Princess Twilight went through a really hectic situation recently. In a span that one might consider a day, Twilight had to face the reappearance of King Sombra, Queen Chrysalis and the Changelings, Nightmare Moon and Tirek (and Flim & Flam for some reason). And atop of all that, she also had to stop an evil time travel plot that would prevent her friendships from ever being made. In all honestly, the event was a crazy emotional roller-coaster and was the strangest experience in her life. However, despite all of the turmoil and hardship, Twilight added one more friend to her life. And even though they have rough patches in the past, Twilight would gladly declare Starlight Glimmer as her friend any day of the week.
And so, once they had a free day for themselves, Twilight decides to give Starlight a tour around her castle. Starlight was still trying to find a new house in Ponyvile and Twilight had offered her a stay at the castle. She was still undecided yet on staying, but Starlight would still like to have a proper look inside the castle.
Twilight was sitting patiently in the map room and was waiting for Starlight to arrive. In a case of bad timing, Twilight was the only tour guide. The map requested Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy AND Pinkie Pie to go to Rainbow Falls on a friendship mission while Applejack and Rarity is at their sister's "Cute-Ceañera". And for some reason, she can't find Spike anywhere. However, Twilight remained calm and was looking forward to give her friend a tour.
And then, as soon as Twilight was getting nervous that Starlight wasn't going to come, the room doors slowly creak open. When Twilight got off of her chair in surprise, she saw Starlight standing nervously under the doorway.
"Am I late?" Starlight asks sheepishly.
"Not At All!" Twilight replied. Technically she was 5 minutes late but she wasn't going to say that.
As Twilight was making her way towards her, Starlight nervously says to her: "Well... If I want to have a princess as a friend, I guess I should be getting to know her castle. Am I right!?"
As Starlight began to chuckle awkwardly, Twilight chuckle herself before telling her: "Starlight, please. You don't have to think of me as a princess. Just think of me as a friend."
"Oh! Ok" Starlight replied. Once both ponies were finally ready, she ask Twilight: "So where do we begin."
Twilight replied cheerfully: "Well... why not start here, in this room."
"This Room!" Starlight responded. "Twilight, I think I know pretty much about your map room already ."
"Really! Well do you know what's that up above us then?" Twilight says sarcastically before she points towards her ceiling.
When Starlight Glimmer looks up, she spotted the tree-vain chandelier hanging above them and was holding what might be over a hundred crystals. "Oh Yeah!" she said out loud. She remembered seeing it the first time she went into the castle, but she paid it no mind. "What about it?"
Twilight explains to her: "Well you see; before I lived here, my home use to be Golden Oak Library. It was a nice place to live... until a certain centaur went and blow it up." When she said it, Twilight sounded very bitter about it. Starlight can tell that she like her old home quite a bit. When Twilight realized that she was showing her anger, she swiftly hides it back away again. "Anyway, that is what's left of the old library, reminding me of my humble beginnings."
Once Starlight became slightly fascinated, Twilight then says to her: "And do you see the crystals that are hanging up there." When she just shrugs in confusion, Twilight explains to her: "Those are memory crystals. Each contains an image of a memory that me and our friends share. And as it so happens, there is one important memory that we need to hang up."
Twilight then revealed one crystal that she has on her and passes it onto Starlight. At first, Starlight felt happy and appreciated as she thought she knew what the memory was gunna be. However, after she had a look, Starlight became disappointed and confused and told Twilight: "This is just Pinkie eating pies and cake?"
"What!" yelled Twilight in surprised. When she took the crystal back, she realized that she gave the wrong crystal. "How in the heck did I get this?" she asks out loudly. Twilight then searches frantically to find the right crystal. Eventually, she found the right one and proclaims: "Ah! This is the one!"
When Starlight was given the new crystal, she saw that the image was her being hugged by Twilight and the rest of their friends. That was the moment that Starlight got more friends within her life. Starlight Glimmer smiled and then proceeded to hang up the crystal with her magic.
Once the crystal was hanging properly, Starlight then cheerfully asks Twilight: "So what are we gunna see next?"
Twilight suggested "How about the library?"
"Sure!" she replied.
"Great! I'll show you what other rooms this castle has along the way."
_ _ _ _ _
Starlight and Twilight was trotting along the hall. And along the way, Twilight was pointing out and explains the different rooms that they walk pass.
