugged on a light windbreaker. “Take care, sis.”

“Take care, bro. Twi.” Apple Bloom brushed her red hair off of her freckle-speckled cheeks. “Be safe. Love yah.”

McIntosh held the door open for Twilight and gave her a hand climbing into the tall seat. The engine revved, and they headed for her home.

The ride was quieter than usual, and that was saying a lot considering she was spending it with Big Mac. He remained cool and collected, as always, as he followed the familiar twists and turns to her house at the edge of the city.

The building was dark, not a speck of light showing through the windows. She hadn’t been home all day. Nobody had. Even the devices in her basement had gone cold with disuse.

Big Mac looked at her. She knew it. She just didn’t look back at him. She fiddled with the edge of her jacket. “Do you wanna come in?”

Her hands closed into fists. She had surprised herself with her own words, but now that they were spoken, she supposed she should own them. Her glasses hadn’t moved out of place, but she adjusted them regardless. “Do you wanna come in?” she repeated.

Big Mac’s cheek twitched. His lips parted, and his eyes trailed downward before snapping back up. He sucked a deep breath in, let it out slowly, and leaned his forearms against the steering wheel. “Do you think that’s really a good idea?”

Twilight hugged herself tight. “I dunno. It’s just an idea. Why?”

Big Mac flexed and relaxed his hand. “It’s just… with how you’ve been feelin’ lately… are you sure you wanna do it for the right reasons? Ah mean, after Spike—”

“It’s not because of Spike!” Twilight snapped.

She blushed bright red. She scraped her jeans with her fingernails until one got stuck in the small hole at the knee. “It’s not. I just—the house feels so empty and everything’s so quiet and—I just want to feel loved and…”

She covered her eyes with the palms of her hands. “I’m so screwed up, Mac. I don’t know what to do.”

“Hey…” Big Mac lifted himself onto the center consol and wrapped her in his arms. He rocked her from side to side. “Shh. Shh.”

Twilight gripped his shirt, which had grown damp with her tears. “God, you must think I’m such a baby.”

“No,” he whispered. “No, you’re hurtin’.”

He touched his finger to her chin and lifted her face. He looked into her eyes. “Remember, ah’m just a phone call an’ a drive away. All yah need to do is ask. You might feel alone, Twi, but you ain’t. You ain’t never been alone for long. Ah’ll be there for you.”

She held his hand. “I know. I just don’t always remember.”

“Rest tonight, Twilight.” He looked out the windshield and released a tense breath. “Ah think ah’ll take tomorrow off. Spend the day with yah. Take you someplace nice. How’s that sound?”

Twilight drooped. “Farmers don’t get days off.”

“Ah make a point to.”

Twilight rested her head against his chest. “Where are you taking me?”

“Ah was thinkin’ the beach sounded fun. Get a tan. Eat some ice cream. Make the other swimmers jealous.”

“I’ll wear my new swimsuit.”

Big Mac chuckled. “Can’t find it in my heart to argue against that.”

She managed a giggle. She looked down; it registered just where he was situated. “Are you sitting on the cup holders?”

“A’yup.”

“That can’t be comfortable.”

“Mm. Nope.”

She let him go, allowing him to return to his seat. She shook her head, opening her door without looking. “So I can count on you to pick me up tomorrow? Say, nine?”

McIntosh gazed at her with heavy eyelids, his eyebrows coming together in the middle of his face. The ends of his mouth tipped upwards, ever so slowly, to form a small, sad, sure smile.

“Yes, Twilight,” he said. “Sounds about right to me.”

In that moment, something occurred to Twilight. Maybe it was wishful thinking. Maybe it was her mind grasping at anything she could get a hold of. Maybe she was seeing what she wanted to see.

But Twilight was pretty sure Cheerilee had never seen Big Mac smile quite like that.

She gave him a kiss on the cheek and hurried into her home.

***

Shining Armor brought Sunny’s comforter up to his neck. He ran his hand through his son’s hair and laid a kiss on his forehead. “Good night, Sunny.”

The sleeping boy murmured in his sleep.

Shining got to his feet and took a step back, surveying the room. Sunset reached up to touch his shoulder. She smiled as he noted the dinosaurs painted onto the wall, the planets hanging from a mobile, and the toy box in the corner stuffed with cars and trucks.

“I like what you’ve done with the place,” he whispered.

“Thanks.” Sunset reached over to take his hand. She held it tight. “I’m looking forward to seeing what you can add to it.”

“Yeah…” Shining cleared his throat. He walked out of the room with his wife close by his side. “I missed this a lot.”

“Me, too.” Sunset let him go as they came into the sitting room. She ran a finger over the cabinets, grimacing as it came up gray. “Oh gosh, this house. I’m so glad your parents aren’t driving up until Friday.”

She twitched her head around. Shining Armor dusted off the seat of his recliner. He stared at it for a long moment before lowering himself into it. He hunched over and intertwined his fingers.

She reached out and slid her fingers between his. “Hey.”

She tilted her head to the side. “What do you want to do? The choice is yours. We could… watch TV… or read a book… or take a bath…”

He opened his mouth, trying to speak, but fell short. Sunset lifted his arms and put them around her body so that she could sit in his lap. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

He looked away. “What sort of father am I?”

Sunset choked, closing her eyes and resting her head against his. “Oh, Shining. Don’t do that to your—”

“I mean it.” Shining Armor sighed. “He doesn’t even know me. I couldn’t be there for him when he was in danger. What sort of father have I become?”

Sunset pressed her hands against his chest. “We talked about this when I first got pregnant. You have a very important job. You’re the best of the best and they need capable—”

“Sunset.” Shining Armor’s voice cracked. “Our son almost died and I was overseas. You almost died—my sister almost died and I wasn’t anywhere near.”

Sunset didn’t know what to say to that. She lay against him and listened to his heartbeat.

“I’ve been thinking about… not reenlisting.” Shining shifted into a more comfortable position beneath her. “Finding work around here of some sort. I wanted to talk it over with you before… making any decisions.”

A tear leaked out of the corner of her eye. “It’s your dream. It’s what you know.”

“I know.” He kissed her forehead. “But you guys are always so far away.”

