Dimensional Pain

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SPIKE!” The girls cheered as Twilight walked around the statue base with Spike in her arms. Canterlot High stood behind them, empty of the students and teachers as is the norm for a Saturday. It was just after sunrise when Twilight received the text from Pinkie, letting her know they were ready for them.

Behind the girls, Pinkie had set up party cannons that shot confetti into the air. The small, purple dog looked at them with saucer sized eyes, a toothy grin, who's tail wouldn’t stop wagging.

“Wow!” Spike expressed with pure joy. “You guys remembered!”

“Of course we did, Spiky Wikey.” Rarity assured as she stepped up to them, scratching his chin when she did. “We would never forget such an important day.”

“Darn right. Course, Pinkie’s constant reminders didn’t hurt, either.” Added Applejack with a light chuckle.

Pinkie appeared between Twilight and Rarity, threw her arms around the two girls and held them in a strong hug. “Oooooo! We are going to have SUCH a fun time, Spike!” Releasing her friends, Pinkie appeared at the top of the statue base. “We got games! And treats! And presents! And…”

“Buuuut first…!” Rainbow interrupted before turning to Spike, placing a hand on Fluttershy’s shoulder. “Our resident animal lover has something special for you. Right, Fluttershy?”

“Oh, yes. I’m taking you to the Bales Dog Park in the city!”

“Bales Dog Park?!” Spike jumped out of Twilight’s arms and began running around the girls, excitement clear on his face. “That’s the best park ever!” Jumping into Fluttershy’s arms Spike gave her a lick, earning him a giggle from his kind hearted friend. “Twilight was suppose to bring me but…well, you know what she’s like.”

Twilight adjusted her glasses, looking away from the two as she laughed nervously.

“Cut her some slack, Spike.” Sunset said as she stood beside Twilight and patted her in the back, knocking her glasses loose. Sunset continued as Twilight place her glasses back on right. “She was the one that told us about this park in the first place.”

Twilight composed herself then faced Fluttershy and Spike. “You two should get going. We’ll be at Applejack’s farm setting up the party.” Walking up to them, Twilight patted Spike’s head before the two head for the school parking lot where Fluttershy’s car was parked.

“OKAY!” Rainbow proclaimed as she pumped her fist. “Lets head over to AJ’s and get this party STARTED!” The girls cheered their agreement before they started to make their way to their own vehicles.

“WAIT!” Pinkie shouted from the statues base. Her friends stopped and looked back at her.

“What is it, darling? Don’t you want to set up Spike’s party?” Rarity asked, making her friends gasp at the thought of such wrongness.

“Of course I do! Seriously Rarity, have you met me?”

“Yeah, Pinkie not wanting to set up parties is as likely as fish growing wings.” Sunset commented, earning her an annoyed look from Rarity.

“What is it, Sugarcube? Did ya need help with yer party cannons?”

“Yes, I would Applejack. Thank you!” Pinkie answered cheerfully before becoming serious. “But not right now. Right now we have something more important to do.”

“What’s that?” Twilight asked.

Pinkie reached into her big, curly hair and dug around; the girls leaning forward slowly until she pulls out a clipboard and pen. “Going through the party planner checklist!”

Twilight grinned with excitement while the other girls groaned loudly.

“Again?! We’ve been through that list twenty-nine times already!” Rainbow expressed in frustration. “You can’t be serious!”

Her face hidden behind the clipboard, Pinkie slowly lowered it to reveal the scary serious expression she worn. The girls all backed away a little at the sight of their party planner friend.

“I am always serious when it comes to parties.” Pinkie said in a low threatening voice making Rainbow slide behind Applejack; her friend raising an eyebrow at the athlete.

Twilight was the only one too brave Pinkie’s menacing scowl, approaching her. “Excellent! What’s first on the list, Pinkie?”

“Role Call!” And just like that Pinkie was back to her cheerful self, allowing the others to let out the breathes they had unknowingly held. Sunset shot Rainbow a glare.

“Never. Do that. Again!” She said to her angrily, who chuckled nervously as she stepped out from behind Applejack.

The six friends endured the tedious process of another session of Pinkie and Twilight’s going through the ridiculous amount of things. Unaware of the portals surface shimmering.

