Sombra sped fast away from the seemingly ever-multiplying guards that pursued her. The steel-lined hallway was long, and the vault that she needed to hack into was supposedly at the very end. She only worried that when she'd get there, she'd be cornered.
Panting, Sombra turned invisible, hoping to somehow lose the guards. The sound of wild gunshots rung in her ears. Her invisibility was steadily wearing off, and the men were still hot on her trail.
She was almost there. Almost at the vault that held a mysterious artifact, one that nobody really knew much about at all. Sombra knew that if something is so much of a mystery, it must hold great power. So she had searched.
She had searched everywhere, across all devices around the globe, and found only a blank website showing a single photo that just wouldn't load.
But said photo came with a caption:
King Cosmos's Scroll - Use Wisely
01010110 01100001 01110101 01101100 01110100 0010000000110001 00110101 00110000 00100000 01010010 01110101 01110011 01110011 01101001 01100001 01101110 0010000001010011 01110101 01110010 01110110 01100101 01101001 01101100 01101100 01100001 01101110 01100011 01100101
The caption was followed by a series of ones and zeroes- binary code. It was nothing compared to what Sombra did on a daily basis, however. She easily decoded it, and soon, she had an address.
Now, however, she was in trouble.
Sombra reached the end of the hallway. The dead end of the hallway. Then she frantically searched for a control panel, somewhere, something that she could hook her hacks up onto to open the vault, but she found scarcely any technology inside of the wall for her to operate. Whatever source it stemmed from was somewhere many floors up, out of her hacking range, and it was also protected by highly advanced security tech.
The guards were closing in on her.
I could hack them! No, not effective enough, they'd still be able to shoot.
Twenty meters.
I could translocate to escape! No, I can't throw it that far, and I still wouldn't have gotten what I came for.
Fifteen meters.
I could turn invisible! No, they'd find me at some point, and it wears off too fast anyway.
Ten meters.
Sombra panicked. She desperately spammed buttons on her hacking screen, racking her brain for any one of the hundreds of hacking methods that she had apparently forgotten when she most needed them.
Five meters.
Warp inside! Just warp inside, something, anything, por favor!
A gunshot. Sombra crumpled, clinging to the cold edges of the vault door as if for dear life. Pain blossomed across her back and through her body like a time-lapse of red ink in water.
Despite the pain, she continued trying and trying to hack her way out of this ugly situation, thinking that it couldn't end like this. She couldn't end like this.
Then Sombra hit a button, and something seemed to happen, but she wouldn't know, because, at that moment, she fell. Unconscious.
"Oooooooh! This is so exciting!" Pinkie Pie screamed at Princess Luna while rapidly bouncing in the alicorn's face, so fast she was almost vibrating. "New friends, Princess. We're making NEW FRIENDS!"
The pink pony squashed Luna's face before madly cartwheeling back and forth around Twilight's library. Luna rubbed her cheek and chuckled, happy to have Pinkie as her entertainment. Then the Princess noticed a bright light out of the corner of her eye.
They're here!
She was about to announce Sunset and Juniper's arrival, but it seemed that Pinkie Pie was way ahead of her. In other words, she (somehow) fell from the ceiling and squashed the two ponies the moment they came through.
"Wha-!" Sunset exclaimed. "Pinkie!"
Pinkie jumped up excitedly.
"Hi! I'm Pinkie Pie, but I think you already know that. No, I know that you already know that! Cuz you're both good friends with the other Pinkie Pie from your world! Anyway, I'm Pinkie Pie! Did I already say that? I already said that, didn't I! Silly me! Anyway, you're Sunset Shimmer and you're Juniper Montage and we're going to be really really good friends! YAY, FRIENDS!"
She blew a party cannon in their faces.
"Okay, Pinkie," said Sunset, "quiet down a bit. Juniper hasn't been here before and it might take a while for her to get used to it."
She looked over at Juniper, who was now a light yellow pegasus pony with three blueberries for her cutie mark. She still wore her purple spectacles and her trademark green pigtails in her mane.
Juniper attempted to stand upright, the way she was used to in the human world, but quickly lost her balance and collapsed back on all fours.