“I-I would love to have you around all the time.” Sunset tripped over her words. “I could—I’d be behind you no matter the choice, but… But it’s part of who you are, Shining. It’s what you’ve been working towards your whole life, and… I don’t want to stand in the way—”

“You’ve never stood in the way.” His hand caressed her cheek. “I’m just noticing that there are other paths that look just as nice.”

Sunset shrugged. “I don’t know, Shining.”

“I don’t either.” Shining Armor gave her a squeeze. “I guess we’ve got a while to think it over. I just… I feel like I’ve missed out.”

Sunset sat up. She bit her lip and smiled. “Then it’s time for you to start jumping in.”

Shining smiled back. “Yeah.” He studied her face for a long, long moment. “You know something?”

She blushed. “Are you gonna tell me?”

“Yeah.” He brought his hands to her waist. “My dad has this quirk. Every couple of months, he asks my mom to marry him. Just out of the blue, ‘Will you marry me?’ He still does it even after thirty-odd years of marriage. She always says yes, of course.”

Sunset laughed and shook her head. “That’s a little cheesy.”

“Yeah, I thought so, too. Too cheesy for my tastes, and trust me when I say I like cheese.” Shining raised an eyebrow. “Heck, Cheese is one of my best friends.”

Sunset rolled her eyes.

“So yeah, not gonna go with that one.” Shining Armor smirked. “When I was over there, I was really looking forward to coming home. I would see how much my son’s grown. I would see my friends again. I’d pull Big Mac into a game or two of football. I’d get to eat real, home-cooked food.” He tilted his head forward and looked at her from beneath his eyebrows. “But the one I was looking forward to the most? The thought on my mind since the day I left? I couldn’t wait to fall in love with you again.”

Sunset brought her arms around his neck and leaned into a deep kiss. She smiled wide at her husband. “So that’s a bath, then?”

“We could do all three,” Shining chuckled. “Watch TV while we read in the bath.”

She guffawed. “That’s sort of missing the point.”

“I didn’t say I was gonna pay the television any attention.”

Shining Armor stood to his feet with Sunset in his arms. He walked out of the sitting room, pausing briefly beside Sunny’s room. The boy was sound asleep, safe in bed with his parents nearby.

***

The Ponyville castle’s laboratory was dark, save for the bright lights over Princess Twilight Sparkle’s worktable. Her magic glittered amongst her tools, selecting just the right chisel or grindstone for the job. She polished the surface of a violet gemstone, chipped into a perfect hexagon.

Threads ran throughout the inside of the stone. Like fairy strings in a pony’s body, these channels carried magic along their prescribed paths. When used correctly, the enchantment would be put to work.

Princess Twilight glanced at the gem shards floating in a holding field at the end of the table. They hovered inches apart, with glowing lines indicating how they were meant to fit together. She tested a measurement between the shards and the whole gem with a drawing compass, finding it satisfactory.

She stared at the violet, crystalline amulet. If she allowed herself to be paranoid, she would almost say it stared back.

That just left the verbal test. Princess Twilight licked her dry lips with a dryer tongue.

“Memories can jump at you whenever they may wish
From the loudest symphony down to a tender kiss
But even in the light it can feel as though you are lost
Because every memory has its own unique cost”

“Twilight?”

Princess Twilight let out a gasp. She pulled her scarf from a nearby chair and wrapped it around her scarred neck. She set the gemstone on the worktable and plastered a smile onto her face. Hello, Spike. I thought you’d gone home to the library.

“I was headed out the door…” Little Spike rested his hand on the metal tabletop. “Then I realized I was leaving you alone with new magic. I decided to come back and make sure you didn’t blow anything up.”

She rolled her eyes, waving him off. Go home, Spike. I’m fine. This isn’t the sort of magic that causes explosions.

“Yeah, not that we know of.” Little Spike slid a wood chair to her side and took a seat. “However, I’m willing to bet you’re capable of making anything volatile.”

With a soundless laugh, Princess Twilight rested her chin on the table.

“What do you have?” he asked. “Anything good? I heard you sing, so…”

It’s a perfect replica. She lifted it for him to get a look. “Which makes me think that it’ll have the same effect.”

“I didn’t feel anything weird.” He prodded the scales on his chest. “No mental fog, no immense desire to fulfill your every whim. Are you sure it’s working right?”

It might not work on dragons… unless there’s another angle to it. Princess Twilight rubbed her cheek. Regardless, it’s time to break the process down to its base components. If I can isolate the magical vocalizations, I can make a gemstone designed solely for that.

“Cool.” Little Spike tapped his clawtips. “So, have you spoken with… our world’s Sunset Shimmer?”

Yeah. She rubbed her chin and spun the collection of scattered fragments. I don’t think she wants to be my friend. She wants to be left alone with her family. I get the feeling she doesn’t trust easily.

“She’s probably been hurt.” Little Spike shrugged. “I can kinda understand. How about Adagio?”

Good grief, Adagio, where do I start? She tapped the metal circle that made up the base of the holding field. The shards collapsed into a bundle and landed in the center. She says she and the other Sunset were studying the portal to find out how it works. Fine. They want to understand how they got here. Then she said she’d like my help working it out, because they’ve hit a dead end. The university doesn’t have the equipment needed. When I told her what I wanted to do with her gemstone fragments, she downright donated everything she had. Said that at least it was getting put to good use. She’s completely and utterly willing to help.

“Wow.” His brow furrowed. “Are we talking about the same Adagio?”

I know, right? She threw her wings out and rubbed her mane. Talk about a reversal. I guess losing Aria and Sonata threw her for a loop.

“It’s almost too easy.” He gripped the tip of his tail. “If you don’t account for everything that’s happened, that is.”

Even then… She lowered the violet gemstone into a metallic, magically-locked case. What about Aria’s child? Have you and Skyhook found anything to substantiate Sonata’s claims?

“If Aria really left a kid here, we don’t know how to find them.” Little Spike stood up and clasped his hands behind his back. “We questioned Caution Tape, but he had no idea the siren was even pregnant. She just left one day.” He scowled. “I’m not sure how much stock to put in his words at the moment.”