Princess Twilight Sparkle rested in her reading chair with a factional story floating before her within her magical grip. She had just finished the tasks she had given herself for the morning regarding the preparation for the School of Friendship she and her friends were setting up.

Spike and Starlight were in the kitchen getting breakfast, giving Twilight the chance to take advantage of the quiet time that she has. When the new school opens up, she’s not gonna have too many of these moments to herself.

“Ahh. What a great way to start the…”

The door to her reading room flew open with a crash as two earth ponies stood in the doorway. “Princess Twilight! We need your help!” The stallion announced.

Twilight sighed a heavy sigh. “…day.” Placing a book mark at her place before putting it down, Princess Twilight turned toward the doorway and immediately recognized the yellow mare earth pony as well as the two headed creature standing behind her.

“I know you. Your that mare from the Traders Exchange.”

“That’s right, Princess. Teddie Safari.”

“I’m Cratus.” The grey stallion spoke with a surprisingly high pitched voice. “I was also at the Exchange.”

The Orthros pushed his way past the two ponies and explored the room. Twilight looked from the Orthros to them and asked. “Why do you have the Orthros? I thought Rainbow Dash traded it to somepony else for a bird whistle.”

“She did, your Highness.” Safari stepped forward as she spoke with Cratus close behind. “But I just couldn’t let him go. I managed to trade it back for an authentic Daring Do hat signed by A.K. Yearling herself!” Twilight had climbed off her chair and stood before the two ponies as the Orthros continued to explore the room. “But I still had the problem of training it. I was going to see if your yellow friend would mind keeping him with her until it was trained. But on my way to the train station, I bumped into Cratus here. We got to talking and he said he could train him.”

“Why wasn’t it already trained?” Twilight asked, turning to the stallion.

“I had just caught him two days before the Exchange and training Orthros' takes awhile. When I told Safari that, we agreed on an arrangement.”

“I hired Cratus to stay in Manehattan to train him. That was months ago."

“And has he?” Twilight asked her while trying to figure out the problem.

“Yes, he has. And he's done an amazing job.” Safari puts her hoof to her month and whistles. “Duo! Come here, boy!” The Orthros’ heads turns and makes his way to them, sitting down between the two earth ponies obediently. Safari scratches one of his heads. “Good boy, Duo.”

“So…what’s the problem? And why come to me?” Twilight asked, looking between the two.

“I want Duo back!” Cratus replies.

“Since you were the Princess that oversaw the last Exchange, we thought that you would have a better understanding of our situation.” Safari answered before turning on Cratus. “And You traded him for a lamp! Plus, I’ve been supporting you while you trained him!” Safari shouted, growing frustrated over the same argument.

Princess Twilight grew annoyed as the two argued; the three ponies failed to notice as Duo backed away, sensing the negative emotion coming from them. He turned from his owner and trainer to walked out of the room into the humongous hallway. The two heads of Duo sniffed the air, picking up the many scents that lingered until one head picked up a scent that didn’t belong.

The scent of another dog.

Duo’s other head picked it up as well causing the two heads to drool a lot more as they both followed the scent. The smell was odd to the Orthros as it was bizarrely mixed with the scents of a dragon, a pony, and another creature that neither head could place. Duo picked up speed as the scent grew stronger until it reached a closed door. He pawed at the door, whining. The confused and curious mind of the Orthros compelled him to slam against the door, it’s echos carrying through the castle.

In the kitchen, Spike and Starlight had just finished preparing the meal when the echos reached them.

“What is that banging?” Spike asked holding a tray of pancakes.

“I’m not sure.” Starlight replied, her magic surrounding a pitcher of juice and glasses.

The Orthros’ banging managed to reach Princess Twilight as Safari and Cratus continued to argue.

“What is…” Twilight whispered.

“How many times do we have to argue this? Duo is mine! Our arrangement was for you to train him, not to take him!”

“But training him reminded me of why I caught him in the first place!” Cratus defended. “Their great for tracking the creatures I hunt for my business!”

“Then just track down another one!”

“I’d need Duo for that!”

“ENOUGH!”

