She hadn't expected to find anything peculiar when she stepped hoof from the observatory. Surely, she figured, this was some bizarre reality where the nature of the influential beings had differed, and that alone. She had not expected such changes to have a noticeable impact on her beloved Canterlot, however.

There was one thing in particular that stood out to her. "Luna? Sister, please tell me... what has happened to the trees?"

Luna, wearing the same perplexed expression that she had utilised for the last five minutes, gave a little shrug. "I have no clue, Tia. As in, no clue, no clue. They're exactly the same as always."

"But... but look at their leaves! They just don't look healthy!"

"I dunno, Tia. Like I said, they're just as they usually are." Luna zipped in front of Celestia and peered into her eyes, then glancing up to her horn. She fluttered up quickly to land just between Celestia's ears and, as she lay on her neck, she tickled the base of the horn. "You sure you haven't overworked yourself? Magic backfire, maybe? You know that's common for magic students."

Celestia shook her head. "Not really, no. It's only prevalent when there is increased magic in the air, and..." She trailed off as she jerked her head up to the sky and let her ears fall. After a moment's consideration, she then shuddered and moaned. "Gosh. The magic here... It's so thick! I can feel it on the air!"

Luna rolled her little eyes from her point out of Celestia's view. "Well, duh. This is Equestria, Tia. Everything's run with magic, even the s—oh! Oh, look up!" The little griffon tugged gently on the multicoloured mane so that Celestia was forced to look up. And, to the Luna-griffon's credit, it surely was a sight for sore eyes.

In the sky above, the sun blazed bright. It was brighter than Celestia herself had ever seen it, in fact—and from it, offshoots of fire danced about in the sky. The fiery tendrils made up the form of a dragon quite grandly.

"Wow," Celestia breathed, her eyes widening at the display. Her mouth fell slightly open in awe at the sight of it; it really was something special. Luna, despite her previous enthusiasm, seemed to get bored quite quickly.

"Okay, you don't need to stare. I mean, they're pretty and all, but it's just the Daytime Drake. It's not that uncommon, you know."

Celestia's mouth closed and her eyes began to lose their sparkle as she turned to the little griffon. Unable to see her, naturally, she then pried the creature from her neck with the use of her magic and winced as the talons dug in slightly too deep. "Ow, Luna!" she hissed while she nursed the sore spot slightly with a hoof, her wings being out of action. She then held the struggling griffon in front of her and said, "What is this "Daytime Drake" you speak of?"

Luna's mouth was the one to fall open this time. With a short splutter, she then managed to form semi-coherent words. "Oh, c'mon, Tia! You were the one who taught me the story!"

"Well, I've forgotten it. It was a long time ago."

The Luna-griffon frowned and folded her talons, kicking her paws as they dangled in the air. "It was a month ago, Tia," she said with a roll of her eyes. "Once we've gone to see Princess Twilight you really need to rest. I mean, I knew that bubble bath was bad for you! I could smell the dark magic coming from it, but you didn't listen!"

"You can smell dark magic?" Celestia whispered while she levitated the griffon closer. "That's amazing!"

Luna hissed and refused to say a word as she zipped her mouth shut with a talon. She then pointed rather forcibly to the ground; after a moment's consideration, Celestia unenthusiastically lowered her down. The griffon gasped for air dramatically once she had done so before, upon seeing the unicorn's displeased scowl, she quietened and blushed through her feathers.

"Okay, I'll tell you what you want to know. But then you've got to go to bed, 'cos I'm sure you're not right!" Luna nodded to the flaming tendrils in the sky and took in a breath as she padded next to Celestia. "So that's the Daytime Drake, like I said. S'posedly he was once a prince, but he got angry and ended up banished to the sun to burn in his own fire. And the offshoots are his soul trying to escape and inevitably failing."

Celestia swallowed audibly. That tale was too close to the one she knew all too well—but a dragon version of Nightmare Moon? She shuddered at the thought, much to Luna's amusement.