As much stock as you can put into anybody else’s. She stretched each of her legs in turn, getting the kinks out and restoring blood flow. Let’s see… According to our timeline, she found the portal, had her affair, and returned eight years before the incident at Canterlot High School. So unless we can line up every pony roughly eighteen years of age and match their blood against Caution’s, there’s little chance of finding their child.

“That would be a little bit more complex to pull off than a census.” He pinched his fingertips. “Just a li’l.”

He yawned wide, scratching loose dead scales. “Whatever. They’re probably hiding right under our noses, right where we least expect them. That’s how these things usually go, right?”

Ha. Princess Twilight sparked her horn. The locked case drifted along beside her. You should get to bed. I wanna put this thing through the wringer tomorrow.

“One thing…”

She glanced at him, her eyebrows low.

“Could I hear you sing one song?” He held up his hand. “Just one?”

Princess Twilight let her hoof fall to the floor. A strand of her mane found its way into her mouth and begged to be chewed.

“Just maybe…” Little Spike looked at his fists. He forced himself to relax them. “A happier one?”

Princess Twilight looked from the dragon to the container. She spat her mane out and stomped a foot. A spell clicked the box open, revealing its dangerous treasure. She swished her tail, drilling her mind for something upbeat that wouldn’t sound sour in her ears.

“Crystal lights,” Little Spike whispered, his voice close enough to being on key that he was satisfied. “M-magic bells… Dancing out of the ether…”

“S-songs to sing, peal, and ring; times that bring us together…” Princess Twilight blinked against the pressure building behind her nose, settling for keeping her eyes closed.

“Cookies baking o’re the fire
Fun and games that the snow inspires
Presents rest beneath the tree
On this Hearth’s Warming Eve…”

Princess Twilight flinched at a touch on her forelegs. She looked up to see Little Spike shivering as he tried desperately, delicately, to give her a hug. She touched her hoof to his scales, finishing their duet with a smile.

“Rest for now, then awake
Join us in celebration
Friendships bright, loud and clear
Carrying ’cross the nation

“Come and play, sing with me
On this Hearth’s Warming Eve”

She hugged him with both her forelegs and her wings. “Thank you, my Number One Assistant.”

“Any time, Twilight,” he sniffled. “Any time.”

***

Twilight Sparkle lay on her back, staring at her ceiling. She brought her arms up to put her hands behind her head. Once she was in the proper position, she curled herself upward.

She continued performing sit-ups until her muscles ached. Then she did a couple more. Sweat poured down her forehead and her blood pumped loud in her ears.

Yep, she thought. Exercise still sucked.

She had put together an hour-long routine with the timely advice of both her brother and Big Mac. Determination drove her to follow it. Sheer, desperate determination. She had a level to reach, and nothing short of cataclysmic injury was going to pull her from it.

Considering how careful she was, that injury wasn’t coming anytime soon.

She finished the final exercise of the day and hauled herself onto her rump. She crossed her legs and rested her hands on her knees. A stray, damp hair fell over her eyes, scattering sweat over the lenses of her glasses. She flicked it away.

She pressed a hand against her bare stomach and flexed. She smiled. Muscle definition; something she’d never felt anywhere on her body. Slowly but surely, week upon week, she was making progress.

Now to check progress on the other thing.

She dropped a pad of lined paper onto the exercise mat. She had placed a box of sharpened pencils across the room, far out of reach. Narrowing her eyes, she stretched out an arm. Her fingers clenched and unclenched as she tried to picture magic wrapping around the writing utensils.

There was a clatter. One of the pencils fell out.

She gritted her teeth and focused as hard as she could. Sparks flew from her fingertips, landing across the page but doing nothing. She thought back to Equestria. She thought back to push and lift.

The pencil danced on its sharp end. It rolled to a stop at the edge of her mat.

She pumped her fist. Victory! Kinda! Step one complete.

She took a deep breath and lifted her hand. The pencil followed it up. She turned the sharp end towards the paper and carefully, slowly, drew the beginnings of a word.

The pencil snapped clean in half.

Twilight groaned. That was the third one that week, and it was only Tuesday. Turning back to the box, she gave it a growl.

The next pencil to fly out of the box shattered. She blinked as sawdust covered her carpet. Maybe she shouldn’t move things when she was mad…

She threaded a thumb through her exercising outfit’s shoulder strap. The finger came away soaked, no surprise there. She could thank the cardio for that. She took a swig from her water bottle and refocused on the pencils. Carefully selecting her next victim, she pulled it from among its brethren.

It flew into the air, guided by a careful hand. It fell to the floor, dropped by metaphorical butterfingers. Twilight blushed and her glasses fogged up.

She knew how it all worked together. She knew how it was supposed to feel. She knew what the result was supposed to be. So what was the problem?

She wiggled her fingers. What else had Sunset said? Magic was one part crochet, one part mathematics, and one part… emotion. Emotions formed the core of the magic, guiding it according to its user’s intention.

Twilight’s intention was not in question. She gave the page a determined grin.

She thought back to the last time she’d visited Sunset. She remembered the laughs, the congenial teasing, and the timely gibberish from Sunny. She remembered watching Big Mac tackle Shining to the ground, ending their impromptu football game with a victory. She thought about the compliments she was going to get from Mac about her new abs, faint though they were at the moment.

She thought about Spike’s happy bark when she snuggled him in front of the fireplace, the night of Hearth’s Warming Eve fifteen years ago. She snuck him a snack under her parents’ noses; her special present for her Super-Special Dog Best Friend Forever.

The pencil floated from the container and drifted lightly to the page. A soft scribble filled the air as she wrote out a simple message.

She lifted the paper with her hands. It was crude, scraggly, and smudged, but it was legible. That’s what counted. That was progress.

A tear stained the page and made the letters run.

She wiped her eyes and headed for the shower, eager to get out of her sticky clothes. Pinkie and Cheese were hosting a cookout and she didn’t want to be late. Magic required a strong mind, a strong body, and strong friendships. She aimed to have the best of all three.

She dropped the message into a file folder which was fast approaching “overflowing.” Each piece of paper had the same message, each attempt better than the last. She marked her progress in the log, and then stepped out of the room. The file hung open, displaying the message loud and clear, written with a strengthening magical grip.

I am Twilight Sparkle.