"That room over there is the kitchen and Applejack helped fill up the pantry. And over there is a room decorated by Pinkie. If we have any important, royal events, we can have it in there."
Starlight looks at Twilight and remarks: "So it's a party room."
Twilight admits: "Yeah, it's a party room." Both mares then had a little chuckle to Twilight's slight embarrassment.
Once they were calmed down, Starlight says to Twilight: "You certainly have a lot of rooms that your friends decorated for you. Don't you have a room that you designed yourself?"
"Yeah, of course!" Twilight replied. Twilight then stop at a door, open it, and proudly proclaim: “The Library!”
When the mares step inside, Starlight was slightly impressed with Twilight’s book collection. The shelf had reached as high as the ceiling and there must have been over a thousand books.
“I have books about magic, history, geography, social planning” exposited Twilight. “Mystery stories, romance stories, adventure stories. Whenever I want to reorganized, I’m not sure if I want to put them alphabetized and then categorized or categorized and then alphabetized.”
Still left in amazement, Starlight thought out loud: "No wonder it took you a whole weekend to organize all of this."
"Yeah, it was..." However, Twilight stops herself and says: "Hang on! How did you know this took me a whole weekend?"
And like that, Starlight froze and stutters. Previously, while she was still a bad guy, Starlight had been spying on Twilight for malicious reasons. However, since they are now become friends, it is now something that would be very awkward for her to explain. Nervously, Starlight told her: "Well uh... I think Pinkie said something about it?"
Twilight was weary with Starlight's response. She knows that Starlight was keeping something from her, but at the same time, she looks like she isn't proud of it and her cheeks were bright red. However, after an intense moment of staring, Twilight then shrugs and replies: "Alright!"
While Twilight wasn't looking, Starlight breathed a sigh of relief and couldn't believe that she actually bought the lie. After she had calmed down, she let Twilight show her the large book collection that she made.
A few moments later, as Twilight was showing Starlight around the library, she notice that Starlight was becoming more intrigued and invested in her books. Happy to see another book lover, Twilight ask Starlight: "You know, I would be happy if you ask me if you want to borrow one of my books."
Surprised by the sudden proposal, Starlight replied: "Really! Are you sure about?!"
"Of Course!" Twilight says back. "Not a lot of ponies come to me to borrow my book. Not even in my old home, which was: The Town's Library!"
"REALLY!" replied Starlight, sounding surprised. She didn't know which book she should take, or even she should take one? "Well thanks Twilight, but uh... I don't know..."
Even though she wasn't sure if she's going take one, Starlight gazed around library to find a book that she might like to read. As she was looking, she found that there was so many books that she can decide.
But then, as the room was quite, Starlight suddenly notice a faint sound. "Hang on! What is that buzzing sound?" she said out loud.
"Buzzing sound?" responded Twilight.
As she was looking around and trying to find the noise, Starlight suddenly notice that the sound was coming from a another room that was still in the library. Curious, Starlight walked over towards the door and find out what was making the sound.
Before Twilight could say anything, Starlight open the door and a slightly smaller rooms. Inside the room, there was a book that was sitting on a pedestal and it was flashing and shaking. That what was making the sound.
"What is that?" Starlight ask out loud.
"OH! That!" said Twilight as she yell out loud.
When the ponies went over to the buzzing and flashing book, Twilight explains: "You see Starlight, I have some friends that are really far, far away at the moment. I can't exactly go over towards them very often, but we use this book to keep in contact with one another."
Starlight found the fact that Twilight having other friends else where was little bit surprising and was a little bit envious. However, she was also curious on how the book could be use for communication. When she lift the book up with her magic and started examingin it, Starlight ask Twilight: "So is there like another book that they have, and whatever you write in this book will also appeare in theirs?"
Suprised, Twilight says out loud: "Wow Starlight! That is exactly it!"
Feeling flattered from the compliment, Starlight replies: "Well thanks Twilight. I was just guessing." But then, as she was feeling happy for herself, Starlight suddenly realize something. "Hang on! How long has this been ringing for?"
And like that, Twilight's eyes quickly widened. She hadn't check on the book for quite a while, not since she got back from giving that cutie mark lecture. And even, she was then stuck within a time travel loop that felt like days had went by. Worried that her friends are in danger and was begging for help, Twilight quickly grabed the book with her magic and quickly began reading one of the latest entries. Starlight then moved next to her so she can read the message too.