"Whoah," she said under her breath, shakily walking in a circle in an attempt to properly view the rest of her new form. Then she looked over at Sunset.
"Do... do I have... wings?" she asked.
"I guess so," Sunset replied, "Hmm. I've been wondering what type of pony you'de be if you went through the portal."
Juniper looked at her.
"What?" she said.
"Well, there are three types of ponies in Equestria: earth ponies, unicorns and pegasi. I guess I didn't mention that, either, did I?"
Juniper shook her head. Then she squinted her eyes, studying Sunset's face.
"You're a unicorn?!?"
"Yeah."
"So... you can use magic."
"Yeah."
"That's so cool!"
"I guess so. But It's not that crazy here in Equestria. I mean, there are plenty of magic users here. This world basically runs on magic," Sunset explained.
"Wow."
Suddenly Pinkie Pie was hugging them.
"Come on, less talking, more chit-chatting!" she yelled.
"Aren't those the same thing?" asked Juniper.
The two ponies were saved by Princess Luna, who used her magic to pry Pinkie off of them.
"Hello," she said, "Sunset Shimmer, Juniper Montage. I am Princess Luna, the mother of the Night and the governess of the Dream Realm. I would like to welcome you both to Equestria. Even if it is just a short visit."
Luna winked at Sunset, who had gotten down on her knees while Juniper simply stood there, staring. After a second, however, she noticed Sunset's position and promptly fell over as she scrambled to bow before the Princess.
Luna chuckled.
"That won't be necessary, my little ponies."
She helped Juniper to her hooves.
"So now what?" said Sunset.
"Oh, oh, oh, pick me, pick meeeee!"
They looked over to see Pinkie Pie bouncing on the spot with her pink hoof as high up in the air as she could get it.
"Yes, Pinkie?" Sunset said, raising her eyebrow.
Pinkie bounced towards them.
"We..." she gestured to herself and Luna, "could give you..." she pointed her hoof at Sunset and Juniper, nearly smacking Sunset in the face, "A TOUR OF PONYVILLE!"
They all just stared at her. Then Pinkie looked at Luna.
"COME ON LET'S GO!" she yelled, then wrapped her forelegs around Sunset and Juniper and (somehow) dragged them all the way to the front door of the castle in a fraction of a second, leaving Luna in the library to follow. With a smile and a sigh, the alicorn lit up her horn and teleported to join the others.
During the tour, Pinkie asked Juniper a lot of random questions as Juniper slowly got used to talking with Luna and coordinating her hooves with each other.
"So this is Sugarcube Corner!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, gesturing to the sugary-themed house in front of them, "this is where I live!"
She dashed through the door and came back almost immediately with a tray full of desserts.
"Cupcake?"
Pinkie held the tray up in Juniper's face.
"Yes, thank you, Pinkie Pie," said Luna, smiling and taking three cupcakes in her magic. Sunset and Juniper giggled.
After Sunset and Juniper took their cupcakes from the tray, they moved on to the next building.
"Is this a garden shop?" Juniper asked.
"Yep!"
"Can we go in?"
Sunset looked at her.
"Why?" she asked.
"I really like gardening."
"Okay!" shouted Pinkie.
She quickly rushed up to the door and rapidly rapped her hoof on it. The door was opened by a pale earth
pony with a rosy red mane and tail that matched her rose cutie mark.
"Oh, hello, Pinkie!" said the pony.
"Hi, Rose! I have new friends! This is Sunset Shimmer and Juniper Montage!" Pinkie raced around and, before she knew it, Juniper was standing in front of Rose. "Juniper wants to see your shop!" said Pinkie.
Juniper smiled and waved.
"Hi."
"It's good to meet you, Juniper! My name's Rose. Now please, do come in." said Rose in a cheery voice. She stepped to the side to allow Juniper to enter.
"Is that a blue zinnia!?!"
"It sure is!"
Sunset chuckled to herself as she watched her friend get all excited over flowers.
She smiled up at Luna.
About half an hour later, the group returned to Twilight's castle, Juniper carrying a small tote bag in her mouth that contained a potted blue zinnia.
"I think Juniper and I should probably be getting back to our world," said Sunset Shimmer, heading towards the library.