Author's Note

In the Absence of Sunset Shimmer started with two scenes: Sunset and the girls singing together in the car, and the other was Spike's sacrifice. Those were the beginning and the end--the two ends of the emotional spectrum. From these two moments sprung a story that surprised me at times with how much it touched my heart.

Something I like to do is take concepts people dislike and make them amazing. For instance, there were several people, myself included, who weren't all that excited about Spike being a dog in Equestria Girls. I got over it, naturally, but the thought remained. So what I set out to do was make Dog-Spike awesome in some tangible form. I think I managed.

I hope you enjoyed Twilight Sparkle's journey. Though she, Sunset, and Spike shared the spotlight, I think it was ultimately her story. She grew the most, discovered the most, and had the most effect on the plot. She lost and she gained. Maybe I'll name the sequel after Twilight and make Sunset the main character, just to mess with everybody.

This isn't all though, hit the next chapter button for the epilogues! I do dearly love epilogues.

The Aftermath

Little Sister

Scootaloo walked through the door of a little café, her shoulders tensing. She scanned the seats for familiar faces, but she didn’t need long to look. One head of brilliant red and yellow hair stood out from the crowd, drawing her eyes against her will. This was it. Last chance to walk out and say she couldn’t find the blindingly-obvious woman that was Sunset Shimmer.

She unzipped her leather jacket and turned her eyes to the ceiling. “This one’s on you, Apple Bloom.”

She moseyed on over to the booth, giving the high-chair at its side a wide berth. So, Sunset had brought Sunny as backup, huh? Using cuteness as a weapon was fighting dirty.

She let herself thump into the cushy seat. “What do you want, Sunset?”

Sunset flinched back. The nervous expression she had been wearing snapped into a pained frown. Scootaloo held back a sigh and waited for her to get her bearings.

“Um. Hi.” Sunset squeezed her hands together. “How are you?”

“Peachy.” Scootaloo leveled her eyebrows. “How are you? Are you well? Golly gee, isn’t that swell?” She draped her arm over the booth back. “Look, I’ve got to meet Lickety Split in, like, three hours, so can we make this quick?”

Sunset rested her head in one hand. “I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, I know.” Scootaloo opened a menu and did her best to ignore Sunny’s adorable babbling. “Why did you want to meet, Sunset? Isn’t it enough to drag up bad memories every Hearth’s Warming Eve—?”

“Because the bad memories need to be put in their proper place.” Sunset Shimmer sat up and tried to catch’s Scootaloo’s eyes. “And the good memories need their opportunity to shine.”

Scootaloo kept her mouth shut. She didn’t have anything nice to say, let alone something she could say in Sunny’s presence. She flipped to the next page of the menu.

“Look,” Sunset said. “I know you hate me, but—”

“I don’t hate you.” Scootaloo coughed down a lump in her throat. “I’d just rather not spend time with you.”

Sunset folded her hands. “Then why did you come?”

“Apple Bloom begged me to come.” Scootaloo let the menu drop. She slumped down in the booth. “And I had this hope, just this slightest hope, that you’d have something new to say.”

“Yes, well…” Sunset glanced at the waiter as he came to take their orders. “I know nothing I can say will magically fix our relationship.”

They both gave him a terse set of orders, and then sat in quiet. Scootaloo folded her napkin into a little bird, calling her meager origami skills to the test. She set it on Sunny’s highchair and smiled as the boy took it and fiddled with it.

It was demolished in seconds, of course, but that was toddlers for you.

Scootaloo glanced at Sunset. “So why did you invite me? What do you want?”

“I want to be a family again.” Sunset shook her head, rubbing her upper arm. “I know it’s a pipe dream. I know there’s no way we can go back to being what we were before. I just want you to… I want us to finally move past…” She closed her eyes as her forehead wrinkled. “Oh, Scootaloo, I’m so sorry for what I put you through. I can’t imagine how betrayed you must have felt.”

“Yeah,” Scootaloo grumbled. “And you know what the worst part was? That—”

“I could have stopped it at any time.” Sunset sucked in her lips. “Just by taking responsibility.”

Scootaloo had her hand up, a finger raised, ready to belt out a series of point that she had practically memorized. At Sunset’s words, she coughed and lowered her arm.

Sunset sighed. “For the longest time, I’ve said that my past does not define me. And really, it doesn’t have to. I don’t have to live like I can’t move beyond it…”

She shook her head. “I went about it the wrong way. I ignored my past. Avoided it. Never brought it up. I put the past in the past and hid it away. It came back to haunt me, regardless.”

She tapped the table. “I want to take responsibility now. My past doesn’t define me, not alone. It’s just one small part of me. But I can’t deny it anymore. I want to fix my mistakes, or move past them, or overcome them.”

Scootaloo stared at Sunset, her heart numb. Her knee bounced beneath the table, nervous energy pouring through her veins.

Sunset used her napkin to daub the edges of her eyes. “One of the biggest mistakes I ever made was losing my little sister.”

Scootaloo turned to Sunny. He looked back with childlike seriousness. She booped him on the nose, causing him to giggle.

“Scootaloo…” Sunset Shimmer prepared herself with a deep, stuttering breath. “Would you be willing to try to be a family again?”

Scootaloo rubbed her fluffy purple hair. “Me saying yes isn’t going to make the hurt go away.”

A sandwich was placed before Scootaloo, alongside a glass of water. She bit into the meal, but couldn’t taste it over the heaviness in her chest. “And I know it’s not fair of me to say no.”

“I’m not asking you to be fair.” Sunset picked at her salad. “I’m asking what you’re willing to do.”

“So it’s on me, now, huh?” Scootaloo tapped her chest. “It’s up to me whether we start calling each other sisters again, it that it? Is that your game? Turning it all onto me—?”

“No, it’s up to the both of us.” Sunset held her hands out. “It has to be a joint thing, Scootaloo. But I can’t do anything if you don’t want it. We could spend the rest of our lives and never say another word to each other…” She looked to the tabletop. “Or I could be honest about how much I miss you.”

Scootaloo fluttered her eyelids against a sudden sting. Sunset went on, “And I’ll take the first step and say how truly sorry I am about the horrible, horrible pain I put you through, and how I’ll never, ever let it happen again for as long as I live. And that is a promise from the depths of my soul.”