The Princess of Friendship commanded. Safari and Cratus both took a step back from her out of surprise then fear. Twilight had been listening to them long enough to understand both sides; arguing around in circles wasn’t gonna solve anything.

“Now then, Cratus.” Twilight began once she composed herself. “You understand that once you agreed to the trade, you are no longer entitled to what you traded, correct?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Then you know you have no grounds to stand on regarding Duo’s return as you have nothing that Safari wants.”

“Maybe so, Princess Twilight. But…” Cratus began until Princess Twilight raised a hoof, indicating there was know room for argument.

“Safari.” She addressed, turning to the earth pony mare. “I’m sure you’ve noticed as I have…” Another echo reached her ears, making one of them flick. “…how much Duo means to Cratus, don’t you?”

“Well, yes Princess.”

“Then you must realize how much training Duo meant to him as well. After all, why else would Cratus fight so hard for him?”

“It’s admirable, I admit. But…” Once again, Twilight ceased her with a raise of her hoof.

“With both points of views understood, I propose a compromise. Safari…” Twilight points her hoof at her. “…if you allow him to keep Duo until they captured another Orthros, then Cratus…” She directs her hoof toward the stallion. “…you must return him to Safari and, if you haven’t yet, complete his training as per your arrangement.”

When the echo reached her ears this time, Twilight turned her head towards the entrance of the room.

Safari thought about the Princess’ suggestion then looked at Cratus with a sad smile. “I…can do that. I know how much you care about Duo.”

The stallion looked at the her, seeing the understanding in her eyes and flashed a kind grin back. “Thank you, Safari. I will be content with this time with him.”

Princess Twilight felt joy at helping the two ponies bring there argument to a close. Another echo floated into her ear, causing the Princess to look around trying to find it’s source only to notice something odd.

Something that was missing.

“Where’s the Orthros?” Twilight asked turning her gaze towards the two in front of her. Cratus and Safari looked from each other to Twilight then around the room, finally noticing the absent Orthros.

“Duo?” Said Cratus, his trained senses trying to find any sign of the beast.

“Duo! Where are you, boy?” Safari called out while running around the room.

Suddenly, a loud crash echoed throughout the castle causing the three ponies to head for the hallway. Princess Twilight flew above the two earthbound ponies as they entered the hallway. They looked down each direction until Twilight spotted a trail of drool.

“Over there!” She called out, following the trail with Safari and Cratus close behind.

Spike and Starlight were on their way to the dining room when the echo of the crash reached them.

“What is Twilight doing? Remodelling the castle?” Starlight asked aloud.

“Knowing Twilight, I wouldn’t be surprised if that were true.” Spike replied. His face expressing his worry for his dear friend.

“Maybe you should see what she’s up too.” Suggested Starlight as she enveloped the tray of pancakes Spike was carrying. “Just in case she does something…irreversible.”

With a nod, Spike ran down the hallway the echo came from as Starlight continued on to the dinning room.

The doorway wide open, Duo walked into the room that held the most bizarre contraption he had ever seen. The mirror stood near the back of the room surrounded by the gizmos and devices that maintained the portal it housed.

The strange mix scent of four creatures was coming from the mirror.

His tail wagged from side to side as Duo hurried toward the portal. Upon reaching it both heads of the Orthros sniffed at the mirror’s surface, reinforcing the creatures curiosity. The draw too strong to resist the two heads panted with excitement, their tongues hanging from their jaws as Duo walked into the portal.

“CHECK!” Pinkie announced with unbridled glee after Twilight got to the ‘Presents must be wrapped in Pinkie Pie approved birthday wrapping’.

“Excellent!” Said Twilight as she moved her pen to the next item on the list. “Thirty-six inch by a hundred and forty-four inch birthday banner with ‘Happy Birthday, Spike!’ written in Bradley Hand font?”

“Check-a-roony!”

Sunset Shimmer and the other girls looked on as their more ‘organization obsessed’ friends continued looking over the same list they had all looked over almost thirty times now. While she was no stranger to keeping things neat and straightforward, the pony turned human girl had no where near the level of unwavering dedication to it that Pinkie and Twilight had.

