For a time after their meeting in the Castle of Friendship, Twilight tried to keep an eye out for the pony that looked like her. But she never saw her.

Reports though began to come in from around Ponyville that had ponies had been seeing her acting oddly. Even by her standards. What was weird was that when they were brought up to her, Twilight could prove she had been someplace else at the time.

One thing though was in common with all of them. Every time somepony tried to get close to her, Twilight's doppelganger would fell as if she was afraid of being seen.

It only added to the mystery. And with two recent ones finally solved, Twilight was more than happy to look into it.

Without Pinkie's help this time, and without that ridiculous outfit, she had worn that one time. But with the School of Friendship about to reopen, she had very little time to do so.

And so she had to let this mystery lie for a time. And for a while, she had even forgotten about it. Until the day Sombra returned. Again.

***

This was not turning out to be Twilight Sparkle's day. Having saved the Crystal Empire from King Sombra, again, she and her friends had returned to Ponyville.

Only to find that Sombra had beaten them back, and now had the entire town under his control. The only good thing was that his attempt to destroy the Tree of Harmony had failed.

Nopony knew why, but Twilight had a good guess as to how and why. She made a note to ask Harmony herself once this was over. Assuming they could survive until then of course.

And now the Everfree Forest was attacking Ponyville. Again. Some days Twilight wondered why she even bothered getting out of bed in the morning.

"Even if we figure out how to defeat Sombra and bring everypony back to Ponyville, if we don't stop the forest, there won't be a Ponyville to come back to!" She cried, fighting back her tears.

Even Pinkie Pie couldn't help but feel down now. Everything seemed to be going against them. If they beat Sombra, then they could lose Ponyville. Or if they saved Ponyville, then they lost Equestria. There was no good way out of this. They lost either way.

Twilight sniffed. "I don't know what to do. I don't know how to free them and save Ponyville at the same time. Everypony was so sure I'd do such a great job." She stomped a hoof. "Well, this was exactly what I was afraid of! We need more help. We can't do it ourselves."

Just then, they all heard what sounded like magic going off all around them. One by one, the plants that had attacked the town shriveled up and died. After a moment, Ponyville was clear of invading plants as everypony looked at Twilight.

Twilight was as shocked as anyone. "Don't look at me! I didn't do that."

"Maybe she did," Fluttershy said, pointing off in front of them. When the girls looked, their jaws dropped in shock.

It was, Twilight? Looking closer though, they could see the mare was different in some ways. Her coat was darker for one and her mane looked more unkempt. Aside from that though, she was a perfect copy of Twilight, even right down to her cutie mark. Her head turned as Twilight took a step toward her.

For a moment, their eyes locked. At that moment, Twilight felt something pass between them. The next it was gone.

The mare's eyes lit up in shock, and to Twilight's surprise, fear. Closing them tightly to hide her tears, the mare fled as fast as she could away from her.

Twilight was quick to go after her. "Hey. Wait! Don't run!"

The mare looked back once, her tears falling freely now, and shook her head. Before Twilight could react, she vanished in a flash of teleportation.

Twilight came to a halt where the mare vanished as her friends came running up beside her. "Who was that?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight shook her head as her ears drooped. "I. I don't know."

***

Harmony was waiting for her as Twilight descended into the cavern beneath the School of Friendship. With Equestria safe once more, it was time to get some answers.

And she wasn't taking no for an answer.

Her mind would not stop going back to the encounter with the mare that looked like her. Who was she? Why had she run? And what was the fear that Twilight had seen in her eyes?

"I was not expecting that to be the way the two of you would meet. But it worked out in the end," Harmony said with a smile as Twilight came up to her.

Twilight knew who she meant, so she didn't bother beating around the bush. "Who was she? Why does she look like me? What the bucking hay is going on here?"

Harmony shook her head. "I'm not the one who can tell you that Twilight. I do indeed know who she is and all you want to know."

"Then tell me!" Twilight growled. "Why didn't you tell me about her earlier? You knew all along what was going on."

Harmony nodded. "I did. But would you have believed me if I had told you that you had a twin sister running around Equestria?"

As much as she wanted to refute that, Twilight couldn't as she hung her head. "No. Probably not. But why did she run? She helped us save Ponyville."

Harmony's ears drooped. "Because she is afraid Twilight. She is afraid of you. Of what will happen."

Twilight's brows rose. "Me? What would I do? When what happens?"