“Scooroo?” Sunny said. He reached for another napkin and held it out to her. “Duck?”

Scootaloo looked from Sunset to Sunny. She took the napkin and folded it into a swan. “Here’s a real ugly duckling for you, Kid.”

She stuffed another bite into her mouth. “I don’t know where to start.”

“Like I do?” Sunset squirmed in her seat. “I’m going in blind, Scootaloo.”

Scootaloo popped her knuckles. “Maybe if you… just told me about your day? Would that be a start?”

Sunset wiped away a tear before it could fall from her chin. She stabbed her fork into her salad. “If you want?”

Scootaloo glanced to the side and saw her two origami swans battling for dominance of Sunny’s highchair. She gave him a slow, uneasy smile. “Yeah. Let’s try that.”

***

Take Up Arms

Scootaloo flapped her purple-tinged wings and flew lazily a meter above the ground. She followed close behind her small group of friends as they made their way through Ponyville. The aftertaste of ice cream from Sugarcube Corner licked at the corner of her mouth.

Today was the day Rumble rode off to his Royal Guard training.

Rumble walked at the front of the procession, speaking with Spike about this or that. Apple Bloom snuck a word in edgewise every so often, and Sweetie Belle wasn’t afraid of letting loose with a snarky quip. Button Mash and Featherweight were arguing about video games, no surprise there. Everybody had given their well-wishes, said how proud they were of Rumble, hoped that he would write…

Scootaloo hadn’t said a word.

Too soon, the time came to give their final goodbyes. The train station was packed.

Rumble walked to the far side of the platform, giving his older brother Thunderlane and sister-in-law Cloudkicker a hug. A few other ponies and townscreatures milled around, slapping him on the back and slugging his shoulder.

She landed lightly on his back and tapped the top of his head.

He jumped at the sudden weight, but held her up easily. He turned his head and smiled at her. “Hay, Scootaloo—”

She planted a long, passionate kiss on his lips, her hoof caressing his mane. She held him still, her wings twitching against her back. She pulled away with a smack. “You have to be safe, you hear? You have to come back. You go train to be the best darned soldier you can be, but then you have to come back.”

He touched his forehead to hers. “I’ll come back if you wait for me. Honest truth.”

“I will.” She slid down from her back as he sat. Her eyes tilted down. “It feels like we just got this thing off the ground.”

“We kinda did.” He looped his leg around her back and turned her. “But hay, check it out. See the new building they’re putting up?” He pointed to the long, low construction project being assembled at the edge of town, beside the Everfree Forest. “That’s the new Royal Guard Barracks. The guards won’t be staying in the castle anymore. In fact, I hear they’ve got a whole troop moving in.”

He winked at her. “When I graduate, all I have to do is get myself assigned to Ponyville.”

She smirked. “Think they’ll let you do it?”

“I dunno why not.” He kissed her mane. “I’ll miss you, Scoots.”

Thunderlane lifted a set of saddlebags over Rumble’s back. “Don’t forget to write, little bro. We’ll keep in touch!”

“An’ keep yer half-witted remarks tae yerself,” Cloudkicker added. “Ye’ve got eno’ muscles wit’out performin’ twenty wing-ups e’ery time ye open yer fool mouth.”

The train whistled. The conductor hollered out for all he was worth. “All aboard!”

Scootaloo gave Rumble a peck on the cheek. She blushed bright as she backed away. “So… see yah.”

“Bye.” Rumble stepped onto the train car. He squared his hooves, turned to her, and gave her a nervous smile. “Scootaloo… I love you.”

“I—ah…” Scootaloo coughed. She tried to force words out, to answer with something… anything! But the train pulled away, leaving her in a cloud of steam.

“Aw, come—You’re gonna leave me with that?” She slumped to her rump, grimacing at the speeding locomotive. She brushed her mane back, scratching her neck. A flick of her wings tossed her into the air.

“Hay, Scootaloo!” a voice said from the ground. She looked down to see Sweetie Belle calling up to her. “Scootaloo! I’m taking you for lunch!”

Scootaloo crossed her forelegs and raised an eyebrow. “Since when?”

“Since I said so three seconds ago!” Sweetie Belle waved her hoof insistently. “Come on. Time’s wasting.”

The crowd dispersed once the train was gone. Scootaloo hovered behind Sweetie, trailing behind the last stragglers. Sweetie Belle tossed her mane. “So where shall we go?” she asked. “The Silver Spoon? The Apple Family’s market cart? Perhaps the local café? Anything but Hayburger, please.”

Scootaloo smirked. “Hay-oh, welcome to Hayburger—”

“Zip it.” Sweetie Belle pursed her lips. “Very well. The café. Don’t worry, I’ll foot the bill.”

“Come on Sweetie, I’ve got a job,” Scootaloo said. “I’m good for it—”

“You are wearing neither saddlebags nor a coin purse.” Sweetie Belle winked. “Trust me, I’ll foot the bill.”

“I’d rather you pay the bill, but if you’ve got the horseshoes for it…”

Scootaloo grinned. Sweetie looked at her with leveled eyebrows and heavy eyelids.

“That was awful,” Sweetie said.

“I’ve had worse.” Scootaloo settled down onto the smooth road. She trotted through the outdoor café’s front gate and picked a table out. Sweetie sat across from her.

Scootaloo leaned her elbows on the tabletop. “So, why the sudden interest in lunch?”

“It’s noon.” Sweetie Belle patted the bottom of one of her curls. “And you need a friend.”

Scootaloo’s ears drooped. She maintained an upbeat smile. “I’m good. Really. Thanks for looking out for me, but…”

“Scootaloo…” Sweetie adjusted her frameless glasses with a spell. “You’ve been quiet as the grave. If you need somebody to talk to, you needn’t look further. If you need a shoulder to cry on, I’ll be right there. If you need a friend, well, you have several but I will try to suffice and—”

Scootaloo flew over the table and wrapped Sweetie Belle in a tight hug. The unicorn gasped, but recovered quickly, resting her forelegs across her friend’s back.

“’M-’m sorry,” Scootaloo said, her voice warbling. “It’s just that Rainbow joined the Wonderbolts and Rumble’s going away and it’s hard and…” She held on for all she was worth. “I thought I was supposed to be the one everybody came to for encouragement.”