And I hope never to be. She thought to herself, allowing a small smile to cross her face.

“By the time they finished, Fluttershy would have brought Spike to the barn and eaten the cake!” Rainbow whispered to the other girls, her annoyance evident on each word.

“Suck it up, Dash.” Applejack said through clinched teeth. “This is yer fault fer pushing Pinkie’s button that should never be pushed.”

“Perhaps this will teach you to watch what you say around others, hmm?” Rarity added tactfully.

Doubt it. “Their over half way through, Dash.” Sunset said aloud. “Couple more minutes, then were outta here.”

Rainbow crossed her arms and pouted, turning her head towards her two friends that were standing with their backs turned towards the portals entrance.

It’s surface began to waver.

“Huh?" Her eye cooked up, Rainbow focused her attention past Pinkie and Twilight and on the portal. Then, her eyes slowly grew wider and wider as something equally slowly emerged from the portal.

Reaching her hand out towards Applejack, who was currently having a conversation with both Sunset and Rarity, and grabbed her shoulder, shaking her farmer friend.

“What now, Da…” Applejack began until her eyes passed over the portal, catching a glimpse of the scaly creature’s two heads poking out of the portal. Her expression caused concern from Rarity and Sunset, who both faced the portal, and mimicking the same response.

“Alright! Next is the custom made bacon scented birthday candles with the non-toxic chemical to turn the flames color purple?” Twilight asked with a joyful smile on her face, oblivious to the two serpentine heads raising up behind the two party planners.

“Oh! Absolut…” Pinkie stopped as her left nostril itched as well as her right middle toe grew numb. Slowly lifting her head up from the checklist she and Twilight were holding, Pinkie looked at her four petrified friends as they craned their heads up to look at something above them.

Really high above them.

Taking notice of Pinkie’s reply stopping suddenly, Twilight looked at her pink friend. “Pinkie? What is it? You didn’t forget the candles at your place, did you?”

Taking a gulp, Pinkie asked. “…there’s something really bad behind us, isn’t there?” The creatures low growl answers her question causing both girls to stiffen up, their eyes wide with fear. Slowly, both Pinkie and Twilight turned their heads to see two thick reptilian necks just an arms length away. The two followed the necks upward until they were looking straight up.

At two brown scaled dragon heads looking down at them.

Then they both roared.

Rarity, snapping out of her petrification at the sound of the dragon’s roar, ponied up as the two girls dropped the checklist and hugged each other, screaming in terror; the two heads the draconic creature came down towards them. Before either of them knew what was going on, a ring of hexagon shaped diamonds bound around the two and pulled them clear away. Just in time to avoid the two headed dragon's maws as they both slammed into the ground, causing the area to shake.

That action snapped the three remaining girls out of their state of shock and refocus on what was going on in front of them. Rarity gently bought the still screaming Twilight and Pinkie beside her before releasing them from her ring.

“IT TRIED TO EAY US! LIKE WE WERE SOME KIND OF BITE-SIZED CUPCAKE!” Pinkie screamed, refusing to release Twilight for even a second.

“WHAT IS THAT!?” Twilight asked fearfully as Rainbow shook her head of the shock, ponying up after shooting a glare at the beast.

Sunset Shimmer couldn’t believe her eyes as the two dragon heads lifted up from the ground and shake themselves. Being from Equestria, she was no stranger to dragons; thinking back to when she was Princess Celestia’s student, Sunset would often read up on dragons during her free time. She even recalled her mentor saying she had acquired a dragon egg not long before she fled to this world.

What did surprise her was the number of heads this dragon had.

“I…I don’t believe it. This…this shouldn’t be possible!”

“What shouldn’t be possible?” Applejack asked, refusing to take her eyes off the creature before them as she too ponied-up.

“It’s a dragon. But it shouldn’t have two heads!” Sunset explained, her own transformation activating on pure instinct.

“Why not, darling? Don’t they have dragons in Equestria?” Rarity inquired as she knelt behind Pinkie and Twilight, a gentle hand resting on their shoulders.

“Yes, there are. But I’ve never heard of there being any two headed ones before.”

