Midnight Parallel

Twilight trotted into the hotel and set down Spike, who immediately started sniffing around the room.

“Hello.” She said, trotting up to the clerk’s desk. “I was wondering if you had a spare room available?”

“Why of course! We have one right here! Please follow me, your Highness.” He said and started trotting towards the stairwell, when he tripped over a potted plant. “Stupid plant.” He mumbled, pushing it to the side. “Boss always moves it, just so he can watch me trip. If I ever…”

“Excuse me, but are you blind?”

“Why yes, your Highness.”

“Sorry, did you just respond to me as, ‘Your Highness.’”

“Are you not the Princess of Friendship?”

Twilight decided she should just play along. “Yes I am, I’m just not used to being called Princess.”

“Oh, okay.”

“So, who is this boss of yours?”

“Oh, he’s a nasty orange stallion who’s always trying to make me trip. It wasn’t his idea to hire me; it was his superior who said it would be good for business. So he tries to trip me up at every turn, just so he can fire me.”

“I shall have to do something about it when I go back.”

“That would be nice. Pray tell, why did you leave the castle?”

“Um, uh… Official royal business.”

“I see.” He said, as they reached the top of the stairs. “Well, we’re here. If there’s anything else you need, just ring this bell and I will come running.”

“Thank you sir.” She said, leading Spike into the room. “That will be all for now.”

“Very well.” He said, and started to close the door.

“One more thing.” Twilight said, placing her hoof in the door.

“Yes, your Highness?”

“What is the name of the nearest town from here?”

“Why, Ponyville, of course.”

“And, how do I get there?”

“Well, you could take the next train.”

“Of course. Well, good night.”

“Yes, yes. Good night.”

Twilight closed the door, and lay down as Spike curled up on the bed beside her. Twilight sighed and closed her eyes. “Tomorrow Spike, we’ll see if we can find some answers in Ponyville.” She whispered and then promptly fell asleep.

Sunset strapped on her backpack and walked towards the portal.

“Are you sure you don’t want us to come with you, Sugar Cube?”

“Yes, I’m sure. We can’t have you bumping into your parallel selves. The results could be disastrous.”

“Say hi to Twilight for us.” Pinkie said.

“Which one.” Sunset said, a dull look on her face.

“You know which one. Now get going.”

“Okay, then. I hope to see you all very soon.”

Sunset stepped through the portal and disappeared.

Twilight walked out of the hotel feeling very pampered. Spike was asleep on her back, having wandered around the room all night.

“Well Spike, it looks like we may make it to the train station after all.”

A filly walked up beside her. “Excuse me.” She said, tugging on her back hoof. “I was just wondering, why don’t you have a Cutie Mark?”

“What’s a Cutie Mark?”

“How can you not know what a Cutie mark is!?!”

“Uh…”

“It’s only the embodiment of who you are meant to be in life!”

“Uh…”

“Seriously, how can you not know?”

“I’m… Gonna miss my train. Gotta go.” Twilight galloped down the street, heading towards the train station.

“That was weird.” She said as she slowed down to a trot. She walked up to the ticket booth and ordered two tickets for Ponyville.

“Yes, your Highness, right away.” The ticket master said as he quickly went to fetch the tickets.

“Wow,” Twilight whispered to herself. “These ponies really respect royalty.” The train had just started to leave the station when the ticket master looked up and noticed that she had no wings and lacked a Cutie Mark.

“Hey!” He yelled, galloping after the train. “Stop that pony!”

But the train had already left the station and no pony heard him.

Sunset Shimmer stepped out of the mirror and was met with a Royal Canterlot Belch.

“What in all of Equestria was that!?!”

“Sunset Shimmer?” Princess Celestia said, her cheeks turning cherry red. “What are you doing here?”

“Well, apparently I was interrupting royal business. I should probably just,” She turned towards the portal to leave.

“No, wait. Me and Luna can finish our…” She looked at Luna helplessly

“Royal business.” Luna said, finishing her sentence.

“Right, Royal business later. Now, what brings you here?”

Well, you know how there are parallels of ourselves on the other side of this mirror?”

“Yes…”

“Well… Twilight’s doppelganger fell through, and I need to get her back.”

“Ah,” Luna said, getting up from her throne. “I looks like you have some work ahead of you.”

“Yes, it does. She fell through an hour ago, so she can’t have gone far.”

“Actually…” A guard said, walking through the door.

“Soldier!” Luna yelled in her Royal Canterlot Voice. “Why was’t thou eavesdropping?”

“My apologies your Highnesses, but I have been concerned about Princess Twilight and so couldn’t help myself when I heard her name. You say her clone came through an hour ago?”

“Yes, Sir Sentry. She fell through an hour ago.”

“Well then, you must keep terrible time because, I saw her at the Gala last night.”

“Last night!” All three exclaimed looking equally shocked. “She could be anywhere by now.”

“She claimed to be a relative of the Princess. Called herself Midnight Sparkle.”

“We must begin to search for her.” Luna said, walking towards the guard. “Tell me can you remember anything else about her?”

“Well,” The guard replied. “She had a baby Dragon with her, as well as no Cutie Mark.”

“No Cutie Mark!”

“Indeed.”

“That would make sense. There is no magic in the other world. It would make sense if she had no Cutie Mark.”

“Well, this should make her easy to find. Guard. Tell everyone to look for a Unicorn who looks like Princess Twilight, except with no Cutie Mark.”

“Of course.”

“We must begin at once. It is most likely that she will head for Ponyville.”

“Then let’s go.”

The two Princesses and Sunset galloped at full speed towards the train station.