“But who encourages the encourager?” Sweetie Belle nuzzled her. “You can’t possibly be upbeat all the time. Not even Pinkie manages that.”

“Nah, but she’s close.” Scootaloo sighed and wiped her eyes, tilting her head towards the sky. “Gugh. I’m gonna be a mess for the next few weeks, aren’t I?”

“Maybe. You’ll get back into a routine. You’ll get to stay in touch.” Sweetie shared a half-smile. “And in six months or so, he’ll roll back into town, good as new.”

Scootaloo smiled and tiptoed back to her seat. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

Sweetie signaled the waiter that he could come and take their orders. “Remember, if there’s anything you need, I’ll be there.”

Scootaloo scanned the menu and ordered a daisy sandwich. She tapped her hooves together and played with the angle of her wings. Her eyes lit up. “I know something.”

“Yeah?” Sweetie Belle sipped from her teacup. “What’s that?”

“Do you think if we added wings to our wagon, I could pull it while flying?”

Sweetie Belle set the tea down. She folded her forelegs atop the table. She set a simmering look over her glasses. “No.”

“You know it’ll cut travel time in half—”

“Scootaloo, I will be there to encourage you on any venture you set out to accomplish…” Sweetie shook her head. “So long as I get to keep my hooves on the ground.”

Scootaloo clicked her tongue. “You of all ponies know that if you’re gonna shoot for a dream, you gotta aim high.”

“You’re right.” Sweetie pointed a hoof. “You should ask Apple Bloom for help. She’s the engineering type.”

“I could totally add in a new cushion.”

“No.”

“Hay, yeah! And new suspension for when we land hard!”

“Nope.”

“I could make it all lacy and stuff so you’d be travelling in style.”

Sweetie Belle smiled and rolled her eyes. “Now you’re just teasing me.”

“Yeah.” Scootaloo leaned back. She caught sight of their waiter bringing out trays of their food. “Just a little levity does a day good.”

Sweetie Belle sniffed her soup du jour. She lifted a spoon to her lips and sipped. “I find that hard to argue with.”

Scootaloo lifted her sandwich and licked her lips. She glanced up at her friend. “Hay, Sweetie?”

“Yes?”

“Thank you.”

“It was my pleasure.”

***

Order

A woman crept through the doorway into the back of the lecture hall. Students filled the desks, sitting in tiers that circled around the podium several meters below. The woman took an empty desk and crossed her legs. She sneered at a sleeping student three tiers down.

The sneer dissipated when she saw the professor giving the lecture. He was a big man by any standards. Muscular, tall, and broad at the shoulder. He never strayed far from the blackboard, gripping his notes in one hairy hand and holding chalk in the other. His was formally dressed in a black suit with glistening golden buttons.

“In conclusion, the natural world is held together by order.” His black hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail, while his prominent sideburns made him seem like he had been pulled from history. The woman almost expected him to don a stovepipe hat at the end of the lecture. “Life cannot exist without it. If a single unit—the distance from the sun, the gravitational pull, the size of the planet—was off by a fraction, this planet would cease to exist as we know it. The systems must work together in harmony. If not, one species will wipe out another. An ecosystem can fall to changes in the weather.”

A clunky, metal brace was clasped around his right leg. A cane rested against the blackboard, topped with a glistening lion’s head which roared in triumph. The professor circled a word on the board. “Entropy. It is merely a term we use to describe the truth that the isolated system that is our universe is gradually tearing itself apart. Order itself barrels towards a heated death. Dramatic, perhaps, but basic observation deems it unquestionable.”

He dropped the chalk into a slot on the board and grasped the cane. He made his ponderous way to the lectern on the far side of the stage. “Over the next few weeks, we shall go further in depth with this concept and what it means for thermodynamics. We shall make physicists out of you yet.”

He slapped the stand with his cane. The sound echoed across the room, waking the sleeping student. “Read chapters one, two, and four of your textbooks in preparation for Thursday’s lecture. That is all.”

The students filed out, but the woman stayed. She looped a strand of hair behind her ear with her index finger. She stood up once she and the professor were alone in the room, a folder tucked under her arm. “Doctor Sombra? A word, please?”

He locked the clasps of his briefcase and hefted himself upward with his cane. He gave her a withering look. “If you have questions, please make an appointment. I have a meeting I cannot miss.”

“I’m not a student.” She walked at a quick clip down the stairs to the podium. Her high heels tapped against the smooth floor. “Not of Ursagryph University, at least. My academic interest lies in a… slightly different direction.”

Sombra eased himself down the stairs a step at a time. His awkward gait brought a wince to his face every time his braced leg thumped against the ground. “I’m… not interested… in writing my memoirs. I have… little money for charity. I dislike public appearances. I dislike politics a great deal more. I fail to see… what you could want from me.”

“It’s not what I want from you,” the woman said. She touched the bright-blue streak flowing through her violet hair. “It’s what I can give to you.”

He grimaced at her. “Salvation for my soul, I suppose?”

“Definitely not.”

“So the other thing, then.” He leaned close to her and spoke in a low, gravelly voice. “I despise gold diggers and social climbers equally, madam. Your charms have nothing I have not seen before, and nothing I cannot say no to. Perhaps you shall have more luck at the Blueblood estate. Good day.”

He shuffled past her. She waited to a count of ten before speaking. “Three years ago, April first, you published an article in this institution’s magazine. ‘The Science of Magic.’”

As she expected, the thump, thump, thump of his footsteps stopped. He hunched his shoulders and sent her a blazing glare. “It was an April Fools article. It was a joke.”

“You don’t have a sense of humor.” She pulled the article in question from the folder and dropped in on a nearby desk. “And I’m not laughing.”

She tapped the snippet, pointing out several sentences she had highlighted. “It says here that ‘Magic is made up of three basic components. Emotion is the power behind the spell, the guiding force, the very intention of the user. Mathematics is used to understand the individual makings of the spell, from which can arise infinite combinations. The third component is the interweaving of these ingredients, and how the same ingredients, with the same volume, can become a completely different spell if strung together in an alternate fashion.’”