Harmony was about to respond but stopped as she saw someone and her smile lit up the cavern. Twilight was about to ask about it when another voice joined them.

"I fear you for what you might do when you learn what I really am, where I came from. But a part of me wants to be wrong."

Twilight's brain screeched to a halt. The voice was her own, but darker in a way that she had never been before. Turning around, she was shocked to come face to face with the same mare as before.

Up close, she could see the differences between them more clearly than before. In her eyes though, beyond the fear, was a distant hope.

"Who are you?" Twilight finally asked.

Her counterpart smiled, but there was no love in it. "My 'creator' Chrysalis never gave me a name. Nor did she for the others. Call me what you will."

Twilight's brows rose. "Chrysalis? You're a-"

A hoof was shoved in her mouth. "Don't call me a pawn of that misbegotten hag! I hated every moment being under her. I wanted nothing more than to be free of her," her counterpart snarled.

Twilight shut up, and not just for the hoof in her mouth. There was hate in that comment she had never heard before.

Her other self looked at Harmony. "She knows the full story. Let Twilight see it. Maybe then it will help."

Harmony nodded as the Tree of Harmony itself glowed and the cavern changed appearance to that of the Everfree Forest. All Twilight could do was watch in mounting horror as the events unfolded.

When it came to the point where the Fake Mane Six were trapped by the Tree, she finally had to ask. "Are they, dead?"

Harmony shook her head. "No. They still live. Their spirits are trapped within me. One, they may be set free."

Fake Twilight snorted. "I doubt those fools would care one way or another. They were too simple to try and free themselves from Chrysalis."

Twilight looked at her. "So why did you?"

Her twin spat. "Because I had enough of you in me to know what I was. I hated every second of it. I wanted to be free. Equestria would have been mine for the taking."

Harmony rolled her eyes. "Keep telling yourself that. You know that you would never have been able to use the Elements of Harmony. None of you would have."

Fake Twilight nodded as her head bowed. "I know that now. It took my, death, to see that." Her eyes glistened. "Show her the rest."

Harmony nodded as the scene progressed. Twilight could only guess the mare that looked like a unicorn her was Cosmos. And to be fair, she tried not to turn green in the face as she watched her twin pull herself together again. Tried, and failed.

That got a chuckle out of everyone around her as the scene ended. "After that, I've been in hiding wherever I could find a place," her twin said.

Twilight looked at her. "Why? If Chrysalis-"

Her counterpart got right in her face. "She means nothing to me. She thinks I'm dead. I plan to keep it that way for now."
Her expression softened. "But what do you think Equestria will do when they find out about me? What I am and where I came from."

Her tears returned in full force, and Twilight felt her heart clench at the sight. "You don't trust me. I see it in your eyes. And why should you?" She sniffed. "Go ahead then. Friend me! Blast me with the Elements. I don't care anymore. I'm done running. Maybe this time they'll make it painless."

Twilight felt her heart drop. She had never heard such resignation in somepony before. Part of her wanted to give her other self what she wanted. But it was a very, very, small part.

It took only a few seconds, buy Twilight made up her mind as she placed a hoof on her twin's chest. The gesture caused her to give Twilight a shocked look.

Twilight smiled. "No. I won't use the Elements. Maybe you're right, and I don't fully trust you. But I don't trust Discord half the time, and he's done far worse that rebelling against Chrysalis."

Her smile softened. "But help me change that. Come back with me. Prove to Equestria that you're not her slave or drone. I believe you." She chuckled. "I have more than enough room in the castle. You don't need to run anymore Twilight."

She retracted her hoof and held it out to her twin, a welcoming smile on her face. Other Twilight didn't say anything for a time.

This was everything she wanted. For too long, she had run from the truth. She had wanted to be accepted by Equestria, to have friends. But could she?

The look in the princess's eyes said yes, but she was a cynic by nature. Call it a holdover from her old life.

Without knowing though, her hoof reached out and took Twilight's own. For the first time, she smiled in a way that wasn't malicious or scheming.

But it felt right all the same.

Author's Note

Ah, the fun of the first contact. Apart from this, the rest of season 9's premiere won't change, aside from the fact that "Grogar" is now down to only Tirek and Chrysalis.

Harmony is Twilight's nickname for the Tree of Harmony. She hasn't brought it up yet to her, but it's easier than saying the full title every time or just Projection.

Up next is Twilight's and her counterpart's full reunion. With a little help from the Tree of Harmony of course. Whether Anti Twilight wants it or not.