"Okie-Dokie Lokie!" said Pinkie Pie as she bounced ahead.
"Dish hath been really fun," Juniper said, her voice distorted by the bag in her mouth.
Soon they got to the library containing the mirror portal.
"Goodbye, Sunset and Juniper," said Luna, "it was very -ahem- fun spending time with the two of you."
"YA, IT WAS SUPER AMAZING!" Pinkie shouted, once again cartwheeling around the room.
"Bye, Princess! Bye, Pinkie!" said Sunset. Juniper waved goodbye to them as well.
Then the two of them disappeared through the portal, not noticing that as soon as they entered, it turned a peculiar purple.
Sunset Shimmer sped towards the school on her motorbike, her flame-like hair flying in and out of her face. She had arranged to hang out in the schoolyard with her recent friend, Juniper Montage. She was hoping that Princess Twilight might let Starlight Glimmer join them, too, although she wasn't sure whether or not it was too much to ask somebody--or somepony--to literally cross dimensions at a moment's notice just to have a chat.
She skidded to a stop next to where Juniper was waiting, noticeably startling the girl.
"Oh, Sunset, you scared me!"
"Sorry," said Sunset as she stepped off of her motorbike and leaned it against the building.
"So," said Juniper, "Now what?"
Sunset reached down and pulled her magical journal out of her backpack.
"I was thinking about asking Starlight Glimmer if she could join us," she explained.
"Ooh!" Juniper clapped her hands together in excitement. "It's been too long!"
Sunset looked up, an eyebrow raised.
"It's only been a few weeks, Juniper."
"I know, but she was, like, my first friend! I'm really looking forward to seeing her again!"
Sunset giggled and began writing in her journal.
Dear Princess Twilight,
I know it hasn't been very long, but Juniper and I would really love it if Starlight could come over to the human world again! We had a lot of fun last time and Juniper misses her already. Starlight was her first friend, after all! If what you say about her is true, then she really has come a long way. I hope it's not too much to ask! I know you're both busy running your new Friendship School, after all. Thanks!
Your friend,
Sunset Shimmer.
She finished writing and snapped the book shut.
"So that's like, a magical book, right?" asked Juniper, "And you use it to contact whoever Starlight lives with?"
"Something like that."
"Cool. How does it work?"
Sunset smiled.
"Like you said, It's magic."
"Wow."
Juniper began leaning by the portal with a misty look in her eyes.
"Don't lean against-"
Sunset quickly caught her before she could fall into Equestria. Juniper's head just barely dipped inside.
"What the-" The green-haired girl stumbled away from it.
"Juniper, you've seen magic before," said Sunset.
"Yes but... what was that?" Juniper pointed to the portal.
Sunset furrowed her brow.
"I didn't tell you about the portal?"
"Portal!?!"
"You know, to Equestria?"
"To where?"
"The magical world of talking pastel ponies."
Juniper blinked. Sunset facepalmed.
"Where I'm from?" Sunset said.
"Wait. So you mean to say that you're from another world!?!"
"Yeah, I thought you knew already."
She looked up to see Juniper staring at her.
"Juniper," Sunset giggled, "You have literally trapped people in limbo and turned yourself into an evil supermodel. You really think this is that weird?"
"Yes!" said Juniper, "it is weird!"
She paused.
"Wait. Starlight's from there, too, isn't she?"
Sunset nodded.
"Ooh, so that's why you need that book to contact her!" Juniper said, jumping and causing her green pigtails to bounce up and down. "That makes sense... if magic can even make sense at all."
Sunset smiled.
Suddenly, her book started glowing and vibrating in her arms. She looked down at it, perplexed. For some reason, it was glowing blue this time instead of Twilight's usual pink aura.
"What the..."
"What?"
"Why's it..."
Sunset opened the book to find that what was written was in different horn-writing than Twilight's. It was more elaborate and loopy, so fancy that it was difficult to make out the letters.
"What the..."
"What?"
Sunset looked up at her friend.
"What's happening?" Juniper asked.
"This is... different."
"Huh."
Sunset squinted at the elegant writing and read aloud.