"Seriously, Tia, it's a tale. No big ol' dragon's gonna come and eat you in the night!" Luna flew into the air a little and kicked her legs about as she squealed. "Anyway, you seem to have forgotten that I'm a griffon and that we griffons can smell magic. And that covers your second question."

"But... but griffons can't smell magic!" Celestia cried, looking quite discouraged. Her expression only served to heighten Luna's pleasure.

"I'm the griffon here, not you. It's an evolutionary tactic, remember? You taught me about that as well... You taught me everything, actually."

Celestia raised an eyebrow slowly as her ears and tail drooped. "Did I say of how you evolved that way?"

Luna shook her head. "No, annoyingly. But once you stop acting like you know nothing, you can tell me, 'K?"

Celestia was quiet for a moment before she nodded her head slowly; her ears pricked forwards ever so slightly. She couldn't be sure of what was going on or where she was, but if she was to be stuck here she may as well get accustomed to it. And the best way to find out about the present was, surely, to see where history had messed itself up.

With a sigh when she reached the bottom of the stairs, Celestia looked back to the Luna-Griffon and gestured to her rump. The little thing squawked happily and shot down, making her wince at the rough landing, before she settled herself down. Celestia smiled at the sight and said, "So, to the castle?"

The Luna-griffon nodded eagerly. "Yep. We'd better hurry before her meetings begin, though. You know how busy she gets after noon, and I'm sure she won't want to see you then."

Celestia nodded slowly and began to tread forwards, finding herself questioning even if the roads beneath her hooves felt the same. Before she had much chance to think on the matter, though, she was halted by Luna tugging on her mane with her beak.

"Tia... The castle's the other way."

Celestia froze and spun around whilst she looked about, ears falling back. It was a moment before she finally laid eyes upon it; when she did, she groaned. "Direct me there, Luna?"

The little blue griffon rolled her eyes and pointed a claw forwards. "That way, you derp," she said, then slumping a little more on Celestia's back. "And make it quick, 'k? There's supposed to be a big polo match going on later and I do not intend to miss them as usual!"

Maybe she should have expected things to be so different in this new reality. With Twilight in her place, it was natural that the butterfly effect would come into play; in fact, it was foalish to hope or think that Canterlot would be the same place.

The name was the same, at least. Hence, Celestia puzzled out, things must have been similar in this world as in her own at the time of the three tribes. The major turning point, presumably, must have been centered around the birth of Twilight in place of Celestia and Luna.

It was not so far-fetched a theory; her own parents had both been born with wings and a horn due to genetic mutation, but they were not quite the sole examples of an evolved species. Certainly, they ended up as the only survivors when the three tribes, under threat from the small alicorn herd, had hunted and killed each so-called abomination. Such was the case until Celestia's own parents learned how to harness their improved abilities to prevent themselves from and later attack the united tribes, going on to claim the throne of a newly-formed Equestria themselves. It was not the tale which the text books told little colts and fillies, but the truth was always twisted and warped throughout history—for better or for worse. And Celestia had never been keen on the grisly matter.

But, if things had been slightly different, everything could have begun to change. If Celestia's parents had died in the fighting and a different couple had attacked, for example, then their manner of ruling would have been different. Or even the simple matter that one of her parents could have coupled with a different mate, or even just at a different time, hence eliminating the possibility of the birth of herself and her sister.

There were so many factors to consider, it made Celestia's brain ache. The Luna-griffon's tugging at her hair to stop her before she trotted into a towering wall which surrounded the castle was, as such, something of a surprise.

"Watch out, Tia!" Luna whispered as she gave a little giggle. "Gosh, you are in a weird mood today. C'mon, we've gotta get inside quickly. You know how loiterers are dealt with 'round here."

Truth be told, she didn't have the slightest clue as to what Luna was implying. But while she was an amateur in this new world, the little griffon was incredibly experienced; it would be idiotic to not at least pay heed to her warnings. And so, before she could find out what exactly Luna had meant—for by her tone, it was something rather more grisly than Celestia wanted to imagine—she cantered to the castle door and shot inside once it opened for her automatically.