She smiled at the metaphorical storm clouds hovering around his face. “Have you heard of a small high school overseas? Known as Can—”

“The Canterlot High Hoax; yes, I’ve had the pleasure of innumerable students coming to me with news of that.” He turned on his heel and hauled himself towards the exit. “A teenage girl copes with her harsh reality with fantasies of magical lands and happy ponies, while her five closest friends encourage it. I doubt that was healthy for her development.”

She opened the folder. “I’ve seen with my own two eyes that it is not a hoax.”

“Madam,” Sombra growled, “unless you have physical evidence that magic does indeed exist, I must brand you as a complete lunatic—”

A desk to his right glistened bright blue and levitated. He stumbled, gripping his chest with his free hand. He swore, his eyes growing wide.

“I think that will suffice?” She let the desk slam back into place. “Excellent. Now we can focus on the important things.”

He fell into a chair. He gripped the edge of the desk as his braced leg scraped the ground. “What do you want?”

“I want to learn how you discovered magic, Doctor.” She pressed her palms against the desk and leaned over him. “And then I want to help you perform it.”

Sombra’s lip twitched back. “Me?”

“When doing anything, it helps if the person believes it’s possible.” The woman paced alongside the desks, a catlike grin on her face. “You’ve had an encounter with the magical world, Doctor. When was this?”

Sombra stared into space. His meaty hands gripped his cane. “When I was… a young boy… three women came to my hometown. They did… impossible things. Impossible. They caused arguments to erupt. Tore families apart. Spread distrust. All just by being there. And that was merely the beginning.”

He tightened his jaw. “Before they moved on to prey upon some other town, one of them—I forget her name, but she seemed off even by their standards—took the children aside and told them a story. A… a story very similar to the one I heard from Canterlot High, to be honest. She described… dragons and hydras and people who created the weather… She described magic…”

He shook his head, his craggy face warping into a deep frown. “It was only later I realized she was holding us hostage to escape our village’s witch hunt. We never found the women again. When I wrote the article at the insistence of my friend, I was merely relating a fantastical tale from my childhood.”

“Perhaps you were,” the woman said. “Or perhaps you were subconsciously reaching out, seeking those with similar experience. Those who could show you the truth.”

“I’m not a professor of psychology, so I cannot answer that.” He glanced down at his injured leg. “You can truly teach me magic? Impossible things made real? A complete defiance of everything I know to be fact?”

“All that and more.” She stood tall, her legs ramrod-straight in her pencil skirt. “Are you willing?”

Dr. Sombra fished through his pockets and retrieved a flip-style cell phone. “Fancy Pants? I’m afraid I cannot make our appointment. The pain in my leg is… it’s too much. Yes, another day. Next week at the usual time would be delightful. Good day.”

She reached out an arm. His hand dwarfed hers as he shook firmly. He met her eyes with a dark glower. “To whom do I owe the honor?”

“Glimmer,” she said. “My name is Starlight Glimmer.”

***

It’s Humble, But it’s Home

“All hope was lost!” Hoops declared to his children, sitting on his lap. He thrust a wing to the sky. “The mare was tumbling to certain death, the Wonderbolts had been knocked unconscious, when zowie! Rainbow Dash tore through the stratosphere with an explosion of color!”

“Wow!” Stardust Shimmer said. “Was that the sonic rainboom, Daddy?”

“It sure was, kiddo.”

Dribble Drabble drooled.

Sunset Shimmer slid a rook into place on her chessboard. “Check.”

Adagio Dazzle examined her options, scratching her graying mane. “Aaand… Knight takes rook.”

“Drat.” Sunset rested her cheek on her hoof. “So… what did the princess say?”

“She said thank you.” Adagio clicked her tongue as Sunset maneuvered her other rook into position. “She said she’d bring us any information she finds about the portal. Knight takes bishop.”

“What?” Sunset squinted at the board. “Drat again. Bishop takes pawn.”

“Rook to A-5.” Adagio tapped the piece absentmindedly. “She tried to talk with you, you know. Just to talk.”

“I know. Queen takes bishop.” Sunset Shimmer glanced toward her family, a groan rising from her chest. “Is it bad that I don’t really care?”

Adagio raised an eyebrow. “You’re gonna have to quantify that statement, hon.”

“I am completely comfortable with my life here as it is.” Sunset swept a hoof over the board. “I teach language, meet interesting people, spend some time socializing with the townscreatures, then come back home every night and settle quietly in. That’s life. It’s easy. It’s sane. I’m tired of this talk of alternate universes and princesses and magic…”

Adagio rolled her eyes and took a pawn. “You were willing to help me study the portal—”

“You’re my best friend.” Sunset moved her queen. “Check. I’d be an ogre if I didn’t agree to help you.”

Adagio chuckled. “You little racist, you.”

“What?” Sunset lowered her eyebrows. “Come on! Don’t tell me ogres are actually a thing.”

“Distant cousin of the cave troll.” Adagio slipped a bishop across the board. “Bishop takes queen.”

“Well, the Society for Kindness to Ogres can call me out later.” Sunset Shimmer raised a victorious hoof. “For now, I’ll say that you’ve fallen into my trap.”

“Rook to A-1.” Adagio’s smirk split across her face. “Checkmate.”

Sunset’s hoof flopped to the table. “Huh?”

“Yeah, that wall of pawns, right in front of the king?” Adagio shook her head slowly. “Not a great idea.”

Sunset scowled at her.

“Hay, it was your idea to play chess in the first place.” Adagio waved a hoof. “Don’t blame me because you haven’t been practicing.”

She stood up and stretched. “It’s kind of a metaphor for life, you might say. You’ve walled yourself off and it’ll just end up with you trapped—”

“I don’t wall myself off.” Sunset Shimmer crossed her forelegs. “I always let in the ponies I trust.”

Adagio laughed. “You don’t trust Twilight Sparkle, the Princess of Friendship?”

“She’s powerful and she’s public,” Sunset said, counting off her hooves. “That’s a combination I want absolutely nothing to do with.”

Adagio Dazzle hung her head. She nodded and wrapped Sunset in a one-legged hug. “Alright, you’ve got me. You like your privacy. What about the other Sunset? Your double? Your sister from an alternate-universe mister?”