One of the dragon’s heads had finished shaking. it looked at the girls in front of him and growled while moving his head closer, startling the six friends. The other head stopped shaking soon after and finally saw it’s other head and froze. The second head continued forward until to suddenly stopped just out of reach of Twilight and Pinkie who’s pupils were dilated with fear.

Turning to see his other head, the dragon’s reptilian eyes widen as he lock them together with the other dragon heads own beastly eyes.

“Wait.” Applejack said as a thought came to her. “Isn’t Princess Twilight’s Spike ah dr…”

The two headed dragon let out a soul crushing cry of agony.

Both Twilight and Pinkie leapt from where they sat, backpedaling away from the wailing dragon to stand behind their friends. As he cried out, the dragon’s heads flailed about before the group. During this, Sunset caught movement in the very edge of her sight, drawing her attention the the lower left corner of the portal. There she saw two Spike sized claws had poked through the portal and began clawing at the ground, trying to free itself.

“It’s trying to get through the portal!” Sunset called out, drawing everyone’s attention to the claw that had managed to dug away enough of the earth to thrust his claw forward.

His appendage free, the dragon lunged his two heads forward in an attempt at freedom. For a brief moment the dragon’s two heads stretched far enough to position Rarity between the two, forcing the others to leap back further.

“Rarity!” Applejack called out.

Taken by surprise Rarity remained rooted in place; her head refused to move as her gaze shifted to the side meeting the slit pupil eye of the beast that owned it. For a split second, Rarity saw something within the gaze that had never acquired to her upon their meeting.

Is this ferocious dragon…scared?

In a matter of a few seconds, the second head attempted to chomp down on her while Rainbow, using her super speed, rushed in, grabbed the fashionista, and flew them both away mere milliseconds before the dragons teeth bit down at the exact spot Rarity had been occupying.

The athlete didn’t stop until she and Rarity were on the steps of the school, prompting the others to join them. “That was WAY too close for comfort!” Rainbow expressed, her chest heaving more from the close encounter with death then from any physical exertion. “You alright, Rarity? No split ends in your hair?”

“I’m…well…I…may need a moment, if it’s all the same to you.” She answered as the others joined them. Before the girls could say anything, the dragon roared as he pushed against the statues base that housed the portal, unable to force himself through the minimal spacing.

“Well, at least he can’t get us here.” Pinkie said nervously.

The dragon began to claw at the earth under his chest, digging.

“…since when do dragons dig?”

“That’s not important!” Sunset spoke as she took a step towards the dragon, earning her a glare and growl form one of the heads. “We can’t let it get free.” She turns to face the other girls. “If it does, not only would it run wild, but we’d never be able to send it back!”

The truth of Sunset’s words struck them; while they might have defeated magically power beings before, none of it compared to a rampaging dragon with two heads. Her fear of the dragon gone Twilight ponied-up along side Pinkie as the six of them gathered around Sunset, ready to do whatever it took to send the creature back to Equestria.

Flying down the hallway with Cratus and Safari running after her, Princess Twilight Sparkle led them closer to the library she kept the mirror that housed the portal to Canterlot High. As she followed the trail of drool Twilight couldn’t figure out what had drew the Orthros to the portal in the first place.

We past the hallway that leads to the kitchen, so that rules out food. Twilight thought as she neared the open door to the room that housed the mirror. What other reason would it have?

“Twilight!”

The Princess of Friendship flapped her wings to stop herself then turned to address Spike as he ran down a separate hallway to catch up.

“What’s going on? What was that noise?” He asked as the two met beside the two earth ponies.

“An Orthros. It wondered off while the three of us were occupied.”

Spike looked at the two ponies as recognition flashed across his face. “Weren’t you two from the Traders Exchange a few months back?”

“Why yes, we…” Safari began to answer.

“We don’t have time for this!” The Princess declared. “The Orthros is in the library with the portal.” With that, Twilight ran the rest of the way to the doorway.

“The portal?!” Spike expressed before running after his lifelong friend, leaving Cratus and Safari to exchange puzzled looks at one another.

“Portal?” They asked each other at the same time, running towards the room the youngest Princess had entered.