"Dear Sunset Shimmer,
It is a pleasure to contact you once again. My apologies for 'snooping' in Twilight's book; I just couldn't help myself! I can, admittedly, get a little bit excited from time to time.
Unfortunately, Starlight Glimmer is unavailable. I would ask Twilight about it, but she is with Starlight in Canterlot currently. I believe that they are conversing with my dear sister Celestia. I have been asked to watch over Twilight's castle while they are gone. However, I would love to get to know you outside of Celestia's stories and explore the functions of power in your world. I don't suppose that I could visit instead?
I await your reply.
Sincerely, Princess Luna."
"Wait, Twilight's book?" said Juniper, "But this is your book! And Twilight isn't a pony! She's a person, just like us! I mean, me. Just like me."
She blinked.
"I mean, she is a person, right?"
Sunset smiled.
"Of course she's a person. Luna means Princess Twilight. She has the other book."
"Princess Twilight?"
Sunset facepalmed.
"I really didn't tell you anything, did I?"
"Apparently not."
"Well, Equestria is like a parallel universe. Everybody here exists there, as well. Only in pony form."
Juniper stared.
"Wait. So there's a pony version of both of us on the other side of that statue thingy?"
"Well, there's a pony version of you. Technically, I am the pony version of myself. I'm from there, remember?"
"Then how are you not a pony?"
"The portal changes your form when you go through it."
Her journal vibrated again. She opened it up to see several random doodles all over the page.
🎈 🎉 🎂 
My apologies, Sunset Shimmer. I asked Pinkie Pie to entertain me.
"Well?" said Juniper. "Are you going to let her come over? I'd love to meet some more new people to hopefully make friends with. Y'know, like, not having my first impression have them think that I'm a greedy wannabe-famous-actress."
Sunset sighed.
"I don't know. It's probably a really bad idea. I mean, what would happen if the two Lunas met?"
"Oh, that's right," Juniper said, "the vice-principal of your- this school is Princess Luna's human counterpart, isn't she?"
Sunset nodded.
"Sorry Juniper."
She continued writing in her book.
"I'm sorry, Princess Luna. I don't think I can let you come to the human world, especially not when Pinkie's with you. It's just that, unlike Starlight, I see your human counterpart very often here and it's quite likely you'll meet. No offence, Princess, but I'm not sure that would go very well."
Luna replied almost immediately.
"That is all alright, Sunset Shimmer. However, I believe that you mentioned your friend, Juniper? I actually happen to be good friends with Equestria's Juniper Montage. I don't suppose they are the same pony? If so, or even if not so, I would love to meet her."
"I'm sure that you would be great friends with Juniper, (and yes, she is Juniper Montage) but again, It would be risky to have you come here."
"I am well aware of the risk, Sunset Shimmer, but I would like you to know that Equestria's Juniper does not live in Ponyville, and so it would not be quite the risk if you and Juniper visited this world. Assuming you're not busy, of course."
Sunset Shimmer was physically startled by this proposal. Her eyes widened and her back tensed, almost sending her through the portal herself.
She just hadn't been expecting it, that's all. What would Juniper think of it? The girl had only just learned that the portal, and, by extension, Equestria, even existed.
Juniper noticed her friend's surprised reaction to what she was reading.
"What? What happened?" she asked, positioning herself closer to Sunset so that she could peer over her shoulder at the journal.
"Well," started Sunset, "I told Luna that she shouldn't come here, but it turns out that she knows Equestria's, well, you, and that she doesn't live in Ponyville, where the portal is."
"Oh?"
"So... uh, she was wondering if you and I wanted to come and meet her there. Like, in Equestria."
Sunset looked up at her friend, who she found just staring at her with wide eyes. Then she smiled cheerily like the cute, pigtailed teenager that she was.
Then she snatched the book and pen out of Sunset Shimmer's hands and messily wrote down one word.
"Yes"
"Juniper, what are you doing?!" Sunset screamed at her. Her response was a magic book in the face.
"Come on!" Juniper screamed, "I'm dying to see this place! Take me there!" she paused. "Please?"
Sunset smiled.
"Okay, okay, I guess we could visit."
She took a deep breath in, then smiled and beckoned Juniper to step through the portal.