Where her old castle had been large and bright and welcoming, Celestia couldn't help but shiver as she stepped hoof inside slowly. The darkness was heavy and the candles at either side of the wall did little to help her see. The stone floor was freezing cold, as was the stale air in the hall; it was most unpleasant, and she wasted little time in speeding up into a trot simply to escape the bleakness.

The next room, a large circular space from which multiple doors led down different corridors, was slightly better lit, though a lot less depressing. The circular ceiling was alight with bright colours as they danced and weaved among eachother, showering anypony to walk through the hall in harmless magical droplets. They had no matter to them, though were slightly chilling—almost like the first snow fall of winter, she supposed. When she opened her mouth to taste one, she was pleasantly surprised to find that the red beam, at least, had a most pleasant strawberry flavour. Though far from being the best she had tasted, she would hardly turn down more of the taste—but not for now. She had more pressing matters at the moment.

Celestia trod towards the furthest door slowly, unwilling to see what awaited her. So much had changed—for ponies' sake, her sister was now a cheeky little griffon who soared through the air beside her—that she couldn't be quite sure what to expect. But she knew, as much as it pained her, that this Twilight would not be the filly she had helped to nurture and raise, the child she watched grown from a foal to an adult. No, this was a Twillight with millenia worth of experience.

Upon opening the door, Celestia yelped as her muzzle was squished when she tried to pass through. She backed up quickly and frowned before she raised a hoof and tentatively reached out; she took a breath in when she felt a soft yet impenetrable shield before her.

"Well, what are you waiting for?"

Celestia turned to Luna with a quizzical look, her forehoof raised. "You tell me," she said with a shrug. From the corner of her eye, she could see that some form of artificial pony had begun to materialise before her eyes. She hunched her back at the sight before turning back to the Luna-griffon. "I'm being serious, Luna! How do we get through?"

The ponies had finished materialising by now and were moving closer slowly. The accuracy of them was astonishing, both from their proportions to their features and the way they moved. But there was little time to contemplate the skillful creativity when large turrets grew from their heads.

"Celestia!" Luna's cry was loud as she shot to the floor to cower behind her back legs. When she did not move, though, the griffon whimpered and flew forwards, biting down on the turrets with her beak and bending the metal upwards. Luna gave a short squawk of triumph and beamed at Celestia before her victim clamped the hair of her tail in its mouth and dragged her down. She writhed and screamed as she clawed and pawed through the air; the pony didn't so much as flinch, but why would it?

"Luna!" Celestia cried, her eyes going wide. She leapt forwards quickly whilst she engulfed her horn in magic and bucked at the pony as she grabbed the griffon's paws with her telikenesis. She then walked backwards slowly, grunting and groaning as she strained to pull the little thing from the artificial pony's unbreakable grip on her tail. And then, with a yelp as she fell backwards, the hairs in the pony's mouth broke and Luna was freed, sent flying towards her first ever friend. She landed with a thud against Celestia's chest and giggled a little at first; a moment later, when the hoofsteps grew louder, she quietened and returned her gaze to the two mechanical creatures. They stalked forwards ever so slowly; when her attempt to teleport away failed, Celestia's heart sunk at the realisation that there was no escape.

"Enough!"

For a moment, the two attacking ponies glowed the brightest shade of red; a second later, they were reduced to a pile of smoldering metal. The substance then disappeared before Celestia's eyes, sinking into the floor as if it was being soaked up by a sponge. If her shock hadn't been great enough already, the door behind her then swung open at last to reveal a towering purple mare, whose purple and pink mane flowed just as hers had done before, the colours of the world at twilight. Her horn was long and spear like, chipped and scarred in places, and her large but sleek wings were just as marred. On her hooves she wore large and heavy golden shoes, much like the ones that Celestia's Twilight had worn—except for the fact that these were literally welded to her skin. Her crown was similar, connected to the skin of her horn and presumably her head at the base. It was an unnerving sight to see, though not such a bad idea for a ruler; she was quite literally the princess, and that her adornments were a very part of her just affirmed just point.