"Hey, Twilight. Haven't heard back from you yet. I guess you must be pretty busy with your role as princess. But I could really use your advice right now. You see, I've been given the job of keeping magic under control here at CHS, even though I still haven't quite wrapped my head around it. And now after seeing Rainbow Dash pony up the way she did, it makes me think her magic might be...changing. Everyone is looking to me to figure things out and I really don't wanna let them down. But I'm not sure I have enough experience with friendship magic to solve this.
Anyway, I hope I can hear from you soon. You friend, Sunset Shimmer"
After reading the message, Starlight was understandbly confused. She can understand that some-pony was given a challenging task and needing help, but was wondering how they might know Rainbow Dash or why they are suggesting that she now have magic? However, when she look towards Twilight, she can see that she was looking worried.
"Twilight...?" asked a concerned Starlight.
But then, after a tense moment of silence, Twilight jumped up into the air and yells: "OH MY GOSH! I HAVE TO GET THERE RIGHT AWAY!"
Before Starlight could say anything, Twilight flew to one corner of the room that has a large thing being covered by a tarp. With her magic, Twilight pull the tarp off and revealing a strange and mystic mirror. However, the only thing that was strange about it was that the mirror was hooked up to a even stranger machine. There were wires and other parts to it that Starlight can faintly understand. It was beggining to look like that Twilight is going to use the mirror to get to a different location.
"They have been asking for my help all this time and I didn't notice it until NOW!" Twilight yelled.
As Twilight was begining to connect some wires and try to start up the machine, Starlight could tell that she was panicing. She must really be worried for her friends. Feeling envious and annoyed that she isn't much help, Starlight spotted the discarded book on the floor. Wanting to be useful, she picks it up and start reading, hoping there might be something more to the message.
And as it turns out, there was another message that was more recent then the last one.
Dear Twilight Sparkle, you wouldn't believe what has happened to us recently. But first of, some good news.
I finally understand how magic works in this world (or at least have a firm understanding on it). Turns out, we pony up whenever we show the truest part of ourselves or when show our element. There might something more to it, but at least we now has a good start to keep our magic under control.
Anyway, we have found this world's version of you! Yeah, Seriously! She is slightly different then what we use to, but she act and behave very much like you: curious, but very kind and sincire. There were a few issues when we met her, but we managed to sort everything out and she is now a new student at CHS. So whenever you decide to come over, don't be suprised if you happen to see yourself.
I don't know when you might get this message, but please know that everybody here at CHS is doing just fine. We'll hope to hear from you soon. Sunset Shimmer.
After reading all of that, Starlight was now left with even more questions from before. However, she can understand that they aren't in dire need of Twilight's help and she need to tell her what she just read. "Hey Twilight! You should come over and read..."
But before she could finish, Twilight yells "STARLIGHT!" as she suddenly remembered that she was there. Rushing to her side, she told her: "I am really sorry for doing this to you Starlight, but I have to finish the tour early today."
"No-No-No, I Get That!" Starlight replied. "But you really need to..."
However, Twilight interupt her again as she also snatch the book away. "We have to do the door another day" she told her.
Twilight then place the book on a pedestal that hangs above the mirror. And once she done, a bright, purple light shot out from the mirror and the machine and a swarling portal has opened within the mirror. As Starlight was left star struck from seeing an interdimensional portal for the first time, Twilight gave her a warning.
"Listen Starlight: whatever you do, DON'T remove the book from the machine. If you do, the portal will close and I might not have another way to get back."
"WHAT!" yelled Starlight. "Are you sure about that!? It's still not that long ago that I might have ruined Equestrai!"
However, with a confident smile on her face, Twilight responded: "Don't worry, I believe."
As Starlight was caught off guard but the sudden compliment, Twilight says to her: "I'll see you when I get beck" and jump throught the portal. Starlight was then left alone in the room with nothing but the mirror portal and a bunch of books. She still couldn't believe what had just happen, but she now has the castle of friendship.
Unsure on what to do, Starlight thought out loud to herself: "Well I... guess I got to hold down the fort until Twilight or some-pony get back."
But then, she suddenly feel hungry and Starlight could hear her belly rumbuling. "Hm? I wonder if there is any pies or cakes around?" she said before she decides to wonder off towards the kitchen.