Arriving at the doorway to the library Cratus and Safari spotted Princess Twilight Sparkle and Spike standing before a mirror that was attached to a contraption that only a unicorn could understand its design and purpose. The walls lined with rows upon rows of books that encircled the room. The two ponies walked through the library passing multiple tables and chairs spread out around the floor, untouched by anyone aside form those who resided in the castle.

Standing beside them, both earth ponies noticed the direction the Alicorn and baby dragon where looking at and followed their gaze to discover something both incredible and unexpected.

Duo’s tail was sticking out of the mirror.

“Is that…?” Cratus began.

“Yes. That’s Duo’s tail.” The Princess answered in a somber tone.

“Is he alright? Where is he? What happened to him?” Safari asked as she began to panic.

“More importantly…” Cratus stated, his tone serious, as he looked at Twilight. “Where did you find this mirror and where does it lead?”

Twilight and Spike exchanged a look, one that said ‘this could be a very serious problem’. Taking a deep breath, the Princess began.

“I don’t know where it came form. Princess Celestia entrusted it to me once the Tree of Harmony granted me this castle.” Twilight stepped forward as she continued. “The mirror is a magical gateway to another dimension that I and Spike have used on important occasions. However, due to the nature of that other world the mirror performed a transformation spell on us. Turning us into suitable creatures native to it.”

“Are you saying Duo was transformed by the mirror as well?” Safari inquired, stepping closer to the mirror.

“There’s a very good chance of that being the case.”

“Then why do you sound so concerned about it?” Cratus asked in an almost accusing tone.

This time Spike replied. “When we traveled through the portal, Twilight changed into something they call a ‘human’. They stood upright, had things called hands and feet instead of hooves. They didn’t have horns or wings and had no muzzles.”

The two ponies looked at Spike with horrified expressions.

“Its not as bad as it sounds. Point is, when I went through the portal, I was changed into a dog.”

“A dog?” Cratus questioned in disbelief.

“Why a dog?” Safari asked.

“Like Twilight said, we took the forms of creatures that were common to that world.” Spike looked back at Twilight who was staring intensely at Duo’s wildly moving tail. “Every since we got back the first time, Twilight began to theorize what would happen if other creatures were to pass through from either side. What form would the mirror grant them? How would it determine what was right for that particular creature?”

Spike moved away form the two ponies towards the table that had a blank scroll and quill on it. “That’s when we thought about ‘The Reverse Effect’.

“Reverse Effect?” Safari repeated.

“What’s that?” Cratus questioned as his gaze turned towards Twilight and the mirror, his eyes widening as wisps of magic started to flow out of the mirror.

Princess Twilight backed away form the portal when the wisps were joined by sparks that sprinkled out as well. “The Reverse Effect is my theory of what would happen if the form one creature took decided to go through the portal. Would the magic within the portal change it into something else entirely. Or…”

Realization flashed across Safari’s eyes as she came to the conclusion of Twilight’s theory. “…would that creature take the same form…as the creature who had…taken it’s form…when it went through…” As she spoke her widened eyes looked at Spike who held the scroll and quill in his claws.

“By Celestia’s Sun!” Cratus expressed as the sparks where joined with crackling of magical lightning. “Are you telling us that the portal turned Duo…” He fixed his gaze on the Princess who positioned herself into a combat stance, her horn flaring up. “…into a DRAGON?!”

The thought that was on everyone’s mind was out in the air. Princess Twilight Sparkle had studied the mirrors magic ever since she returned from her first visit. She even began sharing her notes to Sunset Shimmer when she discovered the journal. However, it was only now that she wished she had shared The Reverse Effect theory with her friend sooner as well.

The surface of the portal began to ripple as though it were a pond; Duo’s tail shaking erratically as more and more magic energy poured out of the mirror in various forms. The Alicorn Princess could no longer deny the facts any longer. Duo must have been transformed into a dragon and is now stuck within the portal; she concluded that was the only solution that would explain why Duo’s tail was sticking out of the portal on her end as well as the back flow of magic.

When you block one end of the river…

“Spike, send a letter to Celestia! Tell her what’s happened and…”

Princess Twilight eyes widened as a bolt of magic hurtled out of the portal and headed straight for her.

“TWILIGHT!”