“That’s… different…” Sunset’s horn sparked, gathering up the chess pieces. “She and I already have a built-in kinship. And… We understand each other, to a degree. She’s also not a purple pony princess. I’m… I’m actually looking forward to meeting her family. It’ll be nice.”

Adagio smiled. “That’s more like it. That’s the Sunset I know. Always eager to try new things.”

“Once,” Sunset giggled. “I’ll try anything once.”

With a nod, Adagio turned to the children. “Come on, kids, give Aunt Dagi a hug before she goes home!”

Stardust nearly tackled her to the ground, but Adagio’s strength held up. She gave the filly a squeeze and patted the little Dribble on the head. She made a point of slugging Hoops in the shoulder, possibly leaving a bruise, before telling him “Keep yourself out of trouble.”

She nuzzled Sunset, and was out the door. Evening overtook the outer reaches of Fillydelphia, casting a rich purple glow over their little town. She trotted across the dusty streets, waving a greeting to a few creatures not yet home from work. Fergus the leprechaun and Winifred the diamond dog waved back.

She came to her little home, barely more than a hut. She sighed and pushed the creaky wood door open. It was a two-room house. One where she slept, and one where she did the cooking, cleaning, and eating. She struck a match and lit the lantern sitting over the little writing desk tucked into one corner. Pages and pages of musical notes were written on scrolls, the makings of several unfinished songs.

“Eh.” She shrugged and turned away. “One of these days.”

She stood in the center of the room, turning her head every which way. Her eyes darted around and her ears danced atop her head. Seeing and hearing nothing, she lifted the rug splayed across the floor and revealed a trap door.

It was not sealed with a latch, but a magical lock; one only capable of being opened with her voice. She leaned close to it and whispered, “Welcome to the show.”

Tumblers rumbled. The door swung outward. A spiraling staircase led into darkness. She went down, and the door closed after her.

The room at the bottom was small and cramped. It had a single magic-lit lantern in the center of the rocky ceiling. Adagio stopped by a wooden chest and kicked it open. She saw several glistening, golden apples sitting inside. She took one out, admired her reflection, and bit into it.

Power filled her body. Wrinkles disappeared from her face as color returned to her mane and coat. Her apparent age receded several years, drawing her elderliness away and transforming her into a middle-aged mare. Adagio flexed her strong limbs as they burned with energy.

She wiped the sweat from her forehead and looked to the far end of the room. A mirror sat against the wall. It was rounded, as tall as two ponies, framed with spiraling patterns, and featured a perfect reflection. It wouldn’t have looked out of place in a palace. Go figure.

Adagio touched her hoof against Starswirl the Bearded’s magic mirror, stolen from Princess Twilight Sparkle’s Ponyville castle. She traced its edge all the way to the bottom. Her smirk turned sinister as she stared into her own eyes. “Okay, then, big boy. Let’s see what makes you tick.”

She laid a notepad on top of the chest and slid a pair of goggles over her eyes, their multicolored lenses keyed to sense magic currents. A unicorn could have found them with a simple descrying spell, but earth ponies—and former mythical sea creatures, for that matter—required a little assistance. Slowly but surely, the secrets of the wizard’s design came together. Between what Twilight leaned about the pool portal and what Adagio discovered about Starswirl’s, she would soon enough be able to make her own mirror.

Then the fun could really start.

***

Well, Shoot!

Lord Mayor Applejack stood in the middle of the freshly-paved, smooth, spotless road that was Mane Street. She looked slightly to the left, where a giant, five-clawed footprint had crushed through the asphalt and tar. She turned back to the spotless road that had been the cornerstone of her mayoral campaign.

Applejack sighed.

She grimaced at the footprint. She refused to look at the dozens of others leading up and down the roadway. A few had started to fill with water.

Applejack sighed.

She heard a faint boing, boing, boing as somepony hopped up behind her. Pink filled her peripheral vision, which could only have belonged to one mare. “Hi, Pinkie.”

Pinkie Pie smiled wide. “Hi, Applejack! Whatcha doooin’?”

Applejack sighed.

Pinkie Pie looked down one way, then swiveled her head around to look the other. She bobbed her head. “Looks like the city budget needs to find some room for a little road repair. And maybe we should add, like, a dragon-path that leads along the edge of the city. You know, for when Little Spike grows up.”

Applejack gritted her teeth. “Y’all can stop callin’ him Li’l Spike, you know.”

“Y’all as in just me,” Pinkie said, “or y’all as in ‘everybody in the city?’”

Applejack sighed.

“There, there, Applejack.” Pinkie adjusted Applejack’s cravat, tying it just a little too tight around the neck. “Once we install those dragon-path-thingamadoos, we won’t have to worry about any dragons crushing the road again.”

With a smirk, Applejack looked to the sky. “Ah guess you’re right—”

“We’ll just have to worry about water getting into the cracks in the road and then freezing during winter and expanding into ice so that it makes the cracks bigger and turns them into potholes which can make ponies trip, fall, and break their legs.” Pinkie waved a nonchalant hoof. “Not to mention the propensity ponies have to drive especially rough over the roadways, which can be a doozey when your cart doesn’t have the proper suspension but otherwise feels like gliding on silk. They never notice the scuffs and chips and dents and, yes, cracks that result.”

Applejack sighed.

“So,” Pinkie Pie said, bouncing on her hind legs. “Whatcha doooin’?”

“Lamentin’ my lot in life.”

“Funny thing about lots in life.” Pinkie Pie whispered out of the corner of her mouth, “If it’s a big, empty sandlot, it’s just perfect for a friendly game of hoofball. Just a thought.”

Applejack pulled the hat from her head. “Is that a metaphor?”

“Yeah, kinda.” Pinkie giggled. “It’s also an invitation. The girls are meeting up at Sugarcube Corner. Got an hour or so to hang out?”

Applejack narrowed her eyes at the road. She untied her cravat and let it hang from her neck. “Yeah, shoot, why not? The roads ’ll keep an’ the protestors can have a break. Lead the way, Assistant Mayor Pinkie Pie!”

Pinkie Pie pronked along, Applejack trotting in her wake. The pink mare glanced at a footprint as large as a wagon. “Wow. I guess you can say Big Spike really left an impression, huh?”

Applejack sighed.