Her scowl was something Celestia had not expected, however. Far from the carefree young princess, this Twilight seemed a wizened and severe ruler. Her voice was no less powerful than she had expected, especially since Luna fell to her knees almost immediately in a bow. Celestia was still for a minute before she hurried to reciprocate her so-called sister's action. Twilight looked most put out at the fumbled response. "Celestia, my student. It was ever so foolish for you to dally so; you know of the password, as well as the dangers of not passing through here immediately. I am, in a single word, ashamed at your carelessness. You would have been obliterated had I not been watching and awaiting your arrival."

Celestia took a deep breath and glanced about, wincing at the sight of the guards. "I can explain, princess," she began, trying not to look as nervous as she felt. She paused, however, when she took note of Twilight's words. "How, exactly, did you know I would be coming to see you?"

Twilight's eyes flashed as she stared down at the mere unicorn below her. "You may be my student, Celestia, and a trusted one at that, but I shall never tell you the secrets of my rule. I have said so before, and wish to hear nought on the matter again." She took a deep breath and then let it out slowly, ruffling her heavy wings. "Now, what did you come here so recklessly to tell me?"

Celestia frowned a little. "I think this may be better said in private, princess," she said, sending a nod in the direction of the guards. Twilight scowled but bowed her head a little, pushing the stallions away with her wings and turning tail, starting in the direction of whatever lay through the corridor. Celestia followed dutifully and kept quiet as she trod carefully behind; when she entered into the next room, however, she was dragged from her hooves by a crushing magical aura. She winced at the pressure and flared up her own horn, straining to fight against the magic; when she felt the princess' aura begin to weaken, she then let out a breath.

"Please, princess! Let me explain!"

Twilight Sparkle's ears flicked about as she walked around her prey, staring deep through her. "You are not my student, else you would have said the password! An imposter, no doubt—and I do not tolerate imposters!" The alicorn's eyes flashed white and she reared up, her horn suddenly beginning to bubble and ripple with purple and green. Celestia's eyes widened at the sight and she opened her mouth to reply, but found her lungs without air as the beam began to form.

"Wait!"

Celestia turned her head slowly to watch as the Luna-griffon shot forwards, blocking Twilight Sparkle's path. She flapped her little wings rapidly and panted, her eyes shimmering with tears. "Please, Your Majesty! Please, just hear her out and kill her after! She's got Magic Backfire, I am most sure!"

Twilight faltered in her casting and took a step back, lowering Celestia down slowly. The second her hooves touched the ground, they were promptly bound by chains just as her horn was encased in a magical force field—to keep any magic in. Twilight then flared out her wings and looked down at the unicorn before her, snarling.

"Is this true?"

Though she opened her mouth to retort the fact, Celestia faltered in her reply just a fraction of a second before she spoke. After a moment's consideration, she then hung her head and whispered, "Yes, Your Highness." She slumped a little before she then looked up and asked, in a carefully slow voice, "Is there anything you can do to help my predicament?"

Twilight Sparkle did not appear pleased, but she lowered her wings slowly all the same. "And how can I know that you are not an imposter?" she hissed. For a moment, Celestia could not answer—and then in a wave of inspiration it hit her.

"If I were so foolish to plan to attack such an incredibly powerful mare as yourself," she began, "would I not have planned my attack better? Have found out the password, have attacked you immediately?"

Twilight frowned before she sighed quietly. "I suppose that may be the case. You are dismissed, Celestia." The alicorn turned away and began to walk towards a massive throne to accomodate the sheer size of the mare before she faltered. She then turned her head and said, "Canterlot is high in magic. You shall move to Ponyvale in the meantime."

"Ponyvale?"

"That is what I said, you foal," Twilight hissed before she teleported herself to her throne, sitting there with a scowl upon her muzzle. "Now go, for this time is wasted. I shall arrange for a pegasus to transport you there promptly."

Celestia was quiet for just a moment before she gave a very slow courtsey. She then tured slowly and began to walk out with her hooves dragging towards her new, confusing future.

Author's Note

If you like where this is going please consider becoming a patron! Patrons have the opportunity to commission new fics as well as the chance to choose which existing fic to update! If I can earn enough to justify quitting my job, I'll even be able to update every day.